U.S. Army Education Plus Program

Success in Army depends on a good education, and a high school diploma is most desirable. Individuals who currently do not possess the proper education requirements and wish to enlist may receive assistance in acquiring a GED. The Army may cover fees for class attendance, books, and the GED test. To be eligible for Army enlistment you must:

* Have been withdrawn from high school for at least 6 months prior to application for enlistment
* Must meet the state minimum age requirement for GED testing
* Achieve a qualifying score on the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT)

To find out more information, Contact your Local Recruiter.

Blue Angels Taking Enlisted Applications

The Navy Blue Angels are currently accepting applications for the 2007 season. Applications must be postmarked before April 1, 2006, and selection results will be available no later than June, 2006. Personnel with PRD's of September, 2006 through April, 2007 are being considered, but others may apply with command and detailer approval. Personnel selected will normally detach from their present command in October and report in November. There are open billets at the E5 and E6 levels within certain ratings. Outstanding performers at the E4 level will also be considered. For further information, contact AZC(AW) R. Sadak from January to March at DSN 658-2941 OR COMM (760) 339-2941, and after March at COMM (850) 452-2583 EXT 130, DSN 922-2583 EXT 130 OR E-MAIL:
ROBERT.SADAK@NAVY.MIL.

Defense Secretary Rumsfeld Serves Up Christmas Dinner

US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, garbed in a white chef's hat, served up a sumptuous Christmas repast for US troops at their base in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. "What can I get you?" he asked the soldiers who had a choice between lobster, steak or crab and were proud to have their picture taken with the secretary."Let there be no doubt," he said to them later as they sat at their tables. "If the United States was to withdraw from Iraq today, the terrorists -- emboldened by victory -- would attack us elsewhere in this region and at home in the United States." He warmly thanked the soldiers for their service in Iraq and to their country. "In the long struggle between freedom and tyranny, freedom ultimately prevails. It prevails because of the dedication and perseverance of those wearing America's uniforms," he said. Rumsfeld arrived in Iraq on Thursday. He announced Friday that United States would be reducing its troop strength in Iraq by two brigades, around 7,000 soldiers, during the spring of 2006. With the conclusion of the meal, Rumsfeld was scheduled to leave Mosul for the United States.

Pain Ray Possibly Headed to Iraq

It's been talked about for years. But the Pentagon's microwave-like pain ray may finally be headed to Iraq, Inside the Army reports. Developed by the Air Force, the "Active Denial System" (ADS) fires out milimeter waves -- a sort of cousin of microwaves, in the 95 GHz range. The invisible beams penetrate just a 64th of inch beneath the skin. But that's deep enough to heat up the water inside a person. Which is enough to cause excruciating pain.Active Denial System (ADS)Seconds later, people have to run away. And that causes mobs to break up in a hurry. It's no wonder, then, why less-lethal weapon guru Charles "Sid" Heal calls the ray the "Holy Grail of crowd control." Raytheon has been developing a Humvee-mountable ADS for the Pentagon over the last couple of years, as part of an ACTD, or "advanced concept technology demonstration." By now, the system was supposed to be in the field. But there have been concerns that the ADS tests weren't sufficiently realistic. The Pentagon ordered additional trials. More than 2,370 ADS shots were fired during a pair of "military utility assessments" over the fall. Now, the head of the Army's Rapid Equipping Force -- the unit in charge of getting gear to the troops in a hurry -- is saying: enough. The system's "capabilities have, to date, been sufficiently demonstrated in the ACTD [advanced concept technology demonstration] to prove its value to the solider," Col. Robert Lovett notes in a memo, obtained by Inside the Army. And the 18th Military Police Brigade has requested ADS "to help 'suppress' insurgent attacks and quell prison uprisings." ADS' technical manager, Diana Loree, said the system "now meets all of the ACTD performance parameters," Inside the Army notes. "Because the system is a hand-built, one-of-a-kind technology demonstrator, it does not meet conventional humvee curb weight requirements... However, the technology team worked closely with [Humvee manufacturer] AM General to ensure the safety of the system and its occupants." There has also been talk, at least, of building an airborne model of ADS -- as well as putting together a Hummer with both pain rays and sonic blasters. Needless to say, neither project is as far along as the basic Active Denial System.

