Hegseth Set to Testify Before Congress in June
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will head to Capitol Hill this month to make the case for the Trump administration’s proposed defense budget, a Pentagon spokesperson said June 2.
Cut to DOD’s Test Enterprise Alarms Critics, Fearing Loss of ‘Honest Broker’
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's move to halve the office of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation and slash away three-quarters of its funding could push a lot of expertise out of the Pentagon, diminishing the clout and value of the organization as a truth-teller to Congress, former Pentagon officials said.
Air Force E-7 Promotion Rates Rise in 2025
Airmen had an easier time earning a promotion to master sergeant this year, as nearly 1 in 4 eligible technical sergeants were chosen to advance.
Wright Military Flyer Makes First Flight
Orville Wright makes the first demonstration flight of the 1909 Military Flyer for the Army at Ft. Myer, Va.
Radar Sweep
Ukraine and Russia Agree to Swap Dead and Wounded Troops but Report No Progress Toward Ending War
Associated Press
Representatives of Russia and Ukraine met June 2 for their second round of direct peace talks in just over two weeks, but aside from agreeing to swap thousands of their dead and seriously wounded troops, they made no progress toward ending the 3-year-old war, officials said.
Space Force Budget Faces Uncertainty as White House Bets on Supplemental Money from Congress
Military.com
Newly released documents from President Donald Trump's proposed 2026 budget show the White House has requested less money for the Space Force, a move which experts say doesn't match up with his rhetoric about the service and its national security importance.
Pentagon Won’t Say How Many Civilians Have Left Since February
Defense One
The defense secretary’s office refuses to say how much the workforce has shrunk this year, as it moves forward with a comprehensive review aimed at further slashing numbers of civilian employees.
DIU Launches Project GI to Speed UAS Development with $20 Million Prize Pool
Breaking Defense
In another effort to speed up drone acquisition, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) is using a “new and agile” process to develop and deploy uncrewed systems at faster speeds and larger scales, the agency announced June 2.
What's the Message Behind Trump's Military Parade?
NPR
NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with historian Joshua Zeitz. He's a contributing editor for Politico Magazine and has written about where Trump's parade fits into the American tradition.
Ukraine Says It Unleashed 117 Drones in Attack on Russia: What to Know
The New York Times
The strike set several aircraft on fire, video showed, and dealt a symbolic blow to Moscow’s relentless bombing campaign.
Great-Grandson of Fallen B-29 Pilot Makes Pilgrimage to WWII Crash Site in Japan
Stars and Stripes
A California man recently climbed a forested mountainside in western Tokyo to honor the memory of his great-grandfather, one of five American airmen killed when their B-29 Superfortress crashed during a World War II bombing raid over Japan.