Military
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Afghan refugee now teaching Wisconsin college students about global affairs
On Aug. 21, 2021, Najib Azad, his wife and their four children fled Afghanistan as American military forces withdrew from the country and the Taliban regained power. Today, the family is living in Stevens Point as part of a refugee resettlement program, and Azad, a former press secretary in the Afghan government, is teaching global…
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USS Milwaukee’s voyage ends, underscoring failures of costly Navy ships built in Wisconsin
When the U.S. Navy formally decommissioned the USS Milwaukee in September, the juncture marked the end of an eight-year journey plagued by problems nearly from its start in Wisconsin. The Navy encountered numerous mechanical flaws with the USS Milwaukee and other vessels of its class known as littoral combat ships. The ships were designed to…
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US soldier who crossed into North Korea 2 months ago is in American custody, US officials say
The U.S. soldier who sprinted into North Korea across the heavily fortified border between the Koreas two months ago was released into American custody Wednesday, according to two officials. Earlier, North Korea said it would expel Pvt. Travis King — an announcement that surprised some observers who had expected the North to drag out his…
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With an eye toward the future, Fort McCoy builds new housing facilities, restores WWII barracks
Fort McCoy in western Wisconsin has a long history as a U.S. military installation for training and mobilizing troops. Much of the base was constructed during World War II, including the more than 200 wood barracks that are still used today to house soldiers who come for training year round. Now, the military base is…
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Legislation would spell out punishments, protocol for sexual misconduct investigations at Wisconsin National Guard
Editor’s note: This story contains language and descriptions surrounding sexual assault. Four years after the Wisconsin National Guard was the subject of a scathing federal investigation into how it handles allegations of sexual misconduct, state lawmakers are moving forward with a package of bills they say will strengthen those processes. In 2019, a report from…
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Tomah VA contacting patients whose neurological disorders may have been improperly dismissed
The Tomah VA Medical Center is working to contact patients who may have had their neurological disorders improperly dismissed by a former doctor. Minneapolis-based TV station KARE11 started reporting over a year ago that veterans being seen at the VA had their care and benefits reduced because of a Neurology Compensation and Pension, or C&P,…
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Flags at half-staff to honor deceased WWII veteran after remains were returned home
Nearly 80 years after the B-24 Bomber he piloted during World War II was shot down, the body of 1st Lt. Roy Coulson Harms is coming home. Harms, a Grafton native, was 26-years-old when the bomber he was flying as part of Operation TIDAL WAVE — a mission targeting Axis power oil refineries — was…
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UW-Madison engineers use carbon nanotubes to better protect against brain injuries
University of Wisconsin-Madison engineers have developed a new shock-absorbing foam made from carbon nanotubes aimed at reducing traumatic brain injuries in U.S. soldiers. The material has been shown to absorb shock 18 times better than existing military helmet liners and could also offer athletes better protection against concussions. In order to tackle big issues like…
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With recruitment down nationally, officials say military is working to address concerns of potential recruits and their families
The U.S. military is working to combat a different kind of enemy this year: a significant decline in the number of new recruits signing up for service. The Wisconsin Army National Guard’s goal for recruitment was about 1,000 new recruits this year. But Lt. Col. Shannon Hellenbrand of the Wisconsin Army National Guard said recruitment…
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‘Flight to the North Pole’ brings holiday cheer to Wisconsin kids with cancer
The North Pole may be some 3,000 miles from Wisconsin, but kids in the Milwaukee area got to visit the winter wonderland in their own backyards earlier this month. Flight to the North Pole is a trip held every December at General Mitchell International Airport for kids with childhood cancer and their families. Lt. Col.…