Nimble, versatile and hard to spot, patrol boats built for the U.S. are now helping Ukraine control territory in the Black Sea and transform its small navy into a more agile force. From @svetashko.bsky.social on patrol with one of the Metal Shark "40 Defiant" boats near Odesa:

Former US Navy boats now help Ukraine patrol the Black Sea

The U.S. sent Ukraine six of the Navy’s Metal Shark “40 Defiant” patrol boats a few months after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

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More than 100 Americans, many of them military veterans, have died fighting for Ukraine. We went to Kyiv to find out how Ukrainians are recognizing and commemorating their service:

‘America’s finest people are right here’: Ukraine pays tribute to US fighters

Numerous efforts are underway in Ukraine to recognize and commemorate foreign combatants, many of whom are Americans.

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Ukrainian troops are among those rallying in support of Fedorov, a tech-minded former defense minister whose focus on drones mirrors modernization efforts at the Pentagon. Our report from Kyiv:

Ukrainian troops join in outcry over defense chief’s ouster

Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov transformed military procurement and drone warfare, earning strong support from troops.

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The House Appropriations Committee approved a defense funding bill Wednesday that endorses the Pentagon’s rebrand to the Department of War while allocating $1.1 trillion in defense spending and providing a range of pay raises to troops. (from @svetashko.bsky.social)

House appropriators approve $1.1 trillion Pentagon funding bill with Department of War renaming

Republicans touted the legislation as an effort aimed at reversing chronic underinvestment, and supports pay raises for troops.

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A Senate panel is threatening to withhold most of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's travel funds until he provides information on a series of deadly military strikes, including one on a girls' school in Iran and alleged drug boats in the waters off South America. (from @svetashko.bsky.social)

Senate panel proposes Hegseth travel limits until info release on Iran school bombing, boat strikes

The panel approved the legislation last week, but it would need to be passed by both the full Senate and House to be enacted.

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BREAKING: The House adopted a resolution Wednesday directing President Donald Trump to seek congressional authorization before continuing military operations in Iran as more Republicans came out in opposition to the conflict. (from @svetashko.bsky.social)

House votes for first time to halt Iran war

It was the fourth time the chamber voted on a resolution to end the conflict and the first time it succeeded, in a 215-208 vote.

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ICYMI: The Senate on Wednesday failed for a fifth time to advance a measure that would have opened debate on halting the war in Iran as Republicans continued to block efforts to assert congressional war powers. (from @svetashko.bsky.social)

Senate Republicans reject latest attempt to constrain Iran war

The vote mirrored previous attempts by mostly Democrats to require the U.S. to withdraw from the conflict unless Congress authorizes further action.

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The House Armed Services Committee is seeking answers from the Pentagon on its plan for Stars and Stripes, sending two requests asking how the Defense Department will ensure the organization's congressionally mandated independence amid efforts to "refocus" its content. (from @svetashko.bsky.social)

House Armed Services Committee seeks answers on Pentagon plan for Stars and Stripes

The House Armed Services Committee has asked the Pentagon how Stars and Stripes will be able to keep its congressionally mandated independence.

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A bipartisan group of lawmakers in the House are hoping to stymie President Donald Trump’s designs on Greenland with a new bill that prohibits the use of federal funds for the invasion of NATO allies and territories.

Lawmakers seek to bar use of federal funds to take over Greenland

The White House has said it is considering a range of options to take control of the island, including military force.

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Several Senate Republicans broke with President Donald Trump to advance a resolution requiring the president to seek explicit congressional approval before taking any further military action in Venezuela as the U.S. seeks to exert control over the country.

Senate moves to rein in Trump on Venezuela

The 52-47 procedural vote came days after a military raid involving nearly 200 special operations forces and 150 aircraft captured Nicolás Maduro.

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Democratic senators representing states that bore the brunt of the fallout from explosive nuclear weapons testing are seeking to pass legislation that would bar President Donald Trump from unilaterally resuming such tests.

Democrats introduce bill barring Trump from unilaterally restarting nuclear weapons tests

The No Nuclear Testing Without Approval Act is a response to Trump’s announcement that he had ordered the Pentagon to restart nuclear weapons tests.

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The Senate on Thursday rejected, mostly along party lines, a bipartisan resolution to block President Donald Trump from conducting strikes against Venezuela as the U.S. continued to surge troops and military assets to the region. (from @svetashko.bsky.social)

Senate votes down bipartisan measure to block attack on Venezuela

The Senate has rejected, mostly along party lines, a bipartisan resolution to block President Donald Trump from conducting strikes against Venezuela.

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More than a dozen veterans in the House have accused President Donald Trump of undermining the apolitical nature of the military by telling senior officers that American cities should be used as “training grounds” to combat an “invasion from within.” #Flashes

ICYMI: In an overnight vote, the House approved an $831.5 billion defense spending bill that keeps a flat budget for the Pentagon, provides a 3.8% pay raise for troops and cuts about 45,000 positions from the civilian workforce. (from @svetashko.bsky.social)

House approves $831.5B for Pentagon with pay raise for troops and civilian workforce cuts

In an overnight vote, the House approved an $831.5 billion defense spending bill that keeps a flat budget for the Pentagon, provides a 3.8% pay raise for troops and cuts some 45,000 positions from the...

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The House and Senate Armed Services Committees unveiled legislation Friday supporting a 3.8% pay raise for service members and restricting any Pentagon efforts to undermine aid to Ukraine or drastically reduce American forces in Europe. (from @svetashko.bsky.social)

Defense policy bills endorse pay raise for troops, restrict force reductions in Europe

The House and Senate Armed Services Committees unveiled legislation Friday supporting a 3.8% pay raise for service members and restricting any Pentagon efforts to undermine aid to Ukraine or drastical...

