In 2001, I was a young, brand-new private who had joined the Army to provide a better life for his family. I also had hopes of using the military to pay for my education. But when I woke up on the morning of September 11 at Fort Benning, Georgia, I did not immediately realize how my life was about to change.
After breakfast chow, we loaded our belongings onto a truck and then marched over to our basic training unit. We arrived around 0900. My uncles had warned me about the initial “shark attack” by the drill instructors once we arrived. The first week would be the hardest. I was already so nervous I could hardly connect to what was happening. Yes, we did get yelled at when we arrived, but it was not nearly as bad as I had been led to believe.
After we received our bags and platoon assignments, we were escorted to our bays and assigned bunks. Before they left, the drill sergeants asked if anyone had family in Washington, D.C. or New York City. Since none of us really knew each other, the bay was quiet. Then, a few soldiers did leave. One drill sergeant who stayed with us did not smoke us or push us to exhaustion, instead, he just kept saying over and over: “We are going to war.”
At first, I thought it was just infantry motivation, the kind of thing I had heard about from older family members who served. I hadn’t yet connected the dots.
It was not until lunch that the rumors really started to circulate. The soldiers who had been pulled aside earlier were allowed back in, and the “private network” immediately began spreading word: the Pentagon had been attacked, and the World Trade Center had fallen.
My first thought was that they were just trying to mess with us and get us ready for the next 22 weeks of OSUT (One Station Unit Training). But since the drills were not yelling at us like we expected, that thought began to subside.
After lunch we were marched back to the bays. Then, all four drill sergeants left, putting a brand-new soldier PG (Platoon Guide) in charge to keep us busy. A short while later, they rolled in one of those old box TVs and turned on the news. We sat there and watched everything unfold.
That night, they let us call our families. I remember my grandmother being terrified that I might go overseas in a week. We were instructed to reassure our families that we would not be going to war anytime soon. But like me, my family did not yet fully understand military life.
We were a motivated group of over 300 infantry soldiers. Only one soldier failed to graduate due to injury and not a single one went AWOL. At graduation, our drill sergeants told us that was something to be proud of.
Looking back, so much about that first week stuck with me. We were supposed to be bussed to our unit, but the contractor could not bring the buses onto post, so we marched. There were no “shark attacks,” instead the drill sergeants were glued to the news in the day room that morning. The very next day, they had us standing at a gate with “black rubber ducks” (rubber M-16 rifles), staged way behind the real soldiers, Humvees, and Bradleys, as part of a show of force.
The week of September 11, 2001, was the beginning of a journey I could never have imagined. Over the next 22 years of active duty service, I came to believe deeply that Americans are strong and that we live in one of the greatest countries in the world. I have visited the World Trade Center many times, both at the temporary memorial and the new one. I have stood at the Pentagon memorial and a few years ago I saw the 9/11 Boots of the Fallen memorial at the Pentagon before they were removed. Each visit reminded me of how much was lost and how much unity we found in the days that followed.
One of the most troubling truths is that it took something so horrific to bring America together. In the days following the attacks we leaned on each other and stood united. We remembered what it meant to be one people. Today, it often feels like we are further apart than we were before that tragic event. Maybe it is because of technology, or the way people can now speak without consequence, spreading lies and division.
Still, I choose to hold onto hope. Hope that we can find our way back to that same spirit of unity, where truth matters, where respect is given freely, and where we see the best in one another once again. The challenges ahead may be different, but so is our strength when we remember that we are stronger together.
* * *
Eric Arellano enlisted in the U.S. Army as an 11C Indirect Fire Infantryman, but reclassified as a 68P radiography tech after an injury sidelined him. He retired as a Sergeant First Class (E7) in 2023 after serving 22 years. Both of his sons and his son-in-law have also served in the military. Eric lives in Texas with his wife, Victoria.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Ft. Benning (GA) Recruits May Be Training For Iraq

