Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Fort Myers, Florida – The United States has filed a civil complaint in federal district court against Dr. Kevin Rosenbach, a doctor practicing in allergy and immunology in Naples Florida, and Kevin P. Rosenbach, M.D. P.A. The complaint alleges that Dr. Rosenbach and Kevin P. Rosenbach, M.D. P.A knowingly caused false claims for subcutaneous immune globulins to be submitted to Medicare Part B.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
The Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division) today announced the formation of the West Coast Health Care Fraud Strike Force, a multi-district enforcement initiative uniting the Division’s Health Care Fraud Section with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of Arizona, District of Nevada, and Northern District of California. The Health Care Strike Force model has proven to be one of the most powerful tools in the federal enforcement arsenal, responsible nationally for the prosecution of over 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion.
“Driven by data showing a significant and accelerating increase in health care fraud across all three districts, the Strike Force builds on a foundation of recent landmark prosecutions — including the successful prosecution of digital health technology executives in the Northern District of California and the dismantling of Medicaid, sober home, and wound care fraud schemes in the District of Arizona,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald of the Justice Department’s Fraud Division. “The Fraud Division is committed to bringing that same relentless, data-driven prosecutorial force to bear across every corner of this region, making unmistakably clear that no scheme is too sophisticated, no network too large or small, and no fraudster too distant to escape federal accountability.”
“Silicon Valley has become ground zero for technology-driven health care fraud schemes that seek to cheat taxpayer-funded programs like Medicare,” said Craig H. Missakian, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California. “The Health Care Strike Force announced today is a powerful partnership that brings together the resources and expertise needed to detect and dismantle even the most sophisticated fraud schemes.”
“Defrauding the government steals from Americans who need help the most. In Arizona alone, federal law enforcement and the United States Attorney’s Office have disrupted fraud schemes worth over a billion dollars of taxpayer money,” said Timothy Courchaine, U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona. “Our mission as part of the West Coast Health Care Fraud Strike Force is to ensure Americans who need critical services are not used as pawns to make bad actors rich. Through excellent investigations, trial work, and seizures of ill-gotten gains, the District of Arizona will continue safeguarding those services.”
“The dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorneys and professional staff in the District of Nevada are working in coordination with our partners at the FBI, HHS, DEA and other federal, state, and local agencies to unravel fraud schemes and to hold criminals fully accountable,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “With each indictment and conviction, we are achieving justice for victims who were taken advantage of by these fraudsters. We are proud to be part of the newly created West Coast Health Care Fraud Strike Force and we are committed to bringing our skill and expertise to the Justice Department’s fight against fraud.”
This expansion brings enhanced federal enforcement resources to one of the nation’s most significant health care technology hubs in the Northern District of California and what data analytics show is the migration of fraud schemes to Arizona and Nevada. Late last year in San Francisco, the CEO and Chief Medical Officer of a digital technology company were convicted for an over $100 million scheme to commit health care fraud and distribute over Adderall over the internet, resulting in addiction and patient harm. These convictions followed other recent high-impact prosecutions that were jointly prosecuted by the Strike Force and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices prosecutors:
As part of the expansion, Health Care Fraud Acting Chief Jacob Foster and Acting Assistant Chief Gary Winters will coordinate closely with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to establish the Strike Force. The Strike Force will work in partnership with the HHS Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other law enforcement partners, reflecting the Department’s determination that the need for coordinated, aggressive action in this region is urgent and undeniable. Health care fraud in these districts imposes an enormous and growing burden on American taxpayers and undermines the integrity of Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE. The victims are real: elderly patients denied access to legitimate care, disabled individuals whose benefits are stolen by criminal networks, and low-income families who rely on these programs for basic medical services. The Strike Force’s west coast expansion makes clear that the Fraud Division will use every available legal tool to identify, investigate, and prosecute these offenses. Members of the public are encouraged to report wrongdoing in the health care industry, and the new Department-wide corporate enforcement policy for criminal matters creates incentives for companies to voluntarily disclose when misconduct occurs.
