A new report finds that the Department of Defense needs to find more productive ways to address and mitigate risks associated with publicly available digital data of military personnel that could potentially harm service members and their families.The report was publicly released Nov. 17 by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) and stems from prior testimony before the Senate Committee on Armed Services’ Subcommittee focused on risks of publicly available data about DOD personnel and operations, and DOD’s own approach to address security-related risks.Broader recommendations for more stringent guardrails to protect personnel and their families, in addition to national security as a whole,…
In his youth, Randy Ark enjoyed an idyllic childhood growing up in the rural parts of Clark County, Ohio. That feeling of innocence was shattered when Ark became a medic in Vietnam, getting an up close and personal look at the atrocities of war. Ark, 77, recently wrote two memoirs about his experiences, “Everyone Has a Story: A Combat Medic’s Tale,” and “The Autobiography of Randall W. Ark,” which reflects upon a youth spent in west-central Ohio in the 1950s and ‘60s. Ark said his experience in Vietnam molded him into the man he became. As he grew older, Ark, a retired…
Small improvements to the gear you use day in and day out mean big improvements in functionality and protection, and this holiday week welcomed gear releases that did just that. A new phone case aims to give your expensive smartphone the protection of an airbag. Wildly popular blade maker Montana Knife Company releases multiple new models. And some high-end, high-tech SUPs (with jet motors!) have us dreaming of summer — or maybe a trip south of the equator. All that and a bunch more! Ultra-Comfy Ski Boot (Photo/Scarpa) Scarpa’s main goal with its new 4-Quattro GT ski boot ($670) was simple…
Gunfire is still echoing across parts of Sudan despite a newly declared humanitarian truce, as the country’s army chief flatly rejects a U.S.-backed ceasefire and pushes peace efforts further out of reach.Sudan’s two warring factions remain locked in conflict across Khartoum and Darfur after the Sudanese Armed Forces, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, rejected a U.S.-led ceasefire proposal while the Rapid Support Forces announced a unilateral pause in fighting—a split that threatens to derail mediation efforts and leave millions of civilians at risk. United Nations officials have described the war as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with about 30…
On Nov. 29, 2005, Army veteran Ryan Kules’ life changed in an instant. Deployed to Taji, Iraq, as a member of the 1st Battalion, 13th Armored Regiment, he was riding in a Humvee with two other soldiers, sergeants Jerry Mills and Donald Hasse, while completing an early-morning patrol. The vehicle struck an improvised explosive device (IED). The blast sliced the Humvee in half, killing both Hasse and Mills. “My vehicle drove over some artillery shells that were buried in the road,” Kules told DC News Now. Kules survived – after spending two weeks in a coma at Walter Reed Army Medical Center– but…
As TTAG readers are well aware, the push for so-called “universal” background checks is actually just a call to ban private sales of firearms—a longstanding American tradition since before our country was founded. Of course, background checks will never be “universal,” since criminals will steal their guns, buy them on the street or barter with other gang members for them. The result is background checks that are only “universal” for law-abiding Americans, not the criminals who are really behind America’s violence problem. Despite all that, Democrats in the U.S. Senate have again introduced a measure calling for “universal” background checks.…
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Power outages are becoming more and more common, especially in rural areas. Where I live, the power goes out many times per year, either temporarily or for an extended amount of time. Most rural homesteaders live far away from neighbors or town, which can make self-reliance that much more critical. Making a lights out box is a great way to prepare in case you find yourself in the middle of the night with no power. It lowers the chance of tripping in the dark and keeps panic to a minimum, especially if you have kids, pets, or elderly family members.Here’s how…
SOCOM recently announced that Sons of Liberty Gun Works was awarded the contract for its Combat Assault Rifle (CAR) program. If you’ve been a fan of AR-15 development for any length of time, you’ve probably heard the term CAR before. Originally, CAR stood for Colt Automatic Rifle. In simple terms, the CAR-15 line was Colt’s attempt to rebrand the Armalite Rifle (AR-15) after acquiring the design from ArmaLite. Marketing intent aside, the rifles developed under that banner shaped the way specialized AR variants evolved. The lineage starts with the Model 605, widely considered the genesis of the AR “carbine.” The…
