The Pentagon has released a modernization plan for Stars and Stripes that affirms the publication’s independence while expanding Defense Department oversight, introducing new restrictions on content and transitioning away from a print publication.

Read more at: https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2026-03-13/pentagon-modernization-plan-stars-and-stripes-21051529.html
Source - Stars and Stripes

What we know:
The U.S. Attorney's Office in Minnesota, facing staffing challenges, has brought in military lawyers, known as Judge Advocate General (JAG) attorneys, to help with both civil and criminal cases.

Some of these attorneys, including one without prior federal court experience, have faced challenges, including being held in contempt.

However, their involvement in prosecuting civilian criminal cases has sparked concern among some former military lawyers.

He said he had directed the service secretaries, through their general counsels, judge advocate generals (JAGs) and the staff judge advocate to the commandant “to execute a ruthless, no-excuses review.”

“Scrub it clean, cut duplication and bureaucracy, clarify roles and reporting. No more moral ambiguity,” according to Hegseth.

The issue?

 Military Religious Freedom Foundation

Mikey Weinstein, founder and president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, told USA TODAY on March 4 the organization had received "far greater than” 200 complaints related to religious freedom from service members across more than 50 military installations since the war broke out.

 Military Religious Freedom Foundation

The Department of Veterans Affairs, which provides medical care for roughly 9 million former members of the U.S. military, has eliminated thousands of medical positions left vacant after retirements and resignations last year, according to a report.

 

The commander also argued that Trump “anointed by Jesus to light the signal fire in Iran to cause Armageddon and mark his return to Earth" and that the Iran war is part of God's plan, the NCO claimed.

 Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF)

Vice Adm. Fred Kacher, who became the director of the Joint Staff in December, was yanked from the post and will “return to service” with the Navy, a spokesperson told The Hill on Thursday morning. 

Jeanine Pirro's office has decided to stop pursuing the case against six Democratic lawmakers who urged members of the military and intelligence communities in a social media video not to comply with unlawful orders, three people familiar with the matter told NBC News.

Don’t give up the ship

In a meandering speech in Georgia on Thursday, the draft-dodging president recounted trying to give himself the medal after visiting Iraq in his first term but was talked out of it by his advisers.

It was a pointed reminder that Hegseth is not exactly open to engaging with military officials whose views differ from his own. On the contrary, he’s proved himself eager to purge the armed forces of those he deems unworthy — a campaign that’s ongoing.

The Coast Guard had surged ships and aircraft to the Pacific to find the guardsman. Hours into the search, Noem learned that a Coast Guard C-130 that was supposed to fly detained migrants from California to Texas was among the aircraft over the Pacific looking for the missing guardsman, and she intervened, according to the two U.S. officials and the Coast Guard official.

Enlisted leaders from the five services, as well as the senior enlisted adviser to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, added that they have yet to see any indication that women serving in combat units have caused standards to lower.

The defendants in this case are the secretary of WAAH (Hedgehog,) the department of WAAH (D'OH!,) the Department of Navy & Navy Secretary John Phelan.

A federal judge on Thursday barred Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from censuring Sen. Mark Kelly over the Arizona Democrat’s participation in a video reminding American military service members of their right to refuse illegal orders.

Judge Rich Leon’s order in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., also blocks Hegseth, for now, from reducing Kelly’s U.S. Navy rank and retirement pay as punishment for his role in the video.

Kelly retired from the Navy as a captain.

That caused friction with the Federal Aviation Administration, which wanted to ensure commercial air safety, and the two agencies sought to coordinate, according to two of the people.

Educ

Nancy Lacore, a former Navy vice admiral who was removed from her post by Secretary of WAAH Pete Hedgehog, is challenging statewide fixture Rep. Nancy Mace in South Carolina's 1st District congressional race later this year.