{"articles":[{"id":"vn-j59ps3","slug":"one-dead-others-wounded-in-shooting-at-fort-hood-recreation-area","title":"One dead, others wounded in shooting at Fort Hood recreation area","excerpt":"Fort Hood military police got into a shootout with civilians Saturday night, in an incident that left one person dead, the Army said on Sunday.","content":"Fort Hood military police got into a shootout with civilians Saturday night, in an incident that left one person dead, the Army said on Sunday. At least two others were wounded during the fight at a recreation center next to the base, which is now under investigation.\n\nFort Hood officials confirmed that multiple gunshots were fired shortly after 9 p.m. on May 23, after two military police officers from the base responded to a fight at the Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area. While trying to break up the crowd, gunfire broke out.\n\nTop Stories This Week\n\n19-year-old soldier completes Ranger, Airborne, Air Assault and Pathfinder schools\n\nSecurity Forces airman becomes first Air Force graduate of Army’s revived jungle school\n\nFighter pilots say Growler crews’ safe ejections were a ‘miracle’\n\n“One civilian was transported to an area hospital but succumbed to their injuries,” Fort Hood officials said in a statement Sunday morning. “Another non-DoD affiliated civilian was transported to an area hospital and remains in stable condition. One service member was treated for minor injuries on scene and released.”\n\nVideo posted to social media, including on the Army subreddit and the popular US Army WTF! Moments Facebook page shows military police trying to get the crowd at the park to disperse. It doesn’t show how the gunfight started, but several shots ring out and the crowd runs. One military police officer can be seen on camera running back towards the gunfire after the group scatters. He then aims and fires in the direction of where several muzzle flashes are seen. The video stops before the end of the incident, but more than a dozen gunshots were heard during the fight.\n\nArmy officials said that scene was “quickly secured,” with the Killeen Daily Herald reporting the recreation area had reopened on Sunday. First responders from the base and outside agencies arrived at the recreation area and those wounded were taken to nearby hospitals.\n\nThe Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area is operated by the Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation program at Fort Hood and is open to the public.\n\nThe Army Criminal Investigation Division is investigating the incident, which CID and Fort Hood officials said is in its preliminary stages.","category":"service","author":"Nicholas Slayton","publishDate":"2026-05-24T20:37:34.000Z","image":"https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/4490907.jpg?quality=85","source":"Task & Purpose","sourceUrl":"https://taskandpurpose.com/news/fort-hood-recreation-area-shooting/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-25T00:01:00.743Z"},{"id":"vn-ruhkn5","slug":"it-s-hot-here-s-how-to-stay-safe-with-your-medicines-this-summer","title":"It’s hot. Here’s how to stay safe with your medicines this summer","excerpt":"Summer is finally here! For many of us, that means more time outside, physical activity and exposure to the heat. Whether you’re splashing in the pool with friends and family, tending the garden or...","content":"Summer is finally here! For many of us, that means more time outside, physical activity and exposure to the heat. Whether you’re splashing in the pool with friends and family, tending the garden or even just running errands on a sunny afternoon, it’s important to know how your medicines can affect your body’s response to the sun and heat.\n\nCertain medicines can:\n\nLimit your ability to sweat, which is the main way your body cools down.\n\nReduce your thirst, so you may not feel like drinking enough water.\n\nAffect your blood flow and nerves, causing your body to hold onto heat.\n\nIncrease urination and raise your risk of dehydration.\n\nMake your skin more sensitive to the sun.\n\nAltogether, medicines can make you overheat faster, miss signs of overheating and dehydration, and make it harder to recover quickly.\n\nReducing risks\n\nIt’s important to be mindful and aware of the medicines you take, especially because they affect people differently. Talk to your VA provider or pharmacist if you have questions about your medicines. Practicing these healthy habits can help reduce your risks:\n\nStay hydrated. Aim to drink about 8-12 cups of water per day to stay well-hydrated. If you don’t like plain water, add fruit or a calorie-free flavoring, or choose drinks like tea or sparkling water.\n\nFind shade. If you must be in the sun, try to take breaks in a cool, shady spot under a tree or an umbrella. If you’re out in the community, you can also step inside places like libraries or other public buildings to stay cool.\n\nLimit outdoor activities. Try not to be outside during the hottest part of the day (usually 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM).\n\nProtect your skin. Apply SPF 30 sunscreen or higher and wear a hat or protective clothing.\n\nLimit alcohol and excessive caffeine. Alcohol can interact with medicines and cause stronger reactions. Alcohol and caffeine can also dehydrate you by causing increased urination and electrolyte loss.\n\nIt’s important to know the warning signs of heat-related illness. Seek medical attention if you experience:\n\nHeavy sweating\n\nDizziness or lightheadedness\n\nNausea or vomiting\n\nMuscle cramps\n\nConfusion or unusual behavior\n\nFast heartbeat\n\nExtreme tiredness\n\nStoring medicines safely in the summer\n\nIn addition to affecting your health, heat can affect your medicines. Keep them away from direct sunlight, warm cars, steamy bathrooms or a hot stove. Some medicines must be kept cold, so you may need to store them in a refrigerator. If you have any questions about whether your medicines are affected by heat, or how to safely store them, ask your VA healthcare team.\n\nAs a reminder, don’t stop taking or change your medicines without talking to your healthcare team first, even during hot weather.\n\nKnowing your medicines is an important way to stay healthy. With a little planning and care, you can protect yourself and maintain your best health in the summer.\n\nTo learn more about how to work with your VA care team to understand your medicines, visit VA’s Know Your Medicines page.","category":"family","author":"Nikki Verbeck","publishDate":"2026-05-24T20:30:00.000Z","image":"https://news.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/07/favicon-96x96-1.png?w=32","source":"VA News","sourceUrl":"https://news.va.gov/146973/its-hot-heres-how-stay-safe-medicines-summer/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-25T00:00:58.788Z"},{"id":"vn-wpzrmg","slug":"marines-stage-mock-evacuation-at-venezuela-embassy","title":"Marines stage mock evacuation at Venezuela embassy","excerpt":"Four months after American special operations forces infiltrated Venezuelan airspace to raid its capital city, U.S. troops were once again flying over Caracas.","content":"Four months after American special operations forces infiltrated Venezuelan airspace to raid its capital city, U.S. troops were once again flying over Caracas. This time, as part of an elaborate training exercise around the U.S. embassy.\n\nTwo Marine Corps MV-22 Ospreys flew over the capital of Venezuela on Saturday and landed outside the U.S. embassy as part of a “rapid response” drill, the U.S. embassy for Venezuela said in a social media post.\n\n“A US military response exercise is currently underway at the Embassy of the United States in Caracas,” the embassy wrote in its Instagram post. “Ensuring the Army’s rapid response capability is a key component of mission readiness, both here in Venezuela and around the world.”\n\nIn the video, the two Ospreys can be seen landing in the embassy parking lot, maneuvering to a landing spot surrounded by trees, before Marines exited the two aircraft. Photos from Agence France Presse of the drill show the Ospreys flying low over the city during the day, with dozens of city residents watching the aircraft pass overhead.\n\nTop Stories This Week\n\n19-year-old soldier completes Ranger, Airborne, Air Assault and Pathfinder schools\n\nSecurity Forces airman becomes first Air Force graduate of Army’s revived jungle school\n\nFighter pilots say Growler crews’ safe ejections were a ‘miracle’\n\nNotably, the exercise was also attended by Marine Corps Gen. Francis Donovan, the commander of U.S. Southern Command, who arrived via Osprey. He, as well as embassy’s Chargé d’Affaires John Barrett, took part in the evacuation drill.\n\nThe aerial evacuation drill is the largest display by the American military in the city since Operation Absolute Resolve, the nighttime attack on Venezuela on Jan. 3. A joint force carried out several airstrikes, mainly in Caracas but in other parts of Venezuela as well, hitting several targets while special operations units entered Caracas. Flying low into the city, they reached a military compound and, following a gunfight at the base, seized and escaped with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Celia Flores. Maduro was extradited to New York. Since then some U.S. forces have remained in the Caribbean.\n\nThe Associated Press noted that markings on the Ospreys show the aircraft belong to Marine Tiltrotor Squadron 263. That squadron is part of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, currently embarked with the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, which played a major role in Operation Absolute Resolve. The Marines and the Navy ships were moved into the Caribbean in the fall of 2025 as part of a wider U.S. military build up. Since the capture of Maduro several U.S. ships have left, with some heading to the Middle East, but the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group has remained. The Marines onboard have continued to train, and have participated in raids to seize sanctioned oil tankers. This past week, the USS Nimitz and its carrier strike group entered the Caribbean, bolstering the naval presence there.\n\nThe American embassy in Caracas reopened in March, seven years after it was closed following diplomatic ruptures between the United States and Venezuela.","category":"service","author":"Nicholas Slayton","publishDate":"2026-05-24T16:42:23.000Z","image":"https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/GettyImages-2277308810.jpg?quality=85","source":"Task & Purpose","sourceUrl":"https://taskandpurpose.com/news/marines-venezuela-embassy-evacuation-drill/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-24T18:00:57.746Z"},{"id":"vn-on00vo","slug":"ausa-graphic-novel-spotlights-ex-nfl-player-who-earned-the-medal-of-honor","title":"AUSA graphic novel spotlights ex-NFL player who earned the Medal of Honor","excerpt":"The only pass that Maurice Britt caught during his brief NFL career went for a 45-yard touchdown. Britt played nine games for the Detroit Lions in 1941 before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor,...","content":"The only pass that Maurice Britt caught during his brief NFL career went for a 45-yard touchdown.\n\nBritt played nine games for the Detroit Lions in 1941 before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, prompting the United States’ entry into World War II. While Britt did not particularly distinguish himself on the professional football field, his exploits on the battlefield were extraordinary.\n\nBritt is the subject of the latest installment in the Association of the United States Army’s graphic novel series, “Medal of Honor: Footsie Britt.” It chronicles a man who became the first soldier to earn the Army’s top combat decorations for valor during one war.\n\nTaking the Fight to the Germans\n\nWhen Britt arrived in North Africa in November 1942, he was a 23-year-old football player learning the intricacies of war as he went.\n\nBritt proved a quick study. Part of Company L, 3rd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, Britt and his unit moved on to take part in the invasion of Sicily. Then on November 10, 1943—a year after leaving the United States for overseas—Britt was involved in the fight of his life on Mount Rotondo near the Mignano Gap in Italy.\n\nAs a counterattack of roughly a hundred Germans pummeled his heavily depleted company, then-Lt. Britt took retaliatory action at great personal risk. The fighting, often in close quarters, was intense. During the battle, enemy fire punctured Britt’s canteen and destroyed his field glasses, according to his Medal of Honor citation.\n\nThe 6-foot-4, 210-pound Britt absorbed several injuries, including a bullet to his side. Shrapnel from grenades wounded his chest, face, and hands as well. Still, Britt refused to stop, leading his men against seemingly insurmountable odds. Eyewitness accounts described Britt as “a one-man army,” running around and firing at any German in sight.\n\n“Britt fired his rifle at them, he threw grenades, and at the finish, I believe he was even throwing rocks,” Lt. Col. Lionel McGarr, Britt’s commanding officer, was quoted as saying in a 2022 NFL.com article.\n\nBritt was truly relentless. His citation credited him with throwing 32 grenades and taking out an enemy machine-gun crew. He killed five Germans, wounded some more Nazis, and helped capture four others.\n\nUndoubtedly in pain because of his injuries, Britt only accepted medical treatment after the Americans secured Mount Rotondo.\n\n“Utterly Demoralized, His Spirit Broken”\n\nBritt received the Medal of Honor for his actions and also was promoted to captain. He accepted the Medal of Honor on the football field of his alma mater, the University of Arkansas, on June 7, 1944. By that time, he was coming to grips with the abrupt way that his time in a military uniform ended.\n\nIn February 1944, a tank shell destroyed Britt’s command post in Anzio, Italy, and cost him his right arm. In a way, Britt—who also sustained severe injuries in one of his feet—was fortunate. Of the 15 other men there with Britt at the time, five reportedly died. Several more, like Britt, clung to life.\n\nAfter a quick-thinking private used some rope to staunch the bleeding, Britt was taken to a field hospital. He received five blood transfusions. Another injured soldier said Britt appeared “out of it… utterly demoralized, his spirit broken.”\n\nBritt returned to the United States that spring, never to fight on the battlefield again.\n\nEntering Business and Politics\n\nWhile others marveled at Britt’s heroism, the onetime Lion didn’t believe he did anything special.\n\n“War is not as heroic as we sometimes try to make it,” Britt told NFL Films in 1993. “It’s mostly filth and sorrow and grime and all the bad things and very little of the good things.”\n\nAfter World War II, Britt—whose longtime nickname, “Footsie,” derived from his size 13 feet—became a successful businessman. He went on to become Arkansas’ lieutenant governor, replacing another Medal of Honor recipient, Nathan Gordon. Britt ran unsuccessfully to become the state’s governor in 1986.\n\nBritt died on November 26, 1995, at the age of 76.\n\n“Medal of Honor: Footsie Britt” is available to read online or download at the AUSA’s website. Dating to 2018, this is the 29th installment in the military nonprofit’s graphic novel series spotlighting American war heroes.\n\nThe book about Britt is the first of four graphic novels that AUSA plans to release this year. The next one will focus on World War I flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker and is tentatively due for release in July.\n\nDon’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty\n\n• Tom Hanks’ new 20-part docuseries takes a new look at World War II\n• Meet the 12-year-old sailor who fought at Guadalcanal\n• A Medal of Honor recipient used a dud enemy mortar to save US troops during WWII\n\nWorld War II\n\nAUSA graphic novel spotlights ex-NFL player who earned the Medal of Honor\n\nFamily & MilSpouse\n\nWhy military kids overseas have to outwork everyone to get recruited\n\nMighty MilSpouse\n\n‘The Weight He Carried:’ Memorial Day and the battle at home\n\nTom Hanks’ new 20-part docuseries takes a new look at World War II\n\n5 ways to honor the fallen this Memorial Day Weekend","category":"legacy","author":"Stephen Ruiz","publishDate":"2026-05-24T12:00:00.000Z","image":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/footsie-britt-medal-of-honor-graphic-novel-ausa.jpg?quality=85","source":"We Are The Mighty","sourceUrl":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/history/ausa-graphic-novel-spotlights-ex-nfl-player-who-earned-the-medal-of-honor/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":2,"qualityScore":100,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-24T12:00:45.163Z"},{"id":"vn-qede6q","slug":"army-reaches-its-recruiting-goal-several-months-early","title":"Army reaches its recruiting goal several months early","excerpt":"The Army successfully hit its recruiting goal for the 2026 fiscal year, more than four months ahead of its deadline. The Army announced on Saturday that it reached its goal of signing 61,500 people...","content":"The Army successfully hit its recruiting goal for the 2026 fiscal year, more than four months ahead of its deadline.\n\nThe Army announced on Saturday that it reached its goal of signing 61,500 people for active-duty contracts. It’s the third year in a row that the Army met its recruitment goal, after falling short in 2022 and 2023. It also is the second year in a row that it beat the deadline by roughly four months; in 2025 the Army hit the milestone in the first week of June. The fiscal year closes at the end of September.\n\nAccording to the Army’s release on meeting its recruitment goal, the service credited “innovative outreach, enhanced career incentives, and a focus on critical technical skills” with helping bring in the new soldiers, although the announcement was vague on what those moves were. However, the service has continued several programs created over the past few years that have helped to bring in more recruits and assist them in meeting standards for military service.\n\nTop Stories This Week\n\n19-year-old soldier completes Ranger, Airborne, Air Assault and Pathfinder schools\n\nFighter pilots say Growler crews’ safe ejections were a ‘miracle’\n\nSecurity Forces airman becomes first Air Force graduate of Army’s revived jungle school\n\nThe Army’s Future Soldier Preparatory Course, started as a pilot program in 2022 before becoming permanent, has helped tens of thousands of people train and study in order to meet the Army’s academic and physical requirements. The 90-day course was created to help overcome recent enlistment shortfalls by helping those who want to serve. Last year, when the Army met its goal of 61,000 new recruits, Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll specifically credited the preparatory program for helping with that success, noting it helped those who were “right on the edge” of being able to join.\n\nThe Army has also offered increased enlistment bonuses, while revamping its outreach to the public with new ad blitzes, including bringing back the “Be All You Can Be” campaign. Last year the Army celebrated its 250th birthday with several high-profile events.\n\nAlongside greater incentives and support programs, the Army has also expanded its pool of recruits. That included raising the maximum enlistment age to 42 — lining up more with the age limits of other service branches — and changed some policies tied to drug-related convictions. The Army did away with a regulation that required a waiver for recruits who had a single conviction for possessing drug paraphernalia or marijuana; the waiver also required a two-year wait before being granted.\n\nThe Army isn’t alone in hitting its goals early this fiscal year. Both the Air Force and Space Force met their enlistment goals in April, five months ahead of schedule, although the two branches had smaller targets.\n\nThe Department of Defense has invested heavily in outreach and programs to boost enlistment. Between 2022-2024, the military spent more than $6 billion on programs and campaigns to recruit and retain service members.","category":"service","author":"Nicholas Slayton","publishDate":"2026-05-23T20:48:54.000Z","image":"https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/9701355.jpg?quality=85","source":"Task & Purpose","sourceUrl":"https://taskandpurpose.com/military-life/army-beats-2026-recruiting-goal/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-24T00:00:55.350Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-24T04:00:49.035Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-qjjthq","slug":"innovative-dental-treatments-advancing-veteran-care","title":"Innovative dental treatments advancing Veteran care","excerpt":"Residents and providers learn to use the latest technology Army Vietnam Veteran Anthony DiPrima lost all his teeth at 19 and avoided many foods and smiling for decades.","content":"Residents and providers learn to use the latest technology\n\nArmy Vietnam Veteran Anthony DiPrima lost all his teeth at 19 and avoided many foods and smiling for decades. After qualifying for VA dental care, DiPrima said a new dental implant transformed his life.\n\n“The last year has been fantastic,” he said. “It used to be very hard smiling, and now, I’m the life of the party!”\n\nMargaret Cochran Corbin VA has improved dental health for Veterans by training residents and providers in the latest state-of-the-art technology, expanding access to cutting-edge dental care.\n\nAdvanced dental treatments\n\nThe use of new dental technologies, including laser therapy and implant procedures, has become routine at the facility, with residents getting hands-on training in these innovations during their time with VA.\n\nAssistant Chief of Dentistry Dr. Trevor Simmonds discussed how VA is using laser therapy and advanced lasers to treat gum tissue. “Laser treatment is a breakthrough in treating periodontal disease,” he said. Simmonds also noted it reduces bleeding, anxiety and has benefits for Veterans with complex medical conditions.\n\n“Compared to the conventional approach, where we would have to cut and stitch [the gum], there is no cutting, no stitching,” said Simmonds. “It brings to the table in our field a minimally invasive approach for treating periodontal disease.”\n\nAnother innovative technology Margaret Cochran Corbin VA adopted is an implant technique called custom subperiosteal implant.\n\nDr. Gary Orentlicher, oral and maxillofacial surgeon, described the implants as a less-invasive, digitally designed, patient-specific procedure. Approved in the U.S. within the last few years, Orentlicher said the technique has been used in 14 cases at Margaret Cochran Corbin VA, primarily for Veterans 60 or older without enough bone for traditional implants.\n\n“This implant is perfectly adapted to the patient’s anatomy, and it’s literally screwed into the patient’s jaw, making the implant exceptionally stable,” said Orentlicher. “It opens up an entire new treatment modality to patients with severe bone loss problems and just can’t have teeth conventionally.”\n\nMost patients receive temporary teeth on surgery day and return later for permanent restorations, regaining function quickly.\n\nImproving quality of life for Veterans\n\nMarine Vietnam Veteran Thomas Mundy, a VA patient since 1968, described the dental care he receives as great with no complaints. “VA has been good to me in many ways,” said Mundy. “I couldn’t go wrong with the dental, either.”\n\nMundy said the new technology made procedures more comfortable and nearly pain-free. “I don’t have any pain at all no matter what they do,” said Mundy. “The scanning of the teeth, the machines that go back and forth to take the X-rays, it’s unbelievable.”\n\nMundy encouraged other Veterans who need services to reach out to VA. “Don’t hesitate to go in and start talking and asking,” said Mundy. “This is the payback—they are taking care of us.”\n\nA training ground for advanced dental care\n\nTraining in these new technologies and procedures has given dental residents hands-on experience in implant placement, restorative care and laser treatment. Residents have treated a wide range of dental needs, reviewed cases with multidisciplinary specialists, and received in-depth instruction that would be hard to find elsewhere, according to third-year prosthodontics resident, Dr. Gustavo Lopez Gomez.\n\nGomez said he gained advanced experience at VA and found caring for Veterans deeply rewarding. “Exposure to implant cases here is extensive,” he said. “As I think to my future and how I will be able to use these skills, I am one step ahead of colleagues of mine who may not get this experience,” Gomez said.\n\nDr. Alexia Blackhurst, a second-year endodontics resident and Navy Veteran, praised the supportive environment and training, noting that VA graduates are well prepared for real-world practice. “Working at VA, you see very complex dental cases, and you are working on cases you probably wouldn’t see in other residency programs,” said Blackhurst. “It is rigorous, but you are in a supportive environment with so many different faculty and specialties helping contribute to your education.”\n\n“We are absolutely on the forefront”\n\nBuilding on dental innovation, Dr. Lukasz Skomial, chief of dental service and a prosthodontist, explained that recent improvements in custom‑designed implants have made these procedures more accurate and predictable.\n\n“We are absolutely on the forefront,” said Skomial. “We give our Veterans the best technologies, the best products that are out there. And essentially, we are turning our patients around, making them believe that VA can provide them with the best possible care.”\n\nBy combining advanced technology, hands-on resident training and a whole-patient approach, the Margaret Cochran Corbin VA dental team broadens access to innovative procedures that restore health and confidence, reinforcing VA’s leadership in patient-centered dental care.\n\nDiPrima said the benefits speak for themselves. “I chew a steak,” he said. “Being Italian, I have a piece of Italian bread with salami and cheese, and it’s no problem. I’m happy!”\n\nMargaret Cochran Corbin VA dental residents are among the more than 124,000 trainees VA educates throughout the nation each year, making VA’s health professions education program the largest in the United States. These programs, overseen by the Office of Academic Affiliations, are shaping the next generation of health care professionals for VA and the nation.","category":"health","author":"Nikki Verbeck","publishDate":"2026-05-23T20:30:00.000Z","image":"https://news.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/05/Photo-2_Dr.-Puskas-with-patient_r1.webp","source":"VA News","sourceUrl":"https://news.va.gov/146926/innovative-dental-treatments-veteran-care/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-24T00:00:51.363Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-24T04:00:49.035Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-pjgt9t","slug":"nimitz-carrier-group-arrives-in-caribbean-amid-cuba-tensions","title":"Nimitz carrier group arrives in Caribbean amid Cuba tensions","excerpt":"The Navy’s longest serving aircraft carrier is now operating in the Caribbean. The USS Nimitz, the 51-year-old carrier that recently got its service extended, arrived in the sea on Wednesday, joining...","content":"The Navy’s longest serving aircraft carrier is now operating in the Caribbean. The USS Nimitz, the 51-year-old carrier that recently got its service extended, arrived in the sea on Wednesday, joining an American military presence that has been in place for several months. It also brings more naval power to the region as the United States ramps up pressure on Cuba.\n\nThe Nimitz and its strike group, including the USS Gridley and USS Patuxent as well as Carrier Air Wing 17, entered the Caribbean earlier this week after conducting operations with Brazil, U.S. Southern Command confirmed in social media posts.\n\n“USS Nimitz has proven its combat prowess across the globe, ensuring stability and defending democracy from the Taiwan Strait to the Arabian Gulf,” SOUTHCOM said in its post.\n\nTop Stories This Week\n\n19-year-old soldier completes Ranger, Airborne, Air Assault and Pathfinder schools\n\nFighter pilots say Growler crews’ safe ejections were a ‘miracle’\n\nSecurity Forces airman becomes first Air Force graduate of Army’s revived jungle school\n\nThe Nimitz is currently traveling with its carrier strike on a long journey around Central and South America, on its way to its new home port in Virginia. However its arrival marks the first time a carrier has been in the area since February, when the USS Gerald R. Ford was ordered to the Middle East, where it took part in combat operations against Iran as part of its 11-month deployment.\n\nThe Nimitz’s arrival also coincides with the Justice Department’s indictment of several Cuban officials this week, including former Cuban President Raul Castro. The Trump administration has been hawkish towards Cuba, ramping up sanctions and enacted a blockade of oil inbound to the country, worsening its energy crisis. President Donald Trump himself has repeatedly raised the possibility of some kind of military action against the country. The New York Times, citing an American official, reports that the Nimitz is expected to stay in the area for some days as part of a show of force.\n\nThe Nimitz’s arrival bolsters a still-strong armada of Navy vessels in the region. Although several aircraft and ships left the region after the January attack on Venezuela, several of the warships and other forces sent to the Caribbean in the second half of 2025 remain. That includes the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and its embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit. USNI News’ fleet tracker also reports that the guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie and the littoral combat ship USS Billings have also been operating in those waters.