Tampa Bay Times
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By Howard AltmanMilitary Affairs / General Assignment |
Print and/or digital publication Tampa Bay Times/ tampabay.com
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Gold Star wife commands a MacDill unit where she and her husband served together
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / April 15, 2019 PHOTO: On April 27, 2011, Air Force Maj. Raymond Estelle II was one of nine killed in Kabul, Afghanistan in an insider attack. Now his wife, Air Force Lt. Col. N’Keiba Estelle, has taken command of his old unit at MacDill…
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Kathy Castor holds sixth event honoring Vietnam era veterans
News / Military The Tampa Congresswoman wants to heal long-ago wounds By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / April 12, 2019 PHOTO: A unit of the 1st Battalion, 5th Regiment U.S. Marines, rests alongside a battered wall of Hue’s imperial palace after a battle for the Citadel in February 1968, during the Tet Offensive.…
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Pinellas Congressman Gus Bilirakis seeks videos from veterans suffering from burn pit exposure
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / April 8, 2019 PHOTO: A bulldozer dumps a load of trash into a burn pit just 300 yards from the runway at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan in a 2012 photo. (Photo Credit: Mark Rankin) TAMPA — U.S. Congressman Gus Bilirakis is taking a cue…
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Howard Altman: A huge thanks to an amazing community
News / Military Howard Altman Columns By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / April 4, 2019 PHOTO: Howard Altman on assignment in Afghanistan in 2013. He will be leaving the Tampa Bay Times to join Military Times as their managing editor. For the past decade, I have been lucky enough to cover the military…
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Epilogue: An Air Force brigadier general, Thomas E. Penick Jr. helped the area’s most vulnerable as a judge
News / Military The Pinellas-Pasco judge was sprayed with Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. He was 80 when he died of complications from that exposure. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / April 4, 2019 PHOTO: Thomas E. Penick Jr., worked to protect the area’s most vulnerable residents in his more than 25…
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Gov. DeSantis names Air Force Maj. Gen. James Eifert as new leader of troubled Florida National Guard
News / Military Governor says Eifert will “clean up” guard now under investigation over allegations of sexual misconduct and coverup. By Emily L. Mahoney and Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / April 2, 2019 PHOTO: Air Force Maj. Gen. James Eifert was chosen by Gov. Ron DeSantis to assume command of the 12,000-strong Florida…
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From the Pentagon to SOCom: Army Gen. Richard Clarke takes over Special Operations Command
News / Military Clarke succeeds retired Army Gen. Raymond A. “Tony” Thomas III to oversee the command stationed at MacDill Air Force Base. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 29, 2019 PHOTO: The new leader of U.S. Special Operations Command, Army Gen. Richard Clarke, speaks during Friday’s change of command ceremony at…
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Investigations underway into sexual misconduct allegations at Florida National Guard
News / Military One of those named is the guard’s deputy commander, who is eligible to take over when the current leader retires April 6. Gov. Ron DeSantis hasn’t announced a replacement yet. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 29, 2019 PHOTO: Units from the Florida National Guard were sent to the…
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Meet CentCom’s new boss: Marine Gen. Kenneth McKenzie Jr. takes command
News / Military The new U.S. Central Command leader takes over for Army Gen. Joseph Votel, who retired. McKenzie now oversees all U.S. military efforts in the world’s most volatile region. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 28, 2019 PHOTO: Marine Gen. Kenneth Mckenzie Jr. took over command of U.S. Central Command,…
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Retiring Gen. Joseph Votel recalls challenges of CentCom, the Middle East
News / Military As the four-star general’s four-decade career draws to a close, he recounts one of the toughest calls he made while leading U.S. Central Command. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 27, 2019 PHOTO: Army Gen. Joseph Votel, center, speaks to sailors and Marines aboard the USS New Orleans, an…
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Health and financial woes continue for MacDill families dealing with mold in base housing
News / Military Some families who left their homes after finding mold are waiting on compensation for moving expenses and damaged belongings. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 22, 2019 PHOTO: Traci Lenz said this is what her kitchen vent looked like after mold remediation at her MacDill Air Force Base home.…
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Reconnaissance jets moved to MacDill from base in Nebraska as snowmelt floods Midwest
News / Military With nearly a third of Offutt Air Force Base underwater, crews monitored fuel storage areas, mobilized a family assistance program, and canceled a scheduled June 1 air show. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 21, 2019 PHOTO: An aerial view of Offutt Air Force Base and surrounding areas near…
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MacDill Matters: Air Force innovation awards, and keeping the SS American Victory in Tampa
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 20, 2019 PHOTO: The SS American Victory docked at the Port of Tampa behind the Florida Aquarium (Luis Santana | Times 2010) Two years ago, the 6th Air Mobility Wing at MacDill Air Force Base kicked off a competition it calls “Fuel Tank.”…
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Under Pentagon’s rules, MacDill construction funds will be spared diversion to border wall
News / Public Safety Only projects with an award date after Oct. 1, 2019, are affected, so Tyndall is the one Florida base facing cuts. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 19, 2019 Photo: MacDill Air Force base will need a new office and administration center to accommodate the personnel that come…
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Town ‘N Country post office renamed in honor of Air Force pilot who died in Iraq
News / Military Andreas O’Keeffe left the comparatively safe duty of flying intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft for the far more dangerous job of helicopter rescue and recovery. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 18, 2019 PHOTO: Air Force Maj. Andreas “Andy” O’Keeffe, 37, was one of seven airmen killed last March…
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Tampa Bay area Muslims, mosques wary after New Zealand terror attacks
News / Public Safety While no local mosques have received threats, experts say Muslims houses of worship must still take precautions. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 15, 2019 PHOTO: People walk past a Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office cruiser before Friday’s midday Jummah prayer at the Islamic Society of Tampa Bay in…
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The Warrior Games are coming
