President Barack Obama's current trip to Asia comes amid the growing ascension of various squabbles in the region. According to Yahoo News, Obama's itinerary includes visits to several Asian countries, including Malaysia, South Korea and Japan. The president's visits are taking place at a time when tensions are high. This is certainly the case with theSenkaku Islands, which are currently the subject of an acrimonious ownership dispute between China and Japan.
Obama shows fealty to Japan
"We don't take a position on final sovereignty" over the islands, said Obama, as quoted by The New York Times, "But historically, they have been administered by Japan, and we do not believe they should be subject to change unilaterally."
The president's words reflects America's allegiance to Japan, bound by a defense treaty to protect the Asian nation's ownership of the island. Many view U.S. foreign policy as having a pivotal role in Asia, especially for the purposes of quelling nationalistic squabbles.
"This is a very important turning point for the United States-Japan alliance because it means the period of drift under President Obama has finally come to an end," said Yuichi Hosoya, an expert on American-Japanese relations at Keio University in Tokyo, according to The New York Times. "The fact that this was said by the president will have a huge psychological impact on Japanese officials and people."
This suggests Obama's trips is founded on significantly increasing solidarity between Japan and the U.S., and more broadly, with all of America's Asian allies.
Obama shows solidarity with South Korea
"Obviously we come here at a time when there has been provocative language from North Korea, and it's important for us to show complete solidarity with our ally, the Republic of Korea, in standing up to those provocations," said Ben Rhodes, Obama's deputy national security adviser, as quoted by Yahoo News.
This comment suggests the administration's commitment to defending South Korea, should North Korea increase aggressive stances against its southern neighbor. The president's visit also comes amid tragedy, as a South Korean ferry sunk just a week before Obama's visit.
In his trip to South Korea, the president spoke of what many see as the deep loyalty held between the U.S. and the Korean democracy.
"Our solidarity is bolstered by the courage of our service members, both Korean and American, who safeguard this nation," noted Obama while in South Korea, as quoted by Yahoo News.
U.S. soldiers who returned to civilian life after military tenure in the Korean War may have appreciated the president's comments, reflecting the shared historical bond South Korea and the U.S. share. South Korea is increasingly worried about the nuclear ambitions of North Korea. Therefore, the stakes of the president's visit are quite high, as reflected in the rousing speeches he made while in South Korea.
The volatile climate suggests the intense level of statesmanship necessary to be a U.S. president, balancing the numerous conflicting issues to maintain a suitable balance of power, though only the future will tell what the outcomes will be.
A veteran represents one of the most venerated individuals in society. With many soldiers contending with life after service, it is obvious that the military is changing in vast and revolutionary ways. A relatively recent aspect of military life is the introduction of woman into the ranks. This historical event has lead women to perform admirably and heroically in the armed services. A brief summary of women veterans and their role in military life is thus in order, especially given that March was women's history month.
Early history of women in military
According to The Huffington Post, the number of women in the U.S. armed services has reached an "unprecedented" level. The source noted that women were involved in military preparation during the American Revolutionary War, serving as nurses and other non-combative roles. However, despite the prohibition on women in combat until relatively recently, many women found a way to the front lines. This may have been indicative of the eagerness that women have shown throughout U.S. history to enter the ranks of the military, although this was only reflected legally in recent decades. Deborah Sampson, a woman of the revolutionary generation, disguised herself as a man to serve in George Washington's army for a year in 1781, according to History.org. Another prominent woman during the American Revolution was Mary Ludwig, who helped bring water to patriot troops in the Battle of Monmouth.
Seminal influence of "Molly Pitcher"
Monmouth is located in central New Jersey, playing a significant role in the tide turning to the patriot side in the war. Ludwig earned the moniker "Molly Pitcher" for her life-saving efforts to bring sustenance to troops, even taking up the mantle as a cannon gunner when her husband was incapacitated during the battle. Her memory lives on today in the Molly Pitcher Inn in Red Bank, New Jersey, a posh restaurant and hotel that overlooks the placid Navesink River.
