C. Scott Franklin

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The lack of aircraft carriers Just reading reports in Military Times and the US Naval Institute's News Letter concerning the over-stretched US Navy carrier fleet. Interesting and most concerning. It would appear to be a condemnation of the 11 aircraft carrier fleet size as 11 carriers, aircraft, and escorts just aren't enough to cover all of the current world's hot spots and issues let alone any future near-peer confrontations. That drives the US national security interests to the Cold War situation of being able to address two and a half crisis/situations world-wide. I would hope that Congress and the next president (whomever that might be, no political endorsements here) would realize that National Defense is job one per the US Constitution. Prioritizing that as job one is easy. Prioritizing naval needs (i.e. carriers, escorts, naval aircraft, submarines, logistics support vessels, large deck amphibious shipping, other support vessels, and the critical infrastructure to build and repair) become the number one national defense priority. Why? Simple, no matter what the Army, Air Force, and Space Force needs are, these capabilities will require the sea to arrive in theater and execute missions. That means a naval force (Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and US Merchant Marine) capable of not only executing but fighting to get there. Fighting means attrition of assets. On-hand numbers count. Time to start a Naval buildup such as was done in the late 1930's in the buildup to World War II. As most military and naval professionals realized during the Cold War, it will be a "run what you brung" war. Just an old guy's perspective based upon experience, education, and professional training. Comments, thoughts, and critiques welcome. Regards, CP

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At BirchTree Solutions, we know how important operational effectiveness can be. This is why we are committed to enhancing and updating important curriculums with attention and care. Congrats to everyone who worked on the upcoming JT-201 Planners course! #OperationalExcellence #BirchTreeSolutions #JIDContract

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Unlock. While reflecting and considering what "transition" looks like from the USAF Active Duty chapter for our family. I've been searching for businesses to unlock Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition. Since I'm boot-strapping this education with no formal training, I'm constantly on the look-out for mentors to learn from. Through my DoD-SkillBridge Program with University of Chicago and Veteran Business Project, I got introduced to the Ditch Digger CEO Podcast by Gary Rabine. The values + professional success are worth checking this podcast out! https://lnkd.in/gAgP5qs4 To my aviation network - checkout the latest episode I listened to featuring a veteran Abdol M. Incredible story, 💯 worth your time. https://lnkd.in/g4V5TvG9 Highlights: 📈 Providing exceptional value (he put the work in) 👷‍♂️ Do what it takes - CFO (Chief Forklift Officer + Chief Financial Officer) 👷‍♂️ 👨‍💼 "Ditch Digger Philosophy" - Get in the trenches with your people 🔮 Strategic vision and prioritizing innovation - Abdol created a niche 🌟 REAL LEADERSHIP - Down 90% Revenue in Q2 2020 (covid), committed to employees no lay-offs, listen to how the end of the year turned out! 🚀 (41:40) It's a complete mindset shift to search and find the right mentors in a connected world. Hearing stories like these have helped me unlock what's possible. #entrepreneurs #leadership #veterans #business

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SOCOM isn't ready for strategic competition: The capabilities SOF can deploy in non-kinetic cooperation, competition and conflict scenarios are merely extensions or amplifications of USSOCOM core responsibilities as listed in 10 U.S.C 167(k) and capabilities as cited in JP-3-05. - What Special Forces can do in strategic competition: •Active SOF presence •Operation, JCET, Exercise, or Key Leader Engagement (KLE) •Extend the US political-economy into the area of competition •Capital, Resource & Labor supply chains established •Counter economic subversion, counter-economic insurgency operations •Non-kinetic strategic cooperation, competition and conflict ops •Purchase, Presence & Movement •Disintermediation of PRC networks • Intermediation of LINC networks •Dis-integration of PRC systems • Integration of local systems to US Political-Economy https://lnkd.in/eBb_W33V

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Appreciate the great collaboration between PEO IEW&S , Army Futures Command (ACM-IS), Mass Virtual and the ISR Task Force to discuss virtualized training options that will enhance human performance in an affordable and scalable way. The Intelligence enterprise is faced with a unique challenge in support of the US Army. We employ low density systems, we maintain them with low density military specialties, and we are expected to integrate cutting edge technology faster than our institutional training processes can keep pace. So how do we conduct relevant training quickly, effectively and affordably in the 21st century? We virtualize the training. Yesterday I asked the team to get a little uncomfortable and find a way to demonstrate this capability during our flagship intelligence experiment in September. I want our senior leaders to immerse themselves in a virtual world to see how a 35-series Soldier will interact with component-level parts without ever touching the system. Imagine the possibilities we create if we can certify our back-shop support without ever pulling capital assets out of the fight.

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This is a good read on the importance of resilience for USSPACECOM's diverse workforce. According to RAND, as the command reaches full operational capability and finalizes plans to establish a permanent headquarters, it faces multiple challenges to fostering workforce resilience and mitigating harmful workplace behaviors. USSPACECOM's workforce is roughly divided among military personnel (34%), civilian employees (32%), and contractors (34%), each with a different chain of command, training requirements, and processes for reporting harmful workplace behaviors. Link: https://lnkd.in/gABe7JZ6 #OrganizationalChange #WorkplaceResilience #Resiliency #RAND #USSPACECOM #Diversity #DiverseWorkforce #OrganizationalChallenges

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There are many challenges our homeland faces internally. However, we cannot ignore external threats. The DoD continues to prioritize weapon systems to engage threats but continues to ignore the systems that are essential to early warning for proper C2’ing of said weapon systems. If we get the positioning and battle management wrong, there are grave consequences. Every second counts when responding; the earlier we can detect, the better. Over and over, the demand signal for air domain awareness is high. When will we finally understand the investment required for a proper sensing grid?