The Personnel Complement Of The Different Military Units

A troop has different specific meanings in different armed forces, Generally a single soldier is referred to as troop

Squad: 4 to 10 soldiers depend on mission

Platoon: 3 to 4 squads about 16 to 40 soldiers usually led by 1st or 2nd lieutenant

Company: 3 to 4 Platoons 100 to 200 soldiers usually led by captain
And if you're Cav (Cavalry) this level is called a "Troop"

Battalion: 3 to 5 companies 500 to 900 soldiers usually led by lieutenant colonel
And if you're Cav (Cavalry) this level is called a "Squadron"

Brigade: 3 to 5 battalions 3000 to 5000 soldiers usually led by colonel
And if you're Cav (Cavalry) this level is called a "Regiment"

Separate Brigade: A separate brigade is a standalone, self-sustaining unit capable of carrying out certain missions totally on its own. It is usually led by a one-star general. A one-star is called a Brigadier General, hence the reference to brigade.

Division: 3 brigades 10,000 to 18,000 soldiers led by two-star general who is called a Major General

Corps: 2 to 5 divisions 20,000 to 90,000 soldiers led by three-star general who is called a Lieutenant General

Field Army: between 2 and 5 corps 100,000 to 250,000 soldiers led by four-star general who is simply called General. When referring to a specific service different words are used (singular or plural):

* United States Navy - Sailor
* United States Air Force - Airman
* United States Army - Soldier
* United States Marine Corps - Marine
* United States Coast Guard - Coast Guardsman
* United States National Guard - National Guardsman

Why Is The Fag Patch Worn Backward On The Shoulders Of Members Of The U.S. Military

A United States Flag patch always has the union of the flag to the viewer's left. This works well when looking at the left side of the vehicle or person, but when looking at the right side, if the union is to the viewer's left, it appears as though the flag is flying backward when the vehicle or person is in motion. Also, it would place the flag in a position of being in retreat as the vehicle or person moves forward.To alleviate this problem, the International Civil Aviation Organization decreed that flags painted on aircraft must face the direction of the flight to be aerodynamically and aesthetically correct. For consistency, the Flag Foundation decided to recommend that flags or flag decals on vehicles, as well as flag patches on uniforms, should be so oriented. The foundation therefore recommends that the flag patch on the left sleeve of a uniform should have the union to the viewer's left, while a patch on the right sleeve should be displayed with the union to the viewer's right, so that in both cases the flag is facing forward and is streaming to the back as the person moves forward.

