Latest news with #U.S.NavalAcademy
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pentagon announces Marine general tapped to lead Naval Academy in historic first
In a landmark nomination that reshapes nearly two centuries of tradition, Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Michael J. Borgschulte has been tapped to serve as the next superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. If confirmed by the Senate, he will become the first Marine to hold the top post in the Academy's 180-year history. The move was announced Friday by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth as part of a broader slate of military leadership nominations. Borgschulte currently serves as the deputy commandant for manpower and reserve affairs at Marine Corps Headquarters in Quantico, Virginia. He is a 1991 graduate of the Naval Academy. The nomination comes amid an unexpected leadership shuffle. Vice Adm. Yvette Davids, who assumed command of the academy last year, has been nominated for reappointment and reassignment to the Pentagon. She is slated to become the deputy chief of naval operations for operations, plans, strategy, and warfighting development (N3/N5/N7), pending Senate approval and a congressional waiver. Hegseth Announces Navy Oil Tanker Named After Gay Rights Leader Renamed After Medal Of Honor Winner "I'm honored to be nominated," Davids said in a statement. "I look forward to continuing to serve alongside America's strongest warfighters." Read On The Fox News App Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan praised both officers. He called Borgschulte a "decorated combat leader" with "strategic insight" and commended Davids for her "strategic vision" and "operational depth." Phelan also noted the significance of the nomination, calling it a powerful signal of "naval integration" as a Marine prepares to lead the Navy's flagship officer training institution. Founded in 1845, the U.S. Naval Academy has long been led exclusively by Navy officers. The nomination of a Marine marks a sharp departure and a signal of evolving priorities in joint leadership and force development. Phelan described the Academy as one of the most "consequential institutions in American public life" and said Borgschulte's leadership will help shape officers "for an increasingly contested world." Trump Nominates Seasoned Military Leaders To Head Vital Global Commands Borgschulte was commissioned in 1991 after graduating from the Naval Academy and has held multiple command and combat roles throughout his career. In his current position, he oversees the personnel policies, readiness and force structure of the Marines. Davids, a 1989 graduate of the Naval Academy, made history as the first woman and the first Hispanic to serve as superintendent. Her tenure at the academy appears to be ending prematurely. Superintendents are traditionally expected to serve three-year terms and then retire. A Department of Defense (DOD) news release did not provide an explanation for the sudden change, and her next assignment requires a waiver from Congress. Her next role would typically require a post-retirement transition, which she has not yet completed. Davids' husband, Rear Adm. Keith Davids, retired last year as commander of Naval Special Warfare. The couple met at the Academy while they were both plebes. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Navy regarding the timeline of the leadership transition. The nomination is now in the hands of the Senate with no official date yet for confirmation or change of command. Borgschulte's nomination is part of a broader DOD leadership shake-up that includes nominations for new service vice chiefs and combatant command heads across the military. The Navy referred Fox News Digital to the DOD release on the matter when asked for further article source: Pentagon announces Marine general tapped to lead Naval Academy in historic first Solve the daily Crossword
Axios
6 days ago
- Politics
- Axios
Naval Academy head is latest high-ranking woman ousted by Hegseth
The first woman to lead the U.S. Naval Academy is being reassigned by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, multiple outlets reported. The big picture: Vice Adm. Yvette Davids joins a growing list of women and people of color serving in top military roles to be ousted by the Trump administration, many of whom as part of a purge of so-called "wokeness" in the military. Driving the news: Davids, who has been the superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy since January 2024, will be renominated to serve on the staff of the chief of naval operations, according to U.S. Naval Institute News, which was first to report the story. Superintendents of the Naval Academy are to serve terms no less than three years, according to federal law. But that can be waived. Davids is expected to be replaced by Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Michael Borgschulte, per the Washington Post. Borgschulte would be the first Marine Corps officer to lead the U.S. Naval Academy in its 180-year history. Zoom out: The Trump administration's mass firings and pushback against diversity, equity and inclusion efforts have included controversial dismissals of military leaders. Hegseth fired U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Shoshana Chatfield, who served as the U.S. military representative to the NATO Military Committee, in April. Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to serve as the highest-ranking officer of the U.S. Navy, and Adm. Linda Fagan, the first woman to lead the U.S. Coast Guard, were both removed earlier this year. Trump also booted former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Charles "CQ" Brown Jr. Brown was the first Black chief of staff of the Air Force and the second Black general to serve as chairman. Between the lines: Hegseth's contention that women should not hold combat roles was one of several controversies during his confirmation process. What they're saying: A spokesperson for the Marine Corps. said the Office of the Secretary of Defense will provide an official statement once a candidate has been confirmed by the Senate.
