Hegseth, Senior Leaders Honor Military's Top Recruiters

Dec. 18, 2025 | By Matthew Olay, Pentagon News |

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and other senior War Department officials honored the military's top recruiters today during the inaugural Recruitment Excellence Forum at the Pentagon.

A byproduct of Hegseth's recently established Recruitment Task Force, the event aimed to recognize the hard work put in by 26 of the most successful recruiters from the departments of the Army, Navy and Air Force during fiscal year 2025. 

"This is to say thank you — first and foremost — and to recognize excellence, which is what we want to do here, in every service: [recognize] the best of the best, incentivize everybody [to] work hard and [then] reward that," Hegseth told the recruiters while gathered in the Pentagon's press briefing room. 

The secretary praised the recruiters for achieving the highest number of enlisted accessions in the past 15 years, with all branches averaging a roughly 104% mission completion rate. 

"There's a lot of things contributing to [why] someone may or may not qualify to get into the military [and] you guys cut through all of that. You find great Americans who want to serve, and you've signed them up in record numbers," Hegseth said. 

He noted that recruiting is closely monitored at the highest levels — including as high up as the White House — because it serves as a "feedback loop" from the American people.  

"You can talk about polls, [and] you can talk about money, but men and women willing to serve and put on the uniform is a reflection of the belief they have in civilian leadership and military leadership," Hegseth said.  

Along with recognizing the recruiters, Hegseth said the forum was an opportunity for the department to get feedback from the recruiters on how their jobs could be made easier — a sentiment echoed by other senior War Department leaders who attended the event. 

"What we want to hear is how [we] can help you. You're the best of the best; you're the most successful [recruiters] out there. How can we help you be more successful, and how can we help those that come behind you be more successful?" Undersecretary of War for Personnel and Readiness Anthony J. Tata said at the start of a roundtable discussion. 

"[Recruiting is] tough work. … You're convincing and talking to people about making a life-changing decision about service, and that is really difficult work," Chief Pentagon Spokesman and Senior Advisor Sean Parnell told the recruiters during the roundtable. 

"And we just want to let you know from the top of this building that you're appreciated … [and] we're going to do everything that we can to empower you, to cut red tape and to help you accomplish your mission," he added. 

Many of the recruiters in attendance explained what motivates them to do such a demanding and often taxing job. 

"It's 100% because of the impact that we make on young lives, on the individuals that I recruit that [might be] homeless, that don't have anything going for themselves … and they want to do something bigger with their lives and just serve their country," said Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Abel Layton Jr., a recruiter assigned to El Paso, Texas. 

"Watching them come back as Marines — that's 100% the main reason why I enjoy doing this job," he added. 

"[Recruiting is] important to me, and I think it's important to everyone I know who's in recruiting, because we are dedicated to the organization — and the goals and values of the organization — and [to] aligning those goals and values with the American public," explained Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Dupuis, a National Guard recruiter assigned to Denver. 

"We don't take people and give them a job; we take civilians, and we make them members of the military," he added. 

Some of the recruiters also expressed their appreciation for being invited to Washington and for being recognized by the Recruiting Excellence Forum. 

"It's an absolute honor to be here, first of all. It's really awesome to be recognized for the work that we're doing day in and day out, because it's not easy to be on recruiting duty, and I don't think a lot of people really understand it until they've been in it," said Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Ashley Lynch, a recruiter assigned to Atlanta. 

"For them to put on something like this and to recognize the work that we're doing, I think it speaks volumes," she added. 

Hegseth closed out his remarks by once again underscoring the War Department's commitment to equipping the recruiting community with the tools it needs for success. 

"Our job is to create an environment to make you more successful as sailors, as warfighters … [and], if we're making your job easier and making you more effective, then we're doing our job correctly," he said. 

"Please give us all the information that you have … [and] feed it to our folks while you're here today so that we can improve even more," Hegseth told the recruiters, adding, "And just keep being the best of the best."

