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, 12 Aug 2014 04:36:27 -0600
COMPILED BY THE EDITORS OF DEFENSE NEWS & MILITARY TIMES
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TODAY'S TOP 51. Pentagon: Effectiveness of U.S. airstrikes in Iraq remain limited(Military Times) The Pentagon's top war planner said the military campaign's impact remains limited after four days of airstrikes in northern Iraq, and the Islamic militants continue to be a powerful force capable of terrorizing Iraqi civilians and seizing territory. 2. U.S. Denies Attack Submarine 'Expelled' From Barents Sea (USNI News) Reports that a U.S. Navy submarine was chased from away from Russian controlled waters by Russian anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft on Aug. 7 are false, U.S. European Command (EUCOM) officials told USNI News on Monday. 3. The U.S. Needs More Drones (Paul Scharre in Defense One) While DOD has had drones flying over Iraq for over a month, a drastic shortfall in global supply means that their presence in Iraq is at the expense of another vital mission elsewhere. And yet not only is DOD not moving to address this shortfall, it is taking steps to reduce its drone fleet, a dangerous move that will make it harder to keep tabs on a growing and changing terrorist threat. 4. Obama redirects $10M to help fight terrorists in Africa (USA Today) The United States is redirecting $10 million in Pentagon spending to help France fight terrorists in northern Africa. 5. U.S. and Australia to sign 25-year deal for Marines in Darwin (Marine Corps Times) The United States and Australia are expected to sign an agreement on Tuesday that will pave the way for 2,500 U.S Marines to rotate through the continent. IRAQU.S. Said to Send 100 Air Missions Daily Over Iraq(Bloomberg) The U.S. Navy and Air Force are scheduling as many as 100 attack, reconnaissance and support missions daily over Iraq, according to a U.S. military official. Why F/A-18F Super Hornets dropped the first U.S. bombs in Iraq (Washington Post) When the U.S. military launched its first airstrikes in Iraq in three years on Friday, it was F/A-18F Super Hornets flying off the USS George H.W. Bush that carried the mission out. Air Force planes have dropped 75,000 meals to displaced Iraqis (Air Force Times) Three Air Force C-130s and a C-17 conducted the fourth airdrop of food and water for thousands of threatened Iraqi citizens on Sunday. Dramatic rescue mission of Iraqi Yazidis (CNN) Ivan Watson flies along with the Iraqi military as they drop emergency supplies to the desperate Iraqi Yazidis Iraqi president names Haider al-Abadi new prime minister, defying Maliki (Washington Post) Iraq's president chose a veteran Shiite politician to lead the government on Monday, setting the stage for a vicious political showdown in a country already struggling to contain an extremist Islamist insurgency. Obama lauds new Iraq leaders, despite al-Maliki protest (USA Today) President Obama praised the designation of a new prime minister in Iraq on Monday, despite the protests of current office occupant Nouri al-Maliki. State Dept.: Al-Maliki's moves not a coup (The Hill) Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's decision to deploy special forces loyal to him around Baghdad does not amount to a coup, State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said Monday. U.S. sending weapons directly to Kurdish forces, officials say (Washington Post) The U.S. government has begun to funnel weapons directly to Kurdish forces fighting Islamist militants in northern Iraq, U.S. officials said Monday, deepening American involvement in a conflict that the Obama administration had long sought to avoid. Meet the female peshmerga forces fighting IS (Al-Monitor) Kurdish female peshmerga fighters have been active during battles against the Islamic State (IS). According to the female troops' leaders based in the Sulaimaniyah governorate, Kurdish female fighters have been on the front lines in the battles against IS. Former NATO chief commander: U.S. advisers needed to fight with Iraqis, Kurds (Military Times) The former NATO chief commander and military leader in Europe says he thinks the U.S. needs to put boots on the ground to fight with Iraqi and Kurdish troops against the Islamic State. Hillary Clinton: 'Failure' to Help Syrian Rebels Led to the Rise of ISIS (The Atlantic) The former secretary of state, and probable candidate for president, outlines her foreign-policy doctrine. She says this about President Obama's: "Great nations need organizing principles, and 'Don't do