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Military Tag

Posted by Leslie Eastman on June 27, 2015 10 Comments
One one hand, it is comforting to know President Obama can target the enemy and use American resources to counter it. On the other hand, it is very disturbing when that enemy is . . . climate change. Obama is acting upon his delusion that the biggest global security threats involve weather patterns and he's now calling on American troops to respond.
A recent Government Accountability Office report examined the Defense Department’s role in the Arctic, which increasingly will include “monitoring the changing Arctic conditions,” such as ice levels. The administration contends that changing ice levels in the Arctic could require additional U.S. military presence in the region, justifying the need for the Pentagon to commit significant time and resources to monitoring the effects of climate change.

Posted by Amy Miller on June 21, 2015 0 Comments
After the evil, inhumane week we've had, I think we could all use a little humanity. Since I can remember, coverage of American involvement in conflict overseas has focused 99% on the strategy, violence, and collateral damage. Almost no attention is given to the after-effects of war and to what happens to soldiers when they come home from the battlefield. It took a nationwide scandal---and more than one veteran death---for the country to recognize the fact that coming home from war means coming home to battle a bureaucracy that has failed the very people it was created to protect. Chief Warrant Officer-3 Romulo "Romy" Camargo knows what it feels like to come home from the battlefield a changed man. In September of 2008, Camargo was left paralyzed from the neck down after a bullet hit him in the back of the neck during an ambush in Zabul province, Afghanistan. Doctors weren't optimistic about a full recovery, but Romy began to push through. He got off the ventilator, began to recuperate, and after 18 months, was discharged from the hospital. More from WaPo:
Being 18 months in an in-patient hospital, some people get institutionalized and they don’t want to leave. So when I left, the first day I came to the house I was like, ‘Whoa.’ And then I realized, it’s a new day. Let’s get up and do something.”

Posted by Mike LaChance on May 22, 2015 29 Comments
As Professor Jacobson pointed out yesterday, Hillary's email problems keep getting worse. But what would happen to Hillary if she wasn't a powerful and connected politician? What if she was an average citizen or more importantly, a member of our armed forces? An American soldier named Chad Longell recently made that point at IJ Review:
I Am A Soldier. Here’s What Would Happen If I Used Email Like Hillary Clinton Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s personal emails are in the news again, and members of the U.S. military and intelligence community sense that there’s a dangerous double standard developing regarding the handling of classified information. I know this because I currently serve. The New York Times revealed Monday that Clinton regularly discussed and circulated emails from close family associate Sidney Blumenthal as a source for Libyan intelligence prior to the Benghazi attacks on September 11, 2012.

Posted by Amy Miller on May 15, 2015 6 Comments
Nepalese rescuers have found the wreckage of the "Huey" military helicopter that went missing earlier this week during an aid mission. Three bodies were found at the crash site. The helicopter was carrying 2 Nepalese army soldiers and 6 U.S. Marines when it disappeared outside the earthquake-ravaged town of Charikot. Originally, officials were hopeful that the craft had been forced to make an emergency landing in a low-lying area (which would have made the deployment of a rescue beacon or distress signal impossible); however, the discovery of the wreckage and remains has led officials to the conclusion that recovery crews shouldn't expect to find any survivors of the crash. The AP reports:
"The wreckage of the helicopter was found in pieces, and there are no chances of any survivors," Nepal's defense secretary, Iswori Poudyal said. He did not give the nationalities of the three victims, only saying their remains were charred. ... Lt. Gen. John Wissler, commander of the Marine-led joint task force, told reporters in Kathmandu that his team could not immediately identify the cause of the crash or identify the bodies found.

Posted by Amy Miller on May 12, 2015 4 Comments
U.S. Pacific Command has declared a UH1 "Huey" helicopter missing in the midst of relief efforts following a series of devastating earthquakes in Nepal. The helicopter was carrying 2 Nepalese army soldiers and 6 U.S. Marines when it disappeared in the remote area near Charikot. The aid team had delivered tarps and rice to one location, and was on its way to another, when contact was lost. Search teams have found no evidence of a crash, and officials are hopeful that the team was forced to land in a low-lying area and is unable to deploy a beacon or radio signal. Nightfall ended air-based search, but full efforts to locate the craft and team will continue at dawn.

Posted by Mike LaChance on May 02, 2015 8 Comments
President George W. Bush has been quiet about politics since leaving office but has remained active in his dedication to members of our armed forces. This weekend, Bush joined a group of wounded warriors for his annual W100K, a 100 kilometer bike ride meant to honor their service and remind others of their bravery. The Fox News Insider reports:
Hear From President Bush as He Starts His Bike Ride With Wounded Warriors President George W. Bush is hosting his fifth annual bike ride for Wounded Warriors in Texas. Fox News' own Dr. Marc Siegel is riding along with the former commander-in-chief and our nation's heroes on the three-day journey. "They're injured and yet they refuse to allow their injury to consign them to a dull, meaningless life," Bush told Siegel. The W100K ride involves about 20 injured service members on a 100-kilometer mountain bike ride near the Bush family's Crawford ranch. Siegel noted that for injured soldiers, it's important for them to successfully transition back to normal life, something many veterans struggle with.

