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Tony

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  1. Failure of our democracy...

    While he was writing Mein Kampf within the walls of Landsberg prison in 1924, Adolf Hitler argued that Germany’s salvation required a single, infallible leader — one whose will would override parliamentary squabbling, legal constraints and institutional checks. This governing idea, known as the Führerprinzip, became the spine of Nazi rule: first consolidating control over the party, then over the state.

    A century later, the Führerprinzip is no longer lurking in the shadows. In Donald Trump’s second term, echoes of the doctrine are surfacing in policy, purges and propaganda, transforming American governance from a constitutional system into a vehicle for personal power.

  2. FALLS CHURCH, Va.  –  Note: This article was originally published April 17, 2025. It was updated and republished July 11 with information about the current measles case count in the U.S.
    You may have heard about the ongoing measles outbreak in the U.S. As of July 8, there have been 1,288 confirmed cases in 2025, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While most of these cases are in Texas, cases have been rising across the country.

    Anyone who isn’t protected against measles can get the illness—and children are especially at risk of getting seriously sick. You may be wondering how to keep your family safe.

  3. CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED/
    ROUTINE
    R 111518Z JUL 25 MID120002078443U
    FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC
    TO ALNAV
    INFO SECNAV WASHINGTON DC
    CNO WASHINGTON DC
    CMC WASHINGTON DC
    BT
    UNCLAS
    ALNAV 058/25
    MSGID/GENADMIN/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC/-/JUL//
    SUBJ/BLAST OVERPRESSURE AND COGNITIVE MONITORING PROGRAM//
    REF/A/DOC/DEPSECDEF MEMO/08JUN2022//
    REF/B/DOC/DEPSECDEF MEMO/08AUG2024//
    REF/C/DOC/DOD BOP REFERENCE AND INFORMATION GUIDE/OCT 2024//
    REF/D/DOC/DODINST 6490.13/28MAY2024//
    REF/E/DOC/DODINST 6490.03/19JUL2019//
    REF/F/DOC/USD(P&R) MEMO/12DEC2024//
    NARR/REF A IS THE DOD BLAST OVERPRESSURE POLICY
    REF B IS A DEPSECDECF MEMO REGARDING COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN
    FOR WARFIGHTER BRAIN HEALTH
    REF C IS THE DOD BLAST OVERPRESSURE REFERENCE INFORMATION GUIDE (D BOP RIG)
    REF D IS THE DOD COMPREHENSIVE POLICY ON TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY-RELATED
    NEUROCOGNITIVE ASSESSMENTS BY THE MILITARY
    REF E IS THE DOD POLICY ON DEPLOYMENT HEALTH
    REF F IS THE DOD IMPLEMENTATION GUIDANCE FOR MANAGING BRAIN HEALTH RISKS FOR
    BLAST OVERPRESSURE//
    RMKS/1. The Department of the Navy (DON) remains committed to the health and
    safety of our Sailors and Marines. Decades of combat operations have taught
    us that some injuries particularly to the brain may not be immediately
    apparent and repeated exposure to certain conditions can have cumulative
    effects. The science surrounding these exposures continues to evolve, and we
    recognize a strong relationship between Blast Overpressure (BOP) and the
    Warfighter Brain Health (WBH).
    2. As discussed in reference (a), the WBH Initiative addresses concussions
    and other forms of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Brain injuries may result
    from direct impacts, exposure to blasts or low-level blasts or operation of
    certain weapons systems. BOP encompasses exposure to events that release
    energy through multiple pathways (impulse noise, pressure waves, body
    acceleration, and vibration), potentially causing injury. These exposures
    may occur in combat, operational evolutions and training environments.
    3. Managing risks related to BOP and WBH spans across operations, training,
    safety, medical and information communities. Reference (b) establishes four
    pounds per square inch (psi) as the action threshold for BOP exposure.
    Per reference (c), the four psi action threshold is consistently reached or
    exceeded by operators of shoulder- fired weapons. Other activities, such as
    training involving detonations, have the potential to exceed four psi and may
    amplify or prolong exposures of any level. Therefore, DON categorizes such
    personnel as high risk based on the definition below, and these personnel
    must complete a Cognitive Monitoring Program (CMP) baseline assessment by
    September 30, 2025 as required by reference (b). The Department of Defense
    (DoD) tool to complete a CMP baseline is the Automated Neuropsychological
    Assessment Metrics.
     a. High-risk is defined as all Active Component personnel assigned to
    units where they will or are likely to engage in training or operational
    activities that place them in the proximity of weapons systems recognized or
    suspected to produce hazardous BOP exposures often within a 12-month period.
    The term "often" means a more frequent or regular exposure, such as daily or
    multiple times per week, with little variability. The term "high-risk" would
    traditionally include those assigned to "warfighter" and training units.
    4. All other DON active-duty military members must be baselined by September
    30, 2027. These efforts are directly tied to overall force readiness.
    5. CMP baseline assessments have been a longstanding pre- deployment
    requirement per references (d) and (e), though previously, shipboard
    personnel were exempt. Reference (b) rescinds that exemption. Currently,
    baseline assessment capabilities exist at several locations, including Camp
    Lejeune, Camp Pendleton and Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine
    Palms. A complete list of all CMP testing sites can be found at:
    https://esportal.med.navy.mil/bumed/rh/m3/M33/Pages/TBI.aspx.
    As there are many additional sites being created across the DoD, this list
    will be updated regularly.
    6. Chief of Naval Operations and Commandant of the Marine Corps will:
     a. Designate a Navy and a Marine Corps BOP Management Action Lead at the
    O-7 level or above to be responsible and accountable for implementing BOP and
    WBH requirements including those listed in the references. Notify Assistant
    Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment (ASN (EI&E))
    via Memorandum of the BOP Management Action Lead designations no later than
    July 24, 2025. ASN
    (EI&E) will coordinate with the BOP Management Action Leads to ensure
    implementation of all requirements.
    7. The Management Action Leads for the Navy and the Marine Corps will ensure
    that Commanders and Commanding Officers:
     a. Leverage existing capabilities at installations conducting live-fire
    activities to facilitate baseline cognitive assessments for personnel who are
    deemed high-risk based on the guidance above.
     b. Utilize remaining capabilities to assess personnel who are deemed
    increased-risk based on the guidance above, followed by all remaining
    personnel if resources are available.
     c. Support the establishment of additional testing locations, including
    but not limited to, providing physical space for testing sites (when
    necessary) and identifying personnel who can serve as proctors for testing.
     d. Direct exposed personnel to existing training sites as capacity
    becomes available.
    8. All DON personnel will:
     a. Be vigilant for symptoms which may be attributable to exposure to BOP
    in oneself and others. An excellent resource created by the Defense Health
    Agency Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence is the following:
    https://health.mil/Reference-Center/Fact-Sheets/2024/10/16/Low-Level-BlastService-Members-Fact-Sheet
     b. Promptly report suspected brain injuries to the cognizant medical
    department and chain of command.
    9. Every member of the DON is responsible for minimizing the risk of brain
    injury. Through vigilance and proactive behavior, we strengthen our
    collective ability to protect our mission and our people.
    10. Our success depends on the commitment of every Sailor, Marine, civilian,
    and contractor. Together, we will maintain a secure environment that
    protects both mission accomplishment and the safety of our force.
    11. Released by the Honorable John C. Phelan, Secretary of the Navy.//
    BT
    #0001
    NNNN
    CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED/

  4. FBI deputy director Dan Bongino took a day off from work Friday after clashing at the White House with Attorney General Pam Bondi over their handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, four sources familiar with conflict told Axios.

    Why it matters: The dispute erupted Wednesday amid the fallout of the administration walking back its claims about Epstein by determining the convicted sex offender didn't have a celebrity "client list," and that he wasn't murdered in his New York City prison cell in 2019.

