Articles
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“I Would Love To Have More F-15EXs,” Air Guard Boss Says
With F-15EX’s operational debut coming soon, its unique capabilities have already made an impact on the Air National Guard’s top officer.
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Air Force’s Big Restructuring Includes New Commands, New Deployment Plans
The Air Force and Space Force announced major changes in how they operate aimed at countering the growing threat posed by China
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Air Force To Totally Revamp Its Structure To Compete With China – Updated
The Air Force is set to unveil a major structural shakeup at the Air & Space Forces Warfare Symposium on Monday.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Zelensky Picks New Top Commander
The decision to replace popular Gen. Valeri Zaluzhny with Col.-Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi is a controversial move at a perilous time.
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What Does A Shahed-136 Really Cost?
The price for Shahed-136 drones in reportedly leaked documents far exceeds previous estimates, but is that what Russia is really paying?
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Bladed Hellfire Missile Likely Killed Top Iran-Backed Militia Leader In Baghdad
Images emerging on social media indicate a top leader of Khataib Hezbollah was killed by an AGM-114RX9 Hellfire in Baghdad.
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CMV-22B Osprey “Not Operationally Suitable” According To Test Report
Pentagon testers highlight major issues with the Navy’s Osprey as the entire V-22 fleet remains grounded following a deadly crash.
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Iranian-Backed Militia Claims New Attack On U.S. Base In Syria
The attack, days after U.S. airstrikes on Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria, was claimed by one of those groups targeted.
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Everything We Know About The Aftermath Of Last Night’s Airstrikes
As the U.S. determines what effect 85 strikes against targets in Iraq and Syria had, there were new attacks against Houthi targets in Yemen.
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Over 85 Targets Hit In U.S. Retaliation Strikes Against Iranian Proxies, IRGC – Updated
The U.S. has launched strikes in retaliation for the drone attack that killed three U.S. soldiers and injured dozens more in Jordan.
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Iranian Proxies Scatter Ahead Of Looming U.S. Retaliation Strikes
Plans are already leaking about the extent of the expected attacks in response to the deadly drone strike on U.S. soldiers in Jordan.
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Ukraine Sinks Russian Navy Missile Corvette In Drone Boat Attack
The Russian corvette Ivanovets was hit by six Ukrainian uncrewed surface vessels and sunk in the Black Sea, Ukraine’s spy boss told us.
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Phalanx CIWS Downs Houthi Missile Dangerously Close To Destroyer: Report
For a Navy warship, using a Close-In Weapon System against an approaching anti-ship missile is a method of last resort.
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U.S. Carries Out First Preemptive Strike On Houthi SAM
Houthis do not possess a capable air defense network, but they do have SAM capability that has proven effective in aerial ambushes.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb’s Arrival Finally Imminent
The long-delayed weapon, which can reach targets over 90 miles away, could arrive on the battlefield for Ukraine as early as tomorrow.
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Iranian-Backed Militia Group Wants A Timeout As U.S. Retaliation Looms
The decision by Khataib Hezbollah to pause attacks on U.S. forces is unlikely to change the Biden administration’s plans.
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How The Army’s New M10 Booker Light Tank Will Actually Be Used
The Booker may look like a mini Abrams, but its role is specifically to support infantry and arrive ready to fight long before an M1 could.
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Another U.S. Outpost Attacked, Biden Admin Mulls Strike Options
A day after a deadly attack in Jordan, a U.S. outpost in northeast Syria came under a rocket attack Monday.
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Drone Attack In Jordan Kills Three American Troops – Updated
President Biden blamed Iranian-backed militias for the attack, which will escalate the already extremely volatile situation in the region.
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AESA Radars For AC-130J, MC-130J Sought By SOCOM
Even an off-the-shelf AESA radar solution could drastically enhance the capabilities of Special Operations Command’s C-130s.
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Watchdog Says Pentagon’s UAP Response May Pose Threat To National Security
The Pentagon’s Inspector General slammed the department’s dealings on the issue of UAPs in a scathing previously classified report.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Artillery Ammo Crisis Giving Russia Major Advantage
With U.S. aid running dry and Europe unable to meet commitments, Ukraine is finding itself badly outgunned.
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Reagan Test Site Damage From Massive Waves Seen In Imagery
All operations at the Reagan Test Site, located in a remote area of the Pacific, have been impacted by flooding caused by massive waves.
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B-21 Raider Now In Production Just Two Months After First Flight
The Pentagon announced that it issued a production contract for the most advanced combat aircraft ever designed.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Russia May Have To Move Air Defenses To Cover Cities
Reported Ukrainian drone attacks near St. Petersburg indicates Russia may have a big problem with air defense capacity.
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New Airstrikes Target Houthi Forces In Yemen – Updated
The latest strikes by the U.S. and U.K. on Houthi targets in Yemen comes after reports that the Pentagon has given the operation a new name.
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Video Games Helped Ukrainian Bradley Gunner Win Duel With Russian T-90M Tank
The gunner and driver of the Bradley seen in a wild battle with a Russian T-90M tank captured in a viral video explain how it went down.
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Baltics To Build Joint Fortifications Along Russian, Belarus Borders
Learning lessons from Russia’s full-on invasion of Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania will build joint border defenses.
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Red Sea Ship Attacks Continue After Super Hornets Strike Missiles
This is the third day in a row that the U.S. has carried out preemptive attacks against Houthi missiles being prepared to launch.
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Armor Experts Breakdown Video Of Ukrainian M2 Bradley Mauling Russian T-90M Tank
Veteran armor experts explain the viral video showing Russia’s top tank in Ukraine getting torn-up by a Bradley Fighting Vehicle.
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Germany Votes Down Taurus Cruise Missiles For Ukraine
While the Taurus news is a blow to Ukraine, France has said it will provide another 40 SCALP-EG cruise missiles to Kyiv.
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New Strike On Houthi Missiles In Yemen Launched By U.S.
The U.S. strike today is the fourth against Houthi targets in Yemen and comes after another commercial ship was hit.
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B-21 Raider Flight Testing Now Underway
The first B-21 is now flying test sorties from Edwards Air Force Base, where it arrived after its maiden flight late last year.
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Iran Executed Its Farthest Ballistic Missile Strike Ever With New Weapon
Iran unleashed its Kheiber Shekan medium range ballistic missile on a target in Syria, demonstrating it can reach Israel.
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Yemen-Bound Missile Parts, Sensor Systems Seized In SEAL Raid
A dhow was boarded in the Gulf of Aden where various weapons components were seized, and two Navy SEALs went missing during the operation.
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First Preemptive Strikes Against Houthi Missiles Preparing To Fire Launched By U.S.
The U.S. struck four Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles that were being prepared for launch early Tuesday morning Yemen time.
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North Korea’s Most Advanced Drones Reemerge, Solid Fuel IRBM Tested
Kim Jong Un is seen inspecting his knockoffs of America’s Global Hawk and Reaper and North Korea has now tested a solid fuel IRBM.
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Iranian Ballistic Missiles Strike Facilities In Iraq
It remains unclear exactly what was hit, but we do know that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched the strikes.
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Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile Hits U.S.-Owned Container Ship In Gulf Of Aden
There wasn’t major damage or injuries in this attack a day after a Houthi missile heading to the USS Laboon was downed by a US fighter.
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Claims Swirl Around Possible Shoot Down Of Russian A-50 Radar Jet – Updated
The loss of an A-50 and an IL-22M airborne command and control platforms would be a major blow for Russia, which only has a handful of each.
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American Fighter Downs Houthi Missile Heading Toward USS Laboon
This latest incident comes after the U.S. and U.K. launched reprisal attacks on Houthi facilities in Yemen.
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Houthis Threaten Reprisal Attacks On U.S. Bases In The Region
The Houthis say recent strikes against their facilities in Yemen caused little damage and vowed revenge against the U.S. and its allies.
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Navy Strikes Houthi Radar Site With Tomahawk Cruise Missile
A follow-up strike on a Houthi radar site in Yemen was launched tonight by an Arleigh Burke class destroyer.
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Glaring Questions Remain Over Defense Secretary Austin’s Transfer Of Authority
Several reviews are underway to determine how Austin transferred his authorities and why it happened without wider notification.
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Red Sea Dangerous As Ever After Strikes, Shipping Industry Warns – Updated
The Houthis have warned the United States and its allies of “a long-term battle that will change the direction of the region and the world.”
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Allies Strike Back Against Houthis In Yemen – Updated
Multiple types of Houthi facilities in Yemen have been struck in retaliation for constant attacks on vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
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Retaliation Strikes On Houthis May Be Imminent – Updated
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak reportedly briefed his cabinet on potential U.S. and U.K. strikes against the Houthis in Yemen tonight.
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First Look At Columbia Missile Submarine’s X-Shaped Stern
The delivery of Columbia’s stern section is a milestone for the first ballistic missile submarine built for the Navy since the 1990s.
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Does The President Need The Defense Secretary To Launch A Nuclear Strike?
Defense Secretary Austin’s stealth hospitalization has some asking if it would have disrupted America’s ability to launch a nuclear strike.
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Chinese Rocket Launch Rattles Taiwan
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry was forced to apologize for issuing an air raid alert falsely claiming China launched a missile over the island.
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Retired Saudi Admiral On Why Arabs Won’t Join Red Sea Task Force
Only one Arab country has joined Operation Prosperity Guardian even though Iranian-backed Houthis threaten shipping in their region.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Downed Kinzhal Warhead Recovered In Kyiv
The intact warhead, found after being shot down during a deadly Russian missile attack on Jan. 2, could offer intel about the Kinzhal.
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Drone Boat Used In Attempted Red Sea Attack
Not long after the drone boat was spotted, the admiral running Operation Prosperity Guardian provided insights into how it’s working.
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U.S. Drone Strike Kills Iranian-Aligned Militia Leader In Baghdad
This marks the first U.S. airstrike in Baghdad since Iranian-backed militias began attacking U.S. forces in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war.
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Ukraine Situation Report: U.S. Aid Funds Have Run Out
The White House on Wednesday said there is no more money to ship military support to Ukraine until Congress passes Biden’s spending plan.
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Joint Warning To Houthis: Cease Attacks Or Face Consequences
The warning, which comes after 24 Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping since Nov. 19, does not specify the consequences.
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Houthi Missiles Target French-Owned Container Ship In Red Sea – Updated
Three missiles, which all missed, were fired from Yemen at a container ship transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on its way to Egypt.
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Ukraine’s Drone Boats Are Now Firing Rockets At Russian Ships
While the practicality of attacking ships with this capability is questionable, it’s part of Ukraine’s effort to evolve its drone boat force.
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Red Sea Task Force Grows, How It Actually Will Work Remains Unclear
As the Houthis hurled threats at the U.S. Navy, more than 20 nations are set to participate in Operation Prosperity Guardian in some manner.
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Inside The Private Security Forces Protecting Red Sea Shipping
How armed contractors operate aboard ships and the ways they’ve been adapted to the eruption in hostilities around the Bab el-Mandeb strait.
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Red Sea Maritime Coalition Much Bigger Than Originally Disclosed
Ten nations who joined Operation Prosperity Guardian, the international effort to protect Red Sea shipping, don’t want to go public.
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Israel-Gaza Situation Report: U.S. Military Leaders Push For Scaled-Back Campaign
While America’s top military leaders urged Jerusalem to shift away from the most intensive combat operations, Israeli officials remain reluctant.
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Ukraine Situation Report: U.S. Funding Almost “Exhausted”
After one more aid package for Ukraine is announced later this week, there will be no more U.S. funding available, the White House says.
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Israel’s FireFly Urban Warfare Drone Spotted In Jenin
The FireFly loitering munition has been seen for the first time in the current conflict as it flew over a West Bank neighborhood.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Troops Question Dnipro River Assault
Though billed as a burgeoning success by Ukraine, the battle across the Dnipro River is coming at an extremely heavy cost say those involved.
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Newly Formed Operation Prosperity Guardian To Protect Red Sea Shipping
A soon to be announced multi-national effort to protect Red Sea shipping comes after the U.S. and U.K. downed 15 Houthi drones Saturday.
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Red Sea Peril Rises, Major Shippers Halt Mandeb Strait Transits
Two more ships were set ablaze by the Houthi attacks today near the Bab el Mandeb Strait and another ship was threatened.
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Israel-Gaza Situation Report: Ground Campaign Has “Many More Months To Go”
U.S. officials want Israel to wrap up the most intensive phase of the ground campaign in weeks, but Israel says it will take much longer.
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Maersk Demands “Political Action” After Another Houthi Attack On Ship In Red Sea
For the third time this week, commercial shipping near the Bab al-Mandab Strait came under Houthi missile attack.
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Tank Runs For Its Life Under Constant Barrage Of Attack Drones
The video is reminder of how low-end FPV drones are drastically changing warfare and how prevalent they are becoming on the battlefield.
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Israel’s F-35I Combat Experience Is Providing Lessons For Future Pacific Fight
Israel’s ability to keep the vast majority of its F-35s flying during high-tempo operations against Hamas is opening eyes in the Pentagon.
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Houthi Anti-Ship Ballistic Missiles Miss Tanker In Red Sea
The USS Mason responded to the report that another commercial ship was fired upon near the Bab al Mandeb Strait.
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Israel-Gaza Situation Report: Biden-Netanyahu Friction Increasing
As casualty figures mount, there is a growing schism between the U.S. and Israel on how to conduct the Gaza war and its aftermath.
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Commercial Ship In Flames After Red Sea Missile Attack
USS Mason has responded to a distress call from the M/V Strinda that was struck near the Bab el-Mandab Strait.
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Guided Parachute System Used By Israel For First Time In Gaza
The use of this new capability highlights the challenges the IDF faces supplying troops operating in southern Gaza.
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Israel-Gaza Situation Report: U.S. Vetoes U.N. Ceasefire Demand
Despite increasing international pressure to agree to a ceasefire,Israel has increased attacks, especially in southern Gaza.
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U.S. Conducts Military Exercise With Guyana, Venezuelan Invasion Fears Rise – Updated
The State Department’s disclosure of today’s joint drill with Guyana caught major attention as there are indications Venezuela plans to invade.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Stalled U.S. Military Aid To Kyiv Becoming A Crisis
A combination of political infighting in the U.S. and allies who are not living up to their commitments are bad omens for Ukraine.
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All V-22 Ospreys Grounded Worldwide — Updated
The grounding of all Osprey tilt-rotors follows a fatal crash off the coast of a Japanese island that may be tied to a “materiel failure.”
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Captured Ukrainian M2 Bradley Shown Off On Russian TV
The TV segment shows Russian troops examining a fully intact Bradley Fighting Vehicle they said they recovered from the battlefield.
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Israel-Gaza Situation Report: IDF Expands Ground Operation Into The South
The IDF says it has entered the “third phase” of ground operation and has penetrated deep into southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Deluge Of Rodents A Common Enemy
A massive influx of mice, rats and voles is making a harsh existence fighting in winter even more miserable.
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Three Cargo Ships Hit By Houthi Missiles, U.S. Destroyer Downs Drones
USS Carney downed three drones Sunday and came to the aid of two commercial vessels struck by Houthi missiles in the Red Sea
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Ukraine Situation Report: “We Did Not Achieve The Desired Results,” Zelensky Says
During a tour to the front lines in northeastern Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky offered a blunt assessment of the state of the war.
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Israel-Gaza Situation Report: Ceasefire Ends
Hamas rockets rained down across Israel and the IDF continued its bombardment of Gaza as both sides blamed each other for the ceasefire’s end.
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Shahed-136 With Cellular Modem Found In Ukraine: What It Means
Here are the possibilities of what the addition of improvised cellular communications to Russia’s Shahed drones means.
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Israel-Gaza Situation Report: Bloodshed In Jerusalem Doesn’t Stop Ceasefire
Though five people, three Israelis and two Hamas attackers, were killed in Jerusalem today, the ceasefire holds.
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Russian Soldier’s Desperate Attempt To Fight Off FPV Drone With A Stick Seen In Video
Video of a Ukrainian FPV drone chasing a Russian soldier around a cart is a reminder of the rapidly changing nature of drone warfare.
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Inside Ukrainian Frogmen Raids On Crimea
Ukrainian commandos who executed long-range amphibious raids on Crimea offer exclusive insights on those missions.
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CV-22B Osprey Tilt-Rotor Crashes Off Japanese Coast – Updated
Six personnel were reportedly on board the tilt-rotor when it came down in waters off Yakushima Island, western Japan.
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Israel-Gaza Situation Report: Ceasefire Holds Despite Skirmish
A flareup of violence in northern Gaza did not prevent more hostages from being exchanged Tuesday or scuttle the fragile ceasefire.
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Russia’s Harbor Defenses In Sevastopol In Disarray After Storm
Satellite imagery shows that much of Sevastopol’s harbor entry defenses, primarily set up to prevent sea drone attacks, have been damaged.
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Ukrainian Spy Chief Confirms Wife Poisoned
The poisoning of Marianna Budanova is the most serious targeting of a high-profile Ukrainian leader’s family since the full-on war broke out.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Huge Storm’s Impact On Russian Defenses
Russia could see long and short-terms impacts to its defenses and logistics from a major storm that hit the Black Sea.
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Ukraine Situation Report: New Ground-Based Air Defense Coalition Announced
The new coalition announced today, led by Germany and France, will bring together 20 nations to boost Ukraine’s air defenses.
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Ukrainian Drone Boat Appears To Have Been Captured By Russia
The intact capture of a Ukrainian MAGURA V5 drone boat could give Russians new insights, even if limited, and help with their own designs.
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Israel-Gaza Situation Report: Deal Reached For Four Day Ceasefire — Updated
The deal, which has been in the works for weeks, will see dozens of hostages and prisoners released, as well as a temporary ceasefire.
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AC-130 Ghostrider Gunship Strikes Iranian-Backed Militia In Iraq
This marks the fourth U.S. airstrike against Iranian-backed militias since Oct. 26 and the first on a target in Iraq.
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Navy P-8A Poseidon Runs Off Runway Into The Water In Hawaii — Updated
The aircraft skidded into Kaneohe Bay while attempting to land at the Marine Corps Air Station by the same name.
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Ukraine Situation Report: The Muddy Season Has Arrived
Mud, rain, frigid temperatures, snow and wind are slowing things down on the battlefield, but the fighting will continue.
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Houthi Helicopter Raid On Ship In Red Sea Seen In New Video
The video shows at least seven Houthi commandos leave a helicopter that landed on the Galaxy Leader then capture the bridge on Sunday.
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Japan Approved To Buy 400 Tomahawk Cruise Missiles
The $2.35 billion deal to purchase Block IV and V Tomahawk missiles would give Japan a new offensive punch in a restive region.
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Israel-Gaza Situation Report: Ground Offensive Could Shift South
The IDF said it is “close to dismantling” Hamas in northern Gaza and there are indications its gaze could turn to the south.
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U.S. Warship Shoot Down Of Drone Over Red Sea Leads To Conflicting Assessments
USS Thomas Hudner shot down a drone over the Red Sea but exactly what the drone’s intent was remains disputed.
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Israel-Gaza Situation Report: Claims Swirl Over Gaza Hospital Raid
Under intense global pressure to protect patients, staff and those sheltering, Israel says it doesn’t plan to stay at the Al-Shifa Hospital.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Advance Across Dnipro River Deepens
Ukraine is advancing from its bridgehead across the Dnipro River which is proving to be a growing problem for Russia.
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Israeli Raid On Gaza’s Largest Hospital Underway
The IDF says a “precise and targeted” operation is taking place out of “operational necessity” at Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.
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Israel-Gaza Situation Report: No Decision Yet To Storm Gaza’s Largest Hospital
The IDF has reached the Al Shifa hospital, that it says is a nexus for Hamas operations, but has yet to move into the facility.
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Israel-Gaza Situation Report: Calls For Ceasefire Grow
As Israel’s Gaza full invasion enters its second week, U.S. officials are voicing increasing concerns about civilian casualties.
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Ukraine Situation Report: U.S. Aid To Kyiv Slows
With U.S. military aid funding for Ukraine about to run out, the Pentagon is imploring Congress to pass a spending bill.
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Sea Drones Attack Russian Landing Craft In Crimean Port
Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate now says it sunk two ships docked at a port in western Crimea.
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Israel-Gaza Situation Report: Fighting In North To Pause Daily
The pause comes as Israel says it has captured a key Hamas command center in the heart of Gaza City near al-Shifa Hospital.
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Israel-Gaza Situation Report: Hamas ‘Lost Control In The North’ IDF Says — Updated
While Israel says it has the upper hand now in the north, there is still a lot of fighting ahead and no clear endgame.
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Israel-Gaza Situation Report: Push Into Heart Of Gaza City Looms, Civilians Flee
Thousands of Gaza City residents fled south through a ‘humanitarian corridor’ ahead of the IDF’s push directly into the heart of Gaza City.
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Ukraine Situation Report: This May Be Our First Image Of An M1 Abrams In-Country
An image has emerged on social media purporting to show the first look at an M1 Abrams main battle tank in Ukraine.
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Russian Warship Seen Badly Damaged By Ukrainian Cruise Missile
The brand new heavily-armed Russian corvette Askold is confirmed to have been badly damaged in new imagery after a Ukrainian missile attack.
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Ukraine Situation Report: M1 Abrams-Based Mine Clearing Vehicle Appears In-Country
Unwanted by U.S. Marines, the Assault Breaching Vehicle will give Ukraine one more way to clear vast mine fields set up by Russia.
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Israel-Gaza Situation Report: Hezbollah Not Ready For Full Fight Says Its Leader
Iranian-backed Hezbollah’s leader gave a much anticipated speech that was used to temper expectations, not declare all out war against Israel.
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Hamas Fighter Shown Placing Bomb On Israeli Merkava Tank
The helmet camera video shows a Hamas dash toward a tank, place an explosive device on it, then run back to a tunnel and fire and RPG.
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Israel-Gaza Situation Report: Northern Gaza ‘Largely’ Cut Off From South
Israel, fighting inside Gaza City for several days, has almost completely cut off the northern part of the Palestinian enclave.
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Israel-Gaza Situation Report: Sa’ar 5 Corvettes Moved To Red Sea
Facing barrages of aerial weaponry from Houthi rebels in Yemen, Israel is beefing up its air defenses in the Red Sea
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U.S. F-16 Shoots Down Turkish Drone Over Syria – Updated
The incident comes as Turkey has stepped up its drone campaign against Kurdish targets following a bombing in Ankara on Sunday.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Over 1M Seized Iranian Rounds Given To Kyiv
The ammunition was confiscated by U.S. forces during an interdiction of a stateless dhow in the Gulf of Oman last year.
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Jet Ski-Borne Ukrainian Special Ops Raid Shown In New Video
The newly released video claims to show teams of Ukrainian frogmen, riding jet skis, landing on the shore of Crimea.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Prigozhin’s Son Has Eye On Wagner Reboot
Ukraine says it sees no threat from the few hundred Wagner troops that have already returned to fight, but Russia could send more.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Long-Range Drones Now Targeting Sochi
For the second time in less than two weeks, the Russian Black Sea resort town of Sochi was targeted by Ukrainian drones.
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Ukraine Situation Report: France Sending SCALP-EG Cruise Missiles
The French move to provide SCALP-EG air-launched cruise missiles comes after the U.K. delivered essentially identical missiles to Kyiv.
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Dozens Of Interceptors Fired As Kyiv Faced Most Complex Barrage Yet
Russia is throwing everything it’s got at Kyiv and Ukraine’s new Patriot batteries, which are likely the top targets, are responding in kind.
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Ukraine Situation Report: M1 Abrams Training Tanks Arrive In Germany
The tanks are not combat ready, but can be used to teach Ukrainians how to operate Abrams, the Pentagon said.
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Ukrainian Arms Dealer’s Experience Shopping At Special Ops Trade Show In The U.S.
A Ukrainian arms dealer told us what it’s like trying to procure weapons from U.S. companies for his country’s fight against Russia.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Kinzhal Missile Targeted Patriot Battery, Report Claims
As we predicted back in December, a report states that Russia targeted emissions from the Patriot system’s radar to locate and attack it.
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Evidence Of ADM-160 Miniature Air-Launched Decoy Use By Ukraine Emerges
The U.S.-made ADM-160 MALD is used to help clear paths through enemy air defenses for friendly aircraft and missiles.
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AC-130 Gunship Laser Weapon Program’s Future Is Looking Blurry
The AC-130’s AHEL was thought to be a top candidate for the first operational airborne laser weapon, but that may no longer be the case.
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Laser Rocket Firing Humvees Spotted In Service With Ukraine
Armored Humvees with four-shot laser-guided rocket pods offer Ukraine a quick moving precision attack capability against a wide variety of targets.
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Ukraine Situation Report: 35 Shahed-136s Attacked Kyiv Overnight
One man died in Odesa while several people were injured in Kyiv during the latest volley of Russian missile and drone strikes.
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Ukraine Isn’t Buying Wagner Boss’s Tirade About Pulling Out Of Bakhmut
Wagner boss Vevgeny Prigozhin said his troops will leave Bakhmut on May 10 over a lack of ammo, but Ukraine isn’t buying that threat.
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Multiple Russian Fuel Depots Hit By Suspected Drone Attacks, Tempo Increasing
Increasing attacks on fuel facilities in Russia and Crimea come ahead of a looming Ukrainian counteroffensive.
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Ukraine Situation Report: HIMARS Shown Being Stashed In ‘Soviet Bunker’
Ukraine’s info war is in full swing as “Capt. HIMARS” taunts Russian troops by saying, contrary to Kremlin claims, none have been destroyed.
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Drone Attack On The Kremlin In Moscow — Updated
An attack on arguably the most symbolic target in Russia would be a victory for Ukraine, but it could be used by Putin to rally support too.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Russian Guided Bombs A Growing Threat, Kyiv Claims
Ukraine is trying to make the case it needs more air defenses capable of shooting down Russian jets before they can launch guided bombs.
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Ukraine Situation Report: 100k Russian Casualties Since December, White House Says — Updated
Over 20,000 Russians were killed in Ukraine since December, according to White House National Security Council spokesman.
