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Tag: U.S. Army

  • Trump heads to Fort Bragg to cheer special forces members who ousted Venezuela’s Maduro

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    President Donald Trump is heading to North Carolina on Friday to celebrate members of the special forces who stormed into Venezuela on the third day of the New Year and whisked away that country’s leader, Nicolás Maduro, to face U.S. smuggling charges.First Lady Melania Trump will also be making the trip to Fort Bragg, one of the largest military bases in the world by population, to spend time with military families.Trump has been hitting the road more frequently to states that could play key roles in November’s midterm congressional elections, including a stop before Christmas in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. The White House has been trying to promote Trump’s economic policies, including attempts to bring down the cost of living at a time when many Americans are becoming increasingly frustrated with Trump’s efforts to improve affordability.The president spoke at Fort Bragg in June at an event meant to recognize the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. But that celebration was overshadowed by his partisan remarks describing protesters in Los Angeles as “animals” and his defense of deploying the military there.Trump has since deployed the National Guard to places like Washington and Memphis, Tennessee, as well as other federal law enforcement officials involved in his crackdown on immigration. Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, announced Thursday that the administration is ending the operations in Minnesota that led to the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens.This time, Trump’s visit is meant to toast service members involved in his administration’s dramatic ouster of Maduro, an operation he has described as requiring bravery and advanced weapons.His administration has since pushed for broad oversight of the South American country’s oil industry. Next month, he plans to convene a gathering of leaders from a number of Latin American countries in Florida, as the administration spotlights what it sees as concerning Chinese influence in the region.The March 7 gathering can give Trump a chance to further press a new and aggressive foreign policy which the president has proudly dubbed the “Donroe Doctrine,” a reference to 19th-century President James Monroe’s belief that the U.S. should dominate its sphere of influence.

    WASHINGTON —

    President Donald Trump is heading to North Carolina on Friday to celebrate members of the special forces who stormed into Venezuela on the third day of the New Year and whisked away that country’s leader, Nicolás Maduro, to face U.S. smuggling charges.

    First Lady Melania Trump will also be making the trip to Fort Bragg, one of the largest military bases in the world by population, to spend time with military families.

    Trump has been hitting the road more frequently to states that could play key roles in November’s midterm congressional elections, including a stop before Christmas in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. The White House has been trying to promote Trump’s economic policies, including attempts to bring down the cost of living at a time when many Americans are becoming increasingly frustrated with Trump’s efforts to improve affordability.

    The president spoke at Fort Bragg in June at an event meant to recognize the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. But that celebration was overshadowed by his partisan remarks describing protesters in Los Angeles as “animals” and his defense of deploying the military there.

    Trump has since deployed the National Guard to places like Washington and Memphis, Tennessee, as well as other federal law enforcement officials involved in his crackdown on immigration. Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, announced Thursday that the administration is ending the operations in Minnesota that led to the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens.

    This time, Trump’s visit is meant to toast service members involved in his administration’s dramatic ouster of Maduro, an operation he has described as requiring bravery and advanced weapons.

    His administration has since pushed for broad oversight of the South American country’s oil industry. Next month, he plans to convene a gathering of leaders from a number of Latin American countries in Florida, as the administration spotlights what it sees as concerning Chinese influence in the region.

    The March 7 gathering can give Trump a chance to further press a new and aggressive foreign policy which the president has proudly dubbed the “Donroe Doctrine,” a reference to 19th-century President James Monroe’s belief that the U.S. should dominate its sphere of influence.

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  • US missiles stationed in Philippines can reach China: official

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    A Philippine general said on Friday that the United States Typhon missile system deployed in the country since April last year is capable of striking China.

    The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    Why It Matters

    The Typhon Mid-Range Capability system is a land-based missile system operated by the U.S. Army. It can launch two types of missiles—the Tomahawk and the Standard Missile-6—against aerial, surface and land targets, with respective ranges of about 1,000 and 290 miles.

    The U.S. Army initially deployed the Typhon missile system in the Philippines for drills, but the U.S. and the Philippines, allies under a mutual defense treaty, later decided to keep it there indefinitely. Eastern and southern China and parts of the South China Sea—where Beijing and Manila have territorial disputes—fall within range of the system.

    What To Know

    Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. said in an interview that deploying the Typhon missile system is part of the military’s effort to strengthen its capability to defend the country against any invasion attempt, the Daily Tribune reported.

    While acknowledging that mainland China and China’s artificial islands in the South China Sea are within range of the system, the general said the weapon’s range does “not matter to others” as the Philippines focuses on building defenses against “any threats.”

    “It is not specifically targeting China, but these missile systems are here so we can train. Once we acquire these capabilities, we must be ready to use them,” the general said. Manila revealed its interest in buying the Typhon missile system last November.

    The Philippine military chief said that even without hosting the U.S. missile system, the country is already a target because of its “very strategic” location, close to Taiwan and serving as a chokepoint between the South China Sea and the broader Pacific.

    China’s communist government has claimed sovereignty over the self-governed island of Taiwan and has threatened to use force to achieve reunification. The Typhon missile system could strike Chinese invasion forces in the air and at sea from the Philippines.

    The Philippines and Taiwan form part of a north-south defensive line known as the First Island Chain, along with Japan, under a U.S. containment strategy that aims to project military power to deter and defend against potential Chinese aggression.

    The Chinese defense and foreign ministries have been urging the U.S. and the Philippines to withdraw the Typhon missile system from the Philippines, saying the deployment undermines China’s legitimate security interests and warning that it would take necessary countermeasures.

    “This is a significant step in our partnership with the Philippines, our oldest treaty ally in the region,” the U.S. Army previously said of the “landmark” Typhon missile system deployment, saying it has enhanced interoperability, readiness and defense capabilities.

    What People Are Saying

    Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. said in an interview on Friday: “These are medium-range missiles, meaning that if they are launched, they can reach mainland China and even their artificial islands. But for us, they do not matter to others; we are strengthening the [Armed Forces of the Philippines] to defend our country against any nation attempting to invade or seize our territory.”

    Guo Jiakun, spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, said at a press conference on February 12: “China will not sit idly by when its security interests are harmed or threatened … We call on the Philippines to change its course, and make a strategic choice that truly serves the fundamental interest of itself and its people, rather than staying on the wrong path and hurting the Philippines itself when it comes to issues like Typhon.”

    What Happens Next

    China is likely to continue pressuring the Philippines over the Typhon missile system deployment, which could further increase tensions in the contested South China Sea.

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  • A U.S. veteran spoke out against his wrongful arrest by ICE. Now he’s being accused of assault

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    George Retes Jr. grew up in Southern California, and when he turned 18, he decided to serve in the U.S. Army, he said, because he wanted to be part of something bigger than himself.

    After a tour of duty in Iraq, Retes moved back to Ventura County this year to find a job and spend more time with his wife and two young children. In February, he began working as a contracted security guard for Glass House Farms at its cannabis greenhouses in Camarillo. Then, on July 10, everything changed as ICE raided Glass House — one of its largest immigration raids ever — while he was trying to get to work.

    Federal officers surrounded Retes and pushed him to the ground. He could hardly breathe, he said, as officers knelt on his back and neck. He was arrested, jailed for three days and was not allowed to make a phone call or see an attorney, according to the Institute for Justice, a public-interest law firm that is representing him.

    President Trump’s Department of Homeland Security never charged Retes with a crime. But after he wrote an op-ed about his experience this month, DHS started issuing new accusations against him — saying he was arrested for assault during the raid, which the 25-year-old veteran has denied. Retes said he never resisted, and now is being targeted for retaliation because he spoke out about an arrest he sees as unlawful.

