Sen. John McCain (R.-Ariz.), ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, argued in vain earlier this week to remove a $2.5 billion markup to the Senate’s version of the Fiscal 2010 defense spending bill to buy 10 C-17 transports that the Pentagon and White House don’t want. “I agree that the C-17 is a great plane,” McCain said Wednesday on the Senate floor before his proposed amendment to reapply those funds to the military’s operations and maintenance accounts came to a vote. As we reported yesterday, the vote was 64 to 34 against McCain’s amendment. McCain backs the Administration plan to stop C-17 production, but C-17 proponents believe the military needs more C-17s and Congress should let USAF retire older C-5 airlifters. Continue
U.S. professional military education needs to be more rigorous and data-driven, and the military services need to do a better job of actually utilizing the skills service members learn through PME, lawmakers, academics, and Pentagon officials said in a congressional hearing. Summing up the concerns, Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) laid…