5 Things to Start Your Week

Mistaken Ballistic Missile Alert Spurs Federal Investigation

Via Fox News: "Saturday's errant ballistic-missile alert to cell phones, televisions and radio stations in Hawaii has officials in Washington planning to find out what went wrong. Federal Communication Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced plans for a probe via Twitter. 'The @FCC is launching a full investigation into the false emergency alert that was sent to residents of Hawaii,' Pai tweeted later Saturday. U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, praised Pai's decision to address an error that sent many Hawaii residents into a panic for about 40 minutes. 'This system failed miserably and we need to start over,' Schatz tweeted."

Chelsea Manning Files for U.S. Senate Bid in Maryland

Via The Canadian Press: "Chelsea Manning will run for the U.S. Senate in Maryland. The transgender former Army officer filed her statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission on Thursday. She was convicted of leaking classified information and spent more than six years behind bars. The Washington Post reported Saturday that Manning will challenge Democrat Ben Cardin. He has served two terms and is an overwhelming favorite to win. The 30-year-old Manning listed a North Bethesda address in her FEC filing. She is running as a Democrat."

B-1B Lancer's Evolving Mission Includes More Close-Air Support

Via Oriana Pawlyk at Military.com: "It was always intended to loiter for hours above a battlefield, swiftly maneuver at a moment's notice and, of course, bring the bombs. But in the early stages of the B-1B Lancer's life, no one thought the long-range bomber would be a leading close-air support mission aircraft dominating bomb runs or bellying up to U.S. and coalition forces on the ground. 'Twenty-five years ago, if you would have said the B-1 was going to do CAS, you would have been laughed out of the room,' said Lt. Col. Dominic 'Beaver' Ross, director of operations for the 337th Test and Evaluations Squadron."

Commission to Discuss Whether to Include Women in the Draft

The National Commission on Military, National and Public Service is set mark its official launch by holding a press briefing and panel discussion on Thursday in Washington, D.C. The 11-member congressionally chartered panel "will conduct a review and provide recommendations about the military selective service process and ways to increase participation in military, national, and public service in order to address national security and other needs of the nation," according to a press release on its site. Congress last year shelved a plan to have women register for the draft.

Key Lawmaker to Meet with Reporters to Talk Military Issues

Rep. William "Mac" Thornberry, a Republican from Texas and chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, is scheduled to meet with defense reporters for breakfast on Tuesday morning in Washington, D.C., to discuss a number of military matters. Watch for the discussion to include questions about the defense budget. While Congress passed the Fiscal 2018 National Defense Authorization Act, which sets policy and spending goals for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1, it hasn't yet approved a full-year appropriations bill. Congress faces a Friday deadline to approve a funding resolution to avert a government shutdown.

-- Brendan McGarry can be reached at brendan.mcgarry@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Brendan_McGarry.