Tag: military

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Pentagon To Add Sexual Orientation To Non-Discrimination Policy

Chris Johnson at the Washington Blade writes:

The Pentagon is preparing to update its Military Equal Opportunity Policy to include sexual orientation as a protected class and the change could be made final as soon as the end of next month, the Washington Blade has learned.

A senior defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed late Friday the Defense Department is planning to update the Military Equal Opportunity Policy to add the words “sexual orientation” as part of the non-discrimination policy.

The proposed change is set to be delivered as early as the middle of next week to Defense Secretary Ashton Carter for his review and final approval, the official said. Each of the military services has already agreed to the change, the official said.

Transgender people are still barred from open service in the U.S. Military.

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Defense Secretary Ash Carter: Transgender People Should Be Allowed To Serve Openly

Newly confirmed Defense Secretary Ash Carter on Sunday suggested transgender people should be allowed to openly serve in the military.

“I don’t think anything but their suitability for service should preclude them,” Carter said on Sunday in Afghanistan.

The White House shared the same perspective during a press briefing on Monday. Press Secretary Josh Earnest said, “The president agrees with the sentiment that all Americans who are qualified to serve should be able to serve. And for that reason, we here at the White House welcome the comments from the secretary of defense.”

Currently, the U.S. Military does not allow transgender soldiers to serve openly.

(source)

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President Obama Addresses USA On Request For Military Authorization Against ISIL

Speaking from the White House, and accompanied by Vice-President Biden, Secretary of State Kerry and Secretary of Defense Hagel, President Obama detailed his request to Congress asking for authorization of military force to address the threat of ISIL in the Middle East:

Obama made clear that the draft authorization sent to the legislators does not signal a new ground war for the United States in the Middle East.

“I do not believe this nation is benefited … by being on a perpetual war footing,” Obama said.

President Obama repeated often his respect for our armed forces and his resolve that ISIL will be defeated:

“Our coalition is on the offensive. ISIL is on the defensive and ISIL is going to lose.”

“Our mission will succeed.”

“As Commander in Chief, I will only send our troops into harm’s way when it is absolutely necessary for our national security.”

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President Asks Congress To Authorize Military Force Against ISIS

President Obama has sent a request to Congress asking for authorization to utilize military force against ISIS and demonstrate to the world “our resolve to counter the threat.”

From Time:

The president elected on a promise to end America’s wars is sending Congress a proposed joint resolution to authorize military force against the swift rise of Islamic State extremists, who are imposing violent rule across Iraq and Syria and have brazenly killed U.S. and allied hostages in brutal online propaganda videos.

In a five-paragraph letter to lawmakers accompanying the three-page draft resolution provided to The Associated Press, Obama said the Islamic State “poses a threat to the people and stability of Iraq, Syria and the broader Middle East and to U.S. national security.”

“It threatens American personnel and facilities located in the region and is responsible for the deaths of U.S. citizens James Foley, Steven Sotloff, Abdul-Rahman Peter Kassig, and Kayla Mueller,” he said, listing the American hostages who died in IS custody. “If left unchecked, ISIL will pose a threat beyond the Middle East, including to the United States homeland.”

President Obama plans to address the nation today regarding his request at 3:30pm ET.

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Secretary Of Defense Chuck Hagel & Wife Send Holiday Greeting Which Includes Gay Sailor’s Proposal

A holiday video greeting from outgoing Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and his wife Lilibet to the men and women of the Defense Department includes, among many photos of service members, a pic of a sailor proposing to his boyfriend.

I believe this is the first time a gay couple has been included in the Defense Secretary’s holiday greeting.

Thanks to the Hagels. It’s moments like this that make a difference over time.

(via Huffington Post)

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US Senate Votes 78-22 In Favor Of Training Syrian Rebels

The US Senate voted 78-22 in favor of authorizing a mission to train Syrian rebels against ISIS.

This follows a vote in the House yesterday which passed the measure 273-156.

Even with all that support, both parties are torn on the issue.

Democrats worry that the US will be drawn into another protracted military operation that could linger for years.

Republicans express concern the President’s plan doesn’t go far enough.

My opinion? America supports airstrikes in Iraq – polls showing support at around 60%.

But Americans are too war weary for a lengthy engagement or for putting our combat boots on the ground in a country that doesn’t want us there (Iraq). And the expense of a long military operation could hurt our own economic recovery.

We’ve been through that.  Not sure more than training Middle Eastern forces and contributing air strikes is our responsibility at this time.

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Department of Defense authorizes color guard to march in Capital Pride parade

There will be more than the rainbow flag flying at this year’s Capital Pride parade in Washington, DC, this Saturday.

The Department of Defense has approved, for the first time, a color guard presenting the American flag as well as each flag of the military, to march in the Capital Pride parade.