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F-22s Intercepted “Spherical Object” Off Hawaii In Latest Balloon Chase
The first indications that something was afoot was last Friday when a C-17 was asked to divert to investigate something near Hawaii.
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Massive Shockwave From Russian Strike May Have Been A Rocket Storage Facility Detonating
A chemical plant used to store old Soviet-era missiles was believed to be among the targets hit in a barrage that injured dozens.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Kyiv “More Than Ready” For Offensive, Defense Minister Says
Donated tanks and other vehicles have given Ukraine an “armored fist” needed to launch an offensive says Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Russia Beefed Up Defenses At Zaporizhzhia Nuke Plant
The fortifications were likely installed due to Russia’s concerns over an offensive that could run through the plant, the U.K. MoD says.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Wagner Boss Slams Russian Government For Lack Of Ammo
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner mercenary group, says Russians are dying needlessly in Bakhmut because of the lack of ammunition.
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Over Four Million Rounds Of Heavy Ammo Committed To Ukraine From U.S. So Far
Beyond artillery shells, rockets, mortars and tank rounds, the U.S. will provide Ukraine with more than 200 million small arms rounds.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Explosive Drones Are Getting Very Close To Moscow
Ukrainian long-range drones are creeping closer to Moscow, which could become a major issue for the Kremlin as the war drags on.
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Special Operations Forces Evacuate U.S. Embassy Personnel From Sudan
More than 100 troops evacuated about 70 embassy personnel and their dependents via a long-range helicopter mission due to fighting in Sudan.
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Ukraine Intel Chief Says Russian Arrest Threat Is “A Pleasure For Me”
A Moscow court arrested Ukrainian intel boss Maj. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov in absentia for the Kerch Bridge attack.
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Ukraine Situation Report: U.S. Patriot Missile Battery Has Been Delivered
The main focus of U.S. and allied aid to Ukraine will not be Western fighter jets, but ground-based air defenses like the Patriots.
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RQ-170 Sentinel Stealth Drones May Have Flown Sorties Off Crimea
A leaked document purports to provide details on the recent use of RQ-170s, and various other surveillance aircraft, in the Black Sea region.
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Bizarre Plot To Steal Russian Jets Ends In Ukrainians Charged With Treason
A commander was killed, troops were wounded and two jets were destroyed as a result of the failed operation, Ukrainian state security says.
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Pentagon UFO Czar Says Nothing Indicates Objects Are ET, Some May Be Chinese
Sean Kirkpatrick has “concerning indicators” that adversary technology may account for some of these unknown objects.
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Pentagon Gives Statement On Russian T-90 Tank Left At Truck Stop
The Pentagon confirmed that the Russian tank that found its way to Louisiana was indeed headed to Aberdeen Proving Ground.
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Germany Says It Delivered Patriot Missile Battery To Ukraine
The U.S. has also promised Ukraine a Patriot system, but the Pentagon is not saying when or if it has been delivered yet.
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Bradley Fighting Vehicles Have Arrived In Ukraine
The Pentagon on Tuesday gave the first official confirmation that the Bradley Infantry Fighting vehicles are indeed in Ukraine.
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Ukraine Situation Report: U.S. Troops For Embassy Support Only Pentagon Says
A Pentagon spokesperson on Monday pushed back against claims that U.S. and Russian forces are directly fighting each other in Ukraine.
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Digital Camouflage On Ukrainian Bradleys Sign Of Coming Combat Debut
American-supplied Bradley Fighting Vehicles are starting to get distinctive Ukrainian paint jobs as their deployment status remains murky.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Official Hints At New Weapons To Be Unleashed On Crimea
A top Ukrainian official hinted that “new types” of weapons may have caused explosions in Crimea, targeted by Kyiv for liberation.
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Destination Of Russian T-90 Tank Left At Truck Stop Comes Into Focus
The Russian T-90A tank taken off the battlefield in Ukraine appears to be headed to the Aberdeen Test Center.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Norwegians Laud Kyiv’s Tank Crews
Norwegian tank trainers say Ukrainian troops have been quick to learn how to operate Leopard 2 tanks donated by Oslo.
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Russian T-90 Tank From Ukraine Mysteriously Appears At U.S. Truck Stop
The tank was apparently captured by Ukraine last fall, but it is unclear how or why it ended up in Louisiana.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Russia Building Up Zaporizhzhia Fortifications
The fortifications will provide a significant obstacle to Ukrainian forces if Russia can man them, the U.K. Defense Ministry says.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Russia Adding ‘Cope Cages’ To TOS-1A
Under attack by Ukrainian drones, Russia is seeking ways to protect its TOS-1A multiple launch rocket systems from overhead attacks.
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Damage Assessment From Major War Plans Leak Underway In U.S., Ukraine
The classified documents could become a problem for the sharing of sensitive information between Ukraine and the U.S., as well as others.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Russian Border Towns Hit With Onslaught Of Attacks
For Russians, the war in Ukraine continues to have consequences at home as border towns were hit with attacks Thursday.
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Finland Buys Israel’s David’s Sling For Huge Air Defense Upgrade
David’s Sling is a huge upgrade for Finland’s air defenses and will protect the country from ballistic and other high-speed missiles.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Latest U.S. Aid Package Includes New Drone Defenses
The U.S. will provide Ukraine with new laser-guided anti-drone rocket systems and anti-drone 30mm gun trucks.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Polish MiG-29s Delivered
Initiatives to transfer at least some of Poland’s MiG-29s to Ukraine have come and gone for a year, making the delivery a major breakthrough.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Wagner Raised Its Flag In Central Bakhmut But Victory Looks Less Likely By The Day
While it appears that Wagner has entered central Bakhmut, it may have more psychological than military value.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Patriot Missile System’s Arrival Draws Near
The first 65 Ukrainian troops training on Patriot batteries at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, returned to Europe this week.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Wagner Has Up To 36,000 Troops In Bakhmut Says Top U.S. General
Bakhmut is “a slaughter-fest for the Russians” who “are getting hammered” there, Mark Milley told Congress.
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Ukraine Situation Report: France Denies It’s Looking To Buy Back UAE’s Mirage Jets For Kyiv
France says it is not looking to transfer Mirage fighters from the UAE to Ukraine after a report claiming that was the case surfaced.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Challenger Tanks, Stryker Armored Vehicles Arrive In Country
With the arrival of the new Western tanks and other armor, Ukraine’s Defense Minister said “our military zoo is expanding.”
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Balloon Intercepted By U.S. Air Force Over Texas
North American Aerospace Defense Command has confirmed that it scrambled aircraft to investigate a suspicious target of interest over Texas.
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Another U.S. Troop Injured After Follow-On Iranian-Backed Militia Attacks
Iranian-backed militias in Syria carried out two more attacks on U.S. forces using rockets and drones as the violence escalates.
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Nordic Air Defense Pact Combines Forces Of Hundreds Of Fighter Aircraft
Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden are working to combine air defense forces in the face of the Russian threat.
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F-15Es Strike Back After Deadly Iranian-Made Drone Attack On U.S. Base In Syria — Updated
The strikes came after a U.S. contractor was killed and five U.S. troops and another contractor wounded by an Iranian-made kamikaze drone.
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Purported Video Shows Drone Boats Blowing Up During Sevastopol Attack
Ukraine Situation Report: New video shows the drone boats making their runs on Sevastopol harbor, all ending in fiery explosions.
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Four Slovakian MiG-29s Flown Directly To Ukraine To Join Its Air Force
The Fulcrums are the first of 13 promised by Slovakia to Ukraine, which is in dire need of combat jets to battle Russia.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Sevastopol Attacked By Drones From Sea And Air
The multi-domain attack 140 miles from the front lines shows Ukraine still has the means to threaten Sevastopol.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Patriot Air Defenses To Arrive Sooner Than Anticipated
The delivery of a Patriot air defense system to Ukraine, which has no way to reliably defeat ballistic missiles now, is being accelerated.
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Ukrainian Drone Pilot’s Frontline Account Of Fighting Via Eyes In The Sky
Dodging incoming Russian mortars to spot where Russia is firing from is just a day in the life of a Ukrainian drone operator.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Explosions Rock Russian-Occupied Crimea
Ukrainian and Russian media outlets and Telegram channels reported an attack while Kyiv claims Kalibr missiles were destroyed.
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This Is What USAF’s Future E-7 Radar Jet Is Actually Capable Of
The E-7A Wedgetail is now set to replace the Air Force’s aging E-3 Sentry AWACS and we got a very in-depth look at its capabilities.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Arrest Warrant For Putin Issued Over War Crimes Allegations
Putin is accused of war crimes for illegally deporting Ukrainian children to Russia, but actually arresting him won’t be easy.
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Australia Cleared To Gain Tomahawk Cruise Missile Capability
The sale of Tomahawk cruise missiles to Australia will bolster that nation’s ability to defend itself against any future threat from China.
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Everything We Know About The Future SSN-AUKUS Submarine’s Configuration
SSN-AUKUS will be a ‘frankensubmarine’ based on the UK’s next attack submarine but with combat systems and other components from the U.S.
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Russian Su-27 Collided With U.S. MQ-9 Over Black Sea — Updated
Prior to the collision, two Russian Su-27s intercepted the MQ-9 and were dumping fuel on it, before one clipped the drone’s propeller.
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Australia Will Buy At Least Three U.S.-Made Virginia Class Submarines — Updated
The AUKUS deal will see Australia buy up to five U.S. nuclear submarines before acquiring boats of a new class based on a British design.
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Largest Volley Of Russian Hypersonic Kinzhal Missiles Ever Descended On Ukraine
Russia fired six Kh-47 hypersonic ballistic missiles Thursday, at Ukraine, a weapon Kyiv says it cannot yet defeat.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Russian Su-34 Fullback Goes Down In Flames Over Donetsk
Ukraine says it shot down the Su-34 Fullback jet over Donetsk while Russian sources suggest it could have been downed by friendly fire.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Conflicting Claims Over ‘Raid’ Inside Russia
Russia says Ukraine carried out a deadly raid inside its borders, but Kyiv disputes that claim, suggesting partisans caused any trouble.
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Ukraine Is Using Guided Rockets With More Range Than HIMARS-Launched Ones
Though produced in small numbers, the Vilkha-M can reach targets 68-miles away with a much larger warhead than the M31s fired by HIMARS.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Iran’s Barter Of Military Assistance To Russia Grows Deeper
Military cooperation between Moscow and Tehran is growing, which is bad news for Ukraine, says the National Security Council.
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First Leopard 2 Tanks Arrive In Ukraine
The first four of 14 Leopard 2 tanks promised by Poland are now in Ukraine, but donations from other countries have yet to arrive.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Kyiv Details Russia’s Scaled-Back Goals A Year Later
A year after launching its full-on invasion, Russia’s more focused operation is being effectively countered, a top Ukrainian general says.
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Mariupol Strikes Raise Questions About Possible New Ukrainian Long-Range Weapons
Mariupol is about 50 miles from the front lines, which is just outside of the range of Ukraine’s HIMARS or M270 systems.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Russian ICBM Test Failed During Biden’s Visit To Kyiv
A successful ICBM test while Biden was in Kyiv would have sent a signal, but the missile test failed, according to CNN.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Russia Isn’t Building Up Airpower Near Border Kyiv Says
There are no signs of a buildup of Russian aircraft near Ukraine’s borders and any attacks are likely to be from behind the front lines.
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Ukraine To Get Bradley M7 Vehicles To Act As Artillery Quarterbacks
The Bradley M7 BFIST will use its communications, computers, and laser to rapidly call in precision fires on the battlefield.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Though War Rages In East, Kyiv Keeps Eye On Crimea
Continuous attacks on Crimea highlight how despite the Russian offensive in the Donbas, the peninsula is still the ultimate goal.
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Ukraine Bought ‘All The Gas Trucks Available In Europe’ To Keep Fueled — Updated
Thanks to a massive influx from the U.S. and other allies, and buying thousands of fuel trucks, Ukraine says it has plenty of fuel.
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Balloons Shot Down Over Ukraine Point To New Russian Tactics
Cheap balloons with radar reflectors could expose useful details about Ukrainian air defenses and bait them into wasting valuable munitions.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Front Lines ‘Quite Stable’ Top U.S. General Says
So far, the Russian offensive is largely a “grinding battle of attrition” in and around Bakhmut, Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Mark Milley said.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Russia’s Offensive Has Begun Says NATO Chief
As Russia gets closer to capturing Bakhmut, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says its long-awaited offensive in the east is underway.
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F-16 Shoots Down “Octagonal Object” Over Lake Huron — Updated
For the third time in three days, an unknown object has been shot down, a U.S. Rep. from Michigan said Sunday.
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Ukraine Situation Report: This May Be Russia’s First Kamikaze Drone Boat Attack
If confirmed, the attack on a bridge south of Odesa would mark the first known use of this type of weapon by Russian forces.
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F-22 Shoots Down “Object” Flying High Over Alaskan Waters — Updated
The new high-altitude incident in U.S. airspace off the coast of Alaska follows recent revelations about Chinese spy balloons.
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Ukraine Situation Report: No New Ground Assault On Kyiv Expected
Ukraine’s parliament says a Russian offensive will likely come from the east or south while one expert says it is likely to come very soon.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Possible Tu-141 Strike Deep In Russia Shows Repurposed Warhead
Russia reported another attempted Tu-141 drone attack deep inside its borders, the latest in a series of such incidents.
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The Shooting Down Of China’s Spy Balloon In Moment-By-Moment Audio
Audio of the complex aerial ballet that downed the Chinese spy balloon at just the right time and place adds new detail to the operation.
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Budanov, Head Of Ukraine Military Intel, May Replace Reznikov As Defense Minister
If appointed, Budanov would take over Ukraine’s defense ministry at a key point in the defense against Russia’s full-on invasion.
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F-22 Shoots Down Chinese Spy Balloon Off Carolinas With Missile — Updated
After days spent floating over the U.S., the Chinese spy balloon was shot down and a collection operation is now underway off the Carolinas.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Kyiv Officially Getting Long-Range Rocket-Boosted Bomb
The Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb will enable Ukraine to hit targets at twice the distance of any weapon currently provided.
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C-130 Seaplane Program Put On Back Burner — Updated
Funding challenges and ‘reprioritization of capabilities’ has resulted in an indefinite delay of the C-130 floatplane’s test flight.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Russia Says It’s Relocating Citizens Near Border Due To Attacks
A Russian official told Putin that thousands of residents from border areas were resettled after Ukrainian attacks and more need to be.
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Ukraine Situation Report: The Battle For Dnipro River Islands
Ukraine captured Kherson City in November, but the two sides are fighting over nearby river islands, used by Russians to attack the city.
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Ukraine Situation Report: M2 Bradleys Have Begun Their Voyage To The Battlefield
The first shipment of more than 60 of 109 Bradley Fighting Vehicles promised to Ukraine has left a port in South Carolina.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Kyiv Improving Airfields Anticipating Western Fighters
Ukraine’s Air Force spokesman says work is underway to upgrade airfields for Western fighter jets even though none have been promised yet.
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This Is What M1 Abrams Tanks Will Bring To The Fight In Ukraine
Veteran Abrams tankers paint a picture of the great attributes and challenges M1s will bring to the fight.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Kyiv Claims New Combat Aircraft Has Been Determined
The Ukrainian Air Force spokesman didn’t say what type of aircraft, but did say money has been set aside for pilot training already.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Why Capturing The Small Town Of Kreminna Matters
Taking Kreminna could bust open the lines in Luhansk and put pressure on Russian forces advancing on Bakhmut.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Russian Casualties “Significantly Well Over 100K” Says Top U.S. General
General Milley said the losses on both sides are horrendous and that it will only end via negotiation once Russia has left Ukraine.
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No Western Tanks For Ukraine Announced After Allies Meet In Germany
While tanks were not on the list of donations, top U.S. General says Ukraine has the armor it needs to go on the offensive.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Battle Over Tanks For Kyiv Could Culminate Soon
The pressure to provide Ukraine with modern tanks has been building and now it seems like the logjam on Kyiv’s request could burst.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Germany And U.S. Play Chicken Over Tanks For Kyiv
Germany won’t allow its Leopard 2 tanks to go to Ukraine unless the U.S. sends Abrams tanks first, which isn’t happening any time soon.
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Error, Malfunction, Sabotage Investigated As Possible Fatal Ukrainian Helicopter Crash Causes — Updated
The Airbus H225M helicopter crashed in the town of Brovary, near Kyiv, with Ukraine’s Interior Minister onboard.
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Ukraine Situation Report: The Urban Hellscape That Is Maryinka
The pulverized city of Maryinka in Donetsk Oblast, where Ukrainian forces are still holding on, has been a battleground for nearly a decade.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Kyiv Says It Has No Defense Against Russia’s Kh-22 Missiles
Russia’s horrific Kh-22 missile attack on a Dnipro apartment complex highlights the need for better air defense systems, Ukraine says.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Movement To Give Kyiv Western Tanks Gains Steam
An announcement is anticipated about British Challenger 2 tanks heading to Ukraine while French AMX-10 RC armored vehicles will soon arrive.
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This Is What Stryker Armored Vehicles Could Bring To The Fight In Ukraine
Strykers, even with their known limitations, could provide Ukraine with a host of desperately needed capabilities, especially when combined with other forces.
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Highly Anticipated Government Report On UFOs Very Thin On New Details
The new report, which has been delayed for months now, offers little substantive detail on the government’s cataloged UAP reports.
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Ukraine Situation Report: U.S. Strykers, Modern European Tanks On The Table For Kyiv
Discussions are underway in Britain and Poland to provide Ukraine with modern tanks, while the U.S. is mulling sending Kyiv Strykers.
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Boosting Ukraine’s Maneuver Capabilities Focus of $3B U.S. Aid Package
The package, which includes M109 Paladins and hundreds more vehicles, is designed to “change the equation on the battlefield.”
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This Is What Bradley Fighting Vehicles Will Bring To The Fight In Ukraine — Updated
With an initial batch of M2 Bradleys now slated for Ukraine, we dive into what impact these iconic vehicles could have on the battlefield.
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M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicles Will Be Sent By U.S. To Ukraine
The U.S. and Germany announced they will provide heavy armor to Ukraine in the form of American Bradleys and German Marders.
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Ukraine Situation Report: More Iranian Kamikaze Drones Headed To Russia Says Kyiv
Ukraine officials claim Russia has used about 600 Iranian Shahed drones and will soon get several hundred more from Tehran.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Russian Strike In Donetsk Caught On Live TV
Ukraine pushed back on Russian claims that HIMARS were destroyed in a series of attacks, one captured live on French TV.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Troop Loss Catastrophe In Donetsk Outrages Russia’s Military Bloggers
Russia’s influential military bloggers lambast leadership for packing troops with little security discipline into a building with ammunition.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Russian Air Defenses Again Activated In Sevastopol
For the second time this month, air defenses were activated at the Black Sea Fleet’s home, which has come under numerous Ukrainian attacks.
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Ukraine Situation Report: No Damage Seen At Russian Bomber Base After Drone Attacks
Russia on Thursday claimed a third drone attack this month on or near the Engels Air Base, 300 miles from the border with Ukraine.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Pentagon May Give Kyiv Advanced HIMARS Fire Control System
The International Field Artillery Tactical Data Systems would make HIMARS even more lethal by providing better awareness of the battlefield.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Kyiv Struggling To Keep Captured Weapons In The Fight
Ukrainian troops are using tanks and other weapons captured from Russia, but keeping them operating is becoming a major issue.
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Ukraine Strikes Back At Bomber Base Deep Inside Russia
This is the second time Ukraine has executed long-range drone strikes on Engels Air Base located hundreds of miles inside Russia.
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First North Korean Drone Intrusion In Five Years Spurs South To Scramble
A South Korean KT-1 turboprop armed trainer crashed during the response to the provocative drone incursion.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Strategic City Of Melitopol Could Be Kyiv’s Next Target
Russia is fortifying Melitopol in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, which could become Ukraine’s jumping-off point into Crimea.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Russia Now Focused On ‘Liberating’ Donetsk
After massive losses, Russian, which once expected to conquer Ukraine in days, has further downsized its immediate military objectives.
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Ukraine’s Patriot Missiles Will Take “Several Months” To Arrive
President Zelensky was thankful for the long-requested Patriot battery, but it will take time to train crews and deploy them to the combat zone.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Zelensky Secures Patriot Missiles, ‘Precision Aerial Munitions’ during U.S. Visit
A Patriot air defense battery tops the latest list of military assistance for Ukraine officially announced as part of Zelensky’s U.S. visit.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Zelensky Headed To Washington, Will Get Patriot Missiles — Updated
News of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s planned visit to D.C. came hours after he visited his troops in war-torn Bakhmut.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Russia Training Belarus Pilots To Fly Jets With ‘Special Warheads’
Lukashenko thanked Putin for handing over nuclear-capable Iskander short-range ballistic missiles and S-400 defense systems.
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Pentagon’s New UFO Office: No Aliens But Many Threat Concerns
The Pentagon’s new office isn’t just investigating new sightings, it’s also looking back decades for info on other U.S. UFO programs.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Kyiv Expects Major Russian Offensive In The New Year
Despite its battlefield successes, Ukraine is bracing for a new Russian offensive backed by hundreds of thousands of draftees.
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Patriot Missile Batteries In Ukraine Would Be Top Targets For Russia
In Ukraine, the Patriot air defense system would face threats unlike any it’s faced before, but they would still be a very tough target.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Russia Relying On ‘Degraded’ Ammo Says Pentagon
Russia, which is running out of fresh ammunition, is increasingly relying on rockets and artillery sheels made 40 years ago, the Pentagon says.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Putin Makes New Nuclear ‘First Use’ Threat
Putin said he is mulling the idea of changing Russian military doctrine to include the potential for a “preventative” nuclear first strike.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Champagne Glass In Hand, Putin Vows More Energy Grid Attacks
After saying Ukraine “started it,” Putin made a veiled vow to continue strikes against its energy infrastructure.
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Spurred By Ukraine, Massive Munitions Restocking Plan in Proposed Pentagon Budget
The bill would replenish supplies of HIMARS, Stingers, Javelins and other items sent to Ukraine, and stock-up for future wars.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Russia Ran Out Of Iranian Shahed-136 Drones Says Kyiv
Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones were last seen over Ukraine about three weeks ago and its Air Force says Russian likely has none left.
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Ukraine Situation Report: War Spills Over Into Moldova Again
A missile component, likely from Ukrainian air defenses, fell onto Moldovan territory after another massive Russian attack on Ukraine.
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B-21 Raider Test Pilots Talk About Its Upcoming First Flight
Working in simulators and testing systems on a surrogate Gulfstream jet, these test pilots are preparing to make the B-21’s first flight.
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This Is The B-21 Raider Stealth Bomber — Updated
The B-21 isn’t just America’s next stealth bomber, it’s the most advanced aircraft ever built and we’re finally allowed to see it.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Another Body Count Controversy
A misstatement during a speech calling for an investigation into Russian war crimes highlighted sensitivity over battlefield body counts.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Russian Artillery Advantage Diminishing
For a variety of reasons, the ratio of Russian artillery volleys compared to Ukrainian ones is decreasing, a Pentagon official said.
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Ukraine Situation Report: The Bloody Battle for Bakhmut
The long fight over Bakhmut has resulted in many casualties, little ground gained, and transformed the area into a WWI-like hellscape.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Kyiv Gets Sea King Helicopters From Britain
The helicopters, which were last used by Britain in 2018, will serve as utility and search rescue platforms for Ukraine.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Battle For Kinburn Spit Underway
Ukraine hopes to recapture strategic Black Sea peninsula that serves as a chokepoint for two rivers and a Russian artillery stronghold.
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Sevastopol Just Came Under Ukrainian Aerial Drone Attack
Crimean occupation officials claim that multiple drones were shot down in what appears to have been a coordinated attack.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Germany Deploying Patriots to Poland’s Border
Ukraine hopes that the Patriot battery Germany will send to Poland can protect its skies from Russia as well.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Total Victory For Kyiv ‘A Very Difficult Task’ Says Top U.S. General
Mark Milley, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, gave his official point of view on what’s next for the war in Ukraine.
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Ukrainian Surface-To-Air Missile Likely To Blame For Deadly Incident In Poland NATO Says — Updated
Evidence is growing that an errant Ukrainian missle killed two Polish citizens, but NATO says Russia is still ultimately responsible.
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Ukraine Situation Report: White House Seeks $37B For Kyiv
If this latest White House emergency request for Ukraine is passed, the total U.S. aid for Kyiv this year will top $100 billion.
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Missile Hits Poland After Crossing Ukraine Border: Reports — Updated
The incident raises longstanding concerns about the war spilling beyond Ukraine’s borders into a NATO member nation.
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Massive Russian Missile Barrage Plunges Much of Ukraine Into Darkness — Updated
Scores of Russian missiles hit Ukraine’s power grid today, leaving many without electricity with temperatures set to drop below freezing.
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Ukraine Situation Report: No Russian Cruise Missile, Iranian Drone Strikes In Past Week Kyiv Says
The pause in missile and Iranian drone strikes is being chalked up to Russia’s dwindling stockpile of those weapons.
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Ukraine Situation Report: What Comes Next After Kherson?
While Ukrainians are jubilant about the liberation of Kherson City, the road ahead remains perilous.
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Ukraine’s Shadowy Kamikaze Drone Boats Officially Break Cover
Ukraine hopes to raise enough money to build 100 of these unmanned surface vessels to counter Russia’s Black Sea Fleet
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Ukraine Situation Report: Rumors Swirl Around Bombardment of Russians Fleeing Kherson
Reports state that retreating Russian troops are apparently panicking as Ukrainian forces close the noose around Kherson City.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Kyiv Reinforcing Belarus Border, Capital
Despite deploying a massive amount of resources to the east and south, Ukraine has beefed up its forces to the north and is reinforcing Kyiv.
