About Cid Standifer

Cid Standifer is a freelance reporter, web designer and translator. She has written for Stars and Stripes, Military Times, Inside Washington Publishers and the Roswell Daily Record.


Recent Posts By the Author


Sunk, Scrapped or Saved: The Fate of America’s Aircraft Carriers

Sunk, Scrapped or Saved: The Fate of America’s Aircraft Carriers

USS Constellation (CV-64). US Navy Photo

USS Constellation (CV-64). US Navy Photo

American aircraft carriers at their peak are the queens of the high seas, outclassing even America’s nearest peer competitors. They’re the anchors of U.S. seapower, and have a commensurate price tag, costing billions of dollars to build and thousands of sailors to man.

But even the proudest ships outlive their military usefulness — and sometimes they’re barely worth the trouble to tear them down. Read More

Ukraine's Last Ship

Ukraine’s Last Ship

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ODESSA, Ukraine — The flagship of the Ukrainian sea service now sits parked in a commercial port in the picturesque seaside town of Odessa, more known for its nightclubs than its military infrastructure. Next to it floats a handful of tiny coastal boats sporting Ukraine’s colors, blue and yellow.

This is all that’s left of Ukraine’s navy. Read More

Joint Chiefs to Congress: Budget Cuts Will Result in Deaths

Joint Chiefs to Congress: Budget Cuts Will Result in Deaths

Commandant of the Marine Corps General James F. Amos speaks along side Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Admiral Jonathan Greenert before the House Armed Services Committee in 2012. US Navy Photo

Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James F. Amos speaks alongside Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert before the House Armed Services Committee in 2012. US Navy Photo

The Joint Chiefs of Staff made another round of dire warnings about impending sequestration at a hearing Wednesday, this time telling the House Armed Services Committee who may die because of budget problems — and how.
Read More