<ul class="summary-list"><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/category/team-gb">Team GB</a>'s Katarina Johnson-Thompson suffered a calf injury during the 200 meters, but insisted on finishing.</li><li>Medical staff tried to help her with a wheelchair, but she ignored them and hobbled to the finish line.</li><li>Johnson-Thompson's Olympics now look likely to be over after the injury.</li></ul><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/category/team-gb">British</a> heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson showed incredible resilience on Wednesday, insisting on finishing a race despite suffering an injury that will likely end her <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/tokyo-2020">Tokyo Olympics.</a></p><p>The 28-year-old was competing in the 200 meters - one of her best events - as part of the seven-discipline <keyword id="482635" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="heptathlon">heptathlon</keyword> and appeared to be running well until she rounded the bend and pulled up.</p><p>The 2019 world champion began hopping on her left leg until she could no longer walk. She then collapsed to the floor.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1422903030643572738">August 4, 2021</a></blockquote><p>Medical staff came to help with a wheelchair, but the Brit ignored their offer and after sitting on the track for a few moments, insisted on finishing.</p><p>In visible pain, she hobbled the remaining length of track to the finish the race, which was won by Belgium's Noor Vidts.</p><div type="image" title="Katarina Johnson-Thompson of Team Great Britain limps across the finish line in the Women's Heptathlon 200 meter" height="1592" width="2127" msid="85045637" hostid="261"></div><p>Johnson-Thompson spent much of last year struggling with an Achilles problem, but Wednesday's injury is not believed to be related. British Athletics said it was a new injury in her calf, <a href="https://www.skysports.com/olympics/news/15234/12372487/tokyo-2020-olympics-katarina-johnson-thompson-suffers-achilles-injury-in-heptathlon">per a statement published by Sky Sports.</a></p><p>The 200 meters was the fourth event of the heptathlon, and Johnson-Thompson was in medal contention having performed well in the 100 meter hurdles, high jump and shot put.</p><p>However, even if Johnson-Thompson was able to recover in time for the long jump on Thursday, she is no longer near the medal places after her injury caused her to receive zero points in the 200 meter race.</p>

A determined gold-medal favorite heptathlete got injured mid-race but insisted on finishing, limping home over 70 seconds after her rivals

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A gold medalist from the 2000 <keyword id="11896183" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="olympics" source="Orion">Olympics</keyword> said she once passed time by listening to other athletes having sex.</li><li>With no much else to do in the Olympic village, ex-heptathlete Denise Lewis and her teammates got creative.</li><li>"We were bored, bored," Lewis said on British TV game show "A League of Their Own."</li></ul><p>The former Olympic gold medalist Denise Lewis has admitted she once passed time in the Olympic village by listening to fellow competitors have sex.</p><p>Lewis, who won gold in the women's heptathlon at Sydney 2000, made the claim <a href="https://www.sky.com/watch/title/series/40df65ca-31d4-4f26-9c59-8c54899e8d3b/a-league-of-their-own/episodes/season-16/episode-6">while taking part as a contestant on British game show "A League Of Their Own."</a></p><p>"I do recall one occasion where there was someone literally 'at it,' and I got a phone call," Lewis confessed to presenter Romesh Ranganathan when talking about her experiences in Sydney.</p><p>Ranganathan probed for more answers, asking: "So you got the phone call to say, 'Somebody's having sex, who wants to have a listen?'"</p><p>Lewis replied: "Yes. Who wants to have a listen. We were bored, bored."</p><p>Ranganathan asked: "So you all piled into the room and listened?"</p><p>"Yeah, and literally..." Lewis said as she made a cupping gesture over her ear.</p><p>The former Olympic champion refused to say who it was she was listening to, saying they "will remain anonymous."</p><div type="image" title="Denise Lewis on “A League Of Their Own&quot;" height="700" width="903" msid="86588066" hostid="261"></div><p>Sex stories from the Olympic village aren't anything new.</p><p>A total of 450,000 condoms - enough for 42 per person - were available to use for athletes at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, as well as 175,000 packets of lubricant, <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/09/24/denise-lewis-i-listened-to-fellow-olympians-have-sex/">according to New York Post.</a></p><p>At the Tokyo Olympics earlier this summer, 160,000 condoms were handed out, <a href="https://www.insider.com/tokyo-olympics-village-beds-arent-that-bad-usa-kat-holmes-2021-7">but athletes were asked not to have sex in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19,</a> and encouraged instead to take the condoms home.</p><p>Commenting on the ban in Tokyo, former Olympian Susen Tiedtke, who competed at Barcelona 1992 and Sydney 2000, <a href="https://www.bild.de/bild-plus/sport/olympia/sport/ex-weiterspringerin-susen-tiedke-die-sex-wahrheit-ueber-olympia-77084222,view=conversionToLogin.bild.html">told Bild:</a> "It's is a big laughing stock for me, it doesn't work at all.</p><p>"Sex is always an issue in the village. The athletes are at their physical peak at the Olympics. When the competition is over, they want to release their energy.</p><p>"There is one party after another, then alcohol comes into play. It happens that people have sex and there are enough people who strive for that."</p>

A former Olympic gold medalist said she once passed time at the games by listening to other athletes having sex