Camp Lejeune, Marine Regiment Welcome Corps’ Newest Member

From privates first class to sergeants major to lieutenant colonels, all Marines who saw the newly promoted sergeant walking through their work areas were quick to render the appropriate military courtesies. After all, Brandon Rasnick had accomplished what no one else in the 2nd Marine Division had, made the rank of sergeant in one day. Sergeant Brandon RasnickIt’s a success the Lehigh Acres, Fla., native did not tout as he made his rounds throughout the base. Rather, the Marines and sailors smiled and waved as the shortest noncommissioned officer they had ever seen walked through their midst. On Dec. 12, Marine Corps Community Services and 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment welcomed Brandon here as he commenced his trip, made possible by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. All that six-year-old Brandon, a boy afflicted with the genetic lung disease cystic fibrosis, asked for was that his dream of training alongside the nation’s elite fighting forces be fulfilled. It was a request those he came in contact with were all too glad to make happen. His father, Joseph; mother, Deanne; and half-sister, Marissa, first accompanied Brandon to the Main Exchange Annex, where he received a set of Marine digital utilities, suede combat boots and sergeant chevrons. Now a fully-fledged “devil pup,” Brandon and his family were next welcomed aboard by Lt. Col. Brad Vickers, 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment’s commander. “This was a great opportunity for us, and we were all very excited to support Brandon’s wish coming true,” said Vickers, whose battalion provided escort for Brandon as he toured several training grounds on base. “This was something any unit in the 2nd Marine Division could have done well, but we were fortunate enough to be chosen.” He added that this was a welcome break from the intense training his unit has been undergoing to prepare for the ever-present possibility of deployment. Vickers then presented Brandon with a Marine Corps-theme Monopoly board game and a red baseball cap emblazoned with the Marine Corps’ emblem. “All of my Marines were impressed by how smart six-year-old Brandon was; his obvious knowledge over the Corps and his love for the same,” Vickers said. “He was a very spectacular young man and we were all very pleased to be able to take part in this.” The positive attitude carried over into the evening when a squad from the battalion’s A Company met Brandon inside a local mess hall. There, Sgt. Steven Dattilo, several of his Marines and a Navy corpsman presented Brandon with military mementos. These included uniform items, a commemorative Marine Corps ring and a deployment photo yearbook. “As a former recruiter, it’s really amazing for me to see someone who wants to be a Marine from that early on,” said Dattilo, a 35-year-old native of Madison, Ind. “You have to give it up for a kid with that much desire. I feel like we (Marine Corps) are being cheated out of a good Marine.” “For all of us who have kids or nephews that age, it felt especially good to be able to make this day special for Brandon and the rest of his family,” Dattilo said. “We’re just doing our part to show them that we care.” After Brandon finished his chow, he marveled at his new souvenirs, thumbing the Marine Corps ring that now hung from a golden chain on his neck. “I feel like a Marine already,” Brandon said. “I’ll bet it’s really fun being a Marine.”

Rumsfeld Seeks Cuts In Military

Hampered by an increasingly combative relationship with Congress, the Pentagon is expected to seek savings from its payroll rather than making deep cuts in major weapons programs in its next long-range plan.Defense Secretary Donald H. RumsfeldThe blueprint for military restructuring that Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld is to release early next year - an exercise the Pentagon undertakes every four years - is the first one fully conceived since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The review is expected to confirm Rumsfeld's views that the military must be lighter, more agile and better equipped to fight terrorism and confront weapons of mass destruction. Officials said Rumsfeld is considering several options for cutting personnel costs, including:


- Eliminating 40,000 Air Force jobs over the next six years, including active duty, civilian and reserves.


- Cutting up to three National Guard brigades, each of which generally has about 3,500 troops.


- Scaling back plans to increase active Army forces.


"All proposals for cutting weapons systems have, one by one, been shot down, so in the end the savings are achieved by minor cuts in many places, rather than big decisions," said Loren Thompson, defense analyst with the Lexington Institute think tank in Arlington, Va. "Rumsfeld has lost most of his following on Capitol Hill, so any bold moves were likely to be rebuffed," said Thompson, who has close ties to the Pentagon. Weapons systems from the high-tech Joint Strike Fighter to the Navy's expensive new DD(X) destroyer had been mentioned as possible targets for cuts during early discussions on the long-term plan, known as the Quadrennial Defense Review. President George W. BushPresident Bush's proposed budget sought $111 billion for personnel costs this year, more than one-fourth of the $420 billion he requested for the Pentagon, not including wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. As of September, the Defense Department had about 1.4 million troops in the active-duty military and 671,000 civilian employees. The Army is looking at cutting National Guard brigades to find savings that will enable it to keep weapons programs on track, according to Thompson and a military official and a second defense analyst, both of whom did not want to be identified because decisions have not been announced. Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne said Tuesday that much of the job cuts would be done through attrition and that there also will be efforts to control the number of recruits coming in. Rumsfeld has refused to talk about possible cuts in the defense review or the 2007 budget, which will be released in February. The Pentagon's last quadrennial review was released on Sept. 30, 2001, but largely completed before the Sept. 11 attacks. The new review, expected to be finalized this month, maps the people, equipment and structure the military wants for its 21st century wars. Thompson said the review would discuss the military's need to focus on emerging threats, such as terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. He said it would seek to reduce dependence on traditional weapons systems, but by looking for savings in personnel and not arms, the Pentagon will not reflect such changes in the program budgets. "There will be a mismatch between the words and the numbers," Thompson said. President Bush proposed spending $147 billion researching, developing and buying weapons systems in the 2006 budget year, which runs through September.Some lawmakers have urged the Pentagon to find savings from weapons costs, which are projected to rise to $180 billion by 2011. Bitter political battles over the war in Iraq, efforts to ban inhumane treatment of prisoners, and the massive growth in spending for the war and military programs have caused divisions in Congress and between lawmakers and the administration, including Rumsfeld, one of the war's architects. "The relationship between Rumsfeld and Congress is pretty poisonous," said Winslow T. Wheeler, a former Congressional budget analyst now with the Center for Defense Information think tank.

