Operation Midnight Hammer: Defense Department Officials Laud Success Of U.S. Strike on Iran Nuke Sites

The Defense Department released the photos and information below:

During a press conference at the Pentagon today, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, lauded the success of the U.S. Central Command's overnight strike on three Iranian nuclear facilities. 

Dubbed "Operation Midnight Hammer," Centcom deployed multiple combined assets to inflict significant damage at the sites of Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan. 

"The order we received from our commander in chief was focused, it was powerful and it was clear. We devastated the Iranian nuclear program," Hegseth said at the outset of his remarks, also noting that the operation did not target Iranian troops or citizens. 

"Initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction," Caine told the media. 

After proceeding quietly and with minimal communication for 18 hours from the U.S. to the target area, the first of seven B-2 Spirit stealth bombers dropped two 30,000 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator "bunker buster" bombs at the Fordo site yesterday at approximately 6:40 p.m. EDT, Caine said.  

The initial mission package also included several decoy aircraft that flew west over the Pacific Ocean as "a deception effort known only to an extremely small number of planners and key leaders here in Washington and CENTCOM commanders," Caine said.

Such tactics were also used in support of the main strike package of aircraft. 

"The U.S. employed several deception tactics — including decoys — as the fourth and fifth generation aircraft pushed out in front of the strike package at high altitude and high speed, sweeping in front of the package for enemy fighters and surface-to-air missile threats," Caine said. 

Following the initial strike on Fordo, the remaining B-2s went on to deploy their ordnance, eventually totaling 14 MOPs hitting the targeted areas.

This was the first operational use of the GBU-57 MOP, Caine noted.  

In addition to the MOPs, Caine said a U.S. submarine operating in Centcom's area of responsibility launched more than two dozen Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles at key infrastructure targets at the Isfahan site, bringing the overall total of precision-guided weapons employed during the operation to approximately 75. 

Caine stated there was no detectable retaliation to the strikes. 

"We are unaware of any shots fired at the package on the way out. Iran's fighters did not fly, and it appears that Iran's surface-to-air missile systems did not see us," he said, adding, "Throughout the mission, we maintained the element of surprise."

Both Hegseth and Caine shared praise for the military personnel who worked to execute the mission. 

"I want to recognize the pilots who flew those bombers, who flew those fighters, who flew those refuelers; warriors. I want to recognize the sailors on those destroyers, in those subs, on those carriers; warriors, all of them," Hegseth said, also recognizing soldiers who conducted air and base defense. 

"Every American involved in this operation performed flawlessly," he added, also giving recognition to the Israeli government for its contribution to the positioning and preparation of the effort." 

"This was a complex and high-risk mission, carried out with exceptional skill and discipline by our joint force," Caine said, also noting that the mission demonstrated the "unmatched reach, coordination and capability of the United States military." 

"In just a matter of weeks, this went from strategic planning to global execution," he said, adding that he concurs with President Donald J. Trump's assessment that "no other military in the world could have done this." 

When asked about the overall intent of the strikes, Hegseth said the mission was specifically focused on preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. 

"This mission was not, and has not been, about regime change. The president authorized a precision operation to neutralize the threats to our national interests posed by the Iranian nuclear program and the collective self-defense of our troops and our ally, Israel," Hegseth said. 

As to the potential for Iran attempting retaliation for the U.S. strikes, Caine said Centcom is operating under elevated force protection measures throughout the Middle East region and that any retaliation by Iran or its proxies would be "an incredibly poor choice." 

"We will defend ourselves. The safety of our service members and civilians remains our highest priority," he said.

Department Of Defense Civilian Employee Pleads Guilty To Taking Classified Documents

 The U.S. Justice Department released the information below:

A civilian electrical engineer for the Department of Defense pleaded guilty in federal court today to unauthorized removal and retention of classified material.

According to court documents, Gokhan Gun, 51, of Falls Church, Virginia, was born in Istanbul, Turkey, and is a dual citizen of Turkey and the United States. Through his employment, Gun possessed a Top Secret security clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and received training on the proper handling and storage of classified information.

Beginning in May 2024, Gun, without permission, removed at least five classified documents from his Department of Defense workspace with the intent to retain them at his primary residence, which was not an approved facility for the storage of classified information.

