INSIDER
Trump gets warm welcome as he watches Army-Navy game alongside key allies, nominees and Daniel Penny
Read full article: Trump gets warm welcome as he watches Army-Navy game alongside key allies, nominees and Daniel PennyDonald Trump huddled with allies and a Republican cause célèbre at the Army-Navy football game.
Navy didn't understand well-documented risks posed by Hawaii fuel tanks, watchdog says
Read full article: Navy didn't understand well-documented risks posed by Hawaii fuel tanks, watchdog saysA U.S. military watchdog says Navy officials lacked sufficient understanding of the risks of maintaining massive fuel storage tanks on top of a drinking water well at Pearl Harbor where spilled jet fuel poisoned more than 6,000 people.
Pentagon bolsters the US presence in the Middle East with bombers, fighter aircraft and warships
Read full article: Pentagon bolsters the US presence in the Middle East with bombers, fighter aircraft and warshipsThe Pentagon says Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is sending additional bomber aircraft and Navy warships to the Middle East to bolster the U.S. presence in the region.
AP Top 25: Miami cracks top 5 for 1st time since 2017; Notre Dame, BYU and Texas A&M enter top 10
Read full article: AP Top 25: Miami cracks top 5 for 1st time since 2017; Notre Dame, BYU and Texas A&M enter top 10Miami has climbed to No. 5 in The Associated Press Top 25 college football poll, its highest ranking since 2017.
No. 12 Notre Dame knocks error-prone No. 24 Navy from unbeaten ranks
Read full article: No. 12 Notre Dame knocks error-prone No. 24 Navy from unbeaten ranksJeremiyah Love ran for 102 yards, scored two touchdowns and extended his streak of rushing for a TD to eight games in leading No. 12 Notre Dame to a 51-14 victory over No. 24 Navy, knocking the uncharacteristically mistake-prone Midshipmen from the unbeaten ranks.
Talk show host and former Navy man Montel Williams co-writes history of USS Intrepid
Read full article: Talk show host and former Navy man Montel Williams co-writes history of USS IntrepidA new history of the USS Intrepid will be co-written by Montel Williams, a former Navy man otherwise known for his long career as a daytime television host.
AP Top 25: Oregon, Penn State move behind No. 1 Texas. Army, Navy both ranked for 1st time since '60
Read full article: AP Top 25: Oregon, Penn State move behind No. 1 Texas. Army, Navy both ranked for 1st time since '60Oregon and Penn State each moved up a spot in The Associated Press college football poll following thrilling wins in high-profile games.
Military recruiting rebounds after several tough years, but challenges remain
Read full article: Military recruiting rebounds after several tough years, but challenges remainThe Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Space Force say they will all meet their recruiting goals by the end of this month and the Navy will come very close.
US is sending more troops to the Middle East as violence rises between Israel and Hezbollah
Read full article: US is sending more troops to the Middle East as violence rises between Israel and HezbollahThe Pentagon says the U.S. is sending a small number of additional troops to the Middle East in response to a sharp spike in violence between Israel and Hezbollah forces in Lebanon that is raising the risk of a greater regional war.
The Navy's highest-ranking military officer is treated successfully for breast cancer
Read full article: The Navy's highest-ranking military officer is treated successfully for breast cancerThe Navy says its highest-ranking military officer has been successfully treated for early-stage breast cancer.
Navy recruiting rebounds, but it will miss its target to get sailors through boot camp
Read full article: Navy recruiting rebounds, but it will miss its target to get sailors through boot campThe Navy will meet its goal to sign up 40,600 recruits by the end of September thanks to several new recruiting programs.
Captain of superyacht that sank off Sicily declines to respond to prosecutor questions, lawyer says
Read full article: Captain of superyacht that sank off Sicily declines to respond to prosecutor questions, lawyer saysThe captain of a superyacht that sank during a storm off Sicily last week, killing seven people, has decided not to respond to prosecutors’ questions.
Navy sailor disciplined for trying to access Biden's health records early this year
Read full article: Navy sailor disciplined for trying to access Biden's health records early this yearThe Defense Department says a Navy sailor tried to access President Joe Biden’s medical records early this year, but no personal information was compromised.
