Commentary

Opinions on war, Pentagon policy, pay and benefits, deployments, uniforms, weapons and more.

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.

10 hours 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.

6 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.

12 days 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.

13 days 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.

13 days 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."

3 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.

3 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