SOCIAL MEDIA ROUNDUP
Dannelly Field plans to conduct an active shooter exercise September 20, 2023.
Facebook | 187
th Fighter Wing
The 117th Medical Group practice patient litter carries on and off a KC-135.
Facebook, Instagram | 117
th Air Refueling Wing
We were honored to provide musical support for the POW/MIA Recognition Day Ceremony this past weekend at the Alabama State Capitol.
Facebook | 151
st Army Band
ALABAMA NEWS
AL: Senate starts moving military confirmations amid Tuberville’s hold.
Alabama Daily News | Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Gen. CQ Brown as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, putting him in place to succeed Gen. Mark Milley when he retires at the end of the month.
DEFENSE-WIDE ISSUES
US: Senate confirms Joint Chiefs chair in respite from Tuberville blockade
Washington Post Online | Mariana Alfaro, Dan Lamothe and Abigail Hauslohner
The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, with Democrats briefly relenting in their ongoing feud with Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) to push through President Biden’s nominee for the military’s top job. The 83-11 vote avoids what had been the embarrassing prospect of a temporary administrator filling the Pentagon’s most prestigious post. Yet it leaves about 300 other senior officers ensnared in Tuberville’s months-long hold on military promotions with no clear path to advancement, as the underlying political standoff over the Defense Department’s abortion policy exhibits no signs of abating.
UKR: U.S. plans $325 million Ukraine aid announcement for Zelenskiy visit, official says
Reuters | Not Attributed
U.S. President Joe Biden plans to announce a $325 million military aid package for Ukraine on Thursday to coincide with a visit to Washington by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a U.S. official said on Wednesday on condition of anonymity. The weapons aid package was expected to include the second tranche of cluster munitions fired by a 155-millimeter Howitzer cannon, the U.S official said. Other new weapons for Ukraine were expected to be announced around the time of Biden’s meeting with Zelenskiy, but not ATACMS missiles which have been under discussion, the U.S. official said.
POL/UKR: Poland Says It’s Cutting Off Arms to Ukraine as Spat Worsens
Bloomberg News | Natalia Ojewska and Piotr Skolimowski
Poland said it has stopped supplying weapons to Ukraine, further escalating a dispute over grain shipments that’s threatening to break a key alliance in Kyiv’s fight against Russia. The dispute cast sudden doubt on the unity that had defined the neighbors’ relationship before the grain dispute, a friendship that seemed to epitomize European solidarity with Ukraine against the Russian invasion.
UKR: Zelenskyy to meet U.S. military leaders in first visit to the Pentagon
Politico Online | Lara Seligman
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to visit the Pentagon on Thursday, his first trip to the U.S. military’s headquarters in Arlington, Va., since last year’s full-scale Russian invasion, a top White House official said Wednesday. At the Pentagon, Zelenskyy will meet with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Mark Milley, and other senior military leaders, said John Kirby, a spokesperson for the National Security Council. New Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov will also attend, according to a person familiar with the visit, who was granted anonymity to speak about sensitive plans.
PEOPLE
WA: Fiancée pleads for answers after young guardsman fatally shot while driving
King5.com | Maddie White
When a single car in Fife collided with light poles, trees, and a fire hydrant last Tuesday, police initially thought they were being dispatched to a routine traffic collision call. But it turned out to be a more tragic situation, and now a Puyallup family is begging for answers. Rudolph King III is a 23-year-old man from Milton, known to his friends and family as "Little Rudy." He was an active-duty officer with the Army National Guard and a recent graduate of Pacific Lutheran University. Results of the autopsy shocked responding officers. “They discovered later that there was a gunshot wound," said Assistant Chief David Claridge of the Fife Police Department. Police said it appears the violent attack was "random," and said that he does not seem to have any enemies.
US: Sewage, rats, and crime: GAO finds military barracks in deplorable shape
Stars and Stripes Online | John Vandiver
Barracks life can mean enduring raw sewage overflows, dangerous gas leaks and rodent infestations, according to a new government report saying military officials don’t have a full grasp of the squalor thousands of troops face. In 2022, for example, a mold infestation at Fort Liberty, N.C., forced 1,200 soldiers out of barracks. The buildings were demolished upon their evacuation. In discussions with service members living in barracks and their senior enlisted leaders, the GAO was told that such conditions “contributed to an environment where theft, property damage, and sexual assault were more likely.” In all 12 troop discussion groups at the bases visited, there was a consensus that rundown barracks had a negative effect on mental health, the GAO said.
AL: High School Football Coach Leaving Team for National Guard Deployment
The SPUN by Sports Illustrated | Kameron Duncan
A high school football coach is leaving his team in the middle of the season, but he's got a pretty good reason. Jason Massey coaches the Leroy (Alabama) Bears, and he found out during Labor Day weekend that he would be deployed in October. “It came as a little bit of a surprise,” said the coach. Massey and the Bears are coming off a state-championship winning season and he is in his 11th season as the team's head coach. Military service runs in Massey's family. His father served in the National Guard for 30 years, and his uncle and two brothers also served.
READINESS
NH: NH National Guard helicopter crew rescues injured Bay State hiker
New Hampshire Union Leader | Staff report
A Massachusetts hiker was airlifted to a hospital by a New Hampshire National Guard helicopter crew after she fell and suffered a head injury on Mount Monadnock Tuesday afternoon. A ranger from the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, who is an EMT, requested a medical helicopter due to the severity of Bissell's injuries, and rescuers carried her to the nearest landing zone. However, the DHART helicopter was unable to fly due to inclement weather that moved into the area, officials said. Fish and Game called on the National Guard for help, using a helicopter hoist to rescue the victim. When the Guard helicopter arrived in the area, conditions had improved at the summit and the aircraft was able to land, officials said. The crew brought Bissell to Concord Hospital for treatment.
AL: 187th Fighter Wing and Montgomery SWAT take part in joint active shooter training (Photo story)
Montgomery Advertiser | Mickey Welsh
187th Fighter Wing and Montgomery SWAT took part in joint active-shooter training during an Air National Guard 187th Fighter Wing military security forces and Montgomery SWAT active shooter joint training exercise held at the 187th base at Dannelly Field in Montgomery, Ala., on Wednesday September 20, 2023.
NC: North Carolina National Guard recruitment numbers up 10-15%, enlistment numbers rising nationwide
WNCN, CBS-17.com | Deana Harley
The North Carolina National Guard is seeing higher recruitment numbers than they’ve seen in years and leaders say it’s in part thanks to COVID restrictions lifting. “We are trending in the right direction, where we’re at right now, we’ve seen a 10-15% increase in the numbers compared to where we were at last year,” Sgt. Major Juan Rojas with the NC National Guard said. He says other states are seeing a similar rise in recruitment, meaning the expansion is happening nationwide.
IN: Indiana Army National Guard Faces Recruiting Challenges
93.1FM WIBC | Ryan Hedrick
The Indiana Army National Guard faces several recruiting challenges. One significant issue is the competition for talent in a job market with diverse employment opportunities. Indiana’s strong agricultural and manufacturing sectors often attract potential recruits away from military service. The Army Guard has not been able to meet its recruiting goal since fiscal year 2019, but in fiscal year 2021, it achieved 80.6% of its target. The Army Guard’s exceptional retention rate has made up for the shortfall in its recruitment. Demographic shifts in Indiana, including an aging population, have also resulted in a smaller pool of eligible recruits.