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/58cc7f44d349f932008b533a-1821/16318321979a7989f35a1k.jpg" alt="US Army" data-mce-source="Flickr/ The US Army" data-mce-caption="Soldiers of Company C, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, work as a six member team to lift a heavy log over their heads 20 times while competing in the Ivy Heptathlon during Iron Horse Week, Jan. 28, 2015. Teams executed seven events in accordance with Army Regulation 7-22 in the fastest time possible. (U.S. Army photo)"><p class="source"><span>Flickr/ The US Army</span></p><p class="caption">US Army soldiers lift a log over their heads while competing in the Ivy Heptathlon during Iron Horse Week, Jan. 28, 2015.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div>Officials from the US Army published new <a href="https://www.army.mil/e2/downloads/rv7/socialmedia/sa_csa_and_sma_tri-signed_letter_online_conduct_of_members_of_the_army_team.pdf" target="_blank">guidance</a> for online conduct in the wake of the recent Marine Corps <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nude-photo-marine-corps-pentagon-scandal-2017-3" target="_blank">scandal</a> that launched a congressional inquiry. </p><p>In the memorandum, both enlisted and commissioned chiefs laid out a reminder of what they regard as the Army's values </p><p>"Recent misconduct on social media has deeply affected our military community," the memo said. "We are all figures of public trust and our conduct must be exemplary."</p><p>They also included a directive for their online conduct policy that identifies the requirements for engaging in social media activity:</p><ul><li>Think about the message being communicated and who could potentially view it now and for years to come.</li><li>Type a communication that is consistent with Army Values.</li><li>Post only those messages that demonstrate dignity and respect for self and others.</li></ul><p>The directive comes at a contentious time for the military, after a journalist uncovered the Facebook group<span> "Marines United," where around 30,000 users had access to</span> nude photos and the <span>personal information</span> of service members.</p><p>"We are soldiers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week ... This is not a new standard, but it is something that I feel a few of us may have forgotten," <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62357bOz4TM" target="_blank">said</a> <span>Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel Dailey in a video message on Wednesday. "</span>The actions of a few will not be the face of our Army."</p><h2>You can read the entire memorandum <a href="https://www.army.mil/e2/downloads/rv7/socialmedia/sa_csa_and_sma_tri-signed_letter_online_conduct_of_members_of_the_army_team.pdf" target="_blank">here</a> »</h2>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/navy-seal-explains-what-to-do-if-someone-tries-to-mug-you-self-defense-2017-3">A Navy SEAL explains what to do if someone tries to mug you</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="VldnQ0YTE62KtO0hKE2ybfXgeK7ax5f4" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'VldnQ0YTE62KtO0hKE2ybfXgeK7ax5f4',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

The US Army issued new online conduct guidance to soldiers: 'Think, Type, Post'

<img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5e0fbca0855cc2372a20aab3-2400/2020-01-03t184032z1lynxmpeg021iartroptp4iraq-security-blast-lebanon.jpg" alt="A man holds a banner depicting late Major-General Qassem Soleimani, head of the elite Quds Force, who was killed in a U.S. airstrike Near Baghdad, at the Iranian embassy in Beirut, Lebanon January 3, 2020. REUTERS/Aziz Taher" /><p class="source"><span>Reuters</span></p><p class="caption">A man holds a banner depicting late Major-General Qassem Soleimani, head of the elite Quds Force, who was killed in a U.S. airstrike Near Baghdad, at the Iranian embassy in Beirut</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>After the Pentagon confirmed it had launched an airstrike that killed a top Iranian general, young Americans started worrying about being drafted into a potential new conflict, making "World War 3" a top Twitter trend. </li><li>The United States has conscripted service members in five conflicts. After the Vietnam War, the draft was eliminated in 1973 and the military became totally volunteer-based. </li><li>Even if the United States gets into a war with Iran as the result of the recent strike, it's both politically and practically improbably for the draft to be revived. </li><li>Because popular support for military conscription is so low, legislation to re-establish a draft would be very unlikely to pass either the House of Representatives or the Senate.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">See Business Insider's homepage for more stories.</a></li></ul><p>After <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dod-says-us-military-killed-top-iranian-general-qasem-soleimani-2020-1">the Pentagon confirmed</a> it had launched an airstrike that killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, young Americans began worrying about the possibility of being drafted in a potential war stemming from the strike. </p><p>Almost immediately, searches for "World War 3" and "World War 3 draft" spiked on Google Search and became trending topics on Twitter, <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=draft&amp;src=typed_query">sparking copious memes</a> of people imagining how they avoid being drafted into the military. It even sparked a parody account, <a href="https://twitter.com/urfavisdrafted">@urfaveisdrafted</a>, which has rapidly gained thousands of followers. </p><p>While the US military relies entirely on a volunteer corps, all American men aged 18-25 are mandated to be registered with the Selective Service Administration, which maintains the list of Americans who would be called upon to serve if Congress instituted a draft. </p><p>Registering <a href="https://www.sss.gov/Registration/Why-Register">for the Selective Service</a> is a requirement to receive federal student loans and access to other federal programs, qualify for federal employment, and in many states, obtain a driver's license. </p><p>On Friday, the SSA tweeted out that they were "conducting business as usual" in response to their website crashing due to people searching for information about the draft and verifying their registration. </p><h2>What is the draft?</h2><p>The US officially first officially used mandated military conscription during the Civil War, where both the Union and Confederate armies drafted soldiers to fight.</p><p>Since then, the United States has conscripted service members into the military in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and most recently, the Vietnam War. In 1973, the draft was eliminated and the military became volunteer-based. </p><p>In previous times of conscription, men registered for the Selective Service would <a href="https://www.sss.gov/Registration-Info/Who-Registration">enter into a draft lottery</a> based on their date of birth, and those selected through the lottery would enter into military service after passing a physical and psychological examination. </p><p>In the wake of the Iran strike, many people wondered if using federal aid programs, including student loans and Pell grants, increased the likelihood of being drafted. </p><p>FAFSA, the office in the Department of Education which administers federal aid, clarified that receiving student loans doesn't make someone more or less likely to be hypothetically drafted. </p><h2><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56ddd9d252bcd05b008b4a59-2048/16318321979_a7989f35a1_k.jpg" alt="US Army" /><p class="source"><span>Flickr/ The US Army</span></p><p class="caption">Soldiers of Company C, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, work as a six member team to lift a heavy log over their heads 20 times while competing in the Ivy Heptathlon during Iron Horse Week, Jan. 28, 2015. Teams executed seven events in accordance with Army Regulation 7-22 in the fastest time possible. (U.S. Army photo)</p></h2><h2>Could the United States bring back the draft?</h2><p>Even if the United States gets into a war with Iran as the result of the recent strike, it's both politically and practically improbably for the draft to be revived. </p><p>As the Selective Service and FASFA both pointed out, Congress <a href="https://www.heritage.org/defense/commentary/the-draft-should-be-left-out-the-cold">would need to pass legislation</a> then signed into law by the president authorizing a military draft for any new conflict.</p><p>Because popular support for military conscription is so low, legislation to re-establish a draft would be very unlikely to pass either the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives or the Republican-controlled Senate.</p><p>Kathleen Weldon of Cornell University's Roper Center, which conducts and tracks public opinion polling, <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/aint-marching-anymore-public-opinion-and-the-draft_b_59777f66e4b01cf1c4bb73a2">wrote in the Huffington Post in 2017</a> that public support for a draft has only fallen since the end of the Vietnam War.</p><p>As Weldon noted, a CBS News poll conducted in 2006 found that 76% of Americans opposed drafting Americans to serve in the Iraq War, with just 20% supporting such a measure. A CNN/ORC poll conducted 11 years later in 2017 similarly gauged just 20% support for a return to conscription. </p><p>While some Democratic politicians have argued in favor of incentivizing or requiring young Americans to non-military domestic national service programs, virtually no one politician on either side of the aisle have advocated bringing back the military draft. </p><p>Furthermore, an effort to administer a draft today would run up some significant bureaucratic and administrative hurdles with possibly little payoff. </p><p>The Pentagon <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/05/14/military-service-most-young-people-dont-qualify-careers/3665840002/">estimated in a 2017 report</a> that about 71% of people in the United States aged 17 to 24 are ineligible for military service due to either being medically obese, having a criminal record, or not having earned a high school diploma or GED.</p><p>Taking into account the additional people who would apply for deferments or couldn't serve for other medical reasons, the poll of military-eligible people could be quite small. </p><p>But even though the draft is unlikely to return anytime soon, all men between the ages of 18 and 25 are still required to be registered with the SSA. </p><p><strong>Read more:</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/was-the-strike-on-iranian-general-qassem-soleimani-legal-2020-1">Trump just had a top Iranian general killed, and it's triggering an intense debate over whether the strike is legally justified</a></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/qassem-soleimani-death-experts-warn-iran-cyberattacks-against-america-2020-1">Iran's 'forceful revenge' against the US is likely to include cyberwarfare, and experts warn that the attacks could be devastating</a></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-has-no-clear-strategy-after-killing-top-iran-general-2020-1">Trump has no clear strategy if Iran makes good on its vow to avenge the killing of a top general, experts say</a></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/map-us-iran-tension-in-iraq-soleimani-death-2020-1">This map shows where US-Iran tensions have flared in Iraq, which culminated in the strike killing Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani</a></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Due to the spread of misinformation, our website is experiencing high traffic volumes at this time. If you are attempting to register or verify registration, please check back later today as we are working to resolve this issue. We appreciate your patience.</p>- Selective Service  (@SSS_gov) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1213126921804042241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2020</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>We know there are questions on this…registering with Selective Service has been a longstanding requirement to receive federal student aid/a federal job. However, the U.S. military has been all-volunteer since 1973 &amp; Congress would need to pass a new law to institute a draft. 1/2</p>- Federal Student Aid  (@FAFSA) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1213202077998026757?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2020</a></blockquote>            <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-yule-log-became-christmas-tv-tradition-bizarre-wpix-fire-wood-burning-history-2017-12">The bizarre history of the Yule Log Christmas special</a></h3>                    <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/iTOv0mcR-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;"></iframe>            

