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Tag: Military

  • COVID Has Really Impacted Aerospace… and the Air Force

    COVID Has Really Impacted Aerospace… and the Air Force

    “COVID has really impacted the aerospace industry in this nation and nations around the world disproportionately to other industries… and the Air Force has not been exempt from these impacts,” says former Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Dr. Will Roper:

    COVID Has Really Impacted Aerospace… and the Air Force

    COVID has really impacted the aerospace industry in this nation and nations around the world disproportionately to other industries. The Air Force has not been exempt from these impacts. We have had to go into a wartime posture and engage with exceptional authorities and funding to keep the aerospace industry, which allows us to go to war, whole.

    But aside from the crisis response that we’ve all been in it’s forced us to do some serious reflection about how we engage with production and supply chains going forward. How does the Air Force need to change the way it views its future self so that we’re not just more ready for a crisis when it occurs but we’re actually designing better systems, doing better engineering, and using technology more effectively? Systems that we need to go to war are going to be hidden behind doors where their vulnerabilities are never going to be exposed because of secrecy.

    Secrecy Hinders Our Ability To Digitally Go To War

    We’re moving into an era where we’re leveraging commercial technology more frequently. Because of that, we can no longer hope that secrecy, keeping our systems classified, will be the sole means for us to be secure. We need to find a new paradigm where openness is also part of our security posture. Now we’re not going to be able to copy commercial industry one for one. Our systems in many cases don’t have a commercial analog. We can’t quickly replace them.

    We’re not in a competition where spirals occur in years. Many of our aerospace breakthroughs, especially those in technologies like stealth, take time to do. Secrecy is going to continue to be part of the equation. But secrecy can’t be the catch-all approach to how we ensure systems are able to digitally go to war and be ready to fight in a cyber environment against an adversary as capable as we are.

    Containerization Solves The Secrecy Problem

    The software development capabilities that technologies like Kubernetes or containerization and Istio bring in to the Air Force. It’s amazing that companies like Google that have now transitioned this to an open-source driven initiative have solved a lot of what we would have to solve as a military. How do you write code in a development environment, in that tech stack that may also represent the physical aspects of your system, but it certainly represents the software components?

    How do you go from your development environment out to the edge securely and know your code will run the same way. Containerization solves that problem for us. The military is behind and adopting it. It’s not old but this technology is moving through industry as fast as Linux did. If we don’t get off the dime we will be left behind. Keep pushing the Air Force and Space Force on this. Do not let us get comfortable.

    COVID Has Really Impacted Aerospace… and the Air Force
  • It’s Official: Space Force Becomes the Military’s Sixth Branch

    It’s Official: Space Force Becomes the Military’s Sixth Branch

    Space.com is reporting that President Trump has officially signed the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, creating the U.S. Space Force (USSF) as the military’s sixth branch.

    As we reported a week ago, the House and Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act, setting aside funds to create the USSF and thereby consolidating the various elements related to space defense under a single branch of the military. The USSF will be part of the Department of the Air Force, just as the Marines are part of the Department of the Navy.

    In signing the bill, President Trump appointed General Jay Raymond as the first Chief of Space Operations. General Raymond will also represent the USSF on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The USSF “will be stood up over the next 18 months, military officials said.”

    “It was nearly half a century from Kitty Hawk to the creation of the Air Force. And now it’s 50 years after Apollo 11 that we create the Space Force,” President Trump said at the signing at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. “It’s a big moment. That’s a big moment, and we’re all here for it. Space … going to be a lot of things happening in space. Because space is the world’s newest warfighting domain. Amid grave threats to our national security, American superiority in space is absolutely vital. And we’re leading, but we’re not leading by enough. But very shortly, we’ll be leading by a lot. The Space Force will help us deter aggression and control the ultimate high ground.”

  • Stephen Hawking, Elon Musk, and Hundreds More Call for Ban on Autonomous Weapons

    Stephen Hawking, Elon Musk, and Hundreds More Call for Ban on Autonomous Weapons

    According to Stephen Hawking, Elon Musk, Steve Wozniak, Noam Chomsky, and hundreds of AI and robotics researchers, governments should ban autonomous weapons in order to prevent a “military AI arms race.”

    In a letter signed by over 1,000, Musk, Hawking and others say that most AI researchers “have no interest in building AI weapons, and do not want others to tarnish their field by doing so, potentially creating a major public backlash against AI that curtails its future societal benefits.”

    The letter, which will be officially announced at the International Joint Conferences on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI) in Buenos Aires, is organized by the Future of Life Institute. FLI “are a volunteer-run research and outreach organization working to mitigate existential risks facing humanity. We are currently focusing on potential risks from the development of human-level artificial intelligence.”

    According to the organization, its mission is “to catalyze and support research and initiatives for safeguarding life and developing optimistic visions of the future.”

    And to FLI and the signatories of this open letter, flying death robots do not an optimistic future make.

