Latest news with #FleetWeek
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Trenton native participates in Fleet Week
NEW YORK (WJBF) — Fleet Week is underway in New York. The public can tour military ships and watch demonstrations. A Trenton native serving aboard the USS New York is there. 'We literally have one stoplight down there, sir. A Dollar General. We just got our gas station backing up, running,' Seaman Mackquez Holmes said. From one stoplight to Fleet Week in New York City, Seaman Mackquez Holmes is living a dream rooted in legacy and choice. A Strom Thurmond grad, Holmes serves aboard USS New York. 'My dad was in the military. He's also was the same exact rate, Boatswain's Mate, everything like that. So, it was pretty big for me,' he recalled. Now he's front and center piping in the Secretary of the Navy. 'Everybody likes to call it a whistle. It's not a whistle, it's a pipe,' he shared. 'I was able to pipe the Admiral and the Secretary of the Navy at his dinner. So that was probably definitely the best memorable time for me. Maybe probably since I've been in the Navy, honestly.' That pride built on work, long days, tough balance and growth. It gave me more responsibility,' Seaman Holmes said. 'I look at a lot of stuff differently. You have to adjust — not just to the military, but at home too. It's hard, but it's good. There's nothing easy about it. I can tell you that.' Still, he makes time for joy. 'I definitely like to fish. And I love to eat — I'm a big guy, man. Very big. I love working out. I love sports to death. I'm a sports guy. Big sports guy,' he shared. He keeps family close. No matter where the sea takes him. 'Everybody knows back at home. My grandmother don't play about me, man.,' Holmes said laughing. And for others thinking about the service, he's clear. 'If you guys want to join the Navy—for my younger people out there—join it. It changes your life, literally in a blink, a snap, everything you can think of. I'm here today in New York City, literally celebrating Memorial Day and Fleet Week right now. I've been in for three years, having a great time. Don't regret it at all.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Portland Fleet Week to bring extended bridge lifts next week
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Portlanders, it's time to prepare for traffic as ships come sailing into town for Fleet Week. Starting June 3, the Steel, Broadway and Burnside bridges will be seeing more lifts as U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard and Canadian Ships pull into town. On June 3, three ships are expected to arrive in Portland between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. and on June 4, four more ships are expected to arrive between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Residents appeal Oaks Amusement Park's plan to install 135-foot Drop Tower ride During that time, officials said that the bridge will be lifted for longer than normal, up to 45 minutes in some cases. Also, during the closures, the Steel Bridge's lower pedestrian and bicycle deck will also be closed from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday. The lower deck will also be closed on June 5 to help with crowd control from sightseers gathering in the area. On June 9, the ships will be leaving, resulting in more closures starting at 6 a.m. until the final ships leave. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israel says it used air-defense lasers to shoot down drones
(NewsNation) — For years, laser warfare was the stuff of sci-fi — but on Israel's northern border with Lebanon, Israel's laser defense system just got real. Israel's defense ministry confirmed it has deployed a high-powered laser to shoot down Hezbollah drones. The system, dubbed the 'Iron Beam,' has shot down drones more than 40 times in recent years, the Israel Defense Ministry said on Wednesday. A play on Israel's 'Iron Dome' air-defense system, military analysts have said the technology could be the dawn of a new era in air defense. Hounds and Heroes pairs veterans with therapy animals The Iron Beam isn't a missile — unlike the Iron Dome, which fires costly interceptors into the sky. The laser system uses a beam of directed energy to melt targets midair with no explosion or impact, just instant heat and precision. According to military officials, more than 300 hostile drones were launched against Israel, and the laser helped stop dozens of them. Defense experts have said that lasers, unlike missiles, fire at the speed of light and cost pennies on the dollar to operate, making them an attractive option in a long conflict. 'It costs around $50,000 for one of Israel's Iron Dome to mirror interceptors. These bring those costs down to somewhere around $1. So it, you know, disincentivizes these kind of conflicts,' said Zev Faintuch, head of intelligence for Global Guardian. NewsNation celebrates Fleet Week skydiving with Navy SEALs The lasers have only been used on drones, which are relatively slow-moving targets, a potential downside. Then there's the weather to consider. 'Dust could be a big factor, but so can rain as well,' Faintuch said. 'So, it's unclear if this system can kind of overcome those inherent challenges with direct energy weapons.' While Israel is the first country to publicly confirm using the laser system in live combat, several other countries, including the United States, have also tested this kind of futuristic technology. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Hounds and Heroes pairs veterans with therapy animals
(NewsNation) — Hounds and Heroes has helped veterans by pairing them with rescue animals, offering companionship to those coping with post-deployment challenges. The nonprofit serves veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, as well as amputees, providing emotional support through trained therapy dogs. Founder Bonnie-Jill Laflin, who comes from a military and law enforcement family, said she was inspired to launch the organization after completing 19 USO tours — eight in Iraq and Afghanistan. Savannah Bananas honor veteran awarded two Purple Heart medals She told 'Morning in America' on Wednesday that she witnessed the impact deployments had on service members. 'With the suicide rate being so high, I just knew there was something I could do, and my love for animals and veterans,' she said. 'I was like, let me rescue all these dogs in the shelters that would otherwise be euthanized, and I'll pair them up with veterans.' One of those veterans is U.S. Army specialist Nick Dolan, who was partnered with a service dog named Guinness. Dolan said the bond has been life-changing. 'He's meant a lot to me,' Dolan said. 'I have no idea where I'd be. It would have been a good struggle for me at least. He takes away a lot of the stress in everything — he's a great companion.' NewsNation celebrates Fleet Week skydiving with Navy SEALs Laflin said that there's a sense of a lack of judgment with the animals that allows veterans to heal. 'We've seen veterans make progress that other forms of therapy haven't been able to achieve,' she said. 'We're able to connect these veterans with these dogs, you just see the strides that these veterans make that people can't do. 'Working with the VA and lobbying on Capitol Hill, I make sure that people realize that you don't need to put a lot of prescription meds with these veterans. These dogs can make such a big difference instead.' Hounds and Heroes also offers equine therapy, in which veterans rebuild trust and confidence through interactions with rescued horses. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Inside the wild Fleet Week party where lonely sailors look for love... and a ring on the finger counts for nothing
Each May, as uniformed sailors flood New York City like it's 1945, a certain brand of Big Apple woman sets her sights on a specific target: a military man with a six-pack and zero attachments. But this year, the unofficial heart of Fleet Week was not a docked warship.
