TODAY’S TOP 5
1. Dunford Expects Nearly 14,000 Troops in Post-War Afghanistan
(DefenseOne) The top Afghanistan war commander, Gen. Joseph Dunford, said he is confident that NATO members will contribute at least 4,000 additional conventional military forces to the post-war mission in Afghanistan, which when combined with the American commitment of 9,800 would bring the total number of foreign troops to 13,800.
2. Jihadist Groups' Threat To U.S. Grows, Report Says
(Wall Street Journal) The threat to the U.S. from global jihadist groups has escalated in the past three years, with the number of groups increasing by more than 50% and the estimated number of militants doubling, according to a report to be released on Thursday.
3. Photographs of the Dead in War
(Marc Tyrrell in War on the Rocks) Taking photos of the dead might be controversial, but it is all too human.
4. The Real Reason The U.S. Didn't Rescue Bowe Bergdahl
(The Daily Beast) The Pentagon rejected the idea of a rescue mission for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl because he was being moved so often by his Taliban captors that U.S. special operators would have had to hit up to a dozen possible hideouts inside Pakistan at once in order to have a chance at rescuing him.
5. U.S. deploys B-52s to Europe
(Air Force Times) The U.S. Air Force plans to temporarily deploy heavy bombers capable of delivering nuclear weapons to Europe one day after President Obama announced he would increase the U.S. military presence in the region.
ARMY SGT. BOWE BERGDAHL RELEASED
The Army Lied About the Hero Who Died Looking for Bowe Bergdahl
(The Daily Beast) Lt. Darryn Andrews left a pregnant wife and son behind when he saved six fellow soldiers at the expense of his own life. But his family never knew his true mission-until now.
Hailey cancels celebration for return of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl
(Idaho Statesman) Organizers in Hailey have canceled a scheduled June 28 rally for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl citing "public safety" concerns.
Classified Briefing on Bergdahl Trade Doesn't Answer Questions for Critics
(National Journal) The Obama administration gave senators a classified briefing Wednesday night on just what thinking went into the prisoner trade to recover Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl from Afghanistan. But that won't end questions from Congress.
Bergdahl-for-Taliban swap: why Pentagon officials think it's not a bad deal
(Christian Science Monitor) While top GOP lawmakers and commentators are charging that it was wrong for the United States to barter with terrorists for the release of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, defense officials and analysts are defending the negotiations, saying the release of the Taliban leaders is not so dire for US armed forces.
Inside the Obama administration's debate over freeing Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl
(Washington Post) Within months of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's capture in Afghanistan, the Obama administration began considering plans for a rescue.
Hagel calls Bergdahl family
(Associated Press) A senior defense official says Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has called the family of released captive Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl.
Exclusive: Afghan villagers recall when Bergdahl stumbled into their midst
(Washington Post) Until now, few details have emerged about the circumstances of Bergdahl's disappearance from his base. But The Washington Post has reached Afghan villagers who spotted Bergdahl shortly after he slipped away from his base. To them, it's clear something was wrong with the American. And he seemed to be deliberately heading for Taliban strongholds, they say.
Graham warns of Republican impeachment push over Gitmo
(The Hill) Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) warned Wednesday that Republican lawmakers would call for President Obama's impeachment if he released more prisoners from Guantanamo Bay without congressional approval.
War-zone deserter? If so, Bowe Bergdahl joins a fascinating and bizarre club
(Checkpoint) The chatter about Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl has been unrelenting ever since the White House announced Saturday that it had swapped five members of the Taliban in detention for the only U.S. service member held by the enemy in Afghanistan.
INDUSTRY
SpaceX Expects Launcher Certification This Year
(Defense News) SpaceX is on track for certification on national security launches by the end of the year despite the company's lawsuit against the US Air Force, the company's president said on Wednesday.
Sikorsky Deal Tops $15 Billion in May Contracts
(DoDBuzz) Sikorsky's $1.24 billion deal to begin developing a new fleet of presidential helicopters was the Pentagon's biggest contract last month.
Aerojet Rocketdyne Targets $25 Million Per Pair For AR-1 Engines
(Aviation Week) Aerojet Rocketdyne is targeting a cost of $20-25 million for each pair of new AR-1 engines as the company continues to lobby the government to fund an all-new, U.S.-sourced rocket propulsion system, says Scott Seymour, president and CEO of the company's parent, GenCorp.
