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The Centre on Thursday raised the upper-age limit for recruitment under the <keyword id="13558307" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Agnipath-scheme" source="Orion">Agnipath scheme</keyword> to 23 years from 21 years for the year 2022 amid protest and agitation against the new <keyword id="14201929" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Army-recruitment-scheme" source="Orion">Army recruitment scheme</keyword>. "Consequent to the commencement of the AGNIPATH scheme, the entry age for all <keyword id="174481" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="new-recruits" source="Orion">new recruits</keyword> in the <keyword id="3790" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="armed-forces" source="Orion">Armed Forces</keyword> has been fixed as 17 and a half - 21 years of age. Cognizant of the fact that it has not been possible to undertake the recruitment during the last two years, the Government has decided that a one-time waiver shall be granted for the proposed recruitment cycle for 2022," the government said in a statement. Earlier, when the scheme was annouced on Tuesday, the government had said the entry age for all new recruits will have to be from 17 and a half year to 21 year. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/environment/news/monsoon-to-advance-in-various-parts-of-india-this-week-delhi-to-see-thunderstorms/articleshow/92269558.cms">Monsoon to advance in various parts of India this week; Delhi to see thunderstorms</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/indias-exports-have-a-long-way-to-go-and-the-curbs-are-not-helping/articleshow/92254085.cms">India’s exports have a long way to go and the curbs are not helping</a>

Agnipath age limit raised from 21 to 23 even as protests rage on

Amid widespread anger and protest over Centre's <keyword id="13558307" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Agnipath-scheme" source="Orion">Agnipath scheme</keyword>, the <keyword id="6354416" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="indian-army" source="Orion">Indian Army</keyword> on Monday issued notification for the first round of recruitment through the scheme. As per the notification, the registration for the recruitment rallies will start from July. "The registrations will be opened from July onwards by the respective <keyword id="1497108" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Army-Recruitment-Offices" source="Orion">Army Recruitment Offices</keyword> (ARO) for <keyword id="14193007" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="agniveer" source="Orion">Agniveer</keyword> General Duty, Agniveer Technical, Agniveer Technical (aviation/ammunition examiner), Agniveer clerk/store keeper technical, Agniveer tradesman (10th pass) and Agniveer Tradesman (8th pass) as per the ARO rally schedule", the <keyword id="15350" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="army" source="Orion">Army</keyword> notification reads. The notification released by the Indian Army broadly outlines terms and conditions of service, eligibility, discharge and other important information related to the scheme. "Agniveers enrolled under the scheme will not be eligible for any kind of Pension and Gratuity", said the notification issued on Monday. The service of the 'Agniveers' will commence from the date of enrolment. They would form a distinct rank in the Army, different from other existing ranks, it said further. The personnel enrolled under this scheme will be required to undergo periodical medical checkups along with physical/written/field tests as per orders, said the notification. The notification has come on a day when several groups called 'Bharat Bandh'. The national capital also witnessed traffic jams as the police have tightened security across the city and its bordering areas. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/agnipath-scheme-protest-section-144-imposed-in-gurgugram-kota-jaipur-faridabad-and-ayodhya/articleshow/92329214.cms">Agnipath protests: Bandhs, school closures and the Section 144 make a comeback</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/agniveer-why-are-thousands-of-youth-up-in-arms-against-the-agnipath-scheme/articleshow/92284069.cms">Why are thousands of youth up in arms against the Agnipath scheme?</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/agnipath-scheme-what-is-positive-and-negative-points-in-this-army-scheme/articleshow/92277612.cms">Agnipath Scheme: the good and bad sides of the same coin</a>