\n\nThe Nimitz was originally sailing one last time, leaving its homeport in Washington state for Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, where it would be decommissioned. Soon after setting sail, it got its life extended to March 2027, with its carrier air wing joining it for the voyage. That journey around Central and South America includes taking part in the Southern Seas exercise and passing several partner nations where the United States has stepped up its military presence and engagement, including Panama and Ecuador. Earlier this month, the Nimitz became the longest serving Navy carrier, surpassing the 55 years and 68 days that the USS Enterprise served.","category":"service","author":"Nicholas Slayton","publishDate":"2026-05-23T19:17:02.000Z","image":"https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/GettyImages-2271636469.jpg?quality=85","source":"Task & Purpose","sourceUrl":"https://taskandpurpose.com/news/uss-nimitz-caribbean-cuba/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-24T00:00:55.350Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-24T04:00:49.035Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-mjhl2g","slug":"why-military-kids-overseas-have-to-outwork-everyone-to-get-recruited","title":"Why military kids overseas have to outwork everyone to get recruited","excerpt":"Many young athletes have dreams of being the next A’ja Wilson or Jalen Brunson. That’s a nice fantasy—until you’re a military kid playing overseas.","content":"Many young athletes have dreams of being the next A’ja Wilson or Jalen Brunson. That’s a nice fantasy—until you’re a military kid playing overseas.\n\nWhile stateside athletes are grinding in packed gyms, traveling Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) circuits, and getting eyes from recruiters every weekend, military kids overseas are often putting in just as much work… with half the exposure and fewer opportunities.\n\nMilitary kids stationed overseas are competing at a disadvantage when it comes to sports recruiting, exposure, and access, but they’re also developing a level of grit most athletes never have to. I spoke to high school athletes stationed in South Korea who highlighted the real disparities they face and shared why overseas players often have to work twice as hard just to get seen.\n\nOne varsity athlete shared: “We don’t really have the opportunity that people do in the States.… We just don’t get as many looks.”\n\nThat’s the bottom line. No Friday night crowds full of scouts. No easy access to elite camps. A limited local network of trainers, recruiters, and media pushing your name out.\n\nSome athletes don’t desire to play sports beyond high school. However, for those who do and want to be seen, they have to fight geography rather than simply compete.\n\nWhen “Varsity” Doesn’t Feel Like Varsity\n\nAnother student-athlete was honest enough not to sugarcoat the lack of competitiveness. “The varsity level here is JV max,” they said. That statement alone tells you everything you need to know. It’s not just about effort; it’s about the environment.\n\nOverseas military schools are smaller. The competition pool is limited. You might only play a handful of teams, and not all of them are operating at a high level. That means fewer chances to sharpen your skills against elite talent—the kind college programs expect.\n\nAnd when it’s time to transition back stateside or compete for college spots? That gap shows up fast.\n\nLess Structure, More Self-Discipline\n\nHere’s where things really shift.\n\nStateside athletes often have:\n\nStrength and conditioning programs\n\nMorning workouts\n\nSpecialized position coaches\n\nDedicated funding\n\nAthletes have to commit to work a lot on their own time overseas. Coaches are teachers first. Department of War Education Activity (DoWEA) policy stipulates that the head coach must be a faculty member. Training facilities may exist, but not at the same level. As an overseas athlete, you are lucky if your coach actually has prior coaching or playing experience.\n\nParents of student-athletes shared what a nightmare it was to have a coach who knew nothing about the sport, but they refused help from those more experienced. Talk about a scary season.\n\nStudents say that “if you want to get better, it’s on you.” No one’s chasing you down to lift. No one’s scheduling extra reps. No one’s making sure you’re ready. You either take ownership, or you fall behind.\n\nFewer Connections, Fewer Chances\n\nLet’s talk about recruiting—the part nobody warns you about.\n\nStateside athletes benefit from:\n\nShowcase tournaments and events\n\nTravel teams\n\nRecruiting pipelines\n\nSocial media exposure tied to programs\n\nStat portals\n\nOverseas athletes are often trying to figure it out on their own.\n\n“You don’t have the resources that can help push your name out,” one athlete said.\n\nAnd that’s the difference between being good and being seen. Talent alone doesn’t open doors anymore; visibility does. In the age of social media, recruiters and coaches often find star players from viral videos.\n\nSimply not having access to the high school stat portal MaxPreps also puts these students at a significant disadvantage. It seems as if DOWEA simply doesn’t care enough to budge on policy and funding to keep overseas student-athletes at least partially inline with stateside athletes.\n\nLet’s not get into the fact that they lose out on two years of school sports exposure. There is no funding for middle-school sports in DOWEA schools overseas so even the best junior athletes are stuck playing amateur-level sports with Child & Youth Services (CYS) unless they can connect with a local, host country team that will allow them to join.\n\nBut Here’s the Part Nobody Talks About: the Edge\n\nNow here’s where it flips. While the system may not favor them, overseas athletes are building something different. Something harder to measure but impossible to ignore.\n\n“It’s an experience that not a lot of people are gonna have.… Not a lot of kids are gonna be able to play overseas.”\n\nThey’re competing internationally. Adjusting constantly. Adapting to new teams, new systems, and new environments that builds something most athletes never have to develop this early:\n\nGrit without recognition. Discipline without structure. Confidence without validation.\n\nMilitary student-athletes overseas are just built differently, because their path is steeper. They don’t always get the same exposure, competition, or resources. But they work hard, train, and figure out how to fill the gap, and some make it onto a college team. When they do, they don’t just show up with talent. They show up with something earned the hard way.\n\nDon’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty\n\n• Everything they don’t tell you about the financial realities of moving overseas\n• 7 hard truths military spouses wish they knew in the beginning\n• Hungry in Uniform: the untold struggle of military food insecurity\n\nFamily & MilSpouse\n\nWhy military kids overseas have to outwork everyone to get recruited\n\nMighty MilSpouse\n\n‘The Weight He Carried:’ Memorial Day and the battle at home\n\nTom Hanks’ new 20-part docuseries takes a new look at World War II\n\n5 ways to honor the fallen this Memorial Day Weekend\n\nThe MRZR Alpha 6×6 scratches a 1,000-pound itch for the military","category":"service","author":"Tamika Sherman","publishDate":"2026-05-23T12:00:00.000Z","image":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/military-sports-overseas-recruiting-courtesy.jpg?quality=85","source":"We Are The Mighty","sourceUrl":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/military-life/why-military-kids-overseas-have-to-outwork-everyone-to-get-recruited/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":2,"qualityScore":100,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-23T18:00:55.646Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-24T04:00:49.035Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-tpfduq","slug":"help-veterans-breathe-easy-as-a-va-pulmonologist","title":"Help Veterans breathe easy as a VA pulmonologist","excerpt":"Pulmonologists play a critical role in helping patients breathe easier, and at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), that impact is felt every day.","content":"Pulmonologists play a critical role in helping patients breathe easier, and at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), that impact is felt every day. With a growing need for respiratory care, VA offers pulmonologists the opportunity to work at the forefront of complex and rewarding cases, from chronic lung disease management to advanced critical care.\n\n“Lung cancer is the second most diagnosed cancer and ranks as the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Veterans are at a heightened risk for developing this disease, partly due to factors associated with military service,” said Dr. Bianka Eperjesiova, North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System director of Interventional Pulmonology.\n\nVA supports its physicians in meeting the unique needs of Veterans with cutting-edge technology, interdisciplinary teams, and the chance to make a lasting difference in the lives of Veterans. Keep reading to see if a rewarding career at VA is the fit for you.\n\nInnovations in lung care\n\nVA is a leader in innovation, making real strides in early detection and treatment of respiratory disease. At the South Texas VA Healthcare System, pulmonologists are using the Ion endoluminal system, a robotic-assisted technology, during minimally invasive biopsy procedures. This added precision not only allows for navigating hard-to-reach airways but also for more rapid diagnoses. This technology can provide answers in just 1 to 2 weeks (compared to the previous 12-week waiting period) to determine the malignancy of a lung nodule.\n\nTelePulmonology is another way VA is revolutionizing lung care. Veterans can now receive secure, specialized respiratory care through VA telehealth services from the comfort of their own homes.\n\n“It makes it a lot easier for me,” said Air Force Veteran Robert Ordoyne. “Not having to drive across town twice a week has been a big help.”\n\nEmployee benefits\n\nVA offers a great employee benefits package that will help you breathe easier, too. From competitive compensation and health care benefits to generous leave allowances and opportunities for growth, VA takes care of you so you can concentrate on taking care of those who’ve served.\n\nCurrent openings\n\nHere are just a few of the openings for pulmonologists across VA:\n\nColumbia, S.C.\n\nBuffalo, N.Y.\n\nWest Palm Beach, Fla.\n\nCheck out all current openings online.\n\nJoin VA\n\nVA is always looking for qualified, compassionate physicians to join our team. If a rewarding career serving those who served sounds like a good fit for you, learn more and apply at VA Careers.","category":"transition","author":"Michelle Weaver","publishDate":"2026-05-22T20:30:00.000Z","image":"https://news.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/07/favicon-96x96-1.png?w=32","source":"VA News","sourceUrl":"https://news.va.gov/146733/help-veterans-breathe-easy-va-pulmonologist/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-23T00:00:26.545Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-23T04:00:08.026Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-vs8sth","slug":"return-of-the-dead-the-unthinkable-choice-faced-by-military-families-after-wwii","title":"‘Return of the Dead’: The unthinkable choice faced by military families after WWII","excerpt":"The accounts of the day said that an “awesome silence” so unnatural to Manhattan fell over the waterfront after the big guns of the battleship Missouri fired off blank charges from the Hudson River...","content":"The accounts of the day said that an “awesome silence” so unnatural to Manhattan fell over the waterfront after the big guns of the battleship Missouri fired off blank charges from the Hudson River in tribute to the returning war dead.\n\nThe silence then greeted the U.S. Army Transport ship Joseph V. Connolly as she sailed up the Narrows past the Statue of Liberty and eased into the berth at Pier 21 off W. 21st on Manhattan’s West Side on Oct. 26, 1947.\n\nThe converted Liberty ship carried a cargo of 6,248 caskets bearing the remains of troops from the European theater of World War II, including many who fell in the Battle of the Bulge.\n\nThe Connolly was the first ship to arrive in the states under the “Return of the Dead” program of the American Graves Registration Service, which conducted the largest search and recovery effort of war dead ever attempted between 1945 and 1951, resulting in the identification of more than 280,000 fallen Americans.\n\nAs a band played Chopin’s funeral march, a casket from the Connolly chosen at random was lowered onto a caisson which was escorted, to muffled drum beats, by 6,000 marchers from the military services up Fifth Avenue and then to the Sheep Meadow in Central Park, where dignitaries and military chaplains made remarks.\n\nA crowd estimated at 400,000 turned out to mark the passage of the caisson. The mood stood in stark contrast to the boisterous, ticker tape parades that preceded the arrival of the Connolly for troops returning in victory from Europe and the Pacific.\n\nThe flag-draped casket on the caisson demanded respect and sorrow, but one of the only breaks in the crowd’s silence was completely understandable, the New York Times reported.\n\nAlong Fifth Ave., a distraught woman shouted, “Johnny, my Johnny, where is my boy?” The woman followed the parade to Central Park, the Times reported, and again shouted, “Johnny, where is my boy?”\n\nThe ceremonies in Central Park ended with a benediction from Navy Capt. Frank Hamilton, the Protestant chaplain for the Third Naval District.\n\n“Almighty God, our Father, before Thee is a chosen child of the American people, chosen in death, to represent all our children,” Hamilton stated.\n\nAll 6,248 caskets aboard the Connolly arrived in New York with the approval of next of kin who signed “Quartermaster’s General Form 345” on the final disposition of the remains.\n\nThe form cautioned that “the next of kin should familiarize himself with the contents of the pamphlet ‘Disposition of World War II Armed Forces Dead’ before filling out this form.”\n\nThen came the choice: the next of kin could choose for the remains “to be interred on a permanent American military cemetery overseas,” Form 345 said, or “be returned to the United States.”\n\nIf the U.S. was the choice, the government would deliver the remains to the nearest train station or to the home of the next of kin by military hearse. In addition, the government would pay up to $600 for a private funeral.\n\nIn all, a total of more than 171,000 remains were returned to the U.S., while the fallen’s next of kin chose to have more than 110,000 deceased remain overseas to eventually be interred at one of the 26 military cemeteries magnificently maintained worldwide by the American Battle Monuments Commission.\n\nIn statements after the war, President Harry S. Truman said he had been urged by unnamed allied countries to allow for the burial of American war dead in their cemeteries — if the families agreed — to honor permanently the troops who liberated their countries.\n\nIn a May 13, 1947, statement “Concerning Final Burial of the Dead of World War II,” Truman sought to ease the concerns of the families that their loved ones might not be treated with respect overseas.\n\n“I feel sure, however, that if they could see for themselves the care which is devoted to the graves of those who died in the First World War, and to the temporary cemeteries in which their own dead lie buried today, many of the next of kin would prefer that their loved ones should rest forever in the countries where they fell,” Truman said.\n\n“I believe, therefore, that our government should make possible a pilgrimage to the permanent cemeteries overseas” for the families “to give reassurance of the perpetual care which our country will devote to the resting places of our honored dead.”\n\nThe proposal, however, was deemed too expensive and was never implemented.\n\nOne of the overseas cemeteries is located near the Dutch town of Margraten, whose citizens have adopted the graves of each of the 8,200-plus American troops buried at the nearby Netherlands American Cemetery.\n\nOperation Market Garden, which was fought across the Nazi-occupied Netherlands and marked the largest airborne operation of World War II, began on Sept. 17, 1944, about 60 miles northwest of Margraten.\n\nSince 1945, ceremonies have been held at the cemetery on the Sunday before Memorial Day. The tradition began when Dutch teenager Frieda van Schaik wrote a letter to the U.S. military pleading for the remains of American soldiers to stay at the cemetery.\n\nShe and other citizens of Margraten made a promise to American military families.\n\n“Leave your boys with us,” Schaik wrote. “We will watch over them like our own, forever.”","category":"service","author":"Richard Sisk","publishDate":"2026-05-22T20:00:58.000Z","image":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/archetype/Q4WIYP4DIZC75EXA5WO42BHHIU.jpg","source":"Military Times - Veterans","sourceUrl":"https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/2026/05/22/return-of-the-dead-the-unthinkable-choice-faced-by-military-families-after-wwii/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-23T00:00:24.678Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-23T04:00:08.026Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-x0m0ok","slug":"unaccredited-va-claims-company-charged-veteran-21-000-in-violation-of-federal-la","title":"Unaccredited VA claims company charged veteran $21,000 in violation of federal law, judge rules","excerpt":"A company violated federal law for acting as a vetted agent and charging veterans fees to help file disability claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs, a North Carolina court ruled this week.","content":"A company violated federal law for acting as a vetted agent and charging veterans fees to help file disability claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs, a North Carolina court ruled this week.\n\nThe federal circuit court ruling issued Wednesday found that Veterans Guardian VA Claim Consulting, LLC, also referred to as “Guardian” in court documents, ran afoul of federal law. The class action lawsuit brought by veterans also alleges that the company violated North Carolina laws around deceptive trade practices, but the court has not ruled on it yet.\n\n“Federal law and the undisputed facts establish that Guardian acts as an agent on behalf of class members in the preparation of VA disability claims and in the presentation of VA disability claims. The undisputed facts show that Guardian is not accredited, as federal law requires of those who prepare or present claims on behalf of veterans, and that it charges and collects fees for those services in violation of federal law,” the judge ruled.\n\nThe ruling is one of the few court cases to look at the legality of companies — sometimes referred to as “claim sharks” — that offer services to file initial VA disability claims, or help veterans increase their VA rating, which can result in higher monthly compensation.\n\nAndrew Tangen, president for the National Association of County Veteran Service Officers, an organization made up of local government employees that help veterans with their VA claims, said the case comes after advocates have been sounding the alarm about these companies for at least four years.\n\n“This case represents the chief judge of a federal district court finding that the practices that have been passed off by claim sharks as being legitimate are actually not legitimate,” Tangen said.\n\nTop Stories This Week\n\n19-year-old soldier completes Ranger, Airborne, Air Assault and Pathfinder schools\n\nFighter pilots say Growler crews’ safe ejections were a ‘miracle’\n\nAircrews safely eject after two Navy jets collide during air show\n\nUnder federal law, only attorneys or agents who are vetted and trained by VA are allowed to help veterans prepare and submit their claims. Accredited agents can only charge up to 20% of any back pay that the veteran receives. The North Carolina judge ruled that Guardian charged veterans five times the amount of the increase they received for their new VA compensation.\n\nIn one instance, a former Army intelligence analyst used Guardian to submit his first disability claim, according to court documents. He received a disability rating of 100% and monthly compensation of $4,272.80. The company charged him $21,360. He paid the company more than $19,000 and still has an outstanding balance of over $2,100.\n\nThe case also offers some insight into how these companies operate, with the court ruling that Guardians’ work goes beyond their marketed consulting services. According to court documents, the company collects veterans’ confidential and personal information, makes medical appointments for veterans, compiles evidence to support their claim, prepares stamped pre-addressed envelopes and tracks the claim packet delivery to the VA.\n\n“These are the steps needed to present a claim to the VA. These are the acts that make Guardian an ‘agent’ in this statutory scheme,” the judge ruled.\n\nTangen said this case demonstrates the need for Congress to reinstate criminal penalties against claim sharks that were removed in 2006. The lack of criminal enforcement mechanisms, Tangen said, has “caused these companies to proliferate.”\n\nThe case comes amid similar lawsuits brought in Texas and Arizona. On Thursday, the Arizona Attorney General announced that veterans would receive restitution in a $2 million ruling against VetLink Solutions for violating consumer fraud laws. In January, a Texas court ruled that VA Claims Insider, LLC had to pay $6.8 million to veterans for deceptively charging fees six times the amount of their monthly compensation and posing as a legitimate veterans’ assistance organization.\n\n“Veterans need to be made aware,” Tangen said. “Anyone who says that they are going to consult or help you by consulting on your claim and providing you with medical appointments and all you have to do is pay a fee and the fee is equal to five months of your increase, then they should stop contacting that company. Find a suitable nonprofit or Veteran Service Organization or government veteran service officer to help them navigate the VA.”","category":"benefits","author":"Patty Nieberg","publishDate":"2026-05-22T18:52:28.000Z","image":"https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/251120-A-BS310-1476P.jpg?quality=85","source":"Task & Purpose","sourceUrl":"https://taskandpurpose.com/news/va-claim-shark-court-ruling/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-23T00:00:28.058Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-23T04:00:08.026Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-2b6rvo","slug":"security-forces-airman-becomes-first-air-force-graduate-of-army-s-revived-jungle","title":"Security Forces airman becomes first Air Force graduate of Army’s revived jungle school","excerpt":"Air Force Staff Sgt. Duchaine Paul knows something about working in hot places. As a Security Forces airman, Paul is assigned to Moody Air Force Base in southern Georgia, which sits adjacent to two...","content":"Air Force Staff Sgt. Duchaine Paul knows something about working in hot places.\n\nAs a Security Forces airman, Paul is assigned to Moody Air Force Base in southern Georgia, which sits adjacent to two federally protected swamps and ranks among the hottest and most humid military duty stations in the U.S.\n\nBut Paul recently spent time in an even hotter spot, making some history as he did, becoming the first member of the Air Force to graduate from the Army’s Jungle Operations Training Course-Panama.\n\nTraining with Army soldiers and Panamanian troops at Panama’s Aeronaval Base Cristóbal Colón, Paul earned the course’s Jungle tab after 18-days in heat, rain, and difficult terrain, he said in an Air Force release.\n\n“Those difficult moments of the course is what kept me going through every single day,” he said in an Army news release by Spc. Richard Morgan. “I look over to one of my friends, they would be struggling just as much. I just knew I couldn’t let up. You’re struggling. You see your buddy just barely making it. It’s a good option to just laugh at each other like, ‘Yeah, I cannot believe we’re here right now.’ You just keep pushing.”\n\nTop Stories This Week\n\n19-year-old soldier completes Ranger, Airborne, Air Assault and Pathfinder schools\n\nFighter pilots say Growler crews’ safe ejections were a ‘miracle’\n\nAircrews safely eject after two Navy jets collide during air show\n\nThough based at Moody, Paul has been assigned to the 474th Air Expeditionary Group under Air Forces Southern, which oversees U.S. Air Forces in Central and South America. As a Security Forces airman, he participated in a training partnership with the Servicio de Protección Institucional, Panama’s presidential security force.\n\n“Fortunately, I’ve been very blessed to train with other partners like SPI,” Paul said. “It’s been a great partnership and just building a relationship with the Panamanians.”\n\nA ‘Green Hell,’ revived\n\nThe jungle course is a newly rebooted version of an infamous Army Jungle Warfare School at the eastern end of the Panama Canal, on what was then known as Fort Sherman. That program’s obstacle course was known to students as ‘the Green Hell’, a nickname that often doubled for the jungle school itself. The school closed when the Army turned Fort Sherman over to Panama in 1999. The base was subsequently renamed Aeronaval Base Cristóbal Colón.\n\nThe new course was opened last October by the Army Security Cooperation Group-South, which was previously known as the 1st Security Forces Assistance Brigade. As the 1st SFAB, the unit trained Afghan forces in the latter years of that war, and then shifted to South America. The return of the course comes as the U.S. military revives several of its bases in Latin America. According to an Army release, the new school is broken into three phases.\n\nFirst is a course on jungle survival fundamentals taught by Panamanian instructors. Students learn how to handle a machete, start fires, find water and build shelters.\n\nThe second portion turns more military, with training on small-unit tactics, including movement, ambushes, casualty evacuation and waterborne operations.\n\nStudents finish the course on five combined missions, including assaults under fire, ambushes and reconnaissance missions.\n\nThe finale comes in the “Green Mile” event, according to an Army release. An Army video of a Green Mile held in February shows students carrying simulated casualties and other heavy loads while navigating an obstacle course.\n\n“The most rewarding part of jungle school was definitely the relationships and brotherhood. And we had two girls, so sisterhood,” Paul said in an Air Force video. He also said the school’s skills would be a good match for training at Moody. “We do a lot of exercises where we’re in the thick of the Florida swamps, Georgia swamps. So teaching [other airmen] how to tread through that, tracking, how to survive. Definitely some wisdom to share with those guys.”","category":"service","author":"Matt White","publishDate":"2026-05-22T18:05:56.000Z","image":"https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/7814476.jpg?quality=85","source":"Task & Purpose","sourceUrl":"https://taskandpurpose.com/news/security-forces-airman-jungle-school-panama/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-23T00:00:28.058Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-23T04:00:08.026Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-tl8pcx","slug":"thank-the-gods-of-war-d-day-success-hinges-on-weather-forecast-in-pressure","title":"‘Thank the Gods of War’: D-Day success hinges on weather forecast in ‘Pressure’","excerpt":"On June 6, 1944, over 160,000 Allied troops were sent across the English Channel onto the beaches of Normandy, France, marking the assault on Western Europe.","content":"On June 6, 1944, over 160,000 Allied troops were sent across the English Channel onto the beaches of Normandy, France, marking the assault on Western Europe. Yet the operation, dubbed Operation Overlord, almost ended in disaster before it even began.\n\nNow, the upcoming film “Pressure,” adapted from writer David Haig’s 2014 play of the same name, is set to relieve those angst-filled 72 hours leading up to D-Day.\n\nThe film stars Academy Award winner Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”) as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces Dwight D. Eisenhower and Andrew Scott (“Fleabag”) as Group Captain James Stagg, the chief meteorologist who predicted the storms over Western Europe in the days leading up to the invasion.\n\nPremiering in theaters on May 29, “Pressure” depicts this true yet stranger-than-fiction story of Stagg’s unenviable task of predicting the English Channel’s notoriously fickle weather.\n\nThe lanky Brit, later described by his son a “dour irascible Scot,” alongside a team of forecasters from the Royal Navy, British Meteorological Office and U.S. Strategic and Tactical Air Force, knew the Allies only had a small window — nine days in May and June — that were suitable for the invasion.\n\n“The days needed to be long for maximum air power usage; a near-full moon was needed to help guide ships and airborne troops; and the tides had to be strong enough to expose beach obstacles at low tide and float supply-filled landing vehicles far onto the beach during high tide,” according to a DoD breakdown of D-Day. “H-Hour was also crucial in that it relied on those tides to be rising at that time. There also had to be an hour of daylight just beforehand for bombardment accuracy.”\n\nEisenhower set the date for the invasion to be June 5, but in the wee hours of June 4, 1944, Stagg recommended halting the 7,000 naval vessels — including battleships, destroyers, minesweepers, escorts and assault craft — carrying more than 160,000 troops.\n\nDespite his recommendation, the weatherman was certain only in his uncertainty, writing in his diary on June 4, 1944, “I am now getting rather stunned — it is all a nightmare.”\n\n“He was just greatly interested and brilliant at his job,” Scott told Military Times. “He wasn’t looking, number one, for people to like him in the war room. That wasn’t really his world. He was looking to do the right thing. He had to deliver this forecast that he knew he was capable of delivering.”