Latest news with #USSEisenhower
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The White House security breach raises concerns among some military spouses and veterans
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — When Alyssa Myatt's husband served on an aircraft carrier last year, she and other U.S. Navy spouses had to follow strict security protocols that meant driving to the ship's home port just to learn that its deployment was being extended. 'It was not information that they would send in an email or share over the phone,' Myatt said. 'They wouldn't even stream it. You had to physically come and be present in a location with them to hear the information.' Now Myatt is among some military spouses and veterans questioning the White House's own adherence to security safeguards after President Donald Trump's national security adviser added a journalist to a group chat about striking Houthi rebels in Yemen. ''Loose lips sink ships' is a very real saying,' Myatt said of the World War II-era warning. Her husband served on the USS Eisenhower as the Navy shot down Houthi-launched missiles in the Red Sea. Although Trump has downplayed the security breach as a 'glitch,' Myatt found it deeply concerning because it flouted the strict rules that she and others have had to follow while potentially endangering U.S. sailors like her husband. 'To see these individuals who control our military not taking it seriously sets a precedent that is very scary and could result in dangerous situations for our men and women who serve our country,' Myatt said. Veterans expected more from officials The breach occurred March 15 when top national security officials texted plans for upcoming military strikes in Yemen to a group chat in the publicly available Signal app, which provides encrypted communications but can be hacked. The group included the editor-in-chief for The Atlantic magazine, which reported the incident in a story posted online Monday. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has said no classified information was posted to the chat. Michael Waltz, Trump's national security adviser, later took 'full responsibility' for the incident. But Vietnam veteran Edwin J. Thomas says Trump's Cabinet officials should have known better. Thomas, 78, was visiting the U.S. Army Airborne & Special Operations Museum in Fayetteville, North Carolina, home to Fort Bragg, the nation's largest Army installation. Thomas, who carried a heavy machine gun during his time in the U.S. Marine Corps, said 'everything should be kept confidential, behind closed doors" during military planning. He doesn't think anyone should be fired, unless they continue to show what he considers poor judgment. 'I think it's incompetence,' said Thomas, who voted for Trump. 'They should have thought about what they were doing at the time when they did it. It's a mistake. If they correct it, that's fine. If they continue to use that app, then I think that's an abuse of power.' Air Force Reserve veteran David Cameron Wright said it made him angry. 'It makes me think they don't care about our security," the former senior airman said as he sat by a fountain at North Carolina Veterans Park in Fayetteville. "I expect more of our people in that type of authority,' he added. Like Thomas, though, he thinks the White House officials involved should be given a second chance. 'I mean, nobody's perfect,' he said. 'No president, no civilian. Military, nonmilitary. Nobody's perfect.' Staying safe during deployment The latest U.S. campaign against the Houthis began with fighter jets launching off the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier and dropping bombs in parts of Yemen, a mission similar to the one Myatt's husband was on last year. The Eisenhower's carrier strike group protected merchant vessels and allied warships under fire in a vital Red Sea corridor that leads to the Suez Canal. About 7,000 American sailors were waging the most intense running sea battle since World War II. The Eisenhower's home port is the nation's largest Navy base in Norfolk and its deployment was extended twice. Families were part of a Facebook group connecting them with sailors that was consistently monitored by the Navy, which deleted posts if they contained sensitive information, such as a sailor's photo that could give away the ship's location, Myatt said. The aircraft carrier had Wi-Fi, enabling sailors to stay in touch with family through texts, WhatsApp and even phone calls. But there were times when the ship went silent. 'If we weren't getting emails, if we weren't getting phone calls, it kind of clued us in that something's happening,' Myatt said. 'Because the ship shut down all communications to protect itself.' Myatt questioned why White House officials couldn't share the information about the latest strikes in person, possibly in the famed Situation Room depicted in films and television shows. 'What if it was somebody who wanted to take that information and make a whole lot of money off of it?' she said about the accidental inclusion of an outsider in the chat. 'This isn't a partisan issue,' Myatt added. 'Whether you are a Republican or a Democrat, that should not matter. This is a situation that affects every single American regardless of how you voted.' ___ Breed reported from Fayetteville.
