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Nov 09, 2016

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Good morning and welcome to the Early Bird Brief. Please send news tips and suggestions to: earlybird@militarytimes.com.

Today's Top 5

1. Donald Trump wins presidential election in a shocking upset
(Military Times) Donald Trump has won the presidency in a shocking political upset, backing his prediction that an underground movement and a series of victories in key states would catch pollsters and pundits by surprise.

2. Congress May Not Require Women to Register for Draft
(Military.com) While U.S. Defense Department officials have made clear it has no problem with requiring women to register for the draft, lawmakers in Congress appear poised to dodge the issue in the upcoming battle over the defense policy bill.

3. Financial Markets Plunge As Trump Emerges Victorious
(National Public Radio) Investors had bet heavily Monday on Democrat Hillary Clinton. But as Republican Donald Trump picked up many more votes than polls had predicted, markets reacted violently to the change in expectations.

4. Republicans on course to retain Congress
(BBC) The Republican Party has retained its majority in the US House of Representatives, projections suggest.

5. US Voters Decide Issues, From Marijuana to Gun Control to Capital Punishment
(Voice of America) Besides voting for president Tuesday, voters in 35 American states were deciding more than 150 policy issues that included legalizing recreational use of marijuana and restricting access to guns and ammunition.

Overseas Operations

Afghan War Crimes Inquiry on Docket for Next US President
(Military.com) Afghanistan has been an afterthought in the campaign but the next president will have to deal with an international inquiry into war crimes in Afghanistan that could involve U.S. troops.

Iraqis probe mass grave found near Mosul
(Associated Press) Iraqi investigators were probing a mass grave on Tuesday discovered by troops advancing on the Islamic State-held city of Mosul, where soldiers have captured a sliver of land but later halted their advance.

CyberCon 2016

Register Today for CyberCon 2016!
(Federal Times) Join Defense News, Federal Times and C4ISRNET on Nov. 16, 2016, at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Air Force

The Air Force just cut 15 'queep' requirements and streamlined 16 more
(Air Force Times) Once each year, across the Air Force, airmen are pulled away from their real jobs to sit at a computer or in a training course and learn — for the umpteenth time — how to use a fire extinguisher.

The U.S. Air Force lost a Nagasaki-style bomb 66 years ago. A Canadian man may have found it
(Air Force Times) The Canadian military plans to dispatch a ship off the coast of British Columbia to investigate a diver's claim that he found a bomb lost in 1950 when a U.S. B-36 crashed en route from Alaska to Texas.

Army

Army lieutenant colonel sentenced to 20 years for child pornography
(Army Times) A lieutenant colonel formerly assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency is set to spend two decades in prison for goading six underage girls into sending him illicit photos and videos while using his government laptop.

Human testing begins on Zika virus vaccine developed by the Army
(Army Times) A Zika virus vaccine was injected into 75 healthy adults on Monday at the start of human trials of the vaccine developed by the Army, Defense Department officials announced Tuesday.

Navy

Here are the new rules for sailors and Marines seeking gender-reassignment surgery
(Navy Times) New rules approved by Navy Secretary Ray Mabus allow transgender people to join without fear of discrimination and allow sailors and Marines to receive gender transition treatment and surgery, provided a military medical provider says the surgery is "medically necessary" and that their plan gets the OK from their commanding officer.

The Navy is retiring a submarine that miraculously survived a terrifying collision
(Navy Times) Sailors and former crewmembers bid farewell at a Friday ceremony to the attack submarine that survived a devastating 2005 collision and would go on to serve another decade, including four more deployments.

Top skippers credit their crews for Navy's prestigious leadership award
(Navy Times) The Navy’s two top skippers credited their sailors as they received the Navy’s top leadership award at the Pentagon Tuesday.

Marine Corps

Marine Corps F-35B catches fire during training flight
(Marine Corps Times) The Marine Corps’ jump-jet version of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter suffered its first major mishap when a fire broke out in the weapons bay of an F-35B during a recent training flight, officials said.

Marine Corps Lifts Ban on Water Activities in Japan
(Military.com) A temporary moratorium on ocean water activities for troops within III Marine Expeditionary Force was lifted Nov. 5 after all Marines participated in discussions and training.

Update: Marine recruit in coma after fall shows signs of improvement
(The Beaufort Gazette) Kristian Gashaj, a recruit injured in a recent fall at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, has “serious brain damage” but is showing signs of improvement, a family spokesperson Tuesday.

National Guard

US National Guard Chief Meets in Israel on Emergency Readiness
(Defense News) A delegation led by US Air Force Gen. Joseph Lengyel, chief of the National Guard Bureau, is in Israel through Wednesday evening to witness the latest local developments in emergency responsiveness.

Coast Guard

Raiders Team Up With Coast Guard To Help Officers
(CBS News) Veteran’s Day is later this week and the Coast Guard and the Raiders teamed up to help junior enlisted members cope with life in the military.

Defense Industry

US Weapons Exports End 2016 at $33.6 Billion
(Defense News) The US hit $33.6 billion for foreign weapon sales in fiscal year 2016, down $13 billion from the record-setting FY 2015 number.

