News of the Force: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 - Page 2

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NEWS OF THE FORCE

Wednesday, May 16, 2012 - Page 2

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Odierno: Army 'moving toward' opening combat arms to women

By Karen Parrish, American Forces Press Service

    

    Army leaders are asking whether - and how - to open infantry and armor ranks to women, the service's senior soldier said today.

    Officers in charge of training and force development are now gathering data to help answer those questions, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond T. Odierno told reporters during a Pentagon briefing.

    In line with Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta's policy, the service has already opened 13,000 previously all-male positions to female soldiers, the general noted. "Earlier this week more than 200 women began reporting to the maneuver battalions in nine of our brigade combat teams, selected to participate in the exception to the direct ground combat assignment rule," he said. "Additionally, co-location with combat units as an assignment restriction is rescinded."

    A Defense Department report to Congress in February outlining the assignment policy changes included a vision statement that said the department "is committed to removing all barriers that would prevent service members from rising to the highest level of responsibility that their talents and capabilities warrant."

    Odierno noted the changes open new opportunities to women, who comprise 16 percent of the Army's ranks. "This revision allows us to leverage the tremendous talent resident in our ranks," he added.

    Women will likely filter in to the new positions for "several months," the Army chief said. Two categories of assignments are now open to women: jobs such as tank mechanic and field artillery radar operator that are necessarily performed close to combat units, and a limited "exception to policy" opening select positions at the battalion level in jobs women already occupy.

    "My guess is, based on my experience in Iraq and what I've seen in Afghanistan, we'll then move forward with a more permanent solution involving those two assignment categories inside of the Army, probably sometime this fall," he said.

    Odierno said the next step is "to look at, do we open up infantry and armor military occupational specialties to females?" He emphasized no decisions have yet been made on the question, but noted the answer will have implications for all-male Army formations, including the Rangers. Army Rangers are rapidly deployable, light infantry troops trained to engage conventional and special operations targets. While there are only three Ranger battalions, with a special troops battalion and a separate Ranger training brigade, Odierno pointed out the "Ranger tab" denoting completion of Ranger training is a key to advancement among infantry officers. Ranger school consists of three phases - mountain, desert and swamp -– over 61 days, and combines rigorous infantry training with famously sparse amounts of food and sleep. While Odierno cautioned, "I don't want to get ahead of myself," he noted that some 90 percent of Army senior infantry officers - all male - are Ranger-qualified. "So, if we determine that we're going to allow women to go into infantry, to be successful they are probably, at some time, going to have to go through Ranger school," he said. "We have not made that decision, but it's a factor that I've asked them to take a look at."

    If combat arms jobs open to female soldiers, "We want the women to be successful," the general said.

    The Army, like the DOD, is committed to providing maximum opportunity for its members, Odierno said. "We're going to move toward it," he said. "It's how we do that, what we have to do, that we're assessing as we move forward."

 

Program offers paid training for unemployed veterans

By Karen Parrish, American Forces Press Service

    

    Unemployed veterans ages 35 to 60 can apply for up to 12 months of paid training through a new program sponsored by the departments of Labor and Veterans Affairs.

    VA officials said the population the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program will serve is particularly in need.

    Of about 900,000 U.S. veterans who are unemployed, nearly two-thirds are between 35 and 60, according to the Labor Department.

    The program, which began today, provides 12 months of training assistance equal to the monthly full-time payment rate under the Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty program, which currently pays $1,473 per month.

    Participants must be enrolled in a community college or technical school program approved for VA benefits. The program must lead to an associate degree, non-college degree or certificate. To qualify, a veteran also must: Be unemployed on the day of application; Have a discharge that is not dishonorable; Not be eligible for any other VA education benefit program, such as the Post-9/11 GI Bill or Montgomery GI Bill; Not receive VA compensation for being unemployable; Not be enrolled in a federal or state job training program; and pursue a program that leads to employment in one of 210 occupations the Labor Department designates as high-demand.

    The list of occupations, available on the VA web site, includes jobs in construction, machine operation, transportation, pre-school education, health care and many other fields.

    The program will fund up to 45,000 participants between July 1 and Sept. 30, and an additional 54,000 participants from Oct. 1, through March 31, 2014. Labor officials said the department will offer employment assistance to every veteran who completes the program.

    The retraining program is funded under the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011. The law expanded education and training for veterans, strengthened the Transition Assistance Program for service members returning to civilian life, and provides tax credits for employers who hire unemployed or disabled veterans.

    Eligible veterans may call 1-800-827-1000 to learn more about the program, or visit the web sites listed below.

    Related sites: Veterans Retraining Assistance Program ;
Veterans On-Line Application .

 

Police fire, but miss man who pointed gun at St. Louis officers

By Jim Corvey, News of the Force St. Louis

    Police fired a shot at a 19-year-old man - but missed - after the suspect pointed a gun at them early today, police say.

    The suspect was bleeding from his hands, but apparently those were cuts he got from falling to the ground and not injuries from a gunshot wound, police say.

    The incident happened at about 12:25 a.m., local time, today in the 3000 block of Whittier Street. Police gave this account: Officers were patrolling in an area that has had recent problems with assaults, robberies and weapons violations. They saw a man "adjusting his waistband as if he was concealing a weapon," according to a summary provided by police. Two officers got out of their car, and the man ran. They chased him and saw him with a gun. They ordered him to drop the weapon. He fell while running and dropped the gun. He started to stand back up and pick up the gun. He pointed it at the officers. One of the officers fired a shot. The suspect was bleeding from his hands, and police at first thought he had been hit by a bullet. But after the man was examined by doctors, police say it was not a gunshot wound.

    The officers weren't hurt. Police have not released the name of the suspect.

 

UFO news

    

    If you're in the military and have ever seen what you believe to be a UFO, but were reluctant to mention it for fear of ridicule or, worse, repercussions that might end your career, take heart. Things may change soon, thanks to retired Army Col. John Alexander.

    The FBI is investigating the new Project Blue Book group. Project Blue Book was one of a series of systematic studies of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) conducted by the U.S. military. The project was the revival of two similar projects, the first being "Project Sign," which was active for most of 1948.

    Fresno, Calif., is on high UFO alert after a cameraman from the local NBC affiliate captured a video of an unidentified flying object hovering over the city. Just eight hours later, on Friday, May 11, a similar object was filmed nearby.

