When I first heard of this, I thought, "Oh, no. Another one of those 'basic training rumors' that keep going around. Remember the one about "stress cards" that recruits in (pick your service) basic training were given, so that they could call a "time out" from basic training if they felt too stressed?

Turns out the "cell phone" rumor is true.

There's an old saying, "There's the right way, the wrong way, and the military way." When I was on active duty, we enlisted members would often gather together and discuss stupid military rules we'd encountered, and what we would do to change things if we were ever put in charge.

I'm sure many of you have seen stupid rules during your military service. How about sharing them? What stupid rules did you see, and what would you do to change them if you could?

Enlisted military members are paid a "clothing allowance" to pay for maintenance and replacement of required uniform items. The allowances shown here are for Fiscal Year 2010 and are effective from October 1, 2009 through September 30, 2010.

The Department of Defense has released its recruiting statistics for Fiscal Year 2009. A "fiscal year" runs from October 1, to September 30 of the following year).

Air Force TACCs spend most of their careers assigned to Army combat units. Their job is to provide laison between the Army and Air Force, and Air Force pilots to coordinate air strikes in support of Army ground combat missions.

The Air Force is experiencing a signficant shortage of TACCs. In fiscal 2005, there were 622 controllers in the service. By fiscal 2013, the Air Force estimates they will need 1,056 controllers to meet Army needs, a 70 percent increase.

The Air Force has removed a recruiting video from their recruiting website after receiving a complaint from the Marine Corps. According to an article in the Marine Times, the video included a clip from an Air Force Military Training Instructor saying that recruits who graduated from Air Force Basic Training were in better shape than most Marines.

Everything you've ever wanted to know about the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery.

As I previously reported, there will be no military retiree cost of living raise this January. Why? Because, by law, military retiree and social security raises are tied to the Labor Department's Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures yearly inflation in the cost of goods. This year there was actually a decrease in the price of goods measured by the Department of Labor. This is because the CPI is heavily influenced by oil prices, as oil prices involve direct transportation costs, heating costs and even the cost of food and clothing.

However, the Obama administration has announced a plan to give military retirees, federal civilian retirees, veterans or survivors of veterans, Social Security beneficiaries, and people receiving Supplemental Security income (SSI) a one-time $250 check. Those who qualify under more than one category -- such as a military retiree also receiving veterans disability compensation and Social Security -- would receive only one $250 check..

I want to point out -- this is far from a "done deal." First, the Obama administration must formally present a bill to Congress, then Congress has to meddle around with it, and finally pass it, and then the President must sign the final bill into law.

Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, has officially requested a troop increase of 40,000 in Afghanistan. The United States current has around 60,000 troops deployed to the country.

However, word on the DC streets is that the Obama administration is considering other options, with a much more modest troop increase.

There is less than three months left until the Air Force makes the new standards on their PT mandatory. However, data obtained by the Air Force Times (based on previous test scores), indicates that as many as four out of ten airmen may fail to meet the new standards.

Not waiting to be surprised, commanders throughout the Air Force are implementing tougher fitness programs (including mandatory squadron PT) to make sure their airmen are ready to meet the tougher standards that take effect January 1.