CA: Cal Guard Air Wings demonstrate interoperability, deterrence
Aerotech News | Staff report
Airmen from all five California Air National Guard wings came together at March Air Reserve Base and San Clemente Island for the Grizzly Flag exercise, demonstrating Agile Combat Employment at an austere location Sept. 6-12, 2023. At San Clemente Island, Airmen established base operations, simulated a contested environment, refueled aircraft, created security perimeters, and completed training objectives across the spectrum of operations. The 50-member contingent performed their Air Force Specialty Code duties and additional specialties, demonstrating their ability as multicapable Airmen.
MODERNIZATION
US/MO: Inside the delicate art of maintaining America’s aging nuclear weapons
Associated Press | Tara Copp
The Associated Press was granted rare access to key parts of the highly classified nuclear supply chain and got to watch technicians and engineers tackle the difficult job of maintaining an aging nuclear arsenal. Those workers are about to get a lot busier. The U.S. will spend more than $750 billion over the next 10 years replacing almost every component of its nuclear defenses, including new stealth bombers, submarines, and ground-based intercontinental ballistic missiles in the country’s most ambitious nuclear weapons effort since the Manhattan Project. It’s been almost eight decades since a nuclear weapon has been fired in war. But military leaders warn that such peace may not last.
REFORM
US: Pentagon to review cases of LGBTQ+ veterans denied honorable discharges under ‘don’t ask, don’t tell.’
CBSNews.com (CBS Mornings) (Exclusive) | Jessica Kegu, Jim Axelrod, and Sheena Samu
Thousands of LGBTQ+ veterans who were kicked out of the military because of their sexuality could see their honor restored under a new initiative the Defense Department announced Wednesday, on the 12th anniversary of the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy banning gays and lesbians from openly serving in the military. Before the repeal of the ban, tens of thousands of LGBTQ+ service members were forced out of the military “under other than honorable conditions,” rather than with an honorable discharge.
FULL STORIES
AL: Senate starts moving military confirmations amid Tuberville’s hold.
Alabama Daily News | Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Gen. CQ Brown as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, putting him in place to succeed Gen. Mark Milley when he retires at the end of the month.
Brown’s confirmation on an 83-11 vote, months after President Joe Biden nominated him for the post, comes as Democrats try to maneuver around holds placed on hundreds of nominations by Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville over the Pentagon’s abortion policy. The Senate is also expected to confirm Gen. Randy George to be Army Chief of Staff and Gen. Eric Smith as commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps this week.
Tuberville has been blocking the Senate from the routine process of approving military nominations in groups, frustrating Democrats who had said they would not go through the time-consuming process of bringing up individual nominations for a vote. More than 300 nominees are still stalled amid Tuberville’s blockade and confirming them one-by-one would take months.
But Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., reversed course on Wednesday and moved to force votes on Brown, George, and Smith.
“Senator Tuberville is forcing us to face his obstruction head on,” Schumer said. “I want to make clear to my Republican colleagues — this cannot continue.”
Tuberville did not object to the confirmation votes, saying he will maintain his holds but is fine with bringing up nominations individually for roll call votes.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby said that Brown’s confirmation, along with expected votes on Smith and George, is positive news. But “we should have never been in this position,” he said.
“While good for these three officers, it doesn’t fix the problem or provide a path forward for the 316 other general and flag officers that are held up by this ridiculous hold,” Kirby told reporters.
Brown, a career fighter pilot, was the Air Force’s first Black commander of the Pacific Air Forces and most recently its first Black chief of staff, making him the first African American to lead any of the military branches. His confirmation will also mark the first time the Pentagon’s top two posts were held by African Americans, with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin as the top civilian leader.
In a statement late Wednesday, Austin said Brown would be a “tremendous leader” as the new chairman.
Brown, 60, replaces Joint Chiefs Chairman Army Gen. Mark Milley, who is retiring after four decades in military service. Milley’s four-year term as chairman ends on Sept. 30.
Tuberville said on Wednesday that he will continue to hold up the other nominations unless the Pentagon ends its policy of paying for travel when a service member has to go out of state to get an abortion or other reproductive care. The Biden administration instituted the policy after the Supreme Court overturned the nationwide right to an abortion and some states have limited or banned the procedure.
“Let’s do one at a time or change the policy back,” Tuberville said after Schumer put the three nominations up for a vote. “Let’s vote on it.”
In an effort to force Tuberville’s hand, Democrats had said they would not bring up the most senior nominees while the others were still stalled. “There’s an old saying in the military, leave no one behind,” Senate Armed Services Chairman Jack Reed said in July.
But in a frustrated speech on the Senate floor, Schumer said Wednesday he was left with no other choice.
“Senator Tuberville is using them as pawns,” Schumer said of the nominees.
The votes come as a host of military officers have spoken out about the damage of the delays for service members. While Tuberville’s holds are focused on all general and flag officers, they carry career impacts on the military’s younger rising officers. Until each general or admiral is confirmed, it blocks an opportunity for a more junior officer to rise.
That affects pay, retirement, lifestyle, and future assignments — and in some fields where the private sector will pay more, it becomes harder to convince those highly trained young leaders to stay.
“Senator Tuberville’s continued hold on hundreds of our nation’s military leaders endangers our national security and military readiness. It is well past time to confirm the over 300 other military nominees,” Austin said, noting he would “continue to personally engage with members of Congress in both parties until all of these well-qualified, apolitical officers are confirmed.”
Tuberville said he has not talked to Austin since July about the holds.
The blockade has frustrated members on both sides of the aisle, and it is still unclear how the larger standoff will be resolved. Schumer did not say if he will put additional nominations on the floor.
The monthslong holds have devolved into a convoluted procedural back and forth in recent days.
Tuberville claimed victory after Schumer’s move, even though the Pentagon policy remains unchanged.
“We called them out, and they blinked,” he told reporters of Schumer.
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US: Senate confirms Joint Chiefs chair in respite from Tuberville blockade
Washington Post Online | Mariana Alfaro, Dan Lamothe and Abigail Hauslohner
The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, with Democrats briefly relenting in their ongoing feud with Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) to push through President Biden’s nominee for the military’s top job.
The 83-11 vote avoids what had been the embarrassing prospect of a temporary administrator filling the Pentagon’s most prestigious post. Yet it leaves about 300 other senior officers ensnared in Tuberville’s months-long hold on military promotions with no clear path to advancement, as the underlying political standoff over the Defense Department’s abortion policy exhibits no signs of abating.
Brown, who becomes only the second African American, after Gen. Colin Powell, to ascend to the chairman’s post, was confirmed after Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) chose to peel away the nomination for an individual vote. Senior officer promotions are typically approved by the Senate through unanimous consent to avoid lengthy floor debates and the politicization of votes around military commanders.
Schumer also moved forward with what could be individual confirmation votes on Marine Corps Gen. Eric M. Smith and Army Gen. Randy George to lead their respective services, appearing to leave open the possibility that the Senate will move to install new heads of the Navy and Air Force once their nominations clear scrutiny from the Senate Armed Services Committee.
