Because Of These Brave Souls....

June 2008
VA National Cemeteries – History and Development

On July 17, 1862, in the second summer of a war that few had believed would last more than a few months, Congress enacted legislation authorizing the president to purchase “cemetery grounds … for soldiers who shall have died in the service of the country.” Fourteen national cemeteries were established that first year, including one in Sharpsburg, Md., where 4,476 Union soldiers were laid to rest after the one-day Battle of Antietam. (By comparison, approximately 3,000 American, British and Canadian fighters died on June 6, 1944, during the invasion of Normandy.)

By 1870, the remains of nearly 300,000 Union dead had been buried in 73 national cemeteries. Most of the cemeteries were located in the Southeast, near the battlefields and campgrounds of the Civil War. After the war, Army teams searched the countryside for the remains of soldiers who died in battle. They were buried in the new national cemeteries, which were enclosed by brick walls and entered through ornate gates. Tragically, the identities are unknown for nearly half the Union dead who are buried in national cemeteries.

What would become a national cemetery system operated by the Army evolved slowly after the Civil War. All honorably discharged Union veterans became eligible for burial in 1873. Cemeteries associated with military posts on the western frontier, such as Ft. McPherson, Neb., were added in the late 19th century.

In 1923, Congress established the American Battle Monuments Commission, an independent agency responsible for maintaining burial grounds in foreign countries for U.S. armed forces members who die overseas. The commission maintains 24 American military cemeteries as well as monuments and memorials.

In the 1930s, new national cemeteries were established to serve veterans living in metropolitan areas such as New York, Baltimore, Minneapolis, San Diego, San Francisco and San Antonio. Others associated with battlefields such as Gettysburg and Antietam were transferred from Army control to the National Park Service because of their historical significance.

In 1973, Congress authorized the transfer of 82 national cemeteries from the Department of the Army to the Veterans Administration, now the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Joining with 21 VA cemeteries located at hospitals and nursing homes, the National Cemetery System comprised 103 cemeteries after the transfer.

On Nov. 11, 1998, congressional legislation changed the name of the National Cemetery System (NCS) to the National Cemetery Administration (NCA).

Today, there are 141 national cemeteries. Through its National Cemetery Administration, VA operates 125 of them. Two national cemeteries – Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia and the Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. – are still administered by the Army. Fourteen national cemeteries continue to be maintained by the Department of the Interior’s National Park Service.

More than three million people, including veterans of every war and conflict – from the Revolutionary War to the war in Iraq and Afghanistan – are buried in VA’s national cemeteries, which have a total of more than 17,000 acres of land from Hawaii to Maine and from Alaska to Puerto Rico. More than 300 recipients of the Medal of Honor are buried in VA’s national cemeteries. More than 950 monuments and memorials recall the courage and sacrifice of Americans – from Revolutionary War hero Nathan Hale, at Calverton, N.Y., National Cemetery, to America’s prisoners of war memorialized at Riverside, Calif., National Cemetery.

In April 2007, VA opened its 125th cemetery – South Florida VA National Cemetery. Currently, 65 VA cemeteries in 34 states are able to provide both casket and cremation burials for America’s veterans and their families. An additional 21 provide burial for family members of those already buried and can also bury cremated remains. The remaining 39 provide burials only if a family member is already interred in the cemetery.

In 1999 and 2003, with the passage of two laws, Congress directed VA to establish 12 new national cemeteries. Six have been opened -- at Fort Sill, Okla.; Pittsburgh, Detroit, Atlanta; Sacramento and West Palm Beach, Fla. The rest – one in Alabama, one in California, two in Florida, one in Pennsylvania and one in South Carolina – will be located near large populations of veterans who do not have access currently to burial in a veterans cemetery.

In addition to providing a gravesite, VA opens and closes the grave, provides a headstone or marker, a Presidential Memorial Certificate and a U.S. Flag, and perpetually cares for the grave at no cost to the veteran’s family.

To complement national cemeteries and expand burial options for veterans, VA assists states in building or improving state veterans cemeteries through its State Cemetery Grants Program. VA will pay for construction costs in exchange for states providing the land and operating the cemeteries. VA has helped establish 69 veterans cemeteries in 37 states and U.S. territories, which provided more than 23,000 burials in fiscal year 2007. Since the program began in 1980, VA has awarded 163 grants totaling more than $315 million.

Today, more than 23 million veterans, and current and former Reservists and National Guard members with 20 years of service, have earned the right to burial in a national cemetery. Veterans with discharges “other than dishonorable,” their spouses and dependent children are eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery. Those who die on active duty may also be buried in a national cemetery.

For more information, contact the nearest national cemetery or a VA regional office at 1-800-827-1000. Information also is available on VA’s home page at http://www.cem.va.gov/.
# # #

From The President Of The United States

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Congress will soon vote on legislation to fund our troops serving on the front lines of the war on terror. This is an opportunity for Congress to give our men and women in uniform the tools they need to protect us, and Congress should approve these vital funds immediately.
Congress has had this funding request for more than a year, and there is no reason for further delay. This money is urgently needed to support military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. I put forward some reasonable requirements this bill must meet. First, this bill must give our troops the resources they need to defeat the terrorists and extremists. Second, the bill must not tie the hands of our commanders. Third, the bill must not exceed the reasonable and responsible funding levels I have requested.
Congress has had 16 months to decide how they will meet these requirements, and now the time has come for them to support our troops in harm's way. If Congress does not act, critical accounts at the Department of Defense will soon run dry. At the beginning of next month, civilian employees may face temporary layoffs. The department will have to close down a vital program that is getting potential insurgents off the streets and into jobs. The Pentagon will run out of money it needs to support critical day-to-day operations that help keep our Nation safe. And after July, the department will no longer be able to pay our troops -- including those serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Our men and women in uniform and their families deserve better than this. Around the world, our troops are taking on dangerous missions with skill and determination. In Afghanistan, they are delivering blows to the Taliban and al Qaeda. In Iraq, they've helped bring violence down to its lowest point since late March of 2004. Civilian deaths are down. Sectarian killings are down. As security has improved, the economy has improved as well, and political reconciliation is taking place at the grassroots and national levels. The Iraqi security forces are becoming more capable, and as they do, our troops are beginning to come home under a policy of return on success.
Each day, the men and women of our Armed Forces risk their lives to make sure their fellow citizens are safer. They serve with courage and honor. They've earned the respect of all Americans. And they deserve the full support of Congress. I often hear members of Congress say they oppose the war, but still support the troops. Now they have a chance to prove it. Congress should pass a responsible funding bill that gives our men and women in uniform the resources they need -- and the support they have earned.

