Marine Corps News Room

By Staff Writer|January 24th, 2016|U.S. Marines, Videos|0 Comments

Eddie Gray is a Cheyenne USMC veteran. He is walking every perimeter state in the U.S. and meeting with local politicians and veterans at every chance he gets. So far, he has covered 7,000 miles with a 100 lbs ruck sack on his back.

Continue reading "Native American USMC veteran’s walk is truly inspiring" »

Posted by KC at 1:29 PM | Permalink

POSTED 8:04 PM, JANUARY 14, 2016, BY FOX 13 NEWS AND KELLY KEITER

HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah – A new program is helping military veterans make the transition to civilian employment, specifically in the solar power industry.

Continue reading "Program helps veterans find civilian jobs in solar energy industry" »

Posted by KC at 11:40 AM | Permalink

January 6, 2016 7:33 AM By Ukee Washington

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — A Haddonfield man has honored thousands of veterans and their families across the country with an unusual gift.

Continue reading "Brotherly Love: A Personalized Tool As A Gift For Veterans" »

Posted by KC at 5:58 PM | Permalink

By JACQUELINE CUTLER
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS 10/19/2015 12:11 PM ET

Hisham Tawfiq plays a badass on TV. In real life he’s even tougher.

Continue reading "Meet Hisham Tawfiq, the rising star of 'The Blacklist’" »

Posted by KC at 9:58 PM | Permalink

Wreath-laying events scheduled for December 12
Friday, December 11, 2015 9:15 am by Megan Moloney

Tomorrow, national cemeteries across America will host this year’s Wreaths Across America event. Since 2006, volunteers from Veterans service organizations, the Civil Air Patrol and community groups have placed wreaths at VA’s national cemeteries and state Veterans cemeteries. But tradition began in 1992 when the Worcester Wreath Company donated wreaths for gravesites at Arlington National Cemetery.

Continue reading "Wreaths Across America honors Veterans at VA national cemeteries" »

Posted by KC at 10:34 AM | Permalink

By David Irvine
Henderson Daily Dispatch, N.C.
Published: December 10, 2015

December is a time of lights.

Continue reading "Greenlight A Vet a gesture to honor veterans" »

Posted by KC at 11:19 PM | Permalink

Posted on Tuesday, November 10, 2015 12:47 pm Posted in Honoring Vets by Megan Moloney

A special Veterans Day episode of the regionally syndicated television show The Local Traveler highlights the special welcome home Honor Flight Veterans receive from their communities. In September, program executive producer and host Amy Hess brought her camera crews to two “welcome home” events in Kentucky – one for Honor Flight Tri-State’s historic first all-women’s flight and one for Honor Flight Bluegrass’ first full flight departing from Lexington, Kentucky.

Continue reading "Honor Flight “Welcome Home” events a moving experience for all" »

Posted by KC at 8:14 PM | Permalink

Jim Michaels, USA TODAY 8:26 p.m. EST November 9, 2015

Crouched in a large shell crater, Marine Capt. Donald Beck gathered what was left of his company’s leaders together as bullets whizzed overhead.

Continue reading "Voices: An enduring hero of Marines' most iconic battle" »

Posted by KC at 10:47 PM | Permalink

By Adele Uphaus-Conner | Marine Corps Base Quantico | November 5, 2015

Marine Corps Base Quantico -- Wally only remembers seeing his father Waldemar in his Marine Corps dress blue uniform once. He was a young boy watching his parents dress for a Halloween party.

Continue reading "Dress blues from the 1920s shed light on the inter-war years aboard Quantico" »

Posted by KC at 2:34 PM | Permalink

By Christopher Flurry on November 4, 2015

A Marine vet explains why he chose to enroll in community college to pursue his degree.
When I left active duty about a year ago with the hopes of becoming a lawyer, I never thought my path would begin at a community college.

Continue reading "As A Vet, Enrolling In Community College Was The Smartest Thing I’ve Ever Done" »

Posted by KC at 11:55 PM | Permalink

By JOHN HANC NOV. 3, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — When John Totaro and his wife, Lynn DeLeo-Totaro, visited here in August, it didn’t take them long to spot the National World War I Memorial.

Continue reading "A World War I Memorial in Kansas City Is a Tribute to Giving" »

Posted by KC at 5:31 PM | Permalink

By Blake Stillwell - Published October 29, 2015

Over the course of 17 days, Marines fighting at North Korea’s Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War put out a call for “Tootsie Rolls,” their code for 60mm mortar rounds. When supplies were finally airdropped to them on the ground, they opened the crates to find… candy. Thousands of actual Tootsie Rolls.

Continue reading "Marines were once saved by candy from the sky" »

Posted by KC at 7:07 PM | Permalink

By Matthew L. Schehl, Staff writer 5:05 p.m. EDT October 28, 2015

A retired gunny has gone on record as being the most-Marine-Corps-Institute-educated devil dog of all time.

Continue reading "Retired gunny honored for completing 439 MCI courses" »

Posted by KC at 8:34 PM | Permalink

Tuesday, October 20, 2015
by Elaina Sauber, Putnam County Reporter

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., on Tuesday applauded the Navy for its decision to name a ship after Medal of Honor recipient Hershel “Woody” Williams, seen here with Manchin in 2014 after addressing the Marine Corps League National Convention at Embassy Suites. Hershel is the last surviving veteran of the Battle of Iwo Jima to have been awarded a Medal of Honor.

Continue reading "Navy to name ship after Medal of Honor recipient Hershel 'Woody' Williams" »

Posted by KC at 11:07 PM | Permalink

By Andrew Tilghman, Staff writer 9:57 a.m. EDT October 18, 2015

Stephen, a Marine Corps staff sergeant, agreed to leave service a few years ago when the Corps offered him voluntary separation pay in an effort to trim its personnel ranks.

Continue reading "Vets dismayed by VA payback rules on separation pay" »

Posted by KC at 7:18 PM | Permalink

Posted on Friday, October 16, 2015 2:19 pm Posted in VA Adaptive Sports by Gary Kunich

When Elvis came on stage to sing “If I Can Dream,” it was the exclamation point on his 1968 comeback television concert. Now Thad Holloway and Michael Slatton will sing it as a duet for the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival— a fitting song since music, they said, was their comeback after returning home from Vietnam.

Continue reading "Music therapy provides Veterans with creative outlet" »

Posted by KC at 4:06 PM | Permalink

By Heath Druzin
Stars and Stripes
Published: October 14, 2015

First, an ancient tape surfaced, then a letter that had been locked away for 40 years. Finally the full picture of Marine Sgt. Kenneth Altazan's bravery on a harrowing day in Vietnam began to emerge.

Continue reading "Marine gets upgrade to Navy Cross 46 years later" »

Posted by KC at 10:36 PM | Permalink

Posted: Friday, October 9, 2015 11:09 pm

MORONGO BASIN — The traveling Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall will begin a journey to Twentynine Palms Wednesday with an escort by motorcyclists who ride to bring attention to POW/MIA issues and race cars dedicated to servicemen and women who have died in the line of duty.

Continue reading "Vietnam Memorial wall replica coming to Morongo Basin" »

Posted by KC at 12:43 PM | Permalink

Posted 2 days ago, October 9, 2015 by Lee Erwin

The Vietnam Veterans Traveling Memorial Wall is now on display at the War Memorial Walking Trail, 101 Walter Garrett Lane in Oak Grove, Kentucky. The Memorial Wall will be on display for visitation 24 hours daily now through Tuesday morning, October 13 at 8:00 a.m.

Continue reading "Vietnam Veterans Traveling Memorial Wal" »

Posted by KC at 12:36 PM | Permalink

“This farm was a savior for me. It was like I belonged here.”
Thursday, September 17, 2015 11:07 am Posted in Health by Tom Cramer

How would you like to spend a couple of restful, worry-free days on a scenic New Hampshire farm where you can pet a lamb or a friendly goat, ride a horse, gather eggs from the hen house, or just go for a walk in the woods?

Continue reading "Women, horses and healing: Veterans find therapy at retreat" »

Posted by KC at 4:14 PM | Permalink

Posted on September 15, 2015 by Katie Lange
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

Lots of veterans are looking for structure, purpose and a sense of community when they leave the military, and more and more are turning to farming to find it.

Continue reading "DoD/USDA Team Up To Help Vets Start Farms, Ranches" »

Posted by KC at 8:56 PM | Permalink

Andrea c. Dickerson - September 10, 2015 Featured in Veterans Health Center

As I limped through the doors of the Washington DC VA Medical Center, I carried along the same restless feelings of nervousness and anxiety I normally experience on a day-to-day basis.

Continue reading "'I didn't want to live like that anymore'" »

Posted by KC at 7:55 PM | Permalink

By Matthew L. Schehl, Staff writer 9:45 a.m. EDT August 30, 2015

The Marine Corps lost one of its last surviving veterans of the Battle of Guadalcanal this month.

Continue reading "Marine who fought in Battle of Guadalcanal dies at 96" »

Posted by KC at 10:18 AM | Permalink

Republic editorial board 11:38 p.m. MST August 27, 2015

Early Friday morning, 24 river rafters will board buses in Flagstaff for a three-hour ride to Lees Ferry on the Colorado River.

Continue reading "Our View: Where Purple Hearts meet white water" »

Posted by KC at 7:58 PM | Permalink

By Heath Druzin
Stars and Stripes
Published: August 23, 2015

PHOENIX — Relocated to an empty clinic in the Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System after going public about dangerous patient care problems, Dr. Katherine Mitchell needed a project to stay busy.

Continue reading "Academic accommodations can aid troubled veterans" »

Posted by KC at 8:45 PM | Permalink

By Pat Maio | 6 a.m. Aug. 22, 2015 | Updated, 5:04 p.m. | Aug. 21, 2015

FALLBROOK — U.S. Marine Corps. Sgt. Jason Ross was all smiles Friday at a ceremony where the Gary Sinise Foundation handed him the keys to a new home in Fallbrook that a wheelchair-bound double amputee could want.

Continue reading "Foundation hands home over to injured veteran" »

Posted by KC at 9:58 PM | Permalink

By STEVE CHAWKINS contact the reporter Obituaries Obituary Database
August 11, 2015, 7:30 p.m.

One day after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, Fritz Payne's Marine unit headed to sea on the aircraft carrier Saratoga.

Continue reading "Brig. Gen. Frederick Payne Jr. dies at 104; Marine fighter ace in WWII" »

Posted by KC at 11:28 PM | Permalink

by Conrad Wilson OPB | July 16, 2015 3:30 p.m. | Vancouver, Washington

A band belted out patriotic tunes Thursday ahead of the groundbreaking ceremony for a new homeless veterans’ housing center on the Vancouver, Washington campus of Portland office of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Continue reading "Homeless Vet Center Breaks Ground In Vancouver" »

Posted by KC at 8:57 PM | Permalink

Jul 16, 2015 | by Richard Sisk

The fist bump was their thing in Afghanistan, where both Marines lost legs in the same attack, and the fist bump is still their thing in the hunt for child predators under a special law enforcement program to train and hire medically retired veterans.

Continue reading "These Marines Lost Legs in Afghanistan and Now Hunt Child Predators" »

Posted by KC at 2:19 PM | Permalink

BY TIARE DUNLAP 07/13/2015 AT 07:35 PM EDT

Ian knows the anxiety and isolation faced by combat veterans returning from and even years after war – because he's faced it himself.

Continue reading "Marine Travels Across the Country Giving Out Free Hugs to Veterans" »

Posted by KC at 8:38 PM | Permalink

Posted: Monday, June 29, 2015 9:40 pm | Updated: 12:01 am, Wed Jul 1, 2015.
By Margaret Wright

A white marker at the Santa Fe National Cemetery is inscribed with the name of Marine 1st Lt. Alexander Bonnyman Jr. But the plot beneath it is empty, mirroring the void Bonnyman’s family has lived with since his death more than 70 years ago in World War II.

Continue reading "Long lost, Medal of Honor recipient’s remains found, to be returned" »

Posted by KC at 12:56 PM | Permalink

By James LaPorta, Special to Military Times 1:36 p.m. EDT June 27, 2015

Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham received a posthumous Medal of Honor after fighting an Iraqi insurgent and then diving onto a hand grenade to protect his fellow Marines.

Continue reading "War dog movie 'Max' honors four-legged troops" »

Posted by KC at 10:38 PM | Permalink

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, June 24, 2015 – Hiring military veterans as they transition back into America’s communities is beneficial for businesses and the nation, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today.

Continue reading "Hiring Military Veterans a ‘Win-Win’ For Businesses" »

Posted by KC at 3:54 PM | Permalink

FEATURES, HOPE ON THE HOMEFRONT
June 22, 2015
By Melissa Whitworth

It’s still dark and the roads are empty when Kynna Murphy, armed with a huge Thermos of coffee, pulls into the parking lot of Tompkins County Jail. She left home at 4 a.m. this morning.

Continue reading "Incarcerated Tompkins veterans: the crisis seen through one woman’s eyes" »

Posted by KC at 7:03 AM | Permalink

Posted: Jun 19, 2015 1:36 PM CDT
Updated: Jun 20, 2015 5:18 AM CDT
By Adria GoinsCONNECT

MINDEN, LA (KSLA) - A final ride for a beloved pet and four-legged war veteran drew hundreds to the roadside Friday in Minden who wanted to pay their patriotic respects.

Continue reading "Final ride for beloved pet, military dog draws crowds, tears" »

Posted by KC at 8:50 PM | Permalink

Associated Press | Jun 19, 2015 | by Jonathan Drew

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Army has the Green Berets, while the Navy is known for the SEALs. Now, an elite branch of the U.S. Marine Corps will officially be known as Raiders.

Continue reading "Rangers, SEALs, Now Raiders: Marines Resurrect Historic Name" »

Posted by KC at 2:08 AM | Permalink

By George Altman , Staff writer 8:31 a.m. EDT June 17, 2015

For years, maybe decades, you have lived where the U.S. government has told you to live. So when that discharge paperwork comes through, how do you decide where to go?

Continue reading "Top destinations for post-military life — new rankings" »

Posted by KC at 1:17 PM | Permalink

By Andrew Adams
June 16th, 2015 @ 10:41pm

SALT LAKE CITY — At the age of 97, a retired U.S. Marine finally received the promotion many of his colleagues said he deserved.

Continue reading "97-year-old retired Marine receives honorary promotion" »

Posted by KC at 9:45 PM | Permalink

By Heath Druzin
Stars and Stripes
Published: June 12, 2015

WASHINGTON — If you’re a servicemember or veteran who took out student loans, make sure to check the mail because you might have some money coming your way.

Continue reading "Student loan refund checks for troops, veterans are in mai" »

Posted by KC at 7:56 PM | Permalink

Posted on June 12, 2015 by Katie Lange
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

A lot of people seem to think that if you have a dark complexion, you won’t get skin cancer, but that’s not the case. People of all backgrounds and races can get skin cancer.

Continue reading "Race to Recovery: Reservist Pushes Past Skin Cancer Pains" »

Posted by KC at 8:22 AM | Permalink

By Michael Swaney|May 27th, 2015

In Anthem, Arizona, a memorial shines in commemoration for those who have served in the United States armed forces. The Anthem Veterans Memorial offers a place to honor and reflect upon the sacrifice those men and women have made.

Continue reading "The best veteran memorial that nobody knows about" »

Posted by KC at 2:26 PM | Permalink

Posted May 21, 2015 - 5:06am

By Chad Hunter
Times Record

A student-driven job and resource fair at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith brought together military veterans, employers and supporting agencies for the first time on campus.

Continue reading "Veterans Job Fair Debuts At UAFS" »

Posted by KC at 12:33 AM | Permalink

By Leo Shane III, Staff writer 4:41 p.m. EDT May 12, 2015

Veterans' post-service employment problems may have as much to do with their own unrealistic civilian job expectations as their new employers' unfamiliarity with the military, according to new research released Tuesday.

Continue reading "Report: Vets' job expectations may be unrealistic" »

Posted by KC at 8:46 AM | Permalink

BY SUSANNE M. SCHAFER
The Associated Press
MAY 11, 2015

It’s been almost a year since President Obama bestowed the Medal of Honor on Kyle Carpenter for saving the life of a fellow Marine by throwing himself on a grenade in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "S.C. Medal of Honor recipient escorting World War II veterans to D.C." »

Posted by KC at 7:39 PM | Permalink

By Michelle Tan, Staff writer 8:07 a.m. EDT May 9, 2015

For almost two years, Jim Kuiken retreated into himself.

Continue reading "Spared from the kennel: These rescue dogs now help vets" »

Posted by KC at 11:23 PM | Permalink

Story by Sgt James Smith
Date Taken:05.05.2015 | Date Posted:05.09.2015 12:10

PORT EVERGLADES, Fla. - U.S. Marines with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) from Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and U.S. Navy Sailors with the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) welcomed members of Disabled American Veterans Chapter 133 during a tour aboard the Wasp as part of Fleet Week 2015 in Port Everglades., Florida, May 5.

Continue reading "Disabled American Veterans tour USS Wasp" »

Posted by KC at 6:42 PM | Permalink

MAY 9, 2015
By ROBERT W. GOLDFARB

Recently, in the midst of an effort to persuade store managers to hire veterans, I talked to a human resources executive at a major retail chain. She told me she wanted to do the right thing and hire veterans, but added that she was also concerned by reports that many had returned home with post-traumatic stress disorder and other problems. She worried that a veteran could possibly pose a threat to customers and other employees.

Continue reading "Veterans Battle for Jobs on the Home Front" »

Posted by KC at 12:12 AM | Permalink

BY MIKE FRITZ AND PAT CLARK April 29, 2015 at 3:17 PM EDT

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam — By April 29, 1975, the fall of Saigon was imminent and only a few dozen U.S. troops remained – down from more than half a million in 1969. The war was about to end, Vietnam about to be unified under communist rule. Americans had been evacuating for weeks. And the city was in a state of chaos.

Continue reading "The last men who fought in the Vietnam War remember the fall of Saigon" »

Posted by KC at 12:25 AM | Permalink

by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Tuesday April 28, 2015

Joel Nicholson started his military career with the U.S. Marine Corps in 1993. He later joined the National Guard in 2006 and was activated in 2008 with the 56th Stryker Brigade to deploy to Iraq. He spent much of his deployment patrolling route Michigan in between Fallujah and Baghdad.

Continue reading "Volunteers needed: VA to study benefits of service dogs, emotional support dogs for Veterans" »

Posted by KC at 10:32 PM | Permalink

by Nick Brennan
Posted: 03.06.2015 at 5:06 PM

IRON MOUNTAIN -- VA officials want to warn veterans about a new phone scam that's making its rounds across the nation.

Continue reading "New phone scam targeting veterans" »

Posted by KC at 11:33 PM | Permalink

POSTED 11:52 AM, FEBRUARY 28, 2015, UPDATED AT 11:54AM, FEBRUARY 28, 2015
BY TRACY BLOOM

After being diagnosed with terminal cancer and given only three weeks to live, a beloved Marine had one last wish: to be buried in uniform, along with a Marine Corps flag.

Continue reading "Homeless Oklahoma Veteran’s Dying Wish to Be Granted" »

Posted by KC at 12:38 AM | Permalink

By Liberty Zabala and Samantha Tatro
Updated at 11:23 AM PDT on Monday, Mar 30, 2015

More than a dozen bikes used by Wounded Warriors are missing from a facility and the Navy is looking for the public’s help in finding them.

Continue reading "Sixteen Wounded Warriors Bikes Missing" »

Posted by KC at 6:42 AM | Permalink

By Derrick Perkins, Staff writer 2:08 p.m. EST November 20, 2014

Veteran Marine Capt. Phil Klay's fictional account of the Iraq War earned one of literature's most esteemed awards Wednesday night.

Continue reading "Marine veteran Phil Klay wins National Book Award" »

Posted by KC at 6:34 PM | Permalink

By Travis J. Tritten
Stars and Stripes
Published: November 18, 2014

WASHINGTON — VA appointments via cell phone app are about to move closer to reality.

Continue reading "VA moving forward with mobile app to schedule appointments" »

Posted by KC at 11:47 PM | Permalink

By Cpl. Shaltiel Dominguez | Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton | October 14, 2014

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. --
As Hispanic-American Heritage month draws to a close, we take the time to recognize retired Col. Jay R. Vargas in a fictional account between a veteran Marine and a reporter, using historical information to retell his story of leadership and courage in the face of fire

Continue reading "Marine Corps Heroes: Col. Jay R. Vargas (Retired)" »

Posted by KC at 10:42 PM | Permalink

San Antonio Express-News | Oct 01, 2014 | by Sig Christenson

A new study released Tuesday says half of U.S. troops return to civilian life with untreated mental and physical illnesses, and one in every 10 has thought of suicide or planned to take their lives.

Continue reading "Study Finds Troops Aren't Ready for Civilian Life" »

Posted by KC at 9:16 AM | Permalink

Photos by Cpl. Mary Carmona
Date Taken:09.27.2014| Date Posted:09.29.2014 14:25

More than 400 motorcyclists prepare to embark on the 8th Annual Vietnam Memorial Ride, Sept. 27. The riders started at New River Harley Davidson and continued to the Onslow County Vietnam Veterans Memorial where they held a brief ceremony to honor Vietnam veterans and their service to our country.

Continue reading "8th Annual Vietnam Memorial Ride" »

Posted by KC at 9:35 PM | Permalink

DAV report shows service gaps for women in health care, transition services, disability compensation, employment and housing.

Continue reading "Women Veterans: The Long Journey Home" »

Posted by KC at 7:45 PM | Permalink

There are several Health Care programs available to assist veterans and retirees as they transition into the civilian workforce. These programs are designed to meet specific needs based on your duty status and transition circumstances. Some of these programs are long term, while others are temporary in nature and only provide coverage for up to 3 years.

Continue reading "Transitional Health Care Programs (TAMP)" »

Posted by KC at 7:07 PM | Permalink

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Veterans pursuing their educational goals are usually eligible for "educational assistance for students" in most states. Educational benefits for veterans and their dependents, particularly the children of deceased and disabled veterans, are also available in some states. Military.com has developed an on-line general summary of educational benefits for veterans and their dependents.

Continue reading "State Veteran Benefits" »

Posted by KC at 6:55 PM | Permalink

Story by by Terry Howell

Fact #1. You have 10 - 15 years to use your GI Bill benefits.
Once you have separated from the service you have 10 years to use all of your benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill and 15 years to use your Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. Although separating from service "starts the clock" on your 10-year time limit, you should know that if you rejoin active-duty service for more than 90 days during the 10- year period, your 10-year clock is reset. In other words, you get 10 years from your last discharge.

Continue reading "5 Must Know GI Bill Facts" »

Posted by KC at 6:37 PM | Permalink

By Andrew deGrandpre - Staff writer
Sep. 14, 2014 - 06:00AM

PIKE NATIONAL FOREST, COLO. — It’s a rare individual who can, in one breath, wax poetic about his bar band’s adaptation of Pink Floyd’s early psychedelia and, in the very next, deconstruct his Marine special operations team’s quixotic foray in Afghanistan’s hopeless Bala Murghab valley. But Michael Golembesky is just that sort of dude.

Continue reading "MARSOC vet relives elite Marines' fight for survival in Afghan wasteland" »

Posted by KC at 10:47 PM | Permalink

Sep 10, 2014 | by Bryant Jordan

The Department of Veterans Affairs is looking to fill "tens of thousands" of jobs as quickly as possible to meet the healthcare needs of veterans, VA Secretary Bob McDonald said on Tuesday.

