Free Republic

The first lawsuits under the PACT Act were filed Thursday, one day after the passage of new protections for those exposed to toxic chemicals at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed the PACT Act, which encompasses the Camp Lejeune Justice Act along with other legal matters pertaining to toxic exposures related to military service. The new measure signed into law gives service members more power to sue over the issue. The Camp Lejeune Justice Act benefits veterans and families possibly harmed by exposure to toxic chemicals in the drinking water on the North Carolina military...

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) -- An Oahu grand jury has indicted the Hawaii Marine accused of fatally stabbing his estranged wife on the H-3 Freeway with second-degree murder. Sgt. Bryant Tejada-Castillo, 29, remains behind bars on $1 million. Court documents say 27-year-old Dana Alotaibi had stab wounds to her neck, chest, and left temple. She also lacerations to her wrist, hands, and thigh. Related Coverage:Mother of woman fatally stabbed on H-3 Freeway arrives in Hawaii amid search for answersMother: Military spouse fatally stabbed on H-3 Freeway sought help for repeated abuseFriends: Victim in deadly H-3 stabbing was pregnant, tried to leave relationship...

How the Pentagon’s top-brass generals burned the careers of subordinates but then pivoted to lucrative careers all while losing the wars they were supposed to be winning. My new book, A Few Bad Men, details the mendacity and mad dishonesty of retired Marine General James “Mad Dog” Mattis. The fact that it was written by a Marine once under his command, whom he betrayed for the sake of politics and getting to slap on another star, says volumes about this once-lionized figure. It all goes back to an incident in Afghanistan in 2007, and the Court of Inquiry trial of...

Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is planning to travel to Russia in the near future for talks aimed at finding a deal to free the detained WNBA star Brittney Griner, a source with knowledge of the proposed trip told ABC News.Richardson, who also served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and energy secretary in the Clinton administration, played a role in achieving a prisoner exchange in April that saw Russia release former U.S. Marine Trevor Reed after nearly two and a half years in captivity.He is expected to go to Moscow in the next couple of weeks,...

President Biden phoned the parents of Trevor Reed, a former U.S. Marine detained in Russia, on Tuesday to “reiterate his commitment to doing everything he can to bring their son home,” according to a White House official. The phone call came after the family had unsuccessfully sought a meeting with Biden during his trip to Fort Worth, Texas, on Tuesday for an event focused on veterans health care. “After his event in Fort Worth, the President called Joey and Paula Reed to reiterate his commitment to doing everything he can to bring their son home, to staying in close touch...

When the city of Friendswood, Texas, announced on Facebook that hometown hero Haley Carter would be the grand marshal for the town’s famed Fourth of July parade, the post was peppered with excited comments. Carter, who was in the Marines and is a retired professional soccer player, was just the type of person residents wanted to see lead the parade. Then the right-wing culture warriors showed up. Conservative radio host Jesse Kelly tweeted the same day that Friendswood had appointed a “gun-grabber” who is “into drag” and “trans activism” to lead the parade. Kelly is from Ohio, ran a failed...

As TGP reported in November 2018, two Marine Corps Reservists were attacked, maced and robbed in Philadelphia on Saturday by a mob of male and female protesters who called the Marines “Nazis” and “White Supremacists”, according to police. Antifa protesters were countering a so-called conservative “We the People” rally being held that day on Independence Mall. Police said several of the attackers were seen earlier at the protest. Police reported the Marines were attacked blocks away from the rally by protesters who punched, kicked and maced them and stole a cellphone from one Marine. Police have not stated whether or...

The Navy has issued letters of censure to three Marine and two Navy officers in connection with the sinking of an amphibious assault vehicle off the Southern California coast in 2020 that killed eight Marines and a sailor. Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro, in a statement Monday, faulted the officers for "inadequate leadership and execution of their oversight duties." Censure letters are put in service members' personnel files and are often career-ending for military officers, usually preventing them from further promotion or other progress. A Marine Corps investigation found that inadequate training, shabby maintenance and poor judgment by leaders led...

A U.S. District Court Judge in Texas, Drew Tipton, dealt the Biden administration's lenient immigration and border enforcement policies another blow on Friday when he struck down a Department of Homeland Security enforcement memo that instructed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to give deference to certain individuals inside the United States illegally. In his order, Judge Tipton explains that the Biden administration's rule "as arbitrary and capricious, contrary to law, and failing to observe procedure under the Administrative Procedure Act." "The Executive Branch may prioritize its resources," Tipton's order explained. "But it must do so within the bounds set...

