Acting Secretary Miller Travels to Indonesia, Philippines, and Indo-Pacom

 Dec. 4, 2020

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Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher C. Miller embarks Saturday, Dec. 5, to visit Indonesia, the Philippines, and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Headquarters.

In Indonesia and the Philippines, Acting Secretary Miller will meet with his counterparts and other senior officials to discuss the importance of the bilateral defense relationships and securing a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Acting Secretary Miller will visit the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Headquarters next where he will virtually participate in the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus). The ADMM-Plus is the most effective platform for practical cooperation among the participating countries’ defense establishments and the premier venue for senior leaders to discuss regional defense issues.  While there, Acting Secretary Miller will meet virtually with key leaders to strengthen defense relationships.

Airman Adjustment

 

Air Force Tech. Sgt. Emily Souza adjusts Airman Kaitlin Curtis’s shoulder strap at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., Nov. 20, 2020.

Orange Ops

 

A soldier works on a vehicle during training at Fort Bragg, N.C., Nov. 24, 2020.

Flight Line

 

Marine Corps MV-22 Ospreys participate in a maximum aircraft launch exercise from Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Dec. 2, 2020.

Miller Seeks to Strengthen Hemispheric Partnership

Dec. 3, 2020 | BY Jim Garamone , DOD News

Acting Defense Secretary Christopher C. Miller stressed the need to strengthen partnerships in the Western Hemisphere during the virtual Conference of the Defense Ministers of the Americas.

The conference — hosted by Chile — marks 25 years of meetings. The ministers discussed the situation in the Americas and how the countries of the hemisphere can more closely work together.

"Our nations share common interests that transcend our differences, including humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and combating transnational threats," Miller said in prepared remarks for the conference. "Moreover, with our like-minded partners, we share common values such as human rights, democracy and respect for the rule of law."

Miller said holding the conference is even more important since the international rules-based system in place since the end of World War II is under "duress" from China and Russia. 

Those countries are working to undermine the free and open order and exploit nations to benefit Russia and China. The two great power competitors often use predatory practices and coercion to bend smaller nations to their wills.

"At the same time, problems posed by transnational criminal organizations, social unrest, natural disasters and the global pandemic further endanger the peace and security we have all worked hard to build over the past two and a half decades," Miller said.

There are three nations in the hemisphere that are problems — Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela. The defense ministers must discuss these three nations and efforts to persuade these nations to return to democratic rule through free and fair elections and end violence in their countries, he said.

Even if nations disagree on some events in the region, there are more they agree on, the acting secretary said, and he praised efforts in the hemisphere to enhance humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. The nations are also working together to address transnational threats. 

"In the realm of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, we recognize that these challenges extend beyond borders, threatening the well-being of all our citizens," Miller said. "This requires us to look for ways to work together across the region as efficiently as possible." 

Miller highlighted Chile's disaster cooperation mechanism — a tool that facilitates information exchange on humanitarian assistance and disaster response capabilities among conference states.

"For our part, I am proud to note that U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Southern Command…have executed 441 coronavirus relief projects in support of 30 nations in North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean — with a total value of $30.4 million," he said.

He also pointed to the 2019 deployment of the hospital ship USNS Comfort to the region to provide humanitarian assistance and medical care to Venezuelan refugees.

"In late 2021, we will again deploy the Comfort to the region to relieve pressure on our partners and increase their resilience," Miller said. 

The secretary also highlighted Southcom's Health Engagement Assistance Response Team pilot. This is an aerial medical deployment focused on non-COVID-19 patients in urgent need of medical care in Central America and the Caribbean. 

Spotlight: Coronavirus: DOD Response

The most recent hurricane season — the most active since weather records have been kept — also saw Southcom providing aid to hard-hit nations in Central America completing 243 missions, saving 850 lives and delivering over one million pounds of humanitarian assistance to partners hit by Hurricanes Eta and Iota. 

"Our hearts go out to those who have lost loved ones, homes and their livelihoods caused by these natural disasters; and these events underscore the importance of our work together at this conference," the acting secretary said.

Transnational criminal organizations remain a threat in the region. From drugs to refugees to weapons, these groups foster violence and corruption wherever they operate, he said.

"I am proud of the progress we've made on this front, but we must also do more to thwart resource predation by both state actors and criminal groups, which has increased this year," the acting secretary said. "Activities such as illegal mining, wildlife trafficking and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing threaten economic and national security and are detrimental to our pursuit of stability and prosperity."