On Aug. 9, 2024, Gun was scheduled to depart the United States on a morning flight to Mexico. However, FBI agents observed a ride share service arrive at the defendant’s residence and approached Gun. Agents observed inside Gun’s residence a backpack inside which they located a Top Secret document and a notebook with handwritten notes that mirrored a Top Secret report. In the dining room, agents located additional classified documents, one of which Gun printed on Aug. 7, 2024, just two days before his scheduled departure.

Gun is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17 and faces up to five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia; Acting Assistant Director in Charge Phillip E. Bates of the FBI Washington Field Office and Executive Director Lee M. Russ of Air Force Office of Special Investigations Office of Special Projects (AFOSI) made the announcement.

The FBI and AFOSI Office of Special Projects are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Gibbs for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys Adam L. Small and Chantelle Dial of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

RIP Retired Defense Department Civilian Employee Gerard "Jerry" Rose

I received the sad news that retired Defense Department civilian employee Gerard "Jerry" Rose had died.

We worked together for more than 20 years at the Defense Department depot in South Philadelphia known locally as the "Quartermaster" (see bottom photo), and later at the Navy depot in Northeast Philadelphia.

Jerry was highly intelligent, funny, and hard-working and serious about our work at the Defense Contract Management Area Philadelphia (DCMA Philadelphia). DCMA oversees defense contractors for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marines, U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, and other government agencies.  

Jerry will be missed by his family, friends and former coworkers.

Paul Davis On Crime: The Philadelphia Quartermaster Revisited 

Defense Contractor Pleads Guilty To Fraud, Money Laundering And Unlawful Export Of Military Data

 The U.S. Justice Department released the below information:

Yuksel Senbol, 36, of Orlando, pleaded guilty to 25 felony counts in Florida federal court, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, eight counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, seven counts of money laundering, conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA), four counts of violating the ECRA, and one count of violating the Arms Export Control Act.

According to court documents, beginning in approximately April 2019, Senbol operated a front company in the Middle District of Florida called Mason Engineering Parts LLC. She used this front company to assist her co-conspirators, Mehmet Ozcan and Onur Simsek, to fraudulently procure contracts to supply critical military components to the Department of Defense. These components were intended for use in the U.S. Navy Nimitz and Ford Class Aircraft Carriers, U.S. Navy Submarines, U.S. Marine Corps Armored Vehicles, and U.S. Army M-60 Series Tank and Abrahams Battle Tanks, among other weapons systems.

To fraudulently procure the government contracts, Senbol and her co-conspirators falsely represented to the U.S. government and to U.S. military contractors that Mason Engineering Parts LLC was a vetted and qualified manufacturer of military components, when in fact, the parts were being manufactured by Ozcan and Simsek in Turkey. And, as Senbol knew, Simsek’s involvement had to be concealed from the U.S. government because he had been debarred from contracting with the U.S. government after being convicted of a nearly identical scheme in the Southern District of Florida.

In order to enable Ozcan and Simsek to manufacture the components in Turkey, Senbol assisted them in obtaining sensitive, export-controlled drawings of critical U.S. military technology. Using software that allowed Ozcan to remotely control her computer – and thus evade security restrictions that limited access to these sensitive military drawings to computers within the United States – Senbol knowingly facilitated the illegal export of these drawings. She did so despite having executed numerous agreements promising to safeguard the drawings from unlawful access or export, and despite the clear warnings on the face of each drawing that it could not be exported without obtaining a license.

Once Ozcan and Simsek manufactured the components in Turkey, they shipped them to Senbol, who repackaged them – making sure to remove any reference to their Turkish origin. The conspirators then lied about the origin of the parts to the U.S. government and a U.S. government contractor to receive payment for the parts. Senbol then laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars in criminal proceeds back to Turkey through international wire transfers.

This scheme continued until uncovered and disrupted by federal investigators. Parts supplied by Senbol were tested by the U.S. military and were determined not to conform with product specifications. Many of the components supplied to the U.S. military by Senbol were “critical application items,” meaning that failure of these components would have potentially rendered the end system inoperable.

Senbol faces up to 10 years in prison for the conspiracy to defraud the United States offense and for each count of money laundering. She faces up to 20 years in prison for each count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to violate the ECRA, violating the ECRA and violating the Arms Export Control Act. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 6. Alleged co-conspirators Mehmet Ozcan and Onur Simsek are fugitives.

This case was investigated by the FBI; General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General; Defense Criminal Investigative Service; Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security; Air Force Office of Special Investigations; Homeland Security Investigations; and Department of State, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. Marcet and Lindsey Schmidt for the Middle District of Florida, and Trial Attorney Stephen Marzen of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

Defense Department: Interagency Effort Assessing Impact Of Leaked Documents, Strategizing Way Forward

 C. Todd Lopez at the DOD News offers the below piece: 

Inside the Defense Department, an effort is underway now to look at the scope and scale of the distribution on social media platforms of what appears to be classified Defense Department information.

Last week, Defense Department officials briefed Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III about a collection of images found circulating on various social media websites that appear to be — but are not yet confirmed to be — of classified documents, some related to Ukraine- and Russia-related operations.

"A Pentagon team continues to review and assess the veracity of the photographed documents that are circulating on social media sites, and that appear in some cases to contain sensitive and highly classified material," said Chris Meagher, the assistant to the secretary of defense for Public Affairs, during an online discussion with members of the media.

The imagery shows documents that appear to be in a format similar to those which might be used to provide updates to senior defense officials regarding various military operations, Meagher told reporters.

"Some of these images appear to have been altered," Meagher said. "We've been in close touch with the White House and with interagency partners on this issue. And an interagency effort has been stood up, with a focus on assessing the impact these photographed documents could potentially have on U.S. national security and on our allies and partners."

Now the department is looking internally at what was distributed, how much was distributed and the impact of that distribution, Meagher said.

"We're still investigating how this happened, as well as the scope of the issue," he said. "There have been steps to take a closer look at how this type of information is distributed and to whom. We're also still trying to assess what might be out there."

Since the department became aware of the unauthorized disclosure of information, Meagher said officials have been talking with U.S. allies and partners about what happened. Officials have also informed national security committees and Congress.

Additionally, he said, an effort is underway to determine who might have leaked the information, how they did it and why — though that effort is not being undertaken by the department itself. Instead, the matter has been referred to the Department of Justice, which has opened a criminal investigation.

"The Department of Defense's highest priority is the defense of our nation and our national security," Meagher said. "The secretary and Department of Defense and the United States government take this apparent unauthorized disclosure extremely seriously, and this is a top priority for us."

Note: The above photo of the Pentagon was taken by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Brittany A. Chase

Historic Philadelphia Quartermaster Campus To Convert To The Quartermaster Science + Technology Park

The real estate company SkyREM announced yesterday that the historic Quartermaster site in Philadelphia, once a Defense Department compound and major employer in South Philadelphia, will be converted into the Quartermaster Science + Technology Park.

The real estate company stated that in addition to planned restaurants, a hotel, and other amenities, the $250 million mixed-use commercial redevelopment will include wet and dry lab space for both life science startups and established companies to conduct full-scale research and development, and bio-manufacturing.

You can read the announcement via the below link:

Historic Quartermaster Campus to Convert to the Quartermaster Science + Technology Park (prnewswire.com)

Above and below are illustrations of what the Quartermaster will look like in the future, according to the real estate company.

Note:  I worked at the Quartermaster for nearly 25 years as a Defense Department employee. 

You can read about the old Quartermaster via the below links:

Paul Davis On Crime: The Philadelphia Quartermaster Revisited

Paul Davis On Crime: A Look Back At The Multi-Million Dollar Defense Contract Fraud and Bribery Case At The Philadelphia Quartermaster

Paul Davis On Crime: Connecting the Dots at the Local Level: Fusion Centers Make Homeland Security a State, City and County Affair

Freight Carriers Agree To Pay $6.85 Million To Resolve Allegations Of Knowingly Presenting False Claims To The Department of Defense

 The U.S. Justice Department released the below information:

YRC Freight Inc. (YRC), Roadway Express Inc. and Yellow Transportation Inc. (collectively the YRC defendants), have agreed to pay approximately $6.85 million to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act that they knowingly presented false claims to the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) by systematically overcharging for freight carrier services and making false statements to hide their misconduct.