“DEA’s involvement in the West Coast Fraud Task Force demonstrates our continued commitment to work across government to safeguard the health and safety of our communities. Our message to health care professionals who profit their patients’ pain is clear: if you use your license to harm the public, you will be held accountable,” said Assistant Administrator Cheri Oz, DEA Diversion Control Division. “Whether you are a medical professional who diverts controlled substances, like Adderall or Xanax, or a criminal enterprise that defrauds federal health care programs and private insurers, DEA will continue its pursuit of those who exploit our health care system and poison our communities.”
“The FBI is proud of the work we do to combat health care fraud, and we are eager to continue investigating those who illegally abuse our systems,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “This Strike Force allows for further joint actions that will prevent more criminals from lining their pockets at the expense of the American taxpayer. We look forward to playing our part in this whole-of-government approach to combating these schemes.”
“Strike Force partnerships between HHS-OIG, DOJ, U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the FBI, and the DEA are a proven force multiplier that utilizes a coordinated and data-driven approach to identifying, investigating, and prosecuting fraud,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “Recent enforcement actions across Arizona, Nevada, and California have revealed emerging threats targeting billions of taxpayer dollars from federal health care programs. Many of these schemes are driven by sham operations designed to appear legitimate while exploiting patients and inflating claims through increasingly sophisticated methods. The expansion of the West Coast Health Care Fraud Strike Force ensures that HHS‑OIG can apply our investigative tools and coordinated enforcement capabilities to identify these threats earlier and act with strategic precision.”
The establishment of the West Coast Strike Force builds on the recent expansion of the Strike Force program to the District of Massachusetts and a record-setting year for health care enforcement in 2025—leading the largest ever National Health Care Fraud Takedown, charging more than $15 billion in alleged loss, forfeiting and returning to the public fisc more than $560 million, and bringing four corporate matters. A third-party consulting group analyzed return on investment and showed that the average return on investment (FY21-24) from funding the Health Care Fraud Section by year 10 is $106.76 per $1 spent, and over $4.5 billion in projected savings.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the Fraud Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Today, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division launched investigations into 36 Illinois public school districts to determine whether they have included sexual orientation and gender ideology (SOGI) content in any class for grades pre-K-12.
If they are teaching SOGI-related content, the investigations will examine whether the schools have notified parents of their right to opt their children out of such instruction. The investigation will also assess whether the Illinois School Districts limit access to single-sex intimate spaces (such as bathrooms and locker rooms) and girls’ sports teams based on biological sex.
“This Department of Justice is determined to put an end to local school authorities keeping parents in the dark about how sexuality and gender ideology are being pushed in classrooms,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Supreme Court precedent leaves no doubt: parents have the fundamental right and primary authority to direct the care, upbringing, and education of their children. This includes exempting their children from ideological instruction that contradicts their values or decisions about their children’s health and best interests.”
The investigations will examine whether these Illinois School Districts, which are recipients of hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayer funding, are adhering to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the Supreme Court’s extensive precedents on parental rights as recently reiterated in Mirabelli v. Bonta and Mahmoud v. Taylor.
The Civil Rights Division has not reached any conclusions about the subject matter of the investigations.
The Illinois School Districts under investigation include:
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Moeleek Harrell, also known as “Moe Money,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan to 60 years in prison for his crimes as the leader of the Bully Gang, a violent street gang based in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. Harrell was one of 53 defendants charged and convicted in connection with the Eastern District of New York’s case against the Bully Gang. Harrell and three other high-ranking members of the gang were convicted by a jury in July 2024 following a 13-week trial. Harrell was convicted of racketeering, two murder conspiracies, two assaults, two instances of using a gun during a crime of violence, two drug trafficking conspiracies, and two money laundering conspiracies.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Today, the Justice Department is announcing an anti-fraud initiative that will materially strengthen its working relationship with whistleblowers. The Civil Division has experienced a rapid increase in the number of qui tam complaints filed in recent years. Much of this surge has been driven by companies or individuals who analyze publicly available government data for potential signals of fraud (data miners), rather than the insiders who have traditionally served as relators under the federal False Claims Act (FCA).
