Tag Archives: Military

JAG: Military May Not be able to Ban Offensive Websites

In the middle of the ongoing discussion about US military troops and their use of social media comes an interesting piece at the Marine Corps Times, where former military JAGs make the case that the Marines may not be able to police troops’ use of certain websites, despite their implication they may try to do so.

The impetus behind the discussion are generally certain Facebook pages that were denigrating toward female Marines.  Said General James Amos, Commandant of the Marine Corps:

In a May 29 letter to Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., Gen. Jim Amos denounced Facebook pages and other social media Read more

Bill Seeks to Modify Discharges under DADT

US Rep Chuck Rangel (D-NY) has proposed legislation to “upgrade” the discharge status of those servicemembers who were kicked out of the military for being homosexual while it was illegal.

All servicemembers discharged because of sexual orientation would receive a “timely, consistent and transparent” review, and those who served honorably would see their records upgraded.   Any indication of a servicemember’s sexual orientation would be struck Read more

Fort Hood Massacre Trial Risks Becoming Circus

Update: Congress has proposed a bill that would suspend the pay of defendants in pre-trial confinement.  The law does have other consequences, though, like the impact to family members who might depend on that income.

The trial of accused Fort Hood shooter US Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan seems to run the risk of becoming a circus — if it hasn’t already.

Hasan — essentially accused of committing a terrorist act on US soil — recently fired his attorneys (one of whom had just recently publicized his readiness to defend Hasan).  The lawyers apparently all then complained about being forced to advise Hasan anyway, though they have dropped their objections.  Hasan then got permission to represent himself, leading some to believe he’ll use the trial as a “soapbox” for his extremist Islamic ideology.  In the least, it has offended the victims and the families of those killed, as it Read more

Michael Weinstein Inspires Congressional Action, Part 2

Update: Weinstein responded:

Weinstein is the kind of guy who revels in the dislike of his adversaries.

“How terrified are these little pu***es in Congress that they have to pass an amendment about me?” he shouted in a phone interview from the foundation’s headquarters in Albuquerque, N.M., using a putdown associated with a woman’s genitalia.

Always classy.

In the 2014 National Defense Authorization Act, US Rep John Fleming successfully changed the 2013 NDAA wording after the US Air Force appeared to be acting as a part of Michael Weinstein’s Military Religious Freedom Foundation’s self-described “war” on Christians.

Weinstein also inspired US Rep Tim Huelskamp (R-Ks) to add an amendment of his own which would require the Department of Defense to report to Congress every time it met with an outside group for the purpose of

writing, revising, issuing, implementing, enforcing, or seeking advice, input, or counsel regarding military policy related to religious liberty.

This was clearly in response to Weinstein’s 23 April meeting with the JAG of the US Air Force, among others, which Weinstein bragged about to his like-minded media arm, Sally Quinn.  Rep Huelskamp even called it a “rebuke” of “anti-Christian zealot Michael Weinstein.”

The MRFF has sarcastically embraced this amendment, because it would “force” the DoD to report on its meetings with groups like Chaplain endorsers:  Read more

Unmanned Helo Crashes in Afghanistan. Not Pilot Error.

The much-ballyhooed K-MAX unmanned helicopter, which has been making deliveries for the US Marines in Afghanistan, apparently suffered a crash a few weeks ago.

The original story contained this line:

While Marine officials did not release a cause for the crash, [PA officer Capt. Matthew Beers] ruled out pilot error, saying the aircraft was in autonomous mode at the time it went down.

The reports were ultimately edited to remove Read more

Michael Weinstein Inspires Congressional Action, Part 1

Michael “Mikey” Weinstein’s recent attacks on religious freedom — and the apparent subservience of the US Air Force to his every whim — have inspired the US Congress to write opposition to Weinstein into law.  Twice.

In the first, US Rep John Fleming (R-La.) successfully inserted language into the 2014 National Defense Authorization Act that would be more explicit than that which was in the 2013 version — and which was subsequently dismissed in a “signing statement” by President Obama.  (According to reports, the Department of Defense has yet to produce regulations implementing the provision, as required.)  Rep Fleming’s amendment, Section 530, says [wording changes from 2013 highlighted]:  Read more

Weinstein Revels in Publicity, Publisher Decries Pentagon Hostility

Despite “protesting” for weeks that his relationship with the US Air Force has been mischaracterized, Michael Weinstein of his self-founded Military Religious Freedom Foundation recently touted his inimitable influence over the US military.

At Breitbart.com, Ken Klukowski of the Family Research Council notes that Weinstein’s recent bragging seemingly contradicts the Pentagon’s efforts to downplay their relationship.

One month ago the Pentagon assured the public it was not being advised by anti-Christian extremist Mikey Weinstein. Yet two days ago Weinstein called the Pentagon demanding that a Christian painting be removed from a dining hall in an Idaho Air Force base, and the Pentagon complied with his demand–in less than one hour.

Klukowski notes that Weinstein brags he got action in less than an hour, while US Congressmen haven’t gotten a response to their queries in weeks.

The “Christian painting” was described by the publisher Read more

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