Author: Tony Grist

Effective immediately, the Mexican Border Defense Medal is established to recognize service members deployed to the U.S. international border with Mexico for Defense Department support to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in an Aug. 13 memorandum. Service members deployed in support of CBP previously were recognized with the Armed Forces Service Medal. To receive the new award, service members must have been permanently assigned, attached or detailed to a unit that deployed to participate in a designated DOD military operation supporting CBP within the area of eligibility for 30 consecutive or nonconsecutive days, from Jan.…

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) are a hallmark of the transforming mission of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command as it embraces the principles behind Army Continuous Transformation. Modern UAS technology is touted as the future of the force, capable of performing a wide array of tasks while keeping Soldiers safe from harm. Although UAS use has been highlighted in recent news coverage of war-fighting efforts across the globe, the basis for current developments begins with the Signal Corps almost 70 years ago. The CECOM Historical Archive collection documents the use of drone technology for surveillance throughout the late 1950s and early…

President Donald Trump has chosen Sergio Gor, the director of presidential personnel, to be the next ambassador to India, he announced Friday on Truth Social. Trump depicted the nomination as a promotion, but he may have been offering a soft landing to the embattled staffer. Subscribe Today Get daily emails in your inbox Gor sparked the fiery falling-out this summer between Trump and the world’s richest man Elon Musk, the New York Post reported. Gor had played a role in Trump’s yanking the nomination of Jared Isaacman, a friend of Musk, as head of NASA, triggering a flurry…

Last week in Michigan, a bunch of motivated shooters spent 3 days on the range shooting pistol and rifle. I was sure a coin was going to be awarded, but as I well know in my own shooting, that can be a tricky thing sometimes and I have narrowly missed winning various awards multiple times. However, five shooters earned FAST pins! Congratulations to Matt, Randy, John, Geoff and Jeff! Read the full article here

Army Accelerates Long Range Reconnaissance UAS Capability The Army recently awarded contracts to AeroVironment and Edge Autonomy to rapidly deliver initial Long-Range Reconnaissance (LRR) systems. The AeroVironment P550 and Edge Autonomy Stalker Block 35X are Group 2 UAS designed to provide Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RSTA) organic to maneuver battalions. Capabilities include an open systems architecture, allowing quick integration of additional capabilities to meet ground commanders’ mission requirements, primarily at the Battalion level. By working with multiple vendors, the Army continues to foster healthy, continued competition to ensure the Warfighter receives the best solutions quickly. The Army will use…

A major milestone has been achieved for the Autonomous Multi-Domain Launcher as it moves toward augmenting — and possibly replacing — existing Army launchers. AML, a science and technology initiative led by the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command’s Aviation & Missile Center and Ground Vehicle Systems Center since 2020, has transitioned to the Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office, marking the next step in its journey towards fielding. This transition comes with a new name, a nod to the expansion of its capabilities: Common Autonomous Multi-Domain Launcher, or CAML, as RCCTO pursues two iterations of the system — a…

Watch full video on YouTube

Phoenix, AZ — August 18, 2025 — PureTech Systems®, a leader in AI-boosted geospatial video analytics and command-and-control solutions, announced its role in a joint effort with Clear Align to deliver a rapidly deployable perimeter security solution for the U.S. Air Force’s Tactical Security System (TSS). Awarded under a seven-year, $199 million contract, this modular, scalable system is designed to enhance base and perimeter protection for forward-deployed installations, airfields, and emergency missions worldwide. It integrates electro-optical and infrared cameras, radar, and advanced AI into a unified, autonomous command-and-control platform. Designed for challenging and remote environments, the solution enables operators to detect, classify,…

See CTOMS at NTOA Join CTOMS and AUFIRE at the 42nd Annual NTOA Law Enforcement Operations Conference and Trade Show! CTOMS, a leader in tactical medical training and solutions, and AUFIRE, the cutting-edge tactical simulation tool, will be exhibiting at the NTOA Conference from August 24-25, 2025. Visit us at Booth 312! CTOMS offers tactical medical training, rope access, and equipment solutions. Ask about CTOMS Academy, which provides tactical medicine training solutions for agencies of all sizes, to bring this vital capability to every frontline officer. AUFIRE simulates debilitating wounds for tactical training scenarios. This unique and important training tool…

President Donald Trump announced Friday that the U.S. federal government will take a 10 percent stake in the chip manufacturer Intel. This share, worth about $10 billion at current stock prices, will be acquired by converting grants provided to the company under the former President Joe Biden’s CHIPS Act into equity. Subscribe Today Get daily emails in your inbox The proposal, Trump said, came from Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan, who Trump argued should resign earlier this year. “He walked in wanting to keep his job, and he ended up giving us $10 billion for the United States,” said…