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

Vol. 15 · No. 132 · Wednesday, 4 November 2026

Pentagon

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

Officials cite historically proven American strategy of entering wars completely unprepared

Hegseth wears Eisenhower's globe as Halloween costume

Spirit Halloween store to become pop-up ICE detention center

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Vol. 15 · No. 132

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Vol. 15 · No. 132 · Deployed worldwide

Wednesday

4 November 2026

2337 Zulu

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← Front page
· Page 2

Young man follows family tradition as fourth generation to almost join military

Filed · 1551

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Daryl Hoffman Jr. felt pride as he kept the “faith of his fathers” by becoming the fourth generation in his family to almost join a branch of the U.S. military.

“It was an emotional experience, standing there outside the recruiter’s office for a full ten minutes,” said Hoffman. “Imagining the sacrifices I could make serving my country.”

According to the Hoffman family, their proud tradition started over 75 years ago, at the height of the Second World War when Daryl’s great-grandfather, Beauregard Nathanial Hoffman, nearly joined the Army. Inspired by the courage of some of his friends who enlisted right after Pearl Harbor, Beau mulled over his options for a year.

“The story goes that the day he was to walk down to the recruitment center and sign up, he had a sore throat. He decided it was a sign that the country needed him more at home, selling life insurance and keeping a watchful eye on America’s sweethearts,” said Hoffman, with a wink.

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