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

Vol. 15 · No. 136 · Sunday, 15 November 2026

Navy & Marines

Marine with extremely low IQ thrilled by switch to Super Intelligence

Marine Corps announces major technological advancement requiring millions of dollars in new signage and PowerPoint slides

Homeless veterans receive 10% off cardboard boxes this Veterans Day

Hegseth asks staff to make next execution more like ‘The Running Man’

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Vol. 15 · No. 136

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Duffel Blog

Established 2012 · Deployed worldwide

Vol. 15 · No. 136 · Deployed worldwide

Sunday

15 November 2026

1430 Zulu

Next edition Monday

← Front page
Pentagon · Page 3

Budget-crunched Pentagon introduces 549-cord

Every penny counts.

Filed · 0500

WASHINGTON D.C. — The Department of Defense announced an initiative to replace 550-cord with a new light-weight 549-cord version of the fieldcraft mainstay.

“Researchers found that service-members rarely use that 550th pound,” claimed Army Spokesperson Maj. Tiffany Springs. “Up to 549 pounds? Sure, you use that on any given field exercise. But 550 pounds? It’s a little excessive.”

550-cord, also known as “type-III parachute cord” by nerds, is the unsung hero of many patrol bases because of its ability to hold up to 550 pounds of weight.

“You can use it to set up a tent, tie down your equipment, or repair the Hubble spacecraft,” said Sgt. Skip Yardsley, one of the first soldiers to sign up for beta-testing of the new cord.

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