Riots and nightly clashes between police and protesters have erupted in Ferguson, Missouri, forcing Gov. Jay Nixon to sign an executive order requesting additional assistance from Missouri National Guard servicemembers, according to a statement released by the governor's office. Protesters have shot at police officers, thrown Molotov cocktails, looted local businesses and coordinated efforts to block roads and overrun a police command center.
Growing tensions in Ferguson
USA Today reported that the city of Ferguson has been thrown into chaos since Aug. 9 after the fatal shooting of teenager Michael Brown by police. Since then, standoffs between police and protesters have occurred on a nightly basis despite installed midnight curfews and the Brown family's request for calm, CNN reported. Spurred by the increasing violence, Gov. Nixon has called in the National Guard for assistance.
"Given these deliberate, coordinated and intensifying violent attacks on lives and property in Ferguson, I am directing the highly capable men and women of the Missouri National Guard to assist Col. Ron Replogle and the Unified Command in restoring peace and order to this community," a statement released by the governor's office said.
According to USA Today, protesting on Aug. 17 resulted in one person being shot and wounded and hundreds of people marching on a police command center. Local McDonald's employees were forced to lock themselves in a storage closet to evade protesters overrunning the restaurant.
"Police were shot at, makeshift barricades were set up to block police, bottles and rocks were thrown at police," Capt. Ron Johnson of the Missouri Highway Patrol told USA Today.
Adding to the controversy, some protesters have denied any police provocation and have stated that citizens have peacefully marched in protest, making forceful police responses unwarranted, according to CNN. Hundreds of protesters – including children – marched on a police command center recently, resulting in officers firing tear gas into the crowd. However, reports of protesters firing guns at police or throwing Molotov cocktails have been denied by some protesters.
The shooting of Michael Brown
A recent autopsy of Brown revealed that the teenager was shot at least six times – twice in the head – from a distance, according to CNN. While police officers allege that Brown reached into the shooting officer's patrol car and tussled for the patrolman's gun, the autopsy suggested that Brown had not been in a struggle prior to the shooting.
Experts will inspect the autopsy results further in the coming days as U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has approved another autopsy to be completed by a federal medical examiner.
Just two days after President Barack Obama deployed 130 military advisers to northern Iraq to assess an unfolding situation regarding an estimated 40,000 civilian Yazidis who had taken refuge on Mount Sinjar, Obama has said that a rescue mission will probably not be necessary and additional humanitarian airdrops will most likely not be needed, according to a statement from the White House.
A successful effort
According to Obama, U.S. military humanitarian airdrops managed to deliver over 114,000 meals and 35,000 gallons of water to Yazidis atop Mount Sinjar. U.S. forces were joined in the effort by United Kingdom forces and other allies, and airdrops were made on a nightly basis. The Iraqi civilians – who managed to escape dangerous Islamic State of Iraq and Levant forces – may have dehydrated and starved atop Mount Sinjar without the aid.
Not only that, but Obama stated that military strikes managed to break ISIL forces' hold of the area.
"Our military was able to successfully strike ISIL targets around the mountain, which improved conditions for civilians to evacuate the mountain safely," Obama said.
Fewer civilians than expected
Whereas some believed tens of thousands of civilian refugees may have been stranded on Mount Sinjar – NPR reporter Tom Bowman reported there were estimates of around 40,000 Yazidis stuck on the summit – American military advisers found far fewer civilians on the mountain. Military Times reported a U.S. military and civilian team found there were close to 4,000 Iraqi civilians on Mount Sinjar.
Supposedly, there were so few civilians compared to previous estimates because the U.S. military measures earlier this week allowed civilians to escape the mountain after dark, according to Obama. Now, the remaining civilian groups will be aided by friendly ground forces to facilitate safe evacuations.
"The civilians who remain continue to leave, aided by Kurdish forces and Yazidis who are helping to facilitate the safe passage of their families. So the bottom line is, is that the situation on the mountain has greatly improved and Americans should be very proud of our efforts," Obama said.
Looking forward, the president warned that the situation is not over for Iraqi civilians or defensive forces yet. ISIL forces still threaten much of the Iraqi populace and American support is still necessary.
"We will continue air strikes to protect our people and facilities in Iraq. We have increased the delivery of military assistance to Iraqi and Kurdish forces fighting ISIL on the front lines," Obama said.