    “My whole point in sharing my story, I’m trying to warn as many people as possible,” he said in an interview this week. “It doesn’t matter if you’re [politically] left, right, if you voted for Trump, hate him, love him, it doesn’t matter. This affects all of us.”

    On July 10, Retes was headed to work around 2 p.m., and the narrow road leading to the farm was logjammed, he said. He weaved his compact white Hyundai forward, past parked cars and protesters, determined to make it to his shift.

    He stopped short when he came upon a line of federal officers who blocked his path to the farm. Retes, 25, wearing shorts and a hoodie, got out of his car and tried to tell the federal agents that he worked at the farm.

    Agents ignored him, he said, and instead told him to get out of the way. So he got back in his car, and as he tried to back up, agents began lobbing tear gas canisters toward the crowd to disperse them. Retes began hacking and coughing as the gas seeped into his car and federal officers began pounding on his car door. He said they gave him instructions to move that were contradictory.

    The agents smashed his car window, pepper sprayed him, pulled him out of the car and arrested him, he said. He was handcuffed, and after his three days in jail, he was released without any explanation.

    In his Sept. 16 opinion piece for the San Francisco Chronicle — entitled “I’m a U.S. citizen who was wrongly arrested and held by ICE. Here’s why you could be next” — Retes detailed his ordeal. He has begun to take legal action to sue the U.S. government under the Federal Tort Claims Act. More than 360 people were arrested in the raid, including numerous undocumented immigrants, and one person died.

    “I served my country. I wore the uniform, I stood watch, and I believe in the values we say make us different. And yet here, on our own soil, I was wrongfully detained,” he wrote. “Stripped of my rights, treated like I didn’t belong and locked away — all as an American citizen and a veteran … if it can happen to me, it can happen to any one of us.”

    Homeland Security officials did not respond to a request for comment or answer questions about their claim of assault.

    Previously, an unnamed spokesperson for Homeland Security said he was released without a charge, and his case was being reviewed, along with others, “for potential federal charges related to the execution of the federal search warrant in Camarillo.”

    A day after Retes’ opinion piece was published, the agency said Retes “became violent and refused to comply with law enforcement. He challenged agents and blocked their route by refusing to move his vehicle out of the road. CBP arrested Retes for assault.”

    The agency denied that U.S. citizens were being wrongfully arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The post stated that operations were “highly targeted.”

    “This kind of garbage has led to a more than 1000% increase in the assaults on enforcement officers,” the agency said.

    Retes said he was astounded to learn the agency’s latest claims about July 10 — moments that were captured on video. He says DHS officials are lying.

    “I was in shock,” he said. The agency had “an opportunity to say ‘OK, what we did was wrong, we’ll take responsibility.’ … It’s crazy that they’re willing to stand 10 toes down and die on a hill of lying and say I assaulted officers.”

    Anya Bidwell, his attorney and senior attorney at the Institute for Justice, said it is significant that the government chose to respond only after his piece was published.

    “When people in this country stand up to this government, this government responds with fury,” Bidwell said. “They’re trying to impose their own version of reality. It’s so important for people like George to say, ‘I know who I am and I know what happened to me, you can’t just frame it as something that it’s not.’”

    In an aerial video that captured the initial confrontation, Retes is seen driving up to the line of agents. He steps outside of his car and remains by the driver side as he tries to reason with the agents. About 20 seconds later, he gets back in his car as the agents press forward. Within seconds they surround his car, at the same time pressing protesters back as they begin to lob tear gas canisters.

    Inside his car, Retes starts to record on his phone. He’s backing up slowly, at an angle, until tear gas makes difficult to see where he’s going, he said.

    “I’m trying to leave!” he says as agents bang on his car. There’s a loud crack as they break his car glass window. “OK I’m sorry!”

    The agents pepper-spray him and detain him. One video posted online shows a group of agents surrounding Retes, who is face down on the road. Another agent hops in his car and drives it forward and off to the side of the road.

    Retes said one agent knelt on his neck and another on his back. He was taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles, and he was kept in a cell with a protester who was also arrested. While in jail, he said, he missed his daughter’s third birthday.

    After he was released, Retes said he was suspended from his job without pay for two weeks because of the arrest, and when he came back, his regular shifts were no longer available. Staying on would make it difficult to see his family, so he had to leave, he said.

    He also had to spend about $1,200 getting his car window fixed and detailed from the tear gas, he said.

    Despite the Trump administration’s actions, Retes said his faith in the government and accountability for justice remains steady. Just like when he joined the Army, he said, he still hangs on to a sense of unity to stand up for the country’s values.

    “I still believe justice can be restored — that’s why I’m standing up and speaking out,” he said. “I think it’s important now more than ever for us to be unified and standing up for our rights together. Especially when they have the audacity to try to lie, especially to the public.”

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    Melissa Gomez

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  • Families demand action after toxic threat from US Army base impacts community: ‘I’m just tired of being lied to’

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    For years, families in one Washington community have been fighting for clean water after toxic “forever chemicals” were found in their wells, stemming from a nearby U.S. Army base, according to a report from The Seattle Times. The situation highlights a frustrating battle for accountability and the health risks communities can face from pollution.

    What happened?

    Washington state officials are increasing pressure on the U.S. Army over its handling of PFAS contamination in the groundwater near the Yakima Training Center. The pollution is the result of decades of using firefighting foams containing the chemicals. A flyer for a recent community meeting summed up the state’s demands: “We have repeatedly asked the Army to share its data, create a thorough cleanup plan, and provide clean drinking water to everyone affected.”

    Residents say they have faced years of delays, with some still waiting on filtration systems. The frustration is clear. “I’m just tired of being lied to and stonewalled,” said Charles Currier, a resident who has lived in the area for decades.

    So, why is this contamination so concerning?

    It comes down to a nasty group of substances called PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

    They’re known as “forever chemicals.” The reason is simple: They don’t break down easily in our bodies or the environment. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences is clear about the risks. These chemicals can damage our immune and reproductive systems. They can also mess with our hormones and increase the risk of high blood pressure and even cancer.

    And here’s the kicker. These forever chemicals are in a lot more than just contaminated water. They show up in many everyday products, from food packaging to clothing, which is a troubling fact highlighted by another report that connected fluorine in common pesticides to harmful health effects.

    What’s being done about it?

    The Washington Department of Ecology is now demanding a thorough cleanup plan and full transparency from the Army. After the community meeting, officials are hopeful that new senior-level leadership from the Army will lead to a real plan of action.

    “Transparency is super important when there’s broken trust, which exists here,” said Casey Sixkiller, the director of the state’s Department of Ecology. “It takes time to rebuild it, but one of the ways we do that is bring people in the conversation and have transparency so people can track our progress and hold us all accountable.” This growing awareness is crucial, as researchers in other studies are also raising alarms about endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in things such as pesticides.

    Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don’t miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.

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  • Seniors Helping Seniors in-home care services expand in southwest Atlanta 

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    Approximately 10 to 18 million seniors need help with daily activities, with projections suggesting that 70% of people 65 and older will require long-term services and support at some point in their lives. 

    A significant number of older adults face significant unmet needs for care, and this is compounded by the growing aging population and smaller family sizes, placing greater pressure on the caregiving system

    Married for 13 years, Shanticleer and Erica Graham have opened a new location for the franchise Seniors Helping Seniors. In this in-home care service, active seniors are hired to be companions or personal caregivers to other seniors who need help.

    The Grahams’ serve Southwest Atlanta and surrounding communities in Douglas, Fulton, Coweta, and Cobb Counties, marking the eighth location in the state.

    Seniors Helping Seniors, a franchisor with over 200 franchise partners and 400 territories nationwide, has grown rapidly in recent years by building a workforce of talented caregivers who create meaningful relationships with their senior care clients.

