TODAY’S TOP 5
1. More Than 600 Reported Chemical Exposure in Iraq, Pentagon Acknowledges
(New York Times) More than 600 American service members since 2003 have reported to military medical staff members that they believe they were exposed to chemical warfare agents in Iraq, but the Pentagon failed to recognize the scope of the reported cases or offer adequate tracking and treatment to those who may have been injured, defense officials say.
2. Two killed in national guard helicopter crash
(KTVB; Boise) Two Idaho Army National Guard soldiers died when their Apache helicopter crashed about two miles South of Gowen Field and the Boise Airport Thursday night, officials said.
3. Interview with a U.S. Air Force drone pilot: It is, oddly, war at a very intimate level
(Daniel Rothenberg in Foreign Policy) "There's an insatiable appetite for RPAs (remotely piloted aircraft) right now. When RPAs were first deployed they were so new that the leadership didn't realize how popular and successful they would become. Initially, RPAs didn't draw in a cadre of fighter pilots. But then, things began to change and you saw fighter pilots, bomber pilots, and others who brought with them a lot of experience flying RPAs. Now, we're at the point where RPA pilots are getting the most combat experience of anyone. In my opinion, a lot of the most significant work is being done in the RPA community and that's drawing in the top-tier guys. There's pride associated with flying RPAs.
4. Civil War soldier finally receives Medal of Honor
(Military Times) Army 1st Lt. Alonzo Cushing's battlefield heroism came more than a century before the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but on Nov. 6, President Obama said Cushing's bravery and valor are still an inspiration to all Americans today.
5. How the Army denies veterans justice without anyone knowing
(Fusion) An obscure Army panel is supposed to correct errors or remove injustices. Many believe it's rigged.
CONGRESS
Sen. John McCain vows to save A-10 from retirement
(Associated Press) Sen. John McCain says the Air Force won't be able to retire the A-10 Warthog ground attack jet now that he's in line to become chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Deficit Or Defense Hawks? GOP Signals Sequester Deal Possible
(Breaking Defense) How much Kentucky bourbon will it take for President Barack Obama and presumptive Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to come to an agreement of some kind on how to alleviate sequestration?
Hunter: JSOC led botched ransom attempt for Bergdahl
(Army Times) U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, in a Nov. 5 letter to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, has accused Joint Special Operations Command of leading a botched effort to pay a ransom to bring Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl home.
ISLAMIC STATE
CENTCOM chief: More troops not the answer in Iraq
(Military Times) The four-star commander of war operations in Iraq and Syria said politics is the key to defeating the Islamic militants there - and more U.S. troops will not necessarily help resolve the complex sectarian conflict roiling the two nations.
Obama Said to Seek $3.2 Billion to Fight Islamic State
(Bloomberg) President Barack Obama will ask Congress this week to approve $3.2 billion in added Pentagon and intelligence spending to continue fighting Islamic State and possibly to retrain Iraq's military forces, according to U.S. officials.
ISIS Has 9,000 'Core Fighters.' Or Maybe 17,000. Or Possibly 30,000.
(The Daily Beast) Another day, another American estimate of ISIS's strength that's vastly different from the last guess.
Obama Wrote Secret Letter to Iran's Khamenei About Fighting Islamic State
(Wall Street Journal) President Barack Obama secretly wrote to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the middle of last month and described a shared interest in fighting Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, according to people briefed on the correspondence.
U.S. Targets Khorasan Group With New Round of Airstrikes
(National Journal) The U.S. military launched airstrikes late Wednesday night against five Khorasan Group targets, the second time it has bombed the group since it started operations in Syria in late September.
In Iraq, Islamic State fighters seize Sunni tribesmen for resisting rule
(Washington Post) The Islamic State has seized hundreds of tribesmen from a central Iraqi town after accusing tribal leaders there of plotting a rebellion against the militant group, residents and officials said, raising fears that it plans to kill the hostages as punishment.
INDUSTRY
Huntington Ingalls CEO 'Concerned' Over Delays in U.S. Navy Carrier Contracts
(USNI News) Mike Petters - chief executive officer of Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) - said delays in U.S. Navy contracts for the refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) of USS George Washington (CVN-73) and construction contracts for the second Gerald Ford carrier John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) are causing the shipbuilder concern, during a Thursday investors call.
