Able Company chases the tiger through urban terrain

PABRADE, Lithuania -- The Soldiers moved quietly through the forest, the spongy moss hiding their footsteps. They knew their objective, a little town ahead. It was an enemy stronghold, and it needed to be neutralized. Upon reaching the outskirts of the town, they stopped and conferred with their allies. It was to be a two-pronged attack, rush in, draw the enemy, and clear the town -- building by building. 

This was the scenario that Paratroopers from Able Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, participated in with their Belgian and Lithuanian partners Oct. 12 as part of Exercise Vytis Tiger. 

The objective was to attack and occupy a village that had been used as a training camp by the enemy to build a network of guerrillas hostile to the Lithuanian government. 

Vytis Tiger, or "Chase the Tiger" in English, is a Belgium led international field tactical exercise taking place Oct. 5-18 in Lithuania. While the exercise lasts for a little under two weeks, U.S. forces are involving themselves from Oct. 12-14. 

"This exercise demonstrates how separately, NATO nations have the capability to conduct complex operations, but when those nation's forces combine, their capacity for speed, lethality, and higher complexity increases significantly," said Capt. Anthony Formica, Able Company commander. 

Vytis Tiger is part of the larger month-long Baltic Piranha military exercise, which takes place through the month of October in Lithuania. The exercise works to build readiness and interoperability between various NATO nations, strengthening the alliance. It consists of nearly 1,000 Soldiers from the United States, Lithuania, Belgium and Luxemburg. 

Later this month the Paratroopers will participate in the Strong Shield exercise here in Lithuania, which also falls under the framework of Baltic Piranha. 

Able Company arrived in Lithuania last month to embark on a six-month rotation to train with their Lithuanian partners as part of Atlantic Resolve, a U.S. led effort being conducted in Eastern Europe to demonstrate U.S. commitment to the collective security of NATO and dedication to enduring peace and stability in the region. The 173rd Airborne Brigade, based in Vicenza, Italy, is the Army Contingency Response Force in Europe, and is capable of projecting forces to conduct a full range of military operations across the United States European, Central and Africa Command areas of responsibility within 18 hours.

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U.S. Army Europe is uniquely positioned in its 51 country area of responsibility to advance American strategic interests in Europe and Eurasia. The relationships we build during more than 1,000 theater security cooperation events in more than 40 countries each year lead directly to support for multinational contingency operations around the world, strengthen regional partnerships and enhance global security.

'Clockspeed dilemma' hobbling Army cyber, but partnerships may be answer

WASHINGTON (Army News Service) -- Frustration with the pace of integrating new technologies within Army cyber can be likened to the "clockspeed dilemma," a term applied recently to the auto industry, said Brig. Gen. Patricia Frost.

The once innovative auto industry has trouble keeping pace with new developments of autonomous vehicles, sensors and information technology gadgets going into their cars. Likewise, the Army has trouble keeping up with new cyber technologies used by adversaries against the United States, she said.

Frost, director of Cyber, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3/5/7, spoke Oct. 5 at the Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting and Exposition.

The Army and the other services within the Department of Defense are hobbled by a slow acquisition system and bureaucracy that hamper the adoption of innovative ideas and new technologies, she said. Adversaries are not as constrained, she warned, and "they are leaping ahead at a speed never seen in modern history."

Raj Shah, director, Defense Innovation Unit Experimental, or DIUx, who spent a decade as an Air Force cyber operator, agreed with Frost's assessment. He said he could provide many examples of technology the Army has yet to adopt because of bureaucracy.

For instance, he said, he recently visited cyber Soldiers in the field, where he observed their intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance feeds running "slow and jerky." He asked the Soldiers about the problem and found they were running Windows XP, an old operating system. The Soldiers weren't allowed to install the latest version because of the slow way in which security concerns were being addressed.

Shawn Wells, chief security strategist at Red Hat, also agreed with Frost and cited his own example of the clockspeed dilemma. As an operator deployed to a combat zone with Marines, he said, source code verification was held up in the accreditation process.

In other words, the enemy might have been using an iPhone for command and control. Soldiers could monitor that. However, if the enemy switched to Android devices, the Soldiers had no way to monitor the traffic because they didn't have accreditation to do so. 

Wells said his company is now working to eliminate that type of problem through a public-private partnership.

PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS

Lt. Gen. Edward C. Cardon, commander, Army Cyber Command and Second Army, said public-private partnerships are critical, because the Army and the Department of Defense can "never keep pace with the innovations going on right now in the tech industry, not in the [science and technology] world and not in the [research, development, testing and engineering] world."

"That's a little bit overstated," he added, "but not too much."

The Army, with a total science and technology budget of $4 billion a year, -- a figure that covers much more than cyber -- would never be able to go it alone when it comes to introducing new cyber technologies, he said. The science and technology budgets of Microsoft, Google, AT&T and Verizon are all much larger than the Army's.

The challenge with public-private partnerships in cyber is the current acquisition system, he said. "It just doesn't work well."

Cardon credited the current secretary of Defense with allowing the Army to use some innovative strategies outside of the current acquisition process to fund cyber projects. They include:

-- DIUx.

-- Defense Digital Service.

-- Stanford Hacking for Defense.

-- The Army's new Rapid Capabilities Office.

-- Hacking the Pentagon Project.

-- Army Cyber Silicone Valley Innovation Project.

According to Cardon, each of these represents a way to conduct a public-private partnership. "But we have to do more," he said.

"Cyber is no longer an intelligence problem or an electronic warfare problem. It's a commander's problem," Cardon concluded.

