POLICY AND PUBLIC INTEREST
The guided-missile destroyer's arrival in Faslane, Scotland, is a demonstration of the partnership between the United States and United Kingdom and its continued commitment to the NATO alliance
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Bulkeley (DDG 84) arrived in His Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde (Faslane), Scotland, April 25, 2025 for a scheduled port visit and to enhance U.S.-U.K relations while building NATO cohesion.
The ship’s presence is a demonstration of the partnership between the United States and U.K., and its continued commitment to the NATO alliance.
“The United States does not face the challenging international environment alone, “” said Cmdr. Arturo Trejo, commanding officer of Bulkeley. “Our network of allies and partners in the Euro-Atlantic is an asymmetric advantage that our adversaries can never hope to match.”
Bulkeley is on patrol in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility. She began her current patrol in early April and has sailed from the Atlantic prior to today’s port visit.
“Our fourth patrol has been a professionally rewarding experience for this hardworking crew,” said Trejo. “I can think of no better opportunity than an initial stop in Scotland to see and experience this majestic country.”
The ship is named after Vice Admiral John D. Bulkeley, a Medal of Honor recipient from World War II and commissioned Dec. 8, 2001. The squadron embarked aboard the Bulkeley are the “Griffins” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 79.
For over 80 years, NAVEUR-NAVAF has forged strategic relationships with allies and partners, leveraging a foundation of shared values to preserve security and stability.
Headquartered in Naples, Italy, NAVEUR-NAVAF operates U.S. Naval Forces in the U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command areas of responsibility. U.S. Sixth Fleet is permanently assigned to NAVEUR-NAVAF, and employs maritime forces through the full spectrum of joint and naval operations.
The Bulkeley is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval…
CURRENT EDITION
WEATHER
TODAY
RH
FINANCIAL
Americans Face Financial Risks as Lifespans Increase: Urgent Need for Better Retirement Planning
As the U.S. Census Bureau projects that the number of Americans reaching the age of
Northern Cyprus Emerges as Prime Mediterranean Destination for Real Estate Investment
Northern Cyprus is quickly gaining attention as one of the Mediterranean’s most promising destinations for
ICE Removes Criminal Alien Wanted for Drug Trafficking in Costa Rica
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed Josseth Santos-Fonseca, 30, a citizen of Costa Rica, to his home country where he is wanted by law enforcement authorities for drug trafficking.
Santos entered the U.S. near Laredo, Texas, without inspection or admission by an immigration official. The U.S. Border Patrol apprehended Santos…
U.S. Special Ops Conduct Combined Training With Panama, Formalize Commitment
Recent security engagements between U.S. and Panamanian forces culminated in the first official U.S.-Panama special operations forces talks, Feb. 18, 2025. The talks, along with concurrent joint combined exchange training exercises, underscore a decades-long bilateral partnership and highlight the global impact of U.S. special operations forces.
Since 2020, the U.S….
Defense Secretary Announces U.S. Forces Japan’s Upgrade to Joint Force Command
During a joint press conference in Tokyo on Sunday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the Defense Department has started phase one of upgrading U.S. Forces Japan to a joint force headquarters.
The department originally announced in 2024 that USFJ would be upgraded from a primarily administrative command to a…
Defense Department Nominees Promise Better Warfighting Tools, Improved Medical Care
More efficient and faster acquisition, better technology and military hardware, and better medical care to keep service members healthy were among the commitments made on Capitol Hill on Thursday by three Defense Department nominees.
Lawmakers from the Senate Armed Services Committee heard testimony from Michael P. Duffey, nominated for undersecretary…
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Hosts Elon Musk at the Pentagon to Discuss Military Innovation and Efficiency
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth hosted industrialist and presidential advisor Elon Musk at the Pentagon today.
Department officials said the meeting was not related to his efforts with the Department of Government Efficiency but was rather the result of a personal invitation by Hegseth for Musk to visit the department’s headquarters.
During…
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum directing a comprehensive review of medical conditions that disqualify individuals from joining the military
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum, April 24, 2025, directing a comprehensive review of medical conditions that disqualify individuals from joining the military.
The memo, addressed to senior Pentagon leadership, ensures recruits meet the high physical and mental standards required for service. This initiative responds to concerns about current medical waiver policies and their impact on military readiness, prompting a 30-day evaluation to refine enlistment criteria.
Titled “Review of Medical Conditions Disqualifying for Accession into the Military,” the memo targets Department of Defense Instruction 6130.03, Volume 1, which outlines medical standards for enlistment, appointment or induction. It notes that waivers are currently permitted for conditions such as schizophrenia, paraphilic disorders, congestive heart failure and chronic oxygen use.
Hegseth emphasized that while the desire to serve is admirable, individuals with such conditions are often unable to complete initial training or their first term of service, potentially compromising mission success and the safety of service members.
“Applicants for military service … must be physically and mentally able to perform their duties under the harshest of conditions without risk to themselves or others,” he said in a video posted on Defense Department social media accounts.
The memo tasks the undersecretary of defense for…
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the newly created New Mexico National Defense Area on Friday to meet with service members assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the newly created New Mexico National Defense Area on Friday to meet with service members assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border.
“This is Department of Defense property,” Hegseth said. “Any illegal to enter that zone is entering a military base — a federally protected area. You will be detained. You will be interdicted by U.S. troops and border patrol working together.”
Hegseth held a sign in English and Spanish indicating the property’s protected status. The signs state that the area is under U.S. military jurisdiction and warn that trespassers will be detained.
“You’ve got signs like this one all across the border wall facing into Mexico — clear English, clear Spanish,” he said.
Millions of people crossed the U.S.-Mexico border over the past four years, Hegseth said. Since January, the department has stepped up efforts to curb illegal crossings.
A soldier with Joint Task Force Southern Border provides surveillance over the Santa Teresa sector of the…
DOD’s Acquisition Community Already Working on Golden Dome, Big Team Effort Required
Earlier this month, President Donald J. Trump told Congress and Americans the U.S. would pursue a Golden Dome, similar to Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system, designed to protect against inbound missile attacks.
The Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment is working with partner agencies, including…
ICE Boston Arrests Fugitive Wanted in Brazil for Manslaughter
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement apprehended an illegally present 29-year-old Brazilian alien convicted in his native country for manslaughter while driving a motor vehicle Jan. 25 in Waltham.
The Brazilian fugitive failed to appear for his prison sentence following the manslaughter conviction.
“This Brazilian fugitive attempted to flee justice in his…
U.S. Punches Back at Iran-Backed Houthi Terrorists in Yemen
In the Red Sea, Iran-backed Houthi terrorists have been for years attacking U.S. ships and other nations, disrupting legal commerce for all seafaring nations.
Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said today during his first public briefing at the Pentagon that the U.S. Central Command, at the direction of President Donald…
New California Legislation Would Legalize More Homes Near Transit
Today California YIMBY and State Senator Scott Wiener announced Senate Bill 79, new state legislation that will make it faster and easier to build multi-family housing near transit stops, like train and rapid bus lines, by making it legal for more homes to be built in these areas, while…
Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association Wins Landmark Settlement in LEOSA Rights Case Against Rhode Island
The Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA) announced the successful resolution of its lawsuit against The State of Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General and The State of Rhode Island Superintendent of the State Police addressing the allegations of Rhode Island’s violation of the Law Enforcement Officers Safety…
The dangers posed by cyber conflict are significant and require preparation by the joint force to counter such threats, a senior Defense Department expert said
By Maxx Quinten / Executive EditorThe dangers posed by cyber conflict are significant and require preparation by the joint force to counter such threats, according to a senior Defense Department expert on the topic during the Space Force’s Space Systems Command Cyber Expo 2025.
Director for Cyber Warfare John Garstka delivered keynote remarks at the event today virtually from the Pentagon. Garstka, who works in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Platform Weapon Portfolio Management, said real-world cyberattacks on commercial critical infrastructure are on the rise.
