DefSec Mattis Issues Farewell to Troops
DefSec Jim Mattis issued his farewell Monday as he turned over his duties to Deputy DefSec Patrick Shanahan. Mattis urged DoD personnel to “keep the faith in our country and hold fast, alongside our allies, aligned against our foes.”
DoD End-of-Year Contracts Awarded
End-of-the-year Department of Defense contracts have been awarded in the Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC, region.
Morning Coffee Is Off the Burner
Morning Coffee is off the burner this Christmas week. We will be percolating again Jan. 2, 2019.
VA Leaves Millions Unspent for Suicide Outreach
Veterans Administration has spent only $57,000 out of $6.2 million set aside for suicide prevention and suicide outreach in the media in fiscal 2018, less than 1 percent, while a respected, retired Marine colonel becomes the fifth suicide since 2013 at the same Florida VA complex.
Retired Marine Col. Jim Turner became the fifth veteran at Bay Pines Department of Veterans Affairs in Florida to take his life, reports Military.com. He put on his dress uniform and medals and drove to the complex. He got out of his truck, sat down on top of his military records and took his own life with a rifle. He left a suicide note blasting the VA for failing to help him. He was remembered as a professional and a leader.
CBO Still Sees Billions in Savings in the Military
Capping pay, scrapping aircraft, slashing benefits and a host of already discussed military and veterans program reforms reappear in this year’s CBO annual “options for reducing the deficit” report.
Will a Government Shutdown Be Avoided?
Congress has only a few days left to pass a funding package for several large federal agencies and general government appropriations to avoid a government shutdown.
F-35 Squadron Passes Safe-for-Flight Test
A Navy F-35C Lighting II squadron netted a safe-for-flight operations certification, hitting another milestone on the way to initial operational capability. Pentagon officials say that could come as soon as late February.
Navy Suicides Still Highest of All Services
Suicide rates in the Navy have climbed rapidly since 2015 with a 53 percent spike from 2016 to 2017, more than among active duty service members in any other branch of the military. Although more modest than the Navy’s rate, suicide rates continued to rise for all duty service members in 2017.
China Considers Attack on US Vessels in South China Sea
Trade wars and intensification of China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea toughen China’s stance toward US, including consideration of attacks on US vessels.
Navy Will Consolidate JSF Operations on West Coast
The Navy plans to deactivate the Grim Reapers of Strike Fighter Squadron 101 at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, consolidating JSF operations NAS Lemoore on the West Coast.