    The demand for in-home care for mature populations continues to grow, with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reporting that 70% of retirees will require some form of long-term care.

    “We do careful matching through various criteria to make sure we match up our caregivers with the right client and to ensure they can have a mutually beneficial relationship,” Shanticleer said. “It’s going to feel like a friend in your house, and you folks can talk and chit chat and do all the different things that you want to do without feeling like you’ve got a nurse or someone holding your hand throughout the whole time.”

    Seniors Helping Seniors, a franchisor with over 200 franchise partners and 400 territories nationwide, has grown rapidly in recent years by building a workforce of talented caregivers. Photo by Isaiah Singleton/The Atlanta Voice

    Seniors Helping Seniors offers up to 24-hour-a-day care, so the hours depend on the client and their needs. Services also include Alzheimer’s and Dementia care.

    Shanticleer, a U.S. Army veteran and former medical technology executive, transitioned out of a 20-year corporate career when the couple saw an opportunity to align their personal values and professional skills through Seniors Helping Seniors, a brand that shares their passion for community-based elder care.

    Additionally, Shanticleer and his wife, Erica, a former healthcare project manager and small business owner, were both inspired by their mothers, both longtime informal caregivers, and their own experiences supporting aging loved ones.

    The Grahams are also no strangers to entrepreneurship as they have had three businesses together thus far. Currently, Erica has been running their travel agency, Paperplanes & Passports for the last 10 years.

    “We wanted to do something meaningful that honors our parents and allows us to uplift our community,” Shanticleer said. “Seniors Helping Seniors lets us serve some of the most vulnerable people in our neighborhoods while also creating flexible and fulfilling opportunities for caregivers who are seniors themselves.”

    Shanticleer said his father has Glaucoma, and his mother has been his informal caregiver for the past 15 years. His mom also helps around with neighbors and other family members.

    When Erica told her mom she was getting into caregiving, her mom was super proud, asking where she could sign up to help.

    “It felt great to know our mothers had our back and also allowed us to bring soemthing they’ve already been doing to the community here in Georgia,” she said.

    “Taking that break away from corporate America to sit back and realize what’s valuable and what’s important to me really highlighted this next journey we’re on,” he said.

    Additionally, the Seniors Helping Seniors® franchise stands out from other brands in the elder-care space, according to President of Seniors Helping Seniors Namrata Yocom-Jan, through its commitment to hiring senior caregivers, which gives employment opportunities to seniors and better cultivates meaningful relationships between caregivers and care receivers.

    “We’ve become a leader in this industry by prioritizing the best possible care for our seniors, and that means partnering with only the most passionate and hard-working franchisees,” Yocom-Jan said. “That’s exactly what we’ve found with Shanticleer and Erica Graham as a new franchisee Partner, who are well-equipped to provide unparalleled in-home services to those in need throughout Southwest Atlanta.”

    When Shanticleer was laid off from his corporate job, he said it hit him hard because he had been with that company for 20 years, which he started from the very bottom working his way up to an executive position.

    “It really hit me hard, and I had to realize that I’m not what I do, what I do doesn’t make me who I am, it’s more about my character,” he said. “I had to figure out my own identity again.”

    For advice on being laid off, Shanticleer says it’s important to create a plan and figure out where you are and where you need to be. The first thing he did was put everything on a spreadsheet and look at their budget.

    “I looked at how much money we bring in and looked at our savings and our entire net worth, and said, ‘Oh we don’t have to go into panic mode’,” he said. “We were really blessed because there are many families and couples who aren’t in a position to not go into panic mode and would have to get a job tomorrow.”

    He also says things don’t always happen when you want them to, but it happens when they’re supposed to. He said they were ready to be able to accept the things that were.

    “Yes, you work all the time but are you able to save something when you can, and if you can’t, and if you don’t have that job anymore, what can you do next, because you just never know,” he said.

    For advice on entrepreneurship, Erica says to do your research and figure out what type of business you want to invest in.

    “We all have 1,000 ideas in our heads every single day, and I knew I wanted to do something I was passionate about and something I loved,” she said. “You must figure that out because you’re going to be spending your whole everything building this business, this brand, so you have to be knowledgeable about it.”

    Also, she said know you may not make some money up front, so she says to mentally prepare because it’s something she struggled with growing her business.

    “Coming from a corporate job having a set paycheck every two weeks and then going to ‘where’s my check’ can be pretty disheartening but at the same time, you have to slow down and say to yourself, ‘I can’t spend the way I spend before’ because you must step back to reassess and reanalyze your habits,” she said.

    Shanticleer adds to his wife and says always get better and reevaluate, even if you fail the first time.

    “Everything you do, do it better next time. The goal is to constantly improve and evolve, but don’t get stuck on trying to get perfect right out the box,” he said.

    The Grahams said that in the next five years, they see their location servicing veterans and expanding.

    “We want to build trust and a quality, reliable reputation within the community and the first year is always the toughest,” they said. “Being able to teach and educate other people, especially people of color, on how to get into franchising, it’s all about pouring into the community for us.”

    For more information, visit https://locations.seniorshelpingseniors.com/ga/stockbridge/224.html.

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    Isaiah Singleton

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  • MARS, Inc. Wins U.S. Army xTech Soldier Lethality Competition

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    MARS’s groundbreaking 30mm Squad Support Rifle System answers the U.S. Army’s need for an innovative Precision Grenadier System

     


    HELENA, Mont., June 9, 2025 (Newswire.com)
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    The U.S. Army recently announced MARS, Inc. as the winner of its xTech Soldier Lethality competition. The MARS team’s live fire demonstration in April 2025 showcased the advanced capabilities of its 30mm Squad Support Rifle System (SSRS) in support of the U.S. Army’s call for a Precision Grenadier System (PGS) solution.

    The SSRS is a shoulder fired, fully integrated weapon system that enables rapid acquisition, engagement, and destruction of a variety of enemy targets. This portable and modular grenade rifle system is capable of engaging targets in defilade out to a range of 500 meters using air burst grenade ammunition, targets in close range using CQB (Close Quarter Combat) rounds, and UAS (Unmanned Aerial System) targets out to 200 meters using counter UAS ammunition.

    In 2023, the xTech Soldier Lethality competition was developed to work with industry to identify, facilitate, and accelerate research and development of innovative Precision Grenadier Systems that enhance lethality and survivability of Soldiers on the battlefield. The MARS team has conducted research and development on innovative squad level weapons since 2007 and saw the opportunity to use their knowledge and experience to develop a truly novel solution to the PGS challenge. “We have diligently and consistently been improving and continue to push the boundaries on what was previously thought possible,” said Mike Merino, Founder and President of MARS, and a service-disabled combat Veteran. “We are capitalizing on these experiences to develop a technologically advanced and incredibly versatile weapon for U.S. Army’s arsenal,” said Merino.

    Dave Lake, MARS’s Chief Research & Development Engineer and lead designer of the weapon and ammunition said, “The SSRS project started on a blank sheet. It went from a napkin sketch to a functional and effective weapon in the span of five months.” MARS, along with its teammates in the xTech effort, Barrett Firearms, AMTEC Corporation, and Precision Targeting worked together to bring the SSRS to life. Lake highlighted two interesting facts about the SSRS: The barrels used in the prototypes were scavenged from a GAU-8 Avenger cannon used in Afghanistan. Also, the energy generated by the ammunition is so much that it is not recommended to shoot from a traditional fixed-barreled firearm. The energy can be equated to the recoil from an elephant gun. “We’ve cracked the code and our unique system mitigates dangerous recoil, making it possible to safely fire from the shoulder,” Lake said. Merino added, “When completed, the SSRS will be the most lethal shoulder fired weapon ever made.”