Hero: With 5,521 Hours, He’s a ‘Driven’ Volunteer for Veterans

HOUSTON - Roy Fikes begins his volunteer day with a 2:30 a.m. wake up.
He gets ready, completes his paperwork, picks up his riders, and is on his way to Houston. Fikes plays a key role in making sure fellow veterans receive health care.
He is a volunteer; driving veterans from Bay City, Tx. for their appointments at Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (MEDVAMC).
At the MEDVAMC, Fikes waits patiently for all passengers to finish their appointments before loading up to head home. No one is ever left behind, even if their appointments run late. He drives 180 miles round trip, at least three days a week.
Over the last four years, Fikes has volunteered 5,521 hours for the MEDVAMC’s Veterans Transportation Network.
Described by fellow veterans as easy going and always with a smile on his face, Fikes, 68, says he simply likes to help people, and realizes that he himself may someday need help. At times he faces challenges, such as getting caught in Hurricane Rita evacuation traffic because a patient
needed dialysis, or having to stay late because a veteran needed an unscheduled procedure, or driving a patient on Christmas day for life-saving dialysis.
Sometimes, he does not get home to his wife of 50 years until late in the evening, but she understands her husband is on a mission. “It feels good to do what I do,” said Fikes. “I know people need my help and I’m glad to give it.”
Bryan Dyck, Voluntary Service Program manager at the DeBakey VA Medical Center, says Fikes is “one of those extraordinary volunteers, who’s willing to do whatever it takes. I wish
we had ten more just like him.” For these reasons and for his
dedication to fellow veterans, Fikes was chosen as the MEDVAMC Volunteer of
the Year for 2007. To learn more about becoming a MEDVAMC volunteer, contact
Voluntary Services at (713) 794-7135 or vhahouvolunteer@va.gov. 􀂍

Hero: Corporal Moses Cardenas

On one hot August morning near Rawah, Iraq, Lance Corporal Moses Cardenas of the Marines 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion found his platoon barraged by an insurgent suicide bomb, numerous rocket-propelled grenades, and heavy machine gun fire. In the chaotic moments that followed, Cardenas would have to decide between attempting the rescue of his wounded sergeant or remain in his covered position until reinforcements arrived. The choice was simple.
Cardenas thought, "He was my sergeant; I had to do something," and with that he courageously charged 50 meters through the kill-zone to his wounded comrade. Running the gauntlet through enemy fire, he was shot in the neck by the spray of weapons’ fire. Undeterred, he arrived at Sgt. Randy Roedema’s exposed position and performed first-aid to stop the flow of blood from Roedema’s severe wounds.
With both Marines wounded and under the sights of numerous insurgents, Cardenas knew if he was to save his friend he must evacuate both of them to safety. With his M249 Squad Automatic Weapon charged and a grip on his injured sergeant, Cardenas rotated between firing his machine gun and pulling Roedema across the battlefield. Reaching the relative safety of his platoon’s convoy, Cardenas continued laying down suppressive fire until the situation came under control and medics could tend to the wounded Marines.
Cardenas was awarded the Silver Star, the third highest military award. Roedema would later reflect "I owe him my life." Four days after Cardenas saved his life, Roedema’s wife gave birth to their first child – a child that will have a father because of the selfless act preformed by Cardenas on that summer morning in Iraq.

Wounded Warrior & Hero: James Stuck

James Stuck


After two years at Fort Campbell, Ky, James was deployed to Iraq in October 2005. His unit was doing operations and convoys in and around Kirkuk, and basically saw no action before Dec. 20, 2005, the day they were assigned to escort a team of Army engineers who were going out to do road repair.
“You wouldn’t believe the holes in the roads due to bomb damage,” said Jim. “You could drop a VW beetle in them upside down, they were that big.”
James was driving an up-armored Humvee that hit an improved explosive device (IED). There was an explosion, and the next thing he remembers is waking up at the Army’s Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. James had been in-country two months and 23 days when he was injured.
He suffered amputation of his right foot, as well as injuries to his left foot and elbow.
As of this interview (12/8/06), James was slated to be medically discharged from the Army on December 20, 2006, exactly one year following his injury. On that day, he planned to be with the people he loved and “celebrate being alive.”
Recuperation: James had four surgeries in all. “In the beginning, rehab is really hard,” he said, “But if you beat the mental game, you’ve got it. You need to think of what you can do, not about what you lost.”

Sergeant Cameron Davis

While stationed in Iraq as a combat engineer, Sgt. Davis operated the Buffalo Armored Vehicle. Sgt. Cameron Davis was tasked with the dangerous and difficult duty of clearing improvised explosive devises – the number one killer on the battlefield-- for his following comrades on ground military missions. As a Buffalo arm operator, Davis noticed that most IED’s were buried and the Buffalo were inefficient in retrieving them.
Sgt. Davis used his engineering and operating background to design and build a new piece of equipment called the "claw" to dig out buried IED’s. The "claw" attached to the Buffalo arm allowed the soldiers to pick up objects and IED’s just like a hand would. The claw was more efficient, weighed less, moved faster, could pick up heavier objects and allowed the combat engineers to spend less time on target in the kill zone, saving the lives of the Buffalo operators as well as soldiers on follow-on ground missions.
Davis modestly shares credit with his entire unit saying, "Every one of the soldiers in my unit including the command was extremely supportive while I was building the claw and gave me all the tools and resources I needed. A fellow soldier named Sgt. Morgan helped me assemble the claw."
Sgt. Davis’ invention was recommended to a four-star general of supply. Davis created a manual on how to build the claw so other route clearance teams could construct them and assist the manufacture of the Buffalo to possibly integrate the "claw" into its design. Sgt. Davis used brains and brawn inventing the "claw" and should be honored for the impact he made on the safety of soldiers in Iraq.

Wounded Warrior & Hero: Eric Browy

Eric Browy

Eric’s first tour of duty in Iraq lasted from March 2003 to March 2004. Eric’s unit was part of an operation that took the town of Taj and held it during this period. The unit did many missions and patrols, provided security for rocket systems, and set up and manned operations posts (OPs). Engaging in any number of firefights with insurgents and foreign fighters, Eric’s unit sustained nine killed in action, as well as four wounded. Three Bradleys assigned to his unit hit improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
During his second tour of duty in Iraq, which began in December 2005, Eric served as a scout in the southern part of Baghdad, doing patrols, OPs, and other scouting tasks. In March 2006, Eric was setting up observation posts. He was walking atop a wall 25 feet above the ground, carrying 80 pounds of gear while, at the same time, keeping track of a suspicious guy on the ground through his night vision goggles. He missed a step, falling from the wall and severely damaging both feet.
A helicopter took him to an Army hospital in Baghdad. From there he was flown to the Army’s Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, where he stabilized for a week. He then went to Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where his right leg was amputated below the knee. Because his left foot was so severely damaged, amputation of great toe and ball of that foot was also required.
Eric had ten surgeries in all.
Eric received medical retirement from the Army on December 28, 2006.
Recuperation: “Walter Reed’s rehabilitation system rocks,” Eric said enthusiastically. "I was walking without limping within two months. It was painful. It was work. But the system is great.”
Involvement with Wounded Warrior Project: “WWP was awesome because, when I got back I didn’t even have underwear. So when WWP came by with a backpack, it contained something I definitely needed, and a whole lot more. And when I was in a wheelchair, I used that backpack as a wheelchair backpack.”
“WWP makes sure everything’s okay.”
Employment Narrative: Eric plans to do volunteer work until he begins college in the fall. He will study engineering.
Feelings about Military Service: “Loved it.”
Feelings about Helping Other Vets thru WWP: “Now that I’m further along in recovery, the WWP rep tells me about other veterans who need help, and I go talk to them: what happened to me and how I recovered. There are a lot of people like me, who are facing recovery, and they need to talk to somebody who’s been down that road. I know I would not have had as much confidence as I made my own decision about amputation if I hadn’t talked to other amputees. So I know how important it is now for me to talk with others who are facing that decision.”

