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A military fighter jet, seen from the back of a tanker aircraft, attaches a tether for midair refueling with clouds behind and the ground in the distance below.

‘Costly and strategic blunder’: Retired Air Force generals blast service plan to cut F-35s, scrap new surveillance plane

Retired Lt. Gen. David Deptula told reporters that the proposed cuts to the programs in the Air Force’s fiscal 2026 budget proposal unveiled last month would leave the service with problematic capability gaps given an uncertain security environment around the world.

Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll, left, and Gen. Randy George are seated at a table. Driscoll looks at George as the general talks, making a gesture with his right hand.

Army moves forward with October merger of Futures Command and TRADOC

Advocacy group warns new work requirements and eligibility rules for Medicaid could create hardships for veterans

Carpenter brings history of training Ukrainians to bear on multifaceted HQ in Wiesbaden

‘Our hearts are heavy with grief’: Fort Bliss soldier’s children die in New Mexico flash flood

UK cadets learning ropes at Army site in Bavaria to prep for faceoff with West Point

more top news

Nuclear-powered Navy submarine makes historic port call in Iceland

Veterans face access, payment and records delays when seeking medical care at military bases, watchdog finds

Air Force shifts enhanced F-16s from Japan to South Korea in force realignment

The Army wants to train soldiers to shave — those who can’t cut it could get kicked out

Accidental blast at Okinawa base tied to rust removal on old anti-tank shell

Would-be Japanese kamikaze pilot reflects on war and peace 80 years after WWII

DOD may be missing out on millions due from companies for satellite launches, audit finds

Muted US response to new Houthi strike after lull contrasts with previous firepower display

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Army

Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll, left, and Gen. Randy George are seated at a table. Driscoll looks at George as the general talks, making a gesture with his right hand.

Army moves forward with October merger of Futures Command and TRADOC

Carpenter brings history of training Ukrainians to bear on multifaceted HQ in Wiesbaden

UK cadets learning ropes at Army site in Bavaria to prep for faceoff with West Point

Air Force

A military fighter jet, seen from the back of a tanker aircraft, attaches a tether for midair refueling with clouds behind and the ground in the distance below.

‘Costly and strategic blunder’: Retired Air Force generals blast service plan to cut F-35s, scrap new surveillance plane

Accidental blast at Okinawa base tied to rust removal on old anti-tank shell

Air Force shifts enhanced F-16s from Japan to South Korea in force realignment

Navy

The future John F. Kennedy as seen from the flight deck of USS Gerald R. Ford at Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia in January 2022. The aircraft carrier will not be delivered until March 2027, the Navy said. It had been scheduled to join the fleet this year, according to Navy budget estimates.

Arrival of Navy’s second Ford-class carrier pushed back to 2027 in budget estimate

‘Ecstatic to be home with them again’: USS Delaware crew reunites with families after 6-month deployment

Ship named for Vietnam POW christened in front of family members

Space Force

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the GPS III SV06 satellite lifts off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla., on Jan. 18, 2023. The Defense Department is struggling to bill commercial space companies for launches from government facilities and may be losing out on millions of dollars as a result, according to a recent report by the Government Accountability Office.

DOD may be missing out on millions due from companies for satellite launches, audit finds

Space Force command shifts on the Space Coast

Startup wins $2M Space Force contract for solar tech that could power spacecraft

Coast Guard

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Eagle, seen from inside a Coast Guard MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter, departs Los Angeles Harbor on May 26, 2025. The Coast Guard uses the Eagle to train cadets and officer candidates, teaching them practical seamanship skills while indoctrinating them in the Coast Guard’s afloat leadership laboratory. The Eagle moored for Los Angeles Fleet Week 2025, where cadets led public tours of the ship and participated in morale events with other branches of the military to reinforce teamwork. (Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer First Class J.J. Huggins)

US Coast Guard’s historic ‘America’s Tall Ship’ visits Seattle

Coast Guard swimmer on first rescue mission helps save 165 in Texas floods

USCG Cutter Vigorous returns home from nearly 2-month patrol

Marine Corps

A Marine in camouflage uniform speaks into a microhone held in his left hand while holding up an index card in his right hand and standing in front of U.S. and Japanese flags.

‘Morale is still really good’: Outgoing Marine leader discusses successes, setbacks on Okinawa

Veteran Osprey, Sea Stallion pilot takes helm of key Marine air station in Japan

Marine Corps budget seeks billions of dollars for aircraft, new tech, housing

theaters

Europe

Volodymyr Zelenskyy reaches to embrace Giorgia Meloni against a blue poster or wall.

European allies step up plans for future Ukraine stabilization force, with US attending meeting

Russia hits Kyiv with with another missile and drone barrage, killing at least 2

Merz, Macron eye meeting to resolve growing fighter jet rift

Asia-Pacific

USS Shiloh (CG 67) patrolled, and conducted several boarding and intelligence gathering operations in the South Pacific region in support of Oceania Maritime Security Initiative (OMSI) 2025. Shiloh was operating in the U.S. Third Fleet area of responsibility in support of the security and stability of the Indo-Pacific region. Shiloh is assigned to Commander, Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific, a combat-ready force that protects and defends the collective maritime interest of its allies and partners in the region. (U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet).

