Author name: Common Defense

Acting Navy Secretary Warns Marines Suicide Crisis is a Leadership Issue
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Acting Navy Secretary Warns Marines Suicide Crisis is a Leadership Issue

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Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao delivered a blunt message to Marine officers and senior enlisted leaders at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina: Preventing suicide begins with leaders knowing their people.

The appearance was Cao’s first public event since President Donald Trump formally nominated him Tuesday to lead the Navy.

Cao traveled to the installation Wednesday alongside Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith and several other senior officials.

They spent nearly two hours holding two town halls centered on suicide prevention, mental health, and the responsibilities carried by frontline leaders.

“It’s a leadership issue, and I’m not blaming you for anything. I’m saying you need to know your Marines really well,” Cao told several hundred Marines.

His point was direct: Leadership requires more than reviewing reports, circulating phone numbers, and checking bureaucratic boxes.

“I need for you guys to know your Marines so well that you know how they smell, when they breathe, and when they walk up, you can hear them behind you.

But also when they’re hurting, to be able to pull aside and say, ‘Come here, Marine. Let’s walk for a second here,’” Cao said.

Smith, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Carlos Ruiz, Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer, and Cao’s senior mental health adviser also attended.

Cao intends to conduct similar meetings at major Navy and Marine Corps installations in the coming months.

The urgency is backed by troubling numbers. Although military suicides declined during 2024, the broader rate has moved upward since 2011, and War Department officials reported that 472 service members died by suicide in 2024.

The official 2025 report is expected this fall. However, data from the final months of that year indicated increases among active duty and Reserve sailors and Marines compared with the previous year.

Smith urged officers and noncommissioned officers to practice more “intrusive leadership.”

Trump Taps Warrior Hung Cao to Lead the Navy Full Time

He told them to learn about their Marines’ spouses, children, finances, personal histories, and major stressors rather than waiting for a crisis to announce itself.

“No one is going to fault you for being intrusive and getting into the lives of your Marines and your sailors. No one is going to fault you for that. If you get an [Inspector General] complaint, fine. Get an IG complaint. It will be the first of many as a leader,” Smith said.

Meyer, who also serves as a Marine Corps Reserve sergeant, called on leaders to prioritize “taking care” and “showing up for each other.”

His message challenged the increasingly impersonal approach that treats struggling troops as paperwork to be routed elsewhere.

“We have leadership problems that’s failing a generation. My NCOs took care of me. My NCOs raised me up,” Meyer said.

“They were available 24/7. They showed up to be my solution. They didn’t outsource it. They didn’t look for another program. They didn’t look for a phone number to call when I had a problem.”

The meetings came as Navy leaders face scrutiny over conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln during its extended deployment.

The carrier has experienced at least one reported suicide attempt, while sailors have raised concerns about food shortages, moldy showers, delayed mail, limited port visits, and deteriorating mental health.

A sailor accused of attempting to jump overboard is now facing disciplinary action.

Navy officials initially disputed reports about conditions aboard the ship, but later deployed additional mental health resources and acknowledged that missed port calls had increased pressure on the crew.

Cao has served as acting Navy secretary since John Phelan departed in April, and Trump announced Cao’s formal nomination through social media.

Cao must still appear before the Senate for a confirmation hearing, where lawmakers are likely to question him about readiness, quality of life, and suicide prevention.

During Senate testimony in May, Cao promised to invest in sailors and Marines.

He also proposed a Suicide Prevention and Response Task Force to examine current programs, expose gaps, eliminate waste, and recommend efforts that produce measurable results.

Todd Peters, Cao’s senior adviser for mental health and suicide prevention, said the task force meets weekly. It is developing policy recommendations about which programs deserve expansion and which ones should finally be cut loose.

Officials are examining an Air Force program called Wingman Guardian Connect, which builds “peer-to-peer” relationships by having airmen work through scenarios with a facilitator.

University of Rochester experts developed the approach and later introduced it to “first-responder” organizations and predominantly Black churches.

Experts described the model as “active” prevention instead of a “passive” approach built around lectures and auditorium presentations. A War Department committee similarly criticized the stale “one-size-fits-all” method of marching troops into dark rooms for another PowerPoint briefing.

Studies found that the program reduced “suicide-risk” scores, depression symptoms, and “work-related” stressors. Researchers also found that it “counteracted standard drift towards disconnection” among airmen considered “at-risk.”

“It’s the only program that had 10 years of research data points to prove that it worked. The Air Force used it, and it drastically reduced the numbers. It’s measurable,” Peters said. “There’s two gentlemen for the Navy and the Marines. Their job is to make it fit the Marine Corps language and the Navy language.”

Peters is also pressing the Navy to expand its chaplain corps, with 25 additional positions approved for the next fiscal year.

The retired Navy SEAL and pastor has submitted a recruiting proposal aimed at putting more trusted spiritual counselors near sailors and Marines.

“What I’ve learned from every Marine and sailor so far is they all love chaplains, and they wish they had more. And when I looked at the numbers, the Army has twice the number of chaplains.

They have 1,800 to our 980, and we have more people to serve and care for,” Peters said. “I put a package together because, again, I’m fluent in that world as a pastor. Well, let’s go recruit.”

Anyone considering suicide, concerned about someone else, or seeking emotional support can call or text 988 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Trained counselors are available across the United States 24 hours a day.

