Browsing: All news

Andy Kessler, The Wall Street Journal
Let’s avoid euphemism and give every agency of government an honest name.

Do you think winning Powerball means you can cash out and walk straight into retirement? It’s a rumor that pops up every time the jackpot hits the stratosphere, usually passed around formations like a half-remembered safety brief.
The truth is a little less Ritchie Rich and a lot more paperwork. 
Myth #1: You get an automatic discharge. 
This one is the barracks lawyers’ favorite, and the most wrong. There’s no clause in your military contract that causes it to magically burst into flames when you hit a jackpot like you’re at Hogwarts.

Public Domain

Key Points and Summary – A recent GAO report reveals the F-35’s critical Block 4 upgrade is now five years behind schedule and $6 billion over budget.
-This delay is more than a line item; it directly impacts combat capability by preventing the jet from using a new generation of crucial weapons.
-These include the long-range AIM-260 missile, designed to counter Chinese and Russian fighters, and the advanced all-weather Stormbreaker smart bomb.

The Space Development Agency announced Monday that Derek Tournear has exited his role as SDA director after more than six years at the organization’s helm.
Tournear was tapped as SDA’s leader shortly after it was established in 2019 and played a key role in growing the agency’s budget and development programs, namely the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA).

John Luckadoo survived some of the most dangerous missions in World War II. As a member of the 100th Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force, he flew 25 bombing missions over Axis territory during the war. The bomb group saw so many casualties it was nicknamed the “Bloody Hundredth.” Luckadoo was one of those who was able to fly a full 25 missions, enough to earn a trip home. He died this month at the age of 103, the last original member of the Bloody Hundredth.
Maj. John “Lucky” Luckadoo died on Sept. 1 in his home in Dallas after some time in hospice, according to his family.

Week 2 of the NCAA football season saw two of the service academies in action, with the third taking an early bye week. Navy hosted American Athletic Conference (AAC) foe UAB, while Army traveled west to face Big 12 opponent Kansas State. Air Force, meanwhile, spent the week at home in Colorado Springs preparing for a Week 3 showdown with Mountain West Conference (MW) rival Utah State.
Fans of Navy football had reason for optimism entering Week 2.

The Russian Army Nevsky Volunteer Brigade has received a new batch of T-90M main battle tanks, as expanded production of the vehicles to several times pre-war levels has allowed them to enter service far more rapidly. The tanks have seen their capabilities enhanced significantly since the outbreak of full scale hostilities with Ukraine and supporting Western forces in February 2022, with a particular focus on enhancing survivability against drone and missile attacks.

Explosions over Kyiv and other Ukrainian population centers are daily reminders that Russia’s missiles can reach deep and strike hard. Beyond the immediate implications for the war in Ukraine, these barrages raise a sharper question for Europe: how to respond to a Russia that wields conventional long-range strike power as a tool of coercion and war.There is now broad agreement among policymakers and analysts that Russia’s missile buildup cannot go unanswered.

Amid escalating tensions between the United States and Venezuela, and at a time when options for an American attack on Venezuelan targets are widely reported to be being considered, the possibility has emerged as a longstanding strategic partner of Caracas, Russia may deploy strategic aviation assets to the country. Russia previously deployed its heaviest and longest ranged combat aircraft, the Tu-160 strategic bomber, to Venezuela, at times when the country has faced significant threats from the United States.

The alumni group for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point abruptly canceled an award ceremony honoring actor Tom Hanks. Hanks, 69, was set to receive the Sylvanus Thayer Award later this month for his civic contributions.
The Washington Post first reported on the news, citing an internal West Point Association of Graduates email sent by Mark Bieger, the group’s president and CEO. The event, set for Sept. 25, would feature a parade as well as a ceremony where Hanks would receive the award. According to Bieger’s email, the group will not hold the annual ceremony this year.