NewzIntel.com

Category: Military Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Air, Space & Cyber Conference Wraps, PACAF’s Commitment to Indo-Pacific Continues

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    NATIONAL HARBOR, Maryland  –  

    As the curtain closed today on the 2024 Air and Space Forces Association’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference, one theme resonated throughout the event – Pacific Air Forces total commitment to maintaining a decisive advantage in the Indo-Pacific region amidst growing global threats.

    Over the course of three days, Gen. Kevin Schneider, PACAF commander, laid out a strategic vision that accentuates readiness, innovation, and energized alliances to confront mounting challenges in the region.

    On day one, Schneider addressed the pressing need to enhance Agile Combat Employment. He discussed the ongoing efforts to refurbish remote Pacific locations, recover from natural disasters like last year’s typhoon in Guam, and build integrated air and missile defenses across the theater.

    “We continue to expand agile combat employment, to find ways we can move into austere airfields,” Schneider said. “Getting gas into airplanes is a key piece of that, and I give great credit to our logistics and sustainment professionals who find ways to solve those problems every day.”

    Schneider took the main stage in front of 5,000 people on day two to deliver a keynote address that captured the essence of PACAF’s priorities and the advantages it holds over any adversaries. He began by contrasting his early experiences as an F-16 pilot at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, in the early 1990s, with the challenges he faces today as commander of nearly 50,000 Airmen across the region.

    The keynote highlighted two critical components of PACAF’s strategy: Air Domain Awareness and ACE. Schneider spoke passionately about the need to stay ahead of adversaries through enhanced surveillance and rapid, flexible force deployment. He also noted the three-fold edge PACAF holds over its foes.

    “We have three asymmetric advantages that adversaries could never hope to have,” Schneider said. “One is the growing network of alliances and partnerships that we enjoy. We’re moving beyond bilats into multilateral events to be able to pull more and more partners in. The second is the professionalism, discipline and strength of our people. The third is the inherent strength of the joint force.”

    Throughout the event, PACAF’s role in fostering progress with allies and partners was a focal point. Schneider underscored the importance of complex, multi-national air exercises like Pitch Black, Arctic Defender, Red Flag Alaska, Cope Thunder and Northern Edge, as well as the Pacific Air Chiefs Symposium, which brought together 22 international Air Force leaders to strengthen military cooperation.

    On the final day, Schneider participated in a senior-leader panel discussion titled “Exercising for Great Power Competition,” which delved into the importance of high-end training, complex exercises, and key leader engagements in preparing for potential conflicts. The panel brought together commanders from mobility, space, Air Force Reserve, and the Pacific.

    During the panel, Gen. Schneider stressed the critical role exercises play in not only sharpening warfighting capabilities, but also in providing strategic deterrence.

    “The solutions to the challenges in the Indo-Pacific don’t all fall on my shoulders; it is a team effort in terms of problem-solving,” Schneider said. “We [commanders across the U.S. Air Force and Space Force] each have things we contribute to the fight, in terms of training, readiness, and our ability to deter or to fight and win if called upon.”

    Throughout the conference, PACAF’s commitment to innovation and excellence was evident. Schneider repeatedly called for the Air Force community and industry partners to bring their most complex training ideas, research, development projects, and asymmetric capabilities to the region.

    Schneider’s keynote closing remarks remain at the forefront: “Your airmen are absolutely prepared – 24/7/365 – to defend, to deter, and to prevail in the Indo-Pacific.”

    The 2024 Air, Space & Cyber Conference is over, but the hard work of maintaining a decisive advantage in an age of growing threats continues.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Eight Countries work together in largest Operation Render Safe to remove WWII UXO in Solomon Islands

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    SOLOMON ISLANDS  –  

    The United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United Kingdom, Republic of Korea, and Japan recently joined the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force for Operation Render Safe 2024-2 in New Georgia, Solomon Islands, from Aug. 12 to Sept. 27.

    Operation Render Safe is an Australian Defence Force operation that removes the danger posed by World War II-era explosive remnants of war in Pacific Island countries. 2024 marks the 20th year that Operation Render Safe has been conducted.

    The Solomon Islands were a major battleground during the Pacific Island campaign that left behind thousands of unexploded munitions that continue to pose significant risks to the public, hindering development and threatening local livelihoods. These remnants of war have also contributed to dangerous living conditions for local residents, limiting the availability of safe land for agriculture and community expansion.

    This year’s Operation Render Safe was the largest UXO removal effort in the region’s history. 3,240 explosive remnants of war were removed from 219 sites that will directly benefit the local population by providing safer access to land and water resources. The operation’s success will help open the door to future development projects, fostering economic growth and improving infrastructure in affected areas.

    This multinational mission, led by the RSIPF, covered a vast area of 1,600 square kilometers, with 17 multinational explosive ordnance teams undertaking a rolling program of community engagement, reconnaissance, and positive action in both land and maritime domains.

    “Being Army, we’re not really used to being on the water,” said Australian Army Cpl. Daniel Siyogu, an EOD technician with the 6th Engineer Support Regiment. “But we’re getting it done, identifying and disposing of explosive remnants of war on Kolombangara island.”

    Operation Render Safe 2024-2 also featured significant tri-service interoperability between eight contributing nations, ensuring smooth coordination across a wide operational area. The 17 EOD teams, supported by U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Ospreys assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268 (Reinforced), Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 24.3, operated over a 350km internal-line supply chain to the rear echelon in Honiara.

    “Working alongside our Allies showcases the importance of our shared goals,” said U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Jesus Contreras, an EOD team leader with Combat Logistics Battalion 5 (Reinforced), MRF-D 24.3. “Leading a combined team of multinational personnel into the jungles of New Georgia has been a unique and rewarding experience. Working in a joint environment with different SOPs, [standard operating procedures], has been a challenge, but the similarities in our EOD procedures make it easier to cooperate and learn from each other.”

    The involvement of the RSIPF, with their knowledge of the area, was essential in identifying UXO caches, making the operation a success.

    “Getting input from the local community has been critical,” said Royal Canadian Navy Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Okahiro. “The people here know where the explosives are, and their guidance allows us to better assess and clear dangerous areas.”

    The operation focused on key areas like Kohinggo and Munda, contributing to improved infrastructure and a safer environment for Solomon Islands communities.

    “Ultimately, it’s about making the region safer and improving the quality of life for the local communities,” said Australian Army Lt. Col. Fabian Harrison, the commanding officer of Operation Render Safe 2024-2. “Through these partnerships and the commitment of all involved nations, we’re achieving that goal.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 625 STOS completes SELM test

    Source: United States Strategic Command

    BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La.   –  

    Airmen and Sailors from the 625th Strategic Operations Squadron, Offutt AFB, Neb., 576th Flight Test Squadron, Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., the 91st Missile Wing, Minot AFB, N.D., and the Navy’s Strategic Communications Wing 1, Offutt AFB, completed a simulated electronic launch minuteman (SELM) test at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., Sept. 17.

    Twice a year, SELM tests the Minuteman III in its deployed environment at various missile wings without an actual launch occurring.

    “SELM tests the selected ICBMs from day-to-day operation to issuance of the first stage ignition signal,” said Maj. Raun Carnley, assistant director of operations, 625th STOS. “Commands up to and including launch commands are sent to the test configured launch facility from test configured launch control centers and the Airborne Launch Control System (ALCS) onboard a Navy E-6 Mercury.”

    SELM tests are vital to the health of the ICBM fleet as it ensures the system will do what it is commanded to do if needed and provides sustainment data to Air Force Global Strike Command and U.S. Strategic Command.

    “As updates to software and hardware are fielded, testing helps verify the system continues to work as designed,” said Carnley. “A SELM test validates the combat capability of our fielded ICBM weapon system…while saving the taxpayer money, and without the risk of escalatory messaging that the equivalent number of operational test launches would require to accomplish the same task.”

    From the 576th FTS running the tests to the 91st MW providing ground operations and maintenance support to SCW-1 providing the aircraft and aircrew, each organization plays a pivotal role to ensure the launch process is reliable and ready.

    A major player in a SELM test is the 625th STOS. The squadron is aligned under the 8th Air Force and provides everything from the targeting package on the missile, to the systems that simulate the flight of the projectile, to the launch track and range safety coordinates, to the training that prepared the team and the ALCS operators that provided the key turn.

    “We ensure the ALCS is able to fulfill its role as the backup to the launch control centers and ground crews in the case it is ever needed,” said Carnley.

    With so many moving parts, scheduling these tests doesn’t occur overnight, they are planned out years in advance.

    “We are currently on a five-year construct,” said Carnley.  “Specific preparations on the side of the 625th STOS start approximately four months in advance to coordinate our pieces of the mission. With two tests a year, as soon as one is complete, planning and preparation for the next one begins.”

    Although a SELM test isn’t as visible as an operational test launch, it provides a great deal of value to the various organizations supporting the mission.

    One such supporting organization is the Joint-Nuclear Operations Center (JNOC) at Barksdale AFB, La.

    The JNOC has six divisions and the ICBM division monitors and observes each SELM test and assists as necessary explained Senior Master Sgt. Matthew Tobey, JNOC senior enlisted leader.

    “Ensuring the sustainment and capabilities of our nuclear forces not only allows U.S. citizens to sleep soundly at night but provides global stability which also helps foster economic prosperity,” said Carnley. “It’s also a message to our Allies and adversaries: The ICBM leg of the nuclear triad is viable and ready at a moment’s notice to defend our freedoms and those of our Allies.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: State and federal partners encourage public to attend Jefferson City spin-off study public meeting

    Source: US State of Missouri

    JEFFERSON CITY, MO, SEPT. 20, 2024 – Federal and state officials will hold a public meeting for the Lower Missouri River Jefferson City spin-off study Thursday, Sept. 26, in Jefferson City. Doors open at 5 p.m., with the meeting held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Lewis and Clark State Office Building, 1101 Riverside Drive in Jefferson City.

    During the meeting, the Kansas City District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources will present all current study information in an effort to make sure all stakeholders are fully aware of the alternatives that have federal interest, as well as the study schedule going forward.

    The purpose of the study is to identify causes and impacts of recurring flooding along the Capital View Levee and the unconstructed, but authorized, Missouri River Levee System L-142 project near Jefferson City. The study area includes the north (left) bank of the Missouri River in the vicinity of mile marker 142.

    The meeting is an opportunity for the public to ask questions and provide input regarding the Lower Missouri Jefferson City spin-off study. After the meeting, the Corps of Engineers team will develop the study report and make it available for public comment in November. The public is encouraged to use that opportunity to formally provide feedback before the agency decision milestone in March 2025. ­­

    For more information about the Lower Missouri Jefferson City spin-off study, visit nwk.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Civil-Works-Programs-And-Projects/Lower-Missouri-River-Basin/Jefferson-City-MO-L142/ and dnr.mo.gov/water/what-were-doing/initiatives/lower-missouri-river-flood-resiliency.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Air Force provides B-21 Raider program updates

    Source: United States Strategic Command

    NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (AFNS)  –  

    Department of the Air Force leaders and industry partners provided updates on the B-21 Raider, the Air Force’s newest bomber, during a panel at the Air and Space Force Association’s Air, Space and Cyber Conference, Sept. 18.

    The B-21 will incrementally replace the B-1 Lancer and B-2 Spirit bombers to become the backbone of the Air Force’s flexible global strike capability. The airframe is a long-range, highly survivable stealth bomber capable of delivering a mix of conventional and nuclear munitions and will be the “air leg” of the nuclear triad, critical to deterring conflict.

    Panelists who provided updates included Gen. Thomas Bussiere, Air Force Global Strike Command commander; Maj. Gen. Jason Armagost, Eighth Air Force and Joint-Global Strike Operations Center commander; William Bailey, Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office director; and Thomas Jones, Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems sector president.

    Bailey and Jones provided updates about how the B-21 program is progressing.

    “We’re really starting to strike up quite a cadence [and] generate two flight test flights in a given week,” Jones said. “When we started this journey, we made a vow that we were going to design this system to be a daily flyer. It’s been a phenomenal year of progress, and we hope to continue that through the next year.”

    The panelists also described a significant milestone in which the B-21 completed its static test on the G-1 asset, a ground-based test article used to evaluate the structural integrity of the aircraft. This test was essential to “confirming the structural design of the aircraft is sound and validated confidence in the digital models,” Bailey said.

    The aircraft is now going through a fatigue testing campaign.

    Armagost discussed how the B-21 program is preparing for the delivery of the aircraft to Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, to include laying the foundation for AFGSC squadrons to be sufficiently equipped, trained, and certified for aircraft delivery, while Bailey spoke to the teamwork that has been essential to the program’s development.

    “We’re very clear as a team what the priorities are day after day,” Bailey said. “That collaboration between operators and acquirers has been a key component of this success … that has got to be a consideration [in Great Power Competition].”

    Bussiere addressed current strategic threats posed by adversaries and the necessity of the bomber force, and the future capabilities the B-21 will provide, to keep pace with those threats.

    “We are the free world’s only bomber force. We’re probably not going to see a decreased demand signal from our regional combatant commands on bomber task forces,” Bussiere added. “That demand signal, in my opinion, is only going to go up in the years ahead. As we transition from legacy to new, the B-21 fleet will provide great comfort to our allies and should provide great pause to any potential adversary.”

    He added, “Nobody on the planet can do what we’re doing right now. Nobody on the planet can build an exquisite, technologically-advanced platform like the B-21, and quite frankly, nobody on the planet can hold at risk what we can hold at risk at a time and place of our choosing.”

    Bailey echoed Bussiere’s comments about the adaptability of the B-21 systems, which were “designed with flexibility in mind.”

    “Agility and flexibility — they can’t just be buzzwords. These are the kind of things that you need to be able to demonstrate over time. Why? Because it’s going to be changing on you, and we’ve had the benefit of employing a lot of those strategies on this program,” Bailey concluded.

    The B-21 program has a production goal of a minimum of 100 aircraft.

