For the almost 40% of the US military with real jobs. 

We talk business, news, and culture for the PART⚡TIME warrior.

This week:

• COUNT OFF FROM THE BACK: Relaxed Grooming Standards

• THIS WEEK’S BIG 3: Top News

• HUMAN TERRAIN: The information environment is Tweakin’

• LEGAL EAGLES: USERRA and VA Disability Support

• TACTICAL INTEL: The Army Congressional Fellowship Program

• RESERVISTS YOU SHOULD KNOW: Kelley Rockwell

• WHAT WE’RE RUNNING: Gear we like

• PART⚡TIME NEWS ROUNDUP: News you missed

Interested in becoming a featured newsletter sponsor? Want to be highlighted or contribute? Reach out to [email protected]

COUNT OFF FROM THE BACK

Relax Grooming Standards

THIS WEEK’S BIG 3

1) Minnesota Guard hands out coffee & donuts to anti-ICE protesters
Minnesota National Guard troops were filmed distributing coffee, donuts and hot drinks to anti-ICE demonstrators in St. Paul—wearing reflective vests and calling it a “demonstration of safety and security”—amid tensions sparked by recent federal immigration enforcement and protests. Read more

2) National Guard deployments could top $1B
A new Congressional Budget Office estimate shows the Trump administration’s domestic National Guard and Marine deployments to cities like D.C., Portland and Chicago cost roughly $496 million in late 2025 and could exceed $1 billion through 2026 if continued. Read more

3) Michigan bill would guarantee paid leave for Guard/reservists
Michigan lawmakers introduced bills to provide up to 26 days of paid leave annually so National Guard and reserve members can attend required training without using vacation time or losing income. Read more

HUMAN TERRAIN

The Information Environment is Tweakin’

The political climate has been pretty wild lately with Americans reacting either in favor of or against ICE operations.

Pouring gasoline on the fire is social media, paid influencers, and AI. It’s hard, often impossible, to determine what is objectively true and discern fact from mis/disinformation.

Compounding the issue is influencers and legacy media talking heads rushing to get their version of events and preferred narrative out into the information environment before all of the facts are close to identified or understood. This includes the government.

Truth takes a backseat to narrative.

I would advise everyone to take a breath and try to look at events objectively. Know also that most social media, on both sides, is created and amplified to provoke an emotional response out of the viewer. If you watch a particular TikTok or Reel and find yourself getting stirred up, take a pause to recognize that this was the intended purpose.

A technique I’ve tried to use lately is reversing the players and parties of the situation in my head. Would I feel the same way or differently if it was “my team” that did the thing?

That can add clarity, but only if you’re honest with yourself.

We should all strive to rise above partisan talking points and examine events from a place of objective discovery. It’s too easy to be emotionally manipulated.

Trying to debate someone who is not coming at the situation in good faith, or chooses to be deliberately misinformed, ignore facts, etc. is a fool’s errand. Don’t bother. This is sometimes referred to as the “intelligence gap”, and it’s becoming more of a problem for all of the reasons outlined above.

I obviously have my opinion on current events, but opinions are like assholes and everyone has one.

Of note, TikTok recently changed ownership to be divested from Chinese control and influence (sort of).

Although TikTok’s U.S. ownership was restructured to address foreign influence and data-security worries, the deal doesn’t meaningfully eliminate the underlying risks many experts care about. ByteDance will still control the platform’s algorithm—even under the new joint venture with U.S. investors—leaving open the possibility of manipulation, while concerns about data collection and influence campaigns extend far beyond a single app. In essence, the structural changes swap one set of actors for another without fundamentally fixing systemic vulnerabilities in how digital platforms handle data and influence.

Since the ownership change, users have reported being censored from saying certain words, such as “Epstein” and seeing severe drops in engagement and traffic to certain politically affiliated pages.

Apparently, TikTok deletions are up a massive amount and the new hotnezz is an app called UpScrolled. I don’t know much about it, but will have an intern look into it.

LEGAL EAGLES

Your Job. Your Service. Your Attorney.

Boss giving you grief about your military commitments? Call Brian Lawler.

If you’re running into problems with your employer due to your military service, contact Brian Lawler.

Brian’s a former Marine pilot, reservist, and one of the top USERRA attorneys in the country. He knows the law better than your HR department, and he’s made a career out of holding employers accountable.

