War Department Enacts New Cybersecurity Program to Safeguard Service Member Data

Jan. 15, 2026 | By Air Force Tech. Sgt. Javier Cruz, Permanent Change of Station Joint Task Force |

The War Department began implementing the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification, a landmark cybersecurity program, in November 2025 to better protect sensitive information across the U.S. defense industrial base. 

CMMC establishes a mandatory framework to ensure that thousands of companies contracting with DOW have verified cybersecurity measures in place to protect the department's data they handle. 

The program is especially critical for protecting the personally identifiable information of service members and their families, particularly during the permanent change of station process. 

What is CMMC and Why is it Important for PCS? 

The CMMC program functions as a verification mechanism, ensuring DOW contractors meet the department's cybersecurity standards. The CMMC program will require that a contractor's leaders provide an assessment of their company's compliance for CMMC levels 1 and 2. 

This verification mechanism directly impacts the security of military families' personally identifiable information. The PCS process, a regular part of military life, requires service members to share vast amounts of PII, including names, Social Security numbers, birthdates, telephone numbers and financial details, with numerous third-party contractors that manage moving, travel and housing. Without robust security measures in place, this sensitive data is a prime target for cybercriminals and foreign intelligence entities, potentially leading to identity theft and financial fraud. 

"The CMMC program provides increased assurance to the DOW that a defense contractor can adequately protect sensitive unclassified information at a level commensurate with the risk," the department states in the rule. By mandating CMMC, the DOW ensures that any company involved in the PCS process must maintain a certified level of cybersecurity, directly protecting service members' personal data from compromise. 

How the CMMC Program Works 

• The CMMC framework is designed to be scalable, matching the level of certification required to the sensitivity of the information being handled. 
• Tiered levels: The program has multiple levels. A contractor handling basic federal contract information will need to comply with CMMC Level 1, which can be accomplished through a self-assessment, or CMMC Level 2, which can be achieved through a self-assessment or through a certified third-party organization or the DOW's Industrial Base Cybersecurity Assessment Center once every three years. 
• Verification and reporting: Contractors must report their CMMC status in the government's Supplier Performance Risk System. DOW contracting officers will verify a bidder's or contractor's CMMC status before awarding any new contracts or exercising options on existing ones. Contractors must also make an annual affirmation of their continued compliance. 
• Phased implementation: The DOW will phase in the CMMC requirements over a three-year period to minimize the financial impact and disruption to the defense industrial base, particularly for small businesses. Following this period, the CMMC requirements will apply to all applicable DOW contracts. As part of the CMMC program implementation, all federal contractors remain subject to a DOW audit to ensure compliance. 

Phased implementation of the CMMC program represents a significant step forward in securing the defense industrial base. 

For service members and their families, it provides much-needed peace of mind, knowing their personally identifiable information is protected by a more resilient and cyber-aware network of defense contractors. 

U.S., Regional Partners Establish New Air Defense Operations Cell in Qatar

Jan. 14, 2026 | By U.S. Central Command Public Affairs |

U.S. Central Command and regional partners opened a new coordination cell at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar this week to enhance integrated air and missile defense.

The new Middle Eastern Air Defense — Combined Defense Operations Cell is located in the Combined Air Operations Center on base and comprised of personnel from the U.S. and regional partners. 

The Qatar-based operations center, established more than 20 years ago, currently includes representatives from 17 nations who coordinate the employment of military air assets across the Middle East. The new operations cell is designed to enhance coordination and integration for air and missile defense efforts among regional partners.

"This is a significant step forward in strengthening regional defense cooperation," said Navy Adm. Brad Cooper, Centcom commander. "This cell will improve how regional forces coordinate and share air and missile defense responsibilities across the Middle East." 

U.S. Air Force Central service members will work alongside regional counterparts at the operations cell in planning multinational exercises, conducting drills and responding to contingencies. The cell will also be responsible for sharing information and threat warnings.

"The [cell] creates a consistent venue to share expertise and collectively create new solutions together with our regional partners," said Air Force Lt. Gen Derek France, U.S. Air Force Central commander. "This strengthens our integrated air and missile defense throughout the region." 

The formation of the cell follows the opening of two bilateral combined command posts last year for air and missile defense. The new facilities, opened by U.S Army Central in partnership with Qatar and Bahrain, will serve as hubs for integrated air defense planning, coordination and operations.

Pennsylvania Airmen Train in Water Survival to Ensure Readiness

Jan. 14, 2026 | By Air Force Staff Sgt. Brandon Shuman, 911th Airlift Wing |

Air Force Reserve airmen assigned to the 911th Airlift Wing conducted water survival training at Montour High School, McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, Jan. 10.

Aircrew assigned to the 911th Operations Group are required to accomplish the training every 36 months to stay prepared for potential isolation in bodies of water by learning essential skills — like underwater egress from downed aircraft, parachute disentanglement, raft deployment and self-rescue. 

The airmen demonstrated various abilities, including swimming in survival gear, inflating life vests and rafts, boarding a raft from the water, setting up life raft canopies and the importance of teamwork. To be prepared for any potential conflict, it is essential for aircrew, which includes pilots, loadmasters and aeromedical evacuation teams, to be ready and confident in their abilities if their aircraft goes down over open waters. 

"If they end up getting separated, they're alone and afraid," said Air Force Master Sgt. Kristopher Peterson, 911th Operation Support Squadron Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape section chief. "Everything that we give them, everything that we try and do is to make sure if something happens, those guys have some confidence in what they are doing."

Mistakes happen, and ideally, airmen learn from them during training rather than in the field. 

Peterson said the most common mistakes he sees during water survival training are failing to inflate buoyancy devices properly and not checking for sharp objects before boarding a raft, which can result in punctures. Above all, he expressed the importance of working as a team during survival situations. 

