http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/soldiers/ en-us Sat, 4 Jul 2009 14:41:16 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2285425/posts My childhood friend of 31 years visited my home on base, in Quantico, a few months after I gave birth to my first baby. As we took a leisurely stroll one evening through the lingering humidity of early September, I explained to her how different military life is from the world in which we grew up in San Francisco. We passed rows of colorful houses on the tree-lined, manicured blocks and gazed at the playgrounds around the neighborhood, ready to welcome the children of the officers who live there. American flags hung from virtually every front door. The occasional "My... Washington Post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2285425/posts#comment Sat, 4 Jul 2009 14:41:16 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2282613/posts Left to right; U.S. Army Sgt. Robert Brown, retired Staff Sgt. Bradley Gruetzner, and Sgt. Christopher A. Burrell, soldiers wounded in combat while deployed to Iraq, walk through “Hero’s Highway” at Air Force Theater Hospital before returning to Camp Victory after a visit to Joint Base Balad, Iraq, June 25, 2009. Brown, Gruetner, Burrell, and four other soldiers had the opportunity to return to Iraq and to visit the places they once served. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Brian A. Barbour As combat troops withdraw from major cities in Iraq, in victory, and in accordance with Article 5 of the... Flopping Aces http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2282613/posts#comment Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:12:23 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2282276/posts BAGHDAD - Four U.S. soldiers were killed in combat on the eve of the withdrawal of American troops from Baghdad and other Iraq cities, the U.S. military said, as Iraqi forces on Tuesday assumed control for security in urban areas. The U.S. military said the four soldiers served with the Multi-National Division-Baghdad but did not provide further details pending notification of their families. It said they died as a "result of combat related injuries." The withdrawal that was completed on Monday is part of a U.S.-Iraqi security pact and marks the first major step toward withdrawing all American forces from... MSNBC http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2282276/posts#comment Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:14:36 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2276335/posts Two US soldiers were killed in Afghanistan on Sunday in a rare rocket attack on Bagram Air Base, the main US airbase in the country. In addition to the two killed, the attack on Bagram, which lies 40 kilometers (25 miles) northeast of Kabul, left six personnel wounded who were transported to a US medical facility nearby. Al Bawaba http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2276335/posts#comment Sun, 21 Jun 2009 16:35:14 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2276041/posts KABUL (AFP) – Four foreign soldiers were killed and dozens of Afghans, mostly Taliban militants, have been killed in two days of violence across insurgency-hit Afghanistan, authorities said Saturday. One soldier serving with the US-led coalition was killed in an insurgent attack in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday. "A coalition service member was killed during an attack on a convoy in eastern Afghanistan... today," the coalition said in a statement, without giving further details including the exact location of the incident. The British defence ministry said one of its soldiers with the separate NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was killed... AFP on Yahoo http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2276041/posts#comment Sat, 20 Jun 2009 23:22:22 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2274210/posts FORT SILL, Okla. — Pfc. Shane Dixon is known as Old Dix. Specialist Jason Ness goes by Gramps. Pfc. Christopher Batson’s nom de boot camp is Pops. None of them are over 40, but to the 18-year-old soldiers in basic training here, they are as ancient as a first generation Xbox. Yet in the three years since the Army raised its age limit for enlisting to 42, from 35, a steady stream of older recruits has joined the ranks, pushing creaky muscles through road training, learning to appreciate — or at least endure — Army chow and in some cases... NY Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2274210/posts#comment Thu, 18 Jun 2009 06:02:52 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2269134/posts The Obama Administration has ordered the FBI and CIA to give terrorists anywhere in the world the Rights of an American Citizen, they must be read their Miranda rights. TDC Comment: If you are an American soldier in the field of combat and you know that you must read the miranda rights to the enemy (if captured), do you think that soldier will shoot to kill, or attempt to capture the enemy and possibly risk leaving his / her fate in the hands of the Obama administration? The Daily Change http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2269134/posts#comment Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:13:44 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2265494/posts Another major U.S. military base is requiring soldiers who live off the premises to provide descriptions, serial numbers, calibers, makes and models of any of the guns they own privately, and do not take onto the premises of the installation. According to a copy of a "Weapons Registration Form" submitted to WND by a soldier from Fort Bliss in Texas, the soldiers have to provide their own information including Social Security number, a physical description and addresses and telephone numbers, along with the serial