Department of War Statement on the Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform Act

Dec. 17, 2025 |

Assistant to the Secretary of War for Public Affairs and Senior Advisor Sean Parnell provided the following statement:

"The Department of War thanks Chairman Cruz, Ranking Member Cantwell, Sen. Moran, Sen. Marshall, and Sen. Duckworth for their leadership on the Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform Act which would enhance communications to improve aviation safety. The Department supports this legislation and appreciates the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation's continued partnership and dialogue to account for critical national security operations. The Department looks forward to continuing the productive dialogue with the Committee to finalize the bill, and working towards its ultimate passage."

Trump, Hegseth, Caine, Nordhaus Honor Soldiers, Interpreter Killed in Syria

Dec. 17, 2025 | By David Vergun, Pentagon News |

President Donald J. Trump, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Air Force Gen. Steven S. Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau, attended a dignified transfer today at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. 

The fallen are Army Sgts. William Howard and Edgar Torres Tovar, both assigned to 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, Iowa Army National Guard, and Ayad Mansoor Sakat, who was working as an interpreter. They were deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.   

They died Dec. 13 in Palmyra, Syria, from injuries sustained while engaging with hostile forces. 

Earlier in the week, leaders commented on the news. 

"We mourn the loss, and we pray for them and their parents and their loved ones," Trump said. 

In a social media post, Hegseth asked the nation to join him in "prayer for the souls of the brave soldiers ... who were killed by Islamic terrorists in Syria," adding, "Their memory will live on through their families, their fellow warriors still serving our country, and in my unwavering commitment to our warfighters around the globe."   

Nordhaus said in a social media post that the entire National Guard family mourns their loss. 

"Our hearts are with their families, loved ones and the Iowa National Guard during this time of profound sorrow," he added. "We honor their courage and sacrifice, and we will never forget them or their service." 

NORAD Celebrates 70 Years of Tracking Santa

Dec. 16, 2025 | By David Vergun, Pentagon News |

This Christmas season marks seven decades of the North American Aerospace Defense Command tracking Santa Claus on radar as he flies his reindeer-powered sleigh around the globe. 

"NORAD tracks Santa, but only Santa knows his route, which means we cannot predict where and when he will arrive at your house," said a senior NORAD official. 

Fighter pilots have intercepted Santa many times over the years. When they do, the pilots tip their wings in greetings and often take photos, the official said. 

NORAD has Santa cams in space that take video of him flying. These videos appear online almost every hour on Christmas Eve. 

NORAD's Santa Operations Center is fully functional beginning Dec. 24 at 4 a.m. MST. Children can call 877-446-6723 to talk directly to a Santa tracker, who will be able to tell callers his current location. Operators are available until midnight. 

More than 1,000 Canadian and American uniformed personnel, War Department civilians and local participants at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where NORAD is located, volunteer their time Christmas Eve to answer the hundreds of thousands of phone calls that come in from around the world. 

Santa is currently at the North Pole where he lives with Mrs. Claus and the elves, who make toys and take care of the reindeer year-round. Each year on Dec. 24, Santa Claus and his reindeer launch from the North Pole very early in the morning for their famous trip around the world. 

The minute they launch, NORAD starts to track him, the official said. 

Besides tracking Santa, NORAD is responsible for aerospace and maritime warning in defense of North America. The organization is jointly run by the U.S. and Canadian militaries. 

NORAD's predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command, began tracking Santa in 1955. NORAD took over in 1958. 

Medal of Honor Monday: Army Pfc. Dirk Vlug

Dec. 15, 2025 | By Katie Lange, Pentagon News |

During World War II, Army Pfc. Dirk John Cornelius Vlug singlehandedly went up against five enemy tanks during the liberation of the Philippines, and miraculously, he won. The modest Midwesterner's brazen actions allowed his company to further its goal, and they made him the recipient of the nation's highest honor for valor.

Vlug was born Aug. 20, 1916, in Maple Lake, Minnesota, to Dutch immigrants Isaac and Mina Vlug. He had four sisters and a brother.

When Vlug was 6, the family moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, so his father could pursue better work opportunities. According to a 1987 Grand Rapids Press newspaper article, when the Great Depression hit, Vlug dropped out of high school and began working to help support the family.