"If these guys can't work as a team out on the open ocean and [are] stuck in a raft, it will get miserable after a couple of hours," Peterson said. "Something's always to blame. If they can't get past that, it's going to cause fighting, it's going to cause separation between the team and it's going to make things a lot more difficult."

That breakdown doesn't just erode morale — it directly affects survival. Once the chaos of a crash settles and reality sets in, teamwork isn't optional. Especially when injuries are added to the equation. 

There are bound to be injuries, especially when a plane hits the water, Peterson said. Members of the team will have to rely on one another to survive. 

Water survival is only one aspect of survival training, and it is the mission of the Air Force Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape program to ensure high-risk personnel have the knowledge and skills to "return with honor" from hostile environments. 

The War Department Overhauls Innovation Ecosystem to Accelerate Technology to the American Warfighter

Jan. 12, 2026 |

The Department of War today announced a transformative realignment of the DoW's innovation ecosystem under the leadership of Emil Michael, the Under Secretary of Research and Engineering (USW(R&E)) and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of the Department. This overhaul replaces a historically fragmented system with a more unified and fast-paced innovation enterprise built to deliver technology to the warfighter with greater urgency. Commercial innovation demands clarity and speed, not long delays or uncertainty. This realignment is designed to push technology to the warfighter through faster decisions and a more focused innovation enterprise.

Effective today, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) is designated a Department of War Field Activity. DIU will continue to provide technology scouting, rapid contracting, and commercial adoption services at the speed of industry and will work closely with the Mission Engineering and Integration Activity (MEIA) to connect operational problems directly to commercial solutions. The CTO will support DIU on administrative and resource matters and align its work with Department priorities, while the Director of DIU will continue to report directly to the Secretary as a Principal Staff Assistant (PSA). Leading DIU through this mandate is Owen West, appointed by Secretary Hegseth as its next Director.  Serving as Assistant Secretary of War for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict in President Trump's first administration, West brings Marine Corps combat experience, private capital expertise and a warfighter's mindset to DIU's mission of moving commercial technology into the hands of the American warfighter.

The Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO) is also being designated a Department of War Field Activity. SCO will continue to identify and prototype disruptive applications of new systems, unconventional uses of existing systems, and near-term technologies that create strategic effects. SCO will maintain its statutory reporting relationship to the Deputy Secretary but will be operationally aligned under the CTO to eliminate duplication and drive daily focus on delivering near-term capabilities.

DIU and SCO will both adopt term-limited appointments to maintain organizational agility and bring in top talent from the private sector and the operational force, ensuring a consistent flow of fresh ideas and technical insight.
Alongside this realignment, Cameron Stanley has been named as the new Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer (CDAO). Stanley will drive Department-wide AI adoption across warfighting, intelligence, and enterprise use cases to deliver on President Trump's mandate of American AI dominance.

These changes anchor a unified innovation ecosystem built around six execution organizations that will operate under the purview of the CTO:

• Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO)
• Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
• Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) 
• Office of Strategic Capital (OSC)
• Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO)
• Test Resource Management Center (TRMC) 

The newly established CTO Action Group (CAG) will anchor innovation alignment across the Department, driving accountability, clearing legacy blockers and ensuring transparency on transition decisions. In support of the CAG, the Military Services will reorganize their innovation ecosystems and present Service Innovation Plans that describe how they will focus the efforts of labs, research enterprises, experimental units and rapid capability offices around the three innovation outcomes of technology, product and operational capability innovation. These plans will also identify how acquisition portfolios will onramp innovation and what policy or legislative barriers require action. Services are valuable contributors to this ecosystem, not bystanders.

"We are rolling out the red carpet for innovators who want to work with the War Department," said Emil Michael, Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering. "This new structure creates a stronger identity for our innovation ecosystem and gives industry a more direct path to move technology into the hands of the American warfighter." 

This realignment is a direct signal to industry that the War Department is focused on making faster decisions and transitioning breakthrough technology into the hands of America's bravest warriors.

Read the official Innovation Ecosystem Memo here.

The War Department Overhauls Innovation Ecosystem to Accelerate Technology to the American Warfighter

Jan. 12, 2026 |

The Department of War today announced a transformative realignment of the DoW's innovation ecosystem under the leadership of Emil Michael, the Under Secretary of Research and Engineering (USW(R&E)) and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of the Department. This overhaul replaces a historically fragmented system with a more unified and fast-paced innovation enterprise built to deliver technology to the warfighter with greater urgency. Commercial innovation demands clarity and speed, not long delays or uncertainty. This realignment is designed to push technology to the warfighter through faster decisions and a more focused innovation enterprise.

Effective today, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) is designated a Department of War Field Activity. DIU will continue to provide technology scouting, rapid contracting, and commercial adoption services at the speed of industry and will work closely with the Mission Engineering and Integration Activity (MEIA) to connect operational problems directly to commercial solutions. The CTO will support DIU on administrative and resource matters and align its work with Department priorities, while the Director of DIU will continue to report directly to the Secretary as a Principal Staff Assistant (PSA). Leading DIU through this mandate is Owen West, appointed by Secretary Hegseth as its next Director.  Serving as Assistant Secretary of War for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict in President Trump's first administration, West brings Marine Corps combat experience, private capital expertise and a warfighter's mindset to DIU's mission of moving commercial technology into the hands of the American warfighter.

The Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO) is also being designated a Department of War Field Activity. SCO will continue to identify and prototype disruptive applications of new systems, unconventional uses of existing systems, and near-term technologies that create strategic effects. SCO will maintain its statutory reporting relationship to the Deputy Secretary but will be operationally aligned under the CTO to eliminate duplication and drive daily focus on delivering near-term capabilities.

DIU and SCO will both adopt term-limited appointments to maintain organizational agility and bring in top talent from the private sector and the operational force, ensuring a consistent flow of fresh ideas and technical insight.
Alongside this realignment, Cameron Stanley has been named as the new Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer (CDAO). Stanley will drive Department-wide AI adoption across warfighting, intelligence, and enterprise use cases to deliver on President Trump's mandate of American AI dominance.

