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January 11, 2013

News for Reservists

Top Story

Pentagon plans huge spending cuts amid budget deadlock fears
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Thursday announced cuts to military spending, saying he has grown pessimistic about the chances of the White House and Congress agreeing to avert $52 billion of reduced spending for the Pentagon this year. Defense agencies have been told to freeze civilian hiring and scale back spending on office expenses, training and travel. They've also been given authority to fire temporary workers. "We really have no choice but to prepare for the worst," Panetta said. The Washington Post (1/10) , The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (1/10) , Government Executive (1/10) , The Wall Street Journal/Washington Wire blog (1/10)

In the Pentagon

U.S. won't send troops to hostile situations in Syria, Panetta says
The Pentagon won't deploy troops to Syria to help secure chemical weapons as long as the environment there is hostile, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Thursday. The U.S. could, however, provide assistance in the event of a peaceful transition involving other international organizations. Army Gen. Martin Dempsey said preventing Syria from using chemical weapons once it has moved to use them "would be almost unachievable." CNN/Security Clearance blog (1/10) , ABC News (1/11) , The Washington Times (1/10)

Analysis: Why Taliban violence is surging in parts of Afghanistan
A cause of violence in Afghanistan that is rarely acknowledged is the battle for untapped oil reserves, Antonia Juhasz writes. The U.S. is helping develop these resources in an effort to raise much-needed income for Afghanistan, prompting the Taliban to increase attacks in resource-rich areas that were long considered some of Afghanistan's safest places, Juhasz writes. The Atlantic online (1/10)

On the Hill

Obama, Karzai reach some consensus during meeting at White House
President Barack Obama hosted his Afghan counterpart, Hamid Karzai, in Washington today to discuss ending the U.S. involvement in Afghanistan. A joint statement released afterward said the two had agreed to slightly speed up the transfer of U.S. security responsibilities to Afghan forces. Also, Obama agreed to put battlefield detainees under the Afghan government's control, the statement said. MarineCorpsTimes.com/The Associated Press (1/11)

On the Home Front

Husband of S.C. governor will head to Afghanistan with Guard unit
Michael Haley, the husband of South Carolina's governor, Nikki Haley, will train with his National Guard unit for the next month before deploying to Afghanistan for a year. A send-off for Haley's unit was held Thursday, as the unit will train in Indiana and will not return to South Carolina before deploying to Afghanistan. Stars and Stripes/The Associated Press (1/10)

Service Section News

Air Force commander urges stronger U.S. missile defenses
The U.S. needs to enhance its defense mechanisms against short- and medium-range missiles, says Air Force Brig. Gen. Kenneth Todorov, commander of the U.S. Northern Command. A European missile-defense system being developed by NATO could augment U.S. missile defenses, he noted. United Press International (1/10)

Reserve Life

Retirees face changes to Tricare Prime eligibility
Military retirees and their families who live more than 40 miles from a military base will lose their Tricare Prime benefits in October, Tricare Management Activity has announced. Those affected will need to switch from the Prime program to Tricare Standard as part of cost-reduction measures projected to save the system $55 million a year. Stars and Stripes (1/10)

SmartQuote

The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do."

--Thomas Jefferson,
3rd U.S. president

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