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Pentagon creates advisory council on human performance, health
After creating a new directorate on warfighter optimization within the Department of Defense, the Pentagon announced it will form a federal advisory committee to weigh in on issues affecting troop performance and health.
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Congressmen launch bipartisan military range, test facility caucus
A bipartisan group of U.S. representatives launched the Congressional Military Range and Test Facility Caucus in an effort to highlight the role of those ranges in advancing research and test missions for the military.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Federal Oversight
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VA launches trial to test GLP-1 medication for alcohol use disorder in veterans
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How veterans groups came to clash over a sweeping VA benefits bill
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GOP lawmakers seek review of VFW’s claims authority amid veterans cartoon controversy
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VA inventory report reveals 367 AI systems operating in healthcare, benefits and services
Pay & Benefits
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Guidance needed for doctors treating DOD, VA patients exposed to jet fuel in Hawaii water, report says
There are no known procedures to neutralize the effects of jet fuel exposure, and there’s no clinical guidance for long-term treatment, researchers found.
VIDEOS
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Defense leaders weigh in on expanding production | Defense News Weekly Full Episode 10.27.26
Top leaders from the defense industry share their ideas on how to scale up production and integrate AI in remarks from the show floor at AUSA 2026.
Featured Videos
AI and IT
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Could MQ-9B drones draw Canada and Denmark closer in Arctic surveillance?
Both countries have ordered MQ-9B drones from General Dynamics, a hardware choice that some experts believe offers cooperation prospects in the High North.
More Stories
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Health care access a top complaint among troops, top enlisted leaders tell lawmakers
A Democratic senator also questioned whether the services are doing everything they can to increase child care slots.
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Bills seek to improve VA benefits for 9/11 survivors, other exposures
A House subcommittee on Tuesday discussed proposed legislation on illnesses linked to service-connected exposures.
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Pentagon taps 25 firms for small, cheap attack drone competition
The Pentagon eventually wants to field swarms of low-cost, one-way attack drones that cost just a few thousand dollars apiece.
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Military families will see slight increases in Tricare dental premiums
Increases take effect March 1.
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Some remote Tricare families will get prescription drugs for free
Active duty families in Tricare Prime Remote in the U.S. will have a $0 copay for covered prescriptions outside military pharmacies.
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No tax on troops’ $1,776 ‘warrior dividend,’ IRS says
Troops who received an unexpected $1,776 one-time payment in December won’t have to pay taxes on that money, the Internal Revenue Service confirmed.
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US lawmakers release $839B compromise defense spending bill
The conferenced defense spending bill would increase funding for both the Air Force and Navy’s sixth-generation fighters.
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War powers resolution fails in Senate
Senate Republicans have voted to dismiss a war powers resolution that would have limited President Trump’s ability to conduct further attacks on Venezuela.
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Trump proposes massive increase in 2027 defense spending to $1.5T
President Donald Trump is proposing setting U.S. military spending at $1.5 trillion in 2027, citing “troubled and dangerous times.”















