TODAY’S TOP 5
1. Mullah Omar hails release of 5 top Taliban commanders as 'great victory'
(Long War Journal) Mullah Omar, the reclusive head of the Taliban, has purportedly released a statement hailing the transfer of the top five Taliban commanders from Guantanamo to Qatar. Omar says their freedom is a "great victory."
2. Audit: Many VA facilities altered appointment dates
(Military Times) More than 60 percent of Veterans Affairs health facilities surveyed in an audit directed by senior VA leadership were found to have toyed with appointment dates and, in some cases, schedulers were pressured to game wait times to make them appear more favorable, according to a new VA report.
3. We Lost Soldiers in the Hunt for Bergdahl, a Guy Who Walked Off in the Dead of Night
(Nathan Bradley Bethea in The Daily Beast) For five years, soldiers have been forced to stay silent about the disappearance and search for Bergdahl. Now we can talk about what really happened.
4. Still a Long Way from Asian NATO
(DefenseOne) Don't call it Asian NATO. Not yet. But something is brewing in the Asia-Pacific region lately and it feels like the birth of a new collective security architecture. Or maybe, just the conception.
5. On appeal, Army court reduces one of three "kill team" murder convictions
(Tacoma News Tribune) An Army appeals court has reduced one of the three murder charges that in 2011 sent a Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldier to jail with a 24-year sentence for killing Afghan civilians.
DEFENSE NEWS WITH VAGO MURADIAN
IEDs and New Threats
IEDs Across the Globe
DOD Program Cuts
Vago's Notebook
ARMY SGT. BOWE BERGDAHL RELEASED
Military community reaction mixed to Bergdahl release
(Army Times) Though Americans may be celebrating the release of the only American soldier held prisoner in Afghanistan by the Taliban, the reaction of the military community has been mixed at best.
Freed prisoners were battle-hardened Taliban commanders
(Washington Post) They were among the Taliban's most influential commanders - five men whom the United States succeeded in removing from the battlefield.
Lawmakers Question Deal Behind Soldier's Release
(Wall Street Journal) The release of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl after nearly five years in Taliban captivity prompted cheers among U.S. officials Saturday, but amid the applause some on Capitol Hill are questioning the risks and legality of how his freedom was brokered.
US defends captive swap with Taliban, critics stir
(Associated Press) Five years a captive from the Afghanistan war, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is back in American hands, freed for five Guantanamo terrorism detainees in a swap stirring sharp debate in Washington over whether the U.S. should have negotiated with the Taliban over prisoners.
Ex-Taliban POW to meet family at Fort Sam (Paywall)
(San Antonio Express-News) Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, released Saturday by the Taliban after being held captive nearly five years, will reunite with his family in San Antonio when he is flown here to be evaluated at the San Antonio Military Medical Center.
Did Bowe Bergdahl go AWOL in Afghanistan?
(Christian Science Monitor) After five years as a POW, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is headed home. But the circumstances of his capture by the Taliban in Afghanistan remain unclear, indicating he may have walked away from his base.
Top officials dodge deserter questions
(The Hill) Top Obama administration officials on Sunday avoided question about whether Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who was released by the Taliban in exchange for five detainees on Saturday, deserted the Army.
What's next for Bowe Bergdahl and his family?
(Fox News) Retired Maj. Gen. Bob Scales weighs in.
INDUSTRY
US Experts Bank on $50B to $70B Overseas Contingency Ops Budget
(Defense News) Even though US President Barack Obama announced last week that the Defense Department would leave only 9,800 American troops in Afghanistan in 2015, experts expect the Pentagon to ask Congress to approve $50 billion to $70 billion for war-related efforts.
Wall Street Still Unclear on When Defense Spending Will Hit Bottom
(National Defense) Defense industry analysts have been perplexed in recent months by higher than expected outlays in the "modernization" portion of the military budget that funds research, development and procurement of weapon systems.
F-35B Will Fly, Hover, Not Land Vertically At RIAT, Farnborough
(Breaking Defense) Will the F-35B land vertically at the Royal International Air Tattoo or the Farnborough Air Show? No. Will it hover? Yes.
