July 9 Joint Base Lewis-McChord Daily News Clips

Local/Regional/ Pacific/Middle East:

Pacific Region Military News

US envoy expresses regret over alleged sex crimes by troops on Okinawa

(Key words): U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel expressed regret Saturday for the handling of two cases of sexual assaults allegedly committed by American military personnel on Okinawa, which have again stoked resentment of the heavy U.S. troop presence on the strategic island in Japan’s far southwest. The issue broke out late last month, triggering an uproar over reports that two American service members had been charged with sexual assaults months earlier. https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-military/2024/07/07/us-envoy-expresses-regret-over-alleged-sex-crimes-by-troops-on-okinawa/

Korea JoongAng Daily

Police decides against indictment of former Marine commander over death last year

(Key words): Police on Monday decided against indicting a former Marine Corps division commander associated with the death of a young Marine surnamed Chae last year for alleged influence-peddling. Marine Cpl. Chae Su-geun drowned while conducting a search and rescue mission during heavy rain and flooding in July last year. https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-07-08/national/politics/Police-decides-against-indictment-of-former-Marine-commander-over-death-last-year/2085470

ABC News

Myanmar's ethnic rebels say they captured an airport in a new setback for the military government

(Key words): One of Myanmar’s most powerful ethnic minority groups battling the military government said it captured an airport serving the country’s top world-class beach resort, marking the first time resistance forces have seized such a facility. Residents of the area in the southern part of the western state of Rakhine, along with local media, also reported the seizure of Thandwe Airport, also known as Ma Zin Airport, about 260 kilometers (160 miles) northwest of Yangon, Myanmar’s biggest city. https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/myanmars-ethnic-rebels-captured-airport-new-setback-military-111738263

BBC

Senior Hamas official killed as Israel orders fresh evacuation

(Key words): A senior Hamas administration official was among four people killed in an Israeli air strike at a school in Gaza City, Palestinian sources say. A local official told the BBC that Ehab Al-Ghussein was appointed to manage the affairs of the Hamas government in Gaza City and northern Gaza three months ago. The Israeli army says that it carried out a strike on the area of a school building in Gaza City from which it says "terrorists were operating and hiding". It says that it took steps to minimize the risk of civilians being harmed.

Eyewitnesses say the attack targeted the Holy Family School next to the Holy Family Church to the west of Gaza city. A large number of people were sheltering in the building, the BBC understands. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce93qvvzzx0o

National:

MSN

5 killed after US military aircraft crashes into eastern Mediterranean sea

(Key words): Five U.S. service members were killed Friday evening after their aircraft suffered a mishap and crashed into the eastern Mediterranean Sea, the Pentagon revealed Sunday. The mishap took place “during a routine air refueling mission as part of military training,” and all onboard the aircraft were killed, U.S. European Command (EUCOM) said in a brief statement. An earlier release from EUCOM stressed that the aircraft crash “was purely related to training and there are no indications of hostile activity.” https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/5-killed-after-us-military-aircraft-crashes-into-eastern-mediterranean-sea/ar-AA1jNSmj?apiversion=v2&noservercache=1&domshim=1&renderwebcomponents=1&wcseo=1&batchservertelemetry=1&noservertelemetry=1

Air & Space Forces

C017 flies last US Troops out of Air Base in Niger

(Key words): The last few U.S. troops departed Air Base 101 in Niger on July 7, flying on an Air Force C-17 Globemaster III. The moment marks a milestone in the ongoing effort to withdraw American forces from Niger, where they have conducted key counterterrorism missions from two air bases. After Niger’s ruling junta scrapped a military cooperation pact with the U.S. in March, the military rulers ordered all American forces—nearly 1,000 military personnel—to leave the country no later than Sept. 15. Starting last month, U.S. troops and essential assets from Air Base 101 have been moved out, with the control of the installation area now returned to the Nigerien government. https://www.airandspaceforces.com/final-us-troops-leave-air-base-niger/

