Thousands Of Troops Get $2,500 Tax Break
(Army Times) Thousands of troops including many high-level officers are pocketing extra cash each year by invoking a federal tax credit that was designed to help low-income families.
The Fallout From America's Way Of War
(Washington Post) One author is a liberal pundit on the MSNBC television network. The other is a professor at the University of Southern California Law School. Both writers grapple with the same critical questions about contemporary military affairs and have arrived at comparable conclusions.
Review: Changes Needed In Guard, Reserve Pay
(Yahoo.com) America's citizen soldiers, who train in their hometowns for a weekend a month and two weeks a year, receive more money for one day of training at home than their fellow National Guard and Reserve members earn for a day serving in the war zone.
23 States Ease Professional Licensing For Spouses
(Army Times) Twelve more states have adopted laws to make it easier for military spouses to have portable careers, more than doubling the number since February, when first lady Michelle Obama began to draw attention to the issue.
Persistent Patrol
(Aviation Week & Space Technology) Maritime patrol is a mission as old as the naval service, but with the advent of the unmanned MQ-4C Triton, the seagoing version of the Global Hawk, the U.S. Navy plans to elevate this definition to an entirely new level.
. 'Regulatory Holiday' Could Soften Defense Cuts
(Aviation Week & Space Technology) There is a perfect fiscal storm brewing which some have been slow to recognize and has already reached our shores. The most significant element is the Category 5 hurricane known as sequestration. Mandated by the Budget Control Act passed last year days before the U.S. credit-rating downgrade, sequestration mandates significant cuts to both defense and discretionary domestic federal spending. It happens on Jan. 2, is automatic and can only be altered by a change in the law.
Military Pay Higher Than Ever Compared To Civilian Wages
(Military.com) As private sector salaries flattened over the last decade, military pay climbed steadily, enough so that by 2009 pay and allowances for enlisted members exceeded the pay of 90 percent of private sector workers of similar age and education level.
F-16 Transfer Debate Highlights Flaws In Senate?s Decision-Making
(Air Force Times) Many people, including airmen, wish the Senate were run as efficiently as the Air Force.
Awards Database Will Help Reclaim Stolen Valor
(Army Times) In striking down the Stolen Valor Act, the Supreme Court wasnt siding with the innumerable fakers who claim combat awards and other military distinctions they never earned.
U.S. Resists Changes To Afghan Projects
(Washington Post) The United States is spending $92 million to build Afghanistan a new "Pentagon," a massive five-story military headquarters with domed roofs and a high-tech basement command center that will link Afghan generals with their troops fighting the Taliban across the country.
Turkey Holds Firm On Its Downed Jet
(Wall Street Journal) Turkey on Sunday reiterated its position that Syria shot down its jet in international airspace, denying an article in The Wall Street Journal Saturday that cited U.S. officials who said the plane was most likely downed with shore-based antiaircraft guns over Syrian waters.
Syria Transition Plan Falters
(Wall Street Journal) A plan by world powers for a Syrian political transition appeared doomed Sunday, with Bashar al-Assad's regime interpreting the outcome as a fresh lifeline from Russiaits principal international backerwhile the lack of any reference in the plan to Mr. Assad's departure from office angered the Syrian opposition.
Clinton: 'Everyone' Is Worried About Syria
(NPR) The United States reached an agreement with Russia and other world powers yesterday to try to create a transitional government in Syria after months of bloodshed. But Russia, a close ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, opposed U.S. insistence that the Syrian leader should go. The deal was quickly dismissed by the Syrian rebels. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton came back from Geneva last night but before she got on her plane, she sat down with NPR's Michele Kelemen.
Iran Plans War Games As Oil Embargo Begins
(Los Angeles Times) As a European Union oil embargo took effect, a defiant Iran said Sunday that it was beginning a new round of war games that would involve firing missiles at models of foreign air bases.
Earliest Care Key To Cut Combat Deaths
(USA Today) About one of every four U.S. servicemembers killed in combat in Iraq or Afghanistan in the past decade -- about 1,000 people -- might have survived with more advanced combat medicine on the battlefield, according to an Army study.
Virginia Woman Has Sent More Than 7,300 Care Packages To Wounded Troops
(CBS) With the 4th of July coming next week, we end tonight with an American who loves her country as much as anyone we know. For her, its not about wearing her patriotism on her sleeves. Its about rolling them up.
On Day Off, They Continue To Serve
(Boston Globe) Anthony Murphy has served in the Navy for nearly eight years. Visiting Boston this week for Navy Week, the 27-year-old boatswain's mate second class from North Carolina, was on a liberty day. He could have been doing anything he wanted on a warm, sunny Sunday afternoon. He used his day off to serve.
'Green Fleet' Sails, Meets Stiff Headwinds In Congress
(Reuters.com) A U.S. Navy oiler slipped away from a fuel depot on the Puget Sound in Washington state one recent day, headed toward the central Pacific and into the storm over the Pentagon's controversial green fuels initiative.