Miller also spoke of the 20th anniversary of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.

"We recognize that a military is at its best when it is inclusive and representative of the society it defends and when it accounts for the unique security needs of the entire population," he said. "That's why the Department of Defense is committed to building a more diverse workforce at all levels, promoting equal opportunity for all, and ensuring we incorporate the perspectives of men and women into our plans, policies and operations."

He praised the partner nations that are working to increase the meaningful participation of women in the defense and security sectors and promote their safety and security.

"Doing so will ensure that we leverage the full breadth of talent each of our nations provide to meet the security challenges of the 21st century," he said.

Defense Department Committed to Cleaning Up the Environment

 Dec. 3, 2020 | BY David Vergun , DOD News

The Defense Department faces an environmental cleanup liability of around $33 billion, which is the second largest liability behind personnel benefits, the assistant secretary of defense for sustainment said.

Cleaning up contaminants from past DOD activities is an ongoing process that will take years to complete, Jordan Gillis said at the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program and Environmental Security Technology Certification Program — known as SERDP and ESTCP — Symposium, November 30. 

"Developing and fielding technologies to reduce the cost and accelerate the progress of these remediation efforts will not only support our commitment to the health and safety of our service members and their families and the communities in which they serve, it will also free up funds for the core mission of the department," he said.

Regarding environmental cleanup, the department has been heavily focused on understanding and remediating PFAS — especially PFOS and PFOA — over the past several years, he said. 

PFOS, which is perfluorooctane sulfonate, and PFOA, or perfluorooctanoic acid, are two chemicals of the larger class known as PFAS. PFAS is an abbreviation for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The chemicals are used in a firefighting foam that is known as aqueous film-forming foam, or AFFF. The foam is used by DOD and civilian firefighting organizations, and other industries, to rapidly extinguish fuel fires and protect against catastrophic loss of life and property

"Recognizing that this is a national problem that requires a national solution, our working relationship with the EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] is resulting in the development and validation of new methods for analyzing PFAS," he said. SERDP and ESTCP have recently initiated a number of projects focused on PFAS forensics, understanding the source of PFAS in the environment, whether from firefighting, other DOD activities or non-DOD sources, Gillis also noted.

"We're also continuing to make progress in finding an effective PFAS-free firefighting alternative to AFFF and meet the congressionally-mandated elimination of current AFFF by 2024," he said.

"We have an ongoing demonstration program to test both developmental and commercially available PFAS-free formulations against the current military specifications relative to how quickly a fire must be extinguished, as well as an ongoing research program to examine the eco-toxicity of these new agents to avoid environmental issues in the future," he noted.

SERDP has also developed several approaches for treating groundwater that contains PFOS and PFOA, which have matured from small-scale laboratory projects to field demonstrations.

Gillis said SERDP and ESTCP are also involved in:

• Collaborating with the Army Research Laboratory and the EPA on the examination of chromium-free alternatives to hexavalent and trivalent chromium for surface treatment and corrosion mitigation that can protect weapons platforms. This is because an increasing number of coatings and processes that are traditionally used in depots and maintenance facilities are becoming unavailable. As such, there is a need for replacement materials and processes that provide a similar — or better — performance without environmental concerns. 
• Developing the Defense Regional Sea Level Database, which has now been incorporated into the Unified Facilities Criteria and will significantly improve DOD's efforts to ensure installations' resilience to sea level rise.  
• Researching synthetic biology for the production of key propellant and explosive precursors to reduce the amount of solvents and byproducts associated with traditional production methods.
• Developing comprehensive models of wildland fires to assist with installation planning and fire mitigation.
• Developing controlled sites for comparative demonstration of technologies for the detection and identification of unexploded ordnance underwater.
• Testing new adaptive microgrid control technologies that have the potential to reduce the time and cost of development and operations and improve the energy security and resilience of installations.

DOD Releases List of Additional Companies, In Accordance With Section 1237 of FY19 NDAA

 Dec. 3, 2020

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Today, the Department of Defense released the names of additional “Communist Chinese military companies” operating directly or indirectly in the United States in accordance with the statutory requirement of Section 1237 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999, as amended.  

