January 30 Joint Base Lewis-McChord Daily News Clips
Local/Regional Pacific:
The News Tribune
All 3 sites for a proposed new WA airport are near JBLM. Is that a deal breaker?
(Key words): A new commercial airport built near Joint Base Lewis–McChord would be incompatible with the military’s aviation operations and mission-readiness requirements, a JBLM official told The News Tribune.“ All three proposed sites … would disrupt fixed-wing and helicopter training and operational requirements,” JBLM spokesperson Joseph Piek recently wrote in a statement. “JBLM will continue to work closely with federal, state, county and city officials to ensure any proposed airport site doesn’t pose an adverse impact to missions at JBLM.” https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article271431392.html
Enid News & Eagle
4th AS Airman receives prestigious enlisted award
(Key words): A 4th Airlift Squadron loadmaster, Senior Airman Austin Andrews, has received the Staff Sgt. Henry E. “Red” Erwin Outstanding Enlisted Aircrew Member of the Year award. This award is given to one flight engineer, loadmaster, air surveillance operator or other related career field each year for outstanding leadership and sustained self-improvements in support of enlisted aircrew operations. “My leadership didn’t tell me they put me up for the award, so I was very surprised when I got the call to come in on my day off and was presented the award,” Andrews said. “It was nice to see hard work being recognized.” Andrews received this award following a busy 2021 as a loadmaster.https://www.enidnews.com/news/vas_outside_the_gate/4th-as-airman-receives-prestigious-enlisted-award/article_f9ce0c4a-9b97-11ed-94b6-c36ec98cbd50.html
The Hill
Top Armed Services Democrat: U.S. military readiness a ‘huge problem’
(Key words): Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the top Democrat on the House Armed Services committee, said U.S. military readiness is a “huge problem” as global tensions heighten and the war in Ukraine rages on. “This is a huge problem. And we don’t have the industrial base. And we don’t have the ability to ramp up that industrial base,” Smith told host Shannon Bream on “FOX News Sunday.” Concern is growing among experts that U.S. support for Ukraine’s war against Russia could hinder U.S. military readiness should another conflict arise with China in the near future. https://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/3835308-top-armed-services-democrat-us-military-readiness-a-huge-problem/
My Northwest
WA Corrections pays $600K settlement in sexual harassment lawsuit
(Key words): She initially filed a sexual harassment complaint, but the Department of Corrections failed to act on her report for months and then took no action against Carsrud. Grummer received her doctorate in counseling psychology and now works at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. “My hope is this settlement will send a message to DOC to take future harassment reports seriously,” said Grummer. “I also hope it will reassure women and others experiencing discriminatory workplace treatment that even in your darkest of moments when you are feeling silenced, you still always have a voice.” https://mynorthwest.com/3793893/corrections-department-pays-600000-settlement-in-sexual-harassment-lawsuit/
National:
CNN
US Marines officially opens first new base in 70 years on island of Guam
(Key words): The United States Marine Corps on Thursday officially opened its first new base in 70 years, a 4,000-acre installation on the US Pacific island of Guam that one day is expected to host 5,000 Marines. Construction of Camp Blaz, as it is formally known, was partially funded by the Japanese government as part of a deal made during the Barack Obama administration to move Marines from the southern Japanese island of Okinawa, where their presence has led to resentment. https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/27/asia/new-us-marine-corps-base-guam-intl-hnk-ml/index.html
Air Force Times
Northrop eyes low-rate production contract for B-21 this year
(Key words): Northrop Grumman expects the Air Force to award the first production contract for the B-21 Raider stealth bombers later this year. In an earnings call with analysts Thursday, Chief Financial Officer Dave Keffer said the expected contract will be for the first of five low-rate initial production lots. The LRIP phase is scheduled to run through roughly the end of the decade, he said.
