Pete Hegseth wasn’t going to let a drag queen in heels and a wig torpedo his vision for a culture war-free Navy—especially not from the flight deck of a U.S. aircraft carrier. When news reached Hegseth’s desk that Rear Admiral Michael “Buzz” Donnelly had greenlit multiple drag performances aboard the USS Ronald Reagan during his tenure as commanding officer, the Secretary of … [Read more…]
Navy
Trump Taps Vice Admiral Brad Cooper to Lead CENTCOM
President Donald Trump has nominated and the Senate has confirmed Vice Admiral Charles "Brad" Cooper II to take command of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), placing a seasoned naval officer in one of the most geopolitically complex and volatile theaters of U.S. military operations. Cooper will become only the second Navy officer in CENTCOM's 40-plus-year history to hold the … [Read more…]
Trump Taps Admiral Daryl Caudle as Next Chief of Naval Operations
President Donald Trump has nominated Admiral Daryl L. Caudle—an old-school Cold Warrior with a doctorate in organizational leadership and a résumé full of submerged steel—to be the next Chief of Naval Operations. Caudle isn’t your average desk jockey. He once ran fast-attack subs in the Pacific and now looks poised to shake the barnacles off the brass in D.C. He replaces … [Read more…]
Medal of Honor Monday: Captain William L. McGonagle and the Attack on the USS Liberty
From Kansas to Commissioned Officer William Loren McGonagle was born on November 19, 1925, in Wichita, Kansas. He spent his early years in the Midwest before relocating to California, where he graduated from high school in the Coachella Valley. With World War II raging, McGonagle joined the U.S. Navy’s V-12 officer training program and attended the University of Southern … [Read more…]
What’s in a Name? The USNS Harvey Milk and the Case for Depoliticizing U.S. Warships
When Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed Navy Secretary John Phelan to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, most headlines focused on the politics of the moment. But they missed the deeper problem: we have allowed the Navy’s ship naming process to become a vehicle for political messaging instead of a reflection of shared national values. The U.S. Navy once named ships to inspire … [Read more…]
United States Naval Ship Harvey Milk to Be Renamed in Controversial Move
A Sudden Change of Heart In a move that's sending shockwaves through both military and civil communities, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the renaming of the USNS Harvey Milk, a fleet replenishment oiler named after the slain gay rights activist and Navy veteran. This decision aligns with the Trump administration's broader initiative to eliminate references to … [Read more…]
US Navy Continues to Bomb Hawaiian Island of Ka’ula for Almost 75 Years
A Rock in the Crosshairs Kaʻula Island—an uninhabited (by humans), crescent-shaped volcanic outcrop roughly 20 miles southwest of Niʻihau—is a place most Americans have never heard of. But for the U.S. Navy, it’s been a bullseye since 1952. Once home to a lighthouse and now designated as a state seabird sanctuary, Kaʻula has been pummeled by bombs for over 70 years. The Navy … [Read more…]
Navy SEAL Appointed As Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Fleet Master Chief David Isom, a seasoned Navy SEAL and former member of SEAL Team SIX, has been appointed as the sixth Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (SEAC), the highest enlisted position in the U.S. military. From a Surfboard to the SEALs Fleet Master Chief David Isom’s path to the top enlisted seat in the U.S. military didn’t start … [Read more…]
Naval Special Warfare Group ONE Marks 50 Years of Service
On May 22, 2025, Naval Special Warfare Group ONE (NSWG-1) hit a milestone not many military commands can claim: 50 years of operational excellence. The occasion brought together retired and active-duty SEALs, combat support personnel, and civilians—representing every era from Vietnam to today's global counterterrorism efforts—for a reunion that celebrated legacy, resilience, … [Read more…]
Retired Admiral Burke Found Guilty of Bribery Charges
Retired Admiral Robert Burke Convicted in Federal Bribery Case In a stunning fall from grace, retired four-star Navy Admiral Robert P. Burke has been convicted on multiple federal charges, including bribery and conspiracy, for steering a Navy contract to a private company in exchange for a lucrative post-retirement job. This marks the first time a U.S. military officer of such … [Read more…]
Navy SEAL Takes Over Joint Task Force Micronesia
The Micronesia Pivot You know things are getting real in the Pacific when a Navy SEAL is handed the keys to a regional command with more islands than some people have socks. On May 15, 2025, Rear Adm. Joshua Lasky relieved Rear Adm. Greg Huffman as the top dog of Joint Task Force-Micronesia (JTF-M) during a change-of-command ceremony at Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz in Guam. … [Read more…]
Lost in Translation: A Navy Linguist’s Wild Ride Through War Zones and Wordplay
Not an Extreme claim to make, but being a linguist is one of the best jobs to have in the military. Being able to communicate in a foreign language opens many doors, both professionally and socially. Most cultures (France is an exception) appreciate visitors' efforts to converse in their local language, and yes, it can be fun as well as occasionally embarrassing. While there … [Read more…]