Friday, April 30, 2021

Defense Secretary Says 'Integrated Deterrence' Is Cornerstone of U.S. Defense

 April 30, 2021 | BY C. Todd Lopez , DOD News

Deterrence has always been the first line of defense. Preventing conflict, when possible, is greater than engaging, said the secretary of defense.

"The cornerstone of America's defense is still deterrence, ensuring that our adversaries understand the folly of outright conflict," Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said in Hawaii Friday during a change of command ceremony for the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.

A man in a suit stands behind a lectern.

"Throughout American history, deterrence has meant fixing a basic truth within the minds of our potential foes: And that truth is that the costs and risks of aggression are out of line with any conceivable benefit," Austin said.

But Austin said that, going forward, deterrence must be different from what it has been in the past, characterizing a new approach as "integrated deterrence."

"To make that clear today, we'll use existing capabilities, and build new ones, and use all of them in networked ways — hand in hand with our allies and partners," he said. "Deterrence still rests on the same logic — but it now spans multiple realms, all of which must be mastered to ensure our security in the 21st century."

Two aircraft, one with a U.S. flag displayed in the cockpit, fly together.

Integrated deterrence, Austin said, includes having the best weapons systems and the latest technologies that make adversaries think twice. This includes development of tools that make use of artificial intelligence and quantum computing, for example.

Integrated deterrence also includes new concepts of operation, the elimination of stovepipes between services and their capabilities, and coordinated operations on land, in the air, on the sea, in space and in cyberspace.

"We can't predict the future," Austin said. "What we need is the right mix of technology, operational concepts and capabilities — all woven together and networked in a way that is so credible, flexible and so formidable that it will give any adversary pause. We need to create advantages for us and dilemmas for them."

A tank sits in a dusty, desert landscape with mountains in the background.

Most significantly, Austin said, integrated deterrence means working together in ways that were not done before.

"Integrated deterrence means all of us giving our all," he said. "It means that working together is an imperative, and not an option. It means that capabilities must be shared across lines as a matter of course, and not as an exception to the rule. And it means that coordination across commands and services needs to be a reflex and not an afterthought."

As a former soldier and one-time commander of operations in Iraq and U.S. Central Command, Austin said he understands the instinctive impulse to trust first those who wear the same uniform.

A man in a military uniform stands near a helicopter.

"I've been there," he said. "I'm a former combatant commander and senior service leader. I get it. I know the temptations and the impulses, the desire to preserve what you believe is your equity. I indulged in that kind of thinking myself back in the day. But I also see what’s coming. And there’s some old habits that just don’t serve our core mission anymore."

Now, he said, every service and agency — each of which brings its own unique capability for deterrence, first, and conflict, when needed — must be willing to draw on the capabilities of partners. Those partners include not just the U.S. military services, but federal agencies, partner nations and allies, as well.

Multiple submarines move through the water together.

"We have to redouble our efforts to work together — across commands, across services, and across stovepipes," he said.

During Friday's ceremony, Navy Adm. John Aquilino took the helm of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command from outgoing commander Navy Adm. Philip Davidson.

DOD Observes Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

 April 30, 2021 | BY David Vergun , DOD News

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have helped shape the history of the United States, and many of their lives have been dramatically influenced by moments in U.S. history. Every May, the Defense Department joins the rest of the nation in celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. 

A Marine with a gun looks on.

The observance originated in a congressional bill in 1977 by U.S. Reps. Frank Horton, R-N.Y., and Norman Y. Mineta, D-Calif. They introduced a House resolution that called on the president to proclaim the first 10 days of May as Asian/Pacific Heritage Week. The following month, U.S. Sens. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, and Spark Matsunaga, D-Hawaii, introduced a similar bill in the Senate. Both were passed in 1978.

A cadet stands at attention.

In 1990, President George H.W. Bush designated the month of May as Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the U.S. on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of workers on the western portion of the line were Chinese immigrants. 

Today, Asian and Pacific Islanders make up around 3% of the military's active National Guardsmen and reservists of the military.

A service member poses for a photo.

Although small in number, their contributions to America's wars have been tremendous. Thousands deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Other examples are but a small sampling:

  • The 100th Infantry Battalion, composed of Japanese Americans during World War II, achieved noteworthy service in the 1944 Italian campaign.
  • Retired Army Gen. Eric K. Shinseki, who was of Japanese descent, became the Army chief of staff in 1999 and was later secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
  • Marine Corps Maj. Kurt Chew-Een Lee, who's of Chinese descent, was awarded the Navy Cross Medal for extraordinary heroism in leading a counterattack against enemy forces during the Korean War. He also served during World War II and the Vietnam War.
  • Cpl. Joseph Pierce, a soldier in the Union Army who fought in both the Battles of Antietam and Gettysburg as a member of the 14th Connecticut Infantry, was one of about 50 Chinese Americans who enlisted during the U.S. Civil War.
  • Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Telesforo Trinidad, who was of Filipino descent, became the first Asian American to receive the Medal of Honor after rescuing two shipmates when an explosion occurred aboard the armored cruiser USS San Diego in 1915. Risking his own life, Trinidad entered a smoke-filled fire room and carried sailors to safety before being injured when a boiler exploded.
  • In years since then, 31 service members of Asian or Pacific Islander heritage were awarded Medals of Honor.
  • Through the Navy's female reserve program during World War II, Asian American women also supported the war effort, mainly as linguists and nurses. Navy Lt. Susan Ahn Cuddy blazed a trail when she became the first Asian American woman to join the Navy alongside her brothers in 1942. The daughter of Korean immigrants, Cuddy would go on to become a code breaker and the first female Navy gunnery officer.

