Are you ready for a "V"-led acronym bonanza?

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today announced the phased roll out of newly designed, more secure Veteran Health Identification Cards. The new cards are distinguished by additional security features and will have a different look and feel.

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UPDATE: Operation Ward 57 received its free van from the Toyota 100 Cars for Good program at noon, Friday, Feb. 21 at Toyota of Tacoma. We captured the ceremony on video, which you can see below. ...

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GRAB A CUP AN DREAD THE MORNING REPORT FOR 2.19.14 >>>

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.

TODAY IN MILITARY SPENDING >>>

Contract awards coming from the Pentagon dropped to $8.44 billion in January, the lowest point in nearly two years.

Within the next six months, up to $8 billion of frozen Iranian assets will be released.

With defense spending capped for 2015, it is unclear how Congress would substantially inflate the Pentagon budget to include most or all of the reportedly $26 billion in items slated for the unfunded lists.

The Washington National Guard has identified approximately $800 million in identified cyber threat risk.

The Davis-Monthan Air Force Base 16.4 megawatt solar array is the largest of its kind on any U.S. Department of Defense installation. It will provide approximately 35 percent of the base's electricity requirements, at an economically beneficial rate for 25 years, reducing base utility costs by an average of $500,000 annually.

Switching from a retail pharmacy to Home Delivery can save TRICARE beneficiaries up to $152 every year for each prescription.

And then there's this exchange of money ...

With the military downsizing and, as a result, the Defense Department's increased reliance on the Reserves, means many Guard and Reserve troops are donning their uniforms more often than ever before. Once referred to as "weekend warriors," many now find that their military jobs demand more of their time, whether it's to receive specialized training or to participate in exercises or real-life military operations.

Lt. Col. Kenneth "Rhino" Winslow, 446th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron flight nurse and director of operations - currently an occupational nurse practitioner in Issaquah - joined the Reserve out of persuasion from coworkers who were with 446th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, when he was an emergency department and helicopter nurse at St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma nearly 27 years ago, reports Jake Chappelle with the 446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs.

"I knew as a child, I wanted to continue this tradition," said Fisk - now an eight-year Air Force Reserve nurse with the 446th Aeromedical Staging Squadron here. "My grandfather suggested the Reserve after I graduated from nursing school as an opportunity to see the world and serve my country."

The Aeromedical Staging Squadron, the Aerospace Medicine Squadron and Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron - all part of the 446th Airlift Wing - have a collection of nurses who share a common passion - helping people.

Read Chappelle's full feature on these awesome nurses here.

GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 2.11.14 >>>

The Army recently released new standards for how long some enlisted soldiers can stay in uniform.

The House could vote as soon as Wednesday on a bill that would raise the nation's debt ceiling and reverse a cut made to some veterans' benefits as part of the recent budget deal.

Afghanistan has now announced it will release 65 of 88 Afghan detainees that the U.S. deems dangerous and played a role in killing and wounding dozens of American and coalition forces. 

A new, dramatic video shows U.S. commandos nabbing a top terror suspect in Libya.

Rep. Buck McKeon (R-Calif.) suggested military spending cuts made Benghazi compound more vulnerable.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno visited with NATO Land Component Command Headquarters personnel at Izmar, Turkey, to discuss the future of the Army and its NATO relationship.

Hillary Clinton had kind words for former CIA Director David Petraeus after his resignation.

Q&A: Gen. Herbert "Hawk" Carlisle, commander of US Pacific Air Forces

Three wounded warriors who recovered at Brooke Army Medical Center, are aiming to glide to gold in Sochi, Russia, next month to compete in the Paralympic Winter Games.

Since Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness launched its ArmyFit site two weeks ago, tens of thousands have logged on.

Meet Lt. Col. Luis Solano, the Army's first officer in a fellowship with the non-profit MITRE Corporation.

Training at Tuskegee: Turning dreams into reality.

Two factories that assemble the Boeing 787 are struggling to cope with a ramp-up in production that started late last year, and a huge backlog of unfinished work threatens to slow output. 

Here's some sad news: Shirley Temple has died. She was 85.

Really? Fred Armisen will lead the Late Night band for Seth Meyers.

Spend the day watching all of the Beatles' Ed Sullivan appearances.

The former Green Power Ranger broke a world record for, er, breaking pine boards while skydiving.

The actor who played McGruff the Crime Dog has been sentenced to 16 years in jail.

Saturday Night Live's Brooks Wheelan shot video of himself every day in 2013. It was a life-changing year for him, and the montage is inspiring to watch.

Bad dad or cool dad?

GRAB A CUP & READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 1.6.14 >>>

Defense officials see cyberattacks as the greatest threat to U.S. national security, according to a survey released today.

Iraq's prime minister Nouri al-Maliki urges residents and tribes of Fallujah to "expel" al-Qaida militants from this western city to avoid an all-out battle - remarks that may signal an imminent military move to retake the former insurgent stronghold.

Secretary of State John Kerry said the United States is ready to help Iraq in any way possible as that country began a major offensive to wrest control of two cities from Al Qaeda-linked militants. But he made it clear that no American troops would be sent.

