DOCSLIB.ORG

POGO : the Defense Monitor

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
POGO : the Defense Monitor ©2015 Project On Government Oversight ISSN # 0195-6450 • Volume XLIV, Number 5 • October-December 2015 THE DEFENSE MONITOR PROJECT ON GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT L to R: Lt. Col. Daniel L. Davis, Maj. Donald E. Vandergriff, Col. Gary I. Wilson, Lt. Col. Tony Carr, Col. Michael D. Wyly Announcing the CDI Military Advisory Board BY MANDY SMITHBERGER In September, CDI announced the creation of a Military Advisory Board. This is the most recent POGO undertaking to continue CDI’s legacy of challenging the military-industrial-congressional complex and providing the public with the information it needs about how tax dollars are so often misused in the name of national security. My first introduction to the mili- important it was to reform the sys- V-22 Ospreys, which weren’t being tary-industrial-congressional com- tem and how our spending was deployed in battle.4 plex was the F-22 program. As an almost totally disconnected from the Most people who enter public ser- intern at POGO, I helped our national needs of our troops on the ground. vice, both in the military and civilian security investigator at the time, Todd For those who don’t know him, as sectors, want to make this country a Bowers, on a report on the decision to a Marine, he was nearly commit taxpayers to a three-year pro- killed when a sniper round The requests of defense industry duction contract for the F-22.1 Test- was deflected by his scope. lobbyists are prioritized over the ing was far from complete, and all of His father had personally real needs of those in combat. the independent analysts agreed this bought and shipped that Politicians, their staff, and the public was a bad decision—except for one, scope to him, since the mili- need to hear more voices that the Institute for Defense Analyses. tary wasn’t buying that nec- put this gross perversion of our While investigating why they came essary equipment for the democratic system into perspective. to a different conclusion, I found troops.3 Years later, under- that the president, Dennis Blair, was equipping troops was still a problem. better place. Far too often, though, also the president of a subcontractor While at POGO, Todd discovered they lose this purpose, or give up for the program. As a result, Dennis that Congress was cutting funds for to the entropy of a bureaucracy that Blair was soon out of a job both at the night vision goggles and other equip- doesn’t want to change its ways. contractor and at IDA.2 ment needed by the troops in the Those few who are still fighting for I first learned from Todd how field in order to fund earmarks for reforms need support from outsid- PROJECT ON GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT A NOTE ABOUT THE MILITARY ADVISORY BOARD FROM FORMER CDI PRESIDENT ADMIRAL GENE LAROCQUE STAFF Danielle Brian, Executive Director Scott Amey, General Counsel The following prepared speech from Admiral Gene LaRocque was delivered by Lydia Dennett, Investigator his granddaughter, Sarah Grace Fitzsimmons, at the CDI event announcing the Danni Downing, Editor & CTP Director Abby Evans, Donor Relations Manager creation of the Military Advisory Board. Ned Feder, M.D., Staff Scientist Leslie Garvey, Digital Media Manager Iulia Gheorghiu, Beth Daley Fellow From the earliest days of the Center for Defense Information, the pri- Neil Gordon, Investigator mary focus was on three goals: Dan Grazier, Jack Shanahan Fellow Liz Hempowicz, Public Policy Associate Number One: Avert a nuclear war with the Soviet Union. David Hilzenrath, Editor-in-Chief Number Two: To end the Vietnam War. Lynn Mandell, Finance Manager Jacob Marx, Researcher And Number Three: To monitor the sought and unsought influence of Johanna Mingos, Data Specialist the military-industrial complex. Sean Moulton, Open Government Program Manager Obviously, the Vietnam War ended and we no longer have to worry Joe Newman, Director of about a nuclear war with the Soviet Union. But, the sought or unsought Communications influence that Eisenhower warned about is growing in power. I am very Chris Pabon, Director of Development Nick Pacifico, Investigator pleased to learn that the Center for Defense Information is making efforts Justin Rood, Congressional