The Morning America Was Attacked, I Became A Soldier

9/11

Pentagon

U.S. Army

The terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001, were a wake-up call for America, and I sincerely hope it is not one we as a nation have forgotten. There are still folks out there who hate our freedoms and our way of life.
We are no longer protected by oceans and geographical distance from potential enemies. We must always remember we are a nation at risk and be prepared for the next attack. I do believe in peace through strength.
I was the Assistant Division Commander for the U.S. Army’s 4th Infantry Division on the 11th of September in 2001. I was in the middle of packing to head to the airport when my wife Sarah asked me to turn on the television. Those TV images are still etched in my mind today, even though the event occurred 24 years ago.
<div id="attachment_971107" style="width: 783px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-971107" class="size-large wp-image-971107" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-1374462-773x576.jpg" alt="NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 11: (JAPAN OUT) (VIDEO CAPTURE) (Series 1/4) Hijacked United Airlines flight 175 flies towards the south tower of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 in New York City. The plane is one of four hijacked that morning and is the second plane to be flown into the World Trade Center buildings. (Photo by CNN via Getty Images)" width="773" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-1374462-773x576.jpg 773w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-1374462-300x224.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-1374462-768x572.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-1374462.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 773px) 100vw, 773px" />CNN via Getty Images</div>
In the past, I deployed to Desert Shield, Desert Storm, and Kosovo. Since the attacks on 9/11 I deployed to Iraq three times in varying capacities. And clearly, I am not alone. All uniformed military have had shared similar experiences. As I reflect back on that time, we went from a nation enjoying peace and prosperity to a nation at war.
In order to maintain our freedoms we need a strong military. We cannot afford to let the Department of Defense become a bill payer for programs not directly tied to our national security. We need to ensure all branches of our military are a ready fighting force — well equipped, well trained, and prepared to rapidly respond to any threat at a moment’s notice.
We also must actively support our nation’s veterans and their families because they sacrificed much to ensure we have the freedoms we enjoy today. Less than 1% of our country’s population serve in uniform at any one time, but we all enjoy the freedoms provided by that select few. Unfortunately, 76% of our population acknowledges that they have no idea what our veterans are going through because they just don’t know any veterans. That is wrong and must be addressed.
I remain concerned about the future of our great nation and want to ensure our kids and grandkids enjoy the freedoms that we enjoy today. As Ronald Reagan reminded us, freedom is only one generation removed from extinction. Let’s use today to reflect on those freedoms and commit to do everything we can to maintain them for generations to come.
* * *
Rick Lynch was privileged to serve 35 years in the U.S. Army, retiring as a Lieutenant General. During his time in the Army he commanded at all levels, from a platoon of 30 soldiers to a corps of 65,000. His last job in the Army was commanding all U.S. Army installations, with a workforce of 120,000. He now is the President of R. Lynch Enterprises, focused on building concerned, caring, adaptive leaders across our nation. He is the author of &#8220;Adapt or Die,&#8221; &#8220;Work Hard, Pray Hard,&#8221; and &#8220;We&#8217;re Not Robots.&#8221;
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
Correction: A previous version stated that the author had deployed to Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Kosovo after 9/11. Those conflicts took place before 9/11. The correction has been made.

World Trade Center Attacked

I Was An Army Commander On 9/11. I’m Still Concerned About America’s Readiness.

I Was An Army Commander On 9/11. I'm Still Concerned About America’s Readiness.

New York City

Radical Islamic Terror

U.S. Military

The U.S. Army has canceled its Command Assessment Program, which evaluated candidates for promotion and was implemented “with the stated goal of reducing conscious and unconscious biases,” as Military Times <a href="https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2025/09/02/army-cancels-biden-era-promotion-program-aimed-at-eliminating-bias/">reported</a>.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Good riddance. 
Promotions across <a href="https://twitter.com/DeptofDefense?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DeptofDefense</a> will ONLY be based on merit &amp; performance. <a href="https://t.co/ttGRGsIByA">pic.twitter.com/ttGRGsIByA</a>
&mdash; Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteHegseth/status/1963196274036900249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
A 2022 <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/359139539_Interrupting_Bias_in_Army_Talent_Management">paper</a> published in the U.S. Army War College Quarterly noted of the program:
<blockquote>
The Army’s Command Assessment Program executes a comprehensive battery of evaluations to assess talent for command positions while taking measures to minimize bias. &#8230; A panel conducts double-blind interviews of the candidates behind a screen to limit unconscious bias related to race and ethnicity. Panel members participate in antibias training just before the initial interview process and receive a shorter refresher each day they serve on the panel. 
 Individuals who have previously worked with candidates are asked to complete the Army Commander Evaluation Tool, which is intended to reflect fitness for command and identify counterproductive behaviors. These processes (double-blind interview, bias training, and anonymous peer and subordinate feedback) are notable examples of processes put in place to combat bias and should be considered best practices. 
</blockquote>
“The Army has embraced talent management transformation amid the backdrop of a global pandemic that has altered the way Americans work, and the Army has done so amid civil unrest that has resulted in part from systemic racism,” the paper claimed. “Diversity can refer to both demographics and thought. Diversity of thought, termed ‘cognitive diversity,’ may arise from variations in background, experience and perspective. One framework for diversity consists of primary dimensions, such as age, sexual orientation, physical abilities, race, gender, spiritual beliefs, and class &#8230;”
The Command Assessment Program replaced the Army’s Centralized Selection Board/List, which was not based on peer evaluations and behavioral analysis. “Former Army Secretary Christine Wormuth made CAP an official program of record just days before President Donald Trump took office,” Military Times pointed out.
“More than half of the Army’s senior officers are turning down opportunities to command &#8230; Historically, 85% of those participants have been deemed fit for command. Yet this year, 54% of eligible officers voluntarily chose not to participate &#8212; a significant uptick from the 40% average opt-out rate seen since 2019,” Military.com <a href="https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/12/13/more-half-of-senior-army-officers-are-turning-down-command-consideration.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com">reported</a> last December.

