November 17, 2006
How to Recruit for the Armed Forces
First, I want you to go HERE, and take a look. Go ahead, it's just a little one, and won't slow you down at all.
Been there?
Good.
Now, here's OWW's take on the idea. Keep in mind that OWW is in his late 50's, but still has the attitude.
Our current guys, Marine and Army, have already proven, and continue to prove every day, that they can be ambushed by superior numbers of enemy forces and kick their miserable butts into the next time zone - presuming the miserable pukes live through the experience.
We ARE protected by Warriors.
Our guys are prepared to bear any burden in OUR service. All they need is beans and bullets, and a country that appreciates what they're doing - they will go out and kick ass, and take names.
The Army, Air Force, Marines, and Army don't really need a fancy ad campaign.
The link up above says it all.
Posted by ward at 07:53 PM | Comments (0)
June 18, 2006
Haditha Marines and Rep. Murtha
In the category of "Things I'd Love To See But Will Never Happen" comes THIS little gem!
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A criminal defense attorney for a Marine under investigation in the Haditha killings says he will call a senior Democratic congressman as a trial witness, if his client is charged, to find out who told the lawmaker that U.S. troops are guilty of cold-blooded murder. |
And why won't it happen?
The good Congress-critter will dance, bob, weave, and have the DNC hire lots of lawyers. He'll claim "Congressional Privilege" or "Free Speech" or some such.
Another pointed question that could be asked is, "Why is General Hagee, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, giving any Congressman detailed information about an on-going investigation?"
It is now known that "Marine commanders" believe, before any trial, that the Haditha Marines are guilty.
The members of any potential court martial now know that their senior officers, who have the power to influence assignments and promotions, will be looking over their shoulders.
There is another factor that "Marine Commanders" should be aware of: If your Marines believe that you'll toss them to the wolves without a fair trial, will they continue to give you their best? Will they, deep down inside where it counts, trust you?
Posted by ward at 06:07 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 17, 2006
Military "Dark" Humor
Now that Hurricane Season is here, and the first named storm of the season, Alberto, has proven to be more-or-less a fizzle, AND I have returned to SE Georgia from the wilds of Philadelphia, I can return to my normal habits - being a curmudgeon and muttering darkly into my beer.
Amidst all the hoo-raw about the alleged doings in Haditha, I came across this oberservation from The Indepundit, Lt. Smash.
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Once upon a time, military recruits would sing "jodies" with unrepeatable lyrics while running in formation. Some were sexual in nature, while others told tales of blood and gore. One popular jody was titled "Napalm Sticks to Kids." We shoot the sick, the young, the lame, Chorus: Napalm sticks to kids, Flying low across the trees, |
And it's true, oh Gawd is it true!
As it happens, I do remember hearing, and doing that one. We did it maybe twice (this was back in 1969, mind you) before someone sniveled and the Word came from on high that we weren't to do that anymore.
On our way to WestPac, 'way back when, a couple of the guys in the Dive Locker (Navy Divers) put together a little ditty called "The P.I. Queen"
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"All Hail the P.I. Queen," |
Since we were a thousand miles out at sea, nobody complained. Never got any flack about that one, although today, in this so-called "sensitive" world, we certainly would.
And, of course, who could possibly be surprised that a Marine Corps Corporal should find himself in fairly hot water with the Corps because of a little ditty known as "Hadji Girl" (See the video HERE) that was posted on a website?
The Corps is all upset because CAIR (Council on American Islamic Relations) is upset. See their blurb HERE.
And.... no doubt Senator Schumer and Representative Pelosi will wax angrily poetic about the shame of it all.
I don't think those want to know what the EMs think of politicians in general, and those two in particular.
Historical note. During my time in the USN (1969-1973), Lyndon Johnson was known derisively as "Landslide Lyndon", Richard Nixon, the current President was known as "Tricky Dicky", and Senator Proxmire, of the "Golden Fleece Award" fame, was known almost unanimously as "That Miserable Puke". You bet that E.M.s pay attention to politics. After all, it's the politicians who screw things up and send us to places that we don't want to be.
Posted by ward at 01:07 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 07, 2006
Haditha
Why do we not hear so much about the soldiers of other Coalition nations allegedly running amok, breaking into houses and killing civilians, as allegedly happened in Haditha?
There's actually two answers to that, both of them rather simple.
First is the scale: How many Polish/Korean/Italian/whatever soldiers are there in Iraq, compared to how many US troops? Like it or not, America is supplying the vast majority of soldiers in Iraq. It logically follows that the majority of allegations of wrong-doing are going to point to... who?
Second is "openess" or "transparency". It is much easier for a journalist of any stripe to get embedded with American troops than with the soldiers of any other nation.
Michael Yon has an "embed's" viewpoint of this:
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Foreign journalists often contact me for advice on how to get in with troops other than Americans in Iraq. American forces are easy to go out with. A journalist need only contact the Combined Press Information Center in Baghdad, and he or she can be getting shot at while dodging roadside bombs as early as next week. But it can be extremely difficult, unless the journalist in question is a known sympathizer, to go out with militaries of other nations. |
The American military, of all branches, is remarkably open about what they do, how they do it, where they do it, and with/to whom they do it.
