Where DoD Spends Its Defense Dollars
The Defense Department’s Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation’s latest report on where the Pentagon spends it defense dollars has Maryland in the No. 6 spot. According to the fiscal 2022 report, $26.4 billion was spent on defense contracts and personnel in the state. Virginia claimed the top spot on the list.
Birckhead New MD Adjutant General
MAJ GEN Janeen Birckhead has assumed her new role as the Maryland National Guard adjutant general. Birckhead succeeds outgoing MAJ GEN Timothy Gowen, who assumed command in 2019.
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 … .”
2 Super Hornets, 2 Mishaps in 2 Days
Two US Navy Super Hornets suffered mishaps on consecutive days in November at NAS Oceana, VA.
Navy Football Uniforms Honor NASA
For the Dec. 10, 2022, Army-Navy football game, the Midshipmen will be dressed from head-to-toe in NASA-themed gear that pays homage to the academy’s astronaut alums.
Lawmakers Ask for Halt on Nice Bridge Demolition
Three Maryland lawmakers are urging the state Department of Transportation to pause plans to demolish the existing Gov. Harry Nice Memorial Bridge. They want a review conducted to determine the feasibility and cost of repurposing the old bridge for recreational use.
US Space Force Needs a National Guard
A bill introduced in the US Senate would create a Space National Guard. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) said that not establishing a Space National Guard was a mistake when the US Space Force was formed.
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.
Space Is Being Littered With Orbital Debris
DeAnna Burt, vice commander of Space Force Space Operations Command, says there needs to be a way to clean up “space junk.” Speaking at the Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies Conference, she said, “We need to pick up debris — we need trash trucks. We need things to go make debris go away.” NASA says that more than 27,000 pieces of orbital debris are being tracked by DoD.
Navy Undersecretary Geurts to Retire
James “Hondo” Geurts, who has been acting as the undersecretary of the Navy since February, announced he will retire from government service later this month.
