The Department of Veterans Affairs processed over 2 million disability claims in 2025, breaking records for speed. Average processing time dropped to 132 days, down from 141 days at the start of the year. The backlog fell below 200,000 claims for the first time since spring 2023.That’s good news if you’re thinking about filing. Better news if you file in January. Here’s why:Medical Records Start FreshYour medical records for 2025 are complete. Doctor visits, emergency room trips, prescriptions filled, procedures done. Everything from last year is documented and ready to submit.The VA needs evidence of current disability. Recent medical records…

You separate from active duty next month. Your Tricare Prime coverage ends. Now what?Many service members don’t sort this out until they’re already out and scrambling for health insurance. The confusion costs money and creates gaps in coverage that leave families exposed.Here’s what actually happens with your health insurance when you leave active duty.Terminal Leave Changes NothingWhile you’re on terminal leave, you’re still on active duty. Your Tricare Prime coverage continues exactly as it was. No changes, no action required. Don’t confuse terminal leave with separation. You separate when your official end of active service date hits, not when you…

The rulers of the United States and Israel, Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, have issued a threat to Iran, saying they will “knock the hell” out of the country if it rebuilds its nuclear or ballistic missile projects. Iran responded and promised a “harsh” and aggressive response if it is attacked. Recently, Iran’s ruler claimed that it was in a “full-fledged war” with the U.S., Israel, and Europe. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated the pledge on Tuesday, stating that “Iran’s response to any tyrannical aggression will be harsh and regrettable.” Iran’s President Claims It’s In A “Full-Fledged War” With The…

Like many runners with a shoe fixation, my closet is overflowing with footwear. I have waterproof trail runners, breezy road runners, carbon-plated racers, and nimble, breathable mountain scalers. But what about shoes for liminal terrain — those runs that take you from your front door along pavement to a wooded trail to a gravel path and back again? For that kind of outing, I’ve been employing the KEEN Roam. Earlier this summer, the cult favorite footwear brand KEEN, best known for its do-it-all sandals, released its first trail runner. The Seek was designed to be a robust shoe for rough…

There is currently a bill that would allow national reciprocity. A permit from one state would have to be accepted in another, and the way the current law apparently reads, it seems even someone from a constitutional carry state would be able to constitutional carry in New York or California. Which is just too hilarious for words, if I’m being honest.The usual suspects have been losing their minds over this possibility, framing it as the worst thing ever, and they’ve gotten a lot of attention via the mainstream media.But the truth is, it won’t be…

Just after 2 a.m. on July 30, 1916, a freight car loaded with TNT exploded at a munitions depot on Black Tom Island in New York Harbor. The blast registered as a 5.5 magnitude earthquake and was felt 90 miles away in Philadelphia. Windows shattered from Times Square to Brooklyn. The Statue of Liberty took shrapnel damage. Firefighters were blown out of their boots.Seven people died that night. The attack’s most lasting impact affects visitors to the Statue of Liberty today as the torch has been permanently closed ever since due to damage it sustained in the blast.The explosion was…

The trend toward more rugged and adventure-ready vehicles straight from the factory continued in 2025. While more refreshes hit the market this past year than truly new vehicles, there are a few standouts worthy of a 2025 GearJunkie Adventure Vehicle of the Year Award. As usual, we got behind the wheel of lots of new vehicles and reviewed many of them. So, as the year comes to a close, let’s dive into the best on- and off-road adventure vehicles to hit the market in 2025. GearJunkie Best Adventure Vehicles of 2025 Best 4×4: 2025 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro (Photo/Bryon Dorr) The…

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) is applauding a unanimous decision by the Indiana Court of Appeals that finally puts an end to the City of Gary’s decades-long lawsuit against firearm manufacturers. The ruling upholds the constitutionality of a 2024 Indiana law that makes clear only the state—not individual cities—can bring civil actions against members of the firearms industry. With that, the court ordered the dismissal of Smith & Wesson Corp. v. City of Gary, a public nuisance case that had lingered for 26 years without producing evidence of wrongdoing. A Long-Running Case, Finally Over The lawsuit, originally filed in…

As 2026 begins, it is easy to become consumed by national politics and international headlines. Those stories dominate cable news and social media feeds, often creating the impression that the most significant threats—or protections—to individual rights come from Washington, D.C. In reality, some of the most consequential decisions affecting the Second Amendment are made much closer to home. As former House Speaker Tip O’Neill famously observed, all politics is local. In January, newly seated city councils, township trustees, and school boards across the country begin their work. Many of those bodies will quietly revisit gun-related issues, often under the banner…

This article was originally published by Michael Snyder at The Economic Collapse Blog.  2025 has truly been a historic year. No matter which side of the fence you are on, nobody can deny that we have witnessed seismic political changes over the last 12 months. Meanwhile, the AI revolution is transforming our lives in ways that we don’t even understand. But despite all of our advanced technology, we can’t stop the endless barrage of natural disasters that have been pummeling us in 2025, and hunger continues to spread all over the globe. Of course, war has been a major theme…

One thing we need to do if we’re really going to stop mass casualty attacks is get inside the heads of these people and understand precisely what was going on in there that made them want to kill as many people as possible. And, if there’s any way possible, we shouldn’t just limit that to those who survived. After all, that’s kind of a small sample size. For every Parkland killer, you’ve got a dozen more who either offed themselves or made the cops do it. If only that were their starting point instead.But sometimes,…

America’s Army rewired itself in 2025 with border support missions, global exercises, and a modernization push as commanders prepare for broader challenges in a constantly evolving world. That was highlighted by a sizable recruiting uptick.The Army marked its 250th birthday this year and hit its active-duty 61,000-member recruiting goal with weeks to spare, the latter of which service leaders described as a turning point after years of shortfalls. Officials pointed to new prep programs, bonuses and marketing efforts as some reasons for the drastic reversal.The Army reached its active-duty recruiting goal months early, signing contracts with more than 61,000 future…