Here's what you need to know about the military draft, and why the US' conflict with Iran probably won't revive it

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5866dffddd08957c7f8b497a-1393/undefined" alt="Great Britain's Andy Murray celebrates winning the final against Serbia's Novak Djokovic with the ATP World Tour Finals trophy and Year-End No. 1 Trophy" data-mce-source="Action Images via Reuters / Tony O'Brien Livepic" data-mce-caption="Great Britain's Andy Murray celebrates winning the final against Serbia's Novak Djokovic with the ATP World Tour Finals trophy and Year-End No. 1 Trophy." data-link="http://pictures.reuters.com/C.aspx?VP3=SearchResult&amp;VBID=2C0BXZD2PB307&amp;SMLS=1&amp;RW=1401&amp;RH=718#/SearchResult&amp;VBID=2C0BXZD2PB307&amp;SMLS=1&amp;RW=1401&amp;RH=718&amp;PN=2&amp;POPUPPN=71&amp;POPUPIID=2C0FQEAX2277" /><p class="source"><span><a href="http://pictures.reuters.com/C.aspx?VP3=SearchResult&amp;VBID=2C0BXZD2PB307&amp;SMLS=1&amp;RW=1401&amp;RH=718#/SearchResult&amp;VBID=2C0BXZD2PB307&amp;SMLS=1&amp;RW=1401&amp;RH=718&amp;PN=2&amp;POPUPPN=71&amp;POPUPIID=2C0FQEAX2277">Action Images via Reuters / Tony O'Brien Livepic</a></span></p><p class="caption">Great Britain's Andy Murray celebrates winning the final against Serbia's Novak Djokovic with the ATP World Tour Finals trophy and Year-End No. 1 Trophy.</p></div><p></p></div></div>LONDON - Scottish tennis player and world number one Andy Murray is capping a spectacular year by becoming a Sir.</p><p>Murray is to be knighted as part of the 2017 New Year's Honours, the annual list of titles awarded by the Queen for services in different fields.</p><p>Murray is receiving the knighthood, which will make him Sir Andy Murray, for services to tennis and charity. Murray supports charities including <a href="https://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/andy-murray">Sports Relief, the Make-A-Wish Foundation,</a> and <a href="https://www.unicef.org.uk/celebrity-supporters/andy-murray/">Unicef UK</a>. Earlier this year Murray <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-37765340">raised £305,000 for Unicef and Glasgow charity Young People's Futures in a charity match.</a></p><p>2016 has been a great year for Murray, who <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/afp-murray-crowned-number-one-after-paris-triumph-2016-11">claimed the world number one ranking for the first time in November after beating Novak Djokovic in the ATP Tour Final.</a> He also <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/afp-masterful-murray-clinches-second-wimbledon-title-2016-7">won Wimbledon for the second time in the summer.</a></p><p>Murray is one of several sports people given honours in the Queen's annual New Year's list. Distance runner Mo Farah is also receiving a knighthood for services to athletics. 11-times Paralympic gold medalist equestrian rider Lee Pearson also gets a knighthood and rower Katherine Grainger, the first female Olympian to win five medals at five games, is being made a dame.</p><p>Jessica Ennis-Hill, who memorably won gold in the heptathlon at the London 2012 Olympics, is being made a dame.</p><p>Married cyclists Jason Kenny and Laura Kenny, nee Trott, both get CBEs. Laura won gold in the Omnium and Team Pursuit events at this year's Rio Olympics, while Jason took home three gold medals. The pair now have a combined 10 Olympic golds between them after Jason won three at London 2012, and Laura won one.</p><p>Another married sporting couple are getting honours: hockey players Kate Richardson-Walsh and Helen Richardson-Walsh have been recognised following Great Britain's first women's Olympic hockey gold medal in the summer. Kate is getting an OBE, while Helen gets an MBE.</p><p>Paralympic swimmer Ellie Robinson has been awarded an MBE, as has gymnast Max Whitlock. </p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-jesus-christ-depicted-islam-quran-muhammad-bible-religion-christianity-bible-2016-12">Here's how Jesus Christ is depicted in Islam</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="trYTNqODE60Uk886JnFq7Iajb6rXA7rZ" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'trYTNqODE60Uk886JnFq7Iajb6rXA7rZ',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

