Female CAFB officers recall their military service

COLUMBUS, Miss. (AP) — In 23 years of serving in the United States Air Force, Col. Betty Venth said her proudest accomplishment is the work she did at a port mortuary in Dover, Delaware shortly after Sept. 11, 2001. Now the commander of the 14th Medical Group on Columbus Air Force Base, Venth was a...

Testimony ties president closer to pressure on Ukraine

WASHINGTON (AP) — Gordon Sondland, President Donald Trump’s emissary to the European Union, had a message when he met with a top Ukrainian official. Sondland said vital U.S. military assistance to Ukraine might be freed up if the country’s top prosecutor “would go to the mike and...

Esper defends as fair Pentagon contract disputed by Amazon

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Friday he was certain that the awarding of a $10 billion cloud-computing contract to Microsoft instead of Amazon was done fairly. The Pentagon awarded the contract to Microsoft in late October, and Amazon said there was “unmistakable...

Amazon appeals $10B Pentagon contract won by Microsoft

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Amazon is protesting the Pentagon’s decision to award a $10 billion cloud-computing contract to Microsoft, citing “unmistakable bias” in the process. Amazon’s competitive bid for the “war cloud” project drew criticism from President Donald...

US military academy athletes can now delay service, go pro

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Mark Esper has opened the door for athletes at the nation’s military academies to play professional sports after they graduate, and delay their active-duty service. Esper signed a memo last Friday laying out the new guidelines, which says the athletes must get...

Amazon protests Pentagon’s award of a $10B cloud-computing contract to Microsoft, citing ‘unmistakable bias’

Baldwin asks DOD to investigate Wisconsin discharge decision

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin wants the Department of Defense to investigate whether a Wisconsin National Guard sergeant is being discharged in retaliation for complaining about sexual misconduct in his unit. Master Sgt. Jay Ellis’ complaints about sexual assault and harassment within...

Pentagon chief tries to keep Asia in focus with second trip

WASHINGTON (AP) — Barely four months into his tenure, Defense Secretary Mark Esper is making his second trek across the Pacific. And yet it is the Middle East - most recently a near-war with Iran and an actual war in Syria - that in Washington commands more attention and demands more American troops....

Border wall opponents in court trying to stop construction

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A federal appeals court heard arguments Tuesday on a bid to halt military funding for construction of President Donald Trump's border wall as the pace of construction raises questions about whether time is running out for the administration's critics. The administration has begun work on...

Pact reached to avert government shutdown through Dec. 20

WASHINGTON (AP) — A top House lawmaker announced Tuesday that Congress will pass a governmentwide temporary spending bill to keep the government running through Dec. 20, forestalling a government shutdown as the House turns its focus to impeachment hearings. Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey,...