    Here’s the full text of the letter:

    Autonomous weapons select and engage targets without human intervention. They might include, for example, armed quadcopters that can search for and eliminate people meeting certain pre-defined criteria, but do not include cruise missiles or remotely piloted drones for which humans make all targeting decisions. Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology has reached a point where the deployment of such systems is — practically if not legally — feasible within years, not decades, and the stakes are high: autonomous weapons have been described as the third revolution in warfare, after gunpowder and nuclear arms.

    Many arguments have been made for and against autonomous weapons, for example that replacing human soldiers by machines is good by reducing casualties for the owner but bad by thereby lowering the threshold for going to battle. The key question for humanity today is whether to start a global AI arms race or to prevent it from starting. If any major military power pushes ahead with AI weapon development, a global arms race is virtually inevitable, and the endpoint of this technological trajectory is obvious: autonomous weapons will become the Kalashnikovs of tomorrow. Unlike nuclear weapons, they require no costly or hard-to-obtain raw materials, so they will become ubiquitous and cheap for all significant military powers to mass-produce. It will only be a matter of time until they appear on the black market and in the hands of terrorists, dictators wishing to better control their populace, warlords wishing to perpetrate ethnic cleansing, etc. Autonomous weapons are ideal for tasks such as assassinations, destabilizing nations, subduing populations and selectively killing a particular ethnic group. We therefore believe that a military AI arms race would not be beneficial for humanity. There are many ways in which AI can make battlefields safer for humans, especially civilians, without creating new tools for killing people.

    Just as most chemists and biologists have no interest in building chemical or biological weapons, most AI researchers have no interest in building AI weapons — and do not want others to tarnish their field by doing so, potentially creating a major public backlash against AI that curtails its future societal benefits. Indeed, chemists and biologists have broadly supported international agreements that have successfully prohibited chemical and biological weapons, just as most physicists supported the treaties banning space-based nuclear weapons and blinding laser weapons.

    In summary, we believe that AI has great potential to benefit humanity in many ways, and that the goal of the field should be to do so. Starting a military AI arms race is a bad idea, and should be prevented by a ban on offensive autonomous weapons beyond meaningful human control.

    Elon Musk, Steve Wozniak, and Stephen Hawking have all gone on record plenty of times with concerns about artificial intelligence.

    Image via Stephen Hawking, Facebook

  • Chelsea Manning Sues US Gov’t Over Stalled Gender Treatments

    Chelsea Manning, formerly known as Bradley Manning, has reportedly filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Defense. In it, the Wikileaks leaker claims that she has been “denied access to medically necessary treatment” in connection with a gender disorder.

    “She brings this action to compel defendants [Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and the federal government] to treat her serious medical needs consistent with their obligation under the Constitution,” says the suit, according to CNN. If the requests are denied, said Manning’s lawyers, she “will suffer continued pain, depression and anxiety and is at an extremely high risk of self-castration and suicidality.”

    In August of 2013, Pvt. Chelsea (then Bradley) Manning was sentenced to 35 years in prison for supplying WikiLeaks with 700,000 classified documents in 2010. Manning was found guilty on charges under the Espionage Act, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, and the code of military justice – but was spared the charge of “aiding the enemy”, the most serious of all the charges. If convicted of that crime, Manning could have face up the 90 years behind bars.

    Shortly after her sentencing, Manning revealed that she was transgender, suffering from “gender dysphoria” – a condition in which a person does not identify with the sex assigned to them at birth. Soon, Manning began demanding treatment for the condition, including hormone therapy.

    In July of this year, Manning’s request to be transferred to a civilian prison to begin treatment was approved – but according to the new lawsuit things have stalled. Or better yet, people are stalling.

    “I have not yet seen their treatment plan, and in over eight months, I have not received any response as to whether the plan will be approved or disapproved, or whether it follows the guidelines of qualified health professionals,” says the lawsuit.

    Manning also wishes to be able to grow out her hair and modify her dress to better express her gender identity.

    The White House will reportedly address the lawsuit “in the coming weeks.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Northrop Grumman Nabs $354 Million Contract To Add To Global Hawk Fleet Of Air Force

    Northrop Grumman Nabs $354 Million Contract To Add To Global Hawk Fleet Of Air Force

    Aiming to add to their fleet of RQ-4 Global Hawks, the US Air Force has awarded a $354 million contract to Northrop Grumman Corporation, which manufactures the aircraft. The contract requires Northrop Grumman to make an additional three aircraft to bring the number of Air Force Global Hawks up to 37 by 2017.

    The Global Hawk is used to retrieve intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data. It carries sophisticated imaging and electronic signals sensors that can gather various types of intelligence from high altitudes for as long as 32 hours. Included in the contract with Northrop Grumman are retrofit kits for the Airborne Signals Intelligence Payload sensors for two of the Global Hawks, allowing them to gather more information. These sensors are also manufactured by Northrop Grumman.

