More than 21 million veterans and service members live in the U.S., but only about 6% of them bought a home using a VA home loan in the past five years. That percentage could be much higher. Eligible veterans often bypass the program for a number of reasons. First, they may not know all the advantages. Second, they may think getting a VA loan is an arduous process to be avoided. Last, some lenders don’t take the time to teach veterans about the program, or don’t know much about it themselves. The VA home loan is a program non-military home…
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to announce Wednesday that he will cut general and admiral positions across the military by 20%, effectively doubling the reduction he ordered last year as part of a broader plan to reshape the senior ranks by Jan. 1, 2027. Hegseth is scheduled to lay out the plan during a “State of the Force” address at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, according to Pentagon officials cited by several news outlets, including Fox News, which first reported it. Quantico is the same site where the secretary gathered the United States’ highest ranking generals and admirals…
Being a police officer is tough. I wouldn’t do it for three times the top-end pay for an officer, much less what they actually get paid. Growing up around the profession, I saw just what kind of toll it could take on a person, and that’s without losing a number of your colleagues in a single day. Just one was enough to rattle a lot of police officers’ families deeply. Officers in Charlotte, NC, dealt with that back in 2024 when four of their colleagues were gunned down by a convicted felon armed with a…
LONDON (AP) — The U.K. has “strong indications” that Iran played a part in the incident that saw five men arrested near a U.S.-run military air base in England late at night, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Wednesday. Burnham said U.K. and U.S. officials are carrying out a “complex and serious” investigation into how and why five men and three vans were near the perimeter of RAF Fairford, a base that has been used by American bombers striking Iran during this year’s war. Five British men in their 20s were arrested Sunday on suspicion of explosives offenses and planning an…
Can you be convicted of a crime when you act in self-defense but an errant shot strikes a home or another person? The answer may vary from state to state, and even from case to case, as the Ohio Supreme Court recently decided. This particular case involves a man named Timothy Bradley, who was originally charged with a variety of crimes after shooting a contractor named Zachary Burch at Bradley’s home in 2024. Bradley had hired, and then fired Burch, and the pair started arguing when Burch showed up to collect his tools. Video and audio…
Separating from the military sets off a series of financial deadlines that don’t run on the same schedule, and most of them aren’t automatic. Health coverage, life insurance, Department of Veterans Affairs disability filing and retirement account decisions all run on their own separate clocks, and missing any one of them can mean a gap in coverage or a benefit that closes for good. Here’s how the sequence goes, from before separation through the end of the first year. Before Separation: 90 to 180 Days Out The window to start planning opens well before your separation date. Veterans and service…
The DOJ’s Civil Rights Division has already successfully gone after the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department over its unreasonable delays in processing concealed carry applications and recently targeted San Jose, California over its excessive fees for concealed carry permits, but now the division is seeking to strike down another local law on the books in San Jose. The Justice Department filed its first complaint against the city’s $1591 application fee a couple of weeks ago, but on Tuesday the agency filed an amended complaint this week that challenges San Jose’s requirement that concealed carry applicants undergo…
The U.S. Marine Corps is following the Department of Defense (DOD) and Air Force, issuing new deadlines for service members to revise their religious affiliation as part of a major shift in the U.S. Armed Forces that began months ago. On Tuesday, the Marine Corps published its own official Marine Corps Administrative Message (MARADMINS) implementing the policy change that will affect personnel. This MARADMIN “announces implementation of the revised Department of War Religious Affiliation Codes (RAC) and directs Marines to review and update their religious affiliation information.” Military.com was the first to report how DOD dramatically reduced its official number…
Post from MilitaryByOwner Each time we make a move with the military, we have one huge decision to make: Do we live off base, or do we live on base? In my experience, there are 7 things to consider before living in military housing—both pros and cons. 1) You may give up some privacy. We can be a nosy community. Combine that with living a few feet from each other, and you soon have a community that knows everything about you, right down to your daily routine. But don’t be fooled; you’ll soon know just as much about your neighbors,…
Service members preparing to leave the military are inundated with advice about how to land their first civilian job. Build a personal brand. Translate your military skills. Make sure your résumé gets past artificial intelligence. And, after years of military service, don’t settle for a job that doesn’t pay what you’re worth. Tim Best has spent decades watching veterans make the jump into civilian careers, and he says some of the conventional wisdom can actually make the transition harder. Best, CEO of RecruitMilitary and a former Army special operations helicopter pilot, recently sat down with Military.com to discuss what he…