November Recruiting Goals Surpassed

The US military exceeded its recruiting goals in November, with the Army and Marine Corps each surpassing their monthly targets by five percent, the Pentagon said.The monthly recruitment figures mark an improvement for the army and Marines after struggles over last fiscal year to attract prospective soldiers and marines. Lawrence DiRita said it was hard to tell what accounted for the upswing in November but noted efforts by the services to persuade parents, teachers and other "influencers" of the value of military service. "There will be bad months. There will be months when won't meet all our goals. But in this case in the recruiting area we met all the goals, and exceeded them," he said. The army failed to reach its recruiting goal for fiscal 2005, but has exceeded its goals for each of the past six months for the active duty force, and for the past three months for the reserves. Despite good news on the recruiting front, the army fell short eight percent short of its goal for re-enlisting active duty soldiers, the Pentagon said.

Insurgents Using Chem Weapons - On Themselves?

This has to be the most bizarre twist in the WMD saga yet. Insurgents in Iraq could very well have chemical weapons. And they may be using them - on themselves.The story starts over a year ago with a Marine blogger in Iraq. On June 2nd 2004 "The Green Side" - we’ll get back to the signficance of this source later - describes suicidal attacks by insurgents in Fallujah: “We could not understand why they kept coming but they did.” The reason, it turned out, was drugs: “…these ‘holy warriors’ are taking drugs to get high before attacks. It true, as we pushed into the town in April many Marines came across drug paraphernalia (mostly heroin). Recently, we have gotten evidence of them using another drug BZ that makes them high and very aggressive.” BZ is not your typical substance of abuse. It’s a hallucinogenic chemical weapon. This weird concept originated in the 1950’s when “better living through chemistry” was a slogan to live by and warfare without blood was the goal. As the Washington Star noted in 1965: New chemical weapons that win by creating confusion rather than death and destruction have proved so successful that they have been quietly added to the Army's arsenal. The latest and best, a gas called BZ by the Army, put a number of soldier guinea pigs out of action during field tests at a Utah Army base last November, and did it without harming a man.” BZ or "Agent Buzz" is the military name for 3-quinuclidinyl benzillate, an extremely powerful hallucinogen. After experimenting with a whole stash of mind-altering substances including cocaine, heroin and LSD, the Pentagon selected BZ for weaponizing. Its major advantages are that it can easily delivered in an aerosol cloud, and it is very safe. With many substances, the effective dose can be dangerously close to the amount needed to kill - ask any anesthetist. With BZ, the tiny effective dose (maybe two milligrams) is around one-thousandth the lethal dose. It is also odorless and invisible, and there is currently no means of detecting it. 3-quinuclidinyl_benzilate.pngAgent Buzz was tested between 1959 to 1975 on some twenty-eight hundred US soldiers at several locations. It proved extremely effective as an incapacitant. The physical effects are increased heart rates, pupil dilation, blurred vision, dry skin and mouth, increased temperature, and flushing of skin – as a med school mnemonic has it “blind as a bat, dry as a bone, hot as Hades, red as a beet.” But the psychological effects are more important than the physical ones, as the subject is also rendered “mad as a hatter.” It also produces uncontrollable aggression, Wouter Basson, the man behind South Africa’s chemical and biological warfare program, notes. His version of BZ, in fact, was modified with CB (Carboxy-Methoxy-Benzoxytropane) specifically to reduce this effect. The Serb army manual on their BZ munitions implies a violent reaction: “it can be expected that such individuals or groups will subsequently, under the effects of [this