Latest news with #1stBrigade
CNBC
16-06-2025
- Business
- CNBC
How the Army is cutting costs and rethinking policy to move faster on new tech
In western Louisiana, a Black Hawk helicopter ride away from the Fort Johnson military base, sits a vast complex of wilderness that the U.S. Army uses to train soldiers for combat. The expanse, what the Joint Readiness Training Center's calls the "Box," stretches 242,000 acres. It was there that the 1st Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division recently completed a two-week rotation and that the service's top military official, U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, paid servicemembers a visit. "We immerse our units in the training that's here. We have a professional opposing force that also has the latest technology, and this is where we learn, adapt and transform," George told CNBC. "This is our fourth brigade that we have basically brought through here and we are completely changing the technology that they're using, how they're organized, and then how they operate." The 1st Brigade is a new type of military unit: a "transformation in contact" (TIC) brigade. The Army stood up the concept a year ago, and this one represents the most modern to date, equipped with artificial intelligence-enabled platforms, SpaceX Starlink internet connectivity, retrofitted autonomous vehicles and nearly 400 drones. "What makes this one unique is the scale," said Trevor Voelkel, commander of the 101st Airborne Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team. "The technology has improved, and we're trying to maintain pace with that." George, whose military career spans four decades, said the Army is on the cusp of a "paradigm shift," ushered in by TIC brigades. Last month, America's oldest military branch unveiled the Army Transformation Initiative in what is expected to be its biggest restructuring in at least a generation. Greenlit by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and spearheaded by both George and his civilian counterpart, Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll, the initiative enables the Army to trim some jobs and reposition others. It also calls for shifting more defense dollars to products that can be made quickly and cheaply as battlefields become more autonomous and as "exquisite weapons systems" like tanks and aircraft that cost millions to make have proven to be vulnerable to drone strikes. Part of the reimaging is an effort to expand beyond the rigid, years-long acquisition process that has defined defense procurement and helped perpetuate legacy programs — whether services like the Army want to continue investing in them or not. "We know our formations want to move faster, and we are trying to get the whole system to move much more rapidly," said George. "A big part of that is stop buying the things that we know are not going to be as effective on the battlefield so that we can infuse our formations with the things that really will be." Army leadership has talked about improvements to bureaucratic processes for years, but it's been slow going. What makes this initiative potentially different is an extended continuing resolution coupled with a flurry of presidential executive orders — and the existence of the Department of Government Efficiency that could help a deeper cultural shift take root. "There's just so much change happening inside the Army, inside the [Defense] Department that wouldn't have been possible a couple years ago," said Katherine Boyle, a general partner at investment firm Andreessen Horowitz, who cofounded the firm's American Dynamism practice and has invested in startups like Anduril. "To see that culture of change, and that culture of DOGE-ing oneself, of cuts, of making sure that you're spending money in the right way, of innovation really hitting different agencies, I think, it's in some ways very hopeful for people who are building new technologies who want to work with the government," Boyle said in a recent interview with CNBC. In the Box, the TIC brigade soldiers were supplied with 40 new technologies from 10 different companies — many of them not traditional defense contractors. Engineers and executives from the companies were embedded alongside the soldiers to troubleshoot issues and ensure changes could be communicated back to production lines in real time. Take Skydio, the largest commercial drone maker outside of China, which sells products to the Army. Its drone wasn't flying the full range advertised during testing in the Box. "We were able to discover that it wasn't some crazy electromagnetic issue. It was actually an issue in the settings where the drone was set on low power," said Mark Valentine, president of Skydio's global government business. "So instead of going through weeks of trying to understand how that happened, within 24 hours, we were able to identify the default setting was low power, set it on high power, and that solved the problem." Then there's the example of autonomous vehicles. The Army has a fleet of 100,000 Humvees acquired and sustained over decades. The service needs new capabilities, and General Motors is manufacturing new infantry squad vehicles (ISV) based off a modified Chevy Colorado. Driscoll asked why commercial self-driving tech couldn't be adapted for military vehicles, and in 10 days startup Applied Intuition had retrofitted a GM ISV to be autonomous and to the Box it went, according to Applied Intuition cofounder and CEO Qasar Younis. "I think we can move faster than we are," George said. "Our troops can handle the move. They can go fast and so what we've got to do is break down all the bureaucracy … to make sure that we're moving at the speed that we need to for them." "Nobody's still using the VCR. We don't need to continue to buy a VCR just because somebody sells it," he said. "We need to have the latest technology that's on the battlefield."