His Unit Faced Ukraine’s Nemesis Drone Hunters: Here is What the Headlines Missed
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His Unit Faced Ukraine’s Nemesis Drone Hunters: Here is What the Headlines Missed

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On April 22, 2026, Blackhawk Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, entered a grueling 10-day training event at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany.

The company’s commander led the formation as its Bradley Fighting Vehicles moved through the Bavarian countryside toward an exercise that would soon attract national attention.

The Wall Street Journal later described Combined Resolve under the headline “U.S. and Ukrainian Forces Went Head-to-Head in an Exercise. Ukraine’s Drones Won.”

That tidy verdict made for dramatic copy, but it did not capture the complete fight, the adaptation of American soldiers, or the lessons learned alongside Ukrainian troops.

According to the newspaper, “during the exercise, called Combined Resolve, Ukrainian drone units easily spotted and defeated U.S. troops and armored vehicles on rotation from Fort Hood in Texas.” The article characterized the outcome as a “drubbing.”

Blackhawk Company knew before entering the 14-by-27-kilometer training range, universally called “the box,” that this would be no ordinary rotation.

The center’s Warrior Battalion would be reinforced by the Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces’ 412th Regiment, an elite formation known as “Nemesis.”

Blackhawk soldiers had already met members of Nemesis and examined some of their equipment while preparing for the exercise. These Ukrainians brought hard-earned battlefield experience, and one soldier was reportedly credited with nearly 500 combat kills.

Nemesis was watching before Blackhawk’s vehicles even crossed the only gate leading into the training area.

That chokepoint provided a predictable target, and Ukrainian reconnaissance drones were already circling overhead as the mechanized column entered.

The company’s opening mission was to establish a defense, build fighting positions, develop engagement areas, and hunt opposing formations.

Throughout those operations, drones of every size moved above the soldiers, including aircraft with propellers loud enough to resemble helicopters and smaller systems that were difficult to detect among the trees.

Blackhawk Company did not possess the counter-unmanned aircraft systems capability its soldiers would have preferred. Its brigade was not a Transformation in Contact formation receiving new and sometimes experimental technology directly from Army developers and industry.

Perhaps someone has created a secret “win button” for drone warfare, but Blackhawk Company certainly did not have one. Instead of complaining about an uneven fight against seasoned combat veterans, its soldiers adapted and accepted that the sky was now a permanent part of the battlefield.

Within hours, units changed how they occupied positions, strengthened concealment, and scattered personnel and vehicles over greater distances. Bradley crews pushed into thick woods, even at the risk of soft ground and damaged German trees, because survival demanded protection from overhead observation.

Movement became slower, smarter, and more deliberate as soldiers considered what every position looked like from above. It was no longer enough to study the terrain from ground level while pretending the enemy’s eyes remained fixed to the earth.

The heavily forested training area contained steep hills, deep draws, valleys, and pockets of dead space.

Because mechanized formations normally favor roads and trails, Nemesis expected to dominate those obvious routes, so Blackhawk Company went where armored units were not supposed to go.

Blackhawk’s Bradleys crossed steep gullies and slopes approaching 40 degrees while platoons carved unconventional paths toward their objectives.

he terrain pushed machines and crews close to their limits, but it also delivered natural concealment and masking from airborne sensors.

The enemy still located elements of the company, but drones alone did not finish the job.

Opposing forces still required traditional ground reconnaissance and infiltration because aerial information only became decisive when soldiers were positioned to exploit it.

American forces lost Bradleys, tanks, and simulated crew members during the exercise because the training was designed to apply maximum pressure.

Those losses did not prove that heavy armor had become obsolete, regardless of how eagerly some armchair strategists might reach for that fashionable conclusion.

Bradleys and Abrams tanks carried soldiers through terrain that would have delayed lighter formations, protected their crews, and preserved the combat power needed to seize objectives. Armor did not merely create a larger target because it also made Blackhawk Company mobile, protected, confident, and dangerous.

On the sixth day, the company shifted from defensive operations to the offense, and the same Ukrainian troops who had hunted Blackhawk’s soldiers began working beside them. American soldiers grew more capable as old assumptions collapsed and practical battlefield solutions took their place.

Nemesis demonstrated how inexpensive drones could travel extraordinary distances and delivered a masterclass in rapidly connecting sensors with shooters.

Their tactics and technology offered lessons that American formations can now study, refine, and incorporate into future operations.

The most important lesson, however, was that technology does not replace human beings.

Operators, reconnaissance teams, and ground troops remain essential components of every drone network, which means they also remain vulnerable pressure points.

When Blackhawk Company maneuvered aggressively enough to make the hunters of Nemesis feel hunted, drone activity above the company diminished.

Combined Resolve was not a simple tale of American armor being humiliated by Ukrainian drones, but a demanding demonstration that disciplined soldiers can adapt, fight, and turn even an unfavorable battlefield into a classroom.

What Military Families Must Know Before Transferring GI Bill Benefits
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What Military Families Must Know Before Transferring GI Bill Benefits

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The GI Bill remains one of the most valuable benefits earned through military service, but transferring it to a spouse or child is not as simple as checking a box.

Service members who misunderstand the timing requirements can lose the opportunity once they leave the ranks.

Senior Chief Petty Officer Joshua Burgess is approaching 20 years of active duty service, including five years in the Marine Corps and another 14 in the Navy.

With retirement approaching, he decided to divide his GI Bill benefits between his two daughters, giving each of them 18 months of education assistance.

Burgess already earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental management through the University of Maryland by using Tuition Assistance.