    “Northrop Grumman is proud that the RQ-4 Global Hawk has become an indispensable ISR resource for the Air Force. These new systems will provide further opportunities to keep our warfighters safe,” said Mick Jaggers, program manager for Global Hawk at Northrop Grumman.

    The company is closely tied with the Air Force and remains a major sponsor of one of service’s premier running events, the US Air Force Marathon. From September 19 to 20, the 18th installment of this running event is expecting the participation of 15,000 runners in 5K, 10K, half and full marathon events at Wright State University and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton.

    “In 2014, we’re expecting approximately 70 Northrop Grumman employees and their family members to participate in the Air Force Marathon events. Many more of them will be manning aid stations or cheering the runners along the course,” said Kevin Bell, corporate lead executive for Northrop Grumman in Dayton.

    Besides the Global Hawk, Northrop Grumman has also been supplying the Air Force with B-2 stealth bombers and the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System battle management and command and control aircraft.

  • USS Houston Wreck Found in Pacific Ocean

    USS Houston Wreck Found in Pacific Ocean

    On the night of February 28, 1942, the USS Houston, nicknamed “The Galloping Ghost of the Java Coast,” was engaged in a naval skirmish in the Battle of Sunda Strait off the coast of Java. The battle was precipitated by a Japanese attempt to invade the island of Java on February 27, an attempt that was halted by the efforts of the USS Houston and the HMAS Perth. Unfortunately, the USS Houston and HMAS Perth would intersect the path of multiple Japanese ships during a routine deploy through the Sunda Strait on February 28, and both ships would eventually be sunk by the Japanese forces. At the time of her demise, the USS Houston was carrying 1,068 crewmen – 700 sailors and Marines died when the ship sunk and another 291 sailors and soldiers would survive, only to be taken as prisoners of war by the Japanese.

    The wreckage of the USS Houston had remained on the floor of the Pacific Ocean for 72 years until recent efforts by the United States and Indonesian navies would finally confirm the identification of the sunken vessel.

    Unfortunately, the ship did not remain undiscovered throughout its underwater stay. Divers have reported signs of human interference with the ship, noting the removal of hull rivets, a metal plate, and an unexploded ordnance. To make matters worse, the crew also discovered that the hull is actively leaking oil.

    “In my discussions with our Indonesian navy partners, they share our sense of obligation to protect this and other gravesites. Surveying the site, of course was only the first step in partnering to respect those sailors who made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure the freedoms and security that we richly enjoy today,” stated U.S. Pacific Fleet commander Admiral Harry Harris.

    In June, the US Navy laid a wreath at the site to commemorate the deaths of all the fallen soldiers. The official identity of the ship was not confirmed until Monday, however.

    Currently, the Navy estimates that some 17,000 sunken ships and aircraft litter the floor of the world’s oceans.

  • American General Killed in Afghanistan

    A U.S. Army two star major general was killed today, and 15 other soldiers were wounded, in an attack at a military academy in Afghanistan.

    The shooting occurred at Camp Qargha, a military academy situated roughly 11 miles west of Kabul. A gunman wearing an Afghan army uniform opened fire on Americans and other Afghans. The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the shooting.

    The deceased general remains anonymous, as the U.S. military is in the process of notifying next of kin, and a U.S. official said he was the highest-ranking officer killed during the Afghan War. American generals typically have their own security details.

    UPDATE: The identity of the general is Harold J. “Harry” Greene, of Boston.

    Of the 15 soldiers wounded, eight are Americans, and all are expected to survive. Others wounded included German soldiers. The camp trains Afghan forces, and was recently renamed the Marshal Fahim National Defense University for the country’s deceased vice president.

    Afghan President Hamid Karzai condemned the attack, commenting, “The soldiers were visiting the military academy to help with the buildup of Afghan security forces.” Karzai attributed the attack on “enemies who don’t want to see Afghanistan have strong institutions.”

    Here is some raw footage of the training facility where the shooting occurred:

    The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Joint Command said in a statement, “We are in the process of assessing the situation. More information will be released as we sort out the facts.”

    So far there have been 3465 coalition military fatalities since Operation Enduring Freedom commenced in 2001.

    Rear Admiral John Kirby said the shooter was believed to be an Afghan soldier, constituting the latest “green-on-blue” attack, in which members of the Afghan forces have assaulted U.S. and coalition forces. There have been over 85 green-on-blue attacks so far during the war, though they have become less common.

    “The insider threat, it’s a pernicious threat … it’s impossible to completely eliminate that threat,” Kirby said.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Grounded F-35 Fleet Cleared to Fly

    Grounded F-35 Fleet Cleared to Fly

    After an engine fire in June grounded the entire U.S. military fleet of Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets, Navy and Air Force officials have approved a limited flight clearance to run engine inspections and restricted flight drills.