Indian army issues first recruitment notice amid protest

<ul><li>The <keyword id="6355075" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="iaf" source="Orion">IAF</keyword> recruitment drive under the Agnipath scheme received a tremendous response with 7.5 lakh applications from army aspirants.</li><li>The online application window for the recruitment under this scheme is closed now.</li><li>However, many army aspirants want the defence ministry to extend the application deadline.</li></ul>The army recruitment Agnipath scheme, which had drawn a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/agnipath-scheme-protest-section-144-imposed-in-gurgugram-kota-jaipur-faridabad-and-ayodhya/articleshow/92329214.cms">nation-wide protest</a> across the country, received more applications this year than it did in the last recruitment drive, said Indian Air Force (IAF). This year, it received 7,49,899 applications, as compared to 6,31,528 received in the last drive, IAF said in a tweet. <div type="twitter" handle="IAF_MCC" handlename="Indian Air Force" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/798477907316207617/dMQAtlFj_normal.jpg" favoritecount="4230" retweetcount="797" status="The online registration process conducted by #IAF towards #AgnipathRecruitmentScheme has been completed.Compared… https://t.co/My3hY520S2" createdat="1657034683000" id="1544341510757396482"></div> IAF also said that the online application window for the scheme is finally closed, and has received a tremendous response from aspirants. The recruitment process in the Indian Air Force under the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/state-police-jobs-bridge-crash-courses-and-skills-certificates-to-aid-careers-of-agniveers/articleshow/92245184.cms">Agnipath scheme</a> closed on July 5. Army aspirants are also asking IAF and the defence ministry to extend the application deadline. It is to be noted that the various districts in Rajasthan including Udaipur were under internet shutdown for at least 4-5 days due to murder of a Hindu tailor in Udaipur. <div type="twitter" handle="Singh1999I" handlename="Mool SinGh Marwar" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1354106016867045381/IjP6LzDX_normal.jpg" favoritecount="6" retweetcount="1" status="@IAF_MCC @PMOIndia @mygovindia @DefenceMinIndia @SpokespersonMoD @adgpi @IndiannavyMedia @PBNS_India @MIB_India… https://t.co/NpSgDovfMa" createdat="1657041824000" id="1544371462278381568"></div> A lot of former employees and aspirants alike had been up in arms against the scheme which restricts their <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/agniveer-why-are-thousands-of-youth-up-in-arms-against-the-agnipath-scheme/articleshow/92284069.cms">employment in the forces to four years</a> – without pension and job security. Protests against this scheme raged across the country especially in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Telangana. Apart from army aspirants, the protests received support from farmer organizations, civil society organizations and trade unions. However, they died after a week, as applications were invited by the forces. In fact, it had received more than 90,000 applications in just four days of the opening of the online application window. The IAF will recruit 3,000 Agniveers this year and their training is slated to begin from December 30, after exams and medical tests which will be held in two phases. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/telangana-govt-to-conduct-public-meetings-with-revenue-officials-to-resolve-land-issues/articleshow/92690641.cms">Telangana govt to conduct public meetings with revenue officials to resolve land issues</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/personal-finance/news/one-in-two-indians-face-extortion-and-data-misuse-thanks-to-instant-loan-apps/articleshow/92690255.cms">One in two Indians face extortion and data misuse thanks to instant loan apps</a>

IAF gets 7.5 lakh applications for 3,000 Agniveer positions and requests to extend deadline

New Delhi, May 17 () Industrialist Anand Mahindra has backed a proposal by the army to allow civilians, including young working professionals, to join the force for a three-year tenure while stating that the Mahindra Group would be happy to consider for employment those who have served the term. The Indian Army is considering a proposal -- 'Tour of Duty' (ToD) or 'Three Years Short Service' scheme, under which civilians could be allowed to join the force for a three-year tenure as officers and in other ranks for a variety of roles, even frontline fighters. The proposal aims to tap the "resurgence of nationalism and patriotism" among the youths who do not want to join the Army as a profession but wish to experience the military life for a temporary duration. "I recently learnt that the Indian Army is considering a novel proposal, the 'Tour of Duty'. The young, fit citizens of India will get an opportunity to gain operational experience in the Army both as soldiers and Officers through this voluntary three year programme," Mahindra, who is the chairman of the Mahindra Group, said in a statement. He further said, "I definitely think military training will be an added advantage for Tour of Duty Graduates as they enter the workplace. In fact, considering the rigid standards of selection and training in the Indian Army, the Mahindra Group will be happy to consider their candidature." The army's proposal is a part of broad reforms envisaged for the force. It is expected to be discussed at a conference of top commanders of the Indian Army following which the process would be taken forward. At present, the Army recruits young people under short service commission for an initial tenure of 10 years which is extendable by another four years. MSS RKL ABMABM