Hawaii Edge

 

A Hawaii Air National Guard F-22 Raptor flies with an Australian air force E-7A Wedgetail near Oahu, Hawaii, April 21, 2021. The command-and-control aircraft traveled to Hawaii to participate in exercise Pacific Edge 21 and provide airborne early warning support.

Face of Defense: Machinist's Mate Moonlights as Mural Maker

 April 30, 2021 | BY Chief Petty Officer JOSHUA KARSTEN, NAVAL SUBMARINE SUPPORT CENTER, NEW LONDON

Groton, Connecticut — affectionately known as "the Submarine Capital of the World" — is known for, well, submarines. The nautical town is home to Naval Submarine Base New London; 22 submarines; and the USS Nautilus, the world's first nuclear-powered submarine.

It's also home to Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jamie Pearson and his submarine art.

A sailor smiles in front of a painting of a submarine.

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jamie Pearson
Job Title: Machinist's Mate - Submarine Auxiliary
Hometown: Owensboro, Kentucky
Stationed: Naval Submarine Base, New London

"I am scheduled [to paint artwork] until my retirement, but [I'm] always open to invitations," Pearson said of his wish to continue painting after he takes off the uniform. "[The community is] familiar with the artwork, but they might not know me personally. My artwork is bigger than me."

A machinist’s mate (auxiliary) by day, Pearson has spent half of his career in the Groton/New London area and lives in nearby Montville, Connecticut. 

His day-to-day routine includes administrative tasks, mechanical maintenance and other routine Navy functions for Naval Submarine Support Facility New London, which is the waterfront maintenance support unit for Groton-based submarines. 

When asked about his life as an artist, Pearson said, "My Navy job is Bruce Wayne, but my art life is Batman.”

A sailor in civilian clothes paints a mural.
A sailor in civilian clothes paints a mural.

Painting the Town

It all started in 2012 when he was invited to a local art show to showcase his paintings.

"They displayed about 30 pieces of my art," he explained. "And the first night there, everything sold off the wall immediately."

Since that showing, multiple community restaurateurs approached Pearson to paint murals. His first, large-scale mural was of music icon Jimi Hendrix, which piqued the interest of Hendrix's niece, Tina Hendrix, who has a music academy for at-risk youths in Washington state. 

"Community service is important to me," Pearson said. "We made up these nice little postcards and sold them for a buck a piece, raised $300, and I sent a check to the academy to help the kids out."

Pearson said he's also participated in community art projects in Virginia Beach, Virginia, through the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art. 

A sailor paints a mural on a wall.

'Rembrandt Pearson'

Pearson, who's from Owensboro, Kentucky, said his supervisor, Gary Dunn, has been supportive of his artistic endeavors. Dunn agreed to give Pearson time off to paint the murals off base – if the artist would also agree to paint one on base.

"[H]e said, 'Before you transfer, I want you to paint a mural in the classroom,'" Pearson recalled.

Dunn said their bargain was a win-win. "He turned an old chemistry lab into a classroom," Dunn said. "I called him 'Rembrandt Pearson.'"

It was this mural of the beloved submarine warfare insignia, known informally as "the dolphins," that began his on-base reputation. He's painted 14 murals on and off base since 2014. 

A sailor in civilian clothes paints a mural.
A sailor in civilian clothes paints a mural.

Honoring His Day Job

Most recently, he completed a mural of a submarine sailing under Connecticut's Gold Star Memorial Bridge at the facility's production control office.

"This mural serves as a great reminder of the importance of what the men and women of Naval Submarine Support Facility accomplish on a daily basis," said Navy Capt. Dan Rossler, the facility's commanding officer. 

"A submarine coming up the Thames River [in Connecticut] at the end of deployment is a result of the hard work and coordination that occurred in the production control spaces between our repair organization and the crews of the submarines."

Pearson is prepping two more murals at Naval Submarine Support Center, New London, the waterfront administrative and logistics support unit for Groton-based submarines.

A sailor stands with arms crossed in front of a mural.

Shipyard Trendsetter

Apart from mural requests, his graphic artwork is popular among shipyard workers in the form of stickers. Pearson's "zombie dolphins" artwork is a favorite decorative piece for shipyard hardhats.

"It was just a fun, cartoony, rotting-flesh zombie dolphin," Pearson explained. "But I made the image, and somebody over there made a bunch of stickers, and all the shipyard workers that love submarines put them on their hard hats."

Pearson is approaching 20 years in the Navy and hopes to continue his Bruce Wayne/Batman lifestyle in the Groton area after retirement – shipyard mechanic by day, artist at night.

Secretary of Defense Remarks for the U.S. INDOPACOM Change of Command

 April 30, 2021


Thank you, General Milley, and good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.

It is a privilege to be here as we honor the leadership and the distinguished career of Admiral Philip Davidson—and to welcome Admiral Chris Aquilino as he takes the helm of Indo-Pacific Command.

First and foremost, I’d like to thank Admiral Davidson’s family: his wife Tracy, their son Ben, and their daughter Lara.

Tracy, as a military spouse, you’ve helped carry the tremendous responsibility placed upon our men and women in uniform.

And all three of you have helped shoulder enormous burdens so that your husband and father could focus on his mission.