News / Military In 100 days, 300 wounded, ill and injured troops and veterans will be here for a week of adaptive sports competition. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 14, 2019 PHOTO: Army Staff Sgt. Lauren Montoya, center, participates in a wheelchair basketball game during the Department of Defense Warrior Games…
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Tampa parents head to Italy for a memorial after death of their soldier son, who attended Plant High
News / Military Peter Sebastian Cimino, 19, was a deeply religious young man who loved fishing, pasta and cheese, and serving his country. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 12, 2019 PHOTO: Army Pvt. Peter Sebastian Cimino, 19, of Tampa, was found dead March 3 on a military base in Italy. He…
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Small solace for MacDill families, but mold problems are even worse across the Air Force
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 11, 2019 PHOTO: Amie Norquist says her family has suffered health problems from mold in their MacDill base housing. They had to get rid of mold-contaminated furniture, too, in an expensive move to a new home in Riverview. (Times) TAMPA — Mold and…
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MacDill propels STEAM education with recruitment and community partnership in mind
News / Military In the biggest event of kind across the Air Force, some 2,300 students visit the base to see real-world applications for science, technology, engineering, arts and math. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 8, 2019 PHOTO: Plant High students Annahlia Hernandez, 18, left, and Jacob Sinotte, 17, show their…
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For a blink of an eye, Barbara Eden will be in Clearwater
Arts / Entertainment Jeannie will star with Hal Linden in ‘Love Letters’ at the Capitol Theatre By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 7, 2019 PHOTO: Bill Daily, Barbara Eden, Larry Hagman and Hayden Rorke star in ‘I Dream of Jeannie.’ (Photo from Sony Pictures) “She did what?” It was the reaction a…
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Air Force secretary wants to restore trust lost by airmen and families over housing problems
News / Military Testifying before a Senate panel, Heather Wilson also supported a ‘Tenants Bill of Rights.’ By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 6, 2019 PHOTO: After touring MacDill Air Force Base’s privately-run housing units on recently, Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson spoke to the members of military families about their complaints…
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Tampa City Council District 1: Joseph Citro vs. TBD in April 23 runoff
The Buzz / Florida Politics Three others are in a fight for the second runoff spot. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 5, 2019 PHOTO: Tampa City Council District 1 candidates: (Top row, from left) Joseph Citro, David Loos, Alan Clendenin; (bottom row, from left) Craig A. Newman, Walter L. Smith. TAMPA…
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Tampa City Council District 7: Luis Viera wins easy re-election
The Buzz / Florida Politics The attorney said he would continue advocating for “ignored neighborhoods’’ in his district. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 5, 2019 PHOTO: Luis Viera TAMPA — Incumbent Luis Viera cruised to an easy win over challenger Quinton F. Robinson in the race for the District 7 seat…
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Air Force Secretary visits MacDill, hears families’ housing complaints
News / Military Residents have feared retaliation for speaking out. So Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson asked the base commander to leave the meeting so families could talk freely. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / March 1, 2019 PHOTO: In the wake of reporting by the Tampa Bay Times about mold and other…
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MacDill Matters: A Tampa special operations symposium could not be better timed
News / Military Column By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 27, 2019 It’s the 5th Annual Global SOF Foundation Symposium and the end of an era for a local barbecue joint opened to honor a fallen soldier This is a time of transition for the nation’s Special Operations Forces. They are still…
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Air Force Secretary to visit MacDill on Wednesday to hear families talk about housing woes
News / Military The visit comes after Tampa Bay Times stories on mold and other issues on privatized base housing By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 25, 2019 PHOTO: In the wake of reporting by the Tampa Bay Times about mold and other problems in privatized housing at MacDill Air Force Base,…
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Gus Bilirakis rips MacDill’s private base housing: ‘They are not doing their jobs’
News / Military The Congressman criticized military families’ living conditions at the Tampa base and wants Air Force investigators to determine whether the problems are the result of ‘wilful negligence.’ By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 21, 2019 PHOTO: U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor, seen here during a 2018 debate, said…
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Weak password or ‘phishing’ emails may explain takeover of Buckhorn’s tweets, experts say
News / Public Safety Tweets posted from Buckhorn’s account include threats against Tampa International Airport and others along with racist and pornographic images. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 21, 2019 PHOTO: The Twitter account of Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn was hacked early on Feb. 21, 2019. (Times files) TAMPA — The…
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Two Marines met in a burger joint during World War II. Their 75th wedding anniversary is Saturday
News / Military A love that began on a desert Marine base still blooms in Sun City Center By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 21, 2019 PHOTO: Dorothy Hill, then Dorothy Russell, (top row, third from right) at Camp Lejuene, North Carolina with other women Marines in October, 1943. On Feb. 23,…
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Florida military bases could lose up to $177 million to Trump’s border wall
The Buzz / Florida Politics The president’s plan to divert money from military construction to the southern border could cost MacDill Air Force Base $3.5 million. By Steve Contorno and Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 18, 2019 PHOTO: A-10 Warthog jets from the 122nd Fighter Wing of the Indiana Air National Guard…
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Deputies searching for suspect who shot man in a Tampa apartment parking lot
News / Public Safety A man was shot dead Friday night. Deputies are seeking two vehicles in connection with the killing. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 16, 2019 Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office deputies are searching for the killer, or killers, of a man shot shortly before midnight in an apartment complex…
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MacDill families hope Congressional hearings on moldy housing will spur action
News / Military Support grows for a ‘bill of rights’ that would help military families deal with the private companies that run substandard on-base housing. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 14, 2019 PHOTO: Amie Norquist, 31, holds her 10-month-old son Ethan in their new home in Riverview in January. After a…
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Combat veteran on mold problem: ‘MacDill was the worst place I ever lived.’
