Skip to content
DUFFEL BLOG

Free military brief. No CAC required.

For more than a decade, we've deployed pitch perfect satire to service members around the world.

Join thousands of troops, veterans, and defense insiders who read Duffel Blog before breakfast.

“A must-read for national security nerds.”

—The Daily Beast
Subscribe form

Free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

14years publishing
4,200+dispatches filed
17,000+readers briefed

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

Vol. 15 · No. 115 · Friday, 25 September 2026

Pentagon

Military leaders debate who gets to masturbate first in sniper arch

Services clash over historic privilege of being first to defile nation’s newest military monument

Mitch McConnell returns from extended drill weekend

Trump considers replacing Hegseth with rock or something

Three editions a week, paid for by our subscribers

Vol. 15 · No. 115

Worldwide edition

Reader supported

Delivered 3× weekly

America's most trusted military news source

Duffel Blog

Established 2012 · Deployed worldwide

Vol. 15 · No. 115 · Deployed worldwide

Friday

25 September 2026

2116 Zulu

Next edition Monday

Pentagon

Military leaders debate who gets to masturbate first in sniper arch

Services clash over historic privilege of being first to defile nation’s newest military monument

ARLINGTON, Va. — Senior military leaders gathered at the Pentagon this week to determine which branch will receive the honor of being first to masturbate inside President Donald Trump’s proposed Triumphal Arch sniper complex.

The debate began after Trump announced that the 250-foot monument near Arlington National Cemetery would also serve as a military facility housing snipers, drones and ammunition.

Military planners immediately began modifying the design to accommodate operational requirements, including additional storage for dip cans, urine bottles, Monster Energy drinks and at least one interior wall designated for drawing crude penises.

A Green Beans Coffee is planned for the ground floor.

“The first guy to jerk off in there has to be a Marine,” said Maj. Gen. Manuel Hernandez. “You put a lance corporal alone on an overnight post with nothing but binoculars, a government-issued chair, and several hours of uninterrupted darkness, nature is going to take its course.”

Hernandez argued that awarding the honor to the Marine Corps would also recognize generations of Marines who have masturbated in fighting holes, guard towers, porta-johns, armored vehicles and “at least three places inside the Pentagon nobody is prepared to discuss publicly.”

Navy leaders disagreed.

“Absolutely not,” said Vice Adm. Thomas Avery. “The Navy has centuries of documented experience masturbating in confined government spaces.”

Avery noted that sailors routinely spend months aboard ships with limited privacy, unreliable internet access, and thousands of coworkers.

“This isn't even close,” he said. “Institutionally, we have the résumé.”

Army representatives countered that sheer manpower made them the logical choice.

“We've got more people,” Lt. Gen. Herbert Collins said. “Statistically, one of our soldiers will have already done it before the ribbon-cutting ceremony ends.”

Collins also argued that Army snipers would bring important fieldcraft experience to the facility.

“You give an infantryman a hide site, an empty Gatorade bottle and six hours without supervision, you're not getting that position back in the same condition."

Air Force Brig. Gen. John Slattery attempted to make a case for his service but was interrupted when several officers asked whether the arch would be climate controlled.

(Continued on Page 3, Col. 1) →

Army

Mitch McConnell returns from extended drill weekend

Staff says senator’s three-month absence was “routine National Guard obligation”

WASHINGTON — Sen. Mitch McConnell returned to the Capitol this month after what staff described as an unusually long drill weekend with his Kentucky National Guard unit.

McConnell, 84, emerged from an SUV in a wheelchair wearing a patrol cap pulled low over his face and carrying a stuffed green duffel bag across his lap.

“Specialist McConnell is very humble about his military service and prefers to keep the focus on the outstanding work of the Kentucky National Guard,” said Ryan Altman, a spokesman for the senator.

Until this week, there had been no public record of McConnell serving in the Army National Guard. Staff members said that was because he takes operational security extremely seriously.

“He’s one weekend a month, two weeks a year,” Altman said. “Sometimes the weekend

(Continued on Page 4, Col. 3) →

The Duffel Brief

Three editions a week by electronic mail. Signing up costs nothing.

On the wire

Sleeping Marine aces hearing test

The Duffel Brief

Three editions a week by electronic mail. Signing up costs nothing.

Enter my name

Duffel PX →

Morale supplies for troops, veterans and anyone who has sat through the brief. Visit the PX

Paid members take 15% off every order; Super Fans take 20%.

On this day

2024Walz earns support with key 'guys who consider Kuwait a deployment' demographic2023Marines: Uhh, that F-35 was in SERE school2021Progressive soldiers call female commander 'asshole' instead of 'bitch'All 4,433 in the back file →

Earlier editions

Monday

Trump considers replacing Hegseth with rock or something

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth sits at his desk at the Pentagon. White House officials said several more stationary candidates remain under consideration. (DoD Photo)

White House sources say object would bring “much-needed stability” to Pentagon

21 Sep · 2 min

More dispatches

Duffel Labs →

Retirement speech generatorTwenty minutes nobody will finish reading. DD-214 fortune tellerYour separation code, interpreted badly. Buzzword polisherTurns "did nothing" into "synchronized effects."

Corrections

A story on the new PT uniform said the shorts were issued in three sizes. They are issued in one size, in three quantities.

Monday's edition referred to the battalion's safety stand-down as the first of the year. It was the fourth. The first three are being reviewed for safety.

Subscription order form

Have the paper
delivered free

Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8 a.m. Eastern. The edition costs nothing, and one instruction ends it.

Subscription order form

Have the paper delivered free

Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8 a.m. Eastern. The edition costs nothing.

From the servicesFull reports on pages 4 to 7

From the back file4,433 stories · search all years →

Your Cart

Your cart is empty

Browse the shop to find something you like.

Continue Shopping →
Subtotal

Add more for free shipping.

✓ You qualify for free shipping!