Switchfoot Supports the Troops

January 14, 2010 By CJ
Posted in Uncategorized

Switchfoot band members talk about surfing at Camp Pendleton and how fans in the military have inspired them.

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As a Followup to Transitioning to Civilian Life

January 13, 2010 By LL
Posted in Uncategorized

Alex, the writer of Army of Dude, has 2 very well thought out posts on what it’s like to go back to college after the military and how to get through the process smoothly.

The first post addresses the financing.

For example….Choose Wisely:

Whether you’re on Chapter 30 or Chapter 33, you have 36 months of eligibility (36 months to attend classes, not three years of school). Going full time, you can squeak out a degree in four years if you waste as little time as possible. Avoid the temptation to choose courses pertinent to your degree when you start school. Almost everyone changes their degree at least once, and you don’t want to be stuck with useless credits and diminishing months of eligibility. Start out with basic courses that have to be taken to fulfill any degree plan. Good places to start: English I and II, US History and beginning science courses. Consult with your school counselor to nail down what classes satisfy the basics that align with your chosen major, then go back to your certifying official to double check your schedule to make sure all your classes will be certified.

The second post addresses the “being a student” aspect.

In choosing your friends among fellow classmates, Alex has this to say in the section titled Let the Right Ones In:

Popular culture is replete with images of the maladjusted veteran, from Rambo to Travis Bickle to Red Forman. These characters are ingrained in our national conscious and typically become placeholders in the event someone doesn’t personally know a veteran. When these sources are taken at face value, war veterans are invariably crazy, depressive, easily startled, quick to anger and alcoholics. We come from broken homes, trying to escape jailtime and were too dumb or poor to go to college after high school. The best way to combat these silly notions is to let people get to know you, the person, before you, the veteran. Those stereotypes aren’t going anywhere soon, so the best idea is to take the concept of guarding your veteran status in the classroom and carry it over to blossoming relationships. That way your service and overseas experience complement your personality and don’t define it. Revealing too much at one time can damage a friendship before it takes off. Just like in the classroom, take it slow. If they are worth keeping around, they’ll understand why. We have met our lifelong friends already; we can afford to be picky

He really does an excellent job dispensing advice in these posts, so if you are returning to school, take a few minutes to read through them and get an idea of what you are in for and how to deal with certain situations.

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Red Bulls Caught With Their Hands in the Cookie Jar

January 1, 2010 By CJ
Posted in Uncategorized

COB BASRA, Iraq – Soldiers on Contingency Operating Base Basra were delighted and eager to tear open buckets of Sweet Martha’s cookies and dunk them in fresh milk, all courtesy of a joint-effort with the Blue Star Mothers of America and the Exchange Clubs of Minnesota to send holiday treat to those deployed during the holidays.

(U.S. Army photo by PFC J. Princeville Lawrence)

A taste of home

Eyes lit up as Soldiers of the 34th “Red Bull” Infantry Division popped the lids off of the familiar buckets and told their counterparts who had never had a Sweet Martha about the famous cookies, and how a trip to the Minnesota State Fair just isn’t the same without them.

Since many Soldiers were deployed to Iraq during the fair this year, they were grateful to sink their teeth into something unique to Minnesota and to share that experience with others.

(U.S. Army photo by PFC J. Princeville Lawrence)

Chief Warrant Officer Krystal Jancze, a Portland, Ore. native, initially turned down a box of cookies. When she realized they were from Sweet Martha’s Cookie Jar, a wide grin spread across her face and she quickly changed her mind.
“She was really ecstatic about the cookies,” said Sgt. 1st Class Angela Amundson. “She even warmed them up and had lots of milk.”

(U.S. Army photo by PFC J. Princeville Lawrence)

“Real milk?”

After living so long without fresh milk, the concept really surprised most Soldiers, who stared in disbelief. “Is it still good?” they wondered. But after sipping on freshly poured cups of ice-cold milk, the general consensus was “Mmm …. I haven’t tasted real milk for so long!”