Dude! Where's My Recession? Part #264

Wall Street rises on stronger economic data

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks edged higher on Wednesday after data showed unexpected expansion in the sprawling U.S. services sector and a surprise increase in job growth

Massive Turnout For Cindy Sheehan Bid For Congress

Hero: Captain Daniel Burkhart

More than a quarter century of war and discontent has left Afghanistan’s once well-established villages and cities derelict, dilapidated and in need of brave humanitarians. Army Captain Daniel Burkhart, on his second tour supporting the war on terror, went above and beyond his role in the Combined Security Transition Command and gave his free time to the Voluntary Community Relations Project (VCR) with an open heart and helping hand.

Burkhart always believed it was a privilege to serve as a conduit through which the goodwill and generosity of the American people was able to flow to Afghanistan, improving the lives of these war-ravaged citizens. Started by an Army Chaplain, the VCR project distributes clothes and other goods to displaced refugees in and around Kabul – all donated by the American people.

Burkhart considered the time away from his loving wife and infant to be daunting. Seeing the face of his young daughter in that of every needy Afghani youngster, he knew he could not ignore them. As a part of VCR, he has helped facilitate the delivery and distribution of thousands of items to this war-torn country. These tokens of support by the American public are one of the many ways Burkhart and his fellow soldiers help the Afghan people resist the pressures of the poppy industry, or worse, acquiesce to the Taliban’s insurgency.

When asked about his experience in Afghanistan, he does not tell tales of the fanatical Taliban fighters or the despicable acts of al Qaeda terrorists, but instead the hospitality and work ethic of the local populous. He reflects on the many cups of chai he has shared with refugees and villagers alike, and the many games of soccer he has played with energetic children.

While Burkhart will always remember the brown sand and desolate landscapes of Afghanistan, it is the appreciative children and the hundreds, perhaps thousands of lives he has touched with the VCR project that will always have the most prominent place in his memory.

For his year-long service in Afghanistan, Burkhart received the Bronze Star, the NATO Medal, the Afghan Campaign Medal and the Outstanding Service Medal.

Hero: Chris Ayers

Chris Ayers

A native of Houston, Texas, Chris Ayers joined the Marines in 1995 to find positive direction in his life in a structured environment. Chris loved the work and flourished in the service, becoming a machine gunner. He briefly left the service after the birth of his first child, but re-enlisted in 1999.

In March of 2003, Chris' unit, First Battalion, Fifth Marines, deployed to the Al Anbar Province in Iraq. Two weeks after Chris arrived in Iraq, four Blackwater military contractors were killed in Fallujah, launching Operation Resolve, also known as the First Battle of Fallujah.

During the battle, Chris led a group of Marines to clear an area where supply vehicles had been attacked. Before they could reach the area, they were ambushed. Chris and his fellow Marines ran a gauntlet of fire from rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and small-arms fire. One of the RPGs killed the group's gunner. Another ripped through Chris, blowing off all of the soft tissue on the back of his leg. After the blast, Chris passed in and out of consciousness. He prayed to make it home to see his wife and daughter one more time.

Chris' companions pulled him to a nearby house, where a corpsman applied a tourniquet and radioed for help. The house was surrounded by enemies, and it took nearly an hour and a half for a rescue party to fight their way in. Chris was air lifted out, and he woke up in Landstuhl, Germany before being transferred to Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) in Texas, where he stayed for two and a half months.

Luckily, the blast didn't break Chris' femur or sever the femoral artery, and he was able to keep his leg. The injury did damage Chris' sciatic nerve, leaving him with numbness in his leg and a perpetual feeling that his leg is asleep. It was nearly two months before Chris was able to get out of bed, and he had to learn to walk without his hamstring muscle. It took more than six months before Chris was able to walk on his own.

Chris considers himself lucky not only to have his leg, but also to return to his family. He is deeply thankful for the skill of his fellow Marines, whom he credits for saving his life. "For them to do the things they did during that difficult situation was totally phenomenal," Chris explains.
Chris recently joined team WWP to head up the Project's post-traumatic stress initiatives. He first heard about WWP when he received a signature WWP backpack at BAMC. Since his injury, he's been amazed by the increase in programs available to the wounded, and has stepped forward to do what he can to help. "I've met some incredible individuals who want to help veterans and some amazing veterans themselves." Chris' wife Renee has been involved too, talking with spouses of wounded warriors and connecting them with resources and support.

Chris sums it up with, "I'm passionate about what I'm doing, and I just think it's the right thing to do. I really like the Wounded Warrior Project because they're active with veterans and keep them involved. They think outside the box. It's just a phenomenal organization."

Dude! Where's My Recession? Factory Orders Up!

WASHINGTON — Orders for manufactured goods posted a surprisingly strong increase in April as demand rose across a number of industries.
The Commerce Department reported today that orders were up 1.1 percent in April following a 1.5 percent increase in March. Orders had fallen in January and March as a spreading slowdown in the overall economy depressed activity in manufacturing.
The April increase came as a surprise. Analysts had been forecasting a small decline.

Star Parker: America's Generosity is Unmatched

Americans are hearing so much these days about how bad we are that we're starting to believe it.

In a recent Gallup poll, 68 percent said they are "dissatisfied with the position of the United States in the world today," and 55 percent said they think that the rest of the world views us unfavorably.

However, as I page through a publication called the Index of Global Philanthropy, which is produced annually by the Center for Global Prosperity at the Hudson Institute in Washington, it becomes obvious that these American feelings of self-deprecation are misguided.

This is the just released third annual edition of this index. It produces a unique snapshot portraying the full extent of American generosity to developing countries, by amount and by source.

Usually when the question of aid to the developing world arises, we think of government funds. But this index shows that, whereas it may be the rule in the rest of the industrialized world that most aid is government aid, in our country this isn't the case. Most of the contributions that Americans make abroad are private and voluntary. And they are large.

In 2006, the latest year for which data is available, the index reports that Americans contributed privately and voluntarily $34.8 billion to individuals and organizations in developing countries.

Philanthropy is distinct from government aid in that it originates with private citizens and is voluntary, but also the recipients are private individuals and organizations, as opposed to governments. Private to private versus government to government.

The $34.8 billion in philanthropy from private Americans exceeded the $23.5 billion in official U.S. government aid abroad by $11.3 billion, or 48 percent.

This private philanthropy is flowing from foundations, corporations, private and voluntary organizations, universities and colleges, and religious organizations.

Of particular interest in this year's index is the $8.8 billion reported from religious organizations. According to Carol Adelman, who directs this work, the data was produced by commissioning "the first national survey of congregational giving to the developing world" ever done.

The average contribution of congregations was $10,700.

To put this in some kind of perspective, the $8.8 billion in giving from American religious institutions to developing countries was $1.5 billion more than the total giving from all private sources in 30 of the world's major industrialized democratic countries combined.

When consolidating all assistance funds flowing from the United States to developing countries, the total is $129.8 billion. This is the total of government aid, philanthropy, and remittances -- funds sent directly by private individuals to other private parties in developing countries, often family members. A far second in total giving behind the United States is the United Kingdom at $20.7 billion.

There are a couple of important messages here.

First, of course, is the incredible compassion and generosity of Americans. American largesse does not need to be pried or forced by the government. It flows organically from free, civic minded and often religiously motivated citizens. And it comes from citizens of every income strata. The religious giving data shows that whereas the average congregation gives $10,700, the median number is $2,500, indicating that there are many smaller, less wealthy congregations engaged.

