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A U.S. Army paratrooper helps a Dutch paratrooper control his parachute in the Netherlands during Falcon Leap, Sept. 16, 2021. Falcon Leap is NATO's largest technical airborne exercise, with more than 1,000 paratroopers from 12 different nations training with one another's equipment for two weeks.
Sept. 22, 2021 | BY Jim Garamone , DOD News
Morrison, who met with President Joe Biden yesterday, is in Washington for a meeting of the quad partnership of India, Japan, Australia and the United States.
The new trilateral relationship "is a testament to the strength, resilience and foresight of our relationship," Austin said at the beginning of his meeting with Morrison. "President Biden has noted that no regional divide separates the interest of our Atlantic and Pacific partners, and AUKUS [Australia, United Kingdom and the United States] is designed to build on our existing alliances."
The meeting comes a week after the Australia-U.S. Ministerial Consultation that was hosted by the State Department. "Today, our alignment is stronger than ever, including seeing the region's challenges through a similar lens and sharing the same sense of urgency," Austin said. "So, we'll continue to cooperate closely on force posture, strategic capabilities, regional alignment and military operations. And all of this common work strengthens our ability to deter threats [for a] free and open Indo-Pacific."
Morrison said the evacuation of Afghans from Kabul showed the U.S.-Australian alliance at work. Both nations had troops on the ground at Kabul airport. But, he said, there was no way the Australians could have evacuated the 4,100 people they did without the U.S. military, and he thanked Austin for that support. He said the evacuation effort is "a symbol of the nature of our partnership. Australia has always looked to the United States, but we never leave it to the United States.
"That is at the heart of our partnership," he continued. "We both understand our responsibilities in it. We accept them, we share them. We honor them in how we deliver it on the ground in so many theaters."
This continues with AUKUS, he said. The trilateral partnership, "adds to the partnerships that exist within the region, whether it's the quad partnerships and relationships, or the wonderful relationships we have with the [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] in the region," Morrison said. "But importantly, [AUKUS builds on] the relationships with NATO, and relationships with our European partners, and bringing that focus to the Indo-Pacific."
Sept. 22, 2021
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE LLOYD J. AUSTIN III: Well, good morning, Mr. Prime Minister. It is, indeed, an honor to welcome you to the Pentagon, and thanks so much for making the trip and for your focus on our defense relationship.
It is especially great to have you here this month, and we'll celebrate the 70th anniversary of ANZUS. Our enduring bond has been deepened through more than a century of shared sacrifice through every conflict of the modern era. Just days ago, we commemorated 20 years since the 9/11 attacks here at the Pentagon. We'll always be grateful to Australia for invoking the ANZUS Treaty for the first time and for sending forces to fight shoulder-to-shoulder with our troops. And I have to tell you, Mr. Prime Minister, I fought alongside many of your troops; been deeply-impressed by their skill and their courage. So we thank you for standing with us to the end of our mission in Afghanistan, and for the close, enduring cooperation of our unbreakable alliance.
Even as -- as we honor the past, our alliance is very much focused on the future and the challenges of the 21st century. And we can see that in your announcement alongside with President Biden and Prime Minister Johnson of the establishment of an enhanced trilateral security partnership among Australia, the United Kingdom and the U.S. AUKUS is a testament to the strength, resilience and foresight of our relationship, and as President Biden has noticed -- noted, no regional divide separates the interests of our Atlantic and Pacific partners, and AUKUS is designed to build on our existing alliances.
Now, I was honored to host Minister Dutton here last week, and together, we joined Minister Payne and Secretary Blinken for the very productive and far-reaching Australia-United States ministerial consultations. Today, our alignment's stronger than ever, including seeing the region's challenges through a similar lens and sharing the same sense of urgency. So we'll continue to cooperate closely on force posture, strategic capabilities, regional alignment and military operations. And all of this common work strengthens our ability to deter threats through a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Again, Mr. Prime Minister, thanks for being here today, and I look forward to a terrific discussion.
AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER SCOTT MORRISON: Well, thank you very much, Mr. Secretary, and thank you for your very generous welcome to me and my delegation, and also, of course, hosting both Minister Dutton and Minister Payne last week. It was a very successful set of meetings, as AUSMIN always is.
There are two places in the United States that I think best describe our partnership. Yesterday, I was in New York, and -- where 9/11 struck so fiercely, and here I am today at the Pentagon, where it also struck. And it is a -- it is a clear reminder of the importance of our alliance and what Australia and the United States mean to each other. So as we mark the 70th anniversary of ANZUS and we also remember those terrible events, I think it only encourages more in the partnership that we have.
