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Defense
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Defense officials are telling Congress that the military services are still reviewing possible discipline of troops who refused the order to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Officials provided few details on how many of those who were forced out of the military would like to return. During a congressional hearing Tuesday, lawmakers questioned why service members should still face discipline since the vaccine requirement has been rescinded. The undersecretary of defense for personnel, Gilbert Cisneros Jr., told a House Armed Services subcommittee that some service members who disobeyed the lawful order to get the vaccine — and did not seek any type of exemption — are still going through the review process.
February 28, 2023 -
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The Pentagon has formally dropped its COVID-19 vaccination mandate, but a new memo signed by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also gives commanders some discretion in how or whether to deploy troops who are not vaccinated.
January 10, 2023 -
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The COVID-19 vaccine mandate for members of the U.S. military would be rescinded under the annual defense bill heading for a vote this week in Congress. If the measure passes, it will end a policy that helped ensure the vast majority of troops were vaccinated but also raised concerns that it harmed recruitment and retention.
December 06, 2022 -
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House investigators say a federal contractor that provided identity verification services for the Internal Revenue Service overstated its capacity to perform its services. The investigators say ID.me also made false claims about the amount of money lost to pandemic fraud in an apparent effort to increase demand for its services. The investigation of firm ID.me began in April after critics said the facial recognition software could become a target of cyberthreats and presented privacy concerns. A company representative says “calling ID.me’s estimate too high or baseless is premature, and we welcome additional oversight on this important matter."
November 17, 2022 -
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The head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection has resigned from his job leading the nation’s largest law enforcement agency as agents encounter record numbers of migrants entering the U.S. from Mexico. Chris Magnus submitted his resignation to President Joe Biden on Saturday, saying it had been “a privilege and honor” to be part of the administration. Two people who were briefed on the matter told The Associated Press on Friday that Magnus was told to resign or be fired less than a year after he was confirmed. His removal is part of a larger shakeup expected at Homeland Security as it struggles to manage migrants coming from a wider range of countries, including Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua.
November 12, 2022 -
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The head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection is being forced out of his job leading the nation’s largest law enforcement agency, according to two people familiar with the matter. Chris Magnus has been on the job less than a year. He was told to resign or be fired, according to two people with direct knowledge of the matter who were not authorized to discuss it publicly and Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council. The ultimatum comes after Republican gains in midterm elections are likely to lead to more congressional scrutiny.
November 11, 2022 -
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The U.S. is celebrating Veterans Day at a time when the nation is experiencing some of its lowest monthly veteran unemployment rates on record. The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the seasonally adjusted veteran jobless rate was 2.7% in October. Experts say the low numbers are due in part to the tight labor market. But they also credit significant efforts in recent years by the federal government and veteran service organizations to provide assistance to former service members. Leaving the military can be one of the most difficult transitions a person can make. The transformation sometimes takes years of working unfulfilling jobs, while finding a new purpose beyond serving one’s country.
November 11, 2022 -
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U.S. Army officials say investigators have launched a broad review of at least 1,900 National Guard and Reserve soldiers who were swept up in a recruiting bonus scandal up to a decade ago and may have been wrongly blamed and punished.
November 03, 2022 -
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A new U.S. defense strategy says China remains the greatest security challenge for the United States despite Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. It says the threat from Beijing will determine how the U.S. military is equipped and shaped for a future. 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. The 80-page, unclassified report was released on Thursday.
October 27, 2022 -
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The Pentagon will provide travel funds and support for troops and their dependents who seek abortions but are based in states where they are now illegal. The Pentagon has looked at how it can continue to support medical services including abortion to servicemembers and family members since the Supreme Court overturned its own 1973 abortion-legalizing ruling in June. The new policy was announced Thursday by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Many of the Pentagon’s major military bases are located in states including Texas and Florida where anti-abortion laws are now in place.
October 20, 2022 -
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A new report and Pentagon data show that suicides across the active duty U.S. military decreased over the past 18 months, driven by sharp drops in the Air Force and Marine Corps last year and a similar decline among Army soldiers during the first six months of this year.
October 20, 2022 -
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Officials say a fugitive Malaysian defense contractor nicknamed “Fat Leonard” at the center of a Navy bribery scandal was trying to head to Russia before Venezuelan authorities captured him.
September 22, 2022 -
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President Joe Biden has marked the 21st anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, taking part in a somber wreath-laying ceremony held at the Pentagon under a steady rain
September 11, 2022 -
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The escape of the Malaysian defense contractor at the center of one of the Navy's biggest corruption scandals is as stunning and brazen as the case itself
September 07, 2022