By April 1941, Vlug was drafted into the Army as a cannoneer assigned to the 1st Battalion, 126th Infantry Regiment, 32nd Infantry Division. After the attacks on Pearl Harbor, the division was one of the first Army units sent to the Pacific theater in April 1942. The 32nd Infantry Division went on to spend more days in combat than any other division.

Vlug took part in several island-hopping campaigns across the Pacific. By autumn 1944, the 32nd Infantry had landed on Leyte Island in the Philippines as part of the campaign to liberate it from Japanese forces that had pushed the Allies out two years prior.

On Dec. 15, 1944, Vlug's Headquarters Company was defending an American roadblock near the village of Limon when they saw a group of enemy tanks moving toward them. Almost immediately, Vlug left the safety of his covered position and moved alone toward the tanks, despite the intense enemy machine gun and 37 mm fire directed his way. Armed with a rocket launcher and six rounds of ammunition, he took aim and fired, destroying the first tank and killing all its occupants with a single round.

As the crew of the second tank jumped off their vehicle to attack on foot, Vlug killed one of them with his pistol. The other attackers then ran back to their tank; however, once they were inside, Vlug proceeded to destroy it with a second rocket launcher round.

When three more enemy tanks moved up the road, Vlug flanked the first and took it out before pushing through a hail of enemy fire to destroy the second. He then used his last round of ammunition on the final tank, causing it to crash down a steep embankment.

Without any assistance, Vlug had destroyed five hostile tanks and killed numerous enemy soldiers. That heroism helped his company hold the blockade and later push forward toward liberation.

After being discharged from the Army in June 1945, Vlug returned to Grand Rapids and worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs for a short time before taking a job at a manufacturing plant where his brother also worked. He was on the job when he learned that he was to receive the Medal of Honor. It was an honor he remained modest about his whole life.

"I was no different than any other soldier. I saw a chance and took it," Vlug said of his actions during a Grand Rapids Press interview in 1980. "I guess, though, you have to be a keyed-up sort of guy to do what I did. You can't just sit back and let things happen."

On June 7, 1946, Vlug received the nation's highest honor for valor from President Harry S. Truman during a White House ceremony that also honored three other soldiers and one Marine.

Later that year, Vlug married Angie Sikkema, whom he'd initially been introduced to during the war via mail and later met in person after returning to the States, newspapers reported. The couple went on to have three daughters.

Vlug continued his military service by serving for two years in the National Guard, rising to the rank of master sergeant. He took a job as a mail carrier in 1950 and held that position for 26 years before retiring.

In his later years, Vlug enjoyed golfing, bowling and building birdhouses, and he remained active among veterans' groups. According to his family and friends, his life was characterized by humility, and he rarely talked about his exploits during the war.

In 1992, Vlug received Michigan's highest military honor, the Distinguished Service Medal. Two years later, the 78-year-old was one of two Medal of Honor recipients invited to attend the 50th commemoration of the liberation of the Philippines. Vlug and his wife made the trek to the island nation, his first time setting foot there since the war.   

Vlug died on June 25, 1996, at the age of 79. He is buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Grand Rapids.

His home state has not forgotten his heroics. In 1999, a section of the Veterans Memorial Parkway in Grand Rapids was renamed Dirk Vlug Way. His Medal of Honor is also on permanent display at the Michigan Heroes Museum in Frankenmuth, Michigan.  

Trump Awards Soldiers, Marines Border Defense Medal

Dec. 15, 2025 | By Matthew Olay, Pentagon News |

President Donald J. Trump awarded a group of 13 soldiers and Marines with the recently established Mexican Border Defense Medal during a ceremony today at the White House.  

Established Aug. 13, 2025, via a memo signed by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, the MBDM — which is backdated to Jan. 20 — recognizes service members who deployed as part of Joint Task Force Southern Border to the U.S.-Mexico border to provide military support for the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. 

"On Day 1 of my administration, I signed an executive order making it [the] core mission of the United States military to protect and defend the homeland, and today we're here to honor our military men and women for their central role in the protection of our border," Trump said prior to the presentation of the medals. 

The president added that border security was an issue he placed a great deal of emphasis on during his most recent campaign for the presidency, and that the men and women of the military are doing an outstanding job of ensuring that security. 

"They're unbelievable; they make us all look good," Trump said of the service members. 