Trump Set To Announce US Space Command Will Move To Alabama

‘Good Riddance’: Army Axes Woke Bias Evaluation Program

'Good Riddance': Army Axes Woke Bias Evaluation Program

Bias

Military

Pete Hegseth

Politics

Unconscious bias

The U.S. Army awarded medals to six soldiers who subdued an active shooter and quickly aided their wounded colleagues after a sergeant opened fire at Fort Stewart in Georgia on Wednesday.
At a <a href="https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1YqKDZNmgaoJV">press conference</a> on Thursday morning, the Army honored First Sgt. Joshua Arnold, Master Sgt. Justin Thomas, Staff Sgt. Melissa Taylor, Staff Sgt. Robert Pacheco, Staff Sergeant Aaron Turner, and Sergeant Eve Rodarte for their heroism. The suspect is accused of using his personal handgun in the shooting. Fort Stewart prohibits personnel from carrying their own firearms at the base.
&#8220;One of the things I can say unequivocally is that the fast action of these soldiers under stress and under trauma and under fire absolutely saved lives from being lost,&#8221; said U.S. Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll.
&#8220;One of the soldiers tackled the person, so just think about this, they were unarmed and ran at and tackled an armed person who they knew was actively shooting their buddies, their colleagues, their fellow soldiers,&#8221; Driscoll added. &#8220;Another soldier jumped on top of the person to subdue them until federal law enforcement arrived. The other soldiers, using their training that they developed over years and years, started to take care of mass casualties.&#8221;
The Army <a href="https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/fort-stewart-shooting-georgia-08-07-25#cme1grzoq000h356nvib6ue5s">said</a> that Staff Sgt. Turner was the first person to subdue the shooter before Master Sgt. Thomas jumped in to help pin him down. Turner is an automated logistical specialist from Farmington, New Mexico, who has been at Fort Stewart for less than a year.
The five victims are all expected to survive, and three of them have already been released from the hospital. One of the victims who remains in the hospital is expected to recover quickly, while the other victim has a longer recovery ahead, Savannah, Georgia, CBS affiliate WTOC <a href="https://www.wtoc.com/2025/08/07/soldiers-who-subdued-fort-stewart-shooter-awarded-medals-3-injured-soldiers-released-hospital/">reported</a>.
The Daily Wire is not publishing the gunman’s name due to a company policy against contributing to the unintentional glorification of mass shooters.
The suspect was identified as a 28-year-old active-duty sergeant who enlisted in 2018. He had not seen combat and had no behavioral incidents that were known to the Army before the shooting. Brig. Gen. John Lubas said on Wednesday that the suspect was arrested for driving under the influence in May, an arrest that the Army&#8217;s top brass did not know about until after the shooting, when they entered the suspect&#8217;s name into a crime database. He was scheduled to be arraigned in the DUI case on August 20, <a href="https://www.ksbw.com/article/fort-stewart-army-sergeant-shooting-coworkers/65624655">according</a> to KSBW Action News 8.
An investigation into the shooting remains ongoing, and the Army said it does not want to speculate about the shooter&#8217;s motives.

