Next Level Tech for Marines and Space Force, TRICARE West - Who, Jailbreak, 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 smoke straight to the butt of these headlines.
Topics:
- Thousands in TRICARE West are Being Dropped
- Hegseth plans to Cut Over 120 Senior Military Jobs
- Foiled Jailbreak at Fort Leavenworth
- Space Force Ramps Up: $277.6M in Contracts for Satellite and Missile Defense Overhaul
- Somewear Labs Locks In Marine Corps Deal to Build Badass Tactical Comms Network
Thousands in TRICARE West are Being Dropped
About 30,000 TRICARE beneficiaries in the West Region are losing coverage for not setting up recurring payments by April 30, 2025, after the contract switched from Health Net to TriWest on January 1, 2025. Payment setup issues, including a problematic online portal and long call center wait times, led to disenrollment, retroactive to the last paid date. The transition also caused delayed provider payments and referral delays. A referral waiver for TRICARE Prime users extends through June 30, 2025.
Hegseth plans to Cut Over 120 Senior Military Jobs
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s “Less Generals, More GIs” plan targets over 120 high-ranking officer positions, including up to nine four-star slots, primarily in the Army and National Guard. Aimed at streamlining the Pentagon and boosting efficiency, cuts will use attrition where possible. Critics warn of a potential “political purge” and weakened readiness. Part of Trump’s cost-cutting push, the plan lacks a clear timeline but seeks rapid implementation. Concerns linger over transparency and long-term impacts on military leadership.
Foiled Jailbreak at Fort Leavenworth
On April 29, 2025, two inmates at the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks (USDB), the military’s only maximum-security prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, attempted to escape. Correctional officers from the Army Corrections Brigade quickly intervened, stopping the escape. Both inmates were injured, treated, and returned to custody. One was photographed tangled in razor wire atop a fence. The incident, now under investigation, maintained public safety, but details on the inmates and circumstances are withheld due to policy. Social media posts, including inaccurate footage, circulated afterward. This rare escape attempt highlights the USDB’s tight security, housing serious military offenders, including death row inmates.
Space Force Ramps Up: $277.6M in Contracts for Satellite and Missile Defense Overhaul
The U.S. Space Force is modernizing its space operations with $277.6 million in contracts. Auria Space ($8.1M) and Sphinx Defense ($9.5M), both from Colorado Springs, will develop cloud-based "joint antenna marketplaces" to connect military satellites with commercial and government ground stations, upgrading the outdated Satellite Control Network (SCN) for faster, more efficient communication amid growing satellite numbers. Meanwhile, SciTec, a Princeton-based firm, secured $260M to build data processing systems for the FORGE program, enhancing missile warning capabilities with multi-orbit satellites to track ballistic and hypersonic threats globally, replacing the aging SBIRS. Northrop Grumman will support FORGE with new ground stations in the U.S. and U.K.
Somewear Labs Locks In Marine Corps Deal to Build Badass Tactical Comms Network
Somewear Labs just landed a deal with the Marine Corps to roll out a next-gen comms system, backed by the Defense Innovation Unit. Think of it as a super-reliable, battle-ready network that keeps Marines connected, whether they’re in the middle of nowhere or under fire. It’s built to handle everything from radio to satellite, automatically switching to whatever works best if signals get jammed or terrain’s a mess. The system’s modular, so it can scale from a small squad to a full-blown operation across the Indo-Pacific. It’s also got real-time data for drones and command, keeping everyone on the same page. This is about giving Marines the edge with secure, adaptable tech that’s been battle-tested in prototypes and is now going big. Semper Fi—this is gear you’d want in the field.
Current VA Rates:

USAA VA Mortgage
As of today:
- VA Purchase Loan: 6.250% Interest / 6.593% APR / 0.988 Discount Points
- VA Jumbo Purchase Loan: 6.250% Interest / 6.578% APR / 0.924 Discount Points

Navy Federal Credit Union VA Mortgage
As of today:
- 15 Year: 5.125% Interest / 5.773% APR / 0.250 Discount Points
- 30 Year: 5.750% Interest / 6.223% APR / 1.000 Discount Points