Established in the 19th century, The French Foreign Legion stands out for its unique traditions and diverse membership. Let’s delve into some lesser-known aspects of this fascinating group: 1. A New Identity on Entry: Joining the French Foreign Legion isn’t a straightforward affair. Recruits must adopt a pseudonym upon entering. After a year, they can … Continue reading 5 Tidbits about the French Foreign Legion
Lady Lucy Houston was a British philanthropist…
Lady Lucy Houston was a British philanthropist who, after WWI, recognized the need for a strong Air Force. When the British government refused, she funded development of what became the Spitfire. She passed before WWII, and never saw how much that investment paid off.
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The US Army tradition of naming helicopters….
The US Army tradition of naming helicopters after Native American Tribes (something that was once an official regulation) dates to 1947 and General Hamilton Howze who felt that helicopters were meant to attack the flank and fade away…in the tradition of the Plains Indian tribes. US Army Aviation was centered in Fort Sill Oklahoma, which […]
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The US Army made a tactical deception…
The US Army made a tactical deception unit known as the “Ghost Army” during World War II. This 1,100-man unit created a “traveling road show,” utilizing inflatable tanks, sound trucks, fake radio transmissions & scripts. It was kept secret for more than 40 years until declassified in 1996.
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The Chinese Army has been training…
The Chinese Army has been training 10,000 pigeons to provide support to the military’s communications in the event that war renders its modern technology unusable. The pigeons, flying at speeds of up to 75 miles (120 km) per hour, are being trained to carry loads of up to 3.5 oz (100 g).
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The “Other” German Army – Chile’s Prussian Tradition
In 1886, the Germans sent a mission to Chile to help train and modernise the Chilean army. As a result of the Germans overhaul of their army, the ceremonial uniforms, weapons and marching songs are all German or German based, and military parades look like a step into Germany 150 years ago.
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The reason why Amish grow beards…
The reason why Amish grow beards but shave their mustaches is to represent their pacifism. The Amish associate mustaches with the military and thus they shave their mustaches to show they would never serve in warfare. The Amish who did serve did so in the Civilian Service Corps.
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After being drafted to the Army…
After being drafted to the Army, Elvis Presley was offered to enlist in Special Services to entertain the troops and live in priority housing. He decided to serve as a regular soldier, instead, earning the respect of fellow soldiers and people back home who previously viewed him negatively.
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Nadezhda Durova (1783-1866)…
Nadezhda Durova (1783-1866), daughter of a Russian Army Officer, disguised herself as a man, serving in a Cavalry Regiment during the Napoleonic Wars. She was the first recorded Female Officer in the Russian army, and was awarded the Cross of St George for bravery under fire.
A Young Girl Asked for Green Army Women and the Toy Company Listened
You probably played with those famous little green Army men at one point or another – especially if you’re a male. But the Army men toy game was recently turned on its head when BMC Toys, the company that manufactures those little green guys, received a letter from a 6-year-old girl from Arkansas.
The little girl, Vivian Lord, sent a letter to the company that read, “My name is Vivian. I am six years old. Why do you not make girl army men. Some girls don’t like pink, so please can you make army girls that look like women? I would play with them every day and my friends would too!”
And the folks at BMC Toys took notice and decided to do something about it.
The President of BMC Toys, Jeff Imel, said, “It was a heartfelt letter. And it reminded me of being a kid and always wanting that toy that you couldn’t get in the gumball machine. So I really looked into it.”
Imel said the company did some research and decided to produce a line of female soldier toys that will be available by Christmas 2020. The new female army toys will come in four poses.
Imel said, “What’s been really surprising to me is how many women have contacted me since Vivian’s story aired on national television to say they wish they had little Green Army Women when they were children back in the ’60s.”
It wasn’t an easy decision either. Imel is the only full-time employee at BMC and he explained the process: “I have to pay the sculptor. I have to pay the tooling. I have to make a down payment on production. If it’s coming from China, it’s on a boat for five weeks. By the time you figure out the cost of everything involved in making an original set of plastic toy figures in this size,” he said. “It starts around the cost of a modest new car.”
Imel added, “Every kid wants to be the hero of their story. It shouldn’t be up to us to decide who the hero is. Girls should be able to connect to the toys just as much as boys do.”
It may be pricey, but it will obviously be worth it once these toys hit the market. And it’s all due to young Vivian Lord’s decision to step up and write a letter. I have a feeling this girl is going to be a real trailblazer!
I can’t wait to see what the toys look like when they’re completed!
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