How one Navy contractor navigated Washington's choppy waters
(Washington Post) Raymond Lopez Jr. spent three decades in the Navy, starting out as a seaman apprentice and retiring with the rank of commander. When Lopez and his wife Carol started Engineering Services Network, a defense services company, in 1997, they built their business on Navy contracts, growing from a small start-up into a $38 million-a-year enterprise. Lopez felt like he had never really retired from the Navy.
The Limits Of Lasers: Missile Defense At Speed Of Light
(Breaking Defense) Ronald Reagan's dream of lasers that can shoot down incoming missiles is about to become reality - to an extent. The Navy will deploy a low-power prototype to the Persian Gulf this summer and it sees real potential to zap drones, small boats, and anti-ship cruise missiles. But experts assembled at this week's Atlantic Council conference on missile defense agreed that directed energy weapons are decades from making a dent in much faster and tougher ballistic missiles, which China, North Korea, and Iran all have a-plenty.
Israel MoD Suspends Procurement Contracts
(Defense News) Israel's Defense Ministry has suspended planned procurement contracts, slowed work on major research and development projects and warned of a wave of industry layoffs to come from programs it will be forced to ax due to budget shortfalls.
IAI reports record Q1 sales as exchange rates bite
(IHS Jane's 360) Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) announced that it had made record sales of USD979 million in the first quarter (Q1) led by the military market as profits decreased due to the impact of weaker US dollar exchange rates.
Consortium Set To Dominate UK Infrastructure Work
(Defense News) A consortium of British support services companies involving Carillion and Amey are primed to secure three significant regional estate management contracts in the UK.
Airbus calls for increased Spanish government investment
(IHS Jane's 360) Spain needs a strategic plan to support key industries such as aeronautics that create employment and capabilities for the future, according to the CEO of Airbus Operations in the country.
VETERANS
'Patients are still dying'
(Arizona Republic) After laboring in relative obscurity as a doctor in the Phoenix VA Health Care System, Dr. Sam Foote just wanted to put a stop to deaths and delayed care at the Phoenix hospital.
Interim VA leader Gibson is new to department
(Military Times) Just three months after being named Veterans Affairs deputy secretary, Sloan Gibson is taking the helm - albeit temporarily - of an embattled Cabinet department.
How the VA developed its culture of coverups
(Washington Post) About two years ago, Brian Turner took a job as a scheduling clerk at a Veterans Affairs health clinic in Austin. A few weeks later, he said, a supervisor came by to instruct him how to cook the books.
VA Secretary Shinseki resigns
(Military Times) Besieged Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki resigned Friday just days after the VA's top investigator found significant issues - including cases of fraudulent reporting - with scheduling practices at VA medical centers.
Read Shinseki's farewell message to staffers
(The Hill) Former Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki on Friday issued a farewell message to the agency's employees, thanking them for their service on behalf of the nation's veterans.
Heat Stays on Veterans Affairs Department After Eric Shinseki's Exit (Paywall)
(Wall Street Journal) Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki resigned Friday, but his departure did little to solve entrenched problems over access to care at the VA or to relieve pressure on the Obama administration.
Cultural change critical to rescuing VA, experts say
(Pittsburgh Tribune-Review) The country's largest hospital system lost its top two leaders in two weeks, is under fire from powerful politicians and interest groups, and awaits an internal overhaul in the glare of an election-year political spotlight.
VA doctor recounts Kent County clinic's woes
(Delaware News Journal) A Veterans Administration physician says she left her fill-in job at the agency's clinic in Dover two weeks ago over pressure from administrators at its parent Wilmington Veteran Affairs Medical Center to prescribe narcotics to patients she'd never met or examined.
VA's sleep apnea patients get top priority for care
(USA Today) The veteran with sleep apnea who needs a device to sleep soundly gets top priority when it comes to receiving care at the scandal-plagued Department of Veterans Affairs, where fake waiting lists at its hospitals and clinics have kept patients waiting months for care.
CONGRESS
House Panel Deals US Defense Sector Another Winning Hand
(Defense News) The US defense sector is having a remarkable year on Capitol Hill. In fact, it is batting 1.000 so far, with three of four congressional defense panels protecting weapon programs and adding funds to buy platforms the military didn't even request.