According to Department of Defense News, President Barack Obama has ordered 130 advisers into Iraq to advise and assess the situation there. The additional troops will observe humanitarian efforts regarding displaced Iraqi Civilians on Mount Sinjar and develop plans to evacuate the people safely.
No combat for newest wave of troops
The additional troops have already touched down in Irbil, Iraq, according to a NPR. The 130 additional advisers will join 90 U.S. military advisers in Baghdad, another 160 in two operation centers, 455 members of U.S. security forces and another 100 military personnel in the Office of Security Cooperation in the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, according to The Associated Press. The 130 troops have been called "assessors" by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, who has stated the personnel will not serve any combat purpose.
"Very specifically, this is not a combat 'boots-on-the- ground' operation," Hagel told a group of marines and soldiers, according to DoD news. "We're not going to have that kind of operation."
According to a statement read by a military official, the servicemembers will "assess the scope of the humanitarian mission and develop additional humanitarian assistance options beyond the current airdrop effort in support of displaced Iraqi civilians trapped on Sinjar Mountain by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant," DoD news reported.
Obama has stated that new ground combat personnel will not be sent into Iraq. The AP reported that Obama will cap the number of troops that can be sent into the region. However, the 130 additional advisors do not count toward that amount because they have been authorized to provide humanitarian assistance.
The situation
According to The Independent, roughly 40,000 Yazidis fled to Mount Sinjar to escape Islamic ISIL forces, and the United Nations has warned that a potential mass atrocity or genocide could happen within days or hours. Humanitarian efforts have managed to airdrop water, food and other resources to the Yazidis, however there is still no long term solution for the civilians who have been surrounded on the mountain.
Additionally, U.S. airstrikes will be used to deter ISIL forces from advancing on Mount Sinjar and Irbil. However, some suggest that armed forces will be needed to escort Yazidi civilians off of the mountain. According to NPR, the possibility of airlifting the civilians off of the mountain is slim because of the number of people will require too large an effort.
From his gift for stand-up comedy to his role as a nanny in "Mrs. Doubtfire," Robin Williams won the hearts and laughs of millions. But there's another side of the legendary actor and comic that some overlook. He was also showed incredible support to American soldiers.
Over a decade of performing for troops
According to Fox News, Williams participated in United Service Organization tours for over a decade, traveling to war zones in 13 countries and performing stand-up for nearly 90,000 troops. His respect for servicemembers of the U.S. ran deep, and he even spoke about his experience performing for soldiers in an interview with ABC News back in 2012.
"I'm so honored to meet them and know what they've gone through and say, 'Hey dude,' this is just something that really humbles me," Williams said, according to the news source.
Servicemembers remember Robin Williams
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel issued a statement Aug. 11, reading, "The entire Department of Defense community mourns the loss of Robin Williams. Robin was a gifted actor and comedian, but he was also a true friend and supporter of our troops. From entertaining thousands of service men and women in war zones, to his philanthropy that helped veterans struggling with hidden wounds of war, he was a loyal and compassionate advocate for all who serve this nation in uniform. He will be dearly missed by the men and women of DoD – so many of whom were personally touched by his humor and generosity."
Even off the stage during his USO tours, Williams showed his dedication to soldiers by visiting those who couldn't see his routine, according to ABC News' global correspondent Martha Raddatz.
"He would be tireless at these performances," Raddatz said in an ABC News report. "He would perform in the big shows where everyone could go see him, but when others were performing, he'd sneak away and go to the guard posts and the dining facilities to visit those soldiers and marines who weren't able to come to the big show."
The loss of Williams reverberated through every sector of the armed forces, even warranting a statement from President Barack Obama .
"Robin Williams was an airman, a doctor, a genie, a nanny, a president, a professor, a bangarang Peter Pan, and everything in between," Obama said "But he was one of a kind. He arrived in our lives as an alien – but he ended up touching every element of the human spirit. He made us laugh. He made us cry. He gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to those who needed it most – from our troops stationed abroad to the marginalized on our own streets. The Obama family offers our condolences to Robin's family, his friends, and everyone who found their voice and their verse thanks to Robin Williams."
President Barack Obama recently told reporters that U.S. combat troops would not be entering Iraq again, according to The Associated Press. However, some officials say that servicemembers are needed in the area to provide countermeasures against Islamic State of Iraq and Syria forces.
