Top 5     Pentagon needs more resources to meet requirements for assessing blast exposure, GAO finds (Military Times) Under Defense Department guidance, the military services are supposed to provide baseline cognitive assessments to all service members who work in jobs that involve blast exposure and track them throughout their careers.       Army unit offers 96-hour Grand Theft Auto binge as incentive for reenlisting (Military Times) Some soldiers at a Georgia base are being offered the chance to reenlist in exchange for four days of stealing cars, carrying out hits for mob bosses, evading the cops and watching scantily clad ladies of the night prowl street corners — virtually, of course.       United Arab Emirates suspends trade with Iran after coming under renewed missile fire (The Associated Press) The United Arab Emirates suspended all trade with Iran on Wednesday after the UAE said it had come under renewed fire from the country — a move that will further isolate the Islamic Republic, which is suffering under U.S. sanctions and a blockade.       Pentagon officials considering firing Stars and Stripes publisher, sources say (CBS News) Max Lederer, who has served as the publisher of Stars and Stripes for 19 years, this week announced to colleagues his decision to retire on Sept. 30, citing fundamental differences with the Trump administration.       Invited media and military members held at gunpoint at Space Force base in California (The Associated Press) Five news reporters and two members of the military who were invited to an event at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California were briefly detained at gunpoint by security officers who thought they were gate crashers, according to local news reports.   Operation Timeline     The human impact of policy changes at the DOD and VA (The War Horse) An ongoing timeline of the Trump administration’s actions focusing on the military and veterans.   Pentagon     Pentagon dubs M18 handgun ‘safe and reliable’ after review (Military Times) The Pentagon is defending the safety of M17 and M18 handguns — military versions of the controversial SIG Sauer P320 — saying that “there has never been a mechanically caused accidental discharge” involving the service weapon.   Congress & Politics     US, South Korea to cut length, scope of military drills after Trump order (Reuters) South Korea and the United States will cut short annual joint military drills to five days from 11 and scale back some field training, the allies said on Wednesday, after President Donald Trump ordered a substantial reduction in U.S. participation.       Israel’s deadly Gaza strikes cast more doubt on ceasefire progress days after Kushner visit (The Associated Press) Deadly airstrikes in Gaza on Wednesday cast more doubt on whether new U.S. efforts can advance a tenuous ceasefire in the Palestinian territory.   Your Military     From Navy SEAL to Army chaplain: How one veteran found a new purpose in service (Military Times) Former Navy SEAL Capt. Daron Miller found a new definition of strength when he shifted his focus from elite performance to a career as a U.S. Army chaplain, using his background to support soldiers.   Navy     US Navy destroyer spent 4 days without power in South China Sea (Defense News) A U.S. Navy destroyer went days in the South China Sea without power last month, leaving sailors without potable water, galley services, toilets or air conditioning.   Space Force     Military’s newest branch sees significant funding increase for missile defense programs (Federal News Network) Another $12.1 billion is contingent upon Congress passing another reconciliation package, which faces a difficult path in the Senate.   Cyber, Space & Unmanned     Army cyber chief reveals AI task force building agents to ‘hunt’ in the DOD network (DefenseScoop) The Army’s top cyber officer revealed Wednesday the existence of a new task force dedicated to exploring the use of artificial intelligence in the service’s cyber command, from simple staff processes to agents “hunting” in the Department of Defense Information Network (DODIN).   Defense Industry     Air Force awards contract to begin replacing unsafe housing at military medical campus (Stars and Stripes) The Air Force selected two firms to work together with the goal of delivering new housing within just two years for up to 6,000 troops training to serve in medical jobs across the military, the service said.       China’s reusable space launch booster recoveries have major military implications (The War Zone) Earlier today, Chinese firm LandSpace achieved the country’s first successful recovery of a reusable space launch rocket booster on land. This follows China’s first-ever recovery of a reusable space launch rocket booster last month.   Israel-Gaza-Lebanon-Syria     Israeli strikes hit an air base hours after a Turkish delegation visit, Syrian officials say (The Associated Press) A Turkish delegation had visited an air base in northern Syria the day before it was hit by Israeli airstrikes, Syrian officials said.       Lebanon extradites ex-Assad general to Syria for trial over alleged crimes (The Associated Press) Lebanon on Wednesday extradited a former Syrian military officer under ousted President Bashar Assad and he will be put on trial in Syria, the Interior Ministry said.       Israel’s military to open criminal probes into 2 Gaza attacks on Palestinians (The Associated Press) Israel’s military on Wednesday announced its first criminal investigations into troop conduct in Gaza, focusing on the killings of 5-year-old Hind Rajab and her family and of 15 Palestinian paramedics.   Ukraine     Russian missile barrage kills at least 6 in Kyiv, injures 33 (The Associated Press) A Russian missile barrage overnight Thursday killed at least 12 people in Kyiv as explosions echoed across Ukraine’s capital throughout the night, local authorities said.   International     A quiet channel between ICE and Iran shaped deportation flights, newly released emails show (The Associated Press) U.S. immigration officials worked with Iran to deport Iranians in 2025, newly released emails show, revealing a working relationship between the U.S. and Iranian governments despite tensions mounting between the countries.   Video     Watch that first step: see airmen hop into the sky during the 'free fall' course (Defense News) Bulgarian special forces troops worked with U.S. jumpmasters to qualify the Bulgarian jumpers on a new parachute during a 2019 exercise.       Army opens military test ranges to private companies to speed innovation (Defense News) Companies will be able to request access to test drones and other tech in a military environment in a bid to hasten development.       DARPA explores novel designs for high-payload drones | Defense News Weekly Full Episode 8.18.26 (Defense News) Looking to develop lightweight drones that can carry four times their own weight in cargo, DARPA offers millions in the “Lift Challenge.” Find out who won.       Woman arrested after defacing WWII Memorial with graffiti (Defense News) Police have arrested a suspected after suds were poured into the World War II Memorial fountain and a message painted on it this week.   Commentary & Analysis     How alliances survive (Foreign Affairs Magazine) In 1984, months after the Reagan administration’s decision to deploy Pershing II intermediate-range nuclear missiles to Western Europe brought hundreds of thousands of protesters into the streets of Europe’s major cities.       Managed instability: Why the wars against Iran and Ukraine can go on and on and on… (War on the Rocks) The Iran war is beginning to resemble the Ukraine war in one important way. Operationally, the wars themselves are still very different — Ukraine is a large-scale ground invasion, while the Iran war is not there just yet. But their political logic after a failure to achieve a quick result is starting to look very similar.       How the US Navy is helping get oil through the Strait of Hormuz (The New York Times) With Iran making ship traffic perilous, a U.S. operation offers a way out for some energy exports, stealthily shepherding tankers on dangerous journeys.       Why the Philippines is central to America’s strategy in Asia (The Wall Street Journal) When the USS Independence pulled away from this U.S. military base in March 1992, sailors stood in formation on the aircraft carrier’s runway to spell out two words: “Farewell Subic.” Months later, the sprawling naval base was formally handed over to the Philippines.       UK-Ukraine drone partnership risks Putin’s wrath but will boost long-term security (The Conversation) When the UK allowed Ukraine to use British-supplied Storm Shadow cruise missiles against targets inside Russia in late 2024, Moscow predictably accused London of escalating the war and threatened retaliation.       Proving the negative: three warnings from arms control for the age of AI (War on the Rocks) In early 1963, a single number characterized the difference in the positions of the United States and the Soviet Union on a comprehensive nuclear test ban.       How AI could hollow out the US military (Foreign Affairs Magazine) When people think about the risks of mixing AI and armed forces, their thoughts often drift to one famous film franchise: the Terminator. Its premise is simple. American scientists invent a superintelligent computer system, called Skynet. The Department of Defense then integrates it into the military and embodies its intelligence into lethal robots. Skynet soon becomes self-aware, and American military leaders attempt to unplug it. In response, the AI starts a nuclear war and deploys its robots—the terminators—to eliminate the human race.       North Korea is a US threat (The Wall Street Journal) President Trump’s sudden decision to reduce military exercises with South Korea ignores the danger posed by North Korea.       How Ukraine’s strikes on Russian warehouses became a problem in Kyrgyzstan (The Conversation) Ukraine’s campaign to target Russia’s e-commerce giant Wildberries has had impacts far beyond the Russian federation. For Russia, Wildberries is comparable to Amazon, accounting for about 50% of the country’s online retail market. But its market place is used by manufacturers as far afield as Central Asia.