When I find myself overloaded with the crap coming out of DC and/or the progressives’ trough, I go through my email updates from the Armed Forces.  It always makes me feel better about this country knowing there are so many young and not-so-young Americans doing amazing and very good things ~ because it’s what they do.

Here are a couple articles:

Face of Defense: Vietnam Vet to Return from Iraq Duty

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Christopher DeHart
12th Combat Aviation Brigade

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq, April 16, 2010 - It’s a heady résumé: war hero, veteran pilot, commercial pilot, safety officer, father, grandfather, husband - and most recently - projects officer. With such an extensive list of credentials to his name, one would expect this soldier to be incredibly busy.

However, while Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 William R. Halevy stays busy with his job, he never fails to have time for a smile and a friendly greeting to anyone who crosses his path, seemingly the nicest guy you could meet.

Halevy, who calls Jeffersonton, Va., home, is the Headquarters Company, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, project manager, and he’s preparing to redeploy from his tour in Iraq.

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Africom Helps Nations Build Secure Future

By Judith Snyderman
Emerging Media, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, April 8, 2010 - Supporting the work of African nations in creating African solutions for African challenges is the mission of the newest U.S. unified command, a senior official of the command said yesterday.

Navy Vice Adm. Robert T. Moeller, deputy for military operations at U.S. Africa Command, explained what the command does — and what it does not do — in a “DoD Live” bloggers roundtable.

“We do not lead or create policy,” Moeller said. “Our programs are designed to respond to what our African partners have asked us to do.” African nations want to provide for their own security, he added, but they welcome help in building strong, effective and professional forces.

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Gen. McChrystal Awards Four Silver Stars for Valor

NANGARHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan –

U.S. Army Capt. Christopher B. Cordova, from Mechanicsville, Md., with Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, Task Force Destroyer

U.S. Army 1st Lt. Andrew L. Bundermann, from Bovey, Minn., with Troop B, 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, Task Force Destroyer,

U.S. Army Sgt. Thomas C. Rasmussen, from Mound, Minn., with Troop B, 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, Task Force Destroyer

U.S. Army Capt. Christopher B. Cordova, from Mechanicsville, Md., with Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, Task Force Destroyer

And from Troop Scoop:

PAKTYA PROVINCE – A shocked group of insurgents looked up from the grounds of their supposed “safe house” to see a pair of twin-rotor CH-47 Chinook helicopters bearing down on them.

“The enemy were completely surprised by our air assault,” said C Co spokesman 2nd Lt. Mark Fazio. “As the aircraft landed we could see them drop their weapons and run away as fast as they could.” The “cordon and search” mission was conducted in response to Soldiers from the 3-172nd INF and the ANA collecting intel centering around an insurgents’ safe house and logistical staging point, Fazio said.

During the mission Soldiers captured the largest weapons cache in the district in 3 years, Fazio said. The co. was also the 1st unit in the bn to capture a foreign fighter.
“This was a great opportunity for our co. to be part of history, and to showcase our abilities and versatility in combat,” said Capt. Daniel Newman, Co. C cmdr.

Read the rest here.

Never fails ~ I always feel better after reading these articles.

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Two stories came to my attention today.  Two stories about our Fallen that show in stunning clarity the disconnect between those who wear civvies and those who love those who wear camis:

Supper With a Hero

(from The Thunder Run)

As an Army wife, you quickly learn that living in on post military housing is always an opportunity to learn.  My 8 year old neighbor and military child Katherine Birdsong was at our house admiring our Christmas Tree with our son John Jr.  I was busy in the kitchen preparing supper when I heard her say, “and tonight we will be eating supper with a hero.”  I smiled as I thought about her Dad, LTC Birdsong with Task Force Lightening, returning today along with the rest of his unit. Then I realized that due to a delay the soldiers would not be home til after midnight. What hero I thought to myself?  I hadn’t heard on the news or paper about any hero’s coming to our post.

So I popped my head in the living room and asked her, “so I hear your eating with a hero tonight. Who is it?”

Katherine stood up with the twinkling of Christmas Tree lights behind her, clasped her hands together and then asked “Ms Murray do you know

SPC Harris?”  Before I could answer she looked down and said in a solemn voice, “he was a soldier with my Dad. But he won’t be coming home tonight. He died in Afghanistan.”   Silence filled the air. Katherine said, “tonight after midnight my Dad comes home and all the other soldiers come home but SPC Harris isn’t.” I could feel the tears began to fill my eyes and the large lump in my throat.

