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Hackers compromised a senior Space Force official’s Instagram, posting anti-American content
Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force John Bentivegna’s Instagram was controlled by hackers who posted stories and images on Sunday.
US airman found dead on Yokota Air Base
Airman 1st Class Sean S. Chase was discovered unresponsive on Saturday in an on-base dormitory at Yokota Air Base, Japan.
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Pentagon & Congress
Draft defense bill would halt cuts, closures of military health facilities
House members are seeking to stop the closure or reductions of services at U.S. military hospitals and clinics.
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.
Troops attending White House UFC event must meet physical standards, pay for travel
The hundreds of active-duty service members selected for the "high visibility" event must meet military waist-to-height standards and fund their travel.
Lawmakers quarrel over effort to boost defense tech integration between US and Israel
A new measure aims to "expand and accelerate bilateral defense technology research ... and industrial cooperation" between the U.S. and Israel.
In other news
SOCOM wants to revive legacy M4 carbine with ‘hypervelocity’ cartridge
The elite command asked vendors to double the effective range of the M4 platform with the Hypervelocity Improved Carbine program.
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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VIDEOS
Game-changing new tech emerges for troops and commands | Defense News Weekly Full Episode 6.2.26
A box that makes drinkable water out of the air and hydrofoil drone tech have emerged at defense shows. Plus, an interview with a top executive at Lockheed.
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National Guard’s DC deployment has had no ‘measurable effect’ on violent crime: Report
The report, which the White House called "out of touch," asserted that Guard troops have been deployed in “the wrong places for the wrong types of crime.”
By Tanya Noury
The US military wants to showcase battle-ready laser weapons by 2028
A directed energy demonstration is expected to occur during the summer of 2028, as part of a series of planned Golden Dome-related events.
By Jared Keller
Rubio faces lawmakers as Iran ceasefire hangs in the balance
The U.S. has been "highly successful" in achieving its military objectives in Iran, but the country continues to field a robust drone arsenal, Rubio said.
By Tanya Noury
Hackers compromised a senior Space Force official’s Instagram, posting anti-American content
Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force John Bentivegna’s Instagram was controlled by hackers who posted stories and images on Sunday.
US airman found dead on Yokota Air Base
Airman 1st Class Sean S. Chase was discovered unresponsive on Saturday in an on-base dormitory at Yokota Air Base, Japan.
Air Force crew honors WWII-era Flying Tigers with A-10 paint job
Maintainers at Moody AFB have transformed an A-10 into a piece of visual history, tracing its lineage to the famous Flying Tigers squadron of WWII.
Immigration concerns and the ‘very typical’ impact on military recruiting
Recruiters, attorneys and advocates say immigration questions continue to arise in conversations about military service.
By Natalie Oliverio
Medal of Honor recipient Bruce Crandall, whose heroism was chronicled in ‘We Were Soldiers Once,’ dies at 93
Ret. Col. Bruce Crandall received the Medal of Honor for repeatedly flying his helicopter into intense enemy fire to evacuate dozens of wounded troops.
US court blocks Pentagon from removing transgender troops, for now
The court ruled that the Trump administration could, for now, bar transgender people from enlisting, but blocked the discharge of current service members.
By Daniel Wiessner, Reuters
Trump invokes national security in push for White House ballroom ‘drone port’
The president wrote that today's highly sophisticated weaponry means "we can no longer defend Washington, D.C., with rifles and pistols, alone."
By Tanya Noury
Air Force returns T-38 Talon to flight status while crash investigation continues
After over a week of a fleetwide halt in operations, the T-38 Talon is returning to flying status while the May 12 crash investigation continues.
US military seeks cultural advisors in Somalia amid regional strikes
The U.S. special operations task force in Somalia is looking for contractors to advise troops on Somali politics, culture and tribal dynamics.
By Eve Sampson
Not ‘just a gun’: New SOCOM rifle allows barrel swapping and cartridge changes
At SOCOM’s request, the rifle features a swappable barrel, allowing operators to change between legacy cartridges and the newer 6.5mm Creedmoor.
US general holds rare meeting with Cuban military officials near Guantanamo Bay
The meeting is the first in recent memory by a head of U.S. Southern Command and comes amid growing concerns in Cuba of a possible U.S. military attack.
By Phil Stewart, Reuters
Air Force slashes number of fields eligible for fiscal year 2026 reenlistment bonuses
The number of career fields elibile for the Selective Retention Bonus dropped by 73% in fiscal year 2026.
Pentagon failed to assess impact of cuts to civilian workforce, watchdog finds
Roughly 78,000 civilian positions were eliminated in 2025 — about 10% of a workforce that originally exceeded 793,000.
By Tanya Noury