Providing up-to-date information, news and original content on American Military issues.
An Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon receives fuel from a KC-10 Extender during Operation Octave Quartz over Africa Jan. 9, 2021. The operation relocates U.S. forces in Somalia to other East Africa operating locations while supporting partner forces and maintaining pressure on violent extremist groups.
Two airmen push a hydraulic servicing cart across a flightline at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Jan. 5, 2021.
Jan. 21, 2021
President Biden’s decision to seek a five-year extension of New START advances the nation's defense. Russia's compliance with the treaty has served our national security interests well, and Americans are much safer with New START intact and extended. We cannot afford to lose New START’s intrusive inspection and notification tools. Failing to swiftly extend New START would weaken America’s understanding of Russia’s long-range nuclear forces.
Extending the treaty’s limitations on stockpiles of strategic nuclear weapons until 2026 allows time and space for our two nations to explore new verifiable arms control arrangements that could further reduce risks to Americans. And the Department stands ready to support our colleagues in the State Department as they effect this extension and explore those new arrangements.
Just as we engage Russia in ways that advance American interests, we in the Department will remain clear-eyed about the challenges Russia poses and committed to defending the nation against their reckless and adversarial actions.
Soldiers conduct water survival training during an exercise before the Army Best Medic Competition at Fort Gordon, Ga., Jan. 20, 2021.
Army Capt. Meghan Horn, left, a clinical psychologist assigned to the 98th Combat and Operational Stress Control, 62nd Medical Brigade; and Army Maj. Alysia Franco, center, a liaison officer assigned to the Urban Augmentation Medical Task Force-531, comb through Katie Sue’s mane during an equine therapy outing in Burnett, Wis., Jan. 8, 2021. The Defense Department's religious support and behavioral health teams, assigned to support the military medical providers in Wisconsin, routinely schedule activities intended to support the service members’ mental, social and spiritual well-being throughout their deployment. Northern Command, through Army North, remains committed to providing flexible DOD support to the whole-of-America COVID-19 response.
Air Force 1st Lt. Elizabeth Vinci, a clinical nurse assigned to the 60th Inpatient Squadron, 60th Medical Group, Travis Air Force Base, Calif., prepares IV fluid for a patient at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, Calif., Jan. 15, 2021. Northern Command, through Army North, remains committed to providing flexible Defense Department support to the whole-of-America COVID-19 response.
Army Sgt. Adrian Yelder fills a syringe with a dose of COVID-19 vaccine at Navy Branch Health Clinic Chinhae in Chinhae, South Korea, Jan. 19, 2021. Navy sailors assigned to the Branch Health Clinic Chinhae and Army soldiers assigned to the 549th Hospital Center, 65th Medical Brigade, administered COVID-19 vaccines, on a completely voluntary basis, to personnel identified by Defense Department distribution guidance.
A Marine Corps recruit rappels down a tower at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., Jan. 19, 2021.
Army Sgt. Michael Metcalf and Spc. Walter Galdamez evacuate a simulated injured soldier in Germany, Jan. 21, 2021, as part of training for a competition.
A civilian employee working for the U.S. Marine Corps Community Association pleaded guilty today to assaulting his spouse while working in Iwakuni, Japan.
Nicholas L. McQuaid, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Matthew Schneider, U.S Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan; and Timothy Mahew, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Far East Field Office made the announcement.
Jason Beltran, 35, a former U.S. Marine most recently residing in Flushing, Michigan, pleaded guilty to a single count of assault of a spouse resulting in substantial bodily injury. Beltran entered his plea before U.S. District Judge Nancy G. Edmunds in the U.S. District Court in Detroit, Michigan.
According to the admissions made in connection with his plea, Beltran was an active duty U.S. Marine stationed in Iwakuni, until he was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps in 2011.
Thereafter, Beltran was hired by the U.S. Marine Corps Community Services to work as a library technician at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni. In 2011, Beltran married a dual Japanese-U.S. citizen and had three children with his spouse. Beltran admitted that on or about June 20, 2017, he had an argument with his spouse during which he punched her with a closed fist to the side of her face causing a gash that required several stitches to close the wound, and which resulted in a small, permanent scar.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 3.
NCIS conducted the investigation. Trial Attorneys Frank G. Rangoussis and John-Alex Romano of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting the case.
Army Sgt. Tyler Bisio reacts to simulated indirect gunfire during a competition at Fort Hood, Texas, Jan. 12, 2021.
The crew of the USS Mount Whitney stands in formation during the ship’s 50th anniversary celebration in Gaeta, Italy, Jan. 14, 2021.
The U.S. Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps marches past the White House during the 59th presidential inauguration in Washington, Jan. 20, 2021.
Jan. 21, 2021 | BY ARMY SPC. ASHUNTEIA SMITH
At the request of the Department of Health and Human Services, approximately 12 Navy personnel deployed to the Navajo Nation reservation in New Mexico and Arizona to provide support to the Northern Navajo Medical Center in Shiprock, New Mexico. The medical personnel have been working side-by-side with civilian and U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps health care providers to help treat COVID-19 patients.