Arise, Sir Andy Murray

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57a2687bdd08950e338b4c59-2400/rtx2h1dl.jpg" alt="rio olympics torch" data-mce-source="Reuters/Bruno Kelly" data-mce-caption="Brazilian designer Glauber Penha takes part in the Olympic Flame torch relay in front of the Arena da Amazonia stadium in Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil, June 19, 2016." /><p class="source"><span>Reuters/Bruno Kelly</span></p><p class="caption">The Olympic torch in Rio.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>This year, Olympics fanatics can watch the Games a few ways: First, NBC Universal will have coverage across multiple cable networks. (<a href="http://www.nbcolympics.com/tv-listings?day=1">Here's the official schedule for TV-watchers</a>.)</p><p>But you can also live stream many events online right as they happen using <a href="http://www.nbcolympics.com/live-stream-schedule?day=1">NBC's Olympics website</a> or the <a href="http://www.nbcsports.com/sports-mobile">NBC Sports App</a> (though both require viewers to <a href="http://www.techinsider.io/watch-olympics-live-stream-online-2016-7">log in using</a><span><a href="http://www.techinsider.io/watch-olympics-live-stream-online-2016-7"> a cable subscription</a>).</span> </p><p>If you're live streaming, here's a list of must-see games, races, and matches you won't want to miss. (Note: All times are Eastern Time. For the full live stream schedule, <a href="http://www.nbcolympics.com/live-stream-schedule?day=1">click here</a>.)</p><h2>FRIDAY, AUGUST 5</h2><p>8 p.m.: Opening ceremony</p><h2>SATURDAY, AUGUST 6</h2><p>12 p.m.: Swimming: men's 400m individual medley; women's 100m butterfly;  men's 400m freestyle; men's 100m breaststroke; women's 4x100m freestyle relay</p><p>1:30 p.m.: Men's gymnastics qualification round for team USA</p><p>4 p.m.: Women's soccer, USA vs. France</p><p>6 p.m.: Men's basketball, China vs. USA</p><p>9 p.m.: Swimming: men's/women's 400m individual medley final, women's 100m butterfly semifinal, men's 400m freestyle final, men's 100m breaststroke semifinal, and the women's 4x100 freestyle relay final</p><p>11 p.m.: Women's beach volleyball: Team USA's Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross face off against Australia in their first Rio match.</p><h2>SUNDAY, AUGUST 7</h2><p>12 p.m.: Swimming: men's/women's 100m backstroke, men's 200m freestyle, women's 400m freestyle, and the men's 4x100m freestyle relay. Team USA's Katie Ledecky makes her Rio debut. </p><p>4:30 p.m.: Women's gymnastics qualification round for team USA</p><p>9 p.m.: Swimming: women's 100m butterfly final, men,s 200m freestyle semifinal, women's 100m breaststroke semifinal, men's 100m breaststroke final, women's 400m freestyle final, men's 100m backstroke semifinal, and the men's 4x100 freestyle relay final. Team USA's Katie Ledecky aims to break her own world record in the 400m freestyle. </p><h2>MONDAY, AUGUST 8</h2><p>8 a.m.: Women's fencing: Ibtihaj Muhammad debuts as the first U.S. athlete to compete in a hijab.</p><p>12 p.m.: Swimming: women's 200m freestyle, men's 200m butterfly, and the women's 200m individual medley. Michael Phelps competes for the first time in Rio in the 200m butterfly.</p><p>3 p.m.: Men's gymnastics team final</p><p>9 p.m.: Swimming: women's 200m freestyle semifinal, men's 200m freestyle final, men's/women's 100m backstroke final, women's 100m breaststroke final, men's 200m butterfly semifinal, and the women's 200m individual medley semifinal. Michael Phelps races in the 200m butterfly.</p><p>11 p.m.: Women's beach volleyball: Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross compete against China.  </p><h2>TUESDAY, AUGUST 9</h2><p>12 p.m.: Swimming: men's 100m freestyle, women's 200m butterfly, men's 00m breaststroke, and the men's 4x200m relay. </p><p><span>3 p.m.: Women's gymnastics team final. Team USA's Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas, Laurie Hernandez, and Madison Kocian compete for another gold medal. </span></p><p>6 p.m.: Women's soccer, USA vs. Colombia</p><p>9 p.m.: Swimming: men's 100m freestyle semifinal, women's 200m freestyle final, men's 200m butterfly final, women's 200m butterfly semifinal, men's 200m breaststroke semifinal, women's 200m individual medley final, and the men's 4x200m freestyle relay final. Michael Phelps swims in the 200m butterfly.</p><h2>WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10</h2><p>12 p.m.: Swimming: women's 100m freestyle, men's 200m backstroke, women's 200m breaststroke, men's 200m individual medley, and the women's 4x200m freestyle relay. Ryan Lochte makes his first solo swim of the games in the 200m individual medley. </p><p>3 p.m.: Men's all-around gymnastics final</p><p>8 p.m.: Women's beach volleyball: Team USA's Kerri <span>Walsh Jennings and April Ross play against Switzerland. </span></p><p><span>9 p.m.: Swimming: men's 200m breaststroke final, women's 100m freestyle semifinal, men's 200m backstroke semifinal, women's 200m butterfly final, men's 100m freestyle final, women's 200m breaststroke semifinal, men's 200m individual medley semifinal, and the women's 4x200m freestyle relay final. </span></p><h2><span>THURSDAY, AUGUST 11</span></h2><p><span>9 a.m.: Judo quarterfinal and semifinal. Team USA's Kayla Harrison defends her 2012 gold medal.</span></p><p><span>12 p.m.: Swimming: men's 50m freestyle, women's 800m freestyle, men's 100m butterfly, and the women's 200m backstroke. Michael Phelps swims the 100m butterfly and Katie Ledecky swims the 800m freestyle.</span></p><p><span>2:30 p.m.: Judo medal matches. Kayla Harrison could become the first American to win two gold medals in Judo. </span></p><p><span>9 p.m.: Swimming: men's 50m freestyle semifinal, women's 200m breaststroke final, men's 200m backstroke final, women's 200m backstroke semifinal, men's 200m individual medley final, women's 100m freestyle final, men's 100m butterfly semifinal. Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte race against each other in the 200m individual medley final.