Hegseth Speaks at Inaugural Gold Star Advisory Council Meeting

Sept. 29, 2025 | By Matthew Olay, Pentagon News |

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth today chaired the first-ever meeting of the War Department's Gold Star Advisory Council, during which he vowed to improve the Pentagon's overall process for interacting with Gold Star families, including the department's Casualty Assistance Program.   

Gold Star family members are the surviving relatives of U.S. service members who died in the line of duty. 

Hegseth established the council — which is tasked with honoring the memories of fallen service members and ensuring their family members are never forgotten or left behind — in May with the signing of a memo. 

"For far too long — especially in our generation — there was just a big gap between what 'right' looks like and what reality was. Whether it's husbands or wives or fathers or mothers, the whole casualty assistance and Gold Star process was broken," Hegseth said, adding that Gold Star families should be welcomed into the arms of a grateful nation, rather than running into bureaucracy or being unable to get the answers they need. 

"Our charge here is that there's a lot of things that are broken [and] a lot of things that need to change. … We may not have broken them, but we're in charge now and we're going to fix them, and we're going to do everything we can," Hegseth said.  

The Gold Star Advisory Council will seek to elevate the voices of Gold Star family members directly to War Department leadership to "tackle real concerns and transform the casualty process for good," Hegseth told the media earlier in the day, adding that the council has his "full backing to call out the failures, shake up the bureaucratic status quo and drive the changes that will stick."  

Co-vice chairs of the council include Anthony Tata, undersecretary of war for personnel and readiness, and Gold Star wife Jane Horton, who also serves as a senior advisor to Hegseth. 

"As much as I can humanly understand — and I know I can't understand everything that each of you have been through — I know the responsibility I have … to make sure we get this right … and to make sure that we take care of all of you and everyone that you represent," Tata told the Gold Star family members in attendance.  

"And you have my commitment in that regard," he added. 

Horton told the Gold Star family members in attendance that it was an honor to serve them and to represent their fallen service members. She also said she has confidence in Hegseth's commitment to the council. 

"I know that [Hegseth] means it when he says that we're going to get things done and that there's going to be action behind these words," Horton said.   

During the meeting, Hegseth was sure to credit past efforts made by those who worked in the War Department's Gold Star program, stating that it wasn't for a lack of caring that the program had deficiencies. 

"It was just not enough concentration on forging that solution that really works and really shows the humanity to a process that is ultimately a human process," Hegseth said. 

"Hopefully we can aggregate all of that [previous hard work] with the authority of the secretary's office and drive some of that change that maybe just couldn't get done because it wasn't happening at this level," he added.    

Army's 1st Cavalry Division Conducts First Switchblade 600 Live-Fire Exercise

Sept. 29, 2025 | By Heather Ashley, Fort Hood Public Affairs Office |

As part of Pegasus Charge, 1st Cavalry Division's effort in support of the Army's "Transforming in Contact" initiative to modernize armored formations, soldiers assigned to the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, conducted Fort Hood's first live-fire exercise of the Switchblade 600 Loitering Munition System, Sept. 15. 

 
The Switchblade 600 — a tube-launched, unmanned aircraft system — has already seen extensive use by Special Operations Forces, light infantry units and foreign partners. The 1st Cavalry Division is among the first armored units to field the system. 
 
"This is the first time for all of our soldiers to see these munitions fired, and you can feel the excitement in the air," said Army Capt. Jeffrey Weller, Multifunctional Reconnaissance Troop commander, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. "The Switchblade enables the brigade to engage targets with precision between 5 and 15 kilometers in front of our forward line of troops, extending our reach and lethality."

Modernizing the Fight

The Army's broader Transforming in Contact initiative aims to overhaul how armored formations fight by integrating new technologies, particularly drones and advanced communications.

"A huge thing the Army has seen across multiple battlefields, whether in Ukraine or elsewhere, is the rapid modernization and high usage of drones," Weller said. "We're taking those lessons learned and revamping our [unmanned aircraft] systems to stay ahead of adversaries." 
 
Roughly 5 feet long and weighing 75 pounds, the battery-powered Switchblade 600 resembles a drone, but carries a Javelin multipurpose warhead. It has a flight time of 40 to 45 minutes, a range of up to 27 miles and delivers a 5-pound explosive payload. 
 
"It's a remote-controlled missile that flies like a drone until it gets to the target," explained a flight operations supervisor with the system's manufacturer. "The operator uses onboard cameras to identify, select and engage the target." 
 
