WTF Over

Veterans Day

2010-11-10T13:04:00.001-05:00

A great Breakdown of what Veterans Day should be from The Sandgram.

Happy Birthday Marines!

2010-11-10T12:46:00.002-05:00

Mothers that make Marines

2010-11-09T22:14:00.002-05:00

November 10, 1775 is a date that many Americans do not recognize as an important date in our history. On this date, a committee of the Continental Congress met at Tun Tavern, in Philadelphia Pennsylvania, to draft a resolution calling for two battalions of Marines able to fight for independence at sea and on shore. Without this branch of our military, our history would be significantly different. The Marine Corps has fought in every corner of the world and in every major war since its inception. It is an organization steeped in heritage and the traditions of those Marines that have fought and died throughout the decades.

From the age of 17 to the age of 22, I was lucky enough to be an active part of this excellent organization. It was only a wonder that I ended up in the Marine Corps. I grew up in the home of a wonderful woman who openly displayed her patriotism for all to see. My mother loved America so much that her favorite colors were Red, White, and Blue. She had Americana throughout our entire house, and strongly cherished the freedoms that we enjoy in America.

Although I was lucky enough to be a “peacetime” Marine, I had the same training as “wartime” Marines. All Marines undergo the same 13 week boot camp where they are trained in weapons, drill, regulations, martial arts, PT, Marine Corps History, and Marine Corps values.

The Marines boil down all of their history and tradition into their core values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment. These are the foundation of a life spent protecting those that are too weak to defend themselves. As the Ned Dolan quote states, “Freedom is not free, but the U.S. Marine Corps will pay most of your share.”

Honor describes the levels of personal integrity a Marine must adhere to.

Courage is at the core of a Marines’ willingness to do the right thing, even though it isn’t the easy thing, and of course, their courage in battle.

Commitment to country and Corps drives Marines to achieve their best.

Almost 4 weeks before the Marine Corps 235^th Birthday, on October 14^th, my Mom passed away. On that day, the person who helped shape the direction of my life more than anyone else was taken from those she loved.

Honor, Courage, and Commitment are values that I learned to define in boot camp, but after the loss of my Mom this year, I realize that these are values that she has lived by my entire life.

My Mom set the example for me where honor is concerned. She took responsibility for everything that happened in her life and expected others to do the same. She always strived to do the right thing, and there were consequences if I didn’t choose to do the same.

Courage was something she was known for. It didn’t matter if you were the president of the United States, if you did something wrong in front of my Mom, you were going to hear about it. She faced uncountable difficult times, and persevered, which set an example for me to live by.

Commitment is a trait of my Mom’s that I am very proud of. She was completely dedicated to making me a successful person. She worked whenever she needed to, and as many jobs as she needed to, in order to make ends meet. She ensured that I took on many responsibilities at a young age, that I always knew the difference between right and wrong, and what was expected of me.

On November 10^th of this year, I would not only like to thank my fellow Marines, but also my Mother, and all of those parents like her, who make young men that are strong enough to earn the title of Marine. Without them, the Marine Corps would be a very different organization, just as America would be different without the Corps.

Happy Birthday Marines

Thank you,

Rob Gibson, Sgt USMC

Achmed the Dead Terrorist Joins the Marines

2010-02-10T00:11:00.001-05:00

Just found this and thought it would be a good follow up to my first Achmed post. Enjoy

The Gift of Valor

2010-01-18T19:18:00.003-05:00

It has been a long time since I posted anything, so I thought now would be a good time.

I just finished reading, The Gift of Valor by Michael M. Phillips. It is such a powerful book about the life and death of a true American hero, Jason Dunham.

I was told of this book by a friend of mine. He was a close friend of Jason's, and after reading the book, I can see why. Jason was an extraordinary person who cared deeply for the Marines around him. Jason's final selfless act was to jump on a grenade during an altercation with an Iraqi insurgent. The book covers many aspects of Jason's life in great detail, including the journey he took after the grenade attack.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone, even if they never served in the military. It is not only the story of Jason's life, but also of the lives he touched. Michael M. Phillips expands the circle of lives that Jason touched with this book.

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-26T12:25:00.002-05:00

Just ran across this at Blackfive.net (haven't been there or updated my milblog in a looooong time).
I thoroughly enjoyed this post and wanted to share it with you all.
Happy Thanksgiving

Posted By Laughing_Wolf
Given that I may be offline for a few days, I wanted to take this chance to say, and to wish to you and yours a, Happy Thanksgiving.

There is much to be thankful for in my life, and in the world. For all that is bad, there is so much more good. Jenny and I have a roof over our head, a warm place to lay those heads, good friends, a huge number of people we know and enjoy, and we live in a country that is probably the most free -- and in my not so humble opinion -- the best in the world. Perfect, no. Best, yes.

We've just had a major regime change without violence or permanent consequences for the loser. Think on that a few minutes, and reflect on how rare that is in the world. Think on the freedoms we enjoy, and, yes, the price of freedom is eternal vigilance and the blood of patriots. For now, I simply give thanks for the freedoms we have, and that we have people who are vigilant and who are willing to pay the price for us all.

Think of the blessings and bounty we have Thanksgiving Day, and give thanks. There will be time enough later to naysay and worry about the future. For the day, live in the present and give thanks for all that is good and right in our lives.

May you and yours enjoy the bounty and blessings of the day, and have a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving.
LW

Link:
Happy Thanksgiving
http://www.blackfive.net/main/2008/11/happy-thanksgiv.html

Marines Prosecuted in Civilian Court

2008-08-18T08:33:00.004-04:00

Browsing Foxnews this morning I came across this article about a Marine (Jose Luis Nazario Jr.) being tried in civilian court for a war crime. Sgt. Gibby has a real issue with this. This can not continue. Most civilians have no idea what it is like in a war zone situation. We have an entire department in the military to prosecute this type of thing. If this is allowed, it will explode into many other cases being thrown into civilian court for political purposes; not to prosecute this in civilian court, but to further political gain.

As it was stated in the parent story:

"This boils down to one thing in my mind: Are we going to allow civilian juries to Monday-morning-quarterback military decisions?" said Nazario's attorney, Kevin McDermott.

This is the history of the law:

The Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act law was written in 2000 and amended in 2004 primarily to prosecute civilian contractors who commit crimes while working for the U.S. overseas. One of the authors contends prosecuting former military personnel was "not the motivation."

Nazario is the first military service member who has completed his duty to be brought to trial under a law that allows the government to prosecute defense contractors, military dependents and those no longer in the military who commit crimes outside the United States.

I understand amending laws if we need to bridge a gap, but put the war crimes trials where they belong which is back into Military courts.
Check out the Full story here.

*****Update, there is a much more detailed account of what happened with this case at WSJ.com. *****

*****Update 2, Yet another update about the acquittal of Jose Nazario from the WSJ:
WSJ

Ex-Marine Acquitted of Manslaughter Charges
By Nicholas Casey

A former Marine accused of killing unarmed Iraqis was acquitted Thursday of voluntary manslaughter charges in a closely watched test of recent law that broadened the powers of federal courts.
Jose Luis Nazario, 28 years old, had been charged under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act, a law passed in 2000 that extended the jurisdiction of federal courts ...