Oversight to counter this growing influence. Initiative Director Keith Rutter, COO & CFO It is understandable that candidates for office would like to create jobs in Pam Rutter, Web Manager their districts. But the military-industrial complex is not designed to create Mandy Smithberger, Director of the CDI Straus Military Reform Project jobs. It is simply to defend the United States. We have many opportunities Mia Steinle, Investigator to create jobs here in America by focusing our efforts in pursuing peaceful Adam Zagorin, Journalist-in-Residence Spencer Brignac, Intern and nonmilitary goals. I am very pleased that CDI is undertaking efforts to Daniel Van Schooten, Intern counter the military-industrial complex. The Center for Defense Information deserves our support in this effort CDI MILITARY ADVISORY BOARD and I personally will do everything I can to assist the leadership of CDI in Lt. Col. Tony Carr, USAF (Ret.) Lt. Col. Daniel L. Davis, USA (Ret.) this endeavor. Maj. Donald E. Vandergriff, USA (Ret.) Col. Gary I. Wilson, USMC (Ret.) Col. Michael D. Wyly, USMC (Ret.) ers like CDI to be effective. Working ability, national defense and inter- BOARD OF DIRECTORS on Capitol Hill, I regularly saw how national law. He is the editor of the David Hunter, Chair Lisa Baumgartner Bonds, Vice Chair the requests of defense industry lob- National Security Journal. His work can Dina Rasor, Treasurer byists were prioritized over the real be found at www.jqpublicblog.com. Ryan Alexander Henry Banta needs of those in combat. Politicians, David Burnham their staff, and the public need to Lt. Col. Daniel L. Davis, USA Andrew Cockburn (Ret.) Michael Cavallo hear more voices that put this gross , has worked on defense, for- Mickey Edwards perversion of our democratic system eign affairs, and social issues, and Janine Jaquet into perspective. has been published in The New York Debra Katz Nithi Vivatrat CDI’s new Military Advisory Times, Financial Times, CNN, The Anne Zill Board will provide additional voices Guardian, U.S. News & World Report, Morton Mintz, Emeritus to act as the conscience for national and other publications. He was also security policymakers. We are hon- the recipient of the 2012 Ridenhour Newsletter design for POGO by: Dropcap Design ored to have the following retired Prize for Truth-Telling. 202.680.2020 • [email protected] military officers join our efforts: Maj. Donald E. Vandergriff, USA © Copyright by the Project On Lt. Col. Tony Carr, USAF (Ret.), is (Ret.), is widely respected for his Government Oversight. POGO encourages quotation and reprinting of a reform advocate, and third-year stu- research and expertise on the mili- any of the material, provided POGO is dent at Harvard Law School, where tary’s outdated personnel system. credited. POGO requests a copy of such use. he focuses on government account- He has CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 Treatment of War Hero Reveals Broken Military Whistleblower Protection System BY DANIELLE BRIAN AND MANDY SMITHBERGER Lieutenant Colonel Jason Amerine earned a bronze star and purple heart for Hunter and Hunter’s Chief of Staff, his heroic actions during an Afghanistan firefight, a battle that was immortal- Joe Kasper. ized in a best-selling book. He’s a Green Beret who was a guest of President At first we tried to bring the Army George W. Bush at a State of the Union Address. He taught at West Point and bureaucracy to its senses behind the even inspired the Army to create an action figure in his likeness. scenes, asking them to reconsider The word hero gets thrown enhance congressional oversight their decision to investigate Amer- around a lot and is probably over- were failing him. What we didn’t ine for making protected disclosures used, but there’s not much debate know at the time was this was just to Congress. Representative Jackie when it comes to Amerine’s deco- the beginning of what would become Speier (D-CA), the Ranking Member rated Army career. a many months-long ordeal that of the House Armed Services’ Over- None of that, however, seemed to would get much, much worse before sight and Investigations subcommit- matter in September when Amerine it got better. tee, co-signed a letter with Hunter to was told to report to Army Criminal the Army challenging this improper Investigation Command. There were Working behind