Hegseth spoke about the border mission's importance earlier in the day while meeting with the awardees at the Pentagon.  

"I think it's really cool that the folks that we have here … get a chance to stand there with their commander in chief in front of the country, for this incredible mission, which started on Day 1 of this administration," Hegseth told the group. 

He went on to say that border security is a core mission related to defending the U.S. in its own hemisphere.  

"It's getting down to that border and getting control of it; and whether it's hanging concertina wire and reinforcing fencing or patrolling … you guys have jumped at the mission, gotten after it, and I think it's been six months of effectively zero crossings on the southern border, which [was] the goal," he continued.  

Hegseth also explained that the newly issued MBDM is an exact replica of the original Mexican Border Service Medal, which was created in 1918 and awarded to U.S. troops who fought against the paramilitary forces of Francisco "Pancho" Villa during the Mexican Revolution.

Many of the awardees — who, according to Hegseth, represent approximately 25,000 service members who currently qualify for the MBDM — said they felt honored to be recognized for their efforts on the border. 

"It's an absolute honor, you know, because I have a lot [of friends] out there [on the border] that do a lot of good on this mission, and to see that what we do is actually making an impact and seeing the result is absolutely astonishing; it's awesome," said Army Sgt. Jhonier Marin, a reservist assigned to the 808th Engineer Company who spent months patrolling the border near El Centro, California, and Eagle Pass, Texas. 

"[The border mission] was very impactful. I feel what we're doing [benefits] the country, and it feels good to see the benefit of the work that [the military] has done," said Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Zeth Collins, who served as a welder and boom operator in support of JTF-SB.  

"This is not a secondary mission. … This is the front [line] of the defense of this country. We're taking it seriously [and] it starts with human beings," Hegseth told the awardees.

"You're on the front lines of locking it down for the American people; so, thank you for everything you've done," he added.  

Prior to the MBDM's aforementioned revival, service members who served on the border were recognized with the Armed Forces Service Medal.

Statement by Chief Pentagon Spokesman, Sean Parnell, on the Restoring Honor to Service Members Separated Under the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccine Mandate Memorandum

Dec. 15, 2025 |

The Secretary of War recently directed the military departments to proactively review personnel records of service members involuntarily discharged solely for refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine and facilitate discharge upgrades as appropriate.  

Under the previous administration, the Department involuntarily separated approximately 8,700 Service members for failing to comply with the Department's since-rescinded COVID-19 vaccination mandate. Of those, more than 3,000 received less than honorable discharge characterizations. The military departments have been directed to complete their respective proactive reviews within one calendar year. Former service members won't need to do anything; the Department will look into the potential upgrades on its own.

Any service member or veteran who believes that their records reflect an error or injustice should visit the military review boards website at https://www.milreviewbds.mil for information on how to apply for relief.

Additionally, the Department is eager to welcome those former service members back to service. Individuals will have until April 1, 2026, to take advantage of this reinstatement opportunity. More information can be found at https://www.war.gov/Spotlights/COVID-19-Reinstatement/.

The Department is committed to ensuring that everyone who should have received a fully honorable discharge receives one and continues to right wrongs and restore confidence in, and honor to our fighting force.

High-Tech Helpers: NORAD Volunteers Track Santa's Journey

Dec. 15, 2025 | By Katie Lange, Pentagon News |

Each December, millions of families around the world follow along as Santa Claus makes his Yuletide trek around the globe, but the holiday tradition wouldn't be possible without the North American Aerospace Defense Command's Santa Tracker.  

The Santa-tracking enterprise has grown into a massive volunteer operation that started by accident decades ago. 

Kids across the U.S. have grown accustomed to following Santa's journey by tracking his flight path online or by making an old-fashioned phone call to NORAD to find out where his next stop is. They're also able to play games and watch videos of his progress through the mobile "NORAD Tracks Santa" app.  

All of this is possible, of course, thanks to hard-working personnel at NORAD. They start the task of tracking Santa each November, when NORADSanta.org starts getting inquiries from families. About 50 national and local contributors help set up the website, apps and phone lines, while about 1,000 uniformed personnel, War Department civilians, their families and supporters volunteer their time on Christmas Eve to answer questions on St. Nick's whereabouts.

