U.S. soldiers prepare to head to Liberia this month to help in the ongoing fight against Ebola. The Pentagon announced on Sept. 30 that they anticipate landing in the West African nation by late October, according to Stars and Stripes.
The troops will be divided into groups focusing on different tasks. A team of 700 combat engineers will work to construct 17 new Ebola treatment facilities. The rest of the servicemembers will be responsible for preparation and helping African medical personnel, noted Stars and Stripes.
Ebola is transmitted through contact with infected bodily fluids. American troops will not offer medical treatment or have any contact with individuals infected by the virus, according to Military Times. Soldiers will be trained in how to protect themselves from contracting the disease before they are deployed.
Stars and Stripes noted that U.S. troops are estimated to remain in Liberia for at least six months.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this outbreak of Ebola is the largest in history and is considered an epidemic. The World Health Organization reported that there have been 3,000 deaths from the outbreak so far and nearly 7,000 people have been infected.
The Army has implemented a competitive program for enlisted servicemembers who want to become physician assistants.
According to Army Times, this new training will be extremely long and demanding, even by Army standards. It will consist of two phases over the course of 116 weeks. Successful completion of the course will result in a master's degree in medical care, courtesy of the University of Nebraska.
According to the United States Army Recruiting Command, well-qualified officers, enlisted soldiers and warrant officers are welcome to apply to receive the PA degree. Soldiers with more than 13 years of federal active service and officers with more than seven years of federal active service as of 2016 are not eligible. Regular Army servicemembers who intend to participate must be set to complete the training before their 42nd birthday. Members of the Army Reserves must do so before their 47th birthday.
If accepted, servicemembers will spend 64 weeks at the Army Medical Department Center and School in Houston, Texas, for classes. They will then be placed at an Army medical facility for a year-long clinical, reported Army Times.
Graduates of the PA program will have a 54-month service obligation if they are regular Army servicemembers and eight year obligation if they are from the Army Reserves.
The Air Force's explosive ordinance disposal mission in Afghanistan is officially over. The U.S. branch of service has been a presence in the country for the past 12 years, assisting with Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
According to Military Times, EOD airmen first began their service on Sept. 27, 2002, and went on to complete missions in both Afghanistan and Iraq. The Air Force noted that throughout their time overseas EOD servicemembers responded to nearly 20,000 improvised explosive devices and completed just under 56,000 missions.
Over 100 Purple Hearts have been awarded to EOD soldiers in the past 12 years. The Air Force lost 20 airmen during this time, eight while serving in Iraq and 12 in Afghanistan.
"Knowing we didn't accomplish this alone, I think about our families, their sacrifices, keeping the home front going, growing up with dad or mom (in several cases both) gone on multiple trips to the AOR (area of responsibility) and the stress they went through," said Chief Master Sgt. Martin Cortez, EOD career field manager, in an American Forces Press Service article.
Military Times reported that the last airmen returned to a base in Florida on Sept. 14.
Newman's Own Awards gave a total of $200,000 to five programs dedicated to helping servicemembers, veterans and their families.
The award money doubled from last year's prize of $100,000 thanks to an increased donation from The Fisher House Foundation, an organization committed to helping armed forces families.
According to Military Times, the winners were selected from 288 entries. Awards will be given to a program that teaches veterans entrepreneurship, two organizations devoted to helping military children, a veteran dental care program and a group that helps struggling veterans find housing. The housing program, Operation Warm Embrace, received the highest award at $50,000, while the other programs received $37,500 each.
The awards were presented in a ceremony held at the Pentagon. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, presented the donations and gave a speech.
"There is power in what you do. It can be big or small, but there's power in it," he remarked, according to Military Times.
The Fisher House Foundation noted that the entries are judged by seven officials who look for innovation, creativity and how much of a positive impact the organizations have had on their respective communities. The contest began in 1999 and has since honored 158 programs, giving out $1,125,000.
A new program being developed by the Army Research Laboratory and using Microsoft's Kinect video game technology has turned regular sandboxes into 3-D maps. According to Marine Corps Times, it is being called augmented reality sand, and will be used to create topographical maps of battle areas.
Tech website DVIDSHub.net noted that the system made an appearance at the Modern Day Marine expo in Quantico, Virginia. According to the source, augmented reality sand takes existing processes to a new level. While military branches have used sand tables to plan tactics for years, the addition of the video game software will increase precision immeasurably. Kinect technology is shown on sand using a projector, and color codes the areas based on elevation, making it easy to create a detailed and customizable interactive map.