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Russia Proclaims Its Retreat From Kherson City — Updated
Russian military leaders say they saw no alternative but to withdraw from Kherson City, even though it is a major blow to Putin’s plans.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Russia Traded Captured Weapons To Iran For Drones New Report Claims
Iran will likely try to reverse engineer and attempt to clone the captured shoulder-fired U.S. and U.K. missiles.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Kyiv Lauds Arrival Of NASAMS, Aspide Air Defense Systems
The new air defense systems arrive as Ukrainian authorities are trying to cope with massive Russian attacks on their electrical power systems.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Russian Troop Mobilizations Hit 318,000
Faced with increasing losses on the battlefield, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the latest tally of mobilized reservists.
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Ukraine To Get 90 T-72B Tanks From Czech Republic
The U.S. and Netherlands will split the $90 million cost to refurbish the Czech tanks as part of a $400 million aid package announced Friday.
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Ukrainian Gunboat Struck By Russian Lancet Loitering Munition — Updated
The Gyurza-M class patrol boat, one of just seven Ukrainian built, is seen being struck by a Lancet in a newly surfaced video.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Russian Flag Removal in Kherson City Is A Trap Kyiv Says
There are indications that Russia may be abandoning Kherson City, but Ukraine says they are digging in for a long fight.
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Ukraine Situation Report: North Korea Covertly Arming Russia
After losing many ammo depots to attack, eight months of conflict, and not being able to mobilize its own industry, Russia is in need of ammo.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Attacks Behind Russian Lines Crippling War Effort
Ukraine’s ‘partisan’ fighters are disrupting Russian military operations and attacking collaborators, hampering Moscow’s progress.
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Russia Getting More Iranian Drones, Missiles Coming Soon: Ukraine Intelligence
The weapons will travel via the Caspian Sea and by air, making any effort to interdict them, if there was a will to do so, nearly impossible.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Russian Revenge Strikes Further Target Power Grid
Vladimir Putin said the strikes on Ukraine power infrastructure were in retaliation of Saturday’s Ukrainian attack on Sevastopol.
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Russia Shells Ukraine Grain Barge, Suspends Shipping Corridor Deal
Though the port of Ochakiv is not part of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Russian shelling of barges there highlights the dangers.
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Ukraine Unleashes Mass Kamikaze Drone Boat Attack On Russia’s Black Sea Fleet Headquarters
Russia says Ukrainian aerial drones and unmanned surface vessels targeted the home of its Black Sea Fleet, damaging at least a minesweeper.
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Ukraine’s Intel Chief On How The War Ends, Putin’s Nuclear Threats, Iranian Drones, And More
In a wide-ranging interview with The War Zone, Ukrainian Maj. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov answers our questions about the war and where it’s headed.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Kyiv Moves More Troops to Belarus Border
Facing drone attacks from Belarus and concerned about Russian troop movements there, Ukraine is bolstering its northern defense.
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Ex-Afghan Commandos Fighting For Russia In Ukraine: Last Afghan Army Boss — Updated
The Afghan Army’s last commander told The War Zone former Afghan troops, recruited by Iran and Russia, are already fighting in Ukraine.
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Same Type of Rotax Engines Used in Iranian Drones Targeted In Bizarre Theft Wave — Updated
After Ukraine displayed an Iranian drone with a Rotax 912 motor, the global targeting of those engines by criminals is even more intriguing.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Intel Chief Says Russia Is Reinforcing Kherson City
Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence chief expects Kherson to be recaptured by year’s end, but Russia looks like it is preparing to fight for it.
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Russia’s Growing Dirty Bomb Threat Narrative Is Highly Concerning
Russia has no proof as to Ukraine’s dirty bomb intent or even a logical reason why it would use one, but it is spinning that narrative.
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Russian Su-30 Flanker Nosedives Into Residential Area Updated
The Su-30 just took off on a flight from the nearby aircraft plant when it dived into the ground resulting in a large fireball.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Russias Kherson Pontoon Bridge Attacked
Russia’s ability to move equipment and cargo across the river is critical to supplying its troops in Kherson or evacuating them.
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Ukraine Has Received Over A Million Artillery Rounds From The US
Ukraine’s fight against Russia has gobbled up an incredible amount of artillery rounds, with over a million provided by the U.S. alone
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Ukraine Situation Report: Russia Rigged Kherson Dam to Explode Zelensky Claims
Blowing up the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant dam on the Dnipro River would create a “large-scale disaster” said Ukraine’s president.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Russian Attacks On Power Plants Spur Emergency Actions
With nearly a third of Ukrainian power plants attacked, President Volodymyr Zelensky ordered electricity supply restrictions.
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F-35 Has Crashed At Hill Air Force Base — Updated
A pilot ejected and emergency crews are responding to an F-35 that crashed at Hill Air Force Base in Utah.
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Russia Completes Pontoon Bridge Across Dnipro River in Kherson
The bridge’s completion comes as Russia orders citizens out of Kherson, which could complicate Ukrainian efforts to destroy the crossing.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Iranian Officials Admit To Selling Russia Ballistic Missiles — Updated
Iranian officials told Reuters the country will sell hundreds of short range ballistic missiles, plus more drones, to Russia
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Ukraine Situation Report: Retaking Kherson City is Critical
If Ukraine can capture Kherson City and control both sides of the river, it could open the door for liberating southern Ukraine.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Small Gains Big Troop Losses For Both Sides
Ukraine’s troops have gotten close enough to Russian forces in Kherson and Kharkiv that it’s reduced the use of HIMARS, the Pentagon says.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Gaining Ground in Kherson
There are reports that Russians are starting to evacuate residents of Kherson, an indication that Ukraine’s southern offensive is succeeding.
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Israel’s Arrow 3 Anti-Ballistic Missile System Eyed For New European Air Defense Alliance
As they watch the ongoing Russian missile and drone barrages in Ukraine, 15 nations have formed the European Sky Shield Initiative.
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Ukraine Situation Report: New U.S. Security Strategy Was Delayed By Rapidly Evolving War
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the many lessons learned from it delayed the release of Biden’s new national security strategy.
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Patriot Suggested As Possible Air Defense System For Ukraine By Top U.S. General
The U.S. and its allies are working faster to provide an integrated air defense system for Ukraine after Russia bombarded its cities.
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Ukraine Situation Report: U.S. To Rush Delivery of NASAMS Air Defense Systems
Ukraine also received its first of four promised IRIS-T SLM air defense systems from Germany and four more HIMARS from the U.S.
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Ukraine Situation Report: German IRIS-T SLM Air Defense System Arriving In Days
Ukraine says Monday’s massive Russian missile and drone barrage on civilian targets is further proof it needs improved air defense systems.
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U.S. Central Command Eyes Solar Gliders, Blimps To Plug Surveillance Gap
There are fewer intelligence gathering assets available to CENTCOM today, which is looking for solutions to overcome these shortfalls.
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Russia’s Kerch Strait Bridge Reopens to Very Limited Road, Rail Traffic
Here are all the new details surrounding the explosion on Russia’s Kerch Strait Bridge now that night has fallen across the tense Sea of Azov
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Explosion Rocks Russia’s Prized Kerch Strait Bridge Leading to Crimea Updated
The vital link between Russia and Crimea, Moscow’s prized Kerch Strait Bridge, has been severed by a massive explosion.
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How Fighter Jet Pilots Could Stop Worrying and Learn To Love The Drone
From tablets to voice commands, Raytheon’s Department 22 is working out how best to join fighter pilots and drones into a collaborative team.
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Ukrainian Kamikaze Drone Attacks Bomber Base Deep In Russia — Updated
A Ukrainian drone attacked a Russian Tu-22M bomber base, which has been a hub for strikes on Ukrainian targets, far across the border.
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U.S. Special Operators Carry Out Helicopter Raid on ISIS Leader In Syria Updated
The rare U.S. special operations raid into Syrian-government held territory killed one and captured others, according to Syrian state media.
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North Korea Fires Two More Ballistic Missiles
The latest North Korean ballistic missile launch comes as the U.S. Navy’s aircraft carrier U.S.S. Ronald Reagan is operating nearby.
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Why Japan Didn’t Try To Intercept The North Korean Ballistic Missile
Japan can shoot down intermediate range ballistic missiles, but there are good reasons for not trying to do so under various circumstances.
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Ballistic Missile Failure Caused Explosion At South Korean Airbase Updated
The explosion occurred during a South Korean Hyunmoo-2 ballistic missile launch intended as a response to North Korea’s own launch.
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North Korea Fires Missile Over Japan For First Time In Five Years — Updated
Residents were urged to seek shelter after North Korea fired an apparent ballistic missile over Japan that landed in the Pacific Ocean.
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Turkey Launches 326-Foot Warship For Ukraine, Won’t Arrive Until 2024
It is unclear at the moment how the Ada-class corvette Hetman Ivan Mazepa, part of a $256 million, two-ship deal, will be armed.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Putin Claims More of Ukraine, Zelensky Applies to NATO
Putin made bellicose speech announcing the annexation of four Ukrainian regions while Zelensky asked NATO to rush its membership application.
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Hurricane Hunter P-3 Launched New Low Flying Drone Into Ian
The flight marked the first time the ALTIUS-600 drone was flone into a hurricane and NOAA officials saw it as a success.
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Geriatric E-3 Sentry Has Caused Dire Airborne Early Warning Gap: General
“We are 20 years late getting Wedgetail into the fleet,” says Gen. Mark Kelly, head of Air Combat Command
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Ukraine Situation Report: Kyiv Continues to Rack Up Small Gains
Bigger battles are looming in Donbas, where Ukraine hopes to continue its string of victories and Russia hopes to blunt that momentum.
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New Details On The Secretive Air Force Plan For Teaming Fighter Pilots With Drones
Needing to balance solving unknowns about the Collaborative Combat Aircraft against demand for its disruptive abilities is driving decisions.
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C-130 Seaplane Should Fly In 2023 Says Air Force Special Ops Commander
Faced with a potential fight against China across vast swaths of ocean, the amphibious C-130 could soon finally become a reality.
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Drones Teamed With Manned Aircraft Will Help Counter China: Pacific Air Forces Chief
Pairing manned and unmanned aircraft will present China with multiple dilemmas, the head of U.S. Air Forces Pacific says.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Russia Loses Another Key City
Ukraine has fully captured the city of Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast as the Pentagon says NASAMs air defense systems will be delivered soon.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Top US Marine Praises Battlefield Lessons Learned
Ukraine’s military successes bode well for Commandant David Berger’s new vision for the U.S. Marine Corps.
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Cold Water Poured on Navy’s Unmanned Surface Vessel Ambitions By Veteran Lawmaker
Iran’s capture of two U.S. Navy unmanned surface vessels has spurred questions about the service’s unmanned future.
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Ukraine Situation Report: After Russian Retreat, Witnesses Claim Torture
As Ukraine troops retake large swaths of territory, Ukrainians report Russian brutality during the occupation.
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The Latest Amernia-Azerbaijan Flareup Explained
Each side claims dozens were killed and blames the other for this latest outburst in violence between the two former Soviet Republics.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Kyiv Consolidates Gains After Routing Russia
Ukrainian military leaders remain wary of a possible Russian counterattack after their swift drive deep into enemy-held territory.
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Chinese Alloy Is In Every F-35, Pentagon Seeks Waiver To Continue Deliveries
The Chinese alloy issue is another example of problems with the defense industrial base supply chain, Pentagon’s top weapons buyer says.
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Death Gun Salutes Honoring Queen Elizabeth II Thunder Around Globe
In England, and around the world, artillery units fired off death gun salutes of 96 rounds, one for each year of Queen Elizabeth’s life.
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Meticulously Planned Logistics Operation Underway To Celebrate Queen’s Life
Operation Unicorn and Operation London Bridge are now well underway in the wake of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
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F-35 Deliveries Halted After Chinese Alloy Discovered In Key Component Updated
The alloy was found in Honeywell-built turbomachine pumps that provide critical power functions to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
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How the U.S. Rushed Harpoon Anti-Ship Missiles to Ukraine — Updated
A Pentagon official explained how the U.S. helped turn ship-based Harpoons into truck-based weapons used by Ukraine to sink two Russian ships.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Kharkiv Counter-Offensive May Have Begun
There are major indications that Ukraine has opened-up a second offensive in the northeast as its operation in the south gains ground.
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Russia Increasingly Feeling Sting Of War Behind The Lines
Every day, new targets inside Russia and Crimea are blowing up and by all indications this is just the beginning.
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Marines, Navy Still Flying Ospreys After Air Force Grounded Its Fleet
The Air Force grounded its fleet of 52 CV-22 Ospreys after a problem was found with the type’s critical clutch system slipping.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Zelensky Vows Revenge For Kharkiv Missile Strike
At least six people were killed and 16 wounded in an apparent Russian Kalibr cruise missile strike on a dormitory.
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Ukraine Situation Report: U.S. Told Kyiv Russia Planned To Seize Hostomel Airport
A new report details the lengths the U.S. went through to convince Ukraines’ president and the world that Russia would attack.
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Russian Military Installations In Crimea Explode
The latest incidents come exactly a week after mysterious explosions destroyed several aircraft at the Saki Air Base on Crimea.
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China Promises ‘Taiwan Encirclement’ Drills Will Continue
China responded to the latest visit to Taiwan by U.S. lawmakers with military drills it says will be ongoing.
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Navy Embarked MH-60R Helicopter Aboard Coast Guard Cutter
The experiment of embarking a top-end Navy MH-60R Seahawk aboard a Legend-class cutter is likely a glimpse of the future.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Demands to Demilitarize Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Plant Grow
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency renewed his call for access to Europe’s largest nuclear power facility.
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The Intricacies Of F35 Operations Over The Frigid Alaskan Frontier
Now with 54 F-35s on hand, Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska is fine-tuning how it operates its fleet and how it projects power abroad.
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Russian Airbase In Crimea Erupts In Massive Explosions — Updated
If Ukraine did strike the base, it would be further evidence that the war has arrived in the Russian-occupied stronghold of southern Crimea.
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New Chinese Drills Spark Fears Of Prolonged Squeeze On Taiwan
The Pentagon warns that China’s military actions are trying to intimidate Taiwan and the West and create a “new normal.”
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Sky Over Israel Lights Up After Killing Of Palestinian Islamic Jihad Leader
The latest duel between Israel’s Dome system and Palestinian rockets has the potential to grow into a wider crisis.
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Keeping The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye On Top Into The 2040s
The E-2’s into its sixth decade in the air and has never been more potent. Here’s how the Navy and Northrop Grumman plan to keep it that way.
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Watch This NATO Tanker Make A Landing With A Dangling Refueling Hose
The Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport jet made an emergency landing in the Netherlands after it could not retract its refueling hose.
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F-35s, Many Other Types, Grounded Over Ejection Seat Issues — Updated
Problems with explosive cartridges in the Martin-Baker ejection seat have grounded hundreds of Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps aircraft.
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C-17’s Airstream ‘Silver Bullet’ VVIP Pods Weren’t Airworthy For 20 Years
After more than two decades, a replacement for the Silver Bullet is on the way that will finally be fully airworthy.
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F-22 Raptors Are Heading To Poland
The F-22 is making its first appearance in the European theater since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began over five months ago.
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Are There Enough Guided Rockets For HIMARS To Keep Up With Ukraine War Demand?
Ukraine is burning through guided artillery rockets to great effect, but even with tens of thousands stockpiled, the U.S. could find its supply under pressure.
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Big South Korea-Polish Arms Deal Includes FA-50 Fighters, K2 Tanks, K9 Howitzers
The deal is a win for Poland that needs modern weapons fast and for South Korea’s defense industry.
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“I’ve yet to find one that had aliens,” Says NORAD Boss About UAP
NORAD boss says nothing’s changed operationally due to UAPs as the DoD rebrands its office for them and tasks it with a bigger mission.
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No Engine, No Fly: Ongoing Propulsion Program Problems Are Grounding F-35s
Lack of spare parts and engines, an under-investement depot-level infrastructure, and much more, have put the F135 engine program under fire.
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China’s Nuclear Powered Super Long-Range Torpedo Concept Fits Concerning Pattern
The torpedoes would be powered by disposble nuclear reactors, which would be dumped on the sea floor, and could travel over 6,000 miles.
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How The New Hypersonic Weapons Tracking Constellation Will Work
A $1.3B deal announced on Monday will expand a program to send hundreds of satellites into orbit for tracking hypersonic weapons.
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Meet Lt. Amanda “Stalin” Lee, First Woman Blue Angels Jet Demo Pilot
Currently a single-ship Super Hornet demo pilot, Lt. Amanda Lee has enlisted roots and is now about to make history with the Blue Angels.
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First Woman Blue Angels Jet Demonstration Pilot Selected — Updated
The iconic Navy aerobatic team has made history by selecting its first woman member of its core six-jet display cadre.
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Ukraine Gets First M270 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems
The M270 in Ukrainian hands is bad news for the Russians who are already suffering from HIMARS attacks.
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New CMV-22B Osprey “A Game-Changer,” Says Navy Air Boss
The CMV-22B Osprey was lauded for it’s range, payload and mission flexibility following its first operational deployment.
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Ukraine Situation Report: More Russian Ammo Dumps Blown Up
Ukraine’s effort to deplete Russia’s stock of artillery shells and other explosives where it is stored shows no signs of slowing.
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China “Will Challenge Us In Our Port And Beyond” Says Top Marine
Ports, other logistics hubs and command and control centers would be heavily targeted in any conflict with China.
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Giant Explosions Rock More Russian Ammunition Depots In Ukraine
It’s clear that Ukraine is executing a major campaign targeting Russian ammo depots in order to blunt their terrifying artillery assaults.
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Video Of Ukraine’s Missile Attack On Russian-Occupied Black Sea Gas Rig Emerges
Three weeks after Ukraine attacked, the Russian-held Black Sea gas rig is still burning.
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Four More HIMARS Launchers Heading To Ukraine Bringing Total To 12
This latest round of weapons deliveries from the U.S. to Ukraine will also include 1,000 precision-guided 155mm artillery shells.
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Russia’s Giant Nuclear Torpedo-Carrying Submarine Declared Operational
Belgorod is one of Russia’s most versatile and feared weapons, built with espionage and launching nuclear powered, nuclear-armed torpedoes in mind.
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UFO Whistleblowers Would Get Immunity Under New Amendment
The language would give government employees and contractors immunity from reprisal for coming forward about UFO encounters and programs.
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Ukraine Plants Flag On Snake Island, Russians Claim Deadly Response
Flying the Ukraine flag over the battered Black Sea outpost is a major victory for Ukraine.
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Ukraine Disputes Russia’s Proofless Claim It Destroyed HIMARS Launchers
Russia’s HIMARS destruction statement has no evidence to back it up and Ukraine is saying it never happened.
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Israel-Arab Air Defense Alliance A Real Possibility Due To Iran Threat
In an exclusive interview with The War Zone, former CENTCOM commander Frank McKenzie talks about the Middle East Air Defense Alliance.
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Snake Island Bombardment Continued Even After The Russians Left
The Russians didn’t want weapons to fall into Ukrainian hands. Ukraine wanted to destroy them before Russia tried to retrieve them.
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Meet The Shadowy Ukrainian Unit That Sabotages Targets Inside Russia
Known as the Shaman Battalion, these Ukraine special operations troops infiltrate into Russian territory to strike key targets.
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Here’s What’s In Biden’s European Troop Boost Plan
The Pentagon won’t say how many new troops will go to Europe, but additional destroyers and air combat capabilities are part of the plan.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Turkey Cuts NATO Membership Deal With Finland, Sweden
Turkey agreed to allow Finland and Sweden to join NATO in exchange for concessions on Kurdish resistance groups.
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Ukraine Situation Report: Cross-Border Sabotage Raids And CIA Operatives in Kyiv
A clearer image is coming into view of the clandestine aspects of Ukraine’s defense as Russian missiles strike a crowded mall.
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Ukraine Says It Destroyed More Russian Air Defenses On Snake Island
Russia denies any damage to its air defense systems on Snake Island, instead claiming Ukraine suffered losses during an attack.
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Russian ‘Boomerang’ Missile Video Explained By Air Defense Expert
A veteran air defense operator has some ideas as to what could have led to this spectacular mishap in Ukraine.
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These Are The Riverine Patrol Boats Ukraine Is Getting From The U.S.
The shallow-draft vessels will greatly augment Ukraine’s current riverine fleet, made up largely of converted fishing and pleasure boats.
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Battle For Snake Island Rages On, Ukraine Says
As the fight over Snake Island continues, Ukraine says it finally received the M412 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS)
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Here’s What’s In The House’s Massive $37B Defense Budget Boost
If the House Armed Services Committee’s current amendment were passed in full, it would result in the biggest primary defense budget ever.
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NATO Member Estonia Says Russian Helicopter Intruded Into Its Airspace
Lithuania and Denmark have also reported Russian aircraft incursions into their territory as tensions mount over Moscow’s war on Ukraine.
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Navy Patrol Ship Had Hostile Encounter With Iranian Boats In Strait Of Hormuz
Monday’s incident is the latest between U.S. and Iranian forces in nd around the Strait of Hormuz.
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Hawker Hunter Aggressor Jet Crashes Off North Carolina — Updated
Hawker Hunters operated by private contractor ATAC have been flying off the coast recently as part of US Navy training in the area.
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Ukraine Attacks Russian-Occupied Oil Platforms, Snake Island Strike Rumors Swirl
The northwestern Black Sea is becoming more of a free-fire zone with each passing day and it will only become more-so as new weapons arrive.
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Cascading Issues Keeping Air Force, Navy Planes Grounded Watchdog Says
The GAO has a new report out on Air Force and Navy aircraft readiness and it isn’t pretty.
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Nighttime U.S. Helicopter Raid Captures ‘Senior Daesh Leader’ In Syria — Updated
The helicopters were seen flying fast and very low with their lights off over northwestern Syria.
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Two Americans Feared Captured By Russians In Ukraine — Updated
The State Department said it’s aware of “unconfirmed” reports of Americans captured by Russians and urged citizens not to fight in Ukraine.
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National Guard Accidentally Uses Nazi Tank Video To Celebrate U.S. Army’s Birthday
After realizing its mistake, the National Guard removed the Tweet containing the Nazi tank video.
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San Antonio Class Could Be Motherships For Undersea Drones With New System
The plan is to prove that large unmanned undersea vehicles can be launched and recovered by the Navy’s well deck-equipped amphibious ships.
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Illicit Trade of Chinese Shoulder-Fired Surface-To-Air Missiles Increasing
Small Arms Survey said it is still too early to say what might happen with the thousands of MANPADS flowing into Ukraine.
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Navy, Marine Aviation Takes ‘Safety Pause’ Today After Recent Crashes
After three recent crashes – two fatal – Naval Air Forces wants to review risk management and other practices.
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SEAL-Doctor-Astronaut Jonny Kim Is Adding Pilot To His Crazy Resume
The ‘wouldn’t believe it if it weren’t true’ list of accomplishments of Astronaut Jonny Kim keeps growing. Now he’s becoming a pilot.
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The Afghan Army’s Last Commander On How His Country Really Fell
Haibatullah Alizai recounts the final five harrowing days of his government and how he reluctantly became the Afghan Army’s last general.
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Sea Mines Could Prevent Ukraine Grain Shipments For Months
Even if a deal is reached to allow grain shipments from Ukraine, sea mines could make doing so impossible for months.
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Ground-Based Tor SAM System Seen Strapped To Russian Black Sea Warship
Placing the Tor surface-to-air missile system on the Corvette was likely an improvised countermeasure following the sinking of the Moskva.
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Low, Fast And Dangerous: A Firsthand Account Of Ukraine’s Secret Helicopter Rescue Missions
In an exclusive interview, one rescuer describes the helicopter missions into the besieged Azovstal Steel plant in Russian-occupied Mariupol.
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Air Force’s Next Generation Dominance ‘Fighter’ Program Enters New Stage
The goal now is to turn the Next Generation Air Dominance program into a real capability by the end of the decade.
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Germany To Give IRIS-T Air Defense System To Ukraine
Chancellor Olaf Scholz has officially promised to deliver Germany’s highly advanced IRIS-T SLM air defense system to Ukraine.
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Navy Finally Sends Littoral Combat Ship To Middle East
The Navy wants to retire USS Sioux City and other LCSs like it despite the deployment that comes 14 years after the type entered service.
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Captured Russian Weapons Are Packed With U.S. Microchips
Ukraine intelligence showed us lists of mostly U.S.-made microchips it says were found on captured or destroyed Russian military equipment.
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Inside Ukraines Daring Helicopter Missions Into Russian-Occupied Mariupol
With Ukrainian troops besieged in a massive steel plant and under constant fire from Russian forces, helicopter crews sprung into action.
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63-Year-Old Retired Russian Fighter Pilot Shot Down In Su-25 Over Ukraine
Like Top Gun’s Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, retired Russian Maj. Gen. Kanamat Botashev was a hot dog who broke the rules.
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$800M Needed To Build A New An-225 Myria Cargo Jet Zelensky Says
Oleksandr Halunenko, the An-225’s first pilot, says doing so won’t be easy and will end up a very different aircraft.
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Eaglet Air-Launched Drone Aims To Help Its Mothership Survive In Army Tests
Eaglet could keep existing large, slow, unstealthy drones relevant over the battlefield by working to decoy, jam, and attack threats to them.
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No, U.S. Tankers Didn’t Refuel Israeli Jets Taking Part In Iran Strike Exercise
Israel’s largest training exercise simulates an attack on Iranian nuclear facilities. The U.S. is watching, but not taking part.
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Ex-Green Berets Say Horse Soldier Lessons Ring True In Ukraine
Small, fast and nimble forces have helped Ukraine batter Russia, just like Green Beret forces did against the Taliban two decades ago.
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Ukraine Might Get IRIS-T SLM Surface-To-Air Missle System: Reports
The deal could provide Ukraine with its first advanced western air defense system that would fill a role similar to that of the SA-11 Buk.
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Debacle On The Donets: How Russian Forces Got Obliterated Trying To Cross A River
Russia wants to encircle Ukrainian troops on a key part of the battlefield, but they can’t cross the river in order to do so without getting killed.