  5. Can you help in this case?...

    NORFOLK, Va. — Angelina Resendiz vanished from her barracks at Naval Station Norfolk the morning of Thursday, May 29. Nearly two weeks later, her body was recovered behind an elementary school in Norfolk.

    During that time, Resendiz' family grew frustrated by a lack of information provided during the investigation into her disappearance.

    We've compiled a full timeline of events from information we received from authorities and the family.

  6. Rule of Law, Due Process...

    In an interview with The New York Times, the lawyer, Erez Reuveni, who filed a detailed whistle-blower claim to the Senate last month, shared his growing sense of alarm as he defended the administration’s aggressive deportation agenda. He said he was willing to testify to Congress or in court about what he described as an intentional effort by the administration to ignore judges and the due process rights of hundreds of migrants.

  7. Not surprisingly, Hegseth has brought to the Pentagon the same disorder and disarray that has characterized his entire messed-up and messy life. Part of this mayhem is ideological: As I’ve noted in a previous column, Trump is turning the military into a MAGA institution, using troops to quell domestic protests and giving political speeches where soldiers serve as stage props. Hegseth has been very much part of this dangerous politicization of the military, working to purge the military of trans soldiers as well as removing as any positive tributes to civil rights pioneers such as Jackie Robinson and Harvey Milk. Hegseth backed down from deleting Robinson from a Defense Department website after protests, but his general crusade to create a right-wing military continues.

  8. But Americans have never witnessed anything like the corruption that President Donald Trump and his inner circle have perpetrated in recent months. Its brazenness, volume, and variety defy historical comparison, even in a country with a centuries-long history of graft—including, notably, Trump’s first four years in office. Indeed, his second term makes the financial scandals of his first—foreign regimes staying at Trump’s hotel in Washington, D.C.; the (aborted) plan to host the G7 at Trump’s hotel in Florida—seem quaint.

  9. Joy Metzler had expected to still be in uniform, working as a junior officer at her Air Force engineering job. Instead, she found herself protesting outside the United Nations, weakened from participating in a 40-day fast as she called on authorities to deliver full humanitarian aid to Gaza and end U.S. weapons transfers to Israel.

    The soft-spoken 23-year-old had pursued military service with enthusiasm. She graduated from the Air Force Academy in 2023 and received her commission the same year, hoping that the military would provide a meaningful way to give back to a country that became her home when she was adopted from China as an infant.

