Comments for Defense Media Network http://www.defensemedianetwork.com Your Source for Defense and Military News Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:17:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Comment on FY 2013 Defense Budget Request: Military Health Care Takes a Hit by Frank McCord http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/fy-2013-defense-budget-request-military-health-care-takes-a-hit/#comment-23025 Frank McCord Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:17:14 +0000 http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/?post_type=stories&p=27731#comment-23025 When is DOD going to stop discriminating against the retired military populace? Military Treatment Facilities (MTF) discriminate against the TRICARE STANDARD and TRICARE for Life patients. Most MTFs will not see TRICARE Standard and TRICARE for Life patients. Therefore, they are forced to use civilian providers for care. Now they want to establish enrollment fees and increase annual deductibles and cost shares to force them to use Insurance plans provided by their employers. What happens to those individuals who are not employed? They have to accept these increases with no additional income to help defray the additional increases. All categories of TRICARE patients are responsibile for the increased healthcare costs but at least one third of the TRICARE beneficiaries do not contribute one penny to defray these costs. If DOD is going to increase the costs it needs to be shared equally by all category of patients. Active duty family members have fees involved in receiving dental care. Why are they not required to pay their fair share towards the increased DOD health care costs? When is DOD going to stop discriminating against the retired military populace? Military Treatment Facilities (MTF) discriminate against the TRICARE STANDARD and TRICARE for Life patients. Most MTFs will not see TRICARE Standard and TRICARE for Life patients. Therefore, they are forced to use civilian providers for care. Now they want to establish enrollment fees and increase annual deductibles and cost shares to force them to use Insurance plans provided by their employers. What happens to those individuals who are not employed? They have to accept these increases with no additional income to help defray the additional increases. All categories of TRICARE patients are responsibile for the increased healthcare costs but at least one third of the TRICARE beneficiaries do not contribute one penny to defray these costs. If DOD is going to increase the costs it needs to be shared equally by all category of patients. Active duty family members have fees involved in receiving dental care. Why are they not required to pay their fair share towards the increased DOD health care costs?

]]> Comment on Improvised EMP Devices: Operational Concepts and Targets by Vera Knutsdottir http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/improvised-electromagnetic-pulse-devices-3/#comment-22964 Vera Knutsdottir Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:49:07 +0000 http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/?post_type=stories&p=24417#comment-22964 Hi Eric, No I didn't come across anything in regards to the EMALS catapult system. It is a standard that the military does have some hardening measures against EMP attacks and it could be classified as well. Hi Eric,

No I didn’t come across anything in regards to the EMALS catapult system. It is a standard that the military does have some hardening measures against EMP attacks and it could be classified as well.

]]> Comment on Real Life James Bond, Dusko Popov, Ran Afoul of the FBI by Chuck Oldham (Editor) http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/when-%e2%80%9cjames-bond%e2%80%9d-ran-afoul-of-the-fbi/#comment-22916 Chuck Oldham (Editor) Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:24:05 +0000 http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/?post_type=stories&p=21450#comment-22916 Neither can I. My own impression of Hoover, based on what I've read, isn't very favorable. Hoover embodied what can happen when one man has that much power to investigate people and conduct surveillance, whether legal or illegal. And while there isn't currently any one person with as much power as Hoover had during his heyday, the state at large today, in my opinion, has far too much access into its citizens' private lives and information, to an extent that would have delighted Hoover. Neither can I. My own impression of Hoover, based on what I’ve read, isn’t very favorable. Hoover embodied what can happen when one man has that much power to investigate people and conduct surveillance, whether legal or illegal. And while there isn’t currently any one person with as much power as Hoover had during his heyday, the state at large today, in my opinion, has far too much access into its citizens’ private lives and information, to an extent that would have delighted Hoover.