    When the B-21 enters the service, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, will be the first B-21 main operating base and location of the formal training unit. The Air Force recently announced the second and third basing locations for the B-21: Whiteman AFB, Missouri; and Dyess AFB, Texas, in that order.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: DAF leaders reaffirm commitment to reoptimization for Great Power Competition

    Source: United States Air Force

    The 2024 Air, Space, and Cyber Conference, hosted by the Air and Space Forces Association, offered DAF senior leaders an opportunity to share their views on modernization and readiness in response to emerging security threats, while reaffirming the DAF’s commitment to reoptimization.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Brownley Introduces Legislation to Correct Past Injustices Against Pregnant Servicemembers

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)

    Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) introduced the Women Involuntary Separated Earnings Remittance (WISER) Act to rectify a wrong perpetuated against women servicemembers from 1951 to 1976. Specifically, this bill establishes a process for upgrades to military records and discharges for women who were wrongfully and involuntarily separated due to parenthood and/or pregnancy, provides a one-time payment to eligible veterans, and expands U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care eligibility to these veterans.

    “Despite their great sacrifice and commitment to defending our nation, women veterans have faced a long history of systemic inequities both in the military and within the VA,” said Congresswoman Julia Brownley. “As the founder and former chair of the Women Veterans Task Force, my goal has been to identify disparities in access to care and benefits for women veterans, and where necessary, introduce, advocate for, and pass legislation that rectifies past injustices. The unfair practice of discharging women from the military because they became pregnant or became a mother was not only wrong but it perpetuated a harmful cycle of gender prejudice. 

    “My bill, the WISER Act, corrects this wrong, and it also provides recompense for this transgression and often overlooked attack on women servicemembers. This bill is a critical step forward in not only rectifying the impact of this discriminatory practice and restoring fairness for these women veterans, but it brings true equity closer to the two million women who have served our nation in uniform.”

    Background on the WISER Act

    In June 1948, the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act was enacted, which formally authorized the appointment and enlistment of women in the regular components of the U.S. Armed Forces. Three years later, Executive Order 10240 changed everything for women with family obligations.

    Specifically, from 1951 to 1976, many women servicemembers were involuntarily separated from the military due to motherhood, living with a stepchild for more than 30 days per year, becoming pregnant, adopting a child, and/or gaining custody of a child. These women were not afforded separation benefits and lost their ability to earn an income and to continue serving our country in uniform. In 1976, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled that Executive Order 10240 was unconstitutional and the corresponding policy was rescinded. However, there was no action to make the affected women whole.

    To begin to right this wrong, I authored language (Section 530) acknowledging this discriminatory policy was wrong. The language was included in the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act. While this resolution was a step forward, now is the time for Congress to act on that sentiment.

    The WISER Act would establish a process for discharge upgrades for those who were wrongfully and involuntarily separated and provide a one time payment to eligible veterans, as well as expand VA health care eligibility for these veterans. 

    This bill is endorsed by Minority Veterans of America (MVA), Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), and American Veterans (AMVETS).

    Read the full text of the bill here.  

    ###

    Issues: 118th Congress, Veterans’ Affairs, Women Veterans Task Force

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: CNO Remarks at Lone Sailor Awards Dinner

    Source: United States Navy

    Good evening, everyone! Wow – what a fantastic video highlighting out Navy in action!

    It is an honor to be here with such a distinguished group of leaders, members of Congress, Industry partners, Department of the Navy civilians, Flag and General Officers, MCPONs lots of MCPONs, veterans, and our servicemen and women – here to celebrate our Navy – and most importantly, our people – tonight.

    Let me start by saying thank you very much to Admiral John Nowell and to the Navy Memorial team for putting together this spectacular event year after year. And thank you for bringing to life our Navy story and the stories of all our Sailors and all the people in the sea services day in and day out at the Navy Memorial, which is the home to one of the largest maps in the world, the “Granite Sea,” where you already heard that I danced with many veterans from the Armed Forces Retirement Home, and I had a really good time thanks to them and the Navy Band.

    If you haven’t seen the “Granite Sea” or been to the Navy Memorial, I encourage you to do so. The Granite Sea,” it’s a map and it really show the sheer size, the expansiveness and the interconnectedness of the world’s oceans. And the sheer responsibility we have to keep them free and open for all.

    Tonight, we are here to celebrate the contributions of Sailors, past and present and let me say right upfront there is a lot to celebrate.  After visiting our Navy team around the world and then just watching them again in that video I am filled with pride. I could not be more proud of our active and Reserve Sailors, our civilians, our Navy – Marine Corps team that is out there executing our Navy’s mission every single day – operating far forward, from seabed to space to deter aggression, to promote our Nation’s prosperity and security, and provide options to our Nation’s decision makers.

    So, tonight, it is both an honor and a privilege for me to be here to recognize the bold and daring actions of our Sailors the ones you just saw in the video from Carrier Strike Group TWO. There are Sailors from – the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower the aircraft carrier – Carrier Air Wing 3 and its nine squadrons. We have The Philippine Sea a guided missile cruiser. Destroyers from Destroyer Squadron Twenty Two – the Gravely,  the Mason, the Laboon, and USS Carney. USS Florida, a guided missile submarine. All joined by a full complement of logistics ships run by our amazing civilian mariners – USNS Supply, Kanawha, and Alan Shepard – who did their part to deliver fuel, supplies, munitions, other goods, and of course mail to sustain our people and our Fleet at sea. How about a big round of applause for all those Sailors out there.  

    Every one of them played a critical role in what I like to call a “Deployment of Firsts”: The first shoot down of an anti-ship ballistic missile; the first SM-6 engagement. the first air-to-air engagement of a hostile Unmanned Aerial Vehicle; and, the first employment of a hellfire against naval surface threats in combat.

    And while I could go on and on and on about their contested straits transits and the number of threats intercepted, but I instead want to tell you about the story of this amazing team as I saw it.

    For nine months our incredible Sailors prevailed operating inside an adversary Weapons Engagement Zone with an intensity not seen since WWII. They were saving lives, preventing the escalation of conflict, escorting merchants, ensuring the free flow of commerce, defending and working alongside our Allies and partners, and standing up for the values that we all hold so dear.

    For nine months, they demonstrated to the American people that naval power is – and will continue to be – an essential element of our nation’s security.

    And for nine months, these Sailors proved to our adversaries that we are truly the world’s preeminent fighting force and that no other Navy can train, deploy and sustain such a lethal, combat force at the scale and the tempo that we do. 

    These Sailors are truly America’s Warfighting Navy.

    And again, I could not be more excited to recognize some of those courageous IKE Strike Group Sailors here with us tonight teammates please stand. Please join me in giving them a round of applause.

    The story of the IKE Strike Group and the story of these warfighters is one of many stories across America’s Warfighting Navy it’s a Navy that works around the globe and around the clock. And tonight, thousands more of our Navy Sailors, our Marines, our Coast Guardsmen and actually all of our servicepeople are operating far forward at risk in multiple weapons engagement zones around the world.

    From the Eastern Mediterranean to the Indo-Pacific, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea, and everywhere in between our Sailors are standing the watch in every domain ready to preserve the peace, to respond in crisis, and if necessary, win decisively in war. 

    So, as we recognize the outstanding achievements of these Sailors here tonight, of our Lone Sailor Award recipients I ask that we also take a moment to reflect on all of our Sailors, our Marines, our service members, and their families. They serve everyday with Honor, Courage, and Commitment and it is because of their selfless service to our Nation that we can be here tonight to enjoy this wonderful evening.

    Thank you very much.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Navy to Christen Future USNS Lucy Stone

    Source: United States Department of Defense

    The U.S. Navy will christen the future USNS Lucy Stone (T-AO 209) during an 11 a.m. PST ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 21, in San Diego.

    The Honorable Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the Navy, will deliver the ceremonial principal address. Remarks will also be provided by the Honorable Meredith Berger, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment, Vice Adm. Jeffery T. Jablon, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Installations and Logistics, and David J. Carver, President, General Dynamics NASSCO. In the time-honored Navy tradition, the ship’s sponsors and U.S. Navy ship introduction specialists who have helped bring to life over 100 ships in the past 20 years, Alicia Aadnesen and Debbie Simmons, will christen the ship with the traditional breaking of a bottle of champagne on the ship’s bow.

    The ship is named for American suffragist Lucy Stone, who joined other notable advocates such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Ernestine Rose, and Antoinette Brown Blackwell to petition for suffrage and abolition in the 19th century. Her efforts as a founder of the Women’s National Loyal League were essential to the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment abolishing slavery.

    “Lucy Stone’s legacy of leadership and advocacy for equality reflects the values we uphold in the U.S Navy,” said Secretary Del Toro. “USNS Lucy Stone stands as a testament to our commitment to operational excellence and is a proud moment as we continue to build and strengthen our maritime capabilities.”

    The future USNS Lucy Stone will be the fifth Lewis-class fleet replenisher oiler and will be operated by the Navy’s Military Sealift Command. The oilers feature a substantial volume for oil, significant dry cargo capacity and aviation capability. T-AOs provide additional capacity to the Navy’s Combat Logistical Force and become the cornerstone of the fuel delivery system.

    PEO Ships, one of the Department of Defense’s largest acquisition organizations, is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships and craft, auxiliary ships, special mission ships, sealift ships and support ships.

    Media may direct queries to the Navy Office of Information at (703) 697-5342. More information on the Fleet Replenishment Oilers can be found at: 
    https://www.navy.mil/Resources/Fact-Files/Display-FactFiles/Article/2222909/fleet-replenishment-oilers-t-ao/

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Public Service Commission declares result based on written part of the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (Ii), 2024

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 20 SEP 2024 9:27PM by PIB Delhi

    On the basis of the result of the written part of the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination, (II) 2024 held by the Union Public Service Commission on 1st September, 2024, candidates with the under mentioned Roll Nos. have qualified for interview by the Services Selection Board(SSB) of the Ministry of Defence for Admission to Army, Navy and Air Force Wings of the National Defence Academy for the 154th Course and for the 116thIndian Naval Academy Course (INAC) commencing from 2nd July, 2025. The result is also available at Commission’s website www.upsc.gov.in.

    2. The candidature of all the candidates, whose Roll Nos. are shown in thelist is provisional. In accordance with the conditions of their admission to the examination, “candidates are requested to register themselves online on the Indian Army Recruiting website joinindianarmy.nic.in within two weeks of announcement of written result. The successful candidates would then be allotted Selection Centres and dates, of SSB interview which shall be communicated on registered e-mail ID. Any candidate who has already registered earlier on the site will not be required to do so. In case of any query/ Login problem, e-mail be forwarded to dir-recruiting6-mod[at]nic[dot]in.”

     “Candidates are also requested to submit original certificates of Age and Educational Qualification to respective Service Selection Boards (SSBs) during the SSB interview.” The candidates must not send the Original Certificates to the Union Public Service Commission. For any further information, the candidates may contact Facilitation Counter near Gate ‘C’ of the Commission, either in person or on telephone Nos. 011-23385271/011-23381125/011-23098543 between 10:00 hours and 17:00 hours on any working day. In addition for SSB/interview related matter the candidates may contact over telephone No. 011-26175473 or joinindianarmy.nic.in for Army as first choice, 011-23010097/

    Email:officer-navy[at]nic[dot]in or joinindiannavy.gov.in for Navy/Naval Academy as first choice and 011-23010231 Extn.7645/7646/7610 or www.careerindianairforce.cdac.in for Air Force as first choice.

    3 The mark-sheets of the candidates, will be put on the Commission’s website within fifteen (15) days from the date of publication of final result.(After concluding SSB Interviews) and will remain available on the website for a period of thirty (30) days.

    Click here to see Result:

    ****

    AG

    (Release ID: 2057218) Visitor Counter : 51

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman McCaul Announces Markup on Various Measures

    Source: US House Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Media Contact 202-226-8467

    Washington, D.C. – House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul announced the full committee will hold a markup to consider various measures on Tuesday, September 24th. 

    What: Markup to find Secretary of State Antony Blinken in contempt of Congress, as well as nine measures, including H.R. 8683, H.R. 9564, H.R. ___, H.Res. 1348, H.R. 9172, H.R. 9718, H.Res. 1449, H.Res. 1435, and H.R. 9082.

    Date: Tuesday, September 24, 2024

    Time: 10:15am ET

    Location: Rayburn 2172

    MARKUP OF:

    Committee Report, Recommending the House of Representatives find Antony Blinken, Secretary, U.S. Department of State, in contempt of Congress for refusal to comply with a subpoena duly issued by the Committee on Foreign Affairs;

    H.R. 8683, To require the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State to monitor efforts by the People’s Republic of China to build or buy strategic foreign ports, and for other purposes;

    H.R. 9564, To authorize the imposition of sanctions with respect to the Houthis, and for other purposes;

    H.R. ___, To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to modify requirements regarding management of the United States Agency for International Development, and for other purposes;

    H.Res. 1348, Urging the Government of Nigeria to immediately release Tigran Gambaryan from imprisonment;

    H.R. 9172, To establish the Precursor Chemical Destruction Initiative to promote bilateral counterdrug interdiction efforts with the governments of specified countries, and for other purposes;

    H.R. 9718, To provide for the approval of the Amendment to the Agreement Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for Cooperation on the Uses of Atomic Energy for Mutual Defense Purposes;

    H.Res. 1449, Condemning the global rise of antisemitism and calling upon countries and international bodies to counter antisemitism;

    H.Res. 1435, Raising concern about the proposed constitutional reforms in Mexico; and

    H.R. 9082, To direct the Secretary of State to host regular Summits of the Americas, and for other purposes.

