u/A-CommonMan

Memphis police say National Guard troops fired their weapons in the early morning hours Sunday, killing a man who was armed with a handgun.

Police say officers were responding to calls of shots fired in downtown Memphis just before 4:00 am local time when they saw "an armed male carrying a handgun." The man — identified by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation as 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson — fled on foot, pursued by Memphis police officers along with Tennessee National Guard soldiers who are assigned to the area.

What happened next was not immediately clear.

"For reasons under investigation, the situation escalated, resulting in two National Guard soldiers firing upon Johnson, striking and killing him," according to a statement from the TBI. Memphis police said the man had "turned toward NG members with his weapon" before the National Guard soldiers fired their weapons and struck him.

Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene. No law enforcement officers were hurt in the incident, according to the TBI.

The TBI says it is investigating the incident at the request of Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy. TBI agents are "working to independently determine the series of events leading to the shooting, including collecting evidence and conducting interviews," the agency said.

The National Guard has been patrolling in Memphis since October of last year as part of a federal task force, established by President Trump, to combat crime in Memphis.

Memphis has one of the highest violent crime rates in the country, according to data from the FBI. But Memphis police say overall crime and violent crime were falling in 2025 even before the National Guard deployment began. Still, some local residents told NPR they welcomed the federal intervention.

A judge in Tennessee sided with local officials, issuing a temporary injunction that blocked the deployment. But a state appeals court overturned that injunction in April, allowing the operation to continue.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation will handle the investigation into the fatal shooting.

One of the Army’s most seasoned and high-profile officers is abruptly leaving the service and is expected to announce his retirement as soon as Wednesday, according to a U.S. official.

Gen. Chris Donahue has spent the past 18 months leading U.S. Army Europe and Africa, the command responsible for Army operations across both continents.

His departure comes as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth presses ahead with a sweeping overhaul of the Pentagon’s senior ranks, firing or sidelining large numbers of top officers with little public explanation, including the Army’s top officer Gen. Randy George.

Soldiers at New Mexico’s McGregor Range Complex, part of Fort Bliss, say they regularly miss meals because the dining facility (DFAC) has lines that can take an hour or more. Some troops end up buying food out of pocket at the base exchange or food trucks. A Fort Bliss spokesman stated no soldier is turned away if they are in line before closing, and that hours have been extended and meal times staggered, though contract and funding limits prevent all day service. The article notes this is part of a pattern of DFAC access problems across multiple Army posts, despite recent modernization efforts like to go kiosks and privatized dining halls.

Discussion

The ongoing problems with military dining facilities baffle me, and let’s be fair, every E-6 and above, regardless of service, takes the mess hall and chow very seriously. There are few hills that NCOs from E-6 on up are prepared to die on, and one of them is the quality of the food and how it’s served and prepared. Every commissioned officer O-3 and above will also die on that hill. So it’s not a lack of attention from command authority that keeps letting these food service issues percolate. It has to be something else.

Is it as simple as a head count? Every E-5 and above has that whacked into their head, and every O-1 and above is beaten about the brow on head counts and their effect on meal service. In the Army at the O-3 command level, we assign our brightest officers the additional duty of food service officer, but I’ll tell you this: depending on the type of unit and where they are, that food service officer may spend more face time with the commander than any other position. It virtually becomes their full time job. People lose their jobs over it, battalion commanders, group or wing commanders, and the equivalent in other services. Everyone takes it very seriously. So why do we continue to have these problems with food service? Something doesn’t add up.

And here’s another layer: should we replace service members with contractors in dining halls? Will that change or fix the problem? The McGregor chow hall is already contract run, yet the lines are still out the door. Maybe the root cause isn’t just headcount accuracy or command emphasis, it could be baked into how we structure the contract or whether a contractor can truly flex to meet sudden surges the way military cooks once did.

Who remembers the overweight food service sergeant who couldn’t pass the PT test and smelled like liquor? He was untouchable because his food tasted like your grandmother’s and he never ran out of it.

The Bipartisan Women’s Caucus canceled its 28th annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, an event held to honor fallen servicewomen. The Navy, Air Force, and Space Force declined to participate, explicitly citing a January 2025 Executive Order and Department of Defense guidance that bar the use of official resources for events connected to diversity, equity, and inclusion or cultural awareness months. An Air Force spokesperson confirmed the decision was made in compliance with that policy.

The Army cited a scheduling conflict with its birthday, though a caucus spokesperson noted that had never been an issue in previous years. Meanwhile, a defense official stated the Marine Corps had planned to attend until the event was canceled and has supported it annually as long as anyone can remember, including in 2025. Neither the Navy nor the Army provided additional comment, directing questions to the Department of Defense, which referred matters back to the individual services.

