Daily News Roundup

Pentagon codifies fitness standards across branches

The new regulations spell out testing timelines, standards for troops in combat arms specialties and guidelines for pregnancy and postpartum fitness.

They served through America’s post-9/11 wars. 25 years later, what did that service mean?

Nearly 3 million Americans served in the wars that followed Sept. 11. Three veterans reflect in The War Horse about what they saw, lost and still carry.

Iran and US hit tankers in biggest wave of attacks on shipping since war began

Recent attacks by the U.S. and Iran have shattered a month of relative calm, with both hitting military, shipping and energy assets.

Defense startup’s AI aims to make every munition count

Smack Technologies' CEO said its AI modeling tool will help commanders decide not just which targets to strike, but how to sequence strikes over time.

Veterans fight against arch that would obstruct view of Arlington Cemetery

Advocacy groups continue their push to halt Trump’s plans to construct a 250-foot-tall arch that would obstruct the view of Arlington National Cemetery.

‘Playful banter’ over Army grooming rules ends with Guardsman drawing loaded pistol

A Georgia National Guardsman serving in Washington, D.C., was arrested after allegedly pointing a loaded service pistol at a fellow soldier.

Man sentenced to life in killings featured in ‘The Fort Bragg Cartel’

In 2020, a Delta Force soldier and an Army veteran were found shot in the woods of a North Carolina base.

White House reviews candidates to replace Hegseth deputy, sources say

The White House has reviewed candidates to potentially replace Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve Feinberg, Reuters reports.

Opinion

America wants the hero, not the human

If America and the DoD truly want to “support our troops,” they must start acknowledging the human beings inside the uniform, this military spouse writes.

Pentagon wants to use AI-generated ‘personalities’ for decoy cellphones

The DoD wants to wield AI-generated "personalities" to mimic real people and fool enemy AI.

Unexpected hiring surge drives down unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans

The unexpected surge of 162,000 jobs added to payrolls last month drove the unemployment rate for the post-9/11 generation of veterans down.

Adam Telle, former Senate staffer, now acting Army secretary

Trump tapped the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ top official to serve as the acting Army secretary, bypassing the service's No. 2 civilian.

Trump appoints Adam Telle as acting Army secretary

Trump said he was appointing Adam Telle, assistant secretary of the Army for civil works, as the acting U.S. Army secretary.

Vance: US probing airstrike that Iran says hit a wedding party

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said the United States is investigating an airstrike that Iran says struck a wedding party.

Court overturns 2023 ruling that wiped Bowe Bergdahl’s conviction

The court ruled that only the military justice system — not civilian courts — has jurisdiction to reverse the conviction.

US Army launches laser production with $465M contract award

The U.S. Army awarded a $464.8 million production contract to AeroVironment, Inc., this week for the Enduring-High Energy Laser program.