a. AUSA Five Things - “Does the Army need a Light Infantry Vehicle with heavier firepower?”
AUSA Five Things: A Weekly Tip Sheet for AUSA Members, dated August 22., 2016: “Seeking Light Vehicle, Heavy Firepower?”
Representatives of about 60 companies took part in a Fort Benning, Ga., event to discuss the Army’s need for a new light infantry vehicle with heavy firepower. The Mobile Protected Firepower vehicle, MPF, could be based on a current vehicle that is either a light tank or a heavy troop carrier to cut down on the time it would take to be produced.
What to watch: There is $10 million in the 2017 budget proposal for research and development of a vehicle that the Army hopes could start being built in 2018 if it takes only modifications in current platforms. Stay tuned for details on an upcoming Hot Topic event hosted by AUSA’s Institute of Land Warfare that will focus on future procurement.
b. AUSA News - “Should Army officers be vetted for exemplary conduct before promotion?”
A new directive requires that officers who are selected for promotion be vetted for mental, physical, moral, and professional fitness and meet the standards for exemplary conduct before their names are forwarded to the secretary of the Army for certification.
c. AUSA Moderator – “Soldier-athletes do well at the 2016 Olympics.”
Soldier-athletes made a small contribution to a record medals haul for the United States in the recent 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Spc. Paul Chelimo, a water-treatment specialist with a little over two years in uniform, had the best performance among the soldiers who competed in the games, winning a silver medal in the 5,000-meter track race—but not without a bit of controversy. The five-time NCAA All-American, a member of the Army’s World Class Athlete Program, initially was disqualified because he made contact with another runner during the event. But he won an appeal and was reinstated as the official second-place finisher. On his Twitter feed, Chelimo said he was happy to have won “after all the fracas out there.” He was the first American male to medal in the 5,000-meter race since 1964.
Second Lt. Sam Kendricks, an Army Reserve officer, took a bronze medal in the pole vault, the best finish by an American in that event since 2004, clearing the bar at 19 feet, 2¼ inches. Along with winning a medal, Kendricks became an internet sensation for a viral video that shows him coming to a sudden stop halfway down the pole-vault runway to stand at attention when the U.S. national anthem played for another medal awards ceremony.
Click here to read more: https://www.ausa.org/news/soldiers-contribute-record-us-olympic-haul
THIS WEEK'S POLL QUESTION:
Should post housing be open to civilians?
o Yes
o No
o Not sure