Thanks to Kwik Trip and Carbonic Continental Ice of Burnsville, who had donated and packaged 300 gallons in dry ice, Soldiers were able to drink “real milk” in Iraq. It was an unexpected treat they were eager and grateful to receive. Especially during the holidays, when it is harder than usual to be so far away from home, it feels like a luxury to dunk a Sweet Martha cookie into a glass of real milk.

(U.S. Army photo by PFC J. Princeville Lawrence)

Story courtesy of SPC Stephanie Cassinos, MND-S

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Teach your children well… about troop support

December 29, 2009 By Claire
Posted in Spouse and Family, Uncategorized

This Holiday season has opened up a couple of great opportunities for me to pass on a family value to my youngest daughter who is five-and-a-half now. I know that most people who read this blog are very supportive of our troops. I know most of you would agree with me that support means we don’t just say kind words, but we also do many kind deeds that show the support we verbally profess. Actions speak louder than words, or so we are told. I agree with that assessment.

There is another old adage that I like to keep in mind when I am finding teachable moments for my kids. In the South we say “Being born in a chicken coop doesn’t make you a chicken!” It’s a good adage to remind us that just because our children are raised in military families or military supporting families does not mean they are guaranteed to grow up understanding what troop support means.

One morning we were at a local shopping center and we spotted the typical bell ringers standing at the front door. I try and keep a little change on hand so Emma can put some into the kettle. This particular morning, however, was horribly bitter with very gusty wind. I bundled up my little one and headed for the door. I planned on smiling at the bell ringers and charging full force into the warm entrance of the door, but the decor on the vests, jackets and hats of the bell ringers caught my eye. They were Vietnam Veterans who were serving our community by collecting money for the needy.

I stopped, put my bundle of joy down and grabbed a couple of ones out of my wallet. I stopped thanked both of the Vets at that entrance and walked into the store with purpose. I told Emma why I stopped after all and why I thought it was important to support the service those four men were offering to the community. On the way out of the store we went to the other side and stopped and talked with those men. They were shaking from the cold, but they seemed genuinely pleased to be helping. I asked the men at both entrances if Emma and I could get them a cup of coffee — our treat. A couple of guys took us up on the offer. We went back inside and asked Subway if they would brew a fresh pot for our Veterans. They did, and in a few minutes the guys were sipping hot coffee to help keep them warm.

It was a simple act. It was spontaneous, but it was a great opportunity for Emma to talk to a couple of Veterans outside of our own family and to see that there are always opportunities to say thank you with more than your words. From that point forward she would ask when she saw bell ringers “Mama, are they our Veterans?” I’m glad she is learning to keep her eyes open.

Another opportunity for her to see this kind of support from another angle came yesterday while we ate lunch at a small restaurant with my parents. My son Nate was with us and was in uniform, much to his own chagrin — he wore it after much begging by his grandmother. Nate sat down and ordered a burger and when the waitress brought it to our table the waitress informed him that another patron had asked to have his meal added to his own bill. We were all kind of shocked and we were not expecting it. As a matter of fact, for some odd reason, it made me cry.

My son asked the waitress who the patron was and she pointed at a man in a red shirt who was leaving. Nate hopped up and approached the man to tell him thank you and to shake his hand. The man is a retired Marine. He laughed and told Nate “I can’t believe I bought an Army guy a lunch!” Nate laughed and offered the man an “Oorah!” The Marine appreciated that Nate was bilingual and they had a good chuckle about it.

I think that those of us who love and appreciate the military, whether we are active, reserve, retired, family, friend, or community supporters, understand that it is a lifetime commitment of actively showing that support — in both word and deed.

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Heroes of Fort Hood Named 2009 Texan of the Year

December 28, 2009 By CJ
Posted in Uncategorized

The Dallas Morning News has released it’s finalist for 2009 Texan of the Year. The winner – or winners in this case – are the heroes of Fort Hood.