Once launched from its tube, the Switchblade can navigate through waypoints, loiter over the target area and strike with precision. Operators also retain the ability to wave off a strike mid-flight if conditions change. 
 
"The Switchblade allows us to target vehicles or small groups of personnel from much farther away than before," Weller said. "It increases our lethality, minimizes collateral damage and helps protect soldiers on the front lines." 

Before the live-fire exercise, soldiers completed a five-day training course with the manufacturer, during which they learned to set up, arm and program the drones for flight and strike missions. 
 
Army Spc. Drake Cross, a Switchblade operator who has flown RQ-7 Shadow and RQ-28 Quadcopter drones for the division, said this was his first experience with a munition-carrying UAS. 
 
"Everything else I've flown has been for surveillance and target acquisition," Cross said. "This is the first one where I can actually deliver a round. It's exciting because it saves soldiers' lives by hitting targets without putting us in danger." 
 
Cross said the system was user-friendly and similar to other UAS platforms, adding, "There's not much of a learning curve. Once you identify and lock onto a target, you can adjust right up until impact to make sure you're hitting what you want."

Looking Ahead

Weller said the Switchblade is just one example of how Transforming in Contact is reshaping the 1st Cavalry Division's armored formations. He noted that the unit will use the system during their upcoming rotation at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California. 
 
"The battlefield is constantly changing, and the Army has to modernize to keep pace," he said. "Seeing systems like the Switchblade in action shows us the future of how our formations will fight. It's a big step toward keeping our soldiers safer and more lethal."

Joint Insertion Training Enables Combined U.S.-Japan Live-Fire Exercise

Sept. 29, 2025 | By Air Force Staff Sgt. Natalie Doan, 374th Airlift Wing |

Airmen assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron conducted a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System rapid insertion training during a joint operational support mission with Marines at Kadena Air Base and Kenebetsu Air Base, Japan, Sept. 18–19, enabling a bilateral live-fire exercise between the Marine Corps and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. 
 
The training gave personnel an opportunity to practice emerging tactics, techniques, and procedures that allow C-130 Hercules aircrews to reload ammo pods into a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System without any material handling equipment, a process known as HIMARS direct reload inside plane. 

 
This marked the first time on record that an Air Mobility Command aircrew within Pacific Air Forces has executed this process, as the 36th Airlift Squadron continues to develop homegrown training events designed to refine the skills needed to support operations in austere environments. 
 
"[This process] pushes and furthers the C130's capabilities for supporting HIMARS and [rapid insertion] operations," said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Trevor Humes, 36th AS instructor loadmaster. "By practicing rapid reload operations, we better enforce the lethality of our joint partners while reducing everyone's period of vulnerability. Being able to practice austere operations proves our readiness for contested environments." 

 
The first day of the mission began with aircrews from the 36th AS departing in two C-130J Super Hercules aircraft from Yokota Air Base to Kadena Air Base, where they met MC-130J Commando II personnel assigned to the 353rd Special Operations Wing, along with Marines from the 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division. 
 
The 353rd SOW is currently writing checklists and procedures for the direct reload mission in conjunction with the 561st Weapons Squadron and provided the 36th AS with the draft publications necessary to prepare them for mission execution. 

 
Additionally, 353rd SOW personnel provided hands-on training to 36th AS aircrews, guiding them through the process of loading an ammo pod into a HIMARS. 
 
The 353rd SOW conducts missions requiring unique skill sets, so expanding the training to 36th AS personnel increases the number of C-130 aircrews capable of maneuvering and sustaining joint operations in the Pacific theater. This added capacity is valuable if the special operations wing is tasked with a low-density, high-demand mission. 
 
Other units at Kadena Air Base further augmented the 36th AS to ensure a successful training. 

 
"This mission wasn't accomplished by one unit," said Air Force Col. Donavan Laskey, 374th Airlift Wing deputy commander. "It was accomplished by multiple units coming together as one team to show what we can do in a joint and combined environment. Our partners from the Marine Corps, 18th Wing, 733rd Air Mobility Squadron and 353rd Special Operations Wing played key roles in making it happen, and it is this kind of teamwork that ensures we are ready to respond whenever and wherever needed." 
 
The 36th AS aircrews departed Kadena the following day for Kenebetsu Air Base, transporting a HIMARS on one C-130J and two ammo pods on another. They then applied the direct reload procedures they had practiced the day before, demonstrating rapid reloading in a realistic environment without traditional support or infrastructure. 
 
