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, 28 Aug 2014 04:42:59 -0600
COMPILED BY THE EDITORS OF DEFENSE NEWS & MILITARY TIMES
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TODAY'S TOP 5After F-15 jet crash in Virginia, rescue helicopters search for pilot(Los Angeles Times) Helicopters are searching for an Air National Guard pilot after his F-15 jet crashed in the mountains of Virginia this morning, military officials said. Two-star general demoted for lack of attention to sex assault case, Army says (Army Times) A two-star general has been demoted to one star and will retire after he received punishment for failing to pursue a sex assault claim in his command, the Army announced Wednesday. A Politically Palatable Authorization to Use Force Against IS (Jack Goldsmith in Lawfare) One way to make an IS authorization politically palatable to both the President and Congress is to make it narrow. Politically palatable narrowness could be accomplished in four easy steps. Will Republicans Shut Down the Government Again? (The Atlantic) House GOP leaders fear a conservative revolt when government funding comes up for a vote next month. U.S.-China Rivalry Simmers Underseas (Wall Street Journal) A close midair encounter between U.S. and Chinese military planes last week reflected long-running tensions in the skies-a rivalry that is building under the waters below, as well. ISLAMIC STATEFearing massacre in Amirli, Iraqis ask U.S. for additional support(PBS Newshour) In the town of Iraqi town of Amirli, 15,000 Shiite Turkmen civilians have been under siege by Islamic State militants for more than 70 days without adequate food, water or medicine. Hari Sreenivasan gets an update from chief foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Warner on what the Iraqi military is asking the United States to provide in order to stave off a potential massacre. Obama Feels Pressure to Get Congressional OK Before Ordering Strikes Inside Syria (Defense News) Pressure from the opposite end of Pennsylvania Avenue is mounting on President Barack Obama to seek congressional approval before launching military strikes inside Syria. McConnell: Congress will back Obama on ISIS (The Hill) President Obama would have "a lot of congressional support" - including that of Minority Leader Mitch McConnell - if he asked for a vote to authorize airstrikes against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the Kentucky Republican said Wednesday. Video: Islamic State fighters appear to fire U.S.-made M198 Howitzer artillery (Washington Post) As militants with the Islamic State have seized territory and military bases across Iraq and Syria this year, they've taken an arsenal of weapons for their use. What exactly they have, though, has remained relatively unclear to the public. Rep. Hunter: Islamic State Just 'Guys in Pajamas,' Not an 'Existential Threat' (Defense News) A GOP House member who served in Iraq says the Islamic State is not an "existential threat" to the United States, striking a different tone than other Republicans. Douglas McAuthur McCain: What was lure of Islamic State for him - and others? (Christian Science Monitor) Douglas McAuthur McCain, who was killed while battling rebel forces in a Syrian suburb, made it clear on social media that he found camaraderie and a sense of conviction in the Islamic State. Mother of Kidnapped Journalist Sotloff Pleads to Baghdadi for Son's Life (DefenseOne) The mother of American journalist Steven Sotloff issued a somber plea to the Islamic State to spare his life, as U.S. airstrikes continue to defy the terrorist group's warnings they would kill Sotloff next. What Does ISIS Want With a Pakistani Woman Serving 86 Years in a U.S. Prison? (National Journal) The militant group has taken an American hostage and demanded the release of Aafia Siddiqui. But who is she? Hezbollah calls for resistance against IS (Al-Monitor) Hezbollah's military predictions, according to internal Hezbollah sources who wish to remain anonymous, indicate two areas in Lebanon likely to be the next battlefields of the expected war with the Islamic State (IS). Military Skill and Terrorist Technique Fuel Success of ISIS (New York Times) As fighters for the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria continue to seize territory, the group has quietly built an effective management structure of mostly middle-aged Iraqis, including many military officers under Saddam Hussein, overseeing departments of finance, arms, local governance, military operations and recruitment. Islamic State Fills Coffers From Illicit Economy in Syria, Iraq (Wall Street Journal) The Islamic State runs a self-sustaining economy across territory it controls in Syria and Iraq, pirating oil while exacting tribute from a population of at least eight million, Arab and Western officials said, making it one of the world's richest terror groups and an unprecedented threat. Yazidis still stranded on Mount Sinjar: 'We need weapons now more than food or water' (The Guardian) For the US and its allies, Mount Sinjar is a success story: a humanitarian disaster alleviated by US air power. But hundreds, if not thousands, of Iraqis - mostly sick and old - remain atop the mountain, with no relief on its way. Islamic State Relying More on Suicide Squads (Defense News) Militants with the Islamic State (IS) are increasingly relying on terror tactics and suicide squads, and the method was key in their recent capture of one of Syria's largest air bases, experts say. The Many Ways to Map the Islamic 'State' (The Atlantic) Does ISIS control huge swaths of land or a network of roads? It depends on your definition of 'control.' Islamic State documents takeover of Syrian airbase (Long War Journal) The Islamic State released photographs that document its recent takeover of the Syrian Air Force's base in Tabqa in Raqqah province. INDUSTRYUS Air Force 3DELRR Contract Expected Soon(Defense News) The US Air Force could award the contract for its Three Dimensional Expeditionary Long-Range Radar (3DELRR) program as early as next week, sources tell Defense News. Army's network plan overhauls strategy along with equipment (C4ISR & Networks) The Army's goal is simple: increase operational effectiveness, improve security and be efficient. Getting there is not. The question becomes: How do you connect the global Army across approximately 1.4 million people in nearly 150 countries with the latest capabilities and the highest security? The Army has an answer in the current network-modernization effort. No US Commitment To Russian RD-180 Rocket Engine, Yet (Breaking Defense) When the Air Force issued a Request for Information about an engine to replace the RD-180 it began to look as if they were serious about committing to build the first new rocket engine in decades. Ship to Shore Connector: the USN's New Hovercraft (Defense Industry Daily) Textron Inc. in New Orleans, LA receives a $21.9 million contract modification to build hovercraft 101 of the ship-to-shore connector (SSC) program. This would appear to be the 1st production option under the development contract (July 6/12). $2 million in FY 2014 Navy RDTandE budgets are committed immediately. Security tops Navy PEO-EIS priority list (C4ISR & Networks) Victor Gavin, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Navy's program executive officer for Enterprise Information Systems (PEO EIS). He oversees a $2 billion portfolio of programs designed to enable common business processes and provide standard IT capabilities to the Department of Navy. PEO EIS programs include Navy Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI) and the follow-on Next Generation Enterprise Network (NGEN), as well as enterprise resource planning systems and Department of Navy enterprise software licensing. DARPA awards Boeing contract for Phantom Swift as new VTOL X-Plane (IHS Jane's 360) Boeing has been awarded a USD9.4 million contract modification to continue refining its design of the experimental vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) Phantom Swift X-Plane, according to a 26 August Department of Defense (DoD) announcement. Falcon manpack radio cleared for Top Secret traffic (C4ISR & Networks) Harris Corp.'s Falcon III RF-340M multi-channel manpack radio has received Type-1 NSA certification. This allows the radios to accommodate voice and data traffic up to Top Secret clearance. Rolls-Royce completes power systems acquisition (IHS Jane's 360) UK engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce has completed the purchase of the 50% stake of Rolls-Royce Power Systems (RRPS) held by Germany's Daimler. NGA picks Leidos for mapping production (C4ISR & Networks) Leidos has been awarded a $20 million prime contract by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) to provide mapping production services. Collaboration is the new normal for networks (C4ISR & Networks) There are a number of different partners and stakeholders involved in the military's overarching plan to modernize Defense Department networks and IT, but one central tenet of the broad strategy is standard for everyone involved: Collaboration is the new normal. Longtime newsroom leader Tobias Naegele leaving Gannett Government Media (Military Times) Tobias Naegele, an award-winning editor who led Military Times and Defense News during two wars and spearheaded the newsroom's entrance into the digital age, announced his resignation Wednesday. VETERANSVA 'Oscar the Grouch' training angers vets(Philadelphia Inquirer) The beleaguered Department of Veterans Affairs depicted dissatisfied veterans as Oscar the Grouch in a recent internal training guide, and some vets and VA staffers said Tuesday that they feel trashed. Inspector general censures senior FBI official for remarks about disabled veteran (Washington Post) The Justice Department's inspector general has concluded that a senior FBI official created the impression of witness-tampering during a discrimination lawsuit brought against the bureau by a disabled Army veteran. Changing Memories to Treat PTSD (The Atlantic) A controversial area of brain research suggests it may be possible-but is it ethical? Ala. VA employee accused of sexually abusing patient (Montgomery Advertiser; Ala.) A Veterans Affairs Southeast Network employee who works at the Tuskegee VA medical center and was charged with sexual abuse of a veteran