LOSING TIME: Eleven Ships

| Posted in Defense Drumbeat

As the Navy struggles to keep as many ships at sea as possible, the CR puts 11 in limbo- they can’t go to sea and they can’t get fixed. #LosingTime

Just the Facts: How a Cr will Harm Americas Military

| Posted in Defense Drumbeat

Following a summer in which 42 service members died in accidents connected to a military readiness crisis, Congress voted to impose yet another continuing resolution on America’s men and women in uniform. This is the ninth time in a row that the US Military will start the year with a CR. As Chairman Thornberry pointed out in the Washington Post , “CRs… present a stark risk. Continuing to govern from fiscal cliff to fiscal cliff — as we have done for years now — forces the military to limp along on stopgap funding and would shortchange it over $60 billion through fiscal year 2018 compared with the bipartisan House position.”

Navy is 'Treading Water'

| Posted in Defense Drumbeat

Yesterday, the House Armed Services Committee hosted a hearing to discuss the recent Naval accidents. The discussion also turned to the ongoing readiness issues the Navy faces, including reduced training, long deployments and continued budget uncertainty. Below are excerpts from some of the stories identifying critical readiness shortfalls:

Congress Keeps Holding Military Funding Hostage

| Posted in Defense Drumbeat

This summer, the nation mourned the 42 service members who died in accidents related to readiness challenges across our military. The deaths of 17 sailors aboard the USS John S. McCain and USS Fitzgerald, along with separate accidents claiming the lives of 19 Marines and six soldiers, grabbed the nation’s attention. But words of sorrow do not sufficiently honor their deaths, let alone prevent further incidents. It is essential to reverse the consequences of Washington’s funding paralysis and do what is right by those who raise their hands to serve.

Americas New Deadliest War is Hiding in Plain Sight

| Posted in Defense Drumbeat

"With hurricane relief and the debt ceiling grabbing the headlines, it will be easy to overlook today’s Congressional hearing on recent ship collisions in the Pacific Ocean. But policymakers should not.

Readiness Crisis Getting Worse

| Posted in Defense Drumbeat

This summer, 42 service members died in accidents related to readiness challenges impacting the U.S. Military. Seventeen Sailors were killed aboard the USS McCain and USS Fitzgerald; separate accidents claimed the lives of 19 Marines and 6 Soldiers.

The Atlantic: does the Military Need a Space Corps?

| Posted in Defense Drumbeat

“In a bipartisan vote last month, the House of Representatives approved legislation that would direct the Defense Department to build a new 'space corps' within the Air Force… The U.S. Space Command is currently housed within the Air Force, and the House proposal calls for it to become a separate service while still reporting to the secretary of the Air Force… it would not become a new department with its own secretary, although [Rep. Mike] Rogers has warned that might be necessary in the future. Rogers and [Rep. Jim] Cooper’s chief complaints about the Air Force’s handling of space are both bureaucratic and cultural. For years, they say, the Air Force has raided funds from the Space Command to cover cost-overruns for other projects. And it has failed to promote space leaders up the chain of command.”...

Thornberry Talks Iran Space Launch & Sanctions Efforts W/ Fox

| Posted in Defense Drumbeat

WASHINGTON - Today, Chairman Mac Thornberry (R-TX) joined America's Newsroom on Fox News to talk about reports that Iran launched a satellite into space, as well as sanctions bills moving through the Congress. Read some of the highlights below and watch the entire interview here: