Big Boost for U.S. Air Force Unmanned Fleet

The U.S. Air Force is looking to expand its fleet of flying drones, big time. Right now, the service has three active squadrons of Predator unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs. But that could expand to 15 squadrons of the robotic planes under a $5.7 billion plan just introduced by the Air Force. In recent years, the Air Force and CIA have used the bulbous-nosed, propeller-driven Predator UAVs to blast insurgents in Iraq, take out Al Qaeda operatives in Yemen, and spy on Iran's nuclear facilities. The 144-drone buy would be the Air Force's "largest acquisition of robotic aircraft to date and represents a significant milestone in the evolution of unmanned aerial vehicles," according to the Los Angeles Times. Predator squadrons are slated to be activated in Texas and Arizona in 2006 and 2007, then New York in 2009, said Capt. Shelley Lai, an Air Force spokeswoman. The bases for additional squadrons will be decided upon later this year, she added. The new squadrons could support operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and other overseas hotspots or be deployed domestically for homeland security missions, Lai said. Last month, the Air Force scooped $160 million out of its maintenance budget to buy 15 new Predators -- and a load of missiles, to arm the drones already in service. Unmanned Predator Drone

US Army Won't Prosecute 17 Soldiers

The U.S. military says 27 detainees who died in U.S. custody in Afghanistan and Iraq between 2002 and 2004 were the victims of homicide or suspected homicide. In the report Friday, the Army Criminal Investigation Command said Army commanders have decided not to pursue charges against 17 American Soldiers implicated in the deaths of three of the detainees. The military says those cases were dropped because of lack of evidence, or soldiers used justified force or were not aware of the rules of engagement. A number of Soldiers are facing charges in the other detainee deaths.(This is the reason the US military is suffering a severe troop shortage! The Army announced this week that it will miss its recruitment goals for the next two months. Who wants to take the risk of prosecution for serving there country.) Anti-American groups have expressed outrage over mistreatment of detainees. The military says it takes the deaths seriously. U.S. army commanders decided not to prosecute 17 GI's implicated in the death of detainees.

US Air Force Receives Last F-16 Fighter

The US Air Force has received the last of 2,231 F-16 fighters manufactured for the service, the Air Force's Aeronautical Systems Center announced on Thursday. The last F-16 Fighting Falcon, produced by the Lockheed Martin Corp., was delivered last Friday by Jeff Riemer, director of operations at the Air Force Materiel Command headquarters, who flew the jet fighter from the Lockheed Martin plant in Fort Worth,Texas, to Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. Originally designed as a lightweight, daytime interceptor, the F-16 Fighting Falcon has been transformed over the last 20 years into a multi-role, all weather, air-to-air and air-to-ground attack weapon system, said Dan Mahrer, the F-16 production program manager. The first delivery of F-16 fighters to the US Air Forces was made in 1978. The manufacturer, Lockheed Martin Corp., will continue to produce F-16s for international coalition partners, officials said.Enditem F-16 Fighter

Warplanes Kill 5 Militants In Afghanistan

U.S. warplanes killed five suspected militants near the Pakistani border after guerrillas launched an overnight attack on American and Afghan military positions, officials said Wednesday. The planes were scrambled after insurgents fired at least eight rockets at a U.S. base in the southeastern province of Khost and turned rockets and guns against three border posts late Tuesday, the American military said. "Coalition aircraft killed five insurgents," a military statement said, adding that U.S. troops also responded with artillery fire from their base near Khost city. No U.S. or allied forces were hurt, it said. Mohammed Nawab, a senior Afghan commander in Khost, told The Associated Press that U.S. helicopters had ferried ammunition to forces defending the border posts. Nawab blamed Taliban or al-Qaida militants for the attacks and said they had come from the Pakistani side of the border. "They also retreated in that direction," Nawab said by telephone from Khost. Nawab said his troops discovered four bodies and abandoned weapons on Wednesday morning, though Gov. Nerajuddin Pathan said five bodies were recovered, apparently the same casualties counted by the U.S. military. In another incident, a roadside bomb damaged a U.S. Humvee near the southern city of Kandahar on Tuesday, U.S. spokeswoman Lt. Cindy Moore said. No soldiers were reported hurt. Taliban-led rebels have maintained a stubborn insurgency along the mountainous border despite the presence of some 17,000 American troops more than three years after the former ruling militia was ousted for harboring al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden. U.S. commanders insist the insurgents are a waning force, though purported Taliban leaders have threatened a fresh offensive as warmer weather melts snow blocking high passes along the Pakistani border. A bomb killed five Afghan civilians in Kandahar last Thursday, as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited the capital, Kabul. Passing U.N. vehicles were damaged in that explosion and a mine blast just outside Kandahar that morning, raising the prospect that the world body was the intended target.

Decide Which Military Branch is Right For You!

You've seen movies, you've heard rumors, you've gone to the parades... but what really IS the military? What does it do? Where do they go? Find out the military basics here, including:

Who they are: the Department of Defense and the five branches: Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy.
What they do: a quick look at the history and mission of each branch.
Where they go: A glimpse of where forces deploy around the world.
Navy Overview
Founded Oct. 13, 1775, the U.S. Navy maintains, trains and equips combat-ready forces capable of winning wars, deterring aggression and maintaining freedom of the seas. The Department of the Navy has three principal components: the Navy Department, consisting of executive offices mostly in Washington, D.C.; the operating forces, including the Marine Corps, the reserve components, and, in time of war, the U.S. Coast Guard (in peace, a component of the Department of Homeland Security); and the shore establishment.

The purpose of U.S. naval forces remains to project the power and influence of the nation across the seas to foreign waters and shores in both peace and war. Preventive diplomacy, policy enforcement, teaming with and defending allies, and immediate sea-based reaction to conflicts are the general areas which the Navy covers. Finally, all sailors live up to the Navy's core values: Honor, Courage, and Commitment.

