Military Struggles to Reach Recruitment Goals
US DefSec Lloyd Austin swore in new military recruits last week. As DoD marked the 50th anniversary of the country’s all-volunteer force, the armed services are struggling to meet recruitment goals.
MD Won’t Send Guard to Southern Border
A growing list of Republican leaders are sending their state National Guard soldiers or other state law enforcement officers to the US border with Mexico. Gov. Wes Moore (D) said last week that “Maryland’s not doing that. Right now, what Maryland is doing — Maryland is focusing on public safety here. Maryland is focusing on our schools here. Maryland is focusing on the myriad of challenges and the myriad of opportunities that we have here in the state of Maryland … .”
Lawmakers Push for UMD-Led Microtech Initiative
Rep. Steny H. Hoyer joined a bipartisan group of more than 20 of his congressional colleagues in writing to US DefSec Lloyd Austin in support of the University of Maryland-led Mid-Atlantic Semiconductor Collaborative proposal to contribute to the Department of Defense’s Microelectronic Commons initiative.
State AG Files Lawsuit Against MetCom Over Sewage Overflows
The Maryland Attorney General’s Office filed a civil complaint Thursday in the Circuit Court for St. Mary’s County against the St. Mary’s County Metropolitan Commission over continued sewage overflows from its sanitary sewer system.
No Bay Bridge Expansion Any Time Soon
Don’t expect another span across Chesapeake Bay any time soon. Maryland Transportation Authority officials say they have four or five years to analyze alternatives and assess environmental impacts and only then, if the state gets federal approval and funding can design and construction begin.
Defense Revenue Up Nearly 8% From ’21
Defense revenues of the top 100 defense companies climbed for a sixth consecutive year. Fiscal 2021 defense revenue for the Top 100 list totaled $595 billion, up nearly 8% from last year.
3 Options in Navy’s New Shipbuilding Plan
The Navy is sifting through three options for its shipbuilding plans — only one gets to the goal of 355 ships.
Deployments in Europe Likely to Remain Into Summer
The Pentagon said that thousands of troops mobilized over the past few months to Eastern Europe will most likely remain into the summer. DoD also announced that the US will send additional aid to Ukraine: $300 million more in military supplies, including drones, laser-guided missiles, armored vehicles, and machine guns.
Funding Bill Passes, Avoids Shutdown, Includes More Aid to Ukraine
The US Senate passed a $1.5 trillion package late last week that funds the federal government through September and delivers $14 billion to help Ukraine. For 2022, the bill provides $728.5 billion in discretionary defense spending, an increase of $32.5 billion above 2021.
Global Posture Review Will Determine if US Forces Are Where They Should Be
The Defense Department’s global posture review, which will determine if the US has the right amount of troops in the right places, is nearing completion. Also expected shortly is an update of the National Defense Strategy. As many of the world’s seas are increasingly seeing more activity, the US Navy is anxious for more guidance.