    The cause of the fire is still not known, and the Pentagon, along with engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney, has been trying to assess whether the malfunction was an isolated incident, or indicative of a fleet-wide problem. Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm. John F. Kirby said in a statement, “Additional inspections of F-35 engines have been ordered, and return to flight will be determined based on inspection results and analysis of engineering data.”

    Defense Department spokesman Mark Wright said in a statement Tuesday the flight limitations would “remain in effect until the root cause of the June 23 engine mishap is identified and corrected.”

    There were hopes the F-35 would make it to the famed Farnborough air show in England, which commenced Monday, but Rear Adm. John Kirby revealed Tuesday that the jets won’t make it.

    “The Department of Defense, in concert with our partners in the U.K., has decided not to send Marine Corps and U.K. F-35B aircraft across the Atlantic to participate in the Farnborough air show,” Kirby commented. “This decision was reached after a consultation with senior leaders and airworthiness authorities, despite the decision by airworthiness authorities to clear the aircraft to return to flight – to limited flight.”

    Here is a documentary on the F-35:

    The Lockheed Martin F-35, which has variations designed for the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, is a multirole fighter designed to perform ground attack, reconnaissance and air defense missions with stealth capability. The F-35 is the only fifth-generation fighter jet available for export from the United States, and orders have been placed by the U.K. (138 planes), Australia, Canada (which ordered 65), Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway and Turkey.

    The F-35 initiative was a $400 billion joint venture between Lockheed Martin and the Pentagon, the most expensive in Defense Department history. The engine fire mishap is the latest controversy surrounding a plane that has garnered significant international attention.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Google Robot ‘Cujo’ Carries Weapons For The Marines

    Google Robot ‘Cujo’ Carries Weapons For The Marines

    Back in the Winter, Google acquired Boston Dynamics, the robotics firm known for a number of nightmare-inducing robot models, and for working with DARPA. The New York Times reported at the time that Google said it would honor existing military contracts, but that it didn’t plan to move toward becoming a military contractor.

    Now, reports have come out that the Marines are using its LS3 “AlphaDog” model to carry weapons and other equipment. They also lovingly refer to it as “Cujo”.

    That’s not to be confused with Boston Dynamics’ other models BigDog:

    Or LittleDog:

    The robot has been accompanying soldiers in a simulated battle zone in Hawaii.

    The Daily Mail reports that the Marines are using Google’s robot to carry their kit and weapons.

    The robot also made David Letterman’s top ten list (via BusinessInsider):

    In other Google robot news, MIT has been working with Boston Dynamics to make robots more flexible and able to fit into tight spaces.

    Image via YouTube

  • Kim Jong-Un Watches North Korea Military Drills

    North Korea’s Great Successor Kim Jong-un observed military drills mock targeting South Korean missile bases on Baeknyeong and Yeonpyeong islands Saturday, which included artillery fire and live torpedoes from a 1,800-ton Romeo-class submarine.

    The drills took place near Wonsan, Kangwon Province, and included mobilization of North Korean Army, Navy and Air Force artillery, submarines, fighter jets and bombers. Jong-un was seen holding a piece of paper entitled “measures and ways for tactical drills.”

    Measures and Ways for Tactical Drills refers to “a strike on a Spike base,” with “Spike” referring to guided missiles employed by South Korean Marines stationed on Baeknyeong and Yeonpyeong islands.

    Jong-un reportedly stated that the waste of ammunition was practice to protect North Korea’s “southwestern waters,” which are “under a constant threat from the enemy.” Kim added, “We’re thinking very seriously and waiting for the right moment” (to strike).

    Baeknyeong and Yeonpyeong islands are situated along the Northern Limit Line, the de-facto maritime border between North and South Korea.

    Kim Jong-un, who now has his own video game entitled Glorious Leader!, has held the titles of the First Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, the Chairman of the Central Military Commission, First Chairman of the National Defense Commission of North Korea, the Supreme Commander of the Korean People’s Army and presidium member of the Politburo of the Workers’ Party of Korea. He was officially declared the Supreme Leader following the state funeral for his father Kim Jong-il on December 28, 2011.

    Here is the Glorious Leader! teaser trailer, which features NBA Hall of Famer and Kim Jong-un BFF Dennis Rodman:

    Despite Pyongyang’s show of force, it is evident that its military machine is obsolete, is essentially falling apart and is low on spares.

    Image via YouTube

  • Michelle Howard: First Female Four-Star Admiral

    Michelle Howard became the first woman promoted to four-star admiral in the Navy’s 236-year history. That rank also makes her vice chief of naval operations, meaning she is the number two admiral in the service.

    She has accomplished many firsts in her lifetime, including becoming the first African-American woman to command a naval ship and the first to be promoted to a three-star officer in the U.S. Military. 54-year-old Michelle Howard was presented with her four-star shoulder boards on Thursday during a ceremony at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.