You’ve been full partners alongside the Admiral, and the nation owes you a deep debt.

Thank you for your lifetime of support, sacrifice, and love.

I’m equally honored to welcome Admiral Aquilino’s family: his wife Laura and their daughters, Lisa and Jessica.

We are profoundly grateful to you for standing alongside him throughout his service—and I should warn you, it’s about to get busier.

So let me offer you a big advance down-payment of thanks from the Department for the support he’s going to need in these next few big years.

I’m also delighted to welcome our many distinguished visitors: our senior leaders, distinguished representatives of our allies and partners from across the Indo-Pacific, and our many friends from the great state of Hawaii, including:  Governor David Ige, former Governor George Ariyoshi, and Mayor Rick Blangiardi of Honolulu.

Thank you for your support for our mission, for this command, and for these two outstanding leaders. 

And finally, to the men and women of Indo-Pacific Command: you show us every day what it takes to operate in this theater from a position of strength and principle.

And I really am so proud to be here with you.

I know it wasn’t entirely easy for everyone to make it here today.

Amid the pandemic, I’m especially grateful for this opportunity to come safely together, and to thank all of you for your contributions to our country’s security.

In the past few months, the United States has set an impressive pace in vaccinating our citizens against COVID-19.

We’re a democracy that knows how to do big things, that still strives for greater progress and inclusion, that still stands committed to a more open, peaceful, and just world.

And we will face the challenges of the 21st century with the confidence and the creed that has held us up throughout our history. 

But make no mistake: Today’s changes are going to demand a lot of new thinking and new action from us all.

You know, I’m a civilian now, but I’ve spent most of the past two decades executing the last of the old wars.

I’ll never forget the valor that I saw and the lessons that I learned as a commander in Iraq and CENTCOM.

But the way we’ll fight the next major war is going to look very different from the way we fought the last ones.

We all need to drive toward a new vision of what it means to defend our nation.

In this young century, we need to understand faster, decide faster, and act faster.

Our new computing power isn’t an academic exercise.

This is about real-world, real-time advantages—about fully grasping a situation moving at the speed of war.

Galloping advances in technology mean changes in the work we do to keep the United States secure across all five domains of potential conflict—not just air, land, and sea but also space and cyberspace.

They mean we need new capacities and operational flexibility for the fights of the future.

And they mean that we have to redouble our efforts to work together—across commands, across services, and across stovepipes.

Now, the cornerstone of America’s defense is still deterrence, ensuring that our adversaries understand the folly of outright conflict.

As President Kennedy said in 1961, “only when our arms are sufficient beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed.”

You know, that principle still resonates today—and we are still the best in this business.

We are ready now, and our enduring strength is rooted in the spirit of our democracy—including the ability to change course, to make use of the talents of all our people, and to draw on the values of liberty.

But being the best today isn’t a guarantee of being the best tomorrow…  not in an age when technology is changing the character of warfare itself… and not at a time when our potential adversaries are very deliberately working to blunt our edge.

So our challenge is to ensure that our deterrence holds strong for the long haul, across all realms of potential conflict.

Throughout American history, deterrence has meant fixing a basic truth within the minds of our potential foes: The costs and risks of aggression are out of line with any conceivable benefit.

To make that clear today, we’ll use existing capabilities, and build new ones, and use all of them in new and networked ways—hand in hand with our allies and partners.

Deterrence still rests on the same logic. But it now spans multiple realms, all of which must be mastered to ensure our security in the 21st century.

And deterrence now demands far more coordination, innovation, and cooperation from us all.

Under this integrated deterrence, the U.S. military isn’t meant to stand apart, but to buttress U.S. diplomacy and advance a foreign policy that employs all instruments of our national power.

As the President of the United States has made clear, diplomacy must come first, and the use of force must be a very last resort.

The Department of Defense is here to help support the Department of State by providing the leverage that America’s diplomats can use to help prevent conflict from breaking out in the first place.

It’s always easier to stamp out a small ember than to put out a raging fire.

All this is especially relevant as we hand over the baton to a new leader of Indo-Pacific Command.

Admiral Davidson has done the nation a great service with his focus on deterrence in the region and the investments he’s made in our network of allies and partners.

As he understands, we have to think about preventing the future fight—which, increasingly, is the fight of today.

And if we can’t prevent it, we need to be ready to win it, and to win it decisively. 

That isn’t easy.

We can’t predict the future.

So what we need is the right mix of technology, operational concepts, and capabilities—all woven together in a networked way that is so credible, flexible, and formidable that it will give any adversary pause.

We need to create advantages for us and dilemmas for them.

That kind of truly integrated deterrence means using some of our current capabilities differently.

It means developing new operational concepts for things we already have.

And it means investing in quantum computing and other cutting-edge capabilities for the future, in all domains.

Think of AI, which will help us make decisions with more speed and rigor.

Or consider the huge opportunities of edge computing, the framework that lets us process data as it’s being collected, absorb it, and share it instantaneously—enabling us to find not just one needle in one haystack but ten needles in ten haystacks, and share their locations on the spot with other platforms.

But this isn’t just about technology.

It’s about thinking differently—for all of us.

That means that our view of deterrence has to rise above the old stovepipes that can build up in any big organization.

Deterrence in the space and cyber domains, and nuclear deterrence itself, shouldn’t be seen as somehow entirely separate from the sweep of our operations.

Truly powerful deterrence doesn’t rely on any particular platform or service.

