Hegseth Attends First Space Academy Commission Meeting

View Online Hegseth Attends First Space Academy Commission Meeting Sept. 9, 2026 |  By Matthew Olay Secretary of War Pete Hegseth traveled to NASA's headquarters in Washington today where he attended the first meeting of the presidential commission on the U.S. Space Academy.  President Donald J. Trump called for the development of a space academy via an Aug. 28 executive order. The order states that the space domain is critical to national security and that the nation must prepare the next generation of space professionals — including those in the military — in order to defend national interests.  The commission, which is chaired by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, brings together senior leaders from the War Department, the Office of Management and Budget, and the National Security Council.  During his brief remarks at the meeting's outset, Hegseth praised Isaacman and Air Force Secretary Troy Meink — both of whom attended — as well as President Trump for their leadership in getting the counsel assembled and on the path toward developing a space academy.  "We are full speed ahead on this partnership on the United States Space Academy and the need for it. The president's been a leader in this domain from the beginning: the Space Force in the first term, [the] Space Academy in the second term," Hegseth said.  Trump established the Space Force, which falls under the Department of the Air Force, Dec. 20, 2019, when the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 was signed into law.  Hegseth went on to say that space is a domain that the U.S. can't just be "good at."  "We need to dominate [in space]; and it's not just what we do at the War Department — it's what we do across government, at NASA, in private industry, in collaboration at every echelon," he said. "And so, we see this academy as a key component of ensuring we don't just lead, but we dominate."  During his opening statement, Isaacson said that the U.S. is currently in another space race, namely with China and Russia, and that "success and failure comes down to months, not years."  "This is why I think President Trump created the Space Force in his first term … and why now he has charged us to create the United States Space Academy: to make sure we have this training ground for the next generation of technicians, engineers, operators, pilots and astronauts to serve the needs of NASA, as well as the Space Force and other government agencies," he said.  "Having an academy where we can train the next generation of space professionals — whether it be civilian or military — is just critically important," Meink said during his remarks. "So, we are really looking forward to working with [NASA] to make sure that happens, as well as just the increasing partnership we have [with] NASA across the board. ... I'm really looking forward to [the collaboration]."   Per the executive order, the committee has until late December of this year to submit a report to the president proposing key details for the establishment of the academy.

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Exercise Big Rescue Kanagawa 2026 Strengthens Bilateral Disaster Medical Readiness

View Online Exercise Big Rescue Kanagawa 2026 Strengthens Bilateral Disaster Medical Readiness Sept. 9, 2026 |  By Daniel Taylor, U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka Sailors assigned to the U.S. Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Yokosuka, Japan, joined U.S. and Japanese military, government, medical and emergency response organizations for Exercise Big Rescue Kanagawa 2026, Sept. 1, at the Kanagawa Prefectural Comprehensive Disaster Prevention Center and Fire Academy in Atsugi City, Japan. USNMRTC Yokosuka contributed doctors, hospital corpsmen, Japanese fellows and translators to a tri-service U.S. medical team. The team integrated with other War Department emergency responders and Japanese medical partners to rehearse patient reception, bilateral triage and treatment, casualty movement and coordination across military and civilian medical systems. Big Rescue Kanagawa is a large-scale, multiagency disaster-response exercise jointly organized by Kanagawa Prefecture and Atsugi City. It brings together Japanese and U.S. military, medical and emergency response organizations to practice coordinated rescue and medical operations. USNMRTC Yokosuka sailors and American Red Cross Yokosuka volunteers applied moulage — makeup and materials used to simulate injuries — to role players before the mass casualty scenario. American Red Cross Yokosuka volunteers also served as role players, creating realistic conditions for medical teams to assess injuries, prioritize treatment and move patients. Translators and Japanese fellows helped U.S. and Japanese participants communicate throughout the exercise. Their support allowed medical teams to exchange information, coordinate care and work through differences in language, procedures and medical practices before a real emergency occurs. "Exercises like Big Rescue Kanagawa are about more than validating procedures — they are about building the relationships and trust that make a coordinated response possible," said Nikolai Kerry, emergency manager, USNMRTC Yokosuka. "By training alongside our U.S. joint partners and Japanese allies, we strengthen the communication, teamwork and shared understanding needed to provide timely care when communities need us most." Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attended the exercise with Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, Kanagawa Gov. Yuji Kuroiwa and other local officials. The delegation observed rescue, medical and emergency response demonstrations conducted by participating organizations. Army Maj. Gen. James Dooghan, commanding general of U.S. Army Japan, met with the prime minister on behalf of the department teams participating in the exercise. U.S. Army Japan participated alongside the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, Navy and Air Force, highlighting capabilities U.S. forces in Japan can provide in support of disaster-response operations. USNMRTC Yokosuka's command triad also attended the drill to observe the command's sailors working with Japanese medical partners and other War Department responders during the medical response scenario. "Seeing USNMRTC Yokosuka and U.S. Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Unit Atsugi personnel work through a complex scenario reinforced the value of training as one Navy medicine team," said Navy Capt. Joshua A. Miller, commanding officer, USNMRTC Yokosuka and director, U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka. "Every rehearsal builds the confidence and habits that allow us to respond with purpose when it matters most. That is what it means to be ready, steady and together."