Anand Mahindra backs army's 'Tour of Duty' proposal for civilians

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The UK says its military pilots are being recruited by China to help train Beijing's army.</li><li>A Ministry of Defense official told Insider that the country is trying to stop these efforts.</li></ul>The UK is trying to stop China's military from recruiting current and former military pilots for training purposes, a defense official said on Tuesday, but it's been having a tough time doing so. "We are taking decisive steps to stop Chinese recruitment schemes attempting to headhunt serving and former UK Armed Forces pilots to train People's Liberation Army personnel in the People's Republic of China," a UK Ministry of Defense spokesperson told Insider. Citing Western officials, British media reported on Tuesday that as many as 30 jet and helicopter pilots have been recruited by China for annual salaries of up to $270,000. According to the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-63293582">BBC</a>, China wants to use the pilots to deepen its understanding of Western planes and their operators. Sky News <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/chinas-armed-forces-recruiting-dozens-of-british-ex-military-pilots-in-threat-to-uk-interests-12723395">reported</a> that Beijing has been seeking pilots from various branches — like the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, and British Army — and also wants to recruit people from other Western countries. To warn military personnel against these efforts, the defense ministry's defense intelligence service even issued a "threat alert" on Tuesday, the report said."When former UK military pilots provide training to the People's Liberation Army of China it clearly erodes the UK's defence advantage. We are taking immediate steps to deter and penalise this activity," the UK's defense ministry said in a <a href="https://twitter.com/DefenceHQPress/status/1582417903747751936">statement</a> Tuesday afternoon. <a href="https://twitter.com/DefenceHQPress/status/1582417903747751936"></a>Armed Forces Minister James Heappey told <a href="https://twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1582326058158026752?s=20&amp;t=kFBh8PTZ4Y8B0pCdX-BY0w">Sky News</a> on Tuesday that this issue has been a "concern" within the UK's defense ministry for "a number of years" and that British counterintelligence personnel continue to monitor the issue. "We have approached the people that are involved and been clear with them that it is our expectation they would not continue to be part of that organization," Heappey said. "And we are going to put into law that once people have been given that warning, it would become an offense to then go forward and continue with that training."He added that China is a global competitor that's threatening UK interests but also an important trading partner. "There is no secret in their attempt to gain access to our secrets, and the recruitment of our pilots in order to understand the capabilities of our air force is clearly a concern to us and the intelligence part of the [defense ministry]," Heappey said. The UK defense ministry spokesperson referred to the situation as a "contemporary" security issue in a statement to Insider and said the country is trying to clamp down on security legislation. "All serving and former personnel are already subject to the Official Secrets Act, and we are reviewing the use of confidentiality contracts and non-disclosure agreements across Defence, while the new National Security Bill will create additional tools to tackle contemporary security challenges – including this one," they said. Tensions between China and the West have been high for months as Beijing's military continues to put diplomatic, economic, and military pressure on the self-ruling democratic island of Taiwan, which Chinese leadership has said can be seized by force if peaceful unification appears unobtainable.In a recent national security strategy <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Biden-Harris-Administrations-National-Security-Strategy-10.2022.pdf">document</a> published by the White House, the Biden administration warned against a rapidly modernizing Chinese military, which the Department of Defense has repeatedly called America's "pacing challenge." "The PRC is the only competitor with both the intent to reshape the international order and, increasingly, the economic, diplomatic, military, and technological power to do it," the new strategy says.