Army cancels big program that could have meant new business for Orlando contractors
(Orlando Sentinel) The Army's Orlando simulation and training agency unexpectedly killed a contracting program this week that could have been worth billions, stunning the region's defense industry, which had mobilized to bid on the lucrative new business.
Intelsat Readies For 'Epic' Foray Into Military SatCom
(Breaking Defense) For more than a decade, the US military has fumbled and groped and stumbled and, gradually, figured out ways to buy a mix of commercial satellite communications and dedicated military satellites so it could communicate and watch video from Predator, Global Hawk, and Reaper drones in theaters where military bandwidth was precious.
Bumpy Ride Ahead for Military's Future Helicopter Program
(National Defense) The Pentagon's plan to acquire a new family of helicopters once again is up in the air. The military intends to continue to fund rotary-wing research and testing programs, officials said, but it cannot yet predict if or when it will have funds to buy new aircraft to replace the current fleet.
CenturyLink wins Marine VPN contract
(C4ISR & Networks) CenturyLink has won a five-year, $3.5 million U.S. Marine Corps contract to design a virtual private network for the U.S. Marine Corps Community Services headquarters in Quantico, Va.
Analysts Welcome Russian Decision on Arms Sales To Pakistan
(Defense News) Analysts have welcomed Russia's decision to loosen its longstanding restrictive arms supply policy toward Pakistan and sell helicopter gunships, but are unsure what the final results will be.
Yemen to get L-3 modified ISR aircraft
(IHS Jane's 360) L-3 Communications' Platform Integration Division has been awarded a USD41.5 million contract to procure and modify four intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft for Yemen, the US Department of Defense (DoD) announced on 2 June.
DCI Expands Training Portfolio
(Defense News) Defense Conseil International, a French international service firm that has long trained Navy officers for Kuwait, has logged a first for the company by training future Kuwaiti pilots as well, according to DCI Chairman Jean-Michel Palagos.
Australia puts AWD programme on projects of concern list
(IHS Jane's 360) Australia's AUD8.5 billion (USD7.9 billion) Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) project, the country's largest current defence programme, has been placed on the government's Projects of Concern (PoC) list and emergency measures introduced to rectify unresolved issues.
VETERANS
White House Considering Cleveland Clinic Head for VA Secretary Post
(Wall Street Journal) The White House is considering nominating the chief executive of the Cleveland Clinic to be the next secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, people familiar with the matter said.
What the VA and the Cleveland Clinic have in common
(Marketplace) The Cleveland Clinic's Dr. Toby Cosgrove could replace Eric Shinseki, after Shinseki resigned over veterans waiting prolonged periods of time for an appointment and staff covering that up.
Vets' advocates push for more student loan protections
(Military Times) For many veterans attending college, student debt ultimately will become "one of the largest inhibiting factors" to their long-term career success, a veterans' advocate told Senate lawmakers Wednesday.
In Wake of Scandal, VA Nominees Stuck in Senate Limbo
(National Journal) As the turmoil over the VA scandal unfolds, three top posts in the Department of Veterans Affairs remain vacant because of congressional foot-dragging toward full Senate confirmation.
Interim VA chief cites progress amid new details on secret wait lists
(Stars & Stripes) Acting Veterans Affairs Secretary Sloan Gibson said Wednesday his department has contacted all 1,700 veterans caught up in a hospital wait-list scandal in Phoenix and is working to immediately eliminate long treatment delays nationwide.
Vitter wants 27 healthcare facilities in VA bill
(The Hill) Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) called on Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) to include the construction of 27 veterans' healthcare facilities in his bill aimed at fixing dysfunction within the VA system.
Data sought on how veterans fare as civilians
(Tacoma News Tribune) Joint Base Lewis-McChord and the state of Washington have been pouring resources into new programs to help veterans find steady work over the past few years, and now officials want to know if the efforts are paying off.
Survey of vets shows unhappiness with VA care
(USA Today) A snapshot of problems facing the Department of Veterans Affairs in fixing systemwide delays and coverups in care was made clearer Wednesday in El Paso where a congressman's survey of veterans showed stark differences between claims of treatment and the experiences of those seeking it.