This proved to be an invaluable experience for some of the newer aircrew members. 

 
"As a new airman, being part of this training gave me valuable insight into how we prepare for real-world contingency operations," said Air Force Airman 1st Class Andrew Giorgio, 36th AS loadmaster. "It was eye-opening to see the operational capability of the C-130J and how it supports the mission." 
 
Flying crew chiefs assigned to the 374th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron also supported the training, performing regular tasks while augmenting the 36th AS loadmasters to expedite the process. 
 
Airmen assigned to Yokota Air Base regularly conduct training events to strengthen agile combat employment capabilities and build interoperability with joint partners in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. As it looks ahead, the squadron plans to build on this training by increasing efficiency and advancing their ability to respond in the event of a combat mission. 
 
"Our feedback and experiences are shaping future publications for our airframe and fellow aviators," Humes said. "By practicing and honing these procedures, we can take these lessons learned and continue to push the capabilities of our aircraft and partners." 

Naval Hospital in Japan Tests Readiness During Mass Casualty Drill

Sept. 29, 2025 | By Daniel Taylor, Naval Hospital Yokosuka |

Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Yokosuka, Japan, conducted a large-scale mass casualty drill Sept. 23, testing its ability to triage, treat and transport multiple simulated patients during a crisis.

The exercise included 10 simulated casualties, ranging from a femur fracture with controlled bleeding to complex scenarios such as punctured lungs, cardiac emergencies and burn injuries. Throughout the day, patients were received, stabilized and transferred, with the final casualty requiring medical evacuation through Naval Air Facility Atsugi.

In the culminating scenario, medical personnel from Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Unit Sasebo transferred a simulated casualty to Nagasaki Airport, where it was met by a C-12 Huron aircraft assigned to NAF Atsugi and a medical crew from NMRTC Yokosuka. The aircraft flew to Atsugi, where the patient was offloaded and transported by ambulance to Naval Hospital Yokosuka for further treatment.

"This drill gave us the opportunity to test not only our in-hospital care but also our coordination with outside commands, such as Fleet Air Western Pacific, to ensure rapid evacuation when needed," said Nikolai Kerry, emergency manager at NMRTC Yokosuka.

Navy Capt. Torrin Velazquez, commanding officer of NMRTC Yokosuka, emphasized the importance of integrating new patient transport and aviation evacuation procedures into the command’s training cycle.

"Testing these new capabilities is essential to building the kind of muscle memory that ensures our teams can respond instinctively when seconds matter," Velazquez said. "By practicing these processes until they come naturally, we strengthen our readiness and safeguard the lives of those who depend on us. I want to thank every sailor, civilian and partner command who played a role in making this exercise successful."

Mass casualty drills are designed to prepare medical providers, first responders and supporting personnel for large-scale incidents such as natural disasters, terrorist attacks or major accidents. These events test readiness by requiring participants to triage patients, allocate limited resources and coordinate across commands in time-sensitive situations.

"While the scenarios are simulated, the pressure is real," Kerry said. "These drills highlight gaps in our procedures, strengthen teamwork across agencies, and most importantly, help us save lives when an actual emergency happens."

The exercise featured realistic injuries on a timed schedule to challenge hospital personnel. Early scenarios focused on orthopedic trauma, such as wrist and ankle fractures, while later patients presented more medically complex cases, including pregnancy issues and cardiac conditions.

Drills like this benefit both the Navy and the broader community by improving readiness, refining processes and ensuring all personnel know their roles in a crisis. NMRTC Yokosuka conducts mass casualty drills at least once or twice a year, often in partnership with other Navy installations and commands.

"This kind of training goes beyond the hospital walls," Kerry said. "By practicing in different environments and with different partners, we ensure we’re prepared for anything — from a disaster on base to a real-world emergency at sea."

The day concluded with the successful execution of the simulated casualty transfer from Sasebo to Yokosuka, underscoring the importance of interoperability and rapid response across Navy medical facilities in Japan.

Medal of Honor Monday: Army 1st Lt. Frank Luke Jr.

Sept. 29, 2025 | By Katie Lange, Pentagon News |

Aviation was in its infancy during World War I, but Army 1st Lt. Frank Luke Jr. took to it like a duck to water. Earning the nickname the "Arizona Balloon Buster" for the high number of enemy observation balloons he shot down, Luke was known as the most spectacular air fighter of the war. He didn't make it home, but his heroics in the sky made him the first Army aviator to receive the Medal of Honor.  

