Author: Michael

The Defense Department announced Monday that Hughes Network Systems has received a $6.5 million contract to develop an Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) prototype at Fort Bliss, Texas, that will test and evaluate advanced 5G capabilities for military applications.
Under the contract, Hughes will install 5G O-RAN equipment at the base that will operate a temporary network for preliminary evaluation, according to a press release.

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Editor’s note: We Are The Mighty is a non-partisan organization and nothing within this article should suggest an endorsement. However, we strongly encourage veterans and military family members to run for office and get involved!
The University of San Francisco (USFCA) and Veterans Campaign have been tracking congressional candidates with military experience and are releasing the following initial pre-election analysis.

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As the nation prepares to observe Veterans Day, USAA is calling for a national moment of gratitude with the launch of the “Connect with a Veteran” movement. The movement is meant to encourage all Americans to go beyond a simple thank you, pause and be intentional in showing appreciation and connection to our nation’s 17 million veterans. This can be done by sending a text, picking up the phone or visiting face-to-face.

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The Afghan and U.S. task force approaching Afghanistan’s Ganjgal valley on Sept. 8, 2009, expected to face enemy resistance, but when it came, it wasn’t just small arms fire — it was a full-on ambush by 60 insurgents with machine guns, RPGs, mortars, and other weapon systems, opening up from 100 meters.  
Insurgents had snuck into Ganjgal village ahead of the patrol’s arrival. Task Force Chosin was comprised of soldiers assigned to the 10th Mountain Division, along with Marines with an Embedded Training Team, and joined by Afghan forces.

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The NFL and USAA, an official NFL Salute to Service partner, announced the 2024 nominees for the annual Salute to Service Award presented by USAA on Friday, November 1. Each year, the Salute to Service Award recognizes NFL players, coaches, staff and alumni who make exceptional efforts to honor and support military and veteran communities. 
“USAA and the NFL founded the Salute to Service Award to celebrate the impactful military appreciation efforts throughout the league and to inspire fans to do the same,” said Major General (Ret.

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“Watching my girls face their fears and cheering me on when I needed it is something I’ll never forget. We laughed, screamed, cried, and absolutely crushed it,” said military spouse Leslie Jones, reflecting on her experience navigating the rugged Texas terrain in a Bronco during the Ford Proud to Honor: Bronco Off-Roadeo.
What started as a partnership between Blue Star Families and Ford Motor Company grew into something much bigger — more than just an off-road experience for service members, veterans, and their families.

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This is Chapter 8 in the Cancer Memoir. Catch up on previous chapters here.
Ringing the bell marked the end of my chemotherapy treatment on May 30, but not the end of my cancer fight. Within minutes of celebrating this milestone with my family, Jeremy and I would head over to my plastic surgeon’s office to discuss the next steps. My next mountain to face was surgery. 
I never thought I would find myself in a plastic surgeon’s office in a million years. Just saying aloud, “I have to meet with my plastic surgeon,” felt nothing like me.

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Three Republican lawmakers are claiming that U.S. troops have been told that the military faces a shortage of backup absentee ballots that would allow them to vote in tomorrow’s election.
But a veterans group argues that the lawmakers’ point is moot because it’s not the Department of Defense’s job to hand out federal absentee ballots.
“The Department of Defense does not directly distribute absentee ballots to military personnel stationed overseas or away from their home state,” said former Marine Capt.

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This is Chapter 3 in the Wellness Memoir. Catch up on previous chapters here.
Managing two major surgeries during the first half of my husband’s 12-month deployment meant juggling my health, caring for a baby, maintaining a household, and sustaining a long-distance marriage. Deployment is difficult for any military spouse, but dealing with a health crisis while solo parenting made it overwhelming. Shifting from being a caregiver to relying on others to care for me was uncomfortable—I wasn’t great at accepting help.
My disease symptoms led to a scheduled surgery.

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