It was an "isolated incident and there was no threat to other Marines or the public,” a Marine spokeswoman said. "I found a spot in the clouds [where] I could see the ground, and then we basically dove," Maj. Mark Ross said of the evacuation. As the humanitarian crisis in Gaza mounts, a growing group of Democrats pushes Biden to apply human rights laws to Israel security assistance. Individual hospitals may consider mask mandates if they see a surge in COVID-19 cases locally. Defense and veterans hearings on Capitol Hill for the week of Jan. 8, 2024. Military and veterans policies will play a role in the debate over who should serve as commander-in-chief. Lance Cpl. Nicholas Maurice Dural, 20, of Lafayette, Louisiana, had been serving at the U.S. embassy in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, since April. The number of lawmakers with military experience has steadily declined since the 1970s. The summer was a particularly difficult time for the Marine Corps in terms of both on- and off-duty accidents. The awards honor the airmen’s “highest-caliber bravery and tenacity” during the largest evacuation of noncombatants in Air Force history, the service said. Load More