Aug 15 Pentagon will require cognitive assessments to protect military personnel from 'blast overpressure' By David Sharp, Associated Press The Defense Department is going to require cognitive assessments for new personnel as part of updated guidance aimed at protecting personnel from “blast overpressure” as leaders seek to mitigate risks of brain injury associated with repeated blasts. Continue reading
Feb 29 WATCH: Pentagon holds news briefing as Austin testifies on medical absence to House committee By Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin faced pointed bipartisan criticism at a congressional hearing Thursday for his failure to promptly notify President Joe Biden and other U.S. leaders about his hospital stay last month. Republicans demanded to know why no one has… Continue reading
Feb 01 Watch 4:15 Austin apologizes for failing to tell White House about his cancer and hospitalization By Solveig Rennan, Eliot Barnhart Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin offered a full apology for failing to disclose his battle with prostate cancer. The military's second-in-command kept President Biden in the dark when he was initially diagnosed in December and during subsequent hospitalizations. That prompted new… Continue watching
Jan 08 Watch 5:17 Why the White House didn't know about Defense Secretary Austin's hospitalization By Nick Schifrin, Dan Sagalyn The Pentagon said Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is out of intensive care after spending at least four days there last week for complications from an elective procedure performed before Christmas. But many questions about his illness remain, including why… Continue watching
Aug 16 North Korea says U.S. soldier Travis King who crossed border was disillusioned with American inequality By Hyung-Jin Kim, Associated Press The soldier's family said his mother is appealing to North Korea to treat her son humanely. Continue reading
Oct 27 WATCH: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says, despite Russia's war, China still top threat to U.S. By Tara Copp, Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press The Pentagon notes a new reality, where the security environment has deteriorated, and the U.S. may face a situation where it has to deter two nuclear-armed adversaries, China and Russia, simultaneously. Continue reading
May 27 AP report: Deep-rooted racism and discrimination permeate U.S. military By Kat Stafford, James Laporta, Aaron Morrison, Associated Press The military's judicial system has no explicit category for hate crimes, making it difficult to quantify crimes motivated by prejudice, and the Defense Department also has no way to track the number of troops ousted for extremist views, despite its… Continue reading
Feb 19 Air Force orders new review into racial, ethnic disparities By Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press The Air Force inspector general will conduct a second investigation into racial and ethnic disparities across the force. Service leaders say the review will include gender and additional racial categories such as Asian and American Indian. Continue reading
Nov 14 Watch 5:39 What role will the presidential transition play in U.S. defense strategy? By PBS NewsHour The transition from a Trump administration to a Biden administration is likely to bring changes at the Pentagon, Department of Defense, and could impact defense strategies both at home and abroad. Mark Cancian, Senior Adviser at the Center for Strategic… Continue watching
Dec 12 Pentagon tests long-banned ballistic missile over Pacific By Robert Burns, Associated Press The Pentagon on Thursday flight-tested a missile that had been banned under a treaty that the United States and Russia abandoned last summer. Some U.S. arms control advocates said the test risks an unnecessary arms race with Moscow. Continue reading