Woman Plot

Women of the Air Force, Past, and Present

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The US Air Force is one of the five branches of the military in the United States. All five branches of the military have a primary objective to defend her country in the event of military conflict, as well as assist American allies. Sometimes the military will offer protection and aid for various groups and natural disasters, such as the recent hurricanes.

Courageous men and women serve the US and bravely enlist in the US Air Force. Some of the tasks that the Air Force completes include repairing and constructing new runways, guarding US airports and military bases around the world, patrolling enemy targets, in addition to the obvious bombing missions and cargo transportation.

Some of the most famous men, including country singer, Johnny Cash, and actor, James Stewart, have been recognized in the Air Force. But what about the countless women who have overcome obstacles and stereotypes, and have served their country honorably because of their unwavering dedication to the United States of America. These women, whether they be on the ground, or in the air have successfully earned the privilege to serve side-by-side with their male counterparts. Some of the women who stand out above the rest are Maxine King, Colonel Eileen Collins, and General Lori J. Robinson.

  • Col. Maxine King, also known as Micki King enlisted in the US Air Force in 1966. Ms. King was a two-time US Olympic Diver who used her athletic expertise to her advantage. She became the first female athletics instructor at the US Air Force Academy in the early 1970’s. According to the US Air Force’s website, Micki also served on a committee and was greatly influential in prompting the military academies to open their doors to women. During her career in the Air Force, Ms. King was promoted to Colonel and retired in 1992.
  • As a small child, Col. Eileen Collins was mesmerized when she’d watch the aircraft perform amazing tricks and aerial acrobatics at the countless air shows her and her father attended. She knew that she wanted to be a pilot and enlisted in the Air Force in 1979.  Shortly after her training, she became the first woman flight instructor, who also happened to teach mathematics. She remained in this capacity for the next eleven years. Ms. Collins attended the Air Force Test Pilot School and was one of the first women to graduate in 1990. Throughout her career in the Air Force, Ms. Collins earned the rank of Colonel and decided to enroll with NASA to be an astronaut. Upon the completion of her aeronautical training, she became the first woman to pilot a space mission. Later, in 1999, she was the first female to be a shuttle commander a space shuttle.  Col. Collins retired from the US Air Force in 2005.
  • For Gen. Lori J. Robinson, serving in the US Air Force is a family tradition as her father is a 30-year veteran. Her husband, who is now a retired General, and daughter served in the Air Force as well. After 9/11, the Pentagon created nine centers to work with Canada and patrol the US and assist in emergency situations. One of these centers is called Northern Command where Gen. Robinson was one of the leading superior officers for that facility. General Robinson’s peers speak highly of her and recognize her strong leadership skills, her insight into confronting and solving problems, as well as her compassion for others. General Robinson is one of two women who are four-star Generals in the US Air Force and is still serving in this capacity today.

Over the last 50 years or so, the Air Force has made great strides in allowing women to serve the United States along-side their “brothers in arms.” Thankfully, the rights of women have come a long way.

Buffalo Soldiers

Who Were the African American Buffalo Soldiers?

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Most people know who George Washington Carver is when they hear his name, but unfortunately, many history books do not mention the African American soldiers who fearlessly fought in the Civil War. As a matter of fact, about 200,000 African American soldiers served the US to rid the plague of slavery within its borders. However, there is little known about them and the great impact they had in the US Army.

It wasn’t until 1866 that the US Congress passed the Army Reorganization Act and added thirty regiments, including six army regiments, called the US Colored Troops. According to http://BuffaloSoldiersAMWest.org, the six regiments “were identified as the 9th and 10th Calvary and the 38th, 39th, 40th, and 41st Infantry Regiments. The four infantry regiments were reorganized in 1868 as the 24th and 25th infantry.”

The Native Americans gave Buffalo Soldiers this term at the time. There were two main tasks for the soldiers. The first duty was to guard, protect, and defend wagon trains, while the other task was to carve out and build roads for the pioneers traveling west.

As you know from American history, the pioneers tragically encountered the Native Americans on their pilgrimage to the west. To the Native Americans, the African American soldiers reminded them of the buffalo, which they hold in high regard in their culture. In the event that a battle should erupt, the African American troops did not shy away from it, but rather faced the dangers and fought gallantly.  By nature, the buffalo have a tenacious nature and fight fiercely as did the servicemen, hence the nickname, Buffalo Soldiers.

