Those who keep a flow chart on their refrigerators know this year has seen many a change in the command structure at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. If you have been keeping your ceremony invitations, you could construct an exhibit that would rival any holiday card display.

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Military can close bases without Congress's OK.

The Department of Homeland Security is warning airlines to be on the lookout for terrorists potentially targeting U.S. flights with shoe bombs.

The United States might have killed a dozen civilians in a wedding procession during a drone strike in Yemen last December, a human rights group claimed. 

Two American security officers have been found dead on a ship made famous when it was hijacked by Somali pirates.

After deadly clashes between protesters and police in Ukraine, the Pentagon urged the Ukrainian Armed Forces to "stay on the sidelines." 

Veterans with a 100 percent disability rating will get their Social Security claims processed faster, thanks to a change announced by the agency.

U.S. Army Europe and Installation Management Command-Europe announced force structure changes Thursday that will reduce the service's local national workforce by 579 positions. The changes also will result in a net increase of 44 U.S. civilian positions, while 89 military positions will be shed.

The U.S. Army is planning to buy new transport ships to replace dozens of its decades-old fleet of watercraft.

The Army ground force that rolled over Iraqi forces in 1991 and 2003 was actually designed and built in the similarly cash-strapped 1970s and 1980s.

General Dynamics has lined up the U.S. arm of Canadian simulation giant CAE to provide training solutions for its offering for the U.S. Air Force's next-generation trainer.

Let's read about soldiers training for the coveted Army Air Assault badge.

Air Force leaders announced a change to the officer reduction in force board, or RIF, originally scheduled to convene June 16 at the Air Force Personnel Center. 

Maj. Gen. Terry Ferrell, 7th Infantry Division commanding general, spoke to more than 150 Soldiers during a division newcomer's brief at The French Theater on Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Beekeepers in Mexico are fearful that GMO crops are killing the honeybee.

Are we moving towards a post clown society, or have the clowns morphed into trolls?

A map that shows which states have the longest and shortest sex.

Fox looks to have assembled the team for its Fantastic Four reboot.

Preview some numbers from the Heathers musical.

Good news: Killer Karaoke returns to TV tonight.

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The al Qaeda-linked Abdullah Azzam Brigades claimed a twin bomb attack in Beirut today, saying such attacks would continue until Hezbollah forces withdrew from the fighting in Syria and its own fighters were released from Lebanese jails.

There was a singular moment late last year during a briefing for senior U.S. Army leaders on the service's just-concluded yearly war game when one general laid out the future challenges facing the force.

Mangum, McConville, McMaster, and Perna: Reading yesterday afternoon's announcement of generals nominated for three-star rank, the uninitiated might be forgiven for thinking the Army is robotically following alphabetical order. Far from it.

The Turkish government has demanded $183 million worth of penalties from Boeing due to major delays in the delivery of spy planes to the NATO ally.

The head of the U.S. military's counter-IED organization sees the group's mission possibly expanding despite the physical size of the organization declining in the coming year.

New video footage shows U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan coming dangerously close to a 500-pound bomb - allegedly dropped by fellow service members who mistook their position for the enemy.

Nearly 50 percent now say the Afghan war was a mistake, Gallup found.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said if Republicans win control of the Senate this year, he would want to be chairman of the Armed Services Committee. 

Congressman Duncan Hunter is calling on the Pentagon, in consultation with the State Department, to appoint a civilian leader to coordinate U.S. efforts to free Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the only prisoner of the Afghan War. 

The Wisconsin National Guard has suspended a soldier from a funeral honors detail over two photos that sparked outrage and shock after the pictures were posted to social media.

It's no accident the US Army has chosen Huntsville, Ala., to host this year's Association of the United States Army symposium and trade show.

Starting this week, officials will send letters to affected TRICARE For Life beneficiaries notifying them of the pilot program.

It could be dangerous if we start injecting sulfate particles into the atmosphere to curb global warming and then suddenly stop.

If you love hockey, pick up some extra drinks and snacks for today's men's quarterfinals. 

Dave Grohl and Jello Biafra are part of a new supergroup.

Watch the first 12 minutes of new SundanceTV series The Red Road.

First full-length Guardians of the Galaxy trailer is awesome.

Peruse this True Detective reading list.

Finally: A chef has created a menu that corresponds with the tracks on Radiohead's Kid-A.

Sports Illustrated had a wonderful idea: Demonstrate how zero gravity works on muscular and fat body masses with Kate Upton in a bikini.

Sometimes, daddy jumping out of the birthday gift box is better than that bike you wanted so badly.

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Five members of the Afghan Taliban held at Guantanamo Bay for years would be exchanged for the release of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who was captured in Afghanistan in 2009.

Syrian government troops have regained full control of a village in the central province of Hama after ousting rebels accused of killing dozens of people there.

