November 11, 2009 By CJ
Posted in Military News
President Obama made the following Veterans Day speech at Arlington National Cemetery, most likely confusing Memorial Day with Veterans Day:
Thank you so much. Thank you. Please, be seated.
Thank you, Secretary Shinseki, for the generous introduction — more importantly, the extraordinary bravery in service to our country, both on and off the battlefield. I want to thank our outstanding Vice President, Joe Biden, and his wonderful wife, Dr. Jill Biden, for being here today. We want to thank the Bidens for their son, Beau’s, service as well; we’re glad he just got back from Iraq.
We want to say a special word of thanks to Brigadier General Karl Horst, who’s the Commander of the Military District of Washington, for being here, and for your lifetime of distinguished service to our nation. To Gene Crayton, president of the Paralyzed Veterans of America, thank you for being here. And to all the veterans’ service organizations for the extraordinary work, day in, day out on behalf of our nation’s heroes.
To the members of our armed forces and the veterans who are here today: I am deeply honored and humbled to spend Veterans Day with you in this sacred place where generations of heroes have come to rest — and generations of Americans have come to show their gratitude.
There are many honors and responsibilities that come with this job. But none is more profound than serving as Commander-in-Chief. Yesterday, I visited the troops at Fort Hood. We gathered in remembrance of those we recently lost. We paid tribute to the lives they led. And there was something that I saw in them; something that I see in the eyes of every soldier and sailor, airman, Marine and Coast Guardsman that I have had the privilege to meet in this country and around the world — and that thing is determination.
In this time of war, we gather here mindful that the generation serving today already deserves a place alongside previous generations for the courage they have shown and the sacrifices that they have made. In an era where so many acted only in pursuit of narrow self-interest, they’ve chosen the opposite. They chose to serve the cause that is greater than self; many even after they knew they’d be sent into harm’s way. And for the better part of a decade, they have endured tour after tour in distant and difficult places; they have protected us from danger; and they have given others the opportunity for a better life.
So to all of them — to our veterans, to the fallen, and to their families — there is no tribute, no commemoration, no praise that can truly match the magnitude of your service and your sacrifice.
This is a place where it is impossible not to be moved by that sacrifice. But even as we gather here this morning, people are gathering all across America, not only to express thanks of a grateful nation, but to tell stories that demand to be told. They’re stories of wars whose names have come to define eras; battles that echo throughout history. They’re stories of patriots who sacrificed in pursuit of a more perfect union: of a grandfather who marched across Europe; of a friend who fought in Vietnam; of a sister who served in Iraq. They’re the stories of generations of Americans who left home barely more than boys and girls, became men and women, and returned home heroes.
And when these Americans who had dedicated their lives to defending this country came home, many settled on a life of service, choosing to make their entire lives a tour of duty. Many chose to live a quiet life, trading one uniform and set of responsibilities for another — doctor, engineer, teacher, mom, dad. They bought homes, raised families, built businesses. They built the greatest middle class that the world has ever known. Some put away their medals, stayed humble about their service, and moved on. Some, carrying shrapnel and scars, found that they couldn’t.
We call this a holiday. But for many veterans, it’s another day of memories that drive them to live their lives each day as best as they possibly can. For our troops, it is another day in harm’s way. For their families, it is another day to feel the absence of a loved one, and the concern for their safety. For our wounded warriors, it is another day of slow and arduous recovery. And in this national cemetery, it is another day when grief remains fresh. So while it is important and proper that we mark this day, it is far more important we spend all our days determined to keep the promises that we’ve made to all who answer this country’s call.
Carved into the marble behind me are the words of our first Commander-in-Chief: “When we assumed the soldier, we did not lay aside the citizen.” Just as the contributions that our servicemen and women make to this nation don’t end when they take off their uniform, neither do our obligations to them. And when we fulfill those obligations, we aren’t just keeping faith with our veterans; we are keeping faith with the ideals of service and sacrifice upon which this republic was founded.
If we’re honest with ourselves, we’ll admit that there have been times where we as a nation have betrayed that sacred trust. Our Vietnam veterans served with great honor. They often came home greeted not with gratitude or support, but with condemnation and neglect. That’s something that will never happen again. To them and to all who have served, in every battle, in every war, we say that it’s never too late to say thank you. We honor your service. We are forever grateful. And just as you have not forgotten your missing comrades, neither, ever, will we. Our servicemen and women have been doing right by America for generations. And as long as I am Commander-in-Chief, America’s going to do right by them.
