Free Republic

SPRINGFIELD - The VA won't pay for one Marine's injury. Lance Cpl. Josef Lopez deployed to Iraq in 2006 when he was 20 years-old. He enlisted in the Marine Corps fresh out of high school and was enthusiastic about serving to protect the lives of others. He never thought that he would almost lose his own life from something as routine as a vaccination. "I started having trouble walking," Lopez said. "There was a numbness that started in my feet and gradually worked it's way up." After being overseas only nine days Lopez had trouble with his legs tingling. Literally...

FORT HUACHUCA — With the handout of turkeys and food vouchers Wednesday, a major holiday problem for some military families has been answered. But with Thanksgiving needs met, still ahead for the fort’s outreach ministries program is Christmas. Before noon, employees of Sundt Construction purchased and delivered 300 turkeys to the main post chapel administrative offices. The turkeys — with a total weight of more than 2 tons — will be handed out with $50 in food coupons for the post commissary. Josephine Moore, who heads the outreach ministries, said the needs of 300 military families, ranging in size from...

SIERRA VISTA — On May 30 next year, the sound of patriotic music will be the norm on grounds of the Southern Arizona Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery. It will be on Memorial Day 2010 when a 40-foot-tall carillon — a bell tower — will be dedicated. On Wednesday, a short groundbreaking ceremony took place to start the construction phase for the carillon. Every year, the national headquarters of AMVETS helps fund two carillons to be placed in cemeteries that are dedicated as final resting places for veterans. Members of the local AMVETS post are sponsors of the project and have been...

For 90-plus years, Bill and Carl Larson had each other's back on their Oklee, Minn., farm. Then Carl wandered off one night, and Bill set out to find him. Except for the three years that Bill was fighting the Nazis and Carl was an Army medic in the Pacific, the Larson brothers had been side by side for more than 90 years. They grew up farming on the outskirts of Oklee, Minn., never married, and stayed on the family farm to raise prize-winning Belgian horses long after their two older brothers, Roswall and George, died decades ago. So when 95-year-old...

ANACONDA — The slim, white cartridges fit easily into the compact, black machine. With the push of a button, text becomes voice and reading becomes possible again. After five years of development, the National Library Service has perfected its new digital talking books. In Montana, three Anaconda World War II veterans were the first to receive theirs. The veterans, Svend Wind, 82, Sid Beausoleil, 86, and Clarence Jones, 87, gathered Wednesday morning at the Hearst Free Library, where members of the Montana Talking Book Library presented them with the new machines.

Amazing collection of photos taken during the WW2 and nowadays. The WW2 photos were taken during the invasion of Normandy on and after D-Day.

After 60 years in a watery Hawaiian grave, two World War II-era Japanese attack submarines have been discovered near Pearl Harbor, marine archaeologists announced today. Specifically designed for a stealth attack on the U.S. East Coast--perhaps targeting Washington, D.C., and New York City--the "samurai subs" were fast, far-ranging, and in some cases carried folding-wing aircraft, according to Dik Daso, curator of modern military aircraft at the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum, speaking in the new National Geographic documentary Hunt for the Samurai Subs. When World War II ended in 1945, the U.S. Navy seized the Japanese fleet in the Pacific,...

Russian MIGs are the most famous Russian jets. They were in production since 1959. They become true legend of Russian aviation and were exported to many countries. Sometimes they were used to fight against American or French jet fighters like in Vietnam or in Israel. Mig factory was always top secret place during the Soviet Times. Such photos like we are having here today were impossible to make or publish at that times. But not now. So this is how Russian legend is being born.

Now that the V-22s have landed in Afghanistan, it’s time to take a look at how they will be used. Robbin Laird, a defense consultant who works for the Marines — among other clients — got a chance to interview the flight crews of VMM-261, headed by Lt. Col. A. J. Bianca, about the concepts of operations they expected to follow. We’ve got links to the interviews, an interview with Laird and links to video of the V-22 teams undergoing deployment to Afghanistan and some of their training. The top benefit of the V-22 in Afghanistan is a simple one,...

The fight over Robert E. Lee's beloved home—seized by the U.S. government during the Civil War—went on for decades One afternoon in May 1861, a young Union Army officer went rushing into the mansion that commanded the hills across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. "You must pack up all you value immediately and send it off in the morning," Lt. Orton Williams told Mary Custis Lee, wife of Robert E. Lee, who was away mobilizing Virginia's military forces as the country hurtled toward the bloodiest war in its history. Mary Lee dreaded the thought of abandoning Arlington, the 1,100-acre...

