NSN-No **** News

[thedrifter]

A letter from Afghanistan, from a hero
Posted By Maj Pain

How do we really know what is going on in Iraq or Afghanistan? This solder gives his thoughts, in a letter that was recently published in the Crescent City (California) Triplicate, and I quote:

Letter from Afghanistan
Published: September 22, 2008
Editor's note: This is the unedited version of the letter emailed to Triplicate reporter Adam Madison on Sept. 11 from Afghanistan by Capt. Bruno de Solenni of Crescent City.
Hi Adam, my name is Capt. Bruno de Solenni and I am writing you in regards to your article that I finally was able to read online.
I really wasn't sure what to expect, especially nowadays with some of the crap that you read in the news. I will say that I was surprised and pleased that it wasn't over-sensationalized and you kept a good theme on the topic.
0A

I guess the main reason I am writing you is to thank you for your support and the point of view that you took on the article. I know that sometimes it is difficult to actually print something without being biased and taking just one side. But I will tell you the truth and give you an honest opinion about my life in the National Guard, about the war over here and many of the decisions leading to my third tour in the Middle East.

First off, when I first joined the National Guard, back in 1996, I had no idea that I would be here today. I do remember making the decision on Christmas Day when I was about 20 years old and felt like I was going nowhere with my life and needed to take a new direction. As my father and mother had stated earlie r, I was always fascinated with history and the military, and was amazed at some of the hardships my grandfather endured in both WWI and WWII.

So the following Monday on the 26th I called a recruiter, and took the asvab test on the 27th in Eureka. Three days later I was down at the Oakland Meps station getting sworn in as a 62E (heavy equipment operator). When they asked when I wanted to go to Basic, I told them, "how about next week?" and they kind of laughed at me and explained that the soonest they could get me in was 30 days. On the 29 th I boarded a plane and my life was forever changed, without me even knowing what lay ahead.

Eventually, a few years after joining, I did decided to go back to college at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Ore., where there was a GOLD (Guard Officer Leadership Development) program that allowed me to earn a federal commission as an Army officer while I continued to work toward my degree (which the National Guard also paid for).
In a sense, I was doing e xactly what the National Guard said I could do if I joined … Finally, on May 11, 2001, I received my commission as a young, immature, 2nd lieutenant full of **** and vinegar still not knowing exactly what I was getting into.

When Sept. 11 happened, it was then that I realized that things were going to be very different for me and the rest of this country. One month later our battalion received the alert order that we would mobilize the following year to fill in on the current MFO (Multi National Force and Observers) mission in Sinai, Egypt. After returning from Egypt, I was home for eight months before volunteering again to go to Iraq for OIF II. It was there I truly (became) an infantry officer and learned a lot about myself and people in general.

Upon my return from Iraq, I was positive about what was=2 0going on there but very resentful at the way the media was covering the war over there. In my own view, I personally feel that some of the media deliberately fueled that w ar based on their own biased political views and I still hold them accountable for their actions.
Something that still upsets me is the fact that they exploited some of the crimes soldiers committed over there as a reflective view to the rest of the world of what our armies stood for. I am not saying that we didn't make mistakes, we did make them and we have painfully corrected them.

After returning from Iraq I took a break and just stuck to the one weekend a month traditional Guard and used my experiences from Iraq to lead a recon/sniper platoon out of the Grants Pass Armory for about 2.5 years. Then I received the opportunity to come to Afghanistan and work as an Embedded Trainer with the Afghanistan Army.

Some of the biggest dilemmas that I think we have faced here are mostly the fact that Afghanistan seems to have been put on the back burner up until a few months ago when the casualties here began to exceed those in Iraq where there are four times a s many soldiers. Ou r true problems here are definitely reflective of the Pakistani border and the lack of troops covering it, which has been20an issue for years and is being exploited by the Taliban as they train freely in Pakistan, unopposed by anyone.
In my opinion, Afghanistan does need a troop surge of American soldiers as well, otherwise we will only be able to sustain combat operations with minimal effect of containing Taliban insurgents. As I speak about this, these are only my views and opinions based on my experiences.

Even though I am now recuperating in the rear and doing fine, much of my time along with other teammates has been spent in the Helmand Province working with a handful of British soldiers in small isolated FOBs conducting offensive operations with the Afghan National Army. Our task is to mentor them during combat operations and to provide both air support and indirect fire support, which seems to sometimes be a daily necessity over here.
The good days over here are when we are truly sticking it to the Taliban in a firefight that is in our favor and you just drop ped 130 105mm rounds on their position. Or when a ... hot F-15 pilot flies over your head strafing the Taliban with his Vulcan cannons.
The (bad) days are whe n you are covering up your your sergeant major from being exposed to the dust-out of a Chinook helicopter that is landing to medivac him out. At the same time he cries because he doesn't want to leave his team as he lies there half paralyzed with shrapnel in him, while fluids are coming out of his eyes and ears signifying severe brain trauma, (meaning we cant give him morphine).

The bad days are when you put your buddy in a body bag and you don't even recognize him because his limbs are missing and there holes in him everywhere. The miracles are when his last words are, "tell my wife and kids I love them," before he dies in his best friend's arms after struggling for several agonizing minutes to get the words out because there is a fist-size hole in his head.

And last20but not least, the best days are when an Afghan comes up to you thanking you for everything that you have done to help them and for making their (home) a better place now that the Taliban are gone.

