ARMY

The U.N. envoy for Sudan is urging the country's warring generals to honor a seven-day cease-fire.

The Navy has commissioned the USS Cooperstown, named for the New York state village where the Baseball Hall of Fame is located and honoring the 70 members who served in the military during wartime.

The Pentagon says the number of reported sexual assaults across the military inched up about 1% last year, as a sharp decline in Army numbers offset increases in the other three services.

The top U.S. military officer says the Pentagon “has a long ways to go” to beef up its munitions stockpiles and ensure the country is ready for any large-scale war.

Last August, Daysia Holiday decided to try one more time to join the Army.

The arrest of actor Jonathan Majors has upended the Army’s newly launched advertising campaign that was aimed at reviving the service’s struggling recruiting numbers.

A member of the United States Army Parachute Team has died after sustaining injuries during a training jump at Homestead Air Reserve Base in Homestead, Florida.

The Army is trying to recover from its worst recruiting year in decades, and officials say those recruiting woes are the result on traditional hurdles.

Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo is out after 15 seasons at the helm.

Congress’ move to eliminate the Pentagon mandate that all U.S. service members get the COVID-19 vaccine delivers a victory for lawmakers and troops who oppose getting the shot.

Pakistan's government says it is ready to appoint a new army chief for the country as political turmoil and feuding continues to grip its political elite.

A U.S. official says the U.S. will buy 100,000 rounds of howitzer artillery rounds from South Korean manufacturers to provide to Ukraine.

Fentanyl and other potent synthetic opioids ingrained in the nation's illicit drug supply are killing more people in the U.S. than any other drug has.

A new report and Pentagon data show that suicides across the active duty U.S. military decreased over the past 18 months, driven by sharp drops in the Air Force and Marine Corps last year and a similar decline among Army soldiers during the first six months of this year.

The Army plans to increase its investment in marketing and is expected to expand a new program for struggling recruits.

Charles Fuller, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of the searing and acclaimed “A Soldier’s Play” who often explored and exposed how social institutions can perpetuate racism, has died.

An independent commission is recommending that the Confederate Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery be dismantled and taken down, as part of its final report to Congress on the renaming of military bases and assets that commemorate the Confederacy.

Reports of sexual assaults across the U.S. military jumped by 13% last year, driven by significant increases in the Army and the Navy as bases began to move out of pandemic restrictions and public venues opened back up.

There's a new Army program that gives lower-performing recruits up to 90 days of academic or fitness instruction to help them meet military standards.

Josef Newgarden kept the focus simple all week.

When “Top Gun: Maverick” roared into theaters in late May, the Air Force was ready.

The Army says a retired three-star general has been suspended as a military adviser.

The Supreme Court has allowed a former state trooper to sue Texas over his claim that he was forced out of his job when he returned from Army service in Iraq.

A memoir by Chelsea Manning will come out this fall.

Army troops have been called in to rescue thousands of people stranded by massive floods that have ravaged northeastern India and Bangladesh, leaving millions of homes underwater and severing transport links.

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro signed a decree Tuesday that creates stricter rules against environmental crimes in the Amazon rainforest, such as fraud in timber licensing.

An independent commission is recommending new names for nine Army posts that now commemorate Confederate officers.

The Army has scrapped its move to have a physical fitness test that's gender- and age-neutral, and will now allow women and older soldiers to pass while meeting some reduced standards.

The Navy said Tuesday that it has discharged 23 active duty sailors for refusing the coronavirus vaccine, marking the first time it has thrown currently serving sailors out of the military over the mandatory shots.

The Pentagon says it's streamlined the approval process for urgent use of National Guard forces in the District of Columbia.

U.S. officials say all of the military services have now begun disciplinary actions and discharges for troops who have refused to get the mandated coronavirus vaccine, with as many as 20,000 unvaccinated forces at risk of being removed from service.

The annual Army-Navy game is returning to the Meadowlands on Dec. 11 for the first time since 2002.

A memorial service for Colin L.

The number of military suicides jumped by 15% in 2020, fueled by significant increases in the Army and Marine Corps that senior leaders said were troubling and require more effort to prevent.

The U.S. Department of Defense is taking input on its plan to build an advanced mobile nuclear microreactor prototype at the Idaho National Laboratory in eastern Idaho.