China is headhunting former British pilots to train its forces, and the UK military is desperate to stop it, officials say

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The US Army has launched a <keyword id="1754577" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Twitch">Twitch</keyword> channel as a means of recruitment, and the streams have opened a dialogue between the military and civilians. That dialogue has mostly been, "How do you feel about war crimes?"</li><li>After viewers mentioned US wars and events like My Lai, Haditha, and Abu Ghraib, the Army started blocking commenters on its Twitch channel.</li><li>Some civil rights lawyers now say the Army's blocking of commenters in the Twitch chat may have violated the posters' <keyword id="78075" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="free-speech">free speech</keyword> rights.</li></ul>As it looks away from conventional recruitment methods, like billboards and TV spots, the army is now streaming <keyword id="25195" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="video-games">video games</keyword>, providing plenty of potential for critics of the US military to engage in a dialogue directly. And a lot of the dialogue on the US Army's Twitch streams has been, "How do you feel about war crimes?"After the army started to ban that discourse, civil liberties groups got involved. But why the Army has an esports team in the first place is another example of it trying to appear Very Online.Brands tweeting at other brands is always terrible and should never be encouraged, but some brand interactions are worse than others. Earlier this month, the US Army sent <a href="https://twitter.com/USArmyesports/status/1277959363030810624">an innocuous tweet</a> replying to Discord, the Slack-for-gamers app popular among the Twitch crowd. The message read: "UwU." (Though you might be inclined to pronounce this as "oo-woo," it's actually a kaomoji – the Japanese equivalent of emoticons like :-). It's supposed to read as someone making a cute face, with closed eyes and a slight smile.)It's an odd look for one of the most powerful militaries in the world, but not surprising in the grand scheme of things. It's marketing! At the end of the day, the Army is just trying to get people to use its product, by which I mean: support or enlist in the military.The Army having an esports group streaming regularly on Twitch accomplishes a number of things at once. It reaches a young demographic that is quickly growing old enough to be recruited. It also makes the military seem approachable: Like video games? Join the Army! It's the latest in a long history of marketers trying to seem cool and on fleek. Earlier this year, the military unveiled <a href="https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/post/army-says-its-new-marketing-campaign-aims-surprise-our-audience">a new recruitment campaign</a> aimed at showing that the military had plenty of jobs other than gun guy."You're live for hours on end, talking to these people in the chat. You develop a community and know your individual chatters. There is an ecosystem in every Twitch channel," leftist streamer Hasan Piker <a href="https://www.thenation.com/article/culture/military-recruitment-twitch/">told The Nation</a>. He described military recruitment via Twitch as "predatory."It's for the same reason that the military loans its equipment and facilities to Michael Bay movies that make the armed forces look good. A decade ago, the Army even helped develop its own shooter, America's Army, a blatant piece of interactive propaganda. Now a recruit who might not remember 9/11 streams PUBG.But unlike movies and making its own video games, a social media presence brings new complications. Or really, just one big one: that the audience can respond. The UwU tweet brought a whole new set of eyes to the Army's esports initiative, and that might not be a good thing. Users created a game out of seeing how fast they could get banned from the Army's Twitch chat, and its corresponding Discord chat server, for asking about war crimes like the My Lai Massacre and human rights abuses like those that occurred at Abu Ghraib.A spokesperson for Twitch would not comment on the US military's presence on Twitch specifically, but did refer to the site's general stance on getting banned from the chat: "Channel owners and moderators are free to ban anyone from their channel, regardless of the reason. Twitch Staff will not assist in reversing channel-specific bans."Because the military is a government organization, however, things get a little murkier. Much like people suing to get unblocked by Donald Trump on Twitter, the scenario raises the question of what rights to discourse people have with official government presences on social media. Last year, an appeals court ruled that Donald Trump violated people's right to the First Amendment by blocking them from viewing his tweets. "Once the president has chosen a platform and opened up its interactive space to millions of users and participants," an appeals court <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/09/us/politics/trump-twitter-first-amendment.html">ruled</a>, "he may not selectively exclude those whose views he disagrees with."The Army's blocking of commenters in the Twitch chat may fall under the same guidelines. The ACLU <a href="https://twitter.com/ACLU/status/1281596299591262208">tweeted</a> that "banning users who ask important questions isn't 'flexing,' it's unconstitutional." "The government cannot constitutionally prohibit speech on the basis of viewpoint. And it looks like that's exactly what it did here," Vera Eidelman, a staff attorney for the ACLU, told <a href="https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/5dz58z/us-army-esports-team-may-have-violated-the-first-amendment-on-twitch">Vice</a>. Twitch and Discord chats run by government entities are technically public forums, and thus are protected by the First Amendment. That amendment has carveouts for things like credible threats of violence, but simply saying, "Hey remember this? Probably wouldn't fit.Calling someone a slur online is an obvious offense, but does telling others in the chat about how the military has operated historically and continues to operate in the present constitute harassment? Probably not. If the military thinks that merely mentioning its past atrocities is a bannable offense, it might be worth interrogating that instinct. Figuratively interrogating, I mean.