Believe it or not, the Buffalo Soldiers were treated very fairly by the US Army and US State Department. Not only did they received the same pay as white troops, but they also received the same quality supplies, which included fine horses. Obtaining quality horses was important since these were Calvary and Infantry Regiments who relied on horses for their transportation, as well as fighting the enemy. However, many horses died in confrontations, and the Army could only afford about $100 per horse. Other supplies that the Buffalo Soldiers received that were of the same quality as their white counterparts were guns, ammunition, as well as food, and medical care. That’s not to say though that these courageous men didn’t encounter racial prejudice because they did. It is unfortunate that some US Generals refused to serve alongside these brave men based on their skin color.

African American soldiers earned and received nineteen Medals of Honor during the Civil War alone.  A couple of the battles that they fought in were at the Battles of Honey Springs, and the Battle of Cabin Creek. From the time of their inception in 1866, these renowned Army troops were comprised of only African American men and defended civilians and the United States of America until 1951.

Many Buffalo Soldiers reenlisted in the US Army after the Civil War. They reenlisted for a couple of reasons: even though slavery was abolished, they did not have a home in which to return, because the men didn’t want to go back to the plantations where they were enslaved. These African Americans were treated more fairly while they served in the Army than if they were civilians, so it made sense for them to stay and many made a military career of it. These soldiers also knew that prejudice was still prevalent and many did not want to subject themselves to that kind of horrible treatment.

The Buffalo Soldiers were a driven and bold group of men who fought for equality and basic human dignity. They are among the first who bravely stood up for the cause of civil rights.

Movies That Have Used the 27P Nomex Flight Suits as Part of Their Wardrobe

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Our company was founded in the mid-1990’s and has grown by leaps and bounds ever since. We are located in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains in the small historical town of Olive Hill, Kentucky. Carter NY is the only manufacturer and provider of flight suits and coveralls for the US Military, and all of our products are made on premises in our factory in northeastern Kentucky.

One of the products this company is known for is their CWU 27/P Nomex Flight Suit. The suit is made from the Nomex material which is flame-resistant material and is worn by military personnel in most of the branches of the US Military, such as the US Air Force, the US Marine Corps, and Homeland Security. These suits feature an adjustable waist belt, six primary pockets, a two-way zipper, and a multitude of other specialty pockets and prominent features. The flight suits are available in a variety of sizes and are available in two colors, Sage Green, and Desert Tan.

You may have recognized these coveralls in a few of your favorite movies too, such as Ghostbusters, Top Gun, and Flight of the Intruder. For example, in the first Ghostbusters movie, the actors included Bill Murray, Rick Moranis, Sigourney Weaver, and Dan Aykroyd, wore the tan coveralls without the side pockets. The costume director instructed that the zippers be sanded down to reveal the polished brass underneath the black coating. Some people will protest that the flight suits were gray in the movie; however, this is not the case. Firstly, the flight suits are not offered in gray and secondly, the stage lighting tweaks certain colors and give materials and colors different sheens or hue. Top Gun was another movie where the characters, Iceman (Val Kilmer), Goose (Anthony Edwards), and Maverick (Tom Cruise) sported the 27/P Nomex Flight Suits as well throughout the film. Although the movie had its fair share of mistakes as far as military protocol is concerned, the cast wore the coveralls accurately whenever they were in flight. One thing that was missing; however, were the Nomex gloves that all military personnel is required to wear along with the flight suit. One other thing regarding the flight suits was that T-shirts were worn under the suits instead of golf shirts like the film portrayed. Golf shirts were not permitted until later in the early 2000’s.  The Sage Green Nomex Flight Suits were an essential part of the wardrobe in the film, Flight of the Intruder starring Willem Defoe, Tom Sizemore, and Danny Glover.  This movie was filmed on location in Hawaii. Having the coveralls as part of the costumes was a great match because not only are they lightweight, but they also allow the body to “breathe” when the actors were overheated from the humidity and heat in the tropical climate.

As you can see, the Nomex 27/P Flight Suit has been used in some of the most famous movies of our time, and they continue to be a popular item that we supply our troops, as well as to the general public. We are proud to support, supply, and protect our service men and women in any way we can.

Whiskey 5 – Carter Industries Inc.

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Read our feature in Soldier Systems and learn about when Carter Industries was founded, who we are and what makes use successful.

“Our company was established in January 1995 and it has been growing ever since. Our company received an award from the Defense Logistics Agency in January 2009. We were honored and humbled to receive such recognition from the US Defense Department. We want to send a huge thank you to our US Armed Forces and to you, our newest customers. We would not be where we are today without your continued support as our faithful customers…”

Advancing Within the Military

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The military can be an excellent way to build your career. Many well-known people have made the military their career of choice. Some of them are General MacArthur and Rear Admiral/Commodore Grace Murray Hopper.