The Civil Division welcomes the contributions of data miners but will prioritize working with data miners that demonstrate an insightful application of sophisticated technological capabilities to regulatory frameworks to help identify potential fraud that would otherwise go undetected. To support the Civil Division’s capacity to identify and partner with the best data miners, the Civil Division is launching the Fraud Oversight through Careful Use of Statistics (FOCUS) initiative.
“Sophisticated data analytics have become an increasingly important means of identifying fraud trends and uncovering patterns of misconduct across federal programs,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The FOCUS initiative reflects our commitment to ensuring that the Civil Division is engaging with the strongest and most effective partners in the war against fraud.”
“We are interested in hearing from data miners who believe they have developed particularly effective tools for detecting fraud against the government,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brenna E. Jenny of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Participants should be prepared to explain what differentiates their approach, how they validate their findings, and why their methodology provides a reliable basis for identifying high-quality, actionable False Claims Act matters.”
Through the FOCUS initiative, data miners will have an opportunity to meet with the Civil Fraud Section to discuss their capabilities and outline why and how their data signals reliably correlate to fraud. Such meetings are not a pre-filing requirement, but the Department will prioritize working with data miners that have demonstrated an investment in pre-filing diligence and commitment to analytical rigor, familiarity with program rules, and legally sufficient allegations.
Data miner relators interested in meeting with the Department may reach out to FOCUS.dataminers@usdoj.gov.
Source: United States Army
Fort A.P. Hill, VA Today’s battlefields are evolving faster than ever. With dual use technologies advancing at breakneck speeds and outpacing traditional countermeasures, our Warfighters require more than just a place to train, they need an environment that adapts as rapidly as the threats they face.
To maintain our decisive edge on the battlefield, the military must continuously transform how it trains and fights. U.S. Army Garrison Fort A.P. Hill is leading that charge, aggressively modernizing its capabilities to build the combat ready formations of tomorrow.
On March 20th, MDW Fort A.P. Hill hosted its 2026 Annual Training Conference (ATC), transforming the Regional Training Support Center into a dynamic, “one stop shop” for readiness. The event brought together mission commanders, leaders, and training representatives from across the eastern United States to explore emerging technologies, streamline their training plans, and experience Fort A.P. Hill’s top notch customer service firsthand.
Boasting 76,000 acres of maneuver space, Fort A.P. Hill offers highly customizable training capabilities for units across the Army, the broader Joint Force, and interagency partners. During the conference, garrison experts confidently detailed the installation’s continuous transformation initiatives, highlighting robust modernization efforts across ranges and training areas, advanced UAS and Counter UAS capabilities as well as electronic warfare environments designed to support the full spectrum of modern mission requirements.
Alongside dedicated garrison staff, industry innovators showcased the future of battlefield realism. Highlights included a high impact live fire demonstration on Range 3, where Fort A.P. Hill’s Directorate of Emergency Services (DES) police force engaged Trackless Mobile Infantry Targets (TMITs). Attendees also experienced immersive, haptic-feedback body suits for tactical medical training, augmented and virtual reality simulators for adaptive close quarters battle, and realistic battlefield blast simulators.
Yet, what truly set the 2026 ATC apart was the human element. Specifically, the dedicated breakout sessions. In a truly customer focused environment, mission commanders had the invaluable opportunity to sit down one on one with MDW Fort A.P. Hill’s seasoned professionals. During these focused sessions, unit leaders were able to thoroughly discuss their unique training needs and immediately schedule their 2026-2027 operations on the spot. This streamlined, face to face coordination eliminated weeks of administrative back and forth, directly returning valuable time and energy to the Warfighter so they can focus on their mission.
The impact of this human centric, seamlessly coordinated event was deeply felt by the attending units.
“On behalf of the 450 CA BN (A), I wanted to thank you all for taking the time out of your busy schedules to put together the FY26 FAPH ATC,”said attendee CPT Brayden Snow.”It was a great display of your attentiveness and attention to the training and readiness of organizations within your AOR. You all showed in this moment that you care about the Servicemember and the Warfighter, and we all are much appreciative to have such a great place to exercise our people and our equipment.”
