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.)
Anduril and General Atomics will develop their Collaborative Combat Aircraft for the Air Force, beating out Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, the service announced on April 24. But any of the non-selected companies can compete to actually manufacture the eventual design, the Air Force said.