Raytheon Team Wins Long-awaited Air Force Range Support Contract
(Space News) The Pentagon announced Thursday evening that it has awarded Dulles, Virgina-based Ranged Generation Next LLC, led by Raytheon Corp., a nearly $86 million fixed-price-incentive contract to support the U.S. Air Force's two main launch ranges through September 2015.
The Military Wants New Technologies To Fight Drones
(DefenseOne) At the end of October, the Pentagon put out a request for information, or RFI, for new technologies "countering" commercial drones that are armed with chemical, biological, or massively destructive weapons.
Lockheed Martin develops turret sensor
(C4ISR & Networks) INFIRNO is equipped with optical sensors to track multiple long-range targets.
US Navy seeks new sense-and-avoid solution for Triton UAV
(IHS Jane's 360) The US Navy (USN) is revisiting the sense-and-avoid (SAA) capability of the Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) after previous efforts have failed to produce a system that works to the service's satisfaction.
Update: Russia Willing to Wait Until End of Year On Mistral Deal
(USNI News) Russia is willing to wait until the end of the year for France to make good on the delivery of the first ship in two hull amphibious warship deal that has been held up since September, according to a Thursday report in Russian news service RIA Novosti.
German MoD Works to Overhaul Image
(Defense News) The German Cabinet has approved a draft bill of measures aimed at making the military one of the country's best employers. Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen hopes to attract and retain young people and specialists with better pay and family-friendly working hours.
Anglo-French UCAS project gets underway with contract
(C4ISR & Networks) The British and French governments have agreed to a massive contract to develop an Anglo-French unmanned combat air system. The two-year contract, worth 120 million British pounds (US $191 million), aims for an operational UCAS by the 2030s, according to a UK Ministry of Defense announcement.
Air defense systems take flight in Asia
(C4ISR & Networks) Two new air defense systems are being tested in Asia. Chinese engineers have tested a laser capable of shooting down drones, state media reports, while the Singapore defense ministry announced it will deploy a tethered surveillance balloon to reinforce security.
VETERANS
Quality of vet education, for-profit college controversy could be clarified by new data
(Military Times) After years of claims - backed up by little hard data - that some schools have been providing current and former service members poor educations for their education benefits, federal officials may be on the verge of coming out with information that could help distinguish the good schools from the bad.
Former US Rep Lane Evans, veterans advocate, dies
(Associated Press) Former Illinois Rep. Lane Evans, a Vietnam War-era Marine who fought for veterans' rights during his 24 years in the U.S. House, has died after a long fight with Parkinson's disease.
Fired VA nurse gives up license
(Des Moines Register) A former VA nurse who allegedly contributed to the death of an Iowa veteran by turning off patient-monitor alarms has surrendered his nurse's license for at least a year.
VA Secretary Says He's Moving as Fast as Possible to Remove Bad Apples
(Government Executive) VA Secretary Bob McDonald on Thursday defended his commitment to holding employees accountable and firing them when necessary and according to the law.
VA calls for more money for patient care
(The Hill) The Veterans Affairs Department says the $16.3 billion lawmakers approved earlier this year to meet rising patient demand won't be enough to sustain care for Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans in the coming decades.
Combat veterans talk about 'war ink'
(Military Times) With nearly 2 million veterans in California and a generation of veterans returning home across the nation as 12 years of faraway combat winds down, the Contra Costa County Library in California is launching "War Ink," an online exhibit of Iraq and Afghanistan veteran memorial tattoo art
Private-sector task force suggests VA reforms
(Federal Times) The Veterans Affairs Department is evaluating a series of private-sector recommendations for improving health care delivery to veterans.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Pentagon Counter-IED Group Heads to Iraq as Attacks Surge
(Defense One) The Pentagon's Joint IED Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) is preparing to deploy members to Iraq where 145 roadside bomb attacks carried out by Islamic State militants killed more than 804 people and wounded more than 1,287 last month, according to officials and documents.