The U.S. has filled the venerable legacy of Molly Pitcher, having a significant number of women in the army, not to mention female soldiers who will receive veterans insurance. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has a special section on their website called the Center for Women Veterans providing information on health, resources, community engagement and public service. This can be an excellent resource if returning veterans are unsure of the benefits they are entitled to. Likewise, the Veterans Affairs website offers information for the family and spouses of returning veterans, a valuable resource for loved ones eagerly awaiting a solider from overseas.
Influential moments in the history of women's role in the armed services
According to History. Org, women were officially allowed in the armed services in 1973, when the draft was ended. This lead to the creation of an all-volunteer-army, helping to exponentially increase the number of women in the ranks.
Another prominent turning point occurred when women began to be permitted at military service academies, such as West Point. The glass ceiling has continued to crack, with thousands of women serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia and other hotspots.
The source noted that 41,000 women were deployed during the Persian Gulf War, a testament to the quick ascension women have made in the army in the relatively short time they have been authorized to serve.
For some, the gains may seem slow and incremental. The source also suggests this, displaying the progress throughout the years that women have made in the armed services. For example, a woman commanded a warship for the first time in 2000, while the first time a woman commanded a fight squadron only occurred in 2004.
Although West Point Military Academy has been admitting female cadets for over three decades, they still only account for about 16 percent of the student body, according to NPR. However, there is a good chance that figure will increase in the coming years.
West Point aims to draw more female cadets
The military academy is taking measures to boost its number of female cadets, The Associated Press reported. These steps will include stronger outreach and the cultivation of high-potential candidates. West Point has also developed a new recruitment strategy aimed at female high school students in their freshman, sophomore and junior years.
"We obviously have to increase the female population for a number of reasons," Lt. Gen. Robert Caslen Jr., West Point's superintendent, told the AP. "One is because there are more opportunities in the branches for the females."
Indeed, the U.S. military has dropped restrictions that prevented females from obtaining combat roles, and the Army will make thousands of these positions open to women by 2016. In parallel with the Army's gender breakdown, Female West Point cadets are now welcome to enter any military branch, including the infantry and armor. In addition to helping the Army fill combat roles, Caslen believes that an increase in the percentage of female students will facilitate the integration of women at the academy.
For the most part, West Point has the same expectations for its male and female cadets. While women are allowed to sport longer hair and wear stud earrings, they still accomplish the same demanding tasks as male cadets. In fact, West Point cadet Austin Boroff told the AP that she carries machine guns during training exercises, while many of her male peers take lighter weapons.
Admissions officer expects substantial results
Col. Deborah McDonald, director of admissions, feels confident that future classes will have a significantly higher proportion of women cadets.
"I have no concerns at all that we won't actually move right beyond the 20 percent mark," McDonald told the AP. "It might even be as high as 22 percent."
She said the admissions office is already receiving a greater number of applications from female students, and military academy is helping competitive women candidates complete the rigorous application process. As of April 26, West Point has accepted 229 female applicants for the class of 2018, and admissions officers will consider another 36 female students from the academy's prep school.
The U.S. and the Philippines have co-created a defense cooperation agreement that will enable the return of American forces to the Southeast Asian nation, according the Los Angeles Times. The pact involves a 10-year deal that allows U.S. troops to access military facilities in the Philippines on a rotational basis.
In 1992, the Philippines evicted American forces from the country, forcing the U.S. to leave Subic Bay, its largest overseas naval base, The Wall Street Journal noted. The new agreement indicates improved relations between the two nations.
"It shows how far we've come in building out a very mature partnership based on mutual interests and mutual respect," said Ben Rhodes, deputy national security advisor to Obama, as quoted by the Los Angeles Times.