the scenes interference with a member of the no official charges against him but When Amerine came to us for help, military’s right to speak to Congress that didn’t stop the Army from trying we were vaguely aware of his storied and urging the Army to cease its to humiliate him by taking his mug career. We knew there was a book retaliatory investigation. Their pleas shot, fingerprints, and DNA in order about his experiences as a warrior, were largely ignored. to list him in a criminal database. but we decided we had better not The House Armed Services com- His alleged crime? He had spoken read it—we needed to be able to tell mittee had also interviewed Amerine to a Member of Congress about the him what to do to focus on the battles about the hostage recovery mess, but U.S. government’s broken and dys- ahead here in Washington, and that they were not moved to protect their functional hostage recovery process. would have been a lot harder if we right to access information—or their It was a textbook example of retal- were treating him as the war hero he sources—so they decided not to try iation against someone who had spo- is.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • President's Message
    JULY 2015 VOL 58 Chapter 16 Newsleer Organizaon and Responsibilies: President’s Message The 2015 SFA Conven on and 1st Group Reunion are behind us. Many Editor: Glen Craig thanks to Jerry Powell and Chapter XVVII for the great job they did this Secons: year. This is the rst me I recall the event being held on the west coast. fi Message from the President: Dave Shell Great job Jerry, to you and all your folks. I wish I could have aended, but Treasurers Report: Kevin Paon as you know I am a world away. Pat Kelleher and Chapter XI hosted the 1st SFG(A) Reunion. While the SFA Sec. Rpt (Sta Mee ng Minutes): Paul Bagshaw st ff Convenon draws the usual cast of characters, aending the 1 Reunion Sick Call/Obituary: Chaplain Butch Hall aracts guys who have been out of the net for some me; guys with Blast from the Past: Glen Craig whom we shared a lifeme of experiences. Chapter XVI made a bid for the next 1st Group Reunion to be held in 2017 (they are bi‐annual), but Special Recogni on: Paul Bagshaw Chapter IX in El Paso got the nod. The big reason why is that our bid, had Upcoming Events: Paul Bagshaw it been accepted, would have moved the normal meframe from June‐ st Calendar: Dave Shell July to December to be held in concurrence with the 1 Group Menton Week commemoraon. Those opposed objected on the grounds that Human Interest Story: Chapter at large Menton should be a stand‐alone event and that it might dwarf the SFA Naonal HQ Update: Dave Shell reunion.
    [Show full text]
  • Adolescents, Virtual War, and the Government-Gaming Nexus
    Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2012 Why We Still Fight: Adolescents, Virtual War, and the Government Gaming Nexus Margot A. Susca Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact [email protected] THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION WHY WE STILL FIGHT: ADOLESCENTS, VIRTUAL WAR, AND THE GOVERNMENT- GAMING NEXUS By MARGOT A. SUSCA A dissertation submitted to the School of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Degree Awarded: Spring Semester, 2012 Margot A. Susca defended this dissertation on February 29, 2012. The members of the supervisory committee were: Jennifer M. Proffitt Professor Directing Dissertation Ronald L. Mullis University Representative Stephen D. McDowell Committee Member Arthur A. Raney Committee Member The Graduate School has verified and approved the above-named committee members, and certifies that the dissertation has been approved in accordance with university requirements. ii For my mother iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my sincere appreciation to my major professor, Jennifer M. Proffitt, Ph.D., for her unending support, encouragement, and guidance throughout this process. I thank her for the endless hours of revision and counsel and for having chocolate in her office, where I spent more time than I would like to admit looking for words of inspiration and motivation. I also would like to thank my committee members, Stephen McDowell, Ph.D., Arthur Raney, Ph.D., and Ronald Mullis, Ph.D., who all offered valuable feedback and reassurance during these last two years.