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The Montana Air National Guard, 120th Force Support Squadron, conducted joint operations with the Montana Army National Guard, focusing on search and recovery training. These operations were aimed at enhancing the capabilities of multi-capable airmen and advancing Agile Combat Employment. The primary objectives of these joint operations, during Agile Vigilante 24, were to: 1. Improve coordination and interoperability between the Air National Guard and Army National Guard. 2. Enhance the skills and readiness of multi-capable airmen in search and recovery missions. 3. Integrate and test advanced Agile Combat Employment technologies in combat and recovery scenarios.Airmen and Army National Guard personnel participated in exercises that simulated various disaster and combat scenarios requiring search and recovery operations. This included wilderness recovery, and post-disaster response. The joint operations yielded several significant outcomes: 1. Enhanced Interoperability: Improved coordination between the Air National Guard and Army National Guard resulted in more effective joint mission execution. This enhanced interoperability is crucial for rapid and cohesive responses to emergencies. 2. Multi-capable airmen demonstrated increased proficiency in diverse operational roles, making them valuable assets in complex mission environments. The 120th FSS joint exercise between the Air National Guard and Army National Guard significantly enhanced the search and recovery capabilities of both forces. The focus on multi-capable airmen and Agile Combat Employment demonstrated the effectiveness of advanced training and technology integration in modern military operations. This collaboration has strengthened the preparedness and versatility of U.S. military personnel, ensuring a robust response capability in diverse operational scenarios. #mca #ace

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We were once considered America’s 911 force because we had capabilities. Varied capabilities. We have today willingly given up many capabilities in order to focus on just one threat, China. Instead of putting the capabilities we have given up in the Reserves, to be called up when needed, we no longer even possess those capabilities. No more artillery, no more tanks, no more bridging equipment, reduced heavy lift helicopter capabilities (CH-53 squadrons) and more. No more reliable amphibious lift capability to get to the fight. You never need those capabilities until you do.

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Live Virtual Training, it is the future of training. Augmented reality headsets to train airmen, soldiers and sailors allows for fast indoctrination. Be it how to get around a ship, to how to break down a helicopter engine and reassemble it, From how to fly an aircraft to…how navigate a ship. Everything can be learned in VR,.

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This of course is the issue of allowing too many senior officials or corporate officers from flying together on the same aircraft. This can be a difficult task, to convince senior decision makers not to pack the same flight. A Board resolution defining the potential crisis and a point system whereby every member of senior management is assigned points. Once a point limit is reached, no additional senior executive or board member or government can be included on the same flight, must be implemented. This procedure satisfies Board Governance, Due Diligence and Standard of Care. Similar politics can prevent the leadership team of a government body all perishing in an aircraft accidnent, throwing the body into significant chaos and crisis.

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The Space Force, already facing its first-ever budget cut in fiscal 2025, would face an additional 3 percent cut if House appropriators get their way. The combined cut would be 5 percent compared to 2024. In their version of the 2025 defense appropriations bill, House lawmakers moved to slash $900 million from the Space Force’s proposed $29.6 billion budget, primarily in procurement and research and development. The biggest single cut would hit GPS III, with lawmakers seeking to save $185.9 million by cutting the buy from two to one satellite in 2025, lawmakers project. The House Armed Services Committee proposed a similar cut in its draft of the 2025 National Defense Authorization bill. Reducing funding for the more robust GPS IIIF comes as the Space Force eyes alternate solutions for providing position, navigation, and timing from space. In February, Space Systems Command solicited industry for ideas on smaller, cheaper satellites that could rapidly go into orbit to test new technologies, and in April, the Department of the Air Force announced it was taking advantage of new “quick start” authorities from Congress to work on a jam-resistant PNT solution. The program, initially dubbed GPS Lite, is now called Resilient GPS. But while House Armed Services Committee members expressed enthusiasm for the idea, appropriators remain skeptical. “The Committee has several concerns about the R-GPS plan and the use of this authority for this project,” lawmakers wrote. Lawmakers rejected the Space Force’s request to reprogram $77 million for Resilient GPS in the 2025 budget. Lawmakers pushed back on other programs, as well. Missile warning/missile tracking satellites were among the major areas of investment in the Space Force budget request, to the tune of $4.7 billion. The House appropriations bill would trim more than $150 million from that. Among the cuts: $54.5 million for the Space Development Agency’s MW/MT efforts in low-Earth orbit, and $95.9 million for Space Systems Command’s MW/MT constellation in medium-Earth orbit, citing “vendor termination.” An SSC spokesman, asked if the command is cancelling an existing contract or reducing requirements for a future one, declined to comment on pending legislation. Evolved Strategic SATCOM, a new nuclear command, control, and communications satellite constellation, would be cut by $44 million, while Protected Tactical SATCOM, for jam-resistant communications, would be cut by $85 million, including some reprogramming of funds at the Space Force’s request. #SpaceForce #Budget #GPSIIIF In Sept. 2018, the U.S. Air Force selected Lockheed Martin to build up to 22 additional GPS III Follow On (GPS IIIF) satellites with new capabilities starting at Space Vehicle (SV) 11. This Lockheed Martin rendering portrays GPS III SVs 11+. (Lockheed Martin)

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Press!!! The Facts: This is a fair assessment, according to a Reuters report on a declassified U.S. intelligence assessment provided to Congress. The intelligence determined that Russia had 360,000 active military personnel when it invaded Ukraine in February of 2022. By December of last year, 315,000 Russian troops had been either killed or injured in the war—a reduction in troop strength by 87%. Even by the technical definition of the word “decimate”—to reduce to 1/10th of the original—Biden’s characterization is accurate.

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