“SPC Harris’s family is coming over to eat supper with our family.” “So you’re having supper with a hero’s family but the hero won’t be there.”  I said thinking she had just made a grammatical error.

Katherine shook her head again firmly and said with all earnest, “He will be there. We may not see him with our eyes  but he  will be there. SPC Harris’ mom, brother and little girl will be eating with us. They are all a part of him so you see he will be there.” Sometimes, I thought to myself we don’t realize the depth of children’s wisdom.

I asked Katherine what her mother was preparing for supper. She smiled and said, “chicken soup.”  I thought this was odd choice to have for supper with company coming. Chicken soup?” I questioned. Katherine’s mom, Lisa Birdsong, is known for her great dishes, but chicken soup?

It seemed ……….well………..so plain.   “Yes, chicken soup.”  Katherine noted the questioning look on my face.

“Ms Murray you know when you are sick and medicine doesn’t make you better, and even your sister letting you play her games doesn’t make you better?  Well when I feel this way my Mom makes chicken soup to make me feel better. Tonight SPC Harris’ family will be really sad when they see my Daddy coming home and all the other soldiers.  So my Mom is making chicken soup to maybe make them feel not so sad.” I smiled at this logic.

Then realizing the time Katherine said good bye to John Jr and me ………….off to eat supper with a hero I thought as I looked out my kitchen window.

Later that night I told my husband about the conversation that had taken place. John reminded me of part of the Soldier’s Creed, “never leave a fallen comrade.”  How sometimes that people think that it means turning around on a PT run to help a soldier catch up or not leaving a soldier on the battlefield.  It is much more than that.  It is never leaving that fallen comrades memory behind either.

Submitted by Ingrid Murray

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The Flag at Half Mast - Letter from AWV Member Marikay Satryano

(from  American Women Veterans’s Notes)

Interesting point for all the female and male Veterans who are attending state schools. I am spending my hard earned benefits attending a community college in NY. Whenever a soldier from the state of NY, either a Native or someone stationed here, is KIA, the Govenor of NY sends a message to all state institutions to lower the flag to half mast for one day. His/her name, hometown, unit and where/when killed is part of the emailed message that is sent to NY institutions. It’s sent to the colleges, the colleges send it to the faculty.
Stop.

I’ve attended my college for one year: the flag has flown at half mast, woefully, many times. I asked, “For whom is it lowered?” and have received the dumb down version of the Governor-to-NY institutions process. “Yes, I understand this. But WHO died?” The response from administrators is “Some soldier,” on a good day, ” I deleted the email,” on another, or usually, “I don’t know.”

When I asked the college community relations director if he could simply post the message from the governor on the school’s website, in a discreet yet honorable place, his response was “It’s not relevant.”

So, it appears that in the USA we now not only have one singular but rather many memorials to The Unknown Soldier.

Sad.

The flag is lowered for a person we know has a name, a family, a hometown but in this information age, his/her name remains “unknown”.

Sad.

The administration kept directing my inquiry to “why don’t you form a Veteran’s group, get petitions, put it out on your own facebook page, etc, etc.” When, with simply a one sentence memo from the president of the college, which receives over 200 veteran’s tuition benefits the identification of our fallen brother and sister would be known.

They would rather make it a “niche” group’s little pet project. It is not simply MY interest as a Veteran to know my brother and sister in arms name. It is everyone who enjoys the benefits of living in our country’s INTEREST.

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When such a small percentage of our citizenry (about 1%) step up to do a job so many won’t or can’t do, seems to me we could at least know the name of the Warrior for whom our flag is at half mast.

These Soldiers, Marines, Airmen and Sailors are not just a number on the nightly news.  No.  They have names.  They are also someone’s son, daughter, wife, husband, mother, father, niece, nephew, cousin, grandson, granddaughter and friend.

It’s way past time for us to get to know more about those who wear the uniform of these United States.  This Administration is not Military friendly, no matter how many lunches Mrs. I Won has lunch with Military wives.  The media pants after the anti-war, anti-military idiots when ever they gather to protest but has little time for those of us who love, support and believe in the mission of those in uniform.  Apparently, what we have to say in our pride for our kids, spouses, relatives or friends doesn’t fit their agenda and isn’t worth a minute’s airtime.

Call a Soldier a “baby-killer“?  Front page accolades.

Call a Marine a “murderer“?  Instant interview shown on all news stations over and over again.

Call a Soldier, Marine, Airman, Sailor or Coastie a Hero?   Welcome to the sound of silence.

