As Pelosi Bows Out, New Congressional Leadership Teams Start to Take Shape
With Republicans set to take control of the House, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced on the House floor Thursday that she will not seek a caucus leadership role in the next Congress. Her likely successor as Democratic Leader is Rep. Hakeem Jeffries...
In Our Communities
A new barracks for soldiers at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin is opening soon, according to a DVIDS story…. Louisiana State University Alexandria now has its own branch of STARBASE at Fort Polk, Louisiana, according to KALB. “This program allows us to leave a positive and...
Snap of the Week
An airman carries a donated Christmas Tree at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, Nov. 17. The Red Spruce, nicknamed “Ruby” was harvested in the Pisgah National Forest of North Carolina. It will be displayed at the U.S. Capitol. Check out the gallery showing the tree’s...
McCarthy Wants to Delay NDAA until New Congress to Remove ‘Wokeism’
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), poised to be the new House speaker, told reporters he wants to delay further action on the National Defense Authorization Act until Republicans take control of the House. “I’ve watched what the Democrats have done on...
DOD Fails Fifth Audit; McCord Sees Progress
DOD failed its latest audit, the fifth failure in a row, as Defense News reported. “I would say we failed to get an ‘A,’” DOD Comptroller Mike McCord said. “I would not say that we flunked. The process is important for us to do, and it is making us get better. It is...
In Our Communities
Fort Meade Alliance has partnered with Fort Meade, Maryland on a new Education and Resiliency Center that has its grand opening today, the Baltimore Sun reported. The center will be a hub for wellness and mental health services available to service members in a...
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PAST STORIES
Biden Requests $37.7 Billion More for Ukraine; Hill Transition Leaves Aid Request in the Air
The White House is asking Congress to approve $37.7 billion in additional aid to Ukraine, as The Hill noted. Of that amount, $21.7 billion would be used to provide more equipment to Ukraine and replenish DOD’s weapons inventory. The other $14.5 billion would go toward...
Hill Leadership Update: McCarthy Gets GOP Backing but No Speaker Gavel Yet
The House Republican Conference voted Tuesday to nominate House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as House speaker when the new Congress convenes, but 31 of his fellow Republicans voted against him in the secret vote, as Reuters reported. With the growing...
Rep. Calvert, Top GOP Defense Appropriator, Wins Re-Election
Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.) has won re-election in his southern California district, the LA Times reported, based on AP election projections. Calvert is a member of the Appropriations Committee and is in line to chair that panel’s defense subcommittee if Republicans...
Conservative Groups Urge Holding More Ukraine Aid Until New Congress
Thirteen conservative-leaning groups are urging Congressional leaders not to approve additional aid for Ukraine in the lame duck session, as Axios reported. They wrote in a letter to Congressional leaders that the next Congress should determine how much to send to...
LinkedIn Names Top Ten Regions for Vets’ Career Advancement
LinkedIn tracked military veterans’ public profiles to see where in the country they were advancing the furthest in their post-service careers, as Military.com reported. Veterans appeared to have most success reaching senior positions in these regions: Colorado...
In Our Communities
Hundreds of people at or near Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii are still reporting health problems about a year after the Red Hill jet fuel leakage. Army Times reported on the newest survey by Hawaii state officials and the Centers for Disease Control and...
Lame Duck Session Starts this Week
Congress returns to D.C. this week for about five work weeks before the end of the year. The top priority will be funding the federal government. The current continuing resolution expires Dec. 16. If appropriators aren’t able to pass an omnibus spending bill, they may...
Top Army Leaders Go Back to School to Push Recruitment
Three senior Army leaders have been fanning out across the country to talk with students and school officials as the service has struggled to connect with Gen Z, Military.com reported. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth met with the Los Angeles Unified School District’s...
In Our Communities
Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are looking into whether service members and others stationed at the former Fort Ord, California, were exposed to cancer-causing toxins, AP reported. An AP investigation found that drinking water at the base...
Biden Vows to Keep Supporting Ukraine, Disputes McCarthy’s ‘Blank Check’ Characterization
President Joe Biden said Wednesday the U.S. will continue sending aid to Ukraine as it fights off Russia’s invasion, no matter who controls Congress. Biden was asked at a press conference about past remarks by House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who may...
