Let’s get right to it: He claimed the arch will be used to “hold large quantities of sniper ammunition in storage.”

The central tactical theory behind the use of snipers is that they use hardly any ammunition. Their job is the kill shot. The sniper is a one-and-done military asset. All the ammunition he or she needs can be carried by the sniper. Sniper rifles don’t shoot on full-automatic. They shoot a single bullet, then the next bullet is chambered, and if necessary, the rifle is fired again. Usually at that point, the sniper moves so his shooting position is not identified, and he becomes a target.

Trump wouldn’t know a round of sniper ammunition if it was served to him in a bun with ketchup. He doesn’t know the first thing about ammunition storage, either. Military ammunition is normally stored on heavily guarded military bases where it is kept under lock and key. If ammunition is moved from a military base, it is kept under armed guard 24 hours a day. If Trump’s arch is to be visited by the public, it cannot be a military facility where ID’s are checked and passes are issued, as they are at the gates of every military base in the U.S. and abroad. The “sniper ammunition” would therefore have to be under guard by active-duty soldiers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. That would mean that the soldiers would need toilet facilities and an area where they could eat meals and rest between shifts of standing guard.

Trump’s announcement on Truth Social said he was turning his arch into what amounts to an armed camp “at the strong request of the United States military.” The Reuters news agency called the Pentagon and the White today House asking who had made the “strong request.” There was no answer from either place, because the request came from the dim reaches of what’s left of Trump’s own mind. It is not a coincidence that Trump’s proposed militarization of his arch comes as it faces a lawsuit in federal court. Judges are traditionally reluctant to interfere in matters of the Executive when they involve the military.

And there is the question of what Trump’s snipers would be shooting at. There are lots of cars going around the traffic circle, of course, making their way north and south on the George Washington Parkway. Why would they be considered targets? Visitors to Arlington National Cemetery are not there to commit acts of aggression, but to pay their respects to the military dead Trump holds in such low regard. Does he envision an invasion of undocumented immigrants flooding on foot across Memorial Bridge? Where would they go? Who would they threaten that they would need to be brought down by sniper fire?

Trump’s lie about his arch is another naked outrageous dodge to get around its construction being barred by a federal court. Trump used the same scam with his ballroom, which he now calls a White House “military complex” because of an underground bunker and an alleged “hospital facility” that would serve Trump himself and White House employees.

Our military is years behind Ukraine, China, Russia, and even Iran in development of a drone warfare capability, and Trump thinks that his arch, standing in the middle of a traffic circle between Memorial Bridge and Arlington National Cemetery, will be used as some sort of drone warfare facility?

The fucking Pentagon is a half-mile away. If he wants to store his drones and sniper ammunition, the Pentagon has 6.6 million square feet of above-ground space and who knows how many million square feet of additional basement space. Plus, the Pentagon has the added feature of already being under 24-hour guard, with its own mess, bathroom, and rest facilities for snipers on site.

Trump’s announcement about his “triumphal arch” is 100 percent unadulterated bullshit. Memorials such as those honoring Lincoln, Washington, and Jefferson are there to commemorate the dead. Triumphal arches are supposed to celebrate great triumphs. What wars have we won lately? Certainly not the war with Iran, and not the wars fought in Iraq or Afghanistan, either.

Well, at least Trump has triumphed over the allegations of his sexual assaults and rape. If he ever gets his triumphal arch built, at least there’s that.

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Despite Tougher Standards, Marine Corps Data Show More Than 9 in 10 Women in Combat Arms Are Passing the Test

When Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth summoned hundreds of generals and admirals from around the world to Quantico, Virginia, last September, he delivered a blunt message: Things were changing fast in the newly renamed Department of War.

“No more division, distraction, or gender delusions,” he said. “We are done with that shit.”

What mattered going forward, Hegseth said, were standards.

“I don’t want my son serving alongside troops who are out of shape or in combat [units] with females who can’t meet the same combat arms physical standards as men,” he said.