News / Military MacDill Air Force Base’s senior enlisted leaders come forward with horror stories about the mold problems they endured in their on-base housing, joining the chorus of families unhappy with privatized housing. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 13, 2019 PHOTO: Marine Corps Master Gunnery Sgt. Blaine Jones said he…
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Largo man tried to ram SUV through MacDill gate, Tampa police say
News / Military The SUV was disabled by base security and the driver was taken into custody. The incident was not an act of terrorism or a political statement, police say. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 13, 2019 PHOTO: This 2014 photo shows the S Dale Mabry Highway gate onto MacDill…
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MacDill Matters: Iron Man suit out at SOCom, but new innovations still needed for commandos
News / Military Column A competition with an entry deadline of Feb. 15 seeks innovations in 12 areas, including artificial intelligence for psychological operations, improved human performance and undetectable video manipulation. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 12, 2019 PHOTO: In this May 20, 2014 photo, Michael Fieldson , the civilian project…
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CentCom faces questions about Saudi-led bombing campaign in Yemen
News / Military But it remains unknown how many aircraft or airmen from MacDill Air Force took part in the bombings, which have resulted in civilian casualties. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 5, 2019 PHOTO: A KC-135 Stratotanker is seen from another KC-135 as the planes sit on the tarmac at…
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B-17 bomber carries World War II memories over Tampa skies
News / Military The Nine-O-Nine, a B-17 Flying Fortress, is one of three World War II planes visiting for the Wings of Freedom tour. They’ll be at Tampa Executive Airport until Thursday. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 4, 2019 PHOTO: The B-17 Flying Fortress dubbed Nine-O-Nine, a World War II-era bomber,…
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A grandson recalls William Donovan, legendary creator of the Office of Strategic Services
News / Military Donovan created the forerunner of the CIA and Special Forces. He was one of nearly two dozen commando Medal of Honor recipients or family members honored by U.S. Special Operations Command. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 4, 2019 PHOTO: David Donovan, center, receives a plaque from Army Gen.…
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Living like there’s still a shutdown, Coast Guard wife joins Crist as State of the Union guest
News / Military Chelsey Gutierrez was selected for writing about her family’s ordeal: “We feel like pawns in a political game and we’re sick of it.” By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 4, 2019 PHOTO: Coast Guard member Chris Gutierrez, 33, and his wife Chelsey Gutierrez, 30, are budgeting their lives as…
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MacDill penalizes base housing operator over mold as Bilirakis launches congressional inquiry
News / Military At least two families point to illnesses in their children from mold in their homes. It’s a problem plaguing military installations nationwide. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / February 1, 2019 PHOTO: A mattress serves as a couch in the Riverview home of military spouse Amie Norquist and her children,…
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Tyndall Air Force base finds new mission with the billions to be spent repairing hurricane damage
Florida As elected officials and Air Force leaders seek billions to rebuild, the Pentagon says all bases should consider planning for future storms. Next month, the Air Force will visit to begin planning its future. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / January 18, 2019 PHOTO: Col. Brian Laidlaw, commander of the 325th Wing…
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Sun Coast Chief Petty Officers Association coordinating relief for area Coasties affected by shutdown
News / Military Column By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / January 23, 2019 (Updated January 25, 2019) PHOTO: Members of the Sun Coast Chief Petty Officers Association accept food donations from The Storehouse of America at Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg. The food will be donated to Coast Guard members affected by the…
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SOCom and Tampa gearing up for Defense Department’s Warrior Games, coming here in June
News / Military Column The Warrior Games were established in 2010 to enhance the recovery and rehabilitation of wounded, ill and injured warriors and to expose them to adaptive sports. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / January 15, 2019 PHOTO: Medically retired Marine Corps Sgt. Mike Nicholson of Tampa prepares to start a…
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Medal of Honor recipients, convening in Tampa this October, bring message of selflessness to youth
News / Military About 50 of the 74 surviving medal winners are expected to attend the annual convention to talk about service, sacrifice and lessons learned. Kids are their target audience. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / January 9, 2019 PHOTO: Medal of Honor recipients Gary Littrell, left, Drew Dix, center and Gary…
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With San Francisco and Boston now on board, Tampa Bay can’t contain Frogman Swim any more
News / Military Column Sunday marks the 10th anniversary of the Tampa Bay Frogman Swim, which has raised $3.5 million for the Navy SEAL Foundation By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / January 8, 2019 PHOTO: During the 2014 competition, swimmers in the second leg of the 3.1-mile Tampa Bay Frogman Swim take off…
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Tampa tech company offers solutions to counter drones, a growing threat
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / January 7, 2019 PHOTO: Ryan English CEO and Co-founder of FLYMOTION pilots a drone at their Tampa headquarters on 1/4/19, next to him is Unmanned Aerial Systems Operations Manager Rich Gatanis. FLYMOTION is a Tampa based Unmanned Aerial Systems company that works with customers…
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USF shutters controversial Confucius Institute on New Year’s Eve
Breaking News By Howard Altman and Megan Reeves / Tampa Bay Times / January 2, 2019 PHOTO: The University of South Florida Confucius Institute co-sponsored the Mid-Autumn Festival in October on the Tampa campus. Events included the Oct. 27 Double Ninth Festival, where six Chinese and American senior citizens were invited to share their life…
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Trump’s withdrawal orders run counter to arguments made by Tampa-based Central Command
