Archived Military Matters
The About.com U.S. Military Newsletter
Note: Newslinks contained in this archived newsletter will take you to the discussion area of the U.S. Military Forum, but links to the stories from there are probably no longer valid. Online news-sources normally leave links active for only a few days.
MILITARY MATTERS
Newsletter #18
11/1/99
Howdy all, and welcome to the 18th edition of Military Matters, the weekly newsletter for About.com's U.S. Military Page. If you know anyone who is interested in military matters, please feel free to email them a copy of this newsletter.
To subscribe or unsubscribe to this newsletter, go to:
http://usmilitary.about.com/gi/pages/mmail.htm.
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Last Poll: Let's get a head start on next year's elections. Do you think our next President will be: Democrat? Republican? Reform Party? Independent?
80 percent of you said the next President would be Republican!
http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/start/?msg=255.1
This Issue's Poll: Do you think the U.S. Military is getting too "High-Tech?"
http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/start/?msg=281.1
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IN THE SPOTLIGHT:
WHAT THE RECRUITER DIDN'T TELL YOU: Part I of a multi-part series, highlighting the good AND bad about Military pay and benefits. In the first part, Military Basic Pay and Housing.
http://usmilitary.about.com/library/weekly/aa103199.htm
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THE U.S. MILITARY SITE WANTS YOU:
Well, some of you, anyway. We're getting ready to gen up our online Military Chat Area, and we're looking for a few good volunteers with military experience to become Chat Hosts. If you're interested, drop me an email at usmilitary.guide@about.com. Please include a brief summary of your military experience and the amount of time you would be willing to contribute (minimum of two hours per week).
NEWS AND COMMENTARY:
To read the full stories, click on the link below. If you are not a member of our Forum, and don't wish to join, you may still read the story by clicking on "Enter as a Guest" when you see the login screen. Members, of course, may post responses to any of these story items.
DEDICATED TO THE AMERICAN SOLDIER: Christmas Carol, dedicated to soldiers and veterans everywhere.
http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/start/?msg=280.1
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NATURE WALK, OR FORCED MARCH?: STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Can tanks and turtles coexist in peace? Jeanne Jones believes they can, and she's proving it.
http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/start/?msg=279.1
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LAST OF THE INDONESIANS GONE: DILI, East Timor - Indonesian troops withdrew from East Timor Sunday, ending Jakarta's 24-year controversial attempt to assimilate the territory and its people.
http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/start/?msg=278.1
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WILL CHINA FILL THE VACUUM?: Is China sneaking up on our southern flank? Well, if you believe the likes of Pat Buchanan, Washington is leaving the door wide open to the People's Liberation Army on Monday, when it gives Panama the keys to the last U.S. military bases in the Canal Zone.
http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/start/?msg=277.1
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WAS THE PLANE SHOT DOWN?: Some victims' families and lawmakers question the circumstances behind the July 23 crash of a U.S. Military plane over Columbia. And they continue to speculate about whether the plane was shot down.
http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/start/?msg=276.1
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IS COLUMBIA THE NEXT VIETNAM?: Increasingly, Green Berets, the U.S. Army's special warfare unit, top Marine Corps forces, Air Force surveillance teams and even the U.S. Coast Guard are on deployment in and around Colombia under the umbrella of the anti-narcotics mandate.
http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/start/?msg=275.1
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U.S. TEACHES RUSSIANS TO GUARD NUKES: SERGIEV POSAD, Russia - The United States and Russia opened a U.S.-funded nuclear security center Monday to train Russian officers to guard atomic weapons storage sites and use high-tech detection equipment.
http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/start/?msg=274.1
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HOW NICE, WE'RE FRIENDS AGAIN: HONG KONG- The first Hong Kong port call by a U.S. Navy destroyer since NATO's bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Yugoslavia signals the thawing of chilly U.S.-China relations, the commanding officer said Monday.
http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/start/?msg=273.1
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WE'RE NOT ALONE: It's not just the United States who is having problems getting enough people to join their armed forces. The armed forces of the UK are being told to be nicer to their recruits as they struggle to get more people to join up.
http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/start/?msg=272.1
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F-16s VS. MIGS: Six MiG-29 Fulcrums, now part of Germany's Luftwaffe, have been dog fighting with their U.S. Air Force counterparts at Red Flag, one of the Air Force's major combat exercises. The MiGs' appearance marks the first time Soviet-made fighters have flown in Red Flag, a semiannual exercise designed to teach American and NATO pilots what it is like to battle a Russian-trained air force.
http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/start/?msg=271.1
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AIR FORCE SHORTENS TEST DATES: SAN ANTONIO -- Dramatically cutting the number of days during which airmen can test for promotion next year is just one step toward tightening test security. Eventually, the Air Force hopes to follow the Navy's lead and test everyone gunning for a particular rank in a single day, personnel officials said.
