CAIRO (AP) — Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for a series of deadly attacks this week, escalating the conflict between them and Saudi-backed Yemeni forces and raising fears of a wider regional conflagration. The attacks have killed dozens of civilians and troops and also targeted Saudi tankers in transit from Red Sea ports through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait out to the Gulf of Aden and the rest of the world. Though less significant than the Strait of Hormuz, around 12% of the world’s trade, including a fourth of global container traffic, once passed through Bab el-Mandeb, moving between Europe…
The Air National Guard is offering members a $7,500 bonus if they reenlist for three years. The “Summer Surge Incentive” comes as part of the Air Guard’s recruitment drive to hire 8,842 Airmen by the end of Fiscal Year 2026, which puts the heat on the service considering that the fiscal year ends on Sept. 30—providing potential candidates with roughly 50 days to make decisions. Payments will be made immediately, and there is no cap on the total number of available bonuses. Those interested must sign the three-year enlistment contract by that Sept. 30 deadline. “It is all part of…
Just hours after a 14-year-old boy shot and killed his grandparents before attacking teachers and classmates at his high school, Thailand’s prime minister is vowing to crack down on legal gun owners by prohibiting their ability to lawfully carry a firearm for self-defense. Politicians the world over often rush to “do something” in the wake of a tragedy, and Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is no different. Three years ago Anutin, who was then the country’s Interior Minister, cracked down on legal gun owners by imposing a freeze on new licenses and prohibiting individuals younger than…
Enlisted Air Force ranks are categorized into three levels: airmen (pay grades E-1 through E-4), noncommissioned officers (E-5 and E-6), and senior noncommissioned officers (E-7 through E-9). Some personnel can enlist at an advanced rank if they have college credits or have participated in Junior ROTC. The highest advanced rank one can enlist with under these programs is airman first class (E-3). The Air Force offers accelerated promotion for service members who agree to enlist for six years. Under this program, enlistees who enter service as an airman basic (E-1) are promoted to airman (E-2) after basic training is finished,…
Within the Air Force, officer ranks follow a clear-cut structure, divided into three categories: company grade, field grade, and general officers. Company grade officers range from O-1 to O-3. Climbing the ranks, next are field grade officers, in the O-4 to O-6 range, taking the helm of mid-level command. Finally, at the top of the hierarchy are general officers, O-7 and above, who oversee strategy. Air Force Company Grade Officer Ranks Second Lieutenant (O-1) The rank of second lieutenant is shown through a single gold bar. Proper forms of address include “second lieutenant” or “lieutenant.” Commissioned airmen sometimes may skip…
I got my first Swiss Army knife at a flea market when I was about 11 years old. I have no clue which model it was, but it had the basic tools we typically see nestled between those familiar red handle scales, such as a knife blade, can opener, bottle opener, and corkscrew. I beat the hell out of that knife for a few years. It whittled hundreds of sticks into sharp points. I used it to open cans of Dinty Moore or Chef Boyardee I’d brought to the campfire. It trimmed rope we used in countless forts in the…
The newly created Military Spouse Commission has opened an online form to allow those with vested interests in the commission to submit comments. President Donald Trump created the commission on Monday via an executive order to support the lives and experiences of spouses of those enlisted in service. The commission will provide recommendations to address themes including housing, employment, health care and childcare. There are more than 1 million military spouses in the U.S. They are affected by numerous issues including disproportionate levels of unemployment, according to Stars & Stripes. The publication reported that 20% of military spouses are unemployed,…
I really get sick of the claim that mass killings with a firearm only happen in the United States. That’s what the phrase “uniquely American” means when describing the phenomenon. To be fair, we do have more than most people, even if you account for population, but we are also a very different country than most. Thailand, however, seems to also be having a bit of a problem. Despite acting to tighten gun restrictions after previous massacres, it doesn’t look like it did a whole lot of good.Not today, at least, as six people are…
Some military photographs make their importance obvious, while others look ordinary until you learn the story behind the image. Five brothers pose aboard a Navy cruiser. Women sort packages in a crowded warehouse. A pilot stands among children near an airfield. At first glance, photographs could be routine snapshots of military life, but once you learn the story that led up to or followed the camera click, you’ll realize they’re anything but. Each image carries a story of survival, loss, courage or deception that the photograph alone cannot explain. Once you know these stories, it becomes impossible to see the…
The 2018 movie “7 Days in Entebbe” tells the story of Operation Thunderbolt, the daring 1976 rescue of 94 Israeli passengers and 12 crew members from an Air France flight grounded in Uganda after a hijacking by German PLO sympathizers. Inspired by the movie, we’ve got a list of the 10 greatest operation names in military history. The Entebbe raid was an enormous story back in 1976 — so big that it wasn’t totally overshadowed by the fact that the raid took place on the American Bicentennial on July 4, 1976. The popular fascination with the successful raid inspired two…
