Elite Marine Corps test pilot to become astronaut
Guy Kovner of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat profiles a Marine Corps major who will join seven other men and women in a few months to train as part of NASA’s 21st class of astronauts. Kovner describes the path Nicole Aunapu Mann took, growing up in Northern California, attending Stanford University and the Navel Academy, joining the Marines and eventually gaining acceptance to the astronaut program. Full story.
Marine Iraq Murder Conviction Overturned
The military’s court of appeals last week overturned a conviction against a Marine who confessed to killing an Iraqi civilian in 2006. The conviction was thrown out due to procedural violations that infringed upon the Marine’s Fifth Amendment rights. Gretel C. Kovach of the San Diego Union-Tribune explains the details.
too much Camouflage
Across all military branches, there are currently 18 different types of camouflage. The Senate Armed Services Committee believes that’s too many, or at least enough, and as part of the military budget cuts, has passed a provision that bans the military from designing more. The ban also encourages the branches to work towards having just one camouflage design for all branches. Leada Gore from the Huntsville (Alabama) Times reports.