    “If you don’t believe today was a first, when I called to order four-star shoulder boards for women, they didn’t exist,” Howard said during the ceremony. “You folks are seeing the first set in the United States Navy.”

    Michelle Howard is best known for leading the strike force that accomplished the rescue of Capt. Richard Phillips after he was taken hostage by Somali pirates in 2009.

    Michelle Howard said of her difficult and impressive rise through the ranks of the Navy, “For those of us [women] who started in the service academies in those years, there were people who did not want us there. The men did not want us there,” recalls Howard. “So there were physical challenges as well as mental challenges.”

    Michelle Howard was often the only woman on board a ship. She said that she found these types of situations to be among the greatest challenges of her career. “There is not someone else there who has a shared experience set, or even a common way of communication…there is an additional set of pressures and stressors that come with that, that you have to figure out how to work your way through.”

    Well she certainly figured it out! What’s her secret?

    “Maintain your sense of humor,” she said.

    Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said of the historic choice, “There is no news here. The Navy picked the best officer to be [vice chief of naval operations]. That is the only thing that happened here today.”

    Congratulations to Michelle Howard on such an inspiring accomplishment!

    Image via YouTube

  • Female Four-Star Admiral: Michelle Howard Makes U.S. Navy History

    On Tuesday, Michelle Howard became the first woman to become a four-star admiral in the Navy’s 236-year history. She was promoted to the title at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial held near the Pentagon. She will now be serving as the vice chief of naval operations.

    During the ceremony, Howard said, “If you don’t believe today was a first, when I called to order four-star shoulder boards for women, they didn’t exist. You folks are seeing the first set in the United States Navy,” she said.

    Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said that choosing Howard to serve as the vice chief of naval operations was a simple choice, as she was the best officer.

    Adm. Jonathan Greenert said, “She will bear the burden of a role model and she is ready to bear that very well. And I am very excited about that because we need lots more women in the Navy.”

    Since she was a young girl, Howard aspired to become a military officer. After high school, she joined the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.

    Becoming a four-star admiral is not Howard’s first big success in her 36-year career. In 2006, Howard became a rear admiral lower half. She was the first female graduate of the Naval Academy to reach the rank. She was also the first in her 1982 class to reach the admiral rank.

    In 2012, Howard became the first African-American woman to be promoted to a three-star rank in the U.S. armed forces. In 1999, she was the first African-American woman to command a Navy warship, the USS Rushmore, at sea.

    In addition to all her achievements, Howard also played a big role in rescuing Capt. Richard Phillips who was the commanding officer of the Maersk Alabama, which was held by Somali pirates.

    Vice Admiral Michelle Howard Promotion Ceremony

    Image via YouTube

  • 1944 Army Plane Crash Rescuers Honored

    1944 Army Plane Crash Rescuers Honored

    A 1944 Army plane crash left James Wilson, a 19-year-old crew member who was asleep in the back, stranded and severely injured. He surely would have died with the rest of the passengers if it wasn’t for the courage of two high school Civil Air Patrol members who were pulled out of class to search the wreckage.

    The crash occurred on Camel’s Hump, the odd-shaped mountain featured on Vermont’s commemorative quarter. Conditions were freezing and brutal but Peter Mason and Rolland Lafayette were determined to rescue any who had survived.

    “We got there about sundown. We looked and saw the wreckage. We were mulling around wondering what to do,” Mason, now 86, of Pasadena, California, said. “Jimmy Wilson gave a call, which was a wonderful thing because he was very badly hurt and couldn’t help himself,”

    The young cadets reportedly used parachutes and other items from the planes wreckage to keep James Wilson warm until they could get him down the mountain.Wilson ended up losing both hands and both feet from the accident, but went on to become a successful Denver lawyer until he died in 2000 at the age of 75.

    The ceremony provided an opportunity for the rescuers to connect with James Wilson’s two children, Polly and Jeff.

    Mason and Rolland were honored and were presented with the state police’s Search and Rescue award during the ceremony. A commendation was read before the awards were presented that stated,

    “None of the cadets were dressed or equipped to spend the night on the mountain, let alone care for a severely injured airman, yet they did the best they could and it proved to be enough to save Wilson.”

    The children of James Wilson remain grateful for the efforts of Mason and Lafayette.

    “There’s no question, Jim dies if they don’t find him. He would not have made it another night,” said Polly Wilson’s husband, Randy.

    “It’s an amazing story,” he said. “My projection is that he was living his life for the other nine guys.”

    Polly Wilson carries around one sentiment, and surely will for the rest of her life.

    “We wouldn’t be here…”, she said.

