MONDAY PDB – Survey of Blue Star Families finds considerable reluctance for recommending military life. Military families are increasingly unlikely to recommend a military career to loved ones, with fewer than one-third of respondents saying they would do so.
WHY? – WOKENESS, QUALITY OF LIFE AND SAFETY ISSUES.
A Navy SEAL was convinced exposure to blasts damaged his brain, so he donated it to science to prove it. Before he ended his own life, Ryan Larkin made his family promise to donate his brain to science.
When will the Pentagon listen on blast injuries? Troops buffeted by explosions are too often treated simply for mental health—not physical damage to the brain like Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).
Lawmakers push Pentagon for overdue data on tanker suicide rates. Members of both houses of Congress are calling for DoD to comply with federal law and submit overdue suicide-related reports to legislative committees.
Pentagon won't say if troop deployment tempo exceeds recommended goal. The Defense Department is still operating under a 2021 policy that sets a goal for active-duty units to spend three months at home for every month they spend deployed, but the Pentagon won't disclose how often it's being met.
SPEND IT ON TBI AND SUICIDES – Retired Admiral McRaven, who oversaw bin Laden raid, gets $50 million from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
FOR YOUR EYES ONLY – Here's a roundup of today's other top defense stories from conservative national security expert PAUL CRESPO.
Not the President's Daily Brief, but almost as good – PAUL'S DAILY BRIEFING – the PDB:
NATIONAL SECURITY
The future of war is unmanned and underwater. The Ukraine War has delivered a powerful technological message about the potential for unmanned systems in modern warfare. Deployed at scale, drones are fundamentally changing the character of combat.
US POWER OVERSEAS
Democrats join Republicans in wanting more answers on Biden's Gaza pier. Democrat Sen. Richard Blumenthal says he has “very serious questions about how the construction will be done, with the assurance of safety to our troops.”
First aid ship carrying food aid arrives in Gaza. This, a first step in a fledgling maritime operation to bring more aid to Palestinians as aid groups claim Israel is restricting deliveries by road.
IRAN THREAT
BIDEN'S THREATS ARE EMPTY – HE IS HELPING IRAN – US, G-7 allies warn Iran to back off deal to provide Russia ballistic missiles or face new sanctions.
A suspected attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels has targeted a ship in the Gulf of Aden. An explosive detonated near a ship early Sunday in the Gulf of Aden, likely marking the latest Iran-backed assault on shipping through the crucial waterway leading to the Red Sea.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
Israel launches night raid on Gaza al-Shifa hospital. The overnight raid on the Hamas-controlled hospital included tanks and heavy gunfire at the facility.
CHINA THREAT
Philippines, Japan near long-range missile milestones as they arm-up to face China. By the end of March, the Philippines expects to have its first BrahMos anti-ship cruise missiles, and Japan plans to begin training its personnel to operate Tomahawk missiles.
RUSSIA THREAT – UKRAINE WAR
Belgorod, the city where the war in Ukraine came to Russia. Air raid sirens wail almost daily in the southern Russian city of Belgorod, sending people rushing for cover and reminding residents the full-scale war in neighboring Ukraine is a reality for them too.
Bolster Ukraine's irregular warfare tactics with Western tech. As Ukrainian forces assume a more defensive posture, Kyiv's irregular warfare behind enemy lines becomes even more important. With Western support and technology, these silent warriors could become even more potent.
Russia says Ukraine launched far-ranging drone attacks on final day of Russia's presidential vote. The sham election is set to extend Vladimir Putin's rule for another six years.
Putin extends one man-rule in Russia after stage-managed election devoid of credible opposition. Vladimir Putin has tightened his grip on the country he has ruled since the turn of the century, with a predictably large victory for the Kremlin leader.
NORTH KOREA THREAT
North Korea resumes missile tests, raising tensions with its rivals after their military drills' end. North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters Monday morning, days after the end of the South Korean-U.S. military drills that the North views as an invasion rehearsal.
SPACE THREAT
Pentagon eyes Starship, designed for Mars, for military missions somewhat closer to home. SpaceX's Starship has taken another step toward becoming the biggest space hauler of all time. The reusable mega-rocket is expected to eventually bring launch costs down even further than has the company's Falcon 9 rocket, which the Pentagon uses to send most of its satellites into space.
INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
NATO lauds ‘unprecedented' jump in defense spending, new members, and public popularity. NATO's annual report says 2023 was a “challenging but successful year,” highlighting a rise in defense spending, the historic accession of Finland — followed by Sweden — and what the NATO chief called “extremely strong” public support.
Brazil's military leaders told police Bolsonaro involved in a plan to reverse 2022 election result. The Brazilian military said that former President Jair Bolsonaro presented them a plan to change the election he lost, but they refused and warned him they would arrest him if he tried it.
Pakistani jets target suspected Pakistani Taliban hideouts in Afghanistan, killing 8 people. Pakistani airstrikes hit Pakistani Taliban targets inside neighboring Afghanistan early on Monday, drawing return fire from the Afghan Taliban.
US MILITARY
Air Force's first Grey Wolf patrol helicopter arrives at Malmstrom. Its newest helicopter has reported for duty.
Moving cargo in a hurry? These Air Force EAGLE teams make it happen. Loading cargo onto an aircraft sounds simple, but it's not.
Stratolaunch sets sights on hypersonic speeds for next Talon-A test. It is set to reach or surpass the milestone of five times the speed of sound.
END of PDB
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.
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