Continue reading "McDonald: VA Plans a Healthcare Hiring Spree" »

Posted by sr at 10:31 PM | Permalink

Photos by Lance Cpl. Sullivan
Date Taken:08.29.2014
Date Posted:08.30.2014 10:37

Sergeant Maj. Irvin Howard (center left), the sergeant major of 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, and Lt. Col. Corey Collier (center right), the battalion commanding officer, roll and case the battalion’s colors one final time during the unit’s deactivation ceremony aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Aug. 29, 2014. The colors will be stored at Headquarters Marine Corps until the battalion answer’s the Nation’s call to active service.

Continue reading "The Walking Dead’ roll up their colors" »

Posted by AC at 9:01 PM | Permalink

By Steve Straub August 29, 2014

I love it when citizens step up to the plate to help their communities. This retired Marine definitely has the right spirit!

Continue reading "Retired Marine Assigns Himself To A Post; Town Show It’s Respect" »

Posted by KC at 6:47 AM | Permalink

By Sgt. Christina Porras | Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego | August 15, 2014

San Diego --

In the midst of World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt enacted an order creating a group of Marines to perform elite operations and employ unconventional warfare tactics similar to those used by modern-day special operations units. Volunteers made up four battalions of these elite operators and they came to be known as the Marine Raiders. Although the specialized operators were only in existence from 1942-1944, the men left a lasting impression in the pages of Marine Corps history.

Continue reading "World War II Marine Raiders reunite" »

Posted by sr at 10:44 PM | Permalink

By Gerald herbert
The Associated Press
Published: August 7, 2014

VENICE, La. — Two tours in Afghanistan took a toll on Joshua Ploetz.

Continue reading "Former Marine paddles away 2 tours in Afghanistan" »

Posted by KC at 8:21 AM | Permalink

Jun. 20, 2014 - 04:35PM
By Patricia Kime

New research links Iraq dust to sick soldiers
The Veterans Affairs Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry is now live.

Continue reading "Service members can now register on burn-pit list" »

Posted by KC at 9:54 AM | Permalink

Carol Comegno, Courier-Post 10:36 p.m. EDT June 18, 2014

Dominic Evola worked a wad of dough, pressing it against a wooden counter with his hands, lifting and twirling it into a circle before plopping it onto a pizza pan.

Continue reading "Vet re-adjusts after two tours as a Marine in Afghanistan" »

Posted by sr at 5:26 PM | Permalink

Nikki Burdine 6:13 p.m. EDT June 17, 2014

WASHINGTON (WUSA9) -- Two D.C. area Marines quit their jobs and decided to walk thousands of miles to raise awareness of PTSD last year, but little did they know, their journey would turn into so much more.

Continue reading "Marine veterans walk cross-country for PTSD awareness" »

Posted by KC at 9:02 AM | Permalink

Jenn Rowell, [email protected]
8:48 a.m. MDT May 25, 2014

Over a decade on active duty in the Marine Corps, Seth Jordan squirreled away money and recently made a longtime dream come true when he opened Dog Tag Brewing in Belgrade.

Continue reading "Marine settles in Montana, creates beer company to honor troops" »

Posted by sr at 1:40 PM | Permalink

By Jennifer Hlad
Stars and Stripes
Published: May 24, 2014

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — Veterans who served in 1st Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company in Vietnam and Korea stood shoulder to shoulder Friday evening to shake the hands of 20 Marines deploying to Afghanistan this Memorial Day weekend.

Continue reading "Veterans from Vietnam, Korea see off Marines deploying to Afghanistan" »

Posted by sr at 4:27 PM | Permalink

Posted: Sunday, May 11, 2014 10:00 pm
By Victoria Brito THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD

Gripping both sides of civilian and military life, that is what John Rothschild said his daughter Sarah Rothschild depicts in her award-winning painting, “What Happens There Doesn’t Stay There.”

Continue reading "U.S. Marine veteran wins award for self-portrait" »

Posted by sr at 9:37 PM | Permalink

Story by Sgt Jon Holmes
Date Posted:05.08.2014 13:08

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - As a young man, Charles Krulak respected the values of his father – selflessness, moral courage and integrity. His father, Marine Lieutenant General Victor H. Krulak, imparted in his son the same values introduced to him as a Marine.

Continue reading "The Values of a Marine" »

Posted by KC at 11:53 PM | Permalink

Jeremy Bender
May 8, 2014, 4:38 PM

Anton Sattler says he could not have made his award-winning CHOSIN documentary or its spin-off graphic novels without what he learned in the Marine Corps.

Continue reading "Award-Winning Filmmaker Learned Everything He Needed To Know In The Marine Corps" »

Posted by sr at 12:04 PM | Permalink

By Carlos Bongioanni
Stars and Stripes
Published: May 7, 2014

WASHINGTON — Lined row upon row, the names etched on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial’s polished black granite slabs are a somber reminder that more than 58,000 U.S. troops died — or were listed as missing-in-action — as a result of their involvement in the Vietnam War.

Continue reading "The poignant process of etching new names into the Vietnam Wall" »

Posted by KC at 10:56 PM | Permalink

By Chris Umpierre
The News-Press
Apr. 25, 2014 - 06:00AM

While other Southwest Florida sexagenarians were busy sleeping in hammocks, golfing or watching the sunset, Fort Myers’ Richard Crawford was climbing into mine-resistant military vehicles in the most dangerous part of the world.

Continue reading "Marine vet receives equivalent of 2 Purple Hearts in 44 years" »

Posted by sr at 3:00 PM | Permalink

Apr 23, 2014 | by Bryant Jordan and Michael Hoffman

As the Department of Veterans Affairs supposedly nears its goal of ending chronic veteran homelessness in 2015, the groups that support homeless veterans are worried about the VA's support in 2016.

Continue reading "VA's Homeless Vet Support Deadline Causes Concern" »

Posted by sr at 8:24 AM | Permalink

Military dog reunites with Marine from N.J. for life after service

Written by
Deborah M. Marko
Apr. 10, 2014

VINELAND — After a 6,000-mile trek over 28 hours, Derrick Magee brought his Marine partner home for a peaceful retirement.

Continue reading "Military dog retires and reunites in N.J. with former Marine" »

Posted by sr at 10:36 PM | Permalink

By Mitch Shaw
Published: April 2, 2014

OGDEN, Utah — If you're a veteran and you're approached with an offer to receive a lump-sum pension advance, run as fast as you can in the opposite direction.

Continue reading "Veterans warned about pension advance scams" »

Posted by KC at 10:54 AM | Permalink

By Lisa Tourtelot
Stars and Stripes
Published: March 26, 2014

IWO JIMA, Japan — Eight U.S. veterans recently returned to the scene of one of the bloodiest battles of World War II as part of the 19th annual Reunion of Honor ceremony on Iwo Jima.

Continue reading "Reunion of Honor brings 8 vets back to Iwo Jima" »

Posted by sr at 10:04 PM | Permalink

By Madison Park, CNN
Updated 8:07 AM ET, Thu March 6, 2014

Maj. Kurt Chew-Een Lee, the first Asian-American U.S. Marine Corps officer, rose through the ranks beginning his career from World War II to the Vietnam War.

Continue reading "Maj. Kurt Chew-Een Lee, Asian-American Marines trailblazer dies at 88" »

Posted by KC at 9:03 AM | Permalink

By Linda McIntosh
9:20 a.m.Feb. 26, 2014

CAMP PENDLETON — A Camp Pendleton Marine who joined the Corps in 1942, retired earlier this month from his civilian job at Camp Pendleton.

Continue reading "World War II vet retires after 65 years with Marines" »

Posted by sr at 5:14 PM | Permalink

Stars and Stripes
Published: February 21, 2014

The Department of Veterans Affairs has announced the phased rollout of a more secure Veteran Health Identification Card.

Continue reading "VA phasing in new ID card with improved security features" »

Posted by KC at 11:26 AM | Permalink

Camp Pendleton Marine in "Sands of Iwo Jima" to attend

By Linda McIntosh
11 a.m.Feb. 20, 2014

CAMP PENDLETON — A commemoration of the 69th Anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima is set for Saturday at Camp Pendleton.

Continue reading "Battle of Iwo Jima remembrance at Pendleton" »

Posted by sr at 4:01 PM | Permalink

By Jeff Schogol
Staff writer
Feb. 20, 2014 - 09:15PM

A Marine Corps veteran says he was told to leave a Texas restaurant because he brought his dog in training to be certified as his service animal.

Continue reading "Restaurant refuses to seat Marine veteran because of his service-dog-in-training" »

Posted by sr at 12:14 PM | Permalink

By Jon Harper
Stars and Stripes
Published: February 19, 2014

WASHINGTON — Former President George W. Bush hosted a Military Service Initiative Summit on Wednesday, and spoke about the many problems facing post-9/11 veterans and how his institute hopes to address them.

Continue reading "Former President George W. Bush outlines plans to help younger vets" »

Posted by sr at 3:45 PM | Permalink

'Finnigan's War' film honors grandfather, others who fought 1950-1953

By Gretel C. Kovach
1:28 p.m. Feb. 7, 2014

Toward the end of “Finnigan’s War,” a documentary about Korean War veterans, filmmaker Conor Timmis stands in a clearing in the trees, one hand resting on a tall stone inscribed in memory of Cpl. Mitchell Red Cloud Jr.

Continue reading "Documenting bravery of Korean War heroes" »

Posted by sr at 1:52 PM | Permalink

By J. Freedom du Lac
Article posted: 2/5/2014 2:03 PM

WASHINGTON — Amateur chef John Crist reached into the box and blindly pulled out his secret ingredients — two Department of Defense field rations, otherwise known as "Meals, Ready-to-Eat," or MREs.

Continue reading "Intrepid cooks try working magic with military rations" »

Posted by sr at 1:26 PM | Permalink

California Surf Museum features Camp Pendleton memorabilia

By Linda McIntosh
11:39 a.m.Jan. 14, 2014

CAMP PENDLETON — An exhibit at the California Surf Museum in Oceanside highlights Camp Pendleton’s role in local surfing history. The show, “San Onofre, Birthplace of Southern California Beach Culture,” looks at the history and significance of San Onofre, a surfing hot spot at the northern end of the base.

Continue reading "Marines’ role in surfing history highlighted" »

Posted by sr at 5:19 PM | Permalink

Christina Elmore
Posted: Saturday, January 11, 2014 9:51 p.m

A jagged scar that weaves between patches of Burness Britt's brown hair hints at the horrors of his past.

Continue reading "Veterans recognized at inaugural Medal of Honor Bowl" »

Posted by sr at 8:23 PM | Permalink

By Joanne C Gerstner | Jan. 09, 2014, 11 a.m. (ET)

In so many ways, everything Josh Sweeney has been through in his life — good and bad — keeps bringing him back to hockey.

Continue reading "After Being Injured In Afghanistan, Josh Sweeney Finds Solace On Ice " »

Posted by sr at 4:08 PM | Permalink

Dec. 14, 2013 - 06:00AM
By James K. Sanborn

The Corps has overhauled its manual governing how Marines retire or are separated from the service, with broad changes that cover everything from transition assistance requirements and involuntary separation protections for career officers to drug use and sexual ­assault.

Continue reading "New order defines separation rules" »

Posted by KC at 7:37 PM | Permalink

By Karen Jowers
Staff writer
Nov. 22, 2013 - 02:31PM

The Veterans Affairs Department is warning veterans about a “marketing scam” that reportedly targets callers trying to reach two of VA’s national call centers.

Continue reading "VA warns of new 'marketing scam'" »

Posted by KC at 9:02 PM | Permalink

November 10, 2013 5:15 pm • Associated Press

HELENA – A Montana program aiming to honor wounded veterans recently brought two men from different wars together for a hunting excursion in Big Sky Country.

Continue reading "Afghanistan, Vietnam veterans hunt together as part of new Montana program" »

Posted by sr at 10:24 PM | Permalink

"It's natural for us to come home and say, ‘What could we do here?’”

By Jeanette Steele
3:05 p.m.Nov. 9, 2013

Veterans who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan are being called the next "greatest generation.”

Continue reading "9/11 vets: Next greatest generation?" »

Posted by sr at 10:29 PM | Permalink

By Scott Neuman
Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Michael Landsberry, the 45-year-old middle school math teacher and Afghan War veteran who was killed Monday trying to talk down a student shooter at a Nevada middle school, is being remembered as a hero.

Continue reading "Teacher Who Died Trying To End Shooting Remembered As A Hero" »

Posted by sr at 10:12 AM | Permalink

VA backlog, changing sexual assault prosecution, predatory colleges

By Jeanette Steele
4 p.m.Sept. 27, 2013

Paul Rieckhoff is chief executive officer of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, founded in 2004 to represent the newest generation of veterans. Based in New York, the group has more than 200,000 members.

Continue reading "Iraq, Afghan vets group CEO talks issues" »

Posted by sr at 9:08 PM | Permalink

Heroics overlooked because officers were killed in battle

By Gretel C. Kovach
11:39 a.m.Sept. 20, 2013
Updated 7:22 p.m

A company of Marines fought up a hill near Khe Sanh, Vietnam, on April 30, 1967. Within two days, three-quarters of them left the bomb-cratered slopes of 881 South bloodied or dead.

Continue reading "Vietnam vets get stars, 46 years later" »

Posted by sr at 1:03 PM | Permalink

By Lance Cpl. Orrin Farmer | Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton | September 13, 2013

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. --
The 63rd Anniversary of the Landing on Inchon was held at the Chosin Few monument adjacent to the Pacific Views Event Center here on Sept. 13. The ceremony commemorated the landing on Inchon and the Marines that fought at the Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War.

Continue reading "The Chosin Few" »

Posted by KC at 12:03 AM | Permalink

Story by Joyce Lobeck @ysJoyceLobeck
September 11, 2013 11:47 PM

Wednesday was a momentous occasion for the Yuma International Airport as it hosted a dedication ceremony for its new $5 million Aviation Industrial Center on the west side of the airport within the Defense Contractor Complex.

Continue reading "Airport dedicates its new hangar" »

Posted by KC at 5:26 PM | Permalink

By Linda McIntosh
6 a.m.Sept. 10, 2013

CAMP PENDLETON — A retired Marine is cycling cross-country to visit American Gold Star Mothers and honor comrades killed in combat.

Continue reading " Marine cycles cross-county to honor fallen comrades" »

Posted by sr at 3:58 PM | Permalink

By Jorge Milian
The Palm Beach (Fla.) Post
Published: September 7, 2013

JUPITER, Fla. — As LeRoy Wright Jr. and his 14-year-old son were surrounded and threatened by three men at Juno Beach Park in May, several people stood nearby either watching or videotaping the incident.

Continue reading "Former Marine paid price for stopping beach bullies" »

Posted by sr at 10:55 PM | Permalink

By Linda McIntosh
7 a.m.Aug. 21, 2013

SAN MARCOS — World War II veteran Arthur Smith is among the 90 year old San Marcos residents to be honored at a community birthday celebration Aug. 27 at the San Marcos Senior Center.

Continue reading "‘Notorious at 90’ party" »

Posted by sr at 5:11 PM | Permalink

By Mark Emmons
POSTED: 08/16/2013

SAN CARLOS -- They were a tight-knit group of warriors, U.S. Marines from Echo Company who staked their lives on one another as they helped lead the ground invasion into Iraq 10 years ago.

Continue reading "Bay Area Marines reunite 10 years after their role in invasion of Iraq" »

Posted by KC at 11:37 PM | Permalink

By Katia Hetter, CNN
updated 1:10 PM EDT, Thu August 15, 2013

(CNN) -- Former U.S. Marine Dan Hottle knew he had found his dream job at Yellowstone National Park.

Continue reading "Former Marine finds home at Yellowstone" »

Posted by sr at 7:48 PM | Permalink

August 13, 2013 3:51 PM

(CBS) — It is a high military honor for bravery, once awarded to John F. Kennedy years before he was elected president.

Continue reading "Local Marine Awarded Medal For Bravery In Afghanistan" »

Posted by sr at 3:54 PM | Permalink

By Cpl. Michael Iams | Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton | July 31, 2013

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- Camp Pendleton’s Legal Service Support Section and attorneys from counties around the base held the first Help for Heroes event at the Joint Legal Assistance Office here, July 27.

Continue reading "Legal Service Support Section, attorneys provide pro bono service" »

Posted by KC at 8:24 PM | Permalink

Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow
Story by Cpl. Thomas Bricker
07.10.2013 18:47

MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, Calif. - California’s High Desert has become home for countless veterans over the years. But what are the chances of three friends from two Texas cities no more than 150 miles apart joining the Corps in 1947, coming to Barstow in the 1950s, and remaining there for more than 60 years?

Continue reading "A small world, smaller Corps: Texas Marines stay together for more than 60 years" »

Posted by KC at 11:42 PM | Permalink

Donita Naylor
Published: 22 June 2013 10:48 AM

SCITUATE - State troopers and Marines teared up Friday when a former Marine who earned a Purple Heart in Afghanistan was reunited with his former partner, the bomb-sniffing dog who saved his life.

Continue reading "A tail-wagging reunion for Marine " »

Posted by sr at 4:07 PM | Permalink

By Karla Peterson
6 p.m.June 18, 2013

They are separated by many years and multiple wars, but when 26-year-old Michael Contee presented 96-year-old Imel Willis with a pin and a plaque to commemorate his years of service, the young Marine Corps reservist and the World War II Army vet were a united front. One nation under the call of duty.

Continue reading "Saluting a soldier’s last march" »

Posted by sr at 11:00 PM | Permalink

The new career came after a years-long dark period following his return from Afghanistan

By Mekahlo Medina and Brandon Lowrey
Sunday, Jun 16, 2013

U.S. Marine Alex Minsky of Venice Beach was caught in a downward spiral.

Continue reading " Wounded SoCal Marine Becomes Underwear Model" »

Posted by sr at 4:13 PM | Permalink

By Linh Ta
Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, Iowa
Published: June 16, 2013

PARKERSBURG, Iowa --- When Parkserburg Marine Matt Hatala first met Chaney, the two were like oil and water. Both were bull headed and didn't like to listen, and Chaney dragged Hatala all over the place.

Continue reading "Marine adopts dog he served with in Afghanistan" »

Posted by sr at 3:55 PM | Permalink

By John Wilkens
6 a.m.June 12, 2013

Lanny Martinson lost his during the Vietnam War. On June 4, 1968, he was a 23-year-old Marine at Khe Sanh when his right leg was blown up by an enemy land mine. He came home after the amputation in a wheelchair, without his dog tags.

Continue reading "Long way home for Marine’s dog tag" »

Posted by sr at 8:08 AM | Permalink

In foothills of Alpine, 20 beds now available for homeless vets

By Jeanette Steele
6:21 p.m.June 5, 2013

A new 20-bed center for homeless veterans has quietly opened in the Alpine foothills.

Continue reading "New vets home a country retreat" »

Posted by sr at 8:02 PM | Permalink

By Peter Rowe and John Wilkens
6 p.m.June 1, 2013

World War II was so big it had two endings.

Continue reading "WWII A war ends twice; SD changes forever" »

Posted by sr at 5:28 PM | Permalink

National oral history group in San Diego June 3-22
By Jeanette Steele 5:17 P.M. MAY 30, 2013

Starting next week, San Diego veterans and their families will have a chance to record their memories of military service through StoryCorps, a national nonprofit oral history organization.

Continue reading "StoryCorps wants young vets' tales" »

Posted by KC at 8:36 PM | Permalink

By JANET McCONNAUGHEY
The Associated Press
Published: May 27, 2013

NEW ORLEANS — Before Cpl. Thomas "Cotton" Jones was killed by a Japanese sniper in the Central Pacific in 1944, he wrote what he called his "last life request" to anyone who might find his diary: Please give it to Laura Mae Davis, the girl he loved.

Continue reading "WWII Marine's diary: A brief look at a brief life" »

Posted by KC at 7:39 PM | Permalink

By Niraj Warikoo
Detroit Free Press Staff Writer
May 25, 2013

When Logan Stark first set foot in Afghanistan in the fall of 2010 as a U.S. Marine, he wasn’t too worried.

Continue reading "Afghan vet, now an MSU student, honors fallen Marines in documentary" »

Posted by sr at 4:30 PM | Permalink

By Erik Lacitis
The Seattle Times/MCT
Published: May 18, 2013

SEATTLE — The two had known each other less than three weeks when they found themselves inside helicopters about to land off a Cambodian island, and were easy targets for a firestorm of Khmer Rouge bullets and rocket-propelled grenades.

Continue reading "38 years later, closure for a Marine" »

Posted by sr at 2:22 PM | Permalink

Commercial-News
May 2, 2013

NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Todd Allen Hawk, 27, of North Las Vegas and formerly of Cayuga, Ind., passed away at 8:35 p.m. PDT Saturday, April 27, 2013, at his residence.

Continue reading " Todd Allen Hawk" »

Posted by sr at 9:18 PM | Permalink

By Rachel Dubrovin Published: Apr 23, 2013 at 9:11 AM PDT

MOSCOW, ID - Over the weekend, the Marines of the Palouse donated about 400 pounds of food to food banks in Moscow and Pullman.

Continue reading "Marines backpack food seven miles for food banks on Palouse" »

Posted by sr at 1:52 PM | Permalink

By MATTHEW ADKINS - Daily News Staff
Published: Saturday, April 20, 2013 at 23:07 PM.

While the nation is mourning the recent events in Boston and the recent explosion in West, Texas, area residents gathered Saturday to remember a terrorist attack 30 years ago.

Continue reading "Veterans gather to remember Beirut embassy bombing" »

Posted by sr at 3:40 PM | Permalink

From a Department of Veterans Affairs News Release

WASHINGTON, April 19, 2013 – The Veterans Affairs Department is expediting compensation claims decisions for veterans who have waited one year or longer, VA officials announced today.

Continue reading " VA Expedites Decisions for Long-standing Claims" »

Posted by sr at 3:01 PM | Permalink

Story by Lance Cpl. Tiffany Edwards | Marine Forces Reserve | Date: 04.05.2013

RESERVE, La. – A grin crept across Tommy Moreau’s face when he saw a handful of Marines standing outside the door of his room at the Southeast Louisiana War Veterans’ Home.

Continue reading "Remembering times gone by: Marines visit veteran’s home" »

Posted by sr at 10:33 PM | Permalink

By Nicholas Iovino/[email protected]
Medford Transcript
Posted Apr 03, 2013 @ 12:00 PM
Last update Apr 03, 2013 @ 06:38 PM

Medford —

Medford resident and U.S. Marine Sgt. Daniel M. Vargas was knocked unconscious when two explosive devices detonated next to his convoy in the western cluster of Afghanistan on April 30, 2010.

Continue reading "Medford resident and U.S. Marine veteran receives Purple Heart" »

Posted by sr at 9:42 PM | Permalink

By Kent Miller, Staff writer
Apr. 1, 2013 - 07:09PM

It's been nearly two years since the Iraqi government signaled its desire to present U.S. troops with a military decoration recognizing their dedication during nine years of war, hardship and sacrifice, but to date just one Iraq Commitment Medal has been delivered — and it was not given to a service member.

Continue reading "Iraq war vets wait for ally's Commitment Medal" »

Posted by sr at 8:37 PM | Permalink

The Huffington Post | By Andres Jauregui Posted: 03/16/2013 12:35 pm EDT | Updated: 03/17/2013

A Marine Corps veteran with a concealed carry permit stopped a suspect in a brutal beating in West Allis, Wis., on Tuesday morning when he drew his gun and called the police.

