Justices say vet who lost job as Texas trooper can sue state
The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed a former state trooper to sue Texas over his claim that he was forced out of his job when he returned from Army service in Iraq. The justices ruled for Army veteran Le Roy Torres under a federal law that was enacted in 1994 in the wake of the Persian Gulf war to strengthen job protections for returning service members. “Text, history, and precedent show that the States, in coming together to form a Union, agreed to sacrifice their sovereign immunity for the good of the common defense,” Justice Stephen Breyer wrote for the court.
news.yahoo.comFloods in India, Bangladesh leave millions homeless, 18 dead
Army troops were called in to rescue thousands of people stranded by massive floods that have ravaged northeastern India and Bangladesh, leaving millions of homes underwater and severing transport links, authorities said Saturday. In India's Assam state, at least nine people were killed in the floods and 2 million saw their homes submerged, according to the state disaster management agency. Lightning strikes in parts of neighboring Bangladesh have left at least nine dead since Friday.
news.yahoo.comPost Politics Now Senate Republicans poised to block bill intended to combat domestic terrorism
President Biden has no public events on his schedule Thursday. He said Wednesday that he will soon travel to Uvalde, Tex., to meet families of the children killed in the mass shooting there.
washingtonpost.comSearch for Supreme Court leaker falls to former Army colonel
When Gail Curley began her job as Marshal of the U.S. Supreme Court less than a year ago, she would have expected to work mostly behind the scenes: overseeing the court's police force and the operations of the marble-columned building where the justices work. Earlier this month, however, Curley was handed a bombshell of an assignment, overseeing an unprecedented breach of Supreme Court secrecy, the leak of a draft opinion and apparent votes in a major abortion case. People who know Curley described the former Army colonel and military lawyer as possessing the right temperament for a highly charged leak investigation: smart, private, apolitical and and unlikely to be intimidated.
news.yahoo.comArmy officer who reported Trump probably faced retaliation, inquiry finds
Yevgeny Vindman, a former White House adviser, "was the subject of unfavorable personnel actions" after raising alarm about President Donald Trump’s actions toward Ukraine, the Defense Department's inspector general determined.
washingtonpost.comFormer defense secretary Mark Esper: President Trump suggested shooting protesters, missile strikes in Mexico
In his new memoir, "A Sacred Oath," Esper writes that he had to press President Trump to send aid to Ukraine, and also walked the president back from ideas such as shooting protesters and missile strikes in Mexico.
cbsnews.comFormer defense secretary Mark Esper: President Trump suggested shooting protesters, missile strikes in Mexico
In his new memoir, "A Sacred Oath," Esper writes that he had to press President Trump to send aid to Ukraine, and also walked the president back from ideas such as shooting protesters and missile strikes in Mexico.
cbsnews.comJustices cast doubt on Texas immunity claim in vet's lawsuit
The Supreme Court on Tuesday cast doubt on Texas' claim that it can't be sued by a former state trooper who says he was forced out of his job when he returned from Army service in Iraq. The justices heard arguments in a dispute over a federal law that was enacted in 1991 in the wake of the Persian Gulf war to strengthen job protections for returning service members. Over 90 minutes, the justices discussed the Vietnam War, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Alexander Hamilton and even Hamilton, the musical, as they tried to sort through whether states are shielded from lawsuits filed by veterans who complain that their jobs were not protected, in violation of the federal law.
news.yahoo.comWhy Pakistan’s Leader Is Facing the Risk of Ouster
First elevated to power in 2018 elections, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has been widely seen as closely allied with the country’s powerful military, which until then had ruled the country for almost half its existence. Now, he appears to have lost some of the backing of this mighty constituency as well as some of his political allies. That spells danger for Khan at a time when his opponents, charging mismanagement of the economy, have ganged up to challenge his leadership.
washingtonpost.com'Very hectic': US troops rush to Europe amid war in Ukraine
They had barely a week to prepare — getting medical screenings, making sure bills would be paid, arranging for relatives to care for children and pets — before marching with rucksacks and rifles onto a plane bound for Germany. “It’s been very hectic and stressful, but overall it’s worked out,” Army Staff Sgt. Ricora Jackson said Wednesday as she waited with dozens of fellow soldiers to board a chartered flight at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah.
