Free Republic

In response to the Newtown, Conn. massacre and a host of school shootings in recent years, the Obama administration released a 67-page report on emergency planning this summer that includes several pages advising educators on how to manage “an active shooter situation.” The U.S. Department of Education’s “live-shooter” section doesn’t recommend that schools arm teachers or employ armed guards. It doesn’t even advise schools to add door locks for classrooms. Instead, the section counsels teachers and students to “run,” “hide” and then “fight”—but only “if neither running nor hiding is a safe option.” Arne Duncan, the Secretary of Education and...

U.S. officials and experts do acknowledge [1] an Egyptian connection to the Benghazi attacks. They’ll point to what they call a ragtag group of jihadists, led by Muhammad Jamal Abdo Al-Kashif (aka Abu Ahmad), known as the “Jamal network.” However, the U.S. administration downplays this Egyptian connection, whereas several Arabic-language sources reveal a much larger connection. It is significant to point out that the first attack against the U.S. embassies on September 11, 2012, happened in Cairo. Egypt was the spark and Egyptians were the agents of both attacks. Al-Kashif had been locked up in one of Egypt’s most secure...

Subbing for mylife...

During an August 8 appearance on CNN's The Lead, Senator John McCain (R-AZ) said Russia's recent actions toward the U.S. have "reset" relations and put the two countries back on Cold War footing. According to McCain, "The Russians have reset, they've reset alright--back to about 1955."

OK, I have a cell phone even though I basically detest them, a necessary evil I suppose. I used to have T-Mobile, but whatever backbone they were on, I got crap reception in my living room. I could walk out into my front yard in the rain and get five bars, but almost zilch in my house. So I dumped them and lost a bunch of minutes, switched to Net10. Different carrier. Xlent signal in my house and all around. With Net10 you buy Minutes AND service days. You can't, afaik, buy just one or the other. I use it...

Myths about the role, and perceived anti-tank capability of the M4 Medium, continue to be pervasive. The idea that US tanks were not expected to be able to deal with any tanks that they may happen to come across just won’t die, and is probably a reflection of the name of the US Tank Destroyer branch which is confusing to those who don’t understand the doctrinal function of the TD. See the Can Openers article for a slightly more in-depth look. We know that the idea of adding the 76mm to the M4 pre-dates the introduction of the German cats....

New evidence was unveiled Thursday that Japan’s imperialist army directly managed Asian women for sexual slavery, dealing a fresh blow to Tokyo’s denials of responsibility. Korea University’s Centre for Korean History disclosed a diary that a Korean manager of Japanese brothels wrote while staying in Myanmar and Singapore between August 1942 and December 1944. The diary shows that the Japanese army received revenue-related reports from military brothels, examined the bodies of sex slaves and regulated the relocations of sexual entertainment facilities. “The diary shows the case in which the Japanese military with an absolute personnel management authority issued direct orders...

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) is growing and security experts believe it now poses the greatest danger to the West. Based in Yemen, the terrorist group is believed to number about 1,000 members, up from an estimated 200 a few years ago. It is led by Nasir al-Wuhayshi, a former aide to al-Qaeda’s late founder Osama bin Laden. AQAP has claimed responsibility for several attacks, including an attempt to blow up a U.S. commercial airliner on Christmas Day in 2009. The group is also at the heart of the latest security alert that saw the U.S. close embassies and...

ALEXANDER ROSE: Thankfully, this isn’t a chicken-and-egg question, so the answer is a simple one: Washington’s spies, otherwise known as the Culper Ring. There were five primary members. First in seniority was Benjamin Tallmadge, a dragoons officer who acted as the Ring’s manager in American-held Connecticut and made sure their intelligence was passed on to Washington back at headquarters. The agent who sailed back and forth across Long Island Sound (I prefer the more colorful contemporary description of it, “the Devil’s Belt”), tussling with freebooters and dodging patrol-boats, was Caleb Brewster, a former whaleboatman who really, really liked fighting. Brewster’s...

