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• Army Corps reports on 2011 Mississippi River flood

  February 25, 2013 2:11 PM

  MEMPHIS, Tenn.- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says the near-historic Mississippi River flood of 2011 caused $2.8 billion in damage and tested the system of levees, reservoirs and floodways like no other flood before it. A report released today said the Mississippi River and Tributaries system worked as... more »

• US Army general facing sex charges heads to court

  February 21, 2013 8:06 AM

  FORT BRAGG, N.C. - A hearing is scheduled today at Fort Bragg for a U.S. Army general charged with sexual misconduct. Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Sinclair is expected in court for a hearing on pre-trial motions. Sinclair faces court martial on charges that include forcible sodomy, indecent acts, violating orders and... more »

• Army vet receives Medal of Honor for Afghan fight

  February 11, 2013 2:04 PM

  WASHINGTON - An Army veteran received the Medal of Honor Monday for his courageous leadership during a daylong firefight in Afghanistan. President Obama presented former Staff Sgt. Clinton Romesha with the honor at a White House ceremony. The president described the dramatic 2009 battle near the Pakistan border... more »

• Women in combat: Baton Rouge veterans respond Play Video

  January 24, 2013 5:37 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Defense Secretary Leon Panetta lifted the ban on combat for women and said, "if they can meet the qualifications for the job, then they should have the right to serve." With those words, roles are changed. A change that will open over 200,000 jobs including infantry,... more »

• Ga. man sentenced to 15 years in Army militia plot

  January 22, 2013 2:54 PM

  HINESVILLE, Ga. - A 22-year-old ex-soldier has pleaded guilty to more than 30 charges for his involvement with a group of Army soldiers who authorities say planned acts of domestic terrorism. Prosecutor Isabel Pauley says Timothy Joiner pleaded guilty Tuesday to burglary, theft, violations of the street gang terrorism and... more »

• Army general expected to enter plea on sex charges

  January 22, 2013 5:24 AM

  FORT BRAGG, N.C. - An Army general facing court-martial is set to enter his plea on a series of sexual misconduct charges. Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Sinclair is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday before a military judge at Fort Bragg, N.C. Sinclair will be formally informed of the charges and offered... more »

• Israeli-Palestinian clashes erupt in West Bank

  January 1, 2013 4:27 PM

  TAMOUN, West Bank - An arrest raid by undercover Israeli soldiers disguised as vegetable vendors ignited rare clashes in the northern West Bank and has left 10 Palestinians wounded. Israeli army raids into Palestinian areas to seize activists and militants are fairly common. The raids are normally coordinated with Palestinian... more »

• Lawmakers discuss low Miss. River with Corps

  November 29, 2012 3:10 PM

  WASHINGTON - A top Army Corps of Engineers official told federal lawmakers the agency can't legally reverse its decision to reduce the Missouri River's flow into the rain-starved Mississippi River. But Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois says Army Assistant Secretary Jo-Ellen Darcy did tell him and senators from Iowa and... more »

• Corps: Isaac's path, slow speed caused flooding

  November 9, 2012 6:21 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A post-Hurricane Isaac study by the Army Corps of Engineers says Isaac's storm surge flooding of areas that were not inundated during Hurricanes Katrina and Gustav was not caused by post-Katrina improvements to New Orleans area levee system. Instead, the study says, surge flooding during Isaac was... more »

• Hearing airs sex crimes case against US general

  November 5, 2012 10:53 AM

  FORT BRAGG, N.C. - U.S. Army prosecutors are charging a general with sex crimes against five women, including four military subordinates and a civilian. The first details of the charges filed in September emerged at a military justice hearing Monday for Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Sinclair at Fort Bragg in North... more »

• Ky. man says VA treatment caused frostbitten penis

  October 3, 2012 12:49 PM

  LOUISVILLE, Ky. - An Army veteran claims a Veterans Administration nurse repeatedly put ice packs on his penis after surgery, causing frostbite and gangrene and ultimately leading to amputation. Michael D. Nash of Louisville sued the federal government in U.S. District Court in Louisville on Tuesday, seeking $10 million in... more »

• Vote to honor veterans Play Video

  September 19, 2012 5:59 PM

  BATON ROUGE- This year your going to the ballot box can mean more than just a vote thanks to the new "Honor Vets" program instated by the Secretary of State. The program aims to encourage voters to go to the polls in honor of the men and women who... more »

• Shooting suspect described as white supremacist Army veteran

  August 6, 2012 12:25 PM

  OAK CREEK, Wis. - More details are emerging about yesterday's deadly shootings at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin. Authorities say 40-year-old Army veteran Wade Michael Page walked into the suburban Milwaukee temple without saying a word and opened fire with a 9mm handgun that was purchased legally. They say he... more »

