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Trump Orders U.S. and South Korea to Slash Length and Scope of Military Drills
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Trump Orders U.S. and South Korea to Slash Length and Scope of Military Drills

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The United States and South Korea are shortening their annual joint military drills and reducing some field training after President Donald Trump ordered a major cut in American participation.

The adjustment turns an exercise originally scheduled for 11 days into a five day event.

The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise began Aug. 17 and will now conclude Aug. 21 instead of Aug. 27, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff and a Pentagon official.

The allies are also scaling down portions of their combined field maneuver training.

South Korean War Minister Ahn Gyu back said the allies were preparing to cancel the second phase of the drills.

That phase reportedly would have involved counterattack operations following an initial defensive stage.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff said the two countries agreed to partial changes in the exercise’s duration and scope at the suggestion of the United States.

Officials were still discussing the details surrounding the reduced field training.

A War Department official said the department had substantially reduced the exercise and its associated live training events.

Some activities were canceled entirely, while others were moved into simulations.

The official said those revisions would preserve essential readiness requirements and training goals.

According to the official, the changes would not degrade American training objectives.

Trump directed officials Sunday to “substantially reduce” the American role in the drills, pointing to his “very good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Trump said Monday that Kim had responded to his actions, although he did not provide details.

The move shows Trump again using military posture as diplomatic leverage rather than treating every inherited exercise schedule as sacred bureaucratic scripture.

His administration appears interested in reopening direct talks while maintaining the readiness needed to confront threats on the Korean Peninsula.

Ellen Kim, a senior fellow at the Korea Economic Institute of America, offered a broader interpretation of the decision. She suggested Trump also wanted to pressure Seoul over promised American investments and redirect attention from challenges involving Iran.

“Trump is trying to catch three birds with one stone here,” Kim said. Her assessment presented the reduction as a calculated move touching trade, regional diplomacy and wider American strategic priorities.

North Korea responded with its usual complaints despite the shortened schedule.

Kim Yo Jong, the sister of Kim Jong Un, said the exercises remained “provocative and aggressive” regardless of their reduced scale and duration.

Kim Yo Jong said she was unaware of any recent communication between Trump and her brother. However, she acknowledged that Kim Jong Un retained positive personal memories and feelings toward the American president.

“The relationship between the two leaders remain excellent,” the Korean Central News Agency quoted her as saying.

That comment left an unmistakable opening for diplomacy even as Pyongyang continued attacking the allied exercises.

Earlier Wednesday, North Korea said it would continue exercising its right to self defense against what it described as threats from Washington and Seoul.

A commentary also accused the United States and South Korea of being “warmongers” responsible for increasing tensions.

Notably, the commentary did not mention Trump, his order or the reduction in the drills.

It also came as commentary rather than a statement from a senior North Korean official or another expensive missile spectacle.

Hong Min, a researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said that restrained format could signal an attempt to preserve room for negotiations.

Pyongyang may be complaining for domestic consumption while carefully avoiding a direct attack on Trump.

Trump has pressed aides to arrange an in person meeting with Kim as soon as this autumn, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing American officials.

The president has reportedly discussed possible talks during a November trip to Asia for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China.

Reuters said it could not independently verify that report, while the White House did not respond to a request for comment.

Even so, Kim Yo Jong’s acknowledgment of the leaders’ relationship gives the diplomatic speculation additional weight.

The exercise changes coincided with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to South Korea for regional security discussions.

Wang said Washington should change its “hostile policy” toward Pyongyang, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency.

Neither American nor South Korean officials knew about Trump’s order beforehand, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun told lawmakers.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung separately maintained that Ulchi Freedom Shield was defensive and was not intended to attack North Korea or inflame tensions.

Washington and Seoul have long described the drills as necessary preparation against North Korea’s military capabilities.

Pyongyang routinely calls them rehearsals for invasion, but Trump’s reduction now tests whether a narrower exercise can protect readiness while creating space for serious negotiations.

Pentagon Declares M18 Handgun Safe and Reliable After Sweeping Review
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Pentagon Declares M18 Handgun Safe and Reliable After Sweeping Review

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The Pentagon is standing firmly behind the M17 and M18 service pistols after a formal review found no evidence that either weapon has discharged because of a mechanical failure.

Military officials said “there has never been a mechanically caused accidental discharge” involving the widely issued handguns.

The Aug. 7 statement followed a review of the Modular Handgun System led by the Army’s Project Manager Soldier Lethality.

The review examined safety concerns surrounding the military pistols, which are based on the civilian SIG Sauer P320 design.

That examination was launched after an airman was shot and killed in an incident involving an M18. Initial accounts blamed an alleged “uncommanded discharge,” raising immediate questions about whether the pistol had fired without its trigger being pulled.

The deadly incident prompted Air Force Global Strike Command to order an immediate inspection of every M18 under its authority.

The command also temporarily paused use of the weapon, although that restriction was lifted approximately one month later.