More About the Military and Drinking

2008-08-13T07:07:00.003-04:00

I came across this article about troops being prone to drink, and I thought, "Oh great, here we go." I am tired of hearing about people in the military drinking more than their civilian counterparts. My totally unfounded belief is that this excessive drinking is attributed more to the mindset of those that served in the military being more geared towards taking risks.
But wait there is a twist.
I actually read through the story and was surprised that it was based on a study of National Guard and Reserve troops only, and that those NG and Reserve troops that had been deployed had a 60 percent higher occurrence of developing binge drinking problems than their counterparts who had not been deployed.
Well now, that sounds like good info to know. I am glad that someone is doing these studies so we can get these troops help.
I do, however get a bit frustrated at seeing only these negative stories about military service, and it's effects, in the news. The studies need to be done to help those that need mental counseling to reconcile the issues they have, no doubt about it. However, when was the last time we picked up a paper and saw an article about how the military turned someone's life around. You have to look at special news sources for these kinds of stories, (i.e. Stars and Stripes, Milblogs).
I realize that have been guilty of this a bit as well. After my last couple of posts, I got an e-mail from former squid Mario asking if I could post a more upbeat article or two. He was right, and trust me I have been looking, but they are hard to find. I will try to get a couple of more "positive" articles up with the others when I come across them. Don't be shy in sending me some that you come across. Until then, read the article mentioned above. Semper Fi

George Carlin

2008-06-23T16:32:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite people of all time died yesterday. George Carlin was called a "comedian", but he was more of a philosopher using comedy to make people re-evaluate their thought processes and outlook on society. If you spend 15 minutes today on the internet, make sure it is over at you tube watching some George Carlin clips. One of my favorites is his outlook on
saving the planet.

Man Beats 2 Year Old Son to Death and Bystanders Don't Intervene

2008-06-20T11:58:00.003-04:00

I cannot explain my feelings on this issue any better than Uncle Jimbo does over at Blackfive.net in his post, so I will just add this link for you to follow. WTF is right!
Wolves, Sheep & ?

Haditha Marine prepares to sue Murtha over smear

2008-06-19T11:05:00.003-04:00

I just saw an article that makes me very happy over at World Net Daily. Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani , who was recently acquitted of charges against him for the Haditha incident (Haditha Massacre to some) might be suing John Murtha for the statements he made about the Marines involved. Good for him! For those of you that have forgotten our beloved Congressman's statements let me refresh your memory:

(During) a May 17, 2006, news conference by Murtha. The congressman announced he had been told by the highest levels of the Marine Corps there was no firefight and Marines "killed innocent civilians in cold blood."

None of the cases against these accused Marines had even stared yet, and here is Murtha, a former Marine himself, throwing them under the bus. Of course this was during election time, and as stated in the WND story by Brian Rooney, Chessani's lawyer, "He was vying for a leadership position, and if he had to throw some Marines under the bus to do so, that was the cost of power for him."

Murtha had no business saying what he did before the investigations started and deserves to be sued for libel and defamation.

Another point to note is what Rooney said about the reporting of this story.

He noted the New York Times featured the case on the front page when it was being compared by war critics to the infamous My Lai massacre in Vietnam. But now, with evidence the Haditha accusations were a smear, the story has been relegated to the back pages.

There are several media outlets who headlined the originalstory, and are now side-noting the acquittals.

I will close this with another of Rooney's statements:

He hopes soon politicians will weigh in on the case in support of Chessani and the others.

"I would think all politicians, especially politicians that have military records, should say something about this case," he said.

"In a horrible and very complex environment, when you have an enemy that's using women and children as shields, you should always give the benefit of the doubt to the Marine or soldier," said Rooney. "You should never bring him back and put him in front of a court martial."

Absolutely correct. We have to support our service members, especially in a volunteer military. They signed up to help, at least let the investigations and trials take place before throwing them under the bus.

Write your politicians who are prior service members and urge them to speak out.

Marine's Narrow Escape From Death

2008-05-19T22:26:00.002-04:00

Dramatic photos show a Marine's narrow escape from death Sunday while facing insurgent gunfire in Afghanistan. Go check em out here. All I can say is WOW!

WARRIORS... in their own words

2008-05-08T07:53:00.003-04:00

I just saw a trailer for what appears to be an amazing movie. This is a military movie that is told by those who served. Who better to tell the stories than those that lived it.

Their mission, according to their website is:

Our Mission is to Honor Our Warriors

and to raise funding through our documentary, portrait book and exhibit --

to aid wounded service members, their families, and the families of the fatally wounded.

The creators are working with freedomisnotfree.com to help wounded service members and their families, as well as the families of the fatally wounded. Let's support them in this mission.

2nd woman to receive Silver Star since WWII

2008-03-11T09:07:00.002-04:00

There is a great story on Army Spc. Monica Lin Brown over at the Daily Herald's (Chicago) website. Click here.

After the explosion, which wounded five soldiers in her unit, Brown ran through insurgent gunfire and used her body to shield wounded comrades as mortars fell less than 100 yards away, the military said.

"I did not really think about anything except for getting the guys to a safer location and getting them taken care of and getting them out of there," Brown told The Associated Press on Saturday at a U.S. base in the eastern province of Khost.

She is a true American hero.

There are no WMD's in Iraq, Chuck Norris lives in Oklahoma

2008-03-11T09:03:00.002-04:00

More support from one of the great ones. Click here to read more about Chuck Norris' recent visit to our troops.

Jeff Dunham and Achmed the Dead Terrorist

2007-12-23T11:16:00.000-05:00

Just saw this over at Blackfive.net, too funny.

Celebrities Thank Troops as USO Tour Ends

2007-12-23T10:55:00.000-05:00

A very nice change of pace from the normal war bashing efforts of celebrities.

Celebrities Thank Troops as USO Tour Ends

General Peter Pace

2007-12-21T14:02:00.000-05:00

I just recieved this from a friend and thought it would be great to share these inspirational words this close to Christmas, enjoy.

