March 4, 1861: Abraham Lincoln becomes president

Under extremely heavy security that included roof-top sharpshooters and two artillery batteries on the flanks of the US Capitol, Abraham Lincoln took the oath of office 150 years ago today as the 16th President of the United States. In some ways, Lincoln’s ascension to the office was anti-climatic: it was…

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New PT Test for US Army

The United States Army is instituting a new Physical Fitness Test that seeks to better duplicate the conditions that troops face in combat. Here’s a description of the new events: The new “physical readiness’’ test adds such things as a 60-yard shuttle run and a standing long jump to one…

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