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, 21 Aug 2014 04:39:02 -0600
COMPILED BY THE EDITORS OF DEFENSE NEWS & MILITARY TIMES
| ||||||
|
TODAY'S TOP 51. U.S. staged secret operation into Syria in failed bid to rescue Americans(Washington Post) U.S. Special Operations forces staged an unsuccessful operation this summer to rescue photojournalist James Foley and other Americans being held in Syria by Islamic State militants, according to senior Obama administration officials. 2. Equipment Balance: Air National Guard Juggles National, Local Demands (Defense News) The US Air National Guard has always been defined by its ability to fulfill both military and civil missions. But with budget draw downs, the service faces increasingly tough choices about how to spend what remains of its modernization budget while serving two masters. 3. Gen. Allen: Destroy the Islamic State Now (Retired Marine Gen. John R. Allen in Defense One ) The brutal murder of the brave American journalist James Foley is meant to directly terrorize the world's media, the international community, and the United States. If all the actions of the Islamic State, or IS, to date weren't sufficiently reprehensible, this act and the potential for other similar acts will snap American attention with laser-like focus onto the real danger IS poses to the existence of Iraq, the order of the region and to the homelands of Europe and America. 4. F-35 Software Testing Slowed by Flight Restrictions (Bloomberg) Flight restrictions on Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT)'s F-35 are hampering the Pentagon's ability to conduct the software tests the plane must pass before it can be declared combat-ready by next July, according to the Pentagon's weapons-testing office. 5. Army quits tests after competing rifle outperforms M4A1 carbine (Washington Times) A competing rifle outperformed the Army's favored M4A1 carbine in key firings during a competition last year before the service abruptly called off the tests and stuck with its gun, according to a new confidential report. IRAQUS official: Military has been asked to send more troops to Iraq(Stars & Stripes) The State Department has asked the Pentagon to send additional troops to Iraq, according to a U.S. official. Officials: Commanders want more Iraq airstrike power (USA Today) U.S. military commanders in the Middle East are urging the Pentagon to intensify the air war against ISIS targets in Iraq, Defense Department officials said Wednesday. Navy planes take small-arms fire during Iraq airstrikes (Navy Times) Aircraft from the carrier George H.W. Bush have struck about 30 targets in Iraq since the U.S. military began pounding the insurgents who are destabilizing Iraq, Navy officials said Wednesday. Exclusive: Baghdad Open to Letting U.S. Warplanes Fly From Iraqi Bases (Foreign Policy) Iraqi officials have given their American counterparts clear signals that Baghdad is willing to let U.S. fighter jets operate out of Iraqi air bases, a move that would allow planes to stay airborne longer and deliver more strikes. But the Obama administration, at least for now, doesn't seem all that interested. Iraq Crisis: Some Islamic State Commanders Retreat Back to Syria (Wall Street Journal) Iraqi officials say U.S. airstrikes have driven some ground commanders of the Sunni radical group Islamic State from northern Iraq across the border into Syria. Potential GOP Candidates Use Journalist's Beheading To Hammer Obama Over Islamic State (Defense News) Republicans are using the beheading of an American journalist in Syria to mount new attacks on President Barack Obama, urging him to get tougher on a radical Sunni group. ISIS Pressed for Ransom Before Killing Journalist (New York Times) In fact, until recently, ISIS had a very different list of demands for Mr. Foley: The group pressed the United States to provide a multimillion-dollar ransom for his release, according to a representative of his family and a former hostage held alongside him. The United States - unlike several European countries that have funneled millions to the terror group to spare the lives of their citizens - refused to pay. Obama: 'We will be relentless' against terrorists who beheaded American (Military Times) President Obama gave no indication that the U.S. will relent in its air campaign against the Islamic State following the brutal murder of American reporter James Foley. John Kerry: ISIS 'Must Be Destroyed' (National Journal) The secretary of State, who met James Foley's family when the journalist was abducted, has strong words about the U.S. mission