Minnesota National Guard’s Post

In the latest installment of our Forward Defense program's Commanders Series, generously supported by Saab, General James B. Hecker, Commander, US Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA) and NATO’s Allied Air Command joined our very own Dr. Matthew Kroenig to discuss his plan to lead the US Air Force in the European and African theaters. In this exclusive interview, General Hecker identified his 5 enduring priorities for the USAFE-AFAFRICA based on lessons learned from the war in the Ukraine: 1. Ensure strong and integrated US and allied anti-access aerial denial (A2/AD) air and missile defense systems. 2. Neutralize adversarial attempts to use A2/AD capabilities. 3. Protect the European theater by increasing involvement and information sharing with all NATO countries. 4. Establish a way to command and control all 31 NATO countries’ naval forces. 5. Use an Agile Combat Employment (“ACE”) strategy to disperse aircraft and make them harder targets. To watch the full interview with General Hecker and Dr. Kroenig, click the link below! https://lnkd.in/g5KCFnUH

This interview provides a powerful summary of key observations made by the Royal Commissioners. These points struck me from what they talked about: * What has caused the most harm is culture. Specifically, ways of doing things that are past their expiry date and need to change. * Transparency and accountability need to improve. * There has been an inadequate level of interest from govt, Defence and the community to do something about the problems that have been known for decades (57 previous inquiries!). * Women who previously served in the ADF have a far higher likelihood of dying by suicide than men who've served & the general population. * An independent body will be strongest if it oversees the implementation of recommended changes and also adapts over time as systemic issues and factors related to suicide and suicide behaviours change. * More 'experimentation' (I'd call this 'innovation') is needed to see which responses have the best results. * Lived experience is at the centre of solving problems as need to hear directly from those who have experienced the issues. As Commissioner Brown said it is "core to understanding". * Family support is under resourced. Both within Defence and outside. When asked by Patrick Lindsay AM, if Defence values families enough, Commissioner Nick Kaldas A.P.M., D.Litt (honoris causa) responded: “I think they can do a lot better. It's absolutely crucial that Defence does focus more than they have in the past on families, their needs and what needs to be done for them.” This video, along with the podcast on Military Life where Rebecca Rayner interviewed Commissioner Brown, is a must consume: https://lnkd.in/gJarBWaM Thank you, Commissioners, for your tireless work over the last 3 years. #defencefamilies #veteranfamilies #partneremployment Defence Families of Australia (DFA) Veteran Family Advocate Commissioner

Good discussion from a panel of professional NCOs.

🚀 Listen to our 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 with Colonel Christopher Kennedy, Commander, Delta 6, about his critical role in safeguarding our nation's space assets. 🛰️ Colonel Christopher Kennedy is the commander of Delta 6, headquartered at Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado. As commander, he is responsible for six squadrons and eight detachments, enabling command and control operations for 11 Combatant Commands. DEL 6 provides combat ready forces to operate and maintain the Satellite Control Network and conduct defensive cyber operations for unique space mission networks. Their Guardians, civilians and contractors provide global space access to enable spacecraft command and control, space launch, and orbital operations. They also conduct passive and active DCO to enable the national space enterprise. 🌌 Learn more about the challenges and triumphs of commanding this vital unit in the United States Space Force and how Col Kennedy's leadership shapes the future of space operations. https://lnkd.in/gtWPxFfz #SpaceForce #SWT #Leadership #NationalSecurity #SpaceOperations

Not my usual content but I put a high premium on truth. With lots of information flying around, I appreciate the clear information presented related to Tim Walz’ #stolenvalor. As far as I can tell, the best and most accurate summary I’ve seen. https://lnkd.in/gVYwxtem

ISRAEL'S GLOBAL ARMS INDUSTRY #palestine #israel #zionism #hamas The Palestinians are human laboratory rats to the Israeli military, intelligence services and arms and technology industries. Israel’s drones, surveillance technology — including spyware, facial recognition software and biometric gathering infrastructure — along with smart fences, experimental bombs and AI-controlled machine guns, are tried out on the captive population in Gaza, often with lethal results. These weapons and technologies are then certified as “battle tested” and sold around the world. Israel is the10th largest arms dealer on the planet and sells its technology and weapons to an estimated 130 nations, including military dictatorships in Asia and Latin America. https://lnkd.in/guG4UeEK

This is very interesting stuff. Winning by extending competition is analogous to how insurgents think.

In this latest episode of Roland Reviews, Kevin Bazeley discusses with me the devastating consequences of being drummed out of the RAF because of his sexual orientation and the work he - and others - are now doing to correct the damage done to many thousands of members of the armed forces by this monstrous injustice https://lnkd.in/e2gV-HUu

An appropriate read for those trying to gain a broader and deeper understanding of contemporary great power competition and the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

Highlights a few things we've been working on lately!