Apparently, the Marine Corps thinks a "lack or loss of spiritual faith" could be dangerous When an active-duty Marine was given a Marine Corps training document describing "potential risk indicators" commanders should look for to prevent loss of life among service members, he found one checkbox that didn't seem to fit. Among warning signs like substance abuse and prior suicide attempts was "lack or loss of spiritual faith." Concerned that this was a discriminatory policy, the Marine notified the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF), a nonprofit dedicated to keeping religion separate from the U.S. military. The organization, which told me...

Based on a detailed investigation of all the facts and supported by the testimony of the surviving Japanese leaders involved, it is the Survey’s opinion that certainly prior to 31 December 1945 and in all probability prior to 1 November 1945, Japan would have surrendered even if the atomic bombs had not been dropped, even if Russia had not entered the war, and even if no invasion had been planned or contemplated.That was a conclusion of the 1946 U.S. Bombing Survey ordered by President Harry Truman in the wake of World War II.Gen. Dwight Eisenhower said in 1963, “the Japanese were...

Air strike kills Egypt militants targeting Israel: security CAIRO — Several Egyptian militants were killed in an air strike in Sinai on Friday as they prepared to launch a rocket into Israel, security sources and witnesses said. The source of the strike was not immediately clear. Some sources spoke of an Israeli air strike conducted from Israeli air space and others credited the Egyptian military. Witnesses said at least five members of a cell led by local Islamist militants were killed in the raid. Egypt's army said two explosions were heard at around 4:15 pm (1415 GMT) in the Al-Ojra...

The following photos were taken from 1914-1918 by my great-grandfather Lt. Walter Koessler during his time as a German officer in the first World War. They're part of a collection of over a thousand photos, stereographs and their negatives that my family has been saving for a century. This is an unusually large and complete collection, and I've taken on the task of preserving it and printing it so other people can experience this history too. These photos have never been published before.

had an awesome morning. Me and two buddies stepped away from our computers to do some real live foot work for freedom. We held an impeach omoron over pass rally, yep that's right just the three of us. The response was awesome. Horns never stopped the whole time we were out there. As an added bonus we were able capture on video military movement. This is raw footage taken this morning on I-69 just south of Fort Wayne Indiana. If 3 people can generate this type of response in only a couple hours, just think what we could to if...

General Wesley Clark launched a failed bid for the presidency in 2004 after retiring from the military in 2000 after a storied career Was married to his wife Gertrude for 46 years before filing for divorce in September 2012 Now said to be dating a 30-year-old found of a fashion retail site Son from his marriage to Gertrude is 13 years OLDER than his girlfriend

The two most ardent boosters of the Normandy invasion were Stalin and Harry Hopkins ... Churchill famously urged that the advance on Germany continue from already-won bases in Italy and elsewhere in south-central Europe. Stalin’s demand for the big U.S.-British push in northern France, however, prevailed. According to the tally of one peeved letter to the editor in the New York Times, this would put the Allies on track to open their ninth front. Of course, in order to gather sufficient forces for the June 1944 D-Day invasion, men and equipment, particularly landing craft, had to be withdrawn from the...

Mental health prior to ever seeing combat was the main driver for later suicide risk.

A few days ago, the Obama Administration issued clear and prominent warnings for any Americans now living in most of the Muslim countries. They were told an attack was 'imminent', and were advised to leave now, if now sooner. I've always thought any westerner risked the loss of their life, limb or liberty while attempting to live in that part of the world, unless you were in agreement with the Sharia way of life. What's different this time is that our country's leaders seem to be hypersensitive as to what makes for danger. To me, the Obama Administration is once...

