Arete is a 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
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MILITARY | NATIONAL SECURITY
Greenland, and the Arctic Turn in U.S. Policy, The Geopolitics
The Innovator’s Burden: Why the Military Must Find, Protect, and Unleash Its True Visionaries, Small Wars Journal
Military Mistakes Trump Could Make in 2026, 1945
Military Hits Best Recruiting Numbers in 15 Years, Washington Times
Hegseth Thinks Boot Camp Got Too Soft, San Antonio Express-News
2025 in Review: Air Force, Defense One
A ‘Trump Class’ Folly on the High Seas, The Atlantic
US Offered Kyiv 15 Years Of Security Guarantees, Zelensky Says, AFP
Canada Is Building the Wrong Army for the War That Is Coming, Real Clear Defense
Russia Has No Intention of Attacking NATO, Estonian Spy Chief Says, Moscow Times
Five Questions for a General: General Joe Votel, Modern War Institute
Nimitz-Class Supercarrier Nuclear Reactors Could Power AI Data Centers, Forbes
Trump’s revival of Greenland takeover dismays Denmark, Defense News
Pompeo: Putin has ‘conceded literally nothing’ in Ukraine peace talks, Defense News
US bars five Europeans over alleged efforts to ‘censor American viewpoints’, Al Jazeera
US Military is Weird About Hands in Pockets, Business Insider
It Was a Bad Year for the American Military, The Bulwark
The Strange Fear of Russia, Geopolotical Futures
The Affordable Mass the Air Force Is Looking For Is Hiding in Plain Sight, War On the Rocks
China Wants Nine Aircraft Carriers by 2035, Says New Pentagon Report, USNI
CV-22B Osprey, MC-130J Commando II Special Ops Aircraft Deploy To Puerto Rico, The War Zone
Special Operations News – Dec 22, 2025, SOF News
2025 in review: Army, Defense One
2025 in review: Navy, Defense One
Trump says US hit facility in Venezuela ‘very hard’, Defense News
Guardians Wear New Space Force Dress Uniforms for First-Time at Basic Training Graduation Ceremony, Soldier Systems
FIRST RESPONDER | HOMELAND SECURITY | WILDLAND FIRE
Calif. deputy who used vehicle to stop man accused of killing LEO recognized with award, Police1
Barstool Sports founder raises nearly $500K for family of Del. trooper killed in DMV shooting, Police1
Cleveland crime drops as police see 356% rise in cadet applications, Police1
77-year-old suspect opens fire inside Idaho sheriff’s office lobby before fatal OIS, Police1
Rose Parade Float with Firefighter Causes Outcry Among Some CA Residents, FireFighterNation
Leading the Charge in Firehouse Fitness, FireFighterNation
MULTIPLE FIREFIGHTERS INJURED AT TWO KANSAS CITY, KS FIRES, FFCC
Bear attack survivor reunites with Alaska first responders who saved her life, FR!
Maine firefighters face frozen hydrants during waterfront fire, FR1
MI Fire Chief Dies After He Was Struck at Emergency Scene, Fire Engineering
Forging the Framework: Evolving Law, Policy, and Doctrine for the U.S. Military’s Domestic Response, Small Wars Journal
What’s next for America’s icebreakers: 2026 preview, Breaking Defense
The Case of the $400,000 Massachusetts Lobster Heist, Wall Street Journal
She Studied the Health Effects of Wildfires, Until the E.P.A. Cut Her Grant, NY Times
Why the Supreme Court Is Giving ICE So Much Power, The Atlantic
MOUNTAIN | ADVENTURE | GEAR
Retro Returns: Grand Geneva To Host “Hot Dog Open” Freestyle Showcase
The Colorful History of the Outdoor Mullet, Outside
Jacksonites turn to ‘Wild West’ of insurance as health care subsidies expire, JH News & Guide
Telluride Ski Patrol Strike Continues, Resort Closed Indefinitely, Powder
Our Top Stories of 2025, Outside
5 White-Knuckle Tales from Bush Pilots Who Nearly Died, But Didn’t, Outdoor Life
The Belay: How an Ice Axe Saved Lives on K2 in 1953, Gripped
The Epic Patagonia Route by Dean Potter and Steph Davis, Gripped
