Can anyone tell me exactly how many US servicemembers are currently deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan? How about the number of Americans in uniform on 9/11? Or the number serving in uniform today? Does anyone know the total number of servicemembers deployed to Afghanistan over the past 9 years? Deployed to Iraq since 2003? I’m asking these questions because all I’ve been hearing since “combat operations” ended ...
U.S. Government Loses FOIA Ruling on Body Armor Records
Thanks to superb pro bono legal representation by a team from the NYC office of Kirkland & Ellis, LLC, a federal district judge has issued his ruling on SFTT’s editor’s request under the Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) for forensic records held by the Department of Defense regarding the performance of government-issued body armor. The ruling was characterized in the following way by a news service covering legal issues:
U.S. Loses FOIA Ruling on Body Armor Records
(CN) – A ...
Continue Reading →SPC Charles “Doc” Parrish KIA 4 June 2009 Iraq
Doc was the combat medic for 1st Platoon, 55th Engineer Company, 5th Engineer Battalion. He was a 23 year old, gentle giant from Alabama with an calm demeanor and a way of putting everyone around him at ease. I was his first platoon leader and I remember liking him from the day he showed up. No matter how long the mission had been, Doc was always ready to take care of his Soldiers’ needs. As fortune would have it, I ...
Continue Reading →44,000 Military Helmets Recalled
Just when you thought it couldn’t get much worse, it has now been reported that the US Army has recalled 44,000 helmets which failed to meet US Army testing standards. In an article reported in Yahoo news, helmets manufactured by ArmorSource in Hebron, Ohio currently issued to troops serving in Afghanistan were recalled following an investigation by the US Justice Department.
According to Brigadier General Pete Fuller, who is quoted in the article, the helmets were issued ...
Continue Reading →Should US Troops Wear Body Armor?
There appears to be a bit of a backlash within military circles and families of men and women currently deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan over the “suggestion” that our troops should leave their body armor behind to ingratiate themselves with local civilians. This “new” strategy to win the “hearts and minds” of the local populace first came to my attention during an airing of a 60 minute special on General McChrystal some months ago.
Continue Reading →Picking up the Torch for Col. David Hackworth
My valiant, wonderful husband, Colonel David (Hack) Hackworth, one of America’s greatest heroes and most valor-decorated soldiers, died in my arms two years ago this past May (Editor’s note: This was written by Col. Hackworth’s wife three years ago on the second anniversary of his death). During the last weeks we shared, he thought not a wit about himself; and his love for me burned so brightly I still feel surrounded by that awesome warmth. But he worried too about ...
Continue Reading →Severe Clear debuts in NY
Severe Clear, a documentary based primarily on footage shot by Marine First Lt. Mike Scotti on his Mini-DV, shows Marines in combat during the early days of combat in Iraq in 2003, opened today in New York City.
Severe Clear, which I have not seen, was reviewed today in the New York Times and vivdly describes combat conditions ...
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