South Dakota Army Guard flight crews hone life-saving skills

RAPID CITY, S.D. -- Soldiers with Company C, 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment, South Dakota Army National Guard, conducted a medical evacuation training exercise near Wasta, Oct. 1, to hone their life-saving skills.

The training event put HH-60M Black Hawk helicopter flight crews in realistic combat scenarios with simulated casualties to practice emergency medical care and flight operations.

The Rapid City-based unit provides aerial medevac support to military forces while deployed overseas or during state domestic emergencies and natural disasters.

In order to make the training as realistic as possible, the flight crews of medics, crew chiefs and pilots were not notified of the scenario. They boarded their aircraft not knowing if the mission was a real event or simulated.

"It is important to make the training as close to reality as possible," said Staff Sgt. Adam Max, the non-commissioned officer in charge of the training. "We had two different missions today with three aircraft and multiple simulated injuries involved in each one. A lot goes into making that happen."

The Soldiers simulating the injured used makeup and red-dyed corn syrup to simulate wounds. During the scenario, the Soldiers screamed as though they were in pain and grasped at the medics, pleading for help.

One Soldier simulated a brain injury by stumbling around in a confused state. As the flight crew approached, he ran in fear and the crew was forced to restrain him.

"When we are in a deployment situation, having a Soldier with a brain injury that makes him operate irrationally is a very real possibility," Max said.

Aside from preparing Soldiers for a combat zone, the training also benefits the crews for real-word emergencies here at home.

"Many times we get calls for injured hikers," said Sgt. Courtney Tyrell, crew chief with the 189th. "The local (hospital) helicopters have to land in order to provide care. That isn't always possible in difficult terrain."

The hospital medical evacuation helicopters are not capable of conducting hoist operations. Should the need arise, the crew is ready to help.

"I work as an air EMT at the hospital as well," said Sgt. Rachel Sirignano, flight medic with the 189th. "I get to see both sides, and I think it helps me to stay focused and prepared."

Many times crews from the 189th will work side by side with local emergency response personnel during a medical emergency. To make sure things run smoothly, leadership for the unit will periodically coordinate with local authorities to conduct a joint training operation.

According to Sirignano, due to the nature of medical emergencies, it is essential for the crews to be extremely well prepared.

"I have to tell myself that the crew is all the injured person needs right now," said Sirignano. "You have to stay as calm, cool and collected as you can, so that you don't affect their condition even more by being stressed. You have to put it aside and focus on the patient."

Indiana Aviators provide aircraft support to Tobruq Legacy 16

INDIANAPOLIS - Aviators with Indiana's 38th Combat Aviation Brigade took part in Tobruq Legacy 16, a multinational exercise in Slovakia focused on interoperability and joint operational procedures among the eight participating countries.

The 35 soldiers with Company C, 1st Battalion 137th regiment, known as the assault helicopter company, brought four UH-60 helicopters to the two-week NATO led exercise in September.

"Our mission here was to support Slovak Shield and Tobruq Legacy, a first for the Indiana National Guard." said 1st Sgt. Derick Kuhns, senior noncommissioned officer for the unit out of Shelbyville, Indiana.

Kuhns said that the unit used a wide range of their job specialties to support the exercise.

The contingency representing the unit was comprised of pilots, aircraft mechanics, technical inspectors, logistics personnel, a flight medic, an operation specialist and an air traffic control operator.

Tobruq Legacy 16 consisted of two main training objectives, first, interoperability testing between eight NATO defense allies, utilizing different air defense systems and second, training against live aircraft and simulations in order to test the ability to process engagements and conduct NATO reporting procedures in preparation of follow on exercises.

Approximately 1,200 troops representing the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and the Combined Air Operations Centre Uedem, Germany participated in the exercise. That number also included more than 200 U.S. Army soldiers from both active duty units and National Guard.

Maj John Peterson with the 10th Army Air & Missile Defense Command said that having both Guardsmen and active duty personnel in this exercise not only supports one of the U.S. Army Europe commander's priorities of using the total Army force, but it allows to fill gaps where the active duty component might not have certain capabilities in theater.

"Here in Europe is crucial that we are utilizing the full capabilities of the U.S. Army inventory," said Peterson who served as the main planner officer for U.S. air defense portion of the exercise.

The Indiana soldiers and aircraft supported the exercise by conducting aerial medical and casualty evacuation training, along with assault training inter-operability.

"We did our own exercise called Medix" said Lt. Col. Ivana Gutzelmig, Slovakia Air Force chief of medical service. She said, the objective of Medix was to train on troop response to incidents, medical response to incidents, MASCAL Training, medical evacuation especially with air assets and command and control in medical field.

The host nation's Air force medical personnel utilized the 38th CAB's Black Hawks to transport patients to a hospital after a simulated mass casualty scenario. This is the first time this type of hands-on training has been done between the two partner nations.

Gutzelmig explained that the medical unit practiced loading litters in and out, practiced loading ambulatory patients into the Black Hawks and also got to experience how it feels inside a helicopter of that size. Additionally, they practiced training with a multinational ambulance crew and multinational cooperation in medical teams, a first for the Slovak forces.

"We trained with approximately 50 to 60 NATO medics." said CPT Evan Edwards, Company C, 1-137th commander. "We flew around and picked up their patients in real time. It was an outstanding training opportunity."

The Indiana, Slovak partnership is part of a National Guard Bureau and U.S. Europe initiative that links states and territories with military members of other countries around the world for the purpose of supporting the security cooperation objectives of the geographic Combatant Commands.