The Verdict: The Navy is primarily focused on sea missions. If you cannot stand the water or don't like small spaces, do not join the Navy. On the other hand, the Navy provides some of the highest job satisfaction of all the services. Many different types of jobs are available in the Navy, and tradition, brotherhood, and pride are well entrenched. If you enjoy challenges by sea, land, and/or air, enjoy traveling the world, but are also searching for mental challenge and great job training, the Navy may be right for you.
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Air Force Overview
The Air Force is the youngest of all five services. It first became a separate service Sept. 18, 1947 after President Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act of 1947.

In its more than 50 years of existence, the Air Force has become the world's premier aerospace force. Its mission simply put is to defend the nation through the control and exploitation of air and space. Although obviously tasked with flying missions, most personnel work on the ground in various construction, support, and technical capacities.

The Air Force focuses on these areas:

Aerospace Superiority: The ability to control what moves through air and space ensures freedom of action.

Information Superiority: The ability to control and exploit information to our nation's advantage ensures decision dominance.

Global Attack: The ability to engage adversary targets anywhere, anytime, holds any adversary at risk.

Precision Engagement: The ability to deliver desired effects with minimal risk and collateral damage, denies the enemy sanctuary.

Rapid Global Mobility: The ability to rapidly position forces anywhere in the world, ensures unprecedented responsiveness.

Agile Combat Support: The ability to sustain flexible and efficient combat operations is the foundation of success.

The Verdict: The Air Force is focused on flying. There are also plenty of other opportunities on land though. If you like flying and/or working with flight systems & technology, the Air Force is for you.

The Air Force has two large reputations: one of concentrating a little more on high-tech training than the other services, and the other of being "softer" than the others. There is a little truth and a whole lot of false to these reputations - you need to go beyond these notions when talking with a recruiter.
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Army Overview
Founded in 1775 by the Second Continental Congress, the Army is the oldest service of the United States military. Formed to protect the liberties of the original 13 colonies, the Army has evolved and grown from a small militia force into the world's premier army with global reach and influence.

Since its founding, the Army has played a major role in the country's development. The Army won the nation's freedom in the Revolution, preserved it during the Civil War, and protected it during the World Wars and Cold War. As recently as Desert Storm and actions in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Army continues to protect the nation and its principles.

The Army generally deals with land-focused missions. Its soldiers deploy to a conflict area and stay there to fight during the conflict, and then remain there until adequate peace and security has been established. The Army is chiefly used for long and drawn out missions which require great team effort, focus, and persistence.

The Verdict: The Army has the widest range of jobs of all the branches. It also has the largest bureaucracy, and thus things can be slow, especially if you try to change your path or change your job etc. However, do not be discouraged: the processes are there for a reason, and there are hundreds of possibilities within the Army - you should be able to find something which you would enjoy. If you like the idea of providing security, doing land-based operations, and being part of a huge team, the Army may be for you.
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Coast Guard Overview
The history of the Service is very complicated because it is the amalgamation of five Federal agencies. These agencies, the Revenue Cutter Service, the Lighthouse Service, the Steamboat Inspection Service, the Bureau of Navigation, and the Lifesaving Service, were originally independent, but had overlapping authorities and were shuffled around the government.

The Coast Guard, through its forefathers, is the oldest continuous seagoing service and has fought in almost every war since the Constitution became the law of the land in 1789. Following the War of Independence (1776-83), the Continental Navy was disbanded and from 1790 until 1798, when the U.S. Navy was created, the revenue cutters were the only national maritime service. The Acts establishing the Navy also empowered the President to use the revenue cutters to supplement the fleet when needed. Laws later clarified the relationship between the Coast Guard and the Navy.

The U.S. Coast Guard is one of five branches of the US Armed Forces, and falls under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The Coast Guard's responsibilities include Search and Rescue (SAR), Maritime Law Enforcement (MLE), Aids to Navigation (ATON), Icebreaking, Environmental Protection, Port Security and Military Readiness. In order to accomplish these missions the Coast Guard's 38,000 active-duty men and women, 8,000 Reservists, and 35,000 Auxiliarists serve in a variety of job fields ranging from operation specialists and small-boat operators and maintenance specialists to electronic technicians and aviation mechanics.

The Verdict: The Coast Guard is by far the least "flashy" of the branches - it gets little of the limelight. It is also probably one of the tightest knit "families" of all the services. By and large the Coast Guard focuses on law enforcement, not large scale military operations. If you like the law, assuring security, working as a member of a small team, and a sea-going lifestyle, the Coast Guard may be for you. Of course, make sure you like water and can stand being on a boat!
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Marine Corps Overview
The Marine Corps was founded Nov. 10, 1775 when the Continental Congress order two battalions of Marines be created to serve during the Revolutionary War. They further resolved that this force be acquainted with maritime operations in order to serve aboard naval vessels. Thus, the United States Marine Corps has always been an expeditionary naval force ready to defend the nation's interests overseas.

Official Marine statements include:

"We are warriors, one and all. Born to defend, built to conquer. The steel we wear is the steel within ourselves, forged by the hot fires of discipline and training. We are fierce in a way no others can be. We are Marines."


"In the Marines, everyone-sergeant, mechanic, cannoneer, supply man, clerk, aviator, cook-is a rifleman first. All speak the language of the rifle and bayonet, of muddy boots and long, hot marches. It's never us and them, only us. That is the secret of the Corps." - Col. Daniel F. Bolger, U.S. Army, DEATH GROUND: TODAY'S AMERICAN INFANTRY IN BATTLE

The saying goes, "Every Marine a rifleman first." This quickly demonstrates the Marines' intense focus on warfare. Their well-known slogan, "The Few, The Proud, The Marines," expresses the Marine Corps' intense focus on values. Warriors with values - this defines the Marine Corps.