That allowed him to preserve his GI Bill for his family rather than spending it on his own education while serving.

His experience also exposed the kind of bureaucratic traps military families know all too well.

“Honestly, the process feels like it’s designed to be screwed up. I’m sure it’s just a bureaucratic necessity, but this is a very consistent sentiment from other members of the military who I’ve spoken with who also transferred their benefits.”

The central issue is timing because a service member generally must have completed at least six years and agree to serve four additional years when requesting the transfer.

That obligation can force troops to coordinate the request carefully with reenlistment rather than treating it as paperwork that can wait until later.

For someone with six years completed but only two years remaining on an enlistment, the math becomes complicated.

A short extension might not be available, meaning the member could have to wait until the next reenlistment window and then commit through 12 years of service.

As Burgess observed, reaching that point can make a full military career increasingly likely. “If the military gets you for 12, they’re probably going to get you for 20.”

The phrase “four years of service remaining” is the crucial language that troops cannot afford to skim past.

The transfer must be requested and approved while the service member is still eligible and able to satisfy that additional obligation.

Burgess described the process as a nail biting exercise involving repeated trips between official instructions and government websites.

Every field matters because a missing approval or misunderstood requirement might not become obvious until a child is ready to use the benefit.

“There is still a fear that when I retire and initiate this process for my girls, that some tiny piece of this was done wrong or missing something that I wasn’t aware of they will deny the benefits,” Burgess said. “And once you’re out, it’s too late.”

That warning deserves attention because veterans generally cannot begin a new transfer after leaving military service.

The safest approach is to complete the transfer early, confirm that each dependent is properly listed, and retain copies of every approval and supporting document.

Burgess also offered blunt advice about using the GI Bill while still serving. “Do not use your GI Bill while you are in.”

Some active duty troops dip into the benefit because Tuition Assistance limits can slow the pace of earning a degree.

However, active duty members do not receive the same housing allowance that can make the GI Bill substantially more valuable after separation or when transferred to eligible dependents.

“They are throwing away thousands of dollars of benefits every time they dip into the bill while active,” Burgess said.

For many troops, Tuition Assistance should remain the first option because it preserves the larger GI Bill package for later use.

“The number one thing I tell people who are active is to leave their GI Bill alone,” Burgess said.

Those planning a transfer should study the governing instruction, speak with their education office, and coordinate the request with reenlistment instead of assuming it can be fixed afterward.

Burgess believes using Tuition Assistance for his own degree and saving the GI Bill for his daughters was the right call.

His experience offers a straightforward lesson: plan early, document everything, and never assume the bureaucracy will correct a mistake after retirement.

Pentagon Temporarily Pulls Testosterone Screening Guidance for U.S. Troops
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Pentagon Temporarily Pulls Testosterone Screening Guidance for U.S. Troops

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The Pentagon has temporarily withdrawn newly published clinical guidance supporting mandatory testosterone deficiency screening for American service members aged 30 and older.

The sudden reversal came only one day after the policy documents appeared online, creating fresh questions about when the program will formally begin.

A United States official told Reuters on Thursday that the guidance was being pulled so officials could revise the document.

The underlying policy has not been abandoned, however, because interim instructions remain active while the Pentagon works through the updates.

On Wednesday, officials published a document titled “Clinical Guidance for Health and Human Performance Optimization” on the Pentagon website.

An accompanying statement from Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell was also posted as the department outlined the readiness goals behind the new screening process.

By Thursday, both the clinical memo and Parnell’s statement had disappeared from public view. Anyone attempting to open the original links instead encountered “Page Not Found” notices on websites operated by the Pentagon and the Defense Health Agency.

“The draft (document) published on September 2, 2026, has been temporarily rescinded to allow for updates,” the official said, adding that interim guidance remains in effect.

Officials did not immediately detail what sections required changes or when an updated version would return.

The brief appearance and swift removal gave the rollout a rough start, particularly for a mandatory health initiative affecting a large portion of the force.

Military Branches Push Back with 'Robust Exceptions' on Hegseth's Freedom-Based Flu Shot Policy
A 507th Medical Group technician administers a flu vaccine to a member of the 507th Air Refueling Wing at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, on Dec. 3, 2022. (Master Sgt. Grady Epperly/U.S. Air Force)

Nothing says polished bureaucracy quite like publishing major clinical instructions and yanking them from the internet the next day.

The detailed guidance had established separate screening procedures for men and women during their annual health assessments.

It focused on identifying testosterone deficiency, hormonal imbalance, and problems involving energy availability that could affect health, performance, and military readiness.

Under the withdrawn guidance, men aged 30 and older would first complete a questionnaire designed to identify possible symptoms of testosterone deficiency.

Answers indicating a potential problem could trigger blood testing to measure testosterone levels and determine whether further medical evaluation was necessary.

If testing confirmed a qualifying deficiency, affected male service members could receive testosterone hormone therapy when medically appropriate.

The process was intended to place screening inside routine annual care rather than leaving troops to recognize symptoms and independently request specialized testing.

Women would also complete a questionnaire, although their diagnostic and treatment path would differ from the process established for men.

Positive screening results could lead military clinicians to examine medical conditions associated with hormonal imbalance and recommend evidence based treatment.

The guidance said testosterone would be used for women only when evidence supports its effectiveness for a specific diagnosis.

One example identified in the document was Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder, which is characterized by a distressing level of low sexual interest.

