GRAB A CUP & AND READ THE MORINING REPORT FOR 1.17.14 >>>

Obama has presided over a huge surge in special operations, vastly out-pacing Bush.

The US Senate passed a government-wide spending measure that would give the Pentagon nearly $600 billion to buy new weapons, address readiness problems and fight America's wars. The final vote tally was 72-26.

US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel huddled with his top military and civilian leaders as the Defense Department puts the finishing touches on its 2015 budget proposal.

President Obama will announce today a major overhaul of a controversial National Security Agency program that collects vast amounts of basic telephone call data on foreigners and Americans.

Its Senate sponsors describe it as a "diplomatic insurance policy" that will help President Obama cut a better nuclear deal with Iran. The White House condemns it as a deal-killer that could put the United States on a path to war.

South Korea rejected North Korean warnings to call off scheduled joint military exercises with the United States and vowed "severe" retaliation to any provocation from Pyongyang.

Members of al-Qaida's branch in Iraq handed out pamphlets urging those in Fallujah to take up arms and back the militants in their weekslong fight against government troops as clashes raged on around the city.

As the U.S. economy gets back on track - unemployment recently fell below 7 percent for the first time in five years - the Pentagon's recruiting commands are bracing for potential challenges.

With the Army drawdown the question arises - what a smaller Army can do and what it can't?

The US Air Force's Total Force Task Force (TF2) is now the Total Force Continuum (TFC), to guide integration of Air National Guard and Reserve units.

Rock mysteriously appears in front of the Mars Opportunity rover.

R.I.P. Professor, Reuben Kincaid and one of the last surviving Munchkins.

The 5 most ridiculous ways studios spoiled their own movies.

Here is your soundtrack today, thanks to Henry Rollins.

Why are today's teens watching so much bad '90s television.

Mr. Potato Head Homer: Let's Play D'oh.

Enjoy Vladimir Putin playing the piano and singing "Blueberry Hill."

"As I report to you, air attacks are underway against military targets in Iraq. We are determined to knock out Saddam Hussein's nuclear bomb potential. We will also destroy his chemical weapons facilities. Much of Saddam's artillery and tanks will be destroyed. Our operations are designed to best protect the lives of all the coalition forces by targeting Saddam's vast military arsenal. Initial reports from General Schwarzkopf are that our operations are proceeding according to plan. ..."

Former U.S. Secretary of Defense and 2011 Liberty Medal recipient Robert M. Gates has been all over the news. His latest book, Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War - a strikingly candid account of his experience serving as secretary of state under both President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama - has been causing a stir. After some contents of "Duty" were reported last week, the media used the words "bombshell" and "White House betrayal."

Today, Gates said Britain's defense spending cuts could limit its ability to be a full partner with the United States in military operations.

What will he say next?

You could hear it first hand when Gates speaks at the Seattle Town Hall Series Feb. 13 in the Great Hall. The former head of the Pentagon will discuss how he juggled multiple wars abroad, as well as the political realities at home. His talk also will focus on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, national security, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and the mission to capture and kill Osama Bin Laden.

ROBERT GATES TOWN HALL, Thursday, Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m., Great Hall, 1119 Eighth Avenue, Seattle, $5, 206.652.4255

Ready for some football this weekend? The USO Northwest is ... and its also ready to host a Seattle Seahawks viewing party for Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldiers, airmen and families who want to watch the local team take on the San Francisco 49ers for the NFC Championship.

"We have a great relationship with the Seattle Seahawks, you could say we're each other's 12th Man. The USO Northwest is proud to cheer them on in this playoff game and we look forward to sharing our 12th Man spirit with those who come to our viewing party," said Meaghan Cox, USONW Communications and IT lead.

Admission is free and there will be food and drinks available throughout the game at no cost. The Seahawks and 49ers rivalry will be showcased on all three large televisions and there will also be a raffle each quarter, giving away prizes like iTunes gift cards, Halo Reach games for XBOX 360 and other DVDs.

The party will start 30 minutes before kick off at 3 p.m. Sunday in The Shali Center, which is in Building 1183, next to the passenger terminal, on McChord Field.

GRAB A CUP & AND READ THE MORINING REPORT FOR 1.15.14 >>>

The Senate Intelligence Committee singled out Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, of exhibiting poor leadership and insufficient planning in their report on the Sept. 2012 attacks on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi.

Lt. Gen. James O. Barclay III, Army G-8, says soldier level could drop to 420,000 by 2019.

The head of the UN body tasked with removing and destroying Syria's chemical arsenal says the process has been slowed down by security concerns.

Even in the darkest, deadliest days of Iraq's War, you'd find people still hopeful it would all work out.

Sustainment costs are eating away at Army aviation and new approaches are needed to rein the costs in.

Thirty-four intercontinental ballistic missile launch officers at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., have been implicated in cheating on the ICBM launch officer proficiency test.

Vice Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. John F. Campbell discusses SHARP and Army restructure.

The office of the secretary of defense has directed the US Navy to limit its overall buy of littoral combat ships to a total of 32 ships, foregoing 20 more of the small, fast and controversial warships.

Former US defense secretary Robert Gates said Britain no longer had the complete spectrum of capabilities, meaning its relationship with the US military was shifting.

The nominations for the 86th Academy Awards were announced this morning, and the snubs were as notable as the honors.

Mathematician calculates how to survive the first 30 minutes of a nuclear war.

It's true, the French really don't care if you cheat on your spouse.

Good news! The original Batman series with Adam West is finally coming to DVD!

Soon we'll be able to stream The Simpsons, but of course there's a catch.

