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Department of Defense

Trump Unveils 2026 Budget Proposal, Cutting $163 Billion: Here Are Hardest Hit Areas Trump Unveils 2026 Budget Proposal, Cutting $163 Billion: Here Are Hardest Hit Areas
Trump Unveils 2026 Budget Proposal, Cutting $163 Billion: Here Are Hardest Hit Areas President Trump has released a $1.7 trillion budget proposal for the 2026 fiscal year, outlining a conservative vision for Washington and significantly reducing the federal government's reach.  The plan would cut $163 billion in spending, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought announced on Friday, May 2, saying it would trim non-defense discretionary budget authority by 22.6 percent. It includes a pair of noteworthy increases —for defense (an increase of 13 percent to $1.01 trillion) and border security (to a record-high $175 billion). There are also modest…
Award-Winning Stunt Pilot Rob Holland Dies In Crash At Virginia Base Days Before Airshow Award-Winning Stunt Pilot Rob Holland Dies In Crash At Virginia Base Days Before Airshow
Award-Winning Stunt Pilot Rob Holland Dies In Crash At Virginia Base Days Before Airshow An award-winning stunt pilot died when his "experimental plane" crashed at a Virginia military base days before an upcoming airshow.  Rob Holland, 50, has been identified as the pilot killed at Langley Air Force Base when his plane went down in Hampton, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed. NTSB and Langley Air Force Base will hold a media briefing today at 3 p.m. on yesterday's crash of an experimental MX Aircraft MXS near Hampton, Virginia.Location: Riverview Events Center128 Benedict Avenue, Langley Air Force Base pic.twitter.com/RDVtfHRrqI — NTSB Newsro…
West Point Closes Clubs For Women, Minorities To Follow Trump's DEI Orders: Report West Point Closes Clubs For Women, Minorities To Follow Trump's DEI Orders: Report
West Point Closes Clubs For Women, Minorities To Follow Trump's DEI Orders: Report The United States Military Academy at West Point in the Hudson Valley has disbanded several extracurricular and social clubs related to gender, race, and ethnicity per President Trump's orders involving government diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, according to a report by The Washington Post.  The decision to end the clubs came in the form of a memo dated Tuesday, Feb. 4, which was signed by West Point deputy commandant Chad Foster and said that the organizations would be disbanded and forced to cancel activities, The Washington Post reported.  The mem…
Former Gov. Larry Hogan Shares Mysterious Video Of Possible 'Drones' Outside Maryland Home Former Gov. Larry Hogan Shares Mysterious Video Of Possible 'Drones' Outside Maryland Home
Former Gov. Larry Hogan Shares Mysterious Video Of Possible 'Drones' Outside Maryland Home It's a bird... It's a plane... It's a drone? Maybe?  Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is the latest to throw out thoughts about the plague of drones that have been spotted across the East Coast in recent weeks. Hogan fanned the flames of speculation recently after sharing a curious nearly two-minute video of what he believed to be drones in the area, though he cautioned that he was no expert in the matter in a social media post that garnered nearly 4.5 million views. Last night, beginning at around 9:45 pm, I personally witnessed (and videoed) what appeared to be dozens of large dr…
It's A Bird, It's A Plane, It's A Problem: US, CT Senator Demand Answers On Mysterious Drones It's A Bird, It's A Plane, It's A Problem: US, CT Senator Demand Answers On Mysterious Drones
It's A Bird, It's A Plane, It's A Problem: US, CT Senator Demand Answers On Mysterious Drones US Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Connecticut leaders are demanding answers as more people report spotting strange lights in the night sky that appear to be drones. Some were seen over Fairfield earlier this week, following sightings across the Northeast in recent weeks. In a letter to the heads of the FBI, FAA, Homeland Security, and Department of Defense, Blumenthal demanded answers about the drones, stating that leaders need more information because he believes they pose serious safety and national security concerns. Related: Video of mysterious drones above CT shared on X  “The proli…
