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, 3 Jul 2014 04:37:52 -0600
COMPILED BY THE EDITORS OF DEFENSE NEWS & MILITARY TIMES
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TODAY'S TOP 51. Exclusive: Nonprofit CEO cashes in on religious freedom campaign(Military Times) Over the last decade, Military Religious Freedom Foundation founder and president Mikey Weinstein has become one of the most persistent and vocal activists in the military community, ferociously arguing for the separation of church and state in the military. 2. Sources: Carlisle Expected White House Pick for ACC (Defense News) The White House is expected to nominate Lt. Gen. Lori Robinson to head up Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) and receive a fourth star, making her the first US female four-star commander of combat forces, sources say. 3. The 'Sons of Iraq,' Abandoned by Their American Allies (Retired Army Col. Philip 'PJ' Dermer in The Wall Street Journal) A former colleague with whom I served in the coalition forces in Iraq recently sent me one of the slick YouTube productions by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, now rampaging through the country. I was extremely reluctant to watch the video by this al Qaeda spin-off. I was already depressed about the chaos in Iraq, given how much effort my colleagues and I spent with Iraqis after 2003 attempting to forge the great democratic experiment in the Middle East. 4. Chuck Hagel calls Tim Howard from Pentagon, acknowledges defense secretary joke (Washington Post) Never let it be said that Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel doesn't have a sense of humor. 5. After Criticism, Investigator Steps Down From the V.A. (New York Times) The head of the Department of Veterans Affairs' medical investigation unit has stepped down, the department announced Wednesday, just days after a federal watchdog sharply criticized the department for failing to adequately investigate allegations of poor care within its sprawling hospital system. IRAQIISS Report: Iraq's Latest Su-25s Come From Iran(Defense News) The latest delivery of Russian-made Su-25 Frogfoot aircraft to the Iraqi Air Force originated from Iran, according to a research analyst. Saudi Arabia deploys 30,000 soldiers to border with Iraq - al-Arabiya TV (Reuters) Saudi Arabia has deployed 30,000 soldiers to its border with Iraq after Iraqi soldiers withdrew from the area, Saudi-owned al-Arabiya television said on Thursday. Our Man in Baghdad (The Atlantic) In November 2010, the United States faced a painful dilemma in Iraq. The man Washington had picked from near-obscurity four years earlier to be Iraq's prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, had narrowly lost an election but was, with help from Iran, maneuvering to stay in power. No Russian pilots to participate in military operations in Iraq - Russian ambassador (Voice of Russia) Despite the fact that the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIS) recently declared the creation of the Islamic Caliphate, Russia's ambassador to Iraq Ilya Morgunov told remains convinced that the Islamic militants won't be able to take Baghdad and that they pose no significant threat the Russian companies in Iraq. Iraq receives first Mi-28NE attack helos alongside additional Mi-35Ms (IHS Jane's 360) Iraq has taken delivery of its first batch of Mil Mi-28NE 'Havoc' (Night Hunter) attack helicopters, as well as additional Mil Mi-35M 'Hind' assault helicopters, Russian state media announced on 2 July. Maliki urges Iraq's neighbors to join fight against Islamists (McClatchy) Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki called Wednesday for support from neighboring countries in his government's struggle against Islamist insurgents, saying the formation of an Islamic caliphate in much of Iraq and Syria threatens the entire region. Kurdish region is exploring whether to be part of Iraq or whether to be independent (Washington Post) Iraq's Kurdistan region is pursuing two separate paths to the future, one as part of Iraq and one as an independent state, said senior Kurdish officials who met with Secretary of State John F. Kerry on Wednesday in Washington. Iraq to get another King Air (IHS Jane's 360) Iraq is to get another Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350ER aircraft under a USD7.85 million contract announced by the US Department of Defense (DoD) on 30 June. The contract is expected to be completed by 30 March 2015. Water Wars in the Land of Two Rivers (Foreign Policy) The turmoil in Iraq already has the world worried about the safety of the country's mammoth oil fields. Now Iraqis must imagine massive waves of water crashing downriver from the country's shaky dams, which are smack in the terrorists' crosshairs. ISIL displays captured weapons (IHS Jane's 360) The Islamist State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) held a parade in the eastern Syrian city of Al-Raqqah on 30 June to show off weapons captured in Iraq and Syria, including a non-operational 'Scud' ballistic missile. As violence spreads in Iraq, a new challenge to Maliki emerges from the Shiite south (Washington Post) Security forces backed by helicopters battled supporters of a radical cleric in the Shiite holy city of Karbala on Wednesday, as spreading violence threatened to pull more