The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) says its forces have launched “additional self-defence strikes” against “multiple targets in Iran” as explosions have been heard from across the country.

Iran’s top joint military command says Strait of Hormuz has been closed and any vessel attempting to pass through will be targeted.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian earlier said the country will “stand firm” and denounced US threats to target Iranian infrastructure.

The US military says it “disabled” a vessel in the Gulf of Oman as it was “attempting to transport oil from Iran”.

US uncrewed drone boat “found and rescued” two crew members after an Army Apache helicopter went down off the coast of Oman, the US military said early Tuesday.

US Central Command spokesperson Capt. Timothy Hawkins said, “A U.S. Navy surface drone found and rescued the crew from the water. U.S. 5th Fleet’s Task Force 59 is the Navy’s first operational AI and drone task force.”

Task Force 59, which was launched in 2021, includes uncrewed vessels and drones. It’s the first Navy task force of its kind.

“The Soldiers were safely rescued within approximately two hours and are in stable condition. The cause of the incident is under investigation,” US Central Command, the military branch responsible for operations in the Middle East, said in a post on X.

The loss of the aircraft marks the first loss of an Apache since the conflict with Iran began. It comes after hostilities in the region escalated over the weekend, with Iran and Israel exchanging their first direct strikes in months late Sunday.

The US military said the helicopter went down “while patrolling regional waters.”

US President Donald Trump commented on the incident overnight, saying “the pilots are fine” after being asked by reporters about a report that a US Army helicopter went down near the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has launched missiles at Israel for the first time since a ceasefire with the US and Israel took effect in April. Iran's Revolutionary Guards called the attack a "warning" after Israel launched strikes against Beirut. Israel said its attacks in southern Beirut were targeting Hezbollah militants in response to fire toward Israeli territory. Israel has called the Iranian attacks a "grave mistake".

Captain, I have all hailing frequencies open across all sub-space bands! 🖖

Jury awards Nichelle Nichols' estate $13 million.

A Grant County jury found for the family of Star Trek actress Nichelle Nichols in the wrongful death lawsuit filed against the Gila Regional Medical Center, which is located in Silver City, New Mexico. The jury deliberated for only a couple of hours on Thursday, June 4, before finding Grmc negligent for Nichols’ death.

BLUF: President Zelensky issued an aggressive 1,800-word open letter to Putin demanding a direct bilateral summit and a binding ceasefire. Far from a soft diplomatic plea, the timing and tone are explicitly tied to recent Ukrainian kinetic operations and window-of-opportunity targeting.

​​Shaping the Battlespace via Deep Strikes: Kyiv is pitching these talks immediately following successful long-range drone strikes against major Russian logistics hubs, oil infrastructure, and fuel depots (specifically targeting Crimea and St. Petersburg). Zelensky is weaponizing this deep-strike capability to show Moscow that Ukraine can bypass Russian air defenses and bring the material cost of the war directly to the Russian domestic population.

​Exploiting a Theater-Level Operational Pause: Kyiv is moving now because the US is heavily distracted by the regional conflict involving Iran. Zelensky bluntly acknowledged that European security cannot sit on standby while Washington's focus is pulled away, forcing a direct, localized tactical push.

​Attrition Realities: Zelensky’s push relies on the assessment that Russia’s offensive momentum is hitting a ceiling of diminishing returns relative to its domestic economic strain, using Ukraine's defensive resilience to force a diplomatic opening.

​Current Standstill: Putin is rejecting a pre-talk ceasefire, stating his forces are still advancing along the line of contact and demanding Ukraine formally cede four partially occupied regions (Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia) and abandon NATO ambitions. Meanwhile, Trump has publicly greenlit the direct meeting concept, signaling that future compromises are on the table.

The US House of Representatives voted 215–208 to pass a war powers resolution ordering the withdrawal of American troops from the conflict with Iran, delivering a rebuke to President Trump. Four Republicans joined all Democrats in supporting the measure, which invokes the 1973 War Powers Act to limit the president's ability to engage in hostilities against Iran without congressional approval.

Whether the resolution proceeds to the Senate remains an open question. The vote reflects growing bipartisan concern over escalating military actions and the administration's legal justification for engaging Iran without explicit authorization from Congress.