Army honors soldiers who stopped gunman

Army Honors Unarmed Soldiers Who Took Down Fort Stewart Shooter

Georgia

Heroism

Shooting

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed on Tuesday that he had overturned a recent order banning traditional tactics used by drill sergeants to train new recruits, a move he says will ensure soldiers are equipped for battle.
On July 30, Col. Christopher J. Hallows, Commander of the 197th Infantry at Fort Benning, Georgia, issued a memo banning &#8220;bay tossing,&#8221; <a href="https://justthenews.com/government/security/make-basic-great-again-hegseth-looks-return-drill-sergeant-shark-attacks-basic">according</a> to Just the News. The practice involves drill sergeants entering trainees&#8217; bunk rooms — called  &#8220;bays&#8221; — unannounced, inspecting wall lockers and bunks, and then flipping over mattresses and lockers that don&#8217;t pass muster, and loudly ordering trainees to quickly clean up the mess.
Hallows said bay tossing violated Army values and amounted to &#8220;abuse&#8221; of the trainees.
&#8220;Abuse of Trainees undermines the trust of the American public by violating Army Values, disrupting military order and discipline, and destroying a positive training environment,&#8221; his memo stated. &#8220;Our mission is to provide competent, capable, well-trained Soldiers of good character, ready to fight and win our nation’s wars &#8230; there is no greater obstacle to the effectiveness of the IMT [initial military training] environment than the improper treatment of Trainees.”
Hegseth disagreed, however, and reversed Hallows&#8217; order.
&#8220;Bottom Line: Make BASIC Great Again,&#8221; a Pentagon source told Just the News. &#8220;Tossing bunks is back. Drill sergeants are back. Getting cursed at is back.&#8221;
A Pentagon source told Just The News that Hegseth&#8217;s decision was rooted in a desire to ensure that &#8220;the people we want to recruit want to be challenged, and the tougher the training the more cohesive the units are &#8230; We don’t want to have training that is designed to breed undisciplined people and recruit those that gravitate to wanting to be wimps.&#8221;
Hegseth also signaled openness to reviving &#8220;shark attacks,&#8221; where drill sergeants greet recruits upon arrival at training camps and order them to do push-ups and other tasks before they&#8217;ve even set their bags down. The exercise is meant to gauge how recruits handle pressure and chaos.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="THE SHARK ATTACK" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5jEbJRTvt6c?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The practice was largely ended in 2020 and replaced with an exercise referred to as &#8220;The First 100 Yards,&#8221; a slightly more organized and structured training exercise designed to build camaraderie and encourage teamwork under stress.
&#8220;&#8216;The First 100 Yards&#8217; is a U.S. Army Trainees first exposure to their Basic Training (BCT), Drill Sergeants, and their first opportunity to begin their transformation as members of the world&#8217;s most potent and lethal fighting force,&#8221; the U.S. Army Center for Initial Military Training posted on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=477892021959152">Facebook</a>. &#8220;&#8216;The First 100 Yards,&#8217; a homage to their lineage of closing the last 100 yards of the fight, incorporates teamwork into a competition that features mental and physical challenges on the day they arrive to their basic training company.&#8221;
According to Jennifer S. Gunn, the director of public affairs at the Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Benning, the initial bay-tossing ban stemmed from a specific incident in which a trainee&#8217;s personal property was damaged — and Hallows had initially endeavored to prevent that from happening again.
&#8220;I can confirm the memos are authentic and were the result of a recent review by the brigade command team,&#8221; she explained. &#8220;During a recent training cycle, an instance of corrective action violated regulation and resulted in damage to both government and trainee personal property.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
From Day Zero, Infantry Soldiers are thrown into the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USArmy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USArmy</a> world.
Our Drill Sergeants teach new recruits how to work as a team, move as members of a platoon and react to stressful situations.
This is The First 100 Yards.
🎥 ➡️ Payton King <a href="https://t.co/KjRAzSz0VA">pic.twitter.com/KjRAzSz0VA</a>
— U.S. Army (@USArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/USArmy/status/1465365749195841549?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2021</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;

Confirmation Hearing Held For Secretary Of Defense Nominee Pete Hegseth

‘Drill Sergeants Are Back’: Hegseth Reinstates Practices To ‘Make BASIC Great Again’

'Drill Sergeants Are Back': Hegseth Reinstates Practices To 'Make BASIC Great Again'

A gunman opened fire at Fort Stewart in eastern Georgia on Wednesday, shooting five U.S. Army soldiers, before the shooter was apprehended.
All five of the victims were treated at the base before they were transported to Winn Army Community Hospital, the Army base <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FortStewartHunterArmyAirfield/">said</a> in a post on social media. The victims, who have not been identified, are all in stable condition and expected to recover, Brig. Gen. John Lubas said at a press conference later on Wednesday. The suspected gunman was identified as a 28-year-old automated logistics sergeant assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team who has &#8220;not previously deployed to combat.&#8221; The Army believes the shooter used &#8220;a personal handgun.&#8221;
&#8220;Soldiers in the area that witnessed the shooting immediately and without hesitation tackled the soldier and subdued him,&#8221; Lubas said. &#8220;That allowed law enforcement to then take him into custody.&#8221;
Lubas added that it remains unclear what the gunman&#8217;s motivations were, saying that the shooting took place &#8220;at the soldier&#8217;s place of work&#8221; and involved his co-workers.
&#8220;Law enforcement was dispatched for a possible shooting in the 2nd ABCT complex at 10:56 a.m. The shooter was apprehended at 11:35 a.m.,&#8221; Fort Stewart said.
Fort Stewart is the largest U.S. Army installation east of the Mississippi River and is home to the Army&#8217;s 3rd Infantry Division.
Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp <a href="https://x.com/GovKemp/status/1953124468479377428?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1953124468479377428%7Ctwgr%5E7732c4e57e15bb37b72cf843cfe1fb9dd95aa25f%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fox5atlanta.com%2Fnews%2Flockdown-fort-stewart-army-post-georgia">posted</a> on X, &#8220;As we remain in close contact with law enforcement on the ground, Marty, the girls, and I are saddened by today’s tragedy at Ft. Stewart. We are keeping the victims, their families, and all those who answer the call to serve in our hearts and prayers, and we ask that Georgians everywhere do the same.&#8221;
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt <a href="https://x.com/PressSec/status/1953135134665802048">said</a> that President Donald Trump was briefed on the shooting and is &#8220;monitoring the situation.&#8221;
This is a developing story; refresh the page for updates.

Police

Army Sergeant Opens Fire At Georgia Military Base, Five Victims Expected To Survive

Crime

U.S.