    Documents:

    ***NOTE: Measures may be added or changed. Check here for updates.***

    ***Coverage note: All committee proceedings are webcast live here.***

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven Secures Nearly $12 Million DCIP Grant to Establish Grand Sky, GFAFB Fire Station

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
    09.20.24
    EMERADO, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven today announced that he has secured an $11.6 million grant to establish a fire station serving Grand Sky and the Grand Forks Air Force Base. As a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, Hoeven worked to advance the award under the Defense Community Infrastructure Program (DCIP), which the senator has supported through annual appropriations legislation. Hoeven also made the case for the project to Department of Defense (DoD) officials, including General Kenneth Wilsbach, Commander of the Air Combat Command, who the senator hosted in Grand Forks earlier this year. In particular, the senator stressed to DoD officials:
    The need to reduce the current 20-minute response time for local fire services to reach the base, particularly operations in the southern portion of the base.
    The importance of providing adequate emergency services for:
    The critical space and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities housed in Grand Forks, which support DoD missions around the globe.
    The more than $4 billion in DoD assets at Grand Sky, including the Test Resource Management Center’s (TRMC) Range Hawk Program.
    General Atomics’ MQ-9 training services for NATO partners operating that aircraft.

    “This nearly $12 million grant to establish fire protection facilities at Grand Sky and the Grand Forks Air Force Base supports our ongoing work to expand the existing Air Force, DoD and Space Development Agency operations in this region, as well as secure future missions and partnerships for the base, the tech park, private industry and institutions like the University of North Dakota,” said Hoeven. “By building a fire station that is dedicated to serving the base as well as Grand Sky, we are providing greater certainty for these critical missions. At the same time, we are helping position Grand Forks to continue growing as a key player in missions around the globe, supporting operations from the ground all the way up into space.”
              This comes as the latest in Hoeven’s efforts to strengthen existing missions at, and bring new operations to, Grand Forks Air Force Base and the adjacent technology and business park, Grand Sky. The fire protection station will serve as a vital asset helping ensure the security of current missions, while ensuring the base has the resources needed to support the growth of future operations. Among other priorities, Hoeven is working to:
    Secure future ISR missions for Grand Forks Air Force Base.
    Forge further partnerships between the Air Force and institutions like the University of North Dakota and Grand Sky to:
    Strengthen U.S. counter-unmanned aerial systems (c-UAS) capabilities.
    Demonstrate and validate UAS applications for the military through Project ULTRA.
    Maximize the value of Grand Sky’s Enhanced Use Lease with the base.

    Expanding the Space Development Agency (SDA) satellite mission with Advanced Fire Control (AFC) operations at the base.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven Meets with General Brown, Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff on Updating U.S. Forces

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
    09.20.24
    Leaders Discuss Importance of Nuclear Modernization & New UAS Technologies in Protecting the Nation
    WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven this week met with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Charles Brown on supporting Israel and Ukraine, and the importance of updating U.S. forces and developing new capabilities to ensure the U.S. has the tools and resources necessary to keep the nation safe. Hoeven stressed the role of nuclear modernization and developing new unmanned aerial systems (UAS) technologies in deterring threats and protecting the nation, including:
    Utilizing Project Ultra and new technologies being developed and tested at Grand Forks Air Force Base and Grand Sky to advance U.S. drone capabilities. As the Air Force works to develop drone and counter drone capability, the senator highlighted the infrastructure in place in North Dakota to efficiently advance these drone programs.
    The need to concurrently upgrade U.S. nuclear forces as a way of providing the most timely and cost-effective deterrent. Minot Air Force Base houses two of the three legs of the nuclear triad and Hoeven has worked to secure funding to keep nuclear modernization efforts on track. 
                “I had a great conversation with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Brown,” said Hoeven. We discussed what’s happening in Ukraine and Israel, as well as the need for DoD to have the necessary flexibility to develop new systems to strengthen national security and defend against our adversaries. Our discussion focused on how we can update and upgrade our armed forces here in the United States. Both Minot Air Force Base and Grand Forks Air Force Base are playing a key role in that effort.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Transcript of Senior Defense Official and a Senior Administration Official Background Briefing on Operation Inherent Resolve and the US-Iraq Bilateral Security Relationship Update

    Source: United States Department of Defense

    MAJ GEN PAT RYDER:  All right, well good morning, everyone. This is Major General Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary. Thanks very much for joining us today for today’s backgrounder on and update on Operation Inherent Resolve and the US-Iraq bilateral security relationship. As a reminder, today’s call is on background, attributable to a senior defense official and a senior administration official.

    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Hi, everybody. Thanks for joining here on a Friday. What we thought we’d do today, we don’t have any real news to make, but we want to kind of just put some context into some issues that have been out there related to the global coalition against ISIS. And particularly the mission in Iraq. So — and heading into the UNGA next week, and then a Counter-ISIS — the Counter-ISIS ministerial of the Global Coalition a week from Monday.

    So, this month marks the 10th anniversary of the formation of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. And after a decade of that coalition, and particularly the defeat of the territorial caliphate in Iraq and Syria, there have been discussions going on really over the last year about the evolution of the coalition and the mission.

    There is broad consensus with every member of the coalition that the coalition will continue. We do extraordinary work in terms of counter terrorist financing, counter foreign fighter flow and everything else, sharing information, sharing intelligence — with 10 years on so there will be evolutions in the overall mission.

    It’s a way to deepen and enhance the coalition and the cooperation and also kind of deepen and enhance our relationship with Iraq. I think it’s fair to say we’ve had great success in territorially defeating ISIS in the core regions of Iraq and Syria. However, we are all very mindful that ISIS, you can say is down, but they’re never quite out.

    We have done a number of very effective operations against ISIS just over the last few weeks in Iraq and Syria. We remain fully committed to the defeat of ISIS. The core threat, that is what we’re working on in Iraq and northeast Syria, something that is ongoing every day and that will very much continue into the future. And we have a good consensus with the Iraqis and our partners in Syria as well on that.

    So, what we’ve been talking about, and this really came out of the — when Prime Minister Sudani was here and visited the president in April. If you go back to the joint statement that we released there, we talked about the ultimate end of the coalition military mission in Iraq. And again, 10 years on, and a number of coalition partners who are interacting — who’ve been there for a decade, some of which are looking to move on from that mission. But of course, the United States is the core and we very much intend to continue to prosecute this mission against ISIS over the coming years.

    And so — but we will be transitioning away from the coalition military mission in Iraq more to enduring bilateral security partnerships. Again, that’s what the president and the prime minister discussed back in April. And since then, we’ve kind of been working with the Iraqis and importantly with all of our coalition partners to kind of determine when and how — what that might look like.

    And so, we haven’t reached any final conclusions. I think this will kind of unfold over the course of next week. We look forward to having very constructive discussions with Prime Minister Sudani and other prominent leaders, including those who have been central to this coalition. And then of course, the ministerial a week from Monday.

    I think it’s important though to emphasize that what we’re talking about is an evolution of the coalition mission, ultimately the ending of the coalition military mission in Iraq. This is not about any specific posture decisions or anything like that. So, I think those issues kind of tend to get conflated. And we just wanted to make clear really what this is.

    This is kind of coming out of the success after a decade of extraordinary international cooperation, of extraordinary cooperation between coalition partners, the Iraqi security forces, the US military in particular, just an unbelievable job they’ve done and kind of an evolution of this after a decade. It’s kind of the appropriate mark to do that and we’ll have more to discuss about it next week. And with that, I’ll turn it over to my colleague.

    SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Thanks. Good morning. This is the Senior Defense Official. So, just to underscore a couple of the comments that have been made — we’ve had all this year, really — starting in April really, outstanding discussions with our Iraqi colleagues in what we call the Higher Military Commission. This is a military-to-military dialog, obviously coordinated and informed by policymakers as well, to help determine exactly how this transition should take place, timing and then how it should transition into the bilateral security partnership.

    And we’ve had some agreed criteria that we’ve spoken about, looking at what is the threat of ISIS. As was mentioned, ISIS has definitely been severely defeated, certainly territorially defeated, and we want to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS, but the threat does remain, so we have to assess exactly the nature of that threat.

    The second criteria, the capability of the Iraqi security forces, which has significantly increased. We still do things in partnership with them, but we’ve seen that evolution of their capability. And then the broader operating environment, what includes the challenge of ISIS in Syria, which is a related threat in a neighboring country, and how we have to scope our transition to make sure we can still get after that threat as well.

    But those conversations have been very successful. They really flowed out of that meeting when Prime Minister Sudani was in Washington. As was mentioned all through this period and certainly even in recent weeks, we’ve continued to conduct very effective counter ISIS operations in Iraq and in Syria, with our Iraqi and with our Syrian Democratic Forces partners.

    ISIS is under real pressure as a result of those operations. And so, now as we get ready to make the announcement on the transition of the global coalition’s military mission in Iraq, we’ll be deepening the conversation with our Iraqi colleagues on the nature of that bilateral security partnership.

    We believe it will be quite deep and quite intense because that’s what both sides want. The Iraqi partners have made very clear to us that they are committed to continuing to work together to shape the future US Iraq bilateral security relationship to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS. We already have gotten fairly advanced into those discussions about what that looks like in terms of the kinds of training, the kinds of presence, the kinds of support for their capabilities.

    But this is an iterative conversation that will continue through and beyond the announcement that we hope we’ll be in a position to make at the end of next week. I think with that, I’ll take — I’ll pause.

    MAJ GEN PAT RYDER:  Thank you, gentlemen. The first question will go to Associated Press Tara Copp. Tara, are you there? Okay, we’ll come back to Tara. Let’s go to Nancy Youssef, Wall Street Journal.

    Q:    Hi, I’m having a hard time understanding because the Iraqis said last month that this deal had been finalized, they outlined the timeline in which US forces would withdraw from Baghdad and then from the north. And you’re saying you can’t announce it yet, maybe next week. Can you help me understand why there’s not an agreement on how to announce it? And does this suggest there are disagreements about the specifics of the deal?

    And in light of the news out of Lebanon, can you speak at all about these potential strikes in Southern Beirut that have killed Ibrahim Akil, the number two in Hezbollah, what your assessment is? And what your you’re read is of Israel’s understanding and intelligence on Hezbollah operations given the sophistication of the strikes we’ve seen this week? Thank you.

    MAJ GEN PAT RYDER:  Why don’t we start with our Senior Administration Official and then Senior Defense Official.

    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Yeah, so I’ll keep the topic to the topic of the call. So, look, there’s a lot of discussions here because it shows it’s bilateral with us and Iraq. Those have been very constructive and successful, I think as Senior Defense Official mentioned, but also the number of coalition partners. So, we’re working to get this — we want to get this right and before we roll anything out formally.

    So, I would not say that everything is fully concluded. I think we made an awful lot of progress. I think heading into next week we’re in very good shape. But we’re not going to do anything that is not known to all of our coalition partners and that this is a broad — kind of a broad area of diplomatic engagement which is ongoing in multiple capitals.

    And so, it takes time to put everything together, dot every I, cross the T. But again, it’s a kind of a broad evolution of the mission and it does not speak to kind of more of the specifics of future posture which are discussions that will continue even beyond next week and the Counter-ISIS Ministerial on Monday.

    SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Just to add, the announcement we anticipate will be about the transition of the coalition, but many of those details of the mechanics of the transition and the next phases of the future US bilateral security partnership will take shape in discussions that will go beyond that announcement. Again, we made a lot of progress in the HMC discussions, also in the Joint Security Cooperation dialog we hosted when the Iraqi defense minister came here in July, but many of those conversations are going to continue beyond the announcement next week.

    MAJ GEN PAT RYDER:  Thank you both. Let’s go to Washington Post, Missy Ryan.

    Q:    Hi there. I’m hoping — I know you don’t want to address the details of the plan, but it’s sort of already out there and the Iraqis have outlined it in pretty clear detail. But presuming that that all is correct, what they have said, could you talk about — either of you, [SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL or SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL] — could you talk about how you see this evolution in Iraq fitting into what’s going on in the rest of the region in terms of the conflict in Gaza, the episodic escalation that we’re seeing between Israel and Hezbollah, the sort of broader instability in the region, and the efforts that the administration has been making to bring about some sort of larger diplomatic resolution there? Thanks.

    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  I would say, I mean, our presence and relationship and partnership with Iraq is important for overall regional stability. We think our — what we’ve done in Eastern Syria is important for stability in that part of Syria, given the vacuum that can easily open up where we would simply withdraw without a plan for what that might look like. So, I think we’ve been very deliberate, very careful about this.

    I think throughout the crisis that began on October 7 with Hamas’s attack into Israel, we have used diplomacy, we’ve used backchannel diplomacy, and we’ve used the direct and targeted application of military force and deterrence and maneuvers and deployments to deter and signal. And when necessary, the president, as I mentioned, has ordered the application of military force.

    I think we’ve done that not only to protect our people but also to deter and contain this overall conflict to the theater primarily in Gaza. We know that Iran and many of its proxy networks, including those who are in Iraq, had designs early in this crisis to significantly broaden the conflict into a regional conflict. They have not succeeded in doing that and we intend very much to continue.

    And I’ll turn it over to my Senior Defense Official colleague to speak more to this, but we very much will maintain that deterrent posture, because we are still in the crisis. There’s a lot of diplomacy going on behind the scenes and above board. But we — and of course obviously our relationship with Iraq, our presence in Iraq is fundamental to that. So, I would not — the Counter-ISIS mission has been ongoing throughout this crisis, I think doesn’t get as much attention. But we’ve done extremely effective Counter-ISIS operations and strikes even in the last two months.

    And that’s something that is going to continue even while this crisis is ongoing. And hopefully we will find diplomatic solutions to some of the issues obviously in Gaza and Lebanon. The question that was just asked we’re working at extremely hard, but there is a military dimension to this and we’re mindful of that. And I think we used that tool of national power effectively, deliberately. And we work with the president every day on this and Secretary of Defense and others. So, I’ll turn it over to [SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL].

    SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Yeah, look, I would just say that during this crisis, our partners across the region have looked to the United States to be present, to indicate that we are remaining present and active, to use our force posture and our other capabilities to defend our friends, to defend our own forces and to deter our adversaries. And in the case of the Counter-ISIS mission, to continue to prosecute that mission to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS.

    And what our friends have seen during this crisis is part of what we’re discussing here today. That presence is going to continue. Our partnerships are going to deepen — they may take different forms. They may evolve based on evolving conditions, based on evolving threats. But we will continue to remain present and to use our presence and our capabilities and our partnerships to address those common threats. So, this discussion is very much in keeping with that theme.