Pace Details Lessons He Learned From Young Marines
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press ServiceMINEOLA, N.Y., Sept. 19, 2007 –
The reason the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff visited Chaminade High School here was on the wall as he entered the building today: a simple plaque with the names of graduates killed in combat. Midway down the list of 55 Chaminade graduates killed in combat was the name Guido Farinaro, Class of 1967, killed in Vietnam in 1968.
Marine Gen. Peter Pace came to this Catholic school to honor Lance Corporal Farinaro, the first Marine to die following 2nd Lt. Peter Pace’s orders. The four-star general keeps a picture of the young lance corporal under the glass on his desk in the Pentagon to remind him of the sacrifices young servicemembers make.
Rev. James C. Williams, the president of the school, invited Pace to address the 1,700 students of the all-male school.
“This is selfish on my part to want to come here to Chaminade,” Pace told the students. “I’ve been invited to several Gold Star Masses and have not been able to attend. I did not want to leave active duty without coming to the place from which the single most influential military person in my life graduated.”
During Pace’s talk, the normal restlessness of young men disappeared. You could hear a pin drop when the general told the student body that he wanted to come to the school “to have a chance to look you in the eye and tell you of just one of Chaminade’s incredible graduates.”
Pace wanted the students to know that their lives will make a difference. “I want you to know about one Chaminade graduate whose life made a difference,” Pace said.
Guido Farinaro was a 1967 graduate of the high school, Pace said. “As with all classes in Chaminade, the vast majority went on to college, but Guido joined the Marine Corps,” he said. “When asked why, he said he was born in Italy, raised in the United States and had the opportunity to attend this incredible school and felt the need to pay back the country before he did any more schooling.”
Pace met the young lance corporal in February 1968 during the Tet Offensive in Hue City, Vietnam. Pace was the third leader of the 2nd Platoon, Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines in as many weeks. The platoon was a skeleton, with only 14 Marines left. “Guido was one of them,” Pace said to the assembly. “He and I served together until July 1968, and I came to know Guido as a great young man.”
The lance corporal’s death also had a profound impact on the young lieutenant. “We were on patrol one day outside Da Nang, and Guido was killed by a sniper,” Pace said. “As I stayed with him, a sense of rage came through me, and as the platoon leader, I started calling an artillery strike on the village where the round had been fired.
“My platoon sergeant, who was my age – 21 or 22 -- didn’t say anything at all,” Pace said. “He just looked at me. And I knew in the look that he gave me that what I was doing was wrong.”
Pace called off the strike and led the platoon to do what he should have done in the first place – a dismounted sweep of the village. “We found nothing but women and children,” he said. “Had that artillery strike been conducted, I do not know how I could have possibly lived with myself.”
The lesson for Pace was immediate. “Regardless what you do in your life, hold on to your moral compass,” he said. “When you are emotionally least capable of defending yourself is when the biggest challenge will come. If you don’t have an idea of what you will let yourself do and what you will not let yourself do, you may find that you have done something that you would never believe yourself capable of doing.”
He said his epiphany came in combat, but it doesn’t have to. “I learned that day, to think through what was going to be happening each day thereafter, and to think through what I would allow myself to do and not do,” he said.
It could come in a meeting, a test, a temptation, whatever. “If you have thought through who you want to be at the end of each day, you will see that person,” he said. “But, if you have not, you may not like the person you end up being.”
This was one way the lance corporal’s life changed the young officer’s life. Guido Farinaro and all the other Marines who died following his orders made Pace realize what he should do with his life.
Pace never received a scratch during his 13-month tour in Vietnam. Farinaro was standing next to Pace when he was shot by the sniper. Another Marine was walking in front of Pace when another sniper shot and killed that Marine instead of Pace. “Some died, others did not. I still truly do not understand,” he said. “But because of Guido and the others I lost, I determined that I would continue to serve in the Marine Corps until I was no longer needed, and to try to serve in a way that paid respect to their lives.” Pace said he was determined to give those Marines and servicemembers in his charge what he could not longer give to the men he had lost, and that he built his military career around that idea.
And as he faces the conclusion of his four decades of service when he retires at the end of the month, Pace said that was the last lesson he learned from the young Marines he commanded.
“I’m very calm about what comes next because of what I learned from Guido and Guido’s death, which is we don’t control when we’re going to die. We do control how we live,” he said. “In every disappointment there is a new door of opportunity. Every time in my adult life, when something happened that I wished had not happened, or I did not get what I thought I should get, in retrospect has turned out to be a blessing. “I am not a volunteer to leave the armed forces of the United States,” he continued. “I still owe Guido and his fellow Marines, and now so many others, more than I can ever repay.”
Pace told the young men that he has no idea what he will do in the future, but that it will include another opportunity to serve. He asked the young men to serve, too.
“I ask you to embrace the path that God lays out for you: do the very best you can on that path and take care of the people near you who look to you for leadership,” he said.

To the Fallen Records

2007-12-06T05:54:00.001-05:00

You guys have to go check out the website of To The Fallen Records. This is the first military only record label. Looking at the homepage they have already picked up some great artists. I almost guarantee you have heard the music of Mike Corrado and Citizen Reign in some of the military videos on You Tube. You can go to their Myspace page to hear some of the music. It seems that they have more R&B and Hip Hop artists than anything else, but there are Country and Rock compilations available. Click on the Title of this blog to go to thier website.

Sacrifice

2007-10-23T17:00:00.000-04:00

Medal Of Honor-Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy

2007-10-23T10:46:00.001-04:00

Sorry that I haven't had any time to use this thing lately. I know it only takes 2-3 minutes to post something, but it hasn't been on my priority list. I recieved an e-mail from a friend today that I thought I should post regardless of my workload. It is from the Wall Street Journal. Sorry, I don't have a link:

A Medal of Honor
October 23, 2007
Yesterday President Bush presented the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military honor for valor in combat, to the family of Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy, a Navy SEAL who was killed in Afghanistan in 2005. It is the third Medal of Honor bestowed in the war on terror, and all have been awarded posthumously.
Lt. Murphy, of Patchogue on Long Island in New York, was the 29-year-old officer-in-charge of a four-man SEAL reconnaissance team tasked with capturing or killing a high-ranking Taliban leader in the Hindu Kush mountains, east of Asadabad behind enemy lines. A group of goat herders betrayed their position to the Taliban, and the team came under a heavy coordinated assault by dozens of insurgents, perhaps as many as 100.
The SEALs were at a tactical disadvantage and became pinned down in a ravine. Lt. Murphy, already wounded, moved out from behind cover, seeking open air for a radio signal to place a rescue call. He was shot several more times in the back. He dropped the transmitter, picked it back up and completed the call, and then rejoined the fight.
The battle, the last stage of Operation Redwing, was the worst single day of casualties for Naval Special Warfare since World War II. Only one man from the SEAL team would survive. A Chinook helicopter, carrying 16 soldiers for the rescue mission, was shot down by a rocket-propelled grenade.
In Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. military is almost spoiled for choice when it comes to such instances of heroism and sacrifice. It is regrettable that these volunteers are too often rewarded with indifference by the U.S. political culture, where "supporting the troops" becomes nothing more than a slogan when there is a score to settle. The representative men in this war are soldiers like Lt. Murphy.

Please take a moment today to think about our fallen guardians.

UPDATE:
Quick update from another Jarhead I work with (thanks Jon):

Check out this link… http://www.navy.mil/moh/mpmurphy/

The accounts are recorded in a book called “Lone Survivor,”
written by Corpsman Luttrell, the lone survivor of the 4 man seal team Murphy
was a part of.

This ended up being a bad day gone worse as this was
the day that the Chinook enroute for the extraction op was shot down killing all
aboard (8 Seals and 8 Night Stalkers). It’s especially wrenching as the
Chinook went down partly because it raced ahead of the gunship escorts to try
and get there as fast as they could to save their brothers.

Navy
calls it accurate…Luttrell submitted it to the Navy prior to publishing for
security and accuracy review.

Interservice Bickering at the Highest Level

2007-08-20T09:21:00.000-04:00

It looks like the old salty vets aren't the only ones guilty of some interservice bickering. Our senior boys in the Pentagon seem to be doing some class A scrapping over UAV's. Read more here:
US military in dogfight over drones

New Robot Warrior Deployed in Iraq

2007-08-03T14:52:00.000-04:00

Just saw this link. This thing is too cool!The system is called "SWORDS"-"special weapons observation remote reconnaissance direct action system"
First Armed Robots on Patrol in Iraq
I added a video for your review.

Man Posed as Marine Hero Sentenced

2007-07-31T09:38:00.000-04:00

No time to comment...just a quick link...
Fake vet sentenced to tend military graves at Tahoma

New Speech From General Patton

2007-07-25T13:03:00.000-04:00

You guys will love this one.

Veteran Care Lawsuit

2007-07-23T13:25:00.000-04:00

No text, just a link.
Injured Iraq war veterans to sue VA head

Help Ensure Our Combat Vets get the Treatment They Need

2007-07-17T23:30:00.001-04:00

Drowing pool has been over in Iraq, and they felt the need to help our combat vets by starting a petition at ThisIsForTheSoldiers.org

They are pushing for better treatment of depression and PTSD. Check it out and tell your friends.

