Free Republic

First lady Michelle Obama announced commitments from companies Thursday to hire 100,000 veterans and military spouses by 2014, a dramatic step in her Joining Forces initiative. She said the show of support demonstrates to military families that “America has your back.” The first Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden launched Joining Forces, a national initiative that mobilizes all sectors of society to give service members and their families the opportunities and support they have earned. In her keynote address to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Business Steps Up: Hiring our Heroes event, Michelle Obama announced that the International Franchise...

This appeared in Sarah Palin's "America by Heart." I think it is especially appropriate today. It is the veteran, not the preacher, who has given us freedom of religion. It is the veteran, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press. It is the veteran, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech. It is the veteran, not the campus organizer, who has given us freedom to assemble. It is the veteran, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial. .It is the veteran, not he politician, who has given...

A special Veterans Day tribute featuring Due Souths' song "The Good Guys" (written by a FReeper!!!) with a special message from Debbie Lee, whose son, Marc Alan Lee was the first Navy Seal killed in Iraq. Help make this video go viral, and in turn help Debbies'charity "Americas' Mighty Warriors" raise funds. You can hear more of Due South at "goodguysusa.com'

I am looking to buy a home in the State of Illinois and wanted to know if anyone has had any experience with the on-line VA Loan programs that are available? Any in particular? Pros and cons of going this route?

A new group called Occupy Marines is calling on non-active duty Marines to support the "Occupy" protest movement. The group was formed online to support the Occupy Wall Street protests after videos circulated online of a Marine confronting New York City police, questioning their tactics used against Occupy Wall Street demonstrators.... (VIDEO AT LINK) In a video that has received nearly 2.5 million views, Marine Sgt. Shamar Thomas of Roosevelt, N.Y. an Iraq War veteran, spoke out to police in New York's Times Square, charging that they were over-reacting to Occupy marchers - and shaming their uniform....

Traditionally, fighting slows in the middle of Afghan winters as opposing sides dig in to establish gains already made or make plans to retake losses. This winter, coalition troops are working to solidify positions in former Taliban strongholds in southern Afghanistan, holding ground and working with locals. Meanwhile the Taliban continues its campaign of sporadic attacks, and steps up efforts to create a sort of shadow government in parts of eastern Afghanistan. Though conflicts were light last month, 32 coalition troops still lost their lives

A brand-new music video from the group "Due South" pays tribute to our Military, both past and present, as well as first responders.

A brand-new music video from the group "Due South" pays tribute to our Military, both past and present, as well as first responders.

snip... By far the most contentious proposal circulating in Washington is from a Pentagon advisory panel, the Defense Business Board. It would make the military pension system, a defined benefit plan, more like a 401(k) plan under which the Pentagon would make contributions to a service member’s individual account; contributions by the troops themselves would be optional. Mr. Panetta has said that if adopted, the plan would not apply to current military personnel.

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (AP) - A Marine who fought in the Battle of Okinawa urged Americans on Friday to honor those who served in World War II now, while veterans from that conflict are still alive. E. Bruce Heilman, speaking at a ceremony marking the 66th year since the end of the war, noted fewer than 2 million of the 16 million men and women who served in the war are alive. They are dying at a rate of 30,000 per month, he said.

City Council candidate David Oh issued a formal apology Thursday for what he described as carelessness in describing his five-year stint in the Army National Guard - an issue that led some veterans to complain he was embellishing his military record. Although Oh was assigned to a National Guard Special Forces unit, he said he should have been more careful as a candidate in his use of the terms Special Forces and Green Beret, both used to describe elite units whose combat soldiers typically have endured months of rigorous training. "I apologize to the public for any confusion or misimpression...

I thought I would give a heads up to fellow vets who served in Thailand from 1967..forward After years of fighting, the VA finally relinquished and admitted that AO was used on bases throughout Thailand. IF YOU HAVEN'T FILE YOUR CLAIMS...get on it..the new deadline is THIS AUGUST 30th,2011. Check the VA site for details....file that claim that has been denied to you NOW!!

BLUFFDALE, Utah – It's been four years since Randall Hester last heard from his older brother, Ron, a Navy veteran his family called a lone wolf. He had no idea Ron had died in January 2009 until relatives saw the man's name in a newspaper along with 15 other veterans whose bodies were unclaimed. On Monday, Hester prepared for a final goodbye, gripping an urn containing his brother's ashes and heading off to the Manti-La Sal National Forest. "It will be our last elk hunt," the 50-year-old Hester said with a great laugh, a bit like old times. He planned...

Where do our military headstones come from? A great story. I often wondered where and how our military headstones were made .... Click on the link below turn up sound very interesting.

