The effort comes as the military — and the nation — struggles with racism, extremism and hate crimes. Leaders see greater diversity as a way to combat extremism in the ranks, even as they increase other training and education programs.

Sen Tom Cotton said complaints from some service members blame the diversity and inclusion training the Defense Department has restored under the Biden administration for the apparent morale and trust problems among military personnel.

Ralph Gregory Saint-Joie, 18, and guardsman Emmanuel Oppongagyare, 20, made initial appearances before a federal magistrate Tuesday in Laredo. Both were held in custody under $75,000 bonds pending detention hearings next Tuesday.

Lt. Gen. Walter Piatt, the director of the Army staff, said the Pentagon wanted to be careful about their response to the Jan. 6 riots in part because of concerns about military helicopters that had flown low over Washington streets during protests over the killing of George Floyd in the summer of 2020.

While the Pentagon can make vaccinations fully cleared by the FDA mandatory for troops, it cannot do so for the coronavirus vaccinations while they are authorized only on an emergency basis, unless the president orders it mandatory.

Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., insisted on the Senate floor Tuesday that she would delay the confirmation process for key Department of Veterans Affairs positions until the VA secretary responds to her requests for information about a piece of legislation.  

President Joe Biden wants to imbue Independence Day with new meaning this year by encouraging nationwide celebrations to mark the country's effective return to normalcy after 16 months of coronavirus pandemic disruption and more than 600,000 lives lost.

An American president won't side with Moscow over his own intelligence agencies. There will be no talk of a "reset" in Russian relations. And it is highly doubtful that anyone will gaze into Vladimir Putin's eyes and discuss his soul.

A new analysis of blood samples from 24,000 Americans taken early last year is the latest and largest study to suggest that the new coronavirus popped up in the U.S. in December 2019 — weeks before cases were first recognized by health officials.