    The MARS team does not intend to rest on its laurels with the xTech win. “There’s plenty of room for improvement and growth,” said Merino. The MARS team is preparing for the Army’s PGS Program of Record, expected to commence in early 2026. “We look forward to demonstrating what passion, agile innovation, and collaboration can achieve,” said Merino.

    About MARS
    MARS, Inc. is a Montana-based research and development company that designs, tests, and fields innovative technology for military and law enforcement. Known for its innovative solutions, MARS created an ultra-low-recoil 7.62x51mm battle rifle using unique reciprocating barrel technology. After it was selected as the winner in the U.S. Army’s xTech Soldier Lethality competition, MARS continues to advance its patented technologies, continue innovation and explore new R&D opportunities with industry partners. For more information, please visit www.marsrifle.com.

    About Barrett
    Barrett is the world leader in long-range, large-caliber, precision rifle design and manufacturing. Barrett products are used by civilians, sport shooters, law enforcement agencies, the United States military and more than 80 US Department of State approved countries around the world. The Barrett Quality Management System (QMS) has received the prestigious ISO 9001:2015 certification for the design and manufacture of firearms, ammunition, and accessories, and to provide training for those systems. Barrett is part of the NIOA Group. For more information, please visit www.barrett.net.

    About AMTEC
    AMTEC Corporation is the largest volume producer of 40mm Grenade Ammunition and Fuzing in the world. It is the current sole Prime Contractor to the US Department of Defense for the 40mm Family of Grenade Ammunition. The 40mm Family of Grenade Ammunition includes both low velocity and high velocity cartridges across tactical high explosive, training, illumination, and non-lethal configurations. AMTEC Corporation also produces various precision fuzes, firing devices, impact switches, and initiators for the US Department of Defense, other prime contractors, and international allies. For more information, please visit www.nationaldefensecorp.com/amtec-corp.

    About Precision Targeting
    Precision Targeting, LLC is a US Small Business founded in 2011 that produces innovative fire control system technologies. For more information, please visit www.precisiontargetingllc.com.

    Source: MARS, Inc.

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  • Hoverfly Spectre Officially Added to DIU Blue List, Cementing NDAA Compliance

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    The Official VHA-H for the U.S. Army is now the first and only Tethered Drone to be added to the DIU Blue List


    SANFORD, Fla., February 20, 2025 (Newswire.com)
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    Hoverfly Technologies proudly announces that the Hoverfly Spectre has officially been selected to be on the DIU Blue List, confirming its compliance with the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and significantly simplifying acquisition processes for all Department of Defense (DoD) end users.

    This milestone is a testament to the unwavering trust the U.S. Government has placed in Hoverfly’s cutting-edge tethered UAS technology. With hundreds of systems delivered to DoD customers worldwide, Hoverfly continues to solidify its leadership in the unmanned aerial systems (UAS) market.

    Hoverfly Spectre’s inclusion on the Blue List follows its selection in the inaugural Blue UAS Refresh Competition in Fall 2024. Spectre is now the first and only tethered UAS to achieve this prestigious designation, further distinguishing Hoverfly as a pioneer in delivering reliable, secure, and mission-critical systems. This achievement also comes on the heels of Hoverfly earning Green List certification from AUVSI, a validation that mirrors the stringent Blue UAS cyber security standards for American-made drones.

    With its placement on the Blue List, the Hoverfly Spectre now holds an Authority to Operate (ATO) across all DoD entities, expanding its reach within the rapidly growing unmanned systems market.

    The Spectre platform is a fully closed-loop tethered system, transmitting all power and data through its tether for uninterrupted, secure operations. Its payload-agnostic design enables simultaneous use of Variable Height Antenna (VHA) and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) payloads to support diverse mission requirements. Additionally, with its MOSA compliant architecture, Spectre accommodates an array of qualified payloads, including counter-UAS sensors, electronic warfare (EW) systems, targeting gimbals, and more.

    Hoverfly Spectre’s recent selection in the VHA-H competition through PEO Soldier in Fall 2024 further underscores its operational superiority and mission adaptability.

    “Being added to the DIU Blue List is a monumental step for Hoverfly and the Spectre platform,” said Steve Walters, CEO of Hoverfly Technologies. “This achievement reflects our steadfast commitment to providing the DoD with innovative, secure, and compliant tethered UAS solutions that meet the highest standards of reliability and performance. We are honored to continue supporting our defense partners with systems they can trust in every mission.”

    For more information about the Hoverfly Spectre and its capabilities, visit hoverflytech.com

    Contact Information

    Tyler Marple
    Senior Manager, Business Development
    tyler.marple@hoverflytech.com
    407-985-4500

    Patrick Farrell
    Creative Director
    patrick.farrell@hoverflytech.com
    407-985-4500

    Source: Hoverfly Technologies

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  • The Official VHA-H: Hoverfly Spectre Secures Variable Height Antenna – Heavy (VHA-H) Program for U.S. Army

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    Hoverfly Technologies now leads both the VHA-L and VHA-H programs with their trailblazing Sentry and Spectre Tethered Drones


    Online, November 25, 2024 (Newswire.com)
    –
    After completing rigorous validation and environmental testing, Hoverfly Technologies is proud to announce its award of the U.S. Army Variable Height Antenna – Heavy (VHA-H) program with their Spectre Tethered Unmanned Aerial System (TeUAS). This monumental achievement will see Hoverfly’s Spectre TeUAS deployed across critical operations as an integral part of the Integrated Tactical Network (ITN), underscoring the TeUAS’s exceptional payload compatibility, versatile multi-mission capabilities, and unparalleled reliability.

    Persistence Prevails

    The VHA-H is one of several key technology initiatives directed by the U.S. Army’s Nett Warrior Program, aimed at rapidly prototyping and deploying equipment to modernize tactical communications. For this role, the Army sought an unmanned tethered drone capable of carrying payloads of at least 5 lbs., remaining airborne indefinitely, and delivering uninterrupted intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, along with communications range extension. In addition, the TeUAS needed to be ruggedized and robust enough to support warfighters in diverse and austere environments. With its unrivaled proficiency and impeccable design, Hoverfly Spectre persevered through all of the Army’s demands and was awarded accordingly.

    The Hoverfly VHA

    The Spectre TeUAS is designed to complement Hoverfly’s flagship Sentry TeUAS, which currently holds the VHA-L position in the Army’s Nett Warrior Program. In June, Hoverfly received a $14 million order for 120 Sentry TeUAS to support this effort, underscoring the Army’s trust and reliance on Hoverfly’s tethered technology.

    “Spectre’s success is a testament to how innovative and evolved this system truly is,” said Steve Walters, CEO of Hoverfly Technologies. “It demonstrates our commitment to delivering robust and reliable tethered drone solutions that exceed the stringent demands of military operations in challenging environments.”

    A Trailblazing Technology

    Hoverfly Spectre is the most advanced TeUAS on the market, offering a range of advanced features that enhance its operational capabilities:

    • Increased Payload Capacity: Allows for greater flexibility in mission-specific equipment.

    • Optimized for Vehicle Mounting and On-the-Move Operations: Ensures seamless integration with military vehicles, providing real-time situational awareness and communication support.

    • Efficient Lift System: Improves energy efficiency and flight performance in all environments

    • Enhanced Payload Power Availability: Supports a wide range of high-power payloads, expanding operational versatility.

    Now, as the Army’s official VHA-H, the Spectre TeUAS is set to play a crucial role in evolving tethered drone requirements while delivering superior performance and reliability in the field.

