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Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are retiring. How will new leaders inherit their lessons learned?
The retirement of the post-9/11 generation raises a question: What, exactly, is worth carrying forward into a new age of warfare?
US launches new strikes on Iran after helicopter downed
The U.S. launched strikes against Iran on Tuesday after Trump said Tehran had shot down a U.S. Apache helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz.
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Pentagon & Congress
Pentagon to launch ‘Cyber Mastery Incentive Pay’ program
The initative, dubbed Cyber Mastery Incentive Pay, is slated to begin in early October.
VA introduces new electronic health records system to four additional sites
The VA continues to adopt a new electronic medical record system, rolling it out to hospitals in Ohio and Kentucky on Saturday.
‘They got very lucky,’ Trump says of downed Apache helicopter’s crew
After a U.S. Army Apache helicopter was downed by an Iranian drone, President Donald Trump said the rescued aviators “got very lucky.”
‘Flashpoint Campaigns: Cold War’ is the ultimate OODA Loop wargame
Flashpoint Campaigns is an OODA Loop-anchored computer wargame that depicts a hypothetical Warsaw Pact invasion of West Germany in 1989.
In other news
Pentagon reveals preferred munitions for one-way attack drones
The list includes Northrop Grumman and several startups competing to supply low-cost payloads compatible with any drone design.
Sailor reportedly finds dead rat in finished energy drink
The sailor said medical personnel informed him, “with the chemicals that are in Monster, that it should be OK.”
That time the Air Force proposed making a ‘gay bomb’
The Air Force once explored the idea of a chemical weapon that would make enemy soldiers sexually irresistible to one another — striking a blow to morale.
Master Chief actor condemns use of character in White House’s Iran war hype video
“I demand that the producers of this disgusting and juvenile war porn remove my voice immediately,” Steve Downes wrote in a post on X.
‘War Machine’ review: Finally, a training scenario with aliens
The sci-fi flick raises the premise: What if the final phase of U.S. Army Ranger selection suddenly involved fighting a giant alien robot?
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More new tech and gear from Modern Day Marine | Defense News Weekly Full Episode 6.9.26
A remote turret that keeps you on target in heavy seas, and lightweight belt-fed options. Plus, advice from MOAA.
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Chokepoint busters: Marines seek toolkit to help aviators clear way for amphibs
The Marine Corps wants to learn how airpower might ensure passage through "critical chokepoints" while under threat in a new age of warfare.
By Michael Peck
Former sailor charged with attempting to finance ISIS attack on US troops
Seaman Bareen Dzayee attempted to pay an ISIS member to murder U.S. service members overseas with drones and RPGs.
By Riley Ceder
Pentagon bows to criticism, admitting ‘mistake’ over new religious list
The Pentagon revised its abridged list of officially recognized faith affiliations after Utah lawmakers balked at the omission of Mormonism.
By Tanya Noury
US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet strikes, disables oil tanker in Gulf of Oman
An F/A-18 Super Hornet assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln fired a precision munition into the vessel's engineering and steering spaces.
By J.D. Simkins
House panel quashes attempt to stop integration of US, Israel defense tech sectors
"Only the United States Congress would dream up at this moment, ‘Let’s actually do more for Israel,’ not less," argued Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif.
By Ellen Ioanes
US troops, families adjust to new normal of Iran war
“To maintain this constant state of ‘Level 10’ alert vigilance, to be ready to go at the drop of a hat, is a very stressful ... operational mission."
By Phil Stewart, Reuters
Joint Chiefs head makes first official visit to post-Maduro Venezuela
The visit comes five months after the high-risk U.S. military operation to remove Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
By Tanya Noury
House panel votes to reinstate non-Confederate base names and adopt ‘Department of War’
The House advanced a measure to return the names of nine U.S. military bases to those recommended by a congressional commission in 2023.
By Patricia Kime
Pentagon must divulge cost of Iran war under House proposal
A measure advanced Friday would require the DoD to report on the total financial cost of operations in Iran, including damaged or destroyed U.S. property.
US forces board sanctioned tanker in Indian Ocean, Pentagon says
U.S. forces have intercepted multiple commercial and oil tankers in the Indian Ocean in recent months.
By Reuters
House advances measure to give troops a discount on gas
The proposal would authorize the defense secretary to offer a discount on fuel at military exchanges that's equivalent to the price of the federal gas tax.
Hidden chemical weapons sites emerge in Syria amid fragile security transition
Over a decade after Syria agreed to dismantle its arsenal, international inspectors have uncovered scores of previously hidden chemical weapons materials.
By Eve Sampson
Army identifies soldier who died in training accident in Iraq
U.S. Army Sgt. Devin A. Seibel, 26, died on May 31 at Erbil Air Base. British Lance Corporal James Freeman was also killed in the incident.
By J.D. Simkins
DoD should review special needs health care programs to ensure they’re helping military families, watchdog says
The coverage amounts for Tricare ECHO services haven't increased since 2009.
By Karen Jowers
Creating a separate Cyber Force would require $10 billion and a minimum of 1 year, report says
Two D.C. think tanks examined a proposed implementation plan for an independent U.S. Cyber Force as some lawmakers push for its creation.
Experts warn terrorism threat is rising in Africa as US pulls back
A jihadist front is gaining ground across Africa, the Center for Strategic and International Studies warned in its annual risk analysis.
By Tanya Noury