A CURTAIN RAISER: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley are scheduled to testify this afternoon on the Biden administration’s $715 billion budget submission, even though the budget details are not being released until tomorrow.
Their 1 p.m. appearance before the House Appropriations Committee was booked back when it looked like today would be budget day, and while Austin and Milley won’t be able to provide numbers, the Pentagon says there will still be lots to talk about.
“They won’t be able to get into too many specifics with respect to actual line items,” said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby earlier this week, but he said the two leaders would offer “a broad take on budgetary requirements and the budgetary direction.”
DEBATE OVER PROPOSED GUARD QRF: One budget item that Austin and Milley may be asked to address is the $200 million to create a quick reaction force made up of National Guard troops included in the $1.9 billion Capitol security funding bill that passed the House last week by a single vote, 213-212.
Most Republicans opposed the measure, including the top Republicans on both the House and Senate Armed Services committees. ‘“We firmly oppose creating a D.C. National Guard Quick Reaction Force,” said Rep. Mike Rogers and Sen. Jim Inhofe in a joint statement. “We cannot and should not militarize the security of the Capitol Complex.”
“Creating a new quick-reaction force in the National Guard is a bad idea,” argues retired Marine Maj. Gen. Arnold Punaro in an op-ed published yesterday. Punaro, a former staff director of the Senate Armed Services Committee, writes, “While the proposal’s intent is commendable, it does not reflect the reality of how the National Guard operates.”
“The Guard and Reserve are composed of personnel who transition from their civilian status to uniform status with appropriate notice. This transition does not fit the description of ‘quick,’” Pumaro argues.
In addition, he notes that many of the D.C. National Guard troops have civilian jobs in law enforcement or as first responders. “Calling them away from their duties to protect their communities would be counterproductive.”
“If a military quick-reaction force was needed to respond to an extreme situation, Marines stationed at the barracks in Southeast Washington could be mobilized to the Capitol quicker than an [Reserve Component] could be activated. There are two entire infantry rifle companies at the Marine Barracks at 8th and I.”
Punaro also served as chairman of the Independent Commission on the National Guard and Reserves, and he is the former chairman of the Secretary of Defense’s Reserve Forces Policy Board.
HOUSE PASSES $1.9 BILLION CAPITOL SECURITY MEASURE CREATING PERMANENT NATIONAL GUARD FORCE
EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK: Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who served in the Army Reserve Forces for 23 years, has introduced a bill that would mandate that Guard and Reserve troops in high-skilled roles are compensated at the same rate as active-duty counterparts performing the same work.
“Right now, National Guard and Reserve servicemembers who have specific skill sets and qualifications are only paid a fraction of what their active duty counterparts are paid,” said Duckworth in a press release. “Every member of the National Guard and Reserve, whether active or reserve duty, deserves to be fairly compensated for mission-essential skills and work, and I’m glad to introduce this bill that would help ensure that all servicemembers — regardless of the component they serve — are paid equally.”
Good Thursday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Victor I. Nava. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email and we’ll add you to our list. And be sure to follow us on Twitter: @dailyondefense.
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PENTAGON PLANNING FOR AIRLIFT OF AFGHANS: The Pentagon is actively planning to evacuate some of the 18,000 Afghan citizens who have helped or worked for the United States over the past 20 years and who could now face retribution from the Taliban.
At the Pentagon yesterday, spokesman John Kirby says Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was actively participating in an interagency discussion about how to best address this issue. “The secretary shares concerns about so many Afghans who have helped us over the last two decades. He knows many of them himself, so he’s certainly vested in making sure that we do right by them.”
Kirby gave no details of the planning except to say that the Pentagon is a “planning organization” and is always planning for contingencies.
“Non-combatant evacuations is a mission that the military often has to be ready for in many places around the world,” Kirby said. “There’s been no tasking of this kind, we’re not at that stage and at that point, and if we are so tasked, we believe that we have the capabilities and the resources to execute those missions.”
Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley also confirmed that urgent planning was underway as time is growing short with the U.S. troop withdrawal about 25% complete.