More than a campaign promise
One of the reasons Obama has refused to place more troops on the ground in Iraq follows a campaign pledge he made to retract forces in the area, but there are also logistical issues with keeping armed forces in the country. According to Obama, the Iraqi government called for the departure of American forces because officials could not agree to grant U.S. forces legal immunity. This would have left troops subject to an Iraqi judicial process during their time in the country.
Instead of carrying out defensive measures using troops, Obama has focused on a series of targeted airstrikes on ISIS forces to protect American personnel in Iraq and Iraqi civilians on Mount Sinjar. Obama noted that IS advances on Irbil – a region in Iraq with a consulate holding American troops and diplomats – have been quicker than expected, but airstrikes have already destroyed ISIS arms and equipment.
Why others call for troops
While U.S. forces try to keep ISIS militants out of Irbil to protect American personnel, there is a second mission to protect 40,000 Iraqi Yazidis on Mount Sinjar from militant advances. Civilians trapped on the mountain have already received air drops of food and water, but some military officials suggest that ground forces are needed to protect the citizens, according to Military Times.
While airdropped resources help Yazidi civilians survive on Mount Sinjar, there are concerns about getting the civilians off the mountain, which has been surrounded by ISIS forces.
"You're talking about a 10,000- to 15,000-soldier effort to include maintenance, and medevac and security," retired Army Col. Peter Mansoor, told Military Times."But that is the price you're going to pay if you want to roll back [Islamic State]. You can't just snap your fingers and make it go away,"
Monsoor suggested that security forces would be needed to lead Yazidis through ISIS territory to safety. Without boots on the ground, the only other option may include massive helicopter airlifts of Iraqi civilians from Mount Sinjar if further airstrikes do not effectively hold militants back.
Effective airstrikes
However, retired Air Force Col. Mark Gunzinger, told Military Times that airstrikes may be very effective in Iraq because the U.S. has enough drones to keep a near constant presence overhead, and ISIS militants may not have anti-aircraft equipment capable of defending against coordinated airstrikes.
Some specifics regarding airstrikes have still not yet been explained by authorities. While some suggest airstrikes may only be used for defensive purposes around Irbil and Mount Sinjar, there is the possibility that a bigger effort may be coordinated.
"There is still some question about whether this is going to be a major air campaign to defeat [ISIS] or whether it is going to be more along the lines of strikes and raids to deny them access and prevent them from making further advances. I'm not sure," Gunzinger told Military Times.
President Barack Obama recently signed a measure to overhaul the Department of Veterans Affairs, according to The Hill. The bill aims to fund the VA with an additional $16.3 billion package that will be used to hire more medical personnel and build and lease more health facilities. It will also empower the VA secretary to fire ineffective health care managers.
Working to reduce veterans' wait times
The measure follows recent controversy surrounding wait times veterans faced while scheduling medical appointments. A recent internal audit of the VA showed that 10 percent of veterans seeking care at VA medical facilities faced wait times lasting 30 days or more for an appointment, according to The Associated Press. Moreover, 46,000 had waited over three months for an appointment at the time of the audit and 7,000 veterans did not receive an appointment over the decade in which they were requested.
Those wait times were caused by a combination of staff shortages, and data manipulation by medical managers in VA hospitals. Dozens of veterans died while waiting for care, according to a CNN investigation.
The new bill aims to decrease those wait times and better serve veterans in three ways.
1. More staffing and VA health center locations
Serving hundreds of thousands of veterans is a monumental task. Even serving the veterans still on waiting lists was a task the VA was ill-equipped for Sloan Gibson, the acting Secretary of the VA, told lawmakers in July 2014, the AP reported. To improve patient outcomes, billions of dollars would be necessary to hire extra medical professionals and acquire new facilities to see more veterans. With the $16.3 billion plan, more doctors and nurses can be hired at thousands of VA facilities, USA Today Reported. Additionally, the VA can more easily lease new locations for facilities. According to Military Times, veterans groups and VA officials have already found 27 new locations for lease.
2. More accountability
Providing an easier route for VA officials to dismiss corrupt health managers was one of the main goals of the bill, as VA scandals brought the department under severe public scrutiny earlier this year, which ended in former VA Secretary Eric Shinseki's resignation.
"If you engage in an unethical practice, cover up a serious problem, you should be fired," Obama told military service members, veterans and their family members, according to The Hill. "As a country, we have a sacred obligation to serve you as well as you served us."
