After spending time in the rural village of Hutal, Afghanistan, Staff Sgt. Jesse Knott was used to animals roaming the perimeter of his post. One cat, however, caught his attention.
Knott told USA Today that the tabby cat, which Knott has since named Koshka, didn't have the same fear of the soldiers as the other strays. Knott noticed that the cat was showing up abused – one time he appeared with a bleeding paw – so he decided to take action. With the assistance of his commander, he adopted Koshka, and the cat became a beloved pet for the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment.
After a suicide bomber claimed the lives of two of Knott's friends and colleagues, the cat became more than just a pet for him – he became a comforting source of love and support. According to Huffington Post, Knott's depression after the incident became so severe that he contemplated suicide. While Knott considered taking his own life, Koshka stepped in.
"I was in my office and he just started purring and head-bonking me, and patting my face with his paw. He climbed up on my shoulders and my head – I just could not get a moment to myself," Knott told USA Today.
It was at this point that Knott decided he wanted to get Koshka completely out of harm's way, reported The Huffington Post.
Knott took action, investing $3,000 to send Koshka to his parents in Oregon via a stop in Kabul. According to USA Today, Koshka has adapted remarkably well to life as an American house cat. Although Knott's parents still keep Koshka, Knott makes regular visits to his furry friend. He recently adopted more cats and a few dogs in his life after service to help him deal with his often crippling post-traumatic stress disorder, reported the source.
Six U.S. Army helicopters were forced to land unexpectedly when their flight from Lithuania to a temporary Polish base near the German border encountered bad weather. According to Bloomberg, the thick fog caused the aircrafts to land in a field in the remote village of Gruta – much to the surprise of the small, rural community.
Because the town is only 100 miles outside of Kaliningrad, Russia, residents were initially alarmed that the helicopters were related to the turmoil in Ukraine. Once the community of 1,600 people realized the commotion was being caused by Americans, however, they flocked to the field to meet the servicemembers and take pictures with them, reported CNN. They even handed out pamphlets written in English with information about their town. The village's website has been updated to include photographs from the exciting encounter.
Gruta resident Waldemar Krukowski told Bloomberg, "Those Americans were really heaven sent. Now, when I think about it we could have served them some food, but we were in shock and the boys had to go."
Military Times noted that the dangerous weather forced six other American helicopters to land in the town of Nowa Wies, roughly 290 miles away.
Texas Rangers bench coach Bobby Jones was officially awarded the Bronze Star Medal he earned while serving in Vietnam at the team's home game Thursday, Sept. 11.
According to the Star-Telegram, the former Army corporal earned the medal upon his return from combat in 1971, but was never given a proper ceremony due to the lack of popularity concerning the U.S.'s involvement in the war. Thursday night, however, Jones finally received his award and its citation when it was presented to him by Col. R.J. Muraski, deputy commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Southwestern Division.
The veteran spent over a year in Vietnam and sustained hearing loss from loud weapons, for which he now wears hearing aids, noted CBS DFW. His life after service centered around a successful baseball career – he was drafted while playing minor league ball for the Ranger's organization. Upon his return, he remained with the team, stepping up to the major leagues. After retiring, he continued to work for the Rangers, first as a manager and then as a coach, according to the source.
Jones told the Star-Telegram, "I didn't expect any of this, but it's pretty cool that they're doing it. It's unbelievable. This honor is awesome. I really appreciate what everyone is doing."
All over the nation, memorials were held on the morning of Thursday, Sept. 11, remembering the thousands of victims who were killed in the terrorist attacks 13 years ago, including a number of first responders who died trying to save the lives of civilians.
In San Diego, 900 people climbed the stairs of the Hilton San Diego Bay Front Hotel, holding photos of victims. The hotel was chosen because it has 110 floors – the same number of floors as the World Trade Center, noted ABC 10 News. To honor first responders, many participants wore SWAT and firefighter apparel. Similar tributes were organized in Ohio, Florida and Texas and all over the country.
Back in New York, blue rays of light emerged from the former location of the Twin Towers on Wednesday night. In the morning, Lower Manhattan observed a moment of silence for the fallen at 8:46 and 9:03, the times when the planes hit the towers, according to The New York Times. Family members of victims read the names of their loved ones out loud in a memorial ceremony.