The 11 senators voting against Brown were all Republicans: Mike Braun (Ind.), Ted Cruz (Tex.), Josh Hawley (Mo.), Mike Lee (Utah), Roger Marshall (Kan.), Eric Schmitt (Mo.), J.D. Vance (Ohio), Ron Johnson (Wis.), Cynthia M. Lummis (Wyo.), Marco Rubio (Fla.) and Tuberville.
A spokesperson for Brown said the general had no immediate comment.
In a statement congratulating Brown, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin called him “a tremendous leader” and said “it is well past time” to confirm the other military nominees. “The brave men and women of the U.S. military deserve to be led by highly qualified general and flag officers at this critical moment for our national security,” he added.
Tuberville imposed his hold on all senior military nominations in February, staging a dramatic protest of the financial assistance rendered to service members and their dependents who must leave the state where they are stationed to obtain an abortion. The Biden administration established the travel-reimbursement policy after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, as Republican-led states began to ban or severely restrict access to reproductive health care.
Until Wednesday, Democrats had refused to vote on the nominations individually, as Tuberville suggested they should. Schumer and other Democrats had long argued that to deviate from the Senate’s standard procedure of approving noncontroversial military nominations in large batches would serve only to encourage other lawmakers with political grievances to attempt a similar gambit, but they reversed course with Brown’s soon-to-be predecessor, Gen. Mark A. Milley, approaching his Sept. 30 legal deadline to step down from the chairman’s post.
An independent assessment by the Congressional Research Service last month found that working on all frozen nominations one-by-one would take months, even if the Senate focused on virtually nothing else.
After Brown’s confirmation vote, the Senate late Wednesday approved a motion to advance George’s nomination to lead the Army, with a final confirmation vote expected sometime Thursday. Efforts to advance Smith’s nomination to take over the Marines also should take place Thursday.
In a statement attacking Tuberville as “the sole cause of this crisis,” Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, said that Democrats “have no problem with voting on the most senior military officers” instead of the usual process of unanimous consent.
“We are disturbed, however, by Republicans’ interest in voting exclusively on a few select officers while hundreds of other officers and their families are punished,” he added. “Democrats pursued every opportunity we could before taking this route, and I hope Republicans understand the terrible message they are sending to the force.”
Earlier Wednesday, after Schumer threatened to keep lawmakers in the Senate over the weekend, they voted overwhelmingly — 89-8 — to advance Brown’s nomination for a final vote. Tuberville voted against doing so.
Tuberville did not object to the votes. But moments after the Senate moved to advance Brown’s nomination for final consideration, the freshman senator cast blame on Democrats for the state of play and vowed to continue his hold on the other military nominations unless the Pentagon changes its abortion policy.
He argued that Schumer “could have confirmed these nominees a long, long time ago” if he had agreed to approve each nomination individually.
“We could have been confirming one or two a week for the last 200 days,” Tuberville said, alleging that Democrats simply did not want to work. “Senators are perfectly capable of voting. Voting is our job.”
Shortly thereafter, Tuberville reiterated his long-standing conditions for relenting.
“If the Pentagon lifts the policy, then I will lift the hold. It’s as easy as that,” he said.
Tuberville’s words on the Senate floor Wednesday echoed his previous promise to hold up nominations until Austin “rescinds or suspends” the policy. In February, when he first mounted his opposition, Tuberville argued that his position is about “not forcing the taxpayers of this country to fund abortion.”
But on the Senate floor Wednesday, Schumer said that Tuberville’s position is forcing the Senate to move through these first three key military key positions, arguing that any further delays could pose a risk to national security.
Schumer said that, for more than six months, Tuberville has continued his “brazen, reckless hold of hundreds of routine, nonpolitical promotions of senior military officers.”
“Due to the extraordinary circumstances of Senator Tuberville’s reckless decisions, Democrats will take action,” Schumer said. “Democrats have said all along that these promotions should move forward together, as these nominations have for decades in the past. They should have happened a long time ago. They should have happened the way these promotions have been done in the Senate until Senator Tuberville arrived.”
Republican leadership also has opposed Tuberville’s actions, with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) saying in May that he doesn’t “support putting a hold on military nominations.”
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday that, while “obviously it’s good” that the Senate is moving forward on confirming the three nominees, lawmakers should have never been put in this position.
He said that although Schumer’s move to force through the confirmation votes is good for the three officers and the military branches they represent, it “doesn’t fix the problem or provide a path forward” for the hundreds of other nominations still pending.
“This is a larger problem,” Kirby said. “It’s caused by one man, one senator who, despite his claims to the contrary, is actually politicizing the United States military.”
Currently, because of Tuberville’s holds, the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps have no Senate-confirmed service chiefs. It was not immediately clear whether Schumer might move for votes on any of the other open positions.
Brown, Milley’s successor, was lauded as a well-qualified candidate in a hearing in July by members of the Senate Armed Services Committee. He has served for the past three years as the top officer in the Air Force, and previously held positions overseeing operations in the Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East.
Smith, the acting commandant of the Marine Corps since July, and George, the acting chief of staff of the Army since August, also are expected to be easily confirmed if put up for a vote. Smith told reporters this month that effectively holding the service’s top two positions at the same time is “not sustainable.”
While for now about 300 high-level military positions have been affected by Tuberville’s hold, the number is expected to rise sharply by the end of the year, impacting about 650 of the Defense Department’s 852 generals and admirals, officials have said.
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UKR: U.S. plans $325 million Ukraine aid announcement for Zelenskiy visit, official says.
Reuters | Not Attributed
U.S. President Joe Biden plans to announce a $325 million military aid package for Ukraine on Thursday to coincide with a visit to Washington by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a U.S. official said on Wednesday on condition of anonymity.
The weapons aid package was expected to include the second tranche of cluster munitions fired by a 155-millimeter Howitzer cannon, the U.S official said.
Other new weapons for Ukraine were expected to be announced around the time of Biden’s meeting with Zelenskiy, but not ATACMS missiles which have been under discussion, the U.S. official said.
Ukraine got an initial tranche of M864 155-millimeter artillery rounds in July 2023. The unguided artillery shells are fired from NATO standard 155 cannons, have a maximum range of 18 miles (29 km) and carry up to 72 dual-purpose improved conventional munition (DPICM) M42 and M46 bomblets.
Sending 155-millimeter artillery rounds with cluster munitions has eased the drain on standard “unitary” 155-millimeter shells, which the U.S. also plans to include in this shipment.
In addition, Washington plans to send more Avenger short-range air defense systems that use Stinger missiles, made by RTX Corp, formerly Raytheon, the official said.
Included in the planned aid package for Ukraine are TOW and AT4 anti-tank weapons, Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rockets for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and Javelin anti-tank missiles made by a joint venture between Lockheed and RTX Corp, along with other equipment.
The package was still being finalized and could change, the official said.
The package is made possible by utilizing Presidential Drawdown Authority, which authorizes Biden to transfer articles and services from U.S. stocks without congressional approval during an emergency. The material will come from U.S. excess inventory.
Zelenskiy is scheduled to visit Capitol Hill on Thursday morning to meet lawmakers before holding White House talks with Biden later on Thursday.
Since the Russian invasion in February 2022 the U.S. has sent more than $40 billion worth of security assistance to Ukraine.
