Overnight Defense: US offers to help with ship stuck in Suez Canal | DC Guard chief tapped to lead House security | More troops accepting COVID-19 vaccine

Happy Friday and welcome to Overnight Defense. I’m Rebecca Kheel, and here’s your nightly guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. CLICK HERE to subscribe to the newsletter.

THE TOPLINE: U.S. help is coming for the big boat.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Friday the United States has offered to help Egyptian officials dislodge the Ever Given cargo ship that has been stuck sideways and blocking traffic in the Suez Canal since Tuesday.

“As part of our active diplomatic dialogue with Egypt, we’ve offered U.S. assistance to Egyptian authorities to help reopen the canal. We are consulting with our Egyptian partners about how we can best support those efforts,” Psaki said at a briefing Friday afternoon when asked about the situation. “Those conversations are ongoing.”

Defense connection: Psaki did not elaborate on what form of the assistance the United States is offering.

But CNN reported the U.S. Navy plans to send an assessment team of dredging experts to the site as soon as Saturday.

A Pentagon statement similarly only said help has been offered without providing specifics.

“We have offered, and stand ready to assist Egypt, and will look to support any specific request we receive,” Pentagon spokesperson Cmdr. Jessica L. McNulty said in a statement. “We continue to monitor and assess the situation, but have nothing to provide on any potential specific support at this time.”

Read more here.

 

DC GUARD COMMANDER APPOINTED TO LEAD HOUSE SECURITY

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has chosen the current head of the D.C. National Guard, Maj. Gen. William Walker, to be the House’s new sergeant-at-arms, she announced Friday.

“It is my honor to appoint District of Columbia National Guard Major General William J. Walker to serve as the 38th Sergeant-at-Arms for the House of Representatives,” Pelosi said in a statement. “Throughout his long, dedicated career in public service, General William Walker has proven to be a leader of great integrity and experience who will bring his steady and patriotic leadership to this vital role.”

History made: Walker will be the House’s first Black sergeant-at-arms.

“His historic appointment as the first Black American to serve as Sergeant-at-Arms is an important step forward for this institution and our nation,” Pelosi said in her statement.

Context: The sergeant-at-arms job was open after former House Sergeant-at-Arms Paul Irving resigned in the wake of the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.

Walker himself made waves with testimony about the Pentagon’s response to the attack at a Senate hearing earlier this month.

At the hearing, Walker testified that ahead of Jan. 6, he had “unusual” restrictions placed on his ability to immediately activate his troops in the event of an emergency.

He also testified it took three hours from the time he received a frantic call from the Capitol Police chief asking for help for him to get approval to deploy from senior Pentagon leaders.

Read more here.

 

MORE TROOPS ACCEPTING COVID-19 VACCINE

More military members and civilians are accepting COVID-19 vaccines after initially opting out, Defense officials told reporters on Friday.

“We’re seeing individuals who may have initially been wary about the vaccine now come forward and ask for it. I expect that trend to continue,” Defense Health Agency Director Lt. Gen. Ronald Place told reporters at the Pentagon.  

More than 600,000 service members, or 30 percent of the force, have received at least one dose of the vaccine, but roughly 60 percent of the force has not yet been offered it as they are in the final tier of eligibility, similar to most U.S. jurisdictions, Place said.

Third time’s the charm?: Place added that some military members or civilians are asked three or four times before they decide to get the shot.

“Once you’ve been contacted, you’re forever eligible,” Place said.

Background: Place’s comments come about a month after a Joint Staffer member revealed a third of service members had decided not to receive a COVID-19 vaccine when offered.

The Pentagon has since insisted that those numbers aren’t certain as it does not gather data on how many of those offered have turned down the vaccine and that the officer in question was citing broad data on vaccine acceptance rates that “mirror” trends in American society.

Read more here.

 

ON TAP FOR MONDAY

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will participate in a wreath laying ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at 10 a.m. Livestream at defense.gov/live

Deputy Defense Kathleen Hicks will provide pre-recorded keynote remarks and several military officers will participate in the U.S. Institute of Peace’s “Empowered Women Help Create A More Peaceful World” webinar at 11 a.m. https://bit.ly/3rtr6QR

Former Defense Secretaries Chuck Hagel and Leon Panetta, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Brown, Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville and former under secretary of Defense for policy Michèle Flournoy will participate in The Hill’s Future of Defense Summit at 12:30 p.m. RSVP for event reminders: https://futureofdefense.splashthat.com/

 

ICYMI

— Military.com: Sweeping measure would provide care, disability to thousands of vets sickened by burn pits

— Foreign Policy: Europeans fear Iran nuclear window closing

— Reuters: Exclusive: Biden wants to keep Trump policy that boosted armed drone exports – sources

— Politico: Military and spy agencies accused of stiff-arming investigators on UFO sightings

— Associated Press: Sticky bombs latest weapon in Afghanistan’s arsenal of war