Senate to take up new VA bill after scandal
(Associated Press) Details of a refashioned bill to address the problems plaguing the federally run veterans' health care system were released Sunday by its sponsor, the chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.
Boehner: Obama must lay out VA vision
(The Hill) Eric Shinseki's resignation as secretary of Veterans Affairs "cannot be used as an excuse to paper over a systemic problem," Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Friday.
Iowa Poll: Iraq War vet holds big lead in GOP primary
(USA Today) Self-described "mother, soldier, conservative" Joni Ernst is a convincing 18 points ahead of her closest GOP rival, "proven business leader" Mark Jacobs, in the Republican race for U.S. Senate in Iowa, a new Des Moines Register Iowa Poll shows.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
New research links Iraq dust to ill soldiers
(USA Today) Titanium and other metals found in dust at a base in Iraq have been linked to the dust found in six sick soldiers' lungs, according to a study set to be released Monday.
Alleged sex assaults by drill sergeant the latest in a long line during military training
(Washington Post) The alleged sexual assault of numerous female trainees by an Army drill sergeant in Missouri has underscored two persistent points of contention in the military: whether the Pentagon has done enough to vet troops who oversee introductory training, and whether men should supervise female trainees at all.
Pentagon Plan to Enlist Young Immigrants Is Delayed at White House's Request
(New York Times) A Pentagon plan to allow a small number of young immigrants who grew up in the United States without legal status to enlist in the military has been delayed by the White House, senior officials there said Saturday, to avoid any conflict with House Republicans considering whether to move on immigration legislation.
Snowden's Damage: More Trust Than Verify from Gov't
(Bloomberg) So what damage did the world's most infamous/famous/glamorous cyber geek cause the U.S. military-intelligence establishment?
Key U.S. Brass: Any Failure in Next Missile Defense Test Won't Sink Effort
(Global Security Newswire) A senior U.S. officer says if an upcoming missile-intercept test results in a repeat failure, it still would not likely spell doom for the program.
ARMY
Army commander denies knowing escort was a minor
(San Antonio Express-News) A military commander charged in a sex-trafficking case says he did not know an escort he reportedly had sex with in San Antonio was underage, according to court records released Friday.
Civil Affairs: The Army's hottest job is hiring now
(Army Times) The Army is looking to bolster its cadre of "warrior diplomats" by adding hundreds of enlisted soldiers and officers. To entice applicants, the service is touting big bonuses, instant promotions, high job satisfaction and assignments all over the world.
Investigations in Roberts Bales case still not public by the Army
(Tacoma News Tribune) More than nine months have passed since Staff Sgt. Robert Bales was sentenced to life in prison for killing 16 Afghan civilians, but the Army still will not release its investigations into the massacre he perpetrated while serving with a Joint Base Lewis-McChord Stryker brigade.
Local Guard soldier dies during physical fitness test
(Honolulu Star-Advertiser) A Hawaii Army National Guard soldier in his 30s died Friday morning while on duty performing the Army physical fitness test, officials said.
Meet the new voice for warrant officers
(Army Times) The Army's new senior warrant officer is focused on making sure his fellow warrant officers get sound professional military education, the right technical training and proper leader development.
Brig. Gen. David G. Fox relinquishes command of JFK Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg
(Fayetteville Observer) The U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School welcomed a new leader Friday.
Filipino nabbed in bombing that killed 2 U.S. soldiers
(Army Times) Philippine police on Sunday captured a suspected Muslim rebel bomber who allegedly was involved in a 2009 land mine attack that killed two U.S. Special Forces soldiers and a Filipino marine in a restive southern province.
NAVY
DDG begins 8-month cruise to Africa
(Navy Times) The destroyer James E. Williams began an eight-month deployment Friday, leaving here for the Horn of Africa to conduct training and exercises with partner nations.
Milbridge military sex assault survivor to receive more than $400,000 in back benefits
(Bangor Daily News; Maine) Ruth Moore was knee deep in mud and manure Thursday morning on her rural Washington County farm when she got a phone call from the Department of Veterans Affairs with news that is as vindicating as it is life-changing.
Navy to extend service life of Groton-based USS Dallas
(The Day; New London, Conn.) The U.S. Navy announced on Friday that it would retire the USS Norfolk (SSN 714) sooner than anticipated and extend the service life of the USS Dallas (SSN 700) in order to save approximately $10 million, spread maintenance work across shipyards and meet the Navy's operational needs.
