WIllie and Kris at the AVA's!

Country music legend and Air Force veteran Willie Nelson introduces his great friend Kris Kristofferson who makes an emotional speech accepting the Veteran Of The Year Award. LINK: Youtube

Many people may have forgot about his time in the U.S. Army. He is the son of an Air Force General, and a accomplished Golden Gloves boxer, and he graduated from Pomona College with a B.S. degree, and then became a Rhodes Scholar from Oxford University.
He joined the U.S. Army at the prompting of his father. After graduating from Officer Candidate School he attended and graduated from both Army Airborne and Ranger training in the very top of each class. He was selected for U. S. Army Special Forces Training but refused so that he could attend pilot training where he earned his wings, and became an accomplished U.S. Army helicopter (gun ship) pilot, and achieved the rank of Captain.
He was about to be promoted to the rank of Major, and appointed to teach at West Point when he resigned his commission from the Army to go into music and acting. You can tell in this video that his time in the military means a lot to him.

Dog collapses and dies after army handler is killed

Colleagues said army dog handler Liam Tasker was inseparable from his spaniel, Theo, and so it was to the end. When Lance Corporal Tasker was shot dead in southern Afghanistan, his dog survived the shooting only to suffer a fatal heart attack when it returned to the British base at Camp Bastion.

Tasker, 26, was on patrol north of Nahr-e-Saraj in Helmand province on Tuesday with the spaniel, which was trained to search for arms and explosives, when they were caught in gunfire. He died from his injuries. He was described as having a "natural empathy with dogs". His successful operations "undoubtedly saved many lives", the Ministry of Defence said
Born in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Tasker joined the Royal Army Veterinary Corps after starting his career as a vehicle mechanic. A member of 1st Military Working Dog Regiment, he was attached to 1st Battalion Irish Guards in Afghanistan.

Major Alexander Turner, officer commanding 2 Company, 1st Battalion Irish Guards, said: "He used to joke that Theo was impossible to restrain but I would say the same about Lance Corporal Tasker. At the most hazardous phase of an advance, he would be at the point of the spear, badgering to get even further forward and work his dog. He met his fate in just such a situation – leading the way that we might be safe." LINK

Minn. town rallies around family of injured soldier

CLEVELAND, Minn. -- Cleveland, Minnesota wears its patriotism on its main drag. Friday night, its heart was on Fifth Street.

A good share of the town's 700 people lit candles for Army Pfc. Jack Zimmerman, who lost both legs Wednesday in an IED explosion in Afghanistan and now lies in a medically induced coma at a military hospital in Germany.

"It was very shocking, we're a small community," said Rachel Manser, who helped plan the get-together.

Rev. Shelly Olson, pastor at Our Savior's Lutheran, Jack's home church, told the crowd that Jack will need the people around him to be strong. "There is a saying I'd rather light a candle than curse the darkness and that's what we are doing tonight," she said.

And then they walked, from Jack's old high school to his parent's house - classmates, friends and people Jack barely knew.

"Just the unity of the community and the support I think goes a long way," said Ruby Hefner, who moved to Cleveland just a few months ago.

Jack's father Mark and mother Lori were waiting to in the driveway to greet and exchange hugs with their visitors, along with Jack's younger brother Andrew, a soldier himself who flew home from Fort Hood Thursday night.

A few feet away Megan Wolfe clung to a friend. She accepted Jack's marriage proposal just three weeks ago.

"It's overwhelming the amount of people that came out and I'm willing to bet I know most of them," said Jack's dad.

Jack's mother thanked the visitors for helping the family get through a difficult night. "When everybody leaves tonight the tears will start in again, and tomorrow morning when we wake up the tears will start in again, then we'll get tough and look for our flight to get Jacdak."

On Friday night, the best part of America was standing in a driveway in Cleveland. LINK

JEEP REBUILD IN UNDER 4 MINUTES

Army Guys Strip a "Jeep" to The Bone and Rebuild Her in 4 Minutes/They Drive In and Driveaway.This Is Something you Might Not have ever seen Before,Halifax Downtown July 2009. LINK: Youtube

Abandoned Army: 200 tanks left in Russian woods

The fate of 200 tanks left in woods in the Urals, is raising further questions from the public over mismanagement in the Russian army. This amateur footage reportedly shows locals with unrestricted access to the tanks, walking freely among them, and even climbing inside them. And that's despite claims by the authorities they're being guarded around the clock, and will be relocated next month. Locals say the Ministry of Defence brought the tanks to the woods in November. LINK: Youtube

Labrador Retriever Awarded Britain's Highest Military Honor

Treo, a nine-year old Black Labrador Retriever who served in the British Army, was awarded the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross. He’s repeatedly saved the lives of his comrades in Afghanistan:

Now he is being rewarded with the Dickin Medal – the animal equivalent of a Victoria Cross – the highest accolade for a military animal.[...]

Treo is the 63rd animal to receive the Dickin Medal – introduced in 1943 to honor the work of animals in war – and the 27th dog to receive the honor.

Since its introduction it has also been presented to 32 World War II messenger pigeons, three horses and one cat.

That one cat was Able Seacat Simon of the Royal Navy.

Link, Via: The Corner, Via: Neatorama

Thunderstruck in Iraq

Here is a compilation of US Army helicopters to the tune of ACDC's Thunderstruck. This is a great video. LINK: Youtube

Raw Video: Troops in Iraq Celebrate Christmas

Troops in Baghdad, Iraq marked Christmas with services and by singing traditional holiday songs. (Dec. 25, 2009) LINK, Youtube

A Difficult Goodbye

Army Reservist Staff Sgt. Brett Bennethum was ordered to Iraq in July. His four-year-old daughter Paige had a hard time letting go, so much that she held onto his hand in formation. No one, including the commanding officer, had the heart to pull her away. The picture of the incident, taken by Paige’s mother, has gone viral and touched people all over the country. Link -Via: Buzzfeed, Via: Neatorama

(image credit: Abby Bennethum)

Big Dog Army Robot

And that's what it is: A really smart giant dog. Big Dog—which is being developed by robotics company Boston Dynamics—has some of the most advanced artificial intelligence and navigation systems in the planet. In fact, US Army officials are stunned by its programmed behaviors, which make Big Dog extremely helpful in the battlefield. LINK