Investigators eventually uncovered a far different account from the claim that the handgun had spontaneously fired.

Three airmen connected to the shooting were charged with lying to investigators about what actually happened.

Air Force Arrests Airman in Fatal Shooting Case Involving M18 Pistol
The Air Force has arrested an airman in connection with the July 20 death of another airman, which involved a Sig Sauer M18. (Airman Elijah Strickland/U.S. Air Force)

According to the allegations, the airmen initially claimed the pistol simply “went off” when the shooter slammed his duty belt against a desk.

Investigators instead determined that the weapon had been pointed at the victim in a “joking manner,” a reckless act with fatal consequences.

The Army said it has investigated every reported incident involving Modular Handgun System pistols allegedly firing without a trigger pull.

Firearms mishaps account for less than 0.006% of all MHS pistols issued, according to the military’s findings.

“All investigated incidents of alleged ‘uncommanded discharges’ have been traced back to the trigger being pulled,” Army officials said.

That conclusion places the responsibility on weapon handling rather than some hidden defect lurking inside the pistol.

Officials also blamed “public speculation and online misinformation” for fueling concerns about the military handgun’s safety.

Air Force Resumes Use of M18 Pistols with Stronger Oversight
The Air Force has resumed using the Sig Sauer M18 pistol for its Global Strike security forces airmen following an inspection of thousands of the weapons. (Staff Sgt. Joshua Hoskins/Air Force)

In the current social media environment, rumors can sprint around the world before investigators have finished checking the weapon, the ammunition, and the testimony.

The controversy is not entirely imaginary, however, because the civilian P320 has faced years of legal scrutiny.

The handgun has been connected through allegations and lawsuits to dozens of injuries and several deaths involving claims that rounds were fired without an intentional trigger pull.

More than 100 legal challenges have targeted the SIG design since its introduction in 2014, producing varying outcomes.

Attorneys in many of those cases have argued that the pistol’s passive safety systems may not adequately prevent unintended manipulation of the trigger.

There is also an important distinction between the military models and the civilian P320 pistols at the center of many complaints.

The M17 and M18 include a manual safety, providing service members with an additional physical control not found on every civilian configuration.

Air Force Suspends Use of M18 Pistols After Fatal Incident at F.E. Warren AFB – M4's Temporarily Issued
U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Andrew Nunez, a mortarman with 3d Battalion, 3d Marines, fires an M18 Modular Handgun System during a Combat Marksmanship Program range at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, July 7, 2022. This training sharpened Marines’ critical combat arms skills by executing transition drills and increasing their proficiency in switching between primary and secondary weapons. 3/3 is forward deployed in the Indo-Pacific under 4th Marines, 3d Marine Division as part of the Unit Deployment Program. Nunez is a native of Los Angles, California. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Micha Pierce)

SIG’s design received DoW approval in 2017 after winning the military competition to replace aging service pistols.

Since then, the M17 and M18 have become standard issue sidearms across the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy.

More than 400,000 of the pistols are currently in military service, making any credible mechanical problem a major readiness and safety concern.

That massive fielding also gives investigators a substantial body of real world performance data rather than a small sample shaped by internet chatter.

The Pentagon’s review does not erase the need for strict weapons discipline, proper maintenance, and serious investigation whenever a service member is injured or killed.

It does make clear, however, that officials found trigger pulls behind the reported military incidents, not pistols mysteriously firing on their own.

For troops carrying the M17 or M18 every day, the message from the Pentagon is direct: the weapon is considered safe and reliable when handled correctly.

The machinery, officials say, is doing its job, while careless handling and false stories remain the more dangerous combination.

Airmen Launch Lightning Fast HH-60W Rescue, Bring Five Navy Sailors Home in California
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Airmen Launch Lightning Fast HH-60W Rescue, Bring Five Navy Sailors Home in California

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Airmen from two squadrons moved fast to rescue five Navy personnel after an aircraft incident in the rugged California terrain near Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake.

The successful mission showcased the speed, preparation and mechanical ingenuity expected from American combat rescue forces.

Personnel from the 355th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and the 88th Test and Evaluation Squadron deployed two HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopters for the operation.

The maintenance squadron is assigned to the 355th Wing but operates from Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.

The emergency began Aug. 10 when a Navy MH-60S Seahawk made a hard landing in mountainous terrain during a high altitude training flight.

According to an Air Force release, the 88th received the initial notification at approximately 11:30 a.m.

Officials described the event as an “aircraft mishap,” though the release did not identify the Navy unit involved.

Once alerted, the 88th immediately began recalling personnel and joined with the 355th to prepare aircraft while coordinating with the “mishap unit.”

That quick response mattered because aviation rescue missions do not leave room for bureaucratic wandering or leisurely decision making.

Aircraft, maintainers, aircrews and rescue specialists all had to come together rapidly while the five sailors waited in unforgiving terrain.

