Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, led his first Facebook town hall last week, answering a range of questions from service members around the globe right from his E-ring office at the Pentagon. He noted that while lawmakers are currently looking to offset some of the severe cuts brought on by sequestration, the outcome of those talks remains uncertain, according to a Dec. 5 DOD release. Dempsey also addressed the issue of sexual assault in the military, states a separate release. “We have to fight this crime that so erodes the trust upon which our profession is built,” Dempsey wrote. “We’ve welcomed the help of Congress and others to create a ‘constellation’ of policies around unit commanders to both assist them and to hold them accountable.” The town hall also addressed other topics such as mental health and international relations, according to both releases. (See also Competing Amendments for more on proposed sexual assault amendments.)
Members of the House Armed Services Committee say the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile program has been set back three months due to the ongoing government shutdown. The comment is noteworthy because the JATM's status has been kept tightly under wraps.