Free consult. No win, no fee.
If your job’s on the line, Brian’s the guy you want in the fight.

Set up a meeting here.

Start Looking into VA Disability Now

You can file VA Disability Claims, be VA Disability rated, and still serve/deploy in the Guard and Reserve.

It is much easier to do this while you still have access to your records and military healthcare.

A VA-accredited attorney like Matt Brooks is a great option to navigate this process. Unlike VSOs who can take absolutely forever and have a range of competence, or shady claim shark companies like Veterans Guardian, etc. he is vetted by the VA and granted access to your medical records to help make your case.

He’s incredibly knowledgeable as a former VA investigator.

Whether you’re been on this journey already or you’re just now starting to think about it, I highly recommend chatting with him.

He’ll give you the lay of the land and map out your best road ahead.

Hit him up here: https://brooksvadisabilitylaw.com/contact

TACTICAL INTEL

The Army Congressional Fellowship Program

Want four years of active duty time, a free masters degree, and some truly baller professional experience?

The Army Congressional Fellowship Program is a 44-month broadening opportunity for talented Army officers, and noncommissioned officers. It provides an in-depth understanding of the strategic relationship between the Army and Congress. On average, three Army Reservists and three Natty Guardsmen are picked for this opportunity a year.

The fellowship consists of three main phases:

Year 1 Academics: Fellows pursue a Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Legislative Affairs at George Washington University (GWU) - usually begins in Mid-March/April. The curriculum covers all aspects of the congressional experience and provides a unique networking opportunity with congressional staffers who make up a large portion of the students in the program.

Year 2 Capitol Hill Experience: For one year, fellows serve on the staff of a member of Congress or a congressional committee. Their responsibilities often include drafting legislation, preparing materials for congressional hearings, writing speeches, and briefing members of Congress. This hands-on experience provides a deep understanding of the legislative process.

Year 3 & 4 Utilization Tour AKA Payback Tour: Following their time on Capitol Hill, fellows serve a two-year utilization tour in a congressionally-related position on the Army Staff. These assignments are typically within the Office of the Chief Legislative Liaison (OCLL) or the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management and Comptroller (ASA-FM&C). For USAR and Natty Guard selectees, they usually serve with their respective component's version of OCLL.

Eligibility: Per the last MILPER, it is E8-E9, any WO rank, and O-3 to O-4.

Application Process: For more information on this broadening program, please go to https://www.hrc.army.mil/bop.

RESERVISTS YOU SHOULD KNOW

Kelley Rockwell

Captain Kelley Rockwell blends military and civilian leadership across governance, finance, and technology transformation. After beginning her Army career as a UAS maintainer with the 10th Mountain Division over a decade ago, she left active duty and built a federal consulting career advancing financial governance, modernization, and responsible AI adoption. Now serving with the 352d Civil Affairs Command as a 38G Military Governance Officer specializing in Economic Development, she leads integration, HART-D training, and Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) initiatives that strengthen joint readiness and strategic competition, while championing Veteran and Reservist communities across the National Capital Region and within her firm.

WHAT WE’RE RUNNING

A living list of stuff we like—tactical, grooming, whatever, with discounts.

1) Black Wool Cap: Cool black wool caps, use discount code GRAYMAN for 15% discount

2) OTB Boots: Baller tactical footwear company, use this link for discount

MERCH UP WITH THE FRATTY GUARD

Rep the P⚡T Culture or Design Your Own Custom Unit Gear

If you want to make baller ass unit gear repping our logo suite, check out The Fratty Guard Unit Collab Store.

Or for the GOAT classics, head over to The Fratty Guard.

PART⚡TIME NEWS ROUNDUP

• NATO chief: Europe can’t defend itself without U.S.

• Russia touts momentum as report details historic losses

• Trump weighs Iran strikes as renewed protests arise, sources say

• Trump national guard deployment cost taxpayers, analysis says

• Marco Rubio outlines force goals for Venezuela, U.S. interests

• Drone interceptors eyed for U.S. military installations

• Congress nears partial shutdown amid military policy fights

• Algorithmic warfare: AI’s role in cyber defense and offense

Support the Fight

If you support the work that Friendly Forces does, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to help keep the lights on. Every bit helps. Turns out stuff is expensive and we put countless man hours into the work.

That’s it for this week.

Absolutely massive things coming.