Boston Globe
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
The White House security breach raises concerns among some military spouses and veterans
''Loose lips sink ships' is a very real saying,' Myatt said of the World War II-era warning. Her husband served on the USS Eisenhower as the Navy shot down Houthi-launched missiles in the Red Sea. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Although Trump has downplayed the security breach as a 'glitch,' Myatt found it deeply concerning because it flouted the strict rules that she and others have had to follow while potentially endangering U.S. sailors like her husband. Advertisement 'To see these individuals who control our military not taking it seriously sets a precedent that is very scary and could result in dangerous situations for our men and women who serve our country,' Myatt said. Veterans expected more from officials The breach occurred March 15 when top national security officials texted plans for upcoming military strikes in Yemen to a group chat in the publicly available Signal app, which provides encrypted communications but can be hacked. The group included the editor-in-chief for The Atlantic magazine, which reported the incident in a story posted online Monday. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has said no classified information was posted to the chat. Michael Waltz, Trump's national security adviser, later took 'full responsibility' for the incident. But Vietnam veteran Edwin J. Thomas says Trump's Cabinet officials should have known better. Thomas, 78, was visiting the U.S. Army Airborne & Special Operations Museum in Fayetteville, North Carolina, home to Fort Bragg, the nation's largest Army installation. Thomas, who carried a heavy machine gun during his time in the U.S. Marine Corps, said 'everything should be kept confidential, behind closed doors' during military planning. He doesn't think anyone should be fired, unless they continue to show what he considers poor judgment. Advertisement 'I think it's incompetence,' said Thomas, who voted for Trump. 'They should have thought about what they were doing at the time when they did it. It's a mistake. If they correct it, that's fine. If they continue to use that app, then I think that's an abuse of power.' Air Force Reserve veteran David Cameron Wright said it made him angry. 'It makes me think they don't care about our security,' the former senior airman said as he sat by a fountain at North Carolina Veterans Park in Fayetteville. 'I expect more of our people in that type of authority,' he added. Like Thomas, though, he thinks the White House officials involved should be given a second chance. 'I mean, nobody's perfect,' he said. 'No president, no civilian. Military, nonmilitary. Nobody's perfect.' Staying safe during deployment The latest U.S. campaign against the Houthis began with fighter jets launching off the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier and dropping bombs in parts of Yemen, a mission similar to the one Myatt's husband was on last year. The Eisenhower's carrier strike group protected merchant vessels and allied warships under fire in a vital Red Sea corridor that leads to the Suez Canal. About 7,000 American sailors were waging the most intense running sea battle since World War II. The Eisenhower's home port is the nation's largest Navy base in Norfolk and its deployment was extended twice. Families were part of a Facebook group connecting them with sailors that was consistently monitored by the Navy, which deleted posts if they contained sensitive information, such as a sailor's photo that could give away the ship's location, Myatt said. Advertisement The aircraft carrier had Wi-Fi, enabling sailors to stay in touch with family through texts, WhatsApp and even phone calls. But there were times when the ship went silent. 'If we weren't getting emails, if we weren't getting phone calls, it kind of clued us in that something's happening,' Myatt said. 'Because the ship shut down all communications to protect itself.' Myatt questioned why White House officials couldn't share the information about the latest strikes in person, possibly in the famed Situation Room depicted in films and television shows. 'What if it was somebody who wanted to take that information and make a whole lot of money off of it?' she said about the accidental inclusion of an outsider in the chat. 'This isn't a partisan issue,' Myatt added. 'Whether you are a Republican or a Democrat, that should not matter. This is a situation that affects every single American regardless of how you voted.'
Associated Press
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
The White House security breach raises concerns among some military spouses and veterans
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — When Alyssa Myatt's husband served on an aircraft carrier last year, she and other U.S. Navy spouses had to follow strict security protocols that meant driving to the ship's home port just to learn that its deployment was being extended. 'It was not information that they would send in an email or share over the phone,' Myatt said. 'They wouldn't even stream it. You had to physically come and be present in a location with them to hear the information.' Now Myatt is among some military spouses and veterans questioning the White House's own adherence to security safeguards after President Donald Trump's national security adviser added a journalist to a group chat about striking Houthi rebels in Yemen. ''Loose lips sink ships' is a very real saying,' Myatt said of the World War II-era warning. Her husband served on the USS Eisenhower as the Navy shot down Houthi-launched missiles in the Red Sea. Although Trump has downplayed the security breach as a 'glitch,' Myatt found it deeply concerning because it flouted the strict rules that she and others have had to follow while potentially endangering U.S. sailors like her husband. 'To see these individuals who control our military not taking it seriously sets a precedent that is very scary and could result in dangerous situations for our men and women who serve our country,' Myatt said. Veterans expected more from officials The breach occurred March 15 when top national security officials texted plans for upcoming military strikes in Yemen to a group chat in the publicly available Signal app, which provides encrypted communications but can be hacked. The group included the editor-in-chief for The Atlantic magazine, which reported the incident in a story posted online Monday. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has said no classified information was posted to the chat. Michael Waltz, Trump's national security adviser, later took 'full responsibility' for the incident. But Vietnam veteran Edwin J. Thomas says Trump's Cabinet officials should have known better. Thomas, 78, was visiting the U.S. Army Airborne & Special Operations Museum in Fayetteville, North Carolina, home to Fort Bragg, the nation's largest Army installation. Thomas, who carried a heavy machine gun during his time in the U.S. Marine Corps, said 'everything should be kept confidential, behind closed doors' during military planning. He doesn't think anyone should be fired, unless they continue to show what he considers poor judgment. 'I think it's incompetence,' said Thomas, who voted for Trump. 'They should have thought about what they were doing at the time when they did it. It's a mistake. If they correct it, that's fine. If they continue to use that app, then I think that's an abuse of power.' Air Force Reserve veteran David Cameron Wright said it made him angry. 'It makes me think they don't care about our security,' the former senior airman said as he sat by a fountain at North Carolina Veterans Park in Fayetteville. 'I expect more of our people in that type of authority,' he added. Like Thomas, though, he thinks the White House officials involved should be given a second chance. 'I mean, nobody's perfect,' he said. 'No president, no civilian. Military, nonmilitary. Nobody's perfect.' Staying safe during deployment The latest U.S. campaign against the Houthis began with fighter jets launching off the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier and dropping bombs in parts of Yemen, a mission similar to the one Myatt's husband was on last year. The Eisenhower's carrier strike group protected merchant vessels and allied warships under fire in a vital Red Sea corridor that leads to the Suez Canal. About 7,000 American sailors were waging the most intense running sea battle since World War II. The Eisenhower's home port is the nation's largest Navy base in Norfolk and its deployment was extended twice. Families were part of a Facebook group connecting them with sailors that was consistently monitored by the Navy, which deleted posts if they contained sensitive information, such as a sailor's photo that could give away the ship's location, Myatt said. The aircraft carrier had Wi-Fi, enabling sailors to stay in touch with family through texts, WhatsApp and even phone calls. But there were times when the ship went silent. 'If we weren't getting emails, if we weren't getting phone calls, it kind of clued us in that something's happening,' Myatt said. 'Because the ship shut down all communications to protect itself.' Myatt questioned why White House officials couldn't share the information about the latest strikes in person, possibly in the famed Situation Room depicted in films and television shows. 'What if it was somebody who wanted to take that information and make a whole lot of money off of it?' she said about the accidental inclusion of an outsider in the chat. 'This isn't a partisan issue,' Myatt added. 'Whether you are a Republican or a Democrat, that should not matter. This is a situation that affects every single American regardless of how you voted.' ___
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Commander of Navy Ship Involved in F/A-18 Friendly Fire Incident Turns over Command
The commanding officer of the USS Gettysburg -- the Navy ship whose crew shot down one of its own fighter jets in the Red Sea in late December -- has finished out his tour on the ship and transferred off, an online statement announced last Thursday. Capt. Justin Hodges was relieved as the commanding officer of the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser during an uncommon "at-sea" change of command ceremony on Jan. 30, the statement said. Despite several ongoing investigations into the friendly fire incident looming over the ship and its crew, Navy officials said Hodges was leaving the ship under regular circumstances and that the change of command was occurring on schedule. Read Next: First 10 Migrants Arrive at Guantanamo Bay and Will Be Held in Terrorist Prison However, other details surrounding the change of command -- details that could offer insight into whether the ongoing inquiries into the mishap that left a F/A-18 Super Hornet destroyed at the bottom of the Red Sea impacted Hodges' future in the Navy -- were not immediately available. Navy officials at the Pentagon couldn't immediately say if Hodges received an "end of tour award," a commendation that is largely considered traditional in all but the most egregious of circumstances, or where Hodges' next duty station was following his time aboard the Gettysburg. According to service data provided to by the Navy, Hodges had been the Gettysburg's commander since February 2023. He had previously served aboard the aircraft carriers USS Eisenhower and USS Nimitz. On Dec. 22, the USS Gettysburg crew fired on an F/A-18 that had just flown off the deck of the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier in the Red Sea, destroying the aircraft and forcing its two aviators to eject. One of the two sailors suffered minor injuries. The U.S. military was conducting airstrikes targeting Yemen's Houthi rebels at the time. Since then, few details have been released about the incident and the investigations are still ongoing. However, the Navy's top aviation officer said in mid-January that officials have already done "a big debrief, basically, to make sure we know what happened and why." The Navy's statement on Hodges' change of command made no reference to the incident. Hodges' awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, two Meritorious Service Medals, four Navy Commendation Medals and a Navy Achievement Medal, according to records provided by the Navy. "Serving as the commanding officer of this extraordinary crew has been the privilege of a lifetime," Hodges said in the statement. Meanwhile, the Gettysburg's new commanding officer, Capt. John Lucas, said "what struck me most about this crew was your attitude and resiliency." "I am motivated, honored, and humbled to be your commanding officer," Lucas said. Related: Navy Leaders Say Faster Training Is Key Lesson Learned from Red Sea Conflict