Memorial of the US Naval Disaster of the aircraft carrier, USS Forrestal - CVA-59, July 29, 1967 in North Vietnam, Golf of Tonkin. Song of this Memorial video is, Pray For Me, sung by the Blind Boys of Alabama.

An innovative, relatively young program provides active-duty soldiers and military veterans a jump start into civilian existence while bringing life to agriculture. One-sixth of the U.S. population is enlisted in the military, and 45 percent of that number is from rural farm communities, according to the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire in Durham. Farms need more hands, and veterans need work after service. So Michael O’Gorman founded the nonprofit Farmer-Veteran Coalition, based in Davis, California, to plow the hindrances and help reintegrate service men and women on a national scale. O’Gorman, a seasoned organic farmer, watched the...

WASHINGTON, June 30, 2011 – Bronze campaign stars are now authorized for service members who have served in Iraq since Sept. 1, 2010, or in Afghanistan since Dec. 1, 2009, Defense Department officials announced today. The new campaign stars, worn on the Iraq and Afghanistan campaign medals, recognize service during Operation New Dawn in Iraq and the Consolidation III campaign phase in Afghanistan. Operation New Dawn began Sept. 1, 2010, marking the official end of Operation Iraqi Freedom and U.S. combat operations in Iraq and a new focus on advising, assisting and training Iraqi security forces. The Consolidation III campaign...

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo., June 21, 2011 – An Air Force Space Command chief master sergeant used the occasion of her retirement ceremony here to take care of one last troop -- her father, who was presented with the Bronze Star Medal he earned four decades ago. Army Col. Timothy Coffin, deputy commander of Space and Missile Defense Command and Army Strategic Command, pins the Bronze Star on retired Army Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Porter as his daughter, Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Nancy Geisler, looks on during her retirement ceremony June 13, 2011, at Peterson Air Force Base,...

Need a little help with voting

SIERRA VISTA — A Marine Corps League event Sept. 18 will benefit active, retired and former Marines and their families in the area with social functions, morale and welfare. The Marine Corps League Poker Run will kick off with a rally at 9 a.m. at Cochise County Choppers on Highway 92 in Bisbee. Register from 10 a.m. to noon, with the last rider out at 1 p.m. and in by 4 p.m. Cost is $10 per rider, $5 per passenger. A parts swap meet and 50/50 raffle also are planned. For more information, call 234-6402. The Marine Corps League can...

ARLINGTON, Va., June 9, 2011 – As one of the last remaining active-duty National Guard members with service experience in Vietnam, Army Master Sgt. Leland Lesher said the most rewarding thing about his career is the view from the top while at the Army Guard headquarters. Army Master Sgt. Leland Lesher, Army National Guard force protection branch noncommissioned officer in charge and an Illinois National Guard member, swears the oath of extension and enlistment at the Army National Guard Readiness Center in Arlington, Va., June 7, 2011. Lesher is one of the last active-duty Guard members who has service time...

Thank you D-Day veterans. You service will always be remembered, as well as that of the fallen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIo3ZfA9da0&feature=player_embedded

I’ll attempt to keep my commentary to a minimum, since I don’t think I can add much to the images I’ll be posting today. The image above is of the Field of Flags, a memorial to the 266 New Yorkers who been killed in action during operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and associated theaters of the War on Terror. The fact that I couldn’t get the entire field into view illustrates the extent of the sacrifice made by men and women of our Armed Forces, but also the contribution New York as a state has made to their missions overseas....

www.catholicnewsagency.com Marine Corps foundation honors heroic Vietnam War priest By Marianne Medlin Marine Cpl. James Capodanno, stands next to the window dedicated to his brother. Credit: Marine Corps Heritage Foundation Triangle, Va., May 20, 2011 / 02:35 am (CNA).- Servant of God Fr. Vincent Capodanno, a chaplain who was killed in action while protecting U.S. soldiers during the Vietnam War, was honored with a permanent tribute at the National Museum of the Marine Corps.“The Marines who served with Chaplain Capodanno remember him as the Chaplain who went wherever his Marines needed his comfort and guidance, no matter the personal...

‘‘Last Monday morning, the nation woke to the news of the death of the mastermind of the 9�11 attacks and the nation’s most wanted criminal, who met the same fate that he imposed on more than 3,000 citizens,” said Maj. Gen. Karl R. Horst, commanding general, Joint Force Headquarters-National Capital Region and Military District of Washington, during a May 9 ceremony at Fort McNair, commemorating the actions of MDW personnel who responded to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. ‘‘Last Sunday’s actions are a striking example of American commitment; that same commitment that brings us here today, to dedicate a...

SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - A local Navy wife is desperate to find her missing husband, who has post traumatic stress disorder and hasn't been seen in days. "My whole world is collapsing because this is the guy I was going to spend the rest of my life with," says Amanda Hamilton. She and Nicholas married four and a half years ago and have two sons together. As a couple they've faced deployments, but the most recent deployment on the USS Ronald Reagan to provide humanitarian relief to Tsunami victims in Japan proved to be a tipping point, according to...

Today is Silver Star Service Banner Day and the start of Military appreciation Month.

I'm writing this post to ask for some help from fellow veterans and anyone who loves our Flag. I recently went into a local car dealership to buy a new vehicle. While doing the deal I was asked if i wanted to buy a used factory cover for my truck. When I went into the storage room, my heart sunk. Over in the corner covered with dust (thick as dry wall dust), was LARGE flags that were previously flown laying in the dirt. I immediately went to the CEO and told them I wanted the flag, and I took them...

Darling of the peace movement and anti-War traitor, Adam Kokesh has joined in with the left wing RUSSIA TODAY!

Stetson hat to be new Army standard headgear In a tip-of-the-brim nod to its American frontier history, the Army is likely to change hats again - returning to the days of the wild west and adopting a dark blue Stetson as the official head cover... Read More

I posted this earlier on the Blog page but thought Vets and active duty military personnel and just other Americans would find this of interest. Mr. Barnett needs a lot of communications to shake his smug universe. The Lew Rockwell site is disliked ,correctly, for a number of reasons here. However, I have found that many of the posters such as Tom Wood are gentlemen and will discuss substantive disagreements in a civil and even friendly fashion. But there are those whose combination of abuseness and vulgarity particularly towards the armed forces merit slamming. One such is Mr Gary Barnett,...

When there exists a situation where the specific directives of the UCMJ, and an elected CINCs orders are in direct conflict, which directive order is primary?

Sent to me by my Readiness NCO SEE BELOW FOR INFORMATION ON A VETERANS AFFAIRS SCAM. REPEAT - THIS IS AN ADVISORY ON A SCAM THAT IS CIRCULATING. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Advisory from National Guard Bureau (NGB) An organization called Veterans Affairs Services (VAS) is providing benefit and general information on VA and gathering personal information on veterans. This organization is not affiliated with VA in any way.

A local legend many called a hero for his World War II efforts died at the age of 91 yesterday. World War II veteran and Silver Star recipient Leonard G. 'Bud' Lomell died of natural causes in Toms River March 1. “He was a great friend of all of us and a hero of D-Day, a person of great character,’’ said Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari. “Bud was a very kind man, we miss him,’’ said Freeholder Gerry P. Little, recalling how Lomell served in the Second Ranger Battalion, charged with silencing German shore batteries during the D-Day invasion. He...

BEGIN TRANSCRIPT RUSH: The president of the United States has engaged in oil price speculation. This is unprecedented. It's unheard of, and it isn't healthy. And the Money Honey at CNBC was not happy about it. BREAK TRANSCRIPT RUSH: Yesterday afternoon, the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, during a meeting with the Council on Jobs and Competitiveness. OBAMA: We actually think that we'll be able to ride out the Libya situation and it will stabilize. RUSH: He's talking about the oil price. "We actually think that we'll be able to ride out the Libya situation and [the price of oil] will...

One hundred forty Soldiers from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, The Old Guard, will travel to Kuwait next week to take part in the country’s 20th anniversary of its liberation during the 1991 Gulf War. TOG will provide a marching company and color bearers for the Feb. 26 ceremony and parade, joined by other U.S. and international military personnel who participated in the conflict. Kuwait will also concurrently recognize the 50th year of independence from Great Britain during several days of festivities surrounding Liberation Day, although the calendar date for that anniversary doesn’t actually occur until June. Kuwait was liberated...

Video at link As Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave a speech at George Washington University yesterday condemning governments that arrest protestors and do not allow free expression - and lauding freedom of speech on the Internet - 71-year-old military veteran Ray McGovern was grabbed from the audience in plain view of her by police and an unidentified official in plain clothes and hustled out of the building and, according to McGovern and his supporters, was “brutalized and left bleeding in jail.” What McGovern did was simply remain standing silently in the audience and turned his back on her as...

The American Legion Department of Maine has announced the 64th annual Dirigo Boys State to be held at Thomas College in Waterville from June 19 to the 23rd, 2011. The purpose of Boys State is to provide Maine High School Juniors an opportunity to learn the basic system of politics and governance of a democratic society. Instructors are brought in from a diverse background of legal, educational, and political backgrounds to guide participants in setting up a simulated or "moot" government reflecting that of the State of Maine. Cost of the Summer program is $275 which may be subsidized by...

“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...