Continue reading " Charlie Blackmore, Wisconsin Marine Corps Veteran, Draws Gun On Suspect In Beating " »

Posted by sr at 3:10 PM | Permalink

Posted at: 02/20/2013 9:23 PM | Updated at: 02/20/2013 9:25 PM
By: Erica Zucco, KOB Eyewitness News 4

Lloyd Downey served his country for decades.

Continue reading "Pair of Marines reunite after 52 years " »

Posted by sr at 10:35 AM | Permalink

By Kelly Kennedy - USA Today
Posted : Wednesday Jan 23, 2013 13:41:17 EST

WASHINGTON — Veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan may be suffering from the 20-year-old set of symptoms known as Gulf War Illness, according to a new report released Wednesday by the federal Institute of Medicine.

Continue reading "Report: New vets show Gulf War illness symptoms" »

Posted by JAA at 9:14 PM | Permalink

By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jan 23, 2013 15:01:02 EST

Public colleges and universities would be pressured to charge in-state tuition for nonresident veterans under bipartisan legislation introduced Tuesday in the House of Representatives.

Continue reading "Bill: Require in-state tuition for GI Bill vets" »

Posted by JAA at 9:10 PM | Permalink

The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Jan 20, 2013 16:24:03 EST

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A 22-year-old man who just finished serving four years in the Marine Corps was able to track down an alleged bank robber and flag down a police cruiser, helping land the suspect in jail.

Continue reading "Marine veteran helps catch Alaska bank robber" »

Posted by JAA at 9:21 PM | Permalink

The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Jan 18, 2013 7:28:34 EST

PINKHAM NOTCH, N.H — An avalanche has halted an attempt by a retired Marine and amputee to climb the Northeast's highest peak, but if his past comments are any indication, he'll likely try again.

Continue reading "Former Marine among hurt in avalanche" »

Posted by JAA at 10:49 PM | Permalink

By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Jan 5, 2013 11:03:09 EST

SAN DIEGO — The image is known around the world — a Marine Corps tank commander, borrowed cigar in hand, reveling in the taking of Baghdad during the invasion of Iraq. Retired Gunnery Sgt. Nick Popaditch, immortalized in the April 2003 photograph taken by Associated Press photographer Laurent Rebours, became forever known as “The Cigar Marine.” In fact, he launched his own special line of premium cigars in November to help raise money for the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund.

Continue reading "‘Cigar Marine’ offers advice to recruits" »

Posted by JAA at 1:49 PM | Permalink

The Associated Press
Published: January 1, 2013

HARTFORD, Conn. — Connecticut veterans will soon be able to have their military status marked on their driver's license or state-issued ID card.

Continue reading "Conn. veterans to have status on driver's license" »

Posted by JAA at 6:24 PM | Permalink

Written by
Nathan Max
11:05 a.m., Dec. 21, 2012

VISTA — It only cost about $100 to replace more than a handful of medals that were stolen from a decorated World War II veteran.

Continue reading "World War II veteran's medals replaced " »

Posted by sr at 6:35 PM | Permalink

Stars and Stripes
Published: December 15, 2012

ARLINGTON, Va. — What began as a goodwill gesture by a Maine businessman who found himself with a surplus of Christmas wreaths two decades ago continued its annual growth trend Saturday when 20,000 volunteers took part in the Wreaths Across America event at Arlington National Cemetery.

Continue reading "Wreaths Across America 2012 at Arlington National Cemetery" »

Posted by sr at 9:37 AM | Permalink

By Annie Groe
The Washington Post
Published: December 14, 2012

On Dec. 13, 2011, Marine Lance Cpl. Christian Brown was leading his squad on a foot patrol in Afghanistan’s Helmand province when he stepped on an explosive device that blew off both his legs, one above the knee, the other below his hip. He also lost part of his right index finger.

Continue reading "Marine double-amputee’s treatment on Delta flight angers other vets" »

Posted by sr at 8:07 AM | Permalink

American jailed for months on gun charges

By Gary Tuchman and Ben Brumfield CNN
POSTED: 3:55 AM Dec 13 2012 UPDATED: 12:41 PM Dec 13 2012

MIAMI (CNN) -

For a war vet from South Florida, a leisurely road trip to a seaside vacation came to an abrupt end in Mexico, where he has languished behind bars for four months, sometimes chained to a bed.

Continue reading "Gun puts former Marine behind bars in Mexico" »

Posted by sr at 4:05 PM | Permalink

Google innovation helps ex-service members find civilian jobs

By Fred Milgrim Thursday, November 29, 2012

For countless military veterans, transitioning from service into the civilian job market is daunting. Just finding the starting line is overwhelming for many.

Continue reading "Vets’ newest weapon" »

Posted by sr at 10:40 PM | Permalink

By Scott Brand - The Evening News via AP
Posted : Monday Nov 26, 2012 9:13:00 EST

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. — When word recently arrived in the Sault that Willy was ready for adoption, Gage LaMothe didn’t hesitate.

Continue reading "Afghanistan vet adopts bomb-sniffing dog" »

Posted by sr at 4:22 PM | Permalink

Karina Bland
Sun, Nov 18 2012 2:56 PM

I pull open the door to the Silver Pony Bar & Grill at 4 p.m. sharp and blink as my eyes adjust to the dim light inside.

Continue reading "Corps of brothers help toast dad on Marine Corps birthday" »

Posted by sr at 11:29 PM | Permalink

By Juan Carlos Llorca - The Associated Press
Posted : Saturday Nov 17, 2012 11:17:12 EST

MIDLAND, Texas — With the thunderous crack of a freight train slamming into a parade float carrying his fellow war veterans, Sudip Bose went to work.

Continue reading "War-time instinct takes over in train crash" »

Posted by sr at 1:12 PM | Permalink

By Gina Harkins - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Nov 16, 2012 15:15:36 EST

Marines are using their own experiences in transitioning out of the Corps to help fill gaps in the system and to remind their comrades that the brotherhood doesn’t end once they’re out of uniform.

Continue reading "Marines form transition-assistance networks" »

Posted by sr at 1:23 PM | Permalink

By Sharon Cohen
The Associated Press
Published: November 10, 2012

CHICAGO (AP) – The fallen Iraqi soldier's face is frozen in agony, his eyes and mouth wide open, his arms spread in surrender, his death in the Kuwaiti desert captured for posterity.

Continue reading "Vets preserve memories of war with their own art" »

Posted by sr at 2:14 PM | Permalink

By Erin Kelly, Gannett Washington Bureau

2:00PM EST November 8. 2012 - WASHINGTON — When Sen. John McCain looks back on the nearly six years he endured as a prisoner of war in Hanoi, what he remembers most is the Americans who saved him when he was left for dead by his North Vietnamese captors.

Continue reading "McCain: Never forget those who sacrificed" »

Posted by sr at 11:21 PM | Permalink

By Bruce Horovitz - USA TODAY
Posted : Thursday Nov 8, 2012 6:57:15 EST

For veterans, this is the three-day weekend to stop counting calories and start devouring free grub.

Continue reading "Restaurants to offer free food on Veterans Day" »

Posted by sr at 12:46 PM | Permalink

The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Nov 1, 2012 7:47:54 EDT

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — Flags across the Navajo Nation are flying at half-staff in honor of Navajo Code Talker George Smith, who died Tuesday at 90.

Continue reading "Navajo Code Talker George Smith dies" »

Posted by sr at 3:35 PM | Permalink

By Audrey McAvoy - The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Oct 22, 2012 12:35:38 EDT

HONOLULU — A photograph of a 93-year-old World War II veteran casting what will likely be his last ballot has captured the hearts of tens of thousands of Internet users.

Continue reading "Photo of WWII vet casting vote captures hearts" »

Posted by sr at 3:48 PM | Permalink

By Dan Elliott - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Oct 9, 2012 10:54:34 EDT

DENVER — For 37 years, Delouise Guerra never knew for certain what happened to the young man she called her baby brother, an 18-year-old Marine from Colorado who was missing and presumed dead after a helicopter crash on the other side of the world.

Continue reading "Long-missing Marine’s remains brought home" »

Posted by sr at 4:43 PM | Permalink

By Rusty Dennen
The Free Lance-Star
Published: October 3, 2012

Back in June, I got a handwritten note from Lawrence "Reggie" Lucas. He asked whether I might be interested in mentioning that he'd be getting some recognition for a long-ago stint in the Montford Point Marines.

Continue reading "Honor for Marine came just in time" »

Posted by sr at 9:40 AM | Permalink

By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Oct 2, 2012 9:55:10 EDT

A major veterans group has issued a election scorecard for its members to use to decide whether candidates for federal office support initiatives important to returning combat veterans.

Continue reading "IAVA releases voter guide on veterans issues" »

Posted by sr at 9:42 AM | Permalink

By Allen G. Breed
AP National Writer
Published: September 30, 2012

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The link between U.S. military service and running for office is as old as the republic itself. It started with George Washington, who famously wrote that, "When we assumed the Soldier, we did not lay aside the Citizen."

Continue reading "Many Iraq, Afghanistan war veterans choosing 'second service'" »

Posted by sr at 10:27 PM | Permalink

241 service members died in 1983 Beirut barracks bombing

By Kent Miller - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Sep 23, 2012 10:42:21 EDT

Shortly after he arrived in Lebanon in 2011, John A. Dalziel, the FBI’s assistant legal attaché to the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, woke up early one morning and made his way to a parking lot by the airport. Sunrise was still 26 minutes away as he surveyed the scene — the large empty lot, a fence near some trees, a few remnants of a large building.

Continue reading "Marine memorial in Lebanon provides closure" »

Posted by sr at 11:02 AM | Permalink

By SUSAN SELIGER
September 19, 2012

Here’s a riddle: When is a government benefit that pays for caregivers, assisted living and a nursing home not a benefit? When hardly any people know they’re entitled to it.

Continue reading "A Little-Known Benefit for Aging Veterans" »

Posted by sr at 10:12 AM | Permalink

By Bethany Crudele - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Sep 11, 2012 11:55:08 EDT

When Liam Riden’s home was burglarized last Christmas, a cherished piece of his Marine Corps past was stolen: the scarlet-and-gold ring he received upon completing boot camp at Parris Island, S.C., in 2006.

Continue reading "Cop hunts down Marine’s stolen boot camp ring" »

Posted by sr at 12:40 PM | Permalink

By Danny Valentine - Tampa Bay Times via The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Sep 2, 2012 16:01:22 EDT

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Tom Jones was disturbed.

Continue reading "Woodworkers give veterans proper burials" »

Posted by sr at 5:13 PM | Permalink

By Bethany Crudele - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Aug 28, 2012 16:35:49 EDT

Friends and family of a former Marine and freelance journalist have not heard from him in more than two weeks.

Continue reading "Reporter, Marine vet, missing for two weeks" »

Posted by sr at 5:19 PM | Permalink

By Gina Harkins - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Aug 25, 2012 12:46:17 EDT

A Marine has reached the summit of Africa’s tallest mountain just 18 months after losing his legs to an improvised explosive device — and he did it at the pace of an able-bodied climber.

Continue reading "Amputee EOD tech tackles Africa’s tallest peak" »

Posted by sr at 6:02 PM | Permalink

By Gina Harkins - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Aug 14, 2012 15:52:38 EDT

A former Marine infantryman runs a fake military news website — and he does it so well that officials have had to field questions from outraged readers who mistook the stories for fact.

Continue reading "Satirical military news site fools some readers" »

Posted by sr at 5:22 PM | Permalink

Wall in Plymouth VFW Post 1425 includes scenes from 6 wars in which U.S. fought.

Bill O'Boyle - [email protected] - 570-829-7218 - Twitter: @TLBillOBoyle
Aug 10

PLYMOUTH – The mural takes up one entire wall at the Plymouth Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1425.

Continue reading "Mural a tribute to all who served" »

Posted by sr at 11:27 AM | Permalink

Cop shot nine times helped save the day

By LAUREL BABCOCK and BOB FREDERICKS
Last Updated: 2:35 AM, August 7, 2012
Posted: 12:28 AM, August 7, 2012

There was no taking the Brooklyn out of this gutsy hero.

Continue reading "Temple hero a Brooklyn son" »

Posted by sr at 2:53 PM | Permalink

Had been shot down off Cambodia during Vietnam War

Written by
Nathan Max
3:36 p.m., Aug. 6, 2012
Updated 5:02 p.m.

There has been a tombstone with U.S. Marine Richard W. Rivenburgh’s name on it at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery since the CH-53 helicopter he was flying in was shot down off the coast of Cambodia in 1975.

Continue reading "37 years later, Marine laid to rest at Fort Rosecrans" »

Posted by sr at 11:12 PM | Permalink

Thursday, August 2, 2012 | 6:00 a.m. CDT

BY Lindsey Armentrout

COLUMBIA — Lawrence “Larry” Diggs gets up before the sun nearly every day to go fishing, exercises regularly and is always looking forward to his next trip.

Continue reading "Congressional Gold Medal recipient living up old age" »

Posted by sr at 9:21 AM | Permalink

By Carlos Bongioanni
Stars and Stripes
Published: July 28, 2012

WASHINGTON — “It was priceless.”

Continue reading "Surprises mark WWII veterans' Honor Flight visit to memorial" »

Posted by sr at 7:48 PM | Permalink

Marine battalion commander, 99, is laid to rest at Fort Rosecrans

Written by
Nathan Max
12:01 a.m., July 28, 2012

POINT LOMA — One of the last surviving battalion commanders from the U.S. assault on Iwo Jima during World War II was laid to rest Friday with full military honors at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery.

Continue reading "Final salute for Iwo Jima veteran" »

Posted by sr at 2:36 PM | Permalink

Injured bomb-sniffer passes through O’Hare on way to retirement in Finland

By Marni Pyke
Article updated: 7/6/2012 10:40 AM

It’s humid and crowded at O’Hare International Airport’s Gate K9 Thursday, and you can tell passengers just want to board their flight.

Continue reading "Military dog gets hero’s welcome at O’Hare" »

Posted by sr at 5:32 PM | Permalink

By Gino Vicci - Medill News Service
Posted : Thursday Jul 5, 2012 11:05:14 EDT

While many adults and children revel in the spectacular light displays across the skies on the Fourth of July, others avoid the sounds of fireworks in hopes of dodging memories of war.

Continue reading "Even without PTSD, not all vets enjoy fireworks" »

Posted by sr at 11:36 AM | Permalink

By Sarah Hoye, CNN
updated 5:55 PM EDT, Sun July 1, 2012

Parris Island, South Carolina (CNN) -- Charles Burns steadies himself, using the arms of his wheelchair, before pushing up into a standing position.

Continue reading "Dying veteran's wish to see his son graduate comes true" »

Posted by sr at 10:57 PM | Permalink

The nation’s first black Marines, who trained in a segregated camp at Montfort Point, N.C., were presented with the Congressional Gold Medal

By Todd Spangler - Detroit Free Press
Posted : Wednesday Jun 27, 2012 18:14:05 EDT

The ravages of age — the failing eyesight, the shuffling gaits, the graying hair — couldn’t hide the valor and pride, not to mention the surprise, of the nation’s first black Marines, at long last receiving their just due from Congress.

Continue reading "Montfort Point Marines recognized at last" »

Posted by sr at 8:01 AM | Permalink

By Regina Ford - Green Valley (Ariz.) News
Posted : Monday Jun 25, 2012 9:26:29 EDT

GREEN VALLEY, Ariz. — Marine veteran John Joseph Keker got an unexpected surprise in the mail recently when his military dog tag was returned to him more than 67 years after he lost it in World War II.

Continue reading "Soldier returns lost dog tags to WWII Marine" »

Posted by sr at 5:25 PM | Permalink

By Chuck Haga
Grand Forks Herald, N.D.
Published: June 24, 2012

SAN DIEGO — On a small organic farm outside San Diego, a former combat Marine has found peace and purpose in the tending of plants and in providing other combat veterans a way to find their places in life after war.

Continue reading "Farm program aims to help returning veterans find peace, purpose" »

Posted by sr at 10:16 PM | Permalink

Yellow Springs man was among the nation’s first black Marines.

By Andrew McGinn, Staff Writer 7:53 PM Wednesday, June 20, 2012

YELLOW SPRINGS — The Tuskegee Airmen and Navajo Code Talkers of World War II are household names for what they did and who they were.

Continue reading "Area Marine receiving congressional medal" »

Posted by sr at 8:42 PM | Permalink

By Gracie Bonds Staples
The Atlanta-Journal Constitution
Published: June 10, 2012

ATLANTA — In the decades since World War II ended, they’ve never once looked back on their service in the U.S. Marine Corps with bitterness.

Continue reading "Pioneers who helped break Marines’ color barrier await honor" »

Posted by sr at 10:27 PM | Permalink

Corpsman was among first wave on the beaches of Normandy

Written by
Nathan Max
7:08 p.m., June 6, 2012

CORONADO — Frank H. Walden was among the first wave of military personnel to storm the beaches of Normandy, France, on D-Day almost seven decades ago.

Continue reading "68 years after D-Day, a Bronze Star" »

Posted by sr at 10:36 PM | Permalink

After more than a decade of war, remarkable men and women are still stepping forward.

By TOM MANION
May 24, 2012, 7:09 p.m. ET

I served in the military for 30 years. But it was impossible to fully understand the sacrifices of our troops and their families until April 29, 2007, the day my son, First Lt. Travis Manion, was killed in Iraq.

Continue reading "Tom Manion: Why They Serve—'If Not Me, Then Who?'" »

Posted by sr at 3:09 PM | Permalink

By Bill Monroe, Special to The Oregonian
Published: Saturday, May 26, 2012, 8:05 AM Updated: Saturday, May 26, 2012, 10:16 AM

CARVER -- Mike Rhoads looked up at the sodden gray sky. Its promise would soon soak us all and run down his camouflaged military-issue rain pants into his tennis shoes.

Continue reading "Oregon veterans of several wars share memories, go fishing Memorial Day" »

Posted by sr at 2:56 PM | Permalink

By Howie Rumberg - The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday May 13, 2012 17:07:13 EDT

NEW YORK — Through two tours of duty in Iraq Sgt. Rex was by Marine Cpl. Megan Leavey’s side.

Continue reading "Yankees honor Marine, bomb-sniffing dog at game" »

Posted by sr at 5:54 PM | Permalink

By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday May 5, 2012 10:55:27 EDT

When former Cpl. Nick Velez bought a restaurant in the Los Angeles suburb of Downey, he decided to name the new pub “Bastards.”

Continue reading "Former Marine’s pub name brews trouble" »

Posted by sr at 10:31 AM | Permalink

The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Apr 9, 2012 13:48:01 EDT

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — The jobless rate for veterans remains high, but a Missouri program is working to help.

Continue reading "1,500 veterans hired through new Mo. program" »

Posted by sr at 7:42 PM | Permalink

By Kathleen Toner, CNN
updated 7:05 PM EDT, Thu March 29, 2012

Los Angeles (CNN) -- When Haiti suffered a massive earthquake two years ago, many people responded by donating money.

Continue reading "In the worst calamities, these veterans rush to the rescue" »

Posted by sr at 9:13 PM | Permalink

By Stacy Lu
March 29, 2012

Fresh from a tour of duty in Iraq where he earned a Bronze Star, Ryan Gallucci didn’t expect a simple job interview to be such a memorably unpleasant experience.

Continue reading "Veterans battle PTSD stigma -- even if they don't have it" »

Posted by sr at 12:01 PM | Permalink

The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Mar 26, 2012 9:57:44 EDT

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Decades after he threw himself on a grenade to save five fellow Marines in the Vietnam War, a Marine with humble beginnings in Farmington at last is getting some hometown recognition.

Continue reading "N.M. honors Vietnam MoH recipient with statue" »

Posted by sr at 10:04 AM | Permalink

The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Mar 23, 2012 9:21:27 EDT

PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. — A 71-year-old former Marine is setting out in an unusual manner to raise money for injured and ill veterans and their families.

Continue reading "Marine vet biking U.S. for injured Marine fund" »

Posted by sr at 10:03 AM | Permalink

March 18, 2012 9:12 AM
SUZANNE ULBRICH - DAILY NEWS STAFF

One Onslow County veteran received a special birthday present this weekend.

Continue reading "Recovered dog tags returned to three war veteran" »

Posted by sr at 9:16 PM | Permalink

By Jim Sheeler
Special to The Denver Post
Posted: 03/16/2012 01:00:00 AM MDT
Updated: 03/16/2012 10:54:49 AM MDT

From his perch at his regular table in the Red Robin restaurant in Lakewood, the 85-year-old man noticed a uniformed young Marine eating alone. As Jack Hallowell finished his meal, he motioned discreetly to the bartender.

Continue reading "WWII veteran, historian Jack Hallowell dies at 91" »

Posted by sr at 5:52 PM | Permalink

Story by Cpl. Justin Wheeler | III Marine Expeditionary Force / Marine Corps Installations Pacific | Date: 03.14.2012

IWO TO, Japan — Iwo Jima veterans were honored in front of the 5th Marine Division Memorial during the 67th Iwo Jima Reunion of Honor ceremony here, March 14.

Continue reading "Veterans return to sacred ground" »

Posted by sr at 10:13 AM | Permalink

Courtesy Story | III Marine Expeditionary Force / Marine Corps Installations Pacific | Date: 03.14.2012

IWO TO, Japan – The Government of Japan and the U.S. Marine Corps conducted a Reunion of Honor ceremony to commemorate the Battle of Iwo Jima March 14. The event took place on Iwo To, formerly known as Iwo Jima, and included U.S. and Japanese veterans and their families, dignitaries and leaders from both nations, distinguished guests and Marines and sailors from III Marine Expeditionary Force.

Continue reading "67th Commemoration of the Battle of Iwo Jima" »

Posted by sr at 10:06 AM | Permalink

By Lindsay Wise
Houston Chronicle
Published: March 14, 2012

The Iraq War officially ended with little fanfare three months ago, but Houston service members who fought in the nearly decadelong conflict are about to be treated to a Bayou City-style welcome-home celebration.

Continue reading "Houston to host parade honoring Iraq War veterans" »

Posted by sr at 10:00 AM | Permalink

The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Mar 14, 2012 9:15:12 EDT

ALBANY, N.Y. — An online petition drive is under way to reunite a former Marine corporal with the combat dog she was injured with in Iraq.

Continue reading "Petition aims to reunite Marine vet, combat dog" »

Posted by sr at 9:28 AM | Permalink

Rock group led by Gary Sinise to raise funds for an accessible home

By Dennis Yusko
Updated 10:10 p.m., Monday, March 12, 2012

NASSAU — Actor Gary Sinise came to the Capital Region Monday to roll out the red carpet for an Air Force veteran partially paralyzed from exposure to toxic chemicals in Iraq.

Continue reading "A band of brothers to help wounded vet" »

Posted by sr at 10:52 PM | Permalink

By PIA CATTON
Updated March 8, 2012, 12:50 p.m. ET

As a Marine, Sgt. Roman Baca spent eight months in Fallujah between 2005 and 2006. Now, the Queens resident is headed back to Iraq—but this time it is for a cultural effort connected to his work before and after his military service: dance.

Continue reading "A Soldier's Iraq Trek, From Bullets to Ballet " »

Posted by sr at 10:05 AM | Permalink

Jamie Klein
Reading Eagle
3/7/2012

Mahlon L. Fink can remember when the American flag was raised on Iwo Jima's Mount Suribachi in February 1945.