--Reporting by Steve Holland and mike Stone; additional reporting by Doina Chiacu
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POL/UKR: Poland Says It’s Cutting Off Arms to Ukraine as Spat Worsens
Bloomberg News | Natalia Ojewska and Piotr Skolimowski
Poland said it has stopped supplying weapons to Ukraine, further escalating a dispute over grain shipments that’s threatening to break a key alliance in Kyiv’s fight against Russia.
“We are no longer transferring weapons to Ukraine, because we are now arming Poland with more modern weapons,” Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said in an interview with Polsat television, in response to a question from a reporter on whether Warsaw would continue to support Kyiv despite the grain-exports disagreement.
He said his government has no intention to “risk the security of Ukraine” and won’t interfere with arms shipments from other countries through the military hub that’s grown up in the town of Rzeszow. He noted that Poland is also benefiting financially from the transit.
The dispute cast sudden doubt on the unity that had defined the neighbors’ relationship before the grain dispute, a friendship that seemed to epitomize European solidarity with Ukraine against the Russian invasion.
There was no immediate response from Kyiv to Morawiecki’s comments.
“I am not sure that it will have a significant impact” on the war effort, said Peter Schroeder, a former Russia analyst at the US Central Intelligence Agency and now an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. Poland’s “most important role has been as a transshipment point to get weapons from across NATO and other countries into Ukraine,” he said. “The PM noted that would continue.”
Poland is a vital route for arms going to Ukraine from its allies in the US and Europe.
Morawiecki’s announcement came just hours after Poland summoned Ukraine’s ambassador and threatened to expand a grain ban to other imports from its neighbor.
The government in Warsaw reacted to remarks from Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday in which the Ukrainian leader accused some European Union countries of feigning solidarity with his war-torn nation and appeasing Russia.
While Zelenskiy didn’t single out Poland, his language triggered an angry response there. The ruling Law & Justice party is seething over earlier criticism from Kyiv about its decision to unilaterally extend a ban on Ukrainian grain imports — a move seen as a pre-election appeal to rural Polish voters.
After an initial exchange of barbs between Zelenskiy and his Polish counterpart, Andrzej Duda, on Tuesday, Morawiecki threatened to add more products to the grain ban if Kyiv escalates.
Duda laid into his counterpart on Tuesday in New York, comparing Ukraine’s reaction to the grain ban to that of a drowning man, who “can be extremely dangerous, because he can drag you to the depths” and “drown the rescuers.”
The back-and-forth signaled that what seemed to be a relatively minor disagreement has ballooned into something larger. A further worsening could have direct implications for the war, as Poland is the primary destination for refugees and the gateway to about 90% of all the western aid and military equipment headed for Kyiv.
The timing is also a blow to Ukraine, as the war of words flared just as Zelenskiy pressed his case in New York for more global support and Ukrainian forces advance in a grinding counteroffensive to retake occupied territory.
“Tension and disagreements between Kyiv and some of its strongest backers is sure to instill more confidence in the Kremlin that European support for Ukraine is not certain over the long term,” said Schroeder, the former CIA analyst.
For Poland, the issue is a political one. The ruling Law & Justice party, seeking a third term in office in next month’s contest, is reluctant to alienate its rural base while growing discontent over the cost of supporting Ukraine has boosted the party’s opponents on the far right.
--With assistance from Daryna Krasnolutska and Peter Martin
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UKR: Zelenskyy to meet U.S. military leaders in first visit to the Pentagon.
The Ukrainian president will meet with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Mark Milley
Politico Online | Lara Seligman
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to visit the Pentagon on Thursday, his first trip to the U.S. military’s headquarters in Arlington, Va., since last year’s full-scale Russian invasion, a top White House official said Wednesday.
At the Pentagon, Zelenskyy will meet with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Mark Milley, and other senior military leaders, said John Kirby, a spokesperson for the National Security Council. New Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov will also attend, according to a person familiar with the visit, who was granted anonymity to speak about sensitive plans.
The visit is just one stop on the Ukrainian president’s trip to the United States this week. In the morning he will meet with lawmakers on Capitol Hill, before heading to the Pentagon, and then meeting with President Joe Biden at the White House, Kirby said. It will be the third time the two leaders have met at the White House.
During his meetings on the Hill, Zelenskyy is expected to discuss his goals in Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russia, Kirby said.
“We think it’s really important that he’s the best messenger for the people of Ukraine and his armed forces,” Kirby said.
The Biden administration is weighing sending Ukraine long-range missiles, the Army Tactical Missile System that can reach 190 miles, but has not made a final decision, Kirby said.
“It is still in active discussion within the interagency and certainly with our Ukrainian partners,” Kirby said.
Zelenskyy’s trip to the U.S. comes ahead of an expected political fight over sending additional military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine’s fight against the Russian invasion. Biden has requested Congress provide as much as $24 billion in additional support, but some Republicans have called for slashing funding for the war.
The visit comes after Biden is slated to return to Washington this week from New York City, where he made the case for countries to continue supporting Ukraine at the United Nations General Assembly.
“I ask you this: If we abandon the core principles of the United States to appease an aggressor, can any member state in this body feel confident that they are protected?” Biden said in his address Tuesday. “If we allow Ukraine to be carved up, is the independence of any nation secure?”
--Paul McLeary contributed to this report
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WA: Fiancée pleads for answers after young guardsman fatally shot while driving
Rudolph King III was shot and killed while driving in Fife on Sept. 12. Police and his fiancée Sarah Layne are still searching for answers.
King5.com | Maddie White
When a single car in Fife collided with light poles, trees, and a fire hydrant last Tuesday, police initially thought they were being dispatched to a routine traffic collision call.
But it turned out to be a more tragic situation, and now a Puyallup family is begging for answers.
According to the Fife Police Department, officers responded around 9:30 p.m. on Sept. 12 to a car speeding on 20th Street East near 70th Avenue East. After the car came to a rest, police discovered a man inside the car, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
He was identified as Rudolph King III.
King is a 23-year-old man from Milton, known to his friends and family as "Little Rudy." He was an active-duty officer with the Army National Guard and a recent graduate of Pacific Lutheran University.
Results of the autopsy shocked responding officers.
“They discovered later that there was a gunshot wound," said Assistant Chief David Claridge of the Fife Police Department.
Authorities said a single gunshot wound killed King before his car veered out of control and crashed. Police said it appears the violent attack was "random," and said that he does not seem to have any enemies.
"From what we know he is a good young man who was on his way home to family," said Claridge. Claridge added that he was coming from a game of flag football at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
In the days since, the roadside memorial has grown for King at the site of the crime scene.
His college sweetheart is sharing her plea for the community's help.
"I was just at home waiting for him to come back home," said Sarah Layne, King's fiancée. The pair are both in their early 20s, and in love. "We met both going to Pacific Lutheran University."
It wasn’t long before King proposed.
"All he asked me to do was dress a little bit nicer, for whatever reason, you know. So, we took a walk in the neighborhood, and kind of at this part of a trail, all the photos we had from our year in that relationship at that time, were all hung up," she recalls. "And it was very, very intimate. It was just me, him and a couple friends taking pictures from the bushes. So, it was a very quiet, private proposal, but it was very, very beautiful."
