Today's Headlines from Stars and Stripes

Stars and Stripes, the U.S. Military's Independent News Source: Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Top headlines from Stars and Stripes. See the rest of today's news at www.stripes.com Christians in Basra subdued for holiday The small group of American troops and Iraqi Catholics held hands around a table heaped with dishes of rice, chicken, lamb and pizza. Back from combat, women struggle for acceptance Nobody wants to buy them a beer.Even near military bases, female veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan aren't often offered a drink on the house as a welcome home. New VA patients younger, more likely to be women Doctors at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Martinsburg, West Virginia, used to go months without treating a female veteran. Today, they're reporting the beginning of a boom. General: Some troops will arrive later in Afghanistan The second-highest ranking U.S. general in Afghanistan says it will take longer to send some troops to the ramped-up war there, indicating it will probably be nine to 11 months before all are in place. Seoul American forfeits games in three sports over ineligible players Officials for DODEA Pacific said they will explore ways to strengthen records checks and clarify regulations in the Far East Activities Council manual to prevent ineligible students from slipping onto rosters of high school sports teams. AFRICOM could add Marine Air Ground Task Force A 1,000-strong Marine combat task force capable of rapidly deploying to hot spots could soon be at the disposal of the new U.S. Africa Command, which up to now has stressed training partnerships and security cooperation to wary African governments suspicious of U.S. military intentions on the continent. Four cited for heroism in Afghanistan As members of the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment start a new deployment in Afghanistan, soldiers who served with the unit during its last rotation continue to receive recognition for acts of heroism. Japan says it will take months to sift through Futenma options The Japanese prime minister on Tuesday said it would take his government months to consider alternatives for relocating Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, thrusting the years-long saga even farther from resolution despite U.S. insistence that Camp Schwab remains the only viable option. Some retailers inflate costs to ship to APO addresses Overseas military customers ordering gifts online from certain retailers might get an unpleasant surprise when shipping and handling fees are tacked on at the end of the purchase. FBI still probing Cleveland suspect's Okinawa activities The FBI said Tuesday that it is too early to know whether any cold cases at U.S. military facilities on Okinawa are linked to alleged serial killer and former Marine Anthony Sowell.
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