That is my message to all veterans today. That is my message to all who serve in harm’s way. To the husbands and wives back home doing the parenting of two. To the parents who watch their sons and daughters go off to war, and the children who wonder when mom and dad is coming home. To all our wounded warriors, and to the families who laid a loved one to rest. America will not let you down. We will take care of our own.
And to those who are serving in far-flung places today, when your tour ends, when you see our flag, when you touch our soil, you will be home in an America that is forever here for you just as you’ve been there for us. That is my promise — our nation’s promise — to you.
Ninety-one years ago today, the battlefields of Europe fell quiet as World War I came to a close. But we don’t mark this day each year as a celebration of victory, as proud of that victory as we are. We mark this day as a celebration of those who made victory possible. It’s a day we keep in our minds the brave men and women of this young nation — generations of them — who above all else believed in and fought for a set of ideals. Because they did, our country still stands; our founding principles still shine; nations around the world that once knew nothing but fear now know the blessings of freedom.
That is why we fight — in hopes of a day when we no longer need to. And that is why we gather at these solemn remembrances and reminders of war — to recommit ourselves to the hard work of peace.
There will be a day before long when this generation of servicemen and women step out of uniform. They will build families and lives of their own. God willing, they will grow old. And someday, their children, and their children’s children, will gather here to honor them.
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.
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November 10, 2009 By CJ
Posted in Military News
I wanted to share with you some eyewitness accounts of those personally affected by the Ft. Hood shootings. This first one is a unedited email I got from an Army Captain (I’ll protect his position and job as it would be too easy to identify him).
Since I don’t know when I’ll sleep (it’s 4 am now) I’ll write what happened (the abbreviated version…..the long one is already part of the investigation with more to come). I’ll not write about any part of the investigation that I’ve learned about since (as a witness I know more than I should since inevitably my JAG brothers and sisters are deeply involved in the investigation). Don’t assume that most of the current media accounts are very accurate. They’re not. They’ll improve with time. Only those of us who were there really know what went down. But as they collate our statements they’ll get it right.
I did my SRP last week (Soldier Readiness Processing) but you’re supposed to come back a week later to have them look at the smallpox vaccination site (it’s this big itchy growth on your shoulder). I am probably alive because I pulled a ———- and entered the wrong building first (the main SRP building). The Medical SRP building is off to the side. Realizing my mistake I left the main building and walked down the sidewalk to the medical SRP building. As I’m walking up to it the gunshots start. Slow and methodical, but continuous. Two ambulatory wounded came out; then two soldiers dragging a third who was covered in blood. Hearing the shots but not seeing the shooter, along with a couple other soldiers I stood in the street and yelled at everyone who came running that it was clear but to “RUN!”. I kept motioning people fast. About 6-10 minutes later (the shooting was continuous), two cops ran up, one male, one female. We pointed
in the direction of the shots. they headed that way (the medical SRP building was about 50 meters away). Then a lot more gunfire. A couple minutes later a balding man in ACU’s came around the building carrying a pistol and holding it tactically. He started shooting at us and we all dived back to the cars behind us. I don’t think he hit the couple other guys who were there. I did see the bullet holes later in the cars. First I went behind a tire and then looked under the body of the car. I’ve been trained how to respond to gunfire…but with my own weapon. To have no weapon, I don’t know how to explain what that felt like. I hadn’t run away but stayed because I had thought about the consequences or anything like that. I wasn’t thinking anything through. Please understand, there was no intention. I was just staying there because I didn’t think about running. It never occurred to me that he might shoot me. Until he started shooting in my direction and I realized I was unarmed. Then the female cop comes around the corner. He shoots her (according to the news account she got a round into him. I believe it, I just didn’t see it, he didn’t go down.) She goes down. He starts reloading. He’s fiddling with his mags. Weirdly he hasn’t dropped the one that was in his weapon. He’s holding the fresh one and the old one (you do that on the range when time is not of the essence but in combat you would just let the old mag go). I see the male cop around the left corner of the building. (I’m about 15-20 meters from the shooter.) I yell at the cop, “He’s reloading, he’s reloading. Shoot him! Shoot him!) You have to understand, everything was quiet at this point. The cop appears to hear me and comes around the corner and shoots the shooter. He goes down. The cop kicks his weapon further away. I sprint up to the downed female cop. Another captain (I think he was with me behind the cars) comes up as well. She’s bleeding profusely out of her thigh. We take our belts off and tourniquet her just like we’ve been trained (I hope we did it right…we didn’t have any CLS (combat lifesaver) bags with their awesome tourniquets on us, so we worked with what we had).
