A new report by the Government Accountability Office entreats the Pentagon to move out smartly if it wants to ensure US Special Operations Command can handle its increasing mission. GAO says that SOCOM knows how many new personnel it needs to fill out warfighting units, but it does not know how many staff personnel it needs to oversee training, equipping, and planning. And, says GAO, SOCOM does not have a warm fuzzy from the services that they can meet current and future personnel requirements. Despite progress by the services in recruiting, training, and retaining special ops forces, GAO reports that “hundreds of authorized positions” have gone unfilled since Fiscal 2000. DOD “generally concurs” with GAO findings and recommendations to provide more guidance.
F-35As from the Vermont Air National Guard have deployed to Puerto Rico in recent days, continuing a major buildup of U.S. Air Force assets in Latin America aimed at combating drug trafficking and pressuring the regime of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
