The Department of Veterans Affairs approved $1.2 billion in facility infrastructure improvements during the third quarter of fiscal year 2026, the agency announced July 20, bringing total obligated spending from its record $4.8 billion, nonrecurring maintenance budget to $2.3 billion for the year so far. The fiscal 2026 non-recurring maintenance, or NRM, budget is the largest in the VA’s history. The funds go toward significant maintenance, replacements and upgrades at VA medical facilities nationwide, intended to maintain and improve both operational capability and health care delivery. Where the Money Is Going Of the $1.2 billion approved in the third quarter,…
Support us! GearJunkie may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More Backcountry: Up to 40% Off (Photo/prAna) You can find nearly everything you might need for outdoor adventures at Backcountry. And you’ll find major deals on that gear during Backcountry’s Summer Sale. Get up to 40% off a variety of apparel, shoes, tents, and more. I’m partial to suggesting prAna’s Stretch Zion Pants. With many sizes and colors on sale for 30% off, it’s a solid choice for pants that will last a very long time. I’ve had my pair for over 10 years, and…
Buying and leasing both have their advantages, but the cheaper option depends on how long you plan to keep the vehicle, how much you drive, and whether you’re expecting a PCS, deployment, or other life changes. Before you sign on the dotted line, here’s what military families should consider. How Does Leasing Work? Leasing a vehicle is similar to renting it as you pay a monthly fee for the ability to use the car for a certain amount of time, which is typically two to three years. During that time, your lease agreement will dictate how you can use the…
A climbing rope made entirely from recycled materials has no business handling this well. The Mammut Crag Recycled 9.8mm Dry Rope ($200) looks and feels surprisingly similar to some of the thinner ropes I already own. That caught my attention because it had been a long time since I’d been interested in using a 9.8mm rope. The more experienced I became as a climber, the lighter I wanted my ropes to be. Lighter and thinner ropes have several advantages. They’re easier to feed out of a belay device, faster to clip, and lighter to carry. But they lose points in…
Homicides hit historic lows in 2025, and all indications seem to suggest that we’re going to set a new low here in 2026. That’s fantastic news, especially as this drop has coincided with the fearmongering among anti-gunners following the Bruen decision. The problem is, though, that anti-gunners don’t actually care about reality. All they need is enough of a perception that there’s a problem to sort of justify them doing stupid things, like, say, calling for a special legislative session to pass gun control in one of the most anti-gun states in the nation.The Delaware-based…
Your vehicle’s brakes are its most important safety system, but they’re also one of the easiest components to overlook when something goes wrong. While brake pads and rotors wear over time, your vehicle usually gives you warning signs before braking performance becomes dangerous. Paying attention to unusual noises, changes in pedal feel, or differences in how your vehicle stops can help you catch problems early. Knowing what to look for can help you avoid more expensive repairs – and keep you and your passengers safe on the road. 1. Squealing or Screeching When You Brake A high-pitched squeal when you…
A hero’s return home to the United States on Thursday for a World War II prisoner of war who died in captivity more than eight decades ago. Private First Class Bernard Folteen Sweet’s remains were set to return to the U.S. on a flight at Bradley International Airport in Connecticut. According to the Army, Sweet was a native of Bennington, Vermont, who served with the Army’s Headquarters Squadron, 24th Pursuit Group in the Philippines during WWII, 84 years ago. Newspaper clipping from 1942 details Army Ffc. Bernard Sweet’s death as a WWII POW in Japan. His remains were returned to…
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This article was originally published by Conner McEleney at The Mises Institute. Many progressives, such as Robert Reich and Kyle Kulinski, argue that the economy needs a universal basic income (UBI) to fix it. Their argument stems from the idea that UBI has no serious flaws, that many studies show success, and that it’s the moral thing to do. An example that these progressives would cite would be the Denver UBI experiment. The study had three groups of people. Group A had $1,000 per month, and Group B had $6,500 for the first month; the other months were $500. Group C had…
At some points during the pandemic, it was easier to buy a Ford F-150 than it was to buy a roll of toilet paper– and for quite a while, pickup truck prices were just the craziest. Suddenly, folks were second-guessing public transit, trading older cars in for newer ones to help eliminate uncertainty in their lives, and (importantly) looking to spend more time outside and away from one another. The pandemic poured gas on an already-hot adventure-vehicle market that was expanding to include the first hybrid-powered Toyota Tundra, the first electric-powered F-150, and heavy-duty models that were churning out more…
The World Health Organization (WHO) Chief has said he swears that the Ebola outbreak “can be stopped.” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has arrived in the Democratic Republic of Congo, proclaiming that the spread of this disease can be stopped, so long as warring faction lay down their weapons and commit to a ceasefire. Ghebreyesus added that no conflict is worth condemning people to death over a preventable disease, accoridng to a report by The Guardian. That means humanitarian efforts should be a first step toward containment. He solidified his stance when writing on X on Wednesday, saying, “Stopping this Ebola transmission…
