TODAY’S TOP 5
Military Times poll: Troops fed up with politics
(Military Times) More than one-third of readers who responded to the Military Times Poll said that neither Democrats nor Republicans have been a strong advocate for the military, and 44 percent think both major political parties have become less supportive of military issues in recent years.
Exclusive: Top Afghan War Commander Reassessing Withdrawal Timeline
(Foreign Policy) The Pentagon's man in Kabul is launching a new effort to assess whether Afghan troops will be ready to fill the void when the last American forces depart from the country in 2016.
The Price of Whistleblowing
(Retired Alaska Army National Guard Lt. Col. Linda Dunegan in the Anchorage Press) I was hardly the kind of Alaska Air National Guard (AKANG) officer that would typically be labeled a "wild-eyed trouble-maker." I am a precise and detail-oriented mother of four. I am a team player. Until the events that led to the unfortunate and unfair termination of my 27-year military career, I had never raised any kind of ruckus, let alone made a complaint to the Inspector General.
Are the Night Vision Goggles Used in the Bin Laden Raid Really Classified?
(Defense One) Matt Bissonette, the former Navy SEAL in hot water for writing a book about the U.S. military raid that killed Osama bin Laden, is accused of disclosing classified information about special night vision goggles worn during the operation. But are the high-tech goggles really classified?
Sources: Navy intel chief's security clearance suspended, can't view classified info
(Navy Times) The head of naval intelligence has not been able to view classified information for an entire year.
ELECTIONS
Elections Guide
(Military Times) Stories: Latest Coverage
Few big changes expected in Congress' defense agenda
(Military Times) The next session of Congress will feature new chairmen for the House and Senate Armed Services committees, and the election could bring a host of new faces to congressional defense debates and a shift of power in the Senate.
5 defense/veterans races to watch on election night
(Military Times) 1. Senate, Arkansas: Tom Cotton vs. Mark Pryor
ISLAMIC STATE
U.S. officials consider striking another militant group in Syria, Jabhat al-Nusra
(Washington Post) U.S. officials are weighing whether to broaden the air campaign in Syria to strike a militant group that is a rival to the Islamic State and that is poised to take over a strategically vital corridor from Turkey.
McCain blasts Obama for 'half-hearted' bombing campaign
(The Hill) President Obama's strategy against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has been a "disaster," Sen. John McCain said Monday.
Why Iraqi army can't fight, despite $25 billion in U.S. aid, training
(Los Angeles Times) Hussein Shehab knew things were going badly when he spotted the Iraqi police pickup trucks. They were flying the black flag of Islamic State fighters, who were driving the vehicles straight toward him and his fellow Iraqi security force soldiers.
Canada launches first air strikes against ISIS: CF-18 fighter jets drop laser-guided bombs on targets in Iraq
(National Post; Canada) Canadian fighter jets dropped bombs over Iraq late Sunday night, Iraqi time, Defense Minister Rob Nicholson announced in a statement from Ottawa.
Syrian al-Qaida forces mass near Turkey crossing
(Associated Press) Al-Qaida militants massed on Monday near a Syrian border town, edging closer to a vital crossing under control of Western-backed rebels, activists said, underscoring the weakness of the fighters who America hopes could be a moderate force in the chaotic civil war.
INDUSTRY
GD to build first 17 launch tubes for future Trident submarines
(IHS Jane's 360) General Dynamics (GD) Electric Boat was been awarded a USD83.8 million contract modification to previously awarded contract N00024-13-C-2128 to continue development of the Common Missile Compartment (CMC) for the US Navy's (USN's) Ohio replacement submarine and the United Kingdom's Successor ballistic-missile submarine.
At Euronaval, Mistral Deal Shrouded in Politics
(Defense News) France, despite attempts to cautiously navigate the political waters of the Mistral deal with Russia last week, still found itself in a media storm when it was revealed that the French shipbuilder had invited Russian officials to a Nov. 14 hand-over ceremony.
BAE scores US Army order for new howitzers
(The Telegraph; U.K.) BAE System has won a $142m contract to continue to produce the US Army's next generation of mobile artillery.
Eurofighter Eyes Typhoon Sale, Assembly in Indonesia
(Defense News) Eurofighter is holding out the possibility of Indonesia assembling the Typhoon if the Southeast Asian nation acquires the fighter in an anticipated upcoming competition.
NAVSEA tests market for riverine boats
(IHS Jane's 360) Officials at US Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) are conducting market research to determine the availability of 20 centre console boats for the riverine forces of an unidentified Spanish-speaking country.
Ukraine Misses Deadline, Lone Bidder Remains for Indian Aircraft Competition
(Defense News) A blown deadline by Ukraine's Antonov means that a joint venture between Airbus and Tata Group has emerged as the sole bidder in a $3 billion deal to sell 56 military transport aircraft to the Indian Air Force, according to an Indian Defence Ministry source.
Alenia decides not to contest Indian MTA requirement
(IHS Jane's 360) Alenia Aermarchi has decided not to offer its C-27J Spartan transport aircraft to India, telling IHS Jane's that it is too advanced for the basic requirements of the Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) programme.
Turkish Tactical Drone Ready for Delivery
(Defense News) The Bayraktar, a tactical drone developed by two privately owned Turkish companies, Kale and Baykar, is ready for delivery to the Turkish military, procurement officials said.
Air Force project studies use of commercial satellites for the military
(C4ISR & Networks) The U.S. Air Force has awarded contracts to four companies for the Air Force Satellite Control Network (AFSCN) Commercial Provisioning study.
Military radar market to reach $133B
(C4ISR & Networks) The global military radar market will reach $133 billion by 2024, according to a forecast by market research firm ASDReports. This reflects a compound annual growth rate of 1.05 percent from 2014.
VETERANS
Reeling from PTSD, Issac Sims tried unsuccessfully to get help from the VA
(Stars & Stripes) The neighborhoods on Kansas City's east side exist in various stages of entropy. Crime is commonplace, and residents accept without comment the sporadic pop of gunfire. Along Lawndale Avenue, shaggy lawns border houses that slump from weather and neglect, almost too exhausted to stand.
Beaver Co. man says VA failed to tell him of Legionnaires' disease
(Pittsburgh Tribune-Review) The Department of Veterans Affairs waited six months to tell a Beaver County man that he had contracted Legionnaires' disease in August 2012, the man says in a federal lawsuit filed over the weekend.
Victims of Toxic Chemicals Fight for Benefits From VA
(National Journal) Veterans who were exposed to toxic contaminants during their service are increasingly becoming casualties in a war with the government-particularly the Veterans Affairs Department-which they say has a record of delaying and denying benefits promised to them by acts of Congress.
Sanders to VA: 'Aggressively' go after managers that lied
(The Hill) Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) called on the Department of Veterans Affairs to act "as aggressively as possible" in firing managers that covered up healthcare delays.
Companies target military pensions
(San Diego Union-Tribune) Federal auditors and local veterans are concerned about a novel lending practice that gives military pensioners money up front in exchange for signing over monthly benefits for a period of time.
Vets' entrepreneurship boot camp to include NHL alumni
(Military Times) Officials with Syracuse University's veterans outreach programs are adding new recruits to their annual entrepreneurship boot camp: professional hockey players.
CONGRESS
Ayotte: Linking A-10 to F-35 Delays 'False Choice'
(Defense News) Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, the top defender of the A-10 Warthog in Congress, is hitting back at Pentagon claims that keeping the close-air support plane around could cause the F-35 to arrive late for the Air Force.
Congresswoman: Response to football recruiting sins 'inadequate'
(Army Times) Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., wants a personal sit-down with the superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy after what she considers a "simply inadequate" response to a recently publicized January bus trip involving football recruits, underage drinking and cadet cheerleaders along for the ride.
GOP rep: Explanation for top Marine's resume snafu is 'hogwash'
(The Hill) A senior member of the House Armed Services Committee is rejecting Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's explanation that a Marine Corps office is responsible for an error in former Commandant James Amos's credentials.
Defense Committees Will See New Leadership, Regardless of Election Results
(Defense One) Republicans appear to have the momentum to gain the six seats they need to take the Senate in Tuesday's midterm elections. But the possibility of runoffs in Georgia and Louisiana means the majority could remain undecided into the next Congress.
Annual Defense Bill Likely to Slip in Cyber Clampdown on Contractors
(NextGov) After the midterm elections tomorrow, Congress is expected to act on the closest thing to cybersecurity legislation it can pass without running into gridlock.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Hagel Puts off High-Profile Trip to Vietnam and Myanmar
(Foreign Policy) Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel's upcoming and highly-anticipated trip to Myanmar and Vietnam has been postponed, according to a defense official, potentially fueling regional fears that Washington is turning its back on Asia to focus more on Europe and the Middle East.
