President Obama will issue a posthumous Civil War Medal of Honor on Nov. 6.
Alonzo H. Cushing, commanding officer of Battery A, 4th United States Artillery, Artillery Brigade, 2nd Corps, Army of the Potomac, will be recognized for his actions during the Battle of Gettysburg over 150 years ago, according to Military Times. Typically, the award – which is the highest recognition of battlefield valor in the nation – must be awarded within three years of the heroic act, but Congress made an exception for Cushing's exemplary sacrifice.
At age 22, the Wisconsin native was in command of 110 soldiers and six cannons at Cemetery Ridge, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, when 13,000 Confederate servicemembers, known as Pickett's Charge, advanced toward him and his men. Even after being severely wounded by enemy actions, Cushing remained fighting on the front lines, where he died in combat on July 3, 1863, noted Military Times.
Cushing's cousins, Frederic Steven Sater and Frederic Cushing Stevens III, will attend the awards ceremony at the White House, where they will accept the award from the president on behalf of their deceased ancestor. Military Times noted that the Cushing name remains significant in southern Wisconsin, where there is a monument to Alonzo and his brothers in Cushing Memorial Park.
According to information released by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the U.S. sold $34.2 billion worth of military equipment to allies during 2014.
One of the major sales made by the government included an $11 billion deal with Qatar where the nation acquired 500 Javelin anti-tank missiles and 24 Apache helicopters. Singapore bought $2.4 billion worth of F-16s, while the United Arab Emirates spent $2.5 billion on 4,500 mine-resistant, ambushed-protected vehicles. Saudi Arabia also spent $2 billion to update its airborne warning and control systems, reported Military Times.
The U.S. also struck a deal with Iraq for $790 million worth of various combat materials, from missiles to aircrafts, which will help the country fight the terrorist group known as the Islamic State.
These sales showed an increase from last year's numbers, which came in at $30 billion. Military Times noted that the U.S. had record-breaking sales in 2012 at $69.1 billion dollars due to a nearly $30 billion aircraft sale to Saudi Arabia.
Increased foreign military sales are part of a defense initiative to equip allied nations with the ability to proactively defend themselves and not rely entirely on U.S. aid, reported the source.
The Army has begun isolating servicemembers arriving at U.S. military bases upon returning from West Africa.
According to Military Times, 12 soldiers were ordered to remain isolated for 21 days – the Ebola incubation period – at the U.S. Army's base in Vicenza, Italy, after they arrived from Liberia, though none of them were visibly ill. While current Defense Department standards do not require soldiers without symptoms to be quarantined, this could represent a step toward a stricter, more cautious policy, noted the source.
A group of 75 more servicemembers will be arriving in Italy within the next week and they will all be ordered to undergo the same isolation procedure. According to Military Times, they will be monitored closely by a medical team, but will have plenty of access to food and recreational activities.
This added safety precaution comes after an American doctor living in New York City tested positive for the virus after being home from Africa for a few days. According to NBC News, he declined voluntary quarantine, increasing the risk of exposing the virus to other people.
Currently, there are 700 troops in West Africa working to eradicate the Ebola outbreak – a number that will soon reach 4,000 as more soldiers deploy to assist with the mission, noted Military Times. Though they are not treating infected people, being in the central zone of the epidemic puts them at some risk of catching the illness.
After using their post-9/11 GI bills to fund their educations at two of the nation's top schools, veterans Augusto Giacoman and Tim Hsia wanted to help others do the same.
According to Forbes magazine, Giacoman used the government-funded education benefits to pay for his business degree from New York University, while Hsia did the same to cover the expense of his business and law program at Stanford University.
The veterans, who first met at West Point in 2001, served in Iraq together and share a passion for education. When their military friends returned home from war looking to start graduate school in their life after service, the two became a known resource for application help and advice. After helping a few of their colleagues successfully navigate the process of enrolling in top higher education programs, using their GI Bill to pay for tuition, they decided to officially begin their nonprofit initiative, Service to School, reported Forbes.
The organization works with soldiers through all steps of the process to ensure that they submit a solid application. They offer advice on test preparation, resume construction, essays, interviews and networking. It is open to former servicemembers looking to pursue both undergraduate and graduate degrees.
After 13 years, the Marine Corps officially transferred their last base in Afghanistan to the nation's National Army Troops.
According to Military Times, a ceremony was held to hand over the U.S. base, Camp Leatherneck, as well as the British airfield, Camp Bastion, to the Afghani military. NBC News reported that the flags of both the U.S. and U.K. were lowered and folded to represent the countries' departures.
The base is located in Afghanistan's Helmand region, which includes the Marjah and Sangin districts, noted Military Times. The area experienced many of the war's 458 Marine casualties.
According to NBC News, the Marines' reason for vacating the base has not yet been revealed for safety purposes. It also remains unknown how Afghan police and military will use the U.S. site.
While they plan to use Bastion as an aviation center mainly for travel to Kabul, Camp Leatherneck's new purpose is still under evaluation. It measures 1,600 acres and holds $230 million worth of U.S. military equipment and buildings, reported Military Times. NBC News speculated that the large base will remain a central location for local officials to continue the fight against the region's Taliban insurgency.
