Stars and Stripes Daily Headlines

US Navy carrier arrives in Philippines, more help on the way The George Washington carrier group arrived Thursday in the Leyte Gulf vicinity, signaling the start of full-scale typhoon relief operations in the Philippines by the U.S. military.   Veterans and the Affordable Care Act The national debate over health insurance has added a layer of complexity for veterans seeking medical care, so it pays to know your options.   DODEA 4th- and 8th-graders exceed national average on math, reading tests Fourth- and eighth-graders at Defense Department schools worldwide performed better collectively than their peers at U.S. public schools on a national reading and math test, school officials said late Wednesday.   GAO: No evidence TSA program to spot terrorists is effective A federal review concludes there's no solid evidence that airport checkpoint personnel have a clue when they scan the approaching line for suspicious passengers.   Air Force may trim number of drone flights The Air Force is grappling with how to manage a potential glut of drones and may eventually scale back the number of combat missions flown with unmanned aircraft by more than 25 percent, the service's top commander said Wednesday.   Air Force officer acquitted of groping; could face military punishment The former head of the Air Force Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office was acquitted in civilian court Wednesday of assault and battery against a woman who said he had grabbed her buttocks, but Lt. Col. Jeffrey Krusinski could still face military discipline.   Military Update: New budget cut options include military pay, veterans The Congressional Budget Office on Wednesday released a report of more than 100 options for reducing budget deficits. It’s a timely product as House and Senate conferees strive to negotiate by mid-December a new debt-cutting deal to replace automatic budget cuts of sequestration.   Senators jockey on opposing bills to curb military sexual assault Three senators opposed to the idea of removing prosecutorial decisions from the chain of command on Thursday announced new amendments to their bill aimed at reducing sexual assault in the military.   Italian village dedicates joint memorial to American, Italian soldier First Sgt. Michael Curry and Italian Carabinieri Denis Frison shared many things in common. Both were well-decorated paratroopers who deployed repeatedly, spoke English fluently and enjoyed life in this small Italian town.   America’s Muslim cleric confronts questions of loyalty, identity Through public diplomacy programs, Mohamad Bashar Arafat has traveled to at least 26 countries in a role he sees as his patriotic duty as an American and his religious duty as a Muslim imam.   Caregiver homicides: Case touches a sadly familiar nerve A red flag rises whenever a caregiver kills a son or daughter with disabilities. Such cases often involve minor children and parents who deem the young lives not worth living, or the burdens of care too great.