As the most advanced aircraft carrier in the world, the 

 is often a centerpiece of America’s military operations overseas. On Saturday, May 16, 2026, the carrier and its accompanying strike group officially returned to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, closing the book on an exhausting and historic deployment.

For the Sailors and Naval Aviators who steadfastly carried out vital missions (including combat operations, deterrence patrols, and joint exercises with allied forces), the return home marked the end of an extraordinary 

This milestone underscores the massive demands being placed on American naval forces in an increasingly volatile global environment.

 extended deployment, it is worth revisiting the Navy's historical records. In the decades since the Vietnam War, the Navy has generally sought to avoid prolonged deployments to limit the strain on Sailors, families, and equipment. Advances in logistics and an emphasis on crew readiness usually encourage a more predictable rotation of ships.

Yet, unpredictable global conflicts occasionally push deployments to uncomfortable lengths. With its 326-day mission, the 

non-pandemic deployment record previously held by the 

To put this extraordinary endurance into perspective, the 

 during the Vietnam War in 1972–1973, which remains the highest post-WWII mark under normal operational conditions. 

The Geographic Scope: From Venezuela to Iran

 began its deployment in late June 2025, departing Norfolk for operations across multiple theaters. 

Initially operating in Atlantic and European waters, the sheer geographic scope of its mission quickly expanded in response to rapidly shifting geopolitical conditions.

 In November 2025, the strike group was repositioned to the Caribbean as part of a massive naval buildup. The carrier provided critical oversight and support during the operations that culminated in the 

capture of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro.

 As tensions escalated in the Middle East, the 

 steamed into the Mediterranean in February 2026. Her role expanded as the U.S. began active operations against Iran. Under 

 played a direct part in flying deterrence patrols, intelligence gathering, and contributing to the aerial bombardment of Iranian capabilities.

The Toll of the Sea and the March 12th Fire

Long deployments inevitably place a strain on both equipment and personnel. Even under ideal conditions, the maintenance demands of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier are immense. The 

, which has occasionally made headlines for system reliability issues, faced severe real-world tests on this cruise.

On March 12, 2026, one of the most terrifying incidents a ship at sea can face occurred: a major

 fire broke out in a laundry area aboard the carrier. 

The blaze injured multiple Sailors and ultimately displaced more than 600 crew members from their sleeping berths. 

After the fire was contained, the ship made urgent port calls in Souda Bay, Crete, and Split, Croatia, to assess and repair the damage before returning to the fight and, eventually, heading home.

 to the region serves as a much-needed relief for the 

, allowing the Navy to maintain a continuous carrier presence in the Middle East. This rotation is standard Navy practice, allowing one strike group to assume responsibility while another returns for maintenance and crew rest.

 reflects a broader reality: the United States continues to rely heavily on its finite carrier fleet to manage global crises, making prolonged deployments an unavoidable reality of modern naval power.

 crew have not gone unnoticed. Upon their arrival in Norfolk, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was on hand to award the 

 Carrier Strike Group the Presidential Unit Citation—a fitting capstone to an 11-month mission where advanced technology, strategic necessity, and human endurance intersected to make history.

Gerald R. Ford Returns Home After Breaking the Navy’s Longest Deployment Record

For decades, the legal framework for service members injured in the line of duty has been dominated by a single word: immunity. Under the 

, active duty members have long been barred from suing the federal government for personal injuries. However, a landmark April 2026 Supreme Court decision in 

 has opened a new door for accountability, ruling that private military contractors do not share the government’s shield of immunity.

If you or a loved one were injured due to a contractor’s carelessness, even in a combat zone, you now have a path to justice. Here is what you need to know about this legal shift.

The Case: Why Hencely v. Fluor Corp. Matters

The case began with Army Specialist Winston Hencely, who was severely wounded in a 2016 suicide bombing at 

. The attacker, Ahmad Nayeb, was a local national employed by Fluor Corporation under the "Afghan First" initiative, a military program designed to boost the local economy and deter insurgency through employment.

An Army investigation later found that Fluor failed to properly monitor Nayeb. On the morning of November 12, 2016, Nayeb failed to board an escort bus after work but was never reported missing. Instead, he spent 53 minutes walking across the base toward a staging area for a Veterans Day 5K race. When Hencely and others confronted him, Nayeb detonated a suicide vest he had built using work tools, including a multimeter he had checked out despite not needing it for his duties.