Tobruk Legacy demonstrates the ability to integrate the National Guard into Army Europe operations and directly contributes to the collective defense by providing assurance through presence while sustaining the defensive deterrent capability with NATO allies and partners.

The Indiana unit will also participate in the Slovak Shield exercise following the culmination of Trobuq Legacy 16.

Armed Forces Network Yongsan: End of an era

The American Forces Network (AFN) Korea Headquarters is packing up its belongings and moving to Camp Humphreys after more than 50 years of broadcasting to the men and women of the Armed Forces from Building 1358, Main Post, U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan.

The first AFN broadcast went out from Panama and Alaska just before World War II. By the peak of the war in 1945, AFN had about 300 radio stations around the globe. During the early days of the Pusan Perimeter during the Korean War, troops in Korea received radio programming from transmitters that were located in Japan. AFN first moved to Korea in 1950, when the U.N. coalition troops led by U.S. General Douglas MacArthur carried out the amphibious landing at Incheon and set up in Seoul, at the Banto Hotel (the old American Embassy Hotel). But when the Chinese entered Seoul in December 1950, AFN was forced to move to Daegu.

Because of the rapidly changing front lines between the North and South during the war, transmitters and studios had to be set up in mobile vans to ensure continuous broadcasting. Some members of AFN who served during the Korean War gained great popularity. Some of AFN's esteemed alumni include America's Top 40 with Casey Kasem, who served in Korea in 1952 as a DJ and announcer. James E. Dooley, also known as Jim Perry, later became the host of the television shows "Card Sharks" and "Sale of the Century." "Happy Days" creator Garry Marshall joined the U.S. Army in 1956 and was stationed in Korea as a broadcaster and a print journalist for AFN during the Korean War.

When the Armistice Agreement was signed in 1953, AFNs mobile units became buildings with transmitters, and American Forces Korea Network (AFKN) was born. AFKN's first live television newscast aired Jan. 4, 1959. Connie Kang Munnelly worked for AFN at Yongsan in 1958 when it was just one room in the building. "I was a secretary, typing memos for my boss. There were several Koreans working in the building. Everything seemed to shine, and the men in uniform looked so sharp and handsome," she recalled.

AFKN would become a cultural and educational tool for Koreans across the peninsula. Local foreign language "hakwons," or institutes, offered "AFKN English" classes, designed to help Korean students improve their English listening and translation abilities. With the advent of digital television and AFN's efforts to provider better programming to the military community, AFKN disconnected analog over-the-air TV May 1, 2012, making AFN programming available strictly through DOD-authorized personnel through cable service sold through the American Armed Forces Exchange Service (AAFES). "This allowed us to provide better programming and popular syndicated shows to our community," said Hoover.

In the past 60 years at USAG Yongsan, AFN Korea has received numerous accolades, including multiple Keith L. Ware Awards and most recently the Thomas Jefferson first place award in the category of audio spot production in 2015. Many commanders have walked through the halls of AFN Korea to appear on television, have their voices heard on the radio or discuss how AFN can continually improve the quality of life for this community as it has done the past six decades. While the move to Humphreys has been discussed over many years -- Sgt. Simon Mctizic said he received multiple orders to move as the move date continued to shift to the right -- seeing the sign removed from the building will be a surreal experience, said AFN-Pacific, Korea Division Chief Maj. Robert Hoover.

Everything is all set, and the crew at Humphreys has taken over radio operations. "All that will remain in Seoul, really, is the antenna on Namsan Tower. We will work with the 1st Signal Brigade to ensure seamless transmission of broadcasts that will originate in Humphreys," he said. All public service announcements will be prerecorded, and radio interviews can be done telephonically. Television appearances could require a commute, but technology will go far in editing and mitigating any challenges for Yongsan to get its voice heard through AFN. Even activities like the AFN radio donut giveaway, sponsored by the Dragon Hill Lodge, can be done remotely, Hoover said.

AFN will enjoy brand new accommodations and equipment, but all garrisons will benefit from AFN's commitment to improved programming that makes any assignment in Korea home away from home. For example, AFN is currently discussing with AAFES a partnership to provide secure video on demand. "No one will notice that we aren't in Yongsan anymore," said Sgt. 1st Class Tawana Starks, station manager for AFN-Pacific, Korea. As is the case with most facilities at Yongsan, an empty building at the top of the hill will not be empty for very long.

Foreign R&D program helps upgrade DOD shoulder-fired weapon

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. -- The U.S. Army is testing significant improvements to a shoulder-fired weapon used by Soldiers and Special Operations forces as part of a foreign technology program. 

Upgrades to the M3 recoilless rifle, also known as the multi-role anti-armor anti-personnel weapon system, will make it more ergonomic, six pounds lighter and shorter. 

The weapons system is incorporating modern materials to achieve input provided by U.S. Special Operations Command and other services' users, said Renee Bober, Product Manager for the M3E1 at U.S. Army Project Manager Soldier Weapons.

When testing and qualifications are completed in spring 2017, upon type classification scheduled for fall 2017, the system will be available for procurement to all Department of Defense services. The M3E1 fires a high-explosive round to engage light-armored vehicles, bunkers and soft structures. The upgraded weapon is able to fire the existing suite of MAAWS ammunition.

To assist in the project with funding and expertise, the M3E1 team turned to the Army Foreign Comparative Testing Program, said William "Randy" Everett, FCT project manager. The program's mission is to find and evaluate solutions to meet the operational needs of American Service members -- regardless of the origin of the technology.

"We wouldn't have been able to do the project without the support and funding provided by OSD FCT office," Everett said.

