Report: Army Bracing for Budget Cuts
Army leaders are bracing for a potentially “huge” cut in the service’s budget for the next fiscal year, Defense News reported, citing a defense official. President Joe Biden has proposed $715 billion in defense spending for fiscal year 2022, roughly the same as in the...
ADC Live Wednesday: Partnerships, Pentagon Appointees, Administration Priorities
Wednesday’s episode of ADC Live will feature interviews with Paul Cramer, principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for sustainment (installations) and Ivan Bolden, the chief of Army partnerships. We’ll also discuss the most recent nominations to top DOD posts...
Two Top Commanders Say There Are No Extremists in Their Ranks
In Senate testimony Tuesday, two top commanders said they are confident extremism is not an issue in the armed services. “I am very confident that the number of extremists in my forces is zero,” Adm. Charles Richard, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, said. “Every...
Senate GOP to Discuss Earmarks Wednesday
Senate Republicans will take an internal conference vote Wednesday on whether to embrace the inclusion of earmarks in the upcoming round of appropriations bills. Earmarks, often criticized as pork-barrel spending, have been banned since 2010 after a series of...
Some Guard Units Deployed or Standing By as Chauvin Trial Goes to Jury
National Guard members are on patrol outside the Minneapolis court house where a jury is now deciding whether to convict former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the killing of George Floyd in May. Jury deliberations started late Monday. Other communities...
VADM Fagan Could Become Coast Guard’s First Woman Four-Star
President Joe Biden plans to nominate Vice Adm. Linda Fagan to become vice commandant of the Coast Guard. It would make her the highest-ranking woman in Coast Guard history. “Pending Senate confirmation, Vice Adm. Fagan would serve as the Coast Guard’s 32nd Vice...
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PAST STORIES
In Our Communities
The Army and the state of Hawaii need to reach a new agreement if tenants such as Pacific Skydiving and Skydive Hawaii will be able to continue operating at Dillingham Airfield near Honolulu past June 30, the Star-Advertiser reported. Tourist businesses have been...
Biden Nominates Karlin to Lead DOD Strategy
Mara Karlin, who worked in the Pentagon during the George W. Bush and Obama administrations, has been nominated to become assistant secretary of defense for strategy, plans and capabilities, as Defense News reported. Karlin is currently the acting assistant secretary...
Space Force Plans to Work More with Businesses of All Sizes
Col. Russell Teehan, portfolio architect at the Space and Missile Systems Center, said the Space Force plans to incorporate more small businesses instead of leaning on a handful of large prime vendors. The commercial sector will play a role in every mission area, he...
Lawmakers Looking into Food Insecurity Among Military Families
The coronavirus pandemic helped spotlight a troubling issue for many military families: food insecurity. Many military families are ineligible for SNAP benefits because their housing allowances count as income. “Our bipartisan Military Hunger Prevention Act would make...
VA Chief Makes Case for 8.5% Budget Increase
Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough told lawmakers Thursday that the agency needs more money in the next fiscal year to help address homelessness, suicide, aging facilities and community care, including payments to private doctors providing care to veterans....
Bipartisan Bill Would Address PFAS Nationally
Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) and Fred Upton (R-Mich.) have reintroduced a bill that would designate PFAS as hazardous substances and force government cleanup of PFAS-contaminated sites. The bill is identical to language the House has passed before, but its backers...
In Our Communities
Marines and sailors at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California are working on engineering projects on Catalina Island in partnership with the Catalina Island Conservatory, according to a DOD story, which quotes a spokesperson saying it is a chance “to train hard...
GOP Senators Want FBI Investigation into Kahl’s Tweets
Senate Republicans are asking the FBI to look into whether Colin Kahl sought or disclosed classified information after leaving the Obama administration, The Hill reported. Kahl’s nomination to become undersecretary of defense for policy has been stalled as he faces...
Exchanges to Welcome More Civilian Shoppers in May, Boosting MWR Funds
A new DOD directive will open exchange stores to DOD and Coast Guard civilian employees with a Common Access Card, Military Times reported. The directive from the acting head of personnel and readiness means about 575,000 more shoppers will have exchange access. The...
