Free Republic

High-tech weapons may be screaming through the skies at five times the speed of sound by the middle of the next decade, U.S. military officials say. That's the most optimistic timeline for the battlefied debut of a superfast new strike capability, officials said, and it depends on continued research into hypersonic vehicles like the Air Force's X-51A Waverider, which completed its final test flight earlier this month. The Air Force is "trying to get the technologies mature enough that in the 2020 timeframe we would like to be able to show the warfighter that we would be ready to start...

(article photo) In one of the less rational attacks on the NRA to date, the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence's Josh Horwitz used his May 20 column to make the case that the NRA doesn't understand the Constitution or the man who wrote it--James Madison. According to Horwitz, this was proven at the NRA's Annual Meeting in Houston during the first weekend in May. There, speakers gave speeches on what "sounded a lot like vigilantism and anarchy" and very little like the adoration for governmental power that Horwitz claims our Founding Fathers enshrined in the Constitution. To back up his...

Russia’s FSB has foiled a terror attack in Moscow as they managed to kill two and detain one of the militants planning it, the National Anti-Terrorism Committee said. The three men are “Russian citizens, arrived from Afghani-Pakistani region, where they have been trained,” the committee said. All three are said to practice Islam. Some reports suggest that the militants underwent training in Pakistan's Northern Waziristan, however, it is unknown which group they belong to. According to Russian special services, Waziristan is a hotbed of Taliban extremism. "There are also training camps for terrorists who come from all over the world....

Russian techies are developing a series of robots that are designed specifically to do battle in terrorist camps and neutralize terrorists in the act, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin told Ria Novosti newswire on Friday. The robo-cop will also be used to aid in evacuations from the scene of a terrorist attack, he said. Other anti-terrorist tech includes systems that can see through walls and engage shooters at long distances, he said. Rogozin did not say when robo-cop might be deployed by the country’s security and intelligence services.

Subbing for mylife...

"The State Department says, “Eligibility for access to classified information, commonly known as a security clearance, is granted only to those for whom an appropriate personnel security background investigation has been completed."

Nicholas Winton rescued hundreds of young Jews from the Nazis and is a nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize. We meet some of the children he savedThe birthday party will be modest and understated, in keeping with the man. Sir Nicholas Winton is 104 tomorrow and naturally some of his children will be there to wish him well. Not only his blood offspring but those known as Winton’s Children – the ones he saved from near-certain death three-quarters of a century ago. Nicholas – Nicky – Winton hates to be thought of as a hero, hates being compared with Oskar...

When rationing was introduced in January 1940, the Ministry of Food distributed various leaflets to the public. They fell into different categories: some explained new ingredients such as dried eggs, while others offered helpful guides to making the most of the rations.

Two trained dolphins surprise Navy specialists with their find: a Howell torpedo, state-of-the-art for its day in the late 19th century. It's only the second one known to exist.SAN DIEGO — In the ocean off Coronado, a Navy team has discovered a relic worthy of display in a military museum: a torpedo of the kind deployed in the late 19th century, considered a technological marvel in its day. But don't look for the primary discoverers to get a promotion or an invitation to meet the admirals at the Pentagon — although they might get an extra fish for dinner or...

Star Trek Into Darkness Dedicated To Post-9/11 Vets – Four Vets From Mission Continues Featured In Film If you watch the credits for J.J. Abrams' Star Trek Into Darkness you will notice that the film is dedicated to post-9/11 veterans. And the connection doesn't end there as Abrams cast four vets from the Mission Continues charity in the film.

President Harry S. Truman led the effort to establish a single holiday for citizens to come together and thank our military members for their patriotic service in support of our country. On August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day to replace separate Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force Days. The single day celebration stemmed from the unification of the Armed Forces under the Department of Defense. Our Deepest Thanks to Our Armed Forces!May God Bless and Keep All.

