Defense

  • If progress stalls against the Islamic State terrorist group, the U.S. military should start embedding troops with forces battling the Islamic State militants in Iraq. That's according to Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno, who's retiring this month after a 39-year Army career. But what's the feasibility of Odierno's recommendation, and would it even work? Retired Lt. Gen. Dave Barno is a former senior American commander of U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan and now a distinguished practitioner-in-residence at American University. He joined Tom Temin on the Federal Drive to analyze the plan.

    August 17, 2015
  • The Defense Department’s program to let employees use smartphones on the secret network is becoming more popular than ever imagined.

    August 17, 2015
  • Next week in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, hundreds of the military’s smartest minds will come together for the biggest annual gathering in the world of military medicine. In past years, the Military Health System Research Symposium has led to the expansion of revolutionary new practices in combat care – many of which have made their way into the civilian sector. Col.Todd Rasmussen directs the Army’s Combat Casualty Care Research Program, and Rear Adm. Bruce Doll directs research and development at the Defense Health Agency. They talked with Federal News Radio’s Jared Serbu about what they expect from next week’s conference.

    August 14, 2015
  • Steven W. Zander leads the Air Force Community Partnership, which helps bases and local communities reach mutually beneficial agreements on services and facilities.

    August 14, 2015
  • The Defense Department has a new agency. It's the Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Agency , or JIDA. The new combat support agency is built from what had been the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization. Army Maj. Gen. Julie Benz is the Acting Director of JIDA. She joined Tom Temin on the Federal Drive with more on the agency and its refreshed mission.

    August 14, 2015
  • As part of the standup of four new Navy warfighting development centers, the Office of Naval Research seeks to insert the testing and prototyping of new technologies into the Navy’s regular training exercises.

    August 14, 2015
  • The Navy says it’s setting up what it hopes will be repeatable, regular processes for testing new technologies that seem like good candidates for fielding throughout its fleet. The objective is to turn the Navy’s existing training exercises into regular proving grounds for new innovations. Federal News Radio’s Jared Serbu has details.

    August 13, 2015
  • The Defense Department’s program to let employees use smartphones on the secret network is becoming rather popular. After moving from the pilot to its full production stage in June, the Defense Mobile Classified Capability–Secret is in demand not just in the military, but across the government. Federal News Radio’s executive editor Jason Miller joined Tom Temin on the Federal Drive with details on why DoD’s program is so popular.

    August 13, 2015
  • Gen. Ray Odierno, the departing Army chief, said he’s worried about the service because most U.S. forces are underprepared for some of the circumstances they might face, such as “hybrid” warfare against Russian proxies.

    August 13, 2015
  • Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno gives his last news conference as Chief today. He'll retire and hand off to incoming Chief — Gen. Mark Milley — on Friday. One of his areas of focus has been building the next generation of Army leaders. Retired Army Gen. Ann Dunwoody is the author of "A Higher Standard: Leadership Strategies from America's First Female Four-Star General". She tells In Depth with Francis Rose about the explains the principles of leadership that she lays out in her book.

    August 12, 2015
  • The aircraft carrier Gerald R Ford will be the first ship of the Navy's new carrier design. The Defense Department will use the Ford for shock tests instead of waiting for the second ship in the series — the John F. Kennedy — to be complete in about five years. Bryan Clark is senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments and former Special Assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations. He tells In Depth with Francis Rose what the Pentagon's decision means for the ship and for the whole carrier fleet.

    August 12, 2015
  • Outgoing Army chief of staff Gen. Ray Odierno warns today, as he leaves his uniform behind, the military is risking its long-term viability to meet short-term demands. He’s worried about the Army’s readiness to engage in complex fights — its overall size — and a continuing squeeze on acquisition funding. More from Federal News Radio’s DoD reporter Jared Serbu.

    August 12, 2015
  • The Air Force is forming partnerships with the communities surrounding its bases to share support services and facilities. It's called the Air Force Community Partnership Program, and it's proving valuable for both the service and the local communities. Steve Zander is the program's director. For his work, he's been named one of the 33 finalists for this year's Service to America Medals. He joined Tom Temin on the Federal Drive to share more about the program.

    August 11, 2015
  • The Navy believes it finally has the major structural problems of the Littoral Combat Ship behind it. The program executive officer for LCS Mission Modules -- Captain Casey Moton -- says the program is making strides. Retired US Navy Captain Jerry Hendrix is senior fellow and director of the Defense Strategies and Assessments Program at the Center for a New American Security. He tells In Depth with Francis Rose where the program stands and what the obstacles may be.

    August 05, 2015

On DoD

On DoD

WEDNESDAYS, 11 A.M. & 2 P.M.

Each week, Defense Reporter Jared Serbu speaks with the managers of the federal government's largest department. Subscribe on PodcastOne or Apple Podcasts.