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No tax on troops’ $1,776 ‘warrior dividend,’ IRS says
Troops who received an unexpected $1,776 one-time payment in December won’t have to pay taxes on that money, the Internal Revenue Service confirmed.
Patients must be offered chaperones for ‘sensitive’ exams, DOD says
The announcement follows several prominent cases of Army doctors taking indecent liberties with patients behind closed doors.
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US military transfers 150 Islamic State detainees from Syria to Iraq
The decision follows Syrian government forces taking control of camps with IS detainees after the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces withdrew.
‘Hidden Figure’ Gladys West, GPS pioneer and Navy civilian, dies at 95
West’s genius secured her a position in 1956 at the Naval Support Facility Dahlgren, then called Naval Proving Ground, where she worked for over 40 years.
Washington National Guard shortens Officer Candidate School timeline
The Washington National Guard is shaving four months off its OCS timeline while keeping training standards and hour requirements unchanged.
Danish veterans of US wars say they feel betrayed by Greenland threats
Denmark has been a stalwart ally to America. Forty-four Danish troops were killed in Afghanistan, the highest per capita death toll among coalition forces.
In other news
US forces seize seventh sanctioned tanker linked to Venezuela
U.S. Southern Command said in a social media post that U.S. forces apprehended the Motor Vessel Sagitta on Tuesday “without incident.”
How fashion borrowed military aesthetics and lost the context
"What was once functional equipment tied to service, sacrifice and sometimes trauma is now treated as visual shorthand for toughness or rebellion."
Why most of military life rarely makes the screen
Between training and combat exists a long stretch of routine and waiting. Those experiences remain largely absent from military portrayals in film and TV.
By Clay Beyersdorfer
Review: ‘In Waves and War’ shows promise of psychedelics to treat PTSD
The documentary, streaming Monday, follows a group of veterans undergoing experimental treatments currently not approved for clinical use in the U.S.
An enduring symbol: why troops keep naming things after reptiles
From cobras to gators, reptilian mascots and call signs appear on patches, aircraft and unit logos across every branch. Why?
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US lawmakers release $839B compromise defense spending bill
The conferenced defense spending bill would increase funding for both the Air Force and Navy's sixth-generation fighters.
Army Corps of Engineers commander in Little Rock fired
The leadership change follows tension between Army Corps of Engineers and Missouri residents over measures taken by the Corps at Table Rock Lake.
By Eve Sampson
Patients must be offered chaperones for ‘sensitive’ exams, DOD says
The announcement follows several prominent cases of Army doctors taking indecent liberties with patients behind closed doors.
By Patricia Kime
This Marine’s furious fight on Tarawa helped to seal the battle’s fate
During the ferocious battle, Alexander Bonnyman led a 21-man demolition team against the main bomb-proof shelter on Tarawa. And won.
By Jon Guttman
US completes withdrawal from al-Asad airbase, Iraq says
The move brings to a close more than two decades of American military presence in the western part of the country.
By Tanya Noury
Army readies 1,500 soldiers for possible Minnesota deployment: sources
Two infantry battalions of the Army’s 11th Airborne Division have been given prepare-to-deploy orders, defense officials said.
US forces kill terror leader linked to ambush on Americans in Syria
The strike in Syria is the latest U.S. response in the wake of a Dec. 13 ambush there that killed two U.S. soldiers and one U.S. interpreter.
Guard troops to stay on DC streets through 2026
National Guard troops will be on the streets of Washington, D.C., until the end of the year, according to a memo reviewed by The Associated Press.
Feds remind states about law protecting military spouse job licenses
But there's a wrinkle for spouses in Justice Department's new interpretation of the law.
By Karen Jowers
China calls Trump battleship ‘easier target’ amid mixed US reception
Some analysts have suggested the battleship proposal may ultimately not be realistic and instead a move by Trump to jolt awake U.S. shipbuilders.
By Richard Sisk
Trump faces sharper questions over possible military action on Iran
The White House insists military options remain “on the table” regarding Iran, with the Islamic Republic convulsed by nationwide protests.
By Tanya Noury
General tapped to lead SOUTHCOM grilled over forces in Latin America
Renewed interest in Latin America is likely to bring changes to U.S. Southern Command, Donovan acknowledged.
By David Klepper, The Associated Press
US seizes sixth sanctioned tanker it says has ties to Venezuela
The U.S. Coast Guard boarded the tanker, named Veronica, early Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote on social media.
Female troops bristle at Pentagon’s review of combat roles
Some women say they suspect the review has been launched merely to buttress a predetermined conclusion: that they do not belong in the infantry.
By Tanya Noury
Gunner killed off Guadalcanal accounted for after 82 years
It has been 82 years since Staff Sgt. Nicholas J. Governale crashed into the sea off the coast of Guadalcanal. Now, the gunner is coming home.
‘Department of War’ rebrand could cost up to $125 million, CBO says
A “modest implementation” of DOW would cost taxpayers about $10 million, the report said. That figure could rise to $125 million if adopted more broadly.
By Tanya Noury