When we see pictures of soldiers headed off to the battlefield there is a level of protection we can see — helmets and bulletproof vests. Both are critical to protecting our troops from mortal head and chest wounds. The Army has been trialing a level we can't see, called protective undergarments (PUGs) and has recently made improvements in these "super shorts."

Every year since 1986 has just been another year wasted without a movie about fighter jets and the oversized pairs of aviator sunglasses that fly them. But the long national nightmare is over, as rumor has it that Tommy C. will be playing the role (the starring role) of an F-35 test pilot in the upcoming sequel to Top Gun, which is probably not called Top Gun 2: They Wouldn't Let Us Use F-22s.

Energy efficiency might not always be the highest priority for the military, but after hearing about how the Army spends more on air conditioning in Iraq and Afghanistan than NASA's entire budget, we think they should give it a second look. And they are, with a new generation of gas-electric hybrid tanks.

After 16 years of development and an investment of somewhere around five billion dollars, the Air Force has decided to retire their Airborne Laser test bed, a 747 fitted with a rotating turret in the nose that could shoot down ballistic missiles from long range with a giant chemical laser.