Pentagon & Congress

Ukraine getting battalion’s worth of artillery in new $100 million aid package

The U.S. is sending Ukraine another $100 million in military assistance, including heavy artillery and counter-artillery radars, the Biden administration announced Thursday.

Watchdog could subpoena former VA workers under plan approved by Congress

Currently the VA inspector general cannot force former employees to detail problems or crimes they saw during their tenure at the department.

At least 9 troops or vets charged in domestic extremism cases since Capitol riot

An inspector general report recommended updating the DoD's extremism definition, which it has done, as well as creating a system to track extremism reports.

National Guard officer promotions could speed up under new measure

Guard members wait more than seven months on average for advancement.

Biden invokes Defense Production Act for formula shortage

President Joe Biden has invoked the Defense Production Act to speed production of infant formula and has authorized flights to import supply from overseas.

Junior service members being hit hard by inflation, senior enlisted leaders say

From food to child care to housing, inflation is hitting junior service members especially hard.

US troop pullout was key factor in Afghan collapse, watchdog says

The report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction mirrors assertions made by senior Pentagon and military leaders.

Trump improperly punished brother of impeachment witness, military watchdog finds

But the Pentagon inspector general does not recommend any firings or adverse actions in response to the infractions.

Burn Pits

Senators reach deal to advance sweeping military toxic exposure legislation

The measure could be passed out of the chamber in the next few weeks and become law later this summer.

Review finds US troops didn’t violate law in Syria airstrike

The investigation comes amid new scrutiny on the U.S. military for strikes that cause innocent deaths.

As Air Force plans for new aircraft, senators worry about capability gaps

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., worried the Air Force could find itself without enough aircraft to conduct battlefield management or rescue downed personnel.

Pentagon’s high-level group to aid Ukraine is rooted in Iraq and Afghanistan fight

The Pentagon has modeled a new high-level team to rush military aid to Ukraine after the group it used to rush supplies to troops in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, according to a memo obtained by Defense News and sources familiar with the matter.

New military suicide prevention study group to begin work this summer

The 10-member panel will offer a report on improvements to suicide prevention efforts within the armed forces early next year.

UFOs pose real danger, says Pentagon, but aliens aren’t to blame — probably

Congress this week held its first public hearing on unidentified aerial phenomena in more than 50 years.

US troops heading back into Somalia, reversing Trump order

Fewer than 500 troops will be stationed inside the African country to train local forces and fight emerging threats.

This week in Congress: UFO debate flies into Capitol Hill

Defense and veterans hearings on Capitol Hill for the week of May 16, 2022.

Finland to seek NATO entry in ‘new era’ amid Russia’s war

Finland’s president and government have announced that the Nordic country intends to apply for membership in NATO.

Troops sent to bolster NATO begin turnover as US mulls larger footprint in Europe

“The deployments are one-for-one unit replacements, which will leave our overall force posture in the region — approximately 100,000 — unchanged,” the Pentagon's spokesman said.

Navy effort to cancel LCS mission package triggers new cost breach

A decision to cancel the technically challenged ASW mission package raised the per-unit cost overall for the mission modules program, resulting in a Nunn-McCurdy breach the Navy reported to Congress May 13.

Pentagon chief talks to Russian counterpart for first time since Ukraine war began

This is the first conversation between the two defense chiefs since Feb. 18, a week before the war started.

US poised to bite into Russia’s global defense market share

A senior U.S. State Department official said Thursday that a massive Ukraine aid package ― which contains $4 billion in grants for allies to buy American-made military hardware ― is partly aimed at eroding Russia’s share of the global defense market.

Here’s what US Army leaders are learning from the Russia-Ukraine war

Counter-drone tech, long-range fires, and translating battlefield intel to high-impact strikes are key areas Army leaders are pulling lessons from.

Lawmakers press DOD to provide troops access to abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned

The group wants Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to issue new directives to ensure female troops seeking abortions can get around looming state bans on the procedure.

Senate confirms new Coast Guard commandant — the first uniformed woman to lead a service

Adm. Linda Fagan has served in the Coast Guard for 36 years.

Pentagon tests high-power microwave systems against drones

The Joint Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office has completed its third demonstration to look at capability that could fill identified gaps to defeat the growing drone threat around the world.