A commission established by Congress has released a list of more than 750 military assets named after Confederate heroes that may get new names, including two ships and 22 other assets controlled by the Navy, including buildings and streets. As previously reported, the USS Chancellorsville and the USNS Maury are on the list. But one ship that is not on the list, and therefore is not in the federal Naming Commission’s crosshairs, is the USS Antietam. Retired Adm. Michelle Howa

Republicans and Democrats this week blasted the Biden administration for proposing to shrink the size of the Navy fleet by 15 ships at a time when it’s being asked to deter Russia, China, Iran and North Korea. Some of the harshest words came from Democratic lawmaker Elaine Luria of Virginia, who said Biden’s FY 2023 budget plan “sucks.” “I have delayed putting out a statement about the Defense Budget because frankly it would have been mostly full of words you might expect fro

The Defense Department this week sent six Navy EA-18G Growler jets to Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany to support NATO allies in the fifth week of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby made it clear the planes are there to support NATO’s “deterrence mission” and not to engage directly with Russian forces. "This is in order to bolster readiness, enhance NATO's collective defense posture and further increase air integration capabilities with our allied and

The Biden administration this week released a proposed budget for fiscal year 2023 that would cut the Navy fleet by 15 ships if enacted, by funding the construction of nine new Navy ships and decommissioning 24. The proposal is much tougher on the fleet than the prior year’s proposal from the White House, which called for eight new ships and decommissioning 15, a net loss of seven ships. Each of Biden’s first two budget proposals have moved away from the goal of a 355-ship fl

The Supreme Court this week temporarily blocked a lower court order that required the Navy to deploy Sailors who have not been vaccinated for COVID-19. The decision centers around a case brought by 35 Navy SEALs and Sailors who said their religious freedom was being violated by the Navy’s vaccinate mandate. A lower court agreed and said the Navy cannot punish the plaintiffs and also must deploy them along with vaccinated Sailors. On Friday, a divided Supreme Court blocked tha

Low morale among Russian forces is a factor that will make it increasingly difficult for Russia to take key cities in Ukraine. “The Russian forces are beleaguered, they’ve lost a lot of morale, they’re getting hammered on the ground, the Ukrainians have put up a fierce resistance,” AUSN Executive Director Jason Beardsley said on Fox News. “So let’s hope that they can break the will of the Russians before the will of the Ukrainian people gets broken.” “When you lose morale, yo

The Marine Corps this week updated its uniform rule in a way that gives all Marines more options when it comes to wearing their hair and allows women Marines to wear “appropriate nail polish colors.” The rule also gives pregnant women more choices when it comes to maternity uniforms by allowing adjustable side tabs for short and long-sleeve shirts and approving the use of maternity and nursing undershirts. The Marines said the changes will “promote a culture of inclusion,” an