  10. CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED/
    ROUTINE
    R 101400Z JUL 25 MID180001837396U
    FM CNO WASHINGTON DC
    TO NAVADMIN
    INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC
    BT
    UNCLAS
    NAVADMIN 146/25
    SUBJ/2025 SEPARATION HISTORY AND PHYSICAL EXAM FITNESS TO SEPARATE VERSUS
    FITNESS TO REAFFILIATE TO SERVICE IN THE NAVY RESERVE//
    REF/A/DOC/DODI 6040.46/14APR16//
    REF/B/DOC/DoDI 1332.18 Vol 1/24FEB23//
    REF/C/DOC/DoDI 6130.03 Vol 2/04SEP20//
    REF/D/DOC/BUMEDINST 1300.6/21MAR23//
    REF/E/DOC/NAVMED CH 15/15FEB19//
    REF/F/DOC/DoDI 6130.03 Vol 1/06MAY18//
    REF/G/DOC/SECNAVINST 1770.5/23AUG18//
    REF/H/DOC/SECNAVINST M-1850.1/SEP19//
    NARR/REF A IS DOD INSTRUCTION 6040.46, THE SEPARATION HISTORY AND PHYSICAL
    EXAMINATION (SHPE) FOR THE DOD SEPARATION HEALTH ASSESSMENT PROGRAM.
    REF B IS DOD INSTRUCTION 1332.18 VOLUME 1, DISABILITY EVALUATION SYSTEM
    MANUAL: PROCESSES.
    REF C IS DOD INSTRUCTION 6130.03 VOLUME 2, MEDICAL STANDARDS FOR MILITARY
    SERVICE: RETENTION.
    REF D IS BUMEDINST 1300.6, GENERAL DEPLOYABILITY ASSESSMENTS IN SUPPORT OF
    OPERATIONAL MEDICAL READINESS.
    REF E IS NAVMED P-117, MANUAL OF THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT, CHAPTER 15.
    REF F IS DOD INSTRUCTION 6130.03 VOLUME 1, MEDICAL STANDARDS FOR MILITARY
    SERVICE: APPOINTMENT, ENLISTMENT, OR INDUCTION.
    REF G IS SECNAVINST 1770.5, MANAGEMENT AND DISPOSITION OF LINE OF DUTY
    BENEFITS FOR MEMBERS OF THE NAVY AND MARINE CORPS RESERVE.
    REF H IS SECNAVINST M-1850.1, DISABILITY EVALUATION SYSTEM MANUAL.
    POC/FORCE HEALTH PLANS AND POLICY OFFICER, RESERVE POLICY & INTEGRATION
    (N1R), NAVY BUREAU OF MEDICINE AND SURGERY/PHONE/ 703-681-9170
    RMKS/1. Per reference (a), all Service members completing a period of
    qualifying active duty must complete a SHPE. The SHPE serves primarily to:
    a. Document the member's suitability for continuing service (e.g., Reserve
    affiliation or potential return to active duty) as the baseline measurement
    of "Fitness to Separate". "Fit to separate" status at the time of retirement
    or separation does not imply that a departing Service member is devoid of
    medical conditions or diagnoses, but rather indicates:
     (1) The absence of a service-connected disability condition warranting
    referral to the Physical Evaluation Board (PEB) (except for cases where the
    PEB has already made a finding).
     (2) Member meets medical retention standards, making them physically
    qualified to satisfy Reserve affiliation obligations or be considered to reenter active service.
    2. Per references (a) and (b), SHPEs are predicated on criteria for
    retention standards, and the exam may be used for affiliation or
    reaffiliation screening for up to 36 months from the exam completion date.
    Because of this, it is essential that when conducting SHPEs providers truly
    assess the member's medical status (diagnoses and all functional limitations)
    against retention standards stated in reference (c), and document current
    stability and all duty/deployment limitations associated with each of the
    Service member's known diagnoses, and whether the Service member is fit for
    continuing service by stating "fit to affiliate" or "fit to re-affiliate".
     a. Fitness to Separate. If a provider deems a member is "fit to
    separate", but the member has a condition that is not currently in a stable
    phase of treatment or would render them as non-deployable if remaining on
    active duty, the Service member is considered not fit to immediately
    affiliate or re-affiliate with the Reserve Component (RC) and will require a
    new or updated accessions physical as per para 2.b.(3) of this policy to
    immediately affiliate or re-affiliate with the Reserve Component (RC), the
    provider must clearly document on the SHPE that the member is "NOT fit to
    affiliate" to avoid automatic clearance to affiliate or re-affiliate into the
    Active or Reserve Component with conditions that do not meet retention