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The sprawling bill will raise spending on defense and immigration enforcement while lowering funding for health and nutrition programs, including eliminating exemptions from work requirements for veterans who rely on food assistance.

House sends Trump megabill with $150B boost to defense, tighter rules for food aid for veterans

The House on Thursday passed President Donald Trump’s signature domestic policy bill, extending tax cuts, cutting spending on social safety net programs and giving the Pentagon $150 billion on top of ...

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#BREAKING: The House has passed President Donald Trump’s signature domestic policy bill, extending tax cuts, cutting spending on social safety net programs and giving the Pentagon $150 billion on top of its annual budget. Read more: www.stripes.com/theaters/us/... #Flashes

The Senate on Friday voted against moving forward with a resolution that would have reined in President Donald Trump’s ability to take further military action against Iran, rejecting an effort by Democrats to reaffirm congressional war powers. (from @svetashko.bsky.social)

Senate rejects resolution requiring congressional approval for Iran strikes

The Senate voted Friday against moving forward with a resolution that would have reined in President Donald Trump’s ability to take further military action against Iran, rejecting an effort by Democra...

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A group of 12 military veterans serving in the House told President Donald Trump that they will support a resolution to require approval from lawmakers for further military action against Iran in a bid to claw back Congress’ power to declare war.

Military veterans serving in the House demand congressional approval for more attacks against Iran

A group of 12 military veterans serving in the House told President Donald Trump on Monday that they will support a resolution to require approval from lawmakers for further military action against Ir...

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During congressional testimony Tuesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth lashed out at California Gov. Gavin Newsom and defended deploying National Guard troops and Marines to respond to immigration protests in Los Angeles, saying the military was "proud to do it." (from @svetashko.bsky.social)

Hegseth says National Guard troops and Marines ‘proud’ to deploy to Los Angeles immigration protests

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday defended the deployment of National Guard troops and Marines to respond to immigration protests in Los Angeles, saying the military was “proud to do it” and w...

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Army officials confirmed that the service is preparing to provide 20,000 National Guard troops to crack down on immigration, raising concerns among lawmakers about the “unprecedented” nature of the deployment. #Flashes

While service leaders advise it is too soon to tell how they will be impacted by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's order to pare down the military's senior ranks, the Marine Corps says it will likely be affected the most. (from @svetashko.bsky.social)

Marine Corps expects largest impact from Hegseth’s officer cuts

Service officials said it was too soon to tell how they will be impacted by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s order to pare down the military’s senior ranks, but the Marine Corps will likely be affecte...

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"This is going to be a challenge for us": Personnel chiefs for each of the military services told a congressional subpanel Wednesday they are bracing for the impact of civilians voluntarily resigning as part of the Defense Department's effort to trim its workforce. (from @svetashko.bsky.social)

‘This is going to be a challenge’: Military services steeling for impact from civilian resignations

Tens of thousands of civilian employees who work for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Space Force are voluntarily resigning as part of the Department of Defense’s effort to trim its workfor...

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The global supply chain that the U.S. military relies on to produce weapons and equip troops, built up over decades, could be under threat as the Trump administration seeks to lessen American reliance on imports and bring more manufacturing back to the U.S. (from @svetashko.bsky.social)

‘Prices are going to go up’: Trade war threatens US weapon production

The U.S. military relies on a network of countries around the world to produce the sophisticated weapons and equipment that arm its warfighters.

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Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee warned this week that tariffs levied against Australia and other security partners in the Indo-Pacific region were harming relationships needed to deter China. (from @svetashko.bsky.social)

‘Collateral damage’: Democrats warn tariffs on Indo-Pacific nations will harm military partnerships

Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee warned Wednesday that tariffs levied against Australia and other security partners in the Indo-Pacific region were harming relationships needed to deter...

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Mourners carrying wreaths and flags filled the streets in Lithuania’s capital Wednesday to memorialize four U.S. soldiers who died last week during a military training exercise. #Flashes

Top members of the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday asked the Defense Department to investigate the Signal group chat in which Trump national security officials discussed plans for airstrikes in Yemen in the presence of a journalist. (from @svetashko.bsky.social)

Senate Armed Services Committee leaders request Pentagon investigation of Signal scandal

Top senators on the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday asked the Defense Department to investigate the Signal group chat in which Trump national security officials discussed plans for airstri...

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“If House Republicans won’t hold a hearing on how this happened IMMEDIATELY, I’ll do it my damn self.” Lawmakers demanded answers after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other top Trump administration officials discussed war plans in a text conversation that included a journalist. Read more:

‘Stunning and dangerous’: Democrats demand answers about Trump administration’s group chat about war plans

Lawmakers, including top Democrats on Senate and House Armed Services committees, demanded answers Monday after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other Trump administration officials discussed war pl...

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John Phelan, an investor who said he would make up for his lack of military experience with his business acumen, was confirmed Monday to serve as Navy secretary. Phelan will become the first person in more than 15 years to lead the Navy without having served in any branch of the military.

Senate confirms investor John Phelan to serve as Navy secretary

John Phelan, an investor who said he would make up for his lack of military experience with his business acumen, was confirmed Monday by the Senate to serve as Navy secretary.

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A top Navy admiral told lawmakers last week that shipyard workers were exempt from a Defense Department-wide probationary employee purge. Meanwhile at least 10 probationary workers were fired from the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Maine:

Navy says shipyards are exempt from DOD’s probationary purge, though 10 workers were fired this week

At least 10 workers were fired from Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Maine this week, a day after a top Navy admiral told lawmakers that the service’s shipyard workforce is exempt from a Defense Departmen...

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