She said as cadets in college, they "hit it off right away," and were "attached at the hip.”
But that future they envisioned together was ripped away last Tuesday, and she now faces unimaginable grief.
"My life has been completely uprooted," said Layne.
Answers about why, and who shot King, remain.
"We don’t have any information to lead to, really, a whole lot of anything," said Claridge. Still, the officer emphasized that detectives are working hard on this case to try and bring justice to the situation.
The Washington National Guard released a statement in the wake of King's death.
"Our men and women are devoted to making our state and nation a safer place. When they are victims of senseless crimes, it makes it an even bigger tragedy," the statement reads. "We are keeping our thoughts and prayers with Lt. King’s family and are offering whatever support we can to help them get through this heartbreaking time."
Meanwhile, Layne said she was often inspired by King's kindness and generosity, adding that he was a man of service to his very core.
"He was activated for wildfires in Washington not too long ago, about a year ago," said Layne. "He volunteered many hours at the police department during Police Explorers in high school. He always gave his time to other things. So, now is the time where we need a little bit in return from the community. We need help solving this.”
If you have any information about this crime, you are urged to contact Detective Sergeant Travis Kenyon at 253-896-8291.
Layne and King had plans to marry in the near future. A family friend set up a GoFundMe page to help Layne with "loss of income and daily expenses."
Visit this webpage if you are interested in donating.
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US: Sewage, rats, and crime: GAO finds military barracks in deplorable shape
Stars and Stripes Online | John Vandiver
Barracks life can mean enduring raw sewage overflows, dangerous gas leaks and rodent infestations, according to a new government report saying military officials don’t have a full grasp of the squalor thousands of troops face.
U.S. service members also could be at increased risk of sexual assault and other crimes because of chronically broken windows and locks, the Government Accountability Office said Tuesday in a report based on a visit to 10 stateside military bases.
“At one installation, we noticed a bad odor throughout the barracks. Installation officials told us the smell was methane gas leaking out of aging plumbing with sewage pipes that routinely crack and require replacement,” the GAO said, citing one example of the problems it found during a tour of installations.
The Defense Department service branches have come under intense scrutiny because of the poor living conditions some troops face. Over the past couple of years, there have been high-profile scandals at several locations.
In 2022, for example, a mold infestation at Fort Liberty, N.C., forced 1,200 soldiers out of barracks. The buildings were demolished upon their evacuation.
While there is a general awareness of the problems with base housing, military officials could be underestimating the extent of the barracks crisis because of a rating system that gives passing grades to facilities that are clearly substandard, GAO said.
“DOD doesn’t have reliable information about barracks conditions, or how these conditions affect troop morale,” the GAO said. “And while DOD spends billions of dollars annually on its facilities, it’s unable to identify how much funding goes toward barracks.”
Still, the military doesn’t appear to have a clear strategy for rectifying the problem, which could be causing people to flee the services, the GAO said.
“No military service has fulfilled DOD requirements to periodically evaluate the effects of barracks conditions on service members’ reenlistment decisions,” the GAO said.
The GAO said it observed barracks at seven of 10 military installations visited that required significant improvements, despite positive “condition scores” of 80 and above.
In one case, an unnamed barracks had to be shut down because of plumbing and electrical issues. Yet that base had a score of 90, indicating the building was in excellent condition, the GAO said.
Also, the barracks scrutinized by observers “pose potentially serious health and safety risks” and do not meet minimum DOD standards for privacy and configuration, according to the report.
In discussions with service members living in barracks and their senior enlisted leaders, the GAO was told that such conditions “contributed to an environment where theft, property damage, and sexual assault were more likely.”
In all 12 troop discussion groups at the bases visited, there was a consensus that rundown barracks had a negative effect on mental health, the GAO said.
“For example, in one group, a service member told us about increased anxiety and panic attacks after living in the barracks,” the GAO said. “In another, a service member said it was depressing to come home to a dark box after work.”
Among the obstacles to improving conditions is a DOD lack of complete funding information to make informed decisions and it conducts insufficient oversight.
The report recommended that the DOD and its service branches put in place an array of bureaucratic reforms to better track barracks conditions and the assessments of service members who reside in them.
DOD concurred with 23 of the 31 recommendations and partially concurred with eight others. The GAO countered that DOD should comply with all the recommendations.
The bases visited by the GAO were: Fort Meade, Md.; Fort Carson, Colo.; Joint Base Andrews-Naval Air Facility Washington; Joint Base San Antonio; Naval Support Activity Bethesda, Md.; Naval Base Coronado and Naval Base San Diego in California; Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va.; Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego; and Camp Pendleton, Calif.
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AL: High School Football Coach Leaving Team for National Guard Deployment
The SPUN by Sports Illustrated | Kameron Duncan
A high school football coach is leaving his team in the middle of the season, but he's got a pretty good reason.
Jason Massey coaches the Leroy (Alabama) Bears, and he found out during Labor Day weekend that he would be deployed in October.
“It came as a little bit of a surprise,” said the coach.
“I guess you always kind of hope that maybe things will change, but we had been hearing rumors. Of course, nothing is confirmed until you get your orders. It’s part of being in the military. You realize that when you join up."
Massey and the Bears are coming off a state-championship winning season and he is in his 11th season as the team's head coach.
The team is currently 3-0 after going 13-1 last season and winning the Alabama Class 1A state title a season ago.
Military service runs in Massey's family.
His father served in the National Guard for 30 years, and his uncle and two brothers also served. Massey's upcoming deployment will be his third and the first since he was gone for seven months during the pandemic.
Massey says that while he doesn't know where he'll be sent, he has an idea for how long it will last.
"Probably at least a year," he said.
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NH: NH National Guard helicopter crew rescues injured Bay State hiker
New Hampshire Union Leader | Staff report
A Massachusetts hiker was airlifted to a hospital by a New Hampshire National Guard helicopter crew after she fell and suffered a head injury on Mount Monadnock Tuesday afternoon.
Cynthia Bissell, 65, of Barre, Mass., was hiking down the White Dot Trail shortly before 2 p.m. when the accident happened, according to a news release from New Hampshire Fish and Game. Her hiking companion called for help, and Fish and Game conservation officers headed to the scene.
A ranger from the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and a volunteer from Monadnock State Park were nearby when the call came in, and the two hiked to Bissell's location.
The ranger, who is an EMT, requested a medical helicopter due to the severity of Bissell's injuries, and rescuers carried her to the nearest landing zone.
However, the DHART helicopter was unable to fly due to inclement weather that moved into the area, officials said. Fish and Game called on the National Guard for help, using a helicopter hoist to rescue the victim.
When the Guard helicopter arrived in the area, conditions had improved at the summit and the aircraft was able to land, officials said. The crew brought Bissell to Concord Hospital for treatment.
Fish and Game thanked all the agencies that responded to the incident, including "numerous good Samaritans who jumped to assist."
The agency said the incident is a reminder for hikers to "always plan for the unexpected." For a list of recommended hiking equipment, visit:
www.hikesafe.com.