Meanwhile, in the most bizarre moment of the day, a photographer was standing over us taking pictures. I suppose I’ll be seeing those tomorrow. Then a soldier came up and identified himself as a medic. I then realized her weapon was lying there unsecured (and on “fire”). I stood over it and when I saw a cop yelled for him to come over and secure her weapon (I would have done so but I was worried someone would mistake me for a bad guy). I then went over to the shooter. He was unconscious. A Lt Colonel was there and had secured his primary weapon for the time being.
He also had a revolver. I couldn’t believe he was one of ours. I didn’t want to believe it. Then I saw his name and rank and realized this wasn’t just some specialist with mental issues. At this point there was a guy there from CID and I asked him if he knew he was the shooter and had him secured. He said he did. I then went over the slaughter house that was the medical SRP building. No human should ever have to see what that looked like. And I won’t tell you. Just believe me. Please. There was nothing to be done there.
Someone then said there was someone critically wounded around the corner. I ran around (while seeing this floor to ceiling window that someone had jumped through, movie style) and saw a large African-American soldier lying on his back with two or three soldiers attending. I ran up and identified two entrance wounds on the right side of his stomach, one exit wound on the left side and one head wound. He was not bleeding externally from the stomach wounds (though almost certainly internally) but was bleeding from the head wound.
A soldier was using a shirt to try and stop the head bleeding. He was conscious so I began talking to him to keep him so. He was 42, from North Carolina , he was named something Jr., his son was named something III and he had a daughter as well. His children lived with him. He was divorced. I told him the blubber on his stomach saved his life. He smiled. A young soldier in civvies showed up and identified himself as a combat medic. We debated whether to put him on the back of a pickup truck. A doctor (well, an audiologist) showed up and said you can’t move him, he has a head wound. We finally sat tight. I went back to the slaughterhouse. They weren’t letting anyone in there. Not even medics. Finally, after about 45 minutes had elapsed some cops showed up in tactical vests. Someone said the TBI building was unsecured. They headed into there. All of a sudden a couple more shots were fired. People shouted there was a second shooter. A half hour later the SWAT showed up. There was no second shooter. That had been an impetuous cop apparently. But that confused things for awhile. Meanwhile I went back to the shooter.
The female cop had been taken away. A medic was pumping plasma into the shooter. I’m not proud of this but I went up to her and said “this is the shooter, is there anyone else who needs attention…do them first”. She indicated everyone else living was attended to. I still hadn’t seen any EMTs or ambulances. I had so much blood on me that people kept asking me if I was ok. But that was all other people’s blood. Eventually (an hour and a half to two hours after the shootings) they started landing choppers. They took out the big African American guy and the shooter. I guess the ambulatory wounded were all at the SRP building. Everyone else in my area was dead.
I suppose the emergency responders were told there were multiple shooters. I heard that was the delay with the choppers (they were all civilian helicopters). They needed a secure LZ. But other than the initial cops who did everything right, I didn’t see a lot of them for a while. I did see many a soldier rush out to help their fellows/sisters. There was one female soldier, I don’t know her name or rank but I would recognize her anywhere who was everywhere helping people. A couple people, mainly civilians, were hysterical, but only a couple. One civilian freaked out when I tried to comfort her when she saw my uniform. I guess she had seen the shooter up close. A lot of soldiers were rushing out to help even when we thought there was another gunman out there. This Army is not broken no matter what the pundits say. Not the Army I saw. And then they kept me for a long time to come. Oh, and perhaps the most surreal thing, at 1500 (the end of the workday on Thursdays) when the bugle sounded we all came to attention and saluted the flag, in the middle of it all.
This is what I saw. It can’t have been real. But this is my small corner of what happened.
This second account comes from retired Soldier and Copperas Cove city councilman, Bill Herridge, W.M.
I was at Fort Hood yesterday afternoon and got caught up in the events surrounding the shooting. I was in the Howze Theater to play my bagpipes as a processional to bring in the soldiers who were receiving their college diplomas from area colleges and universities.
They have one big ceremony each November for all the soldiers who have completed their degree requirements. I play for them every year.