Yomiuri Shimbun
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
In Final Writing, Armitage Urged Japan to Be Proactive; Booster of U.S.-Japan Alliance Expressed Hope, Concern
WASHINGTON — Former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage dedicated the latter half of his life to enhancing the Japan-U.S. alliance. In what turned out to be his final message, which he was preparing shortly before his untimely death, he urged Japan not to flinch in these uncertain times. His stance of encouraging Japan to be proactive rather than to bend to the circumstances and demands of the United States remained unchanged throughout his life. Armitage, who died on April 13, was buried at the U.S. Naval Academy's cemetery in Annapolis, Md., in line with his wishes on May 29. In a missing man flyover on the day, one of four military aircraft suddenly ascended and broke away from the formation — a traditional aerial custom to honor the deceased. With attendees honoring him as a true patriot, Armitage received a 19-gun salute, the second highest form of that honor, behind only the 21-gun salute for heads of state. At the memorial service held before the burial, former Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns, who worked with Armitage at the U.S. State Department, recalled that Armitage was 'the ultimate trust-builder.' Burns said, 'He [Armitage] clung to the belief that America could be a positive force in the world, so long as we tended our own garden well, sustained our network of alliances and partnerships, and were careful in the use of American power.' How did Armitage view the future of Japan-U.S. relations amid an international situation that has become increasingly chaotic due to the actions of the second administration of U.S. President Donald Trump? Many of those who heard of his sudden passing must have wondered. Kara Bue, a close friend of his for 25 years and a founding partner of his consulting firm, shared his way of thinking and was able to provide some answers to that question. Armitage had been planning to visit Japan in May. Ahead of that trip, the next installment of his 'Insights into the World' column for The Yomiuri Shimbun was already in the works. To refine the content, Armitage and Bue had two lengthy discussions over one week. This was his usual approach to working out his thoughts in detail. Bue said Armitage was concerned that Trump was treating U.S. allies unfairly and that there was a lack of experts within the current U.S. administration who are well-versed in Japan among other countries and he reconsidered criticizing Trump as 'it might not be the most constructive idea' when 'it would be difficult to predict what Trump might be doing or how he might evolve his policy positions,' Bue said. Instead, he decided to focus on encouraging Japan to take on an even greater role as an international leader. With his health seemingly stable before his unexpected death, it is unlikely that he anticipated the column he was working on with Bue would become his posthumous message. If his column had been completed, and the visit to Japan had taken place, perhaps we could have heard memorable words from him urging Japan to rise up, similar to 'Show the flag' that he said after the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States. Former Japanese Ambassador to the United States Ryozo Kato gave a eulogy at the service in Annapolis, in which he quoted a haiku by an 18th-century Zen monk. The bell stops but the sound keeps coming out of the flowers Kato said: 'The clear bell that was Richard is silent. But the goodwill, the friendship, the trust, the many gifts he gave us are living still, through us.' As Bue spoke about Armitage in the suburbs of Washington, it was as if this writer could still hear his hoarse, high-pitched voice. Summary of Armitage's posthumous piece The following text is based on oral notes that he was preparing. He had tentatively titled it, 'In uncertain times, Japan must remain confident in its global role.' *** Japan should not flinch or have its confidence falter under the current situation where U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is creating uncertainty around the world and taking actions that are averse to our bilateral interests. I want Japan to stand fast and confident in its leadership role. Since the 1980s, when I first visited Japan, the country has continued to evolve and has become such an important member on the global stage. During the time then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, whom I see as a true patriot, was in power, Japan found its footing as a global leader, not just in terms of national security or economic issues. Japan led the role on the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement, but the country also was a humanitarian force for good and so had a very comprehensive global role, growing into a true leadership position on the global stage. I want Japan to remember how prized you are as a nation. I want Japan not to be left uncertain or confused about what it should be doing because the U.S. administration has created such uncertainty that the world needs Japan more than ever as a steady hand. While the United States secures an important part of the global world, we're able to do that because we have allies and partners, including Japan. I am concerned that the Trump administration does not tend to them as they should and that there are not enough experts in the administration to effectively engage with these allies and partners. The top two people — the president and the prime minister — do not reflect the entire relationship between Japan and the United States. Both countries have had such an extended alliance relationship. There are many experts not only within the governments but also in the private sector whom the two countries have nourished, creating an infrastructure in place for that alliance. We should feel reassured by that.