Speaking to reporters on the return trip to Washington following his commencement address at the Air Force Academy, Milley said, “There are plans being developed very, very rapidly here, for not just the interpreters but a lot of other people that have worked with the United States,” according to Tara Copp of Defense One, one of the reporters traveling on Milley’s plane.
“We are working through lots of options,” Milley said. “I’m not going to say the specifics of what’s on the table or off the table. Here’s what I would tell you, though — we have a moral commitment to those who helped us.”
DOUBLE THE MONEY FOR DARPA: Last night the Senate passed an amendment to a bill aimed at helping the U.S. compete with China that would double funding for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, known as DARPA.
The amendment, sponsored by Nebraska Republican Ben Sasse, was approved 67-30 and authorizes a supplemental $3.5 billion a year to DARPA’s existing $3.5 billion annual budget over the next five years.
“This is a big win for national security,” said Sasse in a news release. “Modern war isn’t just about enemy landings, it’s about enemy hackings. The Chinese Communist Party is pouring money into automated machine learning, AI, and quantum computing because they want to be the world’s preeminent super-power. DARPA’s job is to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
REMEMBERING SEN. JOHN WARNER: The death earlier this week of John Warner, the five-term U.S. senator from Virginia who was a force for bipartisan compromise when he chaired the Armed Services Committee, has prompted tributes from his former colleagues.
“John dedicated his life to the service of our nation, and is deeply loved by those who knew him and the values he stood for as a Marine, a U.S. Senator, and a statesman,” said Sens. Jack Reed and Jim Inhofe, the leaders of the Armed Services Committee.
“From his service during World War II and the Korean War, to his civil career within the Department of Defense, to his three decades of leadership in the Senate, he tackled every challenge with character and integrity. As Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, John was resolute and far-sighted in guiding our national security decisions. He was a tireless advocate for our troops, and always put country before party. We are both fortunate to have served alongside him and had the opportunity to learn from his example.”
FORMER SEN. JOHN WARNER DIES AT 94
“From his early days serving in the military to his distinguished careers at the Pentagon and in the United States Senate, Senator Warner set an enduring example of principled leadership,” said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in a statement.
“Senator Warner served as an enlisted sailor during World War II, then as a Marine Corps officer during the Korean War. In 1969, President Nixon appointed him as under secretary of the Navy. In 1972, the future senator went on to serve as Secretary of the Navy, where, among other achievements, he signed the Incidents at Sea agreement with the Soviet Union.”
“As chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, he became known for independence and for building bipartisan partnerships, earning the respect of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle,” Austin writes. “He pushed hard for legislation banning the torture of alleged terrorists, and he opposed the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. Throughout his long public career, Senator Warner stood up for our men and women in uniform and made lasting contributions to our national security.”
The Rundown
Washington Examiner: Biden calls on intelligence community to ‘redouble’ efforts to find COVID’s origin
Washington Examiner: Biden administration ended Trump-era State Department team’s investigation into COVID-19 origins
Washington Examiner: China, under pressure to allow Wuhan lab investigation, tries to pin pandemic on US
Washington Examiner: ‘A serious foreign policy weapon’: Russia and China align against religious liberty advocates
Washington Examiner: Former Sen. John Warner dies at 94
Washington Examiner: Iowa Republican Joni Ernst, a sexual assault survivor, calls for military justice reform
Army Times: Wormuth confirmed as first woman Army secretary — then she was unconfirmed
Politico: Biden budget to seek boost to the military’s cyber force
AP: Deep-rooted racism, discrimination permeate US military
Task & Purpose: ‘It’s not going to change anything’ — A new investigation shows why soldiers don’t trust the Army to take sexual assault seriously
Army Times: Fired Fort Gordon brigade commander made ‘inappropriate texts’ to subordinate
Defense One: US Planning to Evacuate Afghan Interpreters, Top US General Says
AP: Afghan forces struggle, demoralized, rife with corruption
New York Times: A Wave of Afghan Surrenders to the Taliban Picks Up Speed
Navy Times: Navy to send Ronald Reagan to 5th Fleet amid Afghanistan troop withdrawal: report
Reuters: Iraq militia chief arrested over attacks on base hosting U.S. forces -security sources
Air Force Magazine: Brown or Raymond? Milley Hints One Will Replace Him as ‘Next Chairman’ of Joint Chiefs
Washington Post: Belarus leader claims plane diversion protected passengers, says country is under ‘hybrid attack’
CNN: Pentagon considering telling troops to report suspected ‘Havana Syndrome’ incidents