• Builders start on wounded Army vet's home Play Video

  August 2, 2012 5:02 PM

  PRARIEVILLE- Builders started work today on a house for an army veteran wounded in Afghanistan. The Prarieville home won't cost him a penny. Corporal Jeffery Argrave says he needs a pinch to make sure this is real. "This isn't me, this is like a paranormal dimension," Argrave said.... more »

• New soldiers take oath of enlistment Play Video

  June 14, 2012 6:07 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The U.S. Army celebrates 237 years of service today. As the Army celebrates this milestone, they're also getting some new members to keep the tradition going. Today many new soldiers took the Oath of Enlistment at a birthday celebration for the Army in Baton Rouge. Two... more »

• Textron gets 4th vehicle order from Afghan army

  June 13, 2012 3:41 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Textron Marine & Land Systems has gotten an order for 71 mobile strike force vehicles for the Afghanistan National Army, with a cost cap of just under $79.2 million. A news release from the Textron Inc. subsidiary says the order brings the total made for Afghanistan, including... more »

• Army more selective on recruits

  May 22, 2012 8:04 PM

  Uncle Sam still wants you but the Army is being a lot more selective on who it recruits. Last year, the service took in no recruits with misconduct convictions or drug or alcohol issues. Soldiers on active duty also must meet tougher standards to stay on for reenlistment. The Army... more »

• Levee repairs continue after historic 2011 flooding

  March 29, 2012 10:26 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A section of River Road from Farr Park, south of Brightside Drive, to Ben Hur Road has been closed for months as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers fixes problems with the levee. During historic flooding in 2011, the area known as Duncan Point had sand... more »

• Army buys more land at Fort Polk

  January 27, 2012 2:28 PM

  FORT POLK, La. (AP) - The Army is buying 4,900 acres of land south of Fort Polk in a move that Sen. Mary Landrieu says points to continued expansion of the central Louisiana military base. The land is being acquired from American Sulphur and Oil Co. of Dry Creek, according... more »

• Soldier Suicide Rate Down but Violent Crime Up

  January 19, 2012 7:48 PM

  The Army says the number of soldier suicides is leveling off, but there's a dramatic increase in domestic violence,sex crimes and other destructive behavior in a force stressed by war. General Peter Chiarelli says sex and violent crimes increased more than 30 percent since 2006. He says Child abuse is... more »

• Corps of Engineers to receive millions for levee repairs

  December 30, 2011 3:47 AM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - The Army Corps of Engineers says it's getting $802 million to repair levees and other structures damaged by the historic flooding on the Mississippi River this year - work considered urgent before the next spring flood season starts. With forecasts for another wet spring next year,... more »

• Mayor Holden rings bell for Salvation Army

  December 22, 2011 10:52 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Baton Rouge's mayor picked up a Salvation Army bell Thursday to help raise money for the charity . Mayor Kip Holden appeared at the Walmart on College to collect contributions for the nearly 150-year-old charitable organization. "It's a great time in Baton Rouge to see people... more »

• Private charged in Wikileaks says being gay influenced him

  December 18, 2011 11:07 AM

  FORT MEADE, Md- Lawyers for the Army private charged in the biggest leak of classified information in U.S. history say he was influenced by his struggles with being a gay soldier. The military hearing continued Sunday to determine whether Pfc. Bradley Manning will stand trial at a court-martial for allegedly... more »

• 4 soldiers dead following helicopter crashes

  December 13, 2011 3:43 AM

  WASHINGTON - Two Army helicopters crashed Monday night in Washington state, killing the four soldiers on board. The aircrafts went down during an apparent training exercise at the Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma. Officials have not released the victim's names at this time. more »

• LPSO: Deserter arrested, admitted to cooking meth

  November 17, 2011 2:00 PM

  LIVINGSTON - Deputies in Livingston Parish said a man confessed to cooking meth in his home after deputies arrested him for desertion. According to Perry Rushing with the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office, deputies were contacted by the Army and told Bradley Burton, Jr. was wanted for deserting. Rushing... more »

• Ceremony marks the closing of Walter Reed hospital

  July 27, 2011 12:24 PM

  WASHINGTON - The closing of Walter Reed Army Medical Center was described as bittersweet Wednesday as staff members and patients gathered on the hospital's parade grounds in Washington to mark the closing of the Army's flagship hospital after more than a century of providing care. The hospital's operations are... more »

• With abuse increasing, Army limits addictive meds

  July 11, 2011 1:25 PM

  FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. - The Army is restricting how many prescription painkillers soldiers can buy at one time as it responds to rising abuse of potentially addictive drugs. Many troops are coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan with chronic pain from combat or training injuries. Army data requested... more »