Continue reading "WWII lessons from human history books" »

Posted by sr at 6:26 PM | Permalink

By Sig Christenson
Updated 11:56 p.m., Wednesday, March 7, 2012

As burials go, the one for Albert Lee Renfro and Everardo Alvarez-Lara on a misty Wednesday was sad in ways other funerals are not.

Continue reading "Homeless veterans receive final salute ex-GIs deserve" »

Posted by sr at 5:21 PM | Permalink

By Lance Cpl. Sarah Wolff
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CAMP PENDLETON, Calif., March 6, 2012 – With some prodding from his son, Charles P. Barrett Jr. finally received the recognition the Marine Corps says he was due for his actions 60 years ago.

Continue reading "Former Marine Gets Medal For Heroism" »

Posted by sr at 5:07 PM | Permalink

Fred Glancy has vivid memories of combat on Iwo Jima

Written by
JOHN CARLSON
11:13 PM, Mar. 4, 2012

MUNCIE -- The Japanese rifle is a souvenir from Iwo Jima, and when 90-year-old Fred Glancy hands it to you he warns that it is heavy.

Continue reading "'There was no such thing as not being on the firing line'" »

Posted by sr at 4:58 PM | Permalink

By GARY WARTH [email protected] | Posted: Saturday, March 3, 2012 9:00 pm

A former Camp Pendleton Marine who spent two homeless years living in a canyon while going to college is finding success with a hot sauce that has landed on the shelves of a national grocery store.

Continue reading "Once-homeless vet has hot new career" »

Posted by sr at 12:38 PM | Permalink

By JUSTIN GLAWE
Journal Star
Posted Feb 19, 2012

PEORIA —

Robert DeGise stood, pointing, through the wall and across 6,865 miles of plains and oceans, to an ash-ridden crater on Mount Suribachi.

Continue reading "Marine veterans remember how battle changed their perspective of war" »

Posted by sr at 8:24 PM | Permalink

By Pat Kinney - Waterloo/Cedar Falls (Iowa) Courier via AP
Posted : Sunday Feb 19, 2012 15:18:03 EST

WATERLOO, Iowa — David Greene is planning a spring vacation to a Pacific island.

Continue reading "Group takes veterans to revisit Iwo Jima" »

Posted by sr at 5:31 PM | Permalink

By Dugald McConnell and Brian Todd
updated 9:33 PM EST, Tue February 7, 2012

(CNN) -- On a day when New York City threw a parade to celebrate the New York Giants for their Super Bowl victory, at least one veterans' group is using the occasion to ask: What about a parade to honor the soldiers who fought in Iraq?

Continue reading "Vets ask: Time for an Iraq war parade?" »

Posted by sr at 5:35 PM | Permalink

1/25/2012 By Lance Cpl. Brianna Turner , Marine Corps Bases Japan

Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan — A vacation in Japan, visiting with his son and grandchildren, reminiscing about the past that is what Ron Maines, a Rogers, Ark. native, had planned when he came to Okinawa. What he found while taking a stroll down memory lane, however, was not what he expected.

Continue reading "Family bonding leads to discoveries from past " »

Posted by sr at 12:44 PM | Permalink

Marine's dog tag found on Saipan, returned to its owner in Massachusetts after over 60 years

By Ferdie de la Torre
Reporter
Sunday, January 15, 2012

A U.S. Marine Corps identification tag, which was lost during Word War II and found in a yam field on Saipan in 1981, was flown from the island to Massachusetts where it was finally returned to its owner, veteran Richard Caldwell Urie, now 86, over the weekend.

Continue reading "A dog tag's amazing journey" »

Posted by sr at 10:39 AM | Permalink

January 06, 2012|By Mike Newall, Inquirer Staff Writer

Neal Auricchio Jr. fought two tours in Iraq, returning to war even after a sniper blew apart one of his calf muscles.

Continue reading "Rangers fan beaten after Winter Classic was Iraq war veteran" »

Posted by sr at 4:17 PM | Permalink

January 06, 2012|By Mike Newall, Inquirer Staff Writer

Neal Auricchio Jr. fought two tours in Iraq, returning to war even after a sniper blew apart one of his calf muscles.

Continue reading "Rangers fan beaten after Winter Classic was Iraq war veteran" »

Posted by sr at 4:17 PM | Permalink

By Jim Warren — [email protected] Posted: 12:00am on Jan 2, 2012; Modified: 2:34pm on Jan 2, 2012

When 21-year Army veteran Floyd E. Douglas was laid to rest at Mill Springs National Cemetery in Pulaski County last month, 17 men and women, all veterans wearing the uniforms of the various military services, were there to render full military honors.

Continue reading "Volunteer honor guard makes sure veterans get the proper final salute" »

Posted by sr at 7:33 AM | Permalink

By JANE HUH - [email protected]
Created: Monday, January 2, 2012 5:30 a.m. CST

MARENGO – Kevin Shear, a U.S. Marine veteran, nearly fell over and needed his friend to hold him up when he received the keys to a three-bedroom ranch.

Continue reading "Marine vet, family gets new home" »

Posted by sr at 7:24 AM | Permalink

December 20, 2011 11:17 AM

(CBS News)

Tens of thousands of American troops are coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan, and finding out just how tough it is to get a job right now.

Continue reading "Veterans find a place in the Ivy League" »

Posted by sr at 12:27 PM | Permalink

By Travis Griggs - Pensacola News Journal via the AP
Posted : Sunday Dec 11, 2011 13:33:17 EST

PENSACOLA, Fla. — For 65 years, Junior Montgomery thought his best friend was dead.

Continue reading "Friends during WWII, 2 Marines reunite" »

Posted by sr at 10:35 PM | Permalink

Application Window Extended for Five Years

December 29, 2011

WASHINGTON – Veterans of the Persian Gulf War with undiagnosed illnesses have an additional five years to qualify for benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Continue reading "Rules Liberalized for Veterans with Undiagnosed Illnesses" »

Posted by sr at 6:22 PM | Permalink

By Stephanie Reitz - The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Dec 4, 2011 13:06:14 EST

HARTFORD, Conn. — A trio of money managers who shared a $254 million Powerball jackpot said Sunday they were kicking off the first of many charitable donations by splitting a $1 million gift among five veterans’ service organizations.

Continue reading "Conn. Powerball winners donate $1M for veterans" »

Posted by sr at 12:23 PM | Permalink

By Tom Charlier - The Commercial Appeal via AP
Posted : Sunday Dec 4, 2011 13:18:44 EST

MEMPHIS, Tenn.— Just like that history-changing morning so long ago, the tide is out and a stiff wind scours the sand, but W.T. Hardwick can’t quite reconcile the serene beach before him with the smoke and chaos of his memories.

Continue reading "World War II veterans take haunting pilgrimage" »

Posted by sr at 12:18 PM | Permalink

Published: Friday, December 02, 2011

By JOHN KOPP
[email protected]

DARBY BOROUGH — Retired Master Sgt. Alfred DeSerio sat in an armchair cracking jokes, demonstrating his daily exercise routine and recalling stories from his 42 years in the Marine Corps.

Continue reading "Semper Fi: Marine Corps vet celebrates 105th birthday with friends (With Video)" »

Posted by sr at 8:50 AM | Permalink

By Laurie (LC) Lewis, For the Deseret News
Published: Friday, Nov. 11, 2011

A marvelous glimpse of U.S. Marine Corps life occurs each September on the Quantico Marine Base in Virginia. A massive Marine expo titled "Modern-Day Marines" showcases the incredible technology and firepower today's soldiers employ on the battlefront.

Continue reading "Retired Marines carry spirit of service" »

Posted by sr at 2:13 PM | Permalink

Posted: Nov 05, 2011 6:18 PM CDT Updated: Nov 05, 2011 6:35 PM CDT
Posted by Laura McCallister, Multimedia Producer

KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -

Saturday a group of local World War II veterans returned from their Honor Flight to Washington D.C.

Continue reading "Local veterans return from Honor Flight" »

Posted by sr at 5:10 PM | Permalink

By Leo Shane III
Stars and Stripes
Published: November 2, 2011

WASHINGTON — Veterans exposed to burn pits during their war deployments are backing legislation to create an ongoing registry of patients and illnesses believed connected to the toxic smoke, suggesting it may be the last chance to discover what long-term health problems they’ll face.

Continue reading "Veterans back bill to create registry of illnesses blamed on burn pits" »

Posted by sr at 1:25 PM | Permalink

By Jim Michaels, USA TODAY
October 27, 2011

For decades Joseph Smith, 87, didn't want to think or talk about his time in the Marine Corps. "Whenever military service came up I couldn't truthfully say, 'Yeah, I'm a proud Marine,'" Smith said. "I tried to say it and it wouldn't quite come out."

Continue reading "At last, honors for the first black Marines" »

Posted by SP at 4:49 PM | Permalink

By Betty Reid - The (Phoenix) Arizona Republic
Posted : Sunday Oct 23, 2011 9:18:53 EDT

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Chester Nez is the last of the original 29 Navajo Code Talkers. All the rest of the Marines who created the first unbreakable code that baffled the Japanese during World War II have died.

Continue reading "Warrior’s words: Last of Code Talkers speaks" »

Posted by sr at 11:33 AM | Permalink

By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Oct 19, 2011 9:16:02 EDT

After two years of having no annual adjustment, military retirees will receive a 3.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment effective Dec. 1.

Continue reading "Military retirees’ COLA to rise by 3.5 percent" »

Posted by sr at 9:09 AM | Permalink

The Physical Disability Board of Review (PDBR) provides veterans who were medically separated from military service between September 11, 2001 and December 31, 2009, with a new chance to have their disability ratings reviewed for fairness, consistency and accuracy.

Continue reading "Separated Vets Can Apply for Review" »

Posted by sr at 5:12 PM | Permalink

9/20/2011 By Correspondent Carolyn Hutchings Carino, Special to Marines.mil , Headquarters Marine Corps

DETROIT, MI — D-Day Okinawa 1 April 1945 Yontan and Kadena Airfields After 66 years, Navy Corpsman Bill “Doc” Lynne, of George Company, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines, 1ST MARDIV was awarded the Bronze Star with “V” attachment for heroic action during the Battle for Okinawa by Major General Lawrence D. Nicholson, in Detroit, Michigan, on Sept. 10, 2011.

Continue reading "CORPSMAN AWARDED VALOR MEDAL AFTER 66 YEARS " »

Posted by sr at 11:01 PM | Permalink

Hildebrand Bernier, Sr. of Buena Park grew up poor in New York, his youthful speed helping him as a company runner during World War II.

By HILDEBRAND BERNIER, JR. / FOR THE REGISTER
Published: Sept. 20, 2011 Updated: 3:32 p.m.

Hildebrand "Bernie" Bernier, Sr., my father, was born on Feb. 12, 1915 in the town of Rio Piedras in Puerto Rico. In 1928, he moved with his family to New York when his father, Erasmo Bernier, was sent as pastor to the Second Street Baptist Church on Manhattan Island.

Continue reading "Marine's speed ‘stood him well in combat'" »

Posted by sr at 6:47 PM | Permalink

Two Marines from Pulaski finish walk at Lambeau

Reporter:Beth Jones
Updated: Monday, 19 Sep 2011, 6:32 AM CDT
Published : Sunday, 18 Sep 2011, 3:47 PM CDT

GREEN BAY - Two former Marines from Pulaski ended a hike from Wausau to Lambeau Field Sunday.

Continue reading "Former Marines complete 100 mile trek" »

Posted by sr at 11:25 PM | Permalink

Photos and story by Sarah Weiser, The Herald
Published: Sunday, September 18, 2011

LAKE STEVENS -- The crowd's shouts were lighthearted.

Continue reading "The battle within: Trying to find the man inside the Marine" »

Posted by sr at 10:47 PM | Permalink

Posted: Sat, Sep 10, 2011

Tearing down the highway in a black Chevy S-10 pickup, Adam Betz knew he was heading toward war.

Continue reading "A soldier's life, shaped by 9/11 and heading back to war" »

Posted by sr at 10:18 PM | Permalink

SAN FRANCISCO | Fri Sep 9, 2011 3:38pm EDT

(Reuters) - Jordan Towers said he was unpacking a truck during a family move from Truckee, California, to the state capital of Sacramento when he heard the news that a plane had flown into New York's World Trade Center.

Continue reading "Man who joined U.S. Marines after 9/11 made sacrifice" »

Posted by sr at 10:13 PM | Permalink

Associated Press | Posted: Saturday, September 3, 2011 10:49 am

David Rand cheerfully acknowledges he's an overprotective father. An ex-Marine who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, he's also a single dad to 5-year-old Emma.

Continue reading "For parents and kids alike, 9/11 left its imprints" »

Posted by sr at 5:19 PM | Permalink

By Janese Silvey - The Columbia (Mo.) Daily Tribune via AP
Posted : Saturday Sep 3, 2011 10:18:36 EDT

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Aaron Johnson applauded when Stella, a boxer mix, made it through a dark, curved tunnel on an obstacle course at Columbia Canine Sports Center.

Continue reading "Shelter dogs train to aid vets with PTSD" »

Posted by sr at 11:46 AM | Permalink

BY DI STAFF | SEPTEMBER 01, 2011 7:20 AM

Iowa coaching legend Hayden Fry was inducted into the U.S. Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame last weekend, a release from the UI reported Wednesday.

Continue reading "Fry honored by Marines" »

Posted by sr at 9:12 AM | Permalink

By Tanya Eiserer - Dallas Morning News
Posted : Monday Aug 29, 2011 11:40:38 EDT

DALLAS — Dallas police Officer Andrew Litz falls frequently and can’t walk across the room without help.

Continue reading "Vet struggles to get care for PTSD, TBI" »

Posted by sr at 7:23 AM | Permalink

By David Perlmutt
[email protected]
Posted: Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011

Raymond Worsley was 18 in 1943, a student at Johnson C. Smith University, when the military came knocking.

Continue reading "Overdue salute for a black Marine" »

Posted by sr at 10:04 PM | Permalink

By Rebecca Jacobs August 8, 2011

Most people know about the Navajo code talkers who served in the U.S. military in World War II, but few know that members of at least 19 American Indian tribes acted as code talkers for the U.S. Army, Navy and Marines during both world wars. Choctaw members of the Army’s 36th Division in France transmitted messages in their Native language that were undecipherable by German forces. Until that point in the war, no transmitted message had been sent by the Allies that was not decoded by the Germans. Ruth McMillan, daughter of the late Choctaw code talker Tobias Frazier, remembers her father’s words: “Papa said—and everybody says—that the [Allied Forces] were beaten when they got [to Europe], and then we won those two battles [using code talkers], and it really turned the course of the war.”

Continue reading "Code Talkers Have Served the Military Well—and Often Secretly" »

Posted by sr at 7:56 AM | Permalink

By David Hodge
Stars and Stripes
Published: August 2, 2011

RAF MILDENHALL, England — On the way from Afghanistan to Texas to visit his ailing mother, former Marine Ken Griffin took a gamble on a gamble, and won: He won a World Series of Poker championship in Las Vegas and walked away with $455,356, enough to cover his mother’s mounting medical bills.

Continue reading "Former Marine comes up aces for his mom" »

Posted by sr at 10:46 PM | Permalink

By Terry Evans - Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Posted : Monday Aug 1, 2011 7:10:47 EDT

BEDFORD, Texas — Glenn Wilson's hobby attracts attention.

Continue reading "Marine vet restores tank as hobby" »

Posted by sr at 9:35 AM | Permalink

By Kimberly Hefling - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Jul 29, 2011 7:25:44 EDT

WASHINGTON — More than a thousand Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder would be given lifetime disability retirement benefits such as military health insurance under the terms of a settlement reached between the government and the veterans.

Continue reading "Vets with PTSD, government reach settlement" »

Posted by sr at 8:17 AM | Permalink

By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Jul 21, 2011 10:52:24 EDT

GI Bill 2.0 starts Aug. 1 with sweeping improvements to help thousands of current and former troops — and some of their families — earn college degrees.

Continue reading "GI Bill reboot: Upcoming changes simplify the process, but new caps could cut your benefits" »

Posted by sr at 4:06 PM | Permalink

By Rye Barcott, Special to CNN
July 15, 2011 6:55 a.m. EDT

Editor's note: Rye Barcott, the author of "It Happened on the Way to War," is a former marine and a co-founder of Carolina for Kibera, a nongovernmental organization devoted to alleviating poverty in the Kibera slum of Nairobi.

(CNN) -- Last Sunday, on the final stop of their final day in North America, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge popped in to a Los Angeles job fair for military veterans and spouses. William and Catherine spent their time with vets and enlightened business leaders looking to pair talent with opportunity.

Continue reading "Why military veterans make great employees" »

Posted by sr at 11:49 PM | Permalink

By L. L. Brasier - Detroit Free Press via the AP
Posted : Sunday Jul 3, 2011 10:03:08 EDT

DETROIT — Fourteen men sitting in a room at the Novi district courthouse had two things in common: They were military veterans, and they were in legal trouble.

Continue reading "Support dog helps veterans cope in courtroom" »

Posted by sr at 10:16 AM | Permalink

By GoFISHn Editors on June 29, 2011

Anyone who's fly fished in Montana knows how soothing it can be, and that's why retired Marines colonel Eric Hastings decided to start Warriors and Quiet Waters–to share that tranquility with servicemen and women who have been traumatically wounded.

Continue reading "Former Marine Helping Injured Veterans Find Peace Through Fly Fishing: Warriors and Quiet Waters" »

Posted by sr at 11:05 AM | Permalink

By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Jun 18, 2011 9:22:07 EDT

Several hundred Marines whose planned separations from service or retirement were delayed by the stop-loss order have yet to collect their extra pay.

Continue reading "Stop-loss pay goes uncollected by Marines" »

Posted by sr at 9:14 AM | Permalink

--Tony Perry in San Diego
June 13, 2011

They were Marine "grunts" in Iraq and Afghanistan and now they're undergraduates at one of the world's most prestigious universities.

Continue reading "From grunts to undergraduates, Marines deploy to Stanford" »

Posted by sr at 4:46 PM | Permalink

6/8/2011 By Lance Cpl. Chelsea Flowers , Headquarters Marine Corps

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Marine Corps has always been committed to the welfare of its troops. This attitude doesn’t change when a Marine gets out of the Corps.

Continue reading "Once a Marine, Always a Marine: Commandant improves Transition Assistance Program" »

Posted by sr at 5:04 PM | Permalink

10:45 PM, Jun. 5, 201
Written by
BOB SCOTT

Marine Cpl. Matthew Bowman, 23, of Lafayette continues to rehab as an out-patient at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

Continue reading "Cyclists ride to ease wounded vet's financial load" »

Posted by sr at 10:37 PM | Permalink

Posted Jun 04, 2011

The year was 2006 and my family and I were attending the Veterans Day Parade in Fall River, when a veteran came by and gave my 4-year-old daughter a giant American flag. He told us that he was a 30-year veteran from the United States Marine Corps, and that on every Memorial Day and Veterans Day parade, he purchases these flags and hands them out to children along the parade route.

Continue reading "Marines veteran makes us proud" »

Posted by sr at 9:34 AM | Permalink

Story by Lance Cpl. Mark Garcia | I Marine Expeditionary Force | Date: 05.27.2011

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - When you join the Marine Corps you’re not only joining for a four-year enlistment—you’re joining for a lifetime.

Continue reading "Combat veterans show their support for future service members" »

Posted by sr at 5:06 PM | Permalink

Story by Sgt. Marcy Sanchez | I Marine Expeditionary Force | Date: 05.20.2011

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.- Marines exiting the Marine Corps can have an advantage to being admitted to colleges and universities nationwide over other applicants.

Continue reading "Marines offered nonstop entry to higher education" »

Posted by sr at 5:42 PM | Permalink

By Ron Ralston
Published May 15, 2011
| FoxNews.com

Their path to graduation began on the battlefield. Veterans of the war on terror, the skills they learned as Marines made it possible to endure rigorous Ivy League academics. But it's the corps buddy system – a brotherhood that looks out for each other – that got them here and helped them through to graduation.

Continue reading "Marines Employ Skills Learned on the Battlefield to Graduate in the Ivy League" »

Posted by sr at 10:39 PM | Permalink

By Joe Gromelski
Stars and Stripes
Published: May 15, 2011

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — Comedian Drew Carey wasn’t about to fail in his first attempt at the Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon.

Continue reading "Comedian Carey’s Marine dream comes true at Historic Half" »

Posted by sr at 5:09 PM | Permalink

Story by Lance Cpl. Javarre Glanton | Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island | Date: 04.21.2011

MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT, S.C. -- Parris Island will host a distinguished guest Wednesday when the chief of police for Columbia, S.C., the state’s capital, attends the job fair as a vendor, April 27.

Continue reading "Police chief plans visit to Parris Island" »

Posted by sr at 5:15 PM | Permalink

The Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs launch the free PTSD Coach to help veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder seek immediate help or manage their symptoms.

By Elizabeth Montalbano InformationWeek
April 19, 2011 14:06 PM

Veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) now can turn to their mobile devices for help, thanks to a new application from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DOD).

Continue reading "PTSD iPhone App Launches For Veterans" »

Posted by sr at 10:43 PM | Permalink

By Janice Gibbs - The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Apr 17, 2011 10:05:50 EDT

TEMPLE, Texas — It was over with the clinking of glass.

Continue reading "WWII veterans group gathers for last toast" »

Posted by sr at 9:58 AM | Permalink

By Jeanette Steele
Thursday, April 14, 2011 at 9:27 p.m.

A casket was lowered into the ground Thursday at Miramar National Cemetery, marking the first time since 1966 that San Diego County has offered veterans a resting spot with full burial options.

Continue reading "Finally, San Diego vets get full-service cemetery" »

Posted by sr at 5:28 PM | Permalink

April 10th, 2011, 6:00 am

When Colin Burgos was in the Marines 1999 to 2005, U.S. active military were always always looking for a place to buy special or custom gear.

Continue reading "Special loan helps Marine turn entrepreneur" »

Posted by sr at 10:39 PM | Permalink

By Brian Shane - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Apr 2, 2011 9:03:01 EDT

More than 200 members of Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, were surrounded by Chinese forces defending the Toktong Pass during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir.

Continue reading "Medal of Honor sought for Chosin veteran" »

Posted by sr at 9:15 AM | Permalink

3/22/2011 By MSgt. Sal Cardella , Marine Corps Base Quantico

TRIANGLE, Va. — Her still-dazzling baby blue eyes and brilliant smile seemed even brighter as she talked about joining the Marine Corps during World War II.

Continue reading "Living History: Quantico docent shares the legacy of women Marines" »

Posted by sr at 8:58 AM | Permalink

Associated Press | Posted: Friday, March 18, 2011 6:34 pm

Lloyd Oliver wasn't much of a talker, but it was clear that he was proud to have his native language serve as a key weapon during World War II. As part of an elite group of Marines, he helped develop and implement a code based on the Navajo language that helped win the war.

Continue reading "Member of original 29 Code Talkers dies in Arizona" »

Posted by sr at 10:31 PM | Permalink

3/18/2011 By Lance Cpl. Sarah Anderson , Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. — Many gathered in the small community of Wellington, Nev., on Feb. 11, to welcome a new neighbor and help build him and his family a home.