Washington Examiner: Opinion: Our national security depends on our independence from China
Calendar
THURSDAY | MAY 27
8 a.m. — Atlantic Council virtual discussion: “Lukashenka’s Plane Piracy: What to do About the Belarus Crisis?” with former Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves; Hanna Liubakova, nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center; former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst, director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center; former Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried, fellow at the Atlantic Council; and Melina Haring, deputy director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center. https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/lukashenkas-plane-piracy
9 a.m. — United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research virtual conference: “From the Iran Nuclear Deal to a Middle East Zone? Lessons from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action for the Middle East Weapons of Mass Destruction Free Zone,” with Anne-Laure Souissi-Sans. https://www.unidir.org/events/nuclear-risk
9 a.m. — Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association Quantico-Potomac chapter virtual 11th Annual U.S. Marine Corps Information Technology Day forum, with Brig. Gen. Arthur Pasagian, commander of the Marine Corps Systems Command. https://www.afcea-qp.org
9:30 a.m. G50 Dirksen — Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing for Christopher Maier to be assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict; Deborah Rosenblum to be assistant secretary of defense for nuclear, chemical, and biological defense programs; Frank Rose to be principal deputy administrator the National Nuclear Security Administration; and Jill Hruby to be undersecretary of energy for nuclear security and administrator, National Nuclear Security Administration. https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings
9:30 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion on “the U.S.-Republic of Korea alliance and the North Korean threat, with retired Army Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, former commander of U.S. Forces Korea. https://www.csis.org/events/korea
10 a.m. — German Marshall Fund of the United States webinar: “The Fate of Civil Society in Afghanistan, Post-Withdrawal,” with Kathy Gannon, news director for Afghanistan and Pakistan at the Associated Press; Marina Kielpinski LeGree, founder and CEO of Ascend; Metra Mehran, co-founder of the Feminine Perspectives Movement; Almut Wieland-Karimi, executive director of the Center for International Peace Operations; Ellinor Zeino, Afghanistan country director at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation; Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson, former bureau chief at National Public Radio Kabul; and Rachel Tausenfreund, editorial director at GMFUS. https://www.gmfus.org/events/fate-civil-society-afghanistan-post-withdrawal
11 a.m. POSTPONED — House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces hearing: “Department of the Navy Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Request for Seapower and Projection Forces,” with Jay Stefany, acting assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition; Vice Adm. James Kilby, deputy chief of naval operations, warfighting requirements and capabilities; and Lt. Gen. Eric Smith, commanding general, Marine Corps Combat Development Command. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings
11:40 a.m. — Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association virtual Spring 2021 Intelligence Symposium, with Army Gen. Paul Nakasone, commander of the U.S. Cyber Command, director of the National Security Agency and chief of the Central Security Service. https://www.afcea.org/event/siregister
1 p.m. — House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing: “Fiscal Year 2022 Department of Defense Budget,” with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. https://appropriations.house.gov/events/hearings
2 p.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies Strategic Technologies Program conversation: “Responding to Hacks Against America,” with Anne Neuberger, deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technology. https://www.csis.org/events/responding-hacks-against-america
3 p.m. — House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces hearing: “Army Tactical Wheeled Vehicle Program Update and Review of Electrification,” Tim Goddette, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition policy and logistics; and Michael Cadiuex, director, Combat Capabilities Development Command Ground Vehicle Systems Center. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings
FRIDAY | MAY 28
10 a.m. — Vice President Kamala Harris delivers commencement address at the U.S. Naval Academy’s class of 2021 graduation ceremony in Annapolis, Md. https://www.usna.edu
MONDAY | MAY 31
Memorial Day — No Daily on Defense
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“The NSF [National Science Foundation] is Bill Nye, The Science Guy and DARPA is a real-life Mission Impossible. Both are in the science business, but only one of them scares the crap out of China.”
Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse, commenting on Senate passage of his amendment to double the budget of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
