Free Republic

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...

President Trump has some unwavering support from a very unique demographic: Republican military veterans. An extensive new Pew Research Center reveals that 98 percent of these GOP vets approve of the job Mr. Trump is doing. He has some fans across the greater population of vets as well. The poll also found that 54 percent of them also approve of the president. Another 47 percent of independent vets and 10 percent of Democratic vets approve of the president. “U.S. veterans, who broadly supported Donald Trump in the 2016 election, have remained positive about the job he is doing as president,”...

In 1971, Colonel David Hackworth was interviewed on ABC’s, “Issues and Answers.” During the interview, Hackworth, a career Army officer, stated in no uncertain terms that the Vietnam War was a disaster and unwinnable. Furthermore, he chastised his fellow Army officers for poor leadership and ineptness. Hackworth was a decorated combat veteran of the Korean and Vietnam Wars, who had earned enough medals for a whole battalion. He was instantly ostracized by the defense establishment and forced to retire. Hackworth, who later went on to a distinguished career as a journalist was a polarizing figure who was hated by the...

New arms for a new Iraqi army Soldiers are trading in the iconic Soviet assault rifle, the AK-47, for a U.S. military symbol, the M-16. By Doug Smith Los Angeles Times Staff Writer December 2, 2007 BESMAYA RANGE, IRAQ — The company of Iraqi soldiers pressed together for the dance of valor, singing of their bravery, stomping in the desert sand, thrusting their weapons skyward, just as they might have done not so many years ago to honor Saddam Hussein. But what were those sleek silhouettes they jabbed into the air? Not AK-47s. The iconic Soviet bloc assault rifle that...

Exactly how it came about remains a mystery, but Rayphord "Tex" Tiffee recently opened a plain brown padded envelope postmarked Philadelphia and found a Bronze Star inside. "I had to sit down - my knees buckled," the 82-year-old Eugene man said this week. It's been 57 years since he left the Army after serving two years in the South Pacific during World War II. The Bronze Star came with no explanation, no letter. And Tiffee doesn't know exactly why or how he suddenly received the award, bestowed on soldiers for heroism. Rayphord "Tex" Tiffee received a surprise in the mail...