Thank You
Robert Serge
VVA 17 Member
Blog Master
To all my fellow veterans friends and family my we all remember
From: no-reply@navytimes.com
To: rserge1@outlook.com
Subject: Navy Times Early Bird Brief
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2014 04:22:35 -0600
COMPILED BY THE EDITORS OF DEFENSE NEWS & MILITARY TIMES
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TODAY'S TOP 51. White House to Request $60B for Afghanistan in 2015(Defense News) The White House on Thursday will ask the US Congress for $60 billion to fund military operations in Afghanistan and other global contingencies, Defense News has learned. 2. Scores dead as Taliban wages offensive in southern Afghanistan (Los Angeles Times) Taliban fighters have attacked Afghan government troops and civilians across five southeastern districts in a days-long offensive heralding the start of the summer fighting season in the mountainous areas along the border with Pakistan. 3. Congress has a role in U.S. military action in Iraq (Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., in The Washington Post) Last week, both the Obama administration and certain members of Congress said that no congressional authorization is needed for U.S. military action in Iraq. I deeply disagree. 4. Marine, Air Force JSF Flights Stalled; AETC Puts F-35A Under Lock, Key (Breaking Defense) The F-35A struck by fire as it took off from Eglin Air Force Base has been secured and is under armed guard in a secure hanger and the Air Force and Marines are not flying their versions of the Joint Strike Fighter program until they know more about the fire's causes. 5. Arlington tragedy: Deceased colonel remembered as loving, generous and proud of service (Air Force Times) Retired Air Force Col. Robert Stanton Terrill was married to his wife, Helen, for 65 years before she passed away after a long illness in 2009. Helen was laid to rest in Section 64 of Arlington National Cemetery. IRAQIran Secretly Sending Drones and Supplies Into Iraq, U.S. Officials Say(New York Times) Iran is directing surveillance drones over Iraq from an airfield in Baghdad and is secretly supplying Iraq with tons of military equipment, supplies and other assistance, American officials said. Tehran has also deployed an intelligence unit there to intercept communications, the officials said. ISIS Tries to Grab Its Own Air Force (The Daily Beast) The Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham is threatening to take control of Balad Airbase, Iraq's largest airfield and one of America's most important military outposts during its occupation of the country. Sunni Militants Advance Toward Large Iraqi Dam (New York Times) Iraqi security officials said Wednesday that fighters with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria were advancing on the Haditha Dam, the second-largest in Iraq, raising the possibility of catastrophic damage and flooding. Spying drop-off in Iraq preceded fresh insurgency (Associated Press) CIA officers in Iraq have been largely hunkered down in their heavily fortified Baghdad compound since U.S. troops left the country in 2011, current and former officials say, allowing a once-rich network of intelligence sources to wither. Iraqi PM Rejects Forming 'Salvation' Government (Voice of America) Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has rejected forming an emergency government to help the country counter a surge by Sunni Islamist militants. A terrorist with gang-leader charisma (Washington Post) A glimpse of the passionate loyalty inspired by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the insurgent group known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, comes in a recent video made by a 20-year-old Muslim recruit from Cardiff, Wales. Jihadists Step Up Recruitment Drive (Wall Street Journal) A Sunni jihadist group that has seized vast territories in Iraq and Syria is parlaying its battlefield successes into a recruitment drive that is attracting more foreign fighters, say Western and Arab officials. Shiite Violence Traps Sunnis in Baghdad (New York Times) The bodies arrive in twos and threes most every day in the Baghdad morgue now, a grim barometer of the city's sectarian tensions. Most have gunshot wounds to the head, some have signs of torture, and most of them are Sunnis. A U.S.