As Alayna Adams stepped up to throw the first pitch at Thursday night's Tampa Bay Rays game she was hoping to honor her father, who was deployed in Afghanistan. She never dreamed, however, that he would be the one catching that pitch. But, as KMOV reports, her dad had a wonderful surprise for her.

Colin Pascik and Justin Baldridge were friends in a U.S. Marine unit deployed in Afghanistan. Three and a half months after being stationed there, Pascik lost both his legs when he stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED). After returning home, he promised Baldridge in a satellite call from California that he would walk to him and give him a hug when he returned home. Pascik made good on his promise when Baldridge returned in 2010. He rose and made his way to his buddy, steadying himself on a pair of crutches and two prosthetic limbs.

When Marine Sgt. Ross Gundlach served as a dog handler in Afghanistan, he told the yellow lab who was his constant companion that he'd look her up when he returned home. "I promised her if we made it out of alive, I'd do whatever it took to find her," Gundlach said. On Friday, he made good on that vow with help from some sentimental state officials in Iowa who know how to pull off a surprise.

Nine-year-old Alayna Adams had just watched a video of her father, Lieutenant Colonel Will Adams, on the big screen at the Trop before throwing the ceremonial pitch at Thursday night's Tampa Bay Rays game. What came next might make your eyes water. Unbeknownst to his family, Lt. Colonel Adams was not only at the game to see her pitch, but he was the man behind the plate dressed in catcher's gear. After she bounced the pitch to the catcher, her father revealed himself to her by taking off his mask -- the reaction from Alayna was priceless as she raced...

<p>DES MOINES (AP) — When Marine Sgt. Ross Gundlach served as a dog handler in Afghanistan, he told the yellow lab who was his constant companion that he'd look her up when he returned home.</p> <p>"I promised her if we made it out of alive, I'd do whatever it took to find her," Gundlach said.</p>

Betrayal in Benghazi The combat code of the US Military is that we don’t abandon our dead or wounded on the battlefield. In US Air Force lingo, fighter pilots don’t run off and leave their wingmen. If one of our own is shot down, still alive and not yet in enemy captivity, we will either come to get him or die trying. Among America’s fighting forces, the calm, sure knowledge that such an irrevocable bond exists is priceless. Along with individual faith and personal grit, it is a sacred trust that has often sustained hope in the face of terribly...

United States Army soldier Henry L. Johnson, also known as “Black Death,” earned his fearsome nickname in France during World War I. After being ambushed by German forces and taken captive, Johnson freed himself and other soldiers using just a rifle and a knife. His heroic act was rewarded by France officials and has been awarded posthumously several times over. NewsOne takes a look back at the riveting tale of Johnson’s run-in with the Germans as he fought his way to freedom and future glory. Details of Johnson’s early life are scattered, with some historians saying he was born in...

'It made him look like a butler': Retired general blasts President Obama for ordering U.S. Marine to break military rules by holding an umbrella The President unwittingly forced two U.S Marines to break protocol and regulations as he ordered them to use umbrellas Former United States Air Force Lieutenant Thomas McInerney criticized the President for making the officers look like butlers By DAVID MARTOSKO, JAMES NYE and DANIEL BATES 16 May 2013 President Obama humiliated the marine who he asked to hold his umbrella by making him ‘look like a butler’, a respected military general claimed today. Thomas McInerney, a...

Six Americans were killed when a suicide bomber targeted a convoy carrying foreign troops in Kabul on Thursday, according to a NATO source. The victims included two soldiers and four civilian contractors, the source added. Officials said at least six Afghan civilians had also died. Kabul police spokesman Hashmatullah Stanikzai said the attacker detonated a Toyota Corolla. He added that 35 people had been injured.

Cadets from across Arizona who are enrolled in Army JROTC, Air Force JROTC, and the Civil Air Patrol met on April 20, for the first annual Kentucky Camp Orienteering Meet. Kentucky Camp is located in Santa Cruz County, near Sonoita. Orienteering is a land navigation competition. Armed with maps and compasses, teams consisting of two cadets race across the desert searching for certain control points on the map. At each control point, cadets will find a hole punch of varying shapes that they use to stamp a score card. All teams have two hours to find as many control points...

