Author Archive

Ben Watson

Senior Multimedia Editor, Defense One

Ben Watson is an Army veteran who writes The D Brief daily newsletter and hosts the bimonthly Defense One Radio podcast. Since arriving in Washington in 2012, Ben has written and produced award-winning features on politics, international security, technology, and military history for NPR, The Atlantic and Defense One.
Threats

The D Brief: SOUTHCOM steps down early; Ops near Venezuela; Setback for Chicago deployment; Illegal funding diversion?; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: Trump reportedly authorizes Venezuela ops; USAF axes new command; Army tank to arrive early; Reporters leave Pentagon; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: Another boat strike; Troops in Memphis; Cost of Guard’s domestic deployments; News from AUSA; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: Gaza ceasefire; Chicago deployment on hold; Qataris in Idaho; AUSA news; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Ideas

Defense One Radio, Ep. 196: “The Wounded Generation” by David Nasaw

A celebrated historian shares years of research into the quiet and not-so-quiet struggles of millions of American veterans returning home from World War II.

  • Ben Watson
Threats

The D Brief: Senate passes NDAA; US troops to monitor Gaza ceasefire; Guard enters Memphis; AUSA preview; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: Ceasefire near in Gaza?; Troops arrive in Chicago; Shipbuilding advice; Deportation stats; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: Senators doubt Asia policy; Jail Illinois leaders, says POTUS; Civil-military ‘crisis’; DHS cuts intel staff; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: Troops to Chicago; Trump’s partisan speech to sailors; F/A-XX OK?; MDA’s big Golden Dome vehicle; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: Guard deployments on hold; 4th speedboat bombed; Russia strikes Lviv; China’s black-market oil; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: Trump declares war on cartels; Feds storm Chicago apartments; Europe’s ‘drone wall’; Shadow economies; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Featured eBooks
Future of the Air Force
Missile Defense
Future of Cybersecurity
Threats

The D Brief: War on leaks; IGs, targeted; Guard-deployment sitrep; The next geoint hub?; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: Reactions to Quantico; Shutdown, in effect; USAF chief nom; GOP govs call out troops; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson, Bradley Peniston and Thomas Novelly
Threats

The D Brief: Hegseth, Trump at Quantico; Shutdown watch; Defense-strategy concerns; Troops-in-streets update; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: Two mass shootings; Troops to Portland?; Trump to join Hegseth-brass confab; Arrested by ICE for “how they look”; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: DOD sheds 60K civilians; EU warns Moscow; USAF’s new ‘homeland’ focus; China’s airborne gets help; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Business

Defense One Radio, Ep. 195: Europe's growing defense industry

The EU's ambassador to the U.S. underscores the importance of the bloc's $910 billion defense plans known as Readiness 2030.

  • Ben Watson
Threats

The D Brief: Hegseth yanks brass to Quantico; Drones close Danish airports; AFSOC’s Caribbean work; Russia’s AI drones; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: Trump’s Ukraine reversal; Russian refineries, hit; China’s missiles; Iran’s rebuilding effort; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston
Threats

The D Brief: China’s global challenge; NATO on Russian incursions; Estonia’s requests; Germany’s big arms plan; And a bit more.

  • Ben Watson and Bradley Peniston