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AL: 187th Fighter Wing and Montgomery SWAT take part in joint active shooter training
Montgomery Advertiser | Mickey Welsh
Photo caption: 187th Fighter Wing and Montgomery SWAT take part in joint active shooter training during an Air National Guard 187th Fighter Wing military security forces and Montgomery SWAT active shooter joint training exercise held at the 187th base at Dannelly Field in Montgomery, Ala., on Wednesday September 20, 2023.
Photo caption: Col Jay R. Spohn talks about security training with the city of Montgomery during an Air National Guard 187th Fighter Wing military security forces and Montgomery SWAT active shooter joint training exercise held at the 187th base at Dannelly Field in Montgomery, Ala., on Wednesday September 20, 2023. (Photo by Mickey Welsh)
Photos link:
https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/picture-gallery/news/2023/09/20/187th-fighter-wing-and-montgomery-swat-take-part-in-joint-active-shooter-training/70911820007/
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NC: North Carolina National Guard recruitment numbers up 10-15%, enlistment numbers rising nationwide
WNCN, CBS-17.com | Deana Harley
The North Carolina National Guard is seeing higher recruitment numbers than they’ve seen in years and leaders say it’s in part thanks to COVID restrictions lifting.
“We are trending in the right direction, where we’re at right now, we’ve seen a 10-15% increase in the numbers compared to where we were at last year,” Sgt. Major Juan Rojas with the NC National Guard said.
Sgt. Major Rojas says during the pandemic, recruiters couldn’t get in front of high school or even college students for recruitment events. But now most of those restrictions have been lifted.
“Really they’re able to get in front of their target more, which is huge for us, anytime we can get into a classroom, in front of the 17, 18-year-old population, that’s always good,” Sgt. Major Rojas said.
He says other states are seeing a similar rise in recruitment, meaning the expansion is happening nationwide. Being the only service members with state and federal missions, Sgt. Major Rojas says National Guardsmen are eligible for benefits from both the state and federal levels, including healthcare and VA loans. He says there are other benefits that draw a lot of people in, too.
“Just the job training that you can get from all of the various fields that we have in the National Guard, most of which would transfer over to civilian world as well,” he said.
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IN: Indiana Army National Guard Faces Recruiting Challenges
Another hurdle is the state's strong economy, which provides many employment opportunities.
93.1FM WIBC | Ryan Hedrick
The Indiana Army National Guard faces several recruiting challenges. One significant issue is the competition for talent in a job market with diverse employment opportunities. Indiana’s strong agricultural and manufacturing sectors often attract potential recruits away from military service.
The Army Guard has not been able to meet its recruiting goal since fiscal year 2019, but in fiscal year 2021, it achieved 80.6% of its target. The Army Guard’s exceptional retention rate has made up for the shortfall in its recruitment.
“People just aren’t interested,” said Dustin Tolbert, Indiana Army National Guard Recruiter. “Direct, measurable challenges that we have civilian employers are competing with our benefits. They are not necessarily outpacing us, and we have some policies that aren’t necessarily assumably outdated, such as our grooming standards. It seems like this younger generation is more about personal identity.”
Another hurdle is the state’s strong economy, which provides many employment opportunities, often making it difficult to attract individuals to a military career. The talent competition is fierce, especially in industries like agriculture, manufacturing, and technology, which are prominent in the state.
Tolbert says the Guard is hosting a recruitment celebration kickoff Thursday in Indianapolis.
“Our big push will be educating them on the benefits and recent changes to our education policies, now that we pay for private institutions and our referral enlistment program, where if you refer someone to the National Guard, you could earn $1,000.”
Demographic shifts in Indiana, including an aging population, have also resulted in a smaller pool of eligible recruits. To counter these obstacles, the Indiana Army National Guard must employ creative and targeted recruiting strategies, emphasizing the unique benefits of military service and the opportunities it offers for personal and professional growth.
The Indiana Army National Guard recruiters will organize a kickoff celebration at the Indiana War Memorial Plaza on Thursday from 1 to 4 p.m.
They will be available to discuss various topics such as community support, ways to give back to the community, the challenges involved in talent acquisition, and the referral enlistment program.
This public event will showcase military vehicle displays, interactive displays, food trucks, and an inflatable obstacle course.
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CA: Cal Guard Air Wings demonstrate interoperability, deterrence
Aerotech News | Staff report
Airmen from all five California Air National Guard wings came together at March Air Reserve Base and San Clemente Island for the Grizzly Flag exercise, demonstrating Agile Combat Employment at an austere location Sept. 6-12, 2023.
“We replicated a scenario where we are operating out of a main base and receive intel that we need to get out of the location quickly. The participants packed up and shipped out with everything necessary to set up and operate in an austere location,” said Col. Aimee Howard, who served as the exercise’s commander of the Air Expeditionary Wing.
Photo caption: California Air National Guard Forward Area Refueling Point (FARP) personnel from the 130th Rescue Squadron standby for the MQ-9 Aircraft refuel on the Naval Auxiliary Landing Field on San Clemente Island Calif., Sept. 8, 2023. These personnel simulated the refueling in a contested environment for the Grizzly Flag exercise. Grizzly Flag is a six-day exercise among the five California Air National Guard Wings to demonstrate Agile Combat Employment in a hub and spoke configuration. (U.S. Air National Guard photo)
“The idea is to leave the hub, at March Air Reserve Base, and to operate at the spoke, San Clemente Island, without missing a heartbeat. This demonstrates our ability to keep the adversary moving and being unpredictable with where we are going,” Howard said.
At San Clemente Island, Airmen established base operations, simulated a contested environment, refueled aircraft, created security perimeters, and completed training objectives across the spectrum of operations.
The 50-member contingent performed their Air Force Specialty Code duties and additional specialties, demonstrating their ability as multicapable Airmen.
Transportation professionals supported medical professionals and all Airmen supported civil engineering, building tents for lodging and space to operate.
As the United States continues to focus on the Indo-Pacific Region, California’s Air National Guard units are positioned to defend the nation and meet any challenge.
“Defending the homeland is priority No. 1,” said Brig. Gen. Steven Butow, commander of the California Air National Guard. “In this regard, Grizzly Flag was a first step toward exercising the agility of our Airmen in a realistic scenario that strengthens the California Air National Guard’s contribution to our national defense.”
The ability to operate among all five California ANG wings was demonstrated throughout. That interoperability was displayed when forward area refueling point (FARP) operations were completed with a C-130 and an MQ-9.
FARP is a skill in the petroleum, oils, and lubrication career field where Airmen learn to refuel aircraft on the ground when air-to-air refueling is not possible, at austere locations in contested environments.
During the exercise, Airmen from the 335th Logistics Readiness Squadron on a C-130 completed FARP with Airmen from the 163d Attack Wing with an MQ-9.
“We know that the threat is coming with our near-peer adversaries, and we are ensuring we are maintaining a full level of readiness to keep the adversary thinking ó not today,” said Howard.
“We will absolutely continue this kind of training. We are empowering our Airmen to think about ways they can solve problems. This prepares our Airmen to think about solving problems in a different way, in a field environment where they may not have all the tools they would expect,” Howard said.
Medics from the 163d Medical Group trained others on the signs of cardiac arrest and how to manage it and resuscitate victims.
“The more people we have trained, the more lives we can save, whether it be in a civilian environment or while deployed,” said Staff Sgt. Sean Strayer, a medic with the 163d Medical Group.