    Another silver orb UFO was filmed from a plane flying over Tokyo. The video, posted to YouTube, shows the view out of a passenger jet's cabin window with a turbine engine clearly visible outside.

    And a video on YouTube claims to have spotted a weird new design of a jet flying over the infamous Area 51 in Nevada. While not strictly a UFO sighting in the classic sense, the weird jet nonetheless qualifies as an unidentified flying object.

 

CAP pays tribute to 'Mama Bird'

    

    An honor guard of Civil Air Patrol (CAP) cadets saluted the CAP's, and the entire aviation community's, "Mama Bird" when she was laid to rest this morning in Jefferson City, Tenn.

    The scheduled cadet presence is part of the CAP's tribute to Col. Evelyn Bryan Johnson, one of its most storied members. She joined the all-volunteer organization's ranks Dec. 28, 1949. Johnson, who was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2007 and had been presented with the CAP's 50-Year Member Award and a life membership in the CAP in May 2005, died on Thursday. She was 102.

    Her "Mama Bird" nickname referred to the immense number of pilots Johnson had trained in her career – some 5,000, she estimated – as both a member of the Morristown Composite Squadron of the CAP's Tennessee Wing and as owner of a flight school in Morristown.

    "All CAP members join me in saluting 'Mama Bird,'" said Maj. Gen. Chuck Carr, the CAP's national commander. "Her life and legacy were a shining example of our organization's dedication to service and to sharing the experience of aviation with youth in particular, and with the public in general."

    During her decades as a Morristown squadron member, Johnson participated in numerous search and rescue missions and taught hundreds of cadets to fly. When inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame she had logged more than 50,000 flight hours – more than any female pilot ever – and had trained more pilots and administered more FAA exams than any other pilot in history. In 1979, the FAA named her as flight instructor of the year. In all, her flight logs showed 57,635.4 hours, or some 6½ years aloft, totaling 5.5 million miles in the air – and not a single crash.
    "With her passing we have lost one of the brightest lights and leading torch bearers of aviation," said Col. Alvin J. Bedgood, commander of the CAP's Southeast Region. "'Mama Bird' is noted for having trained more pilots than any single flight instructor in the history of American aviation (if not the world). Her enthusiasm for aviation is aptly captured in the phrase 'love at first flight.'"

    In addition to owning a flight school in Morristown, she served as manager of the city’s Moore Murrell Municipal Airport. The 20th woman in the U.S. to earn a helicopter pilot's license, she was a certified helicopter flight instructor and a member of the "Whirly Girls" organization.

    The Ninety-Nines organization of women pilots, which she joined in 1947, chose her as one of the 100 most influential women in America.

    "Evelyn has been a featured speaker at our University of Tennessee Aerospace Workshop for the last 16 years and indicated this very week that she was looking forward to returning to speak this July," said Lt. Col. Dave Garner, the CAP's Southeast Region director of aerospace education.

    The funeral service was scheduled for 7 p.m., yesterday, at the First Baptist Church, 504 W. Main St., in Morristown. Friends were received from 4 p.m.-5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.-7 p.m., before the service. Burial was scheduled for 11 a.m., today at the Jefferson Memorial Gardens, 812 E. Broadway Blvd. (U.S. 11E), in Jefferson City, Tenn. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church Legacy of Promise, 504 W. Main Street, Morristown, TN 37814.

 

News from the National Guard

    

    Army Sgt. Cliff Aughe, a flight medic with C Company, 1st Battalion, 171st Aviation Regiment, of the New Mexico Army National Guard, watched over a soldier from the Afghan National Army during an evacuation mission in Afghanistan, March 27.

    Army warrant officers from the Guam Army National Guard worked on sprucing up parts of the Asan Memorial Beach Park late last week, in partnership with the Island Beautification Task Force.

    Michael W. Tutwiler, 31, of Mechanicsville, Pa., is a former specialist in the Virginia Army National Guard's A Company, 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Brigade, in Charlottesville. Tutwiler was convicted of stealing equipment from his Guard unit, and has been sentenced to six months in jail.

    An Armed Forces Day event begins at 11:30 a.m., and will include an F-15 Eagle fly-over by the Oregon Air National Guard and a Howitzer salute by the Oregon Army National Guard's 2-218th Field Artillery.

    Virginia Air National Guard Capt. Joshua Wilson and Maj. Jeremy Gordon said they would not fly the F-22 until the oxygen problems were solved. After the segment aired on TV about the plane's problems, other F-22 pilots have contacted Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Illinois), a former Air National Guard pilot.

    Two H1 Unlimited Air National Guard Series hydroplanes will be conducting extensive test runs on Oregon's Columbia River.

    Kelly Devine, the executive director of the Burlington Business Association, said at a hearing on Monday night it's important to retain more than 1,000 jobs represented from Vermont's Air National Guard program.

    U.S. Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) has the ability to save Selfridge ANGB - and also do what's best for the country, said said a man referring to the unsurpassed cost efficiency of Air National Guard units.

    Members of the news media are being invited to cover the training of more than 700 National Guard soldiers and airmen from New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands as they train tomorrow near Oriskany, N.Y.

    The House Armed Services Committee has scrapped the Air Force's proposal to cut 5,100 Air National Guardsmen and 900 Air Force reservists in Fiscal 2013, choosing instead to trim just 695 Air Guard positions and add 1,028 reservists, compared to the Fiscal 2012 authorized levels. Among the modifications to the Air Force's proposed force structure for the reserve components, the committee prohibited the Air Force from divesting the Air Guard's brand-new C-27J intra-theater airlift fleet next fiscal year and from taking two Air Guard fighter units off aerospace control alert, according to the report accompanying HR 4310, the House's version of the Fiscal 2013 defense authorization bill. The committee passed HR 4310 on May 10. Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz urged lawmakers on May 1 to supply the cash to support any extra force structure that they require the Air Force to maintain over the service's proposed force levels; otherwise the service would be burdened with a force that it couldn't sustain at acceptable levels of readiness. Toward that end, the HASC added some $366 million for the Air Guard, including for maintaining the two ACA locations, and some $182 million for the reserve, according to the report's funding tables.

    Joint terminal attack controllers with the Indiana Air National Guard's 113th Air Support Operations Squadron deployed for the first time as a unit to Afghanistan, announced Indiana Air Guard officials on May 14. Teamed with the Army National Guard's 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, the JTACs are part of an all-Guard presence mentoring Afghan forces in Kunduz Province, in northern Afghanistan, said the officials. Based at Hulman Field, near Terre Haute, each of the unit's deployed JTACs and air liaison officers volunteered for the assignment, coordinating air support for the security force assistance team comprised of Ohio and Michigan Army Guardsmen. The 113th ASOS' parent, the 181st Intelligence Wing, stood up in 2006, training and equipping battlefield airmen over the last few years to bring the air support squadron up to deployment readiness.