The YRC defendants, transporters of industrial, commercial and retail goods, contracted with DOD to ship military freight across the country from September 2005 to October 2013. Under their contracts, the YRC defendants were paid based in part upon a shipment’s weight.

The United States alleged that the YRC defendants fraudulently billed the United States for delivery charges based on higher weights when, after reweighing the shipments, they knew that the actual weights were lower. For more than seven years, the YRC defendants allegedly reweighed many shipments before final delivery, and when the reweighs showed that a shipment weight was more than the original weight, the YRC defendants charged DOD for these higher weights. But when the reweighs showed that a shipment weight was less than the original weight, the YRC defendants allegedly concealed from DOD the lower weights and instead charged DOD for the original, inflated weights. To further hide the scheme, the YRC defendants allegedly made false statements assuring DOD that they would comply with the rules requiring them to correct discrepancies uncovered during any reweigh process.

“We expect companies to do business with the government honestly and fairly,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement demonstrates the department’s continuing commitment to hold accountable those who defraud the government and, by extension, the American taxpayers.”

“The Defense Department entered into contracts with YRC, Roadway, and Yellow for shipping services,” said U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross for the Western District of New York. “These companies, which purposely overcharged for these services and then made false statements to cover up their actions, are now being held accountable for their behavior.”

The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by James Hannum, an employee of Yellow Transportation. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Hannum v. YRC Freight, Inc., Roadway Express, Inc., and Yellow Transportation, Inc., Civil Action No. 08-0811 (W.D.N.Y.). Mr. Hannum will receive $1.3 million, plus interest, as his share of the settlement.

“Investigating schemes that undermine the integrity of Department of Defense (DoD) procurement is a top priority for the DoD Office of Inspector General's Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS),” said Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty of the DCIS Northeast Field Office. “Today's announcement demonstrates our commitment to work with the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners to hold companies accountable for artificially inflating the cost of services provided to the DoD.”

“After working extensively on this case, DCAA is gratified the work of our auditors made a significant contribution to the outcome of this case,” said Lead Investigative Auditor John Manfredonia for the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA). 

The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York, with assistance from DCIS; DCAA, and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division Command.

The matter was handled by Trial Attorneys Benjamin Young and John F. Schifalacqua of the Justice Department’s Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Coriell for the Western District of New York.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

 

You can also read about a major Defense Department fraud and bribery case via the below link: 

Paul Davis On Crime: A Look Back At The Multi-Million Dollar Defense Contract Fraud and Bribery Case At The Philadelphia Quartermaster 

U.S. Defense Official Says Russians Reportedly Recruiting Syrian Mercenaries

 The U.S. Defense Department offers a piece on the Russians recruiting Syrian mercenaries to fight in Ukraine. 

The Russians are reportedly trying to recruit Syrians to sign up and fight in Ukraine, a senior defense official said today. 

"We find that noteworthy that [Russian President Vladimir Putin] believes that he needs to rely on foreign fighters to supplement what is a very significant commitment of combat power inside Ukraine as it is," the official said, noting that Putin has now committed nearly 100% of his combat power into Ukraine, which had been amassed along the border at the start of the war.”

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

Defense Official Says Russians Reportedly Recruiting Syrian Mercenaries  > U.S. Department of Defense > Defense Department News

Note: The above is a photo of Putin from the satirical Tv series Spitting Image.  

Former Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) Employee Admits To Stealing Identities Of 37 Individuals In Bank And Loan Fraud Scheme

For many years I was a Defense Department civilian employee doing security work for the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) in Philadelphia, so the press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office Southern District of California was of interest to me. 

You can read the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s release below: 

SAN DIEGO – Kevin Lee of Chula Vista pleaded guilty in federal court today to using his position at the Defense Contract Management Agency (“DCMA”) to steal the identities of at least 37 individuals and using those identities to commit over $240,000 in bank and loan fraud. 

DCMA is a federal agency responsible for administering contracts for the Department of Defense and other authorized federal agencies. For his former position at DCMA, Lee held a Top Secret, Sensitive Compartmentalized Information (TS-SCI) clearance. Beginning in approximately September 2018 and continuing up to and including September 2020, Lee devised a scheme to defraud various banks and loan companies by using stolen identities to apply for and obtain loans, which he then used to pay personal debts and bills. 