news.yahoo.comBiden says he rejects findings of Army report on Afghanistan
President Biden on Thursday said he rejected the findings of an Army investigative report in which military officials reportedly criticized Biden administration officials for failing to grasp the situation in Afghanistan as U.S. forces withdrew. Asked about the report during an interview with NBC's Lester Holt on Thursday, Biden said that it didn't square with his impression of the administration's handling of the withdrawal. "No, that's not...
news.yahoo.comBiden’s pick to lead military in Middle East says U.S. has a ‘moral obligation’ to help Afghans left behind
Asked at his confirmation hearing Tuesday about the military’s options for carrying out counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan now that U.S. forces have withdrawn, Lt. Gen. Michael Kurilla indicated that remained a work in progress.
washingtonpost.comOriginal 13th Amendment and other Civil War artifacts can be seen in Chicago in honor of Black History Month and Abraham Lincoln’s birthday
Heritage Auctions has some of the rarest artifacts of the Civil War era on display in Chicago before the historical items head to Dallas for bidding.
chicagotribune.comJudge gives a choice to man convicted of sexual assault: military or jail
“If you don’t enroll in 30 days, you can report to the Franklin County Regional Jail,” Kentucky judge Thomas Wingate said to Brandon Scott Price, acknowledging the 28-year old was getting "a huge break." “You are under the gun, young man. You gotta do it.”
washingtonpost.comAcross services, troops face discipline for refusing vaccine
U.S. officials say all of the military services have now begun disciplinary actions and discharges for troops who have refused to get the mandated coronavirus vaccine, with as many as 20,000 unvaccinated forces at risk of being removed from service.
Study: Texas bases lead Army posts in risk of sexual assault
A new study finds that female soldiers at Army bases in Texas, Colorado, Kansas and Kentucky face a greater risk of sexual assault and harassment than those at other posts, accounting for more than a third of all active duty Army women sexually assaulted in 2018.
Raising awareness about PTSD, veteran completes 2K mile walk to Jax Beach
JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – An Army veteran is raising awareness about post traumatic stress one step at a time. Stephen Meyers completed a nearly 2,000 mile walk from Kansas City, Missouri, to Jacksonville Beach. In the video above, Meyers shares his thoughts on what he said was an emotional trip. He’ll be in the Jacksonville area for a few days before beginning the walk back home. For more on Meyers’ cause, head to his website where you can show your support.
Army under fire from Congress over Fort Hood response
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)WASHINGTON – Lawmakers expressed frustration Tuesday with how slowly improvements are being made to criminal investigation at Fort Hood, Texas, where rates of violent crime and sexual assaults are particularly high. More than two dozen Fort Hood soldiers died in 2020, including in multiple homicides and suicides. The review also concluded that the Army CID was understaffed, overwhelmed and filled with inexperienced investigators. Elder Fernandes, who was missing for more than a week last year before he was found dead about 28 miles from Fort Hood. AdAs a result of the independent review and other investigations, the Army earlier this year took action against 14 officers and enlisted soldiers at Fort Hood.
Coworkers: Man charged in Capitol riot had a Hitler mustache
FILE - In this Jan. 6, 2021 file photo rioters supporting President Donald Trump storm the Capitol in Washington. An Army reservist charged with taking part in the attack on the U.S. Capitol was known as a Nazi sympathizer who wore a Hitler mustache, coworkers told federal investigators. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)WASHINGTON – An Army reservist charged with taking part in the attack on the U.S. Capitol was known as a Nazi sympathizer who wore a Hitler mustache, coworkers told federal investigators. The filing included photos from Hale-Cusanelli’s cellphone of him with a Hitler mustache, along with pro-Nazi cartoons. Jonathan Zucker, Hale-Cusanelli’s attorney, wrote in a filing that there was no evidence his client belongs to any white supremacist organizations.