areas of the country into turmoil. Shiites Train for Battle in Iraqi Holy City (Wall Street Journal) Here in a city revered by Shiites world-wide, the threat of an attack by Sunni rebels has mobilized thousands of volunteer fighters who have lost faith in their government to protect them. INDUSTRYNASA finalizes contract to build the most powerful rocket ever(Los Angeles Times) NASA has reached a milestone in its development of the Space Launch System, or SLS, which is set to be the most powerful rocket ever and may one day take astronauts to Mars. State Department Approves Sale of Harpoon Missiles to India, Tomahawks to U.K. (Seapower) The State Department has approved the possible Foreign Military Sale to India of UGM-84L Harpoon missiles and to the United Kingdom of Tomahawk Block IV Torpedo Launched Land-Attack missiles, along with associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support, for an estimated cost of $200 million and $140 million, respectively. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) delivered the required certification notifying Congress of these sales on July 1, the agency said in separate releases. Exclusive - U.S., UK officials prepare inspection order for all F-35s (Reuters) U.S. and British military officials are working on a joint directive to require mandatory inspections of engines on all Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jets, after an Air Force F-35A caught fire at a Florida air base last week, said sources familiar with the situation. Italy's Pinotti Says U.S. Deal Within Reach on F-35 Maintenance (Bloomberg) Italy is closing in on a deal with the U.S. to become the top maintenance provider for Lockheed Martin Corp.'s F-35 fighter jets in Europe through a unit of state-controlled Finmeccanica SpA, Defense Minister Roberta Pinotti said. Top US Officials Return To Farnborough As F-35 Debuts (Breaking Defense) If you want to know how important the F-35 program is to American strategy and to American business note that Air Forrce Secretary Deborah Lee James and Frank Kendall, the czar of Pentagon acquisition, top the list of senior American officials going to the Farnborough Air Show this year, making this the largest and highest-ranking contingent to attend a major air show in several years. Google finally proves it won't pursue military contacts, pulls leading robot from DARPA competition (ExtremeTech) When it comes to fully functional humanoid robots with versatile real-world dexterity, there are basically only two big games in town: ATLAS, a stompy kill-bot created by Boston Dynamics, and SCHAFT, a more abstract but well-balanced man-bot created by a Japanese company of the same name. L-3 Awarded $151 Million Contract to Maintain Navy T-45 Aircraft (Seapower) Naval Air Systems Command has awarded an indefinite-delivery contract to L-3 Communications' Vertex Aerospace LLC to maintain the Navy's fleet of Boeing-built T-45 Goshawk training jets. Kongsberg To Complete JSM Development (Defense News) Kongsberg has signed a deal with the Norwegian Defence Logistics Organisation to complete development of its Joint Strike Missile (JSM) and prepare the weapon for integration on Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning 11 aircraft. Arianespace Cuts Launch Prices as Upstart Gains (Wall Street Journal) Arianespace, the European satellite-launch giant, is cutting prices, hoping to fend off a growing challenge from an American upstart led by billionaire inventor Elon Musk. Admiralty Shipyards launches second Improved Kilo for Russian Navy (IHS Jane's 360) Admiralty Shipyards launched the second Improved Kilo-class (Project 636) diesel-electric submarine (SSK), Rostov-na-Donu , for the Russian Navy on June 26. AgustaWestland to Upgrade Brazilian Helos (Defense News) The Brazilian Navy is to update eight AgustaWestland Lynx Mk21A helicopters in a deal worth $160 million, the company announced Wednesday. UK promises competition for future maritime UAS capability (IHS Jane's 360) Boeing Defence UK's contract to provide its ScanEagle unmanned air system (UAS) for deployment onboard Royal Navy (RN) and Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships is to be extended for two years. Boissier To Leave DCNS Post Early; Guillou To Be Proposed as Successor (Defense News) Patrick Boissier, chairman and CEO of DCNS, has informed its main shareholders, the French state and Thales that he intends to ask the board of directors to cut short his term five months before the end of his tenure, to provide clarity on the designation of his successor, according to a Thales statement. VETERANSNew VA secretary nominee not a health care expert(Associated Press) A onetime Army Ranger and former CEO of a Fortune 500 consumer products company, Robert McDonald may face his toughest challenge yet in fixing the huge, scandal-plagued Veterans Affairs Department. Veteran meets with VA official he was accused of threatening (Tacoma Tribune) Five days after armed agents showed up at his house investigating whether he made a threat against a top local Veterans Administration official, St. Petersburg veteran Michael Henry met with that official Wednesday morning to discuss his care. 69 years later, a sailor from Philly collects his medals (Philadelphia Inqurier) When the Second World War ended, 20-year-old Navy technician Robert Cyliax