The US Army will block you on Twitch for asking about war crimes, potentially violating free speech laws

<ul class="summary-list"><li>China has been recruiting current and former Western military personnel to train its aviators. </li><li>Beijing has been targeting them for recruitment in an effort to overcome shortcomings.</li></ul>China is "aggressively recruiting" Western military personnel to train its air force pilots and naval aviators, attempting to lure them in with "lucrative" contracts and promises of opportunities to fly "exotic aircraft," the US and its allies are warning.The Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance — which consists of the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand — posted a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dni.gov/files/NCSC/documents/products/Safeguarding_Our_Military_Expertise.pdf">bulletin</a> Wednesday detailing China's ongoing efforts to recruit current and former military personnel from NATO and Western countries to "bolster" the capabilities of the People's Liberation Army.In recent years, China has taken significant steps to build up its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chinas-air-force-far-from-ready-for-mission-taiwan-2024-1">air force and navy</a>, much to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-building-military-scale-not-seen-wwii-invade-taiwan-aquilino-2024-3">alarm of US officials</a>. However, Beijing still has some critical capability gaps as it looks to modernize its forces and strengthen its aviation programs.Those weak points have led it to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-looks-for-western-pilots-to-aid-its-military-aviation-2023-6">seek technology and assistance</a> from the West through malign actions."To overcome their shortcomings," the Chinese military "has been aggressively recruiting Western military talent to train their aviators, using private firms around the globe that conceal their PLA ties and offer recruits exorbitant salaries," said Michael Casey, the director of the US National Counterintelligence and Security Center.<div type="image" title="China J-20 fighter jet" height="1333" width="2000" msid="110744954" hostid="261" sizebytes="44972"></div>"Recent actions by Western governments have impacted these operations," Casey said in a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dni.gov/index.php/ncsc-newsroom/3832-fvey-partners-warn-of-evolving-efforts-to-recruit-current-and-former-western-service-members-to-bolster-the-prc-s-military">statement</a>, "but PLA recruitment efforts continue to evolve in response."Chinese schemes target Western pilots, flight engineers, air operations center personnel, and technical experts knowledgeable about military tactics, techniques, and procedures.The Chinese military "wants the skills and expertise of these individuals to make its own military air operations more capable while gaining insight into Western air tactics, techniques, and procedures," the newly released bulletin said."The insight the PLA gains from Western military talent threatens the safety of the targeted recruits, their fellow service members, and US and allied security," it added.Insight into Western tactics, techniques, and procedures could prove valuable for China were it to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/huge-air-battles-show-us-needs-most-missile-war-china-2024-5">clash with US forces</a>, a very real possibility as US military and political leaders in Washington look across the Pacific with concern over Beijing's growing military power.<div type="image" title="China J-20 stealth fighter jet" height="1333" width="2000" msid="110744956" hostid="261" sizebytes="105900"></div>The bulletin said the Western service members are targeted through "nefarious recruitment attempts" that may not be overtly obvious; for instance, these individuals may be sought out directly by the PLA or indirectly through online networking sites.Job offers, meanwhile, could come from private companies with hidden ties to the PLA. And opportunities may be located in China or elsewhere in other parts of the world, the bulletin said, "with lucrative contracts and the opportunity to fly exotic aircraft, with vague details on the ultimate customers."Countries like the US and UK have previously expressed their concerns over the PLA recruitment efforts, warning of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.af.mil/Portals/1/documents/2023SAF/PolicyUpdates/PLA_Recruitment_Efforts_Memo.pdf">potential national security risks</a> and taking steps to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-63293582">try to curb and control the threat</a>. There have been arrests related to these activities already, such as the 2022 arrest of a former US Marine Corps pilot.Despite efforts from Western governments to warn its veterans and military personnel about the Chinese poaching efforts, the recruitment continues to evolve, the bulletin noted. Casey said the latest warning is meant to highlight this "persistent threat" and deter current and former service members from participating in the scheme.