As the United States prepares to celebrate her 249th birthday, a growing number of Americans say they’ve noticed a marked decline in patriotism.
More specifically, 44% of respondents in an <a href="https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/5379913-44-percent-say-us-becoming-less-patriotic-survey/">Economist/YouGov survey</a> published this week said they believe the U.S. is becoming less patriotic. In comparison, a much smaller 14% said they think the nation is becoming more so.
Jesse Parks, a former U.S. Army Sergeant who served in Afghanistan, has noticed this shift in attitude.
“[Seeing] flags being burnt and seeing protests being more frequent,” Parks told the Daily Wire, “it tears down the country.”
Born into a military family, Parks said he was inspired to follow in the footsteps of those who came before him.
“All my uncles, dad, older brother, served. Everybody,” he said.
Parks initially applied to serve in the United States Marine Corps, but his application was rejected. Undeterred, he enlisted later in the United States Army, where he was accepted and rose through the ranks.
When asked why he enlisted, Parks said, “I think you join the military to fight for your country. It opens up a lot of doors, but in the end, you fight.”
He was deployed to Afghanistan in December 2010, where he said his unit’s primary mission was to train and advise the Afghan National Army Basic Training Command Teams, alongside the British and French Armies. He later became an infantry fire team leader.
Parks said that patriotism was a major factor in his decision to join the armed forces. He described it as “a love of your country put into action, whether that&#8217;s military, that&#8217;s political, or that&#8217;s civil service.”
But what is “patriotism” anyway?
“Patriotism” <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patriotism">is often defined</a> as a “love for or devotion to one’s country.”
Yet, a growing number of Americans say they don’t see a shared sense of admiration for the country they call home. Lightning rod political issues ranging from abortion to illegal immigration, along with a major political realignment that has seen the Democratic Party lurch harder to the left and the Republican Party lurch harder to the right, have revealed a simmering disunity.
“[Patriotism is] a big part of what allows us to progress,” Parks said. “It is what kind of helps us progress as a society. We don&#8217;t all have to have the same views, but as long as we have patriotism, which is different than nationalism, as long as it&#8217;s there, it allows us to progress.”
<h3><a href="https://get.dailywire.com/freedom/">JULY 4 SALE: Get Six Months Of DW+ Free</a></h3>
While Parks has an expressed love of country, his may not be a shared passion: only 67% of people claim to be extremely or very proud to be American, down from 91% in 2004, according to a 2024 <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/646655/american-pride-remains-near-record-low.aspx">Gallup</a> survey.
A separate <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/646655/american-pride-remains-near-record-low.aspx">Marist</a> poll likewise found a majority of Americans have noticed this shift, with 52% of respondents stating that the country seems less patriotic than it was just a few years ago.
The disunity and decline may feel all the more evident with the recent riots and attacks on first responders.
“[T]here has been a perversion of patriotism,” Parks told the Daily Wire.
“Groups like Antifa seem like they don&#8217;t care about this country and want to tear it down,” he said. “January 6 was similar; it was a movement to dismantle the country. It is seen on both sides.” 
Rather than being complicit in this division, Parks said, groups such as Antifa should “consider the opportunity they have in this time in history to affect the country’s direction, and to act accordingly in a constructive manner.”
Despite all of this, the Army veteran sees hope for the future.
“There is a lot of talk about division in the country at the moment, but I don’t think that is anything new,” Parks said. “I hope people will get involved over the issues they think are important.”
Participation “will increase their sense of pride and reignite a love for their country.”
* * *
Simon Olech is a reporter studying journalism at the National Journalism Center in Washington, D.C.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Hands holding American flag in a wheat field at sunset. Independence Day, 4th of July.

Americans Say Patriotism Is Fading. One Army Veteran Is Pushing Back With Steely-Eyed Optimism

4th of July

Fourth of July

interview

Opinion

United States

An ex-Army Sergeant faces up to ten years in prison after he pleaded guilty to attempting to give American military secrets to China. 
Joseph Daniel Schmidt, 31, last stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington, pled guilty on Wednesday to charges of attempting to deliver national defense information and retention of national defense information. He will be sentenced in September by U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour. In addition to prison, Schmidt could be hit with a $250,000 fine.  
Schmidt was an active duty soldier from January 2015 to January 2020 and mainly worked with the 109th Military Intelligence Battalion at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. During his military service, he had access to information designated as secret and top secret, according to the Justice Department. 
After leaving the military in January 2020, Schmidt emailed the Chinese Consulate in Turkey and the Chinese security service, offering to provide them with national defense information. 
In March 2020, Schmidt flew to Hong Kong, where he attempted to give Chinese security officials intelligence he had kept from his time in the military. According to the Justice Department, he produced multiple documents detailing the “high level secrets” he had in his possession and offered to give a device that allows access to secure military computers to the Chinese. 
He flew back to the United States in October 2023 when he was arrested in San Francisco. 
“Joseph Daniel Schmidt was once a trusted guardian of our nation’s secrets and swore an oath to defend and protect U.S. national security,” Assistant Director Suzanne Turner of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division said in October 2023 when Schmidt was indicted. “As alleged by the government, Schmidt betrayed his promise and potentially placed our nation at risk in his attempts to pass national defense information to Chinese security services.”
In recent years, the FBI has made a number of arrests involving former American soldiers accused of attempting to give sensitive military information to China. 
Earlier this year, former Army intelligence officer Korbein Schultz was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-army-intel-officer-sentenced-after-selling-u-s-military-secrets-to-china" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sentenced</a> to seven years in prison for selling critical military documents to an individual believed to be tied to the Chinese government. Schultz was paid $42,000 for information on American military exercises and technical equipment manuals.
Just last month, the Justice Department <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/active-duty-and-former-us-army-soldiers-arrested-theft-government-property-and-bribery">announced</a> that Jian Zhao and Li Tian, both active duty Army soldiers also stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and former soldier Ruoyu Duan had been charged with stealing U.S. military secrets. They were accused of taking top-secret hard drives, information on weapon systems, and documents on missile defenses to sell to individuals based in China.

