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All Bars & Nightclubs Off Limits

5K views 36 replies 11 participants last post by  Nickleback99 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
U.S. Pacific Command is strictly limiting liberty for troops participating in the Balikatan exercise alongside
5,000 Filipino troops. “Service members participating in, and supporting Balikatan 2015 may only eat in restaurants inside their hotel or within close proximity to their hotel (walking distance) if their hotel does not have a restaurant inside,” said Army Maj. David Eastburn, a PACOM spokesman.
Absolutely off limits will be the bars and nightclubs, Eastburn said, but commands can organize their own events. “Bars and nightclubs are off limits, and all participants in Balikatan 2015 must be back in their hotel by 10 p.m.
Service members may participate in command sponsored community relations events, and ships may authorize events on the pier.”
The exercise, which begins April 20 and runs for 10 days, involves elements from the III Marine Expeditionary Force, the amphibious transport dock Green Bay and various Navy construction, riverine and explosive ordnance disposal units. Liberty has been restricted for U.S. troops in the Philippines since a Marine was accused of murdering a local transgender woman, Jennifer Laude, after a night out on the town.
Lance Cpl. Joseph Pemberton is on trial in the Philippines and faces 20 years in prison if convicted. The killing infuriated many Filipinos, who have called for their government to scrap the newly minted 2014 Visiting Forces Agreement, a major foreign policy victory for the Obama administration, which rekindled military
ties with the country after decades of frosty relations. But the Philippine government has stood by the VFA, saying it will not renegotiate the deal.
Balikatan, which means “shoulder to shoulder,” is a field training exercise that includes a number of humanitarian assistance projects. “Our armed forces and the U.S. armed forces are coming together for these mutual defense and disaster response exercises towards a more responsive partnership to the community, focusing on development and community service,” Philippine Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc told The Philippine Star. In addition to the 11,000 U.S. and Philippine troops, Australia is sending about 60 troops and an aircraft
to the exercise. The exercise comes at a time of rising tension between China and its neighbors over its construction of artificial islands in the Spratlys
archipelago, which lies off the coasts of Malaysia and the Philippines. Analysts believe that the Chinese government is seeking to expand its exclusive rights to resources, including fishing and mineral deposits. [Source: NavyTimes | April 20, 2015 ++]
 
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#2 ·
Liberty action extreme's to the next level, many of these encounters end up in marriage, reason is that these women who want marriage and to meet American men, many flock in huge numbers to these bars from the other provinces, at the chance, so it narrows down who wants to meet who, I guess they can meet at McDonald's also.

So basically the extremists, wealthy family's, Chinese supporters (Minority) get their way once again.
 
#3 ·
Liberty action extreme's to the next level, many of these encounters end up in marriage, reason is that these women who want marriage and to meet American men, many flock in huge numbers to these bars from the other provinces, at the chance, so it narrows down who wants to meet who, I guess they can meet at McDonald's also.

So basically the extremists, wealthy family's, Chinese supporters (Minority) get their way once again.
I say let pinas protect themselves. When they wanted us out in 93 that negated any previous agreements.
 
#5 ·
U.S. Pacific Command is strictly limiting liberty for troops participating in the Balikatan exercise

I dont see its the Philippines setting the liberty limits, what I do see is over response by the US Military...which is the direction the Military seems to be taking...Before I retired, the Marines changed their policy on tattoos, besides submitting the standard promotion picture you had to declare your tats and have a body shot of them to see if they were offensive, tats were a death nil for officers...for those of us older folks that are retired, I seriously doubt we would fit in with the new directions of the Military. Speaking only for myself, when I retired I was considered a bit of a throw back...I joined in 1967 got out in 70 (3yrs6mo) then went back in in 1978 after I received my degree, saw lots of changes then (peace time sux) when I finally retired in 95, it was after Desert Storm, peace time again...saw the first Commandant that had no enlisted time, and if I remember correctly the first Commandant that was not a grunt....the military has changed, most of the folks running it now are Politically Correct..
 
#6 ·
This my friends is just an example of how Americans in position react to any situation. I've seen it in my 40+ years dealing with all branches. There are a few very few leaders left in the military. Now it is as the old saying goes YES SIR ,YES SIR 3 BAGS FULL. If you don't tow the line you can and most likely will be forced out.
 
#7 ·
They are out and about here in Subic, especially in the Harbor Point mall. I suspect they are not allowed to go out of the freeport into Olongapo.

I went to get my haircut there at the mall and the GQ shop was flooded with soldiers. The barbers were loving it and the I saw a few soldiers were leaving p100 tips for the p150 haircut. I think they were mostly Marines and they didn't have much hair to cut, so the barbers were moving them in and out very quick! Those barbers were having a great day!
 
#19 ·
As Ron Burgundy says, "Stay Classy San Diego!" A needed and excellent discussion I think. As Coleman noted, this was done by USF in terms of restrictions, afraid of another incident or set up. Same time, not everything makes sense and speaking of USMC, I was a grunt 03 in Beirut when we were running around with completely unloaded weapons in '83, and we know how that turned out. As I recall, we Still did that non sense after the embassy was blown up by a truck bomb. As a side, when we were running patrols, I deviated from that ridiculousness and always had my guys at least load. This stuff happens with politics takes over reality then and now. On the way back from there, we stopped in Key West for a port call middle of summer, and were made to wear modified Dress Blues. yeah, nothing quite says "smart move!" like wearing wool in 90+ degree temps with 90% humidity! So, point is, nothing sensible then and no reason to think it would be now necessarily. I sure hope me Marine brothers in arms had good port call anyway, albeit a bit disappointing in paradise I'm sure.
 
#22 ·
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Should this country become involved in any military conflict, all posts of this nature would be disallowed.

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