A military procession has returned the body of a Marine who was among U.S. troops killed in a suicide bombing at Afghanistan’s Kabul airport to his Indiana hometown.

The U.S. Department of Defense has identified all 13 service members who were killed in a suicide bombing outside of Kabul’s airport.

There's growing interest in grassroots programs aimed at reducing community violence at a time when violent crime around the country is on the rise.

Independent researchers say the military takeover in Myanmar has given the junta full control of the country’s lucrative and conflict-ridden jade mining.

A new study finds that female soldiers at Army bases in Texas, Colorado, Kansas and Kentucky face a greater risk of sexual assault and harassment than those at other posts, accounting for more than a third of all active duty Army women sexually assaulted in 2018.

A top Army leader is defending the Pentagon’s response to the Jan. 6 insurrection.

The remains of an Army Staff Sergent, who was killed during World War II, have been identified.

The Supreme Court, for now, is leaving it up Congress to decide whether to change the requirement that only men must register for the draft.

Fairfax County Police have charged two men in the fatal shooting of a military couple in the front yard of their Springfield home.

Christine Wormuth has been confirmed unanimously by the Senate to be the first female secretary of the Army.

The push to remove Confederate names from Pentagon properties, including storied Army posts, could eventually affect hundreds of assets and facilities.

Pres. Biden awarded the first Medal of Honor of his presidency on Friday to retired Col. Ralph Puckett Jr.

The woman poised to be the first female secretary of the Army told Congress Thursday that combating sexual assault and harassment is a top priority, and said greater prevention is needed, including more training to encourage soldiers to step in when they see bad behavior by others.

The top U.S. general for Africa says a growing military threat from China may well come from America’s east, as Beijing looks to establish a large navy port capable of hosting submarines or aircraft carriers on the Atlantic coast of Africa.

An investigation has concluded that members of the Washington D.

U.S. military leaders say that recent problems with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine have made it more difficult to provide shots for forces overseas.

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)WASHINGTON – Lawmakers expressed frustration Tuesday with how slowly improvements are being made to criminal investigation at Fort Hood, Texas, where rates of violent crime and sexual assaults are particularly high. More than two dozen Fort Hood soldiers died in 2020, including in multiple homicides and suicides. The review also concluded that the Army CID was understaffed, overwhelmed and filled with inexperienced investigators. Elder Fernandes, who was missing for more than a week last year before he was found dead about 28 miles from Fort Hood. AdAs a result of the independent review and other investigations, the Army earlier this year took action against 14 officers and enlisted soldiers at Fort Hood.

FILE - In this Jan. 6, 2021 file photo rioters supporting President Donald Trump storm the Capitol in Washington. An Army reservist charged with taking part in the attack on the U.S. Capitol was known as a Nazi sympathizer who wore a Hitler mustache, coworkers told federal investigators. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)WASHINGTON – An Army reservist charged with taking part in the attack on the U.S. Capitol was known as a Nazi sympathizer who wore a Hitler mustache, coworkers told federal investigators. The filing included photos from Hale-Cusanelli’s cellphone of him with a Hitler mustache, along with pro-Nazi cartoons. Jonathan Zucker, Hale-Cusanelli’s attorney, wrote in a filing that there was no evidence his client belongs to any white supremacist organizations.

Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON – The Latest on congressional testimony about the Capitol insurrection (all times local):5 p.m. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer notified lawmakers late Wednesday of the sudden schedule change. Gibson comes to the Senate from a 33-year military career, including as a senior intelligence officer in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, supporting troops in the Middle East, Schumer said. The head of the National Guard for Washington, D.C., says Pentagon concerns about “optics” delayed the sending of troops to protect the Capitol during the Jan. 6 attack. Walker says D.C. officials pleaded with the Army officials to quickly send the National Guard to help police guard the Capitol.

Guard troops who had been waiting on buses were then rushed to the Capitol, arriving in 18 minutes, Walker said. Much of the focus at Wednesday's hearing was on communications between the National Guard and the Defense Department. Contee said Sund pleaded with Army officials to deploy National Guard troops as the rioting escalated. AdAccording to the Defense Department, Walker was called at 3 p.m. by Army officials, and was told to prepare Guard troops to deploy. Thousands of National Guard troops are still patrolling the fenced-in Capitol, and multiple committees across Congress are investigating Jan. 6.

Female soldiers can let their hair down and flash a little nail color under new rules being approved by the Army. Army leaders are loosening restrictions on various grooming and hairstyle rules, as service leaders try to address longstanding complaints, particularly from women. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)WASHINGTON – Female soldiers can let their hair down, and flash a little nail color under new rules being approved by the Army. Army leaders announced Tuesday that they are loosening restrictions on various grooming and hairstyle rules, as service leaders try to address longstanding complaints, particularly from women. Female soldiers going through Ranger or special operations training get their heads shaved, like male soldiers do.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, right, greets Deputy Secretary of Defense David Norquist as he arrives at the Pentagon, Friday, Jan. 22, 2021, in Washington. Biden is expected to win approval for others on his national security team in coming days, including Antony Blinken as secretary of state. Before heading to the Pentagon, Austin wrote on Twitter that he is especially proud to be the first Black secretary of defense. Austin retired in 2016 after serving as the first Black general to head U.S. Central Command. The House and the Senate approved the waiver Thursday, clearing the way for the Senate confirmation vote.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, confirmed that the confirmation vote on Austin would be conducted Friday. Austin, a 41-year veteran of the Army, has promised to surround himself with qualified civilians and include them in policy decisions. Many of them opposed a similar waiver in 2017 for Jim Mattis, former President Donald Trump's first secretary of defense. He emphasized on Tuesday that he will follow Biden’s lead in giving renewed attention to dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. As a career Army officer, Austin had little reason to learn the intricacies of nuclear policy, since the Army has no nuclear weapons.

__10:40 p.m.Michigan Rep. Fred Upton has become the fourth Republican to back the impeachment of President Donald Trump. ___8 p.m.Vice President Mike Pence is ruling out invoking the 25th Amendment to remove President Donald Trump from power, less than a week after the president fomented the violent insurrection at the Capitol. That word comes as GOP divisions emerge over Democrats’ plan for a House vote Wednesday. As rioters were still in the Capitol, Trump released a video seemingly excusing the events, saying of the rioters: “We love you. On impeachment, Trump said it’s “a really terrible thing that they’re doing.” But he said, “We want no violence.

I am fixing and we will move forward from there," Perna told reporters in telephone briefing. I am fixing and we will move forward from there," Gen. Gustave Perna told reporters in a telephone briefing. There is no problem with the Moderna vaccine.”There’s a distinction between manufactured vaccine and doses that are ready to be released. Perna said the government now is on track to get approximately 20 million doses to states by the first week of January, a combination of the newly approved Moderna vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Perna said 2.9 million Pfizer-BioNTech doses have been delivered to states so far.

(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)WASHINGTON – The Latest on President-elect Joe Biden (all times local):2:15 p.m.Lloyd Austin, the retired Army general whom President-elect Joe Biden picked to be secretary of defense, says he reveres the principle of civilian control of the military. Austin retired four years ago after 41 years in the Army. Austin says he understands the need for civilian control of the military and sees himself as a civilian, not as a general. Congress intended civilian control of the military when it created the position of secretary of defense in 1947 and prohibited a recently retired military officer from holding the position. Austin retired in 2016.

The Army says it has fired or suspended 14 officers and enlisted soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas, and ordered policy changes to address chronic leadership failures at the base that contributed to a widespread pattern of violence including murder, sexual assaults and harassment. He also ordered a separate probe into staffing and procedures at the base's Criminal Investigation Command unit, which is responsible for investigating crimes on Fort Hood. Mejhor Morta was found near a reservoir by Fort Hood. The five-member panel spent three weeks at Fort Hood and conducted more than 2,500 interviews, including 647 in person. Fort Hood, he said, has the highest rate of positive drug tests in the Army.

Both of these holidays celebrate the brave men and women who protect our country, but is there a difference between the two days?

Army soldiers wearing face masks to help protect against the spread of the coronavirus arrive to board a train at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)Health officials in South Korea have approved a new test that’s designed to detect both COVID-19 and seasonal influenza from the same samples, which would help prevent disruption at hospitals as the pandemic stretches into the flu season. The country has struggled to stem the spread of the coronavirus, which some experts say could spread more broadly during cold weather when people spend more time indoors. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on Wednesday reported 118 new cases of COVID-19, most of them in the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area. New Zealand has been largely successful in its efforts to eliminate the virus from its shores.

