J.D. Crouch

Happy 250th Birthday United States Navy. In the city where our Navy was born, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle joined Philadelphia leaders at City Hall to raise the American flag and read the poem “Old Glory” — honoring 250-years of service, sacrifice, and sea power.

Soldiers aren’t just adapting—they’re driving transformation. SecArmy Driscoll’s vision sets the stage for #AUSA2025 starting Monday. Read how empowerment and engagement are shaping the Army’s future: #ReadMore: loom.ly/G94tGsk #AUSA2025 #AUSAorg #engagement #leadership

An inspiring day in Philadelphia at the @USNavy’s 250th birthday parade and commemoration with Navy and city leaders. Honoring 250 years of courage, service and the enduring power of America’s Navy. The legacy continues with every Sailor who stands the watch.

At @AUSAOrg, we launched the first-ever FUZE competition: xTechDisrupt, powered by Y Combinator. Think Shark Tank, but for Soldier innovation. Startups pitch for a shot at $500K. They sprint 30 days to build, then take their tech into the field for real-world testing. The mission? Go from pitch to partnership in under 70 days. That is transformation in action. Shout-out to @ShawnRyan762 for joining us as a judge — appreciate you!

Today, sixty young Americans answered the call to serve. With their right hand raised, they pledged to protect and defend our nation. Their service and sacrifice represent the best of our nation.

Today, on Gold Star Mothers’ and Families' Day, we honor a sacrifice unlike any other. The loss of a service member leaves an irreplaceable void, not only in our ranks, but in the lives of their loved ones. We stand with the families of our fallen, recognizing their enduring strength, the resilience they demonstrate in the face of unimaginable grief, and vowing to never forget the heroes they loved and the ultimate price they paid for our freedom. Their memory lives on, inspiring us to uphold the values they stood for. #USMC #SemperFi #NeverForget

On Saturday, more than 1,000 Sailors and families came together at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek–Fort Story for a Navy Backyard BBQ—the first official event leading up to our 250th birthday on October 13, 2025.

Today, U.S. Central Command announced the establishment of an innovation task force designed to accelerate the delivery of combat capabilities to warfighters. The new organization, called the Rapid Employment Joint Task Force (REJTF), will be led by CENTCOM’s chief technology officer to fast-track processes for outfitting deployed forces with cutting-edge capabilities. Read more: centcom.mil/MEDIA/PRESS-RE…

At Fort Carson, Colo., soldiers assigned to @4thInfDiv demonstrated the lethal precision of the Artillery Execution Suite. This advanced fires capability is part of the next-generation command and control system, enabling faster, smarter and more decisive missions.

At today’s McMullen Naval History Symposium at USNA, VCNO ADM Jim Kilby recognized the winners of the @USNavyCNO Naval History Essay Contest. The purpose of this contest is to challenge writers to draw lessons from @USNavy history to address today's issues.

Readiness includes dignity. Leadership at NBIMC shows how technical excellence and human respect go hand in hand. Quiet work that carries real weight. @The_USO #TheUSO dvidshub.net/news/547757/le…

Gen Dan Caine presided over the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) Change of Command. For 50+ years, Nimitz Sailors have projected U.S. power, strengthened alliances, and deterred aggression worldwide. Fair winds, Nimitz, as you wrap up your epic journey. @USNavy @NimitzNews

Today, I opened up the Air, Space & Cyber Conference sharing how Department of the Air Force must increase the speed of innovation in order to maintain dominance in air and space. #afanational #Airmen #Guardians af.mil/News/Article-D…

Leadership doesn’t always wear a title, and Alicia is showing what it looks like to lead by staying present. There are no shortcuts, no fanfare, just care, practiced over time. @The_USO #TheUSO uso.org/stories/4004-m…

U.S., Saudis Lead Largest Counter-Drone Exercise in Middle East During a visit by the new commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on Sept. 16, U.S. and Saudi forces led the Middle East’s largest live-fire counter-unmanned aerial system exercise focused on improving the detection, tracking and elimination of modern drone threats. Adm. Brad Cooper and Gen. Fayyadh bin Hamed Raqed Al-Ruwaili, Chief of the General Staff for the Royal Saudi Armed Forces, visited the Red Sands Integrated Experimentation Center during Cooper’s first regional trip as CENTCOM commander. “Threats posed by the proliferation of advanced drones are a pressing challenge,” said Cooper. “Working shoulder-to-shoulder with regional partners to innovate and adapt is more critical than ever.”   In recent years, Iran and its proxies have launched thousands of one-way attack drones and missiles, injuring and killing civilians while also disrupting maritime traffic and destabilizing the Middle East. The multi-day event began Sept. 7 and featured more than 300 personnel who fielded 20 counter- unmanned aerial systems at the Shamal-2 Range in northeastern Saudi Arabia. “Red Sands brought together U.S., Saudi and industry capabilities and expertise to identify ‘best in breed’ systems for detecting, tracking and eliminating modern aerial drone threats,” said Cooper. This year’s exercise was the fourth iteration and represented the culmination of rapid prototyping and integrated defensive tactics developed since the inaugural U.S.-Saudi experimental demonstration in 2023.  U.S. and Saudi forces linked sophisticated radar and sensors such as the Signal Hunter – a body- worn, passive radio frequency sensing and geolocation device – and the Buffer Passive Acoustic Detection System commonly known as “BPADS” to rapidly detect simulated air threats. Red Sands also featured integrated command and control systems and shooters such as the Vanguard system, a scalable firing solution for eliminating drone swarms. Other ground-based counter-unmanned aerial systems included Skyguard; Shikra; the Mobile-Low, slow, unmanned Integrated Defeat System known as “MLIDS”; and electronic warfare options.   U.S. and Saudi units also flew rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft to detect, track and engage the simulated aerial threats, including AC-130 and AH-64 Apache airframes from the United States, and Saudi F-15s, AH-64s, and Typhoon fighter aircraft. The training scenarios stress-tested each layer of the air defense architecture, including a final simulated defensive layer where Drone Defeat Rounds (DDRs) were fired from a 12-guage shotgun. Each shell contained 720 tungsten pellets that are denser than lead pellets to deliver significantly greater kinetic energy. The Red Sands Integrated Experimentation Center is a forum for testing and developing technologies, tactics, and procedures for countering emerging unmanned aerial system threats. The initiative provides regional partners opportunities to work cooperatively, share best practices, develop technologies, and enhance interoperability.

WATCH NOW: @USWREMichael speaks on his vision for the @DeptofWar's AI strategy.

I had the opportunity a few weeks ago to go out and see the Tranche 1 payload at @SLDelta30 while it was being prepared for the launch. Congrats to the @SemperCitiusSDA and @SpaceForceDoD on the successful launch! spaceforce.mil/News/Article-D…

Jennifer and I were honored to spend time with Guardians and Guardsmen at Clear Space Force Station, Alaska. These Americans stand watch 24/7 in defense of our homeland and I couldn’t be more proud of their service and sacrifice.

#MedalofHonorMonday: In 2006, @USArmy SFC Jared Monti was on patrol with 15 comrades when they were attacked on a remote Afghanistan ridge. Monti lost his life trying to save a fellow soldier. His selflessness earned him a posthumous #MedalofHonor: war.gov/News/Feature-S…

Chef Rush is bringing real skill to base kitchens, not for headlines, but to serve well. That choice says something. @The_USO #TheUSO army.mil/article/288234…