High-Tech Tools Required 

NORAD protects the skies over North America all year long, so it makes sense that the command is especially equipped for this mission.

NORAD's powerful radar system, called the North Warning System, has 49 installations across Alaska and northern Canada. As soon as that radar system picks up on Santa departing from the North Pole, NORAD tracks him using infrared sensors from globally integrated satellites that normally allow NORAD to see heat from launched rockets or missiles. As Santa flies through the skies, satellites track his position by detecting Rudolph's nose, which gives off an infrared signature similar to that of a missile. 

NORAD also uses U.S. Air Force F-15, F-16, F-22 and Canadian Air Force CF-18 fighter jets to track Santa. On Christmas Eve, fighter pilots rendezvous with Santa off the coast of Newfoundland to welcome him to the continent. They then safely escort him through North American airspace until he's ready to return to the North Pole.  

The operation has become a well-oiled machine over the years, but it wasn't always. In fact, the whole thing began as a fluke.  

An Accident Becomes Tradition 

In 1955, the folks at the previously named Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center in Colorado were working a typical night shift when Air Force Col. Harry Shoup received a phone call from a child in Colorado Springs. Using directions he found in a local newspaper ad, the boy tried to call Santa directly. However, the number in the ad was printed incorrectly, so instead, he called CADCOC.  

Shoup could have been a scrooge about the whole thing, but he wasn't. He entertained the boy's call as well as the rest of the calls that came through because of the misprinted number. Throughout the night, Shoup and his operators answered the calls, and thus began a new tradition. 

The role of tracking Ole St. Nick was handed to NORAD when the command was formed in 1958, and it's been getting more popular and more technologically savvy ever since. Aside from calling in to talk, kids can now use social media and a mobile app to follow Santa. Artificial intelligence services help track him, and the website NORADSanta.org offers a countdown clock, games and videos available in several languages. 

New in 2025, people can call into the operations center directly through a free calling option on the website, allowing millions more families overseas to call NORAD for updates on Santa's journey.   

The tracking of Santa is a holiday tradition around the world. On Christmas Eve in 2024, NORADSanta.org received approximately 32 million views from around the globe, while call center volunteers answered about 380,000 calls. The @noradsanta Facebook page currently has 1.9 million followers, more than 207,500 follow along at @noradsanta on X and about 29,500 people follow @NoradTracksSanta_Official on Instagram.  

The call center opens at 6 a.m. EST Dec. 24. Kids can call 877-Hi-NORAD (877-446-6723) to find out Santa's location, or use the above website, mobile app or social media. But officials warned that Santa only comes if children are asleep, so make sure they get into bed early, so he doesn't miss your house. 

Happy tracking, everyone!  

Seven Minutes of Silence

This is a fictional account. Yet nothing in it is imagined without reference. The systems, capabilities, and behaviors described are drawn from documented military realities and the lessons of past conflicts—lessons that history shows are often forgotten until they reappear under new names, in new places, with familiar consequences.

 

Precipitating Event 

The incident that would later be called The Gulf Miscalculation began without gunfire.

At 0417 local time, a Venezuelan air-defense radar site on the Paraguaná Peninsula detected a high-altitude track approaching from the north—steady speed, consistent heading, no transponder response. The operator, a lieutenant barely six months out of advanced training, flagged it as anomalous. The system had been temperamental for weeks, plagued by intermittent outages and calibration errors. But the track persisted.

The political atmosphere made caution impossible. For months, Caracas had warned of “imperialist reconnaissance flights” probing Venezuelan sovereignty. State television had replayed images of U.S. naval deployments in the Caribbean, narrating them as preparation for invasion. Senior officers had instructed air-defense units to demonstrate vigilance—any hesitation would be treated as dereliction.

The contact never crossed Venezuelan airspace. It did not need to.

At higher headquarters, a duty officer interpreted the track differently. The altitude and signature suggested a supporting asset—possibly an intelligence or refueling aircraft operating in international airspace but within theoretical engagement range. A request for clarification was sent up the chain. The reply came back terse: Maintain readiness. Do not allow provocation to go unanswered.

