Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) asked Gen. Norton Schwartz at Tuesday’s confirmation hearing with the Senate Armed Services Committee (see above) what he thought of news reports that indicated Russia might base nuclear capable bombers in Cuba if the US persists in installing a missile defense system in Eastern Europe. Schwartz said, “I would offer best military advice that we should engage the Russians not to pursue that approach.” He continued, “And if they did, I think we should stand strong and indicate that that is something that crosses a threshold, crosses a red line for the United States of America.”
A provision in the fiscal 2025 defense policy bill will require the Defense Department to include the military occupational specialty of service members who die by suicide in its annual report on suicide deaths, though it remains to be seen how much data the department will actually disclose.