Gary Farral, Erie, IL, submitted this information for miltary personnel, dated Monday, February 23, 2015.
1. Base Closing Threat Hidden in Budget
Three consecutive years of rejection have not stopped the Defense Department and services from asking, again, for Congress to authorize a 2017 round of base closing and realignment. “Department must eliminate unneeded infrastructure; it already has more infrastructure than needed, and the excess will increase as DoD reduces its end strength. The best way to eliminate unneeded infrastructure is through the Base Realignment and Closure process,” according to Pentagon budget documents.
What to watch: Odds are pretty good Congress won’t approve another round of base closings, but what happens next isn’t clear. There is a threat, of sorts, in the budget documents: “In the absence of authorization of a new round of BRAC, the administration will pursue alternative options to reduce this wasteful spending.” That could include leaving a base open but removing units and workers.
2. No Money to Watch Decomposing Ammo
Indiana residents are concerned by the U. S. Army’s application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to cease all monitoring and maintenance duties at the Jefferson Proving Grounds. That would leave nearly five million undetonated shells and over 162,000 pounds of depleted uranium projectiles to decompose under no watchful eye. The Army cites lack of funds as the reason for the request.
What to watch: This would be the first time NRC approves a request like this, which is why everyone worried about abandoned ammunition is paying attention. Jefferson Proving Grounds is not unique in its problems. As funds tighten, other monitored facilities and the surrounding residents may face a similar fate.
3. Full Spectrum Readiness Returns
As a result of 13 years of war and tight budgets, the Army has many junior, company, and field grade officers who have never experienced a single rotation at a Combat Training Center, something that was very common for NCO’s and combat arms officers before 2001. There were 13 rotations through training centers in fiscal year 2014, a move in the right direction.
What to watch: Army budgets call for 19 training rotations this year and another 19 every year through 2021, as long as money keeps coming. However, sequestration–which would hit training funds–could undo readiness gains, by getting soldiers back to the Combat Training Centers for full spectrum training.
4. The DAVINCI Conundrum
DAVINCI, the shortened and catchy name for Discover and Advance VTOL Innovations, Novel Concepts and Ideas, is an Army aviation research program, aimed at expanding the speed, range, and payload of vertical takeoff and landing vehicles. This idea is to improve performance of aircraft that could be a successor to helicopters.
What to watch: The short-term goal through 2019 is developing algorithms and methods to predict whether the performance goals are even possible. Demonstrations aren’t expected until 2020 and beyond.
5. Army’s 25 Most Wanted
A little different than the Uncle Sam Wants You posters, the Army has a poster of its 25 Most Wanted fugitives, a collection of murderers, child molesters, and rapists who have pending warrants for their arrest. Five of the 25 have been captured. The most recent was Elvis Ramon Garcia, captured on Saturday, February 7, 2015, a former vehicle mechanic wanted for indecent acts with children and other charges.
What to watch: While some have been on the wanted list since the 1980’s, the most recent addition is Dion Omar Hawkins, at large since Sunday, February 8, who is wanted for aggravated assault and kidnapping. If you know someone on the list, you can email army.cid.crime.tips@mail.mil.