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Commander In Ukraine Wants Quiet Electric Bikes For His Sniper Teams
U.S. special operations forces have eyed electronic motorbikes to swiftly sneak up on enemies and now Ukrainian forces are following suit.
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First Public UFO Hearing In Over 50 Years To Be Held By Congress Next Week
Congress will hold its first open hearings on UFOs since the end of Project Blue Book over five decades ago.
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No Surrender To Russians Says Besieged Azovstal Plant Defender
Putin wants a Victory Day parade in Mariupol as defenders of the last bastion of Ukrainian control in the city say they’ll fight to the end.
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Russian Armor Losses Validate Marines’ Decision To Dump Their Tanks Says General
If the Marine Corps should find itself in need of support from tanks, their plan has a familiar ring. Send in the Army.
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Russia Pummels Besieged Azovstal Steel Plant
Ukraine’s last bastion in Mariupol is a deep labyrinth of tunnels and bunkers that makes assaulting the complex extremely treacherous.
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Marines Based Inside China’s Striking Distance Key To Deterrence General Says
Force Design 2030 will work because it is better for Marines to be forward than to fight their way in, says Lt. Gen. Karsten Heckl.
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An-225 Mriyas First Pilot On The Tragic Destruction Of The Worlds Biggest Plane
Hero test pilot Oleksandr Halunenko on flying the An-225 and surviving Russia’s invasion only to find his beloved giant jet destroyed.
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Ukraine Worried It Can’t Train Enough Troops On Javelins
Javelins have killed Russian armor. But now there are concerns about supply and the ability to train Ukrainian troops.
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Ukrainian Officer’s Defiant Dispatch From Inside Mariupol’s Besieged Steel Plant
Ukrainians holed up at the Azovstal Steel Plant are running low on food and ammunition, but they say they will fight to the very end.
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The Navy’s First Medical Ship In 35 Years Will Be Unlike Any Before It
While not a one-to-one replacement for either of the Navy’s huge medical ships, the new vessels will go places they can’t.
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Raytheon Is Unable To Make Stinger Anti-Aircraft Missiles Quickly Enough
The Pentagon hasn’t bought a new Stinger in 18 years. But its success in Ukraine against Russia has industry scrambling to make more.
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Secretary of Defense Austin Remained in Nuclear Chain of Command During Kyiv Trip
A Russian attack on Ukraine rail lines highlighted the dangerous nature of the Austin-Blinken trip into a war zone.
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Navy Plans To Rid Itself Of Cruisers In Just Five Years
The Navy is looking to retire all of its remaining Ticonderoga class cruisers within just half a decade.
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Nimitz Class Carriers Could Serve Longer Under New Shipbuilding Plan
The Navy is now investigating whether some Nimitz-class carriers could keep operating after their projected retirement dates.
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No, Additional Fighter Jets Haven’t Been Delivered To Ukraine
The Pentagon says Ukraine has more aircraft flying now than it did two weeks ago, but it’s not because they got new jets.
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Ukraine’s Ability To Withstand Russian Artillery Critical To Fight For Donbas
Russian and Ukrainian artillery will play a much more decisive role in the battle for Eastern Ukraine.
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Sanctions Are Strangling Russia’s Weapons Supply Chain
The good news for Ukraine is that sanctions are hurting Russia’s arms suppliers. The bad news is the effects aren’t immediate, for the most part.
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Israels ‘Iron Beam’ Laser Successfully Downs Rockets, Drones, Mortars
The Iron Beam laser system is designed to augment Israel’s existing Iron Dome system and more.
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This Is The Shadowy Special Operations Mothership You’ve Never Heard Of
For a ghost of a special operations ship, The Carolyn Chouest has an amazing history but lack of funding may spell the end of her mission.
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Ukraine Is In Critical Need Of More Tanks To Face Down Russian Armor On The Open Plains of Donbas
Russia will be fighting on more favorable terrain in the eastern part of Ukraine, where its tanks could be a major threat.
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As Ukraine Pummels Russians With Javelin Missiles, Can Production Keep Pace With Demand?
The delivery of thousands of Javelin missiles, as well as Stingers, to Ukraine has raised critical questions about production capacity.
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USS Gerald R. Ford’s Captain On Why The Carrier’s New Island Design Works
USS Gerald R. Ford’s skiper tells us about the pros and cons of a smaller island set farther back on the Nimitz class.
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Ukrainian Nuclear Disaster Scientist Talks Worst-Case Wartime Scenarios
Ukrainian nuclear expert discusses the challenges of keeping the country’s nuclear facilities safe during a Russian invasion.
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Chernobyl Worries Continue As Russian Forces Move Back
The Chernobyl nuclear power plant continues to be a source of concern for Ukraine’s military, even as Russian forces have turned control of the plant over to Ukrainians and appear to be withdrawing toward Belarus.
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Marines Head To Lithuania As Russians Relent Around Kyiv
After a month of setbacks, Russian officials said Tuesday, March 29, that the true goal of the invasion of Ukraine is not to conquer Kyiv but instead “the liberation of Donbas.” Does that claim match up with Western intelligence?
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Ukraine’s Intel Chief: We Have Sources In The Kremlin, But We Need Jets
Brig. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov is not surprised that Russia is making little headway in its all-out assault on his nation. “We understood how it would go,” Budanov told me Friday morning, via a translator, in a far-ranging interview with Coffee or Die Magazine.
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With Captured Tanks, Ukraine Now Has More Armor Than When The War Began
The man standing near what appears to be a captured Russian T-72 tank is ecstatic. “Our guys commandeered a Russian tank,” he says, as it rolls by. “Now it will be ours.” The man’s battle cry for revenge highlights what Ukraine officials and independent observers say is a startling trend.
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Russian Ship Burning In Ukraine Harbor, Hit By Missile Strike
Ukrainian forces destroyed a large Russian landing ship Thursday, March 24, leaving the ship burning at its pier after a missile strike at the Ukrainian port of Berdyansk, about 50 miles southwest of the besieged city of Mariupol. A Ukrainian general confirmed the strike to Coffee or Die Magazine.
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Why The Skies Over Ukraine Are A ‘Nightmare’ For Russian Pilots
David Shank served as commandant of the US Army’s Air Defense Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, before retiring as a colonel, but when he considers how Russian pilots now see the airspace over Ukraine, he thinks it’s akin to how US troops viewed the side streets of Baghdad — full of dangers they couldn’t…
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Seeking Public Reports, Ukraine Launches War Crimes Database
In Mariupol, doctors and patients were taken hostage by Russian soldiers, Ukrainian officials said. In the town of Rubizhne, Russian shelling destroyed three schools, a hospital, and an institution for visually impaired children. Around Kharkiv and its suburbs, artillery crashed into three high-rise buildings, two private houses, yards, markets, parks, a hospital, and a kindergarten.…
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China, Russian Mercenaries Active In Africa, Per Top US Generals
On the 20th day of Russia’s war on Ukraine, two top American generals reminded lawmakers that recent inroads made by Russia and China in Africa and the Middle East demonstrate that Europe isn’t the only continent where U.S. influence is being challenged.
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Russian Advances Stalled Across Ukraine as Training Facility Hit With Cruise Missiles
Now 19 days into its invasion of Ukraine, Russian forces made little progress over the weekend of Saturday, March 12, a senior US defense official told reporters Monday afternoon. Russian cruise missiles hit a training facility — once used by Americans — near the Polish border.
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US veterans head to Ukraine to fight, but Zelenskyy’s legion faces hurdles
FLASHPOINTS | UKRAINE From an undisclosed location in Ukraine, a former Georgian soldier runs a combined tactical operations center and military training camp that sends U.S. and other foreign fighters to battle Russia.
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Pentagon rejects Poland’s offer to transfer fighter fleet for Ukraine
FLASHPOINTS | UKRAINE Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told the Polish minister of defense on Wednesday that the U.S. is not interested in participating in its plan to transfer its fight jets to the U.S., who would them give them to Ukraine. The Polish government announced Tuesday that it was prepared to immediately transfer its MiG-29s…
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Ukraine says it killed another high-ranking Russian military leader
FLASHPOINTS | UKRAINE Ukraine says it killed Russian Major General Vitaly Gerasimov near Kharkiv. Editor’s note: This story has been updated with a statement from the Pentagon saying it is unable to confirm Gerasimov’s death.
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Foreign fighters now on battlefield helping battle Russia: Ukraine
FLASHPOINTS | UKRAINE The first foreign fighters have arrived in Ukraine amid heavy Russian bombardment and are on the battlefield. This marks the first time the unit has been used, Ukraine Brig. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, the head of that nation’s defense intelligence agency, told Military Times Monday afternoon.
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Ukraine humanitarian crisis grows as Russian advance stalls after 12 days of war
FLASHPOINTS | UKRAINE While Russian advances in Ukraine largely remain stalled after 12 days of war, the humanitarian crisis continues to grow, Ukrainian officials say. “In western Ukraine there is a huge problem with a huge number of migrants and people are starving and cold,” a Ukrainian official told Military Times.
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No significant Russian movement after 11 days of war on Ukraine: Pentagon
FLASHPOINTS | UKRAINE Though Russia has now committed about 95% of the combat power it amassed along Ukraine’s borders, the Pentagon has seen “limited changes on the ground” while the airspace remains contested, a senior U.S. defense official said Sunday evening.
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Volunteer fighters arrive in Ukraine. But the untrained should stay home
FLASHPOINTS | UKRAINE Several hundred volunteers willing to fight Russians alongside Ukrainian forces already have arrived in that embattled nation, according to a government official there. A defense official at the Ukrainian embassy in Washington, D.C., told Military Times that they have already received more than 3,000 applications.
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Ukraine jets hit Russian column; Russia has used thermobarics, Ukraine military says
FLASHPOINTS | UKRAINE Ukraine armed forces have been striking that long line of Russian troops heading to Kyiv while the Russians have used thermobaric weapons against Ukrainian cities, the head of Ukraine’s defense intelligence agency tells Military Times. “We are striking the enemy’s columns,” Brig. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov told Military Times in an exclusive interview…
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Amid fears of Russian air dominance, US to send anti-aircraft Stingers to Ukraine
PENTAGON & CONGRESS WASHINGTON ― The U.S. for the first time has approved the direct delivery of Stinger anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine as part of a package approved by the White House last week. During the Cold War, the CIA covertly supplied Stingers to Afghan guerrillas fighting Russian forces. Now Ukrainian forces…
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A calmer night in Kyiv as Ukraine military official sees ‘short term’ improvement
FLASHPOINTS | UKRAINE It was just after 3 a.m. in the besieged city of Kyiv, and after five days of attacks from Russia, Ukraine’s military leaders were breathing a sigh of relief. At least for a moment.
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Biden banning Russia from US airspace because of Ukraine
FLASHPOINTS | UKRAINE The latest details about Russia’s attack on Ukraine: Russian troops step up attacks on urban areas, evidence Russia using cluster munitions claim rights groups
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Want to go fight for Ukraine? Here’s what to do
FLASHPOINTS | UKRAINE Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has created “The International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine.” Under siege by its much larger and more powerful neighbor, Ukraine has been so far able to slow down Russia’s attack … But there is a long fight ahead.
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Ukraine general vows to keep battling Russia as call goes out for foreign fighters
FLASHPOINTS | UKRAINE In a fiery Sunday morning message, the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence remained defiant and resolute on the fourth day of Russia’s assault on his nation. “I am staying here!” Ukraine Brig. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov said…
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Russia attacks Ukraine as defiant Putin warns US, NATO
FLASHPOINTS | UKRAINE The latest on the Russian attack on Ukraine: Russian troops launched their anticipated attack on Ukraine on Thursday, as President Vladimir Putin cast aside international condemnation and sanctions, warning other countries that any attempt to interfere would lead to “consequences you have never seen.”
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Putin orders Russian troops into eastern Ukraine as Biden blocks US trade there
FLASHPOINTS | UKRAINE Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered forces Monday to “maintain peace” in separatist regions of eastern Ukraine in a further escalation of tensions that followed the Kremlin’s recognition of the areas’ independence despite warnings of sanctions and international condemnation.
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Biden to block US trade with eastern Ukrainian regions after Putin recognition
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Russian President President Vladimir Putin has recognized the independence of separatist regions in eastern Ukraine — a move that will severely ratchet up tensions with the West amid fears that his country could invade Ukraine at any moment and use skirmishes as a pretext for an attack.
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DC National Guard asked to provide support for upcoming trucker protest
PENTAGON & CONGRESS With an organizer of a trucker vaccine mandate protest threatening to shut down traffic around the capitol region, the D.C. National Guard is alerting troops to be ready to activate in response.
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Putin has decided to further invade Ukraine, Biden says
FLASHPOINTS | UKRAINE Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to further invade Ukraine, President Joe Biden said Friday afternoon. “As of this moment I’m convinced he’s made the decision,” Biden said during a televised address. “We have reason to believe it.”
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Navy disputes Russia’s claims that it chased a US sub out of its waters
FLASHPOINTS | UKRAINE The Russian Ministry of Defense claims a U.S. Navy Virginia-class submarine left Russian territorial waters Saturday after that country’s navy took “appropriate” actions. The U.S. Navy says the incident just didn’t happen.
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Florida National Guard troops ordered out of Ukraine by SECDEF
FLASHPOINTS The 160 soldiers of the Florida National Guard deployed to Ukraine since November have been ordered by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to leave Ukraine amid increasing concern of a Russian attack, according to Pentagon spokesman John Kirby.
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3,000 more paratroopers head to Europe amid White House warnings of Ukraine invasion
PENTAGON & CONGRESS Thousands more soldiers are preparing to deploy to Eastern Europe as Russia-Ukraine tensions continue, the Pentagon announced Friday. Three thousand members of the 82nd Airborne Division would join 3,000 troops already mobilized to Poland, Germany and Romania.
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More Russian forces mass near border, but still not ready to attack: Ukraine
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Though Russia continues to pour troops into areas surrounding Ukraine, it still remains unready to carry out a full-scale invasion, according to the latest Ukrainian military assessment shared with Military Times.
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US troops sheltered, fired Patriot missiles during Yemen Houthi attack on UAE
FLASHPOINTS U.S. troops took shelter and launched interceptor missiles during an attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels that targeted the United Arab Emirates during a visit by Israel’s president, the second-such time American troops have opened fire, officials said.
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No injuries as rockets hit near Baghdad airport, damage two planes
FLASHPOINTS At least six Katyusha rockets struck near the civilian side of Baghdad’s international airport and an adjacent military base that hosts a small number of U.S. and other coalition advisors on Friday, damaging two planes on the runway. There were no casualties, Iraqi officials said.
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US service member injured, French soldier killed in Mali attack
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY A French soldier was killed and a U.S. service member was wounded by mortar shelling on a base in Mali on Sunday, according to U.S. Africa Command and the French military.
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Russia not yet ready for full-scale attack says Ukraine
FLASHPOINTS Though Russia continues to build up its forces around Ukraine —even as negotiations to tamp down tensions continue — it is not enough yet to carry out a full-scale invasion, according to the latest Ukrainian military assessment shared exclusively with Military Times.
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Pentagon reveals info on $200M military aid to Ukraine, including more Javelins
PENTAGON & CONGRESS The Pentagon on Tuesday provided more details about the $200 million military aid package for Ukraine approved by President Joe Biden in December.
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US draws down Ukraine embassy presence as war fears mount
FLASHPOINTS The State Department on Sunday ordered the families of all American personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine to leave the country amid heightened fears of a Russian invasion. The department told the dependents of staffers at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv that they must leave the country.
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Russian attack could happen ‘any minute’ Ukraine official says
FLASHPOINTS Even as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken plans to meet with his Russian counterpart Friday, Russia is increasing the number of troops, weapons, intelligence-gathering and electronic warfare capabilities along the border with Ukraine, and now has the ability to strike Kyiv with medium-range ballistic missiles.
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Milley, Berger, test positive for COVID-19
PENTAGON & CONGRESS Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. David Berger, have tested positive for COVID-19, officials say.
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Richard Marcinko, first commanding officer of SEAL Team Six, dies
NEWS | VETERANS Retired Navy SEAL and the first commanding officer of SEAL Team Six, Richard “Dick” Marcinko, has died, according to a post on the Navy Seal Museum’s Facebook page.
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All-out war or ‘creeping occupation’ among Putin options, says Ukraine MoD
FLASHPOINTS There are two potential courses of action Putin could take — either all-out war or a “creeping occupation” of Ukraine, that nation’s Ministry of Defense tells Military Times.
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Air Force civilian police officer at Joint Base Charleston threatened ‘mass casualty event’: affidavit
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY The FDLE arrested Thomas James Stephan on Wednesday after receiving a warning from authorities in South Carolina, where the man has worked as an Air Force civilian police officer at Joint Base Charleston.
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Russians have 120,000 troops on its border, increased intel gathering, Ukraine ministry says
FLASHPOINTS There are about 98,000 Russian ground troops and about 22,000 air and naval forces arrayed around the former Soviet satellite, according to a Ukrainian military assessment obtained by Military Times.
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Civilians may have been killed in latest US drone strike on al-Qaida in Syria
FLASHPOINTS CENTCOM officials did not name the individual targeted or say how many civilian casualties may have resulted from the strike.
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Pentagon creates new organization to investigate mysterious objects in the sky
PENTAGON & CONGRESS The Airborne Object Identification and Management Synchronization Group, nested in the office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence & Security, will now lead investigations into mysterious objects in the sky.
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Russia preparing to attack Ukraine by late January: Ukraine defense intelligence agency chief
FLASHPOINTS Russia has more than 92,000 troops amassed around Ukraine’s borders and is preparing for an attack by the end of January or beginning of February, the head of Ukraine’s defense intelligence agency told Military Times.
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Russian troop movements show wider conflict is possible, top Ukraine official says
FLASHPOINTS “All available information indicates that the armed forces of Russia permanently sustain a powerful offensive grouping around Ukraine,” Roman Mashovets, deputy head of Ukraine’s Office of the President for national security and defense, told Military Times Wednesday.
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Special ops task force in Middle East restructured for ‘broad, regional’ ISIS fight
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY To address evolving regional threats and streamline its comman and control of special operations activities in the Middle East, Special Operations Command Central restructured its Special Operations Joint Task Force leading the fight against jihadi groups.
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Senior al-Qaida leader killed in northwest Syria drone strike: CENTCOM
FLASHPOINTS For the second time in about a month, CENTCOM said a senior al-Qaida leader was killed in a drone strike in northwest Syria.
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Green Berets’ work to free Afghans comes with a personal cost
AFGHANISTAN For a small group of Green Berets at Fort Bragg, working to help rescue American citizens and Afghan allies has taken a great mental and emotional toll.
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Keep ‘em frying: 3,000 channel catfish released at MacDill Air Force Base
OBSERVATION POST MacDill Air Force Base is best known as the home of two of the U.S. military’s most important headquarters, U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command. But MacDill is also a paradise for fishing enthusiasts, with a marina, miles of shoreline and several freshwater ponds.
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WhatsApp outage ‘a nightmare’ for group working to rescue Afghans, American citizens
FLASHPOINTS While Twitter is full of jokes about the outage that plagued Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp Monday, it’s no laughing matter for those trying to escape Afghanistan.
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CENTCOM IDs ‘senior al-Qaida leader’ killed in airstrike in Syria
FLASHPOINTS CENTCOM says a senior al-Qaida leader was the target of a counterterror strike in Syria.
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Once again, military installation active-shooter exercise creates real-world havoc
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY For the second time in less than a week, an active-shooter drill on a military installation led to concerns outside the gates that a tragedy was unfolding. Tuesday morning, a 911 call about an active shooter sent police and first responders to Tyndall Air Force Base.
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Saving Tawfiq: How veterans rescued an Afghan interpreter and his family
PENTAGON & CONGRESS After days of waiting and worrying, Tawfiq Khairkhah, a former interpreter for U.S. forces in Afghanistan, received the message about his escape. It was from a stranger far away, working for an organization that dubbed itself Team America.
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‘I do seek help’, SECVA says on walk for military suicide awareness
VETERANS — SECVA Denis McDonough joined about two dozen Gold Star families on a walk for military suicide awareness Saturday.
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CENTCOM IDs man it says was ISIS-K facilitator killed in Aug. 27 drone strike
FLASHPOINTS | AFGHANISTAN The strike was in response to an attack that killed 13 U.S. service members in the bloodiest single day for Americans since 2011.
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US strike kills al-Qaida leader in Syria, ‘no indications’ of civilian casualties: CENTCOM
FLASHPOINTS CENTCOM says a senior al-Qaida leader was the target of a counterterror strike in Syria.
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Milley denies wrongdoing amid calls for his resignation over details in new book
PENTAGON & CONGRESS A new book to be released next week says Milley took steps to guard against Trump launching a questionable military strike in the final days of his presidency.
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U.S. Defense, State officials will meet with rescue groups to help evacuate Americans, Afghan allies
PENTAGON & CONGRESS The Pentagon and State need to work more closely with veterans to help rescue American and Afghan allies, the founder of one rescue effort says.
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‘I lost my country’: Afghan allies left behind fear the future
FLASHPOINTS | AFGHANISTAN Standing outside Hamid Karzai International Airport, after watching the last U.S. military aircraft take off, Safar Ali Paiam ducks as he listens to the sound of the Taliban’s celebratory gunfire. Afghan allies left behind are fearful of the future.
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US drone strike takes out ISIS-K suicide vehicle in Kabul: CENTCOM
FLASHPOINTS | AFGHANISTAN The U.S. military launched a drone strike against ISIS-K in Kabul, based on concerns of an attack against Hamid Karzai International Airport, according to U.S Central Command.
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‘Hi mom, I’m fine’: How one Afghan interpreter escaped
FLASHPOINTS | AFGHANISTAN Over the course of 48 hours between Wednesday and Friday, Lisette Bonano, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, was sick with worry about a man who calls her “mom.”
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ISIS-K ‘planner’ killed in drone strike, CENTCOM says
FLASHPOINTS Biden hits back at ISIS-K. A day after 13 U.S. service members were killed in the bloodiest single day for Americans since 2011, the U.S. carried out a drone strike.
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‘Just one more’: Inside the massive military community effort to save Afghans
PENTAGON & CONGRESS For several days, Tawfiq was frantic and confused. He had returned to Afghanistan from the U.S. just days before the Taliban began their dramatic sweep of the country, and now he was caught in the middle.
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US troop death toll now at 13, with 18 wounded, in HKIA attack: CENTCOM
PENTAGON & CONGRESS The number of U.S. service members killed in a series of attacks outside of Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on Thursday is now 13, with another 18 wounded, according to a spokesman for U.S. Central Command.
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Taliban says it won’t accept extension to Biden’s Aug. 31 Afghanistan withdrawal deadline
FLASHPOINTS | AFGHANISTAN A Taliban spokesman in Doha, Qatar, said the new rulers of Afghanistan would not accept an extension to President Joe Biden’s Aug. 31 deadline to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan.
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‘We mishandled this so dramatically’: Trump acting SECDEF Chris Miller on US withdrawal from Afghanistan
FLASHPOINTS | AFGHANISTAN Former acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller–also an Afghanistan vet and retired Green Beret–talks to Military Times’ Howard Altman about Afghanistan
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‘I’m not sure that I can get out…’ — trapped Afghan interpreter speaks from Kabul
FLASHPOINTS | AFGHANISTAN Following the rapid capitulation of Afghan forces and the evacuation of the American embassy, chaos descended on the effort to save those who risked their lives to help the U.S. Thousands remained trapped.
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Informal group of troops, vets, working to help Afghans seeking refuge in US
FLASHPOINTS | AFGHANISTAN For nearly a year, “Nadia,” who worked as an interpreter for U.S. forces in Afghanistan, has been desperately trying to leave, fearful of revenge by the Taliban. Sunday night, as the insurgent group took control of that war-torn nation, her pleas for help reached a fever pitch.
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‘What’s happening now is worse’: Midway skipper who pushed choppers off deck in fall of Saigon
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY The Pentagon’s desperate plans to evacuate U.S. embassy personnel from Kabul as the Taliban sweep across Afghanistan are generating frequent comparisons to the fall of Saigon in 1975.
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Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling briefly locked down amid report of gunman
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY A military base in the nation’s capital was locked down for about an hour-and-a-half Friday, after an armed man ran onto the grounds during a local police investigation of gunshots on the streets surrounding the base.
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Pentagon, reacting to Biden order, working on plan for mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will begin consulting military medical professionals, as well as the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to “determine how and when to make recommendations to President Joe Biden” about adding the COVID-19 vaccines to the full list of requirements for military personnel.
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Another drone attack on an Iraqi base housing US troops, no injuries or damage
FLASHPOINTS An Iraqi base housing U.S. troops came under drone attack early Friday morning, a U.S. military official told Military Times.
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The Air Force is ditching security force body cams ― here’s why
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY A tool that has become key in civilian law enforcement ― generating visual evidence in high-profile cases such as the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis ― will no longer be used by the Air Force.
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A JBLM gate is closed for repairs after driver ran into it and his car burst into flames
NEWS | YOUR AIR FORCE It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, the driver is always impaired, base officials say.
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Two minor injuries in latest rocket attack on Iraqi al-Asad airbase housing US personnel
FLASHPOINTS A rocket attack on an Iraqi base housing U.S. troops resulted in two minor injuries, a U.S. military spokesman announced on Twitter Wednesday morning. The Ain Al-Asad Air Base was hit by 14 rockets at about 12:30 p.m. local time
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US kept exact details of Bagram exit from Afghan commander for OPSEC, says Pentagon spokesman
PENTAGON & CONGRESS The U.S. decision to leave Bagram Airfield at night after 20 years without informing the new Afghan base commander of the exact day and hour was a matter of “operational security”.
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Sailor from Kentucky who died at Pearl Harbor identified
NEWS | YOUR NAVY A Kentucky sailor, one of more than 400 killed aboard the battleship Oklahoma at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, has been identified.