Can 'Spidey Sense' be taught?
(Navy Times) You know that feeling. It's the tingling sensation you sometimes get that warns you all hell is about to break loose - when the hair on your neck starts standing tall and all your senses practically scream: "Act now!" or you'll be in some deep kimchi.
USN seeks information on 5-inch guided munition concepts
(IHS Jane's 360) The US Navy (USN) has rekindled a long-standing interest in a 5-inch (127 mm) extended range guided projectile concepts with the release of a Request for Information (RfI) on 9 May.
AIR FORCE
Relieved of command
(Air Force Times) Lt. Col. Craig Perry and his wife, Caroline, involved themselves in the personal lives of airmen and families at their new command, a leadership approach encouraged from the top down to help identify those in need.
USAF ISR Head: Changes Needed to Prepare For Future
(Defense News) With no sign that the sequestration-imposed budget cuts are going away, the Air Force is going to have to change how it handles its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) architecture, the services top ISR official said Friday.
Newest climate survey results show MTI morale improving
(Air Force Times) An April climate survey of basic military training showed morale within the beleaguered organization was on the uptick as sexual misconduct cases against instructors dwindled.
First gay commander takes over at NASIC (paywall)
(Dayton Daily News) A Dayton native and the first openly gay commander of the National Air and Space Intelligence Center took over the top leadership post of the secretive agency that provides intelligence reports to the White House, Congress and even ground troops in combat.
Three siblings, three academies
(Air Force Times ) As 995 graduating Air Force Academy cadets walked across the stage May 28 at Falcon Stadium, thousands of their family and friends beamed from the stands.
Kadena High School reports 4th alleged sex assault in past 3 weeks
(Stars & Stripes) Kadena High School officials are dealing with the fourth alleged sexual assault of a student to come to light in three weeks.
Administration pushes for drone transparency
(Air Force Times) The Defense Department is pushing for more transparency in providing information on international drone strikes in countries such as Yemen, while still not releasing drone strike data for its continued operations in Afghanistan.
U.S. Global Hawks Operate in U.K. and Japan
(USNI News) The U.S. Air Force's fleet of Northrop Grumman RQ-4B Global Hawks has been busy in recent days, touching down in Japan and participating in NATO exercises over the U.K. for the first time.
Most Malmstrom airmen return to alert duty
(Air Force Times) About two-thirds of the airmen involved in the cheating investigation at Malmstrom Air Force Base have been returned to alert duty or are in the training pipeline to be recertified, according to base officials.
Academy revamps flight programs to address neighbors' concerns over noise, safety
(Colorado Springs Gazette) The U.S. Air Force Academy is trying to quiet down its flying programs this summer to appease neighbors who have demanded changes.
MARINE CORPS
Feds: CMC did not improperly classify materials
(Marine Corps Times) Marine Corps officials did not improperly classify war zone videos used in a series of high-profile court cases, the federal agency responsible for supervising the government's classification system has decided.
A Marine's final battle: Years of fighting PTSD and brain injury end in postwar casualty (Paywall)
(The Commercial Appeal; Memphis, Tenn.) That first kill haunted him most. There were others, but he voiced the greatest pain recounting his encounter with an Iraqi insurgent.
USMC continues AH-1W upgrades
(IHS Jane's 360) The US Marine Corps (USMC) is equipping its entire fleet of 136 AH-1W Cobra attack helicopters with new features that make both targeting and communications easier, according to Elbit Systems, the prime contractor for the efforts.
Ariz. family rallies to free Marine from Mexican jail
(KTVK-TV Phoenix) Friends and family of a Marine jailed in Mexico gathered in Phoenix Saturday morning to try to get Sen. John McCain to intervene on his behalf.
Torrez sentenced to death in sailor's murder
(Chicago Tribune) Saying Jorge Torrez had committed "unconscionable crimes," a federal judge today sentenced him to death for strangling a female sailor near the Pentagon in 2009.