The award is given to “a Texan (or Texans) who has had uncommon impact; who exemplifies Texas traits of trailblazing, independence and staring down adversity; and who has affected or influenced lives.” In their story, the DMN tells the story of one of those heroes, SFC Karl Pasco.

He deployed to Iraq in 2004 with a 1st Cavalry Division scout platoon. Two months later, he was mangled by a roadside bomb that killed his driver. During eight days of unconsciousness, doctors couldn’t say whether Pasco would live or die.

But he recovered and returned with his unit to Iraq, staying alive and largely bomb-free for 14 months. With 45 days left on his tour, another roadside bomb riddled his armored Humvee with chunks of hot metal, killing his driver and an interpreter. One chunk hurtled upward through his right shoulder before destroying his jaw and shredding his face.Two Purple Hearts and Bronze Stars later, Pasco cracks jokes while working at Fort Hood between hospital trips for reconstructive surgery. “If it wouldn’t destroy my marriage,” he says, “I’d go back in a minute.”

Though he would deny it, Pasco is emblematic of Fort Hood’s endless list of heroes, one that goes far beyond the casualties and responders involved in the Nov. 5 shooting rampage.

Read the entire story about the 2009 Texans of the Year HERE.

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The Avatar Post-Show

December 26, 2009 By CJ
Posted in Uncategorized

Much like my buddy at Flopping Aces, I need to make a confession – Emily and I went and saw Avatar tonight. Not only did we pay full price for two in a packed theater, we also spent good money on a large popcorn, large soda, and box of candy with which we could “enjoy” the movie.

Let me get something out of the way before I continue. I thought it was a pretty good movie overall. The special effects were amazing, the sound was impressive, and everything was so vivid one could almost believe the place exists. The world that James Cameron created was absolutely stunning and creative.

What wasn’t creative was distracting and just plain disappointing political stupidity laced throughout the entire movie. One had to suspend reality and after two hours, it was tired and played. Humans are evil. The Iraq War is wrong. The president is a cowboy bent on imposing our will violently around the world. Corporate America drives wars. We’re killing the planet. We don’t respect nature. Blah blah blah blah.

I’m so fed up with this Hollywood crap that portrays our military as callous, cold-blooded killers without hearts or emotions. Then there was the overt “it’s okay to just quit when you’re in the military. You don’t HAVE to fight. Go AWOL, disobey orders, sabotage our efforts.” Avatar is probably IVAW’s wet dream on film, something they wish they could have accomplished with all the other anti-war movies combined.

After the movie, I even heard some retarded, ignorant teenagers talking about how true the movie was and how evil this country is. It took everything I had (and my wife’s firm hand) to keep me from slapping someone silly. We’re indoctrinating our youth through what I admittedly call a “stunning and creative” movie. Stunning in its visual effects and creative in its hidden agenda and message.

Should you go see it? Yes, I think so. Just make sure you let out a loud “oh, come on!” when the stupidity is just too blatant to ignore.

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Open Letter To Milbloggers

December 18, 2009 By CJ
Posted in Uncategorized

I want to take a moment to thank all of those that are participating in the BlogOut on behalf of free speech generally and me specifically. The selflessness show by each of these bloggers, both within and without the milblogging community, has inspired and humbled me. For much of the past year, I have been fighting for Soldiers’ rights to freedom of speech. I have always resisted the mindset that when Soldiers join the Army they surrender their rights guaranteed under the Constitution.

Don’t get me wrong, I understand that the way in which we EXERCISE those rights is somewhat restricted, but we don’t lose them. Every enlisted member of the military signed a DD Form 4/1, or enlistment contract. On page two of that document, it states that “many laws, regulations, and military customs will govern my conduct and require me to do things a civilian does not have to do.” Many use this little clause to justify the mentality that we are troops 24 hours a day 7 days a week, and that’s true – to a point. But, that doesn’t mean that EVERYTHING I do in my life is subject to military oversight. I am allowed to have hobbies, pick and choose my friends, and join civic groups and clubs. But, I’m not allowed to break laws and must abide by additional rules and regulations that are dictated by my employment in the military. These include the uniform code of military justice, army regulations, and DOD directives.