    The U.S. Marine Corps and Air National Guard units are to receive Northrop Grumman's LITENING G4 targeting pods and upgrade kits under a $103 million contract.

    And Burlington, Vt., Mayor and former Airport Commissioner Miro Weinberger is leaning toward supporting the Air National Guard's plan to bring F-35 fighter jets to Burlington International Airport.

 

If I had a hammer...

    

    A piece of U.S. history handed down through generations of a West Virginia family is now on display at the National Museum of the Marine Corps. A sledgehammer used by one of three Marines during John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859 is now part of the museum's collection.

 

Allen to leave post in Afghanistan

    

    U.S. Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, the top commander in Afghanistan, is expected to leave his post early next year and take over the U.S. European Command, officials have said.

 

Commandant delivers commencement address in Idaho

    

    The Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps and a University of Idaho alumnus, Gen. James Amos delivered the commencement address at the University of Idaho, in Moscow, on Saturday.

 

OP/ED: Casler reportedly stepping up to command the Civil Air Patrol's

North Central Region

By Jim Corvey, News of the Force St. Louis

    

    I understand Joe Casler (I'm not sure he deserves to be called colonel) has been appointed as the Civil Air Patrol's new North Central Region (NCR) commander.

    I was in the CAP from April 1976 until October 2004, and had the pleasure of serving under a number of region and wing commanders. I also served at Region HQ for a number of years. I had the pleasure of being a unit commander (with both of my sons as members and my father, who was a CAP chaplain for St Louis Compposite Squadron #1.) I had the honor of being the Missouri Wing's director of communications, the wing's director of emergency services, Anti-drug Special Operations officer and many other positions. I was the wing's director of emergency services, working under Lt. Col. Don Garner (the director of operations) and under Joe Casler when he was the Missouri wing commander. I believe my record shows that I complied with all regulations and with all directives.

    However, in the Fall of 2004, my time with the CAP came to a halting end, because of Joe Casler. That happened because of the fact that I disobeyed a direct order from him: that was to sign off on Mike Bush as a mission pilot when Mike didn't have a current medical. Joe directed me to do it anyway, while standing in front of the CAP building in Sedalia on a graded SAREX. (If my memory recalls, Mike Bush was the vice commander for Casler.) My reply was that I would not sign off on Mike's 101 card for the reason given above, and that as he (Joe) being the wing commander, he had the authority to approve Mike (or anyone else) as he saw fit. He told me (and I can't quote the exact words anymore as that was too long ago) but he said that I had just signed my death warrant as a CAP member. With in 2 weeks, he blackballed me for non-renewal at National Headquarters.

    I never - until this point in time - went anywhere with what happened, even after members of the Missoury Wing urged me to do so. I was so discussed at what happened - not only to me, but to other members. Unless you were a member of Joe's chosen few, there was no chance anyone would listen, much less help resolve the situation. Yet even today, going on 8 years, if the chance were open, I would again become a member, because with the exception of a very few people, the CAP remains a good organization made up of good people. But facing reality, with Casler still around, that time will never come.

    I appreciate the chance for my input, and hope that others that have been through the same or similar issues as I have will finally feel free enough to let everyone know what Casler really is: a person that will go behind your back - and laugh while doing so.

 

UNITAS Pacific begins in Peru
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Stuart Phillips, Southern Seas 2012 Public Affairs
    

    Naval representatives from Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and the United States gathered in the Ricardo Palma auditorium at the Peruvian naval base in Callao to officially recognize the beginning of UNITAS Pacific (PAC) at an opening ceremony there, May 14.

    Leaders from each country's navy took turns addressing the audience as the ceremony commenced.

    Capt. Ace Van Wagoner, commander of Destroyer Squadron 40 and mission commander of UNITAS PAC, represented the U.S. Navy at the ceremony. After thanking Peru for hosting UNITAS PAC and for demonstrating hospitality and professionalism to the U.S., Van Wagoner spoke about the importance of UNITAS for everyone involved. "This exercise is a renewed promise to enhance regional partnerships and promote hemispheric stability," said Van Wagoner. "Through exercises like UNITAS, we learn from each other, sharing the best practices and proving collective reliability for addressing hemispheric maritime challenges."

    The Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate USS Underwood (FFG 36) is representing the U.S. Navy during UNITAS PAC. Underwood's commanding officer, executive officer and command master chief also attended the ceremony.

    UNITAS will include live-fire exercises, a drone exercise, nighttime ship evolutions, tactical maneuvering, maritime interdiction operations, flight operations among other events and joint operations.

    "I hope everyone leaves here at the end of UNITAS having learned something new from one another," said Van Wagoner. "I hope we exchange experiences and gain new perspectives on each other's cultures and people. We are here today because we are professional mariners and on the seas we will share our operational capabilities and enhance communications training in dynamic, real-time environments. In today's world, these skills are what will provide joint security and stability in our hemisphere."

    U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and the U.S. 4th Fleet (COMUSNAVSO/C4F) supports USSOUTHCOM's joint and combined full-spectrum military operations by providing principally sea-based, forward presence to ensure freedom of maneuver in the maritime domain, to foster and sustain cooperative relationships with international partners and to fully exploit the sea as maneuver space in order to enhance regional security and promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the Caribbean, Central and South American regions.

 

U.S. has 55 daily encounters with suspected terrorists

    U.S. law enforcement and homeland security personnel face an average of 55 daily encounters with "known or suspected terrorists" named on government watch lists, U.S. officials have said.

 

U.S. hopes Pakistan will re-open supply routes in 'very near future'

By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service

    

    Pentagon officials hope the Pakistani government will reopen the ground supply lines into Afghanistan "in the very near future," George Little, the acting assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, said yesterday.

    During a Pentagon news conference, Little said a U.S. team has been in discussions with Pakistani officials since that government closed the border crossings in November 2011. "We are hopeful that in the very near future they will reopened," he said. "They are important supply routes for us."