• Marines to be among first to leave Afghanistan

  July 6, 2011 12:49 PM

  WASHINGTON - The second-ranking U.S. commander in Afghanistan is providing new details on the planned pullout of U.S. troops this year. Army Lt. Gen. David Rodriguez told reporters at the Pentagon on Wednesday that by the end of this summer the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment - based in... more »

• Textron has contract for Afghanistan National Army

  June 2, 2011 4:21 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Textron Marine & Land Systems has a contract to build up to 440 medium armored security vehicles in New Orleans for the Afghanistan National Army. Textron says a one-year base contract will pay $125.9 million at first and up to $257 million total for 240 vehicles... more »

• Bayou Sorrel Locks close

  May 23, 2011 5:36 PM

  BAYOU SORREL - As the Army Corps of Engineers closes the Bayou Sorrel locks to barge traffic, many within the shipping industry are now left unemployed. The locks close when the water on the Atchafalaya side reaches 16 feet. And that's bad for John Businelle and his business, Pelican... more »

• Most gates open at Bonnet Carre, few at Morganza

  May 18, 2011 2:38 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - The Army Corps of Engineers said 16 of 125 bays were open on Wednesday at the Morganza spillway upriver from Baton Rouge, sending water from the Mississippi River into the swampy spillway and on to the Atchafalaya River at a rate of 108,000 cubic feet per second.... more »

• Corps on the verge of opening Morganza Spillway

  May 13, 2011 10:13 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers released a statement today saying the Mississippi River was very close to the trigger point where they would open the Morganza Spillway, and they would likely open it this weekend. The release said the Corps would open the Morganza... more »

• Army Reaches Out to Chinese Community after Scam

  April 18, 2011 7:38 PM

  The Army has to do damage control after 100 immigrants in the Chinese community of El Monte, California thought they were joining the U.S. Army for a fee of $400 each. Authorities say Yupeng Deng posed as a recruiter and they arrested him last week on charges of selling bogus... more »

• Governor addresses soldiers deploying to Afghanistan

  April 12, 2011 10:30 AM

  ZACHARY - Family members and dignitaries gathered in Zachary to see off members of the Louisiana Army National Guard this morning. About 100 members of the 926th Mobilization Augmentation Company unit are deploying for a year to Afghanistan. While there they'll be conducting route-clearance operations in support of Operation... more »

• Army swaps sit-ups for combat run in new PT tests

  March 1, 2011 12:42 PM

  FORT JACKSON, S.C. - The Army is revamping its yearly fitness tests for the first time in 30 years to better toughen soldiers for battle, adding exercises like running an obstacle course in full combat gear and dragging a body's weight. Officials at Fort Jackson, a major Army training... more »

• House votes to let Pentagon sponsor NASCAR races

  February 18, 2011 1:28 PM

  WASHINGTON - The House has voted to let the Pentagon continue using taxpayer dollars to sponsor NASCAR race teams. By a 281-148 vote, lawmakers rejected an effort by Minnesota Democratic Rep. Betty McCollum that would have ended the practice. McCollum aides said the Army is spending $7 million... more »

• Obama welcomes commitments from Egypt's army

  February 12, 2011 3:15 PM

  WASHINGTON- President Barack Obama is welcoming the Egyptian military's commitment to a democratic civilian transition and to the country's international obligations, most notably a peace treaty with Israel. The White House says Obama discussed the situation in Egypt during calls to British Prime Minister David Cameron, Turkish Prime Minister... more »

• Salvation Army his the road for early Thanksgiving

  November 24, 2010 2:06 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Hundreds of people had an early Thanksgiving meal delivered today, courtesy of the Salvation Army of Greater Baton Rouge. Volunteers made five stops around the West Brookstown area of the city with the Salvation Army's mobile canteen, handing out meals to around 500 people who may... more »

• Military head wants policy on gays to end soon

  November 21, 2010 9:57 AM

  WASHINGTON D.C.- The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff says he supports Congress using its lame-duck session to end the ban on gays serving openly in the military. Adm. Mike Mullen says he backs action before the new Congress in January - if that's what it takes to... more »

• Iraq vet convicted in slaying of college student

  November 18, 2010 2:11 PM

  OPELIKA, Ala. - A former Army soldier who claimed to be mentally disturbed from his tour in Iraq has been convicted of capital murder in the abduction and shooting death of an Auburn University student from Georgia. Twenty-six-year-old Courtney Lockhart was convicted Thursday in the killing of 18-year-old freshman Lauren... more »

• Soldier to Prison for Stabbing Friends

  October 29, 2010 8:44 PM

  A soldier stationed at Fort Drum, New York is headed to prison for 45 years for stabbing to death two of his Army buddies. Spc. Joshua Hunter admitted the stabbings and apologized but offered no explanation. more »

