The NY Times has a wonderful feature on 92-year-old Massapequa, Long Island resident Hyman Strachman who devotedly sends care packages to troops overseas. And what's in the packages? Bootlegged copies of Hollywood blockbusters, which troops receive sometimes before they are even in the States. Strachman admitted to violating copyright laws, but explained, "Every time I got back an emotional e-mail or letter [from a soldier], I sent them another box." more ›

Staff Sergeant Robert Bales was formally charged with the premeditated murder of 17 Afghan civilians and the attempted murder of six others yesterday. Though initial reports stated that Bales may have stabbed and set fire to several of his victims (photos lend credence to these claims) the military's "charge sheet" only mentions a firearm. Bales' wife's attorney told ABC that her husband called her shortly after the alleged attacks occurred. "[Bales] told her something terrible had happened," and spoke with her for around three minutes before the call was disconnected. more ›

More details have emerged about the U.S. soldier accused of killing 16 Afghan civilians, including nine children, last week. According to the AP, 38-year-old father of two Robert Bales had, "joined the Army after a Florida investment job went sour, had a Seattle-area home condemned, struggled to make payments on another and failed to get a promotion or a transfer a year ago." more ›

Okay, Grinches, get ready for your hearts to grow three sizes and watch this video of a third-grader at Staten Island's PS 54 get a holiday surprise: Getting to reunite with his mother, a soldier who has been on her third tour in Afghanistan, in front of his classmates. Little Christopher Harris looks absolutely shocked at seeing mom Chief Warrant Officer 2 Karyn Obey appear. Obey said, "I just wanted to give him a little something special for Christmas. He knew I was coming home. He didn’t know when." more ›

Yesterday, the U.S. military announced the eight soldiers would be charged in the death of Private Danny Chen. The 19-year-old Chinatown resident was found dead at an outpost in Afghanistan, due to a "self-inflicted gunshot wound" but it was revealed that he had been taunted and physically harassed by fellow soldiers. more ›

In October, Private Danny Chen's family was informed by the Army that the 19-year-old killed died of an "apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound" while stationed in Afghanistan. However, his family was also told that he had been bullied and harrassed, and pressed the Army for more information. Now U.S. military officials have charged eight soldiers in Chen's death. more ›

No one joins the Army for the food, but even career soldiers can get a little sick of carrying around bulky, tasteless Meals-Ready-To-Eat (MREs) like "Spaghetti with Meat Sauce." So Army food officials decided to create a new food for soldiers, something that can stay shelf-stable for years on end and be at least somewhat palatable. Their solution? A sandwich. A sandwich that can stay fresh for two freaking years. more ›

19-year-old Private Danny Chen, a Chinatown native who died last week in Afghanistan, was allegedly bullied and abused by his fellow soldiers prior to his non-combat related death. Now, the Army's Criminal Investigation Division is looking into the matter to figure out exactly what happened. more ›

Just because the military's "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy, which restricted openly gay, bisexual and lesbian citizens from serving in the military, has been repealed doesn't mean that openly gay people will be getting into West Point academy right up until the day the law goes into full effect. West Point has rejected a lesbian cadet who resigned from West Point last year, because she refused to hide her sexual orientation anymore, from readmission into the academy. more ›

Anyone who pays attention to the parking trends in the city may have noticed something different recently (or not). According to the Daily News, more New Yorkers are backing up into parking spots instead of pulling in nose first. "As one who backs in, I do notice the other cars that do so and I would say that about 20% of parkers back in," said Robert Sinclair of AAA New York. In fact, both AAA and the Army teach drivers to back into spots so you "can leave a parking spot at a moments notice." Though why anyone would willingly leave a perfectly good parking spot in the city is beyond us. more ›

Columbia University may see the return of the Reserve Officers Training Corps, which was forced off campus after the heated student protests during the 1960s sparked partly by the school's relationship with the Vietnam War>. The University Senate voted 51-17 (with an abstention) to approve a resolution which states, "Columbia University welcomes the opportunity to explore mutually beneficial relationships with the Armed Forces of the United States, including participation in the programs of the Reserve Officers Training Corps." more ›

Brad Ferro, who gained national fame after punching America's Meatball Snooki on an episode of Jersey Shore, has had a tough time recently. He was fired from his job as a gym teacher in Queens, and hasn't been able to get hired since. Left without any other options, he has joined the army, and his dad is pissed that it has come to this. He told the Post, "My son made them famous. They made a lot of money off of him, and I think they owe him." Perhaps he could become another roommate in Italy? more ›

Last night, Notre Dame and Army renewed their historic college football rivalry at Yankee Stadium. The Fighting Irish won the game decisively, 27-3, in front of a sold-out crowd of 54,251 fans, and everyone felt bringing the game back to NYC was a huge success. "It was an exciting atmosphere, and our kids fed off the energy. For those who felt New York City's not a college football town, it is a college football town as well: At least it was [last night]," said Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly. more ›

According to NotifyNYC, "A parachute jump is scheduled over Yankee Stadium at 7PM. You may see low flying aircraft and multiple parachutes jumpers." Which just happens to coincide with kickoff of the much anticipated Notre Dame/Army college football game tonight, the first meeting between the two longtime rivals in over four years. Might the two events be related in some way? Until more evidence is provided, or we hear someone has been stabbed, we shall assume this is just more twitter hysteria. more ›

Thanks to some bad publicity, the MTA has decided to re-hire Sgts. Alvin Taylor and Anddy (Angel) Moreno, who were laid off from their bus driving jobs while serving overseas. The two had originally lost their jobs because of MTA downsizing, and though federal law guarantees members of the military may resume their civilian jobs upon return from deployment, they can't guarantee jobs in companies that have downsized or collapsed. But the MTA pulled some strings, and the two are now under payroll at MTA Bus, an authority where there are job vacancies. more ›

