Steven Beynon

Troops stung by ‘hard’ credit checks and unexpected denials in USAA’s relief loans Some troops were surpised by hard credit checks and unexpected denials for relief loans by military-friendly lender USAA.

Troops stung by ‘hard’ credit checks and unexpected denials in USAA’s relief loans — latest from me @taskandpurpose.com

One soldier messaged USAA’s chatbot about his denied loan. It pushed a credit card, then said to consider opening an account with Navy Fed.
taskandpurpose.com/military-lif...

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Activist and Trump Confidant Seeks to Oust Army Secretary Far-right political activist and close confidant to President Donald Trump Laura Loomer launched an unusual public attack on Army Secretary Dan Driscoll after the service marked the anniversary of a M...

Far-right activist and Trump confidant seeks to oust Army secretary www.military.com/daily-news/2...

Army Puts Political Operative in Charge of Public Affairs, Stoking Concerns of Creeping Partisanship While it's not unusual for political hands to manage messaging at the highest levels of the Pentagon, the ongoing change to military public affairs marks a broader institutional pivot.

Political operatives are likely set to take over much of the Pentagon's communications, even on the service level, as its public messaging has become overtly partisan during the Trump administration.

www.military.com/daily-news/i...

Texas' Fort Bliss Set to Host 5,000-Bed Immigrant Detention Camp The massive Fort Bliss project reflects the Trump administration's effort to militarize its increasingly aggressive national immigration crackdown, which has entangled American citizens and sparked co...

Ft Bliss will host a $1.26 billion immigrant detention camp, as Trump's immigration crackdown becomes increasingly militarized - with additional camps being set up at bases in the midwest and on the east coast www.military.com/daily-news/2...

Additional Military Bases in New Jersey, Indiana Set to Host Migrant Detention Camps Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, colloquially referred to as "Fort Dix," in New Jersey and Camp Atterbury in Indiana, both relatively low-profile installations, have been identified as housing sites.

Military bases in Indiana and New Jersey set to host new migrant camps as the Trump administration's immigration crackdown becomes more militarized www.military.com/daily-news/2...

Army Set to Overhaul Length of Noncommissioned Officer Academies to Cut Costs The Advanced Leader Course, or ALC, and Senior Leader Course, or SLC, would be compressed from eight to 16 weeks down to just three weeks, regardless of occupational specialty.

Scoop: The Army is planning to make cuts to its NCO training to cut costs

www.military.com/daily-news/2...

Saturday marked one year since Sightline Media Group unjustly laid off 9 reporters and editors, including 7 union members. We in the Sightline Media Union continue to support our brothers & sisters, and still fight to challenge their layoffs and get them the fair treatment they deserve. #solidarity

He'd have to be around first.

Army Policy Severely Limiting Shaving Waivers Goes into Effect Troops will be granted short-term shaving exemptions if they require it, but will be removed from the service if they are on those waivers for 12 months during a two-year period.

After the Vietnam War, the Army noted its shaving requirements were discriminatory in its own medical research. Now it's reverting back to policies that may lead to Black men being kicked out of the service.

www.military.com/daily-news/2...

The mission concept for the CA Guard's 1-18th Cavalry's part in an immigration raid at a park. "Cherokee 5," being the callsign, particularly given the context, is interesting.

Personal news: Happy to be joining Military Reporters and Editors (MRE) as a board member, particularly during such a crucial time for national security reporting. Covering the military and its unique community is so important, and I'm grateful to be part of the best beat in media.

Guardsmen Help Operate 'Alligator Alcatraz' as Trump Increasingly Leans on Military for Immigration Crackdown Roughly 70 Florida National Guard troops have been deployed to the newly built, remote immigration detention site deep in the Florida Everglades dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz" as the Trump administration...

National Guard troops will work as security for Trump's "Alligator Alcatraz" migrant camp in Florida as the administration increasingly leans on the military for its immigration crackdown

www.military.com/daily-news/2...

Guardsmen Help Operate 'Alligator Alcatraz' as Trump Increasingly Leans on Military for Immigration Crackdown Roughly 70 Florida National Guard troops have been deployed to the newly built, remote immigration detention site deep in the Florida Everglades dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz" as the Trump administration...

National Guard troops will work as security for Trump's "Alligator Alcatraz" migrant camp in Florida as the administration increasingly leans on the military for its immigration crackdown

www.military.com/daily-news/2...

Army ROTC Programs at Dozens of Campuses Are Being Shut Down or Reorganized The Army is undertaking a major shake-up of its Reserve Officers' Training Corps footprint, shutting down or reorganizing programs at 84 college campuses.

