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MARSHALL, Mich. — A high school principal in southern Michigan has apologized to two graduates whom he had chastised for wearing their Marine dress uniforms during commencement. Marshall High School Principal Scott Hutchins apologized Monday for his comments regarding the two students' decision not to wear their caps and gowns on June 3, the Battle Creek Enquirer reported. School officials had told the two students ahead of commencement that exceptions wouldn't be made to a policy requiring graduates to wear a cap and gown, Superintendent Randy Davis said. Hutchins pulled aside Pfc. Willie Couch and Pfc. Samuel Hackworth at the...

I sent the following to the President via WhiteHouse.Gov/Contact/ --------------------- Dear Mr. President, I support Senator Cornyn and add my voice in asking for a pardon for General David Patraeus. I also ask that you review the sentences of the several soldiers who've been convicted of various offenses during this difficult war in Iraq and Afganistan. I believe some have been harshly and wrongly punished for actions which were necessary or unavoidable. Many have complained that the rules of engagement they were forced to fight under endangered them and their men, and also emboldened the enemy. Is it right to...

The prime ministers of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia voiced their support for building a permanent US military base in Poland at a joint press conference with Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz in Tallinn on Monday. "From the Estonian point of view, the presence of US troops in Poland and the Baltic states is very important," said Estonia’s Ratas, as quoted by Polish radio's IAR news agency. Poland’s Czaputowicz told the news conference that the presence of US troops in the region was a key deterrent, according to IAR. He added: “We want to create the maximum conditions for the United...

First Lady Melania Trump reminded Americans Monday night of the “selfless sacrifice” of military men and women who have given their lives so that we can live in freedom, leaving their own Gold Star family members behind, like those she and husband Donald Trump hosted at the White House. “It was a privilege to welcome Gold Star Families to the White House today to recognize our Nation’s fallen heroes and their families,” Mrs. Trump said in a statement released after the event. “To all those who have lost loved ones in service to our country, our nation grieves with you.”

The Daily Caller recently had an opportunity to talk with the sentinels who guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. “Many people think that the ultimate sacrifice is giving up your life. But these soldiers gave up not only their lives but their identities,” Staff Sergeant Shane Vincent said. “When you see a World War II veteran struggling to get out of his wheelchair so that he can stand during taps and salute during taps, that really hits home and lets you know exactly what this place really is about.

President Trump traveled from the White House to Annapolis, Maryland Friday morning to give the commenement address for the 2018 U.S. Naval Academy graduating class. "You are now leaders in the most powerful and righteous force on the face of the planet: the United States military," President Trump said to a stadium filled with 30,000 people. "Each of you will make your own mark on the Navy, the Marine Corps, the military, and the history of our great nation...There is no hill our Marines our can’t take and there is no stronghold the SEALs can’t breach. There is no...

America has been honoring members of the military currently serving by celebrating this holiday on the third Saturday in May since 1950. The tradition began when President Harry S. Truman sought a specific day to honor all of our armed forces rather than have separate days for each individual branch. In August 1949, Defense Secretary Louis Jonson announced that Armed Forces Day would be created and celebrated the following May. Contrary to Memorial Day celebrations next weekend, which remembers veterans that have died either in combat or from injuries sustained in war, Armed Forces is specifically for members of the...

The Russian military presented the evidence of the successful operation of Syrian air defense systems during the missile strike by the United States and its allies. Journalists were shown fragments of intercepted cruise missiles and told about the missiles that failed to hit the targets because of "malfunctions". And although Washington is confident that the strike was a complete success, the Defense Ministry reports that only 22 out of the 105 "smart missiles," as they were called by the US president, hit their targets. Alexei Baranov saw and touched the evidence. There were no burn marks, and the serial numbers...

Two days ago, it was reported that the Army will fall short of its goal to recruit 80,000 new soldiers this year. According to the Associated Press: Army officials say the updated goal will be 76,500. Six months into the recruiting year the service has brought in just 28,000 new soldiers. Army spokeswoman Cynthia Smith said the main effort is to grow the Army to 483,500, as approved by Congress. The struggle to meet this year’s higher recruiting numbers — which were a significant hike over last year’s recruiting mission of 69,000 — was expected, mainly due to the favorable...

(Gateway Pundit) – On Thursday, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) will accompany the California National Guard’s Homeland Response Force (HRF) and the 95th Civil Support Team, along with FEMA Urban Search & Rescue Forces, CAL Fire, FBI, Department of Energy Radiation Assistance Team 7, and several other emergency response agencies for a “terrorism and active shooter response exercise at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento and Sonoma Raceway,” said California Guard Deputy Director of Public Affairs. “It is only through regular, realistic training alongside our partner agencies that we keep our skills sharp and response times low,”...