CONGRESS
Levin: No Floor Time Scheduled Yet for 2015 NDAA
(Defense News) US Senate leaders have yet to schedule floor time for the Armed Services Committee's 2015 Pentagon policy bill as the panel's chairman wants to avoid a sequel to last year's chaotic late-year passage.
Senators question port security after Navy base shooting
(The Hill) Senators questioned the security of identification cards imposed by lawmakers for port workers after a Navy base shooting suspect was approved for an ID.
Lawmakers See Possible Contractor Issues in Africa as US Quietly Pivots There
(Defense News) A US House-passed Pentagon policy bill raises concerns about the Defense Department's use of private contractors in Africa, citing problems encountered in Iraq and Afghanistan.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
To Protect Service Members, Defense Department Plans Broad Ban on High-Cost Loans
(ProPublica) The Department of Defense, attempting to thwart the ever-changing tactics of high-cost lenders, plans to dramatically broaden a federal law that sought to protect service members by capping the interest rate on loans made to troops.
Upcoming GMD Test Could Delay US Missile Defense Plans
(Defense News) The Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency is planning to conduct a new test launch of its troubled Ground Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) interceptor before the end of June, almost a year after the last failed launch of the controversial program.
New referral website to help troops find housing
(Military Times) A new Homes.mil website will launch June 30, helping connect troops and spouses with information about available rentals in civilian communities, privatized military housing and government-owned housing, Navy officials said.
ARMY
Sergeant pays tribute to grandfather with Normandy jump
(Army Times) As Sgt. Jordan Rabaste jumps with other paratroopers over Normandy this week to mark the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings, he will remember his grandfather who was there before him.
Family, fellow soldiers honor sgt. killed in parachute accident
(Army Times) Family and friends of a spirited and driven paratrooper killed in parachute training accident at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, are wrestling with their shock and grief.
Army harnesses cloud for learning
(C4ISR & Networks) Efforts to take advantage of cloud technology are underway across the government, in various stages of maturity, with promises of savings and efficiencies serving as a major boon. In the Army, one organization has successfully moved its most critical mission to a commercial cloud, improving operational effectiveness significantly.
NAVY
Attack sub CO canned for leadership problems
(Navy Times) The Navy fired the commanding officer of a Groton, Connecticut-based attack submarine Wednesday for unsatisfactory professional performance, Submarine Group 2 said in a news release.
Top enlisted sailor at Navy medical command fired after DWI
(Stars & Stripes) The command master chief of Navy Medicine Training Support Center was relieved June 2 following a Captain's Mast at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
Navy jet crashes into ocean off Southern California coast
(San Diego Union Tribune) A U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet crashed into the ocean off the Southern California coast Wednesday night while the pilot was attempting to land on the San Diego-based carrier USS Carl Vinson, Navy officials said.
Report says midshipman had been drinking prior to fatal crash into creek
(Baltimore Sun) A midshipman who crashed his SUV into a creek and drowned in February had been drinking at an Annapolis bar earlier that night, a Naval Academy investigation found.
70 years later, landing-craft crews trace lineage to D-Day invasion
(Navy Times) To the Army 70 years ago, the beaches of Normandy had code names like Omaha and Utah. But to the sailors whose job it was to take those soldiers to battle under withering fire again and again in landing craft, it was simply "The Far Shore."
Navy seeks guided deck-gun shell
(Navy Times) The Navy wants to arm its cruisers and destroyers with shells-turned-missiles that would bring naval gunnery and the 5-inch deck gun into the age of the smart bomb.
Congrats, commander! Reserve O-5 promotions announced
(Navy Times) The following Reserve line officers have been selected for promotion to commander, the Navy announced Wednesday in a fleetwide message, ALNAV 043/14:
2 NAS Whidbey Island sailors drown while kayaking
(Navy Times) The Island County sheriff's office says two enlisted men from the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station were not equipped for cold and windy waters when they went halibut fishing from kayaks off the island and drowned.
AIR FORCE
Bomber pilot helped in airline cockpit during emergency
(CNN) It sounds like the plot from an old movie: airline crew members make this passenger announcement, "Is anyone on board a pilot?"
Dependent charged in Kadena High School sex assault case
(Air Force Times) Authorities have charged an 18-year-old Kadena Air Base, Japan, military dependent with sexually assaulting a minor and filming part of the attack on his cell phone in February.