Lockheed Martin subsidiaries reach $70 million settlement for claims they overcharged Navy for parts
Read full article: Lockheed Martin subsidiaries reach $70 million settlement for claims they overcharged Navy for partsTwo Lockheed Martin subsidiaries have agreed to pay the federal government $70 million for overcharging the Navy for aircraft parts.
Russian warships will arrive in Havana next week, say Cuban officials citing 'friendly relations'
Read full article: Russian warships will arrive in Havana next week, say Cuban officials citing 'friendly relations'Four Russian ships, including a nuclear-powered submarine, will arrive in Havana next week, Cuban officials said Thursday, citing “historically friendly relations” between both nations and as tensions escalate over Western military support for Ukraine in its war with Russia.
Sleepy far-flung towns in the Philippines will host US forces returning to counter China threats
Read full article: Sleepy far-flung towns in the Philippines will host US forces returning to counter China threatsAfter withdrawing from two huge U.S. military bases in the Philippines at the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s, American forces are returning and building a new presence in nine sites on Philippine bases under a 2014 defense pact to counter China's increasingly assertive actions.
US navy flies aircraft through the Taiwan Strait a day after US-China defense chiefs hold rare talks
Read full article: US navy flies aircraft through the Taiwan Strait a day after US-China defense chiefs hold rare talksThe U.S. 7th Fleet says a Navy P-8A Poseidon has flown through the Taiwan Strait.
New recruiting programs put Army, Air Force on track to meet enlistment goals. Navy will fall short
Read full article: New recruiting programs put Army, Air Force on track to meet enlistment goals. Navy will fall shortThe Army and Air Force say they are on track to meet their recruiting goals this year, reversing previous shortfalls using a swath of new programs and policy changes.
A missing sailor's last message from Hurricane Otis was to ask his family to pray for him
Read full article: A missing sailor's last message from Hurricane Otis was to ask his family to pray for himWhen Hurricane Otis roared into Acapulco Bay on Oct 25 with 165 mile per hour winds, sailor Ruben Torres recorded a 10-second audio message from a yacht called the Sereno.
STAT WATCH: Michigan's defensive dominance will be put to the test rest of way
Read full article: STAT WATCH: Michigan's defensive dominance will be put to the test rest of wayAs dominant as Michigan’s defense has been through nine games, where it ranks among the best of all-time is far from being determined.
The Navy will start randomly testing SEALs and special warfare troops for steroids
Read full article: The Navy will start randomly testing SEALs and special warfare troops for steroidsThe Navy will begin randomly testing its special operations forces for steriods and other performance-enhancing drugs beginning in November.
Navy issues written reprimands for fuel spill that sickened 6,000 people at Pearl Harbor base
Read full article: Navy issues written reprimands for fuel spill that sickened 6,000 people at Pearl Harbor baseThe Navy is issuing written reprimands to three now-retired military officers for their roles in the spill of jet fuel into Pearl Harbor’s drinking water in 2021.
Mexican president defends inclusion of Russian military contingent in Independence parade
Read full article: Mexican president defends inclusion of Russian military contingent in Independence paradeMexico's president is defending the participation of a contingent of Russian soldiers in a military parade over the weekend.
Navy veteran, retired firefighter participates in 9/11 stair climb at Planet Fitness
Read full article: Navy veteran, retired firefighter participates in 9/11 stair climb at Planet FitnessA local Navy veteran and retired firefighter showed solidarity for fallen heroes, by taking to the stairmaster in full gear at Planet Fitness in Roanoke.
Felony convictions vacated for 4 former Navy officers in sprawling 'Fat Leonard' bribery scandal
Read full article: Felony convictions vacated for 4 former Navy officers in sprawling 'Fat Leonard' bribery scandalFelony convictions have been vacated for four former Navy officers in a sprawling bribery scandal due to prosecutorial misconduct.
Navy shipbuilders' union approves 3-year labor pact at Bath Iron Works
Read full article: Navy shipbuilders' union approves 3-year labor pact at Bath Iron WorksThe largest union at Navy shipbuilder Bath Iron Works, located in Maine, has approved a three-year contract, averting another strike like the one three years ago.
