Ben Wolfgang
Articles by Ben Wolfgang
Pentagon bashes New York Times over ‘white supremacy’ editorial
Top Pentagon officials late Sunday blasted The New York Times for a Memorial Day weekend editorial that criticized the military for naming bases after Confederate generals. Published May 25, 2020
Top lawmakers tell VA to remove German POW headstones with swastikas
Top House Democrats and Republicans demanded Monday that the Department of Veterans Affairs remove three headstones over German prisoner-of-war graves that bear swastika insignias and words praising Adolf Hitler, calling it "callous" to leave them in place. Published May 25, 2020
Veterans military expertise ignored in civilian job hunt
Millions of U.S. military veterans who have risked their lives while serving their country and often bear the scars of battle confront a frustrating web of red tape as they begin their journey back into civilian life and try to use the job skills they've perfected in war zones. Published May 24, 2020
U.S., China on ‘brink of a new Cold War,’ Beijing warns
Top U.S. and Chinese officials traded explosive accusations Sunday over Beijing's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, fueling fears that a "new Cold War" between the two global powers is on the horizon. Published May 24, 2020
Gen. Sean Gainey, Joint Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems Office commander, leads U.S. drone defense
A surprise drone attack that took out nearly half of Saudi Arabia's oil production and blindsided global markets last year is just the kind of thing that keeps Maj. Gen. Sean Gainey up at night. Published May 21, 2020
USS Theodore Roosevelt returns to sea after coronavirus outbreak
The USS Theodore Roosevelt returned to sea Thursday after a coronavirus outbreak kept the vessel docked in Guam for nearly two months. Published May 21, 2020
Another fighter jet crashes at Florida’s Eglin Air Force Base
An F-35 fighter jet crashed at Eglin Air Force Base on Tuesday night, officials said, marking the second crash at the Florida base over just the last five days. Published May 20, 2020
Debbie Wasserman-Schultz seeks swastikas removed from U.S. veterans cemeteries
Controversial inscriptions in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in Texas and Fort Douglas Post Cemetery in Utah attracted relatively little attention until recently, when the Southern Poverty Law Center and other advocacy groups launched a public campaign pressuring the federal government to remove them. Published May 19, 2020
5 sailors on USS Theodore Roosevelt again test positive for COVID-19
Five sailors aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt have retested positive for COVID-19 despite having cleared "rigorous recovery criteria" established by federal health officials, Navy leaders said Friday. Published May 15, 2020
Coronavirus crackdowns around the world make U.S. rules look lenient
Lebanon is on total lockdown, Hong Kong is using electronic wristbands to enforce quarantines, and Russia has developed a smartphone app to track and make sure people with symptoms don't leave their homes. Published May 14, 2020
Afghanistan maternity ward attack undermines Taliban peace plan
The Trump administration's hope for a lasting cease-fire in Afghanistan has dipped to a low point this week after a vicious attack on a Kabul maternity ward that shocked the world and led Afghan government officials to publicly declare that they have all but given up trying to make peace with the Taliban. Published May 13, 2020
Pentagon’s inspector general to probe Navy’s handling of coronavirus outbreaks aboard ships
The Pentagon's inspector general is opening a review of the U.S. Navy's handling of the COVID-19 outbreak to examine whether Navy leaders took strong enough action to stop the virus' spread aboard ships, and whether their plan was effectively implemented across the U.S. fleet. Published May 12, 2020
Iran aggression to compensate for military blunders likely, analysts warn
Iran captured world attention by launching its first military satellite into orbit just weeks ago, but its armed forces remain plagued by high-profile mishaps that undermine the Islamic Republic's carefully crafted image as a major regional power. Published May 12, 2020
Pentagon watchdog to investigate Navy’s handling of coronavirus outbreak
The Pentagon's inspector general will launch a review of the Navy's handling of the COVID-19 outbreak, the watchdog announced Monday, with a focus on whether Navy leaders took strong enough action to stop the spread of the virus on ships and whether their plan was effectively implemented across the U.S. fleet. Published May 12, 2020
Pentagon Arctic strategy lacks vision to counter China, Russia, critics say
The Trump administration is struggling to effectively counter Russian and Chinese naval and maritime moves in the Arctic, according to analysts and several lawmakers. Published May 11, 2020
Kenneth Braithwaite, nominee to be secretary of Navy, acknowledges ‘rough seas’ for service
The culture of the U.S. Navy has been "tarnished" by a string of disciplinary and operational missteps in recent years, most recently with the handling of the coronavirus outbreak aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt, President Trump's pick to lead the troubled military branch said Thursday. Published May 7, 2020
UFO enthusiasts call on Trump to reveal secrets after video release
UFO activists find themselves over the moon with President Trump, whose unexpected decision last week to release stunning footage showing U.S. military close encounters with unexplained objects in the sky has created an unprecedented wave of momentum that could finally break an information dam that has held for decades. Published May 5, 2020
Navy’s sail-through in Arctic sends message to Russia
Trailed by a Russian flotilla, four U.S. Navy ships and a British vessel sailed into the frigid Arctic waters of the Barents Sea on Monday, marking the first such operation since the Cold War and shining a fresh spotlight on a rapidly growing power struggle at the top of the world. Published May 4, 2020
U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan advances despite Taliban attacks, coronavirus
The Pentagon is forging ahead with a dramatic cut in combat troop levels in Afghanistan even as the Taliban ramps up attacks and specialists warn that the COVID-19 outbreak could destabilize the fragile country and fuel even greater chaos. Published May 4, 2020
North Korea, South Korea exchange gunfire after Kim Jong-un reemerges
North and South Korean military forces traded gunfire Sunday in what U.S. officials believe started with an "accidental" shot from the northern side of the border, increasing tensions between the two nations just as reclusive North Korean leader Kim Jong-un emerged from a mysterious three-week absence from the world stage. Published May 3, 2020
