The INSIDER daily digest -- Oct. 10, 2017

Coverage of the AUSA Annual Meeting dominates this Tuesday INSIDER Daily Digest.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis spoke at the AUSA conference this week:

Mattis: DOD needs to open up communications with industry

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis again called for closer ties with industry during his keynote address at the Association of the United States Army's annual meeting, as he highlighted the importance of reforming the Defense Department's business processes.

. . . As did the service's top civilian official:

McCarthy and Milley announce plans to create modernization command

Army senior leaders have "approved the establishment of a task force to develop a new command to consolidate . . . Army modernization under one roof," according to the service's top civilian official.

More AUSA coverage:

Army official predicts first SFABs to be focused on Iraq and Afghanistan

As the Army works to build its new security force assistance brigades, the short-term goal may be to gear the initial units toward fulfilling needs in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to the director of force management in the office of the deputy chief of staff (G-3/5/7).

Army takes milestone decision authority on four major programs

The Army has been delegated milestone decision authority for four programs previously under the defense secretary's oversight, including the service's next-generation tactical network, according to the service's acting acquisition chief.

McCarthy: Army tweaking POM to address top priorities

The Army intends to shift resources within its program objective memorandum to enable the "ruthless prioritization" required to modernize the force, according to the acting service secretary.

Army buying a brigade set of Trophy APS for Abrams tanks

Maj. Gen. David Bassett, program executive officer for ground combat systems, told reporters Oct. 9 the Army has elected to purchase one brigade set of the Trophy active protection system.

Army working toward MDD for NGCV in FY-22

The Army is leveraging cross-functional teams to help inform the Next Generation Combat Vehicle effort, according to the commanding general of the Maneuver Center of Excellence.

(Keep up to date with all the news coming out of the AUSA conference here.)

Background checks for military and civilian personnel will soon be done by DOD:

Pentagon proposes phased takeover of background investigations

The Pentagon is poised to manage background investigations for military personnel, civilians and contractors under a new plan proposed to Congress, but industry groups have lined up to oppose the move.

Precision munition programs will be getting a funding boost:

DOD poised to pump hundreds of millions more into select precision munition programs

Congress has approved a Pentagon request to shift $412 million between accounts to boost purchases of precision munitions using funds appropriated in fiscal years 2016 and 2017, allowing the U.S. government to immediately increase buys of both new weapons -- such as the the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile and Small Diameter Bomb II -- and inventory mainstays, such as the Joint Direct Attack Munition.