Pentagon Casts Wider Net to Avert the Next Ebola Before it Arrives
(NextGov) The Pentagon is looking for organizations that have never done business with the government to weigh in with biological technology solutions to tomorrow's problems -- including Ebola and whatever infectious disease threat comes next.
Routine pet surgery canceled at military veterinary clinics
(Military Times) The U.S. Army Public Health Command has temporarily suspended routine surgeries on pets at all military veterinary clinics in a move designed to increase revenue and return the clinics to their main function of providing basic physicals and sick call hours for privately owned animals.
NGA picks CIA vet as next deputy director
(C4ISR & Networks) Susan Gordon, a 34-year veteran of the intelligence community, will become deputy director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency when the current holder of that position, Mike Rodrigue, retires at the end of the year.
ARMY
End of an era: Iron Brigade to deactivate in Korea
(Army Times) After almost 50 years in South Korea, the Army is deactivating the 2nd Infantry Division's 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, officials announced Thursday.
US Army Radar Installations To Help UAVs Avoid Collisions
(Defense News) The US Army has begun to install a ground-based sense and avoid radar at five installations to keep UAVs from crashing into other flying objects.
Soldiers to get humanitarian medals for work in Colorado floods
(Army Times) More than 100 soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division's combat aviation brigade will receive the Humanitarian Service Medal for their work during the 2013 Colorado floods.
Man charged in killing after argument over military branches to claim justifiable use of force
(Billings Gazette; Mont.) A 63-year-old man accused of drunkenly slashing another man's throat during a fight over whether the Army or the Marines is the better branch of the military may argue at trial that he acted in self defense, according to his attorney.
Use of word 'Negro' removed from new Army reg
(Army Times) Less than 24 hours after it came to light, the Army has removed the word "negro" from its regulation governing the policies and responsibilities of command.
NAVY
Would-be atheist chaplain files suit over Navy's rejection of application
(Stars & Stripes) An atheist Navy chaplain candidate is going to court over the service's rejection of his application.
Navy's LCS Tests Counter-Mine, Anti-Submarine Technology
(DoDBuzz) The Navy's Littoral Combat Ship recently searched for submarines and sailed through a dummy mine-field off the coast of San Diego, California, to assess whether the vessel's anti-submarine and mine-countermeasure technologies could find enemy submarines and successfully detect and destroy underwater mines, service officials said.
Navy Looking to Expand Range, Speed of Unmanned Underwater Vehicles
(National Defense) The Navy wants unmanned underwater vehicles that are faster, with better target identification and data transmission capabilities, officials told industry Nov. 6.
Author of Bin Laden book sues ex-attorneys
(Associated Press) A former Navy SEAL who wrote a book describing the raid that killed Osama bin Laden sued his former lawyers Wednesday for malpractice, saying they gave him bad advice that tarnished his reputation, cost him his security clearance and caused him to surrender much of the book's income to the government.
U.S. Aegis system zaps cruise, ballistic missile targets in test
(Reuters) The U.S. Aegis missile defense system on Thursday simultaneously destroyed two cruise missile targets and one ballistic missile target in a test conducted by a U.S. Navy destroyer off the coast of Hawaii, according to sources familiar with the test.
AIR FORCE
Tyndall crews searching for missing F-16
(Air Force Times) Crews at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, are searching for an F-16 and its pilot after the base lost contact with the aircraft Thursday morning.
U.S. Air Force studying ways to keep F-35 target date on track
(Reuters) The U.S. Air Force is studying ways to meet its August 2016 target for declaring the new Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jet ready for use in combat, despite an unexpected shortage of mechanics, a top Air Force general said on Thursday.
James presents first round of Air Force nuclear service medals
(Air Force Times) The Air Force this week presented the first round of Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medals, with leadership using the award to highlight a group of airmen in the beleaguered nuclear missile community.
Air Force Ethics Officials Abused Frequent Flyer Upgrades
(Government Executive) The former Air Force general counsel and his then deputy violated government gift regulations using an arrangement in which the subordinate routinely transferred to his boss his eligibility for airline flight seat upgrades, according to a pair of reports released Wednesday by the Defense Department inspector general.
TSgt at Academy accused of heroin use
(Air Force Times) An airman accused of heroin use will face an Article 32 hearing Friday at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., to decide if he should face a court-martial.
