Free Republic

Springfield's men in black are returning. The city's new police commissioner, William Fitchet, says members of the department's Street Crime Unit will again don black, military-style uniforms as part of his strategy to deal with youth violence.

SELDOM has the sacrifice of so many been so sneered at by such a worthless few. Barely a week goes by without one or more brave members of our Armed Forces giving their lives in Iraq or Afghanistan. We at The Sun SALUTE our heroic Boys and Girls – and today declare the ban on them wearing their proud uniforms in public an INSULT. Last night PM Gordon Brown slammed a barmy order that 2,000 RAF personnel must don civvies on a city’s streets to avoid confrontations with “antiwar” thugs. The same cowardly minority of hooligans have spat at and...

The New Calendar of People's Liberation Army

I joined the MT National Guard last month. I was supposed to drill tomorrow, but they changed it for me to tonight. I just got my uniforms 10 minutes ago. The patches were rubber-banded together. I'm not sure which patch goes where. I have two for my last name and 1 that says "US Army" I also have a circular, which looks something like a sunburst over a mountain top. I'm not sure though and as far as I can tell it could be up-side down. I don't want to look like a dork! Can anyone help me?

A follow up on the East Texas Marine that had his car stolen. 20 year old Blake Weller, a Marine from Whitehouse, is on leave and, just three days ago, his car was stolen along with his uniform and medals, including a purple heart. Police were able to get his car back and now the suspected thief is in jail. But Blake said he is still missing the thing most important to him. About 5:45am Monday morning Blake received quite a wake up call. "I received a phone call from Tyler PD and they said they have recovered my car...

SAN DIEGO — Leather belts with brass buckles are out; nylon belts with quick-release plastic buckles are in. Slacks are out; lightweight cargo pants are in. Shiny badges and nameplates are out; cloth patches are in. The Border Patrol uniform is getting its first makeover since the 1950s to look more like military fatigues and less like a police officer's duty garb. The new uniform, introduced this week, reflects how illegal border crossings have changed in the last decade. As enforcement heightened, routes moved from the streets of San Diego and other border cities to unforgiving, often remote mountains and...

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A Florida man described as patriotic, who faced prison time for wearing a U.S. Army uniform at Orlando International Airport, won a legal battle Thursday when an Orange County, Fla., judge ruled the state law unconstitutional. In May, Fernando Montas, who is not a member of the military, was arrested at OIA for violating a state law prohibiting civilians from wearing military clothing. "My client is patriotic with what is going on overseas and he is proud to be in this country and was basically exercising his First Amendment rights to freedom of speech," Montas' attorney Rajan...

Session 117 - (2007-2008) S 0486 General Bill, By Hayes A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SUBARTICLE 9 TO ARTICLE 3, CHAPTER 7, TITLE 20 SO AS TO ENACT THE "UNIFORM CHILD ABDUCTION PREVENTION ACT" TO PROVIDE A LEGAL MECHANISM TO PROTECT CHILDREN FROM CREDIBLE RISKS OF ABDUCTION RELATED TO A LEGAL CUSTODY OR VISITATION. View full text 02/22/07 Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-8 02/22/07 Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary SJ-8 03/01/07 Senate Referred to Subcommittee: Ritchie (ch), Rankin, Lourie, Scott (A) When determining the existence of a credible...

Colorado Governor Ritter Signs 26 Bills Into Law Today May 14, 2007 -- Colorado Governor Bill Ritter signed 26 bills into law today, including the second-parent adoption and human-sexuality education bills. More than 200 additional bills are pending before the governor, with a deadline of June 4. The bills signed today and their sponsors: HB 1019, Carriers Exempt Public Utilities (Rep. Mike Cerbo and Sen. Joan Fitz-Gerald) HB 1141, Purchase of Metals Record Keeping (Rep. Nancy Todd, Sen. Suzanne Williams) HB 1156, Disclose Source Residential Water Supply (Rep. Marsha Looper, Sen. Ken Gordon) HB 1174, Repeal Sunset Concealed Carry Database...

When a Napa seventh-grader was cited for wearing Winnie the Pooh-themed socks in class and struck back with a lawsuit, it marked an odd but not unprecedented clash in the decadelong spread of dress codes and uniform policies at public schools. The seventh-grader and five other students at Redwood Middle School, along with their parents, say the school's dress code is so strict that it amounts to a uniform policy. California law allows parents to opt out of dressing children in uniforms -- a choice that Redwood Middle School doesn't offer. The case, brought by the American Civil Liberties Union,...

A four-person team from Canada were on Fort Huachuca last week gathering information for a potential new NATO camouflage uniform designed for semi-arid urban terrain. Taking measurements from left were Chad Young, Marie Yelle-Whitwam and Bob Balma. In the background is Lt. Liegh Mathieson. (Bill Hess-Herald/Review) Herald/Review FORT HUACHUCA — Battlefields are not neat and tidy places to take a casual stroll. Be it in an open field or a crowded city street, soldiers are constantly in danger from a well-aimed gun shot or an explosive device triggered by a opponent. How to veil their presence from an enemy as...