From the Washington Post:

The eight-member team is scheduled to help lead off the 11 / 2-mile parade, immediately preceding the Capital Pride lead banner and grand marshal Chris Kluwe, a former National Football League punter and the author of the book “Beautifully Unique Sparkleponies.”

While no policy has precluded a U.S. Armed Forces color guard from participating in gay rights events since the 2011 repeal of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, gay rights organizations from D.C. to Hawaii say they have routinely faced rejection from local military offices, saying the color guards were otherwise occupied on the days of pride parades.

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Photo of military proposal goes viral with 2 million views

According to Buzzfeed, this pic of Lt. Kyle Bandermann proposing to Lance Buchanan has received over 2 million views in the past two days since it was posted on Facebook.

Buzzfeed has more of the story behind the proposal and why he chose to wear his uniform for the big moment:

First, anyone who knows my work knows that I love my fellow service members, the camaraderie of the military community, and specifically the culture, pride, and professionalism of the U.S. Navy. It has become a part of my identity and I am grateful to call the Navy home. I am myself, both in uniform and civilian clothes. However, I realize that being a Naval Officer calls me to something much bigger than myself, and provides me a sense of pride and awareness of my actions while wearing my Nation’s colors.

Secondly, when we as service members ask our partner to become our spouse, we’re also asking them to commit to being a part of the military family. Lance has sacrificed a great deal for me and the Navy. He moved from his comfort zone and family in rural Western North Carolina to the metropolitan D.C. area. He will sacrifice even more for his country in November as we move halfway around the world to the Island of Guam for three years. It is only right that I officially ask him to join the Navy family as we begin to form our own. Our military spouses are as much an integral part of the military structure as we service members are.

Kyle apparently told Lance that they were going to someone else’s surprise proposal.  Friends and family were all waiting in hiding for the big moment.

Congrats to the happy couple.

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Idaho: US Army Colonel offers his own burial plot to veteran lesbian couple

Now this is the sign of a class act. When something is wrong, some folks do what it takes to fix the problem.

Retired U.S. Army Colonel Barry Johnson has offered his burial plot to a veteran Idaho lesbian who was refused the right to be buried in a military cemetery next to her late wife, who also served in the armed forces.

U.S. Navy veteran Madelynn Taylor asked for and was denied the right to be buried next to her deceased wife as they did not have the Idaho marriage license required under its rules. Her longtime lesbian partner, Jean Mixner, died in 2012.

From Colonel Johnson’s letter:

As a lifelong Idahoan and a 27-year Army veteran of two wars, I’ve worked beside heterosexuals, gays, lesbians and bisexuals. I’ve really never wanted to hear about anybody’s sex life or sexual preferences, one way or another. Besides, everybody more or less knew who is who regardless, and I don’t recall anybody in the military ever saying a thing about it. Never.

Frankly, the only thing traumatic about the policy change for our armed forces of allowing gays to openly serve our country was all the media making a big deal about it. It didn’t change a thing for any of us doing the job. Serving in uniform has always been about earning trust and has never been about sexuality.

Most of us just shrugged and endured sitting through hours of mind-numbing briefings on a change that essentially changed nothing.

Then we have Madelynn Taylor, who seems like one heck of a lady. She cared for another person with all her heart and had to watch that person die. She is a veteran. She loves her country. She wants her partner by her side and she wants to eternally rest among veterans in the state she made home.

Madelynn, you deserve that.

I’ll tell you what. I will donate the plot I earned in the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery to you and Jean. I am happy to give my fellow veteran that small peace of mind. And I do it to honor all the great Americans I’ve served with along the way – gay, straight, whatever. (I don’t know whether it is possible to donate my plot, but I am quite sincere about my willingness to do so.)

Like Madelynn, I love this state and I respect the views of all my neighbors, whether I agree with those views or not. At least having those differences makes for interesting conversations. But let’s not pick on people who aren’t hurting anybody and simply minding their own business.

Give Madelynn and Jean and others like them a break. Stop finding reasons to make life – and in this case, death – harder than it needs to be.

That’s just irritating as hell and disrespectful to boot.

You can read the entire letter here.

(via Idaho Statesman)

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Guests at the State of the Union Address – Duck Dynasty and an American hero

Via Teabonics

In a study in contrasts, at last night’s State of the Union address, First Lady Michelle Obama hosted and sat next to Sgt. 1st Class Cory Remsburg, an Army Ranger who was wounded in a roadside bombing in Afghanistan.

Praising the 30-year-old Army Ranger, President Obama introduced the Ranger saying “like the Army he loves, like the America he serves, SFC Cory Remsburg never gives up, and he does not quit.”  The introduction was the emotional highlight of the address.

Over on the GOP side of guests for the evening, Willie Robertson, of “Duck Dynasty” fame, attended at the invitation of Rep. Vance McAllister, R-La.

Things that make you go “hmm….”