The suppressor market is experiencing its most significant period of innovation since it went mainstream among civilian shooters. After decades of incremental improvements, manufacturers are finally addressing fundamental design constraints that have limited suppressor performance, weight, and versatility. The trends emerging for 2026 represent a genuine shift in how suppressors are engineered, manufactured, and used in the field. Modular Baffle Systems Reach Maturity Modular suppressor designs have moved beyond novelty status to the mainstream. Early attempts at user-configurable cans suffered from gas leakage, point-of-impact shifts, and durability concerns that made serious shooters skeptical. But current-generation modular systems have solved most…
Birmingham, Alabama Mayor Randall Woodfin had some big fans in the Biden administration. The mayor was brought to the White House to speak as Biden signed an executive order cracking down on machine gun conversion devices and 3D printed firearms, and Biden even endorsed the mayor in his 2021 campaign, calling him “one of the great young leaders of our country.” Last year, as homicides in Birmingham were soaring, Woodfin blamed Alabama’s permitless carry law and lack of an “assault weapons” ban for shootings in his community. After that record-setting year, however, Birmingham’s homicides are down…
The annual turkey pardoning usually brings jokes, lighthearted banter, and the ceremonial saving of a bird. But this year, President Trump veered sharply away from tradition, using his remarks to tear into Chicago’s leadership after the horrific attack on 26-year-old Bethany McGee, the woman set on fire aboard a Chicago L train. “They burned this beautiful woman riding in a train,” Trump said, visibly angry. “A man was arrested 72 times. Think of that. And they’ll let him out again. The liberal judges will let him out again.” The case has shocked the country. According to investigative reporting, McGee, a…
This article was originally published by Michael Snyder at The Economic Collapse Blog. This year, there have been more news articles than ever about “how to survive Thanksgiving”. If you have not noticed this, I will provide some examples for you in this article. Personally, the idea that Thanksgiving is an ordeal that must be endured is deeply offensive to me. If eating a feast while surrounded by people who love you is too much of a burden, please stay home. Thanksgiving is a day when we are not supposed to be focused on ourselves. Instead, it is a day…
New Jersey, New York, and Massachusetts gun rights organizations teamed up as amici in the Wolford case. Their filing points out an oft-ignored fact; analogues are supposed to be close. Wolford v. Lopez is a Hawaii man’s challenge to the Aloha State’s so-called “vampire rule.” Coined by the acclaimed and celebrated Second Amendment scholar and guru, Rob Romano, the vampire rule pertains to the need for permission prior to being able to carry a firearm on private property. Wolford targets private property that’s open to the public — a prohibition that essentially nullifies licenses to carry in Hawaii.…
When an organization goes somewhat berserk on social media, passionately stringing post after post together ostensibly to make some kind of point, you’d normally figure that topic is probably a top priority of that group. That’s why gun-ban group Brady’s recent freak out over less-than-lethal weapons is somewhat bewildering. Brady, formerly called Handgun Control Inc. before leaders learned that most Americans were against “controlling” handguns, has never seen a gun control scheme that it didn’t embrace. But until the recent flurry of social media activity, so-called less-than-lethal weapons didn’t seem to be on the group’s radar much. That changed big…
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In the summer of 1942, the British Eighth Army was losing the war in North Africa. Erwin Rommel’s Afrika Korps had smashed through the Gazala line, captured Tobruk, and sent the British reeling back toward Egypt. Among the soldiers scrambling to retreat in the desert heat were three American tanks with American crews — an improvised “detachment” that may have fired the first U.S. shots against German troops in World War II.The Senator’s Detachment of Tanks in LibyaThe Americans weren’t officially supposed to be there. Washington had not yet ordered U.S. ground forces into the theater. Operation Torch — the invasion…
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