It relies on the networks we all build across the force.

We stand ready to defend America from the heavens to the high seas to the online world.

And any adversary thinking about pressing for advantage in one domain must know that we can respond not just in that arena but in many others as well.

The power to deter rests on the guaranteed and clearly understood ability to respond to aggression, in the time and manner of our choosing.

In space, for example, integrated deterrence would mean ensuring that capabilities like our Global Positioning System can continue even if adversaries attack it with missiles, cyber tools, or space-based weapons.

Integrated deterrence could also mean employing cyber effects in one location to respond to a maritime security incident hundreds of miles away.

Integrated deterrence means all of us giving our all. 

It means that working together is an imperative, not an option.

It means that capabilities must be shared across lines as a matter of course, not as an exception to the rule.

And it means that coordination across commands and services needs to be a reflex, and not an afterthought.

I’ve been there.

I’m a former combatant commander and senior service leader.

I get it.

I know the temptations and the impulses, the desire to preserve what you believe is your equity.

I indulged in that kind of thinking myself back in the day.

But I also see what’s coming.

And there’s some old habits that just don’t serve our core mission anymore.

Integrated deterrence rests on integrated networks among our capabilities, our operations, and our allies.

So we’ll be working even more closely with our friends in the Indo-Pacific and elsewhere – particularly in Europe – to strengthen a rules-based international order that favors the advance of freedom.

Our allies, as I’ve said, are a force multiplier and a strategic advantage that none of our competitors can match.

They are the foundation of our shared security, and I can tell you that this Department never takes them for granted.

That’s why my very first overseas trip was to this region to visit those allies and partners.

I’m excited to work to pull the strengths of our regional partners more closely together.

And their contributions are particularly crucial in this theater, our priority theater of operations.

That brings me to the leadership of this great command.

They show us the best of the U.S. military, and that’s the best there is.

For the past three years, Admiral Phil Davidson has done a superb job at the helm here.

He is the so-called Old Salt—the Navy’s longest-serving Surface Warfare Officer.

And he has always been a tremendous leader.

As a Lieutenant during Desert Storm, he bravely led a team in support of amphibious operations that held a major Iraqi force in place on the Kuwaiti coast.

 That prevented the enemy from attacking our ground forces—and helped swiftly end the war.

He earned a Navy Commendation Medal, with Valor, for that operation—and showed his trademark of cool leadership under pressure.

Since then, Admiral Davidson has led at every echelon of command.

From his time as the Captain of the USS Taylor to his tenure as the commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command and everything in between, he has proven superb in every ship and every assignment.

Nobody, but nobody, understands this theater better than him.

And nobody, but nobody, is a better ally and partner. 

Under his leadership, this command upheld the lawful use of the sea for all countries by executing more than 40 Freedom of Navigation Operations.

This command conducted more than 20 major bilateral and multilateral joint exercises with our allies and partners.

And this command did not flinch amid the huge operational challenges of the pandemic—and executed critical missions to support FEMA and other COVID relief efforts.

Ladies and gentlemen, the Indo-Pacific Command is better prepared, better trained, and better equipped today than ever—thanks to all of you, and your commander.

Admiral, it’s my honor to thank you for your lifetime of distinguished service.

You’ve always believed in something bigger than yourself, and you’ve put your life on the line to protect the country you love.

And you’re leaving a legacy to be proud of.

We bid you, Tracy, Ben, and Lara “fair winds and following seas.” Thank you, Phil—Bravo Zulu, and well done.

Today, Admiral, you are passing the helm to another exceptional leader, Admiral Aquilino—and this command is lucky to have him ready to step up and defend our democracy.

He is a graduate of the famous “Top Gun” school. And as a young naval aviator, he proved his prowess early on, flying the F-14 Tomcat, three different variants of the F-18 Hornet, the F-16 Falcon, and more.

We ask our naval aviators to perform some of the most difficult and dangerous maneuvers in the entire military.

That includes flying combat missions and pretty routinely landing on aircraft carriers—which I’m told is like driving a car into a moving garage at 60 miles an hour, slamming on the brakes, and stopping within an inch of the back wall.

Now imagine doing that more than eleven hundred times, sometimes in the dead of night.

That’s the type of focus and professionalism that Admiral Aquilino has brought to our military for more than 35 years.

He’s amassed a strong record of excellence and courage.

The admiral has flown missions in operations such as Southern Watch, Noble Eagle, and Iraqi Freedom. He’s helped train and mentor the next generation of naval aviators.

He’s commanded a squadron, a wing, and a strike group—which means he knows a thing or two about leading American forces into combat. And as the commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, he knows what it takes to lead in this theater—to reinforce our integrated deterrence in this pivotal period.

Your new commander knows the stakes, he knows the people, and he knows the challenges. Admiral Aquilino, you are the right leader at the right time.

Chris, we know why Americans have followed you into danger, and we trust that you’ll lead them to safety.

You’ve earned this Department’s highest trust and confidence.

I know you’ll lean in, I know you’ll act boldly and honorably, and I know you’ll take care of the men and women under your command, just as you’ve done throughout your outstanding career.

It’s a big mission.

But I know this command is up to it.

And I’m proud of every single one of you.

Admiral, may God bless you and those all placed under your charge.

May God keep you all safe.

And may God bless the United States of America.

Thank you.