The average age of the military man is 19 years. He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country. He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his father's, but he has never collected unemployment either. He's a recent High School graduate; he was probably an average student, pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old...

Satellite phones remain a favorite communications device for Islamic terrorists operating in remote areas (where there are no land lines or cell phone towers). Satellite phones first showed up in the 1980s, mainly for use on ships at sea. But by the 1990s, additional firms showed up, offering the satellite phone service for everyone. Some companies, like Thuraya, have only a few satellites and offer regional service. Thuraya phones initially worked only in the Middle East and North Africa. But these particular satellite phones incorporated normal cell phone service and GPS capability. This has become very useful for counter-terror organizations....

I am off on another trip to nowhere, and won't have time or ability to search for a respected journalist who will stumble onto what I think is the biggest risk associated with this ridiculous decision to try KSM and friends as civilians.

A Moving Video Showing An Excited Dog Welcoming A Soldier Home From Afghanistan Has Become A YouTube Hit. Six-year-old Gracie, a golden retriever, is seen jumping into the lap of her beloved master Lieutenant Andrew Schmidt, rolling over and wriggling in joy after he returned safely to his home in Springfield, Virginia, USA. The video was shot by his wife Jen, who opens the door of their house to let out a barking Gracie for the emotional homecoming.

SAVANNAH, Ga. – An Army cook and single mom may face criminal charges after she skipped her deployment flight to Afghanistan because, she said, no one was available to care for her infant son while she was overseas. Spc. Alexis Hutchinson, 21, claims she had no choice but to refuse deployment orders because the only family she had to care for her 10-month-old son — her mother — was overwhelmed by the task, already caring for three other relatives with health problems. Her civilian attorney, Rai Sue Sussman, said Monday that one of Hutchinson's superiors told her she would have...

They're not a member of any conference and you’ll never be able to follow their standout players to the NFL. Nothing about the Navy football team screams “pay attention to me.”

This will bring tears to each and every true American! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ETrr-XHBjE

Scientists have developed a simple, cheap, accurate test to find undetected landmines. Students from the University of Edinburgh have created a custom-made bacteria that glows green when it comes into contact with chemicals leaked by buried explosives. The bacteria can be mixed into a colourless solution that, when sprayed on to the ground, forms green patches to indicate the presence of landmines. Researchers say that the organism, which is cheap to produce, could be delivered from the air onto areas thought to contain landmines, with results available within a few hours. The bacteria is not dangerous to people or animals....

People in the Obama Administration, down to NYC Boss Bloomberg, and ended with leftist bloggers say all that “we need to try the terror leaders in NY in order for them to stand trial in the very city they committed their crimes.” This is the main talking point that we keep hearing from those who support bringing Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to NY. The rational of “the same city as they committed the crimes” is certainly a feel-good approach, but if this is the underlying reason, why does not the Defense Department bring over a military commission, set them up in...

When I went through Navy Aviation Officer Candidate School we were given classes on military etiquette. One lesson dealt with meeting foreign dignitaries and royalty. In a film and then with text we were instructed that US law "forbids any officer of the United States from bowing before royalty. Instead, if in uniform and covered, the officer salutes. If not in uniform, the officer shakes hands or simply stands at attention." This lesson was very clear and I have no information to indicate that the rules have changed. The president, like every US military officer, is an Officer of the...

She wanted to give him a glimpse of home. Lesan Gouge’s plan was to snap pictures of herself at various locations in Destin, and send them to her boyfriend Jeff who is deployed. Then, her innate sense of humor took hold and “Replacement Jeff” joined her in the photographs. Replacement Jeff is a “high class” blowup doll, dressed in shorts, a striped shirt and a baseball cap. At about five-feet-tall with a painted on mustache, Replacement Jeff doesn’t resemble the real Jeff, but he’s great for the photographs. “This one is so quiet,” Gouge said of the doll with a...

When the eggheads speak of tribalism in Iraq and Afghanistan, they're usually talking about the loyalties of the locals. But if anything in these countries is tribal, it's the U.S. military, with its array of heraldry and slogans. Some of the art painted on the blast walls here speaks of regional pride, but a lot of it declares, in words and images, that the people who work herein are the baddest dudes (and dudettes) around. Lots of Hellriders, Grim Reapers, Devil Gunners and whatnot. Even the finance and legal companies try to make themselves sound menacing.

_ Chalk up another national-security threat _ this one looming with each excess pound, failing grade and drug bust affecting young adults. An alarming 75 percent of Americans ages 17 to 24 would not qualify for military service today because they are physically unfit, failed to finish high school or have criminal records. So says a new report from an organization of education and military leaders calling for immediate action on the early-education front. While some experts voiced doubt that obesity and other societal ills would keep three out of four young adults out of the ranks, the report titled...

