Latest news with #MarineCorps
Korea Herald
17 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Ex-Marine chief appears for arrest warrant hearing
Former Marine Corps Commandant Kim Kye-hwan appeared Tuesday for a court hearing to review a warrant for his arrest over allegations that he and other high-ranking officials intervened in an initial probe into the death of a young Marine in 2023. The retired three-star general is suspected of being involved in the alleged interference in the military probe of the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun, who died while searching for torrential rain victims in July 2023 without safety equipment, such as a life jacket. Kim did not respond to reporters' questions as he appeared at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul, four days after a special counsel team filed for the warrant on charges of perjury. The team has been looking into allegations that former President Yoon Suk Yeol burst into a rage during a meeting of senior presidential officials in July 2023, after being briefed on the results of the initial probe that found a senior Marine commander responsible for Chae's death. Kim is suspected of telling the top Marine investigator in charge of the probe of the episode about Yoon. The former Marine commandant has denied doing so in testimonies made at the National Assembly and at court. The special counsel has accused Kim of perjuring himself multiple times, calling for his arrest due to concerns of destruction of evidence. (Yonhap)
Washington Post
a day ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Trump intervenes to boost Hegseth aide who left military for politics
President Donald Trump will allow one of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's top advisers to sidestep legal requirements and retire from the military at a rank he held only briefly, apparently setting aside suspicions about the aide's political loyalties raised in conservative media, officials familiar with the matter said. The military retirement of Marine Corps Col. Ricky D. Buria became official this month, service officials said in an email to The Washington Post. Absent any disciplinary action, he will be considered a colonel in perpetuity despite having served in the rank only since November 2024. Federal law requires most military officers with his standing to hold a rank for three years before they may retire with it, though there are exceptions that allow the president to intervene through a waiver in cases 'involving extreme hardship or exceptional or unusual circumstances.'
Los Angeles Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Trump protesters take part in Indivisible movement rally along PCH in Orange County
Stationing themselves on all four corners of the intersection of Coast Highway and Jamboree Road in Newport Beach early Saturday afternoon, more than 300 people organized by a political action group peacefully demonstrated against the Trump administration. Toting two large flags attached to a metal pole, demonstrator Christopher Holland, who identified himself as a former border patrol agent as well as a Marine Corps veteran, stood atop a large rock in the center of Bayview Park during the protest. 'Kidnapping people while wearing masks compounds the their criminality,' Holland said of the raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who keep their faces covered while carrying out their operations. 'The deliberate concealing of a law enforcement officer's identity is a police state,' he said. He and his wife, Vera, said they attend rallies such as Saturday's for the people who are either unable to be there themselves or are fearful of repercussions. 'This is just disturbing, the lack of due process, the criminality is upsetting to see and trying to re-write history,' Vera Holland, a former insurance investigator, said of the ICE raids that have upended Orange County households and businesses. 'These are all steps toward authoritarianism and fascism.' Those assembled were participating in the PCH Day of Action hosted by Indivisible CA 47, the local chapter of a social movement that aims, according to its website, 'to create a strong community in Orange County, California, where we work together to retain current Democratic representation in Congress, and fight to flip GOP seats from Red to Blue.' Communities that lie within California Congressional District 47, currently represented by Democrat Dave Min, include Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Irvine, Laguna Beach, parts of Laguna Hills and Laguna Woods. According to Day of Action organizer Laura Oatman, positioning along Pacific Coast Highway provides high visibility and may open the door for those who aren't politically active to get involved and let their voices be heard. 'Driving down PCH they see us and take notice,' said Oatman. 'It gives people hope when they may be feeling drowned out with negative news.' Fountain Valley resident Tonya Crane waved a large flag depicting the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg in one hand while also loudly ringing a brass bell as cars sped through the intersection. 'I came out to the 'No Kings' [rally on June 14] and the feeling of community was so strong I wanted to come out again,' Crane said. ''No Kings' was my first protest ever, and I'm 56 years old.' Newport Beach resident Bill Blanning said he was participating in his fifth rally. 'I'm out here because I believe that Trump is destroying our city, our infrastructure, our values and everything we stand for as a country,' said Blanning, who was waving an American flag to show support for this country. 'We've diminished our standing in the world [and] we've weakened our institutions,' he said. Judy Stephens, who joined other protesters for the Newport Beach demonstration said she has been attending rallies in Irvine, where she lives, on a consistent basis. 'Ever since 9/11, I started paying attention to what's going on in the world,' Stephens said. 'I couldn't not be involved, with the way Trump has been allowed to run amok.'
