The U.S. military needs to get its act together before another accident kills more soldiers or civilians, and we can only hope that President George W. Bush adheres to his plans to refocus our troops and enhance morale in the military.

An astounding three fatal military accidents involving U.S. troops have occurred in just the last five weeks. Investigators have confirmed that 21 people died as a result of those incidents.

On Feb. 9, the USS Greeneville, during a demonstration of a rapid-surfacing maneuver, collided with the Ehime Maru, a Japanese fishing vessel.

Four teen-agers, three crewmen, and two teachers were never found in the wreckage.

On Monday, a U.S. Navy court of inquiry denied Scott Waddle, Greeneville's commander, testimonial immunity as the investigation continues.

Waddle has taken full responsibility for the accident. Two U.S. army helicopters crashed Feb. 13 on the Hawaiian island of Oahu while completing air assault operations. Six soldiers died in the accident. According to the latest Pentagon reports, investigators still cannot determine why the planes collided.

Most recently, a U.S. warplane mistakenly dropped bombs on a Kuwaiti training range March 12, killing five Americans and one soldier from New Zealand.

Although authorities have not officially determine what caused the accident, investigators are examining the possibility of pilot error and also a mistake by an air controller on the ground, who was responsible for marking the target.

Last week, Bush visited Panama City, Fla., to discuss his tax plan, a $1.6 trillion relief package that promises pay hikes and a larger, more distinguished role to all American servicemen.

Bush's program looks promising enough to combat both decreasing morale and inadequate training of the military.

If armed services members receive more money, housing improvements and have their roles redefined to promote an overall better attitude of the service, the benefits will motivate soldiers to do overall better work and improve morale, which can prevent more careless military accidents from happening in the future.

Every time one of these military accidents happen, the United States looks unprepared and also more susceptible for an attack. U.S. officials need to closely monitor the military to ensure it remains strong force in global affairs, which it will if Bush makes good on his promise to rebuild the military and end the Cold War.

With Bush's proposed changes in the tax-relief package, things can only get better for the U.S. military.