Newly Eligible Vets: 1 Year to Claim Benefits
Thousands more veterans became eligible for Veterans Affairs health care on Oct. 1 under a law expanding benefits for former service members sickened by environmental exposures. The largest group to be eligible are certain post-9/11 veterans who hadn’t previously enrolled. They have a one-year window to sign up.
House Curbs Presidential Deployment Powers
The House defense bill strips Confederate base names and curbs a president’s powers in troop deployments, reports Defense News, passing with a veto-proof majority and a strong bipartisan vote.
Canada to Purchase Used Hornets From Aussies
Canada plans to close a deal by the end of this year to purchase 25 used F/A-18A/B Hornets from Australia.
Space Force Comes With Big Pricetag
The Air Force estimates that creating a Space Force will cost $13 billion over the next five years, including an initial $3 billion cost to stand up the service.
Aircraft Big Winner in Defense Budget
House and Senate conference committees have finalized a $675 billion defense spending bill. Aircraft of all kinds are the overall winner.
Military Joins Relief Efforts After Hurricane
The military has joined relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Florence’s landfall. DoD has assigned 13,470 personnel and deployed 1,286 military assets, according to the US Northern Command.
Hurricane and Typhoon Threaten Navy on Both Coasts
Monster Hurricane Florence and super Typhoon Mangkhut have sailors in the Pacific and along the Atlantic seaboard preparing for what many are predicting could be among the worse of both types of coastal storms.
SMECO: Prep Your Home for Power Outages
Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative is watching the weather forecasts as Hurricane Florence makes her way toward the Eastern Seaboard.
F-35 Operating Costs Targeted by US & Europe
The US military and Europe officials partner to minimize F-35 operating costs to assure sustainment and future purchase goals can be reached.
East Coast on Alert As Florence Nears
The mid-Atlantic region is expecting to be impacted by the approaching Hurricane Florence. Naval Station Norfolk is among the military installation taking precautions. The National Hurricane Center says it is still too early to predict the storm’s exact path.