    Pakistan closed the routes, known as ground lines of communication, after a Nov. 26 incident in which American troops came under fire from Pakistan. U.S. forces returned fire and killed 21 Pakistani soldiers. Pakistan responded by closing the main overland supply routes for U.S. and NATO forces into Afghanistan. U.S. logistics specialists quickly shifted to other means to supply the forces, but the routes through Pakistan are considered the most direct and most cost-effective.

    Other aspects of the U.S.-Pakistan relationship were not affected. "We continue to work closely with the Pakistanis to renew our relationship that gets over some of the obstacles that we faced in the past," Little said.

    The United States and Pakistan share common threats, concerns and interests, the assistant secretary said. "Terrorism is common concern that both the United States and Pakistan face," he said. "The same terrorists that come after us go after Pakistanis and have been responsible for the deaths of thousands of Pakistanis."

    Little and Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. John Kirby also discussed counter-terrorism in Yemen. U.S. service members continue to work with Yemeni personnel against al-Qaida and other terror groups in the country, Little said. "They have taken aggressive action in their own country against militants who want to plan attacks against Yemenis and plan attacks on the United States and other countries," he said. "We believe the government of Yemen has taken on in a decisive manner the need to go after militants inside the country."

    U.S. service members do conduct operations with the Yemenis to get after terrorist targets, Kirby said. "But a large part of our effort is to help them build the capacity to do it themselves," he added.

 

Public agencies can deploy UAVs up to 25 lbs., FAA says

    

    The Federal Aviation Administration has announced that public agencies will be able to deploy unmanned aerial vehicles weighing up to 25 pounds with fewer restrictions. "The FAA's sole mission and authority as it focuses on the integration of unmanned aircraft systems is safety," the FAA said.

 

Obama's father exposed as anti-white terrorist by British, U.S. intelligence

    Newly released, declassified files released by the United Kingdom reveals U.S. officials’ concerns that Kenyans studying in America, including President Obama's father, may have had ties to Kenyan terrorist groups that were supported by communist nations in the 1950s and 60s.

 

NCIS: Nearly $2 million in U.S. property recovered

    

    Commanders from Camp Lejeune, N.C., and the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force are supporting the investigation, a base spokesman said in an e-mail yesterday. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) is leading the investigation, which began more than a year and a half ago.

 

Al-Qaida leader calls Yemen's new president a U.S. agent

    Yemeni military officials said dozens of U.S. troops were operating from al-Annad Air Base, about 40 miles from the main battle zones, coordinating assaults and air strikes and providing information to Yemeni forces.

 

U.S.-South Korea alliance provides security in northeastern Asia

By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service

    The U.S.-South Korea alliance provides security and stability in northeast Asia and that partnership will continue into the future, said Brig. Gen. Kang Yong-hee, chief of public affairs for the South Korean Army.

    The United States and South Korea today stand together to face the threat posed by North Korea, Kang said in an interview with the Pentagon Channel. That partnership, he said, stems from the two nations' comradeship during the Korean War. "We fought together to protect values we both share - freedom and democracy," Kang said. "I think this experience is the founding stone of the ROK [South Korea]-U.S. alliance."

    North Korea has a 6 million-man military out of a population of 23 million. An armistice, rather than a peace treaty, ended the Korean War, which was fought from 1950 to 1953. Technically, this means the North and South are still at war.

    The United States has about 28,000 troops serving in South Korea who exercise and train with their South Korean counterparts. They are seasoned by 10 years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan and are passing lessoned learned to their South Korean counterparts. "I think the realistic, action oriented training system based on real combat experience has been very helpful," Kang said.

    South Korea is scheduled to assume wartime command of Allied forces on the peninsula in 2015. "As we develop our level of cooperation beyond the realm of military and security to areas such as politics, economics, society and culture, we need to enhance our military partnership beyond the operational level," Kang said. "I believe we can achieve that."

    During his visit, Kang received briefings and met with officials at the Pentagon. He also visited Fort Meade, Md., where he toured the studios of the Defense Media Activity.

 

Air Force Space Command realigns cyberspace capabilities 
    

    The Air Force Network Integration Center will go through a restructure as it divests cyberspace lead command functions to the Air Force Space Command to allow the AFNIC to focus on its core mission of Air Force network integration and engineering services.

    The changes are a result of an AFSPC chartered study in April 2011 that took a detailed look at the AFNIC in order to determine how best to align and incorporate its unique cyberspace capabilities into the AFSPC's organization and mission. The study was conducted by a diverse, cross-functional team consisting of AFSPC and AFNIC representatives.

    Gen. William L. Shelton, commander of the AFSPC, adopted the study recommendations and directed they be implemented. The study looked across the entire organization focusing on efficient and effective operations. Any civilian position reductions were included in Air Force-wide civilian reduction numbers previously announced by the Air Force in November 2011. The personnel affected by the civilian reduction are being supported by the local Civilian Personnel Section at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.

    Any military position reductions were included in the Air Force's recent overall force structure announcement. Specific restructuring actions will concentrate AFNIC resources on its core mission of network integration and engineering responsibilities for the Air Force Network and divest the remaining responsibilities to other organizations to better align them within the structure of the AFSPC. This will make the AFNIC a leaner and more efficient center for the Air Force.

    Current organize, train and equip staff functions within the AFNIC, such as records, forms,  publications, cyber training programs, cyber requirements support, plans, and maintenance policy, will transfer to an AFSPC Cyberspace Support Squadron (CYSS), which stood up today at Scott AFB.

    Oversight of current line operations and maintenance functions at the AFNIC will transfer to AFSPC organizations managed by the 24th Air Force, which is headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. These functions include operationally-based line activities, such as DISN long haul communications provisioning, transmission and infrastructure systems technical support, and Information Assurance Assessments.

    Some of these functions will be realigned to an existing squadron within the 24th AF, the 92nd Information Operations Squadron, and an additional squadron, the 38th Cyber Readiness Squadron, to oversee other operational functions. Both units stood up at Scott AFB on April 27.

    "As the lead major command for space and cyberspace, the Air Force Space Command is chartered to organize, train and equip space and cyberspace forces and is tasked to review and efficiently use the resources assigned to the command," said Lt.Gen. Michael J. Basla, vice commander of the Air Force Space Command. "These changes will allow the AFNIC to focus on its core mission and ultimately make the AFNIC the premier Air Force organization providing network integration and engineering services for the Air Force. Those individuals whose responsibilities are aligned to other units in the Air Force Space Command will be in a position to make an even greater impact on the Air Force cyberspace mission."

