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Wounded Vet Joey Jones Unloads Historic Rebuke on USS Lincoln Sailors Complaining to CNN [WATCH]
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Wounded Vet Joey Jones Unloads Historic Rebuke on USS Lincoln Sailors Complaining to CNN [WATCH]

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Combat wounded Marine veteran Joey Jones delivered a blistering response after hearing a USS Abraham Lincoln sailor complain to CNN about food and morale aboard the aircraft carrier.

Jones, who sacrificed both legs while serving in Afghanistan, clearly had little patience for televised grumbling over noodles, tuna, and hot dogs.

The Lincoln has remained deployed for more than 260 days while the conflict involving the United States and Iran continues.

With few port visits during that stretch, the assignment has undoubtedly demanded discipline, endurance, and the sort of toughness Americans traditionally expect from military personnel.

Mainstream outlets, however, have raced to portray the carrier as a floating chamber of despair.

Reports have focused heavily on food supplies, morale, and the mental condition of sailors, giving the Washington press corps another opportunity to turn hardship into a political narrative.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, Central Command, Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao, and other officials have acknowledged that the deployment is difficult.

They have also pushed back forcefully against claims that conditions aboard the ship resemble the bleak picture being painted by media organizations.

Jones entered the discussion with credibility earned through extraordinary sacrifice.

An explosive device in Afghanistan took both of his legs above the knee, badly injured his arms, and killed a fellow Marine, yet Jones endured recovery and built a career as a motivational speaker and Fox News host.

During a Saturday appearance on The Big Weekend Show, Jones watched footage of the unnamed sailor speaking with CNN anchor Pamela Brown.

The interview was recorded on July 10 and aired Thursday, placing complaints about shipboard meals before a national television audience.

“I would say morale’s pretty low, and not just in the division, like in the ship entirely,” the sailor told CNN.

The service member then described dwindling food choices and suggested dissatisfaction had spread throughout the carrier.

“We’re running pretty low on rations, I mean at some points in the day it would just be about noodles and tuna mixed in together, and that was it… sometimes you get a corndog, sometimes you get a hot dog.”

That complaint lit the fuse for Jones, whose own wartime dining experience apparently lacked the culinary expectations now being presented to CNN.

He recalled surviving for months in Afghanistan on basic food prepared with a small burner.

“That little… you know what I ate in Afghanistan for six months using a little burner? I ate Ramen noodles… that’s what I ate, and I was happy to have it, because the alternative was an MRE or something cooked by the Afghan guy who was too stupid to be given a gun and they let him be the cook,” Jones said.

Jones then moved directly to the question hanging over the entire interview.

“How weak are you?! On TV, complaining about tuna and noodles?” he demanded, voicing the frustration many veterans and military families likely felt while watching the segment.

“I’m sorry, you volunteered to serve your country. You can come back, get out of the military, and do like all these Democrat veterans and complain about it and make commercials and be a sellout if you want to.”

His harshest ridicule centered on the complaint involving hot dogs and corn dogs.

For Jones, a Marine who lived through combat conditions and devastating injury, such menu grievances hardly qualified as evidence of an intolerable military crisis.

“To sit there and say that it was terrible because you had a corndog and a hot dog? I would’ve traded a block of C4 to the Taliban for a hot dog by about July 2010,” Jones quipped.

Jones emphasized that he was not claiming one sailor represented every person serving aboard the Lincoln or throughout the military.

Still, he warned that if such an attitude has become widespread, the country faces a serious problem far larger than an uninspiring mess hall menu.

“I just do not understand the mentality,” Jones said before comparing a weakened nation to Rome awaiting destruction.

He closed that warning with the blunt declaration, “We’ve got nothing left. It makes me fume.”

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Jones later reinforced his message on social media while responding to Cao.

He wondered how troops displaying that mentality would have performed against the Nazis during World War II, a pointed question about whether modern America still possesses the grit required to defend liberty.

Long deployments are hard, and military leaders should provide sailors with adequate supplies and support.

But taking complaints about corn dogs to CNN while serving on one of the most powerful warships on Earth is not exactly the image of resolve America needs to project to its enemies.

Mark Cuban Torches Ro Khanna, Threatens California Investment Exodus Over Billionaire Tax [WATCH]
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Mark Cuban Torches Ro Khanna, Threatens California Investment Exodus Over Billionaire Tax [WATCH]

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Mark Cuban delivered a blunt business lesson to Rep. Ro Khanna after the California Democrat defended a proposed 5% wealth tax on billionaires.

Cuban warned that the measure could chase entrepreneurs, investors, and valuable companies straight out of the state.

The clash centered on California Proposition 40, a ballot measure that would impose a one-time tax on residents holding more than $1 billion in assets.

The California Democratic Party has endorsed the proposal, although Gov. Gavin Newsom has expressed opposition.

Khanna argued in a video posted to X that the tax would preserve health care services for working-class Californians.

