Top stories
DOD civilians await decision on commissary shopping privileges
Contrary to rumors, DOD hasn't made a decision on expanding the discount shopping benefit.
B-1 bombers, NATO fighters fly over Latvia to show unified force
The B-1s were joined by Gripen fighters from NATO allies Hungary and Sweden during their flyover of Latvia, which lies to the west of Russia.
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Coverage: Paris Air Show 2025
Defense News is covering the top headlines and stories coming out of Paris Air Show.
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2025 PCS Guide
Read up on tips and tricks in Military Times’ 2025 Permanent Change of Station Guide.
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Learn how your military benefits — including health care, retirement pay and more — have changed in 2025.
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Pentagon & Congress
Trump suggests Guard troops will be deployed to Chicago next
The president said he has been pleased with the Guard presence in Washington, D.C., and vowed to "go to another ___location" after this deployment ends.
Hegseth signs memo authorizing arming of Guard in DC
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has signed a memo authorizing National Guard troops deployed in Washington to carry weapons if their mission requires it.
F-16s intercept Russian spy planes near Alaska two days in a row
The Russian surveillance and reconnaissance planes stayed in international airspace, but flew close enough to prompt NORAD to launch F-16s to intercept.
Trump touts tough-on-crime mantra during visit to Guard troops in DC
Trump proudly promoted the work of roughly 2,000 National Guard troops to confront what he described as an out-of-control crime wave in Washington.
In other news
He lived 3 doors down in the barracks. I carry his ghost in my pocket
"I wish the 30 soldiers who died in Alaska during my time at Wainwright had gotten to see this moment," writes Jake Johnson in this War Horse reflection.
Deployment playlists, then and now: from Walkmans to wireless despair
Music has always been more than a distraction for deployed service members — it's a lifeline. Here's how its method of delivery has changed over time.
US Air Force vet charged with felony assault with a deli weapon
The DOJ says the incident included shouting verbal insults and tossing a wrapped sub at a Customs and Border Protection officer in D.C.
By Carla Babb
Nazi-fighting ‘Wolfenstein’ game being developed for TV series
“The story of killing Nazis is evergreen,” said show runner Patrick Somerville in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.
Why sandwiches are the military’s most underrated culinary innovation
August is National Sandwich Month. From shelf-stable MREs to hoagies grabbed before a convoy, the sandwich has become a culinary icon within the ranks.
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VIDEOS
Wait, you can put a suppressor on a minigun? AND a cannon?
Manufacturers have made it possible to make even the gnarliest weapons silent but deadly.
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MORE STORIES
Airman ID’d as victim in AK-47 shooting near Wyoming base
Police said Orr, 20, was drinking in an apartment with friends when he picked up an AK-47, which fired and fatally struck SrA Joshua Aragon.
DOD civilians await decision on commissary shopping privileges
Contrary to rumors, DOD hasn't made a decision on expanding the discount shopping benefit.
By Karen Jowers
Trump plans to patrol DC with National Guard on Thursday
The president told a radio show host that he hopes to get a first-hand view of the National Guard presence on the streets of the nation's capital.
US Navy sailor convicted for selling military secrets to China
Jinchao Wei sold U.S. Navy secrets to a Chinese intelligence officer for $12,000 over the course of 18 months, according to the Department of Justice.
By Riley Ceder
VA cancels plans for employee satisfaction survey this year
VA has conducted a poll of federal employees every year since 2006, but won't distrubute one this year amid multiple reforms to the workforce.
B-1 bombers, NATO fighters fly over Latvia to show unified force
The B-1s were joined by Gripen fighters from NATO allies Hungary and Sweden during their flyover of Latvia, which lies to the west of Russia.
Space Force seeks ‘talent scout’ assistance from Washington Nationals
Space Force officials will consult with the MLB team about how to fine-tune the service's scouting as it faces an excess of talent with few jobs to fill.
By Hope Hodge Seck
New Tricare Prime option coming to beneficiaries in 2 metro areas
About 150,000 eligible beneficiaries can enroll for the demonstration program during open season.
By Karen Jowers
Should America’s military plan for a retreat from the Pacific?
In the face of growing Chinese military power, America needs to relearn how to conduct a fighting retreat in the Pacific, a U.S. Army officer warns.
By Michael Peck
She hid an eating disorder and lost her Navy career. It saved her life
Advocates worry the military’s focus on ‘fit, not fat’ is silencing service members who struggle with their body image.
By Noelle Wiehe, The War Horse
Vance, Hegseth visit troops amid growing Guard presence in DC
The vice president and defense secretary met with National Guard troops at Union Station, while protesters booed at the two leaders and chanted “free D.C.”
By Carla Babb
Lawmakers announce legislation to restore office for Afghan relocation
The Enduring Welcome Act would restore a government office — closed last month by the Trump administration — that led Afghan relocation efforts
By Riley Ceder
Crackdown on mail-in ballots won’t focus on military, White House says
The White House won't say if any protections are being considered for overseas military voters but vowed to make sure those ballots are still counted.
Air, Space Force budgets seek to boost weapons, cut civilian jobs
New weapons are at the forefront of budget priorities for the Air Force and Space Force, while the spending plans also seek almost $2.3 billion in cuts.
By Zita Ballinger Fletcher
Mail-in voting is nothing new, just ask Civil War soldiers
During the Civil War, 19 Union states changed their laws to allow their soldiers to vote absentee.
DOD to offer new medal for personnel deployed to Southern Border
The Mexican Border Defense Medal recognizes service members deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border since Jan. 20, according to a DOD memo.
By Riley Ceder