NEW @defenseone.bsky.social: New images show that General Atomics has flown a second drone wingman, a notable development in the Air Force's CCA competition.

SCOOP: Eight months after Defense Secretary Hegseth fired the Air Force’s top lawyer, the JAG tasked with those duties has stepped down. No one has yet been nominated to permanently fill either of the service’s top legal jobs. More here @defenseone.bsky.social: www.defenseone.com/threats/2025...

Howdy, folks! I'm now a senior reporter at @defenseone.bsky.social! Follow me for the latest on air & space warfare, national security and emerging technologies. Excited to be a part of this team!

Personal news: Today is my last day with @militarydotcom.bsky.social. Four years ago, @zachfb.bsky.social and @travistritten.bsky.social took a chance on a guy far outside DC to be the Air/Space Force Reporter and brought me on to join an incredible team of journalists. Best choice I ever made.

F-35 Pilot Was on Phone for Nearly an Hour with Engineers Before Ejection and Fiery Crash www.military.com/daily-news/2...

If you’re a guardsman assigned to the DC mission, I want to chat! DM me here or reach me on Signal: tomcnovelly.61

THANK YOU: the X-37B "does not swirl and manoeuver like an X-wing Starfighter or Tie-fighter, changing orbital plane at will. In many ways, on-orbit it is just another satellite, moving in a fixed orbital plane...The wings only function in the atmosphere, not in space"

BREAKING: @militarydotcom.bsky.social has acquired an Air Force service record matching with Sean Charles Dunn, the 37-year-old DOJ employee and veteran accused of assaulting a federal officer by throwing a sandwich at him. Story to come @militarydotcom.bsky.social:

Bookmarking this to keep an eye on as we learn more about Golden Dome - CRS collected all of their relevant reports on US homeland air and missile defense in one place www.congress.gov/crs-product/...

I turned 30 today! I’m feeling nostalgic, reflective and, most importantly, incredibly grateful. In my 20s I’ve lived and reported in DC, MI, TN, KY, SC, CO and, now, back in DC. Being a journalist for the past decade has given me more experiences than I could ever even fathom:

NEW: B-2 Pilots on the Iran mission were invited to Trump's July 4 picnic. But the White House and Air Force can't say what measures are being taken to protect their identities. Former pilots, including a B-2 commander, said that raises security worries. My latest: www.military.com/daily-news/2...

NEW: The Army veteran detained by Marines in LA told me about the incident, which raised legal fears among experts. "I would feel bad if someone else was going through that same thing as me, because they would probably freak the heck out." More @Militarydotcom: www.military.com/daily-news/2...

Standby for news

If you're a member of the Texas or California National Guard, I'd like to chat with you and we can grant you anonymity. I can be reached on Signal at tomcnovelly.61 or through my DMs here!

The Marines Are in Los Angeles - a look at the Marines now deployed to an American city, how they were prepared, and the history of Marine Corps training in non-lethal tactics by @dflawrence.bsky.social and @tomnovelly.bsky.social

The troops are not allowed to conduct law enforcement. But authorities to temporarily detain citizens and accompany federal law enforcement blur the line between forces meant to police the public and those that fight the country's wars. Story by @dflawrence.bsky.social + @tomnovelly.bsky.social

"It's very disheartening," the daughter of the late Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg told @militarydotcom.bsky.social on Wednesday. "My father worked his entire life trying to move the Army and, as a result, the nation forward, and now we're watching it slip backwards." www.military.com/daily-news/2...

Really important story - army officials asked soldiers to identify themselves if they don't agree with Trump's politics that way he'd get only supportive soldiers in uniform during his political rally on base. Heavier soldiers were also barred from participating.

Soldiers who cheered Trump's political attacks were filtered based on support for the Trump administration and physical appearance. One unit-level message bluntly saying: "No fat soldiers." Story by @stevenbeynon.bsky.social and @ktoropin.bsky.social

ICYMI: In an unprecedented move, Trump is asking the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who should serve as the next NASA administrator. A White House official said its because Trump "wants to ensure his next nominee is aligned with his America First vision" www.military.com/daily-news/2...

"When sh-- ain't right, we're going to speak up," the lead singer of the Dropkick Murphys said to a crowd of veterans on the National Mall in DC on Friday. "That's what it's all about and guess what? Sh-- ain't right!" www.military.com/daily-news/2...

With thoughts from me and Todd Harrison about why this is so puzzling and, in my opinion, such a disconcerting idea

White House Asked Joint Chiefs Chairman for Candidates to Lead NASA, Worrying Experts www.military.com/daily-news/2...

