One U.S. military member killed in Afghanistan
The U.S. military says one service member has been killed in action in Afghanistan.
Twenty-three-year-old Spec. James A. Slape from Morehead City, N.C., died Oct. 4 as a result of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device in Helmand Province. The incident is under investigation.
Slape was assigned to the 60th Troop Command of the North Carolina Army National Guard of Washington, N.C.
The U.S. military mission in Afghanistan is focused mainly on supporting and advising Afghan forces, as well fighting al Qaeda and other extremist groups like the Islamic State’s affiliate in eastern Afghanistan.
The Pentagon says there are about 14,000 American troops in Afghanistan. AP
American general says Afghan battlefield losses are rising
Afghan military and police forces had higher numbers of battlefield casualties in a “difficult and bloody summer” of fighting the Taliban insurgency, the American general overseeing the war said Oct. 4.
Army Gen. Joseph Votel, the commander of U.S. Central Command, told reporters at the Pentagon that the Afghan losses are “an area of important focus” by the newly installed U.S. commander in Kabul, Army Gen. Scott Miller. Votel did not say how many Afghan troops have been killed this year but noted that Afghan officials have said the casualties will not deter them.
At the request of the Afghan government, the U.S. military command in Kabul does not publicly reveal numbers of Afghan combat losses. But Votel’s comments suggest the trend is worrisome, even if the Afghan government continues to insist that it can sustain this pace of casualties.
At the end of 2014, U.S. forces stopped taking a direct role in ground combat against the Taliban and shifted to what they call an advise-and-assist role. Since then, Afghan forces have taken heavy losses even though they outnumber the Taliban and are supported by U.S. forces. The Taliban benefit from sanctuary in parts of neighboring Pakistan.
Shortly before Votel began speaking by telephone from his headquarters in Tampa, Fla., Miller’s command announced that one American service member was killed in action in Afghanistan. The announcement provided no details, and Votel declined to say anything beyond calling it a combat loss.
Votel said more would be disclosed after the service member’s family was notified of the loss. It was the seventh U.S. combat death in Afghanistan this year. The most recent had been Sept. 3 when Army Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy A. Bolyard, 42, of Thornton, West Virginia, was shot to death by a member of the Afghan national police in Logar province.
The announcement from Kabul said the America death was under investigation. In line with standard practice, the name of the person will not be officially released until 24 hours after family members have been notified.
“Initial reports that I have seen are that this is as a result of combat action, and not a result of anything else that you have seen,” Votel said.
The Pentagon says there are about 14,000 American troops in Afghanistan. AP
Scientists: U.S. military program could be seen as bioweapon
A research arm of the U.S. military is exploring the possibility of deploying insects to alter plants’ genes. Some experts say the work may be seen as a potential biological weapon.
In a paper in Science, the authors say the U.S. needs to provide greater justification about the peace-time purpose of its Insect Allies project to avoid being perceived as hostile to other countries.
The military research agency says it has been open about its goal to protect the nation’s food supply from threats like drought, crop disease and bioterrorism. It says the State Department was briefed to ensure the work doesn’t violate international treaties.
The project differs from genetically modified seeds because it seeks to alter crops already growing in fields. AP
Remains of missing Vietnam war pilot from Texas identified
The remains of a Navy pilot from West Texas will be returned to his family more than 50 years after he and his jet disappeared during a Vietnam War combat photo mission.
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency on Oct. 4 announced identification of Navy Reserve Cmdr. Charles B. Goodwin of Haskell, Texas. Burial will be Oct. 12 in Abilene.
Officials say Goodwin was 25 years old on Sept. 8, 1965, when he flew an RF-8A off the USS Coral Sea. Goodwin minutes later reported being in thunderstorms. That was his last transmission.
Searches turned up nothing.
A Vietnamese refugee in 1988 provided information on possible remains. Officials in late 2016 received remains that had been with a Vietnamese national.
Lab tests identified Goodwin. He was accounted for in May 2017. AP
Seven arrested in anti-drone protest at USAF base outside Vegas
Several peace activists have been arrested in a demonstration at a U.S. Air Force base outside Las Vegas against the use of drones for killing in the war in Afghanistan.
Organizers of the effort at Creech Air Force Base in Indian Springs say seven anti-drone protesters were arrested on Oct. 4. They say those arrested were transported to the Clark County Jail.
It’s the fourth year in a row a coalition of groups including Veterans for Peace and Code Pink have staged week-long protests there in October.
The critics say the Creech-based operators of the remote-controlled, unmanned aircraft in Afghanistan can’t tell if they’re targeting terrorists or civilians. They say thousands of civilians have been killed there, including women and children. AP
U.S. admiral urges Russia to observe NATO exercise
The U.S. Navy admiral who will command a major NATO military exercise meant to simulate the alliance’s response to a theoretical Russian attack on Norway is urging Russia to accept an invitation to send observers.
Adm. James Foggo told reporters at the Pentagon on Oct. 5 that he thinks Russia will want to be there. He said that by observing the defensive maneuvers, called Trident Juncture, the Russians would learn more about NATO’s capabilities. The NATO exercise begins Oct. 25
The exercises will involve 45,000 troops from the U.S. and other NATO member countries, plus Sweden and Finland, which cooperate with the alliance but are not members. Also involved will be about 150 aircraft, more than 60 ships and 10,000 military vehicles.
Foggo said it’s the largest NATO exercise since 2002. AP
‘Debut of SpaceX, Boeing crew capsules off until next year
The debut of SpaceX and Boeing crew capsules is off until next year.
NASA said that the first commercial test flights have slipped from late this year into next. SpaceX is shooting for a January shakedown of its Dragon capsule, without anyone on board. Boeing is aiming for a March trial run of its Starliner capsule, also minus astronauts.
Those tests would be followed by flights with crews next summer. SpaceX is targeting June and Boeing, August. That would be eight years after astronauts last rocketed into orbit from the U.S.
Since the retirement of NASA’s shuttles in 2011, U.S. astronauts have had to rely on Russian capsules to get to and from the International Space Station. Soyuz tickets have cost more than $81 million apiece.
NASA stresses these latest launch dates are subject to still more change.
“These are new spacecraft, and the engineering teams have a lot of work to do before the systems will be ready to fly,” NASA’s commercial spaceflight development director, Phil McAlister, said in a statement Oct. 4. AP