    The VHA-H selection further establishes Hoverfly Technologies as a leader in the development of advanced tethered drone technologies and brings the company one step closer to becoming a Program of Record (PoR) for the U.S. Army. With this award, Hoverfly strengthens its position as the VHA of choice while continuing to provide cutting-edge solutions for its military and defense partners.

    Source: Hoverfly Technologies

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  • Inside an Army training exercise where 101st Airborne soldiers test battlefield of the future

    Inside an Army training exercise where 101st Airborne soldiers test battlefield of the future

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    Deep in the backwoods of Louisiana, an experimental unit of 101st Airborne soldiers is setting out with cutting-edge technology.

    Sergeant First Class Anthony Clark says his unit is exploring a new way of fighting that includes surveillance and attack drones, decoys and jammers directed by laptops or a cellphone app.

    “We’re [here] to create those tactics, we’re [here] to create those standard operating procedures so that the next generation of soldiers understands from our mistakes and can be even more effective with the systems,” Clark said.

    Some of the innovations come from lessons drawn directly from the battlefields of Ukraine, where electronic warfare is advancing by the minute on both sides of the fight.

    Now, the 101st’s vehicle looks like something out of “Mad Max.”

    “Even in World War II, they were using brand new equipment, brand new methods and they were extremely successful and they learned from their mistakes,” Clark said.

    The 101st Airborne Division went into action during World War II. The Screaming Eagles were among the first Americans to descend into France on D-Day.

    Once again, everything is changing.

    The command post — well hidden in the trees — is minuscule. It’s a fraction of the size Major General Brett Sylvia commanded 10 years ago.

    “My command post was 10 different tents, 40 different vehicles, all kinds of huge radars and antennas that were everywhere. It was easy to see and therefore, easy to kill,” Sylvia said.

    In today’s environment, the art of deception goes beyond face paint and camouflage. It’s running fiber-optic cables to antennas hundreds of yards away from the command center, then spreading out decoys — off-the-shelf circuit boards made to look like laptops and cell phones.

    “Just the other night, the enemy was completely deceived by that and put an artillery barrage on just a bunch of decoys that were out in a field, and then this command post stayed safe and sound,” Sylvia said.

    It’s not like hiding a needle in a haystack, but “hiding a needle in a stack of needles,” Sylvia said.

    They’re also experimenting with robotic vehicles, for the moment controlled by Lieutenant Parker Mitchell.

    “There’s no reason to trade blood for blood when we can trade blood for steel,” Mitchell said.

    Putting that steel to work on future battlefields will not be without its challenges and rewards, said Specialist William Bateman.

    “I mean, it gives me chills thinking about it that right now we’re in the middle of molding the future and participating in history being made. It’s absolutely stunning,” Bateman said.

    Now, a new generation is putting innovation to the test on the battlefields of the future.

    Charlie D’Agata


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    Charlie D’Agata is CBS News’ senior national security correspondent. He was previously a senior foreign correspondent and has spent more than two decades covering international news for CBS.

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  • Army doctor reaches plea deal in sexual misconduct case

    Army doctor reaches plea deal in sexual misconduct case

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    An Army physician accused by more than 40 patients of sexual misconduct has reached a plea deal with prosecutors, according to his attorney. 

    Maj. Michael Stockin, an anesthesiologist at the pain management clinic at Madigan Army Medical Center on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, was charged in one of the largest prosecutions by the Army of its kind after accusations from 41 victims resulted in 47 counts of abusive sexual contact and five counts of indecent viewing. Stockin was arraigned on the charges in February. 

    His attorney, Robert Capovilla, confirmed to CBS News that a plea had been reached and will likely be entered in January, when the trial in the case was scheduled to begin, but declined to speak further. The plea agreement was first reported by Stars and Stripes. 

    News of the agreement comes after recent motions hearings were removed from the case’s calendar.  

    In a report that first aired on “CBS Mornings” in February, two men described alleged misconduct that occurred under the guise of medical care from Maj. Michael Stockin.

    One of the men said he sought the doctor’s help to manage arthritis in his shoulders, and said he was at first “very confused” by Stockin’s examination.

    “Myself and Dr. Stockin were left alone in the room. He first checked my shoulders and then he asked me to stand up and to pull down my pants and lift up my gown,” he said. “Dr. Stockin, he was face level with my groin, and he started touching my genitals.”

    The other said he was sexually abused by Stockin on three occasions and described a similar experience of receiving what he called an “alternate assessment.” He said he struggled to understand why this visit was unlike any he had previously encountered with a physician. 

    “Even with my wife I couldn’t bring myself to talk through what happened,” he said, “It just felt very uncomfortable.”

    Both of the men who spoke with CBS News earlier this year have shared their allegations with military investigators and anticipated that they would eventually be publicly identified as victims at trial as part of the criminal case pending against Stockin.

    The Army has said that Stockin remains suspended from patient care but still has administrative duties at Madigan Medical Center in a non-clinical area. The trial in this case had been scheduled for January 2025. Stockin had previously entered a plea of not guilty in April. 

    A spokesperson for the Army’s Office of Special Trial Counsel told CBS that an update on the docket indicating a plea had been reached is accurate and declined to comment further, noting that additional details would be made available on the first day of trial.

    Ryan Guilds, an attorney for seven of the alleged victims, including the two who spoke with CBS News, declined to comment. 

    More than a dozen alleged victims have also filed civil complaints, claiming they were “severely and irreparably harmed” by the Army and the Defense Department whose negligence, they allege, failed to protect them from abuse at the hands of the doctor.

    CBS News has not reviewed the plea agreement, but there is no mandatory minimum penalty for the charges, according to the Army. If convicted on all counts, Stockin could have faced a prison sentence of more than 300 years if sentences were to be served consecutively. 

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  • Remains of missing U.S. WWII soldier who endured Bataan Death March identified after 82 years

    Remains of missing U.S. WWII soldier who endured Bataan Death March identified after 82 years

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    The remains of a missing World War II soldier from Oregon have been identified and are set to return to the state for burial, federal authorities announced Thursday.

    The remains of U.S. Army Private William Calkins, 20, were identified after being exhumed along with other unknown soldiers buried at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines, the Department of Defense said.

    The department’s Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, tasked with recovering prisoners of war and service members missing in action, said Calkins was captured after U.S. troops in Bataan province surrendered to Japanese forces. After surviving the harrowing 65-mile Bataan Death March, he was held at Cabanatuan POW Camp #1, where records show he died on Nov. 1, 1942, at the age of 20.

    In a news release, the agency included multiple Oregon newspaper clippings from the war, including one that reads: “Word has been received in Salem that Pvt. William E. Calkins, formerly employed by the Perfection Bowling alleys, is a prisoner of war.”

    calkins-newspaper-240815-d-xx123-001.jpg
    The remains of U.S. Army Private William Calkins, 20, were identified after being exhumed at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.

    DPAA


    Calkins was buried with other prisoners in what was known as Common Grave 704.

    After the war, his remains were exhumed from the camp and relocated to the Philippine capital, where they were buried as “unknowns” at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, the agency said. They remained unidentified until this year.

    In 2018, in an effort to identify the unknown remains associated with Common Grave 704, the agency exhumed them once again and sent them to a laboratory. There, scientists used DNA analysis and other techniques to identify Calkins’ remains.

    A rosette will be placed next to his name on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery to indicate he has been accounted for, the agency said.

    Calkins’ remains are set to return to Oregon for burial in the Portland suburb of Hillsboro in September.

    According to the DPAA, prisoners at Cabanatuan POW Camp #1 endured horrific conditions and death rates soared due to lack of medicine and food.