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US jets strike Iran-backed militia groups in Iraq and Syria in response to ongoing drone, rocket attacks
FLASHPOINTS After three months of drone and rocket attacks on facilities in Iraq housing U.S. and coalition personnel, President Joe Biden ordered airstrikes Sunday on three Iran-backed militia facilities in Iraq and Syria.
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Concerned over potential threats, DoD ramping up reporting efforts in wake of intel report on UFOs
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY The Pentagon has released video of three encounters with UFOs by Navy air crew.
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CENTCOM commander vows to keep the pressure on adversaries even after leaving Afghanistan: Exclusive interview
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Military Times conducted an exclusive June 11 phone interview with Marine Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., the CENTCOM commander, who talked about the withdrawal, the plight of interpreters, a drone attack in Iraq and the future of the region.
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Drone attack suspected on Baghdad facility housing US troops, some personnel suffer smoke inhalation: officials
FLASHPOINTS Multiple rockets targeted two Iraqi facilities, including one hosting U.S. and coalition troops, Iraqi security officials and the U.S. military said.
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The future of SOF: Exclusive interview with SOCOM commander Richard Clarke
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY After 20 years of constant deployment as a key element of U.S. military response around the globe, special operations forces are at an inflection point. Military Times sat down with Army Gen. Richard Clarke, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command and talked about the future of SOCOM and SOF.
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US should consider ‘irregular warfare’ response to pipeline hack: Gallego
PENTAGON & CONGRESS The U.S. should consider an irregular warfare response to the hacking attack on a key gasoline pipeline if a link to Russia can be established, the chairman of the newly formed House Armed Services Committee Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations told a special operations forces forum Wednesday.
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Candid reflections on Afghanistan from those whose lives were changed forever by the war
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY They fought. They led. They planned. They bled. They lost a loved one to combat. As the U.S. prepares to pull its troops out of Afghanistan on the orders of President Joe Biden, a look back on 20 years of war by people directly involved.
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No, SOCCENT Twitter wasn’t hacked as the command initially said
PENTAGON & CONGRESS Special Operations Command Central now says a curious tweet on its official account was not a hack, as it initially reported on social media.
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US adds 500 troops in Germany, ends large-scale troop cut plans despite Trump pledge: SECDEF
PENTAGON & CONGRESS Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced on Tuesday that he is expanding the U.S. military presence in Germany by 500 troops and has stopped planning for large-scale troop cuts ordered by the Trump administration.
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Combating fraud from the very start
BANKING STRATEGIES More than a year into a deadly pandemic that’s changed almost every aspect of our lives, financial institutions are still struggling to deal with the evolving security ramifications. For banks, the challenges begin with the start of their relationships with new clients, according to a recent report by BioCatch. The cybersecurity firm says…
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Marine vet & the interpreter who saved his life discuss CBS show ‘United States of Al’
OBSERVATION POST For Ty Edwards and Hakimi Quadratullah, the premise behind the new CBS series about a Marine veteran and the Afghan interpreter who becomes his roommate after saving his life isn’t exactly farfetched.
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Navy target mine, which shut down Florida beach, is latest military device to wash ashore
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Florida beaches are world renowned for their white sands, warm water and plentiful sea shells. But they are also becoming known as a place where beachcombers can find military hardware washed ashore.
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Air Force continues to pound ISIS targets in Iraq
NEWS | YOUR AIR FORCE At least one U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle was “part of coalition forces which conducted air strikes at request and approval of government of Iraq,” a defense official told Military Times Saturday afternoon.
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US Air Force F-15Es and F-16s take part in operation to take out ISIS in Iraq
FLASHPOINTS U.S. Air Force fighter jets supported a recent attack against ISIS targets in the Makmour mountains of Iraq, a U.S. military spokesman told Military Times Wednesday morning.
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Ukraine should look to US for air defenses, improved air force, says former defense adviser
PENTAGON & CONGRESS Experts in both Kyiv and Washington are wondering if the Biden administration is willing to share with Ukraine’s military.
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Why have so many Medals of Honor been awarded to the Irish? ‘We’ve been fighting for years and years’
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY “If you go back to the culture of the Irish you know we’ve been fighting each other and fighting the Scottish and so on and so forth for years and years and years,” said Medal of Honor recipient James Charles McCloughan.
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Cascading series of security failures allowed man to wander JBA for five hours, enter transport jet, IG report finds
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY While the aircraft used to ferry the president was never in danger, the incident pointed out several flaws in base security, the 22-page, heavily redacted report showed.
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Man arrested after repeatedly ramming pickup into security gate at Joint Base Andrews
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY A 29-year-old man was arrested March 6 after repeatedly ramming a swing arm barrier at the main entry control point of Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Air Force officials say.
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Two civilian pilots safely eject before trainer jet crashes at Edwards AFB
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY An Aermacchi Impala MB-326 operated by the National Test Pilot School in Mojave, California, crashed in an uninhabited area of the sprawling base.
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Guardians, the Space Force wants you to help determine your enlisted rank insignia
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Enlisted guardians can have a say in what their insignia will look like.
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US announces $125 million in military aid for Ukraine
PENTAGON & CONGRESS The Pentagon announced Monday a $125 million military aid package for Ukraine, the first of its kind under the Biden administration.
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Contract pilots in F1B Mirage suffer non-life-threatening injuries in Tyndall AFB crash
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Two pilots aboard a Mirage F1B fighter jet suffered non-life-threatening injuries after the aircraft slid off the runway at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida Thursday morning, an official for the aircraft owner told Air Force Times.
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Wisconsin Air National Guard identifies staff sergeant who was one of two killed in civilian plane crash
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Officials with the Wisconsin Air National Guard on Saturday identified an airman with the 115th Fighter Wing who was one of two people who died Feb. 16 in a civilian aviation crash.
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Massive volunteer effort rescues nearly 1,000 cold-stunned sea turtles at NAS Corpus Christi
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY A massive effort to rescue nearly 1,000 cold-stunned sea turtles at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi all started with a base resident wanting to help a couple of injured birds.
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Tensions mount after 3 rockets hit US base in Iraq — 1 contractor dead, 1 US troop, 8 contractors injured
FLASHPOINTS A little-known Shiite militant group calling itself Saraya Awliya al-Dam, Arabic for Guardians of Blood Brigade, claimed responsibility for Monday’s attack.
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Trust in JBA security ‘eroded’ says base commander after gate breach, technology upgrades on the way
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY The nation’s trust in security at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland — home of Air Force One — was “eroded” when a man gained unauthorized access and boarded a military transport jet on Feb.4, the base commander said in a memo to his force.
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Another gate breach at RAF Mildenhall prompts increased security measures
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Security measures were increased at RAF Mildenhall in England last month after an unauthorized man gained access to the base, officials have confirmed to Military Times.
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Fort Hood ‘Trusted Traveler’ program suspended after early morning shooting incident
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Fort Hood changed its post access program after military police detained a former soldier as the primary suspect in a shooting incident that occurred early Saturday morning.
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Air Force will investigate base security worldwide in wake of intruder entering jet at JBA, home of Air Force One
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY In the wake of an intruder gaining unauthorized access and entering a jet at Joint Base Andrews, the Air Force will review security practices around the world, officials said Friday afternoon.
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Air Force investigating intruder at Joint Base Andrews, home of Air Force One
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY The Air Force is investigating an incident of an individual gaining unauthorized access to Joint Base Andrews, the Prince George’s County, Maryland, military facility that houses Air Force One.
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US ends support for Saudi-led war in Yemen
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY The U.S. military will no longer assist the bloody Saudi-led coalition attacking Houthi rebel forces in Yemen, President Joe Biden will announce today, according to Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan.
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Family of Air Force vet who died in VA care after being bitten by fire ants sues US, Orkin
NEWS | VETERANS The family of an Air Force veteran who died after suffering fire ant bites at a Department of Veterans Affairs long-term care facility near Atlanta is suing the U.S. government and a pest control company.
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Mobile vet centers deployed at Capitol to provide mental health resources for siege survivors, responders
PENTAGON & CONGRESS To help those who responded to the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol siege cope with the unseen wounds of that attack, the Department of Veterans Affairs is moving two of its mobile vet centers onto Capitol Hill.
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Islamic State senior leader in Iraq killed in U.S.-led coalition airstrike
FLASHPOINTS A U.S.-led coalition air strike killed the top remaining Islamic State leader in Iraq, said Col. Wayne Marotto, spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve.
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Chaplain’s Facebook post denigrating transgender troops under investigation by Army
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Officials from the 3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade at Fort Hood, Texas, are investigating a Facebook post by a unit chaplain denigrating transgender troops.
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Anticipating demonstrations and disturbances, DC Guard deployment to continue through end of March
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY The entire D.C. National Guard will remain activated through March 31 due to worries of renewed civil disturbances, and thousands more troops will remain on duty in the nation’s capital until at least mid-March.
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Super flyover scheduled for the big game in Tampa
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY A trifecta of Air Force bombers will fly over Raymond James Stadium as the visiting Kansas City Chiefs take on the hometown Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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National Guard soldier reenlisted in Capitol amid pomp, tumult of Biden inauguration
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY On the day Joe Biden took the presidential oath of office at the Capitol, one of the 26,000 National Guard troops who came to protect that ceremony had one of his own.
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US Africa Command says one of its drones, an apparently armed Gray Eagle, malfunctioned in Niger
FLASHPOINTS An MQ-1C Gray Eagle drone, operated by U.S. Africa Command made an emergency landing near Agadez, Niger, on Saturday, a U.S. Africa Command spokesman told Military Times.
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In one of first actions, new defense secretary orders review of sexual misconduct programs
NEWS | MILITARY Newly sworn-in Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, carrying through on a promise he made during his confirmation hearing, isn’t wasting time tackling military sexual misconduct.
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Capitol Police: We didn’t order National Guard troops to move to parking garage
NEWS | MILITARY The day after National Guard troops were ordered to move out of the Dirkson Senate building in Washington and into a nearby parking garage, officials from the Capitol Police said the department was not responsible for the public relations fiasco.
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National Guard troops kicked out of Senate are back in Capitol following outrage from lawmakers, public
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY National Guard troops complained of a lack of gratitude on the part of those they have left their jobs, homes and families to protect.
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26,000 National Guard troops came to DC and protected the inauguration without incident. Now the drawdown begins.
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY National Guard officials say that after about 26,000 troops poured into the city to help protect Wednesday’s inauguration events, they are working to pull troops out and bring them home.
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15,000 National Guard troops now in DC for inauguration in eerie calm before the feared storm
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY As many as 25,000 Guard members from all 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, could deploy to the city.
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More than 40 Guard troops in DC for Biden inauguration test positive for COVID; up to 25,000 troops now authorized
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY With more than 7,000 National Guard troops in Washington, D.C. and thousands more on the way to help protect the Jan. 20 inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden during a pandemic, it was only inevitable that some would be affected by COVID-19.
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US down to 2,500 troops each in Afghanistan and Iraq, as ordered by Trump
PENTAGON & CONGRESS The Afghanistan decision was seen by some as unnecessarily complicating the decision-making of the incoming administration.
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In waning days, Trump shakes up CENTCOM to increase Arab-Israeli efforts against Iran
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY With just days left in his presidency and in a bid to solidify Arab-Israeli efforts against Iran before Joe Biden takes office, Donald Trump has shaken up the headquarters overseeing U.S. military operations in the Middle East and Southwest Asia.
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Up to 21,000 National Guard troops now authorized in DC for Biden inauguration
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Guard members from all 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, are deploying to the city.
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1st Special Forces Command investigating PSYOP captain for involvement in Trump DC rally
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY A PSYOP captain is being investigated for her role in the Jan. 6 rally in Washington D.C.
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Have gun, will travel. National Guard comes to DC armed and ready to protect
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Troops from Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York and Virginia joined those from D.C. Leaving their homes and jobs, the Guard troops are here, three days after two Air Force veterans were killed and three others died in an attempted insurrection.
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This is why the National Guard didn’t respond to the attack on the Capitol
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Hundreds of National Guard troops were posted in the streets of Washington, D.C., on Wednesday afternoon, but there was little they could do to respond as pro-Trump rioters overran the Capitol.
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Former defense secretaries Mattis, Esper decry attack on the Capitol and Trump’s rhetoric
PENTAGON & CONGRESS Former Defense Secretaries Jim Mattis and Mark Esper both condemned both Wednesday’s attack on the Capitol building by rioters and President Donald Trump for his role in the violence.
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No the Chinese are not on the border of Maine and the dangers of misinformation
OBSERVATION POST It may seem like an updated version of the 1966 comedy “The Russians Are Coming! The Russians are Coming!” but there is nothing funny about conspiratorial ravings from the Twitterverse that Chinese troops massed along the border with Maine were schwacked in an airstrike.
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US conducts strike on Taliban amid drawdown, negotiations
FLASHPOINTS Even as American military leaders are drawing down the number of troops in Afghanistan, U.S. forces conducted a strike against the Taliban on Thursday, the command overseeing operations in the region announced.
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Wisconsin Air National Guard IDs pilot killed in F-16 crash
YOUR MILITARY The Wisconsin Air Natonal Guard identified the pilot killed in an F-16 Fighting Falcon crash on Tuesday.
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Biden SECDEF choice, a recently retired general, says he’s prepared to embrace civilian mindset
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin made his first public remarks on Wednesday after President-elect Joe Biden selected him for defense secretary, making his case that he can be trusted to run the Defense Department like a civilian.
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Wisconsin Air National Guard fighter jet crashes in Michigan, fate of pilot unknown
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY A Wisconsin Air National Guard Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula Tuesday night while on a routine training mission and the fate of the pilot is unknown.
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Trump orders most American troops to leave Somalia. AFRICOM says they are redeploying elsewhere in region
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY The Pentagon said Friday it is pulling most U.S. troops out of Somalia on President Donald Trump’s orders, continuing a post-election push by Trump to shrink U.S. involvement in counterterrorism missions abroad.
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Two men found dead at Fort Bragg identified as USASOC master sergeant and Army veteran
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Officials have identified Master Sgt. William J. Lavigne II, 37, and Army veteran Timothy Dumas, 44, as the two men found dead at a Fort Bragg training area on Wednesday.
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This retired three-star falsely claims US soldiers died attacking a CIA facility in Germany tied to election fraud
ELECTION 2020 Despite retired Lt. Gen Thomas McInerney’s claims, there weren’t U.S. troops killed in a firefight with the CIA in Frankfurt.
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Pentagon shakeup means more civilian oversight for special operations
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY More than three years after Congress mandated that the Defense Department elevate its civilian head of special operations to the same level as a military service secretary, that order has finally been carried out.
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Army identifies 5 soldiers killed in Sinai UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crash
FLASHPOINTS The Army Saturday morning identified the five soldiers killed Thursday in a helicopter crash while on a peacekeeping mission in the Sinai.
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SEAL Team 6 rescues American hostage in Nigeria
FLASHPOINTS American troops on Saturday morning rescued an American citizen taken hostage last week in Niger, according to a statement from the Pentagon.
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No reported earthquake injuries to US military personnel in Izmir, Turkey
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Officials tell Military Times there were no reported injuries to the roughly 100 U.S. military personnel stationed in Izmir, Turkey, which was devasted by a major earthquake Friday morning that killed at least 14 and injured hundreds in Turkey and Greece.
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Watch a test launch of a Minuteman 3 ICBM
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY A team of Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen launched an unarmed Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile equipped with a test reentry vehicle at 12:27 a.m. Pacific Time Oct. 29 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, according to an Air Force media release.
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US forces kill 5 Taliban attacking Afghan security troops says USFOR-A
FLASHPOINTS A targeted strike by U.S. forces in Afghanistan Sunday night killed five Taliban fighters attacking Afghan security forces, a spokesman for U.S. Forces-Afghanistan announced via a tweet early Monday morning.
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Weather forces scrub of Arsenal of Democracy D.C. flyover, no event reschedule this year
SALUTE TO VETERANS For the second time in as many days, the Arsenal of Democracy World War II flyover event has been cancelled yet again due to weather. Officials tell Military Times the event, originally scheduled for May but delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, won’t be rescheduled again this year.
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What’s up Doc More than 70 vintage aircraft set to fly over Washington to celebrate end of WWII
SALUTE TO VETERANS Several thousand feet in the air and less than 100 feet apart, “Doc” and “Fifi” — the last two B-29 Superfortress bombers still flying — gently bounce in unison over the verdant fields of rural Virginia.
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Iran claims its drones shadowed Nimitz strike group in Strait of Hormuz
FLASHPOINTS Though the Iranians on Wednesday posted drone images of the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group transiting the Strait of Hormuz, Navy officials say there have been no unsafe interactions with their forces in that strategic waterway since April.
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Leroy Petry has a message for whoever stole his Medal of Honor license plate
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Retired Army Master Sgt. Leroy Petry, spoke with Military Times about what his Medal of Honor license plate means to him, and his mission to help troops and veterans better cope with mental health issues.
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Someone stole Leroy Petry’s Medal of Honor license plate
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY If you see someone driving around with a Medal of Honor license plate, the vehicle may not necessarily belong to a recipient of the military’s highest honor for valor.
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Coalition helicopter makes emergency landing in Syria. Officials say no injuries, no hostile fire
FLASHPOINTS No personnel were injured when a helicopter with the U.S. led coalition fighting the Islamic State made an emergency landing in northern Syria, according to a U.S. official.
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Pentagon identifies airman killed in Kuwait vehicle accident, 2 others injured
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY The Department of Defense has identified an airman who was killed Sept. 12 in a single-vehicle, non-combat related accident while conducting a routine patrol outside the perimeter of Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait.
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1 US service member in stable condition after being wounded by al-Shabab attack in Somalia
FLASHPOINTS A U.S. service member was injured in Somalia this morning in an attack by the jihadi group Al-Shabab using a vehicle born explosive and mortars, according to U.S. Africa Command.
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Beetle Bailey turns 70 — Will he tackle TikTok next? Or join Space Force?
Observation Post By Howard Altman / Military Times / September 6, 2020 PHOTO: Beetle Bailey celebrates his 70th birthday at Camp Swampy. (Image courtesy Greg and Bill Walker) “Beetle Bailey,” the comic strip centered around the perpetual goof-off and disobedient Army private, celebrated its 70th anniversary on Sept. 4. Created by Mort Walker as a…
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Before he was a Hall of Fame pitcher, Tom Seaver was an expert rifleman in the Marine Corps
OFF DUTY Tom Seaver, who passed away Monday at the age of 75, gained great fame as a fireballing starting pitcher who was nicknamed “Tom Terrific” and “The Franchise.”
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What war with China could look like
NEWS | YOUR ARMY Pentagon war planners can envision a conflict with China starting in any number of ways. For example, they fear a scenario that might involve a mass of Chinese military forces posturing along China’s coast near Taiwan and the aggressive reorientation of Chinese missile systems that would start setting off alarms in…
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Army identifies Night Stalkers killed in California Black Hawk training crash
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Two members of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) died Aug, 27 from injuries sustained when their MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed during an aircraft mishap while training in California, officials announced Saturday morning.
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Two special operations soldiers killed, three injured, in California aviation training mishap
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Two special operations soldiers were killed and three were injured in an aircraft mishap during an Army Special Operations Command training exercise near Coronado, California, according to an Army Special Operations Command spokesperson.
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Air Force F-16 squadron trains with partners in Poland
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY F-16 Fighting Falcons and airmen assigned to the 480th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, 52nd Fighter Wing, have deployed to Poland to take part in a joint training exercise, according to the Air Force.
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Two US drones collide and crash over Idlib, Syria, defense official says
FLASHPOINTS The U.S. lost two drones over Syria Tuesday after a midair collision, a defense official tells Military Times.
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MacDill EODs remove French air-to-air missile from Florida airport
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY It’s not every day that the bomb disposal team from MacDill Air Force Base gets called out to deal with a French air-to-air missile. But last Friday was no ordinary day.
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No coalition casualties as US troops, SDF, return fire on pro-Syrian regime forces in Syria, officials say
FLASHPOINTS Syrian state media and an opposition war monitoring group reported that a U.S. helicopter gunship attacked a Syrian army checkpoint. U.S. defense officials say that didn’t happen.
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Pentagon creates UFO task force to see if aerial objects pose threat
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Pentagon officials on Friday confirmed the existence of a Navy-led “Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force” that will monitor ongoing encounters with strange aerial objects and determine whether these phenomena should be perceived as a threat.
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Navy corrects record on its erroneous news story garnering former sailor harassing messages
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Months after leaving service, an erroneous Navy media release still causing headaches for former sailor.
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Turkish CENTCOM adviser accused of drugging and tying up woman who died in his Tampa apartment
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Police in Florida are conducting a death investigation involving Turkey’s senior national representative to the U.S. Central Command international coalition in Tampa.
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The Tao of Oddball: Donald Sutherland on his iconic Kelly’s Heroes role at its 50th anniversary
OBSERVATION POST Fifty years ago one of the most beloved characters in the history of war movies hit the screen, waxing philosophical about the power of positive persuasion. Oddball helped make “Kelly’s Heroes,” a hit among troops and veterans, especially those who served in tanks.
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Army investigates handout suggesting Trump campaign slogan constitutes ‘covert white supremacy’
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY The Army announced it has launched an investigation into how a presentation on racism and discrimination included a handout suggesting President Donald Trump’s campaign slogan “Make America Great Again” is considered “covert white supremacy.”
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Ford crewmember recants story of how he helped save children from burning building, officials say
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY An aircraft carrier Ford crew member has recanted his story about helping to save two children from a fire after the Portsmouth, Virginia, Fire Department initiated an investigation Monday morning.
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Soldier killed in Afghanistan vehicle rollover accident
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Spc. Vincent Sebastian Ibarria, 21, from San Antonio, Texas, died as the result of a vehicle rollover accident in Afghanistan.
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Pilot killed in Shaw F-16 crash ‘loved his family, his country and loved to fly’
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Air Force 1st Lt. David Schmitz died in the crash of an F-16CM Fighting Falcon at Shaw Air Force Base late Tuesday night.
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Pilot killed in F-16CM Fighting Falcon crash at Shaw Air Force Base
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY An Air Force pilot was killed late Tuesday night in the crash of an F-16CM Fighting Falcon assigned to the 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina
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Trump approves Pentagon plan to pull 9,500 US troops from Germany
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Amid growing congressional opposition, President Donald Trump approved Pentagon plans to redeploy 9,500 U.S. troops from Germany.
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Pentagon to provide 1,700 troops, aircraft and other support to Independence Day festivities
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Defense Secretary Mark Esper has approved a Department of the Interior request for DOD support to the 2020 Salute to America.
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Trump’s Tulsa rally posed little issue for Oklahoma National Guard
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY About 250 Oklahoma National Guard troops assisted law enforcement during Trump’s Saturday rally.
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Remains of one of two missing Fort Hood soldiers found
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Police said skeletal remains were found Friday in a field several miles from Fort Hood, after a tip to Army criminal investigators.
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One man shot dead, another seriously injured with stab wounds in incident at Camp Lejeune
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY One man was shot to death, another seriously injured with stab wounds during an incident at an on-base residence at Camp Lejeune early Saturday morning
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$250 million aid package to Ukraine will support US security too, defense experts say
PENTAGON & CONGRESS A $250 million military aid package to Ukraine, pushed by the Trump administration and approved by Congress Thursday, should benefit U.S. security by helping keep Russian forces bogged down, experts with experience in the region tell Military Times.
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SECDEF orders after action review of National Guard efforts during civil unrest duties
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Defense Secretary Mark Esper has ordered an after-action review of the National Guard’s response to civil unrest that roiled the nation in the wake of the May 25 killing of George Floyd.
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National Guard moving out of DC as questions remain about how military handled George Floyd protests
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY As demonstrations in the nation’s capital against racism and police violence have become more peaceful, thousands of National Guard troops called in to deal with civil unrest are beginning to file out.
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Two South Carolina National Guard troops hospitalized after being near lightning strike in DC
FLASHPOINTS Two members of the South Carolina National Guard were taken to the hospital after being in close proximity to a lightning strike while on duty.
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U.S. Forces-Afghanistan conducts airstrikes against Taliban attacking ANDSF checkpoint, first since Eid ceasefire
FLASHPOINTS They were the first airstrikes since the start of the Eid ceasefire, tweeted Army Col. Sonny Leggett, a USFOR-A spokesman.
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No, those weren’t active duty troops on the streets of DC last night, officials say
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Airmen and soldiers were largely stoic through the demonstrations near the White House, which remained peaceful Wednesday night.
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Guard troops in DC say they want to ‘give people the opportunity to express their First Amendment rights’
FLASHPOINTS “The mission is to separate the good protesters and then the rioters and looters. You kind of have to draw the line between which is which,” said one private first-class.
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5,000 National Guard troops in 15 states and DC activated to help quell growing civil unrest
FLASHPOINTS As cities across the nation are burning after several days of rage over what prosecutors say was the murder of a handcuffed black man by Minneapolis police, about 5,000 National Guard troops in 15 states and the District of Columbia have been activated to help quell the unrest.
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2020 Warrior Games scrubbed by Marine Corps over COVID-19 concerns
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY The games, originally scheduled in San Antonio, Texas, Sept. 20-28, “would have marked the 10th anniversary of the annual competition of wounded, ill and injured service member athletes in 12 adaptive sports.
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Why dissolving the Afghan Local Police program troubles its American architects
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY There are about 18,000 Afghan Local Police personnel trained by the U.S. who must be disarmed and employed. There are those concerned the weapons roundup and integration will be a “disaster” and worried about the Afghans who risked their lives to help America.
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Ex-Green Beret arrested, accused of using music boxes and private jet to help ex-Nissan boss escape Japan
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Another former Green Beret is at the center of international intrigue.
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Woman hunting for sea glass in Alaska finds Navy dog tag lost during WWII, sailor’s relatives thrilled to get it back
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY For Kristin Brown, the history mystery began last October. She was combing Jewel Beach looking for ocean-weathered bits of frosted glass on the Kodiak, Alaska, strand. But what she found was far more unusual.
