Trillion-dollar debacle As a federal employee I'm familiar with how the system works. We can choose from various health care companies and plans, and the government pays a portion of the premiums as a benefit. ...more

December 14, 2009

A Cape Coral soldier has died in Iraq, and a Jacksonville Marine has died in Afghanistan. ...more

December 3, 2009

Recently, an article in the Huffington Post (posted Oct. 20) caught my attention because of its relevance to our county's decision to accept or reject a National Security Training Center. The report, written by Jo Comerford, summarizes the National Priorities Project's research on American military spending over the past two decades. It indicates that the U.S. Department of Defense spends as much as the next 14 countries combined on the military, and according to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, 55 percent of next year's discretionary spending will go to the military. The United States has already used $915.1 billion in total Iraq and Afghanistan war spending. ...more

October 28, 2009

First Lt. Joseph Helton has been identified as the airman who died Tuesday in Iraq. ...more

September 10, 2009

First Lt. Joseph Helton has been identified as the MacDill Air Force airman who died Tuesday in Iraq, the U.S. Department of Defense announced today. ...more

September 9, 2009

A second challenger has announced for embattled Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin White's District 3 seat. ...more

September 9, 2009

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The Pentagon says a 27-year-old soldier from Orlando has died after his unit was attacked in Afghanistan. ...more

September 7, 2009

A 29-year-old soldier from Seffner has died in Afghanistan. Sgt. 1st Class Jason J. Fabrizi was in the Konar province of Afghanistan on Tuesday when his mounted patrol was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire, according to the U.S. Department of Defense. ...more

July 17, 2009

A 22-year-old senior airman assigned to MacDill Air Force Base has died in what the defense department says was a "non-hostile" incident in Iraq. Omar J. McKnight of Marrero, La., died Saturday, the Department of Defense said in a news release. ...more

January 19, 2009

The U.S. Department of Defense announced Saturday that it transferred six detainees out of Guantanamo, leaving about 245 at the offshore prison as President-elect Barack Obama prepares to take office. ...more

January 17, 2009