He also accused the Sacramento political establishment and lobbyists fighting the measure of being out of touch with ordinary voters.

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Cuban responded by pointing to a basic financial reality that tax-hungry politicians often ignore.

Startup founders can become billionaires on paper because their company shares rise in value, even though they may have nowhere near enough available cash to cover a massive tax bill.

“They are the definition of cash poor, stock rich,” Cuban wrote on X.

His point was simple: A valuable ownership stake is not the same thing as hundreds of millions of dollars sitting in a checking account.

Cuban warned that the proposal would give founders and investors a powerful reason to abandon California before the tax collector arrives.

“If this passes, only idiot startup founders stay in Cali,” he wrote.

The billionaire investor also made clear that the measure could change his own investment decisions.

“I will make NOT being in California a pre requisite for an investment,” Cuban continued, raising the prospect that promising California businesses could lose access to his capital.

Khanna attempted to answer the liquidity problem by proposing government loans for founders whose fortunes are trapped in private company shares.

“Why not a non recourse loan for pledged stock as collateral for this situation?” Khanna wrote.

Under Khanna’s idea, founders could pledge company shares to California as collateral, receive a government loan, and then use that money to pay the state tax.

The loan could remain outstanding for about 10 years before being repaid with cash or surrendered shares.

Cuban quickly identified the circular logic.

California would lend money to a founder, who would immediately return that same money to California as a tax payment, producing no new cash from that taxpayer when the transaction occurred.

The arrangement could also leave California holding ownership stakes in private companies if founders could not repay their loans.

Cuban mocked the possibility of government becoming an involuntary venture capital operation, writing, “Cali, You make it. We take it!”

Khanna insisted that the state would still receive money from wealthy residents with liquid holdings.

“The government would still collect from the vast majority of billionaires who are not illiquid,” he wrote, claiming that 72% of billionaire wealth is held in publicly traded stock.

Khanna then appealed to public resentment of wealthy Americans rather than Cuban’s concerns about investment and company formation.

“Mark, come on a road trip with me around California, Pennsylvania and the country and ask ordinary Americans how they feel about a billionaire tax,” Khanna wrote.

“Most say, I promise you, why only 5 percent?”

Cuban answered with the sort of directness rarely heard in Washington. “You don’t understand business Ro.”

He explained that a successful founder could spend a decade building a company, employing thousands of people, and paying enormous federal and state tax bills without ever holding $250 million in liquid assets.

Forcing that founder to sell shares could weaken control of the company and punish years of reinvestment.

“Is that what you want your state to be?” Cuban asked.

Khanna continued arguing that most of California’s roughly 250 billionaires would not face the liquidity challenge Cuban described.

Cuban’s sharpest criticism focused on what the tax would signal to entrepreneurs who pour their resources back into growing businesses.

Rather than rewarding job creation and risk, California Democrats would treat rising company value as an invitation for government confiscation.

The dispute exposes the central flaw in wealth taxes.

Politicians see a large valuation and imagine a pile of cash ready for Sacramento, while business owners see ownership, payroll, expansion, research, and years of risk.

California already struggles with residents and companies seeking friendlier tax climates elsewhere.

If Proposition 40 passes, Cuban’s warning suggests the state could accelerate that exodus and discover that successful people are perfectly capable of moving before Sacramento sends the bill.

Kentucky Concert Bloodshed Leaves One Dead and Four Wounded, Including Two Children [WATCH]
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Kentucky Concert Bloodshed Leaves One Dead and Four Wounded, Including Two Children [WATCH]

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A deadly burst of gunfire tore through an outdoor concert in Lexington, Kentucky, on Saturday evening, leaving one person dead and four others wounded, including two children.

The mass shooting unfolded at Charles Young Park as people gathered for music in the heart of the city.

Authorities said the victims were shot at approximately 6:45 p.m. in the downtown park.

Two adults, a 14 year old, and a 4 year old were transported to a local hospital with injuries that were not considered life threatening.

One person was pronounced dead following the shooting, although officials did not immediately release the identity of the victim.

Information about the conditions of the surviving victims also remained limited as police worked to determine exactly what happened.

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An outdoor concert was underway in Charles Young Park when the violence erupted, according to the Lexington Herald Leader.

What should have been a routine Saturday evening gathering instead became another chaotic crime scene filled with emergency crews, frightened families, and unanswered questions.

The shooting occurred a little more than a mile from the Hyatt Regency, where Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear was speaking at the Kentucky Democratic Party’s Moving Forward Together dinner.

Beshear interrupted his remarks to inform those attending the political event about the bloodshed unfolding nearby.

“Before I continue, I do need to let y’all know we do have some tough news tonight,” Beshear said.

“About a mile and a half from here, we’ve had a shooting actually since we started this dinner,” he continued.

“We have five people that I think received injuries and probably have one deceased.”

