Category: Military Interest

In a narrow decision, the U.S. military’s top appeals court has upheld a conviction against former Army Sgt. Robert “Bowe” Bergdahl on charges of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy, saying public comments by President Donald Trump and the late Sen. John McCain condemning the soldier did not invalidate his prosecution.

The Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces handed down a decision Thursday on the sentence, which was delivered in 2017 and has already been upheld at the lower appellate level. All five appellate judges on the case agreed at least in part on the conclusion, but two judges filed partial dissents expressing their dismay at the viciousness with which Bergdahl was treated and the conduct of the leaders in question.

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The Defense Innovation Unit is bringing together the best of commercially available artificial intelligence technology and the Defense Department’s vast cache of archived medical data to teach computers how to identify cancers and other medical irregularities.

The result will be new tools medical professionals can use to more accurately and more quickly identify medical issues in patients.

The new DIU project, called “Predictive Health,” also involves the Defense Health Agency, three private-sector businesses and the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center.

The new capability directly supports the development of the JAIC’s warfighter health initiative, which is working with the Defense Health Agency and the military services to field AI solutions that are aimed at transforming military health care. The JAIC is also providing the funding and adding technical expertise for the broader initiative. 

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The body of missing Fort Hood soldier Elder Fernandes was found on Tuesday night, more than one week after the 23-year-old sergeant was last seen.

The news was first announced by the family’s attorney Natalie Khawam on Wednesday. It was confirmed by Fort Hood, a military base in Killeen, Texas, later in the afternoon.

Fort Hood said Fernandes, a native of Brockton, Mass., was found deceased near Lake Polk in Temple, Texas, about 30 miles from the base. He had been reported missing on Aug. 18.

“Our worst nightmare has happened,” Khawam said.

The base said in a statement on Friday that Fernandes was last seen by members of his unit at a residence in Killeen, Texas. on Aug. 17 and did not report to work the following day as scheduled. It added that Fernandes’ only known vehicle was located on base at his unit’s parking lot, and information gathered from other soldiers suggested he had left on his own accord.

Fort Hood said Fernandes’ disappearance sparked a thorough search in Central Texas, with members of his base scouring hospitals and hotels. His family also traveled from Massachusetts to Texas to help look for him.

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The Defense Department began issuing Next Generation Uniformed Services Identification Cards on July 31, 2020, the first time since 1993 that changes to the card have been made.

Michael Sorrento, director of the Defense Manpower Data Center, discussed the new ID cards that are for military family members, retirees and other eligible card holders.

The new ID card transitions the current laminated paper card to much more durable plastic material, similar to that used for the common access cards used by military members and DOD civilians, he said.

Also, the new ID cards feature enhanced security measures that will reduce the likelihood of them being compromised, Sorrento said.

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