patient in February is still receiving a paycheck. Veterans Affairs to resume performing surgeries on Thursday (Denver Post) The Veterans Affairs Eastern Colorado Health Care System (ECHCS) is restarting selected surgical procedures beginning Thursday. DEFENSE DEPARTMENTOne-third of domestic violence victims in active-duty military families are men(Military Times) Army Special Forces Sgt. Casey Gray clearly recalls the day when his fiancee turned violent. US Spec Ops Command Orders More Saab Recoilless Rifles (Defense News) US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) has signed a contract worth up to $187 million for the purchase of more Carl Gustav recoilless rifles and ammunition from Swedish defense firm Saab. Pay and benefits reform still in limbo (Military Times) In about five months, the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission will unveil its recommendations for a radical overhaul of troops' pay and benefits. New Obama plan calls for implanted computer chips to help U.S. troops heal (Washington Post) When President Obama on Tuesday highlighted 19 executive actions he says he is taking to improve the mental health of U.S. troops and veterans, one of them centered on a particularly novel effort: The development of new computer chips designed to modulate the nervous system to help with everything from arthritis to post-traumatic stress. ARMYAppeal for US soldier convicted in '03 grenade attack in Kuwait(Associated Press) A military appeal hearing was set Thursday for a U.S. soldier sentenced to death for killing two fellow service members and wounding 14 others in a grenade attack in Kuwait nearly 10 years ago. Promotion board: Raters are fudging facts for senior NCOs (Army Times) A recent promotion board tasked with examining the files of first sergeants and master sergeants came upon a stunning realization: Not only were senior NCOs gaining weight to an alarming degree, they were miraculously getting taller. New trial ordered for soldier who says anti-smoking drug drove him to kill (McClatchy) The nation's highest military appeals court on Wednesday ordered a new trial for a soldier who killed a Fresno, Calif., native in a sudden rage allegedly induced by the anti-smoking drug Chantix. Soldier who shot self at base had earned medals (Associated Press) A soldier who barricaded herself in a building at a Virginia base and then fatally shot herself in the head earlier this week was a 33-year-old human resources specialist who had earned Army commendation and good conduct medals in the past, the Army said Wednesday. Foamy mess: Black Hawk helicopters buried at National Guard hangar (Washington Post) Say what you want about the fire-suppression system at the Oklahoma National Guard aviation facility in Tulsa - it definitely works quickly. America's Got Talent' judges slam soldier's Backstreet Boys rendition (Army Times) The "America's Got Talent" judges were not very kind to Spc. Paul Ieti on Tuesday night's semifinals round. NAVYVinson strike group heads to Middle East(Navy Times) About 6,200 sailors with the Carl Vinson carrier strike group departed San Diego Friday for a scheduled nine-month deployment to the Western Pacific and Central Command areas of responsibility. Locklear: Navy tech, legacy fleet must 'bend' to meet future threats (Stars & Stripes) Scientific innovators will need to "bend" elements of the Navy's current technology to meet the force's future needs, the commander of U.S. Pacific Command told a group of international scientists and defense engineers meeting Tuesday in Honolulu. Carrier Eisenhower moved from dry dock to pier (Virginian-Pilot) The carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower left dry dock and was pushed by tug boats to a pier Tuesday at Norfolk Naval Shipyard. Oldest Seabee turned 101 today (Free Press; Kinston, N.C.) SK2 Jerry M. Smith is the oldest living member of the first battalion of the U.S. Navy Seabees. AIR FORCERape case depends on disclosure of emails(Stars & Stripes) A military judge presiding over a closely watched Air Force rape case said he'll dismiss the case unless he's able to review top Air Force officials' email correspondence in which they discussed the matter. After crash in Virginia, a brief history of F-15 fighter jet mishaps (Washington Post) An F-15C fighter jet crashed Wednesday morning near Deerfield, Va., a rural town some 150 miles southwest of Washington, officials say. Details are still slowly emerging, but it appears the aircraft was with the Massachusetts Air National Guard and flying from Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, Mass. Dover Air Force Base to get major runway rebuild (Delaware News Journal) The runways at Dover Air Force Base will undergo a $98.3 million refurbishment over the next 22 months - a massive project that will force the temporary relocation of the base's 18 C-5M cargo jets beginning next summer. Texas trial of Air Guardsman from Goddard on sex charge pushed to Oct. 20 (Wichita Eagle) It's the second time Grimm's trial has been postponed since he was arrested March 29 in Galveston, Texas, on a charge of taking a girl under 18 years old across state lines with the intent of