The other headline is the central importance of the private sector in both generating prosperity, but also in sharing it.

Bookshelves now strain with studies showing the failures of government-to-government aid.
It is individuals who create wealth. Compassion and personal responsibility reside in the breasts of those same individuals. Neither can be said of government bureaucracies.

Barack Obama spoke at the commencement ceremony at Wesleyan University the other day. He talked about national service and, recalling John F. Kennedy, committed to doubling the size of the Peace Corps if elected president.

From what I see and what the data shows, Americans don't need government to make them care, contribute, and volunteer. If anything, they need less government so they'll retain and keep control of more of what they produce and subsequently share with those in need.

Other countries may have their own motivations for what causes them to view Americans the way they do. But the data is clear. Americans are unmatched in creating prosperity and sharing it.

It's time to pay closer attention to what Americans do rather than what others say.

Michael Yon Has An Open Offer to U.S. Senators

One of the biggest problems with the Iraq War is that politics has frequently triumphed over truth. For instance, we went into Iraq with shoddy intelligence (at best), no reconstruction plan, and perhaps half as many troops as were required. We refused to admit that an insurgency was growing, until the country collapsed into anarchy and civil war. Now the truth is that Iraq is showing real progress on many fronts: Al Qaeda is being defeated and violence is down and continuing to decrease. As a result, the militias have lost their reason for existence and are getting beaten back or co-opted. Shia, Sunni and Kurds are coming together -- although with various stresses -- under the national government. If progress continues at this rate, it is very possible that before 2008 is out, we can finally say "the war has ended." Yes, likely there still will be some American casualties, but if the violence continues to drop and the Iraqi government consolidates its gains, we will be able, in good conscience, to begin bringing more of our people home. I will be paying very close attention to the words of Lieutenant General Raymond Odierno, who is replacing General Petraeus as the overall commander in Iraq.
Whatever we do in Iraq from here forward, we must strive to make better decisions than those made between 2003 and 2006. And one way to achieve that is by making certain that our civilian leaders are fully informed. All three candidates for President are extremely intelligent, but that doesn't mean that all three are tracking the truth on the ground in Iraq. Anyone who wants to be President of the United States needs to see Iraq without the distorting lenses of the media or partisan politics. I would be honored to visit Iraq with Senator Obama, Senator Clinton, Senator McCain or any of their Senate colleagues.

Hero Of The Day: Michael Zanders

April 15, 2006 would prove to be unlike any other day during his near 800 hours of combat flight in Iraq. In Mosul around mid-day, Zanders received a "911" call from a nearby combat outpost. Zanders took off in one of two Kiowa Warrior helicopters from Forward Operating Base Mosul and arrived on site in minutes. As they approached, they saw gunfire and explosions blackening the desert. The heavy dust rising from the chaos obstructed the choppers’ view of the kill-zone, forcing them to fly as close to the ground as possible. After frantic communiqués from the combat outpost warning their position could be overrun, the Kiowas helicopters went into action. Zanders’ sister ship took the lead. Both choppers unloaded on the attacking insurgents with volleys of high explosive rockets and 50 caliber machine gun fire.
After several low-flying orbits of the battlefield, the other chopper took hostile fire and was forced to pull out of the fight. The pilot had smelled gas and performed an emergency landing within a kilometer of the engagement zone to assess the damage. Zanders kept one eye on the downed aircrew and the other on the still pitched battle.
The Army pilots had feared such a situation could arise. With insurgents threatening to overwhelm their haphazard landing zone, the pilots knew there was no time to wait. Without pause, Zanders landed next to the downed crew – the most vulnerable sort of maneuver for a helicopter – and signaled to the pilot and copilot of the fellow Warrior to climb onto his craft’s weapons struts and hold on. With a "thumbs up" from the precariously secured aircrew, Zanders climbed back into the sky, and flew at over 80 knots back to FOB Mosul.
Flying through the Iraqi air with an additional aircrew barely on board made for a challenging flight in the insurgent–contested territory. In the air, as Zanders flew passed a Black Hawk helicopter that had scrambled to perform the rescue, Zanders saw the surprise on the face of the passing pilots as they took in the sight of the downed aircrew strapped to the side of Zanders’ chopper. That heroic act – which Zanders modestly called "instinct" – was later confirmed to be the first ever attempted of its kind.
Successfully evacuating the aircrew at the base, Zanders prepared to head back out. The situation at the besieged combat outpost was stabilized while he refueled and rearmed, but instead of debriefing, he took off again to provide security around the downed chopper until it could be recovered.

For his efforts, Zanders was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Bronze Star Medal

Wounded Warrior Hero: Alex Presman

Alex Presman

Alex’s time in the military was up on December 30, 2002. He didn’t have to go to Kuwait to participate in the invasion of Iraq, but this was something he wanted to do for the United States, his adopted country and a land he had come to love. So, he extended his time in the Marine Corps, arriving in Kuwait on February 14, 2003.
He spent his first three months transporting medical supplies and munitions to units in the field; and in May 2003, when his unit asked for volunteers to move forward into Iraq, Alex went. From that point on, it was constant combat and scorching sand until July 15, 2003, when Alex was wounded.
That day, he was manning an M-240 machine gun in a Humvee as part of a convoy from Diwanya to Baghdad to pick up medical supplies. They made a rest stop along the way, and Alex stepped on a land mine – what would later come to be known as an improvised explosive device (IED) – that Baathist forces had planted in the sand.

Hero: Tom Carpenter: A Wounded Warrior

Tom Carpenter
Tom enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in July of 1980, serving at Camp Lejeune and in Okinawa before his honorable discharge in 1984. After a year and a half of civilian life, Tom returned to make a career in the armed forces, serving in the U.S. Army from 1986 to October of 2006.

1st Lt. W. Bryan Jackson - Hero Of The Day

Called a hero by his former Task Force commander and later awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, 1st Lt. W. Bryan Jackson’s utter disregard for his own well-being likely saved the life of a fellow soldier, while jeopardizing his own.
Deeply involved in combat operations on September 27, 2006 in Anbar province, Iraq, Jackson attempted to recover a disabled vehicle when his unit was attacked by a hail of enemy machine gun fire, wounding several. Instead of seeking cover, he rushed to the aid of his injured first sergeant and began life-saving first aid.
An insurgent’s bullet ripped through his thigh, but did not take Jackson out of the fight. Regaining consciousness after the initial shock of the injury, Jackson’s first thought was about his severely wounded comrade. He alternated between returning fire on the suspected enemy position and administering first aid to his compatriot with life-threatening wounds. Ignoring his own severe injuries and relying on his tenacity and strength, Jackson carried his first sergeant to a Bradley Fighting Vehicle 30 feet away for evacuation. Even as he was hit a second time by enemy fire, Jackson never faltered in his aid. Once clear of the engagement and despite the severity of his own injuries, Jackson still refused medical aid until the man he helped save was treated.
The first words from Jackson after undergoing emergency medical evacuation and the first of several surgeries to come were of concern for the man he saved. For his injuries, his selfless courage under extreme enemy fire and extraordinary heroism in action, Jackson was awarded both the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Service Cross, becoming only the seventh soldier since 1975 to receive the later award.
Humbly, Jackson reflected: "I believe I just had to do what I had to do in that situation… I think many soldiers would have done the same thing."

Sniper Jake Drive

From some of our marines in Afghanistan, a few things to make things better for them.

