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New research links Iraqi dust to sick soldiers.

The release yesterday of former prisoner of war Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, after a years-long international effort to free him from nearly five years of captivity in Afghanistan, was an important day for U.S. troops and for the United States.

Those who worked for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's release face mounting questions over the prisoner swap that won his freedom.

The Afghan president is angry at being kept in the dark over a deal to free five Taliban leaders in exchange for a captured U.S. soldier, and accuses Washington of failing to back a peace plan for the war-torn country.

Some of the veterans and soldiers who served with Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl call him a deserter whose "selfish act" ended up costing the lives of better men.

The chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs committee has released details of a refashioned bill to address the problems plaguing the federally run veterans' health care system.

Al-Qaida has decentralized, yet it's unclear whether the terrorist network is weaker and less likely to launch a Sept. 11-style attack against the United States, as President Obama says, or remains potent despite the deaths of several leaders.

The Defense Department is pushing for more transparency in providing information on international drone strikes in countries such as Yemen, while still not releasing drone strike data for its continued operations in Afghanistan.

The U.S. defense sector is having a remarkable year on Capitol Hill. In fact, it is batting 1.000 so far, with three of four congressional defense panels protecting weapon programs and adding funds to buy platforms the military didn't even request.

A U.S. House of Representatives panel that oversees defense spending has added funding next year for EA-18 electronic warfare jets, but not A-10 attack planes.

As his West Point speech reaffirmed, President Obama doesn't have his own brand of foreign policy.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's go-to weapon system is not found on any base, in any hangar or aboard any ship. It's a review.

MacArthur Leadership Awards go to 28 officers.

Air Force Academy grad follow sisters - alums of West Point and Annapolis.

Can "Spidey Sense" be taught?

Star Trek is hilariously ridiculous when you eliminate the camera shake.

How to take eye-popping pictures of tiny bugs.

Sad News: Ann B. Davis (Alice from The Brady Bunch) has died.

Only 564 days to go to Star Wars Episode VII.

Cameron's house from Ferris Bueller's Day Off sold (for less than expected).

Arsenio Hall's show has been canceled.

Good morning!

LINK: Original photo by Staff Sgt. Chrissy Best

GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 5.31.14 >>>

Soldier dies in aircraft accident in Afghanistan.

The United States and China squared off at an Asian security forum, with the U.S. defense secretary accusing Beijing of destabilizing the region and a top Chinese general retorting that his comments were "threat and intimidation".

Ukraine's government vowed on Friday to press ahead with a military offensive against separatists.

Just three months after being named Veterans Affairs deputy secretary, Sloan Gibson is taking the helm - albeit temporarily - of an embattled Cabinet department.

For many in military, Shinseki remains an American hero.

More than 60 percent of Veterans Affairs health facilities surveyed in an audit directed by senior VA leadership were found to have toyed with appointment dates and, in some cases, schedulers were pressured to game wait times to make them appear more favorable.

It's one of the more disturbing revelations to arise from an investigation into fatal delays in care at Veterans Affairs medical centers: Employee bonuses appear to be one factor behind the manipulation of patient wait times in at least one hospital.    

The Associated Press reached out to veterans in Arizona and several other states to recount their experiences with VA care.

One U.S. cybersecurity expert is arguing that world nations should jointly pledge they will spare civil nuclear facilities from computer attacks for humanitarian reasons.

With no sign that the sequestration-imposed budget cuts are going away, the Air Force is going to have to change how it handles its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance architecture.

Land Power: A personal theory of power.

Man stuck in South Korea after his kid doodled all over his passport.

iOS8 Wish List: What we want (and what we'll get).

Skin Deep app points out harmful ingredients in the beauty products we use every day.

The story of the largest T-Rex fossil ever discovered is certainly worthy of the documentary treatment.

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Flavor Creme Oreos go on sale June 9 nationwide.

