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VA reduced benefits backlog, but needs to get back in gear, say veteransThe backlog of veterans disability claims was reduced 37 percent after peaking last March, but hit a plateau after the VA stopped its mandatory overtime policy. The path forward is unclear.
US nuclear forces: Drinking and cheating? What the Pentagon wants to fix.Deborah Lee James, the new secretary of the Air Force, vows senior persistent oversight of the scandal-stricken nuclear forces and an attempt to boost missileers' self-esteem.
US unease rises amid 'black widow' manhunt in Sochi, terrorism threatsSecurity concerns for the Olympics in Sochi are on the rise among US officials, as video threats surface and the Russians hunt for suspected 'black widow' suicide bombers. US military is forced into 'contingency planning.'
Resurgent Afghanistan drug trade threatening US goals, Pentagon warnsIn the sharpest warnings they have ever issued on the topic, Pentagon officials told Congress the growing opium trade is threatening the costly US war effort to build a stable Afghanistan.
(Another) Air Force scandal: cheating by nuclear launch officersThe Air Force has grappled with sexual assault, illegal drug possession, and a boozy general in a Moscow bar, but charges of cheating on the nuclear launch tests hit especially hard.
Al Qaeda resurgence in Iraq: why Pentagon sees a silver liningBefore Al Qaeda elements seized the city of Fallujah, Iraq, on Jan. 1, they had stayed mostly in the shadows. Coming into the open will make them easier to handle, some experts say.
Sexual harassment in the military: what female cadets have to sayA congressionally mandated Pentagon report, released Friday, gauges sexual harassment and assault at America鈥檚 service academies and catalogs comments made by students during focus groups.
Does Robert Gates memoir hint at Obama's next Afghanistan moves?Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates says he witnessed a president making the right decisions and following the right strategy in Afghanistan, but not really believing in them.
Robert Gates memoir: Top 5 bombshells Early leaks of former Defense Secretary Robert Gates鈥� highly anticipated memoir have yielded a slew of insider tidbits about the personalities and behind-the-scenes struggles of Presidents Bush and Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and other top officials as they fought wars on two fronts.Here are his top five revelations.
As Iraq battles Al Qaeda in Fallujah, Pentagon takes note. Will Afghanistan?Anbar Province, where Iraq is battling insurgents, was once lauded for the decision of tribal elders to cast out Al Qaeda. The question is whether Afghan officials are receptive to the Iraqi lesson.
Just three pull-ups: Too many for women in the Marine Corps?The Marine Corps reports that most women in recruit training are unable to do the minimum three pull-ups. As the US military moves toward allowing more women in combat roles, this raises questions about physical standards.
Israeli-Palestinian peace talks: Is Kerry offering up US troops?Unconfirmed news reports out of Israel signal that an offer of US troops to secure the borders of a new Palestinian state is in the mix in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. US defense analysts urge caution.聽
New Pentagon blueprint sees bigger role for robot warfareThe Pentagon quietly released this week a technological vision for the next 25 years 鈥� a vision including drones and robots that will be 鈥榗ritical to future success鈥� of the US military, according to its authors.
US rescue operation in S. Sudan to test post-Benghazi Marine reaction forceThe Spain-based reaction force of 150 Marines poised to enter South Sudan to protect American 'interests' was created last spring in response to the September 2012 attack in Benghazi, Libya.
US Marines 'positioned' to enter S. Sudan as civil war loomsUN officials describe new evidence of atrocities and mass graves as 150 US troops arrive in the Horn of Africa to protect Americans and the US embassy.聽
Might Pentagon have been alerted sooner to boozy US general in Moscow?Pentagon concern about 'toxic leaders' is not new, but some worry that revelations of bad behavior by senior military officials will rise as the US returns to peacetime footing. Latest case in point is a report about a top Air Force general's drunken cavorting during a trip to Moscow.
What's in big defense bill? Plans to avoid another Benghazi, for one.The National Defense Authorization Act is one of Congress's top priorities. This year's version will change elements of sexual-assault court-martials and put pressure on Afghanistan's president.
USS Cowpens: Why China forced a confrontation at sea with US NavyThe USS Cowpens had to veer sharply to avoid colliding with a Chinese military vessel in international waters earlier this month, the US Navy has confirmed. In the USS Cowpens incident, what message was China sending?- Army successfully tests truck-mounted laser to stop mortars, dronesThe Army has spent the past month testing a 10-kilowatt laser weapon in the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The laser beam can cause targets to be destroyed in low-level midair explosions, instead of exploding on the ground.
Budget deal seen as boon to Pentagon. So why wouldn't veterans be happy?Under the deal, the cost-of-living adjustment for working age military retirees would be inflation minus one percent, a big savings for the federal budget, but 'disastrous' for benefits, says veterans group.
