Historian and author Howard Mansfield had vowed to never write another word about the Second World War. Yet a decade after his work, “Dwelling in Possibility: Searching for the Soul of Shelter,” another World War II story fell into his lap — quite literally. And it was one that he could not ignore. His father, Pincus Mansfield, had served with the 453rd Bombardment Group of the Eighth Air Force, but, like many veterans, Pincus had never spoken to his sons about his time serving in the flak-filled skies of occupied Europe. It wasn’t until 65 years on, as Howard and his brother began clearing ou ..read more

Leila Rojas loves school. Since she became one of the first 4-year-olds enrolled in the Defense Department’s free universal preschool program, which launched last year at M.C. Perry Primary School at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Japan, Leila is thriving academically, socially and emotionally, said her mother Yadira Rojas. “It’s been amazing for us,” Yadira Rojas said. “Leila talks about her teachers all the time, about how much they teach her, how nice they are, and how they play with her all the time.” Now thousands more military children will get that same opportunity as the Defense D ..read more

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin told troops in a forcewide note Monday that the service is looking to revamp the umbrella units known as “numbered air forces” to be better prepared for deployments around the world. “We are mapping out an effective approach to elevate NAFs into service component commands and we are aligning our capable and ready forces to best meet the needs of combatant commands,” Allvin said. Most numbered air forces provide troops and assets to a particular combatant command, such as 8th Air Force’s support to U.S. Strategic Command or 9th Air Force’s support to U ..read more

A host of American military ships, jets and munitions played a vital role in repelling Iran’s attack on Israel over the weekend — an unprecedented barrage that involved hundreds of missiles and attack drones. The Iranian attack on Saturday, less than two weeks after a suspected Israeli strike in Syria that killed two Iranian generals in an Iranian consular building, marked the first time Iran has launched a direct military assault on Israel, despite decades of enmity dating back to the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. An Israeli military spokesman said that 99% of the drones and missiles lau ..read more

A host of American military ships, jets and munitions played a vital role in repelling Iran’s attack on Israel over the weekend — an unprecedented barrage that involved hundreds of missiles and attack drones. The Iranian attack on Saturday, less than two weeks after a suspected Israeli strike in Syria that killed two Iranian generals in an Iranian consular building, marked the first time Iran has launched a direct military assault on Israel, despite decades of enmity dating back to the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. An Israeli military spokesman said that 99% of the drones and missiles lau ..read more

Deported veterans face significant barriers accessing a variety of veteran-centric services, including health care benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs, according to a study by the University of California-Berkeley School of Law. The study, released on April 8 by the Veterans Law Practicum at UC-Berkeley, noted deficiencies in two pathways that allow deported veterans to access VA programs: humanitarian parole and the VA Foreign Medical Program. “The law promises veterans access to the benefits and care many need to survive, no matter where they are in the world,” the report states ..read more

Marine Corps officials said a viral photo of four uniformed service members posing at former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate did not take place during a political fundraiser, but instead at an approved nonprofit event without any connection to the Republican presidential nominee. In a statement posted on social media over the weekend, service officials said the Marines — reserve members of the 4th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company — were in attendance on April 11 at the Florida resort to serve as a color guard for a gala hosted by the Grey Team, a nonprofit organization focused on p ..read more

WASHINGTON (AP) — The suicide bombing at the Kabul airport that killed U.S. troops and Afghans in August 2021 was not preventable, and the “bald man in black” spotted by U.S. service members the morning of the attack was not the bomber, according to a new review by U.S. Central Command. The findings. released Monday, refute assertions by some service members who believed they had a chance to take out the would-be bomber but did not get approval. And, for the first time, the U.S. military is confirming that the bomber was Abdul Rahman al-Logari, an Islamic State militant who had been in an Afgh ..read more

The V-22 Osprey and its crews have played a crucial role in military operations around the world. But as the Osprey continues to rack up deadly accidents, the stories of the people who continue to fly aboard them and keep them running each day have gone untold. Help Military Times understand what it’s like to be part of the Osprey community: If you have served on an Osprey aircrew, as a maintainer or in another role in the Osprey enterprise, whether in the Air Force, Navy or Marine Corps, please email Air Force Times Editor Rachel Cohen at rcohen@militarytimes.com to share your perspective. An ..read more

(AP) — An incoming attack by more than 300 Iranian drones and ballistic missiles was the latest challenge to Israel’s air defense system, which already has been working overtime to cope with incoming rocket, drone and missile attacks throughout the six-month war against Hamas. Israel’s defense system with assistance from the U.S. and Britain is credited with preventing serious damage or casualties. US forces help Israel repel Iranian drone, missile attack Here’s a closer look at Israel’s multilayered air-defense system: The Arrow: This system developed with the U.S. is designed to intercept lo ..read more