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  Last female veteran of the First World War dies aged 109 Last updated at 20:19pm on 29.08.08    Gladys Powers, 109, died this month in Canada. She was thought to be the last female veteran from WW1. The last female First World War veteran has died aged 109.British-born Gladys Powers died at her home in British Columbia, Canada, on August 14, the Ministry of Defence said.She was born in Lewisham, south London and joined the Women's Auxiliary Corps aged 15, after fibbing about her age and later served with the Women's RAF.  All but a few of the...

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A congresswoman said Thursday that her "jaw dropped" when military doctors told her that four in 10 women at a veterans hospital reported being sexually assaulted while in the military. Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach said she was raped by a fellow Marine. A Marine has been charged in her death. A government report indicates that the numbers could be even higher. Rep. Jane Harman, D-California, spoke before a House panel investigating the way the military handles reports of sexual assault. She said she recently visited a Veterans Affairs hospital in the Los Angeles area, where women told...

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq, Aug. 5, 2008 – Two years after the Army raised the maximum age for enlistees, it is not uncommon to find soldiers over the age of 40 in the junior enlisted ranks. Army Spc. Gina Keller shares a meal with her husband, Army Sgt. Kevin Keller, at the Forward Operating Base Kalsu dining facility in Iraq. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. David Turner, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Some served in their younger years; others just always wanted to serve. Still others followed in their children’s...

As a mother of three with no health insurance and a low-wage job, 32-year-old Brandielee Marendo was thrilled to get into the Army. Last year, she entered basic training at Columbia’s Fort Jackson, full of hopes for a career in computers and high-tech air defense. Then she found a small lump in her breast during her third week of basic training. A diagnosis of Stage II breast cancer meant a bilateral mastectomy, chemotherapy and what could be years of follow-up medication. But it didn’t mean an immediate discharge. Marendo is now assigned to Fort Jackson’s “Wounded Warrior Transition Unit,” one...

For years, Veronica Diaz-Guerra had told her mother that she was going to join the military. But when Diaz, still a few weeks shy of her 18th birthday, finally asked her mom to sign the papers permitting her enlistment in the U.S. Marine Corps, Ofelia Guerra was hesitant. "I was hoping that she would change her mind," said Guerra, whose home in West Valley City is adorned with photographs of all of her children, including a large portrait of her stern-faced daughter in her Marine dress blues. "I wanted her to be an attorney."

~ The FReeper Canteen Presents The Navy WAVES ~ After the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the U.S. Navy began building more ships and creating new bases and facilities. Facing a shortage of men for active and support jobs, in January 1942 the Secretary of the Navy petitioned the U.S. Congress for a women's reserve. Also in January 1942, the Office of Naval Intelligence began looking to colleges for women who could work in intelligence. Once the training was completed, the women were sworn in as ensigns in the U.S. Navy. Canteen Mission StatementShowing support and...

The last bastion of male dominance in the US Navy is about to be swept into history. While the eyes of the nation are focused on the first woman to have a shot at winning her party's nomination for President, the Department of the Navy has unveiled a project underway since last summer that will put women in submarines. "This is way overdue," insists Lt. Hanne Bright, an up and coming naval officer. She is among 340 female officers and chiefs who have been selected to initiate an abrupt change in Navy policy; the manning of submarines by women. Women...

Oldest female WW I veteran recounts her serviceWednesday, July 02, 2008Project Number:08-0333 Gladys Power, at 109 years old, is the last known woman who served in the First World War. She salutes all the troops overseas. Abbotsford, British Columbia – At age109 Gladys Power is a remarkable lady. With the First World war raging in Europe, everyone wanted to lend a hand and Gladys Power was no different. Fifteen years old and living in England in the summer of 1915, she lied about her age and signed up with the Women´s Auxiliary Army. At the time both men and women...

Al ASAD, Iraq – Video is available of Lioness Marines conducting security measure tactics at entry control points and traffic control points to deter the use of females for terrorist acts as well as an increase in cultural sensitivities. Footage includes female Marines from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) and other MNF-W units learning culturally sensitive methods for searching female Iraqis at security checkpoints including female Marines loading and firing weapons, practicing searching methods and using techniques on female civilians. For access to the video, contact the Digital Video and Imagery Distribution System by calling (678) 421-6604 or online...