Army leaders said Tuesday that they have not received any requests to use active-duty or National Guard troops for possible civil unrest surrounding the presidential election next month, but are ready to do so if called on. Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said no government agencies have asked for military troops. Thousands of National Guard troops, however, were used in Washington and in states across the nation to help law enforcement. The Army leaders on Tuesday also addressed other issues surrounding possible unrest. He and other Army leaders sat socially distant during the event and wore masks whenever they were not speaking.

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Lynchburg honored a hometown hero with a ceremony Monday. World War II veteran Desmond Doss received the Medal of Honor, the country’s most-prestigious military award, from President Harry Truman 75 years ago. I can’t even express the appreciation that I have,” said Desmond Doss Jr. during the tribute outside his father’s childhood home. Organized by the Lynchburg Area Veterans Council, the ceremony included the proclamation reading recognizing the city’s second-annual Desmond Doss Day. Desmond Doss, an American patriot continuing to impact others 75 years later -- and counting.

LEESBURG, Va. – A Virginia judge will decide this week whether to impose a 74-year prison sentence that a jury set for a retired Army major who shot and wounded two sheriff’s deputies. Several jurors who convicted Douglas Vernon Johnson Jr., 54, told the Washington Post that they either believed they were giving him a lower sentence or wish they had the power to do so. The Loudoun County Circuit Court judge who is scheduled to sentence Johnson on Wednesday can reduce the jury’s punishment. Defense attorney Edward Ungvarsky is asking for a 20-year prison term. Five jurors signed affidavits for the defense saying they thought Johnson deserved a chance to be released earlier.

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___Army has finalized its football schedule and the Black Knights will play 11 games, eight at home. The rest of the home slate includes Louisiana-Monroe, BYU, Abilene Christian, The Citadel, Mercer, Air Force and Georgia Southern. ___Duke will open its season for football and other fall sports with no fans at home games because of the coronavirus pandemic. The school will contact football fans who have purchased season or single-game tickets or have seating and suite contracts in Blue Devil Tower regarding potential options. The school will allow fans to purchase a fan cutout of a person or pet to be placed in seats for football games.

ROANOKE, Va. – Coach Jamie Harless continues to churn out Division One talent from Lord Botetourt’s football program. The most recent commit being star running back and linebacker Hunter Rice, who has verbally committed to play for Army. In 2019 Rice rushed for more than 1,700 yards and 16 touchdowns in juts 8 games of action. Rice becomes the 5th Lord Botetourt prospect in the class of 2021 to commit to a D-1 FBS or FCS program. You’ll recall the trio of Cavaliers that committed to Appalachian State-- Colston Powers, Kyle Arnholt and Troy Everett.

Stewy would be an Alaska Native leader today if he had hadnt been killed in a head-on collision while driving the Maserati in 1975, his brother said. Alaska Natives were allowed to apply for 160 acres (65 hectares) of land under the 1906 Alaska Native Allotment Act. The BLM and other federal partners have identified about 1,000 Alaska Native service members or their descendants who might be eligible for the program and is in the process of notifying them. There could be more since the BLM estimates 40% of the Alaska Native veterans or their surviving family members have moved out of Alaska and may not know the window will reopen to apply. Even if they cant get that preferred land, Carlo cant imagine trying to sell it back for cash to the government.

The military, however, still has a dramatically low death rate, losing three active-duty service members out of nearly 23,000 virus cases so far. I find that each base does things a little bit different, and theyve adapted very carefully, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said when he traveled to Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri this week. The military has relied largely on its local commanders to make decisions about their base restrictions. For example, Army, Navy and Marine commanders had loosened restrictions at those bases in Japan, but reversed those decisions this month. Active-duty military cases of COVID-19 increased steadily through the spring, but began to escalate more sharply in June, jumping by about 3,000 or more a week.

FILE - In this Sept. 10, 2019, file photo government contractors erect a section of Pentagon-funded border wall along the Colorado River, in Yuma, Ariz. The federal Bureau of Land Management said on Tuesday, July 21, 2020, it's transferred over 65 acres of public land in Arizona and New Mexico to the Army for construction of border wall infrastructure. (AP Photo/Matt York, File)PHOENIX The federal Bureau of Land Management said on Tuesday that it has transferred over 65 acres of public land in Arizona and New Mexico to the Army for construction of border wall infrastructure. The agency says its now handing over 53 acres in Yuma County, Arizona, that is needed to install power and other utilities around the border wall there. This marks the second time in the past year that the agency has transferred public land to the military for border wall-related construction.