]]> Comment on North American’s F-107 Was the “Ultra Sabre” and Perhaps the “Ultra Might-Have-Been” by Chuck Oldham (Editor) http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/north-americans-f-107-was-the-ultra-sabre-and-perhaps-the-ultra-might-have-been/#comment-22914 Chuck Oldham (Editor) Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:58:30 +0000 http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/?post_type=stories&p=27111#comment-22914 Thanks for commenting. It's always great to hear from someone who was actually there. I wonder where all those photos are now? There were stories, when Fairchild-Republic closed up shop, that all their historical photos were literally thrown into a dumpster. Boeing seems to have more appreciation for history. Thanks for commenting. It’s always great to hear from someone who was actually there. I wonder where all those photos are now? There were stories, when Fairchild-Republic closed up shop, that all their historical photos were literally thrown into a dumpster. Boeing seems to have more appreciation for history.

]]> Comment on Real Life James Bond, Dusko Popov, Ran Afoul of the FBI by Brett Linam http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/when-%e2%80%9cjames-bond%e2%80%9d-ran-afoul-of-the-fbi/#comment-22901 Brett Linam Mon, 20 Feb 2012 07:23:00 +0000 http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/?post_type=stories&p=21450#comment-22901 Everybody that was somebody was scared to death about Hoovers' files and information. He wasn't afraid to use this incriminating evidence on anybody, sometimes to reach his personal agenda. Can't wait to see how Leonardo DiCaprio portrays him in the movie coming out. Everybody that was somebody was scared to death about Hoovers’ files and information. He wasn’t afraid to use this incriminating evidence on anybody, sometimes to reach his personal agenda. Can’t wait to see how Leonardo DiCaprio portrays him in the movie coming out.

]]> Comment on North American’s F-107 Was the “Ultra Sabre” and Perhaps the “Ultra Might-Have-Been” by John Fredrickson http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/north-americans-f-107-was-the-ultra-sabre-and-perhaps-the-ultra-might-have-been/#comment-22823 John Fredrickson Sun, 19 Feb 2012 00:26:51 +0000 http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/?post_type=stories&p=27111#comment-22823 I had the pleasure of processing the photos from that program – NA212. There were several record storage boxes full of negatives – but no prints. Based on the photo record, there was a “non-fatal” accident on the first flight – which was on 9/10/1956. Some F-107 photos were classified for a year; however, these photos were classified until 1964 – which was eight (8) years after the incident. The photos show the airplane stopped off the runway, in a nose down attitude, the radar dome is gone, and the forward bulkhead was pushing a few inches of soil. The nose wheels / tires are broken off and lying some distance from the hulk. The nose gear is collapsed, and the canopy is open. There are lengthy skid marks on the runway and the main gear tires are heavily scuffed. Photos indicate the drag chute still in place in its compartment and NOT deployed. Cockpit photos show the drag chute lever in the out (e.g. deployed) position. Additional photos show the spring loaded pilot chute (to the drag chute) laying on the runway. The lanyard between drag chute and main chute was broken and this, to me, appeared to be the root cause for the accident. The damaged F-107 was lifted by crane and trucked away before the sun went down. Re - ejection seat tests: There were not only static tests of the ejection seat but also a rocket powered sled was built to run on heavy rails. Ten (10) test runs of the rocket sled were documented. I suspect this amount of testing was dictated because of the air inlet immediately aft of the canopy. Yes, one of the tests included ejection through the canopy. The crash dummy for the final test was clad in a pressure suit. I had the pleasure of processing the photos from that program – NA212. There were several record storage boxes full of negatives – but no prints. Based on the photo record, there was a “non-fatal” accident on the first flight – which was on 9/10/1956. Some F-107 photos were classified for a year; however, these photos were classified until 1964 – which was eight (8) years after the incident. The photos show the airplane stopped off the runway, in a nose down attitude, the radar dome is gone, and the forward bulkhead was pushing a few inches of soil. The nose wheels / tires are broken off and lying some distance from the hulk. The nose gear is collapsed, and the canopy is open. There are lengthy skid marks on the runway and the main gear tires are heavily scuffed. Photos indicate the drag chute still in place in its compartment and NOT deployed. Cockpit photos show the drag chute lever in the out (e.g. deployed) position. Additional photos show the spring loaded pilot chute (to the drag chute) laying on the runway. The lanyard between drag chute and main chute was broken and this, to me, appeared to be the root cause for the accident. The damaged F-107 was lifted by crane and trucked away before the sun went down. Re – ejection seat tests: There were not only static tests of the ejection seat but also a rocket powered sled was built to run on heavy rails. Ten (10) test runs of the rocket sled were documented. I suspect this amount of testing was dictated because of the air inlet immediately aft of the canopy. Yes, one of the tests included ejection through the canopy. The crash dummy for the final test was clad in a pressure suit.