You don’t see this everyday …

LINK: Original photo by Sgt. Aaron Rooks

Clover Park School District just send word that they employ two awesome AFJROTC instructors:

Clover Park High School's lieutenant colonel Gary Roberts and senior master sergeant Maureen Arroyo have been named Air Force Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (AFJROTC) Outstanding Instructors of the Year for the 2013-14 school year. The award recognizes AFJROTC instructors who make a significant impact on their students, unit, school and within the community.

The announcement was made May 15 by AFJROTC headquarters.

GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 5.29.14 >>>

U.S. veterans health probe confirms cover-up of care delays.

Angry House members accused Veterans Affairs officials of hiding subpoenaed documents and trying to cover up the depth of the veterans care delay scandal at an unusual evening hearing Wednesday, the latest bad news in a long day for the embattled department.

Roadside bombings across Afghanistan killed four people today as officials reported that a NATO soldier died in a helicopter crash in Kandahar the previous day.

The Obama administration estimates that keeping 9,800 troops in Afghanistan in 2015 would cost about $20 billion, but the Pentagon is still expected to request tens of billions of dollars more for additional security operations in the region.

Adm. James Winnefeld proposed deploying a THAAD missile defense system in South Korea.

CIA drone strike program in Pakistan winding down.

President Obama affirmed the U.S. will use military force when necessary, but "the threshold for military action must be higher" for crises that do not pose a direct threat to the U.S.

The House on Wednesday passed two bills that would provide veterans with support services for job training and sexual trauma.

The State Department recommended Americans leave Libya immediately and warned U.S. citizens against any travel to the North African country.

Parents of military suicide victims applaud proposed law.

Iraq may serve as cautionary tale for Afghanistan.

Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James recommended to the secretary of defense elevating the Global Strike Command leadership to a four-star general.

The military is building brain chips to treat PTSD.

On the day that final bids were due for the U.S. Army's Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle program, one of the two expected bidders - General Dynamics Land Systems - pulled out of the competition, leaving BAE Systems and its Bradley variant as the sole contender.

Congress is unlikely to take up a sweeping cybersecurity bill this year if one is not moving in both chambers by August.

Apple just hired the two smartest music moguls of our time.

A simple blast of laser could help your teeth grow back.

Mask associated with Sasquatch legend returned to native tribe after 75 years.

Pitchfork is streaming Bob Mould's new record.

Dogs And sidecars: a match made in motorcycle heaven.

Bradford Cox, Eleanor Friedberger, Tom Verlaine to live score unseen Andy Warhol films.

NPR is streaming the new Clap Your Hands Say Yeah album.

How to pull off the perfect bank heist.

Turn every meal into monkey brains with the Indian Jones serving bowls.

Too Much Free Time: Man Spends 13 Years Transforming Hedge Into Massive Dragon.

What do you think of Google's self-driving car?

LINK: Original photo by Staff Sgt. Jacob Boyer

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Ukrainian forces fought with separatists in Donetsk for a second day, after inflicting heavy losses on the rebels. 

Vietnam and China traded accusations today over who was the aggressor in a clash that led to the sinking of a Vietnamese fishing boat in the South China Sea.

Lawmakers are introducing measures to ensure the White House keeps a close watch on Moscow.

U.S. Special Operations troops are forming elite counterterrorism units in four countries in North and West Africa that American officials say are pivotal in the widening war against Al Qaeda's affiliates and associates on the continent.

The rollout of the Army's new gas mask is underway, but researchers already have plans for the next-gen model: An integrated mask-helmet design with a battery-powered, fan-driven air filtration system.

Prodded by Congress, the Pentagon has promised a better count of its bullets and missiles.

Lawmakers are sounding the alarm over Russia's arms control commitments and introducing measures to ensure the White House keeps a close watch on Moscow.

Special Report: Arlington National Cemetery, like you've been seen it before

Cases involving the appeal of veterans benefits rulings take almost 19 months to resolve, Department of Veterans Affairs records show, and advocates say the crush of new claims is hurting older veterans.

