Top 5     Sailors aboard USS Gerald R. Ford reportedly lost their beds amid fire (Military Times) More than 600 service members and crew members aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford are without a bed after a fire aboard the ship Thursday, The New York Times reported.       VA’s review of disability claims for fraud won’t include past filings, officials say (Military Times) The Department of Veterans Affairs is developing a tool that will analyze veterans’ disability claims applications for fraud — a program VA officials say could identify providers or companies that abuse the system.       Ali Larijani, believed to be running Iran since the beginning of the war, is killed in a strike (The Associated Press) Ali Larijani, a top Iranian security official and a conservative force within Iran’s theocracy, was killed in an Israeli strike, Iranian authorities confirmed Tuesday. He was 67.       Top Trump official resigns over Iran, blaming Israel for march to war (Military Times) Joe Kent, one of the United States’ top counterterrorism officials, announced his immediate resignation on Tuesday, arguing that President Donald Trump had been led into an unnecessary war with Iran — in part by undue influence from Israel.       Trump no longer wants allies to send warships to open the Strait Of Hormuz (The War Zone) A day after several allies rejected his demand they send warships to the Strait of Hormuz, President Donald Trump said he no longer wants their help. In a post on his Truth Social platform, the U.S. leader excoriated the NATO alliance and other countries for not coming to America’s aid when needed.   US Strikes in Caribbean and Eastern Pacific     A list of US military strikes against alleged drug-carrying vessels (Military Times) Since early September 2025, the U.S. military has conducted strikes against alleged drug-carrying vessels in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean in support of what the Pentagon has called continued counternarcotics efforts.   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’s Golden Dome cost estimate grows to $185 Billion (Air & Space Forces Magazine) The Pentagon has increased the cost estimate for its Golden Dome advanced missile defense shield by $10 billion in recent months due to demand for more space sensing, tracking, and data transport capabilities, the general in charge of the effort said March 17.       Pentagon plans to mass produce attack drone used in Iran war (Bloomberg) The Pentagon is planning to mass produce one-way LUCAS attack drones, which have been deployed by US forces in the current war in the Middle East after they were created by reverse-engineering Iran’s cheap and deadly Shahed system.   Your Military     Soldiers remember a leader killed in Kuwait as ‘surrogate dad’ (Task & Purpose) Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan, who was killed in a March 1 drone attack in Kuwait, was a ‘surrogate dad’ to so many in his Iowa-based reserve unit that some are now raising money to help dozens of his soldiers determined to attend his funeral in California later this month.       Smokeless nicotine seen as 'bridge' for military members, veterans quitting cigarettes (The Hill) Smokeless nicotine products are being seen as a “bridge” to quitting cigarettes for former and current members of the military, which has an entrenched culture of tobacco use, multiple experts said.       Nonprofit expands free legal support for military-connected survivors of sexual assault (Stars and Stripes) A nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and advocating for military-connected survivors of sexual assault added more capacity to its free legal support services hoping it will no longer have to turn away anyone in need.   Navy     US carrier Ford to go to port temporarily after fire (Reuters) The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, deployed in operations against Iran, is expected to temporarily pull into port after a fire on board, U.S. officials said on Tuesday, the 18th day of the war with Tehran.   Marine Corps     Marines approve red dot optics for pistol qualification — under one condition (Military Times) Marines can now complete their handgun qualification using a pistol equipped with a red dot optic, according to a policy change announced in a Marine Administrative Message last week. However, there is a caveat: the optic — an M17 Romeo red dot — must be purchased and issued by the Marine’s unit.       Marines to host weeklong Harrier aircraft sundown celebration honoring its legacy (Military Times) The U.S. Marine Corps is hosting celebrations to honor the Harrier aircraft and its service members as it reaches its end of service life.   AIr Force     Air Force scales back B-52 radar upgrade program, plans new engine testing (Air & Space Forces Magazine) The Air Force is deferring parts of the B-52’s radar upgrade and plans to start outfitting two Stratofortresses with new engines for testing in fiscal 2027, according to a new Pentagon report, as the service strives to keep the bomber’s modernization on track.       1 killed, another injured in shooting at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico (CBS News) Military officials say a shooting at a U.S. Air Force base in New Mexico has left one person dead and another wounded.       Court-martial clears Air Force captain accused of strangling his daughter (Stars and Stripes) An Air Force trauma nurse was acquitted this week of four domestic violence counts stemming from a family dispute 15 months ago on this airlift hub in western Tokyo.   Space Force     Space Force overhauls buying structure with new mission portfolios (Space News) The U.S. Space Force is moving ahead with a sweeping reorganization of how it buys satellites and related systems, part of a broader Pentagon effort to speed procurement and make better use of commercial technology.   National Guard     Hawaii National Guard activates 90 troops in wake of tropical cyclone flooding (Stars and Stripes) The Hawaii National Guard activated about 90 soldiers and airmen over the weekend to deal with emergencies arising from flooding and power outages from a massive storm that hit the state.   Veterans     Gunman killed and one person hospitalized after a shooting at a Georgia VA clinic, police say (The Associated Press) There was a shooting Tuesday at a Department of Veterans Affairs clinic in a small town at the foot of the Blue Ridge mountains in Georgia, and the gunman was shot and killed, police said.       Veterans Affairs to be part of new presidential task force targeting fraud (Stars and Stripes) The Department of Veterans Affairs will join a new task force established by President Donald Trump to develop a national strategy “to stop fraud, waste and abuse” in federal benefits programs.   Defense Industry     US Navy taps Gecko Robotics to help remedy maintenance headaches (Defense News) The U.S. Navy is taking steps toward remedying ongoing maintenance delays by enlisting the help of artificial intelligence and robotic systems, the service announced.       Canadian military invests in sovereign launch (Space News) The Canadian military announced March 16 a major investment in both launch facilities and companies in a bid to create a sovereign space access capability.   Ukraine     Zelenskyy will discuss Russia-Ukraine war with British leader and NATO chief in London (The Associated Press) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Russia and Iran “brothers in hatred” on Tuesday as he sought support from U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a time when the Iran war has robbed momentum from U.S.-brokered talks to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.   International     Israel’s killing of Ali Larijani could allow military to tighten grip on Iran (The New York Times) As Iran’s top national security official, Mr. Larijani had a reputation for acting as a bridge between hard-line figures in the armed forces and more moderate political factions.       European allies tell Trump ‘nein,’ ‘non’ and ‘no’ on help to force open Hormuz Strait (Defense News) European NATO allies pushed back against demands by U.S. President Donald Trump to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz by force, weeks after Iran shut down the majority of shipping through the critical trade artery in response to the American-Israeli war against the country.       Iran war is not delaying US weapons shipments to Taiwan, officials say (Reuters) The war on Iran has not delayed shipments of weapons to Taiwan or changed U.S. policy toward the island, officials from President Donald Trump’s administration told members of Congress on Tuesday, despite the demands of the intense air campaign.       US, South Korean troops sharpen battlefield coordination in Mojave Desert exercise (Stars and Stripes) U.S. and South Korean troops have completed 12 days of training in the California desert aimed at sharpening their ability to fight together in modern combat, South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense said Tuesday.       Iran war pushes countries into energy triage as they conserve power and curb soaring prices (The Associated Press) The escalating war with Iran is pushing parts of the world into energy triage, forcing governments to choose where to cut demand or absorb costs, while prioritizing dwindling supplies.   Military Culture & History     Tomb of the Unknown Soldier nears 100 years of military guard (Stars and Stripes) The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia will reach a milestone of being continuously guarded by service members for 100 years on March 25.   Video     A-10 Warthog mid-air refueling caught on camera (Military Times) Mid-mission refuel during Operation Epic Fury: A U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II connects with a KC-135 Stratotanker over U.S. Central Command.   Commentary & Analysis     Patriot air defense interception is costly: Here’s how it works (Defense News) As missile and drone attacks intensify across the Middle East, U.S. forces are leaning heavily on air defense systems like the Patriot missile battery to intercept incoming threats.       The US built a blueprint to avoid civilian war casualties. Trump officials scrapped it (Defense One) Images from the missile strike in southern Iran were more horrifying than any of the case studies Air Force combat veteran Wes J. Bryant had pored over in his mission to overhaul how the U.S. military safeguards civilian life.       How does the Iran war affect China’s energy security? (War on the Rocks) Since the beginning of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, a key question constantly asked is how Beijing might react — assuming that China’s economy relies on oil imported from Iran and shipped through the Strait of Hormuz. In reality, however, China is 85 percent energy self-sufficient. While China imports more than 10 percent of its global oil total from Iran, its energy supply has long been diversified internationally and electrified domestically to avoid critical dependence on any single source.