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DOW Featured Photos

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Airman Runs 2,977 Miles Honoring 9/11 Victims

View Online Airman Runs 2,977 Miles Honoring 9/11 Victims Sept. 9, 2026 | By Airman 1st Class Nelvis Sera, Air University Public Affairs At Fort Rucker, Alabama, Air Force Capt. Hanna Born trains the next generation of rotary-wing aviators in the TH-1H training helicopter. Outside the cockpit, she is leading a personal mission to honor the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks by running 2,977 miles — one mile for each person killed that day. Born, an instructor pilot assigned to the 23rd Flying Training Squadron, launched the effort on Sept. 11, 2025, with the goal of carrying their stories forward to the 25th anniversary of the attacks.    Her connection to 9/11 is personal. She and her younger sister were inside the Pentagon Child Development Center when American Airlines Flight 77 struck the building. "We were safely evacuated and reunited with our family, which is an outcome thousands of others never received," Born said. "We've always felt a deep obligation to honor the lives and families who were not as fortunate."    With each mile, she shares a victim's name and story on social media, ensuring the lives behind the numbers are remembered.    "I want to make sure people hear their names," Born said. "Not just the number; the people."  Service runs deep in the Born family.  Her mother, retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Dana H. Born, graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1983 and served in senior leadership roles throughout her 30-year career, including dean of the faculty at the academy. Her father, retired Marine Corps Lt. Col. Tim Born, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1975 and served 21 years on active duty.    Both daughters followed their parents into military service. Hanna Born graduated from the Air Force Academy in 2020, and her younger sister, Marine Corps 1st Lt. Heather Born, graduated from the Naval Academy in 2023, and now serves as a communications strategy officer assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit in Okinawa, Japan.    Growing up in a military community helped shape the family's sense of purpose.    "We were surrounded by people who were committed to something greater than themselves," Born said. "That environment makes you want to contribute in the same way."    Running has long been part of her life. Raised in Colorado, Born developed a love for the sport at an early age, influenced by her parents. Over time, running became more than physical training and took on deeper meaning. She also recognized that many of the airmen she trains today were not yet born when the attacks occurred.    "I wanted to do something honoring our promise to never forget — not just once a year every September, but every day — and something that could be shared with the younger generation," Born said. "Even though they were not here to have memories of 9/11, they have never known a world untouched by its impact."    Her first organized run took place Sept. 11, 2025, with members of her squadron at Fort Rucker. About 30 airmen gathered before morning flight operations to run 9.11 miles together in remembrance. Since then, the effort has expanded beyond the squadron, reaching a global audience of participants who follow her progress and dedicate miles of their own through social media.  "To memorialize every person who lost their lives during what was such a devastating moment for our nation is a great commitment to undertake," said Air Force 2nd Lt. Mackenzie Lucas, an undergraduate helicopter training student assigned to the 23rd Flying Training Squadron. "Capt. Born's actions highlight the greater purpose we all have — in military training or not — to support our nation and care for those around us."    Balancing the project with the responsibilities of being an instructor pilot has not always been easy for Born.    "The time management can be challenging," she said. "But the miles themselves are the easy part. I want to run them for the person I'm honoring and for their loved ones who still feel the weight of their loss."    Born said she often reflects on the individuals who helped evacuate children from the Pentagon Child Development Center that morning.    "They were unsung heroes," she said. "They saw what was happening and stepped in without hesitation, never seeking recognition. We still don't even know their names."    That example continues to guide how she trains her students today.    "Above all, it highlights the passion aviators, service members and Americans alike have to honor those who have fallen during our darkest moments," Lucas said. "Capt. Born has inspired me to embody service before self in and out of uniform, as she has for countless others."  Born said the running project was never about athletic achievement but about honoring lives and keeping a promise alive for a new generation.    "I hope people understand the promise to ‘never forget' is still being carried forward," she said. "For any larger purpose you care about, there's always a way to share it and make an impact."    For Born, that impact is measured one mile at a time:    2,977 miles.  2,977 names.  2,977 lives.    And the promise to never forget.

