The office of the Army chief staff announced the following general officer assignments today:
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Tony Bertuca is chief editor of Inside the Pentagon, the flagship publication of InsideDefense, where he focuses on defense budget and acquisition policy. He previously worked for the Sun-Times News Group in his hometown of Chicago, IL, and at the New Hampshire Union Leader in Manchester, NH. Tony has also served as managing editor of Inside the Army. He has a master's degree in journalism from Boston University.
The office of the Army chief staff announced the following general officer assignments today:
Congressional conference committee deliberations continue this week on the proposed fiscal year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, though several sources on Capitol Hill indicate that lawmakers are embroiled in heated debates over a handful of contentious issues, including defense acquisition reform, that could push negotiations into next month.
As the defense world awaits a congressional conference committee report on the fiscal year 2016 defense authorization bill, the week ahead includes a series of earnings calls from some of the defense industry's biggest players, a confirmation hearing for the next Army chief, the Aspen Security Forum and a meeting of the influential Defense Business Board.
Alan Estevez, the principal deputy under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, defended progress the Defense Department has made thus far in improving its acquisition system, arguing that proposed legislation backed by Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-AZ) that seeks to empower military service chiefs at the expense of AT&L officials is disconnected from the realities of running the Pentagon and would impede DOD from properly managing programs.
The Defense Department is appealing a controversial Senate measure in the proposed fiscal year 2016 defense authorization bill that would mandate a 7.5 percent reduction in Pentagon headquarters and administrative staff for FY-16 as part of a 30 percent reduction over the next four years, according to documents obtained by InsideDefense.com.
The Pentagon, in a formal appeal sent to the conference committee debating the fiscal year 2016 defense authorization bill, is targeting controversial House legislation that would require the Defense Department's chief weapons tester to ensure his office does not "unnecessarily" increase acquisition program costs or impede schedules, according to documents obtained by InsideDefense.com.
Highlights from this week's edition of Inside the Pentagon . . .
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-AZ) said Wednesday he hopes to convince his House counterpart Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX) to support his defense acquisition reform measures before the conference report for the proposed National Defense Authorization Act is completed later this week, though the senator remains “very concerned” that President Obama will ultimately veto the bill.
Pentagon senior leaders are scheduled to convene July 30 to determine a way forward on plans to redirect greater funding toward the Defense Department's space, cyber and nuclear programs in the fiscal year 2017 budget, InsideDefense.com has learned.
Defense Secretary Ash Carter is being dispatched to Israel by President Obama next week to reassure the Israelis of the United States' continued commitment to their security in wake of a historic nuclear agreement with Iran that has been denounced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to a White House statement.
The week ahead features a high-profile nomination hearing and a think tank appearance by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) likely to address lawmakers' ongoing work on the proposed National Defense Authorization Act and the Obama administration's veto threat.
The Defense Department, in an effort to secure U.S. military superiority into the 21st century, has approved the establishment of a new innovation unit tasked with identifying "leading edge" commercial technologies that exist outside the traditional defense sector, according to a recent memo.
The Senate announced today its list of lawmakers who will negotiate the proposed fiscal year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act with counterparts from the House.
House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA), who told reporters Thursday he has been "assured repeatedly" that President Obama will veto the proposed fiscal year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act unless broader budget compromises can be made with the GOP, also weighed in on the matter of acquisition reform and the dueling visions of defense authorization committee chairmen Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX) and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ).
The Defense Department is seeking permission to reallocate $1.2 million -- a relatively small request in the context of the U.S. military budget -- to advance remedial efforts to improve high-level Pentagon focus on electronic warfare and implement the classified findings of an influential advisory panel that warned improvement in this area is needed.
Defense Secretary Ash Carter is headed to Sun Valley, Idaho, to attend a high-profile media finance conference where he will continue to emphasize the growing need for the Pentagon to partner with cutting-edge technology firms to achieve 21st century battlefield dominance, according to a Defense Department announcement.
President Obama, who made an unusual trip to the Pentagon on Monday to discuss military strategy with his top national security advisers, did not indicate whether he would veto the fiscal year 2016 defense authorization bill scheduled to reach his desk later this month, though he guaranteed that no U.S. service member would work without pay.
The 2015 National Military Strategy -- the first such document to be released since 2011 -- gives a nod to the efficiencies sought by Better Buying Power 3.0, the Pentagon's key acquisition improvement initiative, and also provides a brief glimpse into plans for new investments in military technology.
The Pentagon was given an "A" grade on Friday by the U.S. Small Business Administration for awarding $53.3 billion in fiscal year 2014 prime contracts to small businesses -- more than half of the federal government's total for FY-14.
The House has named members to the conference committee tasked with resolving differences with the Senate in the proposed fiscal year 2016 defense authorization bill.
The conferees will be led by House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry (R-TX).