Interview: Eric Fanning, U.S. Air Force undersecretary

Interview: Adm. Robert Papp, U.S. Coast Guard commandant

This bunk bed sofa out-transforms even Optimus Prime.

Flash flood inundates city in just five minutes.

If Darth Vadar had a car, it would be this Cadillac.

Swallows learn to open automatic doors to create nests inside a parking garage.

7-Eleven has jumped on the mustache bandwagon.

It seems the British aren't fans of Macaulay Culkin's band.

What?: Margaret Cho and Fred Armisen chat with Bob Mould in this video.

Finally: The most iconic fast-food chains in each state.

Finally: Doughnuts that look like people.

Time to go back to work ...

LINK: Original photo by Staff Sgt. Johnathan Hoover

GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 5.26.14 >>>

President Obama issues Memorial Day Proclamation.

The roots and lessons of Memorial Day.

Obama secretly slipped into Afghanistan under the cover of darkness Sunday for a weekend visit with U.S. troops serving in the closing months of America's longest war.

White House inadvertently identifies CIA chief in Kabul.

Ukraine's next president, Petro Poroshenko, pledged to restore control over the separatist east, and said he would meet Russian officials to secure their help in resolving the crisis. 

Thai coup leader General Prayuth Chan-ocha said today he had been formally endorsed by the king as head of a military council that will run the country, and warned he would use force if political protests flared up again.

The Pentagon announced it's suspending exercises with Thailand's military and called on officials to restore democratic rule after a bloodless coup there.

The Pentagon is distancing itself from the U.S. Justice Department's charging of five Chinese People's Liberation Army officers with 31 criminal counts of hacking and cyber espionage against six U.S. companies.

South Korea: Asia's new powerhouse arms exporter.

Increased risk for Army, National Guard missions.

The scandal involving a potential cover up of medical mistreatment of military veterans by the Department of Veterans Affairs dominated discussion on the Sunday morning political talk shows. 

China-Vietnam sea spat heats up.

Russia is buying new weapons and aims to modernize its Aerospace Defense Forces.

With sequestration likely to remain, the U.S. Air Force is looking for ways to drive down cost on protected military satellite communications.

One Vietnam veteran is receiving long-delayed recognition for his heroism in a 1968 battle.

How to become an astronaut.

Watch a barn blow-up.

Japan to start building giant ice wall at Fukushima.

Meet the Asian giant hornet. Soon.

Mad Men mid-season 7 finale recap.

Eight literary homes you can buy right now.

Who wants a snake massage?

LINK: Original photo by Chief Petty Office Ryan Wilbur

GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 5.22 14 >>>

Defense bill amendment to restrict wartime funding usage.

Thailand's army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha took control of the government in a coup saying the army had to restore order and push through reforms. 

North Korean artillery fired at least one shot which landed near a South Korean navy patrol ship south of the two sides' disputed maritime border.

The U.S. has deployed a Predator drone team of 80 military personnel - mostly airmen - to Chad to help find nearly 300 schoolgirls kidnapped in neighboring Nigeria.

UAV platforms begin to mature.

Air Force security failed nuke test.

A U.S. Senate subcommittee has backed the Pentagon's plans to curb military pay raises and housing allowances next year.

Spurred by allegations of mismanagement and scandal at numerous Veterans Affairs facilities, House members overwhelmingly approved a measure giving the department's secretary more power to fire underperforming employees.

Navy chief Adm. Jonathan Greenert says the Navy needs 11 aircraft carriers to meet security demands despite the Pentagon's plan to retire one and bring the count down to 10 to meet caps on defense spending.

The House passed by voice vote an amendment to the 2015 defense authorization bill that takes the Obama administration to task over the deadly 2012 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

The first launch of an anti-ballistic missile from a new shore-based version of the classic Aegis missile system was successfully carried in Hawaii.

This incredible Russian dash cam footage shows a car driving through a forest fire while the drivers wonder if they are going to die or not.

