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On Air: Federal News Network
Defense
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Lawmakers have introduced a $1.2 trillion spending package that sets the stage for avoiding a partial government shutdown for several key federal agencies.
March 21, 2024 -
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The Pentagon has completed its review of Defense Secretary’s Lloyd Austin’s failure last month to quickly notify the president and other senior leaders about his hospitalization for complications from prostate cancer surgery.
February 08, 2024 -
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The House has passed a defense policy bill that authorizes the biggest pay raise for troops in more than two decades. Supporters overcame objections from some conservatives concerned it didn’t do enough on cultural issues, such as restricting the Pentagon’s diversity initiatives and gender-affirming health care for transgender service members. The Senate had already overwhelmingly passed the bill on Wednesday, so now it goes to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law. One of the most divisive aspects of the bill is a short-term extension of a surveillance program aimed at preventing terrorism and catching spies. Opponents of the extension wanted changes designed to boost privacy protections for Americans.
December 14, 2023 -
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SDA Director Derek Tournear said the agency is exploring alternative ways for positioning, navigation and timing that don’t rely on GPS.
December 12, 2023 -
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Air Force disciplines 15 as IG finds that security failures led to massive classified documents leakThe Air Force inspector general says the massive classified documents leak by a service member this year was made worse by the intentional failure of multiple officials to take required action on his suspicious behavior.
December 11, 2023 -
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U.S. officials say the number of suicides among military members and their families dipped slightly in 2022, compared with the previous year. This decline comes as the Defense Department tries to build prevention and treatment programs to address what's been a steadily growing problem over the past decade.
October 26, 2023 -
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Next week the U.S. military plans to begin draining fuel from World War II-era underground fuel tanks in Hawaii. Work to drain the 104 million gallons remaining in the tanks is scheduled to begin on Monday.
October 13, 2023 -
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The Navy will begin randomly testing its special operations forces for steriods and other performance-enhancing drugs beginning in November. It's a groundbreaking step that military leaders have long resisted.
September 29, 2023 -
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President Joe Biden’s decision to allow allies to train Ukrainian forces on how to operate F-16 fighter jets — and eventually to provide the aircraft themselves — seemed like an abrupt change in position but was in fact one that came after months of internal debate and quiet talks with allies. Biden announced during last week’s Group of Seven summit in Japan that the U.S. would join the F-16 coalition. But over the past three months, administration officials shifted toward the view that it was time to provide Ukraine’s pilots with the training and aircraft needed for the country’s long-term security needs. This is according to two officials familiar with the deliberations.
August 25, 2023 -
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The U.S. is joining NATO allies in hosting training for Ukrainian pilots on U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets, beginning at an Arizona Air National Guard base in October. The Pentagon spokesman, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, announced the move Thursday. The training will be part of a U.S. and European effort to get the advanced fighter jets to Ukraine for its defense against invading Russian forces. Americans caution it's a long-term process to bring pilots up to speed on the complex technology. Ryder tells reporters the F-16 training is about long-term support for Ukraine, and not about the current counteroffensive.
August 24, 2023 -
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Bipartisan federal legislation is being introduced that would protect U.S. Coast Guard Academy cadets who report a sexual assault from being disciplined for minor collateral misconduct, such as underage drinking. Such a change would put the Connecticut service academy in line with policies at Department of Defense military academies. House members from Connecticut, California, Mississippi and Washington are co-sponsoring the bill. It comes amid recent revelations that the service did not widely disclose a six-year internal investigation it had conducted, known as Operation Fouled Anchor, into dozens of cases of sexual assault and misconduct between 1988 and 2006.
August 22, 2023 -
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A new report says female soldiers face rampant sexism, sexual harassment and other gender-related challenges in male dominated Army special operations units. The report on Monday comes eight years after the Pentagon opened all combat jobs to women. U.S. Army Special Operations Command reports a wide range of “overtly sexist” comments from male soldiers, including a broad aversion to females serving in commando units. It says the comments are “not outliers” but represent a common sentiment that females don’t belong on special operations teams. Several recommendations involving increased training to expand awareness of sexual harassment, mentorship, health care and other issues have been completed. Others are in progress.
August 21, 2023 -
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Officials say the United States has given its approval for the Netherlands and Denmark to deliver F-16s to Ukraine. The defense ministers of those two NATO countries announced the decision Friday. It is a major gain for Kyiv even though the fighter jets won’t have an impact any time soon on the almost 18-month war. It was not immediately clear when the first F-16s might enter the conflict. Denmark says it will hand over some of its F-16s only after receiving its new F-35 jet fighters, which are due to start arriving on Oct. 1. Officials have previously said that Ukrainian pilots will need six to eight months of training on the F-16s.
August 18, 2023 -
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A new report says the U.S. military academies must improve their leadership, stop toxic practices such as hazing, and shift behavior training into the classrooms in order to address an alarming spike in sexual assaults and misconduct. The report says the academies must train student leaders better to help their classmates, and upend what has been a disconnect between what the cadets and midshipmen are learning in school and the often negative and unpunished behavior they see by those mentors. The review calls for additional senior officers to work with students and provide expanded training. The report was released Thursday.
August 17, 2023
