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: Wed, 9 Jul 2014 04:37:21 -0600
COMPILED BY THE EDITORS OF DEFENSE NEWS & MILITARY TIMES
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TODAY'S TOP 51. Sen. Rand Paul: Warnings of ISIL Threat to US 'Conjecture'(Defense News) Potential US presidential candidate Sen. Rand Paul says warnings that a violent extremist group would target America if it seizes power in Iraq is merely "conjecture." 2. Jailed Marine reservist: I did fear for my life (CNN) Marine reservist Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi, 25, has been jailed in Mexico on weapons charges for more than three months. 3. SOUTHCOM chief: Central America drug war a dire threat to U.S. national security (Marine Gen. John F. Kelly) After observing the transnational organized crime network for 19 months as commander of U.S. Southern Command, I see the only viable approach is to work as closely as we can with as many nations in the region 4. Carolina Panthers running back might have given his seat to a fake Marine (Washington Post) Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams, gave up his business class seat to a Marine to much aplomb on social media Monday, but after close inspection of the posted image many believe that Williams' good deed was lost on an impostor. 5. Hagel Traveling to Site of F-35 Fire (DoDBuzz) Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Thursday will visit Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, scene of an F-35 fire last week that has put the Joint Strike Fighter's first international flight at the Farnborough Air Show in doubt. MIDDLE EASTIsrael Strikes Gaza by Air, Sea to Halt Rocket Attacks(Bloomberg) Palestinian rockets reached the skies over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem as Israeli war planes pounded the Gaza Strip, with troops and tanks positioned outside the Hamas-controlled territory for a possible ground invasion. IAF destroys homes of all top Hamas commanders, kills senior militants (Jerusalem Post) In recent air strikes on Gaza, all of the homes of Hamas brigade commanders have been destroyed, Israel Radio reported early on Wednesday. Palestinian rockets reach further into Israel (Los Angeles Times) A fresh round of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip sent Israelis scurrying for bomb shelters as far as Tel-Aviv, 40 miles away Wednesday morning, the second day of Israel's military offensive on the Hamas-controlled Gaza strip. Powerful raw video shows Israeli airstrikes on Gaza (Washington Post) Video footage shows Palestinians running from black smoke as the Israeli army ramps up its offensive and launches airstrikes in the Gaza Strip. At least nine Palestinians, including two children, have died. Sen. Rand Paul Sidesteps Israel in Foreign Aid Discussion (Defense News) Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky, is not targeting Israel in his legislative insurgency against foreign aid, yet insists the "important ally" should aspire to eventual independence from US security assistance. Jordan to arm donated IOMAX Block 1 BPAs, UAE to order Block 3 aircraft (IHS Jane's 360) Jordan is to arm the six IOMAX Border Patrol Aircraft (BPA) Block 1 precision strike turboprop aircraft that were gifted to the country by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2013, a senior company official has confirmed to IHS Jane's. US diplomat says Bahrain expulsion 'not about me' (Associated Press) A senior U.S. diplomat who was ordered to leave the Middle Eastern nation of Bahrain after meeting with a leading Shiite opposition group said Tuesday that the American ally's move appears aimed at undermining reconciliation efforts between the government and the opposition. Two 'abandoned' cylinders seized in Syria contained sarin - U.N. (Reuters) Two cylinders reportedly seized by Syrian government troops in an area controlled by armed opposition groups contained deadly sarin, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a letter to the U.N. Security Council published on Monday. AQAP praises Ayman al Zawahiri, defends jihadist scholars against 'slander' (Long War Journal) Leaders in al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) released two messages in early July. The first, from AQAP emir Nasir al Wuhayshi, heaps praise on al Qaeda head Ayman al Zawahiri, calling him the "sheikh father" of the mujahideen. IRAQSenators criticize White House for lack of clarity in Iraq(Military Times) The more the White House talks to Congress about Iraq, the less clear lawmakers are on what the path ahead there will be. USS Bataan Enters Persian Gulf, Nine U.S. Ships Now in Region (USNI News) In a rare concurrence of events, a carrier strike group and all three ships of a Navy Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) are in the Persian Gulf, for a total of nine U.S. Navy ships in region, defense officials told USNI News on Tuesday. Iraq: 'Terrorists' seize ex-chemical weapons site (Associated Press) The Islamic State extremist group has taken control of a vast former chemical weapons facility