TOPSHOT-ASIAD-2022-2023-HANGZHOU-OPENING

Ex-U.S. Army Soldier Admits Plot To Provide China With Sensitive Military Intel

Ex-U.S. Army Soldier Admits To Plot To Provide China With Sensitive Military Intel

Communist China

Spying

Washington

Colonel Nathan McCormack, who was tasked with helping advise the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Israel-related matters, has been removed from his position after his anti-Israel social media posts were brought to light.
McCormack, who was the Levant and Egypt branch chief at the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s J5 planning directorate, according to his LinkedIn, posted several controversial tweets on his X account. He called Israel a “death cult” and referred to the Israeli government as “Netanyahu and his Judeo-supremacist cronies,” among other things, <a href="https://www.jns.org/chief-israel-planner-at-pentagon-bashes-jewish-state-publicly-extensively/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jewish News Syndicate </a><a href="https://www.jns.org/chief-israel-planner-at-pentagon-bashes-jewish-state-publicly-extensively/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
A Joint Staff official told The Daily Wire that the Department of Defense said McCormack was removed from his position with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and that the matter is being handed over to the U.S. Army for further action.
The official added that McCormack’s posts do not reflect the position of the Joint Staff or the Department of Defense.
“Our global alliances and partnerships are vital to our national security, enhancing our collective defense, deterrence, and operational reach,” the official said.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-has-been-clear-for-14-years-that-iran-cannot-have-a-nuclear-weapon?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Has+Been+Clear+For+14+Years+That+Iran+Cannot+Have+A+Nuclear+Weapon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TRUMP HAS BEEN CLEAR FOR 14 YEARS THAT IRAN CANNOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON</a>
McCormack’s semi-anonymous account has been deleted following JNS’s report.
The J5 directorate of the Joint Chiefs of Staff advises the chairman of the Joint Chiefs on military strategy, planning, and policy across a wide range of national security issues. McCormack’s role tasked him with preparing senior leadership to speak with partner nations —including Israel.
McCormack made the posts on an X account where he calls himself “Nate,” but has posted several times about his job and even <a href="https://archive.ph/ox92m" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared a photo</a> of his Meritorious Service Medal certificate.
Since assuming his position — which his LinkedIn says he began in June 2024 — McCormack has posted numerous times about his views on the Jewish state, especially after Hamas’s October 7 massacre of Israeli civilians.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-israel-strikes-iran?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Daily+Wire&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=LIVE+UPDATES%3A+Trump+Calls+For+Iran+To+Surrender%2C+Says+The+Ayatollah+Is+An+%E2%80%98Easy+Target%E2%80%99" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LIVE UPDATES: Trump Calls For Iran To Surrender, Says The Ayatollah Is An ‘Easy Target’</a>
“The Western states go to great lengths to avoid criticism of Israel, much out of Holocaust guilt,” McCormack <a href="https://archive.ph/2025.06.17-203853/https://x.com/mick_or_mack/status/1909570169850016150" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted in April</a>.
In May, <a href="https://archive.ph/2025.06.17-203737/https://x.com/mick_or_mack/status/1926700593134915740" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he posted</a> that “Netanyahu and his Judeo-supremacist cronies are determined to prolong the conflict for their own goals: either to remain in power or to annex the land.”
In April 2024, <a href="https://archive.ph/2025.06.17-203813/https://x.com/mick_or_mack/status/1777077484426543148" target="_blank" rel="noopener">McCormack questioned</a> if the United States was a proxy of Israel.
“I’ve lately been considering whether we might be Israel’s proxy and not realized it yet,” he posted. “Our worst ‘ally.’ We get literally nothing out of the ‘partnership’ other than the enmity of millions of people in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.”
According to JNS, in response to a post about Gazans potentially seeking refuge outside the Gaza Strip, McCormack claimed that Israel aims “to expel them and cleanse ‘Eretz Israel’ of ethnic Palestinians.”
Before starting his role with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, but while still serving as a U.S. Army officer, McCormack shared his views following Hamas’s October 7 massacre of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/we-had-to-act-netanyahu-reveals-why-he-struck-iran-in-first-interview-since-rising-lion-launch?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=‘We+Had+to+Act’%3A+Netanyahu+Reveals+Why+He+Struck+Iran+In+First+Interview+Since+‘Rising+Lion’+Launch" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Israeli</a> civilians.
“I agree that Israel has an absolute right to respond militarily, and that civilians may legally be caught in the crossfire, but you are ignoring the requirement of proportionality,” McCormack <a href="https://archive.ph/2025.06.17-203744/https://x.com/mick_or_mack/status/1712058063039967375" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a>. “Israel’s responses always (always—not hyperbole) disproportionately target Palestinian civilians.”
McCormack has also disclosed details about his official duties on the account, <a href="https://archive.ph/2025.06.17-204215/https://x.com/mick_or_mack/status/1822968484378075143" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claiming in</a> August 2024 that “we” warned Israel it would be “fuxked” if it escalated into an offensive against Lebanon. Despite the warning, Israel launched an invasion two months later and decimated the terrorist group Hezbollah. He also shared information about his conversations and briefings with Israeli Defense Forces officers.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/irans-supreme-leader-responds-to-israels-attack?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Iran%E2%80%99s+Supreme+Leader+Responds+To+Israel%E2%80%99s+Attack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER RESPONDS TO ISRAEL’S ATTACK</a>
McCormack’s account also shared information about his movements and work trips <a href="https://archive.ph/2025.06.17-203856/https://x.com/mick_or_mack/status/1933610456154857488" target="_blank" rel="noopener">being canceled</a>, according to JNS.
On Monday, McCormack reportedly claimed the Department of Defense endorses the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry’s casualty numbers.
“Along with the World Health Organization and United Nations, we (Department of Defense, Department of State and the U.S. Intelligence Community) consider the Gaza Health Ministry figures to be generally reliable (though not precise),” he wrote, “but probably less so now than they were originally due to the general destruction and chaos in Gaza.”
The Department of Defense has strict social media guidelines, including telling service members to “avoid use of Department of Defense titles, insignia, uniforms or symbols in a way that could imply DoD sanction or endorsement of content on your personal page.”