Ex-Defense Official Who Electrocuted Dogs Learns Fate For Role In Vicious DMV Dogfighting Ring Ex-Defense Official Who Electrocuted Dogs Learns Fate For Role In Vicious DMV Dogfighting Ring
Ex-Defense Official Who Electrocuted Dogs Learns Fate For Role In Vicious DMV Dogfighting Ring A Maryland man who used to serve as a Department of Defense deputy chief will spend time behind bars after admitting earlier this to his role in a violent dogfighting ring that involved him electrocuting animals who lost, federal authorities confirmed. Frederick Douglass Moorefield, Jr., 64, pleaded guilty in September to federal charges that include conspiracy to engage in animal fighting, specifically the fighting of dogs, and interstate travel in aid of racketeering. On Friday, Dec. 13, officials announced that Moorefield has been sentenced to serve 18 months in federal prison,…
Former DoD Deputy Chief Admitted To Operating Dogfighting Kennel Out Of Arnold Home: Feds Former DoD Deputy Chief Admitted To Operating Dogfighting Kennel Out Of Arnold Home: Feds
Former DoD Deputy Chief Admitted To Operating Dogfighting Kennel Out Of Arnold Home: Feds A Maryland man who used to serve as a Department of Defense deputy chief admitted to his role in a violent dogfighting ring that involved him electrocuting animals who lost, federal authorities announced. Frederick Douglass Moorefield, Jr., 63, pleaded guilty to federal charges that include conspiracy to engage in animal fighting, specifically the fighting of dogs, and interstate travel in aid of racketeering. According to the guilty plea, federal agents began investigating Moorefield’s connections to dogfighting after officers from Anne Arundel County Animal Control responded to a rep…
Sean Higgins Worked At Substance Abuse Center, Was Member Of NJ National Guard: Reports Sean Higgins Worked At Substance Abuse Center, Was Member Of NJ National Guard: Reports
Sean Higgins Worked At Substance Abuse Center, Was Member Of NJ National Guard: Reports More information about Sean Higgins, the suspected DUI driver who killed Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau last week, is coming to light. The 43-year-old Woodstown resident who police say struck 31-year-old Johnny and 29-year-old Matthew in Oldmans Township last week, was a New Jersey National Guardsman who worked at a substance abuse treatment center. Photos on the Department of Defense website show Higgins receiving a COVID-19 vaccination in January 2021, and embracing a child in Kosovo in 2019. A state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs spokesperson confirmed Higgins is a f…
US Army Defends Employee Confronted By Trump Staffer At Arlington National Cemetery US Army Defends Employee Confronted By Trump Staffer At Arlington National Cemetery
US Army Defends Employee Confronted By Trump Staffer At Arlington National Cemetery The US Army has responded after a staffer for former President Donald Trump shoved a woman at the Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) who was only attempting to do her job.  An over-eager member of Trump's team is accused of pushing an employee at the cemetery while the Republican candidate was visiting the gravesite earlier this week, officials say. Following the incident on Monday, Aug. 26, the Army issued a statement about the questionable visit. President Trump honoring the American heroes that made the ultimate sacrifice at Abbey Gate in Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/s5xb2fiVVX —…
Department Of Defense Engineer From Virginia Charged With Taking Classified Documents: Feds Department Of Defense Engineer From Virginia Charged With Taking Classified Documents: Feds
Department Of Defense Engineer From Virginia Charged With Taking Classified Documents: Feds An engineer from Istanbul living in Virginia who worked for the Department of Defense has been accused of taking classified documents without permission, federal authorities announced on Tuesday. Falls Church resident Gokhan Gun, 50, a civilian engineer for the DoD, has been charged in federal court with unauthorized removal and retention of classified material following an investigation that was launched earlier this year. According to court documents, "through his employment, Gun possesses a Top Secret security clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) a…