A Rare Look Inside the Air Force's Drone Training Classroom
(The Atlantic) Learning how to drop bombs and fire Hellfire missiles is more like sitting in a regular college classroom than you might expect. There are hundreds of pages of text to digest, continual testing of knowledge, and nervous, eager students anxious to please their instructors. I know, because I spent a week at the Air Force's drone pilot training school last year.
Rape charges against senior Air Force NCO dismissed
(Stars & Stripes) A military judge on Wednesday dismissed charges of rape and sodomy against an Air Force top enlisted leader, citing a loss of confidence in the prosecution.
Health and wellness centers to close
(Air Force Times) The Air Force will do away with health and wellness centers over the next year as it cuts costs and reorganizes its efforts to keep airmen healthy.
Construction begins on $35M expansion to Air Force museum
(Dayton Daily News) The world's largest military aviation museum will get bigger after years of waiting for a massive expansion.
MARINE CORPS
No injuries in crash of military jet into homes in Imperial County
(Los Angeles Times) A Marine jet crashed into homes in the city of Imperial in Imperial County but there were no casualties, the city's fire chief said Wednesday evening.
Chester Nez, 93, was last of the original Navajo code talkers
(Los Angeles Times) The final member of the original Navajo code talkers, the group of 28 Native Americans who played a crucial role for U.S. communications during World War II, has died.
Ex-Marine convicted of lying about Iraq accidental shooting
(Reuters) A former Marine corporal was convicted on Wednesday of lying to military investigators about an accidental 2008 shooting in Iraq that partially blinded a Navy corpsman.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN
Release of Taliban Detainees Alarms Afghan Villagers
(Wall Street Journal) Taliban forces led by Mohammed Fazl swept through this village on the Shomali plain north of Kabul in 1999 in a scorched-earth offensive that prompted some 300,000 people to flee for their lives.
Criticism Over Troop Withdrawal Emerges From Beyond G.O.P.
(New York Times) Criticism of President Obama's announcement that American forces would leave Afghanistan by the end of 2016 has begun to come not just from his Republican adversaries, but also from another quarter: former military officers and civilian officials who worked for years to develop and defend his administration's strategy in Afghanistan.
Ex-Ambassador to Afghanistan: Where is Obama's leadership?
(USA Today) Former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ronald Neumann speaks about what he considers a lack of presidential leadership when it comes to the war in Afghansitan on Capital Download, This Week with Susan Page.
Western couple missing in Afghanistan plead for help in videos
(Los Angeles Times) Hoping to take advantage of the publicity surrounding the release of U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the family of a then-pregnant American woman who went missing with her Canadian husband in Afghanistan in 2012 has shared two videos it received of the couple.
Militants Attack Pakistani Army, Killing 6 Soldiers and Setting Back Peace Talks
(New York Times) Suspected Islamist militants attacked the Pakistani Army near a high-security military complex and along the Afghan border on Wednesday, killing six soldiers and three civilians in separate attacks that offered the clearest indication yet that faltering peace talks with the Taliban had effectively collapsed.
MIDDLE EAST
Maliki's call for unity conference in Anbar may be too late
(Al-Monitor) In his weekly speech, Maliki called on "Anbar tribes and all those who confronted al-Qaeda and Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) militants to attend an expanded conference that achieves national unity far from disputes."
Iran's Leader Says Obama Has Removed Military Option
(New York Times) Speaking from a stage decorated with a banner proclaiming "America cannot do a damn thing," Iran's supreme leader on Wednesday asserted that the Obama administration had taken the option of military intervention to resolve conflicts off the table.
G7 to focus on Syria foreign fighters after Brussels attack: diplomats
(The Daily Star; Lebanon) Leaders of the Group of Seven powers are hoping to draw up plans Wednesday on how to guard against the threat of attacks by European jihadists returning home from the Syrian front, diplomats said
Hamas Looms Over Latest Israel-U.S. Dispute
(New York Times) For allies who speak often of their unbreakable bonds and constant communication, this has been a season of static between Jerusalem and Washington. The latest eruption was over the announcement this week that the United States would work with a new Palestinian government that emerged from reconciliation talks with Hamas.
