Senate confirms former VA benefits chief as new deputy secretary
Senate lawmakers confirmed Paul Lawrence as the next Veterans Affairs deputy secretary Thursday, putting in place another key leader at the department as administration officials plan massive reforms for the bureaucracy. Lawrence, who previously served as VA’s under secretary for benefits during President Donald Trump’s...
Regent’s electric seaglider gets funding boost from Marine Corps Warfighting Lab
Regent’s all-electric boat-plane hybrid project got a major boost from the government this week. The Marine Corps Warfighting Lab extended its collaboration with Regent with an estimated $10 million contract on Wednesday, following the successful completion of a $4.75 million contract. This new phase of...
Watchdog blasts VA leaders for exaggerating budget shortfall last year
A federal watchdog on Thursday criticized Veterans Affairs leaders for accounting mistakes and procedural errors last year which led to fears of a possible department budget shortfall despite sufficient funding available to cover benefits and medical care. The report from the VA Inspector General’s Office...
VA Secretary Doug Collins calls out CNN defamation lawsuit in heated interview
Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins reprimanded CNN during a tense exchange on the network – accusing the news outlet of being “hostile” towards veterans and reminding viewers that CNN was found to have defamed U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young. During a Wednesday interview with CNN...
Senators request inquiry into military secrets shared on Signal app
Top Senate lawmakers on Thursday formally requested the Defense Inspector General’s office investigate whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth violated national security laws and protocols by sharing sensitive military information in a non-government chat group ahead of airstrikes in Yemen earlier this month. Senate Armed Services...
Senator pushes for new rules letting academy athletes play pro sports
Former college football coach Sen. Tommy Tuberville said this week he plans to push for new rules in this year’s defense authorization bill debate allowing elite military academy athletes to pursue professional sports careers after graduation, calling it an invaluable recruiting tool for the services....
US Army ships its newest air-defense tech to units in Asia, Europe
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The U.S. Army plans to send major elements of its most modernized air and missile defense capabilities to the Pacific and European theaters, according to Maj. Gen. Frank Lozano, program executive officer for missiles and space. For example, the service will send...
North Korea’s Kim Jong Un oversees test of AI-powered suicide drones
North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un has overseen tests of newly developed AI-powered suicide drones and called for their increased production, North Korean state media said Thursday. Photos released from the communist country show Kim inspecting new upgraded reconnaissance drones that are capable of detecting various tactical targets...
Army wife pleads guilty to fatally stabbing infant son at Georgia military base
A U.S. Army wife stationed at Fort Eisenhower in Georgia awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to the 2023 murder of her infant son, who was found stabbed to death in a shower curtain. April Evalyn Short, 31, of Fort Eisenhower, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder,...
Veterans organization gives back to severely wounded ‘appreciative’ Ukrainian soldiers
One American veterans nonprofit is giving back to Ukrainian soldiers severely wounded in combat or in Russian war camps. The American Warrior Partnership (AWP), a 501c3 based in Georgia, seeks to address mental wellness challenges for veterans “long before a crisis occurs,” according to its...