The same day, Hegseth signed a directive requiring sex-neutral fitness standards for all troops in combat roles. The service began implementing the new standards earlier this year.

Marines take two fitness tests annually: a physical fitness test in the spring and a combat fitness test in the fall. In January, the Marine Corps began sex-neutral grading for combat Marines on the annual physical fitness test, which consists of a 3-mile run, a choice between pushups or pullups, and an abdominal plank. Since January, Marines in combat specialties have been required to score at least 210 out of 300 points.

The Marine Corps spring physical fitness test data obtained by The War Horse shows that more than 90% of female Marines who have taken the test have met or exceeded the standard.

Kris Fuhr, co-founder of the Women in the Service Coalition, which advocates for equal opportunities for military women, said she was not surprised.

“The women prepare and they train and they’re ready,” she said.

Women serving in combat specialties have always been required to meet the same job-specific standards as men, based on the physical demands of their chosen field, such as infantry or artillery. But the broader physical fitness tests taken by all service members once or twice a year serve a different purpose: measuring overall fitness. Those tests have historically been scored using age- and sex-based standards.

While Hegseth has argued that scoring women against a male standard will preserve the level of fitness required for combat, the new policy still allows standards to vary by age, with benchmarks declining for older service members.

According to the Marine Corps, 422 women currently serve in combat specialties, 400 of whom have taken the test under the new scoring standard. Experts caution that those results cannot predict how women in combat roles across the military will fare, given the small sample size.

“Women are a small part of the Marine Corps. Women are a smaller part of combat arms within the Marine Corps,” said Kyleanne Hunter, a Marine veteran who leads Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. “Making generalizable conclusions from this is very, very difficult.”

But, she added, “It still tells the story that the vast, vast majority of the women who are in this career field are doing just fine.”

The War Horse has requested similar data from the Army but has not yet received it.

Hundreds of Women Have Served in Combat Roles

When the Pentagon moved to open all combat jobs to women, the Marine Corps resisted, seeking an exemption based on a study that service leaders said showed gender-integrated units performed worse than all-male units. Critics argued the study was flawed, and the secretary of the Navy denied the request.

Over the past decade, hundreds of women have gone on to serve in Marine Corps combat roles. Thousands more have served in Army infantry units, and a few have even completed the grueling process to serve in special operations roles.

Hegseth, however, has repeatedly questioned whether women in combat positions are being held to sufficiently rigorous standards. Within months of his confirmation, he ordered a review of combat arms standards before he directed the services to adopt sex-neutral fitness standards for troops in combat roles. The Pentagon has also launched a new review of women in combat, tapping the researcher who led the earlier Marine Corps study to lead the evaluation.

“I think his mandate is based on the belief that women can’t meet men’s fitness standards within combat arms,” Fuhr said.

The early Marine Corps data suggests otherwise.

According to Marine Corps data, 91.38% of women and 96.53% of men in combat arms who have taken the test since January have met or exceeded that threshold.

Hunter said that while the results are encouraging for women serving in combat roles, she cautioned that the new scoring system could still have negative implications for women.

“It can create unnecessary promotion problems,” she said.

A female Marine who might have earned a perfect 300 under the previous female scoring scale now receives roughly 240 points for the same performance under the male scale—comfortably passing the new requirement, but with a substantially lower score, which could impact performance evaluations.

Fuhr said she expects women to adapt.

“If you tell a woman what the standard is, she will do the work to not only meet it, but often exceed it,” she said.

This article from The War Horse was edited by Paul Szoldra, fact-checked by Jess Rohan, and copy-edited by Mitchell Hansen-Dewar.

This article was originally published by The War Horse on September 15, 2026.

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The post Hegseth Made the Fitness Test Harder for Women in Combat Roles. Most Female Marines Are Passing appeared first on DCReport.org.

