Just days after its first carrier launch, the Navy’s X-47B, the Navy’s Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstrator (UCAS-D), successfully did a touch and go on the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) last week.
Don Blottenberger, UCAS-D Deputy Program manager, commented, “This landing, rubber hitting deck, is extremely fulfilling for the team and is the culmination of years of relative navigation development. Now, we are set to demonstrate the final pieces of the demonstration.”
But does it wear dogtags when it plays volleyball on the beach?
(That’s a Top Gun reference, for those UPT students who weren’t even born when that movie came out…)
Whatever one may think of his politics, it is difficult to doubt former President George W. Bush’s sincerity when it comes to his love for US troops. In fact, his role as commander in chief and his ability to interact with members of the US military are the only things he says he misses about being the US President.
He has continued to serve projects that benefit wounded warriors, and he Read more…
Despite claims that religious groups get favored or undue access to US military installations, the US military hosts many more non-religious events to support its troops. Fort Carson recently hosted the Lt Dan Band, led by Gary Sinise, which seemed to be well-attended despite the inclement weather: Read more…
The US Army post at Fort Knox had apparently invited Ted Nugent, along with Styx and REO Speedwagon, to an event to be held on June 23rd. Following Ted Nugent’s recent foray into the spotlight for his comments at an NRA convention, his invite has been cancelled.
The reasoning for the cancellation:
A spokesman for Fort Knox told TheBlaze.com that having Nugent perform “would be a conflict of interest since the military has the obligation to be apolitical.”
The article, printed on MSNBC, notes that such a statement is tortured:
Such a claim, though, seems dubious Read more…
Categories: Fighter Pilot Tags: army, Bush, clinton, fort knox, jay phillips, john mccain, ludacris, mikey weinstein, Military, nra, Obama, reo speedwagon, rock beyond belief, styx, ted nugent
President Obama has indicated he fulfilled a campaign promise when he brought the war in Iraq to a “responsible” end. But who really ended the war?
As summarized by the Congressional Research Service [emphasis added],
On November 17, 2008, after months of negotiations, [the US and Iraq] signed the Agreement Between the United States of America and Republic of Iraq On the Withdrawal of United States Forces from Iraq and the Organization of Their Activities during Their Temporary Presence in Iraq.
The agreement required two specific things: Read more…
The past week had seen a stir over the decision not to invite clergy to the remembrance ceremony marking the 10th year since the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001. While some decried it as secularism run amok, it seems the most influential of the persons invited to the podium at the event still managed to make spiritual statements.
President Barack Obama read from Psalm 46, though Read more…
Categories: Government and Religion Tags: abraham lincoln, Bush, christian, ecclesiastes, Jewish, Military, Obama, politics, Prayer, psalm 46, Public Expression, Religion, religious freedom, rudy giuliani
A variety of people from both sides of the political spectrum have made implications of similarity between President Barack Obama’s decision to use military force in Libya and decisions by prior President George W. Bush.
There’s even the second-guessing of the name.
Few people might remember the original name for what eventually became Operation Enduring Freedom was actually Operation Infinite Justice. After reported outcry Read more…
According to former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Hugh Shelton’s new book, Without Hesitation: The Odyssey of an American Warrior, a member of then-President Bill Clinton’s administration floated the idea of allowing a U-2 to be shot down with the intent of starting a war. The plan?
what we really need in order to go in and take out Saddam is a precipitous event — something that would make us look good in the eyes of the world. Could you have one of our U-2s fly low enough — and slow enough — so as to guarantee that Saddam could shoot it down? Read more…
Former President George W. Bush repeatedly said that serving as the Commander in Chief of the US Armed Forces was one of his highest honors. His actions demonstrated his devotion to the military, and they continue to do so. Even in the absence of the press or publicity, he continues to treat the troops as special to him.
See pictures and a link to a video of Bush’s visit to DFW on 11 August 2010 to greet returning troops.
Whether or not one agrees with his politics, his sincere, continuing appreciation of and devotion toward the US military is admirable, and appreciated.
Former President George W. Bush spoke recently at a fundraiser for Fort Worth Christian School in Texas. Articles on the event note Bush’s dependence on the power of prayer. This included not only his own prayers, but those who obeyed the Christian command to pray for their national leaders:
I don’t see how I could be president without prayer…The prayers of the people…sustained me, comforted me and strengthened me in a way I could have never predicted before becoming president, and for that I am extremely grateful.
They also repeat Bush’s now famous deep respect and admiration for the US military.
Fort Worth Christian School is an unabashedly Christian educational institution with an enrollment of 865 children from kindergarten through the 12th grade.
December 7, 2009, marks 68 years since the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor that propelled the United States into what was already the second World War. While Remembrance Day is an annual event (see the Presidential declaration), memories of Pearl Harbor have been more vivid since what some have implied was the 21st Century Pearl Harbor: the terrorist attack on the US on 11 September 2001.
Many recognize the opening line and a choice phrase or two, but Read more…
The White House blog details the Sikh celebration of the “540th anniversary of the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji” that took place on November 13th. President Obama did not attend (he was on the first leg of his Asia trip), and it does not appear he made a statement on the celebration.
The White House notes that this is the first Sikh celebration to occur in the White House. It is not, however, the first time this event has been recognized Read more…
Following the violent attack on Soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas, there has been an outpouring of support from the local community, with churches calling for prayers and military Chaplains asking for prayer for the alleged assailant. Former President Bush quietly visited Fort Hood victims last Friday, and President Obama plans to attend a memorial on Tuesday.
The actions of Major Nidal Malik Hasan, the suspected gunman, have been roundly criticized by a variety of organizations representing the American Muslim community.
Though a footnote to the story has been Hasan’s apparent allegations of mistreatment for his faith, a local leader in the Islamic community, Osman Danquah, apparently saw more to the story. He “sensed” that Hasan was “troubled,” and even went so far as to deny Hasan’s request to be a lay Islamic leader at Fort Hood:
He was disturbed by Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan’s persistent questioning and recommended the mosque reject Hasan’s request to become a lay Muslim leader at the sprawling Army post.
Indeed, some of Hasan’s former classmates indicated that he was the instigator of controversial rhetoric.
Another American Islamic leader who spoke on the attack was Read more…
Categories: Government and Religion Tags: Bush, Church and State, evangelism, Government, Islam, Military, MRFF, Obama, politics, Prayer, Public Expression, Religion
In a speech to a crowd of 9,000 at a Phil Waldrep ministry event, former President George W. Bush said that he missed being the Commander-in-Chief most of all:
I miss being commander and chief of our military the most. You know you live in an amazing country when we have servicemen that continually volunteer to serve their country in the face of danger. I believe we have an obligation to give our troops all the support they need to accomplish their missions.
He spoke for an hour on faith, patriotism, and his time in office. In giving his reasons for choosing a portrait of Abraham Lincoln for the Oval Office, Bush said Read more…
Much ado has been made of the GQ article which includes a slide show of government Top Secret briefing coversheets. The pages contain pictures of the military and Biblical quotes. (Ironically, the topic was a short lead-in to a completely different subject, which has been largely ignored.)
While interesting, the issue is a non-story. Read more…
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