The proximity of the shooting to the governor’s appearance gave the tragedy an immediate political backdrop, but the focus remained on the victims and the hunt for answers.

Violence did not pause for speeches, dinners, or carefully planned party messaging.

A Lexington Police Department spokesperson told the Daily Mail that the investigation remained active at about 10 p.m. local time.

Detectives had been working for several hours by that point, but authorities were not prepared to provide additional information to the public.

“No further details are available at this time,” the department said.

Police did not immediately announce an arrest, identify a possible suspect, or disclose what may have triggered the shooting.

Officials also did not say whether investigators believed the attack was targeted or whether the victims had any connection to the gunman.

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Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers used a press conference to appeal directly to residents who may know someone capable of committing violence.

His message focused on reporting warning signs before another weapon is drawn and more innocent people are placed in danger.

“If you know somebody who might be inclined to use a weapon, please do anything you can do to let us know before something happens. Please let us know,” Chief Weathers said at a press conference.

The appeal reflected the difficult reality facing law enforcement officers who are often called after bullets have already started flying.

Police can investigate, gather evidence, and chase suspects, but information delivered before an attack can make the difference between prevention and another grim news conference.

The Charles Young Park attack came during a particularly violent Saturday that also included shootings in Michigan, Virginia, and Chicago.

The string of incidents placed several American communities under the familiar strain of police tape, hospital runs, frightened witnesses, and families waiting for word about loved ones.

Investigators in Lexington were expected to examine witness accounts, available surveillance footage, and physical evidence recovered from the park.

With a crowded public event underway, detectives may have numerous people to interview as they reconstruct the moments before and after the first shots.

The shooting left Lexington confronting the brutal consequences of violence in a public gathering place where children were present.

Residents now await an arrest and a clear explanation, while the families affected face consequences that no political dinner or official statement can erase.

Navy Bolsters Mental Health Support for USS Abraham Lincoln Crew
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Navy Bolsters Mental Health Support for USS Abraham Lincoln Crew

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The Navy is sending additional mental health personnel to the USS Abraham Lincoln as the aircraft carrier prepares to leave the Middle East after a grueling extended deployment.

Officials announced the move as Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao acknowledged that the service had “treated” mental health cases among the carrier’s crew.

“The Navy is working to send additional resiliency counselors and social workers to augment the already robust mental health resources available to the crew 24/7,” Navy officials said in a Friday statement.

The added personnel will reinforce resources already aboard the massive warship.

Cao confirmed Friday that the Lincoln would soon begin sailing home after nine months deployed, much of that time spent at sea.

His announcement followed several days of concern from military families about difficult living conditions and reports that sailors had attempted to go overboard.

“A small number of mental health cases were treated with no loss of life,” Cao said in a statement posted on X. Roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines are aboard the Lincoln during its combat deployment.

The carrier already has five chaplains, a clinical psychologist, a clinical social worker, three behavioral health technicians and an integrated prevention coordination counselor.

Officials said the ship also has an expeditionary facility dog named Capt. Fathom “to support crew morale and emotional welfare.”

“The Lincoln was extended because the mission demanded it. Deployments are hard. Combat operations make them harder,” Cao wrote. “War is hell and normal routines are disrupted.”

The acknowledgement followed an earlier Navy denial of reports alleging a decline in sailors’ mental health.

Sailors and family members had also raised concerns about drinking water, food availability, communications and the punishing schedule aboard a carrier that has spent months supporting real world combat missions.

Stars and Stripes and Military Times reported cases involving sailors allegedly trying to jump from the carrier. On Thursday, United States Central Command said one sailor “fell overboard” on Aug. 3 and was “quickly and safely recovered.”

In a Wednesday statement, Navy officials said, “based on information available to the command, we have not identified an increase in reported suicidal ideation or suicide attempts aboard the ship.”

That official assessment came as the service faced growing public pressure to explain what was happening aboard the Lincoln.

Cao also addressed complaints about food and communications, saying meals were “adjusted when fresh resupply was unavailable without a single meal being missed.” He said calls between sailors and their families were “limited when the operational threat was too high.”

War Secretary Pete Hegseth rejected some of the more dramatic portrayals of conditions aboard the carrier, saying earlier accounts “completely misrepresented” the situation. He added that the Pentagon works to ensure every vessel and crew receives “everything we can provide them at every single moment.”

“Some deployments are longer than others,” Hegseth said. “I have more respect and gratitude for those sailors than anybody.

What they do in those high seas and those austere conditions with less port calls, it’s incredible.”

President Donald Trump also responded Friday when questioned about concerns raised by Navy families.

Trump said the Lincoln was being replaced by a “similar ship,” referring to the USS George Washington, and said the deployment was “not nearly long enough” when asked whether it had continued too long.

The Lincoln had originally been expected home in May, but operational demands forced an extension.

The Wall Street Journal reported Aug. 13 that the George Washington, currently operating in the South China Sea, had been ordered to the Middle East to relieve the Lincoln.