    The Air Force Space Command is headquartered at Peterson AFB, Colo., and is the parent major command for the AFNIC.

    The AFSPC's mission is to provide resilient and cost-effective space and cyberspace capabilities for the joint force and the nation.

 

South Dakota's Civil Air Patrol to hold exercises in Sioux Falls area

By Capt. Todd D. Epp, CAP, LL.M., South Dakota Wing Public Affairs Officer

    

    Dogs, airplanes, and high-technology will converge on the Sioux Empire on Saturday as the South Dakota Wing of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) holds a training exercise in Sioux Falls.

    The SAREX, short for "search and rescue exercise," will feature not just CAP members from across the state, but also search dogs and their trainers from the Brookings area, the use of the South Dakota Air National Guard’s state-of-the art Mobile Emergency Operations Center, and the CAP South Dakota Wing's Cessna 172s and 182s from across South Dakota.

    "The exercise is intended to provide participants with a realistic simulation environment in which to develop their mission specialty skills and accomplish evaluation of skills for completion of emergency services qualifications,” said CAP Lt. Col. Donald Barbalace, of Aberdeen. Col. Barbalace, a fifty-year member of the CAP, will direct the SAREX as incident commander.

    This SAREX will feature interagency cooperation with the South Dakota Air Guard and private non-profit organizations as well as CAP components. As in last year’s numerous flooding missions, the CAP typically works in conjunction with local, state, federal and tribal governments, and private agencies. Sometimes the CAP plays a 'force multiplier" role and sometimes it brings special skills like aerial photography to the disaster relief or search and rescue effort.

    CAP members will check into the mission base by 9 a.m., at the Sioux Falls Composite Squadron’s headquarters, at 3401 N. Aviation Lane, at the Sioux Falls Regional Airport. Aircraft and ground teams will be deployed throughout the morning and afternoon in the Sioux Falls vicinity. The South Dakota Air Guard’s mobile operations center will be located near the mission base.

    For additional information prior to the SAREX, contact Capt. Todd Epp, South Dakota Wing Public Affairs Officer, at (605) 351-5021, or at epp...@gmail.com.

    The South Dakota Wing of the CAP has approximately 310 cadet and adult members with squadrons in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Aberdeen, Pierre, Brookings, Custer, and Spearfish. In 2011, the wing flew numerous photo reconnaissance missions for the state of South Dakota and FEMA during flooding across South Dakota and received the CAP national commander’s commendation for its efforts. The wing's web site is at http://sdcap.us.

 

'The horse soldiers of 9/11'

    

    It was the news the world breathlessly waited for immediately after the 9/11 terror attacks: a report of the first American troops on the ground in Afghanistan.

    All at once, the world’s attention focused on an iconic photo of small teams of U.S. Special Operations forces doing something no American military had done in nearly a century: ride horses into combat. That photo would go on to inspire an artist to sculpt an 18-foot tall monument at Ground Zero, ten years later.

    The courage of the first into battle is what guarantees the courage of those that follow: Horse Soldiers Of 9/11 - a film by war reporter Alex Quade.

    The documentary debuts on Sunday, May 20, at 6:45 p.m., at the  GI Film Festival in Washington, D.C., at the Navy Heritage Center.

    Narrated by award-winning actor Gary Sinise, come along for the ride with the Horse Soldiers of 9/11.

    Watch the trailer at: http://gifilmfestival.com/Film_Screenings-detail/horse-soldiers-of-911/ .

 

TSA security breaches mishandled, IG says

    

    The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is failing to adequately report, track and fix airport security breaches, according to the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general.

 

Abbas' ridiculous claim of Israeli 'ethnic cleansing'

By Lisa Levine, News of the Force Tel Aviv

    

    The Palestinian leader wildly accuses Israel of trying to drive the Arab population out of Jerusalem, but if that's true, then Israel is history's worst ever ethnic-cleanser.

    You can't make this stuff up: Turkish authorities have taken a dead bird in for inspection after finding an ornithological tag reading "Israel" on its leg. The bird's uneven nostrils are said to be result of "Mossad tampering."

 

Statement of administration policy: HR 4310, the National Defense Authorization Act for FY-2013

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET

The Obama administration appreciates the House Armed Services Committee's continued support of our national defense and supports a number of the provisions in HR 4310, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013.

    In particular, the administration appreciates the support of the committee for authorities that assist the ability of the warfighter to operate in unconventional and irregular warfare, counter unconventional threats, or support contingency or stability operations.

    The administration is disappointed, however, with the many provisions in this bill that impede the ability of the secretary of Defense to carry out the 2012 defense strategic guidance.

    While there are a number of areas of agreement with the committee, the administration has serious concerns with provisions that: (1) depart from the president's fiscal year (FY) 2013 budget request – in particular, increases to the top line request for the base budget; (2) constrain the ability of the armed forces to carry out their missions consistent with the new defense strategy; or (3) impede the ability of the secretary of Defense and the secretary of Energy to make and implement management decisions that eliminate unnecessary overhead or programs to ensure scarce resources are directed to the highest priorities for the national security. The overall funding level supported by HR 4310 would violate the Budget Control Act of 2011, the bipartisan agreement reached between the Congress and the president to put the nation on a sustainable fiscal course. If the cumulative effects of the bill impede the ability of the administration to execute the new defense strategy and to properly direct scarce resources, the president's senior advisors would recommend to the president that he veto the bill.

    The administration looks forward to working with the Congress to address these and other concerns, a number of which are outlined in more detail below. As well, the administration looks forward to reviewing a classified annex and working with the Congress to address any concerns on classified programs.

    Limitations on Nuclear Force Reductions and Nuclear Employment Strategy: The administration strongly objects to sections 1053-1059, which would impinge on the president's ability to implement the New START Treaty and to set U.S. nuclear weapons policy. In particular, sections 1053 and 1055 would set onerous conditions on the administration's ability to implement the treaty, and section 1058 would set onerous conditions on the president's ability to retire, dismantle, or eliminate non-deployed nuclear weapons. Further, section 1054 raises constitutional concerns as it appears to encroach on the president's authority as commander-in-chief to set nuclear employment policy – a right exercised by every president in the nuclear age from both parties. If the final bill presented to the president includes these provisions, the president's senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill.