Not 'just a gun': New SOCOM rifle allows barrel swapping and cartridge changes

SOCOM is set to field the MK24 Medium Range Gas Gun Assault (MRGG‑A) before the end of this fiscal year, completely replacing the MK17 SCAR. Awarded to Iowa‑based LMT Defense under a 10‑year, $92 million contract, the MRGG‑A features a quick‑change barrel that lets operators swap between 7.62mm NATO and 6.5mm Creedmoor in about a minute. This flexibility addresses real‑world concerns: when partnered forces only have 7.62mm stocks available, operators can switch calibers in the field without carrying multiple weapon systems.

The 14.5‑inch barrel makes the MK24 feel like an M4 carbine but perform like the M110 semi‑auto sniper rifle. SOCOM chose 6.5mm Creedmoor after evaluating nearly two dozen cartridges in 2017 and finding it delivered the best overall performance at ranges around 1,000 meters. The shift away from legacy cartridges mirrors the Army’s move to 6.8x51mm for its Next Generation Squad Weapons. The manufacturer LMT Defense says the MRGG‑A is "a big one that I think is going to trickle down to more of your mainline units down the road.

A promising new tool for battlefield medicine: the U.S. Army's IBEX exoskeleton, which will be tested by the Army, Marines, and Navy. Unveiled on May 28, 2026, by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, the seven-pound Intrepid Battlefield EXoskeleton (IBEX) allows troops with lower-leg injuries—such as tibia fractures, torn ligaments, ankle sprains, and foot fractures—to stand, walk, and even shoot when evacuation is delayed.

Why this matters:

· Self-evacuation under fire: Traditional litter evacuation pulls two to four soldiers out of the fight. IBEX lets injured troops move themselves to safety, keeping more personnel combat-effective and presenting a smaller target for drones.

· Lightweight and deployable: At seven pounds and collapsible to the size of a water bottle, IBEX can be carried by medics or dropped from a cargo drone—it has survived a 400-foot fall.

· Smart design: A telescoping frame, harness, thigh corset, knee joint, splint, and rocker-bottom boot isolate the injured limb from bearing weight, reducing pain and preventing further damage. Users can drop prone, fire, and rise again.

· Built for real combat: From 2001–2018, over 22,000 deployed service members sustained lower-leg injuries; about 68% of extremity wounds were fractures or open injuries from gunshots, IEDs, or rough terrain.

· Path to fielding: Started in 2020, IBEX is now on its fifth-generation prototype with third-round funding. The Army, Navy, and Marines have completed field tests, a commercial partner has licensed it, and next testing is set for early next year in San Antonio.

It's a smart, practical evolution in troop survivability—not a miracle, but a genuine step forward.

This is a staggering number—roughly half a million Russian soldiers killed since the invasion began.

According to Anne Keast-Butler, Director of Britain's GCHQ, new intelligence puts Russian military deaths at nearly 500,000 since February 2022. She stated that "Putin is going backwards on the battlefield," while warning that Russia is scaling up hybrid activity against the UK and Europe—from the seabed to cyberspace.

For context, other estimates vary:

· Mediazona / Meduza (independent Russian outlets): ~352,000 Russian male citizens (ages 18–59) killed by end of 2025.

· CSIS (US think tank): ~275,000–325,000 battlefield fatalities for the same period.

Bottom line: Even the more conservative figures point to catastrophic Russian losses, and GCHQ's latest assessment pushes that number even higher.

The U.S. Army is integrating veterinarians into combat care teams to prepare for large-scale conflicts, such as a potential fight in the Indo-Pacific region. This leverages the similar anatomy and trauma response between humans and canines, allowing medical personnel to treat both.

Here are the key details from the article:

· Medical Overlap: The core medical principles (e.g., the MARCH trauma assessment for hemorrhaging and airway management) are identical for both species, with the same equipment and medications used, albeit sometimes with different dosages.

· Bidirectional Support: Human medics can treat injured military dogs, while veterinarians could assist with human patients in operating rooms.

· Tech Integration: An electronic medical record system (BATDOK) uses QR codes to streamline tracking for both humans and dogs in the field.

· Logistical Edge: This cross-training aims to create a more resilient medical system by addressing manpower shortages and enhancing overall combat survivability.

The US military has carried out new airstrikes in the southern region of Iran, targeting missile sites and boats suspected of attempting to lay mines in strategic waterways. US Central Command described the strikes as an act of self‑defense intended to protect American troops from threats posed by the country’s naval forces.

According to a US Central Command spokesperson, the strikes were conducted with restraint during an ongoing ceasefire. The target area was near a major southern port city that hosts a naval base overlooking a crucial oil‑shipping channel—the Strait of Hormuz.