Although the agreement is being signed amid continuing territorial disputes with China, officials have stated that the pact is not intended as a response to China. Nonetheless, Rhodes said the agreement will help to foster stability in the South China Sea, where China is competing with the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Taiwan and Malaysia for control.
The buildup of American troops in the Philippines is likely to be a gradual process. U.S. officials have stated that it could be months or even years before there is a large American military presence there.
The California Department of Veterans Affairs announced on Wednesday that it will seek to revamp its website, assisting in bringing benefits to more than a million California veterans. Life after service can be tough, and military insurance can help with the transition back to civilian life.
Updated website to offer quick access to resources
According to California Healthline, the website innovation has a number of components. For one, the site layout will be easily navigable, providing quick access to resources without letting a user get bogged down in the Internet equivalent of red tape. Each veteran who uses the website will have a customized page, providing his or her personal information. This will help avoid confusion, with each user being clearly marked, allowing the Department of Veterans Affairs to give information on resources hand-fashioned to the the needs of individual veterans.
The source noted that the website will help veterans track down essential knowledge on valuable resources, such as disability claims. Veterans may be unaware of what they are entitled to from their years of service, so the website will help by offering up-to-date information on the benefits available to individual veterans. The website will also show information on veterans' programs at the state and federal level, helping with navigation of the rungs of government present in the Veterans Administration. Veterans benefits are available at various levels of government, a fact the California website hopes to promote through the MyCalVet page on the site.
Website will offer links to popular social media sites
According to California's Veterans Administration, the new site will have links to popular social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. Tech-savvy users may be pleased to hear this, as social media could serve as a useful tool in spreading knowledge about the available benefits for returning veterans. This has the added value of saving time. A veteran could quickly follow a link recommended by a friend, bringing users straight to a page that has information on disability benefits or insurance for veterans.
The Veterans Administration goal is to provide a clear system for veterans seeking information on and looking to enroll in benefits. California veterans of all stripes should consider checking out the process behind the new website, which will allow for a modern and streamlined approach to veterans affairs.
Life after service just became a bit easier for job-hunting veterans, thanks to the Veterans Employment Center, a new online service that connects veterans, transitioning servicemembers and their spouses with employers. Eligible members can visit ebenefitst.va.gov to browse opportunities available in both the public and private sectors.
Veterans Employment Center boasts various features
First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden announced the launch of the website at the anniversary celebration of Joining Forces April 23. The employment service includes a resume builder, a military skills translator and career and training resources to facilitate users' job searches.
"Our service members haven't always had the time or information they needed to prepare their resumes, to plot their career goals, to meet with employers and get the jobs they deserve. And that's simply not acceptable," said the first lady, as quoted in a White House news release. "As my husband has said, when you've fought for this country around the world, you shouldn't have to fight for a job when you return home."
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel echoed this sentiment, and added that employers that hire former servicemembers will be rewarded with "the best this nation has to offer." Hiring managers are able to view resumes on a single comprehensive database, allowing them to find candidates with military experience easily and quickly.
The Veterans Employment Center is the result of a collaborative effort involving the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Education, Defense, Labor and the Office of Personnel Management. The site will combine the tools and job search functionality of the Veterans Job Bank, VA for Vets, VetSuccess.va.gov and the Department of Labor's Occupational Information Network.
Site garners support among officers
So far, veteran groups have been pleased with the new online service, according to Military.com. The source cited Joe Davis, national spokesman for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, who asserted that any program that assists veterans and transitioning servicemembers in their job searches is a good one. Mike Michaud, a ranking member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, lauded the site as a "milestone" and expressed confidence in its ability to benefit former servicemembers.
Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez noted that the site's services will be beneficial to the more than 1 million servicemembers expected to return home in the coming years.
About 150 American paratroops arrived in Poland Wednesday, a day after the U.S. announced that it will deploy approximately 600 troops to Poland and the Baltics. The other 450 soldiers are being sent to Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, and are expected to arrive by April 28, according to Stars and Stripes.
