NEWS EXTRA

June 20, 2015

Business, Business / Career, Education, Feature, Government, Opinion, Politics

This segment provides the viewer / reader with news they might have missed and focuses on key issues related to current and past events. These articles are provided courtesy of our many contributing sources. We ask that you enjoy these stories and continue your support of beenetworknews.com, our contributing sources and publishers.

ASSIGNMENTS / APPOINTMENTS / ANNOUNCEMENTS

SOURCE: Office of Senator Mitch McConnell

McConnell on Charleston Tragedy

‘Our hearts go out to the families who have been affected by this awful tragedy.’

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor today regarding the tragic shootings in Charleston, South Carolina:

“At this time I would like to take a moment to discuss the terrible news out of Charleston.

“This is a true tragedy. It’s always awful when a tragedy like this occurs, but to happen at a house of worship makes it even worse. Churches should be a place of refuge, a place where people feel safe and secure, a place of mercy, a place of compassion.

“The depth of loss these families must be feeling is simply awful. So I want the American people to know the Senate is thinking of them today and the victims that they love. We’re also thinking of the entire congregation at this historic church. We’ll continue to do so as more about this about this tragedy is learned in the hours and days to come.

“Our hearts go out to the families who have been affected by this awful tragedy.”

U.S. Representative Massie Votes to Force Congressional Debate on the Troops in Iraq and Syria

SOURCE: Office of Representative Thomas Massie

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Thomas Massie voted in support of a resolution to ensure that Congress debates and votes on an Authorization for the Use of Military Force

Photo Courtesy: U.S. Congressman Thomas Massie

(AUMF) for the war against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) by the end of the year. H. Con. Res. 55, which was introduced by Representatives Walter Jones (R-NC), Jim McGovern (D-MA), and Barbara Lee (D-CA), requires that Congress either debate and vote on an AUMF for this war by the end of the year, or bring our troops home.

“Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution gives Congress, not the President, the power to declare war,” said Rep. Massie. “War requires congressional authorization, and the American people deserve open debate by their elected officials.”

U.S. airstrikes against ISIS began in August 2014 without the congressional debate and declaration of war required by the Constitution. Though President Obama claims the 2002 Iraq AUMF is sufficient, the new military action in Iraq constitutes a new war, with a new enemy, and thus requires a new congressional authorization of force. The President cannot use the 2002 AUMF in Iraq to justify any new action.

“If we are to send our brave young men and women into harm’s way overseas, then Congress must honor the Constitution, declare war, and fight to win. Anything else is illegal, unconstitutional, and likely to lead to horrific unintended consequences,” added Massie. H. Con. Res. 55 failed by a 139-288-1 vote.

Flag Officer Assignments

SOURCE: Department of Defense

The Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert announced the following assignments:

Rear Adm. (lower half) Richard A. Brown will be assigned as commander, Carrier Strike Group Eleven, Everett, Washington. Brown is currently serving as commander, Naval Service Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois.

Capt. Stephen C. Evans, selected for promotion to rear-admiral (lower half), will be assigned as commander, Naval Service Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois. Evans is currently serving as senior military assistant to the secretary of the Navy, Washington, District of Columbia.

General Officer Assignments

SOURCE: Department of Defense

The chief of staff, Air Force announced the following assignments:

Maj. Gen. Mark C. Dillon, deputy chief of staff for the United Nations Command and U.S. Forces Korea, Yongsan Army Garrison, South Korea, to vice commander, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.

Brig. Gen. David S. Nahom, director, regional affairs, Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force, International Affairs, Office of the Under Secretary of the Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia, to deputy director, plans and programs, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.

Brig. Gen. Mary F. O’Brien, special assistant to the deputy chief of staff, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia, to director of Intelligence, J-2, Headquarters U.S. Cyber Command, Fort Meade, Maryland.

Brig. Gen. Lenny J. Richoux, director, Air Force Colonel Management Office, Deputy Chief of Staff, Manpower, Personnel and Services, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia, to director of services, Deputy Chief of Staff, Manpower, Personnel and Services, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia.

Brig. Gen. Jeffrey B. Taliaferro, deputy director, plans and programs, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, to director, plans, programs, and requirements, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.

Brig. Gen. Billy D. Thompson, chief, Air Force Senate Liaison Office, Office of the Legislative Liaison, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia, to director, regional affairs, Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force, International Affairs, Office of the Under Secretary of the Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia.

The chief of staff, Army announced the following assignments:

Maj. Gen. John W. Charlton, commanding general, Brigade Modernization Command, Army Capabilities Integration Center, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, Fort Bliss, Texas, to vice director, Joint Force Development, J-7, Joint Staff, Suffolk, Virginia.

Maj. Gen. Paul E. Funk II, commanding general, 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley, Fort Riley, Kansas, to assistant deputy chief of staff, G-3/5/7, U.S. Army, Washington, District of Columbia.

Maj. Gen. Paul J. LaCamera to chief, Office of Security Cooperation – Iraq, U.S. Central Command, Iraq. He most recently served as commanding general, 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, Fort Carson, Colorado.

Maj. Gen. Kirk F. Vollmecke to deputy program executive officer, intelligence, electronic warfare and sensors, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. He most recently served as deputy commanding general, support, Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, Afghanistan.

Brig. Gen. Peter L. Jones, director, CJ-35, Resolute Support Mission Joint Command, Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, Afghanistan, to commandant, U.S. Army Infantry School, U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence, Fort Benning, Georgia.

Brig. Gen. Terrence J. McKenrick, deputy commanding general, operations, 1st Armored Division; director, Central Command Forward – Jordan, Operation Spartan Shield, Jordan, to commanding general, Brigade Modernization Command, Army Capabilities Integration Center, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, Fort Bliss, Texas.

PHOTO(s) OF THE DAY

SOURCE: Department of Defense /Defense News Lead Photo

Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles from Bravo Co., 1-185th Armor in support of Bravo Co, 1-160th Infantry during company-level breach and assault training June, 16, 2015. Soldiers from the 1-160th Infantry, 578th Engineer Battalion, and 1-185th Armor Regiment manuevered and fought against oposition forces to seize multiple objectives while employing mechanical and demolition breaches. (US Army photo by Capt. Cody Gallo)

Colors are placed during the opening ceremony of the 2015 Defense Department Warrior Games held at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, Va., June 19, 2015. DoD Photo by Glenn Fawcett (Released)

U.S Marines with Company F, Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), conduct launch and recovery drills using Combat Rubber Raiding Craft from the well deck of the USS Green Bay (LPD-20), at sea, June 10, 2015. The 31st MEU is currently conducting its annual Fall Patrol of the Asia-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Brian Bekkala/Released.)

150618-N-EH855-673
CORAL SEA (June 18, 2015) A member of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 5, embarked aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73), jumps from an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter from the Golden Falcons of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 12 during a floating mine response drill. George Washington and its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, are on patrol in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility supporting security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. George Washington will conduct a hull-swap with the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) later this year after serving seven years as the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier in Yokosuka, Japan. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Bryan Mai/Released)