When the wind rips across a ridgeline or funnels through a canyon, the best windbreakers help you keep moving. To finalize this year’s rankings, two expert testers — GearJunkie Editor Chris Kassar and wildlife guide Ryan Kempfer — pushed seven windbreakers through a 12-month testing cycle. From ski tours and hikes to climbs and bike rides in the Tetons and beyond, they tested them on exposed ridgelines, gusty trails, and in fast-changing mountain weather to find the layers truly worth carrying. We crowned the Patagonia Houdini as our best overall pick for its featherweight packability, dependable weather protection, and all-around…
CASABLANCA, Morocco (AP) — Two U.S. service members are missing in southwestern Morocco after taking part in annual multinational military exercises in the North African country, the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) said Sunday. The service members are U.S. Army soldiers who went missing while on a hike, a U.S. defense official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity as they were not allowed to speak publicly about the issue. “They were not actively taking part in any training. The day’s exercises had concluded, and, from our understanding, they were out on a recreational hike,” the official said. AFRICOM…
The U.S. will withdraw about 5,000 troops from Germany over the next six to 12 months, the Pentagon announced Friday, marking a significant shift in the American military presence in Europe. Pentagon officials said the decision followed a review of force posture and reflects current operational requirements. The reduction represents roughly 14% of the approximately 36,000 U.S. troops stationed in Germany, which has long served as a central hub for American military operations on the continent. Germany hosts key installations including Ramstein Air Base, a major logistics and command center that supports U.S. and NATO operations across Europe, Africa and…
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Military veterans have some of the best stories. Pair them with music and you have something truly powerful. Through Operation Song, a national program based out of Nashville, Tenn., veterans team with songwriters to illuminate their stories through music. Operation Song held a benefit concert on Saturday in Awendaw, South Carolina and for some veterans, hearing their story in the beauty of a song felt like therapy. That was certainly the case for Cody McGinnis. As a combat veteran, McGinnis was involved in 137 missions. After a while, war takes its toll. “It felt like maybe I was talking about…
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I absolutely understand the concept of making law enforcement more effective. If we want criminals to go to prison for their crimes, the first step is to find them. Sure, we also need judges to actually lock them up, but that’s a separate issue from making the police’s job easier. The only issue is that so much of the time, the proposals to do that are really boneheaded. One plan in Illinois seems to hinge on requiring markings on bullets that, in theory, could be later identified by police when used in a shooting.There are…
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s latest proposal to the United States calls for issues between the two countries to be resolved within 30 days and aims to end the war rather than extend the ceasefire, according to Iran’s state-linked media. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he was reviewing a new Iranian proposal to end the war but also expressed doubt it would lead to a deal. Iran’s 14-point proposal calls for an end to the war, rather than just an extension of the truce. The proposal, a rebuttal to the U.S. nine-point plan, also calls for…
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The United Heroes League, a national 501(c)(3) non-profit that supports military families and their children year-round, is this year’s recipient of the National Hockey League’s ‘Stick Tap for Service’ honor. The NHL, in partnership with Navy Federal Credit Union, is honoring the non-profit for its impact on military families by providing $12 million in free sports equipment, game tickets, cash grants, skill development camps, and special experiences across the US & Canada. “UHL has made an extraordinary difference for military families and their children nationwide, giving them the chance to participate in the sports they’re passionate about—especially hockey,” said Joe…
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During the early Cold War, U.S.-backed forces in the Philippines carried out a psychological warfare campaign that exploited local vampire folklore to intimidate communist insurgents. While often referred to as a “CIA vampire operation,” the campaign relied on manipulating belief in the aswang, a vampire-like figure in Filipino folklore, rather than any literal supernatural activity. The operation took place during the 1950s amidst the Hukbalahap rebellion, a communist insurgency that emerged after World War II and posed a significant challenge to the Philippine government. The United States became involved as part of its broader effort to contain communism in Southeast…
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Proponents for the use of ibogaine to treat severe mental illness, including veterans, received promising news recently with President Trump’s executive order opening the door for treatments through psychedelics. The measure prompts the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to allow more access to psychedelic drugs, including ibogaine, which is derived from plants found in Central Africa that can carry a hallucinogenic effect. The drug interacts with multiple neurotransmitters inside the brain. The president’s executive order comes on the heels of a new study released in March in the scientific journal, Cell, reporting that Special Operations veterans with traumatic brain injuries…
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Watch full video on YouTube
Watch full video on YouTube
We’ve logged some shut-eye in hundreds of shelters, heavily tested the most promising, and winnowed down our gear rooms to the 11 best-of-the-best camping tents out there today. In 2026 alone, I, guide manager Nick Belcaster, have taken out six new shelters across the Pacific Northwest on more than a month of overnights. Some tents are wilder nests that thrive in a more backcountry-adjacent use, like the Kelty Discovery Basecamp, while others, like my top pick, the REI Co-op Base Camp 6, are downright frontcountry palatial. I’ve also found having a real gear garage like the The North Face Wawona…
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon said Friday that it has reached deals with seven tech companies to use their artificial intelligence in its classified computer networks, allowing the military to tap into AI-powered capabilities to help it fight wars. Google, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, Nvidia, OpenAI, Reflection and SpaceX will provide their resources to help “augment warfighter decision-making in complex operational environments,” the Defense Department said. Notably absent from the list is AI company Anthropic, after its public dispute and legal fight with the Trump administration over the ethics and safety of AI usage in war. The Defense Department has…