I have a friend running for office in Virginia. He serves in the United States Navy Reserve as a Lieutenant Commander. He has used pictures of himself in uniform in some of his campaign literature, because he is proud of his service to our country. But a local blogger is claiming that doing so violates the Uniform Code of Military Justice. He has never appeared in uniform for any campaign activity -- everybody acknowledges that. It's also clear a person who is retired from the military can use pictures of themselves in military uniforms -- we have ample evidence of...

    Excitement heating up over new extended-cold-weather gear Dec 15, 2006 BY Donna Miles Sgt. Seth Paul and his wife, Sgt. Katja Paul, both military police officers with the Alaska Army Guard's 49th Missile Defense Battalion at Fort Greely, call the Army's new Generation III Extended Cold Weather Clothing System the perfect answer to extreme conditions they face in Alaska. Photo by William D. Moss FORT GREELEY, Alaska (Army News Service, Dec. 15, 2006) - Members of the Alaska Army National Guard here are sizzling with excitement about their new cold weather gear that keeps them toasty warm...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 14, 2006 – About 92 percent of Iraq’s 188,000 Ministry of Interior forces now are trained and equipped, and all Iraqi National Police soon will receive new official uniforms, the commander of the Civilian Police Assistance Training Team told Baghdad reporters today. Army Maj. Gen. Joseph Peterson reported major strides in preparing Iraq’s police elements for their security mission. Among Iraqi police, the largest group of Interior Ministry forces, about 90 percent are trained and 83 percent equipped, he reported. Those operating in nine key Iraqi cities U.S. forces have been working with are about 99 percent equipped....

The U.S. military unveiled a new uniform Monday for Iraq's national police that will be difficult to copy -- a move aimed at preventing insurgents, death squads, and common criminals from impersonating officers. The new bluish-gray uniform, presented to reporters by Maj. Gen. Joseph Peterson, is similar to that worn by U.S. soldiers but with the Iraqi flag embedded in the fabric's print. It will be issued beginning in October. "This one is very hard to duplicate. It is very distinctive," said Peterson, who is in charge of training the Iraqi national police. The current uniforms are easy to copy...

Violates Military Uniform Code by wearing uniform while campaigning, Wears officer's uniform that does not match rank at which he retired HARRISBURG - Republican State Committee Executive Director Scott Migli today questioned Joe Sestak, Democratic candidate in Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District, for his repeated violations of federal law and U.S. Navy regulations as it relates to appropriate conduct for the wearing of military uniforms. Those violations include wearing his uniform while engaged in campaign activities and wearing a uniform that displays a rank above what the grade at which he retired from service. "Joe Sestak's improper use of the military...

WASHINGTON, June 27, 2006 – Servicemembers in uniform can now watch their favorite World Wrestling Entertainment superstars in action free of charge. World Wrestling Entertainment superstar Booker T. performs before thousands of excited servicemembers at the 2004 "Tribute to the Troops" tour in Iraq. Photo courtesy of WWE  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. World Wrestling Entertainment is offering all U.S. military personnel from the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Reserves and National Guard a complimentary ticket to a live WWE event in their local area, provided they come dressed in uniform with a military ID. Tickets are available...

Stop saying “HAPPY Memorial Day” By Jeff Seeber I hope I live long enough to be able to get through the month of May just once without some moron sending me a HAPPY Memorial Day e-mail or hearing some idiot wishing people a HAPPY Memorial Day. It’s bad enough I’m reminded every May and every November that very few Americans know the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day, but expecting me to remain silent about the growing trend to turn Memorial Day into some sort of celebration is asking too much. I usually chagrin and bear it, but I’m...

The U.S. Army plans to eliminate the green uniform worn by its soldiers for more than 100 years and return to the traditional blue worn by those fighting the Revolutionary War. Everyday uniforms will include a dark blue jacket, light blue trousers and gray shirt, the Army said. Formal occasions will require a white shirt; soldiers' dress uniforms are already blue. Soldiers will begin wearing the new attire by the middle of next year and all soldiers must have it by the end of 2011, the Army said. The change will simplify the uniform, the Army chief of staff, Gen....

June 15 -- The U.S. Army plans to eliminate the green uniform worn by its soldiers for more than 100 years and switch back to traditional blue worn by those fighting the Revolutionary War. Everyday-wear uniforms will include a dark blue jacket, light blue trousers and grey shirt, the Army said. Soldiers' dress uniforms are already blue. Soldiers will begin wearing the new garb by the middle of next and all soldiers must have them by the end of 2011, the Army said. A date for eliminating the green uniform hasn't been set. The change will simplify the uniform, Army...