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: Tue, 22 Jul 2014 04:34:04 -0600
COMPILED BY THE EDITORS OF DEFENSE NEWS & MILITARY TIMES
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TODAY'S TOP 51. Ryan Pitts receives Medal of Honor for Battle of Wanat(Army Times) Former Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Pitts received the Medal of Honor on Monday for his heroism during the Battle of Wanat in 2008, one of deadliest clashes of the Afghanistan War. 2. Army intelligence system pulled from key test (Associated Press) The Army's troubled intelligence system has suffered another setback. 3. MH17 Was Awful, but It's Probably Unique (Dave Majumdar in The Daily Beast) Shoulder-mounted anti-aircraft missiles remain a concern for commercial jets as they take off and land, but last week's tragedy in eastern Ukraine isn't cause for fresh alarm. 4. As US draws curtain on combat role, resilient Taliban plans patient comeback (Stars & Stripes) Surrounded by scaffolding, a blue-domed mosque is nearing completion on a site where a cinema once stood. 5. Texas Gov. Perry orders 1,000 National Guard troops to border (Los Angeles Times) Gov. Rick Perry announced plans on Monday to deploy up to 1,000 National Guard troops to the Texas border after saying he had grown tired of federal officials' "lip service" and "empty promises." MALAYSIA AIRLINES FLIGHT MH17Rebels turn over MH17 black boxes(USA Today) Under mounting world pressure, pro-Russian rebels handed over data-filled "black boxes" from the Boeing 777 downed over eastern Ukraine to Malaysian officials as victims' bodies began a grim journey back to Amsterdam. Obama Demands Putin Clear Way for MH17 Crash Site Probe (Wall Street Journal) President Barack Obama renewed his demand that Russian President Vladimir Putin use his influence over pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine to clear the way for investigators to access the crash site of Malaysia Airlines 3786.KU 0.00% Flight 17, which has become a chaotic scene in the four days since the jet was downed. Ukrainian PM Calls On West for Weapons After Airliner Downed (Defense News) Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has called on the West to provide precision strike weapons to his country following the shootdown July 17 of a Malaysian Airlines plane over eastern Ukraine. Ron Paul Says U.S. May Share Responsibility for Malaysia Airlines Plane Crash (Time) Former Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul claimed Sunday that the U.S. and European Union may share responsibility for the downing of a Malaysia Airlines plane over Ukraine last week. MH17 plane crash: Train with bodies leaves Ukraine station (BBC) Pro-Russian rebels have allowed bodies from the Malaysia Airlines plane crash to be taken to the city of Kharkiv. Ukraine prime minister: 'Russia is on the dark side' (Los Angeles Times) Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk had harsh words for Russia and President Vladimir Putin on Monday, saying the country is "on the dark side," blaming it again for the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 and demanding that it close its Western border to halt separatist activity in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko: The world must choose sides (CNN) In the wake of the attack on Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, "every country, including Russia," must determine whether it is "together with the terrorists or together with the civilized world," Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Monday. Russia challenges accusations that Ukraine rebels shot down airliner (Reuters) Russia's Defence Ministry on Monday challenged accusations pro-Russian rebels were to blame for shooting down a Malaysian airliner and asked the United States to produce satellite images to support its assertions. Malaysia Airlines MH17: Rebel Commander Claims Victims Died Days Before Crash (International Business Times) A senior pro-Russian rebel commander in eastern Ukraine has suggested that many of the victims of the MH17 plane crash may have died days before the plane took off. EU meeting set to speed, not deepen, sanctions on Russia (Reuters) For all the tough talk, Europe is unlikely to punish Russia over last week's downing of an airliner over Ukraine beyond speeding up the imposition of already agreed individual sanctions when the bloc's foreign ministers meet on Tuesday. How Web archivists and other digital sleuths are unraveling the mystery of MH17 (Washington Post) In the agonizing quest to pin down exactly what happened when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 went down over Ukraine last week, Web archivists and other digital sleuths are playing an unusual - potentially pivotal - role. ISRAELI GROUND OPERATIONS IN GAZAIsraeli official: Israeli soldier missing in Gaza(Associated Press) An Israeli soldier is missing following a deadly battle in the Gaza Strip, a defense official told The Associated Press on Tuesday. Israel finds Hamas are no longer amateur fighters (CNN) Israel's ground incursion into Gaza, which it says is intended to destroy Palestinian militants' tunnels and stop rocket fire into Gaza, has enters its fifth day with the death toll mounting on both sides and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arriving in Egypt. CNN's Ben Wedeman, a veteran Middle