</span></p><h2><span>FRIDAY, AUGUST 12</span></h2><p><span>8:30 a.m.: Track and field: men's discus, women's heptathlon, women's shot put, men's 800m, women's 100m, and the women's 10,000m final</span></p><p><span>11 a.m.: Men's doubles tennis bronze medal match</span></p><p><span>12 p.m.: Swimming: women's 50m freestyle, men's 1500m freestyle, and the men's/women's 4x100m medley relays.</span></p><p>2 p.m.: Women's skeet shooting final. Team USA's Kim Rhode aims to be the first US athlete to win an individual medal in six consecutive Olympic games. </p><p><span>3 p.m.: Men's doubles tennis gold medal match</span></p><p><span>7:20 p.m.: Track and field: Women's 1500m, women's heptathlon, women's hammer throw, men's 400m, men's long jump, women's 100m, and the women's shot put final</span></p><p><span>9 p.m.: Swimming: women's 200m backstroke final, men's 100m butterfly final, women's 800m freestyle final, men's 50m freestyle final, and the women's 50m freestyle semifinal. Team USA's Katie Ledecky and Missy Franklin compete in the 800m freestyle and 200m backstroke. </span></p><h2><span>SATURDAY, AUGUST 13</span></h2><p><span>8:30 a.m.: Track and field: men's 100m, women's triple jump, women's 3000m steeplechase, women's 400m, women's heptathlon, men's 100m, and the men's discus final. Usain Bolt makes his Rio debut. </span></p><p><span>11 a.m.: Men's singles tennis bronze medal match</span></p><p><span>11 a.m.: Women's doubles tennis bronze medal match</span></p><p><span>3 p.m.: Women's singles tennis bronze medal match</span></p><p>5 p.m.: Women's singles tennis gold medal match </p><p>7 p.m.: Track and field: women's heptathlon, men's pole vault, men's 400m, women's 100m, men's 800m, men's 10,000m final, and the men's long jump final. </p><p>9 p.m.: Swimming: women's 50m freestlye final, men's 1500m freestyle final, and the men's/women's 4x100m medley relays. Michael Phelps competes in his last race at Rio.  </p><h2>SUNDAY, AUGUST 14</h2><p>8:30 a.m.: Women's marathon</p><p>11 a.m.: Men's singles tennis gold medal match</p><p>1 p.m.: Gymnastics event finals: men's floor, women's vault, men's pommel horse, women's uneven bars.</p><p>1 p.m.: Women's doubles tennis gold medal match</p><p>7 p.m.: Track and field: men's high jump, women's 400m, men's 100m, women's 1500m, women's triple jump final, men's 400m final, and the men's 100m final. Usain Bolt defends his gold medal in the 100m. </p><h2>MONDAY, AUGUST 15</h2><p>8:30 a.m.: Track and field: men's triple jump, women's 200m, men's 3000m steeplechase, men's 400m hurdles, women's hammer throw final, and the women's 3000m steeplechase final</p><p>1 p.m.: Gymnastics event finals: men's rings, women's balance beam, and men's vault</p><p>7:15 p.m.: Track and field: women's discus, men's 110m hurdles, women's 400m hurdles, men's 800 final, women's 400 final, and the men's pole vault final. Team USA's Allyson Felix makes her Rio debut. </p><h2>TUESDAY, AUGUST 16</h2><p>8:30 a.m.: Track and field: women's 5000m, women's pole vault, men's 1500m, women's 100m hurdles, men's 200m, women's discus final, and the men's triple jump final</p><p>12 p.m.: Women's soccer semifinal 2</p><p>1 p.m.: Gymnastics event finals: men's parallel bars, women's floor, men's high bar</p><p>3 p.m.: Women's soccer semifinal 1</p><p>7:15 p.m.: Track and field: women's javelin, women's 200m, women's long jump, men's/women's 400m hurdles, men's high jump final, men's 110m hurdles final, and the women's 1500m final</p><h2>WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17</h2><p>8:30 a.m.: Track and field: men's decathlon, men's hammer throw, men's 5000m, women's 800m, and the men's steeplechase final. Team USA's Ashton Eaton defends his gold medal in decathlon. </p><p>12 p.m.: Men's soccer semifinal 2</p><p>3 p.m.: Men's soccer semifinal 1</p><p>7:20 p.m.: Track and field: men's decathlon, men's javelin, men's 200m, women's 100m hurdle final, women's 200m final, and the women's long jump final</p><p>9 p.m.: Women's beach volleyball bronze medal match</p><p>11 p.m.: Women's beach volleyball gold medal match </p><h2>THURSDAY, AUGUST 18</h2><p>8:30 a.m.: Track and field: men's decathlon, men's shot put, women's high jump, men's/women's 4x100m relays, and the men's 400m hurdles final</p><p>10 a.m.: Men's triathlon</p><p>5:35 p.m.: Track and field: Men's decathlon, men's 1500m, women's 800m, men's 200m final, women's 400m hurdles final, women's javelin final, and the men's shot put final. Usain Bolt and Team USA's Justin Gatlin race in the 200m. </p><p>9 p.m.: Men's beach volleyball  bronze medal match</p><p>11 p.m.: Men's beach volleyball gold medal match</p><h2>FRIDAY, AUGUST 19</h2><p>8 a.m.: Taekwondo. Team USA's Steven Lopez competes in his fifth Olympics.</p><p>12 p.m.: Women's soccer bronze medal match</p><p>4:30 p.m.: Women's soccer gold medal match</p><p>7:10 p.m.: Track and field: men's/women's 4x400m relays, women's pole vault final, men's hammer throw final, and the men's/women's 4x100m relay finals. Usain Bolt competes in his final Olympic race. </p><h2>SATURDAY, AUGUST 20</h2><p>10 a.m.: Women's triathlon</p><p>10:30 a.m.: Women's basketball bronze medal match</p><p>12 p.m.: Men's soccer bronze medal match</p><p>2:20 p.m.: Rhythmic gymnastics all-around final</p><p>2:30 p.m.: Women's basketball gold medal match</p><p>4:30 p.m.: Men's soccer gold medal match</p><p>7:10 p.m.: Track and field: women's high jump final, men's javelin final, men's 1500m final, women's 800m final, men's 5000m final, and the men's/women's 4x400m relay finals. </p><h2>SUNDAY, AUGUST 21</h2><p>8:30 a.m.: Men's marathon</p><p>10 a.m.: Rhythmic gymnastics group final</p><p>10:30 a.m.: Men's basketball bronze medal match</p><p>2:45 p.m.: Men's basketball gold medal match</p><p>7 p.m.: Closing ceremonies</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/laurie-hernandez-is-about-to-tear-up-the-olympics-at-age-16-2016-7">This gymnastics phenom is about to tear up the Olympics at age 16</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="5waXhvNDE6yJ-8r2wDxcHcivAEEX-Nmt" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', '5waXhvNDE6yJ-8r2wDxcHcivAEEX-Nmt',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