News / Military Leaders at the command have said there is more to do in Syria and Afghanistan. But Trump wants troops out of Syria and reductions in Afghanistan. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / December 26, 2018 PHOTO: President Donald Trump, left, at a June Cabinet meeting with Secretary of Defense James…
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Hurricane Michael: Life at the end of the road on Alligator Point
Tampa Bay Hurricane Guide By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / October 12, 2018 ALLIGATOR POINT — Wearing a bright yellow volunteer firefighter T-shirt and a weary smile, Corinna McEwen trudged past a group of Florida National Guard soldiers. They were sent Friday to help clear Alligator Drive, the road leading to her beachfront…
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CentCom’s Votel: U.S. will stay in Syria to fight ISIS and keep an eye on Iran
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 22, 2018 PHOTO: Gen. Joseph Votel, the head of U.S. Central Command, in a 2017 interview with the Tampa Bay Times at his office at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. (MONICA HERNDON | Times) TAMPA — In March, President Donald Trump said…
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CentCom commander Votel steels for next chapter in world’s most dangerous region
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / July 14, 2017 PHOTO: Army Gen. Joseph Votel, commander of the U.S. Central Command, sat down for an interview Wednesday with the Tampa Bay Times in his office at MacDill Air Force base. (MONICA HERNDON | Times) TAMPA — As the man in charge…
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Helping commandos face one tough challenge: Finding their next job
News / Military Stu Bradin said a deeper transition course was necessary. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 1, 2017 The Navy SEAL master chief was among the best of the best. Not only had he served with the Navy Special Warfare Development Group, commonly known as SEAL Team 6, but he…
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SOCom at 30 has evolved into small command with big global impact
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / April 15, 2017 PHOTO: U.S. Special Operations Command can spend billions each year on equipment and services for commandos such as Green Berets, seen here in a Kandahar Province village in Afghanistan. (HOWARD ALTMAN | Tampa Tribune 2013) It was born out of deadly…
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Tampa links helped bring special operations film to Sundance screen
News / Military A Tampa connection brings the group’s story to Sundance. By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / January 20, 2017 PHOTO: The makers of Legion of Brothers sought the blessing of Special Operations Command, based in Tampa, for their documentary about the first foot soldiers in the American war against jihadis. (Courtesy…
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Ukraine turns to Tampa group for help setting up new commando HQ
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / November 15, 2016 PHOTO: Viktor Muzhenko, general of the army of Ukraine and the army chief of staff, meets retired U.S. Army Col. Stu Bradin, president and CEO of the Global SOF Foundation in Tampa. (Ukraine Ministry of Defense) Commando forces in the Ukraine were…
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Potential for hotel near MacDill raises concerns over base’s future
News / Military Column By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 28, 2016 PHOTO: Potential development around MacDill Air Force Base has raised concerns about whether the base’s fleet of KC-135 refueling tankers might be moved in the next round of base closings. Times file photo (2001) TAMPA — The prospect of a…
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Tampa WW2 veteran honored by French with Legion of Honor
News / Military Column By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 23, 2016 PHOTO: French Brig. Gen. Thierry Ducret, French representative to the U.S. Central Command international coalition, presents the French Legion of Honor Medal to World War II glider pilot Leonard Stevens of Tampa. (HOWARD ALTMAN | Times) Leonard Stevens was the…
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Part of VA primary-care annex in Tampa closing to fix mold problem
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 23, 2016 PHOTO: Patients and staff run little risk of exposure during the mold removal at the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, officials say. (JAMES BORCHUCK | Times 2014) Portions of the Primary Care Annex serving patients at the James A. Haley Veterans’…
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Port Tampa Bay businesses pitch in to maintain SS ‘American Victory’
Tampa Bay Times By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 23, 2016 VIDEO: (missing) TAMPA — At 71, the SS American Victory is in pretty good shape. But the cargo ship that saw service during World War II, Korea and Vietnam needs some of the upkeep required with age. So with puffs of…
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‘Restrepo’ director Junger, in Tampa tonight, talks war and journalism
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 21, 2016 PHOTO: For their 2010 documentary Restrepo, Sebastian Junger, left, and Tim Hetherington documented the experiences of a small group of soldiers at an outpost in Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley. Hetherington later was killed in Libya. (AP Photo/Outpost Films, Tim Hetherington) Author and…
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Fore! MacDill is dismantling its iconic ‘Golf Ball’ satellite antenna
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 20, 2016 PHOTO: The AN/GSC-39C satellite antenna at MacDill Air Force Base, affectionately known as the Golf Ball, is being dismantled. (Courtesy of 6th Air Mobility Wing, MacDill Air Force Base) TAMPA — Technically, it was called the AN/GSC-39C satellite antenna at Building…
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Mold closes beds at Young VA center, may be a problem at Haley, too
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 16, 2016 PHOTO: The discovery of mold required temporarily taking 13 beds out service at the C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center in Bay Pines. (CHERIE DIEZ | Times) Officials at Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals on both sides of Tampa Bay are…
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Dunedin veteran opens up about sexual harassment in musical, book
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 16, 2016 PHOTO: Laura Westley of Dunedin, front and center, reheareses her musical “War Virgin,” which recounts her experiences at the U.S. Military Academy and as a female soldier. Performances are scheduled in St. Petersburg, Boston and West Point, New York. (DIRK SHADD…