If anything, this is probably the biggest reason why I proudly enjoy being over here. I can't explain it to anyone and there is no description of what it feels like, but it was the same feeling I got when I was in Iraq as well. And I am sure it's the same feeling that generations of American soldiers before me have gotten as they fought and sacrificed their lives for the freedoms that we enjoy today.
Perhaps the biggest thing that has made being over here much more bearable, is the amount of public support that we have received from people. Getting a care package or a letter of support when you are out in the middle of nowhere from a complete stranger, thanking you, does make the day seem a little better.

I would especially like to thank my Aunt J an Martin, and The local Troop Support organization who have provided care packages to soldiers serving overseas and have volunteered endless hours of their time and energy making our lives easier. The British soldiers (who don't get anything) are extremely grateful as well.

Along with this, I would especially like to thank the members of the VFW who donated several hundred dollars of G.I. shirts to the company of Afghans that I have been mentoring. You have all truly made my life and my job easier. Without your support, life would not be as pleasant.

Last but not least I would truly like to thank everyone who has supported the soldiers and the eff orts toward supporting these wars even when there wasn't an end in sight. Until about 6 months ago there wasn't a news outlet that was saying that the Iraq war was winnable and that this was another vietnam in the making. Had we let the politicians get ahold of this war it would have been.

Fortunately our president (who is not perfect) has stood his ground against the naysayers who deliberately exploited the death of American soldiers for their own political gain, showing no regard to their families and loved ones who are still mourning them to this day.
I can understand what it was like for Vietnam veterans who returned from the war and were spat upon for wearing their uniform and standing up for what they believed in. Unfortunately this is still all-too-true for many of the British soldiers returning home to their own country. There are even certain ethnic religious neighborhoods where they cannot even wear their uniforms because they will be beat up in their own country.

I pray to God we never come to that and thank the fact that what has changed drastically between Vietnam and now is that even if the public doesn't support the w ar, they still support troops which makes a huge difference. This is especially comforting if you are one of20those soldiers walking through the airport wearing your uniform and coming home on leave or returning from a deployment.

Once again, I cannot thank everyone enough for their support and all that they have done …
Sincerely,
Capt. Bruno de Solenni


I am glad that is the way Captain Bruno felt about his service to our country. Because on
September 21, the Crescent City Triplicate ran this story about Captain Bruno de Solenni:


scroll down:



Crescent City loses one of its own

Published: September 21, 2008

Capt. Bruno de Solenni of Crescent City has been killed in Afghanistan, his father said Sunday.
de Solenni, a 1994 graduate of Del Norte High School, was apparently killed Saturday by an improvised explosive device, said his father, local attorney Mario de Solenni.

Bruno de Solenni was helping train Afghan soldiers while engaged in frequent firefights with Taliban forces in Afghanistan's Helmand Province.

He had been expected home before Christmas.
As a member of the Oregon National Guard, he had also served in Egypt and Iraq.
Bruno de Solenni and his family were the subjects of a front-page feature story in The Triplicate on Sept. 6, and his letter from Afghanistan was reprinted with photos he sent on The Triplicate's features cover Sept. 13.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

September 28, 2008
“I’ve got a bracelet too”

http://www.onemarinesview.com/

I’ve attended political events where MCain has held his hand up and without mentioning it I’ve noticed that he was wearing a veteran’s bracelet. But, now during the first debate on Friday, I have to think why Obama has decided to wear one.

Of course you guys are smart enough to know why he is wearing it and mainly for the fact to counter the statements he knew McCain was going to say about the one he was wearing during the debate.

bHowever, ask any vet about their bracelet they wear and I promise you, all of them either know the service member or at a minimum know the full story behind it and for the love of God, they know his name.

Plain and simple, if you’re going to play the “I’ve got a bracelet too” game, your better freaking know the warriors name behind it and so help all that is holy you better not let us catch you not wearing it now. Semper

From the Associated Press
Soldier's mother 'ecstatic' about Obama's bracelet

By DINESH RAMDE –

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The mother of a Wisconsin soldier who died in Iraq says she was "ecstatic" when Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama mentioned during Friday's debate the bracelet she gave him in honor of her son.

Tracy Jopek of Merrill told The Associated Press on Sunday she was honored that Obama remembered Sgt. Ryan David Jopek, who was killed in 2006 by a roadside bomb.

Jopek criticized Internet reports suggesting Obama, D-Ill., exploited her son for political purposes.

"I don't understand how people can take that and turn it into some garbage on the Internet," she said.

Jopek acknowledged e-mailing the Obama campaign in February asking that the presidential candidate not mention her son in speeches or debates. But she said Obama's mention on Friday was appropriate because he was responding after Sen. John McCain, the Republican nominee, said a soldier's mother gave him a bracelet.

"I've got a bracelet, too, from Sergeant — from the mother of Sergeant Ryan David Jopek, given to me in Green Bay," Obama said during the debate. "She asked me, 'Can you please make sure another mother is not going through what I'm going through?' No U.S. soldier ever dies in vain because they're carrying out the missions of their commander in chief. And we honor all the service that they've provided."

Jopek says Obama's comment rightfully suggested there's more than one viewpoint on the war.

She wouldn't directly say whether she wanted Obama to refrain from mentioning the bracelet again, but said she hopes the issue will just go away.

"I think these bracelets should be looked upon as an honor that both candidates wear them to respect the troops," Jopek said. "My request to both of them is that they honor the troops by lifting the conversation to the issues, and that they continue to live up to the standards our military deserves."

Posted by Maj Pain


Ellie

[thedrifter]

October 02, 2008
Tough life.

It’s a hot afternoon. One hundred and twenty something and I’m soaked to death from a previous mission. I have to admit I didn’t worry about traffic during rush hour (hummers prevent that) nor did I worry about what to wear….it was pretty determined for the next oh, 7 months.

