2015

Aircraft
commentary
Passing Judgment on Russian Plane Crash Before the Facts Are In
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
Nov 12, 2015
The Hill
A bright flash and catastrophic event suggest an explosion, but do not necessarily exclude the possibility of a mechanical failure. This would not, in fact, be the first time evidence pointed to a terrorist attack when none existed.
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Affordable Care Act
commentary
Insurance Enrollment Holds Steady in Advance of the 2016 Open Enrollment Period
Katherine Grace Carman @KGCarman, Christine Eibner @Chrissyeibner
Nov 12, 2015
The RAND Blog
Since September 2013, the number of people with health insurance coverage has increased by 16.6 million. But since the second ACA open enrollment period in February 2015, the number of people with coverage has remained relatively flat. The third open enrollment period began on November 1. Whether the number of uninsured will continue to decline remains an open question.
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Suicide
commentary
Veterans Day 2015: Three Priorities for Preventing Veteran Suicide (And It's Not All on the VA!)
Rajeev Ramchand @RRamchand
Nov 11, 2015
The RAND Blog
The suicide rate among veterans is three times that of nonveterans. Additional research and policy intervention in three important areas could help ensure that fewer veterans die at their own hands.
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Military Veterans
commentary
Honor Veterans Day by Learning Veterans' Stories
Paula G. Thornhill
Nov 11, 2015
U.S. News & World Report
Veterans Day is a time to reflect, but it's also a time to help veterans find their voices, so Americans can collectively find their voice as a nation.
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Veterans Employment
commentary
The Changing Landscape of Veteran Employment Programs
Kimberly Curry Hall, Caroline Batka
Nov 10, 2015
The RAND Blog
To understand trends in veteran employment, data must be collected on such factors as gender, race/ethnicity, military career field, and period and length of military service. In turn, this information will help policymakers tailor and adjust programs to target obvious gaps in career assistance efforts.
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Security Cooperation
commentary
Building Interoperability for European Defense
Christopher G. Pernin, Jakub P. Hlavka
Nov 9, 2015
Defense News
To make the most out of declining defense budgets, the U.S. needs to engage European forces to build interoperability that would enable joint operations to deter and defeat potential adversaries, even with little advance notice. But building interoperable units has often proved difficult even among the friendliest of nations.
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Russia
commentary
Could the Russian Jet Crash in Egypt Prompt a Change of Direction for Putin and Russia?
William Courtney @courtneywmh
Nov 9, 2015
Fox News Channel
If ISIS was responsible for the downing of Metrojet Flight 9268, a Russian passenger jet, this may alter the strategic equation for Moscow.
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Family Planning
commentary
Policy Barriers to Best Practices: The Impact of Restrictive State Regulations on Access to Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives
Priya Batra, Chloe E. Bird @ChloeBirdPhD
Nov 6, 2015
Women's Health Issues
Long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods of birth control, which include the intrauterine device and subdermal implant, are highly effective, very safe, preferable to women, and cost effective. But some states' contraceptive policies create direct and indirect barriers to LARC use.
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Military Personnel Retention
commentary
Investing in Military Human Capital
Daniel B. Ginsberg, Raymond E. Conley
Nov 5, 2015
Military Times
A new effort to review the military's personnel system will focus initially on policies to assign, evaluate, and promote service members. To truly address systematic challenges, however, the scope will need to widen to include how the various military services might size, structure, and support key missions.
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Gun Violence
commentary
Gun Violence: Where Is the Research That Might Save Lives?
Jeffrey Wasserman
Nov 5, 2015
Newsweek
Gun violence is an important public health problem that accounts for more than 33,000 deaths each year in the United States but in 1996, Congress stripped the CDC of funding for any research that could be associated with gun control advocacy. The lack of CDC funding has deterred researchers.
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Afghanistan
commentary
Saving Afghanistan: More Than Just Troops
S. Rebecca Zimmerman
Nov 5, 2015
War on the Rocks
President Obama's decision to preserve troop strength in Afghanistan is a major step in the right direction. But his commitment to continued support for President Ghani and the national unity government as they pursue critical reforms will determine whether the U.S. troop commitment has any value.
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Health Care Costs
commentary
A Tale of Two Deliveries, or an Out-of-Network Problem
Erin Audrey Taylor, Layla Parast
Nov 4, 2015
Health Affairs Blog
Two mothers gave birth within weeks of each other, at the same hospital, using the same employer-sponsored insurance. Both had an epidural. But one received a surprise physician bill for anesthesiology, while the other didn't have to pay a dime. Why?
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Prisoner Reentry
commentary
What's Next on the Convicted Terrorist's Timeline?
Michael A. Brown
Nov 4, 2015
The Hill
As inmates near the end of their sentences for terrorism-related offenses, and with some individuals already freed, it's time to explore what considerations may be necessary.
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Education Reform
commentary
Standardized Tests Can Be Smarter
Laura S. Hamilton, Brian M. Stecher
Nov 2, 2015
U.S. News & World Report
Capping the amount of time students spend testing is a reasonable response to unchecked growth. However, a better response would be to systematically review testing programs, focusing on tests that offer the most value.
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International Economic Relations
commentary
Unlocking Iran's Economy
Alireza Nader
Nov 2, 2015
The Cipher Brief
While Rouhani and his team want Iran's gradual opening, reactionary forces aligned with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, much of the security establishment, and the clergy are likely to stand guard against “anti-revolutionary” tendencies and policies.
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