These changes anchor a unified innovation ecosystem built around six execution organizations that will operate under the purview of the CTO:

• Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO)
• Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
• Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) 
• Office of Strategic Capital (OSC)
• Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO)
• Test Resource Management Center (TRMC) 

The newly established CTO Action Group (CAG) will anchor innovation alignment across the Department, driving accountability, clearing legacy blockers and ensuring transparency on transition decisions. In support of the CAG, the Military Services will reorganize their innovation ecosystems and present Service Innovation Plans that describe how they will focus the efforts of labs, research enterprises, experimental units and rapid capability offices around the three innovation outcomes of technology, product and operational capability innovation. These plans will also identify how acquisition portfolios will onramp innovation and what policy or legislative barriers require action. Services are valuable contributors to this ecosystem, not bystanders.

"We are rolling out the red carpet for innovators who want to work with the War Department," said Emil Michael, Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering. "This new structure creates a stronger identity for our innovation ecosystem and gives industry a more direct path to move technology into the hands of the American warfighter." 

This realignment is a direct signal to industry that the War Department is focused on making faster decisions and transitioning breakthrough technology into the hands of America's bravest warriors.

Medal of Honor Monday: Army Lt. Col. Harold Fritz

Jan. 12, 2026 | By Katie Lange, Pentagon News |

When his platoon was faced with impossible odds during an ambush in Vietnam, Army Lt. Col. Harold Arthur Fritz didn't hesitate to do everything he could to save his fellow soldiers and stave off the enemy. He miraculously survived the fight. His bravery and actions that day earned him the Medal of Honor.

Fritz was born Feb. 21, 1944, in Chicago; however, by 1949, his parents moved him and his younger brother, Terrence, to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, where Fritz grew up fishing, hunting and participating in the Boy Scouts. He wrestled, played baseball and was active in the National FFA Organization at Badger High School before graduating in 1962. Fritz's high school principal once referred to him as a reliable teen who everyone expected to succeed.

By age 21, Fritz was working on an education degree at the University of Tampa while working in a factory to support his high school sweetheart-turned-wife, Mary Ellen, who was pregnant with their first child, Kimberly. In a Library of Congress Veterans History Project interview in the early 2000s, Fritz said he received a draft notice after dropping a few classes to pick up more hours at work. With his daughter's upcoming birth, he decided it would be better for the family if he enlisted instead, so he did so in April 1966.

Shortly after starting his military journey, Fritz was accepted into officer candidate school. After graduating, he was assigned to the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment.

Fritz was deployed to Vietnam in January 1968. He had nearly finished his yearlong deployment when, as a platoon leader for Troop A of the 11th's 1st Squadron, he took charge during a firefight that would change his life.

On Jan. 11, 1969, then-1st Lt. Fritz was leading a seven-vehicle armored column south along a highway away from the Quan Loi Army base in South Vietnam to meet and escort a convoy of trucks. Out of nowhere, they were ambushed by about 270 North Vietnamese soldiers positioned along the route. The column didn't even have time to move off the road before Fritz's vehicle was hit, seriously wounding him.

Despite his injuries, Fritz quickly realized the platoon was surrounded, outnumbered and in danger of being overrun. So, he leapt onto his burning vehicle and began repositioning the two dozen men who could still fight and the remaining vehicles to give the platoon a chance at survival.

"You don't have time to think about yourself," Fritz told the Veterans History Project. "You've got to remember you have to survive long enough to get your people out of there."

Without regard for his own safety, Fritz then ran from vehicle to vehicle, completely exposed, to continue repositioning men and improve their defenses. He helped the wounded, passed out ammunition, directed fire at the enemy and encouraged the few men who were left to continue the fight.

At one point, Fritz grabbed a machine gun and went to work, which inspired his fellow soldiers to deliver deadly fire that broke the assault and caused the attackers to flee.

However, minutes later, a second enemy force moved to within 7 feet of their position, again threatening to overwhelm the platoon. Armed with only a pistol and bayonet, Fritz led a small group of soldiers in a charge that inflicted heavy casualties and again pushed the attackers back.

"When the odds are the greatest, then you've got to be the most daring in what you do to turn them around," Fritz said. "That's what happened."

A relief force eventually arrived, but Fritz noticed it wasn't effectively deployed, so he moved through heavy enemy fire to redirect their positioning, which ultimately forced the enemy to abandon the ambush altogether and withdraw.

"The North Vietnamese found we were a little tougher [of a] force than they thought," Fritz told the Veterans History Project.

Fritz waited to get medical attention until all his wounded comrades had been treated and evacuated. Only then did he allow himself to be helicoptered to a hospital, where he was treated for shrapnel in his neck and back and a few gunshot wounds. Fritz, who was a smoker at the time, said a Zippo lighter from his wife that was stored in his left breast pocket actually stopped one of the rifle rounds.

"If it had not been there, it probably would have hit me in the heart and killed me," Fritz recalled. "Not that I'm advocating smoking, but had I not been a smoker at that particular point in time, maybe I wouldn't be here to tell the story."

He said that lighter is one of the few items he brought back with him from Vietnam in March 1969.

By early 1971, Fritz was serving at Fort Lewis, Washington, preparing for a move to Fort Benning, Georgia, when he got a call notifying him that he would be receiving the Medal of Honor.

"At first, it was disbelief," Fritz said of the call. "It takes a while for it to really sink in."

On March 2, 1971, then-Capt. Fritz received the nation's highest medal for valor from President Richard M. Nixon during a White House ceremony. Five other soldiers and one Marine also received the medal that day.

"It was really overwhelming," Fritz later said of the honor. "I feel very humble and proud to be a recipient."

By then, Fritz's family had expanded to include two sons, Christopher and Jeffrey. Fritz continued in the military and eventually returned to school to complete his degree in 1975, according to the University of Tampa.

