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 may no longer be valid. Online news-sources often leave links active for only a few days.

http://usmilitary.about.com/library/weekly/aa111200a.htm
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NOTE: This feature was suggested by my editor. It's a different "style" of writing for me, and will take me a couple of times to get used to it. However, it was a hell of a lot of fun to write. I plan to continue the feature in the coming months, hoping to lead the reader through actual boot camp situations (the experiences of myself and others), in an informative, yet entertaining format. Feel free to let me know if you like, dislike, or plain don't care about this feature. If you have any boot camp "war stories," that I can interject into future parts of this feature, please email your experiences to me at usmilitary.guide@about.com.

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Previous Poll: If you're a military veteran, here's your chance to do it all over again, knowing what you know now. If you've never been in the military, here's your chance to let everyone know which military service you like the best. Regardless of your physical health, age, IQ, ASVAB Scores, etc., if you could enlist today, and have any enlisted job you wanted, which military service would you choose?

13 percent said (A) - Army; 29 percent said (B) - Air Force; 13 percent said (C) - Navy; 43 percent said (D) - Marines; and 2 percent said (E) - Coast Guard

http://usmilitary.about.com/library/polls/blfavorite.htm
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This Issue's Poll:

There is little doubt that the state of Florida will decide who will become our next Commander-in-Chief. The Al Gore Camp has demanded recounts in specific counties with large democrat populations. The George W. Bush Camp asked a Federal court to intervene in Florida's election procedures.

Which Presidential Candidate has Comported Himself in the Best Manner Since November 7th?

(A) - Al Gore; (B) - George W. Bush; (C) - Tie - Both Candidates Have Been Pathetic; or (D) - Tie - Both Candidates Are Simply Following the Procedures of Law

http://usmilitary.about.com/library/polls/blfloridarace.htm
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NEWS AND COMMENTARY:

PLEASE NOTE: While anyone can click on the below links and read the news stories, if you wish to be able to "reply" to the story to express you're own comments and view, you must join our community. Joining as simple, and it's FREE. You can join at:

http://usmilitary.about.com/gi/membership/join.htm

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Military Spouses Form Investment Groups: STUTTGART — The 12 women in the Robinson Barracks living room weren’t talking Tupperware. They were debating dilution values, recommended buys and earnings reports. "We didn’t know that much when we started, but we’ve learned to educate ourselves," said Beth Magee, a member of the Women’s Investment Group Stuttgart. Created in June, WIGS is an investment club with a twist that fits the transient lifestyle of military spouses. Similar groups pool their money to buy stocks, and members own shares of the group’s portfolio. But because WIGS membership is transitory — about a third of the women will move within a year — the group makes a collective decision on which stocks members will buy, but individual members purchase the shares on their own from an Internet broker. When they move, they no longer have input into that month’s buy decision but can follow the club’s recommendation through e-mail and continue investing.

http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/messages?lgnF=y&msg=4607.1
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VA Offers Hep C Tests for Vets: The American Liver Foundation's Veterans Council again is sending in-home test kits to veterans upon request. Hepatitis C infection is four to five times more likely to occur among veterans than among the general population. Veterans who wish to receive a test kit can call , (888) 888-HEPC, or visit http://www.liverfoundation.org/

http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/messages?lgnF=y&msg=4670.1
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Big Opportunity for Navy/Marine Computer Geeks: When the Navy announced a contract had been awarded for the Navy-Marine Corps Intranet, the wheels were in motion to turn 421 sailors into some of the hottest info-tech workers in the country. The Navy has plans to train those sailors, along with 251 Marines in the very latest computer technology, so they can work side-by-side with the contractors on the largest Intranet in the World.

http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/messages?lgnF=y&msg=4621.1
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Eco-Challenge Finds Many Takers in Military: Marine Cpl. Patrick Dunne is feeling the call of the Alaskan wilderness. He’s one of dozens of U.S. servicemembers applying to compete in the Armed Forces Eco-Challenge Qualifier in Alaska. Fifty teams will compete in the qualifier, racing across some of the toughest terrain on Earth. The winning team will earn a berth in the next Eco-Challenge, which features competitors from around the world.

http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/messages?lgnF=y&msg=4605.1
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Cole Guards Told Don't Fire First: WASHINGTON — The sailors on sentry duty aboard the USS Cole when it was bombed last month did not have ammunition in their guns and were not authorized to shoot unless fired upon, according to members of the ship’s crew.

http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/messages?lgnF=y&msg=4711.1
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U.S. Soldiers Try to Stop Violence in Kosovo Town: CERNICA, Kosovo — The moon was a full, flat disc in a sky the color of gunmetal when the soldiers arrived, rattling into town before dawn. The town was half Serb, half Albanian, and has been all trouble. Albanians are in charge now, and some have not been above killing. One killed three Serbs — including 4-year-old Milos Petrovic — in a May drive-by. And there have been smaller problems. But whether problems big or small, about 400 U.S. soldiers arrived to stop them all. The troops hoped to sweep through Cernica in the wee Saturday hours, lock down the town, and seize all its weapons of war. Lt. Col. Michael Cloy commanded the mission. He called it Operation Milos, a memorial for the slain boy. "It’s been very violent," Cloy said. "Bombings. Houses blown up. Churches blown up. Our real purpose is to give the moderates a chance to get on living."