 

General MacArthur joined the military in the early 1900’s and graduated at the top of his class. He served in WWI and became a commanding Lieutenant General during WWII. MacArthur stopped the Japanese attack on New Guinea and secured that country for New Britain. In 1944, MacArthur returned to the Philippines to aid in their defense from Japanese invasion. President Roosevelt promoted Mr. MacArthur to General of the Armies and put him in charge of planning the invasion of Japan. This led to Japan’s surrender shortly afterward. He was also a General during the Korean War. Some say that he is controversial, but he was devoted to his men and country. MacArthur also had a very low casualty rate and was an expert strategist when it came to planning maneuvers and tactics.

 

Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper joined the Navy Reserves in 1943 during World War II and was assigned to work for the Bureau of Ordinance Computation Project. During her time there, she educated herself in computers and founded the COBOL programming language we still have today. In fact, COBOL is used in many of the computer industry’s software codes and existing mainframe computers. Mainframe computers are ancient regarding technology, but they still have advantages even for today. Did you know the Cray XE6 “Hopper” supercomputer was named after her? Ms. Hopper was known as “Amazing Grace,” and even had a destroyer named after her, the USS Hopper, DDG-70. What a wonderful tribute to such a courageous and dedicated woman.

 

You may still be asking yourself how you can become a military Colonel or General at some point in your career. Here are a few pointers:

 

  1. Continue your education – whether it is through college courses or via military correspondence courses, continuing your education is key and valued when it comes to military promotions. When your superiors see that you are doing something to better yourself, you are doing something to better the military as well, especially if it pertains to the next military exam you are studying for. (Remember any promotion after Specialist/Corporal (E-4) is not automatic. You have to persuade your supervisors that they need you and that you are worth keeping).

 

  1. Forget everything you learned in training – Boot camp is great because the main goal throughout that training is to reduce your individuality and increase your awareness of others and your impact you have on others. This newly acquired knowledge increases the team-work and general principal of getting trainees to work together as a unit. Once you are out of boot camp, you are in the “real world, ” and you need to pay attention so that you can, in essence, re-learn everything. Jobs and requests are definitely done differently; it’s simple, just do what you are told. You will also learn how to work with others and become a unit that works together and implements team-work.
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  3. Keep your nose clean – Do not let yourself get tangled up with the latest gossip and rumors. Your supervisors look down on that and will see you as part of the problem, which you are if you are listening to and spreading rumors. Nine times out of ten, the rumor is not true. You need to stay out of trouble in other ways too, like do not get in trouble with the law or MP, make sure you have enough money in the bank so that your checks do not bounce at the PX, and of course never drink and drive. Superiors frown on such unruly behavior because to them it is a “red flag” that you are a careless and reckless person. Would you want someone like that to cover your back in a time of war or an emergency? Your commanders want to know that you are dependable and that other soldiers can rely on you to be there in time of trouble.
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There are other recommendations as well, but these are some of the top suggestions that will help you advance in your military career. They are not always easy to follow and adhere to, especially as a young man or young woman, but you need to look at the big picture. If you can do this, you will be great success in the US Armed Forces.

Nomex FLight Suit

Grooming Standards for Military Personnel

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There are military standards around the world when it comes to grooming. Wearing the same uniform and adhering to the same basic grooming standards, regardless of what military service you are in and what country you defend, promotes unity within a battalion. This principal applies to men and women who are new to the service as well as seasoned soldiers.

 

When a recruit first arrives to boot camp, paperwork is completed, a routine medical exam is given, and if the recruit is a male, his hair is cut using the zero blade on the trimmer. This is the lowest setting on the trimmer, and every male recruit receives the same cut. Maintaining short hair while in the military speaks unity and gives a neat, clean appearance. Hair is to be cut at or above the eyebrows as well. There are also safety reasons why men must have short hair in the military. If a man has long hair, he is more likely to get it caught in the weapons, headgear, and other helmets, and if he were to encounter with the enemy in hand-to-hand combat, the long hair could not be used as a weapon against him should the enemy take hold of it. Long hair is also less likely to get caught in the enemy’s wires or trip lines. It is also important to note that short hair among recruits is a means to reduce the possibility of lice infestation in close living quarters.

 

Unruly hair styles, such as cornrows, dreadlocks, and braids are not allowed. Neither are wigs or hairpieces. The only exception to this is if the hairpiece is to cover a scar on the scalp. The hairpiece must be approved by your superior officer and must conform to the hairstyles per the grooming standards for that branch of the military.