The Army is shutting down or reorganizing ROTC programs at 84 universities.

www.military.com/daily-news/2...

Tech Executives Commissioned as Senior Army Officers Won't Recuse Themselves from DoD Business Dealings The new formation is set to recruit tech executives to work on major Army challenges, but the service has not articulated exactly what those individuals would do -- instead focusing on recruiting tale...

The wealthy tech executives the Army commissioned to be senior officers won't recuse themselves from DoD business dealings as millions of dollars are on the table.
www.military.com/daily-news/2...

New Army Shaving Policy Will Allow Soldiers with Skin Condition that Affects Mostly Black Men to Be Kicked Out The Army is preparing to roll out a new policy that could lead to soldiers diagnosed with a chronic skin condition that causes painful razor bumps and scarring to be kicked out of the service -- an is...

Scoop: The Army is set to kick out soldiers for skin conditions that primarily affect Black men

www.military.com/daily-news/2...

Military Domestic Violence Convictions Skyrocketed After Commanders Were Removed from Process Courts-martial are on the rise for domestic violence charges across the Defense Department services.

We're undertaking a major project looking at domestic violence in the military community, which experiences disproportionate rates. The first story, looking at sharp increases in convictions by @stevenbeynon.bsky.social and @patriciakime.bsky.social is out. Please reach out if you can help us.

A Veteran Was Detained by Marines. It Highlights Concerns over the Military's Growing Ties to Law Enforcement. Marcos Leao's detention by Marines marks what many legal, defense and policy experts say is an unprecedented violation of the Posse Comitatus Act, which bars the U.S. military from performing domestic...

In practice, a lot of the Guardsmen deployed to LA aren't tasked or doing a whole lot. They're playing video games, working out, or doing unrelated training.

Also, we talked to the vet detained by Marines in LA and how he played it cool and calm.
www.military.com/daily-news/2...

The Army Parade Was Marked by Quiet Crowds, Trump-Linked Sponsors. But Soldiers Kept Politics at Bay. Despite the mixed feelings, the Army birthday parade was also an overdue opportunity to engage with the public and highlight the service's rank and file.

Large political shadows loomed over the Army parade, but many soldiers were able to divorce it from Trump and the greater context.

"This was about us, not him."

www.military.com/daily-news/2...

The Army Parade Was Marked by Quiet Crowds, Trump-Linked Sponsors. But Soldiers Kept Politics at Bay. Despite the mixed feelings, the Army birthday parade was also an overdue opportunity to engage with the public and highlight the service's rank and file.

Large political shadows loomed over the Army parade, but many soldiers were able to divorce it from Trump and the greater context.

"This was about us, not him."

www.military.com/daily-news/2...

Hard to tell how big the crowd is because it's stretched down the street, but it feels thin.

The official White House feed has ads for this drink

it tastes like an off brand white monster, like something you'd get at the dollar store for half the price

It's ok, melted popsicle mixed with 7up.

This new energy drink is a collab between Dana White - UFC CEO -and Anheuser-Busch. It launched a week ago and they're being handed out at the Army parade for free. Trump has a tight relationship with White/UFC.

Army Eliminates Office for Minimizing Civilian Deaths on Battlefields The Civilian Protection Center of Excellence, which once housed roughly 30 staff, has been folded into the Army's dense web of unrelated bureaucratic policy shops.

Army Eliminates Office for Minimizing Civilian Deaths on Battlefields - part of a broader trend with the Pentagon closing offices in March that tried to account for civilian deaths as well as prevent them. @stevenbeynon.bsky.social has the story.

Army Officials Pushed Back on Pop-Up MAGA Shop Ahead of Fort Bragg Trump Speech Ahead of President Donald Trump's rally-style appearance at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on Tuesday, Army officials raised alarms over a vendor planning to sell Trump-branded merchandise on site.

SCOOP: The Army pushed back on a MAGA pop-up shop being set up at Bragg for Trump's speech but were overruled. Here's how orgs with deep Trump campaign and Jan 6 ties got merch to be sold to troops. www.military.com/daily-news/2...

Army Officials Pushed Back on Pop-Up MAGA Shop Ahead of Fort Bragg Trump Speech Ahead of President Donald Trump's rally-style appearance at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on Tuesday, Army officials raised alarms over a vendor planning to sell Trump-branded merchandise on site.

SCOOP: The Army pushed back on a MAGA pop-up shop being set up at Bragg for Trump's speech but were overruled. Here's how orgs with deep Trump campaign and Jan 6 ties got merch to be sold to troops. www.military.com/daily-news/2...

Are you on the LA mission? Or any mission related to recent events? I want to hear from you. No one will know we talked, here's my Signal: SteveBeynon.28