northwest of Baghdad, where remnants of 2,500 degraded chemical rockets filled decades ago with the deadly nerve agent sarin are stored along with other chemical warfare agents, Iraq said in a letter circulated Tuesday at the United Nations. Under pressure to form new government, Iraq parliament to convene Sunday (Washington Post) Iraq's parliament has announced that it will convene on Sunday, amid mounting pressure to form a new government that can deal with a litany of challenges that threaten to tear this country apart. U.N.: Islamic State executed imam of mosque where Baghdadi preached (McClatchy) The Islamic State's executions of 13 Sunni Muslim clerics last month in Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, were a move by the radical Sunni movement to silence moderate voices among Iraq's Sunnis, and they deserve greater attention than they've received, the top United Nations expert on religious freedom said. Islamic State rounds up ex-Baathists to eliminate potential rivals in Iraq's Mosul (Reuters) One night last week, Islamic State militants in an SUV with tinted windows pulled up at the home of a former Iraqi army officer, one of the men they see as an obstacle to their goal of establishing a caliphate from Iraq to the Mediterranean. Iran Sends 3 Attack Planes to Iraqi Government (New York Times) An American official said that Su-25s had already carried out missions over Ramadi, Falluja in western Iraq and the Baiji refinery in northern Iraq. The official did not say whether the aircraft dropped any bombs but added that Iran had sent more Revolutionary Guards ground forces and air force personnel to Iraq. Clashes between army, supporters of fringe cleric imperil stability in Iraq's Shiite south (Washington Post) In a house on a side street in this run-down city, Saadiq al-Khakani has exchanged his religious robes for a checked shirt and pants to avoid being recognized. Former Bush Advisers Back Chalabi for Prime Minister of Iraq (National Journal) Despite some troubling episodes over the past decade, at least two top advisers to President George W. Bush think Ahmad Chalabi could be the one to save Iraq. INDUSTRYPentagon Found to Pay Textron Unit $8,124 for a $445 Gear(Bloomberg) The Pentagon paid Textron Inc. (TXT)'s Bell Helicopter unit $8,123.50 each for gears that should have cost $445.06, according to a report by the Defense Department's inspector general. US Marine F-35Bs Could Make Airshows, Even if UK Jets Do Not (Defense News) The F-35 joint strike fighter fleet remains grounded, even as the deadline to make two major British air shows quickly approaches. How the Defense Industry Might Become More Like the Automobile Industry (Roll Call) William J. Lynn III, the former No. 2 man at the Defense Department, compares the state of the defense industry to the car business from the late 1970s to the early 1980s. "It was basically unpatriotic to drive a European or an Asian car," he said Tuesday. "Look what's happened now. Of the top 10 most American-made cars now, five have foreign name plates." BAE's vision: An aircraft whose parts are greater than its sum (C4ISR & Networks) BAE Systems has released a video showcasing four possible technologies of the future. Using animations to visualize the way the technologies could look in action, the company's scientists and engineers say the capabilities could be incorporated into aircraft by 2040, or possibly even sooner. Government: UK Defense Exports Reached $17B in 2013 (Defense News) Britain's defense exports reached nearly GBP10 billion (US $17.1 billion) in 2013 with two helicopter orders secured by the UK arm of AgustaWestland leading the effort, according to figures released by the government Tuesday. India, UK agree GBP250 million ASRAAM deal (IHS Jane's 360) The United Kingdom and India have signed a GBP250 million deal to equip the Indian Air Force's (IAF's) SEPECAT Jaguar fleet with MBDA's Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM), UK government officials confirmed to IHS Jane's on 8 July. Israel Pledges Tax Breaks for Prospective Cyber Partners (Defense News) Israel is promising tax breaks and access to cooperative cyber programs to lure leading domestic and multinational firms to a new national cyber park in the Negev desert. MMRCA deal 'moving slowly' towards conclusion (IHS Jane's 360) India's procurement of 126 Dassault Rafale fighter aircraft to meet the Indian Air Force's (IAF's) longstanding Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) requirement is slowly moving towards a conclusion under India's newly installed BJP government, official and industry sources told IHS Jane's . Britain's Hague plugs Eurofighter on visit to India (Reuters) Britain's foreign secretary lobbied India on Tuesday to buy Eurofighter military aircraft, suggesting that London has not yet abandoned hope of ousting France's Rafale from a multi-billion-dollar combat jet order. MHI distances itself from PAC-2 export reports (IHS Jane's 360) Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has distanced itself from media reports in Japan stating that the company