-Iran alliance on Iraq? Is the enemy of our enemy our friend? (McClatchy) The United States considers Iran a top state sponsor of terrorism, a budding nuclear threat and a meddlesome supporter of President Bashar Assad's regime in civil war-torn Syria. As Iraqi city faces new battle, ex-mayor tries to keep the peace - by phone from the U.S. (Washington Post) The last time Tal Afar fell to insurgents in the midst of the Iraq war, Mayor Najim Abed al-Jabouri was directing his troops from a 16th-century Ottoman castle in the center of his city. This time, he's stuck in a suburb about an hour south of Washington as he punches the code from a $2 phone card into his cellphone, takes a drag on his cigarette and waits for the latest update from the battlefield. Officer: Iraq Hopes For 'True Intervention' By US (Agence France-Presse) Baghdad wants a "true intervention" by the United States, which fought a bloody almost nine-year war in Iraq, to help combat a sweeping militant offensive, a senior officer said Wednesday. Iraq's new 'Baghdad Bob' sees positive side as military faces rout (Washington Post) Each afternoon, the meticulously groomed Lt. Gen. Qassim Atta stands in front of a cluster of microphones in a palatial meeting room in Baghdad's Green Zone to update the nation on the latest military developments. State Dept. Bolsters Social Media Campaign Against ISIS, al-Qaida, Others (NextGov) The State Department is expanding a program to counter al-Qaida and other extremist groups using Twitter, YouTube and other digital media, the agency announced this week. INDUSTRYBoeing Defense Head: Partnerships the New Normal(Defense News) As budgets around the world continue to contract, expect partnerships on major programs to become the norm, the head of Boeing's defense arm said. Navy seeks big data ecosystem (C4ISR & Networks) The Navy wants to create a big data ecosystem that will enable strides in analytics. F-35B Stand-down Not Yet Affecting Air Show Timeline (Aviation Week) All U.S. Marine Corps F-35B operations remain dormant since a fire broke out in an F-35A preparing for takeoff this week, but this is not expected - at least for now - to affect the timing of the aircraft's debut in the U.K. next month. DARPA to progress VTOL X-Plane as Boeing reveals Phantom Swift details (IHS Jane's 360) The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is to undertake conceptual design reviews for the four vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) X-Plane contenders in the coming weeks, a Boeing programme official disclosed on 24 June. Boeing Defense Head: Partnerships the New Normal (Defense News) As budgets around the world continue to contract, expect partnerships on major programs to become the norm, the head of Boeing's defense arm said. Lawrence Levy, 90; defense industry executive (Boston Globe) Amid the Cold War boom in defense contracts and frenzied research into aeronautics and space travel, Lawrence Levy launched Concord-based Allied Research Associates Inc. when he was a 28-year-old instructor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Mexico could soon receive more UH-60M Black Hawks (IHS Jane's 360) The US Department of State has approved a foreign military sale of five Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopters to Mexico, according to a US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announcement on June 24. British Army to trial VBCI (IHS Jane's 360) The British Army is to conduct trials later this year on the French Nexter Systems Vehicule Blinde de Combat d'Infanterie (VBCI) 8x8 infantry combat vehicle. VETERANS2 more VA officials resign(Military Times) Two more high-ranking Veterans Affairs officials announced plans to step down from their leadership roles Wednesday, the latest personnel overhaul for an embattled department already lacking multiple top administrators. VA heart program in Oklahoma City temporarily closed after five deaths since October (The Oklahoman) Five patients at the Oklahoma City VA Medical Center have died since October within 30 days of their surgeries, prompting the temporary closure of the hospital's heart surgery program until a federal review is complete. Quick passage of VA reform bill in doubt (Military Times) Lawmakers are moving as fast as they can to pass a new Veterans Affairs reform bill. Unfortunately for supporters, that doesn't guarantee it'll be finished soon. Brain injury in veterans tied to higher Alzheimer's risk (USA Today) Veterans who suffered brain injuries while in the service were more likely to develop Alzheimer's decades later, according to a new study published Wednesday in the journal Neurology. Five questions: Montel Williams talks about supporting vets (Military Times) Navy and Marine Corps veteran Montel Williams is mad as hell that veterans are dying while waiting to be seen at Veterans Affairs Department medical facilities - mad enough to wage a social media campaign to get President Obama to fix VA. VFW: Boycott Mexico Until it Frees Jailed Marine (Military.com) A major veterans' service organization says it's time to "take off the gloves" in seeking the release of a Marine reservist from the Mexican prison where he has been held on gun charges since March 31. CONGRESSGraham: A-10 Proponents 'Getting Close' on Appropriations Language(Defense News) The Senate's Pentagon spending bill likely will include language blocking an Air Force proposal to cut costs by retiring its A-10 attack plane fleet, a key member tells CongressWatch. Republicans Warn Obama Doesn't Have Two Weeks to Mull Iraq (National Journal) The Senate has one foot out the door for the Fourth of July holiday week, and Republican hawks are warning that by the time they get back, it could be too late for Iraq. Amid Call for New Force Resolution, Lawmaker Warns Iraq 'Is Going to Hell' (Defense News) US senators are taking differing stances on whether another use-of-force resolution would be needed before new US strikes in Iraq, with one saying the situation there "is going to hell." DEFENSE DEPARTMENTUS Senate Confirms Morin, Wright(Defense News) The US Senate has confirmed Jamie Morin to head the Pentagon's Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation office and Jessica Wright to be the undersecretary for personnel and readiness. The swift, quiet rise of Lt. Gen. Joseph Votel, Special Operations commander (Washington Post) Shortly after a controversial Dec. 11 drone strike in Yemen, Lt. Gen. Joseph Votel began pressing for the United States to push back on accusations that it had killed numerous civilians in a wedding party in the process. DIA to unveil innovation gateway (C4ISR & Networks) For more than a year officials at the Defense Intelligence Agency have been working on the Open Innovation Gateway, an environment run by DIA open to industry to share ideas, capabilities and concepts. Now, the gateway is on the verge of being ready. Language Learning Software Now Free to All Military, Government Personnel (National Defense) The Department of Defense recently made language learning software previously used only by specialists available to all government and military personnel. ARMYPentagon clarifies what could happen to Bowe Bergdahl if he went AWOL(Christian Science Monitor) If the US Army determines that Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl wandered off his small outpost in Afghanistan without authorization - in other words, if he was absent without leave - this will effectively negate his status as a "captured" soldier, the Pentagon said Wednesday. Fort Drum remembers soldiers, civilian killed during deployments in 2013 (Watertown Daily Times) Did soldiers die in vain in Afghanistan? Staff sgt. returns to UFC ring Saturday in San Antonio (Army Times) After two straight losses, the only full-time service member in the UFC faces what could be a career-defining fight Saturday night in San Antonio. Defense: Death penalty decision taking too long (Associated Press) Jurors are taking too long to deliberate the fate of a former Hawaii-based soldier facing the death penalty for killing his 5-year-old daughter, defense attorneys said in a motion that calls for a mistrial in the first capital murder trial since Hawaii became a state. Washington National Guard gets new helicopter for first time in five decades (Tacoma News Tribune) After 38 years in the Washington National Guard, 1st Sgt. Brett Jensen received something new for a change. NAVYBlue Angels report calls out fighter pilot culture(Navy Times) When news broke that Capt. Gregory McWherter's high-flying career had essentially ended, support came flooding in from thousands of sailors and civilians who said he'd put the Blue Angels flight team back together after a spate of safety issues. USS New York, carrying a Benghazi suspect, has gone dark (Washington Post) Where is the USS New York? Navy identifies SEAL killed in parachute mishap (Navy Times) Officials identified the SEAL killed in a Monday parachute accident as Chief Special Operator (SEAL) Bradley Cavner, a decorated combat veteran, Naval Special Warfare Group 1 said late Tuesday. Stabbing victim released from Portsmouth Naval (Virginian-Pilot) A victim stabbed by another sailor at Portsmouth Naval Medical Center was released from the hospital Friday. AIR FORCEAir Force generals will face off over difficult budget, job cuts(Washington Times) A group of top Air Force generals will gather behind closed doors at Andrews Air Force Base on Thursday to hash through ways to cut 3,400 positions from the service as part of a proposal to shave $1.6 billion from the Pentagon's budget over the