We were invited to Israel to visit the IWI factory just outside of Tel Aviv. Obviously this was a one of a kind opportunity for both MAC and for the YouTube firearms community. We not only toured the home of the Tavor but also the Negev 5.56 and 7.62x51, the Jericho 941, Uzi, Galil ACE and the X95. After the factory tour we headed to the range and fired all of the weapons mentioned, which really was the highlight of the whole trip. It's one thing to see these amazing firearms, but getting to fire them? Out of this world!...

For U.S. veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a service dog can be a life line, bringing them back to normalcy and helping them feel safe again. And, for nearly 100 veterans and counting, that’s just what non profit organization, K9s for Warriors, has done. Founded in 2011 by Shari Duval, whose own son suffered from PTSD after two tours in Iraq, K9s for Warriors trains service dogs and pairs them with veterans struggling with PTSD. But these service dogs have had struggles of their own. They’re abandoned or homeless dogs that have been rescued from shelters and trained...

Is the recent news concerning U.S. embassy closures in 20 countries and that the NSA program uncovered this, how did they manage to miss the overseas calls from at least one of the Tsaernaev brothers? Will this bolster the case for the NSA? Is this action a result of Benghazi fatigue as some pundits have said on cable news? Swcondly, are McCain and Graham the only U.S. Senators allowed to go to Syria? Where are the Democrat senators? No Dem Senators to go for Obama?

August 6, 2013 marks the 68th anniversary of the first use of an atomic bomb, and August 9th the last. Japan did not surrender for five days after Nagasaki was bombed, during which time the Soviet Union declared war and the Americans conducted additional, conventional firebombing raids on a Japanese city. Emperor Hirohito was asked to break a deadlock in the imperial cabinet that had blocked an unconditional surrender up to that point. To this day, Harry Truman is viewed by ardent critics as a war criminal and the United States is deemed as being stained by a sin as...

The U.S. military on Thursday downplayed concerns it could cancel the F-35 fighter and a new stealth bomber, after leaked documents from a budget review suggested the programs might be eliminated as one way to deal with deep budget cuts. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said on Wednesday that finding $500 billion in budget cuts required by law over the next decade, on top of $487 billion in cuts already being implemented, required tough trade-offs between the size of the military and high-end weapons programs. Pentagon briefing slides shown to various groups mapped out those tradeoffs in stark terms, indicating that...

For you Kindle owners. A little dated, but it's supposed to be some kind of classic. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004BDORIS

watch

In 1917, the United States entered World War I and the military demanded motorcycles for the war effort. Harleys had already been used by the military in the Pancho Villa Expedition, but World War I was the first time the motorcycle had been adopted for combat service. Harley-Davidson provided about 15,000 machines to the military forces during World War I. - Wikipedia

From NavSource Online, John C. Driskill - "In 1972, I was stationed on the Lexington (CVT-16) as a PH3. President Richard Nixon asked Don Garlits to do a "Fly Navy Promo" with his car the Swamp Rat 16. We photographers mates were allowed to photograph the scene while assisting the photographers from "Hot Rod" Magazine. We had to swear we would not sell the photographs we took to any other magazines. This is my shot of the Swamp Rat 16 on the flight deck of the Lexington," [ready to race an A-7E Corsair II of VA-81 "Sunliners."] William Carter Fields...

According to Soviet intelligence reports, we now know that one of FDR’s top officials, the Treasury Department’s Harry Dexter White, was a Soviet agent, who, among many other deceptions, subverted relations between the US and Japan by inserting “ultimatum” language into the cable flow that actually spurred the Japanese attack. This was language written in Moscow, passed to White by a Soviet handler in Washington, D.C., and dropped into a State Department communiqué sent to Japan. This brilliantly executed influence operation doesn’t live in infamy – at least not yet. ... “A continuous stream of fighter and pursuit planes is...

The night-vision image in the rescue helicopter showed a downed pilot in a life raft bobbing 35 miles from the Atlantic shoreline, but when Brian Fogle got ready to plunge down to him, the midnight sky and sea melded into inky blackness. “The hard part was not being able to see anything,” Fogle said. And then he stepped out that door and slid down a line into the rolling dark ocean. The signal had come to the Coast Guard 20 to 30 minutes before 11 p.m. Thursday: A D.C. Air National Guard F-16C was down in the Atlantic after touching...

