Read the latest articles from Task & Purpose (Page 444)

Border In A Nutshell
Mexico

Pentagon to Congress: Here’s every project that could be used to fund Trump’s wall. Or not. We don’t even know

Thanks, DoD. This helps. Really.

Afghan security forces robbed and terrorized US-funded support staff to the tune of $780K
Afghanistan

Afghan security forces robbed and terrorized US-funded support staff to the tune of $780K

Members of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces frequently robbed and abused the native Afghan personnel hired under three maintenance and operations contracts at ANDSF military bases, confiscating a total of $780,000 in property and equipment and often detaining workers at gunpoint.

Once political foes, these veterans are joining forces against a shared enemy: America’s ‘forever wars’
Afghanistan

Once political foes, these veterans are joining forces against a shared enemy: America’s ‘forever wars’

Two veterans groups on opposite sides of the aisle are joining forces to achieve a shared goal: To see the Forever Wars end.

‘It was a lost cause’ — dramatic photos show Offutt Air Force Base engulfed by floodwaters
Air Force

‘It was a lost cause’ — dramatic photos show Offutt Air Force Base engulfed by floodwaters

It may be one of the most important Air Force installations in the continental United States, but Offutt Air Force Base has proven no match for the full fury of the Missouri River

Mission creep, thy name is Syria: Up to 1,000 US troops may remain after ISIS is defeated
News

Mission creep, thy name is Syria: Up to 1,000 US troops may remain after ISIS is defeated

The U.S. military is considering leaving as many as 1,000 troops in Syria to prevent Turkey from attacking the United States' Kurdish allies, according to the Wall Street Journal.

7 US service members identified as part of white nationalist group tied to 2017 Charlottesville rally
Air Force

7 US service members identified as part of white nationalist group tied to 2017 Charlottesville rally

Seven U.S. service members have been identified as members of Identity Evropa, a white nationalist group founded by a Marine veteran and tied to the 2017 Charlottesville rally, according to leaked online chat logs examined by HuffPost

The Taliban captured 150 Afghan soldiers as they tried to flee the country
Afghanistan

The Taliban captured 150 Afghan soldiers as they tried to flee the country

The Taliban captured 150 Afghan soldiers after they tried to flee into neighboring Turkmenistan but were forced back.

Search scaled back for Marine lieutenant missing in California mountains for nearly 2 weeks
Marine Corps

Search scaled back for Marine lieutenant missing in California mountains for nearly 2 weeks

The search for the Marine lieutenant missing in the California mountains for nearly two weeks is being scaled back to a "limited continuous search status" since rescuers have been unable to locate him along his planned route.

Navy minesweeper damaged after fire breaks out while docked in Bahrain
Navy

Navy minesweeper damaged after fire breaks out while docked in Bahrain

The Navy is still determining the extent of the damage to the ship caused by the fire.

Airman at Minot AFB arrested over hundreds of child porn images, sexual messages with minors
Air Force

Airman at Minot AFB arrested over hundreds of child porn images, sexual messages with minors

He's awaiting trial, which is scheduled for June.

Former Starbucks CEO apologizes for claiming he spent ‘more time’ with the military than other 2020 presidential candidates
United States

Former Starbucks CEO apologizes for claiming he spent ‘more time’ with the military than other 2020 presidential candidates

The former CEO of Starbucks, Howard Schultz, opened his mouth, and quickly inserted his foot when he claimed that he spent more time with the military than other 2020 presidential candidates

White House releases painfully obvious statement about Trump visiting the Pentagon
United States

White House releases painfully obvious statement about Trump visiting the Pentagon

The White House released the most painfully obvious statement about President Donald Trump visiting the Pentagon on Friday.

US special operations snipers are getting a new rifle that fires 3 different calibers
Guns

US special operations snipers are getting a new rifle that fires 3 different calibers

After years in the making, U.S. Special Operations Command has its sights set on its next big sniper rifle

Dunford: Google’s work in China is providing a ‘direct benefit’ to the Chinese military
China

Dunford: Google’s work in China is providing a ‘direct benefit’ to the Chinese military

"The work that Google is doing in China is indirectly benefitting the Chinese military. Frankly, 'indirect' may be not be a full characterization of the way it really is. It's more of a direct benefit to the Chinese military."

An outside-the-box approach to Mission Command
News

An outside-the-box approach to Mission Command

Mission Command philosophy blends the art of command with the science of control. At least in theory.

The most realistic toy about Army life ever made is this set with a soldier bored as hell in the barracks
Army

The most realistic toy about Army life ever made is this set with a soldier bored as hell in the barracks

If you're looking for a realistic toy that captures the mundanity of military life in the barracks, then you're in luck!

It looks like the JLTV won’t fully replace the Humvee after all
Vehicles

It looks like the JLTV won’t fully replace the Humvee after all

The Army may bill its brand new Joint Light Tactical Vehicle as a replacement to the much-maligned Humvee, but soldiers will remain stuck with the latter for the foreseeable future

‘There is no slush fund,’ Acting SecDef Shanahan says of $165 billion wartime budget (that mostly doesn’t fund combat operations)
News

‘There is no slush fund,’ Acting SecDef Shanahan says of $165 billion wartime budget (that mostly doesn’t fund combat operations)

The Pentagon wants a 139 percent increase in its wartime budget even though it is not fighting any new wars.

DoD will finally tell Congress which construction projects could be cancelled to pay for the border wall
News

DoD will finally tell Congress which construction projects could be cancelled to pay for the border wall

President Donald Trump announced on Feb. 15 that he was declaring a national emergency that allowed him to take $3.6 billion from military construction projects to pay for the border wall.

The Pentagon wants a buttload of guided rockets to slap Russia and China from hundreds of miles away
Missiles

The Pentagon wants a buttload of guided rockets to slap Russia and China from hundreds of miles away

The Pentagon's proposed budget for fiscal year 2020 contains a reversal of that old chestnut from Top Gun: When it's too far for guns, then switch to missiles