    Q:    Just to clarify, you’re not worried that this will give Iran some sort of greater positioning in the region at a moment of intense tension with Iran sort of like running through everything that you’re doing?

    SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  We are not.

    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  No, not at all.

    SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  We are remaining present and active in partnership with our allies and partners. Again, sometimes these things take different forms, but we’re not concerned about that. But [SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL] should speak to it as well.

    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  No, not at all. If anything, I think deepening our cooperation with Iraq in multiple areas, which we’re doing, is something that the Iranians clearly don’t want. The Iraqis have been enhancing their relations with Saudi Arabia in the Gulf and the broader Arab world. Obviously remains a very dynamic situation.

    But that’s something that’s also quite important. You look at the energy infrastructure buildouts from Southern Iraq into the Gulf, stuff that had just been talked about for a decade. Iraq actually capturing its flared gas working with Total and Western energy companies to do that, which ultimately weans themself off dependency of Iranian gas. This is all kind of part of a broader picture.

    So no, I would not draw an evolution of a coalition military mission after 10 years. Again, it’s important to — there’s a 10-year mark, very natural point. You have an inflection point and kind of an evolution of a mission into anything that would give any benefit to the Iranians. I think if anything, it’s quite the opposite.

    MAJ GEN PAT RYDER:  Thank you. Let’s go to Al Hurra, Wafaa, Wafaa, are you there? Okay, we’ll come back. Next al-Arabiya, Joseph Haboush.

    Q:    Thanks. Can you guys hear me?

    MAJ GEN PAT RYDER:  You’re very faint. If you can speak up a bit?

    Q:    How about now?

    MAJ GEN PAT RYDER:  Still kind of quiet, but a little bit better.

    Q:    All right. Thanks for doing this. I just wanted to ask, on the heels of the CENTCOM announcements earlier this summer about ISIS on track to doubling the number of attacks this year as opposed to last year. And then these massive — or these pretty significant raids that we’ve seen, joint raids — joint raids between the Iraqis and us, and then the SDF and the US earlier this week.

    I mean how — can you just kind of clarify how this makes — the timing of it at least makes sense when we’re seeing these large-scale operations that have taken place previously but we haven’t always publicized in detail. So, is there any split between the policymakers and CENTCOM, SOCOM or the folks in the military. In terms of timing, can you just explain how that, at least publicly, would make sense to people here? Thank you.

    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Yeah, I think the timing mainly is — it’s just — it’s a 10-year mark of a coalition and an evolution. But it’s also very consistent with the intelligence we’re seeing and what we’re doing and will continue to do, I want to emphasize that, against ISIS. So, I think it’s pretty much aligned to both of those things. But I’ll turn it over to my colleague.

    SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Yeah, it is the 10-year mark, but it’s also a significantly different operating environment than when the coalition first undertook its mission. As I mentioned, ISIS has been territorially defeated. It doesn’t control those swaths of territory in Syria and Iraq that it once did. Millions of people who used to live under its genocidal rule, do not any longer. So, they’re kind of isolated in their desert encampments.

    And we have been able to, under the current coalition arrangement in the way you describe, continue to conduct operations that further weaken them, further prevent them — prevent them from conducting external operations and disrupt their command and control and their leadership, cadres.

    That ability is going to continue. It will continue during the course of this transition, which, by the way, even when it’s announced next week, takes some time to actually be implemented. So, many of these capabilities, even as we are doing them now in partnership with our Iraqi and our Syrian democratic Forces colleagues, will be able to continue.

    And then as the bilateral security relationship becomes the basis for our cooperation with Iraq in the course of the transition, again, which isn’t instantaneous, we will find that we’ll still be able to cooperate as we need to ensure that that mission can continue to be carried out — may be carried out differently, again, we talked about the evaluation of the threat, the evaluation of the Iraqi security force’s capability and the evaluation of the operating environment.

    All of that is scoped to ensure that there will be no lessening of pressure on ISIS as the transition from coalition to bilateral security partnership takes place.

    MAJ GEN PAT RYDER:  Thank you. Let me try Associated Press again. Tara, are you on the line?

    Q:    Yes, I am. Thanks for doing this. I’m sorry if this has been asked before. I had to drop off at the very beginning. But have you seen any indication that ISIS has tried to exploit the October 7 instability? And especially right now with increased tensions being — have you seen them try to launch any additional operations?

    SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  We do see that there are continued attacks and attack planning by ISIS. I’m not sure I would attribute it specifically to October 7 or the crisis that’s followed October 7. They have their ideology; they have their ambitions. So, we definitely have seen a continued ISIS capability to try to conduct attacks, certainly to do some planning for attacks.

    But we’ve also during the same period, and without any distraction from our mission of the coalition and of our partners during the period of this crisis, we’ve been able to prosecute the defeat ISIS mission very, very successfully.

    MAJ GEN PAT RYDER:  And for our last question, we’ll try Al Hurra one more time. Wafaa, are you on the line? All right, she may have had to drop. All right, well, thank you very much for joining us again today. As a reminder, this discussion was on background attributable to a Senior Defense Official and a Senior Administration Official. Thanks very much for joining us. This concludes the backgrounder.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: USINDOPACOM and National Guard senior leaders gather to discuss State Partnership Program

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    CAMP H.M. SMITH, Hawaii  –  

    The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command hosted the annual Senior Leaders Forum (SLF) for the State Partnership Program (SPP) here, Sept. 10-16.

    SPP links a state’s National Guard with the military or security forces of a partner country in a cooperative, mutually beneficial relationship that supports theater campaign plan objectives. SPP establishes connections between National Guard units and partner nations, fostering long-term, advantageous relationships. These partnerships work to improve global security, deepen mutual understanding, and promote greater cooperation on a range of defense and security issues.

    “One of the greatest things that the State Partnership gives us is longevity of relationships,” said United Kingdom Royal Navy Cdre. Jonathan Lett, J5 Deputy for Policy, USINDOPACOM. “The relationships and the partnerships that the National Guard builds in this region just go on for years and years and years. They grow up together. They develop together.”

    The State Partnership Program, which started over 30 years ago with just 13 partners, has expanded to include 106 partner nations.

    In the Indo-Pacific, there are currently 16 relationships, made up of nine US states and one territory: Alaska is partnered with Mongolia; Idaho with Cambodia; Hawaii with the Philippines and Indonesia; Montana with Sri Lanka and Maldives; Nevada with Tonga, Fiji, and Samoa; Oregon with Bangladesh and Vietnam; Rhode Island with Timor-Leste, Washington with Malaysia and Thailand; and Guam with Palau and a shared partnership with the Philippines.

    “I champion the State Partnership program in this area of responsibility, said Cdre. Lett. “On a daily basis, Guardsmen are out there as a genuine force multiplier for the United States and for USINDOPACOM. It’s fantastic. I celebrate the amazing work they do and congratulate them on it!”

    During the forum, more than 50 officials from all partner states, including adjutant generals, State Partnership Program directors, bilateral affairs officers and other senior leaders learned about key topics and areas of concern. This enabled them to observe what has been successful, the challenges each one faces, and the actions they are taking with their partner nations; as well reviewing initiatives and discussing their programs with INDOPACOM staff and other National Guard units.

    “It’s important to have this Senior Leader Forum because it helps highlight all the excellent work that SPP partnerships are doing out into the region,” said U.S. Army Maj. Dustin Petersen, State Partnership Program Director for the Nevada National Guard. “There’s something to be said about being together with likeminded people, being in the COCOMs building, and hearing it from all the players and stakeholders into the region and show how we are aligned with the national vision.”

    Highlighted presenters also noted the importance of current initiatives including: Women, Peace and Security, Overseas Humanitarian Disaster and Civic Aid, Climate Resilience, Office of the Command Surgeon and the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

    “We do everything we can to really strengthen our friendships, our partnerships and mutually benefit each other,” Petersen explained. “At some point we might have to lean on one another. And it’s better to build our friendships now, it’s hard to surge trust, it’s better to have it before there’s anything going wrong.”

    Oregon Air Force National Guard Maj. Angelica Hayes, Oregon’s bilateral affairs officer (BAO) in Vietnam, is new to the position. She speaks on how beneficial attending the Senior Leaders Forum has been for her.

    “I’ve had a lot of theory, a lot of how I’ll fit in, what I’ll be doing but now I am actually there doing it and getting some hands-on application,” Hayes said. “So, coming here is just reinforcing and reconnecting all those theories and making sure I am applying and making those connections correctly.”

    The new BAO expresses the importance of recognizing networks and connections when it comes to the success of SPP and personal growth.

    “The biggest thing that I think I’m getting out of this is just the networking, meeting a lot of people that are in the area, hearing their challenges or their successes is helpful when I go to problem-solve in the future,” Hayes said. “We’re building relationships in the nation, with our partner nation, but we are also building relationships within each other. That’s going to make us more successful if we have to respond to any type of emergency in the future.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S., Egyptian Naval Forces Conducts Inaugural Eagle Defender Exercise in Red Sea

    Source: United States Naval Central Command

    MANAMA, Bahrain —

    U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard forces joined the Egyptian Naval Force in executing Exercise Eagle Defender in Safaga, Egypt, and in the Red Sea, Sept. 8-20. 

    For the first time, U.S. and Egyptian naval forces integrated unmanned systems in a bilateral maritime exercise to uphold the international rules-based order while ensuring maritime security in the Red Sea. Scenarios included: explosive ordnance disposal, mine countermeasures, harbor defense, and the integration of unmanned systems. 

    The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) sailed alongside Egyptian Navy ships during the exercise while several other units also participated. 

    This is one of many exercises the U.S. military participates in every year with partner nations in the Middle East to enhance partnerships and strengthen interoperability. The combined exercise is designed to broaden levels of cooperation, support long-term regional security, and enhance Egyptian Naval Force interoperability with U.S. naval forces. 

    The U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations encompasses nearly 2.5 million square miles of water area and includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean and three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, Suez Canal and Bab al-Mandeb. 

    For more information, contact U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs at m-ba-cusnc-publicaffairs@us.navy.mil. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Addresses Gender-Based Pay Discrimination in Lawsuit Against Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs

    Source: US State of California

    The Justice Department has reached a settlement agreement to resolve a gender-based pay discrimination lawsuit filed in January 2023 against the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs (WDMA). The lawsuit alleged that the WDMA discriminated against former employee Michelle Hartness, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, when it offered her a lower salary than similarly or less qualified men for a director position in the Wisconsin Division of Emergency Management. 

    Title VII is a federal statute that prohibits pay discrimination and other forms of employment discrimination on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin or religion.

    “It is time to close the gender pay gap which stands as one of the most pressing problems that we face in the labor market today. This settlement agreement demonstrates the Justice Department’s strong commitment to vindicating the rights of qualified job applicants and employees who are offered or paid less simply because they are women,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will continue to aggressively hold state and local government employers accountable when they unlawfully deny women the right to bring home the full paycheck they have rightly earned.”

    Under the settlement agreement, WDMA will pay Ms. Hartness a $175,000 monetary award. By signing the agreement, WDMA also confirms that it maintains antidiscrimination and other personnel policies to prevent compensation discrimination, including a pay-setting policy to establish consistency in setting salaries, and that it trains personnel on the pay-setting policy.

    Ms. Hartness filed a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC’s Milwaukee Area Office investigated the charge and found reasonable cause to believe that Ms. Hartness was discriminated against because of her sex.  After unsuccessful conciliation efforts, the EEOC referred the charge to the Justice Department.

    Senior Trial Attorneys Patricia Stasco, Chrisine Dinan and Catherine Sellers and Trial Attorney Young Choi of the Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section handled the case.

    The full and fair enforcement of Title VII is a top priority of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division and the Employment Litigation Section is available at www.justice.gov/crt/ and www.justice.gov/crt/employment-litigation-section.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Secures Relief from Morningstar Storage to Resolve Alleged Violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act

    Source: US State of California

    The Justice Department announced today that Morningstar Storage, which manages and operates a network of self-storage facilities in the southeast area of the United States, has agreed to pay $130,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by failing to obtain court orders before auctioning the contents of at least three storage units owned by active-duty servicemembers.

    According to the complaint, an Air Force Staff Sergeant stationed at MacDill Air Force Base rented a unit at a storage facility located in Tampa, Florida. On the storage agreement, the Staff Sergeant indicated that she was in active military service, provided contact information for her military unit and authorized rent payments to be made automatically. Shortly thereafter, before being deployed overseas to Jordan, she stored nearly all of her household goods at the Tampa facility, including her military awards and coins, and her children’s toys and keepsakes. While the Staff Sergeant was still deployed to Jordan, Morningstar acquired the Tampa facility, stopped her automatic payments and auctioned all the contents of her unit for $390.

    “We all know that servicemembers endure many hardships and make great sacrifices as a result of their service to the nation,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Our servicemembers should never have to worry that their property, including their most prized keepsakes and personal treasures, will be sold out from under them while they are on duty. The Justice Department will continue standing up for servicemembers to ensure basic respect for their property, their rights and their dignity.”

    “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida is deeply committed to protecting the civil rights of our Nation’s servicemembers,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “The brave individuals who selflessly sacrifice to serve our country deserve the respect and peace of mind of knowing that what they leave behind during their service will be treated with the utmost care. Today’s consent decree reminds us that the companies who take on this responsibility do not always exercise the care that our servicemembers are entitled to under the SCRA, but the department remains committed to ensuring companies like Morningstar follow their obligations under the law.”  

    The SCRA provides financial and housing protections and benefits to military members while they are in military service. One of the SCRA’s protections requires anyone holding a lien on the property of a servicemember to obtain a court order prior to auctioning off, selling or otherwise disposing of that property. Under the consent order, which must still be approved by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Morningstar will pay the Air Force Staff Sergeant $80,000 in damages and will pay $5,000 each to two additional servicemembers. Morningstar has also agreed to pay a $40,000 civil penalty to the United States and must also implement new policies to prevent future violations of the SCRA.