The Hill
18-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Bill Clinton says he wondered if Trump administration might try to ban his latest book
Former President Bill Clinton says that as the latest thriller he co-authored with James Patterson was being published, he wondered whether the Trump administration would try to come up with a reason 'to ban it.' 'I was actually trying to think if there was some reason they could think of to ban it,' the ex-commander in chief said during an interview alongside Patterson Tuesday on 'The Daily Show.' Clinton's comment came in response to a question from host Jordan Klepper on if he knew when the book, 'The First Gentleman,' was 'going to be banned by the Trump administration.' 'It wouldn't be the White House, but in certain counties, they may all of a sudden,' best-selling scribe Patterson, a vocal critic of book bans, told Klepper. 'They don't need a reason,' Patterson, 78, added. 'One person goes in [and says] 'I don't like the book.' And, 'OK, we'll ban it,'' he said. 'So it'll probably be banned in a couple of counties.' Patterson was one of nearly two dozen authors who donated millions to the free expression organization PEN America in 2023 to push back against book banning efforts. A year earlier, more than 1,500 individual titles were removed from K-12 schools across the country, according to PEN America. 'I don't like it. It's a bad deal,' Clinton, 78, said of book bans. 'Maya Angelou, who read the inaugural poem at my first inauguration — wrote it, and read it and was a great human being — the first thing the White House did was to ban her book, 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,'' Clinton recalled. Angelou's 1969 autobiography was reportedly one of nearly 400 books that was pulled from the U.S. Naval Academy library in April as part of an effort to remove titles containing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) content. Calling it a 'magnificent book,' Clinton reflected on Angelou's personal story about a child who 'loses the ability to speak for a couple of years because she was abused, and then she blooms.' 'I couldn't figure out why that was a problem,' Clinton said. 'I don't like book banning,' the 42nd president added. 'I wasn't ever for banning books that were full of things they said about me that weren't true,' Clinton said. 'It never occurred to me that I should stop you from reading them.'
Scientific American
16-06-2025
- Science
- Scientific American
Mathematicians Come Up with ‘Mind-Blowing' Method for Defining Prime Numbers
For centuries, prime numbers have captured the imaginations of mathematicians, who continue to search for new patterns that help identify them and the way they're distributed among other numbers. Primes are whole numbers that are greater than 1 and are divisible by only 1 and themselves. The three smallest prime numbers are 2, 3 and 5. It's easy to find out if small numbers are prime—one simply needs to check what numbers can factor them. When mathematicians consider large numbers, however, the task of discerning which ones are prime quickly mushrooms in difficulty. Although it might be practical to check if, say, the numbers 10 or 1,000 have more than two factors, that strategy is unfavorable or even untenable for checking if gigantic numbers are prime or composite. For instance, the largest known prime number, which is 2¹³⁶²⁷⁹⁸⁴¹ − 1, is 41,024,320 digits long. At first, that number may seem mind-bogglingly large. Given that there are infinitely many positive integers of all different sizes, however, this number is minuscule compared with even larger primes. Furthermore, mathematicians want to do more than just tediously attempt to factor numbers one by one to determine if any given integer is prime. 'We're interested in the prime numbers because there are infinitely many of them, but it's very difficult to identify any patterns in them,' says Ken Ono, a mathematician at the University of Virginia. Still, one main goal is to determine how prime numbers are distributed within larger sets of numbers. Recently, Ono and two of his colleagues—William Craig, a mathematician at the U.S. Naval Academy, and Jan-Willem van Ittersum, a mathematician at the University of Cologne in Germany—identified a whole new approach for finding prime numbers. 'We have described infinitely many new kinds of criteria for exactly determining the set of prime numbers, all of which are very different from 'If you can't factor it, it must be prime,'' Ono says. He and his colleagues' paper, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, was runner-up for a physical science prize that recognizes scientific excellence and originality. In some sense, the finding offers an infinite number of new definitions for what it means for numbers to be prime, Ono notes. On supporting science journalism If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. At the heart of the team's strategy is a notion called integer partitions. 