Continue reading "Locals build Marine home" »

Posted by sr at 10:10 PM | Permalink

By Leo Shane III
Stars and Stripes
Published: March 11, 2011

WASHINGTON — Veterans Affairs officials promised Friday that traumatic brain injury victims will be covered under new caregiver benefits scheduled to start this summer, but veterans advocates remain skeptical.

Continue reading "VA insists benefits will cover caregivers of vets with TBI" »

Posted by sr at 5:30 PM | Permalink

U.S Senator Kirsten Gillibrand listened closely to veteran students from Mercy College during a roundtable discussion on veteran unemployment.

By Renea Henry
02.24.11

Bart Bochenski is a sophomore at Mercy College, and a veteran of the U.S Marine Corps. During his deployment, Bochenksi had a combat assignment operating equipment most civilians will never see or use. However without a formal degree, employers often overlook his profound skill set.

Continue reading "Despite Their Profound Skills, Veterans Struggle in the Job Market" »

Posted by sr at 5:34 PM | Permalink

Marine, of St. Peters, was part of artillery battery during month-long WWII battle

By Russell Korando > [email protected]
St. Louis Post-Dispatch | Posted: Monday, February 21, 2011 12:00 am

Iwo Jima was the second-to-last stop for the U.S. in its goal of total victory against Japan in World War II.

Continue reading "Recounting Iwo Jima" »

Posted by sr at 11:38 AM | Permalink

By Chris Burrell
The Patriot Ledger
Posted Feb 18, 2011 @ 04:45 AM
Last update Feb 18, 2011 @ 05:13 AM

HINGHAM —

Harlan C. Jeffery grasped the helmet in his 89-year-old hands and ran his fingers over two holes in it – a smooth one toward the front and, a few inches behind that, a jagged one where the steel is splayed.

Continue reading "Randolph native recalls fight for Iwo Jima as Marine" »

Posted by sr at 10:10 PM | Permalink

By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18, 2011 – People whose military service was involuntarily extended or whose retirement was suspended between Sept. 11, 2001, and Sept. 30, 2009, have until March 4 to file for retroactive payments of $500 for each month of their extended service under the “Stop Loss” policy.

Continue reading "March 4 is Final Day to Claim ‘Stop Loss’ Pay" »

Posted by sr at 5:58 PM | Permalink

World War II combat cameraman, author to appear at book signing at Marine Corps museum

Date published: 2/17/2011
By RUSTY DENNEN

Just inside the entrance of the National Museum of the Marine Corps sits a display depicting the Marines' harrowing landing on Tarawa atoll in the Pacific during World War II.

Continue reading "Marine Museum to host WWII cameraman" »

Posted by sr at 9:28 AM | Permalink

They struggle to catch up on civilian skills

By Meena Thiruvengadam - Special for USA Today
Posted : Wednesday Feb 16, 2011 21:17:33 EST

Christa Fazio left the Navy in 2006 with big dreams for her civilian life. But 20 months after being laid off from the last in a string of jobs, she wonders if she measures up to job seekers who didn’t spend nearly a decade in the military.

Continue reading "Job market leaves female vets behind" »

Posted by sr at 10:44 PM | Permalink

2/16/2011 By Pfc. Franklin E. Mercado , 2nd Marine Logistics Group

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — From their exploits in places like Belleau Woods and Tarawa, the Marines of old and their heroic feats are embedded in our warrior culture and often used as examples for younger Marines. The manner in which they fought these battles serves as snapshots of courage and leadership, and in true cliché fashion, the past is being used to learn for the future.

Continue reading "Marines of ‘The Pacific’ inspire their descendants" »

Posted by sr at 10:30 PM | Permalink

By Jeffrey Steele, Special to the Tribune
February 16, 2011

As the first verse of the national anthem is sung at Sunday's Chicago Blackhawks game at the United Center, some 21,000 fans will raise the roof with a thunderous cheer that will be sustained right through "the home of the brave."

Continue reading "Marine vet, 88, warming up to sing anthem at Blackhawks game" »

Posted by sr at 10:09 PM | Permalink

2/11/2011 By Lance Cpl. Christofer P. Baines , Headquarters Marine Corps

ARLINGTON, Va. — “Working in pitch darkness with only the occasional flickering illumination from aircraft dropped flares above and suffering a leg and hand wound from mortar fire, Lance Cpl. Seath expertly crafted an operational M-60 machine gun from the pieces of two disabled weapons. Immediately and with devastating effects, he directed deadly accurate fire at the onrushing enemy, ultimately repelling the enemy's assault.” – Navy Cross citation.

Continue reading "Marine recieves Navy Cross for heroic actions during Vietnam War" »

Posted by sr at 5:12 PM | Permalink

Lance Cpl. Ned Seath was recognized for valor 45 years after saving his comrades from oncoming North Vietnamese soldiers; he also received a Bronze Star with ‘V’ device for previous actions

By James K. Sanborn - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Feb 11, 2011 16:48:09 EST

TRIANGLE, Va. — On the night of July 16, 1966, Lance Cpl. Ned Seath saved Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines. He had been painfully wounded by mortar fire in the leg and hand but frantically worked to assemble an M60 machine gun from the fragments of two badly damaged weapons.

Continue reading "Navy Cross presented to Vietnam-era Marine" »

Posted by sr at 10:12 AM | Permalink

2/7/2011 By Sgt. Justin M. Pack , Recruiting Station Denver

DENVER — “I had two options,” the 89-year-old pilot states. “I could ditch my plane or bail out of the cockpit into the dark waters below.” As the man speaks, his blue eyes light up as though he is back at the control of his F4U Corsair over the Pacific Ocean in 1944. “I decided to jump out of my cockpit,” he says with a smile.

Continue reading "Documenting history in Denver: Aviator educates new generation" »

Posted by sr at 10:32 PM | Permalink

Courtesy Story | 1st Marine Division | Date: 02.03.2011

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- In late 1944, based on casualty estimates and the inevitable need for replacement officers in the war against Japan, the U.S. Marine Corps convened a special Officer Candidates School at Camp Lejeune, N.C. Four hundred officers were trained, commissioned, and rushed to the Pacific Theater of Operations. Half would be sent to Iwo Jima in Feburary 1945, the remainder would serve on Okinawa beginning in April 1945.

Continue reading "Iwo Jima veteran visits Afghan-bound battalion" »

Posted by sr at 4:50 PM | Permalink

2/2/2011 By Lance Cpl. John Robbart III , Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — Military honors are given to those who have passed and honorably served in the U.S. Armed Forces, whether it is for four years or forty.

Continue reading "Battalion honor guard conducts funerals for veterans" »

Posted by sr at 11:09 PM | Permalink

By KRISTEN WYATT
Associated Press
Jan 31, 4:52 PM EST

DENVER (AP) -- The simple banner is designed to honor those who served and died in the military. But a national campaign to add the red-and-white "Honor and Remember" flag to official U.S. flag displays on military holidays is creating painful divisions among veterans and the relatives of loved ones killed in action.

Continue reading "Veterans, families of KIA torn over flag proposal" »

Posted by sr at 5:21 PM | Permalink

The general who led U.S. forces in Afghanistan makes the case for national service and the ‘basic responsibilities of being an American.’

by Stanley McChrystal
January 23, 2011

Standing recently in New Haven’s small train station, I was approached by a stranger who thanked me for my service. His gratitude was clearly genuine—and I deeply appreciated it.

Continue reading "Step Up For Your Country" »

Posted by sr at 11:21 PM | Permalink

Friday, January 21, 2011
John Garcia

January 21, 2011 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- Tickets to the game Sunday are a hot item -- it is only the second time in the 89-year rivalry that the Bears and Packers have met in the playoffs.

Continue reading "Vets get surprise Bears-Packers tickets" »

Posted by sr at 9:31 PM | Permalink

By Sharon L. Peters Special for USA TODAY
01.20.11

The number of veterans who get rehabilitation and re-entry help from dogs will substantially increase if a bill introduced in the House of Representatives this month becomes law.

Continue reading "Man's best friend could soon be veteran's best medicine" »

Posted by sr at 4:40 PM | Permalink

By Rick Rogers - For The North County Times North County Times - The Californian | Posted: Friday, January 14, 2011 12:00 am

What used to be only whispered is finally public knowledge: Human resource managers are leery of hiring veterans.

Continue reading "Job barriers, yes, but vets can climb" »

Posted by sr at 5:19 PM | Permalink

By Larry Shaughnessy, CNN Pentagon Producer
January 10, 2011 9:22 p.m. EST

Washington (CNN) -- Richard "Dick" Winters, a decorated hero of World War II and the central figure in the book and miniseries "Band of Brothers," has died. He would have turned 93 years old in February.

Continue reading "Central figure in 'Band of Brothers' dead at 92" »

Posted by sr at 1:07 PM | Permalink

Sgt. William W. Rollins, no longer in the Corps, fought to silence the enemy and protect wounded Marines

By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Jan 3, 2011 5:53:22 EST

Sgt. William W. Rollins was on a routine reconnaissance patrol June 19, 2008, in Farah province, Afghanistan, when his unit came under fire from suspected insurgents.

Continue reading "Former SAW gunner receives Silver Star" »

Posted by sr at 9:36 AM | Permalink

December 26, 2010 3:13 PM
HOPE HODGE

After sponsoring trips for 415 local World War II veterans to visit the memorial in their honor in Washington, D.C. officials with Honor Flights SENC said the organization may be reaching the end of a lengthy list of veterans interested in the venture.

Continue reading "Honor flight program reaches end of veteran wait list" »

Posted by sr at 9:42 AM | Permalink

Just 69,000 of 145,000 Eligible Servicemen and Women Filed for Compensation for Serving Past Their Original Discharge Date

By Byron Pitts
Dec. 26, 2010

(CBS) Michael Pereira served his country with honor -- in Afghanistan. Four years ago, he looked forward to leaving the service to be with his wife and family. But he was forced to put his civilian life on hold, reports CBS News correspondent Byron Pitts.

Continue reading "$250M Unclaimed in Stop Loss Compensation Act" »

Posted by sr at 9:01 AM | Permalink

By Kate Wiltrout - The Virginian-Pilot via AP
Posted : Friday Dec 24, 2010 12:43:53 EST

CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Jason Redman remembers what it was like to go out in public while recovering from war wounds — out into what he called “the land of stares and gawks.”

Continue reading "Vets launch clothing line for wounded warriors" »

Posted by sr at 7:14 AM | Permalink

By Elaine Wilson
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16, 2010 – Fang Woo walked into a room, walls adorned with Navy history memorabilia, and made a beeline for a young Marine reservist across the room.

Continue reading "Event Pays Tribute to ‘The Chosin Few’" »

Posted by sr at 9:33 AM | Permalink

December 13, 2010 8:56 AM
HOPE HODGE

Every United States armed service branch offers some assistance to troops transitioning from military to civilian life, but only Marines require their service members to attend a weeklong transition assistance class before they can receive their DD-214.

Continue reading "Marines cycle through transition assistance program as Corps eyes changes" »

Posted by sr at 1:29 PM | Permalink

Paul Perrault and Anthony 'George' Mark, unaware of each other, survived the Japanese attack. Twenty years later, they found themselves neighbors on a Monrovia cul-de-sac. A bond formed between two men who never considered themselves heroes.

By Corina Knoll, Los Angeles Times
December 7, 2010

They were barely men at the time, unaware of each other but baptized by the same fire.

Continue reading "Two neighbors, both Pearl Harbor survivors, are decades-old friends" »

Posted by sr at 11:42 PM | Permalink

By Ron Barnett, USA TODAY
Dec. 7, 2010

Jim Morgan was sleeping a little late on the morning of Dec. 7, 1941.

Continue reading "For a few, Pearl Harbor still a vivid memory" »

Posted by sr at 11:20 PM | Permalink

By AUDREY McAvoy
Associated Press
Dec 6, 9:09 PM EST

HONOLULU (AP) -- The Pearl Harbor Survivors Association will continue for at least a while longer.

Continue reading "Pearl Harbor survivor group: We won't disband yet" »

Posted by sr at 11:05 PM | Permalink

William Clothier is now one of fewer than 3,000 living survivors of the attack, according to staff members at the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument at Pearl Harbor.

By Lynn Thompson
Seattle Times staff reporter
Originally published Monday, December 6, 2010 at 10:01 PM

William Clothier was a 20-year-old Marine private aboard the battleship USS Nevada when Japanese torpedo planes and dive bombers attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.

Continue reading "Pearl Harbor attack still vivid for survivor" »

Posted by sr at 11:01 PM | Permalink

By KEITH MORELLI | The Tampa Tribune
Published: December 6, 2010

In his 85 years, Daniel R. "Danny" Nardico had seen the horrors of war and stared down a raging bull in the boxing ring.

Continue reading "WW II hero continued bravery as a boxer" »

Posted by sr at 10:10 PM | Permalink

Published: Monday, December 06, 2010
By BRADLEY SCHLEGEL
Journal Register News Service

Driving home to visit his family in Philadelphia, Eric Wiesenhutter turned his 1937 Ford around just south of Trenton after hearing news of an air attack on Pearl Harbor, an American naval installation in Hawaii.

Continue reading "Pearl Harbor: ‘Life was going to change for many of us’" »

Posted by sr at 10:09 PM | Permalink

By Matt Brennan For The Beacon-News Dec 6, 2010 07:07PM

AURORA — Pearl Harbor veteran Milton Card of Aurora believes he only survived Dec. 7, 1941, because of a couple fortunate breaks.

Continue reading "Pearl Harbor vets told nation will never forget" »

Posted by sr at 10:00 PM | Permalink

By Tom Pfingsten - For the North County Times North County Times - Californian | Posted: Friday, December 3, 2010 12:00 am

NORTH COUNTY ---- On a cold Wednesday morning in the parking lot of the Fallbrook Veterans of Foreign Wars chapter, a woman stepped out of her car and approached three men in bright blue windbreakers.

Continue reading "Anniversary finds waning number of Pearl Harbor survivors" »

Posted by sr at 10:33 AM | Permalink

Story by Lance Cpl. Tyler Main | Marine Corps Base Hawaii – Kaneohe Bay | Date: 12.02.2010

In May of 1979, 441 Vietnamese refugees fled their country in hopes of landing anywhere but Vietnam. Shortly after leaving, pirates raided their vessel and the refugees were left adrift for days. The USS Tarawa, a United States Navy amphibious assault ship, finally rescued the refugees on May 8. Grace Tarawa Tran was born two days later and immediately became a U.S. citizen.

Continue reading "Returning with Grace" »

Posted by sr at 10:17 PM | Permalink

By Bruce Finley
The Denver Post
Posted: 12/02/2010 01:00:00 AM MST
Updated: 12/02/2010 09:40:03 AM MST

Combat missions in Iraq gave U.S. Marines veteran Jordan Latva a purpose — until an exploding rocket-propelled grenade took him out. He recovered from his physical wounds after eight surgeries.

Continue reading "Veterans searching for purpose back home take on "green" jobs" »

Posted by sr at 12:25 PM | Permalink

By Jennifer Reeger
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Saturday, November 27, 2010

The Chinese would come for them at night. They'd bang cymbals and blow horns. Then the Chinese soldiers would scream at them through loudspeakers from the dark.

Continue reading "Marines recall chilling 'miracle' at Chosin Reservoir" »

Posted by sr at 11:39 PM | Permalink

By James K. Sanborn - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Nov 27, 2010 8:54:17 EST

Former Marines and those nearing their end of active service are eligible to apply for a reserved spot at one of 18 schools under the California State University system.

Continue reading "Calif. universities target Marine veterans" »

Posted by sr at 9:30 AM | Permalink

Man's daughter says she immediately recognized dad in image from 1944

By Jim Carney
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Friday, Nov 26, 2010

A mystery that was decades in the making ended with just one glance.

Continue reading "Mystery WWII Marine is identified in photo" »

Posted by sr at 10:44 PM | Permalink

By William Cole
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Nov 22, 2010

A former Hawaii Marine may be on his way to becoming just the second living service member since the Vietnam War to receive the Medal of Honor.

Continue reading "Former Marine in line for the Medal of Honor" »

Posted by sr at 9:21 AM | Permalink

Story by Master Sgt. Beth Holliker | 180th Fighter Wing Ohio National Guard | Date: 11.17.2010
Date Posted:11.18.2010 13:38

SWANTON, Ohio - “Join the Marines to release a Marine to fight,” read the billboard down the street from where Marjorie Tredway worked as a secretary in 1943. Excited to show her patriotism, she joined the United States Marine Corps Women’s Reserve, two months after the Women’s Reserve was organized.

Continue reading "WWII Pararigger Visits Modern-day Parachute Shop: United States Marine Corps Women’s Reservist Recounts Her Days as a Pararigger During WWII" »

Posted by sr at 10:38 PM | Permalink

By Ian Graham
Emerging Media, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16, 2010 – When Frank “Irish” Healey was in Vietnam, he was a walking dead man. At least that’s what infamous Radio Hanoi broadcaster “Hanoi Hannah” said of Healey and his fellow Marines in the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines.

Continue reading "Veterans’ Reflections: 'Learn Everything You Can'" »

Posted by sr at 9:25 AM | Permalink

By MARK I. JOHNSON, Staff Writer
[email protected]
November 13, 2010 12:05 AM

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- When Bill Rotella lined up behind the starting line of the Marine Corps Marathon, he had two goals in mind -- beat diabetes and help fellow U.S. Marines who had been wounded in combat.

Continue reading "Marine pounds pavement for fellow veterans" »

Posted by sr at 11:44 AM | Permalink

By Ian Graham
Emerging Media, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Nov. 13, 2010 – Michael Tripp is a certified public accountant in East Providence, R.I. He’s also one of the most famous faces from the Vietnam War.

Continue reading "Veterans’ Reflections: ‘Do Your Duty and Be Proud’" »

Posted by sr at 11:38 AM | Permalink

By Ian Graham
Emerging Media, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Nov. 11, 2010 – David Fike got the urge to serve early, but his father insisted that he think about the decision thoroughly and perhaps consider an officer candidate program, rather than running to enlist in the Army Air Corps in 1944.

Continue reading "Veterans’ Reflections: The Value of Military Service" »

Posted by sr at 12:12 PM | Permalink

Article updated: 11/10/2010 12:59 PM
By Daily Herald Report

Bonded by their common interests, a growing number of veterans at Elgin Community College recently formed a new club at the school: Military Branches United.

Continue reading "Veterans hit the books, form a club at Elgin Community College" »

Posted by sr at 1:00 PM | Permalink

By Dave Heun
Article updated: 11/10/2010 12:14 PM

As she does nearly every day, Sarah Giachino glanced through her Daily Herald while sitting at her kitchen counter on a morning in early May.

Continue reading "Suburban woman befriends World War II veteran after reading profile on him" »

Posted by sr at 12:55 PM | Permalink

By Elisabeth Mistretta
Article updated: 11/10/2010 05:50 PM

The daughter of America's last surviving World War I veteran on Wednesday called for construction of a monument to those who served in that war to be built in Washington, D.C.

Continue reading "Last American WWI vet calls for memorial" »

Posted by sr at 12:46 PM | Permalink

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 2010 – Just in time for Veterans Day, a new, state-of-the-art Web portal is being rolled out tomorrow to help veterans – as well as reserve-component members, their families and wounded warriors – land jobs with civilian employers who value their military experience.

Continue reading "Portal Helps Vets, Reserves, Guardsmen Land Jobs" »

Posted by sr at 12:05 PM | Permalink

By Arthur Allen
Special to The Washington Post
Monday, November 8, 2010; 1:51 PM

Rick Yount and his golden retriever puppy, Gabe, had separation issues every morning. "The dog kept looking at me at the door with those sad eyes, and finally it was just impossible to resist," Yount recalled. So one morning, "I decided to take him with me."

Continue reading "Vets with PTSD train dogs to help comrades" »

Posted by sr at 4:58 PM | Permalink

By Jeanette Steele
Friday, November 5, 2010 at 8:32 p.m.

As America honors its former warriors on Veterans Day Thursday, the face of the veteran population continues to shift. Former members of the military who served in Iraq and Afghanistan now make up 14 percent of the San Diego regional veteran population, and 5 percent countrywide.

Continue reading "The changing face of the nation's veterans" »

Posted by sr at 11:45 PM | Permalink

By Ian Graham
Emerging Media, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Nov. 5, 2010 – John J. Kushwara didn’t have to risk his life.

Continue reading "Veterans’ Reflections: Going to War in 1944" »

Posted by sr at 10:13 AM | Permalink

BY MARTHA QUILLIN - Staff Writer
Published Fri, Nov 05, 2010 02:00 AM

FUQUAY-VARINA -- The cold rain that came down Thursday morning as former Marine Corps Sgt. Stanley A. Roberts received the keys to his new house felt like a blessing falling from the sky.

Continue reading "Volunteers give injured ex-Marine a house" »

Posted by sr at 9:38 AM | Permalink

By Lisa Daniel
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 4, 2010 – With Veterans Day around the corner, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Navy Adm. Mike Mullen and his wife, Deborah, sat down with reporters this week to raise visibility on issues important to military families and veterans.

Continue reading "Chairman and Wife Speak Out on Veterans’ Challenges" »

Posted by sr at 6:00 PM | Permalink

By Karen Jowers - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Nov 4, 2010 17:22:11 EDT

Applebee’s officials are expecting to serve more than 1 million free meals to active-duty personnel, reserve component members and veterans at their local restaurants around the country from 11 a.m. to midnight on Veterans Day, Nov. 11.

Continue reading "Free meals at Applebee’s on Veterans Day" »

Posted by sr at 10:07 AM | Permalink

By Kelly Koopmans KVAL News
Story Published: Nov 4, 2010 at 4:49 PM PDT

PART TWO of a three part series. Watch KVAL News on Friday for more on Traumatic Brain Injury

KEIZER, Ore. - There is a reason Julio Najara keeps his apartment dark.

Continue reading "Veteran with brain injury: 'Freedom isn't free ... it has a heavy price'" »

Posted by sr at 9:56 AM | Permalink

By Ian Graham
Emerging Media, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Nov. 3, 2010 – Marie Peckham is a small woman. While it wouldn’t be technically inaccurate to assume she wears military-themed pins and jewelry because her husband served in the military -- he did -- it would be an underestimation of Peckham’s strength.

Continue reading "Veterans’ Reflections: Following in Her Father’s Footsteps" »

Posted by sr at 10:57 AM | Permalink

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29, 2010 – Defense Department officials are working to remind veterans and current servicemembers who were involuntarily retained in the military under the so-called “Stop Loss” program to apply for special pay before the Dec. 3 deadline.

Continue reading "‘Stop Loss’ Special Pay Application Deadline Approaches" »

Posted by sr at 10:59 PM | Permalink

Oct. 25, 2010
By Jim Michaels, USA TODAY
The just-retired Marine Corps commandant says he doubts the U.S. military can withdraw from Afghanistan's volatile south by a July 2011 deadline set by President Obama for the start of force reductions.

Continue reading "Former Marine chief doubts Afghan timetable" »

Posted by sr at 9:11 AM | Permalink

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 22, 2010 – A retired military member seen in newly released video bounding across the path of an oncoming subway car here to rescue a man who had fallen onto the tracks follows a long line of current and former servicemembers who say they instinctively drew on their military training as they became heroes off the battlefield.