Military watches Chinese naval ship near Hawaii

Rubio says US and Russia have exchanged new ideas for Ukraine peace talks

Marines forge bonds with Japanese soldiers through grit and games

Middle East

A military officer in blue dress uniform stands at a podium and speaks into a microphone next to an easel holding a large poster with “Operation Midnight Hammer” written at the top above a map of Iran with military movements diagrammed.

Israel says Iran could reach enriched uranium at nuclear site hit by US

At least 2 killed and 15 missing after Houthis sink second ship this week

Europe unveils deal for more food and fuel for Gaza as Israeli strike kills 15 outside clinic

Africa

A man in a dark suit shakes hands with a woman in a blue dress, while Marco Rubio stands between them.

Congo and Rwanda sign US-mediated peace deal aimed at ending decades of bloody conflict

AFRICOM general says command faces growing threat of terrorism and should not combine with EUCOM

A powerful, opaque al-Qaida affiliate is rampaging across West Africa

Americas

A satellite image shows clouds from the storm.

Flossie becomes a hurricane off Mexico’s Pacific coast after rapidly strengthening

Tropical Storms Barry and Flossie form off Mexico’s southeast and southwest coasts

Guyana to crack down on gold smuggled in from Venezuela at the urging of the US government

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Europe

Stars and Stripes at the Freedom and Friendship Fest

Critter spotting in Worms

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Japan

Japan’s Ocean Day to be observed July 21

MY FAVES: Night views in Japan

Where to drink Japanese tea in Tokyo: Matcha, Houjicha and Wagashi

Korea

Sneak away for some clandestine fried chicken at Itaewon speakeasy

Korea Kids’ Corner: Café Main Street a piece of New York in Pyeongtaek

Speakin’ Korean: Useful phrases for shopping

Okinawa

VIDEO: Naha’s Yachimun Street a treasure trove of Okinawan traditional Yachimun pottery

BURGER’S TIME IMUA is special burger place in Okinawa

Ishigaki Island Travel Guide: Beaches, food, and hidden gems in Okinawa

Guam

More than just beaches: Spotlight on Guam's nature, culture

Exploring Guam: Hiking to Piti Guns and Mahogany Forest

‘History Comes Alive’ festival commemorates 75th anniversary of the Organic Act of Guam Aug. 1

Veterans

Advocacy group warns new work requirements and eligibility rules for Medicaid could create hardships for veterans

Veterans in rural or underserved areas might lack access to qualifying work or service programs, according to Disabled American Veterans.

Sports

Wounded Army veteran, multi-title golf champion competes at US Adaptive Open

Chad Pfeifer of Caldwell, Idaho, is the only military veteran who was fully exempt from qualifying for the U.S. Adaptive Open Championship and will be competing in the lower limb impairment category.

History

Hed: Throwing some shade, 1959

Kukuoaka, Japan, September 1959: Visitors try to find some shade under the wing of an aircraft during the Fukuoka Airport Festival held in the last days of September 1959. The annual five-day festival, now in its third year, hosted some 40,000 visitors who enjoyed jet flyovers and a display of U.S. and Japanese aircraft.

Looking for Stars and Stripes’ coverage of overseas military life through the decades? Subscribe to Stars and Stripes’ historic newspaper archive! We have digitized our 1948-1999 European and Pacific editions, as well as several of our WWII editions and made them available online through https://starsandstripes.newspaperarchive.com/

META TAGS: Kyushu Island; Itazuke Airbase; festival; Japanese-American relations; Japanese culture; American culture; U.S. Air Force; flightshow

Throwing some shade, 1959

From the Stars and Stripes archives: Visitors try to find some shade under the wing of an aircraft during the Fukuoka Airport Festival held in the last days of September 1959.

Living

Norah Jones, shown performing Sept. 15 in Asbury Park, N.J., is scheduled to perform July 16 in Hamburg, Germany.

Recently announced concerts and events for July 11 and beyond

Listings for recently announced concerts, special concerts and shows and on-base theater.

Travel

The exterior of the Wharf Pub in Martha’s Vineyard is seen with people in front of it during a “Jaws” 50th annivesary event. Each of the windows of the pub has a different letter of the word “Jaws.”

For ‘Jaws’ fans, there is no bigger island than Martha’s Vineyard

The festival of San Fermin in Pamplona, Spain, includes the world-famous running of the bulls. The parties takes place July 6-14.

July events calendar for Europe

A large, gnarled tree trunk with a spot of sunlight on it through leaf-covered branches behind it.

Soak in 2,000 years of serenity beneath an ancient Japanese camphor tree