The Taliban didn’t conduct a single attack against U.S. or coalition forces over three months this spring, according to a new report from the Defense Department Inspector General, an almost miraculous occurrence given the uptick in violence against Afghan security forces since the signing of the U.S.-Taliban peace agreement in February. According to the new IG […]
President Donald Trump may be field-testing a new nickname for his secretary of defense: Yesper. When asked by a reporter whether he had confidence in Defense Secretary Mark Esper’s leadership, Trump responded: Mark Yesper? Did you call him Yesper? Oh, okay. Some people call him Yesper. No I get along with him. I get along […]
The Pentagon is on the lookout for Aliens. It stood up a task force to search for understand what it's calling unidentified aerial phenomena.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Donald Trump has privately discussed with advisers the possibility of replacing Defense Secretary Mark Esper after the November election in the wake of a number of differences between them, a source familiar with the internal debate said on Wednesday. The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the two men were […]
The Pentagon is now on its fifth civilian leader in charge of special operations forces in less than three years. Ezra Cohen is currently performing the duties of the assistant secretary of defense of special operations and low-intensity conflict, said Pentagon spokesman Michael Howard. Cohen replaces Chris Miller, who was sworn in as director of […]
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States plans to cut its troop levels in Afghanistan to “a number less than 5,000” by the end of November, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said in an interview broadcast on Saturday, adding detail to drawdown plans U.S. President Donald Trump announced earlier this week. The United States currently has about […]
Defense Secretary Mark Esper said that he believes the explosion in Beirut that has reportedly killed more than 130 people was likely an accident, possibly putting himself at odds with President Donald Trump, who has insisted the blast was a “terrible attack.” “I’m still getting information on what happened,” Esper told the Aspen Security Forum […]
More than two dozen House Democrats are demanding the reinstatement of LGBTQ Pride and Sovereign Native Nations flags on military installations — and an explicit ban on the Confederate Flag. In a letter sent Friday to Department of Defense Secretary Mark Esper, 34 lawmakers argued that a new policy he issued last month — which […]
The Department of Defense Office of Inspector General found that the number of aging, unresolved recommendations it made to DoD has increased by 530 percent, from 27 recommendations in 2017 to 170 in 2020.
In an effort to crackdown on leaks, the Pentagon is trying to limit the release of unclassified information in the name of operational security. This latest move comes after President Donald Trump and his administration received unflattering news coverage about its lackluster response to intelligence reports indicating the Russians may have offered money to Taliban-linked […]
Never has the cliché “rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic” been better used than to describe the staffing issues at the Pentagon, where org charts now resemble Twister mats. Of the Defense Department’s top 60 leadership positions, a total of 20 are currently vacant, said Pentagon spokesman Chuck Prichard. Ten people have been nominated for […]
Bad news, service members: the Pentagon will no longer permit you to let your freak flag fly. On Friday, the Defense Department issued a new memorandum defining exactly which flags can be flown at U.S. military installations, an effective ban on the Confederate flag in the midst of a growing campaign to strip the symbols from […]
Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper speaks to all members of the department about recent events and how DOD plans to ensure that its ranks reflect and include all Americans.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper is banning all photographs from promotions and ordering a review of grooming and hairstyles for racial bias as part of an effort to combat prejudice within the military. In June, Esper announced the Defense Department was looking into how to eliminate racial bias and increase diversity within the ranks. Based on […]
Defense Secretary Mark Esper confirmed to lawmakers on Thursday that he had been briefed on intelligence that the Russians were allegedly offering bounties to Taliban-linked militants to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan. “I didn’t see the first report until February, when it came out in an intelligence piece of paper,” Esper told Rep. Seth Moulton […]
The Confederate officers for whom 10 Army bases are named betrayed their country by taking part in an armed rebellion against the United States, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told lawmakers on Thursday. “The American Civil War … was an act of treason at the time against the Union, against the Stars […]
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley told lawmakers on Thursday that there “were probably some missed signals” leading up to the alleged murder of Army Spc. Vanessa Guillén. “I suspect, though I don’t know, that there were probably some missed signals,” Milley told the House Armed Services Committee. “And one of the […]
The Pentagon announced on Monday that a 20-year-old soldier had died from a “non-combat related incident” in Kosovo. In a press release, the Department of Defense said Pfc. Alexander Blake Klass of Willamina, Oregon, died on July 4, 2020 at Camp Novo Selo. The incident is under investigation and no further details were immediately available. […]
Active duty, reserve, and National Guard troops who have participated in efforts to bring the coronavirus outbreak under control can receive the Armed Forces Service Medal and the Humanitarian Service Medal.
Editor’s Note: The following is an op-ed. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Task & Purpose. Civilian control of the military is one of the foundational principles of our nation. Only Congress can declare war and authorize the use of military force. For generations, that […]
StormBreaker: It’s not just for thunder gods anymore. The Navy has conducted a guided release of the GBU-53/B StormBreaker bomb from an F/A-18E/F Super Hornet for the first time — a major step towards reaching initial operating capability later this year — as defense contractor Raytheon announced last week. Originally known as the Small Diameter Bomb II in […]
The Pentagon has identified the soldier who died from a non-combat incident on Tuesday as Army Spc. Nick Bravo Regules.
The Defense Department has once again failed to deliver on its promises to U.S. service members and their families that live in privatized military housing. When Defense Secretary Mark Esper released the Tenant Bill of Rights in February — a document which identified a total of 18 rights intended to give military families more control […]
The Supreme Court's 6-3 ruling that transgender people are protected from sex discrimination does not overturn the Defense Department's current policy that prevents certain transgender individuals from joining the military.
The Pentagon’s current top civilian leader in charge of special operations forces is leaving before his permanent replacement is confirmed by the Senate.
