Thank a GI today!
“On August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day to replace separate Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force Days. The single-day celebration stemmed from the unification of the Armed Forces under one department — the Department of Defense.”
It’s been nearly 10 years since the attack on 09/11/01, but the search never stopped. Finally, after years of tracking Bin Laden’s “favorite” courier, U.S. intelligence was able to close in on him. When they felt there was enough information for action, President Obama authorized the operation. According to news sources, he was in a room with his son, and others, when the SEAL’s entered the room. A firefight ensued, and Osama, his son, and others (including a woman he used as a shield), were killed. At that point, the SEAL’s took control of his body for positive identification. In accordance with Muslim tradition, he was buried at sea within 24 hours.
For more details, please http://www.defense.gov//news/newsarticle.aspx?id=63765
This is a nice public interest story on how the wish of a child comes true thanks to soldiers of the Big Red One.
Big Red One gives ‘Soldier’ 20-year career in 2 days.
SecDef Gates is probably right as to who would be affected the most. As a young airman making around $212/month it was a paycheck to paycheck life. In the long run, everyone will get paid, but the inconvenience will be harder on some more than others. See link below for more details.
Defense.gov News Article: Shutdown Could Affect Young Troops Most, Gates Says.
After a 40 year ban, Columbia University students and faculty vote to allow the ROTC back on campus. Columbia is the latest of ivy league schools that have decided to revisit the ban. Harvard and Yale, have also recently announced the lifting of the ban. Please click on the following link for more detail.
As many of you know, the 7th Regiment Armory, which is now called the “Park Avenue Armory” by many New Yorkers, is a also home to a not-for-profit organization “whose mission is to revitalize this important landmark as a unique alternative arts space”.
This week it is home to a quilt exhibition dating back to the Civil War. Very appropriate for the Armory. Click on the link below for more information.
67 years after helping rescue a wounded buddy in a mine field during the “Battle of Anzio”, PVT Henry Schuessler, finally gets his Bronze Star.
The military mission in Libya is proceeding well, and has prevented a major humanitarian catastrophe according to President Obama in his weekly radio address. Please see the following link for more detail.
Defense.gov News Article: Obama: Coalition Mission Succeeding in Libya.
Please join the Veteran Corps of Artillery on Thursday March 17th as it marches down 5th Avenue in celebration of the NYC 250th St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The VCA will provide a Color Guard and other troops beginning at 11AM. Also participating in the parade will be New York’s own “The Fighting 69th”. If you follow this blog, you might remember that the VCA and 69th march together for the commemoration of the “Irish Brigade”, during December. For more information please visit http://nycstpatricksparade.org/
For those of you interested in naval history, please visit the U.S. Naval War College site to review “To Train the Fleet for War: The U.S. Navy Fleet Problems, 1923-1940”. Written by PFC Albert Nofi, the book “Examines in detail, making extensive use of the Naval War College archives, each of the U.S. Navy’s twenty-one “fleet problems” conducted between World Wars I and II, elucidating the patterns that emerged, finding a range of enduring lessons, and suggesting their applicability for future naval warfare.” It has also received “Honorable Mention for the Theodore and Franklin D. Roosevelt Prize in Naval History, 2011”