[HTML1] FOX’s Army life comedy ‘Enlisted’ premieres next week, and the producers are already reading viewers’ minds. Yes, it’s full of mistakes, from uniform wear to grooming to one big armored vehicle screw-up. But, to make up for the oversight, the show is holding a “Spot Our Errors” contest. If you watch the premier Jan. 10 at 9:30 pm/8:30 central, take notes on the SNAFUs and send them in, you’ll get a nifty Fort McGee challenge coin. Nobody is more meticulous about equipment and appearance than a service member, and when the trailer hit the internet earlier this year, the fury was palpable.…
Browsing: Outside the wire
We have the essential information you need to know for the year ahead, including The end of Afghanistan? The nation’s longest war is slated to formally end next December, but will the U.S. maintain an enduring presence there or will the rocky relationship with Afghan President Hamid Karzai mean all troops will just pack up an leave? Plus, we have the details on the New PT test in the works and learn how Regional career assignments could change and shape your time in the Army. For this and more must-know information for 2014, including BAH rollbacks, the shrinking force and in-state…
[HTML1] [HTML2] [HTML3] [HTML4] [HTML5] Okay, now watch this U.S. Naval Academy video. Does Army need to up it’s game on the spirit videos or what? [HTML6]
It’s the sort of Army pride that just makes you want to cry. An Ohio self-defense company Rose Guardian has launched three patriotic new pepper-sprays just in time for Christmas, two that say “Army Wife” and one that says “Military Wife.” The “Army wife” sprays, that feature either a pin-up or a woman in a camo cap, were inspired by the company’s growing market of women whose spouses are deployed overseas, Rose Guardian’s owner Carlos Crespo told Army Times. “Their husbands are away, they’ve by themselves home alone and they’re looking to feel a little safer,” Crespo said. Crespo said…
Seven initiatives are on the table in Congress to improve GI Bill benefits, especially for family members. What’s in store? Read more. While the GI Bill might get beefed up, Special Duty Assignment Pay is not. Thousands of enlisted soldiers will have their SDAP reduced or eliminated under a budget-driven overhaul of the SDAP program. Good news is still out there for soldiers looking to save their careers during the drawdown by switching to an understrength MOS. See the list of hot MOSs, and the latest on bonuses for critical skills, in the print issue.
[HTML1] The Airborne’s longtime tradition, called Operation Toy Drop, distributes thousands of toys to children in the area around Fort Bragg, N.C., with a combination of Army and Army Reserve paratroopers, dozens of volunteers and allied military personnel, and more than a dozen Air Force aircraft. Because it includes jumpmasters from around the globe — the Netherlands, Germany, Canada, Italy, Poland, Chile, Sweden, Latvia and Brazil this time — its billed the world’s largest combined airborne operation. So the paratroopers jump out of the planes holding toys, which they hand to eager local children, right? No, said Lt. Col. Annmarie…
Would male soldiers and the American public be more likely to accept women in combat jobs if the women were ugly? That’s the assumption one Army colonel seems to be making, according to a report by Politico. The colonel sent an email to a Training and Doctrine Command public affairs spokesman, writing that “In general, ugly women are perceived as competent while pretty women are perceived as having used their looks to get ahead.” Politico reported that Col. Lynette Arnhart, the woman leading the Army’s study on the impact the integration of women into combat arms would have on unit…
Actor Leonard Nimoy was in uniform long before he wore the Star Fleet ensemble as Mr. Spock in the original “Star Trek” series, and in all those movies since then. On Veterans’ Day, Nimoy tweeted a picture of himself as a young man in his Army uniform. Instead of a phaser, Sgt. Nimoy carried a mop. (In the photo, he appears to be wearing the rank of staff sergeant, with a “T” that in the 1950s would indicate a technician.) He served as a soldier from 1953 to 1955. The Army took him to Fort Ord, Calif., Fort Benning, Ga.,…
See our 2014 rankings of the top colleges for soldiers. Some of the factors we took a look at include how each college supports soldiers and vets, their academic quality and the financial aid they offer. Some good news: More traditional universities are embracing distance learning. See our 2014 rankings of the Best for Vets colleges in the Nov. 18 print issue of Army Times, on sale now. Also in this week’s issue: As the Army enters a large period of force reduction, staying in is getting harder. With the fiscal 2014 reenlistment window opening for some active duty soldiers,…
