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10 Things You Didn’t Know About Army Decals

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10 Things You Didn’t Know About Army Decals

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If you love everything about armies and the military world, army-themed and military-themed decals will make a perfect gift.

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Whether you are a foreign threat or merely a trivia buff, the U.S. Army has more than its share of surprises. Did you know?

The Army is older than the United States itself. During a Presidential campaign, Alan Keyes was once challenged to find a reference to God in the Constitution; he shot back that the Declaration of Independence is so religious, it's almost Scripture. "Are you trying to say that the DOI is equal to the U.S. Constitution?" his debate opponent asked, amazed.

"I am saying that the DOI is superior to the Constitution," Keyes said. As he pointed out, the DOI is the starting point, the statement of common beliefs on which our Constitution - and nation - rest.

In a similar way, the Army is actually more important than most things we consider basic to the U.S. A group of European pilgrims might have any number of things they would like to do together - to uphold freedom, or to build roads, or to cook a turkey dinner and call it Thanksgiving. But none of those things can occur before that group of pilgrims is able to secure its perimeter and defend itself from physical threats. You get lost in the mountains? Self-defense comes first, and a search for water and shelter comes later.

Nowadays, some idealists might want to "shoo" the Army off college campuses and dream about a world in which America's blessings are possible without self-defense. Army recruiters know a little differently.

The U.S. Army protects most countries on the planet. In the last 10 years alone, U.S. Army Special Operations Forces have been deployed in 135 countries. "Special Ops" soldiers help the locals with counter-insurgency, recon, info operations, defense against WMDs and many other things.

A defiant interviewer once asked Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, whether he thought that France owed it to the U.S. to "act as an extension of its foreign policy." He replied gruffly, "No. But considering that for some 50 years they were free of Soviet occupation solely due to our providence, we do deserve special consideration." The silence in the room was deafening.

The average 21-year-old American male is NOT qualified to serve as a U.S. soldier. Fewer than 28 percent of Americans aged 17 to 23 are so qualified. That is a much stricter cut than is the case with American colleges, for example.

If it were a state, the Army would rank #43 in population. As of 2010, there were more than 500,000 active -duty soldiers, 200,000 Reserve soldiers, and 350,000 soldiers in the National Guard. That would rank the Army between New Hampshire and Rhode Island in population.

The total land area occupied by U.S. military bases and facilities is more than 15,000 square miles; that would rank #42, behind West Virginia and comfortably ahead of Maryland.

The youngest U.S. servicemember was age 12 - Calvin Graham, USN, was dishonorably discharged for lying about his age. WWI and WWII parrots in the Eiffel Tower were able to sound alarms on incoming planes faster than military systems could. During the Civil War, all (that's a-l-l) Confederate officers carried copies of the novel Les Miserables on their persons. The movie Casablanca was censored in Germany for during, and for many years after, WWII. OK, Graham was in the Navy, and now we're getting into facts that are pretty random. Hey, so is armed conflict, right?

Thirty of the 44 U.S. Presidents served in the Army, and of those 30, fully 24 served in time of war. Presidents Eisenhower and Washington were five-star generals, in total control of U.S. forces - hold that thought for a second. Teddy Roosevelt earned the Congressional Medal of Honor. Americans don't like presidents whose mouths are bigger than their six-guns.

However, we might want to cut a little slack for recent Presidents who were uncomfortably civilian: Thomas Jefferson and John Quincy Adams never served. (Of course, both men were as patriotic as it is possible to get, and both died on the same day, exactly 50 years after July 4, 1776).

Our seven-star general never wanted to command the Army. George Washington never campaigned for leader of the Continental Army - in fact, experts agree that Washington felt very unqualified for such a daunting responsibility. Historians do wonder, however, whether there was a dry eye in the room when the Second Continental Congress convened and Washington showed up at the door wearing his military uniform.

From Washington's meek persona, to our late entry into WWII, to our efforts to avoid Desert Storm, the U.S. Army seldom begins fights. Or fails to finish them.

The Army took forever to decide on a song. Nothing was ever good enough, but finally on Veteran's Day in 1956, the Army made it official: "The Army Goes Rolling Along." Indeed it does.

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10 things you didn't know about the U.S. Army - Military Policy - Northwest Military - Home of The Ranger, NW Airlifter & Weekly Volcano

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Connecting you to your military neighbors, Northwest Military is the home of The Ranger and NW Airlifer newspapers - the definitive source for news and information regarding Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and the entire South Sound., 10 things you didn't know about the U.S. Army, Whether you are a foreign threat or merely a trivia buff, the U.S.

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Alexei, an old man living in Detroit, retires from his job because he decides he's exceptionally handsome

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Alexei, an old man living in Detroit, retires from his job because he decides he's exceptionally handsome

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...for his age. He also wants to spend more time with his wife, Elena. "She's getting younger and prettier," he tells his friend André.

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Too bad, because Elena dies two days later

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Too bad, because Elena dies two days later

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Alexei has many regrets, since he was unfaithful to her. He thinks back on her devotion to charity, and the way she left shoes where he could trip on them. They had been married forty-five years. He feels numb.

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He wasn't present at the births of most of them. He was out with his mistresses. The one exception is his eldest daughter Arianna, who shares many of his interests - like heavy drinking.

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Alexei refuses to cope with his grief over the loss of his wife 

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Alexei refuses to cope with his grief over the loss of his wife 

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Instead, he distracts himself with stories he makes up about her.

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He calls his eldest daughter Arianne to tell her that Elena has "gone shopping." 

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He calls his eldest daughter Arianne to tell her that Elena has "gone shopping." 

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Arianne is concerned that her father is in denial and tells her siblings.

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Alexei's four children, Arianne, Ilya, Eva, and Katya then come to pay him a house visit

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Alexei's four children, Arianne, Ilya, Eva, and Katya then come to pay him a house visit

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Alexei is indifferent, but he goes out to buy a cake for the occasion.

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Once the family is gathered, Alexei elaborates that Elena has not only gone shopping, but that she has taken a lover

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Once the family is gathered, Alexei elaborates that Elena has not only gone shopping, but that she has taken a lover

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He's very pleased with her for doing so. It seems to ease the guilt about his own infidelities.

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They do not want to ruin their good memories of their mother and besides, there's no evidence of such behavior.

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Convinced by his own lie, Alexei decides to win Elena back from her lover

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Convinced by his own lie, Alexei decides to win Elena back from her lover

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He packs some suitcases, and prepares to go into town. He plans to buy her a necklace and a new wedding ring.

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Rusted Root - Send Me On My Way (Official Music Video)

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When he goes downstairs, he finds the doors barricaded and the children counting silver

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When he goes downstairs, he finds the doors barricaded and the children counting silver

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They tell him that the house is too big and they are moving him out of it.

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His daughter Eva stops him as he enters the dining room. She informs him of the news he already knew, subconsciously. 

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His daughter Eva stops him as he enters the dining room. She informs him of the news he already knew, subconsciously. 

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Reluctantly, he accepts it. Arianne greets him with a drink and neither of them can bear to discuss the matter further.