News
VA awards $1.5 million to study using psychedelics for PTSD treatment
Veterans Affairs officials on Tuesday announced a $1.5 million grant to study MDMA-assisted therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorder among veterans, the first department-funded research on psychedelic benefits in more than five decades.
Senate approves expanding jobs program to surviving spouses of fallen troops
A job counseling program created for disadvantaged veterans would be expanded to provide free career services to surviving spouses of fallen service members under a Senate bill approved Monday.
Report to Congress on hypersonic weapons
The following is the Dec. 2, 2024, Congressional Research Service report, “Hypersonic Weapons: Background and Issues for Congress.”
Air Force
B-1 bombers to relocate from Ellsworth to Grand Forks starting this week
The Air Force will move 17 B-1 bombers and more than 800 Airmen to Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D., for the next 10 months starting this week, so that Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., can undergo construction to host the new B-21 Raider.
How an AI-powered dashboard gets Air Force reservists deployment-ready
When a Guard or Reserve unit gets called up to deploy, seemingly small personnel issues — like out-of-date dental exams — can throw planning into jeopardy. And with military personnel management systems often still run on disparate digital spreadsheets, finding troops who aren’t deployment-ready and notifying them in time to fix the problem can quickly become a crisis of urgency.
A 296-day sprint: How the Air Force brought back warrant officers in record time
When the first batch of Air Force warrant officers in 66 years graduates from their new training school at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. on Dec. 6, it will mark not only a new era for the Air Force, but also a major bureaucratic achievement as career field managers, personnel gurus, and other experts sweated behind the scenes to stand up the new program in less than a year.
Air Force EOD team moves into $11 million compound in South Korea
Bomb technicians at a U.S. base in South Korea began moving from their 60-year-old quarters last month and into a new, $11-million compound paid for by South Korea.
Allvin: USAF force design maps out plan to scale up — or down
Air Force Chief of Staff David W. Allvin said the principal aim of his much-advertised but still secret force design is to refine the service’s thinking and give it options to maneuver in the face of evolving threats — or different budgets.
Space Force
New Japan-based Space Force unit will guard troops from above, regional commander says
The Space Force is standing up a new unit at this airlift hub in western Tokyo to address growing threats from China, Russia and North Korea, according to the service’s regional commander.
Defense
Lockheed braces for new administration as Musk targets F-35
F-35 prime contractor Lockheed Martin is preparing for defense-spending changes under the incoming Trump administration, the company’s top financial officer said Tuesday.
Lockheed Martin challenges narrative on GPS vulnerability
Lockheed Martin is challenging the prevailing narrative that military users of the Global Positioning System (GPS) are dangerously vulnerable to service disruptions and is emphasizing the advanced security features set to debut with the upcoming GPS IIIF satellites.
Veterans
Bill would push VA to expand outside medical care options for vets
House Republicans on Tuesday unveiled new legislation to further expand veterans’ ability to access private-sector medical care options using taxpayer funds, a move that launches debates expected in coming years about the size and responsibilities of the Veterans Affairs health care system.
A push to cut veterans’ disability benefits is gaining traction, experts warn
A growing chorus is calling for cuts to Veteran Affairs disability benefits as a way to save federal dollars — a move that ignores the very real costs of two decades of war, and could cause irreparable harm to generations of veterans, experts warn.
Family grieving 98-year-old veteran sues after learning other remains buried in his plot
The wife of a U.S. Army veteran who served in World War II believes he is buried in a cemetery plot they purchased decades ago in the Massachusetts city they grew up in — as he wished, according to her family’s attorney. But he’s not, a lawsuit filed by the family says.
As state vets cemetery runs out of space, officials scramble for a plan
Connecticut veterans officials are looking for a new solution after local opposition blocked their plan to expand the state veterans cemetery in Middletown, where space for new burials is expected to run out within the next three years.