Luke was born May 19, 1897, in Phoenix. He was the fifth of nine children born to his parents, Tillie and Frank Luke Sr.  

Luke grew into a strong young man. He was known as one of the best athletes at Phoenix Union High School, where he was the track team captain and a member of the basketball and football teams. According to a speaker at his Medal of Honor ceremony, one time he even saved the life of a friend who was struggling to cross a stream when they went camping.  

In September 1917, a few months after the U.S. entered World War I, Luke enlisted in the Army Signal Corps' Aviation Section, which transformed in April 1918 to the Army Air Service. Luke learned to fly aircraft at Rockwell Field in San Diego, receiving his wings and a commission to second lieutenant in January 1918.  

Soon after, Luke was sent to France for additional combat training, which he completed in May 1918. From there, he went to Cazaux, France, to serve on the Western Front with the 1st Pursuit Group, 27th Aero Squadron. On Aug. 16, 1918, Luke took down his first enemy aircraft in combat.  

In the short amount of time Luke spent overseas, he earned the reputation of being a bit of a loner who occasionally ignored orders and sought to destroy the enemy on his own. He did, however, team up with a friend, Army 1st Lt. Joseph Wehner, during the mid-September St. Mihiel Offensive. During that time, Luke shot down three aircraft, and the pair destroyed five German observation balloons, which Luke attacked frequently.  

While tethered balloons don't sound like a difficult target, they were one of the toughest any pilot could face during World War I. The hydrogen-filled balloons were critical to the war's trench warfare environment, serving as observation posts that enabled both sides to look deep behind enemy lines. Observers in the balloons communicated with their leaders and adjusted artillery fire on the ground in real time to increase accuracy.  

Because the balloons had such great tactical value, most were protected by heavy antiaircraft gun batteries, and there were often squadrons of airplanes ready to pursue anyone who considered going after them. Pilots who continually targeted the balloons were considered to have a death wish, historians said.  

Luke's last flight — and his most valiant — happened on Sept. 29, 1918, near Murvaux, France. That day, he took to the skies in a French-built Spad XIII aircraft to go after enemy observation balloons, even though he hadn't received the proper permission, according to Air Force historians.  

When Luke neared the enemy balloon line, eight German planes that were protecting it came after him. Despite the heavy fire he took from those planes and the ground batteries below, Luke didn't hesitate to attack back, shooting down three balloons. He then descended to within 50 meters of the ground and, with at least a dozen villagers watching, opened fire on enemy troops, killing six and wounding many more.  

During the melee, Luke was also hit and severely wounded in the right shoulder. He was then forced to make an emergency landing in hostile territory. Surrounded by German forces on all sides who called on him to surrender, Luke refused. Instead, he drew his automatic pistol and fought back until he was killed.  

In Luke's brief career, he took down four airplanes and 14 balloons. His record of 18 "kills" stands second only to Army Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker's 26, according to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.  

Aside from the French villagers who made a sworn affidavit to what they saw Luke do that day, the fallen aviator's comrades also couldn't say enough about his bravery.  

"No one had the sheer contemptuous courage that boy possessed. He was an excellent pilot and probably the best flying marksman on the Western Front," said Army Maj. H.E. Hartney, Luke's commander. "We had any number of expert pilots, and there was no shortage of good shots, but the perfect combination — like the perfect specimen of anything in the world — was scarce. Frank Luke was the perfect combination." 

On May 29, 1919, Luke's father received the Medal of Honor on his son's behalf from Army Brig. Gen. Howard R. Hickok. Luke, who also received two Distinguished Service Crosses, was then posthumously promoted to first lieutenant.  

Rickenbacker also received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the war, but it wasn't awarded to him until 1930.  

Luke was initially buried by the Germans in the area where he fell; however, he was later moved and buried in a grave in the Meuse-Argonne Cemetery in Romagne-sous-Montfaucon, France.  

His Medal of Honor was donated to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio.  

Luke's valor has certainly not been forgotten. On Armistice Day in 1930, before it became known as Veterans Day, a statue of his likeness was unveiled at the grounds of the Arizona State Capitol building in Phoenix. Luke Avenue on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, was also named for him.  

But perhaps his best-known namesake would be the one right near where he grew up: Luke Air Force Base outside of Phoenix was named in his honor in 1949.