EUROPE
General: Russians are staying on Ukraine border
(Associated Press) The top NATO commander said Wednesday that the remaining Russian troops on the Ukraine border look like they intend to stay there, while rebel forces inside Ukraine continue to destabilize the Kiev government.
Ukrainian troops retreat from two outposts after battles with separatists
(Washington Post) Ukrainian troops besieged by pro-Russian separatists abandoned two military bases in the embattled east on Wednesday, as the incoming president promised to announce a peace plan soon after his inauguration this weekend.
A Separatist Militia in Ukraine With Russian Fighters Holds a Key
(New York Times) Surface-to-air missiles pilfered from army bases. Defectors from Ukraine's elite special forces. Russian fighters who slipped across a porous border.
France Moves to Defy Allies on Sale of Warship to Russia
(Wall Street Journal) France is preparing to train hundreds of Russian seamen to operate a powerful French-made warship this month, defying calls from the U.S. and other Western allies to keep the vessel out of the Kremlin's hands, people familiar with the matter say.
Obama vows to defend freedom in Europe, support democratic movements worldwide
(Washington Post) Surrounded by throngs celebrating Poland's 25 years of democracy, President Obama on Wednesday pledged to uphold the United States' longtime commitment to the defense of Eastern Europe against new threats, using the opportunity to deliver a resounding endorsement of democratic movements across the world.
Bundeswehr Unveils Plan To Make Military Life More Appealing
(Defense News) German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen, pushing to make military life more attractive, today unveiled "Bundeswehr in Fuhrung - Aktiv.Attraktiv.Anders" (Bundeswehr in leadership - Active, Attractive. Different).
ASIA-PACIFIC
South Korea Eyes Thaad, Patriot-3 Missile Systems, U.S. Says
(Bloomberg) South Korea's military is analyzing which U.S.-made missile interceptors best meet its defense needs, according to the Pentagon.
Ruling party, rival seem to split S. Korean vote
(Washington Post) South Korean President Park Geun-hye's conservative ruling party and its liberal rival appeared set to split key races in local elections Wednesday that are seen as a measure of how the public feels about her government's handling of April's deadly ferry disaster.
29 'Terror Suspects' Arrested in Xinjiang
(Voice of America) A state-run Chinese news outlet reports 29 people have been arrested in an anti-terrorism crackdown in the far northwestern region of Xinjiang.
Video shows Vietnam fishing vessel sink after collision with Chinese boat
(Reuters) Vietnam state television has broadcast video showing a Chinese ship colliding with a small Vietnamese fishing boat which capsizes in its path not far from where China has parked an oil rig in disputed waters.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
Single-Purpose Warships for the Littorals
(Retired Navy Capt. Wayne P. Hughes Jr. in Proceedings) In this cost-constrained era, when it comes to responding to threats in dangerous coastal waters, a single-purpose ship is best suited to the task.
How Executive Incentives Compounded the VA's Problems
(Howard Risher in Government Executive) The problems at Veteran Affairs Department hospitals are people problems. The VA's information technology systems may need to be upgraded, but that's not the reason scheduling records were manipulated.
Leave no soldier behind - no exceptions
(Retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Charles Dunlap Jr.) The deal for Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl's return has hardly generated the praise the Obama administration might have hoped. Hard questions abound.
It's not the deal, but the dealing, that's so dangerous
(Michael Ledeen in The Hill) We have swapped four Taliban terrorists, plus a member of the murderous Haqqani Group, for a kidnapped American Army soldier, Bowe Bergdahl.
The Obama Doctrine and the Pivot to Asia
(Ralph A. Cossa in War on the Rocks) President Obama's commencement address at West Point on May 28 appears to have been intended to send Americans and the international community a number of important messages. One of them was NOT that the U.S. commitment to the Asia "pivot" or "rebalance" was waning.
Obama's 'Don't Do Stupid Shit' Foreign Policy
(David Rothkopf in Foreign Policy) According to multiple reliable sources, on Air Force One during President Barack Obama's recent Asia trip, he spent some time talking with his traveling press corps about his approach to foreign policy. He was defensive and, by one account, "fuming." He felt that the criticism of his approach was unfair. He had clear ideas about how to manage America's global interests. In his own words, they centered on a single concept: "Don't do stupid shit."
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