Marines from both coasts were activated and armed with trench guns, M1911 pistols, and the M1903 Springfield rifle to stand watch as high-value mail deliveries were moved between institutions, large cities, banks, and government offices. They rode mail trucks and trains, often seated with the driver and in with the valuable cargo. The Navy Secretary told his new detachment of 50-plus Marines and officers: “To the Men of the Mail Guard, you must when on guard duty, keep your weapons in hand and, if attacked, shoot and shoot to kill. If two Marines are covered by a robber, neither must...

A group of American and British military veterans called “The Mozart Group” is a team of special operations vets who are training and equipping Ukrainian soldiers. NBC News’ Ken Dilanian spoke with a retired Marine Colonel who intended to cover the conflict as a journalist but established the organization after witnessing the devastation in Bucha.

“We refer to the ship as ‘assault carrier 7.’ And assault is traditional for an LHD, LHA,” Capt. Joel Lang, the ship’s commander, said during an April 3 media event aboard Tripoli. “We have the space for a battalion landing team, we have about 1,000 infantrymen. And typically the air combat element is a blend of rotary and tilt-rotor in order to enable that assault force to go ashore. What we’re doing right now is lightning carrier, and we are proving the operational concept. … We are proving the tactics and the techniques and the procedures to employ the lightning...

A former U.S. Marine Corps general, who was relieved of his command over his use of a racial slur, argued that he was "teaching" his subordinates a lesson, according to an internal investigation report. A report provided to Stars and Stripes by the inspector general (IG) of the Marine Corps details the July 2020 incident involving Major General Stephen Neary using the n-word while speaking to junior troops. Neary told IG that he took offense to the word and used it at the moment to set an example. "I was using this as a teaching moment, is what I was...

Six active duty Marines are speaking out against the Biden administration’s coronavirus vaccine mandate in a video that was aired during an anti-vaccine-mandate rally in Los Angeles on Sunday. The video marks one of the most public displays by active duty service members of opposition to the mandate, which was ordered by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin last AugustIn the video, the six pilots — including the first female Marine F-35C pilot — speak about the effect their opposition to the mandate has had on their lives. They all face discharge from the military, the loss of benefits, or have faced...

"We can confirm an incident has occurred involving a Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey aircraft," Maj. Jim Stenger, a U.S. Marine Corps spokesperson said in a statement. "The aircraft was conducting training in Norway as part of Exercise COLD RESPONSE 22 at the time of the incident." Stenger said the incident remains under investigation. The Second Marine Expeditionary Force later issued a statement confirming it was aware of "a mishap" with an Osprey assigned to its command. Currently there are 3,000 U.S. Marines in northern Norway participating in the Cold Response 22 NATO exercise that is described as one of the...

STOCKTON, Calif. — A Stockton man who was one of the longest-living veterans of World War II died on Friday at 106.The Stockton Marine Corps Club announced Maj. William "Bill" White died peacefully with family by his side.White was born in Long Beach in 1915 and joined the military in 1934. His time in uniform took him across the country and world including time in China.He fought in the World War II battle of Iwo Jima."He went ashore after the first flag was raised landing on the beach directly under Mt. Suribachi. As they were crossing to join the rest...

The Marine Corps on Thursday announced that, as of February 16, 640 Marines have been discharged for not complying with the Biden administration’s coronavirus vaccine mandate.“To date, 640 Marines have been separated from the Marine Corps with the vaccine refusal discharge code,” the service announced in a release.That figure is up from 566 Marines discharged as of last week and brings the total number of troops discharged so far to more than 1,000.The Marine Corps has by far discharged the most service members for not complying with the vaccine mandate.There appeared to be no change in the number of Marines,...

As one of the most prolific snipers of the Vietnam War, Chuck Mawhinney was a lethal sharpshooter who racked up the most confirmed kills in the history of the United States Marine Corps and the second-most confirmed kills of any American soldier in the country’s history. In one incident alone, Mawhinney had 16 confirmed kills in a mere 30 seconds — all of them headshots.

Dulles, Virginia – A friend was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery this week. At 38-years old, natural causes claimed him too soon, but there is solace in knowing his memory is preserved in a place of earthly honor and his soul rests in eternal glory. A 16-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, GySgt Josh Miles was quietly patriotic and intensely engaged in serving his country and her citizens. Josh grew up on a ranch in New Mexico where he learned to ride horses and to take care of himself. He loved the sense of freedom offered by...

No real description of the video, other than the title, so here's mine for those too busy to watch long videos: Fascinating discussion of LtCol. Scheller's career, his values, and why he chose to expose the failures of America's senior military leaders and America's botched "war on terror" as the hill he would die on. He sacrificed his reputation, his career and his marriage for his Marines and his country.