Here's a complete guide of what to actually watch during the Rio Olympics

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img style="float: right;" src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5593a1d0dd0895c8248b462f-4008-3006/longjump.jpg" alt="longjump" data-mce-source="Getty" data-mce-caption="Brianne Theisen Eaton of Canada competes in the long jump during the women's heptathlon during the Hypomeeting Gotzis 2015 at the Mosle Stadiom on May 31, 2015 in Gotzis, Austria." /><p class="source"><span>Getty</span></p><p class="caption">Brianne Theisen Eaton of Canada competes in the long jump during the women's heptathlon during the Hypomeeting Gotzis 2015 at the Mosle Stadiom on May 31, 2015 in Gotzis, Austria.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Global growth will slow because the working age population in some of the key centres for economic activity is falling, say Barclays.</p><p>However, Barclays' Michael Gavin also highlighted in a research note this week about how women are replacing men economically and this is a good thing.</p><p>In some cases, like in Japan, Barclays said that by having more women and old people entering the workforce, it is helping mitigate some of the economic damage from dwindling labour market participation from men:</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">The working age population of the existing centers of global economic activity has stopped rising and begun to fall. All else equal (including in particular productivity growth and labor force participation), the implied slowdown in the global labor force could subtract a full percentage point from trend growth in the coming decade and a half, compared with the past 15 years.</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">But the effect of shrinking (and aging) populations on the global workforce could be mitigated by labor force participation of workers beyond the conventional working age (15-64) and by increased participation rates of the working age population. In the past decade, precisely this has happened in Japan and Germany, substantially mitigating the demographic shock.</p><p>Take a look at these charts. Effectively, more women of the "prime working age" bracket are joining the labour market, while more men in this category are leaving it. This in turn is helping stop the "demographic shock" that Barclays is talking about:</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5593a1d0dd0895c8248b4630-689-319/barclays workforce.jpg" alt="BARCLAYS WORKFORCE" data-mce-source="Barclays Research" /><p class="source"><span>Barclays Research</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cristiano-ronaldo-spends-money-salary-fortune-real-madrid-2015-5">Here's how Cristiano Ronaldo spends his money</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="llMjZ5dDqpB7jsQJWbJ6u82dpovJ7vWo" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'llMjZ5dDqpB7jsQJWbJ6u82dpovJ7vWo',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

