Troy Steward is an Army brat and 22 year 1SG who has served in two wars and multiple deployments in support of internal national security. In addition to blogging here, he blogs on his personal site primarily about issues related to Afghanistan and on another site he started focused on political issues and topics.
The mere mention of the Phelps Cult (it’s not a Church… call it what it is) gets my blood boiling. If they spewed their disgusting, vile, poison in private I could ignore it, but they choose to torture families who are in a deep state of grief. It exposes the cult-followers for the cowardly liars they are, but it also exposes our military families to the cult’s disgusting display of idiocy when our military parents, spouses and children are at their lowest point — as they are saying their final good-bye to their beloved soldier.
Government should not stop the exercise of the freedom of speech this wretched cult practices — because we all know it would not stop there. That’s a slippery slope covered in banana peels I would never want to go down.
HOWEVER…
I absolutely believe that families who are caused emotional turmoil and grief over these idiots exercising their rights should be allowed to sue them in civil court for damages. Yes free speech is a right and with any right you have responsibilities. If you want to behave like a raging a–hole then you deserve to be sued like one.
Show them the same mercy in court that they have shown to our grieving families — none.
I think that’s all I had better say. This is a public blog and I am a lady. I am glad I have Aikido class tonight so I can punch the crap out of a punching bag.
Justices to hear case involving Fred Phelps’ protests at military funerals
EXCERPT By DAVID KLEPPER The Star’s Topeka correspondent
TOPEKA | The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a case involving Fred Phelps and his Topeka congregation, whose protests at military funerals have angered families across the country.
The court said it would consider an appeal from the father of a slain Marine who hopes to reinstate a $5 million verdict against the Topeka-based Westboro Baptist Church.
Albert Snyder of York, Pa., successfully sued the church in a Maryland federal court in 2007 arguing its funeral protest was an invasion of privacy that caused his family emotional distress.
But last fall an appeals court reversed the $5 million verdict, ruling the church’s protests were protected by the First Amendment. The Supreme Court will hear Snyder’s appeal this fall.
“It’s freedom of speech to some,” said Snyder, whose son Matthew was killed in Iraq. “To me it’s not what my son fought for. They’re kicking people in the face when they’re already down on the ground. All I was trying to do was bury my son.”
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The TRADOC Senior Leaders Conference really kicked off with a great speaker this morning. It was Mr. John Rendon from The Rendon Group. The Rendon Group is a consulting firm that works with government and military clients to provide Strategic Communications. Last year they were in the news when it came out they were profiling bloggers and embedded journalists to rate them and see if they were considered favorable or not to the military.
The Rendon Group has been around for a long time and John Rendon is a very smart guy who knows what he is talking about and can and did provide very thoughtful comments to military leaders in order to make them think. Last night at the icebreaker social, GEN Dempsey explained how much he values John’s input an perspective.
On of the first things that John did was show the video titles Do You Know 4.0. I have seen this video in the past and it does a great job at highlighting what a technology-connected society we have become. Some may question the relevance at this conference, but I can see that as these leaders in the Training and Doctrine Command meet and talk about the future’s training. The video also shows not only how much technology has changed the world, but more so how much the new media and Web 2.0 has developed and matured.
John then went around the world talking about different counties and how their actions and culture effect what we do in our country both in the areas of technology but also in military practice. He talked about some of the obvious like Russia, India and China but also others like Brazil. In fact he emphasized Brazil and how much we need to pay attention to Brazil and what they are learning from us, compared to what we are not learning from them.
John Rendon had some great quotes that I want to highlight in this blog. Some of them were:
1. “nobody in this room is going to win this war” By that he meant that this war we are fighting today against Terrorism will outlast the careers of many of the leaders in the room. He was demonstrating that it will be the replacements of these leaders or even later replacements that will be in the job when this war ends.
2. “we should reward risk and not punish failure” The point of this quote was to highlight the downfall of the risk adverse culture that has been over-emphasized in the Army today. He was trying to point out that taking risks is a good thing and that those leaders whom do should be recognized and rewarded for doing that.
