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‘We’re going to have to pull together’: Mattis says national leaders should push for public service including armed forces

The nation’s leaders should push harder for America’s youth to participate in public service, including in the military, as the Pentagon copes with recent recruiting shortfalls, former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Thursday.

RELATED Marine Corps recruiting expands efforts to Palau with the help of Koa Moana 24

Two U.S. Air Force F-35A Lighting IIs assigned to the 493rd Fighter Squadron fly over RAF Lakenheath, England, in January 2024. U.S. Air Forces Europe and Africa isn’t ready for quick coordination against a cruise missile attack, according to a Rand Corp. report released Sept. 11.

Air Force needs to fix big gaps in early stages of European attack response, analysts say

Spokesman for the 101st Airborne Division Lt. Col. Martin Meiners, seventh right, poses for a photo with Dutch reenactors on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, in Mesch, Netherlands. The reenactors — including Jan-Thijs Koppen, second left — were dressed as soldiers from the 30th Infantry Division, which liberated the village 80 years ago.

US soldiers and WWII veterans join Dutch royalty to mark 80th anniversary of the Netherlands’ liberation

A missile fired by Yemen’s rebels lands in Israel and triggers sirens at international airport

DOD unveils initiatives that include review of uniforms, increased lodging during moves, more flexible spending for health care

Storied Air Force unit shutters as service moves on from its popular A-10 attack jet

more top news

Venezuela says it arrested Navy SEAL allegedly involved in a plot to kill President Maduro

Iraqi and US forces kill a top ISIS commander and other militants in joint operation

Fort Cavazos sergeant arrested two years ago to face court-martial for attempted murder, rape

Air Force recruiting bounces back with broadened path to enlistment paying off

Support at sea: Navy on track to have a chaplain on every destroyer by 2025

The decade-long mission to build the World War I memorial

Supply shortages, harsh weather delay Japanese base to be used for Navy carrier-landing practice

Things to know about deadly wildfire that destroyed Maui town of Lahaina

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Army

Photos posted to social media on Sept. 6, 2024, appeared to show soldiers sleeping outside the U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach vehicle registration office in Germany.

US Army garrison in Germany where soldiers slept outside for vehicle registration revamps process

Military family advocates, volunteers pack boxes of household supplies for new Fort Cavazos families

Commander acted in reprisal by nixing deployment after soldier’s sexual assault report, IG says

Air Force

A U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base’s 354th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron prepares to land at an undisclosed location within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Oct. 27, 2023. The U.S. leverages the most advanced training and platforms to promote long-term security and stability of the region. (U.S. Air Force courtesy photo)

Storied Air Force unit shutters as service moves on from its popular A-10 attack jet

Air Force needs to fix big gaps in early stages of European attack response, analysts say

USAF prepares for its 77th birthday with concert at the Air Force Memorial

Navy

The procession of graduating midshipmen. The Naval Academy held its Class of 2024 commissioning and graduation ceremony Friday at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff photo)

Trial to begin on whether Naval Academy can keep considering race in admissions

Support at sea: Navy on track to have a chaplain on every destroyer by 2025

Supply shortages, harsh weather delay Japanese base to be used for Navy carrier-landing practice

Space Force

NAVAL COMMUNICATION STATION HAROLD E. HOLT, Australia – The Space Surveillance Telescope (SST), developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), is being reassembled at NCS Harold E. Holt, near Exmouth, Australia. The SST is a ground-based optical system that detects and tracks small objects in deep space, and provides an unprecedented wide-area search capability that will enhance space situational awareness of the Southern Celestial Hemisphere. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jeanette Mullinax)

Northrop Grumman wins $200M contract for deep-space radar

Blue Origin set to test fire New Glenn stage at Canaveral launch pad

Trump pledges to create a Space National Guard if reelected

Coast Guard

FILE - This undated image provided by OceanGate Expeditions in June 2021 shows the company's Titan submersible. (OceanGate Expeditions via AP, File)

Ex-employees of Titanic submersible’s owner to testify before Coast Guard panel

13 former Coast Guard Academy cadets file claims of sexual violence, seek $130 million

5 years after 34 died in Conception boat fire, NTSB says Coast Guard hasn’t reformed

Marine Corps

Lt. Gen. James Glynn speaks during a ceremony at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, during which he assumed command of Marine Corps Forces Pacific.

Marine circles back to Hawaii to command 80,000-strong Pacific force

Marines’ training for mortar, rocket systems going virtual to lessen blast effects

NCIS investigates death of Marine’s family member on Hawaii base

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U.S.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris greet Paul Whelan at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Aug. 1, after he was freed from Russian captivity. MUST CREDIT: Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post

U.S. hostages still owe taxes, and Congress might not help

Secret Service probe details failures before Trump rally shooting

Biden administration taking steps to eliminate protections for gray wolves

Europe

Flames rise after a Russian aerial bomb struck a multi-story residential building in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Sunday Sept. 15, 2024. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

2 people die in Ukraine’s Odesa after Moscow and Kyiv exchange drone and missile attacks

Torrential rains trigger mass evacuations as rivers surge in Central Europe during record flooding

US securing more air defense for Ukraine, national security adviser says

Asia-Pacific

The USS Theodore Roosevelt supports the Valiant Shield exercise in the South China Sea on June 7, 2024.