having sex with her, according to court records. MARINE CORPSLejeune mess hall dedicated to Marines who died stopping bomb truck(Marine Corps Times) Two Marines who earned posthumous Navy Crosses for standing in the way of a truck filled with explosives in Iraq will be honored in the renaming of a mess hall on the base they called home. Cave team: Erin Corwin found in unmapped gold mine (Desert Sun; Palm Springs, Calif.) A cave rescue team said the gold mine where Erin Corwin was found is little more than "an anonymous hole in the desert" that has not been worked for decades and is not marked on any maps. Marine mascot Chesty XIV becomes an NCO (Battle Rattle) Looks like America's cuddliest Marine is getting a promotion. AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTANUnity Government Effort in Doubt as Afghan Candidate Boycotts Election Audit(New York Times) American and United Nations officials scrambled to salvage Afghanistan's bitterly contested presidential election on Wednesday after one candidate, Abdullah Abdullah, decided to boycott the internationally brokered audit of the vote. U.S. releases two Yemenis from military prison in Afghanistan (Washington Post) One of the two Yemenis freed from a U.S. military prison in Afghanistan and repatriated Tuesday had been diagnosed with leukemia, a U.S. military official said. Pakistani Leader Sharif Nears Pact With Military (Wall Street Journal) The Pakistani military is close to an agreement with the government in which the prime minister would relinquish control of security affairs and strategic foreign policy, government officials said, amid antigovernment protests that have paralyzed the capital. Skirmishes Put Feeling of Wartime on India-Pakistan Border (New York Times) The habits of wartime have crept back into life here along the border between India and Pakistan. MIDDLE EASTSyrian rebels, al Qaeda-linked militants seize Golan Heights border crossing(CNN) Rebels aided by al Qaeda-linked militants seized control of the only border crossing between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Wednesday. Heavy Use of Banned Cluster Bombs Reported in Syria (New York Times) Cluster bombs, outlawed munitions that kill and maim indiscriminately, have caused more casualties in the Syrian civil war than in the 2006 Lebanon conflict, when Israel's heavy use of the weapons hastened the treaty banning them two years later, a monitoring group said Wednesday. After more than 2,100 deaths, the Gaza war ends where it began (Washington Post) In war, nobody wants to be the last to die. In Gaza, it was the chief of the electric company's maintenance division and his deputy. In Israel, it was a pair of volunteers working a security detail on their kibbutz. Turkey's Ruling Party Elects Davutoglu Prime Minister (Defense News) Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) on Wednesday officially elected Ahmet Davutoglu, foreign minister, as the party's new leader and the country's new prime minister. Iran Altering Reactor in Bid for Nuclear Deal (New York Times) Atomic power engineers in Iran have started redesigning a partly constructed reactor in the northwest city of Arak to limit the amount of plutonium it produces, the country's top nuclear official said Wednesday, expressing hope that the change would help alleviate Western objections that the plutonium could be used in weapons. EUROPERussian and Ukraine troops battle in south, prompting fears that invasion has begun(Washington Post) Fighting between what Ukrainian officials say are Russian troops and the Ukrainian military worsened early Thursday, prompting fears in Ukraine that a Russian invasion of their territory has begun. 'Geography can be tough': Canadian Twitter account pokes fun at Russian soldiers' claims (FlightLines) Canada this week adopted a great sense of humor along with its Burger King takeover. NATO Plans More Visible Presence in Eastern Europe (New York Times) Caught off guard by the crisis in Ukraine, NATO plans to create a "spearhead" rapid deployment force and a "more visible" presence in Eastern Europe to assuage concerns about Russian intentions, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the alliance's secretary general, was quoted as saying on Wednesday. More military exercises to kick off amid fears about Russia (Stars & Stripes) Two large multinational exercises will kick off this week amid fears about a resurgent Russia, the Pentagon announced Wednesday. Russian Soldiers in Ukraine Put Pressure on Putin (Time) With evidence of Russian military activity in Ukraine piling up, how long can Moscow deny its involvement in the ongoing conflict? ASIA-PACIFICU.S., China in Race to Develop Hypersonic Weapons(National Defense) On the heels of reports that China had successfully completed a second ultra-high-speed missile flight test, the Defense Department announced on Aug. 25 that it had aborted a test of its own hypersonic weapon. China and Vietnam Call a Maritime Truce (USNI News) An ongoing dispute over territorial rights in the South China Sea between China and Vietnam may have cooled, following a Wednesday Beijing meeting between both countries, according to reports in Chinese