stupid stuff' is not an organizing principle." For 2 U.S. Presidents, Iraqi Leader Proved a Source of Frustration (New York Times) One day in the fall of 2007, President George W. Bush joined Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki in a video conference to sign a "declaration of principles" on the future of the Iraqi-American relations. As Mr. Bush scrawled his name, Mr. Maliki in Baghdad just passed his pen over his copy, pretending to sign. Suspected American militant held after airport arrest (USA Today) An American alleged to have ties with Islamic terrorists abroad was arrested at a New York airport recently and is being held without bond, due in part to his Twitter rants reportedly suggesting his militant leanings. INDUSTRYBoeing expects most of defense unit cost cuts from supply chain(Reuters) The head of Boeing Co's (BA.N) defense, space and security business said on Monday that nearly two-thirds of the $6 billion in cost cutting the unit is undertaking will come from savings found in its network of suppliers. Despite Delays, New US Navy Sub Headed for On-Time Delivery (Defense News) The building program of the US Navy's Virginia-class submarines has an outstanding reputation, both for keeping to cost and for on-time delivery. There's even a modest competition between the two shipyards that build the subs to see who can shave off more time of the contractual delivery date. Air Force asks industry for new ways to protect computers and embedded systems from cyber attacks (Military & Aerospace Electronics) U.S. Air Force researchers are asking industry for cyber-defense capabilities to help the Air Force avoid cyber attacks. Researchers want industry's help in understanding the cyber situation, assessing potential impacts, and implementing deterrence and effects-based defensive methodologies. BAE Systems wins 348 million pounds contract for new UK patrol ships (Reuters) BAE Systems (BAES.L), Europe's largest defense firm, has been awarded a 348 million-pound ($584 million) contract by the British government to build three new Offshore Patrol Vessels, formalizing an initial deal agreed last year. Western Sanctions See Russia Looking to China for Military, Aerospace Components (RIA Novosti) Russian aerospace and military-industrial enterprises will purchase electronic components worth several billion dollars from China, Izvestia reported Wednesday, referencing a source close to Roscosmos, Russia's Federal Space Agency. Russian MoD to acquire large batch of GAZ-3344 ATVs (IHS Jane's 360) The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) is to acquire a large batch of GAZ-3344 tracked articulated all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), the civil and military versions of which were demonstrated on 4-5 August at the Russian MoD's Innovation Days 2014 exhibition at the Alabino test range near Moscow. Su-25 Attack Aircraft Production May Resume at Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant (RIA Novosti) The Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant (UUAP) may resume the production of Sukhoi Su-25 fighter jets, the plant's managing director Leonid Belykh said. BAE Systems to sell Land Systems South Africa to Denel (IHS Jane's 360) BAE Systems has agreed to sell its holding in BAE Systems Land Systems South Africa (LSSA) to South Africa's Denel for SAR855 million (USD79.85 million). VETERANSLaw seeks to expand in-state tuition for all(Military Times) A bill signed into law by President Obama on Aug. 7, dedicated primarily to overhauling veterans' health care, also includes a major victory for education advocates. Program for homeless vets gets $300 million infusion (USA Today) A popular VA homeless program that community groups say helps them keep tens of thousands of veterans off the street, including thousands who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, has received a fresh infusion of $300 million. Vets everywhere can log on to virtual job fair (Military Times) Hiring Our Heroes wants to take its veterans job fairs beyond major cities to small towns across the country. McDonald works to soften image of VA employees (Military Times) The rebranding of Veterans Affairs employees has begun. CONGRESSRep. Turner: When Obama Dithers, Global Hotspots Melt Down(Defense News) A senior GOP House Armed Services Committee member says that as President Barack Obama mulls his options, the situation becomes worse and worse in places like Syria and Iraq. Ariz. Dem tells VA secretary to implement 'commonsense solutions' (The