General: Pentagon hesitated on sending Guard to Capitol riot
Guard troops who had been waiting on buses were then rushed to the Capitol, arriving in 18 minutes, Walker said. Much of the focus at Wednesday's hearing was on communications between the National Guard and the Defense Department. Contee said Sund pleaded with Army officials to deploy National Guard troops as the rioting escalated. AdAccording to the Defense Department, Walker was called at 3 p.m. by Army officials, and was told to prepare Guard troops to deploy. Thousands of National Guard troops are still patrolling the fenced-in Capitol, and multiple committees across Congress are investigating Jan. 6.
Retired Army veteran to bike 3,200 miles to raise awareness for veterans impacted by pandemic
A retired Army veteran from St. Augustine will ride across the country to raise awareness for veterans impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. “I embrace that.”Parramore will bike from San Diego, California, back home to St. Augustine. News4Jax met Parramore last year when he rode roughly 500 miles to Key West to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project. “The farthest continuous days I’ve done is nine days from here down to Key West.”This year, his ride will be roughly 3,200 miles to raise awareness for veterans affected by the pandemic. To donate or watch his livestream, visit his Wounded Warrior Project donation page.
Fort Campbell soldiers head to Florida in vaccination effort
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. – Some soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division are heading to Florida to help with the vaccination effort there. About 130 soldiers deployed Friday, according to a news release from Fort Campbell, the sprawling Army post on the Kentucky-Tennessee border. The soldiers are going to Orlando as part of the Army’s effort to support Federal Emergency Management Agency vaccination centers, one of which opens Wednesday at Gateway Center in Jacksonville. The Biden administration plans to establish 100 federally assisted vaccination sites nationwide in cooperation with state authorities.
Museums form World War II Heritage Trail across Georgia
SAVANNAH, Ga. – A group of museums and historic sites are working together to promote a Georgia World War II Heritage Trail with stops across the state. The trail officially launched Tuesday and ties together 10 sites connected to Georgia’s history during the war. They include the Currahee Military Museum in Toccoa, where the Army trained its first paratroopers, and the National Infantry Museum at Fort Benning outside Columbus. On the coast, there’s the St. Mary’s Submarine Museum near Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base, while South Georgia has the World War II Flight Training Museum in Douglas, where Army pilots trained at South Georgia College. The idea for a tourism trail linking Georgia’s World War II sites was launched a few years ago by Scott Loehr, president of the National Museum of the Mighty 8th Air Force near Savannah and Sheri Jones of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society, which operates the World War II Home Front Museum on St. Simons Island.
Victims of Thiokol plant explosion remembered 50 years later
WOODBINE, Ga. – The Camden County community forever changed on Feb. 3, 1971, when an explosion at a Thiokol plant outside of Woodbine killed 29 people and injured 50 others. Building 132, where the explosion took place, included the assembly line and was where much of the explosives were stored. There were 29 people killed by the Thiokol explosion. Joseph Wainright, who was killed when a mortar went off at the plant in 1973, is also included in the Memorial Project even though he died later. (Photos from the Thiokol Memorial Project Inc.)The explosive components in the trip flares were classified as Class 7 hazardous materials -- the most dangerous substances other than biological and nuclear materials -- until 1967.
Let down your hair: New Army rules for ponytails, nail color
Female soldiers can let their hair down and flash a little nail color under new rules being approved by the Army. Army leaders are loosening restrictions on various grooming and hairstyle rules, as service leaders try to address longstanding complaints, particularly from women. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)WASHINGTON – Female soldiers can let their hair down, and flash a little nail color under new rules being approved by the Army. Army leaders announced Tuesday that they are loosening restrictions on various grooming and hairstyle rules, as service leaders try to address longstanding complaints, particularly from women. Female soldiers going through Ranger or special operations training get their heads shaved, like male soldiers do.
Austin wins Senate confirmation as 1st Black Pentagon chief
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, right, greets Deputy Secretary of Defense David Norquist as he arrives at the Pentagon, Friday, Jan. 22, 2021, in Washington. Biden is expected to win approval for others on his national security team in coming days, including Antony Blinken as secretary of state. Before heading to the Pentagon, Austin wrote on Twitter that he is especially proud to be the first Black secretary of defense. Austin retired in 2016 after serving as the first Black general to head U.S. Central Command. The House and the Senate approved the waiver Thursday, clearing the way for the Senate confirmation vote.
