Early Bird Brief: May 17, 2024

Welcome to the Early Bird Brief's LinkedIn Edition, a tightly edited round-up of today's most important military and defense stories. To get the full EBB, with dozens of stories, subscribe here.

Today's Top 5:

Military’s novel floating pier arrives in Gaza amid security concerns

(Military Times) Since President Joe Biden announced during his State of the Union address that the U.S. military would build a humanitarian aid pier on the Gaza Strip, and that “no U.S. boots will be on the ground” in Gaza, Keith Robbins and other retired military logistics officers have been watching. And on Thursday, after weeks of preparation, security planning and weather delays, the Pentagon announced that a trident pier had been stabbed into the Gaza beach. Read More

USS Ronald Reagan leaves its Japan homeport after nearly 9 years

(The Associated Press) A U.S. Navy strike group’s flagship aircraft carrier left its Japanese homeport on Thursday, wrapping up nearly nine years of deployment in the Indo-Pacific, where it served a key role in the U.S. effort to bolster defense ties with Japan and other partners in the region. Read More

Soldier says he lost a leadership position due to his beard

(Army Times) An Army master sergeant wants to know why his beard became a problem only after he was appointed to a first sergeant position. Read More

Marine corporal earns prestigious medal for saving military $140M

(Marine Corps Times) A Marine truck mechanic received a medal typically awarded to more senior service members for saving the Defense Department more than $140 million through work he began as a teenage lance corporal. Read More

Former Army sergeant convicted of killing BLM protester pardoned

(The Associated Press) Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a full pardon Thursday for a former U.S. Army sergeant convicted of murder for fatally shooting an armed demonstrator in 2020 during nationwide protests against police violence and racial injustice. Read More

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