Military

The Associated Press reports: The U.S. Navy dismissed the commander of the Asia-based 7th Fleet on Wednesday after a series of warship accidents raised questions about its operations in the Pacific. A two-sentence statement said Adm. Scott Swift, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, had relieved Vice Adm. Joseph Aucoin “due to a loss of confidence in his ability to …

NBC News reports: The Navy’s top admiral ordered the entire fleet Monday to take a one-day “operational pause” to make sure they are running their ships safely a day after the USS John S. McCain collided with an oil tanker off Singapore. Admiral John Richardson gave the order as a search was underway for 10 American sailors assigned to the …

The Washington Post reports: Defense Secretary Jim Mattis met with sailors serving on the submarine USS Kentucky last week in his home state of Washington, praising them for their sacrifices and expressing concern that he has “grown remote from those of you who matter.” Then he noted the up-and-down nature of military life, told the sailors that they’ll miss being …

The Hill reports: The recently confirmed secretary of the Navy says he will follow any order the president gives on transgender troops, but that “any patriot” should be allowed to serve. “We will process and take direction of a policy that is developed by the [Defense] secretary [with] direction from the president and march out smartly,” Navy Secretary Richard V. …

Chris Johnson reports at the Washington Blade: President Trump said Thursday he’s “doing the military a great favor” by seeking to ban on transgender people from the armed forces, insisting he has “great support” from the LGBT community. Asked by a reporter whether the transgender military ban, which Trump announced on Twitter last month, signified a betrayal of his promise …

USA Today reports: State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert will hold a briefing Wednesday on the heels of tense exchanges between the U.S. and North Korea. A day earlier, President Trump threatened North Korea with “fire and fury” in response to reports of a new milestone in the country’s nuclear quest. South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported that North Korea’s military …

Reuters reports: North Korea will develop a plan by mid-August to launch four intermediate range missiles at the U.S. territory of Guam before presenting it to leader Kim Jong Un who will make a decision on whether to proceed, the North’s state media said on Thursday. “The Hwasong-12 rockets to be launched by the KPA (Korean People’s Army) will cross …

The Independent reports: US Secretary of Defence James Mattis has warned North Korea to “cease any consideration of actions that will lead to the end of the regime and destruction of its people”. Mr Mattis issued the stern warning one day after the Washington Post reported that North Korea had developed miniaturised nuclear warheads that could be capable of striking …

Chris Johnson reports on the Washington Blade: President Trump’s recently announced plan to bar transgender people from the armed forces isn’t yet policy, but LGBT legal groups have already initiated a lawsuit seeking to enjoin enforcement of the ban. The 15-page complaint was filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia by National Center for Lesbian …

Karen Ocamb reports at the Washington Blade: President Donald Trump may be on a 17-day vacation but his White House has been scrambling to hand him a “win” by the time he returns. Trump’s tweets last week announcing a ban on transgender individuals serving openly in the U.S. military was turned into a “guidance” policy for implementation that passed muster …

NBC News reports: President Donald Trump has become increasingly frustrated with his advisers tasked with crafting a new U.S. strategy in Afghanistan and recently suggested firing the war’s top military commander during a tense meeting at the White House, according to senior administration officials. Trump repeatedly suggested that Defense Secretary James Mattis and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff …

Military.com reports: As military services await guidance following President Donald Trump’s announcement last week via Twitter of a ban on transgender service members, the commandant of the Coast Guard is speaking out, saying he has no intention of leaving transgender Coast Guardsmen out in the cold. Speaking on the topic for the first time at the Center for Strategic and …

Via press release: Fifty-six retired General and Flag Officers provided the following statement to the Palm Center today: “The Commander in Chief has tweeted a total ban of honorably serving transgender troops. This proposed ban, if implemented, would cause significant disruptions, deprive the military of mission-critical talent, and compromise the integrity of transgender troops who would be forced to live …

The Associated Press reports: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Saturday the second flight test of an intercontinental ballistic missile demonstrated his country can hit the U.S. mainland, hours after the launch left analysts concluding that a wide swath of the United States, including Los Angeles and Chicago, is now in range of North Korean weapons. The Korean Central …

ABC News reports: A military transport plane crashed in Mississippi on Monday, killing at least 16 service members, the Marine Forces Reserve has confirmed. The Marine Corps KC-130 aircraft crashed in Leflore County, Mississippi — located about 85 miles north of Jackson — at around 4 p.m. local time, according to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency. The flight took off …

Reuters reports: Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Friday approved a six-month delay in allowing transgender recruits to join the U.S. armed forces, a Pentagon spokeswoman said. Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said in a statement that Mattis accepted a recommendation to defer transgender applicants until Jan. 1. The Pentagon ended its ban on openly transgender people serving in the U.S. military …

The Associated Press reports: Military chiefs will seek a six-month delay before letting transgender people enlist in their services, officials said Friday. After meetings this week, the service leaders hammered out an agreement that rejected Army and Air Force requests for a two-year wait and reflected broader concerns that a longer delay would trigger criticism on Capitol Hill, officials familiar …

Military.com reports: The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal from a former Marine who was court-martialed in part for expressing her Christian faith in the workplace. Lower courts had concluded orders from her military superiors did not constitute a “substantial burden” on her First Amendment rights. The justices on Monday upheld her court-martial without comment. At issue was the …

Via press release: The Defense Department is observing June as LGBT Pride Month to recognize DoD’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender service members and civilians. DoD Pride, an employee resource group, is hosting its annual celebration June 12 at the Pentagon. Tolerance and Justice “The struggles, sacrifices and successes among the LGBT community continue to shape our history and remind …

In last night’s post about Ivanka Trump’s nod to LGBT Pride Month, I noted that during the Obama era we got proclamations from a myriad of federal agencies in addition to Obama’s annual message, but that those days are behind us. Well, shut my mouth. Via press release from the US Navy: The Navy joins the nation in recognizing Lesbian, …