Reserve Chiefs press for more DoD call-up authority
U.S. Department of Defense
Reserve-component leaders made the case for legislative changes that would give Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta more flexibility in using Guard and Reserve members to support theater security cooperation and other military missions around the world. Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee's military personnel subcommittee, the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard leaders cited the reserve components' vast experience supporting a broad array of contingency missions.More

Debt deal includes billions in defense cuts, but pay and vet programs safe
Stars and Stripes
Veterans and active-duty troops have worried for weeks that congressional infighting over the debt ceiling might halt their pay and benefits. Now that a deal appears to have been reached, both should be safe. But what the compromise means for the military in the long term remains to be seen.More

Defense budget cuts must be balanced, Mullen says
DoD
As the pressure increases on the federal budget, the Defense Department must make cuts in a balanced way, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. "There are three dials – the people dial, the operations dial and the acquisition or equipment dial," Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said to about 300 Marines and sailors at this sprawling base in Helmand province. "We're going to have to make adjustments in all three." Any changes must be done slowly and with forethought, the chairman said.More

National Guard members keep an eye on day jobs
NPR
More than 1,300 soldiers are deploying to Iraq this month for the Kentucky National Guard's final mission there: helping to shut down U.S. military operations. But some soldiers are coping with not only the pressure of deployment, but also the stress of putting their civilian jobs on hold. The Kentucky National Guard's 149th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade will primarily be in charge of convoy security in Iraq, making sure U.S. equipment gets safely to Kuwait and onto ships. They represent half of the 2,600 troops they'll be joining from Oregon, Virginia and Utah.More

Soldier-to-Soldier intervention key to stopping suicides
National Guard
Army National Guard members must intervene to ensure suicides continue to decline from last year's record numbers, the acting director said. With 112 suicides last year, senior National Guard leaders set a goal in January to halve that number, and Army Maj. Gen. Raymond Carpenter says that – despite a surge in recent months – the Army Guard is doing much better than last year.More

Vets with PTSD, government reach settlement
San Jose Mercury News
More than a thousand Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder would be given lifetime disability retirement benefits such as military health insurance under the terms of a settlement reached between the government and the veterans. Attorneys for the veterans, the Justice Department and the military jointly filed a motion that spelled out the terms. The settlement must be approved by a judge to be final.More

Forscom, Reserve Command to dedicate Bragg headquarters building
The Fayetteville Observer
The day after the Fourth of July, the Army's Forces Command welcomed a large group of arrivals from Atlanta in the main auditorium in the basement of its new headquarters on Fort Bragg. "You look around and you see a nice, four-star-quality headquarters and realize two years ago this was a hole in the ground," said Ted Kientz, an engineer who served as Forces Command's liaison officer at Fort Bragg.More

These soldiers fight for hearts and minds with laptops
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Sure, they carry guns, but the soldiers in a Green Bay-based civil affairs battalion are not here to fight. They're here to help build a nation that seems caught in a centuries-long time warp. Since the Army Reserve 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion soldiers arrived last month, they have met with Afghan government officials to help plan their budgets and improve communication with residents, talked to shopkeepers about their businesses and coordinated health, education, infrastructure and legal projects. More

Best helmet upgrades on the market
Military Times
You don't want to use your Kevlar helmet for a sink the way your grandfather may have back in the day. But your helmet still can do more than provide ballistic protection. Lights and cameras now ride comfortably and securely on your lid without duct tape or MRE packing remnants holding them in place. Even your NVGs can get a comfort and security upgrade with a few of this month's GearScout picks.More

National Guard (in federal status) and Reserve activated as of July 26
U.S. Department of Defense
This week the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard announced a decrease in activated reservists. The net collective result is 694 fewer reservists activated than last week. At any given time, services may activate some units and individuals while deactivating others, making it possible for these figures to either increase or decrease.More