Author: Michael

More than half of the California National Guard’s specialized firefighting teams are deployed to Los Angeles County as part of the federal mission in the area, leaving the guard at only 40% of its firefighting operation capacity.
Eight of the guard’s 14 firefighting teams — operating under Task Force Rattlesnake — are among the more than 4,000 California National Guard troops currently under federal command, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced, as the state is well within its dangerous fire season.

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The U.S. Army has committed to improving the survivability of its M1 Abrams main battle tanks with the allocation of over $107 million in funding for new vehicle protection systems. The funds are intended to cover development and operationalisation of stealth-enhancing coatings, passive armour kits, and new laser warning receivers.

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Ukrainian government sources have confirmed the loss of an F-16 during recent engagements with Russian forces, and the death of pilot Lieutenant Colonel Maxim Ustimenko. Little else has been revealed regarding the incident, other than that it coincided with very large scale Russian strikes on Ukrainian targets, and that Ukrainian sources claim that Ustimenko had shot down seven Russian targets before crashing.

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Indian Defence Minister Radjnath Singh has held talks with his Russian counterpart Andrey Belousov on the further modernisation of the country’s fleet of Su-30MKI fighters. The meeting was held “against the backdrop of Operation Sindoor,” according to the Defence Ministry, in reference to India’s offensive against Pakistan in early May which resulted in the loss of several fighters, including newly procured French Rafale combat jets.

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Khobar Towers, Saudi Arabia after terror attackPublic Domain

Editor’s Note: CDM Founder L Todd Wood stayed in this building in Khobar Towers for three months prior to the explosion.
Guest post by BG Terry Schwalier, USAFA ’69
29 years ago this week (25 Jun 1996), Iranian trained and financed terrorists detonated a sewage truck laden with 20-30,000 lbs. of explosives just outside our Khobar Towers perimeter in Saudi Arabia.

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U.S. Army soldiers who rely on prolonged shaving waivers could potentially face separation under a new policy. That could particularly impact Black soldiers who rely on waivers to avoid a skin condition caused and exacerbated by shaving. 
The news, first reported by Military.com, comes as the Army is working on the “finishing touches” to new grooming standards. The policies, expected in the near future, would do away with permanent shaving waivers for soldiers, and those who need extended waivers for a year or more due to medical conditions would face separation as a result.

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