The Army Research, Development and Engineering Command's International Cooperation and Exchange Office manages the FCT program for the Army.

Army engineers and weapons experts from Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey; Watervliet Arsenal, New York; and Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland began working with the Swedish manufacturer, Saab Bofors Dynamics, for testing and qualifying the next-generation weapon, known as the M3A1. 

"The team combined an improved weapons system with cost savings," Everett said. "They traveled to Sweden so they could observe and validate the vendor's testing instead of duplicating it back in the U.S. It was an innovative solution that saved more than $300,000."

Bober said the upgrades will also include a shot counter. For safety reasons, a weapon should not fire more than its specified limit of rounds. 

"This will give Soldiers better use of the system," she said. "Right now the Soldier is manually recording the number of rounds fired in a notebook provided with each weapon. [The shot counter] will make everything easier and provide traceability. The system will last longer when we know how many rounds go through each weapon."

Under the current system, if a service member does not track each round fired, the M3 must be half-lifed because an accurate count cannot be guaranteed. For example, if a weapon is qualified for 1,000 rounds, a half-life would cut the remaining use to 500.

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OSD's FCT programs support the U.S. warfighter by leveraging mature equipment and technologies from coalition industry to satisfy U.S. defense requirements. Performance measures include accelerating the acquisition process, reducing development costs and providing opportunities for the introduction of innovative and cost-saving technologies into existing defense acquisition programs.

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The U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command has the mission to ensure decisive overmatch for unified land operations to empower the Army, the joint warfighter and our nation. RDECOM is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Materiel Command.

Liberating Mosul will be Iraq's biggest fight, OIR spokesman says

WASHINGTON -- The size of Iraq's second-largest city will make the liberation of Mosul from the 

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's two-year grip the largest mission Iraqi security forces have yet undertaken against the enemy, the spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve told Pentagon reporters Wednesday.

Providing an update on the counter-ISIL effort in Iraq and Syria by teleconference from Baghdad, Air Force Col. John L. Dorrian said Mosul's size is on the "order of magnitude larger than the liberation battles in cities such as Ramadi, Fallujah and Sharqat."

With operations and planning along the Tigris River Valley to liberate the city underway, the Iraqi government is working with the United Nations and nongovernmental organizations to plan for people fleeing Mosul when the fighting begins, Dorrian said. The Iraqi government is directing 20 campsites for displaced people and is working with the U.N. and other organizations to pre-position resources to take care of them.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has informed the residents of Mosul by radio address of the pending liberation, and he has asked residents to cooperate with security forces, Dorrian said.

IRAQI FORCES REMOVE ISIL FROM AREA IN EUPHRATES VALLEY

Elsewhere in Iraq, Iraqi forces have attacked ISIL fighters in the Euphrates River Valley on multiple fronts to remove them from the eastern side of the river, north and south of Hit, the colonel said. Within the past few days, the Iraqi forces completed clearance operations along the Euphrates Valley, connecting their northern and southern forward battle lines with about 140 miles of contiguous cleared area between Baghdad and Haditha.

Clearing this area takes pressure off the Iraqi forces to defend multiple fronts in the valley, and it helps to protect Ramadi, Fallujah and Baghdad from ISIL attacks as the battle for Mosul is waged, Dorrian explained.

That operation also increases pressure on ISIL, which has shown significant signs that its supply shortages and the dismantling of its command and control across Iraq are leaving them incapable of stopping the Iraqi forces from advancing.

"Continuing to pressure the enemy along the Euphrates River Valley is very important to the overall security of Iraq," Dorrian said, "and we'll continue a relentless campaign of strikes to keep the enemy on the back foot as the [Iraqi forces continue clearing operations]."

SYRIA FIGHT PROGRESSES, MANBIJ RESIDENTS RETURN

Progress against ISIL forces in Syria also is evident along the Mara line in the north, as NATO ally Turkey and coalition forces continue advise-and-assist missions with local forces. "Since the start of Operation Noble Lance, these partnered forces have liberated 254 square kilometers of ground, to include the people in 37 villages in that area," Dorrian said.

And since Manbij was liberated in mid-August, displaced residents are returning to the city in large numbers. About 70,000 people now reside in Manbij while efforts continue to remove ISIL booby traps and homemade bombs, the colonel told reporters, although 125,000 lived in Manbij before the enemy invaded. More than 3,000 families have benefited from humanitarian aid.

PLANS OUTLINE DEFEATING ISIL DRONES

The Inherent Resolve spokesman said reports show ISIL has used commercial, "off-the shelf" drones for surveillance, and in some cases, to deliver explosives. While not a new ISIL tactic, Dorrian said, the coalition is working the drone issue with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Organization and the Army, among others.

"To supplement the capabilities already in theater, a system called Drone Defender and additional advanced systems have been sent that are capable of detecting, identifying, tracking and defeating [unmanned aircraft systems] threats," he said.

With Pacific Pathways, Army puts multi-domain into action

WASHINGTON (Army News Service) -- Overseas training is helping groom Army units in the Pacific theater for future missions that may require cross-domain tactics to defeat enemies, according to senior leaders.

One set of exercises, Pacific Pathways, has allowed Army units to broaden their training as they deploy across the region for bilateral and multilateral drills with foreign militaries, while working with their sister services. 

"We're moving toward joint integration where we get out of our service stovepipes and look at all of the domains … to present multiple dilemmas to an adversary," Gen. Robert Brown, commander of U.S. Army Pacific, said while speaking at a panel discussion at the Association of the U.S. Army Annual Meeting and Exhibition Oct. 5. 