is close to securing an export of sensors to be integrated onto the Raytheon Patriot Advanced Capability-2 (PAC-2) air-defence system. VETERANSWatchdog: Retaliation complaints jump at VA(Associated Press) A federal investigative agency is examining 67 claims of retaliation by supervisors at the Department of Veterans Affairs against employees who filed whistleblower complaints - including 25 complaints filed since June 1, after a growing health care scandal involving long patient waits and falsified records at VA hospitals and clinics became public. VA to restructure medical inspector's office (Military Times) The Veterans Affairs Department will reorganize its Office of the Medical Inspector following a scathing report that found officials downplayed whistleblower complaints and failed to take seriously charges of deficient patient care at VA hospitals and clinics. Testimony pushes VA into greater disrepute (Washington Post) Testimony from a Tuesday evening congressional hearing cast the troubled Department of Veterans Affairs in even greater disrepute, and undermined the agency's claim of providing good health care. VA officials defend bonus awarded to Fayetteville VA Medical Center director (Fayetteville Observer) VA officials on Tuesday defended the bonus awarded to Fayetteville VA Medical Center director Elizabeth B. Goolsby earlier this year, saying it was based on more than 30 factors, including veterans' access to care. CONGRESSSASC Members Mostly Resigned to Latest F-35 Setback(Defense News) US Senate Armed Services Committee members on Tuesday reacted to the latest F-35 setback with more resignation than anger. Sanders mum after first meeting with VA pick (The Hill) Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) met for the first time on Tuesday Robert McDonald, President Obama's choice to run the troubled Veterans Affairs Department. Evening meetings boost attendance at House VA panel (Military Times) House Veterans Affairs Committee officials held their fourth evening oversight hearing of the summer on Tuesday, an unusual practice that staffers hinted could become the norm. Sanders: VA fix won't be paid for with food stamp cuts (The Hill) Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said he and his House counterpart had a "productive" meeting before the weeklong recess in an effort to produce a conference report to address the VA healthcare scandal. But added that he wouldn't accept certain pay-fors. DEFENSE DEPARTMENTThe Pentagon's $399 Billion Plane to Nowhere(Foreign Policy) Burying bad news before a long holiday weekend, the Pentagon announced just before 9 p.m. on July 3 that the entire F-35 Joint Strike Fighter fleet was being grounded after a June 23 runway fire at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. Hagel Backs General on U.S. Border Threats (DefenseOne) Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel shares one of his top general's concern that budget cuts are hampering the military's ability to respond to threats emerging from Central America, which in turn are destabilizing the region and prompting the recent influx of some 100,000 migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. US military studied how to influence Twitter users in Darpa-funded research (The Guardian) The activities of users of Twitter and other social media services were recorded and analysed as part of a major project funded by the US military, in a program that covers ground similar to Facebook's controversial experiment into how to control emotions by manipulating news feeds. Rogers: Cybersecurity is the 'ultimate team sport' (Federal Times) On April 3, Adm. Michael Rogers became commander of the U.S. Cyber Command and director of the National Security Agency, both headquartered at Fort Meade, Maryland. ARMYTim Kennedy back in the UFC cage in September(Army Times) Months after the highest-profile win in Tim Kennedy's career, the sergeant first class will return to the UFC cage in September to face a lesser-known foe - with a four-fight win streak. Fort Jackson commander doubts cuts will be as deep as Army warns (The State in Columbia, S.C.) Fort Jackson's commander, Maj. Gen. Bradley Becker, said Tuesday that any future cuts at the nation's largest training base likely will be less than the 3,100 workers the U.S. Department of Defense warned of earlier this year. SFC stops would-be robber on San Francisco street (Army Times) Sgt. 1st Class David Ortiz hopes to join the San Francisco Police Department after his retirement from the military. Oklahoma Rep. Jim Bridenstine wants "unfettered access" to Fort Sill facility holding minors (The Oklahoman) The federal department running the facility for unaccompanied children from Central American countries says U.S. Rep. Jim Bridenstine can visit on July 12, but the Oklahoma congressman also wants to drop in unannounced. Latest food-safety effort starts with mashed potatoes (Army Times) What began as a line of defense against biological warfare has been unleashed on unsuspecting victims in an Army laboratory - 150 mashed potatoes, to be exact. NAVYJesse