“When production gave us the word for a real-world mission, I gathered the Airmen I had on the line and started directing traffic,” Air Force Staff Sgt. Lucas Seney, a 355th AMXS aerospace propulsion craftsman, said in the release.

“The crew worked well together, and I was proud to see just how efficiently everyone was able to get the job done.”

The maintainers encountered a circuit breaker problem while preparing the helicopters, and no spare parts were immediately available.

Instead of allowing that obstacle to derail the mission, the 355th developed a “workaround” that made the affected system operational and kept the rescue effort moving.

The maintenance team generated both HH-60W helicopters within 30 minutes, an impressive turnaround under real operational pressure. The aircrews departed Nellis at 1 p.m., heading toward the sailors stranded near China Lake.

By 3 p.m., the rescue crews had established two way radio communications and visually located the Navy personnel.

That confirmation gave the aircrews the information needed to assess the landing area and determine how best to reach the sailors safely.

Capt. John Howe, an 88th combat rescue officer, led the pararescue team sent into the landing zone.

The rescuers evaluated all five Navy personnel and determined that none had suffered injuries during the hard landing.

Even without injuries, the mountainous environment presented a physical challenge for the sailors and a tactical problem for the rescue crews.

The team therefore decided to reposition the helicopters to a closer landing area, reducing the distance the Navy personnel would need to cover on foot.

“The preparation is what makes the execution smooth,” Howe said in the statement.

“It’s the combination of preestablished operating procedures, keeping equipment staged and ready for use, and hasty mission planning prior to departure, that makes this process effective, and expeditious.”

The rescue was completed swiftly after the helicopters moved into the improved position.

By 3:50 p.m., all five sailors had been successfully extracted from the mountainous area without any reported injuries.

The crews then transported the sailors to their unit’s ramp at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake.

From the initial notification to the final extraction, the operation took only a few hours and required tight coordination between maintainers, aircrews and pararescue personnel.

The mission also highlighted the capabilities of the HH 60W Jolly Green II, which is designed to support demanding combat search and rescue operations.

More importantly, it demonstrated that advanced aircraft are only effective when disciplined Airmen are prepared to launch, improvise and execute under pressure.

Readiness is built through training, staged equipment, sound procedures and maintainers who refuse to let a faulty circuit breaker dictate the outcome.

Five Navy sailors returned safely to their unit because those Airmen were prepared when a training flight suddenly became the real thing.

Body Camera Captures Marine’s Stunning Words After Hornet Ejection: ‘Hey Buddy, I Just Crashed’
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Body Camera Captures Marine’s Stunning Words After Hornet Ejection: ‘Hey Buddy, I Just Crashed’

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A Marine Corps aviator emerged bloodied but walking after ejecting from an F/A 18 Hornet moments before the fighter slammed into the ground in Washington state.

Body camera footage shows the pilot approaching first responders while holding a phone and calling 911.

The Yakima County Sheriff’s Office released the footage Friday, offering a remarkable look at the immediate aftermath of the June 13 crash.

The Marine appeared composed despite blood covering parts of his face and the wreckage of his aircraft burning nearby.

The fighter went down around noon near Rimrock Lake, close to Mount Rainier and about 55 miles south of Seattle.

The aircraft belonged to Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and was conducting what the wing called a “routine training flight.”

Bystander video captured the Hornet descending toward the terrain, spiraling several times and exploding when it hit the ground.

The pilot ejected shortly before impact and was later transported to a hospital with injuries described as minor.

The newly released footage shows the aviator already free of his parachute and walking down a road toward the arriving emergency crews.

Considering he had just punched out of a doomed fighter, the Marine looked remarkably steady on his feet.

The pilot described himself as “a little frazzled,” which may qualify as the understatement of the month.

He nevertheless answered questions, explained what had happened and contacted fellow Marines while responders examined the cuts visible across his face.

CBS News first reported on the body camera recording and identified the aviator as a Marine major.

The Marine Corps has not officially confirmed his identity, and officials told Task & Purpose they could not provide additional comments because the investigation remains underway.

As rescuers approached, they immediately sought to determine whether anyone else had been aboard the aircraft.

“Are you the only pilot?” one responder asked, and the Marine confirmed that he had been flying alone.

The emergency personnel then checked the aviator for injuries and asked what kind of aircraft had gone down. He initially identified it as an F/A 18 before dryly correcting himself with, “Well, that was an F-18.”

That bit of battlefield style humor arrived with wreckage still smoldering in the distance.

The line also captured the blunt reality of military aviation, where a multimillion dollar fighter can become scattered debris in seconds while survival depends on training, equipment and a little providence.

While speaking with medics, the Marine began recounting the training mission that preceded the crash.

“We were doing circles over the lake, doing some low-level training,” he says in the footage.

He then attempted to explain the aircraft’s final moments but acknowledged that his memory remained understandably unsettled. “And then I tucked in, and I’m not sure exactly, honestly, I’m a little bit frazzled.”

The footage also shows him walking around the scene and using a cell phone to notify his fellow Marines. His summary was direct, memorable and unmistakably military: “Hey buddy, I just crashed.”

The Hornet accident joined a troubling series of military aviation mishaps inside the United States during the previous four months.

An F-35B assigned to the same Marine Corps unit crashed in Southern California the month before, adding another serious incident for investigators to examine.

Other recent crashes included a B 52 accident at Edwards Air Force Base that killed three civilians and five airmen.

An AH-64 Apache also crashed in Texas the previous week, killing two soldiers and extending an already grim aviation safety roll call.

For now, the cause of the Washington crash has not been announced, and the Marine Corps investigation continues.

What the footage does establish is that the aviator survived a violent ejection, walked toward rescuers and delivered one of the most matter of fact crash reports imaginable.

WATCH BELOW:

From Navy SEAL to Army Chaplain: One Veteran’s Powerful New Mission of Service
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From Navy SEAL to Army Chaplain: One Veteran’s Powerful New Mission of Service

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Former Navy SEAL Capt. Daron Miller spent years mastering the punishing demands of elite military service, but his greatest mission emerged only after he stopped measuring strength by performance alone.

Today, he serves as a U.S. Army chaplain, using hard earned experience and Christian faith to support soldiers facing battles that cannot be displayed on a uniform.

At nineteen, Miller wanted a challenge difficult enough to forge his identity and test his limits. While browsing a book about Navy SEALs, he found exactly what he was seeking.

“I decided to join the Navy and become a SEAL before I even paid for the book,” Miller said in an Army release.

The book explained that candidates in the final stage of Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training, known as BUD/S, had to complete a 14 mile run.

Miller responded with the straightforward determination that would later carry him through one of the military’s most grueling pipelines.

“I literally grabbed a Marlboro stopwatch that came out of a carton of my mom’s cigarettes, and all I knew was that it was seven miles down to the gas station and back,” Miller said in the release.

“So, I just put on my tennis shoes, didn’t bring water, I had the stopwatch to time myself, and I just ran 14 miles.”

Miller entered Navy boot camp in October 1993 and eventually completed BUD/S before reporting to SEAL Team 3. His performance demonstrated that he possessed the physical ability, discipline and composure demanded by Naval Special Warfare.

“In dive phase,” Miller said, “I got an award called ‘First Time, Every Time.’ That means in every graded evolution that we did, all the drown-proofing and diving, I passed my very first time.”

The accolades still did not answer the deeper questions Miller carried. Even after succeeding in a community associated with toughness and sacrifice, he remained troubled by an internal emptiness that no badge could fix.

He remembered asking himself, “How is it I’ve done all this, but inside I feel just as unfulfilled as I did before I ever joined the Navy?”

A six hour drive back from training in California helped change his direction. Another SEAL spoke with Miller about his Christian faith and about serving as a missionary in Russia before entering the Navy.

Faith had not played a major role during Miller’s childhood in Kansas, but the conversation stayed with him. It ultimately encouraged him to explore Christianity and reconsider what purpose, service and real strength meant.

Miller remained in the Navy until 2006 and later attended Lancaster Bible College and Capital Seminary. He originally planned to minister to veterans in a hospital, continuing to serve those who had worn the uniform.

A fellow student serving as a chaplain candidate introduced him to the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. Miller eventually commissioned as an Army chaplain with Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 28th Infantry Division.

His SEAL background now helps him reach soldiers who might otherwise remain guarded around a chaplain. That credibility cannot be manufactured by a seminar, a slogan or another polished military briefing.

“When a soldier’s in front of me and they see, ‘Oh wow, he’s got a combat diver badge and all of that stuff,’” Miller said, “‘This isn’t just a pastor who stepped in off the street and put on camis. Here’s someone that shared some of the things that I’ve done.’”

Miller has also learned that some of the strongest troops are the quiet ones whose perseverance never receives public praise. Their courage may not come with a badge, award or ceremony, but it is no less real.

Maj. David Boyles, a Pennsylvania Army National Guard chaplain who has served alongside Miller for years, described him as quiet, reserved and humble. That demeanor runs contrary to the swagger some people might expect from a former SEAL, which is precisely why his example carries weight.

Miller also works as a civilian chaplain at a senior living community, where progress is not always visible and recognition is rarely guaranteed. Boyles said that work reveals Miller’s commitment to caring for people without demanding praise or measurable results.

“His willingness to step into an environment where growth and change in the people you care for are not likely … is a testament to his servant’s heart and a desire to care for people regardless of any noticeable outcome,” Boyles said.

Miller now views strength differently than he did as a teenager chasing the hardest possible challenge. Outward toughness may impress the crowd, but it does not reveal the burdens, wounds or unanswered questions a person carries inside.

His years as a SEAL are no longer a résumé used to prove himself. They are tools that allow him to understand soldiers, earn their trust and serve them through ministry.

“All of that equipped me for the ministry with a rucksack that was full of everything that I needed,” Miller said. “It wasn’t about me. All of that was for every soldier here.”

Anti-Rich DSA Boss Exposed Living in Lavish Brooklyn Home Bought by Millionaire Parents [WATCH]
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Anti-Rich DSA Boss Exposed Living in Lavish Brooklyn Home Bought by Millionaire Parents [WATCH]

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Gustavo Gordillo, the 38-year-old co-chair of the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, is facing renewed scrutiny over his living arrangements after records showed that his parents purchased a Brooklyn property where he and his brother now reside, as reported by the New York Post.

The two-story Bedford-Stuyvesant row home, which measures nearly 2,000 square feet, was purchased in 2019 for just under $1 million through Chucuito LLC, according to property records.

The property has since undergone extensive renovations, including work on the front facade, landscaping, interior improvements, and the addition of two decks.

Gordillo’s father confirmed the arrangement to the New York Post.

“My son and my other son both live there,” Gordillo’s father said when reached by phone. “The LLC purchased the home, and then we did the renovations.”

The property has been at the center of attention because of Gordillo’s political advocacy.

As a leader within the DSA, Gordillo has supported positions challenging traditional private property ownership and has advocated for redistribution of land “from landowners to the landless.”

He also criticized landlords during a Fox News interview in July, saying, “We don’t think that anybody should have the constitutional right to double-digit returns on their investment.”

The contrast between those political positions and his family’s real-estate holdings has drawn criticism from New York renters.

Faith Smith, a 36-year-old local renter, called Gordillo a hypocrite after learning about the property arrangement.

“I wish my family could afford to buy me a million-dollar home,” Smith said.

“It’s a rich kid,’’ she added. “That’s basically people who don’t have to deal with the struggles we have to deal with.”

The Brooklyn property has changed substantially since the Gordillo family acquired it.

Plans filed with the borough in 2023 show renovations to the facade and interior, landscaping work, and additions including rooftop and front-door decks. Work on the second floor was still underway Tuesday, according to the report.

The property arrangement was not the family’s first time providing housing for Gordillo in New York.

His father told the Post that the same LLC rented a one-bedroom, one-bath apartment on the Lower East Side for Gordillo from 2016 through 2019 at a monthly cost of $2,600.

Gordillo worked at an art gallery during those years before later becoming an electrician, according to City and State.

It remains unclear whether Gordillo reimbursed his parents for that rent. His calls were not returned.

Gordillo has described himself as a blue-collar union electrician and used the X handle @UnionGordillo. Records indicate he joined the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in 2019.

Since 2024, however, he has stopped identifying himself specifically as an IBEW Local 3 member and instead has described himself more generally as a union worker.

There are no records indicating that Gordillo completed the seven-year journeyman process. He told the New York Times earlier this year that he was no longer working as an electrician. His current source of income is unclear.

Before moving to New York City, Gordillo studied art at Yale University and graduated in 2010.

Gordillo was born in Peru and grew up in South Florida. His parents later established significant assets in the United States.

Property records show that they own a more than 5,000-square-foot home in Boca Raton with five bedrooms and six bathrooms.

The property is currently listed for $3.1 million. The family also owns another home in Weston, Florida, valued at about $3 million. That property has five bedrooms and seven bathrooms.

Gordillo’s father, also named Gustavo, built his wealth as the founder of Draftpros Inc., an engineering and consulting company.

The family’s real-estate holdings and financial support for Gordillo have prompted questions because of the DSA leader’s public criticism of wealth, landlords, and private property ownership.

The issue comes as Gordillo continues to hold a leadership role in the New York City DSA and advocate for a broader socialist political agenda.

The details of his family’s property ownership do not establish wrongdoing, but they have provided ammunition for critics who argue that some activists’ personal circumstances can look rather different from the economic system they publicly condemn.

For now, the Brooklyn home remains family-owned, with Gordillo and his brother living there, while questions continue about the political implications of a socialist leader benefiting from substantial family wealth and property ownership.

Reserve and Guard Troops Win Broader Health Care Access After Long Call Ups
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Reserve and Guard Troops Win Broader Health Care Access After Long Call Ups

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More Reserve and National Guard troops completing lengthy active duty assignments could receive expanded healthcare coverage under a new War Department policy prompted by a sailor’s class action lawsuit.

Advocates say tens of thousands may qualify for coverage, while thousands more could recover money spent on medical care.

The Aug. 10 policy addresses an administrative loophole that blocked certain troops from receiving six months of transitional healthcare.

War Department officials confirmed the change but declined further comment because the lawsuit remains active.

Navy Reserve Lt. Cmdr. Anthony Gontarz served in the Navy for 10 years before entering the Reserve.

Federal court records show he then served on full time orders for 1,400 consecutive days, nearly four years, before those orders ended in 2025.

Gontarz expected 180 days of medical and dental coverage through the Transitional Assistance Management Program, commonly called TAMP.