chemical agent], inflict great damage and losses on their own forces.” Over a hundred thousand pounds of BZ were produced by the US. However, it fell out of favor because its effects were considered to be too unpredictable. Destruction of the BZ stockpile commenced in 1988 and was reportedly completed in Pine Bluff in 1990. Could any be in Iraq? In 1995, the British reported that Iraq had produced Agent 15, similar or identical to BZ, and possessed ‘large stocks’ of it. A later CIA report discounts this and concludes that "Iraq never went beyond research with Agent 15—a hallucinogenic chemical similar to BZ—or any other psychochemical.” The British do not agree and as of the last updated in 2004, the MoD maintains its claim. This would appear to be the most likely source of any insurgent supplies. Lt.Col.Bellon in Fallujah.jpgI did not initially take the report from The Green Side too seriously. Posted in the form of letters home from a Marine to his Dad, it looked like just keeping in touch with the folks at home and recording a piece of personal history, not an intel report. But the blog turns out to be the work of Lt Col Dave Bellon (right), not just another Marine but intelligence officer for the First Regimental Combat Team. The blog can no longer be easily accessed as it has now disappeared behind a USMC security screen. Given Lt Col Bellon’s access to inside information, his rather specific claim about BZ becomes more serious. Other US sources do not mention BZ by name but do describe drug use by insurgents. The account of the November 2004's "Fall of Fallujah" by Bing West in the Marine Corps Gazette mentions “crazies” rushing out in suicidal attacks as well as others “sustained by drugs.” Elsewhere, Dan Senor, a Senior Advisor from the CPA stated: “Our delegation has been told by Fallujan leaders that many of the individuals involved with the violence are on some - are on various drugs. It is part of what they're using to keep them up to engage in this violence at all hours Other drugs were clearly involved as well, and Lt Col Bellon’s information about BZ may simply be wrong. But it’s quite possible than coalition troops are facing a number of aggressive, paranoid insurgents, unable to tell friend from foe and unable to realize that there was anything wrong with them, beyond control and hallucinating their worst fears. Could the guerillas be taking BZ -- sometimes called “the ultimate bad trip” – willingly? This seems unlikely: blurred vision, paranoia and hallucinations are not assets in a firefight. But the British Navy traditionally issued a half-pint ration of rum before action and there were always plenty of takers. In Iraq, cynical leaders might dole out BZ to unwitting cannon-fodder. A homicidally aggressive fighter, even an impaired one, is more useful than one who won’t fight against insane odds. This may remind some people of the fabled assassin cult, but don’t believe everything you read in Dan Brown. Back during the first Gulf War, some in the tinfoil-hat crowd tried to argue that the US used BZ on Iraqis. Wouter Basson even claims to have found traces of BZ in the urine of supposed victims. As with the other alleged BZ attacks mentioned above there is no independent confirmation of this. And reading the incredible story of Basson’s involvement in the whole area of chemical and biological weapons – mind-boggling only begins to describe it – you can assess his credibility yourself. Anyone making such claims will need solid evidence.

A Message From The Chief of Naval Operations

Navy Prior Service Rate (Rank) Determination

Below are the rules for rank retention for prior service members who enlist in the United States Navy:

Prior Service Navy Members (NAVETS)

Navy Veterans who meet the below criteria, and enlist into their previous ratings, usually enlist in the grade they held at time of discharge (up to E-6). Those who must enlist in a different rating (PRISE III) program enlist in the grade of E-3, except for AECF, CTI(N) or Nuclear Program, who enlist in the grade of E-4 (if E-4 or above was held during previous enlistment).

