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Petraeus, Allen named to new posts The Associated Press via Military Times    Share    Seeking to tame wars overseas and budget deficits at home, President Obama announced a major remake of his national security team aimed at ensuring leadership continuity during a perilous time. His own re-election approaching, Obama turned to a cast of familiar and respected officials for the most sweeping reworking of his national security team since the opening weeks of his presidency. More Panetta would bring decades of service to Pentagon American Forces Press Service    Share    CIA Director Leon E. Panetta, President Barack Obama's choice as the next secretary of defense, would bring to the job more than 40 years of government service that has traversed local and federal government and the legislative and executive branches. Like soon-to-retire Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, also a former CIA director, Panetta served briefly in the military. He served as an Army intelligence officer from 1964 to 1966 and received the Army Commendation Medal. More Female soldiers say they're up for battle The Des Moines Register via Military Times    Share    Pfc. Tasha Conger and Pfc. Tanya Redinbaugh hope their service will seem typical someday. For now, they're part of a tiny minority of female soldiers living at front-line combat positions. That could change if a national commission gets its way. The commission told Congress last month that if a woman can show she's qualified, she ought to be allowed to take any military job. More X Marks the Spot: The New Exchange The Army & Air Force Exchange Service (now the Exchange) has rebranded the organization which is changing the look and appearance of our entire enterprise.  MORE BUDGET US Army: No unfunded requirements for 2012 Defense News    Share    The U.S. Army has told Congress it has no unfunded requirements for fiscal year 2012, according to a letter from Gen. Martin Dempsey, the Army's new chief of staff. Since 1995, lawmakers have asked service chiefs to prepare lists of things they want but didn't get money for in the Pentagon's annual funding request. More DoD to judge whether it can implement QDR Defense News    Share    The Pentagon will conduct a strategy-driven review that will examine whether it will be able to fully implement the Quadrennial Defense Review as it prepares for a budget overhaul over the next decade, according to a senior U.S. Defense Department official. If QDR goals cannot be met, the study will look at areas in which DoD can take risks, according to Michèle Flournoy, U.S. undersecretary of defense for policy. The study is part of a major White House-ordered mission and capabilities review, which will examine a number of areas, including nondiscretionary spending accounts. More TRICARE DoD settles on cost index for Tricare fee hikes Military Times    Share    The Defense Department would link future Tricare fee increases to a medical care cost index that has increased by an average of 6.4 percent a year over the past 25 years, but rose just 3.1 percent last year, according to a briefing provided to military associations. The National Health Expenditure index, produced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, would be used beginning in 2013 to determine annual enrollment fee increases in Tricare Prime for working-age military retirees and their families, under a pending Pentagon plan that requires congressional approval. More SERVICE SECTIONS Study offers Guard families help with parenting The Associated Press via Military Times    Share    A new study at the University of Minnesota is helping military parents deal with the stress of parenting — on top of the stress of returning from deployment. Minnesota Public Radio News reports that the five-year study will teach parenting techniques to National Guard families with soldiers who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan. More 3,000 Guard members respond to disasters Military.com    Share    About 3,000 National Guard members were responding to weather-related domestic disasters in 11 states, many in tornado-ravaged Alabama, while hundreds still tackled rising waters in North Dakota, the epicenter of flooding now challenging seven states. In Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi, tornadoes killed and injured people and destroyed property; in Texas, drought fueled wild fires; in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota and Tennessee, swollen rivers either escaped their banks or threatened to do so. More Former Coast Guard commandant reflects on Gulf oil spill The Associated Press via Military Times    Share    Governments face bigger challenges in responding to disasters, in part because the calamities seem to be getting bigger, the retired Coast Guard commandant who oversaw the cleanup of the largest oil spill in U.S. history said. Retired Adm. Thad Allen, 62, said the biggest change in disaster response may be how advances like the Internet have altered the public's involvement and expectations. More RESERVE & GUARD MOBILIZED National Guard (in federal status) and Reserve activated as of April 26 U.S. Department of Defense    Share    This week the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, announced a decrease in activated reservists, while the Army and Air Force announced an increase. The net collective result is 611 more 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

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