7%
— The unemployment rate for all veterans in December, lower than the 7.8% rate for American workers as a whole. Post-9/11 vets had a 10.8% unemployment rate, still well above average.
Congress Now Less Popular than Head Lice, Cockroaches and The Donald
It takes real skill to be less appreciated than one of the most phobia-inducing insects on the planet, but somehow Congress managed, hitting new lows in a breaking Public Policy Polling survey that found even cockroaches more appealing.
NHL Lockout Is Over! Guess Who’s Happier Than Fans or Players?
All along during the NHL lockout, fans have felt like they’ve been held hostage by both sides of the negotiations. But that’s nothing compared to businesses that rely on NHL game-day crowds — and have been laying off workers and …
Hagel: A Different Kind of Defense Secretary
Hagel’s nomination and inevitable appointment as Secretary of Defense is stirring controversy in the Senate — as it should
Debt: How to Win When Everyone Loses
In Washington, consolation prizes–pleasing the base, appearing tough and strong, handling negotiations better–are really the only victories in town.
Don’t Rush to Judge on Steubenville
Our emotional response to this rape case erodes the pursuit of justice, for both the victim and the accused.
BattlelandMilitary Spending
“I’m a Sole Man…”
The Pentagon always says it loves free and open ompetition when it comes to awarding contracts. Loves it so much that a generation ago it tapped senior military officers to be so-called “competition advocates …
Return of the King: When Elvis Left the Army
On his birthday, LIFE.com presents a series of photos capturing the moment when Elvis was poised to remind everyone that, despite two years of taking orders, he was ready to again be the King.
Somewhere…Under the Rainbow
The guided-missile destroyer USS Russell departs its home port, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, for the last time Jan. 3.
An Army Ranger Helps Syrian Refugees
BattlelandPolitics
The Hagel Choice
“We are committed to achieving auditable financial statements in the Department of Defense…I recognize there's more to do here and that we haven't fundamentally changed some problems for the Department of Defense, like growth and operating costs, and acquisition costs, and, indeed, also growth in military compensation.”
— Robert Hale, the Pentagon's comptroller – aka, the top money man – speaking Monday at the Brookings Institution in Washington.
BattlelandNational Security
President Obama Taps Former GOP Senator Chuck Hagel to Run Pentagon
For the third time in 15 years, a Democratic President has turned to a member of the Republican Party to run his Pentagon. On Monday afternoon, President Obama nominated former Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska to serve as …