Top 5     Record deployment for destroyer USS Spruance casts doubt over US Navy maintenance (Defense News) The Arleigh-Burke class destroyer USS Spruance has set a post-World War II record for a U.S. Navy destroyer deployment and is raising questions about the maintenance work that could follow its eventual return.       2 airmen died in noncombat incidents while supporting Iran war operations (Task & Purpose) Two airmen supporting U.S. operations against Iran died this month in noncombat incidents, the Pentagon revealed late Thursday, bringing the total number of American military fatalities in the war to 23.       Pentagon tells Europeans to cool their rhetoric on Russia, sources say (Military Times) Pentagon officials have in recent weeks asked several NATO countries to tone down their rhetoric regarding the threat posed by Russia, arguing that some statements by European leaders and officials have undermined continental security, four people familiar with the matter said.       Iran targeted US air defenses then hit aircraft and buildings on Mideast bases (The Associated Press) Iran’s strikes on more than two dozen U.S. bases in the Middle East focused on early-warning systems before hitting aircraft and buildings, causing billions of dollars in equipment damage, according to an Associated Press analysis.       Low-altitude Air Force One Halloween flyover rattles DC residents (Military Times) As Washington, D.C., prepares for a Halloween weekend filled with spooky jump scares and trick-or-treaters, residents received a special unexpected fright on Thursday evening: a low-altitude, short-notice military aircraft flyover.   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.   Your Military     Navy corpsman with Marine Raiders ran into burning building to save French soldiers after Iranian attack (Task & Purpose) A Navy corpsman with Marine special operations forces was recognized with a battlefield medic award for saving the lives of French soldiers injured in a drone attack during the first month of the Iran war.   Army     Army Chaplain Corps is preparing for mass casualties in future wars (Task & Purpose) The Army is rehearsing how to temporarily bury thousands of fallen soldiers and honor their religious beliefs in a future war where recovering bodies and returning them home may be impossible until the fighting ends.       Former Fort Bragg contractor charged with leaking military secrets (Task & Purpose) A former Fort Bragg contractor was arrested Tuesday and charged with leaking national defense information online. The Department of Justice said that contractor James Thomas Ashbacher, 37, was charged with theft of government property and unlawfully transmitting and retaining national defense information.   Marine Corps     Syrian hacker gets US prison time for spree that included takeover of Marine Corps site (Stars and Stripes) A Syrian man who hijacked the Marines’ recruiting website to urge troops to disobey orders and fight alongside the forces of ousted autocrat Bashar Assad was sentenced to three-plus years in prison, the Justice Department said this week.   Veterans     The VA is hiring hundreds of claims processors; veterans encouraged to apply (Stars and Stripes) The Department of Veterans Affairs plans to hire 2,000 additional workers in fiscal 2027 to process a higher number of claims anticipated from veterans seeking disability compensation and other benefits, the agency announced.   Defense Industry     At pivotal summit, Canadian-European security cooperation is a central focus (Defense News) Canada and the European Union plan to deepen cooperation on satellite services, Arctic maritime capabilities and critical materials for defense industries at a two-day summit in Montreal that began on Thursday,  according to a draft joint statement.       New tactical comms system for US ground troops aims to break network silos (Defense News) General Dynamics revealed a new artificial intelligence-enabled, portable communications system on Thursday called the Vion, a Mission Partner Environment solution. Although its basic purpose is to give ground troops a suitcase-sized platform to exchange messages and files, the company said its real value is how it connects allied systems.       ‘Open the hives’ — Why France is turning tank gunners into FPV pilots (Defense News) Corporal Igor started a new job this year, swapping the sights of a 105 mm gun on the French Army’s AMX 10 RC reconnaissance vehicle for first-person view goggles and a handheld controller.       General Atomics developing strike-recon flying wing called NextGen that uses hybrid-electric propulsion (The War Zone) General Atomics says it is working on a new hybrid-electric-powered flying-wing-type strike/reconnaissance drone called NextGen that could be able to stay aloft for more than 60 hours.       