Economy Sparks Record Military Recruitment

Females will still not be able to serve as infantry, however: sources

(NEWSER) - Defense Department rules are entering the 21st century. The Pentagon will recommend to Congress today that women in the military should be allowed to serve in a greater number of positions close to front lines. The AP notes that the rule shift would formalize a practice that has already been happening: Though women are technically prohibited from serving in combat battalions, over the past decade many have served at the front lines in roles including medic, military police officer, intelligence officer, and helicopter pilot. The military has previously dodged the rule by "attaching" such women to battalions, rather than formally assigning them, meaning the women would not receive credit for serving in combat arms. More»

Jesse Thorsen may face legal trouble for endorsing Paul in uniform

(NEWSER) - Army reservist Jesse Thorsen is a big fan of Ron Paul's foreign policy, but he's likely to face legal trouble for getting on stage at a Paul rally in uniform and saying so. Taking part in a partisan political event in uniform is a violation of Defense Department rules, and the military is investigating Thorsen, says an Army Reserve spokeswoman. Thorsen "stands alone in his opinions regarding his political affiliation and beliefs, and his statements and beliefs in no way reflect that of the Army Reserve," the spokeswoman says. More»

Soldiers were on training mission

(AP) - Two US Army helicopters crashed during a training mission last night at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state, killing four soldiers. The reconnaissance choppers crashed after 8pm in the southwest training area of the sprawling base, according to the Army. "We don't have details on what actually occurred," said a base spokesman. "That will be part of the investigation." It was not immediately clear whether the aircraft collided or crashed separately. More»

And something called 'Zapplesauce'

(NEWSER) - The only problem with coffee is that it has no meat in it, and the only problem with meat is that it has no caffeine in it. Fortunately, the Army has solved both of those problems with its newest snack: caffeinated meat. The beef jerky stick, which contains as much caffeine as a cup of coffee, just tastes like normal jerky. It’s still in the testing stages; it’s just one of a number of experiments the Army is trying in an attempt to beef up (no pun intended) its notoriously reviled Meal Ready to Eat (MRE) options. More»

Peter Fuller called Afghan leaders 'out of touch with reality'

(NEWSER) - One of the highest-ranking US commanders in Afghanistan didn't get that Stanley McChrystal memo about watching your tongue in the presence of reporters. Major Gen. Peter Fuller has been relieved of command after bad-mouthing Hamid Karzai and other Afghan leaders, reports CNN . Fuller made the comments in this Politico interview yesterday. Some choice highlights:

• Karzai: In response to the Afghan leader's comments about siding with Pakistan over the US: "Why don’t you just poke me in the eye with a needle! You’ve got to be kidding me. … I’m sorry, we just gave you $11.6 billion and now you’re telling me, ‘I don’t really care?'"
• Karzai II: In the next Afghan election, "you hope they get a guy that's more articulate in public."