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US strikes Iranian missile, drone, radar sites
The U.S. struck Iranian missile, drone and radar sites on Friday, U.S. Central Command said.
Feds pay out $17M to families sickened by Navy’s fuel-contaminated water in Hawaii
Each of the 629 people received about $27,000. Affected service members have received nothing.
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US sending military warships, personnel to Venezuela in the wake of the nation’s devastating earthquakes
Two U.S. warships, the USS Fort Lauderdale and the littoral combat ship USS Billings have been dispatched to Venezuela following the nation's earthquakes.
DoD scraps plan to privatize commissaries
DoD concluded “the potential cost savings of privatization are unlikely to be realized without severely degrading the benefits these programs provide."
Incoming female students at US Naval Academy must cut hair below chin
The school is returning to a female grooming standard that it upheld for decades before a 2018 shift in policy.
Seven sailors injured during fire aboard USS Indianapolis
The fire was extinguished, and the injured sailors were treated for minor injuries at local hospitals before being cleared to return.
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Debate over women in combat prompts NDAA battles
The amendments follow Hegseth’s order that all the services develop gender-neutral physical fitness standards for all troops in ground combat roles.
The Pentagon’s research infrastructure is ‘deteriorating,’ study finds
Pentagon research has been hampered by backlogged security clearances, limited funds to build or refurbish labs and a slow and difficult hiring process.
House vote on major veterans bill delayed amid controversy over voting legislation
A bill that encompasses two popular pieces of legislation — the Major Richard Star Act and the Love Lives On Act — has been stalled.
Following reports of staff shortages and safety concerns, VA to centralize its police force
The VA police force has faced challenges with recruiting and retention, raising safety concerns at facilities.
In other news
Trump meets munitions makers amid push to replenish weapons stockpiles
Pentagon negotiators are pressing contractors to move much faster to boost output.
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GWOT Memorial group open to design changes | Defense News Weekly Full Episode 6.30.26
The president of the GWOT Memorial Foundation says he’s taking feedback on the installation’s design. Plus, foam drones and a throwable 360-degree camera.
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Defense News is covering the evolving military, strategic, and regional implications of tensions and operations involving Iran.
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Read up on tips and tricks in Military Times’ 2025 Permanent Change of Station Guide.
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Learn how your military benefits — including health care, retirement pay and more — have changed in 2025.
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 STORIES
Seven sailors injured during fire aboard USS Indianapolis
The fire was extinguished, and the injured sailors were treated for minor injuries at local hospitals before being cleared to return.
By Riley Ceder
House backs $1.55 billion to revive E-7 Wedgetail, spares Navy Hawkeye
The White House budget office wants to raid a Navy radar-plane account and a classified Air Force line to pull the E-7 Wedgetail back from the dead.
Trump meets munitions makers amid push to replenish weapons stockpiles
Pentagon negotiators are pressing contractors to move much faster to boost output.
By Mike Stone, Reuters
White House asks Congress for $87.6 billion, mostly for Iran war
The request includes $67.15 billion for the military, including $21 billion for munitions and to strengthen the U.S. industrial base.
By Patricia Zengerle, Reuters
In shift, Pentagon grants flu vaccine exceptions to military services, some federal agencies
The Pentagon has updated their guidance on influenza vaccinations, giving select forces and agencies exceptions to the optional policy.
Can the US military preserve decades of wartime experience?
Thousands of post-9/11 veterans are reaching retirement. Whether the lessons they learned during two decades of combat will be retained remains to be seen.
By Natalie Oliverio
Missing sailor found dead near Naval Station Norfolk
The death will likely not be ruled a homicide, a U.S. Navy official told Military Times.
By Riley Ceder
F-35 program chief warns fleet has outgrown its support system amid record-low readiness
The hearing comes on the heels of a Government Accountability Office report this month that found just one in four F-35s were fully mission capable.
Airstrike killed senior ISIS commander in Syria, CENTCOM says
A senior Islamic State leader was killed by an airstrike last week, Central Command announced on Wednesday.
By Eve Sampson
Navy announces E-6 sailors of the year, meritorious chief advancements
Bravo zulu to these sailors.
By Riley Ceder