Arete is my hand-picked weekly list of the most thought-provoking articles, essays, and links I come across—curated for mountain and tactical athletes. Not always the newest, but always worth your time. It’s what I’d forward to a sharp teammate or training partner.
— Rob Shaul, Founder, Mountain Tactical Institute
MILITARY / NATIONAL SECURITY
US military kills ‘narcoterrorist’ in eastern Pacific strike, Defense News
New Class of Warship to Be Named After Trump, Wall Street Journal
Marines moving to gender-neutral Physical Fitness Test for combat jobs, Task & Purpose
Army tosses out its Spiritual Fitness Guide after four months, Task & Purpose
Jumpmaster who saved paratrooper breaks down viral video, Task & Purpose
Why the U.S. is Tired of Europe, Brussels Signal
‘Donroe Doctrine’ Could Put U.S. Interests at Risk, Statecraft
Islamic State Is Back, UnHerd
The Seventeen-Man Rifle Squad, The Tactical Notebook
Angering Denmark, Trump Appoints Special Envoy to Greenland, NY Times
Thailand, Attacking Cambodia, Says Its Target Is the Scam Industry, NY Times
Training Like It’s 1993: We’re Still Not Doing Enough to Integrate Drones, Modern War Institute
War Books: The Marine Corps Commandant’s 2026 Reading List, Modern War Institute
What’s Behind the ISIS Attack in Syria, The Atlantic
The Silver Lining of ‘Haiti Fatigue’, Foreign Policy
A War Film to Change All War Films, Foreign Policy
Trump’s Fake Peace Deals Are Dangerous, Foreign Policy
Can Germany Afford to Be Europe’s Protector?, Foreign Policy
USAF adds third contender for initial robot-wingman buy; picks 9 for next phase, Defense One
Vance trains with Navy SEALs: ‘Feel like I got hit by a freight train’, Defense News
New Navy Frigate Will Be “Mothership” To Control Unmanned Systems For Future Hybrid Fleet, Defense Daily
Julian Assange files complaint against Nobel Foundation over Machado prize, Al Jazeera
Who was Sharif Osman Hadi; why is Bangladesh on fire over his death?, Al Jazeera
Does latest US military spending bill place any constraints on Trump?, Al Jazerra
A Look at the US Military’s Unusually Large Force Near Venezuela, Military.com
US Military to Stop Shooting Pigs and Goats as a Way to Train Medics for the Battlefield, Military.com
The Case for Caution: Why the U.S. Military Shouldn’t Organize Around AI… Yet, War On the Rocks
Does the US have any real claim on Venezuelan oil as Stephen Miller says?, Al Jazeera
The Arsenal of Democracy: Keeping China Deterred in an Age of Hard Choices, Texas National Security Review
Russian General Killed in Car Bomb Explosion in Moscow, Pravda Report
18X Hits Major Milestone: Command Pilot Rating, Solidier Systems
FIRST RESPONDER / HOMELAND SECURITY / WILDLAND FIRE
St. Louis Firefighters Responding to Fire Find Girl, Woman Shot, Fire Engineering
One Dead in NJ High-Rise Fire; Eight Officers Injured, Fire Engineering
Domestic violence, American Police Beat Magazine
New Mexico’s Law Enforcement Retention Fund keeps experienced, certified officers in state, American Police Beat M<agazine
Highest ranking female officer in Mass. State Police wins $11M in discrimination suit, Police1
Gun jams after man points it at Ohio officer, pulls trigger at point-blank range, Police1
Edits to LAFD Report Raise New Questions About Palisades Fire Response, Fire Engineering
Federal Court Dismisses Chicago Firefighter’s Suit Over Fitness-for-Duty Testing, Fire Law Blog
Ind. FD to test 48/96 schedule to boost firefighter health and family time, FireRescue1
Thermal camera helps Conn. firefighters find crash victim 700 feet from wrecked car, FireRescue1
WATCH: Firefighters rescue six, including infant, from apartment fire in Beersheba, JPost.com
DOJ sues D.C., alleging Second Amendment rights violations, Police1
Brown University police chief placed on leave after fatal campus shooting, Police1
Gamecocks player files criminal complaint against trooper after incident at Texas A&M game, Police1
Off-duty N.C. officer killed, firefighter critically wounded in shooting, Police1
Fla. officer charged after allegedly faking 79 off-duty shifts for which he was paid more than $12K, Police1
Mexico’s Cartel Drones are Eliminating their Competition, DroneXL.com
FBI dismantles alleged $70M crypto laundering operation, The Register
Wildland firefighters with cancer can now get $450K from the US government, Wildfire Today
Task force created to deal with high fire danger in Colorado, Local
2025: The year in fire photos, Wildland Fire
MOUNTAIN / OUTSIDE / GEAR
The Future of EVs Is Foggy—but California Still Wants More of Them, Gear Latest