The resulting blast killed five service members and civilians and injured 17 others. Hencely suffered a fractured skull, a traumatic brain injury, and lost the use of his left hand, arm, and the side of his face.

 in state court in South Carolina, where two of the company's subsidiaries are headquartered. This moved the case away from federal protections to state safety standards. While lower courts initially dismissed the suit, the 

Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on April 22, 2026

Writing for the majority, Justice Clarence Thomas rejected Fluor’s argument that it should share the military's immunity. Thomas noted that the defense "swept too broadly," stating that federal law shielding the military from combat-related lawsuits does not automatically extend to private companies.

The ruling specifically targeted Fluor's failure to follow its own rules, as the Army investigation found the contractor violated its duties by providing Nayeb the tools used in the attack and failed to monitor his movements. By breaching these specific safety contracts and operating off-book, the Court ruled that Fluor forfeited its demand to "battlefield preemption."

While the Hencely decision does not dismantle every legal defense, contractors must now justify their failures under state negligence standards, the same laws that govern private corporations across the country. To check the viability of a potential claim, service members should examine their case through three critical lenses:

The Feres Doctrine continues to bar direct 

lawsuits against the U.S. military for service-connected injuries

 case proves that this immunity does not extend to private entities. This includes defense contractors, product manufacturers responsible for defective equipment or weapon systems, and 

Under this new ruling, a contractor’s primary defense is government contractor immunity, which only applies if the company strictly adhered to precise military specifications. If a contractor operated off-book, such as by violating security protocols, failing to supervise local nationals, or neglecting mandatory maintenance, they have breached their contractual duty and can be held liable for damages.

Perhaps the most significant shift is the state-law pathway. Service members are no longer confined to the standard federal administrative process. By filing in the home state of a contractor’s headquarters, plaintiffs can utilize favorable state personal injury and 

, ensuring that corporate negligence is judged by civilian standards rather than military judgment.

Seeking Accountability and Expert Support

Seeking accountability in these cases requires a deep understanding of the intersection between military and civilian law. Because the window for filing is strict and the legal landscape is complex, it is vital to consult with a specialized military injury attorney. 

An expert with a proven track record in third-party claims and the

 can provide the guidance needed to navigate litigation and ensure negligent military contractors are held responsible.

Troops Can Now Sue Military Contractors for Injuries: How to Know if You Have a Case

As of April 2026, a permanent directive signed by Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll has officially

 doubled the voluntary retirement request period to 24 months

, replacing the traditional 12-month timeline. This shift gives Soldiers a much longer time to prepare and transition into a successful civilian career.

To take advantage of the 24-month window, service members must have completed at least 18 years of 

 (AFS). While the program is widely open to the force, it does include additional oversight for senior leadership.

Service members in the ranks of Lieutenant Colonel through Colonel, Chief Warrant Officer 4 and 5, and Master Sergeant through Command Sergeant Major will need a written plan submitted by their commander. This plan ensures you balance your daily unit duties while stepping into your two-year retirement process.

A key restriction within the policy is that Soldiers cannot submit a voluntary retirement request if they are already under consideration for a new assignment or have already received 

 (PCS) orders. This assures that Army staffing needs remain stable.

However, service members with 19 or more years of service who received moving orders may continue to request retirement instead of the move. To be approved for this option, the request must be submitted within 30 days of the assignment, and you must set a retirement date that falls within the following 12 months.

Service members can start their paperwork early, but the physical transition doesn’t start until their final year of service. Once your retirement request is approved, you get early access to 

During this phase, between 24 and 12 months, you can start working on administrative paperwork and mental preparation. Additionally, you are still on active duty and must report to work as usual.

The execution phase happens during the final 12 months of service. During this period, you are allowed to complete hands-on activities that are permitted. This includes participation in the 

, house-hunting, and terminal leave. This allows you to get a head start on your transition while still fulfilling your commitment to the force.

By providing a two-year retirement window, the Army aims to improve its personnel forecasting while ensuring Veterans are positioned for success once they retire. 

The ultimate goal is to ensure every retiring Soldier leaves the service as a capable ambassador for the Army, equipped with the time and resources necessary to build a stable future. 

For more information on starting your request, please reach out to the

 or contact your local Retirement Services Officer.

The Army Just Doubled the Retirement Request Window to 24 Months

The PCS season is usually highest during the summer months, or from May 15th to August 31st. Get ahead of the move by understanding a typical PCS cycle so that you can transition as smoothly as possible.