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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadWhen disaster strikes, there is no room for guesswork when it comes to your food. You need to know what you have, how much, and how long it will last you. A well-prepared food supply addresses one of your most critical needs. When it comes to food prep, the bottom line is that if you run out, you and your family will find yourselves on a survival countdown. Food prepping is not about throwing random cans of food into a dark cabinet and hoping for the best. It is about building a layered, intentional…
When it comes to tornado safety, what you think you know can be just as dangerous as what you don’t. Over the years, a mix of folklore, outdated advice, and pure fiction has created a set of myths about tornadoes that stubbornly persist. Acting on these myths during a real emergency can waste precious seconds and put you and your family in greater danger. Your ability to protect your family depends on having a clear, fact-based plan—not fantasy. This article is here to cut through the noise and debunk the most common tornado myths. Understanding the truth empowers you to…
Surviving a tough event—whether it was a physical and mental struggle, even a sudden job loss, a health scare, or something bigger—is only the first part. The real victory comes afterward, when you put yourself back together in a way that leaves you stronger and more capable than before. I’ve been through my share of tough spots, physically and mentally banged up from deployments where things got hectic, to personal losses that flattened me like a steamroller. I’ve been fired, lost friends and family, failed to save the lives of others, been injured and medevaced, and dealt with the long-term…
When the siren wails and the sky turns that bruised shade of green, not having a good option is not an option. Your greatest asset in that moment isn’t luck—it’s a plan. And the cornerstone of that plan is knowing exactly where you and your family will ride out the storm. For many, the idea of a “safe room” conjures images of expensive, contractor-built bunkers that cost as much as a new car. But safety shouldn’t be a luxury item. You can build a highly effective tornado safe room yourself on a standard budget, using materials you can find at…
If you start preparing for emergencies while you’re living in a city, you face two main challenges: limited space and a tight budget. Many readers are looking for ways to get started without spending a lot of money. Here is a simple $25-a-month prep plan designed to help you build a 14-day survival kit over the next year without taking up much space or draining your wallet. TL;DR: Start your emergency preparedness journey for just $25 a month. By focusing on everyday essentials like water, dry food, and basic sanitation, you can calmly build a reliable 14-day survival kit over…
In less than a month, the Supreme Judicial Court in Massachusetts will hear oral arguments in a case that could determine whether local licensing officials can continue to use (and abuse) their own discretion in deciding who is “suitable” to exercise their Second Amendment rights. The case involves a man named Randy Westbrook, who applied for and was denied a License to Carry by Holyoke Police Chief David Pratt, who deemed Westbrook “unsuitable.” Westbrook has no felony convictions or other prohibitions that would preclude him from purchasing and possessing a firearm under federal law, but…
When a tornado warning sounds, the minutes that follow are critical. Having everything you need in one place removes any uncertainty, allowing you to act with effective confidence. An emergency kit is not just a collection of supplies. It is a system designed to support you and your family when you are at your worst. Building a tornado emergency kit is one of the most practical steps you can take to prepare for severe weather. It is an act that turns your worry about the future into positive action today. This guide will walk you through creating a comprehensive kit,…
Picture this: You are driving home from work, or maybe you are sitting in the living room with your family on a humid spring afternoon. The sky suddenly takes on a strange, bruised green color. The wind stops, and an eerie silence settles in. Then, the distant wail of a warning siren cuts through the quiet. When a tornado is imminent, there is no room for guesswork. You do not have time to scroll through your phone for advice or to debate where to hide. It is hard to know what to do when chaos hits your neighborhood. Panic is…
There is no doubt about it, we all feel we live in uncertain times. Every day, we see news about economic instability, supply chain disruptions, severe climate-related events, and health threats; that doesn’t even include what’s going on in our own daily lives. In today’s wild world, these pressures may seem more pronounced. Sharing limited space and infrastructure, with fewer safety nets, means any disruption can cause a major hurdle. We know that being prepared with adequate supplies is important, but mental preparedness is often overlooked. Having a resilient mindset allows you to think clearly, adapt to change, and make…
Plaintiffs residing outside of New York are challenging a Manhattan regulation that limits carriers to a single firearm. The challenge was raised in the District Court of Southern New York. The case Hendrick et al. v. New York City was filed on September 11 in federal court. This case raises the question on whether or not the City of New York may limit non-resident concealed carry handgun license holders to being able to carry only one firearm. New York City requires non-resident license holders to register one, and only one, handgun that they may carry…