Mother, Son Admit Selling Cheap Parts To Military Through Jersey Shore Family Business: Feds Mother, Son Admit Selling Cheap Parts To Military Through Jersey Shore Family Business: Feds
Mother, Son Admit Selling Cheap Parts To Military Through Jersey Shore Family Business: Feds A New Jersey mother and son admitted to a years-long scheme to scam the Department of Defense by selling cheap military equipment not approved by their business's contracts, authorities said. Linda Mika, 73, of Jackson, pleaded guilty in federal court on Tuesday, July 23 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, New Jersey's U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said in a news release. Her son, 53-year-old Kenneth Mika of Ewing, also pleaded guilty to the same charge on Tuesday, June 25. According to court documents and testimony, Linda and Kenneth Mika defrauded the DoD and the Defe…
Navy Vet, Federal Employee Crystal Carnes Of Fredericksburg Dies: 'Put On Some Grateful Dead' Navy Vet, Federal Employee Crystal Carnes Of Fredericksburg Dies: 'Put On Some Grateful Dead'
Navy Vet, Federal Employee Crystal Carnes Of Fredericksburg Dies: 'Put On Some Grateful Dead' Crystal Carnes, a veteran of the US Navy who recently retired from her a lead position within the Department of Defense, died on Sunday, June 30 after battling a brain tumor, her obituary on the Covenan Funeral Service website says. Crystal, 45, enlisted in the US Navy in 1997 and would go on to graduate form Russian Phase II training in Texas before serving at the Naval Security Group Detachment (NSDG) at Menwith Hill, in the United Kingdom (UK). She served until 2000, after earning the rank of Cryptologic Technician (Interpretive) 3rd Class (CTI3) and was a recipient of the Natio…
Criminal Investigation Opened In Helicopter Crash Killing NY National Guard Members: Report Criminal Investigation Opened In Helicopter Crash Killing NY National Guard Members: Report
Criminal Investigation Opened In Helicopter Crash Killing NY National Guard Members: Report Officials have launched a criminal investigation into a National Guard helicopter crash near the southern border that killed two members from New York and a third victim, ABC News reports. The incident – which saw a UH-72 Lakota helicopter go down near Rio Grande City, Texas, on Friday, March 8 – is now the focus of an investigation by the Starr County Sheriff’s Office into whether there was any criminal wrongdoing, officials told the outlet. That investigation is separate from a parallel probe being conducted by the Department of Defense. So far, authorities have not publicly said what cau…
Atlantic City Airshow Will Take Flight In 2024, Financial Uncertainty Lingers In The Air Atlantic City Airshow Will Take Flight In 2024, Financial Uncertainty Lingers In The Air
Atlantic City Airshow Will Take Flight In 2024, Financial Uncertainty Lingers In The Air Atlantic City's popular air show has been saved for 2024 but questions about the event's future are flying above its head. In a news conference on Wednesday, Mar. 20, Mayor Marty Small Sr. officially announced the South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA) will provide $300,000 to fund the 2024 Visit Atlantic City Airshow. The free event is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 13, and Wednesday, Aug. 14. Organizers said inflation and lingering COVID-19 pandemic impacts created doubts about the 2024 show as early as July 2023. A news release announcing the event's cancelation was drafted and could …
Young Marine Killed In Helicopter Crash Has Virginia Roots: 'Brother Rat Spirit' Young Marine Killed In Helicopter Crash Has Virginia Roots: 'Brother Rat Spirit'
Young Marine Killed In Helicopter Crash Has Virginia Roots: 'Brother Rat Spirit' One of the five U.S. Marines killed in a California helicopter training accident last week has Virginia ties. Capt. Jack Casey, 26, a Dover, NH native, attended the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, serving as Company I commander for the 2018-19 academic year. The Superintendent regrets to inform the VMI community of the death of Capt. Jack Casey ’19 on Feb. 7. Casey was one of... Posted by Virginia Military Institute on Friday, February 9, 2024 “It is difficult to find words in the wake of such a jarring loss,” said Capt. Eli Facemire ’19, VMI associate chaplain and c…
