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Where I’ve Been – Travel Brain
46 cities in 11 countriesAsiaSouth Korea: SeoulThailand: BangkokThailand: Chiang MaiEuropeBelgium: BrusselsFrance: Le HavreFrance: NiceFrance: ParisGermany: BerlinGermany: DresdenGermany: ErlangenGermany: Frankfurt am MainGermany: HardheimGermany: MarktheidenfeldGermany: MunichGermany: NurnbergGermany: TauberbischofsheimGermany: WertheimHoly See (Vatican City): Vatican CityItaly: RomeItaly: VeniceLuxembourg: LuxembourgNetherlands: AmsterdamUnited Kingdom: LondonNorth AmericaUnited States: Ann ArborUnited States: AnnistonUnited States: AustinUnited States: CelinaUnited States: CherokeeUnited States: ClevelandUnited States: ColumbusUnited States: GettysburgUnited States: JasperUnited States: MandanUnited States: MetairieUnited States: MiamiUnited States: NashvilleUnited States: New OrleansUnited States: Oil CityUnited States: PittsburghUnited States: RedmondUnited States: RestonUnited States: San FranciscoUnited States: San JoseUnited States: SeattleUnited States: ShermanUnited States: Washington
Thoughts From Gettysburg
Humbling was my first thought as we drove along Confederate Road. It was a primary Confederate artillery position during the battle, and the launching point for Pickett’s Charge. To look across that field and picture 14,000 men stepping off, shoulder to shoulder facing over 100 cannon and thousands of Union rifles just chills me.
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President Obama and Memorial Day
It’s said that the difference between Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day is that when you honor a vet on Veteran’s Day, they’re still around to hear you. Memorial Day is when we remember those veterans who gave their lives in service to our country.
This year, everyone is focused on President Obama, and where he’s spending his Memorial Day. He’s spending it in Chicago, with his family. While he will miss the Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, he attended one at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Illinois. Vice President Biden will be in attendance at Arlington. Read more
My Outrage Over Fort Hood
Four days after the shootings at Fort Hood, I finally feel ready to try and express the anger and outrage I am feeling about the shooting.
I’ve heard the word tragic used to describe the incident, and it certainly was. It was tragic that over 50 people on a US military installation were unable to defend themselves.
In a combat zone, soldiers aren’t without their weapons. That rifle or sidearm gets carried everywhere the soldier goes, because they never know when they’ll need that weapon. We trust them in a combat deployment to handle their weapons safely, and to know when to shoot, and when not to shot.
I’m told that it wasn’t that long ago that officers and non-commissioned officers always carried a sidearm with them, on post or off. I suppose it’s been quite a while, as I served some 20 years ago, and no one I knew carried a weapon off duty. But it used to be a matter of honor for personnel to carry a weapon; they would never be caught without one.
But on 5 November, many were caught without one. Some were caught dead. Fort Hood Police Sgt. Kimberly Munley and Sgt Mark Todd responded to reports of gunfire within three minutes. There’s no question that their speedy and heroic response saved lives. But what of the lives lost in those three minutes?
I’m not faulting the response of Fort Hood Police at all. But they can’t be everywhere. Sgt Munley happened to be within three minutes of the SRC. But what if she had been farther away? How many more would have died?
I am outraged that a member of the US Armed Forces would turn a weapon against his fellow soldiers, violating his oath as an officer, and the Soldier’s Creed.
I am even more outraged that members of the US Armed Forces were disarmed on their post, unable to respond to a threat. There is no excuse for Major Hasan, and no excuse for the inability of his victims to defend themselves. What have we come to as a nation that we would disarm the very people who are sworn to protect us from all enemies, foreign and domestic?
Berkeley vs USMC
As if you needed any confirmation that folks out in Berkeley just don’t get it, well, here you go.
The Berkeley City Council is encouraging folks to actively impede USMC recruiting efforts there. The council awarded a parking place in front of the recruiting station to Code Pink, and passed a resolution “that encourages people to nonviolently “impede, passively or actively,’ the work of the recruiters.” Sad, and ironic, really. The Mayor is an Army vet, and he approves of what they’ve done. Yet, the lone dissenting vote on council is in opposition to the war.
In return, Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C, is going to draft legislation rescinding any federal earmarks for the city of Berkeley, and transfer that money to the Marines. That’s not chump change, either: $2.1 million would be a big help to the Corps.
It should be interesting to see how this develops.
They’ll be home for Christmas
Because Santa drives a minivan.
4 Marines were stranded in San Francisco, trying to get home for Christmas. Old enough to serve our country. Old enough to drink a beer, even. But not old enough to rent a car.
God Bless Them All!
U.S. Involved in Iraq Longer Than WWII
This AP article points out that we’ve now been involved in Iraq longer than we were involved in :
Consider this, then. In the American Revolution, we were overthrowing a monarchy, declaring independence, and bringing forth a new form of government. Not unlike what has happened in Iraq. True?
It’s also interesting to note that, if you ask the troops, more are saying that we should stay there than are saying we should get out. Who should we listen to? The boots on the ground, or the suits in DC?
Flat Daddies Hold Soldier’s Place At Home
I thought this was SUCH a cool idea!
The Maine National Guard is giving life-size from-the-waist-up pictures of soldiers to the families of deployed guard members. Guard officials and families say the cutouts, known as Flat Daddies or Flat Soldiers, connect families with a relative who is thousands of miles away. The Flat Daddies are toted everywhere from soccer practice to coffee shops to weddings.
What an awesome idea, and a great way for Command to support the families!
Wouldn’t it be neat if communities started adopting their NG and USAR units, and finding a printer who would do this at a decent price, so every unit could do this for their troops?
Raven’s Beak on Flickr
