Newsletter

Psycho Officers, Air Force's New Daddy, Army Unemployment, and more.

To all to whom these presents shall come, greetings: Know ye that, reposing special trust and confidence in the patriotism, fidelity, and abilities of you, I do hereby appoint you as a loyal subscriber of this newsletter, to serve with distinction and uphold its mission.

Alright, enough of the BS. Let’s dive into the latest military headlines served up with a side of crusty veteran humor—think MREs that taste like regret but still get the job done. I’ve scoured the web for the freshest intel as of May 13, 2025.

Topics:

Navy Lt. Cmdr. Charged with Murder of Spouse in Japan, Faces Court-Martial
Chief Master Sgt. Anthony Green - Video Voyeurism Involving a Minor
Senate Confirms Meink as Air Force Secretary
Army Faces Potential Force Reduction of 90,000 Troops
Army to Deactivate Two SFABs, Reassigns NCOs and Officers to Combat Units
Army ‘Transforming-in-Contact’ Units with EW Prototypes
Trump Lifts Syria Sanctions, Seals $142B Saudi Arms Deal
US Marine Corps Deploys Nokia’s Banshee Private Network for Tactical Edge

Navy Lt. Cmdr. Charged with Murder of Spouse in Japan, Faces Court-Martial

Navy Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Olsen was charged with 2nd degree murder and obstruction of justice on May 7, 2025 for murdering his own wife, Jessica Olsen. She was found dead on October 28, 2024 in a hotel in Fukuoka, Japan. At the age of 37, she suffered blunt force trauma and strangulation. Now the officer, stationed in San Diego, is facing a potential court-martial as NCI continues to investigate further. Jessica's family has criticized the Department of Navy on how the whole situation is being handled. They demand transparency and justice.

I hope Jessica Olsen gets the justice she deserves and I extend my condolences to her family.

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Navy officer charged with killing of wife at Japanese hotel

Chief Master Sgt. Anthony Green - Video Voyeurism Involving a Minor

Florida Incident-Based Reporting System accuses Chief Master Sgt. Anthony Green for "Video Voyeurism Involving a Minor." This report is following the events in April of this year, when he was relieved of his duties due to a "Loss of Confidence in his Leadership." He isn't serving brig time, NJP, court-martial, or even restriction status as we know of right now. He is also, still tied to Hulbert Field, Florida, but with a new title in the Department of Air Force.

This is a seriously disgusting individual. How can you be so high in rank, dedicate your service with distinction, and turn around and pull this crap.

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Investigation Reveals More Info Around Top AFSOC Enlisted Airman’s Firing

Senate Confirms Meink as Air Force Secretary

The 27th Air Force Secretary has been confirmed to Troy E. Meink. The vote for his confirmation was a strong 74-25 approval. Meink is no stranger when it comes to the Defense Department, as has former experience in the military - particularly with the KC-135 Navigator and wields combat experience from Desert Storm. He has also served as a principal deputy director for the NRO (National Recon Office). With his new position, he will now lead the Department of Air Force and Department of Space Force whilst managing a $173B budget amongst 700,000 personnel. His priorities are simple: 1) Expansion of Space Force capabilities, 2) Replace aging KC-135s, and 3) Focus on the Golden Dome Defense System. Despite public criticism with his SpaceX affiliations, his space and acquisition expertise has earned bipartisan support.

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Senate confirms Meink as next Air Force secretary

Army Faces Potential Force Reduction of 90,000 Troops

The Department of Army is looking to remove up to 90,000 Active Duty Members. This isn't surprising as we were already seeing cuts all across the board in the Federal Government. SECDEF Hegseth has also implemented a budget cut of about 8% in the Defense Department. The aim? A leaner, tech-focused Force to counter China in the Indo-Pacific front. Despite record recruiting numbers, this does concern the public in regards to retention and recruiting moving forward.

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Army Planners Are Weighing Force Reductions of Up to 90,000 Active-Duty Soldiers

Army to Deactivate Two SFABs, Reassigns NCOs and Officers to Combat Units

The 4th Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) at Fort Carson, Colorado and the 54th SFAB at a National Guard Unit in Indiana are set to disperse their personnel amongst infantry and armor units across the U.S. Army. These particular SFABs were established in 2017 to train with allied nations focused in Europe. These soldiers will holster operational readiness in other units to support our missions. Other SFABs will continue to remain in their missions: South America, Africa, Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific. The motive is to streamline and modernize the Army amid global demands.

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Army to eliminate 2 Security Force Assistance Brigades, reassign experienced soldiers

Army ‘Transforming-in-Contact’ Units with EW Prototypes

The Army’s “Transforming-in-Contact” (TiC 2.0) initiative is equipping armored divisions with electronic warfare (EW) prototypes to counter threats like China and Russia. Starting in FY 2025, units like the 1st Armored Division and 25th Infantry will test systems including:

TLS-EAB: Vehicle-based jamming and cyber ops for divisions.
S2AS: A tool to map and counter enemy signals.
TLS-BCT Manpack: Lightweight EW for infantry, now adapting for tanks and Strykers.

TiC 2.0 speeds up tech fielding by testing 250 EW systems alongside drones and counter-UAS, with a $1B budgeted. It builds on lessons from Ukraine, empowering EW specialists (17E) to disrupt enemy comms and drones while protecting tanks and BFVs. Challenges include budget cuts and training needs, but the push aims to keep divisions lethal in contested environments.

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Army to provide ‘transforming-in-contact’ units electronic warfare prototypes for divisions

Trump Lifts Syria Sanctions, Seals $142B Saudi Arms Deal

President Trump pledged to lift U.S. sanctions against Syria during a Saudi visit, aiming to support its new government under former rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa and enable Gulf-funded reconstruction. This follows Assad’s fall in 2024 but raises concerns due to al-Sharaa’s al-Qaeda ties and Israel’s objections. Trump also secured a $142B arms deal with Saudi Arabia, part of a $600B investment in U.S. sectors, strengthening defense ties but risking regional tensions. For veterans, this signals reduced U.S. military involvement in Syria and defense job growth, though ethical concerns linger over Trump’s Gulf business ties and engaging a controversial Syrian leader.

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Trump pledges to lift Syria sanctions as he seals $142bn arms deal on Saudi visit

US Marine Corps Deploys Nokia’s Banshee Private Network for Tactical Edge

The U.S. Marine Corps has rolled out Nokia’s Banshee 5G/LTE private wireless network to boost battlefield communications. Delivered to the Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity (MCTSSA), this secure, high-speed system ensures reliable connectivity in tough, disrupted environments. After successful 2023 trials at Yuma and Project Convergence, MCTSSA acquired multiple units this year. Nokia has trained Marines on setup and operations, enhancing mission-critical capabilities. Called a “game-changer,” Banshee aligns with Marine modernization, offering scalable, cost-effective tactical networking.

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US Marine Corps fires up Nokia private network service