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Family of ex-Green Beret captured in Venezuela says men likely believed they were trying to liberate the oppressed
FLASHPOINTS Given his latest venture — as a deep sea underwater welder working on offshore oil rigs — it wasn’t unusual for Army Special Forces veteran Luke Denman to go off the grid for days or weeks at a time, his family and friends say.
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Dave Dilegge the ‘grandfather of urban warfare studies,’ has died
For Dave Dilegge, the days usually started at 3 a.m. as he began to scour the internet for the latest military and national security news he’d compile for Small Wars Journal. The website was a must-read for anyone interested in urban warfare, counterinsurgency, foreign internal defense, support and stability operations, peacemaking, peacekeeping, and “many flavors of…
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Service member dies in non-combat incident in Erbil, Iraq
FLASHPOINTS A service member with Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve died in a non-combat related incident in Erbil, Iraq, May 4.
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Watch Blue Angels, Thunderbirds fly over Baltimore, DC and Atlanta in salute to frontline COVID-19 responders
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY The Air Force Thunderbirds and Navy Blue Angel demonstration teams roared through the skies over Baltimore, Washington and Atlanta today.
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Former CENTCOM commander says tweets not a good way to convey military orders
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY “My interpretation is that this is the unique way that our President communicates to the American People and the international audience,” Joseph Votel said in an email message.
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How a Kim Jong Un demise could spark unrest, require US, South Korean military response
PENTAGON & CONGRESS A Kim Jong Un demise could destabilize the region, create a massive refugee flow and force the U.S., South Korea and possibly other regional allies to react to the upheaval.
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DoD travel ban amid coronavirus pandemic extended to June 30
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY The move comes as upwards of 100,000 troops, along with families, are gearing up for the annual permanent change of station (PCS) season.
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Gold Star mothers group may consider adjusting membership rules in age of coronavirus
NEWS | CORONAVIRUS The service organization created on behalf of mothers who lost children to military service may consider changing eligibility rules in the face of the growing coronavirus pandemic.
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Confusion over MD National Guard BAH decision highlights complex Title 32 COVID-19 rollout
Maryland National Guard officials said they would not be authorizing increased housing allowance payments for troops responding to the coronavirus crisis. Hours later, they said the increase would merely be delayed.
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Work from home presents a data security challenge for banks
BANKING STRATEGIES The mass relocation of financial services employees from the office to their couch, dining table or spare room to stop the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus is a significant data security concern, several industry experts tell BAI. But they add that it is a challenge that can be managed with the right…
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Troops fighting COVID-19 will get Tricare and BAH boost after Trump extends Guard Title 32 orders by one day
CORONAVIRUS | COVID-19 UPDATES President Donald Trump signed an executive order authorizing National Guard units to be activated under Title 32 for increments of up to 31 days, instead of the previous 30 days.
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Face mask photos: How troops and families are coping with new military face covering guidelines
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY The men and women of the armed forces, and their spouses, did what they have always done: See a problem and find a solution. We asked members of the military community to share their face covering photos.
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Fired Theodore Rosevelt skipper tests positive for COVID-19
PENTAGON & CONGRESS Capt. Brett Crozier, fired as the skipper of the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, has tested positive for COVID-19.
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SECDEF issues guidelines for how troops will start wearing face coverings in public to prevent COVID-19 spread
PENTAGON & CONGRESS Service members will be instructed to start wearing face coverings in public to limit the spread of coronavirus said Defense Secretary Mark Esper.
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Mom of Theodore Roosevelt sailor ‘devasted’ by firing of Crozier
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY A mom of one of the sailors aboard the carrier Theodore Roosevelt is “devastated” by the skipper’s firing.
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Guard Title 32 mobilizations are falling one day short of earning troops Tricare benefits, BAH upgrade
When President Donald Trump authorized National Guard units to receive federal funds to pay for COVID-19 response, Guard leadership hailed the move as something that would increase benefits for those troops.
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Soldier dies in non-combat incident in Erbil, Iraq
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY service member with Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve died in a non-combat related incident in Erbil, Iraq, March 30, the command announced.
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U.S. Army Garrison Daegu killing it on social media via the #KillTheVirus COVID-19 awareness campaign
OBSERVATION POST We’ve told you about some of the military COVID-19-related social media missteps, but here’s how it’s done right.
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U.S. military may be hunkering down for COVID-19 but shooting war continues in Ukraine
News | Your Military For much of the U.S. military’s 72,000 troops stationed in Europe, these are days of hunkering down in an effort to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
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Fort Belvoir’s coronovirus-induced youth curfew goes into effect tonight
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Unaccompanied youth under the age of 18 will no longer be allowed in public places at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
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After Trump’s order, DoD reviewing how many Guard, Reserve troops to bring back for COVID-19 fight
NEWS | CORONAVIRUS The Pentagon is reviewing how many National Guard, Reserve and Individual Ready Reserve troops to call up in the fight against coronavirus in response to President Donald Trump’s executive order Friday.
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Scammers are using the promise of phony COVID-19 test kits to get Tricare recipient personal private info
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY The scam involves direct calls to beneficiaries with an offer to ship or sell COVID-19 testing kits.
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AFSOC deletes COVID-19 related Tweet causing minor social media ruckus
NEWS | CORONAVIRUS Air Force Special Operations Command has deleted a COVID-19-related post on Twitter causing a bit of a social media ruckus and apologized for its “poor taste.”
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How to protect sensitive military information in the age of COVID-19 teleworking
PENTAGON & CONGRESS As more and more military installations around the country move towards telework to help stop the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a growing concern about operational security.
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1st COVID case hits SOCOM HQ
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY A civilian assigned to U.S. Special Operations Command headquarters in Tampa, Florida, tested positive on March 21 for COVID-19. It is the first confirmed case at SOCOM’s headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base.
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How community banks can avoid being targets for cyber crooks
BANKING STRATEGIES For the National Bank of Blacksburg, Virginia, the nightmare scenario for community banks everywhere began with an employee ignoring basic cybersecurity hygiene. Russian hackers’ entry into NBB’s computer systems and network “most likely originated from a phishing email to a National Bank employee,” according to a 2018 lawsuit the bank filed against its…
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Guardsman mobilized for pandemic didn’t have a mask until he got COVID-19, but he wasn’t working a test lane
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY A Colorado National Guard soldier who tested positive for coronavirus while engaged in a disease containment effort was not wearing personal protective gear until he contracted it
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Trump provides federal funds for National Guard in three states; they keep control, federal government foots bill as COVID-19 cases rise
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY President Donald Trump Sunday night ordered National Guard troops in three states to operate under a status that allows them to be managed by state governors but be paid by the federal government.
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Air Force Super Herk transports patient staging system to Italy, hard hit by COVID-19
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY As Italy battles tens of thousands of coronavirus cases, an 86th Airlift Wing C-130J Super Hercules transported an En-Route Patient Staging System (ERPSS) for delivery to the Italian Ministry of Defense.
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Pentagon reports what it believes is first death of someone working for DoD who tested positive for COVID-19
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY A Crystal City-based contractor, who worked at the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, passed away on March 21, Pentagon officials said.
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CENTCOM sailor first COVID-19 case at MacDill AFB, home of the global war on violent extremists
NEW | YOUR MILITARY The first case of COVID-19 has appeared at the home of two of the military’s top commands. An active sailor assigned to U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, is currently undergoing evaluation and treatment.
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Bankers beware: Deepfake technology is ever more real
BANKING STRATEGIES As a British energy company executive listened to the voice on the other end of the phone line, the familiar German accent convinced him that he was speaking to his parent company’s CEO. So when the executive was instructed to wire $243,000 to the CEO’s bank account, he went ahead and did it.…
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Afghanistan’s ambassador to US says her nation is warily hopeful they will finally live in peace
Her Excellency Roya Rahmani, the first woman ambassador to the U.S. from Afghanistan, talks about her nation’s growing role in accepting responsibility for its own security, in light of ongoing conflict with the Taliban, and a new peace deal between the group and the U.S.
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Soldier dies during freefall training in Arizona
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY An Army special operations soldier died during military freefall training in Eloy, Arizona on Tuesday.
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Bearing down on payments fraud in 2020
BANKING STRATEGIES The times, as Bob Dylan once crooned in that raspy nasal whine, are a-changing—and no more so than in the ways bank customers make payments. And while he never got around to recording “The Times They Are a-Payments,” you have to wonder if his famous challenge to senators and congressmen would turn into…
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US service member, DoD contractors killed after jihadi attack on base in Kenya
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY It was the first known al-Shabab attack against U.S. forces inside Kenya, a key base for fighting one of the world’s most resilient extremist organizations.
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Fears of new conflict rise after US kills Qasem Soleimani, a top Iranian general, in strike on Baghdad airport
News | Your Military One of Iran’s most revered and powerful military commanders has been killed in a U.S. strike near the Baghdad International Airport, the Pentagon confirmed Thursday. The strike will intensify tensions between the U.S. and Iran and many experts say it escalates the risk of a new conflict spreading across the region.
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750 soldiers with 82nd Airborne headed for CENTCOM, additional 4000 troops expected to deploy as Iran tensions mount
FLASHPOINTS Roughly 750 soldiers with the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division are slated to be wheels up soon headed for Kuwait with an additional 4,000 American troops expected to deploy later this week, a U.S. defense official confirmed to Military Times.
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Air Force identifies pilots killed in Vance aviation mishap
YOUR MILITARY The Air Force identified the two pilots killed Nov. 21 in a mishap at Vance Air Force Base.
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Florida Guard leader promises action on sexual misconduct scandal
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY The commander of the Florida National Guard on Tuesday promised more action on the problem of sexual assault and harassment in the wake of a burgeoning scandal he inherited, which involves allegations of sexual misconduct covered up for years by leadership.
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American commando raid to kill al-Baghdadi was launched from al-Asad Air Base, rehearsals conducted in Erbil
FLASHPOINTS The American commando raid that bagged Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was launched from the sprawling al-Asad Air Base in Anbar province, Iraq, according to a source on the ground with direct knowledge of the operation.
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Trump says al-Baghdadi ‘died like a dog’ in US commando raid in Syria
FLASHPOINTS President Donald Trump confirmed Sunday that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the elusive leader of the Islamic State, was killed in a U.S. special operations raid launched in Syria. Trump said during a Sunday morning White House press conference that al-Baghdadi “died like a dog”.
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Trump: ISIS leader al-Baghdadi killed in US commando raid
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Update: In a White House announcement, President Donald Trump said that ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed in a U.S. commando raid. “Last night US brought the world’s No. 1 terrorist leader to justice,” Trump said. “Abu Bakr Baghdadi is dead.”
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The largest gathering of Medal of Honor recipients in decades wraps up today
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY The largest gathering of Medal of Honor recipients since the 1970s, the annual event featured 46 of the 70 living medal honorees.
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US military struggles to find a strategy amid sudden policy changes in CENTCOM region
FLASHPOINTS The rapid withdrawal of U.S. forces from northeast Syria, which included U.S. forces bombing their own equipment at the bases they hastily left behind, is a vivid example of how the U.S. military is being forced to cope with national security and foreign policy decisions announced at the speed of a tweet.
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Another former Centcom general weighs in with displeasure over Trump’s Syria gambit
OBSERVATION POST One after another, the commanders who oversaw this nation’s battles in the Middle East have expressed their distaste for the way that President Donald Trump has handled the long-threatened Turkish invasion of Syria.
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Hail Caesar and the other amazing members of the OSS
OBSERVATION POST Hundreds of the nation’s intelligence and special operations elite gathered in Washington on Saturday night to celebrate the amazing deeds of legends. It was all against a backdrop of real-world tensions, which seem more fraught than usual.
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Esper says US staying in Syria, but withdrawing south of Turkish advance and deal in works to have Russians protect Kurds
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY The secretary of defense is carrying out orders from President Donald Trump to move US forces in Syria to move south of Turkey’s attacks against Kurds, but not leave that conflict-wracked country.
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SOCOM helped solve the mystery of the long-forgotten ashes of a Vietnam War hero. His cremains will be interred today.
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY The ashes were a running joke of sorts, a constant reminder of a man who served his nation with valor then went on to counsel a young eventual Marine about the ways of war.
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Cut off from US help, Kurds fighting a desperate battle against Turkey on their own, says a former commando who describes himself as ‘disillusioned’ and ‘embarrassed’
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Syrian Democratic Forces are fighting off a massive Turkish invasion with no assistance from the U.S. military, according to a former U.S. special operator
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Faster payments, faster payments fraud: How to battle the bad guys
BANKING STRATEGIES When the Kansas City blues shouter Big Joe Turner first performed the immortal “Shake Rattle and Roll” in 1954, there was no way he could know the future hit might as well fit the mood of banks fighting payments perfidy. In essence, one lyric sums up the predicament the financial industry faces due…
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In wartime Ukraine, Trump’s stalled US weapons sale is a minor concern
OBSERVATION POST A roiling controversy about President Donald Trump’s interactions with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky over whether the former pressed the latter to investigate the son of Joe Biden has put a spotlight on Ukraine and its grinding conflict with Russia-backed militants.
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Man arrested in Greece had nothing to do with 1985 hijacking and murder, victim’s brother tells Military Times
YOUR MILITARY On Saturday, authorities in Greece announced the arrest of a man they said was connected to the 1985 hijacking that led to the death of Navy diver Robert Stethem.
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Fort Stewart, Parris Island, Beaufort evacuating ahead of Hurricane Dorian, now a deadly 145 mph, Category 4 monster
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Hurricane Dorian, now a Category 4 storm with sustained winds of 145 mph, has stalled and continues to pound Grand Bahama Island.
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Green Beret from 1st Special Forces dies during combat ops in Afghanistan leaves pregnant wife and young daughter
YOUR MILITARY: Sgt. 1st Class Dustin Ard, a Green Beret from 1st Special Forces Group, died from wounds sustained during combat operations in Zabul Province, Afghanistan
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Outhacking hackers: As Iran ramps up cyberattacks, banks find new ways to fight back
BANKING STRATEGIES As tensions continue to mount in the Persian Gulf, bank security officials in the U.S. and elsewhere are keeping a wary eye on Iran, which has waged a series of cyberattacks against American business interests. And if you think that has nothing to do with the small-town bank on the corner, guess again. “Community…
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President Trump to address AMVETS 75th national convention
PENTAGON & CONGRESS President Donald J. Trump will travel to Louisville, Kentucky, later this month to deliver remarks to the AMVETS 75th national convention.
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Fraud on the home front: Spotting and stopping mortgage scams and schemes
BANKING STRATEGIES To his victims, many elderly, Michael “Mickey” Henschel might have seemed like the homeowner’s hero, rescuing people over their heads on their mortgages. In reality, Henschel was not an angel of home possession but rather a devil possessed. In May, the 70-year-old career con man from Van Nuys, California, pleaded guilty in a…
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Why bringing a rocket launch tube home as a military souvenir may not be the best laid plan
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY The Air Force sergeant traveling through the Baltimore Washington International Airport apparently didn’t get the memo.
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Lessons from the Capital One data breach
BANKING STRATEGIES It’s hard to imagine anything lucky about a data breach affecting more than 100 million customers. But Capital One got lucky because the Seattle woman accused of accessing the bank’s data was apparently as clueless as she was ruthless. Paige Thompson, a Seattle tech worker arrested in connection with the data theft,…
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Esper creates task force to deal with cancer-causing chemicals on military installations
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY On his first full day as secretary of defense, Mark Esper has signed a memo establishing a task force to deal with cancer-causing chemicals found on military bases.
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Soldier dies in Kuwait from non-combat incident
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY A West Virginia Army National Guard soldier assigned to the 821st Engineer Company, 1092nd Engineer Battalion, 111th Engineer Brigade, in Summersville, West Virginia, died while serving in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.
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US forces have much to learn from Ukraine’s fight with Russia, says State Department official
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Five years after Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot out of the sky, killing all 298 aboard, a State Department official tells Military Times that the ongoing battle between Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists serves as a potential harbinger for the U.S. military in any conflict with Moscow.
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Service member killed in Afghanistan
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY In accordance with U.S. Department of Defense policy, the name of the service member killed in action is being withheld until 24 hours after notification of next of kin is complete. This is the 12th service member to have paid the ultimate price this year in Afghanistan.
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Afghanistan remains a dangerous place
OPINION Tensions with Iran. The historic Trump-Kim border meeting. Turkey buying Russian anti-aircraft systems, threatening the NATO alliance. There is, as usual, so much going on in the world of national security.
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Watch the aircraft that flew over Trump’s July 4 extravaganza
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY President Donald Trump turned the National Mall into an airshow Thursday evening as aircraft from all four services and the Coast Guard roared over the Lincoln Memorial in a loud, proud celebration of the birth of America 243 years ago.
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How cyberthieves found blockchain’s weak link
BANKING STRATEGIES Once upon a time, blockchain was hailed as an unbreachable means of transmitting wealth. But as BAI Banking Strategies pointed out in 2017, blockchain isn’t as foolproof as once touted. Yes, this was about a minority view as they come. But as experts noted, telling a hacker something absolutely can’t be hacked is…
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Two US troops killed in Afghanistan
NEWS Two U.S. service members were killed Wednesday in Afghanistan, according to a statement from Resolute Support headquarters.
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The top five cyber threats for banks and how to meet them
BANKING STRATEGIES Back in the days of the Wild West, rootin’ tootin’ bad hombres like Jesse James and Butch Cassidy struck fear into the hearts of bankers. But in the age of the Internet of Things, those names have been replaced by Cobalt, Carbanak, Lazarus, and Lurk—not an anti-law firm, but four covens for lawless…
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How Jon Stewart saved the Warrior Games from the clutches of an evildoer!
Hosted by U.S. Special Operations Command, the 2019 Department of Defense Warrior Games kicked off Saturday in Tampa.
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US military vehicle hits roadside bomb in Niger, no casualties
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY U.S. service members are being evaluated for potential injuries after their vehicle activated an improvised explosive device in Niger on Saturday, according to officials from U.S. Africa Command.
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Lead Navy prosecuter in SEAL war crime case out over email spying
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY The lead Navy prosecutor in the war crimes case against a decorated Navy SEAL has been removed from the case by the judge for spying on defense teams and a Navy Times journalist.
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What war with Iran could look like
NEWS Late at night somewhere not far from the coast of Iran, U.S. sailors sleep on board ship when suddenly a dull thud reverberates through the hull and shocks them awake. An Iranian mini-submarine or possibly a drone has wound its way through layers of defenses, struck the side of the warship and water is…
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How to combat common employee security mistakes
BANKING STRATEGIES Whatever news the cheery Monday morning email passes on from the C-suite to the ground troops, everyone needs to make sure they absolutely, positive know who sent it. In fact, it’s paramount. All things being equal, the conscientious employee who opens and responds to that email right away can create a huge problem—especially…
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FBI investigating suspicious package found at Florida VA facility
The FBI is investigating a suspicious package found at a Department of Veterans Affairs facility in Florida that tied up traffic for four hours Wednesday afternoon.
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Florida cops wondering who left grenade in Goodwill donation bin
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY Thrift stores are a great place to find clothing bargains, funky tchotchkes and souvenirs from family trips that nobody wanted. But every so often, you can find something really unique.
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Secret tracking device found in Navy email to Navy Times amid lead investigation raises legal, ethical questions
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY A Navy prosecutor last week sent an email to the editor of Navy Times that was embedded with a secret digital tracking device. The tracking device came at a time when the Naval Criminal Investigative Service is mounting an investigation into media leaks surrounding the high-profile court-martial of a Navy SEAL…
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Arm yourself at the new International Spy Museum to ask better questions about intelligence
MILITARY CULTURE The U.S. military is beefing up its presence in the U.S. Central Command region in reaction to what the Pentagon calls “indications of heightened Iranian readiness to conduct offensive operations against U.S. forces and our interests.”
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A dozen companies chosen to work on up to $5B in construction projects for Trump’s border wall
PENTAGON & CONGRESS President Donald Trump’s vision for a border wall along the southern U.S. border with Mexico took a big step forward Wednesday as a dozen companies from around the nation have been selected to compete on up to $5 billion worth of horizontal construction projects over a five-year period ending in 2024.
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Under investigation by Army IG, Florida National Guard’s No. 2 commander steps down
NEWS | YOUR MILITARY The embattled assistant adjutant general of the Florida National Guard, under investigation for allegations he covered up sexual misconduct in the ranks, announced Tuesday he was stepping down. In a statement to Military Times, Brig. Gen. Michael Canzoneri maintained his innocence
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Gold Star wife commands a MacDill unit where she and her husband served together
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / April 15, 2019 PHOTO: On April 27, 2011, Air Force Maj. Raymond Estelle II was one of nine killed in Kabul, Afghanistan in an insider attack. Now his wife, Air Force Lt. Col. N’Keiba Estelle, has taken command of his old unit at MacDill…
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Kathy Castor holds sixth event honoring Vietnam era veterans
News / Military The Tampa Congresswoman wants to heal long-ago wounds By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / April 12, 2019 PHOTO: A unit of the 1st Battalion, 5th Regiment U.S. Marines, rests alongside a battered wall of Hue’s imperial palace after a battle for the Citadel in February 1968, during the Tet Offensive.…
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Pinellas Congressman Gus Bilirakis seeks videos from veterans suffering from burn pit exposure
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / April 8, 2019 PHOTO: A bulldozer dumps a load of trash into a burn pit just 300 yards from the runway at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan in a 2012 photo. (Photo Credit: Mark Rankin) TAMPA — U.S. Congressman Gus Bilirakis is taking a cue…
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Howard Altman: A huge thanks to an amazing community
News / Military Howard Altman Columns By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / April 4, 2019 PHOTO: Howard Altman on assignment in Afghanistan in 2013. He will be leaving the Tampa Bay Times to join Military Times as their managing editor. For the past decade, I have been lucky enough to cover the military…
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Epilogue: An Air Force brigadier general, Thomas E. Penick Jr. helped the area’s most vulnerable as a judge
News / Military The Pinellas-Pasco judge was sprayed with Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. He was 80 when he died of complications from that exposure. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / April 4, 2019 PHOTO: Thomas E. Penick Jr., worked to protect the area’s most vulnerable residents in his more than 25…
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Gov. DeSantis names Air Force Maj. Gen. James Eifert as new leader of troubled Florida National Guard
News / Military Governor says Eifert will “clean up” guard now under investigation over allegations of sexual misconduct and coverup. By Emily L. Mahoney and Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / April 2, 2019 PHOTO: Air Force Maj. Gen. James Eifert was chosen by Gov. Ron DeSantis to assume command of the 12,000-strong Florida…
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From the Pentagon to SOCom: Army Gen. Richard Clarke takes over Special Operations Command
News / Military Clarke succeeds retired Army Gen. Raymond A. “Tony” Thomas III to oversee the command stationed at MacDill Air Force Base. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 29, 2019 PHOTO: The new leader of U.S. Special Operations Command, Army Gen. Richard Clarke, speaks during Friday’s change of command ceremony at…
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Investigations underway into sexual misconduct allegations at Florida National Guard
News / Military One of those named is the guard’s deputy commander, who is eligible to take over when the current leader retires April 6. Gov. Ron DeSantis hasn’t announced a replacement yet. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 29, 2019 PHOTO: Units from the Florida National Guard were sent to the…
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Meet CentCom’s new boss: Marine Gen. Kenneth McKenzie Jr. takes command
News / Military The new U.S. Central Command leader takes over for Army Gen. Joseph Votel, who retired. McKenzie now oversees all U.S. military efforts in the world’s most volatile region. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 28, 2019 PHOTO: Marine Gen. Kenneth Mckenzie Jr. took over command of U.S. Central Command,…
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Retiring Gen. Joseph Votel recalls challenges of CentCom, the Middle East
News / Military As the four-star general’s four-decade career draws to a close, he recounts one of the toughest calls he made while leading U.S. Central Command. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 27, 2019 PHOTO: Army Gen. Joseph Votel, center, speaks to sailors and Marines aboard the USS New Orleans, an…
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Health and financial woes continue for MacDill families dealing with mold in base housing
News / Military Some families who left their homes after finding mold are waiting on compensation for moving expenses and damaged belongings. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 22, 2019 PHOTO: Traci Lenz said this is what her kitchen vent looked like after mold remediation at her MacDill Air Force Base home.…
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Reconnaissance jets moved to MacDill from base in Nebraska as snowmelt floods Midwest
News / Military With nearly a third of Offutt Air Force Base underwater, crews monitored fuel storage areas, mobilized a family assistance program, and canceled a scheduled June 1 air show. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 21, 2019 PHOTO: An aerial view of Offutt Air Force Base and surrounding areas near…
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MacDill Matters: Air Force innovation awards, and keeping the SS American Victory in Tampa
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 20, 2019 PHOTO: The SS American Victory docked at the Port of Tampa behind the Florida Aquarium (Luis Santana | Times 2010) Two years ago, the 6th Air Mobility Wing at MacDill Air Force Base kicked off a competition it calls “Fuel Tank.”…
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Under Pentagon’s rules, MacDill construction funds will be spared diversion to border wall
News / Public Safety Only projects with an award date after Oct. 1, 2019, are affected, so Tyndall is the one Florida base facing cuts. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 19, 2019 Photo: MacDill Air Force base will need a new office and administration center to accommodate the personnel that come…
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Town ‘N Country post office renamed in honor of Air Force pilot who died in Iraq
News / Military Andreas O’Keeffe left the comparatively safe duty of flying intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft for the far more dangerous job of helicopter rescue and recovery. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 18, 2019 PHOTO: Air Force Maj. Andreas “Andy” O’Keeffe, 37, was one of seven airmen killed last March…
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Tampa Bay area Muslims, mosques wary after New Zealand terror attacks
News / Public Safety While no local mosques have received threats, experts say Muslims houses of worship must still take precautions. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 15, 2019 PHOTO: People walk past a Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office cruiser before Friday’s midday Jummah prayer at the Islamic Society of Tampa Bay in…
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The Warrior Games are coming
News / Military In 100 days, 300 wounded, ill and injured troops and veterans will be here for a week of adaptive sports competition. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 14, 2019 PHOTO: Army Staff Sgt. Lauren Montoya, center, participates in a wheelchair basketball game during the Department of Defense Warrior Games…
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Tampa parents head to Italy for a memorial after death of their soldier son, who attended Plant High
News / Military Peter Sebastian Cimino, 19, was a deeply religious young man who loved fishing, pasta and cheese, and serving his country. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 12, 2019 PHOTO: Army Pvt. Peter Sebastian Cimino, 19, of Tampa, was found dead March 3 on a military base in Italy. He…
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Small solace for MacDill families, but mold problems are even worse across the Air Force
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 11, 2019 PHOTO: Amie Norquist says her family has suffered health problems from mold in their MacDill base housing. They had to get rid of mold-contaminated furniture, too, in an expensive move to a new home in Riverview. (Times) TAMPA — Mold and…
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MacDill propels STEAM education with recruitment and community partnership in mind
News / Military In the biggest event of kind across the Air Force, some 2,300 students visit the base to see real-world applications for science, technology, engineering, arts and math. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 8, 2019 PHOTO: Plant High students Annahlia Hernandez, 18, left, and Jacob Sinotte, 17, show their…
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For a blink of an eye, Barbara Eden will be in Clearwater
Arts / Entertainment Jeannie will star with Hal Linden in ‘Love Letters’ at the Capitol Theatre By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 7, 2019 PHOTO: Bill Daily, Barbara Eden, Larry Hagman and Hayden Rorke star in ‘I Dream of Jeannie.’ (Photo from Sony Pictures) “She did what?” It was the reaction a…
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Air Force secretary wants to restore trust lost by airmen and families over housing problems
News / Military Testifying before a Senate panel, Heather Wilson also supported a ‘Tenants Bill of Rights.’ By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 6, 2019 PHOTO: After touring MacDill Air Force Base’s privately-run housing units on recently, Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson spoke to the members of military families about their complaints…
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Tampa City Council District 1: Joseph Citro vs. TBD in April 23 runoff
The Buzz / Florida Politics Three others are in a fight for the second runoff spot. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 5, 2019 PHOTO: Tampa City Council District 1 candidates: (Top row, from left) Joseph Citro, David Loos, Alan Clendenin; (bottom row, from left) Craig A. Newman, Walter L. Smith. TAMPA…
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Tampa City Council District 7: Luis Viera wins easy re-election
The Buzz / Florida Politics The attorney said he would continue advocating for “ignored neighborhoods’’ in his district. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 5, 2019 PHOTO: Luis Viera TAMPA — Incumbent Luis Viera cruised to an easy win over challenger Quinton F. Robinson in the race for the District 7 seat…
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Air Force Secretary visits MacDill, hears families’ housing complaints
News / Military Residents have feared retaliation for speaking out. So Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson asked the base commander to leave the meeting so families could talk freely. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 1, 2019 PHOTO: In the wake of reporting by the Tampa Bay Times about mold and other…
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MacDill Matters: A Tampa special operations symposium could not be better timed
News / Military Column By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 27, 2019 It’s the 5th Annual Global SOF Foundation Symposium and the end of an era for a local barbecue joint opened to honor a fallen soldier This is a time of transition for the nation’s Special Operations Forces. They are still…
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Air Force Secretary to visit MacDill on Wednesday to hear families talk about housing woes
News / Military The visit comes after Tampa Bay Times stories on mold and other issues on privatized base housing By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 25, 2019 PHOTO: In the wake of reporting by the Tampa Bay Times about mold and other problems in privatized housing at MacDill Air Force Base,…
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Gus Bilirakis rips MacDill’s private base housing: ‘They are not doing their jobs’
News / Military The Congressman criticized military families’ living conditions at the Tampa base and wants Air Force investigators to determine whether the problems are the result of ‘wilful negligence.’ By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 21, 2019 PHOTO: U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor, seen here during a 2018 debate, said…
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How smart banks take the sting out of cybercrime
BANKING STRATEGIES After about a year of having a small amount of funds withdrawn from his Citizens Bank account every month, Steve Puccia finally noticed the money was being taken out without his permission. “Every month there was a debit on my card from anywhere from $16 to $18 and it was always a website…
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Two Marines met in a burger joint during World War II. Their 75th wedding anniversary is Saturday
News / Military A love that began on a desert Marine base still blooms in Sun City Center By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 21, 2019 PHOTO: Dorothy Hill, then Dorothy Russell, (top row, third from right) at Camp Lejuene, North Carolina with other women Marines in October, 1943. On Feb. 23,…
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Weak password or ‘phishing’ emails may explain takeover of Buckhorn’s tweets, experts say
News / Public Safety Tweets posted from Buckhorn’s account include threats against Tampa International Airport and others along with racist and pornographic images. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 21, 2019 PHOTO: The Twitter account of Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn was hacked early on Feb. 21, 2019. (Times files) TAMPA — The…
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Florida military bases could lose up to $177 million to Trump’s border wall
The Buzz / Florida Politics The president’s plan to divert money from military construction to the southern border could cost MacDill Air Force Base $3.5 million. By Steve Contorno and Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 18, 2019 PHOTO: A-10 Warthog jets from the 122nd Fighter Wing of the Indiana Air National Guard…
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Deputies searching for suspect who shot man in a Tampa apartment parking lot
News / Public Safety A man was shot dead Friday night. Deputies are seeking two vehicles in connection with the killing. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 16, 2019 Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office deputies are searching for the killer, or killers, of a man shot shortly before midnight in an apartment complex…
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MacDill families hope Congressional hearings on moldy housing will spur action
News / Military Support grows for a ‘bill of rights’ that would help military families deal with the private companies that run substandard on-base housing. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 14, 2019 PHOTO: Amie Norquist, 31, holds her 10-month-old son Ethan in their new home in Riverview in January. After a…
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Combat veteran on mold problem: ‘MacDill was the worst place I ever lived.’
