The Naval Brief: Drone theft attempt; Afghan War a ‘mistake’; Unit recognitions; and more...

Welcome to The Naval Brief, a weekly look at the news and ideas shaping the sea services’ future.

That’s my drone. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy tried to steal a U.S. unmanned surface vessel in the Persian Gulf before 5th Fleet sailors intervened, Defense One reports. The Saildrone Explorer has sensors and cameras aboard, but does not store any sensitive or classified information.

War opinion poll. Almost half of Americans in a new poll say that it was a mistake to send troops to fight in Afghanistan, Defense One reports. The results show a change in opinion from 2019, when only one-third of survey respondents said it was a mistake. The way the 20-year war came to an end and the return of the Taliban to power may be behind the shift in opinions. 

Recognizing evacuation efforts. Units involved with the evacuation and resettlement efforts at the end of the war in Afghanistan will be awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced. Also, the military services will look into the actions of units and troops at the Kabul airport to see who should be awarded the Presidential Unit Citation or other awards.

Sign up to get The Naval Brief every Thursday from Caitlin M. Kenney, Defense One’s military services reporter. On Aug 31, the Navy’s Medical Department celebrated its 180th anniversary.  

From Defense One

Defense Civilians To Get Average 4.6% Pay Raise in 2023 // Erich Wagner

Biden formalizes plan to raise federal workers' pay.

Fix and Expand the Interpreter Visa Program // Doug Livermore

The 2006 Special Immigrant Visa program, which helps Iraqi and Afghan interpreters and their families, desperately needs an overhaul and expansion to cover U.S. helpers elsewhere.

Almost No One Has Been Hired Through DHS' Much-Hyped Cyber Talent Program // Natalie Alms

With a month left in the fiscal year, program is 146 new hires short of its 150-person goal.