US Gear: 1) The new body armor: Thumbs up. Relatively light at approx. 6 lbs. and can reliably be expected to soak up small shrapnel and even will stop an AK-47 round. The bad news: Hot as sh-t to wear, almost unbearable in the summer heat (which...
Elected officials seem to need to do something, even if it’s wrong, in response to the Sandy Hook massacre. The leading thing now seems to be a limit on capacity (number of rounds held) for rifle and pistol magazines. Both the NY State legislature...
Mark Smith is a retired Special Forces Major. He was captured in the battle of Loc Ninh in Vietnam. He had 38 holes in his body when captured, back broken, lung messed up, bowel penetrated, and other wounds. He was held in a camp in Cambodia until...
Again, a budget showdown between the White House and Republicans in Congress threatens to halt military paychecks, veterans’ benefits, and base services, all while the overseas combat ops continue. The White House hasn’t said which bills would go...
On 12 July 1862, President Lincoln authorized the awarding of a US Army Medal of Honor, in the name of Congress, “to such noncommissioned officers and privates as shall most distinguish themselves by their gallantry in action, and other...
Today, 2 Feb, in 1887, Groundhog Day, featuring a rodent meteorologist, is celebrated for the first time at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. According to tradition, if a groundhog comes out of its hole on this day and sees its...
So congress, that great bunch of non-vets, has decided that, despite major opposition by combat troops, it’s time to allow gays to serve openly. What an abuse of power and a slap in the face to the 1% of Americans willing to serve in our...
The combat infantry brigade that is still in Iraq–but is now called an Advise and Assist Brigade–so it’s not really a combat unit. Anyway, two of its fine soldiers were recently killed by rifle fire. I wonder if they were advising...