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Roy Kim's Military Dad Era - From Sensitive Ballad King to Marine Corps Comedy Gold
When Your Favorite Soft Boy Goes Full Military Mode Remember Roy Kim, that dreamy singer who used to melt hearts with his acoustic guitar and sensitive ballads? Well, forget everything you knew about him because dude has completely reinvented himself as the ultimate military dad, and honestly, it's the character development we never knew we needed. On MBC's popular variety show 'Omniscient Interfering View,' Roy Kim served up a masterclass in how military service can completely flip someone's personality. Think of it like those uncles who come back from the army and suddenly become the family's designated disciplinarian - except Roy Kim turned it into pure entertainment gold. Roy Kim saluting a Marine Corps senior during a performance Festival Stage Turned Into Military Roll Call Picture this: you're at a music festival, vibing to Roy Kim's smooth vocals, expecting some romantic ballad magic. Instead, this guy finishes his song and casually drops "What unit are you from?" like he's conducting a military reunion. The audience's confusion was palpable, but honestly, it was comedic genius. It's giving major Indian Army veteran uncle energy - you know, those relatives who can't help but ask fellow servicemen about their posting and regiment whenever they meet someone. Roy Kim's military DNA was so strong that it literally interrupted his own concerts. Imagine if AR Rahman randomly started asking about people's training battalions mid-performance - that's the level of unexpected we're talking about. The transformation from sensitive singer-songwriter to military meme lord happened so naturally that even his fans were doing double-takes. One minute he's strumming heartfelt melodies, the next he's channeling his inner drill sergeant. It's like watching someone's personality do a complete 180, except it somehow works perfectly. Home Sweet Military Museum Roy Kim's Marine Corps days When the cameras rolled into Roy Kim's house for the first time on national television, viewers got the shock of their lives. This wasn't the minimalist aesthetic apartment you'd expect from a soft-spoken artist - it was basically a Marine Corps memorabilia showroom disguised as a home. His interior design screamed "military enthusiast meets IKEA catalog." Clean white walls and wood tones provided the perfect backdrop for strategically placed military gear. His prized red Marine Corps shorts weren't just loungewear - they were treated with the reverence usually reserved for designer pajamas worth ₹25,000. The dedication to the military aesthetic was so thorough that it felt like visiting a relative's house where every conversation somehow circles back to their army days. You know the type - where even the coffee mugs have regimental insignia and family photos are mixed with unit group pictures. Fashion Disasters and Manager Meltdowns Roy Kim's manager deserves a special award for patience because this man had clearly given up on any hope of maintaining his client's heartthrob image. Watching Roy Kim conduct live broadcasts in white tank tops paired with those infamous Marine Corps shorts, the manager's despair was visible from space. "All his female fans are going to leave," the manager lamented, probably calculating the potential revenue loss from Roy Kim's commitment to comfort over style. But here's the thing - this authenticity actually makes him more relatable. It's like those guys who come back from military service and prioritize practicality over fashion, wearing track pants to weddings and flip-flops to formal events. Even variety show veteran Jun Hyun-moo, who once looked up to Roy Kim as a role model, was left scratching his head asking "How did he end up like this?" The transformation was so complete that even industry seniors were baffled. But maybe that's exactly what makes Roy Kim's new persona so endearing. In a world where celebrities are constantly curating perfect images, watching someone embrace their authentic, slightly chaotic military dad energy feels refreshing. It's like when your favorite Bollywood actor shows up to events in simple kurtas instead of designer suits - sometimes genuine beats glamorous every time. Roy Kim proved that living as your truest self, even if it means trading romantic ballad prince status for military meme lord recognition, can be the most attractive quality of all. His journey from sensitive singer to comedy gold reminds us that personal growth doesn't always look the way we expect - and that's perfectly okay.
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Pete Hegseth replaces first woman to lead US naval academy with Marine Corps general
The first woman to lead the US naval academy is being reassigned, with the defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, moving to replace her with a Marine Corps general, defense officials confirmed on Friday. The decision marks the first time in the nearly 180-year history of the academy that a Marine Corps officer has been nominated to take charge. Yvette Davids, who assumed leadership of the academy in January 2024, is being succeeded by Michael Borgschulte, currently responsible for Marine Corps personnel as the deputy commandant for manpower and reserve affairs based in Quantico, Virginia, according to a Friday press release from the defense department. A Pentagon official, speaking anonymously to the Washington Post, said that the move was not a dismissal. Davids has been nominated for a senior position on the staff of the chief of naval operations following her roughly 18 months as head of the academy. The defense department confirmed the nomination in a statement on Friday afternoon. If confirmed by the Senate, she would take over from retiring V Adm Daniel Dwyer as the deputy chief of naval operations overseeing strategy, operations, planning, and combat development. 'I'm honored to be nominated as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations, Plans, Strategy, and Warfighting Development. I look forward to continuing to serve alongside America's strongest warfighters,' Davids said in the statement. The Trump administration has removed several high-ranking military officials, many of them women or people of color, as part of an effort to eliminate what officials describe as 'wokeness' in the ranks. This list includes Adm Lisa Franchetti, the navy's first female chief of operations; Adm Linda Fagan, the Coast Guard's first female commandant; and Gen Charles 'CQ' Brown Jr, who was the first Black chief of staff of the air force and the second Black officer to serve as chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. Earlier this year, Hegseth also dismissed V Adm Shoshana Chatfield, who represented the US military to Nato's military committee. Hegseth, a former Fox News host and Trump loyalist, has drawn criticism for his past remarks about the role of women in the military. On a podcast last November with host Shawn Ryan, he said, 'I'm straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles. It hasn't made us more effective. Hasn't made us more lethal. Has made fighting more complicated.' He went on to acknowledge that while women serve important roles in support operations, he opposes their placement in direct combat units. 'Dads push us to take risks. Moms put the training wheels on our bikes. We need moms. But not in the military, especially in combat units,' he said in his book. He emphasized his views, writing, 'Women in the infantry – women in combat on purpose – is another story,' and argued that 'women cannot physically meet the same standards as men'. However, his stance appeared to soften under Senate scrutiny. During his January confirmation hearing, Hegseth said he supported female troops as long as military standards are preserved. Speaking later on The Megyn Kelly Show, he said, 'If we have the right standard and women meet that standard, roger. Let's go.' When asked about the contrast between his past statements and his current position, he responded that 'writing a book is different than being secretary of defense'.
