Opinion

US Air Force’s AdAir fighter training needs a road map

AdAir has had a sluggish start within the Air Force while the service struggles with major internal issues.

4 days ago

Voting rights activists hold signs near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on January 19, 2022.

Passing Electoral Count Act reforms is vital to national security

Nine senior former defense officials and military leaders warn about national security threats America faces due to weaknesses in the Electoral Count Act.

10 days ago

Commentary

‘Made in China’ exclusion policy at exchanges would hurt families

An amendment in the fiscal 2023 defense policy bill would prohibit military exchanges and commissaries from selling items that were made in China.

Airmen assigned to the 28th Bomb Wing recieve a U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer assigned to the 37th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, after landing at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, in support of a Bomber Task Force mission, Oct. 18, 2022. Bomber missions contribute to joint force lethality and deter aggression in the Indo-Pacific by demonstrating the U.S. Air Force’s ability to operate anywhere in the world at any time in support of the National Defense Strategy. (Senior Airman Yosselin Campos/Air Force)

US Air Force’s ‘divest to invest’ plan is too risky

This strategy may look attractive on paper, but past attempts show that it doesn’t work in practice. Here’s why.

2 weeks ago

Audience members listen to Space Force Maj. Gen. Douglas A. Schiess address current and future space operations at Air Force Association’s 2022 Air, Space, & Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, September 19, 2022.

AFA’s listless leading professional development event needs a redesign

The Air, Space & Cyber Conference, the “leading professional development event for [the] Air Force and Space Force," is not living up to its billing.

2 weeks ago

It’s time to reset America’s long-range strike deficit

America simply has far more demand for long-range strike aircraft than planes and crews.

2 weeks ago

Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough visited the Veterans Row encampment in Los Angeles in 2021.

Drop in veteran homelessness proves we can end homelessness

New data shows that veteran homelessness in the U.S. has decreased by 11% since 2020, the last year for which we have complete data.

3 weeks ago

At VA, we stand tall to hurricanes Fiona and Ian

"Thanks to preparation and quick response, most of VA’s clinics remained online or were fully operational within a day or two."

4 weeks ago

We need to increase research into psychedelics for veterans with PTSD

In the past few years, new treatment options have emerged from the often-stigmatized source of psychedelics.

4 weeks ago

Congress must act to boost combat-credible air power in Indo-Pacific

Withdrawing F-15 fighter squadrons from Kadena Air Base in Japan without a replacement plan does not enhance combat-credible posture, these authors argue.

4 weeks ago

Leaders from Air Force Global Strike Command and 2nd Bomb Wing greet the Honorable Gina Ortiz Jones, Under Secretary of the Air Force, during her arrival to Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, April 12, 2022.

Honoring Filipino Americans’ legacy of service

Filipino American History Month is celebrated in the United States during the month of October.

5 weeks ago

Department of Defense civilians and active duty service members attend a Traumatic Brain Injury Open House event March 20, 2014, at Tripler Army Medical Center located in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Outrage over NFL brain injuries; silence over military brain injuries

The NFL is doing the right thing on concussions. The Department of Defense lacks the urgency and a similar aggressive approach.

5 weeks ago

A student draws on a piece of paper during the second to last day of school as New York City public schools prepare to wrap up the 2021/2022 school year on June 24, 2022 in New York City.

What we can do to ensure a quality education for military children

Military leaders have repeatedly raised concerns about the quality of K-12 public schools around military installations.

5 weeks ago

An airman loads chaff and flare countermeasure mods on a trailer at Ali Al Salem Air Force Base, Kuwait, Jan. 26, 2022.

Cannibalizing the arsenal of democracy in turbulent times

The Pentagon should consider cutting back on research and development funding and ramping up procurement to protect the arsenal of democracy.

7 weeks ago

Legal loophole: Some contracts skirt protections for service members

Special protections afforded to service members are being undermined by a legal trap buried in the fine print of contracts and click-through agreements.

7 weeks ago

Addressing military families’ needs: a ‘to-do list’ not a ‘wish list’

Defense and service officials have struggled for decades to address the problems military families face.

8 weeks ago

A line of flags is placed in remembrance of each member of the Department of Defense who was lost to suicide in 2021 at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, Sept. 1, 2022.

We can all ‘Be the One’ to save the life of a veteran

It is National Suicide Prevention Month, but the work to prevent suicides must be at the front of our minds far beyond September.

2 months ago

Women rights activists hold up signs as they gather at Freedom Plaza for a pre-march rally of the annual Womens March October 2, 2021 in Washington, DC.

It’s time for equitable reproductive rights for women veterans

The VA recently said it will start providing abortions in certain circumstances, even in states where it's illegal or restricted.

2 months ago

‘Extraordinary circumstances’ facing hungry military families

Congress and the Defense Department can take action to help bring relief to struggling military families and service members experiencing food insecurity.

2 months ago

Abbey Gate, heroism, heartbreak, a baby named ‘Joy’ and a life saved

An Air Force flight nurse deployed to Kabul during the Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021 recalls her story.

2 months ago

Editorials, guest commentaries, Medals and Misfires. Active-duty, reserve, Guard, veterans, Capitol Hill and the Pentagon.

AdAir has had a sluggish start within the Air Force while the service struggles with major internal issues.

Nine senior former defense officials and military leaders warn about national security threats America faces due to weaknesses in the Electoral Count Act.

An amendment in the fiscal 2023 defense policy bill would prohibit military exchanges and commissaries from selling items that were made in China.

This strategy may look attractive on paper, but past attempts show that it doesn’t work in practice. Here’s why.

The Air, Space & Cyber Conference, the “leading professional development event for [the] Air Force and Space Force," is not living up to its billing.

America simply has far more demand for long-range strike aircraft than planes and crews.

New data shows that veteran homelessness in the U.S. has decreased by 11% since 2020, the last year for which we have complete data.

"Thanks to preparation and quick response, most of VA’s clinics remained online or were fully operational within a day or two."

In the past few years, new treatment options have emerged from the often-stigmatized source of psychedelics.

Withdrawing F-15 fighter squadrons from Kadena Air Base in Japan without a replacement plan does not enhance combat-credible posture, these authors argue.

Filipino American History Month is celebrated in the United States during the month of October.

The NFL is doing the right thing on concussions. The Department of Defense lacks the urgency and a similar aggressive approach.

Military leaders have repeatedly raised concerns about the quality of K-12 public schools around military installations.

The Pentagon should consider cutting back on research and development funding and ramping up procurement to protect the arsenal of democracy.

Special protections afforded to service members are being undermined by a legal trap buried in the fine print of contracts and click-through agreements.

Defense and service officials have struggled for decades to address the problems military families face.

It is National Suicide Prevention Month, but the work to prevent suicides must be at the front of our minds far beyond September.

The VA recently said it will start providing abortions in certain circumstances, even in states where it's illegal or restricted.

Congress and the Defense Department can take action to help bring relief to struggling military families and service members experiencing food insecurity.

An Air Force flight nurse deployed to Kabul during the Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021 recalls her story.