At about 1:30, I was sitting on the front row of the theater on the far left side. A side entrance to the theater was located directly to my left about three feet away. I heard three or four muffled popsˇ and thought it sounded a little odd. Suddenly, the door near me flew open and a man fell into the theater with a gunshot wound in his back. I started for the man to see what was wrong but two NCOs jumped up and grabbed the man and laid him on the edge of the stage. One of them shouted Are there any medical personnel in the building?ˇ Two of the graduates ran to the stage, threw off their caps and gowns and began treating the man as best they could. They announced that his wound was not life threatening. As the man was being loaded onto a stretcher, five or six heavily armed civilian security personnel entered the back of the auditorium with their rifles and pistols pointing upwards. One of them shouted that everyone should take a seat immediately, and believe me, that happened very quickly.
They asked that all senior NCOs in the building proceed to one of the eight entry doors in the building, and again, that was done immediately. One the security guys ascertained that the wounded man being removed from the stage would survive, they walked across the front of the stage and slowly opened a door on the opposite side of the auditorium˜one which opened out onto a parking lot that separated the Howze Theater from the Soldiers Dome where the rest of the shooting occurred. We could hear rapid gunfire coming across the parking lot. One of the security guys again shouted a request for any doctors and nurses in attendance, and about 15 people immediately moved to the door where the security guys were standing. I heard one of the security folks tell the assembled medical personnel that there were many wounded people in the adjacent building, and that they were needed to help out. The medical people were told to follow the security guys, keep low, and move quickly without stopping. There was no hesitation on their part, they just moved out to do their jobs.
There were three officers in the building, and to their credit they just got out of the way and let the NCOs handle the situation. I was extremely proud of the professionalism that everyone displayed. The only people complaining were the civilians who were there for the graduation ceremony, and soldiers continually moved among them to calm them down.
One interesting thing about all this˜about an hour after the shooting died down, the loud speakers all over the base started playing the old Cavalry bugle call called Recall.ˇ I have never heard that on an active duty base before, but apparently the soldiers knew what it meant, that they were to drop what they were doing and return to their units.
At about 7 p.m. they brought several cases of MREs (combat meals) and starting handing them out. I figured we would be there all night when that happened. However, about 30 minutes later, we were allowed to depart in small numbers. I had to pass through four check points before I reached FM116, and even after driving off the post, I had to negotiate two Texas DPS road blocks before being allowed to drive at highway speed to return home.
I hope you will all keep the families of the slain soldiers in your prayers. I know that the Good Lord was looking after me˜that shooter could just as easily have followed the wounded man into the theater, where he would have ˛enjoyed many more victims. Anyway, that is a brief eyewitness report of what happened at Fort Hood yesterday afternoon.
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November 9, 2009 By CJ
Posted in Military News
The media are still quite puzzled by Major Nidal Hasan’s motivations that led him to gun down his fellow American soldiers at Ft. Hood. Yet in the same media’s reporting, the below clues emerge. When gathered together, you would think the dots could easily be connected.
I’m not going to jump to any conclusions, but I’m going to put on my investigator hat and pull information from various MSM reports and let you decide:
1. At the shooting, Hasan first bowed his head in prayer and then shouted “Allahu Akbar” (God is Great) as he shot over 50 soldiers in a calm and measured manner.
2. Store video the morning of the shooting shows Hasan wearing a traditional Muslim WHITE robe and hat. He had began wearing Arabic/Muslim-style clothing in recent weeks.
3. Hasan handed out Qurans to his neighbors a few days before and the day of the shooting, including giving a Quran to his neighbor at 9 am the day of the shooting, telling her, “I’m going to do good work for God” before leaving for the base. Here is the AP photograph taken on Friday, Nov 6 in Killeen, Texas showing the Quran and the business card that Hasan gave to his neighbor the day of the shooting.
4. A recent convert to Islam described how he frequently prayed with Hasan at the town mosque after Hasan was deployed to Fort Hood in July. They last worshipped together at predawn prayers on the day of the massacre when Hasan “appeared relaxed and not in any way troubled or nervous.”
5. Hasan told the convert that the ‘war on terror’ was really a war against Islam. Hasan also expressed anti-Jewish sentiments and defended suicide bombings.
6. During dinner the night before the shooting, Hasan felt he should not go to Afghanistan, that he was supposed to quit. “In the Koran, it says you are not supposed to have alliances with Jews or Christians, and if you are killed in the military fighting against Muslims, you will go to hell.”
7. Hasan’s deceased parents were Palestinians immigrants from the West Bank/Jordan. Hasan’s father was 16 years old when he immigrated to America and later operated a bar and grill in Roanoke, VA.
8. On a form Hasan filled out at the Muslim Community Center in Silver Spring, Maryland, he gave his nationality not as “American” but as “Palestinian.” Yet he was born in Arlington, Virginia on 8 Sep 1970. (See Allegiance in a Time of Globalization, DOD PERSEREC, Dec 2008)
9. Hasan has family in the Middle East, including a grandfather, uncle and cousins which he and they would visit each other.