Pentagon review calls for reforms to reverse spike in sexual misconduct at military academies
Read full article: Pentagon review calls for reforms to reverse spike in sexual misconduct at military academiesA new report says the U.S. military academies must improve their leadership, stop toxic practices such as hazing, and shift behavior training into the classrooms in order to address an alarming spike in sexual assaults and misconduct.
'The Few. The Proud' aren't so few: Marines recruiting surges while other services struggle
Read full article: 'The Few. The Proud' aren't so few: Marines recruiting surges while other services struggleMarine Corps leaders say they'll make their recruiting goal this year, at a time when the active-duty Army, Navy and Air Force expect to fall short.
Navy probe prompted by suicides condemns conditions at shipyard: 'We let our people down'
Read full article: Navy probe prompted by suicides condemns conditions at shipyard: 'We let our people down'A Navy investigation triggered by a series of suicides is recommending widespread improvements in housing, food, parking and internet for sailors, as well as changes to mental health and other personnel programs.
US Navy deploys more chaplains for suicide prevention
Read full article: US Navy deploys more chaplains for suicide preventionConcerned with preventing growing numbers of suicides, the US Navy is planning to make chaplains regular members of the crew on ships with more than 300 sailors, instead of only the largest carriers as in the past.
Navy National Defense Cadet Corps established at William Byrd High School
Read full article: Navy National Defense Cadet Corps established at William Byrd High SchoolA new partnership between the Navy and Roanoke County Public Schools was formalized today at William Byrd High School. A ceremony marked the official start of the Navy National Defense Cadet Corps.
Navy finds no link in series of suicides by carrier crew
Read full article: Navy finds no link in series of suicides by carrier crewThree suicides by sailors assigned to a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier were not connected, but the poor quality of life onboard was a “contributing factor” in one of the deaths.
US defense chief in Hawaii amid distrust after fuel spill
Read full article: US defense chief in Hawaii amid distrust after fuel spillU.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is visiting Hawaii this week amid lingering community frustration and distrust after jet fuel from a military storage facility last year spilled into Pearl Harbor’s drinking water.
Navy disciplines officers in massive ship fire
Read full article: Navy disciplines officers in massive ship fireNavy leaders have disciplined more than 20 senior officers and sailors in connection with widespread leadership and other failures that contributed to the July 2020 arson fire that destroyed the USS Bonhomme Richard.
Body of ‘John Doe’ found off Colorado hiking trail identified as Navy veteran from Roanoke
Read full article: Body of ‘John Doe’ found off Colorado hiking trail identified as Navy veteran from RoanokeHuman remains that were found by hikers at Colorado’s Lost Creek Wilderness nearly two years ago have been identified as a Navy veteran from Roanoke.
High court gives Biden win for now in Navy vaccine case
Read full article: High court gives Biden win for now in Navy vaccine caseThe Supreme Court is giving the Navy a freer hand determining what job assignments it gives to 35 sailors who sued after refusing on religious grounds to comply with an order to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Air Force approves 9 religious exemptions for COVID vaccine
Read full article: Air Force approves 9 religious exemptions for COVID vaccineThe Air Force has became the second military service to approve religious exemptions to the mandatory COVID-19 vaccine, granting requests from nine airmen to avoid the shots.
Navy discharges 1st active-duty sailors for COVID-19 vaccine refusal
Read full article: Navy discharges 1st active-duty sailors for COVID-19 vaccine refusalThe Navy said Tuesday that it has discharged 23 active duty sailors for refusing the coronavirus vaccine, marking the first time it has thrown currently serving sailors out of the military over the mandatory shots.
Navy expands boot camp to sharpen focus on character issues
Read full article: Navy expands boot camp to sharpen focus on character issuesThe Navy is adding two weeks to boot camp in a major overhaul aimed at improving recruits' war fighting and emergency skills while also focusing on suicide prevention and character issues such as sexual assault, hazing and extremism in the ranks.
Navy blocked from acting against 35 COVID vaccine refusers
Read full article: Navy blocked from acting against 35 COVID vaccine refusersA federal judge in Texas has granted a preliminary injunction stopping the Navy from acting against 35 sailors for refusing on religious grounds to comply with an order to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Across services, troops face discipline for refusing vaccine
Read full article: Across services, troops face discipline for refusing vaccineU.S. officials say all of the military services have now begun disciplinary actions and discharges for troops who have refused to get the mandated coronavirus vaccine, with as many as 20,000 unvaccinated forces at risk of being removed from service.