NJ Native Among 3 Army Reservists Killed In Jordan Drone Attack: Officials NJ Native Among 3 Army Reservists Killed In Jordan Drone Attack: Officials
NJ Native Among 3 Army Reservists Killed In Jordan Drone Attack: Officials A New Jersey man has been identified as one of the three U.S. Army Reserve soldiers killed in a drone attack in Jordan over the weekend, the Department of Defense announced. Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, 46, a Willingboro native, died alongside Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders, 24, of Waycross, GA, and Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, 23, of Savannah, Georgia, the DOD said. The three soldiers were supporting Operation Inherent Resolve when a one-way, unmanned aerial system impacted their container housing units on Sunday, Jan. 28 in Jordan. “The loss of Sgt. William Jerome Riv…
Department Of Defense Deputy Chief Among Two In Maryland Charged For Dog Fighting Ring: Feds Department Of Defense Deputy Chief Among Two In Maryland Charged For Dog Fighting Ring: Feds
Department Of Defense Deputy Chief Among Two In Maryland Charged For Dog Fighting Ring: Feds Two Maryland men, one of whom is a Department of Defense deputy chief, are facing charges for their alleged roles in facilitating a dog fighting ring. Anne Arundel County residents Frederick Douglass Moorefield, Jr. 62, of Arnold, and Mario Damon Flythe, 49, of Glen Burnie, have both been charged with promoting and furthering an animal fighting venture, federal authorities announced this week. Moorefield, a Deputy Chief Information Officer for Command, Control, and Communications for Office of the Secretary of Defense, and Flythe used an encrypted messaging application to communicate with o…
PA Man Impersonates 'Agent' Outfitted With Badge, Firearm — AGAIN: Police PA Man Impersonates 'Agent' Outfitted With Badge, Firearm — AGAIN: Police
PA Man Impersonates 'Agent' Outfitted With Badge, Firearm — Again: Police A 55-year-old man showed up at a Pennsylvania business impersonating an agent — for the second time this year, police say.  Sean Patrick Quick is playing dress up as an "agent" again, according to a release by West Earl Township Police.  Daily Voice readers may recall this Ephrata resident previously "claimed he was a Department of Defense employee", but while displaying a Central Intelligence Agency badge at Ephrata National Bank on March 20, 2023, at 10:20 a.m., area police stated in a release in April.  He "eventually admitted he was not a federal…
Pentagon Didn't Actually Explode — It Was Just AI Pentagon Didn't Actually Explode — It Was Just AI
Pentagon Didn't Actually Explode — It Was Just AI “Fake News” took centerstage in Washington, DC on Monday morning when an apparently AI-generated image of an explosion near the Pentagon went viral on social media. The photo of what appeared to be an explosion outside the Arlington building in Virginia temporarily went viral until the Department of Defense spoke out and confirmed that the image was fake, prompting a fresh call advising of misinformation that can be spread on the Internet. Officials say that the image began circulating on Twitter at approximately 10 a.m. on Monday, May 22, depicting an explosion on the grass outside the Pe…
US Army Investigating Metal Canisters Found In DC Park US Army Investigating Metal Canisters Found In DC Park
US Army Investigating Metal Canisters Found In DC Park A pair of metal canisters found in a mound of soil at Washington DC's Fort Totten Park closed the area Wednesday, April 18, officials said. The US Army safely removed the canisters, and will analyze any contents, the US Park Police said in an update Thursday morning. Out of an abundance of caution, the park was closed just east of Fort Totten Drive, south of Gallatin Street, and north of Brookland Ave NE/Farragut St. The United States Park Police has blocked off the site, and the NPS urges people to stay out of the area. The canisters were found in a large mound of soil along Farragut…
Fake CIA Agent Attempts Bank Robbery In Ephrata, Police Say Fake CIA Agent Attempts Bank Robbery In Ephrata, Police Say