The rules of engagement had been rewritten two weeks earlier. They were defensive in language, aggressive in interpretation.

At 0431, the radar briefly lost lock, reacquired, then lost it again. The system’s software flagged potential electronic interference. To the operators, that confirmed hostile intent.

At 0436, authorization was granted at the sector level—not national command—to illuminate the track with fire-control radar. The action was framed as signaling, not attack.

The U.S. aircraft detected the illumination immediately.

Seven minutes later, a surface-to-air missile left its launcher—not on a firing solution, but close enough to remove doubt.

The missile self-destructed over the Caribbean.

The war began anyway.

---

Hour 0–6: Recognition

Washington learned of the incident not from Caracas, but from the crew.

The pilot’s voice came through calm but clipped: “We were painted. Missile launch detected. No damage. We are clear.”

In the National Military Command Center, the phrase missile launch detected froze the room. There was no ambiguity in the sensor data. This was not a flare. Not a radar glitch. Not a warning shot in the old sense.

It was an act.

The President was woken within minutes. The briefing was short, factual, and deliberately restrained. No mention was made of retaliation. Only confirmation.

Caracas, meanwhile, announced nothing.

Inside Miraflores Palace, the mood was celebratory, then uncertain. The Defense Minister framed the event as a successful deterrent action—proof that Venezuela would not be intimidated. The Foreign Ministry urged silence, hoping to shape the narrative before Washington could.

But Washington did not speak either.

That silence unnerved everyone.

Markets reacted before governments did. Oil futures spiked. Insurance underwriters quietly suspended coverage for commercial traffic in parts of the southern Caribbean. Airlines rerouted.

By dawn, both militaries had raised readiness levels—not mobilization, but posture. Ships adjusted spacing. Aircraft shifted orbits. Commanders were told to expect friction.

No one fired another shot.

Yet.

---

Hour 6–12: Posture

The United States did not respond with force. That decision surprised Caracas—and worried allies.

Instead, the response came as movement.

A Carrier Strike Group operating legally in international waters adjusted its position—not closer, but broader, widening its operational footprint. Support ships altered course. Surveillance assets multiplied. None crossed Venezuelan airspace.

This was escalation by geometry, not violence.

Publicly, the U.S. statement was brief: “An unprovoked missile launch against a U.S. aircraft operating in international airspace represents a dangerous and unacceptable action. The United States reserves the right to defend its forces.”

In Caracas, that sentence was dissected word by word.

Unprovoked.
International airspace.
Defend its forces.

State media denounced it as imperial rhetoric, but the military understood the subtext. The United States was asserting legal clarity, not emotional outrage. That was more dangerous.

Venezuelan air-defense units were ordered to disperse. Mobility drills commenced. Missile batteries relocated under camouflage nets and civilian cover infrastructure. Communications shifted to lower-power modes.

The problem was coordination.

Years of sanctions and internal political purges had hollowed out institutional trust. Units followed orders, but not always the same orders. Some commanders interpreted restraint as weakness. Others feared triggering something they could not control.

By mid-day, a Venezuelan coastal patrol vessel challenged a U.S. Navy ship over radio—routine, scripted language. The U.S. response was polite, professional, and recorded.

No shots fired.

But the sound of engines, radars, and voices filled the silence where diplomacy used to be.

---

Hour 12–24: Pressure Without Contact

The first night passed with no kinetic exchange.

That, too, was a decision.

U.S. doctrine emphasizes control of escalation—applying pressure without forcing the adversary into a corner where pride outweighs reason. That pressure came through information dominance.

Caracas discovered that several of its government websites were unreachable. No attribution was made. Power flickered briefly in parts of the capital, then returned. State television blamed aging infrastructure.

Inside the Venezuelan military, confusion spread. Orders contradicted each other. Some radar units were told to remain dark. Others were told to stay active. The fear was not attack—it was miscalculation.

In Washington, the President met with senior advisors late into the night. The question was not whether the United States could dominate the conflict. It was whether doing so would stabilize the region or shatter it.

Latin American allies urged restraint. Russia issued a statement calling for calm, conspicuously avoiding promises of support. China said nothing.

That silence was noticed.