\n\nThe aptly titled “Pressure” depicts an anguished Eisenhower on the eve of the invasion, with the weight of the free world and the largest, most dangerous seaborne invasion in history all hinging on a weather report.\n\n“We tend to hear about or learn about the most dramatic or the most swashbuckling kind of adventure stories. … I think there’s something quietly heroic about a guy like Stagg, who’s got to leave his pregnant wife, he’s got to go to work, he’s got to save the world [and then go] home again as though nothing happened,” Anthony Maras, who directed and co-wrote the script with Haig, told Military Times.\n\n“Stagg’s a bit like an intellectual superhero in a way in that he has the courage to stand by his convictions. He has the courage to tell people who are superior to him — who are in charge of the biggest military machine in the world — what they do not want to hear, but what they need to hear,\" Maras added. “I found [that] fascinating — that one decision can change history. You’ve got these really brilliant people — whether they be scientists, generals or officers — who are really capable, who have very different ideas about what to do. And as the clock ticks down for launching or not launching the biggest invasion in history, seeing these men and women go crazy in indecision, not knowing what to do, is inherently dramatic.”\n\nStagg’s intel proved correct and a storm broke over the English Channel on June 5. However, further postponement would have meant a two-week delay. Stagg believed there would be a small break in the storm and, just before dawn 24 hours prior, Eisenhower made the decision to go on June 6.\n\nIf the titanic invasion wasn’t enough to fray Eisenhower’s nerves, just six weeks prior, on April 27–28, Exercise Tiger, the dress rehearsal for Operation Overlord, had gone hideously awry.\n\nTaking place in Slapton Sands, England, friendly fire and German E-boats claimed the lives of more than 1,000 men and resulted in the worst loss of life for American troops since the Dec. 7, 1941, Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.\n\nIn fact, five times more men died at Slapton Sands than were killed storming Utah Beach on D-Day. As a result of the rehearsal, however, the Allies learned valuable, though grim, lessons that would be essential to the success of the invasion.\n\nJust several weeks after the operation Stagg noted in a memo to Eisenhower that had the Allies postponed to later that June, they would have encountered the worst weather in the English Channel in two decades.\n\n“I thank the Gods of War we went when we did,” Eisenhower wrote back.","category":"legacy","author":"Claire Barrett","publishDate":"2026-05-22T17:32:11.000Z","image":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/archetype/LJJFUHTQENAELO6QAOSQNM7FWY.webp","source":"Military Times - Veterans","sourceUrl":"https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/military-history/2026/05/22/thank-the-gods-of-war-d-day-success-hinges-on-weather-forecast-in-pressure/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-22T18:00:23.781Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-23T04:00:08.026Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-k9443b","slug":"veteran-who-lost-both-of-his-legs-in-combat-reenlists-in-the-marine-corps","title":"Veteran who lost both of his legs in combat reenlists in the Marine Corps","excerpt":"A veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan who lost both of his legs in combat reenlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps this week. Staff Sgt.","content":"A veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan who lost both of his legs in combat reenlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps this week.\n\nStaff Sgt. Johnny “Joey” Jones, a former Fox News contributor, reenlisted in the Corps on Wednesday in a ceremony held by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon Hall of Heroes, according to the Department of Defense.\n\n“A lot of work went into saying, ‘Hey, this is the kind of American we want back in uniform,’” Hegseth said in the ceremony. “Not just because of what he did and what he’s done in uniform but because of how he represents the fighting men and women of our country.”\n\nJones enlisted in 2005 as a radio technician before deploying to Iraq in 2007 as a machine gunner, per a Pentagon release. He then requested to change his MOS to Explosive Ordnance Disposal and later deployed to Afghanistan in 2010, according to the Sentinels of Freedom, a veterans scholarship and support program that Jones joined in 2012.\n\nDuring his time in Afghanistan, Jones disabled over 85 improvised explosive devices. In August 2010, however, Jones stepped on an IED, resulting in the loss of both legs above the knee.\n\nStarting in 2019, Jones became a Fox contributor “wingman” for Hegseth and spoke on military analysis and veterans’ services.\n\n“How Joey talks about [service] on television [is] so that the American people understand it and connect to it in a visceral way,” Hegseth said at the ceremony. “You could talk about it academically, you could talk about it from a detached perspective or you can talk about having lived it the way he has.”\n\nIn his remarks at the ceremony, Hegseth highlighted last year’s Marine Corps record recruiting numbers, saying he hopes Jones’ reenlistment motivates younger Americans to join the military.\n\nJones said during the ceremony that he had more to give after medically retiring 14 years ago. He called it a “debt,” highlighting that he was able to be on TV while other service members continued to give to the country, “shy of their life and maybe a couple legs,” he said.\n\n“The last job I had in uniform, my job was to get better. It was to heal. It’s a very selfish thing,” Jones said. “The Marine Corps paid me to get better, and then I retired, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But it was unfinished business.”\n\nJones said he strives to change the perspective that society has of the men and women who got injured in combat and saw the worst of war. He said there’s more to give — if not through reenlisting, then by serving the community.\n\nHe remembers former Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James Amos telling him, “Once a Marine, always a Marine,” not knowing that he would “cash that check” almost 20 years later.\n\n“If there’s an opportunity for me to serve, there’s no reason why a no-legged 40-year-old staff sergeant [should not] be able to put the uniform on, other than these men believed it,” Jones said. “The goal here is to open that door for anyone else that has something left to give.”","category":"service","author":"Cristina Stassis","publishDate":"2026-05-22T17:07:46.000Z","image":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/archetype/2LCUMLIXANAIDAFH4SJ2UZFO3A.webp","source":"Military Times - Veterans","sourceUrl":"https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/2026/05/22/veteran-who-lost-both-of-his-legs-in-combat-reenlists-in-the-marine-corps/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-22T18:00:23.781Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-23T04:00:09.030Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-dmfl54","slug":"the-weight-he-carried-memorial-day-and-the-battle-at-home","title":"‘The Weight He Carried:’ Memorial Day and the battle at home","excerpt":"Memorial Day is a day to remember those who gave their lives in service to the nation. The fight for many War on Terror veterans didn’t stop when they came home from Iraq or Afghanistan.","content":"Memorial Day is a day to remember those who gave their lives in service to the nation. The fight for many War on Terror veterans didn’t stop when they came home from Iraq or Afghanistan. For some families, the battle was waged silently—and lost—at home.\n\nCydney Guard was enjoying a well-deserved celebration trip to Hawaii in 2009 after graduating college with her degree in nutrition when she met her soon to be husband, Sgt. 1st Class Nicholas Kau’ilokoikaika Franklin Guard.\n\nThe friend who’d invited her out for the trip invited one of her friends she met in college to come hang out with them one night in Waikiki, he and his fellow reserve recon Marines had just returned from a deployment in Iraq.\n\n“We were all in our twenties and having a grand old time,” Cydney told We Are The Mighty. “Us girls were poor college kids so were impressed when they took us out on the town. Nick had invited us to go on a hike the next morning so even after a heavy night of drinking, we all met up. In true Nick fashion he couldn’t just do the hike normally but had to wear his rucksack filled with sandbags to do it.”\n\nShe remembers thinking “He’s so hot, I’ve got to climb this just as fast to impress him”.\n\nCyd and Nick spent the entire week together exploring the island and though she had an amazing time, she admitted she didn’t think she’d ever see him again. But there was a moment that stuck with her.\n\n“We were at the condo and he walked by where I was sitting on a stool and he grazed my leg. I instantly felt the strength of his energy run through me,” she expressed.\n\nThey talked every day after she left and he eventually came out to her parents’ house in California to visit her. After that, they committed to making it work long distance. Through her years of nursing school, Nick finished out his reserve time and became a base police officer. When the only nursing job she could get to gain experience was in North Dakota, Nick came with her.\n\n“When we celebrated our first Thanksgiving out there he was so excited to make the turkey and was studying these magazines and recipes. He was so excited about the brine,” Cydney laughed. “He blamed the new stove when it came out black even though he never checked on it. The important part was that l woke up to a home-cooked Thanksgiving meal. He just loved to take care of me.”\n\nAfter 10 months, Cydney was able to get a job in Yuba City where her parents were from and they both relocated to northern California. Nick got a job at a golf course but he wanted to go back into service, this time to join the Army. In 2015, he received an 18X contract with the goal of joining the Special Forces. After six years together, Nick asked her to marry him.\n\nThey married in the church she grew up going to, surrounded by her family and his, who’d come in from Hawaii and Colorado to watch them start their lives together. Cydney lived and worked at a hospital in Charlotte while he completed the Q course at Fort Bragg. Initially his orders were going to be to Okinawa but she was pregnant with their son, Mattix, and didn’t want to go overseas with a baby.\n\n“I think his friend Earl Plumlee pulled some strings to get him orders to JBLM,” she shared.\n\nAssigned to 1st Special Forces Group in Washington, they built a life at Joint Base Lewis-McCord as Nick geared up for a deployment to Afghanistan.\n\n“In 2018 I moved back to California to live with my parents when Mattix was a baby and Nick was overseas so I could work as a travel nurse and have help,” Cydney explained.\n\nWhen Nick came home from Afghanistan, she thought everything was fine.\n\n“I think that’s where it all started. They’re all so good and pride themselves at compartmentalizing it all. I didn’t realize how dark it was getting,” she shared. “But it didn’t bleed into our marriage. Sure we had some high highs and low lows, but we always chose each other and fought to be together.”\n\nHe prided himself on constantly striving to be better. “Recon Marine wasn’t enough… then Special Forces… then Ranger School… then CAG selection.”\n\nNick’s daughter Leilani was born shortly after he earned his Ranger tab. But as America abruptly pulled out of Afghanistan, Nick began to struggle and express disappointment.\n\n“From the outside looking in, he was so handsome, so strong… It looked like he had it all. But he was holding a lot in,” Cydney explained. “He told me he locked himself in a hotel room and was struggling with his mental health.”\n\nThe couple and their friends worked through his struggles quietly, thinking they were in the clear. Cydney was a nurse in the ER so she knew what the process would be for Nick if he went into the hospital saying he was suicidal. A year later, she was visiting her family with their kids in California when she got the call.\n\n“I was like pottery that fell onto the floor and broke into a million pieces,” she remembered.\n\nNick had taken his family to the airport and was scheduled to go to the National Training Center. But he never made it, even though his bags were packed by the door.\n\nWith how often Nick was gone from their lives to serve, it was important to Cydney that her children understood he wasn’t coming back. During the viewing, four-year-old Mattix asked to lay in the casket with his dad and she and Uncle Jon helped him inside to lay with his daddy.\n\n“Leilani has now remembered her father longer than she actually knew him. Even so, she still draws pictures of our family—mom, dad, brother, the four of us together—and I think that’s her way of keeping her daddy alive,” Cydney said. “Every night at dinner, I light a candle so Nick can be with us. They blow out the candle and say, ‘Goodnight, Daddy. I love you. I miss you. I wish you were alive.’”\n\nIt took Cydney years to put the pieces together, with the support of family and friends.\n\n“He was the best thing that ever happened to me and I picked him to be the father of my children so it’s very heavy,” she shared. “I wanted him to come to their activities, to take Leilani to daddy daughter dances. I wanted to grow old with him.”\n\nCydney credits nonprofit organizations that support the fallen with helping her find her way back. After two years, the family relocated back to California and the kids are thriving in a Spanish immersion school and all the activities Nick wanted them to be involved in.\n\n“There’s so much that I wrote for my life with Nick that I am having to rewrite and it’s not fair,” Cydney said. “But still every time I go through a tunnel I hold my breath and make the same wish: peace, love and happiness.”\n\nSergeant 1st Class Nicholas Kau‘ilokoikaika Franklin Guard devoted his life to service, honorably serving in both the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Army during the War on Terror, including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.\n\nToday, he rests alongside fellow service members at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, the city he called home. In accordance with the life he loved, portions of his ashes were also spread at Sandy Beach where he spent countless days bodysurfing with friends and throughout the Ka‘au Crater mountains, where he frequently hiked with family.\n\nThe Unquiet Professional, a national nonprofit dedicated to honoring Gold Star familiies and veterans, will be honoring Guard on Memorial Day 2026 during its Virtual Memorial Mile. Created in 2018 by Humans on the Homefront to honor our fallen and support The Unquiet Professional, the Virtual Memorial Mile features participants around the world memorializing fallen service members.\n\nDon’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty\n\n• Reports show a military spouse commits suicide every 8 days\n• Tokens of remembrance: The things we leave behind \n• A Gold Star spouse’s healing journey amid unimaginable grief\n\nMighty MilSpouse\n\nMighty MilSpouse\n\n‘The Weight He Carried:’ Memorial Day and the battle at home\n\nMighty MilSpouse\n\nTokens of remembrance: The things we leave behind\n\nMighty MilSpouse\n\n4 signs your workplace does not truly value its people\n\nBy Sara Jane Ginn\n\nMighty MilSpouse\n\nHow to have a seamless family transition during a PCS Move\n\nSarah Roder, Director of Partnerships, Armed Forces Mutual Team Mighty\n\nMighty MilSpouse\n\nYour military life through the eyes of your military mom","category":"family","author":"Jessica Manfre","publishDate":"2026-05-22T16:59:52.000Z","image":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Nicholas-Kauilokoikaika-Franklin-Guard-family.webp?quality=85","source":"We Are The Mighty","sourceUrl":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-milspouse/nicholas-kauilokoikaika-franklin-guard-memorial-day/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":2,"qualityScore":100,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-22T18:00:30.933Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-23T04:00:09.030Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-aewnm9","slug":"honoring-service-supporting-families-vrcn-partners-unite-for-memorial-day","title":"Honoring service, supporting families: VRCN partners unite for Memorial Day","excerpt":"As Memorial Day approaches, organizations across the country are coming together with a shared goal: honoring Veterans and supporting the families they leave behind.","content":"As Memorial Day approaches, organizations across the country are coming together with a shared goal: honoring Veterans and supporting the families they leave behind.\n\nThat was the focus of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) May VetResources Community Network (VRCN) Monthly Connect, where nearly 300 partner organizations—reaching millions of Veterans, families, caregivers and survivors—were invited to connect, share tools and resources, align efforts and prepare for meaningful remembrance.\n\nHonoring through remembrance\n\nThe session featured Les’ Melnyk, director of the National Cemetery Administration’s Office of Engagement and Memorial Innovations, who highlighted the role of VA national cemeteries as places of remembrance, reflection and connection.\n\nVA’s National Cemetery Administration (NCA) manages 157 national cemeteries across 44 states and Puerto Rico, along with dozens of soldiers’ lots and monument sites. These spaces serve as places of reflection for families and communities nationwide.\n\nMemorial Day is NCA’s busiest and most meaningful time of year. Every cemetery will place a wreath on every gravesite, and staffed locations will host ceremonies open to the public. Visitors often take part by placing flags at gravesites, and a national moment of remembrance is observed at 3 p.m. local time. Event details are available at https://www.cem.va.gov/volunteer/.\n\nNCA’s commitment to Veterans and their families stands out. In 2025, it received the highest customer satisfaction rating from the American Customer Satisfaction Index of any organization—public or private—for the eighth year in a row.\n\nAs Melnyk shared, “The unofficial motto of our organization is you only have one chance to get it right. We take our mission very seriously.”\n\nA community effort\n\nHonoring Veterans is a shared mission and NCA partners with several organizations during “Memorial May” to expand opportunities for remembrance and service.\n\nPrograms like Carry The Load, the Travis Manion Foundation’s Honor Project and Victory for Veterans mobilize thousands of volunteers each year.\n\n“There are meaningful ways for everyone to get involved,” Melnyk continued, noting opportunities ranging from placing flags and flowers to helping maintain cemetery grounds. “We love seeing folks in our cemeteries.”\n\nSupporting those left behind\n\nThe session also featured Bonnie Carroll, founder and president of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), a VRCN partner dedicated to supporting families of fallen service members.\n\nSince 1994, TAPS has provided 24/7 support through a national peer network, grief resources and survivor programs—all at no cost. In the past year alone, nearly 9,600 new surviving family members turned to TAPS for support.\n\nCarroll described TAPS as more than an organization—it’s a community. “This is a family. It’s a family of honor and remembrance. It’s a family that comes together to help each other heal because we have that lived experience.”\n\nAt its core, the mission is simple but powerful: honor those who served by caring for the people they loved.\n\n“Memorial Day is an opportunity for a grateful nation to acknowledge the men and women who served and died,” Carroll said. “Say their names, share their stories and support those they left behind.”\n\nHow you can get involved\n\nThere are many ways to honor Veterans this Memorial Day:\n\nVisit a VA national cemetery and attend a local ceremony.\n\nSupport grieving families by learning about resources from organizations like TAPS.\n\nVolunteer with organizations like Carry The Load, Travis Manion Foundation or Victory for Veterans.\n\nShare stories and memories through the Veterans Legacy Memorial.\n\nHelp raise awareness using VA and community partner tools and materials.\n\nMemorial Day is more than a day of remembrance; it’s a chance to honor service, support families and stay connected to the mission. Through partnerships like VRCN, that mission continues every day.","category":"legacy","author":"audreybhullar","publishDate":"2026-05-22T16:00:00.000Z","image":"https://news.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/07/favicon-96x96-1.png?w=32","source":"VA News","sourceUrl":"https://news.va.gov/146873/honoring-service-vrcn-partners-memorial-day/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-22T18:00:25.100Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-23T04:00:09.030Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-b1ksrn","slug":"tom-hanks-new-20-part-docuseries-takes-a-new-look-at-world-war-ii","title":"Tom Hanks’ new 20-part docuseries takes a new look at World War II","excerpt":"By now you might be thinking that it would be hard to look at World War II in a way that hasn’t already been done. This is Tom Hanks we’re talking about.","content":"By now you might be thinking that it would be hard to look at World War II in a way that hasn’t already been done. This is Tom Hanks we’re talking about. Few individuals have done more to remember World War II, its veterans, and their sacrifices than Tom Hanks. If anyone can do it, it’s him.\n\nOn Memorial Day 2026, History launches an ambitious 20-part series, “World War II with Tom Hanks.” The documentary series doesn’t lean on the linear timeline your high school history teacher relied on, it also focuses on countries and regions as the war explodes and progresses. It dives into how the war affected individuals and groups of people around the world, all while detailing the little-known and less understood areas of World War II history—including the actual causes of the war.\n\n“Soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines, often just a bunch of kids, served with honor and bravery to liberate enslaved people and preserve human dignity,” Hanks says in the show’s introduction. “In doing so, they saved that which is most precious and valued by us all: freedom.”\n\nFrom “Saving Private Ryan” to “Band of Brothers,” “The Pacific,” and “Masters of the Air,” Hanks detailed the graphic real-world experiences of the Americans who fought the war in the Army and Army Air Forces. In “Greyhound,” he showed us what life was like for the U.S. Navy and the Merchant Marine during the Battle of the Atlantic.\n\nNot to mention his real-life advocacy for the World War II Memorial Campaign and his personal and financial contributions to getting the World War II Memorial built on the National Mall.\n\n“World War II” is also not the actor’s first documentary. He’s been part of standalone films and series that explored different areas of the war. “The Bloody Hundredth” was a companion to “Masters of the Air,” he lent his voice to Ken Burns’ series “The War,” and even showcased the combat cameramen who risked their lives to capture the footage of combat that make all of these World War II documentaries possible today.\n\nWhat’s new in “World War II with Tom Hanks” is that Hanks dispels a lot of popular history—much of which is still affected by propaganda today. The devil is in the details, and nuance is important. The series takes a deep dive into areas that other World War II documentaries (and even most history books) only touch on: the American oil embargo on Japan, the Poles’ last stand at Warsaw, Operation Torch, and the personal experiences of those who fought the war.\n\nJust to name a few. This show is a really ambitious, informative, and expansive undertaking, unlike any World War II docuseries before it. In the first three episodes alone, the show dispels the enduring idea that Poland failed to resist the Nazi invasion or that France fell without a fight. It also highlights just how critical the Red Army would be to ultimate victory in Europe.\n\nPerhaps most importantly, the series lays out aspects of the war that are still relevant in today’s world, more than eight decades since World War II’s end. For added clarity, History partnered with the National World War II Museum for research, archival imagery, and interviews with actual World War II veterans.\n\n“‘World War II with Tom Hanks’ is the definitive retelling of that story for a new generation,” the museum said. ” A sweeping, deeply human portrait of how the modern world was forged in the fires of global war.”\n\nThe first three episodes of the series debut on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, 2026 on History and History.com. They cover the invasion of Poland, the German blitz through the Netherlands and Belgium, and the launch of Operation Barbarossa.\n\nDon’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty\n\n• A World War II POW who defied Nazis to protect Jewish soldiers will receive the Medal of Honor\n• Italian women quietly enabled a new front for the Allies in World War II\n• How I teach the rise of dictators and America’s uneasy road to World War II\n\nWorld War II\n\nTom Hanks’ new 20-part docuseries takes a new look at World War II\n\nHow an Army veteran became America’s greatest daredevil\n\n‘Jimmy’ Trailer: The Oscars, World War II, and a wonderful life\n\n‘Normal’ was clearly made by people who effing love movies\n\nHistory Channel doc revisits boxing’s most politically charged rivalry","category":"legacy","author":"Blake Stilwell","publishDate":"2026-05-22T14:36:00.000Z","image":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/wolrd-war-II-with-tom-hanks.webp?quality=85","source":"We Are The Mighty","sourceUrl":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/entertainment/tom-hanks-new-20-part-docuseries-takes-a-new-look-at-world-war-ii/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":2,"qualityScore":100,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-22T18:00:30.933Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-23T04:00:09.030Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-a64don","slug":"secure-storage-can-reduce-the-risk-of-suicide","title":"Secure storage can reduce the risk of suicide","excerpt":"Simple steps Veterans and supporters can take to securely store firearms and medications at home to reduce suicide risk Creating a safe home environment is one of the most effective ways to protect...","content":"Simple steps Veterans and supporters can take to securely store firearms and medications at home to reduce suicide risk\n\nCreating a safe home environment is one of the most effective ways to protect the people we care about, including for our children and ourselves. For Veterans and their families, small, proper and practical steps around secure storage can reduce suicide risk.\n\n“Lethal means safety” is about making moments of crisis, in which someone could use something to hurt themselves, less dangerous. It’s about giving time and space for support, connection and recovery. Here are ways Veterans and their loved ones can create safer homes using trusted, free resources from VA.\n\nWhy proper, secure storage matters, and how to make it happen\n\nMany suicide crises are brief, and unsecure access to “lethal means” (anything that can be used to engage in suicide behavior) during those moments can increase the risk of irreversible harm or death. Storing your firearm securely delays access during a moment of crisis. That delay can be the difference between life and death—giving someone time to reach out, reflect or change course.\n\nIf you own a firearm, storing it securely is a powerful form of protection. “Keep It Secure” offers clear, non-judgmental guidance on how to securely store firearms, especially during times of increased stress.\n\nProper firearm storage options include using a cable gun lock, lockboxes and gun safes. Secure storage also means keeping firearms unloaded, locked and stored separately from ammunition. Every Veteran can get a free cable gun lock from their local VA facility, making it easier to take this step without added cost, paperwork or burden.\n\nMedication safety: Small changes for added protection\n\nStoring medications safely, both prescription and over the counter, is another important part of lethal means safety. Keeping medications stored securely can reduce risk, especially during difficult periods.\n\nYou can store medications in locked containers, keep only necessary amounts at home and safely dispose of unused or expired medications. These actions help protect everyone in the household and support a safer environment during moments when someone may be feeling overwhelmed.\n\nCheck in with yourself and get support if you need it\n\nAwareness is another powerful form of suicide prevention that can keep you and your environment safe. The Self-Check Assessment is a confidential tool that allows you to reflect on your mental health, stress level and overall wellbeing. Based on your responses, it offers personalized suggestions and resources that may be helpful.\n\nAnd if you’re a supporter or caregiver of a Veteran, conversations about secure storage can feel personal, but they don’t have to be difficult. Framing them around care, responsibility and protection helps keep the focus on shared goals of safety and well-being.\n\nSafety is a sign of strength\n\nTaking steps to secure firearms and medications is an act of care for yourself, for your family and for your community. They affirm a commitment to life for you and your loved ones. These choices help create space for hope, connection and recovery during difficult moments.\n\nIf a conversation brings up concerns, or if you or someone you care about needs help, the Veterans Crisis Line is available 24/7. You don’t have to be in immediate crisis to reach out, and you don’t need to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care.