3. “the adversary is defining our intentions, goals, and outcomes and we are not” When I heard John say this, it reminded me of the old military saying of “the enemy always has a vote”. In other words, too many times we are reactive and respond to the enemy versus being proactive and having us shape the battlefield and what happens on it.
This week Troy is at the TRADOC Sr. Leaders Conference and is producing several blog posts as a result and conducting interviews also. You Served is one of only three blogs that was invited to the Conference. In addition to the blogs that will be written, live tweeting is happening from the Conference via the www.twitter.com/youserved twitter account.
Below are a few samples of the tweets that are being produced.
From 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) Public Affairs
VICTORY BASE COMPLEX, Baghdad – When a distinguished visitor comes to the Joint Visitors Bureau at Victory Base Complex, Baghdad, Soldiers from C Troop, 1st Battalion, 82nd Cavalry Regiment, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) make sure whatever needs they have are met.
From cooking five-star meals to assisting with their accommodations, Soldiers who work at the JVB Hotel enjoy their deployment working in a palace and meeting high-ranking officials like Vice President Joe Biden, four-star generals and even some celebrities.
Sgt. Justin Moore, head cook at the JVB Hotel with C Troop and a Hood River, Ore., native, said he went to culinary school as a civilian and was a cook for almost six years before opening up his own business.
“When I first got here, I was a gunner,” he said. “When they found out about my cooking abilities they moved me over here about a month later.”
Moore said he faces some obstacles cooking the meals, such as the lack of fresh produce and trying to come up with new and innovative meal presentations.
“We are trying to come up with nice meals,” he said. “(But,) some of it depends on the types of meat we can and can’t get from the Oasis dining facility.”
Moore said he has cooked for many four-star generals and celebrities, including Vince McMahon of the World Wrestling Entertainment Corporation.
“It is interesting to see what people like and don’t like to eat,” he said.
Moore said he enjoys preparing meals on his deployment and is glad he is doing something he likes.
“What we’re doing here is putting five-star meals together in Iraq,” he said. “With a lot of cooks throughout Iraq, (they) are just putting out chow and counting heads and you can’t get the experience of how to plate properly and do different plate designs.”
He said he thinks the JVB Hotel mission helps a lot of younger Soldiers, and even some of the older cooks who have never prepared a fine dining meal in the Army.
Sgt. Joshua Mosley, the front desk noncommissioned officer in charge with C Troop and a Bend, Ore., native, said he manages four front-desk personnel and his main responsibility is guest relations.
“I manage a spreadsheet and track people coming and going from the JVB,” he said. “I also have to provide accommodations for the distinguished visitor’s support staff.”
Mosley said distinguished visitors stay at the main hotel and the staff stays in containerized housing units across the street from the JVB Hotel.
“The CHU’s are for the guests of the DV and the palace is for general officers or equivalent,” he said.
Staff Sgt. Jason Bryan, the personal security detail team leader with C Troop and an Ottawa, Kan., native, said his team’s mission is to provide security and transportation to any visiting dignitaries or celebrities that come through the Iraq Joint Operation Area.
“It makes them feel a lot safer, especially if they have never been here before,” he said.
Bryan said most people are impressed with the size and amount of people at VBC.
“We pick them up and, depending on their itinerary, we’ll take them from one place to another,” he said. “Meanwhile there are some behind-the-scenes actions (necessary) to make sure that those places are safe prior to our arrival.”
The visitors’ safety is the team’s highest priority.
“We make sure all the proper coordinations are made to ensure a smooth delivery of the individuals,” he said.
Sgt. Justin Moore, the head cook at the Joint Visitors Bureau Hotel with C Troop, 1st Battalion, 82nd Cavalry Regiment, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) and Hood River, Ore., native, checks the temperature of a dish he prepared March 3 at Victory Base Complex, Iraq. The cooks at the JVB Hotel prepare five-star meals for distinguished visitors and guests staying at the hotel.
They are huge supporters of the troops and I personally love their music.
The wonderful sponsors here at Youserved, VA Mortgage Center, are also sponsoring the conference and you should come out and meet at least one of the guys who works for this great company!