The Department is determined to highlight and counter the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) Military-Civil Fusion development strategy, which supports the modernization goals of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) by ensuring its access to advanced technologies and expertise acquired and developed by even those PRC companies, universities, and research programs that appear to be civilian entities.  

The Department released its initial list of companies to Congress in June 2020 and will continue to update the list with additional entities as appropriate.

For the list, click here.

For previous lists, click here and here.

Chairman Discusses Future Defense Budgets

 Dec. 3, 2020 | BY Jim Garamone , DOD News

Army Gen. Mark A. Milley is a realist, and he sees future defense budgets, at best, remaining flat or possibly going down significantly in the years ahead.

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told the Brookings Institution's Michael O'Hanlon yesterday that COVID-19 has hit the nation hard, and that carries over to the budgeting process. The upheaval caused by the coronavirus pandemic must be countered and remedied before the United States can budget its military to prevail in great power competition.

Great power competition with China and Russia is the main factor in the strategic environment today. 

To be a great power requires a strong and capable military to be sure, but it also requires a strong and capable economy. "You have to have a very resilient country as a whole; you have to have a great education system; you've got to have great infrastructure," he said. "You have to look at it as a whole, of which the military is one piece of the whole."

The military is expensive with a budget this fiscal year of $750 billion. But preparing the military to meet the threats of the future while fighting the battles of today would require about 3 to 5 percent real growth each year. "And we would want to have a sustained, predictable, adequate budget in a timely way every year," Milley said. "But that's also not necessarily going to happen, and I don't anticipate that it will happen." 

Pentagon officials must do a quick reality check on the national budget. "I suspect that, at best, the Pentagon's budgets will start flattening out," he said. "There's a reasonable prospect that they could actually decline significantly, depending on what happens in the environment." 

The military is not divorced from the rest of America. The military does not operate in a vacuum. What happens outside the gates affects those inside them. "We have had a significant pandemic," the general said. "We've had … an economic situation nationally for almost going on a year now. We've got significant unemployment."

Moving forward, the nation's most important priority is to take care of the coronavirus pandemic. The United States has to get that behind us and breathe new life into the economy, Milley said. "Once you do that, then you can put additional moneys into a military." 

But even if everything goes perfectly in the fight against COVID-19, the military budget will flatten, he said. "That doesn't mean that the world's going to end for us," he said. "What that means is that we have to tighten up and take a much harder look at priorities and where we put the moneys we do get."

The DOD must absolutely optimize the money it will get, and ruthlessly enforce priorities, he said. 

"We have to … take a hard look at what we do [and] where we do it," he said. 

Part of this is looking at overseas footprints. "There's a considerable amount of money that the United States expends on overseas deployments or overseas bases and locations, etc.," Milley said. "Is every one of those absolutely, positively necessary for the defense of the United States? Is every one of them tied to a vital national security interest? Is every one of those exercises that we do really critically important?"

DOD leaders must take hard looks at everything the department does. "I think [it] is warranted, and I have no problem in leading us through that to the extent that we can," he said.

Airmen Use Fog Machines to Disinfect Classrooms

 Dec. 3, 2020 | BY AIR FORCE SENIOR AIRMAN SERAIAH WOLF

The 17th Civil Engineer Squadron employed a different approach to disinfecting classrooms at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas. Taking extra precautions for their own safety, Omar Martinez and Walter Miller, members of the civil engineer squadron, used fog machines to disinfect classroom surfaces at the school-age program and the Child Development Center.

This disinfectant is safe to breathe and be around while it is being sprayed. During the 20 minute re-entry time frame, the chemical bonds to any gems on the surfaces and kills them.

"The time the chemical is left alone on the surface is called wet time," Martinez said. "It also dries during the time that it bonds to the germs. Since it is a no rinse needed chemical, you are then good to go."

Each individual organization is responsible for the daily disinfecting of their offices. The staff wipe down the high-traffic areas every day. 

"We do this when we are requested," Miller said. "This is usually if one of the children has had an especially runny nose or if someone just wants to go the extra step to make sure even the hard to reach areas are taken care of."

This method of disinfecting is more efficient when it comes to disinfecting large areas.

"The chemical that we use is known to be 99.999% effective in killing different viruses," Martinez said. "This is why we are using this method. It is more likely to kill everything we want it to."

Back in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the flight chief for the child and youth programs reached out for help to deep clean all of the classrooms and toys. A group of fire and intelligence students volunteered and cleaned all of the classroom surfaces and toys to help protect the children across the base. 