Local news outlets in the targeted country had earlier reported explosions in the port city, and authorities were investigating the incident. No official response from the country’s government has been issued yet.

On the diplomatic front, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman confirmed that some progress has been made in talks with the US, but cautioned that any final agreement is not imminent. A proposed memorandum of understanding reportedly includes a 60‑day ceasefire extension, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and further negotiations over the country’s nuclear programme.

US intelligence believes Iran's supreme leader, who was injured in an earlier Israeli strike, is currently in an undisclosed location, complicating communication with his envoys and slowing the pace of talks.

Despite cautious statements from senior officials, Iran’s top negotiator and foreign minister have met with Qatar’s prime minister in Doha to discuss a potential deal.

A ceasefire has been observed since early April. The country has maintained controls on Gulf shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, while the US Navy has sought to blockade its ports. The conflict escalated after the US and Israel launched wide‑ranging strikes on the country in late February, prompting retaliation against Israel and US‑allied Gulf states, as well as the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz—a move that sent global oil prices soaring.

China is advancing construction on the Type 004, its first nuclear-powered supercarrier, estimated at 110,000–120,000 tons — larger than the U.S. Ford-class (~100,000 tons).

Key details relevant to Pacific deployments:

Nuclear propulsion offers nearly unlimited endurance and high electrical power for EMALS catapults, advanced radars, future directed-energy weapons, and a large air wing (potentially 90–100+ aircraft including J-35 stealth fighters, KJ-600 AEW aircraft, and drones).

The bigger hull allows greater capacity for fuel, munitions, and spares, supporting higher sustained sortie rates and longer time on station without heavy dependence on replenishment ships.

Construction is underway in Dalian with potential service entry around 2029–2030 and additional hulls possible in the 2030s. This represents a major step from China’s current ski-jump carriers toward real blue-water power projection.

When paired with Type 055 destroyers and existing missile/submarine forces, it strengthens China’s A2/AD capabilities around Taiwan and in the South China Sea.

China’s shipbuilding pace currently outstrips the U.S. industrial base. For sailors and Marines with recent or upcoming WESTPAC rotations, this development affects threat environments, deterrence posture, and the importance of submarines, long-range strike, unmanned systems, and distributed operations.

For the uninitiated: Tristan da Cunha is a tiny volcanic island in the middle of the South Atlantic, over 1,500 miles from the nearest mainland. No airstrip. Year‑round 25+ knot winds. Population: 221. Getting there normally means a week‑long boat ride.

A British national was on the cruise ship MV Hondius when a deadly hantavirus outbreak hit. Three people have died so far; at least six confirmed cases. The man left the ship in mid‑April and two weeks later developed symptoms on the island–diarrhea, then fever–and went into isolation. The island’s usual medical team is just two people, and oxygen supplies were already at “critical level”.

The Operation: The UK’s 16 Air Assault Brigade, six paratroopers + an intensive care doctor and nurse (tandem‑jumped in), boarded an RAF A400M at Brize Norton, flew south, and jumped into some of the most unforgiving DZ conditions imaginable. This is reportedly the first time UK military has parachuted medical personnel for humanitarian support. They also airdropped oxygen beforehand when supplies ran low.

Bottom line: This wasn’t a permissive drop zone. It was small‑island, high‑wind, zero‑second‑chances terrain. The patient is stable, and the team is now providing care that the island couldn’t sustain on its own. Bad‑ass in every sense of the word.

In this analysis John G. Ferrari posits that the next Army Chief of Staff will inherit an existential identity crisis rather than a simple operational command. The central challenge is an intellectual one: the Army must navigate a landscape where critics argue that drone saturation and long-range precision strikes have made large ground forces obsolete. However, Ferrari argues that recent conflicts prove the opposite. While the modern battlefield has become transparent and movement increasingly dangerous, stand-off strikes alone cannot impose durable political outcomes or secure territory. The Army has been systematically neglected in modernization funding, leaving it ill-equipped for the high-attrition, industrial nature of modern warfare.

To win this argument, the next Chief must prove that land power is the essential foundation of autonomous warfare, demonstrating that drones are most effective when embedded within ground formations capable of seizing and holding terrain. This requires a fundamental shift in the Washington narrative and budget priorities, moving away from boutique, high-cost programs and legacy systems toward scalable, expendable technology. Ultimately, the Chief’s success depends on transforming the service from a defender of tradition into the decisive platform that makes the Pentagon’s broader technological investments meaningful. By asserting that land power without autonomy is obsolete, while autonomy without land power is fundamentally incomplete, the next leader must redefine the Army as the prerequisite for victory in the next decade of conflict.