against the militant group. Accent of James Foley's executioner prompts a reckoning in Britain (Washington Post) The beheading of an American journalist by an extremist with a London accent prompted deep reckoning among Britons Wednesday over the particularly vicious role their countrymen are playing in the destabilization of the Middle East. Interpol urges world response to Iraq extremists (Associated Press) Interpol says the killing of an American journalist kidnapped in Syria shows the need for a coordinated international effort against the stream of foreign fighters joining extremists in the Middle East. INDUSTRYTwo Russian rocket engines arrive in U.S. as planned -ULA(Reuters) Two Russian-built rocket engines arrived in the United States on Wednesday aboard a giant Antonov cargo plane despite fears that tensions between the United States and Russia could disrupt the supply of engines needed to launch U.S. satellites into space. Raytheon to develop anti-UAV laser (C4ISR & Networks) Raytheon is developing a laser that could be used to shoot down some unmanned vehicles. Northrop Unveils XS-1 Spaceplane Design For Darpa (Aviation Week) Northrop Grumman has unveiled its vertical-launch, horizontal-landing reusable booster design for the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency's (Darpa) XS-1 experimental spaceplane program. US Navy Leaning on CANES to Integrate Shipboard Networks (Defense Industry Daily) US SPAWAR in San Diego, CA issues 5 multiple-award contracts for CANES' production phase, allowing the winners to compete for up to $2.53 billion in awards over an 8-year ordering period. Lockheed Martin Growing Its Cyber, Big Data Business (National Defense) Rapid innovations in information technology and changes in the geopolitical environment - including events such as the conflict in the Gaza Strip and the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant - all point to the military's need for large amounts of quickly digestible data. Data Link Solutions, ViSat Win Contracts for Tactical Network Targeting Technology (Seapower) The Navy has awarded contracts to two companies to mature the technology associated with tactical network targeting. Microsoft licensing agreement pioneers new concept (Federal Times) When the Defense Department wanted to make Microsoft products available to multiple organizations, it settled on a joint enterprise license agreement to do it. Saudi Black Hawk contract awarded (IHS Jane's 360) The Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation has been awarded a USD30.4 million contract modification to produce 12 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters for the Saudi Arabia National Guard (SANG) by the end of August 2017, the US Department of Defense (DoD) announced on 19 August. Northrop Grumman sees European interest in Hawk surveillance drone (Reuters) U.S. defense company Northrop Grumman Corp is in talks about selling its high-altitude surveillance drones in Europe, with Britain, Germany and Norway seen as the likeliest customers, a top executive said on Wednesday. Rheinmetall wins Greek Leopard ammunition contract (IHS Jane's 360) Germany's Rheinmetall announced on 15 August that it had been awarded a contract to supply the Hellenic Armed Forces with 120 mm ammunition for its Leopard 2 tanks. Indian firms tool up for defense orders on Modi's 'buy India' pledge (Reuters) Some of India's biggest companies are pouring billions of dollars into manufacturing guns, ships and tanks for the country's military, buoyed by the new government's commitment to upgrade its armed forces using domestic factories. Thales Australia developing new rifle ammunition (IHS Jane's 360) Thales Australia has disclosed it is developing a new family of high-lethality small arms ammunition, including a 5.56 mm round that the company says outperforms 7.62 mm ammunition at all ranges. VETERANSNew VA policy on same-sex marriage benefits triggers lawsuit(Stars & Stripes) Advocacy groups filed a lawsuit here this week challenging the Department of Veterans Affairs on its new policy denying benefits to same-sex spouses who live in states that do not recognize gay marriage. Vets vent to Warner at campaign stop (Washington Post) Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) had just finished greeting the members of the Disabled American Veterans Chapter #58 and removed his suit jacket when the emotional stories about misplaced paperwork, frustrating interactions and endless bureaucracy at the Department of Veteran's Affairs began. App developers hope to help veterans battling mental