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It happens almost every single year and it's always a giant fuss. A new recruit who is barely out of boot camp will wear their branch's dress uniform as they walk down the aisle at their high school graduation. The school will invariably be annoye…
Soon after graduating high school, Harvey "Barney" Barnum, Jr. joined the Marine Corp Platoon Leaders Course, where he learned various military infantry tactics. Once Barnum earned his degree, he was given an officer's commission in the Marine Co…
There are no soldiers in the United States Army that are as dedicated to their mission as the sentinels at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It's a grueling position that demands an extreme attention to detail in order to honor not only the unknown …
Movies would have you believe that every unit has a guy nicknamed "Hawkeye" or "Snake" or some other generic, tough name. As fun as films and video games make those monikers seem, it just doesn't work that way in real life. In a…
While the British Military has shrunk since the end of the Cold War, the country is still responsible for many great weapons systems. In fact, the towed artillery pieces the United States Military uses, the M119 105mm howitzer and the M777 155mm how…
Moviegoers across the nation love to get a fresh bucket of popcorn and sit down in front of the big screen to watch a well-crafted action film. With so many cool explosions and witty one-liners, there's only one thing left to take a movie from grea…
You would have, too.
During the Battle of Okinawa, one United States Navy ship went up against unbelievable odds — and survived to tell the incredible tale. The Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer USS Laffey (DD 724) faced off against a horde of Japanese pilots ?…
The United States Navy has made it official: The Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile (often called NSM) is its new choice fo…
Many troops enlist with hopes of finding something bigger than themselves. After their contract is up, it's not uncommon for the battle-hardened grunt to feel lost in a world now unfamiliar. All the while, they're told that there's nothing out th…
Jumping into freezing water is just part of the legacy of being a Navy SEAL. During World War II, the U.S. Navy Combat Demolition Units were just a handful of guys equipped only with a pair of shorts, a knife, and maybe some explosives. But those am…
Since 1996, "the Crucible" has been the subject of Marine recruits' nightmares. It serves as the final test you must complete in order to officially and finally earn the title of United States Marine. During this 54-hour event, your platoon is sp…
Thanks to movies and video games, tons of people join the military thinking they'll be the next John Wick. Gun-hungry recruits salivate at the prospect of sending rounds downrange using all the latest and greatest weaponry. Unfortunately, that rug …
When you think of "midget submarines" in the context of World War II, Japan's spring to mind. It makes sense seeing as they played a role in the attack on Pearl Harbor — in fact, one such submarine was found beached near Oahu, exhumed, and then…
When the Australian Army was looking for a new infantry fighting vehicle in the early 1990s, they were looking to address a few specific needs. One of them was that the new vehicle be able to handle the unique conditions of Australia. After looking,…
Quora is the ultimate resource for crowdsourcing knowledge. If you're unfamiliar, you ask the Quora world a question and anyone with expertise (and some without it) will respond. One user asked the world what service he should join if he wanted to …
In the 1970s, the United States faced a problem. Many of the World War II-era destroyers of the Gearing and Allen M. Sumner classes were finally showing their age. Not only were these ships entering the tail-ends of their primes, they were also very…
When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade, right? Well, in the case of Charlynda Scales, when life gives you a secret sauce recipe, you make sauce and build a company.While serving in the Air Force, Charlynda's grandfather invented a s…
Scientifically known as the trapezius, this incredible fibrous structure is attached to the lower portion of your occipital bone (at the base of the skull) and extends toward your thoracic spine. Too much medical mumbo-jumbo? Okay, it's the muscle …
The McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom acquired many nicknames over its storied career: Snoopy, Old Smokey, St. Louis Slugger, the Flying Anvil, and many more. The best, by far, came from the sheer number of Soviet-built MiGs taken down by the plane.…