Author: Braxton Taylor
It’s Friday morning and I’m taking my walk, getting exercise and trying to decide what this week’s column will be about. And, the light comes on: exercise is it. It is one of those things, besides guns and ammo, that factors in to our ability to successfully deal with a violent encounter. When the fight-or-flight syndrome kicks in, one of the many physical changes that we experience is an increase in blood pressure. Not long ago, I watched a video of a police officer who experienced a heart attack during his struggle to arrest a suspect. By the looks of…
When my husband and I married in 2015, we had no idea that we would struggle with infertility. After a few unsuccessful months of trying to conceive, I began to wonder whether I was the reason we couldn’t get pregnant. I was approaching 30 and knew that my biological clock was ticking.We have spent the past nine years on our family-building journey. My husband and I were diagnosed with unexplained infertility, which means we are experiencing difficulties getting or staying pregnant, but the doctors couldn’t pinpoint the exact cause.We have done three rounds of intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilization…
U.S. attorneys in New Mexico and Texas are announcing some of the first convictions against migrants who crossed into newly created military zones along the southern border — a tactic by the Trump administration to deter crossings and increase legal penalties.Two Mexican citizens pleaded guilty to a violation of defense property security regulations and trespassing on military property — misdemeanor charges that can carry up to a year in prison and/or fines, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Mexico announced Thursday. The men were also convicted of reentry after deportation.The announcement of the first convictions by the U.S. government follows…
An Afghan man who fled to the United States after he says his brother was murdered by the Taliban in retaliation for working with the U.S. military, something the man also did himself, is now sitting in an immigration detention center in California. Federal agents arrested him after the conclusion of an asylum case hearing.The arrest, which was captured on video circulated on social media, is the most stark demonstration yet that the Afghan allies who were instrumental to the 20-year U.S. war effort are not being spared from the Trump administration’s aggressive tactics to reduce immigration.It is also infuriating…
The Pentagon announced it has canceled a massive contract with HomeSafe Alliance (HSA) to ship the household goods of troops moving between duty stations that had become a source of steady criticism as families struggled to complete moves.Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Wednesday that the cancellation of the contract, worth around $7.2 billion, was “for cause due to HSA’s demonstrated inability to fulfill their obligations and deliver high-quality moves to service members.”The move coincided with the appointment of Maj. Gen. Lance Curtis to lead the Permanent Change of Station (PCS) Joint Task Force that, according to Parnell, will have the…
Karen Brazell, a senior adviser to Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins, has been nominated to head the Veterans Benefits Administration — the section of the VA that manages $189 billion in benefits for nearly six million veterans and family members.The White House sent a notification Monday to the Senate committee that will oversee the nomination process, including Brazell’s confirmation hearing and Senate vote. If confirmed, Brazell would assume the role of under secretary for benefits, previously held by Josh Jacobs, who resigned in January following the change of administration.Brazell has served since January as an adviser to Collins.…
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested a Russian woman at Marine Corps Base Hawaii last week, according to the agency and a Marine Corps spokesperson, in what is likely the first known detention of a foreign national under a partnership pilot program between the service and federal immigration authorities that began last month.Military police at Marine Corps Base Hawaii stopped Anastasiia Vorobeva on June 12 at an entry control point on the southern part of the base, 1st Lt. John O’Hara, a spokesperson for the base, told Military.com late Friday.He said Vorobeva failed to present “valid identification,” and military police…
PARIS—Anduril and General Atomics unveiled full-scale mockups of their fighter drones to the international market this week, pitching customizable weapons and a chance for Europe to help build them. U.S. Air Force officials helped both companies pitch the program to other countries, executives told Defense One at the Paris Air Show—even though the service has yet to field the drones itself. “The U.S. Air Force has said: Let’s move out. Let’s make partners. Let’s do co-production. Let’s make it happen,” said Dave Alexander, president of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. The U.S. government could approve export licenses very soon, the company added—in “weeks,…
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Mastering push-ups and pull-ups requires progressing from building strength to developing muscular endurance. Conquering your first repetition of these calisthenics exercises is a matter of strength, but reaching high-volume sets, such as 20 pull-ups or 80 push-ups, becomes more about endurance and stamina.Simply performing more reps is a logical start, but how you structure your training volume can mean the difference between breakthroughs and persistent plateaus. Below are five versatile workout options. Choose one or two to include three times a week, or rotate all five to vary the stimulus, boost volume and build core and grip strength.1. The Classic…