There is no massive statue at Sagami Bay of an angel with a sword and a coronet. No rows of white crosses above “99 Beach.”*** That the region around Tokyo isn't dotted with American war memorials is a matter of science, luck, politics – and endless controversy. These were all objectives in Operation Coronet, the planned seaborne attack on Tokyo in World War II. The greatest battle that never was. Guadalcanal, North Africa, Italy, Tarawa, Saipan, D-Day, Iwo Jima, Okinawa – even the planned invasion of the southern Japanese island of Kyushu – were all prelude. Each a step toward...

Lt. Col. Henry "BOO" Bourgeois that flew on the 2nd Tour with Pappy Boyington.Henry Mayor "Hank" Bourgeois, one of the last surviving aviators from World War II's famed Black Sheep Squadron, died Monday at St. Tammany Parish Hospital in Covington. He was 88. (Near New Orleans)

MANCHESTER – Saying goodbye to a son or daughter deploying overseas can be one of life's most difficult moments, but Richard Jones of Amherst says the staff at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport recently made that moment a little easier for his family. Jones and his wife, Beth, went to the airport about 5 a.m. Wednesday to see off their son, Dustin, who is on his way to Afghanistan. A sniper with the Marine Corps, Dustin Jones was heading back to his base in Hawaii and is slated to officially deploy this weekend.

You stand atop an elevated tee box on the first and only hole of the world's most dangerous golf course. And you consider your chances. This deadly little par 3 measures 192 yards but plays more like 250 in the face of the vicious winds that often blow out of North Korea across an exclusive piece of real estate called the DMZ just a few yards away. Underneath your feet and off to the right are bunkers. The military kind. To the left, over an 18-foot-high security fence topped by concertina wire, are hazards that make high rough, deep water...

From Sarah Palin's Facebook: Horrible decision, absolutely horrible. It is devastating for so many of us to hear that the Obama Administration decided that the 9/11 terrorist mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, will be given a criminal trial in New York. This is an atrocious decision. Mohammed and his terrorist co-conspirators are responsible for the deaths of more than 3,000 Americans. Thousands of American families have suffered through the loss of loved ones because of the disgusting attacks launched against the United States, and now this trial venue adds insult to injury, in addition to compromising our efforts in the War...

One of my fraternity brothers from college went to Newport to become a Navy pilot (he served a combat tour as a reservist at Landstuhl as a medic). He's currently doing his officer training in Newport and I want to send him a care package. I just need to know how I'd address it. Thanks.

How about it, you guys...? Wasn't Ramsi Yousef a poufter? I don't get it at all. Sure, we've heard plenty about him, but have you noticed what we're NOT hearing? I'm thinking this guy might have been gay. I know that DC is full of gay pervs, maybe he was jilted, or he had some hot bro in Texas he didn't want to leave? Sorry to bring up this twisted stuff, but I just gotta ask.

As a longtime Patriots season-ticket holder, Chris Diehl expected his afternoon to be highlighted by the events that took place between the lines last Sunday. But before the first quarter had even begun in Foxborough's Gillette Stadium, his day already was made. It had nothing to do with his beloved team, either. Only his beloved country. ``As the National Anthem came to a close, I told my son to watch to see which of the Patriot players approached the veterans being honored to thank them for their service,'' Diehl wrote in an e-mail. To Diehl's disappointment, the Veterans Day ceremony...

I know things are tough out there, folks -- but its got to be even more tough for our wonderful men and women in uniform serving overseas. If you haven't done it before, or time has passed you by (like me, something you've been meaning to do, but haven't) -- make this year to be the year that you resolve to tell a complete stranger how much you appreciate his/her hard work in securing your liberties and freedoms. An e-mail costs nothing, and means everything. Pass on your sunshine to another. Because my feeling is, they really need it now!

The Justice Department and President Obama are not calling the murders an act of terror. Why? A) Obama doesn’t want to admit an act of terror occurred on his watch. B) Just like he renamed the "War on Terror" an "overseas contingency operation," Obama has his own definition of terror. C) Obama is afraid the label "act of terror" will enflame the Muslim world. D) Both A and B E) A, B and C F) Obama is right to wait for federal agencies to complete their investigations.