    What a courageous story.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Bowe Bergdahl Claims Taliban Repeatedly Tortured Him

    There has certainly been a lot of controversy surrounding President Barack Obama’s decision to exchange five Taliban leaders from Guantanamo for Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl. While some people are questioning how smart–and legal–of a move it was on Obama’s behalf to strike such a deal, others are concerned that the U.S. turned over the prisoners for a deserter and Taliban sympathizer. U.S. officials have released new information about Bergdahl’s captivity that may make some more sympathetic to the 28-year-old, as Bergdahl claims he was tortured and kept in a cage at times after trying to escape.

    Bowe Bergdahl is still being treated at a hospital in Germany and is showing signs of improvement. While Bergdahl isn’t yet ready to return to the U.S. and be questioned on some of the details surrounding his leaving base, he has divulged some information about his confinement. Not only does Bergdahl maintain that he was tortured, he also says that he was kept in a shark cage for extended periods of time.

    “He’s said that they kept him in a shark cage in total darkness for weeks, possibly months,” one U.S. official said. Bergdahl was confined in the cage on at least two occasions after attempting to escape.

    While the news of Bowe Bergdahl’s torture and confinement in a shark cage may make some people more sympathetic to the young man, many remain skeptical.

    “I think there are going to be a lot of things that Bergdahl tells the Army and the medical folks that he’s talking to now that is going to be very difficult to validate,” said Senator Saxby Chambliss. “That’s not to say they’re not absolutely true, but we weren’t there. We have nobody who was on the inside. So we don’t know exactly what happened in his life over the last several years, except we do know he was captured and he’s been in the Taliban’s hands.”

    Considering some of the details surrounding Bergdahl’s leaving his post and the fact that he was returned from five years in captivity with relatively minor health issues, it’s easy to see why some people are raising their eyebrows.

    Bowe Bergdahl isn’t the only Bergdahl under attack in the days following his release. His father Robert Bergdahl has also been criticized for some comments he made on Twitter (below) that make some believe he is a Taliban sympathizer as well. Bergdahl’s parents have been receiving threats since their son’s release, which the FBI is investigating.

    Image via YouTube

  • Travis Mills Makes An Impression On Mike Rowe

    Travis Mills is a true American hero!

    Not only did he serve three tours in Afghanistan for the United States, while he was there he lost all four of his limbs when a bomb exploded underneath him, making him a quadruple amputee.

    Travis instantly though he was dying, and told the medics to let him be. “How I survived, I have no idea,” he said. “I was yelling at the medic, ‘Get away from me,’ because I thought I was done.”

    Miraculously, Travis did survive, and the retired United States Army staff sergeant spent the next few months recovering at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. While most would feel that Travis would definitely fall into the “wounded soldier” category, Travis does not. “I’m not wounded any more,” he said. “I’m just a guy living life.”

    Travis has never one thought about giving up, and has dedicated the rest of his life to help those men and women who have suffered severe injuries like he has. Travis founded the Travis Mills Foundation, a nonprofit organization, to assist wounded and injured veterans along with their families.

    A few weeks ago Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs had the opportunity to meet Travis, who instantly left an impression on him. Mike was more than impressed and took to Facebook to write a lengthy post, honoring Travis on Memorial Day.

    “He [Travis] has a motto: Never give up – never quit. He has a Foundation. He’s featured in a new documentary. He also has a wife and a kid, and a deeply personal commitment to help other wounded vets cope with their injuries.” the post read. “But when I asked why I hadn’t seen him in any of the typical commercials and PSA’s for wounded veterans, his answer was stunning. He said he didn’t consider himself to be wounded. ‘I’m not a victim, Mike. And I refuse to be portrayed that way. Case closed.’”

    Rowe finished his post by thanking Travis for his service. “That’s called a gut-check, and I could use one from time to time. Especially on Memorial Day, when the biggest decisions I face are what to grill and which type of frosty beverage to enjoy. This year, as I resolve these and other important issues, I’ll think of Travis Mills. A guy who went out on a limb for me, in every way possible. Thanks Travis. And Happy Memorial Day to you all.”

    Post by Mike Rowe.

    Image via Facebook

  • Gripen Fighter Jets Deal Nixed by Swiss Voters

    Saab Group was dealt a major blow this week as Swiss voters halted a plan to order the company’s Gripen fighter jets. The deal had been worth an estimated $3.5 billion.

    The deal stems from a February 2013 agreement between the Saab, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration, and the Swiss Defense Ministry. Under the terms of the deal Saab was to have developed and provided 60 Gripen E fighter jets to Sweden and 22 of the jets to Switzerland. According to Saab, the jets bound for Sweden are still in production and on schedule for delivery in 2018. Saab is also in the process of formalizing a deal to deliver 36 Gripen’s to Brazil.

    A majority of Swiss voters (over 53%) voted against the proposed Gripen deal. According to a Bloomberg report, opposition to the deal hung on estimates that the jets could cost more than $11 billion throughout their period of service. The Swiss Defense Ministry has indicated that it will follow the directive of the vote and cancel the deal.