    “Because so many men were dying, burial parties worked every day. Each morning, the men would gather at the morgue and organize into teams to begin the march to the cemetery. The camp adopted a mass internment system, burying all that died in one day in one common grave,” the agency said. “The burial party would deliver the dead to the cemetery and then dig the mass grave for the next day.”

    avenge-bataan-240815-d-xx123-002.jpg
    The remains of U.S. Army Private William Calkins, 20, were identified after being exhumed at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.

    DPAA


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  • Tim Walz’s military record under scrutiny as he joins Kamala Harris on Democratic ticket

    Tim Walz’s military record under scrutiny as he joins Kamala Harris on Democratic ticket

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    Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz‘s military record has come under renewed scrutiny following Vice President Kamala Harris’ announcement of Walz as her running mate on the Democratic ticket. 

    On Wednesday, former President Donald Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, who is an Iraq War veteran, seized the opportunity to target his opponent’s military record, resurfacing claims about his deployments and his retirement from the guard.

    Walz served honorably in both the Nebraska and Minnesota Army National Guards, earning medals and deploying in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. But his final days of service have been called into question, centering on his rank and if he retired to avoid a 2005 deployment to Iraq. 

    A CBS News review of Walz’s military record and statements from the Minnesota Army National Guard show Walz achieved the rank of command sergeant major but was reduced in rank to master sergeant after retirement since he had not completed coursework for the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy. 

    On Iraq, records show Walz had retired before his battalion was mobilized and deployed to Iraq. A 2005 statement from his website indicates Walz was initially prepared to deploy to Iraq amid his bid for Congress. CBS News has asked Walz for comment on when he decided to retire. 

    A snapshot of Walz in the military

    Walz retired from the Minnesota Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery in 2005 after more than 24 years in service, the Minnesota Army National Guard told CBS News. 

    Walz first enlisted in the Nebraska Army National Guard in April 1981, serving as an infantry senior sergeant and administrative specialist. In 1996, Walz transferred to the Minnesota Army National Guard, where he first worked as a cannon crewmember and field artillery senior sergeant. 

    An undated photo of Tim Walz in uniform, released by the Harris-Walz campaign. 

    Minnesota National Guard spokesperson Lt. Col. Kristen Augé told CBS News that Walz “held multiple positions within field artillery such as firing battery chief, operations sergeant, first sergeant, and culminated his career serving as the command sergeant major for the battalion.” 

    Walz earned several Army commendation and achievement medals during his more than 24 years of service. 

    Walz deployed in August 2003 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The Minnesota National Guard told CBS News the battalion supported security missions at various locations in Europe and Turkey. Walz was stationed at Vicenza, Italy, at the time and returned to Minnesota in April 2004. 

    Controversy over a 2005 Iraq deployment

    On Wednesday, Vance resurfaced claims that Walz retired from the National Guard to avoid deploying to Iraq. 

    “When the United States Marine Corps, when the United States of America, asked me to go to Iraq to serve my country I did it. I did what they asked me to do, and I did it honorably and I’m very proud of that service,” said Vance. 

    He added: “When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq, you know what he did? He dropped out of the Army and allowed his unit to go without him — a fact that he’s been criticized for aggressively by a lot of the people he served with.” 

    The claims first gained prominence when Walz ran for governor of Minnesota in 2018. At the time, retired Army veterans Thomas Behrends and Paul Herr, who both served as command sergeant majors, posted on Facebook a lengthy letter accusing Walz of “embellishing” his military career and abandoning his Army National Guard battalion ahead of a 2005 deployment to Iraq.

    In the letter, Behrends and Herr write that in early 2005, Walz’s unit — 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery — was slated to deploy to Iraq. At the time, Walz was serving as the unit’s command sergeant major. 

    Behrends and Herr claimed that from the time the unit was told to prepare for an Iraq deployment and when Walz retired, he told other Army leaders he would be going to Iraq but later resigned his position before the deployment to avoid going to a combat zone. 

    Walz has said he left the guard to run for Congress, according to the Star Tribune. In 2006, Walz won his election to Congress against a six-term Republican incumbent. 

    Records show Walz officially filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission on Feb. 10, 2005. 

    In March 2005, the National Guard announced a possible partial mobilization of roughly 2,000 troops from the Minnesota National Guard, according to an archived press release from Tim Walz for U.S. Congress.  

    “I do not yet know if my artillery unit will be part of this mobilization and I am unable to comment further on the specifics of the deployment,” said Walz in the March 2005 statement. 

    The statement continued: “As Command Sergeant Major I have a responsibility not only to ready my battalion for Iraq, but also to serve if called on. I am dedicated to serving my country to the best of my ability, whether that is in Washington DC or Iraq,” said Walz, who indicated at the time he had no plans to drop out of the race. “I am fortunate to have a strong group of enthusiastic support and a very dedicated and intelligent wife. Both will be a major part of my campaign, whether I am in Minnesota or Iraq.” 

    The Minnesota Army National Guard told CBS News that Walz retired on May 16, 2005. CBS News has asked Walz to clarify when he submitted his retirement papers. 

    The Minnesota National Guard told CBS News that Walz’s unit — 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery — received an alert order for mobilization to Iraq on July 14, 2005 – two months after Walz retired, according to Lt. Col. Ryan Rossman, who serves as the Minnesota National Guard’s director of operations. The official mobilization order was received on August 14 of the same year, and the unit mobilized in October. 

    CBS News reviewed the deployment history for the Minnesota Army National Guard which shows that in the fall of 2005, 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery was mobilized in preparation for a deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The battalion trained at Camp Shelby in Mississippi and deployed to Iraq as a motorized security task force. 

    In 2018, Tom Hagen, a military reservist who served in Iraq, wrote a letter to The Winona Daily News claiming Walz was not being candid about his service record and wanted people to know that the future Minnesota governor did not serve in Iraq or Afghanistan. 

    Walz responded in the same newspaper and criticized Hagan as dishonoring a fellow veteran, according to MPR News. Walz wrote: “There’s a code of honor among those who’ve served, and normally this type of partisan political attack only comes from one who’s never worn a uniform.”

    Joseph Eustice, a 32-year veteran of the guard who also led Walz’s battalion, told the Star Tribune in Oct. 2022 that the governor fulfilled his duty. 

    “He was a great soldier. When he chose to leave, he had every right to leave,” said Eustice. 

    Walz’s rank as a command sergeant major

    Official biographies on the Minnesota government website and Vice President Kamala Harris’ website describe Walz as a “retired Command Sergeant Major.” However, documents reviewed by CBS News show this is not accurate; while Walz served at one point as a command sergeant major, he retired at a lower rank. 

    Army veteran Anthony Anderson, who routinely obtains military records from the Defense Department using the Freedom of Information Act and has worked with CBS News on similar stories, provided Walz’s records for review. CBS News has also requested the documents from the National Guard. 

    One of the documents shows Walz reverted back to master sergeant from command sergeant major when he retired from the Minnesota National Guard in May 2005. 

    Army soldiers promoted to the rank of sergeant major or command sergeant major are required to attend the Sergeants Major Course, or what was formerly known as the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy.  

    Lt. Col. Augé, the Minnesota National Guard spokesperson, told CBS News that Walz retired as a master sergeant in 2005 for “benefit purposes” because he did not complete additional coursework at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy.

    While Walz can say he served as a command sergeant major in the Minnesota Army National Guard, his official biographies are incorrect in referring to him as a “retired Command Sergeant Major.”

    James LaPorta


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    James LaPorta is a verification producer with CBS News Confirmed. He is a former U.S. Marine infantryman and veteran of the Afghanistan war.

