Marines Take Aim At "Excessive" Tattoos

Budget woes aren't the only defense issue facing White House's next denizen

(NEWSER) - Has President Bush done irreparable damage to our armed forces? Not necessarily, Phillip Carter and Fred Kaplan write in Slate, offering a to-do list for the next president to tackle as he or she begins the process of fixing a military "in strange shambles."

1. Overhaul the budget: "We don't have the money to stay this course."

Struck by roadside bomb, he endured 100+ surgeries

(NEWSER) - A Marine who endured burns on 97% of his body with good humor and hope has died during routine surgery, USA Today reports. Hit by a roadside bomb in Iraq, Sgt. Merlin German walked, talked, and even danced during his 3-year recovery. Undergoing more than 100 surgeries, he became a symbol of resilience and started a charity for burned kids called "Merlin's Miracles." More»

Soldiers on lockdown as Army investigates

(NEWSER) - An infantry unit at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington has been locked down since last week after "sensitive" equipment was found to be missing, reports AP . Equipment, including laser-targeting gun sights, night-vision goggles, and weapons scopes in "the six-figure range" were missing and "definitely stolen," said an Army spokesman. A $10,000 reward has been offered, and the Army is conducting a criminal investigation. About 100 soldiers will remain locked down until the probe is complete. More»

Army, Marines now ranked as more important

(NEWSER) - The public now considers the Army and Marines significantly more important than the Air Force, according to a new Gallup poll. That might not sound that earth-shattering, but it represents a major shift in public thinking, Politico observes. In May 2001, the Air Force was overwhelmingly the public’s favorite, with 42% rating it the most important branch, with the Army, Navy, and Marines polling in the mid-to-high teens. More»

Liposuction seen as way to lose career-killing girth

(NEWSER) - The military is supposed to be physically rigorous, but some service members are resorting to measures such as starvation diets, dehydration, and even liposuction to meet requirements, reports the Washington Post . What's worse, the service members complain that they're perfectly fit—it's just that requirements such as the "tape test" are based on height, age, and sex standards that don't account for individual body types. More»