Military Drops Flu Shot Mandate 'Effective Immediately', Citing Restored Freedom
The flu vaccine has been required annually for U.S. military personnel since the 1950s. (Senior Airman Andrew Garavito/U.S. Air Force)

Pentagon officials had said the guidance was effective immediately and designed to improve military readiness.

The broader objective was to identify hormonal and energy related conditions that could hinder physical performance, personal health, recovery, or the ability of troops to meet demanding operational requirements.

Hormonal health can directly affect strength, endurance, mood, sleep, recovery, and overall performance, making it a legitimate readiness concern rather than merely a lifestyle issue.

For a military expected to deploy quickly and operate under punishing conditions, identifying treatable medical problems early can protect both personnel and mission effectiveness.

Still, mandatory programs require clear rules, reliable clinical standards, and careful implementation across the services.

Commanders, clinicians, and service members need to know exactly who will be screened, how results will be handled, and what treatment standards will govern each case.

The Pentagon has not indicated that it intends to scrap the screening effort, and the continued use of interim guidance suggests the initiative remains on track.

The immediate issue is whether officials can revise the clinical document, republish it, and avoid another website vanishing act during the next rollout.

Until updated guidance appears, troops aged 30 and older remain in a holding pattern regarding the final mandatory screening procedures.

The readiness rationale remains intact, but the Pentagon now has to clean up the paperwork before the policy can move forward with the clarity expected of a forcewide medical program.

Trump Taps Adam Telle to Take Command as Acting Army Secretary
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Trump Taps Adam Telle to Take Command as Acting Army Secretary

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President Donald Trump announced Thursday that Adam Telle will serve as acting secretary of the United States Army, placing an experienced administration official at the helm during a significant leadership transition. Trump disclosed the appointment through a social media post.

Telle currently serves as assistant secretary of the Army for civil works, giving him an established position inside the service’s civilian leadership structure.

His move into the acting secretary role provides immediate continuity as the Army navigates the departure of its previous civilian leader.

War Secretary Pete Hegseth quickly welcomed the appointment and offered a forceful endorsement of Telle’s abilities.

His message presented Telle as a capable official ready to begin work without the usual Washington learning curve.

“Huge congrats to Adam,” Hegseth wrote Thursday on X. “Strong and whip smart. He is indeed a great Patriot — and will be an immediate asset to the @USArmy .”

That praise signals confidence from the Pentagon’s top civilian leader at a moment when the Army requires steady direction.

Telle now inherits responsibility for helping guide the service while the Trump administration continues shaping its military leadership team and national security priorities.

The appointment follows the exit of Dan Driscoll, who had served as the Army’s civilian leader since February 2025.

Driscoll tendered his resignation Monday, according to a source with knowledge of his actions.

Reports have described heightened discord between Driscoll and Hegseth before the resignation.

Trump Reviews Troop Levels in Europe as Germany Footprint Remains a Cornerstone
President Donald Trump holds a cabinet meeting, Tuesday, December 2, 2025, in the Cabinet Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

The available account did not provide a detailed public explanation for the disagreement or specify which policy matters may have contributed to the reported friction.

Trump’s selection of Telle avoids leaving the Army’s top civilian position without an acting leader during the transition. That matters for a service responsible for major operational, personnel, acquisition, infrastructure, and readiness decisions around the world.

As assistant secretary for civil works, Telle has operated within an Army portfolio connected to major public projects and federal responsibilities.

While the acting secretary role is broader, his existing familiarity with Army leadership should allow him to step into the position with institutional knowledge already in hand.

The civilian secretary helps oversee the Army’s administration and works with uniformed leaders responsible for organizing, training, and equipping the force.

The job also requires close coordination with the White House, Congress, the War Department, and military commanders.

Telle’s appointment comes as President Trump and Hegseth push to keep the military focused on readiness, lethality, accountability, and mission performance.

That agenda leaves little room for bureaucratic drift, fashionable distractions, or the sort of Beltway paralysis that too often slows necessary decisions.

Hegseth’s public description of Telle as “Strong and whip smart” also made clear that this was not a reluctant caretaker appointment.

Trump Pushes Hospital Ship to Greenland as Danish Evacuations Highlight Arctic Tensions
President Donald J. Trump holds a press conference in Palm Beach, Fla., Jan. 3, 2026, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, second from right, and Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to discuss Operation Absolute Resolve in Caracas, Venezuela.

The War Secretary portrayed him as a trusted patriot capable of becoming an immediate asset to soldiers and the wider Army organization.

The acting designation means Telle will lead the Army on an interim basis rather than entering the role as a confirmed permanent secretary.

Even so, acting officials can play a consequential role in maintaining momentum, handling daily decisions, and ensuring the chain of civilian authority remains clear.

Leadership changes at the top of a military service often draw attention because they can affect priorities, internal management, and relations across the Pentagon.

In this case, Trump moved rapidly after Driscoll’s resignation, limiting uncertainty and installing an official already serving within the Army.

The White House announcement also reinforces Trump’s preference for putting trusted and capable personnel into critical national security positions.

Rather than allowing an empty chair to become another Washington spectacle, the administration named Telle and kept the Army’s civilian command structure moving.

For soldiers, civilian employees, and Army families, the practical question will be how effectively Telle manages the transition and supports the force.

Hegseth’s enthusiastic backing gives him a strong opening as he assumes the service’s highest civilian leadership responsibilities.

Telle now takes over at a time when the Army faces demanding missions and no shortage of strategic pressure.

Trump’s decision ensures the service has an acting civilian chief in place, while Hegseth’s endorsement leaves no doubt that the new leader arrives with top level support.

