Free Republic

We don't spend much time examining the underpinnings on which our lives rest. We remember the cops and firefighters and EMTs when we need them -- and when we need them, we really need them -- but otherwise, we've got things to do, or think about doing, or get out of doing. We may volunteer to do some work for our church or political party or civic club. Or maybe not. We may vote, or not. We sit in classrooms listening to another lecture. Or maybe even giving one. We take the kids to school on the way to work....

Navy SEALs ordered to remove ‘don’t tread on me’ Navy Jack from uniforms 10:44 AM 11/01/2013 Carl Higbie Author, 'Battle on the Home Front' The Navy Jack is the ‘don’t tread on me’ flag, one that has earned a revered place in America’s naval history and a beloved place in sailor’s hearts, through its use for over two centuries. This symbol of America’s naval ferocity has spanned our country’s entire existence, flying from the masts of the Continental Navy during the war of independence, to today’s War on Terror. In fact, an amendment to the Navy code called SECNAV Instruction...

Five IDF soldiers were wounded near the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza on Thursday evening. An initial investigation has found that terrorists detonated an explosive device as IDF soldiers were operating in the area, preparing to blow up the terror tunnel that was recently discovered by IDF soldiers, leading from Gaza into an Israeli kibbutz. As the soldiers crossed the border fence, the device was detonated, wounding the five soldiers who were taken by helicopter to the Soroka Hospital in Be’er Sheva. The IDF responded by opening fire at terrorists who were in the ara.

THE Australian War Memorial has abandoned a proposal to remove the words "known unto God" from the Tomb of the Australian Unknown Soldier after the personal intervention of Tony Abbott. The memorial's governing council decided at its meeting in August to replace two inscriptions on the tomb at the Canberra memorial with words from a speech by Paul Keating. The memorial's director, former Liberal Party leader Brendan Nelson, announced the changes in an unscripted National Press Club speech six weeks ago on a day when attention was focused on the swearing in of the new government. It was several days...

Two “Middle Eastern soldiers” training at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri were arrested for trying to abduct a 12 year-old local girl for sex.KHOU reported, via Free Republic: Two men training at Fort Leonard Wood are in custody after deputies say they tried to abduct a 12-year-old girl in Pulaski County Friday afternoon.Mohammed Mahmoud Omar Mefleh, 34, and Antoine Clela, 31, were charged with enticement of a child and harassment.The victim told police she was playing with a sibling in her yard when Mefleh and Clela approached her several times and tried to lure her into their vehicle. She told...

Obama’s game is simple, to make the shutdown as painful as possible to average Americans and blame the GOP for it. Every day he is lecturing us about how the GOP can open up the government by passing the budget that he demands. The house GOP/conservatives have countered by sending the Obama Senate separate spending bills that would stop Obama antics to hurt ordinary Americans. Naturally Obama rejects those. The GOP is also countering by calling Obama out on these specific actions, like his kicking WWII vets out of the WWII National Memorial and American citizens out of the DC...

Camouflaged clothing that mimics squid skin is being developed to hide soldiers from night vision equipment.Most camouflage materials used to disguise soldiers and vehicles during the day show up easily when viewed through night vision goggles and infrared cameras. This is because leaves and other foliage reflect infrared light in a different way to other fabrics and materials. However, scientists at the University of California Irvine have created a new “stealth” coating that can change the way it reflects infrared light on command. The films, which are around 100,000 times thinner than a human hair, can be switched on and...

With the President poised to strike in Syria and the Congress set to vote on the issue the week of Sep. 9, the debate about U.S. military intervention in the two-year-old civil war is already happening amongst the American public. Some Americans have made their voices known to their representatives, while many others have said the U.S. should stay out of the conflict, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll. In the poll, only 20% said the U.S. should take action, although that was up from 9% last week. Even if it's clear the Assad regime used chemical weapons on civilians, only...

The Forgotten War, it's called. Which is why it was so good to have it remembered so ceremoniously and extensively this past weekend on the 60th anniversary of the tenuous armistice -- certainly not peace -- that has uneasily endured on the Korean peninsula ever since. The Korean War is worth remembering and so are all those who fought in it, the living and the dead, the great and small, the worthless politicians who knew only how to continue it and the unsung heroes who died in the snow and ice. And let there be no mistake: It was a...