WASHINGTON: The American military is set to promote a woman to the rank of four-star general for the first time. Lieutenant General Ann Dunwoody, a logistics specialist with 33 years of military service, has been nominated to receive a fourth star and take charge of the US Army's Materiel Command. “I am very honoured, but also very humbled, today with this announcement,” General Dunwoody said. “I grew up in a family that didn't know what glass ceilings were. This nomination only reaffirms what I have known to be true about the military throughout my career ... that the doors continue...

In a historic appointment, President Bush selects Lt. Gen. Ann Dunwoody to direct the Army Materiel Command. WASHINGTON -- President Bush on Monday nominated a top logistics officer to be the first female four-star general in U.S. history, tapping Lt. Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody to head the command responsible for supplying the Army with all its equipment. Dunwoody's selection as chief of Army Materiel Command comes nearly 11 years after the first female three-star general was appointed, as head of Army intelligence, and 38 years after the first two female Army one-stars were named. -snip-

WASHINGTON — The Army and Air Force discharged a disproportionate number of women in 2007 under the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that prohibits openly gay people from serving in the military, according to Pentagon statistics gathered by an advocacy group. While women make up 14 percent of Army personnel, 46 percent of those discharged under the policy last year were women. And while 20 percent of Air Force personnel are women, 49 percent of its discharges under the policy last year were women.

For nearly a decade, Angela Hills of Columbia has been known to her fans as Angie Daniels, a Harlequin romance novelist who writes about strong, sexy women and the men who love them. This time, Hills is her own heroine. In March, the 40-year-old fulfilled a longtime dream when she graduated from Air Force Basic Military Training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, becoming the oldest person ever to complete the program. Airman 1st Class Angela Hills, posing at the Joint Force Headquarters in Jefferson City, at 40 became the oldest graduate from Air Force Basic Military Training. In...

ARLINGTON, Va., May 28, 2008 – Duty, courage, camaraderie and sacrifice are on display at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial here. Navy Reserve Petty Officer 1st Class Gustavo Santa, a Gulf War and Iraq war veteran, took his children Justin, 8, and Megan, 10, to see “The American Soldier: A Photographic Tribute to Soldiers and Marines” exhibit on display at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial, May 26, 2008. The exhibit is on display at the memorial through Labor Day. Defense Department photo by Gerry J. Gilmore  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The...

The Freeper Canteen Presents From the American Revolution to Panama, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq , women have served in some way in every conflict. Not that they were legal in the early days. History tells us that thirty three thousand women served in World War One and almost 500,000 took part in World War Two. During the Korean era 120,000 women were in uniform and seven thousand were deployed in theater during Viet Nam. During Desert Storm seven per cent of the total U.S. forces deployed were women - over forty thousand of them. Twins stick together, even...

ARLINGTON, VA., May 26, 2008 – A group of past and present military women gathered at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery here today to commemorate fallen comrades and celebrate women’s contributions to the nation’s defense. Retired Navy Master Chief Petty Officer Anna Der-Vartanian, left, shakes hands with retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Jeanne Holm during a Memorial Day ceremony held at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery, Va., May 26, 2008. Defense Dept. photo by Gerry J. Gilmore  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. WIMSA’s annual...

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq, May 5, 2008 – The daily stresses of being a mother can make it a difficult, full-time job. Factor in the burdens of serving multiple deployments to a combat zone, and “Army Strong” takes on a new meaning for many military mothers. Army Spc. Ocie Terry, an administration specialist serving in Multinational Division Baghdad and assigned to the 4th Infantry Division’s Company B, Special Troops Battalion, is a single mother of three girls. Her children -- Samantha, 6, Amari, 4, and Sunnieday, 2 -- are living with her mother in Jacksonville, Texas, during her deployment. Terry,...