    This lawsuit resulted from a referral to the Justice Department from the U.S. Air Force. The department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the department has obtained over $481 million in monetary relief for over 147,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.

    Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA may have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Readout of Director Rachel Rossi’s Trip to Kansas

    Source: US State of California

    Director Rachel Rossi of the Office for Access to Justice (ATJ) traveled to Kansas this week to engage with stakeholders about the access to justice challenges rural communities face and to discuss innovative solutions. The visit built upon the ongoing work of ATJ to address the rural access to justice gap in the United States.

    Director Rossi began by meeting with the Executive Director of Kansas Legal Services, a grantee of the Legal Services Corporation that serves all 105 counties in Kansas, to discuss the importance of civil legal aid, the barriers that low-income Kansans face in addressing their civil legal needs and the operational challenges of providing legal services in rural areas of the state. Director Rossi highlighted various initiatives, including the office’s work to expand and modernize the Federal Government Pro Bono Program — which mobilizes federal government employees to engage in pro bono work, often in partnership with legal service providers, and the online resource developed through the Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable to make federal funding opportunities more accessible for legal service providers.

    Following her meeting with Kansas Legal Services, Director Rossi met with the Dean of the University of Kansas (KU) School of Law and Directors of the Law School’s Legal Aid Clinic, which offers students the opportunity to represent low-income clients in civil, criminal and juvenile cases under the guidance of supervising attorneys. Director Rossi and KU Law faculty discussed the recruitment and retention issues plaguing public defense and youth defense systems in Kansas. The clinical professors and Dean shared unique insight into current challenges and potential solutions to several access to justice issues in Kansas, focusing on creative recruitment strategies to encourage law students to pursue public interest and public defense careers.

    Later in the day, Director Rossi met with the Executive Director and the Director of Special Projects for the Kansas State Board of Indigents’ Defense Services (BIDS), which oversees Kansas’ 18 regional public defender offices and manages the statewide assigned counsel program, legal services for people in prison, non-capital appellate services and capital defense. Director Rossi shared ATJ’s Public Defense Resource Hub, a digital compilation of federal resources and materials that can be used to support public defense. The meeting included a discussion of caseload and workload standards, the public defense recruitment and retention crisis and the expansion of public defense in Kansas. Following her meeting with BIDS, Director Rossi met with the Federal Public Defender for the District of Kansas, who also serves as the chair of the Defender Services Advisory Group, to discuss issues federal public defenders are facing, implementation of the Report and Recommendations Concerning Access to Counsel at the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Pretrial Facilities and the innovative defense provided laptop program within the district that ensures discovery access for detained clients.

    On Thursday, Sept. 19, Director Rossi met with the Rural Justice Initiative Committee, which was created in 2022 by the Kansas Supreme Court to collect information and data on unmet legal needs and the availability of legal help in rural Kansas and to issue a report and recommendations to address gaps and promote effective solutions. Director Rossi also met with the Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Committee and the Language Access Committee to discuss their programs in rural Kansas and ways in which ATJ can advance access to justice in rural areas. Director Rossi also had the opportunity to meet with a group of state court judges and Kansas Supreme Court justices who serve on these committees to hear their perspective on the role that the judiciary plays in addressing access to justice barriers in the state. She highlighted the work of ATJ to convene all 40 state access to justice commissions quarterly, and the office’s work to expand language access under the leadership of the department-wide language access coordinator.

    Director Rossi next met with the Kansas Farm Bureau (KFB) Legal Foundation, an organization established by the Kansas Farm Bureau to provide legal education, information and research for those directly engaged in agriculture or related enterprises. They discussed the civil legal help provided by the KFB Legal Foundation to agricultural communities, including programs to educate farmers and ranchers about significant legal issues such as farm bankruptcy and probate issues, farm ownership transitions, agricultural land use and zoning and more. They also discussed the need for more attorneys and legal help in rural communities, and how the KFB Legal Foundation recently responded through the launch of a Rural Law Practice Grant to help defray the educational costs of law school and to encourage new attorneys to locate their legal practice in rural Kansas.

    To conclude the trip, Director Rossi traveled to Washburn University Law School (Washburn Law), in Topeka, Kansas, to meet with faculty, administrators and students participating in Washburn Law’s Rural Law program that focuses on identifying rural externship and employment opportunities and providing support for students to transition into rural law practice. They discussed the program’s effort to expand the range of accelerated and remote study options to lower the barriers to rural students seeking a degree. This engagement highlighted the perspectives of law students, many with backgrounds from rural communities, on effective solutions to the rural lawyer shortage. 

    Director Rossi and ATJ staff met with faculty at the University of Kansas School of Law.
    Director Rossi and representatives from Kansas State Board of Indigents’ Defense Services.
    Director Rossi and ATJ staff convened with representatives from the Kansas Rural Justice Initiative, Access to Justice and Language Access Committees.
    Director Rossi engaged with Washburn University School of Law faculty and former and present law students.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: MCTE AND SETS SIGN MoU TO STRENGTHEN CYBER SECURITY, QUANTUM SECURITY AND INFORMATION SECURITY CAPABILITIES

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 20 SEP 2024 6:51PM by PIB Delhi

    In a major step towards enhancing India’s information security capabilities, Military College of Telecommunication Engineering (MCTE) and Society for Electronic Transactions and Security (SETS) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with an aim to advance research and development in critical areas of Cyber, Quantum, Hardware Security and Cryptology. Special focus on niche technologies like Bharat Post Quantum Cryptography (PQC) algorithms, Blockchain Systems, Hardware Security systems, Quantum Safe VPN and Quantum Random Number Generators (QRNGs) will contribute to the Indian Army’s mission of technological self-reliance and future battlefield ready and contribute towards ATMANIRBHAR Bharat.

    The MoU was signed by Lt Gen KH Gawas, PVSM, VSM, Commandant MCTE and Colonel Commandant Corps of Signals and Dr N Subramanian, Executive Director of SETS, in the presence of Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) to the Government of India, Dr. Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary, O/o PSA to GoI, Maj Gen CS Mann, AVSM, VSM, ADG, ADB, Indian Army and Dr. Rakesh Kaur, Adviser/Scientist ‘G’, O/o PSA to GoI.

    Key Highlights of the MoU

    · Prototyping and Field Trials of cutting-edge technology solutions developed by SETS in AI, Blockchain, Quantum and network security to explore their military applications.

    · Training and Capacity Building through joint workshops, seminars and certificate programs in information security.

    · Infrastructure development by setting up advanced labs in MCTE to foster joint research and learning in cyber & information security.

    · Collaborative approach for developing Bharat PQC algorithms, Hardware Security Systems, PQC based Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and QRNGs and QKD systems under research and development.

    Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) to the Government of India complimented the contributions of MCTE for technology infusion into Indian Army. He commended the initiative as a milestone in fortifying India’s technological capabilities and emphasized the critical role of cyber and quantum security in national defense. Collaborations, driven by innovative research and prototyping, are essential for preparing India for future challenges. He said that overlapping expertise of MCTE and SETS are poised for a seamless collaboration wherein MoU will serve as a catalyst in this inevitable partnership and significantly contributing towards safe secure cyber environment.

    Lt Gen K H Gawas, PVSM, VSM, Commandant MCTE, highlighted the significance of synergy between MCTE and SETS Chennai and its alignment towards the initiative of  “Nation First and National Security”. The synergy in multiple domains of Network security, quantum computing and cryptography not only propel the indigenization efforts but also enhance operational efficiency through secure and customised solutions for Indian Army. The partnership aims to exploring innovative solutions and strengthening resilience against emerging threats through collaboration in developing indigenous security infrastructure like Bharat PQC, QRNG, QKD, Quantum Safe VPN and Hardware Security systems.

    Dr. N. Subramanian, Executive Director of SETS stated that the MoU marks a pivotal step towards strengthening the nation’s cyber and quantum defense capabilities. By leveraging the combined expertise of SETS and MCTE, the aim is to create robust solutions to emerging security challenges.

    The MCTE and SETS partnership reinforces India’s commitment to achieving self-reliance in defense technology as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. By combining the research capabilities of SETS with the military expertise of MCTE, this MoU is expected to generate innovative and creative solutions that will enhance the security of critical military networks and contribute to the nation’s broader cyber defense infrastructure.

    ***

    MJPS/ST

    (Release ID: 2057140) Visitor Counter : 52

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER, CONTINUING HIS PUSH TO LAND NEW SKI-BIRD FLEET AT SCHENECTADY COUNTY’S STRATTON AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, BRINGS NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION DIRECTOR TO U.S. CAPITOL TO BUILD SUPPORT IN THE…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    Schumer Made Major Breakthrough After Visiting Stratton Air National Guard Base Earlier This Year Securing $229M In Senate Approps, But In Order For $$ To Become Law The House Needs To Agree To This Measure, Which Is Currently Not Included In Their Bill
    Schumer Brought NSF And NY National Guard Top Brass, Who Rely On These Planes For Scientific Research And Maintaining American Competition With China And Russia, To Capitol To Discuss Need For New Ski-Bird Planes To Ensure We Can Continue Missions To Arctic And Antarctic For National Security
    Schumer: We Are The Closest We’ve Ever Been To Landing New Ski-Birds For The 109th Airlift Wing & We Need Everyone To Get On Board To Support This Funding
    After securing $229 million in the Senate’s FY2025 defense appropriations bill to replace the 109th Airlift Wing’s (AW) two oldest LC-130H aircraft, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer this week brought National Science Foundation (NSF) Director Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan and Major General Ray Shields, Adjutant General for the State of New York, to the U.S. Capitol to build support and describe the need for the House to follow the Senate and back funding to recapitalize the Ski-Bird fleet for the Stratton Air National Guard in Schenectady County.
    “Upgrading the 109th Airlift Wing’s Ski-Bird fleet based in Schenectady is critical for our national security and the National Science Foundation’s polar research mission. That is why I personally brought NSF Director Panchanathan and Major General Ray Shields to the Capitol to highlight the need to land new Ski-Birds in the Capital Region ASAP. Stratton Air National Guard and the 109th Airlift Wing is the only military unit in the world that flies these aircraft and they need the House to back up the funding I was able to secure in the Senate,” said Senator Schumer. “For more than thirty years, the old LC-130H planes have been in service in harsh environments, but now their state of disrepair is threatening aircrew safety and the 109th AW’s mission success. I landed $229 million in federal funding in the Senate’s FY2025 Defense Appropriations bill so now we need the House to follow suit. The brave men and women of the 109th Airlift Wing cannot wait, and I’ll keep fighting tooth and nail for the inclusion of this funding in end-of-year appropriations so we can finally bring brand new J model LC-130s to the Capital Region.”
    At the meeting Schumer convened at the U.S. Capitol they had a wide range of panelists who highlighted the tremendous need for upgrading the ski-bird fleet including: Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan, Director, National Science Foundation; Major General Ray Shields, Adjutant General, New York National Guard; Dr. Jean Cottam Allen, Acting Director, Office of Polar Programs at the NSF; Stephanie Short, Section Head, Antarctic Infrastructure and Logistics at the NSF; Jennifer Mercer, Section Head, Arctic Sciences at the NSF; Brig. Gen. Gary Charlton II, Assistant Adjutant General (Air), NYANG; and Col Steve Slosek, 109th Airlift Wing, NYANG. Then, panelists covered how the 109th AW’s Ski-Bird mission is crucial to both scientific research and national security, discussing the significant and immediate consequences it would yield if Congress fails to recapitalize the fleet and the aircraft enters restricted flight status. Now, Schumer and these top leaders are advocating for the House to match the Senate Defense Appropriations bill and support its inclusion in the final FY25 appropriations package.
    National Science Foundation Director Dr. Panchanathan said, “The U.S. National Science Foundation’s leadership in both polar regions not only keeps the U.S. at the forefront of critical areas of science and innovation, it also maintains the United States as the dominant global year-round presence in the Arctic and Antarctic. This would not be possible without the LC-130H aircraft and the brave and dedicated servicemembers of the New York Air National Guard and the 109th Air Lift Wing. Together, they provide a unique and invaluable service that allows us to reach the most remote parts of the polar regions. Without this capability, our leadership and presence would be at risk, and the world-class science we invest in, from glaciology to astrophysics would not be possible. I am grateful to Sen. Schumer, the New York delegation, and Congress for continued support to make sure the United States remains the global leader in the Arctic and Antarctic.”  
    “Today Senator Schumer hosted a meeting and panel discussion to address the urgent need to recapitalize the New York Air National Guard’s aging fleet of LC-130H Ski Birds.  The event included the Director of the National Science Foundation as well as key leaders from their Office of Polar Programs.  Senator Schumer was instrumental in securing $229 million in the Senate’s FY-2025 appropriations bill.  The panel and the discussion continued the efforts of Senator Schumer and New York’s Congressional delegation to ensure the critical mission of the 109th Air Wing and their vital National Security and science support missions have the aircraft required. We appreciate Senator Schumer’s steadfast support and commitment to our recapitalization efforts,” said Major General Shields.
    Schumer explained that with these planes quickly approaching the end of their service life—and following his successful efforts to authorize funding for the procurement of two new J model LC-130 aircraft in the Senate’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25), securing this funding in the final end-of-year appropriations bills is a national security priority for New York. The senator explained that the $229 million in the Senate bill will support the procurement of two LC-130J Ski-Birds, as well as essential engineering work to accelerate the design and development of the J model’s capabilities.
    Earlier this year, Schumer wrote to Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall to urge the Air Force to prioritize recapitalizing the LC-130H fleet and in April, he personally visited the 109th Airlift Wing—the only U.S. military unit in the world that flies these aircraft—in person to double down on the urgent need to recapitalize the LC-130H fleet and formally launch his push to secure federal funding for the procurement of two new LC-130Js in the FY25 appropriations cycle. As he explained during his visit and with the top leaders during the meeting he convened in the Capitol this week, this funding is critical for protecting U.S. national security interests, enhancing U.S. competitiveness with Russia and the People’s Republic of China (PRC), maximizing aircrew safety, and continuing to support cutting-edge research in the polar regions which includes finding solutions to limit global warming and combat climate change.
    “As I have repeatedly said, we need to ensure that we deliver new Ski-Birds for the 109th as soon as possible. Now that we’ve secured more than $200 million for LC-130H recapitalization in both the FY25 Senate NDAA and defense appropriations bill, the House needs to follow suit so that new planes can land in the Capital Region. The National Science Foundation and the NY National Guard both agree, and we are closer than we have ever been. ” added Schumer.
    Schumer explained that after more than 30 years, these planes—several of which were built in the 1970s and operate on technology developed in the 1950s—are rapidly approaching the end of their service life, jeopardizing mission success, aircrew and operator safety, and U.S. national security. Schumer said the airplanes often suffer reliability issues and high maintenance costs, with only five planes out of the ten total in the fleet being mission-capable at any given time. Additionally, nearly all of the aircraft in the fleet have parts that require total replacement, but the 109th AW is unable to make the necessary fixes because those parts are no longer in production due to the aircraft’s age and commodity. With both U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM), which oversees the polar airlift mission, and 109th AW, which supports the NSF’s polar science research missions and is the only U.S. military unit in the world that flies these planes, expressing the urgent need to recapitalize, Schumer took action to push for this major federal funding and upgrade the fleet to support U.S. national security and scientific research.
    The LC-130 is also a necessity for maintaining and strengthening the United States’ presence, operations, and research in the Arctic and Antarctica. The Arctic is a region of growing strategic importance, and to compete on a global scale, especially with China and Russia who are expanding their presence in the region, it is vital that the U.S. has the advanced capabilities needed to expand its presence in the region.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Readout of Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks’ Trip to Baltimore, Md.

