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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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Duffel Blog

Established 2012 · Deployed worldwide

Vol. 15 · No. 132 · Deployed worldwide

Wednesday

4 November 2026

0220 Zulu

Next edition Friday

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Navy & Marines · Page 5

Ben Carson claims he refused full scholarship with Navy SEAL Team 6

Filed · 1538

Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson on Friday confessed that he never applied or attended West Point, though he did admit that he once refused a "full scholarship" to serve with the elite Navy SEAL Team 6.

The story of his almost attending the Army's elite military academy has been part of Carson's personal story for a number years, but his recent admission to nearly serving on the rescue mission that saved Capt. Phillips and his being "like, super close" to being on the raid that killed Osama bin Laden is a new twist.

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