Almost three years after Lt. Ehren Watada refused to deploy to Iraq and became a hero of the antiwar left, the Army dropped the most serious charges against him.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals granted the Army’s request to dismiss the case against the Honolulu native who made national headlines when declared the war illegal as his unit of 3rd Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, prepared to deploy.

The brigade has since completed a 15-month deployment to Iraq and is preparing to return again this summer. Watada’s case, meanwhile, has navigated the military and federal court system while he works as an operations officer with I Corps.

He faced up to six years in prison and a dishonorable discharge for missing movement and engaging in conduct unbecoming an officer. Watada said he didn't deploy because he felt his service in Iraq would make him a party to war crimes.

But his legal limbo isn’t yet over. Two charges of conduct unbecoming an officer – stemming from antiwar statements he made to the media – weren’t part of the legal dispute the Ninth Circuit ruled upon and could still be filed in the military court system.

Watada’s lawyer, James Lobsenz, told the Honolulu Star-Bulletin that he expects Watada to be discharged soon. The lieutenant plans to return to civilian life and attend law school, Lobsenz said in a press release.

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I know flammability was a concern from a lot of the joes when the Army switched to the ACUs a few years back. As a buddy of mine once told me, "Someone could light a match 20 feet away and your uniform would catch fire."

Perhaps it wasn't that bad, but improvements have been made. One example of the new material's durability comes from the house fire of Staff Sgt. Nathan Foster. Here's what he found in the ashes:

Ambassador Ryan Crocker, the United States' top diplomat in Iraq since 2007, has returned to his native Spokane Valley. The Pacific Northwest Islander catches up with him.

The Tacoma Rainiers are honoring the military Saturday night. The team is hosting a "Salute to the Armed Forces Night" when it plays Colorado Springs at 7 p.m. at Cheney Stadium.

Service members and their family can get in for $5 each. The team will wear special uniforms with camouflage sleeves and them auction them off after the game. The proceeds go to Support America’s Armed Forces.

According to a press release:

The Rainiers will be video taping your personal messages of thanks and support for a keepsake DVD being sent to troops serving around the world. The DVD will also be shown on the Pentagon Channel which broadcasts military news and information to 2.6 million members of the U.S. Armed Forces. The I Corps Command Honor Guard from Ft. Lewis will also be part of pregame ceremonies to pay homage to the five branches of the military and the Washington National Guard.

Click below to check out how the military jersey will look:

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