I particularly want to say thank you to all the men and women of the U.S. defense forces that we served alongside of -- served alongside with -- in Afghanistan, and I also particularly want to thank all of those who were there on the deck in Kabul as together, we engaged in one of the biggest airlifts and evacuations of people in that situation. There is no way Australia would have been able to airlift 4,100 people out of that terrible site were it not for the sacrifice of the U.S. defense forces, and I want to particularly honor those who lost their lives at the Abbey Gate, where Australians themselves had been standing not that long before and as you assisted us evacuate our own people on that -- that last flight that took our own people out who'd been there assisting so many. It was, I think, a -- a symbol, again, of the nature of our partnership.
Australia has always looked to the United States, but we never leave it to the United States, and that is at the heart of our partnership. We both understand our responsibilities in it. We accept them. We share them. We honor them in how we delivered on the ground in so many theaters, and that continues with AUKUS. AUKUS, I agree, Mr. Secretary, is a partnership that builds on the partnerships that we already have, that adds to the partnerships that exist within the region, whether it's the Quad partnerships and relationships, the wonderful relationships we have with ASEAN in the region, but importantly, the relationships with NATO, the relationships with our European partners and bringing that focus to the Indo-Pacific.
So I'm particularly looking forward to discussing how we now take AUKUS forward and the many projects that I know we will have, about how that will create the free and open Indo-Pacific that is so important to us all. So thank you, Mr. Secretary, for your kind hospitality.
Sept. 22, 2021
The Department of Defense announced the following advisor selection today:
Randy “Church” Kee, a retired U.S. Air Force major general, assumes duties as Senior Advisor for Arctic Security Affairs to assist with establishing the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies, the Department of Defense’s sixth and newest regional center.
Kee is responsible for supporting the establishment and early operations of the new DoD institution, with the mission to engage in regional and global security issues through research, communication, and education. The goal of the center is to build strong, sustainable, international networks of security leaders to advance U.S. national security priorities in the Arctic region.
Kee will also work with partner nations to ensure a stable, rules-based order in the Arctic that will benefit the United States and all Arctic nations.
In 2020, the President appointed Kee as Commissioner to the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, and he most recently served as the Executive Director of the Arctic Domain Awareness Center, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence in Maritime Research, hosted by the University of Alaska.
He has also served as a Global Fellow of the Woodrow Wilson Polar Institute; Network member of the Canadian Hosted North American and Arctic Defense and Security Network; Designated U.S. lead for a technology working group hosted by the Chief of Naval Research in support of the International Cooperative Engagement Program for Polar Research; lead for planning and execution of Arctic Affairs programs for Alaskan Command; and the Co-chair of the Alaska Civilian Armed Services Team, a State of Alaska Advisory Board to the Governor.
During his 30-year military career, Kee led at the squadron, group, wing, and Air Operations Center levels. He has contributed to U.S. Arctic Strategy, supported domain awareness technology development, and provided Defense Support to Arctic crisis response. He culminated his military service as Director of Strategy, Policy, Planning, and Capabilities for U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, Germany.Sept. 20, 2021
Department of Defense Spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Anton T. Semelroth provided the following readout:
Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Dr. Colin Kahl held an introductory phone call with his U.K. counterpart, Dominic Wilson, Director General, Security Policy, UK Ministry of Defence.
The two leaders exchanged views on security issues in Europe, the Middle East, the Indo-Pacific, and the British Indian Ocean Territory, underscoring the importance of the U.S.-U.K. bilateral relationship and defense cooperation. Under Secretary Kahl provided an update on U.S. strategic reviews and thanked the U.K. for its contributions to the Afghanistan evacuation effort.
Both leaders expressed their commitment to continuing U.S.-U.K. collaboration and strengthening the special relationship.
Marine Corps officer candidates receive uniform items upon arriving at Officer Candidates School at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Sept. 13, 2021.
A Navy P-8A Poseidon flies next to an Oregon Air National Guard F-15 Eagle during training out of Portland Air National Guard Base, Ore., Sept. 16, 2021.
Sept. 22, 2021 | BY C. Todd Lopez , DOD News
How's the United States doing in its efforts to
counter the information and propaganda campaigns waged by adversaries to
undermine American democracy? Not so good, the commander of U.S.
Northern Command said.
"I think we're getting, and I'm on the record, I think we're getting our
rear end handed to us in the information space because we're so
risk-averse in the environment that we operate in today," Air Force Gen.
Glen D. VanHerck said yesterday, during a presentation with the Air
Force Association.
Northcom is responsible for protecting the U.S. homeland — its
people, national power and freedom of action. Right now, VanHerck said,
more of that protection is dependent on nuclear power than what should
be.
"Homeland defense today is too reliant on what I think is the foundation
of homeland defense, and that is our nuclear deterrent and deterrence
by punishment," he said. "But what that doesn't do for us is give us
opportunities to deescalate early and deter earlier."
Deterrence with nuclear capabilities he said, while useful, are too escalatory in nature and other avenues must be looked at.
Sept. 22, 2021
Today, the Department of Defense announced the Independent Review Commission Actions and Implementation to Address Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment in the Military.
Over the past seven months, the Department has made progress on a set of actions to evaluate our installations, assess compliance with existing policy, comprehensively improve our efforts at the installation level, take the initial steps to establish a violence prevention workforce, and initiate changes to the military justice process governing the handling of sexual assault and sexual harassment cases.
The establishment of the 90-day Independent Review Commission (IRC) on Sexual Assault in the Military, provided the Department a set of comprehensive and actionable recommendations to improve our approach in four lines of effort: accountability, prevention, climate and culture, and victim care and support.
The Deputy Secretary has developed a tiered implementation roadmap in consultation with the uniformed and civilian leadership of the Department. The Secretary of Defense approved the roadmap in its entirety and expect the Department leaders to move swiftly and deliberately to implement it.
This includes the following actions across four Tiers:
Marine Corps recruits practice combat marksmanship drills at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., Sept. 15, 2021.
Air Force Capt. Brandon Jacobs conducts a proficiency mission near Joint Base Charleston, S.C., Sept. 16, 2021.
Soldiers from the United States and other nations observe paratroopers descending in the Netherlands, Sept. 16, 2021, during Falcon Leap, NATO’s largest technical airborne exercise.
Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Jonathan Kosfeld directs a 330J Puma helicopter aboard the USS Barry during a replenishment in the Philippine Sea, Sept. 8, 2021.
Sept. 22, 2021 | BY Jim Garamone , DOD News
Space Force Gen. John W. "Jay" Raymond made the announcement at the Air Force Association meeting in Washington, yesterday. The transfers are scheduled to be effective Oct. 1, 2021, if the DOD budget is passed and signed.
"We're one team with our sister services and over the last year-and-a-half we have worked with the Army and the Navy and the Air Force to determine which capabilities come over to the Space Force," Raymond said. "The intent was to consolidate (and) increase our operational capability; increase our readiness and do so in a more efficient manner."
The changes are "a first tranche," he said.
This is the latest step in building the new service. The idea behind the U.S. Space Force was "to create a unity of effort around our space enterprise," said Space Force Lt. Gen. B. Chance Saltzman, the service's deputy chief of space operations for operations, cyber and nuclear. Simply forming the service made the idea of looking for efficiencies possible.
"We need to create this unity of effort around our space missions, to ensure we're up to those challenges that we face, because the space domain has rapidly become far more congested, and far more contested than … when I was a lieutenant or a captain operating space capabilities," Saltzman said.
The performance of satellite communications will be enhanced by this sort of unity of effort.
On the Navy side, the Navy's narrow band satellite constellation will transfer 76 manpower authorizations to the Space Force, as well as 13 satellites — a mix of the new multi-user objective system and the UHF follow-on satellite constellation.
The U.S. Army will transfer roughly $78 million of operations, maintenance and manpower authorizations. This will include five wideband SATCOM operations centers, and four regional SATCOM support centers. This will affect about 500 manpower authorizations.
All told, 15 global units with 319 military and 259 civilian billets from the Army and Navy combined will transfer to the Space Force.
These are crucial defense capabilities. The units can't stop just because the function is transferring to the Space Force. The capabilities are needed 24/7 and they will be, Saltzman said.
The move puts basically all of the DOD's narrowband, wideband and protected SATCOM under control of U.S. Space Force. "Now all of that— training, operations, acquisition and sustainment and follow-on activities, user allocations — all of that, will be consolidated under the Space Force to create that unity of effort, and hopefully gain the ability to be more resilient, more dynamic, and ultimately more efficient with that mission set," Saltzman said.
The soldiers, sailors and Army and Navy civilians are not obligated to move to Space Force. There is a process and those involved must volunteer to move. For civilians, the process is relatively easy — simply moving from an Army or Navy system to becoming Department of the Air Force employees. For soldiers and sailors, this requires release by their respective services and acceptance by the Space Force.
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