Engineer: Navy warship fire might be electrical, not arson
Read full article: Engineer: Navy warship fire might be electrical, not arsonAn electrical engineer who examined the USS Bonhomme Richard after it was destroyed by fire last year testified it might have started with an electrical malfunction.
Court weighs evidence against sailor in warship arson case
Read full article: Court weighs evidence against sailor in warship arson caseNavy prosecutors say a sailor charged with setting the fire that destroyed the USS Bonhomme Richard was disgruntled after dropping out of Navy SEAL training and used foul language with a superior days before the blaze.
Navy commander fired after refusing to get COVID vaccine
Read full article: Navy commander fired after refusing to get COVID vaccineOfficials say a U.S. Navy commander has been fired from his job as the executive officer of a warship because he refused to get a COVID-19 vaccine as required and refused to be tested for the virus.
Navy details changes, more oversight in wake of warship fire
Read full article: Navy details changes, more oversight in wake of warship fireNavy leaders say they're making changes and increasing oversight to correct widespread failures that led to the loss of the USS Bonhomme Richard as a a result of arson more than a year ago.
Remains of Salem sailor, others killed in helicopter crash recovered
Read full article: Remains of Salem sailor, others killed in helicopter crash recoveredThe remains of five people and the wreckage of a U.S. Navy helicopter that crashed in the Pacific Ocean off California have been recovered, the Navy said in a statement Tuesday.
Marine's body returned to Indiana hometown with procession
Read full article: Marine's body returned to Indiana hometown with processionA military procession has returned the body of a Marine who was among U.S. troops killed in a suicide bombing at Afghanistan’s Kabul airport to his Indiana hometown.
U.S. Department of Defense identifies all 13 service members killed in Kabul airport bombing
Read full article: U.S. Department of Defense identifies all 13 service members killed in Kabul airport bombingThe U.S. Department of Defense has identified all 13 service members who were killed in a suicide bombing outside of Kabul’s airport.
Sailor charged in ship fire was Navy SEAL dropout
Read full article: Sailor charged in ship fire was Navy SEAL dropoutA sailor charged with starting the fire that destroyed USS Bonhomme Richard had been assigned to the ship's crew after dropping out of Navy SEAL training, according to a newly unsealed court document.
Iran sends warships to Atlantic amid Venezuela concerns
Read full article: Iran sends warships to Atlantic amid Venezuela concernsIranian state TV says that an Iranian destroyer and support vessel are now sailing in the Atlantic Ocean in a rare mission far from the Islamic Republic, without offering the vessels’ final destination.
Coworkers: Man charged in Capitol riot had a Hitler mustache
Read full article: Coworkers: Man charged in Capitol riot had a Hitler mustacheFILE - In this Jan. 6, 2021 file photo rioters supporting President Donald Trump storm the Capitol in Washington. An Army reservist charged with taking part in the attack on the U.S. Capitol was known as a Nazi sympathizer who wore a Hitler mustache, coworkers told federal investigators. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)WASHINGTON – An Army reservist charged with taking part in the attack on the U.S. Capitol was known as a Nazi sympathizer who wore a Hitler mustache, coworkers told federal investigators. The filing included photos from Hale-Cusanelli’s cellphone of him with a Hitler mustache, along with pro-Nazi cartoons. Jonathan Zucker, Hale-Cusanelli’s attorney, wrote in a filing that there was no evidence his client belongs to any white supremacist organizations.
Mexico's last island penal colony may now host cruise ships
Read full article: Mexico's last island penal colony may now host cruise shipsVisitors will be able to tour the remote island jail, but not stay overnight. Ad“Visitors will have their first contact with the former island prison which for 100 years sheltered numerous criminals,” Torruco said. When Panama closed its Isla Coiba penal colony in 2004, Isla Marias became the last one remaining in the Americas. But in the end, the Islas Marias wound up costing Mexico far more per prisoner than did mainland jails. Chile closed its Santa Maria prison island in the late 1980s, Costa Rica’s Isla San Lucas penal colony closed in 1991 and Brazil’s Isla Grande in 1994.
