Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has ordered a review of the military awards and decoration process, Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby said. “Now that we’re getting towards the end of the combat mission in Afghanistan, [Hagel] wants to take a more holistic view of the awards process and the decoration process,” Kirby said. The review is slated for completion by “the end of the year or early 2015,” said Kirby. While all services are expected to participate, the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness will lead the effort, according to a Jan. 29 release.
A top Pentagon tech official called on industry this week to help the military develop “lighter, more efficient” directed energy weapons designed to go on aircraft and conduct special operations missions or down drones—areas where the Air Force’s directed energy efforts have been quiet as of late.