News
U.S. strikes Iran-backed militia strongholds in Iraq, Syria-
U.S. forces struck five Hezbollah targets on Dec. 29, according to a Pentagon news release, in retaliation for a Dec. 27 attack on a Iraqi coalition base that killed one U.S. civilian.
Taliban council agrees to temporary cease-fire in Afghanistan-
The Taliban said Dec. 29 they have agreed to a temporary cease-fire nationwide. It provides a window during which a peace agreement with the United States could be signed.
Business
Boeing awarded $265.2M modification to GMD missile upgrade contract-
Boeing was awarded a $265.2 million contract modification for the Ground-based Midcourse Defense anti-ballistic missile system, according to the Pentagon.
Defense
Armed services chairmen resolve: narrower defense bill in 2020-
The chairman of the House armed services committees said they are leaning toward a narrower annual defense policy bill in 2020 than the one they passed in 2019, which means fewer unrelated provisions of the sort that complicated passage this year.
New in 2020: Will Trump pull the US military out of Iraq and Syria?-
Red rover, red rover, send the Bradleys right over. The international game of Red Rover continues in Syria despite the Pentagon’s insistence that U.S. forces are drawing down in the region.
How border wall work-stop could affect troop deployments-
The Army Corps of Engineers has shut down border wall construction on sites in Arizona and San Diego following a federal judge’s Dec. 10 ruling, but that decision is not expected to affect the number of troops stationed at the U.S.-Mexico border, a Defense Department spokesman told Military Times.
This is what war looks like in 2029-
America has the most military hardware of any country—but experts say that the nature of war is shifting underground and online, and the U.S. may struggle to keep up.
Does U.S. Army have its European weapons stocks right? Defender Europe 2020 will tell-
The Army’s division-scaled European exercise coming up in 2020 will tell the service whether it has its European ready-to-go weapons stocks right when it comes to inventory, quantity and positioning throughout the continent.
Proposal for sweeping cuts to U.S. Navy shipbuilding, force structure could herald a new strategy, experts say-
A sweeping series of proposed cuts to the U.S. Navy’s shipbuilding programs and force structure could herald a new strategy for a slimmed-down fleet, or could fizzle out in the budgetary process.
Air Force’s lifesaving U-2 space suit is evolving to meet modern challenges-
It was about 10 years ago when Brent Beck took off from Beale Air Force Base, Calif., on one of his first night training flights in the U-2 Dragon Lady high-altitude spycraft.
Veterans
Newly separated veterans will now get phone calls from VA to talk about benefits, support services-
Veterans Affairs officials are launching a new effort to reach out to recently separated troops to inform them about benefits and support services in an effort to ease transition issues and hopefully prevent more veteran suicides.
Enlisted Medal of Honor recipients, POWs can now have full-honor burials at Arlington-
Medal of Honor recipients and prisoners of war are entitled to burial with full honors at Arlington National Cemetery, regardless of rank, under the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act signed into law by President Donald Trump.