The United States Marine Corps Commandant told Congress on Wednesday that recruitment is "hard work," because so few people are qualified to fill the ranks. But while recruitment is difficult, "This is a really good Marine Corps," General Robert B. Neller told the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense: "So, I think we're all aware that, you know, in the nation, I mean, it's a strategic issue that less than 30 percent of the young men and women of our nation are qualified just to join the military, either because of physical, mental or moral issues. So now we're down to...

The U.S. Army will drop its hand grenade competency requirement for graduation from basic training because getting recruits to pass it is taking “too much time” and they’re just not strong enough, Major General Malcolm Frost told reporters on Friday. Changes to the Army’s Basic Combat Training (BTC) will eliminate the current hand grenade proficiency standards as a requirement for graduation, Military.com reports: “The new BCT does, however, do away with hand grenade qualification and land navigation course qualification as graduation requirements.” Discussing the change with reporters, Maj. Gen. Frost explained that training recruits to pass the current requirement was...

It was inevitable. Russian “mercenaries” attacked a forward base in Syria where they knew American advisors were stationed. It was a test. And our military passed. Let’s hope the administration passes, too. The most important thing about this attack on our troops is that it couldn’t have happened without Vladimir Putin’s personal approval. Nye vozmozhno. The core of the attacking force came from the Wagner Group, Russia’s version of the American thugs who worked for the company formerly known as Blackwater. But while the media refers to the Russians as mercenaries, the Wagner Group functions as an auxiliary of the...

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Defense is planning a military parade at the request of President Donald Trump, White House and Pentagon officials said Tuesday. After observing the Bastille Day celebrations in Paris last year, Mr. Trump said he wanted to hold a similar parade on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, perhaps to celebrate the Fourth of July. The French parade last July, which also marked the centennial of the U.S. entry into World War I, featured more than 6,000 service members, tanks and planes overhead in an elaborate display of military might. French President Emmanuel Macron invited Mr. Trump to watch...

Coming off one of the greatest political maneuvers in the last decade, where President Trump managed to bait Democrats to shut down the government while demanding open borders, POTUS Trump now positions Democrats as U.S. Military haters. The U.S. military is one of the most beloved representative institutions. However, in a brilliant use of TDS, President Trump baits his political opposition into publicly espousing the exact opposite position: the history of President Trump’s success in this arena holds true, Democrats and anti-Trump media will now begin pushing a narrative to boycott Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Veterans Day…. Why?...

Staff Sgt. Artur Shvartsberg—Marine Corps Air Station Yuma Co The Department of Defense plans on putting its surplus fleet of AH-1W Super Cobras up for sale on the international arms market. The news comes as the USMC continues to outfit its light attack helicopter squadrons with new-build AH-1Z "Viper" derivatives of the Bell design, which traces its roots directly to the iconic UH-1 Iroquois/Huey. A recent business opportunity posting over at Fedbizops.gov describes the need for flight and maintenance training, sustainment, and refitting "Whisky Cobras" with new commercially available off-the-shelf avionics upgrades in preparation for foreign transfers of the type...

President Donald Trump called out Democrats in Congress for failing to support a short-term spending bill that would have avoided a partial shutdown of the government. Democrats voted overwhelmingly against the measure Friday night, resulting in the shutdown taking place

In the last half of last year, U.S. armed forces under President Donald Trump’s direction launched 2,000 air strikes against Taliban targets in Afghanistan. That constitutes more raids than in all of 2015 and 2016 combined, the last two years under President Barack Obama’s command. “The huge spike in airstrikes is the product of new rules of engagement, adopted as part of a strategy that President Trump announced in August,” reports the Washington Post. “U.S. forces can now strike Taliban targets at will, whereas under the Obama administration they were restricted to defending Afghan forces under imminent attack.” Like the...

Full title: Bob Hope was determined to entertain American troops and give back to the country he loved, says daughter From vaudeville to Hollywood, Bob Hope conquered it all as a beloved showman — but his greatest achievement was entertaining the troops. At the time of his death in 2003 at age 100, the New York Times reported the film, TV and stage star performed nearly all of his 400 radio programs at military bases and embarked on annual tours where he delighted American servicemen with his sidesplitting monologues. Hope even took time to befriend weary soldiers and, as his...

As your family sits down to enjoy a meal together this Christmas, spare a thought or prayer for families who have an empty seat at their table where a brave son, daughter, husband, or wife would sit if they were not serving overseas in the military. Because America enjoys relative peace this Christmas, it’s easy to forget that we are still a country at war. Our troops abroad and their families at home don’t have the same sense of calm that Bethlehem had on a starry night two millennia ago. More than 215,000 American military personnel are stationed overseas. About...