    [Show full text]
  • The Coils of the Anaconda: America's
    THE COILS OF THE ANACONDA: AMERICA’S FIRST CONVENTIONAL BATTLE IN AFGHANISTAN BY C2009 Lester W. Grau Submitted to the graduate degree program in Military History and the Graduate Faculty of the University of Kansas in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy ____________________________ Dr. Theodore A Wilson, Chairperson ____________________________ Dr. James J. Willbanks, Committee Member ____________________________ Dr. Robert F. Baumann, Committee Member ____________________________ Dr. Maria Carlson, Committee Member ____________________________ Dr. Jacob W. Kipp, Committee Member Date defended: April 27, 2009 The Dissertation Committee for Lester W. Grau certifies that this is the approved version of the following dissertation: THE COILS OF THE ANACONDA: AMERICA’S FIRST CONVENTIONAL BATTLE IN AFGHANISTAN Committee: ____________________________ Dr. Theodore A Wilson, Chairperson ____________________________ Dr. James J. Willbanks, Committee Member ____________________________ Dr. Robert F. Baumann, Committee Member ____________________________ Dr. Maria Carlson, Committee Member ____________________________ Dr. Jacob W. Kipp, Committee Member Date approved: April 27, 2009 ii PREFACE Generals have often been reproached with preparing for the last war instead of for the next–an easy gibe when their fellow-countrymen and their political leaders, too frequently, have prepared for no war at all. Preparation for war is an expensive, burdensome business, yet there is one important part of it that costs little–study. However changed and strange the new conditions of war may be, not only generals, but politicians and ordinary citizens, may find there is much to be learned from the past that can be applied to the future and, in their search for it, that some campaigns have more than others foreshadowed the coming pattern of modern war.1 — Field Marshall Viscount William Slim.
    [Show full text]
  • Trump's Looming Afghan Crisis
    افغانستان آزاد – آزاد افغانستان AA-AA چو کشور نباشـد تن من مبـــــــاد بدین بوم وبر زنده یک تن مــــباد همه سر به سر تن به کشتن دهیم از آن به که کشور به دشمن دهیم www.afgazad.com [email protected] زبان های اروپائی European Languages http://www.counterpunch.org/2017/03/31/countdown-to-disaster-trumps-looming-afghan-crisis/print/ Countdown to Disaster: Trump’s Looming Afghan Crisis By David Rosen March 31, 2017 Ten days after taking office, Pres. Donald Trump’s ordered his first foreign military initiative, a covert counterterrorism operation by Navy’s SEAL Team 6 in Yemen. He apparently approved the attack following discussions with his principle “strategist,” Stephen Bannon. Trump is about the only person who still claims it was a “great” success even though it led to the death of 24 innocent civilians and a U.S. serviceman, let alone the reported $75 million cost of a helicopter. The war in Afghanistan is now in its 16th year, the longest war in U.S. history. Who knows how long it will drag on under Trump, the Commander-and-Chief of all U.S. military – intelligence and nuclear – forces. Since the war-monger troika of Pres. George Bush, VP Dick Chaney and Sec. of War Donald Rumsfeld reigned supreme, a reported 6,800 U.S. troops have died in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq between 2003 and 2015. This is a relatively tiny body-count compared to the losses of American lives sacrificed in the Vietnam War, 48,000, and in World War II, 292,000.
    [Show full text]
  • 'Sort of a Wild Card'
    washingtonpost.com: . And His U.S. Partners Page 1 of 4 . And His U.S. Partners Wounded Army Captain Details Offensive Against Taliban By Peter Finn Washington Post Foreign Service Tuesday, December 11, 2001; Page A01 LANDSTUHL, Germany -- They went in at night in mid-October, 11 members of the U.S. Army 5th Special Forces Group, dropped into a valley deep inside Taliban territory in central Afghanistan. This austere, wild gash in the earth, the soldiers remarked to one another, looked like "the back side of the moon." Out of the darkness stepped Hamid Karzai, today about to be interim leader of Afghanistan, then merely the head of a modest militia force that the United States hoped could galvanize the Pashtun tribes of southern Afghanistan against the Taliban authorities. Over the next six weeks, the small and isolated American unit would fight alongside the ever-growing force of Karzai, calling in airstrikes and firing weapons to repel a fierce Taliban counterattack. It would negotiate with tribal leaders and advance with its Afghan allies to within 20 miles of Kandahar, the Taliban's last major stronghold. "My focus was taking Kandahar, that they'd surrender to us," recounted Capt. Jason Amerine, the unit's commander. "Taking Kandahar, as I saw it, was probably going to be the end of the war." Kandahar fell last week, but Amerine was not there to see it happen. His unit's mission was cut short on Wednesday when an errant U.S. bomb killed three Americans and five of their Afghan allies, and wounded about 40 other Americans and Afghans, Amerine among them.
