Author: Braxton Taylor
No one doubts that President Donald Trump is a fan of the U.S. defense industry. “We have the greatest missiles in the world,” he recently told reporters, “We have the greatest submarines in the world. We have the greatest army tanks in the world. We have the greatest weapons in the world.” He’s even ordered up a military parade to show off American weaponry on his 79th birthday in Washington, D.C. But Trump’s love for U.S. weapons, and for foreign arms sales, is increasingly putting some of his other policy goals at risk.In Europe, the administration is pursuing a contradictory policy: demanding that European…
This week on Rifle Roundup, we’re looking at the new Springfield Armory Kuna 9mm large format pistol, with an Aimpoint Duty RDS red dot sight and an Armageddon Gear Single Point sling. Springfield Armory Kuna 9mm Pistol: MSRP $999 Let’s journey overseas for a moment to the country of Croatia, specifically to the offices of HS Produkt, the largest gun manufacturer in that small European country. The Croatian government found itself in need of something to replace its aging stocks of submachine guns, and HS Produkt created a modern take on the small, fully automatic pistol-caliber firearm to fill that…
Hosts Spencer Neuharth, Janis Putelis, and Randall Williams recap Jani’s bear hunt and Randall’s turkey hunt, chat with Owen Bachhuber about Project RattleCam, review the modern slapstick hit Hundreds of Beavers, throw a fishy Hot Tip Off, and are rejoined by Kristine Fischer for some 1-Minute Fishing redemption. Read the full article here
Packing multiple adventures into a short period of time can sometimes make a mediocre experience of them all. Brent’s sharing a recent trip that had him fishing in the Gulf one day and then in the heart of Texas chasing hogs the next. Two distinct and contrasting activities performed in such a short time span can diminish the returns of each. They key to fun and meaningful returns though, according to what Brent found out, is the people with whom you spend time with. He’s also sharing a listener story where a lazy river float trip nearly turned tragic. All that and more on…
The Defense Department is considering terminating 14 advisory boards that guide Pentagon leaders on an array of personnel and operational issues, including the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services, the panel that has fought since 1951 to integrate women into the U.S. military.In an email sent last month to senior defense officials and reviewed by Military.com, Deputy Director of Washington Headquarters Services Bob Salesses proposed sunsetting more than a dozen committees and advisory boards and merging two additional panels.Thirteen of the boards would require congressional approval to dissolve but would be “administratively suspended” pending the necessary legislation. The…
The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com.On June 6 — D-Day — thousands of veterans will rally on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., united by a shared message: Don’t betray those who’ve borne the battle.As combat veterans, we know what it means to serve. We also know what it means to come home and fight a different kind of battle, navigating injuries, trauma, transition and bureaucracy. And now, the very institution created to support us, the Department of Veterans Affairs, is under clear and present threat.Let’s be clear: Cutting…
Lawmakers from both parties are demanding answers from senior Army leaders regarding a Pentagon plan to strip $1 billion from funds earmarked for barracks repairs and facility upkeep and redirect that money to support the military’s growing mission at the U.S.-Mexico border.The decision, reported last week by Military.com, would gut a key portion of the Army’s Facilities Sustainment, Restoration and Modernization budget, a funding line meant to address mold, broken plumbing, and dangerous living conditions that have plagued barracks across the force.”It’s very troubling; we’re trying to help with the quality of life,” Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., said to Army…
Former Army National Guard combat engineer Chris Purdy deployed to Iraq in 2011 where he clearly recalls the influence the Celtic punk band Dropkick Murphys had on his psyche — the driving guitar riffs that got him through the day.”We played their music in our Humvees and our MRAPs and our Strikers to get us through those many months away from home,” said Purdy, CEO of the Chamberlain Network, an advocacy group for veterans in civic engagement.The gritty Boston-based band is still very much a soundtrack of the lives of many Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, and on Friday — the…
A top retired Navy legal official is sounding the alarm over what he sees as a growing and dangerous politicization of the military legal system and the lawyers who run it.In a public talk last week and in an interview with Military.com on Thursday, retired Rear Adm. Jim McPherson warned that the Trump administration and leaders in the Pentagon have politicized the selection process for the top lawyers in all three military branches by going around the traditional selection process and requiring nominees to answer screening questions about specific policies favored by the administration.The warning comes just months after Defense…
The Marine Corps wants the Navy to build more amphibious ships to support the Corps’ goal of keeping three amphibious ready groups at sea at all times—but the service still needs to figure out how many it needs, and funding for 2026 remains in flux. The Marines long to return to the days when they had three amphibious ready groups, each carrying a Marine Expeditionary Unit, deployed at all times. It’s the Corps’ “north star,” Lt. Gen. Eric Austin, deputy commandant for combat development and integration, told lawmakers on Wednesday. “Thirty-one is not adequate to get us to a 3.0 ARG-MEU presence,”…