East correspondent, puts the incursion into perspective. Tunnel Attacks Have Israel on Edge (Time) Sometime around 5 a.m. Monday, ten men set out quietly on a pre-dawn mission, dressed in Israeli army uniforms and boots. How Hamas uses its tunnels to kill and capture Israeli soldiers (Washington Post) It was a Monday in October 2013 when residents of a kibbutz called Ein Hashlosha just east of the Gaza border heard strange sounds. Seven more IDF soldiers and officers killed in clashes with Hamas (Jerusalem Post) 4 killed when terror squad enters Israel via tunnel and fires on IDF jeep with anti-tank missile; IDF demolished over 16 tunnels. Obama Voices Concern About Casualties in Mideast (Associated Press) President Barack Obama called Monday for the international community to focus on ending the fighting in the Gaza Strip, as Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in the Middle East to make a renewed push for a cease-fire between Hamas and Israel. Deaths as Israeli tanks shell Gaza hospital (Al Jazeera) Israeli tanks have shelled a hospital in the central Gaza Strip, killing at least five people and wounding at least another 50. INDUSTRYThe top 20 UAS makers: A story in pictures(C4ISR & Networks) Unmanned aerial systems are big business around the world, and even rag-tag terrorist groups such as Hamas are able to obtain and use them. ASDReports has compiled a list of the 20 manufacturers with what the market research firm considers the greatest potential for success and growth in coming years. Click here for our photostory identifying them. Pentagon Says Resuming 2nd F-35 Engine 'Would Not Make Sense' (Bloomberg) United Technologies' Pratt and Whitney engine program "is 90 percent through development, so while we would like to have competitive sources on every program, it would make no sense at this point to revive an old engine design for the F-35," Army Col. Steve Warren says in statement. Schafer to assist DARPA innovation office with cyber, analytics and computing (C4ISR & Networks) The Schafer Corporation has been awarded a three-year task order to provide scientific, engineering and technical assistance to support DARPA's Information Innovation Office. Fourth National Security Cutter Completes Builder's Trials (USNI News) The fourth Coast Guard Legend-class National Security Cutter has completed builder's trials, according to a Friday statement from shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII). Boeing, Sikorsky to develop JCA for Army (C4ISR & Networks) Boeing and Sikorsky have been chosen to develop the Joint Common Architecture (JCA) standard for the U.S. Army's Joint Multi-Role (JMR) Science and Technology program. JMR is part of the Future Vertical Lift (FVL) initiative to develop next-generation utility and attack helicopters. Russia to Continue Space Rocket Engines Deliveries to US Despite Sanctions (RIA Novosti) Russia will take a pragmatic approach and will continue the deliveries of engines for the United States' carrier rockets despite the sanctions Washington imposed on Moscow over the Ukrainian crisis, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said Monday. Delivery of French warship depends on Russia's attitude -Hollande (Reuters) A decision on whether to deliver a second Mistral helicopter carrier to Russia will depend on Moscow's attitude over the Ukraine crisis, French President Francois Hollande said on Monday. India exercises option for six more Hercules transport aircraft (IHS Jane's 360) The Indian Air Force (IAF) has exercised its options for a further six Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules transport aircraft under a USD564.7 million contract modification announced by the US Department of Defense (DoD) on 18 July. Sweden Drops Out Of Denmark Fighter Competition (Aviation Week) Sweden has decided not to make a formal offer of the JAS 39E/F fighter to Denmark because it believes that the nation's requirement is loaded in favor of the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter. India excludes HAL from medium transport aircraft programme (IHS Jane's 360) The Indian government has ended the monopoly of the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in domestic aircraft manufacturing by excluding it from the stalled INR120 billion (USD2 billion) Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) programme. Data from low-observability trials of Britain's Taranis unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) demonstrator are set to feed into studies that could result in an Anglo-French UCAV in the 2030s. (Aviation Week) Data from low-observability trials of Britain's Taranis unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) demonstrator are set to feed into studies that could result in an Anglo-French UCAV in the 2030s. Indonesian shipbuilders begin building KCR-40-class missile craft (IHS Jane's 360) Indonesian shipbuilders PT Palindo Marine Industry and PT Citra Shipyard have begun construction of four KCR-40-class anti-ship missile craft being built for the Indonesian Navy (Tentera Nasional Indonesia - Angkatan Laut, or TNI-AL), TNI-AL public affairs spokesperson Captain Suradi Agung Slamet confirmed during a 17 July visit to the shipyards by TNI-AL Chief of Staff Admiral Marsetio. VETERANSWhite House to launch new high-tech job training initiative for veterans(Military Times) New