Ops Brief 043: Daily Drop - 9 May 2025 (Space Thrusters, Trans Discharges & Gen X Cage Fights)

In today’s Daily Drop, Peaches wades through 20+ pages of Pentagon memos so you don’t have to—and the headlines are as wild as you’d expect. From the DoD accelerating AI and electronic warfare for SOF teams (because robot war is here), to the Pentagon trying to fire every transgender troop in 30 days (seriously), it’s another day in America’s defense soap opera.

Also: the Space Force is debating whether orbital refueling is even worth it, even though it sounds like the coolest sci-fi thing ever; the B-52 radar upgrade blows past budget (shocker); and the Air Force finally admits the CV-22 Osprey might never hit full capability again (gasp). And yes, the crew debates which generation would actually win in an all-out war cage match—Gen X or the Greatest Generation?

👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, comment, leave a review, join the membership, and snag some merch at OnesReady.com. Oh—and get your spot at the Operator Training Summit in June.

🔥 Key Takeaways:

🏃‍♂️ Pentagon gives transgender troops 30 days to voluntarily separate after Supreme Court ruling.
🧠 DoD’s fast-track software acquisition plan is supposed to fix bureaucratic hell (good luck).
🔥 B-52 radar program blows 17% over budget = formal congressional “oops” notification.
🚁 AFSOC tries to make the CV-22 Osprey relevant again despite grounding issues.
🛰️ Space Force tests ion thrusters for moon surveillance. Space lasers are officially real.
💻 Pentagon wants secure messaging for senior leaders but still can’t beat Signal.
💥 SOCOM pushes for smaller, faster SOF teams armed with AI, EW, cyber tools.
🚀 Rocket Lab selected for military cargo to space. Stokes Space not far behind.
🌍 WWII vet reflects on war’s futility while Putin rewrites history to justify Ukraine invasion.
🤼 Jared votes Gen X over Greatest Gen in a hypothetical intergenerational battle royale.
⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro + Operator Training Summit Plug
01:20 – Joint Chiefs: SOF Must Stay Ready
02:30 – Pentagon Moves to Discharge Transgender Troops
04:00 – SOF Leverages AI, EW, Cyber in Future Fight
05:30 – E-6B Looking Glass Mission May Transfer to Air Force
06:10 – DoD Wants Secure Messaging Post-SignalGate
07:00 – Pentagon Fast-Track Software Acquisition Plan
08:00 – B-52 Radar Program Over Budget Triggers Notification
09:10 – T-7A Red Hawk On Track for 2027
10:00 – AFSOC Innovating with CV-22, OA-1K
11:00 – Yakota AFB Mishandled Hazardous Waste
12:00 – Space Force Debates Orbital Refueling Viability
13:00 – Space Force Tests Moon Surveillance Thrusters
13:50 – Space Force Advances Laser Communication Terminals
14:30 – Italy Pushes Military-Commercial Space Integration
15:00 – CV-22 Osprey Safety Probe Delays Frustrate Families
16:00 – Rocket Lab’s Neutron Selected for Rocket Cargo Program
17:00 – Signal App Still Used Despite Known Security Risks
18:00 – WWII Vet Reflects on War’s Futility
19:00 – Putin’s WWII Narrative Fuels Ukraine War
20:00 – Gen X vs Greatest Generation Battle Royale Debate
21:00 – Outro + Call to Action