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, 29 Jul 2014 04:52:34 -0600
COMPILED BY THE EDITORS OF DEFENSE NEWS & MILITARY TIMES
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TODAY'S TOP 51. Afghanistan may have lost track of more than 200,000 weapons(Washington Post) Since 2004, the United States has supplied the fledgling Afghan Nation Security Forces with everything from uniforms to transport aircraft, but a new inspector general report finds that officials might have lost track of more than 43 percent of the 474,823 small arms supplied to the ANSF. 2. US is no safer after 13 years of war, a top Pentagon official says (Christian Science Monitor) The outgoing head of the Defense Intelligence Agency says that new players on the scene are more radical than Al Qaeda, and the core Al Qaeda ideology has lost none of its potency. 3. On Not-So-New Warfare: Political Warfare Vs. Hybrid Threats (Frank Hoffman in war on the Rocks) The ongoing conflict in Ukraine challenges our traditional Western concepts of warfare. The current crisis, pitting the national government against separatists, Russian ultra-nationalists, proxy fighters and possibly Russian GRU personnel, does not fit neat Western categories of "war." In one sense it's a civil war, or perhaps a proxy war that pits Ukraine against Russia. 4. Thank You for Your Service: How One Company Sues Soldiers Worldwide (ProPublica) With stores near military bases across the country, the retailer USA Discounters offers easy credit to service members. But when those loans go bad, the company uses the local courts near its Virginia headquarters to file suits by the thousands. 5. Senior Dem: With Supplemental in Doubt, 'Another Approach' for Iron Dome May be Needed (Defense News) One senior House Democrat says including millions for an Israeli missile defense program in a broader spending bill could delay - or even kill - the funds. ISRAELI GROUND OPERATIONS IN GAZAIsrael Intensifies Anti-Tunnel Campaign, Rejects Truce Calls(Defense News) Israel is expanding its anti-tunnel ground campaign in Gaza along with standoff air, sea and land attacks in a high-intensity bid to bolster the operational conditions to drive an eventual diplomatic truce with Hamas. Netanyahu warns Israel to prepare for long Gaza conflict, as at least 10 more are killed (Washington Post) Israel will press its air and ground offensive in the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday, preparing his country for a longer and bloodier campaign and dashing hopes that the three-week-old conflict would end soon. Bloody Day in Gaza as Calls for Cease-Fire Intensify (Time) Israel and Hamas point the finger at each other for an attack on a Gaza hospital that left at least 10 dead US fuming over Israeli criticism of Kerry (Associated Press) The Obama administration pushed back strongly Monday at a torrent of Israeli criticism over Secretary of State John Kerry's latest bid to secure a cease-fire with Hamas, accusing some in Israel of launching a "misinformation campaign" against the top American diplomat. Hamas leader: No peace under Israeli occupation (CBS ) Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal has said he's not ready to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, saying that under Israeli occupation, Israel and a state of Palestine cannot coexist. Hamas Gaza leader Haniyeh's house hit by Israeli missile, no casualties (Reuters) An Israeli aircraft fired a missile at the house of Hamas Gaza leader Ismail Haniyeh early on Tuesday causing damage but no casualties, Gaza's interior ministry said. Tunnels Lead Right to the Heart of Israeli Fear (New York Times) The curved concrete top of the tunnel grazes the dark-brown buzz cut of Lt. Col. Oshik Azulai, putting it 5 feet and 7 inches above the sand floor. The walls are about 30 inches apart - wide enough for two people to squeeze past each other, unless both are in body armor. It is cool in the tunnel, 46 feet under, and dark, of course. Cellphones do not work. INDUSTRYNorthrop Drone's Development Cost to U.S. Navy Rises 25%(Bloomberg) The cost to develop Northrop Grumman Corp. (NOC)'s reconnaissance drone for the U.S. Navy has increased by at least 25 percent, or $720 million, according to Navy estimates and congressional investigators. Saab Eyes Other Markets After Dropping Denmark Bid (Defense News) Sweden's decision not to submit a formal bid for Denmark's $5.5 billion to $6 billion Fighter Replacement Program (FRP) was a "strategic choice" supported by state partners and Saab, said Ulf Hammarstrom, the