US Military Handbook [ iPhone ]

We know that a lot of TUAW readers are either active duty or retired US military personnel, so this iPhone app should be of special importance to our friends in (or out) of uniform.

The US Military Handbook (click opens iTunes) provides detailed information for all of the US Armed Forces, and is constantly updated at information changes. The app is currently on sale for US$9.99, and is worth every penny in terms of the volume of info that it contains in its nearly 24 MB of size. While you should visit the developer's website to see all of the details, here's a sampling of what you can expect:

• Income Matrixes, including active duty base pay, allowances, and sea duty
• Reference materials, including the Code of Conduct, Officer Oaths, Drill and Ceremony Q&A, and even the songs and lyrics for each branch of the services.
• Rank, insiginias, and titles for each branch
• All current ribbons and medals, in order, for each branch
• A list of over one thousand Veterans Administration facilities, including the phone number, address, and a picture of the facility when available (a network connection is required for images and maps to the facilities).

When I mentioned the constant updates earlier, I wasn't kidding -- the app has had 8 updates in the last 4 months. The US Military Handbook also displays the information in a choice of five different color schemes. If you know a current or retired serviceman/woman with an iPhone or iPod touch, let 'em know you appreciate their service to their country by giving them a copy as a gift for Memorial Day.