During this time, we all stand together, six feet apart, being there for each other in ways no one could have anticipated, but it is more important now than ever. When in quarantine, reach out to fellow wingmen, friends and battle buddies through social media. Take advantage of the new ways to interact, socialize, and watch movies and shows together. Always follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention social distancing guidelines and help mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.

(Air Force Senior Airman Seraiah Wolf is assigned to 17th Training Wing Public Affairs.)

Flag Officer Announcement

 

Dec. 3, 2020

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Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher C. Miller announced today that the president has made the following nomination:

Adm. John C. Aquilino for reappointment to the rank of admiral, and assignment as commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.  Aquilino is currently serving as commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Holiday Display

 

Aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson puts on a light display to celebrate the holiday season at its homeport of San Diego, Nov. 26, 2020.

Platoon Partners

 

U.S. and Indonesian troops participate in the Green Mile physical endurance course during the 2020 Indonesia Platoon Exchange in Wahiawa, Hawaii, Nov. 21, 2020.

Corps Confidence

 

Marine Corps Recruit Eliseo Z. Sandoval takes on an obstacle during a confidence course at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, Dec. 2, 2020.

Contacting Patients

 

Airmen assigned to the 673rd Medical Group’s respiratory clinic contact patients prior to testing at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Nov. 20, 2020. The 673rd MDG stood-up a drive-thru testing clinic to offer a fast, safe way to provide testing to base personnel and their dependents.

Food Distribution

 

Arizona National Guard service members build and fill boxes with fresh, sorted produce in Nogales, Ariz., for transportation to food banks throughout the state, Dec. 1, 2020. The Arizona National Guard has responded domestically to emergencies such as airport security after 9/11, Monument Fire in 2011, Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and the Havasupai Floods in 2018.

Green Mile

 

U.S. and Indonesian troops participate in the Green Mile physical endurance course during the 2020 Indonesia Platoon Exchange in Wahiawa, Hawaii, Nov. 21, 2020.

COVID-19 Testing Ensures People Throughout Central America Remain Healthy

 Dec. 2, 2020 | BY Dawn Collazo , Joint Task Force Bravo

Juggling in itself is no easy feat, but for medics juggling health protection requirements in the aftermath of two back-to-back hurricanes, all while ensuring the personnel assigned to Soto Cano Air Base remain safe while operating in a pandemic environment, one can easily assume something would fail.

However, through careful planning led by the COVID-19 response team and strict adherence to the guidelines by all on Soto Cano Air Base, the COVID-19 mitigation efforts have remained effective and ensure the small base continues to meet its mission requirements.

"The combat support hospital staff provide multiple services, but one of the key things we do is conduct COVID-19 tests, which protect the people both on and off base," said Army Lt. Col. Philip O'Brien, Joint Task Force-Bravo deputy surgeon. 

The staff of 67 military members provides typical preventative medicine such as basic medical, dental and pharmaceutical care, plus vet, clinic, supply and logistics; however, on top of the normal requirements, the unit is also responsible for leading the effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 on base and with personnel supporting missions off base.

As a part of the reintegration process for those individuals supporting off-base missions, it's critical that testing takes place upon their return to ensure they did not contract the virus while out or spread it to others.

An immediate measure available is the administration of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, considered to be the most accurate test available, which detects the virus on the molecular level and is the gold standard for testing.

Sometimes the test is conducted by the COVID-19 response team on the flight line.

"We do the tests on the flight line to avoid unnecessary movement of people to minimize contamination," said Army Sgt. 1st Class Marjorie Schrader, the hospital's first sergeant. "We also refrain from bringing possible COVID-19 positive individuals into the clinic as it can impact our ability to provide other essential care," she said.

As of Nov. 28, 2020, the staff has conducted 1,213 tests, out of which 17 returned positive. Those who test positive go into isolation for 10 days, with checkups on their status two to three times a day, Schrader explained. They can be released on the 10th day as long as they remain asymptomatic, because they're no longer contagious at that point, which is based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.  

Additionally, the COVID-19 response team extends the PCR test to Honduran base employees, known as foreign service nationals.

"We test those who work closely with our service members on our surveillance testing to ensure their safety," Schrader said. "If they become positive, we conduct a thorough trace and escort them as well as their close contacts off base with instructions for strict isolation at home."