CEO of Sweden's Defense Export Agency (DEA). Air Force seeks moving-target cyber defense (C4ISR & Networks) The Air Force is hunting for Moving Target Defenses (MTD) for its networks. Israel Debuts Micro Robot in Anti-Tunnel Campaign (Defense News) Israel debuted a locally developed micro robot in its ongoing onslaught against the labyrinth of tunnels and concealed shafts supporting subterranean arms depots, command posts and cross-border attacks from Gaza. Raytheon teams with Poland's TELDAT (C4ISR & Networks) Raytheon is collaborating with Polish company TELDAT for C4ISR work. The two companies will seek contracts for Poland's air defense architecture, as well as global exports, according to a Raytheon announcement. India To Sell Partial Stake in HAL (Defense News) India will sell 10 percent of its 100 percent stake in monopoly military aircraft producer Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL), a senior Defence Ministry official said. All formalities have been cleared and the 10 percent stake will be put on sale by October, the official said. NATO plans NASMDEF facility for soft-kill countermeasures assessment (IHS Jane's 360) NATO has approved plans to acquire a new capability later this decade to evaluate the performance of 'soft-kill' countermeasures used to defend ships against anti-ship cruise missiles. Putin Urges Rapid Switch to Domestic Production in Defense Industry (Moscow Times) Faced with impending EU sanctions on Russia's defense industry, President Vladimir Putin on Monday urged the Defense Ministry to redouble its efforts to wean the defense sector off foreign suppliers, Interfax reported. VETERANSTop TA and GI Bill schools: Most popular colleges cater to troops by taking classes to them(Military Times) Schools known for their flexible learning options are by far the most popular among both active-duty service members using tuition assistance and veterans and their dependents using the Post-9/11 GI Bill, government data show. Survey: many combat vets worried about exposure to 'burn pits' (Christian Science Monitor) Burn pits are open-air areas where the US military burned water bottles and plastic-foam cups, as well as human and medical waste. The VA has set up a registry for troops to detail their concerns. Effort advances to add names of 74 sailors to Vietnam Memorial (Navy Times) The crew of the destroyer Frank E. Evans is fighting once again, 45 years after their ship sank in the South China Sea after a terrifying collision. Housing Buoyed by 20-Year High for Vet's Loans: Mortgages (Bloomberg) During his third deployment in Afghanistan, Air Force Staff Sgt. Claude Hunter was so eager to return to the U.S. and buy a house that he signed a contract for a property that his agent showed him over Skype. CONGRESSVA reform bill to get vote this week(Military Times) In a dramatic legislative turnaround, the chairmen of the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs committees on Monday unveiled plans for a $17 billion compromise VA reform bill that funds the hiring of more clinicians, expands private care options and makes it easier to fire Veterans Affairs Department executives. Senate to confirm VA nominee Tuesday (The Hill) Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced Monday that the Senate would vote on the confirmation of Robert McDonald to be Veterans Affairs Secretary at 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday. Hill Hurts Innovation, Just Like DoD - But We Can Change: Forbes, Langevin (Breaking Defense) "We have the presumption we're going to have the competitive edge when it comes to technology," said Rep. Randy Forbes, "[that] just because we've had it in the last several decades that somehow or other we're destined to have it in the future." That's a dangerous mistake, Forbes said Thursday at the Carnegie Endowment, where he and Rep. Jim Langevin spoke on how the Pentagon needs to innovate. DEFENSE DEPARTMENTReport: DOD workers with access to secrets owe $730M in taxes(The Hill) About 83,000 Pentagon employees and contractors who held or were eligible for secret clearances had more than $730 million in unpaid taxes as of June 2012, according to an internal government audit. Guantanamo filmed guards searching Qurans for contraband, but you can't see it (Miami Herald) The U.S. military filmed troops searching captives' Qurans inside Guantanamo's prison building for cooperative captives - an episode blamed for sparking the prison's long-running hunger strike, a Freedom of Information request has revealed. Study: Young military men report more sexual dysfunction than civilians (Military Times) Young troops suffer from erectile dysfunction at nearly three times the rate of civilians their own age, according to a new study out of the University of Southern California. ARMYOne retired colonel is campaigning for more cuts - and Congress is listening(Army Times) The Army insists cutting the service down to 420,000 cannot be done. That would mean 98,000 fewer soldiers than there are today, and that's an unacceptable risk, Army officials have said, and will continue to say, so long as the threat of budget cuts remains. U.S. Army sergeant killed in Caspersen Beach plane crash (Tampa Tribune) The Georgia man killed in a Venice plane crash Sunday afternoon was a sergeant in the United States Army. 2 Vicenza soldiers accused of beating, raping pregnant woman (Stars & Stripes) Two Vicenza-based soldiers accused of beating, robbing and raping a pregnant woman earlier this month are being detained in the barracks under house arrest pending proceedings in an Italian court. Meet the 2014 Army Times Soldier of the Year (Army Times) Sgt. Thomas Block and fellow Rangers from 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment were patrolling in southern Afghanistan, on a mission to root out insurgents planning suicide bombing attacks. They entered a compound and saw a man and woman sitting in the courtyard. Army tests land-based Apaches during RIMPAC exercises at sea (Honolulu Star-Advertiser) The Army in Hawaii has landed Black Hawk and Kiowa Warrior helicopters on the decks of underway Navy ships in the past as the land service seeks to prove its sea-based flexibility. NAVYSailor dies aboard destroyer Williams(Navy Times) A Norfolk-based sailor died on deployment last month, the Defense Department announced Monday. Female USNA grad named to Blue Angels squadron (Baltimore Sun) Marine Capt. Katie Higgins not only followed in the footsteps of her family members, but this week she was named to the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, also known as the Blue Angels. Sailor, alleged attacker were assigned to psych unit (Virginian-Pilot) Nearly seven weeks ago, a stabbing at Portsmouth Naval Medical Center left one sailor critically injured and sent police scouring surrounding cities for the alleged stabber, a fellow sailor. Stealth destroyers, littoral combat ships headed to Pacific, Mabus says (Stars & Stripes) The Navy will send new stealth destroyers, littoral combat ships and an amphibious ready group to the Pacific, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said Monday, reiterating the U.S. commitment to its military "pivot" to the region. Meet the 2014 Navy Times Sailor of the Year and Coast Guardsman of the Year (Navy Times) Chief Cryptologic Technician (Collection) Jeremy Crandall is described by superiors and subordinates as a humble leader driven by a desire to see sailors develop and succeed. Jury in Ventura case to return Tuesday (Associated Press) Jurors sent U.S. District Judge Richard Kyle a note midday Monday, saying they had not been able to reach a unanimous decision and did not think they could. The judge told them to keep trying. AIR FORCEF-15s needed in Europe to respond to Russia, Lakenheath commander says(Stars & Stripes) This is not the time to talk about reducing the number of F-15 fighter jets in Europe, given the situation in Ukraine, according to the new commander of the 48th Fighter Wing, which flies the only F15s in Europe. CPS worker in 2012 Dyess toddler death charged with evidence tampering (Air Force Times) Abilene, Texas, police have charged a former state child protective services worker with tampering with evidence in the case of a toddler found dead at her Dyess Air Force Base home nearly two years ago. To Stop Cheating, Nuclear Officers Ditch The Grades (National Public Radio) The young officers at F.E. Warren Air Force Base have an enormous job: to keep 150 nuclear-tipped missiles ready to launch at a moment's notice. Meet the 2014 Air Force Times Airman of the Year (Air Force Times) Master Sgt. David Keirns saw the geese drifting above the flight line just after the fully-loaded C-5 took off from Naval Station Rota, Spain. Then came the unmistakable sound of a bird strike - like something stuck in a lawn mower. 