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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.
DoD scraps plan to privatize commissaries
DoD concluded “the potential cost savings of privatization are unlikely to be realized without severely degrading the benefits these programs provide."
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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.
The Pentagon’s research infrastructure is ‘deteriorating,’ study finds
Pentagon research has been hampered by backlogged security clearances, limited funds to build or refurbish labs and a slow and difficult hiring process.
House vote on major veterans bill delayed amid controversy over voting legislation
A bill that encompasses two popular pieces of legislation — the Major Richard Star Act and the Love Lives On Act — has been stalled.
In other news
Seven sailors injured during fire aboard USS Indianapolis
The fire was extinguished, and the injured sailors were treated for minor injuries at local hospitals before being cleared to return.
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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In shift, Pentagon grants flu vaccine exceptions to military services, some federal agencies
The Pentagon has updated their guidance on influenza vaccinations, giving select forces and agencies exceptions to the optional policy.
Can the US military preserve decades of wartime experience?
Thousands of post-9/11 veterans are reaching retirement. Whether the lessons they learned during two decades of combat will be retained remains to be seen.
By Natalie Oliverio
F-35 program chief warns fleet has outgrown its support system amid record-low readiness
The hearing comes on the heels of a Government Accountability Office report this month that found just one in four F-35s were fully mission capable.
Airstrike killed senior ISIS commander in Syria, CENTCOM says
A senior Islamic State leader was killed by an airstrike last week, Central Command announced on Wednesday.
By Eve Sampson
Military families paying $1,000 out of pocket for moves, survey shows
A new survey on military family well-being reveals challenges with the PCS experience, as well as spouse unemployment, food insecurity and housing costs.
By Karen Jowers
US Senate joins House in voting to halt Iran war
It marks the first time both chambers approved directing a president to remove armed forces from hostilities since the War Powers Act was adopted in 1973.
By Patricia Zengerle, Reuters
Marines expand use of Maven with new AI operational reporting tool
Officials say the new tool will move the Marine Corps from being data-rich but information-poor to a state of information superiority.
VA inventory report reveals 367 AI systems operating in healthcare, benefits and services
A recently released report catalogs AI uses across the VA, from clinical tools used during patient care to systems that help process benefits.
By Natalie Oliverio
Nearly 5 million veterans have used magic mushrooms, LSD or MDMA, study finds
The RAND study revealed confusion among veterans about the VA's policies regarding psychedelics.
Gunfight at the Veracruz Custom House led to six Medal of Honor recipients
Six U.S. sailors and a Mexican naval cadet matched their heroism in an alley.
By Jon Guttman
Just one in four Americans believes the Iran war was worth its costs
Only 23% of Americans think the U.S. is now in a stronger position with Iran than before, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll found.
By Jason Lange, Reuters
The unlikely role of Operation Epic Fury in a Mississippi AI data center lawsuit
The lawsuit argues that the data centers are operating illegally and polluting surrounding areas, but the DOJ said they’re needed for national security.
Trump heads to Camp David as questions swirl over Iran deal
President Trump headed to Camp David on Friday for a weekend of policy and political meetings as negotiations with Iran move toward an inflection point.
By Tanya Noury
Highway patrol: US Marine F-35s conduct flight operations on Finnish roads
The first ever deployment of U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning IIs to Finland proved to be a memorable one.
By J.D. Simkins
Pentagon tells lawmakers it needs $80 billion for Iran war, other expenses: WSJ
The full cost of the conflict, which the U.S. launched alongside Israel on Feb. 28, has remained an open question on Capitol Hill.
By Reuters