high-tech job training efforts being launched by the White House this week will include veteran-specific programs and placement efforts, Vice President Joe Biden told the Veterans of Foreign Wars annual convention on Monday. Week ahead: VA nominee heads to Senate (The Hill) The Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee on Tuesday will hold a confirmation hearing for Robert McDonald, President Obama's nominee to lead the troubled Veterans Affairs Department. Report: Retaliation by supervisors common at VA (Associated Press) A pharmacy supervisor at the VA was placed on leave after complaining about errors and delays in delivering medications to patients at a hospital in Palo Alto, California. In Pennsylvania, a doctor was removed from clinical work after complaining that on-call doctors were refusing to go to a VA hospital in Wilkes-Barre. Blunt, McCaskill slam 'shameful' VA crisis response (The Hill) Missouri's senators on Monday chided the Veterans Affairs Department for the "shameful" handling of its healthcare crisis and the agency's treatment of whistleblowers. More than 'Maverick': James Garner and the forgotten Purple Heart (Outside the Wire) A recent USA Today appreciation for James Garner, the iconic actor who died Saturday at age 86, called him "the epitome of the reluctant hero." CONGRESSSenators propose visa increase for Afghan civilians(The Hill) A bipartisan pair of senators has introduced legislation that would grant additional visas to Afghan civilians who work alongside U.S. military forces. Congress seeks better deal for U.S. contractors on Israeli Iron Dome system (Washington Post) Congress, which has been pouring extra money into the Iron Dome, wants Tel Aviv to give U.S. firms a bigger share of the Israeli missile defense system's contracts. White House Snubs Some Senior Lawmakers on Iran Negotiation Details (National Journal) Lawmakers are miffed about not getting a seat in the Obama administration's briefings on the Iran nuclear talks. Oklahoma Republicans worry about use of military bases for child immigrants (The Hill) Oklahoma lawmakers urged the Obama administration on Monday to reconsider a decision to expand housing at U.S. military bases for child immigrants from Central American who are apprehended crossing the border. Senate Bill Mandates Study of Nuclear-Arms Storage Sites (Global Security Newswire) Senate appropriators last week approved a bill that would require the Pentagon to study how to modernize facilities storing U.S. nuclear warheads. ARMYAlaska guardsman mauled by bear while training at JBER(Army Times) A soldier with the Alaska Army National Guard was in stable condition Sunday after "an encounter with a brown bear sow defending her nearby cubs" that took place during training at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, the base announced in a news release. 82nd Airborne troops go back to basics with short-notice training exercise (Fayetteville Observer) When hundreds of Fort Bragg paratroopers jumped into the Florida panhandle under the cover of darkness Wednesday, it was the culmination of more than two days of planning and preparation. Army working on taking the drivers out of its vehicles (Army Times) The Army and Marine Corps are pursuing futuristic driverless vehicle technology that would free troops to do other things like watch for ambushes and roadside bombs. Ex-soldier undecided on murder-conviction appeal (Associated Press) Lawyers for a former Hawaii-based soldier who avoided a death sentence for his 5-year-old daughter's death want him to consult with an appellate attorney before deciding whether to appeal his murder conviction. Army gets new GFEBS manager (C4ISR & Networks) After nearly four years of leading one of the Army's largest enterprise resource planning programs, COL Patrick Burden is set to move on from his role as program manager of the Army General Fund Enterprise Business System NAVYMan killed in skydiving incident was former Navy SEAL(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) The 44-year-old Racine man killed in a skydiving incident Sunday was an experienced former military parachutist who continued to jump regularly after leaving the service, according to investigators. Littoral Combat Ship works with special forces to demonstrate afloat staging base capacity (IHS Jane's 360) The US Navy's (USN's) second Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) USS Independence (LCS 2) conducted a mission with special operations forces during the multinational Rim of the Pacific ('RIMPAC') exercise, demonstrating the aluminium trimaran class's ability to operate as a generic afloat forward staging base opportunity, the commanding officer told IHS Jane's on 18 July. Mayport Will Be Base for Eight Freedom-class LCSs (Seapower) The Navy is expanding its support infrastructure at Naval Station Mayport, Fla., to accommodate eight littoral combat ships (LCSs), all of which will be of the single-hull Freedom class. Carrier Constellation heading for scrap yard (San Diego Union-Tribune) The aircraft carrier Constellation, which spent most of its nearly 42 years of service operating out of San Diego Bay, will be scrapped in Texas following a historic tow from its resting place in the Pacific Northwest. AIR FORCESpecial Report: The top 5 best bases for airmen(Air Force Times) No matter the service, no