A fully functional communication system also needed to be established when exercise participants arrived.
“We set up communication fly-away kits to establish communication channels,” said Staff Sgt. Jared Haux, 144th Communications Flight. “It was a challenge to set up our equipment at first. There was a learning curve, but once we got it down, we got it down pretty good.”
Photo caption: California National Guard Airmen board a C-130 aircraft at March Air Reserve Base, Calif., bound for San Clemente Island to participate in the Grizzly Flag exercise Sept. 6-12, 2023. (Air National Guard photograph by Staff Sgt. Joseph Pagan)
With communications established, Airmen like Haux were able to support other functions.
“I learned a lot outside of my career field,” said Haux. “I learned a lot about the jobs and responsibilities of the civil engineers. I learned a lot about radio and radio frequencies. I even got to go into more of my own career field. This whole experience was pretty cool. I’m very interested to see how it progresses in the future.”
Keeping the mission moving required providing food to participants as well.
“I’m used to cooking in a traditional dining facility,” said Senior Airman David Valdez, 163d Force Support Squadron. “Being out here with limited resources and having to adapt and overcome was a challenge in itself.”
The California ANG intends to complete a larger version of the exercise next year.
“The end result for me is everyone working as a team and learning the skill sets from other jobs, how important they are, and how they can add that skill into their own daily role,” said Lt. Col. Scott McClellan, who served as the Air Expeditionary Squadron commander for the exercise. “Participants’ attitudes have been incredible, work ethic was amazing, and everyone had a lean-forward mentality, striving to get the mission done.”
Editor’s note: Lt. Col. Tawny Dotson, Staff Sgt. Joseph Pagan, Master Sgt. Charles Vaughn, and Master Sgt. Dave Loeffler contributed to this report.
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US/MO: Inside the delicate art of maintaining America’s aging nuclear weapons.
Associated Press | Tara Copp
In an ultra-sterile room at a secure factory in Kansas City, U.S. government technicians refurbish the nation’s nuclear warheads. The job is exacting: Each warhead has thousands of springs, gears and copper contacts that must work in conjunction to set off a nuclear explosion.
Eight hundred miles (about 1,300 kilometers) away in New Mexico, workers in a steel-walled vault have an equally delicate task. Wearing radiation monitors, safety goggles and seven layers of gloves, they practice shaping new warhead plutonium cores — by hand.
And at nuclear weapons bases across the country, troops as young as 17 keep 50-year-old warheads working until replacements are ready. A hairline scratch on a warhead’s polished black cone could send the bomb off course.
The Associated Press was granted rare access to key parts of the highly classified nuclear supply chain and got to watch technicians and engineers tackle the difficult job of maintaining an aging nuclear arsenal. Those workers are about to get a lot busier. The U.S. will spend more than $750 billion over the next 10 years replacing almost every component of its nuclear defenses, including new stealth bombers, submarines, and ground-based intercontinental ballistic missiles in the country’s most ambitious nuclear weapons effort since the Manhattan Project.
It’s been almost eight decades since a nuclear weapon has been fired in war. But military leaders warn that such peace may not last. They say the U.S. has entered an uneasy era of global threats that includes a nuclear weapons buildup by China and Russia’s repeat threats to use a nuclear bomb in Ukraine. They say that America’s aged weapons need to be replaced to ensure they work.
“What we want to do is preserve our way of life without fighting major wars,” said Marvin Adams, director of weapons programs for the Department of Energy. “Nothing in our toolbox really works to deter aggressors unless we have that foundation of the nuclear deterrent.”
By treaty the U.S. maintains 1,550 active nuclear warheads, and the government plans to modernize them all. At the same time, technicians, scientists, and military missile crews must ensure the older weapons keep running until the new ones are installed.
The project is so ambitious that watchdogs warn that the government may not meet its goals. The program has also drawn criticism from non-proliferation advocates and experts who say the current arsenal, though timeworn, is sufficient to meet U.S. needs. Upgrading it will also be expensive, they say.
“They are going to have extreme difficulty meeting these deadlines,” said Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, a non-partisan group focused on nuclear and conventional weapons control. “And the costs are going to go up.”
He cautioned that the sweeping upgrades could also have the undesired effect of pushing Russia and China to improve and expand their arsenals.
WHERE IT BEGINS
The core of every nuclear warhead is a hollow, globe-shaped plutonium pit made by engineers at the Energy Department’s lab in Los Alamos, New Mexico, birthplace of the atom bomb. Many of the current pits in use come from the 1970s and 80s. That can be problematic, because there’s a lot about plutonium’s aging process that scientists still don’t understand.
The key radioactive atom in the plutonium pit has a half-life of 24,000 years, which is the amount of time it would take roughly half of the radioactive atoms present to decay. That would suggest the weapons should be viable for years to come. But the plutonium decay is still enough to cause concern that it could affect how a pit explodes.
President George H.W. Bush signed an order in the 1990s banning underground nuclear tests, and the U.S. has not detonated pits to update data on their degradation since. When the last tests were performed, they provided data on pits that were at most about two decades old. That generation of pits is now pushing past 50.
Bob Webster, deputy director of weapons at Los Alamos, said scientists have relied on computer models to determine how well such old pits might work, but “everything we’re doing is extrapolating,” he said.
That uncertainty has pushed the department to restart pit production. The U.S. no longer produces man-made plutonium. Instead, old plutonium is essentially refurbished into new pits.
This task takes place inside PF-4, a highly classified building at Los Alamos that’s surrounded by layers of armed guards, heavy steel doors and radiation monitors. Inside, workers handle the plutonium inside steel glove boxes, which allow them to clean and process the plutonium without being exposed to deadly radiation.
In the final production steps, a lone employee in the vault takes the almost-completed pit into both of her gloved hands and shapes it into its final form.
“Things have to fit a certain way, and everything is by touch, by feel,” said the Los Alamos employee, who the AP has agreed not to name because she is one of only a handful of people in the U.S., and the only female, who performs this sensitive task.
For about the last 10 years technicians have been practicing on “test” pits that aren’t ready for the stockpile. The U.S. is planning to fully recycle its first weapon-ready pit next year — and quickly increase annual production to as many as 80 new pits.
The painstaking and hazardous work has led a government watchdog to express doubts about whether the U.S. government can meet that goal.
“The United States has not regularly manufactured plutonium pits since 1989,” the Government Accountability Office noted in a January 2023 report, adding that the Energy Department’s National Nuclear Security Administration has provided “limited assurance that it would be able to produce sufficient numbers of pits.”
Webster has been at Los Alamos since Ronald Reagan was president. He could have retired years ago but has remained to shepherd the first new plutonium pits through to production. The lab is starting to feel a bit like it did in the 1980s, during the Cold War, he said. Los Alamos scientists are having intense discussions about weapon design — how much each can weigh, its explosive punch, how far it must travel.
“We need our nation to be back making pits,” Webster said. “We just have to be able to do that.”
THE WARHEAD AND THE WRISTWATCH
Completed pits are protected and detonated by an outer warhead layer that is built at the Energy Department’s Kansas City National Security Campus. Inside that three-story windowless factory, workers restore and test those warhead parts, work that a government watchdog said required “a great deal of precision manufacturing to exacting specifications.”