'The theory of partitions is very old,' Ono says. It dates back to the 18th-century Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler, and it has continued to be expanded and refined by mathematicians over time. 'Partitions, at first glance, seem to be the stuff of child's play,' Ono says. 'How many ways can you add up numbers to get other numbers?' For instance, the number 5 has seven partitions: 4 + 1, 3 + 2, 3 + 1 + 1, 2 + 2 + 1, 2 + 1 + 1 + 1 and 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1. Yet the concept turns out to be powerful as a hidden key that unlocks new ways of detecting primes. 'It is remarkable that such a classical combinatorial object—the partition function—can be used to detect primes in this novel way,' says Kathrin Bringmann, a mathematician at the University of Cologne. (Bringmann has worked with Ono and Craig before, and she's currently van Ittersum's postdoctoral adviser, but she wasn't involved with this research.) Ono notes that the idea for this approach originated in a question posed by one of his former students, Robert Schneider, who's now a mathematician at Michigan Technological University. Ono, Craig and van Ittersum proved that prime numbers are the solutions of an infinite number of a particular type of polynomial equation in partition functions. Named Diophantine equations after third-century mathematician Diophantus of Alexandria (and studied long before him), these expressions can have integer solutions or rational ones (meaning they can be written as a fraction). In other words, the finding shows that 'integer partitions detect the primes in infinitely many natural ways,' the researchers wrote in their PNAS paper. George Andrews, a mathematician at Pennsylvania State University, who edited the PNAS paper but wasn't involved with the research, describes the finding as 'something that's brand new' and 'not something that was anticipated,' making it difficult to predict 'where it will lead.' The discovery goes beyond probing the distribution of prime numbers. 'We're actually nailing all the prime numbers on the nose,' Ono says. In this method, you can plug an integer that is 2 or larger into particular equations, and if they are true, then the integer is prime. One such equation is (3 n 3 − 13 n 2 + 18 n − 8) M 1 (n) + (12 n 2 − 120 n + 212) M 2 (n) − 960 M 3 (n) = 0, where M 1 (n), M 2 (n) and M 3 (n) are well-studied partition functions. 'More generally,' for a particular type of partition function, 'we prove that there are infinitely many such prime detecting equations with constant coefficients,' the researchers wrote in their PNAS paper. Put more simply, 'it's almost like our work gives you infinitely many new definitions for prime,' Ono says. 'That's kind of mind-blowing.' The team's findings could lead to many new discoveries, Bringmann notes. 'Beyond its intrinsic mathematical interest, this work may inspire further investigations into the surprising algebraic or analytic properties hidden in combinatorial functions,' she says. In combinatorics—the mathematics of counting—combinatorial functions are used to describe the number of ways that items in sets can be chosen or arranged. 'More broadly, it shows the richness of connections in mathematics,' she adds. 'These kinds of results often stimulate fresh thinking across subfields.' Bringmann suggests some potential ways that mathematicians could build on the research. For instance, they could explore what other types of mathematical structures could be found using partition functions or look for ways that the main result could be expanded to study different types of numbers. 'Are there generalizations of the main result to other sequences, such as composite numbers or values of arithmetic functions?' she asks. 'Ken Ono is, in my opinion, one of the most exciting mathematicians around today,' Andrews says. "This isn't the first time that he has seen into a classic problem and brought really new things to light.' There remains a glut of open questions about prime numbers, many of which are long-standing. Two examples are the twin prime conjecture and Goldbach's conjecture. The twin prime conjecture states that there are infinitely many twin primes—prime numbers that are separated by a value of two. The numbers 5 and 7 are twin primes, as are 11 and 13. Goldbach's conjecture states that 'every even number bigger than 2 is a sum of two primes in at least one way,' Ono says. But no one has proven this conjecture to be true. 'Problems like that have befuddled mathematicians and number theorists for generations, almost throughout the entire history of number theory,' Ono says. Although his team's recent finding doesn't solve those problems, he says, it's a profound example of how mathematicians are pushing boundaries to better understand the mysterious nature of prime numbers.