\n\nContact the Veterans Crisis Line anytime: Dial 988 then Press 1, chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat, or text 838255. Trained responders can help talk through next steps.","category":"health","author":"Nikki Verbeck","publishDate":"2026-05-22T14:30:00.000Z","image":"https://news.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/07/favicon-96x96-1.png?w=32","source":"VA News","sourceUrl":"https://news.va.gov/146895/secure-storage-can-reduce-risk-suicide/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-22T18:00:25.100Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-23T04:00:09.030Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-k4i88d","slug":"va-research-wrap-up-new-findings-of-military-separation-hiv-and-pulmonary-hypert","title":"VA Research Wrap Up: New findings of military separation, HIV and pulmonary hypertension","excerpt":"VA’s Office of Research and Development recently published three News Briefs highlighting research findings on a program that can lower suicide risk for Veterans transitioning out of the military, a...","content":"VA’s Office of Research and Development recently published three News Briefs highlighting research findings on a program that can lower suicide risk for Veterans transitioning out of the military, a potential new HIV treatment and how diabetes medications can affect pulmonary hypertension treatments.\n\nPeer sponsorship reduces suicides in Veterans leaving military\n\nThe VA Veteran Sponsorship Initiative (VSI) is a public-private partnership between federal and community partners that provides VA-certified, volunteer, peer sponsors and connection to community services.\n\nVA researchers assessed more than 1,000 active duty soldiers who transitioned out of the military in 2023, half of whom participated in VSI. Those in the VSI program were 2% less likely to have a suicide attempt and 20% more likely to use VA primary care within 10 months of leaving the Army. The findings demonstrate that VSI can be a valuable tool to support Veterans during the transition to civilian life.\n\nResearchers develop potential new HIV treatment\n\nResearchers from the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center and East Tennessee State University developed a potential new HIV treatment that could effectively disrupt virus replication and expression.\n\nThe team used genomic techniques to create two synthetic particles that disrupt HIV on a genetic level. When the researchers applied these particles to infected human T cells, they not only demonstrated antiviral effects but also stopped virus DNA from replicating. Current HIV therapy can effectively interfere with the viral life cycle, but HIV eradication is difficult because the virus integrates its own DNA into the host DNA, creating reservoirs of infected cells.\n\nWhile the work is in early stages, this research provides a proof-of-concept that these particles can potentially solve that viral reservoir problem. Gene analysis also showed the two particles may be effective across diverse HIV strains, suggesting their potential to target multiple HIV strains globally.\n\nDiabetes meds may lead to new pulmonary hypertension treatments\n\nAtlanta VA researchers learned diabetes medications may lower the risk of death from pulmonary hypertension, a serious condition involving high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs.\n\nIn a group of more than 41,000 Veterans with both pulmonary hypertension and diabetes, those taking metformin survived about 20% longer, while those on thiazolinedione survived 18% longer. Conversely, Veterans taking insulin had a 28% higher mortality risk. Analysis suggested the improved survival was influenced by better kidney and lung function and was not dependent on how well a patient’s diabetes was controlled. The results indicate therapies targeting metabolism may be promising treatments for pulmonary hypertension.\n\nFor more Office of Research and Development updates, visit ORD online or go to https://www.research.va.gov/news_briefs/.","category":"health","author":"Tristan Horrom","publishDate":"2026-05-22T13:30:00.000Z","image":"https://news.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/07/favicon-96x96-1.png?w=32","source":"VA News","sourceUrl":"https://news.va.gov/146818/va-research-wrap-upseparation-hiv-hypertension/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-22T18:00:25.100Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-23T04:00:09.845Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-mt17yd","slug":"usmc-cpl-jason-dunham-one-second-one-decision","title":"USMC Cpl. Jason Dunham: One second, one decision","excerpt":"In the spring 2004, the Iraq city of Fallujah was under siege, and the border town of Husaybah became one of the most lethal postings in Iraq.","content":"In the spring 2004, the Iraq city of Fallujah was under siege, and the border town of Husaybah became one of the most lethal postings in Iraq. It was here, on a dusty street on April 14, that 22-year-old Cpl. Jason Lee Dunham made a decision that would save his fellow Marines.\n\nDunham was serving as a squad leader with Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines. His unit deployed to Husaybah, a town on the Syrian border known for smuggling insurgents and weapons into Iraq.\n\nThat morning, his unit responded to a report of an ambush on a Marine convoy. While moving to intercept, Dunham attempted to restrain an Iraqi insurgent who was trying to flee. In the struggle, the man dropped a live grenade onto the road.\n\nWhat happened next took less than a second.\n\nDunham shouted a warning to the Marines around him, pulled off his helmet, pressed it down over the grenade, and threw himself on top of it. He absorbed nearly the entire explosion as the grenade detonated beneath him. Lance Corporal William Hampton and Lance Corporal Mark Dean were wounded within the blast radius but survived.\n\nDunham was evacuated immediately to military medical facilities in the region, then flown to Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland, where his family rushed to be by his side. He never regained consciousness. On April 22, 2004, eight days after the ambush, he died of his wounds.\n\nOn Nov. 10, 2006, the 231st birthday of the United States Marine Corps, President Bush presented the Medal of Honor to Dunham’s parents, Dan and Deb Dunham.\n\nCorporal Jason Dunham is buried at Fairlawn Cemetery in Scio, N.Y., with full military honors. Additionally, the USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109) was named in his honor.\n\nHe was the first Marine to receive the Medal of Honor for actions in the Iraq War and remains one of the most celebrated Marines of the Post-9/11 era.","category":"legacy","author":"briannogues","publishDate":"2026-05-22T12:30:00.000Z","image":"https://news.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/07/favicon-96x96-1.png?w=32","source":"VA News","sourceUrl":"https://news.va.gov/146947/usmc-cpl-jason-dunham-one-second-one-decision/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-22T18:00:25.100Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-23T04:00:09.845Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-qembhf","slug":"most-military-branches-don-t-fully-check-if-suicide-prevention-training-works-wa","title":"Most military branches don’t ‘fully’ check if suicide prevention training works, watchdog finds","excerpt":"Service members are required to take annual suicide prevention training each year, so they can learn about the warning signs and mental health resources available to them.","content":"Service members are required to take annual suicide prevention training each year, so they can learn about the warning signs and mental health resources available to them. However, a new federal watchdog report found that the majority of military services do not “effectively monitor training completion” for annual suicide prevention courses, with the exception of the Air Force.\n\nFor troops that do finish the annual training, the services have also not “fully assessed” whether the courses are effective at educating troops on topics like lifestyle factors that increase suicide risk or how to seek mental health help.\n\n“The Army, Navy, and Marine Corps offices do not regularly track required annual training completion and only the National Guard Bureau takes action to help ensure training completion,” the Government Accountability Office said in a report released Wednesday. “Addressing these issues would help the service headquarters offices ensure training and service-specific learning objectives are reaching the military community as intended.”\n\nSuicide rates across the military have increased since 2011, Pentagon researchers found in a recent annual report.\n\nAdditionally, the Department of Defense’s office in charge of suicide prevention policy and training does not currently require that the services report this kind of information. But by requiring that the branches report this data, the department could “make informed decisions” as it oversees those programs, the GAO said.\n\nThe GAO also found that most of the services did not have plans to evaluate the effectiveness of their annual suicide prevention training. The Air Force’s plan was more thorough than the other branches, but it only met three of the 11 policy requirements for assessing the impact of the training.\n\nTop Stories This Week\n\nFighter pilots say Growler crews’ safe ejections were a ‘miracle’\n\nAircrews safely eject after two Navy jets collide during air show\n\nAir Force now has 18 of its new Skyraider II ‘Swiss Army Knife’ aircraft, official says\n\nThe GAO said that the Army, Marine Corps, and Air Force have some post-training surveys, but their plans don’t thoroughly look at “the extent to which expected outcomes have been achieved,” GAO said. The report said that the Navy “has not developed” a plan for evaluating its suicide prevention program’s effectiveness.\n\nEvaluating what troops take away from the prevention training would help the branches determine if they are “achieving intended outcomes, such as recognizing risk factors for suicide.”\n\n“Such trainings are an essential part of DoD’s broader suicide prevention program and help ensure that service members use help-seeking behaviors, have awareness of suicide risk factors, and know resources for intervention, such as referral techniques and protocols for at-risk service members,” the Government Accountability Office wrote in a report released Wednesday.\n\nMilitary mental health advocates, Patrick and Teri Caserta, said the report emphasizes concerns they have previously raised about the importance of education and awareness. Their son, Brandon Caserta, was an active duty sailor who died by suicide in 2018 after he was repeatedly denied mental health care by his command. After his death, the Casertas lobbied for a federal law called the Brandon Act that gives troops the right to self-refer or confidentially request mental health help.\n\nBut many troops don’t know about their right to invoke the Brandon Act and get the help they need before it’s too late, Patrick Caserta said. Because of this, the parents have worked with Congress on a new bill that would require information about the Brandon Act to be included in annual training.\n\n“The Brandon Act is federal law. It was specifically created to help remove barriers to seeking mental health care and directly addresses command response, stigma, and access to evaluations. Yet this report discusses many of the exact same issues the law was intended to help solve without mentioning it once,” Teri Caserta said. “This strengthens our concerns that awareness and implementation across DoD are still inadequate.”\n\nIn addition to the lack of oversight over mental health training across the force, the GAO also found that civilian staff cuts may impact efforts that began under the previous administration to improve suicide prevention training.\n\nIn 2022, an independent committee of suicide prevention and mental health experts formed by then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin recommended that the Defense Department make changes to improve its “one-size-fits-all” approach to training, where troops sat in dark auditoriums during PowerPoint presentations. The committee suggested that the military develop courses for different audiences, deliver content in smaller groups and vary training duration and frequency.\n\nThe Defense Department estimated that implementing the committee’s recommendations would cost $163 million and require 318 additional full-time civilian personnel, according to the GAO.\n\nBut in March 2025, the military began cutting civilian positions that were not “directly tied to today’ s operational priorities,” which included a hiring freeze and deferred resignation program. Navy and Air Force officials told the GAO that the hiring freeze and workforce attrition have hindered their ability to hire more staff to implement suicide prevention training changes.\n\n“Officials from the military departments have told us that civilian personnel changes have varied over time, and they have not yet been able to quantify impacts to suicide prevention,” the watchdog said in its report.\n\nThe agency recommended that the military improve its data collection so it can track how many troops take annual training and come up with plans for how the services evaluate their training.\n\nIn its response to the GAO, Department of Defense officials agreed to direct the services to come up with a way to evaluate the efficacy of annual suicide prevention training.\n\nHowever, officials also partially disagreed with some of the GAO’s recommendations for yearly data collection, stating that “in the future, the suicide prevention training may not be annual.”","category":"service","author":"Patty Nieberg","publishDate":"2026-05-22T12:00:00.000Z","image":"https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/260414-M-M0308-1492-copy.jpg?quality=85","source":"Task & Purpose","sourceUrl":"https://taskandpurpose.com/news/gao-report-suicide-prevention-training/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-22T12:01:05.609Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-23T04:00:09.845Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-8cmxk8","slug":"5-ways-to-honor-the-fallen-this-memorial-day-weekend","title":"5 ways to honor the fallen this Memorial Day Weekend","excerpt":"Memorial Day means so much more than a day off work. This is just not another long weekend. Memorial Day is not just about recognizing the unofficial start of summer when we fire up the barbecue...","content":"Memorial Day means so much more than a day off work.\n\nThis is just not another long weekend. Memorial Day is not just about recognizing the unofficial start of summer when we fire up the barbecue grill, reconnect with friends and family, and start to work on your tan again. Full stop: There is nothing wrong with that.\n\nBut how many Americans truly devote more than a passing thought to why we have Memorial Day in the first place? Our guess is not as many as they should.\n\nIt doesn’t have to be that way. As a general rule, we can (and should) do more to honor the ultimate sacrifices that United States military service members paid so that we can eat hamburgers and hot dogs on this day of remembrance.\n\nHere are five ways we can show our appreciation for everything that Memorial Day represents.\n\n1. Visit a Military Cemetery.\n\nThrough the Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Cemetery Administration oversees cemeteries in nearly every state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Want to find one close to you? Here’s how.\n\nWalk around, read the headstones, and try not to be humbled. Whether you bring a token of remembrance or not isn’t the point. The point is to just be alone with your thoughts and pay your respects. Take as long as you need. When you return to your car, the experience will stick with you long after you drive away.\n\n2. Go to a Memorial Day Parade.\n\nEverybody loves a parade, even our four-legged friends. Are we right?\n\nIf you have been to one before, go again. If you haven’t, carve out time to go. Interact with those around you. If you are a military veteran, chances are really good that you will be surrounded by others who served our country. If you aren’t, it’s a chance to thank a veteran for helping secure the freedom that we enjoy. It’s also a great opportunity to make sure those who died fighting for America are never forgotten.\n\nAnd if you can’t go, livestreaming is always an option. Take the Freedom 250 National Memorial Day Parade. It is scheduled for 10 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Monday, and the route will go down Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C. You can be anywhere, however, and still see it, thanks to the magic of YouTube.\n\n3. Walk Around a Military Museum.\n\nWe’ll grant you that some museums can be real borefests. Military museums don’t belong in that category. They aren’t filled with pieces of artwork that a regular person can’t appreciate. They’re repositories of living history.\n\nMilitary museums are a great way to spend an afternoon. There are no shot clocks. You can take as much time as you’d like to learn more about the exhibits. It’s equal parts educational and awe-inspiring, and they’ll make you feel connected—if only for a short while—with some real-life heroes.\n\nA quick side note: The Wall That Heals Tour, sponsored by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, is making its way across the United States. It will be in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on Memorial Day, but plans to visit 15 other states through the end of 2026. See whether it is coming to a city near you.\n\n4. Donate to a Military-Themed Charity.\n\nCountless numbers of organizations, both local and national, do great work in service of the military community. But be careful. For every Wounded Warrior Project, Bob Woodruff Foundation, and Fisher House Foundation out there, there are some military charities that might not have the greatest reputation.\n\nSo please do your homework before giving away your hard-earned money. You can verify a charity’s bona fides through such sites as Charity Navigator, CharityWatch, and the BBB Wise Giving Alliance.\n\nAnd if you’d prefer to volunteer rather than donate, that’s fantastic. There is no shortage of nonprofits that serve military service members and veterans who could use more helping hands. They’re only a Google search away.\n\n5. Watch Military-Themed Programming.\n\nNews flash: Those in television don’t like to work holidays, either. That’s why they tend to air a bunch of taped programs. Memorial Day is no exception.\n\nFor example, the History Channel is rebroadcasting the 10 hourlong episodes of “World War II in HD,” followed by the “World Wars,” on Sunday, May 24, 2026. On Memorial Day, it will follow with the first three episodes of the epic, 20-hour documentary series “World War II with Tom Hanks.” Meanwhile, AMC is scheduled to show all 10 episodes of “Band of Brothers” on Memorial Day. (Check local listings for details.)\n\nFinally, no matter what streaming services you have, there is no shortage of military movies/documentaries out there.\n\nSo, by all means, enjoy the holiday. You deserve the break. The fallen also deserve to be remembered, if only for a minute, and those two things aren’t mutually exclusive. After all, we wouldn’t be here today without them.\n\nDon’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty\n\n• Tokens of remembrance: The things we leave behind\n• The sensational defection of Stalin’s daughter to the US during the Cold War\n• ‘Normal’ was clearly made by people who effing love movies\n\n5 ways to honor the fallen this Memorial Day Weekend\n\nThe MRZR Alpha 6×6 scratches a 1,000-pound itch for the military\n\nStormin’ Norman Schwarzkopf’s Beretta M9 from Desert Storm is going up for auction\n\nHow an Army veteran became America’s greatest daredevil\n\n‘Jimmy’ Trailer: The Oscars, World War II, and a wonderful life","category":"legacy","author":"Stephen Ruiz","publishDate":"2026-05-22T12:00:00.000Z","image":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/military-parade-memorial-day-army.jpg?quality=85","source":"We Are The Mighty","sourceUrl":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/military-life/5-ways-to-honor-the-fallen-this-memorial-day-weekend/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":2,"qualityScore":100,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-22T12:01:07.172Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-23T04:00:09.845Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-shimca","slug":"remembering-cheektowaga-native-and-army-pfc-neil-ellis-bateman","title":"Remembering Cheektowaga native and Army Pfc. Neil Ellis Bateman","excerpt":"Neil Ellis Bateman , a Cheektowaga native, was the second son born to Wallace and Ruth Bateman on April 9, 1947. Neil followed dad Wally’s footsteps, enlisting in the Army after graduating from...","content":"Neil Ellis Bateman, a Cheektowaga native, was the second son born to Wallace and Ruth Bateman on April 9, 1947.\n\nNeil followed dad Wally’s footsteps, enlisting in the Army after graduating from Maryvale High School in 1966. Neil’s older brother Newton (“Newt,” as many called him) enlisted in the Navy as a pharmacist. According to a local Buffalo, N.Y., newspaper article, “both [Newt and Neil] knew the [Department of Defense] policy [of being able to] request a transfer out of the war zone. The older wanted the younger to be transferred and the younger wanted the older to leave. Neil felt Newton should leave because he was married.”\n\nPfc. Bateman, while serving as a point man for Company B, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 327th Infantry, advanced under intense enemy fire from a larger, entrenched North Vietnamese force. Ignoring his own safety, he pushed forward and exposed his position to draw enemy fire so his platoon could evacuate the wounded. After they withdrew, he stayed in his exposed position and continued suppressing the enemy until he was killed by machine-gun fire, an act that earned him a Silver Star Medal.\n\nIn addition to receipt of the Combat Infantryman Badge, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, and Parachutist Badge, he was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal (Merit) and Purple Heart.\n\nNewt met Neil’s body overseas and escorted him home to the Bateman family.\n\nSince 1967, The Neil E. Bateman Memorial Award is an annual tribute at Maryvale High School honoring an outstanding senior who exemplifies a willingness to sacrifice for the good of others, a pride born from within, a sense of duty and a respect for community and for self. Neil’s youngest brother, Glenn, was the first recipient of this prestigious award.\n\nOn May 25, 2026, the Bateman Veterans Memorial Gardens will finally be opened at noon to the local community, honoring all Veterans from all wars and conflicts, after more than six years in planning and preparation. The project was initiated by Jerry Kowalski, American Legion Erie County Committee commander and former Francis J. Donovan Post 1626 commander, alongside Glenn, just before the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020.","category":"legacy","author":"Jason Davis","publishDate":"2026-05-21T22:30:00.000Z","image":"https://news.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/05/Christmas.webp","source":"VA News","sourceUrl":"https://news.va.gov/146938/remembering-cheektowaga-native-and-army-pfc-neil-ellis-bateman/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-22T00:00:59.223Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-22T04:00:59.090Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-ykgzzn","slug":"house-passes-budget-bill-for-veterans-affairs-military-construction","title":"House passes budget bill for Veterans Affairs, military construction","excerpt":"The House overwhelmingly passed a $480.9 billion budget for the Department of Veterans Affairs, military construction and other programs for fiscal 2027 that included full funding for veterans health...","content":"The House overwhelmingly passed a $480.9 billion budget for the Department of Veterans Affairs, military construction and other programs for fiscal 2027 that included full funding for veterans health care and benefits.\n\nThe bill, which also provides appropriations for veterans-related agencies such as the American Battle Monuments Commission and Arlington National Cemetery, includes nearly $450 billion for the VA in fiscal 2027, a 3% increase from fiscal 2026 but lower than President Donald Trump’s request of $488 billion.\n\nThe bill was the first appropriations legislation to clear the House this year, in a 400-15 vote May 15 that Rep. John Carter, R-Tex., called a “testament to America’s commitment to taking care of the men and women who have bravely worn the uniform.”\n\n“I want every service member and veteran to know that this bill has their back,” said Carter, chairman of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Subcommittee.\n\nThe bill includes $324 billion in mandatory spending for the VA that covers health care and benefits and $137.8 billion for discretionary spending, roughly 2% higher than the fiscal 2026 amount but significantly lower than Trump’s request of $205.6 billion for discretionary funds.\n\nThe White House had asked to shift mandatory funds marked for injuries or illnesses related to toxic exposures — roughly $52 billion — to the discretionary budget, but the committee rejected the idea.\n\nLawmakers have expressed concerns that the use of those mandatory dollars, from the Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund, would jeopardize the fund’s intended use for veterans sickened by environmental pollutants.\n\nThe bill provides $19.7 billion for military construction projects, including $2.1 billion for the Army; $5.5 billion for the Navy and Marine Corps; $3.7 billion for the Air Force; $3.8 billion Defense Department-wide and additional funding for the National Guard and Reserve components.\n\nThe bill also includes a provision that would cement the VA’s decision to halt notifications to the Justice Department of a veteran’s inability to manage his or her finances — a situation that precluded veterans with fiduciaries from owning guns.\n\nVA restores gun rights to some disabled veterans\n\nThe Senate still must craft its own version of the bill, referred to as the MilConVA bill. The subcommittee responsible for the legislation jump-started that process in separate hearings April 30 and May 14 on the president’s budget proposals.\n\nDuring those hearings, senators appeared supportive of the VA budget request and sought affirmation from VA officials that the department use the funds judiciously for health care, claims processing and other veterans services.\n\nSen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., ranking member of the Senate Appropriations MilConVA subcommittee, called the budget proposals “important investments” in the department.\n\nBut he expressed concerns about whether the VA had sufficient numbers of physicians and nurses and noted that the budget calls for significant increases for care at private facilities covered by the VA and less of an increase for health care at VA hospitals and clinics.\n\n“The department’s own public facing data shows that outcome for veterans are either the same or better for direct VA care compared to privatized outside care,” Ossoff told VA Secretary Doug Collins in the April 30 hearing.\n\nVA shuttering underperforming clinics, addressing leadership shortcomings at others\n\nCollins testified Thursday before the House MilCon Appropriations Subcommittee, six days after the House passed its proposed bill.\n\nCollins said that conflicts and the approval process prevented him from testifying until May 21, although earlier in the deliberation process, House Democrats had successfully amended the legislation to withhold 25% of the secretary’s office budget until he testified.\n\n“Our veterans do not deserve that kind of uncertainty and lack of transparency,” said the subcommittee’s ranking Democrat, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida.\n\nCollins praised the committee for the legislation’s passage and called changes at the VA since he has taken office a “tale of two cities.” He said in the past year the VA has announced a restructuring, instituted a manning document, reduced its disability claims backlog, restarted its VA electronic health records system program and reduced appointment wait times.\n\nVA hospitals earn top marks in federal review\n\n“The VA will never be perfect and neither will its budget, but we are always going to work together to make sure one thing is true: Veterans are always going to come first at the VA,” Collins said.\n\nThe Senate is expected to roll out its MilConVA appropriations bill this summer.","category":"advocacy","author":"Patricia Kime","publishDate":"2026-05-21T20:46:24.000Z","image":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/archetype/XDAPNQEGSBFA5OG3NLBQEJA2YU.jpg","source":"Military Times - Veterans","sourceUrl":"https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2026/05/21/house-passes-budget-bill-for-veterans-affairs-military-construction/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-22T00:00:58.831Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-22T04:00:59.090Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-y6dx4d","slug":"va-guaranteed-home-loans-a-trusted-option-for-veterans-at-every-stage","title":"VA-Guaranteed Home Loans: A trusted option for Veterans at every stage","excerpt":"The weather is getting warmer, the flowers are in bloom and “for sale” signs are blossoming on hundreds of thousands of homes across the United States.","content":"The weather is getting warmer, the flowers are in bloom and “for sale” signs are blossoming on hundreds of thousands of homes across the United States. Spring is the traditional start of the homeownership journey for many Americans, but especially for service members and Veterans who are used to spring bringing Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders that require military members and their families to move to different military installations.