Another front to take away military benefits has opened: The Pentagon could slash the defense budget by more than $900 billion over a decade without sacrificing significant combat capabilities, according to a Washington think tank. The Stimson Center, which labels itself as a nonpartisan nonprofit, assembled recommendations to slash spending on personnel compensation, the use of manpower and procurement practices. The center, however, did not endorse any of the recommendations in its report, which was released Monday. “Essentially, we’re hoping by drawing attention to these things to make it easier
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So who knows where this road is located? Korea Finder Standings for 2013: 1. Comfortable Chairs – 9 2. Kushibo – 3 3. VAGN – 2 4. MikeC – 1 The person with the most points at the end of the year of the weekly Korea Finder contest will win a book or DVD of their choice from Amazon.com. Also note that if you have a picture you think would make for a great Korea Finder feel free to send it in to me.

This is good to see because the sentences for drug smuggling into Korea need to be long to discourage other idiots from doing the same thing: SEOUL — A South Korean court upheld the sentences this week of two men convicted in what officials have called the largest-ever drug-smuggling ring involving the U.S. military here. Pvt. Michael Lehmkuhl of the 2nd Infantry Division was sentenced in December to five years in prison for importing and selling synthetic marijuana. Former U.S. Forces Korea soldier Arin Bergquist got four years for selling
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Hmm– Seoul City wins U.N. prizes for citizen-friendly policies:bit.ly/17v1E20 — KingSejong (@KingSejong) May 15, 2013

South Korean youths attend a traditional Korean coming of age ceremony at the COEX plaza, southeastern Seoul, on May 15, 2013. (Yonhap)

The media is pretty much jumping on every military sexual assault case the can find now. This reminds me a lot of the media in Korea and Japan when they go through their cycles of highlighting every GI crime case no matter how minor: (CNN) – The Army announced Tuesday that a sergeant first class assigned to an assault prevention program at Fort Hood, Texas, is under investigation for sexual assault. The soldier, who was not named in an Army statement, has been suspended from all duties. Specifically, the soldier
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I have been saying this for years and now it seems everyone is getting on board with the idea that North Korea never had any intention of denuclearizing: The former chairman of South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff says it might be time to give up on the idea of convincing North Korea to halt its nuclear weapons program and instead focus on deterring its acts of aggression. “When we look back at the past 20 years of international efforts to resolve this nuclear issue … we can’t help but
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The Mayor of Osaka sure knows how to draw attention to himself for the wrong reasons: U.S. servicemembers should consider soliciting prostitutes to control their “sexual energies,” the mayor of Osaka said Monday. It was a suggestion that apparently didn’t get very far with a Marine commander in Okinawa. Toru Hashimoto, who also co-leads the Japan Restoration Party in the Japanese national parliament, told reporters Monday that he visited with Marine Corps Air Station Futenma’s commander last month and told him that servicemembers should make more use of Japan’s legalized
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One of Japan’s rising political stars says the use of wartime sex slaves was necessary for brave soldiers bit.ly/12q7D3C — ABC News (@abcnews) May 13, 2013

It looks like the Navy found themselves a volunteer for the expected force draw down: Japanese police arrested a USS Stethem sailor Sunday night on suspicion of unlawful entry after he was found in a Zushi city elementary school. Petty Officer 2nd Class Kristopher Lee Murphy, 23, is suspected of breaking the glass front door at Hisagi Elementary School and was found sleeping in a second-floor classroom at 7:45 p.m., a Zushi police spokesman said. Police were alerted when a school alarm went off, the spokesman said Monday. Murphy was
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