We are gathering care packages to send...if anyone cares to help, please drop me a line or the address to send direct is also listed.

We could use-
jerky
sunflower seeds
gum
drink mixes
AAA/AA batteries
old books/magazines
protein powder packets (individual packets)
copenhagen (not for me)
crossword/word game books
boot socks.

please send to:
Cpl Wood,
J2/7 H&S Co.,
SSPUnit 41545
FPO AE 96426-1545

Hero Of The Day: Sergeant Benjamin Marshall

Separated from his platoon and nearly surrounded by eight al Qaeda fighters, Sergeant Benjamin Marshall had a decision to make: run for cover, stranding his two pinned comrades; or sprint across enemy fire and assume a position to shoot back. Marshall chose the latter, in what he would later call the defining moment of his life.
July 7, 2006, during a mission in Tharthar, Iraq, Marshall, two fellow soldiers and an Iraqi interpreter entered a farmhouse – one of several they had been searching all day after receiving intelligence on a possible al Qaeda training camp in the area. After Marshall and one of his comrades, Staff Sergeant Christopher Schroeder, cleared the first room, an unknown man darted into another room, pointed his rifle out the doorway and blindly sprayed 7.62 rounds at the soldiers from his AK-47. Schroeder was hit twice. The two men on point, the wounded Schroeder and Sergeant Williams Wills, quickly sought cover in an adjacent room as a tremendous wall of automatic weapons fire began coming down on all three soldiers.
The interpreter got out of the house but Marshall knew his soldiers could not get out unless he was able to take up a firing position outside. Looking back, he said "I don’t know how, but they never saw me." Marshall remembers he had to run right by the terrorists in an effort to get outside, only to find a position in a dilapidated chicken coop. The terrorists attempted to close in on Wills and Schroder’s position, but Marshall’s expertly aimed shots stopped them.
As the battle wore on, it became apparent to Marshall that these were well-trained and determined fighters. As the gunfire continued inside the house, Marshall could hear the fervent chanting of the al Qaeda fighters, but the fate of his men remained a mystery. After hearing a volley of grenades near his soldiers’ last location, Marshall feared the worst. When he heard the thunderous clap of a flash bang grenade exploding near the insurgents’ position, only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.
As the platoon leader’s Humvee approached, Marshall shouted out the status of his injured brothers-in-arms to the vehicle’s gunner. His communication was critical, but it alerted the insurgents and drew fire onto his position. Round after round of machine gun fire ripped apart his thin cover, nearly taking his life. Yet becoming the insurgent’s target was exactly the diversion Marshall had hoped for to take the pressure off his fellow soldiers. This maneuver enabled the injured soldiers to signal to the four U.S. gun trucks. A Humvee, now at Marshall’s position, provided him with cover to then pull up alongside the building to evacuate the other two American soldiers.
Not a day goes by when Marshall does not think of that life-changing experience in Tharthar. In a split second he made the decision to save the lives of his fellow soldiers rather than run for cover. He picked "the hard right over the easy left," and because of that was awarded the Bronze Star with "V" device for exceptionally meritorious heroism in July of 2007.

Hero: Melissa Stockwell

Melissa was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army in May 2002, after which she received training as a transportation officer. She was deployed to Iraq in March 2004 and found out right away that a transportation officer’s job is a tough one.
The roads in and out of Baghdad are mean – loaded with homemade bombs. One of those weapons took out First Lieutenant Stockwell’s vehicle as she led a convoy along those treacherous roads. The blast threw the vehicle into a swerve. It slammed into a guardrail and crashed into a house.
There was a lot of blood. A medic put a tourniquet on Melissa’s leg, but she didn’t yet know her leg was gone. She got that news when she woke up in a hospital and talked with her husbandm who was also a soldier stationed in another part of Baghdad.
It was a tough moment, but self pity never entered this young officer’s mind. Her thoughts went straight to the troops under her command. She was grateful that she was the one who was wounded, not one of the soldiers for whom she was responsible.
Melissa was glad her husband, Dick, was there for her at that moment, and they made an immediate decision: “Let’s get on with this, and on with life.”

Sun Tzu

The clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy, but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him.
- Sun Tzu

When Negotiating With Your Enemy

When negotiating with your enemy, know his demands and what he will agree to even before sending an envoy.Inha mu kif jihad, hatta il-sharia hal--il-waahid Quanoon a-ardah.This is the stated position of our most ardent enemies: We will not stop jihad, until the sharia is the one source of law on earth.The sending of envoys and offers has a long tradition in the Muslim way of war.In 633 AD (12 Hijri) the Muslim General Khalid bin Al-Wahid sent envoys making the following offer to the Persians"Submit to Islam and be safe. Or agree to the payment of the Jizya, and you and your people will be under our protection, else you will have only yourself to blame for the consequences, for I bring a people who desire death as ardently as you desire life." (History of al-Tabari, Volume XI)
Osama Bin Laden used similar language in his 1996 Fatwa :
"I say to you William (Defence Secretary) that: These youths love death as you loves life."
The United States was barely a Nation when in 1785, Tripoli's ambassador to England, Abdrahaman informed John Adams that Tripoli and the U.S. were at war.
Abdrahaman further informed Adams that a treaty could be purchased and warned that, according to David McCullough, "A war between Christian and Christian was mild, prisoners were trated with humanity; but warned his Excellency, a war between Muslim and Christian would be horrible."
Abdrahman's justification for a state of war? The Koran. As Jefferson wrote :
"It was written in their Koran, that all nations which had not acknowledged the Prophet were sinners, whom it was the right and duty of the faithful to plunder and enslave."
For 13 centuries, the demands of Mohammedan Jihadists have been plain. They key to negotiation with the Mohammedan Jihadist is understanding that there is no negotiation for the Mohammedan Jihadist only demands to be accepted or rejected.

Discover Tries to Help Customers Pay Off Debt

Stocks With Insider Buying

At Stockpickr.com, we strive to keep track of insider purchasing and buybacks each week. Here's the perfect setup in my mind: Insiders are buying the stock, the company is buying back its own shares, and a super-investor such as Warren Buffett is also buying shares. If I can get three out of three, I'm in heaven. If I can get two out of three, or even one out of three, I'm still pretty happy about the situation, particularly if the stock is cheap in other ways as well.

SSgt. Heath Calhoun (Retired)

Born in Bristol, Tennessee in 1979, Heath Calhoun graduated from Grundy High School in 1997, and went on to Southwest Virginia Community College, graduating in 1999 with an associates degree.
At a young age, Heath earned respect for the U.S. military. His father served in Vietnam and his grandfather in World War II and in 1999, Heath made the decision to carry on his family’s dedication to the military and to the service of his country when he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He completed his infantry, Airborne and Ranger training at Fort Benning, Georgia. He was then deployed to Iraq where he was assigned as a Squad Leader for the famed 101st Airborne Division.
It was there his convoy was attacked and hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. “I was at the rear corner of the Humvee when the grenade hit the tail light right beside my right leg and exploded,” he said. “I was lying on my side. I could see my legs were really messed up.” Heath yelled to the driver of the vehicle to call the incident in to headquarters. “I laid my head back down and that’s all I remember.”

The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) was founded on the principle that veterans are our nation's greatest citizens. The WWP seeks to assist those men and women of our armed forces who have been severely injured during the conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other locations around the world.

