Archive for August, 2008
August 12, 2008 By You Served Editorial Staff
Posted in MilBlogger Interviews
We have an ongoing feature on You Served profiling military bloggers from across the web. This week, we talked with Tiffany from Manatee’s Military Moms blog. Thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions Tiffany!
You Served: What compelled you to start a military blog?
Manatee’s Military Mom’s: My son, Daniel, was preparing for his first deployment, a WESTPAC on the USS Tarawa with his USMC helicopter squadron, the SeaElks. I was very anxious, but I was also just so proud. Since I’m a photojournalist with a daily newspaper, I wanted to do something using my skills to share our experiences. I got permission from the Marine Corps to spend a few hours with the squadron in Miramar, California, and came up with an audio slideshow called “A Son’s Story”.
I wrote a short story which ran in our paper along with one of my photos to introduce the blog, and that’s how it began. I just wanted folks to have a place to share about their loved ones.
YS: Has the blog helped you connect with people in similar situations?
MMM: Oh yes! I have heard from local families, and at one point a couple of mothers with sons on the Tarawa wrote and it was such a warm feeling to know there were people out there experiencing the same mix of pride, love, and at times, worry.
YS: What is your favorite thing about writing a military blog?
MMM: Well, I am a photographer, so it has been difficult for me to express myself clearly through words. But it’s getting a bit easier and I’ve had some fun with it. When Daniel was in Australia, I wrote one blog all in Australian slang; “Mates, let’s be proud as a rat with a gold tooth”. Other times I write about things that make me mad, or sad. One local young man was wounded in Iraq and I was upset that everyone was just going on with ‘life as usual’, never knowing there was a very worried family in their midst. I don’t want anyone to feel alone in this; that’s one of my goals.
YS: Would you recommend starting a blog to other people with loved ones in active duty military service?
MMM: By all means! The best therapy in the world for me has been sharing my experiences through my blog.
YS: What are some military blog sites that inspire your writing?
MMM: Well, without naming them specifically, I find that it’s amazing to read the words of soldiers and Marines who are sharing their experiences as they live them. It makes me feel connected in a way no story in the paper or television broadcast can. The blog JP Borda writes along with the documentary “Bad Voodoo Platoon” gave us a very intimate look at what they experience in war. I’m inspired by writing which I identify with or learn from, that’s what it’s all about!
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August 9, 2008 By CJ
Posted in Charities/Contests
Melissa Stockwell is an incredibly inspiring 28-year-old from the Twin Cities who was the first US female amputee of the Iraq War; as well as the first Iraq War Veteran, male or female, to qualify for the Beijing Paralympics. In the 4 years between Baghdad and Beijing – she has accomplished an incredible amount – including completing 8 triathlons, 2 NYC Marathons; becoming a prosthetist so she can help other amputees; and setting 3 US Paralympic swimming records;
TakePride [an influential support the troops project] has launched a charitable t-shirt inspired by the last 4 years of Melissa’s life called Stronger. The shirt not only serves as a way to get her story out to more people, but for the first time, it offers Americans a way to channel the good feelings that her story generates into meaningful support – both moral and financial – for Melissa and for all wounded US Veterans (a minimum of $5/shirt is donated to Wounded Warrior Project).
Stronger features a drawing of Melissa swimming as well as columns of text that tell her story, and which are comprised mainly of direct quotes from Melissa. Stronger is exclusively available at www.TakePride.com. The shirt is offered in men’s sizes small through XXL and women’s sizes small through XL for $25. A minimum of $5 from the sale of each Stronger shirt will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project. The shirt is also being offered in combination with the Stronger athletic bag featuring a screen print of the text from the shirt (the ‘Stronger Spirit Pack’) for $40.
Melissa is a truly amazing person whose story has the power to inspire millions of Americans.
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August 8, 2008 By CJ
Posted in Military News
A Colorado soldier’s family accepts the Purple Heart on behalf of their son.
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By CJ
Posted in Military News, Top Posts
I have a shirt that I had created when I was in Iraq and the following comment was made by Harry Reid:
“I believe … that this war is lost, and this surge is not accomplishing anything, as is shown by the extreme violence in Iraq this week.”