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New commander at the 927th Air Refueling Wing
News / Military Column By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 15, 2016 PHOTO: Lt. Gen. John C. Flournoy, left, commander of the 4th Air Force, passes the symbol of command for the 927th Air Refueling Wing to Col. Frank Amodeo in a ceremony Sept. 11 at MacDill. (Senior Airman Xavier Lockley, U.S.…
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Former prisoner recounts horrors of captivity for POW/MIA ceremony
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 13, 2016 PHOTO: Wayback image
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Former prisoner recounts horrors of captivity for POW/MIA ceremony
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 13, 2016 VIDEO: (missing) With his A-4 Skyhawk shot out of the sky, Navy Lt. JG Bradley Smith plummeted to earth at 600 miles an hour. He hit the ejection lever just seconds before it was too late and wound up unconscious in…
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Marine widow seeks VA benefits in Camp Lejeune contamination
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 13, 2016 PHOTO: Tara Craver protests Monday outside Bay Pines VA Healthcare System. Her husband was stationed at Camp Lejeune in 1972. (JOHN PENDYGRAFT | Times) ST. PETERSBURG — Tara Craver stood on a grassy strip along Bay Pines Boulevard, across from the…
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CentCom’s role has evolved since 9/11
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 10, 2016 PHOTO: Army Gen. Joseph Votel, commander of Tampa-based U.S. Central Command, visited the USS New Orleans in the Strait of Hormuz during July as part of a tour of 20-nation CentCom region. (HOWARD ALTMAN / Times) TAMPA — Like the rest…
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Centcom: Afghanistan hostage rescue mission called back in mid-flight
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 9, 2016 PHOTO: The American University of Afghanistan in Kabul was the scene of an attack on Aug. 25, when at least 13 people were killed and dozens wounded, a government spokesman said. More than two weeks earlier, two professors were kidnapped. (Associated…
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Neighbors piled into SUV to escape flooding in Hudson
News / Public Safety By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 2, 2016 PHOTO: Washington Street in Port Richey is flooded due to rains from Hurricane Hermine. (HOWARD ALTMAN | Staff) HUDSON — As the outer bands of Hurricane Hermine lashed coastal Pasco County, Jennifer Webb woke up to rising water in her…
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What it’s like to be aboard a NOAA Hurricane Hunter as it flies into Hermine
News / Weather By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / September 1, 2016 VIDEO: (missing) As Hermine spins slowly northeast, weather scientists sort through computer data aboard a plane that shudders through savage blasts from the storm. Todd Richards slides a cylinder known as a dropsonde into the tube behind him, and with a…
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Pat Frank wins nomination in Hillsborough clerk race
News / Politics By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 30, 2016 TAMPA — Incumbent Pat Frank won a resounding victory over challenger Kevin Beckner Tuesday night in a costly, contentious Democratic primary for Hillsborough County clerk. With all precincts reporting, Frank had a lead of nearly 18 percentage points. She cited “the…
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Misuse of state’s driver database often for personal reasons
News / Public Safety By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 27, 2016 PHOTO: The state’s Driver and Vehicle Information Database (DAVID) is intended to provide information to certified users in law enforcement. Some officers have misused it, sometimes inadvertently. (flhsmv.gov) After relations with his girlfriend grew cold last year, Ryan Elliott Butler…
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Jill Kelley to speak at Yale University student organization
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 25, 2016 PHOTO: Jill Kelley, whose self published book “Collateral Damage” came out in March, was invited to speak at Yale University as an expert on government overreach. (Associated Press) Jill Kelley of Tampa, who played a role in the fall of CIA…
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Altman: Silah, retired Navy captain and champion for wounded, dies at 80
News / Military Column By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 25, 2016 PHOTO: For his efforts with Operation Helping Hand, Bob Silah was named to the inaugural class of the Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame in 2013. (Times file 2013) Short and crusty, retired Navy Capt. Bob Silah was like a boiled…
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Photo tech’s gesture moves mother of soldier killed in Afghanistan
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 23, 2016 PHOTO: A Walgreens photo technician figured out part of the story of Army Spc. Zachary Shannon from photos his mother brought in for processing. The technician, Matthew Bower, paid for the order himself. Courtesy of Kim Allison When Kim Allison visited…
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Veterans receive medals in Largo ceremony for service long past
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 19, 2016 PHOTO: U.S. Rep. David Jolly, right, presents service awards Friday to Jim Shanyfelt, 89, who served in the Navy in World War II and the Korean War. (DIRK SHADD | Times) Trying to correct his name on some letters of appreciation…
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Sister finds words to honor airman missing since Korean War
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 19, 2016 VIDEO: (missing) It was just a bone fragment, a small piece from a human skull, but pulled from the icy expanse of an Alaska glacier, it proved enough to solve a mystery six decades old. “It stirred everything back up again,”…
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New Cuba talks may speed work of Tampa-based storm trackers
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 18, 2016 PHOTO: A flight engineer prepares the P-3 Orion aircraft dubbed Kermit for a trip into the eye of a hurricane. New talks with Cuba may help speed the time it takes to reach a storm from the National Oceanographc and Atmospheric…
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Summit consensus: Saving MacDill means chasing other states’ bases
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 17, 2016 PHOTO: A former MacDill Air Force Base commander said a round of base closings is likely, but that MacDill should be in good shape (Times files 2014) ST. PETERSBURG — In Florida, which has 20 military bases, the defense industry accounts…
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Alarm raised over report denouncing CentCom workplace culture