Our Nation's Top Marine Speaks Out

2007-07-17T13:52:00.000-04:00

Once again Major Pain brings us some good stuff. Check it out here.

"There's a level of negativism in our press today that our young

troops find a little bit disconcerting," Conway said Tuesday night

while addressing several hundred members of the Marines' Memorial

Club. "I've talked to very few troops who have come back from theater

who haven't had to go through about a two-week transition of saying,

'That's not what I saw taking place, but that's what the country's

being shown every day.'"

I think I'll believe those fighting the war over those talking heads on my TV any day.

EPA Investigating Waste at Camp Lejeune

2007-07-11T12:17:00.000-04:00

Sgt Gibby spent a lot of his time in the Corps at Camp Lejeune. I just came across this today. I always wondered why they made such a big deal about the water quality reports on Camp Lejeune. This explains it.

EPA Investigating Waste at Camp Lejeune

Withdraw from Iraq?

2007-07-10T10:13:00.000-04:00

I got this in my inbox this morning so I thought I would put it out there for the Sgt Gibby readers. It is extremely easy to e-mail your Congressman. I have done it several times. You click on the link you prefer and Congress.org walks you through the rest. You might even get a reply. Check it out and tell me what you think.

CONGRESS.ORG WEEKLY UPDATE
July 9, 2007
Senate to Consider FY08 Defense Bill
The Senate SHOULD Vote to Start Withdrawing Troops from Iraq
The Senate SHOULD NOT Vote to Start Withdrawing Troops from Iraq

RCT-6 Update

2007-07-09T13:07:00.000-04:00

Well we have hit 20, 000. Go to Blackfive to read all of the details.

Soldier Sues Army

2007-07-09T12:21:00.000-04:00

This is a story about an Army Reservist that is suing because he has already completed four combat tours in approximately six years, and he now has orders to go on a fifth tour.
Soldier To Sue Military After 5th Army Deployment
This makes me wonder; are there Military members that are serving multiple tours in combat zones while others are not rotating over there at all. I don't have the knowledge (not to mention time and resources) to find out the answer to this question. Any comments from my readers would be appreciated on this one.

Sorry

2007-07-09T12:19:00.000-04:00

Sorry about the lack of posts lately. Sgt. Gibby has been bogged down in other events.

Safety Linebacker of the USS Stennis

2007-07-02T10:46:00.000-04:00

Many of you have seen and enjoy the Terry Tate, Office linebacker commercials. The crew of the USS Stennis decided to create their own commercial. It is pretty funny. Check it out here.

More Info on Our Unprotected Borders

2007-06-30T08:42:00.000-04:00

Just came across this link on Drudge:
U.S. Border Fence Protrudes Into Mexico

Yet another fine example of our government protecting our borders and making sound fiscal decisions! Apparently we built a 15 mile chunk of border fence, and accidentally put it on Mexican property.
For those of you that don't know Sgt Gibby's stance on border protection, let me start by telling you that I think these little 15 mile fences are the equivalent of putting a band aid over an uncorked fire hydrant. Secondly, I don't believe the having the greatest military in the world means squat if you don't know who is flooding across your borders.

My favorite line from this article is:

Now embarrassed border officials say the mistake could cost the federal
government more than $3 million to fix.

Oh, well if the Federal Government is going to pay for it then that is OK! For a second there, I thought that the US taxpayers were going to fork over yet another 3 million dollars for thier poorly protected borders.

---I hear someone whisper---
****psst, where do you think the Federal Government gets their money****

Oh....nevermind.......bastards!....

72-year-old Marine Fights off Pickpocket

2007-06-28T09:40:00.000-04:00

Oh my goodness, I love these stories. You have to check out this link. Apparently, some guy decided to try to pickpocket a 72 year old former Marine at a quick stop. You have to watch the video that goes with it (Right side of the page about half way down). You will laugh your butt off watching this pickpocket get what he deserves.

This is the second story that I have read like this in a month. Blackfive posted a link to this Boston Globe story on June 5.

It just goes to show that if you stay alert and fight back, then your chances of being a victim are greatly reduced.

UPDATE:
New link to the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mafN9E6AR2Q

More fun with Rosie's Hypocrisy

2007-06-27T13:20:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note to alert people to this article. Seems like there is a new example of Rosie's hypocrisy. Her bodyguard applying for a concealed weapons permit wasn't enough, now she is posting pics of her kid with cammies and a bandoleer of bullets.

Iran is at War With Us

2007-06-25T21:41:00.000-04:00

I believe this article is shows the Iranian plans for the future of Iraq.
Iranian forces 'crossed Iraqi border'...

RCT-6 Update

2007-06-24T10:11:00.000-04:00

Got a quick update on the RCT-6 e-mail project. Click here.

Ex-marine kills bear with log, gets ticketed

2007-06-22T12:07:00.000-04:00

You guys will love this one.

Ex-marine kills bear with log, gets ticketed

24 emaciated children found in Baghdad

2007-06-21T11:27:00.000-04:00

I have gotten so used to nothing but negative reporting on Iraq, that I didn't even notice the following story.
24 emaciated children found in Baghdad AP - Wed Jun 20, 5:02 PM ET

Initially you would think this is a good story of US and Iraqi soldiers helping the children of Iraq. However, you will still notice that the headline says nothing about the fact that US and Iraqi soldiers found and saved these children, and since most people only read the headlines, they wouldn't know that.
But wait, it gets better! Once you read the story, you realize that some Iraqi officials are turning this around and saying that it is a propaganda publicity stunt by the US Military!

"We totally reject the tricks they used to manipulate and distort facts and show
the Americans as the humanitarian party. That could not be further from the
truth," said Labor and Social Affairs Minister Mahmoud Mohammed al-Radhi.

Just wonderful! The story goes on to say:

But al-Rahdi accused the American soldiers of setting up one of the images on Sharqiya that shows at least four of the boys cluttered in a small bed. The probe ordered by his ministry, he said, should question the U.S. soldiers involved.

"They are our children not the Americans'," al-Radhi told state Iraqiya television late Wednesday. "It's a media fabrication exploited by forces opposed to the government."

However,:

The military said U.S. medics were called in to treat the children and that Iraqi soldiers notified local council members, who came to help the boys.

I am amazed. The bottom line is that the US forces have trained the Iraqi military, and the combined efforts of these two militaries helped save 24 children's lives, end of story! There is nothing but positive information there. WTF!

Main Stream Media

2007-06-21T09:51:00.000-04:00

You know, it doesn't surprise me when I see headlines like this on the Drudge Report:
THE GREAT DIVIDE: REPORTERS GIVE DEMS MONEY OVER REPUBLICANS 9 TO 1!

And then I see headlines like this one on Yahoo's link to the Associated Press:
US military: 14 troops killed in 2 days

Yet, I don't see any headlines about the things we are doing right in Iraq......

Japanese Change Name of Iwo Jima

2007-06-21T09:39:00.000-04:00

I came across this story on Yahoo news. Apparently, the Japanese want to reclaim the identity of the island we know as Iwo Jima, and they feel they'll do so by changing it's name. I personally think this will be about as effective as "Freedom Fries" and "Freedom toast" were, but it isn't my island to rename so who am I to talk. I enjoyed the quote from one of the US veterans of the battle on that island:

"It was Iwo Jima to us when we took it," said Haynes. "We'll recognize whatever the Japanese want to call it but we'll stick to Iwo Jima."

"Iwo To" was apparently the name that native Islanders called it before the WWII, and they wish to return to that name. Check out the rest of the story here.

