Top 5     US-built Gaza aid pier will be dismantled after troubled mission (The Associated Press) Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, deputy commander at U.S. Central Command, told reporters in a Pentagon briefing on Wednesday that the pier achieved its intended effect in what he called an “unprecedented operation.”       Sailors can now wear regular clothes when they eat in shore galleys (Navy Times) The Navy is revamping its clothing policy for sailors at its shore galleys — relaxing the rules and standardizing policy across the service.       Pentagon leaker Jack Teixeira to face court-martial (The Associated Press) The U.S. Air Force said in a statement Wednesday that he will be tried at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts but no date has been set.       How the Swedish Air Force is finding its flow as part of NATO (Defense News) The commander of the Swedish Air Force, Maj. Gen. Jonas Wikman, has led the flying force since December 2022, overseeing the integration efforts of Sweden into NATO’s deterrence and defense posture since joining the alliance in March. He spearheads a force of 2,700 military personnel and fighter fleet numbering almost 100 aircraft. Sweden has proposed to increase its defense spending to 2.6% relative to the size of its economy by 2030.       Navy clears Black sailors unjustly punished after 1944 deadly blast (The Associated Press) The U.S. Navy has exonerated 256 Black sailors who were found to be unjustly punished in 1944 following a horrific port explosion that killed hundreds of service members and exposed racist double standards among the then-segregated ranks.   Helpful Resources     Your 2024 Military Times Pay and Benefits Guide (Military Times) Learn how your military benefits — including health care, retirement pay and more — have changed in 2024.       Your 2024 Military Times Tax Guide (Military Times) It’s that time of year again — tax season. And April 15 is just around the corner.       Your 2024 Military Times PCS Guide (Military Times) Read up on tips and tricks in Military Times' 2024 Permanent Change of Station Guide ahead of peak moving season.       All the Houthi-US Navy incidents in the Middle East (that we know of) (Military Times) A running list of every instance where a Navy ship or jet has shot down a Houthi attack, and every instance where the United States and its allies have hit back at Houthi sites in Yemen, since October.   Ukraine     Russia and Ukraine set to swap 180 prisoners in UAE-backed deal (Bloomberg) Russia and Ukraine were set to swap 180 prisoners in a deal facilitated by the United Arab Emirates, a person familiar with the matter said, in what will be the sixth exchange this year managed by the Gulf state.       Russia conscripts 150,000 troops as Ukraine says it needs more arms (NBC News) Russia has finished drafting 150,000 conscripts into its military, its Defense Ministry said Monday, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned he needs more fighter jets and missile defense systems to stop the Kremlin’s renewed battlefront advance.       Ukraine defense chief says his nation will find a way no matter who wins US election (The Associated Press) Ukraine will find a way to deal with whatever comes if former President Donald Trump wins a second term, throwing into doubt vital U.S. support for its defense against Russia’s invading forces, Ukraine’s defense minister said Wednesday.   Pentagon     Defense Innovation Board calls on DOD to reorganize, launch new undersecretariat (DefenseScoop) Based on a recent study, the DIB has recommended the establishment of an Undersecretary of Defense for International Industrial Cooperation.   Congress & Politics     Federal watchdog investigates Secret Service handling at Trump rally (The Associated Press) The Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general said Wednesday it has opened up an investigation into the U.S. Secret Service’s handling of security for former President Donald Trump on the day a gunman tried to assassinate him at a Pennsylvania rally.       Fact-checking night 3 of the Republican National Convention (CNN) Former President Donald Trump’s choice for vice president, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, insinuated in his speech at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday that Trump had opposed the 2003 US invasion of Iraq.       President Joe Biden tests positive for COVID-19 while campaigning in Las Vegas, has ‘mild symptoms’ (The Associated Press) President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 while traveling Wednesday in Las Vegas and is experiencing “mild symptoms” including “general malaise” from the infection, the White House said.       Meghan McCain rips Biden’s ‘disgusting’ Bronze Star comments to Democrat (The Hill) Conservative commentator Meghan McCain slammed President Biden for his reported remarks about Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.), an Army veteran who received a Bronze Star, in a recent back-and-forth.   Army     4 injured, including 3 soldiers, in US military convoy accident on autobahn in Bavaria (Stars & Stripes) Four people were injured when three U.S. military trucks collided with each other and a car traveling on highway A6 near Feuchtwangen on Wednesday.       