According to his plea agreement, Lee initially used the identities of family members to apply for and obtain fraudulent loans.  In approximately September 2019, Lee began applying for loans and bank accounts using information he had access to as a result of his employment at DCMA.  Specifically, Lee accessed a DCMA Sharepoint site called DCMA 360 that contained personal identifying information belonging to various individuals employed by, or in some way in contact with, DCMA, including Department of Defense employees and contractors. 

The plea agreement said the following:

The information Lee accessed included social security numbers, birth dates, addresses, and various forms relating to government employment. After collecting sufficient personal identifying information on an individual, Lee used that information to apply for bank accounts and loans online.  To do so, Lee created fraudulent identification documents using the stolen information, including driver’s licenses and passports.  Lee additionally created and/or doctored pay stubs, bank statements, and tax documents to support his loan applications.  In order to qualify for more loan money, Lee fraudulently increased the salary reflected on some of the documents.  Lee created false email accounts for some of the stolen identities, and used various Google voice phone numbers to accomplish his fraud.

For example, Lee created a fake Gmail account for a DCMA employee, D.B.  Two months later, on March 26, 2020, Lee conducted six separate searches for personal identifying information belonging to D.B. on the DCMA 360 site.  Between March 26-March 30, 2020, Lee then used D.B.’s name, birthdate, address, and social security number to fraudulently apply for at least eight bank accounts and loans using D.B.’s identity.  Lee created a fake Arizona Driver’s License using D.B.’s name address and birthdate, which he submitted with the fraudulent loan applications.  Lee successfully obtained three loans in D.B.’s name, and used the funds for personal expenses.  In total, Lee stole and used or attempted to use the identities of 37 actual individuals at 16 different financial institutions.  The total amount of Lee’s actual and attempted fraud was $244,513.45.

“Government employees hold positions of public trust,” said U.S. Attorney Randy S. Grossman.  “The identity theft and fraud in this case is particularly egregious because Mr. Lee violated that public trust for his own selfish ends.  Those who engage in fraud and identity theft will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”  Grossman thanked the prosecution team as well as Defense Criminal Investigative Service and

Defense Contract Management Agency-Office of Inspector General for their excellent work on this case.

“The theft of personally identifiable information can significantly harm our military service members, civilian employees, and their families,” said Kenneth A. DeChellis, Special Agent in Charge, DoD Office of Inspector General, DCIS - Cyber Field Office.  “This conviction, resulting from the coordinated actions of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Cyber and Western Field Offices, as well as our partner agencies, demonstrates our commitment to swift action against those who attempt to enrich themselves at the expense of our current and prior Department of Defense personnel. 

"Flags In": Flags Placed On Headstones At Arlington National Cemetery For Memorial Day

In the above and below Defense Department photos, soldiers assigned to the 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as "The Old Guard," place American flags at headstones in Arlington National Cemetery on May 27th.

The tradition, known as "Flags In," is held prior to Memorial Day to honor the nation's fallen veterans.

U.S. Navy Helps 'Midway' Film Crew Bring Battle To Life

The U.S. Defense Department released the below story and photos on the U.S. Navy’s aid in the making of the film "Midway.":

The Battle of Midway was one of the most pivotal of World War II in the Pacific, and a major film depicting its events is about to hit the big screen. Defense Department historians who helped from start to finish say "Midway" does justice to the integrity, accountability and toughness of everyone involved in the real June 1942 battle. 

Written by Wes Tooke, "Midway" follows the war from the attack on Pearl Harbor through the Battle of Midway, which ultimately changed the tide of the war in America's favor. The narrative follows two naval officers and includes several critical role-players, including Adm. Chester Nimitz, Gen. James Doolittle and Adm. William Halsey.

"I wanted to showcase the valor and immense courage of the men on both sides and remain very sensitive to the human toll of the battles and war itself," said director Roland Emmerich, who visited Pearl Harbor in 2016 to see firsthand the historic bases, facilities and memorials that framed much of the war in the Pacific.

Historians from the Naval History and Heritage Command helped writers and producers during script development and production. The goal was to make a movie that was as accurate as possible — give or take a few small Hollywood-style inconsistencies — and the historians who helped said they were impressed with the final product.

