God and Country

In what seems to be an annual event, another effort has been made in Congress to ban the Defense Department’s ability to sponsor teams or players in professional sporting events.

The $608 billion defense bill that passed the House Appropriations Committee on Thursday includes an amendment to prohibit Pentagon spending on NASCAR, professional fishing and professional wrestling events.

US Rep Betty McCollum (D-Minn) proposed the Read more…

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has restricted the flight envelopes of the F-22 Raptor and ordered the Air Force to

take additional steps to mitigate risks to F-22 pilots, George Little, acting assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, said…

Panetta reportedly directed the Air Force to “expedite” the installation of a backup oxygen system, though that system won’t be ready until later this year anyway — and it will take nearly a year and a half to modify all the Raptors.

The Air Force as much as admitted its most recent response was a reaction Read more…

Update: More than 1,600 museums are also free to military members this year.

As of May 19th, US National Parks are free of charge to active duty members of the US military and their families.  The America the Beautiful Annual Pass, an $80 pass that covers entry into all National Parks, will be free to military members and lasts a year.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar made the announcement this morning, along with National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis, at a ceremony Read more…

The F-15C Eagle is an air-to-air fighter.  That’s what it does, and that’s what its pilots love.  In fact, saying the air-to-ground “b-word” (bomb) is even forbidden in the community (among other linguistic games).

That isn’t stopping the Eagles from trying out some of the air-to-ground toys.

The Air Force Times reports a National Guard F-15C unit has been testing a Sniper pod, an air-to-ground targeting pod, on its Eagles:  Read more…

News reports were aghast recently that the Air Force has decided to choose a Light Attack aircraft for delivery to the Afghan Air Force — which has undergone an arduous contract dispute already – without conducting a flyoff.

The Air Force will choose a winner in its troubled Light Air Support competition without actually flying the two contending planes, the Embraer Super Tucano and the Hawker-Beechcraft AT-6…

The decision puts the Air Force acquisition process back in the spotlight, where it has only suffered in the past.

General Mark Welsh, the current commander of USAFE, has been nominated by the President to become the next Chief of Staff of the Air Force.  If confirmed, he would represent a return of the fighter pilot to the Chief position, which was filled for the first time by a non-fighter/bomber pilot with current Chief General Norton Schwartz.

“It’s always a great day to be an Airman … but this one is extra special for me. I came into the Air Force because I Read more…

Three military men are vying for the National Fatherhood Award, sponsored by the National Fatherhood Initiative.  The award, which includes undisclosed prize packages, will be presented near Father’s Day.  Until May 25th, you can vote for your pick at the Initiative’s Facebook page, where you can watch videos produced by the three finalists.  The contenders include two officers and a young enlisted troop; all three have impressive stories: Read more…

The Air Force announced two F-22 pilots who spoke in uniform and without permission to 60 Minutes, Maj. Jeremy Gordon and Capt. Josh Wilson, will be granted protection under the Military Whistleblower Protection Act.

Lt. Gen. Janet Wolfenbarger…said the service considers the two pilots who have refused to fly the Raptor to be whistle-blowers and protected under the federal whistle-blower act.

The act protects members of the military who make a protected communication to a member of Congress, one of whom was present with them on the set.

While the widow of Capt Jeff Haney sues the Air Force, two other pilots appeared on the CBS show 60 Minutes with a Congressman, seeking military whistleblower status to publicize their complaints against the F-22.

Maj. Jeremy Gordon and Capt. Joshua Wilson have chosen to stop flying the F-22 because they say during some flights they and other pilots have experienced oxygen deprivation, disorientation, and worse…

They are so concerned they have taken the extraordinary step of risking their careers by appearing on 60 Minutes in uniform — and without permission — to blow the whistle on a plane they love to fly…

The pilots could face further disciplinary action for speaking to us which is why this man was seated just off to the side throughout the interview. He’s Congressman Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, an Air Force pilot himself, who Josh and Jeremy went to with their concerns in order to gain protection under the Military Whistleblowers Act.

The Air Force had only recently acknowledged that a “small number” of pilots Read more…

The Air Force reported that an F-15E Strike Eagle crashed “in Southwest Asia” on a local training mission.  Both crew members were reported safe.  This is the second F-15E crash in the AOR since the March crash that killed pilot Capt Francis Imlay.

In Utah, the Air Force said an F-16 crashed, with the pilot successfully ejecting.

As is the norm, the crashes will be investigated by a board, and the results released some months from now.

A DoD article highlights country music star Toby Keith’s USO performance given to an Army base in Kuwait.

Keith performed such hits as “American Ride,” “Let’s Get Drunk and Be Somebody,” and “Red Solo Cup” to a crowd starved of Americana.

The USO said it was Toby Keith’s 189th USO show:  Read more…

A local paper covers the new “professional adversaries” for Langley Air Force based F-22 Raptors.

[Lt. Col. Derek] Wyler and several other pilots at Langley Air Force Base fly the T-38 Talon. First used in the 1960s as a trainer, the Talon has been given new life at Langley and two other Air Force bases. It plays the role of enemy aircraft in training exercises with the F-22 Raptor, now the top-line fighter in the fleet.

While there are some challenging characteristics of the T-38s which make them desirable adversaries, it probably comes down to money: it’s just cheaper.

Juan Garcia, an assistant to the Secretary of the Navy for manpower, says Secretary Ray Mabus wants a service where opportunities are “gender blind.”  To that end, the Navy is floating the idea of ending gender-specific hats.

“It’s a small thing, but separate covers was in some ways emblematic of a two-tiered sea service force,” Garcia said in an April 10 interview, speaking about Mabus. “He wanted to take a look across the force…to send a signal that our Navy … reward[s] and keep[s] the best talent, regardless of gender.”

Unisex uniforms are nothing new.  In fact, the Air Force recently Read more…

US Army PFC Bradley Manning has been scheduled to go on trial this fall to face charges he was responsible for the unauthorized release of hundreds of thousands of classified documents.

The judge recently  Read more…

Lt Lance Leone, a Coast Guard helicopter pilot who was the sole survivor of a crash and then endured an attempt to charge him with homicide, has reportedly received a career-ending performance evaluation.

The Coast Guard commander for Alaska is recommending Read more…