WASHINGTON Confederate Army symbols within the military, including prominent Army bases named for rebel generals, are divisive and can be offensive to Blacks in uniform, the nation's top officer said Thursday. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, noted that some see it differently. The House and Senate versions of the National Defense Authorization Act for the budget year starting Oct. 1 include provisions for changing the names of 10 Army bases named for Confederate generals. President Donald Trump says he would veto the defense bill if the version that reaches his desk includes a requirement to change the names. The United States of America trained and deployed our HEROES on these Hallowed Grounds, and won two World Wars.

AP Army investigators have identified the body of a soldier who vanished more than two months ago from a base in Texas, according to a lawyer for the soldiers family. Remains found last week buried near Fort Hood belong to Spc. Human remains were found Tuesday near the Leon River in Bell County, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) east of Fort Hood, during a the search for Guilln. Cecily Aguilar, a 22-year-old civilian from a community near near Fort Hood, was arrested and charged with one count for allegedly helping hide the body of 20-year-old solider, according to a criminal complaint. From their text conversations, Mayra Guillen said she believed her sister was afraid during her time at Fort Hood.

Army investigators believe Guillen, a Texas soldier missing since April, was killed by another soldier on the Texas base where they served, the attorney for the missing soldier's family said Thursday. (Steve Gonzales/Houston Chronicle via AP)DALLAS Army investigators have identified the body of a soldier who vanished more than two months ago from a base in Texas, according to a lawyer for the soldiers family. Vanessa Guilln and Army officials informed her family in Houston Sunday, attorney Natalie Khawam told The Associated Press. Guilln, who had been missing since April, was killed and dismembered by a fellow soldier who took his own life last week, federal and military investigators have said. Army officials identified the soldier suspected in Guillns disappearance as Aaron David Robinson.

WASHINGTON With his Army recruiting office shuttered due to the coronavirus, Staff Sgt. Were going to empower the recruiters to allow for more autonomous recruiting, said Maj. Gen. Frank Muth, head of the Armys recruiting command. But first the Army has to determine how successful virtual recruiting can be. But, he said, online recruiting has improved. 1st Class Eric Nordin, who is making virtual recruiting a career.

A military Humvee blocks an intersection along K Street in downtown Washington as demonstrators protest the death of George Floyd, Monday, June 1, 2020, in Washington. Although the military historically has prided itself on diversity, leaders acknowledge that black troops often are disproportionately subject to military legal punishment and are impeded in promotions. Blacks make up about 17 percent of the Navy and less than 15 percent of the Air Force. But there is a much greater racial divide within the active duty military based on rank. Brown Jr., has been nominated to lead the Air Force, succeeding Gen. David Goldfein.

A military Humvee blocks an intersection along K Street in downtown Washington as demonstrators protest the death of George Floyd, Monday, June 1, 2020, in Washington. Although the military historically has prided itself on diversity, leaders acknowledge that black troops often are disproportionately subject to military legal punishment and are impeded in promotions. Blacks make up about 17 percent of the Navy and less than 15 percent of the Air Force. But there is a much greater racial divide within the active duty military based on rank. Brown Jr., has been nominated to lead the Air Force, succeeding Gen. David Goldfein.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Army on Friday became the first military service to announce it is shutting down all of its recruiting stations around the country in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The Navy and Marine Corps said that they are keeping their recruiting stations open, but the services will also follow state or local guidelines. The Marine Corps, meanwhile, said recruiters are taking steps to protect themselves and any recruits that come in. “If a Navy Region directs teleworking in specific cities, counties, or states, we will switch those specific recruiting stations to 100% virtual recruiting," he said. Army leaders have increased the number of recruiters and beefed up efforts to connect with young people through online sports and similar events.

GEORGIA - Three soldiers were killed and three more were hospitalized on Sunday morning after a training accident at Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield in Georgia. According to NBC News, The soldiers, members of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, were killed when the Bradley Fighting Vehicle they were riding in was involved in an accident, a press release from the U.S. Army stated. Of the six soldiers involved in the accident, three were pronounced dead on-site and three others were taken to Winn Army Community Hospital. The soldiers involved in the accident have yet to be identified. The press release stated that the names will be released in 24 hours after the next-of-kin have been notified.

Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images(CNN) - Three US soldiers with the 3rd Infantry Division were killed and three others injured during a training accident at an Army base in Georgia early Sunday morning, according to the Army. The soldiers were in riding in a Bradley Fighting Vehicle at Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield when the accident happened. Three soldiers were pronounced dead on site and three others were taken to Winn Army Community Hospital for their injuries. The accident is under investigation, and the soldiers' names will be released 24 hours after their next-of-kin are notified, Fort Stewart said in a statement. Fort Stewart, founded in 1940, is the largest Army installation east of the Mississippi River and covers almost 280,000 acres, according to its website.

CNN imageBREVARD, N.C. (WLOS ) - The father of an Army captain is putting the spotlight on women in the military ... past and present. During the last three years, Casciato collected women's uniforms dating to World War II and turned the Brevard museum's conference room into a new exhibit featuring those uniforms. Casciato put out a call to the community to send 8x10 photos of loved ones who served, so he could include them in the exhibit. The result was a 30-foot wall covered in pictures of women from all branches of the military and all time periods dating to World War I. Also included in this exhibit will be three lectures by the following women:Nov. 7: U.S. Navy Captain (Ret.)

(CNN) - The FBI and Department of Homeland Security are warning law enforcement ahead of this weekend's premiere of the movie "Joker" after a number of threats were posted online calling for mass shootings at showings of the movie. "The FBI, DHS, and (National Counterterrorism Center) remain concerned that the volume of threatening language may lead to lone offender violence," the bulletin says. Concern from law enforcement has been growing in recent weeks around the movie's premiere. Authorities report in the intelligence bulletin that some of the recent threats surrounding "Joker" referenced the Aurora shooting and say they are concerned potential shooters could use that shooting as inspiration. Incels are responsible for killing at least 27 people since 2014 in the United States and Canada, the FBI said in the bulletin.

Army Captain Luis Avila was severely wounded by an improvised explosive device (IED) in Afghanistan in 2011. At the conclusion of a swearing-in ceremony for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, Avila, a wounded veteran, sang "God Bless America." Trump moved his head, bounced his knee, and sang the words along with Avila as he sang the first verse. During remarks earlier in the ceremony, Dunford referenced Avila and his fellow wounded warriors. Captain Avila was seriously wounded in action and today, represents all of the wounded warriors and killed in action of our military.

(CNN) - A US serviceman who oversaw Army communications at President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida was sentenced to three years of probation for lying during a child pornography investigation, according to court documents. Richard Ciccarella told federal agents that he was the "Non-commissioned Officer in Charge" of White House communications at Mar-a-Lago, the documents state. In July, about two months after his arrest, Ciccarella pleaded guilty to making a false statement to a federal agent during the child pornography investigation. While the photos didn't constitute child pornography, his lies were troubling, Assistant US Attorney Gregory Schiller said, according to the newspaper. When asked by federal agents, Ciccarella denied ever using the Yahoo email that was connected to that username.

The small operation is one of the only makers of toy plastic Army men, and soon, it'll be expanding the line to include Army women. The small operation is one of the only makers of toy plastic Army men, and soon, it'll be expanding the line to include Army women. Jeff Imel who owns BMC Toys in Scranton says the little green Army men we all know will never go out of style. And so, I went another route where we kind of expand the pop culture universe of plastic Army men to include women." "Whether it's a dinosaur, or Davy Crockett, or an Army man, maybe having a set of plastic Army women will help some kid somewhere be the hero of their own story at playtime.

Former Duke University and NBA player Marshall Plumlee graduates from the U.S. Army Ranger school. At seven feet tall, the former NBA player towered over other uniformed graduates at the Army Ranger School in Fort Benning, Georgia, last Friday. Proud of today's Ranger School graduates including 2LT Marshall Plumlee," Hodne wrote. Another Army graduate also made headlines this week -- 1st Lt. Chelsey Hibsch, the first woman in the Air Force to graduate Ranger School. The Pentagon describes Ranger School as "the Army's premier combat leadership course, teaching Ranger students how to overcome fatigue, hunger, and stress to lead soldiers during small unit combat operations."

