How long has the Army been working on body armor for its women? Soldiers try on prototype vests at Fort Campbell — in 2012. U.S. Army
The Army Brief: Body armor funding, tenant rights, a murder trial, and more...
Welcome to The Army Brief, a weekly look at the news and ideas shaping the service’s future.
Smaller body armor. The Army wants $81 million to speed up body armor modernization and fielding specifically for women and small-statured soldiers, Elizabeth Howe reports in Defense One. Though the head of Army Futures Command says the service will begin to buy the gear, some lawmakers fear smaller soldiers will continue to lack the proper level of protection.
Tenant rights. Following serious military family housing problems, the Tenant Bill of Rights has been fully implemented at 36 of 44 Army installations, the service announced. The rights include dispute resolution, prompt home repairs, and reporting problems without retaliation.
Murder trial starts. A Marine Raider heads to court Monday for the murder of Green Beret Staff Sgt. Logan Melgar in Mali, Army Times reports. Three other men have pleaded guilty in the case over the past two years.
Sign up to get The Army Brief every Friday morning from Caitlin M. Kenney, Defense One’s military services reporter. On Monday, the Army celebrates its 246th birthday. If you’re up for it, you can do Sgt. Major of the Army Michael Grinston’s challenge of 246 leg tucks with friends and 246 air squats.
From Defense One
Where the US Army’s Cut List and Wish List Overlap // Caitlin M. Kenney: Some programs slated for trimming in the 2022 budget proposal also appear on the service’s list of unfunded priorities.
To US Army, Getting Women’s Body Armor Quickly Is an Unfunded Priority // Elizabeth Howe: Lawmakers question why the service left $81 million to “accelerate” gear for women and short men out of its latest budget request.
NATO May Train Afghan Special Operators in Europe // Patrick Tucker: But experts say training may suffer after Western troops withdraw.
China Is Our No. 1 Priority. Start Acting Like It, Austin Tells Pentagon // Jacqueline Feldscher: Task force says the military Biden inherited from Trump had a “say-do gap” in the resources directed at China.
Pentagon’s Accelerating ‘Connect-Everything’ Effort Hinges on Uncertain Cloud Program // Patrick Tucker: If the JEDI program collapses, JADC2 is going to need a replacement cloud.