Jews in Green highlights an article by the Jewish Daily Forward that chronicles Jewish members of the US military who were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. JiG maintains its own list of all known Jewish US troops who have died in the recent conflicts.
The linked sites make an interesting comparison of the ‘celebration’ of Americans serving in the Israeli Defense Forces to that of Jewish Americans serving in the US military.
Update: Major Garbarino was convicted at court-martial of being drunk and disorderly and received 30 days and a fine of six months pay. He was acquitted of other charges.
The Associated Press announced that the National Academy of Sciences has called ‘substance abuse’ within the US military a “public health crisis.” Among other things:
The study…says about 20 percent of active duty service members reported they drank heavily in 2008, the last year for which data is available. And, binge-drinking rose to 47 percent in 2008 from 35 percent in 1998.
The report also cited abuse of prescription drugs — particularly prescription pain killers and similar drugs, the use of which has skyrocketed to “nearly 5 million prescriptions” over the 1 million issued more than a decade ago.
The issue of drinking, of course, is nothing new. Just rent Read more
Any guesses as to who said this?
You can’t even begin to understand biology, you can’t understand life, unless you understand what it’s all there for, how it arose…So I would teach [it] very early in childhood. I don’t think it’s all that difficult to do. It’s a very simple idea. One could do it with the aid of computer games and things like that.
I think it needs serious attention, that children should be taught where they come from, what life is all about, how it started, why Read more
As part of Suicide Prevention month, the US Army’s 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, asked their troops ‘what they live for:’
What do you live for?
The article below is a guest submission from NoKoolAidZone:
Central North Carolina Atheists and Humanists, a Fayetteville, North Carolina based secular organization that is a chapter of the American Humanist Association, have laid the groundwork for a speaking engagement on Fort Bragg. David Niose, the president of American Humanist Association will be speaking in support of his current book, Non-Believer Nation: The Rise of Secular Americans. Mr. Niose will be speaking at the Watters Family Life Center on September 22nd, at 12 PM, or to the military members who will show up 1200 hours. This speaking engagement, while organized by CNCAH was given life with the approval of the Fort Bragg Chaplaincy since the Watters center is Read more
The Stars and Stripes repeated a Las Vegas Sun article highlighting Nellis AFB Airmen who feed the homeless through a local ministry on a regular basis:
The airmen and ministry’s tables are crowded with hardboiled eggs, pizza, hot dogs, salad, chili mac, bread, turkey-and-cheese sandwiches and water. McShane blesses the food, and Read more
Olympic gold medalist in soccer Abby Wambach recently received a flight in an F-15 Eagle, courtesy of the Air National Guard in Montana.
“She was in the back seat, flying with Lt. Col. Larry Gardner, and she got to see some of the physical demands it takes to be a fighter pilot,” [Maj Cody] Smith said.
She also spoke to troops on diversity, encouragement, and “empowerment of women in the military.”
Michael Weinstein’s need to stroke his ego knows no limits. Glen Doherty was one of the four men killed in Libya when the consulate was overrun. Weinstein has been loudly touting the fact Doherty was a member of his advisory board. Fair enough.
But when invited to speak on cable news about Mr. Doherty, Weinstein did what he is often wont to do: He talked about himself. Interviewing Weinstein in a split screen, Judge Jeanine of “Justice with Judge Jeanine” on FoxNews started with a simple statement: “Tell us about him.” Weinstein’s response mentioned Doherty only once, in the first few words [edited to remove verbal fillers]: Read more