COVID-19 Community Updates
Here are some of the coronavirus updates ADC is following: The Army says it is on track to have 80% of active duty service members vaccinated by July 4, Military.com reported…. About 40% of Marines have chosen not to get vaccinated, according to figures provided to...
HASC Chair Expresses Frustration with White House Budget Delay
House Armed Services Chair Adam Smith (D-Wash.) said Tuesday that the White House is moving too slowly on its fiscal year 2022 budget request and that Congress may not have time to complete appropriations work before the fiscal year starts Oct. 1, Defense News...
ADC Elects New President, Vice President, Board Members
ADC elected Bob Ross as its new president Tuesday. Ross has been serving as the board’s vice president. “ADC accomplished great things during the last year as we quickly adjusted to the restrictive pandemic environment,” said Ross, who is also executive director of...
Biden to Pull Out of Afghanistan by Sept. 11
President Joe Biden plans to have troops out of Afghanistan by the 20th anniversary of the terror attacks that led to activity in the region, a senior official told reporters on background Tuesday. “We’ve long known that military force would not solve Afghanistan’s...
In Our Communities
The White House has released individual report cards grading each state’s infrastructure as the administration tries to pass President Joe Biden’s expansive infrastructure bill. Utah and Georgia scored the highest, each with a C-plus, The Hill noted…. Fort Riley,...
Biden Nominates Wormuth as First Woman Army Secretary
President Joe Biden plans to nominate Christine Wormuth to become the secretary of the Army, the White House said Monday. If she is confirmed, she would be the first woman to hold that position. Wormuth was under secretary of defense for policy in the Obama...
The Pentagon’s Next Steps on Extremism
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is establishing a domestic extremism working group at DOD, Military Times reported. The move follows a 60-day force-wide stand down to allow for dialogue on the topic. Austin met last week with the service secretaries. “They believed...
In Our Communities
The state of Alaska is suing multiple PFAS manufacturers, according to the Juneau Empire…. The Naval Academy will hold its graduation and commissioning ceremony in person May 28, AP reported. The Academy had to move the event online last year…. A new partnership...
Biden Plans to Shut Down Controversial Pentagon Side-Fund
President Joe Biden plans to stop requesting funding for the Overseas Contingency Operations account at DOD, the administration announced when releasing high-level budget figures last week. The account is designed to fund wars, but many in Washington have come to see...
Rep. Luria: Climate Threats are ‘Persistent and Ongoing Problem’ at Bases
U.S. Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Va.) told ADC that extreme weather change and historic weather events are “persistent and ongoing problems” at the installations she represents in the Hampton Roads area and at others across the country. “I think that our military leadership...
In Our Communities
New Mexico has enacted three new laws to improve military quality of life. The bills, which passed unanimously, beef up the state’s professional licensure opportunities for military spouses, establish Purple Star Schools, and allow families to enroll students in New...
Space Force Launches Space Systems Command
Space Force officials announced a new restructuring plan Thursday that will transform the Space and Missile Systems Center in Los Angeles into Space Systems Command. “SSC will be responsible for developing, acquiring, equipping, fielding and sustaining resilient space...
Rep. Kilmer ‘Confident’ DCIP Will Get Bipartisan Support in FY22
U.S. Rep Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.), told ADC Thursday that he hopes the Defense Community Infrastructure Program is included in President Joe Biden’s budget, “but if it’s not, I’m confident we’ll see broad support of Democrats and Republicans in both the House and...
Acting USAF Installations Chief to Communities: Bring Us Your Partnership Ideas
The Air Force is always looking to its installations and its community partners to identify best operational practices that can be replicated at other installations, Jennifer Miller, the acting assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and...
Readiness Capacity Still Lagging, Govt. Report Says
The Department of Defense is still struggling to return to its full readiness capacity after two decades of conflict and counting, the Government Accountability Office said in a report published this week. The report looked at readiness from the period 2017 to 2019....
Biden Budget Will Include Slight Increase in Pentagon Spending
President Joe Biden’s budget outline expected to be released Friday will call for $715 billion for the Pentagon in fiscal year 2022, Politico reported late Thursday, citing “three people familiar with the proposal.” That would be about a 1.5% increase over the $704...