News

How Afghanistan’s security forces lost the war
Building Afghanistan’s national security forces were one of the most ambitious and expensive aspects of two decades of U.S.-led war.

U.S. won’t be asking Taliban permission to strike terror groups in Afghanistan
Counterterror strikes from abroad will be cleared through the Taliban.

Lawmakers confront Pentagon leaders on Afghanistan
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley will appear before both the House and Senate Armed Services this week to answer what are expected to be confrontational questions about the U.S. military exit from Afghanistan.

Taliban must meet its commitment before gaining UN recognition, Blinken says
The Taliban wrote to the United Nations requesting to address the U.N. General Assembly meeting of leaders that is underway in New York.

Defense

Lawmaker on a mission to compel Pentagon to take UFOs seriously
There has been a growing number of reports in recent years from Navy pilots and other military personnel of highly advanced craft of unknown origin violating protected airspace, some of them maneuvering in ways that seem to defy known aerodynamics.

DOD Civilians on notice for mandatory vaccine deadline as Pentagon weighs enforcement
The Air Force has told civilian staff they face a Nov. 22 deadline to be vaccinated against COVID-19, becoming the first service to issue a deadline for its civilians and matching a White House schedule for federal employees as the Pentagon works on a plan for enforcing the mandate.

Marines reluctantly let a Sikh officer wear a turban. He says it’s not enough.
While other armed services allow some religion-based exceptions to dress standards without problems, the Marines insist that even small deviations can threaten the force’s effectiveness.

Veterans

South Korea, U.S. repatriate war casualties 70 years later
South and North Korea signed a 1953 armistice that halted three years of war but never led to a formal declaration of peace.

Lack of oversight caused VA to overspend by tens of millions on prosthetics: watchdog
An OIG report has found the VHA is overspending on prosthetics.