31 July 2026 0000
Every Friday, we wear red— R.E.D. Friday, Remember Everyone Deployed. It is a visual pledge, a steadfast reminder of the sacrifice made by our service members standing watch in distant lands and, just as importantly, the families back home who keep the home fires burning.
Direct from the Fleet: High-Stakes Operations in the Middle East
That forward edge has been tested repeatedly over recent days. Direct, unclassified operational logs from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) paint a stark picture of the exact environment our deployed forces are maneuvering through right now. U.S. military personnel deployed overseas remain heavily engaged in active operations in the Middle East, where CENTCOM forces recently intercepted a surprise missile attack by Iran and conducted joint counter-operations against Iranian-backed proxy groups in Iraq.
To maintain operational superiority and protect regional stability, the U.S. military has dynamically shifted posture across allied bases. Advanced tactical aircraft, electronic warfare assets such as the EA-37B Compass Call, and critical regional refueling capabilities have been repositioned to bolster defensive depth. Meanwhile, force protection conditions remain elevated across regional installations as our personnel ensure security under challenging circumstances.
Global Posture Adjustments and Readiness
While the Middle East remains a primary focus of active engagement, global force posture adjustments continue across other vital theaters:
- Europe and Germany Drawdown: The Pentagon announced plans to adjust U.S. troop deployments in Germany following ongoing strategic evaluations concerning regional security burdens and operational access.
- Indo-Pacific and Routine Rotations: Standard rotational training exercises, cooperative security deployments, and allied patrols continue uninterrupted across Europe, Africa, and the Indo-Pacific, ensuring our armed forces maintain uncompromised global readiness.
Honoring Our Troops and Their Families
Behind every dynamic asset movement, every strategic adjustment, and every complex defensive mission stands the unwavering resilience of our military families. The sacrifices made by those who wear the cloth of our nation—and the loved ones holding down the fort at home—deserve our deepest grace, respect, and admiration. We refuse to let the human element of these operations be overlooked or sanitized by mainstream headlines.
We honor our troops and their families today and every day, keeping them close in our thoughts as they defend freedom far from home. R.E.D. Friday, Remember Everyone Deployed, until they all return safely to American soil.
I am not a veteran. I am a member of the Civil Air Patrol, the United States Air Force Auxiliary. But in 1991, personal loss brought me to a place I never left.
Over two decades later, that loss led me to the State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown, Connecticut, where I took on the coordination of Wreaths Across America — which grew into the largest and fastest growing veterans program in the state. I didn’t do it for recognition. I did it for them.
In 2016 I founded the Connecticut Veterans Bulletin. Not because I served, but because I believe those who did deserve to be honored, connected, and kept alive.
Twenty-two veterans die by suicide every day. I knew about that number before it became a hashtag. I knew it personally, long before anyone was talking about it.
This publication exists because that number is unacceptable. Because every veteran in Connecticut deserves to know someone gives a damn.
That someone is me.