On Thursday, an Army reservist who was fatally shot at the Fort Gillem Army Reserve was identified as Bronx native Master Sgt. Pedro Mercado, 47, who oversaw medical units. Another reservist turned himself in for the shooting at the base near Atlanta, Georgia, but he has not be charged yet. According to the Daily News, Mercado grew up in Mott Haven and leaves behind a wife and three children, two of whom followed him into the military. His wife told the Post, "Pedro was a wonderful person, if you got to meet Pedro, you were truly blessed... He loved the army, he loved soldiering. He tried to make a difference, he was a mentor." more ›

An Al Qaeda-linked neuroscientist has been convicted of attempting to kill American personnel while she was being detained in Afghanistan. After two days of deliberations, a Manhattan jury found the 37-year-old guilty of seven counts of attempted murder for grabbing an M-4 rifle and opening fire on U.S. soldiers and FBI agents who wanted to question her about her possession of bomb-making notes and a list of potential terror targets, according to the Post. She was not charged with any terror-related offenses. more ›

Gov. Paterson has pardoned a solider whose earlier conviction on gun possession charges barred had barred him from fulfilling his lifelong goal of joining the New York Police Department, the Times reports. In only his second pardon since taking office, Paterson granted clemency to Osvaldo Hernandez — a former paratrooper with the Army's 82nd Airborne Division — who was arrested in 2002 when police found a semiautomatic pistol beneath his car seat. more ›

It was previously reported that the Army psychiatrist who went on a deadly shooting spree at Fort Hood Thursday had been on the FBI's radar over some Internet postings about suicide bombers. Now ABC News has it that Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan had been trying to make contact with people associated with al Qaeda, and U.S. intelligence agencies knew about it months ago, because these al Qaeda suspects were under electronic surveillance. One of these is the former imam of a Virginia mosque who praised Hasan for the shooting on his website (cached). more ›

The army psychiatrist who killed 13 people and wounded 31 at Fort Hood yesterday may have come to the attention of the FBI at least six months ago, because of Internet postings that discussed suicide bombings and other threats. One posting on the website Scribd was attributed to Nidal Hasan, but investigators have not yet been able to confirm that the writer is Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, the 39-year-old who was apprehended after yesterday's massacre. more ›

Some 150 National Guardsmen have been pulled from details patrolling the city's transportation hubs, as part of a restructuring that officials claim will actually make the soldiers more responsive to threats. Guard spokesman Richard Goldberg tells the Post, "We are at more locations now because we're not tied to specific facilities. You'll still see us at Penn Station and the airports, but you'll also see them at critical transport sites, like bus terminals." Last year the National Guard had 430 soldiers based in the city; now there are 280. Another spokesman asserts that because the troops are now stationed out of Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn instead of airports and train stations, they're better equipped to "selectively respond" to emergencies or as cops need reinforcements. Another bonus is that the drawdown will probably save the state over ten million dollars. But their absence has left some commuters, like administrative assistant Donna El-Maadawy, feeling very unguarded; she tells the Post, "I rarely see them anymore. Not having them present will makes me feel uneasy. You just never know when we may need them." more ›

The boss is never going to believe this one: A report just came in over the police scanners about an "unusual occurrence" in a parking lot at East 128th Street between Park and Lex, where police have been summoned because "people are unable to get to their cars due to 10-15 very large rats in the parking lot." And so it begins; the day we've all dreaded when a master race of rats form organized battalions to take over the city once and for all. Well, Gothamist, for one, welcomes our new rodent overlords, and we look forward to seeing them show the current administration how real rats run a city. Viva la Rat! more ›

The NY Post reports that Abdulhakim Muhammad, who is accused of fatally shooting a soldier outside an Arkansas recruiting center, "had a computer photo of a similar facility in Times Square." Muhammed, a Muslim convert, pleaded not guilty to the shooting, which also injured another soldier and took place in suburban Little Rock on Monday; investigators say he targeted soldiers "because of what they had done to Muslims in the past." According to court documents, "Molotov cocktails, three guns and ammunition" were found in Muhammed's truck and that investigators found found research into multiple sites in different states" were found on a computer connected to him. The Post adds, "The NYPD was notified and alerted centers in all five boroughs." The Times Square recruiting center was target of a bomb last year. more ›

An Army soldier was arrested at MacArthur airport on Long Island Saturday morning after she tried to bring a loaded revolver on a flight to San Antonio, Texas. The piece was not Army issue and 38-year-old Spc. Vonda Collier, who has been stationed for the past year at Camp Liberty near Baghdad, did not have a New York license to carry it. She was arrested and charged with criminal possession of a weapon after it was found during a routine baggage check. Collier is on bereavement leave to attend her mother's funeral in Texas; police say she was visiting relatives on Long Island but her father tells Newsday she has no family here. And last Thursday a man was arrested at MacArthur for trying to bring a pipe bomb on the plane home to Vegas. He says he just wanted to "cause a giant smoke cloud, a flash of light and hopefully a loud noise." more ›

A NJ family is very angry at the Army for "misfiring" a projectile and having part of a shell crash through their roof and onto their daughter's bed. Their 10-year-old daughter had just left for a sleepover, but the family cat who was sleeping there was so seriously injured she had to be euthanized. more ›

Five years ago today, the United States became involved with the Iraq War. While many Americans are unhappy with the war, per the Washington Post, "For the Bush administration, however, it is the first anniversary of an Iraq strategy that it believes has finally started to succeed." Today President Bush is expected to say, in a speech at the Pentagon, "Removing Saddam Hussein from power was the right decision, and this is a fight America can and must win." Almost 4,000 U.S. soldiers have died in the past five years, while almost 30,000 have been wounded. Here's a list of military casualties. more ›