18 places you should ride your bike before you die.

Song premiere: Peter Murphy's "Eliza."

Rolling Stone's new cover story is an interview with Jack White.

Watch the new trailer for the Roger Ebert doc, Life Itself.

Cool creature alert: Video from the Star Wars set.

It's gonna be a beautiful day, Walkie Talkie readers. So take Bert and Zachary Levi's advice: GO OUT AND PLAY.

LINK: Original photo by Lance Cpl. Charles Santamaria

GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 5.21.14 >>>

Spc. William Rogers of Joint Base Lewis-McChord proved he was Army Strong at the U.S. Army Installation Management Command's Best Warrior Competition.

Al Qaeda runs shadow army in Afghanistan; Taliban on verge of surge.

The U.S. House will begin work on nearly 170 amendments to a Pentagon policy bill, including ones that would add funds to weapons accounts, require arms sales to allies, and kill the measure that authorized America's post-9/11 conflicts.

The Inspector General for the Department of Veterans Affairs has expanded its investigation to include 26 facilities around the country accused of mismanagement and hiding long wait times. 

President Obama has summoned Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki and White House deputy chief of staff Rob Nabors for a meeting to discuss their investigation into mismanagement at veterans hospitals across the country.

Sen. Patty Murray says the VA failed to implement legislation she wrote to counter problems with the appointments system.

Why is Shinseki refusing more authority to fire VA employees?

Who broke the Department of Veteran Affairs.

The White House will reportedly comply with a court order to release a secret memorandum describing the legal justification for the 2011 drone strike against three Americans in Yemen.

The Senate Armed Services Committee's 2015 defense policy bill will reject a new round of military base closures.

A U.S. Senate subcommittee approved a measure allowing the Pentagon to spend billions on its most lethal forces while also clearing them to target the Boko Haram organization.

Senate Armed Services Committee members have cobbled together a plan to keep the U.S. Air Force's A-10 attack planes flying for another year.

Australia, Britain, Canada and United States have signed a symbolically important Memorandum of Understanding committing them to "a partnership on combined space operations."

A group of U.S. special operations leaders outlined what capabilities their troops will need in the coming years, focusing mostly on intelligence gathering technologies in places such as Africa and the Arctic.

A subcommittee defied the Army by supporting a panel to study the transfer of Guard attack helicopters to the active component.

The Defense Advanced Research Programs Agency's Information Innovation Office, or I2O, is hosting DARPA Demo Day 2014 in the Pentagon's courtyard today and it has four projects that could be bigger than the Internet.

Roughly 6,000 U.S. troops will take part in this year's "Eager Lion" exercise in Jordan from May 25 to June 8, a Defense Department spokesman said.

Animation teaches you what happened in World War II in 7 minutes.

The science of losing belly fat.

This is a rare view: Five skydivers in wingsuits soar over New York City.

The real mansion from Scarface - the iconic Brian de Palma movie starring Al Pacino as drug lord Tony Montana - has hit the property market.

Seven facts about the X-Men you might not know.

R.E.M.'s complete catalog and many rarities have been remastered for iTunes.

The Horror: Miley Cyruscovered The Smiths. (It's actually not bad!)

List: Best book recommendation services

You need To Know: Here's where Mad Men shot the Burger Chef scenes.

Yikes: There were 1135 Aryas, 241 Khaleesis and 67 Daeneryses born in 2013. And 15 Theons and five Robbs.

Lights out for this cat ...

LINK: Original Photo by Staff Sgt. Jeremy Bowcock

GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 5.20.14 >>>

The House this week will vote onlegislation that tacitly approves a 1.8 percent pay raise for service members next year.

The Pentagon still plans to increase funding for special operations equipment in the coming years, but after years of plus-ups, that trend is expected to flatten.

America still has way more air power than any rival.

Thailand's army declared martial law nationwide to restore order after six months of street protests that have left the country without a proper functioning government, but denied that the surprise move amounted to a military coup.

