Senate hearing could decide whether Hegseth becomes defense secretary
Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth heads back to Capitol Hill next week for his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, a moment that will serve as a critical decision point on whether he gets the job leading more than 2 million troops and 800,000 civilian defense workers. The hearing, set for Tuesday morning, comes after weeks of meetings between Hegseth, a former Fox...[Read More]
TriWest switch sparks ‘deluge of misdirected calls,’ Health Net says
As the Tricare West Region contract transitions to TriWest Healthcare Alliance, the previous contractor, Health Net Federal Services, is receiving a “deluge of misdirected calls” from TriWest beneficiaries and providers, according to a Health Net official, prompting the company to urge beneficiaries to direct their questions to TriWest. “We are spreading the word … that HNFS can only assist with c...[Read More]
Vets won’t see disruptions in VA services amid White House changes
Veterans will not see any significant disruptions in medical care or support services amid the transition in political administrations in Washington, D.C., outgoing Veterans Affairs leads said Wednesday. Those officials are also encouraging veterans and family members to continue reaching out to the department for assistance and benefits as changes in the White House and executive branch take plac...[Read More]
CMC Javier Hernandez
Command Master Chief Javier Hernandez entered the U.S. Navy in January 2001 from Corpus Christi, TX.
US troops need to stay in Syria to counter ISIS, Pentagon chief says
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany — The U.S. needs to keep troops deployed in Syria to prevent the Islamic State group from reconstituting as a major threat following the ouster of Bashar Assad’s government, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told The Associated Press. American forces are still needed there, particularly to ensure the security of detention camps holding tens of thousands of former IS fighter...[Read More]
Sailor charged in fentanyl overdose death aboard USS Abraham Lincoln
A U.S. Navy sailor has been charged in federal court with distributing fentanyl that led to the overdose death of a fellow sailor stationed aboard the carrier Abraham Lincoln in 2023, according to court documents. Bailey Szramowski is accused of knowingly distributing Percocet pills tainted with fentanyl to sailors, resulting in at least two overdoses in 2023, according to a complaint filed Tuesda...[Read More]
Navy shipbuilding plan would cost $1 trillion over the next 30 years
For the U.S. Navy to achieve a proposed plan to expand its fleet of battle force ships, the service would need to spend $40.1 billion on shipbuilding every year through 2054, for a total of more than $1 trillion, according to new analysis from the Congressional Budget Office. Over the next 30 years, the Navy wants to grow its fleet of battle force ships to 381 to face swelling global threats, acco...[Read More]
College students charged in ‘Catch a Predator’ style ambush on soldier
Six Massachusetts college students are accused of assaulting an active-duty soldier who they falsely described as a sexual predator after luring the man to campus via a dating app as part of a TikTok trend inspired by the TV show “To Catch a Predator.” The 22-year-old — an active-duty military service member — told police that he was in town for his grandmother’s funeral in October and began commu...[Read More]
Army doctor pleads guilty to sexually abusing dozens of soldiers
An Army anesthesiologist pleaded guilty Tuesday to 41 charges of sexual misconduct involving dozens of patients at a Washington military medical facility in one of the largest sexual abuse investigations in the service’s history. Maj. Michael Stockin faces a potential sentence of nearly 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to abusive sexual contact and indecent viewing of patients he treated a...[Read More]
Army doctor pleads guilty to sexually abusing dozens of soldiers
An Army anesthesiologist pleaded guilty Tuesday to 41 charges of sexual misconduct involving dozens of patients at a Washington military medical facility in one of the largest sexual abuse investigations in the service’s history. Maj. Michael Stockin faces a potential sentence of nearly 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to abusive sexual contact and indecent viewing of patients he treated a...[Read More]
Slain Marine’s family ‘let down’ by killer’s 8-year sentence
“He was born at the same hospital he was pronounced dead.” Robert Schwenk Jr., remembering his son, reflected on his birth and death, both of which occurred at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. Lance Cpl. Austin Brian Schwenk was brought into the world at the North Carolina base when his father served there during the early 2000s. Nineteen years later, his life ended there, too — at the hands of a f...[Read More]
Lawyers for Navy Veteran Say CNN Report on Afghan Evacuations Destroyed His Career
The security consultant, whose background includes a stint with the private military contractor Blackwater, says a four-minute video package falsely portrayed him as acting illegally.