We were deep in Nepal, backpacking through the Himalayas. The cool evening air blew across the terrace overlooking lush green mountains as we unfurled the Exped Cassira two-person tent. In a matter of minutes, we had the tent set up and the vestibules wide open, letting in air and offering us views of the countryside. We spent 5 days trekking through Nepal, using the new Cassira as our base camp, and it performed well. In rain and wind, it kept the elements out and provided a relaxing place to rest after a long day on the trail. While customers know…
Say what you want about him, but Rep. Thomas Massie has been a strong defender of gun rights. Say what you want about him, but Sen. John Cornyn has not.Both men, however, were defeated in their primaries. Other than both having an “R” after their name, they didn’t have much else in common, and for at least one anti-gun group, the fact that they both lost while being diametrically opposed on the issue of guns is evidence of…something.One of the nation’s leading gun safety groups has a message for Republicans: Tuesday’s results show you don’t have…
Chronic Wasting Disease keeps showing up in headlines, camp talk, and state regulations, but panic has a way of outrunning facts. Here’s the straight answer on what CWD is, how it spreads, what it looks like, and what hunters actually need to worry about. Chronic Wasting Disease in Deer: Panic, Hype, or a Real Threat? It’s been decades since CWD, or Chronic Wasting Disease, began stealing headlines during deer season. For some hunters, it’s gotten to the point where they simply ignore the random outcries of CWD outbreaks, but for others, it remains a serious concern. So what’s the truth…
A former U.S. Army soldier-turned-civilian contractor was recently convicted in federal court after prosecutors said he used insider knowledge from his military supply work to steal more than 200 pallets of Meals, Ready-to-Eat (MRE) from Fort Bliss, Texas, in a scheme worth approximately $1.12 million. Joseph Lavar Davis, 47, was convicted June 30 by a federal jury of conspiracy to commit theft of government property and theft of government property, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas. Prosecutors said Davis and three co-defendants were charged in a Feb. 12, 2025, indictment over conduct that ran…
As I watched the waves crash against the rocky shoreline and my only dry option of making it back to my truck, I could only hope and pray that the kayak didn’t pop. I would soon learn that this inflatable kayak was more durable than traditional pool floaties, and I had nothing to worry about as I continued exploring the shoreline. As the prices of everything continue to rise at ridiculous rates, I understand why so many people are unwilling to spend money on high-end kayaks. Not everyone is a kayak fishing nerd, like me. Some people just need a…
The Savage Impulse Hog Hunter brings straight-pull speed, .308 Winchester punch, and a clever Hexlock bolt system into a rifle built for fast hog work. It is quick, strange, heavy, fun, and not without one big Texas-sized magazine complaint. Savage Impulse Hog Hunter Review: Built for Speed and Pig Problems Featuring a quick straight-pull action, the Savage Impulse Hog Hunter is built for speed, fast follow-up shots, and serious hog-country chaos. Designed for quickly putting down multiple feral hogs which often roam in groups, I think Savage was really on to something here. Simply pull the bolt straight back, and…
Editor’s note: Originally published as part of Military.com’s former PayCheck Chronicles blog in 2016. I’ve spent the past few days in San Antonio, at a conference hosted by USAA. During one portion of the conference, we met with representatives from different departments and learned about the things they are doing. I spent some time talking with representatives from the life insurance department. I’d just read Forrest Baumhover’s article about Veterans Group Life Insurance, and my head was brimming with thoughts. (Note: I don’t agree with Forrest’s suggestions, but I appreciate them as material for consideration.) I used to think that…
This article was originally published by Michael Snyder at The Economic Collapse Blog under the title: 111 Million U.S. Adults Do Not Have A Job, And America Spends More Than A Trillion Dollars Per Year On A Social Safety Net For Them Did you know that the number of Americans who are out of work right now is far higher than it was at any point during the Great Recession? I know that sounds crazy, but I will prove it to you in this article. A whopping 111 million Americans do not have a job, and we are spending more…
In a survival story worthy of Hollywood, a Colorado firefighter is expected to recover after a harrowing ordeal while mountain climbing. On Wednesday, July 1, the firefighter was climbing North Apostle Mountain, a 13,000-foot peak in the Sawatch Range, when a 400-pound boulder rolled over and pinned their leg. The firefighter, who remains unidentified as of Monday, was able to free themselves through “incredible determination” and “primal adrenaline,” according to a news release from the Eagle River Fire Protection District in central Colorado. But even freed from the boulder, the firefighter had a broken leg and couldn’t self-rescue from the…
There’s an informal logical fallacy called argument from authority. Basically, it’s where someone uses their authority, particularly when it’s not relevant to the discussion, to dismiss someone’s arguments. “I’m a lawyer, so I know more than you, and you’re wrong about particle physics.” That kind of thing. But most people are smart enough not to fall into that obvious a trap. Instead, they tend to focus on one aspect of an issue where their expertise looks like it’s relevant, but even if it is, the argument and their authority only go so far.Take, for example,…
The AR-15 is not just a range rifle or a tactical toy. It is a genuinely capable hunting platform, and if you have spent any real time chasing game with one, you already know the critics are missing the point. It’s rather common for people to claim the AR-15 isn’t meant for hunting. The logic is usually along the lines of how no one needs 30 rounds for a deer, the AR-15 is a weapon of war, and it’s entirely impractical and silly. However, the AR-15 is fantastic for hunting, including deer hunting. Those who say otherwise don’t know what…