    [Show full text]
  • Union Calendar No. 506 ACTIVITIES
    Union Calendar No. 506 107TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! 2d Session HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 107–805 ACTIVITIES OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT REFORM ONE HUNDRED SEVENTH CONGRESS FIRST AND SECOND SESSIONS 2001–2002 (Pursuant to House Rule XI, 1(d)) Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.gpo.gov/congress/house http://www.house.gov/reform JANUARY 2, 2003.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 83–062 PDF WASHINGTON : 2003 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512–1800; DC area (202) 512–1800 Fax: (202) 512–2250 Mail: Stop SSOP, Washington, DC 20402–0001 VerDate Dec 13 2002 17:43 Jan 06, 2003 Jkt 083062 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 5012 Sfmt 5012 E:\HR\OC\HR805.XXX HR805 congress.#13 COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT REFORM DAN BURTON, Indiana, Chairman BENJAMIN A. GILMAN, New York HENRY A. WAXMAN, California CONSTANCE A. MORELLA, Maryland TOM LANTOS, California CHRISTOPHER SHAYS, Connecticut MAJOR R. OWENS, New York ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida EDOLPHUS TOWNS, New York JOHN M. MCHUGH, New York PAUL E. KANJORSKI, Pennsylvania STEPHEN HORN, California CAROLYN B. MALONEY, New York JOHN L. MICA, Florida ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON, Washington, THOMAS M. DAVIS, Virginia DC MARK E. SOUDER, Indiana ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS, Maryland STEVEN C. LATOURETTE, Ohio DENNIS J. KUCINICH, Ohio BOB BARR, Georgia ROD R. BLAGOJEVICH, Illinois DAN MILLER, Florida DANNY K. DAVIS, Illinois DOUG OSE, California JOHN F. TIERNEY, Massachusetts RON LEWIS, Kentucky JIM TURNER, Texas JO ANN DAVIS, Virginia THOMAS H.
    [Show full text]
  • Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 114 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION
    E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 114 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 161 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2015 No. 167 House of Representatives The House was not in session today. Its next meeting will be held on Monday, November 16, 2015, at 2 p.m. Senate TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2015 The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY erans Memorial Park. Hands will be called to order by the President pro LEADER put to heart as the ‘‘Star Spangled tempore (Mr. HATCH). The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. Banner’’ is played. Heads will bow in ERNST). The majority leader is recog- reverence as 106 names are read aloud, f nized. each a Kentuckian who made the ulti- mate sacrifice in the service of others, f PRAYER and each a reminder of our enduring SCHEDULE debt to America’s men and women in The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, uniform. fered the following prayer: I am proud to represent the nearly Let us pray. for the information of all Senators, this morning the Senate will resume 330,000 Kentuckians who have served in Eternal Father, inspire our law- the Armed Forces. I am also proud to makers to give You their best. Striving consideration of the MILCON–VA ap- propriations bill. Several amendments represent the many thousands of sol- to serve You and country, may they diers and their families who reside in refuse to bring You the leftovers of were agreed to yesterday, and we ex- pect more to be considered before we or hail from our great Commonwealth, their time, talents, and trust.
