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, 5 Aug 2014 04:38:09 -0600
COMPILED BY THE EDITORS OF DEFENSE NEWS & MILITARY TIMES
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TODAY'S TOP 51. Top 100 for 2014(Defense News) This list, which reflects 2013 figures, was published Aug. 4, 2014. Currency conversions for non-US firms were calculated using average market conversion rates over each firm's fiscal year to mitigate the effects of currency fluctuations. 2. Cowpens' bizarre cruise (Navy Times) The cruiser's CO seldom left in-port cabin during second half of ship's deployment, report found 3. Military services seeking innovative ways to attract highly skilled recruits (Walter Pincus in The Washington Post) The military services are looking at innovative ways to change their personnel systems to boost the recruitment and retention of skilled people. The services are considering steps such as starting people at higher ranks and providing career paths that might include going in and out of the service. 4. The White House Must Delegate More National Security, Officials Say (DefenseOne) From the Gaza war to Ukraine, Iraq, Syria and the Afghan elections, there are so many conflicts occurring at once that the Obama administration's tight-gripped method of handling global crises at the top is starting to show cracks. 5. As disability awards grow, so do concerns with veracity of PTSD claims (Los Angeles Times) The 49-year-old veteran explained that he suffered from paranoia in crowds, nightmares and unrelenting flashbacks from the Iraq war. He said he needed his handgun to feel secure and worried that he would shoot somebody. DEFENSE NEWS WITH VAGO MURADIANGaza, Israel, Ukraine, Russia -- What Comes Next?A Defense News Roundtable Discussion Congress and Defense Spending Vago's Notebook ISRAELI GROUND OPERATIONS IN GAZANew Truce Reported in Gaza Conflict as Israel Winds Military Operation Down(New York Times) Claiming it had achieved most of its objectives and pressured by Western allies to stop causing civilian casualties in Gaza, Israel moved to wind down its operations there on Monday - either unilaterally or through a new Egyptian-brokered accord announced late in the day. Israel pulls all troops from Gaza (USA Today) Israel's military said Tuesday it has withdrawn all of its troops from Gaza, effectively wrapping up its ground operation, although the situation is still volatile and the four-week-old conflict has not ended. After 4 Weeks, Israel Reverts to Initial War Tactics (Defense News) After 17 days of deadly ground maneuvers primarily devoted to the unexpected need to destroy Hamas' underground tunnel network, Israel's Protective Edge operation is reverting largely to stand-off strikes from air, sea and land forces. The woman heading the Shin Bet revolution (Jersualem Post) As talk of UN investigations, International Criminal Court trials and complaints about the sufficiency of Israel's investigations of complaints against it has spiked during the current Gaza war, unprecedented scrutiny is expected to return to all aspects of Israel's investigations of itself, including the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency.) INDUSTRYInterview: Marillyn Hewson, Chairman, President and CEO of Lockheed Martin(Defense News) Since taking the reins at Lockheed Martin 18 months ago, Marillyn Hewson has stamped her mark on the company where she's worked for 30 years Navy Awards Deal to Plan for Carrier Defueling (DoD Buzz) The service's Sea Systems Command on Friday issued a $50 million contract to Newport News, Virginia-based Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. in preparation of defueling the USS George Washington (CVN-73), a Nimitz-class carrier commissioned in 1992, according to the announcement. EAPS to resume flight trials (IHS Jane's 360) A new series of flight tests for the Lockheed Martin Extended Area Protection and Survivability (EAPS) missile will begin in August and are expected to continue towards the end of this year. The company hopes that these trials will demonstrate that despite being designed to meet a tight cost target, the missile will prove effective and efficient. SpaceX to Launch Commercial Rockets in Texas (Wall Street Journal) SpaceX, the space-transport company founded by entrepreneur Elon Musk, plans to build the world's first exclusively commercial orbital launch pad just northeast of Brownsville along the Gulf of Mexico, Texas officials and SpaceX announced on Monday. Germany Blocks the Delivery Of Military Parts to Russia (New York Times) The German government, increasing the economic pressure on Russia over its involvement in Ukraine, has blocked delivery of parts for a high-tech military training center that was to be completed in Russia by the end of the year, a spokeswoman for the Economics Ministry said Monday. South Korea Gives KAI A Chance In Global Rotary-Wing Market (Aviation Week) In Japan, three companies build helicopters, thanks to government contracts that have been spread among them for more than half a century. The result is that none