This is what the White House press room could have looked like after MS NOW, CNN, and Politico reporters were turned away at the security gate of the White House today. The entire White House press could have walked out in protest of Donald Trump’s outrageous violation of the First Amendment. Three of the White House Press Association members’ right to report the news had been withdrawn by Trump who accused them of reporting “fake news.”

If the reports of those three outlets have been fake news, the reports from every White House correspondent has been fake news.

You stand up for your fellow journalists, or your failure to do so tells us everything we need to know about your courage and dedication to the job of being a journalist. Donald Trump shredded the First Amendment today, and the White House Press corps stood there and watched him do it. If they had stood together and walked out, we would be in a very different place today. They didn’t, and the profession of journalism has been endangered.

Access to power is not worth capitulation to fascism. At a bare minimum, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, NBC News, ABC News, and CBS News should have notified the White House that they will not attend White House briefings until their fellow reporters’ rights are restored.

Shame on the White House press corps. Shame.

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When it comes to birth, there’s a lot more happening than simply welcoming a new baby into the world. During a vaginal delivery, newborns are naturally exposed to millions of beneficial microbes that begin colonizing their skin, mouth, and digestive tract.

In recent years, this early microbial exposure has sparked interest in a practice known as vaginal seeding, particularly among parents planning a cesarean delivery. But what exactly is vaginal seeding, and does it offer the benefits some people hope for? Researchers are actively studying the practice, yet many questions remain unanswered.

Understanding the science behind vaginal seeding and how it differs from other ways of supporting a healthy microbiome can help parents make informed decisions. Along the way, it’s also helpful to understand how URO Probiotics fit into the bigger picture of maintaining vaginal bacterial balance before and during pregnancy.

Vaginal Seeding 101

Vaginal seeding is a procedure intended to expose babies born by cesarean section (C-section) to some of the bacteria they may have encountered during a vaginal birth. Typically, a sterile piece of gauze is placed inside the mother’s vagina before the C-section . After the baby is delivered, the gauze is used to gently wipe the baby’s mouth, face, and body.

The idea behind the practice is simple: babies born vaginally naturally come into contact with their mother’s vaginal microbes as they pass through the birth canal, while babies delivered by C-section experience a different mix of bacteria. Vaginal seeding attempts to recreate at least part of that natural microbial exposure.

Why Do Some Parents Choose Vaginal Seeding?

Interest in vaginal seeding comes from growing research into the human microbiome, the vast collection of bacteria and other microorganisms that live throughout the body. Early microbial exposure may influence the development of an infant’s microbiome during the first weeks and months of life.

Some researchers are exploring whether differences in these early microbial communities could play a role in immune system development, digestion, allergies, asthma, or other aspects of long-term health. Because babies delivered by C-section encounter different bacteria than those born vaginally, some parents hope vaginal seeding may help narrow that gap.

What Does the Research Say So Far?

Early research has produced some encouraging observations, but the science is still in its early stages. A handful of small studies suggest that vaginal seeding may temporarily introduce some maternal vaginal bacteria to babies born by C-section.

In some cases, researchers observed that the infants’ microbiomes looked somewhat more similar to those of babies delivered vaginally. However, these findings should be interpreted carefully.

The studies have generally involved small numbers of participants, and scientists have not established whether these temporary microbial differences translate into lasting health benefits. Larger clinical trials are still needed to determine whether vaginal seeding is both safe and effective before it can be widely recommended.

Are There Any Risks?

While the concept of vaginal seeding is fascinating, it’s important to consider the potential risks alongside the possible benefits. The vaginal microbiome contains many beneficial bacteria, but it can also harbor harmful microorganisms that could pose serious health risks to a newborn.

For example, infections such as Group B Streptococcus  (GBS), herpes simplex virus (HSV), chlamydia, or gonorrhea could potentially be transferred during vaginal seeding if they are present. Because newborns have developing immune systems, even mild infections in adults can become much more serious in infants.