    [Show full text]
  • Sample Pages
    1 All This Could Be Yours Author: Jami Attenberg (b. 1971) Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Bos‑ ton). 304 pp. Type of work: Novel Time: Late 2010s, with flashbacks Locales: New Orleans, Louisiana; suburban Connecticut; Los Angeles, California All This Could Be Yours explores the dy- namics of a dysfunctional family when its patriarch dies. It is author Jami Attenberg’s seventh book. Principal characters Victor Tuchman, a seventy‑three‑year‑old corrupt developer who is abusive to his Harcourt Mifflin Houghton Courtesy of family Barbra Tuchman, his wife, who turned a blind eye to his misdeeds in exchange for a life of wealth and comfort Alex Tuchman, his daughter, a divorced lawyer who seeks the truth about his crimes Gary Tuchman, his younger child, an assistant director who works in film and television Twyla Tuchman, his daughter-in-law, Gary’s wife, whose life is turned upside down when he and Barbra move to New Orleans Jami Attenberg is known for her talent for writing about dysfunctional families. She first gained critical acclaim with The Middlesteins (2012), a novel about a family ma‑ triarch whose food addiction sets off a darkly comedic series of events. As demonstrat‑ ed in The Middlesteins, Attenberg excels at presenting different people’s perspectives on shared issues. She utilizes this skill again in All This Could Be Yours (2019). Much like The Middlesteins, All This Could Be Yours explores the ways that one family member’s negative actions can have a ripple effect on everybody else. All This Could Be Yours is an unconventional novel in that it is not particularly plot driven.
    [Show full text]
  • Critical Challenges Confronting National Security—Continuing Encroachment Threatens Force Readiness
    CRITICAL CHALLENGES CONFRONTING NATIONAL SECURITY—CONTINUING ENCROACHMENT THREATENS FORCE READINESS HEARING BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT REFORM HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED SEVENTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION MAY 16, 2002 Serial No. 107–79 Printed for the use of the Committee on Government Reform ( Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.gpo.gov/congress/house http://www.house.gov/reform VerDate 11-MAY-2000 08:37 Jul 30, 2002 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6011 Sfmt 5011 C:\DOCS\80496.TXT HGOVREF1 PsN: HGOVREF1 VerDate 11-MAY-2000 08:37 Jul 30, 2002 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6011 Sfmt 5011 C:\DOCS\80496.TXT HGOVREF1 PsN: HGOVREF1 CRITICAL CHALLENGES CONFRONTING NATIONAL SECURITY—CONTINUING ENCROACHMENT THREATENS FORCE READINESS VerDate 11-MAY-2000 08:37 Jul 30, 2002 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6019 Sfmt 6019 C:\DOCS\80496.TXT HGOVREF1 PsN: HGOVREF1 VerDate 11-MAY-2000 08:37 Jul 30, 2002 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6019 Sfmt 6019 C:\DOCS\80496.TXT HGOVREF1 PsN: HGOVREF1 CRITICAL CHALLENGES CONFRONTING NATIONAL SECURITY—CONTINUING ENCROACHMENT THREATENS FORCE READINESS HEARING BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT REFORM HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED SEVENTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION MAY 16, 2002 Serial No. 107–79 Printed for the use of the Committee on Government Reform ( Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.gpo.gov/congress/house http://www.house.gov/reform U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 80–496 PDF WASHINGTON : 2002 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512–1800; DC area (202) 512–1800 Fax: (202) 512–2250 Mail: Stop SSOP, Washington, DC 20402–0001 VerDate 11-MAY-2000 08:37 Jul 30, 2002 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 5011 Sfmt 5011 C:\DOCS\80496.TXT HGOVREF1 PsN: HGOVREF1 COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT REFORM DAN BURTON, Indiana, Chairman BENJAMIN A.
