News 6 Mashup: September 12, 2022
Here is this week’s News 6 mashup of stories for the week of September 12th, 2022, straight from AWN News 6 Correspondent, Jolene McNutt:
Ukraine Defense Contact Group Pledge Continued Support
A Ukraine Defense Contact Group made of about 50 nations “pledged to help Ukraine fight the battles it faces with Russia and build the force necessary to defend itself into the future,” reported the Department of Defense. At a meeting in Germany, Army Gen. Mark A. Milley and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said, the group pledged to find “new and innovative ways to support Ukrainian military and Ukrainian people as they defend their country, their lives and their freedom.”
The United States has agreed to support Ukraine with $675 million that will “provide missiles for high-mobility artillery rocket system, more 105 mm howitzers, artillery ammunition, up-armored Humvees, armored ambulances and much more.”
National Defense Service Medal Ends Dec. 31
The Department of Defense will stop giving the National Defense Service Medal on December 31 of this year, reported Military.com. The medal was authorized to be awarded to all service members who completed basic or officer training since September 11, 2011 and by working directly or indirectly to support anti-terrorism operations, serving 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days. The medal was first awarded during the Korean War, from 1950 to 1954, during the Vietnam War from 1961 to August 1974, and for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm from 1990 through 1995.
Marine Corps “Negotiate” for Retention
Like all military branches, the Marine Corps have been facing retention and recruitment challenges. It is now considering “the best way to meet the needs of service members it wants to keep in the service,” reported Federal News Network. Gen. Eric Smith, Marine Corps assistant commandant “likened it to a negotiation process.” Some of the areas that Marines in demand are able to negotiate are desired locations, career changes and working to keep dual military families serving together.
South Dakota Corn-bassador Crowned
Seven-year-old, Tariq has been named as South Dakota’s official Corn-bassador reported NPR. Tariq went viral after being interviewed on YouTube channel, Recess Therapy. He became a corn enthusiast after recently discovering that “corn was real”.
“I mean just look at this thing, I can’t imagine a more beautiful thing, it’s corn!” Tariq said in his interview. Tariq’s family flew from New York to South Dakota where he was named the Corn-bassador at the Corn Palace in Mitchell, S.D.. If you’re unsure about corn, Tariq recommends spreading it with butter. I especially love his farewell phrase: “Have a corn-tastic day!”
This week in history
The September 11, 2001 al-Qaeda terrorist attacks transformed our world. From new airport security features to two decades of war. We lost 2,996 loved ones in the attacks. We lost over 7,000 troops during the two decades of war. And countless who served and survived will carry physical and emotional scars for the rest of their lives. Our country continues to battle terroism across the globe to prevent the nightmare of 9/11 from happening again.
Secretary of Defense LLoyd J. Austin, III wrote a message posted on Defense.gov that shared his reflections and I’m going to leave you with a snippet of his words:
“As our country looks back on two decades of combat in Afghanistan, I understand that many people have hard questions about the costs of the war and what their sacrifices meant. These are important discussions, and I hope we will keep having them with thoughtfulness and respect.
Last year, I said that although the Afghanistan war has ended, our gratitude to those who served never will. Today, I renew that pledge. To every man and woman who served in Afghanistan: This country will never forget what you did and what you gave.”
