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.
Today, President Obama will present Sgt. Maj. Bennie Adkins with the prestigious Medal of Honor for his service in Vietnam. Normally these awards must be presented within three years of service, but Congress made an exception for Adkins, noted Military Times.
According to Military Times, Adkins spent 22 years as a servicemember and was deployed to Vietnam three times. He is being recognized for his heroic actions during his second deployment.
Adkins was working with the South Vietnamese Civil Irregular Defense Group at Camp A Shau on March 9, 1966, when Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces attacked, reported Army Times. Adkins sprung into action, taking down an estimated 135-175 enemy fighters. He was wounded 18 times himself, and still managed to fight back and help his wounded colleagues.
Adkins spent a total of 38 hours in battle and 48 hours escaping from the North Vietnamese forces, according to CNN. He even experienced a brief encounter with a tiger when it cornered both American and North Vietnamese troops, but was able to escape.
Eventually, Adkins and his surviving peers were rescued by a helicopter, according to Army Times. He went on to have a very successful life after service, receiving a bachelor's degree and two master's degrees. He taught college classes and owned his own accounting service. He is 80 years old and lives with his wife in Opelika, Alabama.
According to Army Times, four of the soldiers Adkins served with in Vietnam will be in attendance at the ceremony, which will take place at the White House.
Adkins told Army Times that he is honored to receive the award.
"Basically, it's a very humbling experience to be recommended for the Medal of Honor. What I attribute this to is not my actions but the actions of the other 16 Americans with us in the battle at Camp A Shau and especially the five Americans that paid the ultimate price."
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.
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.