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. 121 · Friday, 9 October 2026

Pentagon

Hegseth opens up new TradWife MOS

Army says new career field will allow warfighters to focus on lethality while someone else remembers the kids

DTS works properly after hack by rogue AI

Lincoln sailor returning from deployment already broke

Three editions a week, paid for by our subscribers

Vol. 15 · No. 121

Worldwide edition

Reader supported

Delivered 3× weekly

America's most trusted military news source

Duffel Blog

Established 2012 · Deployed worldwide

Vol. 15 · No. 121 · Deployed worldwide

Friday

9 October 2026

1801 Zulu

Next edition Monday

← Front page
· Page 2

Bewildered senior airman learns he is new acting secretary of defense

“Is this like an extra duty?” asked Senior Airman Davis McDaniels.

Filed · 0500

JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Va. — After a tumultuous week of high-profile resignations from the Trump Administration and the withdrawal of the Homeland Security nominee, Air Force Senior Airman Davis McDaniels was startled when, upon reporting to work at the 316th Security Forces Squadron, he was notified that he had been appointed the Acting Secretary of Defense, sources confirmed today.

“I don’t know what happened,” said the bewildered Defense Secretary during a press conference in the Pentagon briefing room. “I woke up late this morning and so I was humping it to try and get to guard mount on time. I ran inside the squadron building so fast that I didn’t even notice that someone had called the room to attention.”

His commander, Lt. Col. Andrea Coleman, was also taken off guard by the news.

“I received a call this morning from the Pentagon telling me to expect special orders for Airman McDaniels,” she said. “I asked if it was related to his drawing a phallus using a permanent marker on his roommate’s face two weeks ago because we had already taken care of that. After a moment of silence, they said ‘no, just…tell him to call after he gets the orders.’”

Also on this page

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!