Appeals Court Restores Bowe Bergdahl Conviction Wiped Away in 2023
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Appeals Court Restores Bowe Bergdahl Conviction Wiped Away in 2023

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A federal appeals court restored Bowe Bergdahl’s military conviction Tuesday, reversing a 2023 civilian court decision that erased the judgment against the former Army soldier.

Bergdahl abandoned his post in Afghanistan in 2009, triggering a dangerous search that left American troops severely injured.

A three judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit concluded that the civilian federal court lacked authority to throw out Bergdahl’s court martial judgment.

The panel determined that any effort to reverse the conviction belonged within the military justice system.

“District courts lack jurisdiction on collateral review to vacate court-martial judgments,” Judge Robert Wilkins wrote on behalf of the panel.

That finding restored the conviction without resolving several other arguments Bergdahl’s attorneys have raised during the long running case.

Bergdahl was 23 years old when he walked away from his base while deployed to Afghanistan.

He claimed he intended to reach another headquarters and report what he viewed as leadership problems, but his departure instead placed fellow service members in danger and launched an enormous effort to locate him.

Taliban fighters captured Bergdahl after he left the installation, and he remained in captivity for nearly five years.

He later described being tortured and held under brutal conditions, evidence his lawyers used while arguing against a lengthy prison sentence.

The cost of searching for Bergdahl extended far beyond manpower and resources.

American soldiers suffered severe injuries during the operations, while Remco, a military working dog participating in the search, was killed.

Then President Barack Obama secured Bergdahl’s release in 2014 through a controversial prisoner exchange.

The United States surrendered five members of the Taliban leadership who were being held at Guantanamo Bay in return for the captured soldier.

That swap ignited fierce political criticism because Washington gave up senior Taliban figures to recover a soldier who had deliberately left his post.

Critics argued that the arrangement rewarded the enemy while disregarding the troops injured during the effort to find Bergdahl.

Bergdahl pleaded guilty in 2017 to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy during his military court martial. He received a dishonorable discharge and was ordered to forfeit $10,000 in pay, although the military judge declined to impose prison time.

Military prosecutors had requested a 14 year prison sentence, but Bergdahl presented evidence detailing the torture he experienced in Taliban captivity.

The sentence produced another round of public anger from Americans who believed the punishment failed to reflect the danger his actions created for other troops.

President Donald Trump and the late Sen. John McCain were among the prominent voices demanding severe punishment.

During the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump called for Bergdahl’s execution, prompting defense attorneys to argue that his remarks might have influenced the military judge overseeing the proceedings.

About three years ago, a civilian federal judge vacated Bergdahl’s conviction after identifying a potential conflict involving the military judge.

The judge who handled the original court martial had not disclosed that he applied for an executive branch position as an immigration judge.

The District of Columbia Circuit panel did not decide whether that undisclosed job application compromised the case.

It also did not address Bergdahl’s claim that Trump’s public criticism improperly influenced the military justice process.

Eugene R. Fidell, Bergdahl’s attorney, said in an interview with Military Times that the dispute concerns “the integrity of the military justice system.”

He added that “there is a grave command influence problem that has pervaded this case from the very beginning.”

Fidell said the legal team hoped the appeals court would confront the command influence allegations, but the judges instead resolved the case on jurisdictional grounds.

That narrower ruling leaves Bergdahl’s conviction intact while avoiding a broader judgment about the conduct of the original proceedings.

Bergdahl’s legal team has 45 days to consider its next move. Available options include requesting reconsideration from the same panel or asking the Supreme Court to conduct a discretionary review, but for now, the guilty judgment and dishonorable discharge once again stand.

U.S. Army Ignites Historic Laser Production with 5 Million Deal
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U.S. Army Ignites Historic Laser Production with $465 Million Deal

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The United States Army is moving directed energy warfare from experimentation into production, awarding AeroVironment Inc. a $464.8 million contract for the Enduring High Energy Laser program.

The agreement represents the first production contract for a directed energy weapon system in United States military history.

The breakthrough gives soldiers another option for confronting the growing drone threat without expending costly interceptors against relatively inexpensive unmanned aircraft.

Instead of launching a missile, the Enduring High Energy Laser fires a concentrated beam and replenishes its magazine through the system’s power supply.

That nearly bottomless magazine could provide American formations with a decisive advantage when hostile forces unleash repeated waves of drones.

As long as the weapon maintains sufficient electrical power and cooling, soldiers can continue engaging targets without waiting for trucks loaded with replacement missiles.

“This first of its kind directed energy program will enable our formations to defeat unmanned systems and dominate from the outset,” Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Christopher LaNeve said in an Army statement.

Pentagon and FAA Launch Laser Tests Against Drones in New Mexico
A high energy laser weapon system mounted on a Polaris RZR. (Raytheon)

“Pairing human ingenuity with advanced technology is what ensures our Army will continue to outpace America’s adversaries.”

Under the Other Transaction Agreement, AeroVironment will deliver dozens of 30 kilowatt LOCUST laser weapons.

The systems are designed to destroy smaller unmanned aircraft that fall within groups one through three under classifications used by the War Department.

Those categories cover everything from miniature aircraft comparable to the Air Force Wasp III to larger tactical platforms such as the Army RQ 7B Shadow.

These are precisely the kinds of threats appearing over battlefields, military installations and sensitive infrastructure with increasing frequency.