U.S. Sends Medical Supplies to India to Help in COVID-19 Fight

April 30, 2021 | BY C. Todd Lopez , DOD News

A lot of progress has been made against COVID-19, but it's still a global pandemic. As part of a whole-of-government effort to slow and eventually end the pandemic, the United States is sending medical supplies and equipment to India as that country battles the most recent outbreak.

A large military aircraft has its rear loading door open as a woman in a military uniform approaches.

Wednesday evening, a C-5M Super Galaxy aircraft loaded with oxygen cylinders and regulators, N95 masks and COVID-19 rapid diagnostic kits left Travis Air Force Base, California, bound for India. Wednesday's shipment was just the first. In all, the United States expects to deliver more than $100 million in medical supplies to the U.S. partner nation. Thursday morning, a C-17 Globemaster III departed Travis for India carrying additional oxygen cylinders and diagnostic kits. 

The medical supplies were donated to India by the U.S. government though the U.S. Agency for International Development. Airmen with the 60th Air Mobility Wing are responsible for delivering those supplies.

Dozens of metal oxygen cylinders sit on wooden pallets.
Inside a military aircraft, metal cylinders are attached to the floor with netting.

In the coming week, more oxygen cylinders will be sent, as will oxygen concentrators, oxygen generation units, additional personnel protective equipment, rapid diagnostic tests and therapeutics. The U.S. is also providing vaccine manufacturing supplies. In fact, the U.S. has redirected its own order of AstraZeneca manufacturing supplies to India, which will enable the country to make over 20 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

India is a major defense partner to the United States and providing assistance is just something partners do, said Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby during a press briefing earlier this week.

"The United States deeply values our partnership with India," Kirby said. "We are determined to help the people in India as they bravely combat this outbreak."

A large military aircraft moves down a runway.

During a visit to India last month, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said India is a major partner in the effort to keep a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

"As the world faces a global pandemic and growing challenges to an open and stable international system, the U.S.-India relationship is a stronghold of a free and open Indo-Pacific region," he said. "And it's clear that the importance of this partnership, and its impact [on] the international, rules-based order will only grow in the years ahead."

The Day He Stopped Breathing: Silver Star Recipient Recalls Mission

 April 30, 2021 | BY Army Sgt. 1st Class Justin A. Naylor

Curtis Reid was 33 years old when his heart stopped.

It happened in a dusty building southeast of Baghdad. He was surrounded by soldiers he loved.

"I watched him die," recalls Lyndon Kilcrease, then a newly-promoted Army specialist. "They started to resuscitate him, and I remember Jones saying 'Look, he's dead.'" But Reid would live to serve on. 

A soldier in uniform poses for a photo.

It was July 3, 2006. Reid's unit had just returned from an overnight air assault mission that involved clearing insurgents out of a local village. Kilcrease remembers the soldiers returning to their base — Combat Outpost Cahill — around 5:00 a.m.

"We were all bone tired," he said. Most of the members of the unit weren't aware that a change occurred overnight that would send the weary soldiers back out into harm's way later that morning. The soldiers were originally set to bring their vehicles in for refit July 4. However, there was a change in orders, and now they would be bringing them to Forward Operating Base Hammer — some 50 miles away — a day early. 

"So, we got ready and loaded up the Bradleys with the dismounts," remembers Reid.

Once we hit a certain checkpoint, we proceeded, and, the next thing I know, it's just a huge explosion; it shattered my helmet."
Command Sgt. Maj. Curtis Reid

With the dismounted soldiers loaded into the back of the vehicle, Reid told his driver to raise the back ramp, but the ramp didn't budge, so the soldiers manually closed it. 

First their mission to go for refit was bumped forward a day and now the ramp on their vehicle was broken. Reid remembers thinking this seemed like a sign.

With the ramp finally locked in place, the line of vehicles departed COP Cahill and headed toward FOB Hammer. Reid's vehicle was the last in line and was tasked with providing rear security. The 25mm cannon on his Bradley faced toward the back of the vehicle.

"The back deck has a cargo hatch," Reid said. "Dismounts can get in and out of the cargo deck, but if that barrel is blocking that cargo hatch, you can open it but you can't get out."

"Once we hit a certain checkpoint, we proceeded, and, the next thing I know, it's just a huge explosion; it shattered my helmet," said Reid. "I just remember calling out 'IED, IED, IED' and I looked over at my gunner, and he was knocked out, unconscious." [IED stands for improvised explosive device.]

A military vehicle burns on a street in Iraq.

Reid recalls that the vehicles in front of him turned around immediately after the explosion and medics rushed to his vehicle.

"I'm kind of in shock and disarray, and that's when I pulled my gunner out and took him to the ground," Reid said. "The medics were already there on scene. My driver had managed to get out of his hatch. He was hit with shrapnel and was on fire."

Reid's driver for the day was Kilcrease, whose recollection of the explosion is hazy.

"I remember us driving, and then I remember 'boom' and then there's, like, a brief 30 seconds or a minute that I was knocked out," said Kilcrease. "I woke up and there was just fire everywhere. The [explosively formed penetrator] went off, and it went through the fuel cell; then, it went through the engine; then, it blew into the driver's compartment right behind me."

I knew that if I didn't do anything, they would burn alive in there."
Command Sgt. Maj. Reid

EFPs were a common weapon used by insurgents to penetrate the thick armor of military vehicles. They work by focusing a weighted piece of metal in an explosion and can cause high levels of destruction on impact.

After Kilcrease woke up, he turned around and looked in the area behind the driver's seat, dubbed the 'hell hole.'