The Verdict: Of all the branches, none are as proud as the Marines. Marines are a highly exclusive, highly motivated bunch. Those who become Marines do so because they want to, not because of benefits or other reasons. If you don't like the idea of running and shooting a gun, do not join the Marines! On the other hand, if you like missions on land and sea (and even in the air), if you place values and honor above yourself, accept large mental and physical challenges constantly, and would be excited to be among the first "on the scene," you may be Marine material.
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Air Force Secretary Announces Resignation

In an expected move, the acting secretary of the Air Force announced his resignation Friday. Peter B. Teets has held the position since January, when he replaced Secretary James Roche. Teets is also leaving his position as director of the National Reconnaissance Office, the Pentagon agency that operates spy satellites. Roche quit under fire as secretary, leaving what some officials described as a leadership vacuum in the wake a contracting scandal involving Boeing. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld has recommended to President Bush that he nominate Navy Secretary Gordon England as Air Force secretary, military officials have said. In a statement, Teets said, "I'm confident we've strengthened the world's greatest Air Force to continue providing air and space dominance for the 21st century." He will depart next week. Teets has worked for the Pentagon since December 2001. Peter B. Teets

Army Asks For Longer Enlistments

The U.S. Army has asked Congress to allow it to extend enlistment contracts offered to future soldiers by two years in order to "stabilize the force," as top defense officials warned that key recruitment targets for the year could be missed. The request came as the House of Representatives on Wednesday put its stamp of approval on an 81.4-billion-dollar supplemental spending bill that contains new benefits for U.S. troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. But the new money notwithstanding, Army Deputy Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Franklin Hagenbeck told a House subcommittee that yearly recruitment goals for the Army reserve and the National Guard were "at risk." "In the manning area, we need Congress to change the maximum enlistment time from six years to eight years in order to help stabilize the force for longer periods of time," Hagenbeck went on to say. The appeal coincided with the release of a new congressional report that showed that the intensifying anti-American insurgency in Iraq and continued violence in Afghanistan were followed by a distinct drop in the number of volunteers willing to serve in the branches of the military that see the most combat. The Army reserve and Army National Guard respectively met only 87 percent and 80 percent of their overall recruiting goals in the first quarter of fiscal 2005, according to the study by the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress. The Air Force Reserve attained 91 percent of its target, the Air National Guard 71 percent and the Navy Reserve 77 percent. The shortfalls could potentially have a noticeable effect on units operating in Iraq, Afghanistan and surrounding areas because, according to defense officials, reservists and guardsmen make up about 46 percent of the total force deployed there. Recruitment problems are beginning to dog even active duty units that have not experienced them in a long time. The Marine Corps, whose reputation for efficiency and toughness has always helped it attract ambitious young men and women, missed its goal by 84 recruits in January and another 192 in February for the first time in 10 years, the GAO report said. "There is no disputing the fact that the force is facing challenges," acknowledged Deputy Undersecretary of Defense Charles Abell. The obvious cooling off in Americans' interest in military service is observed despite multiplying benefits and financial enticements offered by the Pentagon to those signing up for service. The supplemental measure passed by the House, for example, increases the maximum service member group life insurance benefits from 250,000 dollars to 400,000 dollars. The onetime death gratuity for combat fatalities received by family members is going up from 12,000 to 100,000 dollars. At 150,000 dollars a pop, reenlistment bonuses paid to experienced Special Forces members are beginning to resemble Christmas paychecks on Wall Street, while one-time cash incentives for brand new recruits went up from 8,000 dollars to 10,000 dollars -- and to 20,000, if they agree to take one of the military jobs deemed hard to fill. College scholarships, the principle reason why many young people join the military, have been boosted by the Army from 50,000 dollars to 70,000. Still, Army reserve commander Lieutenant General James Helmly warned in January that with lengthy and grueling deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, the reserve is rapidly turning into "a broken force" and may not be able to meet its operational requirements in the future.

TOUGHEST DRONE EVER!

Maybe there's been a less intimidating guard drone developed by the U.S. military. But I haven't seen it, yet. The ROBART III is the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center's prototype for a mechanical rent-a-cop replacement -- designed to detect intruders, and pop 'em with a "pneumatically powered six-barrel Gatling-style weapon that fires simulated tranquilizer darts or rubber bullets." In development since 1992, ROBART III uses "head-mounted sensors, includ[ing] two Polaroid sonar transducers, a Banner near-infrared proximity sensor, an AM Sensors microwave motion detector, and a video surveillance camera" to spot infiltrators. But what happens when the bot finds its foes -- well, I'm guessing ROBART's creators haven't thought that far ahead. Faced with a contraption that looks like a cross between Johnny Five, 2XL, and ROM Spaceknight, only the most timid of trespassers would be scared off by the machine, you'd figure. Maybe that'll change, when ROBART's new helpers come on line. In a new research thrust, drone-builders at the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center are looking to put together "a group of slave robots that would follow ROBART III into a building and be deployed at strategic locations to serve as communication relays, rearguard lookouts, expendable point men... preventing an intruder from playing 'hide-and-seek' with ROBART III." ROBART III's head-mounted sensors include two Polaroid sonar transducers, a Banner near-infrared proximity sensor, an AM Sensors microwave motion detector, and a video surveillance camera. The output of the CCD camera is broadcast to the operator over an analog RF link and simultaneously fed to an onboard video motion detector that provides azimuthal data allowing the head pan-axis controller to automatically track a moving target. A non-lethal-response weapon chosen for incorporation into the system consists of a pneumatically powered dart gun capable of firing a variety of 3/16-inch diameter projectiles. A group of slave robots would follow ROBART III into a building and be deployed at strategic locations to serve as communication relays, rearguard lookouts, expendable point men, or part of a distributed sensor network, preventing an intruder from playing "hide-and-seek" with ROBART III. A fleet of ten Lynxmotion Hexapod II walking robots (six-legged, twelve-servo hexapods featuring two degrees-of-freedom per leg) are currently used to illustrate the feasibility of the master/slave network. The small slave robots perform collision-avoidance, wall-following, and doorway-detection routines using algorithms similar to those running on ROBART III. For all other tasks, the slaves react to information that has been gathered and preprocessed by ROBART III.

U.A.W. Apology Comes Too Late For Marines

The UAW has apologized to U.S. Marine Corps reservists and reversed its stand on which Marines can use the UAW parking lot. But it's too late -- the Marines have moved on. The UAW recently banned autos owned by Marines that are either nonunion built or sport a George W. Bush bumper sticker. The union -- whose offices are near a reserve center in Detroit -- had allowed the Marines to park without conditions in its lot for years. After several days of bad publicity, UAW President Ron Gettelfinger -- a former Marine reservist -- retracted the decision Monday. "I made the wrong call on the parking issue," Gettelfinger's statement said. "I'm glad he decided to change his decision," said Lt. Col. Joe Rutledge, commanding officer of the Marine Corps Reserve Center. But the apology came too late. "The decision's already been made that we're not going to park there," Rutledge said. "We've already made other arrangements to park elsewhere."
These are Marines and they have a right, like anybody else in America, to express their First Amendment rights."

Warrior Transition Course

SPC Beverly Sage jumped ship to answer the Army’s call. Today she wears combat boots instead of Navy blues, and can fire an M-16 like her life depends on it. “The Army is on the frontlines of the war. If joining means I have to serve in Iraq, I’m ready,” said the ex-sailor. Sage’s confidence is a product of the Army’s new Warrior Transition Course at Fort Knox, Ky. The course is designed to make Soldiers of former Airmen, Sailors and Marines. It’s also an incentive for second-time volunteers wanting to rejoin the Army’s ranks without repeating nine weeks of basic training. “We train these Soldiers with the expectation that every single one of them will see combat. The accepted generalization is that about 50 percent of them will be in combat within six months. Over a three-year period, they all will be,” said MAJ Ralph Hudnall, executive officer for 1st Battalion, 46th Infantry Regiment, which trains Warrior Transition Course students.
The Army Way
Trainees spend the first week at Warrior Transition Course learning the Army’s rank structure and military courtesies, and brush up on such core tasks as teamwork development, first aid, drill and ceremony, and land navigation. The goal is to introduce those coming from other services to the Army’s way of working, and to refresh the skills of former Soldiers. Week two is spent at the firing range, where trainees engage targets with a variety of weapons in day- and night-firing exercises. By midcourse, trainees feel the strain of having to pass a physical-fitness test with just three weeks to prepare. “The hardest thing is the physical part,” said SGT Jeffrey Coleman. “I exercised at home, but it was nothing like this. This reminds me that I’m not 18 anymore.” Coleman, 36, served five years in the field artillery before entering the civilian workforce. “I got out because my wife wasn’t comfortable with the deployments, but I always felt I was out of my element after that,” said the Desert Storm veteran. “This is where I’m meant to be — in the Army.”
Reality
Tactical training is the longest and final part of Warrior Transition Course. This segment is a reality-check for trainees who expect they’ll never cross enemy lines. “We’re training students on the specific tasks they’ll need to survive in Iraq,” Hudnall said. Skills taught to make Soldiers combat-ready include convoy and checkpoint operations, urban warfare, live-fire operations and recognition of improvised explosive devices. Training sites mirror the operating bases Soldiers currently see in Afghanistan and Iraq, complete with convoy routes, checkpoints, media representatives and milling locals. Wrecked vehicles, telephone polls and guardrails also cover the convoy route, and scenarios are peppered with enemy ambushes and IEDs. The final exercise takes squads through a four-hour convoy mission. They receive indirect fire during movement through an urban area, fight back, get hit by an IED, and clear and secure a building — all while treating and evacuating casualties. “The capstone exercise is a very detailed event that pushes them to their limit — it’s a taste of reality, especially for Soldiers who will go to support units, which are just as likely to be in a firefight as any other unit,” Hudnall said. “There is no rear area on today’s battlefield, no safe zone.” Students serve in leadership positions twice during the course. As in professional-development classes, trainees are expected to put their experience and maturity to work. “Some of these students were NCOs when they left their prior services, or they were NCOs before taking a break from the Army,” Hudnall said. “We take advantage of that, and let drill sergeants be teachers, coaches and mentors instead of stern, authoritarian figures.”
Blue to Green
The Warrior Transition Course was initiated so the Army could profit from the experience and training of individuals leaving the other services due to force reductions. Personnel officials estimate cutbacks will push 16,000 airmen and 8,000 sailors off the rolls in fiscal year 2005. “We’re getting top-quality folks who are committed to continuing their service in the military,” Hudnall said. “A lot of folks are choosing the Army out of patriotic duty, feeling that if they’re on the ground they’ll have greater impacts on the war.” SPC Keonta Lewis craved change after five years in Navy logistics, but still felt driven to serve his country. “The rank structure and way of doing things is very different from what I was used to in the Navy,” Lewis said. “I know in my heart that I made the right decision to join the Army. And also, this is the best way for me to financially support my family.” Sage said her interest in the Army was piqued by the programs and training it offers. Promises of quicker promotions sealed the deal. “It took me six years to become a petty officer third class in the Navy. I followed my dad and my brother into the Navy, but if I’d joined the Army to start with, I’d probably be an officer by now,” she said. When asked if she’s still a Sailor at heart, Sage said “I’m a Soldier now.” The Warrior Transition Course will relocate to Fort Bliss, Texas, in May 2005.

