Military News Updates: 5/5/10

Headlines today include an in depth look at how the subsea oil recovery systems work and reports of the impact flooding in Tennessee is having on Naval Personnel records.

Reports: North Korean leader Kim to meet top China officials during rare trip abroad

BEIJING (AP) — North Korea’s reclusive leader Kim Jong Il was making his way Wednesday to China’s capital on a rare overseas trip meant to be so secret that Beijing refused to confirm it — despite videos shot by foreign media showing him leaving a Chinese hotel.

How the Subsea Oil Recovery System Works

In its efforts to minimize the widening oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, BP will deploy a large structure in the next 6 to 8 days to capture leaking oil. Here’s how it works. 

‘I was expecting you,’ bombing suspect tells agents

The Times Square car bomb suspect sensed authorities were closing in on him in the hours leading up to his arrest, law enforcement sources told CNN on Wednesday.

Somali pirates board oil tanker; warship en route

NAIROBI, Kenya – Somali pirates armed with automatic weapons boarded an oil tanker with $50 million of oil and 23 Russian crew onboard Wednesday, and a Russian warship was rushing to intervene, a European Union Naval spokesman said.

Shiite Militia Reviving in Iraq

BAGHDAD — A once-feared Shiite militia that was crippled two years ago by defections and a U.S.-Iraqi crackdown has quietly started to regroup, adding street muscle to the Shiite party that emerged strongest from Iraq’s parliamentary elections.

Obama signs bill to help veterans and their caregivers

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is signing a bill Wednesday that gives more help to veterans and their families.

Navy Personnel Records Impacted by Floods

The devastating floodwaters that hit Tennessee last weekend shuttered the U.S. Navy Personnel Command offices in Millington, leaving sailors unable to check personnel records and get orders for their next duty station, officials said.

100K Troops Transfer GI Bill Benefits

More than 100,000 requests from troops desiring to transfer their unused education benefits to family members have been approved under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

Children of Fallen Troops Eligible for College Help

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has begun taking applications for a new program that helps the children of soldiers killed while on active duty pay for college.

Vets Urged to File ‘AO’ Claims Now, Not Wait for Regulation

Tens of thousands of Vietnam veterans with ischemic heart disease, Parkinson’s disease or B cell leukemia should file claims now with the Department of Veterans Affairs for disability compensation, not wait until VA publishes a regulation officially linking these diseases to wartime service.