Ukraine completes work on new missile defense system, awaits European partner components (Defense News) Ukraine has completed its share of Freyja, the multinational antiballistic shield that Europe and Kyiv are racing to bring together, the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said earlier this month, putting the onus on partner countries and their defense contractors to develop the interceptor’s remaining components fast enough to conduct initial tests by year’s end.       From tanks to space, Norway and Germany forge ahead with ‘Hansa’ defense pact (Defense News) German tank maker KNDS and Norway’s Ritek have begun producing Leopard 2A8 tanks in Norway, adding a land-based industrial foothold to a security partnership spanning submarines, missiles and military operations in Europe’s north.       Army taps Lockheed to build next-generation interceptor amid stockpile concerns (Stars and Stripes) An illustration of a PAC-3 Edge being fired from a mobile launcher. Lockheed Martin is partnering with the Army to mass-produce the Edge, which is touted as an improved means of air defense. (Courtesy of Lockheed Martin)   Ukraine     Civilians in Ukraine’s Kherson prepare for the return of war as localized ceasefire ends (The Associated Press) Civilians in Ukraine’s southeastern Kherson region prepared Sunday for the end of a localized ceasefire that has marked the most significant truce between Kyiv and Moscow since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began nearly five years ago.   International     Iran's IRGC Navy says two tankers 'exploded' after hitting mines in Hormuz (Reuters) Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ?Navy said two ?oil tankers "exploded" after striking mines while ?traveling through an "unauthorized ?route" in the Strait ?of Hormuz, ?Iranian state media ?reported on Sunday.       Pakistan military 'cautiously optimistic' on Iran-US mediation (Reuters) Pakistan’s military is “cautiously optimistic” about its mediation between Iran and the United States, its spokesman ?said on Friday in his first interview since a high-level delegation visited Tehran this week.       South Korean army sergeant dies at frontline unit with external injuries (Reuters) A South Korean army staff sergeant died after suffering external injuries at a ?frontline unit in Cheorwon near ?the North Korean border on Monday morning, ?Seoul's Defense Ministry said.       Poland calls security meeting on permanent US military base (Stars and Stripes) Poland’s president has called a meeting with senior national security officials next week to discuss efforts aimed at attracting a new permanent U.S. military base in the country.   Video     EOS Defense Systems prepares to build slinger counter-drone systems (Defense News) EOS Defense Systems discusses plans for U.S. production of its Slinger counter-drone system, AI-assisted targeting and adjustable levels of autonomy.       ‘Some of our warfighters … are feeling a divine calling’ (Defense News) Pentagon announces the Chaplain In-Service Procurement Program.   Commentary & Analysis     North Korea’s enemies within (Foreign Affairs Magazine) In 2015, the North Korean diplomat Thae Yong Ho received an unusual assignment.       Democrats haven’t thought far enough ahead on Iran (Politico) Democrats are hyping up their plans to pressure President Donald Trump to abandon the Iran war if they gain power in the midterms.       How to secure the straits (Foreign Affairs Magazine) Over the past month, Iran has made its most intense attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz since the United States and Israel declared war, in February.       The missing puzzle piece in space superiority: Why it’s time for the US government to prioritize VLEO (DefenseScoop) Over the past decade, the United States has come to recognize that space is no longer a sanctuary. China and Russia are developing weapons to disrupt, disable and destroy American satellites. The Space Force now talks openly about weapons in space, orbital warfare, and space superiority. Just last month, Air Force Secretary Troy Meink stated for the first time that the Space Force “has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action.”       The dangerous gap between veterans requesting treatment and receiving it (Federal News Network) Right now, as policy arguments continue to flare on national and local stages, a veteran somewhere is ready for treatment and still waiting on it.       How can we trust AI in national defense missions? (DefenseScoop) According to recent media reports, false intelligence generated by AI came close to causing a military confrontation with China this spring. Thinking a Chinese ship in the Middle East was carrying components for nuclear weapons, the U.S. military was prepared to board the vessel. Just before the operation was launched, it was discovered that a chatbot had inaccurately identified the ship’s cargo.       Iran used limpet mine placed on ship’s hull in latest Strait of Hormuz attack (The War Zone) A small boat in the Strait of Hormuz approached a tanker and placed two explosive devices on the hull above the waterline, causing a blast that started a fire in the engine room, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center reported.