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…
Violent crime is down across the country, and that’s a very good thing. Our homicide rate hitting record lows is something that we should all be celebrating, and we’re on pace to see it even lower this year. Again, a very good thing. However, the only acceptable number of homicides is zero, and that means there’s always work to be done. We need to be realistic, though, which is why gun control is still a non-starter.But maybe the answer is to not let dangerous people walk around on our city streets? I’m just putting that…
The U.S. Military Academy at West Point has dropped its fight against a court-imposed ban on its policy of limiting what professors can publicly say and write. Tim Bakken, the school’s longest-serving law professor, brought the original suit, claiming the academy’s policy violates his constitutional right to freedom of speech. He challenged West Point’s policy implemented in early 2025 that barred faculty members from publishing papers, speaking at conferences, or even appearing on a podcast without first seeking approval from higher-ups in their department. The faculty speech rule appeared to be in response to President Donald Trump issuing an executive…
Is summer over yet? Doesn’t look like it, but that doesn’t mean we can’t start gearing up for fall. After all, many kids and young adults are already heading back to school, and many of the daypacks featured this week are tailor-made to transition seamlessly from the classroom or workplace to the trail or bike path. So there’s plenty of fun stuff to peruse, especially the new offerings from beloved backpack brands like Gregory and Cotopaxi. But there are also some interesting alpine-specific packs from Berghaus and the “dry out your wet phone” options from a brand named (you guessed…
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…
Support us! GearJunkie may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More It can be tricky to find a reliable pair of hiking shorts — especially for women like me. In fact, I’ve been trying for years to find a pair of outdoor shorts with the right fit. I have bought, tried on, and returned so many pairs of women’s shorts on REI’s website that I wonder if I’m flagged in their system. My body isn’t proportional between my hips, waist, and butt, and women’s clothing sizes are wildly inconsistent across brands, making it close to impossible…
A former Army recruiter in New Jersey whose office was trusted with the personal information of incoming service members has been charged with bank fraud and identity theft after getting caught trying to retrieve roughly $266,000 in loans and lines of credit. Court documents obtained by Military.com show that Jane Crosby, 35, of Jersey City, N.J., sought multiple credit union loans and credit card accounts. She was charged by the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey with trying to use the identities of seven recruits to open credit union accounts and take out nearly $266,000 in loans and…
Iranian lawmakers are debating the wording of a proposed deal with Oman on the Strait of Hormuz, with U.S. President Donald Trump insisting an agreement is getting closer. Trump said the talks are “moving along” and gave no additional comment when asked about progress by White House reporters late Thursday. Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said earlier this week that an understanding with Oman had been reached “in principle,” and state TV cited one lawmaker on Friday as saying the final text and details of an agreement with Muscat will be announced “soon.” Some Iranian politicians are pushing for…
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A series of tankers made their way out of the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday despite threats to shipping from Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, using a new route close to Oman’s shore that has been promoted by a U.N. maritime agency. The development comes as tensions rise between Iran and the United States over their interim accord aimed at permanently ending the Iran war. From getting ships through the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf to the future of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, the sides are increasingly debating the terms of the…
This year’s Fourth of July celebrations promise to be epic, marking the nation’s 250th anniversary. But for some veterans, the bangs, flashes and noise from fireworks blasting in the night sky can be a nightmare. However, Dr. Nikki Wooten, an Army veteran and professor at the University of South Carolina College of Social Work, believes there are suitable ways veterans can still enjoy the holiday without being emotionally and physically triggered. “The debris created by fireworks can remind them of the debris from roadside bombs, IEDs, explosions, and mortar attacks,” Wooten told Military.com. “The sounds can remind them of incoming…
WASHINGTON (AP) — NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte laid on the flattery with President Donald Trump on Wednesday, pressing the case for a military alliance that the volatile U.S. leader has sharply criticized as the Pentagon reviews the size of the U.S. military footprint in Europe. Trump has repeatedly slammed NATO, arguing the U.S. carries more than its fair share of military spending. But his grievances have been louder since the Iran war, as he fumed over the fact that some member countries ignored his call to help him restart oil trade through the shuttered Strait of Hormuz. “They weren’t too…
A major study commissioned by U.S. Special Operations Command has found that special operations troops experience higher rates of cancer than the rest of the military, providing the clearest evidence yet that an issue long discussed within the SOF community deserves closer examination. The study, which analyzed health records from more than 231,000 special operations personnel and compared them with more than 5 million non-special operations service members, found that special operators experienced an overall cancer incidence rate 18% higher than their conventional force counterparts. Researchers also identified significantly higher rates of several specific cancers, including melanoma and testicular cancer.…
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The United States will mark its 250th anniversary in 2026. The milestone has renewed attention on figures whose actions shaped the country. Some led armies. Others challenged presidents, escaped slavery, fought for voting rights, or broke color barriers. One is known for betrayal. American history was shaped by battles, elections, official documents, and by scouts, fugitives, writers, athletes, reformers, and Native leaders. As we celebrate the nation’s semi-quincentennial, now is a great time to highlight 12 Americans who changed U.S. history. George Washington A statue of George Washington on horseback is displayed at the Public Garden, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026,…
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From the moment it went viral, the video of a DEA agent saying he was “the only one professional enough” to handle his handgun moments before shooting himself in the leg has become kind of the calling card for why a career in law enforcement doesn’t automatically mean an individual is a responsible gun handler. Just 10 days ago, I wrote about an incident where a Pasadena police officer shot a coworker in an incident described as “horseplay,” all caught on dashcam, and that was definitely an example of what I mean.This one out of…
A hidden camera installed by the wife of a disabled Marine veteran has triggered criminal charges, calls for a broader investigation, and a pledge from Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins to remove a federal employee accused of abusing the veteran inside a New York state-run veterans home. The case centers on Albert O’Toole, a Gulf War Marine veteran whose wife, Angela Sangro, said he suffered a traumatic brain injury during his military service and was later diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. According to Sangro, concerns about her husband’s treatment led her to secretly place a camera in his…
Gearing up for a powder day and top-of-mountain concert, I knew I was heading out for one of the best bell-to-bell days of my season. I would need a day’s worth of food, sunscreen, a 360 camera, a selfie stick, a beanie, earplugs, and more. I contemplated bringing my full backpack. But it was one of the better powder days of the year for the pow cam, and I wanted to ride hard without a bigger bag. Yet, I needed to carry all of my gear. I wanted to look stylish for both the camera and the concert. Luckily, I had the…
Virginia’s universal background check system, which has been (mostly) on hold for nearly a year thanks to a lawsuit filed by Gun Owners of America and Virginia Citizens Defense League, will be enforced starting on July 1 after the Lynchburg circuit judge who halted the checks sided with Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones over the plaintiffs. Jones and Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger had told the Virginia State Police to resume checks last month after she signed HB 1525 into law. The bill prohibits adults under the age of 21 from purchasing firearms in the Commonwealth,…