Fritz retired as a lieutenant colonel in 1993 after nearly 28 years of service. Since then, he has taken part in several veteran-related events and attends speaking engagements with student groups to talk about the Medal of Honor and what it means to be a recipient.

"I try to tell people the important job that the military plays in keeping this country safe," he told the Veterans History Project.

Fritz's name is well-known among military circles. As recently as 2015, he was president of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. In November 2024, the Peoria County, Illinois, Veterans Assistance Commission was officially named in his honor. Fritz Field at Fort Irwin, California, also bears his name.

U.S. Navy to Christen Future USNS Lansing

Jan. 9, 2026 |

The U.S. Navy will christen the future USNS Lansing (EPF 16) during a ceremony at Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama, Jan. 10 at 10:30 a.m. (CDT).

The principal address will be delivered by The Honorable Hung Cao, Under Secretary of the Navy. Additional speakers will include Vice Adm. Seiko Okano, principal military deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition; Rear Adm. Benjamin Nicholson, commander, Military Sealift Command; Ms. Michelle Kruger, president of Austal USA; and Mr. Scott Bonk, director of Future Combatants and Mission Systems, General Dynamics Mission Systems.

"As we christen the future USNS Lansing, we celebrate another symbol of the unbreakable linkage that ties the workmanship of our shipyard workers to those of our American mariners who will man these ships. This also marks the pivotal transition from construction to the rigorous test and trials phase to ensure these platforms are ready to answer the call," said Under Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao.

In a time-honored tradition, the ship's sponsors, the Honorable Gretchen Whitmer, Governor of Michigan, and the Honorable Lisa McClain, U.S. Representative, Michigan's 9th District, will christen the ship by breaking a bottle of sparkling wine across the bow.

"The future USNS Lansing is one step closer to joining the U.S. fleet and Military Sealift Command to answer the call to action, any ocean, any time," said Cao.

The ship is named in honor of Michigan's capital city Lansing. USNS Lansing is the first ship to be named after the city, a manufacturing hub that has produced supplies for our nation's military since the Civil War.

The christening of the future USNS Lansing symbolizes the Navy's 250-year commitment to innovation and maritime dominance. From seabed to space, the Navy delivers power for peace – always ready to fight and win. This milestone marks the Navy's enduring legacy and commitment to shaping the future of maritime power.

EPF 16, as the final "Flight II" ship of the Spearhead class, will be able to deploy as an expeditionary fast transport, as a Role 2 medical-capable platform, or as a combination of both. The ship is currently designated to be crewed by 31 civilian mariners and is capable of embarking up to 155 embarked forces, or an Expeditionary Medical Unit as required.

Media may direct queries to the Navy Office of Information at (703) 697-5342.

War Department Celebrates 20 Years of STARBASE Arizona War Department Celebrates 20 Years of STARBASE Arizona

Jan. 8, 2026 | By Air Force Senior Airman William Finn, 355th Wing |

STARBASE Arizona, a War Department educational program, celebrated 20 years of STEAM education outreach at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, Jan. 7, recognizing two decades of service connecting students with science, technology, engineering, arts and math programs.

"Today is a huge milestone for our program," said Kristine Impellizzeri, director, STARBASE Arizona. "Twenty years that Davis-Monthan has allowed this program to have a home, and we are so appreciative of that." 

Leaders from 355th Force Support Squadron, principals and superintendents from Arizona school districts, and representatives of the Arizona state government attended the event. Before the ceremony, attendees observed a STARBASE STEAM class in progress. 

STARBASE provides students with 25 hours of structured, hands-on STEAM instruction at military bases across the country. The program exposes participants to technological environments and positive civilian and military role models. It allows students the opportunity to interact with military personnel, to explore careers and see real-world applications of STEAM concepts.

"We have experts from the [Davis-Monthan] community who have given hours to brief the kids on their jobs and allow them to ask them directly about what they do," said Impellizzeri. "It is really powerful for the kids to see that in action, and that is our mission, to provide these opportunities to students because if you don't know a career and you don't see it, then you can't be it."

STARBASE Arizona has operated at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base since 2006 and serves students from multiple school districts in the Tucson, Arizona, area. 

Joint Task Force Southern Guard Hosts Corporals Course

Jan. 8, 2026 | By Army Spc. Daely Goodwin, Joint Task Force Southern Guard |

Service members assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Guard received a unique opportunity to attend the Marine Corps corporals course while deployed at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Dec. 9-22, 2025.   

The course is a demanding professional military education development program designed to prepare Marines for the responsibilities of a noncommissioned officer. 

"Training alongside soldiers and Marines in the corporals course gave me a deeper understanding of how each branch executes the mission every day and how leaders overcome the same universal problems," an Air Force attendee said.  

A Marine attending the course said the joint environment helped the students understand the culture of the other services and reemphasized the importance of joint interoperability. 

"It took some time for me to let my guard down and start communicating with the other branches, but I realized we are all here for the same purpose," the Marine said, adding, "I know now it makes us a much more effective warfighting organization when we can communicate and work closely with our joint service members." 

Throughout the course, the students met in a classroom setting to learn the core duties of an NCO through discussion topics on tactical communication, navigation, career progression, leadership fundamentals, drill and ceremonies, and counseling techniques. 

In addition to maintaining an academic standard, service members were expected to maintain a physical standard throughout the duration of the course. Every morning, students participated in group physical training. The training also helped prepare them for the obstacle course — physically demanding team challenges that included log jumps, rope climbs, climbing walls, balance beams and pull-up bars, culminating in a sprint to the finish. 

After two weeks of training, the students graduated from the corporals course with the confidence to succeed as noncommissioned officers and a newfound appreciation for working in joint environments. 

"To be an NCO is to care, not only for your Marines, but it's your job to be the backbone of the Marine Corps," a Marine attendee said. "Being an NCO means being a great leader, mentor and overall good human being. Be a strong leader every day so we can be effective and lethal when the time comes." 