As part of the Democrats’ failed efforts to pass a gun and magazine ban in Minnesota this year, a number of communities in the state adopted local ordinances of their own prohibiting commonly-owned arms like AR-15s. Though the ordinances were written so that they would only take effect if Minnesota’s firearm preemption law is ever repealed, the MN Gun Owners Caucus has launched several lawsuits against the measures, arguing that the preemption statute applies to these types of anticipatory ordinances too. On Thursday, a Ramsey County judge sided with the Caucus and denied a request…
As recently announced by Bungie, Destiny 2 is unfortunately meeting its untimely end on June 9, with a final update that marks a new era for the game with no new content, live-service patches, expansions, or anything of the sort. The final update for Destiny 2 on June 9 seems to be pretty substantial for a non-expansion patch, and Bungie will share more information before launch. For now, players can take a look at the first Dev Insight post, which includes the return of the Director, a revamp of all Destination rewards with unique events for each of them, Sparrow…
A Polish businessman wanted on fraud and money laundering charges was arrested by federal authorities while attending Army Basic Combat Training at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. Marcin Pióro, 46, the chief executive of the Polish financial services platform Cinkciarz.pl, was taken into custody on May 19 during a military training exercise at the Army installation. Pióro was the subject of an Interpol Red Notice and an extradition request filed by the Polish government, according to a May 21 press release issued by the U.S. Marshals Service. Interpol stated his age is 45. On May 20, he appeared in U.S.…
When it comes to states that people associate with outdoor recreation, Colorado is definitely near the top of the list, and with 43 state parks, it’s easy to see why. Whether you’re a hiker, climber, angler, boater, or cyclist, there’s a state park that’s perfect for you. We sourced info from locals and GearJunkie staff to round up the Colorado state parks that you can’t miss next time you visit the Mountain West, along with info on camping, reservations, and fees. Castlewood Canyon State Park The former dam is an interesting structure to explore; (photo/Chris Waits via Flickr Creative Commons)…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Uncertainty swirled Friday around what the U.S. called a tentative deal to extend the ceasefire in its war with Iran. It wasn’t clear whether U.S. President Donald Trump supports it, and a top Iranian official said his country wins concessions “through missiles,” not talks. U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Thursday the adversaries had reached a tentative agreement. But he said they continued to debate “a couple of language points” and he couldn’t say whether Trump would approve the proposal. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Friday on X that his country has “no trust in…
I’d say the chances are pretty good. As we reported yesterday, Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger has declared that “universal” background checks are once again the law of the Commonwealth, even though a Lynchburg judge’s injunction on the practice is still in effect. Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones filed a motion with the judge in early May asking for the injunction to be lifted, arguing that recently passed legislation resolves the underlying issue that led to the judge halting background checks on private sales, but the judge has yet to act on that request. On Thursday, attorneys…
The director and producer of new Capcom game Pragmata talk about the chance of the new sci-fi game getting a sequel in the future. Credit: via Capcom Originally published by Game Rant The developers behind Pragmata have expressed that they would like to make a sequel to the game. The exciting new IP has already been a hit for Capcom, and Pragmata fans want more. Pragmata took a very long time to reach players after initially being revealed all the way back in 2020. Leading up to its release, there were concerns that Pragmata would be canceled, or that it would…
For military families, getting Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders often triggers a long checklist: housing, household goods, schools, travel plans and countless administrative tasks. But one item that is easy to overlook can have a major impact on the journey ahead: your vehicle. Whether you’re driving across one state or across the country, a PCS can mean hundreds or even thousands of miles on the road with children, pets, luggage and everything else that didn’t make it onto the moving truck. The last thing any military family needs is a breakdown in the middle of an already stressful transition.…
This article was originally published by Joshua Mawhorter at The Mises Institute. In our modern, Western world, many justify the state and its policies because of the presupposition that the state—and the state uniquely—is an indispensable service-provider of essential services that could not or would not be provided by the free market or which would be underprovided were it not for the state’s collective provision. This is the public goods argument. It has become a cliche for defenders of the state to ask critics, especially libertarians, “But without the government, who would build the roads?” It is astounding that it has been…
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul hasn’t really hidden her feelings on guns, gun rights, and gun control. I can at least respect this, even if I disagree with everything that comes out of her mouth, including the punctuation marks. She believes the righteous action is to restrict things like 3D printers and what people can print on them, among other things, and while I still disagree, she has a God-given right to be wrong. But there’s a question about how this was passed.See, it’s one thing to introduce a bill, debate it, and pass it.…
