MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A Pentagon official on Monday asked allies in Asia to invest more in their defense and help deter aggression in the region and said the United States remains committed to do the same with “partners, not protectorates.” Elbridge Colby, an undersecretary of defense, made the remarks at a forum in the Philippines, his first stop in Southeast Asia, where he will also visit Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia. He renewed Washington’s assurances that the U.S. is not backing away from Asia despite its current preoccupation with the Iran war and the Middle East. “America is definitely not…

Last week, the White House delivered on its promise to spend several billion dollars for additional barriers in a national park along the Texas–Mexico border. Despite opposition from parks advocates, environmentalists, and local businesses, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) began construction in Big Bend National Park on Thursday, according to photos and video recorded by journalist Natalie Newman. The videos show private contractors plowing through native vegetation along the Rio Grande’s riparian corridor, with the park’s Santa Elena Canyon visible in the background. A CBP spokesperson told SFGate that the bulldozers on site at Big Bend are merely prepping…

A woman who was convicted in a stolen valor case was scheduled to be released from prison today, according to multiple reports. Sarah Cavanaugh was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison in 2023 under the Stolen Valor Act of 2013. In 2023, she was indicted in the state of Rhode Island for falsifying military service, false use of military medals, identity theft and collecting more than $250,000 in cash and benefits intended to be charitable contributions to a wounded and disabled veteran. Cavanaugh faced the wrath of law enforcement after she said she served in the Marine Corps in…

If folks only get their news from mainstream, national media outlets, it’s easy for them to have the false impression that defensive gun uses are incredibly rare in this country. For every high-profile DGU that makes national headlines, like Jordan Salinas shooting back at an active shooter in Twin Falls, Idaho, there are literally thousands of other armed citizens who defend themselves and others without drawing much attention from the media beyond a local news report or two.  One such incident recently unfolded in Riverton, Utah, about 20 miles from Salt Lake City. According to…

Enlisted Navy rates are a little different from the ranks of the other U.S. military branches. The other branches organize service members according to ranks, while the Navy organizes its force according to rates, although it also follows the same E-1 to E-9 pay-grade structure as the other services. Enlisted Navy rates include the categories of apprentices (E-1 to E-3), petty officers (E-4 to E-6), and chief petty officers (E-7 to E-9). Apprenticeships are entry-level positions, including seaman recruit, seaman apprentice and seaman, often referred to as non-rated personnel. Petty officer ranks are intermediate ranks specializing in specific job roles.…

“We’re out of ice” became an all-too-familiar phrase at my local grocery stores last summer. Living in a small mountain town has plenty of perks. But during peak tourist season, finding a bag of ice isn’t always one of them. Fortunately, I was gear testing the 45L EcoFlow GLACIER Classic Portable Fridge Freezer, a battery-powered refrigerator that doesn’t need ice. With dual-zone cooling, wired and wireless power options, and smartphone app controls, the GLACIER quickly made ice runs a thing of the past. Unlike traditional coolers that require constant refills and turn into icy pools, the GLACIER Classic keeps food…