Air Force F-35As Deliver Deterrence at Altitude

Jan. 7, 2026 | By Air Force Airman 1st Class Arnet Tamayo, 353rd Special Operations Wing |

The runway trembles as Air Force F-35A Lightning IIs surge forward, heat waves dancing behind their engines. The low growl builds to a thunder, echoing across the skies of the Pacific Ocean.

At the heart of that power is the 356th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, deployed from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, to Kadena Air Base, Japan, as part of the Air Force's fighter rotation program, and prepared to safeguard the skies whenever a mission calls. 

"Our mission is to ensure air dominance whenever and wherever we're called," said Air Force Maj. John Toner, deployed director of operations for the fighter squadron. "Every training event and every sortie strengthens our ability to deliver combat airpower and ensure stability across the Pacific." 

However, that readiness isn't developed overnight.

The squadron regularly integrates with F-35B Lightning II aircraft from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, refining the ability to generate combat airpower from alternate locations. The squadron also participates in large-scale exercises like Keen Sword, reinforcing interoperability and strengthening the U.S.–Japan alliance across the Indo-Pacific region. 

Working alongside E-3 Sentry aircraft from the 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron adds a vital layer of airborne command and control, synchronizing missions across air, land and sea domains. Large-force exercises unite U.S. and Japan Air Self-Defense Force aircraft in coordinated formations, transforming partnership into combat-ready power. 

"We're getting on the same sheet of music and operating at a common level [of understanding]," said Air Force Capt. Ryan Beveridge, squadron fighter pilot. "Integrating with our allied partners out here has been invaluable. That kind of trust and understanding is what makes deterrence real."

Behind every launch are the airmen of the 18th Wing, whose infrastructure and support ensure that rotating units like the 356th EFS can arrive and be airborne almost immediately, maintaining a seamless and persistent presence in the region. 

As part of the Pacific Air Forces, the fighter squadron brings the unmatched capabilities of the F-35A: a fifth-generation fighter designed for dominance in contested environments. Its stealth profile, sensor fusion and advanced electronic warfare systems connect every platform on the battlefield, allowing pilots to see farther, decide faster and act decisively. 

"The F-35 gives us an edge that extends beyond the jet itself," Toner said. "It's a force multiplier that links our forces, amplifying deterrence across the theater."

Operating from Eielson, just south of the Arctic Circle, the 356th trains year-round in some of the harshest conditions on Earth. That experience builds resilience and adaptability, skills that translate directly to deployed operations. The proximity between Alaska and Okinawa allows the squadron to rapidly deploy and sustain missions anywhere in the Pacific. 

"Deterrence at altitude is built on preparation," Beveridge said. "Every sortie we fly and every partner we train with ensures our allies know we're ready and our adversaries know we're capable." 

Department of War Establishes New Acquisition Model to More than Triple PAC-3 MSE Production in Partnership With Lockheed Martin

Jan. 6, 2026 |

The Department of War (DoW), working in partnership with Lockheed Martin, today announced the signing of a landmark framework agreement that establishes a transformative new acquisition model to expand munitions production and procurement—one that delivers long-term demand certainty, incentivizing industrial investment to increase production, cut lead times, drive supply chain management efficiencies, while reducing upfront government facilitization and capacity investments.

This seven-year framework agreement with Lockheed Martin is a direct outcome of the Department's new Acquisition Transformation Strategy, as unveiled by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in his Arsenal of Freedom speech at Fort McNair in November. As the Secretary stated, "We will stabilize demand signals. We will award companies bigger, longer contracts for proven systems so those companies will be confident in investing more to grow the industrial base that supplies our weapons systems more and faster."  

Under the framework agreement, Lockheed Martin will increase annual production of the PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptor from approximately 600 to 2,000, aligning industrial capacity to the long-term demand required by U.S. forces, allies and partner nations. The agreement also aligns the interests of Lockheed Martin, the government, and taxpayers, with Lockheed Martin supporting investments to scale the required production increases, while benefitting from the certainty of long-term, growing demand for the PAC-3 MSE. 

"This framework agreement marks a fundamental shift in how we rapidly expand munitions production and magazine depth, and how we collaborate with our industry partners," said Michael Duffey, Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment. "Lockheed Martin's willingness to help pioneer this transformative acquisition model is a win-win for the taxpayer, our national security, and the rebuilding of the industrial base needed for the Arsenal of Freedom."

The framework agreement establishes the basis for negotiating a seven-year supply contract, subject to Congressional authorization and appropriations, that would increase PAC-3 MSE production to approximately 2,000 missiles per year, up from approximately 600 today. The agreement also provides for strict delivery accountability and allows both the Department of War and Lockheed Martin to share in any enhanced profitability resulting from new equipment and volume efficiencies. This facilitization strategy will be applied to multiple munitions procurement contracts over the next year, pending Congressional appropriations, to replenish our stockpiles, rebuild our military, reestablish deterrence and strengthen and grow our defense industrial base. 

The Department of War recognizes that supply chain facilitization is also required to support production capacity increases. As part of the framework agreement, the DoW will work with key suppliers of PAC-3 MSE to deliver seven-year subcontracts to ensure facilitization investments and the production capacity of components also expand to meet the increased demand for all-up-rounds.  

The PAC-3 MSE framework agreement advances the Department's acquisition transformation priorities and reflects the execution-focused work of the Department's Munitions Acceleration Council, as well as the strong partnership with Lockheed Martin. The Council was established to rapidly identify and remove structural barriers to scaling weapons production and to translate urgent operational demand into executable, long-term industrial capacity.  

Medal of Honor Monday: Army Air Corps Brig. Gen. Kenneth Walker

Jan. 5, 2026 | By Katie Lange, Pentagon News |

Army Air Corps Brig. Gen. Kenneth Newton Walker participated in dangerous bombing missions alongside his air crews during World War II because he wanted to understand how to beat the enemy. Walker never came home from his last mission. He received a posthumous Medal of Honor and is credited with helping to create the blueprint for the modern Air Force.