Women are replacing men in the global workforce

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56f5764991058425008b8cfc-2747-2060/plate_united_states_marine_corps_combat_utility_uniforms_2003.png" alt="Plate United States Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniforms 2003" data-mce-source="Marine Corps" /><p class="source"><span>Marine Corps</span></p><p class="caption">An illustration shows Marines in Woodland and Dessert themed MARPAT camouflage.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Over the last two decades or so, armed forces around the world have abandoned their camouflage patterns in favor of a more pixelated, machine engineered camo, similar to the blocky graphics in the popular online game "Minecraft."</p><p><span>And while it may seem counterintuitive, the digital print look of the pixelated camos are actually notably more effective than earlier designs that sought to mimic nature.</span></p><p><span>According to <span><span>r</span></span><span>etired US Army Lieutenant Timonthy R. O'Neill, large blotchy patterns work best for long distances and small patterns work best up close.</span></span></p><p><span><span>Pixelated patterns marry the two ideas together.</span></span></p><p><span><span>As the <a href="http://www.bbc.com/autos/story/20160324-the-story-behind-chinas-minecraft-military-camo" target="_blank">BBC notes</a>, </span></span><span><span>"close up, the small patches mimic natural patterns on the scale of leaves on a tree, but from farther away, the clusters of squares create a macro texture that blends with branches, trees and shadows."</span></span></p><p>"Well when I looked at the data I think my observation was something on the order of 'holy crap'," recalled O'Neill to the BBC.</p><h3>Here's an example of how pixelated camos work in the environment below:</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56f574b591058427008b8ce9-870-652/screen shot 2016-03-25 at 1.25.15 pm.png" alt="camo patterns" data-mce-source="Wikimedia Commons" /><p class="source"><span>Wikimedia Commons</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p><span>Soldiers wearing the Marine pattern camo (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MARPAT" target="_blank">MARPAT</a>) took 2.5 seconds to detect while soldiers wearing monocolor or the large, blotchy NATO camo could be detected in just about one second.</span></p><p><span>In an armed conflict where the enemy is within visual range, these seconds make all the difference in the world.</span></p><p><span>However, some pixelated camos have not been as successful. </span></p><p><span>The US Army's overly ambitious rollout of a pixelated camo (ARPAT) proved too cookie-cutter of a solution to the various theaters of war US Army soldiers find themselves in.</span></p><p><span><span>The UCP (<a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/UCP_pattern.jpg" target="_blank">Universal Camouflage Pattern</a>) adopted by the army in Afghanistan proved a huge mistake, as its lack of brown hues made soldiers starkly stand out in the mostly dessert backgrounds.</span></span></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5668939e2340f8b0008b47ad-2048-1365/16318321979_a7989f35a1_k.jpg" alt="US Army" data-mce-source="Flickr/ The US Army" data-mce-caption="Soldiers of Company C, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, work as a six member team to lift a heavy log over their heads 20 times while competing in the Ivy Heptathlon during Iron Horse Week, Jan. 28, 2015. Teams executed seven events in accordance with Army Regulation 7-22 in the fastest time possible. (U.S. Army photo)" /><p class="source"><span>Flickr/ The US Army</span></p><p class="caption">Soldiers of Company C, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, work as a six member team to lift a heavy log over their heads 20 times while competing in the Ivy Heptathlon during Iron Horse Week, Jan. 28, 2015. Teams executed seven events in accordance with Army Regulation 7-22 in the fastest time possible. (U.S. Army photo)</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Testing has proven time and time again that pixelated camos, as long as they use appropriate colors, are winners.</p><p>This lesson was perhaps lost on the Chinese, who unveiled a shocking maritime camo scheme on a variety of armored vehicles and missile batteries in their September 3, 2015 military parade.</p><p>The blue pixelated camo makes little sense for land combat vehicles, even an amphibious vehicle would lose its need for a bright blue camo scheme as soon as it left the water.</p><p>Perhaps the Chinese chose the color scheme to signal a rhetorical shift in the focus of their armed forces on naval strength.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/55e82ecbbd86ef12008b7cf6-3600-2400/rtx1qufz.jpg" alt="china parade" data-mce-source="Reuters" data-mce-caption="China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) navy soldiers roll on their armoured vehicles to Tiananmen Square during the military parade marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War Two, in Beijing, China, September 3, 2015." /><p class="source"><span>Reuters</span></p><p class="caption"> China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) navy soldiers roll on their armored vehicles to Tiananmen Square during the military parade marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War Two, in Beijing, China, September 3, 2015. </p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p> </p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/air-force-b-52-bomber-isis-military-2016-3">The Air Force is ready to use an upgraded B-52 bomber to strike ISIS</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="hqazg1MjE6FzC1dM3KFgE5tjEeBqCXPU" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'hqazg1MjE6FzC1dM3KFgE5tjEeBqCXPU',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

