Monthly Archives: May 2012

The Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) is a series of annual bilateral military exercises. A CARAT exercise between the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps and Royal Thai Navy and Marine Corps began May 17 with opening ceremonies in Sattahip. CARAT consists of a series of bilateral military exercises between the U.S. Navy and the armed forces of Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

Any military writer worth his or her salt would do well to be covering these exercises as they take place in Thailand. During the training, Sailors and Marines from the United States and Thailand train on maritime interception Operations, riverine, amphibious and undersea warfare operations, diving and salvage operations, naval gunnery and maneuvering events, along with disaster response exercises.

Marine Staff Sgt. Michael Ladler and Royal Thai marine Lt. Khongcharoen Metha participate in a simulated amphibious assault conducted with Royal Thai and U.S. Marines for Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training Thailand 2012. CARAT is a series of bilateral exercises held annually in Southeast Asia to strengthen relationships and enhance force readiness. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Aaron Glover)

Over 30 years of service!! Well done, Marine. I salute you.

The Legion of Merit Medal is awarded to Col. Kenneth D. Enzor by Maj. Gen. Michael G. Dana, the commanding general of 2nd Marine Logistics Group, during his retirement ceremony aboard Camp Lejeune, N.C., May 23, 2012. Enzor began his military career in 1974 when he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps in 1982. His other decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal and the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal.What began as a conversation with a high school friend more than 30 years ago culminated with nearly four decades of military service, drawing to a close in a ceremony in front of 2nd Marine Logistics Group Headquarters aboard Camp Lejeune, N.C., May 23.
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Looking at this well-focused, professionally captured photo of a CH-47′s glowing rotors, one may think that our choppers have accented lighting on their blades.

In reality, what is happening is sand being scraped against the titanium and steel blades. As the sand particles are basically scraped and shattered they create mini-sparks.

This photo by Army Sgt. Michael J. MacLeod is perhaps the best photo of the effect I’ve seen.

Dust lights up the rotors of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter as paratroopers with 3rd Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment load for an air assault mission near Combat Outpost Ab Band May 23, 2012, Ghazni Province, Afghanistan. The unit is part of the 82nd Airborne Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team, which deployed to the area in March to help bring security to the areas along the country’s main road between Kabul and Kandahar. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael J. MacLeod)

Memorial Day weekend is upon us. The irony of this weekend meant to honor those who have given their lives fighting for this country is that it is also the most deadly weekend of the year. Americans across the country are in a rush to begin their summer vacations. Recently graduated teenagers are flexing their driving muscles for the first time traveling long distances. Alcohol is a major contributing factor for those same students.

College students are heading home and others are heading to their first semester.

Meanwhile, our nation continues to suffer the consequences of sending troops into harm’s way. This year is on pace to be the deadliest year for troops in Afghanistan ever. These are the heroes this weekend is meant to honor.

Photographs of the fallen Paratroopers of 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division rest at the base of the “One Panther” Global War on Terrorism memorial following a ceremony honoring Memorial Day May 24, 2012.

Obviously, this week I’m focusing on many different areas. My wife commented that I should publish some of my own photos, so I am. But, what does this have to do with anything? Nothing.

Remember Crystal Pepsi? To some, it was a disaster. To me, I loved it. I was stationed at Ft. Irwin when this came out in the 90′s and I liked it. I guess the typical consumer didn’t because it didn’t last long.

I took this picture at the Dr. Pepper Museum in Waco, Texas. If you haven’t been there, you should check it out if you’re nearby. Texas and Dr. Pepper are nearly synonymous with each other. At the museum, you can purchase hot Dr. Pepper which is awesome on a cold day. I never thought I’d like it, but I tried anyway and was impressed.

So, today’s post is more of a discussion topic. What is your favorite soft drink? What soda did you like (or not) that is no longer made? What is your fondest memory of that soda?

Personally, I’m a HUGE Big Red fan. Next is Diet Dr. Pepper for me. I love Big Red so much, I only allow myself about two bottles per month. Otherwise, I’d drink so much that I’d balloon to about 400 pounds. Growing up, I would always come to Texas during the summers to work on the family farm. While we were out in the fields, my Mawmaw would come out in the Chevy pick-up truck with a cooler full of “sodie water” and water. I would dig into the cooler and pull out a Big Red and chug it down. When we would take a truckload of grains to the granary, my Pawpaw would always buy me a glass bottle of Dr. Pepper. I remember having to drink it right then and there because they wanted the bottle back to recycle.