Riot & Inauguration Put Pentagon in Crosshairs
Accusations of participation, culpability, hate mongering, and escalated threats of violence rain upon the US military as Congress, National Guard across the nation, and corporate America come to terms with the breaching of the US Capitol last week and protecting the inauguration of a new US president next week.
Timeline on Vote for New DefSec Unclear
The Senate Armed Services Committee is planning a confirmation hearing at 3 pm Jan. 19 for GEN Lloyd Austin, the Biden administration’s choice for secretary of defense. A timeline for any vote has not yet been established.
1st Step Taken in Renaming Bases, Ships With Confederate Names
The first members of the commission to rename at least 10 Army bases and possibly two Navy ships that honor the Confederacy have been appointed by acting DefSec Christopher Miller.
US Finds Russia ‘Likely’ Behind Cyberhack
The entire US intelligence committee confirms the massive cyber-attack on the US ‘likely’ came from Russia. The FBI, CISA, ODNI, and NSA are working in concert to remediate the attacks.
SolarWinds: Pearl Harbor of American IT
A SolarWinds investor has filed suit against the IT firm Russia exploited to infiltrate 18,000 US computer systems. The lawsuit accuses SolarWinds of failing to disclose the breach. The extent and full nature of the infiltration has not been established by ongoing investigations whose findings are increasingly worrisome to IT experts.
F-35 Full-Rate Production Put on Hold
DoD has put a hold on the full-rate production of the F-35. The Pentagon says technical challenges and the impact of COVID-19 have delayed preparation of the simulation facility where the combat testing will be conducted.
DoD Photos Take a Look Back at 2020
The Department of Defense regularly chronicles US military members who train and conduct operations around the world 24/7, 365 days a year. DoD offers a glimpse into their lives and their work through the work of military photographers in 2020.
Morning Coffee Is Off the Burner
Morning Coffee is off the burner for the holidays. Please keep in your thoughts all those working to keep the world safe, especially during this time that seeks Peace on Earth. We will be percolating again Monday, Jan. 4, 2021.
Senate Preps to Override NDAA Veto
Senator Majority Leader McConnell announces a deal with Minority Leader Schumer and will call the Senate back into session Dec. 29 in order to override President Trump’s threatened veto of the FY21 National Defense Authorization Act. The NDAA passed in both houses by majorities capable of overriding a presidential veto.
Biden Transition Team Decries Lack of DoD Cooperation
President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team has criticized the Pentagon for the abrupt halt in meetings and information sharing. “A failure to work together can have consequences well beyond January,” a spokesman for the team said.