Seven Texas Defense Communities Awarded Project Grants
The state of Texas announced $13 million in new grant funding to communities from the Texas Military Preparedness Commission’s Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant program. The recipients are: City of Abilene: $300,000 for Security Sensor Installation at Dyess...
Watch: In Virginia, A Forward Focus on Listening and Inclusion
The Northern Virginia region is committed to ensuring its community is welcoming and inclusive of service members of all backgrounds, embracing the “One Military, One Community” approach. The diversity and inclusion listening sessions and data-informed roadmap for the...
In Our Communities
Soldiers from Fort Hood, Texas, Fort Carson, Colorado and Hunt Army Airfield, Georgia will deploy to Europe later this year to replace other U.S.-based units supporting Operation Atlantic Resolve, as Stars and Stripes reported. The deployments will keep American troop...
Snap of the Week
Army Staff Sgt. Jessie Leek, left, and Spc. Jeremiah Long, with the New Jersey National Guard, hold the U.S. flag alongside other service members and veterans at MetLife Stadium Nov. 6 at the New York Jets’ “Salute to Service” game. See the gallery. Army National...
Luria Loses Seat, Kaptur Wins, Kelly Leads, Rubio Wins
It was unclear by early Wednesday morning which party will control either chamber of Congress next year. Here are updates on the closely watched races of a handful of lawmakers who hold key defense seats, based on AP results at 4 a.m. Eastern time. Rep. Elaine Luria...
Austin Not in Talks with White House about Leaving His Job, Pentagon Says
Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters Tuesday that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has not had discussions with the White House about leaving his position after the midterms, when there is often Cabinet-level turnover. “I’m not going to...
Now Online: America’s Defense Communities Magazine
The November 2022 issue of America’s Defense Communities magazine is now available for digital download. The magazine includes stories from across the countries and “explores the ideas of how innovation is unleashed from every angle—communities, military and...
Navy Raises Enlistment Age
The Navy is now accepting new recruits up to age 41. Until Friday, the maximum enlistment age was 39. “As we continue to navigate a challenging recruiting environment, raising the enlistment age allows us to widen the pool of potential recruits, creating opportunities...
Space Force Teams Up with Johns Hopkins University
Instead of establishing its own war college from scratch, the Space Force is partnering with a private university, as Military.com reported. Starting next year, selected Space Force officers, civilians and other members of the military will take classes at the Johns...
Watch: Antelope Valley Organizations Pitch in to Help, Train Vets
The Antelope Valley, also known as Aerospace Valley, is located in Los Angeles County. ADC spent a day with two of the region’s grassroots organizations that are helping veterans of all ages. Watch their stories. Antelope Valley was honored at last week’s Installation...
Ellen Lord: Better Communication, Success Stories Will Help DOD Budget Process
“[E]verybody thinks there could be more” communication between Congress and DOD, former Pentagon acquisition chief Ellen Lord said recently, according to Defense News. Lord is one of 14 members of the congressionally mandated Commission on Planning, Program, Budgeting...
U.S. Taps into Contractors for More Ukraine Security Aid
DOD announced in a statement Friday that the U.S. is sending about $400 million more in security aid to Ukraine. This round is coming not from existing inventory but from coordination with defense contractors, the statement said. “Unlike Presidential Drawdown...
In Our Communities
The task force overseeing the defueling of the Navy’s Red Hill pipelines in Honolulu has successfully unpacked fuel from the pipelines, “a critical first step to the ultimate plan to defuel the tanks at the decades-old underground Red Hill fuel farm” near Joint Base...
Dozens of Community Leaders Complete Joint Civilian Orientation Conference
Almost 40 business and community leaders from across the country completed DOD’s 93rd Joint Civilian Orientation Conference last week, according to a DOD press release. “JCOC is an important opportunity for civilian leaders to get up close and personal with the men...
Air Force to Close Nine More U.S. Inns
The Air Force is closing nine more inns after a 2018 change that stopped subsidizing the inns with federal appropriations, Stars and Stripes reported. The facilities scheduled to close in spring include those at: Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee Grand Forks Air Force...