Obama Nominates CSIS' David Berteau for Key Post
(Defense News) The White House announced over the weekend that President Barack Obama intends to nominate David Berteau for the post of assistant secretary of defense for logistics and materiel readiness at the Pentagon.
Pentagon cuts reimbursement rates for long-term travel
(Washington Post) The Pentagon has reduced its daily reimbursement rate for troops and civilian employees participating in long-term travel assignments, prompting concerns about financial burdens and quality of housing for defense personnel conducting business away from home.
ARMY
Infantryman selected as your next SMA
(Army Times) Command Sgt. Maj. Daniel Dailey, the senior enlisted soldier for Training and Doctrine Command, will become the 15th Sergeant Major of the Army on Jan. 30.
Army to Manpack Tactical Radio Vendors: Go on a Diet
(NextGov) The Army abruptly decided last month to shrink the weight weight requirements and boost the transmission range of up to 60,000 tactical manpack radios it plans to buy, following sharp criticism this summer by the service's Maneuver Center of Excellence.
New video game tests junior leaders' skills
(Army Times) The Army's newest interactive video game teaches young leaders - lieutenants, sergeants and staff sergeants - how to better counsel and interact with their soldiers.
To complete their fictional peacekeeping mission, Fort Drum soldiers train as ambassadors
(Watertown Daily Times) Soldiers took lessons in playing war and playing nice, advancing into the fictional village of Guba on a peacekeeping mission Friday morning.
Update: Fort Bliss garrison commander fired
(Army Times) An investigation into alleged misconduct by the garrison commander at Fort Bliss, Texas, has concluded, and the previously suspended officer has been relieved of command, the base announced late Friday.
NAVY
F-35C makes first arrested landing on aircraft carrier
(Navy Times) An F-35C Lightning II, the carrier variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, made an arrested landing aboard a flattop today, an important milestone both in the development of the stealth fighter and in naval aviation history.
US sailor Hugh Patrick Malone found not guilty of raping Darwin woman
(Australian Broadcasting Corp.) A US Navy sailor found not guilty of raping an Australian woman has wept with relief at his Darwin trial.
Go mustang: LDO and warrant careers offer more authority, a pay hike and big retirement payout
(Navy Times) Want a pay raise of more than $820 a month?
A Naval Academy professor comes under fire for his interactions with two students
(Washington Post) Over the 27 years Bruce Fleming has spent teaching future naval officers to craft sentences and to scrutinize modern verse, the bow-tied English professor also has assumed the role of the U.S. Naval Academy's most outspoken and tireless critic.
Naval Special Warfare sailors reminded not to seek fame or money
(Navy Times) The head of Naval Special Warfare Command and its senior enlisted sailor have reminded SEALs and other special operators to stay out of the limelight.
AIR FORCE
2 nuke commanders fired, another disciplined
(Associated Press) The Air Force on Monday fired two more commanders in its nuclear missile corps and took lesser disciplinary action against a third.
Staff sergeant saved 50 jobs - but not his own
(Air Force Times) After he retrained into his career field, Staff Sgt. James Seegel noticed that three of his class members were removed from Enlisted Retention Board eligibility. The members were erroneously labeled as entering their 5-level training after Jan. 1, 2013 - the cutoff date for the June 16 board.
MacKay Trophy For AFSOC Osprey Crews: A Tale Of Bullet Riddled Planes
(Breaking Defense) Air Force Tech. Sgt. David Shea sensed no danger as he stood with his .50 caliber machine gun ready at the open ramp of "Rooster 73," one of three CV-22 Ospreys coming in to land on a small, rutted airstrip in Bor, South Sudan.
MARINE CORPS
U.S. Marines to Retire Harrier Fleet Early Than Planned, Extend Life of Hornets
(USNI News) The U.S. Marine Corps will phase out the Boeing AV-8B Harrier II jump jet by 2025 - about five years earlier than planned - and will instead extend the life of its fleet of aging Boeing F/A-18 Hornet strike fighters, according to the service's recently released 2015 aviation plan.
First sergeant vs. master sergeant
(Marine Corps Times) All Marines looking to make a career in the Corps must eventually choose between the E-8 ranks of first sergeant and master sergeant.