10. Hasan’s cousin in the Palestinian city of Ramallah, Mohammad Munif Abdallah Hasan, said the Army major had wanted to leave the military because he felt disrespected over his religion.
11. His cousin said: “If he had killed one or two, I could say that he was defending himself. I could say that there could have been a problem between two sides which led to the use of weapons.”
12. Hasan visited websites espousing radical Islamist ideas.
13. Hasan made these kinds of statements to coworkers: Muslims have the right to rise up against the U.S. military. Muslims have a right to stand up against the aggressors. He spoke favorably about people who strap bombs on themselves and go into Times Square.
14. Hasan gave a presentation to military masters degree students in which he argued the war on terrorism was a war against Islam. This was in an environmental health class at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, MD. When challenged about what does his topic has to do with environmental health, Hasan became agitated, sweaty, nervous and emotional.
15. Hasan “made himself a lightning rod by making his extreme views known to everyone.”
16. Hasan was “put on probation early in his postgraduate work” and was “disciplined for proselytizing about his Muslim faith with patients and colleagues.”
17. Hasan was a “very devout” member of and daily visitor to the Muslim Community Center in Silver Spring, Md. Attended prayers at least once a day, seven days a week. (See Saudi Publications On Hate Ideology Fill American Mosques. Important reading for security professionals)
18. A friend who also attended the mosque said, “He was my role model when it came to the Islam life. He was so devout. He would come to the early morning prayers — even in the summer when it began at 4 am or 5 am, the early prayers I wouldn’t go to, he would be there.”
19. Hasan wrote “Allah” on his door in Silver Spring, MD according to his neighbor.
20. Hasan wrote an internet posting defending suicide bombers: “…..Suicide bombers whose intention, by sacrificing their lives, is to help save Muslims by killing enemy soldiers. If one suicide bomber can kill 100 enemy soldiers because they were caught off guard that would be considered a strategic victory…..”
21. At the Muslim Community Center in Silver Spring, MD, he asked for feedback about a talk he had prepared for his Army supervisors on the role of Muslims in the military. Hasan argued that if military duties contradicted a soldier’s religion, the soldier should be released from duty.
22. After 9/11 and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Hasan seemed to grow more disenchanted with his duties. “He did not talk war or politics, but he did tell me once the war started that what he worried most about was having to fight against other Muslims. He did not feel it was right.”—Friend at Muslim community center
23. Hasan attended two matchmaking events at his Muslim community center to find a “good Muslim woman” for his wife but he “had too many conditions” for his match . He wanted a very religious wife who adheres to the Quran, wore the hijab and prayed five times a day. First preference was an Arab woman followed by someone of Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi descent.
24. Hasan avoided contact with his female coworkers. Refused to be photographed for an office Christmas photo since women were in the photo.
25. Hasan worshiped at the Texas mosque each day at 6 am, and often prayed there five times a day, especially during the holy month of Ramadan. (See Saudi Publications On Hate Ideology Fill American Mosques)
26. Hasan had been mentoring an 18-year old Catholic man on the ways of Islam. Only once during their 12 meetings did Hasan NOT talk about religion. Hasan told this man that Muslims shouldn’t be in the U.S. military, because obviously Muslims shouldn’t kill Muslims. He told him not to join the Army.
27. At the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, Hasan told his fellow military master degree students, “I’m a Muslim first and an American second.” (See Allegiance in a Time of Globalization, DOD PERSEREC, Dec 2008)
28. Hasan gave an hour-long talk on the Koran in front of dozens of other doctors at Walter Reed Army Medical Centre in Washington DC. He said non-believers should be beheaded and have boiling oil poured down their throats. That non-Muslims were infidels condemned to hell who should be set on fire.
29. Fellow doctors have recounted how they were repeatedly harangued by Hasan about Islam.
30. During a conversation with a leader of the Texas mosque he attended, Hasan seemed obsessed with the question of what to tell Muslim soliders about fighting fellow Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan.
31. Hasan attended the controversial Dar al-Hijrah mosque in Falls Church, Virginia, in 2001 at the same time as two of the September 11 terrorists.
32. This mosque was led by radical imam Anwar al-Awlaki said to be a ‘spiritual adviser’ to three of the hijackers who attacked America on 9/11. al-Awlaki was born in the US but now lives in Yemen. He is an al-Qaeda supporter who targets US Muslims with radical online lectures on Islam.