just wanted to go home. Laser procedure erases combat wounds (Associated Press) A laser procedure used to smooth wrinkles is now helping erase battle scars and give back range of motion to amputees who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. CONGRESSTop US Senate Intel Republican Undecided on US Strikes in Iraq(Defense News) The top Republican on the US Senate Intelligence Committee remains unconvinced that the United States should launch air strikes in Iraq against a violent Sunni group. Hanabusa questions Obama's plans in Iraq (The Hill) Rep. Colleen Hanabusa (D-Hawaii) said she wouldn't support sending more troops into Iraq until President Obama outlines a clear strategy. This Is How Rand Paul Is Trying to Win Over the Right on Foreign Policy (National Journal) Sen. Rand Paul has a new an op-ed in the National Review calling for increased U.S. support for Israel, and giving grist to the idea that he is an inevitable 2016 candidate. McCain meets Syrian rebels, presses for military aid to fight ISIS (The Hill) Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) pressed for increasing aid to moderate rebel groups after meeting Syrian opposition leaders in Turkey Wednesday, warning that delays would "fuel the growing danger" to U.S. security. DEFENSE DEPARTMENTNew rental housing website launch pushed back(Military Times) The launch of the new Defense Department website Homes.mil, originally set for last Monday, has been moved to Sept. 8 for service members and their families, officials said. The Military Is Already Using Facebook to Track Moods (Defense One) Critics have targeted a recent study on how emotions spread on the popular social network site Facebook, complaining that some 600,000 Facebook users did not know that they were taking part in an experiment. Somewhat more disturbing, the researchers deliberately manipulated users' feelings to measure an effect called emotional contagion. Senior enlisted advisor wants to answer your questions on TV show (Military Times) If you have questions about compensation or how to transition to the civilian world, the senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff wants to hear from you. ARMYStaff Sgt. Colton Smith talks UFC loss, future career(Army Times) The Army's only active-duty UFC fighter may have fallen in the cage, but he doesn't want sympathy. Bergdahl taking trips to S.A. restaurants, stores (San Antonio Express-News) The Army said Wednesday that Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the American POW who was released in a prisoner swap with the Taliban, has gone off the post in San Antonio for dinner and other excursions, and that he has been welcomed by those he meets. Familiar face takes command of JBLM's Green Berets (Tacoma News Tribune) A Green Beret who spent much of his career on the Pacific Rim took command Wednesday of Joint Base Lewis-McChord's largest special operations unit. Fort Drum eyed as site for housing refugee children (Watertown Daily Times) Vacant space on post has been identified as a possible location for housing refugee children who arrive in the United States unaccompanied by an adult. Soldier, Clarksville woman arrested for having sex on lawn (Leaf Chronicle) A man and woman were arrested early Sunday morning after having sexual intercourse on a lawn. NAVYDecommissioning plan pulls all frigates from fleet by end of FY '15(Navy Times) By October 2015, the fleet will be devoid of frigates for the first time in more than 70 years, according to the Navy's latest decommissioning plan. Navy sailors rescue Newport News woman from burning home (Daily Press; Newport News, Va.) A Newport News woman was rescued out of her home by a pair of Navy sailors Tuesday morning, a Newport News Fire Department spokesman and Navy officials said. Navy's future: Unmanned vehicles, robots and 3D data (C4ISR & Networks) The US Navy is trying to give developers and operators a look at the workplace of 2025 - a space full of unmanned vehicles, gesture-controlled robots, virtual meetings and 3D data visualization. Some of the technology hasn't even been invented, much less fully fleshed out, but officials hope to get people excited about the possibilities, rapidly develop ideas in virtual environments and lay the groundwork for swift adoption of technologies as they arrive. AIR FORCEGPS, autopilot failures cited in Reaper crash(Air Force Times) An MQ-9 Reaper that crashed into Lake Ontario during a November training flight was brought down by a series of navigational problems, the Air Force announced July 1. Global Strike Command Adds New Job Type to Address Missileer Woes (Global Security Newswire) After several nuclear-sector lapses, U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command is creating a new position designed as a conduit between missileers and commanders. Air Force Academy ceremony honors departing commandant, welcomes new leader (Colorado Springs Gazette) On a green field under gray skies, several hundred cadets, friends, family and fellow airmen bid farewell to one Air Force Academy commandant and welcomed a new one as Brig. Gen. Stephen Williams replaced Maj. Gen. Gregory Lengyel to became the 27th Commandant of Cadets Tuesday. USAF declares Gorgon Stare follow-on operationally deployable (IHS Jane's 360) The US Air Force (USAF) has declared initial operational