Today

2007-06-20T22:33:00.001-04:00

I heard a couple of things from my boys today that made me proud, and also made me chuckle.

As we are driving to their t-ball game, we passed some Marine Corps poolies.
For you non-military types, poolies are those brave young Americans that have signed up for the Marines, but are awaiting the start of their assigned boot camp class. Between signing up and shipping out, their recruiters bring them to different locations and begin their training as Marines by running them through some preparatory PT.
So...as we drive by this group of poolies, one of my sons makes the statement, "Boy, I sure hope we don't lose the war."
My immediate thoughts on this statement were:
1.) Damn right boy!
2.) How sad is it that a seven year old understands how important it is to win a war, but many of our elected officials do not?!?!

Once we arrived home after their game, I asked the boys if they would like to help me take the American Flag down from the flag pole. This is my nightly ritual, but they are usually in bed when I do this. I asked them what we should do first. I was referring to saluting the flag before bringing it down. However, their response (to my surprise) was,

"Should we say the Pledge of Allegiance?"

"Sure," I said, "do you know the words?"

"Yep" they replied.

"Go ahead."

In stereo, they sounded off....

"I Pledge Allegiance to the flag

of the United States of America,

and to the Republic for which it stands,

one Nation under God,indivisible,

with liberty and justice for all.

As we were folding the flag, I told my son to make sure he doesn't drop it on the ground.
His reply (with his hands waving around his head), "If it touches the ground will all of the spirits of the past American Presidents come flying out of it?"
Maybe you had to be there for this one, but to hear and see him describe the flag hitting the ground and spirits coming out of it was extremely funny.

Suicide Bomb Teams Sent to U.S., Europe

2007-06-18T18:39:00.000-04:00

This is fresh off of the ABC newslines. I am surprised that this is even news. They have been filtering into the states for years. Our agencies already know of many terror cells within the US' borders. Read more here.

Sent my letter today!

2007-06-18T12:43:00.000-04:00

I haven't posted much on this, but I want to make everyone on my reading list aware of the RCT-6 e-mail project. I am not sure who started this, but I was made aware of it through Blackfive when I was reading my previous post "Blackfive Antics."
The goal of this project is to get as many thank you letters as possible out to Regimental Combat Team 6 to let them know we support and care for them. If you haven't sent a letter yet, please take just a few minutes to let them know how much you support them, or why you support them. The address is:

RCT-6lettersfromh@gcemnf-wiraq.usmc.mil

I just sent mine, and I will post it here so that others in our military can read it and know it applies to them as well. Read mine if you would like...if not, start typing your own. Show them you care, it only takes a few minutes.

As a former Marine, I think about you guys daily. I am thankful for the fact that you are standing watch in my place. I would not have been able to get out of the Corps if I had not known that another Marine would be coming in to relieve me. Of course, I still miss it. The brotherhood and camaraderie is stronger in the Corps than it is anywhere else in the world.
I still stay in contact with my brothers from the Corps, and we share stories and pictures of our children and our civilian lives quite often. This weekend I enjoyed Father’s Day with my twin 7-year old boys. My boys are green belts in Tae Kwon Do and they just started T-Ball this past week. We were able to see Fantastic Four at the local movie theater and we relaxed the rest of the day and had a steak cooked on the grill for dinner. Those boys and my wife are everything to me.
I don’t tell you the events of my weekend to torture you, because I know you are without these luxuries in the sand box. I am telling you these things because I know, without a doubt, that if you Marines were not standing watch over this nation, then none of my weekend events, conversations with my buddies, or relaxing with my family would be possible. You are not only protecting American lives, you are protecting the American way of life. I am thankful for every day that I spend with my family without fear of attack… or fear that an oppressive government official will come and take me from my family… or fear that there will be a car bomb outside of the local super market when my wife and children are there. I know that it is your sacrifice that keeps us safe. Having stood my watch, I know what you are sacrificing, and I am thankful for you and the sacrifices you make.
I hope that you all make it home safe. Once you are done standing watch over there, I hope that your sacrifices in the Corps help you to realize that life back here is simple in comparison to where you have been and what you have seen, and that every day is a gift. Until then, keep your head on a swivel, stay alert and call or write your families often to tell them that you are OK, and that you love them.
Semper Fi

Blackfive antics

2007-06-16T08:29:00.000-04:00

Go check out the fustercluck over at Blackfive here. It looks like one of the e-mail chains after I send military e-mails out to the vets at work......good natured interservice bickering. Make sure you ship off a message to our Marines after you get done laughing at this post. Show them your support by sending them an e-mail. You can send your support to our troops here:

RCT-6lettersfromh@gcemnf-wiraq.usmc.mil

Semper Fi

New Flag Lowering Bill

2007-06-15T12:21:00.000-04:00

There is new legislation that will lower all flags in a State, at the Governors request, when a service member from that state dies. Read about it here.

Flag Day

2007-06-14T08:48:00.000-04:00

First, let me apologize about not posting much lately. Sgt Gibby has been extremely busy at work and at home. I just wanted to take a second to post a little something on Flag Day. Here is the link to the US Flag website. There is a lot of good info on here. Make sure you keep old glory flying high today. Remember everything it stands for, and those that have died to defend it.

How would the news cover D-Day if it happened today?

2007-06-11T12:25:00.000-04:00

Just got this link from a friend. I guess there are more people out there that see the negative impact of our main stream media on America's willingness to follow through in Iraq.
This video is too true.

D-Day Anniversary

2007-06-06T10:36:00.000-04:00

Today is the Anniversary of D-Day and of course there are some good write ups about it. Check them out.
http://boortz.com/nuze/200706/06062007.html#dday
http://www.murdoconline.net/

Immigration Bill Loopholes

2007-06-06T07:37:00.000-04:00

I have not spoken out about immigration on this site yet. However; I do feel that security at our borders is the biggest threat, and most overlooked aspect, of National Security. I found this link at Breitbart (As I don't normally read the source website) and if it is true, we will be taking another hit in the shorts on National Security thanks to our lawmakers. Read it here.

Once a Marine, Always a Marine

2007-06-06T07:26:00.001-04:00

Check out Blackfive's link to an article about a retired Marine and a retired Police Chief taking out a bad guy. I guess it just goes to show that age is just a number. Check it out here.

And now, A Message From the Commandant

2007-06-06T07:21:00.000-04:00

As usual, there is another excellent post over at One Marine's View from Major Pain. Marine Corps Commandant James Conway sends a message to let the military do it's job. Check it out here.

Anniversary of the Battle of Midway

2007-06-05T07:39:00.000-04:00

On June 4, 1942, the Japanese Imperial Navy descended on the atoll with four aircraft carriers and the world's most modern and agile fighter plane, the Zero.
Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto's plan called for sending planes to bomb U.S. Marines and soldiers defending the island. Then he would send in his amphibious invasion force to overrun the atoll, hoping to gain control over a patrol plane base and possibly pave the way for an invasion of the Hawaiian islands.
But U.S. Navy' intelligence staff were able to decode Japanese communications and provide Adm. Chester Nimitz, the U.S. Pacific Fleet commander, with details of the attack. U.S. forces were able to ambush and overwhelm Japanese forces during the three-day battle, putting them on the defensive for the rest of the war.

Read the rest of the story here.

Toby Keith

2007-06-05T06:25:00.000-04:00

Blackfive has a little write up on one of our biggest military supporting celebrities, Toby Keith. Check it out here.