of them has the single large-scale rotorcraft business that the country could support if it chose just one manufacturer. Turkey Targets $1.6 Billion in Arms Exports (Defense News) Turkey aims to reach $1.6 billion in arms exports this year, up 14.3 percent from $1.4 billion in 2013, Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz said Aug. 1. India registers increase in defence offset agreements (IHS Jane's 360) India has registered an increase in the number of defence offset contracts concluded by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), although newly published figures show New Delhi is still far behind previously announced offset targets. VETERANSPost-9/11 GI Bill turns 5(Military Times) Seventy years ago, the original GI Bill provided a bridge to the middle class for veterans returning from war who may have otherwise found limited opportunity in the civilian world. Five years into the Post-9/11 GI Bill era, this newest incarnation has done much the same, veterans education officials said. For whistleblowers, a bold move can be followed by one to department basement (Washington Post) On her 71st workday in the basement, Paula Pedene had something fun to look forward to. She had an errand to run, up on the first floor. VA reform bill saves program for veterans with TBI (Stars & Stripes) President Barack Obama on Thursday will sign into law landmark reform of the troubled Department of Veterans Affairs, but the stroke of his executive pen will also save an unrelated effort to rehabilitate veterans with traumatic brain injuries. Widow seeks help with Vietnam veteran's funeral (Fayetteville Observer) The widow of a Vietnam veteran is turning to the community for help after the death of her husband. CONGRESSObama expected to sign bill allowing more Afghans to immigrate(Military Times) Just hours before closing up for summer break, Congress opened up a door for more Afghan civilians to immigrate to America. Iraq, Afghanistan War Vets Target the Senate in 2014 (National Journal) If Republicans take the Senate in November, it could be thanks to two candidates who could form their own first-of-its-kind caucus: combat veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan elected to the Senate. Lawmakers travel to Israel amid fighting (The Hill) A bipartisan group of seven lawmakers is in Israel to assess the conflict with Hamas, now entering its fourth week. During Africa Summit, a Rare D.C. Species Is Spotted: Bipartisanship (National Journal) In other parts of Washington, participants in the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit were talking Monday about how to save the endangered pygmy hippopotamus, the black rhinoceros, and the Ethiopian wolf. But on Capitol Hill, something even more threatened was on display-bipartisanship. There, in the Kennedy Caucus Room of the Russell Senate Office Building, Republicans and Democrats met with the visiting African leaders here for their three-day summit with President Obama. Retired Gen. McChrystal endorses congressional hopeful Moulton (Boston Globe) And retired Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the one-time special operations guru who became the top general overseeing the war effort in Afghanistan, offered his backing to congressional candidate Seth Moulton, saying he had the kind of "character" members of Congress need. DEFENSE DEPARTMENTGovernment to halt housing undocumented children at DoD bases - for now(Military Times) The U.S. government is winding down its use of Defense Department installations to temporarily house undocumented children, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services told Military Times. Getting on Military Bases is About to Involve FBI Background Checks (NextGov) Members of the defense community, starting this Friday, automatically will be screened against the FBI's criminal database when they try enter military installations and pulled aside if the system shows an arrest, felony or outstanding warrant. Poor college grades mean you may have to repay TA (Military Times) Troops may begin to think twice before tapping tuition assistance benefits starting this fall when new Pentagon rules will require more service members who get bad grades to repay their tuition money with out-of-pocket cash. ARMYForced-out colonels can stay in longer with waiver of law(Army Times) Regular Army colonels who are selected for involuntary early retirement by a board that meets in November will be given an extra few months on active duty under a waiver of federal law approved by Army Secretary John McHugh. In supersecret cyberwar game, civilian-sector techies pummel active-duty cyberwarriors (Military Times) When the military's top cyberwarriors gathered last year inside a secretive compound at Fort Meade, Maryland, for a classified war game exercise, a team of active-duty troops faced off against several teams of reservists. Black officers dismissed at greater rate than whites (USA Today) The forced culling of majors from Army ranks is taking a bigger toll on black officers than those from any other