Fake CIA Agent Attempts Bank Robbery In Ephrata, Police Say A burglar got a fake Central Intelligence Agency badge and attempted to rob Ephrata National Bank, area police announced on Sunday, April 16, 2023.  Sean P. Quick, 55, of Ephrata "initially claimed he was a Department of Defense employee, but eventually admitted he was not a federal agent and was attempting to access a relative’s safety deposit box" on March 20, 2023, at 10:20 a.m., area police stated in the release.  When Ephrata Police were contacted by Ephrata National Bank security personnel said "a male was in the bank, displaying a Central Intelligence Agency badge and attem…
Massachusetts Air National Guard Member, 21, Arrested In Connection To Leaked Pentagon Papers Massachusetts Air National Guard Member, 21, Arrested In Connection To Leaked Pentagon Papers
Massachusetts Air National Guard Member, 21, Arrested In Connection To Leaked Pentagon Papers The unauthorized release of top-secret Pentagon materials has been connected to a 21-year-old Massachusetts Air National Guard member, officials say.  Jack Douglas Teixeira, a member of the United States Air Force National Guard in Massachusetts, was arrested in the afternoon of Thursday, April 13, according to Attorney General Merrick Garland. Teixeira's arrest is part of the investigation into the unauthorized removal and publication of classified government and military documents.  The FBI reported that they took Teixeira into custody at his home in North Dighton, located in Bristol Co…
Naval Air Testing May Have Rocked South Jersey —Again Naval Air Testing May Have Rocked South Jersey —Again
Naval Air Testing May Have Rocked South Jersey —Again It wasn't an earthquake or thunderstorm that rocked South Jersey on Thursday, Jan. 26. But for the third time in two months, the Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland said it was conducting noise tests in the region this week. The last round of Naval testing felt in South Jersey came in December, as reported here. Residents reported booms, rattling windows and walls shaking on Thursday for at least the fourth time in three months. Naval Air Station Patuxent River, a U.S. naval station based in St. Mary’s County in Maryland, issued a noise advisory on its Facebook page Tuesday, sayi…
Former Department Of Defense Employee From VA Accused Of Sexually Abusing Minors Former Department Of Defense Employee From VA Accused Of Sexually Abusing Minors
Former Department Of Defense Employee From VA Accused Of Sexually Abusing Minors Federal officials say that a former Department of Defense (DoD) employee from Virginia working in Japan sexually abused underage girls both stateside and overseas and will now face life in prison. Norfolk resident Donald Gene Ferguson II, 51, was convicted by a federal jury on charges of abusive sexual contact with a minor while working, as a civilian DoD employee in Iwakuni, Japan. Officials say that during the summer of 2019, while in military housing in Japan, Ferguson forced an 11-year-old to touch him inappropriately. While the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) was investigat…
Counterfeit Batteries Sold By NY Company To Defense Dept. Caused Military Equip. Failures: Feds Counterfeit Batteries Sold By NY Company To Defense Dept. Caused Military Equip. Failures: Feds
Counterfeit Batteries Sold By NY Company To Defense Dept. Caused Military Equip. Failures: Feds A New York military contractor will pay $75,000 to resolve allegations that it sold counterfeit batteries to the Department of Defense that later caused “military equipment failures.” With the payment, Industrial Equipment and Supply Company (IESC), located in Latham in Albany County, along with its principals, Mark and Sandra Nystoriak, settled allegations that the company violated the False Claims Act. According to the US Attorney’s Office in the Northern District, IESC contracted to sell batteries to the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), which manages the worldwide supply chain for the Dep…
Navy Engineer, Wife Sentenced For Trying To Sell American Submarine Secrets For Crypto: Feds Navy Engineer, Wife Sentenced For Trying To Sell American Submarine Secrets For Crypto: Feds
Navy Engineer, Wife Sentenced For Trying To Sell American Submarine Secrets For Crypto: Feds The wife of a former Navy engineer who worked with her husband and attempted to sell American secrets to a foreign country to an undercover operative got a longer sentence than her husband, federal officials announced on Wednesday, Nov. 9. Diana Toebbe, 46, of Annapolis, and husband Jonathan Toebbe, 44, serviced three “dead-drops," which were picked up by undercover FBI agents during a year-long sting operation, federal prosecutors said, leading to lengthy prison terms for both. On Wednesday, Jonathan Toebbe received a sentence of 232 months - more than 19 years - in prison, while his wife…
