Previously it was noted the foiled attack on Fort Hood by US Army PFC Naser Abdo made 8 recent attacks or attempted attacks on the US military by people apparently somehow motivated by their Islamic beliefs. That was in error; it is actually 9.
The Air Force Times notes the case of Antonio Martinez, Read more
1st Lt Jeremy Dillard is a former paratrooper and a current intel officer who has had one constant in his life:
As 1st Lt. Jeremy Dillard prepared to jump into Iraq…during Operation Iraqi Freedom, he carried only one personal item with him: his Bible.
During spiritual fitness training event at Joint Base Balad in Irraq, Lt Dillard explained the importance of spiritual fitness: Read more
“Rock Beyond Belief” — the self-described atheist counter-event to the Christian “Rock the Fort” — has announced that Fort Bragg has agreed to allow it to hold its festival next March on the Army post. While there is a bit of celebration on their part, its worth noting Fort Bragg also approved their request for last spring; RBB just decided to cancel itself at the time (and then allowed Michael Weinstein to equate the Army with racists over the incident).
The statement makes no reference to what changed, other than Read more
US Army PFC Naser Abdo, arrested last week on charges he was planning to blow up a restaurant and kill Soldiers near Fort Hood, Texas, was defiant at his court appearance.
Abdo…refused to stand up during Friday’s hearing when everyone in the court was asked to rise for the judge.
As he was being led out of the courtroom, he yelled out “Iraq 2006” and the name of the 14-year-old Iraqi girl who was raped and murdered in 2006 by a U.S. soldier. He then shouted: “Nidal Hasan Fort Hood 2009.”
Organizations that had previously supported Abdo in his objector application have now disavowed him:
“If any of these allegations are true, any sort of violence toward anyone goes completely against what a conscientious objector believes,” said Jose Vasquez, executive director of Iraq Veterans Against the War.
Another group, Read more
US Army Chaplain (Maj) Francisco Stodola highlights Chaplains’ duties to support the needs of all troops:
For chaplains serving in the United States Army, service and faith reinforce each other and guide the invaluable duty they perform as counselors and mentors…
“This is one of the major jobs of every chaplain,” said Stodola, “to see that every soldier’s needs are met. Every chaplain is expected to take care of all the troops under his care.”
As often noted here, while Chaplains are, by definition, religious figures, they do far more than see to only personal religious needs in the military; they directly support Read more
Private First Class Naser Abdo has reportedly been arrested by Texas police near Fort Hood, Texas. Abdo wasn’t assigned to Fort Hood; he was assigned to Fort Campbell in Kentucky. The Army said Abdo was AWOL from Fort Campbell.
Local police indicated they had interrupted a “terror plot” in their arrest of PFC Abdo. He was reportedly found with guns, gunpowder, and the makings of a backpack bomb. The arrest was made possible by a tip from local gundealer Guns Galore. Clerk Greg Ebert said the staff of the store was concerned because Abdo was purchasing large quantities of gunpowder — while asking questions about how to use it. Guns Galore is reportedly the same store where Maj Nidal Malik Hasan purchased his firearm.
According to AP reports, Abdo has admitted to planning an attack at Read more
An Army Soldier continued an old tradition of bestowing a US flag from a combat theatre upon a significant person.
Detective Andrew Gordon of the South Charleston Police Department was surprised when a package arrived at the police department all the way from Kuwait. Inside were an American flag, a plaque and a certificate Read more
US Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan, accused in the Fort Hood massacre in 2009, has been arraigned for military trial. His civilian lawyer, retired Colonel John Galligan, reportedly “took a leave of absence” from the case. FoxNews implied his departure might have been related to his lack of security clearance. Galligan has been vocal about Hasan’s “mistreatment” to date:
“I have consistently argued that Major Hasan has not been treated fairly. I maintain that belief,” Galligan said Wednesday.
Col. Gregory Gross, the military chief circuit judge, scheduled the trial for 5 March 2012 in response to the defense’s request for a delay.
By that date, the baby killed in the rampage would have been about 2 years old.