http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/start/?msg=270.1
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F-16s VS. MIGS: Six MiG-29 Fulcrums, now part of Germany's Luftwaffe, have been dog fighting with their U.S. Air Force counterparts at Red Flag, one of the Air Force's major combat exercises. The MiGs' appearance marks the first time Soviet-made fighters have flown in Red Flag, a semiannual exercise designed to teach American and NATO pilots what it is like to battle a Russian-trained air force.
http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/start/?msg=271.1
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WAY TO END A CAREER: A frontrunner in the race to be the next sergeant major of the Army now faces criminal charges for allegedly forcing himself sexually on a subordinate.
http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/start/?msg=269.1
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ARMY WINS THE LOTTO: The 2000 Defense Appropriations Act signed by President Clinton Oct. 26 gives the Army almost $3 billion dollars more than requested by the Pentagon.
http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/start/?msg=268.1
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NEW PUP TENTS: For years, soldiers of all ranks have fashioned field-expedient shelters using ponchos, bungee cords and tent stakes to avoid carrying the Army's outdated canvas pup tent. As early as next year, soldiers could be trading in their shelter halves and ponchos for a new level of hooch technology.
http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/start/?msg=267.1
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MARINES COMBINING ATC MOS's: If you're a junior air traffic controller who thought your chances at being promoted or awarded bonuses was close to nothing, take heart. The Marine Corps is reorganizing its enlisted air traffic controller occupational field in the hope that it can eliminate concerns of many Marines that the field does not promote or award bonuses equitably.
http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/start/?msg=266.1
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EARLY COMMAND OPPORTUNITY: Opportunities for nearly 50 lieutenants and captains to get command experience early in their careers will be available next year at the Marine Corps recruit depots. Manpower officials will have 22 openings next year for series officers at Parris Island, S.C. -- 16 for men and six for women. At San Diego, Calif., 23 billets will be available, all for men.
http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/start/?msg=265.1
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DEPENDENTS ISSUED GAS MASKS: WASHINGTON -- U.S. Forces Korea has taken another step to protect military families and other DoD-affiliated non- combatants from the threat of weapons of mass destruction. Command officials announced Oct. 29 that DoD had approved its request to issue protective masks to command and non- command sponsored military family members in South Korea.
http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/start/?msg=262.1
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SAILORS VIE FOR REENLISTMENT BUCKS: The Navy is getting a huge bang for its re-enlistment buck, with sailors rushing to capitalize on a generous new bonus program. Just a month into the new fiscal year, personnel specialists report that nearly 1,700 sailors agreed to ship over for a total of nearly $17 million in selective re-enlistment bonuses.
http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/start/?msg=264.1
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STILL NO WOMEN ON SUBS: SAN DIEGO -- The Navy will continue its current policy of barring women from submarines, even though commanders "probably" can make mixed-gender crews work, officials told a defense advisory panel Oct. 21. Navy submarine officials told a defense advisory panel that the current policy barring women to be assigned on submarines will continue.
http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/start/?msg=263.1
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VIEQUES DISCUSSIONS CONTINUE: Under Secretary of Defense Rudy de Leon, Chief of Staff to the Secretary of Defense Robert S. Tyrer, and Puerto Rican Chief of Staff Angel Morey met at the Pentagon today to discuss the Rush Panel's recommendations on military operations in Vieques.
http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/start/?msg=261.1
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DEDICATION TO AMERICA'S HEROES: The President, in the name of Congress, has awarded 3,427 Medals of Honor to 3,408 of our nation's bravest Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen since the decoration's creation in 1861. For the next 3,427 days, the U.S. Military Forum will post a Medal of Honor Citation. Please join us every day to read about the accomplishments of these heroes, and to give thanks to their dedication and sacrifice to our great Nation.
http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/messages/?ctx=262144&cacheTag=x23-57&ld=&msg=0
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DO YOU HAVE A MILITARY WEB SITE? If so, and you would like to make a little money, plus give your viewers access to the latest and greatest in military information, About.com will pay you 6 cents per click for traffic you drive to the About.com U.S. Military Web Site. Details are at:
http://affiliates.about.com
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NEW STUFF: If you haven't visited the U.S. Military Web Site recently, you're missing out on the best source of military information on the Internet. We've recently added new information to all of the categories.
http://usmilitary.about.com
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LINK OF THE WEEK: Brand new Defense Finance Accounting Web Site, which explains all of the new pay incentives included in the FY2000 Defense Appropriations Act.
http://pay2000.dtic.mil/
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MILITARY HUMOR: A Lieutenant, a Colonel, and a Sergeant Major were all killed in a common disaster, and arrived in Heaven together, where they were met by St. Peter.
St. Peter asked them, "What would you like the people on Earth to say about you?"
The Lieutenant said, "I would like them to say I was a great family man and an inspiration to my children."
The Colonel said, "I would like them to say I was a great military leader."
The Sergeant Major said, "I would like them to say, 'Look! He's moving!"
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With those words of wisdom, I once again leave you.,
Rod Powers
About.com's U.S. Military Guide
