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Defense bill would let Air Force retire A-10s, F-15s — but not F-22s
Lawmakers want to see more detailed plans for collaborative combat aircraft and the Next Generation Air Dominance platform.
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Pentagon & Congress
Senate votes to keep US troops in Syria amid Iran-backed attacks
The Senate voted down a resolution to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria amid dozens of attacks from Iran-backed proxies in the war-torn country.
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Defense bill drops disputed abortion provisions in final compromise
The annual defense authorization bill contains a 5.2% pay raise for troops and a host of other policy renewals needed for military operations.
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Political fights aren’t discouraging recruits, military recruiters say
Service officials said one of their biggest obstacles is explaining the basics of military service to teenagers who rarely interact with veterans.
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US to announce fresh weapons aid for Ukraine as Congress is stalled
The latest weapons package will be provided through presidential drawdown authority, or PDA, which pulls weapons from existing U.S. stockpiles.
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Senators say DOD has a ‘long way to go’ to fix military housing issues
Senators want answers from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on steps the Pentagon is taking to address continued problems in family housing.
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23 top military leaders still in limbo after nominations blockade ends
A pair of Republican senators are still blocking the senior leaders from stepping in to their new roles.
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Here are the 422 military leaders finally confirmed by the Senate
More than 400 senior officers received promotions after waiting months for Senate action.
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Tuberville drops holds on more than 430 military promotions
The move is a signifcant breakthrough in the 10-month standoff between the GOP lawmaker and Pentagon leaders over abortion.
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US, allies in talks on naval task force to protect shipping in Red Sea
After three vessels were struck by missiles, the White House said the U.S. may establish a naval task force to escort commercial ships in the Red Sea.
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Total number of VA claims lost in online systems tops 120,000
The number of veterans discovered to be affected by the mistakes has grown in recent months.
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Defense authorization deal expected this week
Defense and veterans hearings on Capitol Hill for the week of Dec. 4, 2023.
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Defense Secretary Austin calls out those who advocate isolationism
In remarks at the Reagan National Defense Forum, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said United States must reject calls to turn away from global interests.
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Lawmakers urge Air Force to shift fighters to guard, reserve squadrons
They worry that if A-10s at Guard bases in Maryland and Michigan retire without a replacement, those squadrons could lose their fighter missions.
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Lawmakers press VA for stronger rules against discrimination
Congressional Democrats and outside advocates say updated policies for the department are long overdue.
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VA workers face more mandatory overtime amid record claims processing
The backlog of overdue disability claims is expected to keep rising over the next year.
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VA again found homes for 38K struggling vets in 2023
Department outreach efforts have helped nearly 80,000 veterans since the start of 2022.
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