2 military satellites launched on Delta 4 rocket (Associated Press) A Delta 4 rocket has lifted off from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station carrying two satellites for the U.S. Air Force. Colorado Springs airmen ready for wildfire battle (Colorado Springs Gazette) Airmen from the 302nd Airlift Wing in Colorado Springs are ready to be called to battle against wildfires raging in the Pacific Northwest as troops from U.S. Northern Command at Peterson Air Force Base coordinate military efforts to fight the blazes. Malmstrom completes code change (Great Falls Tribune) Airmen at Malmstrom Air Force Base completed their biggest peace time operation of the year Friday. MARINE CORPSMarines approve new primary MOS for MARSOC officers(Marine Corps Times) The commandant of the Marine Corps has approved a new primary military occupational specialty that will allow Marine officers the opportunity to spend a career in the Corps' special operations command. The mother and the Marine both took a deep breath of the sea air, coming in off the Atlantic. This wasn't going to be easy. (Washington Post) The mother and the Marine both took a deep breath of the sea air, coming in off the Atlantic. This wasn't going to be easy. MARSOC gunnery sergeant to receive posthumous Silver Star (Marine Corps Times) A MARSOC gunnery sergeant who was killed while fighting insurgents in Afghanistan, will be awarded the military's third-highest award for valor on Tuesday, MARSOC officials announced. Camp Pendleton's 'Godfather' sentenced to two years (Marine Corps Times) The self-proclaimed "Godfather" of Camp Pendleton, California, was sentenced to two years in prison on Friday after he pleaded guilty to accepting bribes in exchange for funneling construction projects to contractors. It's the latest prison term for a series of dirty deals that the federal government has targeted at the Marine Corps base. Meet the 2014 Marine Corps Times Marine of the Year (Marine Corps Times) Whether deployed or in garrison, Master Sgt. Orlando Reyes works ceaselessly to protect his fellow Marines. After three combat deployments to Iraq, he returned home and picked up a tenacious fight against an enemy as deadly as an IED - suicide. Corps assembles next crisis response task force in Middle East (Marine Corps Times) The Marine Corps is preparing to dispatch its second task force designed specifically for crisis response - this time to the Middle East in order to position for rapid response in that part of the world. IRAQThe ISIS Caliphate's Coming Blitz of Baghdad(The Daily Beast) Analysts say the Islamic State is about to launch a major offensive-but one built around commando raids and suicide bombings rather than a frontal attack. In Iraq's Mosul, radicals unleash their vision (Associated Press) Residents of Mosul have watched helplessly as extremists ruling the northern Iraqi city blew up some of their most beloved landmarks and shrines to impose a stark vision of Islam. Next up for destruction, they feared: the Crooked Minaret, a more than 840-year-old tower that leans like Italy's Tower of Pisa. The Islamic State Is the Newest Petrostate (Foreign Policy) The Islamic State, the world's richest terror group, is reaping millions of dollars a day from selling stolen oil to shady businessmen across the Middle East. Iraq is already splitting into three states (USA Today) Ever since U.S. forces invaded Iraq and toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003, the U.S. government has worried that Iraq would splinter into three states - each representing the feuding religious and ethnic factions the dictator held together through his iron rule. U.S. judge signs order to seize Kurdish oil from tanker off Texas (Reuters) Acting on a request from the central government in Iraq, a U.S. judge has signed an order telling the U.S. Marshals Service to seize a cargo of oil from Iraqi Kurdistan aboard a tanker off the Texas coast, court filings showed on Tuesday. Alleged Saddam Hussein Relative Seeks Asylum In Tajikistan (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) A man claiming to be a relative of late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein is seeking political asylum in Tajikistan. France offers asylum to Iraqi Christians (FRANCE 24) French leaders have announced they are adopting added measures to help Iraqi Christians, with support growing in France for the religious minority being run out of their homeland in northern Iraq by ISIS jihadists. AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTANU.S. paratroopers in Afghanistan hope to deal a few final blows against the Taliban(Washington Post) It was a homecoming of sorts for Lt. Col. Paul Larson, returning to this remote corner of southern Afghanistan at the twilight of America's longest war. He was back to take stock of a slice of the