In order to enlist at their previous grade, the following criteria must be met:

* E-2 --Must have 2 or less years of total active federal service, and no more than 6 Years broken service (time since last discharge).

* E-3 (with proof of passing E-4 advancement exam) -- Must have 5 or less years of total active federal service, and no more than 6 years of broken service. * E-3 (with no proof of passing E-4 advancement exam) -- Must have 2 or less years of total active federal service, and no more than 6 years of broken service.

* E-4 --Must have 6 or less years of total active federal service, and no more than 5 years of broken service.

* E-5 --Must have 8 or less years of prior service, and No more than 5 years of broken service.

* E-6 -- Must have 12 or less years of total active federal service, and no more than 3 Years Broken Service.

In addition to the above qualifications, Navy Veterans must be able to meet the service obligation (term of enlistment) without exceeding the HYT for the grade.

Non-Navy Veterans

If the Veteran holds a skill that is directly covertable to a Navy Rating, they are usually enlisted at one paygrade lower than they held at time of discharge, but not lower than E-3. If the veteran does not have a skill directly covertable to a Navy rating, they enlist at the grade of E-3, regardless of previously held rank, in most cases (there are a few exceptions).

For those who hold a skill that is directly convertable to a Navy Rating, the following criteria must be met:

* E-1 through E-3 --Must have 6 or less years of prior service, and no more than 5 Years Broken Service.

* E-4 --Must have 6 or less years of prior service, and no more than 3 Years Broken Service.

* E-5 -Must have 8 or less years of prior service, and no more than 3 Years Broken Service.

* E-6 - Must have 12 or less years of prior service, and no more than 3 Years Broken Service.

In addition to the above criteria, all prior service must be able to complete 20 years of service by age 55. No waivers are authorized.

Anthrax Shots Could Be Required In The Military

The Bush administration asked a federal appeals court to reinstate mandatory anthrax inoculations for many military personnel, while a lawyer for soldiers who refused the shots said anti-anthrax vaccine was never intended for the purpose the Pentagon is using it. The government is appealing a decision by U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan, who suspended anthrax vaccinations after he found fault in the Food and Drug Administration's process for approving the drug. Half a dozen unnamed members of the armed forces are challenging the Pentagon's program.Labeling for the anti-anthrax vaccine says it is for individuals with high-risk exposure such as veterinarians and certain industrial workers. Why isn't the portion of the definition regarding high-risk exposure broad enough to cover members of the military? asked Appeals Judge David Tatel. Because the government originally sharply restricted its use, replied John Michels, an attorney for the six members of the military who refused the shots. "Nobody thought that this stuff was licensed for inhalation anthrax," said Michels. At issue is whether federal regulators limited the vaccine's use to combating anthrax spores transmitted by touch. "The labeling does not include any limitation," Justice Department attorney Michael Raab told the judges. Since 1998, 1.2 million troops have been vaccinated against anthrax in six-shot regimens. Hundreds of service members had been punished or discharged for refusing them. In April, Sullivan said the Pentagon can resume giving anthrax vaccinations, but only to troops who volunteer for them. The vaccine is being given primarily to troops who are serving in Korea, the Middle East and South Asia, the Pentagon says. It will also go to soldiers who work in counterterrorism roles related to defense against biological weapons inside the United States. About one person in 100,000 has a serious adverse reaction to the vaccine, according to the Pentagon. Over the past six years, the vaccination program has been plagued by manufacturing problems and troop protests. Started in 1998 with the goal of vaccinating all 2.4 million members of the active and reserve military, the program was radically reduced after factory violations by the nation's sole anthrax vaccine manufacturer left a dwindling supply of the drug. Saying troops should not be used as "guinea pigs," Sullivan ruled in December 2003 the FDA had never approved the vaccine and issued an order stopping its use on troops. A week later, the FDA approved the vaccine, and the shots were resumed only to be halted again by Sullivan 13 months ago.