The most extraordinary things about this truly incredible tale of World War II are that it hasn’t been told before in English, and that it hasn’t already been made into a blockbuster Hollywood movie. Here are the basic facts: on 5 May 1945—five days after Hitler’s suicide—three Sherman tanks from the 23rd Tank Battalion of the U.S. 12th Armored Division under the command of Capt. John C. ‘Jack’ Lee Jr., liberated an Austrian castle called Schloss Itter in the Tyrol, a special prison that housed various French VIPs, including the ex-prime ministers Paul Reynaud and Eduard Daladier and former commanders-in-chief...

In an unprecedented action, an Air Force commander has stripped 17 of his officers of their authority to control and launch nuclear missiles. The 17 are being sent to undergo 60 to 90 days of intensive refresher training on how to do their jobs. The action comes after their unit performed poorly on an inspection and one officer was investigated for potential compromise of nuclear launch codes, according to Lt. Col. John Dorrian, an Air Force spokesman. The story was first reported by The Associated Press. The action was taken by the deputy commander of the 91st Operations Group, Lt....

Nathaniel Philbrick's new book gets at the on-the-ground reality of the American Revolution, which the author writes began as 'a profoundly conservative movement.' John Trumbull's "Death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunker's Hill." (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston / Viking / May 12, 2013) It turns out the modern incarnation of the tea party may have more in common with the original Boston hell-raisers than people think. Americans have long romanticized the events leading to the Battle of Bunker Hill and the start of the American Revolution, most without really understanding what happened or what was at stake....

A perfect internet meme to capture the essence of Hillary's performance during the Benghazi debacle. Madam Secretary, this hearing is not about what difference *it* makes. It's about what difference did *you* make.

Surgeon: Pneumonia likely killed 'Stonewall' Jackson Legendary Confederate general died 150 years ago Friday Historians and doctors have debated for decades what medical complications caused the death of legendary Confederate fighter Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, felled by friendly fire from his troops during the Civil War. Shot three times while returning from scouting enemy lines in the Virginia wilderness, Jackson was badly wounded in the left arm by one of the large bullets the night of May 2, 1863. Blood gushed from a severed artery. It took at least two hours to get him to a field hospital, and Jackson...

The Foreign Emergency Support Team is the United States Government's only interagency, on-call, short-notice team poised to respond to terrorist incidents worldwide. Led and trained by the Operations Directorate of the Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, it assists U.S. missions and host governments in responding quickly and effectively to terrorist attacks. The FEST, which has deployed to over 20 countries since its inception in 1986, leaves for an incident site within four hours of notification, providing the fastest assistance possible

Press Conference held with a few of the parents of the Seal Team 6 Warriors who died in the helicopter attack in Afghanistan. Watch these Navy SEAL Team VI families and other family members as they reveal the Obama Administrations culpability in death of their sons in the fatal helicopter crash in Afghanistan. Families say Muslim cleric disparaged dead Navy SEALS at their own funeral. Islamic Iman Curse Dead Soldiers at Their Memorial Service (Seal Team VI)

Camp Lejeune, N.C. -- Service members shuffled through the doors and filled rows of seats at the Goettge Memorial Field House April 30, to honor a man who risked his life to save his fellow Marines in Afghanistan in 2011. The Silver Star Medal, the third highest military decoration for valor, has only been awarded to 40 Marines for actions in Afghanistan. Staff Sgt. Daniel W. Ridgeway, an explosive ordnance disposal team leader with 2nd Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, was the 41st to receive the medal for his actions in combat during...