Oh, those kooky Japanese!

The mystique of what servicemembers do after deployment is no longer secret. And the activities have nothing to do with playing volleyball in jeans and T-shirts before jetting off in a hot-rod motorcycle to make out with Kelly McGillis.

After traveling over so many time zones, servicemembers just want to sleep. For days.

The Army & Air Force Exchange Service want servicemembers to wake up and smell the deals. The organization is hosting a yearlong Homeward Bound campaign to honor those who serve.

"We understand the hardships and sacrifices military families go through," said the Exchange's Chief of Staff Col. Thomas Ockenfels in a release. "2014 will be a year to celebrate the return of so many. The ‘Homeward Bound' campaign is our way of saying ‘thank you' to service members, and their families, for everything they have done and continue to do."

To kick off the year, shoppers can enter the Ashley Furniture giveaway through Feb. 6. Three winners will receive a room of furniture valued at $1,500 each. To enter, shoppers can "Like" the Exchange on Facebook and follow the contest rules.

Here's hoping a bed is part of the package, and you "Like" it.

Whether we owe it to Prometheus or the aliens who built the pyramids, somewhere deep in our reptilian brains there is a reflexive sense of awe that gets triggered when we are presented with a list of winners. Operation Homefront today announced the 155 semi-finalists - representing all five service branches - for the 2014 Military Child of the Year Award. This year marks the sixth year Operation Homefront has presented the award, which will be given to one outstanding military child from each branch of Service - Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard - who overcome the challenges presented by deployments and relocations and set an example for others to emulate in their communities through leadship, resilience and a commentment to excellence.

According to Military Child of the Year Award hype," each semi-finalist will be interviewed by Operation Homefront staff, and award recipients will be chosen by a committee including active-duty and retired military personnel, spouses of senior military leaders, veterans service organization leadership, teachers, and community members."

Sure enough, our eyes lit up as we scrolled through the list looking for Washington state awesome kids. Guess what? We found several.

Air Force

• Ronald M. - Age 17 - Spanaway, Wash.
• Soliel S. - Age 17 - Oak Harbor, Wash.

Coast Guard

• Connor B. - Age 14 - Bothell, Wash.
• Mackenzie G. - Age 14 - Ranier, Wash
• Zachary G. - Age 13 - Ranier, Wash.
• Jacy M. - Age 8 - Port Orchard, Wash.

Navy

• Nathan C. - Age 13 - Oak Harbor, Wash. 
• Daniel K. - Age 14 - Lake Stevens, Wash.
• Jasmyn M. - Age 17 - Oak Harbor, Wash.

Yup, shutouts for local Army and Marine Corps.

Winners will be announced in March.

GRAB A CUP & AND READ THE MORINING REPORT FOR 1.15.14 >>>

About 200 Fort Bragg soldiers are scheduled to leave for Afghanistan Sunday. The soldiers will be the first wave of troops to deploy from the 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment. An estimated 450 troops from the battalion will eventually deploy this month.

The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee on Tuesday said President Barack Obama is ignoring servicemembers who are deployed to Afghanistan and not speaking enough about the war.

The United States pledged today to send an additional $380 million in aid this year to help victims of Syria's brutal civil war, but warned that international efforts to ease their suffering will fail if Syrian President Bashar Assad refuses to let humanitarian assistance get to people who need it.

NSA to senator: If we were collecting your phone records, we couldn't tell you.

The U.S. Marine Corps is conducting a formal investigation into an incident in which Marines are allegedly shown defiling the bodies of what appear to be dead Iraqi insurgents.

Amid intense pressure from President Obama and the White House, Senate Democrats appear to be backing away from an immediate vote on a new Iran sanctions bill.

Experts and lawmakers said the Pentagon was the lucky winner after the $1.012 trillion omnibus spending bill was released, citing an increase of $5 billion in wartime funding above what the Defense Department had initially requested.  

Two Marines from the Corps' elite special operations unit will be awarded the Navy Cross this week for heroism during an insider attack in Afghanistan in 2012.

The Army National Guard's top officer was honored Tuesday as he prepares to retire after more than 40 years of service.

FX has ordered a comedy pilot that will be created by and star Zach Galifianakis, with Louis C.K. co-writing. Nice!

Twenty hilarious and ridiculous knock-off toys: Funny Pony, Titanic Legend, Mr. T Mighty Car...

Ladies and gentlemen, the Cheap American Beer Bracket!

Here's a lesson: Never let the Internet name your baby.

Be careful how you dance battle

The U.S. Army 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) - also known as Night Stalkers -  is a special operations force specializing in helicopter aviation support for general purpose forces and special operations forces. Its missions have included attack, assault, and reconnaissance, and are usually conducted at night, at high speeds, low altitudes, and on short notice.

Besides all that bad ass operations, the 160th SOAR - with the 4th Battalion, 160th SOAR at Joint Base Lewis-McChord - soar around the streets in the Starwood Motors Nightstalker custom Jeep. OK, maybe not all the Night Stalkers drive one, but the pilots of the 160th SOAR inspired the design.

Read the full story here.

Lt. Shane Osborn was on The Michael Smerconish Program on Sirius' POTUS Politics. Osborn is running for US Senate in Nebraska. The 2001 story of his crash with a Chinese military jet, and subsequent 12-day detention by the Chinese, is incredible. Read his story in the April 2001 issue of The New York Times.

Osborn told Smerconish this morning that only two combat veterans currently serve in the Senate. Obviously, Orborn thinks there needs to be at least one more.