number, type, action, make, caliber, finish, location stored, model, overall length and barrel description of each... WND http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2265494/posts#comment Fri, 5 Jun 2009 14:32:24 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2264293/posts WASHINGTON (Army News Service, June 2, 2009) -- The Army wants Soldier-dads to know there is a new paternity leave policy available to them and spread the word to military bloggers at the Pentagon today. The policy, which was signed into law by President George W. Bush Oct. 14, 2008, allows new dads up to 10 consecutive days of administrative leave after the birth of a child. Leading the roundtable was Col. Larry Locke, chief of compensation and entitlements for the Army G-1. He said the policy is one way of showing appreciation for Soldier-dads, because leave time can take... Army.mil http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2264293/posts#comment Thu, 4 Jun 2009 01:52:00 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2263724/posts All I want to know is, did Obama release a statment regarding the shooting of the soldiers in Arkansas as he did with the death of Tiller? http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2263724/posts#comment Wed, 3 Jun 2009 14:00:36 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2263142/posts More information is coming out about the assassination of a US soldier at a Little Rock recruiting booth.Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad, aka Carlos Leon Bledsoe and a recent convert to Islam, was already on the FBI's Joint Terrorist Task Force radar since his return from Yemen. He was, in fact, arrested at that time and had a fake Somali passport. Bledsoe had all the hallmarks of a budding terrorist operative in the US, with friends in all the right global locations, ripe with jihad movements....Yemen, Somalia and Columbus, Ohio. But investigations take time to compile evidence enough to hold, and convict,... Flopping Aces http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2263142/posts#comment Tue, 2 Jun 2009 19:25:10 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2262774/posts (CNN) -- An Arkansas man was arrested Monday in connection with a shooting at a Little Rock military recruiting center that killed one soldier and wounded another, authorities said. Police identified the suspect as Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad, formerly known as Carlos Bledsoe. CNN.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2262774/posts#comment Tue, 2 Jun 2009 11:27:07 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2260462/posts Two Fort Carson soldiers have been arrested on charges that they sexually exploited children following a joint investigation by local and military authorities. ">snip<" denverpost.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2260462/posts#comment Fri, 29 May 2009 13:01:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2260132/posts FORT CAMPBELL, Kentucky (CNN) -- The 101st Airborne's senior commander in effect ordered his soldiers Wednesday not to commit suicide, a plea that came after 11 suicides since January 1, two of them in the past week. "If you don't remember anything else I say in the next five or 10 minutes, remember this -- suicidal behavior in the 101st on Fort Campbell is bad," Brig. Gen. Stephen J. Townsend told his forces. "It's bad for soldiers, it's bad for families, bad for your units, bad for this division and our army and our country and it's got to stop... CNN http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2260132/posts#comment Thu, 28 May 2009 22:20:21 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2260012/posts They pledged to leave no man behind, so for 43 years the mystery of what happened to Huey 808 has tortured veterans of the First Air Cavalry. The helicopter and its four-man crew failed to return from a routine mission in December 1965, soon after braving enemy fire at the battle of Ia Drang, America's first great clash of arms in Vietnam. Pilots spent months scouring the jungle looking for traces of a crash site, and for years afterwards, comrades of the lost crew made trips to the steamy hill villages of the Central Highlands looking for clues to what... Telegraph (U.K.) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2260012/posts#comment Thu, 28 May 2009 18:55:25 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2258043/posts On this Memorial Day of 2009 there will be parades and music all across this land with heartfelt speeches to mark the day. There will be reunions, picnics, prayers and stories exchanged. American flags will wave o'r the many graves and as we gather together those who fought and died for us will be honored and remembered. Many of us will spend some time in quiet reflection today. Memories of moments in combat will come to the fore for some; for others it will be the loss of a loved one or Post Scripts http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2258043/posts#comment Mon, 25 May 2009 23:20:42 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2257568/posts Several swine flu cases have been detected among U.S. soldiers passing through Kuwait, officials said Saturday. The soldiers were treated on a U.S. base and some of them have left the country, the state news agency quoted a Health Ministry official as saying. The official, Ibrahim Abdul-Hadi, did not say how many soldiers were infected or where they were traveling from. The U.S. Embassy said cases have "tentatively" been confirmed without providing details. It said the soldiers did not come into contact with the Kuwaiti population. "Each case was characterized as being a mild flu-like symptom," the American military said... ap via knx1070.