A United States Navy^[1] ship that was facing a possible new name is keeping its identity.

The USNS César Chavez will retain its name after Reps. Gil Cisneros and Sam Liccardo -- both Democrats from California -- wrote a letter last July to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, requesting the vessel not be renamed. Cisneros previously served as undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness under former President Joe Biden.

"The Department of Defense has established clear criteria for naming military assets: consider historical context, recognize national service, and minimize cost USNS César Chavez meets those standards," the letter reads. "In 1946, before becoming one of the most consequential labor leaders in American history, César Chavez enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 19 and was stationed in the Western Pacific. He served in a segregated unit, where he, like many Mexican American servicemembers, quietly endured discrimination -- an experience that deepened his understanding of injustice and shaped his lifelong fight for dignity and equality."

Chavez co-founded the National Farm Workers Union alongside Dolores Huerta and Gilbert Padilla. The union later joined forces with the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee to become the United Farm Workers Labor Union.

In a written response, the Department of Defense said there are "no plans to rename USNS César Chavez."

"Uplifting the life and legacy of César Chavez should not be a partisan issue," Cisneros said in a statement. "I'm encouraged that Secretary Hegseth and the Department of Defense heard our concerns and will preserve the name of the USNS César Chavez. Mr. Chavez is an American hero who dedicated his life to our country, from the Navy to the labor movement. Sustaining his name on this ship is a powerful reminder of his enduring legacy and the inspiration he provides to all who serve."

"This is a win not only for the Latino community, and our veterans; it's a win for all Americans who believe service, leadership, and sacrifice deserve honor, not erasure," Liccardo added in his own statement. "César Chavez's story and triumphant spirit reflect the best of America, and I am relieved to know his legacy will continue to inspire those who serve our nation."

Read more: US DOD Secretary Pete Hegseth orders USNS Harvey Milk renamed during Pride Month

"This response raises questions of what defines 'warrior ethos,'" Liccardo's statement continued. "I welcome a response from Secretary Hegseth on why Bay Area hero and civil rights icon Harvey Milk's legacy won't be preserved under the same criteria."

The effort to rename U.S. Navy vessels began in June, when it was announced that the USNS Harvey Milk would be renamed. Harvey Milk was a Navy veteran, a gay rights advocate and the first openly gay man elected to public office in California.

Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement at the time that the renaming under Secretary Hegseth "will help highlight the priorities of President Donald Trump."

The USNS Harvey Milk -- the only ship thus far to be renamed under Hegseth's renaming effort -- was officially renamed in late June after Navy Chief Petty Officer Oscar V. Peterson, a World War II Navy veteran who received the Medal of Honor^[2] and fought in the Battle of the Coral Sea in 1942.

Other ships that came up as possibly being renamed included:

• USNS Thurgood Marshall
• USNS Medgar Evers
• USNS Harriet Tubman
• USNS Dolores Huerta
• USNS Lucy Stone
• USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg

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Visit www.myjournalcourier.com^[3].

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Gen. David Allvin, the Air Force^[1]'s top uniformed leader, suddenly announced Monday evening that he would be retiring as the service's chief of staff, marking the latest leadership shake-up within the Pentagon.

Allvin said in the statement that he would stay on as Air Force chief until his replacement is confirmed to "allow time for a smooth leadership transition." By law, the role lasts no more than four years, and Allvin was in the seat for just shy of two years before announcing he would be leaving. It marks the shortest tenure of an Air Force chief of staff since Gen. Michael J. Dugan was dismissed in 1990.

"I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve as the 23rd Air Force chief of staff, and I'm thankful for Secretary Meink, Secretary Hegseth and President Trump's faith in me to lead our service," Allvin said in a news release. "More than anything, I'm proud to have been part of the team of airmen who live out our core values of integrity, service and excellence every day as we prepare to defend this great nation."

Read Next: Airman Accused of Firing AK-47 Through Apartment Wall in Latest Gun Death Near Wyoming Base^[2]

Policy experts told Military.com that the departure raises alarm amid other leadership changes within the Department of the Air Force and the Pentagon at large. While some former Air Force officials said they were not surprised by the move, others also highlighted Allvin's nearly 40-year career and professionalism while serving under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in President Donald Trump's administration.

A reason for Allvin's sudden retirement announcement was not made public. The Washington Post reported that Hegseth wanted to go in a different direction^[3], and the 1986 Air Force Academy^[4] graduate and command pilot with more than 4,600 flying hours would be allowed to retire. No replacement was immediately named, and a retirement ceremony "with full honors" will take place later this year, the Air Force said in a statement.

"I would say that, regardless of the reason for his early departure, he is navigating the civ-mil norms professionally in the way he announced his departure and his willingness to provide a warm handoff to his successor," Katherine Kuzminski, the director of studies at the Center for a New American Security, told Military.com.

Allvin, who previously served as the vice chief of staff of the Air Force, took over for Gen. Charles "CQ" Brown. He started serving as the Air Force chief on Nov. 2, 2023. During his tenure, which bridged former President Joe Biden and Trump's administrations, Allvin oversaw several initiatives that were praised by current Air Force Secretary Troy Meink.

"The Air Force is fortunate to have leaders like Gen. Dave Allvin. During his tenure, the Air Force has undertaken transformational initiatives that will enable airmen to answer their nation's call for decades to come," Meink said in a news release.

Perhaps the biggest push, formulated under former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, was new efforts aimed at increasing competition with China that ranged from creating new commands, reestablishing warrant officers, and creating new offices within the headquarters.