\n\nVeterans may be considering new job opportunities, moving closer to their families or finally retiring and looking for that “forever home.” Whatever the reason, all service members and Veterans should consider purchasing their new homes with a VA-guaranteed home loan, the unique option that makes housing more affordable.\n\nHow does a VA-guaranteed home loan make a house more affordable? VA-guaranteed home loans have specific requirements for lenders to help keep loan costs and down payments low or non-existent, ensure competitive interest rates for military borrowers and eligible surviving spouses, and do not require private mortgage insurance. This helps keep more money in borrowers’ pockets and lowers overall mortgage costs over the life of the loan.\n\nVeterans with service-connected disabilities who receive VA service-connected disability compensation save even more money, since the VA funding fee—a one-time payment the borrower pays on a VA-guaranteed home loan—is waived. With funding fees as high as 2.15% (first-time use of the benefit) and 3.3% (subsequent uses), this could result in tens of thousands of dollars in savings.\n\nBut for Veterans who are required to pay the funding fee, a new change this year allows you to deduct that funding fee on your taxes, if you are itemizing. Veterans who pay the funding fee have the option to roll the fee into their loan so they do not need to pay it out-of-pocket at closing.\n\nVA Deputy Secretary Paul R. Lawrence, Ph.D., recently posted three videos about the VA-guaranteed home loan to help Veterans understand how this important benefit makes homeownership more affordable.\n\nGlad You Asked: Home Loan (Part 1): Veterans have received more than 29 million VA home loans since inception, and Lawrence wants every Veteran who is eligible to understand the VA home loan process.\n\nGlad You Asked: Home Loan (Part 2): Lawrence provides an overview of the VA home loan eligibility and loan approval process, including appraisals, credit scores and debt-to-income ratios that can impact a Veteran’s ability to obtain a VA home loan.\n\nGlad You Asked: Home Loan (Part 3): In the final part of the VA Home Loan series, Lawrence discusses how lenders evaluate a Veteran’s financial health to ensure they can repay the loan. He highlights tools like the Veterans Benefits Banking Program that help improve credit, reduce debt and support long-term financial goals, and he further encourages Veterans to explore available resources.\n\nFiscal Year (FY) 2025 was a great year for Veterans using their VA-backed home loan benefit, with more than 500,000 loans guaranteed. Notably, more than 30% of all VA-guaranteed home loans issued in FY2025 went to Veterans under the age of 35—nearly 170,000 loans to Millennials and Gen Z Veterans!\n\nThe VA Home Loan program continues to serve Veterans across generations. In FY 2025, Veterans from every service era used their VA-guaranteed home loan benefit to buy, build or refinance a home. Nearly 850 Veterans who served prior to the Vietnam era, including during the Korean War and World War II, utilized the program, along with more than 8,000 Veterans over the age of 80.\n\nHomeownership can be a significant financial commitment, but the VA-guaranteed home loan offers Veterans a unique earned benefit that can consistently save them money and be used again and again. Whether it’s purchasing a first home, refinancing or using the benefit again later in life, Veterans can take advantage of a VA-guaranteed home loan at any stage. It truly is a lifetime benefit.\n\nThe VA Home Loan program staff are here to assist you. For more information, visit VA home loans online.\n\nYou can also use the resources below to learn more about the VA home loan program and the home-buying process.\n\nOnline resources\n\nDownload the CFPB home loan toolkit (PDF)\n\nGet tools and resources for homebuyers from CFPB\n\nHelpful videos on YouTube\n\nOverview of home loans and how to apply\n\nTop 5 benefits of the VA home loan program\n\nTrue costs of home ownership\n\nUsing your VA home loan benefit: Where to start","category":"benefits","author":"briannogues","publishDate":"2026-05-21T20:30:00.000Z","image":"https://news.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/07/favicon-96x96-1.png?w=32","source":"VA News","sourceUrl":"https://news.va.gov/146796/va-home-loans-a-trusted-option-for-veterans/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-22T00:00:59.223Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-22T04:00:59.090Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-g17dqu","slug":"the-mrzr-alpha-6-6-scratches-a-1-000-pound-itch-for-the-military","title":"The MRZR Alpha 6×6 scratches a 1,000-pound itch for the military","excerpt":"Nobody asked Polaris to build a six-wheeled tactical vehicle that fits inside a helicopter, carries more payload than a Humvee, and can launch loitering munitions before the enemy figures out it left...","content":"Nobody asked Polaris to build a six-wheeled tactical vehicle that fits inside a helicopter, carries more payload than a Humvee, and can launch loitering munitions before the enemy figures out it left the ground. Then again, nobody had to; however, maybe there were some clues.\n\nCustomers started showing up with problems their four-seater couldn’t solve, and Polaris answered the only way an engineering company knows how: Slap an extra axle on it.\n\nThe MRZR Alpha 6×6 is a pre-production prototype, technically speaking. Eight of them exist. They are currently in Norway, Australia, Quantico, and Tampa, which is not the distribution footprint of something anyone is planning to shelves.\n\nPlease, Sir, May I Have Some Payload?\n\nDave Skog, Business Development Manager with Polaris Government and Defense, was standing next to one of them at SOF Week in Tampa when he explained the whole thing in a single sentence.\n\n“The front half of the vehicle is all the same as our current SOCOM program of record vehicle, the Alpha 4×4. Basically, we have added an additional axle on the back.”\n\nThat is the entire gripping and cinematic origin story. The MRZR Alpha 4×4 is already a proven platform, used extensively by SOCOM. The Marines call theirs the Ultra-Light Tactical Vehicle. The Air Force ordered them as well. They have the parts, the logistics chain is in place, and the maintainers already know the vehicle.\n\nPolaris kept more than 90% parts commonality between the 4×4 and the 6×6, which means the military is not being asked to learn a new vehicle. Only one new axle.\n\nWhat that axle does to the payload numbers is the kind of thing that makes procurement officers sit up a tad straighter. The standard four-seat Alpha carries 2,000 pounds total, operators included. The 6×6 delivers what the military industrial complex craves: more room for stuff.\n\n“The 6×6 is 3,000 pounds of capacity on the bed only, and then two 300-pound operators,” Skog said. “So it’s 3,600 pounds total on the vehicle.The cargo bed grows from 50 inches to 84 inches. The vehicle grows eleven inches in total length. That is the rub. Eleven inches for 3,000 pounds of bed payload, a 225-mile maximum range, and a gross vehicle weight that clears the standard M998 HMMWV, while the vehicle itself is a fraction of the size.\n\nThe third axle also distributes the vehicle’s weight across six contact points instead of four, dropping ground pressure per tire. Results are a six-wheeled vehicle that actually outperforms the four-wheeled version in soft soil, mud, and the kind of terrain that exists in, say, Norway, where two of the prototypes are currently being evaluated by people who know what Norwegian mud feels like in March.\n\nIt still fits inside an MV-22B Osprey. Roll-over protection system folded flat, loaded internally, same as the 4×4 always could. You fly it somewhere no road reaches, drive it off the ramp, and get to work.\n\nAll Over the World Already\n\nEight prototypes may sound like a small number until you consider where they are. Norway, Australia, the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory at Quantico. SOF Week in Tampa. USSOCOM’s Program Manager for the Family of Special Operations Vehicles received units earlier this year to begin informing future requirements. The MCWL has been actively experimenting with logistics and precision fires applications.\n\n“They have gone out, and they’re actually all over the world now,” Skog said. “We’ve got a couple of them in Norway, and we’ve got one in Australia. So they’re with customers right now, basically going through that initial phase of trying them to see if they really like them.”\n\nThat is what pre-production momentum looks like. This is not a concept render on a trade show poster. The MRZR Alpha 6×6 is a Technology Readiness Level 8 prototype, which means the design is mature, it has been demonstrated in an operational environment, and it is one qualification step from full production. The people evaluating it are not doing so out of curiosity.\n\nWhat’s in the Back\n\nOn the SOF Week floor, the vehicle on display was carrying a launcher, Northrop Grumman’s loitering munition system. Loitering munitions are exactly what they sound like. They go up, they circle, they light a cigarette, get chased by security, find what they are looking for, and then they stop being so patient about it. Skog confirmed the setup without much fanfare.\n\n“That is actually a launcher. It’s called the Jackal. That is a launcher for loitering-type munitions, basically.”\n\nA vehicle small enough for an Osprey, carrying a launcher for self-guided munitions. That is the display. But Skog was careful to keep the frame wide when the conversation turned to what the bed is actually for.\n\n“It could be anything you wanna put on the deck, yeah. 3,000 pounds of whatever that is. So it could be fuel, water, munitions, supplies, you name it.”\n\nThat versatility is the whole ballgame. The weapons integration gets the attention at a show like SOF Week, but the logistics case is what keeps programs alive. Future fights will happen on islands, coastlines, and austere terrain where convoy trucks cannot go, and helicopters don’t have unimpeded freedom.\n\nA vehicle that arrives by Osprey can sustain a small unit for days, and transforms into a weapons platform when the mission changes, scratching an itch the military has had for years.\n\nIn February 2026, Global Military Products received a contract through the Naval Surface Technology and Innovation Consortium to integrate its Scorpion Light mobile mortar system onto the MRZR Alpha 6×6 for the Marine Corps.\n\nThe Scorpion Light deploys, shoots eight rounds, and scoots on out of there in under two minutes, a timeline demonstrated live at Quantico during the Marine Gunners Symposium. Polaris has since been awarded a contract for six additional prototypes specifically to test that integration. Live-fire evaluation by the Marine Corps follows delivery.\n\nLike Peas and Carrots\n\nThe MRZR Alpha 6×6 sits between two vehicles that have never fully covered each other’s blind spots. The ultra-light tactical vehicle is fast and mobile, but burns through its payload capacity before the mission does. The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle is capable and protected, but too large to load onto the aircraft that gets small units to the places they actually need to be.\n\nNeither one actually answers the requirement that the unit arrive by air, sustain itself, and generate fires without waiting on heavier assets.\n\n“We have had customers coming to us asking, ‘Hey, I want to put more payload on, my payload is larger, what can you do?'” Skog said. “And this was our best solution to still keep the vehicle small.”\n\nSmall enough for the Osprey. Large enough to carry what the mission actually requires. That is the eye of the needle, and the 6×6 threads it cleanly.\n\nNo full production decision has been announced as of yet. The evaluations in Norway, Australia, Quantico, and elsewhere are still returning data. That is how this phase of a program works. The military drives something hard, breaks what can be broken, and decides whether the platform earned its place in the inventory.\n\nEight prototypes across Multiple allied nations with Mortar integration contracts sprinkled on top. But will the new size also come with new restrictions on what can transport it?\n\n“This six-by-six can still go inside a B22 helicopter,” Scott said, referencing the V-22 Osprey. “You can still fold the rops down, internally air transport it, all the same as the current four-seater, but it has the payload capacity and the cube capacity for the bed.”\n\nSix wheels, one Osprey, and 3,000 pounds of whatever the mission dictates.\n\nDon’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty\n\n• An Army Infantry Squad Vehicle sells for $1 million to benefit the Medal of Honor Foundation \n• The M113 armored personnel carrier was supposed to be obsolete\n• Mike Vining on Vietnam, Delta Force, and the sardines he never ate\n\nA Green Beret shares 12 important things that need to be in your bug-out bag\n\nThe Marine Corps used ‘Doom II’ to train Marines to work together\n\nHow the Growler disabled Venezuela’s air defense system\n\nNASA’s ‘Flying Bathtub’ taught the Space Shuttle how to land\n\n5 Military tech breakthroughs of 2025 that are straight out of science fiction","category":"service","author":"Adam Gramegna","publishDate":"2026-05-21T18:38:27.000Z","image":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/polari-mrzr-alpha-6x6-1.jpg?quality=85","source":"We Are The Mighty","sourceUrl":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/tactical/the-mrzr-alpha-6x6-scratches-a-1000-pound-itch-for-the-military/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":2,"qualityScore":100,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-22T00:01:00.681Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-22T04:00:59.090Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-16117v","slug":"19-year-old-soldier-completes-ranger-airborne-air-assault-and-pathfinder-schools","title":"19-year-old soldier completes Ranger, Airborne, Air Assault and Pathfinder schools","excerpt":"Army Pfc. Mace Veit knew completing four of the Army’s most distinguished training courses in less than six months, including the rigors of Ranger School, would be tough. Constant testing.","content":"Army Pfc. Mace Veit knew completing four of the Army’s most distinguished training courses in less than six months, including the rigors of Ranger School, would be tough.\n\nConstant testing. Brutal fitness standards. Lack of sleep. He knew he was ready for all that.\n\nWhat Veit didn’t expect was the growing number of funny looks he’d get from fellow soldiers as he moved from school to school.\n\n“I definitely have explained the path of my career, I guess you could say, more times than I can count, to students and instructors,” Veit told Task & Purpose this week, laughing slightly at his unusual position. “It is pretty crazy, because a lot of people are like, ‘Oh, how’d you get all these schools? I’ve been waiting 10 years to get this one’ or something.”\n\nOn Friday, Veit will graduate from Pathfinder School at Fort Benning, Georgia, and, as a 19-year-old private first class, he will pin on his third hard-to-get skill badge — and that’s on top of his Ranger tab.\n\nAfter graduating high school a year ago, Veit has been to boot camp and advanced individual training as a cavalry scout (where he was an honor graduate), and then beginning in January, he attended Ranger School, Airborne Jump School, Air Assault, and Pathfinder.\n\nNotably, Veit passed all of Ranger School’s notoriously taxing phases on his first try, a 62-day speed run managed by less than 20% of students who attempt the course.\n\nNational Guard program for top recruits\n\nAfter enlisting in the Nevada National Guard while still in high school, Veit said the key to his string of training schools was a newly expanded program at Fort Benning known as the Ranger Team Leader Initiative, or RTLI. Run by the National Guard, the program combs through classes in the Army’s entry-level basic and job training schools — known as One Station Unit Training or OSUT — for high-performing National Guard recruits, though some active duty soldiers join the program as well. RTLI trainers then put the new soldiers through a 30-day crash course to prepare them for an immediate chance in the guard’s formal pre-Ranger school on Fort Benning and, should they advance, a slot in Ranger School.\n\n“We are definitely the pre-pre-Ranger course,” said Staff Sgt. Garrett Streeks, the noncommissioned officer in charge of RTLI. “We’re doing a lot of vetting. I think the hardest part for us is these kids have the buy-in. They’ve just been down here [in OSUT] for 18 or 22 weeks.”\n\nThe RTLI program is demanding, said Streeks, with a full Ranger fitness test every week, and training blocks on land navigation, patrolling, and physical events like ruck marches and runs to prepare for the harsh first week at the school, known as Ranger Assessment Phase. But with students who have just graduated from basic training, RTLI instructors skip a hardcore selection approach in favor of teaching and preparation.\n\n“I was really scared at first,” Veit said. “I didn’t know if it was just gonna be like, survival of the fittest, who’s the best prepared for Ranger School. But then as I got here, I realized that, oh, they’re actually trying to help you.”\n\nThose who pass RTLI then move elsewhere on Fort Benning to a formal 15-day pre-Ranger program run by the guard, where they mix in with soldiers from across the Army, nearly all of whom are more senior.\n\n“It’s a lot of teaching, coaching, mentoring on the things, letting them know that they are not going to have the upper hand [in experience], you know, when they’re mixing in with a population of lieutenants and captains, and E-6 and E-7s who’ve spent time at the unit level,” Streeks said.\n\nTop Stories This Week\n\nFighter pilots say Growler crews’ safe ejections were a ‘miracle’\n\nAircrews safely eject after two Navy jets collide during air show\n\nAir Force now has 18 of its new Skyraider II ‘Swiss Army Knife’ aircraft, official says\n\nTrainees who eventually make it through Ranger School, said Streeks, are sent to the Basic Airborne Course for jump training as the RTLI staff looks for other courses they might attend, based mostly on scheduling. In Veit’s case, his training happened to line up perfectly to run through all four advanced schools with almost no break — a non-stop gauntlet that, Streeks said, even top performers are often not ready for.\n\n“A lot of times you offer these kids follow-on training opportunities, and you know they’re usually ready to go home after Ranger School,” said Streeks. “They actually see the time that they’re up against, the amount that it adds on to their pipeline, and they get a little overwhelmed with that.”\n\nBut Veit never wavered.\n\n“He just followed right on to Airborne, Air Assault, and then the dates lined up to get him into Pathfinder,” said Streeks. “He’s kind of a quiet kid, which, you know, kind of makes sense, but just you can always tell, real humble, real motivated, always trying to do the right thing at the right time. I think a lot of these kids come in with the idea that they’re going into a course where they’re just kicking down doors and winning wars. It’s a lot different than what they’ve expected, but he was always asking good questions and motivated to learn.”\n\nKyle Rempfer contributed to this story.","category":"service","author":"Matt White","publishDate":"2026-05-21T18:04:58.000Z","image":"https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_2495-copy.jpg?quality=85","source":"Task & Purpose","sourceUrl":"https://taskandpurpose.com/news/soldier-ranger-airborne-assault-pathfinder/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-22T00:00:59.581Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-22T04:00:59.090Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-oslanu","slug":"stormin-norman-schwarzkopf-s-beretta-m9-from-desert-storm-is-going-up-for-auctio","title":"Stormin’ Norman Schwarzkopf’s Beretta M9 from Desert Storm is going up for auction","excerpt":"Yes, you read that right: Norman Schwarzkopf’s Beretta. The handgun that was on the hip of one of America’s most famous generals during one of the nation’s most significant modern military operations...","content":"Yes, you read that right: Norman Schwarzkopf’s Beretta. The handgun that was on the hip of one of America’s most famous generals during one of the nation’s most significant modern military operations could soon be yours.\n\nImagine having the opportunity to bid on Andrew Jackson’s sword from the Battle of New Orleans or Teddy Roosevelt’s Colt 1892 revolver from his assault on Kettle Hill. Going straight from his family’s possession to the auction block, the sale of Gen. Schwarzkopf’s Desert Storm M9 is unprecedented.\n\nA West Point graduate, Schwarzkopf had a truly distinguished career that took him from the jungles of Vietnam to the invasion of Grenada. During that time, the U.S. military went through an evolution that saw Hueys replaced with Black Hawks and the .45 ACP 1911 replaced with the 9mm M9.\n\nSchwarzkopf was originally issued an M15 General Officer’s Pistol, a shortened version of the standard issue 1911, when he earned his first star in 1978; that pistol was carried by Schwarzkopf in Grenada. Following the adoption of the M9 as the military’s new sidearm, he was also issued a General Officer’s version of the Beretta.\n\nFirst adopted in 1911, the 1911 pistol was a revolutionary military weapon. At the time, many world powers were still issuing revolvers, if not black powder revolvers. With seven rounds of horse-killing (remember, cavalry still rode horses back then) .45 ACP on tap and easily reloaded with a detachable box magazine, the 1911 gave American troops a handy and powerful sidearm in the Philippines, on the Pancho Villa Expedition, and the trenches of World War I.\n\nAlthough the 1911 continued to stack bodies during World War II, 9mm handguns and their ability to carry more ammo became more popular with militaries. Despite the NATO standardization on 9mm in 1955, the U.S. military continued to issue the 1911 and its .45 ACP ammo. That is, until 1985.\n\nWith its World War II-era (and even some World War I) 1911s getting long in the tooth and the nagging of NATO standardization, the U.S. military held the XM9 trials to adopt a new 9mm handgun. The winner was the Beretta 92F, later updated to the 92FS, which was adopted as the M9. With 15 rounds of 9mm, the Beretta offered increased capacity over the 1911’s seven rounds. Saving the argument of power versus capacity, the M9 did bring the U.S. military into compliance with NATO.\n\nAlthough initial M9 deliveries came from Beretta’s factory in Italy, the awarding of the U.S. contract required eventual manufacturing in the states and production was spun up in Maryland. Over 600,000 M9s were delivered to the U.S. military, but only a reported 555 were General Officer’s Pistols bearing a “GO” prefix. Of those 555, only one was issued to Stormin’ Norman and carried by him during the Gulf War.\n\nAs the Commander of U.S. Central Command, Schwarzkopf led U.S. and Coalition forces during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. With increased military media coverage, Schwarzkopf was famously photographed wearing one watch on each wrist and carrying his M9 on his left hip (yes, Stormin’ Norman was a lefty and his M9 has its magazine release on the right side of the frame). Notably, Schwarzkopf carried his M9 in a standard OD green or “chocolate chip” M12 holster rather than the black leatherette Officer Model holster.\n\nThis historic sale is being conducted by Rock Island Auction. Despite being carried in the desert, RIA curators note that Schwarzkopf’s M9 has 90% of its original phosphate and anodized finishes. The listing also includes a Beretta-marked magazine, the black leatherette General Officer belt rig, holster, and dual magazine pouch with an extra magazine. Securing the M9’s provenance, a letter from Schwarzkopf’s daughter is including attesting that the pistol was carried by her father during the Gulf War.\n\nWhat’s not original to the gun are its Crimson Trace laser grips. Replacing the standard plastic Beretta grips, these must have been added by Schwarzkopf after he retired in 1991 since Crimson Trace didn’t release laser grips for the Beretta 92 until the late 1990s. The fact that Schwarzkopf added these may suggest that he continued to carry, or at least use, his M9 into retirement.\n\nUnsurprisingly, RIA estimates that Norman Schwarzkopf’s Beretta will hammer between $60,000-90,000. His M15 was estimated to sell for between $9,500-15,000… it sold for $70,500.\n\nDon’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty\n\n• 21 facts about the First Gulf War\n• Why the US government had to pay Beretta after awarding them the M9 contract\n• What the Soviet Union thought as it watched Operation Desert Storm\n\nStormin’ Norman Schwarzkopf’s Beretta M9 from Desert Storm is going up for auction\n\n‘Jimmy’ Trailer: The Oscars, World War II, and a wonderful life\n\nHow Ronald Reagan healed scars from Vietnam on Memorial Day in 1984\n\nHistory Channel doc revisits boxing’s most politically charged rivalry\n\nKurt Vonnegut’s ‘Slaughterhouse-Five’ comes to life in a new Tralfamadore exhibit","category":"legacy","author":"Miguel Ortiz","publishDate":"2026-05-21T16:29:54.000Z","image":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/norman-schwarzkopf-beretta.webp?quality=85","source":"We Are The Mighty","sourceUrl":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/tactical/norman-schwarzkopfs-beretta-m9-desert-storm-auction/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":2,"qualityScore":100,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-21T18:00:59.702Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-22T04:00:59.432Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-l2e64k","slug":"tom-hanks-led-world-war-ii-docuseries-set-to-debut-over-memorial-day","title":"Tom Hanks-led World War II docuseries set to debut over Memorial Day","excerpt":"Fifty-three years after the “The World at War” debuted its comprehensive 26-episode arch chronicling the events of the Second World War, the History Channel and the National World War II Museum have...","content":"Fifty-three years after the “The World at War” debuted its comprehensive 26-episode arch chronicling the events of the Second World War, the History Channel and the National World War II Museum have teamed up with Tom Hanks to deliver what they hope to be updated docuseries uncovering “new dimensions of the conflict,” according to the History Channel.\n\n“I think the sweep and scope of the documentary is itself illuminating,” Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jon Meacham told Military Times via email. “We are saying, ‘In a fragmented culture dominated by the device in your hand, you need to look up and engage in a story that is at once larger than any one of us but also intimate, personal and resonant.’”\n\nRob Citino, senior historian at the National WWII Museum and lead consultant for the series, told Military Times that “For someone in my generation ‘The World at War’ was equivalent to a kind of historical gospel. We watched every episode, we memorized it, the footage, the interviewees, which at the time were largely German and Allied officers — men who actually fought the war — they were still alive.\n\n“It’s impossible to do that kind of series [now], but the museum and the History Channel alike thought this was an important project to bring to fruition.”\n\nCitino added that nothing and no one in the latter part of the 20th century to the present day has remained untouched by the war.\n\n“World War II is the largest event in human history, one that has shaped — and is shaping — everything since,” said Meacham, an executive producer on the documentary series. “Its lessons are essential — about confronting tyranny, checking appetite, battling discrimination. We ignore these things at our peril.”\n\nIt was a war that toppled empires and reshaped the modern world, but it didn’t just begin as German tanks rolled into Poland, nor did it just escalate with Operation Barbarossa or the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.\n\nIt was a war that was fomented in the 1920s and 1930s throughout beer halls in Germany and in Manchuria, China, Abyssinia (Ethiopia), Spain and beyond. With over 20 hours of footage, this is a fact that “World War II with Tom Hanks” — and its 20 episodes — does not appear to gloss over.\n\nNicholas Stargardt, a professor of modern German history at the University of Oxford and author of the acclaimed book “The German War,” appears in episode 15 of the series, examining how the German people came to understand the chasm that their violence opened up — and their own transition across it.\n\n“You have this parallel thing of people being informed relatively reliably, but of course they don’t know it’s reliable because it comes through private conduits and information, and then being overwhelmed by it, doubting it, worrying whether this is like First World War atrocity propaganda,” Stargardt told Military Times. “So one of the things that really interested me was, first when did this become not just private information but publicly discussable in Germany, and in what context?\n\n“You don’t have to do a very big thought experiment to think, well, for Jews facing impending destruction, it’s clear that what we talk of as the Holocaust would frame everything, and the war is secondary. They are all interpreting war news in terms of ‘Will we be liberated and Germany be defeated before we run out of time?’” he continued.\n\n“And so the thought experiment was for ordinary Germans, the framing is the other way around. For them, the war is more important than the Holocaust. I realized that we could track this up to the end of March 1945 and it’s only in the last six weeks, five to six weeks of the war that you really get Germans not wanting to continue, and there’s a quite clear military reason for that.”