health issues (Los Angeles Times) Dave Smith hit his lowest low in March 2012. Veterans voice concerns at VA town hall meeting (WSMV-TV; Nashville, Tenn.) After years of long waits and questionable service, dozens of veterans are finally getting some answers from the Department of Veteran Affairs. CONGRESSHunter: 'Difficult to Comprehend' Why Local Cops Need Combat Gear(Defense News) Some items built for combat but often transferred to local law enforcement has no business on American streets, a House Armed Services Committee member who served in Iraq and Afghanistan is telling Pentagon leaders. Paul Ryan: Ramp up airstrikes against ISIS (The Hill) Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on Wednesday urged the Obama administration to step up its airstrikes against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Rep. Schiff Discusses Barbaric Beheading of American Journalist with MSNBC's Chris Hayes (MSNBC) On Tuesday, August 19, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) spoke with MSNBC's Chris Hayes on All In about the beheading of James Wright Foley, an American journalist, by ISIL in Syria. House Panel on Benghazi Hires General for Legal Team (New York Times) The House committee investigating the 2012 attack on the American diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, has chosen Lt. Gen. Dana K. Chipman as its chief counsel, a spokeswoman for the panel's chairman said Wednesday DEFENSE DEPARTMENTPentagon Tells International Partners to Inspect F-16B Fleet for Cracks(Defense News) As the Pentagon works to analyze and repair widespread cracks in its F-16D fleet, it is recommending that partner nations closely inspect their F-16B and D models. New school year, new home: Military families look to adjust (Military Times) Linh Narum knows what it means to be a part of a military family. Her father served in the Air Force for 27 years and she and her husband, Air Force Col. Jerry Narum, a communications officer, have two sons of their own. U.S. Military Bans The Intercept (The Intercept) The U.S. military is banning and blocking employees from visiting The Intercept in an apparent effort to censor news reports that contain leaked government secrets. Military kids' education may turn on 2 studies (Military Times) Two studies that could affect the future of military children's education are in their final stages, officials said. ARMYBlack Hawk Modernization Tops Army Guard Priorities(Defense News) The US Army has been saying for a decade that once the last American soldier leaves Afghanistan, the service will need at least two to three years of additional supplemental funding to reset and modernize. For soldiers, gauge is a way to measure a bomb's pressure on the body (Washington Post) The motion-activated doors opened with a soft hiss as the soldier walked into the emergency department at Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan. Army doctor promotes use of tourniquets among domestic first responders (Military Times) An Army Reserve doctor and nationally recognized trauma surgeon is pressing for broader availability of tourniquets - in the pockets of every U.S. first responder and staged alongside portable defibrillators in offices, shopping malls and elsewhere. Missile site considered for Fort Drum could employ 1,800 (Watertown Daily Times) Residents got their first look Tuesday at what a potential missile defense site at Fort Drum could mean for the region: a facility costing as much as $4 billion to build that would create as many as 1,800 permanent jobs. Fort Bragg and red-cockaded woodpecker co-exist comfortably after shift in conservation attitudes (Fayetteville Observer) At just a few inches tall, the three-year-old male woodpecker seemed unimposing in the hands of a conservationist. NAVYNavy kicks out 34 for nuke cheating(Associated Press) At least 34 sailors are being kicked out of the Navy for their roles in a cheating ring that operated undetected for at least seven years at a nuclear power training site, and 10 others are under criminal investigation, the admiral in charge of the Navy's nuclear reactors program told The Associated Press. In Pacific, China is full-time job (San Diego Union-Tribune) Adm. Samuel Locklear, the person in charge of the U.S. military presence from Hollywood to Bollywood, told a San Diego audience Tuesday that he thought the past two years would go better. Pacific Navy bases to conduct security exercise (Stars & Stripes) Navy bases in the Pacific will conduct their annual Citadel Pacific security exercise from Aug. 25-29, service officials said