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  • U.S. soldier in Japan charged with sexually assaulting teenage girl in Okinawa

    U.S. soldier in Japan charged with sexually assaulting teenage girl in Okinawa

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    Tokyo — Japan’s government is calling for stricter oversight of U.S. troops stationed in the country after a soldier was charged over the alleged sexual assault of a Japanese teenager in Okinawa. Prosecutors in the southern island region charged the U.S. soldier in March, top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters on Tuesday.

    Local media said the 25-year-old man had been accused of assault, adding that he knew the girl was under 16, the age of consent in Japan.

    The government expressed “regret” to U.S. Ambassador Rahm Emanuel over the incident and called for stronger oversight of behavior by military personnel, Hayashi said.

    Okinawa accounts for just 0.6% of Japan’s land mass but hosts about 70% of all the U.S. military bases and facilities in the country.

    JAPAN-US-CHINA-DEFENCE-OKINAWA
    The U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma is seen from Kakazutakadai Park in Ginowan, Okinawa prefecture, Japan, August 23, 2022.

    PHILIP FONG/AFP/Getty


    A litany of base-related woes has long grieved Okinawans, from pollution and noise to helicopter crashes and COVID-19 outbreaks, leading to complaints that they bear the brunt of hosting troops.

    The 1995 gang rape of a 12-year-old girl by three U.S. soldiers in Okinawa prompted widespread calls for a rethink of a 1960 pact that outlined the legal status of Japan-based U.S. military personnel.

    Okinawa governor Denny Tamaki voiced his “strong indignation” at the latest case.

    “That something like this was done to a minor not only causes great fear to local residents living side-by-side with U.S. bases but tramples on the dignity of women,” he told reporters. “The excessive burden of hosting military bases is an everyday matter for us, and is intolerable.”

    JAPAN-POLITICS-CONSTITUTION-PEACE-PROTEST
    Participants speak against the construction of U.S. military bases in Okinawa, in southern Japan, as they take part in a rally for peace on Constitution Day in Tokyo, May 3, 2024.

    RICHARD A. BROOKS/AFP/Getty


    Anti-base sentiment in Okinawa has been displayed in particular over a plan to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma.

    While the central government wants to move the base to a less populated part of Okinawa’s main island, many locals would prefer it be transferred elsewhere in the country. A nationwide poll by broadcaster NHK in 2022 found 80% of Japanese consider the current disproportionate distribution of U.S. forces “wrong” or “somewhat wrong.”

    The latest point of test for U.S.-Japanese ties comes at a crucial time, with concern over nuclear-armed North Korea‘s ongoing weapons tests rising along with tension between Washington and China over Beijing’s increasingly assertive stance on Taiwan’s status and its territorial disputes with other nations.


    Japan’s increased military presence on their small island of Ishigaki frustrates locals

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  • American soldier arrested in Russia was accused of stealing

    American soldier arrested in Russia was accused of stealing

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    American soldier arrested in Russia was accused of stealing – CBS News


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    A U.S. Army staff sergeant was arrested in Russia last week and is accused of stealing. Gordon Black is the latest American to be detained in Russia. Former Marine Paul Whelan has been imprisoned for five years and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was arrested last March.

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  • A Colorado teen disappeared in a brutal Korean War battle. His remains have finally been identified.

    A Colorado teen disappeared in a brutal Korean War battle. His remains have finally been identified.

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    More than 70 years after an American teenager vanished while fighting overseas in the Korean War, modern forensics finally allowed the United States military to identify his remains.

    John A. Spruell, a U.S. Army soldier from Cortez, Colorado, was declared missing in action on Dec. 6, 1950, the military said in a news release. He disappeared in the midst of a brutal battle that lasted more than two weeks in a frozen and remote North Korean mountain range, and even though the remains of some killed in that area were eventually returned to the U.S., no one knew for decades whether Spruell’s body was among them. 

    Presumed dead, the 19-year-old was officially listed as lost and unaccounted for by the Army. The remains that military scientists would not confirm belonged to him until 2023 were buried in a grave labeled “unknown” at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.

    Days before Spruell was declared missing, his unit, a field artillery branch, had fought in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, a notoriously violent conflict that American historians have since dubbed “a nightmare.” It marked a turning point in the broader war, as hundreds of thousands of soldiers with the newly involved People’s Republic of China launched an unexpectedly massive attack on the U.S. and its allies while trying to push United Nations forces out of North Korea. 

    The remains of U.S. Army Corporal John A. Spruell were accounted for in August 2023, more than 70 years after he was declared missing in action during the Korean War.

    DPAA


    The Battle of Chosin Reservoir is remembered as one of the most treacherous on record, because the freezing weather and rugged terrain in which it unfolded was so extreme and because there were so many casualties. Military officials say Spruell disappeared in the wake of intense combat near Hagaru-ri, a North Korean village at the lower tip of the reservoir where U.S. forces had set up a base.

    It was unclear what exactly happened to Spruell after the battle, since “the circumstances of his loss were not immediately recorded,” according to the military, and there was no evidence suggesting he had been captured as a prisoner of war. 

    An international agreement later allowed U.S. officials to recover the remains of about 3,000 Americans who had been killed in Korea, but none could be definitively linked back to Spruell.

    In 2018, the unidentified remains of hundreds of slain soldiers were disinterred from buried the military cemetery in Honolulu, also called the Punchbowl, and they were examined again using advanced methods that did not exist until long after the Korean War. 

    Spruell’s identity was confirmed in August. He will be buried in Cortez on a date that has not been determined yet, according to the military. The announcement about Spruell came around the same time the military confirmed another American teenager had been accounted for after being declared dead in the Korean War in December 1953. Forensic tests identified the remains of Richard Seloover, a U.S. Army corporal from Whiteside, Illinois, in January. Seloover was 17 when he was killed.

    The U.S. military has said that around 2,000 Americans who died in the Korean War were identified in the years immediately following it, and around 450 more were identified over the decades since. Some 7,500 people are still unaccounted for, and the remains of at least several hundred are considered impossible to recover.

    Emily Mae Czachor

    Emily Mae Czachor is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. She covers breaking news, often focusing on crime and extreme weather. Emily Mae has previously written for outlets including the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed and Newsweek.

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  • Army doctor charged with sexual misconduct makes first court appearance

    Army doctor charged with sexual misconduct makes first court appearance

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    An Army doctor made his first appearance in a military courtroom in Washington state on Friday where he faces more than 50 counts of sexual misconduct stemming from accusations brought by dozens of patients, in what could become one of the largest prosecutions by the Army of its kind.

    The charges against the physician, Maj. Michael Stockin, includes 47 counts of abusive sexual contact and five counts of indecent viewing under the military code of justice, according to the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel who is prosecuting the case. In a statement after the hearing, prosecutors said that they dropped a count of abusive sexual contact “after ongoing review of the evidence.”

    All of the 41 alleged victims are male. The documents include allegations that he attempted to cover up sexual abuse of patients by falsely representing that it had a “medical purpose.”

    Stockin was expected to enter a plea of not guilty to the charges but elected to defer entering a plea at the hearing, according to prosecutors. 

    Robert Capovilla, an attorney for Stockin, has urged the public to withhold judgment until the case is heard, saying, “We intend to fight against every single allegation until the jury renders their verdict.”

    “Until then, we sincerely hope that the United States Army is fully prepared to respect Major Stockin’s Constitutional rights at every phase of this process, both inside and outside of the courtroom,” Capovilla said in a statement. “We urge everyone to keep an open mind, to remember Major Stockin is presumed innocent, and understand that this fight is just getting started.”

    “Through close collaboration with the criminal investigators, [prosecutors] thoroughly evaluated the evidence and carefully considered all the facts before referring charges in this case,” the Office of Special Trial Counsel said in a statement. “We are confident that the facts and evidence support a conviction and that will be demonstrated when the case goes to trial on Oct. 7.”

