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. 118 · Friday, 2 October 2026

Navy & Marines

Paste-eating Marine praised for unmatched commitment to unit

Unit leaders say his ability to stick with the mission is unmatched

Backed-up toilet appointed new Secretary of the Army

Space Force’s new uniform puts a little goose back in the step

Three editions a week, paid for by our subscribers

Vol. 15 · No. 118

Worldwide edition

Reader supported

Delivered 3× weekly

America's most trusted military news source

Duffel Blog

Established 2012 · Deployed worldwide

Vol. 15 · No. 118 · Deployed worldwide

Friday

2 October 2026

1625 Zulu

Next edition Monday

← Front page
· Page 2

Marine bucks tradition, refuses to ask celebrity to Birthday Ball

Filed · 1546

QUANTICO, VA - Marine Corps Ball season is fast approaching, and as America’s force in readiness approaches its 237th year of existence, Marines from all over the country are gearing up their best cameras in order to shoot their annual “Ask a Celebrity to the Ball” videos.

Rumors are buzzing around Quantico over who the Commandant will be asking this year. Will it be J. Lo, Judy Dench, or Betty White? For younger Marines, they will—as usual—be relying on the washed-up actress and former child star pool.

“I heard Mackenzie Phillips puts out… to anybody,” says Lance Corporal Dan Sorenson of 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines. “I’ll probably ask her. If that falls through I’m going to send an invite to the white girl from Different Strokes. I wonder what she’s up to these days?”

But not all Marines are so apt to ask a celebrity to the ball. Sergeant Pat Skinner, of 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, recently brewed up a Tunn Tavern-sized commotion when he refused to join in on the sacred tradition of asking celebrities to the ball—opting to take his wife instead.

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!