After 9 years of war, there are those wearing the uniform who still think America doesn’t give a s#@t.  (Thank you, media…)

Our Military has been under attack by the (now professional) anti-war protesters since the Vietnam War.  Now those same folks are in the House, the Senate and the Supreme Court ~ and their acolytes are in the White House.

If your local government is flying the flag at half mast, do you even know why?

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I have had it with these nitpicky and so easily offended people who don’t seem to be capable of understanding our Constitution.

And that goes for those sitting on the Supreme Court Bench too.   5 - 4 ruling? It should have been 9 - 0.

But what can one expect from activist judges?

Mojave Cross can stay on display in California

The justices didn’t rule technically on the constitutional issue of whether the cross constitutes an establishment of religion. However, they declined to rule that the cross was a First Amendment violation, as asked, and the majority justices’ language indicate a more benign view of religion expression on public lands.

Instead, the justices sent the case, Salazar v. Buono, back to a lower federal court and told the judge to look again at how the constitutional issues are affected by a congressional plan to transfer the federal land beneath the 8-foot cross to a veterans group. Lower federal courts had said the transfer was insufficient, a finding the justices implicitly rebuked.

Read it all here.

Too bad the ACLU can’t find something else to spend their time on - like the ongoing government takeover of every aspect of our lives with all their regulations and mandatory this and that.

These people need a course on the concept of Liberty and a course in this country’s founding history.

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Our soon-to-be born li’l Soldier is taking this unwritten military law to heart.

He seems to be showing signs of being just as stubborn as his Mom and Dad!

Heh.

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This Post Was Suggested By Mark Bell

Capt. Ed W. Freeman
November 20, 1927 - August 20, 2008

For The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Captain Ed W. Freeman, United States Army, for numerous acts of conspicuous gallantry and extraordinary intrepidity on 14 November 1965 while serving with Company A, 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), action against enemy aggressor forces at LZ X-Ray, Ia Drang Valley, Republic of Vietnam, on 14 November 1965 As a flight leader and second in command of a 16-helicopter lift unit, he supported a heavily engaged American infantry battalion at Landing Zone X-Ray in the Ia Drang Valley, Republic of Vietnam. The infantry unit was almost out of ammunition after taking some of the heaviest casualties of the war, fighting off a relentless attack from a highly motivated, heavily armed enemy force. When the infantry commander closed the helicopter landing zone due to intense direct enemy fire, Captain Freeman risked his own life by flying his unarmed helicopter through a gauntlet of enemy fire time after time, delivering critically needed ammunition, water, and medical supplies to the besieged battalion. His flights had a direct impact on the battle’s outcome by providing the engaged units with timely supplies of ammunition critical to their survival, without which they would almost surely have experienced a much greater loss of life. After medical evacuation helicopters refused to fly into the area due to intense enemy fire, Captain Freeman flew 14 separate rescue missions, providing life-saving evacuation of an estimated 30 seriously wounded soldiers — some of whom would not have survived had he not acted. All flights were made into a small emergency landing zone within 100 to 200 meters of the defensive perimeter where heavily committed units were perilously holding off the attacking elements. Captain Freeman’s selfless acts of great valor, extraordinary perseverance, and intrepidity were far above and beyond the call of duty or mission and set a superb example of leadership and courage for all of his peers. Captain Freeman’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

In 2002, Capt. Ed “Too Tall” Freeman was portrayed by actor Mark McCraken in the movie “We Were Soldiers”. Capt. Freeman passed away in 2008 due to complications of Parkinson’s.

Here is a great article on Capt. Freeman and his award ceremony.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

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You are an American.  Act like it.  (This does not include certain adopting European ideologies.  We fought a war to get away from those.)

You run under a certain party.  Know the principles and mission statement of that party and stick to them.

Start by listening to the people whose votes you are after.  HEAR what they have to say. And remember.

If you’re running only to feather your nest, don’t.

This country was founded on Liberty and Individualism.  We are committed to keeping ours.  You should be also.  Think long and hard on that.

You’ll take an oath to defend the Constitution.  Do it.

Remember also ~ you were hired.  You can be fired.

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The Senate confirmed Lael Brainard as the Treasury Department’s under secretary for international affairs. Her nomination had been held up over concerns that she allegedly failed to pay property taxes on time.