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 12, 2016 PHOTO: The U.S. Central Command, based at MacDill Air Force Base, was the focus of a critical congressional report on Thursday. (CHRIS URSO | Tampa Tribune 2014) TAMPA — For retired Army intelligence officer D.J. Reyes, a scathing report by congressional…
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Aerial tankers headed to Tampa airport during MacDill repaving
News / Military Column By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 12, 2016 PHOTO: Up to four KC-135 Stratotanker refueling jets, pictured above, will be moved from MacDill to Tampa International Airport. Two of the base’s transport planes will also be parked at TIA. (SKIP O’ROURKE | Times 2012) When we first reported…
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House panel slams CentCom for painting ‘rosy’ picture of ISIS threat
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 11, 2016 PHOTO: Demonstrators chant slogans to support the Islamic State group in front of the provincial government headquarters in the Iraqi city of Mosul in June 2014. (Associated Press 2014) U.S. Central Command’s intelligence operation altered its analysis to paint a more…
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Gold Star families came away surprised at attention Trump showed them
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 5, 2016 PHOTO: Craig Gross of Oldsmar, left, speaks about his son with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, center, and Billy Vaughn during a meeting Trump called with Gold Star families on Wednesday in Jacksonville. Gold Star families have lost loved ones to…
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Altman: Water level around base could rise 1.7 feet by 2050, scientists group says
News / Military Column By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 5, 2016 Officials at MacDill Air Force Base, which has more than seven miles of shoreline, say they are prepared to cope with storm surges and, in the near-term, rising sea levels. A report issued last month by the Union of Concerned…
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Gold Star families drawn reluctantly into presidential debate
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / August 1, 2016 PHOTO: In her Brooksville home on Monday, Gold Star mother Talisa Williams holds a photo of her late son, Army Spc. Clarence Williams III, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2012. (BRENDAN FITTERER | Times) Only a small fraction of American…
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Jihadi posting on Internet is latest effort in fear campaign, experts say
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / July 29, 2016 The latest salvo in the jihadi cyber war against the United States was fired Thursday via a social media posting from a group supporting the Islamic State. The posting, in the form of an infographic, bragged about successful attempts to hack…
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Civilian airliner carries new generals on national tour of commands
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / July 21, 2016 PHOTO: A Boeing 757 flown by Delta Air Lines, like this one pictured in the skies over Seattle, took off last week from MacDill Air Force Base. A civilian jet is a rare site at the military installation. (Associated Press) No,…
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Don’t read much into military service of police shooters, those who work with veterans say
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / July 19, 2016 PHOTO: Gavin Long, 29, who served with the Marines in Iraq, killed three law enforcement officers and wounded three others in Baton Rouge, La. (YouTube via AP) Local experts who deal with troubled veterans caution against drawing conclusions from the military…
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CentCom commander has concerns about sharing Syria intelligence with Russians
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / July 15, 2016 PHOTO: A family walks amid the rubble of destroyed buildings following a reported air strike in April on the rebel-held neighborhood of al-Kalasa in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo. {Getty Images) BAGHDAD — Two top U.S. commanders in the war…
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U.S. general briefs CentCom visitors on Iraqi military progress with attack on Mosul looming
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / July 14, 2016 PHOTO: Shell casings lie on the ground as Iraqi government forces gather around the Qayyarah airbase, which was seized by Iraqi forces last week from Islamic State militants. (Getty images) BAGHDAD — A recent battle to retake the village of Nasir…
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Votel sees cause for concern as U.S., Iranian ships share tight space
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / July 11, 2016 PHOTO: Army Gen. Joseph Votel speaks with a Navy sailor during a visit to the USS New Orleans. Over Votel’s shoulder, approaching the American ship, is an Iranian war vessel. (Howard Altman | Times) ABOARD THE USS NEW ORLEANS — The…
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CentCom commander’s videoconference reveals how new drones help turn tide in Afghanistan
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / July 9, 2016 PHOTO: Army Gen. Joseph Votel, head of Tampa-based U.S. Central Command, listens as Army Gen. John Nicholson, new commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, discusses progress in efforts to stabilize the country during a roundtable at Nicholson’s headquarters in Kabul. (Howard…
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Gen. Votel leaves MacDill HQ for fifth tour of troubled CentCom region
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / July 8, 2016 PHOTO: Army Gen. Joseph Votel, commander of U.S. Central Command, briefs reporters on his way to Kabul, Afghanistan, for a a visit to the CentCom region. (Howard Altman | Times) KABUL, Afghanistan — During his early years in office, President Barack…
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Officials warn of dangers shooting fireworks on base
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / July 1, 2016 PHOTO: MacDill security personnel say only those licensed and with permission can use fireworks. (Times files) MacDill has its own rules on fireworks, and they’re strict. There’s no shortage of people on MacDill Air Force Base who have experienced the power…
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Tampa widow’s lawsuit blames social media in terrorist attacks
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 30, 2016 PHOTO: An organization described as a public relations arm of the terrorist Islamic State used Twitter pages like this to recruit new members, according to a federal lawsuit. The page had 20,000 followers as of June 2014, the lawsuit says. (Photo…
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One more mission for remarkable career: a medal for the OSS