coming five years, defense officials said this week. Air Force raises enlistee age limit from 27 to 39 (Stars & Stripes) Thanks to a new Air Force policy announced Tuesday, enlisted recruits can now experience the joys of basic training in their late 30s. Minot Air Force Base missile wing gets new leader (Associated Press) Minot Air Force Base has a new missile wing commander and it might be in line for more personnel. Air Force to add up to 1,440 employees to S.A. cyber mission (San Antonio Express-News) The Air Force will expand its cyber mission in San Antonio, bringing up to 1,440 troops and civilian workers to the city this fall. MARINE CORPSAmos rejects recent critique of amphibious combat vehicle(Marine Corps Times) The commandant of the Marine Corps pushed back on criticism of the Marines' amphibious combat vehicle Tuesday, calling development of the vehicle his top priority for the remainder of his tenure. Marine KC-130Js to Move to Iwakuni (Seapower) The Marine Corps will move an aviation squadron from Okinawa to one of the main Japanese islands as part of a realignment of Marine aviation units within Japan to reduce the impact of air activity on the Okinawan population. Paralympic star Sweeney earns 1st Tillman Award (Associated Press) When retired Marine Sgt. Josh Sweeney recounts his inspirational journey following an explosion that took both his legs in Afghanistan, he leaves out an important detail: His gold-medal winning goal. Promotion rate improves for staff sergeants trying to make gunny (Marine Corps Times) Although fewer Marines were selected for promotion to gunnery sergeant in fiscal 2014 than in the preceding year, staff sergeants in zone for promotion this year actually had a better chance of picking up rank than they did in 2013. AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTANThe Men Who Run Afghanistan(The Atlantic) Over the past 12 years, Hamid Karzai has relied on several trusted operatives to govern a fragmented country. Afghan intelligence rejects political intervention in elections (Khaama Press) The Afghanistan national directorate of security (NDS) said Wednesday that the Afghan intelligence did not have any political intervention in elections process. US adds 2 Lashkar-e-Taiba leaders, several aliases to terrorism list (Long War Journal) The US government added two Lashkar-e-Taiba leaders to its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists today. Additionally, the US identified four additional aliases for Lashkar-e-Taiba, or Army of the Pure, and included them on the list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations. LeT designation notes group's recent attack in western Afghanistan (Long War Journal) In today's designation of two Lashkar-e-Taiba leaders as well as the identification of additional aliases for the terror group, the US government disclosed an interesting piece of information: Lashkar-e-Taiba executed an attack in western Afghanistan as recently as late May. From the State Department designation: MIDDLE EASTBeirut Hit by Two Suicide Bombs in Two Nights(Wall Street Journal) The second suicide bomb in two nights hit Lebanon's capital Tuesday, when explosives detonated in a Mediterranean seaside hotel near the local Saudi embassy as security forces alerted to a bomb plot were raiding the hotel. Israel Tests New Counter-Abduction Strategy in Ongoing West Bank Op (Defense News) Israel is leveraging its ongoing West Bank operation against Hamas, the Islamic organization it blames for the June 12 abduction of three missing teens, to test a new strategy for deterring terrorist trade in Israeli captives, security sources say. Bahrain acquits key opposition figure (Al Jazeera) A Bahraini court cleared Khalil al-Marzooq of 'inciting violence' charges and having links with a 'terrorist' group. Egyptian Al Nusrah Front commander on Syrian border defects to ISIS (Long War Journal) An Egyptian commander of an Al Nusrah Front faction in the border town of Albu Kamal in Syria's Deir al Zour province has recently sworn allegiance to the rival Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham. The pledge to ISIS may help ISIS cement its control of both sides of the Syrian-Iraqi border along the Euphrates River. EUROPETense Vote Spares Polish Government After Recordings Scandal(New York Times) The Polish Parliament voted Wednesday to retain the embattled government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, despite an embarrassing scandal involving several top officials whose private, often profane conversations in upscale Warsaw restaurants had been bugged for more than a year. Norway DM Urges NATO Members