Overall, those efforts received notable criticisms for being underfunded and not being focused on the Middle East, as well as being too tied to Kendall to ultimately succeed, Military.com previously reported.^[5]

Early this year, Hegseth paused at least some of those efforts. The Air Force has not fully articulated what endeavours are going ahead and what initiatives are being paused.

Allvin also spearheaded an initiative in early January, first reported on by Military.com^[6], that put a new emphasis on reviewing and enforcing existing standards and policies, ranging from following safety regulations and calling formations during which troops' uniforms^[7] and appearance will be inspected.

Once Hegseth was confirmed, later that month, it clearly aligned with the new defense secretary's overwhelming focus on raising military standards. The move, however, was not overly popular with the rank and file and led to frequent griping and criticisms online.

Alex Wagner, the former assistant secretary of the Air Force for manpower and reserve affairs, told Military.com that Allvin was focused on the men and women in uniform and was clearly dedicated to them.

"I have no idea about his political views, but after seeing him in action for the last few years, I know that Gen. Allvin took seriously his oath to the Constitution and his responsibility for the well-being of the men and women of the Air Force," Wagner told Military.com. "Apparently, that kind of integrity is disqualifying for Peter Hegseth and Donald Trump, where loyalty means something entirely different."

Allvin's departure comes amid numerous changes throughout the Department of the Air Force and Pentagon.

This now marks four service chiefs who have been removed since Hegseth and Trump took the reins, including Brown, as Joint Chiefs chairman, as well as Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti and Coast Guard^[8] Commandant Linda Fagan.

Gen. James Slife, the Air Force's vice chief of staff under Allvin, was also removed by Hegseth. Gen. Thomas Bussiere, the head of Air Force Global Strike Command, has been nominated to take Slife's seat. Also in recent weeks, Air Force Under Secretary Matthew Lohmeier, a former Space Force^[9] Guardian who was booted from that service for making allegations of Marxism in the military, joined headquarters.

"From the outside, it appears that the leadership turmoil is continuing at senior levels of the Pentagon," Todd Harrison, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, told Military.com. "It leaves everyone wondering, who is next?"

Related: Air Force's Big Reorganization Effort Focused on China Paused by Defense Secretary^[10]

Ever since Valerie Swift opted to voluntarily leave the Navy^[1] under the Trump administration's ban on transgender service members, she's encountered several roadblocks.

The 26-year-old first class petty officer says she still hasn't received a termination date from the Navy, and she's unsure if she should keep showing up for work as normal. And her questions over how and when to file a claim to receive benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs^[2] continue to go unanswered.

"The biggest thing for me is health care," said Swift, who has been receiving gender affirming care for years. "I have not gotten a single solid answer."

Swift isn't alone. Many service members remain uncertain^[3] about how President Donald Trump's executive order, "Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness," which deemed transgender service members unfit for military service, is being implemented since it was enacted in January.

In the hopes of finding clarity, Swift attended a workshop at the LGBT Community Center in Hillcrest on Monday designed to guide transgender and nonbinary service members through their separation and life after the service.

The workshop was organized by The Center and the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet), a state agency that helps connect veterans and their families to their earned benefits.

CalVet's California Transition Assistance Program is offered to all people exiting the military, but this workshop was the agency's first one specifically for transgender and LGBTQ+ veterans and their allies.

"Our position has always been, when it comes to connection to various services in the community: we're here," said Roberto Herrera, the deputy secretary for veteran services at CalVet. "It's the significance of the action that makes it paramount to have something more specialized."

The Trump administration told transgender troops that they could voluntarily leave the service with an honorable discharge and additional separation pay^[4], or wait to be forced to leave, with unclear repercussions.

A federal court in March temporarily blocked Trump's policy. But in May the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the ban to take effect while legal challenges proceed.

"Expressing a false 'gender identity' divergent from an individual's sex cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service," the executive order read.

It's unclear how many transgender people are actively serving. The U.S. Department of Defense estimates^[5] there are about 4,240 people with a diagnosis of gender dysphoria -- around 0.2% of the 2 million service members.

Not all transgender people have experienced gender dysphoria, and not all people with such a diagnosis are transgender. But the diagnosis is the military's best way of tracking the numbers of transgender people serving.

Active duty troops had until June 6 to voluntarily separate, and National Guard^[6] and reserve members had until July 7.

But service members who are forced to leave under the policy are still entitled to most VA benefits.

Monday's event at The Center included panel discussions with representatives from local and state groups, focusing on how veterans can file claims to receive benefits from the VA and obtain legal resources -- as well as take care of their mental health and find support in their civilian life.

After military service, "you're left to figure out the pieces" and navigate a loss of identity, Pamuela Halliwell, the director of behavioral health services at The Center, said during a panel discussion.

Halliwell was kicked out of the Navy under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in 2007 for being transgender -- a discharge that stripped her of the right to receive benefits under the VA.

About 30 people attended the workshop, including service members, veterans and advocates. State and local organizations had booths set up to offer participants support, including assistance with processing insurance claims.

The workshop was a stand-alone event, but The Center and CalVet say they hope to continue the partnership and are looking at holding future workshops.

Kora Delta, an Air Force^[7] veteran who voluntarily separated from the service this month, said she would like to see consistent workshops like Monday's and would recommend that the workshop be recorded for people who can't attend in person.

In March, Delta was put on administrative leave from the Air Force and hasn't been working since, which has given her more time to research benefits for her life after the service.

But other service members may not have that time, she says, and will need community support to help point them in the right direction.

"It's a headache; it's a whole new thing," she said, also noting that she expects a significant number of service members to be separating from the military in the coming months. "There's gonna be a lot of people transitioning, and they're going to need those resources."

© 2025 The San Diego Union-Tribune.

Visit sandiegouniontribune.com^[8].

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.^[9]