is designed to improve “Soldier performance and readiness. Build confidence to lead, courage to stand up for one’s beliefs and compassion to help others. Comprehensive Soldier Fitness is about maximizing one’s potential.” This program is deemed so important to forming core values of our men and women in uniform and their families, that they have even developed a camouflaged logo to promote the program. I suspect that by the time the lobbyists and universities have milked this program dry it will ...
Continue Reading →Better Protection for our Troops in Afghanistan
It is surprising how quickly the US government can move when matters of “vital interest” are at stake. Regardless of what feelings one may have regarding our intervention in Libya, it is quite amazing how we can focus our attention to prevent atrocities in a country which we have largely neglected for 40 years.
Compare our resolve in Libya to the interminable delays in getting our troops in Afghanistan the proper equipment to deal with IED’s (Improvised Explosive Devices). Congressman ...
Continue Reading →Sebastian Junger on Afghanistan
The editor and writer, James Heidenry, talks to Sebastian Junger about his recent book, our troops.
What was the genesis for War?
Well, in 1996 I was asked to write a magazine story about some westerners who were kidnapped in Kashmir. They’d been kidnapped by former Mujahideen who continued training in Bin Laden’s camps. I said I’d do the assignment if I could go to Afghanistan to report on the broader problem. That was my first trip and I just ...
Continue Reading →US military withdrawal from Afghanistan battle zone
The New York Times reported today that it will last about two months, part of a shift of Western forces to the province’s more populated areas. Afghan units will remain in the valley, a test of their military readiness.”
The Times claims that “at least 103 American soldiers have died in or near the valley’s maze of steep gullies and soaring peaks . . . and many times more have been wounded, often severely. Military officials say they are sensitive to those ...
Continue Reading →Budget Cuts and the DoD’s Priorities
The Secretary of Defense has proposed cutting $78 Billion out of the DoD budget over five years. That’s $78 Billion, or less than $20 Billion a year. Are you kidding me — why even bother with such a miniscule amount? Anyone with even a brief, passing knowledge of the DoD over the last 2 decades has to be amused that the national media has viewed this proposal as a “substantial cut.” With an enormous DoD budget that exceeds THREE ...
Continue Reading →Stand For The Troops
Soldiers For The Truth has become Stand For The Troops. Our new name reflects exactly what we do on behalf of all concerned Americans—stand for the troops—and more specifically, stand for our frontline troops, our young heroes who stand tall for us and our country out at the tip of the spear.
Our mission remains the same: to ensure that America’s frontline troops get the best available personal combat gear and protective equipment, including body armor and helmets. In fact, the military ...
Continue Reading →J.D. Salinger and PTSD
In a fascinating book review in the New York Times last Sunday, Jay McInerney writes extensively on a new biography on the reclusive J.D. Salinger entitled J.D. Salinger: A Life by Kenneth Slawenski. This iconic author, best known for Catcher in the Rye, was a transformational author who did much to goad the thinking of young men and women growing up in fifties and sixties. What was unknown ...
B.E.S.T. is Back
B.E.S.T. is Back
On April 6th, B.E.S.T. Greenwich will be holding an April in Paris event at Saks Fifth Avenue in downtown Greenwich. Saks has generously agreed to donate 10% of sales on that day to Stand for the Troops, a 501 (c)(3) charitable foundation designed to make sure that our troops have the best protective gear and combat equipment available. Join us for April in Paris and learn how you can Stand ...
Continue Reading →Corruption in Afghanistan: Greed is more powerful than ideology
In a fascinating article by Carl Thompson, published by IDGA (Institute for Defense and Government Advancement) entitled that is thwarting our progress in Afghanistan. Found below are examples cited by Mr. Thompson of rampant corruption across all elements of Afghan society.
- We had ANA (Afghan National Army) and the Ford Rangers that were given to them were missing the spare tires and jacks. All spare tires and jacks were gone in every company.
- New fuel pumps were taken off of the trucks ...
Military News Highlights: February 8, 2011
Military tries one-stop shop for treatment of concussions
One hundred and sixty thousand troopers have been diagnosed with concussions since 2000. I bet that is a conservative estimate/data point, given the fact that the stigma of reporting a head-injury and the evolving science of diagnosis.
Nevertheless, there has been three-hundred and ten concussions diagnosed in the past five months at lovely Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan. And for in-camp/intra-theater treatment, naval medical officers have established a “one-stop shop” where you can ...
Continue Reading →