The carrier departed San Diego in late November 2025 and initially operated in the Pacific before being redirected to the Middle East during an American military buildup.

It later joined the USS Gerald R. Ford and its carrier strike group, with both carriers participating in the opening strikes against Iran.

Since those strikes, the Lincoln has supported combat operations against Iran and the blockade mission in the Strait of Hormuz.

The USS George H.W. Bush joined the carrier force during the spring, while the Ford eventually sailed home after completing its own record length deployment.

The Lincoln reached 207 consecutive days at sea in July, setting a record for the ship.

Since leaving San Diego, its crew has made only one port stop, a two day resupply visit to Guam in mid December.

“There is no question our young men and women have been pushed to their limits, but they have never broken.

They are rightly tired, but have never been out of the fight,” Cao said. “However, it is clear, knowing the whole story, our force and their families are not victims. They are the epitome of American strength and resilience.”

Airman’s Fatal Fitness Test Collapse Caused by Sudden Cardiac Arrest
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Airman’s Fatal Fitness Test Collapse Caused by Sudden Cardiac Arrest

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An Air Force investigation has determined that Airman First Class Syamukonka Moonga died from sudden cardiac arrest after completing a practice physical fitness assessment last year.

Investigators found no preexisting medical conditions or hazardous environmental factors that would have warned trainers of the looming emergency.

The Ground Accident Investigation Board report, released Aug. 12 by Air Education and Training Command, examined Moonga’s death on Aug. 4, 2025.

He collapsed shortly after finishing the 1.5 mile run portion of the assessment at Naval Base Ventura County Port Hueneme, California.

Moonga was unconscious and had no pulse when fellow trainees and the leader supervising the exercise reached him.

They immediately began resuscitation efforts while attempting to obtain an automated external defibrillator.

According to the report, the defibrillator shut off and would not restart, denying responders a key piece of emergency equipment during the frantic rescue effort.

Trainees, paramedics, and emergency medical technicians continued working for more than an hour, but Moonga was declared dead shortly after that mark.

Moonga was assigned to the 346th Training Squadron, an Air Force organization operating from the naval installation.

The joint training program instructs airmen and Navy personnel in vehicle maintenance and related technical skills.

Investigators found no extreme heat, dangerous weather, or other environmental circumstances that could explain the collapse.

Moonga also had no significant medical history and had not reported any injuries or health concerns before beginning the practice assessment.

An autopsy determined that Moonga had a healthy heart of normal size, although his coronary arteries were smaller than normal.

The medical examiner concluded that this anatomical factor might have contributed to the fatal event despite producing no previous warning signs.

The death was ruled natural and attributed to sudden cardiac arrest caused by probable exercise induced cardiac arrhythmia.

Nothing in Moonga’s earlier training performance indicated that he was likely to suffer such an abrupt and catastrophic medical crisis.

During basic military training, Moonga completed the Physical Fitness Assessment twice. He failed his first attempt but passed the second before graduating, showing substantial improvement in the process.

His time on the 1.5 mile run improved from 14 minutes and 55 seconds to 12 minutes and 27 seconds.

During later practice assessments with the 346th Training Squadron, he earned scores described as “excellent” or “near-excellent.”

Before the Aug. 4 assessment, airmen were given an opportunity to notify training leaders about injuries or health problems that could affect their participation.

The report said Moonga did not identify any issue, which was consistent with his medical history and previous fitness performance.

Moonga was originally from Zambia and enlisted in the Air Force in May 2025. He graduated from basic military training two months later and had spent only a few weeks with the 346th Training Squadron before his death.

The report described a young airman remembered for bringing warmth and energy to those serving beside him. “His classmates described him as having a positive attitude, beginning and ending each day with a smile,” investigators wrote.

After Moonga’s death, the squadron commander said his “joy, kindness, and enthusiasm will be deeply missed.” Those words reflected the loss felt by a unit that had known him only briefly but had already witnessed his character and commitment.

The failed defibrillator stands out as a troubling detail, although investigators attributed the death itself to natural causes.

Responders continued their efforts despite the equipment failure, but Moonga’s sudden cardiac arrest proved impossible to reverse.

His death shows how a hidden cardiac vulnerability can turn a routine military fitness event into a fatal emergency without obvious warning.

Moonga had passed assessments, improved his performance, reported no health concerns, and encountered no extreme conditions before collapsing moments after the run.

Federal Judge Clears Path for Trump Administration to End Somali TPS [WATCH]
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Federal Judge Clears Path for Trump Administration to End Somali TPS [WATCH]

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A federal judge has cleared the way for the Trump administration to terminate Temporary Protected Status for Somali nationals.

The decision removes a major legal obstacle as the White House pushes to restore firmer limits across the immigration system.

At issue is a federal program intended to provide temporary protection when conditions in a foreign country make returning dangerous.