    Detainee Matters: The administration strongly objects to sections 1035-1043, which would continue and in some cases expand unwise restrictions that would constrain the flexibility that our nation's armed forces and counter-terrorism professionals need to deal with evolving threats. Section 1035, which would prohibit any detainee who has been repatriated to Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, or the Republic of Palau from traveling to the U.S., is unnecessary and could undermine our relations with a friendly government whose citizens may serve in the U.S. military. Sections 1036, 1037, 1038, and 1043 unnecessarily renew, supplement, or enhance the restrictions on the transfer of Guantanamo detainees into the United States or a foreign country. The administration continues to strongly oppose these provisions, which intrude upon the Executive Branch’s ability to carry out its military, national security, and foreign relations activities and to determine when and where to prosecute Guantanamo detainees. Likewise, the administration opposes the notice and reporting requirements in sections 1040, 1041, and 1042, which would unnecessarily complicate and potentially compromise military operations and detention practices – including aboard naval vessels at sea. These sections, like section 1039, would also greatly add to the military’s administrative burden. Section 1041 is an unprecedented, unwarranted, and misguided intrusion into the military’s detention operations in a foreign combat theater during an active armed conflict. The reporting requirements seek to micro-manage the decisions of experienced military commanders and diplomats, threaten to compromise the executive’s ability to act swiftly and flexibly during a critical time for transition in Afghanistan, and could deter or jeopardize the success of effective foreign prosecutions. Sections 1036, 1037, and 1041, moreover, would, under certain circumstances, violate constitutional separation of powers principles. If the final bill presented to the President includes provisions that challenge critical executive branch authority, the president's senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill.

    TRICARE Fees and Co-Payments: The administration agrees that retirees deserve a quality health care benefit. For this very reason, the administration strongly supports its requested TRICARE fee initiatives that seek to control the spiraling health care costs of the Department of Defense (DOD) while keeping retired beneficiaries' share of these costs well below the levels experienced when the TRICARE program was implemented in the mid-1990s. The projected FY 2013 TRICARE savings of $1.8 billion and $12.9 billion through FY 2017 are essential for the DOD to successfully address rising personnel costs. The DOD needs these savings to balance and maintain investments for key defense priorities. The administration is very disappointed that the Committee did not support the proposed TRICARE fee increases and included section 718, which, while supporting some fee increases, caps them at levels below those allowed under current law and below the requested authorization. If section 718 remains in the bill, it would only provide five year savings of $2.6 billion.

    Limitations on Retirement of Weapon Systems: The administration strongly objects to provisions that would restrict retirements of C-27J, C-23, C-130, and other aircraft and the RQ-4 Global Hawk Block 30. These provisions would force the DOD to operate, sustain, and maintain aircraft that are in excess of national requirements and are not affordable in an austere budget environment. Retaining large numbers of under-resourced aircraft in the fleet in today's fiscally constrained environment would significantly increase the risk of a hollow force. The administration also objects to provisions that would restrict retirements of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines and certain Ticonderoga-class cruisers (CGs) and dock landing ships (LSDs). The requirement to maintain a minimum of 12 ballistic missile submarines in the fleet would limit the secretary of the Navy's ability to manage Naval strategic forces to balance risk across the total Naval battle force, and to ensure scarce resources are directed to the highest priorities of the combatant commanders. The requirement to retain CGs and LSDs without associated funding for manning, repair, maintenance, and modernization over the remainder of their service lives places the Navy at greater risk of hollowing out the fleet. Finally, the administration objects to section 1076, which would prevent the retirement of the C-23 aircraft in FY 2013. As of January 27, 2012, when the Army transferred the mission to conduct time sensitive/mission critical cargo and personnel to the Air Force, the Army no longer has a mission for a fixed wing cargo aircraft. Delaying the divestment of the C-23 aircraft into FY 2016 and beyond would cost $343.5 million for modernization and service life extension on the aircraft. In the current constrained budget environment, a congressional requirement to maintain systems that are outside the scope of the nation's security requirements is irresponsible.

    Limitations on End-Strength Reductions for the Army and Marine Corps: The administration strongly objects to section 403, which would limit active duty end-strength reductions for the Army and Marine Corps in FYs 2014-2017 to 15,000 and 5,000 per year, respectively, and would require the DOD to fund all Army and Marine Corps active duty end strength in the base budget and not through emergency, supplemental, or overseas contingency operations (OCO) funds. The timing and pace of the planned reductions to the Army and Marine Corps are tied to anticipated changes in operational demand based on the nation's current commitments as well as the new defense strategy, which emphasizes a smaller and leaner force. Limiting the Army's budgeted end-strength reductions to 15,000 per year is estimated to increase military personnel and health care costs by over $500 million in FY 2014 and $1.9 billion through FY 2017. Where non-enduring end strength above 490,000 for the Army and 182,100 for the Marine Corps is maintained between FY 2014 and FY 2017, it is because of current contingency operations and, therefore, appropriately funded in the OCO portion of the DOD budget request. The administration also strongly opposes provisions mandating an end strength for the Army at 552,000 in FY 2013 and excluding service members in the Integrated Disability Evaluation Systems from FY 2013 active duty end-strength authorized levels. To comply with this legislation, the Army would need to significantly increase accessions and retention far beyond what is currently planned to meet the minimum end strength.

    Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC): The administration strongly objects to section 2713, which would prohibit the DOD from spending any funds to propose or plan for additional rounds of BRAC, and sections 2712, 2867, and 2868, which seek to freeze certain Air Force command structures, capabilities, and functions as they existed in 2011. Together, these sections appear to impinge on Executive Branch prerogatives to plan for contingencies or make other needed adjustments that would improve military effectiveness and efficiency. The administration is concerned that the House has not authorized additional BRAC rounds so that the DOD may properly align the military's infrastructure with the needs of our evolving force structure, which is critical to ensuring that limited resources are available for the highest priorities of the warfighter and the national security.

    Protection of Certain Religious and Moral Beliefs: The administration strongly objects to sections 536 and 537 because those provisions adopt unnecessary and ill-advised policies that would inhibit the ability of same-sex couples to marry or enter a recognized relationship under state law. Section 536 would prohibit all personnel-related actions based on certain religious and moral beliefs, which, in its over-broad terms, is potentially harmful to good order and discipline. Section 537 would obligate the DOD to deny service members, retirees, and their family members access to facilities for religious ceremonies on the basis of sexual orientation, a troublesome and potentially unconstitutional limitation on religious liberty.