Infected foreign service nationals, and the people identified as close contacts, are put on a no access list and not allowed back on base until their 10 days have passed without symptoms. 

"The testing is one aspect, but the safety measures we have in place here such as the social distancing, wearing of masks and washing hands is working here, " O'Brien said. "And I'm proud of that. What the virus does hasn't changed, but our behavior around it has. If we do the right things consistently, we can manage it."

Colorful Cockpit

 

Air Force C-17 Globemaster III crew members perform routine flight duties during cargo transport operations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Nov. 30, 2020.

In 2019 Spouse Survey, 70 Percent Report Good, Better Finances

 Dec. 2, 2020 | BY C. Todd Lopez , DOD News

The Defense Department just released the results of the 2019 Survey of Active Duty Spouses. The survey is conducted every two years, and this year's report, like those in other years, provide the department with guides on how to adjust family policy in the coming years, the principal deputy under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness said.

"These survey results are important because they help us evaluate policy and program success, address issues and gaps in resources and identify areas for necessary improvement," said William Bushman during a virtual conference today where the results of the survey were revealed.

As part of the 2019 survey, more than 65,200 active duty military spouses were invited to participate, a little over 10,000, or 16.5%, opted to take part. Survey topics covered employment, deployment, reintegration and satisfaction with military life. Because the survey was completed in 2019, the effects of COVID-19 did not play a part in the survey.

"While many of the 2019 survey results are consistent with past years, the survey indicates that there are areas where we are doing well, findings that may be of some concern and findings that need to be watched," said Dr. Paul Rosenfeld, director of the Center for Retention and Readiness within the Office of People Analytics.

Family finances and personal health were among the positive trends highlighted in the 2019 ADSS, Rosenfeld said.

According to Rosenfeld, the survey shows that 70% of respondents reported their family financial situation as either "comfortable" or "very comfortable." This contrasts with only 64% reporting the same way in 2012.

"This encouraging finding mirrors results we have found on a status of forces survey of military members," Rosenfeld said.

Also in the report, he said, is that 41% of spouses reported that in the past 12 months, their financial condition had improved, and reasons cited included reduction in debt and better financial management.

The majority of spouses who participated in the survey also reported overall satisfaction with their marriage as well as lower levels of marital instability as compared to the average married civilian.

While positive trends appeared throughout the report, there are areas of concern, Rosenfeld said.

"Satisfaction with the military way of life and support for a spouse to stay on active duty both decreased, although the findings still reflect that the majority of spouses are satisfied, while over half — 56% — are satisfied or very satisfied with the military way of life — that is lower than past years," he said. In 2017, for instance, that number was at 60%.

Around 59% of survey respondents indicated that they favored their military spouse staying in the military service. That number has dropped. The most recent peak put that statistic at 68% in 2012. Since 2006, survey respondents most likely to say they prefer their spouse staying in the military have invariably come from the higher ranking personnel, both enlisted and officers.

Other areas of concern within the survey involve spouse employment, Rosenberg said. According to the 2019 report, approximately 22% of active duty spouses are unemployed.

"Although the rate has been stable since 2012, it is higher than the civilian rate," he said, adding that the rate of unemployment is higher for spouses married to junior service members, female spouses, ethnic and racial minorities, spouse's under 26 years of age and those with no college or some college.

Childcare is also a concern for military families, Rosenberg said. Approximately 43% of spouses with children under 13 reported using some form of childcare so that they can go to work. Only about 39%, however, used on-base child care, Rosenberg said.

"Those spouses who do not routinely use on-base child care indicated availability, inconvenient location and affordability were the top reasons that they did not use on-base child care ," Rosenberg said.

With the results of the survey now compiled, Bushman said the numbers will be used in coming years to continue to shape policy to improve the lives of service members and their families.

"As we review the results of the 2019 survey, we can gauge the impact of the changes the department has made since our 2017 survey and determine which policies and programs we need to refine so that we can provide the necessary support to our military families, for them to flourish, stay connected and be mission ready."

The OPA also conducted a 2019 survey of reserve component military spouses. The results of that survey are still being processed and they will be released when that review is complete.

Related News Release: Survey Provides Insights Into Spouse Satisfaction With Military Life

Gun Powder

 

An Army M1 Abrams tank fires its main gun at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, Dec. 2, 2020.