TPS can shield qualifying foreign nationals from removal while also allowing them to obtain work authorization in the United States.

US Citizenship and Immigration Services has said that 2,471 Somali nationals are currently in the United States under TPS.

Another 1,383 Somali nationals have applications pending, putting thousands of cases within reach of the administration’s decision.

Those numbers are not merely abstract figures buried in another Washington spreadsheet.

They represent a sizable group whose ability to remain under this specific protection depends on whether the Somali designation continues.

TPS was designed as a temporary response to war, natural disaster, or other extraordinary conditions abroad.

It is not citizenship, permanent residency, or a promise that every designation must continue regardless of changing conditions or presidential policy.

Yet temporary programs in Washington have a familiar habit of sticking around far longer than advertised.

Once government protection is granted, activists often treat any attempt to end it as unthinkable, even when the word temporary is right there in the name.

The Trump administration has taken a much different approach, arguing that immigration protections should follow the limits established by law.

Supporters see the move as another necessary correction after years of policies that encouraged broad executive discretion with little meaningful restraint.

The federal court ruling gives the administration room to proceed with ending the Somali designation.

Although separate administrative steps may still be required, the judge’s action means the White House is no longer blocked by this particular legal challenge.

The ruling also carries broader significance because immigration policy has repeatedly been dragged into federal court.

Presidents possess substantial authority over immigration enforcement, but nearly every serious restriction now triggers another lawsuit from progressive groups and immigration advocates.

Critics of ending TPS are expected to argue that conditions in Somalia remain unstable and that returning nationals could create hardship.

But policy disagreements do not automatically grant courts the power to convert temporary immigration protection into a permanent arrangement.

Ending TPS also does not mean that every affected person will face the same immediate outcome.

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Individual cases can involve other applications, legal claims, or immigration statuses that federal officials must review under existing law.

That distinction matters because political rhetoric frequently erases the difference between ending a broad designation and ignoring individual legal rights.

The administration can enforce the law while federal agencies process each case according to the applicable rules.

The central policy question is whether the executive branch can determine when a temporary designation has run its course.

Trump has consistently argued that elected leaders, not activist organizations or permanent bureaucrats, should make those decisions within the authority granted by Congress.

For the administration, the ruling marks another opening to carry out the immigration agenda voters endorsed.

It also puts pressure on federal agencies to move deliberately, explain their procedures, and avoid allowing another supposedly temporary program to become open ended by default.

The USCIS figures show why the case matters beyond legal theory, with 3,854 Somali nationals either protected or awaiting decisions.

The administration now has a clearer path to act, and the permanent Washington immigration lobby has one less courtroom barrier to hide behind.

Pentagon Council Must Get Operator Syndrome Screening Right
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Pentagon Council Must Get Operator Syndrome Screening Right

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The Pentagon has taken a consequential step by ordering annual testosterone screening for every service member over age 30 and directing the creation of an advisory council focused on Operator Syndrome. The policy places health and human performance where they belong, squarely within the military readiness mission.

Human performance optimization seeks to strengthen health, resilience, and readiness across the force. Operator Syndrome is more specific, describing the accumulated physical, psychological, and physiological damage that can develop among special operations personnel after years of demanding missions and repeated exposure.

The council now must turn a promising directive into a practical clinical system. That will require standardized and scientifically informed methods for evaluating special operators and personnel in other combat focused occupations vulnerable to cumulative operational injuries.

Success cannot be measured by the number of recommendations produced or meetings placed on a calendar. The real test is whether the council builds a coherent framework that military clinicians can use consistently across the military health system.

For too long, care has often been divided among isolated symptoms, separate providers, and disconnected treatment plans. The council has an opportunity to replace that fragmented model with multidisciplinary care that examines the full consequences of operational service.

Existing programs have already provided a useful foundation. United States Special Operations Command’s Preservation of the Force and Family initiative and the Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness program have generated years of practical experience in operator health, performance, recovery, and family support.

The council should use those lessons rather than attempting to reinvent military medicine from a conference room. It also should establish evidence based clinical standards that can be continuously evaluated, refined, and updated as new research becomes available.

Air Force Expands Special Operations Wing Relocation to Arizona, Reflecting Strategic Shifts
The U.S. Air Force has modified its plans to relocate the 492nd Special Operations Wing to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Here, Air Force operators with the 492nd Special Operations Wing conduct a free-fall jump over Eglin Range, Florida, May 4, 2022. (Senior Airman Harrison Winchell/U.S. Air Force)

Dr. Chris Frueh introduced the Operator Syndrome construct in 2020, describing a multisystem condition associated with allostatic load and cumulative operational exposure. That foundational work helped drive broader research into how the condition can be characterized and assessed consistently.

One important effort is the preliminary development and validation of the Operator Syndrome Symptom Scale Self Report. The instrument draws from scientific literature, multidisciplinary clinical expertise, and established principles involving outcomes reported directly by patients.