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 24, 2016 PHOTO: Shown with Gen. Raymond “Tony” Thomas III, commander of SOCom at MacDill Air Force Base, Caesar Civitella, right, was inducted into SOCom’s Commando Hall of Honor this year. Courtesy of Caesar Civitella ST. PETERSBURG — The life of Caesar Civitella…
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MacDill defenders hit the road to tout gains in education, traffic
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 24, 2016 PHOTO: The Tampa Bay Defense Alliance has emphasized progress at MacDill Air Force Base in reducing gridlock at gates. (Times 2011) TAMPA — Knowing the Pentagon aims to consolidate bases some day, local leaders are touting gains from their partnerships with…
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MacDill loses out on economic boost from next round of KC-46 Pegasus aerial tankers
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 24, 2016 PHOTO: MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa was on an initial list of 11 bases under consideration to host the new KC-46 Pegasus refueling jets, left, but was passed over a second time. (Courtesy U.S. Air Force) TAMPA — The newest…
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Altman: Air guard Col. Vogel taking over as MacDill commander
News / Military Column By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 23, 2016 PHOTO: Air Force Reserve Col. April Vogel will take over as base commander at MacDill Air Force Base on July 8. Vogel is currently vice commander of the 175th Wing of the Maryland Air National Guard. (Courtesy of the Defense…
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No charges filed in bar shooting death of former SEAL, family says
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 22, 2016 PHOTO: Tim Martin was shot and killed during an altercation at SoHo Backyard in November in Tampa. TAMPA — Relatives of a former Navy SEAL who was shot and killed in a confrontation at a South Tampa restaurant say prosecutors have…
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MacDill to suspend flights two months for runway resurfacing
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 20, 2016 PHOTO: MacDill is home to 16 KC-135 Stratotanker air refueling jets, which will be moved temporarily while runways are resurfaced. Resurfacing at MacDill takes place about every 15 years. (Times files 2012) TAMPA — MacDill Air Force Base and the skies…
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Price of postage pinches group sending goodies to troops overseas
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 17, 2016 PHOTO: Mark Van Trees, 60, runs Support the Troops, a group that sends items such as toiletries and snacks around the globe. (Courtesy of Mark Van Trees) More than just about anyone else outside the gates of MacDill Air Force Base,…
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Few answers as Orlando shooting investigation moves into fourth day
News / Public Safety By Zachary T. Sampson, Samuel Howard, Anthony Cormier, Howard Altman and Kathryn Varn / Tampa Bay Times / June 15, 2016 PHOTO: Investigators comb the crime scene Wednesday at Pulse, a gay nightclub where a gunman killed 49 people. Authorities released little information Wednesday but said they hoped the area around the club…
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Orlando gunman Omar Mateen was a proficient shot, records show
News By Howard Altman and Anthony Cormier / Tampa Bay Times / June 15, 2016 Omar Mateen was a proficient shooter who regularly got high marks on firearms tests, according to documents released Wednesday by the state. Licensing records show that Mateen scored in the 98th percentile with the same caliber weapon — a 9mm…
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Complaints, investigations not enough for Orlando nightclub shooter to lose his security job
News / Public Safety By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 14, 2016 PHOTO: Omar Mateen has been identified as the gunman who killed 49 people in the Pulse nightclub in Orlando early Sunday. (MySpace via AP) A former coworker said that that long before Omar Mateen became the deadliest mass shooter in…
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Officials say nothing in law to prevent Orlando gunman from buying firearms
News / Public Safety By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 13, 2016 The Florida Department of Law Enforcement lists more than a dozen reasons on its website why someone would be rejected for a weapons purchase. They including felony convictions, active warrants, adjudication of mental illness, even renounced U.S. citizenship. But not…
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How far should we go in preparing for future mass shootings? (w/video)
News / Public Safety By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 12, 2016 VIDEO: Regardless of his motive, Omar Mateen’s massacre at an Orlando nightclub has once again sparked a debate about the role of weapons in society and how to protect so-called “soft” targets like nightclubs, malls and other places where large…
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Vietnam medals weren’t enough for popular Marine who embellished record
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 10, 2016 PHOTO: Retired U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Wayne Ridgley is the center of attention during a Memorial Day ceremony on May 30 in Tampa. Ridgley wears ribbons that he did not earn, according to his military record. (CHRIS URSO | Times) PHOTO:…
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Altman: Movie features those who guard Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
News / Military Column By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 10, 2016 PHOTO: The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where Memorial Day ceremonies were held June 6, is the subject of a recent documentary, The Unknowns, showing Wednesday in Tampa. (Getty Images) Benjamin Bell knows what it takes to guard the Tomb…
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Iconic Russian AK-47 might some day be ‘Made in U.S.A.’ for military (w/video)
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 9, 2016 VIDEO: U.S. Special Operations Command wants to see if it can slap a “Made in the U.S.A.” label on the world’s most popular weapon — the Russian-designed AK-47 assault rifle. In war-torn countries like Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, where the United…
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MacDill expected to weather delay in Air Force tanker delivery
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 4, 2016 PHOTO: Crews prepare to move KC-135 air refueling jets in 2012. The base is scheduled to receive eight additional KC-135 tankers, bringing its fleet to 24. (Times file 2012) TAMPA — There is a new delay in the launch of new…