WASHINGTON, May 5, 2008 – As the reigning Miss Utah and as a combat medic who has deployed to Afghanistan with her National Guard unit, Sgt. Jill Stevens said her experiences as a soldier have helped her in her civilian life. In an interview on the “ASY Live” program on BlogTalkRadio.com, Stevens said her experience from November 2003 to April 2005 taking care of up to 40 patients on any given day at the Bagram Air Base medical aid station gave her the determination and adaptability that are paramount to her success in other aspects of her life. "Being...

Army Spc. Shannon Morgan looked around and realized she had been left behind by the Marine squad she was accompanying through a mean Iraqi neighborhood. Alone and surrounded by a hostile crowd, all Morgan had to depend on were her wits and an automatic rifle capable of firing hundreds of rounds a minute. At that time, Morgan was a Lioness, a female U.S. soldier who goes on missions in Iraq to help diffuse situations involving local women. Her only ally that day was another Lioness on a rooftop who saw Morgan’s predicament and yelled to alert her to the danger....

MANAMA (Reuters) - A female sailor was found dead at a U.S. naval base in the Gulf island kingdom of Bahrain on Sunday, the Navy said. The cause of death was under investigation, and the name of the sailor was being withheld until the family had been notified, the Navy said in a statement. It gave no further details. In October, two female sailors were killed and a third sailor was critically wounded with what appeared to a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a shooting incident at the base. Bahrain is the home of the U.S. fifth fleet. About 3,000 staff...

EVERETT -- Eleven years ago, Sabrina M. Weiner graduated as a valedictorian at Kamiak High School near Everett. She was a National Merit Scholar, aiming for a bright future after earning a Navy ROTC scholarship to Stanford University. Two months ago, Weiner, 27, forfeited her Navy career after seven years on active and reserve duty, during which she rose to the rank of lieutenant. In a rare instance involving a commissioned officer, Weiner was arrested and given a choice between a court-martial or less-than-honorable discharge after refusing to serve in Iraq. Speaking publicly for the first time about it, Weiner...

Spc. Stephanie McCulley, from Uniontown, Pa., a medic attached to Headquarters Troop, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, is re-enlisted by Col. Wayne W. Grigsby, Jr., from Prince George's County, Md., brigade commander, on March 29 at Forward Operating Base Hammer, Iraq. Photo by Sgt. Natalie Rostek. FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER — Soldiers and leaders of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team hosted a Women’s History Month dinner on March 29 in the FOB Hammer dining facility.The celebration included key speakers, a poetry reading, and a skit by Soldiers of Headquarters Troop, 3rd BCT.According to Col. Wayne W. Grigsby, Jr., from Prince George’s...

CAMP VICTORY — Multi-National Corps - Iraq recently celebrated "Women's Art, Women’s Vision" at Al Faw Palace, during a Women's History Month presentation sponsored by the 11th Signal Brigade, Task Force Thunderbirds.The observance honored accomplishments of influential female artists by showing their art and telling their stories. The guest speaker was Lt. Col. Kris Kramarich, commander, 44th Expeditionary Signal Battalion."In Violet Oakley's visionary murals she poetically sought to express her desire and hope for world peace, equal rights and the unification of the people of the earth," Kramarich said. "She passed away in 1961, but her vision doesn't differ...

3/27/2008 - SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) -- In its 50 years of flight, only six women pilots have been at the controls of the U-2 Dragon Lady. Three of those six are currently in the Air Force, and two of those three are currently fighting in operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, flying with the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing's 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, the only U-2 squadron in Southwest Asia. Maj. Merryl Tengesdal and Capt. Heather Fox, both U-2 pilots with the 99th ERS and deployed from Beale Air Force Base, Calif., continue to add to women's and the U-2's history,...

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan, March 24, 2008 – Heroes are made, not born. And a hero like Army Spc. Monica Brown, 19, is no different. Army Spc. Monica Brown, a medic from the 782nd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, stands over Forward Operating Base Salerno in Khowst province, Afghanistan. Brown is the second woman since World War II to earn a Silver Star for gallantry in combat. (Photo by Spc. Micah E. Clare, USA  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Brown, recognized for her gallant actions during combat in Afghanistan in 2007, is the...