The bill gives VA Secretary Robert McDonald greater power to fire senior health officials for poor management, and legislators have stated it will help McDonald make VA workers more accountable, according to Military Times.
3. Veterans can seek private care
One of the barriers many veterans in rural areas faced was getting to VA facilities that are too far away. Now, the new law allows veterans who live over 40 miles away from VA facilities to receive care from a private doctor, CNN reported. This measure will also apply to veterans who cannot receive care within a reasonable amount of time at a VA facility.
Just months ago, Capt. Justin Fitch was marching for miles at a time with an 80-pound rucksack on his back. Now, he has trouble even walking, but he's still working to complete one final mission – help cut down what has become a surge of veteran suicides.
Fighting cancer for a cause
According to the U.S. Army, Fitch was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer in May 2012. Since then, the servicemember has raised thousands of dollars to benefit the Active Heroes "Carry the Fallen" campaign. Active Heroes started the campaign to raise awareness and money for veterans and their families affected by post-traumatic stress disorder and suicide.
The organization reported that 22 veterans commit suicide every day, and the goal is to drop that number to zero.
Fitch himself raised just under $60,000 to benefit the effort in a single ruck march on the weekend of Sept. 11. Military Times reported Fitch's group – Team Minuteman – raised $112,000 for Active Heroes through the "Carry the Fallen" campaign. That money will go toward helping veterans repair their homes and establish a veteran retreat in in Shepherdsville, Kentucky.
Transitioning roles
Now, Fitch is working to transition to a leadership role in raising Active Heroes funds due to the weakness caused by his illness. Since his diagnosis, Fitch has had 41 chemotherapy treatments, has gone through several surgeries and has lost 55 pounds and much of his digestive system in medical procedures, Military Times reported. As the captain's health fades, doctors state that he may only have months to live.
Far from able to throw on the 80-pound rucksack and march for miles at a time anymore, Fitch will still be attending the "Carry the Fallen" marches. He'll be riding along in the command-and-control vehicle, encouraging his fellow teammates. The next marches start on Sept. 6 and Nov. 8, according to the organization's website. The group plans to raise $250,000 by the end of the year.
With generous servicemembers like Fitch, that goal may be possible. The servicemember donated $10,000 of his personal funds just recently. To Fitch, the efforts have a much deeper meaning.
"This is my final mission as a soldier, and even when I actually do get medically retired from the Army, I am going to push this mission until I can no longer physically do anything," Fitch told Military Times. "It's an impossible task it seems like some days, but even if its one life that we save, all the effort's worth it."
The number of people on the U.S. terrorism database – which can place people on a no-fly list – has doubled within a few years, according to The Associated Press. Reportedly, there were 1.1 million individuals in the database at the end of 2013, according to the National Counterterrorism Center. In 2010, there were 550,000 names in the database.
Few submissions are not accepted
In an AP report earlier this year, the news agency stated around 99 percent of the names submitted to the government for the U.S. terrorism database are accepted, which has lead to criticism regarding the ease with which names can be added to the list.
The database holds all the names of known terrorists, people suspected of having ties to terrorists and sometimes people who are related to terrorists or are associates of people who are suspected terrorists. The National Counterterrorism Center told the AP that 25,000 U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents are in the database currently.
Government officials became more diligent and aggressive in adding names to the terrorism database after a failed attempt to blow up a plane over the city of Detroit on Christmas in 2009. Reportedly the terror operative involved in this instance was listed on the terrorism database. However, he was not barred from flying on a U.S. airplane. Since this event, the government has become more lenient in adding names to the database, according to the AP. In fact, the government needs no evidence of a person's involvement in terrorism efforts or links to suspected terrorists to be included in the database.
Increasing submission rates
Since 2009, the rate of name submissions has increased dramatically over the years. According to the AP:
- In 2009, 227,932 names were submitted to the database
- In 2010, submissions rose to 250,847
- In 2012, the number of names increased to 336,712
- In 2013, 468,749 names were submitted to the database
Recently, the Pentagon announced that a plethora of military equipment would be sent to Ukrainian forces to help control continued aggression from pro-Russian forces. Now, a newly announced plan – if approved by Congress – would send additional aid to the war torn nation along with U.S. servicemembers who would help train Ukrainian forces, according to USA Today.