Hill) Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) demanded that Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert McDonald immediately work to improve care at the Phoenix VA facility. US Senator: Standoff in Eastern Ukraine To Be Settled 'Within Another Week' (Defense News) A tense standoff between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists will be over within a week - and will decide whether "all-out war" begins in Eastern Europe, says a US senator. ARMYArmy unveils new PT uniforms(Army Times) The Army has unveiled sweeping changes to its physical fitness uniform. Pfc. back on NBC 'Talent' show Tuesday night - and will need your vote (Army Times) A soldier has wowed crowds and wooed judges in his first two performances on "America's Got Talent," but to reach the next level, he'll need help from viewers. New apprenticeship for GM jobs (Army Times) The Army has launched a new apprenticeship program aimed at helping transitioning vets score solid jobs at General Motors dealerships. NAVYDestroyer deploys to Arabian Sea(Navy Times) The guided-missile destroyer Mahan (DDG 72) set sail Monday morning on a scheduled five-month deployment to the Arabian Gulf. Navy professor resigns after racy photo inquiry (Associated Press) A U.S. Naval War College professor has resigned following an investigation into a complaint that he took a racy photo that wound up online. Ramping up missions yields more port calls for crews (Navy Times) The crew of the cruiser Vella Gulf is getting very good at transiting the Turkish Straits into the Black Sea. Training gives helicopter crews a shot at survival (Virginian-Pilot) A Navy helicopter crew had only seconds to escape seven months ago when its aircraft caught fire and plunged into the frigid water off Virginia Beach. Like all Navy aviators, the sailors inside the MH-53E Sea Dragon had prepared for that horrific moment, even if they had hoped it would never come. Naval Chief Views Information Key to Future of Warfare (NextGov) Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert views "information dominance" as key to the future of warfare while the service's new transformation framework calls for development of a "data-savvy" workforce. Navy Delays Formation of Expeditionary EA-18G Squadron (Seapower) The Navy has postponed the stand-up of an expeditionary electronic attack squadron as the process awaits environmental clearance, according to a service official. AIR FORCEGetting tough: How the Air Force primes its future officers(Air Force Times) The future leaders of the Air Force stood at attention on the Air Force Academy's main pavilion on a bright July morning, ready for 11 days that would change their lives. USAF to increase nuclear manning levels (IHS Jane's 360) The US Air Force (USAF) is to boost manning levels at Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) missile and bomber wings as part of a wider push to improve the operational effectiveness and morale of its nuclear forces. Pope airmen must retake promotion test (Air Force Times) The 99 promotion test answer sheets lost in transit from Pope Army Airfield, North Carolina, to the Air Force Personnel Center in San Antonio are considered officially lost, and affected airmen will have to retest. Military appeals court to hear Kansas HIV appeal (Associated Press) The nation's highest military court has agreed to review the evidence used to convict a Kansas airman of aggravated assault for exposing multiple sex partners to HIV at swinger parties in Wichita, an appeal the defense contends could potentially remap HIV testing and prosecution in the U.S. military. Texas construction firm paying $300k fine over environmental violations at Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs Gazette) El Paso, Texas-based Hunt Building has agreed to pay $310,000 to resolve alleged violations of the Clean Water Act at two construction sites at the Air Force Academy, the Environmental Protection Agency said Friday. MARINE CORPSMarine Corps weighs new hair regulations for women(Marine Corps Times) The Marine Corps' Uniform Board is seeking feedback from all Marines on two proposed hairstyle changes for women. Some Marines emerge from SDA cuts well, while others take a hit (Marine Corps Times) Budget cuts are about to hit Marines' wallets in yet another way - special duty assignment pay. Marines vs. Russia: 29 Palms wargames showdown in Ukraine (Marine Corps Times) As the 13-year counter-insurgency campaign winds down in Afghanistan, Marines are quickly shifting attention to readiness for potential large-scale contingencies, often in