    Source: United States Department of Defense

    Pentagon Spokesman Eric Pahon provided the following readout:

    Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks traveled to Baltimore, Md., today for a ship naming ceremony.

    During her visit, Deputy Secretary Hicks delivered remarks aboard the USS Constellation after Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro announced that the future Virginia-class Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarine SSN 812 will be named USS Baltimore.

    Deputy Secretary Hicks will serve as the ship’s sponsor. In her role as sponsor, she will represent a lifelong relationship with the ship and crew. The crew of the ship may change many times over the course of a ship’s life, but the sponsor remains the same. 

    The future USS Baltimore honors the city of Baltimore, the crews of one Continental Navy ship, and the five previous Navy vessels named Baltimore.

    The naming selection of the future USS Baltimore (SSN 812) continues the recent trend of naming Virginia-class submarines after cities. Previous submarines were named USS Long Island (SSN 809), USS San Francisco (SSN 810), and USS Miami (SSN 811).

    The city of Baltimore has significant ties to American and Naval history. The Port of Baltimore was established in 1706 and the Town of Baltimore in 1729. One of the Navy’s six founding frigates, USS Constellation, was built in Baltimore, and the city’s skilled ship workers later would construct the famous Baltimore clipper ships. In 1814, the Battle of Baltimore inspired the American national anthem.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Legislation considered under suspension of the Rules of the House of Representatives during the week of September 23, 2024

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives announces bills that will be considered under suspension of the rules in that chamber. Under suspension, floor debate is limited, all floor amendments are prohibited, points of order against the bill are waived, and final passage requires a two-thirds majority vote.

    At the request of the Majority Leader and the House Committee on the Budget, CBO estimates the effects of those bills on direct spending and revenues. CBO has limited time to review the legislation before consideration. Although it is possible in most cases to determine whether the legislation would affect direct spending or revenues, time may be insufficient to estimate the magnitude of those effects. If CBO has prepared estimates for similar or identical legislation, a more detailed assessment of budgetary effects, including effects on spending subject to appropriation, may be included.

    CBO’s estimates of the bills that have been posted for possible consideration under suspension of the rules during the week of September 23, 2024, include:

    • H.R. 522, Deliver for Veterans Act, as amended 
    • H.R. 618, Improving Access to Workers’ Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act, as amended 
    • H.R. 1657, Lake Winnibigoshish Land Exchange Act of 2023, as amended 
    • H.R. 1726, Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2023, as amended 
    • H.R. 1735, Mathematical and Statistical Modeling Education Act, as amended 
    • H.R. 2468, Mountain View Corridor Completion Act, as amended
    • H.R. 2706, Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act, as amended 
    • H.R. 2950, Coastal Habitat Conservation Act of 2023, as amended 
    • H.R. 3208, DHS Cybersecurity On-the-Job Training Program Act 
    • H.R. 3433, Give Kids a Chance Act of 2023 
    • H.R. 3884, Sickle Cell Disease and Other Heritable Blood Disorders Research, Surveillance, Prevention, and Treatment Act of 2023
    • H.R. 4094, Great Salt Lake Stewardship Act 
    • H.R. 4259, Think Differently about Education Act of 2023, as amended 
    • H.R. 4527, Health DATA Act, as amended 
    • H.R. 4596, Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basins Endangered Fish Recovery Programs Reauthorization Act of 2023, as amended 
    • H.R. 5302, Michel O. Maceda Memorial Act 
    • H.R. 5490, Bolstering Ecosystems Against Coastal Harm Act, as amended 
    • H.R. 5509, Electronic Permitting Modernization Act, as amended 
    • H.R. 5526, Seniors’ Access to Critical Medications Act, as amended 
    • H.R. 5646, Stop Campus Hazing Act, as amended 
    • H.R. 5867, To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 109 Live Oaks Boulevard in Casselberry, Florida, as the “Colonel Joseph William Kittinger II Post Office Building” 
    • H.R. 6125, Online Dating Safety Act of 2023, as amended 
    • H.R. 6219, ASCEND Act, as amended 
    • H.R. 6231, Department of Homeland Security Policy Issuance Review act 
    • H.R. 6474, To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to expedite geothermal exploration and development in previously studied or developed areas
    • H.R. 6633, To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 9355 113th Street in Seminole, Florida, as the “Army SSG Ryan Christian Knauss Memorial Post Office Building”
    • H.R. 6656, Stuck on Hold Act, as amended 
    • H.R. 6829, HEARTS Act of 2024, as amended 
    • H.R. 6852, Holcombe Rucker Park Landmark Act, as amended 
    • H.R. 7073, Next Generation Pipelines Research and Development Act, as amended 
    • H.R. 7189, Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act of 2024, as amended 
    • H.R. 7323, Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserves Tuition Fairness Act of 2024, as amended 
    • H.R. 7370, Geothermal Energy Opportunity Act, as amended 
    • H.R. 7422, Geothermal Cost-Recovery Authority Act of 2024, as amended 
    • H.R. 7630, ANCHOR Act, as amended 
    • H.R. 7685, IMPACT Act, as amended 
    • H.R. 7764, Commission to Study the Potential Transfer of the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History to the Smithsonian Institution Act, as amended 
    • H.R. 7832, Emerging Innovative Border Technologies Act 
    • H.R. 8108, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to add a Medicaid State plan requirement with respect to determination of residency of certain individuals serving in Armed Forces 
    • H.R. 8419, American Victims of Terrorism Compensation Act 
    • H.R. 8674, Milestones for Advanced Nuclear Fuels Act, as amended 
    • H.R. 8958, To reauthorize the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and for other purposes, as amended
    • H.R. 9459, PATHS Act 
    • H.R. 9460, DHS Joint Task Forces Reauthorization Act of 2024 
    • H.R. 9488, SHIELD Act, as amended 
    • S. 133, NAPA Reauthorization Act 
    • S. 134, Alzheimer’s Accountability and Investment Act 
    • S. 150, Affordable Prescriptions for Patients Act of 2023 
    • S. 376, A bill to designate the area between the intersections of 16th Street, Northwest and Fuller Street, Northwest and 16th Street, Northwest and Euclid Street, Northwest in Washington, District of Columbia, as “Oswaldo Paya Way”
    • S. 612, Lake Tahoe Restoration Reauthorization Act 
    • S. 656, Veteran Improvement Commercial Driver License Act of 2023
    • S. 670, IMPACTT Human Trafficking Act 
    • S. 679, GAO Database Modernization Act of 2024 
    • S. 794, CTPAT Pilot Program Act 
    • S. 1549, CBO Data Access Act 
    • S. 2087, Congressional Award Program Reauthorization Act of 2023 
    • S. 2685, Reuse Excess Property Act
    • S. 3639, To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2075 West Stadium Boulevard in Ann Arbor, Michigan, as the “Robert Hayden Post Office”
    • S. 3640, To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 155 South Main Street in Mount Clemens, Michigan, as the “Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Jefferson Post Office”
    • S. 3764, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2024 
    • S. 3851, To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 90 McCamly Street South in Battle Creek, Michigan, as the “Sojourner Truth Post Office”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DAF leaders reaffirm commitment to reoptimization for Great Power Competition

    Source: United States Air Force

    Headline: DAF leaders reaffirm commitment to reoptimization for Great Power Competition

    The 2024 Air, Space, and Cyber Conference, hosted by the Air and Space Forces Association, offered DAF senior leaders an opportunity to share their views on modernization and readiness in response to emerging security threats, while reaffirming the DAF’s commitment to reoptimization.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pappas, Jacobs, Levin Reintroduce Legislation to Address Harmful Impact of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, Guarantee VA Benefits for LGBTQ+ Veterans

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

    On the 13th anniversary of the full repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT), Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and Co-Chair of the Equality Caucus, alongside Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (CA-51) and Congressman Mike Levin (CA-49) reintroduced theSecuring the Rights our Veterans Earned (SERVE) Act to guarantee and protect VA benefits for LGBTQ+ veterans discharged from the Armed Forces due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. 

    During DADT, many LGBTQ+ veterans who were discharged because of their sexual orientation or gender identity received Other Than Honorable (OTH) or Entry-Level Separation (ELS) discharges, preventing access to VA health care and benefits such as education, burial and memorial services, and home loans. Since its repeal in 2011, impacted veterans appealing for VA benefits have reported a prolonged and burdensome process, often requiring the use of a lawyer, to seek the respect and benefits they earned. Additionally, far too many veterans discharged under DADT are still unaware they can seek an upgrade or where to start the process.

    The SERVE Act would take critical steps to address this problem by:

    • Extending VA benefits eligibility to veterans who received an “Other Than Honorable” discharge or entry-level separation solely due to their sexual orientation or gender identity, including medical and disability benefits, pensions, veteran center readjustment counseling and mental health services, burial benefits, educational benefits, and housing loans.
    • Requiring VA to conduct outreach to veterans who may be eligible for VA benefits under the legislation and to conduct outreach to Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) and military service organizations about the new eligibility criteria.
    • Requiring VA to report to Congress on the benefits provided under the legislation during the first year of enactment, including the number and demographic information of individuals who received such benefits.

    “Veterans and their families deserve our thanks and gratitude for their service and sacrifice. It’s deplorable that LGBTQ+ service members and veterans ever suffered from the discriminatory policies of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’, and that thirteen years since its repeal, countless veterans continue to be impacted by this injustice, affecting the benefits and care many rightfully deserve for serving our country,” said Congressman Pappas. “Today I’m re-introducing the SERVE Act which would take important steps to ensure LGBTQ+ service members who were unjustly discharged receive the benefits they earned.”

    “Anyone who has served and sacrificed so much for our country should have full access to their VA benefits,” said Congresswoman Sara Jacobs, Vice Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus. “But even 13 years since the repeal of the discriminatory ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy, many LGBTQ+ veterans are still denied their VA health care and benefits because of who they are and who they love. We owe our veterans so much more than this. I’m proud to co-lead the SERVE Act to right this wrong and provide the care and benefits our LGBTQ+ veterans have rightfully earned.”

    “The discriminatory Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy wrongfully ended the military careers of thousands of service members and, although it is no longer in place, its consequences are still felt today. Veterans discharged under Don’t Ask Don’t Tell are being denied the benefits they rightfully earned, and we must correct this wrong. I’m proud to co-lead this important legislation that will unlock VA benefits for veterans who were wrongfully discharged under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Those who serve our country deserve the upmost respect and gratitude, regardless of their sexual orientation. We must grant them the benefits they deserve. I thank Rep. Pappas for his leadership and look forward to moving this bill through the legislative process,” said Congressman Levin.

    The legislation has been endorsed by Equality California, Human Rights Campaign, Minority Veterans of America (MVA), Modern Military Association of America (MMAA), and Silver State Equality.

    “For decades, the selfless service of our nation’s LGBTQ+ veterans has been diminished by unequal treatment, rooted in discriminatory regulations. Many LGBTQ-identifying veterans left service involuntarily, and often without the ability to access benefits and services that were largely available to cisgender and heterosexual veterans. Now that discriminatory policies are relics of the past, we must do the work necessary to ensure that our community receives those benefits and services. We applaud Congressman Pappas and the sponsors of this Bill for their dedication to righting historic wrongs and advocating for our most marginalized and underserved populations,” said Peter Perkowski, Legal & Policy Director, Minority Veterans of America.

    “We owe all of our veterans a debt of gratitude for their service in protecting our country, and that includes LGBTQ+ veterans. Unfortunately, too many LGBTQ+ veterans don’t have full access to VA benefits due to outdated and discriminatory rules and laws that were in place at the time they served. The passage of the SERVE Act will help to right some of these wrongs, and we thank Rep. Chris Pappas and the bill’s cosponsors for reintroducing this important legislation,” said Jennifer Pike Bailey, Human Rights Campaign Director of Government Affairs.