state-run media. Singapore, Australia, US conduct first joint air drill in Northern Territory (IHS Jane's 360) Australia, Singapore, and the United States have begun a groundbreaking trilateral air combat exercise in northern Australia. Australia and Indonesia mending intel differences (Associated Press) Australia and Indonesia have reached a new agreement on how they'll use their intelligence operations in the future, even settling their disagreement on its name. India, Russia kick off first-ever joint air drills (IHS Jane's 360) The Indian and Russian air forces began exercises in Russia's southern Astrakhan region near the Caspian Sea on 25 August, their first drills together despite decades of close defence relations between the two countries. AFRICALibya's New Power Brokers?(Foreign Policy) Libya has moved to center stage in a regional power struggle between the patrons of political Islam and their opponents. This week, U.S. officials briefed several media outlets that Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had secretly conducted airstrikes in the capital, Tripoli, against Islamist-allied militias South Sudan Accuses Rebels of Shooting Down U.N. Helicopter (Wall Street Journal) The government of South Sudan accused rebel fighters on Wednesday of shooting down a United Nations helicopter that crashed in the north of the country the day before, a charge that is expected to fuel tensions between the two warring sides. Response to Ebola chaotic and inadequate, group says (USA Today) International response to the West African Ebola outbreak has been "chaotic and entirely inadequate," according to a statement issued Wednesday by the humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders, which has been treating patients in affected countries for months. WHO explains how a suspected Ebola outbreak spread in Congo (Los Angeles Times) A suspected Ebola outbreak in Central Africa has been traced to a pregnant woman who butchered a slain bush animal that had been given to her husband, the World Health Organization said Wednesday. COMMENTARY AND ANALYSISWhat the Islamic State learned from the U.S. about fighting a war(Brian Castner in The Washington Post) We're caught in a revenge cycle with a death cult, and it's redefining modern warfare. Defeating Baghdadi: The War We Don't Want But Will Have to Fight (Gary Anderson in Small Wars Journal) The reality is that only American boots on the ground can destroy the conventional military power of the self described caliphate and the sanctuary it gives to those who mean to attack our homeland. If we do not destroy the conventional war making capability of the Islamic state to hold ground and provide terrorist sanctuaries, we will suffer the consequences. Don't Start a War Over a Hostage (Jacob Siegel in The Daily Beast) The United States should not be allowing ISIS propaganda and the murder of one American to dictate its foreign policy strategy in the Middle East. Why Islamists Beat Liberals in the Middle East (Maajid Nawaz in War on the Rocks) Few could disagree that the Arab uprisings that first began to sweep across the Middle East and North Africa region at the end of 2010 have been hijacked. For the Future Force, More is Not Always Better (Retired Air Force Col. Eric Jorgensen in Cicero Magazine) In a recent piece called, "The Paradox of American Naval Power," Bryan McGrath laments not being aware of an Executive Branch process to paint a picture of "the Navy we need," as opposed to merely the Navy we can afford. Here's How For-Profit Schools Mislead Veterans (Christopher White in Task & Purpose) Veterans are being aggressively recruited by enrollment counselors, aka recruiters, employed by for-profit colleges who want a slice of the G.I. Bill pie, but are not all upfront about accreditation requirements, degree programs, career placement, and costs. Challenges for the new NGA director (C4ISR & Networks) As Robert Cardillo returns to his roots this fall as the new chief at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, he opens a unique opportunity to advance the geospatial intelligence mission. Not only is Cardillo a former NGA Director of Source Operations and Director of Analysis, but he also began his government career as an imagery analyst there in 1983. He knows geospatial intelligence and the Washington intelligence community inside and out. Opinion: A New Era in Anti-Submarine Warfare (Lt. Cmdr. Jeff W. Benson, USN) China and Russia's submarine forces are flexing their prowess in the undersea domain by operating further from their respective country's homeport - in some cases within striking distance of the United States. Editorial: Unpacking DISA's Forecast to Industry (C4ISR & Networks) Most military organizations are in receive mode when it comes to dealing with industry. A few, though, including the Army's Program Executive Office for Command, Control and Communications-Tactical (PEO C3T) and the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), reach out to industry at least on an annual basis to let it know what requirements, RFIs/RFPs and priorities can be expected in the coming year. | |||||
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