March 29, 2024

Who’s Being Considered for the Next DefSec?

Who's Being Considered for the Next DefSec?

Morning Coffee is a robust blend of links to news around the internet concerning the Naval Air Station Patuxent River Morning Coffee logoeconomic community. The opinions expressed here do not reflect opinions of the Leader’s owners or staff.

Military Times takes a look at some of the likely names being considered for the next defense secretary. Under Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy will likely become the acting secretary of the Army, reports Army Times, since Army Secretary Mark Esper is the new acting DefSec.

President Donald Trump said the alleged attacks by Iran against two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman last week were “very minor” and suggested that the US might not go to war to protect international oil supplies, reports The Washington Post. “Iran is lashing out; they are not lashing out against the United States, they are lashing out against the international community,” Air Force Gen. Paul Selva said, according to Military.com.

The US Coast Guard’s new fleet of polar security cutters will be homeported in Seattle, reports Navy Times. “The Pacific Northwest has been the home of our icebreaking fleet since 1976, and I am confident that the Seattle area will continue to provide the support we need to carry out our critical operations in the polar regions,” said Coast Guard commandant ADM Karl L. Schultz. Navy Times reported in April that a contract worth up to $1.9 billion was issued to build a new fleet of icebreakers.

A plan by Ecuador to let the US military use a Galápagos island for aircraft on anti-drug trafficking flights is drawing criticism, reports Military Times.

Some US senators are using a provision of the Arms Export Control Act to block the arms deal with Saudi Arabia by only a simple majority after President Donald Trump last month invoked an emergency provision within the law to push through the roughly $8 billion sale without congressional approval, reports The Hill. Some Republican senators are expected to join all 47 Democrats in supporting the resolutions of disapproval.

An MV-22B Osprey, nicknamed “Eight Ball,” made its way earlier this month to the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum, reports The Tester. After serving 20 years in test and evaluation capacities, it has been retired.

Army Times reports the Army has trimmed down its non-deployable soldiers from about 16 percent 18 months ago to roughly 5 percent today, as well as more than doubled the number of brigade combat teams at the highest level of personnel readiness.

Senior service members would be able to share GI Bill benefits with spouses and children under a provision included in a House Armed Services Committee’s budget bill draft, reports Military Times.

Lockheed Martin is working on a new bionic knee brace, reports ZDNet. Building on advances in rigid exoskeleton suits, the brace uses soft robotic actuators and compliant materials, making it lightweight and, the researchers hope, practical to wear in certain real-world use cases.

Navy SEAL Special Warfare Operator Chief Edward “Eddie” Gallagher’s war crimes trial began Tuesday in San Diego, reports Navy Times. Mr. Gallagher allegedly committed the crimes during a 2017 deployment to Iraq with Alpha Platoon, SEAL Team 7.

The USNS Comfort hospital ship will leave Miami on Tuesday, setting sail to relieve pressure from the strain of increasing numbers of displaced Venezuelans, reports UPI News.
The ship has a five-month medical assistance mission.

Leave A Comment