ENID, Oklahoma - A class of U.S. Air Force airmen learning how to fly at Vance Air Force Base near Enid is becoming an internet sensation, thanks to a patch. Every class of pilots in training at Vance Air Force Base picks its own patch. Class 14-05 picked one that's based on the cartoon "My Little Pony, Friendship Is Magic". The patch reads "My Little Pilot, Flying Is Magic". According to Air Force Times, My Little Pony has become popular with some members of the military, as well as other adults. These older fans are called "Bronies," short for "bro...

Here's the same link: Lone Survivor Trailer Hope they do it justice. I didn't know it was this far along.

AOL’s Moviefone has the first preview trailer of “Lone Survivor,” the film adaptation of retired Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell’s first-hand account of a compromised 2005 special-ops mission that left three of Luttrell’s four-man team dead, as well as 16 other U.S. soldiers who attempted a daring rescue, and his harrowing tale of survival deep in enemy territory.

The trailer for this movie is finally out. So far, it's a limited release before the new year, then goes to full release shortly after the 1st.

For one Arizona Cardinals cheerleader, hearing the national anthem and seeing the American flag before games have a special meaning. It wasn’t easy for Megan Welter to go from Iraq veteran to NFL cheerleader, but the journey, she said, was worth it. “Our country has given us so many freedoms,” Welter told ABC15. “To be a part of fighting for that and maintaining that means a lot. It gives me goosebumps.” After graduating in 2007, Welter put her dance career on hold to “to take a job that was going to be meaningful, so I decided to join the Army."

During World War II, Disney had its artists draw up roughly 3,000 insignias for the U.S. military, many for Naval units. After Disney’s first request to create an insignia for a Naval Reserve squadron stationed at Floyd Bennett Field in New York, the illustrations became illustrious among units and inspired Naval artists to recreate the magic, designing their own logos in the Disney style.

Most activities involving the Israeli Defense Force–the Israeli “National Guard” which requires three years of mandatory service from each male citizens and two from each female citizen–are met with vocal and oftentimes violent reactions. Because, you know, Israel.

This isn't a painting. It's not from a movie. It's not a strange astronomical event. This is real — what you can see when certain helicopters in Afghanistan touch down on sandy ground, raising dust, causing mysterious arcs of light to loop and dance through the air. This doesn't always happen. "The halos usually disappear as the rotors change pitch," wrote war photographer Michael Yon. "On some nights, on this very same landing zone, no halos form." How come?

A heartwarming story came out of Northern Michigan this week involving a member of the US Marine Corps who was running a 5K race at the Venetian Festival in Charlevoix. Here’s the story from the “Seal of Honor” Facebook page: http://lite987.com/soldier-boy-5k/

Click here for video (7 min, 36 sec)

/begin my summary Life, Death and Prayer: the Face of War Sept. 23, 1950: N. Korean POW's were being transported near Gimpo area after successful Inchon Landing on Sept. 15 Feb. 17, 1951: A husband carrying his wounded wife Aug.16, 1950: U.S. service men and S. Koreans were giving an Indian style funeral for UN Indian worker Nayar (sp?) who was killed by a landmine. Aug. 25, 1950: A Catholic chaplain Frudel (sp?) was conducting a makeshift outdoor mass for troops in front of a tank, who were participating in the Nakdong Battle aka the Battle of Pusan Perimeter. /end...

The surrender of General Cornwallis at Yorktown, 1781 Photo: courtesy Library of Congress Britain’s loss of America in the War of Independence (1775-1783) is typically attributed to the failings of its key political and military decision makers who were, in Andrew O’Shaughnessy’s words, “associated with opposition to progress and with attempting to introduce an authoritarian style of government”. They have, he writes, become cartoon figures of incompetence and mediocrity in a story with an inevitable ending, “as history progresses towards modernity”. Not any more. In this fascinating, well written and extensively researched study of 10 of those British decision makers...

