New Trump term brings renewed concerns in Bavaria about US Army regiment’s future

President-elect Donald Trump’s imminent return to the Oval Office is reviving concerns about a Vilseck-based Army brigade’s future in Germany.

Okinawa motorcyclist dead after collision with Marine on New Year’s Day, police say

A Japanese motorcyclist was killed early New Year’s Day in a two-vehicle collision involving a U.S. Marine, according to Japanese police.

Hotel robbery thwarted when Air Force sergeant notices odd behavior, Florida cops say

A U.S. airman’s keen sense of situational awareness foiled a hotel robbery after he took notice of odd behavior in the lobby, according to investigators in the Florida Panhandle.

US forces strike Houthi weapons and command hubs in Yemen 

The strikes, conducted Monday and Tuesday by U.S. Navy ships and aircraft, targeted a command hub and weapons production facility as well as a bunker housing missiles and drones.

Marine Corps to unify senior NCO leadership training courses

Marine Corps staff sergeants and gunnery sergeants will begin attending the same leadership school for promotion to the next rank under a pilot program that will merge their respective schools.

Trio charged in Germany for pro-Russia plot targeting US bases in Bavaria

Three men have been charged with spying on U.S. military bases for Russia and plotting attacks on American personnel in retaliation for Western support of Ukraine, German prosecutors said.

Army testing drone that gives big-picture view of ground combat action

An Army surveillance drone prototype will give brigade commanders a clearer picture of the battlefield.

How the Marines are saving endangered desert tortoises

A sheltered habitat at Twentynine Palms in California helps protect desert tortoises.

USS Carl Vinson makes year-end stop as Navy resumes visits to Malaysia

The USS Carl Vinson pulled into Port Klang over the weekend, marking a Navy aircraft carrier’s second visit to Malaysia in as many months after a 12-year pause, according to the Navy.

Pre-enrollment opens for Red Hill water-crisis health registry

The University of Hawaii announced it has begun pre-enrollment in its Red Hill Registry, which is intended to provide support and resources for those impacted by the Navy’s 2021 jet fuel spill on Oahu. Enrollment is open to anyone affected by the spill regardless of a connection with the military.

89 Air Force jobs eligible for bonuses that could add up to more than $350,000 in a career

The Air Force expanded retention bonuses this month for 89 career fields in high demand from cyber systems operations to bomb technicians.

Army National Guard soldier from Indiana dies in noncombat incident in Iraq

Capt. Eric Richard Hart, 34, of Indianapolis, died Saturday in a noncombat incident in Iraq, the Army National Guard said in a statement. Hart was assigned to the Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion of Indiana’s 38th Infantry Division in Iraq. His death is under investigation.

Houthi attack risk complicates Navy’s calculus on retrieving downed fighter jet, analysts say

Recovery of a Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet recently downed over the Red Sea likely hinges on what’s left of the wreckage and how safely a salvage operation could be pulled off. Although the jet is being phased out, newer Block III versions of it have equipment upgrades that could be a tempting target for adversaries.

Drifting divers spend day and night at sea before Pacific rescue

Eight recreational divers spent more than 24 hours floating in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Palau before they were rescued by a local fisherman, the US Coast Guard said.

107th Attack Wing is betting its $88K flight simulator helps recruiting take off

107th Attack Wing leaders are betting a trailer outfitted with an $88,000 gaming system will help the New York Air Guard unit recruit new airmen in 2025. The simulator and trailer combination is modeled on a system the Air Force also uses for recruiting.

FAA issues launch license for Blue Origin New Glenn rocket

An FAA statement said Jeff Bezos’ rocket company had “met all safety, environmental and other licensing requirements” for its heavy-lift rocket, which is set up for its debut mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 36.

Tustin hangar fire has cost Navy over $123 million since late 2023 blaze

The Navy has pumped over $123 million into the clean-up of a World War II anti-submarine blimp hangar at the former Marine Corps Air Station Tustin in Southern California that was destroyed by fire a year ago.

JBER airman facing federal charges tied to AI-generated child sexual abuse images

The suspect secretly took photos of young children in the community to turn them into AI-generated images, according to a prosecutor memorandum. Law enforcement found over 10,000 images of partially clothed children and hundreds of AI-generated pornographic images.

Space Force guardians overwhelmingly accepting of new fitness tracking in study

Thousands of Space Force guardians have traded out fitness tests for continuous tracking of their workouts. The two-year study expected to wrap up in 2025 has attracted about 7,500 guardians, nearly 80% of the force.