Army Poised to Add Powerful Counter Drone Laser Weapons to Base Defenses
Left, an AeroVironment directed energy laser weapon system on display at Modern Day Marine in April, 2026. Right, a photo of an M1301 Infantry Squad Vehicle equipped with what appears to be a directed energy weapon near the U.S.-Mexico border in July 2025. Left, Marine Corps photo. Right, Army photo.

The production decision marks a badly needed victory for the Army’s directed energy portfolio.

Earlier feedback from soldiers regarding the Directed Energy Maneuver Short Range Air Defense prototypes deployed in the Middle East raised questions about reliability and performance under punishing operational conditions.

Those earlier prototypes were designed around the Stryker combat vehicle, limiting how and where they could be deployed.

AeroVironment’s LOCUST X3, by contrast, is platform agnostic and can be integrated onto the Army’s Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, giving commanders greater flexibility in the field.

That mobility matters because drone attacks rarely arrive at convenient locations.

Army Ditches Valkyrie Laser as War Secretary Signals New Path for Joint Laser Warfighting System
Artist rendering of the Indirect Fire Protection Capability-High Energy Laser. (Lockheed Martin)

A laser weapon that can accompany maneuver formations, protect temporary command posts or reinforce exposed bases offers more practical value than technology tied to a single heavy vehicle platform.

The Enduring High Energy Laser program also builds upon lessons from Army Multi Purpose High Energy Laser prototypes already being operated by American soldiers.

Those systems provided troops and engineers with valuable experience involving targeting, tracking, power management and engagement procedures against unmanned aircraft.

Before the production award, LOCUST completed successful testing at White Sands Missile Range.

Joint Interagency Task Force 401 and PAE Fires led the trials, which demonstrated that the weapon could conduct safe and effective counter drone missions inside United States airspace.

That testing directly supported a safety agreement between the Department of War and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Army Seeks High Energy Lasers to Halt Drone Swarms
A quadcopter drone burns after being hit by a laser weapon system at Camp Roberts, California, Feb. 6, 2025. (Dan Linehan/U.S. Navy)

The agreement validated the system for domestic use, an important step as military leaders consider how directed energy could help defend bases and other critical sites at home.

The contract is more than another Pentagon research check handed to industry with promises of results somewhere over the horizon.

It commits the Army to fielding dozens of actual weapons, putting proven capability into soldiers’ hands while adversaries continue investing heavily in cheap drones and massed aerial attacks.

Missiles will remain essential against sophisticated aircraft and larger threats, but using million dollar interceptors against disposable drones is a losing financial equation.

With LOCUST entering production, the Army is betting that concentrated light, American engineering and common sense can help flip that equation back in favor of the warfighter.

Chinese Military Analysts Can Barely Contain Their Glee Over America’s Battleship Gamble
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Chinese Military Analysts Can Barely Contain Their Glee Over America’s Battleship Gamble

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The United States Navy has endured a rough stretch, including a destroyer power failure in the South China Sea and reported morale problems aboard the aircraft carrier USS Lincoln.

Still, President Donald Trump’s administration deserves credit for recognizing that American shipbuilding has been neglected for far too long.

The administration has floated several creative ideas for rebuilding maritime power and reshaping the fleet.

None has generated more controversy than the proposed Trump class battleship, a massive capital ship intended to carry advanced weapons, deep magazines, and nuclear propulsion.

Supporters envision a heavily armed vessel capable of operating independently, absorbing punishment, and remaining at sea for extended periods without refueling.

That sounds formidable, especially after decades in which Washington allowed the American industrial base to rust while China built ships at a staggering pace.

The problem is that impressive concepts must eventually survive contact with budgets, shipyards, engineering limitations, and enemy weapons.

Critics argue that this battleship could become an enormously expensive distraction at precisely the wrong moment for the Navy.

An Aug. 21 article in China National Defense News, an official People’s Liberation Army publication, offers a revealing look at Beijing’s assessment.

Chinese analysts acknowledge that “large vessels can continue to execute certain combat missions even when communications are jammed, and their hulls offer superior damage resistance compared to small or medium-sized ships.”

Trump's War Drive Leaves Iran Costs Unclear as White House Pushes Massive Military Budget
A man in a suit with a red tie talks from a lectern indoors as three other men stand behind him.
President Donald J. Trump, joined by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, center right, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and Secretary of the Navy John Phelan, right, announces plans for a “Golden Fleet” of new Navy battleships at the Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Fla., Dec. 22, 2025.

The Chinese report also recognizes a weakness inherent in widely dispersed forces, which may “rely on stable data links.”

It further notes that the planned American battleship could use nuclear propulsion and might possibly carry missiles armed with nuclear warheads.

Those acknowledgments, however, are buried beneath a thick layer of skepticism.

Beijing’s analysts appear positively delighted by the possibility that Washington might pour staggering sums into a complicated surface ship while other critical naval programs remain delayed.

According to the report, building 15 Trump class battleships between 2028 and 2056 could cost $275 billion.

The lead vessel alone could reach $23.4 billion, with the switch from conventional propulsion to nuclear power driving costs 55 percent higher and producing a price the Chinese assessment calls “exorbitant.”

Even that eye watering estimate may not capture the full burden.

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The report warns that “nuclear waste disposal and vessel dismantling following retirement are not included” in the projected $275 billion total.

Technical uncertainty presents another serious danger because the proposed ship could carry rail guns, hypersonic weapons, lasers, and other systems that remain immature or difficult to integrate.