- The body of Army Master Sergeant Luis Deleon-Figueroa returned home to the US Monday. He was killed in action in Afghanistan on August 21. Deleon-Figueroa left behind a fiancee, two daughters, a stepdaughter, grandmother, sister, and foster family. He'll be laid to rest Tuesday at the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery. US and state flags in Massachusetts will fly at half staff in his honor.

Family of 82-yr-old Army vet who died at the VA medical center in West Virginia has filed a wrongful death claim against the VA.(CNN) - A series of suspicious deaths at a VA hospital in West Virginia is the subject of a federal criminal investigation, the Justice Department confirmed Friday. Questions have swirled around the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center in Clarksburg, West Virginia, as reports in recent days on the deaths of 11 patients have drawn the scrutiny of lawmakers and federal law enforcement. A source familiar with the investigation told CNN that the person had worked at the hospital at one point. Federal investigators including the FBI have been probing the deaths for over a year and have met with families of potential victims, another source familiar with the investigation said. About nine or 10 other patients at the hospital died from low blood sugar before his death as well, according to the claim.

Family of 82-yr-old Army vet who died at the VA medical center in West Virginia has filed a wrongful death claim against the VA. Distributed by LAKANA. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The 23-year-old California native has been growing his hair out for 15 years, but on Thursday he decided to have the big chop so he could enlist in the Army. "I'm just really excited to be enlisting," he said in a video posted to the Salt Lake City Army Recruiting Battalion Facebook page. The Army has strict hair standards, which they require all soldiers to follow. For men, hair must have a "tapered appearance," where the "outline of the soldier's hair conforms to the shape of the head," and curves inward at the base of the neck. Basically, it has to be short -- not falling over soldiers' ears or eyebrows, or touching the collar.

Getty ImagesKISSIMMEE, Fla. - A Florida homeowner association says it's against the rules for an Army veteran to fly a Puerto Rican flag outside her home. The Rolling Hills Estates HOA in Kissimmee recently told Frances Santiago that flags other than a U.S. flag, a military flag or a sports flag aren't permitted. Santiago tells Orlando television station WFTV-TV that she and her husband, Efrain, decided to fly the flag to support protesters demanding the governor's resignation in the U.S. territory. Three weeks later, she got a violation notice from the association in the Orlando suburb. The couple says it may be time for the HOA to revisit its rules, especially with Kissimmee's growing Puerto Rican population.

Getty ImagesWASHINGTON - The Senate has confirmed Army veteran and former defense industry lobbyist Mark Esper as secretary of defense. Esper won Senate confirmation on Tuesday by a vote of 90-8 and is to be sworn in by day's end. Deputy Secretary Patrick Shanahan became the acting secretary, but after six months as the fill-in the former Boeing executive abruptly quit. Esper then became the acting secretary, but once he was nominated last week he had to step aside until a Senate vote. For the past week the Pentagon has been run by yet another fill-in, Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer.

KTVT via CNN(CNN) - A north Texas teen is honoring his friend, an Army soldier, with a tribute that can be seen from above. Cameron James, 17, of Haslet, Texas, mowed a giant American flag into the front lawn of his family's home Monday. It was in honor of his friend, Army Pfc. "I guess Cameron remembered the request and asked if he could do the flag this year on our lawn in honor of his friend," his mother, Amy, said. Cameron's brother Daniel, 11, pitched in to help and it took them about four hours to complete the flag design.

River "Oakley" Nimmo had big dreams of being in the Army one day. (CNN) - River "Oakley" Nimmo had big dreams of being in the Army one day. The 5-year-old Arkansas boy, who died last week of a rare form of cancer, never got the chance. Dozens of members of the Arkansas National Guard turned out for the boy's memorial service at Cullendale First Baptist Church in Camden, where they posthumously made Oakley an honorary colonel before giving him a final salute. Oakley's admiration of the military won the hearts of many men and women in uniform across the state, said Maj. William Phillips, a public affairs officer with the Arkansas National Guard.

LEHIGHTON, Pa. - A tank gunner from of World War II just received his high school diploma--76 years after he left school. Smoyer left high school in his sophomore year because he needed to start making some money to help his family. Smoyer came back to the Lehighton Area School District Monday night as a recognized war hero and left as an honorary graduate. One step at a time, 95-year-old Clarence Smoyer made his way into the Lehighton Area School District with his daughter by his side. The school district says giving Smoyer this honorary diploma was the right thing to do, even 76 years later.