Army helicopter pilot: ‘We need a military based 100 percent on merit.’ Former U.S. Army helicopter pilot Amber Smith backs Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in his call for combat readiness to be merit-based on 'The Will Cain Show.' NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! The Army is launching a sweeping new nuclear program to generate power for bases across the globe, particularly in remote or contested locations where fuel might be difficult to obtain, Fox News Digital has learned. "