Here are five news stories and events to start your week, from the editors at Military.com:
Navy SEALs Investigated in Strangling Death of Green Beret
Via Hope Hodge Seck at Military.com: "Two Navy SEALs have been placed on administrative leave as officials investigate their involvement in the June death of an Army Green Beret, the New York Times reported Sunday. Staff Sgt. Logan Melgar was found dead June 4 in embassy housing while deployed to Bamako, Mali, the Times reported in a shocking exclusive. Melgar's death was never publicly announced by the Department of Defense, as is standard when a service member dies during a deployment."
Night Stalker Pilot Killed in Afghanistan Identified
Via Brendan McGarry at Military.com: "The U.S. Defense Department on Sunday identified the Army special operations helicopter pilot killed in Afghanistan. Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jacob Michael Sims, 36, a native of Oklahoma, died and six other crew members were injured when the helicopter they were flying in crashed late Friday in Logar province in the eastern part of the country south of Kabul, according to information released by U.S. Special Operations Command."
Trial Set to Begin in Largest Marine Corps Hazing Case in Years
Via Hope Hodge Seck at Military.com: "Jury selection began Friday in a court-martial that will determine whether a senior Marine Corps drill instructor hazed one Muslim recruit by throwing him in an industrial dryer, and pushed another to suicide. The trial of Gunnery Sgt. Joseph Felix is the culmination of more than a year-and-a-half of investigations and legal proceedings following the suicide death of 20-year-old Raheel Siddiqui in March 2016 ... Opening arguments in the Felix case are set to begin Monday."
Admirals to Share Results of Investigations into Deadly Ship Collisions
The U.S. Navy's top officer, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson, and the head of U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Adm. Phil Davidson, on Thursday are scheduled to brief reporters on results of the service's investigations into four ship mishaps in the Pacific this year -- two of which caused millions in damage and resulted in the deaths of 17 deployed sailors. Richardson recently called on the service's most junior leaders to be proactive and troubleshoot subpar working conditions.
SecDef to Testify Before Lawmakers on War Authorization
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson are scheduled to testify 5 p.m. Monday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, headed by Bob Corker, R-Tenn., on authorizations for the use of military force. Like the Obama administration, the Trump administration relies on a 16-year-old AUMF from Congress to deploy troops against such threats as al-Qaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and Afghanistan, or ISIS -- in places from Afghanistan to Niger, where four U.S. troops were recently killed.
-- Brendan McGarry can be reached at brendan.mcgarry@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Brendan_McGarry.