Army veteran medals in two-man bobsled.

Navy ready to deploy laser for the first time.

Six world powers and Iran began talks in pursuit of a final settlement on Tehran's contested nuclear program.

Has intervention helped or hurt Bosnia?

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper admits the U.S. government should have been transparent about its domestic surveillance program.

The fanfare of its arrival has passed, and the USS Donald Cook is preparing to make its first patrol in support of Europe's ballistic missile defense patrol.

The Pentagon is decreasing the number of F-35 fighter jets it intends to buy in 2015.

The Marine Corps' top general has ended his silence on accusations he abused his authority to ensure Marines were punished for an inappropriate war-zone video.

The NBA has a 10-year history of helping active duty service members, veterans and their families through the Hoops for Troops program.

U.S. troops saved art as the "Monuments Men" of Iraq.

What happened on Jimmy Fallon's first Tonight Show? Here's a review, and here's his "evolution of hip-hop dancing" clip with Will Smith.

Photographer Henry Hargreaves recreates and records the last meals of Death Row inmates.

The new Beck album is streaming at NPR.

Nine of the most beautiful buildings we ever tore down.

Back to the Future's "power laces" are coming next year.

Your eyes can paint colors onto blank objects. We swear.

Finally: Fries shaped like hashtags.

UPDATE: The Washington state Senate honored U.S. Army Capt. William Swenson today.

"Captain Swenson was awarded the Medal of Honor for acts of gallantry - at the risk of his life - above and beyond the call of duty. The danger Captain Swenson faced that day was not some general risk of injury...it was the immediate threat of imminent death," O'Ban said, according to a news release. "No one ordered him to repeatedly place himself at the threshold of death to save his brethren. No one would have judged him disloyal for not going in a second, third or fourth time into mortal peril."

A photo from the ceremony is posted below, as well as information on the ceremony, which we posted yesterday.

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UPDATE: According to its mission statement, "17th Fires Brigade trains and prepares for combat; on order deploys to any area of operations to plan, synchronize, and execute combined, and joint fires and effects; integrate attached ground and air maneuver forces and be prepared to function as a maneuver headquarters in support of full spectrum operations."

Change to the Thunderbolts means nothing.

So news of a change to its Friday night ball will probably be taken in stride.

Originally, Gen. Daniel Allyn, the 20th commander of the U.S. Army Forces Command, was the guest speaker for the event. But the general canceled today and will not be able to attend.

Maj. Gen. Terry Ferrell, the 7th Infantry Division commander at the Joint Base Lewis-McChord, will be the guest speaker and award presenter at the ceremony, which will still be held at the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center. 

Below is our original post on the 17th Fires Saint Barbara's Day Ball.

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There is an interest among top U.S. policymakers in coming up with new options on Syria.

The Defense Department has identified two soldiers killed earlier this week in an insider attack in Afghanistan as members of 3rd Special Forces Group.

International mediator Lakhdar Brahimi apologized to the Syrian people today for the lack of progress at peace talks in Geneva after their second round ended with little more than an agreement to meet again. 

Signs of a large amount of digging at North Korea's nuclear test site can be seen in new satellite images, though the purpose is not yet clear.

Time to talk plainly and clearly about nuclear weapons.

A picture showing an airman tongue-kissing a Prisoner of War-Missing in Action symbol has gone viral, infuriating bloggers and veterans.

NBA honors troops during All-Star Weekend.

The international market for upgrading the twin-engine jets won't be as large as that of the single-engine F-16 Fighting Falcon.

Why the U.S. should use British missiles on reaper drones.

Competition aims to inspire middle school cyber defenders.

U.S. defeats bitter rival Russia in men's hockey preliminary round in Sochi.

How to crash the Super Bowl without a ticket.

Jeff Bezos has some new competition in the crazy drone delivery race.

This gorgeous iPad-only app gathers scenes from Ken Burns' documentaries into a video textbook of American history.

Apple's next-generation Apple TV will likely be announced as soon as April.

Looks like the question of female likability in film and literature is up for debate. 

There is great power in numbers - especially when it comes to getting needed funds to programs, businesses and individuals. Enter crowdsourcing, a fairly new phenomenon that harnesses the power of many to accomplish tasks and fundraising large and small. Popular crowdsourcing sites range from fundraising site Kickstarter to mini-job site TaskRabbit.

And now there's a new kid on the block called Endless Crowds, launched just this week, designed specifically for active duty military, veterans and first responders. The site allows participants to pool resources, ideas and raise funds, but strives to go beyond what many think of as a crowdsourcing site.

Founded by Roger Mensah, Endless Crowds is designed to serve a variety of projects, including community service programs, entrepreneurial and personal projects. Mensah began working on the site soon after President Obama's 2013 State of the Union address. Obama told the nation that 34,000 troops would be coming home and Mensah realized this meant many of these returning troops would face employment challenges.