At 0214 local time, a Venezuelan radar briefly locked onto another U.S. aircraft, then disengaged. The operator hesitated, finger hovering over the console.

He did nothing.

---

Hour 24–36: The First Casualties

The first casualties were not military.

A Venezuelan commercial vessel transiting near the Gulf of Venezuela reported GPS interference and altered course, colliding with a smaller fishing craft. Two sailors were lost at sea.

The government blamed U.S. electronic warfare. The United States denied involvement.

Both statements could be true.

By mid-morning, protests erupted in Caracas—not against the United States, but against uncertainty. Food deliveries slowed. Fuel lines lengthened. Rumors traveled faster than facts.

Inside the Venezuelan high command, a fracture emerged. One faction argued that the initial missile launch had succeeded—Washington had not struck back. Another argued the opposite: the absence of immediate retaliation meant the United States was shaping something larger.

The Defense Minister requested explicit political guidance.

The President hesitated.

Leadership in crisis is not about strength alone. It is about timing.

That hesitation would matter.

---

Hour 36–48: The Point of No Return

The second night brought clarity of a sort.

A Venezuelan air-defense unit, operating under degraded communications, detected a contact it believed was violating sovereign airspace. It was wrong. The track was a civilian aircraft rerouted due to regional instability.

The missile was launched.

It struck the aircraft at cruising altitude.

There were no survivors.

Within minutes, the truth was undeniable. The flight data. The debris field. The transponder logs.

This was no longer a bilateral incident.

Washington’s response was immediate and public.

“This was a tragedy born of reckless militarization,” the Secretary of State said. “It will not go unanswered.”

Carrier aircraft did not launch strikes. Not yet.

But the world understood what had changed.

The conflict was no longer hypothetical.

It had names.

---

Epilogue of the First Forty-Eight Hours

By the end of the second day, both sides had lost control of the narrative they believed they commanded.

The United States had not sought war—but it now faced one.

Venezuela had sought deterrence—but had demonstrated danger.

Neither had planned the path from radar lock to catastrophe.

That is how modern wars begin.

Not with declarations.

But with systems, stress, and human judgment failing at the same moment.

50 years of Army-Navy Student Exchange Program

Dec. 12, 2025 | By Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Sarah M. Thielen |

Every year at the Army-Navy football game, one of the most anticipated traditions is the "prisoner exchange," and this year marks the 50th year of the exchange program between the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. 

At midfield, a handful of cadets and midshipmen are ceremonially returned to their home side of the stadium after spending the fall semester at their rival academy. 

"The Service Academy Exchange Program is a voluntary and competitive application process at West Point," said Noah Keith, a class of 2027 West Point cadet. "At the beginning of second semester sophomore year, everyone with a cumulative GPA over 3.3 is invited to apply." 

Under the program, cadets and midshipmen spend the fall semester at their rival academy, living in barracks, attending classes and training together alongside the other service. The memorandum of agreement between each school's commandant formalized the process. Today, it is considered a one-for-one swap in most cases. 

"I got interested in the West Point exchange during my [freshman] year when I saw the prisoner exchange for the first time," said Michael Middleton, a Naval Academy senior. "I asked my upperclassmen who they were and how they got to do that. That interest grew as I became interested in commissioning as a Marine Corps officer." 

Reasons for applying may differ, but for each academy, it's not a guarantee you'll be accepted. 

"West Point selects the cadets going to each of the service academies. I found out I was going to [the Naval Academy] around spring break," Keith said. 

This tradition has its roots in much earlier academic exchanges and weekend trips. As far back as 1945, cadets and midshipmen began swapping campuses for short, informal weekend visits that laid the groundwork for this long-held tradition among the sister academies. 

"I got to study subjects like grand strategy and generalship that I would have never [gotten] the opportunity to study in Annapolis," Middleton said. "I would recommend for everyone at USNA to apply. It was an invaluable experience to learn the joint environment and make interservice friendships." 

In 1975, the program expanded into a semester-long service academy exchange. The program is designed to build professional understanding between the future officers of both services. 

"I have really enjoyed my time on the yard," Keith said. "This semester I have been taking sailing lessons on the [Nonsuch] 26 sailboats and earned my [basic] qualification — I've had a lot of fun learning to sail and being out on the water." 