battlefield that seemed brimming with possibility when he last led soldiers here a decade ago. Karzai's cousin and Ghani ally killed in Afghan suicide attack (Reuters) President Hamid Karzai's powerful cousin, a close ally of presidential candidate Ashraf Ghani, was killed on Tuesday in a suicide bomb attack at his home, the governor's office in the southern province of Kandahar said. Afghan vote audit stalls amid daily arguments (Stars & Stripes) More than three months after voters first went to the polls, Afghans began the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr without a new president as a slow-going electoral audit continues to be dogged by controversy. Afghan troops do it their way (San Diego Union-Tribune) Before heading home, the Marine advisers gave their replacement team a tour around the Afghan army's battle school in Helmand province. UK mulls Puma helo deployment to Afghanistan (IHS Jane's 360) The UK may deploy its newly upgraded Westland/Aerospatiale SA 330E Puma HC.2 medium-lift transport helicopters to Afghanistan to support the ongoing training mission in the country, IHS Jane's has learned. Analysis: Mullah Omar addresses governance of Afghanistan, war against 'invaders' in new message (Long War Journal) In a message celebrating the end Ramadan, Taliban emir Mullah Omar crows about the jihadists' recent gains in Afghanistan, says the exchange of the Taliban's five top leaders once held at Guantanamo for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was a "spectacular achievement," and speaks of the Taliban's plans for governing Afghanistan. EUROPEU.S. Says Russia Tested Cruise Missile in Violation of Treaty(New York Times) The United States has concluded that Russia violated a landmark arms control treaty by testing a prohibited ground-launched cruise missile, according to senior American officials, a finding that was conveyed by President Obama to Russian President Vladimir V. Putin in a letter on Monday. UK 'battle group' to take part in exercises in Poland (BBC) The UK is to send a "full battle group" of 1,350 military personnel for exercises in Poland, amid rising tension with Russia over Ukraine. Significant new European sanctions on Russia expected, U.S. says (Washington Post) The Obama administration expects Europe to adopt significant new sanctions against Russia this week, including against key economic sectors that the Europeans have resisted targeting in the past, the White House said Monday. Ukraine Reports Heavy Fighting Around Malaysia Airlines Crash Site (Wall Street Journal) For weeks, residents of the three villages where the debris from Malaysia Airlines 3786.KU -2.22% Flight 17 landed have heard the fighting around them, and hoped the violence would pass them by. But on Monday, the crash site turned into the newest front in the war. Enmity and Civilian Toll Rise in Ukraine While Attention Is Diverted (New York Times) One was a retired cook. Another installed alarms in cars. Another was a cleaner in a grocery store who had gone out to buy ground beef to make her son meatball soup. ASIA-PACIFICChina announces war games starting Tuesday(Associated Press) China has set up alternative flight routes to minimize delays related to military exercises along its southeastern coast that start Tuesday, the Defense Ministry said. Abe's Support Dips Below 50% in Fallout Over Easing Pacifism (Bloomberg) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's approval rating fell to less than 50 percent in at least the sixth survey this month after his effort to ease restrictions on the military sapped his popularity. Indian Air Force Dhruv helicopter destroyed in crash (IHS Jane's 360) An Indian Air Force (IAF) Dhruv utility-light attack helicopter crashed in the northern region of Uttar Pradesh on 25 July, killing all seven onboard, national media reported. Filipino Rebels Kill 21 Villagers Over Peace Deal (New York Times) Muslim rebels in the southern Philippines opened fire on a group of about 50 people who were on their way to a religious celebration on Monday, killing at least 21 and wounding 13, military officials said. The dead included a 2-year-old boy. AFRICALibya Warns of Disaster as Tripoli Fuel Tank Fire Spreads(Wall Street Journal) Libya warned Monday of the risk of a humanitarian and environmental disaster after a second fuel tank caught fire amid heavy fighting at Tripoli airport between rival militias. Federal judge confirms Libya is paying legal fees for embassy bombing suspect (Washington Post) A federal judge in New York disclosed Monday that the Libyan