No Soldier, Sailor, Airman, or Marine surrenders their free speech rights. Officers, of course, fall under different sets of rules. For example, Article 88 states of the Manual of Courts Martial states

“Any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Governor or legislature of any State, Territory, Commonwealth, or possession in which he is on duty or present shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.”

Now, that doesn’t give Soldiers the right to use “contemptuous words” against our elected officials, but who decides what “contemptuous words” are? Is any disagreement with an elected official “contemptuous?” Is only certain kinds of disagreement? In my mind, writing about what an elected official says and then highlighting what that elected official DID in contrast to what they said is not “contemptuous” in any way. If someone has lied to the American people and I can prove it, how is it contemptuous to call that person a liar? I see nothing “contemptuous” about calling for the wholesale firing of Congress through the democratic process.

But, beginning in April, I started coming under attack for talking about those very things. Interestingly, the complaints came from blogs that were posted PRIOR TO being invited to the Obama White House. As a matter of fact, while speaking to WH officials, they even acknowledged that we had disagreements, but I was invited anyway.

An IG complaint was filed around that time and after a three month investigation into my blogging came to the conclusion that I was guilty of subversion and using my rank or position to solicit votes for a political cause, both, I maintain, are absolutely ludicrous. After months of trying to get the results of the bogus IG complaint, I finally obtained a copy of it. Interesting what an Army Times article can accomplish. I’ve since forwarded that nearly 100-page document to my military lawyer for advice on how to move forward on that front. Suffice it to say that everything that could possibly be taken out of context when separated from the post as a whole WAS taken out of context and used in a vindictive, political manner. The school issue is a whole other problem that adds to the problems with poor leadership.

I want to personally thank all the military and civilian bloggers out there that have taken up this cause and support me and my family through this difficult time. It’s been humbling to see the outpouring of support from across the country and around the world. My inbox has exploded with positive and encouraging words of support (and some not-so-supportive). I will never be able to repay what you have done for me, but I will never give up trying! Thank you.

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Military Rules

December 17, 2009 By CJ
Posted in Uncategorized

Marine Corps Rules:

1. Be courteous to everyone, friendly to no one.
2. Decide to be aggressive enough, quickly enough.
3. Have a plan.
4. Have a back-up plan, because the first one probably won’t work.
5. Be polite. Be professional. But, have a plan to kill everyone you meet.
6. Do not attend a gunfight with a handgun whose caliber does not start with a ‘4.’
7. Anything worth shooting is worth shooting twice. Ammo is cheap. Life is expensive.
8. Move away from your attacker. Distance is your friend. (Lateral & diagonal preferred.)
9. Use cover or concealment as much as possible.
10… Flank your adversary when possible. Protect yours.
11… Always cheat; always win. The only unfair fight is the one you lose.
12… In ten years nobody will remember the details of caliber, stance, or tactics. They will only remember who lived.
13… If you are not shooting, you should be communicating your intention to shoot.

Navy SEAL’s Rules:

1. Look very cool in sunglasses.
2. Kill every living thing within view.
3. Adjust Speedo.
4. Check hair in mirror.

US Army Rangers Rules:

1. Walk in 50 miles wearing 75 pound rucksack while starving.
2. Locate individuals requiring killing.
3. Request permission via radio from ‘Higher’ to perform killing.
4. Curse bitterly when mission is aborted.
5. Walk out 50 miles wearing a 75 pound rucksack while starving.

US Army Rules:

1. Curse bitterly when receiving operational order.
2. Make sure there is extra ammo and extra coffee.
3. Curse bitterly.
4. Curse bitterly.
5. Do not listen to 2nd LTs; it can get you killed.
6. Curse bitterly.

