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DC resident who played ‘The Imperial March’ at federal troops receives settlement
Sam O'Hara's Star Wars-inspired protest set off a monthslong lawsuit between O’Hara, the distrist, several D.C. police officers and an National Guardsman.
20-year trove of shipboard assault cases now public after data request
Launched earlier this month, the archive, which covers all relevant cases between 2000 and 2022, shows a broad range of alleged misconduct.
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US strikes Iranian missile, drone, radar sites
The U.S. struck Iranian missile, drone and radar sites on Friday, U.S. Central Command said.
Feds pay out $17M to families sickened by Navy’s fuel-contaminated water in Hawaii
Each of the 629 people received about $27,000. Affected service members have received nothing.
Military recruiting hit a 15-year high. How quickly do recruits become mission ready?
How quickly recruits move from accession to operational qualification can affect force generation, unit staffing and long-term readiness planning.
101st soldiers use drones to drop grappling hooks, breach razor wire
The Army should treat drones like ammo, one officer said, estimating a brigade needs between 1,000 to 1,500 drones per week in sustained combat operations.
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Pilot shut off fuel supply, leading to October 2025 Skyraider II crash, Air Force finds
A student pilot reached for the wrong fuel control in his Block-1 OA-1K Skyraider II, forcing a crash-landing, an Air Force investigation found.
US Marine declared dead after being reported missing from USS Anchorage
Lance Cpl. Armando Ortiz Canseco, 21, disappeared from the amphibious transport dock ship on Thursday, prompting a search and rescue operation.
Military Sealift Command ship makes history with rare combat award
The award cements the USNS Kanawha as the first-ever auxiliary ship the receive nation’s highest military honor for unit-level combat valor.
Is GPS reliance making troops less observant? Yearlong study aims to find out.
The study will use virtual reality simulations to track aspects of observation and recall in subjects with and without navigation aids.
In other news
US Army wants up to 100 drone boats to fill watercraft gap in Pacific
As the Army contends with a shortage of boats in the Pacific, it's looking at autonomous watercraft to fill the gaps.
Sailor reportedly finds dead rat in finished energy drink
The sailor said medical personnel informed him, “with the chemicals that are in Monster, that it should be OK.”
That time the Air Force proposed making a ‘gay bomb’
The Air Force once explored the idea of a chemical weapon that would make enemy soldiers sexually irresistible to one another — striking a blow to morale.
Master Chief actor condemns use of character in White House’s Iran war hype video
“I demand that the producers of this disgusting and juvenile war porn remove my voice immediately,” Steve Downes wrote in a post on X.
‘War Machine’ review: Finally, a training scenario with aliens
The sci-fi flick raises the premise: What if the final phase of U.S. Army Ranger selection suddenly involved fighting a giant alien robot?
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GWOT Memorial group open to design changes | Defense News Weekly Full Episode 6.30.26
The president of the GWOT Memorial Foundation says he’s taking feedback on the installation’s design. Plus, foam drones and a throwable 360-degree camera.
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US Army gives chaplains 90 days to remove rank insignia
In guidance issued this week, the U.S. Army gave its chaplains 90 days to strip the rank from some uniforms.
By Eve Sampson
Air Force solicits ideas for over 1,000-mile range weapon from industry
At an Industry Day, the Air Force will field solutions from vendors about a next generation long-range weapon with air-to-air and air-to-surface variants.
Feds pay out $17M to families sickened by Navy’s fuel-contaminated water in Hawaii
Each of the 629 people received about $27,000. Affected service members have received nothing.
By Karen Jowers
Army launches new branch for military space operations
Following up on its “space vision,” the service created a home for its space operations officers.
Military recruiting hit a 15-year high. How quickly do recruits become mission ready?
How quickly recruits move from accession to operational qualification can affect force generation, unit staffing and long-term readiness planning.
By Natalie Oliverio
101st soldiers use drones to drop grappling hooks, breach razor wire
The Army should treat drones like ammo, one officer said, estimating a brigade needs between 1,000 to 1,500 drones per week in sustained combat operations.
By Hope Hodge Seck
US sending military warships, personnel to Venezuela in the wake of the nation’s devastating earthquakes
Two U.S. warships, the USS Fort Lauderdale and the littoral combat ship USS Billings have been dispatched to Venezuela following the nation's earthquakes.
Debate over women in combat prompts NDAA battles
The amendments follow Hegseth’s order that all the services develop gender-neutral physical fitness standards for all troops in ground combat roles.
By Hope Hodge Seck
US Army officer sentenced for secretly giving abortion drug to pregnant soldier
A U.S. Army officer who secretly gave abortion medication to a pregnant junior enlisted soldier was sentenced Wednesday to 12 years in prison.
By Eve Sampson
Ukraine’s top strike-drone maker moves into ballistic missile defense
Fire Point's drones already fly most of Kyiv's strikes inside Russia. With Germany's Hensoldt, the company is now building Freyja, a homegrown alternative.
By Katie Livingstone