The Army Brief: Deadly terrorist attack; Evacuation saves 101K; Mandatory vaccines; and more...

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

U.S. service members killed in attack. A suicide bomber at a Kabul Airport perimeter gate killed 13 U.S. service members and wounded more than a dozen others, Defense One reports. The attack is the first time American troops have been killed in combat since Feb. 2020, the same month the U.S. and Taliban signed a peace agreement.

More than 101K rescued from Kabul. Prior to the deadly attack on U.S. troops, evacuation efforts had helped rescue 101,300 people from Kabul and of that, almost 96,000 were airlifted in just the last 12 days, Defense One reports. It's unclear how much longer the civilian airlift will continue with the looming Aug. 31 deadline, the deteriorating security situation, and the need to eventually evacuate the thousands of service members at the airport.

Jabs for everyone. Service members must now be fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 coronavirus following FDA approval of the Pfizer vaccine on Monday, Defense One reports. The Pentagon memo did not give the services a deadline to reach full vaccination status, but did ask that they “impose ambitious timelines for implementation.”

Sign up to get The Army Brief every Friday morning from Caitlin M. Kenney, Defense One’s military services reporter. On Aug 29, 1786, Shays’ Rebellion was started by Revolutionary War veteran and soldier Daniel Shays over economic issues and taxes facing  farmers. The rebellion against the government of Massachusetts eventually caused the founding fathers to draw up a new constitution with a stronger federal government to stop future rebellions. 

From Defense One

Biden Holds to Aug. 31 Evacuation Deadline, But Orders Up ‘Contingency Plans’ for Afghanistan Pullout // Tara Copp and Jacqueline Feldscher: Military, contracted planes have airlifted 87,900 people from Kabul as of Wednesday—but the Taliban is now clamping down on who can leave.

Not For the First Time, COVID Takes Back Seat to a More Pressing Crisis // Elizabeth Howe: The evacuation of refugees from Afghanistan depends on cramming people into closed spaces—during a global pandemic.

How One Tech Entrepreneur Is Scaling Up Veteran-Led Evacuation Efforts // Patrick Tucker: Volunteers in the U.S. are telling fleeing Afghans where Taliban traps are.

The Curious Omission in Russia’s New Security Strategy // David Shedd and Ivana Stradner: It doesn’t mention “cyber”—and that tells us a few things.