Things can get complicated, though, in a theater that covers over half the globe, with some of the world's most populous countries and largest armies. There are also hostile adversaries like North Korea testing nuclear weapons, extremist groups spreading terror tactics, and China and Russia pushing their influence into the region. 

To counter future threats, the Army recently introduced a multi-domain battle concept that aims to give Soldiers the ability to adapt and present several challenges to enemies from land, sea, air and cyber. 

Brown said that a multi-domain task force is currently being planned to maneuver land assets that could impact other domains in the region. 

"It's clearly the way of the future," he said. "It can be very difficult for an enemy to handle multiple domains, and at the same time, it presents multiple options to our commanders and our national command authorities."

Army multi-domain operations would hinge on a united front with the other services and their Pacific allies, according to the general. 

"It would deter anybody from being stupid enough to try something against us," Brown said of the new concept. "They would be defeated because of our efforts and our joint integration that we can do that no one else can do."

The concept would eventually require massive upgrades to U.S. military systems in order to share information to all partners involved. 

"We didn't grow up integrated the way we should be," Brown said. "We have systems that can't talk to each other within our own services, let alone between services themselves. It's not an easy thing to accomplish."

To help close gaps in today's partnerships, Army leaders kicked off Pacific Pathways in 2014, a three-part training event where a brigade-level unit and its equipment travels by sea and air to three countries back to back to join in large-scale exercises. 

Training a combat-ready unit in another country not only improves multinational interoperability, officials said, it also opens up the doors to other nations while showcasing the Army's strength to potential foes. 

"If you want to enhance access, and if you want to provide reassurance to our partners and allies, having that forward presence during an operation is extremely important," Lt. Gen. Stephen Lanza, commander of I Corps, said during the discussion.

This year, three Pacific Pathway rotations are being carried out. Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington, which Lanza also commands, had two Stryker BCTs take part in rotations in five different countries earlier this year. 

In the three-month rotations, Lanza said Soldiers stretched their training by working with Marines, special operators, and cyber experts, and they honed their skills on ballistic missile defense and aviation assets, including the RQ-11 Raven, a small hand-launched unmanned aerial vehicle.

"We probably get more Raven training on a Pathway than we get at home station," he said, adding that there's also training on other UAVs, such as the RQ-7 Shadow and MQ-1C Gray Eagle.

As the exercises continue to build up, he said, more countries have expressed interest in taking part in them. 

"Pathways have been instrumental in doing that," Lanza said of enhancing multinational relationships. "It's brought other countries into the discussions of where they can embed."

In upcoming Pathway exercises, Army leaders plan to expand the role of reserve-component forces to increase their readiness. In the past year, at least 70 Guard and Reserve units with about 4,200 Soldiers have been integrated into I Corps' missions, Lanza said. 

"That's a significant number when you look at total force and you look at how many different elements and units are embedded in the operations of the exercises that we run with USARPAC," he said. 

The nature of Pacific Pathways, in which units deploy as if they're heading to combat, also allows Soldiers to train in settings similar to those that they may someday find themselves in, responding to conflicts, according to Brown.

"We do enjoy a higher level of readiness in the Pacific than across the rest of the Army, and we should," Brown said of the region's potential threats. "We have to be ready to fight tonight."

Strengthening U.S.-South Korea alliance the focus of bilateral meeting

WASHINGTON -- American and South Korean military leaders met at the Pentagon Thursday to discuss the alliance between the two countries and ways to make the alliance even stronger.

Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stressed to his counterpart, South Korean Army Gen. Lee Sun-jin, that the United States has an ironclad commitment to the defense of South Korea.

This is the 41st Military Committee Meeting between the two countries since 1978.

Also participating in the discussions were Navy Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr., the commander of U.S. Pacific Command; Army Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, the commander of Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea; and South Korean Navy Rear Adm. Chung An-ho, acting chief director of strategic planning.

Dunford affirmed that despite the nuclear and missile threat from North Korea, the U.S.-South Korea alliance will continue to grow firmer and stronger, and the U.S. will continue its ironclad commitment to the defense of the Korean Peninsula.

Lee emphasized "proactive cooperation" with the United States, including establishing a practical collaboration system and deployment of the U.S. Army's terminal high altitude area defense anti-ballistic missile system.

Deployment of THAAD is a direct response to North Korea's nuclear and missile program.

NORTH KOREA'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM

Both military leaders strongly denounced North Korea's nuclear and missile provocations, stating they pose a serious threat to the Korean Peninsula, to the region, and to global peace and stability. North Korea first detonated a nuclear device in October 2006. It was the culmination of a secret nuclear program that North Korea is believed to have started in the early 1980s.

The most recent test was last month, and civilian experts estimated the size of the blast was two times that of the Hiroshima bomb in 1945. North Korean newspapers stated the device is small enough to be mounted on a ballistic missile.

In their meeting, Dunford and Lee agreed to continuously develop effective response measures in order to deter, and if necessary, respond to additional provocations from North Korea.

CONVENTIONAL FORCE STRUCTURE

While the North Korean nuclear and missile programs are the most recent threat from the country, the North also maintains large conventional forces. Officials estimate the North Korean army has about 1 million soldiers equipped with around 5,500 tanks, 8,600 artillery pieces, 2,200 infantry fighting vehicles and about 4,800 multiple rocket launcher vehicles. Much of this equipment is antiquated, officials said, but the sheer numbers alone give the North Korean army a significant capability.

