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Military life comes with unique stressors, from frequent moves to long separations and the emotional weight of deployments. In light of Suicide Awareness Month, it’s crucial to acknowledge the impact these challenges can have on mental health. Taking proactive steps to support mental well-being is essential for military families and individuals.
Here are five tips to help maintain a healthy mind, combat depression, and reduce suicidal thoughts:
Editor’s note: If you or someone you love are having thoughts of suicide, please dial *988 to get the support you need and deserve.

On 9/11, we honor the sacrifices and resilience of military families who continue to uphold the spirit of service and unity.
September 11, 2001, is a day that forever changed the world, leaving a lasting impact on the military community and their families. While it is a day marked by tragedy, it is also a day that highlights the incredible resilience, unity, and strength that military families embody. As we reflect on the events of 9/11, military spouses and families can find pride in the vital roles they play in upholding the values of service and sacrifice.

It’s time to unplug. Military life pulls you in a million directions, and staying connected 24/7 only adds to the chaos. Scrolling through social media, catching up on the news, and responding to messages. It never stops! But what if you hit pause? A digital detox can give your mind the break it needs. Here’s how to unplug, recharge, and feel more present with the people around you.
Why a Digital Detox Matters for Military Families
Military life is nonstop. Between household duties, handling schedules, and keeping up with friends and family across different time zones, you’re always on.

Soldiers with the 101st Airborne Division are deploying to the Middle East and 3rd Infantry Division troops are headed to Europe, Army officials announced Friday. 
The 101st Division’s Combat Aviation Brigade, also known as the “Wings of Destiny” will replace the 10th Mountain Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team, currently deployed to the U.S. Central Command’s theater of operations which includes Iraq and Syria. Officials did not announce when the division would begin its Middle East rotation.

Edwards Air Force base has been home to many ‘firsts’ in Air Force lore, from the first supersonic flight to the first space shuttle landing. This week the Air Force broke ground on another ‘first’ at Edwards, one which could address the chronic housing shortage at the remote base in the southern California desert where some troops have lived in RVs for years before finding full-time housing.
With Edwards base officials lifting shovels of dirt with contractors, work began for the on-base apartment complex that will be run by a private company, a first for the Air Force.

Image by Stephen Craven

Guest post by Stephen Bryen
There is no other way to interpret it: Washington and its client NATO members are declaring war on Russia. That is the direct meaning of Zelensky’s forthcoming visit to Washington, during which the parties will agree on targets inside Russia. To say this is an insane, reckless move is an understatement. This is the most dangerous step possible for the US and NATO, and it will lead to World War III.
Don’t believe any garbage “justifying” the use of long-range missiles on Russia.

Those Friday the 13 vibes… This week has been bananas. I started a new treatment: Radiation Therapy. I am interrupting my cancer memoir today with a real-life update. 
I’ve been struggling this week to adjust to my new treatment schedule. I drive 45 minutes one way to Radiation Therapy, 30 minutes to get my glow on, and 45 minutes back. Y’all, my house is a complete disaster. Dinner this week has been through a drive-thru more times than I wanted. I have re-washed the same load of laundry two times because it sat in the washer.

Welcome to Mid-Afternoon Map, our exclusive members-only newsletter that provides a cartographic perspective on current events, geopolitics, and history from the Caucasus to the Carolinas. Subscribers can look forward to interesting takes on good maps and bad maps, beautiful maps and ugly ones — and bizarre maps whenever possible. *** There used to be a Near East. It stretched from the Balkans across Anatolia, down through the Levant and possibly into Egypt.

Behind every great warship is a junior sailor with a mustache, a beanie that may or may not get him yelled at depending on the weather or the hour, and a belligerent streak that toes the line between humor and masochism.
We give you the E-4, the everyman of the U.S. military. In this case, he is an operations specialist aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln proudly, nay, fearlessly standing watch with a vibrant patch on the right sleeve of his jacket that practically screams “Take a look, fucker.”
And if you were to take a closer look at the photo, released by the Navy on Aug.

Soldiers spend their careers earning badges, medals and ranks for their uniforms. But few items jump out like the tabs some soldiers earn for their left shoulders. Some are specific to a unit they serve in — like Airborne, Jungle, or Arctic — while others are earned after graduating from some of the Army’s toughest training courses, like Ranger and Sapper schools. 
Some can only be worn with certain assignments, while others signify sacred duties, like the Honor Guard. Tabs are worn above a soldier’s unit shoulder sleeve insignia on the left shoulder.