Guam locked in billion-dollar waiting game with Congress on military move
(Stars & Stripes) Gov. Eddie Calvo takes issue when anyone describes his native island as "out of the way."
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN
Two Afghan prison officers flee Colorado training center
(Denver Post) In the past 13 months, two high-ranking Afghan prison officials who came to Colorado to receive correctional tactical training fled from the program and disappeared. One was caught trying to sneak into Canada, but the other remains at large.
Russia Delivers Last of U.S.-bought Helicopters to Afghan Military
(DoDBuzz) The chill of the Cold War may be in the air in Europe but business relations between the U.S. Department of Defense and Russian defense industry have continued.
A Suicide Bomber Attacks the Border of India and Pakistan
(The Atlantic) The attack at Wagah, where an elaborate ceremony symbolizes hope for peace between the two adversaries, killed 52 and injured more than 100.
MIDDLE EAST
Drone' strikes kill 20 Qaeda suspects in Yemen
(Al-Monitor) Overnight drone strikes killed at least 20 suspected Al-Qaeda militants in Yemen, where Washington has conducted a sustained drone war against jihadist leaders, tribal sources and witnesses said on Tuesday.
Egypt, Gulf Arab allies eye anti-militant alliance
(Associated Press) Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait are discussing the creation of a military pact to take on Islamic militants, with the possibility of a joint force to intervene around the Middle East, The Associated Press has learned.
Rivals Tehran, Riyadh pledge billions to Lebanon's army
(Washington Post) Saudi Arabia and Iran have offered apparently competing aid packages to Lebanon's small and modestly armed military as it confronts rising attacks at home by militants with ties to extremists fighting in Syria's civil war.
EUROPE
US European Commander Asks for More Troops to Soothe Anxious Europe
(Defense News) In the face of sustained Russian incursions into Ukraine and the dozens of fighter and bomber flights that have skirted European airspace in recent weeks, the head of US European Command has come to the Pentagon to ask for more troops and equipment.
Russia boycotts nuclear summit planning meeting
(Associated Press) Russia has failed to show up at a meeting planning the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit, U.S and European officials said Monday, in a potentially serious blow to efforts by President Barack Obama to cement his legacy as leaving the world safer from nuclear terrorism than when he took office.
Russia recognizes Ukraine separatists, provoking new sanctions threat
(Los Angeles Times) Russia's Foreign Ministry announced Monday that it will "respect the will" of separatist voters in eastern Ukraine who elected leaders for their proclaimed independent republics in defiance of international warnings that their actions were illegal.
ASIA-PACIFIC
US Navy Cancels Port Calls Amid Philippine Anger Over Killing
(Agence France-Presse) The US Navy has canceled visits to the Philippine port of Subic amid public anger over accusations that a US Marine killed a Filipino on the city's outskirts, officials said Monday.
China Airshow Will Unveil J-31
(Defense News) A Chinese airshow official has confirmed that China will unveil its stealthy J-31 fighter aircraft at China's biggest commercial and defense airshow next week in Zhuhai, in the southern province of Guangdong near Hong Kong.
China develops laser system against drones
(Associated Press) Chinese engineers have successfully tested a laser weapon that can shoot down low-flying, slow-moving drones, state media reported Tuesday.
AFRICA
Heavy fighting near seaport of Libyan city Benghazi, navy ship hit
(Reuters) A Libyan navy ship was hit and 13 people killed during heavy fighting with aircraft and tanks on Monday between the army and Islamist militants near the port of Benghazi, residents of the Mediterranean city said.
Coup leader in Burkina Faso received U.S. military training
(Washington Post) The army officer who has seized power in Burkina Faso amid popular protests in the West African country was twice selected to attend counterterrorism training programs sponsored by the U.S. government, U.S. military officials said.
Riots erupt in Zambian capital
(Associated Press) Demonstrators fought police in Zambia in protests against the acting president, a white Zambian who fired the ruling party chief following the death last week of President Michael Sata.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
Sorrow, Memory and the End of the Helmand Campaign
(Ryan Evans in War on the Rocks) As I watched the American, British and NATO flags come down at Camp Leatherneck, marking an end to NATO combat operations in Afghanistan's restive Helmand province, a hollow feeling filled my chest.