The First Timer’s Guide to Fly Fishing: The Budget-Friendly Gear You Need to Get on the Water, Outside
Halti’s 1976 Down Parka Awarded Scandinavian Outdoor Award – Overall Winner,, Snow Industry News
Expert Skis for Poor Conditions: Volkl Revolt 101 Review, Gear Junkie
How to Quickly Find Out What’s Streaming on Multiple Services at Once, Gear Latest
Forloh Outdoor Gear Review, Eastmans’
4-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (25/26), Blister
The Best Streaming Bundles and Streaming Deals of December 2025, GearLatest
Road To Jackson Hole Buried Under 35 Feet of Snow After Large Avalanche, Powder
Has The World – Including Skiing – Gone Too Far With Grateful Dead Branding?, Powder
How Much Are You Willing To Pay for a Lift Ticket? (Poll), Powder
Deer Valley, UT, Freestyle World Cup Moves to Lake Placid, NY, and Waterville, NH, Due to Unfavorable Early-Season Conditions, SnowBrains
Ranch Hand: A Jackson Hole, WY, Snowboard Film That Brings Riding Back to its Roots, SnowBrains
Is More Expensive Duck Ammo Actually Worth It? I Put Some of the Top Loads to the Test, Outdoor Life
Apply Now for the Ultimate Mountain Athlete Competition, Outside
The Best Bows, Crossbows, and Archery Gear of 2025, Based on In-Depth Range Testing, Outdoor Life
This Might Be The Wildest Ski Line Ever Attempted At The Freeride World Tour, Unofficial Networks
1974 Ford Bronco Restomod With a Gen 3 Coyote 5.0, Tread
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, WY, Closes Backcountry Access Gate Due To Dangerous Snowpack And Rescue Concerns, SnowBrains
I’ve Been Guiding Mount Everest for a Decade. Here’s What It’s Really Like., Outside
The Best Ski Pants for Men, GearJunkie
The Data Has Spoken. This Is the Most Popular Gear of 2025., Climbing
Climbing Is Not Your Therapy, Climbing
A Colorful History of Pooping on El Capitan, By the Decades, Climbing
Eastmans Hunting TV: Elk Hunt Adventure in Southern Colorado, Eastmans
Maine Lawsuit Claims Fly-Fishing Only Regulations Are Keeping the Common Angler Down, Outdoor Life
The First Ascent of Tiger Lily Buttress, Patagonia
Why Your Favorite Outdoor Brand is Probably Struggling Right Now, Powder
Top 5 Roadtrips for Skiers and Boarders, SnowBrains
The 5 Best Skis of 2025–26, Tested Everywhere From Chamonix to the Dolomites, Men’s Journal
Ford Quietly Slipped Thousands Onto Your F-150 Sticker, Men’s Journal
FITNESS / NUTRITION / HEALTH
F.D.A. Approves Wegovy Weight-Loss Pill, NY Times
Do Parents Have Favorite Children? Of Course They Do., NY Times
National Weather Service Issues Winter Storm Warning for 96 Inches of Snow and 60 MPH Winds, Men’s Journal
Eating Nuts May Help Reduce Food Cravings, Promote Weight Management, Healthline
Do you need to take vitamin D and calcium supplements?, Tufts University
This Is the No. 1 American Beer, Says Major International Competition, Men’s Journal
Is Muscle Soreness Really a Sign Of an Effective Workout?, Men’s Health
One-Month Beginner Push-Up Workout Plan for More Push-Ups, Generation Iron
The Drug Price Delusion, Common Place
MAHA Imposing New Food Labeling Mandates, Reason.com
Older Americans Quit Weight-Loss Drugs in Droves, NY Times
Prevalence of Low Back Pain and Disc Degeneration in Elite Cross‐Country Skiers: A Comparative Study With Non‐Athlete Controls, Scandinavian Journal of Medicine
People Who Achieve the Most Later in Life Typically Start Off Dabbling in Disciplines, Study Shows, NY Times
Is Banana Water the Next Big Sports Drink? Let’s Peel Back the Hype., Men’s Health
The Man With No Butt, Men’s Health
If You Have to Prioritize One, Should You Sleep or Exercise?, Men’s Health
Patrick Mahomes Tore His ACL. A Physical Therapist Breaks Down the Recovery Timeline and Rehab Demands, Men’s Journal
Nutrition for Tactical Athletes: Insights, Applications and Research Gaps, Sports Medicine
Why Health Care Costs Are Going to Keep Skyrocketing, Unlease Prosperity
How Many Carbs Do You Really Need to Maximize Endurance?, Outside
Best Advice Ever: 12 Must-Read Stories in the New 300th Special Edition of Men’s Health, Men’s Health
How to Train Your Physiological Resilience, Outside
Are “seed oils” actually unhealthy?, Stronger By Science
Explosive growth of doctors choosing direct primary care, NBC News
The Big Tobacco Playbook Comes for Your Oreos, The Atlantic
Best StairMaster Workouts for Fat Loss, Generation Iron
Best Weight Plates for 2025: Top Picks for Rubber, Iron, and Steel Weight Plates, Garage Gym Reviews
Train Anyway: Consistency Blueprint for Strength & Fitness in Busy Seasons, Barbell Logic