Well, here’s something you figured would happen eventually: during the first six months of this year, more U.S. contractors (232) than U.S. troops (195) were killed in Afghanistan and Iraq. “Contractors supporting the war effort today are losing more lives than the U.S. military waging these wars,” Steven Schooner, co-director of the …
Unauthorized Dip Grounds Navy Pilots
The fun of being a military pilot has waned in recent years, given that everybody seems to have a video camera ready to document any hot-dogging. Perhaps the most infamous example dates from 1994, when a B-52 flown by a notoriously bad pilot crashed at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, killing all four on board (here’s the back story …
Hey Soldier — You're In the Smart-Phone Army Now!
Remember how the Army would pretty much issue only uniforms and boots to recruits who showed up for basic training? Well, some lucky soldiers will soon be getting something extra — an iPhone or a similarly smart phone. “We actually have a pilot study going on right now where we’re issuing these things to soldiers in basic training,” …
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Repeal Don't Pass
The Senate — leery of being steamrolled into a pre-election vote on abolishing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” before the Pentagon completes its study on the impact of its repeal — decided Tuesday against lifting the 17-year-old law. Senators voted 56-43, failing to get the 60 votes needed to end a Republican filibuster and allow an actual …
A Sad Milestone…
Last night’s crash of a helicopter in southern Afghanistan has killed nine U.S. troops and made 2010 the deadliest year of the war — and there are still three months to go. The crash brings to 529 the toll of allied troops killed this year (342 of them American), eclipsing last year’s record total of 521, including 317 U.S. …
Pentagon Payrolls Fuel Nation's Fattest Income Growth
Anyone who has ever spent much time hanging out around military bases in the United States knows the kind of businesses that flourish just outside the main gate: used car lots, liquor stores, tattoo parlors and other commercial enterprises that confirm the U.S. military is overwhelmingly young and male. The pawnshops, rent-to-own stores …
Women In Uniform
As the Senate prepares to debate lifting “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” it’s instructive to read a hat-trick of stories this morning about another group of service personnel not always treated fairly. There’s a story reporting that women will begin serving aboard submarines by January 2012. There’s another on how family-friendly the Navy’s …
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Showdown Looming in Senate
The Pentagon launched Operation New Dawn on September 1, purportedly signaling the end of combat operati0ns in Iraq after seven years. This week, those backing the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law — clearing the way for openly gay men and women to serve in the U.S. military — are pinning their hopes for their own new dawn …
Medal of Honor hurdles — and benefits
Last week was an extraordinary one for the Medal of Honor, which the nation bestowed on two Army staff sergeants serving in Afghanistan. Last Thursday, the White House awarded the medal to Robert Miller, 24, who died in January 2008 while saving the lives of U.S. and Afghan troops during a nighttime firefight in Konar Province near the …
Hey Soldier — The President Wants You…To Get Your Money
Only one in four Americans trusts the federal government — no wonder soldiers who were “stop-lossed” into staying in uniform longer than their official enlistment period aren’t rushing to pocket the thousands of dollars they’re owed. So the government is rolling out the commander-in-chief to warn the troops the deadline for claiming …
There's No Business Like the Arms Business, Part 2
War brings out the worst in some people. Check out this story in today’s New York Times, which details a jury’s decision Tuesday to find David H. Brooks guilty of fraudulently enriching himself at the expense of his company’s shareholders. He owned and ran Point Blank body armor, a company that raked in the cash following 9/11 when the …
There's No Business Like the Arms Business
Earlier this week, Congress learned U.S. arms sales around the world fell by nearly half from 2008 to 2009 — from $38.1 billion to $22.6 billion. Apparently the world’s flagging economy affects air forces and ministries of defence just as much as it does Main Street car dealers and hardware stores. But taking some of the edge off that …
A Growing Trend: Special Courts for War Vets
The nation tends to calculate the cost of wars in blood and treasure — how many of our troops have been killed and wounded, and how much did the Treasury and taxpayer have to spend — or borrow — to prosecute the campaign. One thing a decade of fighting reveals clearly are the hidden costs of combat that only become evident as they …