    standards.
     b. Fitness to Affiliate/Re-affiliate.
     (1) For the purpose of this NAVADMIN, affiliation refers to direct
    transfer from Active Component (AC) to RC immediately after separation from
    the AC. Reaffiliation pertains to applicants with prior service in the Navy
    or Marine Corps who are not currently contracted in the Active or Reserve
    Component and desire to affiliate with the Navy or Marine Corps Reserve after
    a break in service.
     (2) Fit to affiliate/re-affiliate equates to Deployability Category
    one (DCAT1) or two (DCAT2) as defined in reference (d).
     (3) If their prior Service separation was related to a medical
    condition (e.g., a PEB finding of unfitness, administrative separation for
    fraudulent or defective enlistment related to a medical condition, or not
    being worldwide assignable due to a medical condition) the following applies:
     (a) These applicants must undergo a new or updated accessions
    physical examination, following the procedures outlined in reference (e) and;
     (b) To affiliate, these applicants are required to meet the accession
    standards for enlistment or commission, as outlined in reference (f) or
    receive a waiver of the standards.
     (4) If their prior Service separation was not related to a medical
    condition (e.g., separation at end of obligated service or separation at the
    convenience of the government), their SHPE is current within 36 months, and
    they were deemed "fit for separation" with all diagnoses noted as stable with
    a deployability assessment that equates to DCAT1 or DCAT2 as documented on
    the SHPE and "fit for affiliation/re-affiliation" (equating to Deployability
    Category one [1] or two [2]), a new accession physical is not required unless
    specifically requested by the organization through which they complete their
    re-affiliation processing. Other documents may be required in lieu of a full
    accession physical, such as an updated DD 2807-1.
     (5) An Echelon 5 medical department shall not initiate a Medical
    Retention Review for condition(s) determined in the SHPE to meet affiliation
    or re-affiliation standards for the period the SHPE is valid. MP1 Manpower
    Availability Status Code may be directly assigned if the following criteria
    are met: SHPE has been completed within the last 12 months, and Echelon 4
    Regional Medical Director reviews SHPE and confirms mobilization limiting
    medical conditions are present and meet the criteria of Physically Qualified
    - Mobilization Limited.
     (6) If the individual has been separated for over 36 months or if
    there is no available SHPE or military physical examination current within 36
    months, the individual is required to obtain a new accession physical
    examination and receive a "physically qualified" determination or medical
    waiver to re-affiliate. Other examination timelines or requirements may
    apply based on the policies of the organization through which the reaffiliation is processed.
    3. Other Findings. RC Service members on active duty for more than 30 days
    may be eligible for medical hold (MEDHOLD) per reference (g) and (h). RC
    Service members who decline or are ineligible for MEDHOLD may be eligible for
    Line of Duty Healthcare, or Line of Duty Benefits for Disability Evaluation
    System if their disability was incurred or aggravated in a qualified duty
    status pending adjudication by Benefits Issuing Authority per reference (h).
    RC Service members may enter the DES process from either MEDHOLD or LOD if
    conditions do not resolve. Limited Duty is not an administrative category
    available to RC members.
    4. The point of contact is BUMED N1R and can be reached at 703-681-9170.
    5. This NAVADMIN remains in effect until superseded or cancelled, whichever
    comes first.
    6. Released by Rear Admiral Darin K. Via, N093, Surgeon General of the
    Navy.//
    BT
    #0001
    NNNN
    CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED/

