John Ismay
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johnismay.bsky.social
John Ismay
@johnismay.bsky.social
Reporter, The New York Times. Former U.S. Navy EOD & Iraq vet. Reach me securely via Signal at: johnismay.01 or by email at: [email protected]
If there's anyone at JSOC, SouthCom or the Pentagon who wants to tell us more about these strikes, I'm on Signal at: johnismay.01

(OSD has already taken my press creds and I can't be recalled to active duty, so, 'weapons free.')
AC-130 gunships lasing targets. Griffin missiles captured fractions of a second before impact. RQ-4 Global Hawk drones filming it all. Seeing beyond the redactions in the Pentagon’s attack videos w/ @docubrent @carolrosenberg @cjchivers www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
What the Pentagon’s Attack Videos Reveal About the Boat Strikes at Sea
www.nytimes.com
November 26, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Reposted by John Ismay
Boats already stopped in the water. People about to die. Clues to drone and manned aircraft fighting systems.
—Findings of our freeze-frame study of the Trump administration’s promotional videos of its bombing campaign on suspected drug smuggling boats.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
What the Pentagon’s Attack Videos Reveal About the Boat Strikes at Sea
www.nytimes.com
November 26, 2025 at 1:08 PM
AC-130 gunships lasing targets. Griffin missiles captured fractions of a second before impact. RQ-4 Global Hawk drones filming it all. Seeing beyond the redactions in the Pentagon’s attack videos w/ @docubrent @carolrosenberg @cjchivers www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
What the Pentagon’s Attack Videos Reveal About the Boat Strikes at Sea
www.nytimes.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Is anybody keeping a running tally of major DoD programs like this that get canxd?
November 25, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Reposted by John Ismay
South Korea intends to abolish provisions obligating soldiers and civil servants to follow superiors’ commands even when they may be improper or unlawful.
S. Korea pushes for soldiers, civil servants to have right to refuse unlawful orders
The South Korean government is moving to remove long-standing obedience requirements for civil servants and soldiers, on the heels of former President Yoon Suk
www.koreaherald.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Reposted by John Ismay
While hazing reports saw an upswing in 2024 after three years of steady decline, bullying complaints have been steadily increasing since 2020.
Hazing, bullying reports up as Hegseth pushes for rougher training
While hazing reports saw an upswing in 2024 after three years of steady decline, bullying complaints have been steadily increasing since 2020.
www.militarytimes.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Reposted by John Ismay
Amid President Trump’s immigration crackdown, special agents at the Homeland Security Department have made fewer arrests for drug crimes and seized fewer weapons than they did the previous fiscal year, according to internal government documents reviewed by The New York Times.
Drug Arrests and Gun Seizures Fell as Homeland Security Pursued Immigration
Internal documents reveal the impact on crime fighting as the Trump administration diverts special agents to its mass deportation agenda.
nyti.ms
November 25, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Reposted by John Ismay
The Navy has deployed a salvage ship to the South China Sea to attempt to raise a sunken fighter and a helicopter that crashed off the USS Nimitz in back-to-back incidents in October.
US Navy salvors after jet and helicopter on bottom of South China Sea
The Navy has deployed a salvage ship to the South China Sea to raise a sunken fighter and a helicopter that crashed in back-to-back incidents in October.
www.stripes.com
November 25, 2025 at 3:39 AM
It took a little while, but the Dept. of Homeland Security finally said the Coast Guard prohibits hate symbols, bullying and hazing without caveats www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/u...
How the Coast Guard Revised Its Policy on Swastikas, Nooses and Bullying
www.nytimes.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Reposted by John Ismay
The Pentagon said on Monday that it was investigating Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona for “serious allegations of misconduct,” less than a week after he took part in a video that reminded troops to refuse illegal orders. nyti.ms/4pq1mTJ
Hegseth Threatens Senator Mark Kelly With Inquiry for ‘Seditious’ Video
The defense secretary called the senator’s remarks urging troops not to follow illegal orders “despicable, reckless, and false.”
nyti.ms
November 24, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Reposted by John Ismay
Sign at the US Military Academy at West Point:
November 23, 2025 at 6:41 AM
Reposted by John Ismay
Really interesting breakdown on how evangelicals transformed American Christianity into an ethos of hate and aggression

www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...
They’re doing to America what they did to Christianity | Bill McKibben
Trump’s wrecking-ball approach to America has a precedent: the evangelical perversion of Jesus’s message of radical love to one of hate and aggression
www.theguardian.com
November 23, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Reposted by John Ismay
I love being a journalist at the nonprofit @sltrib.com — and it is honestly the best mission I've had since leaving the Army.

