A pilot recounts his experiences flying NATO missions in a F-117 stealth fighter over Kosovo in 1999.

Loving wife and kids, stable career - nearing 40, I had it pretty good. But something was missing. I'd grown up a scrawny kid with a school bus bully, and despite joining the military, starting a family, and earning a fancy degree, I'd never shaken the shame. For years I'd fantasized vindicating childhood wuss me by becoming a fighter - a boxer, a kickboxer, or even a mixed martial artist. But competitive fighting was waaaay outside my comfort zone, and something guys do in their 20s, not their late 30s. Then in 2014 my favorite college football team lost to their rival for the tenth year in a row. I lost my cool and found myself confronting the other team's band's drummer in a very public way - threatening to shove his drumsticks up his... you know what. Walking away, I couldn't believe what I'd done. "Why am I so upset over a game I don't even play?" The further I walked, the clearer the answer became. I was still young enough to pursue my fight dream, but time was running out. I imagined my 85-year-old self looking back over my life: "You always wanted to fight, but never had the guts." Despite everything I had and would accomplish, never stepping in the ring would be an unforgivable regret. So I committed the goal to paper and got to work. "Just one MMA win before I turn 40. You can do this." I offer Year of the Fighter to anyone nearing midlife, reconsidering dreams neglected before it's too late. It wasn't too late for me. It's not too late for you. So suck it up. We only get this one life. Let's make it one our 85-year-old selves can be proud of.

The U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps are in the process of replacing the bulk of today¿s fighter aircraft ¿ most of which were purchased in the 1980s ¿ with new F/A-18E/F, F-22, and F-35 (Joint Strike Fighter) aircraft. Although current procurement plans call for the purchase of about 2,500 aircraft over the next 25 years, the services are projecting that those purchases will not keep pace with the need to retire today¿s aircraft as they reach the limit of their service life. This study examines the capabilities and costs of the fighter force under DoD plans and the potential implications for DoD¿s long-term budget and inventory levels if planned purchases of new aircraft are insufficient to maintain fighter inventories called for by current service requirements.

The inspirational story of Ruqsana Begum, who overcame prejudice and illness to become a Muay Thai world champion

Some memories are permanently seared into our childhood brains with a hot iron of adrenaline and fear. For five-year-old Greg, it was the memory of his ma walking back to the house after confronting his stepdad with a splintered, bloodied baseball bat in her hand. Greg Stier was raised in a family of bodybuilding, tobacco-chewing, fist-fighting thugs. He never knew his biological father because his mom had met his dad at a party; she got pregnant, and he left town. Though his mom almost aborted him, in a last-minute twist, Greg’s life was spared for so much more. Unlikely Fighter is the incredible story of how God showed up in Greg’s life—and how he can show up in yours as well. This is a memoir of violence and mayhem—and how God can transform everything.

Examines the capabilities and costs of the fighter force fielded under the DOD's FY 2009 plans.

The United States Navy and Marine Corps operate a fleet of tactical fighter aircraft that provide air-to-air and air-to-ground combat capabilities. Although current procurement plans call for the purchase of about 700 new fighter aircraft over the next 15 years, the Department of the Navy is projecting that purchases planned for the next 5 to 10 years will be unable to keep pace with the retirement of today¿s F/A-18A-D Hornets as they reach the limit of their service life. This report compares several alternatives for maintaining the Navy¿s and Marine Corps¿ fighter inventory levels. The alternatives include different combinations of extending the service life of Hornets and purchasing new aircraft in addition to those already planned. Charts and tables.