ethnic group, according to Army personnel documents. Special Forces staff sgt. dies in Afghanistan (Army Times) A soldier died on Sunday in Afghanistan due to a non-combat incident while on patrol, the Defense Department announced Monday. US Army successfully tests electronic jamming capability for Gray Eagle UAS (IHS Jane's 360) The US Army conducted flight testing of an unmanned airborne electronic attack capability known as Networked Electronic Warfare Remotely Operated (NERO) onboard the General Atomics MQ-1C Gray Eagle. Instant promotions: Switch jobs and make sergeant, staff sergeant (Army Times) Seven priority MOSs have been approved for automatic promotions to sergeant and staff sergeant for qualified soldiers of the Regular Army. Military identifies 21st TSC soldier killed in Germany car crash (Stars & Stripes) The military has identified the 20-year-old soldier killed in a weekend car accident near Kaiserslautern, who German police say was thrown from the car when it rolled over. Medical, dental officers named for promotion to lt. col. (Army Times) Medical, dental officers named for promotion to lt. col. NAVY3-star nominated to head Fleet Forces Command(Navy Times) The 6th Fleet boss has been tapped to return to the states to helm the Norfolk-based Fleet Forces Command, the Defense Department announced Monday. Hundreds of Navy plebes meet sponsor families (Capital Gazette; Md.) Twins Michael and Patrick McGuire, 5, jumped excitedly Sunday as they looked up at the bright white uniform of Naval Academy plebe Javarri Beachum. - See more at: http://www.capitalgazette.com/news/naval_academy/ph-ac-navy-sponsors-20140804,0,2269734.story#sthash.EpLuO5zz.dpuf Navy and NASA Team Up For More Orion Capsule Recovery Tests (USNI News) The U.S. Navy and NASA are currently conducting a second round of at sea testing on board USS Anchorage (LPD-23) to learn how to recover NASA's newest manned spacecraft, service officials told USNI News on Monday. AIR FORCEEUCOM Reviewing Air Ops After Russian 'Attempted Engagement' Of U.S. Jet(USNI News) An "attempted engagement" of a U.S. surveillance plane by Russian fighters in the skies above eastern Europe has prompted leaders at U.S. European Command to reevaluate its air operations tactics in the region, according to Pentagon officials. USAF stands up new helicopter group to support ICBM forces (IHS Jane's 360) The US Air Force (USAF) has stood up its newly created 20th Air Force (AF) Helicopter Operations Group (HOG), as it looks to improve the mission effectiveness and moralle of its nuclear missile forces. Despite pall of Sager's death, friends gather to rejoice in his life (Buffalo News) "He was in the middle of the New York State troopers selection process," said David Castiglia, who served with Sager in the 107th Airlift Wing of the National Guard in Niagara Falls. MARINE CORPSDwell time dwindling: Corps expects intensifying operational tempo(Marine Corps Times) As the Corps continues to drop its numbers closer to an end strength of 175,000, the top general expects operational tempo to intensify across the service. Trial of Marine vet continues in TJ (San Diego Union-Tribune) The trial of a former U.S. Marine being held without bail in Mexico on federal weapons charges continued in Tijuana on Monday, with expected testimony of the two Customs inspectors who initially searched his vehicle as he entered Mexico. Osprey flights expanding across Japan (Marine Corps Times) Despite a checkered history, nearly two years after the first MV-22B arrived in Japan, the head of the Okinawa-based 1st Marine Aircraft Wing is praising how the aircraft and its long range has spawned a transition in Marine aviation in the region, one that has caught the attention of allies in the Asia-Pacific region. Marine Corps to Retire UH-1N Helicopters in September; HH-1Ns in 2015 (Seapower) The Marine Corps will say goodbye to a long-serving utility helicopter type in September as it retires its last UN-1N Iroquois, almost universally known as the "Huey," after 43 years of service. The UH-1N is being replaced by the UH-1Y Venom, a highly upgraded version of the UH-1N. IRAQTunneling through triangle of death, Islamic State aims at Baghdad from south(Reuters) Using secret tunnels built by Saddam Hussein and rough terrain to outfox Iraqi troops, Islamic State insurgents are getting dangerously close to Baghdad with the support of heavily-armed Sunni tribesmen, Iraqi security and intelligence officials said. Iraqi government offers Kurds air support against militants (Los Angeles Times) The Iraqi government said Monday it would offer air support to Kurdish forces fighting to push back Islamist rebels who in recent days have seized new swaths of territory in northern Iraq. Islamic State seizes town of Sinjar, pushing out Kurds and sending Yazidis fleeing (Washington Post) The ancient northern Iraqi town of Sinjar emptied Sunday, with thousands of people fleeing on foot as Sunni extremist militants made their first significant punches through the defenses of overstretched Kurdish forces. Iraqi volunteers ill-prepared to fight IS (Al-Monitor) A popular mobilization is occurring in Iraq in response to the "righteous jihad" fatwa issued three days after the Islamic State (IS) occupied Mosul on July 10. The doubt inside Iraq's Sunni "revolution" (Reuters) Crown prince Ali Hatem Suleiman leads one of the biggest factions fighting Iraq's government. Can he live with his extremist Islamist allies? Militants fight for control of key Iraqi dams (USA Today) Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki authorized air support to help beleaguered Kurdish forces in the north, his government announced Monday, as Islamic militants battled for control of two dams that would allow the insurgents to trigger havoc with massive flooding. India Shaken by Case of Muslim Men Missing in Iraq (New York Times) For more than a decade, as alienated young Muslim men from all over the world left home to fight on the side of Islamists in distant conflicts, it has been a truism that they were not coming from India, a country whose participatory politics and preoccupation with nearby enemies seemed to make it an exception. AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTANAirstrike in Herat leaves 4 members of a family dead(Khaama Press) According to local authorities in western Herat province of Afghanistan, at least four civilians were killed following an airstrike in Shindand district late Monday. Pentagon selling - and scrapping - equipment in Afghanistan (Washington Post) Sorting through the remnants of the United States' longest war, Lt. Joe Mannor has seen it all. There are heaps of old, dusty laptops, tangled telephone cables and battery packs; Danielle Steel novels and a copy of a "Curious George" children's book; and inexplicable items, including a tiny hand-held drone of mysterious origin and purpose. Herat police chief accuses Iran of ramping up attacks in western Afghanistan (Long War Journal) General Samiullah Qatrah said on Aug. 3 that Taliban fighters recently captured by security forces admitted that Iran is backing the network, which has killed 11 policemen, soldiers, civilians, and two Finnish aid workers in Herat over the past 11 days. Report: 2nd largest Afghan city could go dark when U.S. subsidies end (McClatchy) Residents of Afghanistan's second largest city could go without power when U.S. subsidies for diesel fuel phase out next year, according to a report released Tuesday by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. Pakistan denies plans to deploy troops to Saudi Arabia (Defense News) Pakistan has denied a media report that it has deployed or has plans to do so to protect ally Saudi Arabia from the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). MIDDLE EASTNear Syrian border, US troops guard against missiles - and monotony(Stars & Stripes) Spc. Kayla Eckman has protective eyes over this city of 1.5 million people, guarding against any incoming missiles from Syria, which lies just over the horizon. 'White Shrouds' mobilize against ISIS in Syria (Daily Star; Lebanon) Last month's sweeping territorial gains by militants from ISIS in Deir al-Zor province have generated a fierce counter-offensive by locals, organized loosely in "popular resistance" groups that are targeting the ultra-extremists. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an anti-regime group based in Britain, reported Sunday on the uptick in violence against ISIS. Wiretapped: Israel Eavesdropped on John Kerry in Mideast Talks (Der Spiegel) New information indicates that Israeli intelligence eavesdropped on telephone conversations by US Secretary of State John Kerry. Sources told SPIEGEL the government then used the information obtained from the calls during negotiations in the Mideast conflict. EUROPEUkrainian troops cross into Russia to avoid fighting, talks underway(Reuters) Ukraine said on Monday it was in talks with Moscow over the return of 311 Ukrainian soldiers and border guards who had been forced by fighting with separatists to cross into Russia. Russia Launches Military Exercises In Central, Western Regions (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Russian military officials say they have launched four days of military exercises in central and western regions of Russia, including most of western Russian and areas that border Ukraine. East Ukraine city dying under siege (Associated Press) Residents say the eastern Ukrainian city of Luhansk is dying. The power grid was completely down Monday, the city government said, and fuel is running dry. A Wounded Volunteer for Ukraine Languishes in Rebel Cell (Wall Street Journal) Oleg Mamiyev, a Russian citizen with a beard and a lazy eye, descended a crooked flight of stairs into a basement on a rebel base here and unlocked a chain-link trapdoor to show off a prisoner. Czech Foreign Minister Says EU Must Act as Russia Has Turned Unpredictable (Wall Street Journal) The Czech foreign minister said Friday that Russia must be punished for destabilizing Ukraine because failure to contain it might encourage Moscow to replicate its behavior in other European