The Army Brief: Project Convergence concludes; Woman graduates as sniper; Draft-women debate; and more...

Welcome to The Army Brief, a weekly look at the news and ideas shaping the service’s future. 

Desert experiments. Project Convergence 2021, the U.S. Army’s massive all-domain command and control experiment, concluded in Yuma, Arizona, on Wednesday. Intended to mimic a conflict in the INDOPACOM area of responsibility, the event was greatly expanded from last year, bringing in some 110 technologies and involving the 82nd Airborne Division and Army electronic warfare operators as well as personnel from the Navy, Marines, and Space Force, Defense One’s Patrick Tucker reports. 

First woman Army sniper-course grad. A soldier from the Montana Army National Guard is the first woman to graduate from the Army’s sniper course, the unit announced. She was recommended for the course by her training staff and chain of command after qualifying as an expert shooter during Infantry One Station Unit Training at Fort Benning.

Women draftees? Anti-war activists and conservative hawks are objecting to legislative proposals that would require women to register with the U.S. Selective Service, Defense One reports. Congress is expected to debate the issue when it considers the fiscal 2022 National Defense Authorization Act.

Sign up to get The Army Brief every Friday morning from Caitlin M. Kenney, Defense One’s military services reporter. On Nov. 13, 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C. The wall has more than 58,000 names of men and women who died or are missing from the war. 

From Defense One

What Worked, What Didn't at Army’s Second Connect-Everything Experiment // Patrick Tucker: Drone-shooting helicopters, robot reconnaissance teams, and a lot more people mark Project Convergence’s second year.

After Afghanistan, Poll Finds Alienation and a Desire for Connection Among Veterans // Tara Copp: 70 percent of Americans surveyed said they have “never” or “rarely” talked to a veteran about the war.

Australia Seeks ‘More Proactive’ Role In Indo-Pacific // Jacqueline Feldscher: The ambassador says Australia can no longer be a “passive recipient” in today’s strategic environment.

Adding India to the Five Eyes Would Cause a New Cold War, Pakistani Official Says // Patrick Tucker: Proposal in the U.S. Senate draws harsh words as Islamabad works up a new anti-terrorist effort.

Lawmakers Push DOD to Share its Data to Help U.S. Make AI Gains // Brandi Vincent: New legislation to pilot easy-access data libraries could be included in the fiscal 2022 NDAA. of Americans surveyed said they have “never” or “rarely” talked to a veteran about the war.