2015

Aircraft

commentary
Passing Judgment on Russian Plane Crash Before the Facts Are In
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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Nov 12, 2015
The Hill
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
Affordable Care Act

commentary
Insurance Enrollment Holds Steady in Advance of the 2016 Open Enrollment Period
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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Nov 12, 2015
The RAND Blog
Katherine Grace Carman, Christine Eibner @Chrissyeibner
Suicide

commentary
Veterans Day 2015: Three Priorities for Preventing Veteran Suicide (And It's Not All on the VA!)
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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Nov 11, 2015
The RAND Blog
Rajeev Ramchand @RRamchand
Military Veterans

commentary
Honor Veterans Day by Learning Veterans' Stories
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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Nov 11, 2015
U.S. News & World Report
Paula G. Thornhill
Veterans Employment

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The Changing Landscape of Veteran Employment Programs
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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Nov 10, 2015
The RAND Blog
Kimberly Curry Hall, Caroline Batka
Security Cooperation

commentary
Building Interoperability for European Defense
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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Nov 9, 2015
Defense News
Christopher G. Pernin, Jakub P. Hlavka
Russia

commentary
Could the Russian Jet Crash in Egypt Prompt a Change of Direction for Putin and Russia?
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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Nov 9, 2015
Fox News Channel
William Courtney @courtneywmh
Family Planning

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Policy Barriers to Best Practices: The Impact of Restrictive State Regulations on Access to Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives
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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Nov 6, 2015
Women's Health Issues
Priya Batra, Chloe E. Bird @ChloeBirdPhD
Military Personnel Retention

commentary
Investing in Military Human Capital
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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Nov 5, 2015
Military Times
Daniel B. Ginsberg, Raymond E. Conley
Gun Violence

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Gun Violence: Where Is the Research That Might Save Lives?
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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Nov 5, 2015
Newsweek
Jeffrey Wasserman
Afghanistan

commentary
Saving Afghanistan: More Than Just Troops
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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Nov 5, 2015
War on the Rocks
S. Rebecca Zimmerman
Health Care Costs

commentary
A Tale of Two Deliveries, or an Out-of-Network Problem
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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Nov 4, 2015
Health Affairs Blog
Erin Audrey Taylor, Layla Parast
Prisoner Reentry

commentary
What's Next on the Convicted Terrorist's Timeline?
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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Nov 4, 2015
The Hill
Michael A. Brown
Education Reform

commentary
Standardized Tests Can Be Smarter
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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Nov 2, 2015
U.S. News & World Report
Laura S. Hamilton, Brian M. Stecher
International Economic Relations

commentary
Unlocking Iran's Economy
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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Nov 2, 2015
The Cipher Brief
Alireza Nader