Wednesday. U.S. Navy SEALs Are Getting New Mini-Subs (War Is Boring) The U.S. Navy is hard at work developing new underwater transports for its elite commandos. The SEALs expect the new craft-and improvements to large submarine "motherships" that will carry them-to be ready by the end of the decade. AIR FORCEInquiry Urged on Air Force Academy's Handling of Cases(New York Times) Two senators called Wednesday for an independent investigation into the handling of sexual assault cases at the Air Force Academy, saying they were concerned about "very serious allegations of wrongdoing." Interview: Lt. Gen. Stanley 'Sid' Clarke, Director of US Air National Guard (Air Force Times) Over the past decade-plus, the US National Guard has established itself as a core part of America's military action overseas. At the same time, the Guard has to balance its military actions with its responsibilities at home. Plenty of dust, but no fire at Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs Gazette) Air Force Academy firefighters investigating reports of smoke in an industrial building on the south side of campus discovered plenty of dust, but no fire Wednesday morning. GSA, Air Force team up to identify cost-effective contracts (Federal Times) The General Services Administration and the Air Force will form a working group to identify enterprise-wide contracts that will save the Air Force money, according to an Aug. 18 announcement. MARINE CORPSLast Marine regiment departs Afghanistan(Marine Corps Times) The last Marine Corps regimental headquarters will leave Afghanistanthis month, handing off its responsibilities as drawdown efforts continue. Fort Collins Marine dies en route to surprise brother (The Coloradoan; Fort Collins) A Fort Collins Marine who died in a car crash in Utah on Friday was traveling home to surprise his little brother on the first day of school. DA: Christopher Lee could face 2nd murder charge (Desert Sun; Palm Springs, Calif.) California law is very clear about the murder of an unborn child, San Bernardino County District Attorney Michael Ramos told The Desert Sun on Wednesday. USS Makin Island Makes a Port Visit in Hong Kong (People's Daily Online) The amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8), along with the embarked 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, has arrived in Hong Kong on Aug. 20, for a port visit. COAST GUARDCoast Guard signs new agreement to service NOAA fleet at Curtis Bay yard(Baltimore Sun) The U.S. Coast Guard's shipyard in Curtis Bay has signed an agreement to provide ship maintenance over the next five years for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Atlantic fleet. AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTANInternational soldier dies after reported stabbing in Afghanistan(Los Angeles Times) An international soldier in Afghanistan died of wounds suffered in an attack Wednesday, the U.S.-led military coalition said, hours after witnesses said a foreign national was stabbed in the neck in a Kabul marketplace. Red Cross workers released unharmed in Afghanistan (Stars & Stripes) Five Red Cross workers abducted by gunmen in western Afghanistan last week were released unharmed Wednesday, according to the organization. Analysts: Avenues To Expand Pakistan-South Korean Industry Cooperation Grow (Defense News) Pakistan and South Korea will explore further avenues in defense industry cooperation, according to Pakistan's Ministry of Defence Production. As Pakistan's political crisis deepens, military leaders urge negotiated settlement (Washington Post) Military leaders in Pakistan appear to be growing increasingly anxious about the standoff between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and two key opposition figures seeking his resignation, adding further volatility to the country's political crisis. MIDDLE EASTIsraeli Air Strike Kills Three Hamas Commanders in Gaza Strip(Bloomberg) An Israeli air strike killed three senior military commanders of the Hamas group that rules the Gaza Strip, a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that forces would hunt down militant leaders. Gaza Cost Far Exceeds Estimate, Official Says (New York Times) The United Nations drastically underestimated the devastation that could result from possible assaults by Israel on Gaza this year, with 350,000 people so far displaced from a six-week-old conflict - seven times the 50,000 foreseen in its contingency plan, the top Unicef official for the crowded Palestinian enclave said Wednesday. Israeli-US Relations Tested Once Again in Gaza War (Associated Press) When