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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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Established 2012 · Deployed worldwide

Vol. 15 · No. 132 · Deployed worldwide

Wednesday

4 November 2026

1907 Zulu

Next edition Friday

← Front page
Army · Page 4

Army officer reports stolen valor, found later in duffel bag

Filed · 1533

Photo by Erol Ahmed / Unsplash

MARQUETTE, Mich. — For one veteran the issue of stolen valor is more than a viral YouTube video meme. It truly hits home.

Lt. Col. John Landsteiner was all set to hang his valor up on the wall following his retirement last fall, thinking it would fit well in his Army-themed man-cave and serve as a great teaching point for his children.

He had taken his valor with him on three tours in Iraq from Samarra to Sadr City. Like a trusty poncho liner his valor has always been with him from the relative safety of sprawling FOBs to every combat patrol and IED blast.

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