News
Lawmakers call for in-depth VA study on blast pressure injuries
A pair of Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee members are pushing federal researchers to investigate the impact of repetitive low-level blast injuries on veterans’ mental health.
Proposed expansion of IVF coverage for troops scuttled from compromise defense bill
An expansion of coverage for fertility treatments for service members was left out of a compromise defense bill despite previous support in both chambers of Congress.
Defense bill would cut F-35 purchases in 2025, delay deliveries
Congress is set to cut the number of Lockheed Martin-made F-35s the military wants to buy in 2025 from 68 to 58 under this year’s defense authorization bill.
Elon Musk warns Republicans against standing in Trump’s way — or his
Trump’s second term comes with the specter of the world’s richest man serving as his political enforcer. Within Trump’s team, there is a feeling that Musk not only supports Trump’s agenda and Cabinet appointments, but is intent on seeing them through to the point of pressuring Republicans who may be less devout.
Elon Musk wants to ‘stop’ federal spending for Lockheed Martin’s F-35. Could that happen?
A billionaire with Texas ties and President-elect Donald Trump’s ear wants to cut federal funding for Lockheed Martin’s F-35, something North Texas congressional lawmakers are warning against, but eliminating the program may be easier said than done.
Air Force
CCA Increment 2 requirements left for new Air Force leadership to choose
The Air Force still hasn’t set the requirements for the second increment of its Collaborative Combat Aircraft program, service acquisition executive Andrew Hunter said, leaving decisions about the project—such as payloads and whether it will be more or less sophisticated than Increment 1—to the incoming Trump administration.
Air Force general’s ‘boonie dog’ video highlights Guam’s fight to control stray population
Guam’s stray dog population recently found the social media spotlight when one of them made itself at home outside the headquarters of Andersen Air Force Base.
New B-52 engine covers keep ice away in harsh winters
Special new covers developed by Air Force Global Strike Command should save time and money by keeping B-52 bomber engines from icing up in Arctic environments.
Space Force
North Korea dismisses new Space Force unit in Japan as a Washington power grab
North Korea’s state-run news agency has criticized the establishment of a new U.S. Space Force command in Japan as part of Washington’s broader plan to seek “regional hegemony.”
Saltzman defines 6 ‘core truths’ about Space Force and warfighting
As the Space Force nears its fifth birthday, Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman emphasized Guardians’ unique role as warfighters and defined what he called “six core truths” about the Space Force and its warfighting operational purpose.
Space Force wants unique boot camp for Guardians
Space Force leaders are looking at how they can create a distinct Basic Military Training program for Guardian recruits, and eyeing new locations for the BMT enterprise.
Veterans
VA health system remains on federal ‘high risk’ list due to oversight shortfalls
Offices that monitor risk management, medical investigations and internal audits within the Veterans Health Administration continue to miss the mark, lacking the muscle needed to improve the system overall, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office.
VA must disclose delays to see a doctor and alternatives for private-sector care under new legislation
James McCormick, an Iraq War veteran, waited 11 months to see an eye doctor at the Huntington VA Medical Center in West Virginia after booking an appointment for his annual checkup in 2023.