https://www.airforcetimes.com/air/2023/01/26/northrop-eyes-low-rate-production-contract-for-b-21-this-year/
Army Times
In homicide trial, Marine Raiders’ defense seeks other causes of death
(Key words): Two Marine Raiders are on trial for manslaughter following a 2019 altercation in Iraq with an Army veteran who died days later, but their defense team tried to suggest on Tuesday and Wednesday that the death may have been unrelated to the fight. Previous days of the manslaughter and negligent homicide trial of Gunnery Sgts. Danny Draher and Josh Negron had centered on the early hours of Jan. 1, 2019. https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2023/01/26/in-homicide-trial-marine-raiders-defense-seeks-other-causes-of-death/
Veterans
Enrollments in VA medical care spiked after PACT Act passage last year
(Key words): Veterans Affairs officials saw a surge in patients enrolling in department health care services following the passage of sweeping military toxic exposure legislation last summer, but leaders are confident they have hiring plans in place to absorb the extra work. https://www.armytimes.com/veterans/2023/01/26/enrollments-in-va-medical-care-spiked-after-pact-act-passage-last-year/
MSN News
Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts make history never seen in Super Bowl era
(Key words): Now with the Mahomes-Hurts showdown, the NFL will witness its first ever Super Bowl where two Black athletes are starting as quarterbacks. Making things even better, both Mahomes and Hurts came from Texas and played high school football in the state, per NFL reporter Clarence Hill Jr. Regardless of whoever wins when the Chiefs and Eagles meet in two weeks time, it is already a victory for Football, the Black community and the state of Texas.https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/patrick-mahomes-jalen-hurts-make-history-never-seen-in-super-bowl-era/ar-AA16SVBN?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=0e75fcc44d2f413ca072ab9e5c7681d8
Pentagon & Congress
Warren to FTC: Block L3Harris-Aerojet deal, undo Northrop-orbital ATK
(Key words): “This deal between Aerojet and L3Harris would reduce competition in the shrinking defense industry to a new low, and I encourage the FTC to oppose this dangerous transaction,” Warren, D-Mass., wrote in a letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan as well as Commissioners Kelly Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya, who are Democrats. Warren also urged the agency, which screens for potential antitrust violations, to unwind Northrop Grumman’s 2018 purchase of Orbital ATK, one of just two suppliers of solid rocket motors along with Aerojet Rocketdyne. Such a move would make the industry more competitive, Warren said. https://www.armytimes.com/pentagon/2023/01/27/warren-to-ftc-block-l3harris-aerojet-deal-undo-northrop-orbital-atk/
International:
ABC News
Turkey summons Danish envoy over Quran-burning protest
(Key words): Turkey summoned the Danish ambassador and accused Denmark of endorsing a “hate crime” after an anti-Islam activist on Friday burned two copies of Islam’s holy book, the Quran, in a solitary protest in Copenhagen. Rasmus Paludan, a far-right activist who holds both Danish and Swedish citizenship, had already infuriated Turkey by staging a Quran-burning protest in Sweden on Jan. 21. On Friday, he replicated the stunt in front of a mosque, as well as the Turkish Embassy in Copenhagen, and vowed to continue every Friday until Sweden is admitted into NATO. https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/turkey-summons-danish-envoy-quran-burning-protest-96713401
Newsweek
Fact Check: Does China Spend More Than U.S. on Defense?
(Key words): China's military might has come into sharp focus over the past year as antagonisms between it and the U.S. continue over a potential conflict in Taiwan. Newsweek reported earlier this week that China had begun doubling military flights around Taiwan while former national security advisor H.R. McMaster told CBS News that he believes Chinese President Xi Jinping is "preparing the Chinese people for war" Now, a graphic has appeared on social media that appeared at first glance to suggest that China has surpassed the U.S. on defense spending. https://www.newsweek.com/china-us-defense-spending-military-1777128
BBC News
Nine Palestinians killed in Israeli raid in Jenin
(Key words): A woman aged 61 was reported among the dead in the flashpoint town of Jenin. The Israeli military said its troops went in to arrest Islamic Jihad "terror operatives" planning "major attacks". The Palestinian presidency accused Israel of a "massacre" and later announced it had ended co-ordination with Israel on security matters.A 10th Palestinian was meanwhile shot and killed during a confrontation with Israeli troops in the town of al-Ram, near Jerusalem, as residents protested against the Jenin raid, Palestinian officials said. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-64410607
Business Wire
Global Military Ammunition Report 2022: Western Countries Were Not Prepared to Tackle a Contingency Like the Russo-Ukraine War - Market and Technology Forecast to 2031 - ResearchAndMarkets.com
(Key words): The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan showed the improvements that would be required in the field of light weapons ammunition, to improve ground troops' capability of engaging the enemy at longer distances and bearing greater impact force on the targets, while relieving them from the weight of carrying them. Moreover, the war in Ukraine has shown that near-peer conflicts are back after almost two decades of counter-insurgency operations. The lessons learned have led to several changes in the weapons and ammunition landscape. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230127005214/en/Global-Military-Ammunition-Report-2022-Western-Countries-Were-Not-Prepared-to-Tackle-a-Contingency-Like-the-Russo-Ukraine-War---Market-and-Technology-Forecast-to-2031---ResearchAndMarkets.com
VOA
Australia Urged to Boost Military Assistance to Ukraine
(Key words): Ukraine is urging Australia to increase its military aid ahead of a visit to Europe next week by Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong and Defense Minister Richard Marles. Australia, the largest non-NATO contributor to Ukraine’s war effort, has supplied missiles and Bushmaster armored personnel carriers. https://www.voanews.com/a/australia-urged-to-boost-military-assistance-to-ukraine/6936365.html
Gary Dangerfield
Chief External Communications
Joint Base Lewis-McChord