"I tried to release the back ramp so that the guys in the back could get out," said Kilcrease. "There's a lever; it's the ramp lever. It releases the emergency hatch so you can push the button to lower the ramp. After I turned around and saw the hell hole was on fire, I grabbed the release. I tried to push the ramp button down, but all the electronics had been knocked out of the Bradley, so nothing was working."

With the ramp malfunctioning, Kilcrease exited the burning vehicle. He was on fire when he hit the ground and was tackled by a medic who put out the flame.

A foreign military service member pins a medal on a U.S. soldier.

Reid remembers watching the medics treat Kilcrease. It was at this moment that he realized that the dismounts were trapped inside with a malfunctioning ramp and the gun blocking the top exit to the vehicle.

"I knew that if I didn't do anything, they would burn alive in there," Reid said. "From that point, I jumped back into the turret in my compartment. In the Bradley, you control the turret in mechanical mode or electric mode; I put everything in manual mode. Once I did that I was able to raise the gun barrel."

Reid lifted the gun barrel to maximum elevation, and a soldier in the back of the vehicle popped the hatch open halfway.

"I jumped out of the turret to where the cargo hatch was and opened up the cargo hatch all the way," Reid said. "I jumped into the hull to where the dismounts were in the back, where they ride at. I took each individual out one by one and also the Iraqi interpreter. Some of them were unconscious, some of them were just confused from the explosion, so they didn't have any idea what happened."

After getting the last soldier out of the vehicle, Reid jumped off the burning Bradley. Hitting the ground is the last thing he remembers.

"His adrenaline went out, and he just collapsed," said Kilcrease.

A soldier stands at attention in front of a color guard carrying the American flag.

Reid's next memory is of waking up in a small hospital. It was here where his heart stopped and the medical team resuscitated him. The medics treated Kilcrease alongside him.

"They're scrubbing me down trying to control all these burns and pulling shrapnel," he said. "They put [Reid] on a litter right in front of us. He quit breathing."

"They resuscitated him and got him back," Kilcrease said. "I can't tell you how I felt at the time. I was just sitting there watching a dude that you kind of looked at as a father figure die."

Reid's next stop was in Landstuhl, Germany, where a medical team worked to stabilize him. The explosion ruptured his spleen, so the doctors removed it. Once he was out of critical condition, he was moved to Womack Army Hospital at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, for recovery.

While the physical injuries were painful, the concussion caused neurological injuries that last to this day.

"I had to go through speech therapy, writing therapy, hand and eye coordination therapy," Reid said. "It was like a two-year rehab. Sometimes, I still have challenges with speaking."

A soldier speaks to a group of soldiers.

Reid's leadership presented him with the Silver Star Medal during his recovery at Womack. 

Reid's recovery was grueling, but he said that his faith, his family, and his love for the soldiers he served with kept him pushing to get better. These injuries might have ended the careers of other soldiers, but, for Reid, they were just hurdles to overcome.

"I love being around soldiers," Reid said. "That's why I'm still doing what I do, because I love being around soldiers and taking care of soldiers."

Flag Officer Assignments

 April 30, 2021


The acting secretary of the Navy and chief of naval operations announced today the following assignments:

Rear Adm. William D. Byrne Jr. will be assigned as director, warfare development, N72, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.  Byrne is currently serving as vice director, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.

Rear Adm. Ronald C. Copley will be assigned as director, National Maritime Intelligence Integration Office; and commander, Office of Naval Intelligence, Washington, D.C.  Copley is currently serving as deputy director of operations, National Security Agency, Fort Meade, Maryland.

Rear Adm. Douglas G. Perry will be assigned as director, Undersea Warfare Division, N97, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.  Perry is currently serving as commander, Submarine Group Nine, Silverdale, Washington.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Christopher C. French, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as deputy judge advocate general of the Navy, Washington, D.C.  French is currently serving as legal counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D.C.

Rear Adm. (lower half) George M. Wikoff, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as vice director, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.  Wikoff is currently serving as special assistant to the deputy chief of naval operations for operations, plans and strategy, N3/N5, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Craig C. Clapperton will be assigned as commander, Combined Joint Task Force, Cyber, U.S. Tenth Fleet, Fort Meade, Maryland.  Clapperton is currently serving as commander, Carrier Strike Group Twelve, Norfolk, Virginia.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Douglas C. Verissimo will be assigned as director, Assessment Division, N81, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.  Verissimo is currently serving as commander, Carrier Strike Group Nine, San Diego, California.

Capt. Maria L. Aguayo, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as commander, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Atlantic, with additional duties as fleet civil engineer (N01CE), U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Norfolk, Virginia.  Aguayo is currently serving as chief of staff, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Washington, D.C.

Capt. Erik J. Eslich, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as deputy commander, Seventh Fleet, Yokosuka, Japan.  Eslich is currently serving as executive assistant, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Norfolk, Virginia.

Capt. Joseph B. Hornbuckle, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as commander, Fleet Readiness Centers, Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland.  Hornbuckle is currently serving as chief of staff, Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland.

Capt. Christopher A. Kijek, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as director, operations and plans, N3, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.  Kijek is currently serving as executive assistant, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii.

Capt. Stuart C. Satterwhite, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as director, My Navy Career Center, Millington, Tennessee.  Satterwhite is currently serving as deputy director, enterprise support, Office of the Chief of Naval Personnel, Arlington, Virginia.