The screening tool is intended to identify common patterns affecting the mind and body while supporting occupational performance and overall health. Its next development phase includes empirical evaluation across physical, mental, physiological, and other performance related health systems.

The advisory council should encourage similar partnerships among military leaders, clinicians, researchers, and organizations with direct operator experience. Government bureaucracy alone will not solve a multisystem health problem, regardless of how many polished slides get produced at the Pentagon.

Bill Pushes Nationwide Concealed Carry Rights for Elite Special Operators
Air Force Special Tactics airmen assigned to the 24th Special Operations Wing conduct close air support training during Emerald Warrior 17 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., March 2, 2017. Emerald Warrior is a U.S. Special Operations Command exercise during which joint special operations forces train to respond to various threats across the spectrum of conflict. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Barry Loo

The greatest immediate danger is implementing broad screening without first establishing validated clinical standards. If providers lack common assessment methods and referral criteria, service members could receive sharply different evaluations depending on the clinician or military treatment facility handling the case.

That inconsistency could generate unnecessary referrals while allowing personnel with serious cumulative injuries to slip through the cracks. Recognizing Operator Syndrome as a military health priority is only the opening move because lasting success requires investment in measurement science and clinical infrastructure.

Concerns surrounding broad testosterone screening also deserve careful attention. The Endocrine Society supports targeted testing for people with relevant symptoms and risk factors, warning that one symptom or biomarker should not determine whether cumulative operational injury is present.

Special Operations Helicopters Undergo Major Upgrades as Forces Look to the Future

Testosterone testing therefore should be a starting point, not the endpoint of an evaluation. Results should be combined with a comprehensive medical history, validated assessment tools, additional laboratory testing, and professional clinical judgment to create a fuller picture of physiological dysfunction.

A single laboratory value cannot explain years of blast exposure, disrupted sleep, traumatic stress, chronic pain, hormonal changes, and relentless operational demands. Treating one number while ignoring the larger system would be the medical equivalent of checking one tire while the engine is smoking.

Council members must understand military health care, operational systems, clinical outcomes, and the connection between wellness and lethality. Physical and psychological assessments also must be evidence based and continue throughout a service member’s career rather than appearing only after problems become impossible to ignore.

Special Operations Helicopters Undergo Major Upgrades as Forces Look to the Future
Six UH-60L Black Hawks and two CH-47F Chinooks, assigned to Task Force Brawler, 4th Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, Task Force Falcon, simultaneously launch a daytime mission Jan. 18 from Multinational Base Tarin Kowt.

The Pentagon should select a genuinely multidisciplinary panel of health and policy specialists. Relying on one professional viewpoint for the entire council would be as ineffective as using one isolated symptom to diagnose a complex condition.

Warfighters must be able to respond to conflict at a moment’s notice with their minds and bodies functioning together. Getting Operator Syndrome screening right is therefore not merely a medical project but a direct investment in retention, combat effectiveness, and national security.

Navy Set to Replace Weary USS Abraham Lincoln with George Washington in the Middle East
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Navy Set to Replace Weary USS Abraham Lincoln with George Washington in the Middle East

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The Navy reportedly plans to send the USS George Washington to the Middle East, replacing the USS Abraham Lincoln after an exceptionally long stretch at sea. The Lincoln has been deployed for nearly nine months, raising concerns among some crew families about morale, mental health, food, and the relentless operational tempo.

The Wall Street Journal first reported that the George Washington would make the move as part of a scheduled deployment. Task & Purpose independently confirmed that the carrier, which has recently operated in the South China Sea, is expected to relieve the Lincoln.

Officials have not provided a public timeline for when the George Washington will reach the Middle East. That uncertainty leaves the Lincoln and its crew continuing the mission until the replacement carrier is ready to assume responsibility.

The Lincoln departed San Diego in November and has spent most of its deployment supporting American military operations against Iran. According to the reporting, the ship has not received a port call since December, meaning sailors have gone months without the kind of shore break that can help crews reset.

Several relatives of Lincoln crew members told MS NOW that the deployment has been compounded by food shortages and other quality of life concerns. Those families argued that the conditions have damaged morale aboard one of the Navy’s most important combat platforms.

Families also recently brought their concerns directly to Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao. They reportedly warned that the accumulating mental strain could increase the danger of sailors attempting to harm themselves.

Military Times and Stars and Stripes have reported incidents involving Lincoln sailors who allegedly tried to jump overboard during the current deployment. Those reports have sharpened questions about whether the crew has received enough rest and support while sustaining a demanding Middle East mission.

Concerns about food aboard the Lincoln became public in April, when USA Today reported problems involving both the quality and quantity of meals. Similar issues were reported aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli, which was also operating in the Middle East at that time.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle denied that reporting. War Department officials have also disputed newer accounts suggesting that morale and mental health conditions among the Lincoln’s sailors and Marines are deteriorating.