Col. Nathan McCormack c

Pentagon Official Removed From Joint Chiefs Of Staff For Anti-Israel Posts

Department of Defense

Global Politics

Israel

Joint Chiefs of Staff

OneRepublic singer Ryan Tedder is catching heat from his leftist fanbase for calling the “No Kings” protests over the weekend a “super bummer.”
It didn’t matter that the musician’s comments were focused on how the protests detracted from celebrating the military and were not politically motivated, according to him.
“I have around 20 family members &amp; grandparents that all fought in wars from the revolutionary war (actually) through to WWII/Korea.. all politics &amp; parties and righteous indignation aside it’s a super bummer that instead of celebrating the 250th anniversary of the US Army and all those who have fought and died on our behalf… we’re protesting,” Tedder wrote in an Instagram Story, per <a href="https://www.nme.com/news/music/onerepublics-ryan-tedder-thinks-its-a-super-bummer-that-people-are-protesting-trump-instead-of-celebrating-the-us-armys-250th-anniversary-3869972">NME</a>.
The band’s co-founder then clarified his position on politics.
“I haven’t been a card carrying political member of either side for 20 years &amp; think at this point everything is absurd 99% of the time…” Tedder continued. “But I’d like to say THANK YOU to all of the Army service members active and retired and those who have given their lives to protect our freedom…to protest.”
Tedder’s social media statement was in response to President Donald Trump putting on a military parade on the streets of Washington, D.C., which included 6,000 soldiers marching alongside 128 tanks to celebrate the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary. The military parade coincided with Trump’s 79th birthday, which prompted Saturday&#8217;s nationwide &#8220;No Kings&#8221; demonstrations. Multiple rioters were arrested near Portland’s ICE facility after that city’s “No Kings” protest turned into a violent altercation, which left several officers injured. 
MSNBC hosts noted how the vibe of the parade was fun and celebratory. “I’m just sort of surprised by the number of people who were at the front of the parade watching, cheering, and then would come and ask to take a selfie,” reporter Ali Velshi, who was on location, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/its-not-dark-its-not-tense-msnbc-struggles-to-accept-fun-vibe-of-army-birthday-parade?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=8&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=%E2%80%98It%E2%80%99s+Not+Dark%2C+It%E2%80%99s+Not+Tense%E2%80%99%3A+MSNBC+Struggles+To+Accept+Fun+Vibe+Of+Army+Birthday+Parade">said</a> of the event. 
“This is a very different mood here,” Velshi continued. “People seem to be going out of their way to say that they’re here to celebrate the Army’s 250th birthday.”
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Ryan Tedder

OneRepublic Singer Blasts ‘No Kings’ Protests: ‘A Super Bummer’

OneRepublic Singer Criticizes 'No Kings' Protests: 'A Super Bummer'

Celebrities

Donald Trump

Washington D.C.

