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

Vol. 15 · No. 135 · Wednesday, 11 November 2026

Veterans

Homeless veterans receive 10% off cardboard boxes this Veterans Day

Home Depot and Lowe's announce new discount on temporary shelter for America's heroes

Hegseth asks staff to make next execution more like ‘The Running Man’

Pete Hegseth picks wrong week to stop drinking

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Vol. 15 · No. 135

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Duffel Blog

Established 2012 · Deployed worldwide

Vol. 15 · No. 135 · Deployed worldwide

Wednesday

11 November 2026

1624 Zulu

Next edition Friday

← Front page
· Page 2

Soldier responds to letter from a first grader

Filed · 1543

Dear Mackenzie,

Thanks for your kind words. The support of young Americans like you makes everything we do feel at least marginally worthwhile. But let’s get a few things straight.

First of all, I’m not your friend. In fact, I specifically tried to avoid receiving this letter to save myself the burden of writing you back.

Second, your black-and-white characterization of this conflict grossly misunderstands the complexity of modern warfare and, indeed, the folly of declared war against any group as broadly unspecific as “the terrorists.”

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