Corporal Ian Dollard

June 24, 2007 on patrol in Saqlawiyah, Iraq, Corporal Ian Dollard’s team investigated an abandoned dump truck for signs of explosives when insurgents ambushed them. Immediately, one Marine was hit once by a spray of machine gun fire and several Marines rushed to his aid. Dollard provided suppressive fire from behind his up-armored Humvee for the rescuers and wounded Marine. Suddenly, a second position opened fire on the Marines. An enemy round hit his platoon commander, 1st Lt. Paul Brisker, instantly dropping Brisker to the ground and presenting the young corporal with a life threatening decision.
Dollard recalls adrenaline took over, and he rushed towards his wounded comrade – as well as the second enemy machine gun position. The 21-year-old Marine selflessly used his body as a shield to protect Brisker from additional gunfire while he began performing first aid.
In his exposed position, Dollard was hit not once, but twice by machine gun fire in his armor, causing him only temporary pause. He knew Brisker would die if not pulled to the safety provided by his platoon, so he dragged the injured officer more than 25 meters to a Humvee under constant gunfire. In the final steps of the rescue, Dollard was hit a third time, this round bypassing his armor and hitting him in the leg.
Ignoring his injuries, Dollard continued supporting his platoon as they left the engagement to rush back to their operating base and get Brisker the critical care he needed. Only then did Dollard tell his platoon sergeant, Staff Sgt. Marc Navai, "Oh, by the way, I got shot too."
Without delay, Navai started working on the citation, arguing, "That’s what a Silver Star is all about." Dollard was credited with saving the life of his platoon commander, who eventually made a full recovery. After only six weeks recuperating, Dollard was back on the frontlines, serving his country and the Corps with the same heroism he brought that June day in Anbar province.

Dream Ticket!!!!!!

Public School Prayer? No Way! Islamic Teaching? Way!

Texas children roped into Islamic training

Class by CAIR teaches: 'There is one god, Allah'

Public school students at Friendswood Junior High in the Houston area have been roped into Islamic training by representatives from the Council on American-Islamic Relations during class time, prompting religious leaders to protest over Principal Robin Lowe's actions.

Oohhh Danny Boy........

Everyone Knows It's Over....But Clinton

Hero Of The Day: 2nd LT. Philip Palmer

Philip Palmer

Days after the "troop surge" was announced, a young second lieutenant would persevere under fire to lead a burgeoning Iraqi Army unit to victory. Second Lieutenant Philip D. Palmer of the United States Marine Corps was assigned to a Military Transition Team working with the 1st battalion of the Iraqi Army during operations in the Ma’Laab district in Ramadi, Iraq. The morning of January 14th, 2007, would serve as a defining moment in his life and the lives of all the Iraqi troops he shepherded through danger.
The Iraqi platoon, led by Iraqi Lieutenant Allah, worked its way through the dangerous city streets, unaware of what was ahead. As the patrol bounded ahead, gunfire erupted from nearby positions hitting Lieutenant Allah squarely in his armor. While the rounds were stopped by his layers of armor, he was shell-shocked and stunned by the near-death experience. With Allah paralyzed by fear and incapable of leading his men under such hectic conditions, Palmer seized the initiative.
Seeing that words alone would not be enough to organize this nascent Iraqi unit, Palmer knew he must act. Standing like a monolith in the face of incoming enemy fire, Palmer took command of the broken unit, rallying them through his bold example. Taking point, he pushed forward towards the attacking insurgents with his newly inspired Iraqi unit who followed close through the chaotic streets.

Palmer kept in mind the mission and the 13 Iraqis he was attached to as he led the fight against the insurgent forces. At the end of the day, he successfully concluded the operation and brought every one of the Iraqi soldiers back to base alive. His heroic assumption of command and leadership under intense attack earned him the Army Commendation Medal with Valor.

Don’t blame Big Oil or Arabs for high gas prices

If any one entity should take the blame for high gas prices in the US, Mackubin Thomas Owens writes in today’s Wall Street Journal, it should be Congress.

Rove: Obama's Revisionist History

Dude! Where's My Recession?

Economy's growth picks up in first quarter

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The economy plodded ahead at a 0.9 percent pace in the first quarter -- slightly better than first estimated

The new reading on gross domestic product, released by the Commerce Department on Thursday, was an improvement from the government's initial growth estimate for the January-to-March quarter as well as the economy's performance in the final quarter of last year. Both periods were pegged at a 0.6 percent growth rate.

Michael Murphy

For a U.S. Navy SEAL, dangerous situations in isolated, treacherous locations are just an average day on the job. This was the case for Lieutenant Michael Murphy, who entered the lonely mountain range of the Hindu Kush between Afghanistan and Pakistan on June 28, 2005. Leading a four-man SEAL element – which included Petty Officers Danny Dietz, Matthew Axelson, and Marcus Luttrell – Murphy and his team were tasked with tracking down Ahmad Shah, a known terrorist.
As the team crept through the rugged terrain, three goat herders came upon the SEALs. Just hours after releasing the local nationals, a large enemy force came pouring over the mountains.
A fierce gun battle ensued between the severely outnumbered SEALs and the larger Taliban force. Murphy realized that his team would not last long without reinforcements, so despite his injuries, he moved away from the rocks that were sheltering him to make radio contact with Bagram Air Base. Without the protection of the terrain, Murphy was a prime target for incoming Taliban gunfire.
As bullets riddled his body, Murphy held on long enough to make contact with the Special Operations Forces Quick Reaction Force at headquarters.
Murphy made his way back to his unit, severely wounded, and continued to fight alongside his comrades. The fighting continued for two hours leaving three out of the four SEALs mortally wounded. The Chinook helicopter that responded to Murphy’s call was shot down by the enemy, killing all 16 men aboard.
Luttrell, severely wounded, traveled seven miles to a nearby Afghan village where he was taken in and sheltered from the Taliban. One villager reported Luttrell’s location to a Marine outpost and U.S. forces launched a rescue mission on July 2 that brought him home. The lone survivor of Operation Red Wing was later awarded the Navy Cross. His comrades, Dietz and Axelson, were posthumously awarded Navy Crosses for their heroic actions.
Murphy’s selfless act was honored by President Bush on October 22, 2007, when Murphy was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, making him the first Navy Medal of Honor recipient for actions in the Global War on Terror, and the first to be awarded for actions in Operation Enduring Freedom. On May 7, 2008, Secretary of the Navy Donald Winter announced that the newest guided-missile destroyer will be named in honor of Lt. Michael Murphy

Sniper Jake Has A Request

We could use-

jerky

sunflower seeds

gum

drink mixes

AAA/AA batteries

old books/magazines

protein powder packets (individual packets)

copenhagen (not for me)

crossword/word game books

boot socks.

Cpl Wood, J2/7 H&S Co., SSPUnit 41545FPO AE 96426-1545

Al Qaeda Discusses Losing Iraq

Al Qaeda web sites are making a lot of noise about "why we lost in Iraq."

Dude! Where's My Recession?

US new home sales rose unexpectedly in April

Sales of new homes across the United States rose an unexpected 3.3 percent in April from the prior month, to a seasonally adjusted annual pace of 526,000 homes, a government report showed Tuesday.
The spike in sales confounded most economists forecasts of a sales decline last month.