Here's the reason the White House is providing tonight for the "full suspension" on Afghanistan. Again, with many allies remaining behind there:

NEW: Another judge in a border state is dismissing charges against people accused of trespassing into the Trump administration's newly created military zones between the U.S. and Mexico. More details @militarydotcom.bsky.social here: www.military.com/daily-news/2...

Social media claims are spreading that a former Air Force official who was fired by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth earlier this year was charged with treason and sentenced to be death by the military. It isn't true. More from @militarydotcom.bsky.social here: www.military.com/daily-news/2...

More than 50 families at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico were notified that due to staffing issues their children would be removed from on-base daycare in just 2 weeks. The notice was given on Military Spouse Appreciation Day. More @militarydotcom.bsky.social: www.military.com/daily-news/2...

Spoke with Military.com yesterday about trends in Air Force recruiting - where its been and where its going

ICYMI: A Congressional probe into the safety of the V-22 Osprey following multiple deadly crashes has stalled for nearly a year. A Gold Star widow tells @militarydotcom.bsky.social she is “beyond disappointed” by this. More from me and @ktoropin.bsky.social here: www.military.com/daily-news/2...

With REAL ID deadline approaching, DoD IDs remain on list of accepted forms for U.S. travel. www.military.com/daily-news/2...

I don't think any musician or songwriter has had a bigger impact on my life than Willie Nelson. In 92 years on this earth, he has recorded upwards of 200 albums, and I've been blessed to capture some of those on vinyl so I can pass them along someday. Happy Birthday, Willie! The best to ever do it!

Happy 92nd birthday to the best to ever do it in country and western music! An Air Force veteran, a poet, a philosopher and, undeniably, one of the best songwriters of all time! www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_cE...

Service Members Detained After DEA Raid at Alleged Illegal Underground Nightclub in Colorado www.military.com/daily-news/2...

Top Army academy for senior leaders banned its students from writing essays related to women and minorities in the latest censorship move in the military. www.military.com/daily-news/2...

Big one for military folks ... Hegseth's Pentagon looking to hand on-base grocery stores and shops designed to save service members and their families money to the private sector. Story by @ktoropin.bsky.social + @tomnovelly.bsky.social

Word out tonight that Trump has signed an order allowing the military to use the Roosevelt Reservation along the border, potentially involving troops in apprehensions of migrants. @tomnovelly.bsky.social did a dive on this that you should absolutely read www.military.com/daily-news/i...

"Our parents are actively fighting for our country for us to be able to have these rights." Story by @kheel.bsky.social and @tomnovelly.bsky.social

Just days after Vice President JD Vance's March visit to Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, the installation commander sent out an email to the base distancing it from Vance’s criticism of Denmark and its oversight of the territory, Military.com has learned. Scoop from @tomnovelly.bsky.social

Commanders, trying to manage local relationships sometimes caught in international spats are in a tough position, and @tomnovelly.bsky.social has an excellent scoop on how that's playing out right now in Greenland

Scoop: Just days after Vice President JD Vance's March visit to Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, the installation commander sent out a wide-spread email to the entire base distancing it from Vance’s criticism of Denmark, @militarydotcom.bsky.social has learned. www.military.com/daily-news/2...

Standby for news from @militarydotcom.bsky.social ...

NEW: A decorated Marine colonel speaks out about how ejected from an F-35 and how the top Marine threw him under the bus afterward. @longreads #military www.postandcourier.com/news/special...

The pup, June Carter Cash, turned 4 years old today! She celebrated with a special dinner. Dogs aren’t around for a long as we want them to be, so little milestones like this matter.

For transportation, detention, and potentially apprehension of migrants, the Trump administration is looking to the military. Great reporting from @tomnovelly.bsky.social

How Trump Is Leaning on the Military to Fulfill His Hopes of Mass Deportations and an Immigration Freeze

“Overall, there's just kind of just anxiousness if we're even going to be able to stay here, or if my friend's parents are getting fired and they have to leave." Story by @tomnovelly.bsky.social and Jennifer Barnhill

"They're now basically begging parents to come help" - great reporting by @tomnovelly.bsky.social for Military.com

FIRST: A bipartisan group of lawmakers in the House and Senate filed a bill to create a Space National Guard. On the campaign trail, President Trump promised to sign a bill creating the Space National Guard into law. More here @militarydotcom.bsky.social: t.co/rMC8YmWj1s

NEW @militarydotcom.bsky.social: The Space Force says environmental remediation efforts that include returning sacred soil back to a volcano in Hawaii after 700 gallons of fuel spilled at an observatory on the grounds in 2023 could take as long as 7 years to complete www.military.com/daily-news/2...