The Seattle news station has the video story online. This soldier was deployed and had a friend watch his dog. When he came back, he found out his friend had either given away or sold his dog. His dog is microchipped and registered to him so it won't be an issue once he finds him. The more people who see this, the better his chances are of finding his dog. http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/pet/3956713351.html

A group of soldiers are preparing for their deployment to Egypt with riot training on post. They're planning ahead for violent protests or riots and the possibility of protecting the country's border with Israel. Soldiers encountered Molotov cocktails and other dangerous items in the training. Lt. Matthew Wilkinson says, "Just what I've seen over the course of the past week than we were a week ago." PFC Perez Alexander says, "We want to be as professional as possible... Know what we're doing." They wrap up training today before preparing to ship out in the near future.

Four Israeli female soldiers have been disciplined after pictures of themselves dressed only in their underwear and combat gear were posted on Facebook. The Israeli military said yesterday the group of women were punished for their 'unbecoming behaviour' after the pictures emerged on local news sites. The images, published on Israeli news site Walla, showed the soldiers removing their fatigues to expose their underwear and back sides.

On Memorial Day, tears were shed as programs across the country honored and prayed for those men and women who sacrificed their dreams in order that we might live out our own. Some Americans who had lost a son or daughter, a spouse, or a parent never got to see their loved one reach their full potential. Those soldiers who died left their dreams in their graves. Their loss is made even worse by an administration that is doing all it can to kill the dreams of Americans they fought to preserve. President Obama's plan for creating jobs takes more...

War memorials vandalised Vandals have attacked two of Britain’s most celebrated war memorials, apparently daubing them with the word “Islam” and covering over inscriptions. By Hayley Dixon 4:24PM BST 27 May 2013 The RAF Bomber Command War Memorial and the Animals in War Memorial, both in central London, were covered in red paint. The Metropolitan Police have not yet made any arrests, so the motivation behind the damage remains unclear. The words written on the memorials have been covered up with plastic sheets after being discovered in the early hours of the morning, but it is believed that "Islam" has...

A mother honours her 'precious’ son She had bravely come to see the spot where her son’s life was brought to a brutal end, but as she arrived at the flower-carpeted murder scene in Woolwich today, it became more than Lyn Rigby could bear. By Gordon Rayner, Chief Reporter 10:00PM BST 26 May 2013 Her legs buckled under her and Drummer Lee Rigby’s mother sank to her knees as her face dissolved into tears of raw grief. She was consoled by her husband Ian and other members of Drummer Rigby’s family, who wrapped their arms around her as she sat...

A report by a political activist and reservist combat soldier claims the IDF has effectively capitulated in the face of Arab rock and firebomb attacks. Writing in the web magazine Mida, Erez Tadmor says that in the past week, since the grave injury of Yaakov Zlatkin at the hands of an Arab mob, he has spoken with dozens of officers and soldiers who all said the same thing: The health and security of Jews who live in Judea and Samaria, as well as those of the soldiers who are supposed to guard them, have been left to the mercy of...

I received this in an email this AM from my friend Joe John at Combat Veterans for Congress.... It is really good and worth a watch! The Miami Dolphin cheerleaders sent the US Troops in Afghanistan a music video and they sent one back…imitating them almost to perfection. SO cool!! Plus the Soldiers light off a four point deuce mortar as a point of punctuation. Ya gotta love the American fighting man ! Soldiers win…hands down! CLICK BELOW:

Army could lose 100,000 soldiers due to sequestration. Of all the military services facing budget pressure this year, the Army is in the direst of straits. The budget Congress finally passed a month ago will help matters, but the service says it's still more than $15 billion short of funds in fiscal 2013. Army senior leaders told the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday that the elimination of a continuing resolution and the passage of a formal budget only fixed about a third of the funding problem they face this year. The sequestration cuts that Congress left in place will force...

At 5:20 a.m. on Monday, four hours before the Boston Marathon's elite runners took off, a group of 15 active-duty soldiers from the Massachusetts National Guard gathered at the starting line in Hopkinton. Each soldier was in full combat uniform and carried a "ruck," a military backpack weighing about 40 pounds. The rucks were filled with Camelbacks of water, extra uniforms, Gatorade, changes of socks—and first-aid and trauma kits. It was all just supposed to be symbolic. "Forced marches" or "humps" are a regular part of military training, brisk walking over tough terrain while carrying gear that could help a...

WIESBADEN, Germany — The Army announced Friday it is suspending its tuition assistance program for soldiers newly enrolling in classes due to sequestration and other budgetary pressures. “This suspension is necessary given the significant budget execution challenges caused by the combined effects of a possible year-long continuing resolution and sequestration,” Paul Prince, an army personnel spokesman at the Pentagon, wrote in an email to Stars and Stripes. “The Army understands the impacts of this action and will re-evaluate should the budgetary situation improve.” The Army’s announcement follows a similar move by the Marine Corps. The Army’s tuition assistance program was...