Army Launches Wiki Field Manuals

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama is set to prohibit waterboarding and other enhanced interrogation techniques by mandating the CIA follow the US Army Field Manual when questioning suspects, the AP reports. But as the president-elect debates whether to make the changes through legislation or presidential fiat, the incoming administration is also considering a loophole that would allow controversial methods in pressing situations. More»

100 homes evacuated after dummy Hellfire drops

(NEWSER) - The Army is investigating how a dummy Hellfire missile managed to become detached from an Apache helicopter to fall in a Texas neighborhood on Tuesday. A soldier's kids spotted the missile as it fell into a field around 8pm and told their dad, who contacted the military. Some 100 homes in Killeen, near Fort Hood, were evacuated for close to an hour while Army technicians examined the missile and determined it was inert, reports AP . More»

...bullet would be non-lethal

(NEWSER) - The Pentagon certainly has imagination when it comes to making up dream weapons. It's put out a new list of weapons small businesses should try to design for it, and one of them is a "Nonlethal Warhead of Miniature Organic Precision Munitions," or what Wired describes as, "one part bazooka round; one part suicidal drone; one part stun round." Essentially, the Army wants a bullet that can acquire a target, close in on it in less than 20 seconds, and then somehow incapacitate it without killing it. 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»