Now, as I drive the streets of Washington DC, I wonder how some of these people got their drivers license. I guess I will chalk it up to one other thing I will get use to again. The sight of green grass, bushes and the feel of rain. It’s been rainy here lately and I finished a nice cigar standing outside as it began to sprinkle and the pour. The neighbors thought “what is that nut job doing?” but if you go a year or so without seeing clouds or rain, then you begin to understand.

As Dirt people, your skin was tattooed with the dirt from the area. Crow feet on the corners of 20 year old Marines eyes and characters to match. Talking with them now after our return I laugh as we all share the same opinions of the states and how people take it for granted. The same feelings I had after every other deployment.

With everything going on in our world these days, remember, yes congress is getting a self alignment, banks are scared to loan, but know that that steely eyed warrior out in northern Iraq is ready to keep the wolf at bay.

You have running water, you probably had a starbucks this morning and your paper is still in your driveway for the love of god. You will have a good dinner tonight and after watching the biggest looser or some other feel good show you will hit your rack and get a solid 8hrs of rest.

Tough life.

Although the week is almost over, remember it can always be worse……so stop your *****ing and kick some ass. Have you really made a difference this week? If you haven’t, shame on you. If you have, then you can look at your self in that 100watt lit up bathroom mirror that your Mrs loves and say, I can do better.

Tough times don’t last, tough people do!

Posted by Maj Pain


Ellie

[thedrifter]

October 02, 2008
A timeline.


After watching the VP debate, one major issue I paid attention to because, I’ve lived in it was the Iraq AND Afghanistan issues. Granted I think the candidates did a great job. However, you cannot establish a black and white time line to a troop withdrawal. That’s like saying I can see into the future and I know my time line will be accurate.

You don’t know how fast or slow Iraqi Army development will continue although it has grown so much with the assistance of our dedicated service members. When Coalition Forces rolled into Kuwait, we were greeted as liberators. You won’t ever be greeted as liberators in an insurgency and that was never said.

Many think Iraq is done and we should be out and in Afghanistan. Have a seat and light a cigar because we are in the “red zone” (football speak) with Iraq and to pull out before its time is a certain sentence of failure including all of the professional work recently completed. Al-Qaida was the focus in Iraq and there are very small trails of them still present but to set a time line would only mean the insurgent power would hide and wait, which was their initial plan to outlast the American will in Iraq in the first place but a surge destroyed that idea, and them. We need to push through the red zone in Iraq where it could be violent if we don’t and continue the course with Afghanistan. Watch, after a short time Afghanistan will slow down. Why? Because at this time of year is the harvesting period for opium and they are very protective of their opium. We will continue to succeed in Iraq as long as we continue making gains and the Iraqi’s continue to take issues into their own hands. When is it time to leave, soon, but not defined enough to build a definitive time line.

Posted by Maj Pain

Ellie

[thedrifter]

October 10, 2008
IS IT OVER?

S o we finish another week in the “normal” life without IEDs and Hummers and eating goats. Between dealing with idiots who drive 30 in a 45mph, snot nosed morons who don’t know the meaning of “customer service” that work at the customer service counter, I forge on dealing with people who lack the principle of sense of urgency and I tend to have one way conversations with them. Perhaps it’s the hair cut……..

Although, I have mastered enjoying a nice cigar on the drive home and trying to get one in with my morning coffee (rare) but I still attempt it. Thought I would shoot a couple rounds across your bow before the weekend:

-The election-you probably are already know who you are going to vote for-can we end the brain numbing commercials? If you need more info, go here: http://www.rockthevote.com/home.html
- The Dow plunging-sucks doesn’t it? But if I see one more bag of bones ticket trader with his face in his hands in the news, I’m going to drop my couch on him!

-Sports- I don't really know what to say to Cubs fans. Epic Carnival has some advice on what not to say, but that isn't going to make the pain of another playoff loss go away. So instead we'll bring you a pic of Chicago native, die-hard Cubs fan and House star Jennifer Morrison. If anyone can distract North Siders from their misery, it's Jennifer.

-Pirates-Arrrgh!

-Marines kicking Ass-Marine, Corpsman Pay Homage to Fallen Brother-http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=51448
Have a craptastic weekend and try the CAO Mx2, as I thoroughly enjoyed one during this post.

Posted by Maj Pain

Ellie

[thedrifter]

October 11, 2008
If I were President!

http://www.onemarinesview.com/


If I were President, there would be a few things I would “adjust”. First, all senators would have to re-apply for their jobs. If they didn’t cut the interview process, then perhaps they could get a job training interns or something (senator elections are over). Did I mention the interview would be done in front of Ted Nugent, who has this for doctrine.

High School students, get ready, you’re going into the military.....

for at least two years after graduation. Lord knows you need to grow up and get a “real life” clue, if you survive that then maybe we will talk about college grants and letting you work while you attend classes. Sports would be put back into schools to help teach snot nosed kids about respect, dedication, team and responsibility. Their coach would be the honorable President Eisenhower and “Terry Tate” would be the assistant coach. Teachers would get max pay, but if your ass is sleeping in class the teacher has a new line of credit for disciplining students and can open what ever size can of whoop ass desired on you. If students choose not to cooperate, then the new head of the Dept of Education, Arnold Schwarzenegger would help out. “Get to da chaawper, do it neeow” “If you bleed, you can learn”. He would be augmented and reinforced by a rotating group of UFC cage fighters. The new 2008 education slogan is “Something for something, nothing for nothing”.



One of many concerns is homeland security and boarder control. Thus, we would do away with “boarder control” and upgrade all to become full fledged Texas Rangers and engage a Chuck Norris, “Chuctatorship” law. Simple, you cross our boarder and you’re not suppose to you have to meet chuck. It will be known as the “leave or die policy.” If you want to become a US citizen, then you go thru the proper procedures and add to society, however, if you don’t think you have to contribute to society, see “Ted Nugents link” above.