The Defense Department announced Aug. 1 that it would send an $8 million aid package to Ukraine, which includes military equipment such as armored personnel carriers, cargo and patrol vehicles, binoculars, night vision goggles and small patrol boats. This followed a similar $7 million aid package in April. Both care packages are smaller than the newly proposed plan, however.
More aid, equipment and now trainers
According to The Hill, the U.S. military may send forces stationed in Europe or from the California National Guard to help equip and train Ukraine forces. The military would send members of the California National Guard because soldiers from the state have worked with Ukraine forces before. The servicemembers would help four companies of soldiers and one tactical headquarters of the Ukrainian national guard. Not only that, the measure aims to send $19 million in aid to the country.
"Our intent is to use $19 million in Global Security [Contingency] Fund authority," Rear Adm. John Kirby said, according to The Hill. "That's what the authority's for."
The news agency reported the fund was shared by Defense and State departments for counter terrorism initiatives and security training procedures.
Pushing forward
The plan comes after the European Union and the U.S. announced a new round of sanctions against Russia due to the internationally unrecognized annexation of Crimea and continued support of pro-Russian separatists in the region. According to USA Today, Kirby reported there were 10,000 Russian troops 35 miles outside of the Ukrainian border. Additionally, Russia has supplied separatists with lethal weapons – such as rocket launchers – and military vehicles. A Pentagon report also revealed Russian forces had launched artillery against Ukrainian soldiers.
Despite Russia backing separatist forces with, the U.S. and European Union have maintained that they would not send lethal weaponry into the country.
"The focus of our assistance remains on non-lethal. We continue to review requests for military assistance from the government of Ukraine through an interagency process," Kirby said, according to The Hill.
As of yet, the Pentagon does not plan to send any lethal weapons. However, the Ukraine government has requested anti-tank weaponry, small arms, F-16 fighter jets, anti-aircraft weaponry and other lethal equipment. U.S. officials maintain that there will be no U.S. military intervention in the region and the situation will solved by Ukraine forces. To avoid increasing tensions in the area, or making the territory less secure, military officials are poring through options to provide the most effective support to Ukraine. The increased support to Ukraine is a bipartisan measure coming from both Democrats and Republicans in Congress, according to The Hill.
An outbreak of Ebola virus has killed more than 700 people in Africa and has spread to several American workers, helping to slow the spread of the disease,The Associated Press reported. Now, to add increased support to containment measures, Defense Department officials are discussing the possibility of sending additional personnel to West Africa to help control the disease, according to Military Times.
A spreading and highly fatal disease
American Forces Press Service reported that the Ebola virus has no known cure and a 90 percent fatality rate. Victims of the virus cannot be treated. Instead, they are offered supportive care while medical officials work tirelessly to find a cure to the ailment.
The travel advisory to Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone has already been raised to level three, warning that unnecessary travel to the regions should be avoided. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has begun tracking and advised embassies in those locations using disease detectives and other officials. Along with this support, there are military health workers in the area providing logistical support and clinical management to help treat the infected population.
The military offers significant support
According to DoD officials, support from military forces is invaluable.
"DoD personnel bring a level of excellence second to none, working in response to host nations and WHO in the most-affected countries of Sierra Leone and Liberia," Army Col. James Cummings, a physician and director of the Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System at the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center, told AFPS.
Officials maintain that the DoD is responsible for assisting in matters of international health, according to Military Times. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Jonathan Woodson, M.D., claimed recently that international health crises are matters of national security, and the Pentagon is a key player in preventing outbreaks and health epidemics that could lead to disaster.
"One of the things I don't think many people realize is what a huge valuable asset the military health system is to this nation," Woodson said, according to Military Times. "Not only are we a key enabler so that service members, men and women who … go in harm's way will be taken care of, but we are a public health system, an education system, a research and development system."
The CDC has already announced that 50 additional health officials will be sent into the three infected African nations to help establish emergency operations centers and combat the disease, according to AFPS.
Low danger of infection with correct care
Despite a high rate of death and infections that have spread to large segments of the population, Ebola is a disease that can be handled with relative ease in the right conditions. The AP reported that due to the nature of Ebola transmission, containing the disease can be simple in a correctly outfitted hospital. Ebola spreads through bodily fluids and blood. It cannot be spread by an infected person's coughs or sneezes. Nonetheless, this makes concerns particularly high in Africa where the correct facilities may not be present to treat the growing masses of infected citizens.