    Missile Defense: The administration appreciates the support for the DOD's air and missile defense programs, as well as the support for the Government of Israel to purchase additional Iron Dome missile systems. However, the administration strongly objects to sections 223, 230, 1236, 2204(b), and 2403(b), as well as the Committee's $75 million reduction to the authorization of appropriation in section 4601 for the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense System Complex, respectively. These provisions would jeopardize the implementation of the European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA) to missile defense and limit the ability to protect the United States, deployed U.S. forces, allies, and partners. Section 223, which would require a missile defense site on the East Coast of the United States, is premature because the administration has not identified a requirement for a third U.S.-based missile defense site, nor assessed the feasibility or cost in a cost-constrained environment. This section also would mandate the inclusion of a plan to deploy an appropriate missile defense interceptor for such a site in the budget request for FY 2014, an unwarranted intrusion on Executive Branch decision-making. Sections 230, 2204(b), and 2403(b) would limit funding for missile defense equipment and construction supporting the EPAA – the U.S. voluntary national contribution to NATO missile defense – thereby hindering its implementation and limiting protection of U.S. forces, allies, and partners in NATO Europe. Finally, section 1236 would unnecessarily impede the president's exclusive authority to conduct discussions with the Russian Federation on cooperative missile defense matters both bilaterally and in the NATO context, would limit the reciprocal exchange of data that could benefit U.S. and Allied security, and would be impractical to implement.

    Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS): The administration strongly objects to section 229, which would prohibit the use of funds for the MEADS program. If the Congress does not appropriate FY 2013 funding, there is a high likelihood that this action would be perceived by our partners, Italy and Germany, as breaking our commitment under the Memorandum of Understanding, and could harm our relationship with our allies on a much broader basis, including future multinational cooperative projects. It also could prevent the completion of the agreed Proof of Concept activities, which would provide data archiving, analysis of testing, and software development necessary to harvest technology from U.S. and partner investments in MEADS.

    Extended Deterrent in Europe: The administration strongly objects, including on constitutional grounds, to the elements of section 1060 that would limit the president’s ability to determine U.S. military requirements in Europe, negotiate treaties and otherwise conduct diplomacy, and maintain the confidentiality of sensitive diplomatic communications. This section would inhibit our ability to function within NATO. The administration also objects to this section’s limitation on administration efforts to address tactical (non-strategic) nuclear weapons, a step called for in the Senate's Resolution of Ratification of the New START Treaty and a priority of U.S. arms control policy.

    Military Operations: The administration strongly objects to sections 1221 and 1222, which would require the DOD to prepare and submit a plan to augment the presence of the U.S. 5th Fleet in the Middle East and to conduct military activities in that region. Taken together, these provisions would infringe upon the president's prerogative to plan for military activities, including the deployment of U.S. forces. Section 1221 also purports to declare U.S. policy toward Iran, challenging the president's well-established constitutional prerogatives with respect to U.S. foreign policy. The administration also objects to section 1222, which would micro-manage the president's decisions as commander-in-chief regarding the deployment of U.S. forces.

    Military Activities in Cyberspace: The administration agrees that appropriate military operations in cyberspace are a vital component of national security, but objects to section 941, which seeks to clarify military authority to conduct clandestine cyber operations. The administration has concerns about this provision and wants to work with the Congress to ensure that any such legislation adds clarity and value to our efforts in cyberspace.

    Prohibition on Use of Funds to Implement International Agreement on Space Activities that Have Not Been Ratified by the Senate or Authorized by Statute: The administration strongly objects to section 913, which prohibits the expenditure of funds by the secretary of Defense or the Director of National Intelligence to implement or comply with an international agreement concerning outer space activities unless such agreement is ratified by the Senate or authorized by statute. The administration is participating in the development of a non-legally binding International Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities (Code), which is not an international agreement concerning outer space activities. The Code would not impose any legal obligations on the United States, nor would it restrict the exercise of the U.S.' rights of individual and collective self-defense. Instead, it would enhance U.S. national security by encouraging responsible space behavior and singling out those who act otherwise, reducing the risk of misunderstanding and misconduct in space. The administration is concerned that this provision would create confusion about the legal status of the Code and lead our international partners to conclude that the U.S. will treat the Code as an international agreement, greatly complicating negotiations. Furthermore, section 913 encroaches on the executive's exclusive authority to conduct foreign relations and could severely hamper U.S. ability to conduct bilateral space cooperation activities with key allies.

    Department of Energy (DOE) and Contractor Management Relationships: The administration strongly objects to elements of sections 1061 and 1062 and certain provisions of Title 31 that change the responsibilities, authorities, and reporting requirements between and among the DOE, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), contractors managing and operating the national laboratories, the president, and the Congress. Some of these changes fundamentally alter the relationship between the DOE and the NNSA by restricting the authority of the secretary of Energy and transferring responsibilities from the DOE to the NNSA. The bill also: (1) legislates the establishment of a council of the national laboratory contractors with the authority to make unrestricted recommendations to the NNSA, which then mandate a response by the NNSA; (2) takes authority for final approval of the NNSA budget submission away from the president; (3) requires the NNSA to submit a cost-benefit analysis to the Congress before competing a management and operating contract, which would undermine a long-standing and bipartisan effort to increase competition in government contracting; and (4) authorizes unrestricted access for the contractors to report to the Congress on administration activities.

    Health and Safety at the DOE and the NNSA: The administration strongly opposes sections 3202, 3115, 3113, and 3151. These provisions severely hamper external, independent oversight by the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board; move regulatory authority from independent offices and agencies to the NNSA administrator; require a weaker standard of contractor governance, management, and oversight; and eliminate the DOE's flexibility to determine the appropriate means of assessing the unique risks that it confronts in its facilities. By lowering safety standards for the nuclear weapons complex and reducing requested funding for health, safety, and security, these provisions would weaken protections for workers and the general public.

    NNSA Staffing: Section 3111 would direct the administration to make large reductions within the NNSA in its number of federal employees. The NNSA is undertaking major, complex efforts to move to a more efficient and effective management of the nuclear security complex while maintaining the safety, security, and effectiveness of our nuclear arsenal. The administration believes that the NNSA is best positioned to prescribe the proper level of staffing to fulfill those missions effectively within the budget appropriated by the Congress.

    Unwarranted Disclosure of Internal Executive Branch Information: The administration objects to section 953, which would require the DOD to provide to the Congress the administration's internal planning and guidance information, and section 1077, which could be construed to interfere with the DOD's ability to control the release of information related to internal deliberations on matters such as budget and program decisions and treaty negotiations.