The Dept of defense will be overseen by John Wayne. Wait, he’s dead right? No, because we cloned his DNA before putting him in the ground and now he will be backing Chuck Norris on the boarder patrol and will be supreme allied Texas Ranger. (Nato falls under that as well).



All prisons will be officially known as “Hard knocks” and will be located in all of our major deserts. No TVs, only 1970s era military cotton tents and cots. No weights, no fun, just hot temps and a lot of manual labor that sucks really bad. Oh ya, it will be tobacco free as well, sorry, not even cigars! ( I have a friend that worked at a cable company that actually received a phone call from a prison regarding their cable outage…..are you ****ting me?) Done, no more cable outage problems. While on this topic, if you smart off to a cop, your going to a “Hard knock”, if you try to out run a cop, deal drugs or any of the other things your mom told you not to do …….send a post car cause you are going to the desert.



Speaking of cigars, this BS tax to pay “billy” for doing nothing crap and paying for it by taxing cigars……yip it’s gone. New smoking law in affect immediately, if you don’t like the cigar smoke, don’t go to restaurants that allow smoking. I don’t think we will have any problems in the political field on this one because Marisa Miller will be the new White House spokes woman. Elvis (see DNA reasoning above with John Wayne) will sing most NFL National Anthems. For that matter all of the Fox and ESPN “on the field” female reporters will be mandated to be replaced with Sport Illustrated models. Are the ones we have now really the best out there???? If that doesn’t rest well with you, there is always soccer or Dr Phil to watch. Waaa. Take your ball and go home.



I’m not sure what the hell happened to the good old

USA
, where we had guys that worked for NASA and made it a personal mission to get our boys to the moon. Those kind of guys were what made us “

America
!” The ones that kicked the crap out of the Germans and Japenese during the great World Wars. Where, military guys were heroes back in the 40s and the country wasn’t afraid to go kick the crap out of the Russians or anyone else that wanted a piece of us. Castro, you’re lucky we don’t own

cuba
my friend. Muscle cars would be reproduced from the factory stamps, not like these damn match box cars I see now that can fit in my huge gas burning club cab truck. Yes, I don’t mind spending $100 to fill my gigantazilla truck up with gas! No, I will not back off of your bumper just because you car is soo small my headlights pierce your soul. I’m not too sure what generation gap fell out of the spittoon of life and screwed it up, but the whole touch feely care bear days are gone my friend. Regardless who is elected President, McCain, the other guy or someone after that it doesn’t matter because we as Americans can have a say and stand for something. You think you can run a corrupt business and escape penalties if you foreclose? Wrong! If you think you don’t owe your country a civil service or even an honest day of work? Wrong! If you think you can get something for nothing……..bada bing,………Wrong!

Posted by Maj Pain

Ellie

[thedrifter]

October 15, 2008
PERIMETER WALL
Posted by Maj Pain

Local Afghan workers perform maintenance on the perimeter wall at International Security Assistance Force Forward Operating Base Bala Murghab, Afghanistan, Oct. 2, 2008. ISAF is assisting the Afghan government in extending and exercising its authority and influence across the country, creating the conditions for stabilization and reconstruction.

U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Laura K. Smith


Ellie

[thedrifter]

October 15, 2008
QUICK CLASS - Marines deploy?

Yip, Marines deploy and if you are thinking about joining the Marines, you better like to travel. But, before you go anywhere we are crazy sick in making sure you are thoroughly trained. Not kinda, but very thoroughly and professionally.
Usually infantry Marines will do a six month work up prior to doing a 6-7 month deployment. Like these Marines in 29 Palms, an easy going comfortable, plush work up is being conducted…….plush, ya sure that’s what it is, Not!

Being a unique organization by itself, Marines have what are called Marine Expeditionary Units (Grunt speak: they are units of Navy ships loaded with an Infantry BN and a wing asset that does a 6 mo float). A MEU will be a float the full deployment. Then if anything “pops” up you have a MEU from the East Coast, Left Coast and Japan afloat at all times to be on the door steps of some smuck in a couple days. “Nothing worse that waking up and seeing US ships off your coast knowing they are full of Marines”.

Regardless of the future for Iraq and Afghanistan, Marines will always have these MEUs afloat as a no kidding “911” force. These ships can go ashore and remain self sustained for up to 30 days without any (that’s zero) help from anyone. They do this by coordinating up with Maritime prepositioned ships holding logistics in the ships hulls to mesh with the Marines. Great concept, Brilliant!!!! So brilliant, the US Army is now beginning to do it.

Class dismissed!

Posted by Maj Pain


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Last One Turn Out the Lights
Posted By Maj Pain

We knew during my 2nd deployment to Iraq that we were making a huge difference as we departed basses and turned them over to the Iraqi’s. Now fast forward to 2008 and we haven’t changed anything and continue to improve the overall situation and area which results in more basses turned over.

A surge? Brilliant! Go figure, its working so good now I wonder what the ***** & moan will be next?

We are training the Iraqi’s too well now? I knew that we would turn over Fallujah this month upon our departure in Aug and that base won’t be the last. All of the Coalition Forces are following the same plan and are able to execute it because of the steadfast operations the young warriors are doing on the ground.


Enjoy the weekend, because the Marines have landed and everything is well in hand!


WASHINGTON — When Marine Maj. Gen. John Kelly deployed to Iraq in February, the violence had fallen so low in Anbar province that he began figuring out how to start closing bases and prepare to go home.