In Washington D.C., the Pentagon, another building that was attacked, unveiled an American flag on its side as the sun rose. This was followed by a remembrance ceremony hosted by President Obama for families who lost loved ones in the attacks, according to NBC Washington. The president gave a speech commending the strength of these families and the nation as a whole.
On Wednesday, Sept. 10, President Obama addressed the nation. His speech was mainly on the plans to handle the Islamic militant group calling themselves the Islamic State. The terrorist organization is currently located in Iraq and Syria, a country involved in a brutal civil war. It is responsible for the beheadings of two American journalists earlier this month.
A different direction
CNN noted that Obama's plans represent a shift from his usual strategies. He wants to help Syrian rebel soldiers fighting the militant group, something he was originally opposed to. The president also plans to authorize massive airstrikes over areas inhabited by the religious extremists, a more aggressive strategy than his previous plans. According to CNN, both his Democratic peers as well as members of the GOP applauded this forceful step.
Not a war
While Obama is taking military action, he made it very clear that the U.S. is not entering a war and that American troops would not be sent to fight. According to The Washington Post, the president wanted to make sure civilians understood that this situation would not be like the war in Iraq, but rather a mission to stomp out terrorists. CNN noted that America will be sending 475 military advisors to Iraq. These servicemembers will be helping arm and instruct local fighters.
The takeaway
Ultimately, the president wanted his goal to be heard.
"Our objective is clear: We will degrade, and ultimately destroy, ISIL through a comprehensive and sustained counterterrorism strategy," he stated.
Currently, Obama believes he has enough power, based on policies enacted when the U.S. was fighting Al Qaeda, to authorize putting his plan into action, noted CNN. According to The Washington Post, the president hopes to gain extra support and resources from Congress to implement his plans as successfully as possible.
In an effort to lower veteran unemployment rates, 50 U.S. schools are taking part in Veteran's Upward Bound, a program run by the U.S. Department of Education. The program aims to help veterans receive a degree to improve life after service. According to the DOE, the Upward Bound curriculum encompasses everything from laboratory sciences, to foreign languages, to refresher courses for vets who need remedial assistance with the goal of having more veterans be college graduates with applicable skills for today's competitive job market.
The program makes a point to target low-income students who would otherwise be at risk for never receiving a degree. In fact, the DOE has mandated that two-thirds of participants in Veteran's Upward Bound are described as low-income and first-generation postsecondary students.
The DOE noted that vets enrolled in the program will gain instruction on how to apply for and take advantage of services through Veteran Affairs. Military Times noted that Upward Bound also helps vets with interview techniques and resume building to put them on the fast track to a stable career.
Upward Bound in action
According to Military Times, a shining example of Upward Bound's mission can be seen in the program at Western Kentucky University. Currently, 128 veterans are enrolled, up from 99 in the 2008-2009 school year. Kentucky is home to over 2,000 young veterans, and WKU hopes to help them prepare for the future through this innovative organization.
Bob Wilson is a chairman of the Southcentral Kentucky Community Blueprint Program, a group that gives support to veterans. He told Military Times that Upward Bound has been helpful in giving Kentucky veterans a guide for adapting to civilian life – something that was missing. Wilson told Military Times about how the program offered direction to former Marine and Afghanistan veteran David Jones. Jones left the service without even a basic resume, but through the help of Veteran's Upward Bound he is studying to be a trauma nurse.
According to Military Times, the unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans has been in a constant state of fluctuation this year. Numbers rose to 9.2 percent in February, only to dip significantly in the following months: March and April saw a steady 7 percent, while May's numbers dropped as low as 5.6 percent.
The summer, however, saw an increase in unemployment. By July, rates were back to 9.2 percent. Recently percentages fell over a point, landing current statistics at 8.1 percent, noted Military Times. Post-9/11 vets' unemployment rates remain higher than the national unemployment average, which is at around 6.2 percent, as well as the national unemployment rate encompassing all veterans, which is at 5.6 percent.
While these numbers may seem high, they have been dropping in recent history. According to Military Times, last year's numbers averaged around 9 percent. The downward trend in these statistics is expected to continue as the country looks to increase jobs and help veterans find better opportunities in life after service.
According to The Huffington Post, this gap continues to close for post-9/11 vets with the help of online resources, such as the Veteran Virtual Career Fair, an Internet-based meeting of businesses looking to hire veterans. The fair takes place on Sept. 11 and hopes to connect vets with suitable careers. The Huffington Post noted that over 50 businesses will be represented and that in the past three years the fair has been responsible for helping 81,000 veterans successfully find employment.
Seth Moulton is new to the world of politics, but that did not stop the former Marine from beating U.S. Rep. John Tierney in Sept. 9's Democratic primary elections for Massachusetts' 6th Congressional District. Moulton's defeat of Tierney marks the first time since 1992 that a sitting congressman has been defeated in a primary election, according to Military Times.
A native of Marblehead, Massachusetts, Moulton graduated from Harvard University in 2001. According to Harvard Magazine, Moulton decided to become a Marine during his senior year of college. He joined following the attacks of Sept. 11 and served in Iraq. In his life after service, he returned to Harvard, receiving a joint Master of Business Administration and Master of Public Policy in 2008. The Washington Post noted that although he remains proud of his service, he openly opposed the war in Iraq and maintains an anti-war platform.
Moulton will face off against Republican nominee Richard Tisei for the spot. The Washington Post speculated that Democrats have a better chance at victory with the 35-year-old newcomer, since Tierney's personal life and low-energy campaign would have been easy targets for Republicans. Nonetheless, the race is expected to be fierce, since Tisei has already gained attention and financial support from conservative organizations, stated Military Times.
President Obama is set to announce his strategy for dealing with the Islamic militant issue in Syria on Wednesday, Sept. 10. According to CNN, Obama's plan will include economic, diplomatic and military action.
In a recent interview on NBC's "Meet the Press," the president touched upon some of the topics he will cover in his national address. He mentioned the implementation of a three-step plan that would include increasing airstrikes and further investigating members of the radical group who have started referring to themselves as the Islamic State. He described the new strategy as including more offensive tactics – something many have been hoping for since the extremist organization beheaded two American journalists earlier this month.
The New York Times noted that these gruesome murders, which were documented on video and distributed internationally via the Internet, have been instrumental in Obama's decisions. They have also swayed public opinion toward taking military action. The president considered using missiles in Syria last year when Bashar al-Assad began using chemical weapons, but he decided to cancel the plan when he received a lack of support from Congress. The determination and growing power of Islamic militants, however, has radically altered the political climate, according to the Times.
CNN noted that even though military action is a facet of the strategy, as of now President Obama will not be putting U.S. troops on the ground. Instead, he plans to provide support for Syrian and Iraqi troops. He told "Meet the Press" that while the religious extremist group is not currently an imminent threat to the U.S., it could evolve to be a problem if not handled properly and quickly.
"What I want people to understand is that over the course of months, we are going to be able to not just blunt the momentum of (ISIS), we are going to systematically degrade their capabilities, we're going to shrink the territory that they control and ultimately, we're going to defeat them," Obama said.
After the controversial Veterans Affairs scandal at the Phoenix, Arizona, facility in July, officials have been investigating allegations of wrongdoings in locations all over the country. The Phoenix location was under fire for its long wait times for emergency care, which are believed to have contributed to the avoidable deaths of many veterans, stated CNN. According to the source, this serious issue is believed to be a problem in over 70 locations throughout the U.S. The staff at these locations is believed to have been not only aware of these faulty practices, but compliant and even compensated for their participation.
One of the most notable stories from the Phoenix scandal is that of 76-year-old Navy veteran Edward Laird. Laird sought medical care in his life after service through the VA and instead got placed on a lengthy waiting list. The former servicemember remained on the 2 1/2-year list for a biopsy of a facial spot. By the time he received any care, cancer had spread rapidly, causing him to lose the majority of his nose, according to CNN. The FBI, VA Office of Inspector General and The Office of Special Counsel has been investigating similar cases since the controversial practices were brought to light.
Investigations are ongoing throughout the U.S. and findings are expected to be made public in the coming months, stated Military Times.