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The Duffel Brief · the free edition, Monday, Wednesday and Friday

Vol. 15 · No. 133 · Sunday, 8 November 2026

Pete Hegseth picks wrong week to stop drinking

Pentagon staffing delays leave secretary sober for worst 48 hours of his career

Pentagon confident U.S. will be ready for 2027 war with China by 2035

Hegseth wears Eisenhower's globe as Halloween costume

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Vol. 15 · No. 133

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Duffel Blog

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Vol. 15 · No. 133 · Deployed worldwide

Sunday

8 November 2026

1058 Zulu

Next edition Monday

← Front page
· Page 2

'This is the most important training of your career,' says chief teaching pointless class

Filed · 1543

NORFOLK, VA — Junior sailors onboard the USS Wasp are listening intently as Damage Controlman Chief Jose Cortez stresses the importance of learning about something they will never hear about again, sources confirmed today.

“This is incredibly important,” Cortez says while holding up The Thing, a piece of equipment that isn't even worth describing in detail because, honestly, you're just there to sign your name to the attendance sheet. “Everything you do in the Navy will involve this in some way."

"Are you following me?" asks Cortez to a nodding class not paying any attention.

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