For this reason, organizations such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) do not currently recommend routine vaginal seeding outside of approved research settings. Healthcare providers generally advise parents to discuss any interest in the procedure before delivery so potential risks and individual circumstances can be carefully evaluated.

How Can Parents Support a Baby’s Microbiome in Other Ways?

Fortunately, vaginal seeding isn’t the only way parents can encourage healthy microbial development. Researchers continue to study several everyday practices that may support a baby’s developing microbiome without the uncertainties surrounding vaginal seeding.

When possible, breastfeeding provides nutrients and beneficial compounds that support the growth of healthy gut bacteria. Skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth may also expose babies to beneficial microbes while strengthening the parent-child bond. Using antibiotics only when medically necessary helps avoid unnecessary disruptions to maternal and infant microbiomes.

What We Know Today About Vaginal Seeding

Vaginal seeding has become a topic of growing interest, highlighting just how important your microbiome may be from the very beginning of life. While early research suggests the practice may influence a newborn’s microbial exposure, scientists have not yet confirmed that it provides lasting health benefits.

As research evolves, healthcare providers will gain a clearer understanding of when, or if, vaginal seeding should become part of routine care. Until then, parents can feel confident focusing on well-established ways to support both maternal and infant health while working closely with their healthcare team to make informed decisions.

Photo: Jonathan Borba via Pexels

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Distracted driving has surpassed all other causes to become the leading contributor to crashes in New Jersey, marking a significant shift in the state’s road safety landscape. With highways like interstate 95 and local Paramus roads witnessing increased incidents related to texting and driving, residents face new risks and complex aftermaths. Investigating how distracted driving shapes accident trends and legal recourse offers valuable insight into the challenges and responsibilities drivers encounter today.

New Jersey has seen a marked rise in accidents related to distracted driving, now the principal cause of vehicle crashes statewide. Texting and driving, use of navigation apps, and handheld phone calls are common distractions leading to hazardous situations. These incidents are particularly notable on bustling routes such as interstate 95 and in communities like Paramus, where heavy traffic magnifies the potential for accidents. In the event of a collision, securing guidance from a Paramus car accident lawyer can offer crucial assistance with understanding statutes, insurance processes, and the rights available to crash victims struggling with the aftermath.

Examining the scope and effects of distracted driving

The surge in distracted driving has changed the profile of New Jersey road accidents. Reckless behaviors such as texting behind the wheel have contributed to a higher rate of rear-end collisions and sideswipes, and a rear-end accident can unfold in seconds when a driver glances down at a device. Recent data shows that distracted driving now exceeds driving under the influence or speeding as the top crash factor, affecting drivers of all ages and backgrounds.

Along key corridors like Interstate 95, crashes resulting from inattention often cause significant delays, property damage, and common injuries, including whiplash and fractures. Law enforcement officials in Paramus and throughout the state aim to curb these incidents with heightened patrols and targeted educational campaigns. Despite these efforts, the complexity of distracted driving incidents can complicate legal claims and insurance settlements, making informed legal support more important than ever.

Legal response and consumer protections for New Jersey drivers

New Jersey has implemented strict regulations against texting and driving and the use of handheld devices. Penalties for these violations are increasing, and authorities frequently conduct checkpoints and targeted enforcement actions to address these behaviors. When crashes occur due to distraction, legal responsibilities and accountability become central to resolving claims fairly and efficiently.

Crash victims may face challenges related to insurance paperwork, liability determinations, or disputes over damages. In these instances, understanding local procedures and available resources is vital, especially when common injuries require follow-up care that increases costs. Residents in Paramus who experience complications after a rear-end accident or another distracted driving incident can benefit from legal experience that helps clarify their rights and supports effective resolutions to their cases.