Navy officials told Task & Purpose that they have “not identified an increase in reported suicidal ideation or suicide attempts” aboard the Lincoln. That statement pushes back directly against the most alarming claims from family members and media reports.

U.S. Central Command also defended conditions and performance aboard the carrier in a Thursday social media post. The command said the Lincoln has “maintained among the highest crew reenlistment rates (84.4%) of all aircraft carriers in the U.S. Navy.”

Central Command further challenged reports that might suggest fatal consequences aboard the ship. “No service members aboard the aircraft carrier have died, and the one Sailor who fell overboard Aug. 3 was quickly and safely recovered,” the command wrote.

Still, reenlistment statistics and official denials do not automatically erase the strain described by families waiting at home. Extended carrier operations are inherently difficult, and months without a port visit can test even disciplined sailors serving aboard a capable and battle ready vessel.

The spouse of one Lincoln crew member told We Are the Mighty that the pace has taken a serious toll. “They just need a break,” the spouse said, putting the issue in terms no Pentagon briefing slide can sanitize.

The spouse added that “There has been no” or “very little” meaningful “release valve for this pressure that has built up over the course of their deployment.” The statement captures the central concern surrounding the Lincoln as its crew continues carrying out national security missions far from home.

Sending the George Washington would provide that long awaited relief while preserving American carrier power in the region. Until the transition occurs, however, Lincoln sailors remain on station, balancing demanding operations against the human limits that Navy leaders cannot afford to ignore.

Inside the VA’s Massive New GLP 1 Study Targeting Alcohol Addiction
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Inside the VA’s Massive New GLP 1 Study Targeting Alcohol Addiction

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Department of Veterans Affairs researchers are launching what they describe as the largest study yet examining whether semaglutide medications can help veterans struggling with alcohol addiction. The results could eventually push federal regulators to approve the popular GLP 1 drugs as a broadly available treatment for alcohol use disorder.

The effort is called the Cessation or Reduction of Alcohol Consumption in Veterans trial. Dr. David Oslin, the study’s lead researcher, said the project is intended to produce more “definitive” evidence and determine whether semaglutide could become a “more palatable” option for patients and physicians.

Semaglutide imitates the naturally occurring GLP 1 hormone in the human body. Initially developed as a diabetes medication, it has become widely known through weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy.

Researchers believe that familiarity could help move alcohol addiction treatment beyond specialized psychiatric and addiction clinics. Instead, veterans might eventually obtain the medication through the primary care providers they already know and trust.

“It really opens the door to being more of a front-line drug that could be available, say, in primary care or other settings where patients are very comfortable going,” Oslin said. “Primary care is our frontline mental health program. It’s where mental health starts for almost all patients, whether that be for addiction, depression, anxiety, whatever. We need better tools that those providers could potentially use and get more people in treatment.”

More than 400,000 veterans have received an alcohol use disorder diagnosis, yet fewer than 40,000 are receiving medication for it. Oslin called those treatment rates “too low,” although they remain higher than the medication treatment rate among the broader American population.

Current options include counseling, formal addiction programs, Naltrexone and Topiramate. However, Oslin said “the reality is, all those treatments are woefully underused both by clinicians as well as patients,” leaving a major gap between diagnosis and meaningful medical care.

The new trial will enroll more than 600 veterans diagnosed with moderate to severe alcohol use disorder. Participants will administer weekly doses of either semaglutide or a placebo while researchers track cravings, drinking behavior, addiction symptoms and changes in physical and mental health.

The study was deliberately designed around primary care rather than mandatory psychiatric treatment. Local VA clinicians will conduct brief medical management appointments lasting roughly 15 to 20 minutes, an approach Oslin described as “therapy lite,” while helping veterans establish goals related to alcohol consumption.

“Requiring people to be in a psychiatric clinic or to be in an addiction clinic, we actually didn’t want to do that because that makes it much more complicated to make the results more available to people,” Oslin said. That practical design could make the findings more useful in everyday medical settings, rather than limiting them to specialized programs.

Dr. Eric Dieperink, the psychiatrist leading the Minneapolis VA portion of the trial, said participants should prepare for a “fairly large initial commitment.” Veterans will undergo detailed medical evaluations, repeated blood testing and assessments to establish an appropriate dosage, which may gradually increase during the study.

The research is not starting from scratch. Three previous studies found that semaglutide reduced drinking behavior among patients with alcohol use disorder, producing “robust therapeutic effects,” fewer “heavy drinking days” and reductions in the number of drinks consumed each day.

“GLP-1s are naturally occurring peptides in all of us, and these medications sort of mimic that natural process and seem to dampen people’s desire for excessive activities like excessive eating or excessive alcohol intake,” Oslin said. Researchers now want to determine whether that effect holds up across a much larger veteran population.