    “Modern Military Association of America applauds Representative Pappas for his enduring commitment to LGBTQ+ veterans and ensuring they are afforded the benefits they rightfully earned after serving their country. The reintroduced SERVE Act is a significant step toward restoring benefits to the more than 114,000 service members discharged under discriminatory service bans and policies. The SERVE Act provides an opportunity for the Department of Veterans Affairs to rebuild trust with LGBTQ+ veterans by ensuring effective implementation and accountability,” said Rachel Branaman, Executive Director, Modern Military Association of America.
    “For too long, LGBTQ+ servicemembers faced the ugly reality of discrimination — many were not only discharged because of their sexual orientation or gender identity but denied access to benefits and health care from the VA,” said Equality California Executive Director Tony Hoang. “Anyone who signs up to defend our nation deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, which is why we are grateful to Congressman Pappas for his reintroduction of the SERVE Act. This important legislation will ensure that those LGBTQ+ veterans discharged because of who they are or who they love will now be able to access the benefits they are entitled to. It is incumbent upon us to keep our promise to look after all our military veterans, including those who are LGBTQ+.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Houlahan Questions Biden Administration on Israeli bombings in Gaza humanitarian zone

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) sent a letter to President Joe Biden asking for more information on the IDF’s use of 2,000-pound bombs in a densely populated humanitarian zone southwest of Khan Younis on September 10. Houlahan asked President Biden if the bombs were U.S.-made and, if so, if they were sent prior to the U.S. embargo on these weapons in May. She also asked for details on the Biden Administration’s efforts to encourage Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to stop using these weapons, especially in densely populated civilian areas, and urged him to have these critical conversations.  

    “I have dedicated my life to national security and service and believe our nation’s values are a source of credibility and power. I know from personal experience that you cannot destroy a terror ideology with military force,” Houlahan said in the letter. 

    This comes after Houlahan sent a letter in December 2023 to the Biden Administration with a group of her colleagues expressing their concern about Israel’s military strategy, and today, she shared her concern over little progress on that issue. 

    In today’s letter, Houlahan said, “As this war has continued, I have seen no appreciable changes in Israel’s strategy and in fact, the civilian death toll and humanitarian crisis in Gaza has continued.”  

    Read Houlahan’s letter here or below.  

    Dear President Biden, 

    Thank you for your leadership and continued efforts both to support our ally Israel, and to bring an end to the war in Gaza. As a member of the Intelligence and Armed Services Committees, and a former member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, I appreciate your commitment to finding a solution that will ensure a lasting peace and a durable two-state solution. I continue to be deeply concerned, however, by Prime Minister Netanyahu’s ongoing military strategy, including the IDF’s use of 2,000-pound bombs in a densely populated humanitarian zone southwest of Khan Younis on September 10, 2024. 

    Last December, I sent you a letter alongside a group of my colleagues expressing our concern about Israel’s military strategy in this conflict, noting then that we believed it jeopardized efforts to destroy the terrorist organization Hamas and secure the release of all hostages. As this war has continued, I have seen no appreciable changes in Israel’s strategy and in fact, the civilian death toll and humanitarian crisis in Gaza has continued. This recent bombing on September 10 is particularly alarming because your Administration paused the shipment of 2,000- and 500-pound bombs to Israel in May 2024 due to concerns about usage in densely populated civilian areas. Though I am thankful that your Administration has continued to withhold 2,000-pound bombs, I 

    have concerns about the origins of the weapons used on the al-Mawasi humanitarian zone. 

    I ask if your Administration is aware of if the 2,000 bombs used on September 10 were U.S.-made, and if so, is it your belief that these weapons were sent prior to the embargo in May? More specifically, do you know when exactly these weapons were sent? Given the continued pause on 2,000-pound bombs, has your Administration expressed your concern about the use of these weapons, especially on densely populated civilian areas, to Prime Minister Netanyahu? I encourage you to have those conversations if you haven’t already and support continued embargoes of heavy bombs. 

    Over the last 11 months, civilians across Gaza have been told by the Israeli government and the IDF to evacuate to al-Mawasi for safety. Hundreds of thousands occupy the 16-square mile area. I understand the difficult nature of this conflict, as Hamas is not using strategies that protect the lives of the Palestinian people. However, the use of heavy bombs on one of the only remaining humanitarian zones in Gaza with a high concentration of civilians is not in line with U.S. values and does not advance the cause of security for Israel or protect innocent civilians from catastrophic harm. 

    To restate from the December letter, I have dedicated my life to national security and service and believe our nation’s values are a source of credibility and power. I know from personal experience that you cannot destroy a terror ideology with military force. 

    As we reach the solemn anniversary of the horrific tragedy that took place on October 7, 2023, with more than 100 people (including Americans) still held captive by Hamas, it is past time that this war comes to an end. Hamas’ recent change in strategy calling for hostages to be executed if the IDF gets close, as we saw with the death of six hostages including American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, underscores this immediate need. 

    I appreciate your steadfast efforts to secure a hostage and ceasefire deal, and your leadership in bringing both Israel and Hamas to the negotiating table. I urge you to continue doing all that you can to pressure Prime Minister Netanyahu and the leaders of Hamas to reach a deal that ensures the return of all remaining hostages and works towards a peaceful, two-state solution which allows Palestinians to be free from the terrorist organization Hamas and where Israelis can live without fear of another October 7. As a Member of Congress, I remain committed to supporting your Administration in those efforts. 

    Sincerely, 

    Chrissy Houlahan 

    Houlahan is an Air Force veteran, an engineer, a serial entrepreneur, an educator, and a nonprofit leader. She represents Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District, which encompasses Chester County and southern Berks County. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. She is the recipient of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Abraham Lincoln Leadership for America Award which “recognizes members who demonstrate the bipartisan leadership and constructive governing necessary to move our country forward” and the Congressional Management Foundation’s 2022 Democracy Award for best Constituent Services in Congress. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The Future of US and Allied Hypersonic Missile Programs (Part 2)

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Doug Lamborn (5th District of Colorado)

    Washington, D.C. –Today, Congressman Doug Lamborn attended the Hudson Institute and the Space Foundation workshop with congressional, government, and industry officials to discuss the future of the American hypersonic missile program. Space Foundation CEO, Maj. Gen. (Ret) Heather Pringle and Rebeccah Heinrichs, Senior Fellow and Director, Keystone Defense Initiative at the Hudson Institute gave introductory remarks. Congressman Lamborn delivered a keynote address as well as a Q & A directly following the keynote. Congressman Lamborn was joined by several members of Congress, including Reps. Bacon, Norcross, and Fong.

    “My position as Chairman of the House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee has allowed me to gain unique insight into some of the nation’s most pressing threats and the development of technological sectors across the defense landscape. I have fought hard to ensure the United States stays at the forefront of advancements in warfare, and I have sounded the alarm in areas where we are falling behind. We must correct this downward trajectory now. My future hope is that events like today’s will continue and that we will one day be the leaders in hypersonics,”said Congressman Doug Lamborn.

    “When applied to space, hypersonics are a critical leadership element for our defense and for driving further technology innovation. From a defense perspective, hypersonic technology could enhance our ability to deter adversaries in space which is without a doubt a contested environment. Moreover, the dual use aspect of hypersonics contributes to technological leadership, innovation and collaborative space missions with our allies,”said Maj. Gen. (Ret) Heather Pringle, Space Foundation CEO.

    “I am grateful for the leadership of Chairman Lamborn and the Hudson Institute for organizing this very timely assessment of the state of U.S. hypersonic weapons programs,”said Congressman Don Bacon, Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Cyber, Information Technology and Innovation and member of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee.  “We’ve made significant progress in technology development, but more must be done to advance hypersonic weapons technology, especially in fielding defensive capabilities for hypersonic weapons and developing our industrial base and test infrastructure. Today’s event generated useful insights that will inform Congress’ oversight of these vital national security programs,”said Congressman Don Bacon.

    “As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I’ve witnessed both the potential for U.S. hypersonic capabilities and potential threats from adversaries. We must bolster our supply chain and industrial base to handle the complexity and durability needed for hypersonic missiles and other critical technologies. I’m glad I was able to join my Republican colleagues for a bipartisan discussion on this topic as we explore how to ensure safety and security for all Americans,”said Congressman Donald Norcross.

    “Today’s event was a great opportunity to promote the commercial hypersonic industry and talk about the continuing work that must be done,” said Rep. Vince Fong (CA-20). “Getting to speak about the innovative developments being done in this industry in my district by the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center, Edwards Air Force Base, and NAWS China Lake and my proposal, the MACH Act, to the NASA Reauthorization bill, was an important part of demonstrating the innovative technologies that are advancing the space market and all the prospect in an effort in advancing commercial hypersonic. As a nation, we must build off the legacies to continue to be on the cutting-edge,“said Congressman Vince Fong.

    “As China and Russia continue to expand their hypersonic capabilities, it is crucial that our nation updates its defense systems to combat and deter these modern threats. In order to maintain strategic stability as well as competitive advantage, we must focus on developing our offensive hypersonic capabilities as well as investing in defensive counter-hypersonic systems. In order to accomplish this, adequate testing facilities are necessary to replicate the conditions which are unique to hypersonic flight,” said Congressman Pat Fallon.

    Click here to watch the Congressman Lamborn’s keynote address

    Click here to watch Congressman Lamborn’s Q&A

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NREL Internship Engages Native and Minority Students in Cybersecurity Projects

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    The 2024 Enabling Native Researchers and Other Minorities Through Graduate Engineering (ENRGE) internship cohort. From left, Javier Moscoso, Chelsea Neely, Success Oluwole, Adrian Gomez, Zain ul Abdeen, and Danish Saleem. Photo by Josh Bauer, NREL

    Internships offer students the opportunity to gain valuable experience in their field before joining the workforce—but for interns at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), they have the added motivation of contributing to meaningful work in energy efficiency and renewable energy. For interns in the Enabling Native Researchers and Other Minorities Through Graduate Engineering (ENRGE) program, undergraduate and graduate students at minority-serving institutions gain valuable experience in power, energy, and cybersecurity. It is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration’s Minority Serving Institution Partnership Program, which aims to create and support a sustainable career pathway that prepares a diverse workforce of talented students to make immediate and significant contributions in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

    ENRGE brings undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at minority-serving institutions with underrepresented backgrounds—such as Native, Black, Asian, Hispanic, and Latino Americans—to NREL for hands-on summer internships. The interns work on research projects that look at how human or natural threats may disrupt the U.S. electrical grid, assess the cybersecurity of distributed energy systems, or research pathways to strengthen the U.S. electrical grid.

    “Many companies and teams look forward to new pools of student interns, as they’ll bring with them fresh ideas, new perspectives, and creative approaches to the projects or processes,” said NREL’s Danish Saleem, senior engineer and ENRGE program leader.

    This past summer, Javier Moscoso, Adrian Gomez, Zain ul Abdeen, and Success Oluwole participated in NREL’s second ENRGE summer internship program. 

    “We were fortunate to have Javier, Zain, Adrian, and Success this year at NREL,” Saleem said. “Their exceptional work, dedication, and contributions toward NREL’s clean energy goals was invaluable.”

    Making the Personal Universal

    Javier Moscoso. Photo by Josh Bauer, NREL

    For Javier Moscoso, energy and climate issues hit home—that is, they affect him and all the people of Puerto Rico. “It’s a personal mission,” Moscoso said.

    Hurricanes Maria and Fiona wreaked havoc on Puerto Rico in 2017 and 2022. Fiona knocked out power for 80% of the island’s customers who depended on an already fragile power system. Moscoso has witnessed the damage the hurricanes—and the loss of power—cause. He spoke with a woman using an oxygen tank earlier in 2024 about issues she faced when power goes away. She died following a power outage this summer. “I’m talking because I live this,” he said.

    The ENRGE internship allows Moscoso to work on important cybersecurity projects, but it also allows him to talk with NREL people—like Laboratory Director Martin Keller, who Moscoso met with earlier this summer—about the issues Puerto Rico faces. “Not having a strong cybersecurity background before coming here, I have felt comfortable with my team, and I was always eager to learn more and get out of my comfort zone,” Moscoso said. “It gives me the opportunity to test out what I like and see new things that I maybe didn’t think I would ever like or work with. I have come to familiarize myself with cybersecurity and how crucial it is in power systems today. If I’m honest, I have come to appreciate how impactful this experience will be for my future. I think there is no better place than NREL to be exposing myself to this through many readings, workshops, and conversations with mentors. I look forward to continue learning and contributing in the best way I can.”

    Moscoso’s work at NREL involves looking at the cybersecurity of utility-scale batteries and distributed energy resources (DER) deployment for underserved communities on separate projects. He completed a literature review on the cybersecurity of DERs, and his background informed the case studies he wrote on Puerto Rico. “It’s my opportunity to give visibility to Puerto Rican communities,” he said.

    Moscoso said that there is intention to everything he does, which is why the ENRGE internship was enticing. It allowed him to bring his personal story and experience to NREL, which he will then take back to Puerto Rico. Encouraged by his time at NREL and with ENRGE, he will begin graduate school in Puerto Rico, where part of his time will be spent continuing a renewable energy project he began before coming to NREL.

    Prior to arriving at NREL, Moscoso engaged other students on the design and architecture of a solar gazebo to be constructed at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. The gazebo will provide power on campus for students in the event of an outage. Moscoso has presented on this project at NREL and to many national outlets. The project includes an educational component where talks will be given on renewable energy and energy consumption.

    What started as a napkin drawing is morphing into a reality that will benefit other Puerto Ricans, and Moscoso hopes that this first gazebo can be replicated across the island.

    “Javier serves as an excellent example of someone who took full advantage of the networking and professional development opportunities that NREL and the ENRGE internship offered,” said NREL’s Chelsea Neely, cybersecurity researcher and ENRGE program coordinator. “Almost every week, he came to me to tell me who he met at NREL and what research and development opportunities he was excited about. We are so proud of the impact he has made here at NREL and can’t wait to see him continue his mission towards clean energy transformation.”

    Exploring a New Career Pathway

    Adrian Gomez. Photo by Josh Bauer, NREL

    The path to NREL was not a straight line for Adrian Gomez. From the U.S. Army to education in criminal justice, his background was outside of energy. When Gomez decided that the criminal justice route was not what he wanted, he enrolled in the Ecotech Institute to learn about sustainable technologies.

    Then the school closed permanently.

    Gomez returned to criminal justice briefly before he learned about ENRGE. When he found the ENRGE internship opportunity at NREL, it felt like a fit. “It’s the right choice,” he said. “Everything led up to this. This is something I can do.”