  11. 🤥 This lying by the trump administration needs to stop...

    “But that’s not a deal, that’s a threat,” Bash pressed.

    “No, that’s the level. That’s the deal. If you wanna trade with the United States, this is—” Treasury Secretary Bessent tried to explain.

    “But that’s not a negotiation, that’s just a declaration,” Bash said.

    Well, many of these countries never even contacted us,” Bessent replied.

    But just months ago, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed that the phones at the White House were “ringing off the hook” with countries calling to make deals with the United States.

  12. pResident trump is losing control... 😮

    When the British defense team came to the Pentagon in June and spoke about the U.K.’s decision to send an aircraft carrier to Asia on a routine deployment, Colby interjected with a brusque comment.

    He basically asked them, ‘Is it too late to call it back?’” said the person familiar with Trump administration dynamics. “Because we don't want you there.” A second person familiar with the meeting confirmed this account.

  13. The Navy expects to have a decision on further well testing around Naval Air Station Oceana by the end of the summer, according to a defense official.

    The Navy is currently assessing the need for additional sampling of private drinking water wells surrounding Oceana. One private well near NAS Oceana was offered an alternative source of drinking water, after an earlier round of testing. Households living near 55 bases around the country have been offered similar help.

  14. The Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR) Reserve Program (NWRP) recognized its Sailor of Year (SOY) at a ceremony in NAVWAR headquarters in San Diego Feb. 23. Electronics Technician (ET1) Makayla Burgan, from Palm Bay, Fla., was named NAVWAR’s Reserve Sailor of the Year, following a three-day board process. After Burgan’s recognition at the NAVWAR level, she went on to participate in the national SOY board in Washington, D.C. May 14-16.

