Army Capt. Valerie Nostrant low-crawls under barbed wire during training at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, Dec. 14, 2021.

Army Capt. Valerie Nostrant low-crawls under barbed wire during training at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, Dec. 14, 2021. U.S. Army / Markus Rauchenberger

The Army Brief: Russian bombardments; Deployment funding; Base attack investigation findings; and more...

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

Rocket attacks reveal Russian military problems. Russia is heavily bombarding urban areas in Ukraine after their plan of a swift victory fell apart due to poor planning and their failure to adequately integrate combined-arms capabilities, Defense One reports

Funding Europe deployments. If troop deployments to Europe increase or are extended, the Pentagon may need more funding on top of the extra $5 billion it has already asked Congress to approve, Defense One reports

Attack investigations. Investigations into the deadly 2020 attack on a Kenyan military base found that poor leadership, inadequate training, and a “culture of complacency” hindered efforts to stop the assault, the Associated Press reported. Three Americans, including a 23-year-old soldier, were killed during the attack by 30 to 40 al-Shabab fighters on the Manda Bay air base. 

Sign up to get The Army Brief every Friday morning from Caitlin M. Kenney, Defense One’s military services reporter. In recognition of International Women’s Day, which the world celebrated this week, read this 2015 story about the first two women to earn the Ranger tab.


From Defense One

Put US Boots in Ukraine to Defend a UN-Approved Security Zone // James Jeffrey

It worked in Syria.

Why Is Ukraine's Internet Still Up? Perhaps Because the Invaders Need It // Tara Copp

As well, eight years of effort to harden IT infrastructure may be paying off.

Why the US Won't Give Patriot Interceptors to Ukraine // Tara Copp and Marcus Weisgerber

The Pentagon is still hunting "alternative options" to bolster Ukraine's air defenses against Russia's brutal strikes.