    At NREL, Gomez brings a cybersecurity background to the Clean Energy Cybersecurity Accelerator—which aims to expedite the deployment of novel or emerging operational technology security solutions—and learned from researchers involved in the cybersecurity situational awareness tool designed for renewable energy systems. For the Clean Energy Cybersecurity Accelerator, Gomez researched cyberattack scenarios involving solar panels and what types of attacks might cause disruptions.  

    “It’s interesting to see how everything is interconnected—how everything in a system affects everything else,” Gomez said. Researching cybersecurity has made Gomez hyperaware of cybersecurity concerns. He is paying attention to what is happening in the world in that regard. “I’m vigilant about those interconnections and how my role in cybersecurity is involved in that sphere.”

    Following the ENRGE internship, Gomez will return to school to pursue a master’s degree in cybersecurity.

    “For someone new to research, Adrian embraced the uncomfortable, often nonlinear path his research took him down this summer,” Neely said. “I was impressed with his ability to take on new concepts and come away from this experience with research he felt proud of. With the encouragement of researchers at NREL, we’re thrilled to hear he’s decided to pursue an advanced degree in cybersecurity. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for him as he builds on the skills he has learned here at NREL.”

    Meeting the Challenges of Cybersecurity Through Computational Science

    Zain ul Abdeen. Photo by Josh Bauer, NREL

    Zain ul Abdeen came to NREL with a background in machine learning and artificial intelligence through a previous internship in NREL’s Computational Science Center, which comes in handy when asked to anticipate and respond to cyberattacks on power systems. Zain had worked as a computational scientist prior to arriving at NREL, and his computational skills were put to good use on cybersecurity projects.

    Zain helped to test the performance of power system algorithms during adversarial attacks and built a model to detect anomalies in the system. With both, Zain was able to apply computational knowledge to specific challenges in cybersecurity. “We considered various kinds of attacks on the grid and how the algorithm was affected and how another model performed at detecting the attack,” he said.

    A key component of Zain’s work is training models well enough that they are trustworthy when it comes to detecting and responding to attacks. That means designing robust systems that are well trained on possible scenarios and attacks.

    “ENRGE is so well structured, and the mentors are very helpful,” he said. “They’re always there to help you solve a problem in your research. They listen, provide guidelines, and guide you in the right direction.”

    “Zain’s final presentation of his projects this summer were incredibly impressive,” Neely said. “He made a big impact on his projects in such a short period of time. His successes clearly reflect the strong relationships he built with his mentors, Dr. Shuva Paul and Dr. Vivek Singh. We were very lucky to have his talents in the cybersecurity center this summer, and I can’t wait to read his next publications!”

    Seizing an Unexpected Opportunity

    Success Oluwole. Photo by Josh Bauer, NREL

    When Success Oluwole went to her mentor and mechanical engineering department chair at Alabama Agriculture and Mechanical University, she asked him to keep his ears open for relevant opportunities. He called her up one day and directed Oluwole to an opportunity in the ENRGE program.

    “I noticed it was a cybersecurity position and I’m quite in the mechanical engineering field,” she said. “So, I remember saying, ‘I’m not sure if this is the right fit for me.’”

    The chair told Oluwole that she should not think like that—that she should be open to opportunities, even if the fit is not a direct match for her experience.

    She applied to the ENRGE program. “I have always wanted to work at a national lab because I have research experience and working at the lab will give me more opportunities to do research full time,” she said.

    When she interviewed for the role, it was the first time Oluwole had been interviewed by a panel, and she was nervous but optimistic, she said. When the offer came, Oluwole jumped at it. “The program gives people from minority communities the opportunity to work at a national lab. I’m Nigerian, and not many international students like me who come to this country have this opportunity. I knew working at NREL would be a great stepping stone for my career.”

    Oluwole quickly realized that there was overlap between cybersecurity and mechanical engineering. She said she had the notion that there would be a lot of coding, but the actuality of the cybersecurity projects she worked on allowed her to use skills she brought with her to NREL.

    She was able to deploy project management experience—data collection and budgeting—to help coordinate Liberty Eclipse, an annual full-scale cybersecurity preparedness exercise run by the U.S. Department of Energy. Oluwole also worked on a project involving cyber-informed engineering (CIE), which provides engineers a framework to integrate cybersecurity into the early design stages and throughout the life cycle of engineered systems. “I’ve been trying to apply the principles of CIE to the design, development, and operations of the wind turbines in the United States. I’ve been trying to apply the 12 principles of CIE to basically each level of a wind turbine,” she said.

    “Success truly blossomed during her 10 weeks here at NREL,” Neely said. “She did a fantastic job collaborating with her mentor and I could tell she was really open trying things outside of her comfort zone. The fact that she left her experience better able to understand how cybersecurity affects her work as a mechanical engineer is a huge win for all of us. I feel so privileged to witness her growth and can’t wait to see what the future has in store for such a promising young researcher.”

    Oluwole values the experiences she is gaining in the ENRGE program.

    “Every single day since I started my internship here, I have been grateful, because this has been a blessing,” she said. “This program has been transformative. I’ve met great people. I’ve been able to apply my academic knowledge. I hope the program grows so that other people from minority communities can have the opportunities to learn like I have this summer.”

    Before joining NREL, Oluwole did not have cybersecurity as a potential career path, but she is glad she has been able to gain this experience in an unexpected field.

    ENRGE began with one intern in 2023 and has grown to four interns, two of whom have decided to pursue higher education as a result of their time in the program.

    “Coming from diverse engineering and technical backgrounds, ENRGE interns learned to appreciate the importance of taking an interdisciplinary approach to the cybersecurity of energy systems,” Neely said. “Each of them has a very bright future as leaders in this important field. I hope their experience at NREL influences how they design and build critical cyber-physical systems of the future.”

    Learn more about NREL’s ENRGE program and about NREL’s internship opportunities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Van Hollen Introduce Legislation to Expand Student Debt Relief for Parent Borrowers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Van Hollen Introduce Legislation to Expand Student Debt Relief for Parent Borrowers

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), along with U.S. Representative Alma Adams (D-N.C.-12), introduced the Parent PLUS Parity Act, bicameral legislation to ease the burden of student loan debt for parent borrowers who helped their children pay for higher education.

    Nationwide, approximately 3.9 million borrowers have outstanding Parent PLUS loan balances totaling $112 billion. While these loans allow parents of dependent undergraduate students to borrow money to pay costs not already covered by the student’s financial aid package, current law excludes borrowers from the Parent PLUS and Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) programs from most income-based repayment plans.

    Among other provisions, the Parent PLUS Parity Act makes parent borrowers eligible for repayment plans created by the U.S. Department of Education under the Biden-Harris Administration. This legislation comes after Padilla joined Van Hollen and several of his Senate colleagues in urging the Biden-Harris Administration to provide financial relief to parent borrowers.

    “Parents taking out loans to help their kids pay for higher education deserve the same loan forgiveness and relief options as other borrowers,” said Senator Padilla. “More and more low-income families, especially Black and Latino parents, rely on the Parent PLUS program every year but have limited loan repayment options. By expanding parents’ access to the same repayment benefits their kids would receive, we can help close the racial wealth gap and expand debt relief for underserved families.”

    “Millions of parents who struggled to help their kids pay for college are now trapped in unsustainable debt – and it’s not just hurting them, it’s holding back our entire economy. While the Biden-Harris Administration has taken important steps to expand income-based repayment options so students can pay off their loans, parent borrowers have been excluded from these programs, offering them little to no recourse. Our legislation will help those families chart a path to clear their debt and regain their financial footing,” said Senator Van Hollen.

    “The student debt crisis is an intergenerational crisis preventing Americans young and old from unlocking the social and economic mobility promised by a higher education. Parent PLUS borrowers uniquely struggle under the weight of student debt but have been excluded from many of the most impactful efforts to make student loan payments affordable. The Parent PLUS Parity Act will help change that and ensure that these borrowers have access to the same affordable repayment options available to all other borrowers and have access to critical pathways to relief. We applaud Senator Padilla, Senator Van Hollen, Congresswoman Adams and their colleagues for introducing this critical piece of legislation,” said Aissa Canchola Bañez, Policy Director, Student Borrower Protection Center.

    “At the Student Debt Crisis Center, we are proud to endorse the Parent PLUS Parity Act which will expand access to Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plans and IDR forgiveness to all borrowers, including parents with parent PLUS loans. This bill will help millions of parents who took out student loans to support their children in college and who now find themselves struggling to meet their monthly payments. This is one step towards a more fair and just student loan system, and brings us one step closer to achieving our goal of ending the student debt crisis,” said Natalia Abrams, President & Founder, Student Debt Crisis Center.

    Established in 1980, Parent PLUS loans were initially intended to assist higher-asset families, but as tuition has skyrocketed and the purchasing power of the Pell Grant has fallen, families with limited resources, particularly families of color, have increasingly turned to Parent PLUS loans to make up the shortfall. The consequences of this have been enormous, trapping thousands of low-income American families under a crushing financial burden.

    Between 1996 and 2018, the number of Parent PLUS recipients under the federal poverty line rose by an astonishing 350 percent. In 2020, the average Parent PLUS loan debt held was $37,970, a 40 percent increase from 2000. In 2015, 40,000 disabled or retired Parent PLUS borrowers had their Social Security benefits garnished after defaulting on their loans.

    Black parents are struggling disproportionately: the share of Black Parent PLUS borrowers with incomes below $30,000 nearly tripled from 2008 to 2018. In 2018, 44 percent of Black Parent PLUS borrowers had an annual income below $30,000 compared to only 10 percent of White Parent PLUS borrowers.

    Currently, Parent PLUS borrowers are excluded from most income-based repayment plans, including the SAVE Plan, the PAYE Repayment Plan, and the IBR Plan. Parent PLUS borrowers are also not eligible to discharge their loans in cases where their child becomes disabled and face additional barriers to obtaining Public Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). In their letters to Secretary Cardona, Padilla and Van Hollen urged the Education Department to use the extent of its authorities to provide relief for Parent PLUS borrowers. As a result of these efforts, the Department included Parent PLUS borrowers in its new hardship discharge program in the proposed student loan relief regulations announced in April 2024.

    The Parent PLUS Parity Act makes necessary statutory changes to ensure Parent PLUS borrowers can pursue additional avenues for debt relief and to protect these borrowers against Republican attacks on the Department of Education’s student debt relief programs.

    This legislation will help families tackle intergenerational debt, ensure equal access to programs available to other borrowers, and provide urgently-needed assistance to millions of forgotten Parent PLUS borrowers by:

    • Expanding the income-driven repayment plan options for Parent PLUS and all FFEL borrowers to all income-driven repayment plans and any forthcoming plans issued by the Department of Education, including the new SAVE program, PAYE, and IBR. 
    • Making Parent PLUS borrowers eligible for discharge if their child on whose behalf they’ve taken out loans becomes eligible for Total and Permanent Disability discharge.
    • Making Parent PLUS borrowers eligible for automatic discharge if their child on whose behalf they’ve taken out loans has their own loans discharged under Borrower Defense.
    • Making Parent PLUS borrowers eligible for PSLF if their child on whose behalf they’ve taken out loans serves the standard amount of time (120 months) in qualifying public service employment.
    • Directing the Secretary of Education to create a new hardship category program that will permit Parent PLUS borrowers to apply for loan discharge if they meet certain requirements based on income, borrower age, and other factors.

    The Parent PLUS Parity Act is cosponsored by Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.).

    The legislation is endorsed by NAACP, National Education Association, Student Borrower Protection Center, The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS), Student Debt Crisis Center, Project on Predatory Student Lending, Education Trust, Justice in Aging, and the Century Foundation Higher Education Team.

    Senator Padilla has consistently advocated on behalf of students and their families to increase access to higher education. He has led numerous calls urging President Biden to provide meaningful student debt cancellation, along with multiple letters urging U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to leverage his authority under the Higher Education Act to provide expanded student debt relief to working and middle-class borrowers.

    Padilla previously cosponsored the College for All Act to make college tuition-free and debt-free for working families. He also cosponsored the Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act, bicameral legislation that would nearly double the Pell Grant maximum award, index the maximum award for inflation, and expand the program to include Dreamers.

    A fact sheet on the bill is available here.

    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate’s Annual Defense Bill Includes Senator Hassan’s Bipartisan Legislation to Support Gold Star Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan
    WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate’s proposed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) includes two bipartisan bills which U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) helped introduce to expand access to job training services for Gold Star and surviving spouses and help guarantee readmittance to higher education for National Guard and Reserve students.
    “We can never fully repay our debt to those who gave their lives in the service of our country, but we can work to ensure that their loved ones do not walk alone,” Senator Hassan said. “Gold Star families deserve nothing less than our full support, and one way we can do this is by providing job training for surviving spouses. I am also glad that the Senate’s package includes legislation I pushed for to help make it easier for National Guard and Reserve members to complete their higher educations. This year’s annual defense bill will support and honor those who help keep America safe, secure, and free, and I will continue to work with my colleagues in the House and Senate to get it passed into law.”
    This year, the NDAA put forward by the Senate includes the following Hassan-led bipartisan bills:
    The bipartisan Gold Star and Surviving Spouse Career Services Act, which Senator Hassan introduced with Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and Eric Schmitt (R-MO). The legislation – which has been endorsed by American Legion, Military Officers Association of America, National Partnership for Women and Families, and Tragedy Assistance Programs for Survivors (TAPS) – would increase access to job counseling services through the Disabled Veterans Outreach Program to spouses of members of the Armed Forces who died while serving in the military or of a service-connected disability. The program provides every state with funding to hire specialists who provide individualized career counseling services to eligible veterans, and this bill would expand the program so that surviving spouses can also use these services.  
    The bipartisan SERVE Act, introduced by Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) and Senator Hassan, would ensure that students who serve in the National Guard and Reserve are guaranteed readmission to their schools following a mobilization. Under current law, the readmission requirements for service members only guarantee readmittance to an educational institution if the student is deployed for more than 30 days. The SERVE Act would remove the “more than 30 days” stipulation and guarantee a student will be readmitted promptly at the same academic status.

    MIL OSI USA News –