COAST GUARD
Zukunft takes over as new Coast Guard commandant
(Navy Times) Thousands of Coast Guardsmen, past and present, gathered alongside friends and family at the Coast Guard's gleaming headquarters Friday to celebrate the retirement of Commandant Adm. Bob Papp and welcome the new chief, Adm. Paul Zukunft.
Retiring Coast Guard commandant looks back
(Navy Times) If you ask the outgoing Coast Guard commandant, he'll tell you that he never thought he'd make it to the top spot. He'll also say holding the job is the highlight of his 39-year career.
Coast Guard Aviation, Cutter Bump Highlights DHS Mark
(Seapower) The U.S. Coast Guard was given a funding boost in the May 28 markup of the fiscal 2015 Homeland Security bill.
Minor fire contained at Coast Guard Academy
(The Day; New London, Conn.) City firefighters responded Friday morning to a report of smoke in a building at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and left the scene after securing it about 45 minutes later, Battalion Chief Tom Curcio said.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN
Top Marine in Helmand: Victory will be a quiet exit
(Marine Corps Times) The commander of the skeleton Marine Corps force remaining in Afghanistan has a laundry list of goals he'd like to see accomplished before the last Marines leave later this year: improve the counter-IED capabilities of the Afghan National Army's 215th Corps in Helmand province; boost recruiting and force sustainment for the Afghan National Security Forces, and institutionalize base maintenance and sustainment.
For Afghan advisers, it's the moment of truth
(Marine Corps Times) Just days after the Marine Corps pulled the remainder of its forces out of the embattled Sangin valley, a small mobile training team of all-Afghan instructors deployed there from the Regional Corps Battle School that abuts Camp Leatherneck.
More than 500 Afghans resettled in Australia after helping Defence Force
(ABC (Australia)) More than 500 Afghan nationals who helped Australia's mission in Afghanistan have been resettled in Australia under a "discreet" relocation program, the Government says.
Corruption enemy No. 1 for Afghan police
(San Diego Union Tribune) American military commanders have long recognized that the insurgency benefits from a pernicious force stalking Afghan national troops, one that attacks from inside the ranks.
MIDDLE EAST
Israel Limits Security Cooperation with Russia
(Defense News) Israel has forfeited some US $1 billion in defense trade and dual-use development projects with Russia due to a delicately balanced foreign and export licensing policy aimed at preserving security ties with Moscow without harming vital interests of the US and its NATO allies.
UN says Iraq violence killed 799 people in May
(Associated Press) Violence has claimed the lives of 799 Iraqis in May, the highest monthly death toll so far this year, the United Nations said on Sunday, underlining the daunting challenges the government faces as it struggles to contain a surge in sectarian violence.
Iraqi corvettes set to leave Italy after 28 years
(IHS Jane's 360) The Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri and the Iraqi government have signed an agreement that resolves the long-running dispute over two corvettes that Baghdad ordered in 1980.
AQAP commander addresses 'American Enemy'
(Long War Journal) On May 26, a statement by al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) commander Jalal al Marqishi, also known as Hamza al Zinjibari, surfaced on jihadi forums. The statement, titled "A Comment on the Latest American Bombardment of Yemen," begins with a request that Allah accept as martyrs those killed by the American "bombardment campaigns" that occurred "last week" in Baydha, Abyan, and Shabwa.
Behind Syrian regime, a familiar US adversary: Iran
(Christian Science Monitor) Abdollah Eskandari was, by one count, the 60th Iranian officer to die as a "martyr" in Syria. At funerals and memorials that are crowded with officers, the fallen are eulogized for "defending" the Shiite shrine of Zeinab in Damascus.
EUROPE
German Industry Braces For Tighter Export Rules
(Defense News) German Economics Minister Sigmar Gabriel wants to implement a more restrictive arms export regime in his country, a move that could sap the nation of jobs and technological know-how, local industry sources say. The head of Airbus, in fact, has threatened to move production lines abroad as a result of the changes.
Poland to accelerate arms programmes
(IHS Jane's 360) Poland is to speed up many key defence procurement programmes, in response to the Ukraine crisis, Deputy Defence Minister Czeslaw Mroczek stated on 26 May.
Russian Fighters for China Still On Hold
(Defense News) Russian industry officials are denying media reports that Beijing and Moscow are finalizing a deal on the sale of advanced Russian fighters and surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) to China.