33. Hasan’s eyes “lit up” when he mentioned his deep respect for al-Awlaki’s teachings, according to a fellow Muslim officer at the Fort Hood base in Texas.
34. Today (9 November 09), al-Awlaki wrote on his blog a post titled, “Nidal Hassan Did the Right Thing.”
“Nidal Hassan is a hero. He is a man of conscience who could not bear living the contradiction of being a Muslim and serving in an army that is fighting against his own people.
…..Any decent Muslim cannot live, understanding properly his duties towards his Creator and his fellow Muslims, and yet serve as a US soldier. Nidal opened fire on soldiers who were on their way to be deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.
How can there be any dispute about the virtue of what he has done? In fact the only way a Muslim could Islamically justify serving as a soldier in the U.S. army is if his intention is to follow the footsteps of men like Nidal.
The heroic act of brother Nidal also shows the dilemma of the Muslim American community. Increasingly they are being cornered into taking stances that would either make them betray Islam or betray their nation. Many amongst them are choosing the former.
The fact that fighting against the US army is an Islamic duty today cannot be disputed. No scholar with a grain of Islamic knowledge can defy the clear cut proofs that Muslims today have the right — rather the duty — to fight against American tyranny.
Nidal has killed soldiers who were about to be deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan in order to kill Muslims. The American Muslims who condemned his actions have committed treason against the Muslim Ummah and have fallen into hypocrisy.
Allah(swt) says: Give tidings to the hypocrites that there is for them a painful punishment……May Allah grant our brother Nidal patience, perseverance and steadfastness and we ask Allah to accept from him his great heroic act. Ameen.”
Among the reader comments to his post:
• “May Allah grant our brother Nidal patience, perseverance and steadfastness and we ask Allah to accept from him his great heroic act.”
• “That’s the first thing that came to my mind, may Allah reward this man for his bravery. Allah has enlightened him with his duty unlike the hypocrites of this age and time. May he be accepted as a shaheed.”
• “May Allah give brother Nidal ease and may Allah give pain to the enemies.”
34 “clues”, probably more to come.
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By Troy
Posted in Military News, Wall of Honor
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2009 – Officials at Fort Hood, Texas, released the names of the 12 soldiers and one civilian employee killed in the Nov. 5 shooting incident on the post.
Dead are:
– Lt. Col. Juanita L. Warman, 55, of Havre De Grace, Md. She was assigned to the 1908th Medical Company, Independence, Mo.
– Maj. Libardo Caraveo, 52, of Woodbridge, Va. He was assigned to the 467th Medical Detachment, Madison, Wis.
– Capt. John P. Gaffaney, 54, of San Diego. He was assigned to the 1908th Medical Company, Independence, Mo.
– Capt. Russell Seager, 41, of Racine, Wis. He was assigned to the 467th Medical Company, Madison, Wis.
– Staff Sgt. Justin Decrow, 32, of Plymouth, Ind. He was assigned to the 16th Signal Company at Fort Hood.
– Sgt. Amy Krueger, 29, of Kiel, Wis. She was assigned to the 467th Medical Company, Madison, Wis.
– Spc. Jason Hunt, 22, of Tillman, Okla. He was assigned to the 1st Brigade at Fort Hood.
– Spc. Frederick Greene, 29, of Mountain City, Tenn. He was assigned to the 16th Signal Company at Fort Hood.
– Pfc. Aaron Nemelka, 19, of West Jordan, Utah. He was assigned to the 510th Engineer Company, 20th Engineer Battalion, at Fort Hood.
– Pfc. Michael Pearson, 22, of Bolingbrook, Ill. He was assigned to the 510th Engineer Company, 20th Engineer Battalion, at Fort Hood.
– Spc. Kham Xiong, 23, of St. Paul, Minn. He was assigned to the 510th Engineer Company, 20th Engineer Battalion, at Fort Hood.
– Pvt. Francheska Velez, 21, of Chicago. She was assigned to the 15th Combat Support Battalion at Fort Hood.
– Michael Cahill of Cameron, Texas, a Fort Hood civilian employee.
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November 4, 2009 By Claire
Posted in Military News, Spouse and Family
I know this has been on the table for sometime — it started a couple of years ago.
ALEXANDRIA, Va., Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Military Officers Association of America (MOAA)President Vice Admiral Norb Ryan, Jr., USN-Ret, praised Congress for its action to approve the Military Spouse Residency Relief Act and send it to the President for signature into law.