    [Show full text]
  • Future of War Conference 2017 Program
    FUTURE OF WAR CONFERENCE ‘17 March 21, 2017 Washington, D.C. 1 FUTURE OF WAR CONFERENCE ‘17 New America and Arizona State University welcome you to the Future of War Conference 2017. This conference features leaders from government, military, journalism, academia, and the private sector exploring questions of international security and defense, including military innovation and force structure, post-ISIS areas of Iraq and Syria, U.S. relations with Russia and China, the weaponization of social media, and more. This conference is one of the signature events of the Future of War project—a partnership between New America and Arizona State University—which brings together experts working to develop new paradigms for understanding and addressing the changing nature of armed conflict and systematic violence. Follow the conversation online: facebook.com/newamerica @NewAmericaISP newamerica.org/futureofwar2017 #FutureOfWar Supporters Thank You to Our Supporters Media Partners 2 Supporters About About the Future of War Project The Future of War project—a partnership with Arizona State University—brings together a collection of experts across sectors to address key issues and challenges arising from the changing nature of conflict and war. Developments both in the technological drivers of warfare and the enemies we face have erased the boundaries between what we have traditionally regarded as “war” and “peace.” Today, we are at a major inflection point, one in which technology is reshaping the way wars are fought. The future of warfare will be shaped by new technologies such as: the role of ever-smaller drones and robots on the battlefield; offensive cyber war capabilities; extraordinary surveillance capabilities, both on the battlefield and of particular individuals; greater reliance on Special Operations Forces operating in non-conventional conflicts; and the militarization of space.
    [Show full text]
  • List of Dvds-Cds
    List of DVDs available for Sale by the American Veterans Center This list is not comprehensive. Wondering about a specific veteran not on the list? Call and ask. DVDs are priced at $10. l World War II in HD (veterans featured in the History Channel series share their stories) ○ Col. Jimmie Kanaya - Veteran of the 442nd Regimental Combat team. ○ Shelby Westbrook - Decorated pilot of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen. ○ Jack Yusen - U.S. Navy veteran and survivor of the sinking of the USS Samuel Roberts in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. l Seabees & Civil Engineer Corps: Can-Do! - Featuring a panel of Seabees and Civil Engineer Corps officers who have recently served in Iraq and Afghanistan in various assignments, coinciding with the Navy Memorial’s special exhibit, "The Year of the Seabees & Civil Engineer Corps." ○ CDR Paul Odenthal ○ CDR John J. Adametz ○ Lt. Ryan W. Thrun ○ Ltjg. Christopher Fairfield ○ Senior Chief Builder Cloves E. Tennis ○ Cpt. Kathryn Donovan l General David H. Petreaus - Commander, U.S. Central Command and former Commanding General of MNF-Iraq ○ Featuring Q&A with the audience, moderated by Michael O’Hanlon, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. l WWII Heroes of the Air ○ Col. Clarence “Bud” Anderson - Triple-Ace pilot in the European Theater of World War II, and one of the top American aces of the war. ○ Maj. Theodore “Dutch” Van Kirk - Navigator of the Enola Gay, the B-29 Superfortress that deployed the first atomic bomb over Hiroshima. l The Battle of Iwo Jima ○ Col. Frank C. Caldwell - Commanding Officer of F Co., 2nd Battalion, 26th Marines, which suffered the highest KIA rate of any unit in Marine Corps history.
    [Show full text]
  • Afghanistan 2001-2021: Why Is the West Acting So Surprised?
    W B R I S K P R E V E N T I O N S Y S T E M S w w w . r i s k - p r e v e n t i o n - s y s t e m s . c o m e n q u i r y @ r i s k - p r e v e n t i o n - s y s t e m s . c o m · + 4 9 2 3 4 9 0 4 1 8 3 6 - 3 0 AFGHANISTAN 2001-2021 WHY IS THE WEST ACTING SO SURPRISED? Whereever I came I was met with a smile and the inevitable tea, MY NAME IS more often than not I was asked to share a meal even though MARCEL HAGENS they themselves struggled on a daily base to feed their families and I learned not to compliment them on whatever they were and between 2009 and 2016 I wearing or had in their house because they would insist on you spent a lot of time in Afghanistan. accepting it as a gift. I do not claim to be an expert or This was not at all what I came to expect reading about to know it all but during my visits I Afghanistan and watching CNN, BBC and Dutch TV before I first had the opportunity to spend visited, and this immediately triggered my curiosity. If the image time in Herat, Kabul, the Panjshir of the Afghan people painted in the western press was so far Valley, Kandahar, & Uruzgan.
    [Show full text]