The Chinese analysis identifies “Unfinalized designs and insufficient technological maturity” as major sources of potential delays and overruns.

The PLA publication delivers a particularly sharp warning about building the hull before its most important systems are ready. “This ‘build the platform first, install equipment later’ approach could increase the risks.”

Recent American experience gives that criticism uncomfortable credibility.

The Zumwalt class destroyer and Littoral Combat Ship programs both demonstrated how ambitious promises, unstable requirements, and immature technology can leave taxpayers funding vessels that fail to deliver their originally advertised combat value.

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The proposed battleship would also represent a major doctrinal shift.

As the Chinese report observes, “This design differs from the Distributed Maritime Operations concept that the U.S. Navy has been advancing in recent years. The theory of distributed maritime operations emphasizes the dispersal of detection, command, and strike capabilities across multiple nodes … to mitigate the impact that damage to a few large vessels would have on the entire formation.”

Concentrating enormous firepower aboard a few giant ships creates tempting targets for quiet submarines, hypersonic missiles, and “drone swarms.”

Armor and redundancy matter, but no surface vessel becomes invulnerable merely because its displacement and price tag resemble a floating zip code.

China’s analysts also understand the miserable state of American shipbuilding.

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They note that leading United States yards “are currently facing average delays of five years, with the delivery cycle for a single ship extending from approximately five years in the early 2000’s to about eleven years today.”

That bottleneck means the battleship would not exist in a vacuum. The report warns, “Assembly of nuclear-powered battleships … could further slow the construction of aircraft carriers and submarines,” potentially weakening the very capabilities America urgently needs in the Asia Pacific.

China has explored nuclear powered surface vessels and closely studied Russia’s renovated battle cruiser Admiral Nakhimov.

Yet Beijing would be perfectly happy to watch America gamble scarce industrial capacity on a prestige platform while Chinese shipyards continue producing submarines, missiles, drones, and conventional warships.

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The Navy should build around proven American advantages, particularly undersea warfare, while expanding unmanned systems and strengthening shipyard capacity. It should also reduce costly “presence” missions that consume readiness without producing decisive strategic effects.

President Trump and War Secretary Pete Hegseth are right to demand bold thinking and a stronger fleet, but boldness does not require buying every shiny concept placed on a briefing slide.

Chinese strategists appear eager for the Trump class battleship because they believe the project would drain American resources, disrupt higher priorities, and ultimately help Beijing without firing a shot.

China’s Middling Missile Frigate Rattles Japan Taiwan and the US
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China’s Middling Missile Frigate Rattles Japan Taiwan and the US

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China’s navy has introduced a guided missile frigate built to conduct operations near the coast and across open seas, according to Chinese state media.

Developed over roughly two decades, the vessel is less a technological marvel than another calculated addition to Beijing’s rapidly expanding fleet.

The Type 054A frigate, also known as the Jiangkai II, is not considered revolutionary by military analysts.

Even so, its versatility, potential production volume and ability to support larger warships are giving Taiwan, Japan and the United States plenty to watch.

Unlike earlier Chinese frigates designed mainly for coastal missions, the Type 054A can operate in blue waters far from China’s shores.

That expanded reach gives the People’s Liberation Army Navy another platform for sustained missions beyond the Chinese mainland and into strategically contested waterways.

David Silbey, a military historian and associate teaching professor at the Cornell Brooks School of Public Policy, compared the frigate’s mission profile with that of the United States Navy’s Constellation class.

Its ability to leave coastal waters helps Beijing fill a long standing gap between smaller patrol vessels and major surface combatants.

The Type 054A can also conduct submarine hunting operations using embarked helicopters.

Those aircraft extend the ship’s detection reach, allowing crews to search a significantly larger area for hostile submarines than shipboard sensors could cover alone.

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Silbey noted that China could produce the frigates quickly and in substantial numbers. That matters because naval power is not measured only by one ship’s missile cells or sensors, but also by how many hulls a nation can deploy, maintain and replace.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV News reported that a Type 054A conducted a training mission on Aug. 22.

Operating with a People’s Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command flotilla, it participated in combat training, command coordination testing and emergency response drills.

For Taiwan, the concern is obvious because Beijing has intensified military activity around the self governed island since 2022.

“Taiwan is concerned about its increased anti-submarine, escort and fleet air defense capabilities around the Taiwan Strait,” said Huang Chung-ting, associate research fellow with the Institute for National Defense and Security Research in Taipei.

Japan is also watching closely as Chinese vessels operate across the East China Sea and near routes leading into the Pacific.

“Japan will pay attention to its activities in the East China Sea, the Miyako Strait and around the first-island chain,” Huang said.

That island chain includes Japan and other land masses positioned between China and the open Pacific.

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Beijing already disputes Japanese control of a group of uninhabited islets, while Communist Party officials remain irritated by Tokyo’s increasingly firm position on Taiwan.

Washington’s concern reaches beyond any single deployment because China is building the infrastructure for prolonged operations far from home.

Huang said American officials would examine whether Beijing is creating a “large enough modern escort fleet” capable of sustaining long term deployments in open waters.

The frigate may prove especially useful when paired with China’s larger destroyers, amphibious ships and aircraft carriers. Enrico Cau, an associate researcher at the Taiwan Strategy Research Association, described it as a “multiplier for bigger units in a vast array of tasks”.

Chinese media have presented the Type 054A as the second Ningde branded ship type following the Type 056 guided missile corvette, which entered service in 2016.