"The relationship with the embedded nursing staff here has been great from the get go," Navy Lt. Cmdr. Sarah Jagger, critical care nurse and Rural Rapid Response team leader said.
"They are family now," Navy Lt. Cmdr. Scott Smith, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and the hospital's intensive care unit supervisor, said.
The medical providers are currently treating up to eight patients at one time in the COVID-19 positive ward at the medical center. The ward is set up in an open room with beds alongside each other. As the pandemic progresses, the medical center is considering expanding the ward, allowing the providers to treat up to 15 patients at once.
"Bringing in that staff gave us the capability of doubling our bed capacity for the intensive care unit," Smith said.
For some of the medical providers, it is not their first time being part of the Defense Department's whole-of-America COVID-19 response. Jagger and other members of the Rural Rapid Response teams provided support at different hospitals in New York when the pandemic first started, as well as in Texas as the pandemic continued.
"Thankfully, we are seeing better outcomes than we did when COVID-19 first hit," Jagger said.
Due to some of their previous experiences, the medical providers were able to quickly adapt to their surroundings.
"They were boots on the ground ready to go, and they've been wonderful to work with," Smith said.
The Indian Health Service, an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services, provides a comprehensive health service delivery system for approximately 2.6 million American Indians and Alaska Natives who belong to 574 federally recognized tribes in 37 states.
As the COVID-19 pandemic progresses throughout the country, U.S. Northern Command, through U.S. Army North, remains committed to providing a flexible Defense Department in support of the whole-of-America COVID-19 response.
Nina Gruhn, a senior microbiologist in the Biological Analysis Division at Public Health Command Europe demonstrates the COVID-19 surveillance testing process.
Service members with the Joint Armed Forces Honor Guard position themselves during rehearsal for the 59th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, D.C., Jan. 18, 2021.
The U.S. Army Herald Trumpets practice on the east side of the Capitol Building during the rehearsal for the 59th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, D.C., Jan 18, 2021. Since its founding in 1959, the U.S. Army Herald Trumpets has become a vital part of numerous historic events.
Jan. 20, 2021 | BY Jim Garamone , DOD News
Deputy Defense Secretary David L. Norquist has been sworn in as the acting defense secretary and will serve in the position until the Senate confirms the Biden administration's nominee for the position.
The change in administrations will have a cascading effect within the Defense Department. At noon today, the resignations of Trump administration political appointees became effective.
Yet, the missions of the department must continue, and officials made plans to place interim leaders in these crucial jobs. "The incoming Biden administration has reviewed these plans and reached out to officials across the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the military department to confirm the succession plan the new administration intends to implement for all presidentially-appointed, Senate-confirmed positions," Norquist wrote in a memo to senior defense leaders.
These employees will serve in an acting capacity or in a "performing the duties of" capacity until new political appointees arrive.
Usually, the defense secretary is confirmed when a new president takes office. This year, President Biden's nominee for defense secretary, Lloyd J. Austin III, did not get a confirmation hearing until January 19th – too late for the full Senate to confirm him. Austin's case is further complicated by the fact that as a retired general he needs a waiver from both houses of Congress to serve in the position.
More than 50 positions will be filled on an interim basis. In addition to Norquist, they include John E. Whitley as Army secretary, Thomas W. Harker as Navy secretary, and John P. Roth as Air Force secretary.
In addition, Amanda J. Dory will perform the duties of undersecretary of defense for policy; Terence G. Emmert will perform the duties of undersecretary for research and engineering; Douglas Glenn will perform the duties of DOD comptroller/chief financial officer; and Virginia S. Penrod will perform the duties of undersecretary of personnel and readiness.
The duties of the undersecretary for intelligence and security will be performed by David M. Taylor, and Paul S. Koffsky will perform the duties of DOD general counsel.
Some of those who are "performing the duties of" will also hold other positions. For example, Dory will also perform the duties of assistant secretary for strategy, plans and capabilities.
Once a Biden political appointee is approved by the Senate, those serving in these positions will revert to their normal jobs.
Ceremonial marchers participate in a rehearsal for the 59th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, D.C., Jan. 18, 2021.
Jan. 20, 2021
Today our nation swore in Joseph R. Biden Jr. as the 46th President of the United States and Commander in Chief of our military force, as well as Kamala D. Harris as the 49th Vice President of the United States.
The peaceful transition of power is a hallmark of our nation and our democracy. I send my sincere appreciation and gratitude to the roughly 28,000 National Guard and active duty military members who are assisting local law enforcement in maintaining our nation’s legacy and preserving our future.
More broadly, the Department of Defense remains ready to provide forces that deter war and protect the security of our nation. We look forward to seamlessly onboarding the incoming Administration so America may maintain its strategic advantage and vast partnerships.
Posts
