Two US Navy pilots shot down over Red Sea in ‘friendly fire’ incident
"The guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, which is part of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, mistakenly fired on and hit the F/A-18."
Pentagon & Congress
Government funding bill clears Congress, averting a shutdown
The plan now goes to President Joe Biden, who is expected to quickly sign it into law.
Navy fires CO of Navy Reserve Center Shreveport
Lt. Cmdr. Adam Sandifer was relieved as head of NRC Shreveport “due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command,” the Navy said.
Navy, Air Force cleared to fly Ospreys after inspecting gears
A cracked gear led to a November 2023 Osprey crash that killed eight airmen. The military is trying to see which Ospreys might risk a similar failure.
Recruit to gunny: 1st Marine graduates from talent acquisition program
When Justin Kelley graduates today from Marine Corps boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina, he’ll be a gunnery sergeant.
Air Force secretary: Elon Musk ‘not a warfighter,’ needs to learn more
The outgoing Air Force secretary threw shade at Musk after the key Trump adviser blasted crewed fighter jets.
Marines can now reenlist early, some for up to 15 years
Marine Corps initiatives have already yielded historic retention results, with the Corps hitting 114% of its annual retention goal in Fiscal Year 2024.
US troops doubled in Syria before Assad’s overthrow, Pentagon says
The surge of 1,100 troops to the country has been going on for months without being disclosed publicly.
West Point colonel arraigned again for alleged misconduct with cadets
Col. William Wright has been arraigned for a second time on charges related to alleged misconduct with a cadet.
Pensacola Marine arrested, named prime suspect in murder of escort
Willie Ellington, 20, was taken into custody Dec. 18 by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office on charges of first-degree premeditated murder.
Air Force expands waivers for recruits with asthma, food allergies
The waivers are part of an effort to boost recruitment numbers after the service failed to meet its recruiting goals in 2023.
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US Navy ‘wasted’ $1.8 billion on cruiser modernization program: Report
The report found that the Navy’s cruiser rehab program has had “weak oversight” and been “plagued with ... delays, wasted costs and poor-quality work.”
Special ops leaders eye alarming levels of adversary collaboration
China, Russia, Iran and North Korea are all finding ways to antagonize U.S. efforts.
Opinion
Make Putin an offer he can’t refuse
Since Ukraine controls part of Kursk, it is in a position to barter over the details, argue analysts Alexander Vershbow and Hans Binnendijk.
This Marine unit now has its own tool to blast drones out of the sky
The system replaces a cumbersome legacy platform Marines have long used to defend the skies: The Man-Portable Air Defense System, or MANPADs.
Space Force must grow to counter China and Russia, lawmaker says
House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala., said the service is not sized to meet increasing threats from China and Russia.