The program provides healthcare for eligible Reservists, Guardsmen, and their families after qualifying periods of active duty.

Instead, the military denied his coverage because his orders did not state that they were “in support of a contingency operation.” That bureaucratic phrase determined eligibility inside the War Department benefits coding system, regardless of how long a service member had actually served.

Gontarz filed suit in April with the National Veterans Legal Services Program.

The federal complaint argued that the Department of War denied coverage to “otherwise eligible servicemembers based on an internal administrative coding requirement,” leaving troops and families to absorb costs they reasonably believed would be covered.

The new policy extends eligibility to troops like Gontarz who volunteered or were “called or ordered to, or retained on, active duty for at least 30 days,” under federal contingency authorities.

Service members no longer must “demonstrate” that their duty was “substantively connected in some way to a war, a contingency operation, or a national emergency.”

That is a meaningful correction for citizen warriors who put civilian jobs and family routines aside when the nation calls.

Troops should not lose earned benefits because an administrator failed to place the proper magic words on an order.

“The military was denying those benefits through a coding mechanism that has now been changed to give the reservists the benefits they have earned,” attorney Rochelle Bobroff said.

“We are very happy that through our litigation, that has been changed prospectively, and those who were harmed in the past six years from our complaint being filed will be able to submit bills for reimbursement.”

Bobroff said discussions continue over corrections to other service records and how affected troops and families will be notified.

Getting the policy right is only the first step because people who paid premiums and medical bills must know they can seek repayment.

Steve Minyard, a former adviser on manpower and reserve affairs, said the policy could reach a far wider population because it includes troops “activated under a period of emergency.”

That legal emergency has remained in effect since September 11, 2001.

Congress authorized more than 161,000 Reservists and National Guardsmen to serve on active duty orders during fiscal year 2026. Many could now qualify for TAMP if they served at least 30 days under the applicable authorities.

“DoW’s got a new budget item they’ve got to look at because they’re going to be giving TAMP going forward to all of those 120,000 whatever people that are activated 30 days and over regardless because they’re all activated under a period of emergency,” Minyard said.

The memo also grants “retroactive eligibility” to troops denied TAMP since April 24, 2020, because their service was “not deemed to be connected in some way to a war, a contingency operation, or a national emergency.”

Eligible service members may request reimbursement for insurance premiums and personal expenses incurred for themselves or covered family members.

Minyard noted that many more Reservists and Guardsmen are mobilized for vital supporting missions than are sent “forward.”

Those assignments can include pandemic response work, Middle East operations, homeland missions, and major training exercises overseas.

“I think the numbers of folks that were denied overwhelm the numbers of people that were granted,” he said.

That means the reimbursement bill could be substantial, but correcting an unfair denial is part of honoring the commitment made to those who serve.

Troops activated for operations against Iran, formerly called Epic Fury and later classified as “overseas operations,” should also qualify under the broader definitions.

Their eligibility will no longer depend entirely on whether a named operation appeared on their paperwork.

“It’s really everybody that wasn’t included in the named operation,” Minyard said. “Their orders don’t say ‘in support of Epic Fury’ so that number is going to be huge.”

The new policy finally recognizes that service matters more than an internal code buried in military paperwork.

For Reserve and Guard families who carried medical costs after years of duty, the change offers both overdue relief and a chance to recover what they should never have been forced to pay.

Fauci’s Right-Hand Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding America Over COVID Cover-Up [WATCH]
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Fauci’s Right-Hand Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding America Over COVID Cover-Up [WATCH]

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David M. Morens, a former senior adviser to Dr. Anthony Fauci at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, pleaded guilty Tuesday to a federal conspiracy charge involving the handling of government records and Freedom of Information Act requests, as reported by Red State.

The Department of Justice announced the plea involving Morens, 78, of Chester, Maryland, who served as a senior adviser in NIAID’s Office of the Director from 2006 through 2022.

According to prosecutors, the case stems from communications concerning coronavirus research grants and an alleged effort to evade federal records requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Morens pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit offenses and to defraud the United States.

The charge concerns an alleged scheme involving Morens, two other individuals identified in court documents as Co-Conspirator 1 and Co-Conspirator 2, and communications related to a coronavirus research grant.

The grant, titled Understanding the Risk of Bat Coronavirus Emergence, was awarded by NIAID to a company identified in court documents as Company 1.

Company 1 subsequently issued a subaward to the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan, China.

NIH later terminated the grant after allegations emerged concerning the possibility that COVID-19 had emerged from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

Following the termination, prosecutors said Morens and another individual agreed to assist Co-Conspirator 1 in seeking to restore the grant and challenge claims that the virus had originated through a laboratory leak.

According to the Justice Department, the individuals anticipated that their communications could become subject to Freedom of Information Act requests.

Prosecutors said Morens, Co-Conspirator 1 and Co-Conspirator 2 therefore agreed in writing to conduct certain communications through Morens’ personal Gmail account rather than his official government email account.