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Paul Reynell on Africa's next PR chapter

Gail Schimmel on consumer scepticism | The value of brand memory

Marketing & Media Wed 9 September 2026 ALL INDUSTRIES  | COMPANIES  | JOBS  | EVENTS  | SUBMIT NEWS  | ADVERTISE  | FOLLOW  | MY ACCOUNT  | SUBSCRIBE  |  UNSUBSCRIBE ‘We are already here’: Paul Reynell on Africa’s next PR chapter KARABO LEDWABA Paul Reynell reflects on his time at Prisa, the challenges facing the PR industry and why African communicators need to stop waiting for permission to tell their own stories... Read more Gail Schimmel | Consumer scepticism will rise as AI changes advertising GAIL SCHIMMEL As AI, deepfakes and digital scams make consumers increasingly sceptical of what they see and hear, ARB CEO Gail Schimmel argues that trust is becoming advertising’s most valuable currency... read Why brand memory should be the next frontier of influencer measurement HAYLEY WATTERS, ISSUED BY ACTORVATE For years, influencer marketing has been measured by the numbers platforms make easiest to see: reach, views, likes, comments, shares and engagement rates... read The power of a sticky tension: Why growth starts with people ISSUED BY XCENTRIC Why brands need to spend less time watching competitors and more time watching people... Read Nespresso Professional brings premium coffee to SA’s SMEs with new Giorno Mini ISSUED BY NESPRESSO Nespresso Professional has introduced Giorno Mini, a compact professional coffee machine designed specifically around the needs of small and medium offices (SMOs)... Read Artificial Intelligence Generated doesn't mean designed. How designers are working with AI. NATALIE DE CANHA, ISSUED BY MAKEREIGN How designers use AI without becoming dependent on any one tool, or mistaking output for finished work... Read ESG OFM pushes up PinkTober! ISSUED BY OFM RADIO This October, OFM is taking its PinkTober campaign to new heights with more fundraising events, a wider reach across central South Africa... Read Film & Cinematography France takes centre stage at Fame Week Africa 2026 ISSUED BY THE PUBLICITY WORKSHOP From French buyers, distributors and producers to co-production opportunities, creative entrepreneurship and cinema, France’s Destination Focus comes to life in Cape Town this October... Read Online Media Turn browsers into buyers with expert product reviews on MyBroadband ISSUED BY BROAD MEDIA MyBroadband’s product reviews add a rich, persuasive narrative to your marketing campaign... Read OOH Kena Outdoor is proud to be the official out-of-home media partner for Standard Bank Joy of Jazz KARABO CHAUKE, ISSUED BY KENA OUTDOOR As official out-of-home media partner, Kena Outdoor is carrying the energy of Standard Bank Joy of Jazz across Johannesburg, turning strategically placed visibility into anticipation, audience connection and cultural influence... Read From beer cans to cameras: Corona puts a new spin on outdoor advertising The campaign used pinhole cameras made from Corona cans and a functioning billboard to let sunlight, time and nature create the final images... Read PR & Communications Hook, Line & Sinker celebrates agency growth with 2 promotions ISSUED BY HOOK, LINE & SINKER Hook, Line & Sinker is celebrating continued growth with two internal promotions, recognising the development of senior talent and the agency’s commitment to creating career opportunities... Read Promotions & Activations What if your ‘green’ merchandise is still creating waste? As companies increasingly turn to sustainable promotional products, over-ordering, obsolete stock and poor inventory management could be creating a different kind of waste problem... Read Retail How Cell C is showing up for South Africa’s youth: You’ve got the idea. We’ll give you the tools ISSUED BY CELL C Cell C's youth work is built on a simple bet: young South Africans aren't short of talent. They're short of access. So, Cell C is closing that gap, one tool at a time... Read Africa Egypt market opens new export route for SA red meat South African beef and livestock producers are set to gain access to Egypt after the two countries concluded negotiations on veterinary requirements for red meat exports. Read Africa50 infrastructure fund plans to more than double project value in five years DUNCAN MIRIRI Africa50 is betting big on Africa’s infrastructure future, but can its ambitious $20bn target unlock investment where the continent needs it most?... Read Business SAB Foundation opens applications for growing South African SMEs The programme is aimed at businesses that already have paying customers, generate revenue and can demonstrate demand for their products or services... Read Beyond gym perks: Why employee benefit packages are missing the mark JACO OOSTHUIZEN Standard employee benefits no longer suffice - businesses must shift from generic benefits to personalised, human-centric support to boost engagement... Read Featured Press Office of the day More   |   Join Matte BLK Matte BLK is an insights-led Emerging Markets agency specialising in the mass and middle markets across Africa. 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