First female Army Reserve officer graduates from Ranger School

Maj. Lisa Jaster made history when she became one of only three women -- and the only female Army Reserve officer -- to earn the black-and-gold shoulder tab signifying she had completed the Army Ranger combat leadership course. Faster, an engineer and mother of two young children, joins the ranks of fellow West Point graduates Capt. Kristen Griest and 1st Lt. Shaye Haver. Read More »

Coalition forces step up attacks against Islamic State

Coalition military forces continued their attacks on the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq last week. The forces completed three drone attacks in Syria. They also made 21 attacks in Iraq using bomber, fighter, attack, ground-attack, remotely piloted aircraft and rocket artillery with the support of the Iraqi government. The strikes were part of Operation Inherent Resolve. Read More »

Department of Energy invests $20 million in developing fuel cell technology

With the fuel cell industry totaling more than $2.2 billion in sales last year, the Department of Energy is investing more than $20 million to develop the market for fuel cell technology. The investment will go toward 10 projects to advance fuel cell and hydrogen technologies, and enable early adoption of fuel cell applications such as light-duty fuel cell electric vehicles. Read More »

Optex Systems wins $2.6 million international contract

Optex Systems, Inc. recently signed a $2.6 million contract for periscopes with an unnamed international defense contractor. A manufacturer of optical sighting systems and assemblies for domestic and foreign militaries, the Richardson, Texas-based company will deliver the products on a continuous basis over the next five years, following its normal operating procedures. Read More »

Navy's new Virginia-class sub dubbed the Illinois

The U.S. Navy christened its newest Virginia-class attack submarine as the Illinois (SSN 786) in a ceremony at General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, Connecticut on Saturday. The Illinois is the 13th Virginia-class nuclear submarine and the third Virginia-class Block III submarine. The Illinois will have a 34-foot beam and can operate at more than 25 knots submerged. Read More »

NATO launches largest live joint exercise in over 10 years

NATO is in the middle of the biggest and most ambitious exercise in more than a decade that challenges troops and commanders from 27 member nations to tackle a series of demanding training events; the exercise runs through Nov. 6 and is dubbed Exercise Trident Juncture 2015, and it will increase the readiness of troops in the NATO Response Force (NRF) for responding to a wide range of challenges. Read More »

Airstrikes continue to hinder ISIL terrorists in Syria, Iraq

This week, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL insurgents in Syria and Iraq as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, which is the name of the ongoing military operation that is part of an international effort to hit ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq in order to limit the group's capabilities, with coalition nations that include Australia, Canada, France, Jordan, Netherlands, the U.K., the U.S., Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. Read More »

Homeland Security to introduce REAL ID Act identification provisions

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has released an update on how it’s enforcing the REAL ID Act passed by Congress in 2005, an act that establishes a procedure and standards for identification that can be used for official purposes at the federal level; the law’s enforcement started being implemented in stages last year, and the DHS has promised updates on the process throughout. Read More »

USS Fort Worth participates in its first-ever CARAT exercise

The littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth completed its first-ever Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise recently with Bangladesh in the Bay of Bengal. "The sea phase of CARAT Bangladesh was short, but filled with a large number of naval war fighting core competencies that advanced our navies' interoperability," Cmdr. Christopher Brown, commanding officer of the Fort Worth, said. Read More »

House Homeland Security panel releases October report on terror

The Terror Threat Snapshot for October released by House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul said efforts to stop Americans and others from traveling to join jihadists overseas have largely failed, among other conclusions. The report is a monthly assessment of the committee’s effort to highlight the growing threat from ISIS and other Islamist terrorists. Read More »

Dept. of Homeland Security welcomes new members to advisory council

Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas swore in the newest members of the Homeland Security Advisory Council at a meeting that discussed a range of homeland security-related issues. The HSAC is a federal advisory committee that works with the Department of Homeland Security to provide the department’s secretary with informed recommendations and advice. Read More »

Vets4Energy stresses national security in urging Congress to lift federal ban on crude oil exports

Vets4Energy, a U.S. military veterans group advocating for energy policies to sustain the country's national security, met Oct. 1 with dozens of legislators to promote Senate action to lift the ban on U.S crude oil exports. The group stressed the significance of sound energy policies to boost national security in meetings with 50 U.S. Senators and dozens of House members. Read More »

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