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Canada’s man at MacDill sees role shifting in ISIS battle
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 2, 2016 PHOTO: Canadian air force Col. Paul Keddy is his nation’s senior national representative to the international coalition of U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. (HOWARD ALTMAN / Times) For the past three years, Canadian air force Col.…
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Jolly, Latvala: MacDill gridlock poses security threat
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / June 1, 2016 TAMPA — To U.S. Rep. David Jolly and state Sen. Jack Latvala, the line of cars backing up every day on Dale Mabry outside MacDill Air Force Base is more than an inconvenience. “The lineup you have in the morning presents…
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Identifying fallen U.S. Soldiers carries a high emotional cost
News / Military What Memorial Day really honors By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 29, 2016 PHOTO: The transfer cases containing the remains of Army Pfc. Michael C. Olivieri, left, of Chicago; Army Pfc. Christopher B. Fishbeck of Victorville, Calif.; Army Pfc. Michael B. Cook of Middletown, Ohio; and Army Pfc. Emilio…
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How the U.S. military’s fallen are identified, prepared for burial
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 29, 2016 PHOTO: Senior Airman Devon Garner-Klingbeil stands near transfer cases containing the remains of Army Spc. Brittany B. Gordo and Army Sgt. Robert J. Billings on Oct. 15, 2012 at Dover Air Force Base, Del. According to the Department of Defense, Gordon…
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Tiny drone can bring images to commanos day and night
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 27, 2016 PHOTO: At his booth at the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference, Arne Skjaerpe of Prox Dynamics displays the Black Hornet drone, designed for small troop units in the field. At his booth at the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference, Arne Skjaerpe…
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FBI Director James Comey visits Tampa, cites advances, challenges in terror fight
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 26, 2016 TAMPA — FBI director James Comey told a gathering of international commandos and defense industry leaders Wednesday that they must continually adapt to evolving threats from the Middle East. Where al-Qaida fighters focused on long-term planning for large-scale attacks, for instance,…
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Mayor Buckhorn to be ‘taken hostage’ in staged assault in downtown Tampa today
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 25, 2016 PHOTO: International Special Operations Forces from many countries around the world work together in a simulated hostage rescue and combating enemy forces in 2014 in Tampa. Later today, Buckhorn once again will be taken hostage. It’s all part of SOFIC (Special…
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The merchants of war sell their wares at Tampa Convention Center
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 24, 2016 TAMPA — Packed with robots and trucks and guns and drones, the Tampa Convention Center’s exhibition hall this week has been transformed into a showroom for the latest in war gadgets. It’s all part of the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference,…
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Head of SOCom lays out vision at MacDill conference
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 24, 2016 PHOTO: General Raymond “Tony” Thomas III, the man in charge of US Special Operations Command, headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base, will speak twice on Tuesday in Tampa, including a question and answer session that should offer a vigorous discussion of…
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11,500 expected to attend Special Ops conference in Tampa
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 24, 2016 PHOTO: U.S. and international special operations forces demonstrate combat capabilities outside the Tampa Convention Center during a 2012 convention. (Times 2012) TAMPA — A major annual conference that brings together special operations forces commanders and defense industry leaders kicked into high…
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Big special operations conferences in Tampa this week
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 22, 2016 PHOTO: Army Gen. Raymond A. “Tony” Thomas III, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, will speak this week at the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference in Tampa. (MONICA HERNDON | Times) TAMPA — In…
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Tampa Bay Defense Alliance’s new Tampa Bay Trophy will honor civilians who help the military
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 20, 2016 PHOTO: Courtesy of Tampa Bay Defense Alliance The Tampa Bay Defense Alliance is creating a new trophy to honor civilians who have given distinguished service and contributions to airmen. It will be presented in October. Tampa Bay is well known throughout…
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Bob Buckhorn has a hostage thing going on
Bay Buzz / Local Politics By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 18, 2016 More than just about any American mayor, Tampa’s Bob Buckhorn is used to surrendering. Buckhorn surrenders the city every year to the invading “pirates” for Gasparilla. And next Wednesday, he will once again be “captured” by bad guys only to be rescued…
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Former Tampa teacher now guides Afghan military on drones
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 13, 2016 PHOTO: Air Force Maj. Erin Tedesco, a former Tampa school teacher, looking at the ScanEagle drone catapult launching system. Tedesco, 40, is the lead advisor to the program teaching the Afghan National Army how to use the aircraft to gather images…
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Lt. general poised to become deputy commander of U.S. Central Command
News / Military By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 9, 2016 PHOTO: Air Force Lt. Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., nominated as the No. 2 officer at U.S. Central Command, was once deputy director of CentCom’s operations directorate. (U.S. Air Force) MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE — As the head of U.S. Air…
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Nancy Pelosi briefed on ISIS at MacDill
The Buzz / Florida Politics By Howard Altman / Tampa Bay Times / May 9, 2016 A bipartisan Congressional delegation, led by Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, D-California, visited MacDill Air Force Base on Friday for a briefing by top military commanders on training and equipping initiatives in the fight against the so-called Islamic State jihadi group.…