 

Mustaches are allowed in the armed services but must be kept neat and trimmed just above the upper lip. Excessive and fashionable mustaches, such as the handlebar mustache is not permitted. Beards used to be allowed, but are not permitted any longer.

 

Within the last few months, there have been exceptions to Sikh’s who serve in the US military. They are not allowed to wear their turbans in accordance with their religion. Sikhism decrees that the human body is perfect and is not to be mutilated or changed in any way. It is for this reason that Sikh’s do not cut their hair; they believe that keeping their hair long and uncut is a sign that shows respect for the perfection of God’s creation, man. However, some might still protest that they are putting themselves and their unit in danger in the event of combat. The US is not forbidding them to practice their religion, only asking that they comply with the grooming regulations to protect themselves as well as other soldiers in their unit.

 

As with grooming standards for women, upon arrival on the training base, they are allowed to choose a hairstyle that works for them as long as it is in accordance with the grooming standards for the military. If you are a cadet who has long hair, it is to be pulled back and secured in a tight bun or ponytail that is neatly fastened under your cap or headgear. Women can wear wigs and weaves; however, they must be maintained in accordance with the grooming guidelines for the particular branch of service. Of course, women are allowed to wear short hairstyles as well. Women are permitted to wear braids and cornrows as long as it is in keeping with the grooming guidelines and are neatly and snug to your head. When a female recruit is in training, the proper ponytail holder is to be used. Usually, this means only black or brown ponytail holders. All ponytail holders, such as scrunchies or ponytail holders that have a decorative design are not permitted and will be confiscated if found.

 

All cadets, male and female are to maintain short fingernails. Men cannot have fingernails that are past their fingers and women are permitted to have fingernails that are ¼ in the past the tip of their fingers.

 

Female trainees are allowed to wear makeup and nail polish as long as it is natural and not extreme. No bright colors of any kind are to be applied to the face or the nails. Neutral colors are encouraged, and women are encouraged to bring out their natural features.

 

As you can see, the US military has several grooming guidelines that are to be followed. For the most part, these guidelines encourage unity and teamwork within a unit because that is what the recruits will encounter when they are fighting the enemy. They must be able to function as one entity, not as individuals. The standards also give a message of professionalism and respect for your country to the world.

Trump’s Plan to Improve Mental Health Care for Military Vets

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Very little time remains until Donald Trump will finally occupy his position as the President of the United States. The veterans are showing him great support in this direction, due to the fact that Trump made some significant reforms to the Department of Veterans Affairs. But is it enough–what he did for the vets around the country? Some people feel that there are a few issues that need to be taken care of, if Trump really wishes to provide better services for the people that served the country. Issues like post-traumatic stress and mental health, two conditions that affect most veterans, are still waiting for valid solutions. Here are the areas Trump is looking to improve once he becomes a President, as he stated that these matters are very important and that they will be properly addressed.

 

Increase awareness among civilians. Everybody is talking about first aid or CPR maneuvers, but no one is talking about dealing with a panic attack or what to do if someone you know has suicidal thoughts. The family of a vet can help a lot, if they know what to do when their family member has a mental health crisis. Luckily, there is a course that can teach people how to efficiently manage such situations, keeping the veterans in their family on the safe side. So, such trainings should definitely be part of the budget and Trump’s governmental team should have this in mind.

 

Post-traumatic stress is not the only problem. It is true that post-traumatic stress is one of the most common mental health issues among veterans, but there are many others that come in various shapes. The mind is a very tricky environment, reacting in so many ways as a response to elevated stress levels and trauma. Thus, nausea, loss of balance, amnesia, and even the inability to make a coherent speech are all signs of brain injury, due to explosives. Also, anxiety, depression, moral injuries, and suicide are other problems that affect vets throughout the country. Thus, a general approach is not going to work because each person may need a personalized solution to deal with his problems.

 

Technology can be of great help. Someone suffering from various health problems will have to visit the doctor’s office, especially in the case of periodic counseling. But, what if veterans could benefit from the help offered by technology, which will enhance the quality and frequency of medical care? For instance, they could get therapy whenever they need via Skype or receive text messages on their cell phones as reminders for their medication. The thing is that veterans showed interest about such options in surveys, so all the government needs to do is to find ways to implement such options.