Through unparalleled inter-directorate teamwork, immediate scheduling capabilities, and a forward-looking partnership with industry leaders, the ATC proved that MDW Fort A.P. Hill is not just keeping pace with modern warfare, it is setting the standard.
A calling message for the 2027 Annual Training Conference will be released at the end of the year. Fort A.P. Hill looks forward to hosting any interested units as we continuously strive to live up to our motto, “The best training and support – Anywhere!”
Source: United States Army
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BIZERTE, Tunisia — Military leaders and diplomatic officials gathered to conclude the Tunisia-hosted portion of African Lion 2026, the 22nd iteration of U.S. Africa Command’s premier multinational exercise, April 29.
The closing ceremony followed weeks of high-intensity training across Tunisia involving over 500 personnel from the U.S., African and allied nations. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), the exercise focused on a broad spectrum of modern warfare, from large-scale combat operations to crisis response and humanitarian assistance.
“As a collective from over 40 nations, this year’s African Lion demonstrates the continued growth and relevance of this premier exercise,” said U.S. Army Lt. Gen. John Brennan, deputy commanding general of U.S. Africa Command. “The sheer scale of this combined, joint and interagency exercise demonstrates the depth of unity and diversity of capabilities that the coalition of the willing we’re a part of can be brought to bear against common threats.”
African Lion 2026 is U.S. Africa Command’s largest annual joint exercise, designed to strengthen collective security capabilities of the U.S., African nations and global allies. Co-led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) from April 20 to May 8, 2026, and hosted in Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia, AL26 involves over 5,600 personnel from more than 40 nations, using innovation to drive partner-led regional security. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Andrew Mallett)
VIEW ORIGINALA hallmark of this year’s exercise was the integration of innovation on the battlefield. In the skies over Tunisia, the 124th Air Support Operations Squadron led air-ground Integration training, which brought Tunisian joint terminal attack controllers together with multinational intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets.
On the ground, a U.S. Marine Corps ground sensor platoon partnered with Tunisian Special Forces. Together, they conducted infiltration and observation missions in key areas of interest using advanced sensor technology to provide real-time intelligence to allied forces.
AL26 covered multiple domains of modern conflict:
— Special operations: In a display of multinational synergy, Italian, French and Tunisian special operations forces executed military free fall and direct-action missions. At sea, Italian and Tunisian maritime teams refined combat diving skills, as well as visit, board, search and seizure tactics.
— Cyber defense: For the first time, the U.S. Army Reserve Cyber Protection Brigade conducted cyber security academics with the Tunisian army, signaling an expansion of the exercise into the digital frontier.
— Intelligence and explosive ordnance disposal: Military intelligence teams refined advanced analytic skills, while EOD experts trained to neutralize unmanned aerial systems and chemical hazards.
African Lion 2026 is U.S. Africa Command’s largest annual joint exercise, designed to strengthen collective security capabilities of the U.S., African nations and global allies. Co-led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) from April 20 to May 8, 2026, and hosted in Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia, AL26 involves over 5,600 personnel from more than 40 nations, using innovation to drive partner-led regional security. (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Katherine Sibilla)
VIEW ORIGINALBeyond tactical proficiency, African Lion 2026 served as a strategic tool for deterrence and regional stability. This year’s exercise occurred as Tunisia is facing border security challenges stemming from its role as a major transit point for irregular migration — a situation that has sparked social tensions and security concerns in coastal regions.
The United States has approved a $95 million foreign military sale to Tunisia to enhance border security capabilities in response to this situation. The package includes surveillance systems, command-and-control tools and training support. This effort aims to strengthen Tunisia’s ability to monitor borders, counter smuggling and address regional instability. The deal reinforces Tunisia’s role as a key strategic partner and supports broader security objectives in North Africa.
By improving multinational interoperability and combined mission command nodes, the U.S. and its partners aim to counter competitor influence and enhance African nations’ capacity to lead their own security initiatives.