Thank you to all of the Utahns who make this journalism happen.
November 22, 2025 at 2:11 AM
In light of recent events and statements from military public affairs officers, today’s panagram feels particularly suitable
November 22, 2025 at 1:39 AM
Reposted by John Ismay
Coast Guard and Navy personnel should not accept Nazi symbolism or equivalent on ships that operate on the seas over thousands of sailors and civilians torpedoed by Nazis to their graves below.
November 21, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Reposted by John Ismay
A recent survey of U.S. service members living in military housing drew nearly 3,400 respondents who cited at least one significant or dangerous issue in their homes. (from @wyattwolson.bsky.social)
Survey finds mold, air quality problems are widespread in military housing
A recent survey of U.S. service members living in military housing drew nearly 3,400 respondents who cited at least one significant or dangerous issue.
www.stripes.com
November 21, 2025 at 6:58 AM
Reposted by John Ismay
Breaking News: A federal judge found that the presence of more than 2,000 National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., was unlawful.
Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump From Deploying National Guard in D.C.
Judge Jia M. Cobb found that the presence of more than 2,000 National Guard troops, many from outside D.C., was most likely unlawful. She paused the order from taking effect until Dec. 11.
nyti.ms
November 20, 2025 at 10:53 PM
A new Coast Guard policy recasts swastikas and nooses as merely “politically divisive," deletes protections for transgender men and women, and suggests hazing has military utility
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/u...
Coast Guard Softens Stance on Hate and Hazing
www.nytimes.com
November 21, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Reposted by John Ismay
A new medical study found that the wide-ranging symptoms of Gulf War illness appear to be caused by a failure of cells to produce adequate energy, bringing experts a step closer to finding the root cause and a treatment. www.stripes.com/veterans/202...
Texas researcher narrows path to finding root cause of Gulf War illness
A new medical study found that the wide-ranging symptoms of Gulf War illness appear to be caused by a failure of cells to produce adequate energy.
www.stripes.com
November 20, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Reposted by John Ismay
Elon Musk's Grokipedia cites a neo-Nazi website 42 times, researchers say www.nbcnews.com/tech/elon-mu...
Elon Musk’s Grokipedia cites Stormfront — a neo-Nazi forum — dozens of times, study finds
An analysis by researchers at Cornell University is the first comprehensive look at Grokipedia since Musk launched his project last month.
www.nbcnews.com
November 20, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Reposted by John Ismay
“I want their morale as low as possible because a team with low morale is ineffective.”

Meet the veteran who chases ICE on a scooter
Meet the veteran who chases ICE on a scooter
Clifford “Buzz” Grambo patrols the streets of Baltimore to keep his neighbors safe—and make federal agents uncomfortable.
www.motherjones.com
November 20, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Reposted by John Ismay
‘Star Trek’ actor recalls boyhood detention during WWII in camp for Japanese-Americans
‘Star Trek’ actor recalls boyhood detention during WWII in camp for Japanese-Americans
George Takei was among the Japanese-Americans detained at camps after Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941.
www.stripes.com
November 20, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Reposted by John Ismay
A religious nonprofit and several Roman Catholic clergy filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Wednesday claiming that immigration authorities had unlawfully blocked its members from ministering to people at a detention center near Chicago.
Catholic Group Sues Trump Administration for Access to Immigration Facility
The Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership says its members have been blocked from ministering at an ICE detention center near Chicago.
nyti.ms
November 20, 2025 at 12:10 PM
An amazing obit for a man who served, suffered, loved, lost and lived www.nytimes.com/2025/11/19/o...
Robert L. Stirm, Returning P.O.W. in Pulitzer-Winning Photo, Dies at 92
www.nytimes.com
November 20, 2025 at 1:53 AM
Reposted by John Ismay
"Things" is doing a lot of work —> lethal injection followed by a bone saw to secretly move his body from Saudi consulate
Trump suggests Khashoggi had it coming: "You're mentioning someone that was extremely controversial. A lot of people didn't like that gentleman that you're talking about. Whether you like him or didn't like him, things happen. But he knew nothing about it. You don't have to embarrass our guest."
November 18, 2025 at 5:54 PM