\n\nAs the German military withdrew further and further across the Rhine, Stargardt continued, “it’s that use of terror, which actually tells you they’ve lost consent … it’s been turned into a kind of almost mythological set of events of seeing ‘we were their victims too’ kind of logic, rather than actually, if we look at this analytically, it shows that that kind of terror against the German population only occurs in these very specific circumstances and therefore we know we’re dealing with something else up to that point.”\n\nWhile the series takes a relatively 30,000-foot view of the most destructive war in human history, the cadre of historians participating in “World War II with Tom Hanks” is akin to an all-star roster for history aficionados.\n\n“I think we’re going to make sure that it’s going to be difficult to avoid World War II for the next 20 episodes, and frankly, that’s the way the museum likes it, the way the History Channel likes it and the way I like it as well,” Citino concluded.\n\n“World War II with Tom Hanks” is set to premiere on the History Channel on May 25.","category":"legacy","author":"Claire Barrett","publishDate":"2026-05-21T16:29:49.000Z","image":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/archetype/3VMHIXSI2ZATRIO46YQUCZCP4Y.JPG","source":"Military Times - Veterans","sourceUrl":"https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/military-history/2026/05/21/tom-hanks-led-world-war-ii-docuseries-set-to-debut-over-memorial-day/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-21T18:00:51.676Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-22T04:00:59.432Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-4qmgfj","slug":"a-promise-remembered-honoring-staff-sgt-keith-m-maupin","title":"A promise remembered: Honoring Staff Sgt. Keith M. Maupin","excerpt":"Each Memorial Day , Americans pause to honor those who gave their lives in service to the nation. Among them is Army Staff Sgt. Keith M.","content":"Each Memorial Day, Americans pause to honor those who gave their lives in service to the nation. Among them is Army Staff Sgt. Keith M. Maupin—a soldier whose story is not only one of sacrifice, but also of enduring hope, love and remembrance.\n\nIn April 2004, during the early years of the Iraq War, Maupin’s convoy was ambushed while traveling west out of Baghdad. In the chaos that followed, he was captured by insurgents. News of his capture quickly spread, and his name became known across the country as one of the few American soldiers held as a prisoner of war during that conflict.\n\nBack home in Ohio, his family faced a reality no family ever prepares for. Days turned into months, and months into years, all of it marked by uncertainty and fragile hope. Through it all, they refused to let his story fade. Yellow ribbons were tied, prayers were lifted, and a community—and a nation—stood alongside them, holding onto the belief that he would one day return.\n\nThat hope endured for four long years.\n\nIn 2008, remains discovered in Iraq were identified as those belonging to Maupin. The news brought a painful finality, but also the return of a son, a soldier and a piece of closure to those who loved him. He was laid to rest with military honors in his hometown of Batavia, Ohio, a solemn tribute befitting his service and sacrifice.\n\nYet Maupin’s story doesn’t end with loss. It lives on in the resilience of his family; they transformed their grief into advocacy, ensuring that no service member taken captive or missing in action is forgotten. Their strength became a quiet but powerful testament to the enduring bonds between those who serve and the families who stand behind them.\n\nThis Memorial Day, as flags are lowered and moments of silence are observed, Maupin’s story reminds us that sacrifice is not measured only in the moment of loss, but in the years of waiting, the strength of loved ones and the commitment of a nation to remember.\n\nHe was more than a headline. He was a son, a friend a soldier.\n\nAnd today, we remember him—not just for how he died, but for how he lived: with honor, duty and an unwavering commitment to serve.","category":"legacy","author":"Jason Davis","publishDate":"2026-05-21T16:00:00.000Z","image":"https://news.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/07/favicon-96x96-1.png?w=32","source":"VA News","sourceUrl":"https://news.va.gov/146897/a-promise-remembered-honoring-staff-sgt-keith-m-maupin/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-21T18:00:52.936Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-22T04:00:59.432Z","linkStatus":"ok"}],"events":[{"id":"mobilize-379336","title":"Take Action for Nebraska","description":"Fill out this form to help us elect Democrats up and down the ballot. (You will also be among the first to know when we have yard signs!)\n\nIf you want to help, we can put you to work. We will connect you with county parties and candidates so you can help in your local area too. \n\nVolunteer opportunities include phonebanking, canvassing, postcards, hosting events, and delivering yard signs.\n\nYou can also use this form to connect with caucuses and councils, just type the group in the comments box and we will connect you. \n\n**Affiliated Caucus Organizations:**\n  \n- Black Caucus\n- Democrats Experiencing Disabilities\n- Latinx Caucus\n- Native Caucus\n- Stonewall Democrats\n- Women’s Caucus\n- Young Dems\n\n**Affiliated Policy Councils:**\n\n- Climate Council\n\n- Interfaith Council\n\n- Rural and Agriculture Council\n\n- Secular Council\n\n- Veterans and Military Families Council\n\n- Working Families Council","organization":"Nebraska Democratic Party","organizationLogo":"https://mobilize-uploads-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/organization/NDP-DEM_Donkey-Logo-Horz-RGB_20250715203748488336.png","startDate":"2026-05-25T05:00:00.000Z","endDate":"2026-05-26T04:59:00.000Z","timezone":"America/Chicago","isVirtual":true,"location":{"venue":"","address":", ","city":"Lincoln","state":"NE","zip":"68510","country":"US"},"virtualUrl":null,"registrationUrl":"https://www.mobilize.us/nebdems/event/379336/","image":"https://mobilizeamerica.imgix.net/uploads/event/NEDEMS_ButtonGraphic-ImBuildingTheParty_20241113195557678804.png","eventType":"volunteer","source":"mobilize","sourceId":"379336","scrapedAt":"2026-05-24T12:00:50.839Z"},{"id":"mobilize-765447","title":"Support Veterans Rush Hour Rally","description":"Support veterans: Protect the VA!\n\nJoin our Rush-Hour Resistance Rally outside the Chalmers Wylie VA Clinic to protest the cuts to the VA and support veterans!\n\nThis huge facility, serving veterans from a wide area, is on James Road just south of the Columbus Airport. Thousands of cars pass this location during rush hour every weekday afternoon, making this the perfect place to inform people about the crippling cuts that Trump, Musk and DOGE are making to our federal government.\n\nDemonstration area: We will be demonstrating on public sidewalks on both sides of James Road, which are highly visible to commuters passing by.\n\nUPDATED PARKING INFO: To eliminate any possibility of getting in the way of patients or staff at the clinic, we are asking everyone to avoid using the VA lot to the east of James Road. Instead, please park west of James Road. Look for Visitor Parking signs in the lot for Africentric High School, 3223 Allegheny Ave, Columbus, OH 43209. Or you can park on three side streets—Kellner, Lowell and Edgevale—off Ruhl Ave., which is the first stoplight intersection south of the VA clinic. If you’re car-pooling, you should be able to drop off passengers on Allegheny Ave. just west of James, on the way to the Africentric parking lot.","organization":"Indivisible Central Ohio","organizationLogo":"https://mobilize-uploads-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/organization/OHCentral_3C_NEW%20%281%29_20241126201819684787.jpg","startDate":"2026-05-26T20:00:00.000Z","endDate":"2026-05-26T21:00:00.000Z","timezone":"America/New_York","isVirtual":false,"location":{"venue":"Chalmers P. Wylie Ambulatory Care Center","address":"420 N James Rd, ","city":"Columbus","state":"OH","zip":"43219","country":"US"},"virtualUrl":null,"registrationUrl":"https://www.mobilize.us/indivisiblecentralohio/event/765447/","image":"https://mobilizeamerica.imgix.net/uploads/event/VA%20visibility%20Mobilize%20graphic%20no%20date_20250429224625739293.png","eventType":"rally","source":"mobilize","sourceId":"765447","scrapedAt":"2026-05-20T06:00:24.033Z"},{"id":"mobilize-375701","title":"POSTCARDING w/DOLLY and SUE into all swing states - w/Field Team 6 & The Union","description":"Join Field Team 6 and our wonderful partner The Union to write postcards and talk politics with us at our weekly Postcarding Parties!  Join us anytime!\n\nNEW TO POSTCARDING??  In our main room, we will teach you everything you need to know to write postcards of every kind.  **There is no need to buy anything beforehand**. We will help you decide what materials are right for you. \n\nVETERAN POSTCARDER?? Feel free to bring whatever you are currently working on and enjoy conversation in our breakout room.   \n\nEAGER TO LEARN HOW TO WRITE FIELD TEAM 6'S VOTER REGISTRATION POSTCARDS WITH QR CODES?? We will cover that.\n\nClick here to check out our Field Team 6 voter registration postcard campaigns: https://fieldteam6.herokuapp.com/getting_started\n**If you are just starting with Field Team 6 postcarding, please wait until after your first meeting to decide what materials to order!**\n\nWe can't wait to see you!!\n\nNOTE:  This event is taking place at 2pm PT/5pm ET\n\nSTATES INCLUDED: Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania","organization":"Field Team 6","organizationLogo":"https://mobilize-uploads-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/organization/ft6%20for%20mobes%201_20231128231125005709.png","startDate":"2026-05-27T21:00:00.000Z","endDate":"2026-05-28T00:00:00.000Z","timezone":"America/Los_Angeles","isVirtual":true,"location":{"venue":"","address":", ","city":"","state":"","zip":"","country":"US"},"virtualUrl":null,"registrationUrl":"https://www.mobilize.us/ft6/event/375701/","image":"https://mobilizeamerica.imgix.net/uploads/event/postcarding%20party%20NEW_TW%20%281%29_20240313224500853149.png","eventType":"community","source":"mobilize","sourceId":"375701","scrapedAt":"2026-05-21T06:01:04.799Z"},{"id":"mobilize-651442","title":"FVWA Supporter Phonebank!","description":"Every week, FVWA staff and volunteers take time to call other ranked-choice voting supporters and urge them to engage with vital actions to bring us closer to Ranked-Choice Voting in Washington, as well as alert them to opportunities to support democracy in other ways! \n\nIf you've never phone-banked or are a veteran caller, you're welcome here. We'll always provide a training and a script.\n\nJoin us and let's ensure we're taking action when action needs to be taken!","organization":"FairVote Washington","organizationLogo":"https://mobilize-uploads-prod.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/organization/FVWA%20Logo%20light%20BKGRND_20200527195250640948.png","startDate":"2026-05-27T23:00:00.000Z","endDate":"2026-05-28T00:30:00.000Z","timezone":"America/Los_Angeles","isVirtual":true,"location":{"venue":"","address":", ","city":"","state":"","zip":"","country":"US"},"virtualUrl":null,"registrationUrl":"https://www.mobilize.us/fairvotewa/event/651442/","image":"https://mobilizeamerica.imgix.net/uploads/event/WW%20PB%20Mobilize_20240517175906183795.png","eventType":"volunteer","source":"mobilize","sourceId":"651442","scrapedAt":"2026-05-21T12:01:58.546Z"},{"id":"mobilize-757901","title":"Lake County Democratic Veterans Caucus","description":"The Lake County Democratic Veterans Caucus meets monthly on the 4th Thursday of each month at 5 pm at the Leesburg Library.\n\nThe purpose of this organization is to stimulate active interest in political and governmental affairs relating to Veterans of the U.S. Military and to foster good fellowship among Democratic Veterans.\n\nFor more information, contact Richard Lockette, President, at richardlockette@gmail.com","organization":"Lake County DEC","organizationLogo":"https://mobilize-uploads-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/organization/Lake%20Dem%20Logo_20250714021548989204.jpg","startDate":"2026-05-28T21:00:00.000Z","endDate":"2026-05-28T23:00:00.000Z","timezone":"America/New_York","isVirtual":false,"location":{"venue":"Leesburg Public Library","address":"100 E Main St, ","city":"Leesburg","state":"FL","zip":"34748","country":"US"},"virtualUrl":null,"registrationUrl":"https://www.mobilize.us/lakecountydec/event/757901/","image":"https://mobilizeamerica.imgix.net/uploads/event/Image%201%20%281%29_20250223113931259050.jpeg","eventType":"community","source":"mobilize","sourceId":"757901","scrapedAt":"2026-04-24T06:01:13.806Z"},{"id":"mobilize-774947","title":"Weekly Napa Rally to Resist the Trump/Musk/GOP Regime!","description":"This a local Indivisible event!  This is a peaceful protest to support the rights of ALL Americans and show RESISTANCE to the current Trump/Musk/GOP regime's dismantling of our Government services, destruction of our economy and headlong descent into oligarchy and authoritarianism.  Veterans are invited as we Support and Respect all those that have served our Country.  Bring a sign, a friend, your good humor and enthusiasm.  JOIN US in Napa!","organization":"Indivisible","organizationLogo":"https://mobilize-uploads-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/organization/Mobilize_Indivisible_Horizontal_ForLightBackground_20250320155651214400.png","startDate":"2026-05-30T00:00:00.000Z","endDate":"2026-05-30T01:00:00.000Z","timezone":"America/Los_Angeles","isVirtual":false,"location":{"venue":"","address":"Soscol Avenue & 3rd Street, ","city":"Napa","state":"CA","zip":"94559","country":"US"},"virtualUrl":null,"registrationUrl":"https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/774947/","image":"https://mobilizeamerica.imgix.net/uploads/organization/Mobilize%20Generalized%20Indivisible%20Event%20Campaign%20Image%201_20231214173802957298.png","eventType":"rally","source":"mobilize","sourceId":"774947","scrapedAt":"2026-05-23T06:00:32.290Z"},{"id":"mobilize-755826","title":"Ingleside Cleanup","description":"The Clean Side of Ingleside! Join the Civic Joy Fund, Refuse Refuse, SF Public Works, and the community for a friendly neighborhood cleanup!\n\nVolunteers will meet at Ocean Ale House (1314 Ocean Ave) to grab your tools. Then, cleaning will occur from 11:00am to 12:00pm. Stay afterwards for free food and drinks!\n\nSign up today and let’s beautify San Francisco together!\n\nOrganizer: David\n\nBy participating or registering in a cleanup or volunteer event, I acknowledge and agree to the Civic Joy Fund and Refuse Refuse volunteer waivers:\nhttps://civicjoyfund.org/volunteer - https://refuserefusesf.org/waiver","organization":"Civic Joy Fund","organizationLogo":"https://mobilize-uploads-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/organization/Civic%20Joy%20Fund%20Circular-Lockup-Color-trans-lrg%20%282%29_20250820005555879377.png","startDate":"2026-05-30T18:00:00.000Z","endDate":"2026-05-30T19:00:00.000Z","timezone":"America/Los_Angeles","isVirtual":false,"location":{"venue":"Ocean Ale House","address":"1314 Ocean Ave, ","city":"San Francisco","state":"CA","zip":"94112","country":"US"},"virtualUrl":null,"registrationUrl":"https://www.mobilize.us/civicjoyfund/event/755826/","image":"https://mobilizeamerica.imgix.net/uploads/event/_Ingleside._001_20230719224925244221_20250214145050122596.jpeg","eventType":"volunteer","source":"mobilize","sourceId":"755826","scrapedAt":"2026-05-24T00:01:18.375Z"},{"id":"mobilize-770562","title":"Sign-up For Democracy Action Network / Indivisible LA","description":"The Democracy Action Network (DAN) was founded in November 2024 by David Comfort in response to the re-election of Donald Trump. Emerging as a grassroots organization dedicated to defending democratic institutions, promoting civic engagement, and fostering inclusive democracy, DAN has quickly become a prominent force in the pro-democracy movement. With a nonpartisan ethos and a commitment to nonviolent resistance, DAN seeks to address threats to constitutional governance while building a broad-based coalition for democratic renewal.\n\nMission and Vision\nDAN’s mission is to protect and strengthen democratic institutions, resist authoritarian tendencies, and promote an inclusive vision of democracy that upholds universal human rights and dignity. The organization operates on the principles of nonviolence, transparency, and participatory decision-making while fostering hope-centered messaging and constructive solutions. It aims to create sustainable organizing structures that empower communities and build long-term resilience against democratic backsliding.\n\nEarly Achievements\nSince its inception, DAN has demonstrated its capacity for impactful action:\n\n- February 22nd 2025: Organized a successful march and rally in West Hollywood, drawing hundreds of participants advocating for government accountability and democratic principles\n.\n- February 2025: Played a key role in coordinating protests at SpaceX, bringing attention to issues tied to corporate influence and public policy.\n\n- Held weekly organizing meetings with 300 to 400 people attending.\n- Developing a core group of activists and organizers\n\n- March 22nd 2025: Held a really successful \"March for our Constitution\" at the Federal Building in Westwood / Los Angeles. Had over 2,000 participants and hosted speakers such as Martin Sheen and Maxine Waters\n\n\nThese events have helped establish DAN as a credible voice for democratic activism while galvanizing public support for its mission.","organization":"Indivisible","organizationLogo":"https://mobilize-uploads-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/organization/Mobilize_Indivisible_Horizontal_ForLightBackground_20250320155651214400.png","startDate":"2026-12-31T16:45:00.000Z","endDate":"2027-01-01T07:45:00.000Z","timezone":"America/Los_Angeles","isVirtual":true,"location":{"venue":"","address":", ","city":"Los Angeles","state":"CA","zip":"90069","country":"US"},"virtualUrl":null,"registrationUrl":"https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/770562/","image":"https://mobilizeamerica.imgix.net/uploads/organization/Mobilize%20Generalized%20Indivisible%20Event%20Campaign%20Image%202_20231214173755488494.png","eventType":"rally","source":"mobilize","sourceId":"770562","scrapedAt":"2026-05-07T00:00:51.820Z"},{"id":"mobilize-434596","title":"2020 Victorious! | National Voter Mobilization-Education Year of Action | Communities United","description":"2020 Victorious! | Communities United is conducting a National Voter Mobilization-Education-Registration Year of Action to get our communities prepared to #VoteReady and promote #VoterEducation from __January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022.__  This is a national conversation on how we can all work together every year to expand our collective mission to protect democracy, fight voter suppression, and ensure all Americans have equal access to the ballot box.  This is democracy and it requires action.\n\nWe are inviting you to join 2020 Victorious! | Communities United for National Voter Mobilization-Education-Registration Year of Action to get our communities prepared to #VoteReady and promote #VoterEducation from __January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022.__ We are counting on you to participate by organizing and supporting [virtual] voter registration drives where you will register eligible voters, and help experienced voters check-confirm and update their registration.\n\n__This month's target campaign will champion a call-to-action for:__\n\n__U.S. Senate Georgia Runoff Election__ - Tuesday, December 6, 2022\n\n__Launch a Community Conversation__ in your neighborhood-network! Let’s create a truly democratic space where we can connect together through meaningful dialogue.\n\nAdvance Preparation: Organize a personal list of colleagues-neighbors, family-friends eligible to vote in the battleground-swing states below: then write a brief statement to motivate-inform the recipients.  This discussion is for immediate participation in the call-to-action to protect our democracy.\n\n__Battleground-Swing States:__ AK-Alaska, AZ-Arizona, FL-Florida, GA-Georgia, KS-Kansas, MI-Michigan, NC-North Carolina, NV-Nevada, OH-Ohio, PA-Pennsylvania, SC-South Carolina, TX-Texas, WI-Wisconsin ... (governor, secretary of state, senator, congress)\n\n_Relational Organizing in the battleground-swing states._\n\n- - - - -\n\n__Suppressed and Sabotaged: The Fight to Vote,__ a powerful 2020 Brave New Films production documentary about the growing threat of voter suppression and election sabotage to our 2022 midterm elections.  There will be multiple documentary series presented throughout the year. [(movie trailer)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RhrbEh-osI&t=1s)\n\n* Monday-Friday, October 3-7, 2022 - __National Voter Education Week__ *\n* Documentary Screening, _upon advance request *_ [(movie trailer)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RhrbEh-osI&t=1s)\n\n__Preparation:__ We will organize our creative inspirations-skills to design several written expressions that capture the spirit of the national holiday for a monthly targeted campaign. The inspirational expressions will be distributed nationally to promote the advancement of voting rights throughout our respective communities.  This will include the development of a voting toolkit of best practices.  The community feedback provided by-to attendee-participants will guide-improve the collective voter mobilization-education-registration response.\n\n__GETTING STARTED__\n\n__A Simple Task:__  Ask your community networks of colleagues-neighbors and family-friends to check the status of their voter registration at VOTE.gov or VOTE.org ... (and ask that they pass it on to their networks).  _\"Check your voter registration status at VOTE.gov or VOTE.org and ask your networks to do the same.\"_\n\n__National Voter Mobilization-Education-Registration Year of Action is a call to action.__\n\n* THE GOAL: Engage at least 3-5+ potential voters in 5-days of action!\n* Ambitious Goal:  Engage at least 20-25+ potential voters in 5-days of action!\n\n__Immediate Next Steps:__ Early Voting [(calendar)](https://www.vote.org/early-voting-calendar/) - Mail-In Ballot [(rules)](https://www.vote.org/absentee-voting-rules/) - Sample Ballot [(guide)](https://www.usa.gov/voter-research) - Invite your colleagues-neighbors, family-friends, and community networks to be mobilized and educated about the issues that most impact them.  Include the early voting locations-dates-times, mail-in ballot instructions, and sample ballot previews information links in your personal distributions to ensure election day preparedness.\n\nNational Voter Education Week [(NVEW)](https://www.votereducationweek.org) strives to help voters overcome common barriers to become confident voters and ambassadors of voting in their own communities for every election and provides days-of-action and voting resources.\n\nLearn how to register the 4-million youth voters who will become eighteen and eligible to vote this year, the 30-million Americans who moved and need to update their voter registration, the 2-million Americans living abroad (required to verify status annually), the 2-million Americans who got married (and changed their names) and need to update their voter registration, and the millions of Americans purged from the voter registration rolls for simple and avoidable reasons.\n\nELECTION PROTECTION HOTLINE: Call or Text 866-OUR-VOTE * Tweet @866OURVOTE\n\n- - - - -\n\n__5 Days | 5 Actions__ National Voter Education Week (NVEW) helps voters bridge the gap between registering to vote and actually casting a ballot. During this week of interactive education, voters have the opportunity to find their polling location, understand their ballot, make a plan to vote in person or remotely, and more. NVEW strives to help voters overcome common barriers to become confident voters and ambassadors of voting in their own communities for every election.  Review the NVEW website to become familiar with the days-of-action and other voting resources. [(... more NVEW)](https://www.votereducationweek.org)\n\n__Optional Task:__  VoteRiders is seeking dedicated virtual volunteers to help manage voter appointments and rides to the DMV and other ID-issuing agencies on an ongoing weekly basis. Responsibilities include making appointment reminder calls, scheduling rides and handling communications between drivers and voters. No experience is necessary.  VoteRiders will provide all of the training and support needed to be successful. This opportunity is ideal for volunteers living in the Central Time Zone or Eastern Time Zone as the voters we help most frequently live in North Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Texas. [(... more VoteRiders)](https://www.voteriders.org)\n\n__12 Months | 21 Actions__ National Voter Mobilization-Education-Registration Year (NVMERY) helps voters bridge the gap between registering to vote and actually casting a ballot. During this year of interactive education, voters have the opportunity to find their polling location, understand their ballot, make a plan to vote in person or remotely, and more. NVMERY strives to help voters overcome common barriers to become confident voters and ambassadors of voting in their own communities for every election.\n\nWhile National Voter Mobilization-Education Year of Action is a __TARGETED campaign__ scheduled for a full extended year, the __Call-to-Action__ can begin today and continue any-every month-day throughout the year.  We will meet, as a collective, on the designated dates-times above to discuss our daily encounters-progress and brainstorm ideas!\n\nA few great places to host voter registration drives include: local businesses (ask customers-employees to distribute-share the links), places of worship (ask to get a table in the lobby after services), the business office workplace (talk to each colleague to get them to update their registration), your high school or college-university (set-up a table in a high-traffic area or talk to fellow students during breakfast-lunch), and high-traffic areas in your community (laundromats, playgrounds, public parks, restaurants, supermarkets), etc.\n\n- - - - -\n\n2020 Victorious! | Communities United is counting on all of us to participate by registering our colleagues-neighbors, families-friends and communities to ensure that eligible voters check and update their voter registration status during National Voter Mobilization-Education Year of Action.  We are calling on you to participate by registering your friends, family, and neighbors, and helping eligible voters check and update their voter registration.\n\nBegin by thinking of several dates and places that you can integrate voter registration into your schedule, including the places that you will already be! Think about the gatherings you already attend, and places where you regularly have conversations with others.  RSVP to this event page to indicate that during the Year of Action, you will participate by registering voters in your neighborhood and help your colleagues-neighbors, families-friends and communities check and update their voter registration!\n\nNational Voter Mobilization-Education-Registration Year (NVMERY) ... (potential dates)\n\n* Saturday, January 1, 2022 - New Year's Day\n* Saturday, January 1-31, 2022 - New Year's Day through January 2022\n* Monday, January 17, 2022 - Martin Luther King (MLK) Day of Service\n* February 2022 - Black History Month\n* Monday, February 14, 2022 - Valentine's Day\n* Monday, February 21, 2022 - Presidents' Day\n* March 2022 - Women's History Month\n* Thursday, March 17, 2022 - St. Patrick's Day\n* Friday, April 1, 2022 - April Fool's Day\n* Friday, April 22, 2022 - Earth Day\n* Sunday, May 15+22+29, 2022 - Documentary Screening [(movie trailer)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RhrbEh-osI&t=1s)\n* Monday, May 30, 2022 - Memorial Day\n* Sunday, June 5+12, 2022 - Documentary Screening [(movie trailer)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RhrbEh-osI&t=1s)\n* Tuesday, June 14, 2022 - Flag Day\n* Sunday, June 19, 2022 - Juneteenth\n* Monday, July 4, 2022 - Independence Day\n* [August 1-31, 2022 - Advance Preparations for Mid-Term Elections]\n* Monday, September 5, 2022 - Labor Day\n* Sunday, September 11, 2022 - 9-11\n* Saturday, September 17, 2022 - Citizenship Day\n* Monday, September 19, 2022 - National Voter Registration Week of Action Kickoff Rally with Michelle Obama and celebrity guests\n* Tuesday, September 20, 2022 - __National Voter Registration Day__\n* Monday-Friday, October 3-7, 2022 - __National Voter Education Week__\n* Monday, October 10, 2022 - Columbus Day\n* November 2022 - Native American Heritage Month\n* Friday, November 11, 2022 - Veterans Day\n* Thursday, November 24, 2022 - Thanksgiving\n* Monday, December 26, 2022 - Christmas Day\n\n- - - - -\n\n__National Voter Registration Week of Action Kickoff Rally__ with former __First Lady Michelle Obama__ and celebrity guests on Monday, September 19, 2022 7:00pm ET / 4:00pm PT.  __National Voter Registration Day is Tuesday, September 20, 2022.__  This rally will be a strong start to the week, as we prepare to get our colleagues-neighbors, family-friends and communities mobilized-educated-registered and ready to vote during National Voter Registration Week.\n\n__Ramp Up the Vote Rally:__ It’s time to Ramp Up The Vote! When We All Vote is hosting our Ramp Up The Vote Rally on Thursday, August 25, 2022 8:00 pm ET / 5:00 pm PT. Join us along with the partners, volunteers, and celebrity co-chairs and ambassadors as we get ready for this year’s midterm elections and ensure we all make our voices heard in the future of our country. \n\n__Special * Juneteenth Acknowledgement with Call-to-Action:__ Juneteenth marks the end of slavery in America and commemorates the collective freedom of African-Americans.  This guided discussion will acknowledge the legacy of Juneteenth in Galveston, Texas to promote thought and commit to a plan to take action for our communities, _including voter mobilization-educations-registration_.\n\n* Sunday, July 10, 2022 (special meeting, _including voting rights_)\n\n- - - - -\n\n160 million Americans cast their ballots in 2020 – shattering voter turnout records and making history.  And we can’t stop now.  There is still work to be done before we are #VoteReady!