Continue reading "Military Training Lays Foundation for Later Lifesaving" »

Posted by sr at 5:38 PM | Permalink

by Lance Cpl. Benjamin Harris | Thursday, October 21, 2010 9:00

When the North Korean People’s Army crossed the country’s southern border into the Republic of South Korea, United Nations’ officials, who had helped establish the border five years earlier, condemned the attack. More than 20 of its member countries pledged their support, including the United States.

Continue reading "The Lost Generation" »

Posted by sr at 10:40 PM | Permalink

By MICHAEL NEWSOM - [email protected]
Thursday, Oct. 21, 2010

BILOXI — World War II veterans who fought at Iwo Jima 65 years ago are in South Mississippi this week for the 5th Marine Division Association’s annual reunion.

Continue reading "5th Marine Division reunites in Biloxi" »

Posted by sr at 8:11 AM | Permalink

Hands badly wounded by bomb

By Tanner Kent Free Press Staff Writer The Mankato Free Press Sat Oct 16, 2010, 11:42 PM CDT

MANKATO — In war-torn Iraq, Neil Schalk’s hands protected the lives of the Marine Corps’s top commanding generals.

Continue reading "Marine to carry flag in marathon" »

Posted by sr at 7:50 PM | Permalink

Saturday, October 16, 2010

October 16, 2010 (NAPERVILLE) (WLS) -- Four marines who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan were welcomed home as heroes in Naperville Saturday night.

Continue reading "Marines given heroes' welcome in Naperville" »

Posted by sr at 5:02 PM | Permalink

Members of the Naperville community welcomed a trio of U.S. Marines home Saturday evening.

By Jeff Cagle | October 16, 2010

A local Marine and his buddies were welcomed home with a police, fire and Warriors' Watch Riders escort through Naperville to a reception at the Judd Kendall VFW Saturday evening.

Continue reading "Naperville Marine Escorted Home in Style" »

Posted by sr at 5:01 PM | Permalink

Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort
Story by Pfc. Justin Boling
Date 10.14.2010

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION BEAUFORT, S.C. -- It is a bright morning as students step into their history class room. The teacher sits behind his desk wearing glasses and a polo shirt with a symbol of the flag raising at Iwo Jima on its front. The students shuffle to get out their binders before the teacher starts his lesson.

Continue reading "Teaching eases one Marine’s loss" »

Posted by sr at 10:55 PM | Permalink

10/7/2010 By Lance Cpl. Lisa M. Tourtelot , Marine Corps Air Station Miramar

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. — More than 850,000 eager spectators came to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Air Show, themed “uncommon valor,” to honor the 65th anniversary of the raising of the flag on Mount Suribachi.

Continue reading "Air show honors uncommon valor" »

Posted by sr at 10:52 PM | Permalink

By Nicholas K. Geranios
Associated Press
2:43 p.m., Thursday, September 30, 2010

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — The White House apologized Thursday for turning the family of a Medal of Honor recipient away from an exclusive tour last week because the late veteran's 10-year-old grandson was wearing shorts.

Continue reading "Veteran's family denied White House tour because of shorts" »

Posted by sr at 5:36 PM | Permalink

By Jeff Schogol
Stars and Stripes
Published: September 30, 2010

WASHINGTON — Congress has extended the deadline to December for veterans to apply for retroactive stop-loss pay.

Continue reading "Deadline extended to apply for retroactive stop-loss pay" »

Posted by sr at 9:20 AM | Permalink

By BARBARA ROUTEN
Tribune correspondent
Published: September 29, 2010

BRANDON - Vietnam veteran James Huff said he got angry every time he saw the tattered American flag flying over the Bloomingdale post office.

Continue reading "Tired of waiting, Marine raises new flag over post office" »

Posted by sr at 10:29 PM | Permalink

Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force – Afghanistan Media Operations Center
Story by Sgt. Katryn McCalment
Date 09.27.2010

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – William Pegler is on his second deployment. He is spending seven months in the dry, dusty climate of Bagram, a mission tens of thousands of enlisted soldiers have completed. What sets Pegler apart from those deployed with him: his first deployment was 38 years ago and was spent in the jungles of Vietnam.

Continue reading "Vietnam vet volunteers for Afghanistan deployment" »

Posted by sr at 9:16 AM | Permalink

Posted Sep 26, 2010 @ 02:08 PM

SAND CREEK, Mich. — A Lenawee County Marine is two-thirds of the way to his goal of raising $1,500 for a nonprofit group that helps those on the front lines.

Continue reading "Marine continues fundraising effort" »

Posted by sr at 10:38 PM | Permalink

Judge David Johnson took off his black robe Friday and for the last time in an official capacity donned one of the garments he has loved even more for the past 27 years — in this instance it was the green-and-khaki service uniform of a United States Marine.

By: Mark Stodghill , Duluth News Tribune
Published September 25 2010

Judge David Johnson took off his black robe Friday and for the last time in an official capacity donned one of the garments he has loved even more for the past 27 years — in this instance it was the green-and-khaki service uniform of a United States Marine.

Continue reading "Judge honored for his 27 years in the Marines" »

Posted by sr at 1:52 PM | Permalink

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

OGDEN -- The list of job titles on a college football coaching roster is pretty standard: Head coach, offensive and defensive coordinator and position coaches.

Continue reading "Ex-Marine instills leadership in Weber State football players" »

Posted by sr at 10:18 PM | Permalink

By Eva Ruth Moravec - Express-News
Web Posted: 09/17/2010 12:00 CDT

As he sat among 932 other new U.S. citizens in a crowded Laurie Auditorium, waving a small flag and clapping along to John Philip Sousa's “Stars and Stripes Forever,” Tony Casas let go of a resentment he'd held onto for decades.

Continue reading "Retired marine among 933 new U.S. citizens" »

Posted by sr at 11:04 PM | Permalink

9/15/2010 By Lance Cpl. Tyler C. Vernaza , 31st MEU

INCHEON, Republic of Korea — Family, friends and service members from around the world gathered in one place today to honor the alliance of the Republic of Korea, Australia, and the United States, and to remember those who gave everything defending freedom.

Continue reading "Historic landing reunites past with present" »

Posted by sr at 5:10 PM | Permalink

Reported by: Jim Patton
Email: [email protected]
Last Update: 9/15 11:27 pm

CAMP PENDLETON - A new monument stands at Camp Pendleton, honoring the Marines and Soldiers who fought in the battle of the Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War.

Continue reading "New Monument Honors Marines and Soldiers at Camp Pendleton" »

Posted by sr at 5:02 PM | Permalink

Updated: Wednesday, 08 Sep 2010, 2:17 PM EDT
Published : Tuesday, 07 Sep 2010, 10:43 PM EDT

YARMOUTH (FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) - Yarmouth police say an 83-year-old World War II Marine Corps veteran fought off a 19-year-old man who broke into his home and attacked him with a glass candlestick.

Continue reading "83-year-old WWII vet fends off teen robber" »

Posted by sr at 11:35 PM | Permalink

9/8/2010 By Lance Cpl. Steven H. Posy , Marine Corps Air Station Miramar

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. — Navy pilots from the Vietnam era paved the way for modern aviation, and when some of them returned to the flight line more than 40 years later, they brought back the magic of the past to today’s generation.

Continue reading " Vigilantes return to Miramar, share memories" »

Posted by sr at 11:15 PM | Permalink

BY KELLY LYELL • [email protected] • September 8, 2010

For the past four years, Adam Klingenberg has put his life on the line for his country.

Continue reading "Former Marine gunner walking on with CSU football team" »

Posted by sr at 8:54 AM | Permalink

* By Jim Schultz
* Record Searchlight
* Posted September 3, 2010 at 11:56 p.m.

A Redding man is leaving this weekend for Korea, his second trip there at government expense.

Continue reading "War vet wins trip back to Korea" »

Posted by sr at 11:37 PM | Permalink

Thursday, September 2, 2010 02:59 AM
By Jeb Phillips
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

One of the most highly decorated Marines during the war in Iraq had to drink to fall asleep. He once tried to kill himself.

Continue reading "Hero helps 'broken' troops" »

Posted by sr at 9:29 AM | Permalink

1st Marine Division
Story by Sgt. Dean Davis
Date08.31.2010

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – When Cpl. Jeff Van Cleave left the Marine Corps in 1990 in hopes of becoming an officer, he wasn’t sure he would ever come back to the Marine Corps. Now, the U.S. Army major, who proudly wears the 1st Marine Division patch on his uniform, has returned and is responsible for all artillery in Helmand province, but the journey back to the “Blue Diamond” has taken him farther than he ever expected.

Continue reading "Army officer comes home to the Marines" »

Posted by sr at 11:08 PM | Permalink

By FELICIA FONSECA Associated Press Writer © 2010 The Associated Press
Aug. 29, 2010, 1:54PM

ALBUQUERQUE — Tourists hurry inside a shop here to buy books about the famed Navajo Code Talkers, warriors who used their native language as their primary weapon.

Continue reading "Original Navajo Code Talker still tells his story" »

Posted by sr at 10:26 PM | Permalink

Richard Verrier
August 24, 2010

Actress Shannon Lucio has just overpowered two rogue cops using everything from a pants belt to a shard of glass. She applied the “one-mind-many-weapons” technique taught to her by former Marine sergeant Jon Barton, who was watching the action unfold as the cameras rolled inside a former shoe warehouse in North Hollywood late Sunday night.

Continue reading "From here to Moorpark: Ex-Marine drills Hollywood in weapons & tactics" »

Posted by sr at 8:12 AM | Permalink

Jim “Seamus” Garrahy didn’t set out to become the guest of honor at the U.S. Marine Corps Barracks at 8th and I streets in Washington, D.C. Friday evening.

Continue reading "'Once a Marine, always a Marine'" »

Posted by sr at 10:26 AM | Permalink

With an Oct. 21 deadline approaching to apply for a $500 monthly stop-loss allowance, the Defense Department appears to have exhausted most conventional means of trying to contact eligible veterans and is now asking current service members to get involved by calling any buddies who may be eligible.

Continue reading "DoD to troops: Tell buddies about stop-loss pay" »

Posted by sr at 4:11 PM | Permalink

The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Aug 2, 2010 8:39:19 EDT

BOLINGBROOK, Ill. — A suburban Chicago veteran of the U.S. Army and Marine Corps who received numerous awards during his more than two-decade military career was named the Illinois Veteran of the Month for July.

Continue reading "Former Marine named Illinois vet of the month" »

Posted by sr at 11:01 PM | Permalink

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. • The reading of Sophocles' classic drama "Ajax" was polished and powerful.

Continue reading "'Ajax' strikes chord with Marine veterans" »

Posted by sr at 1:40 PM | Permalink

By William H. McMichael - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jul 28, 2010 17:18:55 EDT

Time is running out for current and former troops involuntarily held on active duty beyond their service commitments to apply for retroactive $500 monthly payments.

Continue reading "Oct. 21 is deadline to apply for stop-loss pay" »

Posted by sr at 5:05 PM | Permalink

By Natalie Bailey - Medill News Service
Posted : Tuesday Jul 13, 2010 18:08:55 EDT

With her copper hair, pale skin and small stature, Army Reserve Sgt. Jennifer Hunt, 26, stands out in the Veterans Affairs Department hospital waiting room filled with Vietnam War-era veterans.

Continue reading "Back home, female vets fight for recognition" »

Posted by sr at 5:14 PM | Permalink

TOPSAIL BEACH — Two families proved this weekend that, even if six-and-a-half decades go by, it’s never too late to fulfill a promise.

Continue reading "After 65 years, WWII veteran meets family of man who saved his life" »

Posted by sr at 11:18 PM | Permalink

Battle is on to add ‘Marine Corps’ to name

Dick Agler, an 80-year-old retired Marine, sat in the dim glow of a veterans canteen and chuckled into his beer. He chose that service in 1949 to avoid the Navy. “I didn’t want to be trapped on a ship,” he recalled.

Continue reading "Department of the Navy and ... ?" »

Posted by sr at 4:51 PM | Permalink

HARRISBURG — Tim Salisbury never thought anyone but family and close friends would remember his brother, Jim, who died in Vietnam 42 years ago.

Continue reading "Marine gets belated memorial" »

Posted by sr at 10:26 PM | Permalink

Lima Company of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Corps Regiment had a storied history in Vietnam. From Operation Hastings in 1966 to the Battle for Hue in 1968 to the end of Marine Corps combat operations in 1971, Lima was in the thick of things. Its veterans have a reunion every year, and this year it's in St. Louis.

Continue reading "Marine's brief time with Marine company brings long-lasting bond" »

Posted by sr at 9:42 PM | Permalink

Sitting at the kitchen table interviewing the retired master sergeant, it was clear that the former tank platoon leader was someone who had given his all in his devotion to country - serving in both Korea and Vietnam.

Continue reading "Joe Martinez: Once a Marine, always a Marine" »

Posted by sr at 4:58 PM | Permalink

Marine and Stafford resident Harry Clark was among the 'Devil Dogs' who fought in an iconic battle with the Germans in June 1918

The date June 6 is usually remembered for the start of the Allied invasion of Normandy in 1944.

Continue reading " Honoring the heroes of Belleau Wood fight" »

Posted by sr at 3:13 PM | Permalink

Even though nearly 60 years have passed, Jess Meado still gets emotional when he thinks about fellow Marines killed in Korea.

Continue reading "Memories of ‘Forgotten War' linger for vets who were there" »

Posted by sr at 8:35 AM | Permalink

By Casey Cora - (Tinley Park) Southtown Star via Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday May 25, 2010 8:13:15 EDT

OAK LAWN, Ill. — For any potential homebuyer, searching for the right house is a struggle, one fraught with choices over aesthetics, location and practicality.

Continue reading "Volunteers refit home for injured Marine" »

Posted by sr at 8:30 AM | Permalink

By Kelly Kennedy - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday May 20, 2010 13:54:13 EDT

A study shows that there may be a reason that those with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder deal with more physical health issues as they age: Their immune system has been compromised.

Continue reading "Study links weak immune systems, PTSD" »

Posted by sr at 8:42 AM | Permalink

FREEHOLD — Though the process to name a bridge after a hometown hero took four years of legislative work and fundraising to come to fruition, the effort to honor Marine Cpl. Philip Reynolds was 60 years in the making.

Continue reading "Rt. 9 bridge in Freehold renamed to honor late Marine" »

Posted by sr at 11:42 AM | Permalink

By Todd Richmond - The Associated Press
Posted : Monday May 17, 2010 10:08:25 EDT

MADISON, Wis. — Thousands of Vietnam-era veterans are set to converge on Lambeau Field next weekend hoping for the words they’ve waited 40 years to hear: Thank you.

Continue reading "Thousands of Vietnam vets to gather for thanks" »

Posted by sr at 9:12 PM | Permalink

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The inaugural Warrior Games at the Olympic Training Center here will draw to a close this evening, leaving in their wake a few hundred happy, but very tired troops, family members and volunteers.

Continue reading "Inaugural Warrior Games Set to Wrap Up" »

Posted by sr at 10:22 AM | Permalink

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., May 13, 2010 – When retired Marine Corps 1st Sgt. John Fuller was asked how he thought the inaugural Warrior Games archery competition would turn out, his answer was complicated, yet simple. And it was right.

Continue reading "Marines Earn Gold, Silver in Warrior Games Archery" »

Posted by sr at 5:04 PM | Permalink

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., May 13, 2010 – The Marine Corps teams competing at the inaugural Warrior Games here have a wealth of coaching knowledge available to their athletes.

Continue reading "Husband, Wife Coach Marine Shooting Team" »

Posted by sr at 4:55 PM | Permalink

An Afghan insurgent's homemade bomb shattered Marc Esposito's lower legs, broke his back and knocked him cold for four days. But the Air Force staff sergeant says the worst part was being torn from his Special Operations teammates who stayed in the field after he was evacuated.

Continue reading "Warrior Games give injured vets kinship, strength" »

Posted by sr at 4:42 PM | Permalink

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., May 12, 2010 – The Marine Corps team is on top after yesterday’s first day of competition at the inaugural Warrior Games here, sweeping their opponents and finishing 4-0 in team play.

Continue reading "Marines Dominate in Early Competition at Warrior Games" »

Posted by sr at 4:47 PM | Permalink

By Kimberly Hefling - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday May 11, 2010 7:06:39 EDT

ARLINGTON, Va. — Garage sales and quilt raffles helped a determined group of female World War II veterans raise money to transform a rundown wall at Arlington National Cemetery into a grand stone memorial to women who served their country. But those women are dying off, even as the memorial runs short of funds.

Continue reading "Women’s memorial at Arlington struggling" »

Posted by sr at 8:50 AM | Permalink

By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Apr 27, 2010 13:33:37 EDT

Disabled veterans with sight, hearing and mobility limitations who might benefit from having a service dog at their side are being encouraged by a major veterans service organization to apply for government reimbursement of some dog-related expenses.

Continue reading "More vets eligible for service dog benefits" »

Posted by sr at 8:18 AM | Permalink

For Gerald Fuller, the thought of accomplishing something that his son had talked about before passing away in 2009 brought tears to his eyes Friday.

Continue reading "Memorial restoration drive launched in memory of Marine" »

Posted by sr at 5:54 PM | Permalink

The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Apr 22, 2010 5:43:36 EDT

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — George Chavez Sr., a member of the Navajo Code Talkers who confounded the Japanese during World War II by transmitting messages in their native language, has died. He was 85.

Continue reading "Another Navajo Code Talker passes away" »

Posted by sr at 6:04 PM | Permalink

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan - From remembering people from the past to relaxation and even shaping the war atmosphere, one man has found a way to use bagpipes to fulfill many different needs

Continue reading "Pipes Playing in Afghanistan" »

Posted by sr at 5:31 PM | Permalink

Vancouver man endured decades of nightmares

Rudy Podhora has relived images of World War II combat plenty of times over the last 65 years.

Continue reading "HBO series ‘The Pacific’ stirs Marine’s memories" »

Posted by sr at 10:42 PM | Permalink

WASHINGTON - With 153,000 veterans enrolled in the Post-9/11 GI Bill this semester, and new automation tools to arrive this month to improve processing procedures, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki declared the program "on track" and headed toward greater efficiency.

Continue reading "Automation to Improve Post-9/11 GI Bill Processing" »

Posted by sr at 9:29 AM | Permalink

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Alabama's top officials on Thursday honored two Mobilians whose World War II service in the Marines has become famous through television specials.

Continue reading "State honors WWII veterans Sidney Phillips, Eugene Sledge" »

Posted by sr at 7:33 AM | Permalink

In September 1967, the 1st Marine Division headed Operation Swift, a search-and-destroy operation the division undertook in Vietnam’s Que Son Valley.

Continue reading " Former corpsman honored for heroism" »

Posted by sr at 7:25 AM | Permalink

Marine Corps veteran G. Dudley Bowers said he won’t watch HBO’s ongoing 10-part World War II miniseries, “The Pacific.”

Continue reading "Area veteran pops up in famous war photograph" »

Posted by sr at 10:37 PM | Permalink

Bruce Heilman, 84, said he can still remember the sound of gunfire blazing throughout the historical battle that took place more than six decades ago during World War II on the island of Iwo Jima.

Continue reading "Veterans return to Iwo Jima 65 years later: Heilman's story" »

Posted by sr at 8:53 AM | Permalink

William Faulkner was 21 when he landed on Iwo Jima for what would become one of history's bloodiest battles.

Continue reading "St. Charles ex-Marine shares memories of Iwo Jima" »

Posted by sr at 11:39 PM | Permalink

All eyes were on World War II veterans as they were honored and recognized at the World War II Memorial in Washington March 11 for their participation in the Pacific Campaign more than 65 years ago.

Continue reading "World War II vets honored on the grounds of their memorial" »

Posted by sr at 11:28 AM | Permalink

Medical providers stress that there's a commitment to serve all military personnel.

CHEYENNE -- Veteran health care is changing along with changing military demographics.

Continue reading "VA focuses on needs of more female vets" »

Posted by sr at 4:17 PM | Permalink

Marine Corps veteran and Broomfield, Colo., native, Joe Weinmeier, also known as "Flaming Joe," 83, gave serious thought about returning to the place where he fought in one of the fiercest battles of World War II and where he witnessed so many pay the ultimate sacrifice.

Continue reading "'Flaming Joe' returns to Iwo Jima 65 years later" »

Posted by sr at 8:30 AM | Permalink

A new series follows soldiers who fought in that war on the islands.

I whispered goodbye to the men of Fox Company

and all the other men in green

that we left on the beach at Iwo.

Cal Atwood, a Marine corporal wounded in battle on Iwo Jima, wrote those words about 30 years ago, decades after saying goodbye to his fallen comrades from a hospital bed in Guam.

Continue reading "Pacific theater Marines happy to have story told" »

Posted by sr at 3:02 PM | Permalink

By James K. Sanborn - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Mar 14, 2010 9:12:23 EDT

R. Lee Ermey made his reputation using words and expletives as blunt-force instruments as a drill instructor in the iconic movie “Full Metal Jacket.”

Continue reading "Ermey speaks his mind on Corps issues" »

Posted by sr at 1:57 AM | Permalink

By David Bauder - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Mar 5, 2010 18:08:33 EST

NEW YORK — HBO is paying to send 250 veterans to Washington next week to visit the World War II memorial, coinciding with the networks’ premiere of a miniseries about the war.

Continue reading "HBO paying for honor flight for Marine vets" »

Posted by sr at 8:37 AM | Permalink

SAN DIEGO -- Many local military leaders, members of the military community and veterans attended the San Diego premiere of "The Pacific" aboard the USS Midway, Feb. 25.

Continue reading "HBO Brings Marines' History to Life" »

Posted by sr at 9:06 AM | Permalink

IWO TO, Japan – Hundreds of U.S. Marines landed on the remote island of Iwo Jima on Tuesday to prepare for the 65th anniversary of one of World War II's bloodiest and most iconic battles.

Continue reading "US Marines land on Iwo Jima to mark anniversary" »

Posted by sr at 11:37 PM | Permalink

NEW YORK — For a civilian it's a source of inspiration. For a photographer it's a dynamic study of composition and structure. For a historian it inspires debates on amphibious tactics and whether an island a third the size of Manhattan should have been bypassed in favor of other objectives.

Continue reading "The picture of Marines: past and present" »

Posted by sr at 11:23 PM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. — LEROY HULSER

It was Feb. 19, 1945, and Cpl. Leroy Hulser, a 19-year-old radioman with Company B, 3rd Amphibian Tractor Battalion, was looking at the beach of Iwo Jima from a landing ship tank, an amphibious vehicle designed to transport personnel in shallow water where coral reefs made it hard for conventional vessels to travel in.

Continue reading "Iwo Jima: 65 years later" »

Posted by sr at 4:45 PM | Permalink

CAMP H.M. SMITH, Hawaii — Dozens of Marines, sailors and Republic of Korea service members with U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, gathered for a Korean War presentation Feb. 25 at the Sunset Lanai, Camp H.M Smith Hawaii.

Continue reading "Korean War vets tell their stories" »

Posted by sr at 4:40 PM | Permalink

Today is the 65th anniversary of the U.S. landing

Salt water drops sprayed over the gray gunnels of the landing craft and darkened the green uniform of U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. Clarence Robinson. He eyed the black sands ringing the shore of Iwo Jima, a pork-chop-shaped spit of sulfur-belching volcanic rock sprouting from the Pacific Ocean.

Continue reading " Marine recalls the fight for Iwo Jima" »

Posted by sr at 9:06 PM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — He has faithfully dedicated three times the required years necessary to retire and is still going.