Analysts, however, see little unique technology aboard the frigate and no reason to confuse mass production with genuine innovation.

Its missile capacity is considered “limited,” and Silbey called it “not a particularly powerful ship,” when assessed on its own.

Yet focusing only on individual firepower risks missing Beijing’s broader strategy of combining numerous specialized vessels into a larger and more persistent maritime force.

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Navy Seaman Landon Blackwell monitors surface contacts from the combat information center aboard Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain in the East China Sea, July 15, 2021.

The ship’s real value is its ability to escort larger units, screen against submarines, contribute to fleet air protection and operate where smaller Chinese vessels cannot.

Beijing does not need every warship to be a floating superweapon if those ships can collectively stretch American and allied surveillance resources.

“I think the multirole designation allows it to cover an important gap between smaller ships designed for a limited set of littoral, coastal and short-range missions and bigger ships designed for different tasks in long range missions,” Cau said.

China continues claiming Taiwan as its territory while Washington supplies Taipei with weapons intended to deter or defeat an invasion.

The Type 054A may be middling by modern warship standards, but a large fleet of middling ships can still create a first rate strategic headache.

Trump Taps Warrior Hung Cao to Lead the Navy Full Time
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Trump Taps Warrior Hung Cao to Lead the Navy Full Time

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President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he will nominate Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao to lead the Navy on a permanent basis.

The decision would place a decorated special operations veteran and former Virginia Senate candidate at the helm of the Navy and Marine Corps during a critical period for American sea power.

Cao has served as acting Navy secretary since April 2026, when he stepped into the temporary post following the firing of former acting Navy Secretary John Phelan.

Trump made clear that Cao is not simply a placeholder, but his choice to drive the naval services forward.

“I am pleased to nominate a true warrior, Hung Cao, to become the next secretary of the Navy,” Trump said in a Truth Social post.

“We need patriots like Hung leading our Navy and Marine Corps, and I can think of no one better than him to make sure our great Navy and Marine Corps remain the fiercest and best force the world has ever seen.”

That endorsement reflects Trump’s broader effort to install leaders who understand combat readiness rather than bureaucratic fashion.

Cao brings operational experience, technical education and a blunt leadership style to a Navy confronting shipbuilding delays, maintenance problems and growing threats overseas.

Before becoming acting Navy secretary, Cao served as under secretary of the Navy.

Since taking the top job temporarily, he has promoted a vision centered on what he calls alpha males and alpha females, with the focus placed firmly on warriors capable of delivering results.

Cao has also emphasized the need for a balanced mix of ships to help fulfill Trump’s promise of a Golden Fleet.

That concept calls for rebuilding American naval power with enough advanced vessels, support ships and amphibious capabilities to deter adversaries and dominate when deterrence fails.

During remarks at the Modern Day Marine exposition in Washington, D.C., Cao said the Navy must work within its existing budget while improving ships, aircraft and other essential equipment.

He also placed maintenance near the center of his agenda, an overdue priority after years of readiness concerns and costly delays.

His procurement priorities include delivering the sixth generation F/A XX aircraft, the new Navy Medium Landing Ship and additional amphibious transport docks.

Trump Taps Warrior Hung Cao to Lead the Navy Full Time

Those platforms are considered important for ensuring sailors and Marines can operate across vast distances, particularly as China expands its military reach throughout the Indo Pacific.

Cao’s support for amphibious vessels also signals attention to the Marine Corps and its ability to move forces rapidly.

Marines cannot fight from PowerPoint slides, after all, and the fleet needs real ships that can carry real combat power into contested waters.

The acting secretary has also argued that the Navy must communicate more effectively with the American people.

Cao wants the service to control its narrative, provide accurate information and restore public trust instead of allowing confusion or political spin to define naval operations.

In June, he established the Department of the Navy Communication Strategy through an administrative message.

The initiative was intended to provide a more disciplined approach to explaining the service’s missions, accomplishments and requirements to the public.

Cao’s personal history is deeply tied to the American story. He arrived in the United States as a Vietnamese refugee in 1975, later graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and completed 25 years of military service.

During that career, Cao deployed alongside special operations forces to Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia.

He also earned a master’s degree in physics from the Naval Postgraduate School, giving him a technical background that could prove valuable as the Navy pursues increasingly complex ships, weapons and aircraft.

Cao entered electoral politics in 2024, challenging Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine in Virginia.

Although he lost that race, his campaign drew attention for sharply criticizing diversity and inclusion programs that had distracted the military from warfighting standards and combat effectiveness.

The Senate campaign did not end Cao’s public service, and Trump ultimately brought him into senior Navy leadership.

His rise from refugee to naval officer and now presidential nominee offers a striking contrast to the usual parade of polished Washington insiders who know more about committee rooms than combat zones.

Cao responded shortly after Trump announced the nomination. “Thank you, Mr. President,” Cao said in a social media post.

“It’s an honor of a lifetime to lead the great warriors of the Navy and Marine Corps team. I’m grateful for your leadership and support as we continue to get after shipbuilding and ensure the defense of the homeland.”

The nomination now heads to the Senate, which must vote before Cao can assume the position permanently.

If confirmed, he will inherit the difficult mission of accelerating shipbuilding, strengthening maintenance, modernizing naval aviation and ensuring the Navy and Marine Corps remain ready to fight and win.

Trump has chosen a combat veteran with a clear understanding of sacrifice, national survival and military strength.

The Senate will now decide whether to confirm the warrior already working to put America’s fleet back on a fighting course.


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