With more than 600 planned participants, the VA project is nearly “six times” larger than some earlier trials. That scale is intentional because researchers hope to “provide definitive evidence” strong enough for the Food and Drug Administration to consider a “label change.”

Such a change would permit semaglutide to be officially prescribed and marketed as a treatment for alcohol addiction. Until then, the medication remains best known for diabetes management and weight loss, even as scientists explore its potential effect on addictive behavior.

“Obviously, if the drug works in veterans, it’s going to work [on] the rest of us that are non-veterans,” Oslin said. “So this is a way to really move the field forward substantially.”

For veterans, the stakes are immediate, given the hundreds of thousands already diagnosed and the strikingly small percentage receiving medication. If this trial confirms earlier findings, primary care clinics could gain a powerful new tool against a disease that has gone undertreated for far too long.

‘You Can’t Sow Snoop Dogg and Reap The Cosby Show’: Delano Squires Nukes the War on Marriage [WATCH]
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‘You Can’t Sow Snoop Dogg and Reap The Cosby Show’: Delano Squires Nukes the War on Marriage [WATCH]

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Author Delano Squires argued that rebuilding marriage and strengthening families should become a national priority, saying cultural, political and institutional changes are necessary to improve outcomes for children and communities.

During a discussion with Glenn Beck about Squires’ book The Vanishing Black Family, the two examined the cultural pressures surrounding marriage, particularly among young adults, and discussed what Squires described as the need for a broader “family reconstruction” movement.

Beck opened the conversation by describing what he sees as a cultural environment that discourages young people from marrying early in adulthood.

“The culture today is pushes against, Wait, you’re in college and you’re going to get married? What is wrong with you? I mean, that is such a big boulder to push out of the way.”

Squires responded by pointing to several colleges where he believes marriage and long-term relationships are viewed more positively.

“It is. Now, I could think of, you talked about BYU, I know graduates from Hillsdale, Liberty University.”

He also described a recent conversation with an intern at The Heritage Foundation.

“I talked to an intern at Heritage the other day. She said she estimated about 55% of her classmates are either in long-term relationships, engaged, or married by the time they finish their undergraduate studies.”

According to Squires, the intern told him that environment creates social expectations favoring marriage.

“Excellent. And she said it actually creates pressure on those who are not.”

Squires said he would welcome similar circumstances at historically Black colleges and universities.

“And I said, Oh boy, I would love that problem at at HBCUs. I would love to deal with that problem.”

He argued that strengthening marriage requires both institutional and individual efforts.

“So yeah, so it there’s an institutional response.”

Squires said one aspect of his book focuses on what he views as political barriers to increasing marriage rates.

“One of the things that makes this book different than than anything else that people have seen is that I also name the political obstacles to a marriage revival movement.”

He identified several groups that he believes oppose those efforts.

“Obviously, they include feminists, they include LGBT activists, they include abortionists because Planned Parenthood understands that close to 90% of women who seek abortions are unmarried. So, more marriage means less business for for Planned Parenthood.”

Squires also criticized what he described as a preference among some policymakers for expanding government programs instead of strengthening families.

“They they they also include big government liberals because for them the answer is not, you know, a different and stronger family structure. For them, it’s always more government spending to address issues in low-income communities.”

He also devoted part of the discussion to media and entertainment, arguing that popular culture has influenced attitudes toward relationships.

“And and then I I talk about the importance of media.”

Squires said decades of hip-hop culture have contributed to unhealthy relationship dynamics in some communities.

“But I  argue in in that chapter, this is chapter eight of The Vanishing Black Family, that you cannot sow Snoop Dogg and reap The Cosby Show, right?”

He continued by describing what he believes has been the effect of music on perceptions of relationships.

“Because I end up, I talk about the impact of 40 plus years of hip-hop culture, 40 close to 35, 40 plus years of young men in inner-city neighborhoods who most closely identify with the artists hearing the people that they look up to referring to the young women in their community as, you know, sexually promiscuous, as all types of degrading names and terms, those things are not healthy for or are not good for healthy relationship bonds, marital relationships, or they don’t create the types of environments where where couples can thrive and and children can benefit from both parents.”

Squires said lasting cultural change will require both institutional reforms and personal responsibility.

“So, it’s an institutional response. There’s an individual response.”

He concluded by arguing that discussions about family should focus primarily on children rather than adults.

“But the biggest thing that I that I argue is that we have to reframe the issue of family reconstruction, and this goes for Americans across the board, not just in the black community.”

Squires explained that his proposed framework centers on children’s needs.

“But we have to reframe the issue of family reconstruction away from the desires of adults and towards the rights and needs of children, specifically the idea that children have a right to the affection, protection, connection, correction, and direction of the one man and one woman that created them, and that that right is best exercised in a loving, low-conflict home.”

He said that message should become the foundation for broader cultural efforts.

“So, so it’s about reframing the issue and then giving that message to the most important institutions needed to drive cultural change.”

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