China is trying to overcome weaknesses in its military by 'aggressively recruiting' Western pilots to train its aviators, Five Eyes intel allies warn

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Attorneys representing Martha's Vineyard migrants said they plan to sue the ex-Army agent reportedly involved in the flights.</li><li>Perla Huerta, a former counterintelligence agent, convinced migrants to board the planes, the New York Times reported.</li></ul>Attorneys representing a group of migrants among the dozens who were <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/desantis-dumps-migrants-on-marthas-vineyard-locals-respond-kindly-2022-9">flown to Martha's Vineyard by Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis</a> said on Monday they intend to sue the ex-Army counterintelligence agent who reportedly helped arrange the flights. A woman named Perla Huerta, who served as a combat medic and counterintelligence agent in the US Army, was identified by <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/02/us/migrants-marthas-vineyard-desantis-texas.html">The New York Times</a> and <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/02/us/marthas-vineyard-migrants-perla-huerta/index.html">CNN</a> as an on-the-ground recruiter who allegedly helped convince some of the nearly 50 migrants to get onto the planes. The migrants, mostly from Venezuela, arrived unannounced on two chartered planes from Texas at the upscale liberal Massachusetts island of Martha's Vineyard on September 14.Lawyers for Civil Rights, a Boston-based nonprofit, has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/migrants-file-class-action-suit-against-florida-gov-ron-desantis-2022-9">filed a federal class-action lawsuit</a> on behalf of a group of the migrants alleging that DeSantis and other Florida officials carried out a "scheme to defraud vulnerable immigrants to advance a political motive."The lawsuit says a woman, identified as "Perla," and a man, identified as "Emanuel," waited outside shelters in Texas to offer migrants gift certificates to McDonald's and tell them about the transport, "pretending to be good Samaritans offering humanitarian assistance."Iván Espinoza-Madrigal, the executive director of the lawyer group, said in a statement on Monday that the nonprofit plans to amend its lawsuit to substitute "Perla's" real name as a defendant in the complaint once the group has verified she was involved."She will then be formally served with the complaint and required to respond in federal district court," Espinoza-Madrigal said.Huerta retired from the Army in August — a month before the migrant flights — after two decades in service, US Army spokeswoman Madison Bonzo told Insider on Monday. Between April 2022 and August 2022, Huerta served as a counterintelligence/human intelligence senior sergeant, and a healthcare specialist in the Army, Bonzo said, adding, that Huerta held the rank of master sergeant at the end of her service. Huerta was deployed several times, including to Iraq twice and to Afghanistan four times, the spokeswoman said. She was also deployed to the East African country Djibouti in 2013, the spokesperson said.The migrants' lawyer Espinoza-Madrigal said "the fact that 'Perla' is apparently a former military operative and spy aligns with the allegations in the complaint – which describe a highly orchestrated plan based on secrecy, deceit, and misrepresentation."He added, "We look forward to uncovering further evidence as the case proceeds and bringing all of the perpetrators of this scheme to justice."Huerta could not immediately be reached for comment by Insider and DeSantis' office did not immediately return a request for comment.