capability of the latest version of its Gorgon Stare persistent wide-area airborne surveillance system developed by Sierra Nevada Corporation. MARINE CORPSCourt-martialed for a kiss: attorney says Marine may face seven years(Marine Corps Times) The attorney for a Marine corporal who could face up to seven years behind bars for allegedly kissing a civilian woman says his case is an extreme example of the current political pressure to prosecute sex assault gone awry. Marine laid to rest in 'aura of honor' (Free-Lance Star; Fredericksburg, Va) Marine Staff Sgt. David Stewart was eulogized as a man who had a great, far-reaching influence on many people in his life. "There has been an outpouring [of support]," said Nelson Stewart, the staff sergeant's father. Marines' retail therapy problems lead to new program addressing 'emotional spending triggers' (Marine Corps Times) Marine officials are intent on developing a new personal financial management curriculum that will focus on the emotional triggers that lead to poor spending. AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTANSuicide bomber kills eight Afghan air force personnel in Kabul(Washington Post) A suicide bomber attacked an Afghan military bus in the capital on Wednesday, killing eight members of the country's fledgling air force, authorities reported. Australian special forces soldier dies in Afghanistan in non-combat incident (The Sydney Morning Herald) An Australian Special Forces soldier has died overnight in Afghanistan in what the Australian Defence Force believes is a non-combat-related incident. Pakistanis displaced by military offensive seek refuge in Afghanistan (Washington Post) Two weeks ago, a Pakistani soldier came to Mir Abat Khan's home in North Waziristan and issued a stark threat: If you don't leave your home, we will kill you. Pakistan Approves Sweeping Antiterror Bill, Prompting Warnings From Rights Groups (New York Times) Pakistan's Parliament on Wednesday approved sweeping new powers for the country's security forces, with an antiterrorism measure that the government says is needed to combat the Taliban, but that rights activists warned could result in state-sponsored human rights violations. MIDDLE EASTArab Boy's Death Escalates Clash Over Abductions(New York Times) The abduction and killing of a Palestinian teenager whose burned body was found in a Jerusalem forest on Wednesday further poisoned relations between Israelis and Palestinians and prompted international outrage as the police investigated the death as a possible Israeli revenge killing. Military: Rocket hits house in southern Israel (Associated Press) A rocket launched from Gaza slammed into a house in southern Israel on Thursday, the military said, causing no injuries but adding to the mounting tensions surrounding the suspected revenge killing of an Arab teen in Jerusalem. Israel's Justice Minister Condemns 'Incitement' on Facebook (New York Times) Israel's justice minister denounced an Israeli Facebook campaign on Wednesday that called for soldiers to take "revenge" on the Palestinian community as tensions spiked in Jerusalem, where an Arab teenager was kidnapped and killed hours after the funerals for three Jewish teenagers abducted last month in the West Bank. Saudi Arabia Takes a Hardline Stance as Militants Make Gains (Defense News) Saudi Arabia's appointment of its deputy defense minister as the new intelligence chief on Tuesday - days after sacking him - and the appointment of former spy chief Prince Bandar bin Sultan as a special envoy marks a return to hardliner politics by the kingdom as militants approach its borders. Final round of nuclear talks opens between Iran, Western nations amid pessimism (Washington Post) It is a sunny day in Tehran. To soothing piano music, an avuncular figure walks out the door of a building studded with Persian mosaics, past a burbling fountain and into a courtyard. Facing the camera, he says: "In the next three weeks we have a unique opportunity to make history." Chechen in Syria a rising star in extremist group (Associated Press) A young, red-bearded ethnic Chechen has rapidly become one of the most prominent commanders in the breakaway al-Qaida group that has overrun swaths of Iraq and Syria, illustrating the international nature of the movement. EUROPEUkraine, Russia, Germany, France Agree On Truce Path(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) The foreign ministers of Ukraine, Russia, Germany, and France have agreed on a package of steps for a resumption of the cease-fire in eastern Ukraine, where security forces have been battling pro-Russian separatists. Ukrainian jet hit by a missile, finishes the mission anyway (Washington Post) In a testament to Soviet engineering, a Ukrainian SU-24 flying over the Donetsk oblast was hit by a surface-to-air missile but managed to keep flying, accomplish its mission and return to base safely. Russian troops to receive second-gen combat gear this year (IHS Jane's 360) Deliveries of an improved second-generation personal combat system to Russian troops will start in late 2014, according to Dmitry Semizorov, director general of the Central Research Institute of Precision Engineering (TsNIITochMash), Russia's leading producer of personal combat equipment. An early 4th in Rota, Spain (Air Force Times) The American flag went up early Wednesday