The case places renewed attention on questions surrounding federal records, coronavirus research and government transparency during the pandemic.

Morens’ guilty plea also comes amid continuing congressional scrutiny of Fauci and the government’s handling of records concerning the origins of COVID-19.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who chairs the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, previously called on Fauci to appear before the committee and address questions about government records.

In September 2025, Paul cited Fauci’s June 2024 testimony before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic.

During that testimony, Fauci was asked whether he had ever deleted records and responded, “No.”

Fauci was also asked whether he had attempted to obstruct the Freedom of Information Act or the release of public documents and whether he had deleted emails or other records concerning the Wuhan laboratory or the origins of COVID-19. He again responded, “No.”

However, a Feb. 2, 2020, email obtained by the Senate committee showed Fauci directing then-NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins to “please delete this e-mail after you read it.”

The email has become part of the broader congressional examination of how federal officials handled communications during the early stages of the pandemic.

Fauci has also faced scrutiny in connection with congressional investigations and testimony. The material provided states that he invoked the Fifth Amendment during questioning more than 100 times.

Separately, Paul forwarded a committee party-line vote recommending that Fauci be held in contempt of Congress to the Department of Justice.

Several states have also opened criminal investigations involving Fauci, according to the material provided. Those states include Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Oklahoma and West Virginia.

The investigations have added another layer to the continuing debate over whether federal officials properly handled records and congressional inquiries during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Justice Department has not publicly determined whether Fauci will face federal prosecution in connection with the matters described above.

The department’s decision regarding any potential prosecution remains separate from Morens’ guilty plea.

Morens’ case is narrower than the broader political and scientific disputes surrounding the origins of COVID-19.

His guilty plea concerns the alleged concealment and handling of federal records and communications related to a coronavirus research grant.

The plea does not by itself establish how COVID-19 originated. The circumstances surrounding the virus’s origins remain the subject of continuing investigations, competing scientific assessments and congressional scrutiny.

The federal case nevertheless places a former senior NIAID official directly under criminal accountability for conduct involving government records.

It also comes as lawmakers continue examining the federal government’s actions during the pandemic and its response to requests for information.

With Morens now having entered a guilty plea, attention is likely to remain focused on what additional information emerges from the case and whether other individuals face further scrutiny over the handling of records related to coronavirus research.

Far-Left Nixon Stuns Vindman in Brutal Florida Senate Primary Upset [WATCH]
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Far-Left Nixon Stuns Vindman in Brutal Florida Senate Primary Upset [WATCH]

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Florida state Rep. Angie Nixon defeated retired Army Lt. Col. Alex Vindman in the Democratic primary for a U.S. Senate seat Tuesday, delivering a victory to the party’s progressive wing and setting up a November matchup against Republican Sen. Ashley Moody, as reported by The New York Post.

With most of the expected vote reported, Nixon held a 56% to 44% advantage over Vindman in the Aug. 18, 2026, special Democratic primary.

Nixon, 42, has represented parts of her hometown of Jacksonville in the Florida House of Representatives since 2020.

She is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America and campaigned on a platform that includes “Medicare for all,” abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement and ending U.S. aid to Israel.

Her victory came despite Vindman’s substantial financial advantage and national name recognition. Vindman raised more than $16 million for his campaign, while Nixon raised approximately $975,000, according to Florida Politics.

Vindman became nationally known during President Donald Trump’s first impeachment proceedings.

At the time, he served as a key witness in the House inquiry involving Trump’s request that then-Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky investigate the Biden family’s business dealings in connection with the release of $400 million in U.S. military aid.

Vindman later built his Senate campaign around his opposition to Trump.

In his campaign launch video, he referenced his earlier testimony and said, “The last time you saw me was … swearing an oath to tell the truth about a president who broke his.”

Trump was ultimately acquitted by the Senate following his first impeachment.

He was impeached again in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot and was again acquitted by the Senate before returning to the White House for a second term.

After the Florida primary was called for Nixon, Trump responded to Vindman’s defeat on Truth Social.

“SleazeBag Vindman loses tonight to a Radical Left Lunatic. How cool is that???” the president wrote.

Nixon’s campaign received support from several prominent progressive Democrats.

Her endorsements included Reps. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, all members of the House’s progressive wing.

She also received backing from former Missouri Rep. Cori Bush and children’s YouTube personality Ms. Rachel, according to the campaign’s reported endorsements.

Nixon’s victory means she will face Moody in November. The Republican senator, a former Florida attorney general, faced limited opposition in the GOP primary and received nearly 80% of the vote.

The special election will determine who serves the remainder of the six-year Senate term that Marco Rubio won in 2022 before becoming Secretary of State.

The November contest is expected to present Nixon with a considerably different political environment from the Democratic primary.

A University of North Florida poll conducted last month showed Moody leading Nixon by eight percentage points.

Nixon will therefore enter the general election as the underdog, according to the polling cited in the race.