    On Thursday, two of those former patients spoke for the first time publicly in exclusive interviews with CBS News, describing what they say was conduct that betrayed their trust. Both asked to speak anonymously out of fear of retaliation.  

    Both men, now retired after more than 20 years in the Army including three combat tours each, allege abuse took place under the guise of medical care.

    “Being in the military at the time for 19 years, I trusted the medical doctor I was seeing,” said one of the men. “I trusted Dr. Stockin.”

    Both say they intend to testify at Stockin’s court martial, which is currently scheduled to begin in October, according to the case docket, and is slated to last more than a month. 

    “It’s emotional, it’s not something I’m used to,” the other said about his upcoming testimony. “I can deal with a lot of things. I can deal with anger, I can deal with combat, but emotions and things like that — it’s personal.”

    The investigation will remain open through the trial, according to the prosecutor’s office, which says the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division “will further investigate should additional victims come forward.” 

    In the meantime, Stockin has been suspended from seeing patients, but his medical license remains active, according to the Washington State Department of Health database. Michelle McCaskill, communications director for Army OSTC, said that Stockin continues to work at Madigan in a role of an “administrative nature in a non-clinical area.”

    Prosecutors did not request that Stockin be held before the court martial but recently said in a statement that they “will continue to evaluate whether to request pretrial confinement based on the potential for MAJ Stockin to be a flight risk or commit further serious misconduct.”

    There is no mandatory minimum penalty, according to McCaskill, but if convicted on all counts, Stockin could face a prison sentence of more than 330 years if sentences were to be served consecutively. 

    Clare Hymes

    Clare Hymes is an associate producer for the investigative unit at CBS News. She previously reported from the Justice Department and was an associate producer for the “CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell.”

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  • Family says Georgia soldier killed in Jordan drone attack

    Family says Georgia soldier killed in Jordan drone attack

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    Sgt. Kennedy Sanders was one of three U.S. service members killed in a drone attack at a base in Jordan over the weekend. Her mother, Oneida Sanders, said she is still feeling “disbelief, shock, anger.”

    “I have so many questions,” Onedia Sanders told CBS News.

    Kennedy Sanders, who was posthumously promoted from specialist to sergeant on Monday, was set to return home in August. The 24-year-old already had plans to take the next step in her military career, her mother said.

    “Kennedy was full of life,” Oneida told CBS News. “She was a breath of fresh air. She was so likeable, by so many people.”

    Sanders, along with Breonna Moffett, 23, and William Rivers, 46 — the other two service members killed in the attack — was an Army reservist at Fort Moore in Georgia. President Biden spoke separately with the families of all three slain soldiers to offer his condolences, the White House said.

    “The president shared his encounter about losing a loved one, and that really comforted me,” Kennedy Sanders’ father, Shawn Sanders, said.

    3 troops killed in drone attack in Jordan - William Rivers, Kennedy Sanders, Breonna Moffett
    Three U.S. service members were killed in a drone attack on a base in Jordan on Jan. 28, 2024. 

    Department of Defense


    Mr. Biden’s first wife and one of his daughters were both killed in a car crash in 1972, when the president was still a senator-elect. One of his sons, Beau Biden, who served in Iraq as part of the Delaware Army National Guard, died of a brain tumor in 2015 at age 46.

    “He made it very personal and I really felt that he had a sense of compassion for us as a family,” Oneida Sanders said.

    Shawn Sanders said his daughter’s posthumous promotion was very meaningful.

    “I really know what that meant to her,” he said. “She was working toward getting that promotion. That was one of the most special moments in this whole encounter, that, you know, that coming from the president of the United States.”

    Manuel Bojorquez


    Manuel Bojorquez

    Manuel Bojorquez is a CBS News national correspondent based in Miami. He joined CBS News in 2012 as a Dallas-based correspondent and was promoted to national correspondent for the network’s Miami bureau in January 2017. Bojorquez reports across all CBS News broadcasts and platforms.

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  • U.S. military investigates allegations of day drinking at NORAD headquarters

    U.S. military investigates allegations of day drinking at NORAD headquarters

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    U.S. military investigates allegations of day drinking at NORAD headquarters – CBS News


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    An internal investigation is underway after a refrigerator containing beer and hard liquor was found in an office of the Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado, which serves as the headquarters of U.S. Northern Command and NORAD. Catherine Herridge reports.

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  • Mother cut her infant son’s neck to send him to ‘Jesus and God:’ DOJ

    Mother cut her infant son’s neck to send him to ‘Jesus and God:’ DOJ

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    A U.S. Army wife has been charged with murder after she killed her 11-month-old son at their home on a Georgia military base, saying she wanted to send the baby to “be with Jesus and God,” authorities said.

    April Evalyn Short, 30, of Fort Eisenhower, Georgia, has been charged by federal complaint with murder, with an aggravating circumstance of the alleged crime occurring during an act of child abuse, according to a statement by Jill E. Steinberg, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

    Officials at Fort Eisenhower said in an online statement that the victim was the son of April Short and her husband, Staff Sergeant James Short. The couple’s two other children, ages 6 and 11, were home when their little brother was killed on Wednesday, authorities said.

    April Short used a knife to cut the neck of her 11-month-old baby, who was rushed to Eisenhower Army Medical Center but unable to be saved, according to Steinberg.

    April Evalyn Short, 30, of Fort Eisenhower, Georgia, is charged with murder after authorities said she cut her 11-month-old son’s neck, according to Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
    Jefferson County Detention Center

    Newsweek reached out via phone on Saturday night to representatives for Fort Eisenhower and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for comment. It was unclear at the time of publication if April Short had an attorney who could speak on her behalf.

    Around 8 a.m. on Wednesday, James Short was on duty when he received a text message from his wife that caused him to become worried for the well-being of his children, according to the criminal complaint obtained by local media outlets The Augusta Press and WJBF.

    The concerning message made references to God and said, “The days of darkness are upon us,” prompting him to call his wife who did not pick up, the criminal complaint states.

    James Short returned home and found his wife barricaded in their primary bedroom with the baby and two other children. When he was unable to get into the adjoining primary bathroom, he called 911.

    Officers with the Military Police and Department of the Army Civilian Police (DACP) arrived and were able to coax April Short out of the house but as police tried to detain her, she initially attempted to flee, the court documents state.

    Authorities did not say if the two other children had suffered any injuries, but the criminal complaint states that April Short threatened to cut the 6-year-old girl if she didn’t stop crying.

    When April Short was apprehended, James Short realized that his wife did not have their infant son with her, according to the criminal complaint. Around 9 a.m., he found the baby boy wrapped in a plastic shower curtain in the bathroom where he was bleeding from apparent neck wounds.

    When FBI agents interviewed the older children, the 6-year-old said that her mother got knives and said she “was going to help” her little brother “be with Jesus and God.” April Short also told the children, “Don’t come into the bathroom because it might be really scary,” according to the court documents.

    During an interview with investigators, April Short admitted to wrapping the infant in a shower curtain inside the bathtub and using a knife to cut his neck, saying that she knew what she did was “wrong” and “evil.”

    While April Short made an initial court appearance on Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian K. Epps, she has not yet entered a plea, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

    She’s been ordered by the court to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

    “There is reasonable cause to believe [April Short] may suffer from a mental disease or defect rendering her mentally incompetent to the extent she is unable to understand the nature and consequences of the proceedings against her or to assist properly in her defense,” the court order states.

    April Short is currently in the custody of U.S. Marshals and is being held at Jefferson County Detention Center to await further proceedings.

    The case is being investigated by the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division with assistance from the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Henry W. Syms Jr. and Patricia G. Rhodes.