Tagged: Fort Campbell

In the early 70s, only 2.5 percent of the United States Armed Forces were women. But these days women are a common part of the military. For the last couple decades, women have made up close to one-sixth of soldiers. Until recently, they’ve served in support roles, and haven’t been on many front lines. With changing roles, more female soldiers are training for situations that put them in harm’s way. But military bases recognized a problem: body armor was designed to fit men, not women. Equipment designers began work to change that in 2009 with a new generation of female body armor.

2,800 1st Brigade Combat Team soldiers from Fort Campbell’s 101st Airborne Division will deploy to Afghanistan this winter. 

Fort Campbell soldiers preparing for upcoming deployments to Afghanistan will be learning about the Islamic holiday Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the month of Ramadan. Thousands of troops from the post are slated to return to Afghanistan this year.  Defense Language Institute instructors will work with U.S. personnel to teach them about the holiday. They will have the traditional meal, along with dancing and rugby. 

An organization trying to raise money to build a new museum at Fort Campbell says it has scaled back plans for the project.  Fort Campbell Historical Foundation Executive Director Robert Nichols says changes in the design will cut the cost for the Wings of Liberty project in half. Originally, the organization had planned a two-floor, 80,000 square-foot structure at a cost of about $40 million.

Today on NPR: In South Sudan, a man's worth is measured by bovine wealth, and ever-increasing dowries are paid in cows. Cattle-rustling is an age-old problem. But recently, these raids have become markedly more violent, and the new nation is having difficulty stopping them.

CIA Director, and retired four-star general, David Petraeus returns to  101st Airborne Division, the unit he led into Iraq in 2003.  His visit caps a week of celebration at the post, as the 101st commemorates its 70th anniversary.  Petraeus will also attend a retirement ceremony for Command Sergeant Major Marvin Hill, who served under Petraeus as the senior non-commissioned officer.  After leaving the division, Petraeus served as the commander of U.S.forces in Iraq, was the head of U.S. Central Command and then was tapped by President Barack Obama to lead U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

Thousands of active, veteran and retired soldiers and their families gather at Fort Campbell this week to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the 101st Airborne Division, even as some of its soldiers leave for Afghanistan.  The elite airborne-air assault division was created August 16, 1942 as the Army searched for a new type of division that could be quicker, more aggressive and able to parachute behind enemy lines.