The email went out this weekend to military computers across the force:
Office of the Director of National Intelligence INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
(U//FOUO) DPRK has carried out nuclear missile attack on Japan
06 March 2010
(U//FOUO) Prepared by Defense Intelligence Agency
(U//FOUO) Today, March 06, 2010 at 11.46 AM local time (UTC/GMT -5 hours), US seismographic stations recorded seismic activity in the area of Okinawa Island (Japan). According to National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has carried out an average range missile attack with use of nuclear warhead. The explosion caused severe destructions in the northern part of the Okinawa island. Casualties among the personnel of the US military base are being estimated at the moment.
(U//FOUO) In connection with the occurred events, it is necessary for the personnel of the services listed below to be ready for immediate mobilization:
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY:
OFFICE OF INTELLIGENCE AND COUNTERINTELLIGENCE
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY:
OFFICE OF INTELLIGENCE AND ANALYSIS
DEPARTMENT OF STATE:
BUREAU OF INTELLIGENCE AND RESEARCH
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY:
OFFICE OF INTELLIGENCE AND ANALYSIS
DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION:
OFFICE OF NATIONAL SECURITY INTELLIGENCE
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
NATIONAL SECURITY BRANCH
NATIONAL GEOSPATIAL-INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE
NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
UNITED STATES ARMY
UNITED STATES COAST GUARD
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
UNITED STATES NAVY
The emails appear to have come from the Director of National Intelligence and the Defense Intelligence Agency. I got four emails, two from each “source.” After the text is a link for more information that is a malicious virus and phishing attempt.
When I first got it, I thought, “I didn’t hear about this in the news.” So, I did a Google search. Surely, Korea launching an attack on Japan would put the military on high alert. Well, now we know.
If you get an email with similar language, do NOT open it. Delete it immediately, especially if you’re on a government computer.
HEIDELBERG, Germany — The Army recently asked 45 of its Soldiers in the highest enlisted rank to retire for substandard performance, past criminal convictions, problems with alcohol, fraternization or sexual harassment in their recent pasts.
Of the 45 sergeants major whose records were flagged under the newly reinstituted Qualitative Management Program, 28 complied, putting in their retirement paperwork and quietly fading away.
But 15 fought it, arguing that they were valuable Army assets despite any previous incidents. A panel of their peers usually agreed: 12 of the 15 were allowed to remain on active duty. The remaining three were forced to retire, however.
Two of the original 45 cases that were flagged were deferred because investigations were still under way.
Lt. Col. Robert Yost, chief of the Army’s enlisted professional development, which deals with promotion, separation and retention policy, said that not all past problems, especially those that were singular events in a long career, deserved forced retirement. “They might have received a letter of reprimand, say, eight years ago,” he said. “The board, they might have seen a very stellar performance since then.
“No, it’s not a zero-tolerance Army. Folks might trip,” Yost said. Most of the misconduct or poor performance evaluations took place four to seven years ago, he said. The result seems to contrast with what officials said in August when they announced that after seven years of suspension during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the QMP program was back.
Officials said then that although affected Soldiers could make their arguments to the central promotions board deciding their cases, it wasn’t recommended. “The time to learn and grow from your mistakes has kind of passed,” said Gerald Purcell, a retired sergeant major who helped devise the program.
Yost declined to describe what sorts of misconduct or bad performances were involved in the three cases of the sergeants major forced to retire.
But he said that overall, those flagged usually had more than one negative item in their files, a combination of a general officer letter of reprimand or an Article 15, along with a poor performance evaluation or a relief for cause — sometimes for more than one incident, sometimes for the same one. Failing certain leadership courses was also among the things that would flag a file, but if the sole deficiency was a failure to meet weight standards, the file was not flagged.
The E-9s whose records were flagged were culled from a total of 3,511 that came under review. All had between 20 and 30 years of service and were eligible to retire, and the missteps had occurred while they were E-9s.
All 45 were entitled to an honorable discharge as well as their retirement, medical and other benefits.
Results from last month’s review of the records of some 9,000 master sergeants will be publicly released in three months. After that, 7,000 E-7s, sergeants first class, will undergo the same drill.
The program was brought back, officials said, because it had become increasingly clear that marginal NCOs who previously would have retired to avoid a QMP were no longer doing so without the program in place.
“We know it because the sergeant major of the Army gets notes about incidents and scenarios with senior leaders, incidents of misconduct,” Purcell said. “It’s become more frequent.”
Sgt. Jason Delancey, the assistant convoy commander and a Columbus, Neb., native, Spc. Seth A. Weyeneth, a gunner and a McCook, Neb., native, and Sgt. Clint L. Hay, a truck commander and a Lexington, Neb., native, with the 1195th Transportation company, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), perform preventive-maintenance checks and services on a Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected vehicle March 2 at Contingency Operating Base Liberty in Baghdad. The Kearney, Neb., unit later went on a convoy security mission to Forward Operating Base Shield to deliver much-needed supplies.
From 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) Public Affairs
VICTORY BASE COMPLEX, Baghdad – Soldiers from the 1195th Transportation Company, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) performed a convoy security mission March 2 to Contingency Operating Location Shield to deliver much-needed supplies to the base.
Due to the upcoming elections, convoys to smaller COLs around Baghdad will be scarce, so supplies needed to be delivered on time so COL Shield could sustain its mission through the Iraqi elections period. The 1195th Trans. Co. out of Kearney, Neb., provides convoy security primarily in the Baghdad area and must travel at night due to the Security Agreement. Staff Sgt. Nathan Reicks, the convoy commander for the re-supply mission and a McCook, Neb., native, said they were hauling basic supplies, fuel and ammunition to COL Shield to last them through the elections. “If the mission doesn’t get there, they can’t sustain and might have to close down,” he said. “A lot of these smaller COLs are helping in the training of the Iraqi’s and they need all the supplies they can get.” Reicks said being a convoy commander takes a lot of responsibility. “You have to be willing to put your neck out there for the guys,” he said. “You are in charge and if anything goes wrong, you are the guy that has to have an answer for it.” Sgt. Clint L. Hay, a gunner and truck commander for the mission, said he has not seen many problems with the people in Baghdad. “Most of our problems are due to the weather,” he said. “A lot of vehicles we escort can’t really take the mud like the military vehicles we have, so we are always there to help them out the best way we can.” Hay, a Lexington, Neb., native, said the deployment has gone by fast. “I think most of us would rather be out on the road staying busy,” he said. Hay said he has enjoyed his time in Iraq and working with the Soldiers in the unit. “Through the good times and bad times, my fellow Soldiers and squad leaders have been there for me,” he said. “They are a great bunch of guys.” Spc. Tyler Lauer, a driver with the 1195th Trans. Co. and a McCook, Neb. native, said he was a food service specialist before the deployment and volunteered for any position on the convoy security team, so certain slots could be filled. Besides driving, Lauer said he is always checking the roads, looking for possible improvised explosive devices, suspicious people and making sure it is a safe ride for the gunner and the tactical commander of the truck. “Tonight was busy, so we had to be on top of our game,” he said. “There was a lot of activity, so I was watching out for people, but mainly watching the other vehicles on the road.” He said the main thing he does while driving in downtown Baghdad is to keep focused on his mission and report anything suspicious to his truck commander. The group has grown together as a team, said Reicks. “That’s very important,” he said. “These guys understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Reicks is proud that everyone’s position is interchangeable. “We have multiple people that can lead a convoy and could jump up in the gunner spot or be a driver” he said. “We trained people to work around anything; we don’t have set people at any one position. Everyone knows how to do the other’s job.”
Operation Gratitude is at it again! Is there no end to their persistent and tireless efforts to support our troops? I hope not! They do so much, and they want to do more! Let’s see what we can do to help them out! The contest below is sponsored by Pepsi. Operation Gratitude founder and volunteers were on our spouse and family podcast last year. It’s a great organization!
Operation Gratitude’s goals are clear and simple:
To put smiles on the faces of our warriors in harm’s way
To express to our troops the appreciation of the American people
To give every American a way to say “Thank You” to our Military
If they win the $50,000 from this contest, every penny will be used on care packages and postage to send them. It takes a second to vote! It costs you nothing and our guys get a lot in return! Get to voting! They are currently number #9 — let’s make them #1 by Monday!