African Lion 2026 is U.S. Africa Command’s largest annual joint exercise, designed to strengthen collective security capabilities of the U.S., African nations and global allies. Co-led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) from April 20 to May 8, 2026, and hosted in Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia, AL26 involves over 5,600 personnel from more than 40 nations, using innovation to drive partner-led regional security. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Ahnessa Black)
VIEW ORIGINAL“African Lion 26 provides an outstanding opportunity to enhance our lethality and build readiness across all warfighting functions and domains,” Brennan said. “The exercise underscores our collective commitment to preserving peace through strength through our commitment to executing the most realistic, demanding and high-intensity training possible — training that directly prepares us to confront complex and formidable threats.”
As flags lowered in Bizerte, the consensus among participants was clear: The bonds forged during AL26 have created a more secure and responsive combined force, ready to support global operations and regional peace.
About African Lion
African Lion 2026 is U.S. Africa Command’s largest annual joint exercise, designed to strengthen collective security capabilities of the U.S., African nations and global allies. Co-led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) from April 20 to May 8, 2026, and hosted in Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia, AL26 involves over 5,600 personnel from more than 40 nations, using innovation to drive partner-led regional security.
African Lion content can be found on the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS).
About SETAF-AF
U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) prepares Army forces, executes crisis response, enables strategic competition and strengthens partners to achieve U.S. Army Europe and Africa and U.S. Africa Command campaign objectives.
Follow SETAF-AF on: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn & DVIDS
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
One of the leaders in a larger drug trafficking operation in the Eastern Panhandle has been sentenced in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. Samuel Rose, 53, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, will serve 190 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to a cocaine distribution charge.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Report details the Biden Administration’s radical efforts to punish Christians and highlights President Trump’s efforts to restore religious liberty
WASHINGTON—Today, the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias published a report detailing how the Biden Administration’s prosecutions, policies, and practices demonstrated anti-Christian bias throughout the federal government, in accordance with Executive Order 14202. The Acting Attorney General serves as Chair of the Task Force, and the Justice Department coordinated this significant interagency effort.
“No American should live in fear that the federal government will punish them for their faith,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Chair of the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias. “As our report lays out, the Biden Administration’s actions devastated the lives of many Christian Americans. That devastation ended with President Trump. The Department of Justice will continue to expose bad actors who targeted Christians and work tirelessly to restore religious liberty for all Americans of faith.”
The 200-page report collects the detailed findings of the seventeen federal agencies on the Task Force, as well as other agencies who also uncovered religious discrimination. The report examines how the Biden Administration pushed its radical policy agenda, even when its actions infringed on Christian beliefs, free exercise, and on matters of deep personal importance to nearly every American: life, family, marriage, self-identity, education, medical decisions, and more. To support these findings, the Report contains over 1100 footnotes and over 300 pages of exhibits.
In creating its portions of the report, the Justice Department conducted a thorough review of internal discussions, case files, and prosecutorial decisions, some of which are detailed in the recent report published by the Weaponization Working Group about the FACE Act. The Justice Department met with and received information from over 100 stakeholders and victims in its review of the impacts of the Biden Administration’s anti-Christian bias.
The report touches on a broad array of federal policies and programs, including conscience rights, the Johnson Amendment, fines against Christian universities, girls’ sports, vaccine mandates, and the exclusion of Christians from public programs, among many others. The Task Force also highlights related findings at the state and local level and in the private sector. Among the many findings, the Justice Department discovered:
While this report details the egregious actions of the Biden Administration against Christians, it also demonstrates how the Trump Administration is restoring the rights of Christians—and all Americans—to practice their faith without fear of retribution.
The Department of Justice is committed to religious liberty for all and will continue to support President Trump’s mandate to eradicate anti-Christian bias throughout the federal government.
Source: United States Army
WASHINGTON — At the most pivotal moment of her young life, then 13-year-old Lila Morgan clutched the hand of her little brother, Charles Elijah, and danced on the floor of Congregation Schaarai Zedek, a gated, Jewish synagogue in Tampa, Florida.