Q&A With Parris Island's First Female Commanding General
(Marine Corps Times) Brig. Gen. Lori Reynolds made Marine Corps history last year when she became the first woman to take command of the services fabled recruit training facility at Parris Island, S.C., a defining moment in a career that began in the 1980s at the U.S. Naval Academy, where she studied political science and played basketball for the Midshipmen.
Valor Ruling Splits Military Veterans
(Washington Post) Jack Jacobs can proudly -- and truthfully -- say he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his valor in Vietnam. After a recent Supreme Court ruling,
America's 'Pacific Pivot' Craze
(Los Angeles Times) Is there any organization outside of Hollywood more prey to intellectual fads than the Department of Defense?
Afghan IEDs Kill Fewer Troops
(USA Today) U.S.-led troop deaths from makeshift bombs in Afghanistan are dropping sharply even though the number of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted by insurgents are near record levels, Pentagon data show.
Brigades Battle For Control Of Taliban Homeland
(Tacoma News Tribune) Two Joint Base Lewis-McChord Stryker brigades are fighting in the main battleground of southern Afghanistan this summer, the wars outgoing deputy commander said in an interview Tuesday.
Camp Pendleton Squadron Brings Aerial Firepower
(U-T San Diego) Unit dispatches heavily armed helicopters to provide cover in Helmand province.
After Repeal Of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' A Celebration
(Washington Post) A standing-room-only crowd of 400 uniformed and civilian employees and their supporters filled a Pentagon auditorium Tuesday as the military celebrated gay pride month for the first time.
Lockheed Joins EADS Urging Panetta To Seek Help On Cuts
(Bloomberg.com) Chief executive officers of defense contractors led by Lockheed Martin Corp. and EADS North America went to the Pentagon to urge U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panettas help in averting automatic budget cuts.
Defense Officials Plead Need For Agility
(GovExec.com) The Defense Department needs to be more agile in the face of new and upcoming budget constraints, department officials and military experts said at a panel discussion Tuesday.
12 Lackland Instructors Investigated In Scandal
(San Antonio Express-News) Two more instructors at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland were charged Tuesday in a growing scandal involving the training staff and female recruits. In all, 12 boot camp instructors are being investigated for having illicit relationships, a number that equals that of the scandal at the Army's Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland in the mid-1990s.
USS Omaha Will Be Like ?iPod Of The Seas'
(Omaha World-Herald) Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus officially gave the $350 million, trimaran-shaped combat ship its name the USS Omaha on Monday at Lewis & Clark Landing.
Marines Unveil Plan To Combat Sex Assault
(Stars and Stripes) The Marine Corps on Monday released a plan aimed at preventing sexual assault and holding offenders and commanders accountable, noting that despite our efforts, we have been ineffective at addressing and eliminating sexual assault.
Gen Allen Not To Be Let Off Easily On Upper Dir Attacks
(Pakistan Today) With mounting tensions between Pakistan and the United States over the closure of NATO supply routes and the latest attack in Upper Dir by militants from the Afghan side of the border, ISAF Commander General John Allen will visit Pakistan today (Wednesday) to calm down the situation.
Military Nears $1B In Jobless Benefits
(USA Today) The cost of unemployment compensation for troops leaving the military without jobs approached a billion dollars last year, though the rate of increase slowed to just 2% over 2010, figures from the Department of Labor show.
Military Vote A Priority In November
(Dayton Daily News) Tens of thousands of military service members attempting to vote by absentee ballot in recent years havent had their votes counted because of various problems with the system, according to authorities that track voter participation.
First Lady Cheers Illinois Military Family Law
(ArmyTimes.com) Michelle Obama got a boost Tuesday from her home state of Illinois in her campaign to make it easier for military spouses to advance their own careers amid the frequent moves that come with life in a military family.
Hearing Focuses On Challenges Active Troops And Veterans Face
(Washington Times) The financial challenges of active military and veterans took center stage Tuesday during a congressional hearing on efforts to improve consumer protection for the military community.In front of a capacity audience, senators on the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs spoke with officials about the struggles service members face, particularly with home mortgage payments and apartment leases.
US Senator Urges Action To Avert More Budget Cuts
(Reuters.com) Senator Kelly Ayotte, a top contender for a vice presidential post with Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, on Tuesday urged Congress to act quickly to avert an additional $500 billion in devastating defense budget cuts.
Ruppersberger Steps Down From Armed Services Panel
(Baltimore Sun) Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, the Baltimore County Democrat who represents two of Maryland's largest military installations, is stepping down from the House Armed Services Committee effective immediately, his office confirmed Tuesday.
Military To Strengthen Ties With US
(China Daily) Top Chinese military officials on Tuesday pledged to strengthen communication and cooperation with the United States, but also called for proper resolution of the issue of US surveillance flights near China.