Marine Corps Times reported that officials hope the system will help with obstacles such as language barriers: Showing foreign soldiers small-scale maps of their terrain will eliminate having to explain complicated measurements. According to the source, if the augmented reality sand proves efficient, it could translate into larger scale projects, for example, filling a full-size gym for training exercises, or smaller scale projects like mobile applications. Currently, the program is being researched and developed.
Sept. 18 marks the 67th birthday of the United States Air Force.
The armed forces branch was created in 1947 when President Harry S. Truman passed The National Security Act. According to Military.com, the Air Force has become about more than just flight – servicemembers also work in technical and support roles on the ground.
A celebration was held on Friday, Sept. 12, in Arlington, Virginia, reported CNBC. It featured performances by the U.S. Air Force Band and Singing Sergeants and the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard Drill Team.
On the anniversary, current Air Force Secretary Deborah James reflected on past achievements and looked ahead to future obstacles. According to a piece she penned for The Denver Post, a strategic blueprint for the next 30 years was recently laid out, and a large focus will be placed on staying updated with cutting-edge technology.
James wrote in an op-ed for Air Force Times, "In the next three decades, we'll face declining defense budgets, changes in technology, nations and groups acquiring weapons, changing communications, and geopolitical instability. Our Airmen must prepare for a range of missions, and adapt ahead of the rapid pace of change."
Sept. 16 marks the one-year anniversary of the mass shooting at the Washington Navy Yard. The attack was performed by Aaron Alexis, a Navy contractor and former sailor who was speculated to be mentally ill, reported The Washington Post.
The random shooting was eventually stopped by Carl Hiott, a U.S. Park Police Officer, and Dorian DeSantis, a member of the D.C. tactical police team, according to The Washington Post.
Twelve people were killed during the rampage. Their names were read by Vice Adm. William Hilarides during a ceremony at the site of the attack and they were symbolically awarded the Distinguished Civilian Service Medal for Valor, according to Military Times.
Additionally, eight servicemembers were honored for their actions during the shooting. They were awarded the highest non-combat honor, the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, for acting quickly, evacuating colleagues and offering emergency medical care to those wounded during the attack.
The shooting took place in the former headquarters of Naval Sea Systems Command, building 197. The building hasn't been used in a year due to the damage it sustained. Since 197's offices were moved to different offices in the area, many of the Naval employees hadn't seen one another since the attacks. Military Times described the ceremony as a bittersweet reunion.
Today President Obama is set to announce his plan for helping the Ebola crisis in West Africa. He will deliver the speech from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.
According to The New York Times, the U.S. originally planned to send a mobile 25-bed hospital to Liberia, one of the countries struggling to combat the rapidly spreading disease. Due to the increasing severity of the situation, however, it appears much greater action will be taken.
The U.S. Agency for International Development reported that $100 million has already been devoted to fighting the disease, according to CNN. Obama will also ask Congress for an extra $88 million. These funds will be used to construct facilities to treat as many as 1,700 Ebola patients. The New York Times reported that the U.S. will also send 400,000 household medical kits to Liberia. These will contain items for disease prevention such as medicine, masks and gloves.
CNN noted that the U.S. also hopes to be instrumental in launching public health campaigns in areas where lack of information has caused the highly contagious disease to disperse quickly.
Obama will also announce his plans to send U.S. military and medical personnel to the affected region.
The New York Times reported that 3,000 troops will be sent to Liberia. The military will help with the construction of the new health centers, as well as with the training of medical workers. In order to handle the magnitude of the crisis, there are plans to train 500 workers per week.
According to CNN, Ebola has been responsible for an estimated 2,500 deaths already. While it is currently not seen as a threat to the health of Americans, Washington has declared the outbreak an issue of national security.
The previously all-male Ranger school training course is now open to women, reported Business Insider.
The course, which often leads to positions in Special Forces, Army Rangers and special operations units, is physically grueling and boasts an exclusive 50 percent graduation rate. According to Business Insider, 60 percent of dropouts occur within the first four days, although the complete course lasts 62 days.
Military Times reported that the program is looking for female volunteers both as course participants and advisors. In a statement issued by the Army, women who want to take part in the course will need to complete a challenging fitness prerequisite – if they can run 5 miles, do six chin-ups, 49 push-ups and 59 sit-ups in no longer than 40 minutes, they are welcome to apply.
The female course advisors are not official course instructors, and ultimately have no authority in student evaluations, noted Military Times. However, they too must complete physical, mental and leadership exams in order to be considered for the program.
The integrated Ranger program is expected to launch in the spring of 2015. Business Insider reported that its successful implementation depends on female servicemember interest and eligibility.
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.