Continue reading "Former Marine dedicates 60 years to Corps, still going strong" »

Posted by sr at 10:58 PM | Permalink

Staff report
Posted : Thursday Jan 14, 2010 13:36:32 EST

A 68-year-old Marine veteran fended off a knife-wielding, 6-foot-tall, 300-pound attacker in a Cumberland, Md., parking lot during a minutes-long struggle on Sunday, local media reported.

Continue reading "Marine vet repels knife-wielding attacker" »

Posted by BR at 7:23 PM | Permalink

By Meggan Grat - WLOX-TV via AP
Posted : Friday Dec 18, 2009 7:55:44 EST

GAUTIER, Miss. — A retired Marine is walking across the country in honor of veterans.

Continue reading "Marine walks across country for disabled vets" »

Posted by sr at 11:14 PM | Permalink

Medal of Honor recipient Lewis Millett of Idyllwild died Saturday morning at Jerry L. Pettis Memorial VA Medical Center in Loma Linda. He was 88.

Continue reading "Medal of Honor recipient Lewis Millett dies at age 88" »

Posted by BR at 8:05 PM | Permalink

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12, 2009 – Senior federal officials today pledged their support of President Barack Obama’s directive to increase the hiring of military veterans.

Continue reading "Federal Officials Pledge Support for Hiring Veterans" »

Posted by BR at 8:20 PM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan — A good mind is a terrible thing to waste, but failing to maximize GI Bill benefits is just plain foolish.

Continue reading "Get educated: Ins, outs of Post 9/11, Montgomery GI Bills" »

Posted by sr at 9:56 AM | Permalink

Liquor store owner: Fund raised $2,000 within about an hour

Jackson small business owners have started a reward fund to draw out information about who shot locksmith Troy Mitchell while he was working at an apartment complex earlier this week.

Continue reading "Business owners announce reward fund in shooting" »

Posted by sr at 11:23 PM | Permalink

Washington -- Former Marine Lance Cpl. Josef Lopez completed his third Marine Corps Marathon on a crisp fall Sunday, one of about 60 riding hand-cranked bikes on a course that passes by memorials to Jefferson, Lincoln and Washington.

Continue reading "Injured vet inspires legislation" »

Posted by sr at 10:34 PM | Permalink

By Brandon Macz - The Lewiston (Idaho) Tribune via AP
Posted : Sunday Oct 25, 2009 17:17:58 EDT

LEWISTON, Idaho — It was during the Battle of Saipan in 1944 that Laverne Coulthard came to possess the flag. His squad had orders to cross Japanese lines to establish an observation unit on Mount Tapotchau.

Continue reading "Flag taken by Marine at Saipan draws attention" »

Posted by BR at 8:54 PM | Permalink

By Kimberly Hefling - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Oct 15, 2009 13:10:33 EDT

WASHINGTON — Female soldiers and others serving in dangerous roles behind the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan have long complained it was hard to prove their combat experience when applying for disability for post-traumatic stress disorder.

Continue reading "Proposal could ease way for disability payments" »

Posted by BR at 9:27 PM | Permalink

Last week, Loveland veteran Tom Buchanan was given a Marine’s challenge coin that had been accidentally left behind at a local restaurant

Continue reading "Marine memento returned to owner in Loveland" »

Posted by BR at 2:02 PM | Permalink

Loveland’s Tom Buchanan — commandant of the Loveland Marine Corps League and a retired Marine himself — knows how important a challenge coin can be to a Marine.

Continue reading "Marine on mission to find special coin’s owner" »

Posted by BR at 2:14 PM | Permalink

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2009 – Checks for up to $3,000 soon will be available to students who have applied for Veterans Affairs educational benefits and who have not yet received their government payment

Continue reading "VA to Provide Emergency Checks to Students Awaiting Benefits" »

Posted by BR at 10:39 PM | Permalink

NOBLESVILLE, Ind. —
Once a Marine, always a Marine, is a slogan many Marines have heard at lest once during their career.

Continue reading "Marine celebrates 90th birthday with special flagpole ceremony" »

Posted by BR at 2:01 PM | Permalink

By Karen Jowers - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Sep 6, 2009 8:16:30 EDT

The Department of Veterans Affairs is moving closer to simplifying the process for many veterans to link post-traumatic stress disorder to their military service, whether in a war zone or not, which opens the door for disability benefits.

Continue reading "Change would streamline PTSD claims for vets" »

Posted by BR at 9:41 PM | Permalink

Teal Moran stood at a window of her family's brand-new two-story home on Monday afternoon, staring at a growing throng of Boy Scouts waving American flags and Marines standing at attention in dress uniforms.

Continue reading "Gates hands Marine keys to new house" »

Posted by BR at 2:35 PM | Permalink

WASHINGTON | It wasn’t a bullet or roadside bomb that felled Lance Cpl. Josef Lopez three years ago, after just nine days in Iraq.

Continue reading "Missouri veteran injured by vaccine ineligible for benefit" »

Posted by sr at 1:43 PM | Permalink

FAIRBORN — Marine Lance Cpl. Larry Draughn Jr. credits his remarkable recovery after losing both legs in Afghanistan on May 31 to his stubbornness and something he learned from his late father.

Continue reading "Local Marine loses both legs, not his spirit" »

Posted by BR at 3:05 PM | Permalink

One of the most oft-cited benefits to military service is that it gives members training and skills that they can use in private life. But few companies seem eager to help veterans convert these disciplines to civilian employment. In fact, a stint in the military is often not a career salvation but a job killer.

Continue reading "Maid Brigade's new program helps veterans clean up" »

Posted by BR at 2:54 PM | Permalink

By Trista Talton - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Aug 17, 2009 16:56:09 EDT

The Corps has stopped putting Individual Ready Reserve Marines on involuntary orders, phasing out recalls as the active-duty force has grown to 202,000.

Continue reading "Bigger Corps stops calling up IRR Marines" »

Posted by BR at 6:18 PM | Permalink

“I came here [to Quantico] to tell a story,” said Alexander J. Mlodzianowski, former Marine and veteran of the World War II battle for the island of Guadalcanal.

Continue reading "Remembering Guadalcanal" »

Posted by BR at 1:52 PM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE ALBANY, Ga. — On Independence Day, a local family was surprised to discover something about their freedom that they never knew.

Continue reading "Daughter honors grandfather’s heroic service with the help of local Marine" »

Posted by BR at 8:17 PM | Permalink

Received 59 medals for actions in three conflicts

The Associated Press
Posted : Saturday Jun 27, 2009 10:07:49 EDT

CLACKAMAS, Ore. — Retired Marine Corps Col. Kenneth L. Reusser, who was called the most decorated Marine aviator in history and was shot down in three wars, has died at age 89.

Continue reading "Highly decorated Marine pilot dies at 89" »

Posted by BR at 9:02 PM | Permalink

There were no lines when I got to the Veterans Health Administration office.

Continue reading "Island Getaways for Vets a 'Click' Away" »

Posted by sr at 9:52 AM | Permalink

By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Jun 25, 2009 15:40:12 EDT

Department of Veterans Affairs officials expressed confidence that the Aug. 1 launch of the Post-9/11 GI Bill will go smoothly, with the first benefits checks to be cut by the Treasury Department on Aug. 3.

Continue reading "Post-9/11 GI Bill going smoothly, VA says" »

Posted by sr at 9:30 AM | Permalink

WASHINGTON (June 25, 2009) -- The first $250 payments to veterans as part of President Obama's recovery plan were sent Monday, and officials at the Department of Veterans Affairs said all payments will be distributed by June 30.

Continue reading "VA begins stimulus payments to veterans" »

Posted by BR at 4:44 PM | Permalink

The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Jun 24, 2009 21:28:16 EDT

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — Another Navajo Code Talker has died.

Continue reading "Another of famed Navajo Code Talkers dies" »

Posted by sr at 9:47 AM | Permalink

The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Jun 10, 2009 5:47:04 EDT

ROY, Utah — George E. Wahlen, a Medal of Honor recipient wounded during the battle of Iwo Jima, has died at 84

Continue reading "Wahlen, Navy MoH recipient for Iwo Jima, dies" »

Posted by BR at 10:23 PM | Permalink

The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Jun 5, 2009 8:31:47 EDT

ORLANDO, Fla. — Charles Donald Albury, co-pilot of the plane that dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan, has died after years of congestive heart failure. He was 88.

Continue reading "Nagasaki A-bomb plane co-pilot, 88, dies" »

Posted by sr at 9:14 AM | Permalink

By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Jun 4, 2009 21:57:18 EDT

OCEANSIDE, Calif. — It seems like a simple request: Plant 1,000 U.S. flags along a stretch of Interstate 5 aboard Camp Pendleton during Labor Day weekend in September.

Continue reading "Marine vets want to put flags along busy road" »

Posted by sr at 9:17 AM | Permalink

The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday May 24, 2009 14:03:09 EDT

WENDOVER, Nev. — Veterans Johnnie Franklin Callahan, James William Dunn and Isaiah Mays may have died years apart, but they're now on a joint cross-country journey to a final resting place.

Continue reading "Bikes escort vets' remains through Utah" »

Posted by sr at 10:12 PM | Permalink

By Felicia Fonseca - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday May 21, 2009 6:09:41 EDT

PHOENIX — A Navajo Code Talker who was part of the original group recruited to develop what became an unbreakable code that confounded the Japanese during World War II has died.

Continue reading "1 of last original Navajo Code Talkers dies" »

Posted by sr at 10:02 AM | Permalink

RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- It started in 1989 as a road trip across the heartland of the United States. Participants of the inaugural Run For The Wall ride were just a couple of veterans who loved their motorcycles and loved their country even more.

Continue reading "Thunder Still Rolls After 20 Years" »

Posted by sr at 9:46 AM | Permalink

Hickory resident provides another memory for Gold Star families

HICKORY - Russ Meade knows the power of a ballot.

Continue reading "Iraqi ballots honor fallen Marines" »

Posted by sr at 11:54 PM | Permalink

WASHINGTON, May 8, 2009 – Surfs up! Military children of wounded or fallen servicemembers will be able to catch their first wave this summer, thanks to Freedom Is Not Free, a California-based troop-support group.

Continue reading "'Little Warriors' Surf Camp to Host 100 Military Children" »

Posted by sr at 9:14 AM | Permalink

WASHINGTON, May 7, 2009 – Tanya Queiro, a former Marine Corps noncommissioned officer, was named the 2009 Military Spouse of the Year at a ceremony held here today.

Continue reading "Former Marine NCO Takes Military Spouse of the Year Honors" »

Posted by sr at 9:33 AM | Permalink

Rulon Davis may or may not make the final 53-man roster for the Denver Broncos. If he doesn't, though, it won't be because his work ethic, attitude or discipline are lacking.

Continue reading "Iraq war veteran tries to catch on with the Broncos" »

Posted by sr at 6:17 PM | Permalink

New GI Bill Transfer Rules Give Members More Control

Servicemembers nearing the end of their careers will find it easier than first thought to transfer new Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefits to their spouse or children, under Department of Defense regulations.

Continue reading "DoD Defines New GI Bill Transfer Rules" »

Posted by sr at 10:57 PM | Permalink

By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Apr 21, 2009 13:18:52 EDT

Applications for the new Post-9/11 GI Bill will be accepted by the Veterans Affairs Department beginning May 1, according the VA and Defense Department officials.

Continue reading "VA to accept new GI Bill applications May 1" »

Posted by sr at 12:30 PM | Permalink

President Obama announced plans on Thursday to computerize the medical records of veterans into a unified system, a move that is expected to ease the now-cumbersome process that results in confusion, lost records and bureaucratic delays.

Continue reading "Obama Offers Plan to Improve Care for Veterans" »

Posted by at 3:26 PM | Permalink

- Larry Garrett, of Northwest Austin, says he won't be able to vote next month. His polling place is the high school he recently got banned from

Continue reading "Vet Upset at Anderson Flag Handling" »

Posted by sr at 10:13 PM | Permalink

Vietnam veteran to receive Silver Star for bravery in battle 42 years ago

Nighttime cloaked Hill 881 South in a blackness that filled the Marines of Mike Company with a well-founded dread.

Continue reading "Hero finally gets his due" »

Posted by sr at 1:10 PM | Permalink

JOSHUA TREE — Korean War veteran and Navy Cross recipient Richard Blasongame raised his American flag on a sturdy new pole Wednesday thanks to help from the United States Marines and some clandestine calls by a fellow veteran.

Continue reading "Marines help Korean War vet raise flag" »

Posted by sr at 1:05 PM | Permalink

Obama Drops Vet Insurance Plan; More Showdowns Loom

President Obama won style points from veterans' service organizations this week even as he was forced, under heavy fire, to withdraw his plan to have the Department of Veterans Affairs bill veterans' health insurance for the cost to VA of treating service-connected medical conditions. More disputes are likely between a White House struggling to impose new restraints on federal spending, and advocates for military members and veterans who have borne the brunt of two long and difficult wars. To learn more, read the full article on Military.com.

Continue reading "Obama Drops Vet Insurance Plan" »

Posted by at 5:16 PM | Permalink

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Veterans groups are angry after President Obama told them Monday that he is still considering a proposal to have treatment for service-connected injuries charged to veterans' private insurance plans.

Continue reading "Veterans groups irate at Obama's private insurance proposal" »

Posted by sr at 8:35 AM | Permalink

The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Mar 16, 2009 11:15:08 EDT

NORMAN, Okla. — A disabled Gulf War veteran who left Norman earlier this month on a hand-propelled bicycle headed for Washington, D.C., to honor fallen soldiers has died.

Continue reading "Veteran on cross-country bike trek dies" »

Posted by sr at 9:44 AM | Permalink

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Marines take care of their own. It’s a mantra every Marine learns in recruit training, and a proud declaration of devotion passed along from generation to generation.
The Inspector-Instructor staff here recently kept true to the saying, by taking care of a Marine who died 37 years ago.

Continue reading "Marines use resources to locate, properly honor first sergeant major of the Marine Corps" »

Posted by sr at 9:59 AM | Permalink

By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Feb 19, 2009 15:35:41 EST

In late December, a former NCO decided to rejoin the Corps.

Continue reading "Re-enlistment getting tougher for Marines" »

Posted by sr at 9:11 AM | Permalink

WASHINGTON, Feb. 6, 2009 – Sixteen million new toys were distributed to 7.6 million children over the Christmas holiday through the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program.

Continue reading "Toys for Tots Successful Despite Slow Economy" »

Posted by sr at 11:00 AM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — The best things in life are not always planned.

Continue reading "Retired Marine paves way for Leathernecks everywhere" »

Posted by sr at 5:42 PM | Permalink

The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Feb 1, 2009 8:56:50 EST

MIDDLEVILLE, Mich. — Former Marine Cpl. Joshua Hoffman was paralyzed from the chest down two years ago by a sniper’s bullet in Iraq. He uses a wheelchair and has been in and out of hospitals with infections.

Continue reading "New home built for paralyzed Marine" »

Posted by sr at 10:11 AM | Permalink

MIDDLEVILLE -- Heather Lovell suspected it all along, but now she is certain: People do care.

Continue reading "Iraq veteran Joshua Hoffman ready for move to home built by volunteers aided by Homes For Our Troops" »

Posted by at 2:53 PM | Permalink

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29, 2009 – Stephen Cochran was a normal 19-year-old with a dream of making music his life when the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks led him down an unplanned path to the Marine Corps.

Continue reading "Face of Defense: Country Music Star Earned Stripes in Iraq, Afghanistan" »

Posted by sr at 8:47 AM | Permalink

By Polly Anderson - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Jan 28, 2009 18:21:46 EST

NEW YORK — James Brady, a decorated Marine officer who went on to become an author and Parade magazine’s celebrity columnist, has died at 80.

Continue reading "Author, columnist and Marine James Brady dies" »

Posted by at 1:37 PM | Permalink

For over 60 years, they knew only that he was lost in battle. Then a Globe account reunited a family with its hero.

CHARLESTON, S.C. - The rain fell steadily from an opaque sky, but the Marines stood ramrod straight, eyes fixed ahead. In the historic graveyard, the Rev. Peter Lanzillotta gazed down at the urn. "You served your country with a full measure of your devotion. We shall salute you and say hail and farewell, good and noble Marine."

Continue reading "A Marine pilot's long journey home" »

Posted by sr at 10:29 AM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. — When Russ Meade was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps in 1994, the former infantryman thought his separation would be only temporary. After obtaining his college degree, he planned on returning to the Marine Corps as an officer and making it a career.

Continue reading "Devil dog providing the Corps with some new threads" »

Posted by sr at 8:47 PM | Permalink

James Elms Swett of Redding once said that notoriety can at times be a “damn nuisance.”

Continue reading "Medal of Honor recipient James Swett of Redding dies at 88" »

Posted by sr at 10:02 AM | Permalink

Episode explores the needs of America’s returning service members

Washington D.C. – Congressman Bob Filner, Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, will appear on Dr. Phil in an episode focused on honoring America’s contract with our military veterans. Dr. Phil talks with veterans and their families about the challenges of returning home after deployment. Congressman Filner shares his views about the medical and mental health care needs of returning service members. He also discusses the need for a good faith reform effort at the Department of Veterans Affairs to improve the care and services offered to America’s veterans. The show, entitled “Beyond the Front Lines,” is scheduled to air on Friday, December 19. Check your local listings for air time.

Continue reading "Filner Discusses Veterans Issues on Dr. Phil Show" »

Posted by sr at 4:22 PM | Permalink

A U.S. Marine from Montana camped in Willits during a stop in what he figures will be a more than 8,000 mile journey across the United States of America.

Continue reading "Marine walking across U.S. reaches Mendocino County" »

Posted by at 2:40 PM | Permalink

A U.S. Marine from Montana camped in Willits during a stop in what he figures will be a more than 8,000 mile journey across the United States of America.

Continue reading "Marine walking across U.S. reaches Mendocino County" »

Posted by at 2:40 PM | Permalink

After 63 years, WWII vet receives Purple Heart

At Pensacola Naval Air Station on Tuesday, Marine Corps Pfc. Johnny Smith finally got his medal.

Continue reading "'Hero' finally gets his heart" »

Posted by at 10:16 AM | Permalink

Just a year after the Women Marines were created, Adene Thompson enlisted. Today, the same woman proudly flies the U.S. Marine flag from the front of her house in Eaton.

Continue reading "Steele made her mark in Women Marines" »

Posted by at 10:38 AM | Permalink

The old man waited quietly in his wheelchair, an oxygen line lacing his face, a military cap atop his head. On Monday just after 11 a.m., a commotion erupted at the Ormond Nursing and Care Center's front door as a slight, somewhat younger gentleman approached.

Continue reading "World War II veteran reunited with man who aided his escape from Japanese prison" »

Posted by sr at 10:34 AM | Permalink

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35, Orlando) -- Orange County deputies are still looking for a robber who held a butcher knife to the throat of woman and demanded cash.

Continue reading "Female Ex-Marine faces down knife welding robber" »

Posted by sr at 10:38 PM | Permalink

ORLANDO, Fla. - A Florida man has been honored for his service during the Vietnam War about 40 years after everyone in his 15-man patrol was wounded in a firefight.

Continue reading "After 40 Years, Marine Gets His Medal" »

Posted by sr at 10:19 AM | Permalink

WASHINGTON, Nov. 26, 2008 – Wounded warriors who call into the Marine Wounded Warrior Call Center near Quantico, Va., find truth in the motto, “once a Marine, always a Marine.”

Continue reading "Staying Power: Marine Corps’ Call Center Contacts, Assists Wounded Warriors" »

Posted by sr at 9:41 AM | Permalink

Tackle life's trials together

The two old Marines, both legally blind, touch fingers while navigating the living room. Their vision has been reduced to shadows and fuzzy shapes. They work as a team to avoid tabletops and footstools.

Continue reading "Marine couple teaming up since WWII" »

Posted by at 3:00 PM | Permalink

Staff report
Posted : Monday Nov 24, 2008 20:07:00 EST

Seasons change, people grow older and military aircraft retire to the Arizona desert.

Continue reading "Former Marine, KC-130 meet up one last time" »

Posted by at 2:44 PM | Permalink

Staff report
Posted : Monday Nov 24, 2008 20:07:00 EST

Seasons change, people grow older and military aircraft retire to the Arizona desert.

Continue reading "Former Marine, KC-130 meet up one last time" »

Posted by at 2:05 PM | Permalink

Charles Meacham, better known as Chuck to his friends and family, has pretty much seen it all.

Continue reading "Once a Marine Raider, always a Marine Raider" »

Posted by at 12:51 PM | Permalink

Navajo Marine visits school on U.S. base, tells of role during WWII

By Tim Wightman, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Thursday, November 13, 2008

YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — A piece of living history visited Yokosuka Naval Base’s elementary school Wednesday to give students a first-hand account of his role in World War II.

Continue reading "Kids tune in to ‘code talker’" »

Posted by at 12:56 PM | Permalink

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12, 2008 – A troop-support group that provides education on the brain’s and body’s natural responses to stress launched its redesigned Web site yesterday.
“Our Web site is completely redesigned to power our mission of providing the best education, training and resources for supporting strength and resilience in all areas of military life,” said Elizabeth Hawkins, executive director of “One Freedom.”

Continue reading "Troop Support Group Launches New Web Site" »

Posted by at 2:12 PM | Permalink

By Karen Jowers - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Nov 7, 2008 12:46:04 EST

Active-duty members, retirees and veterans can get a free meal at a limited number of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar restaurants on Veterans Day, with proof of military service.

Continue reading "Applebee’s offers free meals to military" »

Posted by sr at 10:21 AM | Permalink

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Retired Marine Col. John Ripley, who was credited with stopping a column of North Vietnamese tanks by blowing up a pair of bridges during the 1972 Easter Offensive of the Vietnam War, died at home at age 69, friends and relatives said Sunday.

Continue reading "John Ripley, Vietnam War hero, dies at age 69" »

Posted by sr at 9:59 AM | Permalink

KEVIN BLANCHARD’S freshman year at George Washington University was unlike anybody else’s on campus.

Continue reading "Combat to College" »

Posted by sr at 6:54 PM | Permalink

WASHINGTON -- Veterans and active-duty military not in uniform can now render the military-style hand salute during the playing of the national anthem, thanks to changes in federal law that took effect this month.

Continue reading "New Law Authorizes Veterans’ Salutes during National Anthem" »

Posted by sr at 5:15 PM | Permalink

Gold Star Families License Plate Bill To Be Signed By Governor

Governor Schwarzenegger is signing SB 1455 (Cogdill) – Gold Star Family License Plates – and you are invited to witness this very significant event. Gold Star Families have been waiting a long time to proudly display these license plates which will honor their fallen family members. These families have endured a most painful sacrifice for the sake of our country; let’s now come together to show them our gratitude and support.

Continue reading "SPECIAL INVITATION TO VETERANS" »

Posted by at 1:54 PM | Permalink

Troops can shift them to spouse, kids

By Rick Maze - [email protected]
Posted : October 06, 2008

All career service members, regardless of their military occupational specialty, will be offered the opportunity to transfer GI Bill benefits to immediate family members starting next summer, under a plan taking shape in the Pentagon.

Continue reading "Family members to get GI Bill benefits" »

Posted by sr at 1:20 PM | Permalink

By Rick Maze - [email protected]
Posted : October 06, 2008

In the first of what could become many revisions in its disability ratings, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced Sept. 23 that it is changing how it evaluates traumatic brain injuries, a move that could increase disability compensation for thousands of veterans who have been injured by roadside bombs or other explosions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Continue reading "VA rule change may mean higher TBI payouts" »

Posted by sr at 1:16 PM | Permalink

Posted : October 06, 2008

Bob O’Rourke is a Vietnam War veteran and instructor for Outward Bound veterans courses. Here are three truths he emphasizes to veterans.

