VA, Congress Urged to Overhaul Military Sexual Trauma Disability Claims Process as New Report Questions Fairness of Current System

National Academies panel calls for sweeping reforms to MST-related disability claims, citing evidentiary barriers, inconsistent evaluations, and a process many veterans say is retraumatizing.

WASHINGTON | A congressionally mandated report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is urging the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Congress to overhaul the process used to evaluate disability claims related to Military Sexual Trauma (MST), arguing that current evidentiary standards may unfairly disadvantage survivors and contribute to claim denials.

The report concludes that veterans seeking disability compensation for conditions linked to military sexual trauma often face inconsistent procedures, unclear decision-making standards, and burdensome documentation requirements that can prevent them from receiving benefits for service-connected injuries and illnesses.

Military Sexual Trauma encompasses sexual assault and sexual harassment experienced during military service. According to the report, approximately one in three women veterans and one in 50 male veterans report experiencing MST. Many survivors develop lasting health conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, chronic pain, sexually transmitted infections, and other physical and mental health challenges that may persist long after military service ends.

Veterans interviewed by researchers reported that the disability claims process itself can be retraumatizing, requiring survivors to repeatedly recount traumatic experiences while navigating a system many described as confusing and inconsistent.

"We hope that our recommendations will reduce harms to veterans and improve their experience when making MST-related claims, modernize and strengthen training, and improve accuracy and fairness in the disability compensation process," said Dr. Hortensia Amaro, chair of the committee and Distinguished University Professor at Florida International University.

UK Defense Secretary Resigns Over Military Spending Dispute, Raising Questions About Britain’s Readiness and NATO Commitments

John Healey quits after accusing Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Treasury of underfunding defense amid growing threats from Russia, uncertainty over the GCAP fighter program, and mounting pressure on NATO allies to boost military spending.

LONDON | British Defense Secretary John Healey resigned Thursday in a dramatic protest against the U.K. government's defense spending plans, warning that inadequate funding could weaken military readiness, increase risks to deployed personnel, and undermine Britain's ability to respond to growing security threats.

The resignation marks one of the most significant political and defense policy setbacks for Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government and comes as NATO allies prepare for a critical summit next month in Turkey, amid ongoing concerns about Russian aggression and European defense preparedness.

In a sharply worded resignation letter, Healey criticized the government's long-awaited Defense Investment Plan (DIP), arguing that the funding package fails to provide the resources needed to address an increasingly dangerous security environment.

"You have been unable, and the Treasury has been unwilling, to commit the resources that the nation needs to defend the country at this time of rising threats," Healey wrote to Starmer.

The departing defense secretary said he could not support a spending plan that would force difficult choices affecting operational readiness and force modernization.

"Without a DIP that meets the moment in this way, I am being forced to make decisions that would reduce the readiness of our forces and increase the risk to personnel on operations, and could make the country less safe," he wrote.

Ukraine’s AI Warfare Chief Predicts ‘New Paradigm’ of Combat as Kyiv Races to Build Battlefield Operating System

Defense officials say artificial intelligence could soon transform military decision-making, accelerating the battlefield "kill chain" and creating a technological arms race between Ukraine and Russia.

KYIV, Ukraine | Artificial intelligence is rapidly moving from a supporting role to the center of modern warfare, according to Ukraine's top defense AI official, who predicts future conflicts could be decided not only by troops, tanks, and missiles, but by competing battlefield operating systems capable of processing vast amounts of combat data in real time.

In an exclusive interview with Reuters, Danylo Tsvok, head of Ukraine's Defense Ministry AI Center, said artificial intelligence is already reshaping combat operations and could fundamentally alter how wars are fought over the next three to five years.

"AI will form a new paradigm of warfare. It's already actively doing so," Tsvok said.

His comments provide a glimpse into what military planners increasingly view as the next revolution in warfare — one where algorithms, autonomous systems, and real-time data networks could determine victory or defeat faster than human commanders can react.