Capt. Ralph R. Smith III, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as vice director for intelligence, J-2, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.  Smith is currently serving as director, Maritime Operations Center, U.S. Tenth Fleet/U.S. Fleet Cyber Command, Fort Meade, Maryland.

Marines on the Move

 

Marines build a pack raft while participating in a squad swim during the Infantry Marine Course at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., April 28, 2021. The 14-week pilot course is designed to create more lethal entry level infantry Marines.

Cockpit View

 

An Air Force MC-130J Commando II approaches a KC-135 Stratotanker for refueling over the North Sea, April 28, 2021.

Rolling Thunder

 

Marines fire an M777 howitzer during Rolling Thunder at Camp Lejeune, N.C., April 28, 2021. The exercise tests Marines’ abilities to operate in a simulated littoral environment against a peer threat in a dynamic and multidomain scenario.

Paint Pros

 

Navy Seamen Jesus Davila, left, and Tucker Weldon paint the USS Iwo Jima’s forecastle while transiting the Atlantic Ocean, April 29, 2021.

Deputy Defense Secretary Says Conflict With China Is Not Inevitable

 April 30, 2021 | BY David Vergun , DOD News

The challenge posed by China sets the pace for most U.S. defense requirements; but, despite concerns, diplomacy is important, and conflict with China is neither desirable nor inevitable, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen H. Hicks said today.

In a virtual address to the Aspen Security Forum, Hicks talked about the Defense Department's competition with China and what the department is doing to meet that challenge, especially regarding innovation and modernization.

Four aircraft fly over a ship at sea.

"Beijing has the economic, military and technological capability to challenge the international system and America's interests within it. This is happening all along the continuum of conflict — from routine statecraft, through the use of sharp power or gray-zone tactics, to the potential for sustained combat operations and an expanded and capable nuclear enterprise," Hicks said.

As an example, Beijing continues to leverage its maritime militia to press its unlawful claims in the South China Sea, she said.

Marines file into a helicopter.

China's military capabilities are rapidly advancing in a number of areas, she said. Beijing continues to make progress — strengthening its ability to conduct joint operations — and it fields increasingly sophisticated conventional systems, such as long-range precision missiles and integrated air defense systems. 

China is also advancing its space and cyber capabilities, Hicks said, adding that China presents a prolific and effective cyber espionage threat and possesses substantial cyberattack capabilities.

Two ships are alongside each other at sea; a cable is extended from one to the other and waves crash below.

Despite these growing concerns, Hicks said open channels of communications and diplomacy with China are important.

"We anticipate the U.S. military will often serve as a supporting player to diplomatic, economic and other tools," she said.

Central to DOD's value in deterring bad behavior from Beijing is demonstrating the role and capability to credibly deter China's aggression, she said. "This will best position us to avoid a conflict."

Hicks said allies and partners are important in deterring Chinese aggression.

The reflection of a ship at sea shows on the lenses of a pair of binoculars.

Also, the department's budget and research investments will focus on the threat and include nuclear modernization, cybersecurity, long-range fires, autonomy, artificial intelligence, shipbuilding and microelectronics, she said.

Incentivizing innovation, cutting red tape and working closely with the private sector and other government agencies are also important, she said. "This means being able to share best practices and key findings focused on the most important national security challenges."

Cooperation with Congress is also critical to ensuring the department receives the support required to deter China's aggression, she said.

"Let there be no doubt, China presents a real and enduring challenge," she emphasized.

Lightning Moves

 

Air Force Maj. Kristin "BEO" Wolfe flies an F-35A Lightning II during a demonstration rehearsal at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, April 28, 2021.

Demo Duty

 

Soldiers perform demolition duties during an exercise at Fort Knox, Ky., April 8, 2021.

Preflight Perfection

Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Christian ‘ACE 1’ Suarez performs preflight checks at Łask Air Base, Poland, April 30, 2021.

Field Day

 

Soldiers ride in a Humvees during field training at the Orchard Combat Training Center in Boise, Idaho, April 20, 2021.

Ramadan Celebration

 

Service members participate in a prayer and Iftar to celebrate Ramadan in Djibouti, April 28, 2021. The Iftar event provided an opportunity for key partners to come together in unity, build on existing relationships and reaffirm the importance of cross-cultural understanding.

Vaccine Arrival

 

Memphis police officer Victor Lester speaks with Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Marco McNair, assigned to the 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, N.C., before receiving his COVID-19 vaccine at a community vaccination center in Memphis, Tenn., April 27, 2021. U.S. Northern Command, through Army North, remains committed to providing continued flexibleDefense Department support to the Federal Emergency Management Agency as part of the whole-of-government response to COVID-19.

Vaccinated Residents

 

Navy Seaman Danica Keller, a hospital corpsman assigned to the Navy Medical Readiness Training Command San Diego, vaccinates a Tulsa community member at a community vaccination center at the Tulsa Community College Northeast Campus in Tulsa, Okla., April 28, 2021. U.S. Northern Command, through Army North, remains committed to providing continued, flexible Defense Department support to the Federal Emergency Management Agency as part of the whole-of-government response to COVID-19.

DOD Release Regarding Cancellation of Border Barrier Project Cancellation

April 30, 2021

Today, the Department of Defense released the following statement on the cancellation of all border barrier construction projects paid for with funds originally intended for military missions and projects.