Posted by Amy Miller on April 20, 2015 11 Comments
Earlier today, I wrote about how tensions escalated in Yemen after a Saudi airstrike allegedly hit targets close to the Iranian embassy in Sana'a, causing damage to the embassy itself, but no casualties. Houthi-controlled (read: Iranian-controlled) news outlets peddled the line that the airstrike had missed its intended target---a Sana'a arms depot---but photos and reports from the area have largely refuted that claim. Moral of the story? Things are tense in the Arabian Peninsula today---and it's about to get much worse, to the tune of an increased U.S. naval presence in the region.

Posted by Fuzzy Slippers on April 19, 2015 23 Comments
Army morale is at an all-time low, according to USA Today, and the Army is left scratching its head:
More than half of some 770,000 soldiers are pessimistic about their future in the military and nearly as many are unhappy in their jobs, despite a six-year, $287 million campaign to make troops more optimistic and resilient, findings obtained by USA TODAY show. Twelve months of data through early 2015 show that 403,564 soldiers, or 52%, scored badly in the area of optimism, agreeing with statements such as "I rarely count on good things happening to me." Forty-eight percent have little satisfaction in or commitment to their jobs. [snip] The Army offered contradictory responses to the findings obtained by USA TODAY. Sharyn Saunders, chief of the Army Resiliency Directorate that produced the data, initially disavowed the results. "I've sat and looked at your numbers for quite some time and our team can't figure out how your numbers came about," she said in an interview in March. However, when USA TODAY provided her the supporting Army documents this week, her office acknowledged the data but said the formulas used to produce them were obsolete. "We stand by our previous responses," it said in a statement.
So over the past six years, the time that Obama has been in office, the taxpayer has forked out $287 million in an "optimism" program for the army.  This is the same army that ignored dangerous warning signs that Nidal Hasan was a terrorist-in-waiting, the same army that then declared the Fort Hood terror attack "workplace violence," and the same army that also refused--for six years--to pay benefits to those injured or to the families of those lost?

Posted by Amy Miller on April 10, 2015 7 Comments
In 2009, Nidal Hasan opened fire on Fort Hood. When the bullets finally stopped flying, 13 people lay dead, and another 32 were injured in what was the deadliest attack ever on a U.S. military installation. The United States government deemed the attack "Workplace Violence", drawing backlash amongst military advocates. Congress, led by a delegation from Texas, worked over the course of several years to reverse that label and retroactively award those injured or killed in the attack with eligibility for the Purple Heart and its associated benefits. Now, almost 5 years later, victims and families have finally gathered together to pay tribute to Hasan's victims. Via KXAN:
“You are not a victim. You are still here. Nothing has defeated you. Today is about victory,” said Retired Gen. Robert Cone to survivors.

Posted by Mike LaChance on April 08, 2015 7 Comments
If there's one thing the men and women who bravely put their lives on the line defending America and freedom shouldn't have to worry about, it's whether or not they're offending anyone in the process. Yet according to Bill Whittle, who has interacted with members of our armed forces, that's exactly what's happening under our current commander in chief. Here's a partial transcript of the new edition of Afterburner, via Truth Revolt:
Bill Whittle: 'Sir, I Will Not Obey that Order' Let’s just assume for a moment that you’re a radical, left-wing zealot, who was raised by actual communists, and who, naturally enough views the United States military as the tool of capitalist exploitation and colonial racism. Now, further assume that through a perfect storm of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, fate, money, power and media bias somehow conspired to make you Commander in Chief of those same armed forces.

Posted by Amy Miller on March 27, 2015 4 Comments
The U.S. military is worried about ISIS---and not because of their violent offensive tactics. ISIS is good at propaganda. Really good. Their use of social media to recruit and promote themselves is unlike anything we've seen from an extremist group, and what's worse---it's working. Military officials believe that ISIS may even be winning the "propaganda war" in the Middle East. No stranger to propaganda themselves, the U.S. military decided to fight back. The Department of Defense recently dropped 60,000 copies of a leaflet depicting potential ISIS recruits literally being put through a meat grinder. Why propaganda? The U.S. military believes that, for all their bravado, ISIS is currently running a precarious defense in the Middle East. They're teetering in Iraq, and losing ground in Syria, partially due to coalition airstrikes targeting strongholds. The AP explains:
The leaflets, part of an information campaign to discourage people from joining the extremist group, were dropped in a canister by an F-15 fighter jet last week. ""The message of this leaflet is, if you allow yourself to be recruited by Daesh, you will find yourself in a meat grinder. And it's not beneficial to your health," said Army Col. Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman who released a copy of the leaflet Thursday in response to media requests. Daesh is the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State group.
("Daesh" is the Arabic acronym for ISIS.) Take a look at it:

Posted by Amy Miller on March 26, 2015 3 Comments
Last night, members of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force arrested a national guardsman at Chicago's Midway Airport after a long-term investigation revealed that he was allegedly planning a terror attack on an Illinois military post. Army National Guard Spc. Hasan Edmonds, 22, was on his way to Cairo to join ISIS when he was apprehended without a struggle. Agents also arrested Edmonds' cousin, Jonas Edmonds, 29, at his home in the Chicago area. Watch: According to CBS Chicago, an undercover FBI agent originally made contact with Edmonds in late 2014; this eventually led to a series of messages in which Edmonds told the agent that he was planning to travel overseas with his cousin to join ISIS:
"The State has been established and it is our duty to heed the call," he allegedly wrote. "I look forward to the training. I am already in the american kafir [infidel] army ...and now I wish only to serve in the army of Allah alongside my true brothers." In another message, he allegedly wrote, either he and his cousin would make it overseas, "or bring the flames of war to the heart od [sic] this land with Allah's permission." Jonas Edmonds allegedly told the undercover employee that they would use uniforms and information from Hasan Edmonds to access the facility and target officers.
The FBI released some information today about what the official charges look like:

Posted by Amy Miller on March 25, 2015 21 Comments
Last year, the United States released 5 high-profile al Qaeda commandos from the Guantanamo Bay detention facilities in exchange for the release Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. Bergdahl was captured by militants after he allegedly deserted his base in Paktika province in eastern Afghanistan. The exchange embroiled the Obama Administration in scandal---why did we trade dangerous prisoners for the freedom of a deserter?---and the public quickly began to demand answers about what consequences should and would rain down on Bergdahl's head. Today, finally, the Army announced that Bergdahl has been charged with one count each of desertion and "misbehavior before the enemy." If convicted, he could face life in prison. More from CNN:
The Army concluded its investigation into the circumstances of Bergdahl's capture in December. Until now, it has been in the hands of Gen. Mark Milley, head of U.S. Army Forces Command, who made the decision to charge Bergdahl. Several U.S. military officials CNN has spoken with suggested privately that the process took longer than expected. Ahead of Wednesday's announcement, officials said Milley only had a few choices. Though the sense had been that Bergdahl must be held accountable for his actions, there had been little appetite for a lengthy term in military confinement given the five years Bergdahl was held by the Taliban. Bergdahl, who's now 28, was taken by the Haqqani terrorist network. But the circumstances of Bergdahl's departure from his base and how willingly he left have not been clear. King said he couldn't offer those details on Wednesday, and that they're being treated as evidence for the upcoming proceedings against Bergdahl. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain, R-Arizona, called the charges an "important step" on Wednesday.
Of course, it wouldn't be politics if we didn't leave the charges to the lawyers and dive into the electoral consequences of one of the Administration's most controversial decisions.

Posted by Amy Miller on March 21, 2015 19 Comments
ISIS has posted the names, addresses, units, and headshots of 100 U.S. military personnel they claim have participated in airstrikes against the terror group's activities in Iraq, Syria, and other areas in the Middle East. In a message posted to the self-styled "Islamic State Hacking Division," the terror group urges its members and sympathizers in the United States to target these military members using the same brutal tactics we've seen ISIS use against its captives overseas. I chose not to go looking for the "terrorist Wikileaks," but the New York Daily News describes what it found:
“These Kuffar that drop bombs over Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Khurasan and Somalia are from the same lands that you reside in, so when will you take action?” the group asks. “Know that it is wajib for you to kill these kuffar! and now we have made it easy for you by giving you addresses, all you need to do is take the final step, so what are you waiting for? Kill them in their own lands, behead them in their own homes, stab them to death as they walk their streets thinking they are safe…” The black flag entry is a self-styled terrorist WikiLeaks titled “Target: United States Military.” It lists the name, unit and address of 100 U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marines – many of them pilots – along with headshots of each. One of the targeted is a Navy aviator from upstate New York. “You crusaders that fight the Islamic State, we say to you: ‘Die in your rage!’” the ISIS post said.