A top White House official has promised that the CIA would no longer use vaccination programs as a cover for spying.

The White House is threatening a veto of the House version of a $601 billion defense bill over election-year moves to spare weapons systems and popular programs in the face of limited budgets.

President Obama is relying less on drones and more on foreign governments in the global fight against terrorists.

Retired Marine Cpl. Kyle Carpenter, 24, will receive the Medal of Honor for heroism in Afghanistan in 2010.

The United States invented the Internet, but we may not rule it any more.

Navy officials expect ship defenses to get a boost following the introduction of the Block 2 Rolling Airframe Missiles.

Turns out a littoral combat ship will be headed to Hawaii this summer after all.

A new bill would allow members of the military and their families to keep their current auto insurance policy if they are ordered to relocate to a new state.

House approves Congressional Gold Medal for Civil Air Patrol.

A small, easy-to-use and lightweight explosive screening kit continues to move forward toward full fielding as a means to provide soldiers with the capability to screen for suspected homemade explosive materials.

Army PULSE-W watercraft proves ability, benefit of enduring presence in Pacific.

Veterans remember historic Strike Brigade deployment.

This looks like some end of the world type weather.

Spielberg's masterful use of the long take is one of the things that make him so great.

"Fangirl" and "unfriend" are among the new words Merriam-Webster is adding to the dictionary.

McDonald's has a creepy new mascot.

How much money is it possible to win on Jeopardy!?

Here's a tribute to Road House for its 25th anniversary.

And finally, this story is for all the drummers.

Back To The Future love song ...

LINK: Original photo by Visual Information Specialist Markus Rauchenberger

GRAB A CUP OF JOE AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 5.19.14 >>>

VA scandal hits new hospital.

President Obama and Congress are moving quickly to respond to a growing political firestorm over VA patient care allegations.

The international outcry over the abductions of Nigerian schoolgirls added to the growing list of challenges faced by AFRICOM.

Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey plans to push his NATO counterparts to increase security contributions in southern Europe along the Mediterranean.

On high seas, Vietnam and China play tense game.

John Kerry's doctrine: More intervention.

Why the military can't get enough of Amphibious Ready Groups.

Ukraine wants the U.S. to provide it with military body armor, vehicles and reconnaissance equipment left over from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to help it deter Russian forces in the eastern region of the country.

Undersecretary of the Army Brad R. Carson focuses on the service's top modernization priorities: the tactical communications network.

More than 13,000 troops from 24 countries are to take part in the annual "Eager Lion" military exercise in Jordan.

The House ducks on defense.

The high cost of the U.S. Defense Department's weapon programs threatens national security, the head of the Pentagon's advanced research-and-development arm said.

Researchers at the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development take protective eyewear into the future.

The Army's capability to project land power grew this week with the induction of the M109A7 self-propelled howitzer and its companion M992A3 carrier ammunition tracked vehicle into low-rate initial production.

JBLM played a part in new Godzilla film.

U.S. Air Force Academy parachute team, Wings of Blue, celebrated 50 years of "standing in the door."

The gay widow of a soldier killed in Afghanistan has received word from the Department of Veterans Affairs that she will receive the same full benefits that heterosexual widows and widowers receive.

How corruption guts militaries: The Ukraine case study.

The British will allow Lockheed Martin's F-35B to make its first flight outside of the United States on July 4 when the country's newest aircraft carrier is christened by Her Majesty the Queen.

A-10 Thunderbolt attack jet lands on German highway.

Exploring the great outdoors from a remote control iPad-bot.

You can make an offer to buy Dracula's castle.

Facebook is building an app to take on Snapchat (again).

Morrissey says his Twitter account is fake.

The Coen brothers have announced their next film.

Watch Arcade Fire's new music video for We Exist.

Finally: When you mix Cruise and Yorke you get Thom Cruise.

What are you going to do today?

LINK: Original photo by Cpl. Adam Miller