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

Vol. 15 · No. 121 · Sunday, 11 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

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Vol. 15 · No. 121

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Duffel Blog

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Vol. 15 · No. 121 · Deployed worldwide

Sunday

11 October 2026

1127 Zulu

Next edition Monday

← Front page
· Page 2

SECDEF exaggerating symptoms to keep staying at home

Danke schoen, darling, danke schoen.

Filed · 0500

Since the Pentagon announced that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this week, multiple sources have confirmed he may be exaggerating his symptoms to stay home and have the most epic of weeks off.

Austin made his initial announcement with a grave tone in his voice, clearly faking his coughs. “It’s true, I have tested positive for the--hack, ahem, cough cough--my apologies,” said Austin while calling in sick via FB Live from bed.

But President Joe Biden, a long-time parental figure to a son prone to playing hookie and other shenanigans, immediately suspected the coughing was, in fact, a fib.

“Barack used to try to pull this one all the time! Get Austin back on the line,” Biden ordered. “Last thing I need is another sandbagger in the ranks. Malingering, I say!” as he yelled at a wall.

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