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New Year's Eve is for partying, right? Getting your booze on, kissing some lucky fool at midnight and feeling like crap the next morning, vowing never to drink that much again, right?

Not necessarily.

The folks at Olympia Mahayana Buddhist Center believe not everyone is looking for nightlife and are offering a New Year's Buddhist retreat Dec. 30-Jan. 1 in Gig Harbor.

"We are so happy to be able to offer it this year," says resident teacher Gen Kelsang Tsoglam. "People are experiencing so much stress and heaviness, and meditation is powerful medication without side effects."

The two-night package takes place at Camp Seymour in Gig Harbor and includes gently guided meditation practices, heated cabins and meals. Cost is $125 for members and $150 for non-members.

"Our wish with the retreat," says Tsoglam, "is for people to be able to make heartfelt resolutions based on the connection they have made with their potential on the retreat and carry it through the whole of the 2014, making it the happiest, most relaxed ever."

South Sound Sidekick series offers advice from experts living in the, well, South Sound. It posts every Friday. Today, Chiropractic physician Monti Sorem, DC, CSCS, EMT-IV, NSCA - who works at Elite Sports and Spine in Bellevue - has back care advice.

Monti Sorem writes,

Whether you are an office worker for the state, the local bartender at your favorite downtown watering hole, a weekend warrior, or over-the-hill class champion, you will experience back pain at some time. 

Depending on activities of daily living, fitness levels and anatomical structure put more at risk than others. Having back pain occasionally is normal, but when it becomes chronic and affects your everyday life, work or sport, than it is an issue. When there is transient pain after activity, it is a signal that your muscles and joints are giving in. If you are in pain, stop doing what you did or train your body to handle what you put it through. 

What you DO NOT want to do is try to cover up chronic pain, ignoring it, then go to lift the case of beer that just got delivered to the back door and prolapsing your rectum. OK, so that is an extreme case but it could happen. Some more common injuries are to the ligaments to the spine, muscles of the spine and the intervertebral discs - the cushion between the spine bones.  Believe you me; you don't want a disc injury. In my professional life these are difficult cases and everyone has a very individual experience with pain and disability. Once that disc is injured, you will have continued problems in the future and realistically your spine is a ticking bomb. 

So here it my short version of advice to take care of your back and rectum for that matter:

• First thing upon waking, before getting up to relieve yourself, do the cat camel exercise shown in the video below.
• Think about your movements. That is, be deliberate with them as opposed to mindless movement, especially with moving objects such as picking up the garbage bag or picking up kids.
• Yes, the old saying "bend with your knees" is still kind of relevant, but really keep your back straight and hinge at the hips (helps to stick your butt backward).  I call this giving yourself a J-Lo booty.
• Do a few movements to work on core strength when the commercials come on of your favorite TV show.
• Watch my favorite low back expert Dr. Stuart McGill and this web video.  Yes he does have a mustache that reminds you of a 70s adult film star, but info is great.

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LINK: More South Sound Sidekick advice

SOTA INTERN REPORT >>>

During my trips to Paris I have discovered the joys of lounging on a nice summer evening with a hunk of cheese and a glass of red wine. You could say I have grown accustom to it. Naturally, I'm thrilled there's a cheese shop in Puyallup. My Cheese Shoppe - it's actually not mine but rather a shop opened by Laurie Sanders-Pole - has been the been the talk of the town since it opened June 15, 2011.

From the friendly service to the cute decorations, I could spend hours tasting the vast variety of cheeses. In fact, most customers do! "Try before you buy" is the shop's motto. Sometimes the staff spends 20-30 minutes with its customers for the right cheese. My Cheese Shoppe takes its cheese seriously. From cheddars to goat, strong to light tasting, the staff will match the perfect piece to a meal or party.

There's nothing better than cheese and crackers with a nice glass of wine. Thankfully, Corkscrew Cellars is just down the street. The two businesses have paired up for many events. Wednesday, Jan. 30, a cheese and wine tasting event will be held between the two shops.

Also, every Saturday, noon to 5 p.m., Corkscrew hosts a wine tasting.  

If you are a first time cheeser, Laurie suggests the New Moon cheese made at Mt. Townsend Creamery. If you are a cheddar person, I would suggest the Wookey Hole signature Cave Aged cheese. Laurie and her daughter, Ashlynn, who also works at My Cheese Shoppe, helped me find the perfect cheese for my younger brother who had just been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. To my luck the cheese they picked was low in carbs. My brother was able to eat it without any shots! And on top of that, he loved it, which is rare for him since he is the pickiest of picky eaters.

I highly suggest you visit My Cheese Shoppe. It has been such a pleasure getting to know them. With such a wide selection, I grantee you will find the perfect cheese for you and your family.

MY CHEESE SHOPPE, 10 A.M. TO 6 P.M. MONDAY-FRIDAY, 10 A.M. TO 5 P.M. SATURDAY, 202 S. MERIDIAN, PUYALLUP, 253.841.2011