Lawyers for Martha's Vineyard migrants plan to sue the ex-Army counterintelligence agent who reportedly helped arrange the flights

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Ukraine's parliament passed a bill on Wednesday to conscript inmates to fight Russia.</li><li>The bill, if enacted, imitates the Russian approach of using prisoners to fuel its war efforts.</li></ul>Lawmakers in Ukraine passed a bill on Wednesday that would allow the country's military to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-advances-bill-for-prisoners-to-serve-in-military-2024-4">recruit prisoners to fight</a> on the battlefield.The bill, which has yet to be signed into law by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, will allow Ukraine to mimic the Russian tactic of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-pays-prisoners-31k-injured-storm-z-meat-grinder-2023-10">drafting convicts for their war effort</a>."The only way to survive in an all-out war against an enemy with more resources is to consolidate all forces. This draft law is about our struggle and preservation of Ukrainian statehood," Olena Shulyak, the head of Zelenskyy's party, said in a <a target="_blank" href="https://t.me/Shpylka_Shuliak/2559">post</a> on Telegram.Russia has long been relying on prisoners to plug its manpower gaps, with some inmates being promised full pardons if they <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/prigozhin-russia-tells-ex-con-wagner-fighters-not-rape-free-2023-1">survive a six month stint</a> on the battlefield. In fact, Russia's reliance on convicts has even caused its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-shutter-prisons-inmates-ukraine-war-2024-3">prison population to plummet</a>, per the Russian newspaper <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" class="LinkWrapper LinkWrapper--external" href="https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/6581323">Kommersant.</a>In October, the country's Deputy Justice Minister Vsevolod Vukolov revealed that Russia's prison population has dropped from 420,000 before the war to a historic low of 266,000, per <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/10/26/russia-prison-population-convicts-war/">The Washington Post</a>.But while Russia hasn't imposed many restrictions on which prisoners they conscript, the Ukrainian bill is a lot more particular on who gets selected.For instance, prisoners who have been convicted of violent crimes such as terrorism, premeditated murder, or rape will not be allowed to participate. In addition, prisoners will only be eligible for the scheme if they have less than three years left on their sentences."Prisoners who have a longer period left to serve in prison — and those sentenced to life imprisonment all the more so — will be immediately rejected without the right of reconsideration," Shulyak told Ukrainian news outlet <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/05/8/7454810/">Pravda</a>.Roughly <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2024/05/8/7454825/">15,000 to 20,000 prisoners</a> are expected to be mobilized if the bill is enacted, Pravda reported on Wednesday.The passing of the bill comes at a precarious time for Ukraine, which has to reckon with what US officials are calling a reinvigorated Russian army. Last month, Ukraine <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-still-has-major-problem-that-us-aid-fix-russia-2024-4">reduced the draft age from 27 to 25</a> in a bid to bolster its troop numbers.Russia's armed forces have grown larger after the country decided to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-raises-conscription-age-avoid-large-mobilization-ukraine-expert-2023-8">raise its maximum conscription age</a> from 27 to 30."The army is actually now larger — by 15 percent — than it was when it invaded Ukraine," <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russias-army-15-percent-larger-when-attacked-ukraine-us-general-2024-4">US Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli</a> said in a House Armed Services Committee <a target="_blank" href="https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings/full-committee-hearing-us-military-posture-and-national-security-challenges-europe-0">hearing</a> last month.Representatives for Ukraine's defense ministry didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from BI sent outside regular business hours.

