IAVA Daily Brief 3.16.10

Here are some of today's top stories and happenings at IAVA. Prefer to receive real-time updates about major stories and legislation that IAVA is tracking? Follow us on Twitter @IAVAPressRoom [4] or subscribe to receive the brief in your inbox each morning at www.iava.org/dailynewsbrief [5].

MUST READS

1) U.S. Reining In Special Forces in Afghanistan [6]

Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the top American commander in Afghanistan, has brought most American Special Operations forces under his direct control for the first time, out of concern over continued civilian casualties and disorganization among units in the field.

2) New fraud cases point to lapses in Iraq projects [7]

Investigators looking into corruption involving reconstruction in Iraq say they have opened more than 50 new cases in six months by scrutinizing large cash transactions — involving banks, land deals, loan payments, casinos and even plastic surgery — made by some of the Americans involved in the nearly $150 billion program.

3) Man who posed as fake Marine is sentenced [8]

A Palm Springs bank employee who posed as a highly decorated Marine lieutenant colonel at his high school reunion was sentenced today to a year of probation and ordered to undergo mental health counseling. Steven Douglas Burton had been facing up to a year in prison and a fine of $100,000 under the federal Stolen Valor Act.

AFGHANISTAN

The U.S. government's plan to rapidly grow the ranks of Afghan police officers has run into a shortage of instructors and training camps, prompting U.S. and NATO officials to cut basic training [9] for Afghan recruits from eight weeks to six.

Pakistan's intelligence agency has demanded tighter control [10] of the Afghan border by NATO troops to stop Taliban fighters escaping its operations in the North West Frontier.

A Defense Department official is under investigation [11] for hiring private contractors to gather intelligence on suspected insurgents in Afghanistan and Pakistan, later supplied to military units and intelligence officials.

IRAQ

The U.S. military handed over control [12] of a prison holding some 2,900 detainees to Iraqi authorities on Monday as the Americans move ahead with preparations for a full withdrawal by the end of 2011.

Independent election monitors in Iraq have raised significant concerns over the conduct and fairness of last week’s national poll [13]. A high-level Iraqi report details violations across the country and includes evidence of the army and police interfering directly with voting on March 7.

The latest Iraqi election results show votes split [14] between the coalitions of Nouri al-Maliki, the prime minister, and his chief rival, Ayad Allawi.

MILITARY AFFAIRS

The Defense Department provided Stars and Stripes a sampling of some of the more bizarre feedback it gets through its Web site,www.defense.gov [15], including dropping parachute-wearing bears [16] into Afghanistan to sniff out Osama bin Laden.

Servicemembers who contracted malaria in Haiti could be punished [17] for failing to follow the prevention protocol, according to the Joint Task Force overseeing earthquake relief operations here.

Participation in the Yellow Ribbon program [18], a provision in the Post 9/11 GI Bill that pairs school dollars and federal money to cover tuition and fees of private colleges, has doubled since the benefits program began in August.

A Santa Rosa-based research group The Stress Project is trying to convince the Department of Veterans Affairs to adopt an accupressure technique [19] sometimes referred to as “tapping” as a standard treatment for veterans with PTSD.

INSIDE WASHINGTON

The head of U.S. Central Command, Gen. David Petraeus, will make the rounds [20] in Congress this week — drawing more congressional attention to the war in Afghanistan and the troop-withdrawal process from Iraq.

CONGRESSIONAL SCHEDULE

THE SENATE

The Senate will convene at 10:15 a.m.

SENATE FLOOR ACTIVITY of INTEREST

No issues today

COMMITTEE HEARINGS of INTEREST

No issues today

FUTURE COMMITTEE HEARINGS of INTEREST

March 24, 2010 GAO Entrance Conference: VA Education Benefits (GAO Job Code 130984) 10:00 a.m.; Room 601V, VBA (1800 G St., NW)

March 24, 2010 GAO Exit conference - Spending & Workload for Mental health Services (GAO code 290776) 11:00 a.m.; Room 630, VACO (810 Vermont Ave., NW)

March 24, 2010 SVAC Oversight Hearing: VA's Plan for Ending Homelessness among Veterans 9:30 a.m.

THE HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES 



The House convenes at 10:30 a.m.

HOUSE FLOOR ACTIVITY of INTEREST

No issues today

HOUSE COMMITTEE HEARINGS of INTEREST 



March 16, 2010 House Appropriations hearing on the fiscal 2011 budget, with White House budget director Peter R. Orszag and Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner . 10 a.m., 2359 Rayburn

FUTURE HOUSE COMMITTEE HEARINGS of INTEREST 



March 17, 2010 Full HVAC Committee Roundtable: Heroes Homecoming 10:00 a.m.; 334 Cannon HOB

March 18, 2010 Full House Veterans' Affairs Hearing: Claims Summit 2010 2:00 p.m.; 345 Cannon

March 24, 2010 House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Hearing: Examination of VA Regional Office Disability Claims Quality Review Methods—Is VBA’s Systematic Technical Accuracy Review (STAR) Making the Grade? 2:00 p.m.; 334 Cannon

March 25, 2010 House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Health Legislative Hearing on H.R. 949, H.R. 1075, H.R. 2698, H.R. 2699, H.R. 2879, H.R. 3926, H.R. 4006, H.R. 84, and 3 Discussion Drafts 10:00 a.m.; 334 Cannon HOB

A wide-range of views, positions, and publications are represented in these articles. These views, positions and publications are not endorsed by nor do they necessarily represent the views of IAVA .