This is really taking their quest to find stories that makes victims out of members of the U.S. military to the farthest degree! The Minneapolis Star-Tribune is apparently now resorting to advertising to dredge up women in the military "whose marriage is ending" for a story they want to write. There is really only one reason they'd want such examples and that is so that they can show that the military is hard on women so as to show the military in a bad light. Reader inquiry: Are you a woman in the military whose marriage has ended? Are you...

North Myrtle Beach Times - page 8, Thursday, March 20, 2008Jenerette Completes School KATHERINE JENERETTE GRADUATES from US ARMY AIRBORNE SCHOOL Former North Myrtle Beach Planning Commissioner, U.S. Army Lieutenant Katherine Jenerette recently graduated from the U.S. Army's Airborne school at Ft. Benning, Georgia. Airborne officers are considered to be among the Army's most valuable combat officers. Every member of the Rangers and Special Forces - two of the Army's most elite corps - is airborne qualified.Information about the Airborne school states: Throughout the fast-moving course of instruction, mental alertness and physical conditioning are emphasized and Airborne School is...

The President today spoke about the National President's Challenge. The President also met with Bahamas' Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, Barbados' Prime Minister David Thompson, and Belize's Prime Minister Dean Barrow along with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. He then departed from the White House to spend the Easter weekend at Camp David.Pray for President Bush -- Day 2744 The Vice President visited Afganistan today. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met with Georgian President Mikhail Saakashviliand Thailand Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama today. Today Secretary of Defense Robert Gates met with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili. Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island

Are you a woman in the military whose marriage has ended? We'd like to talk to you for a possible story. Please call reporter Pam Louwagie at 612-673-7102 or e-mail plouwagie@startribune.com. Please leave your name and a telephone number where you can be reached.

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2008 – The Defense Department honored Army Col. Valerie Ratliff last night for her efforts to break down barriers for future generations of women. But Ratliff hopes the recognition, conferred on her and dozens of others here during the department’s 2008 Women's History Month Outreach and Observance Reception, will soon be made obsolete by virtue of future women’s continued success. “This is just the beginning of the trailblazer recognition,” she told American Forces Press Service today. “And it will be a good thing when we won’t have to recognize it in the same manner. “The history books...

SAN DIEGO, March 19, 2008 – In the months since her last flight in the No. 3 jet for the Air Force’s Thunderbirds, Maj. Nicole Malachowski has had a hard time attaching perspective to being the first woman to fly on a service-level U.S. military flight demonstration team. Air Force Maj. Nicole Malachowski holds her plaque after being inducted into the Women in Aviation International's Pioneer Hall of Fame on March 15, 2008, in San Diego. The major, who piloted the Thunderbirds No. 3 jet, was recognized for being the first woman pilot to be part of a service-level...

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2008 – A new award administered by troop support groups and sponsored by a major corporation aims to recognize the sacrifices made by military moms. The Operation Homefront Military Motherhood Award will provide the winner with $5,000 and a free trip to the awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. The award pays tribute to mothers of servimembers, military wives with dependent children and women serving in the military who have children. It is sponsored by Lockheed Martin with support from the Military Times Media Group, and it is administered in conjunction with CinCHhouse.com. “We're looking for inspirational...

Texas teen in Afghanistan becomes 2nd woman soldier since WWII to earn Silver StarBy: FISNIK ABRASHI - Associated Press |Sunday, March 9, 2008 9:14 PM PDT ∞ CAMP SALERNO, Afghanistan -- A 19-year-old medic from Texas will become the first woman in Afghanistan and only the second female soldier since World War II to receive the Silver Star, the nation's third-highest medal for valor. Army Spc. Monica Lin Brown saved the lives of fellow soldiers after a roadside bomb tore through a convoy of Humvees in the eastern Paktia province in April 2007, the military said. After the explosion, which...

AL TAQADDUM — A team consisting of five female Marines from the 1st Marine Logistics Group and two female interpreters recently conducted a census patrol in a nearby town here. The Iraqi Women’s Engagement Team (IWET) was able to meet and talk with the local Iraqi females one-on-one, segregated from men. A variety of topics were discussed, from any assistance they may need to how the American military has helped them make a better way of life. “It was an eye opener,” said Sgt.Veronica Deleon, 26, a member of the IWET, from Bassett, Calif. “We realized Iraqi people are ordinary...

