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More than 800 soldiers are under criminal investigation for gaming a National Guard program that paid hundreds of millions in bonuses to soldiers who persuaded friends to sign up during the darkest years of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has been holding secret talks with Taliban officials in an effort to bridge peace with his government,

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As more servicemembers transition out into the civilian workforce there will continue to be a need for corporations and businesses to hire veterans, unless of course that veteran wants to own their own small business, like the opportunity being offered through Seattle-based Veterans Promise Coffee.

According to statistics on VPC's website, it is estimated that 250,000 veterans will be transitioning out of military service and entering the civilian job market and small business community every year through 2031.

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A new poll finds a majority of the public believes the United States failed to meet its goals in either Iraq or Afghanistan.

It's official: President Obama will nominate Vice Adm. Michael Rogers to lead the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command.

The president also has nominated Mike McCord for Pentagon comptroller, Brian McKeon for principal deputy undersecretary of Defense for policy and others.

The U.S. Air Force should look at moving as much manpower into the Reserve and Air National Guard components as possible, according to a new report from a congressionally mandated panel.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai is refusing to sign the bilateral security agreement negotiated with the U.S. And without it, U.S. officials say they'll have to consider a complete withdrawal of troops post-2014.

Veterans group says military suicide rate is "out of control."

A long-awaited complaint system, launched Jan. 30 by the Veterans Affairs Department in partnership with other federal agencies, offers students using military or veterans' education benefits a way to report unscrupulous schools to authorities with the power to stop them.

A former Canadian brigadier general and head of Canadian forces in Afghanistan is being detained in Afghanistan for alleged gun smuggling.

Premature weapons testing drains military budget.

Senior military commanders should not retain authority over sexual assault cases within their command, a congressionally-appointed panel said in a report released Thursday. 

What exactly is this secret Seinfeld project?

See a bunch of new photos from the upcoming season of Game of Thrones.

This week's episode of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee features Tina Fey.

Get nostalgic with these bizarre Super Bowl ads from now-defunct companies.

Sharknado 2 is on the way.

Finally: A ranking of 94 X-Men members.

First-person view of Felix Baumgartner's space jump

Just the other day Team Walkie Talkie was discussing the lack of veteran-related apps. We came up with several ideas, then went back to our day job of writing snarky preview blurbs.

When, what to our wondering eyes should appear, but a new veteran app originating across the Cascade mountain range. Central Washington University says it's the first university in the United States to use a special web and mobile application to help military veterans connect to colleges to earn degrees.

That's cool.

Here's an excerpt from the news release:

Key components of the Veterans App (VAPP), developed by Edmonds-based Operation Military Family, are a lockbox for online storage of military service records and the ability of users to browse veterans' service providers by major categories. The VAPP platform also provides a checklist of required steps needed to transition out of the military.

CWU is also specifically highlighted on the first-of-its-kind VAPP Checklist pilot program, a web-only application, limited to active service members at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) as they transition out of the Army. As a select sponsor of VAPP, CWU anticipates veteran recruitment and enrollment, both at Ellensburg and at CWU's campuses statewide, will grow.

"More than 20,000 veterans from JBLM will be going through the Active Duty Transition Process in the next two years. And those who investigate education through the VAPP checklist process will always see CWU's Preferred Sponsorship Logo linking to our VAPP Web page," said Swiney, adding that VAPP is formatted for both Web and mobile devices.

The Veterans App is available at www.vapp.com. The link can also be found on CWU's web site under Services, and on Admission's and the Veteran's web pages under Related Links.

The folks at ABQ Mastermind Productions have dreamed up a fascinating documentary, and with just nine days to go, they're 25 percent of the way to fulfilling their $2,000 Kickstarter campaign.

A little bit about the project, from the Kickstarter page:

Imagine putting your life on the line for your country, and coming home trying to reintegrate yourself into the society you have long been distanced from while in battle. What kind of problems would you have? Where would you find help? We are making the YOLO Documentary to showcase these distinguished leaders cloaked in honor, yet still struggling with underlying unimaginable traumas. Veterans are coming back home with horrifying and devastating issues, and many feel that they can't find the help they need. This trend breaks our hearts, so we are making a documentary to get to the bottom of the problems, and help the people who are trying to fix things get the exposure they deserve. As longtime filmmakers, we have recently opened a Production Company named ABQ Mastermind Productions and we are trying to gain exposure through projects that will attract a following and make a difference in the world that we are all apart of creating. As a Veteran myself, I feel Veterans will relate with the interviewees whom we have spoken with, and America will be drawn to the stories and passion that our Veterans embody. We should all strive to live with the same dedication that our Veterans do on our behalf each and every day. We have been filming with our own personal funds already, but your contributions will make the difference and our YOLO Documentary will hopefully serve as the creative embodiment of the struggle and immense optimism that our Veterans and supporting companies have to live with.  

Time's a-wasting! Donate now!

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President Barack Obama had some sharp language on Iran in his State of the Union address, but Tehran saw it mainly as tough talk for a domestic audience.

Yikes! North Korea appears to be expanding its main launch site to permit more advanced missiles, which may eventually be able to reach the United States.

Militants stormed a government office in eastern Baghdad today, killing at least two employees and triggering a firefight with police as security forces besieged the building official said.

The Pentagon plans to tout the capabilities of US-made weapons when Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and other senior defense officials meet with their counterparts in Poland today.

Senators vow COLA cap repeal, commissary grocery price hike eyed.

A coalition of companies that vowed in 2011 to hired 100,000 veterans within a decade has made its goal seven years early, announcing today that 117,439 former service members have since been provided jobs.

US aerospace giant Boeing reported a big jump in quarterly earnings, but signaled a leaner 2014 profit outlook after last year's boom.