Army’s wearable sensors detect early signs of severe heat injuries (Task & Purpose) Last summer, an Illinois National Guard soldier collapsed just as he finished the 2-mile run for a fitness test at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. Spc. Nathaniel Jefferson, 38, was rushed to the hospital, along with a second soldier suffering from heat exhaustion, where he died. But Army researchers hope that a new system that combines sensors and data from the training of elite military units in hot weather can be a key tool for avoiding the kind of heat injuries that killed Jefferson and the hundreds of heat strokes that knock soldiers out of action every year.       Hearing for soldier who ran into North Korea delayed for negotiations (Military Times) A court hearing this week for a soldier charged with fleeing to North Korea last year was delayed as negotiations between his legal team and the Army are now underway, a lawyer for the service member confirmed.       US Army honors Nisei combat unit that helped liberate Tuscany from Nazi-Fascist forces in WWII (The Associated Press) The U.S. military is celebrating a little-known part of World War II history, honoring the Japanese-American U.S. Army unit that was key to liberating parts of Italy and France even while the troops’ relatives were interned at home as enemies of the state following Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor.   Navy     Damaged steam turbine contributes to Stennis overhaul delays, Navy officials say (Stars & Stripes) A damaged steam turbine generator is contributing to the delayed maintenance of the USS John C. Stennis as the aircraft carrier undergoes its midlife overhaul, service officials said.       Family of aircraft carrier sailor who died by suicide files lawsuit (Military Times) A lawsuit filed by the survivors of a sailor who died by suicide aboard the aircraft carrier George Washington alleges that the Navy and Huntington Ingalls Industries failed to provide adequate living conditions aboard the ship.       USS Boxer back on deployment after repairs (USNI News) Amphibious warship USS Boxer (LHD-4) is underway and has resumed its deployment after an emergency rudder repair, USNI News has learned.       Japanese man arrested after sailing his yacht to Navy base on Okinawa (Stars & Stripes) A Japanese yachtsman was taken into custody this week after landing at White Beach Naval Facility, according to the Navy and Japan’s coast guard.       Navy seeks industry feedback on new maritime strike weapon for ‘coalition’ (Breaking Defense) The U.S. Navy is seeking early industry input on a new medium-range maritime strike weapon system that can be fired across warfare domains and used by numerous other countries, with a preliminary goal to start production in fiscal year 2027.       USS Blue Ridge sailors visit 50-year-old helicopter crash site during Vietnam port call (Stars & Stripes) The U.S. 7th Fleet’s flagship recently wrapped up a five-day port call on Vietnam that included a visit to the site of an Army helicopter lost during the Vietnam War.   Marine Corps     Barracks not up to snuff? Use this new Marine Corps QR code (Marine Corps Times) The Marine Corps has released a new system that will allow Marines to make barracks maintenance requests through a QR code on their phone.   Air Force     Suspected E. coli contamination closes food court at Air Force base in South Korea (Stars & Stripes) Authorities closed the base exchange food court Wednesday after a routine inspection discovered possible E. coli contamination, according to a base spokesman.       Amid standards push, ACC considers new rules for beanie, fleece wear (Air & Space Forces Magazine) Air Combat Command is considering a supplement to dress and appearance standards that would limit the use of cold weather clothes such as beanies and fleeces to only certain colors, places, and times of year for Airmen assigned to ACC.       No effort to hide details of contaminated water spill on US base, Japanese official says (Stars & Stripes) The spill of around 167 gallons occurred at the receiving dock at the Yokota Community Center, which houses the base commissary and exchange, on Jan. 25, 2023, the Tokyo Shimbun reported July 10, citing unnamed officials.       Want to fly? Air Force Museum introduction takes flight in August (Dayton Daily News) If you’re interested in an introduction to a possible career in aviation, the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force would like a word with you.       Photos: Minot AFB B-52s, airmen take off for exercise Agile Warbird (Stars & Stripes) Airmen and B-52s from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota left this week to participate in Agile Combat Employment exercises at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas; Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington; and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.   Space Force     Space Force’s Saltzman sees ‘room’ for space capabilities in AUKUS Pillar II (Breaking Defense) Pillar II of the trilateral AUKUS security arrangement already hopes to boost development of AI, hypersonics and other cutting edge tech, but today a key American official suggested it should widen its scope further and aim much higher: to space.   National Guard     New York National Guard and Sweden enter military partnership (Stars & Stripes) The New York National Guard has entered a partnership with Sweden’s armed forces that will see the two sides regularly work together. The deal marks the latest military agreement inked by Sweden, which in March ended two centuries of neutrality by joining NATO amid ongoing concerns over Russia’s expansionist ambitions.   Your Military     Forest fire at New Jersey military base 80% contained after overnight rain (The Associated Press) Heavy rain overnight helped firefighters gain more control over a forest fire burning at a military bombing range in southern New Jersey.       Workouts at Nationals Park give members of the military a chance to train in a unique setting (The Associated Press) Just after 7 a.m. on what turned out to be a record-tying hottest day in the history of the nation’s capital, more than 100 members of the U.S. military sprint from station to station to cycle through grueling drills.   Veterans     VA's threat to withhold disability checks over decades-old separation pay surprises vets (Military.com) In 1990, Maj. Raymond Thomas learned that he was not selected to become a lieutenant colonel. Having been passed over twice, he left the Air Force at 17 years, 10 months and, for his efforts, received $30,000 in separation pay.       Veterans can become certified teachers under new Texas law — few opted for the classroom (Dallas Morning News) Faced with an educator shortage, Texas lawmakers last year made it easier for military veterans to become teachers. The idea was touted not just as a way to fill vacant classrooms but to expose children to people who fought for their country. The legislation passed easily — at the same time when several other bills aimed at boosting teacher pay and strengthening educator recruitment and training failed.       VA projects $15B shortfall driven by costs for veterans benefits, prescription drugs and a bigger workforce (Stars & Stripes) The Department of Veterans Affairs is anticipating a $3 billion budget shortfall through fiscal 2024 from an increase in veterans benefits, and a $12 billion spending gap in 2025 driven by higher costs for prescription drugs and the hiring of more workers.   Education & Transition     How you apologize matters: 3 ways to address your mistakes to civilian coworkers (Military.com) Question: I recently messed up on a project at work. My boss was understanding, since I've only been out of the Navy for six months, but I worry that others on the team think less of me now. What could I have done differently?   Military Culture & History     Archeologists find musket balls from early Revolutionary War battle (The Associated Press) Nearly 250 years ago, hundreds of militiamen lined a hillside in Massachusetts and started firing a barrage of musket balls toward retreating British troops, marking the first major battle in the Revolutionary War.       Why the only American killed on Hitler’s direct order ‘couldn’t turn her back on Germany’ (Military.com) Mildred Fish-Harnack grew up wanting to be a writer, not someone passing secrets between countries during World War II. In time, she could have become a well-known poet and scholar, if not for what she considered a greater purpose — becoming part of a Nazi resistance movement to fight the oppression and brutality imposed by Adolf Hitler.       Airline decision narrows options for US military families with dogs moving home from Europe (Stars & Stripes) An airline relied upon to send many Europe-based military families with pets back to the United States plans to stop transporting most dogs beginning next month, a decision that could mean added costs and complications at the height of the military moving season.       TV actor James Sikking channeled his drill sergeant to create his most memorable character (Military.com) Longtime film and television actor James Sikking died from complications of dementia on July 13, 2024, at his Los Angeles home. Although he may not be instantly recognizable to younger viewers, he was part of a television show cast that made the new "Golden Age of Streaming TV" possible.   Cyber, Space & Unmanned     ‘Who should shoot who?’: INDOPACOM getting ‘combat representative’ JFN this year (Breaking Defense) A cutting-edge targeting system proved its worth in the multinational Valiant Shield wargames last month, and a “combat representative” version will be ready for Indo-Pacific Command to use by the end of the year, according to the Pentagon R&D official overseeing the effort.       Lebanon files complaint with UN over alleged Israeli GPS jamming (Breaking Defense) Lebanon has filed a formal complaint against Israel regarding purported GPS jamming that it says has endangered civil aviation in the country.       US-Singapore boost artificial intelligence ties, after small nation made earlier agreement with China (Breaking Defense) Singapore, one of the world’s smaller countries but one of its most vigorous investors in artificial intelligence, has signed an agreement with the United States military to boost their AI efforts.   Defense Industry     German businessman convicted of delivering components to Russian firms (The Associated Press) A German court on Wednesday convicted a businessman of delivering electronic components to Russian firms associated with the production of military equipment, and sentenced him to six years and nine months in prison.       Concepts expected soon for NATO's next-gen rotorcraft (Defense One) Next week's 2024 Farnborough International Airshow could see the unveiling of competing concepts for NATO’s Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability project.   International     Drones target Iraq's Ain al-Asad airbase, no casualties, say military sources (Reuters) Two armed drones on Tuesday targeted Iraq's Ain al-Asad airbase, which hosts U.S forces and other international forces in western Iraq, two Iraqi military sources told Reuters.       Cyprus plans to build a major naval base to play a larger geopolitical role, says defense minister (The Associated Press) Cyprus' defense minister said Wednesday that plans are in motion to build a major naval base on the east Mediterranean island nation's southern coast capable of hosting large ships from European Union countries and other nations to carry out a variety of missions including humanitarian aid deliveries to the tumultuous Middle East region.       EU's von der Leyen vows security focus before vote on top job (BBC) European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has told the European Parliament she will focus on defence, security and climate policy if she is given a second term, ahead of a crunch vote in Strasbourg.       How the Israeli hostage rescue led to one of Gaza’s deadliest days (New York Times) A firefight amid a recovery mission. At least 19 Israeli airstrikes. Scores of Palestinians killed. A Times visual analysis shows how the June 8 operation had such a high toll.       Islamic State attacks on track to double in Iraq and Syria: CENTCOM (The Associated Press) The U.S. Central Command said Wednesday that the Islamic State group is trying “to reconstitute” as the number of attacks in Syria and Iraq is on track to double this year, compared to the year before.       Japan’s top general lauds closer South Korea military ties as mutual concerns grow over China, North Korea (CNN) America’s two most powerful allies in the Pacific are taking their defense ties to new heights amid increasing concerns over China’s assertiveness in the region and North Korean threats, Japan’s top general said Thursday.       China suspends nuclear talks with the US over Taiwan arms sales (Washington Post) The Chinese announcement comes as U.S. policy on Taiwan hangs in the balance ahead of the November election.       Relatives of those killed when MH17 was shot down mark 10 years since tragedy that claimed 298 lives (The Associated Press) Grieving families recited the names and ages Wednesday of all 298 passengers and crew killed when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over Ukraine 10 years ago, as they marked the anniversary of the tragedy at a solemn ceremony near Amsterdam.       Italy carrier strike group joins Australia war games, will visit Philippines (Reuters) An Italian carrier strike group on its first deployment to the Indo-Pacific region will sail through the South China Sea to the Philippines after participating in war games with U.S. allies in Australia, a senior Italian navy official said on Thursday.       Global rights group finds Hamas-led militants committed war crimes on Oct. 7 (The Associated Press) Hamas-led armed groups committed numerous war crimes during the Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel that precipitated the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip, according to a global human rights group report released Wednesday.       Russian fighter jets over Baltic Sea prompt response by 2 newest NATO members (Stars & Stripes) Two fighter planes flying from Russia’s military hub in Kaliningrad were intercepted over the Baltic Sea this week by allied quick reaction aircraft, according to NATO.   Video     Who said rockets can't have rhythm? See Marines learn the beats of marksmanship during Korea Viper (Military Times) Watch here.   Commentary & Analysis     How to do integrated training, Marine Corps style (Breaking Defense) In 1978, the U.S. Marine Corps stood up MAWTS-1, the Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One, at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma. The goal: to train the trainers to go to USMC squadrons to enhance the ability of Marines to fight as an integrated Marine Corps.       What’s holding up a Gaza cease-fire? (Washington Post) It’s an iron law of Middle East conflict that the closer you get to a cease-fire, the more last-minute disputes arise. That appears to be happening now with the Biden administration’s push for a truce in Gaza.       US Air Force culture needs a reboot (Defense One) Too many of today’s operators think of themselves as passive helpers, not innovative war-winners.       Let Ukraine fly its jets from ‘sanctuary bases’ on NATO territory (Washington Post) For too long, Russia has benefited from Western fears of escalation. It’s time to turn the tables.       Reunited friends, a missing medal, and a wrong righted more than 50 years later (The War Horse) In the fall of 2000, I received a phone call from an unrecognized number with an unfamiliar area code and decided to answer.