    Incremental Funding: The bill would provide incremental funding for major programs rather than the full funding and advance appropriations that the administration requested. Although the administration supports the underlying programs, the administration strongly opposes the use of incremental funding for the Virginia-class attack submarine and the Space-Based Infrared System satellites because incremental funding undermines program stability and cost discipline.

    Unified Medical Command: The administration strongly objects to section 711, which would require the president to create a new unified combatant command for medical operations of the military health system. The DOD completed a study on how to best deliver high-quality medical care to service members and their families in an effective and cost-efficient manner. The study, submitted to the Congress, was reviewed in detail by the most senior civilian and military leaders of the department, who determined that a Unified Medical Command was not the proper course of action for the DOD. Section 711 would preclude the DOD from properly structuring itself to accomplish the most efficient and effective improvement to the current Military Health System. The administration also objects to section 719, which would require the DOD to implement as-yet-unknown recommendations from a report by the U.S. Comptroller General prior to making changes to the structure of the Military Health System.

    Requirements to Develop or Maintain Unnecessary Capabilities: The administration objects to section 352, which would require the secretary of the Air Force to maintain operational capabilities at 18 aerospace control alert sites. After an extensive analysis, the DOD determined that it was possible to reduce the routine aerospace control alert posture at two sites without exposing the United States to undue risk based on the current threat. The administration also objects to section 211, which would require the Long Range Strike Bomber to be certified to use strategic nuclear weapons as a pre-condition for declaring initial operational capability (IOC). This requirement would unnecessarily delay conventional weapons IOC.

    Limitation on Reimbursement of the Government of Pakistan: The administration strongly objects to the restriction in reimbursement for Pakistan from Coalition Support Funds and the associated certification requirements in section 1211. Taken together, the reimbursement restriction and the certification restrictions - some of which require the secretary of Defense to certify Pakistani cooperation on issues outside of his purview - are proposed at a particularly sensitive time and would severely constrict the DOD's ability to respond to emergent war-time Coalition support requirements, putting at risk the success of our campaign in Afghanistan, and increasing the risk that al-Qaida and its associates would be able to again enjoy a safe haven in Pakistan.

    Use of Private Security Contractors: The administration understands the aims of the provision, but strongly objects to section 1214, which would limit the secretary of Defense's options to provide security for members of the armed forces and military installations and facilities in Afghanistan and would undermine the Coalition's efforts to encourage Afghan assumption of sovereign duties. If enacted, this section will require either additional troops to perform security functions or a reduction in combat missions that current force levels perform. It could also undermine civilian-military coordination and increase risk for certain development projects that are critical to ensuring a stable Afghanistan through the transition period to 2014.

    Extension and Expansion of Authority to Acquire Products and Services Produced in Countries Along a Major Route of Supply to Afghanistan: The administration objects to language included in section 821, which would limit the use of expanded procurement authority to only those Northern Distribution Network (NDN) countries that agree to permit the transport of Coalition personnel, equipment, and supplies. This restriction would hamper the DOD's attempts at local procurement along the NDN and would impact transit agreements that the United States already has negotiated with several countries along the NDN.

    Alternative Fuels: The administration objects to sections 313 and 314, which would affect the DOD's ability to procure alternative fuels and would further increase American reliance on fossil fuels, thereby contributing to geopolitical instability and endangering our interests abroad.

    Abrams/Bradley Upgrades: The administration objects to $321 million of un-requested authorization in section 4101, lines 005 and 012, for unneeded upgrades to the M-1 Abrams tank and M-2 Bradley Fighting Vehicles in a fiscally-constrained environment.

    Purple Hearts for Fort Hood and Little Rock Victims: The administration objects to section 552, which would grant Purple Hearts to the victims of the shooting incidents in Fort Hood, Texas, and Little Rock, Arkansas. The criminal acts that occurred in Little Rock were tried by the state of Arkansas as violations of the state criminal code rather than as acts of terrorism; as a result, this provision could create appellate issues.

    Veterans Memorial Object Transfer: The administration objects to section 355, which would prohibit the return of veterans' memorial objects without specific authorization in law. This provision would restrict the president's ability to take actions to demonstrate goodwill toward foreign allies and partners by lending or giving historical artifacts in instances where doing so would serve the national security interests of the United States.

    Retroactive Liability for Closed Non-BRAC DOD Installations: The administration objects to section 2813, which would mandate the DOD to indemnify anyone who acquired ownership or control of DOD property at any military installation closed outside the BRAC process after October 24, 1988, against costs or claims arising from environmental conditions. The provision would retroactively expose the DOD to new and costly claims and undermine the equity to the United States of the terms and conditions negotiated in good faith with purchasers when the property was originally conveyed. Property transferees are already protected by the deed covenants the DOD is required to provide under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act.

    National Guard Center of Excellence: The administration opposes section 334, which would create a Center of Excellence (COE) for the National Guard's State Partnership Program to provide training to units and members of the active and reserve components to implement the State Partnership Program. This provision would create a duplicative training program, as it would authorize training within the core competencies of the National Guard, which already occurs within existing DOD organizations. In addition, the provision would require additional resources to fund the full-time personnel to command and administer the COE, provide the training, and fund the partnerships with universities and other institutions where some of the training would take place.

    Small Business Contracting: The administration strongly supports efforts to increase federal contracting with small businesses, but opposes section 1631, which would establish a laudable but overly ambitious government-wide small business procurement goal and unrealistic individual agency goals that could undermine the goals process and take away the government’s ability to focus its efforts where opportunities for small business contractors are greatest. In addition, the administration objects to the level of complexity that section 1671 would add to the process for evaluating contract-bundling, which will encourage a needless increase in litigation and place unnecessary constraints on agencies in making determinations that bundling is necessary and justified.

    Other Provisions Authorizing Activities with Partner Nations: The administration objects to section 1532, which would limit activities of the Task Force on Business and Stability Operations (TFBSO) to only mining and natural resources industry development and reduces funding to $50 million. The TFBSO has developed a unique capability to foster and expand business opportunities within Afghanistan. The limited authority in Section 1532 and the reduction in funds would not allow TFBSO to continue its mission, particularly in mining and natural resources. The administration supports continuing the authorities provided to the TFSBO in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012.

    Constitutional Concerns: A number of the bill's provisions raise additional constitutional concerns, including encroachment on the president's exclusive authorities related to international negotiations. The administration looks forward to working with the Congress to address these and other concerns.

 

 

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