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Marines to field rifle-mounted smart scope to help counter drones
The tool is expected to get to troops in the coming months.
Lawmakers want details on plans to privatize military stores
Lawmakers are hoping to put the brakes on DOD plans to privatize retail programs.
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Pentagon & Congress
As lawmakers head to summer recess, threat of an autumn shutdown looms
Defense and veterans hearings on Capitol Hill for the week of July 22. 2025.
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.
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.
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.
In other news
Navy pledges almost $300 million for new housing on Guam
In May, an independent government watchdog released a report on subpar barracks conditions on Andersen Air Force Base.
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.
‘A new challenge’: Air Force vet becomes two-time living organ donor
Air Force veteran Lindsay Gutierrez is a two-time living organ donor after giving a kidney to a fellow veteran and part of her liver to another recipient.
By Clay Beyersdorfer
An ode to Dwight Schrute, The Office’s best squad leader
He'd rub people the wrong way in a real squad. But he'd also make sure you had water, ammo and a working red lens flashlight on the night of land nav.
Why Despicable Me’s Gru is just a warrant officer with better branding
If Gru wore a uniform, it wouldn’t have stars or stripes. It would have a coffee stain and rank that no one really understands.
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Updates from inside the VA | Defense News Weekly Full Episode 7.19.25
Defense News Weekly heads to the Veterans Affairs headquarters for updates on topics ranging from staffing cuts to the electronic health records initiative.
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MORE STORIES
New mortgage support program for struggling veterans set to become law
Congress passed a bill creating a new partial claim program for veterans who have fallen behind on mortgage payments.
Former Marine reservist charged in Texas ICE facility shooting
Benjamin Hanil Song is accused of participating in the July Fourth assault near the Prairieland Detention Center, where attackers opened fire.
House panel advances DOD policy bill with sweeping acquisition reforms
Both the House and Senate Armed Services Committees have now approved their initial drafts of the annual defense authorization bill.
Pentagon ends deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops in Los Angeles
The 2,000 National Guardsmen account for nearly half of the soldiers sent to the city to deal with protests over Trump's immigration crackdown.
Trump downplays possibility of sending Ukraine long-range weapons
Trump on Tuesday offered a more cautious tone on what to expect after he threatened Russia a day earlier with steep tariffs.
Senate confirms controversial vet to lead Pentagon personnel office
Retired Army Brig. Gen. Anthony Tata has made inflammatory comments about Democratic leaders and former President Barack Obama.
Pope Leo XIV is the son of a D-Day veteran
The first American to ever be elected pope is the son of D-Day veteran.
Lawmakers want details on plans to privatize military stores
Lawmakers are hoping to put the brakes on DOD plans to privatize retail programs.
By Karen Jowers
Coast Guard aircrew awarded medals for Texas flood rescues
A Coast Guard rescue crew received distinguished awards for helping save the lives of those trapped in Kerrville, Texas, after historic flooding on July 4.
By Riley Ceder
Mike Waltz pledges to make UN ‘great again’ in confirmation hearing
Tuesday was the first time Waltz faced lawmakers since mistakenly adding a journalist to a private Signal chat used to discuss sensitive military plans.
By Matt Brown
Pentagon taps four commercial tech firms to expand military use of AI
The four firms — Google, Anthropic, OpenAI and Elon Musk's xAI — will help the DOD develop AI workflows for key national security missions.
Ukrainians welcome US aid, concerned over Trump’s ultimatum to Putin
Trump delayed “very severe” sanctions on Russia for 50 days, sparking criticism from Ukrainians and European leaders who see the delay as too long.
By Vasilisa Stepanenko
Australia hosts largest-ever Talisman Sabre military exercise
The event began with live-fire exercises, including Australia’s first use of U.S.-supplied HIMARS rocket systems.
Retired Army officer pleads guilty to sharing secrets on dating site
David Slater, who worked as a civilian Air Force employee, admitted to conspiring to transmit classified Russia-Ukraine war info on a foreign dating site.
Trump threatens Russia with tariffs and boosts US weapons for Ukraine
Trump said European allies would buy “billions and billions” of dollars of U.S. military equipment to be transferred to Ukraine.
By Illia Novikov, AP