POLITICS 12/31/2018 10:21 am ET Mattis was forced out of his job early after his resignation letter angered President Donald Trump. By Jenna Amatulli Jim Mattis on Monday formally stepped down as defense secretary, two months ahead of his announced resignation date, with a farewell memorandum to employees that quotes Abraham Lincoln. “Let nothing which is transpiring, change, hinder, or delay your military movements, or plans,” Mattis, citing the former president, wrote to all Defense Department workers. “Our Department’s leadership, civilian and military remains in the best possible hands. I am confident that each of you remains undistracted from our sworn mission to support and defend the Constitution while protecting our way of life. Our Department is proven to be at its best when the time are most difficult. So keep the faith in our country and hold fast, alongside our allies, aligned against our foes. “It has been my … [Read more...] about Jim Mattis Implores Defense Department To Defend The Constitution In Farewell Memo
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Jeff Bezos explains decision to work with Defense Department
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos was a surprise speaker at the Wired25 conference in San Francisco on Monday and discussed everything from his space company Blue Origin to Silicon Valley's relationship with the Trump administration. When asked about Blue Origin's $2.3 billion contract with the U.S. Air Force, Bezos explained his decision to help develop rocket launch technology for the Pentagon. "We are going to continue to support the [Defense Department], and I think we should. Sometimes one of the jobs of a senior leadership team is to make the right decision, even when it's unpopular. If big tech companies are going to turn their back on the U.S. Department of Defense, this country is going to be in trouble." "I know everybody's conflicted about the current politics in this country," he continued. "This is a great country and it needs to be defended." In June, Google backed away from a contract with the Pentagon that received backlash from its employees. More than 3,000 Google employees … [Read more...] about Jeff Bezos explains decision to work with Defense Department
Staffers Say Defense Department Official Had Them Run Her Errands
A top adviser and spokeswoman for Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is under internal investigation for allegedly making staff members run personal errands and then reassigning them when they complained, people familiar with the matter said. The Defense Department’s inspector general opened an investigation this spring into Dana W. White, assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs, these people said. The agency watchdog began looking into the matter after at least four people raised complaints, these people said.... … [Read more...] about Staffers Say Defense Department Official Had Them Run Her Errands
How the Defense Department Identifies the Remains of Our War Dead
Sections SEARCH Skip to content Skip to site index Subscribe Log In Subscribe Log In Today's Paper Advertisement Supported by At War ByJohn Ismay Aug. 2, 2018 On Wednesday, two military cargo planes carrying 55 aluminum coffin-shaped cases landed at Hickam Air Force Base in Oahu, Hawaii. Inside are presumed to be the remains of American service members who died in North Korea between 1950 and 1953 during the Korean War. The remains were turned over to United States officials Friday by the North Korean government — the first such handover since joint recovery efforts between the two countries came to a halt in 2005. [ The 55 cases delivered on Wednesday are likely to contain a jumble of bones and few reliable clues to their identity. ] With the boxes now on American soil, it falls on the Defense Department to begin the difficult task of putting names to those skeletal remains, which could take months, if not years. Leading … [Read more...] about How the Defense Department Identifies the Remains of Our War Dead
Defense Department doles out more than $1 billion in fuels contracts to Texas companies
By Rye Druzin Published 9:23 am CDT, Tuesday, July 31, 2018 Photo: MICHAEL STRAVATO /New York Times Image 1of/1 CaptionClose Image 1 of 1 Valero will export fuel into northern Mexico from its Three Rivers refinery (pictured) and Corpus Christi refinery complex. Valero will export fuel into northern Mexico from its Three Rivers refinery (pictured) and Corpus Christi refinery complex. Photo: MICHAEL STRAVATO /New York Times Defense Department doles out more than $1 billion in fuels contracts to Texas companies 1 / 1 Back to Gallery A half-dozen companies with headquarters or locations in Texas ares set to receive more than $1.1 billion in fuels contracts from the U.S. Department of Defense. Those companies and their contracts include: Valero Marketing and Supply Co., San Antonio, Texas -- $317,458,602 Par … [Read more...] about Defense Department doles out more than $1 billion in fuels contracts to Texas companies