• Soldier Imposter Gets the Boot

  September 17, 2010 8:11 PM

  A man who tricked the Army into allowing him to join the reserves got six months in prison and a bad conduct discharge. Jesse Bernard Johnston III got the punishment after pleading guilty before a military judge. He used falsified discharge papers from the Marine Corps to convince the Army... more »

• Army: Ex-soldier takes 3 hospital workers hostage

  September 6, 2010 11:29 AM

  The Army says a former soldier demanding behavioral treatment took three workers hostage at a Georgia military hospital before surrendering. Fort Stewart spokesman Kevin Larson says no one was hurt during the short standoff early Monday at the post's Winn Army Community Hospital. Larson says the man was... more »

• Fort Polk combat brigade deploys Sept., Oct.

  August 26, 2010 5:45 AM

  The Army combat brigade stationed at Fort Polk will leave for Afghanistan in October. A deployment ceremony for the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, is scheduled Sept. 30 at Fort Polk's Honor Field. It will take about a month for all 3,600 soldiers to leave. The brigade was... more »

• Former bookkeeper pleads guilty to federal charges

  August 26, 2010 5:33 AM

  A New Orleans woman who was a bookkeeper for a nonprofit agency that had a contract with the Army has pleaded guilty to federal charges of embezzlement of over $1 million. Abigail John admitted that she embezzled over $1 million of federal program funds by depositing fraudulent company checks into... more »

• U.S. to boost aid, training for troops in Somalia

  July 20, 2010 12:46 PM

  The U.S. military is looking for ways to expand the training and equipping of African forces to help battle militants in Somalia who claimed responsibility for recent bombings in Uganda. Army Gen. William "Kip" Ward says the African nations contributing forces in Somalia are still committed to the peacekeeping... more »

• White House: McChrystal to retire with 4 stars

  June 29, 2010 2:22 PM

  Gen. Stanley McChrystal, fired from his job as commander of the Afghanistan war after more than three decades in the Army, will be allowed to retire at the rank of four stars. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Tuesday that the White House will do what it can to... more »

• Salute 2 Hometown Heroes: Mike McNaughton

  June 28, 2010 6:11 PM

  One soldier had already served on two battle fronts, but September 11, 2001 changed the life of our hometown hero. Sergeant Mike McNaughton started his career in the army and ended as a Louisiana National Guardsman. News 2’s Rob Krieger got answers on how his sacrifice helped to save lives,... more »

• Soldier from Montana killed at Ft. Polk

  June 24, 2010 12:51 PM

  A soldier from Whitefish stationed at Fort Polk was killed in an attack at the Louisiana base last weekend, his mother said. An Ohio civilian has been charged with murder and attempted murder after one person was killed and another injured on the base on Saturday. Marcus Carey,... more »

• NFL to fund scholarship honoring late Pat Tillman

  June 9, 2010 1:31 PM

  The NFL is supporting a scholarship in honor of the late Pat Tillman. The league announced Tuesday it will fund one of the scholarships in the Pat Tillman Foundation's military scholars program. There are currently 52 Tillman Military Scholars. The scholarships are available to veteran and active... more »

• Army investigating leak; soldier detained, not charged

  June 7, 2010 3:50 PM

  The Army says a soldier suspected of leaking a military video that shows Apache helicopters gunning down unarmed men in Iraq in 2007 hasn't been charged. Army Spc. Bradley Manning of Potomac, Md., is being held in Kuwait pending the results of an investigation. A director of the... more »

• Soldier Helmet Recall

  May 17, 2010 11:59 AM

  A Justice Dept. investigation last week led to an army recall of 44,000 combat helmets. The army decided to retest helmets after learning about a legal probe into an Ohio-based military contractor called ArmorSource. Army officials said the tests showed the helmets would not protect a soldier against a... more »

• Textron to build 423 more ASVs for the Army

  May 11, 2010 7:17 AM

  Textron Marine & Land Systems has agreed to build another 423 armored security vehicles for the U.S. Army. The vehicles will be built at Textron's plant in New Orleans. The $461 million contract includes an option to buy up to 272 more vehicles at a price of up to $239... more »

• LSU ROTC to increase number of scholarships

  September 21, 2009 6:09 PM

  The Louisiana State University Reserve Officers' Training Corps will be part of a national push to turn out more Army officers. U.S. Army Cadet Command provides most of the Army's second lieutenants through ROTC programs across the country. The Army wants at least 5,100 new officers by spring 2010.... more »

• Army ROTC growing

  September 21, 2009 2:51 PM

  More students are joining the Army ROTC. That comes at a good time. The Army is short about 3,000 majors and captains. Graduates from ROTC programs are automatically commissioned as second lieutenants. Many students joining the ROTC are doing it because of generous scholarship money. more »