Cyber Spending Jumps 73% At Civilian Agencies, BGOV Study Says
(Bloomberg Government (bgov.com)) Civilian government agencies spent at least $1.44 billion on cybersecurity last year, a 73 percent boost since 2007 to protect networks against rising threats, according to a Bloomberg Government study.
Taxpayers Paying Twice For Veterans' Health Care Plans
(USA Today) The Department of Veterans Affairs spent an estimated $13 billion to care for veterans whose health coverage was already paid for by Medicare a case of the taxpayer paying twice, according to research published Tuesday.
New Veteran Support Fund Aims To Raise $30 Million
(Washington Post) Philip D. Green recalls waking with a start at his Arlington home about nine months ago, feeling suddenly grateful that none of his three children were serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. One was safely ensconced in law school, another was in medical school, and the third was giving farming a go.
Panetta Focuses On The Unseen Wounds Of Soldiers
(San Antonio Express-News) For more than 10 years of war, America's finest men and women have repeatedly deployed to distant battlefields to defend our nation. They have performed magnificently, enduring the brutal and unpredictable nature of modern warfare in marketplaces, road, and fields. Each of them has come back changed. As our service members return home to American supermarkets, highways, and ball games, the stress of combat often continues.
U.S. Defense Cut Could Cost Billions To Implement
(Reuters.com) The Pentagon may have to pay billions of dollars in termination fees and other contract penalties if Congress does not stop $500 billion in automatic defense spending cuts due to take effect on January 2, a top weapons industry executive said on Wednesday.
U.S. Leaders See Fallout If Joint Missile Funds Nixed
(Reuters.com) Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and his top weapons buyer warned U.S. lawmakers that failure to fund the final year of development work on a joint ground-based missile defense program with Italy and Germany could have serious diplomatic and financial consequences.
Pentagon Cuts Could Include Taunton Program
(Boston Globe) Hundreds of Massachusetts jobs are in the balance as the Defense Department is expected on Thursday to propose a one-time funding cut to a military communications project being developed by General Dynamics in Taunton.
Defense Giant Says Budget Cuts Could Mean Pink Slips
(NPR) Come January, the U.S. could fall off what's being called a fiscal cliff. The Bush-era tax cuts are set to expire and across the board spending cuts are set to kick in. Those spending cuts, called sequestration, were a part of last summer's debt limit deal. Now the defense industry is warning those cuts could have dramatic consequences.
Pentagon To Seek Shifts In Spending
(Politico.com) The Defense Department plans to seek congressional approval to alter its spending to handle billions of dollars in unanticipated costs, including an additional $100 million a month to supply troops in Afghanistan.
High Honors
(NBC; CBS; FNC) Three evening broadcast reports covering the awarding of the Congressional Gold Medal to Montford Point Marines.
New Charges Fuel Air Force Sex Scandal
(CNN) To the Pentagon now and growing allegations that Air Force instructors are sexually assaulting the female cadets theyre training. CNN Pentagon correspondent, Chris Lawrence, is at the Pentagon with details.
U.S. Zaps Target In High-Stakes Missile Shield Test
(Reuters.com) U.S. forces using a new Raytheon Co interceptor missile downed another missile in space in a high-stakes test of a shield built to thwart growing capabilities of countries like North Korea and Iran.
Payback Could Follow Cyberattack
(Washington Times) Recent news reports describing a U.S. role in a cyberattack against Irans nuclear program will cost the United States dearly, warned the chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
Navy Chief: Iranian Navy In Gulf Quiet Lately
(Yahoo.com) Iran's naval forces, periodically accused by the U.S. of provocative moves in the Persian Gulf, have shown restraint in recent months, the U.S. Navy's top admiral said Wednesday.
U.S. Doubles Counter-Mine Ships In Gulf, 5th Fleet Says
(Bloomberg.com) The U.S. Navy has doubled to eight the number of counter-mine ships in the Persian Gulf region, according to the service.
Russian Heartland Fearful Of NATO Transit
(Washington Post) The people of Ulyanovsk, a poverty-stricken city sitting high on the banks of the mighty Volga River, are having a hard time accepting the idea that NATO is their friend and that they should help the alliance extricate itself from Afghanistan.
Army Sergeant, Veteran Convicted In Corruption Probe Surrounding Iraq War Contracts
(Fayetteville (NC) Observer) An Army sergeant and a veteran were convicted this week in a corruption probe that centered on Iraq war contracts.
Georgia Is Sued By U.S. Over Overseas Voters? Rights
(Bloomberg.com) Georgia was sued by the U.S. Justice Department over claims its voting procedures dont adequately ensure that eligible military and overseas voters can participate fully in the states August federal primary runoff election.
The Status Of Affairs For Veterans Seeking Jobs
(NPR) The head of the Department of Veterans Affairs, retired Army General Eric Shinseki, is attending that job fair in Detroit and he joins me now.
A welcoming home for our Troops.