In the last 10 months the Marines in Fallujah have done what was unthinkable before the surge began — they have quietly transferred out of one of Anbar province's largest cities. FOX News has learned in an exclusive interview with Kelly from Fallujah that 80 percent of the move is complete. In February there were 8,000 Marines living at Fallujah base. Now there are about 3,000 left. By Nov. 14 there will be none.

"We will shut down the command function here and I will move; my staff has already started to move," Kelly, the commander of Multinational Force-West, told FOX News in an exclusive interview via satellite. "We will turn the lights off here."


www.onemarinesview.com


Ellie

[thedrifter]

October 19, 2008
The 12th man for the enemy

Its 2002, I have 180 fire eating Marines with me crawling through the mountains of Afghanistan looking for dirt bags with a lot of hate and anger in our guts as we look for payback from the 9/11 attacks. A platoon has been attacked, with WIA and we are the Quick Reaction Force (QRF). I have a million things being thrown at me and between my 1stSgt and Plt Cdrs we are multi tasking at the cyclic rate and at a the same time keeping emotions out of it although Marines are in trouble as we wait in the LZ for C53s to pick us up and insert us into the spicy area of insert.


Two, CH-53s bank around a mountain and begin final approach as the first stick I’m on gets ready, the battalion SgtMaj brings a civilian running up to me. Dressed in jeans with a polo shirt and a backpack with a sleeping bag and lord only knows what else hanging out of it. Four cameras around his neck, I get the word this nut-job is suppose to come into a potentially hot zone where Marines are hit with us. The 1st of the stick of 2 helos flares and lands less than 30 yards from us evacuating everything with its huge rotor, its freezing at the 9,000 forward operating base in the wet winter. My 1stSgt and I look at one another as if we have seen it all now and tell our newly joined embedded reporter to leave his sleeping bag, pack and pick 1 camera he wants to take and we give him a pistol to protect himself and put him in the #2 place on the second stick where a savy Sgt has him under his care.


I agree with you--the ap is so disappointing. Our media today is so liberal--and so are all the celebrities on tv and movies brainwashing the public. Everywhere you look on tv, you are bombarded with these illuminati thoughts, view points, and opinions! MNotaro


My Company was inserted into a frisky zone, secured it, tended and evacd the wounded, and began a village wide cordon and search that lasted for 3 days with the 12th man imbedded. The Marines did a great job and detained the enemy hiding with in the local populace that tried to blend in after ambushing a quad on patrol. But, the 12th man didn’t see it like that. A couple weeks later he wrote how he wasn’t briefed thoroughly on the situation to begin with and continued to paint the picture that we were the war mongrels that bullied a village. He never mentioned the wounded or for that matter the friendly KIA or how the enemy blended into the populace dangering women and children.


That’s when I had to learn about the media the hard way. As I stood in front of my battalion commander, he read the article and my quotes about wanting to “kill or capture the sons of *****es that shot at my fellow Marines”. Granted that was very true, but the 12th man painted a picture in the article that I’m sure mad my mother think “is that my son?” A distorted and liberal point of view made the 12th man unpopular after we read the article. Some piece of work writer that I haven’t ever even seen his name pop up in the news again was probably trying to make a name for himself and join the “we should be kicking the **** out of the Taliban” naysayers. That goes for all the touchy feely so called movie “stars” out there that have now all of a sudden became CNN military analysis and singers of Kumbaya! (ack…. choke.. vomit). This goes back to a favorite ***** I have with numb nuts that come from left field with their opinions about Iraq and Afghanistan and use their so called “stardom” to visit colleges and speak against our gains in those countries. The first thing I like to ask them is “ so….Mr movie star, how long have you studied these countries and the events within? Ans: Since the war started (which is BS) Q: And where do you base your facts off of? Ans: the news and I form my own opinions. Q: So you’re nothing more than a regurgitator for the liberal news station? Ans: silence.


I have several examples similar to this where the news and so called “stars” have painted the streets red with their words as Coalition Forces try to push ahead. Regardless that its already hard enough over there conducting combat operations, we don’t need our own Americans making us take two steps forward and three back with their meaningless news articles and “opinions”. Fortunately the Coalition Forces hard work and dedication combined with the surge has squashed 90% of this. During the my last deployment in Iraq , the was somewhat of a void of embedded reporters, I guess good news isn’t that good to report on.


Keep kicking ass warriors and watch the 12th man closely if he comes near your pos.

Posted by Maj Pain


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Winning
Posted By Maj Pain

If hockey fights were fake, you would see me in more of them.
-- Rod Gilbert

I got to tell you, after this deployment, I’ve broken the code on getting “back” to normal. You never appreciate how green trees are or how nice a cold beer is especially when you have you own bathroom to use as well.

However, there is one thing that has really jumped out at me this time more than other deployment returns and it has to do with the kidos soccer program. Yes, I understand it’s about learning skills and techniques at this period……but let me digress.

It’s a Monday afternoon and my favorite football team is playing that night. The Mrs (House-Cinc) tells me that she is taking the chitlins to one event that night and I have to attend another during the same time. “Roger”, got it……or do I? I print out the yahoo directions to a parent/coach meeting. Ok sounds fair enough, the lord knows these coaches dedicate a lot of their time to do this stuff, I will do my part.

Hold the BS train and have a seat. We spend two and half hours doing “work shop” programs on how we can make our children feel better about themselves……..WTF? This was something you would expect after some lune of a dad blew his cool and Terry Tated the soccer ref or something and we needed to do this to set things right, but nothing like that happened. No, we spent every pain staking minute working through this brain washing packet that kept moaning, “tell your kids they are always winners” and “Points and scoring don’t matter” and additional psychological crap with suggestions that included me not even watching my own kid play but pick another player on the team and root for them so I don’t get stressed out………… Did these people eat lead paint chips when they were young? One parent even asked this total stranger (another parent) “How should I speak to my kid?” Oh man are you screwed if you don’t know how to talk to your kids….but maybe that begins to explain some of this.

