The Republicans may not longer hold the majority, but Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho), chair of the Veterans’ Affairs until the next Congress sits down, is plugging new legislation that he says will expand benefits for wounded warriors. In a statement, Craig commended legislation passed last year, but he said, “Some were left out who should otherwise have benefited, so we will attempt to fix that as soon as possible.” The new bill would affect some 700 veterans, specifically those who sustained serious injury outside of Afghanistan and Iraq from Oct. 7, 2001 to Dec. 1, 2005.
A half-dozen pilots from one of the Air Force’s premier F-16 units, the 20th Fighter Wing at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., have been awarded one of the service’s highest decorations for their role in Operation Midnight Hammer, the June 2025 strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities.