Veteran's Day 2009

Veteran's Day. Growing up it usually meant a day off from school. And as I got older, I started to learn what it meant to the Veteran most involved in my life...

Dad, home on leave, from the Navy in 1945.

Later I learned what it meant to an uncle...

USAAF 1943 photo - yeah, that award is what you think it is...

Then I made friends with someone who had a double appreciation of the day...

The Inner Prop, getting his due, with BG(ret) Dad along side...

Then I became a brother in arms to one who has an awful lot to remember this day...

CSM Bones being decorated by the French contingent in Afghanistan, 2009.

I rather think I am in good company, yes?

Me, at a FARP in NE Iraq, Fall 2008.

There are so many other veterans I have learned from - my old Explorer Post leader, my boss at my very first part time job while in High School, teachers, co-workers. I like to think I have managed to take a little from all of their experiences and now, our common bond. I would hope all of you could do the same with veterans you know.

One Year Home

Exactly one year ago today, I stumbled off a plane at the Topeka Airport, got on a bus and was hauled to Fort Riley to start demobilizing.

Seems like it wasn't all that long ago.

A Parting Thought for the American Legion

From my non-renewal of membership:

To Post ___,

I shall not be renewing my membership with the Post, or the American Legion. Please remove me from the mailing list.

Should you care for an explanation, I can give two small recollections that stand out in my mind; The first is from 2004, when my wife delivered my membership renewal in person to the Post (I was in Afghanistan at the time) When my wife explained that she was dropping it off, since I was deployed overseas, she got a total response of “Okay, thanks”. The second was when I emailed the Post in 2007 to mention that I would once again be gone for a year or more (this time deploying to Iraq) – I received a total response of “Okay, good luck”.

If this is the support a Legionnaire can expect while at war …

Am I sleeping??

Meet the People Who Were Passed Over for President Obama's virtual award. There is a price he is expected to pay for this. Wait and see.

Sima Samar, women's rights activist in Afghanistan: "With dogged persistence and at great personal risk, she kept her schools and clinics open in Afghanistan even during the most repressive days of the Taliban regime, whose laws prohibited the education of girls past the age of eight. When the Taliban fell, Samar returned to Kabul and accepted the post of Minister for Women's Affairs."

Ingrid Betancourt: French-Colombian ex-hostage held for six years.

Dr. Denis Mukwege: Doctor, founder and head of Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo. He has dedicated his life to helping Congolese women and girls who are victims of gang rape and brutal sexual violence."

Handicap International and Cluster Munition Coalition: "These organizations are recognized for their consistently serious efforts to clean up cluster bombs, also known as land mines. Innocent civilians are regularly killed worldwide because the unseen bombs explode when stepped upon.

Hu Jia, a human rights activist and an outspoken critic of the Chinese government, who was sentenced last year to a three-and-a-half-year prison term for 'inciting subversion of state power.

Wei Jingsheng, who spent 17 years in Chinese prisons for urging reforms of China's communist system. He now lives in the United States."

Awarded for "Potential" not "Accomplishment"

Fallen Warriors TF Phoenix VIII/33rd IBCT Final Salute

Golden Cross!

33rd IBCT End of Mission Video for TF Phoenix VIII

Tell me what you think.

Golden Cross!!

Fifth Star - DENIED!

I am very sad to here this story. I was hoping that my city could showcase itself and provide another image beside Al Capone etc.

I'll be really interested to hear WHY we were voted out in the first round.

Cthulhu Sighting At Illini6!

Guess what washed up at Illini6, another spawn of Cthulhu Month!

This is the third year that Inner Prop is posting a Cthulhu image a day during October.

Why not come join the fun, and if you have a Cthulhu image let him know and maybe he'll post it, if it is safe for humanity to know.

Inner Prop is also conveying a story that he's been keeping to himself for four years now. It's about something that happened while deployed to LA after Hurricane Katrina. LTC John can attest to some of the story's veracity, but no body has ever heard the whole story, before now.

BTW, why is Inner Prop writing in the third person, and would someone please help the poor man in the photo. That spawn of Cthulhu has clearly seized him by the hands and intends to do him harm. Help him someone!

A recommendation

Tempus 42 recommended I see whatever I could of the Flight of the Conchords. Be damned if he wasn't right on target.

I happen to appreciate many things from New Zealand - this bunch (Bret, Jemaine and Murray) just happens to be the latest. If the idea of "New Zealand's #4 folk novelty band" moving to New York to try and make it big appeals to your sense of humor - check it out.

Oh, and they have some of their music on 2 different CDs too...

I guess it really is the WORLD WIDE Web

When you look at your last 100 visitors and see Mongolia, Nepal, Australia, India....Europe, the Middle East, Scandinavia, Britain, North America... wow. I hope they weren't all spammers, heh.

Want to see some happy people?

The welcome home for CSM Bones and Friends (the HQ of the 33rd Brigade Combat Team):

Leadership

After two tours in Afghanistan and watching our Soldiers fight and sacrifice all alongside our Afghan partners, now I am told that that we really have no strategy from my Commander's administration. Listen to the General you appointed last spring. Give your Leaders in the Field and the Afghans we have promised to help what they need.

Watch this video of Krauthammer discussing the lack of real interest from the White House for anything besides Letterman at this moment

Never Again or "Service and Rememberance"?

I heard a brief soundbite of the President proclaiming today the first "National Day of Service and Rememberance" for today. The idea appears to be to catch the coming together spirit and harness it for ... something good, I guess.

I am sure some are quite angry that this day is appearing to be co-opted to turn into something other than what (especially the families of those who died that day) it has been. I think this, unintentionally dilutes the real meaning of 9-11-01.

I think it should be more about "Never Again".

Old Boy's Rugby

The two dashing second row for the Illinois Men's Rugby Football Club Old Boy's... well, two of us anyways. We didn't do badly [we managed to beat the current University Club side] and my only harm of note was wholly earned on my part - I did not get away from a ball quick enough and was encouraged to do so by a player from the other team stomping on my left wrist. I did leave quite quickly after that. No major harm, and I deserved it.

Oh, and yes, I do feel a bit, um, not as flexible today.

DoD vs EMAC?

This little article from The Hill got me to thinking. Are the Governors right to be skeptical?

I am quite sure these folks would say "@#$% yes!"

I have to be very careful when I look at my past experience with Domestic emergencies - it was lousy and embittering. Well, I should say Katrina was, the Mississippi Floods of 1993 were not.

The Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) is an agreement between States (and DC, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands and Guam) to provide assistance to each other - National Guard, police, and the like. It covers Command and Control, reimbursement and liability issues. It was blessed off on by Congress in Public Law 104-321, October 1996.The Governors feel they have a proper framework in place and the DoD is nosing in where it is not needed.

Anyways, I think the Governors are very correct to be cautious - they have learned the hard way, and through the EMAC, they have the means to get the help they need. I'd have to be convinced that this really is necessary. Anyone care to do so?

[crossposted at Milblogs]

If you happen to be in Phoenix, in October

Perhaps you could go see this show.

For more info on the group, see here.