As President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth — along with others in the administration — joined together to celebrate the U.S. Army&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fetterman-comes-out-as-pro-parade-as-trump-celebrates-armys-250th-birthday">250th birthday</a> on Saturday, several at MSNBC appeared to struggle with the fact that the overall vibe on the ground was less fraught and more fun.
Host Chris Hayes compared the scene to typical Trump rallies — which he claimed could be &#8220;very tense&#8221; and sometimes had a &#8220;dark, malevolent energy&#8221; — and then seemed genuinely surprised to note that the scene playing out at the National Mall had a very different feel.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Over at MSNBC, they&#8217;re almost SHOCKED the celebration of the U.S. Army&#8217;s 250th birthday isn&#8217;t &#8220;tense&#8221; and doesn&#8217;t have &#8220;dark, malevolent energy.&#8221;
These people&#8230; <a href="https://t.co/ZO0fxWohsI">pic.twitter.com/ZO0fxWohsI</a>
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/townhallcom/status/1934045299359580548?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;One thing I will say — I want to go back to you, Ali, again, when we talk about the sort of tension in the country,&#8221; Hayes began. &#8220;And sometimes, you know, you and I have both been at Trump rallies, those can be, you know, very tense, a kind of — I would say a kind of dark, malevolent energy sometimes in them. Not always, but it doesn&#8217;t seem like that&#8217;s the energy on the Mall today, which I think is a good sign, right?&#8221;
&#8220;Correct,&#8221; Ali Velshi — who was on location — replied. &#8220;You&#8217;re — you&#8217;re really correct about that, Chris, and it&#8217;s something that we — that we were watching for. I&#8217;m just sort of surprised by the number of people who were at the front of the parade watching, cheering, and then would come and ask to take a selfie.&#8221;
&#8220;This is a very different mood here,&#8221; Velshi continued. &#8220;People seem to be going out of their way to say that they&#8217;re here to celebrate the Army&#8217;s 250th birthday.&#8221;
He said he&#8217;d seen one guy carrying a sign that said, &#8220;TRUMP 2028,&#8221; but that most people were not bringing politics into the celebration.
&#8220;It&#8217;s not dark. It&#8217;s not tense,&#8221; he said. &#8220;It&#8217;s different.&#8221;

US-Army-250th-Celebration

‘It’s Not Dark, It’s Not Tense’: MSNBC Struggles To Accept Fun Vibe Of Army Birthday Parade

'It's Not Dark, It's Not Tense': MSNBC Struggles To Accept Fun Vibe Of Army Birthday Parade

Media

Military parade

MSNBC

President Donald Trump presided over a swearing-in ceremony for dozens of new recruits and re-enlisting soldiers at a Saturday evening parade celebrating the U.S. Army&#8217;s 250th birthday.
In the United States Army, such ceremonies are typically conducted by commissioned officers or warrant officers – but that is not always the case. When Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer reenlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve after a 15-year break in service, it was Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth who conducted his swearing-in ceremony. And as the sitting Commander in Chief, President Donald Trump took the opportunity to conduct the ceremony that took place on Saturday.
&#8220;Special moment as Soldiers renew their oath to serve and future Soldiers take the oath led by the Commander-in-Chief @POTUS #Army250 birthday parade,&#8221; the U.S. Army shared video of the ceremony.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Special moment as Soldiers renew their oath to serve and future Soldiers take the oath led by the Commander-in-Chief <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> during <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Army250?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Army250</a> birthday parade. <a href="https://t.co/fSeVYPtfGK">https://t.co/fSeVYPtfGK</a>
— U.S. Army (@USArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/USArmy/status/1934042410683679201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Mr. President, 1st Sergeant Norton, reporting for duty, Sir. Ready to commence the ceremony as directed,&#8221; a 1st Sergeant wearing a 101st Airborne patch said as he turned the ceremony over to the president, and he administered the oath of enlistment.
<blockquote>&#8220;I, _____ , do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.&#8221;</blockquote>
&#8220;Congratulations!&#8221; Trump said as the soldiers completed the oath. &#8220;Congratulations. And welcome to the United States Army and have a great life! Thank you very much, have a great life. Thank you.&#8221;
&#8220;Welcome to the greatest fighting force the world has ever seen. Make us proud,&#8221; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted along with video from the ceremony.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Welcome to the greatest fighting force the world has ever seen.
Make us proud. <a href="https://t.co/GUkshbzM2U">https://t.co/GUkshbzM2U</a>
— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef/status/1934045021126144442?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

US-MILITARY-ARMY-ANNIVERSARY-PARADE

President Trump Conducts Swearing-In For New And Re-Enlisting Soldiers At Army Birthday Parade

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