There are thousands of tiny parts inside each warhead, so steady hands are key. That’s why technicians go through a skills assessment that includes disassembling and assembling a mechanical wristwatch.
“Everything is done under a microscope with tweezers,” said Molly Hadfield, a spokeswoman for the Kansas City plant. “And it’s pass (or) fail. Either the watch works, or it doesn’t work.”
This factory would be busy even if an overhaul wasn’t underway. All warheads have regular maintenance requirements. Their plastics age, and metal gears and wiring are weakened by the years and by exposure to radiation.
The factory is also working on warheads for the B-21 Raider, a futuristic stealth bomber, while also supporting the Sentinel, a new intercontinental ballistic missile and on warheads for a new class of submarines.
“There’s a huge modernization effort going on,” said Eric Wollerman, who manages the Kansas City complex for the Department of Energy through its federal contract with Honeywell. “If you’re going to update the delivery systems, you would also then update the warheads in the missiles and the bombs that are with them.”
To meet the demand for both maintenance and modernization, the facilities have gone on a hiring spree. The Kansas City plant has 6,700 employees, a 40% jump since 2018, with plans to add several hundred more. The Los Alamos lab has added more than 4,000 employees in that same time frame.
OLD MISSILES, YOUNG TROOPS
The U.S. nuclear arsenal reveals its age each time troops fix a missile. That can occur as often as twice a week, but only if the equally old tools, or the truck carrying the tools, or the truck needed to transport the missile itself isn’t also broken down, which is often.
That is why Airman 1st Class Jonathan Marrs was dragging a second 225-pound (102-kilogram) aluminum tow behind him toward a concrete silo in the midst of vast Montana farmland on a recent hot afternoon.
Marrs, 21, and other airmen used a tow and wrenches the size of human femurs to dislodge silo Bravo-9’s 110-ton blast door. Underneath its cement and steel cover was a 70,000-pound (31,750-kilogram) nuclear missile; the missile’s warhead tip needed to be lifted out and trucked to base for work.
Except the blast door wouldn’t budge. The first 225-pound (102-kilogram) tow, or mule, as the troops call it, couldn’t generate the power needed to pull back the door.
After attaching a second mule, Marrs and the other airman succeeded in pulling the door free, releasing scores of mice.
The maintainers next unfastened the warhead from the missile and placed it in a specialized truck. It’s then escorted by Air Force security forces back to a heavily guarded hangar at Montana’s Malmstrom Air Force Base.
Marrs and the other young airmen — known as maintainers — are closely monitored as they handle nuclear weapons, U.S. Air Force officials said.
“If I under-inflate a basketball at the gym, no one will care,” said Chief Master Sgt. Andrew Zahm, the maintenance group senior enlisted leader at F.E. Warren Air Force Base. “If I did something with one of these weapons, the president would know about it in 45 minutes.”
The workload is already a challenge for these troops, and there aren’t many easy ways to relieve it.
While the private-sector managed Los Alamos and Kansas City plants have hired personnel to meet the rising workload, the military has struggled to fill jobs and retain experienced technicians. Instead, the military must do more with fewer maintainers, and for much less money than those troops could make as government contractors.
“Once you start showing a staff sergeant the $80,000” they could make in the private sector, they are going to take it, Zahm said.
Zahm is a rarity. While many have retired or left for private industry, he’s remained to keep serving the military’s nuclear mission. With the U.S. so close to its first new weapon, he’s driven by a desire to see it through. “In 21 years, I’ve never seen a new thing,” Zahm said. “I want to see the new stuff.”
--Copp reported from Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico; the Kansas City National Security Campus, Missouri; Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana and F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming
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US: Pentagon to review cases of LGBTQ+ veterans denied honorable discharges under ‘don’t ask, don’t tell.’
CBSNews.com (CBS Mornings) (Exclusive) | Jessica Kegu, Jim Axelrod, and Sheena Samu
Thousands of LGBTQ+ veterans who were kicked out of the military because of their sexuality could see their honor restored under a new initiative the Defense Department announced Wednesday, on the 12th anniversary of the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy banning gays and lesbians from openly serving in the military.
Before the repeal of the ban, tens of thousands of LGBTQ+ service members were forced out of the military “under other than honorable conditions,” rather than with an honorable discharge.
As CBS News documented in a nine-month investigation, many LGBTQ+ veterans found that without an honorable discharge, they were deprived of access to the full spectrum of veterans benefits, including VA loan programs, college tuition assistance, health care and some jobs.
In a statement commemorating the anniversary of the repeal, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin acknowledged the military fell short in correcting the harms of its past policies against LGBTQ+ service members.
“For decades, our LGBTQ+ Service members were forced to hide or were prevented from serving altogether,” Austin said. “Even still, they selflessly put themselves in harm’s way for the good of our country and the American people. Unfortunately, too many of them were discharged from the military based on their sexual orientation — and for many this left them without access to the benefits and services they earned.”
Since the ban was lifted, the military has allowed these LGBTQ+ veterans to try to secure an honorable discharge, but CBS News also found in its investigation that the military’s existing process for this is complicated, emotionally taxing and places the burden on the veteran to prove there was discrimination.
To help ease that burden, the Defense Department plans to conduct a review of veterans’ records who served under “don’t ask, don’t tell” for a possible recommendation of a discharge upgrade. This means that these veterans would not have to apply for the upgrade themselves, a process that both veterans and experts have said is often unsuccessful without the help of a lawyer. The department is also launching a website Wednesday with resources dedicated to LGBTQ+ veterans who believe they were wrongfully discharged for their sexuality.
Once the military completes its initial review of veterans’ records who served during “don’t ask, don’t tell,” a senior Pentagon official told CBS News it plans to begin looking at the records of veterans who served before that policy — by many accounts, a time of even greater discrimination against gay and lesbian service members.
“Over the past decade, we’ve tried to make it easier for Service members discharged based on their sexual orientation to obtain corrective relief,” Austin also said in his statement. “While this process can be difficult to navigate, we are working to make it more accessible and efficient.”
And he said that in the coming weeks, the military will start outreach campaigns to encourage service members and veterans who believe they suffered an injustice because of “don’t ask, don’t tell” to try to get their military records corrected.
While the full scope of past discrimination remains unknown due to the opaque nature of military records and the widespread use of cover charges to drum out gay and lesbian troops, figures obtained via Freedom of Information Act and shared with CBS News earlier this year revealed that more than 35,000 service members from 1980 to 2011 “received a discharge or separation because of real or perceived homosexuality, homosexual conduct, sexual perversion, or any other related reason.” According to the most recent data available from the Pentagon, just 1,375 veterans have been granted relief in the form of a discharge upgrade or correction to their record.
Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) has been pushing the Pentagon to act since 2015 when he first introduced legislation to reinstate benefits for LGBTQ veterans discharged over their sexual orientation. He applauded Secretary Austin for the long overdue action.
“People have been waiting a very, very long time for this,” Schatz said. “If someone has the guts and the courage and the patriotism and the discipline to serve in the United States military, they ought to be treated, like a veteran when they are done. They ought to be given the honorable discharge and be entitled to the benefits, that they’ve earned.
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(Alabama National Guard News Compilation by Sgt. Adena Belle McCluskey)