| CALIFORNIA ACCEPTS FUNDING FOR MORE GUARD TROOPS: Ending days of speculation over whether California would contribute guardsmen to the new southern border mission, Gov. Jerry Brown (D) said Wednesday he would accept federal funding to increase the California Guard's numbers. Brown wrote in a letter to Defense Secretary James Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen that the California National Guard would accept federal funding to add "approximately 400 Guard members statewide to supplement the staffing of its ongoing program to combat transnational crime." What this means: Unlike President Trump's request, not all of California's new guardsmen will go to the border. Instead, Brown said, the troops would join an existing program to combat transnational crime at the border, the coast and elsewhere in the state. The program already has 250 California Guard troops, including 55 at the border. Brown made clear the troops would not help Trump's immigration agenda. "But let's be crystal clear on the scope of this mission," Brown wrote. "This will not be a mission to build a new wall. It will not be a mission to round up women and children or detain people escaping violence and seeking a better life. And the California National Guard will not be enforcing federal immigration laws." By the numbers: California's 400 guardsmen will join the 1,600 already pledged by the Republican governors of Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Mattis's memo last week authorized up to 4,000 Guard troops. COAST GUARD WEIGHS IN ON WALL: The Coast Guard's top admiral said Wednesday it would be "shortsighted" to think building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border will stem illegal immigration on its own. "I think we'd be shortsighted to think that if we build a wall that will end all the drivers for illegal migration," Adm. Paul Zukunft, commandant of the Coast Guard, said at an event in Washington when asked if he's expecting an increase of illegal immigration via the ocean. "If you can't come across a terrestrial border between Mexico and the United States, then go around it," he continued. "We keep a very close eye on what those trends are. Hasn't happened, but that would probably be several years [away]." Zukunft, who has announced his retirement for June, was speaking to the Defense Writers Group. RYAN ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT: While the big story in defense remains Syria, the biggest story on Capitol Hill Wednesday was House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) announcing his retirement at the end of this Congress. One of the accomplishments Ryan touted in his announcement was bulking up military spending. Defense hawks had kind words for the speaker Wednesday. "One of Speaker Ryan's most important legacies will be his central role in beginning to rebuild our military and repair that damage that has been inflicted on it in recent years," House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) said in a statement. "There is more work to do in that regard this year, and I know that Paul will continue his unwavering support for the men and women who serve our nation in the armed services." THIRD NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER LEAVES WHITE HOUSE: Deputy national security adviser Nadia Schadlow has resigned, as new national security adviser John Bolton seeks to reshape his team.
Schadlow is the third high-ranking national security official to exit or be pushed out of the White House since Bolton took over on Monday. National Security Council spokesman Michael Anton and homeland security adviser Tom Bossert are the other two officials who have left following Bolton's start. Expect more staff changes from Bolton in the coming days. ON TAP FOR TOMORROW: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hold a confirmation hearing for Mike Pompeo to be secretary of State at 9:30 a.m. at the Senate Dirksen Office Building, room 419. https://bit.ly/2qgKvaZ Army Secretary Mark Esper and Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley will testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee at 9:30 a.m. at Dirksen G-50. https://bit.ly/2I6zfVh Defense Secretary James Mattis and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford will testify before the House Armed Services Committee at 10 a.m. at the Rayburn House Office Building, room 2118. https://bit.ly/2GRrGBD The House Appropriations defense subcommittee will hold a hearing on the fiscal year 2019 budget request for the National Guard and the reserves. https://bit.ly/2qkkqrn A House Armed Services subcommittee will hold a hearing on the fiscal 2019 budget request for combat aviation programs at 2 p.m. at Rayburn 2212. https://bit.ly/2v4Dm2c Another House Armed Services subcommittee will hold a hearing on having the right capabilities in a 355-ship Navy at 3:30 p.m. at Rayburn 2118. https://bit.ly/2qlhpXR ICYMI: -- The Hill: Pentagon stops accepting F-35 deliveries from Lockheed: report -- The Hill: Third top national security aide to leave White House -- The Hill: Trump nominates new commanders for military operations in Asia-Pacific, North America -- The Hill: Opinion: In Syria, President Trump must strike and stay -- The Hill: Opinion: The Haspel nomination: The delicate balance of the process -- Associated Press: Yemeni rebel missiles, drones target Saudi capital, south -- Military Times: Vets groups and lawmakers say they're against it -- but what does 'privatization' of Veterans Affairs really mean? | 
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