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Blake Farmer

National Security
6:45 am
Thu January 24, 2013

Women In Combat Ban To Be Lifted

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Originally published on Thu January 24, 2013 1:19 pm

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STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

On a momentous Thursday, it's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And I'm Renee Montagne.

We're expecting Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to make an announcement today. From now on, women will formally be allowed to serve in ground combat.

INSKEEP: To sense just how dramatic this change is, consider how many other milestones the military passed before reaching this one. The move for women comes 65 years after the Armed Forces ended racial segregation.

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The Impact of War
5:25 pm
Thu December 13, 2012

Military Homecomings Still Bittersweet For Some

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Originally published on Fri December 28, 2012 1:09 pm

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ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Robert Siegel.

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

And I'm Audie Cornish.

Homecomings at the nation's military bases are treated as occasions of the highest order. This morning, more than 100 families at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, waited for hugs and kisses before the sun came up. Blake Farmer of member station WPLN was there.

BLAKE FARMER, BYLINE: The 747 touched down just before sunrise.

JOHN KING: Look at that big old plane.

JACK BELZER: That's giant.

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U.S.
6:26 pm
Mon September 10, 2012

Army Aims To Use Words, Not Weapons, With Afghans

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Credit Blake Farmer for NPR
U.S. Army soldiers learn to play khosai, Afghanistan's full-contact national pastime, at Fort Campbell.
Credit Blake Farmer for NPR
Afghan instructors demonstrate how to play a game called "egg jousting" for U.S. soldiers at Fort Campbell, Ky.
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Originally published on Mon September 10, 2012 6:53 pm

The U.S. Army has been ramping up instruction in the languages of Afghanistan, even as troop levels in the country decrease in preparation for the U.S. troop withdrawal in 2014.

This year, key installations have added several hundred speakers of Pashto and Dari to their ranks, more than doubling the number of soldiers trained in the Afghan languages.

But it's not just the country's languages that are foreign to U.S. soldiers — it's the culture, as well.

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Religion
5:47 pm
Fri August 10, 2012

First Prayer Service Held In Tennessee Mosque

Credit Dan Potter / WPLN
Muslims in Murfreesboro, Tenn., gather on Friday afternoon for prayers in a new mosque.
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Originally published on Fri August 10, 2012 5:59 pm

Hundreds of Muslims in Murfreesboro, Tenn., gathered on Friday afternoon for prayers in a new mosque that has — at times — divided the community.

Debate over the building coincided with disputes over the so-called Ground Zero Mosque in New York. The congregation in Murfreesboro weathered a bomb threat, arson attempts and a court challenge. But members say the pain was worth the prize — a proper mosque to worship in after decades meeting in a cramped office space.

The imam called it a day of forgiveness. He also spoke against violent extremism.

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The Salt
5:05 pm
Sat June 2, 2012

Tired of Mowing Your Lawn? Try Foodscaping It Instead

Credit Blake Farmer / Nashville Public Radio
The lawn of Nashville yoga instructor James Alvarez is being taken over by buckwheat.
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Originally published on Sat June 2, 2012 10:13 pm

When the economy began its steep decline in 2008, almost everything related to housing hit the skids, including the lawn and garden industry. But one sector escaped the pinch: food gardening.

In fact, food gardening sales nationwide have spiked 20 percent since then, and they've stayed there. While many households started growing food to be more budget-conscious, some are deciding vegetables and fruits can be beautiful, too.

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Around the Nation
12:01 am
Mon February 20, 2012

As Bear Population Grows, More States Look At Hunts

Credit Eddy Philippe / AP
In a photo from autumn of 2011, a family of bears investigates a dumpster behind a diner in Pomona, N.Y. Black bears are becoming more common in populated areas around the United States.
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