By Debbie Gregory. One thing holds true above all others in the military: You can choose your branch, but you can’t choose your duty station. There are two kinds of duty stations: those that come ready-made and those you “make the most of.” After taking into consideration weather, morale, base amenities, stuff to do, and […]
By Debbie Gregory. Robert Wilkie, the Department of Defense’s new undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, is shifting the emphasis of the military culture to create a more stable, family friendly environment. Wilke is responsible for Total Force Management as it relates to readiness; National Guard and Reserve component affairs; health affairs; training; and […]
By Debbie Gregory. The family of 20-year-old Raheel Siddiqui, a Muslim Marine recruit who died after being slapped by drill instructor Gunnery Sgt. Joseph Felix, is pushing to move forward with their $100 million lawsuit against the federal government. Siddiqui’s death was ruled a suicide by a local coroner, which is disputed by his family. […]
By Debbie Gregory. The federal government will look into whether 70-year-old Vietnam veteran Robert L. Brady will have to give up Bane, the mixed-breed sidekick that his psychologist deemed as an emotional support dog. Brady filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) after a judicial arbitrator determined the dog […]
By Debbie Gregory. In an effort to ease the strain on the overworked U.S. Special Operations Command (SoCom), Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has devised a plan to shift some mission responsibilities to the conventional forces. Last year, SoCom forces, including Navy SEALs and Army Green Berets, deployed to 149 countries around the world. This record-setting […]
By Debbie Gregory. In today’s sexual misconduct climate, those in a position of power should choose their words carefully. This is a lesson that Maj. Gen. Ryan Gonsalves has learned the hard way, even though the offense he has been charged with occurred during an October 2016 meeting at Fort Carson, Colorado. Gonsalves’ nomination for […]
By Debbie Gregory. U.S. military’s special operations troops are now carrying a new tool into combat to potentially save lives. All of their first-aid kits now contain freeze-dried blood plasma that can prevent wounded troops from bleeding to death on the battlefield. Plasma is the clear, straw-colored liquid portion of blood that remains after red […]
By Debbie Gregory. The international adoption of Korean children began in 1953. Comprised mostly of mixed race children, some 200,000 Korean children were surrendered to orphanages, with more than 50% of those adoptees being sent to the United States. Most of the mixed race children were born to Korean women and American or UN soldiers. […]
By Debbie Gregory. January 8, 2018 was a momentous date in the lives of a group of military sexual assault survivors, as the #MeToo movement spread from politics to Hollywood to the media and finally to the military. With messages such as “Denial is not a policy” and “Veterans demand reform,” protesters stood their ground […]
By Debbie Gregory. Navy veteran Craig Coley was wrongfully convicted of a double murder on Veterans Day in 1978. The son of a Los Angeles police officer, Coley, now 70-years-old, has been exonerated and released from prison, and will continue to serve his fellow veterans. Coley, who created a veterans organization while incarcerated, said that’s […]
