Two active-duty Marines who were driving around Redondo Beach with explosives in their truck were taken into custody Thursday night. Authorities received a report that the men were driving a white Dodge pickup truck in the area at around 8:10 p.m. and that they were in possession of explosives. more ›

Seven Marines were killed in a helicopter collision near Yuma, Arizona Wednesday night, and six of the victims were based out of San Diego County's Camp Pendleton. Two attack helicopters - an AH-1W Super Cobra and a UH-1Y Super Huey - collided in midair around 8pm during a nighttime training exercise at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma. more ›

Downtown denizens might be used to helicopters weaving through the airspace above them, but this week it wasn't just news crews or the LAPD: the military is practicing its urban maneuvers. The military busted out Blackhawk and OH-6 helicopters that hovered and wove through the air from the L.A. Live to Dodger Stadium. more ›

The family of Itzcoatl Ocampo, who was arrested in connection with the murders of four homeless men in the past month, describe him as a deeply troubled Iraq vet who harbored a troubling secret. more ›

"Shut your fucking mouth! We can lose you in here" becomes even more poignant as the constitutionally challenged National Defense Authorization Act for 2012 sits on President Obama's desk. As it currently stands, spokespeople for Obama have stated he would not veto it. more ›

Today's repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" has the country buzzing with celebratory declarations and events. Below are statements from the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, Barbara Boxer and the commander in chief himself, President Barack Obama, all reveling in the long overdue repeal. West Hollywood commemorates today's repeal with a celebration and march tonight. more ›

After nearly 18 years of keeping homosexual and bisexual military service members and applicants locked in the closet, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is finally dead. The historical repeal, signed by President Obama almost one year ago, occurred at midnight on Monday. While sexual orientation has zero impact on a person's ability to serve for his or her country, openly gay or bisexual military applicants were turned away while said service members were not-so-politely excused from their duties. more ›

In an effort to help ease the transition for vets who become college students, California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) will open the Veteran Student Programs Office, the university's first dedicated space for student veterans. more ›

Few things will discourage a potential recruit from joining the Navy more than being penetrated by a foreign object after taking a practice exam. Today, a Navy recruiter was arrested by El Monte Police and charged with doing just that do a woman who was looking into joining the service in March. more ›

The Los Angeles International Airport Police Department (LAXPD) has stepped up security for U.S. Service personnel following Wednesday's attack on a U.S. Air Force bus at Germany's Frankfurt Airport. more ›

A historic 65-31 Senate vote approving a bill that repeals the policy of "don't ask, don't tell" on Saturday means that gay and lesbian military personell will be able to serve openly without punishment, once President Obama signs the measure into law next week. more ›

Thanksgiving is utterly wonderful because it's a simple concept that for many reasons, we can't do everyday: gather with others over food and take a moment to remember what we should be grateful for. It's easy to constantly be thinking about what we need to change in our lives, how to make it better -- but all of us do have things big and small that we are lucky to have. Here are a few of mine:
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Both of California's senators joined several of their Democratic colleagues yesterday at a press conference in Washington DC calling for the Senate to immediately repeal the military’s discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. more ›

Did you see this missile light up the evening skies over Los Angeles last night? The KCBS helicopter did, and captured some images of what was a pretty spectacular sight. The hitch: No one knows who launched it, or why, explains a report on San Diego's KFMB. more ›

A federal appeals court in San Francisco today said "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the military's ban on gays serving openly, can still be enforced as it examines a lower court's ruling. A Riverside district judge in September ruled that the policy was unconstitutional and last month ordered enforcement of it to be halted. Today's decision, however, delays that ruling while the court "considers whether the policy violates the free speech and due process rights of gays and lesbian seeking to serve in the military," according to Bloomberg. A decision could take weeks to months. In the meantime, the policy of discharging gays from the military can continue. more ›

An Inland Empire-based Federal Judge today ordered the U.S. Military from enforcing the 1993-enacted "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, which discharges openly gay service members. The Obama Administration requested U.S. District Court Judge Virginia A. Phillip, who ruled the policy unconstitutional last month, to delay an injunction on enforcement, but today she ordered the government to "immediately to suspend and discontinue any investigation, or discharge, separation or other proceeding" into a service member's sexual orientation, and to stop enforcement, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. more ›

A Burbank neighborhood was evacuated late yesterday afternoon when deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's bomb squad were on hand to remove "what appears to have been an old military explosive" from inside a home, according to LA Now. Residents of the home on the 1100 block of Rose Street "found the heavy metal object" in the attic, which they thought belonged to the previous occupant, who neighbors say "was related to a collector of military items." No other military objects were found in the home, and the bomb squad safely removed the unexploded device. more ›