matter the era, one of the favorite pastimes of troops has always been comparing duty stations - griping about the lousy ones and singing the praises of the good ones. Air Force seeks new waveforms (C4ISR & Networks) The Air Force is looking for new radio waveforms. AF Cadets mark midway point of basic training with field day (Colorado Springs Gazette) Intense but friendly competition marked the halfway point through cadet basic training for freshman cadets at the Air Force Academy's annual field day July 11. MARINE CORPSInvestigation reveals creepy details behind Marine colonel's firing(Marine Corps Times) An investigation into last year's firing of a senior Marine Corps officer reveals that at least six female subordinates told authorities he had touched them inappropriately or made lewd comments to them. Erin Corwin acquaintance Christopher Lee arrested (Desert Sun; Palm Springs, Calif.) High Desert law enforcement believe that a pregnant Marine spouse who has been missing for more than three weeks may have been shot while hunting with an ex-Marine with whom she was having an affair. Video: Marine veteran saves woman from oncoming freight train (Marine Corps Times) Some Marine Corps training will stick with you for life - and sometimes, it will help save a life. NCIS investigating shooting that injured 4 troops on Okinawa (Stars & Stripes) The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is probing a shooting that injured four U.S. servicemembers at Camp Schwab in northeast Okinawa, officials said. MARSOC uses applicants' feedback to redesign workout prep program (Marine Corps Times) MARSOC fitness tips: don't skimp on the swimming and carry a 50-pound pack everywhere. IRAQIraqi Ambassador: US Should Begin Airstrikes in Iraq Now(Defense News) The Iraqi ambassador to the United States explicitly called for ramped up American military involvement in his country on Monday, asking the United States to launch air strikes against positions being held by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Sunni extremist group that has gained control over swaths of northern and western Iraq. Ten killed in air strike north of Baghdad (Reuters) Ten people were killed, including a mother and three children, in a government air strike on a militant-controlled town north of Baghdad on Monday, hospital sources and witnesses said. Ex-Iraqi Mayor Voices Chemical Concerns About Contested Oil Refinery (Global Security Newswire) The former mayor of an Iraqi city now under control of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria says he worries the extremists' seizure of a key oil refinery could lead to a chemical disaster. Proud Sunni neighborhood writhes under Iraq's Shiite security forces (Los Angeles Times) He fought alongside U.S. troops battling Al Qaeda militants on the streets of Adhamiya, one of Baghdad's most treacherous districts during the long American-led occupation. Now he is ready to take up arms against the Iraqi government that he once fought to preserve. Kurdish Oil Gambit Hits Troubled Waters (Wall Street Journal) Shortly before midnight, an oil tanker set sail from Turkey's Ceyhan port one day in late May with a historic, $100 million cargo. AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTANU.S. Compound in Kabul Hit by Suicide Attack(Wall Street Journal) An Afghan guard on Tuesday carried out a suicide attack a U.S. facility in Kabul, killing four foreigners in the latest insurgent strike in the Afghan capital. Al Qaeda renews its oath of allegiance to Taliban leader Mullah Omar (Long War Journal) Al Qaeda published the first edition of a new online bulletin, "Al Nafir" (meaning "call to arms" or "call to mobilize"), on July 20. And the organization uses the inaugural issue to publicly renew its oath of allegiance to Taliban emir Mullah Omar. U.S. Mentors Prepare to Let Afghan Forces Go It Alone (New York Times) The small and cherubic governor of Koh-e-Safi District was struggling to compute the meaning of the American troop withdrawal. IG says $2.8 million Afghanistan produce facility sitting unused, unmaintained (Washington Post) A $2.8 million facility the United States built in Afghanistan to store produce for local farmers has sat unused and unmaintained for more than a year, with Afghan officials still looking for a business to lease the property, according to a federal watchdog agency. MIDDLE EASTGloves come off between Syrian regime, Islamic State(Al-Monitor) The Islamic State, arguably the most dangerous and brutal terrorist group in modern history, now controls more than a third of Syria, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a prominent opposition nongovernmental organization. Two Turkish soldiers killed in clash with suspected smugglers near Syria border (Reuters) Two Turkish soldiers were killed in a clash with suspected smugglers near the Syria border, a local official said on Tuesday, as Turkey faces growing international pressure to police a major access route for European foreign fighters. AQAP seeks to consolidate power in Hadramout (Long War Journal) Fighters from al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula distributed a statement throughout Yemen's eastern Hadramout province yesterday curtailing women's participation in public life. The statement bars women from carrying out basic daily activities, such as going to public