I’m a little suspicious of anything the Army does to help me carry more weight, but VTWoody will probably reenlist if he can carry one of these (Army.mil link);
Read the story about the piece of equipment that some resourceful grunts designed what the article calls a “game changer”.
I noticed some discussion over the lst few says about whether or not Marines could continue to wear the metal and rubber bands on their arms commemorating their fallen comrades while they’re in uniform. Tman sends us a link to the report that USMC leadershi hass decided they can wear the bracelets;
At issue are KIA bracelets, usually thin rubber or metal bands bearing the names of the fallen in Afghanistan, Iraq or other combat zone. Marine Commandant Gen. James Amos said Tuesday the matter had been discussed and settled when he met last week with other senior Marine generals.
“We are acknowledging the close personal nature of our 10 years at war and the strong bonds of fidelity that Marines have for one another, especially for those fellow Marines who we have lost,” Amos said.
Ususally these discussions don’t end well for the troops, I’m glad this one did. I still wear one that one friend bought me with Tim Martin’s name on it.
Added: Our frineds at Newsy send along this video;
The Marine Corps has slashed tution assistance for active duty Marines by 75% according to Stars & Stripes;
The change went into effect immediately and reduces the maximum education assistance available from the Department of Defense standard of $3,500 per year to just $875 per year for Marines — about enough to cover two university courses, according to a service-wide bulletin.
So the message is; if you want a college education, go use your rich new GI Bill benefits and GTFO out of the Corps. Taking college courses while on active duty improved the force and helped retention, cutting those benefits encourages exit from the service.
But you get the force you want to pay for.
Yea, the end of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell wasn’t the entire goal of the gay “community”. They’ve gathered in Las Vegas this weekend to figure out their next step accoerding to Stars & Stripes;
A full session of workshops is scheduled for Saturday, tackling family and faith issues. Sessions also will address benefits for active-duty troops, their partners and families, as well as post-military career opportunities.
See, I thought that gays wanted to be just like the rest of us, that the most important thing was that they have the right to serve, but apparently, I was wrong. Service is not holding a conference to address problems that don’t yet exist. It looks to me like the gay servicemembers are attempting to network in order to carve out special treatment for themselves. The only reason to organize is to plan on being a nuisance and needing the protection of numbers.
No, just joking. Actually the Army is getting ready for the hatchet to fall on their troop strength according to a Fox News link from Old Trooper;
Gen. Raymond Odierno, the Army’s chief of staff, says officials are developing plans to cut spending, but are committed to ensuring the force is properly trained, staffed and equipped to defend the U.S.
The Pentagon is slated to cut $450 billion over 10 years, but the reductions could be doubled if Congress fails to find $1.5 trillion in savings.
Originally, the Ranger Battalions were supposed to provide a cadre of highly trained NCOs that would rebuild the Army in the next war after Vietnam. It might be time to revive that plan, not with the current Ranger Battalions, but another unit.
The Washington Times warns that massive slashing of the defense budget will have an adverse effect on recruiting;
On the table: higher health care premiums and a shift of the military’s guaranteed pension benefits to an investment-based 401(k)-type of retirement savings plan.
John Raughter, spokesman for the 2.4-million-member American Legion, said the nation’s largest veterans group is increasingly concerned about how deep reductions will affect recruitment.
“It is a major concern to us,” Mr. Raughter said. “When you start tinkering with Tricare [the military’s health care system] and the military retirement systems, it’s basically a slap in the face. The system is basically saying your service tomorrow is not as valuable as our service was yesterday.”
Well, as long as the lawyers at EPA are safe, right?
I’m just wondering;
Old Trooper sent the link from UK’s Daily Mail. The video was supposedly taken on the deck of the USS George Washington. It could be fake for all I know, but these are the same Navy guys who famously complained that they couldn’t drink their ice cold Cokes on the flight decks during Desert Storm because of FOD.
Watching this crop of ‘hippies’ protesting whatever it is they are protesting has led me once again down memory lane.
Follow along if you will?
Until 1951 the US Navy was governed by the Articles for the Government of the United States Navy, also known as Rocks and Shoals for this bit:
The punishment of death, or such other punishment as a court martial may adjudge, may be inflicted on any person in the naval service —
10. Or intentionally or willfully suffers any vessel of the Navy to be stranded, or run upon rocks or shoals, or improperly hazarded or maliciously or willfully injures any vessel of the Navy, or any part of her tackle, armament, or equipment, whereby the safety the vessel is hazarded or the lives of the crew exposed to danger.
When I was in (64-69) Rocks and Shoals was discussed freely by the old timers.
At least as late as the ’60s corporal punishment was used in schools (and yes, I know from my own experience) . Even my grandmother favored a willow switch to get my attention on occasion.
I gotta wonder if this lot of occupiers has EVER been held responsible for their actions?
Me… rather taking a swing at ’em, I’m considering finding a willow switch and putting them, one at time, across my knee.