Blue to Green Program Off To A Slow Start

Only about 60 airmen have taken advantage of the Operation Blue to Green program in its first seven months, Air Force said Wednesday. The program, launched to help reduce the 17,000 extra airmen in the service last fall while helping the Army with its manning shortfall, offers bonuses to Air Force troops to transfer into high-demand specialties with the Army. Gen. John Jumper, Air Force chief of staff, said other retirement and relocation programs have been much more successful. The force is still about 7,000 airmen over its end-strength goal, but Jumper said he expects to reach that reduced level by June 1. Air Force officials have done essentially no recruiting over the last five months and will welcome in about 18,000 new airmen this year — about 15,000 fewer than a typical recruiting class. Meanwhile, Army recruiters missed their monthly recruiting goal in February, the first time they’ve come up short in almost five years. Officials blamed the problem on public concerns about the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Petty Officer Cruel Kev. says it has more to do with all the soldiers that are being arrested for alot of silly Bull Shit while risking their lifes on a daily daily basis. As soon as the American public starts standing up for our soldiers the way it stand up for the enemy you will see Army recruitment increase to its normally high levels! Under Blue to Green, most airmen who opt for transfer could retain their grade and rank. Sailors also are being sought under the program. Jumper’s statements came as members of the House Appropriations Committee reviewed quality of life issues for airmen. Several representatives expressed concern about the costs associated with the higher-than-expected level of personnel. At one point last year the force had more than 24,000 extra airmen, but Jumper said the demands of Operation Noble Eagle and the global war on terrorism have “kept them all busy.” About 2,600 airmen are currently assisting Army units in Iraq with convoy services, mostly driving vehicles, Jumper said. The general said he has dismissed suggestions of simply discharging servicemembers to reduce force numbers because of the potential damage such a move could do to morale

Deciding Which Military Service to Join

Should I Join the Military?
First and foremost, you should decide if you should even join the military. the military is not for everyone, and some people find that out too late. Ask yourself why you want to join the military? Do you need a job? Do you want to serve your country? Are you thinking of making the military a career, or just do a term or two? Is it for the college benefits? Is it to learn a trade? Do you want to travel the World for awhile? Just need some time to "mature?"

Which Service Should I Join Next, you'll need to decide which service you are interested in. Sometimes, you'll know this in advance. Perhaps you had a friend or relative who served or are serving in a particular branch of the military and you want to follow in their footsteps. You should give this matter much study. Each of the services are different, and some people may be more suited (based upon qualifications, temperament, and/or interests) for one service vs. another. Make sure you select a service that YOU are interested in joining, based upon YOUR interests. Don't join a service just because someone else liked it, or expects you to. It's your life, your interests, your decision.

The Marines are, without argument, the most "military" of all the services. If you join the Marines, expect to eat, sleep, and breath "The Corps," 24 hours per day, seven days per week. All Marines are considered a "rifleman" first, and whatever other MOS (Job) they hold second. This is attributable to the high level of marksmanship training that all Marines receive. The Army is probably the second most "military." Many Army Combat Arms units, such as the elite Rangers, are just as intense and "gung ho" as the Corps. The Navy, while not as "rigid" as the Marines and Army, has many deep-set customs and traditions which are immobile. For the "gung-ho" sailor, the Navy possesses, probably the best-known special operations force -- the Navy SEALs. The Air Force, tied with the Coast Guard, as the "least military" service, also has it's share of "gung ho," in the the elite Combat Controllers and Air Force Pararescue forces. For more information, see Special Operations Forces. (Note: Recruiters see lots of folks who want to enlist and serve in one of these elite fields. The truth of the matter is that most people who apply for the "elite" programs wash out due to the very rigorous training requirements. If you enlist to become one of these "elites," and you wash out of training, you don't get to quit. You'll be required to serve the remainder of your enlistment contract in a different job). If you like shooting (a lot), and want a complete change of lifestyle, to include a deeply ingrained pride of service, commitment, and sense of loyalty, the Marine Corps may be just what you're looking for. This may be a minor point, but it is very telling: When you ask an airman what he does, he will respond, "I'm in the Air Force." When you ask a sailor what he does, he will respond, "I'm in the Navy." If you ask a Marine what he does, he'll say "I AM a Marine."

If you want a little more flexibility in your lifestyle, but still want a strong sense of being in the military, the Army may be for you. If you like to crawl through the mud and blow things up, using the latest and greatest of "blowing up toys," consider one of the Army's combat arms branches. You'll likely get all the time "in the field," that you want.

The Navy is probably the best place for those who like to travel -- a lot. There are few ratings (jobs) in the Navy that won't spend a significant amount of time at sea. This might be great if you are single, but might be something you'll want to think about if you have a family.

The Coast Guard has the advantage of having a real, "peacetime" mission, in active law enforcement, rescue, and ocean safety. On the "down side," the Coast Guard only has 23 enlisted jobs to choose from, and you usually cannot get a "guaranteed job" at the time of enlistment. On the plus side, pretty much all of those jobs directly relate to the civilian job market. Additonally, with fewer jobs, the Coast Guard doesn't "specialize" as much as the other services, and one may get a wider range of experience within a specific job.

Of all the services, the Air Force is probably the most (but not exactly) like having a regular job. The Air Force is far ahead of the other services in many "qualify of life" issues such as dormitories and base housing units.If these things are important to you, then the Air Force should be something you look into. However, in terms of educational requirements and overall ASVAB (Armed Forces Vocational Appitude Battery) scores, the Air Force (tied with the Coast Guard) is the hardest service to get into.

National Guard and Reserves. All of the services have a reserve component and two of the services (Army and Air Force) have a related National Guard, as well. The primary purpose of the Reserves and National Guard is to provide a reserve force to supplement the active duty forces when needed. The biggest difference between the Reserves and National Guard is that the Reserves belong to the federal government, while the National Guard belongs to the individual state government. While both the Reserves and the National Guard can be called to active duty by the Federal Government, under the authority of the President, individual state governors can also call out their National Guard units to assist in individual state emergencies. Following basic training and job training, members of the Reserves and National Guard drill (perform duties) one weekend each month, and two weeks every year. However, it's become more and common to activate Guard and Reserve units to supplement active duty deployments to such garden spots as Iraq, Kuwait, Bosnia, and Kosovo.