Further background- I played midget football and baseball when I was eight, wrestled and played football in Jr High throughout College where I learned that a 260lb pulling offensive guard will eat your linebacker’s lunch if he isn’t ready, practices are harder when you play bad and I also learned that LOOSING SUCKS!

I swear, if I have to hear another “preacher” tell me that the score doesn’t matter, I’m going to have to go sign up as a coach myself and then develop a team name like “Clown punchers” or “our kids are better than yours” or something. A lot can be achieved by winning and by loosing. Again kids, loosing sucks.

This makes you practice harder so you can feel like the top of the world at the end of the game and everything is left on the field. If you got beat and you gave it your all, then good on the other team, we suck, you guys are better until we meet again. Notice I say team because with all this touchy feely BS, I’m seeing, it’s not doing a damn thing to promote a team cohesive unit. Another thing, hey dads, if your son isn’t getting a lot of playing time in what ever sport he is playing………….he’s probably not good at it. I know, it’s a shocker but 99% of the coaches out there wont bench their good players***News Flash*** Deal with it and stop blaming the coach or trying to have your son be something you couldn’t be either because the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Its called life, get over it.

If you think by protecting billy and telling him points don’t matter nor does winning will somehow “save” him from disappointment when he grows a pair, you are wrong. I would like to see ”Billy” when he is (35yrs old) trying to get an adult job and the employer tells him he isn’t competitive enough and he should look else where, like McDonalds.

This goes back to another post of mine about WTF is going on with kids these days. We need to teach our kids about being a good sport. Cheap shots will get your butt kicked and also how to deal with defeat and loosing with dignity. Poor sportsmanship sucks too.

Do you think those warriors back in WW1 & 2 cared about winning? You bet they did, and I can tell you their kids turned out pretty damn good. Do you think it mattered in Ramadi or Fallujah to win? You bet your sweet ass it did. Marines don’t go into a city to “tie”! Do you think any of the Olympic contestants cared how the losers felt, nope they didn’t. If you go out on the filed to play, you better be at 100% and be there to win. Fair and square, we are going to play harder and longer than you in your face sports, winning. If you beat us, then good on ya!

Are you getting the idea now?

Plus kids, it’s awesome to ride the bus home after a High School football game and know you just kicked the crap out of the rivalry schools team, especially during “Home Coming”. Trust me, if you loose a game like that, points will matter and your mama wont be there telling you “its ok, billy”.

No, I think I wont be attending anymore sing along coach /parenting meetings, I will use that time to be teaching my kids how to run wind sprints, passing and teamwork, leadership principles so they can suck it up in the fourth quarter and have some heart to keep trying to score when they are down and there is only 30 seconds left on the clock.

Whoever said, 'It's not whether you win or lose that counts,' probably lost.

Martina Navratilova, American Tennis Player

Ellie

[thedrifter]

October 23, 2008
PILOTS INTERNET BLOG

'We have H. R. on this flight', she said. (H. R. stands for human remains.)

'Are they military', I asked.
'
Yes', she said.
'
Is there an escort', I asked.

'Yes, I already assigned him a seat'.

'Would you please tell him to come to the flight deck, you can board him early', I said.

A short while later, a young army sergeant entered the flight deck. He was the image of the perfectly dressed soldier. He introduced himself and I asked him about his soldier. The escorts of these fallen soldiers talk about them as if they are still alive and with us.
'My
soldier is on his way back to Virginia ', he said. He proceeded to answer my questions, but offered no words on his own. I asked him If there was anything I could do for him and he said 'no.' I told him that he has the toughest job in the military and that I appreciated the work that he does for the families of our fallen soldiers. The first officer and I got up out of our seats to shake his hand. He left the flight deck to find his seat.

We completed our preflight checks, pushed back and performed an uneventful departure. About 30 minutes into our flight I received a call from the lead flight attendant in the cabin. 'I just found out the family of the soldier we are carrying, is onboard', he said.
He
then proceeded to tell me that the father, mother, wife and 2-year-old daughter were escorting their son, husband, and father home. The family was upset because they were unable to see the container that the soldier was in before we left.

We were on our way to a major hub at which the family was going to wait 4 hours for the connecting flight home to Virginia . The father of the soldier told the flight attendant that knowing his son was below him in the cargo compartment and being unable to see him was too much for him and the family to bear. He had asked the flight attendant if there was anything that could be done to allow them to see him upon our arrival. The family wanted to be outside by the cargo door to watch the soldier being taken off the airplane. I could hear the desperation in the flight attendants voice when he asked me if there was anything I could do. 'I'm on it', I said. I told him that I would get back to him.

Airborne communication with my company normally occurs in the form of e-mail like messages. I decided to bypass this system and contact my flight dispatcher directly on a secondary radio.
There is a
radio operator in the operations control center who connects you to the telephone of the dispatcher. I was in direct contact with the dispatcher. I explained the situation I had onboard with the family and what it was the family wanted. He said he understood and that he would get back to me.