That’s the least of my problems with her:  from WhoRunsGov.com

In February 2009, Brainard coauthored a report titled “Strengthening American Competitiveness: Regaining Our Competitive Edge” that suggested four ways to maintain U.S. economic strength. (Bordoff, Jason; Brainard, Lael; McGiffert, Carola and Sorkin, Isaac, “Strengthening American Competitiveness: Regaining Our Competitive Edge,” The Brookings Institution, February 2009⁽³⁾Bordoff, Jason; Brainard, Lael; McGiffert, Carola and Sorkin, Isaac, “Strengthening American Competitiveness: Regaining Our Competitive Edge,” The Brookings Institution, February 2009) The proposals included investing in infrastructure, people, ideas and green transformation. Some of Brainard’s more specific suggestions included:

1. Expanding access to broadband Internet
2. Providing universal health care
3. Creating incentives, like monetary prizes, for innovative ideas
4. Increasing investment in green technology research and development. (Bordoff, Jason; Brainard, Lael; McGiffert, Carola and Sorkin, Isaac, “Strengthening American Competitiveness: Regaining Our Competitive Edge,” The Brookings Institution, February 2009⁽³⁾Bordoff, Jason; Brainard, Lael; McGiffert, Carola and Sorkin, Isaac, “Strengthening American Competitiveness: Regaining Our Competitive Edge,” The Brookings Institution, February 2009)
   

Oh joy…

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and that it costs so much?

A bill under consideration in the House ~ that is, The People’s House:

IMPROVE Acquisition Act of 2010

Bill # H.R.5013

Original Sponsor:
Robert Andrews (D-NJ 1st)

Cosponsor Total: 10
(last sponsor added 04/21/2010)
6 Democrats
4 Republicans

About This Legislation:

4/14/2010–Introduced.
Implementing Management for Performance and Related Reforms to Obtain Value in Every Acquisition Act of 2010 - Directs the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to ensure that: (1) all elements of the defense acquisition system (DAS) are subject to regular performance assessments to ensure maximum acquisition value; (This isn’t already being done?  WTH?) (2) such assessments are subject to periodic audits; (Good lord, any good business has audits or how else would you know what’s in the books?  Oh, I forgot.) This is the make-work-gov’t.) and (3) assessment results are used in the management of DAS elements. Requires the Secretary to ensure that: (1) DOD develops and implements a program to manage performance in establishing joint military requirements; and (2) each military department establishes a process for identifying, assessing, and approving requirements for the acquisition of services. (Nobody thought of this when they started to acquire weapons?  Can we say no business acumen here?) Directs the Chairman of the Joint Requirements Oversight Council to designate a commander of a unified combatant command to provide a joint evaluation task force to assist in the acquisition of a materiel solution for a joint military requirement. Requires: (1) a review of the DOD acquisition guidance; and (2) revision of the Federal Acquisition Regulation to include appropriate references to services contracting.  (I’m sure the Commanders are going to love this!  Oh Hell, what’s more paperwork?)
Directs the Secretary to use DOD employment authorities to develop and manage a highly skilled professional workforce which ensures that DOD receives the best value for its expenditures. (Ummm, and why hasn’t this already been done?  What was the idea before?  Hire the least skilled and unprofessional workforce?  Sorry again, I forgot for the moment we’re talking gov’t officials here.) Encourages the Secretary to carry out a demonstration project on proposals to improve personnel management policies and procedures applicable to the DOD acquisition workforce. (Who’s to say that the Secretary is up to this?  After all, they are only getting around to acquiring a ” highly skilled and professional workforce.) Requires the Secretary to: (1) provide for an enhanced system of incentives for employees who contribute to the achievement of performance goals; (What? Do they give them a cookie before naptime?) and (2) establish policies and issue guidance to ensure the proper development, assignment, and employment of civilian personnel within such workforce. Provides additional workforce recertification and training requirements. Requires the Secretary to develop and carry out a plan to strengthen that part of the workforce that specializes in information technology.  (I’m stymied here.  These are the basics one starts with when starting any program, company or project.  Good grief, what have they been doing all these decades?  Playing Pick Up Sticks?)
Directs the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) to ensure that any DOD component that has financial statements validated as ready for audit earlier than September 30, 2017, receives preferential treatment in: (1) financial matters, including the release of appropriated funds; and (2) the availability of personnel management incentives. Requires: (1) the Secretary to ensure that corrective measures are immediately taken to address the failure of a DOD component to achieve such a validated financial statement by such date; and (2) a review of DOD obligation and expenditure benchmarks to ensure best value for the government.  (No recess for you if your homework isn’t done!)
Directs the Secretary to establish a program to expand the DOD industrial base to increase access to innovation and the benefits of competition.  (Don’t knock yourself out with this one - there will be no competition in the not so future, future.  This Admin is seeing to that!  Spread the Wealth!  Social justice and all that.)
Requires contractors and grantees of DOD contracts in amounts greater than the simplified acquisition threshold (generally $100,000) to disclose seriously delinquent federal tax debts exceeding $3,000.  (Gee, you all might want to do this with the folks you’re looking at for Cabinet positions too.  Just a thought.)
Directs the Secretary to ensure that any contractor business system review carried out by a military department, defense agency, or DOD field activity: (1) complies with generally accepted government accounting standards; (Ya think!?!) (2) is performed by an audit team that does not engage in any other official activity involving the contractor concerned; (That you actually have to put this in the bill says all that needs to be said about the ethics up there on the Hill) and (3) is performed consistent with a documented assessment of the risk to the federal government.  (Now you want consistency.  What about the risk to the people who’s money you are spending ~  oh, that would be us, by the way.)

