Flu vaccine requirement discarded ‘effective immediately,’ Hegseth says
The flu vaccine has been required annually for U.S. military personnel since the 1950s .
Pentagon & Congress
Advocates press for preventive programs, VA benefits for struggling vets
Representatives from specialty courts and veterans’ legal organizations pressed Congress Wednesday for expansion of the Veterans Treatment Courts system.
Suicide rates among military families continue to climb
The total overall number decreased, a drop that coincides with smaller overall force numbers.
Bill from vets in Congress would keep military roles open to women
The bill, which lacks Republican sponsors, is explicitly described as a response to the Pentagon review of women in ground combat roles.
‘Drone Hunters of Kherson’ takes viewers into a war that blends ‘trench warfare and the Terminator’
The documentary focuses on an American embed as he follows Ukrainian counter-drone units patrolling against the Russian threat.
‘Infrastructure is the weapon’: Inside the race to build portable interceptor factories
As the Iran war drives global demand for interceptor drones, defense startups are betting they can fit a production line into a shipping container.
Fewer service members died by suicide in 2024 than year prior, report finds
The report on 2024 suicides found a decrease in the total force suicide rate, though active component rates have steadily increased from 2011 to 2024.
Feds sue towing company for allegedly illegally auctioning off troops’ cars — including many towed from base
Some of the vehicles were auctioned off in spite of being registered to on-base addresses, including barracks.
Military families: DOD wants your input on quality of life improvements
What could states do to make life better for military families? DOD wants to know.
Guidance needed for doctors treating DOD, VA patients exposed to jet fuel in Hawaii water, report says
There are no known procedures to neutralize the effects of jet fuel exposure, and there's no clinical guidance for long-term treatment, researchers found.
Paper or plastic? Military commissaries to charge for single-use bags
The move will save the commissary system money, officials said in their announcement of the change.
Sending a military care package to the Middle East? Check this list first
The U.S. Postal Service temporarily suspended mail services in 28 military ZIP codes in the Middle East.
Shelter-in-place order lifted at MacDill Air Force Base
The installation has lifted a shelter-in-place order that was enacted earlier Wednesday after officials said a threat had been made against the base.
VA awarded authority to appoint legal guardians for impaired veterans
VA officials say the process will help hundreds of veterans hospitalized at VA facilities who are unable to transition to more appropriate settings.
VA’s review of disability claims for fraud won’t include past filings, officials say
Using a Microsoft data analytics program, the VA program will use information gleaned from DBQ forms to identify patterns that could indicate fraud.
Army general left classified maps on a train in Poland, watchdog finds
Then-Army Maj. Gen. Antonio Aguto, now retired, was also found to have sustained a concussion following a night of drinking to intoxication.
Military hospitals, clinics resume billing civilians following 3-year pause
An estimated 137,000 civilians are expected to receive bills for medical care they received at military hospitals and clinics since 2023.