"Despite some of the 'Hollywood' aspects, this is still the most realistic movie about naval combat ever made," said retired Navy Rear Adm. Sam Cox, the NHHC director who personally supported each phase of the historical review. "It does real credit to the courage and sacrifice of those who fought in the battle on both sides."

The actors portraying the real heroes were committed to getting it right, too. 

Woody Harrelson played Nimitz, who took control of the U.S. Pacific Fleet after Pearl Harbor. In preparation for the role, Harrelson called on Navy Rear Adm. Brian Fort, commander of Navy Region Hawaii at the time, for help in understanding the man Nimitz was and the decisions he made. 

"Admiral Nimitz came in at an extremely difficult time for the Pacific Fleet. It was really important for Harrelson to understand not just the man, but the timing of his arrival and the urgency of the situation for the Navy and nation," said Jim Neuman, the Navy Region Hawaii historian who arranged the meet-up and spent time on the set during filming. 

Harrelson also visited USS John C. Stennis while the ship operated in the Pacific. He got a close look at air operations at sea, saw the launch and recovery of various naval aircraft and spent time on the navigation bridge watching its operators. Harrelson also met with sailors, and even played piano at an impromptu jam session.

Actor Patrick Wilson plays intelligence officer Navy Lt. Cmdr. Edwin Layton in the film. He visited retired Navy intelligence officer Capt. Dale Rielage to compare notes about Layton's education, his pre-war experiences and his relationships with Nimitz and the codebreakers at the famed Station Hypo.

"We were thoroughly impressed with the amount of research he had conducted on his own, and it's evident he is committed to honoring Layton's legacy," said Dave Werner, who escorted Wilson during the visit.

"Midway" is set to hit theaters Nov. 8, ahead of Veterans Day.

China Poses Largest Long-Term Threat To U.S., Defense Department Policy Chief Says

Terri Moon Cronk at the Department of Defense offers the below piece:

It is not an exaggeration to say China is the greatest long-term threat to the U.S. way of life, but China also poses the greatest challenge to the Defense Department, DOD's policy chief said.

John C. Rood (seen in the below photo), undersecretary of defense for policy, made the assertion during a panel discussion today at the Center for European Policy Analysis Forum in Washington.

"The National Defense Strategy very clearly lays out a blueprint for America's role in the world and how we see it," the undersecretary said. "It starts with recognition that in this highly complex, dynamic security environment, the great power competition has returned," he said.

In the last 10 years, the United States has witnessed a 750% growth in China’s defense spending, Undersecretary of Defense for Policy John C. Rood said during a panel discussion at the Center for European Policy Analysis Forum in Washington, Sept. 23, 2019. 

The United States doesn't seek a confrontational approach, nor is it destined to be adversaries with China, Rood noted. 

"We want to trade. We want to have interactions. But on the other hand, we want to protect our intellectual property," he said. "We want to protect the rules-based international order that we've both worked so hard to create since World War II. And we want respect for the sovereignty of others. We want respect for the role of individual in society."

We have to be serious about protecting this international rules-based order ..." 

Rood said it's important to recognize the scale of China's ambitions. China wants not only to become the world's largest and most influential economy, but also to be the world's largest and most influential nation in all spheres of life.

The undersecretary talked about China's ambitions to have a world-class military.

"[But] it's the way in which China is challenging this international rules-based order, challenging the individual freedoms that we support, challenging the free movement of ideas, and people, trade," Rood said. "And promoting an authoritarian model, one that doesn't respect the sovereignty of others, [is] what challenges our way of life."

If it were simply an economic competition, Rood said, America rather likes competition. "And so I wouldn't fear that at all," he added.

The U.S. innovation model would beat China's innovation model 10 times out of 10 times, Rood told the panel. "I really have tremendous confidence in it, he said, "and the best proof I can give you that China's leaders recognize that is that they are determined to steal from it."

The Chinese know they can't win a head-to-head competition, the undersecretary said; they know they can’t compete with that kind of entrepreneurship and innovation, so the state has to exercise that level of control. 

"You're starting to see China develop overseas military bases, overseas intelligence collection locations, and this is one of the areas in which to challenge sovereignty," Rood said. In the last 10 years, the United States has witnessed a 750% growth in China's defense spending, he noted.

