Developments in solid state lasers may lead to practical battlefield applications in the near future according to this article.

What are the implications of being able to shoot mortar and artillery shells out of the air? To knock ballistic missiles out of the sky before they can deliver their payloads? What about soldiers equipped with nano-surgeons
that radically improve a soldier's chances of surviving a battlefield wound? Is it a good thing for our military to become, effectively, invincible? I part ways with many fellow libertarians in my support for the overseas war on terrorism and my wholehearted agreement with Deputy Defense Secretary Wolfowitz's proposed "cure" for terrorism outlined in his September 13, 2001 comments.

But I occasionally grow concerned about the long term health of our republic in the face of a quasi-imperial and essentially invincible military, a theme expanded upon by Jerry Pournelle here.

Of one thing I am sure: we cannot stop developing improved military technologies (and we cannot surrender our nukes voluntarily) unless we are willing to surrender sovereignty to an illiberal hegemon like China.

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Nice article at DefenseLINK today about WWII veteran Richard D. Beaver, age 84.

Some highlights: He had quite an interesting career in the Navy, and was one of the relatively few enlisted naval aviators to serve our country. "We were kind of a breed of our own, I guess," Beaver said. "They called us 'Silver Eagles,' and three enlisted pilots who were commissioned became admirals. So that's quite a history, which we're proud of."

Beaver exhibits the attitude that I am convinced has as much to do with longevity as diet or exercise: "I came here to the Armed Forces Retirement Home (formerly the Naval Home) in 1991 when I was 72. People are supposed to be old at that age, but I didn't feel old. I felt like I was about 40 or 50, and there are people here at 60 who look like they're 120."

As I begin to advance beyond young adulthood (I'm still only 35), I am starting to see some of my peers' mindsets beginning to harden. Some of them are really beginning to act old before their time. I hope I look and feel as good as Mr. Beavers at his age.

On a side note, the Armed Forces Information Service maintains a free mailing list and will email articles to you containing stories (like this one) that never see the light of day in ordinary mass media. Check out this link to read more about subscription information.

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