A warning has been issued throughout the state of Florida over scammers targeting veterans, active-duty military members, and their families. The Florida Department of Elder Affairs, through its Operation Senior Shield initiative, has issued a scam alert to tell citizens to verify before they donate to any charity claiming to be raising money for military causes. “Floridians are incredibly generous, especially when it comes to supporting our veterans, active-duty military members, and their families,” the DOEA said in a statement to Military.com. “Unfortunately, scammers understand that generosity and often exploit it by creating fake charities and emotional fundraising appeals that…
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Sitting on the tailgate of my truck, I fire up the new Optimus Gemini II dual-burner camp stove in order to make some coffee and oatmeal to start the day. With a scenic backdrop of snowcapped mountains piercing a pale blue sky, I twist the knobs on the slim silver stove to get the heat settings just right. Moments later, I’ve got oatmeal simmering in one pot while my coffee water boils in a mug next to it. The new Optimus stove, which fits perfectly into my truck-camping regimen, is considered compact. The stove has two burners, making it a…
Toronto sure looks like a rough place these days. Not even by Canadian standards, but ours. Even the U.S. Consulate isn’t safe, as we found out last month.Yeah, that gun control is going just swimmingly, isn’t it? However, I apparently need to give the Toronto cops their due. They made two arrests in the incident, which is good. It’s everything else they announced about the arrests that has me scratching my head.Toronto police announced the arrests Thursday of a 19-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy in the second shooting at the U.S. Consulate in five…
After a long day in the sun paddling the Missouri River, I hopped off the canoe, walked along the sandbar, and began to set up my tent. As I unfolded the poles, I began to hear the clinking and clanking of knives chopping vegetables and metal spoons hitting the side of a mixing bowl. Soon, the crackle and smoke of fire began to spread over the campsite, and I got my first inkling that something tasty for dinner was on the way. I walked over to the fire with my camp chair in hand, and took a seat to watch…
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…
Base-building games have existed for the longest time, and there are many different kinds on the market that all deliver a slightly different experience. Some games opt for a top-down perspective and focus on a satisfying gameplay loop, while others lean the other way, using a first-person view that prioritizes immersion and a compelling world that players can truly get lost in. The latter is arguably better suited to a more engaging experience, where every component feels far more impactful, and those structures truly start to feel like the difference between dying and surviving through the night. Whatever the setting…
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Heading into the 4th of July, when Americans will celebrate their “independence” from England in exchange for dependence on a new system, the pride in that system dropped. Fewer citizens claim to be “proud” to be an American. According to a Gallup poll, this is the lowest level of national pride in 25 years. The poll, released on Monday, comes just days before the United States marks the 250th anniversary of independence. Only 33% of US adults say they are “extremely proud” to be an American, the lowest reading in Gallup‘s trend dating back to 2001. Another 20% of the…
[Editor’s Note: The following article was co-authored by Gabor Nemeth and Arthur Schaper]In recent years, the question of whether college students should be allowed to carry firearms on campus has sparked heated debate across the country. Opponents argue that guns and higher education don’t mix, that young people are impulsive, that firearms would increase accidents, and that academic environments should be sanctuaries free of lethal weapons. Proponents counter that campuses are not immune to crime and that denying adults their right to self-defense leaves them vulnerable. Both sides raise valid concerns, but the national conversation often misses a critical…
A unified chain of command, higher pay grades and a new leadership structure will replace a fractured, decentralized Department of Veterans Affairs police force whose officers were serving as parking valets. The Department of Veterans Affairs announced a series of reforms to its police force on June 24, 2026, addressing long-running problems that the VA’s own Office of Inspector General, along with the Government Accountability Office, had flagged for years without resolution. The VA police force employs more than 5,000 officers across the country, making it one of the largest law enforcement agencies in the federal government. Its mission covers…
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California has more gun control than anywhere else in the country, and with the World Cup taking place all around the United States, one has to imagine that anywhere associated with the event will get the highest security possible. After all, wouldn’t a World Cup game make a juicy terrorism target? And as Europeans come to the United States for the game, fall in love with places like Buc-Ee’s, and recognize that America is an absolutely amazing place, I’d really rather they not see the worst side of us.Unfortunately, gun-controlled California seems to be a…
A bipartisan effort to remove a controversial U.S.-Israel defense integration provision from the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) never received a vote on the House floor after the House Rules Committee declined to make the amendment eligible for debate. The amendment, introduced by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) would have removed Section 219 of the NDAA, formerly Section 224. The Rules Committee’s list of amendments made “in order” did not include the bipartisan proposal, ensuring it would not receive debate or a recorded vote before the House considered the broader defense bill. The decision effectively prevented lawmakers…
Max Blumenthal, the editor-in-chief of The Grayzone, has said that Israel is going to continue to escalate the war in Lebanon after a major failure in Iran. Both the US and Israel have been unsuccessful in their stated goals in Iran, making the interim peace agreement nothing more than a surrender document. Blumenthal said in an interview with Going Underground host Afshin Rattansi, aired on Sunday, that Israel needs the US for “firepower.” “Israel cannot do anything without US firepower, and the US was not willing to commit the amount of men and materiel to do what Israel needed,” Blumenthal…
For those of us who work 9-5 jobs, doing a big thru-hike like the Pacific Crest Trail is pretty much off the table. Weekends and holiday breaks are our best chance to get out there, hit the trail, and explore the backcountry. Not all weekend itineraries are created equal, though, and on a recent 96-mile backpacking trip in Oregon, I discovered one that’s hard to beat. Though the full Oregon Coast Trail (OCT) runs 400 miles down the eastern side of the state, a weekend-friendly 28 miles between Fort Stevens State Park and Cannon Beach are quite possibly its most…
We have all heard the politicians and gun control advocates say the Founding Fathers only meant muskets. We have heard it said by politicians from New York, Illinois, Minnesota, California, New Mexico, and from gun control advocates everywhere. NewYork Governor Hochul said it when pushing legislation in response to the Bruen decision. The majority opinion in the Wolford decision further counters the claim of “only muskets” made by gun control activists.The Associated Press recently ran an article highlighting how powerful black powder firearms are and calling for them to be regulated. Similar news articles ran…
Three Democratic lawmakers have introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would require military service members be vaccinated for influenza following a recent outbreak. The amendment was introduced Tuesday afternoon on Capitol Hill by Reps. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), Gil Cisneros (D-Calif.) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.) following the recent flu outbreak that occurred at Joint Base San Antonio, commonly known as Lackland Air Force Base, located within Castro’s legislative district. Castro said Tuesday that there are now 284 confirmed flu cases and four hospitalizations at the base, up from the 275 confirmed flu cases he reported on…