US-China military leaders hold routine talks to discuss South China Sea tensions and other issues

Germany sails 2 warships through Taiwan Strait for first time in two decades

Pentagon approves eating disorder nonprofit as official resource for military families

Middle East

Smoke rises from a fire in central Israel after the Israeli army said a missile fired from Yemen landed in an open area on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024.

A missile fired by Yemen’s rebels lands in Israel and triggers sirens at international airport

Russia sharing nuclear secrets with Iran fuels US, UK worries

Under the missiles: UN force caught between Israel and Hezbollah

Africa

CORRECTS ID: Along the back row shows from left; Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, Marcel Malanga and Tyler Thompson, all American citizens, attend a court verdict in Congo, Kinshasa, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, on charges of taking part in a coup attempt in May 2024. (AP Photo/Samy Ntumba Shambuyi)

Congo court sentences 3 Americans and 34 others to death on coup charges

Meet the straight ally who is protesting Ghana’s anti-LGBTQ bill

Analysis: A new crisis may plunge Libya back into chaos

Americas

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro addresses government loyalists gathered at the presidential palace in support of his reelection one month after the presidential vote, in Caracas, Venezuela, Aug. 28, 2024.

Venezuela says it arrested Navy SEAL allegedly involved in a plot to kill President Maduro

How Mexico is helping Biden and Harris at the US border

‘It’s pure war.’ A nation key to fight against Haiti’s gangs puts deployment on hold

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from our community sites

Europe

September 2024 Pet of the Month: Suki

Weekend getaway to Geneva

What’s up this weekend in Kaiserslautern

Japan

Exploring Japan: Kanto Plain's popular Hakone area a great day trip

VIDEO: Exploring Japan: Tokyo's Shin-Okubo a taste of Seoul

Exploring Japan: Traveling country's famed Three-Star Route in Chubu

Korea

Bustlin’ Busan: Fun with friends in Korea’s 2nd-largest city

Useful websites for exploring Korea

Navigating Korean metro an unforgettable adventure for military couple

Okinawa

Aging with grace: Japan’s Respect for the Aged Day Sept. 16

VIDEO: Climbing Okinawa’s ‘Stairway to Heaven’ near Camp Foster

My Paradise: Uncovering legends, myths in Okinawa

Guam

Cool off at Guam's peaceful, pristine Priest’s Pools

Breathtaking beaches on Guam to check out

Feel beat of Guam's traditional Chamorro dancing

Veterans

Spokesman for the 101st Airborne Division Lt. Col. Martin Meiners, seventh right, poses for a photo with Dutch reenactors on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, in Mesch, Netherlands. The reenactors — including Jan-Thijs Koppen, second left — were dressed as soldiers from the 30th Infantry Division, which liberated the village 80 years ago.

US soldiers and WWII veterans join Dutch royalty to mark 80th anniversary of the Netherlands’ liberation

Thousands of Americans died freeing the Netherlands. On Thursday its citizens, including hundreds of schoolchildren, lined streets and festival grounds for commemorative activities.

Sports

More than 80 female runners from eleven schools from across Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, and Belgium, begin their 5,000-meter race in Vilseck, Sept. 14, 2024.

International school athletes shine in Vilseck

Frankfurt’s Seth Leishman wins the boys race and Zurich’s Helene Orstavik captures the girls event in meet that has more schools than any other until season-ending championships.

History

Guantanamo Bay, Cuba on April 19, 2016: The rising sun silhouettes an out-of-use guard tower, fence and concertina wire at Camp Delta at Guantanamo Bay detention camp.

META TAGS: Guantanamo Bay detention camp; Naval Station Guantanamo Bay; military prison; Gitmo; GTMO; Global war on Terrror

Sunrise silhouettes guard tower at Guantanamo Bay, 2016

Guantanamo Bay, Cuba on April 19, 2016: The rising sun silhouettes an out-of-use guard tower, fence and concertina wire at Camp Delta at Guantanamo Bay detention camp.

Living

Astro Bot captures what is for many a long-forgotten sense of play, and wonderfully uses the haptic controller to bring players into the world.

Astro Bot is the rare perfect video game

Astro Bot, the latest PlayStation Studios title from Team Asobi, captures a sense of childlike play and harnesses the power of the haptic controllers better than any other game ever has.

Travel

Despite its air of wealth and privilege, it would be a mistake to dismiss Saratoga as a relic of the past. The town bustles with activity.

A comfortable contrast: In Saratoga Springs, high-stakes horse racing blends with healing springs

Patrons of Boulderhalle E4 in Nuremberg, Germany, enjoy a morning climb on Aug. 17, 2024.

Trading hiking trails for indoor climbing gym in Nuremberg offers boulder blast

A nearby mountain range looms over Hoʻomaluhia, a city botanical garden in Kaneohe, Oahu, Hawaii.

Oahu garden a ‘peaceful refuge’ in a world of plants