“MOAA is proud to have worked with congressional leaders for two years on this important legislation to allow military spouses the option to elect the same state of domicile as their active duty spouse,” said Ryan. “We’re grateful for the leadership of Rep. John Carter (R-TX) for shepherding it to a successful vote in the House of Representatives on Nov. 2, and to Senators Richard Burr (R-NC) and Diane Feinstein (D-CA) for their efforts to win Senate approval earlier this fall. Their bipartisan efforts will make a huge difference for military spouses.”
The new legislation would let the spouse claim the servicemember’s state for voting, tax, and other purposes. Under current law, many spouses must change their residency when the servicemember is reassigned to a different state.
“This is fantastic news for our service families worldwide,” said Rep. Carter. “We should have done this long ago, but at least we are now on track to have a new law in 2009.”
“This legislation is one small way we can help ease the burden of military families, who make sacrifices everyday to support our men and women in uniform and to keep our country safe,” said Senator Burr.
“What a great way to kick off Military Family Appreciation Month,” said Joy Dunlap, MOAA’s Deputy Director of Government Relations. “Our thanks go to all the spouses and servicemembers – past and present – who spoke out on this issue.”
MOAA’s president spoke at the bill’s introductory press conference, and provided testimony, briefings, e-mails and phone calls to Hill staffers. Most recently, MOAA highlighted every legislator’s support status in the November issue of its Military Officer magazine.
SOURCE Military Officers Association of America
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By CJ
Posted in Military News
In a sign of times – and the progress American forces have brought to the nation of Iraq – female troops are invading the male dominated world of the Iraqi military. Historically, women have not been permitted in the military and their place in society has been reduced to education and other menial positions.
However, women are training the Iraqi military just as much as the men are. And it’s working! Check this out from U.S. Air Forces Central.
by Senior Airman Alyssa C. Miles
U.S. Air Forces Central Public Affairs
CAMP TAJI, Iraq — A female Air Force pilot deployed from Andrews Air Force Base, Md., works in a male dominated environment training Iraqi helicopter pilots.
Capt. Kacey Grannis, 721st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron, is the Iraqi air force’s first female Mi-17 instructor pilot at Camp Taji, a job which she describes as one of a kind.
“My primary duty as an air advisor is to train, advise and assist their pilots by expanding their knowledge base,” she said. “I’m an American Air Force pilot flying in an Iraqi air force bird built by Ukrainians with an Iraqi co-pilot in a combat zone. Everything from the challenges we have to deal with, to the rewards that we reap from our relationships with the Iraqi co-pilots and the sheer ‘cool’ factor of the flying we get to do is rather unique.”
In the Iraqi military female pilots are scarce, and upon notification their new advisor would be female, some Iraqi pilots doubted Captain Grannis’ ability to handle the helicopter’s large frame. However, the captain decided to let her skills speak for themselves.
“There have been other female air advisors, but not in this air frame,” she said. “For the guys I was flying with, I think they were maybe not really sure what I could do, but they were at least willing to let me fly with them and let me demonstrate my skills. I was fortunate enough to have the best training in the world, so I was able to do what I know how to do. I believe I’ve garnered the respect I needed.
“One of my very good friends here is a member of Squadron 4’s leadership,” the Sturgis, S.D., native continued. “He’s one of the most experienced Iraqi pilots here – he’s an absolute wizard in the Mi-17 and he’s known for being skilled for hovering without the flight control assist system. When I first got here, he wanted to fly with me to kind of gauge my skills. As we were out flying, I asked him if we could do some hovering with the auto pilot off, simply because I knew it was something he would find valuable if I could do it properly. I feel like the fact that I was able to one – do it, and two – do it well, I feel like he responded well to that.”
Captain Grannis, who has more than 50 hours in the Mi-17, trains Iraqi pilots who have many more hours in the aircraft than she.
“Pilots as a whole tend to be competitive and respect number of hours and skill level,” she explained. “The dynamic itself is very interesting – the pilots we fly with have a lot more experience in the aircraft specifically than we do; there are definitely things that we have as coalition advisors to learn from these guys. They are definitely the experts on the aircraft systems and the performance handling characteristics. However, we’re not necessarily trying to teach them how to fly, we’re trying to teach them how to employ the aircraft in ways that are different from what they’ve done in the past.”
Outside of the learning environment, the Iraqis have come to view Captain Grannis as family.