Rocky Mount veteran receives new roof through national program
Read full article: Rocky Mount veteran receives new roof through national programROCKY MOUNT, Va. – A Rocky Mount veteran now has a new roof thanks to a nationwide effort giving back to those who have served our country. Habitat for Humanity of Franklin County identified a Navy veteran in need and teamed up with Vinton Roofing Company to make it happen. It’s all part of the Owens Corning Roof Deployment Project. Vinton Roofing Company general manager Jason Webb said this home was in desperate need of repair, but the veteran wasn’t able to afford it on his own. The Owens Corning Roof Deployment Project has given free roofs to more than 225 military members.
3 sailors have COVID on US ship that saw outbreak last year
Read full article: 3 sailors have COVID on US ship that saw outbreak last yearFILE - In this July 9, 2020 file photo the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier makes its way into San Diego Bay as seen from San Diego. Three sailors aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt have tested positive for COVID-19, the Navy said Monday, Feb. 15, 2021, less than a year after a massive outbreak on the ship sidelined it in Guam for nearly two months. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)WASHINGTON – Three sailors aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt have tested positive for COVID-19, the Navy said Monday, less than a year after a massive outbreak on the ship sidelined it in Guam for nearly two months. The outbreak on the ship last year was the largest the military has seen so far, with more than 1,000 sailors testing positive. Other ships that have been underway or at their home ports over the past year have had smaller numbers of sailors test positive, but none have had such a major outbreak.
Agriculture secretary nominee Vilsack endorses biofuels push
Read full article: Agriculture secretary nominee Vilsack endorses biofuels pushFILE - In this Dec. 11, 2020, file photo former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who the Biden administration chose to reprise that role, speaks during an event at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)WASHINGTON – Tom Vilsack, President Joe Biden's nominee for secretary of agriculture, pledged Tuesday to focus on climate change initiatives and work to address racial inequities in agricultural assistance programs. Vilsack, who testified before the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, would bring much on-the-job experience to the position. In addition to serving two terms as the governor of Iowa, he spent eight years as President Barack Obama's Agriculture Secretary. But if you don’t have a grocery store, what then?”AdVilsack seems to enjoy bipartisan support and faced no serious criticism from Republicans on the committee.
Navy pauses plan to move Wisconsin badger to Virginia museum
Read full article: Navy pauses plan to move Wisconsin badger to Virginia museumNaval Academy wants the state of Wisconsin to return the statue. The statue, crafted from melted-down cannons seized from Cuba during the Spanish-American War, was affixed to the first USS Wisconsin prior to World War I. The academy museum contacted state officials last March seeking the statue's return so it could be loaned to the nonprofit Nauticus Museum in Norfolk, Virginia, where the second USS Wisconsin is berthed as an exhibit. Academy museum director Claude Berube last week consulted with U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher, a Wisconsin Republican and former Marine. AdThe academy museum previously extended the state loan until mid-September due to COVID-induced closures in Norfolk.
Army left out in Bowl Day marred by cancellations, opt outs
Read full article: Army left out in Bowl Day marred by cancellations, opt outsWhen that bowl game was called off because there was not another team available, it suddenly left Army looking for a postseason opponent. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger, File)At a time when team after team had opted out of bowl games, Army found itself in a different sort of situation — left out. “It was a difficult day for all of college football,” said Nick Carparelli, the executive director of Bowl Season, the renamed Football Bowl Association. For the Hokies, the decision ended a 27 straight bowl game run. Some of the canceled bowl games — 15 in all, including three on Sunday alone — included the Bahamas Bowl, Celebration Bowl, Hawaii Bowl, Holiday Bowl, Las Vegas Bowl, LA Bowl, Pinstripe Bowl, Quick Lane Bowl, Redbox Bowl and Sun Bowl.
