8 OCT 26 SITREP

• In an exclusive interview with Jack Posobiec, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced that former Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan will be executed publicly by firing squad on December 3 at Fort Hood, Texas. The execution is scheduled for 1 PM, the same hour Hasan carried out his 2009 terrorist attack, and will be conducted by U.S. Army soldiers armed with rifles. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed that Hegseth recommended the execution and President Donald Trump approved it.
• On November 5, 2009, Hasan opened fire on American troops preparing for deployment to Afghanistan, shouting "Allahu Akbar" as he killed 13 people and wounded 32 others. The victims included 12 soldiers and one civilian, while the unborn child of Private First Class Francesca Velez also died. Hasan had exchanged emails with Anwar al-Awlaki before the massacre and was shot by civilian security officers, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down.
• Hasan admitted that he had switched sides over American military operations in the Middle East. He represented himself during his 2013 trial, acknowledged responsibility for the shooting, and was convicted and sentenced to death. His execution will be the military's first in more than 60 years, while the last military firing squad execution occurred during World War II, when Private Eddie Slovik was executed for desertion.
• Hegseth condemned the Obama administration's classification of the massacre as workplace violence, calling it a radical Islamist terrorist attack committed by an Army officer against fellow service members. He insisted that the execution be public to demonstrate the consequences of terrorism and military betrayal, dismissing questions about Hasan's final requests. The announcement also raised questions about capital punishment in the midterm elections, particularly involving Texas candidates Ken Paxton and James Talarico and Michigan candidates Mike Rogers and Abdul El-Sayed.

• The USS Abraham Lincoln returned to San Diego today after an approximately 11-month deployment involving roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines. The carrier completed a record 286 days without a port call and approximately 40 days of combat operations during Operation Epic Fury against Iran. Hegseth visited the carrier before its homecoming and awarded its strike group the Presidential Unit Citation, recognizing personnel who maintained operations while producing approximately 14,000 meals daily.
• Hegseth reaffirmed President Trump's objective of preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons without another prolonged nation-building campaign. Operation Midnight Hammer targeted Iranian nuclear facilities, while Operation Epic Fury expanded American military action against Iran. Hegseth said American forces controlled the Strait of Hormuz and warned that additional strikes remained possible if Tehran continued pursuing nuclear weapons.
• The administration completed a major withdrawal from Syria, reducing the American presence from eight bases to four, then two, and ultimately one before departing. Approximately 7,000 ISIS prisoners were transferred from Syria to Iraq, while American personnel, vehicles, and equipment were recovered. Hegseth said the United States also ended its military operations in Iraq without abandoning personnel or equipment.
• Hegseth outlined plans to strengthen American military capabilities in the Pacific, Europe, and Western Hemisphere. Proposed investments include a five percent increase in military end strength, adding approximately 50,000 to 60,000 troops, and a $350 billion reconciliation package. The Pentagon is also reinforcing its posture around the Pacific's first and second island chains while preparing to deter potential regional conflicts in 2027, 2028, and 2029.

• Hegseth reported a historic increase in military recruitment following the Trump administration's changes to Pentagon personnel policies. He said many new recruits were approximately two to three years older than typical enlistees because they had previously declined to serve under President Joe Biden. Hegseth attributed the increase to renewed emphasis on military readiness, challenging assignments, and traditional service expectations.
• Hegseth criticized Biden-era recruitment campaigns for emphasizing diversity and social inclusion instead of military performance. He claimed the previous administration spent more television advertising money on The View than on any other network television hour. The Trump administration has shifted recruitment messaging toward physical strength, toughness, military competence, and the demands of combat service.
• The Pentagon has eliminated racial and gender quotas from military service academy admissions, according to Hegseth. He argued that previous admissions policies prioritized demographic targets over individual qualifications and that military institutions should select candidates based on merit. The revised approach emphasizes consistent admissions standards and professional competence rather than demographic representation.
• Hegseth confirmed that physical requirements for combat positions have been restored to the highest male standard, applying the same performance threshold regardless of sex. Women remain eligible for combat assignments if they meet those requirements, including carrying equipment, handling artillery ammunition, and evacuating wounded personnel. Hegseth argued that battlefield responsibilities demand consistent physical capabilities because the weight of military equipment and injured service members does not change according to who performs the task.