Drone wars

2007-06-02T09:06:00.000-04:00

Defense Tech has a cool little article about some of the most recent developments with UAV's. They are developing ways to get damaged UAV's to land safely after they are hit. This opens up future possibilities of "Drone wars" where UAV's engage each other in combat. Tell your kids to work on thier video gaming skills because there might be more jobs in the military for them in the future. Read the story here.

Heartbreaking Post-"Too Late"

2007-06-01T14:44:00.000-04:00

This post from This is Your War II is an absolutely heart wrenching description of one of the tragic realities of war. Read it here.

Vets back man in trouble over protest

2007-06-01T13:48:00.000-04:00

I came across this story yesterday. The Marines are trying to change Marine Cpl. Adam Kokesh's discharge status from "Honorable" to "Other than Honorable". He apparently got into some trouble because he was still in the IRR and was protesting the war. He did so in his cammies, however, he states that he ripped the nametapes and insiginias off of them first. Some Marine officer was investigating whether he broke the rules by protesting in this way, and Kokesh cursed at him. I really believe they should lighten up on this guy. Even though I don't agree with his stance, he still has his basic rights of free speech. The VFW is apperently behind him now as well. As a matter of fact the national Commander of the VFW said:

"Someone in the Marine Corps needs to exercise a little common sense and put an end to this matter before it turns into a circus,"

You can read more about it here.

Freedom is not Free

2007-06-01T10:18:00.000-04:00

Here is a Marine Corps Press release describing an excellent service for our Military men and women. Freedom is not Free news release

To help the cause check out thier website. www.freedomisnotfree.com

Look at the big bad occupiers!

2007-06-01T09:54:00.000-04:00

Major Pain has a great picture and description on his page: One Marines View
Go check it out. Look at the big bad American occupiers. Make note of the fact that the Iraqi boy clearly doesn't want us there.

Boys, 13, arrested for egging town veterans

2007-05-30T21:49:00.000-04:00

I just saw this link on Murdoc Online. As he stated on his page, those must be some proud parents. Read the story here.

Vandals Desecrate Soldiers' Graves

2007-05-29T14:16:00.000-04:00

You guys will love this cowardly act. "Thirty-three flags had been replaced with hand-drawn swastika flags, according to the San Juan County Sheriff's Office in Friday Harbor, Wash." Read more here.

American Honor

2007-05-29T11:08:00.000-04:00

I just recieved this from a friend this morning. It is from the Wall Street Journal.

American Honor
By PETER COLLIER
May 26, 2007; Page A9
Once we
knew who and what to honor on Memorial Day: Those who had given all their
tomorrows, as was said of the men who stormed the beaches of Normandy, for
our
todays. But in a world saturated with selfhood, where every death is by
definition a death in vain, the notion of sacrifice today provokes
puzzlement
more often than admiration. We support the troops, of course, but
we also
believe that war, being hell, can easily touch them with an evil no
cause for
engagement can wash away. And in any case we are more comfortable
supporting
them as victims than as warriors.
Former football star Pat
Tillman and
Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham were killed on the same day: April 22,
2004. But as
details of his death fitfully emerged from Afghanistan, Tillman
has become a
metaphor for the current conflict -- a victim of fratricide,
disillusionment,
coverup and possibly conspiracy. By comparison, Dunham, who
saved several of his
comrades in Iraq by falling on an insurgent's grenade,
is the unknown soldier.
The New York Times, which featured Abu Ghraib on its
front page for 32
consecutive days, put the story of Dunham's Medal of Honor
on the third page of
section B.
Not long ago I was asked to write the
biographical sketches for a
book featuring formal photographs of all our
living Medal of Honor recipients.
As I talked with them, I was, of course,
chilled by the primal power of their
stories. But I also felt pathos: They
had become strangers -- honored strangers,
but strangers nonetheless -- in
our midst.
In my own boyhood, figures such
as Jimmy Doolittle, Audie
Murphy and John Basilone were household names. And it
was assumed that what
they had done defined us as well as them, telling us what
kind of nation we
were. But the 110 Medal recipients alive today are virtually
unknown except
for a niche audience of warfare buffs. Their heroism has become
the military
equivalent of genre painting. There's something wrong with that.
What they
did in battle was extraordinary. Jose Lopez, a diminutive Mexican
American
from the barrio of San Antonio, was in the Ardennes forest when the
Germans
began the counteroffensive that became the Battle of the Bulge. As 10
enemy
soldiers approached his position, he grabbed a machine gun and opened
fire,
killing them all. He killed two dozen more who rushed him. Knocked down by
the concussion of German shells, he picked himself up, packed his weapon on
his
back and ran toward a group of Americans about to be surrounded. He
began firing
and didn't stop until all his ammunition and all that he could
scrounge from
other guns was gone. By then he had killed over 100 of the
enemy and bought his
comrades time to establish a defensive line.
Yet
their stories were not only
about killing. Several Medal of Honor recipients
told me that the first thing
they did after the battle was to find a church
or some other secluded spot where
they could pray, not only for those
comrades they'd lost but also the enemy
they'd killed.
Desmond Doss, for
instance, was a conscientious objector who
entered the army in 1942 and
became a medic. Because of his religious
convictions and refusal to carry a
weapon, the men in his unit intimidated and
threatened him, trying to get
him to transfer out. He refused and they
grudgingly accepted him. Late in
1945 he was with them in Okinawa when they got
cut to pieces assaulting a
Japanese stronghold.
Everyone but Mr. Doss
retreated from the rocky
plateau where dozens of wounded remained. Under fire,
he treated them and
then began moving them one by one to a steep escarpment
where he roped them
down to safety. Each time he succeeded, he prayed, "Dear
God, please let me
get just one more man." By the end of the day, he had
single-handedly saved
75 GIs.
Why did they do it? Some talked of entering a
zone of slow
motion invulnerability, where they were spectators at their own
heroism. But
for most, the answer was simpler and more straightforward: They
couldn't let
their buddies down.
Big for his age at 14, Jack Lucas begged
his mother
to help him enlist after Pearl Harbor. She collaborated in lying
about his
age in return for his promise to someday finish school. After training
at
Parris Island, he was sent to Honolulu. When his unit boarded a troop ship
for Iwo Jima, Mr. Lucas was ordered to remain behind for guard duty. He
stowed
away to be with his friends and, discovered two days out at sea,
convinced his
commanding officer to put him in a combat unit rather than the
brig. He had just
turned 17 when he hit the beach and a day later he was
fighting in a Japanese
trench when he saw two grenades land near his
comrades.
He threw himself
onto the grenades and absorbed the explosion.
Later a medic, assuming he was
dead, was about to take his dog tag when he
saw Mr. Lucas's finger twitch. After
months of treatment and recovery, he
returned to school as he'd promised his
mother, a ninth grader wearing a
Medal of Honor around his neck.
The men in
World War II always knew,
although news coverage was sometimes scant, that they
were in some sense
performing for the people at home. The audience dwindled
during Korea. By
the Vietnam War, the journalists were omnipresent, but the men
were
performing primarily for each other. One story that expresses this
isolation
and comradeship involves a SEAL team ambushed on a beach after an
aborted
mission near North Vietnam's Cua Viet river base.
After a five-hour
gunfight, Cmdr. Tom Norris, already a legend thanks to his part in a
harrowing
rescue mission for a downed pilot (later dramatized in the film
BAT-21), stayed
behind to provide covering fire while the three others
headed to rendezvous with
the boat sent to extract them. At the water's
edge, one of the men, Mike
Thornton, looked back and saw Tom Norris get hit.
As the enemy moved in, he ran
back through heavy fire and killed two North
Vietnamese standing over Norris's
body. He lifted the officer, barely alive
with a shattered skull, and carried
him to the water and then swam out to
sea where they were picked up two hours
later.
The two men have been
inseparable in the 30 years since.
The POWs
of Vietnam configured a
mini-America in prison that upheld the values beginning
to wilt at home as a
result of protest and dissension. John McCain tells of
Lance Sijan, an
airman who ejected over North Vietnam and survived for six weeks
crawling
(because of his wounds) through the jungle before being captured.
Close to
death when he reached Hanoi, Sijan told his captors that he would
give them
no information because it was against the code of conduct. When not
delirious, he quizzed his cellmates about camp security and made plans to
escape. The North Vietnamese were obsessed with breaking him, but never did.
When he died after long sessions of torture Sijan was, in Sen. McCain's
words,
"a free man from a free country."
Leo Thorsness was also at the
Hanoi
Hilton. The Air Force pilot had taken on four MiGs trying to strafe
his wingman
who had parachuted out of his damaged aircraft; Mr. Thorsness
destroyed two and
drove off the other two. He was shot down himself soon
after this engagement and
found out by tap code that his name had been
submitted for the Medal.
One of
Mr. Thorsness's most vivid memories from
seven years of imprisonment involved a
fellow prisoner named Mike Christian,
who one day found a grimy piece of cloth,
perhaps a former handkerchief,
during a visit to the nasty concrete tank where
the POWs were occasionally
allowed a quick sponge bath. Christian picked up the
scrap of fabric and hid
it.
Back in his cell he convinced prisoners to give
him precious crumbs
of soap so he could clean the cloth. He stole a small piece
of roof tile
which he laboriously ground into a powder, mixed with a bit of
water and
used to make horizontal stripes. He used one of the blue pills of
unknown
provenance the prisoners were given for all ailments to color a square
in
the upper left of the cloth. With a needle made from bamboo wood and thread
unraveled from the cell's one blanket, Christian stitched little stars on
the
blue field.
"It took Mike a couple weeks to finish, working at night
under
his mosquito net so the guards couldn't see him," Mr. Thorsness told
me. "Early
one morning, he got up before the guards were active and held up
the little
flag, waving it as if in a breeze. We turned to him and saw it
coming to
attention and automatically saluted, some of us with tears running
down our
cheeks. Of course, the Vietnamese found it during a strip search,
took Mike to
the torture cell and beat him unmercifully. Sometime after
midnight they pushed
him into our cell, so bad off that even his voice was
gone. But when he
recovered in a couple weeks he immediately started looking
for another piece of
cloth."
We impoverish ourselves by shunting these
heroes and their
experiences to the back pages of our national
consciousness. Their stories are
not just boys' adventure tales writ large.
They are a kind of moral instruction.
They remind of something we've heard
many times before but is worth repeating on
a wartime Memorial Day when
we're uncertain about what we celebrate. We're the
land of the free for one
reason only: We're also the home of the brave.
Mr.
Collier wrote the
text for "Medal of Honor: Portraits of Valor Beyond the Call
of Duty"
(Workman, 2006).