To help vets who want to forge ahead on their own paths to self-employment or starting a business, for first-responder companies who cannot meet their needs through available funding, for military community programs who need a boost - Endless Crowds is there to help. Mensah believes that the discipline, leadership and teamwork qualities taught and engrained into military and first responders are inherently intertwined with a site such as Endless Crowds, which amplifies and empowers such qualities.

 "I believe those that protect us deserve the very best from the community at large, and their challenges are better solved together, rather than alone. Endless Crowds aims to harness the instilled qualities of teamwork, discipline and leadership found in our military and first responders to find a new way to get things done," said Mensah via a recent press release.

While fundraising is one aspect of the platform, Endless Crowds serves a higher purpose as well. Where other sourcing sites usually gather funds and nothing more, Endless Crowds will offer support and guidance to participants beyond the fundraising push. The site brings together resources and tools available to participants and aims to offer a personalized experience, which most other crowdsourcing platforms do not.

Beyond military members, Endless Crowds will also serve first responders, who often end up on the short end of the stick with public funding and can't afford needed equipment or programs from D.A.R.E to National Fire Prevention Week.

Some of the projects already listed on the site include Our Home Transitional, a program that hopes to help single homeless female veterans by raising funds to help for job training, education, health care and home placement assistance. Another project, Police Unity Tour, which is a four-day bicycle ride from New Jersey to D.C. to raise awareness of officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty and to raise funds for the The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

To start a project or fundraiser, or find one to support, go to endlesscrowds.com. To see which programs are already listed on the site, go to Explore and you can peruse by Community, Entrepreneurial and Personal/Creative projects.

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Chief Warrant Officer Mark Colbert and Spec. 1st Class Andrew Busic each received a Silver Star in a 1st Special Forces Group (A) valor award ceremony Thursday at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. They saved hundreds of lives after containing a Taliban breach at a NATO base in Afghanistan.

70 Soldiers from B Battery, 5th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, performed live-fire Counter-Rocket, Artillery and Mortar training.

The Obama administration has released a voluntary framework developed by hundreds of companies, several federal agencies and many international contributors as a how-to cybersecurity guide for organizations in the business of running the nation's critical infrastructure.

The United States will "help" the Philippines in the event that China occupies disputed islands in the South China Sea, the US Chief of Naval Operations said.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel will outline the Pentagon's proposed budget for fiscal 2015 on Feb. 24, a week before its official release.

Secretary of the Army John M. McHugh had a candid discussion about the future of the Army.

As the budget shrinks and as the active Army draws down to 490,000, elimination of excess infrastructure is needed, say leaders from Army Installations, Housing & Partnerships.

A Russian nuclear policy analyst is recommending getting rid of all land-based strategic missiles as a new move in international arms control.

The Association of the United States Army is pushing back against legislation that would create a commission to determine the future makeup of the Army.

Pentagon officials have compiled a summary of the effects a winter storm battering the East Coast today is having on the Defense Department.

The top U.S. Army aviator in South Korea completed his 33-year career.

Here are some tips on how to get the most out of Netflix.

Charlie Rose's Bill Murray interview

Morrissey has announced a U.S. tour.

For one day only De La Soul is making its entire catalog available for free.

In case you were wondering who will appear in Sharknado 2 ...

Happy Take Shots At Your Friend Friday!

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Series of prison breakouts across Iraq have freed hundreds of militants who have joined radical Sunni groups operating in neighboring Syria and in Iraq itself.

Afghanistan released 65 detainees despite evidence that they killed or wounded Afghan and coalition troops, the U.S. military command there announced.

Senior US officials and lawmakers are sending new signals that a fledgling cadre of military spies is a done deal, despite no real substantive public debate.

The top commander in Afghanistan is being asked to explain why his staff attempted to diminish the findings of the government watchdog overseeing billions in construction projects there.

Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James shared her observations from her visit with airmen across the ICBM community following revelations of a proficiency-test cheating scandal at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont.

Google's robot army will live in a military hangar.

Odierno pushed back against the idea of downsizing the military because the wars of the past decade were ending, saying it's hard to predict future conflicts.

The federal government may have shut its doors due to weather conditions - but the guards tasked to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier aren't so quick to abandon their posts.

Video of crashed drone hit with rocks by Afghan villagers.

Can you spot the sniper hiding with camouflage in this picture?

Nuclear fusion breakthrough: More energy out than in.

The new movie Mirage Men‘s subtitle is: "How the US government created a myth that took over the world."

The final season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars will debut on Netflix.

Speaking of ... Star Wars dresses.

Watch the trailer for Melissa McCarthy's new movie, Tammy.

America's best dine-in movie theaters

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