http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/messages?lgnF=y&msg=4702.1
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Two More Arrested in Kuwait Bombing Plot: KUWAIT CITY--Authorities have arrested two more Kuwaitis suspected of belonging to a terrorist group that was planning attacks on U.S. forces in Kuwait, and a third has been detained in Qatar, the Interior Ministry said yesterday.

http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/messages?lgnF=y&msg=4698.1
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Students Protest Japanese/US Exercise: YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — Inside the base gates, firefighters, police and medical crews swarmed into action Thursday for a large disaster exercise. Outside the gates, about 150 students and Marxists marched along the fenceline, protesting the base’s participation in Keen Sword 01 exercises. Keen Sword — a joint U.S./Japan military exercise held every two years — is ongoing at several locations throughout Japan, including a large search-and-rescue exercise at Iwakuni Marine Corps Air Station. Servicemembers from Camp Zama, Yokosuka Naval Base, Yokota and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces took part in Thursday’s medical training exercise at the base. In the scenario, there was an industrial explosion and fire.

http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/messages?lgnF=y&msg=4675.1
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Yemen Told of Earlier Plot Against US Ship: U.S. investigators probing last month's bombing of the USS Cole in Yemen have been told by Yemeni officials that anti-Western guerrillas had planned to bomb another U.S. destroyer as it refueled in Aden last January, U.S. officials said yesterday.

http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/messages?lgnF=y&msg=4664.1
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E. Timor Mission to be Reviewed: The United States will review its mission in East Timor this month and decide whether to change the makeup of its small force there. "Any one of three things could happen," said Navy Cmdr. Stephen Beckvonpeccoz, a spokesman for the U.S. Support Group East Timor. "The staff could grow smaller, it could stay the same, or it could grow bigger. Or the mission could go away completely." Beckvonpeccoz is the executive officer of USGET, the small headquarters that the United States has in Dili, the East Timor capital. USGET coordinates ship visits and humanitarian aid missions in support of the U.N. peacekeeping force in East Timor. The United States is not directly involved in the U.N. force. There is a ship visit every month or so, and medical and dental teams visit at least once a quarter. In addition, military engineer units rotate in for 90 days at a time to repair buildings in the devastated country.

http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/messages?lgnF=y&msg=4633.1
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Soldier who Shot Kosovo Boy Will Face Court-Martial: A general court martial will determine the fate of the 1st Armored Division soldier who accidentally killed a 6-year-old boy in Kosovo this summer, the soldier’s division commander decided Wednesday. Pfc. Nicholas E. Young, of the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, faces charges of negligent homicide and dereliction of duty for fatally shooting Gentrit Rexhepi on July 10. Maj. Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the 1st Armored Division’s commander, found that "sufficient evidence existed to refer the case to trial," according to a press release sent out Wednesday.

http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/messages?lgnF=y&msg=4672.1
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Law Limits Awarding of Bronze Star: A new law that limits awarding the Bronze Star to those who have seen combat is the result of behind-the-scenes efforts by a lawmaker and Persian Gulf War veteran to prevent what he views as the “dilution” of the medal.

http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/messages?lgnF=y&msg=4630.1
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Coast Guard Pleased with New Budget: The Coast Guard has $4.5 billion to do business this year, an increase of $270 million from fiscal 2000. Even though the budget leaves the Coast Guard short in some critical areas, such as purchase of parts and fuel, overall, the Coast Guard is pleased with the budget increase.

http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/messages?lgnF=y&msg=4620.1
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Army Fires Drug Colonel: WASHINGTON – An Army colonel who pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges of laundering cash from his wife's drug deals while he headed U.S. anti-drug operations in Colombia has been fired by the Army.

http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/messages?lgnF=y&msg=4603.1
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DOD Gets New Recruiting Incentives: WASHINGTON -- An expanded college loan repayment program and a modified retirement savings system are two new recruiting tools at DoD's disposal because of legislation recently signed by President Clinton, said DoD’s senior civilian personnel official. Diane Disney, deputy assistant secretary of defense for civilian personnel policy, noted that the two popular recruitment tools are widely used in the private sector. She said they will help DoD attract “the best and the brightest” civilian employees. “This is an extremely tight labor market," Disney said. "We now have 77 percent fewer people in their 20s [in DoD] than we did a decade ago, and many people are coming up on retirement eligibility. We need to take definite steps to improve our recruitment of college graduates.”

http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/messages?lgnF=y&msg=4708.1
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Pet Owners Get Help with Quarantine Costs: WASHINGTON -- Service members and DoD civilians are getting a little help from Uncle Sam when they have to quarantine their pets during permanent-change- of-station moves. As of Oct. 1, 2000, the government will kick in $275 to help defray the cost of quarantining pets. Congress approved the payment as part of the Fiscal 2001 Defense Authorization Act.