Congress poised for quick action on Biden's Pentagon nominee
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, confirmed that the confirmation vote on Austin would be conducted Friday. Austin, a 41-year veteran of the Army, has promised to surround himself with qualified civilians and include them in policy decisions. Many of them opposed a similar waiver in 2017 for Jim Mattis, former President Donald Trump's first secretary of defense. He emphasized on Tuesday that he will follow Biden’s lead in giving renewed attention to dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. As a career Army officer, Austin had little reason to learn the intricacies of nuclear policy, since the Army has no nuclear weapons.
The Latest: House urges Pence to remove Trump from power
__10:40 p.m.Michigan Rep. Fred Upton has become the fourth Republican to back the impeachment of President Donald Trump. ___8 p.m.Vice President Mike Pence is ruling out invoking the 25th Amendment to remove President Donald Trump from power, less than a week after the president fomented the violent insurrection at the Capitol. That word comes as GOP divisions emerge over Democrats’ plan for a House vote Wednesday. As rioters were still in the Capitol, Trump released a video seemingly excusing the events, saying of the rioters: “We love you. On impeachment, Trump said it’s “a really terrible thing that they’re doing.” But he said, “We want no violence.
General sorry for ‘miscommunication’ over vaccine shipments
I am fixing and we will move forward from there," Perna told reporters in telephone briefing. I am fixing and we will move forward from there," Gen. Gustave Perna told reporters in a telephone briefing. There is no problem with the Moderna vaccine.”There’s a distinction between manufactured vaccine and doses that are ready to be released. Perna said the government now is on track to get approximately 20 million doses to states by the first week of January, a combination of the newly approved Moderna vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday accused the White House of “slow-walking the process.” Michigan is due 60,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in its second allotment, down from an anticipated 84,825.
The Latest: Austin reveres idea of civilian military control
(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)WASHINGTON – The Latest on President-elect Joe Biden (all times local):2:15 p.m.Lloyd Austin, the retired Army general whom President-elect Joe Biden picked to be secretary of defense, says he reveres the principle of civilian control of the military. Austin retired four years ago after 41 years in the Army. Austin says he understands the need for civilian control of the military and sees himself as a civilian, not as a general. Congress intended civilian control of the military when it created the position of secretary of defense in 1947 and prohibited a recently retired military officer from holding the position. Austin retired in 2016.
Mann scores 19, Florida opens season by topping Army 76-69
UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Tre Mann scored a career-high 19 points, including five free throws in the final minute, and added six rebounds, four assists and five steals, to help Florida open its season with a 76-69 victory over Army on Wednesday. Mann, making his debut at point guard, secured his fifth steal in the closing seconds and made 1 of 2 free throws for a 74-69 lead. Keyontae Johnson, who averaged 14 points and 7.1 rebounds last season, added 16 points and Cleveland State transfer Tyree Appleby, who sat out last season, scored all 15 of his points in the second half for Florida. Mann, a former McDonald’s All-American, started four games during his freshman year last season, and reached 13 points twice. Freshman guard Lonnie Grayson had 13 points and eight rebounds for the Black Knights.
National museum dedicated to Army debuts on Veterans Day
The Sherman tank that first broke through enemy lines at the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. Those are just a few of the artifacts that tell the 245-year story of the nation's largest and oldest military branch at the new National Museum of the United States Army. Morando said the museum does not shy away from discussing painful aspects of Army history. The museum was built with private funds raised by the Army Historical Foundation. The Army provided the land and $230 million for site preparation, infrastructure, exhibits and the interior work that turns a building into a museum, officials said.
Asia Today: South Korea OKs single test for COVID-19 and flu
Even as India's overall coronavirus cases continue to fall, health officials say that New Delhi is in the grip of its third and worst wave of infections yet. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on Wednesday reported 118 new cases of COVID-19, most of them in the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area. In other developments in the Asia-Pacific region:— India’s capital reported a record high 6,725 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, hit by its worst wave of coronavirus infections since March. New Delhi has averaged more than 5,200 cases a day this past week, a spike the Health Ministry attributes to the festival season. Authorities have also closed schools and key public offices, banned public gatherings and restricted public transport.