Top 5     US has conducted defensive strikes on Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz, US official says (The Associated Press) The United States has conducted defensive strikes on some Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. official said Monday, on the eve of crucial midterm elections.       Marine Corps removes extension waivers for transgender troops fighting to remain in the military (Military Times) The U.S. Marine Corps announced Friday that transgender troops whose service contract is set to expire will no longer be able to apply for extension waivers while they argue their case to continue serving before a military separation board.       Hegseth announces pathway for troops to become military chaplains (Military Times) Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced on Friday a new program for active-duty service members who want to become military chaplains, allowing eligible personnel to pursue graduate theological education without having to leave the service first.       US approves $2.1 billion Patriot missile sale to Ukraine (Military Times) The U.S. State Department said on Friday it had approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles to Ukraine for an estimated $2.1 billion, in what would be one of the most significant steps to supply defensive weapons to Kyiv since the start of the second Trump administration.       Military recruiting up as youth unemployment rises (Tribune News Service) In their bright orange junior ROTC shirts, Air Academy High School students pushed each other to do as many sit-ups as possible on a breezy fall day in October.   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 urges NATO allies to tone down warnings about Russia, report says (Stars and Stripes) Pentagon officials have urged several NATO allies to tone down their public warnings about Russia, arguing that some statements by European leaders could undermine security in Europe, according to a news report.   Congress & Politics     Trump, Hegseth underwater on approval from military members, veterans: Poll (The Hill) President Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth are underwater in their approval ratings with veterans and military members, according to a poll conducted by Common Defense.  In a survey of 731 active-duty service members, veterans and military families, 67 percent of respondents said they believe military decisions under Trump are being made for political...   Your Military     A West Point cadet drugged his girlfriend to force an unwanted abortion. Then he went to grad school (The Associated Press) A onetime West Point cadet drugged his then-girlfriend in her barracks room, administered abortion pills to her against her will and caused a miscarriage. Then he went on to study at two Ivy League universities, starting at one of them after he pleaded guilty to assault, according to court records and a new lawsuit.   Army     Army contractor accused of posting classified videos online (Military Times) Federal agents arrested a former government contractor at Fort Bragg last week for allegedly posting videos of classified military operations to social media and stealing a pair of night vision goggles.   Marine Corps     Marine Force-Southeast Asia will maintain continuous presence in the Philippines (USNI News) Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia is now on its second continuous rotation to the Philippines, the service announced last week.   Veterans     VA physicians’ and dentists’ association urges pause in new health record system rollouts (GovExec) A leading association representing physicians and dentists across the Department of Veterans Affairs’ network of almost 170 medical facilities is calling on lawmakers to halt additional rollouts of the agency’s new Oracle Health electronic health record system until independent evaluations of the software can be conducted.   Cyber, Space & Unmanned     China’s new drone carrier launches, recovers first autonomous combat aircraft (USNI News) The Chinese Navy’s new Type 076 drone carrier launched and recovered a stealthy unmanned combat aerial vehicle for the first time last week in the service’s latest effort to bring the new vessel online.   Defense Industry     Russia is giving its drones bigger antennas to beat Ukrainian jamming (Defense News) Russia is fitting drones with larger jam-resistant antennas, making it harder for Ukrainian forces to use electronic countermeasures to scramble their navigation signals, Ukrainian officials said.       US military risks falling behind in race to copy battlefield innovations, report warns (Stars and Stripes) The U.S. military may be too slow to steal its enemies’ best ideas, losing a potential edge on a future battlefield that will put a premium on being the quickest copycat, according to a new think tank assessment.       Tiny Ukrainian receiver intercepts Russian drone feeds in real time (Defense News) A new pocket-sized receiver can co-opt video from Russian unmanned systems, allowing Ukrainian drone operators to intercept enemy live feeds in real time, the device’s makers said this month, while adding only a little extra weight to operators’ kits.       Oshkosh partners with startup to build military drones (Military Times) Oshkosh Defense announced Monday a partnership with Silicon Valley startup Grid Aero to manufacture large military drones, which would be the first aircraft produced by the Wisconsin-based company.       Australia unveils secretive Ghost Shark underwater drone payloads (Defense News) Australian military officials have been furtive about how they will use Anduril-developed Ghost Shark extra-large autonomous underwater vehicles – or XLAUVs. However, they recently lifted the lid on some payloads the Royal Australian Navy is fielding.   Ukraine     Russia bombs aid center and shelter in southern Ukraine, killing 26, officials say (The Associated Press) Russia bombed an aid distribution center and neighboring shelter in southern Ukraine on Monday, killing 26 people, Ukrainian officials said.   Military Culture & History     Air and Space Museum to unveil ‘Modern Military Aviation’ on Veterans Day (Military Times) More than 80 years separate B-29s dropping the atomic bombs on Japan and the P-51 providing revolutionary long-range escorts for Allied bombers over the skies of Germany. In an age of drones and unmanned aircraft, crewed aircraft almost carry the patina of the past.   Video     From no credit to good credit — start here | Money Minute (Military Times) Building good credit is often easier than you think — follow these tips for getting back on track.       What could the Humvee of the future look like? (Military Times) From vehicles to wearable drone detection, new soldier systems were on display at AUSA 2026. Check out a roundup of our social coverage.       Big deals in European defense and American fighters | Defense Dollars (Military Times) International weapons makers step forward with new interceptors and deals for armored vehicles, while an American company secures a fighter contract.       Rise of the defense industry innovators | Defense News Weekly Full Episode 11.3.26 (Military Times) As the American military seeks new capabilities and advanced systems amid rapid change, defense companies of all sizes showcased their solutions at a major defense conference.       National Air and Space Museum opens ‘Modern Military History’ exhibit (Military Times) The Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum timed a new addition to debut on Veterans Day that focuses on aircraft and weapons from conflicts post-WWII onward.       High-energy lasers, drones and power: Innovations in defense tech | Business of Defense – Part 1 (Federal Times) From industry stalwarts to small startups, defense tech creators are looking to provide solutions as conflict morphs on a monthly basis. See some of what they had to offer at AUSA 2026.   Commentary & Analysis     A nuclear strike on Iran? It sounds absurd because it is. Let’s talk about it (The War Zone) On Sunday evening, commentator Tucker Carlson made a chilling claim: U.S. President Donald Trump may soon use nuclear weapons against Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain facility.       These are the US weapons most at risk in the looming rare earths supply crisis (The War Zone) A new report from the think tank founded by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt quantifies the grim realities of the U.S. defense industrial base’s dependence on China for critical rare earth minerals. It also details which weapons systems might face the most impact if that delicate supply relationship breaks down.       How airmen are leading a ‘revolution’ in aircraft maintenance (Task & Purpose) A new system developed by airmen could save billions of dollars, boost aircraft readiness, and improve the quality of life for maintainers.       The command we must start (The Cipher Brief) In 1928, Secretary of War Dwight Davis ordered the Army to assemble an experimental mechanized force of tanks, armored cars, and motorized infantry at Camp Meade, Maryland. It was disbanded within months.       Beyond great forces (Foreign Affairs Magazine) History used to be told as the story of great men. Julius Caesar, Frederick the Great, George Washington, Napoléon Bonaparte, Adolf Hitler, Mao Zedong—individual leaders, both famous and infamous, were thought to drive events. But then it became fashionable to tell the same stories in terms of broader structural forces: raw calculations of national power, economic interdependence, or ideological waves. Leaders came to be seen as just vehicles for other, more important factors, their personalities and predilections essentially irrelevant. What mattered was not great men or women but great forces.       Lessons from Hamas’ playbook: The psychology of captivity, hostage exploitation, and the manipulation of western audiences (Small Wars Journal) This article examines the psychology of hostage handling and exploitation and how this was used by Hamas after October 7 to manipulate Western audiences, especially in the realm of social media.