    This three-day event in San Diego took place Feb. 21-23 and was modeled after the national board, including history, heritage, physical training, social and formal interview activities. The other Reserve finalists from NAVWAR included ET1 Joseph Schmidt, ET1 Terra Ritchie, ET1 Jonathan Goetz and ET1 Christopher Kane. The Sailor of the Year program was established in 1972 by then-Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Elmo Zumwalt to recognize outstanding Atlantic and Pacific Fleet Sailors. It was later expanded to include top Shore and Reserve Force Sailors as well.

    “In the NWRP, our Sailors are constantly going well above and beyond, exemplifying their dedication to enhance our warfighting capabilities through technology, as well as demonstrating the core values of honor, courage and commitment both in and out of uniform,” said Alex Aguila, command master chief of the NWRP. “Recognizing our best Sailors through the SOY program is something the Chiefs at NAVWAR and I take great pride in.” Burgan originally joined the Navy as a path towards higher education. After being active duty for six years, she signed up for the Reserve to keep serving with more flexibility. “I wanted to find a way to continue helping Sailors,” she said. “My time as a victim advocate during active duty is how I discovered I wanted to become a chaplain. They can provide counseling services and be a support system for those struggling while on deployment.” With a bachelor’s in Christian ministry and currently pursuing a master’s in divinity with a concentration in chaplaincy, she hopes to eventually join the Navy chaplain corps to be a resource to her fellow Sailors and allow them a safe place to share their experiences.

    Burgan has spent all eight years of her Reserve career with NAVWAR. As part of the NAVWAR Reserve Detachment Unit Cyber Warfare Midwest in Austin, Texas, she currently works as a cybersecurity service provider (CSSP) operations analyst. She supports the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic CSSP watch-floor in Charleston, S.C. “I’ve loved being part of the NAVWAR team. I’ve had incredible opportunities to support programs like Unmanned Systems, Project Overmatch and cyber readiness, as well as to work on the Network Operations Support Team (NST),” she said. Her NAVWAR role has also taken her around the world—including to Djibouti, Italy, Hawaii and Norfolk, Va.

    In D.C., Burgan and the four other finalists were brought together from U.S. Navy and Marine Corps commands across the country to face a board of Navy Reserve’s leadership to gauge the candidates’ knowledge, bearing and professionalism. They also toured historical sites such as the National Archives and the National Museum of the U.S. Navy to connect with the Navy’s heritage.

    “I was humbled and excited to represent NAVWAR at a national level. Spending the week with other finalists, making connections with these like-minded Sailors was truly life changing,” she said. “My time in D.C. has renewed me as both a Sailor and a leader. I would not be here without the amazing Sailors I work with and the mentors who have guided me. Grateful doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel.”

    About NAVWAR:

    NAVWAR identifies, develops, delivers and sustains information warfighting capabilities and services that enable naval, joint, coalition and other national missions operating in warfighting domains from seabed to space. NAVWAR consists of more than 11,000 civilian, active duty and reserve professionals located around the world.

  15. The big picture: Jumbled narratives and dismissive answers raise questions about what an "America First" foreign policy looks like, and who really holds the levers of power in Washington.

    Driving the news: President Trump on Monday reversed a hold on weapons shipments to Ukraine. He told his counterpart, President Volodymyr Zelensky, in the intervening days he hadn't actually ordered the freeze, according to the Wall Street Journal.

  16. Secretary of Defense Pete did not inform the White House before he authorized a pause on weapons shipments to Ukraine last week, according to five sources familiar with the matter, setting off a scramble inside the administration to understand why the halt was implemented and explain it to Congress and the Ukrainian government.

    President Donald Trump suggested on Tuesday that he was not responsible for the move. Asked on Tuesday during a Cabinet meeting whether he approved of the pause in shipments, Trump demurred, saying only that the US would continue to send defensive weapons to Ukraine. Pressed again on who authorized the pause, Trump replied, “I don’t know, why don’t you tell me?”

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