NAVY WON'T ANNOUNCE FIRED OFFICERS: The Navy used to be the one military service to post names of fired commanders online and then notify news outlets via email. But that's not happening anymore. USA Today first reported the change in policy. The Navy will still respond to media requests for information on fired commanders, but it won't announce them of its own accord. Top Navy spokesman Capt. Greg Hicks told USA Today the service is changing its practice to take "the necessary diligence to safeguard security, ensure information accuracy and stay within the bounds of both policy and privacy." Hicks added that Navy Public Affairs "will continue to respond to every query on reliefs in a timely and thorough manner." The Navy's view: After the USA Today story broke, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson told reporters he thought the policy change was "being overblown." "I don't think the practice is much going to change," Richardson said during a briefing at the Pentagon. "I think that's being overblown quite a bit. The thing that we value most of all is our relationship of trust and confidence, both within the ranks ... and then certainly with the American people as well. I think there's perhaps being more made of that then you'll see in practice." Timing: The Navy changed its practice following the service's so-called Fat Leonard scandal. The worst corruption scandal in Navy history centered around Malaysian contractor Leonard Glenn Francis, who bribed dozens of officers from the 7th Fleet with extravagant parties, luxury gifts, prostitutes and more in exchange for classified information used to win big-dollar contracts for his company, Glenn Defense Marine Asia. Francis pleaded guilty to defrauding the government of millions of dollars, while more than 17 senior Navy and Pentagon officials pleaded guilty to criminal misconduct. The case is still ongoing. MILITARY STORES ORDERED TO STOP SELLING CHINESE PHONES: The Defense Department is ordering retail stores on military bases to stop selling products made by Chinese telecom firms Huawei and ZTE, citing security concerns. "Huawei and ZTE devices may pose an unacceptable risk to Department's personnel, information and mission," Major Dave Eastburn, a Pentagon spokesman, said in a statement. "In light of this information, it was not prudent for the Department's exchanges to continue selling them to [Defense Department] personnel." Eastburn would not go into details about the nature of the security concerns, but cited public testimony from intelligence officials warning that the firms may be compromised by the Chinese government. The order was given to military bases around the world on April 25, the spokesman said. Back story: In February, intelligence leaders told Congress that they would advise against Americans purchasing products from the two firms, warning that their devices could be used to conduct espionage on behalf of Beijing. The officials were echoing a 2012 congressional report that effectively shut Huawei and ZTE out of the U.S. market. ANOTHER DEADLY AIR CRASH: At least five National Guardsmen from Puerto Rico have been reported dead after a C-130 cargo plane went down in Georgia during a training mission. The C-130 belonged to the Air National Guard's 156th Airlift Wing out of Puerto Rico, the Air Force said. The Air Force said the names of the aircraft's crew would not be released until their next of kin have been notified. President Trump offered his thoughts and prayers for the victims in a Wednesday afternoon tweet. "I have been briefed on the U.S. C-130 "Hercules" cargo plane from the Puerto Rico National Guard that crashed near Savannah Hilton Head International Airport. Please join me in thoughts and prayers for the victims, their families and the great men and women of the National Guard," he tweeted. ON TAP FOR TOMORROW: Former Japanese defense ministers will talk about Japan's national security policy and priorities for the U.S.-Japan alliance at 10 a.m. at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. https://bit.ly/2HLLBCp Chief Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White will brief the media at noon. Watch live at defense.gov/live. ICYMI: -- The Hill: VA hospital cancels dozens of surgeries due to insect infestation: report -- The Hill: US support for Iran deal reaches highest point: poll -- The Hill: Russian military spending drops, US ends downward trend: analysis -- The Hill: Opinion: Don't let Netanyahu talk America into yet another Middle East war -- The Hill: Opinion: Any North Korea nuclear deal must involve Iran's nuclear program -- The Washington Post: Former Rep. Jeff Miller emerges as a leading contender for Trump's VA -- Breaking Defense: Pentagon's big AI program, Maven, already hunts data in Middle East, Africa |
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