China offers export version of YJ-12 supersonic anti-ship missile
(IHS Jane’s 360) The CM-302 missile exhibited at Airshow China 2016 is being marketed for export as "the world's best anti-ship missile", according to Chinese news media.

South Korea launches eighth KSS-2 submarine
(IHS Jane’s 360) South Korean shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) has launched the Republic of Korea Navy's (RoKN's) eighth KSS-2-class (Type 214) diesel-electric air-independent propulsion submarine, the company announced on 8 November.

Wall St. picks possible sector winners, losers on Trump victory
(Reuters) Republican Donald Trump became the 45th president of the United States, after fighting a tight presidential race with Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

India Orders 83 New Fighter Jets, 15 Helicopter Gunships, and 464 Tanks
(The Diplomat) India’s defense ministry also signed off on the purchase of 598 mini drones for the Indian Army.

New details emerge on Shenyang FC-31 fifth-generation export fighter
(IHS Jane’s 360) Construction has apparently begun of a prototype of the second version of the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) FC-31 'Gyrfalcon' twin-engine, fifth-generation export fighter, according to a video shown at Airshow China, held in Zhuhai from 1-6 November.

Honeywell offers military high-speed satcom
(C4ISRNET) Honeywell is now offering high-speed, high-bandwidth satellite communications for military customers.

Lockheed grants anti-jamming GPS contract to Mayflower
(C4ISRNET) Mayflower Communications has been selected by Lockheed Martin to provide its anti-jamming GPS system for Navy submarines.

Veterans

United Airlines lounges offer veteran-owned beer through November, for a good cause
(Military Times) United Club members flying through select cities this month will be able to support military charities just by quenching their thirst.

Congress & Politics

Donald Trump’s Victory Promises to Upend the International Order
(New York Times) Donald J. Trump’s stunning election victory on Tuesday night rippled way beyond the nation’s boundaries, upending an international order that prevailed for decades and raising profound questions about America’s place in the world.

Trade association urges Congress to act on IT modernization bill
(Federal Times) The Professional Services Council has thrown its support behind H.R. 6004, the Modernizing Government Technology Act of 2016, urging the 114th Congress to act on the House-passed bill when it's back in session on Nov. 14.

4 States Opt To Raise Minimum Wage; 6 Loosen Marijuana Laws
(National Public Radio) While votes are still being counted, some high-profile ballot initiatives already have returned clear results — including a slew of states opting in favor of medical or recreational marijuana, and several more raising the minimum wage.

DC voters support bid for statehood
(The Hill) Voters supported a draft constitution that would turn the district into a full-fledged state, with a governor and 21-seat state legislature.

Shocked By Trump Win, Brits See Brexit Parallels And Commiserate
(National Public Radio) On Monday in North Carolina, Donald Trump promised to pull off a "Brexit, Plus, Plus, Plus." He was referring to the surprise vote in June by people in the United Kingdom to leave the European Union.

John McCain wins 6th Senate term, topples Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick
(Associated Press) Sen. John McCain dispatched Democratic Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick on Tuesday to win a sixth term, prevailing in a hard-fought race in which the former GOP standard-bearer faced backlash both for backing Donald Trump and then withdrawing his support a month before Election Day.

Incumbent Blunt defeats Kander in Missouri Senate race
(Associated Press) Republican Roy Blunt will return for a second term representing Missouri in the U.S. Senate after holding off a spirited challenge from Jason Kander, an outcome that helped the GOP block a Democratic push to win control of the chamber.

Rep. Darrell Issa leads Marine vet Doug Applegate
(Associated Press) U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, a top foe of President Barack Obama and one of the highest-profile members of Congress, was in the toughest fight of his political career Tuesday as California Democrats sought to use opposition to Donald Trump to build on their commanding lead in the nation's largest congressional delegation.

Catherine Cortez Masto defeats Rep. Joe Heck in Nevada, will be first Latina in Senate
(Associated Press) The U.S. Senate will get its first-ever Latina member in Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto, who won a highly competitive race in Nevada to replace powerful longtime Sen. Harry Reid with help from a sophisticated ground operation aimed at driving Hispanic turnout.

GOP U.S. Rep. Martha McSally wins 2nd term in southern Arizona
(Associated Press) Republican U.S. Rep. Martha McSally was re-elected to a second term Tuesday, besting Democrat Matt Heinz and keeping the swing district in southern Arizona in GOP control.

Rep. Tammy Duckworth unseats Illinois GOP Sen. Mark Kirk
(Associated Press) Democratic U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth unseated Republican U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk on Tuesday, delivering a win that her party is banking on as it attempts to retake control of the Senate and becoming the second woman to represent Illinois in the chamber.

Republicans Keep Control Of The Senate As Democrats Largely Falter
(National Public Radio) Republicans will hold on to control of the Senate, according to Associated Press projections. The GOP defied the odds in a year in which they were almost entirely on defense and rode a wave that carried Donald J. Trump to the White House.

Cyber, Space & Surveillance

US Army Races To Build New Cyber Corps
(Breaking Defense) The US Army is rushing to stand up cyber forces but its progress shows both how far we’ve come, and how far we have to go.

