American military

19 Stories

Troops in Koran Burning to Be Punished, Not Charged

They're looking at something like a rank and pay drop

(Newser) - The US military will not recommend the US troops who burned Korans at an Afghanistan NATO base, sparking protests , face any criminal charges. Administrative punishments have been recommended instead, MSNBC reports. The punishment will likely involve a rank and pay drop, a letter of reprimand, or the assignment of additional...

US Soldier Sentenced to 10 Years in S. Korea Rape

Pfc. Kevin Flippin convicted of assaulting 16-year-old

(Newser) - A 21-year-old US soldier stationed in South Korea has been sentenced to 10 years in prison today for raping a 16-year-old girl. Pfc. Kevin Flippin was convicted of breaking into the girl’s boarding room and threatening her with scissors, a knife, and a lighter while committing numerous “sadistic...

Marines: Let Us Wear Memorial KIA Bracelets

Troops frustrated at inconsistent ban

(Newser) - Lance Cpl. Glenn Payne used to wear a bracelet carrying the name of a close friend who was killed in action in Afghanistan—until he was ordered to take it off. Marine Corps policy sees such KIA bracelets as unauthorized jewelry, but the ban on them is enforced inconsistently—and...

Just 1 in 3 Vets Say Iraq, Afghanistan Wars 'Worth It'

Another 1 in 3 disagree: Pew Research Center poll

(Newser) - Friday marks the 10th anniversary of the US invasion of Afghanistan; with an eye on the decade-long effort, the Pew Research Center asks veterans: Were the Afghanistan and Iraq wars worth it? Just 34% of post-Sept. 11 veterans say yes, while another 33% say no (Afghanistan is considered slightly more...

A First: No US Deaths in Iraq in August

Iraqi crackdown, US strikes helped

(Newser) - As the US approaches its end-of-year deadline for withdrawing all troops from Iraq, August saw a milestone: It was the first month since the US-led invasion began in March 2003 that saw no American military deaths. The previous record was one soldier death in December 2010, and a military spokesperson...

Suspect Shouts Name of Accused Ft. Hood Shooter

Muslim soldier accused of bomb plot yells out in court

(Newser) - The US soldier who allegedly planned to bomb Fort Hood military base had a disruptive and defiant court appearance today, reports the AP . Pfc. Naser Abdo would not stand up when asked and yelled "Nidal Hasan Fort Hood 2009" as he was leaving, referring to the Army psychiatrist accused...

US Troops Mark Memorial Day in Iraq, Afghanistan

Soldiers honor fallen comrades

(Newser) - US soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan remembered their fallen comrades in Memorial Day services nearly a decade after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks that sparked the Afghanistan war. In that country, dawn flag-raising ceremonies honored the more than 1,400 who have been killed, the AP reports. "We...

Breathing Trouble Dogs Middle East Vets

 Breathing Trouble 
 Dogs Middle East Vets 
study says
May 17, 2011 9:05 AM CDT

Breathing Trouble Dogs Middle East Vets

New study increases concern over respiratory issues

(Newser) - Why do so many young, previously healthy soldiers come back from the Middle East with respiratory problems, some so bad they can no longer pass a physical required for active duty? The question was made more urgent with the results of a new study showing that Iraq and Afghanistan veterans...

Arlington Must Once Again Bury Unknown Soldiers

As mass grave is investigated, at least 4 sets of remains unidentifiable

(Newser) - Thanks to advances in DNA science, many thought that the “unknown soldier” was a thing of the past, but now Arlington National Cemetery finds itself, once again, with multiple unknowns to bury. Of the eight sets of remains found in a single grave in October, only three have been...

20K Troops, Vets Lost Their Homes Last Year

But VA says that number could have been much worse

(Newser) - Last year saw the most military foreclosures since 2003, despite efforts from Veterans Affairs to counsel and assist floundering servicemen. More than 20,000 active-duty troops, reservists, and veterans who’d taken out special government-backed mortgages lost their homes last year, the USA Today reports, and foreclosure filings in the...

'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Here to Stay: Graham

Lame duck session will sit on the issue, says senator

(Newser) - The military's controversial "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gays isn't going away anytime soon, predicts South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham. "There is no groundswell of opposition coming from our military. I don’t think there’s anywhere near the votes to repeal DADT on the Republican side,...

Pentagon to Comply With DADT Ruling

But don't 'come out' just yet, observers say

(Newser) - Gay service members are—for now—free to come out of the closet, though advocacy groups don't recommend doing so just yet. The Obama administration has asked to delay the repeal of "Don't Ask Don't Tell," but the Pentagon says it will comply immediately with the court's order...

Obama: 'Solemn' Duty to Help Vets With PTSD

White House plans to make getting benefits easier

(Newser) - With the military fighting two wars, President Obama said today the country has a "solemn responsibility" to ensure that veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder get the help they need. Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki is to announce new regulations Monday intended to make it easier for veterans with PTSD...

Army: Hundreds of Bodies Misplaced at Arlington

(Newser) - Hundreds of bodies buried at Arlington National Cemetery have been misidentified or misplaced, an Army investigation has found, in a scandal marring the reputation of the nation's pre-eminent burial ground for its honored dead since the Civil War. The cemetery's two civilian leaders will be forced to step aside, Army...

Ft. Hood Suspect to Appear in Court

Defense team will seek delay

(Newser) - The man accused of killing 13 people at Fort Hood , Nidal Hasan , will make his first court appearance today in a preliminary hearing. His lawyers will seek to delay an Article 32 hearing that will determine if his case should go to trial, reports the AP . The army has already...

Congress to Vote on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Today

Legislation paves way for gays serving openly

(Newser) - The House is expected to vote as early as today on a proposal that would repeal "don't ask, don't tell." Under the bill, which would give the military as much time as it wants to lift ban, the president, defense secretary, and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of...

Congress Likes to Hitch Rides With Military to Meetings

Pentagon hauls legislators around DC

(Newser) - Military vehicles routinely haul members of Congress not only to countries around the world but to meetings around Washington. Congressional delegations sometimes ask the Pentagon for expensive military transportation to the White House or ceremonial events in DC, documents obtained by Roll Call show. The military has even provided shuttle...

Patrick Kennedy Loses It on House Floor
 Patrick Kennedy 
 Loses It on House Floor 
afghanistan coverage 'despicable'
Mar 10, 2010 5:25 PM CST

Patrick Kennedy Loses It on House Floor

Rhode Island Congressman blasts media for Afghanistan Coverage

(Newser) - Patrick Kennedy blasted the media on the floor of the House this afternoon, calling the focus on the likes of Eric Massa rather than the war in Afghanistan "despicable." The lame-duck Rhode Island Democrat was speaking—and eventually shouting—in favor of a Dennis Kucinich-sponsored resolution requiring President...

Birth Defects Linked to US Fallujah Fighting

Parents, docs complain of upsurge of problems since attack

(Newser) - Iraqi parents and doctors are attributing an upsurge in birth defect problems in Fallujah to a major US military offensive there. Doctors report seeing as many as three cases of birth defects a day now. The US denies a problem exists. "No studies to date have indicated environmental issues...

19 Stories
Most Read on Newser