The Defense Department is releasing a draft request for proposals, or RFP, to modernize the DOD electronic health records while also working to make it interoperable with Department of Veterans Affairs and private provider electronic medical records.

The Army launched an eight-week Sexual Harassment/Assault Prevention and Response Program schoolhouse pilot program at Fort Belvoir to better prepare sexual assault response coordinators, victim advocates and trainers.

The Rock Island Arsenal Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center rolled out the newest Humvee ambulance today.

The Army is having the most trouble with the simplest systems, the portable radios.

Courtney Love is launching a YouTube channel. And it looks like it's going to be everything we want it to be.

Watch The Daily Show's extended interview with Louis C.K.

These Portlandia videos about tailgating Prairie Home Companion are pretty funny.

Get ready for Dungeons & Dragons yoga.

eBay: A wonderfully weird side where hardcore movie fans can acquire props, both iconic and banal, that have been culled from a wide variety of film sets.

Wonder bathtub has built-in sink, speakers and digital controls.

We want a drone to follow us around like in this fun video.

Knock, Knock.

Did you know Wells Fargo donates homes to soldiers with help from the Military Warriors Support Foundation? It's true. In fact, it happened again Monday when former Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldier Spc. Marcos Garcia shoved a key into his new Federal Way home. Garcia, who was severely injured in a mortar attack in April of 2007 while deployed in Iraq and was awarded the Purple Heart, now lives in a mortgage-free home thanks to the two organizations.

That's awesome.

Read up on the program. ...

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While President Barack Obama's State of the Union speech tonight was dominated by domestic concerns, he also addressed national security concerns.    

President Barack Obama had a message forthe American people during his State of the Union speech: the war in Afghanistan will be over at the end of the year. He also had a message for Afghan President Hamid Karzai: Sign the U.S. troop deal or we're out of there.

Veterans who had hoped President Obama would support restoring cuts to military retiree pensions during the State of the Union were disappointed, but the president sprinkled plenty of other references to troops throughout his speech. 

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President Barack Obama Friday announced a series of reforms for a controversial National Security Agency data-collection program that he said would give Americans confidence their privacy is being protected and allow U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies to continue safeguarding the nation.

The Pentagon is considering sending U.S. troops back to the Middle East to help train Iraqi forces.

Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., this week introduced a wide-ranging package of veterans legislation, covering changes to the GI Bill, survivors' benefits, advanced appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs and fertility treatments for wounded veterans.

Barring investment from European allies, the Pentagon should abandon the goal of a nuclear-capable F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in favor of spending funds elsewhere, according to former US Air Force Chief of Staff Norton Schwartz.

European Union foreign ministers are expected to approve a military mission to protect civilians in the Central African Republic at their meeting in Brussels Monday.

Whoever runs the Marine Corps Special Operations Command's official Twitter handle got in trouble Friday for this tweet: "Don't be lone shooter #MLK weekend! make sure you've got security - stay safe! #MARSOC #Marines #shortbarrelforVBSS." 

The Defense Imagery Management Operations Center recently signed a $5 million agreement to digitize, store and provide access to hundreds of thousands of historical images.

At the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, experts in the emotional toll of disasters help the Defense Department, government agencies and first responders worldwide understand how best to help communities struck by terrorist attacks, mass casualties and natural disasters.

Dr. Bill LaPlante testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee on the time it takes to develop and field weapon systems, the importance of science and technology investment and how to speed up cyber acquisition.

The famed Japanese soldierwho spent 29 years hiding out after World War II ended, never realizing his country had surrendered under threat of continued nuclear bombardment, has died at age 91.

Emails from judges in 2008 reveal allegations of misconduct by judge in original case, and could potentially pave way for Roman Polanski's freedom.

Conan O'Brien hilariously grills and tortures his staff of interns.

It's amazing what a little rebranding did for these 10 celebs.

Lupita N'yongo's Critics' Choice Awards acceptance speech is a must see.

Check out this homemade mockumentary on Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Bird steals egg with camera inside and films entire penguin colony.

Here's the weirdest videogame trailer ever.

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Iran has agreed to start eliminating its stockpile of higher levels of enriched uranium beginning Jan. 20 under an interim deal announced in November.

US Army wants to transform all nine of its Stryker brigades into the heavily armored "double V-hull" (DVH) configuration.

Two rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip today, just hours ahead of former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's funeral. The projectiles did not appear to have landed in Israel.

Department of Veterans Affairs says more female veterans will suffer from the kinds of injuries that go with being a ground-pounder.

Disabled military retirees will be protected from the reduced COLA.

The Appropriations committees are set to unveil this week how they will cut roughly $25 billion from the Pentagon's budget.

Weapon sales to Iraq have become entangled in sharply escalated political debate after al-Qaida affiliated forces regained partial control of the cities of Fallujah and Ramadi.

The Arctic Passage opens challenges for the mil because it means it has a new ocean to patrol - for the first time since 1846.

The College of William & Mary and U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command reaffirmed their partnership to develop internships, research and training opportunities for both William & Mary students and TRADOC Soldiers in the field of national security.

Six15 Technologies is announcing the release of their direct view monitor for military applications called the Standard Mobile Monitor (SMM).

Watch Tina Fey and Amy Poehler's flawless, hilarious Golden Globes monologue.

Fifteen new comics. Fifteen talented creative teams. Fifteen new reasons to open a new line of credit for Image's 2014 barrage of awesome.

Mad Men returns to the tube April 13.

HBO says the upcoming fifth season of Boardwalk Empire will be the series' last.

Christine McVie retired from Fleetwood Mac more than 15 years ago, and now, she's coming back to the band.

Are you ready for some Thrones?