Detailed, up-to-date bill status information on H.R.5013.

And a much too large portion of this country wants MORE government??  For god’s sake, why???

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Mr. President,

I am writing today on behalf of Corey Cagett.

I do not understand why the injustice has been done.

As a Soldier myself, I remember being young and following orders. I never was given an order as PFC Cagett was but I do remember following orders I wasn’t sure was right or wrong.

We train our troops to do as they are told. Then when they do this, we punish them. At 19 or 20 years old you only remember what was drilled into your head in Boot Camp. “If you disobey an order, you will receive a Court Martial” , “Conduct unbecoming a United States Soldier” and my favorite, (Imprisonment up to 5 years).

At a young age you do as you are told by your Platoon Sergeant, your NCO, your First Sergeant,  your Commander, and your Commander and Chief. Why? You have been trained to do so no matter what.

Yes you are told, “If an order seems to be unlawful; do not follow it.” Now that opens a whole new can of worms. When we are told this, we are told examples of, “I am ordering you to go rob a bank”, “I am ordering your to wash my car” and things to that nature.

We are NEVER given an example of UNLAWFUL ORDERS in WAR.

This PFC did what he was told and is being punished for following his training. The training he received in the United States Army.

The Platoon Sergeant asked, “Why aren’t they dead yet?” Was he joking? Was he serious? Either way the NCO and his men took it seriously. Why is the higher ranking NCO not being punished? But we are handing down the punishment to the lower enlisted because it is easier to blame them rather than an NCO who has made a career out of the Military. “The lower enlisted do not have that much to lose” is what we are showing by doing this.

When I was in Iraq, if an NCO were to ask that kind of question, I may have done the same thing. Let’s start looking at the Chain of Command before we do something rash.

My opinion……. FREE COREY!

Gregory Anton
U.S. Army
19D/DAV

P.S. You say you are all about the Military and its Veterans, I would like a response. I am a Veteran!

Siwwy Wabbit! Facts are for Milbloggers.

Please read this:

AP account of SEAL’s acquittal a slap in the face to those who serve

SEAL Jonathan Keefe has been cleared, making the second acquittal in the SEAL3 cases. TUSR associate editor Chris Carter covered news about Keefe’s acquittal at BlackFive. We are delighted with the verdicts so far and believe it would be logical for charges against SEAL Matthew McCabe to be dropped. The case has collapsed. Perhaps someone could explain the military justice system to the Associated Press.

Original Post:
by Kay B. Day

I am accustomed to media bias when it comes to the military—there is often a mindset among those who call themselves journalists that makes it impossible to appreciate what our armed forces do for every single one of us.

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Once again my gut is in a tight knot of rage.  So many years of “reporting” about our Military and never getting it straight.  Guess they haven’t been teaching the difference between opining and reporting in journalism schools the past few decades.

Which is why after I read an article from the AP terrorist appeaser, I automatically doublecheck it against what the Milbloggers I’ve trusted for years have to say.  And I usually find a different story than is reported.  Someone’s agenda keeps getting in the way and it’s not the ones who have done the fighting.  See, they are as irritated and pissed off about that big ol’ paintbrush the AP terrorist appeasers most always use to paint our Military as the bad guys.

Too bad they don’t have a class in journalism school on who the good guys actually are ~ but then, that would involve FACTS ~ something the AP terrorist appeasers care so little about.

Now, read this:

Digging deeper into coverage of the Navy SEALs trials

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