http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/messages?lgnF=y&msg=4700.1
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DOD To Officer Computer Scholarships: Unable to pay six-figure salaries to keep computer-literate service members, the Defense Department will instead offer full scholarships to those seeking high-tech careers in exchange for a service commitment.

http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/messages?lgnF=y&msg=4618.1
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Battle Buddies: An infantry assignment is a good place to have a close friend. At least that’s what the Army Infantry Center at Fort Benning, Ga., is proposing by allowing new recruits to sign up with a friend and guaranteeing they will be stationed together at their first duty assignment. If the program works, it could also spread to other branches of the Army.

http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/messages?lgnF=y&msg=4626.1
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Remains of 15 Korean War Casualties on Their Way Home: TOKYO, Japan — The recently unearthed remains of 15 men who died 50 winters ago in North Korea were slated to begin a long trip home Saturday. The men apparently died fighting Chinese troops in a November 1950 battle that lasted several days. The area under excavation is where hundreds of men from the 1st Cavalry Division, 25th Infantry Division, and attached units died in the Korean War. An Air Force cargo plane was scheduled to bring Saturday the remains of 15 U.S. soldiers to Yokota Air Base in Japan. Yokota officials planned a short repatriation ceremony.

http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/messages?lgnF=y&msg=4709.1
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2 US Military Jets Collide Over Japanese Waters: TOKYO – U.S. and Japanese planes and ships scoured waters off northern Japan for a missing pilot Monday after two U.S. military jets collided during a training mission. The second pilot was rescued.

http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/messages?lgnF=y&msg=4706.1
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Carrier Truman is Ready for Deployment: America's newest aircraft carrier, the Harry S. Truman, and its battle group is ready for its maiden deployment to the Mideast maelstrom, ready to begin paying dividends on its $4.5 billion construction price tag, ready to follow its motto -- ``Give 'em hell, Harry'' -- if it should come to that.

http://forums.about.com/ab-usmilitary/messages?lgnF=y&msg=4696.1
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You can read more military news on the About.com U.S. Military Site at:

http://usmilitary.about.com/library/news/newsindex.htm
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Around and About:

Military Bases & Units -- Trying to find information about a specific military base or unit? Try our extensive list of resources about Military Bases, Installations, Ships, and Units.

http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/basesandunits/index.htm
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Selling Our Military Out - Advanced Pensions" may be legitimate, but not necessarily a good deal. And whether civilian or military, you had better check out what's at stake here!

http://credit.about.com/library/weekly/aa111000a.htm
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Help a Deployed Military Member Say "Merry Christmas." Send your unused Christmas Cards to Deployed Military Members. (Deadline is 12 December).

http://www.homefronthq.com/
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U.S. Government Information & Resources.

http://usgovinfo.about.com/
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Shopping About -- Buy your favorite items on the Internet.

http://usmilitary.about.com/gi/shopping/vstore/vstore.htm?channel=careers&site=usmilitary

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CHAT: Dennis Fauchier (DennisHOST) will be hosting General Military Chats every Saturday from 6:00 PM (EST) to 7:00 PM (EST) and every Wednesday from 12:00 PM (EST) to 1:00 PM (EST). Edward Hanrahan (AssassinHOST) will host every Saturday night from 9:00 PM (EST) to 1:00 AM (EST).

http://usmilitary.about.com/mpchat.htm
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MILITARY HUMOR: Air Force Bike Test: Ways to be annoying during the Annual Air Force Fitness (stationary bicycle) Test:

1. Wear a bike helmet to the test. Optional: Include knee and elbow pads.

2. Demand the tester wear a reflective road guard vest "for safety."

3. Bring a bike horn and attach it. Each time the tester adjusts the tension, honk the horn loudly and yell, "Get the hell out of the way, you idiot!"

4. Bring a bike bell and attach it. Ring it once every 15 seconds - "Just to maintain your rhythm."

5. Attach streamers to the hand grips.

6. Bring a playing card to the test. Demand that it be inserted in the spokes.

7. Pop a wheelie. Optional: Do an axle grind on the nearest table. Optional: Bunny hop the bike.

8. At the beginning of the test, peddle while standing. Tell the tester,"I'm going uphill now, you fool."

9. Halfway through the test, stop peddling and lower your head between the handle bars and stick your butt in the air. Explain to the tester, "I'm coasting downhill and about to take the lead in the Tour De France!!!"

10. Signal all turns.

11. Make motorcycle sounds. Be sure to shift gears when the tester changesthe tension.

12. Bring a sack of newspapers. Deliver them.

13. Periodically extend your legs and arms, yelling, "Look ma, no hands!"

14. Bring a friend to ride on the handle bars. Optional: Attach a kiddy seat to the back. Bring your kid.

15. Bring a bike lock. Be sure to secure the bike when you leave.

For more military humor, visit our Military Humor Subject-Area on the About.com U.S. Military Information Site at:

http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/militaryhumor/index.htm
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With those words of wisdom, I once again leave you.,

Rod Powers
About.com's U.S. Military Information Site

Discuss in my forum