Especially compared to most other nations, investigations of wrong-doing in the US Military are marvels of transparency, with the charges and some of the evidence flying about like leaves in the wind, there for anyone to see and to read.
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LTC Rodney Morris took me to a detention facility his soldiers operated in Tikrit. Prison and jail guards have told me many times there is one certainty with prisoners: they always complain. In fact, before going to Iraq, I met with a very experienced corrections chief in Massachusetts, Sheriff Thomas Hodgson, and asked him what to look for when snooping out signs of prison abuse or mismanagement. What are the signs? Sheriff Hodgson gave me a long list, and when I visited the detainees in Tikrit, nothing tripped my alarms. When the prisoners saw my camera (photography was forbidden in the facility), they wanted my undivided attention. And so, in front of American soldiers, those prisoners gave me an earful. Said they didn’t have enough blankets, were cold at night, and did not get enough food. Several of the men who complained about the food were fat. But what those prisoners really told me, indirectly, was that they saw journalists as potential liberators, and even more importantly, that they were not afraid to complain about the soldiers in front of the soldiers. The prisoners knew when I left they would not be taken out and shot. I was there for as long as I wished to stay, asking an interpreter to translate graffiti written on some cell walls. The prisoners had time and possibly even opportunity to slip me a note. None did. But they all complained, complained, complained. The Abu Ghraib travesty was an example of a journalist picking up the scent trail and following it. It took moral courage to break that story, and yet that writer knew our military would not hunt him down afterwards. The incident was investigated, and perpetrators were charged, tried and punished for their actions. Conditions in the prison greatly improved and methods of training and supervising soldiers who guard detainees were revamped to preclude future incidents. Somehow those parts seem to get left out of most sentences that mention Abu Ghraib. Today, terrorists view Abu Ghraib as an R&R and training destination. Combined with the catch and release policy, the net result is increased danger for our soldiers and Iraqis. I saw a commander get shot down in front of me by a terrorist who had just been released from Abu Ghraib. |
The point I'm trying to make with this lengthy post is quite simple: Let's not have a "Rush To Judgement" here. Instead, let's investigate, find the facts, and let our American Military system of justice take it's course.
No less a lawyer than F. Lee Bailey once said that a military court was far more likely to find Truth than a civilian court.
The American military's commitment to Truth is known. What other military would even think about prosecuting anyone for anything as ... trivial as Abu Ghraib?
With something serious like Haditha, I do believe that the US military will conduct a full, factual investigation. And, if the facts warrant it, courts-martial will be convened, the accused will be brought to trial, and, IF convicted, lengthy prison terms will result.
Damned few of the world's militaries can make the same claim.
Posted by ward at 09:44 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 19, 2006
A View of "The Boys"
Go HERE.
Listen and watch.
Be proud of our people.
Posted by ward at 08:22 PM | Comments (0)
November 28, 2005
A Sailor's Christmas
I had an interesting visit from a neighbor last week.
"Ken" (not his real name) is going out of town on a "business trip". He'll be doing some complex tasks that will soak up a lot of his time - to the point that talking or writing to his family is going to be a hit-or-miss proposition.
"Ken" will be out of town over Christmas and New Years. His wife and his kids will miss him, of course, and he will miss them, rather badly.
"Ken" is in the "Gold" crew of a Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarine, or "FBM", known to the rest of the US Navy as a "boomer". On this "business trip", he'll be out on patrol, waiting for the command that he desperately hopes will never come.
"Ken" has a little privacy - his "rack", or bunk, is 6 feet long and 2 1/2 feet wide. It has a curtain that he can draw, and that's his private space.
He dosn't get paid much - his wife has to work a part-time job to make ends meet. They don't moan, though. "Ken" is a pro - good at his job, proud of his outfit, and ready to take on the world's best - and hand them their heads - and that's just on the tactical end, submarine against submarine. The strategic end - launching missiles for real - is something that he hopes and prays will never happen.
His days are filled with drills, and standing watch, and "ship's work" - which means taking care of the thousand-and-one things that need to be inspected and serviced to keep that submarine in good operating order. "Ken's" working day when the "boat" (all US submarines are referred to as "boats") is out on patrol runs to 12 to 14 hours, including standing a watch. The patrol runs anywhere from 30 to 90 days - that is one long "business trip" isn't it?
So, while you're celebrating Christmas and New Year's with your family and friends, spare a minute or two, and just wish "Ken", his family, and his shipmates a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Since I have a line into the "boat" (no, you do NOT need to know the details), if you want to send a message to the "boat", I'll pass it along.
Posted by ward at 09:17 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 11, 2005
Veterans Day
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I, _________ , do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God. |
Today is the day where all of us vets stop and think for a second or two, about the words above - how old we were when we said them, what we did while in uniform, how we felt when we took off the uniform for the last time.
Now, of course, we think mostly about the young men and women still in uniform, serving our country in places far and near. And we say a small, short prayer every day, that they might come home safely, and one day, they too can moan and groan about what the government is or isn't doing, complain about taxes, and observe that the youth of the day isn't at all like we used to be, no sir!
This is the time of day here in SouthEast Georgia where, when the sun is shining, the breeze is gentle, and the temperature just right, that Old Wierd Ward partakes of a frosty libation, raised in honor of my comrades - past, present and future.
Posted by ward at 05:23 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack