The U.S. Navy announced on Thursday that the service reached its fiscal 2026 goal of contracting 45,000 future sailors to man the fleet, continuing a trend over the past several years of successfully meeting its enlistment needs.The service reached its goal three months early, according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, after accomplishing the same feat in fiscal 2025.“Today’s Navy is stronger because tens of thousands of Americans chose to answer the call to serve,” said Rear Adm. Jim Waters, commander of Navy Recruiting Command. “Reaching this milestone is not simply about achieving a recruiting objective — it’s about delivering the…

The U.S. Navy’s appetite for next-generation anti-radar missiles is growing. A Naval Air Systems Command Request For Information posted on July 1 is asking industry whether it is capable of supplying up to 600 Advanced Emission Suppression Missiles per year. In February — before the Iran War and the consequent guided missile shortage — NAVAIR posted a Sources Sought notice that stated “production demand is expected to be on the order of up to 300 [all up rounds] per year.” The new RFI asks for a “mature design” of at least technological readiness stage 6 — the fully functional prototype…

Sign up for the Outdoor Life Newsletter Get the hottest outdoor news—plus a free month of onX Hunt Elite. A massive $450 million, 93-acre facility carved out of western North Dakota’s badlands opens Saturday as a monument to America’s 26th president but also as a lens through which to consider Theodore Roosevelt’s lifelong commitment to conservation and the wise use of the nation’s natural resources. The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library has been in the works almost since Roosevelt died in 1919 but gained momentum in 2020, when President Trump, in his first term, signed legislation that authorized the sale of…

Vietnam War veterans are pushing back against the use of an “Honor and Remember” flag because of its resemblance to the Bolshevik Communist flag and the flag flown by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.Vietnam Veterans of America, a national veterans service organization, argued Thursday that the flag “cannot serve as a positive symbol” for veterans who fought against communism. The flag shows a gold star on a red background — imagery reminiscent of multiple communist movements, VVA said in a public statement.“For Vietnam veterans especially, the striking resemblance to the flag flown by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam during the…

Sign up for the Quick Strike Newsletter The hottest fishing news, tips, and tactics From the Fourth of July to Labor Day the lakes around my home in southwestern Michigan are overrun with boats of every description. Water skiers, swimmers, and sailors are out in full force. Most fishermen confine their angling to early morning and late evening, and the pike fishermen of early spring have given up in disgust. Where am I in July and August? I’m trolling near the myriad of boats and catching more pike than I do during the 10 other months combined. I’m also catching…

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This article was originally published by Vincent Cook at The Mises Institute.  In his 6/23 Truth Social post (figure 1), President Trump noted that the prices paid by major American oil companies for foreign crude are falling much faster than the prices of their retail products, and suggested that there is something criminal about this that the Department of Justice (DOJ) needs to look into: Figure 1: Trump Denounces Oil Price “Gouging” Source: Truth Social The political motivations for Trump’s grandstanding about oil prices are obvious—the financial interests of the vast majority of voters are much more strongly affected by the retail…

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The Marine Corps will roll out a new infantry specialty later this year to provide infantry and light armored reconnaissance battalions with dedicated reconnaissance and surveillance support.On Tuesday, the service announced in an administrative message the creation of the new primary military occupational specialty 0315 Scout. Lt. Gen. Jay Bargeron, deputy commandant for Plans, Policies, and Operations, called the new MOS “a critical step in the modernization of our infantry battalions.”“These Scouts will be our eyes and ears, extending our sensing capabilities and enabling commanders to make faster, more effective decisions to win our nation’s battles,” he said in a…

U.S. representatives announced an amendment to fiscal year 2027’s National Defense Authorization Act that would require all military service members to have an influenza vaccine, following a training base outbreak that sickened nearly 300 trainees and killed one.In a Tuesday press conference, Reps. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., and Gil Cisneros, D-Calif., announced their joint amendment’s introduction, calling it pertinent to military readiness and the well-being of American troops.“That is almost 300 future airmen and women who would not be finishing their training at their expected date,” Cisneros, a former under secretary of defense for personnel readiness, said in…

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Composite repair time for F/A-18 Super Hornets could be slashed in half with a groundbreaking 3D-printing repair method, according to the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division.By utilizing a “high-performance, 3D-printed composite patches that can be applied directly onto the aircraft,” the 3D-printing method has the possibility of enabling sailors to perform complex composite fixes directly at forward operating bases, abandoning the need for “highly specialized maintenance artisans” and lengthy turnaround times that can cause severe delays, a Wednesday release notes. “Our goal is to put capability directly into the hands of the Fleet,” NAWCAD Commander Rear Adm. Todd Evans…

Dozens of U.S. Navy service members became ill after being exposed to diesel exhaust fumes from the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS Nebraska on June 22, the Navy confirmed.Sixty-four sailors experienced coughing, headaches, lightheadedness, dizziness and nausea while working a routine pier shift at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor in Silverdale, Washington.The service members were near a functioning backup diesel generator when the poisoning occurred. They also experienced irritation of the eyes, nose and throat.“The Navy is working to identify the precise cause of the event and will take corrective action as appropriate,” the service said.Six sailors were admitted for further medical…

A federal court issued a ruling Tuesday that paves the way for all transgender service members to continue serving in the military despite a Trump administration policy that ordered their removal.The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia granted a motion to certify Talbott v. USA as a class action lawsuit several weeks after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit said in a June 1 ruling that the Pentagon’s transgender military ban was unlawful.The June ruling only allowed the plaintiffs in that case to continue serving, meaning all other transgender service members are currently still banned…

An Air Force staff sergeant enjoyed a rare distinction recently as the only airmen in his class to complete the 10-day U.S. Army Air Assault School.Staff Sgt. Ivan Sauer, assigned to the 195th Wing Security Forces, was the only airman to graduate from the course in late May and receive an Air Assault Badge, according to a Wednesday release.“After seeing I was the only Airman, I felt I was shouldering the weight of the whole Air Force and the pressure was intense,” Sauer said in the statement. “I had to finish.”The course completed by Sauer, located at Camp San Luis…

Sign up for the On The Gun Newsletter The latest for gun hunters and competitive shooters. This week, as we celebrate the 4th of July in America’s 250th year as a country, it’s clear there’s a lot more interest and conversation about American history. That’s why on today’s episode of the Outdoor Life Podcast, I spoke with firearms historian Ashley Hlebinsky. Because, as she puts it, you can’t talk about American history without also talking about firearms. Ashley picks some of her favorite American firearm innovations and explain how they relate to what was going on in the country at…