 

Mental healthcare outside of the VA. One of the things Trump promised before being elected is the option for veterans to seek medical care outside of the VA. Of course, such an option exists, but only in certain cases. A vet could benefit from it if he lives in a particular distance range from the VA or if he waited on a list for 30 days or more. Also, another downside of such clinics is the fact that the medical staff is not familiar with military culture, which is detrimental when it comes to offering adequate medical care to such patients.

5 Things you Should Know about Donald Trump, President Elect

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Last week, America voted for its new president. Donald Trump, the candidate that was not seen as favorable by the polls made prior to the elections, managed to win after all. Until the January the 20th, when he will officially take his place as leader of the country, Donald Trump is making all the preparations required to make the transition smooth. What would you need to know about the new American president? Here are five things you should know about Donald Trump.

Trump will be the oldest sworn president in the history of the United States

 

Even if Donald Trump seems to be full of energy, he is beyond his youthful years. The new president has 70 years old, becoming this way the oldest president that was ever sworn into the office. But again, age is just a number, so if Trump decided that he can handle the situation, no one could argue with him. And he did handle the situation, convincing millions of Americans to vote for him.

He convinced his father to develop his business

 

After graduating from college, Trump started working for his father, as the path was already set in the business domain. But, he didn’t settle just to work and do nothing about it. He convinced his father to develop his business and take in new opportunities in the real estate niche. Trump’s father stated that anything his son touches will eventually turn into gold, as noted in Donald Trump’s biography. This is something that no one can deny, as Trump did manage to build an impressive business empire and become a wealthy and powerful businessman.

He doesn’t believe that the global warming phenomenon is real

 

Although the scientific world is keep talking about global warming, coming with evidence that the weather around the world is changing, pointing out to the causes of these changes as well, Donald Trump believes that this is not a real fact. He believes that this is just a big fat joke. So he plans not to listen to any of this nonsense and continue with his plans, seriously considering getting out from the Paris Agreement.

He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

 

Most people started knowing Trump after he started appearing in the televised show The Apprentice, where young people dreamed about ending up being successful businesspersons. Trump was a part of the jury, of course. For his activity in the show, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, back in 2007. So don’t be surprised to see his name over there.

He had nothing to do with the politics or military before

 

In comparison with any other people that ended up running the United States, Donald Trump has nothing in his career connected to politics or military. He never had a public office, so the first time for him would be from the position of president. He was very successful in the business domain, so let us hope he will be as successful in politics as well.

How Military Vets Affected the U.S. Presidential Election Results

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Many people call the victory of Donald Trump surprising, although he had many supporters in various states. For instance, very many veterans supported him across the country and this may have contributed a lot at tilting the balance in Trump’s favor. The image of veterans holding Trump’s supportive banners during his speeches was not a rare one, occurring in a large number of states. This is why it is believed that the votes of the military veterans may have helped Donald Trump win the run for presidency.

In the states where military traditions are rich and which have counties where a large number of veterans live in present, Donald Trump was considered the best choice by far, in comparison with Hillary Clinton. In fact, if we look at the presidency run when Obama tried to reach the White House, the Republican that was his competitor did not manage to earn as many votes as Trump did in the same states. The states we are talking about are Florida, North Carolina, and Ohio. It appears that Trump had something that the veterans liked, so the military communities mobilized and came together in electing their president.

It is not a secret that veterans usually prefer Republican candidates, but this year, they went in this direction even more. Having in mind that Trump was not too diplomatic when he spoke about Senator John McCain, telling everyone that he is not a war hero, making controversial remarks about veterans, mocking the US generals, and even attacking the parents of a military captain that died in Iraq, the support of the veterans was rather surprising. Many of them states that they voted for Trump because, in spite of all the controversies stirred by Trump, he was the better option than Hillary Clinton. The surprised came from jurisdictions that once voted for Obama, not only once but twice, and now changed the scenario completely, going for Trump. This is what happened in the Montgomery County, in Ohio. Here, Obama won in 2008 and in 2012 as well, defeating the Republican competitors each time.

The more conservative counties that voted for the Republicans in the past elections were even more conservative this year, raising the percentage in the favor of the Republicans like never before. In the Walton County, in Florida, McCain won 72.1% of the votes in the detriment of Obama. Trump, on the other hand, managed to win 76.6% of the votes in the same county. This is only an example of the many that happened during this year’s elections, as veterans and military family came together to defeat Hillary Clinton by choosing Donald Trump. It was not the ideal choice for them, as Trump does not have any experience or knowledge in the military field, but, at least, he was a better choice in their vision than allowing Hillary to become president. So, we can say that the veterans and military families in conservative countries were more afraid of having another Clinton as a president than actually being fans of Donald Trump.