Two hours went by and I had not heard from the dispatcher. We were going to get busy soon and I needed to know what to tell the family. I sent a text message asking for an update. I saved the return message from the dispatcher and this following is the text.
'Captain, sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. There is policy on this now and I had to check on a few things. Upon your arrival a dedicated escort team will meet the aircraft. The team will escort the family to the ramp and plane side. A van will be used to load the remains with a secondary van for the family. The family will be taken to their departure area and escorted into the terminal where the remains can be seen on the ramp. It is a private area for the family only. When the connecting aircraft arrives, the family will be escorted onto the ramp and plane side to watch the remains being loaded for the final leg home. Captain, most of us here in flight control are veterans. Please pass our condolences on to the family, thanks.' I sent a message back telling flight control thanks for a good job.

I printed out the message and gave it to the lead flight attendant to pass on to the father. The lead flight attendant was very thankful and told me, 'You have no idea how much this will mean to them.' Things started getting busy for the descent, approach and landing.
After landing, we cleared the runway and taxied to the ramp area. The ramp is huge with 15 gates on either side of the alleyway.
It is always a busy area with aircraft maneuvering every which way to enter and exit. When we entered the ramp and checked in with the ramp controller, we were told that all traffic was being held for us.
'There is a team in place to meet the aircraft', we were told.
It
looked like it was all coming together, then I realized that once we turned the seat belt sign off, everyone would stand up at once and delay the family from getting off the airplane.

As we approached our gate, I asked the copilot to tell the ramp controller we were going to stop short of the gate to make an announcement to the passengers. He did that and the ramp controller said, 'Take your time.' I stopped the aircraft and set the parking brake. I pushed the public address button and said, 'Ladies and gentleman, this is your captain speaking. I have stopped short of our gate to make a special announcement.

We have a passenger on board who deserves our honor and respect. His name is private XXXXXX, a soldier who recently lost his life. Private XXXXXX is under your feet in the cargo hold.
Escorting
him today is army sergeant XXXXXXX. Also onboard are his father, mother, wife, and daughter. Your entire flight crew is asking for all passengers to remain in their seats to allow the family to exit the aircraft first. Thank you.'

We continued the turn to the gate, came to a stop and started our shutdown procedures. A couple of minutes later I opened the cockpit door. I found the two forward flight attendants crying, something you just do not see. I was told that after we came to a stop, every passenger on the aircraft stayed in their seats, waiting for the family to exit the aircraft. When the family got up and gathered their things, a passenger slowly started to clap their hands.
Moments later more passengers joined in and soon the entire aircraft was clapping. Words of 'God Bless You, I'm sorry, Thank you, Be proud, and other kind words were uttered to the family as they made their way down the aisle and out of the airplane. They were escorted down to the ramp to finally be with the loved one lost.

I never did see the family. Another soldier died, another family grieved and we did what we could. That is the way it works sometimes. I get a call from the cabin; we work as a team to do what we can. That day everybody from the flight crew, to the operations center, to the 184 passengers onboard, we did what we could.
Many of
the passengers disembarking thanked me for the announcement I made.
They were just words, I could say them over and over again, but nothing I say will bring that soldier back.

I respectfully ask that all of you reflect on this day and the sacrifices that millions of men and women have made to ensure our freedom, safety, and the right to live a good life.

Posted by Maj Pain

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Something cool that Xerox is doing

If you go to this web site, www.LetsSayThanks.com you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq . You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to a member of the armed services.

How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!!! This is a great site. Please send a card. It is FREE and it only takes a second.

THEN, get yer butt over to www.AnySoldier.com to pick out a warrior of your choice to support. C'mon gang, they are in the freaking desert!

Posted by Maj Pain


Ellie

[thedrifter]

You have to honor them!
Posted By Maj Pain


In the below you will read of a Marine who served his country honorably, did his combat tour and began the track home when tragedy struck. The article focuses on if the Marines names should be added to the Virginia War memorial. The currently regulations state that memorial additions have to have died in “Hostile Combat”. Perhaps the state officials should review the memorials of the Civil War. These names on the several hundred memorials throughout Gettysburg hold names of all that died including disease and old age during the civil war. Perhaps the state officials should review the federal stipulations of being awarded the Iraqi Campaign Medal for the armed forces as it only requires servicemembers to be in Iraq to receive the award. I think the Mr Schumann could have a valid argument if his son or his sons unit received the combat action ribbon during the deployment that would validate the current memorial stipulations. Otherwise the state officials should review the term “Memorial” and “War Memorial” and perhaps change the name of their structure because by all means those Marines died for their country, regardless if they died in an IED ambush or Helo accident. The VA statesmen should ask themselves what should we do then tear down Gen Lee's house in Arlington, because he didnt die from the enemy direct bullets? Perhaps the VA statesmen should ask themselves the hard question, would the Marine be alive if he wasnt in Iraq fighting bad guys? Honor their service, they are heroes!

Marine Lance Cpl. Darrell Schumann, a 25-year-old from Hampton, fought bloody door-to-door battles for three months in Fallujah in late 2004. A few weeks later, he boarded a helicopter for the first leg of his trip home.

The helicopter, carrying Schumann and 30 comrades, flew into a sandstorm and crashed in the Iraqi desert, killing everyone on board. It remains the greatest single loss of U.S. troops in the Iraq war.

President Bush praised Schumann by name for his valor. But his name will not be found on the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond.

State officials have deemed that only the names of service members killed in hostile combat in the Middle East will be added to the stone-and-glass walls, which bear the names of 11,600 Virginians killed since World War II.

Recent veterans who died under other circumstances, such as aircraft accidents, are excluded.

The policy has changed since the memorial was erected, and the names of many service members who were killed in accidents are found on the wall.

Rick Schumann, Darrell's father, wants the policy changed again.

The memorial will soon undergo an $8 million expansion, funded mostly by taxpayers.

"We want them to do it right," Schumann said.

