Free Republic

“Four Chaplains Day” is to be observed annually on February 3 in America by the unanimous resolution of the U.S. Congress in 1988. It is a day to remember February 3, 1943, one of the most remarkable and inspiring acts of heroism in the history of warfare took place in World War II. It is a day to honor the heroism of the Four Chaplains, who selflessly gave their lives “that others may live.”However, although veterans in The American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and other veterans organizations, will hold special observances on Four Chaplains Day, most American media,...

One of the premier providers of outsourced customer contact management services, today announced it has exceeded hiring projections ahead of schedule for its new veterans support initiative, AloriCares. With the success thus far of the pilot, the goal is to employ 500 disabled veterans by year's end, and to engage additional Fortune 500 companies in the initiative to provide work opportunities. "The AloriCares initiative serves as a creative solution to assist disabled veterans with access and re-entry into the workforce, and reinforces the increased national focus on support of military families being spearheaded by First Lady Michelle Obama," said George...

With the patriotic soldier and family in mind, planned activities include a Vietnam Wall traveling memorial, a wreath-laying ceremony, tributes to local Vietnam veterans and the nurses who served, and the rededication of a Vietnam War Memorial on Fort Bragg. But as envisioned by [Fayetteville Mayor Tony] Chavonne and other organizers, the homecoming also will include perspectives from native Vietnamese, homeless Vietnam veterans and anti-war protesters. "We're part of that story," said Chuck Fager, director of the Quaker House. The day before the meeting, Fager said he was appreciative that Chavonne had extended an invitation to the Quaker House to...

Courtesy Photo Archaeologists Dan Hayes and Bill Monaghan search for Civil War cannons in Summerall Field using ground penetrating radar. Interestingly, they found anomalies in the field where the cannon are purportedly located. A search for Civil War-era cannons on Joint Base Myer-Henderon Hall took a promising turn in late December. The JBM-HH Directorate of Environmental Management coordinated an archaeological investigation with contract archeologists in early December, comprising three sites at Fort Myer. The investigation covered Fort Cass (an area adjacent to Bldg. 224, The Thrift Shop), Fort Whipple (the sustainable park adjacent to Bldg. 42, the historic Meigs Modular...

Found Dogtags with SN

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19, 2011 – More than three decades after the war’s end, the Defense Department has begun a project to pay tribute to the nation’s Vietnam War veterans. The 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War Commemoration was spawned from the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act. “It was a very important time period for veterans, because most Vietnam veterans as a whole never received the homecoming that our troops receive now,” said Army Lt. Col. Hunter Holliday, public affairs officer for the commemoration. At the center of the project is a website, “50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War Commemoration,” at...

SAN FRANCISCO -- Before handcuffing herself to the White House fence, former Petty Officer First Class Autumn Sandeen carefully pinned three rows of Navy ribbons to her chest. Her regulation dress blue skirt, fitted jacket, hat and black pumps were new -- fitting for a woman who spent two decades serving her country as a man.Sandeen was the only transgender person among the six veterans arrested in April while protesting the military's ban on openly gay troops. But when she watched President Obama last month sign the hard-fought bill allowing for the ban's repeal, melancholy tinged her satisfaction."This is another...

It was an exciting time for us. My unit was the first to receive the new B-25 medium bomber. When I saw it for the first time I was in awe. It looked so huge. It was so sleek and powerful. The guys started calling it the "rocket plane", and I could hardly wait to get my hands on it.

Kamikaze - a Japanese word meaning "divine wind" - was a last-ditch effort by the Japanese to stop the Allied advance in the Pacific during World War 2. Pilots, mostly young students, gladly volunteered for suicide missions out of a strong sense of duty to their Emperor. Most of us know of the kamikaze through documentaries or old videos. But the suicide attacks were very real for Grove Schoolcraft, 85, of Sandpoint, Idaho. In fact, the ship he served on as a signalman, the USS PC-1603, was struck twice at the Battle of Okinawa, and scuttled on May 26, 1945....

Veterans were among the group gathered Saturday morning at the East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery on Lyons View Pike to place 350 Christmas wreaths on grave markers as a part of Wreaths Across America. The national program is an effort to decorate 131 Department of Veterans Affairs national cemeteries, state Veteran cemeteries, Arlington National Cemetery and other memorial sites.

I put together a thought experiment on another thread to illustrate the basic problem, as I understand it, in LTC Lankin’s case. Those disapproving of his actions have failed to reply with the much other than “that’s silly,” completely failing to cite regulations, laws, rules, or other such official codification.   For that reason, I should like to post that thought-experiment here and get other veteran’s opinions (and hopefully the backing codifications) on the matter. Let’s say that I were to type up orders assigning myself to the command of some unit, then dig out my old BDUs, get a...

Amy Hagopian, a professor of Global Health at the University of Washington, has been on a crusade to end military recruitment at local high schools. In 2005, she was behind the first successful effort in the U.S. to ban military recruiters on a high school campus. And these days, under the guise of scholarship, she has co-authored an article for the American Journal of Public Health that compares military recruiters to child sex predators. Hagopian is pictured below at Seattle's Garfield High School, which banned military recruiters in 2005 as a result of her efforts. Hagopian's recent article that compares...

Nine years ago two of the four commercial aircraft took off from Boston, and the other two took off from Newark, and Washington. They took off fully loaded with men, women and children-all innocent, and all soon to die. These aircraft were targeted at the World Trade Towers in New York, the Pentagon, and likely the Capitol in Washington, D.C.. Three found their mark. No American alive old enough to remember will ever forget exactly where they were, exactly what they were doing, and exactly who they were with at the moment they watched the aircraft dive into the World...

I realize this is shameless, but do all of you old timers remember when there were extremely high numbers of Marines dying in peacetime helicopter accidents in 1975 just before the Saigon evacuation?

Vietnam Wall First click on a state. When it opens, scroll down to the city and the names will appear. Then click on their names. It should show you a picture of the person, or at least their bio and medals.

DUMFRIES, Va. - Tony Vazquez says the years he spent serving as a military police officer at Fort Belvoir prepared him to own his own pizza business. Vazquez and his wife, Shelley, are expected to open their Little Caesars franchise at 16708 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 121 in Dumfries on Thursday. “It was the discipline and teamwork I learned in the Army that made a big difference in my life,” he said. “One of the most important things I learned is that when you make a commitment, you stick to it. You must believe in what you are doing.” Tony...

Franklyn Wynne (Tony) Plemmons, age 86, born September 8, 1924 in Asheville, NC and formerly of Oglethorpe, GA, residing in Marble, NC passed away Thursday, November 25, 2010 at his residence. Affectionately called (Tony) by his family and friends, Tony was very proud of his Native American heritage as an enrolled member of the Ioway Tribe of KS and NE. He was also a decorated veteran of WWII serving in the US Army Air Corps in the Pacific Theater with the 7th Air Force, 11th bomb group, 431st squadron as Flight Engineer and machine gunner on a B‐24 bomber participating...

I believe nothing he says.

Staff Sgt. Kevin M. Pape, 30, of Fort Wayne, Ind., died in Konar province of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire, according to the Department of Defense.

I am a member of a U.S. Military retiree group in the Philippines. We need to find a lawyer or law firm that can assess a possible class action lawsuit against a government contractor. I can't give details in the open for fear of the facts prematurely becoming known. If anyone can help direct us to a lawyer that will be willing to look at our case, we would be forever appreciative.