CAMP SALERNO, Afghanistan - A 19-year-old medic from Texas will become the first woman in Afghanistan and only the second woman since World War II to receive the Silver Star, the nation's third-highest medal for valor. Army Spc. Monica Lin Brown saved the lives of fellow soldiers after a roadside bomb tore through a convoy of Humvees in the eastern Paktia province in April 2007, the military said. After the explosion, which wounded five soldiers in her unit, Brown ran through insurgent gunfire and used her body to shield wounded comrades as mortars fell less than 100 yards away, the...

The nation's third-highest medal for valor. Texas girl (Lake Jackson, near Houston). A nineteen year old kid (I'm allowed to say this at my age and I am not objectifying her). Under gunfire and mortar fire, she helped move wounded comrades to safety, at times shielding them with her own body. Brown, of Lake Jackson, Texas, is scheduled to receive the Silver Star later this month. She was part of a four-vehicle convoy patrolling near Jani Kheil in the eastern province of Paktia on April 25, 2007, when a bomb struck one of the Humvees. "We stopped the convoy. I...

CAMP SALERNO, Afghanistan — A 19-year-old medic from Texas will become the first woman in Afghanistan and only the second woman since World War II to receive the Silver Star, the nation's third-highest medal for valor. Army Spc. Monica Lin Brown saved the lives of fellow soldiers after a roadside bomb tore through a convoy of Humvees in the eastern Paktia province in April 2007, the military said. After the explosion, which wounded five soldiers in her unit, Brown ran through insurgent gunfire and used her body to shield wounded comrades as mortars fell less than 100 yards away, the...

This is the final Itinerary for the Patriot Guard Mission to honor SPC Keisha M. Morgan, USA, 25, Washington, DC, who gave all on February 22, 2008. It is a go, all contacts have been made. This is a two-part mission. Your ride captain is Kevin Rock, who can be reached at (410) 867-8882. Part I - Sunday, March 2, 2008: 1345 hrs Staging at the Centre at Forestville in front of JC Penny’s on the corner of MD-Rte-4 and Donnell Drive just inside the beltway. From the beltway I-95 take exit-11, MD-Rte-4-North/Washington. Take your second right - Donnell Drive....

She crucified her enemies and burnt London to the ground. Meet Britain's first feminist, Boadicea By PAUL JOHNSON Last updated at 21:32pm on 6th February 2008 Britain's history is rich in fiery queens, and the first such heroine, tall with red hair down to her waist, commanding and brave, was Boadicea, warrior leader of the ancient Britons. She lived at the same time as the emperors Claudius and Nero, and led a surprisingly successful British revolt against Roman rule in AD60-61 (which, for reference, was when St Paul was writing epistles and St Mark composing his Gospel). She was a...

For Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, the first female head of the 2.4 million-member U.S. Episcopal Church, military conflict in the Middle East hits very close to home. Jefferts Schori has a 26-year-old daughter, Kate, a pilot who was recently deployed to the United Arab Emirates as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. "We raised our daughter to make her own decisions and she's clearly done that," Jefferts Schori said Friday in Birmingham. "We're very supportive of the work she's doing, believing that it's far better to have leaders who come with a solid, moral, ethical base and...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 11, 2008 – Army Maj. Lisa L. Carter, a two-time Iraq veteran, wants to share her life’s success story with the American public. Army Maj. Lisa L. Carter. Defense Department photo  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Carter recalled her days as a single mother working at a post office in Atlanta while caring for her 2-year-old daughter a few years after her 1984 graduation from Fulton High School there. “I met a lot of retired military personnel” at the post office, Carter said, noting the veterans encouraged her to join the Army Reserve as a way...

January 11, 2008)--Authorities in North Carolina said late Friday morning pregnant Marine Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach is dead. They said she’s buried in a shallow grave, for which investigators are now searching. They identified the suspect in the case as a Marine officer whom she accused of sexually assaulting her. Police earlier were planning to interview a man who lived with her and said he would answer questions that "will shed a lot of light on the case." Authorities said again Friday Marine Sgt. Daniel Durham isn't a suspect, but police believe he's the last person to speak with the...