We need more stories like these!

2007-05-27T15:48:00.000-04:00

Just saw this story on Brietbart.com.
U.S. Forces Save 41 Iraqis From al-Qaida
To read the full story click here.

If there were more stories like this in the news, maybe the general public wouldn't have such a grim outlook on the war. In the past, governments used propaganda stories to build support for wars, but that isn't what I am suggesting. An update on some of the things we are doing right would be a nice change. We only hear about the wrongs. It seems that in order to get an article about the war in the main stream media there is a requirement that it be either a body count or an investigation into US troops' actions. Everything else is out of the question for many of the media outlets.

Female Airman Punished for Threesome

2007-05-25T22:48:00.000-04:00

I just got this link from a friend. It was attached to this comment: "Seems you can't even have a good menage a trois without doing a few months in the brig. WTF!"
I really enjoyed the fact that he closed this message with my tagline-WTF! I can't tell you how many articles I read and immediately think WTF! That is a big part of the reason I started this site. Thanks for the link and the plug Kevin. Check out the rest of the article here.

Study: 38 Percent Of People Not Actually Entitled To Their Opinion

2007-05-25T13:25:00.000-04:00

The onion has an article about a "study" that pretty much elaborates on something we all already know.

"On topics from evolution to the environment to gay marriage to immigration
reform, we found that many of the opinions expressed were so off-base and
ill-informed that they actually hurt society by being voiced," said chief
researcher Professor Mark Fultz, who based the findings on hundreds of
telephone, office, and dinner-party conversations compiled over a three-year
period. "While people have long asserted that it takes all kinds, our research
shows that American society currently has a drastic oversupply of the kinds who
don't have any good or worthwhile thoughts whatsoever. We could actually do just
fine without them."

Check out the entire story here.

America Doesn't Forget

2007-05-25T09:40:00.000-04:00

Major Pain over at One Marine's View has a good post up for Memorial Day. Go check it out here: America Doesn't Forget

Tim McGraw

2007-05-25T08:27:00.000-04:00

I sent out an e-mail last week telling everyone to watch the CMA's because Tim McGraw was premiering his new song as a tribute to soldiers. In a world where many of the Hollywood twits not only ignore but downright disrespect our troops, Tim stands out. Check out the video:

Creation of a Marine

2007-05-25T00:55:00.001-04:00

When God created a United States Marine, it was into the sixth day of overtime. An angel appeared and said, "You're having a lot of trouble with this one. What's wrong with the standard model?"
And the Lord replied, "Have you seen the specs on this order? It has to be able to think independently, yet be able to take orders; have the qualities of both a military mind and a compassionate heart; be a leader of junior Marines and learn from seniors; run on black coffee; handle critical ops without a Military Procedure Manual; be able to manage a difficult subordinate, an irate supervisor and a demanding OIC; have the patience of a saint and six pairs of hands, not to mention the strength of three its size." The angel shook her head slowly and said, "Six pairs of hands - no way!"
And the Lord answered, "Don't worry, we'll make other Marines to help. Besides, it's not the hands which are causing the problem. It's the heart. It must swell with pride when other Marines do well, sustain the incredible hardship of combat, beat on soundly when it's too tired to do so, and be strong enough to continue to carry on when he's given all he's had."
"Lord," said the angel touching the Lord's sleeve gently, "Come to bed!"
"I can't," said the Lord. "I'm so close to creating something unique. Already I have one who can complete a 26-mile forced march with full pack, handle a 9mm and an M16 with astounding accuracy, conduct land navigation in the dark, and operate field communications."
The angel circled the model of the Marine very slowly. "It's too serious," she sighed.
"But tough," said the Lord excitedly, "You cannot imagine what this Marine can do or endure."
"Can it feel?" asked the angel.
"Can it feel!" replied the Lord. "It loves the Corps and country like no other!"
Finally the angel bent over and ran her finger across the Marine's cheek. "There's a leak," she pronounced. "I told you you're trying to put too much into this model."
"That's not a leak," said the Lord. "That's a tear."
"What's it for?" asked the angel.
"It's for joy, sadness, disappointment, frustration, pain, loneliness and pride."
"You're a genius!" exclaimed the angel.
The Lord looked at her somberly and replied, "I didn't put it there."

