


UK to chair next meeting of Ukraine military aid group
The meeting next week will mark the first time that an American defense secretary has not convened the Ukraine Defense Contact Group.

Veterans
VA leaders working with DOGE but say veterans’ personal info is secure
An employee from the controversial new department will review VA contracts and IT system operations, VA officials confirmed.

Hegseth to host Australian leader in first visit with a foreign peer
The visit between Hegseth and the defense minister of Australia comes during a moment of uncertainty for U.S. allies.

Collins becomes first post-9/11 vet to be confirmed as VA secretary
The former Georgia congressman was easily confirmed to lead the nation's delivery of veterans benefits and health care.

VA will end remote work status for thousands of staffers this month
The move to end telework at VA follows instructions from the White House to return most federal employees to their pre-pandemic duty stations.

Hegseth travels to border amid military immigration crackdown
While there, the defense secretary will likely announce hundreds of more troops who will join the military's expanded role in enforcing immigration.

Vets group blasts Trump plane crash comments as ‘shameful’
The president on Thursday suggested that programs to hire workers with disabilities may have lead to the aircraft collision that killed 67 people.

Defense Department dumps travel policy for troops seeking abortions
Defense leaders had provided travel stipends to troops who needed to cross state lines to seek abortion counseling.

Trump blames DEI, Army pilot error for deadly Black Hawk collision
Without evidence, Trump blamed air traffic controllers, the helicopter pilots and Democratic policies at federal agencies for Wednesday night's collision.

Army Secretary pick says pay boost isn’t enough to fix recruiting woes
Increasing pay and benefits alone won't be enough to attract young people to the service, Army Secertary nominee Daniel Driscoll said.

VA leaders dismiss directors of offices for women, minority veterans
Officials said the staff changes are not part of larger efforts to eliminate diversity and inclusion programs from the department.

Pentagon agency halts MLK Day, Black History Month, other celebrations
The Defense Intelligence Agency's pause comes in response to President Trump’s ban on diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the federal workplace.

Hegseth moves to ban race, sex consideration from military promotions
A new Defense Department task force will look for ways to further limit diversity and inclusion programs throughout military training and advancement.

Federal military spouse workers ‘should’ be able to continue remotely
"We're trying to calm a whole community," said one military spouse advocate who's looking for answers.

All of DOD exempt from White House’s civilian hiring freeze
Hiring for vacant positions in commissaries, child care centers, schools and everywhere else within DOD can continue, two memorandums show.

Hegseth strips Milley of security detail, orders investigation
The former Joint Chiefs chairman had warned that Trump may seek revenge against him and other critics if re-elected to the White House.

VA benefits won’t be halted under White House funding freeze order
White House officials said VA financial assistance programs do not violate rules banning diversity and inclusion efforts.