Ukraine lawmakers just passed a bill that'll allow the country to mimic Russia's tactic of drafting convicts to fight in the war

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Reuters/Carlos JassoA police officer guards packages of seized cocaine in Panama City in 2016.</div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>An Army Special Forces veteran pleaded guilty to two drug trafficking conspiracy counts, admitting he attempted to smuggle nearly 90 pounds of cocaine from Colombia. </li><li>Master Sgt. Daniel Gould was charged in August after officials at the US Embassy in Bogota discovered cocaine in gutted-out punching bags.</li><li>An X-ray scan revealed the cocaine stash in the bags before they were loaded on a military aircraft bound for Florida.</li><li>According to a US Attorney's statement, Gould had previously smuggled 10 kilograms of cocaine into the US, then reinvested money from the first transaction to purchase the larger load.</li></ul>A highly decorated Army Special Forces soldier pleaded guilty to charges of drug trafficking conspiracy, admitting he attempted to smuggle nearly 90 pounds of cocaine from Colombia to Florida aboard a military aircraft in August 2018.Master Sgt. Daniel Gould first smuggled 10 kilograms of the narcotic in early 2018, according to the US Attorney's statement. A co-defendant in the trial traveled to Colombia with the payment for the first load, which Gould then placed in a gutted-out punching bag.According to a report by the <a href="https://www.newsherald.com/news/20181222/eglin-7th-group-green-beret-pleads-guilty-in-international-cocaine-smuggling-enterprise" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Panama City News Herald</a>, Gould had a driver transport the cocaine to Bogota, where it was placed on a military aircraft and transported to the US. The cocaine was then distributed in northwest Florida, according to the US Attorney's statement. Gould was assigned to 7th Special Forces Group, an Army command garrisoned at Eglin Air Force Base in the same region.The conspirators reinvested the money from the first load, sending about $65,000 back to Colombia on another military aircraft. Then, in early August, Gould returned to Colombia to retrieve the second load of cocaine.Using the same method, Gould hid 40 kilograms - nearly 90 pounds with a street value over $1 million, according to US attorneys - in the punching bags. The cocaine was discovered at the US Embassy in Bogota on August 13, 2018, when the bags went through an X-ray. Gould had already departed Colombia when the drugs were discovered, and was waiting in Florida to retrieve them. Gould recently separated from the Army, according to the <a href="https://www.newsherald.com/news/20181228/second-plea-entered-in-cocaine-case" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Herald</a>. The Green Beret received the Silver Star, the nation's third-highest military award for valor, for <a href="https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/29822" target="_blank" rel="noopener">combat action</a> in Afghanistan in 2008. One of Gould's co-defendants, 35-year-old Henry Royer, pleaded not guilty to the same charges of drug trafficking, according to the <a href="https://www.newsherald.com/news/20181228/second-plea-entered-in-cocaine-case" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Herald</a>. A third man, Colombian national Gustavo Pareja, has also been indicted. Gould will be sentenced on March 12; he faces 10 years to life on each count of conspiracy. <ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/army-soldier-investigated-for-drug-trafficking-may-be-part-of-network-2018-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-read-more-link="" data-e2e-name="read-more-link">A Special Forces soldier is being investigated for smuggling millions of dollars of drugs - and it may be part of a much bigger scheme</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/army-special-forces-soldier-going-to-trial-over-drug-smuggling-attempt-2018-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-read-more-link="" data-e2e-name="read-more-link">A Special Forces soldier accused of a multimillion-dollar drug-smuggling attempt is heading to trial, and he faces life in prison</a></li></ul> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coast-guard-boot-camp-military-basic-training-cape-may-new-jersey-2018-12">Inside the Coast Guard's 8-week boot camp where recruits go through extreme physical tests and brutal 'smoke sessions'</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

You Searched For "Army recruitment scheme" and got 10 results

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