Israel completes its damage assessment from its latest war with Hamas, it may conclude that one of the biggest casualties was its all-important relationship with the United States. Gaza war rages on, Hamas says Israel tried to kill its military chief (Reuters) An Israeli air strike in Gaza killed the wife and infant son of Hamas's military leader, Mohammed Deif, the group said, calling it an attempt to assassinate him after a ceasefire collapsed. Hamas warns foreign airlines, says no more truce talks with Israel (Agence France-Presse) Palestinian Territories: The armed wing of Hamas warned foreign airlines on Wednesday against flying into Tel Aviv, threatening to step up its six-week conflict with Israel and declaring truce talks in Cairo over. Iran Speaks More Softly But Keeps Building Bigger Sticks (Bloomberg) While Iran's military has toned down its rhetoric about military capabilities and exercises, it continues a low-profile buildup of weapons in and near the Strait of Hormuz, according to a classified Pentagon assessment. As IS advances, Syrian rebels reinforce northern strategic town (Al-Monitor) A state of tension and cautious anticipation prevails in the town of Marea, north of Aleppo, as the Islamic State (IS) has reached the city's outskirts. Marea was among the first Syrian regions that shifted from peaceful to armed uprising against the regime in Aleppo three years ago. EUROPEUkrainian Troops Press Rebels in Their Eastern Strongholds(New York Times) With street fights and artillery barrages, the Ukrainian military pressed its advance on Wednesday on the two eastern provincial capitals held by pro-Russian separatists in a day of violence that killed 52 civilians and Ukrainian soldiers and an unknown number of rebels. Dozens die in Ukraine in street battles, Donetsk shelling (Reuters) Heavy shelling hit residential neighbourhoods in Ukraine's rebel stronghold of Donetsk and government forces fought street battles in other towns on Wednesday as they sought to crush a four-month-old separatist rebellion. Pro-Russian separatists shoot down Ukranian jet, hit two copters (CNN) Pro-Russian separatists struck two helicopters as well as a jet with portable air defense systems Wednesday in the Luhansk region of Ukraine. Ukraine Warns About Economic Fallout of Crisis As Fighting Rages On (Wall Street Journal) Heavy fighting in Ukraine's east is causing long-term damage to the economy, the country's prime minister warned Wednesday, as Kiev pressed its attacks on several cities held by pro-Russian rebels. An American Voice on Ukraine's Front Lines Goes Silent (New York Times) Amid the cacophony of voices on Twitter reporting facts, rumors and hearsay on the battle for control of eastern Ukraine this summer, one feed, written by a Ukrainian-American investment banker who volunteered to fight the Russian-backed separatists, has offered a no-nonsense account of life on the front lines of what the government in Kiev calls its Anti-Terrorist Operation, or ATO. ASIA-PACIFICChina unveils ASW version of Z-18 helicopter(IHS Jane's 360) A new anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopter for the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is undergoing trials and testing, according to news reports and Chinese military websites. Thai army ruler nominated as next prime minister (Associated Press) Three months after overthrowing Thailand's last elected government, this Southeast Asian nation's junta leader is stepping out of his army uniform for good - to take up the post of prime minister in a move critics say will only extend his time at the helm and consolidate the military's grip on power. CSTO holds four-day drill in Kazakhstan (IHS Jane's 360) The Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) began a four-day exercise of its Rapid Reaction Force in Kazakhstan on 18 August, with 3,000 soldiers taking part. Philippine Muslim rebels take crucial step on path to pact (Reuters) The Philippines' largest Muslim rebel group has taken a crucial step in ending decades of conflict, formally submitting to the president a final proposal for self-rule that both it and the government have agreed on, a presidential adviser said. AFRICAC. African Republic will have 7,600 UN peacekeepers(Associated Press) The initial U.N. force that takes over peacekeeping duties in Central African Republic from an African force on Sept. 15 will have 7,600 soldiers and police, the U.N. envoy to the conflict-wracked country said Tuesday. Tunisia military receives US gear (Magharebia) Tunisian Interior Minister Lotfi Ben Jeddou stands behind a