Idaho Professor To Hunt Bigfoot With Drones Jeff Meldrum, an anthropologist at Idaho State University, is spending $200,000 to scan the Cascades with drones. The unmanned aircraft will use thermal imaging equipment to peer through thick forest in search of Sasquatch. "We're simply asking a biological question: Is there a species of primate behind the legend of Sasquatch?" he said. Other professors in the field have called any questions about Bigfoot a “waste of time.”

Is Benghazi worth continuing to investigate? No, this happened months ago and there have been a series of inquiries. Let's move on Yes. Until every witness has had a chance to speak Only if there is clear evidence of wrongdoing by high-level officials

The Benghazi cover-up perpetrated by the Obama administration and his co-conspirators in the mainstream media cost Romney the election. This egregious Obama/Media cover-up was designed to prevent Obama from losing the election. Throughout the attack and afterwards, job one for Team Obama was to win the election, even if that meant abandoning Americans to die. They would simply lie about it afterwards, knowing all they had to do was deceive the American voter just long enough to get their vote. They were not worried about what would happen after November 6; They'd deal with that later.. Commander-In-Chief Obama is directly...

Is there a pattern here with Hillary? Remember the supposed sniper-fire? How could she mistake no sniper fire for sniper fire? Thus, how could she have misspoken? And now Benghazi? Has she told the truth? Did she tell the truth on Bosnia? Just curious...

Penetration and expansion test of the 9mm Hornady Critical Defense, 115 grain JHP. The ClearBallistics test block is comparable to 10% ordinance ballistic gel, and includes four layers of denim. The inclusion of denim is an IWBA protocol. Test gun is the Glock 19, 4" barrel. Video includes brief overview of the cartridge, recoil shots, and one shot test. Advertised velocity is 1140 fps. Chronograph velocities from the Glock 19 are noted in the video. VERY IMPORTANT INFO REGARDING AMMO TESTS ON THIS CHANNEL: Please understand that these techniques are merely representations to indicate possible ballistics; they are not intended...

Published on May 24, 2012 Available on iTunes at http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/star...Available at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Star-Spangl...Other music by Madison Rising: http://www.amazon.com/Madison-Rising/... Visit the Madison Rising store at: http://www.madisonrising.com/store.php Oh, say can you see By the dawn's early lightWhat so proudly we hailed At the twilight's last gleamingWhose broad stripes and bright stars Thru the perilous fight,O'er the ramparts we watched Were so gallantly streamingAnd the rocket's red glare, The bombs bursting in airGave proof through the night That our flag was still thereOh, say does that star-spangled banner yet waveO'er the land of the free and the home of the brave Because...

Work begins on Friday to raise a unique World War II aircraft from the floor of the English Channel just off the Kent coast. The Dornier 17 aircraft is the last of its kind, and lies in 50ft of water on the Goodwin Sands. The salvage is just the start of a two-year restoration project by the RAF Museum in Hendon. Summer 1940 and Britain stands alone in Europe against seemingly unstoppable German military success. For weeks on end, wave after wave of German aircraft cross the English coast, under orders to destroy the RAF and pave the way for...

Interesting story of how they transported the Blackbird of Project OXCART, it was known that the A-12s would be built in the SkunkWorks within the Lockheed Plant complex in Burbank, California and that the A-12s would have to be transported overland to Area 51 for flight testing, development and training of the Project Pilots. Photo's and planning story

The live stream event will start May 3. Friday, May 3 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM CT: ILA Leadership Forum 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM CT: NRA News | Cam & Co on Sportsman Channel Saturday, May 4 9:50 AM – 2:00 PM CT: NRA Members Meeting 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM CT: Special Saturday Edition of NRA News | Cam & Co 7:20 PM – 10:30 PM CT: NRA Stand and Fight Rally Sunday, May 5 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM: Special NRA News Wrap-Up Show

We saved them from the nazis and latterly helped them get rid of Gaddaffi, and this is what we get?

What if we do, and they turn out to be Muslim extremists, or are friendly to those that are? What if they manage to scuttle the Assad regime? How do we stop them from getting their hands on chemical weapons if/when they topple Assad? Boots on the ground in Syria? Does the U.S. want to do that?