The shirt says “I’m a ‘loser’…” on the front and “…according to Harry Reid” on the back. After all, as a Soldier fighting a “lost war” doesn’t that make me the loser? Doesn’t that make the enemy the winner? One would think so, but thankfully we on the ground knew better. And now, Muqtada Al Sadr himself is basically admitting defeat.
After a blistering defeat last year and fleeing to Iran for his own safety (Iran, huh?), the Mahdi Army leader and influential Shiite leader is changing his tactics. The fact is that the surge DID work and Mr. Reid, himself, is an ignorant leader playing partisan politics with the lives of American troops. There is no doubt that Mr. Reid’s comments strengthened the resolve of the enemy to continue fighting and only General Petraeus’ and President Bush’s “surge” strategy were able to overcome that.
Al Sadr, realizing he’s quickly becoming marginalized as an influence over Shia Iraqis, has ordered his Mahdi Army to drop their arms and focus on rebuilding, education, and other social programs.
However, Al Sadr has stated that he will maintain a “resistance group” that will exclusively have the authority within his group to maintain arms and continue to resistance American forces if a timetable is not established. What does this mean? It means we still need to find and neutralize Mooki (can I call him Mooki?) Al Sadr if we truly want peace in Iraq.
The fighting cells will be “small and limited” and will only launch attacks under direct orders from al-Sadr in case of “dire necessity,” the cleric’s spokesman Sheik Salah al-Obeidi told The Associated Press in the holy city of Najaf.
What that tells me is that if the Mahdi Army is known to launch an attack against the United States, we have every right to kill their leader. And I would argue we have the right to kill him wherever he is being harbored.
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By You Served Editorial Staff
Posted in Military History
“Spotlight on Military History” is an ongoing feature on You Served, VA MortgageCenter.com’s Military Blog.
By definition the term artillery refers to heavy weapons and the implements and materials required for their use. Artillery weapons can be broken down into Guns, Howitzers, Mortars and Columbiads. Often the pieces are further sub-categorized by their use; i.e. Seacoast, Siege and Garrison, Field Artillery, and Mountain. Artillery weapons may also be described by the type of bore, smooth or rifled.
In the Civil War, Mountain Artillery could be quickly broken down and transported by horses, Field Artillery was generally lighter and easier to maneuver, Siege and Garrison Artillery was heavy but could be either transported or mounted to a fortification, and Seacoast Artillery was heavy and most often mounted in fortifications along waterways.
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August 7, 2008 By CJ
Posted in Uncategorized
Most U.S. Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan will not get a chance to vote this year because bureaucrats and politicians in Washington have done absolutely nothing to repair a systemic problem that literally stops most of our troops from voting.
Only 5.5 percent of U.S. troops serving overseas were able to vote and actually have their vote counted in 2006, according to the Federal Election Assistance Commission. We should be guaranteeing that EVERY SINGLE MILITARY MAN AND WOMAN will have their ballot counted.
The House and Senate are currently stalling on legislation that would improve troops’ access to voting, voting instead to go on a 5-week vacation. A resolution for Congress to crack down on the Department of Defense to streamline the voting process for soldiers has been introduced by Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO), but the proposal has been blocked by politicians in the House of Representatives. Blunt’s resolution is now stuck in the House Armed Services subcommittee with no prospects of moving forward.
Voting deadlines are rapidly approaching in some states and the mail delivery times from Iraq and Afghanistan can be long. We must send voting registration cards now.
I am the voting assistance officer for my unit. No matter how a Soldier is going to vote, he/she deserves to have their voice heard. Our troops are responsible for Iraqis being able to vote for the first time in their lives, yet our votes aren’t counted because of hiccups in the system. So, let’s bypass the system.
Please pass the attached FPCA (Federal Post Card Application) to deployed Soldiers or their family members to ensure they have a chance. If they any questions about how to fill out the card, feel free to give them my email address and I will gladly help. I’m also including the postage paid envelope that the FPCA should be mailed in and here is the link to find the address to which they can mail the information.
There is also a site that allows military members to use a new automated tool to register/request a ballot. They can go HERE and register if they have online access, which will facilitate their registration.
Thanks for your help.