Posted by Amy Miller on March 21, 2015 6 Comments
Things just keep getting worse for the US military in Yemen. What was remaining of the US military presence in Yemen has been---or is in the process of---evacuating the region after attacks by both Shiite Houthi rebels and al-Qaeda forces caused a breakdown in security.
In their statement, the rebels described their coming offensive against security and military institutions loyal to President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi as a battle against extremists. Their appeal came just minutes after Hadi gave a defiant speech challenging the Houthis, his first address broadcast to the public since fleeing Sanaa last month. He described the rebels' rule in Sanaa and elsewhere as "a coup against constitutional legitimacy." The U.S. troops, including Special Forces commandos, were leaving the al-Annad air base near the southern city of al-Houta, Yemeni military and security officials said. Speaking on condition of anonymity as they weren't authorized to discuss troop movements, the officials did not say whether the troops had left the country. Some 100 American troops and Special Forces commandos are believed to be stationed there. U.S. officials declined immediate comment Saturday.
Fox News has more:

Posted by Amy Miller on March 18, 2015 7 Comments
Earlier this year, Iranian-backed Houthi rebels evolved from regional threat into formidable occupation force. They moved out of their strongholds in north Yemen to threaten, menace, and finally occupy the capital city of Sana'a. Conditions deteriorated to the point where the U.S. embassy was forced to evacuate; reports quickly surfaced that the evacuation was botched, and questions arose about the status of weapons, vehicles, and other military aid supplies left behind when US forces left the region. Without an available surveillance infrastructure, the Defense Department has been unable to monitor the movement of small arms and other supplies, and now the Pentagon has come forward saying that they're unable to account for $500 million worth of supplies. From the Washington Post:
In recent weeks, members of Congress have held closed-door meetings with U.S. military officials to press for an accounting of the arms and equipment. Pentagon officials have said that they have little information to go on and that there is little they can do at this point to prevent the weapons and gear from falling into the wrong hands. “We have to assume it’s completely compromised and gone,” said a legislative aide on Capitol Hill who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. U.S. military officials declined to comment for the record. A defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the Pentagon, said there was no hard evidence that U.S. arms or equipment had been looted or confiscated. But the official acknowledged that the Pentagon had lost track of the items.
Who likely got their hands on it? Either al Qaeda, or the Houthi---and neither prospect offers much hope for their return. WaPo created an infographic displaying military aid the US has sent to Yemen since 2010:

Posted by Amy Miller on February 28, 2015 28 Comments
On Thursday, Rep. Roger Williams (R-Texas) introduced a bill that would call on the President to honor "American Sniper" Chris Kyle posthumously with the Medal of Honor.
From the Washington Post: “Chris gave the ultimate sacrifice and served his nation with distinction and bravery while saving countless American lives,” said Williams. “There is no doubt that this true American hero is worthy of our nation’s highest military honor. While the Medal of Honor will not bring back a husband, father, son and a model Texan, we owe Chris Kyle and his family a great deal of gratitude for his relentless devotion to his country.” Kyle already is highly decorated for his heroism in combat. He received two prestigious Silver Stars, which are two levels below the Medal of Honor, and five Bronze Stars with V device for valor. Kyle left the military in 2009, and released his memoir “American Sniper” in January 2012. Williams, whose district includes part of the county where Kyle was killed, said in a news release that on a number of occasions, legislation has been introduced to waive restrictions and encourage the president to award the Medal of Honor.
This type of waiver wouldn't be unprecedented, but it is rare---which means that the move by Rep. Williams is causing a hailstorm of controversy not over Kyle's record, but over whether or not the Medal of Honor is the appropriate award to honor Kyle and his family for his service both during and after his time in the military. Some say that this move is being fast tracked because of Kyle's sudden "American Sniper"-fueled popularity, and not by his service overseas. On "Fox and Friends" this week, vets Howard Wasdin and Carl Higbie explained both sides of the debate. Watch:

Posted by Amy Miller on February 07, 2015 9 Comments
After five years of lobbying, lawmakers and activists have ensured that the victims of the 2009 terror attack on Fort Hood will receive the Purple Heart. After the attack, lawyers for the victims of Major Nidal Hasan's massacre began to put pressure on the Army to declare the attack an act of terrorism (as opposed to "workplace violence,") so that victims and their families could receive the medals and associated benefits. Congress changed the game when they altered the National Defense Authorization Act to expand eligibility for the Purple Heart to include those wounded by a perpetrator in communication with or inspired by a foreign terrorist. From the Austin American-Statesman:
Army Secretary John M. McHugh has directed Army officials to identify soldiers and civilians eligible for the Purple Heart, and its civilian equivalent the Defense of Freedom medal, “as soon as possible and to contact them about presentation of the awards,” the Army said today. McHugh said the Purple Heart’s “strict eligibility criteria” had prevented victims from receiving the awards earlier. “Now that Congress has changed the criteria, we believe there is sufficient reason to allow these men and women to be awarded and recognized with either the Purple Heart or, in the case of civilians, the Defense of Freedom Medal,” McHugh said in a statement. “It’s an appropriate recognition of their service and sacrifice.”
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