Global_Heart Semper Fi

05/24/2026

Authorities braced for the possibility that a damaged chemical tank in Southern California could leak or explode as an evacuation order continued into the Memorial Day weekend for 40,000 residents with no timeline on when they can return.

No injuries were reported after the pressurized tank overheated Thursday and began venting vapors at a company site in Garden Grove, about 40 miles (60 kilometers) south of downtown Los Angeles, according to the Orange County Fire Authority.

But officials said the valves on the tank are broken or “gummed up,” which prevented crews from removing the chemical or relieving the pressure on the tank, said Craig Covey, Orange County Fire Authority division chief.

Firefighters’ first hope is to find a way to cool off the chemical inside the tank so it won’t leak or explode. If that is not possible, Purdue University engineering professor Andrew Whelton said it would be best if the tank sprang a leak so the chemical could be mostly contained. An explosion that could spread the chemical over a broad area and send shrapnel flying would be the worst-case scenario.

Authorities are bracing for the possibility that a damaged chemical tank at a facility in Southern California could leak or explode | NewsRadio 1080 KRLD

05/24/2026

With Her Wild Heart – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

05/24/2026

The outbreak is a high risk to Congo, WHO says
The World Health Organization has said that the outbreak now poses a “very high” risk for Congo — up from a previous categorization of “high” — but that the risk of the disease spreading globally remains low.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Friday that 82 cases and seven deaths have been confirmed in Congo, but that the outbreak is believed to be “much larger.”

There is no available vaccine for the Bundibugyo virus, a rare type of Ebola, which spread undetected for weeks in Congo’s Ituri province following the first known death, while authorities tested for another, more common, Ebola virus and came up negative. There are now 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths, though more are expected as surveillance expands.

Dr. Jean Kaseya, director-general of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said a response to the outbreak must include building trust with communities.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said on Saturday that three of its volunteers had died from the outbreak in Mongbwalu. The agency said it believed the three healthcare workers contracted the virus on March 27 while handling dead bodies as part of a humanitarian mission unrelated to Ebola.

Angry residents in eastern Congo have attacked and burned a tent that was part of a health center treating Ebola patients | KNX News 1070 AM

05/22/2026

May is Military Month for all

The Purple Heart is awarded to military members who are injured or killed in combat, through an act of terrorism or by friendly fire. It acknowledges the physical sacrifice of service to the nation. Receiving a Purple Heart is an honor and comes with many benefits from state and federal governments and nonprofit organizations. Purple Heart Day is August 7.

What Military Service Members Are Eligible for the Purple Heart?
Members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard are eligible for Purple Heart citations.

Why Does a Service Member Receive a Purple Heart?
A Purple Heart is typically given to any service member who has been wounded or killed in the line of duty. Situations where a service member might be awarded a Purple Heart can include injuries during:

Any action against an enemy of the United States.
Any action with an opposing armed force of a foreign country in which the armed forces of the United States are or have been engaged.
While serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.
As a result of an act of any such enemy or opposing armed forces.
As a result of an act of any hostile foreign force.
While being taken captive or while held as a prisoner of war.
As a result of an international terrorist attack.
As a result of a foreign terrorist attack on domestic soil.
By friendly fire while directly engaged in an armed conflict.
What Injuries Qualify for a Purple Heart?
Not every injury sustained in service qualifies for a Purple Heart award. In general, the injury must be both fairly serious and sustained as the direct result of enemy action. For example, post-traumatic stress disorder does not qualify, nor do first-degree burns, regardless of how or where they were received. According to Army Human Resources Command, these are injuries that do and not justify a Purple Heart award.

Injuries that do qualify for a Purple Heart:

Injury caused by enemy bullet, shrapnel or other projectile created by enemy action.
Injury caused by enemy-placed mine or trap.
Injury caused by enemy-released chemical, biological or nuclear agent.
Injury caused by vehicle or aircraft accident resulting from enemy fire.
Concussion injuries caused as a result of enemy-generated explosions.
Mild traumatic brain injury or a concussion severe enough to cause either loss of consciousness or restriction from full duty due to persistent signs, symptoms or clinical finding, or impaired brain functions for a period greater than 48 hours from the time of the concussive incident.
A perforated eardrum suffered in combat action.
Injury or wound examples that do not justify a Purple Heart award:

Frostbite (excluding severe frostbite requiring hospitalization from Dec. 7, 1941, to Aug. 22, 1951).
Trench foot or immersion foot.
Heatstroke.
Food poisoning not caused by enemy agents.
Chemical, biological or nuclear agents not released by the enemy.
Battle fatigue.
Disease not directly caused by enemy agents.
Accidents, to include explosive, aircraft, vehicular and other accidental wounding not related to or caused by enemy action.
Self-inflicted wounds, except when in the heat of battle and not involving gross negligence.
Post-traumatic stress disorders.
Airborne (for example, parachute/jump) injuries not caused by enemy action.
Hearing loss and tinnitus (for example: ringing in the ears).
Mild traumatic brain injury or concussions that do not either result in loss of consciousness or restriction from full duty for a period greater than 48 hours due to persistent signs, symptoms or physical findings of impaired brain function.
Abrasions and lacerations (unless of a severity to be incapacitating).
Bruises (unless caused by direct impact of the enemy weapon and severe enough to require treatment by a medical officer).
Soft-tissue injuries (for example, ligament, tendon or muscle strains, sprains, etc.).
First-degree burns.
Veteran Benefits for Purple Heart Recipients
Purple Heart recipients qualify for a wide variety of benefits, including Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits and fee waivers, special discounts on VA home loans and automatic GI Bill benefits. Many states also have special benefits for Purple Heart recipients. Several nonprofit organizations, such as the Purple Heart Foundation, have special benefits and support for service members who have been awarded a Purple Heart.

Benefits for Purple Heart recipients.

History of the Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is also known as the nation's oldest military award. Although it has changed in title and use over the years, its roots can be traced back to the Badge of Military Merit ordered by then-Gen. George Washington on Aug. 7, 1782. That's why the gold medal on a purple ribbon bears the profile of Washington.

The original badge was directed by Washington to be the figure of a heart in purple cloth, or silk, edged with narrow lace or binding. But that award fell out of use after the Revolutionary War through just after World War I. In 1932, Douglas MacArthur, then the Army chief of staff, reestablished the award, renaming it the Purple Heart and directing it into the design we know today.

Exactly who is eligible to receive a Purple Heart has been expanded or reduced over time. For example, from 1942 to 1997, some non-service members serving with the military such as Red Cross workers or civilian government employees were eligible to receive the Purple Heart.

An estimated 1.8 million Purple Hearts have been awarded to U.S. troops.

Purple Heart recipients are celebrated annually on Aug. 7, which has been designated as Purple Heart Day.

Stay on Top of Your Veteran Benefits
Military benefits are always changing. Keep up with everything from pay to health care by subscribing to Military.com, and get access to up-to-date pay charts and more with all latest benefits delivered straight to your inbox.

https://www.military.com/history/military-heroes/purple-Her Wild Heart

https://www.military.com/holidays/purple-heart-day-honors-americas-wounded-service-members.html

On August 7, take a moment to hear a wounded veteran's story and learn what the Purple Heart means.

05/21/2026

Nearly 50 lawmakers wrote a letter to President Trump last week urging him to award the Medal of Honor to a Marine veteran for his heroic actions during the Vietnam War, according to a copy of the correspondence.

Nearly 50 lawmakers wrote a letter to President Donald Trump last week urging him to award the Medal of Honor to a Marine veteran for his heroic actions during the Vietnam War, according to a copy of the correspondence obtained by Military.com.

The push to honor retired Marine Maj. James Capers Jr., 87, has been ongoing for more than a decade, including legislation introduced by lawmakers as recently as January 2023, but to no avail so far. The latest letter, which was sent to the president Feb. 12, marks a significant effort to make the award a reality, with 47 lawmakers from both chambers of Congress, including two Democrats, making the request.

The letter comes a month after Military.com reported that nearly two dozen Republican lawmakers admonished the service academies for not allowing a pamphlet that lauded Capers' accomplishments to be handed out at the Army-Navy game last December, stating that they were "deeply troubled" by West Point and the Naval Academy's decision to dismiss what "would have been a fitting tribute to his legacy and contributions."
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/02/18/dozens-of-lawmakers-urge-trump-award-medal-of-honor-storied-marine-vietnam-veteran.html

Military.com helps millions of military-connected Americans access military and veteran benefits and news, find jobs and enjoy military discounts.