BreakingNews.ie
09-05-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Army officer who subjected recruits to 'degrading treatment' in mock trial fined by court martial
An army officer who was involved in staging a mock trial that subjected a number of trainee soldiers to 'degrading treatment' at a military camp in Cork has appeared before a real-life military court over the incident. The officer, who holds the rank of lieutenant, was fined a total of 34 days' pay – equivalent to a sum of just under €5,000 – after pleading guilty at a general court martial to six breaches of military law while acting as a training officer for a 1st Brigade NCO course at a number of military locations in Cork two years ago. Advertisement A military judge said the incident in relation to the mock trial demonstrated 'a culture that is not aligned' with the values of the Defence Forces and was the result of 'an unacceptable group dynamic' that had existed before the officer became involved in the training course. The identity of the accused is not being published at the request of the judge, Colonel Michael Campion, made during a sentencing hearing at the Military Justice Centre in McKee Barracks in Dublin. The officer admitted committing six offences of conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline, contrary to Section 168 of the Defence Act. They included a charge that he participated in a mock trial which resulted in the unlawful detention of three trainees at Lynch Camp, Kilworth, Co Cork on May 18th 2023. Advertisement He also admitted to consuming alcohol while on duty on the same date and location. Col Campion observed that the three trainees had been subjected to 'degrading treatment' by being placed in a mock prisoner-of-war cage, although he accepted that the accused was not the 'prime mover' in the incident. Separately, the officer pleaded guilty to conducting unauthorised drills with students at the Naval Base in Haulbowline, Co Cork on June 14th 2023 as well as consuming alcohol while on exercise. He also pleaded guilty to permitting subordinate instructors to consume alcohol and failing to prevent them from conducting manoeuvres after consuming alcohol at Fort Davis, Whitegate, Co Cork on June 15th, 2023. Advertisement The judge said the unauthorised drills had no legitimate training purpose and it appeared the students participating in them had been chosen because they were struggling with aspects of the course. Col Campion remarked that such trainees deserved the support of the officer 'instead of treatment of that kind.' He said such behaviour seriously undermined morale, negatively impacted on the reputation of the Defence Forces and created difficulties with the recruitment and retention of staff. The judge said the defendant's actions were not 'one-off' as they involved three separate incidents over the space of about a month. Advertisement Addressing the accused, Col Campion said he had considered dismissal from the Defence Forces as a punishment for conduct he described as 'utterly unacceptable.' However, the judge acknowledged that the officer had entered an early guilty plea and had cooperated with a military investigation, as well as apologising for his actions and showing insight and remorse. Col Campion noted that he had no previous record of indiscipline and said he was impressed by character references and support offered by his senior officers. The judge also observed that the accused had missed out on promotion to the rank of captain because of the court martial, as well as not being selected for overseas trips, which also had financial consequences for him. Advertisement Col Campion said the charges were not criminal offences, but the Defence Forces was different from civilian life and disciplinary breaches were far more serious when they were committed in a military environment. He observed that the maintenance of discipline was 'of the essence in a military force' and the Defence Forces was dependent on its members behaving for its 'effectiveness, integrity and reputation.' The judge claimed aggravating factors in the case were the accused's rank and experience and his knowledge of the standards expected of someone who had served three years as an officer. Col Campion observed that the lieutenant had set 'an appalling bad example' to his subordinates and his conduct was prejudicial to good order and discipline 'in a very real way.' He said the officer had failed to demonstrate the standard of leadership expected as well as a duty of care and showing trainees dignity and respect even in a robust training environment. However, the judge said he believed it was a case of appalling bad judgement on the part of the accused rather than anything more malign. Noting that the accused came from a family with a long military history, Col Campion said such a background would 'accentuate your sense of shame.' The judge allowed the defendant to pay the fine in monthly instalments of €286.66 over a 17-month period.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Yahoo
Fourth missing US soldier found deceased in Lithuanian bog
The final U.S. soldier reported missing at a Lithuanian training site last week has been found deceased, the Army announced Tuesday. The soldier was the last of four U.S. soldiers of the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, to be recovered after they went missing in the early morning hours of March 25 while operating an M88A2 Hercules armored vehicle near Pabadre, Lithuania. The bodies of the three other soldiers were recovered Monday after recovery crews pulled the vehicle from a peat bog near the training site. Recovery of missing soldiers underway at training site in Lithuania 'This past week has been devastating. Today our hearts bear the weight of an unbearable pain with the loss of our final Dogface Soldier,' said Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, 3rd Infantry Division commanding general, in a statement Tuesday. 