\n\nELECTION PROTECTION HOTLINE: Call or Text 866-OUR-VOTE * Tweet @866OURVOTE\n\nCopyright © 2021-2022 Communities United | 2020 Victorious!","organization":"2020 Victorious! | Communities United","organizationLogo":"https://mobilize-uploads-prod.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/organization/2020_20220210235441440024.png","startDate":"2028-01-01T05:00:00.000Z","endDate":"2028-01-02T04:45:00.000Z","timezone":"America/New_York","isVirtual":true,"location":{"venue":"","address":", ","city":"","state":"","zip":"","country":"US"},"virtualUrl":null,"registrationUrl":"https://www.mobilize.us/2020victorious/event/434596/","image":"https://mobilizeamerica.imgix.net/uploads/event/iStock-1200571987_20211230195758876840.jpg","eventType":"health-screening","source":"mobilize","sourceId":"434596","scrapedAt":"2026-04-01T16:41:53.462Z"},{"id":"mobilize-580830","title":"National Voter Education-Registration-Empowerment Year of Action | Communities United","description":"2020 Victorious! | Communities United is conducting a National Voter Mobilization-Education-Registration-Empowerment Year of Action to get our communities prepared and #VoteReady to promote #VoterEducation from __January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024.__  This is a national conversation on how we can all work together every year to expand our collective mission to protect democracy, fight voter suppression, and ensure all Americans have equal access to the ballot box.  This is democracy and it requires action.\n\n- - - - - - - - - -\n\n__Training Session:__ (outline update)\n\n* Basic Voter Education-Registration ... (30-minutes, ends 7:30pm) ... review resources in advance, arrive on-time, prepare-ask questions, take notes\n* Brave New Films: \"Suppressed and Sabotaged\" | The Right/Fight to Vote [(trailer)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RhrbEh-osI) ... (45-minutes, ends 8:15pm) ... prepare to be attentive, note impressionable incidents, remarkable statements\n* Advance Voter Mobilization-Empowerment ... (30-minutes, ends 8:45pm) ... bring experiences-questions, take notes. take action\n\n- - - - - - - - - -\n\nWe are inviting you to join 2020 Victorious! | Communities United for National Voter Mobilization-Education-Registration-Empowerment Year of Action to get our communities prepared and #VoteReady to promote #VoterEducation from __January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024.__ We are counting on you to participate by organizing and supporting [in-person/virtual] voter registration drives where you will register eligible voters, and help experienced voters check-confirm and update their registration.\n\nThis year's target campaign will champion a call-to-action for: ... (to be updated)\n\nLast year's target campaign will champion a call-to-action for:\n\n__National Voter Registration Day__ - Tuesday, September 17, 2024\n\n__National Voter Education Week of Action__ - Sunday, September 15-22, 2024\n\n__National Voter Education Week__ - Monday-Friday, October 7-11, 2024\n\n__Vote Early Day Celebration!__ - Tuesday, October 29, 2024\n\n\n__Launch a Community Conversation__ in your neighborhood-network! Let’s create a truly democratic space where we can connect together through meaningful dialogue.  __Note:__ The national acknowledgement date may differ from the date of meeting-discussion.\n\nAdvance Preparation: Organize a personal list of colleagues-neighbors, family-friends eligible to vote in the battleground-swing states below: then write a brief statement to motivate-inform the recipients.  This discussion is for immediate participation in the call-to-action to protect our democracy.\n\n__Battleground-Swing States:__ AK-Alaska, AZ-Arizona, FL-Florida, GA-Georgia, KS-Kansas, MI-Michigan, NC-North Carolina, NV-Nevada, NY-New York, OH-Ohio, PA-Pennsylvania, SC-South Carolina, TX-Texas, WI-Wisconsin ... (governor, secretary of state, senator, congress)\n\n_Relational Organizing in the battleground-swing states._\n\n- - - - -\n\n__Suppressed and Sabotaged: The Fight to Vote,__ a powerful 2020 Brave New Films production documentary about the growing threat of voter suppression and election sabotage to our 2023 midterm-year elections.  There will be multiple documentary series presented throughout the year. [(movie trailer)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RhrbEh-osI&t=1s)\n\n* Monday-Friday, October 7-11, 2024 - __National Voter Education Week__\n* Documentary Screening, _upon advance request *_ [(movie trailer)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RhrbEh-osI&t=1s)\n\n__Preparation:__ We will organize our creative inspirations-skills to design several written expressions that capture the spirit of the national holiday for a monthly targeted campaign. The inspirational expressions will be distributed nationally to promote the advancement of voting rights throughout our respective communities.  This will include the development of a voting toolkit of best practices.  The community feedback provided by-to attendee-participants will guide-improve the collective voter mobilization-education-registration-empowerment response.\n\n__GETTING STARTED__\n\n__A Simple Task:__  Ask your community networks of colleagues-neighbors and family-friends to check the status of their voter registration at VOTE.gov or VOTE.org ... (and ask that they pass it on to their networks).  _\"Check your voter registration status at VOTE.gov or VOTE.org and ask your networks to do the same.\"_\n\n__National Voter Mobilization-Education-Registration-Empowerment Year of Action is a call to action.__\n\n* THE GOAL: Engage at least 3-5+ potential voters in 5-days of action!\n* Ambitious Goal:  Engage at least 20-25+ potential voters in 5-days of action!\n\n__Immediate Next Steps:__ Early Voting [(calendar)](https://www.vote.org/early-voting-calendar/) - Mail-In Ballot [(rules)](https://www.vote.org/absentee-voting-rules/) - Sample Ballot [(guide)](https://www.usa.gov/voter-research) - Invite your colleagues-neighbors, family-friends, and community networks to be mobilized and educated about the issues that most impact them.  Include the early voting locations-dates-times, mail-in ballot instructions, and sample ballot previews information links in your personal distributions to ensure election day preparedness.\n\nNational Voter Education Week [(NVEW)](https://www.votereducationweek.org) strives to help voters overcome common barriers to become confident voters and ambassadors of voting in their own communities for every election and provides days-of-action and voting resources.\n\nLearn how to register the 4-million youth voters who will become eighteen and eligible to vote this year, the 30-million Americans who moved and need to update their voter registration, the 2-million Americans living abroad (required to verify status annually), the 2-million Americans who got married (and changed their names) and need to update their voter registration, and the millions of Americans purged from the voter registration rolls for simple and avoidable reasons.\n\nELECTION PROTECTION HOTLINE: Call or Text 866-OUR-VOTE * Tweet @866OURVOTE\n\n- - - - -\n\n__5 Days | 5 Actions__ National Voter Education Week (NVEW) helps voters bridge the gap between registering to vote and actually casting a ballot. During this week of interactive education, voters have the opportunity to find their polling location, understand their ballot, make a plan to vote in person or remotely, and more. NVEW strives to help voters overcome common barriers to become confident voters and ambassadors of voting in their own communities for every election.  Review the NVEW website to become familiar with the days-of-action and other voting resources. [(... more NVEW)](https://www.votereducationweek.org)\n\n__Optional Task:__  VoteRiders is seeking dedicated virtual volunteers to help manage voter appointments and rides to the DMV and other ID-issuing agencies on an ongoing weekly basis. Responsibilities include making appointment reminder calls, scheduling rides and handling communications between drivers and voters. No experience is necessary.  VoteRiders will provide all of the training and support needed to be successful. This opportunity is ideal for volunteers living in the Central Time Zone or Eastern Time Zone as the voters we help most frequently live in North Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Texas. [(... more VoteRiders)](https://www.voteriders.org)\n\n__12 Months | 21 Actions__ National Voter Mobilization-Education-Registration-Empowerment Year (NVMEREY) helps voters bridge the gap between registering to vote and actually casting a ballot. During this year of interactive education, voters have the opportunity to find their polling location, understand their ballot, make a plan to vote in person or remotely, and more. NVMERY strives to help voters overcome common barriers to become confident voters and ambassadors of voting in their own communities for every election.\n\nWhile National Voter Mobilization-Education-Empowerment Year of Action is a __TARGETED campaign__ scheduled for a full extended year, the __Call-to-Action__ can begin today and continue any-every month-day throughout the year.  We will meet, as a collective, on the designated dates-times above to discuss our daily encounters-progress and brainstorm ideas!\n\nA few great places to host voter registration drives include: local businesses (ask customers-employees to distribute-share the links), places of worship (ask to get a table in the lobby after services), the business office workplace (talk to each colleague to get them to update their registration), your high school or college-university (set-up a table in a high-traffic area or talk to fellow students during breakfast-lunch), and high-traffic areas in your community (laundromats, playgrounds, public parks, restaurants, supermarkets), etc.\n\n- - - - -\n\n2020 Victorious! | Communities United is counting on all of us to participate by registering our colleagues-neighbors, families-friends and communities to ensure that eligible voters check and update their voter registration status during National Voter Mobilization-Education-Registration-Empowerment Year of Action.  We are calling on you to participate by registering your friends, family, and neighbors, and helping eligible voters check and update their voter registration.\n\nBegin by thinking of several dates and places that you can integrate voter registration into your schedule, including the places that you will already be! Think about the gatherings you already attend, and places where you regularly have conversations with others.  RSVP to this event page to indicate that during the Year of Action, you will participate by registering voters in your neighborhood and help your colleagues-neighbors, families-friends and communities check and update their voter registration!\n\nNational Voter Mobilization-Education-Registration-Empowerment Year (NVMEREY) ... (potential dates) ~2024 DATES TO BE UPDATES~\n\n* Monday, January 1, 2024 - New Year's Day\n* Monday, January 1-31, 2024 - New Year's Day through January 2023\n* Monday, January 15, 2024 - Martin Luther King (MLK) Day of Service\n* February 2024 - Black History Month\n* Wednesday, February 14, 2024 - Valentine's Day\n* Monday, February 19, 2024 - Presidents' Day\n* March 2024 - Women's History Month\n* Sunday, March 17, 2023 - St. Patrick's Day\n* Monday, April 1, 2024 - April Fool's Day\n* Monday, April 22, 2024 - Earth Day\n* Sunday, May 12+19+26, 2024 - Documentary Screening [(movie trailer)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RhrbEh-osI&t=1s)\n* Monday, May 27, 2024 - Memorial Day\n* Sunday, June 2+9, 2024 - Documentary Screening [(movie trailer)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RhrbEh-osI&t=1s)\n* Friday, June 14, 2024 - Flag Day\n* Wednesday, June 19, 2024 - Juneteenth\n* Thursday, July 4, 2024 - Independence Day\n* [August 1-31, 2024 - Advance Preparations for Mid-Term Elections]\n* Monday, September 2, 2024 - Labor Day\n* Wednesday, September 11, 2024 - 9-11\n* Tuesday, September 17, 2024 - Citizenship Day/Constitution Day\n* Sunday-Sunday, September 15-22, 2024 - National Voter Registration Week of Action\n* Sunday-Tuesday, September 15-October 15, 2024 - Hispanic Heritage Month\n* Tuesday, September 17, 2024 - __National Voter Registration Day__\n* Monday-Friday, October 7-11, 2024 - __National Voter Education Week__\n* Monday, October 14, 2024 - Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples' Day\n* November 2024 - Native American Heritage Month\n* Tuesday, November 5, 2024 - __NATIONAL ELECTION DAY__\n* Monday, November 11, 2024 - Veterans Day\n* Thursday, November 28, 2024 - Thanksgiving\n* Friday, November 29, 2024 - Native American Heritage Day\n* Wednesday, December 25, 2024 - Christmas Day\n\n- - - - -\n\n- - - - -\n\n160 million Americans cast their ballots in 2020 – shattering voter turnout records and making history.  And we can’t stop now.  There is still work to be done before we are #VoteReady!\n\nELECTION PROTECTION HOTLINE: Call or Text 866-OUR-VOTE * Tweet @866OURVOTE\n\nCopyright © 2021-2024 Communities United | 2020 Victorious!","organization":"2020 Victorious! | Communities United","organizationLogo":"https://mobilize-uploads-prod.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/organization/2020_20220210235441440024.png","startDate":"2028-01-01T05:00:00.000Z","endDate":"2028-01-02T04:45:00.000Z","timezone":"America/New_York","isVirtual":true,"location":{"venue":"","address":", ","city":"","state":"","zip":"","country":"US"},"virtualUrl":null,"registrationUrl":"https://www.mobilize.us/2020victorious/event/580830/","image":"https://mobilizeamerica.imgix.net/uploads/event/iStock-1200571987_20211230195758876840.jpg","eventType":"health-screening","source":"mobilize","sourceId":"580830","scrapedAt":"2026-04-01T16:41:56.037Z"},{"id":"mobilize-413625","title":"2020 Victorious! MLK NATIONAL DAY-WEEK OF ACTION-IMPACT-SERVICE | Communities United","description":"2020 Victorious! | Communities United is excited to partner with organizations across the country to participate in a National Day of Service on Monday, January 17, 2021 in honor of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  2020 Victorious! | Communities United encourages volunteers and community leaders to host virtual or socially distant service events in their community.\n\n__“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?'” – The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.__\n\nJOIN 2020 Victorious! | Communities United supporters from all across the nation for the MLK National Day-Week of Action-Impact-Service!\n\nThe full week-weekend of action-impact-service series on Monday-Tuesday, Thursday-Friday, Saturday, and Monday, January 10-11, 13-14, 15, 16, and 17, 2021 will cover critical topics and share action planning about how to be of service in our communities and to our nation.  The plan is to mobilize in order to support the The King Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta, Georgia and throughout the nation.  Please feel free to attend-participate in ALL-some or part of each daily-weekend action-impact-service event. Sign up with a friend!\n\nJoin us as we criss-cross the nation from New York to California, from Florida to Texas, from Washington, DC to the State of Washington (east-west, north-south) to honor the successes-triumphs of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.:\n\n* MONDAY-TUESDAY, January 10-11, 2022 10:00am-1:30pm ... (3-hour 30-minutes) 2020 Victorious! King Center Holiday Nonviolence365®  Virtual Series: Keys to Creating a Culture Shift That Sticks https://thekingcenter.org/king-holiday-2022/\n\n* THURSDAY-FRIDAY, January 13-14, 2022 10:00am-5:30pm/4:00pm ... (7-hour 30-minutes) 2020 Victorious! King Center Holiday Observance Beloved Community Global Summit https://thekingcenter.org/king-holiday-2022/ ... Rebroadcast [(01-13-2022)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne9tMDgmZ9M) [(01-14-2022)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIr_ULBzZDg)\n\n* FRIDAY, January 14, 2022 12:00pm-6:30pm ... (6-hour 30-minutes) 2020 Victorious! King Center Holiday Observance Beloved Community Global Youth Summit https://thekingcenter.org/king-holiday-2022/ ... Rebroadcast [(01-14-2022)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2GuNy1TMR4)\n\n* SATURDAY, January 15, 2022 10:30am-11:30am ... (1-hour program) 2020 Victorious! King Center Holiday Beloved Community Book Reading: “It Starts With Me”: A Virtual Youth Book Reading and Puppetry Presentation https://thekingcenter.org/king-holiday-2022/ ... Rebroadcast [(01-15-2022)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TvlBJBSVnY)\n\n* SATURDAY, January 15, 2022 7:30pm-9:30pm ... (2-hour program) 2020 Victorious! King Center Holiday Beloved Community Awards (Formerly the Salute to Greatness Awards) https://thekingcenter.org/king-holiday-2022/ - Streaming on The King Center Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and website. ... Rebroadcast [(01-15-2022)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TvlBJBSVnY)\n\n* SUNDAY, January 16, 2022 2:00pm-2:45pm ... (45-minute program) 2020 Victorious! King Center Holiday Flame of Hope Ceremony Hosts: the King Center and Earth Caravan – Location: The King Center Plaza. *masks required\n\n* MONDAY, January 17, 2022 10:00am-1:00pm ... (3-hour program) 2020 Victorious! Martin Luther King Jr. Beloved Community Commemorative Service https://thekingcenter.org/king-holiday-2022/\n\n- - - - -\n\n__OTHER MLK EVENTS:__ ... (as schedules are made available)\n\nVirtual Rally: __Poor People’s Campaign National Launch of the Moral March on Washington and to the Polls – June 18, 2022__ [(livestream)](https://www.poorpeoplescampaign.org/livestream/) – Friday, January 14, 2022 10:00am ET * Tune in to hear Poor People’s Campaign co-chair Rev. Dr. William Barber II offers a vision for the National Launch of this season of nonviolent moral direct action culminating in the Mass Poor People's and Low-Wage Workers' Assembly and Moral March on Washington and to the Polls – June 18, 2022.  And then, make your calls to Congress to let them know that we don’t have scarcity of resources in this nation, we are dealing with a scarcity of political will. Every day of continued injustice will only embolden our agitation and strengthen our resolve to realize our moral agenda and the nation we have yet to be. Our demands can't wait. Call now and demand Congress to:\n\n* Pass the Voting Rights Advancement Act\n* Pass the For the People Act\n* End the Filibuster\n* Pass the Build Back Better agenda as a first step\n* Pass $15/hr Minimum Wage now\n* Pass Protections for All Immigrants\n* Stop the Destruction of Apache Holy Site Oak Flat\n\nVirtual Rally: __Poor People’s Campaign National Launch of the Moral March on Washington and to the Polls – June 18, 2022__ [(register)](https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84734193899) – Monday, January 17, 2022 4:00pm-6:00pm ET * Join the NYS PPC Faith Organizing Team online to learn the history of the Poor People's Campaign and to hear what the movement is calling for us to do right now! Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis will join and we will learn from impacted leaders in the NYS campaign who will share their experiences and insights with us as well. We will hear from faith leaders and share collectively our religious traditions' grounding for us in this campaign. AND, we will sing, take action together that day and sign up for concrete ways to build towards the Mass Poor People's Assembly and Moral March on Washington on June 18th! \n\nMONDAY, January 17+24, 2022 1:00pm-2:00pm ... (1-hour program) 2020 Victorious! Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) – __History Alive! Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: The Last Five Years.__  Honor the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with living history interpreter John McCaskill as he chronicles the last five years of King’s life and shares other stories of the individuals who fought to end racial segregation and discrimination in the United States.  Additional Information:  John McCaskill brings dynamic public speaking presentations in Washington, DC and across the country.  To authenticate his living history presentations, he adorns period attire for colonial, WWII/Army Air Corps Tuskegee Airmen, and Civil War U.S. Colored Troops, World War I, Reconstruction, Buffalo Soldier, and the 1960’s Civil Rights period. ... Rebroadcast [(01-17+24-2022)](https://video.ibm.com/channel/zCPF4U3hFPc)\n\nWhile we reflect on the past and look towards the future with hope and intention, the MLK National Day-Week of Action-Impact-Service will be an analysis of our national history and future legacy.  The weekend series will be a continuum of daily information discussions conducted by The King Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta, Georgia, followed by a brief 30-minute open group discussion (optional). We want you to bring your favorite relevant historical civil rights and social justice topics and your best community service ideas to the discussion.\n\nAnd once you register, make sure your communities, colleagues, friends and family join too!\n\nPRE-MLK DAY of Service Discussion: If you are looking for a place to start, but are unsure how to do so, join one of our information sessions scheduled for January 10-11-13-14-15-17, 2022 10:00am ET / 7:00am PT.  If you don't know where to start, don't have the time to research or can't wait to get started with hands-on work, join us on one or more projects for the MLK Day-Week of Action-Impact-Service scheduled between Monday-Tuesday, Thursday-Friday, Saturday, and Monday, January 10-11, 13-14, 15, and 17, 2021.\n\nCopyright © 2021-2022 Communities United | 2020 Victorious!","organization":"2020 Victorious! | Communities United","organizationLogo":"https://mobilize-uploads-prod.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/organization/2020_20220210235441440024.png","startDate":"2028-01-01T14:00:00.000Z","endDate":"2028-01-01T15:00:00.000Z","timezone":"America/New_York","isVirtual":true,"location":{"venue":"New York City","address":", ","city":"New York","state":"NY","zip":"11430","country":"US"},"virtualUrl":null,"registrationUrl":"https://www.mobilize.us/2020victorious/event/413625/","image":"https://mobilizeamerica.imgix.net/uploads/event/i-have-a-dream-pavement_20211230165501685375.jpg","eventType":"memorial","source":"mobilize","sourceId":"413625","scrapedAt":"2026-04-01T16:41:53.462Z"}],"briefing":{"stories":[{"id":"vn-j59ps3","slug":"one-dead-others-wounded-in-shooting-at-fort-hood-recreation-area","title":"One dead, others wounded in shooting at Fort Hood recreation area","excerpt":"Fort Hood military police got into a shootout with civilians Saturday night, in an incident that left one person dead, the Army said on Sunday.","content":"Fort Hood military police got into a shootout with civilians Saturday night, in an incident that left one person dead, the Army said on Sunday. At least two others were wounded during the fight at a recreation center next to the base, which is now under investigation.\n\nFort Hood officials confirmed that multiple gunshots were fired shortly after 9 p.m. on May 23, after two military police officers from the base responded to a fight at the Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area. While trying to break up the crowd, gunfire broke out.\n\nTop Stories This Week\n\n19-year-old soldier completes Ranger, Airborne, Air Assault and Pathfinder schools\n\nSecurity Forces airman becomes first Air Force graduate of Army’s revived jungle school\n\nFighter pilots say Growler crews’ safe ejections were a ‘miracle’\n\n“One civilian was transported to an area hospital but succumbed to their injuries,” Fort Hood officials said in a statement Sunday morning. “Another non-DoD affiliated civilian was transported to an area hospital and remains in stable condition. One service member was treated for minor injuries on scene and released.”\n\nVideo posted to social media, including on the Army subreddit and the popular US Army WTF! Moments Facebook page shows military police trying to get the crowd at the park to disperse. It doesn’t show how the gunfight started, but several shots ring out and the crowd runs. One military police officer can be seen on camera running back towards the gunfire after the group scatters. He then aims and fires in the direction of where several muzzle flashes are seen. The video stops before the end of the incident, but more than a dozen gunshots were heard during the fight.\n\nArmy officials said that scene was “quickly secured,” with the Killeen Daily Herald reporting the recreation area had reopened on Sunday. First responders from the base and outside agencies arrived at the recreation area and those wounded were taken to nearby hospitals.\n\nThe Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area is operated by the Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation program at Fort Hood and is open to the public.\n\nThe Army Criminal Investigation Division is investigating the incident, which CID and Fort Hood officials said is in its preliminary stages.","category":"service","author":"Nicholas Slayton","publishDate":"2026-05-24T20:37:34.000Z","image":"https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/4490907.jpg?quality=85","source":"Task & Purpose","sourceUrl":"https://taskandpurpose.com/news/fort-hood-recreation-area-shooting/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-25T00:01:00.743Z"},{"id":"vn-ruhkn5","slug":"it-s-hot-here-s-how-to-stay-safe-with-your-medicines-this-summer","title":"It’s hot. Here’s how to stay safe with your medicines this summer","excerpt":"Summer is finally here! For many of us, that means more time outside, physical activity and exposure to the heat. Whether you’re splashing in the pool with friends and family, tending the garden or...","content":"Summer is finally here! For many of us, that means more time outside, physical activity and exposure to the heat. Whether you’re splashing in the pool with friends and family, tending the garden or even just running errands on a sunny afternoon, it’s important to know how your medicines can affect your body’s response to the sun and heat.\n\nCertain medicines can:\n\nLimit your ability to sweat, which is the main way your body cools down.\n\nReduce your thirst, so you may not feel like drinking enough water.\n\nAffect your blood flow and nerves, causing your body to hold onto heat.\n\nIncrease urination and raise your risk of dehydration.\n\nMake your skin more sensitive to the sun.\n\nAltogether, medicines can make you overheat faster, miss signs of overheating and dehydration, and make it harder to recover quickly.\n\nReducing risks\n\nIt’s important to be mindful and aware of the medicines you take, especially because they affect people differently. Talk to your VA provider or pharmacist if you have questions about your medicines. Practicing these healthy habits can help reduce your risks:\n\nStay hydrated. Aim to drink about 8-12 cups of water per day to stay well-hydrated. If you don’t like plain water, add fruit or a calorie-free flavoring, or choose drinks like tea or sparkling water.\n\nFind shade. If you must be in the sun, try to take breaks in a cool, shady spot under a tree or an umbrella. If you’re out in the community, you can also step inside places like libraries or other public buildings to stay cool.\n\nLimit outdoor activities. Try not to be outside during the hottest part of the day (usually 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM).\n\nProtect your skin. Apply SPF 30 sunscreen or higher and wear a hat or protective clothing.\n\nLimit alcohol and excessive caffeine. Alcohol can interact with medicines and cause stronger reactions. Alcohol and caffeine can also dehydrate you by causing increased urination and electrolyte loss.\n\nIt’s important to know the warning signs of heat-related illness. Seek medical attention if you experience:\n\nHeavy sweating\n\nDizziness or lightheadedness\n\nNausea or vomiting\n\nMuscle cramps\n\nConfusion or unusual behavior\n\nFast heartbeat\n\nExtreme tiredness\n\nStoring medicines safely in the summer\n\nIn addition to affecting your health, heat can affect your medicines. Keep them away from direct sunlight, warm cars, steamy bathrooms or a hot stove. Some medicines must be kept cold, so you may need to store them in a refrigerator. If you have any questions about whether your medicines are affected by heat, or how to safely store them, ask your VA healthcare team.\n\nAs a reminder, don’t stop taking or change your medicines without talking to your healthcare team first, even during hot weather.\n\nKnowing your medicines is an important way to stay healthy. With a little planning and care, you can protect yourself and maintain your best health in the summer.\n\nTo learn more about how to work with your VA care team to understand your medicines, visit VA’s Know Your Medicines page.","category":"family","author":"Nikki Verbeck","publishDate":"2026-05-24T20:30:00.000Z","image":"https://news.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/07/favicon-96x96-1.png?w=32","source":"VA News","sourceUrl":"https://news.va.gov/146973/its-hot-heres-how-stay-safe-medicines-summer/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-25T00:00:58.788Z"},{"id":"vn-wpzrmg","slug":"marines-stage-mock-evacuation-at-venezuela-embassy","title":"Marines stage mock evacuation at Venezuela embassy","excerpt":"Four months after American special operations forces infiltrated Venezuelan airspace to raid its capital city, U.S. troops were once again flying over Caracas.","content":"Four months after American special operations forces infiltrated Venezuelan airspace to raid its capital city, U.S. troops were once again flying over Caracas. This time, as part of an elaborate training exercise around the U.S. embassy.\n\nTwo Marine Corps MV-22 Ospreys flew over the capital of Venezuela on Saturday and landed outside the U.S. embassy as part of a “rapid response” drill, the U.S. embassy for Venezuela said in a social media post.\n\n“A US military response exercise is currently underway at the Embassy of the United States in Caracas,” the embassy wrote in its Instagram post. “Ensuring the Army’s rapid response capability is a key component of mission readiness, both here in Venezuela and around the world.”