Continue reading "Lessons from one vet to another" »

Posted by sr at 9:43 AM | Permalink

What active-duty service members need to know

By Tranette Ledford - [email protected]

If you think leaving active duty to join the National Guard or reserve means no more deployments, think again. Prior service and prior deployments won’t keep you on home turf.

Continue reading "Should you join the Guard or reserve?" »

Posted by at 2:56 PM | Permalink

By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Sep 17, 2008 10:06:16 EDT

Congress appears to be on the verge of abandoning major veterans’ issues in a rush to leave town to run for re-election, charges the legislative director of one of the nation’s largest veterans’ organizations.

Continue reading "Congress may abandon vets’ legislation" »

Posted by at 2:58 PM | Permalink

When benefits start. Who will qualify. How much you may get

By Rick Maze - [email protected]
Posted : July 28, 2008

Just more than a year from now, on Aug. 1, 2009, veterans’ education benefits will undergo a life-changing transformation that will make a four-year college degree suddenly affordable for a new generation of wartime veterans.

Continue reading "New GI Bill answers" »

Posted by sr at 10:35 AM | Permalink

By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jul 9, 2008 17:09:46 EDT

Full-tuition educational benefits included in a new veterans’ program signed into law on June 30 will not take effect until Aug. 1, 2009, unless Congress approves a change in the new law.

Continue reading "Misinformation clouds new GI Bill" »

Posted by sr at 1:14 PM | Permalink

The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Jul 7, 2008 7:02:08 EDT

LONGVIEW, Wash. — After a 63-year wait, Lyle Chambers has received a Purple Heart for his heroism as a 19-year-old Marine private during the World War II South Pacific island battle of Peleliu.

Continue reading "Marine receives Purple Heart, 63 years later" »

Posted by sr at 1:03 PM | Permalink

By Trista Talton - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Jul 1, 2008 6:35:03 EDT

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Cpl. Mark Marcoux set his sights on college long before he was injured by a roadside bomb in Iraq.

Continue reading "Wounded Warrior job fair offers opportunities" »

Posted by at 4:07 PM | Permalink

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President George W. Bush on Monday signed into law a 162-billion-dollar spending bill funding the Afghanistan and Iraq wars well into 2009 -- roughly six months into his successor's term.

Continue reading "Bush signs Iraq and Afghanistan war-funding by Olivier Knox" »

Posted by sr at 8:57 PM | Permalink

By Rick Maze - [email protected]
Posted : June 30, 2008

Lawmakers have approved some of the most significant improvements to the GI Bill since its inception during World War II, an expansion of benefits that will enable new generations of veterans — and for the first time, family members — to fully cover the costs of obtaining a college degree.

Continue reading "Your new GI Bill An average of $80,000 for college — and it’s transferable to your spouse or kids" »

Posted by sr at 1:06 PM | Permalink

WASHINGTON, June 13, 2008 – Tomorrow the United States observes National Flag Day, an annual tribute to the American flag, the ideals it stands for and the sacrifices made to preserve them.

Continue reading "Flag Day: Four Personal Perspectives" »

Posted by sr at 11:16 AM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO — A former depot Marine has found a new way to honor his brothers in arms instead of only extending his thanks or by buying them drinks.

Continue reading "Custom chopper is mobile memorial for veterans" »

Posted by at 10:15 AM | Permalink

Gen. John A. Logan was a Union officer, a fierce Republican partisan, an early advocate of the kind of volunteer army the United States now fights wars with. He is also one of the people credited with coming up with the holiday that we celebrate today. A statue in Logan Circle in Washington shows the general on horseback flanked by two female figures said to represent America at war and America at peace.

Continue reading "The Wars We Choose to Ignore" »

Posted by sr at 8:14 AM | Permalink

TOPSHAM — Everett Pope doesn't care how he's referred to during Monday's Brunswick-Topsham Memorial Day pa-rade, as long as he can ride through it in a rusty Hum-vee instead of a shiny convertible.

Continue reading "Always faithful to his 'boys': Parade marshal embodies Marine Corps ideals" »

Posted by sr at 9:52 AM | Permalink

A luxury housing development in Wailea is the site of a newly dedicated monument honoring the 4th Division Marines who trained on Maui during World War II before shipping out to battles in the Pacific.

Continue reading "Monument to Marines dedicated at development" »

Posted by at 10:12 AM | Permalink

By Trista Talton - [email protected]
Posted : May 26, 2008

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — You gave four to the Corps.

Continue reading "IRR Marines still have Corps rules to follow" »

Posted by sr at 9:40 AM | Permalink

This afternoon, the House of Representatives made history. By an overwhelming margin, lawmakers passed the landmark new GI Bill which will make college affordable to the more than 1.6 million Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.

Continue reading "First Victory on GI Bill Today" »

Posted by sr at 6:22 PM | Permalink

Historic Vote in House of Representatives Tomorrow on World War II-style GI Bill

Iraq Veterans Urge Lawmakers to Vote Yes on GI Bill Funding

NEW YORK -On Thursday, May 8, the House of Representatives will vote on a World War II-style GI Bill for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the nation's first and largest nonpartisan organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, strongly endorses this critical legislation. It was originally introduced in Congress by some of the Senate's own combat veterans, including Senators Jim Webb (D-VA) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE). The bill has the extraordinary bipartisan support of more than 330 Senators and Representatives and the endorsement of every major Veterans Service Organization from IAVA to the American Legion to Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). The GI Bill is being voted on as an amendment to the war supplemental spending plan.

Continue reading "Historic GI Bill Vote Tomorrow" »

Posted by sr at 11:45 AM | Permalink

Time’s ‘green’ Iwo Jima cover sparks outrage among Marines

By Andrew Tilghman - Staff writer
Posted : May 05, 2008

Donald Mates clearly recalls the moment, more than 63 years ago, when he stood at the foot of Mount Suribachi and looked up as his fellow Marines planted an American flag at Iwo Jima.

Continue reading "Image abuse?" »

Posted by sr at 2:52 AM | Permalink

By Adrian Sainz - The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday May 4, 2008 12:09:52 EDT

MIAMI — Armed and alone, Guy Gabaldon roamed Saipan’s caves and pillboxes, using his Japanese language skills to convince enemy soldiers and civilians to surrender during the hellish World War II island battle in the summer of 1944.

Continue reading "New push to award Gabaldon the Medal of Honor" »

Posted by at 3:06 PM | Permalink

By Paul Elias - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday May 1, 2008 7:27:12 EDT

SAN FRANCISCO — A two-week trial that scrutinized the quality of health care for veterans concluded Wednesday with the judge questioning how much authority he had to order changes in the Department of Veterans Affairs, even if he found deficiencies.

Continue reading "VA trial ends with differing views of care" »

Posted by sr at 9:41 AM | Permalink

(04-21) 17:30 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- More than 120 veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq commit suicide every week while the government stalls in granting returning troops the mental health treatment and benefits to which they are entitled, veterans advocates told a federal judge Monday in San Francisco.

Continue reading "VA stalling on care, judge told at S.F. trial" »

Posted by sr at 6:42 PM | Permalink

By Richard S. Lowry
March 12, 2008

December 12, 2004 changed Jason and Lindsey Arellano’s lives forever. U.S. Marine Sergeant Jason R Arellano, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, Kilo Company, 2nd Platoon’s third squad leader found himself in Iraq for the second time. He had last seen American soil on September 11, 2004, leaving his loved ones in prayer and anticipation. Jason and Lindsey recently shared the following write-up with me after I contacted him to request an interview for my book. Jason told me that they wanted to write it all down before the memories faded. Hopefully, they will gather other stories of that fateful day and publish a book of their own. No doubt, I will tell Sergeant Jason Arellano’s story, but this poignant tale will be left for their telling.about

Continue reading "Recording History - Part XIII - Jason and Lindsey" »

Posted by sr at 11:40 PM | Permalink

REDDING, Calif. (Feb 9, 2008) -- Raymond Jacobs, believed to be the last surviving member of the group of Marines photographed during the original U.S. flag-raising on Iwo Jima during World War II, has died at age 82.

Continue reading "Last original Iwo Jima flag-raiser dies at 82" »

Posted by sr at 4:08 PM | Permalink

By William H. McMichael - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Feb 8, 2008 5:28:36 EST

Defense officials and lawmakers are forging ahead on a plan that would allow all troops — not just a few in critical skills — to transfer unused GI Bill education benefits to family members.

Continue reading "Pentagon starts new benefits push" »

Posted by sr at 4:43 PM | Permalink

CRESCENT SPRINGS - At 22-years-old, Greg Dixon has his whole life in front of him. But already, the Iraq war veteran has achieved two life goals: He served his country as a U.S. Marine and is now playing college football at Thomas More College.

Continue reading "Iraq vet finds focus on field, in classroom" »

Posted by sr at 10:23 PM | Permalink

By Stephanie Reitz - The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Feb 4, 2008 6:27:58 EST

HOLYOKE, Mass. — For many returning troops, lifesaving combat instincts can complicate life at home: constant vigilance, agitation in confined places, bolting from loud noises and other behaviors that can be misinterpreted by police.

Continue reading "1st responders trained to spot troubled vets" »

Posted by sr at 10:19 PM | Permalink

By Garry Mitchell - The Associated Press
Posted : Saturday Jan 26, 2008 14:16:36 EST

IRVINGTON, Ala. — Two Black Hawk helicopters hovered and tipped rotors Friday in honor of Marine Sgt. Greg Edwards at a ceremony to start building a specially adapted home for the Edwards family.

Continue reading "Homes for Our Troops begins house in Alabama" »

Posted by sr at 5:39 PM | Permalink

By Kimberly Johnson - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jan 23, 2008 6:05:27 EST

The Corps is reaching back into the Individual Ready Reserve this week to involuntary activate 870 Marines, most for duty in Iraq, service officials said.

Continue reading "Corps involuntarily activates 870 IRR members" »

Posted by sr at 5:10 PM | Permalink

By Erin McClam - The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Jan 21, 2008 9:11:25 EST

LEEDS, Massachusetts — Peter Mohan traces the path from the Iraqi battlefield to this lifeless conference room, where he sits in a kilt and a Camp Kill Yourself T-shirt and calmly describes how he became a sad cliche: a homeless veteran.

Continue reading "A new generation of homeless veterans emerges" »

Posted by sr at 9:57 AM | Permalink

Jay Grodner, the Chicago lawyer who keyed a Marine's car in anger because the car had military plates and a Marine insignia, finally got his day in court last week.

Continue reading "Man who keyed car gets day in court; so do Marines" »

Posted by sr at 2:31 PM | Permalink

ARLINGTON, Va. - The Marine Corps will send orders next week to about 870 members of the Individual Ready Reserve to go downrange in the fall, officials said.

Continue reading "Marines Want 870 IRR Members" »

Posted by sr at 5:13 PM | Permalink

The young marine lighted a cigarette and let it dangle. White smoke wafted around his helmet. His face was smeared with war paint. Blood trickled from his right ear and the bridge of his nose.

Continue reading "Two lives blurred together by a photo" »

Posted by sr at 11:22 PM | Permalink

Despite concerns of overstepping, Times photographer Luis Sinco feels compelled to help the Iraq vet he made famous.

James Blake Miller was in a world of pain, and I figured I should be by his side.

Continue reading "Rescue operation aims to save a wounded warrior" »

Posted by sr at 11:31 PM | Permalink

When he celebrates the 232nd birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps this year, Bill Pastino will do something a little different --he's going to treat any Howard County veteran who shows up at his Ellicott City brew pub to lunch.

Continue reading "Marine veteran will thank fellows via holiday lunch" »

Posted by sr at 10:20 PM | Permalink

Door County was a nice change of scenery for Craig Nelson.

Continue reading "Home from war, troops get much-needed vacation; Operation Welcome Homes gives free getaways in Door County" »

Posted by sr at 9:27 AM | Permalink

Door County was a nice change of scenery for Craig Nelson.

Continue reading "Home from war, troops get much-needed vacation; Operation Welcome Homes gives free getaways in Door County" »

Posted by sr at 9:27 AM | Permalink

THE WORDS WRITTEN BY one American military veteran seem to speak volumes for the thousands of others asking the same question these days: "Where do I go from here?"

Continue reading "Returning veterans are turning to the Internet to find work" »

Posted by sr at 10:16 PM | Permalink

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Sept. 6, 2007 – Marine Gen. Peter Pace last night thanked veterans of the storied 4th Marine Division who fought in Iwo Jima and other major World War II battles for setting the example for today’s troops and demonstrating why they’ll never fail in combat.

Continue reading "Pace Thanks World War II Marines for Setting Standard for Today’s Troops" »

Posted by sr at 10:38 PM | Permalink

THE nine men who climbed to the summit of the Colorado mountain were combat veterans who had fought in Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam.

Continue reading "Outward Bound program helps veterans heal their emotional scars" »

Posted by sr at 10:12 AM | Permalink

An Oklahoma lawmaker has changed the way veterans and out-of-uniform servicemen can honor the American flag at public gatherings.

Continue reading "Flag protocol clarified" »

Posted by sr at 3:12 PM | Permalink

By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Jul 6, 2007 15:16:38 EDT

A recently discharged Army sergeant praises a Senate committee plan to waive cell phone cancellation fees for deployed service members, saying he could have avoided a lot of time and trouble if the policy had been in effect during his deployment to Iraq.

Continue reading "Possible cell phone fee waiver pleases vet" »

Posted by sr at 11:03 AM | Permalink

IWO JIMA, Japan (AP) -- Major Sean Stinchon stands at the base of Hill 362A and scans a map drawn up by Navy Seabees in 1948 that is deeply creased and covered in reddish brown dirt. The map shows a labyrinth of caves and tunnels that runs through the brush-covered hill like the cross-section of an ant colony.

Continue reading "Iwo Jima search latest in U.S. effort to account for all MIAs" »

Posted by sr at 2:59 PM | Permalink

TOKYO, Japan (AP) -- Japan has rechristened the island of Iwo Jima, site of one of World War II's most horrific battles, with its pre-war name in an attempt to rectify a misnomer proliferated for a half-century by such movies as Clint Eastwood's "Letters from Iwo Jima."

Continue reading "Japan gives Iwo Jima pre-war name" »

Posted by sr at 10:38 PM | Permalink

TOKYO — Japan has returned to using the prewar name for the island of Iwo Jima — site of one of World War II’s most horrific battles — at the urging of its original inhabitants, who want to reclaim an identity they say has been hijacked by high-profile movies like Clint Eastwood’s “Letters from Iwo Jima.”

Continue reading "Japan renames Iwo Jima, upsetting vets" »

Posted by sr at 10:35 PM | Permalink

When he first met James Wright, the president of Dartmouth College, two years ago, Samuel Crist was in a hospital bed at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, recuperating from gunshot wounds from a firefight in Falluja, Iraq.

Continue reading "Dartmouth president helping put wounded veterans in college" »

Posted by sr at 2:55 PM | Permalink

It was a Fuentes affair.

Continue reading "Eight Marines and one airman" »

Posted by sr at 10:59 PM | Permalink

HAVELOCK — When patrol officer LeChone Wilson bumps into a familiar face, he can often tell how long they have known him by the nickname they use.

Continue reading "New York native serves Havelock; 'I pretty much found another family here,' says Wilson" »

Posted by sr at 4:49 PM | Permalink

St. Louis, MO – April 6, 2007 - United States Marine Corps family members from around the country will gather in St. Louis at the MarineParents.com conference to learn about the Marine Corps, combat deployment, recovery from combat, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and ways to encourage awareness for Troop Support in their own communities. Attendance will range from new Marine families, families experiencing first, second or third combat deployments, and families who have experienced casualties of combat.

Continue reading "Marine Corps families around the nation to gather for combat deployment support conference" »

Posted by MarineParents.com, Inc. at 9:31 AM | Permalink

CAMP KINSER, OKINWA, Japan -- In the spirit of forgiveness and the celebration of an alliance between once bitter enemies, U.S. and Japanese veterans, their families, and political figures gathered on Iwo Jima for a commemoration of the 62nd anniversary of the battle for the island.

Continue reading "Veterans Remember Iwo Jima" »

Posted by sr at 6:11 PM | Permalink

Mural artist and Vietnam War Veteran completes scenic murals for the exhibits in the new National Museum of the Marine Corps.

Continue reading "Mural Artist Puts War Experience to Good Use" »

Posted by sr at 9:41 PM | Permalink

PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) - One by one, more than 80 players seated on a back field of the Padres' spring training complex stood and gave their names and where they were last season.

Continue reading "Brannan trying to win a job, minus a finger" »

Posted by sr at 9:33 PM | Permalink

State Representative Matt Windschitl, of Missouri Valley, says he's been 'doing things young' his whole life.

Continue reading "23-Year-Old Marine 'Picking His Battles' In Iowa House" »

Posted by LD for MarineParents.com at 12:48 PM | Permalink

The Navy opens a clinic in east San Diego County for service members and retirees.

SANTEE, CALIF. — Tucked in the corner of the expansive Santee Town Center shopping complex is the latest innovation in military healthcare: a fully staffed outpatient clinic for military members, their families and veterans.

Continue reading "Military healthcare comes to 'burbs'" »

Posted by at 7:48 PM | Permalink

Vietnam War veteran Ken Davis believes that he has an obligation to himself, the men who fought beside him more than 30 years ago and the families who lost loved ones during the war.

Continue reading "Vietnam veterans maintain online tribute to fallen heroes" »

Posted by sr at 9:13 PM | Permalink

DETROIT - Just in time for Veterans Day, Mike Ilitch, Little Caesars founder, plans to launch a program that would make it easier for American veterans to open their own pizza businesses.

The Little Caesars Veterans Program offers a reduction on the franchise fee, credit on the first equipment order and financing. The offer is even better for disabled veterans, who would have the entire $20,000 franchise fee waived for their first store.

Continue reading "Pizza chain targets vets" »

Posted by at 8:13 PM | Permalink

WASHINGTON, Nov. 6, 2006 – With National Veterans Awareness Week under way and the national Veterans Day observance on Nov. 11, the Veterans Affairs secretary is urging all veterans to show their pride by wearing their military medals.

Continue reading "Veterans Urged to Wear Military Medals on Veterans Day" »

Posted by sr at 11:01 PM | Permalink

WASHINGTON, Nov. 6, 2006 – President Bush officially declared this week National Veterans Awareness Week and urged all Americans to honor veterans who “stepped forward when America needed them most.”

Continue reading "President, Senate Recognize National Veterans Awareness Week" »

Posted by sr at 9:47 PM | Permalink

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2, 2006 – The nation’s capital is awash with military-themed statues and memorials. Yet, there isn’t a memorial honoring the sacrifices of America’s disabled military veterans.

Continue reading "Disabled Military Veterans to Get Memorial of Their Own" »

Posted by sr at 11:06 PM | Permalink

Editor's note: This is the second of a two-part series. Part one was published on Page A1 of Sunday's Transcript.

Surgeons at Bethesda Naval Hospital prepared to drill a hole in Lance Cpl. Bret McCauley's badly swollen head to relieve pressure on his brain when he unexpectedly awoke from a two-week coma

Continue reading "Scars come home with soldiers" »

Posted by at 9:44 PM | Permalink

SURPRISE - When a French newspaper recently reported the possible death of Osama bin Laden, both French and Pakistani officials were quick to deny the claim. Surprise resident Antoinette Izzo laughs at the international stir - she knew better than to believe rumors.

Continue reading "Marine to fight terrorism in Africa" »

Posted by at 9:15 AM | Permalink

Editor’s notes: This is the first of a two part series. The second part will be published in Monday’s edition.

You hear the mortars going out, but you don’t know where they’ll land. This could be the last breath of your life.

Marine Lance Cpl. Bret McCauley of Kokomo, Ind., recalls crouching close to the ground, moving warily through a Sunni rebel neighborhood in Fallujah just before dusk.

Continue reading "Medical techniques keep soldiers in battle" »

Posted by at 9:32 PM | Permalink

TERRE HAUTE— Vietnam War veteran Doug Herrmann can’t hear a helicopter without tensing up.
Fireworks shot off to honor troops on Independence Day remind him of flares fired in Saigon, the capital of Vietnam.
More than 35 years after he left the nation in Southeast Asia, Herrmann still is unable to completely shake his military service in Vietnam. While soldiers returning home from war in Iraq have suffered difficulty adjusting from the war experience, soldiers in many previous wars also suffered mental and emotional distress long after they came back home and tried to adjust to civilian life.

Continue reading "Stress disorder a familiar occurrence in war veterans" »

Posted by at 9:24 PM | Permalink

Colorado Springs - After returning from Iraq, Jason Harvey, a combat soldier with the Fort Carson-based 2nd Brigade Combat Team, raced his car at speeds of more than 100 mph on Squirrel Tree Road and played paint ball to replicate battle situations.

Continue reading "War vets' mental health has police on alert" »

Posted by sr at 10:06 AM | Permalink

A call was placed.

Continue reading "Eat a burger, help Marines keep their heads" »

Posted by sr at 4:43 PM | Permalink

AL TAQADDUM, Iraq (Sept. 11, 2006) -- Marine helicopters in Al Taqaddum, Iraq, are an absolute necessity. The whirling mechanical wonders spirit cargo and passengers from place to place, providing nearly immediate firepower to ground troops or quick evacuation of casualties.

Continue reading "*Marines tag team ground support equipment" »

Posted by sr at 10:31 PM | Permalink

OKINAWA, Japan (Sept. 7, 2006) -- Marines and sailors from A Company, Battalion Landing Team, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, conducted a three-day non-lethal weapons training exercise Sept. 5-7 during MEU Exercise 06-2. The training was conducted in preparation for possible contingencies throughout the Asia-Pacific theater.

Continue reading "31st MEU hones non-lethal tactics" »

Posted by sr at 9:40 PM | Permalink

WINTER GARDEN, Fla. - The unemployment rate of the youngest veterans returning from war zones is double that of their civilian counterparts, something that puzzles and alarms federal and local officials.

Continue reading "YOUNG VETERANS FACING JOB HURDLES AT HOME" »

Posted by at 7:55 AM | Permalink

Enemies that fade into civilian crowds, using hospitals and schools as hideouts and watching every move you make from the shadows. How do American troops prevail against them?

By learning to tell apart the good guys from the bad. By winning the good guys to your side.

Continue reading "Marines learn from Vietnam’s CAP" »

Posted by at 10:39 AM | Permalink

OKLAHOMA CITY — Through a television news report, Korean War veteran Jack Nitz found a way to help other war veterans with his craft.

Nitz, a member of the Eastern Oklahoma Woodcarvers Association, got the idea of hand-carving canes for veterans with leg injuries after seeing a story about wounded soldiers returning from Afghanistan and Iraq.

Continue reading "Vet carves canes for wounded comrades" »

Posted by at 6:36 PM | Permalink

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A roadside bomb in Afghanistan took away Chris Short’s lower right leg, but not his passion for fly fishing.

The 24-year-old Army sergeant from Little Rock, Ark., will compete in the Kenai River Classic this weekend, courtesy of the Kenai River Sportfishing Association.

Continue reading "Group helps injured vets through fly fishing" »

Posted by at 6:37 PM | Permalink