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Senate OKs Defense Bill Clashing with House Version
from The Hill
The Senate passed the 2010 defense authorization bill, setting the stage for more wrangling over key defense priorities for the Obama administration. The bill, which authorizes $680 billion in defense spending for 2010, carries two hard-fought victories for the Obama administration: It cuts off production for Lockheed Martin's F-22 fighter jets and scuttles a secondary engine for the new Joint Strike Fighter. The massive bill also includes funding authorization for $130 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for the new fiscal year which starts Oct. 1.
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Senate Votes Against Survivor Pay Offset
from AirForceNews
Eliminating the offset in military survivors' benefits from the Defense Department for those also receiving dependency and indemnity compensation from the Veterans Affairs Department is the top priority of the 34-member Military Coalition, which has been urging Congress to act.
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Can the Military Find the Answer to Alternative Energy?
from Businessweek
Nine years ago, Robert J. Nowak, an electro-chemicals expert for the Defense Department, learned that senior generals weren't happy with their troops' electronic gear. While the night-vision, laser and GPS devices worked well, the batteries that powered them weighed some 25 pounds per soldier, heavy enough to hurt some of the troops.
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Obama Administration Crushes F-22 Supporters
from DoD Buzz
In a vote sure to be read as a sign of the Obama administration's power on defense matters, the Senate voted by a lopsided 40-58 in favor of an amendment stripping $1.75 billion for the F-22 from the defense authorization bill.
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| DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE NEWS |
Gates Announces Army Being Increased by 22,000
from the Associated Press
Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced that the size of the Army is being increased temporarily by 22,000 soldiers to help meet the needs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and other missions around the world. This is the second time since 2007 that the military has determined it doesn't have a large enough force. Gates had already increased the size of the Army and Marine Corps shortly after taking the Pentagon job.
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Reserve Chief: Deployment Pace Not Slowing Down Soon
from Stars and Stripes
Army Reserve commander Lt. Gen Jack Stultz is warning his troops not to expect a deployment slowdown soon, even with Pentagon promises of more relief for soldiers in coming years. "I want to be more realistic with them. I don't predict a drop in our op-tempo," Stultz said in an interview with Stripes this week. "We are the enablers. The last thing to pull out of a theater is your support structure ... and the first thing to put into a theater is the enablers." More
CBO Says Navy, Coast Guard Could Swap Small-ship Ideas
from NavyTimes
The Navy and Coast Guard small surface ship programs are too mature to combine, but each service could benefit from using the other's designs, according to a report released by the Congressional Budget Office.
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Reserve Chief Wants "Virtual Installations" for Soldiers' Families
from Stars and Stripes
One item of particular interest for our online audience was Army Reserve Chief Lt. Gen. Jack Stultz's goal of creating "virtual installations" -- his wife's name for the concept -- where spouses and family members can go online and get updates on their soldiers, information on available aid, and links to all types of available resources, said the author.
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| RESERVE & GUARD MOBILIZED |
National Guard (In Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of July 21, 2009
from Defenselink
This week the Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard announced increases in activated reservists, while the Army and Marine Corps announced a decrease. The net collective result is 86 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.
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