\n\nIn the video, the two Ospreys can be seen landing in the embassy parking lot, maneuvering to a landing spot surrounded by trees, before Marines exited the two aircraft. Photos from Agence France Presse of the drill show the Ospreys flying low over the city during the day, with dozens of city residents watching the aircraft pass overhead.\n\nTop Stories This Week\n\n19-year-old soldier completes Ranger, Airborne, Air Assault and Pathfinder schools\n\nSecurity Forces airman becomes first Air Force graduate of Army’s revived jungle school\n\nFighter pilots say Growler crews’ safe ejections were a ‘miracle’\n\nNotably, the exercise was also attended by Marine Corps Gen. Francis Donovan, the commander of U.S. Southern Command, who arrived via Osprey. He, as well as embassy’s Chargé d’Affaires John Barrett, took part in the evacuation drill.\n\nThe aerial evacuation drill is the largest display by the American military in the city since Operation Absolute Resolve, the nighttime attack on Venezuela on Jan. 3. A joint force carried out several airstrikes, mainly in Caracas but in other parts of Venezuela as well, hitting several targets while special operations units entered Caracas. Flying low into the city, they reached a military compound and, following a gunfight at the base, seized and escaped with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Celia Flores. Maduro was extradited to New York. Since then some U.S. forces have remained in the Caribbean.\n\nThe Associated Press noted that markings on the Ospreys show the aircraft belong to Marine Tiltrotor Squadron 263. That squadron is part of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, currently embarked with the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, which played a major role in Operation Absolute Resolve. The Marines and the Navy ships were moved into the Caribbean in the fall of 2025 as part of a wider U.S. military build up. Since the capture of Maduro several U.S. ships have left, with some heading to the Middle East, but the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group has remained. The Marines onboard have continued to train, and have participated in raids to seize sanctioned oil tankers. This past week, the USS Nimitz and its carrier strike group entered the Caribbean, bolstering the naval presence there.\n\nThe American embassy in Caracas reopened in March, seven years after it was closed following diplomatic ruptures between the United States and Venezuela.","category":"service","author":"Nicholas Slayton","publishDate":"2026-05-24T16:42:23.000Z","image":"https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/GettyImages-2277308810.jpg?quality=85","source":"Task & Purpose","sourceUrl":"https://taskandpurpose.com/news/marines-venezuela-embassy-evacuation-drill/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-24T18:00:57.746Z"},{"id":"vn-on00vo","slug":"ausa-graphic-novel-spotlights-ex-nfl-player-who-earned-the-medal-of-honor","title":"AUSA graphic novel spotlights ex-NFL player who earned the Medal of Honor","excerpt":"The only pass that Maurice Britt caught during his brief NFL career went for a 45-yard touchdown. Britt played nine games for the Detroit Lions in 1941 before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor,...","content":"The only pass that Maurice Britt caught during his brief NFL career went for a 45-yard touchdown.\n\nBritt played nine games for the Detroit Lions in 1941 before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, prompting the United States’ entry into World War II. While Britt did not particularly distinguish himself on the professional football field, his exploits on the battlefield were extraordinary.\n\nBritt is the subject of the latest installment in the Association of the United States Army’s graphic novel series, “Medal of Honor: Footsie Britt.” It chronicles a man who became the first soldier to earn the Army’s top combat decorations for valor during one war.\n\nTaking the Fight to the Germans\n\nWhen Britt arrived in North Africa in November 1942, he was a 23-year-old football player learning the intricacies of war as he went.\n\nBritt proved a quick study. Part of Company L, 3rd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, Britt and his unit moved on to take part in the invasion of Sicily. Then on November 10, 1943—a year after leaving the United States for overseas—Britt was involved in the fight of his life on Mount Rotondo near the Mignano Gap in Italy.\n\nAs a counterattack of roughly a hundred Germans pummeled his heavily depleted company, then-Lt. Britt took retaliatory action at great personal risk. The fighting, often in close quarters, was intense. During the battle, enemy fire punctured Britt’s canteen and destroyed his field glasses, according to his Medal of Honor citation.\n\nThe 6-foot-4, 210-pound Britt absorbed several injuries, including a bullet to his side. Shrapnel from grenades wounded his chest, face, and hands as well. Still, Britt refused to stop, leading his men against seemingly insurmountable odds. Eyewitness accounts described Britt as “a one-man army,” running around and firing at any German in sight.\n\n“Britt fired his rifle at them, he threw grenades, and at the finish, I believe he was even throwing rocks,” Lt. Col. Lionel McGarr, Britt’s commanding officer, was quoted as saying in a 2022 NFL.com article.\n\nBritt was truly relentless. His citation credited him with throwing 32 grenades and taking out an enemy machine-gun crew. He killed five Germans, wounded some more Nazis, and helped capture four others.\n\nUndoubtedly in pain because of his injuries, Britt only accepted medical treatment after the Americans secured Mount Rotondo.\n\n“Utterly Demoralized, His Spirit Broken”\n\nBritt received the Medal of Honor for his actions and also was promoted to captain. He accepted the Medal of Honor on the football field of his alma mater, the University of Arkansas, on June 7, 1944. By that time, he was coming to grips with the abrupt way that his time in a military uniform ended.\n\nIn February 1944, a tank shell destroyed Britt’s command post in Anzio, Italy, and cost him his right arm. In a way, Britt—who also sustained severe injuries in one of his feet—was fortunate. Of the 15 other men there with Britt at the time, five reportedly died. Several more, like Britt, clung to life.\n\nAfter a quick-thinking private used some rope to staunch the bleeding, Britt was taken to a field hospital. He received five blood transfusions. Another injured soldier said Britt appeared “out of it… utterly demoralized, his spirit broken.”\n\nBritt returned to the United States that spring, never to fight on the battlefield again.\n\nEntering Business and Politics\n\nWhile others marveled at Britt’s heroism, the onetime Lion didn’t believe he did anything special.\n\n“War is not as heroic as we sometimes try to make it,” Britt told NFL Films in 1993. “It’s mostly filth and sorrow and grime and all the bad things and very little of the good things.”\n\nAfter World War II, Britt—whose longtime nickname, “Footsie,” derived from his size 13 feet—became a successful businessman. He went on to become Arkansas’ lieutenant governor, replacing another Medal of Honor recipient, Nathan Gordon. Britt ran unsuccessfully to become the state’s governor in 1986.\n\nBritt died on November 26, 1995, at the age of 76.\n\n“Medal of Honor: Footsie Britt” is available to read online or download at the AUSA’s website. Dating to 2018, this is the 29th installment in the military nonprofit’s graphic novel series spotlighting American war heroes.\n\nThe book about Britt is the first of four graphic novels that AUSA plans to release this year. The next one will focus on World War I flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker and is tentatively due for release in July.\n\nDon’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty\n\n• Tom Hanks’ new 20-part docuseries takes a new look at World War II\n• Meet the 12-year-old sailor who fought at Guadalcanal\n• A Medal of Honor recipient used a dud enemy mortar to save US troops during WWII\n\nWorld War II\n\nAUSA graphic novel spotlights ex-NFL player who earned the Medal of Honor\n\nFamily & MilSpouse\n\nWhy military kids overseas have to outwork everyone to get recruited\n\nMighty MilSpouse\n\n‘The Weight He Carried:’ Memorial Day and the battle at home\n\nTom Hanks’ new 20-part docuseries takes a new look at World War II\n\n5 ways to honor the fallen this Memorial Day Weekend","category":"legacy","author":"Stephen Ruiz","publishDate":"2026-05-24T12:00:00.000Z","image":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/footsie-britt-medal-of-honor-graphic-novel-ausa.jpg?quality=85","source":"We Are The Mighty","sourceUrl":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/history/ausa-graphic-novel-spotlights-ex-nfl-player-who-earned-the-medal-of-honor/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":2,"qualityScore":100,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-24T12:00:45.163Z"},{"id":"vn-qjjthq","slug":"innovative-dental-treatments-advancing-veteran-care","title":"Innovative dental treatments advancing Veteran care","excerpt":"Residents and providers learn to use the latest technology Army Vietnam Veteran Anthony DiPrima lost all his teeth at 19 and avoided many foods and smiling for decades.","content":"Residents and providers learn to use the latest technology\n\nArmy Vietnam Veteran Anthony DiPrima lost all his teeth at 19 and avoided many foods and smiling for decades. After qualifying for VA dental care, DiPrima said a new dental implant transformed his life.\n\n“The last year has been fantastic,” he said. “It used to be very hard smiling, and now, I’m the life of the party!”\n\nMargaret Cochran Corbin VA has improved dental health for Veterans by training residents and providers in the latest state-of-the-art technology, expanding access to cutting-edge dental care.\n\nAdvanced dental treatments\n\nThe use of new dental technologies, including laser therapy and implant procedures, has become routine at the facility, with residents getting hands-on training in these innovations during their time with VA.\n\nAssistant Chief of Dentistry Dr. Trevor Simmonds discussed how VA is using laser therapy and advanced lasers to treat gum tissue. “Laser treatment is a breakthrough in treating periodontal disease,” he said. Simmonds also noted it reduces bleeding, anxiety and has benefits for Veterans with complex medical conditions.\n\n“Compared to the conventional approach, where we would have to cut and stitch [the gum], there is no cutting, no stitching,” said Simmonds. “It brings to the table in our field a minimally invasive approach for treating periodontal disease.”\n\nAnother innovative technology Margaret Cochran Corbin VA adopted is an implant technique called custom subperiosteal implant.\n\nDr. Gary Orentlicher, oral and maxillofacial surgeon, described the implants as a less-invasive, digitally designed, patient-specific procedure. Approved in the U.S. within the last few years, Orentlicher said the technique has been used in 14 cases at Margaret Cochran Corbin VA, primarily for Veterans 60 or older without enough bone for traditional implants.\n\n“This implant is perfectly adapted to the patient’s anatomy, and it’s literally screwed into the patient’s jaw, making the implant exceptionally stable,” said Orentlicher. “It opens up an entire new treatment modality to patients with severe bone loss problems and just can’t have teeth conventionally.”\n\nMost patients receive temporary teeth on surgery day and return later for permanent restorations, regaining function quickly.\n\nImproving quality of life for Veterans\n\nMarine Vietnam Veteran Thomas Mundy, a VA patient since 1968, described the dental care he receives as great with no complaints. “VA has been good to me in many ways,” said Mundy. “I couldn’t go wrong with the dental, either.”\n\nMundy said the new technology made procedures more comfortable and nearly pain-free. “I don’t have any pain at all no matter what they do,” said Mundy. “The scanning of the teeth, the machines that go back and forth to take the X-rays, it’s unbelievable.”\n\nMundy encouraged other Veterans who need services to reach out to VA. “Don’t hesitate to go in and start talking and asking,” said Mundy. “This is the payback—they are taking care of us.”\n\nA training ground for advanced dental care\n\nTraining in these new technologies and procedures has given dental residents hands-on experience in implant placement, restorative care and laser treatment. Residents have treated a wide range of dental needs, reviewed cases with multidisciplinary specialists, and received in-depth instruction that would be hard to find elsewhere, according to third-year prosthodontics resident, Dr. Gustavo Lopez Gomez.\n\nGomez said he gained advanced experience at VA and found caring for Veterans deeply rewarding. “Exposure to implant cases here is extensive,” he said. “As I think to my future and how I will be able to use these skills, I am one step ahead of colleagues of mine who may not get this experience,” Gomez said.\n\nDr. Alexia Blackhurst, a second-year endodontics resident and Navy Veteran, praised the supportive environment and training, noting that VA graduates are well prepared for real-world practice. “Working at VA, you see very complex dental cases, and you are working on cases you probably wouldn’t see in other residency programs,” said Blackhurst. “It is rigorous, but you are in a supportive environment with so many different faculty and specialties helping contribute to your education.”\n\n“We are absolutely on the forefront”\n\nBuilding on dental innovation, Dr. Lukasz Skomial, chief of dental service and a prosthodontist, explained that recent improvements in custom‑designed implants have made these procedures more accurate and predictable.\n\n“We are absolutely on the forefront,” said Skomial. “We give our Veterans the best technologies, the best products that are out there. And essentially, we are turning our patients around, making them believe that VA can provide them with the best possible care.”\n\nBy combining advanced technology, hands-on resident training and a whole-patient approach, the Margaret Cochran Corbin VA dental team broadens access to innovative procedures that restore health and confidence, reinforcing VA’s leadership in patient-centered dental care.\n\nDiPrima said the benefits speak for themselves. “I chew a steak,” he said. “Being Italian, I have a piece of Italian bread with salami and cheese, and it’s no problem. I’m happy!”\n\nMargaret Cochran Corbin VA dental residents are among the more than 124,000 trainees VA educates throughout the nation each year, making VA’s health professions education program the largest in the United States. These programs, overseen by the Office of Academic Affiliations, are shaping the next generation of health care professionals for VA and the nation.","category":"health","author":"Nikki Verbeck","publishDate":"2026-05-23T20:30:00.000Z","image":"https://news.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/05/Photo-2_Dr.-Puskas-with-patient_r1.webp","source":"VA News","sourceUrl":"https://news.va.gov/146926/innovative-dental-treatments-veteran-care/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-24T00:00:51.363Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-24T04:00:49.035Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-tpfduq","slug":"help-veterans-breathe-easy-as-a-va-pulmonologist","title":"Help Veterans breathe easy as a VA pulmonologist","excerpt":"Pulmonologists play a critical role in helping patients breathe easier, and at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), that impact is felt every day.","content":"Pulmonologists play a critical role in helping patients breathe easier, and at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), that impact is felt every day. With a growing need for respiratory care, VA offers pulmonologists the opportunity to work at the forefront of complex and rewarding cases, from chronic lung disease management to advanced critical care.\n\n“Lung cancer is the second most diagnosed cancer and ranks as the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Veterans are at a heightened risk for developing this disease, partly due to factors associated with military service,” said Dr. Bianka Eperjesiova, North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System director of Interventional Pulmonology.\n\nVA supports its physicians in meeting the unique needs of Veterans with cutting-edge technology, interdisciplinary teams, and the chance to make a lasting difference in the lives of Veterans. Keep reading to see if a rewarding career at VA is the fit for you.\n\nInnovations in lung care\n\nVA is a leader in innovation, making real strides in early detection and treatment of respiratory disease. At the South Texas VA Healthcare System, pulmonologists are using the Ion endoluminal system, a robotic-assisted technology, during minimally invasive biopsy procedures. This added precision not only allows for navigating hard-to-reach airways but also for more rapid diagnoses. This technology can provide answers in just 1 to 2 weeks (compared to the previous 12-week waiting period) to determine the malignancy of a lung nodule.\n\nTelePulmonology is another way VA is revolutionizing lung care. Veterans can now receive secure, specialized respiratory care through VA telehealth services from the comfort of their own homes.\n\n“It makes it a lot easier for me,” said Air Force Veteran Robert Ordoyne. “Not having to drive across town twice a week has been a big help.”\n\nEmployee benefits\n\nVA offers a great employee benefits package that will help you breathe easier, too. From competitive compensation and health care benefits to generous leave allowances and opportunities for growth, VA takes care of you so you can concentrate on taking care of those who’ve served.\n\nCurrent openings\n\nHere are just a few of the openings for pulmonologists across VA:\n\nColumbia, S.C.\n\nBuffalo, N.Y.\n\nWest Palm Beach, Fla.\n\nCheck out all current openings online.\n\nJoin VA\n\nVA is always looking for qualified, compassionate physicians to join our team. If a rewarding career serving those who served sounds like a good fit for you, learn more and apply at VA Careers.","category":"transition","author":"Michelle Weaver","publishDate":"2026-05-22T20:30:00.000Z","image":"https://news.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/07/favicon-96x96-1.png?w=32","source":"VA News","sourceUrl":"https://news.va.gov/146733/help-veterans-breathe-easy-va-pulmonologist/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-23T00:00:26.545Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-23T04:00:08.026Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-x0m0ok","slug":"unaccredited-va-claims-company-charged-veteran-21-000-in-violation-of-federal-la","title":"Unaccredited VA claims company charged veteran $21,000 in violation of federal law, judge rules","excerpt":"A company violated federal law for acting as a vetted agent and charging veterans fees to help file disability claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs, a North Carolina court ruled this week.","content":"A company violated federal law for acting as a vetted agent and charging veterans fees to help file disability claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs, a North Carolina court ruled this week.\n\nThe federal circuit court ruling issued Wednesday found that Veterans Guardian VA Claim Consulting, LLC, also referred to as “Guardian” in court documents, ran afoul of federal law. The class action lawsuit brought by veterans also alleges that the company violated North Carolina laws around deceptive trade practices, but the court has not ruled on it yet.\n\n“Federal law and the undisputed facts establish that Guardian acts as an agent on behalf of class members in the preparation of VA disability claims and in the presentation of VA disability claims. The undisputed facts show that Guardian is not accredited, as federal law requires of those who prepare or present claims on behalf of veterans, and that it charges and collects fees for those services in violation of federal law,” the judge ruled.\n\nThe ruling is one of the few court cases to look at the legality of companies — sometimes referred to as “claim sharks” — that offer services to file initial VA disability claims, or help veterans increase their VA rating, which can result in higher monthly compensation.\n\nAndrew Tangen, president for the National Association of County Veteran Service Officers, an organization made up of local government employees that help veterans with their VA claims, said the case comes after advocates have been sounding the alarm about these companies for at least four years.\n\n“This case represents the chief judge of a federal district court finding that the practices that have been passed off by claim sharks as being legitimate are actually not legitimate,” Tangen said.\n\nTop Stories This Week\n\n19-year-old soldier completes Ranger, Airborne, Air Assault and Pathfinder schools\n\nFighter pilots say Growler crews’ safe ejections were a ‘miracle’\n\nAircrews safely eject after two Navy jets collide during air show\n\nUnder federal law, only attorneys or agents who are vetted and trained by VA are allowed to help veterans prepare and submit their claims. Accredited agents can only charge up to 20% of any back pay that the veteran receives. The North Carolina judge ruled that Guardian charged veterans five times the amount of the increase they received for their new VA compensation.\n\nIn one instance, a former Army intelligence analyst used Guardian to submit his first disability claim, according to court documents. He received a disability rating of 100% and monthly compensation of $4,272.80. The company charged him $21,360. He paid the company more than $19,000 and still has an outstanding balance of over $2,100.\n\nThe case also offers some insight into how these companies operate, with the court ruling that Guardians’ work goes beyond their marketed consulting services. According to court documents, the company collects veterans’ confidential and personal information, makes medical appointments for veterans, compiles evidence to support their claim, prepares stamped pre-addressed envelopes and tracks the claim packet delivery to the VA.\n\n“These are the steps needed to present a claim to the VA. These are the acts that make Guardian an ‘agent’ in this statutory scheme,” the judge ruled.\n\nTangen said this case demonstrates the need for Congress to reinstate criminal penalties against claim sharks that were removed in 2006. The lack of criminal enforcement mechanisms, Tangen said, has “caused these companies to proliferate.”\n\nThe case comes amid similar lawsuits brought in Texas and Arizona. On Thursday, the Arizona Attorney General announced that veterans would receive restitution in a $2 million ruling against VetLink Solutions for violating consumer fraud laws. In January, a Texas court ruled that VA Claims Insider, LLC had to pay $6.8 million to veterans for deceptively charging fees six times the amount of their monthly compensation and posing as a legitimate veterans’ assistance organization.\n\n“Veterans need to be made aware,” Tangen said. “Anyone who says that they are going to consult or help you by consulting on your claim and providing you with medical appointments and all you have to do is pay a fee and the fee is equal to five months of your increase, then they should stop contacting that company. Find a suitable nonprofit or Veteran Service Organization or government veteran service officer to help them navigate the VA.”","category":"benefits","author":"Patty Nieberg","publishDate":"2026-05-22T18:52:28.000Z","image":"https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/251120-A-BS310-1476P.jpg?quality=85","source":"Task & Purpose","sourceUrl":"https://taskandpurpose.com/news/va-claim-shark-court-ruling/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-23T00:00:28.058Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-23T04:00:08.026Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-tl8pcx","slug":"thank-the-gods-of-war-d-day-success-hinges-on-weather-forecast-in-pressure","title":"‘Thank the Gods of War’: D-Day success hinges on weather forecast in ‘Pressure’","excerpt":"On June 6, 1944, over 160,000 Allied troops were sent across the English Channel onto the beaches of Normandy, France, marking the assault on Western Europe.","content":"On June 6, 1944, over 160,000 Allied troops were sent across the English Channel onto the beaches of Normandy, France, marking the assault on Western Europe. Yet the operation, dubbed Operation Overlord, almost ended in disaster before it even began.\n\nNow, the upcoming film “Pressure,” adapted from writer David Haig’s 2014 play of the same name, is set to relieve those angst-filled 72 hours leading up to D-Day.\n\nThe film stars Academy Award winner Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”) as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces Dwight D. Eisenhower and Andrew Scott (“Fleabag”) as Group Captain James Stagg, the chief meteorologist who predicted the storms over Western Europe in the days leading up to the invasion.\n\nPremiering in theaters on May 29, “Pressure” depicts this true yet stranger-than-fiction story of Stagg’s unenviable task of predicting the English Channel’s notoriously fickle weather.\n\nThe lanky Brit, later described by his son a “dour irascible Scot,” alongside a team of forecasters from the Royal Navy, British Meteorological Office and U.S. Strategic and Tactical Air Force, knew the Allies only had a small window — nine days in May and June — that were suitable for the invasion.\n\n“The days needed to be long for maximum air power usage; a near-full moon was needed to help guide ships and airborne troops; and the tides had to be strong enough to expose beach obstacles at low tide and float supply-filled landing vehicles far onto the beach during high tide,” according to a DoD breakdown of D-Day. “H-Hour was also crucial in that it relied on those tides to be rising at that time. There also had to be an hour of daylight just beforehand for bombardment accuracy.”\n\nEisenhower set the date for the invasion to be June 5, but in the wee hours of June 4, 1944, Stagg recommended halting the 7,000 naval vessels — including battleships, destroyers, minesweepers, escorts and assault craft — carrying more than 160,000 troops.\n\nDespite his recommendation, the weatherman was certain only in his uncertainty, writing in his diary on June 4, 1944, “I am now getting rather stunned — it is all a nightmare.”\n\n“He was just greatly interested and brilliant at his job,” Scott told Military Times. “He wasn’t looking, number one, for people to like him in the war room. That wasn’t really his world. He was looking to do the right thing. He had to deliver this forecast that he knew he was capable of delivering.”\n\nThe aptly titled “Pressure” depicts an anguished Eisenhower on the eve of the invasion, with the weight of the free world and the largest, most dangerous seaborne invasion in history all hinging on a weather report.\n\n“We tend to hear about or learn about the most dramatic or the most swashbuckling kind of adventure stories. … I think there’s something quietly heroic about a guy like Stagg, who’s got to leave his pregnant wife, he’s got to go to work, he’s got to save the world [and then go] home again as though nothing happened,” Anthony Maras, who directed and co-wrote the script with Haig, told Military Times.\n\n“Stagg’s a bit like an intellectual superhero in a way in that he has the courage to stand by his convictions. He has the courage to tell people who are superior to him — who are in charge of the biggest military machine in the world — what they do not want to hear, but what they need to hear,\" Maras added. “I found [that] fascinating — that one decision can change history. You’ve got these really brilliant people — whether they be scientists, generals or officers — who are really capable, who have very different ideas about what to do. And as the clock ticks down for launching or not launching the biggest invasion in history, seeing these men and women go crazy in indecision, not knowing what to do, is inherently dramatic.”\n\nStagg’s intel proved correct and a storm broke over the English Channel on June 5. However, further postponement would have meant a two-week delay. Stagg believed there would be a small break in the storm and, just before dawn 24 hours prior, Eisenhower made the decision to go on June 6.\n\nIf the titanic invasion wasn’t enough to fray Eisenhower’s nerves, just six weeks prior, on April 27–28, Exercise Tiger, the dress rehearsal for Operation Overlord, had gone hideously awry.\n\nTaking place in Slapton Sands, England, friendly fire and German E-boats claimed the lives of more than 1,000 men and resulted in the worst loss of life for American troops since the Dec. 7, 1941, Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.\n\nIn fact, five times more men died at Slapton Sands than were killed storming Utah Beach on D-Day. As a result of the rehearsal, however, the Allies learned valuable, though grim, lessons that would be essential to the success of the invasion.\n\nJust several weeks after the operation Stagg noted in a memo to Eisenhower that had the Allies postponed to later that June, they would have encountered the worst weather in the English Channel in two decades.\n\n“I thank the Gods of War we went when we did,” Eisenhower wrote back.","category":"legacy","author":"Claire Barrett","publishDate":"2026-05-22T17:32:11.000Z","image":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/archetype/LJJFUHTQENAELO6QAOSQNM7FWY.webp","source":"Military Times - Veterans","sourceUrl":"https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/military-history/2026/05/22/thank-the-gods-of-war-d-day-success-hinges-on-weather-forecast-in-pressure/","serviceBranch":null,"priority":1,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-05-22T18:00:23.781Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-05-23T04:00:08.026Z","linkStatus":"ok"}]},"total":1332,"limit":30,"offset":0,"hasMore":true,"lastUpdate":"2026-05-25T00:01:10.929Z"}