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New type of commander may avoid Katrina-like chaos The Associated Press via Seattle Post Intelligencer    Share    The Defense Department is grooming a new type of commander to coordinate the military response to domestic disasters, hoping to save lives by avoiding some of the chaos that plagued the Hurricane Katrina rescue effort. The officers, called dual-status commanders, would be able to lead both active-duty and National Guard troops — a power that requires special training and authority because of legal restrictions on the use of the armed forces on U.S. soil. More EMPLOYMENT DoD to Employers: Hire spouses or go away Military.com    Share    The Pentagon launched a program that provides incentives for top-tier companies to add servicemember spouses to their payrolls. The DoD initiative — dubbed the "Military Spouse Employment Partnership" — includes 79 Fortune 500 plus companies and is intended to make hiring military spouses attractive to employers by offering them good public exposure while highlighting spouses as a potential workforce solution. More BENEFITS Lawmakers may revamp military retired pay USA Today    Share    Two cuts in military retired pay are under discussion as part of negotiations between Congress and the White House over the size of the U.S. national debt, but getting an agreement is proving difficult. One cut is small, involving how annual cost-of-living adjustments are calculated. It could apply to military and federal civilian retirees, disabled veterans and survivors. The net effect would be annual adjustments that average one-quarter of a percentage point below what they would be with the current formula. More X Marks the Spot: The New Exchange The Army & Air Force Exchange Service (now the Exchange) has rebranded the organization which is changing the look and appearance of our entire enterprise.  MORE Heroes Act offers free tuition to children who lost parent in military Tulsa World    Share    A new state law takes effect soon that promises free college tuition to all Oklahoma children who lost a parent serving in the military. Rep. Eric Proctor, said the law is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2000, and he estimated that between 130 and 150 children could qualify for the tuition program. Most of those children, he noted, lost a parent in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. More BUDGET New defense chief Panetta sees tough budget choices Reuters    Share    Leon Panetta was sworn in as U.S. defense secretary promising to keep the military strong while making tough choices on defense spending cuts. Panetta, who as CIA director helped oversee the operation that killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden two months ago, arrives at the Pentagon at a moment of transition in the U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and intense debate over the American role in Libya. But the budget battle may be as big a challenge as the wars he will inherit. More SERVICE SECTIONS Guarding the DC skies: Ohio Guard prepares for second National Capital Region tour National Guard    Share    Ohio National Guard members of the Battery B, 2nd Battalion, 174th Air Defense Artillery Brigade will be working on a unique mission in the form of the ongoing air defense of the National Capital Region, Ohio Guard officials said. More PERSONNEL Military recruiting, retention remain strong U.S. Department of Defense    Share    Recruiting and retention remain steadily on track throughout the military services, with every component reporting strong year-to-date numbers through May and full confidence in reaching fiscal 2011 goals by Sept. 30. All four active services and five of the six reserve components met or exceeded their year-to-date accession goals through May, defense officials reported. More RESERVE & GUARD MOBILIZED National Guard (in federal status) and Reserve activated as of June 28 U.S. Department of Defense    Share    This week the Army and Navy announced a decrease in activated reservists, while the Marine Corps and Air Force announced an increase. The Coast Guard announced no change. The net collective result is 261 fewer reservists activated than last week. At any given time, services may activate some units and individuals while deactivating others, making it possible for these figures to either increase or decrease. More

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