a. AUSA Moderator – “AUSA’s Priorities: Renewed capacity, capability, sustainability, respect.”
In a Washington Times article dated February 14, 2017, GEN (Ret) Carter F. Ham said: “Job No. 1 of our nation’s commander-in-chief is, as the Preamble to the Constitution describes, providing for the common defense.
This duty to the people requires a trained, modernized military force with sufficient capacity to accomplish an ever-expanding set of complex missions. Defending critical infrastructure at home and abroad, responding on short notice to humanitarian and natural disasters, and building the military capacity of allies and partners are all important missions. But the no-fail mission, the unwavering bond with the people of our nation, is to deter those who threaten America, Americans and American interests and, when deterrence fails, to defeat our enemies in battle wherever and whenever it may occur.”
b. AUSA Five Things – “Waivers being considered for 180-day hiring delay for military retirees.”
AUSA Five Things: A Weekly Tip Sheet for AUSA Members, dated February 13, 2017: “Hidden Hiring Hurdle.”
“A provision of the Fiscal Year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act establishes a 180-day hiring delay for military retirees before they can be hired as Defense Department civilians, although waivers can be considered. The restriction originated in the Senate Armed Services Committee, where there were concerns that one-third of military retirees hired over a three-year period landed their civilian positions while still in uniform.
What to watch: AUSA is closely watching how this change in law will work to make certain retired soldiers, who often are the most qualified for Army civilian jobs, are not disadvantaged.”
c. AUSA News – “Does the Army need a large-scale missile defense training exercise?”
At AUSA’s Hot Topic forum on Army air and missile defense, Brig. Gen. Christopher Spillman, commander of the 32nd Air and Missile Defense Command, said that “one of the things we in the air defense community don't have ... is a combat training center-like evaluation." The general said he has already made efforts toward rebuilding a large, collective training exercise like Roving Sands, and he speculated that such an event could be held at Fort Bliss, Texas.
d. Family Readiness – “Mrs. Trump’s Guide to Geo-Baching: 5 No’s to Know About Living Apart.”
When Melania Trump said she planned to remain in New York after her husband’s inauguration as president of the United States, eyebrows went up across the country.
Few of those eyebrows belonged to military spouses. We’re more likely to nod in comprehension of the first family’s choice not to move their fifth-grader in the middle of his school year.
We’ve been there. Well, not in the White House or Trump Tower, but plenty of military families have made similar decisions to live apart, about 20 percent of them, in fact, according to the most recent Military Family Lifestyle Survey by Blue Star Families (BSF).
THIS WEEK'S POLL QUESTION:
(TO VOTE: SCROLL DOWN TO THE FOOTER OF THE PAGE)
Should the U.S. Army be sent into Syria?
- Yes
- No
- Not sure