Here's why some militaries have strange pixelated camouflage

<img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5668939e2340f8b0008b47ad-2048/16318321979a7989f35a1k.jpg" alt="US Army" /><p class="source"><span>Flickr/ The US Army</span></p><p class="caption">US soldiers lift a heavy log over their heads 20 times while competing in the Ivy Heptathlon during Iron Horse Week, January 28, 2015.</p><p>Years of complex operations and the ongoing demands of units in the field have left the armed forces struggling to maintain both operational capacity and high levels of readiness, according to <a href="https://www.gao.gov/assets/690/685227.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a recent report</a> from the Government Accountability Office.</p><p>"After more than a decade combatting violent extremists and conducting contingency operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and most recently Syria, [the Defense Department] has prioritized the rebalancing of its forces in recent budget requests to build and sustain the capabilities necessary to prevail across a full range of potential contingencies," the report states.</p><p>"However, DoD has acknowledged that unrelenting demands from geographic commanders for particular types of forces are disrupting manning, training, and equipping cycles," it adds.</p><p>Each of the service branches has had some success in addressing readiness issues, but problems remain in some areas for each.</p><p>For the Marine Corps, as of February, about 80% of aviation units didn't have the minimum number of aircraft ready for training. The Marines also had a significant shortage of aircraft ready for wartime requirements.</p><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/52cdbaab6da8114a166c6582-2100/1129215791546d22ea3d0b-1.jpg" alt="Air Force" /><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/airmanmagazine/sets/72157638517123276/with/11340384865/">via U.S. Air Force</a></span></p><p>A high pace of operations has also hindered the Navy's maintenance efforts. The service bases its readiness recovery on deployment and maintenance schedules. "However, GAO reported that from 2011 through 2014, only 28 percent of scheduled maintenance was completed on time and just 11 percent for carriers."</p><p>Like the Navy, the Air Force has seen continued operations with a shrinking pool of resources and little time for repair and recovery, citing Air Force reports that less than 50% of its forces are at acceptable readiness levels.</p><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/51014f596bb3f71168000015-915/121129-f-pm120-898jpeg.jpg" alt="Air Force" /><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.af.mil/photos/mediagallery.asp?galleryID=10489&amp;page=1">U.S. Air Force</a></span></p><p>The service branch also says it is short of 1,500 pilots and 3,400 aircraft maintainers.</p><p>Air Force leaders are looking at several options to address these personnel issues, including <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/us-air-force-considering-stop-loss-to-keep-pilots-2017-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">heftier retention bonuses and stop-loss policies</a>.</p><p>While the Army has seen readiness improvements in recent years, as GAO notes, it continues to have important deficiencies that put it at a disadvantage compared to other countries.</p><p>"For example, the Army reports that two thirds of its initial critical formations - units needed at the outset of a major conflict - are at acceptable levels of readiness, but it cautions that it risks consuming readiness as fast as the service can build it given current demands," the report says.</p><p>The Army has also gotten withering criticism of its unit readiness from within the service itself.</p><p>According to <a href="http://www.benning.army.mil/armor/eARMOR/content/issues/2017/Spring/2Metz17.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Capt. Scott Metz</a>, who until recently was a <span>observer/controller/trainer at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, "many of our multinational partners are more tactically proficient at company level and below than their American counterparts."</span></p><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5942bb2050466bf80b8b4a01-1000/1000wq95.jpg" alt="US Army Joint Multinational Readiness Center Germany training exercise" /><p class="source"><span>(US Army photo by Staff Sgt. Richard Frost)</span></p><p class="caption">US troops from the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment call in their location in the back woods of the mock village they are taking over during Saber Junction 17, a field-training exercise at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center on May 15, 2017, at Hohenfels, Germany.</p><p><span>"In fact," Metz wrote in a paper published this spring, "several of them are significantly better trained and more prepared for war than we are."</span></p><p><span>Metz recounted how unit commanders arriving at the JMRC would caution him about their unit's lack of preparation and the minimal training done at their home stations. In his role as the opposition-force commander during exercises, he could see how this manifested itself in potentially fatal mistakes in the field.</span></p><p><span>The opposition-force commander "knows from past experience that the Americans will probably stay on or near the roads," Metz writes, adding:</span></p><p><span></span></p><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5942bbaf9a7af51b008b4574-1000/1000wq95-3.jpg" alt="US Army soldiers troops Germany training exercise" /><p class="source"><span>(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. William Frye)</span></p><p class="caption">US soldiers prepare to engage a multinational force while during an exercise at Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Germany, March 25, 2017.</p><blockquote>"They will stop for long periods of time in the open with minimal dispersion. They will not effectively use their dismounted infantry and will likely leave them in the back of vehicles for too long, allowing them to be killed with the vehicle. They also will probably make little use of tactical formations and will not use terrain to their advantage."</blockquote><p><span>All units make mistakes during their time at the JMRC, according to Metz.</span></p><p><span>The shortcomings evident in units that visit the facility come rather from deficiencies in training they do at home.</span></p><p><span> "The problem is that they are making mistakes because they have not trained as a platoon or company," Metz states.</span></p><p><span>A multitude of factors outside the control of commanders limits the time and resources they can devote to small-unit training.</span></p><p><span>This has resulted in the longstanding problem of a "deluge of requirements," Metz writes, citing a 2015 report that</span> "makes the case that the Army overtasks subordinates to such a level that it is impossible for Army units and Army leaders to do everything they are tasked to do."</p><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56ec155852bcd023008b7426-800/screen-shot-2016-03-18-at-104725-am.png" alt="US army" /><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/soldiersmediacenter/15380143543/in/dateposted/">Flickr/The U.S. Army</a></span></p><p class="caption">US Army paratroopers finish boarding an Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft loaded with a heavy-drop-rigged Humvee for a night jump onto Malemute Drop Zone, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.</p><p>The problem is a deep-rooted one and will take some time to correct, requiring a cultural change starting at the highest levels of the Army's leadership, Metz writes.</p><p>Gen. Mark Milley, the Army's chief of staff, <a href="http://dailysignal.com/2017/06/12/with-army-stretched-too-thin-military-buildup-should-begin-right-now" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">told the Senate</a> this month that the Army, like the Air Force, is also suffering from a lack of personnel.</p><p>He told the Senate Appropriations' defense subcommittee that the service's portion of US defense strategy, the Army needs an active component of 540,000 to 550,000. That active component is now 476,000.</p><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/588f6600713ba1865b8b4574-1024/257483951702ace6a653b.jpg" alt="iraq us army interpreter" /><p class="source"><span>US Army/Pfc. Sarah De Boise</span></p><p class="caption">A US soldier, left, and a US Army Interpreter look over a map with an Iraqi army soldier before starting a cordon and search in the Ninewa Forest in Mosul, Iraq, June 8, 2008.</p><p>Though the US armed forces maintains definite advantages over peers and other forces in technology, training, and capabilities, years of operations and, according to many officials, reductions in funding have imperiled the US military's ability overcome opponents and fulfill its missions.</p><p><span>"In just a few years, if we don't change our trajectory, we will lose our qualitative and quantitative competitive advantage," Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, <a href="http://www.defenseone.com/politics/2017/06/without-better-funding-us-will-lose-competitive-advantage-just-few-years-top-general/138618" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">told</a> the House Armed Services Committee this month. </span></p><p><span>The military will need "sustained, sufficient and predictable funding," he said, or it would lose its "ability to project power."</span></p>            <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/us-spent-611-billion-on-military-2016-army-defense-missile-trump-money-arms-politics-2017-4">The US spent $611 billion on its military in 2016 - more than the next 8 countries combined</a></h3>                                    Please enable Javascript to watch this video                    

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