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US Marine Corps anti-ship weaponry to see exercise action on remote Japan island near Taiwan
The U.S. Marine Corps will deploy its ground-based anti-ship and air-defense systems to Japan’s southwesternmost island for exercises this month.
Naval Special Warfare Command failed to identify, treat TBI in service members: Watchdog
The DOD Inspector General found that Naval Special Warfare Command failed to identity and treat traumatic brain injuries in personnel.
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Navy selects 3 companies to develop mine countermeasure technology
BeeX, BlackSea Technologies and Vatn Systems were selected as prize winners after successfully completing a mine countermeasures modernization challenge.
Can you hear me now? 90% of Navy unaccompanied housing now has free Wi-Fi
Since the rollout began in November 2025, the Navy has sought to provide free, high-speed Wi-Fi to all Navy-owned and -operated unaccompanied housing.
Troops get first increase in 24 years for hostile fire, danger pays
Pentagon raises danger pay for troops for the first time since 2002, increasing hostile fire pay to $450 and imminent danger pay to $275 per month.
Navy exceeds recruiting goal with over 45,000 new sailors
The Navy surpassed its fiscal 2026 recruitment goal of 45,000 sailors, marking three years in a row that it's met its accession target.
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Veterans
Unemployment rate for post-9/11 vets up as job market slumps
The unemployment rate for the nation’s post-9/11 generation of veterans rose from 3.5% in August to 4.1% in September.
Veterans face SNAP barriers as USDA guidance delays policy changes, GAO finds
GAO found outdated USDA SNAP guidance for veterans and recommended better outreach and coordination to help veterans access food assistance.
US Navy awards RTX’s Raytheon $24.4B for SM-6 missiles amid stockpile concerns
The deal for the SM-6 interceptors comes as the Pentagon pushes to replenish munitions stockpiles depleted by conflicts in the Middle East.
US Navy taps 3 firms to build MUSVs for around $40M per vessel
The U.S. Navy announced Tuesday that it is awarding contracts to three defense companies for the production of 30 medium unmanned surface vessels.
In other news
Nearly 500,000 veterans to get 3-month break from paying life insurance premiums
Just in time for the holidays, veterans won't have to pay Veterans’ Group Life Insurance premiums for three months.
VIDEOS
Ukraine’s ‘Army of Robots’ idea presents fearsome future | Defense News Weekly Full Episode 10.6.26
A former Ukrainian defense official launches a futuristic robotic army initiative. Plus — a retired Green Beret turns to mine clearing as a new mission.
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Military Times has outlined helpful information about car insurance, renters insurance, and life insurance for troops.
2025 PCS Guide
Read up on tips and tricks in Military Times’ 2025 Permanent Change of Station Guide.
2025 Benefits Guide
Learn how your military benefits — including health care, retirement pay and more — have changed in 2025.
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
A brief history of the combat kilt
Kilts bring a whole different meaning to the phrase "battle dress."
By Sarah Sicard
Navy: Iran tried to seize 2 oil tankers in Gulf, fired shots at one
The Navy said the Iranian naval vessels backed off after Navy ships responded.
By AP Staff
NATO extends Stoltenberg’s mandate, safe pair of hands as war goes on
The former Norwegian prime minister has been NATO’s top civilian official since 2014.
Senators want to boost Pentagon UFO office funding, transparency
Lawmakers have been pushing for more funding for the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office for months.
By Zamone Perez
Russia says it foiled another Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow
The drone attack, which prompted Russians to briefly close a nearby airport, was the first known assault on the city since an abortive mutiny 11 days ago.
By The Associated Press
Putin says Russia is ‘united as never before’ at India-China summit
Putin sought to project confidence after a short-lived mutiny at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting, before a rare sympathetic audience.
Navy prep course aims to launch hundreds of recruits into the fleet
The course is projected to add an additional 338 sailors to the fleet in FY23, even as the service braces to fall short of its enlisted recruitment goal.
By Diana Stancy
Military suicide stats released, Army saw highest increase of deaths
The number of suicides across the active-duty military increased from 75 in the first quarter of 2022 to 94 in the first quarter of 2023.
By Zamone Perez
MCPON Honea sounds off on beards, recruiting, quality of life and more
"If you can convince me that you having a beard makes you a better warfighter, I’m gonna give you two damn beards."
Looking for a summer vacation spot? Try a lifetime National Park pass
The new lifetime pass is part of the Alexander Lofgren Veterans in Parks Act, which passed in December 2021.
By Zamone Perez