Ricardo Butler, a veteran who lives in Pittsburgh, has struggled with his home's upkeep since he became disabled seven years ago.
According to CBS Pittsburgh, the former Marine experienced a stroke while riding his motorcycle in 2007. The accident caused him to lose an arm, making it difficult for him to work. Prior to the incident, Butler worked in the region's steel industry as a welder, carpenter and equipment operator during his life after service, noted a press release.
Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh, a local volunteer organization, decided to reach out to Butler as part of their 2014 Season of Service. According to the release, he is the 25th veteran the group has been able to help, and they look forward to assisting many more.
The group provides free home repairs and upgrades to those in need. For Butler, they installed grab bars and hand rails for increased accessibility. They even installed an American flag in the veteran's front yard, reported CBS.
"Veterans projects really are my favorite. Making sure that those who have served our country are being taken care of by not only nonprofit organizations that serve veterans but their communities themselves," volunteer Hilary Bundy told CBS.
Sgt. Daniel Vasselian was killed in Afghanistan on Dec. 23, 2013, by enemy fire. During a ceremony in Abington, Massachusetts, on Oct. 13, his family was given the Bronze Star award he earned for the heroism displayed during his time serving as a Marine.
According to Marine Corps Times, the 27-year-old was a squad leader with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines when he was shot and killed during a security patrol. When small enemy fire erupted, Vasselian led his troops in pursuit of the source. He was shot while protecting the other soldiers in his unit.
Prior to his death, he displayed leadership and bravery during his participation in Operation Nightmare III, a heliborne raid mission. Even under heavy enemy machine gun fire, Vasselian was able to delegate important commands. Under his direction, troops were not only able to fire back at opposing forces but were also able to find protective cover, reported Marine Corps Times.
The award citation also mentions two other heliborne missions in addition to 10 combat patrols during which Vasselian displayed outstanding leadership. Marine Corps Times noted that the servicemember was originally set to receive a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, but upon reevaluation of his actions his honor was upgraded to that of the Bronze Star award.
A press release issued by the Marine Corps noted that the medal was given to Vasselian's wife and parents during a memorial ceremony in his hometown.
The first person to test positive for Ebola in New York City was diagnosed Thursday, Oct. 23.
According to NBC New York, Dr. Craig Spencer had just returned to the U.S. from West Africa, where he was helping to treat Ebola patients with the organization Doctors Without Borders.
Spencer felt fine during his return home Oct. 17. Upon flying into John F. Kennedy International Airport, he underwent careful screening. Showing no signs of Ebola, he was cleared. While he did not participate in voluntary quarantining for the virus' incubation period of 21 days, he took his own temperature twice a day, reported NBC New York.
When he woke up feeling sick with a high temperature on the morning of Oct. 23, he immediately called 911.
Medical first responders followed protocol and quickly transported the patient to Bellevue Hospital, where he will remain in a specially constructed isolated Ebola ward.
According to The New York Times, police officers are actively working to identify Spencer's recent locations. They have been screening his metro card as well as his credit cards in order to know exactly where he traveled in the days leading up to his diagnosis.
NBC New York noted that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo praised first responders for their outstanding actions during the medical emergency.
New England experienced heavy rain this past week, which contributed to high surf along the coast of Maine. The conditions proved dangerous for boaters and led to many incidents requiring the help of the state's Coast Guard.
According to WMTW 8, a 35-foot sailboat with no passengers on board was moved by high winds, causing it to run aground. The masts got caught on power lines connected to Southern Maine Community College. While the school experienced power outages, Coast Guard members were able to recover the boat and no serious damage occurred. WABI TV5 reported that a number of other sailboats with nobody on board have floated away from their set locations as well and were recovered near Peaks Island and Owls Head.
Coast Guard officials, assisted by Customs and Border Protection agents who were called in for backup, also rescued a man who was seen grasping onto a small skiff, headed toward the Roosevelt International Memorial Bridge, which connects Lubec, Maine, to Canada. According to WMTW 8, the passenger was immediately rushed to the hospital and is fine despite sustaining minor injuries.
A veteran in San Diego will get to keep his beloved truck, thanks to the help of some concerned neighbors.
According to Fox 5 News, disabled Vietnam vet Daniel Riley woke up in his truck as it was being lifted by a tow truck on the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 22. He had been living in the vehicle during a time of financial hardship. He was aware that he was late on payments for the truck, but did not have any other options.
Another local veteran, Michael Pruitt, watched the scene unfold. Aware of Riley's military service, he spoke to the men repossessing the vehicle and convinced them to stop. According to the source, police were called in and eventually it was decided that the vehicle would remain in Riley's ownership. The finance company responsible for billing the veteran decided to grant him more time to figure out his money situation.
ABC 10 reported that after the story broke, another concerned neighbor stepped in to offer help. Though they asked to remain anonymous, a local resident is attempting to organize funds to help Riley pay his outstanding debts.
"I'm simply amazed. Makes you feel so good inside." Riley told ABC 10 after hearing the news.