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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. 

Rep. Drew MacEwen (R-Union) - one of 12 state lawmakers who sponsored House Bill 2130 - sent us a Valentine stating HB2130's measure to streamline programs that assist current military members and veterans transition into civilian life received unanimous support in the state House of Representatives today.

Below is MacEwen's news release, which seemed to pop 3-D hearts at us as we read it online.

Building upon 2006 legislation establishing the Veterans' Innovations Program (VIP), House Bill 2130 would combine the Defenders' Fund and Competitive Grant Program simplifying internal processes for the Washington Department of Veterans' Affairs. Funds appropriated to VIP would still be used to increase awareness of the program to veterans and active duty service members. Funds from this program would also be used to develop partnerships to assist members in completing the application process, along with education, training and employment assistance. Additionally, the bill expands these services to members of the National Guard.

"I was happy to sponsor the Veterans Innovations Program legislation," said MacEwen, a veteran of the United States Navy. "This program began to assist veterans facing hardship in employment, training and transitioning to civilian life. It has proven to be a crucial tool to assist our veterans who have returned home after facing long and arduous combat tours in a post 9/11 world. My bill would streamline the various programs and make them more efficient and accessible by our military community."

House Bill 2130 will be transmitted to the Senate for further consideration. The 2014 legislative session is scheduled to adjourn March 13.

If you're not familiar with the MOMS Club of DuPont, you'll be happy to know it's a support and service group for at home mothers residing in DuPont, Steilacoom and Joint Base Lewis-McChord. You'll also be happy to know the group will host an anniversary party/open house event from 10-11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19 at the Liberty Inn at 1400 Wilmington Dr. in DuPont. Your happiness could possibly triple as the event includes a free introductory music class taught by Heather DeJesus from Kindermusik.

For more information on MOMS Club of DuPont, check out momsclubofdupont.weebly.com.

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!

Stories and photos of the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 7th Infantry Division's recent training exercises at the National Training Center has been popping up on the Internets more than photos of heart shaped food. And why not, the 3-2 SBCT out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord were involved in severasl first at NTC, including bilateral training with Japanese soldiers with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's 1st Company, 1st Mechanized Battalion, from Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan (that's a mouthful!).

Staff Sgt. Christopher McCullough with the 3-2 SBCT, was one the scene with soldiers from 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, which in conjunction with Task Force Arrowhead, shared operational tactics with their Japanese counterparts.

"We had eight Abrams tanks out there to mentor the Japanese and work with them in terms of armored formations and tank maneuvers in the desert," Capt. Christopher Walgren, Chief of Operations for 3-2 SBCT, 7th Infantry Division, told McCullough.

"This is the very first time for the Japanese Ground Defense Forces," said Maj. Yoshinoki Adachi, of Chiba, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, company commander for 1-1 BN (Mech), JGDF. "The coordination with the U.S. Army was impressive because the language was different ... yet we can fight alongside the U.S. Army to achieve the same objective."

The overall mission was to gain a working relationship with one of the U.S. Army's main allies in the Pacific region, Walgren, a native of Gardner, Mass., said.

Read McCullough's full story here.

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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

Aaaahhhhh...

Air Force officials are seeking nominees for the 2014 Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher Distinguished Civilian Humanitarian Award.

Established in 1996 by the Secretaries of the Army, Navy and Air Force, the award is named in honor of Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher, both of whom contributed extensively to the support and welfare of U.S. military members and their families, Air Force Personnel Center officials said.

For more information on Air Force recognition programs and other personnel issues, visit the myPers Website at https://myPers.af.mil.

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The House voted overwhelmingly to repeal the $6 billion cut to military pensions, which was paid for by extending the sequester for mandatory Medicare spending for one year.

Acting Deputy Secretary of Defense Christine H. Fox warned against assuming a permissive environment for U.S. naval air and sea assets.

House voted to raise the government's borrowing limit until March 2015, without any conditions.

Republicans on House panel conclude the White House and the State Department, but not the military, are to blame for Benghazi.

A senior U.S. intelligence official warned of a "very real" risk of extremist groups gaining control of Syrian chemical or biological weapons.

Diplomacy is failing in Syria, Obama acknowledges, underscoring the fact the United states has little influences on the conflict.

Army considers trading armor for speed.

Western militaries may lose access to critical materials needed for weapons and other systems, because of the growing demand for new technologies, questionable supply lines and production in unfriendly or dangerous countries.

New iPhone app will buzz your pocket each time the U.S. kills someone with a drone.

The U.S. Army has identified hundreds of senior noncommissioned officers for involuntary separation as the service advances toward reducing 80,000 soldiers from its ranks by 2018.

Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Ray Odierno said statistics do not yet demonstrate a significant enough change in Army culture with regard to sexual assault.

Defense Department will begin fully enforcing a previously optional policy regarding the reissuance of lost or stolen common access cards.

Israeli defense executives are eyeing potentially lucrative, US-subsidized sales of advanced border security systems.

A heavy fuel version of Israel Aerospace Industry's big-selling Heron UAV literally had the wraps taken off on the opening day of the Singapore Airshow Feb.

US Special Operations Command is looking to boost its procurement investments as operational costs come down after more than a decade of war.

Humans are killing the planet.

A rocket, a meteor and the Milky way, all in one awesome photo.

Here are the comedians getting half-hour specials on Comedy Central this year.

TV Guide rounds up all the TV shows that are going off the air this year.

"15 of Cinema's Best Dance Party Endings."

Spin has a good roundup of this year's music festivals.

Finally: Billy Ray Cyrus Releases Hip-Hop Sequel to Achy Breaky Heart.

Can't get enough of figure skating!

The following Airmen and civilians were honored at the 62nd Airlift Wing/Team McChord Quarterly Awards Luncheon today - after the teriyaki beef and baked chicken were served, of course.

Civilian of the Quarter Category I: Judith Brown, 62nd AMXS

Civilian of the Quarter Category IIA: Brian Barbee, 62nd MXS

Civilian of the Quarter Category IIB: Eileen Rodriguez, 62nd OSS

Airman of the Quarter: Senior Airman Joshua Chambers

Noncommissioned Officer: Staff Sgt. Martin Harrison, WSA

Senior Noncommissioned Officer: Master Sgt. Preston Sims, 62nd MXS

Junior Company Grade Officer: 1st Lt. Joshua Jones

Company Grade Officer: Capt. Jonathan Robbins, WSA

Field Grade Officer: Maj. Ricardo Najera, 62nd OSS

Honor Guard Member of the Quarter: Airman 1st Class Jared Williams, 62nd MXS

The award winners and guests closed the ceremony by singing the "Air Force Song" in unison.