<p>JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — A pregnant Marine based at Camp Lejeune has been missing since before Christmas, and the Onslow County Sheriff's Department is investigating her disappearance.</p> <p>Authorities say 20-year-old Maria Frances Lauterbach was reported missing Dec. 19 by her mother, who was the last person to speak with her, on Dec. 13. Her cell phone was found Dec. 20 near the main gate at Camp Lejeune.</p>

Protests from female soldiers have led to the Swedish military removing the penis of a heraldic lion depicted on the Nordic Battlegroup's coat of arms. The armed forces agreed to emasculate the lion after a group of women from the rapid reaction force lodged a complaint to the European Court of Justice, Göteborgs-Posten reports. But although the army was eventually happy to make the changes in the interests of gender equality, the artist who designed the insignia was less than pleased. "A heraldic lion is a powerful and stately figure with its genitalia intact and I cannot approve an edited...

Servicemembers stationed in South Korea may find ending a pregnancy easier if a move to modify the country’s abortion laws succeeds. An official with South Korea’s Ministry of Health and Welfare said the ministry wants to make its abortion laws more “realistic.” “There are so many cases of abortions occurred for financial reasons rather than legally allowed situations,” said Kim Ki-soo, of the ministry’s Support for Child Birth and Maternity Child Birth Team. Abortion is banned in South Korea, except when the fetus has a genetic problem or disease, or when the pregnancy endangers the mother’s life, according to the...

National Guard Medic to Represent Utah at Miss America Pageant . . . Sgt. Jill Stevens of the Utah National Guard in her Soldiers magazine cover shot. Miss Utah Jill Stevens will have a combat boot up on the competition next month when she dons her pageant gown in Las Vegas.Stevens, a contestant in the 2008 Miss America pageant, is also a sergeant in the Utah National Guard's 1st Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment.But touting her slogan "Lock and Load," it's clear she's not your average beauty contestant. In fact, it wasn't until she was recruited for the Miss Southern Utah...

Soldier Journals Her Run at Miss America Nov 19, 2007 BY Beth Reece Sgt. Jill Stevens of the Utah National Guard is a top contender for the 2008 Miss America competition, which takes place Jan. 26. Catch print and video coverage of Sgt. Stevens' journey through pageantry and the Army's ranks at www.army.mil/gijill Photo by Beth Reece WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Nov. 19, 2007) - One of the Army's own will take a shot at the "Miss America 2008" title Jan. 26 in Las Vegas and a new Army Web site that goes live today will follow her progress. A...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19, 2007 – Army Sgt. Janeice Capers, said the Army changed practically overnight while she was in advanced individual training. The Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks occurred two days before she graduated. Army Sgt. Janeice Capers, a Property Book Office clerk for 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, is serving her third tour at Camp Taji, Iraq. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Rick Emert, USA   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. “I was in the (post exchange) getting my uniform done for graduation when I heard the news,” said Capers, a clerk in the 1st...

Female boxer-turned-jet fighter pilot 16.11.2007 World Boxing Champion Agnieszka Rylik has become the first Polish woman to fly a F-16 jet fighter. The flight lasted 1.5 hour and took place in the Krzesiny airbase near Poznań, western Poland. The sportswoman had to undergo a several-day long medical check-up in the Military Institute of Aviation Medicine in Warsaw. She flew with lieutenant colonel Dariusz Malinowski, an experienced pilot who was among the first Poles trained in the United States, with hundreds of hours in F-16 to his credit. The F-16 with Agnieszka Rylik on board reached the speed of 2000 kms...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2007 – What’s another marathon, really, for Jill Stevens? Sgt. Jill Stevens, Utah National Guard member and the 2007 Miss Utah, smiles after crossing the finish line at the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C., Oct. 28, 2007. Photo by Staff Sgt. Mary K. Flynn, USA  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The 2007 Miss Utah is no stranger to the physical and mental discipline required to knock out 26.2 miles. She ran the Marine Corps Marathon here on Oct. 28, finishing in about 3.5 hours. It’s the third marathon she’s run since winning the pageant...