Here are five news stories and events to start your week from the editors at Military.com:
1. More State IDs Will No Longer Be Accepted at Bases
Via Amy Bushatz at Military.com: "Driver's licenses and most other IDs issued by eight additional states will no longer be accepted as official identification for accessing U.S. military bases -- starting July 10 -- unless new extensions are granted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Pentagon officials said this week. All non-enhanced, state-issued IDs from Oregon, Alaska, Oklahoma, Kentucky, South Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Washington will join IDs from Montana, Minnesota, Missouri and Maine on the list of those that do not comply with federal identification standards and cannot be used to enter federal facilities."
2. Army to Gunmakers: Show Us a New 7.62mm Service Rifle
Via Matthew Cox at Military.com: "U.S. Army weapons officials have launched a survey to see what gunmakers can offer for an off-the-shelf 7.62mm Interim Combat Service Rifle. The May 31 request for information, known in acquisition parlance as an RFI, on behalf of Product Manager Individual Weapons, is an attempt to "identify sources for a combat rifle system" and determine the potential cost and lead time to deliver up to 10,000 weapon systems ... Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley told lawmakers Congress ... that the M4 Carbine's current 5.56mm round can't penetrate modern enemy body armor plates."
3. Air Force F-15Es, A-10s Leading Air War Against ISIS
Via Oriana Pawlyk at Military.com: "Older U.S. Air Force jets -- including the A-10 Thunderbolt II, eyed in recent years for retirement, and the F-15E Strike Eagle -- are leading the air war against the Islamic State, statistics show. U.S. military fighter-attack jets, bombers and drones have dropped more than 67,000 bombs since the 2014 start of Operation Inherent Resolve, the ... mission against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, according to information provided by Air Forces Central Command. Notably, fighter-attack aircraft released more than three times as many weapons as bombers did ... Drones dropped the least of any category of aircraft."
4. Marine Commander Fired Amid Hazing Investigation Faces Hearing
Via Hope Hodge Seck at Military.com: "The former commander of Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island's 3rd Recruit Training Battalion will face charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, Marine Corps officials said Saturday night. Lt. Col. Joshua Kissoon, who was relieved March 31, 2016, will appear at an Article 32 investigative hearing at Marine Corps Base Quantico Monday on charges of failure to obey a lawful general order, false official statement, and conduct unbecoming a general officer. The hearing will determine whether Kissoon's case will proceed to a trial."
5. Marine Vet Richard Spencer Nominated for Navy Secretary
Via Hope Hodge Seck at Military.com: "After half a year with no one in the post of Navy secretary, a nominee for the job is once again on the table. On Friday evening, President Donald Trump announced that Richard V. Spencer, a former Marine Corps captain and finance executive, was his pick for the sea service's top civilian post. The moves comes after Trump's previous pick, financier Philip Bilden, withdrew from consideration in late February, citing challenges with divesting financial interests to meet government ethics requirements."
Bonus: Top 10 Military Photos of the Week
Check out this new weekly feature from Military.com's entertainment blog UnderTheRadar.
-- Brendan McGarry can be reached at brendan.mcgarry@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Brendan_McGarry.
