News
Families sue over ‘appalling’ conditions in Florida military housing
Dozens of families are suing Balfour Beatty Communities, alleging toxic living conditions and accusing the company of “shoddy maintenance practices and corporate indifference or ineptitude” at its privatized military housing community at Naval Air Station Key West, Florida. Forty-four of the 56 families in the complaint are military families. The remaining plaintiffs, civilian families, have been ...[Read More]
Family alleges sewage leak in military housing sickened 4-year-old
A military family in South Carolina is suing Fort Jackson’s privatized housing provider after they say sewage contaminated their home, allegedly causing a life-altering bacterial infection in their 4-year-old son. Travis Wilson, a chaplain in the Army, and his wife, Jaclyn Wilson, filed a complaint Nov. 18 against Fort Jackson Housing LLC and Balfour Beatty Military Housing Management LLC in the U...[Read More]
Federal budget plans still in limbo as Memorial Day approaches
Congress will head into its Memorial Day recess at the end of this week with a host of unanswered questions about the annual budget process, including a detailed plan of what the White House hopes to fund — and cut — in fiscal 2026. Last week, both Republicans and Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee expressed frustration that the administration still has not released in-depth budget pl...[Read More]
Federal employee arrested after ‘active shooter hoax’ at NJ base
TRENTON, N.J. — A federal government employee was taken into custody Tuesday following an “active shooter hoax” that plunged New Jersey’s largest military base into lockdown earlier in the day, according to the state’s acting U.S. attorney, Alina Habba. In a social media post Tuesday night, Habba said the civilian employee — who has not been named — was in custody for “conveying false information ...[Read More]
Federal employee arrested after ‘active shooter hoax’ at NJ base
TRENTON, N.J. — A federal government employee was taken into custody Tuesday following an “active shooter hoax” that plunged New Jersey’s largest military base into lockdown earlier in the day, according to the state’s acting U.S. attorney, Alina Habba. In a social media post Tuesday night, Habba said the civilian employee — who has not been named — was in custody for “conveying false information ...[Read More]
Federal employee caused shooter hoax at NJ base to bond with coworkers
A scare about a supposed shooting that prompted a lockdown at New Jersey’s largest military base was a hoax caused by a civilian employee who wanted to “trauma bond” with her colleagues, according to federal prosecutors. Malika Brittingham, a civilian who works for the Naval Air Warfare Center and was assigned to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, faces charges that she knowingly conveyed false inf...[Read More]
Federal employee caused shooter hoax at NJ base to bond with coworkers
A scare about a supposed shooting that prompted a lockdown at New Jersey’s largest military base was a hoax caused by a civilian employee who wanted to “trauma bond” with her colleagues, according to federal prosecutors. Malika Brittingham, a civilian who works for the Naval Air Warfare Center and was assigned to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, faces charges that she knowingly conveyed false inf...[Read More]
Federal employees should retain rights to reservist differential pay
Members of our armed services, including reservists, risk their lives to keep Americans safe. This sacrifice should not come at the added cost of lost wages, particularly when they work for the same employer — the federal government — as both civilian employees and part-time members of the military (here, “reservists” and “reserves” include both the National Guard and military reserves). Federal g...[Read More]
Federal military spouse workers exempt from return-to-office rule
Federally employed military spouses who work remotely are now “categorically exempt” from the return-to-office directive issued by President Donald Trump, according to new guidance clarifying the policy. Federal agencies “shall” allow military spouses to continue working remotely, and agencies may continue appointing spouses to remote work positions, according to a memo issued Wednesday by Charles...[Read More]
Federal military spouse workers ‘should’ be able to continue remotely
Federally employed military spouses who work remotely for their agencies “should” be allowed to continue to do so, according to a joint memo from the federal agencies in charge of budget and personnel. Despite the guidance, some spouses with federal jobs continue to feel uncertainty and angst following President Donald Trump’s new policy requiring in-person work. In a Jan. 27 memo about the return...[Read More]
Felon hid dead uncle in trash can to keep stealing his vets benefits
A Missouri felon who stored his Army veteran uncle’s remains in a trash can was charged this week with 11 counts of fraud and theft for illegally pocketing $650,000 in disability benefits while concealing the death for years. Department of Justice officials said Brian K. Ditch, 44, faces multiple counts of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and theft of government property. Related, he has als...[Read More]
Felon hid dead uncle in trash can to keep stealing his vets benefits
A Missouri felon who stored his Army veteran uncle’s remains in a trash can was charged this week with 11 counts of fraud and theft for illegally pocketing $650,000 in disability benefits while concealing the death for years. Department of Justice officials said Brian K. Ditch, 44, faces multiple counts of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and theft of government property. Related, he has als...[Read More]