Medals and Misfires - Commentary on the good and bad moves made in the U.S. military.

MEDAL: Underwater discoveries help us remember history, honor the fallen

The crew of the Research Vessel Petrel, led by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, is on a roll.

5 years ago

MISFIRE: DoD shouldn’t have waited so long to approve danger pay for troops in Niger

The Defense Department on March 8 announced that troops deployed to Niger, Mali and northern Cameroon qualify to receive imminent danger pay/hostile fire pay, retroactive to June 7, 2017.

5 years ago

Medals & Misfires

MEDAL: Marine Corps fitness test offers smart alternative to running

The other services should pay attention.

MISFIRE: California teacher’s military tirade is just plain vile

The daggers flew this weekend when a disparaging military rant by a California high school teacher went viral.

5 years ago

MISFIRE: Airman’s trumpet-sounding ignorance on Facebook makes everyone look bad

A technical sergeant from Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada came under fire recently after she shared a racially-charged, expletive-laced rant to Facebook.

5 years ago

MEDAL: Killing ISIS with entrenching tools? Yes, please

CSM Troxell's words were motivating, to say the least.

5 years ago

MEDAL: Thank you for your service, MQ-1 Predator

The U.S. military's original unmanned recon drone will retire officially this summer.

5 years ago

MISFIRE: Looks like the Navy is lowering standards

The Navy is retaining more sailors who are failing fitness tests and not getting promoted.

5 years ago

MEDAL: Reversing the drawdown in Europe

The U.S. is investing about $200 million to fix and build air bases in Eastern Europe.

5 years ago

MISFIRE: The sailor who spotted Peter Mims and then went back to bed

This sleepy sailor had the opportunity to be a hero.

5 years ago

MEDAL: All eligible Army specialists and sergeants to go before promotion boards

The new rule will help the Army retain and maximize talent, and also ensure fewer leadership positions remain empty.

5 years ago

MISFIRE: Health care officials have to get Tricare transition right

Tricare is undergoing huge changes, so it's crucial that health care officials and contractors get this transition right.

5 years ago

MEDAL: Review of valor awards proved totally justified

The military-wide review of more than 1,300 valor decorations awarded since 9/11 continues to pay dividends by recognizing the nation’s heroes for their incredible courage on the battlefield.

5 years ago

MEDAL: In Taliban urination case, the military court was right

Pissing on dead Taliban was wrong. But the commandant's heavy-handed treatment of those Marines was worse.

5 years ago

MISFIRE: Abandoning DoD-run schools is a terrible idea

The Pentagon's proposal to turn over stateside military schools to local school districts amounts to a cut in benefits for military children.

5 years ago

MEDAL: Making good use of tech experts, in and out of uniform

If the military wants to recruit and retain tech experts, career paths might need to change.

5 years ago

MISFIRE: Trump should let John Kelly’s son rest in peace

Rarely do we hear a remark from a commander-in-chief that is as off-key and seemingly thoughtless as President Trumps comment on Tuesday morning about combat death of his chief of staff’s son.

5 years ago

MISFIRE: The military should help troops fend off Russian social media bots

DoD owes troops some basic guidance in battling trolls, bots online.

5 years ago

MEDAL: Demanding details on Afghanistan strategy

Republican Sen. John McCain says President Trump and the Pentagon should offer more details on the new "strategy" in Afghanistan.

5 years ago

MEDAL: Mattis vs Petraeus and the new Rules of Engagement

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis loosens the Rules of Engagement in Afghanistan. That's good news -- and a big change after years of counterinsurgency doctrine that tightened up those rules too much.

5 years ago

Medals & Misfires

Military Times special feature that honors good deeds and smart actions in the military, and takes jabs at the mistakes and missed opportunities.

The crew of the Research Vessel Petrel, led by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, is on a roll.

The Defense Department on March 8 announced that troops deployed to Niger, Mali and northern Cameroon qualify to receive imminent danger pay/hostile fire pay, retroactive to June 7, 2017.

The other services should pay attention.

The daggers flew this weekend when a disparaging military rant by a California high school teacher went viral.

A technical sergeant from Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada came under fire recently after she shared a racially-charged, expletive-laced rant to Facebook.

CSM Troxell's words were motivating, to say the least.

The U.S. military's original unmanned recon drone will retire officially this summer.

The Navy is retaining more sailors who are failing fitness tests and not getting promoted.

The U.S. is investing about $200 million to fix and build air bases in Eastern Europe.

This sleepy sailor had the opportunity to be a hero.

The new rule will help the Army retain and maximize talent, and also ensure fewer leadership positions remain empty.

Tricare is undergoing huge changes, so it's crucial that health care officials and contractors get this transition right.

The military-wide review of more than 1,300 valor decorations awarded since 9/11 continues to pay dividends by recognizing the nation’s heroes for their incredible courage on the battlefield.

Pissing on dead Taliban was wrong. But the commandant's heavy-handed treatment of those Marines was worse.

The Pentagon's proposal to turn over stateside military schools to local school districts amounts to a cut in benefits for military children.

If the military wants to recruit and retain tech experts, career paths might need to change.

Rarely do we hear a remark from a commander-in-chief that is as off-key and seemingly thoughtless as President Trumps comment on Tuesday morning about combat death of his chief of staff’s son.

DoD owes troops some basic guidance in battling trolls, bots online.

Republican Sen. John McCain says President Trump and the Pentagon should offer more details on the new "strategy" in Afghanistan.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis loosens the Rules of Engagement in Afghanistan. That's good news -- and a big change after years of counterinsurgency doctrine that tightened up those rules too much.