]]> Comment on On a Wing and a Prayer: The “Bamboo Fleet” Shuttle Service to Corregidor by Steven Hoarn (Associate Editor) http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/on-a-wing-and-a-prayer-the-%e2%80%9cbamboo-fleet%e2%80%9d-shuttle-service-to-corregidor/#comment-22746 Steven Hoarn (Associate Editor) Fri, 17 Feb 2012 15:53:23 +0000 http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/?post_type=stories&p=27640#comment-22746 Thank you very much. While I would never say a photo makes the story, I find that great stories require great photos. Thank you very much. While I would never say a photo makes the story, I find that great stories require great photos.

]]> Comment on President Nominates USAF’s First Female Four-Star, USACE Promotes First Female General by Robert F. Dorr http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/president-nominates-usafs-first-female-four-star-usace-promotes-first-female-general/#comment-22692 Robert F. Dorr Thu, 16 Feb 2012 17:54:57 +0000 http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/?post_type=stories&p=27652#comment-22692 This is wonderful news but it's also a reminder of how slow the Air Force has been to put women in top positions. Having a four-star female general in Air Force uniform is something that could have happened at least a decade ago. Now, it's time for a woman to be in charge of a combat command. There is no further excuse for this taking any longer. This is wonderful news but it’s also a reminder of how slow the Air Force has been to put women in top positions. Having a four-star female general in Air Force uniform is something that could have happened at least a decade ago. Now, it’s time for a woman to be in charge of a combat command. There is no further excuse for this taking any longer.

]]> Comment on On a Wing and a Prayer: The “Bamboo Fleet” Shuttle Service to Corregidor by Robert F. Dorr http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/on-a-wing-and-a-prayer-the-%e2%80%9cbamboo-fleet%e2%80%9d-shuttle-service-to-corregidor/#comment-22691 Robert F. Dorr Thu, 16 Feb 2012 17:52:18 +0000 http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/?post_type=stories&p=27640#comment-22691 This is a fascinating glimpse into a little-known part of U.S. military history. It's also a tasty treat fro an aviation buff. There are a fair number of Beech UC-43 Staggerwing photos out there but I hadn't seen this one before and I've never, ever seen a photo of a Waco UC-72 before. Of course, there is a lot more to the story but the obscure airplanes are icing on the cake. This is a fascinating glimpse into a little-known part of U.S. military history. It’s also a tasty treat fro an aviation buff. There are a fair number of Beech UC-43 Staggerwing photos out there but I hadn’t seen this one before and I’ve never, ever seen a photo of a Waco UC-72 before. Of course, there is a lot more to the story but the obscure airplanes are icing on the cake.

]]> Comment on ‘Killer’ Military App Could Allow Remote Targeting Via Smartphone by raveMaster http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/killer-military-app-could-allow-remote-targeting-via-smartphone/#comment-22552 raveMaster Tue, 14 Feb 2012 18:50:25 +0000 http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/?post_type=stories&p=27442#comment-22552 Editor, I think you're onto something. The list of iOS apps ignored by the military is astounding and too many cronies are content hiring their buds to write non-iOS software for many times the cost of alternative solutions. Just to name just a few: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/isurvive-military-grade-survival/id321239058?mt=8 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/milspacea/id496694432?ls=1&mt=8 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/u.s.-military-regulations/id461543595?mt=8 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dod-military-glossary-lite/id327015746?mt=8 Editor, I think you’re onto something. The list of iOS apps ignored by the military is astounding and too many cronies are content hiring their buds to write non-iOS software for many times the cost of alternative solutions.

Just to name just a few:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/isurvive-military-grade-survival/id321239058?mt=8
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/milspacea/id496694432?ls=1&mt=8
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/u.s.-military-regulations/id461543595?mt=8
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dod-military-glossary-lite/id327015746?mt=8

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