Ideas
With Shrinking Budgets, Pentagon Should Rely More on Guard, Reserve Troops
The Pentagon must think more creatively about how to structure and when to use reserve forces. By Ret. Lt. Gen. David Barno
Business
DOD Could Save Millions in Health Care Costs If Congress Would Let It
A decades-old program within the military health system has outlived its usefulness, officials say. By Kellie Lunney
Business
Winning Hearts and Minds at the VA
Fixing the Department of Veterans Affairs is going to take a lot more than money. By Colin Wilhelm
Business
It's Official: There Is a New Edward Snowden
The U.S. government has confirmed that there is another leaker of surveillance secrets, according to CNN. By Dustin Volz
Business
The Army Will Lay Off 500 Majors This Month
The involuntary separations are part of the Army's plan to downsize to 490,000 soldiers by the end of 2015. By Eric Katz
Business
What We Talk About When We Talk About the VA
We should be very careful about generalizing from a genuine problem with veterans care to a broad conclusion that VA is failing veterans across the board. By Tom Shoop
Business
Pentagon's Civilian Workforce Could Face New Performance Evaluations
The Pentagon plans a do-over for its poorly-received civilian pay and performance evaluation system from 2006. Will this attempt be any better than the last? By Eric Katz
Business
Air Force Secretary Doubles Down on Nuclear Mission
Air Force leaders want the world to know their June decision save the embattled nuclear corps from forced cutbacks was an absolute necessity. By Rachel Oswald
Policy
Meet the Man Now Responsible for Solving the VA Crisis
Incoming VA secretary Robert McDonald received unanimous support during his Senate confirmation vote Tuesday. Now the real work begins. By Jordain Carney
Business
New VA Reform Bill Is a Stopgap, Not a Solution
The Miller-Sanders legislation announced Monday should make great changes to a broken system. But don't mistake it for a comprehensive reform bill. By Jesse Sloman
Policy
Congress Clears the Way for VA to Fire Senior Executives
A new bi-partisan bill to kickstart reforms at the Department of Veterans Affairs could find its way to the president's desk by the end of the week. By Eric Katz
Policy
House, Senate Committee Reaches Compromise to Reform the VA
Just days before the August recess, a conference committee reached a deal to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs with a breakthrough $17 billion bill. By Molly O’Toole
Policy
How Long Will Congress Take to Solve the VA's Problems?
Lawmakers have serious reservations about the VA's $17.6 billion request to fix the overburdened system. By Jordain Carney
Threats
The FAA Warned Airlines Not to Fly Over Ukraine
The U.S. government did its best to keep civilian airliners away from the region. BY James Fallows
Ideas
If the Pentagon Buys Less, It Needs to Invest More
If the military is supposed to use the peace to prepare for the next war, it has to spend more on research & development. By Gen. Norton A. Schwartz and Col. Tom Harrison
Business
Don't Expect the VA to Improve Overnight
The acting VA secretary told Senators it will take years to correct the department's troubled course -- but an extra $17 billion could certainly speed things up. By Jordain Carney
Business
The VA Scandal Just Keeps Spreading
Add hidden documents, improperly-processed disability claims, and at least six new offices under scrutiny to the already long list of problems facing the Department of Veterans Affairs. By Jordain Carney
Business
The Air Force Is Offering Separation Incentives to Thousands of Civilians
But the reductions will still only save the Air Force a small fraction of the $50 billion required by the 2011 Budget Control Act. By Eric Katz
Business
The VA Paid More Than $40 Million in Improper Claims Last Year
For 2 months in 2013, the Veterans Benefits Administration hurried to eliminate its disability claim backlog. That rush resulted in many costly mistakes. By Bob Brewin
Ideas