Hmmm... Obama has replugged the record player that plays the broken GIMO record: "I'm gonna close GITMO...I'm gonna close GITMO...I'm gonna close GITMO..." He had a filibuster-proof Senate (and even with Dem holdouts, using a finance maneuver, Reid could have used the nuclear option or something similar to it on the 5-6 Senate Dems that would have wanted to keep it open). And the Pelosi House at one time could have defunded GITMO, or refused to fund it in 2009. Things must be worse with his hard-core base than we thought...for him to try this redux. But... the Pentagon supposedly...

<p>A military buff like John Dodds could tell right away the leather bomber jacket wasn't just any old coat hanging on a rack at a Washington, D.C., Goodwill shop.</p> <p>His daughter had noticed it and called him over, and Dodds began to examine it. The leather was a a bit stiff, but it was in good shape, with that perfect vintage patina. On the back was a red-bearded man in a winged helmet, the words “Red Raiders” and “22nd Bomb Group” emblazoned above and below. The jacket had lieutenant bars, a pricetag of $17 and a pretty big clue as to its original owner.</p>

<p>Our Ambassador in Benghazi begs for help and extra security for over 6 weeks and the White House ignores and does not return calls or communications....YET...some 3rd string NBA hack comes out and tells the world that he is gay and loves having sex with men and within HOURS...THE LOSER OBAMA PICKS UP THE PHONE AND CALLS HIM AND CONGRADULATES HIS COURAGE???</p>

Be careful about promises because someone is likely to remind you of them. Remember when President Obama issued a warning, the "red line" in Syria? The game changer statement? It looks like someone crossed the line and US intelligence agencies agrees that they have. President Obama is buying time arguing about what the definition of what a "red line" is. The bottom line is that the line was crossed and everyone is looking for President Obama's next move! The reality is that Syria is one of those impossible problems reserved for presidents. And the "problem" just landed in the Oval...

Campaigners call for ban on "killer robots" LONDON (Reuters) - Machines with the ability to attack targets without any human intervention must be banned before they are developed for use on the battlefield, campaigners against "killer robots" urged on Tuesday. The weapons, which could be ready for use within the next 20 years, would breach a moral and ethical boundary that should never be crossed, said Nobel Laureate Jody Williams, of the "Campaign To Stop Killer Robots". "If war is reduced to weapons attacking without human beings in control, it is going to be civilians who are going to bear...

This piece of the History of the Lockheed A-12 is dedicated to the memory of Dorsey G. Kammerer. Dorsey was a part of the Lockheed SkunkWorks from its inception. He was an "inside" man on the team that built the P-38 Lightning, the P-80 Shooting Star, the F-104 Starfighter, the U-2 Angel and the A-12 Archangel and the other versions, the YF-12 and the SR-71. Dorsey that had the foresight to save the photos that help document this story. Dorsey's family found these gems and made them available for this story. This story has never really been told in much...

8 things to think about as we mark the conflict's 150th anniversary. Some ring strong: of course the end of slavery, perhaps the worst disgrace in the nation's history. And the 620,000 ancestors lost. Other vestiges have weakened with the passage of time but are no less legacies of the four horrific, heroic years that shaped us as one nation. Here are eight ways the Civil War indelibly changed us and how we live: 1. We have ambulances and hospitals. The Civil War began during medieval medicine's last gasp and ended at the dawn of modern medicine. Each side entered...

Just noticed on www.556RECON.com that some 556x45 55 grain FMJ has dropped to 65 cents per round. Link to report here.Link to ammo: here.

Do you wish George W. Bush was still the president? Yes No

Special Forces Green Beret Master Sgt. John Hartley Robertson had forgotten how to speak English over the 44 years since he was left behind in the Vietnam War. But he never forgot that he was a father, husband and an American soldier, born in Alabama, shot down over Laos in a 1968 classified mission.