Author: Anne Flaherty
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Army helmet recall follows investigation
WASHINGTON — A Justice Department investigation into whether an Ohio-based military contractor took shortcuts in its production of military combat helmets has led to a massive Army recall. Army officials said Monday they were asking soldiers to check whether they were wearing one of the 44,000 helmets produced by ArmorSource that are currently in use…
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US.: There are too few Afghans to take control in Marjah
WASHINGTON — Not nearly enough trained Afghans are available to take control of key Taliban strongholds like Marjah after the military has pushed out the enemy, U.S. officials told a Senate panel on Thursday. The lack of competent local officials in southern Afghanistan could frustrate Washington’s aims in the region, and keep the U.S. on…
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Gates suggests big changes coming for Navy
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Monday called into question the U.S. Navy’s heavy and expensive arsenal of ships and submarines. In a speech before naval officers and contractors, Gates did not say he was planning to cut any programs or its budget. But he did say the military must rethink whether it…
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Military tells Congress to keep gay ban for now
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Robert Gates is warning Congress not to tamper with the military’s ban on openly gay service members until he can come up with his own plan for repeal. In a strongly worded letter, obtained by The Associated Press, Gates told a House committee on Friday that forcing policy changes on the…
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Navy sends equipment to help in Gulf oil spill
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy sent equipment to help with cleanup of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and the Defense Department said Thursday it stands ready to expand its response to the disaster. Navy spokesman Lt. Myers Vasquez said Thursday that 66,000 feet of inflatable boom and seven skimming systems were on their…
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Volcanic ash delays wounded U.S. troop flights
WASHINGTON — The Defense Department said Monday that U.S. medical evacuation flights out of Iraq and Afghanistan are taking eight hours longer because of the cloud of volcanic ash hanging over Europe. Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said the military is using the Navy’s Rota Air Base in Spain to fly troops back to the United…
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Troops question impact if gay ban is lifted
WASHINGTON — Troops attending the first meeting of its kind on ending the ban on gays in the military said Tuesday they want to know what changes were in store for them if gays were allowed to serve openly. Picked at random and assembled in the Pentagon auditorium, about 350 rank-and-file troops asked the…
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Army: Gays will be discharged if they speak up
WASHINGTON — Army Secretary John McHugh is backtracking on his promise not to discharge troops who tell him that they are gay. McHugh said in a statement released Thursday that he was “incorrect” when he had said there would be a moratorium on dismissals while the Pentagon conducts a yearlong review on its “don’t ask,…
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No formal reprimand for general who pushed gay ban
WASHINGTON — A high-ranking Army general won’t be formally reprimanded after urging troops to lobby to keep the ban on openly gay military service. President Barack Obama supports lifting the ban, and an active attempt to keep it in place could be considered insubordination. But Lt. Gen. Benjamin Mixon’s civilian boss says the three-star Army…
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Marine general: Gays would get their own rooms
WASHINGTON — The Marine Corps’ commandant said he won’t force his troops to bunk with gays on base and would give them separate rooms if Congress votes to allow openly gay service. The comment, by Gen. James Conway, is the latest pushback by a small but vocal faction of senior military leaders opposed to a…