Pentagon to send 1,500 troops to border to start Trump-ordered surge
The U.S. military is sending around 1,500 active-duty troops to the country’s southern border, the acting secretary of defense said Wednesday. “This is just the beginning,” Acting Secretary of Defense Robert Salesses wrote in a statement. The troops consist of 1,000 soldiers and 500 Marines, who will work with Customs and Border Protection in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego, California. Their job wi...[Read More]
Lawmakers move to limit foreign real estate buys near military bases
Senate Republicans are ramping up efforts to restrict foreign government investment in U.S. real estate near American military bases, calling it a looming risk for troops’ safety and national security. On Wednesday, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, reintroduced the Protecting Military Installations and Ranges Act, which requires a review by federal authorities before entities linked to China, Russia, Iran ...[Read More]
Lawmakers move to limit foreign real estate buys near military bases
Senate Republicans are ramping up efforts to restrict foreign government investment in U.S. real estate near American military bases, calling it a looming risk for troops’ safety and national security. On Wednesday, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, reintroduced the Protecting Military Installations and Ranges Act, which requires a review by federal authorities before entities linked to China, Russia, Iran ...[Read More]
Nancy Leftenant-Colon, first Black woman in Army Nurse Corps, has died
The first Black woman to join the U.S. Army Nurse Corps after the military was desegregated in the 1940s has died. She was 104. Nancy Leftenant-Colon, who retired as a major and died earlier this month at a New York nursing home, was remembered by relatives and friends for quietly breaking down racial barriers during her long military career. Known as “Lefty,” she was one of six siblings who serve...[Read More]
F-15Es with new electronic-warfare system make their debut in the UK
The first two F-15E Strike Eagles rigged with the latest war-fighting software touched down in the United Kingdom last week, according to the Air Force. The duo of F-15Es arrived at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, on Jan. 16, equipped with the Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System, or EPAWSS. The system allows F-15 fighters to detect and jam threats through geolocation and radar w...[Read More]
Pete Hegseth’s ex-sister-in-law tells senators he abused second wife
Senators vetting the nomination of Pete Hegseth for defense secretary received an affidavit Tuesday from a former sister-in-law alleging that the onetime Fox News host was abusive to his second wife, to the point where she feared for her safety. Hegseth denies the allegations. The sister-in-law, Danielle Hegseth, was formerly married to the nominee’s brother, and in an affidavit obtained by The As...[Read More]
Trump’s federal hiring freeze raises fears about VA medical care
Congressional lawmakers this week expressed concern that President Donald Trump’s new federal hiring freeze could hurt operations at Veterans Affairs medical centers by complicating efforts to fill critical health care specialties. But whether the executive order even applies to those posts remains unclear. Trump’s pick to lead VA told lawmakers Tuesday that he is still examining the new rule, but...[Read More]
Pakistan Assumes Command of Combined Maritime Forces’ Combined Task Force 151
MANAMA, Bahrain –The Pakistan navy assumed command of Combined Maritime Forces’ counter-piracy focused task force during a change-of-command ceremony, Jan. 22.
How a Korean War helicopter pilot made Medal of Honor history
During the Korean War, Lt. j.g. John Koelsch, equipped with a promising new helicopter, dedicated his service to rescuing downed pilots. Koelsch’s most notable sortie ultimately cost him his life, but through his actions, the pilot he risked his life to save survived. Koelsch was born on Dec. 22, 1923, in Chelsea, England, where his father worked as an international banker in London. In 1924, Koel...[Read More]
Tricare West Region beneficiaries get second payment update extension
Tricare officials have extended the payment update deadline to Feb. 28 for beneficiaries who live in the West Region. Beneficiaries who pay for their Tricare coverage using bank electronic funds transfer, credit card or debit card need to update their payment information with TriWest Healthcare Alliance, the new West Region contractor. Those who don’t provide their information to TriWest risk losi...[Read More]
Trump revokes order allowing transgender troops to serve in military
Soon after taking office Monday, President Donald Trump repealed a rule established by former President Joe Biden that allows transgender people to openly serve in the U.S. military. The rule, implemented through an executive order in 2021, required the Pentagon and Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Coast Guard, to remove gender identity as a bar to service. At the time, Biden’s ...[Read More]
Pentagon announces slate of new officials for second Trump term
The Pentagon on Tuesday released a list of new officials sworn in this week to run the Defense Department — the most comprehensive look yet at its new team of leaders under the Trump administration. The 32 positions include advisers and deputy assistant secretaries, none of which require Senate confirmation, meaning they can immediately take office. President Donald Trump’s top nominees to run the...[Read More]