countries. Dmitry Rogozin and the Great Twitter War of 2014 (Intercepts) The man in charge of Russia's military-industrial base, Rogozin has been on Twitter for quiet some time, but truly emerged into the spotlight as a vocal voice for Russian President Vladimir Putin following the February invasion of Crimea. ASIA-PACIFICChina Developing Capability To Kill Satellites, Experts Say(Defense News) US defense experts and the US State Department are describing China's successful July 23 so-called "anti-missile test" as another anti-satellite test (ASAT). Philippines Gives Hefty Jail Terms to 12 Chinese Fishermen (Voice of America) A court in the Philippines has given long jail sentences to 12 Chinese fishermen for fishing illegally in the South China Sea. Indian Air Force Jaguar lost on training sortie (IHS Jane's 360) An Indian Air Force (IAF) SEPECAT Jaguar strike aircraft crashed during a routine training sortie in the western coastal province of Gujarat on 2 August, national media reported. Ex-Kyrgyz President Doesn't Return For Brother's Funeral (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Reports from Kyrgyzstan say the country's ousted former president, Askar Akaev, will not attend the funeral of his older brother, Bolot, in Bishkek. AFRICAPlane that landed on African highway carrying U.S. troops gets dismantled(Washington Post) When a cargo plane landed on a Ugandan highway last month carrying U.S. troops, it grabbed attention and shed light on the low-key way in which American forces travel through Africa to carry out missions. But there's more to the story: The aircraft will be dismantled, likely because it can't fly from the same location again. New Nigeria videos show abuses: Amnesty report (Associated Press) Graphic new video footage from northeastern Nigeria shows the country's military carrying out abuses against civilians as part of their fight against the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram, Amnesty International said Tuesday. The international human rights group also accused the military of killing of more than 600 released prisoners. Biden tells African leaders at summit that attacking corruption is good for business (Washington Post) Corruption is a "cancer" that blocks opportunities for African nations seeking international investment, Vice President Biden said Monday, as the Obama administration welcomed African leaders for talks aimed at broadening American business relationships on the continent. Lax Quarantine Undercuts Ebola Fight in Africa (New York Times) The house was supposed to be under strict quarantine. Meals were to be delivered by the health department. Nobody was to go in or out. COMMENTARY AND ANALYSISHow to Fix It(Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former Irish President Mary Robinson in Foreign Policy) Ending this war in Gaza begins with recognizing Hamas as a legitimate political actor. A Second Chance on Nuclear Modernization (Bob Butterworth in Breaking Defense) Thanks to the Navy, we now have a chance to build a force posture better suited to meeting our future nuclear challenges. A Bold Maritime Strategy for Taiwan (Patrick Cronin in War on the Rocks) Taiwan's future security hinges on developing a new maritime strategy of active diplomacy and asymmetric defense. Although President Ma Ying-jeou has initiated creative peace proposals amid rising maritime tensions in Asia, Taiwan's voice has largely been ignored. U.S. and China's Dangerous Slide Into Coercive Diplomacy (David M. Lampton in Real Clear Defense) 2010 is a year to remember in U.S.-China relations. Since the second decade of the 21st century, the very strategic foundation of the relationship has undergone incremental erosion - five or so years later the cumulative result is serious. A US-Vietnam Alliance? Not So Fast. (Teddy Pham in The Diplomat) Expectations that Hanoi will enter Washington's embrace appear unrealistic as the pro-Chinese camp prevails in Vietnam. A Fight for Narratives in the Battle Against Extremism (Jennifer Jefferis in Small Wars Journal) In a world where power is often interpreted as the ability to exert kinetic influence over one's enemies, it is important not to ignore a very different sort of battle space: the fight over perceptions and the struggle to influence ideas. In this arena, narratives can be every bit as powerful as physical force, but where physical force is often a tangible battle for territorial dominance; narratives are an intangible battle for legitimacy. How to Respond to Russian Violations of the INF Treaty (Thomas C. Moore in War on the Rocks) According to the State Department, Russia has fired a ground-launched cruise missile (GLCM) banned by the 1988 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty or INF. The Risk of a New Cold War (Igor Ivanov and Sir Malcolm Rifkind in The New York Times) Russian and Western perspectives on the crisis in Ukraine are bound to diverge, but the tragedy of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 should bring us together | |||||
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