not-so-subtle hat tips to regions ripe for instability - like the South China Sea, Ukraine and the Russian-annexed Crimea, and the now incredibly violent swath stretching between Iraq and Syria. AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTANNew details on Aug 5. insider attack that killed Maj. Gen. Harold Greene(Washington Post) At least five of the American service members who were wounded in last week's "insider attack" in Kabul have been brought back to the United States, including one who was shot six times shielding a British colonel who was not wearing body armor at the time. Attacks kill NATO soldier, 3 Afghan policemen (Associated Press) A roadside bombing killed three Afghan policemen in the country's south on Tuesday while a NATO service member died in an attack in eastern Afghanistan, officials said. Rights group offers gruesome details of alleged crimes against civilians in Afghanistan (Stars & Stripes) Amnesty International's report on civilian casualties in Afghanistan includes a 40-page section describing 10 incidents that "raise concerns about the unlawful use of force," including what the human rights organization says are possible war crimes. Killings Rise in Karachi as Taliban Target Police (New York Times) Karachi's embattled police force recently passed a grim milestone - the killing of its 100th police officer this year, putting the force on track to exceed the 2013 toll of 166 police deaths, which was itself a record. MIDDLE EASTNetanyahu Confronts Conflicting Pressures in Gaza War(Defense News) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is confronting conflicting pressures at home and abroad over his government's prosecution of Operation Protective Edge, now in its 35th day. At talks in Cairo, Hamas wants Israel to allow Gaza airport and seaport (Washington Post) The Islamist militant organization Hamas, as well as the people in the Gaza Strip, want something big in exchange for a truce with Israel. AQAP claims killing of 50 Yemeni soldiers in Seyoun attack (Long War Journal) A Twitter account affiliated with al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula announced yesterday that AQAP fighters had killed more than 50 Yemeni soldiers during the group's Aug. 7 attack on the Yemeni Army's 1st Military District headquarters in the city of Seyoun in Hadramout province. Egyptian security forces likely committed 'crimes against humanity' in Cairo killings last summer: Human Rights Watch (Washington Post) Egyptian security forces likely committed crimes against humanity by carrying out mass killings of anti-government demonstrators in Cairo last summer, and current President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi should be investigated for his role in the atrocities, New York-based Human Rights Watch said in a new report released on Tuesday. EUROPE280 Russian aid trucks leave for Ukraine(Associated Press) A convoy of 280 Russian trucks headed for eastern Ukraine early Tuesday, one day after agreement was reached on an international humanitarian relief mission. Poroshenko announces international humanitarian mission in eastern Ukraine (Washington Post) Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announced Monday that an international humanitarian mission would be sent to the war-torn east of his country, in a fragile move toward peace on a day in which fighting continued unabated. NATO chief sees "high probability" of Russian intervention in east Ukraine (Reuters) NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Monday he saw a "high probability" that Russia could intervene militarily in eastern Ukraine and that NATO detected no sign that Moscow was pulling back thousands of troops from close to the Ukrainian border. Air Force will use modernised MiG-31 for another 15 years - Deputy PM (ITAR-TASS) MiG-31 interceptor will be modernised to remain at Russia's Air Force for another 15 years, Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said after visiting several defense enterprises in Nizhny Novgorod. Russia Bugs Ukraine Government Offices with Spyware (NextGov) Snake, an espionage tool linked to Moscow, has been found in the computers of Ukraine's prime minister and various embassies of its allies in Eastern Europe. Kosovo police arrest 40 alleged Islamic radicals (Associated Press) Kosovo police on Monday arrested at least 40 people in a major operation targeting Islamic radicals suspected of fighting alongside extremists in Iraq and Syria. ASIA-PACIFICRussia begins military exercises in Pacific islands also claimed by Japan(Reuters) Russia