Articles by Steven Gilchrist

O n October 28, 1986, the U.S. Congress authorized the American Battle Monuments Commission to create a memorial in honor of veterans of the Korean War.   World War II veteran Frank Gaylord and Louis Nelson were chosen as the principal sculptors of the memorial which is located in Washington, D.C.   On July 27, 1995, The Korean War Veterans Memorial was dedicated by President Bill Clinton and Kim Young Sam – President of the Republic of Korea. The Memorial pays tribute to the men and women who served during the Korean conflict from 1950 to 1953.   Often referred to as “the forgotten war,” the Korean War brought together military forces from the United States, South Korea, and the United Nations against forces from North Korea, China, and the Soviet Union.   By the end of the war, 1.5 million American service members served in the Korean War.   131 service members received the Congressional Medal of Honor – the nation’s highest military honor. The memo...

E very four years the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) creates a comprehensive assessment of America’s infrastructure.   The evaluation, known as the ASCE’s Report Card for America’s Infrastructure , includes ratings of 16 infrastructure categories.   Each category was rated on the following eight criteria: capacity, condition, funding, future need, operation/maintenance, public safety, resilience, and innovation.   The most recent Report Card, for 2013, rated America’s overall infrastructure as a D+. Although the United States is the world’s only superpower, America is currently faced with several infrastructure challenges.   The ASCE Report Card shows that more investment (from local, state, and the federal government and from the private sector) is needed in order to maintain and upgrade America’s infrastructure.   A stable infrastructure is essential to sustaining a healthy economy.   A reliable and modern infrastructure also connects p...

I n June, Colombian citizens re-elected President Juan Manuel Santos, 62.   Since 2000, the United States has given Colombia approximately $10 billion in order to reduce the cocaine trade and fight against illegally armed rebel groups such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN).   More than 90% of the cocaine in America comes from Colombia.   Over the past 50 years, Colombia has been embroiled in a civil war that has cost the lives of more than 220,000 people.   The conflict has also internally displaced three million people. President Santos, who is allies with the Obama administration, has pledged to enact a peace process with the leftist rebels that will attempt to bring the 50-year conflict to an end.   Hopefully, Santos’ pledge for peace and the significant U.S. financial and political investment will lead to a peaceful resolution. Facts about Colombia: Population: 46,245,297 (July 2014) Area...

T he South American nation of Chile is the world’s largest producer of copper.   In the 1990’s, Chile had Latin America’s fastest growing economy.   At the present time, Chile is one of South America’s most economically stable and prosperous nations.   Despite Chile’s economic stability, the multi-ethnic nation faces its share of domestic challenges. Last December, Michelle Bachelet won 62% of the vote in Chile’s presidential election.   On March 12, 2014, Bachelet assumed office.   This is the second time Bachelet has served as the president of Chile.   Under Chile’s constitution elected presidents cannot seek a second consecutive term in office.   In January 2006, Bachelet was elected Chile’s first woman president.   Bachelet, a former pediatrician and United Nations leader has vowed to improve the country’s education and health care systems and reduce income inequality. From 1973 to 1990, Chile was governed by Army General Augusto Pinoche...

T he federal government’s most recent National Bridge Inventory report indicated that there are thousands of bridges nationwide that are in need of repair.   Of the 607,380 bridges that were examined in the survey, 65,605 were categorized as “structurally deficient” and 20,808 were determined to be at risk of developing a fracture in a crucial component or “fracture critical.”   A total of 7,795 bridges were classified as both structurally deficient and fracture critical.      A bridge is characterized as being fracture critical when it lacks redundant protections and is at risk of collapse if only one component fails.   Structurally deficient bridges are in need of rehabilitation or replacement because at least one major component of the bridge has advanced deterioration.   A large number of fracture critical bridges were built during the 1950s to 1970s during construction of the interstate highway system.   During this era, construction...

S ince November 2013, Ukraine – a former Soviet republic has experienced political turmoil. The social unrest is the result of ousted Ukrainian President Viktor F. Yanukovych’s decision to reject a trade deal with the European Union.   Instead, Yanukovych chose closer economic ties with Russia.   Yanukovych’s decision to increase Ukraine’s economic relationship with Russia instead of the EU has infuriated millions of Ukrainians. Consequently, thousands of protesters have stormed Independence Square in the Ukrainian capital city of Kiev.   The clashes between Ukrainian government security forces and protesters have led to hundreds of injuries and over 75 deaths. In 1991, Ukraine gained its independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union.   In terms of land area, Ukraine is the second largest country in Europe.   Ukraine depends heavily on Russia to supply the country’s energy needs.   Now that the Russian military is taking a more active role in su...

I n November 2013, the Maldives elected Yaamin Abdul Gayoom as its new president.   Gayoom is the brother of former Maldives president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who was president of the island nation for 30 years.   Yaamin Abdul Gayoom received 51.4 percent of the total vote defeating Mohamed Nasheed – the first democratically elected leader in the nation’s history.   With a population of nearly 400,000 people, the Maldives is the smallest country in Asia in terms of population and land area.   The island is composed of over 1,200 islands located in the Indian Ocean.   Most of the islands are uninhabited.   In 2004, several islands were badly damaged from a devastating tsunami.   The Maldives economy depends on fisheries and tourism.   Moving forward, two of the greatest challenges for the Maldives are rising sea levels and the potential of the government falling back into authoritarian rule. Facts about the Maldives: Capital: Male Major La...