Likening cyberspace to the fifth warfighting domain, with air, land, sea and space being the others, he said many people have a hard time grasping the impact of cyber conflict because they don’t have access to simulations of such attacks and the subsequent effects.
“What we have learned is that this is a significant threat that we have to prepare the joint force to deal with,” Garstka said.
He added that to prepare for such threats, DOD is focusing on the infrastructure necessary for supporting space systems missions.
“If you shut down the water or the power or the fuel, and you can’t provide a space system ground segment with power, then you have a static display,” Garstka said.
“And so, it’s super important that when we think about cybersecurity for space systems … we factor in DOD installation-critical infrastructure, and we also factor in commercial-critical infrastructure when we have space systems dependent on that infrastructure,” he added.
Garstka said proper risk assessment is also an essential element of dealing with cyberthreats,…
MORE ARTICLES
Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Takes Control of Penn Station Overhaul, Saves Taxpayers $120 Million
Space Force Leaders Discuss Future of Space Operations at 40th Space Symposium
Transcom Asks Lawmakers for More Used Vessels
To bolster America’s Ready Reserve Force fleet, U.S. Transportation Command wants to buy as many as 10 used shipping vessels.
“We need to both build it here, and we actually need to buy used,” Air Force Gen. Randall Reed, Transcom’s commander, told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Wednesday while…
Space Force Chief Gen. Chance Saltzman Outlines Urgent Priorities for Achieving Space Superiority at Warfighter Symposium
Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman spelled out the Space Force’s priorities and the path it must follow to ensure space superiority during a high-profile keynote address March 3.
“It is our job to contest and control the space domain, to fight and win so that we assure freedom…
U.S. Department of Energy Removes Barriers for LNG Marine Fuel Use, Boosting Shipping Industry Growth
The Department of Energy on Friday announced an order that removes barriers for the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as marine fuel to power vessels. The order issued by DOE modifies a prior order issued to JAX LNG under the previous administration that asserted new oversight for the…
Amtrak, backed by the U.S. Department of Transportation, will lead the transformative revitalization of New York Penn Station, the nation’s busiest rail hub
Under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced on Thursday that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is taking bold action to protect American taxpayers by withdrawing the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) from leading the Penn Station Reconstruction project in New York City. Instead, Amtrak, backed by USDOT, will spearhead this critical infrastructure initiative.
As part of this shift in approach, FRA is also rescoping and slashing the federal grant to Amtrak for project development. This will save taxpayers approximately $120 million while still ensuring a safe, modern, and efficient transit hub for the nation’s financial capital.
The Trump Administration determined that USDOT and Amtrak can together deliver a world-class Penn Station. Since Amtrak owns the station, which is an essential asset serving over 10 million Amtrak riders annually, there is no reason to delegate leadership of this important project.
“President Trump has made it clear: the days of reckless spending and blank checks are over,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “New York City deserves a Penn Station that reflects America’s greatness and is safe and clean. The MTA’s history of inefficiency, waste, and mismanagement also meant that a new approach is…
EDITOR'S
CHOICE
Space Force Leaders Discuss Future of Space Operations at 40th Space Symposium
Attorney General Pamela Bondi Releases First Phase of Declassified Epstein Files
Today, Attorney General Pamela Bondi, in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), declassified and publicly released files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his sexual exploitation of over 250 underage girls at his homes in New York and Florida, among other locations. The first phase…
ICE New York City Arrests Guatemalan National With Prior Deportation and Criminal Convictions in Airmont
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement apprehended an illegally present Guatemalan national previously removed from the United States when officers arrested Yoni Wilfredo Gregorio Ortiz, 44, in the village of Airmont, Feb. 23.
“Not only does Gregorio have contempt for our nation’s immigration laws as proven by his illegal return after…
Socom Works to Deter Conflict, Win if Deterrence Fails
In terms of warfighting, there needs to be an equilibrium between readiness, modernization and operations, said Army Command Sgt. Maj. Shane Shorter, senior enlisted leader of Special Operations Command, during a panel discussion at the National Defense Industrial Association’s 35th annual Special Operations Symposium in Washington, Feb. 20, 2025.
During…