Vet Faces Lawsuit For Flying American Flag

Iraqis losing patience with militiamen

BAGHDAD -- Four summers ago, when militiamen loyal to hard-line Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtada Sadr were battling U.S. forces in the holy city of Najaf, Mohammed Lami was among them. "I had faith. I believed in something," Lami said of his days hoisting a gun for Sadr's Mahdi Army militia. "Now, I will never fight with them."Lami is no fan of U.S. troops, but after fleeing Baghdad's Sadr City district with his family last month, when militiamen arrived on his street to plant a bomb, he is no fan of the Mahdi Army either. Nor are many others living in Sadr City, the 32-year-old said. Weeks of fighting between militiamen and Iraqi and U.S. forces, with residents caught in the middle, has chipped away at the Sadr movement's grass-roots popularity, Lami said.

An American Hero: Sheffield F. Ford III

The Story:
The 23rd and 24th of June 2006 would be a crucible of leadership and heroism for an already battle-tested and decorated captain in the U.S. Army’s Special Forces. Captain Sheffield F. Ford III was in charge of some 16 Americans and 46 Afghan Army soldiers during "Operation Kaika" in the Panjawi District of Afghanistan’s Kandahar province. In the bleak farmland, criss-crossed by ditches and barren expanses, Ford led his unit to "re-establish order" in the contested region, entering a Spartan Afghan village on the 23rd. The dilapidated buildings and mud huts were hiding a Taliban force of unknown strength with one thought on their minds: killing Americans and the Afghan soldiers working to take back their country. In their hastily prepared patrol base, Ford organized a perimeter as night enveloped the isolated Special Forces team and their Afghan allies.
As darkness fell, "all hell [broke] loose." From three directions, rifle, machine gun, and rocket-propelled grenade fire landed and exploded on their position. One of Ford’s squad mates later said they had "not seen this disciplined execution of infantry tactics" by the Taliban. Ford dug his men in to repel the assault.
Moving from position to position, he alternated between barking orders, firing at the enemy, and rallying the Afghan soldiers with him. As the night crept on, the remaining Taliban fighters withdrew and Ford took stock of the situation.
Early the next day, he ordered some of his Special Forces operators to lead a team of Afghans into the suspected Taliban hideout. As the unit engaged the hostiles, it was divided in two when some 200 Taliban fighters poured out, separating the American attackers and surrounding the make-shift patrol base.
Over the radio, Ford was connected with one of the translators who had been leading the mission on the Taliban position. The translator saw two Americans were fighting despite being severely wounded and feared capture at any minute. Knowing the ramifications of being taken alive by the Taliban, the translator told Ford he would, if ordered, end the suffering of the troops and his own life rather than be captured. Ford responded, "We’ve got people coming." Ford organized and launched an effective rescue to recover the translator and wounded troops, even if they were mortally wounded. He would not allow American or Afghan alike to be taken in any condition by the Taliban.
The adversaries fought so close to one another that the terrorists screamed to the Afghan soldiers that, "we can forgive you; just put your weapons down and walk away. We want the Americans alive." The months of training and the ties formed between the Americans and the Afghans were put to the test. Seeing the example of Ford running to each of the beleaguered fighters in the face of constant fire, and remembering all they had endured alongside their American trainers, the Afghan soldiers responded to the Taliban’s offer with well-aimed shots and an unbreakable defense.
Exemplifying the U.S. Special Forces motto, De Opresso Liber (to liberate the oppressed), Ford inspired his Afghan troops to stand up to the Taliban fighters and bring them down. He led an evacuation of all the men under his command, wounded included, out of the village under the cover of Apache attack choppers to ensure all would be safe, while sealing the fate of the insurgents. Ford successfully extricated his men, and the unit had more than 120 confirmed kills. Just as the Americans and Afghans had trained together, they sacrificed together; two American and three Afghan soldiers would not leave the battlefield alive. For his accomplishments in the face of such an overpowering force, Ford was awarded the Silver Star, the nation’s third highest military award.

Remembering

It is important to remember the sacrifice of so many Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice for us. We at the Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth are fortunate to call Kansas home and therefore, we would like to highlight the service and sacrifice of one native Kansan in order to share the incredible commitment and sacrifice of all our troops and their Families.

First Sergeant Timothy Millsap of Wichita, Kansas epitomized the word duty. He was in his twentieth year of service when he was alerted to deploy to Iraq for the second time. He could have hung it up at twenty and retired to a life of rest and relaxation, but that wasn’t Tim’s way. It simply wasn’t his nature. He was a born leader and leading Soldiers is where he always wanted to be. On April 25, 2005 he was killed by an IED near Baghdad. Tim gave his life for his Soldiers and his country. He is one of the many thousands of reasons we observe Memorial Day.

However, Memorial Day isn’t just about the Soldiers who have sacrificed. It is also about the ones who are currently serving and sacrificing. This Memorial Day while you are spending time with family and enjoying a great barbeque outing, remember that we have Soldiers in harms way protecting your way of life and other people’s freedom.

Finally, this Memorial Day should also be about our “Gold Star” Families who have sacrificed too. You see, Tim had a Mom, Rosie, and a Dad, Kenny, who fell to the floor in sorrow when three uniformed service members came to their door one day. Tim had a wife of 20 years, Alyne, and a fifteen year old daughter, Deanna. There is a Daughter today who doesn’t have her father to take her hunting, to see her off to her prom or snap a million pictures at her graduation. When a woman named Lydia Bixby lost five sons in the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln eloquently wrote that she had “laid so costly a sacrifice at the altar of freedom.” This Memorial Day, let’s remember our fallen heroes, those currently serving and let’s not forget to thank the Rosie’s, the Kenny’s, the Alyne’s, the Deanna’s and the countless other Families who have laid their sacrifice at the altar of freedom…. Our freedom!

Memorial Day

Memorial Day

James McCabe Irvine Sr.

Standing on the brige of a German Sub captured by Commander Irvine's battle group.
Commander Irvine was awarded the Legion of Merit with the Combat V for his part in the destruction of another German Sub, U248, in January 1945

Verse of the day

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped...


Philippians 2:5-6, New International Version

Apple To Double Production of IPhone & IPod Touch

CUPERTINO, Calif. — Apple Inc. updated its iPhone and iPod Touch lineup Tuesday, doubling the memory and setting a new premium price for its high-end models.
The latest iPhone features 16 gigabytes of memory and retails for $499. The previously released 8 GB version of the hybrid cell phone, multimedia player and wireless Internet device costs $399.
The new iPod Touch comes with 32 GB of memory and retails for $499.

Mass Grave Discovered Near Baghdad

BAGHDAD (AP) - About 50 dead bodies were discovered Tuesday in a mass grave northwest of Baghdad, Iraqi officials said.
U.S.-backed Sunni tribesmen found the grave while patrolling the village of Jazeerah, 15 miles west of Samarra near Lake Tharthar, said Col. Mazin Younis Hussein, commander of the Samarra support force, a group of local men working with U.S. forces.

Iranian Landmines in Afghanistan

Afghan troops raided the house of a Taliban commander near the Iranian border, and seized over a hundred land mines. These appeared to have been manufactured in Iran. When the Afghans complained to Iran, they were told that Iran is not supplying the Taliban with weapons. That may be true, especially if you consider that the Iranian government is run by a group of senior clerics, who don't always agree with each other. The Iranian government is split into several factions, and each has a different agenda. The more radical factions can legally get landmines, and other weapons, from Iranian factories, and then do whatever they want with them. The more radical factions have gone as far as supplying Sunni Arab radicals in Iraq and Afghanistan with weapons, because the Iranians are so eager to kill U.S. troops. But these weapons are being given to groups that also kill Shia Moslems. Iran is mostly Shia, and is considered the protector of Shia Moslems everywhere. The Iranian government uses this as part of its defense in denying supplying the weapons to the Taliban (who killed thousands of Afghan Shia during the 1990s) and al Qaeda (which considers the Shia to be heretics.)