“I get a lot of attention because I’m a female, but it’s very respectful attention,” she said. “A lot of times these guys kind of treat me like their little sister which is a great honor to me because I know in Iraqi culture, family is very important. I’m honored that these guys consider me a sister. But I tell them ‘outside the aircraft, I’m a woman, inside the aircraft, I’m a pilot. And because I’m your instructor pilot, you’re going to do what I tell you to do.’”
One student who has responded well to the Captain’s training is Iraqi air force Capt. Jabbar, who says he has no qualms working with another female advisor “if they are as talented as Captain Grannis.”
“Captain Grannis is the first female pilot I’ve worked with,” he said. “She’s a very good instructor and she has good experience for training and teaching. She always gives good advice and she never gives up.”
With the training he and his peers are receiving, Captain Jabbar has high hopes for his country.
“We’re making good progress with our training, and I hope the Iraqi air force is a strong air force for this country,” he said. “I wish peace for Iraq and I wish the Americans a good and happy life, and I hope they wish the same for us.”
Captain Grannis does.
“This has been a great experience,” she said. “I’m very fortunate to have been able to come here and meet all these great people. I’m honored to work with the officers, warrant officers and airmen of the Iraqi air force. Without exception, every one of them is highly patriotic and dedicated to the job they’re doing and dedicated to the idea of a free peaceful Iraq, and I think that’s amazing.”
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October 28, 2009 By CJ
Posted in Military News
Marine Corps veteran and now-former Foreign Service officer Matthew Hoh has resigned from his position because he fails “to see the value or worth” of continued engagement in Afghanistan.
“It is with great regret and disappointment I submit my resignation from my appointment as a Political Officer in the Foreign Service and my post as the Senior Civilian Representative for the U.S. Government in Zabul Province…I did not enter this position lighltly or with any undue expectations nor did I believe my assignment would be without sacrifice, hardship or difficulty. However, in the course of my five months of service in Afghanistan, in both Regional Commands East and South, I have lost understanding of and confidence in the strategic purposes of the United States’ presence in Afghanistan. I have doubts and reservations about our current strategy and planned future strategy, but my resignation is based not upon how we are pursuing this war, but why and to what end. To put simply: I fail to see the value or worth in the continued U.S. casualties or expenditures of resources in support of the Afghan government in what is, truly, a 35-year old civil war.”
I have reservations about the intentions of Mr. Hoh and find it hard to believe he didn’t move into the post with a pre-conceived agenda. After all, he refers to U.S. involvement as an “occupation” similar to the Soviet Union. He mentions that Afghanis don’t want our system of government. Really? Is that why record numbers of citizens have voted in every election we’ve secured since we invaded the country in 2001? I find that hard to believe. If they didn’t want our system of government they wouldn’t be protesting the last election results! They’d just accept the Taliban style of governing and just accept it. What Mr. Hoh neglects to inform us is exactly what kind of government, then, that the Afghanis do “want.”
Hoh used the same tactics in his letter that the rest of the anti-war crowd used in Iraq to explain the insurgency there.
“The U.S. and NATO presence and operations in Pashtun valleys and villages, as well as Afghan army and police units that are led and composed of non-Pashtun soldiers and police, provide an occupation force against which the insurgency is justified.”
In other words, the reason there is violence in Afghanistan is because we are there. It’s our fault! He continues,
“The United States military presence in Afghanistan greatly contributes to the legitimacy and strategic message of the Pashtun insurgency. In a like manner, our backing of the Afghan government in its current form continues to distance the government from the people. The Afghan government’s failings, particularly when weighed against the sacrifice of American lives and dollars, appear legion and metastatic…”
Another blame America first defeatest? I think so. Hoh uses the entire anti-war playbook. He questions why we go into Afghanistan but not other nations where terrorists are located. Remember when the anti-Iraq War hippies were complaining that we didn’t go into the Sudan or other nations?
Hoh is worried about how we’re assisted a failed and corrupt state without recognizing a primary mission of the conflict there, which is to train the government and military how to operate without corruption. Our military and government expend great amounts of energy to defeat a mindset that, worse than that of Iraq, has been ingrained in the Afghan culture for centuries. His letter says, “if we bear our military and financial contributions [because of poverty and corruption in] Afghanistan, we must reevaluate and increase our commitment to and involvement in Mexico.” This is a non-argument as Mexico didn’t – yet – train and send terrorists to kill thousands of Americans (drugs excepted). Apples and oranges, but the media is reporting it lock step, of course.
I question Mr. Hoh’s intentions. I’ll be keeping an eye on this. As is customary with this White House, they are feigning ignorance about yet another big story that is a potential black eye to the President’s strategy in Afghanistan – or lack of one!
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