'Though we have received some closure, the world is darker without them.' The Army has not released the soldiers' names, pending confirmation of notification of next of kin. At the time the soldiers were reported missing, they had been conducting a maintenance mission to recover another Army vehicle at a training area near Pabadre, U.S. Army Europe and Africa said in a release. The soldiers were deployed to Lithuania as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, which has been sending rotations into Europe since Russia invaded the Crimea region of Ukraine in 2014. The soldiers were permanently stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia. The initial search for the soldiers included military helicopters, Lithuanian diving teams and hundreds of U.S. and Lithuanian soldiers and law enforcement officers looking through thick forests and swampy terrain. On March 26, search teams found the soldiers' vehicle 15 feet underwater. What followed was an arduous, multiday effort to get to the vehicle, which continued to sink and be encased in mud as time went on. Officials brought in engineers, tons of gravel, excavators and slurry pumps. The Polish Armed Forces volunteered a unit of 150 military engineers to help in the recovery. And over the weekend, a U.S. Navy dive crew from Commander, Task Force 68, headquartered in Rota, Spain, arrived on site. There was a breakthrough in the recovery effort Sunday when the Navy dive crew — after multiple failed attempts — attached steel cables to two of the hoist points on the M88A2 Hercules, the Army said. To get to the hoist points, divers maneuvered through layers of mud, clay and sediment, using a ground-penetrating radar provided by Lithuanian experts to find their way. Two hours after the cables were attached, the vehicle was unearthed from the bog. By that time, the recovery team grew to include hundreds of personnel from multiple services and countries, the Army said. Recovery operations continued Monday after the crews recovered the bodies of three of the soldiers. Recovery dogs and their handlers flew in from Estonia on Monday to assist in the search for the fourth soldier. Crews also employed two specialized drone systems, including one equipped with ground-penetrating radar. 'We are incredibly relieved that we were able to bring this recovery to an end and bring closure to all the families, friends and teammates of our soldiers,' said Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor, commanding general of 1st Armored Division. 'We cannot thank our Allies and fellow service members enough, especially the Lithuanians, who spared no resource in support of this mission. Together, we delivered on our promise to never leave a fallen comrade.' An investigation into the incident is ongoing, the Army said. Military Times Senior Editor Nikki Wentling contributed to this report.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Yahoo
Mystery as US Army vehicle pulled from swamp in Lithuania but soldiers still missing
A US armoured vehicle, missing for six days, has been recovered from a Lithuanian swamp, but the fate of the four American soldiers on board remains unknown. The vehicle was retrieved early Monday morning, according to Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė. The soldiers disappeared along with their vehicle during a training exercise at the General Silvestras Žukauskas training ground in Pabradė early last Tuesday, the US army confirmed. Lithuanian Military Police and US investigators are continuing their work at the scene. "The armored vehicle was pulled ashore at 4:40 a.m., the towing operation is complete, Lithuanian Military Police and US investigators continue their work,' Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė said Monday morning in a post on Facebook. Map of Pabradė: 'Until the investigators have more details, we need to stay calm and focused, and keep in mind the sensitivity of the situation and the concerns of the soldiers' families,' Šakalienė added. She made clear to reporters that the first information about fate of the soldiers will be delivered by the U.S. army. The soldiers, all from 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, were conducting tactical training when they went missing. Hundreds of Lithuanian and U.S. soldiers and rescuers took part in the search through the thick forests and swampy terrain around Pabradė, which lies just 10 kilometers (6 miles) west of the border with Belarus. The M88 Hercules armored vehicle was discovered on Wedneday submerged in 4.5 meters (15 feet) of water. A large-scale recovery operation got underway but 'water, thick mud and soft ground around the site have complicated recovery efforts and have required specialized equipment to drain water from the side and stabilize the ground' in order to pull the 70-ton vehicle ashore, the army said. Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT originally reported that four soldiers and vehicle were reported missing Tuesday afternoon during an exercise at the General Silvestras Žukauskas training ground in Pabradė, a town located less than six miles from the border with Belarus. The Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are all Nato members and have often had chilly ties with Russia, a key ally of Belarus, since declaring independence from the Soviet Union in 1990.
Axios
31-03-2025
- Axios
Rescuers recover bodies of three missing U.S. soldiers in Lithuania
Three of the four U.S. soldiers who went missing in Lithuania last week were found dead Monday, with the search for the fourth solider ongoing, the U.S. Army said Monday. The big picture: Search and rescue operations for the four soldiers began last Tuesday after they went missing during a training mission near the city of Pabradė, near the Lithuania-Belarus border. Their armored vehicle was found the following day submerged in a peat bog near the city. The identities of the four soldiers — who hail from the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division in Fort Stewart, Georgia — were not released pending the notification of their next of kin, the the U.S. Army Europe and Africa Public Affairs Office said in a press release Monday. What they're saying: "The Soldiers we have lost in this tragedy were not just Soldiers — they were a part of our family. Our hearts are heavy with a sorrow that echoes across the whole Marne Division," Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, 3rd Inf. Div. commanding general, said in a statement. Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė expressed her condolences to the soldiers' families in a post on X. "These young people will always live on in Lithuania's heart. No words can adequately express our gratitude for their selfless sacrifice in choosing the profession of a soldier," she wrote.