    “Our focus is helping countries protect their ways of life, which we do by serving the global market with world-leading products, including Gripen,” said Hakan Buskhe, CEO of Saab. “We have seen in Switzerland support for Gripen, including through its evaluation and selection over competitors and in the votations in the Swiss Parliament last year.

    “We respect the process in Switzerland and do not comment on today’s outcome in the referendum. Following selection in 2011, hundreds of business relationships in Switzerland have been created through the Swiss Industrial Participation program, which was created in relation to the Gripen E procurement. These are relationships we look forward to continuing as long as possible,” adds Håkan Buskhe.

    Saab stock fell significantly following the vote, falling as much as 7% according to Bloomberg.

    In addition to the Gripen vote, Swiss voters also rejected a proposed law to set their country’s minimum wage at almost $25. The raise would have given Switzerland the highest minimum wage in the world.

    Image via Saab

  • Chelsea Manning Looks To Transfer To Civilian Prison For Hormone Therapy

    Chelsea Manning, formerly Bradley Manning, is serving a 35 year prison sentence at a military detention center for leaking classified military documents to Wikileaks. Shortly after she was sentenced, Chelsea revealed that she was transgender and would like everybody to address her by her new chosen name. She also requested that she receive hormone therapy while in prison – a request the military may finally oblige.

    Reuters reports that the military may transfer Manning to a civilian prison. As it currently stands, Manning can not receive the treatment she desires in a military prison as it’s not outfitted to address transgender needs. At a civilian prison, the options available to Manning are greatly expanded.

    So, why is Manning requesting hormone treatment in the first place? She currently has what medical professionals call “gender dysphoria” – a condition where one is not happy with the gender they born into. For those who have the condition, they can either seek hormonal therapy, psychotherapy or both. At a civilian prison, Manning would be able to receive both as she embraces the gender she always felt she should be.

    Of course, none of this is set in stone for now. In a statement released to the press, Rear Admiral John Kirby said the military is currently weighing its options:

    “No decision to transfer Private Manning to a civilian detention facility has been made, and any such decision will, of course, properly balance the soldier’s medical needs with our obligation to ensure Private Manning remains behind bars.”

    Understandably, the military is concerned that Manning may slip through the cracks if she transfers. Still, it would be inhumane to not give Manning the treatment she needs. In a world where transgender rights are still woefully ignored and belittled, the military can set a good example for the rest of the nation by treating Manning with respect and dignity in regards to her needs.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Student Loans: Sallie Mae To Refund Military Members Who Paid Too Much Interest

    Student loans are already bad enough, but the interest rates are what kills most graduates trying to pay it all back. With interest rates capped at 6 percen for military members, it’s not as bad as it could be. Unfortunately for some, their interest rates were not capped at the federal maximum. For those suffering under the burden of high interest rates, you might soon have a refund check on the way.

    The Justice Department announced today that it has reached a settlement with Sallie Mae that will see the loan provider refunding $60 million to military members that were paying more than the maximum 6 percent interest under federal law. Under the settlement, some 60,000 service members will receive a refund check from Sallie Mae. Don’t go counting your money just yet though as the settlement has only been brought before a federal court. That being said, the court is pretty much guaranteed to approve the settlement as Sallie Mae would like to have the matter settled as soon as possible.

    According to the Department of Justice, Sallie Mae has been charging more than the federal maximum of six percent for service members since 2005. The Department also says that Sallie Mae improperly obtained default judgments against servicemembers during that time.

    To help set things right, the Department of Justice didn’t just request a refund. The settlement requires Sallie Mae to have all three major credit bureaus delete negative credit caused by its charging of high interest rates and default judgments. It must also streamline the process that servicemembers use to request benefits under the SCRA.

    “Federal law protects our servicemembers from having to repay loans under terms that are unaffordable or unfair,” said Attorney General Eric Holder. “That is the least we owe our brave servicemembers who make such great sacrifices for us. But as alleged, the student lender Sallie Mae sidestepped this requirement by charging excessive rates to borrowers who filed documents proving they were members of the U.S. military. By requiring Sallie Mae to compensate its victims, we are sending a clear message to all lenders and servicers who would deprive our servicemembers of the basic benefits and protections to which they are entitled: this type of conduct is more than just inappropriate; it is inexcusable. And it will not be tolerated.”

    If you are a servicemember affected by this settlement, you won’t have to do much. The government is putting together a group that will identify those affected by Sallie Mae’s actions and get the refund to you. There’s no information available just yet, but the government says it will have a Web site up when it’s able to start distributing refunds to those affected.

    Image via Thinkstock

  • Military Jet Crashes In Desert: What Went Wrong?

    It was a very close call for a pilot who crashed a military plane in the Arizona desert on Friday.

    A Marine Corps Harrier jet reportedly went down on tribal lands belonging to the Gila River Indian Community. The crash is believed to have occurred at about 2:30 pm MST.

