Joshua Karsten
Stars and Stripes
Bahrain
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Past articles by Joshua:
Marine who died during UAE training exercise was Camp Pendleton motor vehicle operator
The Marine who died in a training accident during an exercise in the United Arab Emirates has been identified as 20-year-old Cpl. Eloiza Zavala of California. → Read More
DODEA’s Bahrain School closes over coronavirus concerns
Military children at the Bahrain School have been told to stay home the rest of the week, following the country’s first confirmed coronavirus case and several others reported at the island kingdom’s airport. → Read More
Navy says goodbye to the 'blueberry' camouflage uniform
First introduced in 2008 as part of a uniform modernization program based on sailor input, the blue camouflage uniform was intended to be worn by enlisted and officers to “project a unified image/appearance regardless of rank.” → Read More
Navy ‘challenge coins’ are collected like trading cards. But some think the trade devalues the tradition.
There’s a burgeoning online market for the elaborate and colorful coins pressed into the palms of Navy petty officers when they pin on their crows and take the chief petty officer’s pledge, but some critics say the trade diminishes the value of the tradition. → Read More
Bahrain strengthens defense with purchase of Patriot missile system from U.S.
Joshua Karsten Stars and Stripes Bahrain has signed an agreement to purchase the Patriot air and missile defense system, putting it in line with other Persian Gulf nations partnered with the U.S. amid ongoing tensions in the region with Iran. Bahrain will purchase the system from the U.S. Army, defense... → Read More
USS Boxer crew says they are ready for everything and anything from Iran
Joshua Karsten Stars and Stripes The drone-downing USS Boxer is ready to counter “anything that’s thrown at us” by Iran should it encounter any new threats, the ship’s executive officer said prior to departing Bahrain on Friday following a scheduled weeklong port visit. The San Diego-based amphibious assault ship pulled... → Read More
Enlisted women now free to apply for submarine duty at any time
The Navy will now accept applications continuously from female enlisted sailors to serve in non-nuclear rates, said an administrative message signed by Vice Adm. John Nowell Jr., chief of naval personnel. → Read More
See how a British guy ranked the pubs in Bahrain
Ahh, Bahrain’s bar scene — wait, they have bars in Bahrain? The answer is yes! And, as a former British protectorate, the vibe ranges from seedy British pubs to swank 5-star hotel bars. → Read More
Iran wants to start tolling ships sailing through Strait of Hormuz to counter U.S. sanctions
Joshua Karsten Stars and Stripes The Pentagon said it is committed to the “free flow of commerce” through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway critical to global oil shipments, where Iranian lawmakers have proposed imposing transit tolls on ships that Tehran deems unfriendly. “The Strait of Hormuz is an... → Read More
Iran lawmakers want tolls in Strait of Hormuz in response to US sanctions
The Pentagon said it is committed to the “free flow of commerce” through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway critical to global oil shipments, where Iranian lawmakers have proposed imposing transit tolls on ships that Tehran deems unfriendly. → Read More
USS Boxer arrives in Middle East waters as tension with Iran continues to rise
Joshua Karsten Stars and Stripes Thousands of sailors and Marines sailed into 5th Fleet waters Monday as an amphibious assault group led by the USS Boxer deployed to the region, where tensions are flaring between the U.S. and Iran. The Boxer, which carries the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit and a... → Read More
Navy wants to fill recruiting & other jobs by offering new promotion incentive
Joshua Karsten Stars and Stripes Sailors could qualify for alternative petty officer first class promotions if they fill recruiting and recruit training billets, under a new Navy incentive program likely to expand to other jobs. The new “advancement-to-position” opportunity for qualified petty officers second class was announced in a message... → Read More
No more sit-ups, Navy switching out exercise on the physical readiness test
Joshua Karsten Stars and Stripes The Navy is doing away with situps and adding a planking exercise to the physical readiness test, the service’s top officer said during an early morning announcement Thursday. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Russell Smith... → Read More
Planking is in, situps out for Navy physical readiness test
The service is also adding a rowing machine option for the cardio portion of the test. → Read More
Planking is in, situps out for Navy physical readiness test
The service is also adding a rowing machine option for the cardio portion of the test. → Read More
Carrier deployment likely long-planned but that doesn’t diminish Iran tensions, analysts say
The deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group and a bomber task force to the Middle East was meant to “send a clear and unmistakable message to the Iranian regime,” but some analysts said the U.S. could be trying to frame long-planned movements as increased pressure on Tehran. → Read More
Ramadan in Bahrain: A servicemember’s crash course on customs, rules and where to eat
Even though there is no enforcement of Ramadan practices on base, non-Muslims may want to be more sensitive to the experiences of their Muslim counterparts during the fasting season, some adherents said. → Read More
Firebolt crew members honored 15 years after tragic 2004 suicide bombing
More than 200 troops and civilians gathered on the U.S. Navy base here Wednesday to honor the memory of three USS Firebolt crew members killed in a suicide attack 15 years ago. → Read More
Navy allows transgender sailors to dress according to gender identity while off duty
Joshua Karsten Stars and Stripes The Navy will allow sailors to dress and “live socially in their preferred gender while off-duty,” a policy announcement that comes amid new Pentagon restrictions on transgender people joining the military. The statement, signed by Vice Adm. Robert Burke, clarifies that there is no policy... → Read More
USS Stennis returns to 5th Fleet, stops in Bahrain for R&R
For the crew, Bahrain is a welcome break from the shipboard life. One sailor mentioned taking a long shower with bare feet — a no-no aboard the ship, she said. Another sailor said she wanted to get to a hotel and order food. → Read More