government is paying the legal fees for a suspected al-Qaeda terrorist accused of involvement in the bombing of two U.S. embassies in East Africa in 1998. South Africa sets 5 years to stem military decline (Agence France-Presse) Continental military power South Africa committed Wednesday to save its armed forces from meltdown within five years, amid budget constraints and increasing involvement in peacekeeping missions around Africa. Boko Haram kidnaps Cameroon official's wife (Washington Post) Nigerian Boko Haram militants kidnapped the wife of Cameroon's vice prime minister and killed at least three people Sunday in a cross-border attack involving more than 200 assailants in the northern town of Kolofata, officials in Cameroon said. Female bombers target Nigeria trade show, petrol station, three dead (Reuters) Two female suicide bombers blew themselves up at a trade show and a petrol station in northern Nigeria's biggest city of Kano on Monday, killing one other person and injuring at least six others, police and a military source said. Fear of Ebola Breeds a Terror of Physicians (New York Times) Eight youths, some armed with slingshots and machetes, stood warily alongside a rutted dirt road at an opening in the high reeds, the path to the village of Kolo Bengou. The deadly Ebola virus is believed to have infected several people in the village, and the youths were blocking the path to prevent health workers from entering. THE AMERICASFive Questions with Texas Gov. Rick Perry: U.S.-Mexico Border(Military Times) Texas Gov. Rick Perry has accused the federal government of failing to provide enough resources on the U.S.-Mexico border to stop the flow of undocumented immigrants, including more than 57,000 children who have illegally crossed into the U.S. from Central America since October. Peru orders LAV-IIs as Canadian defence co-operation grows (IHS Jane's 360) The Peruvian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has ordered 32 LAV-II 8x8 armoured personnel carriers (APCs) from General Dynamics Land Systems in Canada (GDLS-C) under a USD67 million contract, according to the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC). US: 'Threats' behind release of Venezuela general (Associated Press) U.S. officials said Monday they believe Venezuela used "threats" against Aruba to achieve the release of a powerful former general who is wanted by the United States on drug-trafficking charges. COMMENTARY AND ANALYSISMilitary personnel costs need a hard look(Walter Pincus in The Washington Post) In our troubled world, would you prefer that the United States had six more F-16 squadrons over the next year or pay the 1 percent annual-cost-of-living adjustment for military retirees under age 62? For Pentagon, the price isn't right (Former Assistant Defense Secretary Lawrence Korb and Alvaro Genie in The Hill) Bloomberg's recent reporting that Department of Defense companies like Textron's Bell Helicopter unit and Boeing charged the Pentagon massively inflated prices for several commercial parts, including aluminum gears and sleeves, round inner caps, bushings and a pin, should not come as a surprise to anyone familiar with the operations of what Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) correctly calls "the military industrial congressional complex." Column: Oversight, Is That You? (John T. Bennett in Defense News) Over drinks with several government watchdogs, a recent House Armed Services Committee hearing almost immediately came up. (Of course it did, right?) Opinion: Missing Shows Points To Bigger JSF Problems (Bill Sweetman in Aviation Week) The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will survive its failure to show up at two major international air exhibitions this month. It was a good thing, in that the non-event showed that the U.S. and British military airworthiness experts had the authority and common sense to put safety first. It is Time to Retire 'Weapons of Mass Destruction' (Dan Kaszeta in Cicero Magazine) The West has been using the terms WMD and "weapons of mass destruction" to describe an expanding list of weapons and materials for the past 20 years. Why Benjamin Netanyahu Should Be Very, Very Worried (Ron Fournier in National Journal) Chris Wallace of Fox News Sunday asked Benjamin Netanyahu whether he was worried about "a third intifada." The Israeli prime minister replied that Hamas "wants to pile up" Gazan casualties in hope of instigating an uprising. In other words, he ducked the heart of the question. | |||||
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