By Jennifer Hlad
Published: May 16, 2012
After 12 years as the Navy’s only permanently forward-deployed amphibious assault ship, the USS Essex will return to San Diego on Thursday.
“The Iron Gator” will be assigned to Expeditionary Strike Group 3, part of U.S. 3rd Fleet. It was replaced in Sasebo, Japan, by the USS Bonhomme Richard.
By Jennifer Hlad
Published: May 15, 2012
Want to check out the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone this summer?
Active-duty military, National Guardsmen, reservists and military dependents will have free access to those and more than 2,000 other national parks across the country through a program unveiled Tuesday morning during a ceremony at Colonial National Historical Park in Yorktown, Va. The program begins Saturday.
By By Stars and Stripes
Published: May 8, 2012
WASHINGTON - PCS season begins this month, and to help moving military families find trustworthy childcare at their new base while the kids are out of school, the Pentagon has paid for memberships to a website that prescreens babysitters.
Servicemembers can use Sittercity for free to get access to a pool of caregivers, as well as dogwalkers, housekeepers and tutors, who have passed a background check and have been reviewed by the service. Some of the caregivers available are able to get on base and are subsidized by the military.
By Jennifer Hlad
Published: May 2, 2012
WASHINGTON — Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie will visit the Pentagon and several U.S. military bases next week, Defense Department spokesman George Little told reporters Wednesday.
Liang will meet with Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and other U.S. officials in Washington on Monday, Little said. He also plans to visit Naval Base San Diego; U.S. Southern Command headquarters in Florida; Fort Benning, Ga.; Camp Lejeune, N.C.; Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C.; and the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.
By Jennifer Hlad
Published: April 29, 2012
St. John's College defeated the U.S. Naval Academy 5-0 in the 30th playing of their annual croquet battle.
Here's a look at the action.
By Leo Shane III
Published: April 26, 2012
WASHINGTON -- German analysts this week determined that missiles displayed by North Korean military officials during a military parade earlier this month were likely fake.
Here are a few signs to look for in determining the authenticity of military hardware.
By Chris Carroll
Published: April 25, 2012
WASHINGTON—A course at a military staff college that included what the Pentagon called “objectionable and in fact inflammatory” statements about Islam has been suspended after a student who completed the class last month complained to military authorities.
An initial review has uncovered worrying material that contradicts years of official doctrine about the global war on terrorism.
By Derek Turner
Published: April 25, 2012
The U.S. military has long been closely linked with the Republican party, particularly when it comes to presidential candidates, but that may be changing.
In March, President Barack Obama took in the most campaign contributions from those within the military and the Department of Defense, trumping the previous leader, conservative candidate Ron Paul, according to data collected by the Center for Responsive Politics. Despite essentially locking up the Republican nomination, Mitt Romney lags far behind.
By Megan McCloskey
Published: April 20, 2012
WASHINGTON - Time magazine has christened veterans advocate Barbara Van Dahlen the "Mobilizer" and named her to this year's 100 most influential people list.
She's a tireless champion for veterans and servicemembers having access to mental health services. When the psychologist learned that they struggle to get treatment through official channels — or were hesitant to use the military and Department of Veterans Affairs systems — she rallied the private sector to step up.
By Chris Carroll
Published: April 19, 2012
WASHINGTON – The United States is steadily losing its technological edge as adversaries big and small ramp up their abilities to repel U.S. power projection into hazardous areas of the globe, according to a new report from the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments.
The solution? Blast ’em with lasers.