Ventura's lawyer: 'American Sniper' incident never happened(Minneapolis Star Tribune) Former Gov. Jesse Ventura's lawsuit claiming that he was defamed in the book "American Sniper" got off to a fast start Tuesday. Ten jurors were selected in the morning, lawyers for both sides presented their opening statements early in the afternoon and the widow of the best-seller's author will take the stand this afternoon. Former SEAL to be tried on fraud charges (San Diego Union-Tribune) A former Navy SEAL already charged with stealing more than $1 million from 11 active and retired SEALs was ordered today to stand trial on additional felony counts accusing him of stealing $50,000 from a family friend. Joshua Horwitz: "War Of The Whales: A True Story" (National Public Radio) The story of a marine researcher and an environmental lawyer who set out to prove what's behind many mass strandings of whales. Their fight to limit Navy sonar in whale habitats. Navy Marine Mammal Project Breaks New Ground (Seapower) A newly released scientific report demonstrates the viability of a new method to estimate received sound levels during real scenarios and analyzes movements of satellite-tagged individuals of three species of marine mammals exposed to Navy mid-frequency active sonar around Kauai's Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF), according to a July 8 report from the Navy News Service. AIR FORCEA look at the Minuteman missile, mission, future(Associated Press) The Air Force's nuclear missiles have stood ready for war on short notice for more than 50 years. Americans tend to assume the missiles are safe, if they even remember they exist. But safety cannot be taken for granted. McLaughlin nominated to be deputy commander, U.S. Cyber Command (Air Force Times) President Obama has nominated the Air Force's top cybersecurity officer to be deputy commander of U.S. Cyber Command at Fort Meade, Maryland. Air Force reservist sues U.S. Steel over firing (Pittsburgh Tribune Review) U.S. Steel Corp. fired an Air Force reservist while she was training to become a flight engineer for the 911th Airlift Wing in Moon, the woman claims in a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday. How to get the Air Force to hear your ideas (Air Force Times) Have an idea to improve morale, increase productivity or save money? If so, the Air Force wants to hear from you. MARINE CORPSNew Braunfels salutes fallen Marine(San Antonio Express-News) Jake Hixson was to be Sgt. Thomas Spitzer's best man at his wedding, but instead gave his eulogy Monday at St. Paul Lutheran Church before a crowd that spilled into a lobby, while Patriot Guard riders stood outside on a hot afternoon. Marines, sailors deploying to board new amphibious assault ship (Stars & Stripes) The departure was like most other Marine deployments - with camouflage-clad young men and women tagging giant sea bags, smoking and texting loved ones in a dark parking lot as they waited to board a bus for the airport. But there weren't many tears or hand-lettered signs at this send-off. "Outpouring of love" after 12-year-old Honorary Marine dies of brain cancer (Battle Rattle) Last year, 12-year-old Ethan Arbelo earned his Eagle, Globe, and Anchor when he was made an Honorary Marine, joining a group of fewer than 100 who have received that title. Last week, Ethan's family said he had earned his angel's wings. COAST GUARDAlaska man gets 4 life terms in Coast Guard deaths(Associated Press) An Alaska man was sentenced Tuesday to four consecutive life terms in the 2012 shooting deaths of two co-workers at a Coast Guard communications station that mystified an AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTANObama threatens to end aid to Afghanistan amid election chaos(Financial Times) The US threatened on Tuesday to scrap security and financial support to Afghanistan if a deepening crisis over the country's disputed presidential election ends in a power grab. Abdullah mobilizes supporters, vows to challenge Afghan election results (Washington Post) U.S. officials on Tuesday warned Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah against endorsing violence or extra-constitutional measures and cautioned that a protracted stalemate over the fraud-marred June 14 election could have dire consequences for Afghanistan. Afghan Candidate Stops Short of Forming Government (New York Times) After hours of pitched political drama that sent President Obama and other officials scrambling to calm a surge of Afghan factional hostility, the presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah walked a perilous line on Tuesday, threatening to declare his own government even while urging his frenzied supporters to give him time to negotiate. Senior Taliban leader among 18 killed in fresh Helmand clash (Khaama Press) At least eighteen Taliban militants were killed in a fresh gun battle between the Afghan security forces and Taliban militants in Helmand province. EUROPEUkraine rolls on separatists while Russia holds back(USA Today) Ukrainian security forces encircled and shelled separatist strongholds Tuesday in the