Army Times

Army grants 271 recruits a second chance through medical waiver pilot

(Key words): A pilot program initiated in April that gives Army doctors at military in-processing facilities broad authority to grant waivers for 147 low-risk medical conditions has gone so well that the service may make it permanent, said the one-star general heading the Army’s Medical Process and Augmentation Team. Additionally, she told Army Times that the service has also offered a second chance to hundreds of would-be recruits who were previously denied waivers. https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2024/07/08/army-grants-271-recruits-a-second-chance-through-medical-waiver-pilot/

USA Today

Images show aid bound for Ukraine, not Philippines | Fact check

(Key words): A June 24 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) shows images of cargo being prepared for shipment at a military base. “In a major operation, the United States flew thousands of munitions, weapons and other military equipment to the Philippines,” the post reads. “The flight was conducted by the US Air Force’s 60th Air Port Squadron, which loaded cargo onto a Boeing 737 aircraft at Travis Air Force Base, California today. The aircraft is scheduled to land at Clark military base in the Philippines. Thousands of (sic) cargo are loaded onto a Boeing 737 aircraft at Travis Air Force Base, California on June 22, 2024. The plane will land at Clark military base in the Philippines." https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2024/07/08/us-military-aid-ukraine-philippines-fact-check/74324665007/

Pentagon & Congress

Senators implore VA secretary keep community care access for veterans

(Key words): The ranking member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee urged Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough to address a policy that he said is making it difficult for veterans to receive care, according to a June 25 letter. As ranking member, Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., led 19 other senators who asked McDonough to ensure veterans’ right to community care — a program the VA utilizes to connect veterans to health care through local providers. https://www.armytimes.com/federal-oversight/congress/2024/07/05/senators-implore-va-secretary-keep-community-care-access-for-veterans/

International:

Defense Visual Distribution Service

2^nd Security Force Assistance Brigade strengthens ties in Ghana during medical readiness exercise

(Key words): he 2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade (2SFAB), part of U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), participated for the first time in a medical readiness exercise (MEDREX) held from May 13-31 at 37th Military Hospital in Accra, Ghana. The participation of the 2SFAB, a specialized force comprising approximately 120 advisors on up to 20 teams, marked a significant milestone. https://www.dvidshub.net/news/475107/2nd-security-force-assistance-brigade-strengthens-ties-ghana-during-medical-readiness-exercise

Stars and Stripes

Pentagon calls off major Army drill in response to Georgian claims fraying US ties

(Key words): The Pentagon canceled a major U.S. Army exercise that was slated to begin later this month in the country of Georgia, amid accusations that Tbilisi waged an anti-American misinformation campaign. U.S. Army Europe and Africa’s two-week Noble Partner drill was scheduled to kick off July 25. The exercise, which in previous years involved several thousand troops from numerous countries, was held at a former Soviet air base on the outskirts of Tbilisi, the capital. https://www.stripes.com/branches/army/2024-07-08/pentagon-georgia-noble-partner-cancelled-14419572.html

Reuters

Russia says it foils Ukraine bid to hijack strategic bomber

(Key words): Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) blocked an attempt by Ukraine to organize the hijacking of a Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber and fly it to Ukraine, the FSB said on Monday. "Ukrainian intelligence intended to recruit a Russian military pilot for a monetary reward and the provision of Italian citizenship, to persuade him to fly and land a missile carrier in Ukraine," the FSB, the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB, said on its website. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-foils-ukraine-bid-hijack-strategic-bomber-security-service-says-2024-07-08/

CBS News

Israeli military takes foreign journalists into Rafah to make a case for success in its war with Hamas

(Key words): A CBS News team was among the first group of foreign journalists allowed to visit the decimated southern Gaza city of Rafah since Israel launched its military ground assault there against Hamas in early May. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the operation despite warnings from the U.S. and other Israeli allies, which voiced serious concern about the risks to civilians who'd taken refuge in the city over the preceding seven months of war. By the end of May, at least two weeks into Israel's ground operations in the city, the United Nations said about 1 million Palestinians had fled from Rafah — many of whom had already been displaced at least once previously. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/israel-hamas-war-inside-rafah-heavy-damage-idf-show-terror-tunnel-network/ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/israel-hamas-war-inside-rafah-heavy-damage-idf-show-terror-tunnel-network/