U.S. presence in eastern Europe will be a long-term affair
The news source reported that Witold Waszczykowski, a Polish diplomat, hopes this will be the first of many steps to bolster the security of Poland and its neighboring countries. In the wake of Russia's annexation of Crimea, the U.S. has deployed fighter jets to monitor Poland and the Baltics, but the dispatch of American paratroops marks the first instance of U.S. military presence on eastern European soil. Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby noted that the troops will partake in training exercises that will continue for the remainder of the year and possibly longer.
"Russia's aggression in Ukraine has renewed our resolve to strengthening NATO's defense plans and capabilities, and to demonstrate our continued commitment to collective defense in reinforcing our NATO allies in central and eastern Europe," said Kirby, as quoted by Stars and Stripes.
Biden calls on Russia to help defuse crisis
On the same day that the Pentagon announced the deployment of paratroops, Vice President Joe Biden visited Kiev to meet with Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk. Following the meeting, Biden attended a news conference in which he called on Russia to remove its troops from its border with the Ukraine, Reuters reported. He stated that if Moscow continues to make provocative actions, the U.S. will impose further sanctions against Russia.
"No nation should threaten its neighbors by amassing troops along the border. We call on Russia to pull these forces," said Biden, as quoted by Reuters. "We have been clear that more provocative behavior by Russia will lead to more costs and to greater isolation."
Currently, Russia has about 40,000 troops stationed on Ukraine's eastern border, and U.S. officials have stated that Moscow has deployed special operatives to eastern Ukraine in their efforts to destabilize the region. The dispatch of American troops to eastern Europe is intended to enhance the security of NATO allies in light of Russia's military buildup. According to Kirby, the U.S.' move is "not insignificant," and American troops will be engaging in real infantry training.
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel was caught up to date on the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's latest innovations Tuesday, when DARPA personnel visited the Pentagon and demonstrated five technologies currently under development.
DARPA displays innovative prosthetic technologies
A prosthetic arm that belonged to Fred Downs Jr., a Vietnam veteran who had worked for Hagel at the Veterans Administration during Reagan's presidency, was among the technologies, according to Stars and Stripes. Downs, who lost his left arm in a land mine explosion, demonstrated how he is able to control movement of his elbow, wrists and fingers by operating two accelerometers attached to his feet.
Dr. Justin Sanchez, a program manager at DARPA and specialist in prosthetics and brain-related technology, explained that Downs' advanced prosthesis mimics the size, shape and weight of a human arm. Hagel described the device as "transformational," and said that it would have a major impact on the lives of wounded servicemembers.
Another DARPA technology exhibited was a shiny black arm and hand that responds to brain impulses. Sanchez showed Hagel a video of a patient who was able to control this device using her thoughts. The tactile feedback system that enables this process is expected to be operational within the next few months, according to a news release from the American Forces Press Service. Engineers are also planning to add sensors in the fingers that can relay information to the brain.
"People said it would be 50 years before we saw this technology in humans," Sanchez said, as quoted by Stars and Stripes. "We did it in a few years."
Next, DARPA officials gave Hagel an overview of the agency's robotics challenge, a robot development competition inspired by the March 2011 nuclear incident in Fuskushima, Japan. They highlighted a 6-foot-two-inch search and disaster robot named Atlas developed by Virginia Tech.
DARPA reports on classified projects
The final three technologies demonstrated to Hagel were classified, so journalists were escorted out of the conference room. According to Stars and Stripes, a defense official said that Hagel was informed about three DARPA projects: Plan X, a long-range anti-missile ship and a persistent close air support system.
Plan X is a foundational program that aims to develop platforms to facilitate the conduct of cyberwarfare in a manner that resembles kinetic warfare. The anti-missile ship is intended to reduce dependence on GPS navigation and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms. Finally, the air support system would connect joint tactical air controllers with close air support aircraft by use of tablets.
