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Air Force first to upgrade records for troops discharged over COVID vax refusal
Hegseth also announced that the active-duty obligation for troops who opt to return to service is slashed in half from four years to just two years.
Denmark planned to blow up Greenland runways if Trump moved to seize island
Denmark dispatched soldiers and explosives to Greenland in January as part of a contingency plan if the U.S. attempted an invasion.
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USS Boxer and 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit deploy to Middle East
The Pentagon is deploying thousands of additional Marines and sailors to the Middle East.
VA social worker dies following shooting at rural Georgia clinic
The Veterans Affairs employee died the day after being shot by an assailant who was in the clinic for a walk-in mental health consultation.
Marines test ‘cruise control’ swim feature on amphibious vehicle prototype
The vehicles vying to replace the Marine Corps’ aging light armored vehicle fleet swam for the first time earlier this year.
Two US counter-mine ships based in the Middle East are now in Singapore, Navy says
The USS Santa Barbara and USS Tulsa, which are homeported in Bahrain, arrived in Singapore this week.
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Pentagon & Congress
Terror groups under increased scrutiny in DNI’s annual threat report
In remarks this week, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard emphasized the threat of foreign terror groups with Islamist ideology.
Ukraine deploys units to 5 Middle East countries to intercept drones
Zelenskyy has said Kyiv wants money and tech in return for its help in the Middle East, adding that the U.S. was among the nations that sought Kyiv’s help.
Marine lance corporal develops $10 solution to $5,600 antenna problem
The junior Marine's innovation has so far saved an estimated $600,000 and eliminated years of supply delays. Motivation intensifies.
High-speed combat drone production starts at new US Anduril plant in days
Anduril Industries will begin building its new loyal wingman drones in the coming days at a new facility in Ohio.
In other news
Hegseth wants Pentagon to dump Claude, but military users say it’s not so easy
Pentagon staffers, former officials and IT contractors who work closely with the U.S. military say they are reluctant to give up Anthropic’s AI tools.
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?
By Clay Beyersdorfer
When veterans take the pen, war stories start to change
Hollywood has never lacked war stories. But it has often lacked veteran storytellers telling them.
How MREs inspired today’s meal-delivery industry
The MRE has to survive heat, cold, impact and time. And it has to do all of that at scale. Sound familiar?
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The impact of US interceptors on the Iran war | Defense News Weekly Full Episode 3.17.26
Since the beginning, part of the war in Iran has been a contest of Iranian missiles and drones versus U.S. interceptors. How is the matchup shaking out?
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MORE STORIES
Death of airman caused by multiple points of failure, report finds
A special investigation found that Staff Sgt. Charles Crumlett’s death while working on a F-22 was caused, among others, by a lack of supervision.
Lockheed still paid $1.7 billion despite poor readiness rate of F-35s
An audit found that the defense department paid the aerospace company $1.7 billion by July in spite of poor performance.
What is Nifty Nugget? NDAA revives 47-year-old military exercise
In 1978, the 21-day exercise, dubbed “Nifty Nugget,” brought two dozen military commands to bear to support a notional conflict in Europe.
By Hope Hodge Seck
Trump says US ‘hit’ facility where alleged drug boats ‘load up’
Trump declined to say if the military or CIA was involved or where it occurred.
This company is rethinking PTSD treatment for veterans — with VR
Brenden Borrowman, a retired Army veteran, founded Neurova Labs to focus on treating the physiological injury underlying conditions like PTSD and TBI.
By Clay Beyersdorfer
Santa’s elves have been busy bringing cheer to military families
Santa takes time for train rides with military families through Alaska, and to attend parties with gifts and treats.
By Karen Jowers
Military recruiting off to ‘strong start’ for fiscal 2026, DOD says
Overall, the services met an average of 103% of their active-duty recruiting goals for fiscal 2025, according to the Defense Department.
By Karen Jowers
Military lawyer swiftly fired after defying Trump deportation push
An Army Reserve lawyer detailed as a federal immigration judge has been fired after granting asylum at a high rate.
Raw sewage, broken AC, bugs: Report reveals squalor at border mission
The visits uncovered “unsanitary conditions in bathroom facilities,” specifically “leaking raw sewage, non-functional toilets, and general disrepair..."
By Eve Sampson
‘Warrior dividend’ is on the way to troops, Trump says
In honor of America's 250th anniversary, troops will receive $1,776 before Christmas, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday.
By Karen Jowers