Ben Wolfgang
Articles by Ben Wolfgang
Coronavirus cases in Army skyrockets to 288
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases within the U.S. Army has skyrocketed this week to 288, military officials said Thursday. Published March 26, 2020
Military recruiters explore virtual recruitment due to coronavirus closures
Military recruiting is poised to enter a "new phase" as the COVID-19 pandemic forces the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps to shift away from traditional face-to-face outreach in favor of a virtual approach as the services prepare to fall short of their manpower goals this year. Published March 25, 2020
Pentagon issues ‘stop movement’ order for troops amid coronavirus outbreak
The Pentagon on Wednesday night issued a broad "stop movement" order that will affect tens of thousands of U.S. troops around the world as the military tries to limit the spread of the coronavirus through the ranks. Published March 25, 2020
Four NATO coalition members in Afghanistan test positive for coronavirus
Four members of the U.S.-led NATO military mission in Afghanistan have tested positive for coronavirus, officials said Tuesday, marking the first confirmed cases among service members inside the country. Published March 24, 2020
Friends, frenemies and foes test U.S. resolve amid coronavirus pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has put much of American foreign policy in quarantine, raising major questions over some of President Trump's hoped-for election year international breakthroughs. Published March 23, 2020
Charles Dunlap: Adversaries eye U.S. focus on coronavirus as opportunity
The coronavirus pandemic has put many of President Trump's signature foreign policy initiatives in quarantine, locking down a string of hoped-for election-year breakthroughs even as China has aggressively used the crisis to elevate its own status on the world stage. Published March 22, 2020
U.S. military tests cutting-edge hypersonic weapon in Hawaii
The U.S. military successfully tested a groundbreaking hypersonic weapon in Hawaii this week, Pentagon officials said Friday in the latest sign that America may be catching up to its global rivals in development and fielding of the 21st-century technology. Published March 20, 2020
U.S. military preparing for ‘worst-case scenario’ in Europe as coronavirus spreads among the ranks
U.S. troops in Europe are preparing for the "worst-case scenario" as the coronavirus spreads across the continent, military leaders said Friday. Published March 20, 2020
Navy relaxes grooming rules amid coronavirus outbreak
Navy officials are relaxing grooming standards for sailors to combat the spread of the coronavirus through the ranks, the service announced late Wednesday. Published March 19, 2020
Defense industry braces for unknown fallout from virus
The vaunted U.S. military-industrial machine is venturing into the unknown as the coronavirus continues its spread across the country, sector leaders said Wednesday, with the global pandemic threatening to slow down innovation and disrupt key supply chains. Published March 18, 2020
Troop drawdown in Afghanistan will continue despite coronavirus, Pentagon says
Top Pentagon officials say the U.S. will continue executing its troop drawdown in Afghanistan despite the global coronavirus outbreak and stressed that new medical protocols are in place to screen and test service members. Published March 18, 2020
Pentagon willing but wary over role in U.S. coronavirus fight
President Trump is facing increased pressure to enlist the military in America's battle against the coronavirus, but Pentagon officials are warning against the idea that the armed forces can provide the ultimate answer and law scholars say complex legal questions could await the commander in chief if he pursues such a strategy to its fullest. Published March 17, 2020
Pentagon scales back biggest military exercise in Europe since Cold War amid coronavirus outbreak
The Pentagon on Monday canceled or scaled down major drills across the globe, took dramatic new steps to protect Defense Secretary Mark Esper, and ramped up teleworking as the U.S. military races to deal with the global coronavirus pandemic. Published March 16, 2020
Joe Biden Iraq war vote, hawkish stances a liability among liberals
Political analysts say Joe Biden could be deeply vulnerable on matters of war, world affairs and geopolitics. Published March 9, 2020
What you need to know about the concussion crisis impacting U.S. troops
Much like the National Football League and other corners of American society, the military has only relatively recently begun to delve deeply into brain injuries, their prevalence and the impact they could have on morale and performance. Published March 4, 2020
Traumatic brain injury from concussions forces military to catch up
A decadelong push by the Pentagon has brought to light the startling frequency of brain injuries within the ranks of the U.S. military, helping to erase the concept that concussions can be simply brushed off. Published March 3, 2020
Liz Cheney, Michael McCaul blast Afghanistan peace deal on lack of enforcement
As many questions as answers surround the Trump administration's landmark peace deal with the Taliban. As the dust settled Sunday, critics from Capitol Hill to Kabul began poking holes in the four-page document designed to be America's exit plan from its longest war in history. Published March 1, 2020
U.S. to free 5,000 Taliban fighters, lift sanctions on leaders in Afghan peace deal
The U.S. will free up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners and begin to remove economic sanctions on top Taliban leaders under the terms of a deal signed Saturday between the two sides. Published March 1, 2020
U.S., Taliban sign deal that calls for troops to exit Afghanistan within 14 months
The U.S. on Saturday signed a landmark peace agreement with its foe of nearly two decades, the Taliban, as the Trump administration officially embarked down a path that could see all American troops exit Afghanistan within 14 months and represent the beginning of the end for the longest war in U.S. history. Published February 29, 2020
Buttigieg ‘extremely vulnerable’ to attack for relying on Navy service
A seven-month deployment in Afghanistan shrouded in secrecy is a key piece of Pete Buttigieg's pitch to voters in the 2020 presidential race, with the former South Bend, Indiana, mayor arguing that his status as a veteran and his time in a war zone give him foreign policy gravitas and first-hand military experience none of his Democratic primary rivals can claim. Published February 29, 2020
