News 6 Mashup: March 15, 2021
Here is a News 6 mashup of top stories for the week of March 15, 2021, straight from AWN News 6 Correspondent, Jolene McNutt:
Defense Secretary Announces Priorities
The new Secretary of Defense has announced his “top three priorities: to develop the right people, priorities and purpose of mission” reported Defense.gov. In a memo, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said, “This will require aligning our priorities and capabilities to a changing and dynamic threat landscape. We will do so in a way that is based on a sober assessment of our strategic needs and recognize the importance of building and sustaining a strong workforce and unity within our department, across the nation and with our allies and partners around the world.”
The memo broke down each category with specific goals for the Department of Defense. Under Defend the Nation, his top priorities included defeating COVID-19 as a top challenge to the nation’s security and prioritizing China as the DoD’s top pacing challenge. For caring for people, his top initiatives include growing the DoD’s talent and building resilience and readiness.
Improvements to Military Working Dogs Program
The Air Force Security Force Center launched a team to “improve the cost, process, and procurement of government working dogs across 14 federal agencies,” reported AF.mil. The team found that, although uses of working dogs were similar across the federal agencies, they varied in the sourcing. Scott R. Heise, team lead and director of the Air Force Security & Protection Category Management’s Program Management Office for AFSFC said, “All of us have the same need for working dogs, but the way we source them is very different. Even our requirements are different, and this inconsistency makes it difficult for the vendors to try to keep up and maintain a supply of high-quality working dogs. Simple things, like the age of the dog or the type of socialization it gets prior to delivery, present challenges for the vendors.” Among six recommendations, the team plans to create a forecast integrated from all of the agencies to help better meet demands and strengthen the program.
USO Announces Global Ambassadors
The United Service Organizations has been celebrating its 80th anniversary this year, and as part of the festivities, the USO has named Kellie Pickler (a country singer and actress) and Wilmer Valderrama (a producer, actor, and activist) as USO Global Ambassadors.
“We are honored to have these two longtime advocates come on board as USO Global Ambassadors,” said J.D. Crouch II, USO CEO and president. Pickler and Valderrama will “support the organization’s ‘Give More Than Thanks’ initiative, a campaign encouraging all Americans to find actionable ways to express their gratitude for the service and sacrifice of our troops and their families.’ Both Pickler and Valderrama began serving with the USO in 2007. This year, they will “participate in events and entertainment engagements for service members, raise awareness of our military’s needs, and share ways Americans can help the USO give more than thanks.”
This Week in History
Seventy eight years ago, a 19-year-old Army recruit named Kenneth “Rock” Merritt completed parachute school at Fort Benning, Georgia. He received his wings after three weeks of training, making him a qualified parachutist. “His first issue of combat was on the night of June 6, 1944.” Merrit went on to serve 31 years in the Army, which included “two stints as the XVIII Airborne Corps sergeant major.” If it happened during his 31-year career, you can bet that Merritt was part of it, including serving in WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and the Dominican Republic. Now, 97 years old, he is facing health issues and the XVIII has requested letters. Write this Army legend a note, thank him for his service, or just send him a comic clipped from your newspaper to brighten his day.
Letters to Rock Merritt can be sent to:
XVIII Airborne Corps PAO
2175 Reilly Road, Stop A
Fort Bragg, NC 28310
Photos: Jazills, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons and U.S. Army
