News
Documents reveal US military’s frustration with White House, diplomats over Afghanistan evacuation
(Washington Post) An Army investigative report, numbering 2,000 pages and released to The Washington Post through a Freedom of Information Act request, details the life-or-death decisions made daily by U.S. soldiers and Marines sent to secure Hamid Karzai International Airport as thousands converged on the airfield in a frantic bid to escape.
Air Force fought families of Texas church shooting victims ‘tooth and nail,’ lawyer says
(Military.com) Despite the Air Force admitting that a mistake had allowed the gunman, Devin P. Kelley, to fall through the cracks, the service has made it difficult for survivors and family members to get financial closure, one of the lawyers who represented the families told Military.com.
US advance troops arrive in Romania
About 100 U.S. service members have arrived in Romania to lay the groundwork for a follow-on force that is deploying to reassure allies worried about potential Russian aggression, Romanian officials said Feb. 8.
‘Hand of Russia’ visible in African coups says AFRICOM boss
“I think I have received reports of Russian involvement at least in Sudan in the not too distant past,” AFRICOM Commander Gen. Stephen Townsend said.
Russia sends warships toward Black Sea as Europe ramps up Ukraine crisis diplomacy
U.S. and European officials worry that Russian military exercises scheduled to start Feb. 10 could provide cover for a sudden strike against Ukraine.
Business
For the first time, Black Hawk helicopter flies without anyone aboard
A UH-60 Alpha-model Black Hawk helicopter flew for the first time entirely unmanned as part of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System (ALIAS) program, Sikorsky announced Feb. 8.
US approves support deal with Taiwan for Patriot missiles
The Biden administration has approved a $100 million support contract with Taiwan aimed at boosting the island’s missile defense systems as it faces increasing pressure from China.
Defense
Marines likely won’t gender-integrate boot camp at the platoon level
The Marine Corps has been the one military service holdout to full gender integration at boot camp.
Air Force policies are driving airmen to take their own lives
There are multiple disincentives and penalties written into Air Force policies making it more difficult to seek mental health treatment.
Russia, inflation and Washington gridlock: Biden’s next defense budget is still a big question mark
If Russian President Vladimir Putin invades Ukraine, defense analysts anticipate growth in the U.S. troop presence in Europe that would trigger a supplemental defense funding request to Congress.
US Navy should view space, power margins as a ‘warfighting capability’ worth paying for
If the Navy wants its future combatants to succeed in a missile-to-missile fight, engineers need to leave significant space and power margins for future radars, directed-energy weapons and large-missile launchers.
Light Fighter is the Air Force’s manned-unmanned team solution
For an Air Force that wants to be ready to wage an effective air campaign against Russia or China without losing lots of expensive aircraft and pilots, manned-unmanned teaming offers an important avenue forward.†
Veterans
Fewer veterans were in homeless shelters last year. Was COVID the reason?
Federal officials saw a 10 percent decrease in sheltered homeless veterans in January 2021.
This Marine vet has seen off and welcomed home soldiers from combat for decades
A U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served from 1970 to 1984 and fought in Vietnam, Roland Rochester never misses an opportunity to send troops off as they deploy, or welcome them back to Fort Bragg when they return.