Some Army E-4s Can Receive Automatic Promotions To Sergeant

A shortage of sergeants in some specialties has prompted a new Army policy in which corporals and specialists could be automatically promoted without a board. Under the Army's semi-centralized promotion policy approved Feb. 23, all eligible specialists and corporals (with 48 months in service and a year in grade) will be placed on a promotion list. Then, if a military occupational specialty falls beneath 100-percent strength at the E-5 level, some Soldiers on the list will be automatically promoted. The new policy could potentially affect about 19,000 corporals and specialists currently in the active component, according to G1 personnel officials. "Are we taking away a commander's authority? Absolutely not," said retired Sgt. Maj. Gerald Purcell, G1 personnel policy integrator for enlisted professional development.Commanders will have the ability to remove a Soldier from the Sergeant Recommended List, Purcell explained, if a Soldier is not trained, or otherwise unqualified. There will be a 15-day window after the automatic promotion list is generated for commanders to remove names. "If a Soldier should truly not be a sergeant," Purcell said, "then commanders should stop it." But he went on to say that in units with E-5 shortages, many specialists are doing the job of a sergeant and deserve to receive the pay and recognition. Even under the new policy, Purcell said most promotions to sergeant will still go to those who appear before a promotion board. "The only time anyone is automatically promoted is when all Soldiers who have gone through (board) procedures are promoted and the MOS is still not 100 percent for the E-5 grade," Purcell said. The new promotion policy should eliminate specialties that historically have a shortage of sergeants, known as Star MOS's, Purcell said. The Army currently has 31 Star MOS's, ranging from 13F (fire support specialist) to 98K (signal collection/identification specialist.) Career fields with STAR MOS's include field artillery, aviation, armor, engineer, communications and information systems, signal, psychological operations, fire control, public affairs, maintenance, chemical, transportation, ordnance, supply and military intelligence. The Army is currently short 1,549 sergeants in Star MOS's. In recent months, the number of Soldiers recommended for promotion to sergeant has decreased to just above 10 percent of the eligible population, according to G1 stats. This compares to more than 30 percent of those eligible being recommended for promotion 10 years ago. "It is the field's responsibility to grow our future leaders," Purcell said. He added that promotions should be based on potential, not just performance. "We believe you should give a Soldier an opportunity to succeed after four years in the Army," Purcell said. "It's what's right for the Army." The creation of new brigade combat teams and units of action are adding to the shortage of sergeants, Purcell said. He explained that new units require senior NCOs, accelerating the promotion of mid-grade NCOs, resulting in more E-5 vacancies. "We need an E-5 promotion for every growth in the NCO structure," Purcell said. In any case, Purcell said the new promotion policy should eliminate the shortages. He said it's a great tool not only to man the Army at the proper grade level, but also to motivate Soldiers. Soldiers placed on the promotion list automatically, without participating in a promotion board, will only be given the minimum of 350 points. Purcell emphasized that these Soldiers will not be promoted to sergeant unless an MOS falls below 100-percent operating strength and no other Soldiers with more points are available to promote. Soldiers who want to receive promotion points based on their actual accomplishments need to go through the promotion board procedures and the processes outlined in AR 600-8-9, Purcell said. For instance, Soldiers integrated onto the promotion list without a board appearance will not be awarded additional points based on the Airborne promotion advantage. The Army's new promotion policy will actually help first sergeants and others in the chain of command to better manage their units, said Sgt. Maj. Reynald Domingo of the Army's Directorate of Personnel Management, G1. "I'm just hoping that they're going to see the goodness in this," Domingo said.

President Nominates Anthony Principi To Lead Base Closings

President Bush plans to nominate former Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony Principi to lead the independent commission charged with closing U.S. military bases this year, the White House announced Friday. Principi, a vice president of drug manufacturer Pfizer Corp. and a decorated Vietnam War veteran, once served as a chief counsel for the Senate Armed Services Committee and Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. He also has been a top official with defense contractor Lockheed Martin. Congress authorized the fifth round of Base Realignment and Closure last year. By March 15, the president must name the nine-member commission that will review a list of closures the Pentagon must propose by May. The president has two more panelists to nominate. Congressional leaders have submitted their six recommendations. All nine must be confirmed by the Senate. Principi, 60, is from California, the state that was hit the hardest in the previous four rounds of base closings. Anthony Principi

Mine Warfare Crews Swapping Vessels

Sailors stationed aboard mine warfare vessels homeported at Naval Station Ingleside departed Feb. 12-26 for a six-month deployment aboard mine warfare ships forward-deployed in the Persian Gulf. They are replacing the crews currently manning those ships, who will in turn return to South Texas. The "crew swap" initiative increases forward naval presence by keeping a single ship hull continuously present in a given area of operations while swapping crews at six-month intervals. It increases the on-station time for the ship without extending deployments for crew members, and it saves wear and tear on the ship, weeks of transit time and is meant to more efficiently use available resources. The first mine warfare crew swaps occurred in August, after approval from Commander, Fleet Forces Command (CFFC) to begin crew swap evolutions with its ships in Bahrain. "We have improved the process based on lessons learned from our first crew swaps," said Rear Adm. Deborah Loewer, commander, Mine Warfare Command, "so we are able to transfer our people more economically and efficiently. This is in line with the Chief of Naval Operations' 2005 guidance of Sea Enterprise, to "create an environment that supports the rapid implementation of improved processes...to place priority on the deliberate pursuit of efficiency...and improving readiness for global response." The benefit of crew swap to Mine Warfare Command is the high operational availability achieved from the four ships in theater. The current 18-month schedule achieves a 3-to-1 turnaround, which means that Ingleside Sailors will be forward deployed for six months and in homeport for 18 months. Higher operational availability is achieved as crew certifications are completed in the Corpus Christi operating area prior to the crews arriving in theater. The crew swap timeline is phased in order to meet Commander, U.S. 5th Fleet operational schedules and avoid loss of theater awareness by swapping all crews simultaneously. The oncoming crews will have a seven-day turnover period with the off-going crews, who will be returning to man Ingleside ships. "The Sailors that manned USS Chief (MCM 14) here are already in Bahrain embarked on USS Ardent (MCM 12)," said Capt. Craig Kleint, commander, Mine Warfare Squadron 2. "Prior to their deployment, they underwent an INSURV (Board of Inspection and Survey), an inspection to ensure a ship's combat readiness. They did extremely well, and I know that will help them sustain mission readiness as they prepare for INSURV aboard Ardent." Ingleside Sailors from MCM (mine countermeasures) Crew Bulwark relieved Sailors aboard forward-deployed USS Ardent (MCM 12). Sailors who were embarked on Ardent - MCM Crew Conflict - returned to Ingleside Feb. 21. Sailors from MHC (coastal minehunter) Crew Valor relieved Sailors aboard USS Cardinal (MHC 60). Sailors who were embarked on Cardinal - MHC Crew Aggressive - returned to Ingleside Feb. 24. MCM Crew Swerve relieved Sailors on USS Dextrous (MCM 13). Sailors who were embarked on Dextrous - MCM Crew Fearless - returned to Ingleside Feb. 28. Sailors from MHC Crew Inflict will relieve Sailors on board USS Raven (MHC 62). Once turnover is completed, those Sailors - MHC Crew Prestige - will also return to Naval Station Ingleside USS Cardinal (MHC 60)
~*~ Awarded: April 22, 1992
Keel laid: April 13, 1994
Launched: March 9, 1996
Commissioned: October 18, 1997
Builder: Intermarine USA, Savannah, GA
Propulsion System: two diesels (800 hp each)
Propellers: two
Length: 188 feet (57.3 meters)
Beam: 36 feet (11 meters)
Draft: 9,5 feet (2.9 meters)
Displacement: 895 tons
Speed: 12 knots
Armament: Mine neutralization system, two .50 caliber machine guns
Homeport: Manama, Bahrain
Crew: 5 Officers, 46 Enlisted