The state relies on the Defense Department's classification of deaths: killed in action, hostile casualty or nonhostile casualty. To be included on the Virginia memorial, a service member must fall into one of the first two categories.

According to a Virginian-Pilot review of Department of Defense records, at least two dozen service members with Virginia roots died in accidents or other noncombat scenarios related to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. About 140 Virginians have died in the two conflicts since 2003.

"Our policy is that you must die from hostile action," said Del. Frank Hargrove, chairman of the Virginia War Memorial board of trustees.

The policy was tightened after the first Gulf War, Hargrove said. Both Hargrove and Schumann agree that the names of several veterans who died in accidents are found on the memorial.

Hargrove said he is sympathetic to Schumann's case. He suggested that Schumann ask the Defense Department to change the cause of the Marine's death.

"It's a damn tragedy," said Hargrove, a veteran who served in Japan immediately after World War II. "But I'm going to stick to our guidelines."

The Virginia War Memorial was established by the General Assembly after World War II. Set on a hill overlooking the James River less than two miles from the Capitol, it includes a flag display and an education area.

State officials expect to break ground next month on an expansion to the monument and a center to display artifacts and accommodate school and veterans groups.

The General Assembly earmarked $6 million for the expansion, to be released when private donations reach $2 million. The memorial is close to reaching that goal, said executive director Jon Hatfield.

New names will be added to the wall within the next two years, he said.

Rick Schumann visited the memorial in April for a ceremonial bill-signing. During the event, he spotted a sign listing Virginians killed in action in the two ongoing wars and the bombing of the Norfolk-based destroyer Cole. Their names would be added to the Virginia War Memorial.

He noticed that his son's name and several others were missing from the list. Memorial staff members told him about the policy.

Schumann, a retired Air Force chief master sergeant with 29 years of service, called the policy unfair to many men and women who have died in combat zones while on active duty.

"They all should be recognized, regardless of the conflict," he said.

Schumann returned to the monument a few days later with his laptop. He copied several names and checked them against a list of war dead on the Library of Virginia Web site.

In his small sample, he found several names of men killed accidentally, some even on U.S. soil.

He found one veteran killed in an accident in Miami Beach, Fla., in 1944. Several Vietnam veterans on the memorial died as a result of nonhostile actions, according to his research. He said he believes there are many more.

Del. Vivian Watts met Rick Schumann at the bill-signing ceremony. She said it's time to consider changing the memorial policy, even if that means the General Assembly has to pass new legislation.

"When we vote on something like that, we're not voting with a narrow, bureaucratic definition of 'veteran,' " she said, adding, "You want to make sure nobody suffers."

On Tuesday, Rick Schumann visited one permanent memorial in Virginia that bears the name of his son.

It is a white headstone, set in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery.

By Louis Hansen
The Virginian-Pilot
November 12, 2008

[thedrifter]

We will find you!
Posted By Maj Pain


Below refers to yet another great example of why we are currently still in Iraq and finishing up professionally. There are few but obvious evil people still in Iraq.

This scumbag and his followers got what was coming to him as both of his noted attacks occurred on separate deployments of mine. I remember them all very clearly, knew the Battalion command as he was one time my neighbor and had SSgt Maupin’s cousin in my unit.

Tell me it doesn’t strike close to home. Its one thing to read about these events, it’s another to know the individuals involved. A note to this guy, others that emulate him and their followers, good riddance dirtbag, we are coming for you.





US raid kills Iraqi blamed in 2004 reservist death

By RYAN LUCAS, Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD
–

An al-Qaida in Iraq leader blamed in the 2004 abduction and murder of an Army reservist and other deadly attacks over several years was killed in an American raid in Baghdad, the U.S. military said Thursday.

U.S. forces acting on a tip carried out the raid Nov. 11 in Baghdad's Mansour neighborhood, killing Hajji Hammadi and another armed insurgent, the military statement.

The Iraqi was accused in the abduction and killing of Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Matt Maupin, a 20-year-old private first class who was seized when his fuel convoy was attacked by insurgents in Iraq on April 19, 2004, as the insurgency was gaining strength. Al-Jazeera aired a videotape later that month showing the Batavia, Ohio, native wearing camouflage and a floppy desert hat, sitting on a floor surrounded by five masked men holding automatic rifles.

Maupin's remains were found in March on the outskirts of Baghdad, about 12 miles from where the convoy was ambushed.

The military statement said Hammadi, also known as Hammadi Awdah Abd Farhan and Abd-al-Salam Ahmad Abdallah al-Janabi, led a group of fighters against U.S. forces in the second battle of Fallujah in the fall of 2004.

Hammadi also was the mastermind of a June 26 suicide bombing against a meeting of pro-government Sunni sheiks in Karmah, west of Baghdad, the military said. The attacker was dressed as an Iraqi policeman and killed three U.S. Marines, two interpreters and more than 20 Iraqis.

"Hammadi escorted the suicide bomber to the location and videotaped the attack," the military said.

Five other suspected insurgents were detained in the raid that killed Hammadi, it added. The military said it was announcing the death after Hammadi was positively identified.

It was the latest in a series of high-profile killings as the U.S. military targets the al-Qaida in Iraq leadership to shore up recent security gains.

It said the insurgent leader became al-Qaida's emir in a volatile area west of Baghdad in 2004 and had links to slain al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and his successor Abu Ayyub al-Masri, also known as Abu Hamza al-Muhajir.

He also was linked to the assassinations of many U.S.-allied Sunni leaders who turned against al-Qaida in Iraq, one of the key factors in a sharp drop in violence over the past year.

"The removal of Hajji Hammadi from the AQI (al-Qaida in Iraq) network is yet another significant blow to the terrorist organization," Brig. Gen. David Perkins said.