Last month, China announced a 12.2 percent increase in defense spending for 2014. This decision, in conjunction with a number of recent territorial disputes, has added to the rising tension between China and its neighbors. According to Jonathan Holslag of the Brussels Institute of Contemporary China Studies, China will continue attempts to strengthen its territorial control in Asia.
"What we are seeing is just the beginning of an effort of China to break through the security perimeter that the U.S. traditionally tries to maintain in the Western Pacific," Holslag told Stars and Stripes. "China knows that it can only recover what it calls lost territory if the U.S. is kept at a distance."
China's attempts to intimidate neighbors
The news source noted that American allies in Asia – notably Japan and the Philippines – have become increasingly concerned about China's power-hungry tendencies after a series of disquieting incidents. Given China's recent acts of provocation, these allied countries have sought protection from the U.S. military.
Late last year, China introduced a regulation that required foreign aircraft to provide information about their flight paths upon entering an "air defense identification zone." However, China did not seem willing to show the same respect to its neighbors. Three Chinese aircraft – a surveillance plane and two bombers – encroached on Japan's airspace March 9, causing Japan's air force to prepare its fighter jets in self-defense. These events, along with the knowledge that the U.S. will reduce military spending in the next few years, have led to the perception that China is gaining control while U.S. power declines.
U.S. remains powerful mediator in Asia
Nonetheless, Holslag insisted that it is highly unlikely that China would be able to dramatically alter its military balance with the U.S. in the near future. Even after its spending increase, China's 2014 defense budget – $132 billion – still pales in comparison to the U.S.' figure of $495.6 billion.
Additionally, American allies in Asia have certain military advantages over China despite having smaller budgets. According to Agence France-Presse, the International Institute for Strategic Studies' Military Balance 2014 report indicated that the militaries of South Korea and Japan were both superior to China in terms of technology. The French news source also suggested that Japan's military has better training, equipment and facilities than China's.
The U.S. Department of Defense plans to begin testing for an Upward Falling Payload program anytime after October of this year. Defense Tech reported that this plan involves setting up a network of "nodes" planted on ocean floors that hold military resources. Military teams would be able to call supplies and weaponry to the surface whenever necessary. The UFP program aims to mitigate cost barriers that limit the Navy's efficiency.
A three-phase approach
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the organization behind the plan, had laid out a three-phase strategy for implementing the deep-sea payload system. According to a DARPA news release, the group has already completed the first stage, which entailed funding more than 10 study and design efforts dedicated to long-range communications, payload launch and deep-ocean high-pressure containment.
"In this first phase, we really learned about how the pieces come together, and built a community of developers to think differently about unmanned distributed solutions for the maritime domain," said Andy Coon, program manager DARPA, as quoted in a news release from the organization. "The trick is to show how these systems offer lower-cost alternatives to traditional approaches, and that they scale well to large open-ocean areas."
During phase two, DARPA will use research from the first stage to create prototype UFP systems. The organization is seeking assistance from experts on technologies like small sensors, expendable unmanned systems and long-endurance mechanical and electrical systems. According to Defense Tech, testing for this phase is scheduled to begin in the first half of fiscal year 2015, and the Defense Department is expected to conduct demonstrations in the western Pacific Ocean. However, the agency could also test prototype systems near Hawaii or in the Atlantic Ocean, depending on factors like cost-effectiveness and the type of application being tested.
Phase three, which is slated for the the third quarter of fiscal year 2017, involves the comprehensive testing of all core systems and subsystems.
Challenges to overcome
DARPA noted that in order to be effective, the UFP infrastructure must be able to endure extreme water pressure for up to five years. The system should allow servicemembers to trigger the deployment of supplies from standoff commands. Additionally, engineers must develop nodes that are capable of sending reports on their health status to defense officials. If the UFP program meets DARPA's expectations, it will provide a more cost-effective means of providing Navy resources than today's existing methods.