began military exercises on Tuesday in a chain of islands it claims in the Pacific Ocean, a Defense Ministry spokesman told Interfax, in a move likely to anger Japan, which also lays claim to them. Pentagon Ordered to Better Track Threats to Taiwan (DoDBuzz) Several members of Congress have added language to the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act aimed at better preparing the Pentagon to assess and confront Chinese military expansion and its implications for potential threats to Taiwan. PACOM not waiting on politics to plan for climate change challenges (Stars & Stripes) As Congress remains gridlocked on more than 200 bills related to climate change, U.S. Pacific Command is forging strategies with partner nations in the region to mitigate the security effects of global warming. No solution in sight on sea row after Myanmar meet (Associated Press) Despite U.S. and Asian calls for self-restraint and new impetus for the resolution of territorial disputes involving China, a high-profile Asian security summit ended over the weekend where it began, with no solution of the rifts in sight. South Korea Proposes High-Level Talks on Reunions With North (New York Times) South Korea on Monday proposed high-level talks with North Korea to discuss holding a new round of reunions of aging Koreans separated by the Korean War six decades ago. Russia Pledges $500 Million To Boost Kyrgyz Economy (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Russia has pledged financial aid worth about $500 million to Kyrgyzstan in support of the Central Asian republic's integration into Moscow-leg regional groups. COMMENTARY AND ANALYSISNow Hear This -- Millennials Bring a New Mentality: Does it Fit?(Coast Guard Cmdr. Darcie Cunningham in Proceedings) I currently supervise a crew that spans five generations, with millennials (those born between 1980 and the late 1990s) abundantly represented. They have a different dynamic from generations past. I've struggled with their perceptions regarding the chain of command, their definition of a work ethic, and the need for instant reward. Is There a Military Millennial Problem? Twelve Responses to CDR Darice Cunningham (Navy Lt. Matthew Hipple in the Center for International Maritime Security) In the most recent edition of Proceedings, CDR Darcie Cunningham, USCG, describes what she sees as the strategic challenge of cultural friction between millennial expectations and the rigors of professional military duties in an article titled, "Millennials Bring a New Mentality: Does It Fit?" To Major Slider: Listen up, the Army doesn't owe you anything, so move on (Army Capt. Peter Crawford in Foreign Policy) First, to Major Slider and the rest of my fellow officers who recently received pink slips: thank you for your service and sacrifice. The vast majority of the citizenry you served will never truly understand what you have done. While it is, I believe, our duty to educate them when asked, they have no duty to listen or fully appreciate. Such is the inherent "injustice" of selfless service. A Strategy to what End? (Stephen Rodriguez in War on the Rocks) During Barack Obama's presidency, we have been fed our medicine: victory in the war on terror, allowing allies to take the lead, and improving America's image abroad. But has it worked? The Third Iraq War (Wall Street Journal) President Obama keeps saying that the U.S. isn't returning to war in Iraq, but tell that to the Islamic State jihadists being killed by U.S. F-18s to protect the Kurds What the U.S. should do in Iraq: Stop what is counterproductive (Andrew J. Bacevich in The Los Angeles Times) From a moral perspective, President Obama's response to the plight of Iraqi minorities targeted for extinction by vicious Islamists is justifiable and even commendable. Yet the resumption of American military action in Iraq - bombs for the wicked, bundles for the innocent - cannot disguise the overall disarray of U.S. policy in the region. NATO's September Summit Must Confront Cyber Threats (Jarno Limnell in Breaking Defense) Cyber is already an integral part of all conflicts and wars in today's world. But there is plenty of work and planning ahead before NATO, as an alliance, is a credible player in the cyber domain Opinion: Britain's View of Naval Strategy (Bill Sweetman in Aviation Week) After too many years of hearing senior U.S. officers gripe about sequestration and congressional mandates, and fire off interservice potshots, it's refreshing to hear a flag officer sounding optimistic. | |||||
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