Maryland Woman To Spend Years In Prison For Stealing $1M In Disability Benefits: DOJ Maryland Woman To Spend Years In Prison For Stealing $1M In Disability Benefits: DOJ
Maryland Woman To Spend Years In Prison For Stealing $1M In Disability Benefits: DOJ Federal officials announced that a Southern Maryland woman will spend more than two years in prison for stealing more than $1 million in disability cash from the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Lexington Park resident Angela Marie Farr, 36, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release after admitting to her role in a scheme to fraudulently obtain disability benefits from the VA and Social Security Administration. Additionally, a judge ordered Farr to pay nearly $1.5 million in fines and restitution for the government’s losses. According to …
Gaithersburg Company Produces Nation's First Authorized Protein-Based COVID Vaccine Gaithersburg Company Produces Nation's First Authorized Protein-Based COVID Vaccine
Gaithersburg Company Produces Nation's First Authorized Protein-Based COVID Vaccine Novavax, a Gaithersburg-based company in Montgomery County, has received emergency use authorization from the FDA to distribute the first protein-based COVID-19 vaccination in the United States, officials say. The US Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Defense together announced a purchase of 3.2 million doses of the new vaccine, according to Montgomery County officials. The vaccine will be available free to states, jurisdictions, federal pharmacy partners, and federally qualified health centers. The protein-based vaccine is already widely used in other countries…
Tyson Recalls Millions Of Pounds Of Chicken Products Due To Possible Listeria Contamination Tyson Recalls Millions Of Pounds Of Chicken Products Due To Possible Listeria Contamination
Tyson Recalls Millions Of Pounds Of Chicken Products Due To Possible Listeria Contamination Tyson Foods has issued a recall for about 8.5 million pounds of ready-to-eat, frozen chicken products because they may be contaminated with Listeria. The brands were produced between Dec. 26, 2020, and April 13, 2021, according to an announcement by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. P-7089” on the product bag or inside the USDA mark of inspection.  The items were shipped nationwide to retailers and institutions, including hospitals, nursing facilities, restaurants, schools, and Department of Defense locat…
6 Questions Officials Haven’t Answered After Weeks Of Capitol Attack Hearings 6 Questions Officials Haven’t Answered After Weeks Of Capitol Attack Hearings
6 Questions Officials Haven’t Answered After Weeks Of Capitol Attack Hearings After two weeks of congressional hearings, it remains unclear how a rampaging mob of rioters managed to breach one of the most sacred bastions of American democracy on Jan. 6. During more than 15 hours of testimony, lawmakers listened to a cacophony of competing explanations as officials stumbled over themselves to explain how America’s national security, defense, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies allowed a homegrown enemy to put an entire branch of government in danger during the attack on the U.S. Capitol. The continuing questions surrounding the attack have prompted calls for a …
COVID-19: FEMA Mass-Vaccination Site To Open In Westchester COVID-19: FEMA Mass-Vaccination Site To Open In Westchester
Covid-19: FEMA Mass-Vaccination Site To Open In Westchester A mass-vaccination site will open in Southern Westchester as more vaccine supplies have become available. Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Wednesday, Feb. 3, that the site will open at the New York National Guard Amory, at 2 Quincy Place, in Yonkers. Cuomo said the new site is part of the state's effort ongoing efforts to fight vaccine hesitancy and bring the vaccine to communities underserved by traditional health care institutions.  Eligible New Yorkers are able to schedule appointments by utilizing the 'Am I Eligible' website or by calling the state's COVID-19 Vaccination Hotline…