“Consistent with the President’s proclamation, the Department of Defense is proceeding with canceling all border barrier construction projects paid for with funds originally intended for other military missions and functions such as schools for military children, overseas military construction projects in partner nations, and the National Guard and Reserve equipment account,” said Jamal Brown, Deputy Pentagon Spokesman.  “DOD has begun taking all necessary actions to cancel border barrier projects and to coordinate with interagency partners.  Today’s action reflects this Administration’s continued commitment to defending our nation and supporting our service members and their families.”

With this cancellation, unobligated military construction funds that had been diverted from military construction projects will be used for previously deferred military construction projects, allowing some of these critical efforts to move forward as soon as possible.  The Department is reviewing the deferred project list to determine funding prioritization.

The Department will continue to work with its interagency partners regarding any additional steps that should be taken at construction sites affected by project cancellation.

Target Practice

 

Sailors aim their M4 rifles during a live-fire weapons exercise aboard the guided missile destroyer USS Roosevelt during operations in the Aegean Sea, April 28, 2021.

Denali Supplies

 

A soldier watches as a CH-47 Chinook helicopter lands on Kahiltna Glacier in Denali National Park, Alaska, April 22, 2021. The chopper carried gear and supplies for the National Park Service. The Army provides assistance annually flying in supplies to the base camp located at 7,200 feet.

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Urban Ops

 

Marines prepare to enter a building during urban operations training at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., April 27, 2021.

Unpacking Needles

 

Air Force Senior Airman Joseph Serrano, medical technician assigned to the 88th Inpatient Squadron, 88th Air Base Wing, unpacks safety needles that are used in syringe assembly at the state-led, federally-supported Ford Field Community Vaccination Center in Detroit, April 22, 2021. U.S. Northern Command, through Army North, remains committed to providing continued, flexible Defense Department support to the Federal Emergency Management Agency as part of the whole-of-government response to COVID-19.

Continuing Food Distribution

 

Arizona National Guard soldiers and airmen work alongside civilians distributing groceries to local citizens at a food bank in Tucson, Ariz., April 14, 2021. Arizona National Guardsmen continue to support community needs all over the state during the state of emergency response.

Staying on Track

 

Army Spc. Noah Lamoureux, a combat medic assigned to the 62nd Medical Brigade, documents how many doses of the COVID-19 vaccine his team has administered in a 30-minute period at the Yakima Community Vaccination Center, Yakima, Wash., April 19, 2021. U.S. Northern Command, through Army North, remains committed to providing continued, flexible Defense Department support to the Federal Emergency Management Agency as part of the whole-of-government response to COVID-19.

Souda Bay Arrival

 

The aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower arrives in Souda Bay, Greece, March 20, 2021, for a scheduled port visit.

Show and Tell

 

Air Force Airman 1st Class Jordyn Eubanks shows Grayson, a military child, how to don aircrew flight equipment during a military child appreciation event at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., April 17, 2021.

Aircraft Aboard

 

Sailors oversee the movement of a Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey aboard the USS Makin Island in the Pacific Ocean, April 24, 2021.

Night Ops

 

U.S. and Uzbekistani Special Forces conduct training operations during Southern Strike in Meridian, Miss., April 25, 2021. The annual exercise is designed to increase combat readiness.

Nexus Dawn

 

Airmen refuel an Air Force KC-10 and four F-15s during Nexus Dawn over Travis Air Force Base, Calif., April 27, 2021. The exercise is designed to test airmen’s ability to generate, employ and sustain air operations in a simulated combat environment.

Corps Course

 

Marines conduct helicopter support team operations during a weapons and tactics instructor course near Yuma, Ariz., March 29, 2021.

Department of Defense Expands Access to Military Exchanges

 April 29, 2021


The Department of Defense announced today the expansion of access to military exchanges.

Starting May 1, 2021, DOD and Coast Guard appropriated fund and nonappropriated fund civilian employees are authorized to shop at military exchange stores in the United States and the U.S. territories and possessions. Online exchange access will also be available for active and retired DOD and Coast Guard appropriated fund and nonappropriated fund civilian employees by mid-October. This shopping access does not include the purchase of military uniforms, tobacco products or alcohol.   

Previous in-store exchange access for DOD and Coast Guard civilian employees was limited to those on service agreements overseas (i.e., in foreign countries and the U.S. territories and possessions) and access was limited to overseas exchanges. The expansion will allow all DOD and Coast Guard civilian employees to shop in exchange stores in the United States and the U.S. territories and possessions.

“Every shopper of the exchange helps improve the military community and the benefit for service members and their families,” said Patricia “Patty” Montes Barron, deputy assistant secretary of defense for military community and family policy. “We welcome our DOD and Coast Guard civilian employees to take advantage of the convenience and familiarity of military exchanges. Shopping at our military exchanges is a quality of life experience that serves the community in ways no other commercial entity does.”

Online exchange access will be available later this year for all active and retired DOD and Coast Guard civilian employees with a U.S. mailing address, including territories and possessions and APO and FPO addresses. Online exchanges are not permitted to ship to local addresses in foreign countries.

To learn more about military exchange access, visit the commissaries and exchanges webpage on the Military OneSource website.

About Military Community and Family Policy 

Military Community and Family Policy is directly responsible for establishing and overseeing quality-of-life policies and programs that help our service members, their families and survivors be well and mission-ready. Military OneSource is the gateway to programs and services that support the everyday needs of the 5.2 million service members and immediate family members of the military community. These Department of Defense services can be accessed 24/7/365 around the world.