Walker was born July 17, 1898, in Cerrillos, New Mexico, to Wallace and Emma Walker. His parents separated shortly after he was born, so Walker's mother raised him alone. At some point in his youth, the pair moved to Denver, where Walker became a Boy Scout and took an interest in several sports, including football, wrestling and boxing.

According to Air University Press author Martha Byrd, Walker's maternal grandparents lived in Omaha, Nebraska, so Walker also lived there for a few years before graduating from Omaha High School of Commerce in 1915. However, by 1917, he had returned to Denver, eventually enlisting in the Army on Dec. 15 of that year. He remained in the service for the rest of his life.

Walker became a pilot just as aerial warfare was being established. He trained at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Military Aeronautics and then at Mather Field, California, earning his commission and his wings in the Army Air Service in November 1918. He received a commission in the regular Army July 1, 1920.

Over the next few years, Walker served as a flying instructor in Texas, then in Oklahoma, where he met Marguerite Potter in 1920. The pair married in 1922 and eventually had two sons, Kenneth Jr. and Douglas.

That same year, Walker graduated from the Air Service Operations School before being sent to the Philippines to command the Air Intelligence Section at Camp Nichols. When he returned to the U.S. in 1925, he continued his education and rose through the ranks, serving as an operations officer, bomb squad commander and instructor at various installations.

By January 1941, then-Maj. Walker found himself serving in Washington in the high-level position of assistant chief of the Air War Plans Division. Prior to the Pearl Harbor attacks, Walker was one of four Army Air Corps officers who created the blueprint of how to attack Japan and Germany from the air, according to a 2017 profile of Walker in the San Angelo Standard-Times. That strategy was later considered a key component of the Allied victory.

In July 1942, as the war raged, Walker was promoted to brigadier general and sent to the Pacific Theater. Shortly after his arrival, he was appointed as the commanding general of the Air Force's 5th Bomber Command.

From September 1942 to January 1943, Walker repeatedly went on bombing missions deep into enemy-held territory with his air crews. According to the San Angelo Standard-Times, he also went on bombing missions alone — something few generals did. His desire to take part in the danger earned him great respect from his subordinates. The lessons he learned from those missions helped him develop a highly efficient technique for bombing in the face of enemy aircraft and antiaircraft fire, according to his Medal of Honor citation.

On Jan. 5, 1943, Walker joined several air crews on one of those dangerous missions. Six B-17 Flying Fortresses and six B-24 Liberators were sent on a daytime bombing mission over the Japanese-held harbor at Rabaul on the island of New Britain in Papua New Guinea. The attack was a success in that direct hits were scored on nine enemy ships. However, the bombers didn't get away before enemy fighters and antiaircraft fire came after them.

Walker was flying as an observer on a B-17 nicknamed the San Antonio Rose, which came under heavy attack. The aircraft was last seen with one engine on fire and several fighter aircraft on its tail. Evidence collected later showed that two of the aircraft's crew members were able to bail out; however, all 11 crew members were eventually declared dead.

On March 25, 1943, Walker's oldest son, Kenneth Jr., received the Medal of Honor on his father's behalf from President Franklin D. Roosevelt during a White House ceremony. Walker was the highest-ranking Army official to be reported missing during the war.

Well before his death, Walker and a few other Air Corps Tactical School instructors were invited by a federal commission to testify in support of creating a separate military air organization that wasn't subordinate to any other branches. Thanks to his work with this commission and the air war plan used during World War II, Walker is considered one of the forefathers of the modern Air Force.

Walker has been remembered in many ways, including on the Wall of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.

In January 1948, Roswell Army Air Field in Roswell, New Mexico, was redesignated as Walker Air Force Base in honor of the fallen general. At Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, the home of the College of Aerospace Doctrine Research and Education, Walker Hall was also named for him.

Every year, a small number of papers written by field-grade officers in the Air Force Fellows program are selected to be published online. Those papers are known as the Walker Papers. The chosen officers attend civilian universities and organizations for a year to study national security strategy and serve as military ambassadors to prestigious institutions.

Face of Defense: Marine on Faith, Family and the Silent Drill Platoon

Jan. 2, 2026 | By Marine Corps Cpl. Brynn Bouchard, Marine Barracks Washington |

Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Zackary Cox stands at the edge of the parade deck at Marine Barracks Washington, watching rifles spin through the air in perfect arcs. The Marines of the U.S. Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon move as one, every step measured and every motion deliberate.  

To the public, their precision appears effortless. To Cox, it is the result of exhaustion, repetition and a refusal to settle for "good enough." 

"When you watch the shows, you see perfection," Cox said. "But to these Marines, being perfect isn't perfect. They'll drill one mistake until it's gone. That discipline, that mindset, that's what sets them apart."

Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Zackary Cox

Job: Platoon Sergeant

Stationed: Marine Barracks Washington

Unit: U.S. Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon

Hometown: San Bernardino, Calif.

Cox paused for a moment with his eyes fixed on the Marines crossing the deck. "It's humbling," he said. "These Marines live this life. They carry the weight of representing the Marine Corps every single time they step out there." 

Roots of Service 

Unlike many Marines, Cox didn't grow up in a long line of military service. His reasons for joining were personal. Raised in a large family without a steady father figure, he felt a need to step up for his younger brothers. 

"I wanted to be more than just a big brother," he said with a smile. "I wanted to be someone they could actually look up to." 

That sense of responsibility deepened when he and his wife, Iris, started their own family and welcomed three sons. 

"There was a point where I thought about getting out," Cox admitted. "But fatherhood changes things. The Marine Corps wasn't just a career path anymore. It became the best way I could provide stability for my wife and kids. It was the right choice for all of us." 

Throughout his career, Cox has drawn inspiration from leaders who left a lasting mark. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Sean Blue was one of the first. What began as a professional relationship developed into something closer to family. 

