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
What Stands in the Way of the Pentagon Keeping Its Best and Brightest?
The Defense Department's impending force drawdown could accelerate the departure of some of its best personnel. Here are a few ideas on how to keep that from happening. By Amy Schafer
Business
Is the U.S. Ready to Patrol the Arctic?
A sobering look at America's ice-cutter fleet as it prepares to chair the 8-nation Arctic Council next year. By Marina Koren
Business
VA Reform's Surprising 19th Century Roots
Congress's proposal to fix the broken agency risks returning America back to its patronage-job system of President James Garfield's day. By Norm Ornstein
Business
Competition Is Declining in Pentagon-Awarded Contracts
Three years after setting goals for competitively-bid contracts, the Defense Department has failed to meet even one of those goals. By Katherine McIntire Peters
Business
Mid-Level Management Is the Air Force's Latest Fix for Its Nuclear Problems
Still recovering from the recent scandals at its Global Strike Command, the Air Force is changing how it manages America's Minuteman 3 nukes. By Rachel Oswald
Business
Here’s How the Pentagon Could Save $108 Billion Over the Next Decade
Military retirees used to have their retirement pay reduced by the amount of any VA disability compensation they also received. That could save big bucks. By Eric Katz
Science & Tech
What to Expect in This Government Report on Government Spying
Here are the questions critics hope Obama's privacy watchdogs will answer in this week's long-awaited report on Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. By Brendan Sasso
Business