The primary result nevertheless represents a notable setback for Vindman, whose campaign benefited from both national recognition and a substantial fundraising operation.

His military background and role during Trump’s first impeachment had made him one of the better-known candidates in the Democratic field.

Nixon, meanwhile, ran a campaign centered on issues favored by the Democratic Party’s progressive and socialist factions.

Her support for Medicare for all, eliminating ICE, and ending U.S. assistance to Israel placed her firmly on the left side of the Democratic primary.

The result also gives Florida Democrats a nominee whose political profile differs sharply from that of Vindman.

Rather than relying primarily on his national profile from Trump’s impeachment, Nixon will enter the general election as an established state lawmaker with support from progressive organizations and Democratic figures.

Moody will now prepare for a general election campaign against Nixon as Republicans defend the Senate seat for the remainder of Rubio’s term.

For Democrats, Nixon’s primary victory demonstrated the strength of the party’s progressive coalition in a race where the better-funded and more nationally recognized candidate ultimately fell short.

For Republicans, the November contest presents a substantially different test, with Nixon facing a statewide Republican incumbent and polling that currently favors Moody.

President Trump Erupts After Census Analysis Flags Over 24000 Noncitizen Votes in 2020 [WATCH]
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President Trump Erupts After Census Analysis Flags Over 24000 Noncitizen Votes in 2020 [WATCH]

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President Donald Trump said Tuesday that an ongoing review of 2020 election records by the U.S. Census Bureau has identified more than 24,000 voter records associated with noncitizens among the first 128 million records examined, as reported by The Gateway Pundit.

Trump made the claim in a Truth Social post on Aug. 18, 2026, while calling for Congress to pass the SAVE America Act. He also repeated his longstanding assertion that he won the 2020 presidential election.

“The Census Bureau has begun checking the Voter Records from 2020 against their Citizenship Records. On the first 128,000,000 Voters, the Census Bureau proves that over 24,000 Noncitizens voted illegally! The Census Bureau is going to analyze the next 32,000,000 Voters, and this number will explode. I WON THE ELECTION! We must pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

According to the figures cited in the report, approximately 160 million ballots were cast in the 2020 general election.

Of the records Trump referenced, 128 million have reportedly been linked to U.S. citizens, while more than 24,000 were identified as being associated with noncitizens.

Another 32 million records remain under review, according to the figures cited by Trump.

The distinction between identifying a voter record associated with a noncitizen and establishing that a noncitizen illegally cast a ballot is significant.

The material provided does not independently establish that every one of the more than 24,000 records represents an illegal vote, nor does it establish whether any such votes affected the outcome of the 2020 election.

The review described by Trump is focused on matching voter information with federal citizenship-related records.

Trump Warns Iran Strike on Pickaxe Mountain Coming Soon, Says U.S. Campaign Far From Over

The information cited in the report says individuals were classified as noncitizens based on the absence of available citizenship documentation combined with federal records indicating a noncitizen status.

Those records reportedly include green-card records, visa records, foreign-student records, immigration-enforcement records, DACA approvals, agency noncitizen codes, and taxpayer identification numbers issued to noncitizens.

The report also listed the countries of birth associated with many of the records identified in the preliminary review.

Mexico accounted for approximately 3,800 records, followed by Canada with 950, the Philippines with 900, Jamaica with 900, Germany with 700, and the United Kingdom with 650.

Cuba accounted for approximately 450 records, while Vietnam, Haiti and South Korea each accounted for about 400, 400 and 350 records, respectively.

Birth-country information was reportedly unavailable for approximately 7,000 of the identified noncitizen records.

The figures have emerged as election eligibility and citizenship requirements remain major political issues in Washington.

Trump has called for passage of the SAVE America Act, which would establish additional documentary requirements related to citizenship and voter registration.

The existing Safeguard American Voter Eligibility, or SAVE, legislation has also generated substantial debate over election administration and voting access.

Federal lobbying disclosures show that organizations on both sides of the issue are actively engaged in congressional debates surrounding the legislation and its successor proposals.

The Census Bureau’s role in the reported review is particularly significant because the agency traditionally conducts the decennial census and produces demographic data rather than administering elections.

Publicly available Census Bureau materials reviewed independently do not, by themselves, verify Trump’s characterization that the preliminary records constitute more than 24,000 confirmed illegal votes.

The distinction matters because voter-record matching can identify records requiring additional investigation without necessarily establishing that a person actually cast an unlawful ballot.

Additional verification would be required to determine the circumstances surrounding individual records.

Trump nevertheless used the preliminary figure to renew his call for changes to election law and to repeat his assertion concerning the 2020 election.

The next phase of the review is expected to examine the remaining 32 million records cited in Trump’s statement.

The results of that work could provide additional information about the number of voter records that require further examination.

For now, the more than 24,000 figure remains a claim attributed to Trump’s description of the ongoing analysis rather than an independently established count of illegal votes.

Any final determination would depend on the completion of the review and verification of the individual records involved.


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