    According to Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor, the wreckage is located near the Sacaton Rest Area. The crash site is approximately 40 miles to the south of Phoenix, Ariz.

    What was left of the plane was smoldering for about an hour after crash. Images from the air show several pieces of the military jet scattered about the desert landscape.

    A statement released by Marine Corps Air Station Miramar officials said that an investigation will be launched in order to determine the exact cause of the jet’s crash.

    Details as to how and why the plane crashed are sketchy at the moment. The scene was secure a short-while after the jet’s crash landing.

    The identity of the pilot is being withheld at the moment. What is known about the unidentified individual is that he suffered only minor injuries in the crash. Luckily the man was able to eject safely from the cockpit before the plane hit the ground.

    Allegedly a laceration to the nose was the only physical trauma sustained in the incident.

    As a precaution, the unidentified pilot was transported to a hospital for observation.

    The Mimamar posted a tweet on social media about the crash, sharing their thankfulness that the pilot managed to escape largely unharmed:

    Even though details about the crash are limited at the moment, Tribal police Detective Robert Hawkes shared that the scene had been secured for a mile surrounding the location. He said this action was taken so that “any evidence is kept intact”.

    Hopefully as the investigation continues, more details will emerge as to exactly what happened.

    It’s certainly fortunate that the pilot in question escaped with his life. Had he not ejected in time, the outcome would have likely been far grimmer than it was.

    Image via YouTube

  • Boko Haram Will Sell Abducted School Girls

    On April 14, Boko Haram, an Islamic militant group, stormed an all-girl secondary school in the village of Chibok and kidnapped more than 200 school girls.

    Now, the leader of the group Abubakar Shekau has announced that he is planning on selling the girls on the market for marriage.

    On Monday, the AFP news agency obtained a 57-minute video from Shekau. The video shows him bragging about having the girls and calling them his slaves.

    “I abducted your girls. I will sell them in the market, by Allah,” Shekau can be heard saying while laughing with two armed military gaurds standing next to him. “Allah has instructed me to sell them. They are his property and I will carry out his instructions.”

    Boko Haram means “Western education is sinful” and Shekau makes reference to the fact that the girls were receiving Western education at the school.

    It has been three weeks since the girls were kidnapped, and the inability to have prevented the attack, or rescued the girls, is stirring protests at the capital Abuja. The Nigerian government says they are deeply embarrassed by the ordeal and President Goodluck Jonathan said that they are doing everything in their power to rescue the girls. “Let me reassure the parents and guardians that we will get their daughters out,” Jonathan said, and then added that they had deployed more militant groups and aircrafts to help with their rescue.

    Britain and the United States have offered their services in finding the girls, however not many specifics have been revealed. On Saturday, US Secretary of State John Kerry promised to help. “The kidnapping of hundreds of children by Boko Haram is an unconscionable crime, and we will do everything possible to support the Nigerian government to return these young women to their homes and to hold the perpetrators to justice,” Kerry said.

    Many of the girls are believed to have been taken across Nigerian’s border to Cameroon and Chad. Loose reports revealed that some of the girls have already been sold into marriages for as little as $12.

    The hashtag #bringbackourgirls has been used on Twitter more than one million times as people are desperately praying and hoping for their safe return.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Dayton Hospital Shooting Leaves One Injured

    A former housekeeping employee of a Dayton, Ohio Veterans Affairs hospital brought a gun into the facility and was involved in a break room scuffle, which left a present VA employee with a gunshot wound to the ankle. The suspected shooter was then apprehended shortly after visiting another area hospital seeking psychiatric assistance,

    Neil Moore, 59, was taken into custody at the second hospital, and Dayton Police Chief Richard Beihl said, “Somehow he was able to get from here to there.” The shooting victim, Paul Burnside, 61, apparently was acquainted with Moore, as the two worked in housekeeping at the Good Samaritan VA hospital. There were three witnesses to the shooting, and during the initial 911 call to report the incident, Moore was described as wearing a jacket with a U.S. Marine Corps emblem on it.

    The shooting occurred during lunch hour in the service and operations area of the hospital’s main building, which prompted a lockdown as FBI agents searched the area. Roads leading to the hospital complex were blocked by authorities. Police also blocked roads leading to the hospital complex.

    The VA hospital doesn’t have metal detectors and holds beds for roughly 450 patients and provides veterans with medical, psychiatric and nursing home care. An Iraq Army veteran shot himself to death outside of the same hospital four years ago, in front of a monument to soldiers near the entrance. Jesse C. Huff had been a patient there, and was wounded by an explosive device while serving in Iraq.

    Stephanie Brooks, Moore’s sister-in-law, told reporters that her family was devastated. “We’re all confused and we’re trying to find out what has happened,” she said. Moore’s neighbor Myshalee Williams added, “He is always so friendly, and he really is a good family man. He loves his children and his grandchildren,” she said.

    Image via YouTube