MARINE CORPS
Mother of fallen Marine creates full-length ballet tribute to his life
(Marine Corps Times) When theatergoers attend a performance of the ballet "Colin" at Virginia's Hylton Performing Arts Center this weekend, among the first performers they'll see are two real active-duty Marines, clad in their dress blue uniforms.
Okinawa officials protest Marines' handling of barricade incident
(Stars & Stripes) Local community leaders met with Marine officials Wednesday to protest the handling of an Oct. 30 incident in which a Marine barricaded himself in his on-base home with a firearm, leading to a standoff with military police, officials said.
Marines attending resident PME to be screened for tattoos
(Marine Corps Times) The Corps has revised its checklist for Marines attending resident professional military education courses to include scrutiny of tattoos to make sure they're within the service's regulations.
3 charged in presidential helicopter scheme
(Associated Press) The men are accused of involvement in a bid-rigging plot for Marine Helicopter Squadron One, though the maintenance bid ultimately lost, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Thomas G. Walker.
Kerry issues birthday message to Marine
(Marine Corps Times) Secretary of State John Kerry issued a video birthday message to Marines, highlighting the connection between his department and the Corps as the service places new security guards at diplomatic facilities overseas and provides vital protection at embassies most vulnerable to attack.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN
Officials: US Could Delay Troop Withdrawal From Afghanistan
(Agence France-Presse) US commanders are weighing a delay in the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan after the country's protracted election set back preparations for the transition, Washington defense officials said Wednesday.
U.S. diplomat and longtime Pakistan expert under federal investigation
(Washington Post) A veteran State Department diplomat and longtime Pakistan expert is under federal investigation as part of a counterintelligence probe and has had her security clearances withdrawn, according to U.S. officials.
Pakistan rejects US charges it supports militants
(Associated Press) Pakistan on Thursday rejected allegations in a Pentagon report that it supports militant proxies in neighboring India and Afghanistan, emphasizing its own battles against militants.
MIDDLE EAST
In Jerusalem Unrest, Signs of a 'Run-Over Intifada' for the 21st Century
(New York Times) One cartoon circulating on social networks on Thursday depicted a car as the barrel of an automatic weapon, captioned in Arabic, "Revolt and resist, even by your car." Another showed an odometer with the slogan, "Oh, revolutionary, use more gasoline, so we can have Palestine back." A third simply had a vehicle in the red, white and green of the Palestinian flag hitting two men with Jewish stars on their black hats.
Israel reassures Jordan amid al-Aqsa tension
(Al Jazeera) Israel's prime minister has assured Jordan's king over the phone that he would not yield to increasing demands by Jewish hardliners to allow Jews to pray at a Muslim-run holy site in Jerusalem.
International court will not prosecute Israel in aid flotilla case
(Los Angeles Times) War crimes may have been committed by Israeli forces during their deadly interception of an aid ship headed for the Gaza Strip in 2010, but the case does not justify prosecution at the International Criminal Court, court officials said Thursday.
U.S. Allies Threaten to Recognize Palestinian State
(Wall Street Journal) Some of the U.S.'s closest European allies are threatening to follow Sweden and unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state if steps aren't quickly taken to revive the Middle East peace process.
EUROPE
German MoD Works to Overhaul Image
(Defense News) The German Cabinet has approved a draft bill of measures aimed at making the military one of the country's best employers. Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen hopes to attract and retain young people and specialists with better pay and family-friendly working hours.
Anglo-French UCAV gets underway with contract
(C4ISR & Networks) Six European companies will take part.
No 'Single Leap' for Sweden, Finland Into NATO
(Defense News) Sweden and Finland, currently engaged in bilateral defense cooperation talks, have no plans to jointly attempt to join NATO.
ASIA-PACIFIC
China's Clandestine Submarine Caves Extend Xi's Naval Reach
(Bloomberg) Beneath the surface of the South China Sea off the tropical Chinese resort island of Hainan, an underwater tunnel guides submarines into a lair reminiscent of a James Bond spy movie.
Manohar Parrikar to Become India's New Defense Minister
(Wall Street Journal) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has chosen a politician from Goa to lead the defense ministry as the country moves to modernize and strengthen its military, a member of the minister-designate's staff said.