News / Military MacDill Air Force Base’s senior enlisted leaders come forward with horror stories about the mold problems they endured in their on-base housing, joining the chorus of families unhappy with privatized housing. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 13, 2019 PHOTO: Marine Corps Master Gunnery Sgt. Blaine Jones said he…
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Largo man tried to ram SUV through MacDill gate, Tampa police say
News / Military The SUV was disabled by base security and the driver was taken into custody. The incident was not an act of terrorism or a political statement, police say. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 13, 2019 PHOTO: This 2014 photo shows the S Dale Mabry Highway gate onto MacDill…
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MacDill Matters: Iron Man suit out at SOCom, but new innovations still needed for commandos
News / Military Column A competition with an entry deadline of Feb. 15 seeks innovations in 12 areas, including artificial intelligence for psychological operations, improved human performance and undetectable video manipulation. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 12, 2019 PHOTO: In this May 20, 2014 photo, Michael Fieldson , the civilian project…
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CentCom faces questions about Saudi-led bombing campaign in Yemen
News / Military But it remains unknown how many aircraft or airmen from MacDill Air Force took part in the bombings, which have resulted in civilian casualties. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 5, 2019 PHOTO: A KC-135 Stratotanker is seen from another KC-135 as the planes sit on the tarmac at…
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B-17 bomber carries World War II memories over Tampa skies
News / Military The Nine-O-Nine, a B-17 Flying Fortress, is one of three World War II planes visiting for the Wings of Freedom tour. They’ll be at Tampa Executive Airport until Thursday. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 4, 2019 PHOTO: The B-17 Flying Fortress dubbed Nine-O-Nine, a World War II-era bomber,…
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A grandson recalls William Donovan, legendary creator of the Office of Strategic Services
News / Military Donovan created the forerunner of the CIA and Special Forces. He was one of nearly two dozen commando Medal of Honor recipients or family members honored by U.S. Special Operations Command. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 4, 2019 PHOTO: David Donovan, center, receives a plaque from Army Gen.…
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Living like there’s still a shutdown, Coast Guard wife joins Crist as State of the Union guest
News / Military Chelsey Gutierrez was selected for writing about her family’s ordeal: “We feel like pawns in a political game and we’re sick of it.” By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 4, 2019 PHOTO: Coast Guard member Chris Gutierrez, 33, and his wife Chelsey Gutierrez, 30, are budgeting their lives as…
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MacDill penalizes base housing operator over mold as Bilirakis launches congressional inquiry
News / Military At least two families point to illnesses in their children from mold in their homes. It’s a problem plaguing military installations nationwide. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 1, 2019 PHOTO: A mattress serves as a couch in the Riverview home of military spouse Amie Norquist and her children,…
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Sun Coast Chief Petty Officers Association coordinating relief for area Coasties affected by shutdown
News / Military Column By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / January 23, 2019 (Updated January 25, 2019) PHOTO: Members of the Sun Coast Chief Petty Officers Association accept food donations from The Storehouse of America at Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg. The food will be donated to Coast Guard members affected by the…
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Tyndall Air Force base finds new mission with the billions to be spent repairing hurricane damage
Florida As elected officials and Air Force leaders seek billions to rebuild, the Pentagon says all bases should consider planning for future storms. Next month, the Air Force will visit to begin planning its future. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / January 18, 2019 PHOTO: Col. Brian Laidlaw, commander of the 325th Wing…
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SOCom and Tampa gearing up for Defense Department’s Warrior Games, coming here in June
News / Military Column The Warrior Games were established in 2010 to enhance the recovery and rehabilitation of wounded, ill and injured warriors and to expose them to adaptive sports. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / January 15, 2019 PHOTO: Medically retired Marine Corps Sgt. Mike Nicholson of Tampa prepares to start a…
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Medal of Honor recipients, convening in Tampa this October, bring message of selflessness to youth
News / Military About 50 of the 74 surviving medal winners are expected to attend the annual convention to talk about service, sacrifice and lessons learned. Kids are their target audience. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / January 9, 2019 PHOTO: Medal of Honor recipients Gary Littrell, left, Drew Dix, center and Gary…
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With San Francisco and Boston now on board, Tampa Bay can’t contain Frogman Swim any more
News / Military Column Sunday marks the 10th anniversary of the Tampa Bay Frogman Swim, which has raised $3.5 million for the Navy SEAL Foundation By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / January 8, 2019 PHOTO: During the 2014 competition, swimmers in the second leg of the 3.1-mile Tampa Bay Frogman Swim take off…
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Tampa tech company offers solutions to counter drones, a growing threat
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / January 7, 2019 PHOTO: Ryan English CEO and Co-founder of FLYMOTION pilots a drone at their Tampa headquarters on 1/4/19, next to him is Unmanned Aerial Systems Operations Manager Rich Gatanis. FLYMOTION is a Tampa based Unmanned Aerial Systems company that works with customers…
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USF shutters controversial Confucius Institute on New Year’s Eve
Breaking News By Howard Altman and Megan Reeves / Tampa Bay Times / January 2, 2019 PHOTO: The University of South Florida Confucius Institute co-sponsored the Mid-Autumn Festival in October on the Tampa campus. Events included the Oct. 27 Double Ninth Festival, where six Chinese and American senior citizens were invited to share their life…
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Trump’s withdrawal orders run counter to arguments made by Tampa-based Central Command
News / Military Leaders at the command have said there is more to do in Syria and Afghanistan. But Trump wants troops out of Syria and reductions in Afghanistan. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / December 26, 2018 PHOTO: President Donald Trump, left, at a June Cabinet meeting with Secretary of Defense James…
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The call center commandment: Don’t put fraud protection on hold
BANKING STRATEGIES As if you weren’t already wary about answering phone calls from unknown numbers, here’s another concern to consider. And it isn’t just talk—though you’ll want to watch what you say, how you say it and who you say it to. Here’s how it works: Imagine a caller/fraudster trying to “steal” your voice by…
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Cybercrime 2.0: New ills, no pill for banking’s $600 billion headache
BANKING STRATEGIES The cost of cybercrime across the world is staggering, with some estimates ranging as high as more than $22 trillion a year in direct losses and the cost to deal with the aftermath. And in the banking sectors, the withdrawals are stunning: somewhere north of $600 billion a year, according to one estimate…
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Hurricane Michael: Life at the end of the road on Alligator Point
Tampa Bay Hurricane Guide By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / October 12, 2018 ALLIGATOR POINT — Wearing a bright yellow volunteer firefighter T-shirt and a weary smile, Corinna McEwen trudged past a group of Florida National Guard soldiers. They were sent Friday to help clear Alligator Drive, the road leading to her beachfront…
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Crytocurrency’s positive and negative: The need for electricity
BANKING STRATEGIES Fintech wannabes, think inside the box: a seemingly magical 40-foot electrical box that will make money anywhere you take it and plug it in. That, in essence, is what an Estonian company called NordCoin is pitching with something it calls a “Mobile Mining Container.” The devices are 40-foot shipping containers filled with high-powered…
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The ultimate cryptocurrency exchange: volatility for respectability
BANKING STRATEGIES Miguel Cervantes wasn’t a banker. But he might as well have had bitcoin on the brain when he wrote, “Madness is the coin of the realm.” That was in his book Don Quixote, named for a main character who was pretty adept at chasing after things that didn’t exist. That in a nutshell…
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Hacked together: How crooks create one fake person from many real people
BANKING STRATEGIES On film, Frankenstein exists only as a mythical creation. But online, a monster of many parts recently rose from the cyberswamp to take hostage a 49-year-old tech exec from Charlotte, North Carolina. Alas, this tale from the digital crypt begins not on some operating table in a castle, but a car lot. The…
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High-tech wrecking balls: The five biggest cyber threats to banks in 2018
BANKING STRATEGIES Some people will go a long way to sidestep the potential cyber threats that artificial intelligence could unleash upon our planet. Like the planet next door. Tesla co-founder and CEO Elon Musk wants to colonize Mars and create a society free from the theoretical danger of AI. Of course, that danger isn’t currently…
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CentCom’s Votel: U.S. will stay in Syria to fight ISIS and keep an eye on Iran
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 22, 2018 PHOTO: Gen. Joseph Votel, the head of U.S. Central Command, in a 2017 interview with the Tampa Bay Times at his office at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. (MONICA HERNDON | Times) TAMPA — In March, President Donald Trump said…
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It’s no secret: The Bank Secrecy Act needs a major overhaul
BANKING STRATEGIES “Illicit actors,” notes says Scott Swanson, a financial crimes investigator with a big-four accounting firm, “run around the Bank Secrecy Act like it is a chained, aged, and toothless junk yard dog.” If that sounds like hyperbole, consider all the talk about Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election and one crucial detail…
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Needles and PINs: From jackpotting to skimming, why ATMs are more vulnerable than ever
BANKING STRATEGIES Five decades after they were first unveiled in Swinging London as marvels of secure, cash-dispensing convenience, automatic teller machines are more vulnerable than ever—thanks to a wide array of attacks that include skimming devices, malware, intercepted communications, outright theft of the machines—and a new technique known as “jackpotting.” To thieves who pull this…
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Why North Korea’s cyber army threatens banks worldwide
BANKING STRATEGIES The Hermit Kingdom, nuclear armed and firing off ballistic missiles, is estranged from the rest of the world and cut off from trade. But building missiles and nukes is not a cheap endeavor. So to fund these programs, Kim Jong-un—whose forbears built one of the most fearsome cyberwarfare programs in existence—is increasingly flexing…
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Bitcoin’s potential underbelly: Is blockchain hackable?
BANKING STRATEGIES When it comes to keeping your money safe, even the much-vaunted blockchain is no panacea, says Moran Cerf, a guy who knows a thing or two about cracking security. “Nothing is safe in our world,” says Cerf, who used to be a hacker. Cerf, who’s since hung up his black hat, is now…
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Cybercrime, artificial intelligence and new frontiers in the battle against fraud
BANKING STRATEGIES There is no blood being shed, but the digital world, through which banks transmit treasure and identity, is clearly a battlefield. And artificial intelligence systems—which can make their own decisions at speeds humans can’t comprehend—is fast becoming a game-changing weapon. On offense as well as defense. “Fraudsters are more agile than the banking…
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Please continue to hold on: Call centers struggle to fight the rise of cyber fraud
BANKING STRATEGIES You know how you hate to dial into a bank contact center and navigate all those artificial intelligence prompts before talking to a human? Well, the bad guys know how much you hate it. Which is why they love it. Using customer aversion to their advantage, cyber crooks pilfer billions from the often…
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Fighting insecurity over cybersecurity
BANKING STRATEGIES The executives of a small Nebraska bank scoffed at spending $500 to encrypt data coming into the bank’s website, a move that would have ensured a higher level of security. Why spend the money, the bank executives reasoned, when they could keep an eye on things? What could possibly go wrong? A lot,…
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With emerging payments, emerging security concerns and consciousness
BANKING STRATEGIES BAI’s reporting on banking security issues has found that regardless of the threat and response, fraudsters are rapidly adapting not only to security measures, but also to where and how customers access their accounts. Meanwhile, financial institutions face a delicate balancing act; increase security without scaring away customers. Getting that balance right may…
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CentCom commander Votel steels for next chapter in world’s most dangerous region
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / July 14, 2017 PHOTO: Army Gen. Joseph Votel, commander of the U.S. Central Command, sat down for an interview Wednesday with the Tampa Bay Times in his office at MacDill Air Force base. (MONICA HERNDON | Times) TAMPA — As the man in charge…
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A vicious cybercycle: Hackers attack, banks react, hackers strike back
BANKING STRATEGIES In banking’s cash-and-coin-only days, robbers walked up to tellers, pulled out a gun and said “stick ’em up.” These days, thieves can just walk up to an ATM, unarmed, and perform a digital variation you could call “stick ’em out.” Case in point: In April, a man walked up to a Russian bank…
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Helping commandos face one tough challenge: Finding their next job
News / Military Stu Bradin said a deeper transition course was necessary. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 1, 2017 The Navy SEAL master chief was among the best of the best. Not only had he served with the Navy Special Warfare Development Group, commonly known as SEAL Team 6, but he…
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SOCom at 30 has evolved into small command with big global impact
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / April 15, 2017 PHOTO: U.S. Special Operations Command can spend billions each year on equipment and services for commandos such as Green Berets, seen here in a Kandahar Province village in Afghanistan. (HOWARD ALTMAN | Tampa Tribune 2013) It was born out of deadly…
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The quest to secure payments security
BANKING STRATEGIES When Darouny Bounsengsa bought her mobile phone at 17, she wasted little time diving into the digital payments world. “I use it primarily for checking my balance at a moment’s notice, but I have used it to deposit checks, locate branches and ATMS, and transfer funds between my accounts,” says the 21-year-old theater…
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Lights, cameras, inaction threaten banking security
BANKING STRATEGIES Back in the good old days, robbers had to show up at banks, guns drawn, to make illicit withdrawals. Good thing that security cameras were in place to catch the bad guys. But now—in an ironic, 21-Century feat of high-tech swindling—fraudsters can use those same cameras to access millions and millions of dollars,…
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Tampa links helped bring special operations film to Sundance screen
News / Military A Tampa connection brings the group’s story to Sundance. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / January 20, 2017 PHOTO: The makers of Legion of Brothers sought the blessing of Special Operations Command, based in Tampa, for their documentary about the first foot soldiers in the American war against jihadis. (Courtesy…
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Fake folks, real threat: How synthetic fraud fools financial institutions
BANKING STRATEGIES Parker Conrad’s LinkedIn page shows he has a thriving IT business, a loving family with “two princesses,” an electric car (a Chevy Volt, to be precise) and more than 500 connections. But here’s one thing it doesn’t show: Parker Conrad doesn’t exist. He is a fake persona, created by a Florida cyber security…
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Ukraine turns to Tampa group for help setting up new commando HQ
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / November 15, 2016 PHOTO: Viktor Muzhenko, general of the army of Ukraine and the army chief of staff, meets retired U.S. Army Col. Stu Bradin, president and CEO of the Global SOF Foundation in Tampa. (Ukraine Ministry of Defense) Commando forces in the Ukraine were…
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From hacks and attacks to guarding your back: Eight actions security-savvy banks need to take
BANKING STRATEGIES An employee in the human resources department received an email that looked like it was from the boss and opened the attached word file. Only it wasn’t from the boss. And the attachment was what cybersecurity experts call malware, a virus that in this case gave the sender of the email access to…
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Potential for hotel near MacDill raises concerns over base’s future
News / Military Column By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 28, 2016 PHOTO: Potential development around MacDill Air Force Base has raised concerns about whether the base’s fleet of KC-135 refueling tankers might be moved in the next round of base closings. Times file photo (2001) TAMPA — The prospect of a…
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Tampa WW2 veteran honored by French with Legion of Honor
News / Military Column By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 23, 2016 PHOTO: French Brig. Gen. Thierry Ducret, French representative to the U.S. Central Command international coalition, presents the French Legion of Honor Medal to World War II glider pilot Leonard Stevens of Tampa. (HOWARD ALTMAN | Times) Leonard Stevens was the…
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Part of VA primary-care annex in Tampa closing to fix mold problem
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 23, 2016 PHOTO: Patients and staff run little risk of exposure during the mold removal at the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, officials say. (JAMES BORCHUCK | Times 2014) Portions of the Primary Care Annex serving patients at the James A. Haley Veterans’…
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Port Tampa Bay businesses pitch in to maintain SS ‘American Victory’
Tampa Bay Times By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 23, 2016 VIDEO: (missing) TAMPA — At 71, the SS American Victory is in pretty good shape. But the cargo ship that saw service during World War II, Korea and Vietnam needs some of the upkeep required with age. So with puffs of…
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‘Restrepo’ director Junger, in Tampa tonight, talks war and journalism
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 21, 2016 PHOTO: For their 2010 documentary Restrepo, Sebastian Junger, left, and Tim Hetherington documented the experiences of a small group of soldiers at an outpost in Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley. Hetherington later was killed in Libya. (AP Photo/Outpost Films, Tim Hetherington) Author and…
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Fore! MacDill is dismantling its iconic ‘Golf Ball’ satellite antenna
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 20, 2016 PHOTO: The AN/GSC-39C satellite antenna at MacDill Air Force Base, affectionately known as the Golf Ball, is being dismantled. (Courtesy of 6th Air Mobility Wing, MacDill Air Force Base) TAMPA — Technically, it was called the AN/GSC-39C satellite antenna at Building…
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Mold closes beds at Young VA center, may be a problem at Haley, too
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 16, 2016 PHOTO: The discovery of mold required temporarily taking 13 beds out service at the C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center in Bay Pines. (CHERIE DIEZ | Times) Officials at Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals on both sides of Tampa Bay are…
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Dunedin veteran opens up about sexual harassment in musical, book
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 16, 2016 PHOTO: Laura Westley of Dunedin, front and center, reheareses her musical “War Virgin,” which recounts her experiences at the U.S. Military Academy and as a female soldier. Performances are scheduled in St. Petersburg, Boston and West Point, New York. (DIRK SHADD…
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New commander at the 927th Air Refueling Wing
News / Military Column By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 15, 2016 PHOTO: Lt. Gen. John C. Flournoy, left, commander of the 4th Air Force, passes the symbol of command for the 927th Air Refueling Wing to Col. Frank Amodeo in a ceremony Sept. 11 at MacDill. (Senior Airman Xavier Lockley, U.S.…
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Former prisoner recounts horrors of captivity for POW/MIA ceremony
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 13, 2016 VIDEO: (missing) With his A-4 Skyhawk shot out of the sky, Navy Lt. JG Bradley Smith plummeted to earth at 600 miles an hour. He hit the ejection lever just seconds before it was too late and wound up unconscious in…
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Former prisoner recounts horrors of captivity for POW/MIA ceremony
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 13, 2016 PHOTO: Wayback image
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Marine widow seeks VA benefits in Camp Lejeune contamination
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 13, 2016 PHOTO: Tara Craver protests Monday outside Bay Pines VA Healthcare System. Her husband was stationed at Camp Lejeune in 1972. (JOHN PENDYGRAFT | Times) ST. PETERSBURG — Tara Craver stood on a grassy strip along Bay Pines Boulevard, across from the…
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CentCom’s role has evolved since 9/11
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 10, 2016 PHOTO: Army Gen. Joseph Votel, commander of Tampa-based U.S. Central Command, visited the USS New Orleans in the Strait of Hormuz during July as part of a tour of 20-nation CentCom region. (HOWARD ALTMAN / Times) TAMPA — Like the rest…
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Centcom: Afghanistan hostage rescue mission called back in mid-flight
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 9, 2016 PHOTO: The American University of Afghanistan in Kabul was the scene of an attack on Aug. 25, when at least 13 people were killed and dozens wounded, a government spokesman said. More than two weeks earlier, two professors were kidnapped. (Associated…
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Neighbors piled into SUV to escape flooding in Hudson
News / Public Safety By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 2, 2016 PHOTO: Washington Street in Port Richey is flooded due to rains from Hurricane Hermine. (HOWARD ALTMAN | Staff) HUDSON — As the outer bands of Hurricane Hermine lashed coastal Pasco County, Jennifer Webb woke up to rising water in her…
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What it’s like to be aboard a NOAA Hurricane Hunter as it flies into Hermine
News / Weather By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 1, 2016 VIDEO: (missing) As Hermine spins slowly northeast, weather scientists sort through computer data aboard a plane that shudders through savage blasts from the storm. Todd Richards slides a cylinder known as a dropsonde into the tube behind him, and with a…
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Pat Frank wins nomination in Hillsborough clerk race
News / Politics By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 30, 2016 TAMPA — Incumbent Pat Frank won a resounding victory over challenger Kevin Beckner Tuesday night in a costly, contentious Democratic primary for Hillsborough County clerk. With all precincts reporting, Frank had a lead of nearly 18 percentage points. She cited “the…
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Misuse of state’s driver database often for personal reasons
News / Public Safety By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 27, 2016 PHOTO: The state’s Driver and Vehicle Information Database (DAVID) is intended to provide information to certified users in law enforcement. Some officers have misused it, sometimes inadvertently. (flhsmv.gov) After relations with his girlfriend grew cold last year, Ryan Elliott Butler…
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Jill Kelley to speak at Yale University student organization
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 25, 2016 PHOTO: Jill Kelley, whose self published book “Collateral Damage” came out in March, was invited to speak at Yale University as an expert on government overreach. (Associated Press) Jill Kelley of Tampa, who played a role in the fall of CIA…
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Altman: Silah, retired Navy captain and champion for wounded, dies at 80
News / Military Column By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 25, 2016 PHOTO: For his efforts with Operation Helping Hand, Bob Silah was named to the inaugural class of the Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame in 2013. (Times file 2013) Short and crusty, retired Navy Capt. Bob Silah was like a boiled…
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Photo tech’s gesture moves mother of soldier killed in Afghanistan
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 23, 2016 PHOTO: A Walgreens photo technician figured out part of the story of Army Spc. Zachary Shannon from photos his mother brought in for processing. The technician, Matthew Bower, paid for the order himself. Courtesy of Kim Allison When Kim Allison visited…
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Veterans receive medals in Largo ceremony for service long past
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 19, 2016 PHOTO: U.S. Rep. David Jolly, right, presents service awards Friday to Jim Shanyfelt, 89, who served in the Navy in World War II and the Korean War. (DIRK SHADD | Times) Trying to correct his name on some letters of appreciation…
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Sister finds words to honor airman missing since Korean War
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 19, 2016 VIDEO: (missing) It was just a bone fragment, a small piece from a human skull, but pulled from the icy expanse of an Alaska glacier, it proved enough to solve a mystery six decades old. “It stirred everything back up again,”…
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New Cuba talks may speed work of Tampa-based storm trackers
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 18, 2016 PHOTO: A flight engineer prepares the P-3 Orion aircraft dubbed Kermit for a trip into the eye of a hurricane. New talks with Cuba may help speed the time it takes to reach a storm from the National Oceanographc and Atmospheric…
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Summit consensus: Saving MacDill means chasing other states’ bases
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 17, 2016 PHOTO: A former MacDill Air Force Base commander said a round of base closings is likely, but that MacDill should be in good shape (Times files 2014) ST. PETERSBURG — In Florida, which has 20 military bases, the defense industry accounts…
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Alarm raised over report denouncing CentCom workplace culture
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 12, 2016 PHOTO: The U.S. Central Command, based at MacDill Air Force Base, was the focus of a critical congressional report on Thursday. (CHRIS URSO | Tampa Tribune 2014) TAMPA — For retired Army intelligence officer D.J. Reyes, a scathing report by congressional…
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Aerial tankers headed to Tampa airport during MacDill repaving
News / Military Column By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 12, 2016 PHOTO: Up to four KC-135 Stratotanker refueling jets, pictured above, will be moved from MacDill to Tampa International Airport. Two of the base’s transport planes will also be parked at TIA. (SKIP O’ROURKE | Times 2012) When we first reported…
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House panel slams CentCom for painting ‘rosy’ picture of ISIS threat
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 11, 2016 PHOTO: Demonstrators chant slogans to support the Islamic State group in front of the provincial government headquarters in the Iraqi city of Mosul in June 2014. (Associated Press 2014) U.S. Central Command’s intelligence operation altered its analysis to paint a more…
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Gold Star families came away surprised at attention Trump showed them
