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Toilet paper and human error led to 11-hour USS New Orleans fire, investigation finds
The Navy said the exact cause of a fire aboard the USS New Orleans is unknown but that 100 boxes of toilet paper and crew mistakes made it worse.
82nd Airborne soldiers have Middle East deployment extended out to a year
Elements of the 82nd Airborne Division will have their deployments to U.S. Central Command extended out to a year, according to a memo signed on Sunday.
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USS Abraham Lincoln’s visit to Thailand lifts hope and sex-tourism risk
The USS Abraham Lincoln will visit Thailand this week. Thai officials are anticipating an economic boost but warning of sexual exploitation risks.
Pentagon scraps public weapons testing reports amid oversight concerns
The Pentagon says cuts to its independent weapons testing office will save money, while critics warn they could lead to costly mistakes.
DoD confirms ‘refrigeration disruption’ at military commissaries
More than a half-dozen commissaries on military bases in the continental U.S. reported refrigeration outages this week.
Record-long deployments add new layer to sailors’ reenlistment decisions
“Not knowing what’s happening wears me down,” said a sailor assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln who's reconsidering their reenlistment decision.
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Your Military
Contamination prompts Wyoming air base to halt Minuteman III communications testers
Traces of polychlorinated biphenyls were found on AN/PRM-10 test oscillator kits at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, home to 150 Minuteman III ICBM systems.
The military’s ChatGPT is now live via the Pentagon’s GenAI platform
The DoD on Monday launched OpenAI’s ChatGPT Mil on GenAI.mil, making the chatbot available for work involving controlled unclassified information.
Trial for accused mastermind of 9/11 attacks set for June 2028
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the accused mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, and three co-defendants are slated for a trial before a military tribunal in June 2028.
Barracks Task Force completes first housing at Washington naval base
The housing installation at Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton is the first of the Navy’s projects funded through the Barracks Task Force to be completed.
In other news
DoD schools struggle to identify, support military children with learning disabilities, GAO finds
A GAO review found gaps at multiple stages of DODEA's process for identifying and supporting students with specific learning disabilities.
VIDEOS
Monument in DC honors 41 million service members | Defense News Weekly Full Episode 9.1.26
For the nation’s 250th birthday, USAA erected a monument that displays the name of every service member in the military — ever.
Featured Videos
TSA stops Alabama traveler for Civil War-era cannonballs in luggage
An Alabama traveler was stopped recently by TSA after checking luggage containing five Civil War-era cannonballs. Roll Tide.
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.”
By J.D. Simkins
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.
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MORE STORIES
Prices increasing for overseas military kids’ school meals
It's the first increase in school lunch prices in four years.
By Karen Jowers
US Navy, NATO explosive ordnance teams tackle High North during ‘Arctic Sentry’
U.S., Swedish and Norwegian EOD teams completed "Arctic Specialist 26" in early February, an annual Norwegian exercise.
By Brooke Griswold
Vets to VA: Formally rescind new disability ratings rule
Veterans want the VA to rescind a controversial regulation published Feb. 17 that put compensation ratings in legal limbo.
By Patricia Kime
Military dogs are facing substandard conditions, leading to deaths, report finds
An Office of the Inspector General report found that poor kennel conditions and a lack of enough caretakers can result in health issues, death.
Putin has ‘not broken’ Ukraine in 4 years since Russian invasion, Zelenskyy says
Russia’s larger army over the past year of fighting has captured just 0.79% of Ukraine's territory, according to the Institute for the Study of War.
CarMax to pay at least $420K to settle allegations of illegal repossessions of troops’ cars
Affected troops will receive $15,000 each, plus any lost equity in the repossessed vehicle, according to the settlement agreement.
By Karen Jowers
Supreme Court declines COVID vaccine mandate cases
The justices denied petitions Monday for Poffenbarger v. Meink and Doster v. Meink.
By Patricia Kime
Airman, spouse indicted in fraud scheme, costing military millions
Richard Stefon Ramroop and his spouse, Manuel George Madrid, allegedly stole millions in taxpayer dollars from the DoD in a years-long scheme.
Navy may shorten some at-sea tours to aid retention
While retention remains high, with the service hitting more than 99% of its re-up goals last year, the Navy is still battling gaps in key billets.
By Hope Hodge Seck
Danish military evacuates US submariner who needed urgent medical care off Greenland
The U.S. crew member was retrieved from the submarine about 8 miles off the coast of Nuuk, Greenland, by a Danish Seahawk helicopter.
By AP Staff