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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

0426 Zulu

Next edition Friday

← Front page
Army · Page 4

Former Army sergeant enjoys constantly calling retired Colonel by his first name

Filed · 1536

SHARON SPRINGS, Kan. – Former Army Sgt. Charlie Pinker has only been out of the Army four months, but he is already enjoying transition to civilian life, especially now that he can repeatedly call a full-bird colonel by his first name.

“Nothing is better than calling him Joe, without even making eye contact," said Pinker, a shift supervisor at Wal-Mart. "He keeps telling me his name is Jack, so it makes it all the better."

Pinker is one of only two known veterans at the local Wal-Mart. The other is Jack Davis, a retired colonel who took a job as a greeter and back up shopping cart attendant.

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