long table displaying high-tech military gear at the El Aouina military base in Tunis. It is all part of a ceremony intended to mark a turning point in the country's battle against terrorism. Boko Haram crisis: Nigerian soldiers 'mutiny over weapons' (BBC) A group of soldiers in north-eastern Nigeria is refusing to fight Islamist Boko Haram militants until they receive better equipment, one of the mutineers has told the BBC. Police, residents clash in Liberian slum under Ebola quarantine (Washington Post) Violent clashes between authorities and residents of an Ebola-stricken neighborhood erupted in the Liberian city of Monrovia on Wednesday as the death toll from the disease continued to climb. COMMENTARY AND ANALYSISNATO Eyes 'Alliance Assurance' Force(Jorge Benitez in Defense News) In response to Russia's aggression against Ukraine, NATO leaders are examining the need to enhance the readiness of deployable military forces to reassure allies and deter threats to the alliance. If all members agree, this will be one of the major reforms to come out of the NATO summit in Wales, Sept. 4-5. No Boots on the Ground' is a Mantra, not a Strategy (Retired Army Gen. Gordon R. Sullivan and Lt. Gen. James M. Dubik in ARMY Magazine) No political or military leader responsible for the lives of citizens who become soldiers ever wants to give the order to put American servicemembers at risk. Let Iran and ISIS Fight It Out (Army Lt. Col. Paul Darling in Cicero Magazine) The largest threat to the West from the region today is not the spread of ISIS or collapse of Syria. It's the specter of a nuclear arms race in the Persian Gulf. U.S. policy should focus clearly on that issue when deciding whether or not to intervene in Iraq. Why America Should Declare War on the Islamic State (James Kitfield in National Journal) When a centrist Democrat, a Republican hawk, a libertarian, and a tea partier all find common ground on Capitol Hill, it's worth noting this rare outbreak of bipartisan consensus. Sens. Tim Kaine, James Inhofe, Rand Paul, and Ted Cruz all believe the White House should seek new approval from Congress for U.S. military operations in Iraq. President Obama should give the senators exactly what they are requesting. Don't BS the American People About Iraq, Syria and ISIL (Brian Fishman in War on the Rocks) The apparent beheading of American journalist James Foley by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) is a stark reminder of the group's terrible brutality and the seriousness required to counter them. So Where Do War Powers Reports Come From? (John B. Bellinger III in LAWFARE) Over the last nine weeks, President Obama has sent five war powers notices to Congress in what may be the most concentrated period of Presidential war powers reporting in history. These notices include four notices regarding Iraq (on June 16 and June 30, and August 8 and 17) and one notice regarding Libya (on July 27). Eyeless in Gaza -- Are We Blind to an Enduring Reality of War? (Michael Vlahos in War on the Rocks) In this new century of war, Americans have lost their way. We have become existentially unmoored. The very language we use to describe war - with strangely disconnected words like "asymmetric" or "hybrid" - tells the world how confused and uncertain we feel when it comes to using military power effectively Syria's Disarmament Mirage (Wall Street Journal) It wasn't long ago that President Obama boasted of getting Syria to surrender its chemical weapons without firing a shot. "It turned out that we are actually getting all the chemical weapons," Mr. Obama told the New Yorker last November. "And nobody reports that anymore." UCLASS: Unmanned or Just Unmanageable? (Loren Thompson in Real Clear Defense) Although the Department of Defense has established high hurdles for initiating new weapons programs, every once in a while an effort slips through the process that seems doomed to failure from the start. The Navy's Unmanned Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) system is such a program. Do local police really need MRAPs? Our view (USA Today) When you have a hammer, every problem begins to look like a nail. And thanks to federal largesse, local police across the USA are accumulating an arsenal of law enforcement hammers, including assault rifles, armored vehicles, grenade launchers and even military aircraft. | |||||
You are receiving this correspondence because you provided us with your email address as a part of your subscription. If you are receiving this in error, please go here to let us know. Thank you.
No comments:
Post a Comment