Heather Mongilio
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heathermongilio.bsky.social
Heather Mongilio
@heathermongilio.bsky.social
Reporter with USNI News, covering the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard. Focused on personnel, medicine and seas with colors in their names. American U, MIT alumna. Ice skater who bakes. Tips: [email protected], Signal: @HMongilio.52
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I'm trying something new this year for reporting: Help me help you by filling out this form when you have a concern or issue you would like me to look into. You can be anonymous. forms.gle/mqjpXcP9Vyyw...
Military Concerns
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The Marine Corps declared a Marine deceased Tuesday after he fell overboard from USS Iwo Jima on Feb. 7. (This is unrelated to yesterday's crash involving USS Truxton.) news.usni.org/2026/02/12/m...
Marine Dies After Going Overboard USS Iwo Jima - USNI News
A Marine with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit died after falling overboard USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7), the Marine Corps announced late Wednesday. Lance Cpl. Chukwuemeka Oforah, 21, of Florida, fell overb...
news.usni.org
February 12, 2026 at 6:47 PM
Live look at reporters every time they think there might be a break in the news cycle:
January 15, 2026 at 1:09 AM
Takeaways from the last day of U.S. Figure Skating Championships:

Ice dance and men’s face a very similar problem. The top spot is practically set before competition. Silver and Bronze are often toss ups. That is how it could go with the selection committee.
January 11, 2026 at 4:20 AM
Takeaways from day 3:

Amber! Alysa!

It’s clear who the top three women’s skaters are in the U.S.

Alysa Liu’s outfit was amazing, and it fit the program so well. I’m excited to see how she continues to develop it during the Olympics and Worlds.
January 10, 2026 at 4:12 AM
It is always wonderful watching Amber Glenn land that triple axel. For those who don’t follow skating, an axel always has an extra half rotation because the jump starts with a front entrance. So that means she rotates 3.5 times.
January 10, 2026 at 3:55 AM
I miss the days of a long spiral moment in a figure skating program.
January 10, 2026 at 2:19 AM
In case anyone wonders, a figure skating short program would make a lot of people out of breath. As we go into the freeskate, just remember this is a lot of endurance, power hard work made to look pretty and graceful.
January 9, 2026 at 11:57 PM
My takeaways from day 2 of the skating championships:

We’re lucky Ilia Malinin skates for the U.S.

Jason Brown wasn’t perfect, but he is far more consistent on an international stage than the other men competing for spots.

It’s a toss up for the third spot. The freeskate will be interesting.
January 9, 2026 at 4:45 AM
Ilia Malinin is skating on new boots, two weeks old. That is unheard of.
January 9, 2026 at 3:53 AM
Crazier things have happened, but I think if Jason Brown doesn’t make the Olympic team, there will be a riot in the figure skating world.
January 9, 2026 at 3:44 AM
HERE WE GO
January 9, 2026 at 3:41 AM
Jacob Sanchez is only 18, so he’s definitely on my list to watch as he continues in this sport. And the shoutout to using a sport psychologist!
January 9, 2026 at 3:37 AM
I think my second pick for the third spot would be Andrew Torgashev, but he has had serious consistency issues. But so have all the men vying for this spot.
January 9, 2026 at 3:33 AM
This is the best I’ve seen Tomoki Hiwatashi, and what a time to bring it.
January 9, 2026 at 3:24 AM
Petition to stop asking Maxim Naumov about his parents’s death. We all know it’s affecting him. We all know he’s skating for them. But we don’t need to torture him and make him relive it for our entertainment.
January 9, 2026 at 3:00 AM
Personally, I would love to see Maxim Naumov make the Olympic team. I was so moved watching him skate after the deaths of his parents. But that doesn’t necessarily mean he has the consistency for the team.
January 9, 2026 at 2:41 AM
A message to all adults: if you watch figure skating, like the current national championships right now, or the Olympics, and think I’d love to learn, you can! The adult skating community grows every day, and you’re not too old to learn. (Or return to the ice)
January 9, 2026 at 2:39 AM
Embedded microphones in the ice is my nightmare.
January 9, 2026 at 2:18 AM
I love a Les Mis moment. On ice, off ice.
January 9, 2026 at 2:08 AM
Another U.S. figure skating championship, another season of me asking my coach to let me do a cartwheel in my program.
January 9, 2026 at 2:05 AM
I give extra points for men who go all in with their outfits. And I deduct points for who go boring.
January 9, 2026 at 1:54 AM
On to men’s skating. Of course the story here is Ilia Malinin’s dominance. But the other story is not who will take the first two Olympic team spots, but who will take the third. A good @washingtonpost.com story on that: www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olymp...
For U.S. men’s figure skaters, an intense battle for the third Olympic spot
Andrew Torgashev and Maxim Naumov are among those competing to join the favorites in Milan at next month’s Winter Olympics.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 9, 2026 at 1:48 AM
I have only been closely following ice dance (and skating in general) closely the past couple of years, but I am enjoying the fact that there are less love stories and more upbeat, fun music programs.
January 8, 2026 at 11:52 PM
Another day, another issue with @peacock and the US skating championships. This time switching broadcasts halfway through the rhythm dance.
January 8, 2026 at 11:02 PM
Ice dancing is not my discipline, but one of the differences between ice dance and pairs is that lifts don’t go above the head. (There are also no jumps or throws in ice dance.)
January 8, 2026 at 10:54 PM