"We have to be serious about protecting this international rules-based order, protecting free trade, protecting the free movement of ideas and the role of individual society," Rood said.

A Look At The Pentagon 9/11 Memorial

As tomorrow is the anniversary of the horrific 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, readers might be interested in viewing the Pentagon 911 Memorial.

On Sept. 11, 2001, American Airlines Flight 77 was hijacked and crashed into the Pentagon, killing all 64 people on the plane and 125 people in the Pentagon. The Pentagon Memorial is the first national memorial dedicated to honoring the 184 people whose lives were lost at the Pentagon that day, their families, and all those who sacrifice so that we may live in freedom.

The Pentagon Memorial captures a specific moment in time - 9:37 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2001, when 184 souls were lost. The $22 million memorial sits on two acres of land right outside where the jetliner struck the building.

There are 184 memorial benches dedicated to each of the victims, and they’re organized in a timeline of their ages, from the youngest victim, 3-year-old Dana Falkenberg, to the oldest, 71-year-old John Yamnicky. 

You can read more about the memorial and view photos and videos via the below link:

https://www.defense.gov/Experience/Pentagon-Memorial/source/GovDelivery/

You can also read my Counterterrorism magazine piece on the attack on the Pentagon via the below link:

www.pauldavisoncrime.com/2012/09/a-look-back-at-911-attack-on-pentagon.html 

Anchors Aweigh!: On This Day In 1970 I Enlisted In The U.S. Navy

I enlisted in the U.S. Navy on this day in 1970.

I was a 17-year-old South Philly high school dropout when I raised my hand and swore to uphold the Constitution of the United States and defend America against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

It was the beginning of a grand adventure that took me to the Navy Training Center (Boot Camp) in Great Lakes, Illinois, and on to the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk, where we sailed to Southeast Asia and "Yankee Station" off the coast of Vietnam. I later served on a Navy tugboat, the USS Saugus, at the American nuclear submarine base at Holy Loch, Scotland.

I traveled all across America and I visited the Philippines, Japan, Hong Kong, Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales, Italy, France, Germany, Canada, Mexico and other countries.

February 9, 1970 was also the beginning of a 37-year-stint in the Defense Department, as my Navy service counted towards my civilian government career.

Defense Department Delays Release of Former Navy SEAL's Thriller

Zachary Leeman at LifeZette.com interviewed former Navy SEAL Jack Carr, the author of the thriller, The Terminal List and the upcoming True Believer.

Jack Carr (shown above right) made a big splash in the literary world when he released  "The Terminal List." With Navy SEAL Lt. Cmdr. James Reece, he introduced a hard-nosed protagonist who could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with other beloved modern western heroes in literature, such as Brad Thor’s Scot Harvath or Stephen Hunter’s Bob Lee Swagger.

What made Carr’s writing so engaging and fresh, in part, is that he’s had a career as a Navy SEAL. That knowledge helped inject something new into “The Terminal List.” Because of Carr’s work with the military, he needed to go through the rigorous process of having his book approved by the Department of Defense (DOD), which had to ensure Carr was not divulging any government secrets he’s been sworn to keep.

The process went smoothly enough and “The Terminal List” made it to shelves everywhere.

The same cannot yet be said for his second book, however. Carr’s much-anticipated follow-up novel — “True Believer” — has had its release date delayed due to the review by the DOD.

Originally set to be published April 2, “True Believer” will now have a publish date of July 30. Carr’s publisher released a statement about the delay through Twitter.

Carr’s first book was “cleared as amended” by the Department of Defense Office of Prepublication and Security Review; and Carr left those redactions in the text of his book.

He was planning on doing the same thing with his new book, but the Department of Defense has pushed the deadline several times.

LifeZette interviewed Carr — who lives with his family in Utah — via email about his thoughts on the delay of his new book and what readers can expect from “True Believer.”

Question: Is there any chance the Department of Defense review could cancel the publication of this novel? Do you have a timeline for when the review will be done?

Answer: First, I need to say that, in the grand scheme, I realize these are exceptionally good problems to have. I feel extremely fortunate to be doing something I love so much each and every day. Now, I doubt they could cancel the publication of “True Believer.” It is 100 percent a work of fiction set against a current geo-political backdrop. They may redact or “over”-redact, but I can’t see how a work of fiction could possibly warrant this much scrutiny, much less cancelation, by the government.