China, Japan Agree to Overcome Political Obstacles, Improve Ties
(Bloomberg) China and Japan agreed to work to "overcome political obstacles" in an accord that could pave the way for the first summit meeting between their current leaders next week in Beijing.
AFRICA
Dempsey: Ebola mission will probably last 18 months
(Stars & Stripes) The military mission to combat Ebola in West Africa will probably last until 2016, according to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
In Off-the-Grid West Africa, How Can Tech Fight Ebola?
(NextGov) Leveraging technology to combat Ebola in West Africa was always going to be an uphill fight.
France deploys NH90 to Mali
(IHS Jane's 360) France has deployed its NHIndustries NH90 Caiman helicopters on operations for the first time, with two helicopters arriving in Gao on 3 November to take part in France's Operation 'Barkhane' in Mali.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
VA accountability needed to restore trust
(Pete Hegseth in Military Times) Tuesday's election results, which reflect in part a broad-based unhappiness with the management of the executive branch under its current leadership, should serve as a wakeup call to President Obama and his federal agencies.
Why We Haven't Felt the Full Effect of Sequestration - Yet
(Air Force Col. S. Clinton Hinote in Cicero Magazine) Some believe that sequestration is good. They believe the across-the-board cuts mandated by the Budget Control Act keep spending under control and have not hurt defense significantly, as military forces continue to get the job done. This view is incorrect. The sequester cuts do hurt, but they hurt in ways that postpone the pain. Specifically, sequester cuts have resulted in the loss of margin for today's force, making it vulnerable. Worse, the negative consequences will be with us for decades. The decision to keep the sequester in place is essentially a trade of long-term pain for short-term gain, and that is not a good bargain.
Think Tank to U.S. Army: Be More French
(Robert Beckhusen & Matthew Gault in Real Clear Defense) For an American military struggling to respond to crises around the world, the answer might be just a little less firepower and a little more coup de maitre.
War, Interrupted, Part II: From Prisoners to Rulers
(Craig Whiteside in War on the Rocks) The life of a jihadist usually means serving extended periods of time in the various prisons of the "apostate" regimes, interspersed with well-meaning releases or paroles. It is a rite of passage for many jihadist leaders. Abu Musab al Zarqawi spent many years in Jordanian prisons, and Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, the most famous alum of the American detention system, was released in 2004 after a recommendation by a combined board felt he did not pose a threat. Islamic State messaging frequently remembers "brothers" incarcerated by the Iraqi government, and often complains (missing a sense of irony of course) about their mistreatment.
Defeating ISIS:
(Michael Eisenstadt in The Washington Institute) President Obama's decision to launch a campaign aimed at "degrading and eventually destroying" the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) marks a major turning point in U.S. policy toward the Middle East. But the administration's approach faces major challenges, including the resiliency of ISIS, the complexity of the operational environment, and the coalition's limited ability to exploit the group's military, geographical, political, and financial vulnerabilities. Moreover, the president's reluctance to adequately resource the effort, commit additional reconnaissance and strike assets, or deploy small numbers of troops to the fight will further limit U.S. options and reduce the prospects for near-term success.
How the US Can Turn the GCC Into a Lasting Military Alliance
(Melissa Dalton in Defense One) As public debate swells around America's military intervention in Iraq and Syria, the United States has succeeded in bringing together several Gulf Cooperation Council, or GCC, states to join the fight and counter the Islamic State (also known as ISIS, or ISIL). But could the GCC's active participation in this war be the beginning of something more durable and reliable?
Ebola and the African Responsibility
(Henri Bore in Small Wars Journal) The challenge with Ebola is not just the fact that the U.S. and international response was too little, too late as many experts have suggested. The core issue at stake is that the devastating propagation of Ebola in the region is rooted in the long standing culture of corruption and the archaic traditional beliefs that still prevail in countries like Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. As currently designed, international medical and humanitarian assistance cannot address the problem. It is up to Africans themselves to do it. The governments of these three countries and the West Africa regional organization must take decisive action to eradicate the national cultures of corruption and transform the foundation of their social fabric once and for all.
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