Release the Epstein Files

Could you provide clarity on what is new in Hegseth's directive? National Guard troops operating under Title 10 or under Title 32 (especially over 30 days per SCRA) already receive active-duty benefits. Does this suggest they were operating under SAD? x.com/PatrickWeaverP…

The veteran community has got to stop tearing each other apart. Oh you were a reservist but not active? Not veteran enough. Oh you were active but didn’t deploy? I did so you aren’t veteran enough. Oh you deployed but didn’t see combat? Not veteran enough. Oh you saw combat but didn’t receive a Purple Heart or commendation? Not veteran enough. Oh you were decorated but not special operations? Yes, we all know there is difference between a lifelong special operations veteran with 8 combat deployments vs. someone who held a support role for 4 years and didn’t deploy. And we should rightfully hold reverence for those who did the hardest things and acquitted themselves with honor. But that reverence shouldn’t be weaponized to diminish the value of those who raised their right hand, in a time of war, when less than 1% do it on an annual basis in an all-volunteer force. The argument shouldn’t be those who served minimal time and didn’t see combat don’t have a right to resources from VA. The argument is how to make sure those who deserve it, get it. And believe me, there are plenty of people in DC, including at @DeptVetAffairs, who have dedicated their lives trying to make that happen. Sure, fraud exists. But for all the stories we see online about legitimate cases, @VetAffairsOIG data indicates it is not, in fact, rampant. And it leaves out historical context of VA being historically very slow to award benefits to generations of veterans until they’re old or already dead. Trying to claim fraud is run amok at VA serves to disincentivize those who need help from getting it, for fear they’re somehow taking resources away from veterans who need it more. It doesn’t. Ironically, these claims usually come from people who - despite being young and healthy for the last 20 years - never raised their right hand. Which is clear not because their claim is disrespectful (though it is), but because it’s lazy and not based on an understanding of the system itself. Any veteran will tell you, based on direct experience or through a person they served with, the VA healthcare and benefits system is a complex leviathan and difficult to navigate, which is why accredited representatives through orgs like @AmericanLegion exist. I wish it were easier, and it’s literally my full-time job trying to make it so. But it’s not. I run a team of 20+ accredited people representing veterans in initial claims, appeals, debt collection, pensions, etc. I just had a veteran’s claim finally granted after 12 years…12 YEARS…of fighting VA. He was in medical debt after paying for surgeries out of pocket because his condition hadn’t been determined service-connected. His backpay took care of most of it. And while this was an extreme case, it’s sadly not uncommon for claims and appeals to take years. So if you’re somehow operating under the illusion this is a slush fund of $ for a bunch of fraudsters gaming the system, especially if you have no experience with it, you should exercise your right to shut the hell up.

Dr. Schake, one of the most respected and genuinely liked scholars in national security, was scheduled to give a talk at the Air War College on civ-mil relations. She was uninvited. This is the talk she would have given. Gift link theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/03/…

Reminder that Mueller indicted 26 Russians and 8 Americans for working together to interfere with the election. All 8 Americans were convicted in court, but 5 were pardoned by Trump.

The vet community looks like crabs in a bucket fighting over “VA fraud” lately. I find it hard to care about the rare maintainer, grunt, or operator receiving an overly generous disability rating when you have generals pulling stuff like this, and worse, with little pushback

@SapperNacho People don't get it. They worship infantry and socom. But nothing have no grasp of anything else involving national defense.

Degenerative disc disease and arthritis are not common among those in their late 20s/early 30s. Unless they are in the military. Neither of those things gets better over time. I was 38 when I got shoulder surgery. Told I had the joints of a 65 year old.

@NavyStrang Beautiful

If you want to bring shipbuilding to the U.S. at the scale of China or South Korea or even Japan its not only going to take massive capital investment, but you also have to fundamentally change the way these businesses operate. You have to change the workforce. You have to change transportation. Change neighborhoods. Change waterfronts. This isn't a money problem, it is whole of system problem.

MAGA continues to be the dumbest demographic in American history.

@brollbenny She looks it. Hate and grifting age you.

I legit thought she was older than me

@SgmAbn @BrainLeakage03 @Havoc_Six These people are dumb

@BrainLeakage03 @Havoc_Six "At a FOB in a medical unit" if we are just going to throw out assumptions here why not on in this Airmans favor. Who knows the trauma he dealt with on a daily basis being at that medical unit and how his life is impacted by vivid memories and possible survivor's guilt.

Watch for these to keep popping up, now that VA disability is the outrage du jour again. This—like almost every story you’ll see—is an entirely fictional anecdote. Telling detail in this case: the VA ratings system rounds to the nearest 10%. Nobody has a 75% rating.

Military disability fraud is not rampant. People think it’s rampant because they don’t understand the system, how it’s designed, or how it functions. It’s for sub 1% fraud rates in comp program, which are aggressively investigated and prosecuted by OIG. But idiots on the Internet love spouting off opinions on topic they know nothing about.

@nolanwpeterson You should

What I wouldn't give for a chance to go on Rogan's podcast and refute every last syllable of this stupidity.

@hotscots_app @nolanwpeterson @jonstewart The burn pit denial is the wild part of this. That was the whole point of yhe Pact Act.

12 years in the Army. The fraud debate is a distraction. While people argue online, veterans are still waiting months for mental health appointments, fighting denials on burn pit claims, and navigating a system that wasn’t built for them. @jonstewart had to shame Congress into passing the PACT Act. We shouldn’t need a celebrity to fight for basic care.

Don’t want to pay veterans’ disability after wars? Don’t send servicemembers to wars. It’s that simple.

@MattGallagher0 @nolanwpeterson

@EODHappyCaptain Those people are such idiots.

I see the pitchforks and torches are out because I said VA disability fraud may not be as rampant as social media makes it seem. Sigh.

Prying whatever thing I’ve dropped on the floor from my dogs mouth

@TheIOGuy If only our current leadership didn't have such a love affair with Putin. Ukraine is someone we want to friends with for a long time. Huge benefit to American forces.

Ukraine: “Holy shit that’s badass! Let’s get this tech to the battlefield.” Becomes the #1 drone warfare experts and tech testbed on the planet. Love it.

Naturally. More bashing of Zelenskyy and democratic ally Ukraine under attack from terrorist Russia. More praise for dictator Putin, who is providing intel and weapons to Iran to kill Americans.

@RealRiddimHours 100%

@bolingerj2004 Like I obviously get realistically you can’t tolerate drug use but booting all these people out immediately seems insane. Especially considering training costs and now how many subs are understaffed now

Listen do you want submariners who are high but work under the fucking ocean for many months straight or do you want a bunch of suicide victims bc I imagine it’s hard to get the best of both worlds.