Military blogging can be a healthy way of relaying information on a more personal level without having to see “the big picture” or go through the formalities to get the simple information you want.  Building even further on the blogging and becoming part of the information system is becoming part of a military community. If you are the type of person that enjoys the deep rooted connections of the military then you belong into the entanglement that is the community.

Knowing what’s going on around the globe is crucial in today’s world. Everything operates so
quickly and anything is subject to change without notice. Staying informed, connected, and
abreast on the nature of our military society is truly the key in being part of the information movement. So if you are curious to what is going on in South Korea to the cities in Iraq then get online, get in the community, read some blogs and connect to the world around you!

The Air Force challenge coin was said to have made an appearance during World War I. However, it is the subject of much controversy as to how it exactly came into existence. Many believe the original coin was contracted by a rich lieutenant who had them made for all the members of his squadron. The story says they were struck from solid bronze. One thing is certain; the challenge coins represent a high honor for the recipient.

The Air Force challenge coins are made from many different materials. Bronze, gold plated, and silver are just a few of the different types. One of the rarest in existence today is the “Bull Dog” challenge coin. It was a coin made exclusively for the tail gunners of B-52s. This is no longer an existing position so this particular challenge coin is becoming quite rare.

The challenge coins of today are given to an Airman upon his graduation from basic training. The coins are given to widows of servicemen who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. This is a way of showing how much the sacrifice has touched the lives of many and will continue to do so. The brotherhood felt among Air Force members is a special feeling which is even more so because of the nature of their service together.

The coins are typically cast with the insignia of the rank of the soldier it is being presented to and the branch and squadron as well. There may be a motto added as there is usually always something that is unique to the group of which the soldier belongs. This is the key to the Air Force challenge coin. The sense of belonging is what makes the coin so special.

The U.S. soldier was burned in effigy during an anti war rally in Portland Oregon on March 18, 2007.Since that day some left wingers have distanced themselves from the factions that put on the burn and right wingers have done a bit of burning up the blogs and airwaves themselves with comments and analysis marked with anger, disappointment and disgust.What has been harder to find is reaction from U.S. Servicemen and any calls for an apology to them on any level. We can only wonder about the pain and feeling of betrayal they must have felt at seeing or hearing of this display. The remarks are trickling into the military blogs now and it is apparent that the Portland debauch has done little to help with morale.

I can say without doubt that even as only one single and not very important citizen of this country that I speak for millions. There are millions just like me whose names I do not know who would offer a sincere apology to all servicemen of the United States.The apology would go first to every slain soldier from George Washington’s Continental Armies to the U.S. soldiers of any conflict around the globe that have paid the ultimate sacrifice up to this very day and time.Secondly it would cover every soldier of every rank from the Chiefs of Staff to the ordinary G.I. It would include Army, U.S. Sailors, Marines, Coastguardsmen, Air Force, National Guard, and Special Ops.

The apology would have to include my late father who dodged Nazi bullets in the Battle of the Bulge. It would include my oldest brother who often returned to his base with his Cobra helicopter riddled full of holes in the Vietnam War.As a preacher of the gospel I have always been amazed that as I read the New Testament over and over again year by year that one thing stood out. Jesus never commended anyone openly for just about anything. All too often they would pose questions or speak of their own religious beliefs so as to trick him or boast about their solid lifestyle or religious practices. He rebuked some and ignored others but he never commended them. He left no reason to wonder why the Apostle John penned these words concerning Jesus, “And (he) needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.” John 2:25

But wait! One person alone was highly commended by Jesus for his outstanding faith. The exemplary faith Jesus commended was found in guess whom? You guessed it, a soldier.
Perhaps a soldier will always be the best example of faith until the end of time. It takes faith in something bigger than you to even consider being a soldier. Be it God, country, family what’s right or whatever it is. Called by any other name it is after all, the right stuff.The story is that A Roman soldier sent to Jesus to ask him if he would come to his house and heal his servant. Upon arrival at the soldiers house Jesus was told that he need not even enter the house. If he would just say a word the servant would be healed. The soldier needed no signs and wonders no sideshow or emotional outburst just a word. The soldier knew the meaning of the word authority, as a soldier it obviously goes with the territory.

In fact, it is quite often the most important asset under dispute in the course of the divorce. Courts have also recognized the problem of divorce and retirement plans, and this is why they have framed laws and guidelines to decide this issue amicably – or, at least, as amicably as a divorce can possibly be.The Uniformed Services Former Spouses’ Protection Act (USFSPA) which the Congress enacted, deals with the problem of divorce and military retirement plans. First of all, this permits the state court to divide the military retirement plan in the case of a divorce.

One myth that even some attorneys seem to believe with regard to divorce and military retirement plans is that the retirement plan can only be divided if the marriage has lasted a certain number of years. Most people seem to subscribe to the view that this time period is ten years. However, this is not true. In no state does this apply. There is no time limit for the marriage to have lasted, for the military retirement plan to be divided.

What the Uniformed Services Former Spouses’ Protection Act actually says is that if the marriage had lasted more than ten years, the Defense Finance and Accounting Service or the DFAS would directly pay the spouse his/her share of the military retirement plan. If it lasts less than ten years, the spouse who was in the military will have to pay the divorcee the sum from the military retirement plan.

The law makes it very clear what the stand is when it comes to divorce and military retirement. The profits from the military retirement are part of the settlement, without any disputes, and the spouse is entitled to it, no matter how long they were married. Divorces and military retirement plans can be a bit messier than divorces otherwise are, but the law is very clear on that point.

Clearly the issue has raised much concern with the American public and even its statesmen and women: “We can think of no greater deterrent to women contemplating a military career than the image of a pregnant woman being severely punished simply for conceiving a child,” Senator Barbara Boxer and many other wrote according to Reuters Wednesday. Unfortunately, this opinion is a bit misleading, and dodges another real issue “the insufficient number of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The whole reason why this action against pregnancy is necessary is simple; there are not enough numbers in these areas and that is why our country has been forced to use PMC`s. In addition, in order to operate a war with the minimum number of casualties, each soldier must adequately control themselves. If a soldier engages in reckless behavior on the battlefield, he is acting in a manner which jeopardizes his teammates.

As far as whether or not Abortion should be sanctioned to correct errors I have come to a conclusion:

If a soldier has truly made a mistake, or, was abused by other military personnel, abortion should be made an option and made legitimate by the government. The evangelical and fundamentalist Christian stigma against such actions lacks any value, especially in these cases. Without saying too much about my own personal opinion on abortion, I will say this “it`s a relativistic-determined situation and the above is one of those situations.

If the soldiers in question were found to have done these pregnancy bearing actions for the reason of leaving the military and shirking their duties in the first place, abortion should not be made mandatory, but an option to reduce their sentencing for choosing to shirk their duties.

Thus, yes, I do believe Abortion should be a government sanctioned option for the current situation. Naturally, it should be made a choice in every case. Even then, the maximum number of lives protected must be considered. A woman who was seduced and made pregnant by another consenting party, who truly does not want a child, and would prefer to continue their career should have an abortion. I believe this because their contribution to the war is what they have intended to see out to its full extent, and by fulfilling and continuing their duties, they are protecting their teammates. If a woman and a man have decided to keep a dangerously conceived child, they are essentially leaving the military and should be treated as such.