A retired police officer who meets federal requirements can carry a concealed firearm across state lines under a law that has been on the books for more than two decades. A retired Navy SEAL or Green Beret generally can’t claim that same federal privilege based solely on military service, regardless of how many years they spent training with and carrying weapons. New legislation in Congress would change that for some of the military’s most highly trained veterans. Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., a former Navy SEAL, introduced the Special Operations Forces Concealed Carry Act this month, a Senate proposal that would…

Of the more than 3,500 Medals of Honor awarded in American history, only one has ever gone to a member of the Coast Guard. Signalman First Class Douglas Albert Munro earned it Sept. 27, 1942, at Guadalcanal, in an action that lasted a matter of minutes and cost him his life at 22 years old. A Kid From Cle Elum Munro was born Oct. 11, 1919, in Vancouver, British Columbia, to American parents. He grew up in South Cle Elum, Washington, a small logging town on the eastern slope of the Cascades. He was a capable athlete in high school,…

The firearms industry has no shortage of new handguns. Every year brings another wave of pistols promising better ergonomics, greater capacity, improved triggers, optics compatibility, and the latest features shooters have come to expect. Occasionally, a firearm manages to bring those elements together in a way that deserves a closer look. For 2026, that firearm is the Derya DY9Z, named the Gun Owners of America’s, “Empowered 2A Gun of the Year.” For those not familiar with Empowered 2A, it is an initiative of the GOA focused on education, training, responsible firearm ownership, and empowering women…

Somewhere between paying for a hotel, replacing the coffee maker that didn’t survive the move, and wondering when your reimbursement will hit your account, many military families realize that a PCS isn’t just physically exhausting — it’s financially demanding, too. Military life teaches us to prepare for just about everything. We build emergency kits before hurricane season, keep important documents together in case of sudden orders and learn to adapt when deployments or PCS moves arrive with little notice. Preparation becomes second nature. Financial readiness deserves the same level of attention. With National Financial Awareness Day approaching on August 14,…

We’re smack dab in the middle of National Shooting Sports Month, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife is celebrating in a big way on Saturday.  The department is waiving all of the fees for using public ranges tomorrow, and at two of the state-operated ranges new shooters and would-be gun owners will be able to get some free hands-on instruction. From 10 AM to 2 PM at the Delaware Wildlife Area range in Ashley and the Spring Valley Wildlife Area range in Waynesville, staff will be on hand to give folks some…

Receiving the Medal of Honor requires the recipient to commit to an action that risks their life “above and beyond the call of duty.” This means no one involved would blame the person for not performing the action. Sometimes, this means taking on an enemy while outnumbered; sometimes, it means rescuing a battle buddy from certain death. For U.S. Army Staff Sgt. George Hall, it meant both — only, the person he rescued was himself, and he had to cut off his own leg to do it. George John Hall was a native of Massachusetts who joined the Army long…

U.S. Air Force Airmen recently rescued a five-person Navy crew following what officials described as an “aircraft mishap.” The incident occurred Aug. 10 and involved the deployment of two HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopters to rescue five Navy personnel near Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, Calif., according to a release issued Aug. 14. The deployment involved airmen from the 355th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (AMXS), assigned to the 355th Wing but geographically located at Nellis Air Force Base, and the 88th Test and Evaluation Squadron (88 TES). U.S. Navy MH-60S Seahawk helicopter, assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 8,…

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Friday downplayed the toll on American sailors enduring a record-setting deployment of nearly nine months on the USS Abraham Lincoln as concerns escalated about mental health and supply issues aboard the aircraft carrier supporting U.S. operations against Iran. In a brief exchange with reporters before flying to New York for an event to highlight falling violent crime rates across the U.S., Trump refuted that family members have raised concerns about the deployment’s length and even said that the more than 260-day deployment is “not nearly long enough.” “That ship is moving right now,…

I get that Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson isn’t really that concerned with public safety. He’s more likely to blame Indiana for all of his city’s problems, just like his predecessors have done. However, his latest effort has me shaking my head. See, his approach to public safety is, like so many others, really about making it look like he’s taking the gun industry to task without having to do anything about the actual source of crime in a city that had more murders than all three major cities in relatively pro-gun Florida.Let’s look at how…

Preparing for any special operations program requires developing yourself into a “jack of all trades and master of none.” Simply put, the tactical athlete needs to be good at everything, including strength, power, speed, agility, endurance — run, ruck, swim — muscle stamina, flexibility, mobility and grip. All these need to find their way into your preparation programming. Here is a question from an Air Force Special Warfare (AFSW) candidate who may have just discovered the complexities of putting it all together: Stew, I have been overthinking my AFSW prep training for too long and just wanted to reach out.…

When I still think of the branches of military service, my brain plays a Department of Defense recruiting commercial from the early ’80s: “Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines — It’s a Great Place to Start!” After recruiting efforts like these, I always knew my first job out of high school or college would be in the military. I think it is because of this that I leave out the Coast Guard (even though they are part of the Department of Homeland Security) and now the Space Force from my thought process. Here is a question from an active-duty Air Force…

I had sort of a sideways introduction to Skallywag Tactical. While checking on new offerings from its partner brand, Toor Knives, I was offered the Scallywag Iron Jaw as a ready-to-go tester. While I waited for it to arrive, I did a little digging. Skallywag Tactical was founded by folks with real-world experience in the military, law enforcement, and skilled trades. As such, Skallywag’s knives are designed for abuse in conditions where failure isn’t an option. Actual experience informs the work it’s doing. In short: The Iron Jaw from Skallywag Tactical is a flipper-style folder that opens nearly as fast…