This St. Patrick’s Day is a good time to remember that Irishmen have served honorably in every army on the face of the Earth, distinguishing themselves in battle in every war since the Romans first tried to land on their shores.  more

Self-induced jihad syndrome is not limited to disgruntled, angst-ridden offspring of successful immigrants.  more

Women are now integrated into almost every military role – only combat arms units remain the exclusive domain of men only.   more

If you are new to Blues music, or like it but never really understood the whys and wherefores, here are some very fundamental rules.  more

John Murtha was the first Vietnam War combat veteran elected to Congress and long considered one of the most Hawkish Dems. But in his opposition to the Iraq War, Murtha crossed the line by unfairly accusing Marines of murdering civilians “in cold blood”.  more

The popular conservative movement we are currently witnessing via the tea parties, the Sarah Palin booksigning rallies, the election results in Massachusetts, the overwhelming popularity of conservative talk show hosts etc – is not angry.  more

I didn’t watch the State of the Union Show, on account I don’t believe in subjecting myself to enemy propaganda.  more

Another self-starter arrested in NJ: Lloyd Woodson apprehended after a convenience store clerk thought something was wrong with him (noticed bulges under coat) and called police.  more

The case of 1st Lieutenant Michael Behenna of Oklahoma, sentenced to prison for 25 years for shooting an al-Qaeda operative just highlights the dangers of treating wars like law enforcement operations.  more

The world of mercenaries is governed by a complex set of international legal codes and constraints.  more

It seems like anything remotely linked to professional soldiering REALLY gets my critics riled up.  more

While Haiti waits for assistance from other nations to trickle in, private military contractors are already at work restoring order and helping with the humanitarian effort.  more

Last week, federal prosecutors charged two security contractors from the company formerly known as Blackwater in the killings of two Afghan men.  more

Josh Brennan was critically wounded in 2007 in a Taliban ambush while on patrol with his platoon in Afghanistan. Two years later his cousin would help bring the terrorist who planned the ambush to justice.  more

Independent military contractors are nothing new. No army in history has ever marched one step without private enterprise providing everything from boots and uniforms to meals and weaponry.  more

There is a great deal of confusion regarding the Department of Defense’s practice of contracting out logistics and security services. Private contractors though have been involved with the U.S. military since the Revolution.   more

A judge’s decision to dismiss the charges against five security guards for Blackwater is a relief for every contractor on the ground doing their job without military status and the rights and benefits that go with that.  more

Is Abdul Farouk Abdul Mutallab, who attempted to ignite an explosive device aboard a passenger airliner, an Al Qaeda operative or is this just another episode of ‘Self-Induced Jihad Syndrome?’  more

American troops spent Christmas of 1944 repelling a surprise Nazi offensive. The Battle of the Bulge would turn out to be the single largest and bloodiest battle American forces experienced in World War II.  more

Recent reports that insurgents in Iraq have been hacking video from our military drones are overblown. While the militants have shown some ingenuity, our video feeds aren’t even encrypted.  more