Tuesday’s Top Ten

FROM THE DESK OF CLEARANCEJOBS.COM

Hot commodities: TS + full scope poly. Editor Lindy Kyzer advises, “First, don’t expect security-conscious, full-scope poly candidates to care significantly about their public personal brand – or have a publicly-visible personal brand at all. Most intelligence and defense industry professionals are flat out told by their supervisors and security officers not to have profiles on popular social networking sites. Very rarely will you be able to source a full-scope poly candidate via a public social profile you found online. . . .”

Career launch. Also from Lindy Kyzer, “Many careers fizzle around the fifteen year mark – maybe you’ve made a transition you regret, you’re stuck in a dead end job with a boss you hate, or you’re just confused about what step to take. These tips apply to you, as much as they do to the recent graduate. Keep them in mind and empower your career for an impressive take off. . . .”

THE FORCE AND THE FIGHT

It’s a deal: Iran reaches agreement. AP’s George Jahn and Matthew Lee report, “After 18 days of intense and often fractious negotiation, world powers and Iran struck a landmark deal Tuesday to curb Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for billions of dollars in relief from international sanctions – an agreement designed to avert the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran and another U.S. military intervention in the Muslim world.”

Lessons from Ukraine. Breaking Defense’s Sydney J. Freedberg Jr. reports, “In their war against Russia, Ukrainian troops have endured artillery bombardments like nothing Americans have seen since World War II. Russian electronic attacks against radio communications are like nothing the US has seen — ever. So even as Washington debates further training — and perhaps arming — the Ukrainians, the top Army commander in Europe said today, they have important lessons to teach us. Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges was too polite to say it out loud, but Ukraine is teaching us what it takes to fight the Russians — or anyone else well-armed — in a large-scale ground war.”

A study in Kenya. National Defense University Press contributor William R. Patterson offers, “Structural and institutional weaknesses, historical grievances, the influx of radical ideology, and military intervention in Somalia have galvanized extremists and increased the likelihood of terrorist acts in Kenya. Kenyan counterterrorism efforts will continue, but attention should be paid to their unintended second-order effects, as well as the historical and social context of these activities, so that negative effects can be ameliorated.”

Transgender military. Defense Media Activity reports, “A Defense Department working group will study the policy and readiness implications of welcoming transgender persons to serve openly in the military, and its work will presume they can do so unless objective and practical impediments are identified, Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced . . . . The Defense Department’s current regulations regarding transgender service members are outdated and are causing uncertainty that distracts commanders from DoD’s core missions, the secretary said.” See also, “Military announces plan to lift transgender ban.”

CONTRACT WATCH

Torpedo upgrades. Military & Aerospace Electronics Editor John Keller reports, “U.S. Navy undersea warfare experts are moving forward with plans to upgrade and enhance the Navy’s Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System (CBASS) version of the Mk 48 Mod 7 heavyweight torpedo. Officials of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division-Newport in Newport, R.I., announced a $26.4 million contract Friday to Lockheed Martin Sippican Inc. in Marion, Mass., for services to improve the Navy’s fleet of CBASS submarine-launched torpedoes. The CBASS broadband sonar makes the torpedo more effective against emerging submarine classes in the harshest of acoustic environments . . . .”

Better landings in worse weather. Also from Military & Aerospace Electronics, “U.S. Army electro-optics experts are reaching out to industry to find companies able to develop multispectral sensor fusion with a distributed aperture system (distributed aperture system) to help helicopter pilots fly fog, dust, smoke, darkness, and other degraded visual environment (DVE) conditions. Officials of the Fort Belvoir, Va., branch of the Army Contracting Command at Aberdeen Proving Ground, issued a request for information this week (W909MY-15-R-C020) for a market investigation for multispectral sensor fusion development.”

TECH, PRIVACY, & SECRECY

Future force. Defense One contributor Patrick Tucker offers, “The Army’s Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit program, or TALOS, represents the point at which comic book fiction meets reality. It’s a concept for a so-called exoskeleton that could shield soldiers from bullets and injuries. One of its most important roles will be to decrease the load for ground troops. That’s important because the military is placing a heavy weight on the backs of soldiers in the literal sense.”

Cyberjacking. Homeland Security News Wire reports, “We accept lengthy queues in airport security as a small price to pay for a couple of weeks in the sun. Could the latest threat to air travel, however, be something that cannot be picked up by metal detectors and X-ray machines? Is cyberjacking — hacking into a plane’s computer systems — a possibility? Researchers warn that it is possible. There is no need to cancel that holiday just yet, however.” See also, “Airplane Wi-Fi is not safe.”

Global warming and security. Quartz’s Gabriel Fisher reports, “A newly released report on the issue of climate change begins with a warning that countries should view it as they once viewed the specter of nuclear war: as a major threat to national and international security. . . . North Africa and the Middle East would be particularly vulnerable, the report states, since terrorist activity in those regions could exacerbate environmental problems. The calamitous effects of climate change could force millions of people to migrate from the most affected regions, destabilizing borders and leading to a global humanitarian crisis.”

POTOMAC TWO-STEP

Accountability. “Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton warned Monday that any senator who votes for the looming Iran nuclear agreement would be held accountable later if the deal ends up giving Iran the means to build a nuclear bomb. . . . ‘Any congressman or senator who votes for this deal is voting to put their political fate in the hands of the Ayatollah for the rest of his or her life in the public spotlight, because if Iran gets a nuclear weapon in a year, or five years, or 10 years, the American people will want to know who supported the deal that gave them that nuclear weapon,’ Cotton said . . . .”

Not guilty. “The former Cincinnati-area bartender charged with threatening to assassinate Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) was found not guilty by reason of insanity on Monday . . . . Michael R. Hoyt, who said he could hear the devil, was indicted in January after he told authorities of his plot to either shoot or poison Boehner, one of his regular customers at an exclusive country club where he once worked.”

OPINIONS EVERYONE HAS

Why you’ll always lose with drones alone.” Reuters contributor David Axe argues, “A war waged mostly from the air still demands people on the ground, people with eyeballs whose visual acuity still beats a drone’s sensors. As long as Washington refuses to deploy human spotters against Islamic State, it won’t know for sure whether air strikes are hitting the right people — or anyone at all.”

How to make sure ‘developing’ countries can develop.” Also from Reuters, contributor Michael Elliott argues, “The poorer countries must agree to mobilize more public and private domestic revenues for national development. Meanwhile, the wealthy nations must agree to deliver more foreign assistance — and send that assistance to those that need it most.”

Russia, Middle East Will Define NATO’s Emerging Maritime Century.” USNI News contributor Magnus Nordenman argues, “With an aggressive Russia increasingly active in European seas, and a competitive and contested global maritime domain, surface, sub-surface, anti-submarine, and mine warfare are once again extremely relevant for defense and deterrence in Europe.”

THE FUNNIES

Blown cover.

A little funny.

Off with her head.

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Ed Ledford enjoys the most challenging, complex, and high stakes communications requirements. His portfolio includes everything from policy and strategy to poetry. A native of Asheville, N.C., and retired Army Aviator, Ed’s currently writing speeches in D.C. and working other writing projects from his office in Rockville, MD. He loves baseball and enjoys hiking, camping, and exploring anything. Follow Ed on Twitter @ECLedford.