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 5, 2016 PHOTO: Craig Gross of Oldsmar, left, speaks about his son with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, center, and Billy Vaughn during a meeting Trump called with Gold Star families on Wednesday in Jacksonville. Gold Star families have lost loved ones to…
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Altman: Water level around base could rise 1.7 feet by 2050, scientists group says
News / Military Column By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 5, 2016 Officials at MacDill Air Force Base, which has more than seven miles of shoreline, say they are prepared to cope with storm surges and, in the near-term, rising sea levels. A report issued last month by the Union of Concerned…
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Gold Star families drawn reluctantly into presidential debate
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 1, 2016 PHOTO: In her Brooksville home on Monday, Gold Star mother Talisa Williams holds a photo of her late son, Army Spc. Clarence Williams III, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2012. (BRENDAN FITTERER | Times) Only a small fraction of American…
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Jihadi posting on Internet is latest effort in fear campaign, experts say
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / July 29, 2016 The latest salvo in the jihadi cyber war against the United States was fired Thursday via a social media posting from a group supporting the Islamic State. The posting, in the form of an infographic, bragged about successful attempts to hack…
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Civilian airliner carries new generals on national tour of commands
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / July 21, 2016 PHOTO: A Boeing 757 flown by Delta Air Lines, like this one pictured in the skies over Seattle, took off last week from MacDill Air Force Base. A civilian jet is a rare site at the military installation. (Associated Press) No,…
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Don’t read much into military service of police shooters, those who work with veterans say
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / July 19, 2016 PHOTO: Gavin Long, 29, who served with the Marines in Iraq, killed three law enforcement officers and wounded three others in Baton Rouge, La. (YouTube via AP) Local experts who deal with troubled veterans caution against drawing conclusions from the military…
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CentCom commander has concerns about sharing Syria intelligence with Russians
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / July 15, 2016 PHOTO: A family walks amid the rubble of destroyed buildings following a reported air strike in April on the rebel-held neighborhood of al-Kalasa in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo. {Getty Images) BAGHDAD — Two top U.S. commanders in the war…
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U.S. general briefs CentCom visitors on Iraqi military progress with attack on Mosul looming
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / July 14, 2016 PHOTO: Shell casings lie on the ground as Iraqi government forces gather around the Qayyarah airbase, which was seized by Iraqi forces last week from Islamic State militants. (Getty images) BAGHDAD — A recent battle to retake the village of Nasir…
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Votel sees cause for concern as U.S., Iranian ships share tight space
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / July 11, 2016 PHOTO: Army Gen. Joseph Votel speaks with a Navy sailor during a visit to the USS New Orleans. Over Votel’s shoulder, approaching the American ship, is an Iranian war vessel. (Howard Altman | Times) ABOARD THE USS NEW ORLEANS — The…
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CentCom commander’s videoconference reveals how new drones help turn tide in Afghanistan
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / July 9, 2016 PHOTO: Army Gen. Joseph Votel, head of Tampa-based U.S. Central Command, listens as Army Gen. John Nicholson, new commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, discusses progress in efforts to stabilize the country during a roundtable at Nicholson’s headquarters in Kabul. (Howard…
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Gen. Votel leaves MacDill HQ for fifth tour of troubled CentCom region
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / July 8, 2016 PHOTO: Army Gen. Joseph Votel, commander of U.S. Central Command, briefs reporters on his way to Kabul, Afghanistan, for a a visit to the CentCom region. (Howard Altman | Times) KABUL, Afghanistan — During his early years in office, President Barack…
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Officials warn of dangers shooting fireworks on base
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / July 1, 2016 PHOTO: MacDill security personnel say only those licensed and with permission can use fireworks. (Times files) MacDill has its own rules on fireworks, and they’re strict. There’s no shortage of people on MacDill Air Force Base who have experienced the power…
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Tampa widow’s lawsuit blames social media in terrorist attacks
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 30, 2016 PHOTO: An organization described as a public relations arm of the terrorist Islamic State used Twitter pages like this to recruit new members, according to a federal lawsuit. The page had 20,000 followers as of June 2014, the lawsuit says. (Photo…
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One more mission for remarkable career: a medal for the OSS
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 24, 2016 PHOTO: Shown with Gen. Raymond “Tony” Thomas III, commander of SOCom at MacDill Air Force Base, Caesar Civitella, right, was inducted into SOCom’s Commando Hall of Honor this year. Courtesy of Caesar Civitella ST. PETERSBURG — The life of Caesar Civitella…
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MacDill defenders hit the road to tout gains in education, traffic
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 24, 2016 PHOTO: The Tampa Bay Defense Alliance has emphasized progress at MacDill Air Force Base in reducing gridlock at gates. (Times 2011) TAMPA — Knowing the Pentagon aims to consolidate bases some day, local leaders are touting gains from their partnerships with…
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MacDill loses out on economic boost from next round of KC-46 Pegasus aerial tankers
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 24, 2016 PHOTO: MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa was on an initial list of 11 bases under consideration to host the new KC-46 Pegasus refueling jets, left, but was passed over a second time. (Courtesy U.S. Air Force) TAMPA — The newest…
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Altman: Air guard Col. Vogel taking over as MacDill commander
News / Military Column By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 23, 2016 PHOTO: Air Force Reserve Col. April Vogel will take over as base commander at MacDill Air Force Base on July 8. Vogel is currently vice commander of the 175th Wing of the Maryland Air National Guard. (Courtesy of the Defense…
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No charges filed in bar shooting death of former SEAL, family says
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 22, 2016 PHOTO: Tim Martin was shot and killed during an altercation at SoHo Backyard in November in Tampa. TAMPA — Relatives of a former Navy SEAL who was shot and killed in a confrontation at a South Tampa restaurant say prosecutors have…
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MacDill to suspend flights two months for runway resurfacing
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 20, 2016 PHOTO: MacDill is home to 16 KC-135 Stratotanker air refueling jets, which will be moved temporarily while runways are resurfaced. Resurfacing at MacDill takes place about every 15 years. (Times files 2012) TAMPA — MacDill Air Force Base and the skies…
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Price of postage pinches group sending goodies to troops overseas
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 17, 2016 PHOTO: Mark Van Trees, 60, runs Support the Troops, a group that sends items such as toiletries and snacks around the globe. (Courtesy of Mark Van Trees) More than just about anyone else outside the gates of MacDill Air Force Base,…
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Few answers as Orlando shooting investigation moves into fourth day
News / Public Safety By Zachary T. Sampson, Samuel Howard, Anthony Cormier, Howard Altman and Kathryn Varn / Tampa Bay Times / June 15, 2016 PHOTO: Investigators comb the crime scene Wednesday at Pulse, a gay nightclub where a gunman killed 49 people. Authorities released little information Wednesday but said they hoped the area around the club…
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Orlando gunman Omar Mateen was a proficient shot, records show
News By Howard Altman and Anthony Cormier / Tampa Bay Times / June 15, 2016 Omar Mateen was a proficient shooter who regularly got high marks on firearms tests, according to documents released Wednesday by the state. Licensing records show that Mateen scored in the 98th percentile with the same caliber weapon — a 9mm…
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Complaints, investigations not enough for Orlando nightclub shooter to lose his security job
News / Public Safety By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 14, 2016 PHOTO: Omar Mateen has been identified as the gunman who killed 49 people in the Pulse nightclub in Orlando early Sunday. (MySpace via AP) A former coworker said that that long before Omar Mateen became the deadliest mass shooter in…
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Officials say nothing in law to prevent Orlando gunman from buying firearms
News / Public Safety By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 13, 2016 The Florida Department of Law Enforcement lists more than a dozen reasons on its website why someone would be rejected for a weapons purchase. They including felony convictions, active warrants, adjudication of mental illness, even renounced U.S. citizenship. But not…
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How far should we go in preparing for future mass shootings? (w/video)
News / Public Safety By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 12, 2016 VIDEO: Regardless of his motive, Omar Mateen’s massacre at an Orlando nightclub has once again sparked a debate about the role of weapons in society and how to protect so-called “soft” targets like nightclubs, malls and other places where large…
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Vietnam medals weren’t enough for popular Marine who embellished record
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 10, 2016 PHOTO: Retired U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Wayne Ridgley is the center of attention during a Memorial Day ceremony on May 30 in Tampa. Ridgley wears ribbons that he did not earn, according to his military record. (CHRIS URSO | Times) PHOTO:…
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Altman: Movie features those who guard Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
News / Military Column By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 10, 2016 PHOTO: The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where Memorial Day ceremonies were held June 6, is the subject of a recent documentary, The Unknowns, showing Wednesday in Tampa. (Getty Images) Benjamin Bell knows what it takes to guard the Tomb…
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Iconic Russian AK-47 might some day be ‘Made in U.S.A.’ for military (w/video)
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 9, 2016 VIDEO: U.S. Special Operations Command wants to see if it can slap a “Made in the U.S.A.” label on the world’s most popular weapon — the Russian-designed AK-47 assault rifle. In war-torn countries like Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, where the United…
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MacDill expected to weather delay in Air Force tanker delivery
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 4, 2016 PHOTO: Crews prepare to move KC-135 air refueling jets in 2012. The base is scheduled to receive eight additional KC-135 tankers, bringing its fleet to 24. (Times file 2012) TAMPA — There is a new delay in the launch of new…
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Canada’s man at MacDill sees role shifting in ISIS battle
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 2, 2016 PHOTO: Canadian air force Col. Paul Keddy is his nation’s senior national representative to the international coalition of U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. (HOWARD ALTMAN / Times) For the past three years, Canadian air force Col.…
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Jolly, Latvala: MacDill gridlock poses security threat
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 1, 2016 TAMPA — To U.S. Rep. David Jolly and state Sen. Jack Latvala, the line of cars backing up every day on Dale Mabry outside MacDill Air Force Base is more than an inconvenience. “The lineup you have in the morning presents…
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Identifying fallen U.S. Soldiers carries a high emotional cost
News / Military What Memorial Day really honors By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 29, 2016 PHOTO: The transfer cases containing the remains of Army Pfc. Michael C. Olivieri, left, of Chicago; Army Pfc. Christopher B. Fishbeck of Victorville, Calif.; Army Pfc. Michael B. Cook of Middletown, Ohio; and Army Pfc. Emilio…
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How the U.S. military’s fallen are identified, prepared for burial
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 29, 2016 PHOTO: Senior Airman Devon Garner-Klingbeil stands near transfer cases containing the remains of Army Spc. Brittany B. Gordo and Army Sgt. Robert J. Billings on Oct. 15, 2012 at Dover Air Force Base, Del. According to the Department of Defense, Gordon…
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Tiny drone can bring images to commanos day and night
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 27, 2016 PHOTO: At his booth at the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference, Arne Skjaerpe of Prox Dynamics displays the Black Hornet drone, designed for small troop units in the field. At his booth at the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference, Arne Skjaerpe…
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FBI Director James Comey visits Tampa, cites advances, challenges in terror fight
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 26, 2016 TAMPA — FBI director James Comey told a gathering of international commandos and defense industry leaders Wednesday that they must continually adapt to evolving threats from the Middle East. Where al-Qaida fighters focused on long-term planning for large-scale attacks, for instance,…
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Mayor Buckhorn to be ‘taken hostage’ in staged assault in downtown Tampa today
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 25, 2016 PHOTO: International Special Operations Forces from many countries around the world work together in a simulated hostage rescue and combating enemy forces in 2014 in Tampa. Later today, Buckhorn once again will be taken hostage. It’s all part of SOFIC (Special…
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The merchants of war sell their wares at Tampa Convention Center
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 24, 2016 TAMPA — Packed with robots and trucks and guns and drones, the Tampa Convention Center’s exhibition hall this week has been transformed into a showroom for the latest in war gadgets. It’s all part of the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference,…
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Head of SOCom lays out vision at MacDill conference
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 24, 2016 PHOTO: General Raymond “Tony” Thomas III, the man in charge of US Special Operations Command, headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base, will speak twice on Tuesday in Tampa, including a question and answer session that should offer a vigorous discussion of…
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11,500 expected to attend Special Ops conference in Tampa
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 24, 2016 PHOTO: U.S. and international special operations forces demonstrate combat capabilities outside the Tampa Convention Center during a 2012 convention. (Times 2012) TAMPA — A major annual conference that brings together special operations forces commanders and defense industry leaders kicked into high…
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Big special operations conferences in Tampa this week
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 22, 2016 PHOTO: Army Gen. Raymond A. “Tony” Thomas III, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, will speak this week at the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference in Tampa. (MONICA HERNDON | Times) TAMPA — In…
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Tampa Bay Defense Alliance’s new Tampa Bay Trophy will honor civilians who help the military
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 20, 2016 PHOTO: Courtesy of Tampa Bay Defense Alliance The Tampa Bay Defense Alliance is creating a new trophy to honor civilians who have given distinguished service and contributions to airmen. It will be presented in October. Tampa Bay is well known throughout…
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Bob Buckhorn has a hostage thing going on
Bay Buzz / Local Politics By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 18, 2016 More than just about any American mayor, Tampa’s Bob Buckhorn is used to surrendering. Buckhorn surrenders the city every year to the invading “pirates” for Gasparilla. And next Wednesday, he will once again be “captured” by bad guys only to be rescued…
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Former Tampa teacher now guides Afghan military on drones
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 13, 2016 PHOTO: Air Force Maj. Erin Tedesco, a former Tampa school teacher, looking at the ScanEagle drone catapult launching system. Tedesco, 40, is the lead advisor to the program teaching the Afghan National Army how to use the aircraft to gather images…
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Lt. general poised to become deputy commander of U.S. Central Command
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 9, 2016 PHOTO: Air Force Lt. Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., nominated as the No. 2 officer at U.S. Central Command, was once deputy director of CentCom’s operations directorate. (U.S. Air Force) MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE — As the head of U.S. Air…
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Nancy Pelosi briefed on ISIS at MacDill
The Buzz / Florida Politics By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 9, 2016 A bipartisan Congressional delegation, led by Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, D-California, visited MacDill Air Force Base on Friday for a briefing by top military commanders on training and equipping initiatives in the fight against the so-called Islamic State jihadi group.…
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U.S. team practices at MacDill for paralympic-style ‘Invictus’ games
The Tampa Tribune / TBO.com Military News On June 7, 2012, Army Sgt. Stefan Leroy was walking in Maiwand, Afghanistan, carrying the body of a friend killed by an improvised explosive device. Leroy stepped on another IED and the force severed both his legs. But for Leroy, now 24 medically retired and living in Santa…
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Effort to trim four-star commanders to have no impact at MacDill AFB
The Tampa Tribune / TBO.com Military News To improve military efficiency in the face of budget cuts and nimble adversaries, a congressional committee is taking aim at the number of generals and admirals. But for the most part, the proposals won’t affect the commands headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. MacDill has plenty…
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Will robotics become an essential part of future warfare?
The Tampa Tribune / TBO.com Howard Altman Columns Was a new era of warfare ushered in on Feb. 18? Skip Parish thinks so. The Sarasota-based unmanned-systems inventor and innovator said on that night, according to Ukraine military officials, a Ukraine munitions dump was attacked by waves of small drones operated by Russian forces. Parish didn’t…
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Even secure military locations can be dangerous
The Tampa Tribune / TBO.com Howard Altman Columns On March 19, Staff Sgt. Louis F. Cardin, 27, became the first Marine to die in combat during the ongoing battle against the so-called Islamic State jihadi group when a rocket barrage hit his fire base in northern Iraq. Several other Marines were injured, which highlights the…
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Centcom, Socom have new leaders after historic change of command
The Tampa Tribune / TBO.com TAMPA — Army Gen. Joseph Votel had a busy and historic day Wednesday, one that highlighted the continuity of leadership and the importance of commandos as a force in the ongoing fight against jihadis. At a change of command ceremony at MacDill Air Force Base, attended by Defense Secretary Ash…
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Commandos at MacDill AFB gear up for the annual Warrior Games
The Tampa Tribune / TBO.com Military News TAMPA — Sitting on the floor of the MacDill Air Force Base gym, Army Sgt. Lauren Montoya swats a red, white and green volleyball across the net, where another group of men and women are sitting on the floor waiting to swat it back. All the while, her teammates,…
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McRaven now appreciates impact in U.S. of his bin Laden raid
The Tampa Tribune / TBO.com Military News PALM HARBOR — William McRaven laughed when asked about the highlights of his remarkable life, more than half of it spent in uniform as a Navy SEAL. Sitting down to talk with The Tampa Tribune, McRaven said if he were remembered only as the guy who told college students…
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NATO’s top concerns: refugees, Russia and jihadis
The Tampa Tribune / TBO.com Military News TAMPA — On a continent with no shortages of security challenges, the deputy commander of North Atlantic Treaty Organization Forces in Europe says refugees pouring in from conflicts in the Middle East present the greatest short-term security risk while Russia and jihadis are creating huge problems, too. “There…
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Iraqi general tells special operations conference of Islamic State atrocities
The Tampa Tribune / TBO.com Military News In May 2014, Iraqi Staff Gen. Talib Shagati Mshari Alkinani, commander of the Iraqi Joint Special Operations Command, visited the U.S. Special Operations Command war game center at MacDill Air Force Base and talked about a dangerous new group of jihadis that was only beginning to garner attention.…
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A focus on the future, not the present
The Tampa Tribune / TBO.com Howard Altman Columns Defense Secretary Ash Carter, who has been traveling the globe to drum up more support in the ongoing fight against the so-called Islamic State jihadi group, says he has received additional support from 90 percent of the countries involved in the fight against them. That includes additional…
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Socom gets boost in Obama budget, but base closings loom
The Tampa Tribune / TBO.com Military News TAMPA — President Barack Obama, who has relied heavily on Special Operations Forces in the battle against Islamic extremists, has given U.S. Special Operations Command a budget boost in his final spending plan, details of which were unveiled in Washington on Tuesday. And though the budget request calls…
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Airstrikes against Islamic State likely caused two civilian deaths
The Tampa Tribune / TBO.com Military News U.S. airstrikes in the ongoing fight against the Sunni jihadi group calling itself Islamic State likely resulted in the death of two civilians and injuries to an additional four civilians, according to the latest report from U.S. Central Command. The casualties were the result of five separate U.S.…
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General may wind up on a hotter seat
The Tampa Tribune / TBO.com Military News It’s just a short walk at MacDill Air Force Base from the headquarters of U.S. Special Operations Command to the headquarters of U.S. Central Command. But sometime in the next few months, Army Gen. Joseph Votel, the Socom commander widely reported to be President Barack Obama’s choice to…
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Future of MacDill medical clinic debated
The Tampa Tribune / TBO.com Military News TAMPA — Active duty service members, retirees and their dependents have come to rely on the MacDill Air Force Base medical clinic in Brandon, which serves about 18,000 patients a year. But now the 6th Air Mobility Wing, the base host unit, is looking at whether it should…
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Castor, Bilirakis, Rubio upset at veterans service problems in St. Pete
The Tampa Tribune / TBO.com Military News TAMPA — Local members of Congress who routinely deal with the Department of Veterans Affairs are calling for action in the wake of a report that veterans seeking benefits had to wait longer because documents were improperly prepared and stored. U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor wrote a letter to…
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Veterans waited longer for benefits through St. Pete office, VA finds
The Tampa Tribune / TBO.com Military News Veterans who filed benefits claims at the St. Petersburg Regional Office waited longer in 2014 because claims materials weren’t prepared properly, a Department of Veterans Affairs report says. Inspectors also found that personal information was inadequately stored at a contractor scanning center, posing a risk of identity theft,…
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Tampa foundation springs to action upon hearing of wounded, fallen commandos
The Tampa Tribune / TBO.com Military News The death of one commando and the wounding of two others in a firefight in Afghanistan is a stark reminder of how dangerous that country remains and why organizations like the Tampa-based Special Operations Warrior Foundation are still needed. The casualties took place as U.S. commandos were on…
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2015 evoked a wide range of emotions
The Tampa Tribune / TBO.com Military News Covering the military and veterans in a place like the Tampa Bay area at a time of enduring conflict is never dull, and 2015 had plenty of interesting moments of triumph and tragedy, controversy and success. The beat, of course, includes MacDill Air Force Base and all that…
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Proposed app would cut motorists’ wait at MacDill gates
The Tampa Tribune / TBO.com Military News TAMPA — Anyone who needs to get onto MacDill Air Force Base knows how long it can take to get through the gates. Especially Dale Mabry. At rush hour. But the 15,000 vehicles passing through the base’s four gates every day not only create long waits for those headed…
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Outback Bowl fans show colors in pre-game tailgate
The Tampa Tribune / TBO.com Sports TAMPA — In basic color theory, purple and orange are secondary colors. But they were the primary hues at Raymond James Stadium on Friday morning as purple-clad fans of the Northwestern University Wildcats and orange-clad fans of the University of Tennessee Volunteers filled the parking lots for tailgating prior to…
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Girl wounded, cruiser damaged, five arrested in St. Pete celebratory gunfire
The Tampa Tribune / TBO.com Crime & Courts St. Petersburg police expressed frustration on the first morning of the new year as five men were arrested, a girl was wounded and a police cruiser suffered damage in separate incidents involving celebratory gunfire early Friday morning. All those incidents transpired just hours after police posted a…
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Bill Nelson: Socom’s Votel would be good choice to lead Centcom
The Tampa Tribune / TBO.com Military News Army Gen. Joseph Votel, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, would be a good choice to lead U.S. Central Command, Sen. Bill Nelson said during a speech on the Senate floor Monday. Nelson, speaking about the fight against the Sunni jihadi group calling itself Islamic State, noted that…
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Tribune interview: Air campaign leader sees progress against ISIS
The Tampa Tribune / TBO.com Military News As the head of U.S. Air Forces Central Command since June, Lt. Gen. Charles Q. Brown is leading the aerial campaign against the Sunni insurgent group calling itself Islamic State. Since the campaign started 15 months ago, there have been nearly 8,000 airstrikes at a cost of about $11…
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Socom’s ‘hackathon’ opens process of creating high-tech commando gear
The Tampa Tribune / TBO.com Military News Imagine a helmet visor that allows commandos in the field to see friendly and enemy forces, even behind walls, without emitting light to give them away. That’s what Michael Grochol came up with last month with his team of software developers from ISPA Technology, a small defense contracting…
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Veteran wants proof you deserve that Marine license plate
The Tampa Tribune / TBO.com Military News Earlier this month, Connie O’Dell went to the department of motor vehicles office in Ruskin to get a new license plate for her husband, Navy veteran Mike O’Dell. As a result, O’Dell is on a new mission — trying to change how plates commemorating the five branches of…
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Rescued by SEALS, aid worker raising money for them
The Tampa Tribune / TBO.com Military News TAMPA — On her 93rd night as a captive of Somali pirates, American aid worker Jessica Buchanan did what she taught herself to do to stay sane in the dark. She pulled her mat from under a tree and tried to go to sleep. It was Jan. 25,…