at this Spanish naval base in a short ceremony that marked the only time the Stars and Stripes will fly here for another year. Carrier-Strike Capability Returning To U.K. (Aviation Week) Britain's largest ever warships will not serve as a base for fixed-wing aircraft for at least another four years, but their introduction is being felt across the breadth of the country's armed forces. Czech's look to Pandur as new command vehicle (IHS Jane's 360) The General Staff of the Army of the Czech Republic (ACR) favours the General Dynamics European Land Systems - Steyr Pandur II 8x8 armoured vehicle as the platform for a planned new command and communications vehicle, Ministry of Defence (MoD) sources have told IHS Jane's . ASIA-PACIFICSingapore's prime minister thinks the U.S. is poised to "bounce back."(Politico Magazine) Perhaps no country has a better window on why Obama tried to turn east in the first place than Singapore, the economic powerhouse of a city-state whose savvy leader Lee Kuan Yew long made a study of Asia's rising powers. Chinese President's Visit to South Korea Is Seen as Way to Weaken U.S. Alliances (New York Times) President Xi Jinping of China arrived in South Korea on Thursday for a state visit to a vital American ally, a move that appears to signal his resolve to unsettle America's alliances in Northeast Asia and fortify his argument for a new security architecture in the region, with China as the dominant player. Secretive agency leads most intense anti-corruption effort in modern Chinese history (Washington Post) No sign identifies the drab beige building off a busy thoroughfare in downtown Beijing. There is nothing to indicate that within its walls lies the most feared agency in China for members of the Communist Party. China Invited Back for Future RIMPAC Exercises (USNI News) Ships from the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) have already been invited back for future Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercises, Chinese state media reported on Tuesday. China blasts Japan's new self-defense posture as others voice support (Stars & Stripes) The illustrations in Chinese state-controlled newspapers of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as Adolf Hitler and Rambo settled any question of how Beijing would react to Tokyo's decision Tuesday to defend its allies in combat. Seeking abductees, Japan eases N. Korea sanctions (USA Today) North Korea's frequent rocket launches won't get the isolated regime the prosperity and security it claims to seek, a U.S. State Department spokeswoman warned Wednesday. A day earlier, South Korea rejected North Korea's surprise proposal to suspend military hostilities. US, Philippines hold CARAT exercises amid China tension (Stars & Stripes) Some 1,500 U.S. and Filipino sailors and Marines wrapped up a five-day exercise Tuesday that included maneuvers in the South China Sea, simulated beach assaults and other training aimed at getting the forces used to working alongside one other. AFRICAU.S. curtails aerial search for kidnapped Nigerian girls(USA Today) Nearly three months since Islamic militant group Boko Haram kidnapped more than 200 Nigerian girls, the U.S. has reduced the number of surveillance aircraft that are looking for the missing girls, said U.S. Africa Command spokesman Benjamin Benson. Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb calls for reconciliation between jihadist groups (Long War Journal) Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), one of al Qaeda's official branches, posted a statement on jihadist forums on July 1 praising the Islamic State's recent military gains in Iraq. AQIM also calls for reconciliation between the ISIS and rival jihadist groups in Syria. The message was first obtained and translated by the SITE Intelligence Group. Unarmed Drones Aid U.N. Peacekeeping Missions in Africa (New York Times) The call came after 8 in the evening, from peacekeepers posted in a remote corner of the country's restive east. The troops sensed suspicious movement nearby. Venturing out into the forest at that hour was far too risky. Would ground control send a drone to have a look? COMMENTARY AND ANALYSISIs the Pakistani military really targeting the Haqqani Network?(Bill Roggio in The Long War Journal) Pakistani military officials are now claiming that the North Waziristan operation, which began on June 15, will target the Haqqani Network. Sorta.a China's Most Dangerous Missile (So Far) (Robert Haddick in War on the Rocks) Buried on page 40 of the Pentagon's latest annual report on China's military power is a brief mention of the YJ-12, a recent addition to China's portfolio of anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM). Obama, Free Iraq's Kurds (Jeffrey Goldberg in Bloomberg) The Kurdish people, members of the largest stateless nation in the world, have dreamed of independence for 100 years. President Barack Obama could be the man who delivers them to freedom. Averting Disaster in Afghanistan (Ioannis Koskinas in Foreign Policy) Neither the United States nor the Afghans have learned from past mistakes thus far. Unless they consider some lessons learned immediately, the political crisis that will follow the announcement of the election in the coming days can turn violent quickly. | |||||
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