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SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Military aircraft from San Diego were on standby to help Los Angeles firefighters stop the spread of the major fires wreaking havoc on communities from the Pacific Coast to inland Pasadena. President Joe Biden announced 10 Navy helicopters would be deployed as part of the federal response to the disaster, but as of Wednesday evening, the Navy says it hasn't happened yet.

The Kremlin said Thursday that it’s keeping a close eye on President-elect Donald Trump’s ongoing pursuit of Greenland. Earlier this week, Trump said he would not rule out using military force to seize the strategically-important Arctic island that’s an autonomous territory of Denmark, saying it was in the U.S.′ economic and national interest.

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France and Germany on Wednesday warned Donald Trump against threatening "sovereign borders" after the US president-elect refused to rule out military action to take Greenland, an autonomous territory of European Union member Denmark. "There is no question of the EU letting other nations in the world, whoever they may be... attack its sovereign borders," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told France Inter radio.

The first thing I learned about Japan was that the summers are hot. Extremely hot and extremely humid. I learned this in August 2022 the hard way—pushing an overweight suitcase and backpack up steep hills, navigating from the vague directions on my phone. The second thing I learned is that Japan isn’t big on street signs. The third thing? It’s the perfect place to be thrown into the deep end when you are brand-new to being a military spouse.

President Jimmy Carter, the nation's 39th chief executive and the first U.S. Naval Academy graduate to serve in the Oval Office, began his final journey Saturday with a procession that intertwined the small-town rhythms of Plains, Georgia, and the weighty traditions of American military pageantry. His was a life well lived, one whose actions epitomized the motto of his alma mater, the U.S. Naval Academy: non sibi sed patriae — "not for self, but for country."

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday refused to rule out invading Greenland or Panama when asked if the U.S. could use military force to acquire the Arctic island or the canal in the Central American country. Asked if he would rule out economic or military coercion to gain control of Greenland and the Panama Canal, Trump said, “I’m not gonna commit to that. No. It might be that you’ll have to do something.”

District Judge Aileen Cannon on Tuesday blocked the release of special counsel Jack Smith’s final report on his investigations into President-elect Donald Trump. Her order prevents Smith and the Justice Department from moving forward with releasing the report until the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals has time to review the emergency motion by Trump’s codefendants to block the report’s release.

Aviation Electrician’s Mate 1st Class Trevor Lamoreau exemplifies the Navy’s "Street to Fleet" philosophy, showcasing the transformative impact of Naval Education and Training Command (NETC). Inspired by his grandfather’s service, Lamoreau joined the Navy in 2012, advancing through rigorous NETC training that prepared him for pivotal roles in Naval Aviation, including as a troubleshooter and member of the Blue Angels. Now a SERE school instructor, he leverages his experience to train service members in critical survival skills, contributing to fleet readiness. Lamoreau’s journey highlights the Navy’s dedication to building resilient, skilled leaders ready for any challenge.

Each year, as directed by the Congress, the Department of Defense submits a report with the President’s budget describing the Navy’s plan for its future fleet for the next 30 years. In this report, the Congressional Budget Office analyzes the Navy’s 2025 plan and estimates its costs. Overall, the Navy wants to build a larger fleet whose firepower is distributed among more ships than it is today

The Navy says it is continuing to investigate what led to the USS Gettysburg firing at a Navy fighter in the Red Sea in the early hours of December 22. The Pentagon has released few details of the accident, but the two F/A-18 crew members ejected seconds before the missile struck. They suffered minor injuries. The USS Gettysburg is part of a strike group engaged in an attack on Houthi rebel positions in Yemen. The terrorist group has been disrupting international shipping since the start of the war in Gaza in 2023.

NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, MD -- The U.S. Navy announced today that it has awarded Northrop Grumman Corp. a $3.5 billion contract to conduct the mission-systems integration for the E-130J, which will be the successor to the E-6B Mercury for the Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) mission.

Michigan police are investigating the mysterious drowning death of a father of two and Navy veteran who was last seen with family at a popular vacation spot in Frankenmuth – a Bavarian-inspired town between Saginaw and Flint. The Frankenmuth Police Department (FPD) and its dive teams found and recovered Robert Loren Bacon, 52, from the Cass River near Heritage Park on Jan. 4.

Many U.S. military service members anticipate significant increases to their pay and allowances in 2025, such as a 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted troops and an average 5.4% bump in Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates, varying by location and other factors.

Under the Navy’s 2025 shipbuilding plan, total shipbuilding costs would average about $40 billion per year (in 2024 dollars) through 2054, CBO estimates, as the Navy built a fleet of 390 battle force ships.

WASHINGTON — Chronic pain, sleep disorders and increasing health challenges were identified as risk factors that veterans most frequently reported to doctors at the Department of Veterans Affairs prior to their deaths by suicide from 2020-2022, according to a new VA report. Read more at: https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2025-01-02/veterans,-suicides,-chronic-pain,-sleep-disorders-16353382.html Source - Stars and Stripes

DFAS Retiree Newsletter - Dec

Cost: The Zumwalt-class destroyers are the U.S. Navy’s largest and most advanced, featuring stealth technology, advanced weapon systems, and unmatched undersea warfare capabilities. -Designed for multi-role missions, including land attack, anti-air, and anti-submarine warfare, the Zumwalt-class cost $24.5 billion but fell short due to extreme costs, limited functionality, and an abandoned Advanced Gun System. Only three were built instead of the planned 32.

Are you a Veteran who served at least two periods of service? In other words, did you reenlist? If so, there’s a chance that you’re eligible for additional G.I. Bill benefits. Today, VA announced that it has updated its process for awarding G.I. Bill benefits. This means that many Veterans who served multiple periods of military service (for example, Veterans who reenlisted) may be eligible for additional benefits for themselves or their beneficiaries.

WASHINGTON, Jan 3 (Reuters) - President-elect Donald Trump complained on Friday that American flags would still be lowered to half-staff in honor of the late President Jimmy Carter during Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration. President Joe Biden ordered flags lowered to half-staff for 30 days from the day of Carter's death on Dec. 29, as is custom when a U.S. president dies.

The Presidential Citizens Medal, the second highest civilian award of our government, was established to recognize U.S. citizens who have performed “exemplary deeds of service for our nation.” Past recipients include Hank Aaron, Muhammed Ali, Bob Dole, Robert Gates and Colin Powell. At the White House on Jan. 2, President Biden added Navy Captain (Ret) Dr. Frank Butler and 19 others to this list.

Military commanders will lose their authority to overturn court-martial findings in the most serious sexual harassment cases as of Jan. 1, the Pentagon said Tuesday. Read more at: https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2024-12-31/sexual-harassment-military-special-trial-counsels-16335871.html Source - Stars and Stripes

President-elect Donald Trump has promised to increase the pace of U.S. military shipbuilding. But his pledge to also clamp down on immigration could make it hard for shipyards already facing workforce shortages.

The United States military said Tuesday its forces had "conducted multiple precision strikes" that hit Houthi targets in Yemen's capital. The targets had been used by the Iran-backed rebels used to attack American warships and commercial vessels, U.S. Central Command said in a news release. The attacks began on Monday and continued on Tuesday. A video shared by the command shows planes taking off and rockets being launched from a ship.

Information warfare experts are increasingly in demand across the U.S. Navy, and in a move made this month, they’ll now be eligible for sea command. Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro amended service regulations to create more command opportunities for information warfare officers. He released a message about the change this month.