Think it can’t happen here?
Saeed Abedini is the Christian pastor who has been jailed for “threatening the national security of Iran.”
Saeed Abedini, 32, was in Iran last summer to finish building an orphanage when members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard took him away in a bus for prison. He has been held captive and reportedly beaten and tortured since September.
Abedini, a naturalized US citizen, was Read more
The Air Force is continuing steps necessary to replace the venerable T-38, a 50-year-old jet trainer originally conceived as a lead-in to the century-series fighters (F-100, F-102, etc.).
The winner of the T-X competition will replace Northrop Grumman’s T-38 Talon, in use since 1959. “The T-38 needs a replacement system by sometime in the 2020s,” a deadline that means the replacement program needs to be up and running “by the end of this decade” at the latest, Aboulafia said.
Because the US Congress hasn’t passed a budget in years, new programs are still not funded. The “program” is essentially administrative research until the venture is appropriated.
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Michael Weinstein, who runs his self-styled Military Religious Freedom Foundation “charity,” recently endorsed a “horrendously homophobic” website — at least, according to his own standards.
Last week, Weinstein complained that the US Air Force Academy had linked to a website called JewFAQ. The page it linked to was benign, and did exactly what the USAFA page intended, explaining the religious holiday in question. On other pages, however, the website had the gall to describe teachings from the Talmud. Though this might have shocked Weinstein — a self-described “Jewish agnostic” — most normal readers were not likely surprised to read Jewish beliefs on a Jewish website.
Weinstein and his acolytes took particular umbrage with one reference, however. Quoth Weinstein: Read more
Kimberly Munley, one of the civilian security personnel who exchanged fire with accused Fort Hood shooter US Army Maj Nidal Malik Hasan, has said she feels “betrayed” by the President.
“Betrayed is a good word,” former Sgt. Kimberly Munley told ABC News in an interview Tuesday. “Not to the least little bit have the victims been taken care of. In fact, they’ve been neglected.”
Survivors and families of the victims have filed a lawsuit against the government, claiming it is hiding behind its own classification of “workplace violence” to avoid legal and financial responsibility.
Pentagon spokesman George Little said the government would not Read more
In typical fashion, Michael Weinstein recently accused the US Air Force Academy of impropriety when USAFA chaplains published a link to a Jewish website that had traditional explanations of Jewish religious texts. (The context was a page of upcoming religious holidays, with links to websites with background — arguably an admirable effort at educating cadets on religious liberty and their duties.)
Weinstein’s offense at religion isn’t a surprise. What is a surprise is General Mark Welsh, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, took the time to pen a personal reply — and promise action:
From: “Welsh, Mark A III Gen MIL USAF AF/CC”
Subject: RE: EXTERNAL: MRFF Demand Letter (Feb. 13, 2013) to USAF Chief of Staff
Date: February 13, 2013 9:03:33 PM MST
To: Mikey Weinstein
Cc: “Harding, Richard C Lt Gen MIL USAF AF/JA” , “Gould, Mike C Lt Gen USAF USAFA USAFA/CC”Thank you Mr Weinstein. Read more
According to NBC News, the US Army is starting the process to recoup the cost of atheist former Cadet Blake Page’s West Point education:
In a memorandum dated Dec. 12, the superintendent of West Point Academy, Lt. Gen. David Huntoon, did recommend to Army headquarters that Page be honorably discharged and that recoupment — in the form of money or service as an enlisted soldier — be waived.
The response, signed by Thomas R. Lamont, assistant Army secretary, approves Page for an honorable discharge, but disapproves the waivers. In the Jan. 28 memorandum, he orders the West Point superintendent “to conduct a recoupment investigation.”
The Army could demand up to $250,000 or order Page back to active duty, where he previously served enlisted before Read more
The US military has created a new combat medal — which includes those who don’t actually go into combat:
Modern technology enables service members with special training and capabilities to more directly and precisely impact military operations at times far from the battlefield. The Distinguished Warfare Medal will be awarded in the name of the secretary of defense to service members whose extraordinary achievements, regardless of their distance to the traditional combat theater, deserve distinct department-wide recognition.
Technically, it seems any member of the military is eligible for the Distinguished Warfare Medal (DWM), including those involved in direct combat — so long as their extraordinary act did not involve “valor.” However, the fact the citation criteria so Read more
Marine Corps Base Hawaii recently named its chapel for US Navy Chaplain (CAPT) Joseph Estabrook, a Catholic chaplain who had championed the creation of a chapel to house the “roving congregation” on the base: Read more