"He's like the older brother or father figure I never had," Cox said. "He gave me patience, something I didn't have as a young sergeant. He taught me to slow down and see the big picture." 

Cox credits his wife for keeping him grounded and Marine Corps 1st Sgt. Mia Moffett for reminding him that professionalism and joy can coexist. 

"She taught me you can have fun while still doing your job right," he said. "That stuck with me. Sometimes Marines forget to breathe." 

Faith, he said, has carried him through it all. "I'm a God-fearing man," Cox said quietly. "Without Him, I wouldn't be where I am today. He lays the path. My job is to walk it." 

The Humanity Behind Precision 

By the time Cox arrived at the Silent Drill Platoon, he had served as a drill instructor, water survival instructor, force fitness instructor and infantry leader. None of it, he said, fully prepared him for this role. 

"You can hear stories, talk to the Marines who did the job before you," Cox said. "But nothing prepares you for the grind until you're standing there with them. It's like a whole different world inside the Marine Corps." 

The Silent Drill Platoon, known for its rifle drill precision without verbal cadence or commands, serves as one of the Corps' most visible symbols of discipline. Bearing is everything, and mistakes are rarely tolerated. Yet, Cox said, what the public doesn't always see is the humanity behind the precision. 

He pointed to Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Avery Nix as an example. When Nix first arrived, he wasn't part of the elite "Marching Twenty-Four," the core performers of the platoon. However, through persistence and discipline, he earned his place. 

"Now, he's on the deck, and he embodies what this platoon is about," Cox said. "That drive, that refusal to give up, watching him grow has been one of the best parts of this job." 

Pride, Every Single Time 

Cox initially turned down the opportunity to join the Silent Drill Platoon. When Marine Corps 1st Sgt. Brandon Pizano first suggested it, Cox thought staying with his infantry unit would be better for his career. But Pizano persisted, calling him repeatedly until Cox reconsidered. 

The selection call came unexpectedly while Cox was bowling in Okinawa, Japan. On the other end of the line was Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Jimmy Richard from Marine Barracks Washington.

"He asked me who I'd been talking to, and why I wanted the billet," Cox said. "Then he told me I'd been selected. I was speechless. That moment will always stay with me." 

Being the platoon sergeant for one of the Marine Corps' most visible units comes with pressure, but Cox describes it as a different kind of weight than in the fleet. 

"With an infantry platoon, maybe five percent of the time is calm," he said. "Here, it's closer to half. The Marines are so disciplined and self-driven that I've been able to find peace here in a way I didn't expect." 

Still, the emotions run high every time the platoon performs. Cox compared the feeling to watching his sons play sports. 

"When my son scored his first goal, I felt this rush of pride," he said. "That's exactly what I feel when I see these Marines perform, every single time. It never gets old." 

Even if the performance misses the perfect standard the platoon trains to, Cox said the Marines handle it with bearing and professionalism. During a performance in Atlanta, one Marine dropped his rifle mid-routine. 

"To the audience, it looked like part of the show," Cox said. "That's how much control they have. They can make an error look intentional. That's professionalism." 

Cox doesn't dwell on legacy in terms of rank or position. For him, leadership comes down to one simple thing: caring. 

"Years from now, I just want the Marines I served with to say Gunnery Sgt. Cox was humble, that he cared," he said with pride. "Not just about their careers, but about them as people." 

That kind of leadership, he believes, lasts beyond service.

"At the end of the day, I want them to be good people," Cox said. "Good people make good Marines, and good Marines make the Corps stronger. If I've done my part to push them in that direction, then I've done my job." 

As he looks across the parade deck, watching the rifles rise and fall under the spotlight, Cox smiles. 

"They're the standard," he said. "What they do is magical, and I'm just grateful I get the chance to be part of it."

449th AEG Airmen Test Readiness During Exercise Pale Serpent

Jan. 2, 2026 | By Air Force Staff Sgt. Christian Silvera, 406th Air Expeditionary Wing |

Airmen assigned to the 449th Air Expeditionary Group, in conjunction with Army, Marine Corps and Navy partners, conducted readiness training at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, during Exercise Pale Serpent, Dec. 26–29, 2025.

The joint exercise prepared units to respond to real-world contingencies across East Africa. 

The exercise placed different 449th elements into parallel training scenarios designed to test how each mission set could operate in a high-tempo environment, from trauma care to aeromedical evacuation. 

At Chabelley Airfield, Djibouti, Air Force medical personnel assigned to the 776th Expeditionary Air Base Squadron treated simulated casualties inside the installation's medical treatment facility alongside partner medical teams, practicing trauma care, triage and patient stabilization. 

"Triage took place outside, and then we were assigning casualties into the appropriate rooms," said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Gracie Livengood, 776th Expeditionary Air Base Squadron, aerospace medical service technician. "The most immediate patients came into the trauma bay, and we treated them while delayed and minimal patients were handled in the other bays." 

The scenario forced medics to manage multiple patients at once while working through limited space, equipment and personnel, requiring constant communication and rapid decision-making across the treatment teams.

"This training helps us get prepared if an actual emergency happens," Livengood said. "It ensures our skills are up to date, that we're doing everything properly and that we have the equipment we need to provide the best quality of care." 

Livengood said the exercise also highlighted the importance of teamwork in high-stress medical situations. 

"There are always challenges, especially when we're relatively short-staffed for a mass-casualty exercise," Livengood said. "But everyone did really well, helping each other out, moving from bed to bed and making sure people were taken care of." 

While medical teams trained at Chabelley, aeromedical evacuation personnel assigned to the 10th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Flight conducted parallel readiness training at Camp Lemonnier, preparing to move patients from the expeditionary medical facility to higher levels of care. 

During Pale Serpent, the 10th EAEF employed its full aeromedical evacuation capability, including a critical care air transport team consisting of a physician, critical care nurse and respiratory therapist, along with two flight nurses and four aeromedical technicians.