Accepting U.S. limitations in the fight against the Islamic State
(Walter Pincus in The Washington Post) Americans still don't seem to get that the fight against the so-called Islamic State has just begun and will last for years.
Before Ditching His Top Aides, Obama Should Look in the Mirror
(Leslie H. Gelb in The Daily Beast) An old pro decodes the blind quotes and leaks surrounding the turmoil in the White House foreign policy team.
U.S. Policy, Viewed From the Middle East
(Elliott Abrams in the Council on Foreign Relations) It's natural that in the United States we see the Middle East from our own perspective, but very useful to step away from that perspective for a moment to try and see the region as our closest allies there do. By closest allies I refer to Israel and to Arab states such as the UAE, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.
Camp David and Goliath: The Triumph of Farsighted Peacemaking
(Jeffrey Bloodworth in Cicero Magazine) Narrative history is a kaleidoscope. A byproduct of 19th century experiments into light polarization, kaleidoscopes operate on the theory of multiple reflection. In practical terms, when a viewer looks into and rotates the cylinder, they "see" refracted light illuminating an array of multicolored beads. That light is then reflected against three mirrors that yield seven duplicate images. What is really a mishmash of light, refraction and reflection appears to the human eye as a series of symmetrical shapes and images. Using words instead of beads, historians also make order out of chaos; in this way, Lawrence Wright is a master kaleidoscopist.
Editorial: Don't Back Down on Iran
(Defense News) Negotiators from the United States and five other nations have been meeting in Geneva over the past year, seeking measures to curb Iran's nuclear program.
The Forest and the Trees: Syrian Reactions to Foreign Actions Against ISIS
(Ashley Deeks in Lawfare) The Washington Post last week reported that Syria strongly denounced the decision by Turkey to allow ten Iraqi Kurdish fighters to cross the border from Turkey into the Syrian town of Kobane. (Turkey also appears to have permitted 50 Free Syrian Army fighters to cross into Kobane as well.) In the Post's words, "Syria expressed fury" at Turkey and called its behavior "disgraceful."
Was David Drugeon a French Intelligence Agent?
(Daveed Gartenstein-Ross in War on the Rocks) David Drugeon, a high-ranking French member of the al-Qaeda-linked Khorasan group in Syria, has been little known by English speakers. That is beginning to change: On October 29, CNN reported that the U.S. intelligence community believes that both Muhsin al-Fadhli and Drugeon had survived the September strikes against the Khorasan group, and described Drugeon as a "key member" of Khorasan. Two days later, CNN's Paul Cruickshank contributed a biographical piece focusing on Drugeon's rather interesting background. Most of the details in Cruickshank's article were previously reported in French-language publications, but unknown to most English speakers.
Editorial: The Innovation Imperative
(Defense News) The TechAmerica trade association last week issued its annual budget and industry forecasts, warning of widespread worry that defense companies aren't investing enough to remain competitive against ever more capable commercial firms.
As Russian provocations increase, should the US continue to cut forces in Europe?
(Jorge Benitez in The Hill) Last week, jets from six NATO air forces intercepted 19 Russian military aircraft in just one day. From the North Atlantic to the Baltic Sea, and down to the Black Sea, Russian fighters and bombers are probing NATO airspace in larger numbers than ever before. Although President Obama and many others cling to the idea that we are not in a new Cold War, the escalation of Russian military activity demands a strategic reset of U.S. and European defense budgets that are dependent on outdated assumptions about relations with Russia.
Commentary: Time To Save, Not Spend More on Nukes
(Tom Collina and Kingston Reif in Defense News) The United States is planning to spend hundreds of billions of dollars it does not have to rebuild its nuclear arsenal to last another 50 years. But the Cold War threats and budgets that sustained the stockpile in the past are long gone. Before we move forward with expensive plans to address yesterday's threats, we should stop and ask, "Why?" and "At what cost?"
The Pentagon May Finally Have a Plan to Keep America on Top
(Bill Sweetman in The Daily Beast) After years of strategic drift, the U.S. military may finally have a path to maintain its edge over countries like China. Will the defense-industrial bureaucrats stand in the way?
Commentary: Missile Defense Can't Wait
(Stephen Blank in Defense News) Russia shows no sign that it is willing to de-escalate tensions with the West. Indeed, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has made clear that he anticipates a long-term freeze in ties with Washington.
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