Here are five stories and events to start your week from the editors at Military.com:
Navy Identifies Sailors Killed in C-2 Plane Crash in Pacific
Via Brendan McGarry at Military.com: "The U.S. Navy has identified the three sailors who were killed in a C-2A Greyhound crash on Wednesday in the western Pacific Ocean. They were identified as Lt. Steven Combs, Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Equipment) Airman Matthew Chialastri and Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Apprentice Bryan Grosso. The prop-driven transport plane carrying 11 personnel as well as cargo went down around 2:30 p.m. local time about 500 nautical miles southwest of Okinawa en route from Japan to the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan. Eight personnel were rescued from the scene within an hour."
Marine Corps Wants 'Toxic Leadership Test' to Aid Promotion Decisions
Via Hope Hodge Seck at Military.com: "The Marine Corps wants better enlisted leaders -- and it's on the hunt for a diagnostic tool that can help find them. In October, the service published a request for information regarding an emotional intelligence test that can identify 'career Marines who may develop into ineffective or counterproductive leaders.' Officials said the Corps plans to use such a tool during a study period of at least five years, beginning in June 2018, to determine if it can help the service root out problem leaders."
'Old Crows' to Gather for Electronic Warfare Conference
The 54th Annual Association of Old Crows International Symposium and Convention kicks off this week in the nation's capital. Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Stephen Wilson is scheduled to give the keynote address at the electronic warfare conference, which will run Tuesday to Thursday at the Marriott Marquis hotel adjacent to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in downtown Washington, D.C. Other speakers include Air Force Gen. Robin Rand, head of Air Force Global Strike Command, and Navy Rear Admiral Mark Darrah, the service's top officer for unmanned aviation and strike weapons.
Army Expected to Sell Off Thousands of Surplus 1911 Pistols
Via Brendan McGarry at Military.com's KitUp blog: The U.S. Army is expected to transfer upward of 8,000 surplus M1911 pistols for civilian sale in fiscal 2018. That's based on this year's National Defense Authorization Act, a massive defense policy bill recently approved by Congress and awaiting President Donald Trump's signature. The legislation includes an entire section -- Sec. 1091, to be exact -- detailing how the iconic firearms can be transferred to the entity that oversees the Civilian Marksmanship Program, a government program that allows eligible civilians to purchase surplus military weapons."
Academy Cadets: We Want to Make the A-10 Even More Lethal
Via Oriana Pawlyk at Military.com's DoDBuzz blog: "A pair of Air Force Academy cadets selected for pilot training are not only preparing for their day in the cockpit -- they're also looking to boost the performance and lethality of the A-10 Warthog. Cadets 1st Class Jon Clegg and John Potthoff have been working at the academy 'to research decreasing maintenance requirements and increase munitions capability,' according to a service release. 'We're working together to investigate replacing the existing leading-edge slat system with a fixed leading-edge droop to reduce complexity on this important aircraft,' Potthoff said in the release."
-- Brendan McGarry can be reached at brendan.mcgarry@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Brendan_McGarry.