Shipyard, union are getting back on same page after strike
Read full article: Shipyard, union are getting back on same page after strikeBATH, Maine – Months after a bitter strike during a pandemic, Bath Iron Works managers and production workers are starting to get on the same page when it comes to catching up on the production schedule. Machinists Union Local S6 and shipyard managers have been meeting with help from a federal mediator since the two-month strike ended in August. Bath Iron Works is one of the Navy’s largest shipbuilders and is a major employer with 6,800 workers in Maine. Bath Iron Works will be competing against the Ingalls shipyard in Mississippi on that contract. The Bath-built Thomas Hudner in 2019 scored the highest in the program history, outperforming a destroyer from the Ingalls shipyard, according the Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey.
Local Korean War Veteran remembers her time in the WAVES
Read full article: Local Korean War Veteran remembers her time in the WAVESROANOKE, Va. – Women can now serve in every branch of the military but that wasn’t always the case. She added on one more year of service and moved to Hawaii, serving during the Korean War. For this Navy Veteran, serving our country is not something she takes lightly. She continued serving when she got out of the Navy and went to school on the GI Bill in Hawaii. She moved back to Roanoke, where she taught school for 27 years finishing at Monterrey Elementary School.
Veterans Day in 2020: quiet parades, somber virtual events
Read full article: Veterans Day in 2020: quiet parades, somber virtual eventsResidents and staff listen to the national anthem during a socially-distanced Veterans Day ceremony at the Southern Nevada State Veterans Home, Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020, in Boulder City, Nev. With infections raging again nationwide, several veterans homes are fighting new outbreaks. At the annual Veterans Day gathering at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery, many participants wore masks and kept their distance from others. “Veterans Day looks a lot different this year than it has in the past,” said Andy Patterson, commander of the Disabled American Veterans of New Hampshire. Ninety-eight veterans have died from COVID-19 in Missouri’s seven veterans homes since Sept. 1, and Gov.
No. 1 Alabama-LSU, No. 5 Texas A&M-Tennessee postponed
Read full article: No. 1 Alabama-LSU, No. 5 Texas A&M-Tennessee postponed5 Texas A&M at Tennessee will not be played Saturday because of COVID-19 issues, raising the number of Southeastern Conference games postponed this week to three. 24 Auburn's game at Mississippi State was postponed because of COVID-19 positive tests and contact tracing within the Bulldogs' program. Auburn also has “a handful of close contact” cases having to quarantine, in addition to the positive tests, coach Gus Malzahn said. 6 Florida on Saturday after having two positive COVID-19 tests. In the American Athletic Conference, Navy's game at Memphis on Saturday was postponed because of positive COVID-19 tests at the Naval Academy.
Cal-Washington game canceled after player's positive test
Read full article: Cal-Washington game canceled after player's positive testCalifornia doesn’t have the minimum number of scholarship players available for the game as a result of the positive test and the need for other players to isolate under contact tracing protocols, the Pac-12 said in a statement Thursday. Wilcox had said Wednesday night that the game was in jeopardy because of the large number of players needing contact tracing. The school said the player with a positive test is asymptomatic. This marked the first positive test on Cal’s football team since practices began last month. This is the fourth time a Tulsa game has been postponed or canceled because of COVID cases.
The Latest: Lions put Jalen Elliott on reserve/COVID-19 list
Read full article: The Latest: Lions put Jalen Elliott on reserve/COVID-19 list(Jose Sena Goulao, Pool via AP)The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___The Detroit Lions have put safety Jalen Elliott on the reserve/COVID-19 list. The list is for players who either test positive or have been in close contact with an infected person. ___UConn has suspended all men's basketball activities after a player tested positive for the coronavirus. The confirmation of a positive COVID-19 case occurs when a player receives two consecutive positive test results. He was placed on it because he had been in close contact with someone who had tested positive.
Navy jet crashes in California, but pilot ejects safely
Read full article: Navy jet crashes in California, but pilot ejects safelyThe Navy says a fighter jet has crashed in the Mojave Desert but its pilot safely ejected. The F/A-18E Super Hornet from Naval Air Station Lemoore in California's Central Valley went down Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020 in Superior Valley south of Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)CHINA LAKE, Calif. – A Navy fighter jet crashed Tuesday in the Mojave Desert, but its pilot safely ejected, the Navy said. “The pilot ejected safely and was taken to a local medical facility for examination,” it said. Last month, a Marine Corps fighter pilot safely ejected from a F-35B jet after colliding in mid-air with another plane during a refueling operation in a remote desert area of Southern California.