Greatest Generation

2007-05-25T00:39:00.000-04:00

I wrote this last year for a class I was taking and thought others might enjoy it:

Tribute to the Greatest Generation
Life is full of struggles and challenges. People are not defined only by the struggles that occur during their lifetime, but how they rise to the challenge. Did they turn a blind eye to the wrong doings of others, or did they rush to the aid of those that needed help the most? Were they charitable and strong during times of tragedy, or did they falter and fail? Did these people follow the heading of their moral compass through the rough wilderness into which it lead them, or did they follow the path of least resistance? If there is one generation of folks that have answered these questions favorably, it is the Greatest Generation.
The people from the Greatest Generation were children of the worst economic depression this great nation has ever seen. Unemployment rates reached 25 percent in the US during their childhood. With very little to go around and an uncertain future, they pushed through the hard times and supported a president that offered them a new deal. Franklin Delano Roosevelt served as president for 13 years, and helped turn the economy around for his people. However, things were still difficult. Instead of complaining about their situation, the people of the United States banded together and helped each other out. They only took what they needed, and they stood strong through this hard time.
By March of 1936 Adolf Hitlers Nazi Army had begun the reoccupation of the Rhineland which it lost control of during World War I. Japan also invaded and occupied a large portion of China at this time. The general belief of the United States was that the oceans on both sides of our nation made it impermeable to attacks. The nation felt that there were many American lives wasted in the First World War, and they did not want to be part of another European war. However, as the Germans expanded their attacks further into Europe, the American people began to feel restless about this position of isolating themselves. Finally, on December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked the US Naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Americans called for immediate action. Young men lied about their ages in order to enlist in the military. Women stepped up and took the place of men in the workplace. As more young men departed to fight the Japanese and Germans' bloody expansion in Europe and Asia, women kept the country running smoothly and supported the war effort. Food, fuel and many other things were rationed so that the boys on the front lines would have everything they needed to win the war. The pain and sacrifice of war was felt by all Americans daily. The American forces turned the tide of the war in Europe, and the Germans surrendered by May 5, 1945. Our soldiers beat back the Japanese and forced them to surrender on September 2, 1945. In less than four years, the United States involvement reversed the outcome of the war. Every American contributed to the victory of the war. Every person sacrificed for a greater good.
Today we are losing the members of this generation at an alarming rate. Thus is the cycle of life: old makes way for new. Our responsibility is to make sure that the lessons these great people taught us are not lost. To stand strong in times of struggle and help those in need, no matter what the cost, is the noblest sacrifice of all. Possibly the greatest lesson we can take from them is that victory can only be attained by standing together. Helping each other through the hard times is the only path to victory; not only victory in war, but victory in life. They have taught us to follow our moral compass through the darkest times. They have also taught us that if we do so we will see better days and leave our mark upon the world. As you will hear many of these people say, things could always be worse. When things get worse, will we rise to the challenge as they did? Will we stand strong, and stay the course like our grandparents before us? Will we be victorious in our struggles and leave our mark on the world as they did? Only time can tell how we will react, and we are the only ones that can decide the outcome.

What is different in America?

2007-05-24T23:53:00.000-04:00

A bloody attack occurs on American soil and thousands of lives are lost. Immediately certain citizens of this great nation wonder if the President knew of the attack before it occurred. Groups that oppose the President’s beliefs initiate investigations of the intelligence given to the President before the attack occurred. War is declared on two countries; the one that attacked us and another very loosely related country. Again the President’s opposition calls foul. “Why would we declare war on a country that did not attack us?” they say. Rumors start swirling that the President may have actually initiated the attack. Secret intelligence is leaked to the public through the media and another investigation is launched. As familiar as this may sound, it is not the story of the War on Terror. These are all events that occurred after the Pearl Harbor Attack, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt is the President accused of instigating an attack on our country.
There are striking similarities in the events surrounding the Pearl Harbor attack and 9/11. The level of the public’s involvement, however, is quite different. In today’s war, there is no sacrifice made by the general public. There is a vast separation between our warriors across the sea and John Q. Public in America. Every morning still begins with a cup of Starbucks coffee and a bran muffin during today’s war. In World War II, food, coffee, tires, butter and many other items were rationed so the country could provide its troops with everything they needed in war. No involvement in the war leads to a lack of solidarity and an apathetic attitude for the US public.
The Great War left a very bad taste in the mouths of many Americans. They felt that the US got pulled into the middle of a war to protect European interests. Their opinion was that many American lives and dollars were squandered in this war. There was an ever increasing gap between the US and its European allies during the 1920’s. We limited the number of immigrants for the first time in our history, and we imposed tariffs on the imported European and Asian goods. According to some experts, this contributed to the great depression. Americans thought that the great oceans on both of our shores were enough to separate us from the hostilities in Europe and Asia. They felt we were impervious to attacks. They chose to be isolated from the goings on of the rest of the world. This postponed the United States’ involvement in World War II.
The America First Committee protected these Isolationist beliefs. Charles Lindbergh was the spokesman for this group of 800,000 Americans that opposed FDR’s foreign policies and beliefs. America first wanted to remain isolated to protect America’s way of life. Consider the following quote from U-S History.com: “Some AFC members even suspected that Roosevelt had deliberately created a diplomatic crisis with Japan in order to provoke an attack and create public support for entering the war.” Rainbow Five, and alleged Roosevelt document was released to the press. This document laid out plans for inciting an attack on the US to gain support for entering the war. Again, a striking similarity to accusations pointed at George Bush about 9/11.
This belief system changed on December 7, 1941; this was the day that the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. We had been attacked, and the rest of the controversy was just background noise. The American people were ready to step up and take the Japanese on. On December 8, 1941 President Roosevelt got approval from Congress for a declaration of war with Japan. Some people still believe that the Japanese were acting alone in the attack, and that Germany had nothing to do with it. They feel that Germany had no intention of attacking the US until after Rainbow Five came out. Declaring war on Germany, just like declaring War on Iraq, bothered many Americans because these countries were unrelated to the attack on America.
Even though there are so many similarities to the public reaction to these two wars, our ability to follow through seems to have been lost over the years. The Greatest Generation had the same doubts we have today, and they still followed through with what they thought was right for those folks overseas. People living in different countries that most Americans had never seen. They understood that bad men continue to take things from innocent people, and that they do not stop until they are met with a stronger force. They stayed connected to their troops overseas because they felt the same pain the troops did. They lived through The Great Depression and knew what it was like to live without the things they wanted just like their counterparts overseas.
Today, we not only don't understand what is going on overseas, we don't care! All we care about is collecting more and more toys while we hope the price of our gas doesn't go up. We don't sacrifice with the troops. There is a public acceptance of personal debt through credit cards that keeps us from questioning a Government that runs a national deficit to fund the war. There is such a feeling of entitlement in America that we can't imagine the conditions someone in Iraq or Afghanistan lives in. Most Americans don't know what it is like to live without essential things like food or clean drinking water. I believe this is the main difference between our mentality today and the mentality of Americans in the 1940's. We don't identify with those we are supposed to be helping, or the soldiers and sailors that are doing the heavy lifting. We are too detached.

New process

2007-05-24T23:40:00.000-04:00

I have gotten some negative (and positive) feedback about this military e-mail list that I maintain. I like to feed you guys these stories and links when I get them. I also like the comments I get back. However, I can't have everyone clogging up e-mail inboxes at their places of business, or mine for that matter. From now on I will post my info to this site, and I have opened up the comment settings so anyone can post a comment even if you don't have a blogger account. I will try to get a couple of posts up this week since it is Memorial Day, and we will see how it goes. Have a great holiday weekend and take a moment to think about how great you have it thanks to those that have made the ultimate sacrifice. Semper Fi