U.S. Marine Corps recruits with Bravo Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, participate in an obstacle during the Crucible at Camp Pendleton, Calif., Jan. 3, 2023. U.S. Marine Corps / Cpl. Tyler W. Abbott
The Naval Brief: Vaccine mandate repeal; More parental leave; Wagner gains; and more…
Welcome to The Naval Brief, a weekly look at the news and ideas shaping the sea services’ future.
Waiting for guidance. Pentagon officials are working on “further guidance” after the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act repealed the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, Defense One reports. While the military services wait to learn what that guidance will be, “all actions” for troops related to the mandate are paused. More than 8,400 people have been kicked out of the military for not receiving the vaccine.
Longer parental leave. Troops will now be able to take 12 weeks of leave after the birth or adoption of a child, the Pentagon announced in a new memo. Before, a birth parent or “primary caregiver” was given six weeks of leave, and the other parent was given just three weeks. Federal workers have had 12 weeks of paid leave since 2020.
Wagner in Ukraine. Mercenaries with the Russian Wagner Group are making “incremental gains” in the Bakhmut region of Ukraine, according to a senior White House official, Defense One reports. Most of these fighters are believed to be convicts, which may be why Russia is less concerned with high casualties.
Sign up to get The Naval Brief every Thursday from Caitlin M. Kenney, Defense One’s military services reporter. On Jan. 4, 1972, the legalman rating was established by Navy Secretary John Chafee.
From Defense One
State Department Opens Emerging-Tech Office // Alexandra Kelley
The Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technology will facilitate strategic partnerships to develop and regulate innovative technology.
Military Branches Losing Expensive Cyber Talent to the Private Sector, Watchdog Says // Edward Graham
The Government Accountability Office found that the lack of required service time commitments within some of the military branches is making it difficult to retain personnel who have completed expensive and advanced cyber courses.