The military's infamous 17-year-old "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy about serving while openly gay will continue after it failed to see the day of light in the U.S. Senate. An attempt to end a Republican filibuster on the 2011 Defense authorization bill didn't work when Senators voted 56 to 43. 60 votes were needed before an actual vote on ending the ban could be taken, according to TIME. more ›

On the heels of a decision last month that deemed a ban on gay marriage unconstitutional, a federal judge in Riverside today ruled that the military's “don't ask, don't tell” policy is also a constitutional violation. more ›

If you see multiple helicopters flying low in the skies over Los Angeles today, don't panic. The LAFD has sent out an e-mail notice to explain: "A large contingent of military and public safety helicopters will be seen flying over Los Angeles today. More than three dozen aircraft, at times flying in low altitude formation, will be gathering for today`s American Heroes Air Show at the Hansen Dam Recreation Area in the northeast San Fernando Valley. We wish to emphasize: There is no local emergency associated with these aircraft, and no cause for alarm." If you want to check out the event, it's from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; admission is free. more ›

About 20 undocumented youths today took to Washington D.C., staging sit-ins and risking arrest at various congressional offices, including California Senator Dianne Feinstein. It's the latest in a series of nationwide protests, such as back in May when a demonstration shut down Wilshire Boulevard, to urge the passing of the DREAM Act. more ›

The House and Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday voted to repeal the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy, which frowns upon gays serving openly in the military. California's legislature officially opposed the policy on Thursday as well and a full U.S. Senate vote could happen today. That makes is a big week for gay rights and yesterday's news fell on the one year anniversary of the federal Prop 8 case. more ›

For the first time, after asking the question in surveys for over 10 years, the Public Policy Institute of California has found that Californians are more likely to favor gay marriage than oppose it. "Today, a record high 49 percent of likely voters favor same-sex marriage and 45 percent oppose it," the report stated. "Support among all adults had never surpassed 45 percent since January 2000." more ›

The LA Times warns of military flight training that will be taking place over downtown Los Angeles today. When it will begin, when will it end? No one knows. The LAPD is just saying not to freak out. Capice? more ›

If you get the sense a war between L.A. and SF is brewing over the weekend, here what's actually happening: "On November 8 and 9, 2009, military flight training exercises will occur in and around the greater Los Angeles area," the LAPD said a statement today. "The military operation will be routine proficiency flight training exercises. Training sites have been carefully selected so that activities will not interfere with the daily routines of the community. Training will occur after 5 p.m. each day and will be generally in Central and West Valley Areas." more ›

As Obama prepared for his big "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" speech last week, government figures released showed that women are more likely to be kicked out of military service under the policy than men. In a story, the Associated Press highlighted Julianne Sohn, who now works for the LAPD. more ›

Yesterday, Tustin's Lt. Dan Choi was told by the military's Federal Recognition Board that they were recommending his discharge from service, citing his violation of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. The Board determined that his declaration of his sexual orientation during an appearance on MSNBC's Rachael Maddow Show and his serving in the military while openly gay was an act of "moral and professional dereliction," according to a letter by Choi sent to his supporters in the Courage Campaign. Choi adds, however, that this is only the beginning of his fight:

The board's decision to fire me is not the end. Now that this panel of four officers has recommended my discharge, it still must be approved by senior officials in the Army, a process that could take a few weeks to a year. Unless something unexpected happens, it may be just a matter of time before the Army officially fires me. more ›

Earlier this year, Tustin's Dan Choi, a lieutenant in the Army National Guard, shared during a television interview that he is homosexual, which put him in violation of the military's Clinton-era "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding gay servicemen and women's need to keep their sexuality a secret. more ›

There have been some questions recently about all the helicopter activity in the Echo Park area. The Eastsider LA was trying to figure it out (and eventually did!) and even the LAPD's one media relations officer had no clue despite the information being published last week on their blog. The urban training missions began June 15 and will continue through Saturday. "The operations will be routine training exercises conducted by military personnel, designed to ensure the military’s ability to operate in urban environments, prepare forces for upcoming overseas deployments and meet mandatory training certification requirements," the LAPD wrote. "Training sites have been carefully selected so that activities do not interfere with the daily routines of the local populace." more ›

Without a doubt, there will probably be more military fly overs today than this, but since we know the one in Santa Monica, here's your warning. Two Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopters will fly over Santa Monica's Woodlawn Cemetery at 11:45 a.m. this morning. Then a C-17 Globemaster III will fly over Venice and Santa Monica beaches around 1 p.m. This is for an annual event at the cemetery. more ›