North Korea's navy has about 60,000 sailors with submarines, landing ships, three frigates and about 450 gunboats. The North Koreans launched a missile from a submarine in August, escalating an already tense situation.

The North Korean air force has about 110,000 active duty personnel and 940 aircraft. Some of the aircraft are antiquated MiGs, but they also maintain about 30 MiG-29s -- a highly capable multi-role fighter.

North Korea also has a large special operations arm.

North Korea is working on building its cyberwar capabilities, Department of Defense officials said. The December 2014 hack into Sony Pictures, constant hacking of U.S. DoD sites, and attacks against South Korean banks and agencies are just the tip of the iceberg, officials said.

Veteran-Owned Businesses Can And Should Be A Force For Good

Veteran-Owned Businesses Can And Should Be A Force For Good

Here are four reasons why veteran-owned businesses should think about joining the B Corps movement.

Businesses make money. Nonprofits make a difference. At least, that's how many view the divide between doing good and doing well. But for ScoutComms and Hirepurpose, two veteran-owned businesses serving the veteran and military community, there is no distinction between making money and making a difference.

On Sept. 8, as a result of the positive impact our two companies have had in providing services to our customers that support veterans and military families, we were each recognized by B the Change Media as "Best for the World" companies. Honorees set a gold standard for the high impact that business as a force for good can make on important societal issues around the world.

How did this happen? In 2015, our companies were certified — only months apart — as B Corporations, also known as B Corps. The B Corp movement was launched in 2006 by B Lab, a nonprofit organization that serves a global movement of people using business as a force for good. Its vision is that one day companies compete not only to be the best in the world, but the best for the world, contributing to a more shared and durable prosperity.

What makes us different from the more than 1,800 certified B Corporations across over 120 industries and 42 countries is that we are two of the only veteran-owned B Corps, as well as two of the only B Corps supporting the veteran and military communities. We should not be so unique.

Here are four reasons why veteran-owned businesses should think about joining the B Corps movement.

It makes you a better business.

Being a B Corps makes you put a critical eye on a number of the core elements of any business, such as the people you employ, the products and services you sell, and your impact on your community and your environment. It is an honor to be recognized, but the B Corps certification process is also a great way to look at your business and think how about how you can do better. Any veteran-owned business would benefit from a critical analysis.

It channels the desire of veterans to continue serving their country.

We all know and believe that veterans are more likely to volunteer to give back and to serve than non-veterans. B Corps taps into that desire to continue to serve and successfully funnel the energy into the business environment, enabling sustainable for-profit models of doing business while also giving back in a number of ways. Ultimately, a successful B Corps is making an impact in multiple ways, not just the work we do for our clients or the people we employ, but also our significant investments in charitable giving, employee voluntarism, pro bono work, and hiring from the community we serve.

B Corps certification is a differentiator to clients, employees and business partners.

Becoming a B Corps is not easy. It requires you to be transparent, to examine your business model and processes carefully, and to subject yourself to a public review. But because it is more than just a rubber stamp, it is meaningful to have an ethical business model as a B Corps. B Corps certification is verification for us and for everyone we engage with that we are doing something differently, that we care and that we are making a difference.

It proves that you can make profits while making a difference.

We are not charities, but because we have an ethical business model that is focused on how we can do good for the world, we always seek to serve the best interests of our clients and our employees. Ultimately, while we do not replace nonprofits, we fill gaps where they cannot thrive. We are not dependent on the charity of others, as we generate our own resources. We are able, unlike many nonprofits, to keep top talent by paying the salaries and giving them the promotions they deserve.

As profit-driven businesses, we are distinctly not charities. But we are committed to making the world a better place — in our case for veterans and military families — and becoming certified B Corps is a step that helps prove to everyone we engage with that we are serious about our commitment. There is no better feeling than to know that you are doing good while doing well.

Iran Dismisses US Claims of Navy Harassment in Gulf

Iran Dismisses US Claims of Navy Harassment in Gulf

A senior Iranian military commander on Sunday dismissed claims from Washington that US patrol ships have been harassed by Iranian boats in the Persian Gulf, saying Tehran acted according to international law.

"Iranian boats continue to act based on defined standards and are well aware of the international laws and regulations, so the claims are not only untrue, but stem from their fear of the power of Iran's soldiers," said Brigadier General Masoud Jazayeri, deputy chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, according to state news agency IRNA.

The Pentagon last week said seven Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps fast-attack boats approached the USS Firebolt on September 4 with their machine guns uncovered, though not trained on the Americans.

It was at least the fifth incident revealed by the Pentagon in the past month, with US military officials repeatedly criticising the Iranian military for its behavior in the Gulf.

But Jazayeri said the claims were exaggerated.

"When Iranian boats pass by them at a distance of a few kilometres, Americans claim that Iranian boats have approached them within a range of one kilometre," he said.

"Iran's marine corps will never be stopped by the propaganda of extra-regional enemies and their vassals in the region in guarding the Islamic Republic of Iran's sea borders and economic interests," he added.

U.S. Navy officials say ships from the two countries interacted more than 300 times in 2015 and more than 250 times in the first half of this year, and claims 10 percent of those encounters were unsafe and unprofessional. 

Funeral for Marine Who Killed Wife's Boyfriend Had Honor Escort

Funeral for Marine Who Killed Wife's Boyfriend Had Honor Escort

On Sept. 3, days before sheriff's office officials announced Marine Staff Sgt. Cody Wade Smith had been killed in self-defense after killing his estranged wife's boyfriend, a retinue of motorcycles bearing American flags gave him a ceremonial funeral escort to his final resting place in Crossville, Tennessee.