13 Most Brilliant Climbing Photos of 2025, Ranked, Climbing
5ive Sports Teases New Alpine Touring Binding Design, Powder
Climbers Speed Up the Famous North Face of the Eiger, Gripped
The Outside Lab Did a Lot of Testing in 2025. Here’s What We Learned., Outside
Top Gear of 2025: Our Editors’ Favorite Products, GearJunkie
The Best After-Christmas Deals on Gear We’ve Tested (2025), Gear Latest
2-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (25/26), Blister
The Gear I Relied on to Build My Cabin in the Woods, Outside
Mammoth Ski Patroller Dies From Injuries, Powder
Shiffrin Makes It Five From Five Wins In Semmering Slalom, Now Industry News
How Scotty James Turned a Pipe Dream Into One of Snowboarding’s Greatest Careers, Men’s Journal
Kicking Horse, BC, Report: 4,314 Vertical Feet Of Kick A** Terrain, 85 Chutes, 75″ Snowpack, 212″ of Snowfall, & 12,873 Moguls, SnowBrains
Ski Guide Killed in Avalanche That Injures 3 Skiers on Off-Piste Route in La Plagne, France, SnowBrains
Beginner’s Guide to Choosing the Right Fly Rod for Every Fish Species, Tread
Driver Encounters Lone Howling Wolf Along Snowy Road In Yellowstone, Unofficial Networks
Growing Utah Ski Resort Opens Two New Lifts, Unoffical Networks
20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Recipes for Winter, EatingWell
FITNESS | NUTRITION | HEALTH
Welcome to the ‘next big thing’ for super shoes and marathon running: Puma’s Fast-R shoe, NY Times
Why a $500 Steak Dinner Only Yields a $25 Profit, Wall Street Journal
The Booming Business in Drinking Yourself to Sleep, Wall Street Journal
High-Tech Clothes Promise Wellness Benefits, Wall Street Journal
Widely prescribed opioid shows minimal pain relief and higher heart risk, study finds, Fox News
Muscle Confusion Might Be the Secret to Sending It for Years to Come, Outside
How Running Without Music Can Help You Hear Yourself Again, Outside
The Futuristic, Extravagant, and Very Expensive Ways the Wealthy Train and Recover, Outside
I Bought ‘GLP-3’, The Atlantic
Night shifts can be deadly, Texas A&M
How Your Sleep Position Can Impact Heart Health, Metabolism, and More, Healthline
Flu is hitting California early. Why doctors worry this year will be especially hard on kids, LA Times
How You Can Avoid Overtraining, Men’s Health
In Defense of the Personal-Crisis-to-Marathon Pipeline, Men’s Journal
Why Fitness-Focused Skiers Are Flocking to Stowe This Winter, Men’s Journal
Flu Cases Spike Across the US With Record Numbers, NBC News
Possible measles exposure at two major US airports, NBC News
In 2024, protein bars dominated the nutritional bars market with 39.7% share., market.us
50 years we were misled – on purpose: Why fatty steak or butter are actually healthy, jpost.com
Are we near a ‘Big Tobacco’ reckoning for the food industry? Advocates hope so, but disagree if RFK Jr. is helping., Boston Globe
Should You Drink Coffee On an Empty Stomach?, Eating Well
8 Best Low-Carb Vegetables, Recommended by Dietitians, Eating Well
Duck Eggs vs Chicken Eggs: Nutrition, Taste & Health Comparison, Healthy Food for Living
Which cheese is healthiest? See comparison of calories, fat and sodium, USA Today
Cheat Days Are a Scam and Your Relationship With Food Deserves Better, The Curvy Fashionista
What’s It Mean to Overeat?, Gary Taubes
These States Will Ban Junk Food Purchases Starting in 2026, Town Hall
What podcasts do to our brains, Vox
An “Impossible” Disease Outbreak in the Alps, The Atlantic
The Best Deodorants, Wirecutter
Back-to-Basics Nutrition in 2026, Men’s Journal
INTERESTING
What’s The Difference Between Ford’s 6.8 And 7.3 Godzilla V8 Engines?, Jalopnik
What It’s Like When Your Wife Goes on Testosterone, NY Times
Nine books to help shape your science career in 2026, Nature
The Most Dangerous People on the Internet in 2025, Wired
The most likely AI apocalypse, Vox