Release of the Joint Operational Access Concept (JOAC)

Filed under Chairman's Corner, DoD News by on January 17, 2012 at 4:32 pm {3 comments}

General Martin E. Dempsey Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff

The President and Secretary of Defense’s strategic guidance for our Joint Force is clear – we will answer our nation’s call and sustain the trust of the American people amidst a rapidly changing security environment.  As we shape the Joint Force of the future in this increasingly complex and competitive world, gaining access to the right place at the right time presents an ever more pressing challenge.

So today I released the Joint Operational Access Concept (JOAC).  This framework describes how we will gain entry and maintain access anywhere and in any domain: land, air, space, sea, and cyber.  No matter how formidable our forces, if we are unable to bring our capabilities to bear in any of these domains, we may not be able to complete the mission or meet our nation’s needs.  Our adversaries know this as well.

Accordingly, the JOAC outlines how we will confront emerging Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) threats by state and non-state enemies across the globe.  A2/AD is not new, but it is a defining characteristic of today’s operational environment.  Confronting this challenge will require more integration—across all domains and at all echelons—than ever before.

The Joint Force must have the capability to gain and maintain access across any domain.  The JOAC will chart a path to ensure Joint Force 2020 can provide the military options our nation needs.

Martin E. Dempsey
General, U.S. Army
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Download the Joint Operational Access Concept (JOAC) here 

Episode #117: Weekly News Roundup for January 6, 2012

Filed under DoD News, Emerging Media by on January 6, 2012 at 5:19 pm {no comments}

The Joint Chiefs of Staff have a new member: the Chief of the National Guard Bureau. Air Force General Craig Mckinley became a member of the Joint Chiefs when President Barack Obama signed the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act December thirty-first.

The act included other provisions specific to the National Guard including changing the Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau to a three-star position and rescinding the position of Director of the Bureau’s Joint Staff.

The act provides $670 billion in spending for Defense Department programs as well as nuclear weapons programs handled by the Department of Energy.

Following threats by the Iranian government, the Department of Defense has reaffirmed its position, having naval vessels operating in the Strait of Hormuz, near Iran.

January is National Blood Donor Month, and the Armed Services Blood Program (ASBP) needs your help.

On Thursday, the Defense Department released a strategy plan that will allow for more than $450 billion in budget cuts over the next ten years while maintaining America’s military superiority.

Listen to the podcast here.

Adm. Mike Mullen Farewell Message

Filed under DoD News by on September 30, 2011 at 8:40 am {no comments}

As he begins his road to retirement, Admiral Mike Mullen and his wife Deborah extend their thanks to the service members and their families.  “You continue to make a difference for millions around the world,” he said in his special message to the troops. Mrs. Mullen adds that they will always remember their courage and commitment.

“We will never forget your sacrifice,” she said.  Admiral Mike Mullen said that serving with the men and women in uniform has been the priviliage of a lifetime.

Click here to watch the full message:



Episode #96: Weekly News Roundup for July 29

Filed under DoD News, Emerging Media by on July 29, 2011 at 2:33 pm {2 comments}

In the “This Week in the DoD” podcast for July 29:

After 102 years of serving the medical needs of service members, Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., is closing. Its patients and services have been relocated to new facilities at the expanded National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.

“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the law banning openly gay people from serving in the military, will be repealed September 20.

Retired Army Gen. John Shalikashvili passed away recently at the age of 75 after suffering a stroke. He served in the U.S. Army from 1958 to 1997; from 1993 to 1997 he served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The Army Corps of Engineers is working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide temporary housing to residents of Joplin, Mo., who lost their homes when the town was struck by a tornado May 22. Nearly one third of the town was destroyed.

Listen to the podcast here.

 

Chairman’s Corner: Independence Day 2011

Filed under DoD News by on July 1, 2011 at 11:34 am {one comment}

This Independence Day we celebrate our Nation’s 235th birthday.  As we enjoy all the traditions and pleasures this singularly American holiday has to offer, I also ask that we take a moment to remember those who have done so much to secure and safeguard our independence throughout our history.

Today, more than 200,000 Americans in uniform are deployed in harm’s way, protecting us.  Their steadfast service reminds us that defending our Nation is not a “sometimes” thing, but a pursuit that requires persistent and disciplined commitment each day, everyday.  I remain profoundly grateful for the gifts of their service in far off, distant places and the sacrifice of the families who faithfully wait for their return.

During this decade of war, we have been reminded of another way we keep America’s promise to those who protect it – the care and support of our wounded warriors, their families, and the families of our fallen and missing in action.  For many, their healing from wounds, both seen and unseen, will last a lifetime, and so must our commitment to them.

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who shepherded our Nation through the Great Depression and World War Two, once said, “In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved.”   Today, we honor everything that Americans have done to earn and achieve that freedom.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff, their families, and Deborah and I wish every citizen a happy and safe Fourth of July.  Happy Birthday America!

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    An United States Air Force C-130J Hercules cargo aircraft from the 146th Airlift Wing, California Air National Guard, conducts flare training off the Ventura County coast. The flares are used as tactical infrared countermeasures to confuse and redirect heat-seeking missiles.

    (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Dave Buttner)


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    Famed Yankees pitcher “Lefty Gomez” once remarked “I’d rather be lucky than good,” but for one Tuskegee Airman, luck and good combined to make him one of the most successful combat pilots of World War II.

    During the summer of 1944, 2nd Lt. Clarence D. “Lucky” Lester was flying the P-51 Mustang over the skies of Italy’s Po Valley providing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers with cover support on their way to attack airfields in southern Germany.

    Lester was assigned to the 100th Fighter Squadron, a part of the 332nd Fighter Group, and had earned the nickname “Lucky” “because of all the tight situations from which I had escaped without a scratch or even a bullet hole in my aircraft.”

    Read the story of a flight that helped Lester earn his nickname here.


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    The only African-American ace of World War II, and a former Tuskegee Airman, went on to have a career in the Air Force, as well as success in the business world.

    Lee A. Archer joined the Army in 1941 with high hopes of becoming a pilot, but was initially denied because of his race. When the Army’s policy changed about a year later, Archer was accepted to the training program for black aviators at the Tuskegee Army Airfield in Alabama.

    Archer is best known for a day in late 1944 when he was involved in a series of dogfights over German-occupied Hungary. Flying a P-51 Mustang fighter, Archer shot down three German fighters. He would go on to add two more German fighters to his credit to become the first and only African-American ace of the war.

    As a civilian, Archer enjoyed even greater success, serving as vice president for urban affairs with General Foods, as CEO of North Street Capital Corp. and chairman of Hudson Commercial Corp. He also served on the board of directors of Beatrice International Foods and the Institute for American Business.

    Read the rest of his story here.