Military Moving Expenses - How to Budget When PCSing

For some of you, this may be your first time receiving a permanent change of station (PCS) order. As long as you follow a few preliminary steps, you’ll be set up in no time. The first part of the PCS cycle is receiving your orders.

Your orders are typically distributed every 2-4 years. If you’re expecting one but are waiting to receive it, do your best to get ahead of the move by lessening your load.

This can be done by giving away unwanted items or donating things you don’t need anymore.

make sure to visit Move.mil and create an account

 to upload your orders and applications regarding your move.

Next, go to your transportation office to schedule a move that works for you and your unique needs.

Now that you have that handled, let’s get into the specifics regarding your PCS move. Each PCS cycle is different, so it’s important to determine which kind of move you’re undertaking:

Understanding where and what type of move you’ll be undergoing is essential. You’ll either be going CONUS (inside the continental United States) or OCONUS (outside the continental United States).

Types of military moves include a Government PCS move, a DITY move, and a Partial-DITY move.

The most common type of move military personnel receive. For this move, your move-out and move-in dates will be set for you, and a transportation service provider (TSP) will be given to you.

The nice part about a government PCS move is that the TSP will handle all of the packing and shipping for you.

If you’re worried that your valuables may get damaged, the TSP is liable for any damages during the loading, shipping, and unloading phases.

Furthermore, to help service members receive better transparency, a new system is helping families better track their personal property and communicate its location thanks to a $20 billion contract with HomeSafe Alliance rolling out in phases, beginning in 2024.

Otherwise, pack and ship these separately, or carry them with you when you drive or fly to your next posting.

A DITY move may be a little bit more challenging because a TSP will not be assigned to you. Packing, shipping, and unloading will all be 100% on you to put together, which means you will need to find a transportation method.

Another tedious aspect of the process is gathering the necessary information for reimbursement. Understanding what is covered and what isn’t covered is vital, so make sure to visit the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) website for specific information.

Reimbursement will be based on factors such as the total weight of your items and how far they will be traveling, so you’ll have to weigh your vehicle. 

More information on where and how to properly weigh your items can be found here

A partial-DITY move is a mixture of government assistance and doing it yourself. For this process, a TSP will be provided to you, but the bulk of your items will travel with you.

You’ll want to weigh your personal vehicle before and after you load your items so that you get properly reimbursed. A partial-DITY is usually done if you have very important items you don’t want to lose or risk damaging during shipping.

Step 2: Checklists and Documents to Keep In Mind

Now that you understand the types of moves you can embark on during the PCS cycle, let’s discuss some good checklists and documents to keep in mind.

You’re gonna want to create an inventory checklist of all of your items. You can manually make your own or use tools like 

, which will help you get together a checklist that fits your needs.

Next, create a PCS binder to keep all of your important documents, including passports, medical records, insurance, car titles, marriage licenses, etc. These documents are a hassle to retrieve once lost, so make sure to check these items off diligently.

Many different expenses come up, such as costs associated with selling your house, preparing your vehicles for transportation, and immediate arrival expenses.

If you plan on selling your house once you get your PCS orders, you’ll want to track any expenses regarding maintenance, as you may have to fix up some things before selling.

to watch for while creating a PCS budget.

Furthermore, you’ll want to find an agent to sell your house. Make sure to add this to your budget.

Before your move, you should take your vehicle in for general maintenance. This can be in the form of a tune-up or oil change.

These expenses can be pretty high, especially when covering all the additional expenses of moving out, so add these to your budget during the PCS cycle.

Finally, be sure to remember immediate arrival expenses, such as groceries, toiletries, cleaning supplies, etc. Although these supplies are cheaper than other expenses, they can quickly add up and disrupt your budget.

How to Find a Military Real Estate Agent: Buying & Selling 101

When in the peak of peak season, and everyone is trying to PCS all at once, there are massive labor and supply chain shortages that interfere with your orders.

The good news is that things are getting better. Because of mishaps in the past and labor and supply chain shortages, the military has partnered with HomeSafe Alliance to improve the process.

Furthermore, service members can help themselves throughout the PCS cycle by keeping a detailed inventory list and budgeting to account for complications.

Top 10 Moving Apps & Websites For Your PCS Move

1. This Military PCS Checklist Will Help Make Moving Easier, Life Storage. Accessed April 2024. https://www.lifestorage.com/blog/moving/ultimate-pcs-move-resource-guide/

Michael Madrid

Military News & Gear Specialist

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