Charles, 11, took the place of their father, then-Sgt. Larry Morgan, in the traditional father-daughter dance at Lila’s bat mitzvah ceremony on July 16, 2020. During the ceremony, her brother stepped in to take his father’s place.
Charles and Lila swayed and smiled to Charlie Puth’s “One Call Away” before dozens of friends and family.
“When we learned about his deployment, it was heartbreaking to realize he was going to miss a moment I had worked toward and looked forward to for so long,” Lila said. “But almost immediately, my younger brother Charles stepped in, determined to make sure I wouldn’t feel alone or like I was missing anything.”
That summer day, the Morgans celebrated the Jewish tradition of Lila’s passage into adulthood without the most important figure in her life. Becoming a bat mitzvah signifies a woman’s obligation to uphold and obey the Jewish commandments, making her vows to Judaism binding.
Thousands of miles across the Atlantic in Lithuania, Larry, a member of the Florida Army National Guard, was supporting a NATO deterrence mission in the Baltic region. The family had rescheduled the bat mitzvah celebration three times but could not predict when Larry would get the call to deploy.
“There was a quiet sense of melancholy in knowing [Dad] wasn’t physically there,” Lila said. “But even stronger than that was an overwhelming feeling of joy and pride because in that moment my dad was there through my brother.”
At the age when most teenage girls are preparing for high school and the beginning of adolescence, Lila had to grow up faster than her peers. Her father, who had returned to military service in his 40s, would be undertaking military missions with the National Guard, leaving home for months at a time.
The Talmud, the foundational text of Jewish religious and civil law, indicates that God has given women greater wisdom. Jewish law refers to women as the “foundation” of the house. Larry Morgan said Lila, now 18 years old and the 2026 Operation Homefront Military Child of the Year for the National Guard, embodied those notions while helping her mother raise her younger brothers, and empathizing with other Jewish students.
“She doesn’t want adversity to be her story,” Larry said. “She wants her story to be the things that she’s done and other people she’s shined on or helped.”
A child prodigy, Lila met the requirements to graduate high school by age 13. She continued to excel academically, reaching milestone after milestone — driven in part by a love of learning that she and her dad had always shared.
“While he couldn’t always be there in person, his presence was evident in every achievement,” Lila said. “He wasn’t always in the room—but he was in the result.”
Return to arms
In 2019, after the family moved to Florida, Larry decided to re-enlist, driven by a desire to support communities affected by disasters such as the California towns affected by the California wildfires.
He re-enlisted as an infantry sergeant and used the benefits from the National Guard to complete his bachelor’s degree in business from Saint Leo University at the age of 40. He began Officer Candidate School at the onset of COVID-19, then commissioned as an air defense artillery officer in the Florida Army National Guard.
Larry said he joined the Guard to get back into shape and once again serve his country. “I felt like a left a lot on the table in leaving the military,” he said. He had deployed as a member of the Marine Corps Reserve during the 2003 invasion of Iraq and left the service in 2005, two years before Lila’s birth.
Larry still gets emotional when he speaks about missing his daughter’s bat mitzvah, most of her birthdays, and academic award ceremonies and competitions. He even missed her first high school breakup.
“I can look back and say how much I grew and how much I learned from [being a military child] how wonderful it is,” Lila said. “But in those deployments, in those moments, it’s difficult. And it is stress-inducing to be able to balance your life and support your family and comfort your younger siblings and help comfort your mom.”
In the Jewish faith, women are the standard bearers who pass on religious and cultural traditions to their children. Lila tutored her younger brothers on Judaism and the importance of becoming bar mitzvahs and she taught Sunday school lessons at her local synagogue. However, it was while her father serve his state particularly during South Florida’s hurricane evacuations, she learned to model her life after his example.
“I’m looking at a picture of him right now in my room,” Lila said. “My father has taught me so much about how to view the world and how to approach the world.”
She said she emulated her father’s leadership style when she took command of her Civil Air Patrol cadet squadron. She got to know each member of her squadron as her dad did with his Soldiers as a platoon commander. Larry moved his family to south central Florida to expose his children to greater diversity and perspectives.