Michael Yon Has A New Post

The Men of Valor series derives from my second trip with the British Army in southern Iraq in 2007. The situation in the south has changed. Overall, the Iraq situation continues to improve, but there remain pockets of sharp fighting. I would tend to expect increased U.S. casualties during February and March. Al Qaeda, in particular, is increasingly being targeted in certain areas, including Mosul

Hero: Juan Ayala

A secure Iraq requires competent local police and national army. In Iraq, U.S. commanders have helped achieve stability in former hotbeds of violence by building up Iraqi Security Forces, thanks to the creative efforts of soldiers and Marines, such as Marine Corps Col. Juan Ayala.
During his third tour in Iraq, from January 2006 to January 2007, Col. Ayala served as the Senior Advisor to the 1st Iraqi Army Division, based at Camp Habbaniyah. Numerous challenges faced Ayala and his 29-man team, as they operated daily in tandem with the Iraqis. The Division lacked soldiers, trained officers and equipment. The surrounding terrain proved hostile as well. In early 2006, Anbar province remained volatile, and the Iraqi Army often found itself engaged in battles with civilians allied with insurgents.
Over time, under Ayala’s guidance, the Iraqis increased their areas of responsibility and gained credibility among the population. Specifically, Col. Ayala revamped the staff functions of the Division, drawing up missions that fit its skill set. He collaborated with local imams and sheiks to obtain approval for operations. As a result of the built-up trust, the flow of actionable intelligence to the Division increased, as did the number of formerly hostile Sunnis to the Division’s ranks. So many ended up joining the Iraqi forces that they eventually gained a title: the “sons of Al Anbar.”
Ayala helped plan and execute 52 direct action patrols in the area, which yielded 25 captured insurgents. Ayala’s input resulted in the creation of a 24-hour joint Iraqi/Advisor Combat Operations Center, which helped obtain situational awareness on the ground. Other positive developments under Ayala’s tenure included equipment improvements and the purging of hundreds of bogus soldiers from the Division’s ranks. Under Ayala, the implementation of a Unit Tracking Program (UTP) was influential in maintaining accountability among the Iraqi soldiers in the Division.
Ayala often went on patrols, serving as a vehicle and convoy commander. He was hit twice by IEDs, but kept going out on missions to assess the Division’s ability in the field. He led 17 teams and 225 advisors at different levels of command, to improve the capabilities of the Division. Today, two of the Division’s Brigades, the 3rd and the 4th, function without coalition assistance.
For his efforts in building up the 1st Iraqi Army Division, Col. Ayala earned the Legion of Merit with Combat Distinguishing Device.

Human Events Endorses Fred

Human Events Endorses Fred

Posted on January 11th, 2008By Austin Walne in Conservative, Announcements
“Human Events Endorses Fred Thompson”The EditorsHuman EventsJanuary 11, 2008http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=24398
…
We begin by recalling the profound words of Ronald Reagan at the Conservative Political Action Conference Feb. 15, 1975: “A political party cannot be all things to all people. It must represent certain fundamental beliefs which must not be compromis ed to political expediency or simply to swell its numbers.” We believed that then, and we believe it now. The issue for us — and for the conservative community — boils down to which of the candidates is most representative of the fundamental conservative principles we believe in. The answer is Fred Thompson.
…
We conclude that Thompson is a solid conservative whose judgment is grounded in our principles.
In his Senate years, Mr. Thompson compiled an American Conservative Union lifetime rating of 86.1, which is higher than both Sen. John McCain (82.3) and Rep. Ron Paul (82.3). The Club for Growth has praised Thompson as someone who has a strong commitment to limited government, free enterprise and federalist principles.
On the issues that matter most to conservatives, Sen. Thompson’s positions benefit from their clarity. He is solidly pro-life. He sai d that he was in favor overturning Roe v. Wade because it was “bad law and bad medical science.” As the National Right to Life Committee said in its endorsement of him Nov. 13, 2007, “The majority of this country is opposed to the vast majority of abortions, and Fred Thompson has shown in his consistent pro-life voting record in the U.S. Senate that he is part of the pro-life majority.”
Thompson’s record is solid on voting to preserve gun owners’ rights, cut taxes, reduce government spending and drill for oil in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. He has voted consistently against gay marriage.
…
We like the way Thompson unhesitatingly attacks the liberal ideologues and their activists such as MoveOn.org and the ACLU, and the way he reaches out to those we knew as the Reagan Democrats.
The question now is whether Sen. Thompson will do what he has not yet done: Take the advantages he is given by his intelligence, his principles, his polit ical skills and this endorsement and make the best use of them.
As the primaries and debates speed by, we would like to see Sen. Thompson continue to invigorate his campaign to carry him successfully through Tsunami Tuesday and to nomination at the Republican convention.
Sen. Thompson, you suffer, like most conservatives, from the built-in problem of not being a professional politician. It’s precisely as Rush Limbaugh said of you: “The problem with Thompson is, and a little bit with me, is I’m a depth guy. I like depth. Television doesn’t reward depth. Television rewards zingers, one-liners, cutesyisms. Fred Thompson produced a brilliant 17-minute video that was on YouTube that explains everything about every issue that he cares about. It’s clear he’s thought deeply about a whole lot.”
…
For example, your stand on reforming th e entitlement programs that threaten to bankrupt our nation is courageous and workable.
…
We agree with Rush Limbaugh’s characterization of your December 30 video speech to Iowa voters. More speeches like that one and an ad campaign demonstrating the Reaganesque inspiring optimism we know you have could create a momentum in South Carolina that would carry far beyond its borders.

A Combative Thompson Sways Voters

By PAUL VITELLO
Published: January 12, 2008
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — John and Ann Berenberk dutifully watched the umpteenth Republican presidential debate on television on Thursday night and had an epiphany. It was about the candidate they had previously referred to as the tall, silent one. Fred D. Thompson.

Operation Phantom Phoenix, Operation Marne Thunderbolt, Operation Iron Harvest

Operation Phantom Phoenix, Operation Marne Thunderbolt, Operation Iron Harvest
By Michelle Malkin • January 12, 2008 02:05 PM
Operation Phantom Phoenix, Operation Marne Thunderbolt, Operation Iron Harvest. Haven’t heard of them?
Bill Roggio spotlights our unsung heroes–American troops at work with Coalition and Iraqi security forces, ridding the world of al Qaeda jihadists.
Bill links this video of the Operation Marne Thunderbolt airstrike:

So it begins...

Well, Sniper school has finally begun. It is safe to say that it did not start out on the right foot. My unit was told that the guys going only had to check in with the duty officer at the School of Infantry on Thursday night, and that in-processing did not begin until Friday morning.

VICTORY!... In Kuwait Bush Claims Surge a Huge Success!

VICTORY!... In Kuwait Bush Claims Surge a Huge Success! (Video)
"History will say, it was when you were called upon, you served, and the service you rendered was absolutely necessary to defeat an enemy overseas so we do not have to face them here at home..."
President George W. Bush