Jonathan Lehrfeld
Early Bird Brief Editor, Military Times
Jonathan is a staff writer and editor of the Early Bird Brief newsletter for Military Times. Follow him on Twitter @lehrfeld_media
All Stories By Jonathan
Weighing benefits: Could anti-obesity meds help troops’ weight issues?
Advocates argue that anti-obesity drugs like Ozempic could help overweight troops, but the services have no uniform policy for such treatments.
Hegseth tells lawmakers of plan to detain immigrants at 2 US bases
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says bases in Indiana and New Jersey can house detained immigrants without affecting military readiness.
What combat units and Little League teams have in common
Peel back the layers, and you’ll find more in common than you think — especially when it comes to the parents.
White House taps Global Strike head as next Air Force vice chief
The last Air Force vice chief, Gen. Jim Slife, was fired by President Trump in February without explanation as part of a broader purge of military leaders.
VA leaders push back deadline for caregiver program changes to 2028
Some families could have been disenrolled from the caregiver benefits program in late 2026, but will now get two more years of support.
Fort Leonard Wood soldier faces court-martial in soldier’s death
The victim's body was found in a dumpster near a barracks building.
How WWII brought about the normalization of tattoos
Finding an ink-free service member is infinitely more rare than the alternative, but that is a relatively new phenomenon.
House advances $832 billion military budget plan for next fiscal year
Only a few Democrats broke ranks to support the House's spending plan for Defense Department operations in fiscal 2026.
VA’s #2 leader downplays political strife between Congress, department
Veterans Affairs Deputy Secretary Paul Lawrence said his relationship with congressional Democrats is strong, despite public fighting.
VA Deputy Secretary Paul Lawrence: ‘Veterans issues are bipartisan’
Veterans Affairs second in command sees opportunity for compromise and cooperation between Democrats and administration leaders on VA issues.