“He works with other leaders in the mindset of making a transformational change to people,” Lila said. “His power as a leader comes from his people, because he works in a way to build trust and respect with them.”
Now set to graduate from the University of South Florida in August with a double major in politic science and criminology, Operation Homefront named Lila its 2026 Military Child of the Year. The 18-year-old plans to spend a year studying at a seminary in Jerusalem, dedicating time to personal growth and strengthening her connection to her faith. She will then return to pursue a law degree, with the goal of commissioning as an Army Judge Advocate General (JAG) officer and completing law school by age 22.
From January to May 2025, Lila served as an intern in the office of Representative Kathy Castor of Florida’s 14th Congressional District. She returned in January 2026 and now serves as the lead intern. In June 2025, she also began working with the International Institute of Leadership and Strategic Management an Institute of the United Nations Human Rights Council, where she contributes to their Certified Youth Advocate division.
An old soul
As a kindergartner, Lila defended an autistic student from bullying when she noticed classmates cornering and intimidating her friend. Lila stood in between her friend and the bullies before storming to the principal’s office. Lila credits this experience as a key starting point in her decision to pursue a career in law, noting that a passion for advocating for what is right has been part of her for as long as she can remember.
Relatives and teachers noticed Lila struggling to remain engaged and challenged. Larry found new ways to push her intellectually—bringing home academic challenges and engaging her in conversations about philosophy, curiosity, and geopolitics. Relatives and teachers enrolled her in a gifted program and began taking advanced core courses above her grade level.
“Everyone would say she was like an old soul — very caring and thoughtful,” Larry said. “Like she saw the world in a bigger picture than most kids her age.”
Larry had grown up as a military child himself, excelling as a multi-sport athlete in football, basketball, swimming and rugby. However, unlike his daughter, he struggled in high school earning poor grades. Years later he learned he possessed high intelligence but suffered from dyslexia. In the Marine Corps, he completed a training course faster than other students. He learned better working with his hands. He later earned his business degree from nearby Saint Leo University.
Lila said her dad sparked her academic curiosity. She saw her father discover his aptitude for learning. Her father’s experience pushed Lila to become an advocate for utilizing different forms of teaching methods to support all learning modalities when she took command of her Civil Air Patrol squadron.
“Becoming a military child opened my mind to what was possible in the world,” Lila said. “Because I saw my father at 40 years old decide to completely reinvent his life.”
During Larry’s National Guard deployments, he posted a world map in his daughter’s room at the family’s house in Lithia, Florida. When she communicated with her father by video conference call, the pair would share news articles. Lila would then place a pin on each country on the map and track where the events had direct or indirect impacts. She and her dad would engage in deep conversations about underlying factors that led to the news stories, such as wars.
“In many ways it became how we stayed connected,” Lila said.
During her dad’s first deployment, Lila overcame her anxiety by delving into what she knew best, academics. She graduated from high school at age 16, while simultaneously taking college courses. Though she got accepted into some of the nation’s top institutions, she chose to remain close and support her family during her dad’s deployments, enrolling at USF. In addition to academics, she contributed to the community, accumulating 1,600 volunteer hours in the past year.
“My academics were something I could control,” she said. “This was something I was completely responsible for, that I could pour myself into, and I can guarantee the outcome, and I can guarantee the results.”
She also joined the Florida Army National Guard’s Child and Youth Program, serving on the program’s youth advisory council as vice president and president until her high school graduation. The National Guard dedicated the program to building strong communities for Guard families across the state.
During this time, she also competed in the Accomplished American Pageant System, a community service–based pageant organization. Her platform focused on empowering women in male-dominated fields. She became the youngest person in the pageant’s history to be crowned Miss Florida 2023 and went on to earn the national title of Accomplished American Grand Supreme 2023, also as the youngest titleholder.
After graduating from high school, she co-founded her own nonprofit organization, I Choose To Be Drug Free, Inc., dedicated to youth substance abuse prevention.
To continue communicating with dad, Lila and her brothers wrote letters and placed them with photos in a shoebox. Larry then brought the box with him on his deployment and opened a letter every week on Shabbat, a 25-hour observance and day of rest.