On game day, the symbolic return is more than pageantry. It marks the end of a semester spent in "enemy territory" and showcases the balance between healthy rivalry and camaraderie. Once the exchange is complete, the cadets and midshipmen rejoin their classmates in the stands to cheer on their team for the remainder of the game. 

"I would highly recommend the exchange experience to cadets at West Point. It has been a very rewarding experience going into and embracing a new culture and military perspective," Keith said. 

The exchange serves as a symbol of unity between branches despite the competitive nature between both service academies. The midshipmen and cadets may battle fiercely on the athletic fields, but they share the same ultimate mission. After graduation, they will serve together in defense of our nation. 

"Being a part of this tradition makes me feel closer to the institution and more invested in our naval service. The Army vs. Navy game is not just a sporting event for me anymore. It is a reminder of the brothers and sisters I have in the Army and how we are all fighting for each other," Middleton said. 

West Virginia Guardsman Laid to Rest

Dec. 11, 2025 | By Army Sgt. 1st Class Jon Soucy, 153rd Public Affairs Detachment |

Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, a military police officer assigned to the 863rd Military Police Company, West Virginia Army National Guard, was laid to rest with full military honors during a ceremony at the West Virginia National Cemetery in Grafton, West Virginia, Dec. 9.

Beckstrom, 20, died Nov. 27 after she was fatally wounded in the line of duty in a shooting the previous day near Farragut Square in Washington. 

"As you look across these hills and out onto the rows of headstones, each stone a brick to the foundation of freedom upon which we stand today, I encourage you to remember this," said Army Chaplain (Maj.) Christopher Bennett, 111th Engineer Brigade, as he presided over the ceremony. "No plots in the West Virginia national cemeteries can be purchased. Each must be earned, and we know Spc. Sarah Beckstrom has earned her place here among us today." 

Beckstrom is survived by her mother, Evalea Beckstrom, father, Gary Beckstrom, sisters, Nicole and Christina, and brothers, Bryan and Wesley.

The service was attended by family members, friends and dignitaries, including West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey; Sens. Shelley Moore Capito and Jim Justice, Reps. Carol Miller and Riley Moore; Air Force Gen. Steve Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau; Army Lt. Gen. Jon Stubbs, director of the Army National Guard; and West Virginia National Guard Army Maj. Gen. Jim Seward, adjutant general, and Army Command Sgt. Maj. James Jones, senior enlisted leader.      

Sarah Diane Beckstrom was born May 17, 2005, and was a 2023 honor graduate of Webster County High School in Upperglade, West Virginia. She enlisted in the West Virginia Army National Guard not long after graduation and completed basic and advanced training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, that summer. 

In August 2025, she and other members of the West Virginia National Guard, including members of her unit, were mobilized for service in Washington as part of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force, which saw more than 2,000 guardsmen from six states provide additional security at key locations in the district.    

Unit members described her as a quiet professional who exemplified dedication and always put others above herself. Many recalled her quick smile, infectious laughter and her ability to inspire others.

She was an observant person who loved exploring and spent her off-duty hours in the district taking in museums and overall city life, her family said.    

Beckstrom was enrolled at Glenville State University in Glenville, West Virginia, and intended to pursue studies related to mental health.    

A passionate lover of animals, she was a "dog momma to one pup," said family members, and was known to often carry snacks to share with squirrels she might have encountered. She was shy, quiet and reserved until she got to know people, her family said, and she loved music. Pasta was a favorite food, and she especially enjoyed playing arcade games. 

An avid reader, she was especially drawn to poetry and was reading Rupi Kaur's "Milk and Honey."

Family members described her as "a gentle soul who loved and lived deeply," and someone who sought human connections. 

"There are many understandable responses to Sarah's tragic murder," Bennett said. "Anger, grief and confusion are natural and understandable, and God is big enough to handle all of those emotions and more. We can take comfort in knowing that God is just, and that in the end, justice will be served."    

Her military awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, West Virginia Legion of Merit, the D.C. Distinguished Service Medal and the D.C. Humanitarian Service Medal.