To Expand Military Capabilities, Areas of Interest (Defense News) Norway's defense minister says NATO members should focus on the development of military capabilities as well as on areas where the US has security interests. Russia and Others Seek Extended Ukraine Truce, but Separatists Balk (New York Times) The leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany on Wednesday called for extending the truce between government and rebel troops in eastern Ukraine, even as separatist leaders said that the peace process had collapsed. Uzbeks Adding To Ranks Of Ukraine's Pro-Russian Separatists (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Fresh evidence suggests that pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine are looking to Central Asia as a potential source of trained military fighters. Ukrainian city stays quiet amid war (Washington Post) The battlefields of eastern Ukraine are barely 100 miles from this city, but there is no visible sign of the militant separatism that has roiled neighboring regions. ASIA-PACIFIC22 nations, including first-ever Chinese ships, set to begin RIMPAC(Navy Times) The world's largest multination naval exercise kicks off Thursday, and this year includes an unusual player: for the first time, the Chinese navy. China accuses Japan of endangering warships with destroyer, submarine hunter (IHS Jane's 360) China has accused the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) of endangering its vessels on 22 June as they sailed from the Pacific Ocean to the East China Sea. North Korea Warns U.S. Over Film Mocking Its Leader (New York Times) North Korea on Wednesday warned against the release of a Hollywood comedy about a plot to assassinate its leader, Kim Jong-un, calling the movie an "act of war." Australia begins training LHD crew with MRH90 helicopters (IHS Jane's 360) The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has begun training the aviation crew of its first Canberra-class amphibious assault ship (LHD) on MRH90 helicopters, the RAN's official news outlet said on 24 June. AFRICAPentagon official: Libya a 'magnet' for terrorists(The Hill) Libya has become a "magnet" for terrorists since the U.S.-led ouster of Moammar Gadhafi in 2011, a Pentagon official said in testimony Wednesday. Violence and Uncertainty Mar Libyan Election for a New Parliament (New York Times) With their expectations battered, Libyans headed to the polls on Wednesday to elect members of a new Parliament, in a vote seen as a critical step in a democratic transition that was overshadowed by an intensifying civil conflict in the eastern part of the country. At least 21 killed in rush-hour blast in Nigerian capital (Reuters) At least 21 people were killed when a suspected bomb tore through a crowded shopping district in the Nigerian capital Abuja during rush hour on Wednesday, police said, adding to the toll of thousands killed in attacks this year. Nigerian Violence Spawns Homemade Responses (Wall Street Journal) Many people in northern Nigeria, frustrated by a five-year insurgency and what they call a lack of military protection, are ordering what passes for bulletproof clothing, buying homemade muskets and organizing ragtag militias. COMMENTARY AND ANALYSISHow to Reform the VA: Trust Veterans(Retired Vice Adm. Ed Straw and Stephen Rodriguez in Real Clear Defense) As a start, comprehensive reform should emphasize proactive medical processes rather than the current bureaucratic focus that emphasizes success by administrative metrics. These metrics inadvertently make money, in the form of performance bonuses, a behavioral driver that resulted in the manipulation of wait times by VA personnel. The War on the Rocks Summer Fiction Reading List (Usha Sahay in War on the Rocks) Looking to crack open a novel at the beach this summer? Look no further than this list. Our contributors offer their favorite fiction about war, foreign affairs, and intrigue. A-10 vs. fighters and bombers (Mackenzie Eaglen in The Hill) It's a time-honored tradition inside the Beltway to "kick the can" on really hard decisions while making sure immediate "solutions" to defer pain only cost more and create bigger problems later. Congress is set to do it again. Gaming Out the Future of Iraq: Three Options (Jeffrey Itell in Defense One) With the recent capture of the Iraqi cities of Mosul and Tikrit by the militant organization known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL, Iraq faces a greater-than-ever risk of fragmentation along ethnic and religious lines, a fate that has already befallen its neighbor Syria. | |||||
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