National Security & Intelligence

US official: Security controls 'working' despite NSA theft
(Federal Times) The top U.S. counterintelligence official announced that secret government data is vulnerable to thieves, such as the National Security Agency insider accused of working undetected for more than 20 years to steal a large trove of classified material, even as he defended the security controls put in place after the Edward Snowden theft.

International Affairs

Air strikes and artillery kill 20 in Northwestern Syria: monitoring group
(Reuters) Air strikes and government artillery killed at least 20 people, including 10 children, in the largely rebel-held Syrian province of Idlib on Tuesday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

NATO chief on Trump win: US leadership 'as important as ever'
(The Hill) NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg congratulated Donald Trump on his victory Wednesday while reminding the president-elect that “U.S. leadership is as important as ever.”

Egypt's Sisi congratulates Trump, looks forward to new era of closer ties
(Reuters) Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi congratulated Donald Trump on Wednesday on his victory in the U.S. presidential election and said he hoped his election would unleash a new era of closer ties with Washington.

Can China's Ambitious OBOR Mesh With Russian Plans in Eurasia?
(The Diplomat) Russia realizes the importance of partnership with China, but remains suspicious and cautious.

Turkey’s Difficult Détente With Russia
(Defense News) A year ago, Turkey and Russia were on the brink of war over Syria. Today, they are in a courtship that may include critical defense and procurement cooperation.

Britain and France move forward on mineclearing drone
(C4ISRNET) Britain and France have launched the next phase of their unmanned minesweeping system.

Turkey, Syrian Kurds at loggerheads over Raqqa offensive
(Associated Press) Turkey said Tuesday that the U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led forces leading an assault on the Islamic State stronghold of Raqqa should not enter the city itself but merely help encircle it, a suggestion dismissed by the Kurds.

The State of Play in Syria
(The Cipher Brief) Amid the dizzying array of jihadist groups, rebel militias, umbrella opposition alliances, and state-level actors either directly or indirectly involved in Syria’s conflict, it can be difficult to tell who is fighting whom and why.

Commentary & Analysis

US election 2016 results: Five ways a Donald Trump presidency changes the world
(BBC) Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential contest could change America's relationship with the rest of the world in some important ways. Here are five of them.

20 years on, what the Army's learned from the Aberdeen sex scandal
(Maj. Gen. Robert D. Shadley (ret.)) Today, the services have implemented programs to respond to and prevent sexual harassment and sexual assault.

Can Donald Trump Be a Good President?
(Foreign Policy) Donald Trump shocked the pundit class, the media, Washington, D.C., the United States, the world, and yours truly tonight. We were wrong about Trump’s electoral prospects, thinking he had little to no chance to win. Is it possible we were wrong about Trump’s governing prospects?

Millennials, diversity measures and more: Your letters
(Air Force Times) Readers discuss the military's takeover by the millennial generation, the new Air Force diversity measures, and controversies about religion at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, and about paying back re-enlistment bonuses in California.

How Vladimir Putin Won the U.S. Election
(US News & World Report) Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton gave the Russian president precisely what he needed.

HEALTHY TRADITION SACRIFICED AT THE ALTAR OF INNOVATION IN THE NAVAL SERVICE
(War On The Rocks) Late last month, a “We The People” petition to reverse a major U.S. Navy policy decision passed the 100,000 signature mark, which means the White House is committed to respond within 60 days.

Interview: Jamie Morin, Director, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation
(Defense News) As the director of the Pentagon’s Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (CAPE) office, Jamie Morin has spent the last two years weighing in on the Department of Defense’s major programs. During his tenure, CAPE has helped set the price for the B-21 Raider bomber, the Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship program and, most recently, the first stage of the Air Force’s intercontinental ballistic missile replacement.

What Russia After Putin?
(New York Times) If only because nothing lasts forever, because no one lives forever, the Putin era in Russia will eventually end.

US Election 2016: An American Brexit?
(BBC) The polls were off. The political establishment took a kicking. Financial markets quivered with uncertainty.

FIVE REASONS WASHINGTON SHOULD RETHINK SELLING WARPLANES TO NIGERIA
(War On The Rocks) The Department of Defense will soon notify Congress it plans to sell 12 A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft to Nigeria.

A look back at the 2016 election through gifs, cartoons and live sketches
(Washington Post) Here’s a cartoony collection from this crazy campaign.

The three big items left on Obama’s agenda
(Washington Post) President Obama should focus on three foreign policy challenges, post-election, to finish fights that began on his watch.

THE PERILS OF FORGETTING ABOUT AL QAEDA
(War On The Rocks) Sir Michael Fallon’s remarks last month on terrorism were both highly predictable and highly unusual. Predictable, because the U.K. secretary of state for defence was talking about the terror threat facing Europe, something which Europeans are by now used to. Unusual, however, because he was not talking about the group that dominates such conversations: the Islamic State.

Comments about religious controversy at Incirlik 'exhibit ignorance of the law': Letters
(Air Force Times) The military mission is to defend our diverse nation against all enemies – not promote a religion.

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