markets, a staple in a country like Yemen, without the accompaniment of a "mahram," a male relative whom they could not lawfully marry. Iran is pushing limits on nuclear deal, former Obama advisor warns (Los Angeles Times) Robert Einhorn, who was a special advisor on arms control at the State Department until May 2013, says the Iranians have been quietly extending what they claim they are entitled to on enrichment -- what Einhorn calls "rights creep." ASIA-PACIFICChina Pushes Limits to Closer Ties With U.S. Military(Wall Street Journal) China is seeking greater access to U.S. aircraft carriers and guidance on how to operate its own first carrier, the Liaoning, testing the limits of a newly cooperative military relationship the two sides have tried to cultivate in the past year. The real story behind Japan's drone boom (Quartz) For decades Japan has been the world's playground for design innovation. But now it may become ground zero for the future of something far more hostile: military drones. Japan announces basing plan for Ospreys (IHS Jane's 360) Tokyo plans to deploy 17 Bell-Boeing MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft at Saga Airport on Kyushu island during the next five years starting from fiscal year 2015, according to Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera. Prabowo Subianto 'withdraws' from Indonesian presidential election on day vote was to be declared (Sydney Morning Herald) Former army strongman Prabowo Subianto claims to have ''withdrawn'' from the presidential race on the day it was to be announced that he had lost. AFRICAClashes between rival militias in Libya kill 47(Associated Press) Clashes between rival Libyan militias fighting for control of the capital's international airport killed 47 people over the last week, Libya's Health Ministry said, as violence in an eastern city killed five. Kenyan Military Twitter Accounts Hijacked by Anti-Israel Hackers (Bloomberg) Hackers gained access to two Twitter Inc. accounts used by the Kenyan military and posted declarations of war against Israel, criticism of the country's president and drug references. Kenya Gunmen Kill at Least 4 in Retribution Attack (Voice of America) At least four people were killed and several others injured on Sunday in an attack by armed gunmen in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa , police said. US Embassy apologies to Ghana leader for tweet (Associated Press) The U.S. Embassy in Ghana is apologizing after a staff member sent what's being described as "an errant tweet" criticizing the president from the official Embassy Twitter account. Three Mass Graves Discovered in Uganda (Wall Street Journal) Ugandan authorities have discovered three mass graves, containing remains of victims of recent clashes over land rights in the oil-rich Lake Albertine Rift basin, threatening to escalate simmering tribal tensions in the region. COMMENTARY AND ANALYSISAll Elements of National Power(Retired Marine Gen. James L. Jones, Jr in The Atlantic Council) The US geographic combatant commands are priceless in strategic value, but their structure, function, and organization are increasingly relics of a bygone era. Column: Budgetary 'Secret Sauce' (John T. Bennett in Defense News) Uh oh. No one wants their prized recipe - the very cornerstone of their success or strategy - revealed. But that's just what some of the Pentagon's closet congressional allies have done. Beyond UCLASS: Preparing the Navy for Next Generation Warfare (Samuel Brannen and Michael Horowitz in War on the Rocks) The United States is the world's leading military power in large part because it employs both the best military technologies in the world and the best-trained force to effectively use those technologies. Yet staying ahead is no easy task. Just as in the corporate world, the same ways of doing business that led to success in the past can, especially during periods of rapid technological change, place future superiority at risk. It's Time to Get Ready for Cyberwar (William Brooke Stallsmith in Real Clear Defense) Military and national security operations in cyberspace have made headlines with increasing frequency. Hamas's Civilian Death Strategy (Thane Rosenbaum in The Wall Street Journal) Let's state the obvious: No one likes to see dead children. Well, that's not completely true: Hamas does. They would prefer those children to be Jewish, but there is greater value to them if they are Palestinian. Outmatched by Israel's military, handicapped by rocket launchers with the steady hands of Barney Fife, Hamas is playing the long game of moral revulsion. How Hamas Won (Ariel Ilan Roth in Foreign Affairs) No matter how and when the conflict between Hamas and Israel ends, two things are certain. The first is that Israel will be able to claim a tactical victory. The second is that it will have suffered a strategic defeat. Why Obama should send several thousand U.S. troops back to Iraq (Michael O'Hanlon in The Washington Post) The solution to the violence in Iraq is political, not military. But if a suitable government can be formed in Baghdad, the United States has to consider a wide range of military options. And to be effective, America's troop presence in Iraq should exceed the hundreds of Special Operations advisers that President Obama has announced thus far. | |||||
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