U.S. soldiers deployed to Afghanistan are using Craigslist to meet and have sex with each other on bases across the war-torn country, leading to concerns about a breakdown in discipline overseas. Military commanders have forbade any service members who are not married to each other from having sex while deployed to the combat zone. As a result, each of the covert meetings is a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The vast majority of the posts on Craigslist involve male soldiers seeking sex with other men - a practice that could have resulted in the discharge of both...

(Email received this morning.) Dear Friends, So far, we have released our proposed membership standards and a statement of faith & values that all adult members will be required to sign. We now also submit a Key Differences chart and outline between the new Youth Adventure Program and the Boy Scouts of America. Please forward this email to everyone in your troop and council to understand more about the new (soon to be formally named) organization. Outline of Differences between the Boy Scouts of America and the new Youth Adventure Program: 1) The BSA's new policy requires troops to accept...

• "Sergeant Stubby" Sergeant Stubby (1916 or 1917 – April 4, 1926), was the most decorated war dog of World War I and the only dog to be promoted to sergeant through combat. America's first war dog, Stubby served 18 months 'over there' and participated in seventeen battles on the Western Front. He saved his regiment from surprise mustard gas attacks, found and comforted the wounded, and even once caught a German spy by the seat of his pants (holding him there until American Soldiers found him). Back home his exploits were front page news of every major newspaper. •...

Peter Robinson at Ricochet directs attention to a study by the Heritage Foundation of military enlistment to population ratios by region. It tells us that, generally speaking, folks from Red States are much more inclined to serve in the military than folks from Blue States.The most over-represented region consists of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. The most under-represented region is the Northeast from Pennsylvania upwards. The Mountain West — Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico — is over-represented. So is Southeast. The Pacific West and the Midwest are underrepresented. The Midwest’s short-fall in the military...

Earlier this month, word hit the Internet that an Air Force unit training to fly America’s most advanced military aircraft are wearing a patch inspired by the television show My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Now the Air Force has confirmed it: bronies are flying jets. “We train world-class pilots who will go on to defend our great nation,” 1st Lt. Tom Barger, a public affairs officer at Vance Air Force Base in Oklahoma, tells War is Boring. “Fostering camaraderie, morale and unity on a regular basis and through small means — like a tastefully humorous patch — enhances our ability to complete the...

Food Chemistry: The amino acid L-citrulline found in the fruit could help athletes avoid muscle soreness after a hard workoutBefore taking a long bike ride on a hot summer day, have some watermelon: The juicy fruit may ward off muscle pains. Researchers report that people who drank watermelon juice before exercising felt less sore the next day than those who drank a pink placebo beverage (J. Agric. Food Chem. 2013, DOI: 10.1021/jf400964r). They also found that cells absorb the presumed active ingredient, L-citrulline, more readily from unpasteurized watermelon juice than from plain water spiked with the compound, suggesting the natural...

The Seattle news station has the video story online. This soldier was deployed and had a friend watch his dog. When he came back, he found out his friend had either given away or sold his dog. His dog is microchipped and registered to him so it won't be an issue once he finds him. The more people who see this, the better his chances are of finding his dog. http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/pet/3956713351.html

I had no idea that Delta had an Honor Guard. This is impressive on so many levels.

Chris Christie (RINO - NJ) seems to have no love for Rand Paul. He has had some vicious words for him lately... Rand Paul has fired back: "If Governor Christie believes the Constitutional rights and the privacy of all Americans is esoteric, he either needs a new dictionary or he needs to talk to more Americans, because a great number of them are concerned about the dramatic overreach of our government in recent years." I remember Rush Limbaugh putting it this way - concerning Chris Christie and Obama (D) - "Christie's the only Republican not just praising Obama, it's a...