Dec/090
Bloggers React to Obama’s Afghan Troop Surge
Everyone seems to have an opinion about President Barack Obama’s decision to up the ante in Afghanistan. While The New York Times and The Atlantic Wire covered milbloggers initial reactions, we gave it a week to settle in. And, well, debates are still going strong (especially in the comments section!). Here’s what some folks are saying.
Over at Abu Muqawama, Obama’s speech wasn’t as questionable as his reference to Eisenhower. “I do not know if President Eisenhower would have agreed with the current president’s direction on Afghanistan, but I think he would have certainly recognized the considerations behind his decision-making process,” writes Abu Muqawama.
The Dude, a contributor at Bouhammer.com, wrote an open letter to President Obama on Bouhammer.com. His letter starts out with: “Now that I’ve had a few days to ingest, digest, and perform my own mission analysis on your new plan for Afghanistan, I’m a bit concerned.” He writes that his concerns come from his perspective of fighting in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region. His biggest argument: What took you so long to decide to do this?
Commenter Alikat on SpouseBuzz brought up another interesting point: If we do set a timeline, won’t the enemy be gearing up for a full-force effort after that point?
“In setting a prospective timeline for withdrawal the ‘enemy’ is also aware of when our troops will be pulling out,” writes Alikat. “I’m plagued by self-imposed questions of ‘How will this affect us all when the time for withdrawal does arrive?’ and ‘What if the withdrawal isn’t successful, for one reason or another?’
Another commenter, Elton, at Small Wars Journal thinks the U.S. has “no vital interest in Afghanistan.” He believes that the U.S. troops in Afghanistan will only delay the inevitable. “The fight between the Taliban and the Afghan gov’t will happen without our presence,” he writes.
Want to rehash the speech yourself? Watch it below. Or read the transcript here.
(Image via Wikimedia Commons)
Nov/090
75% of Teens Unfit to Serve, Report Finds
Military recruiters work endlessly to enlist the best and brightest to serve our country. However, a new study found that more often, these recruiters are likely met with teens who are unfit to serve for one reason or another.
According to “Ready, Willing and Unable to Serve,” 75% of Americans between ages 17 to 24 would not be able to join the military. Why? There are three main reasons: inadequate education, criminal pasts or weight problems.
The 12-page report by Mission: Readiness Military Leaders For Kids, a nonprofit organization led by retired generals and admirals, also cited additional disqualifiers such as asthma, eyesight or hearing problems, mental health issues or recent treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders.
“Unfortunately, the number of young Americans who have high school degrees, are in good physical shape and are without criminal records is declining,” said Henry “Hugh” Shelton, a retired U.S. Army General, in the report.
“To keep our country strong and safe, we need to ensure all young Americans get the right start in life – we need more investments in high-quality early education.”
The military can grant waivers for those who have a GED score, but, according to the Boston Herald, that’s a privilege given to fewer than 2 percent of applicants.
“What we allow waivers for, and for whom, is like an opening and closing gate depending on our needs,” Douglas Smith, a U.S. Army Recruiter, was quoted by the Boston Herald as saying. “We can adjust our policies if we have to.”
To read the complete study, click here.
Nov/090
Weekly Drill-Down: David Letterman’s Marines Top 10, Military Tweeps on CNN and More
- 60 Minutes takes us bomb hunting in Afghanistan to find “The Deadliest Weapon.” (Military Photos)
- CNN features military tweeps and their take on the Fort Hood tragedy. (Milblogging)
- Are underage soldiers fighting for Afghanistan’s National Army? (Bouhammer)
- New camo for the Army in Afghanistan is revealed. (Defense Tech)
- MIA bomb-fighting doggy found alive in Afghanistan. (Danger Room)
- PHOTO: Nothing like an afternoon game of Spades overseas. (Line of Sight)
- A mil-blogger’s take on the upcoming military film “The Messenger.” (Not Your Average Brooklynette via Milblogging)
Nov/090
Study: Immigrants Play Key Role in Military During Wartime
A new report from the Immigration Policy Center shows that the U.S. military does rely somewhat on foreign-born recruits to meet goals and serve as translators.
Essential to the Fight: Immigrants in the Military, Eight Years After 9/11 investigates the current state of America’s armed forces after almost a decade of war. According to the study, changes were made to military policies after Sept. 11, 2001 to give enlisted immigrants U.S. citizenship eligibility, and that naturalization is always at its highest during wartime.