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

https://www.lifezette.com/2019/01/department-of-defense-delays-release-of-ex-navy-seals-book/ 

Defense Department Report Details China's Growing Military, Economic Power

Jim Garamone at the DoD News offers the below piece: WASHINGTON, Aug. 21, 2018 — China is not an enemy, but it is certainly an adversary of the United States, and the Defense Department’s 2018 report to Congress examines the trends in Chinese military developments. Congress mandates the report, titled “Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China.” While the report highlights military developments, it also addresses China’s whole-of-government approach to competition. China’s economic development is fueling extraordinary changes in relationships it maintains around the world, according to the report. On the face of it, China’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative sounds benign – it looks to build infrastructure for developing countries and Chinese neighbors. Chinese leaders have funded serious projects as far away as Africa under the initiative. They have built roads in Pakistan and made major inroads in Malaysia. China has a major stake in Sri Lanka. Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Laos and Djibouti also are involved. The Chinese government seeks to overturn the established international order that has kept the peace in the region since World War II and allowed Asian countries to develop. But “One Belt, One Road” money and projects come with strings. The “one road” leads to China, and nations are susceptible to Chinese influence on many levels – political, military, and especially, economic. Economic Clout In 2017, China used its economic clout in South Korea as a bludgeon to get Seoul to not allow the United States to deploy the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system in the country as a counterweight to North Korea’s nuclear missile program. The Chinese government informally lowered the boom on South Korea economically to influence the THAAD decision. South Korean cars and other exports were embargoed. About a quarter of all goods South Korea exports goes to China, so this had an immediate effect on the economy. In addition, tourism suffered, as nearly half of all entries to South Korea are from China, and South Korean retail stores in China were crippled. The South Korean government decided to allow the THAAD to deploy, but China’s economic muscle movement had to be noted in other global capitals. South China Sea “In its regional territorial and maritime disputes, China continued construction of outposts in the Spratly Islands, but also continued outreach to South China Sea claimants to further its goal of effectively controlling disputed areas,” the DoD reports says in its executive summary. In other words, China is using military power and diplomatic efforts in tandem to claim the South China Sea. The People’s Liberation Army has come a long way from the human-wave attacks of the Korean War, and Chinese leaders want to build a military worthy of a global power. “Chinese military strategy documents highlight the requirement for a People’s Liberation Army able to secure Chinese national interests overseas, including a growing emphasis on the importance of the maritime and information domains, offensive air operations, long-distance mobility operations, and space and cyber operations,” the report says. Chinese military planners looked at what the United States accomplished in Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm in 1990 and 1991 and charted their way forward. The PLA is fundamentally restructuring to challenge and beat any military in the world. The PLA – still the largest force in the world – actually cut people to streamline command and control and modernize forces. The Chinese seek to win at all levels of conflict, from regional conflicts to wars with peer competitors. “Reforms seek to streamline command and control structures and improve jointness at all levels,” the report said. The PLA is using realistic training scenarios and exercising troops and equipment regularly. New Capabilities China is investing billions in new capabilities including artificial intelligence, hypersonic technology, offensive cyber capabilities and more. China also has launched an aircraft carrier and added many new ships to the PLA Navy. The Chinese Navy is more active and making more port calls than in years past. Further, the PLA Marine Corps is expanding from 10,000 personnel to 30,000. The PLA Air Force has been reassigned a nuclear mission, giving China a nuclear triad -- along with missile and subs -- for the first time. Cyber operations play a significant role in the Chinese military. The PLA has a large corps of trained and ready personnel. Cyber espionage is common, and there are those who believe China was able to get plans of the F-35 Thunderbolt II joint strike fighter, which they incorporated into its J-20 stealth fighter. The U.S. National Security Strategy and National Defense Strategy recognize that China and Russia are strategic competitors of the United States. Still, the United States must engage with China, and maintenance of cordial military-to-military relations is in both nations’ best interests. “While the Department of Defense engages substantively with the People’s Liberation Army, DoD will also continue to monitor and adapt to China’s evolving military strategy, doctrine and force development, and encourage China to be more transparent about its military modernization,” the report says. The United States military will adapt to counter and get ahead of moves by any competitor, DoD officials said.