Tony

Cats and dogs were out when Iraq war veteran Todd Combs considered pets as a way to cope with the crushing impact of his military service. Like thousands of other former servicemembers, he struggled with depression, PTSD, and suicidal thoughts, but his family’s allergy issues prevented him from bringing a furry companion into their home outside Dayton, Ohio. So Combs turned to chickens.

Check out the new TRICARE Dental Program premiums starting March 1

Virtual reality offers hope for Veterans with chronic pain

National leadership at the Department of Veterans Affairs initially blocked a memorial planned for Alex Pretti, the 37-year-old ICU nurse who was shot and killed by federal agents in Minneapolis. In an email obtained by The New Republic, officials at the Minneapolis VA claimed that “local leadership was instructed to pause the memorial” for Pretti, initially scheduled for Tuesday at noon.

Juan Brambila’s years of hard work came together in one unforgettable weekend. He was commissioned as a naval officer and graduated from Old Dominion University the next day with a degree in mechanical engineering. The road to this monumental weekend included 12-hour commutes, little sleep and the perseverance needed to achieve one’s future potential. Juan is a Navy Mustang, an officer who begins as an enlisted sailor, learning the U.S. Navy from the ground up before earning a commission. The term refers to the wild mustang horse, reflecting grit, resilience and leadership shaped by hands-on experience.

NAVADMIN 021/26

NAVADMIN 020/26

The Navy's newest aircraft carrier, PCU John F. Kennedy, is starting sea trials to test critical systems, marking a key milestone before its delivery to the fleet.

According to what is listed on the bond application, Kessler is a member of the U.S. Navy, though Navy officials have yet to confirm this with 13News Now.

The agency in charge of running base stores where many troops buy their groceries is preparing to stay open through March in the event of a government shutdown, officials said in a release.

Read more at: https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2026-01-28/trump-bills-improving-veterans-services-20555197.html Source - Stars and Stripes Thank you to the Lawmakers who introduced the bill Washington, September 19, 2025 Reps. Gomez, Sanchez Introduce Bill to Protect Disabled Veterans Access to Affordable Housing

Tricare - There are Emergency Procedures in Some States Due to Extreme Weather

The former Navy detective was previously convicted of excessive force for choking a handcuffed sailor and resigned from the El Cajon Police Department before he could be fired for multiple incidents of excessive force, prosecutors said.

According to an internal strategy document uncovered by The Washington Post, the federal government plans to spend $100 million over a one-year period in a “wartime recruitment” push, including online targeting of UFC fans, gun-rights supporters, military enthusiasts and more. Meanwhile, the administration’s online messaging has repeatedly echoed white nationalist slogans.

Pretti was not only a nurse but an employee of the Veterans Health Administration who had dedicated his career to caring for military veterans. Interviews with VHA employees show that they have not only been devastated by the killing of one of their colleagues, but also by the administration’s response to it.

Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Ranking Minority Member Sen. Richard Blumenthal has released a report detailing the "harm" inflicted on the Department of Veterans Affairs and veterans by the Trump administration’s policies. The report, "Breaking the Pact: Impacts of Trump, DOGE and Doug Collins’ Ongoing Assault on Veterans," was released ahead of the SVAC’s oversight hearing with Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins on Wednesday.

TikTok says it is investigating why users of the platform have been allegedly prevented from using the word “Epstein” in direct messages. It comes after several public figures, including California Governor Gavin Newsom and musicians such as Billie Eilish, accused TikTok of censoring videos that criticised the Trump administration and its crackdown on immigration.

The union that represents employees of the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center is speaking out about the death of one of its own members. AFGE Local 3669, a chapter of the American Federation of Government Employees, called the death of intensive care nurse Alex Pretti “tragic and senseless” and said it is “especially disappointed” with U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins’ reaction, according to a statement released Monday.

WASHINGTON — The Army-led Joint Interagency Task Force (JIATF) 401 announced additional authorities for counter-drone activities in the homeland, giving service chiefs and base commanders more flexibility to take on the growing menace.

Pharmacy copayments waived for TRICARE Prime Remote enrollees in the US beginning Feb. 28, 2026

Alex Pretti, the protester murdered by ICE was a nurse at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center... “Such tragedies are unfortunately happening in Minnesota because of state and local officials’ refusal to cooperate with the federal government (lying sack of poop) to enforce the law and deport dangerous illegal criminals,” the Republican who represented the 9th District in Congress goes on to say, echoing what Trump and the Homeland Security Secretary are saying.

Fishman wrote in his brief that the Trump administration is asking the court to “embrace a novel rule” regarding the First Amendment: “that retired military veterans have no constitutional protection for their speech whenever the Secretary of Defense—in his sole discretion and without even identifying all of the speech at issue—concludes that it ‘risks undermining military discipline and good order.’”

Leonardo DRS announced the opening of a new naval power and propulsion facility in Charleston, South Carolina, to support the U.S. Navy’s drive for shipbuilding and its nuclear-powered Columbia-class submarine program — which is currently facing an estimated 17-month delay.

CFL/ACFLs Special PFA Selection Unavailable in PRIMS. PRIMS functionality for the Special PFA is under development and anticipated for release by June 2026. CFLs must retain CO approved Special PFA documentation for a period of five years and enter it into PRIMS once available. PRIMS Training Courses Updated. The online CFL, ACFL, and Read-Only PRIMS Training Courses have been updated to reflect recent PRP policy and system changes.

Claims by Trump administration officials that the man fatally shot by a federal agent in Minneapolis lacked a right to possess a firearm and that his killing was justified are being dismissed by legal experts and assailed by gun rights groups ordinarily aligned with the president. The rhetoric from Trump law enforcement officials, including his FBI director and the top Border Patrol agent, goes against the decades long GOP effort to throttle gun control rules.