"Having aeromedical evacuation capabilities in this region is important so we can quickly move patients to a higher echelon of care," said Air Force Maj. Christina Newby-Martinez, 10th EAEF commander. "We're trained to provide the capability to rapidly move large numbers of patients by air during mass casualty events, which ensures timely redistribution of casualties to appropriate medical facilities." 

When this capability is integrated with critical care air transport teams specialized in transporting critically ill patients who require advanced, intensive and continuous medical care en route, there is a seamless transition of care across the full spectrum of patient acuity, Newby-Martinez explained. 

Exercises like Pale Serpent are essential for preparing crews to operate under pressure. 

"Training like Pale Serpent tests how quickly our teams can respond, pushes them to work outside of their normal crew complement and forces them to be ready for the unknown injuries that could arrive on an aircraft," Newby-Martinez said. "It also helps us see where we need to improve communication when we're working in a multi-service environment." 

Although 449th AEG elements trained in different locations, their efforts strengthened their ability to respond immediately and effectively to mass-casualty emergencies, reinforcing crisis readiness at one of U.S. Africa Command's most operationally critical hubs in East Africa. 

Army Surgery Resident Develops Groundbreaking Life Support System, Named to Forbes '30 Under 30 Healthcare 2026' List

Dec. 31, 2025 | By Hugh Fleming, Tripler Army Medical Center |

In the ever-evolving landscape of health care, few stories resonate with the promise of innovation and dedication quite like that of Army Capt. Bradley Pierce.  

Pierce is a general surgery resident at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu who was recently recognized on the Forbes "30 Under 30 Healthcare 2026" list for his groundbreaking development of a life support system to enhance patient survival rates following traumatic abdominal hemorrhage. This pioneering system holds significant potential for application in emergency rooms and rural treatment facilities, demonstrating how military medicine can lead the way in health care innovation. 

A Journey Rooted in Service and Science  

His upbringing profoundly influenced Pierce's journey into health care. Growing up with an Army physician father and a scientist mother, he was immersed in the world of medicine and science from an early age. 

"Health care always felt familiar," Pierce said. 

His father's career showcased the human side of medicine, emphasizing its mission-driven nature, while his mother's scientific background instilled in him a passion for analytical thinking and problem-solving. This unique blend of experiences naturally steered Pierce toward military medicine, a field that combines clinical care with service in challenging environments. 

A pivotal moment that solidified his path occurred during high school when he shadowed physicians and surgeons. Witnessing the intricate balance of technical skill and calm decision-making in high-stakes situations illuminated the profound impact of medicine. 

"Those experiences clarified that I wanted a career where I could think critically, work with my hands and directly improve outcomes for people in vulnerable moments," Pierce explained. 

Mentorship and Inspiration  

Throughout his career, Pierce has been fortunate to have mentors who have guided him. One of his most significant role models is Dr. Thomas Fogarty, a pioneering figure in medical innovation known for inventing the Fogarty balloon catheter. Pierce admires Fogarty's courage to innovate, despite skepticism, and his ability to transform concepts into practical solutions that enhance patient care. 

"Learning from him has been inspirational on how to persevere through uncertainty," Pierce said.

Achievements and Future Aspirations  

Among Pierce's proudest accomplishments is the completion of initial preclinical testing for a novel heart-lung-kidney life support system designed to treat internal bleeding, a project now submitted for patent protection. 

"This milestone reflects over a decade of deliberate preparation," said Pierce, crediting the support of his colleagues and the Department of Clinical Investigations at Tripler for their collaborative efforts that led to this breakthrough. 

Pierce measures the impact of his work by its potential to improve patient outcomes, particularly in high-stakes situations where timely intervention is critical. He emphasizes that success is not solely determined by traditional metrics, but by the meaningful differences made in patients' lives. 

"The ultimate measure of success is lives improved or saved once they reach patients," Pierce said. 

The Army upholds a robust regulatory framework that ensures exceptional standards of operations and accountability, exceeding those generally established in civilian sectors, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act for patient privacy and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for workplace safety. Furthermore, the Army adheres to War Department guidelines and Army-specific regulations that emphasize readiness and preventive medicine. 

The Future of Health Care: Challenges and Innovations  

As Pierce looks to the future, he identifies pressing challenges in health care, including the growing mismatch between demand and capacity. 

"Patient populations are increasing in size and complexity, while health care systems are being asked to do more with fewer resources," Pierce said. 

Addressing these challenges will require innovative solutions that enhance care delivery without adding complexity. 

Pierce believes that technology will play a crucial role in shaping the future of health care. He envisions a landscape where thoughtfully designed technologies can extend clinicians' capabilities, automate routine tasks and facilitate complex care outside traditional hospital settings. 

"The future will be defined by how well we integrate digital intelligence with practical, deployable medical devices that can act when patients need care the most," Pierce said. 

Advice for Aspiring Health Care Leaders  

Pierce advises aspiring young professionals who want to make a difference in health care to seek out strong mentors and focus on areas in need of improvement. He underscores the importance of staying close to clinical realities and challenging assumptions. 

"Progress in health care is often incremental, but sustained curiosity, humility and persistence can lead to changes that truly improve how care is delivered," he said. 

As he continues his surgical residency and works on advancing his current projects, Pierce remains committed to building solutions that address real clinical needs. 

"My primary goal is to complete surgical residency and ensure that each project remains grounded in practical, scalable and clinically relevant solutions," he said. 

A Legacy of Innovation and Teamwork  

Pierce's journey exemplifies the intersection of military service and health care innovation. His commitment to improving patient outcomes through technology, alongside a deep appreciation for mentorship and collaboration, positions him as a leader in the field.  

As he envisions his work evolving over the next five years, Pierce is determined to bridge the gap between innovative ideas and real-world impact, ensuring that the future of health care is not only innovative but also accessible and effective for all patients.