In total, Larry, now an executive officer, would spend 36 months deployed. And during those months, Lila shouldered more responsibility.
She recalled one afternoon when a pipe had burst inside the family’s home. The teenager drove home from USF’s campus to help fix the plumbing. Frustrated, she knew at times the limits of her patience would be tested, but she never faltered. When a hurricane approached the Tampa area, Lila helped the family prepare the house for the storm, securing a fallen tree while Larry deployed on a search and rescue mission in north Florida.
“These are experiences that most 14-, to 15-year-olds aren’t getting. It builds your character in tremendous ways,” Lila said. “And it was one of the most beautiful gifts I was ever given because it gave me so many skill sets and so many character traits that I wouldn’t have had otherwise.”
Larry, as a member of a short-range, air defense or SHORAD unit, would leave at moment’s notice to travel to where the eye of the storm was expected to hit. His unit would survey the area and connect with other first responders. Larry would evacuate homes before the hurricanes made landfall and distribute food and supplies to displaced residents after the storm. He would also clear trees and brush from the roads for quick, safe passage during evacuations.
“It was very eye-opening, all the different stuff that we do,” Larry said.
Inspired by her father’s service Lila plans to commission into the Army. The USF senior will study law in the fall of 2027, where she will fulfill a childhood pledge she made to herself in first grade: to become a military lawyer. Lila credits her early childhood experiences for her interest in law and eventually as a JAG officer.
Making and impact
At a time of rising antisemitism, many Jewish Americans have hidden their Jewish identity, according to an article published by the Pew Research Center in April. Rather than hide, Lila joined the USF’s Jewish Student Association board to advocate against injustice and promote a more vibrant and flourishing Jewish life on campus.
“My father is dedicating himself to his service, and he’s so much better off as a person because of it, and he’s bettering our world,” she said. “I can do the same even though I’m young. And I can make massive impacts and massive strides to change our world.”
When she arrived at USF, other Jewish students suffered abuse by their peers. A fellow student once called her “a terrorist” in the middle of class.
“It was terrifying to be on campus,” Lila said. “My friends got spit on. My friends got cornered. They weren’t allowed in class. “Professors were failing them intentionally. It was a really rough time.”
She said that through outreach efforts with campus administrators, safety for Jewish students has improved at USF. The school made more kosher dining options available and the Jewish student population has risen.
Lila still proudly displays her culture, often wearing a Star of David — a symbol of protection, and traditional Jewish clothing. She hopes to one day rise to the top of the JAG Corps ranks and become a public defender for clients who cannot afford attorneys.
“Antisemitism has been something I’ve experienced since I was in kindergarten, and I do genuinely believe it did inspire the love of law in me,” Lila said. “Because I’ve always been someone, since I was in elementary school, who would stand up for someone else.”
After years of leadership experience, Lila decided to write her own book on leadership, geared toward teenagers who aspire to become leaders in their own right. “Becoming Undeniable,” is set to be released in May 2026 and is designed to provide young leaders with a clear roadmap to building credibility and influence in any field, regardless of their age.
When Lila encountered a student in her Junior ROTC battalion who suffered from domestic abuse, Lila brought the student to her family’s home.
“Lila brought her home and gave her a sanctuary to feel safe and talk through some things,” Larry said. “She helped her out more like a mentor.”
Before moving to Washington to attend law school, Lila will travel to a Yeshiva in Israel, where she will spend a year in intensive study of ancient Hebrew texts the Talmud and Halacha, which documents Jewish law.
After becoming a bat mitzvah, Lila made a personal pact with herself. Although she felt a strong bond to Judaism her entire life, at 13, she studied the religion more closely. It eventually became the strongest part of her identity.
“[Judaism] is something that’s active in my day-to-day life, from the very first thing I say when I wake up in the morning, and my very first actions of the day, to my very last actions of my day,” she said. “It’s prevalent in the people I surround myself with, the values and the way I approach the world, and how I get over a difficult time, and how I reframe my mindset when things are difficult.”
Lila Morgan contributed to this report
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