Smith, 33, had an honorable 15-year military career that was cut short in what appears to be a horrific crime of passion.

According to official accounts, he was served with divorce papers Aug. 11 after returning home to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, from a deployment to Europe. Some two weeks later, on Aug. 27, he came to his wife's new home near Richlands with intent to kill her and her boyfriend, 43-year-old Gregory Pearce.

Official accounts say he tied up his wife, Monica, fatally shot Pearce and set the house on fire before she broke free and shot him with his own handgun. Onslow County District Attorney Ernie Lee said in a Sept. 7 press conference that the county did not plan to charge her, as officials had found she acted in self-defense.

The tragic situation creates a philosophical dilemma: How does one honor a decorated service member whose life ends, not on the battlefield, but in the commission of a crime?

For the Patriot Guard Riders, a veteran-led organization of volunteers who provide thousands of honor escorts for troops' funerals each year, the lines are simply drawn.

David Westhorp, the Patriot Guard Riders state captain for Tennessee, told Military.com the riders attend funerals only at the request of family members. They accommodate requests with only one exception: if the deceased service member is a veteran who was discharged from the service under less-than-honorable circumstances.

That happens very rarely, Westhorp said.

"If we get a request, we don't go into a background check or anything in depth," he said. "We did do one [escort] for a veteran who died in a bar fight. And we didn't investigate whether or not he provoked the fight or anything else. The fact is, he died."

Westhorp said he had been made aware of the circumstances of Smith's death after the Sept. 7 announcement from the Onslow County Sheriff's Office about their findings. But even if he had had full information prior to getting the request for an honor escort, he said, the guard would have likely accommodated the request.

"We came to honor his military service, not whatever might have happened subsequently," he said. "We are not here to stand in judgment on this."

Smith's family, still reeling from grief and in disbelief about the circumstances surrounding his death, described him as an honorable Marine and a leader who had always wanted to be a Marine. Smith's father, Delbert Smith, of Smyrna, Tennessee, told Military.com he entered boot camp out of high school, just months before the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

A platoon sergeant attached to 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, he had completed 11 deployments, including two tours in Iraq and two in Afghanistan.

"He's been shot at, he's been blown up in a Humvee," Smith said. "And then for him to come home and to die this way, there's just, you never expect it to end like this."

Delbert Smith said hundreds of Marines who had served with his son at various points in his career had traveled to Tennessee to attend the funeral. Smith had been approved for promotion to gunnery sergeant, he said, and his new rank insignia were buried with him.

He said he didn't personally request the Patriot Guard Riders -- it's unclear who did -- but he was thankful for their presence.

"They were wonderful. They came out, showed up, paid their respects," he said. "It was a beautiful addition to the funeral. That's something that we will be forever grateful for."

Delbert Smith said a sheriff's deputy had called him personally and described the same account of the double-killing that was later made public. It's an account he said he can't and doesn't believe.

But even if the events of Aug. 27 unfolded just as described in the official account, he said they should not detract from his son's military service.

Duterte Orders US Advisers out of Southern Philippines

Duterte Orders US Advisers out of Southern Philippines

President Rodrigo Duterte ratcheted up his feud with the United States on Monday, ordering all American special forces out of the southern Philippines where they have been advising local troops battling Muslim extremists.

Duterte's order came a week after he called US President Barack Obama "a son of a whore", causing Obama to cancel their scheduled bilateral meeting at a summit in Laos.

The Filipino leader, the first to hail from the south and who claims Muslim ancestry, has been stepping up efforts to bring peace to the southern Philippines, where decades-long insurgencies with Muslim and communist rebels have claimed more than 150,000 lives.

Last month he restarted peace talks with the largest separatist group, the 12,000-strong Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which like others has been fighting since the 1970s for an independent Islamic state or autonomous rule.

US advisers in the area help train Filipino troops but are barred from engaging in combat except in self-defense.

Previously, about 500-600 US personnel rotated through the Mindanao region but in 2014, then-defense secretary Voltaire Gazmin said this would be cut back to 200.

Duterte did not specify when or how many Americans would be expelled but said the Philippines alignment with the West was at the root of the persistent Muslim insurgency.

"These US special forces, they have to go in Mindanao," he told a gathering of government employees.

"The (Muslim) people will become more agitated. If they see an American, they will really kill him."

The US embassy could not be reached for comment.

The United States is Manila's main military ally and the Philippines' colonial ruler until 1946. In his speech, Duterte showed photographs and cited accounts of how US troops killed Muslims during America's occupation of the Philippines in the early-1900s to explain his decision.

Duterte's spokesman Ernesto Abella said that "the statement reflects (President Duterte's) new direction towards coursing an independent foreign policy".

The Filipino leader also hit out at Obama and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for criticising his bloody crackdown on crime that has claimed 3,000 lives in a little over two months.

"This Obama, when you accuse me of killing... let he who is without sin, cast the first stone," he said.

In a brief encounter in Laos, Obama urged the Filipino leader to conduct his crime war "the right way" and protect human rights, but Duterte has dismissed it as being none of America's business.

US B-1 bombers fly over South Korea in show of force

US B-1 bombers fly over South Korea in show of force

North Korea claimed Friday's test showed it had a nuclear warhead that could be mounted on ballistic missiles, a possibility that increases fears for US allies in the region and also poses a threat to US bases in South Korea, Japan and Guam

A US B-1B Lancer bomber flies over the Osan Air Base, South Korea, on Tuesday.

"Today's demonstration provides just one example of the full range of military capabilities in the deep resources of this strong alliance to provide and strengthen extended deterrence," Brooks said.