House Republican Leader John Boehner (Ohio) says the Obama administration is putting "liberal special interests before the safety and security of the American people" in deciding to bring the 9/11 mastermind to the United States for trial in federal civilian court. Boehner issued the statement on Friday, shortly before Attorney General Eric Holder formally announced the decision to bring Kahlid Sheikh Mohammed and four other Guantanamo Bay detainees to New York City. “The possibility that Khalid Sheik Mohammed and his co-conspirators could be found ‘not guilty’ due to some legal technicality just blocks from Ground Zero should give every American...

Soldier returns home, his dog goes crazy, and sounds like it starts to cry.

There is an obvious double standard when comparing the criticism George W Bush took to that of Obama is receiving on actions taken by both Presidents regarding specific issues....

Ok, I got up this morning and got one of the biggest shocks of my life. I checked my School work, and I am taking a History class right now from a professor that I have been angling to get for about 6 months at American Military University. He has a Bio that is amazing, a real Military hero and a serious scholar as well. Anyway, I had a short essay topic that I did regarding the Middle East Iran Iraq and touched on the Hostage crisis, and the rescue attempt that failed to rescue the hostages. It was sort...

Today, Obama was a different President and a much different speaker at Elmendorf Air Base while on his way to Asia. Since the Ft Hood shooting, Obama was criticized for not speaking from his heart just like he does at those SEIU UNION rallies. Therefore, I believe that the President spoke at this base specifically for "image" to show the miliatary that he is sincere. It is just another planned and calculated move. And, as usual, he had 15 or so military folks behind him for public viewing. There was the usual sampling of American Troops in the tv viewing...

Sabi a sniffer dog who went missing in action after a battle in Afghanistan has miraculously been found safe and sound after more than a year in the desert reports the Associated Press .

Video Linky Here

Need a break from the depressing news Dogs welcoming home their "daddies"

A sniffer dog lost in battle in Afghanistan 14 months ago has turned up safe and well and rejoined its Australian unit. Defence officials said Sabi the dog was recovered by a US soldier at an isolated patrol base. The black labrador bitch was with a joint Australian-Afghan patrol that was ambushed in Uruzgan province in September 2008. Nine Australian soldiers, including Sabi's trainer, were wounded in the exchange. After the battle there was no sign of the dog, and months of searching failed to find her. Sabi was officially declared Missing In Action.

Saw this Christmas commercial from Walmart about the troops.

I'm not military, but my understanding is that a Purple Heart is for those wounded in action. Do these dead and wounded qualify? If not, would it be proper to lobby for them to receive the medal.

One would hope that common sense would prevail in perilous times, but that's not the case since political correctness reared its ugly head. It's my belief that P.C. advocates are basically cowards who fear that those offended will resort to lawsuits or violence. What other explanation can explain how Major Nidal Malik Hasan didn't raise the "potential terrorist" antennae of the authorities at Fort Hood, the most populous U.S. military base in the world? According to statements by his colleagues, Maj. Hasan, a 39-year-old U.S. Army psychiatrist, was very vocal about his opposition to the war and his feeling that...

I can’t begin to imagine how hard it would be to leave my family for months at a time, especially if my destination were Iraq or Afghanistan. And I don’t know how I could deal with my wife being deployed overseas. These reunion videos—for me, at least—shed a tiny beam of light on how emotionally draining being a military family can be. They’ll also make you want a dog. To commemorate Veterans Day, here are some overjoyed dogs greeting returning soldiers.

I can’t begin to imagine how hard it would be to leave my family for months at a time, especially if my destination were Iraq or Afghanistan. And I don’t know how I could deal with my wife being deployed overseas. These reunion videos—for me, at least—shed a tiny beam of light on how emotionally draining being a military family can be. They’ll also make you want a dog. To commemorate Veterans Day, here are some overjoyed dogs greeting returning soldiers.

WASHINGTON (Nov. 9, 2009) -- The Army has worked hard on developing programs to maintain the psychological health of the service, but much more needs to be done, Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr. said yesterday. "One of the things as we looked at the challenges facing the Army was that we felt we were a little light on the preventive measures -- in giving Soldiers the skills that they need to prevent mental problems and suicides," he said. "So we instituted in October a program called Comprehensive Soldier Fitness, which is a long-term development program designed...

Some reviewers have called "Saving Private Ryan," Steven Spielberg's World War II film about D-Day and the search for a soldier, one of the greatest war movies. Military historian Antony Beevor begs to differ. Not only is it not the greatest war movie, it's not even the best cinematic depiction of D-Day, says Beevor, author of the newly published "D-Day: The Battle for Normandy" (Viking). He admires the famed Omaha Beach opening -- "Probably the most realistic battle sequence ever filmed," he said -- but described the rest of "Saving Private Ryan" as "ghastly." "It's sort of a 'Dirty Dozen'...