The study points out that just one year after Sept. 11 in 2002, there were 2,434 members in the military that were naturalized in the United States. That number has increased every year since, except in 2007. In 2009, that number was four times higher than it was in 2002 with 10,505 members of the military naturalized in the U.S. and abroad.
Some other highlights from the study:
- About 8 percent of the 1.4 million military personnel on active duty are foreign born.
- About 90 percent of foreign‐born service members were naturalized U.S. citizens, while approximately 13 percent were not U.S. citizens.
- As of October 2009, more than 53,000 immigrants had taken advantage of this provision to become U.S. citizens.
To read Essential to the Fight: Immigrants in the Military, Eight Years After 9/11 in its entirety, click here.
Nov/090
Weekly Drill-Down: The Warrior Song, Fort Hood Coverage and More
- Hey veterans: Don’t miss out on these awesome Veterans Day deals! (Bouhammer, Paycheck Chronicles)
- Ah, memory lane: One of the most prolific military bloggers recalls his 10 favorite experiences doing what he does best — blog. (Milblogging)
- So long, A Soldiers Perspective. You will be totally and completely missed!! (A Soldier’s Perspective)
- Today the Marine Corps turns 234 years old. Happy Birthday, Marines! (SpouseBUZZ)
- Photo essay: See Afghanistan through the eyes of a U.S. Army National Guard member. (DoD News via Milblogging)
- Attack of the droid armies? Perhaps. (Custom Gear Report)
**Special Fort Hood Coverage**
- What Fort Hood did for Muslims in the military. (Stars & Stripes)
- A look at a gun — aptly dubbed a “cop-killer” gun — that has killed so many. (Danger Room)
- Want a minute-by-minute account of the horrible events as they transpired? (Vet Voice)
Nov/090
Weekly Drill-Down
Projectile Detection Cueing (PDCue)
MilitaryBoots Blog peeks at our favorite neighbors in the blogosphere to find out what they’re tapping about.
- What were the top 10 technologies of 2008 recognized by the Army? (Army.mil)
- Watch out king of Nigeria, there’s a new scam online … for military dating! (A Soldier’s Perspective)
- The Army continues its quest to conquer social media with a new technology blog. (Miliblogging.com)
- British explosives expert is killed while defusing a bomb in Afghanistan. (The Guardian)
- Congress gives military spouses some extra love. (Stars and Stripes)
- The Pentagon is rushing all-terrain, lighter vehicles to Afghanistan. (AFP)
- Army Research Laboratory physicists work on seeing what’s not exactly visible with “ghost” imaging. (GlobalSecurity.org)
- Why shouldn’t civilians fly again? This is a definite flying FAIL. (FlightLines)
Oct/090
Belleville Boots: By the Numbers
Belleville 800 ST
There’s nothing quite like slipping on your first pair of Bellevilles. But before you get too comfortable, get to know your protective footwear in a quantitative way.
- 1 million – The number of pairs Belleville Shoe Manufacturing Co. currently produces every year.
- 1917 – The year Belleville landed its first military order.
- 50 – Employees who worked at the first Belleville Shoe factory, which was founded in 1904.
- $2.5 million – Cost of Belleville’s new plant in 1986 (and its current home).
- 1997 – The year “Belleville” was printed on the outside of military boots.
- 6 or 7 – Pairs baseball legend Stan Musial, Belleville’s best customer, normally used a season.
- $6.3 million – Amount the Defense Logistics Agency is contracted to pay Belleville for Army, Navy and Air Force boot orders through 2010.
- 23.1 – Miles Belleville’s headquarters in Belleville, Ill., is from St. Louis, Mo.
- 1 – Times a guy on YouTube squishes a lemon with his Bellevilles (see below).
Oct/090
Military Troop Funding Diverted
Money designated for the U.S. military has been pushed to pay for pet projects, according to the Washington Times.
Senators moved a whopping $2.6 billion originally set aside for U.S. troop training, fuel and ammunition to fund projects like a new World War II Museum in New Orleans with a price tag of $25 million. The paper said the money will be used for 778 total projects.
“Every dollar that we are forced to spend on things which we do not need requires us to take money from things which we do need,” said Geoff Morrell, a Pentagon spokesperson, in a prepared statement. “And the people who lose in that trade-off are our troops and the taxpayers.”
U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, who attempted to block the motion, called the move “a disgrace that Congress has refused this common sense approach to spending taxpayer dollars.”
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