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2257568/posts#comment Mon, 25 May 2009 01:48:59 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2256946/posts It is once again time for America to remember the reason why we celebrate Memorial Day... From the current War on Terror, to World War's I & II, along with Vietnam, Korea, Grenada and even the Spanish American and Civil War's we honor the memory of all of those who have died serving America in our Armed Forces so that we might now all be free and safe... To those of us who have survived serving in the Military during combat or peace, we take the time to stop and remember those brave young men and women who served right... The New Media Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2256946/posts#comment Sat, 23 May 2009 17:37:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2256418/posts U.S. defense chief lauds soldier in pink boxers Thu May 21, 8:05 pm ET WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Thursday praised an Army soldier in eastern Afghanistan who drew media attention this month after rushing to defend his post from attack while wearing pink boxer shorts and flip-flops. In fact, Gates said he wants to meet the soldier and shake his hand the next time he visits Afghanistan. "Any soldier who goes into battle against the Taliban in pink boxers and flip-flops has a special kind of courage," Gates said in remarks prepared for a speech... Associated Press http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2256418/posts#comment Fri, 22 May 2009 17:31:00 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2256201/posts More than most nations, America has been, from its start, a hero-loving place. Maybe part of the reason is that at our founding we were a Protestant nation and not a Catholic one, and so we made "saints" of civil and political figures. George Washington was our first national hero, known everywhere, famous to children. When he died, we had our first true national mourning, with cities and states re-enacting his funeral. There was the genius cluster that surrounded him, and invented us—Jefferson, Adams, Madison, Hamilton. Through much of the 20th century our famous heroes were in sports (Jack Dempsey,... THE WALL STREET JOURNAL http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2256201/posts#comment Fri, 22 May 2009 12:44:37 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2255730/posts Human warriors have long spoken of the bonds forged in combat and of becoming a "band of brothers." The fact that some of those fellow soldiers are made of metal has not discouraged human feelings toward them. Thousands of robots now fight with humans on modern battlefields that resemble scenes from science fiction movies such as "Terminator Salvation." But the real world poses a more complex situation than humans versus robots, and has added new twists to the psychology of war. "One of the psychologically interesting things is that these systems aren't designed to promote intimacy, and yet we're seeing... LiveScience.com on Yahoo http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2255730/posts#comment Thu, 21 May 2009 19:54:25 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2254327/posts From the Office of State Comptroller Nancy Wyman Contact: Steve Jensen: 860-702-3308/3301 May 12, 2009 Cell Phone: 860-539-9298 E-mail: Steven.Jensen@po.state.ct.us TWO FALLEN STATE SOLDIERS TO BE ADDED TO WALL OF HONOR Ceremony Also Will Recognize All Connecticut Heroes Killed in Iraq and Afghanistan Two Connecticut soldiers killed in Iraq in 2008 will be added to the Wall of Honor tribute in the State Capitol complex during a ceremony scheduled for Thursday, May 21 at 4:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend the ceremony in the Atrium of the Legislative Office Building, 300 Capitol Ave. The tribute now includes photographic... e-mail from Patriots in Connecticut http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2254327/posts#comment Wed, 20 May 2009 00:46:41 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2251975/posts According to reports out of Kabul, the Taliban announced that they have waterboarded three U.S. soldiers taken prisoner. The Taliban commander asserted that waterboarding is not torture and does not violate the Geneva Convention or U.S. law. He assured everyone that a medical officer monitored all waterboarding sessions to insure that no permanent damage was done to the soldiers. In addition, he said they were careful to follow the directions on waterboarding in a SERE training manual they found posted on the internet. In support of his assertion that waterboarding is not torture, the Taliban commander cited legal analysis produced... Balkinization http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2251975/posts#comment Sat, 16 May 2009 00:42:02 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2251422/posts Soldiers from the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards have won a Classical Brit Award for an album partly recorded during their tour of duty in Iraq. BBC http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2251422/posts#comment Fri, 15 May 2009 10:15:43 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2250405/posts WASHINGTON, May 13, 2009 – Defense Department officials today released the names of four soldiers killed in a shooting at a combat stress clinic at Camp Liberty, Iraq on May 11. The name of a fifth victim, Navy Cmdr. Charles K. Springle, 52, of Wilmington, N.C., was released yesterday. Dead are: -- Army Maj. Matthew P. Houseal, 54, of Amarillo, Texas, assigned to the 55th Medical Company in Indianapolis; -- Army Sgt. Christian E. Bueno-Galdos, 25, of Paterson, N.J., assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade, Grafenwoehr, Germany; -- Army Spc. Jacob D. Barton, 20, of... American Forces Press Service http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2250405/posts#comment Thu, 14 May 2009 00:05:29 GMT