Bad News For Those Wishing To Join the Air Force This Year

Bad news for those wishing to enlist in the United States Air Force this year.
Air Force Recruiting Officials have been crunching the numbers, and have cut the Fiscal Year 2005 Recruiting Goals even more. During the middle of Fiscal Year 2004, recruiting officials set the Fiscal Year 2005 (which runs from 1 October 2004 to 30 September 2005) at an estimated 35,600. At the start of the fiscal year, they reduced the number by 16,700 for a goal 24,465. Now, they've cut the goal even further. The Air Force has found itself in the embarrassing position of having too many airmen on active duty. Each year, the size of the active duty services are set by Congress when they pass the yearly Military Appropriations Act. When the authorize size of the active duty Air Force has not changed significantly in the last several years, high enlistment and re-enlistment rates resulted in the Air Force beginning Fiscal Year 2005 with about 20,000 more people than Congress says they can have. The Air Force had hoped to reduce in size through a combination of fewer new recruits and establishing programs which allowed early voluntary separations, or easy transfer to the Air Force Reserve or Air National Guard. However, fewer airmen applied for these voluntary programs than anticipated, so Air Force officials have further reduced this year's recruiting goal from 24,465 to only 18,900. That's a reduction of about 47 percent from the original forecasted goal. Under the new goal, the Air Force has already filled all of their requirements for the remainder of the fiscal year, except for a few basic-training shipping slots to leave in August and September. With recruiting goals so low, that means the Air Force has thousands more applicants than they can accept. In turn, that means the Air Force can afford to be more "picky" when choosing which applicants can enlist, and which applicants cannot. There has been a dramatic decrease in the number of medical or criminal history waivers considered this year, and applicants must be very flexible when it comes to job-choices or basic training shipping dates, then they've been in years past, and that trend will likely continue for the foreseeable future. The good news is that sometime in March, the Air Force plans to begin releasing job and shipping dates to the estimated 4,500 recruits who are already enlisted in the Air Force Delayed Enlistment Program (DEP), but have not yet received a job-choice or shipping date. Additionally, some of these recruits will be able to reserve jobs which were not part of the original list of restricted AFSCs (jobs) for Fiscal Year 2005 enlistments, as officials are planning to open some slots in the other 88 AFSCs, as well. In April, the Air Force will begin allocating enlistment slots for Fiscal Year 2006 (which starts October 1, 2005). At this time, the estimated recruiting goal for FY 2006 has been set at 30,750 recruits, but -- as happened this year -- that number is subject to change, based on whether or not the Air Force meets their "downsizing" goals by the end of the Fiscal Year.

U.S. Military Officials In The Philippines For Counter-Terror Cooperation

TWO United States Military officials have arrived in the Philippines as part of efforts to boost counter-terrorism cooperation between the two countries, the Department of National Defense (DND) said Thursday. Lieutenant General John M. Brown III, commander of the US Army Pacific Command based in Fort Shafter, Hawaii, will observe the Balikatan-05 joint military exercises in Southern Luzon, the DND said in a statement. Rear Admiral Kenneth Deutsch, commander of the Patrol and Reconnaissance Force and Fleet Air Western Pacific based in Japan, will help train patrol squadrons, it said. "These visits are part of a regular series of meetings between the military and security officials of both countries to discuss continued programs for sustained counter-terrorism capability," the statement said. The two officials are also scheduled to meet with officials of the DND, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the US Embassy in Manila. This year's Balikatan war games are concentrated on relief and rehabilitation efforts for typhoon-stricken communities in the provinces of Laguna and Quezon. Rear Admiral Kenneth Deutsch & Lieutenant General John M. Brown III