eastern cities of Donetsk and Luhansk, continuing a swift offensive to retake the center of the pro-Russian insurgency. NATO Chief Warns of Duplicity by Putin on Ukraine (New York Times) The secretary general of the NATO alliance warned on Tuesday that Russia was playing a "double game" in Ukraine, issuing conciliatory public statements while massing its forces along the border and smuggling arms and equipment to separatists inside eastern Ukraine. Crimean airspace belongs to Ukraine, ICAO says (Washington Post) Russia might have invaded Crimea but the International Civil Aviation Organization has deemed that Crimean airspace still belongs to Ukraine. After Arrest of Accused Hacker, Russia Accuses U.S. of Kidnapping (New York Times) On the web, he was known by his hacker handle, "Track2," a nod to his skill in stealing so-called track data from hundreds of thousands of credit cards and selling it for millions of dollars in the digital underground. Poland passes new offset law (IHS Jane's 360) Poland has established a new law covering the use of offsets in defence acquisition, bringing the country in line with European Union (EU) military procurement rules, the Polish Ministry of National Defence (MND) announced on 7 July. Spying Case Left Obama in Dark, U.S. Officials Say (New York Times) When President Obama placed a call to Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany last Thursday, he had a busy agenda: to consult with a close ally and to mobilize wavering Europeans to put more pressure on Russia to end its covert incursions in Ukraine. ASIA-PACIFICNorth Korea Fires 2 More Ballistic Missiles(New York Times) North Korea test-fired two Scud-type missiles on Wednesday, demonstrating its ballistic missile abilities even as it was taking modest steps to reach out to Japan and South Korea. Abe Says Japan's Military Vow 'Still Fully Alive' (Wall Street Journal) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said his country remained wedded to its pacifist traditions, as he kicked off his first overseas mission since reinterpreting the nation's postwar constitution to give the military more flexibility in coming to the aid of allies facing attack. China and Greece discuss enhanced defence ties (IHS Jane's 360) China and Greece have outlined an intention to expand defence and military ties, a move that may rekindle bilateral defence industrial collaboration efforts. Chinese cyberspies have hacked Middle East experts at major U.S. think tanks (Washington Post) Middle East experts at major U.S. think tanks were hacked by Chinese cyberspies in recent weeks as events in Iraq began to escalate, according to a cybersecurity firm that works with the institutions. AFRICAMilitants Attack Presidential Palace in Mogadishu(Wall Street Journal) Militants stormed Somalia's presidential palace Tuesday just as the city was breaking the Ramadan fast, killing at least 12 people in an assault that continued for hours before it was put down, officials said. Nigeria: 'Good news' soon on kidnapped girls (Associated Press) Nigeria's National Council of State is promising to deliver "some good news" very soon about more than 200 schoolgirls held captive by Islamic extremists for nearly three months. Ex-Libyan general battling Islamist militias faces dwindling support amid stalemate (Washington Post) Just weeks after he launched a popular revolt against the Islamist militants plaguing Libya's east, rogue general Khalifa Hifter already is losing support for his war. Togo gets third Defender patrol boat (IHS Jane's 360) The United States has handed over a third Defender inshore patrol boat and an associated maintenance facility to Togo's Navy, the Togolese Armed Forces (FAT) announced on 3 July. COMMENTARY AND ANALYSISPeace is the only path to true security for Israel and the Palestinians(President Barack Obama in Haaretz) In an exclusive article for Haaretz's Israel Conference on Peace, Barack Obama says that the only solution is a democratic, Jewish state living side-by-side in peace and security with a viable, independent Palestinian state. An Enhanced Train-and-Equip Program for the Moderate Syrian Opposition: A Key Element of U.S. Policy for Syria and Iraq (Michael Eisenstadt and Jeffrey White in The Washington Institute) In light of the Syrian conflict's destabilizing impact on the broader Middle East, the risks an enhanced train-and-equip program might entail likely pale in comparison to the demonstrable costs of the policy the administration has pursued until now. Counterinsurgency and Community Policing: More Alike than Meets the Eye (John Zambri in Small Wars Journal) The twenty-first century has thus far presented American law enforcement with some unique challenges, not the least of which is combating terrorism with conventional policing practices. A Flight Home I Didn't Want to Board (John Uxer in War on the Rocks) It was a bitterly cold night in December, 2002, and I was sitting by myself in the small, quiet, wooden structure that served as the passenger terminal at Kandahar Airfield. | |||||
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