Strait of Hormuz Status in Flux
Hundreds of ships and thousands of seafarers remain stranded in the Persian Gulf, waiting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, but receiving conflicting reports on the status of the key waterway.
Navy Confirms Triton Crash in Persian Gulf
The Navy confirmed this week that an MQ-4C Triton surveillance drone crashed on April 9, over the Persian Gulf. The uncrewed aircraft had vanished unexpectedly from online flight tracking sites while flying over the Persian Gulf, but where exactly it went down is unclear.
US, Iran Agree to Two-Week Ceasefire
Two hours before the 8pm Tuesday deadline US President Donald Trump had set for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz or face the destruction of its “whole civilization,” a two-week ceasefire was agreed upon.
Vets’ Jobless Rate Worsens
Unemployment rates jumped for all veterans in January, up to 4.5% from 3.8% in December. Vets in the post-9/11 generation saw unemployment rise from 5.1% to 5.8%. Military Times. The monthly report jobless rates for veterans exceeding the general population for the second time since January 2025.
Where Have All the Flowers Gone?
Donations for the placement of Memorial Day flowers at the gravesites at Arlington National Cemetery are significantly short of the target goal, according to a national florist organization that has been placing the flowers at the grave sites for more than a decade.
Reaper Drone Gave Soleimani Little Chance
General Atomics’ Reaper drone had Soleimani in its sights upon his commercial plane’s arrival in Baghdad. The $64 million drone is armed with laser-guided Hellfire air-to-surface missiles used in attacks on high-value terrorists.
Gilday, New Navy CNO, Takes Command
New Chief of Naval Operations ADM Michael Gilday took over as the highest uniformed office in the sea service last week. He says the Navy “will think differently.”
Misconduct Allegations Stall DoD’s Cloud Contract Award
President Trump’s concern that the DoD $10B cloud-computing contract is biased toward Amazon prompts DefSec Mark Esper to order another review of the acquisition process. The competition is between Amazon and Microsoft.
UK to Join US Navy in Strait of Hormuz
Britain will join a US-led naval security mission in the Strait of Hormuz, raising tensions in the region. Iran’s foreign minister calls the US ratcheting up of sanctions a “failure” for diplomacy.
Might a Fitness Band Replace Fitness Tests?
The technology exists to make a fitness band for sailors that could replace the semi-annual fitness test and create a “culture of fitness,” says Juan M. Garcia III, the former assistant secretary of the Navy for manpower and reserve affairs and retired Navy Reserve captain.