Resources, community awareness, and continuing risks

Government agencies and advocacy groups work to educate drivers about the dangers of distracted driving through school programs, media campaigns, and public events in communities such as Paramus. These efforts aim to foster awareness and encourage more attentive driving habits, including avoiding texting and driving at intersections and in stop-and-go traffic. Technological advances, including safety cameras and smartphone applications designed to block notifications while driving, are also being promoted as preventive measures.

As awareness continues to grow, drivers are encouraged to remain vigilant and make use of available support services in the event of an accident. Legal and support organizations, like Varcadipane & Pinnisi, P.C, play an important role in helping New Jersey residents understand their rights and pursue appropriate solutions when affected by distracted driving, including crashes on interstate 95. Looking forward, reducing the prevalence of distraction-related accidents will depend on a strong combination of enforcement, education, and accessible advice to ensure the safety of all New Jersey motorists.

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The post Distracted Driving is Now New Jersey’s Leading Crash Cause — an Investigative Look appeared first on DCReport.org.

He’s not just out to dishonor one of our greatest presidents by cursing the Kennedy Center with his name. He doesn’t just intend to destroy the People’s House and turn it into Trump Tower II. He also wants to disturb the graves of the men and women he called “losers,” who wore their country’s uniform and are buried in Arlington National Cemetery. He wants to tear down anything he can’t put his name on in the nation’s capital and turn it into Mar a Lago north.

We will have no excuse if we don’t stop him this time. He turned loose the excavators on the East Wing and reduced it into rubble before anyone knew what he was doing. This time, we have been warned. The photograph published of Trump in Air Force One looking at some sort of plan to “demolish” the Kennedy Center tells us exactly what he intends to do. We must stop him. If we have to lay down our bodies in the way of the wrecking balls and teeth of the excavators, then that is what should be done.

President John F. Kennedy risked his life in war and lost his life while serving the country as its president. We lit an eternal flame in Arlington Cemetery to honor him, which Trump wants to extinguish with the shadow of his arch, and we built a center for the arts on the Potomac and named it after him which Trump has now said will “end up being ripped down” because he has been blocked from putting his name on it.

Neither thing can be allowed to happen. If this country stands for anything, it stands for honoring those who have served in uniform and given their lives to defend it. Arlington Cemetery is the resting place that was built on grounds owned by Robert E. Lee, who commanded the Army of Northern Virginia and signed the surrender of the Confederate States of America. The first casualties of the Civil War were buried in what became Arlington National Cemetery while the war was still being fought.

By any measure, it is hallowed ground.

Donald Trump wants to desecrate it with his awful over-decorated “Memorial Arch” that memorializes nothing more than himself. This must not be permitted to happen.

Nor should the destruction or desecration of the memorial to President Kennedy be permitted to happen. The Kennedy Center has for more than 50 years been a gathering place for residents of the Capital and visitors who have enjoyed concerts and plays and dances and art on its grounds. President Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline were great patrons of the arts. The center honors both of them. Donald Trump hates the fact that the nation reveres them. He tore out the White House Rose Garden, which had been designed and planted under the guiding hand of Mrs. Kennedy. He replaced it with a concrete slab that he has used in the same way he uses his patio at Mar a Lago. He tore down the East Wing of the White House where Mrs. Kennedy’s office, and the offices of other First Ladies, once stood. He hates tradition. He hates history. He hates the reverence for the past that is reflected in the historic sites of Washington D.C. such as the Reflecting Pool, and so he has either torn them down or dishonored them.

As well as being a convicted criminal and an accused rapist and an compulsive liar, he is a man with no taste and no sense of honor. He is beneath contempt. What he wants to do to dishonor President Kennedy and the service members buried in Arlington National Cemetery must not be allowed to happen.

We failed to keep Trump from being elected for a second time. We must not fail in our duty to uphold the honor of the nation’s capital and its historic sites that pay tribute to the heroes of our past. To allow Donald Trump to dishonor them will dishonor us as a country that stands for freedom and democracy. His destructive and dishonorable wishes must not come to pass.

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