Female Soldiers Face Danger In Iraq

When a roadside bomb in Iraq exploded on Feb. 9, Army Sgt. Jessica M. Housby became the 21st female soldier killed in action since the war began nearly two years ago. That may seem a small number, given that hostile deaths among U.S. troops recently surpassed 1,000 and is getting closer to 1,500 when fatal accidents and other nonbattle deaths are included. But by historical measure it is high, and reflects the fundamentally different nature of this war, where even a truck driver such as Housby is a target. No one is suggesting that women be kept off the modern-day battlefield. But some question whether an Army that is being reconfigured to respond swiftly and more effectively to conflicts such as the one in Iraq is placing some female soldiers in what amounts to the front lines of fighting. As in past wars, women are barred from units assigned to direct ground combat. That keeps women out of the infantry, armor, artillery, combat engineers and Special Forces. But it does not keep them out of danger. The nature of combat itself has changed a great deal in Iraq since the toppling of Baghdad in April 2003. Within weeks a violent insurgency took hold. It remains a deadly force. In Iraq, there is no front line in the traditional sense of armies fighting armies. The front lines are everywhere - at a site where insurgents lay an ambush, plant a roadside bomb, lob a mortar or detonate an improvised car bomb. Thus it is not just infantrymen, trained to kill in close combat, who are dying in Iraq, although they are taking the heaviest losses. Soldiers whose roles are categorized as "support," where most of the women in the U.S. military are found, sometimes find themselves in the insurgents' line of fire. Housby, 23, from Rock Island, Ill., had been in Iraq since October as a member of the Illinois Army National Guard's 1644th Transportation Company. Two other female soldiers of the Illinois Guard have been killed in Iraq - one by mortar fire, the other by a roadside bomb. In all, 31 female soldiers have died in the Iraq war, including 10 whose deaths were declared nonhostile, according to the Pentagon. The most recent death was Spc. Katrina L. Johnson Bell, 32, of Orangeburg, S.C., who died in a vehicle accident in Baqubah on Feb. 16. In the 1991 Persian Gulf War, five women were killed in action and 10 were nonhostile casualties. In the Vietnam War, women's roles were restricted to administrative, medical and communications work that was mostly performed in more secure rear areas. During that war, only one woman was killed in ground combat. Five others died in military plane and helicopter crashes; two died of medical problems. Shortly after the Gulf War, the Pentagon opened more military jobs to women, including piloting attack and scout helicopters. The military also spelled out the kinds of assignments that would remain off limits - any job requiring a female soldier to "physically collocate and remain with" ground combat units that are closed to women. The distinction then was clear. Now, the Army is redesigning its main fighting forces to make them "modular," or interchangeable. Some in Congress are asking whether the reconfigured combat brigades have placed women in positions that violate either the letter or the spirit of the policies meant to keep women out of direct combat. Elaine Donnelly, president of the Center for Military Readiness, says the Army is misleading Congress by denying that women in support companies are being placed at the front lines of combat. She argues that the presence of female soldiers beside male ground combat troops undermines morale, weakens cohesion and could lead to troublesome "romantic entanglements." "You set a precedent that would affect all of the combat units, including Special Forces and the Marine Corps. These are radical changes," said Donnelly, a leading opponent of expanding the role of women in the military. A senior Army spokesman, Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks, denied that the Army has altered its policy on women in combat. He stressed that female soldiers are making major contributions in Iraq. "We're not interested in glossing over the reality that women are exposed to the hazards of combat," he said.

Military Revamps Basic Training

Prompted by increasingly sophisticated insurgent attacks, the military is revamping its training programs to create some of the most realistic combat exercises ever for troops headed to battle.
At training bases across the USA, the Army and Marine Corps are teaching new troops the types of skills they might have gotten in the past only from combat or advanced training courses:

• The Army has begun using "live fire" drills at Fort Jackson, S.C., its largest basic training post, to teach recruits how to survive ambushes on convoys and to counterattack guerrilla fighters. In the new exercises, recruits ride in open-air, 5-ton trucks and fire live ammunition at pneumatic pop-up targets. In most basic training before now, troops shot only at stationary targets on a firing range. The Army will expand the drills to all five of its basic training bases by spring.

• The Army has transformed Fort Polk, La., into a simulation of Iraq, converting 18 training sites there into replicas of Middle Eastern towns and villages. It has contracted with hundreds of Iraqi-Americans to portray insurgents, police and religious leaders in combat exercises. The role players are a mix of Arabic-speaking Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds from Houston, Detroit and Washington.

• The Marine Corps offers detailed instructions to all Marines heading to Iraq on how to recognize and thwart remotely detonated bombs, known as improvised explosive devices, or IEDs. They are trained in the use of electronic jammers to block insurgents' ability to explode the bombs with cell phones or garage-door openers.

• The Army has begun teaching recruits in basic training how to fire an M-16 rifle while wearing full body armor and how to shoot at moving targets from standing and kneeling positions.

The Army last year began training recruits for the dangers of traveling in convoys and fighting in cities. The new tactics, developed by studying the practices of Iraqi insurgents, have been prompted by the limited time many new troops spend in the Army and Marines before seeing combat. In some cases, Army soldiers are shipped overseas a few months after completing nine weeks of basic training. Col. Kevin Shwedo, who monitors basic training trends from Fort Monroe, Va., said the Army is moving to fill gaps discovered from combat reports. "A lot of it has to do with what is going on in the theater (area of military operations) that is potentially neglected," he said. "We asked ourselves, 'Are we thoroughly preparing for that environment?' In many cases, the answer was no." In basic training, all Army recruits carry their M-16s with them wherever they go, including the chow hall. They are issued body armor shortly after arriving and must wear it to build endurance. The Army and Marines are also using timely intelligence to update training exercises. Brig. Gen. Michael Barbero, the commanding general at Fort Polk, said his staff recently modified an exercise using IEDs based on that day's intelligence reports from Iraq. Among the examples of the new realism in training: At Fort Polk, rubber dog carcasses are positioned around the mock villages to simulate a common method insurgents use to hide bombs.

A Great Military Career Opportunity

The Air Force and Navy likely will have to hire a few hundred more pharmacists over the next 18 months to meet tougher standards being imposed on use of pharmacy technicians. Even the Army could be required to boost its number of pharmacists by an August 2006 deadline. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations formally notified the military surgeons general this month of a change in standards for accredited military hospital and clinics to meet regarding handling and dispensing of medications. The association no longer will exempt the military from a requirement that a pharmacist review all prescriptions and hospital medication orders before drugs are dispensed. The exemption recognized that military pharmacy techs receive more comprehensive training than private sector counterparts, said Joseph Cappiello, the commission's vice president for field operations. But standards on patient safety have evolved to where allowing technicians alone to fill prescriptions by having military techs check other techs no longer will be acceptable if hospitals and clinics are to stay accredited. The change takes effect March 1, but the services have 18 months to hire the extra pharmacists they need or, in some cases, to buy technology for pharmacists to supervise dispensing of drugs at remote sites.