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By CJ
Posted in Uncategorized
The votes are in and these are your winners of Military Times’ Service Member of the Year competition. Each year a service member is chosen from each branch of service based on recommendations by people like you. A person is picked for each service. So, allow me to introduce you to this year’s winners.
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By Troy
Posted in Life in the Military
I stumbled across this site today by reading some of my normal blogs. This site does a great job of providing the stats to back up what I have been ranting about for the last 7 months…that 2008 would be the worse year ever for violence in Afghanistan. If you go to http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2008/08/afghanistan_mapping.php and read the article I think it will clear as crystal how bad it has gotten this year. If you click on the map or go to http://www.longwarjournal.org/maps/afghn-attacks1-v2.php then you can see the stats in detail by province.
Rather than repeat all the stats that are on here, I am just recommending that you go and read the article yourself, look at the map and then tell your friends, family and legislators all about how bad it is.
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August 5, 2008 By You Served Editorial Staff
Posted in Military History
“A Look at Military History” is an ongoing feature on You Served, a military blog featured here on VA MortgageCenter.com
Gulf Sea Frontier was the name given the group responsible for the defense of the Florida coast, the Bahamas, the Gulf of Mexico, the Yucatan Channel, and most of Cuba. Organized in February of 1942, it consisted of a converted yacht, 2-165 foot coast guard cutters, 1- 125 foot cutter, 19 unarmed coast guard planes, 14 army observation planes armed with .30 caliber machine guns, and 2 bombers.
U-boat attacks first occurred in the Gulf Sea on February 19, 1942. The tanker Pan Massachusetts was sunk 40 miles SE of Cape Canaveral. Two more vessels were sunk on the 21st and another on the 22nd. And thus began the German blitz on the Gulf Sea.
The Allies laid a large field of mines between April 24 and May 2, 1942 surrounding the anchorage on the Gulf side of Key West. This provide good protection, however west bound shipping had to travel 18 hours south of Key West to enter the protection of the field. The mine field was so difficult to navigate that 4 Allied ships were sunk in its infancy.
Early in May 1942 the Axis became aware of Allied coastal convoy routes in the Gulf Sea.
Germans sowed mines hoping to catch ships entering or exiting harbors in the Gulf Sea. Most of these were discovered by the Allies and swept before they could do any damage. However, May proved a devastating month for the Allies with losses climbing to 41 ships that month. These losses occurred despite the fact that Allied forces in the Gulf Sea Frontier had been increased to include ten additional ships and a few additional army aircraft.
Due to the May/June German u-boat blitz on the Gulf Sea, the Allies were forced to declare the Gulf Sea and the Florida Straits a danger zone, requiring all merchant ships to be escorted in that area.
On May 13, 1942 a neutral Mexican tanker, well lit with her flag flying, was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat near Miami. There were only nine survivors. Mexico declared war on Germany shortly after this attack.
On June 3, 1942 Rear Admiral James Kauffman was appointed to the Gulf Sea Frontier and organized a killing machine of ships and planes. Between June 10 and June 13 Kauffman’s group successfully downed the two U-boats in the area, which had previously evaded the Allies, with an all out hunt and attack. . It was later decided that a better use of the killing machine would be for it to serve as escorts for convoys, rather than tying up such vast numbers of defense forces, leaving merchant ships unprotected.
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August 4, 2008 By CJ
Posted in Military News
PO2 (EOD2) Mike Monsoor, a Navy EOD Technician, was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously for jumping on a grenade in Iraq , giving his life to save his fellow SEALs.
During Mike Monsoor’s funeral in San Diego , as his coffin was being moved from the hearse to the grave site at Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery , SEALs were lined up on both sides of the pallbearers route forming a column of twos, with the coffin moving up the center. As Mike’s coffin p assed, each SEAL, having removed his gold Trident from his uniform, slapped it down embedding the Trident in the wooden coffin.
The slaps were audible from across the cemetery; by the time the coffin arrived grave side, it looked as though it had a gold inlay from all the Tridents pinned to it. This was a fitting send-off for a warrior hero.
This should be front-page news instead of the crap we see every day.
Since the media won’t make this news, maybe you can bring attention to it by copying this and forwarding it to your friends and family. I am proud of our military and the men and women who serve in it. They represent the highest and finest values of this country. And Michael Monsoor epitomizes those values to the greatest degree.
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