Mattis Meets in Munich With Georgian Leaders

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18, 2018 — Defense Secretary James N. Mattis met yesterday with Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashili and Defense Minister Levan Izoria during the Munich Security Conference to discuss the U.S.-Georgia defense relationship and regional security issues, chief Pentagon spokesperson Dana W. White said in a readout of the meeting.

The defense secretary praised Georgia's continuing service as the largest non-NATO force contributor and per-capita contributor alongside U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, White said, and recognized that this service has come at the price of 32 Georgian service members' lives and 290 more wounded.

Mattis reaffirmed the United States' support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia, she said.

The defense secretary discussed the significant progress in Georgia's defense reforms and U.S. security assistance to Georgia's armed forces, White said, including the ongoing partnership to enhance combat readiness and institutional capacity via the Georgia Defense Readiness Program.

Northcom Ready to Defend North America, Support Civil Authorities

By Jim Garamone DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16, 2018 — The commander of U.S. Northern Command told the Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday that her command is ready to defend the United States today.

Air Force Gen. Lori J. Robinson, who also commands the North American Aerospace Defense Command, told the Senate panel she can defend against the North Korean missile and nuclear threat, but “it is critical that we continue to improve the ballistic missile defense enterprise, with emphasis on the development of improved sensor networks combined with interceptor capability and capacity and reliability.”

The past year was a challenging one for Northcom, she said. Threats from North Korea, China and Russia required constant watch, and there was an unprecedented series of natural disasters, which fell to the defense support side of the command’s mission.

The military handled all the calls absolutely professionally, Robinson said, adding that she was honored to represent the men and women of Northcom before the committee.

Adversaries Developing New Capabilities

“Looking forward, I see no reason to believe that the threats to our homeland will decrease,” she said. “Our adversaries continue to extend their operational reach, and are developing new capabilities to range targets in North America. Our preparations for these threats depend on a predictable budget.”

The general thanked the committee for all it did to pass the two-year budget agreement.

“The 2018 National Defense Strategy recognizes a return to great power competition and lays out a long-term strategy for addressing provocative behavior by China and Russia,” Robinson said. “In NORAD and Northcom, we understand the urgency of keeping pace with these evolving threats. We also recognize that North Korea represents the most immediate threat to our homeland and therefore remains Northcom’s highest priority.”

In the past year, North Korea has detonated its largest nuclear warhead and conducted several successful intercontinental ballistic missile tests. North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un’s rhetoric is aimed at the United States, and defense officials do not know if he has mated a warhead with a missile, but they must assume North Korea has done this and defend accordingly, she said. NORAD and Northcom continue to watch developments closely and are prepared to defend North America, Robinson added.

The command continues to work with the Missile Defense Agency and other combatant commands to ensure the United States can outpace the North Korean threat, the general said.

Russia, Other Threats

Russia continues to modernize its long-range bomber fleet and submarines and has developed new cruise missiles that “hold targets at risk at ranges that we haven't seen before,” Robinson said. “To defend against advanced cruise missiles, it's important that we continue to make prudent and savvy investments in advanced sensors and defensive weapon systems.”

The modernization of the Russian submarine fleet will threaten North America for years to come, she said.

The command also must be vigilant and prepared to meet other threats, including dealing with terrorism and the effects of natural or manmade disasters.

“As we review the 2017 hurricane response and prepare for the 2018 season, we are working with our mission partners, to include the active, guard [and] reserve forces, to incorporate the lessons learned to ensure that we provide our best support to lead federal agencies,” she said. “With respect to Canada, we are building interoperability across domains, with a tri-command framework that's comprised of Northcom, NORAD and Canadian Joint Operations Command. This arrangement allows further planning, integration, while preserving our ability to conduct unilateral missions.”

The military-to-military relationship with Mexico is “unbelievably strong,” Robinson said. “We focus on illuminating the pathways used to transit illicit goods,” she said. “Theater security cooperation is -- essential part of strengthening continental defense, and builds relationships essential for future cooperation.”

Pentagon Releases New Policy on Nondeployable Members

By Lisa Ferdinando DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16, 2018 — The Defense Department has released a new policy on military retention for nondeployable service members as it seeks to provide more ready and lethal forces, the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness told Congress yesterday.

Ships sail in formation in the Persian Gulf.

"The situation we face today is really unlike anything that we have faced, certainly in the post-World War II era," Robert Wilkie told the Senate Armed Services Committee’s personnel subcommittee.

On any given day, about 286,000 service members -- 13 to 14 percent of the total force – are nondeployable, Wilkie said at a hearing on military and civilian personnel programs and military family readiness.

Defense Secretary James N. Mattis in July tasked the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness with developing policies to ensure everyone who enters the military and those who remain in the military are worldwide deployable, he explained.

Service members who have been nondeployable for more than 12 consecutive months will be processed for administrative separation or referred to the disability evaluation system, he said.

"This new policy is a 12-month ‘deploy-or-be-removed’ policy," he said, noting there are exceptions, such as pregnancy and postpartum conditions. Medical boards will review the medical status of those who have been wounded, he said.

“We need to look at the force holistically,” he said. “We have to ensure given the climate that this country faces that everyone who signs up can be deployed to any corner of the world at any given time, and that is the reason for the change in policy."

Focus on Readiness, Lethality

The new policy is effective immediately. Military services have until Oct. 1 to begin mandatory processing of nondeployable service members, Patricia Mulcahy, the director of DoD’s officer and enlisted personnel management office, said.

Service members could be nondeployable for any number of reasons, she said, such as falling behind on annual medical exams or due to combat or training injuries. Only a small percentage of those who are nondeployable have been in that status for more than 12 months, Mulcahy said.

Each service member’s case will be individually reviewed, she said, and the secretaries of the military departments are authorized to grant waivers to retain members.

The purpose of the policy is not to separate members, but rather is to get members back into a deployable status if possible, she emphasized.

"I think it's important to know that there is the balance between readiness and helping our members who are not going to be able to heal adequately to be deployable to help them with the next phase of their lives as well," she said.

The policy is meant to improve readiness and ensure members are deployable worldwide to carry out the mission of safeguarding the nation and fighting and winning the nation’s wars, she said.

"Since Secretary Mattis has been on board, readiness and lethality of the forces has been [the] absolutely No. 1 priority for him, and thus for the department," she said.