Russian maneuvers to involve missile launches
(Associated Press) The Russian Defense Ministry says it has launched a military exercise involving the launch of high-precision missiles. The war games are taking place amid the backdrop of violence in eastern Ukraine.
Embattled Abkhaz President Resigns
(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Aleksandr Ankvab issued a statement today announcing his decision to step down as de facto president of Georgia's breakaway Republic of Abkhazia, just five days after opposition supporters forced their way into the presidential administration building calling for his resignation.
With Ukraine Crisis Cooling, Obama Sets Off to Soothe European Friends
(New York Times) President Obama leaves for Europe on Monday night cautiously optimistic that the crisis in Ukraine has turned a corner, but he will find himself face to face with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia for the first time since the two squared off in a Cold-War-style showdown in Eastern Europe.
King Juan Carlos of Spain abdicating
(BBC) King Juan Carlos of Spain has decided to abdicate, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has announced.
AFRICA
Heavy fighting reported in Libya's Benghazi
(Al Jazeera) Heavy fighting is ongoing in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, apparently between the armed group Ansar al-Shariah and irregular forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar, a former army general.
Nigerian Air Force says UAVs are not operational
(IHS Jane's 360) The Gulma unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is developing is not operational as yet, NAF spokesman Air Commodore Yusuf Anas said in a 27 May statement.
Bomb Blast Kills 14 at Bar in Nigeria
(Voice of America) A bomb blast at a bar in northeastern Nigeria has killed at least 14 people watching a soccer match on television.
First Chadian MiG-29 seen in the air
(IHS Jane's 360) Chad is in the process of procuring advanced MiG-29 multirole fighters from Ukraine, it was revealed when the first photograph of one of the aircraft was posted on the airliners.net spotters website in late May.
Uganda Opposition Figure Calls for Presidential Term Limit
(Voice of America) The former leader of Uganda's main opposition party -- Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) -- said any political survey done in Uganda should be viewed with some suspicion because Ugandans do not have the freedom to freely express their political views.
ASIA-PACIFIC
Hagel Warns China to Back Down
(DefenseOne) Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel delivered a sharp warning for China to cease using "intimidation and coercion" to press its claims in the South and East China Seas and drop its self-declared overflight restrictions, or risk destabilizing a region populated by billions.
China Accuses U.S. and Japan of Incitement
(New York Times) China struck back harshly at the United States and Japan on Saturday, as a senior Chinese military official accused Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan of acting in concert to sow controversy and division in the Asia-Pacific region.
Australia Boosts Defense Spending
(Defense News) Australia's new defense budget boosts spending by 6 percent over last year and forecasts movement on a number of large acquisition programs, including vehicles and helicopters.
India's New Defense Minister Is Expected to Fast-Track Procurements
(Defense News) India's new National Democratic Alliance government has named Arun Jaitley to be its new defense minister and finance minister, a move that analysts and Defence Ministry officials believe means one thing: more money for weapons.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
The Air Force is Screwing Its Airmen
(Army Lt. Col. Robert Bateman in Esquire) They just now changed the rules and are holding people in the Air Force when they said they could get out and sending them into combat zones despite the promise not to.
Column: 'Faux' Transparency
(John T. Bennett in Defense News) Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C., gaveled a Senate Armed Services Emerging Threats and Capabilities subcommittee markup into session at 5:04 p.m. on May 20. Twelve minutes later, the panel was done for the day.
How Donald Rumsfeld Complicated Eric Shinseki's Last Administration Exit
(Tom DeFrank in National Journal) Yes, Eric Shinseki had to go, and he probably knew it himself once the horror stories surfaced. As the retired four-star general learned at West Point, the commander is ultimately responsible. While the Veterans Administration has been a managerial bleeding sore for years, the chaos and perhaps criminality at subordinate echelons of the VA on Shinseki's watch made his survival impossible.
Ethical Liability: Holding Senior Military Leaders Accountable for their Ethical Failures
(Army Reserve Maj. Stephen T. Messenger in Small Wars Journal) The military's unique twenty year retirement structure creates a well-defined goal for many military members to work towards. However, after twenty years elapse and retirement concerns lessen, the desire to abide by every ethical rule could be tempted to fade along with it.
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