US Air Force Rules:

1. Have a ****tail.
2. Adjust temperature on air-conditioner.
3. See what’s on HBO.
4. Ask ‘What is a gunfight?’
5. Request more funding from Congress with a ‘killer’ Power Point presentation.
6. Wine & dine ”key’ Congressmen, invite DOD & defense industry executives.
7. Receive funding, set up new command and assemble assets.
8. Declare the assets ’strategic’ and never deploy them operationally.
9. Hurry to make 13:45 tee-time.
10. Make sure the base is as far as possible from the conflict but close enough to have tax exemption.

( And I Love This Next One)

US Navy Rules:

1. Go to Sea.
2. Drink Coffee.
3. Deploy Marines

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You Served Goes Silent for CJ

December 16, 2009 By You Served Editorial Staff
Posted in Uncategorized

You Served is participating in a call to have supporting milblogs go ’silent’, in honor of our longtime friend and contributor CJ Grisham.

While we’ve featured CJ’s story prominently here on You Served, you can follow the situation in these places.

Milblogs Go Silent
Soldier Defense Fund – Donate to CJ’s Cause

Milblog readers have been encouraged to contact their representatives regarding CJ’s plight and the importance of military blogs in our society.  They are an important voice in America facing increased scrutiny from the military brass.  Let your voice be heard!

You Served is going quiet for now.

(image: manunited)

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Family Day was… umm, interesting.

December 8, 2009 By Claire
Posted in Spouse and Family, Uncategorized

We made it to family day at Ft. Jackson this past Thursday and Friday. I think my past experiences have colored the expectations I had painted in my mind. Now this is most definitely not my first family day or graduation experience. Between brothers, sons, and husband I have been to many across the branches. This one, however, left me mentally exhausted.

My handsome soldier!

It wasn’t that they graduated an entire battalion at once (1300 soldiers and around 8000 family members ON post for Family Day!!) Granted those things played into wearing me out over the two days of driving around Columbia SC and Ft. Jackson — needless to say it gets a little crowded when you stay on base with about 9000 of your new closest friends!

The show for family day was … as the title says, “umm, interesting.” Each family day/graduation I have been to involves some sort of skit. I have never quite understood why anyone would assume that a stand full of anxious family members would want to watch simulated battle. Trust me when I say that neurotic mothers across the Country have played out every possible battle scene in their heads and they are still more grand than any skit the Army can throw at you.

This little skit really took me back though. The last two skits I watched were at Ft. Benning. We saw purple and green smoke… big “boom” sounds and guys coming out with AK47s aimed at the crowd. No one ever cowers. We trust and know they are not real, and even if they were we trust the proficiency and professionalism of our soldiers. That’s not the issue. The family day skit I watched last Thursday had a simulated battle scene that included a soldier falling to the ground after taking a hit (I assumed it was from a bullet).

The soldier lay face down as the rest of the unit secured the scene. The soldier lay face down as they checked the terrorist for further explosives and to see if they were alive. The soldier lay face down while they did the rest of their maneuvers. The point is the soldier was face down and I could not take my eyes off of him.

As a blue star mother who is now deep into the second deployment I can not tell you how many times I have had to actively fight anticipatory stress and the images that are associate with it. I can not tell you how many times I have read stories, real stories, about battle scenes and had to fight the vision of my own soldier’s face being toward the ground in that very scenario.

I don’t know. I felt that 30 minutes or so that I watched a scene I would rather not have had to watch was wasted when it could have been spent reuniting with my son. In all honesty that’s what family day is all about, isn’t it? I know my soldier may one day have to fight in a real war. Maybe I am the odd woman out, but I don’t need the simulated scenes to help me feel engaged. Just give me some time, my soldier, and a place to talk.

I jokingly told my soldier to let his chain of command know that perhaps a chorus line of dancing soldiers would be more entertaining. He said that doesn’t brief well. I guess it depends on your perspective.

Regardless, we went. We saw him. We spent time with him. We heard his stories. We told him what has happened since he left for training. Really, this is what it’s all about. All of the loud noises, drama, and guns aside, you learn quickly that what matters most is taking time in those small moments to just listen to his voice, memorize his smile, and thank God for measuring time in seconds and minutes.

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