05/21/2026

The remains of 44 people believed to have been associated with the Continental Army were interred Wednesday at a new memorial in Lake George Battlefield State Park in upstate New York, 250 years after they likely died of smallpox at a military hospital on the southern shore of Lake George.

A motorcade of nine Korean War and Vietnam-era military trucks reportedly carried the 44 wooden caskets 60 miles north from the New York State Museum in Albany to the park along Route 9 on May 20. Members of the NY-Penn Military Vehicle Collectors Club operated the trucks, with New York State Police leading the procession and Patriot Guard Riders providing a motorcycle es**rt.

Four of the lead caskets were draped in flags, three with the Grand Union Flag, and a fourth had the flag of the 1st Pennsylvania Battalion—the only unit positively linked to the burial site through artifacts recovered with the remains.

Remains found at a New York construction site in 2019 were interred at a new memorial in Lake George Battlefield State Park.

05/21/2026

Tesla and other hybrid-electric vehicles offer potential tactical advantages for military operations, but their deployment is currently limited to niche roles and experimental programs.
Current Military Hybrid-Electric Initiatives
The U.S. military is actively exploring hybrid-electric drive (HED) vehicles to enhance operational capabilities. Programs like the Tactical Hybrid Electric Vehicle initiative demonstrate that hybridization can provide silent mobility, extended range, reduced heat signature, and on-board/off-board power generation, which are critical for tactical operations and force survivability
The Official Home Page of the United States Army
The Official Home Page of the United States Army
+1 Vehicles such as the Stryker and High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle are being tested in real-world military environments to validate these benefits
The Official Home Page of the United States Army
The Official Home Page of the United States Army

Advantages of Hybrid-Electric Vehicles
Hybrid-electric vehicles offer several operational advantages over traditional diesel-powered vehicles:

Reduced acoustic and thermal signatures, making them harder to detect on the battlefield
Military.com
Military.com
+1
Lower logistical burden due to fewer moving parts and reduced fuel consumption
American Bar Association
American Bar Association
Enhanced tactical flexibility, including the ability to power weapon systems or provide electricity to field operations
The Official Home Page of the United States Army
The Official Home Page of the United States Army
Rapid acceleration and quiet operation, useful for reconnaissance and stealth missions
Military.com
Military.com
Limitations and Challenges
Despite these advantages, there are significant challenges to widespread adoption:

Infrastructure requirements: Charging and power generation in combat zones remain a major limitation
Military.com
Military.com
Battery safety: Lithium-ion batteries are prone to fire hazards, especially in wet or combat conditions
Military.com
Military.com
Heavy and bulky systems: Current battery technology limits the feasibility of all-electric armored vehicles or tanks
Military.com
Military.com
Acquisition and political hurdles: Defense procurement processes and budgetary priorities can slow adoption
United States Military Academy West Point
United States Military Academy West Point
+1
Tesla and Commercial EVs in Military Context
While Tesla vehicles are primarily designed for civilian use, the military is exploring all-electric platforms from Tesla, Rivian, and Ford for non-tactical applications, such as base operations, reconnaissance, and low-acoustic missions
Military.com
Military.com Tesla also offers purchase programs for verified military personnel, which could facilitate limited operational testing or adaptation for non-combat roles
Tesla
Tesla

Hybrid-electric and electric vehicles are likely to play a supportive and specialized role in military operations rather than replacing conventional tactical vehicles in the near term. Ongoing research and prototyping aim to integrate these technologies into the military fleet, focusing on silent mobility, energy efficiency, and operational versatility
The Official Home Page of the United States Army
The Official Home Page of the United States Army
+1 Tesla and other commercial EVs may contribute to these efforts, particularly in reconnaissance, logistics, and base support roles.

05/20/2026

Today we learned another piece of history between AMG, JC, & Viper Cobras.

Many people have looked Death in the eye sockets and survived to tell others about it, but few situations speak as much to the imagination as situations where there’s absolutely zero prospect…

05/14/2026

US Navy Documentary Precisus Statham
1:47:50

"History of the U.S. Navy: 1775 - Today" - October 13th Navy Birthday Special
YouTube
LionHeart FilmWorks
721.6K views
Oct 13, 2021

Founded on October 13th 1775 by the Continental Congress - Bringing to life with vivid recreations and sound -- short military history biographies of the bra...

02/05/2026

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