On the diplomatic front, the US special envoy on North Korea, Sung Kim, said Tuesday that the US and South Korea will be considering "additional unilateral measures" in response to Pyongyang's latest nuclear test. Kim also said Japan may be included in additional initiatives.

The B-1s that flew over South Korea Tuesday were moved to the Andersen Air Force base in Guam in August as part of what the U.S. Pacific Command calls it Continuous Bomber Presence.

It is the first time the B-1s, which have the largest payload of any US bomber, have been part of the Pacific bomber force in a decade.

ULA chief says recovery from space launch accident typically 9-12 months

ULA chief says recovery from space launch accident typically 9-12 months

If history is any guide, Elon Musk's SpaceX could be grounded for nine to 12 months while it investigates the cause of last week's launch pad accident and makes any repairs, according to the chief executive of SpaceX's primary U.S. competitor on Thursday.

"It typically takes nine to 12 months for people to return to flight. That's what the history is," Tory Bruno, chief executive of United Launch Alliance, told Reuters. Bruno did not mention SpaceX by name.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 booster exploded on the launch pad on Sept. 1 as it was being fueled for a routine pre-launch test. A $200 million Israeli communications satellite was destroyed in the blast, the second failed mission for technology entrepreneur Elon Musk's privately owned SpaceX in 14 months.

The cause of the accident is under investigation. SpaceX has not publicly disclosed the extent of damage to its launch pad.

Bruno said the main issue after accidents involving space launches has "always been figuring out what went wrong on the rocket, being confident that you know ... how to fix it and then actually getting that fix in place."

Repairing damage to the launch pad is usually not a significant issue, he said. "Historically, it had never been the pad that's taken the longest time," he said.

Bruno spoke with Reuters a few hours before ULA, a partnership of Lockheed-Martin Corp and Boeing Co, was preparing to launch its 111th rocket, so far all successfully.

The Atlas 5 rocket, carrying a NASA asteroid sample-return spacecraft, blasted off at 7:05 p.m. EDT (2305 GMT) on Thursday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, about 1.2 miles (2 km) away from the SpaceX launch site.

Bruno also said he had called SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell shortly after the accident to extend his sympathies and offer help.

"It's a small community and issues especially around safety - but even mission success - kind of transcend the competitive piece of this," Bruno added.

ULA and SpaceX are rivals for private space missions and launches by U.S. government agencies. Musk's company in May broke ULA's monopoly on flying U.S. military and national security satellites, winning an $83 million Air Force contract to launch a Global Positioning System satellite in 2018.

NASA probe blasts off on quest to collect asteroid samples

NASA probe blasts off on quest to collect asteroid samples

An Atlas 5 rocket blasted off from Florida on Thursday carrying a robot space probe on NASA's first quest to collect samples from an asteroid and return them to Earth in hopes of learning more about the origins of life.

The 19-story rocket, built and flown for NASA by United Launch Alliance, lifted off at 7:05 p.m. (2305 GMT) from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, hurling the satellite explorer Osiris-Rex on its voyage to the near-Earth asteroid Bennu.

The 3,300-pound (1,500-kg) solar-powered probe separated from the rocket's upper stage an hour after blastoff, soaring into space at 22,000 mph (35,400 kph) - more than 28 times the speed of sound - to begin its $1 billion, seven-year mission.

It will take Osiris-Rex two years to reach its destination, a dark, rocky mass roughly a third of a mile wide and shaped like a giant acorn orbiting the sun at roughly the same distance as Earth.

Bennu is thought to be covered with organic compounds dating back to the earliest days of the solar system.

“You can think of these asteroids as literally prebiotic chemical factories that were producing building blocks of life 4.5 billion years ago, before Earth formed, before life started here,” NASA astrobiologist Daniel Glavin said before launch.

Scientists believe asteroids and comets crashing into early Earth delivered water and organic compounds that seeded the planet for life. Atomic-level analysis of samples from Bennu could help them prove that theory.

Once it settles into orbit around Bennu in 2018, Osiris-Rex will spend up to two more years mapping the asteroid's surface and taking inventory of its chemical and mineral composition.

Scientists will ultimately choose a promising site on Bennu to sample and command Osiris-Rex to fly close enough to extend its robot arm to the asteroid's surface. A sampling container will then release a swirl of nitrogen gas, which will stir up gravel and soil for collection.

"The more big pieces we can get the better ... they could contain the carbon molecules that we want to see," Jim Garvin, chief scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, said on NASA TV.

After gathering at least 2 ounces (60 grams) of material, Osiris-Rex will fly back to Earth, jettisoning a capsule bearing the asteroid-sample container for a parachute descent and landing in the Utah desert in September 2023.

Only one other spacecraft, Japan’s Hayabusa, has previously returned samples from an asteroid to Earth, but it collected less than a milligram of material because of a series of problems. A follow-on mission, Hayabusa 2, is under way, with a return to Earth planned for December 2020.

The U.S. space agency also hopes Osiris-Rex will demonstrate the advanced imaging and mapping techniques needed for future science missions and for upcoming commercial asteroid-mining expeditions.

Although Bennu occupies the same approximate orbital distance from the sun, it poses little threat to Earth. NASA estimates that there is a one-in-2,700 chance that Bennu might hit Earth sometime between 2175 and 2199.

United Launch Alliance is a partnership of Lockheed Martin (LMT.N) and Boeing (BA.N).

(Reporting by Irene Klotz at Cape Canaveral, Fla.; Editing by Steve Gorman and Peter Cooney)