Outward Bound Wilderness Excursions for OEF/OIF Veterans Outward Bound, an international non-profit outdoor education program, is offering fully funded outdoor adventure excursions to all OEF/OIF veterans.

It doesn’t matter what your current military status is (active, inactive, discharged, retired) - you’re eligible to attend as long as you deployed in support of OEF/OIF combat operations while in the military. These five-day excursions offer adventure activities such as backpacking, rock climbing, canyoneering, canoeing, and dog sledding in beautiful wilderness areas in Maine, Texas, Colorado, California, and Minnesota. Scheduled courses from Sep 08-Feb 09 are listed below, and future courses will be scheduled soon.

All expedition costs for lodging, equipment, food, and instruction are completely funded by a multi-million dollar Sierra Club grant, including the participants’ round-trip transportation between home and the wilderness site. The excursion is offered at no cost to the participant. To sign up for one of the prescheduled courses, please contact Doug Hayward at 1-866-669-2362, ext. 8387, or simply e-mail him at obvets@outwardbound.org.

To learn more about the OEF/OIF program, visit the website at www.outwardboundwilderness.org/veterans.html. You can also contact two of our retired Judge Advocates, Joe and Amy Frisk, who are working for Outward Bound on this incredible program at vetsor@outwardbound.org, or at (303) 968-4420.

OPEN ENROLLMENT COURSES FOR 2008/2009
OUTWARD BOUND OEF/OIF WAR VETERANS EXPEDITIONS

Leadville, Colorado: Backpacking and Rock Climbing in the Colorado Rockies
* September 3-7, 2008
* October 4-8, 2008

Newry, Maine: Backpacking and Canoeing
* October 7-11, 2008
* October 19-23, 2008

Big Bend, Texas: Back packing and Cayoneering
* November 2-6, 2008
* November 15-19, 2008

Joshua Tree National Monument, California: Backpacking and Rock Climbing
* December 3-7, 2008
* December 14-18, 2008

Ely, Minnesota: Dog Sledding
* February 3-7, 2009

“A Look at Military History” is a new bi-weekly feature hosted on You Served, a leading military blog. It takes an unbiased look at the events of the American armed forces dating back through history.

Harry S. Truman assumed the presidency on April 12,1945, upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt from a cerebral hemorrhage. These were difficult times. The Second World War had been waging for years, with the United States involvement lasting already over 3 years. Roosevelt had declared that the United States would only accept the unconditional surrender of its enemies as an end to the war.

Truman was left with the task of securing that surrender. Two weeks into his presidency, Truman learned of the Atomic Bomb. He was now faced with the difficult decision of whether to use such a weapon in the hopes of causing a speedy end to the war.
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Here are the first details of the attack on the outpost and FOB at Wanat in Kunar Province Afghanistan. This story is the result of interviews with survivors of the attack while they are recuperating in Landstuhl, Germany. I had no doubt that there was going to be some great stories of bravery to come out of this terrible attack. This is the first recount I have read of the attack and I am sure there are more to come.

The terrible loss of 173rd Airborne soldiers has been all over the news lately. I encourage you to take 5 minutes and read the following story. Take some time and try to imagine the hell they were going through as they were fighting for their lives.

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=56237

This is a great story out of Iraq that I have to pass along. The pictures only serve to show the love and patriotism Iraqis feel for their country.
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“Are you pro-war or pro-peace?” was the first question that came out of the mouth of one of the war protesters as I explained that I was there to talk to them about their presence on a major intersection here in Huntsville, AL. I explained that I’m a Soldier, I hate war and love peace. But, I also recognize that peace comes at a price. It went downhill from there.
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We’re busy rolling out a great new section of VA Mortgage Center.com today that we call “Veteran’s Happy Home“. In this ongoing featured section, you will find in depth looks at real customers who have served in the Armed Forces and who used the Specialists here at our company to help secure financing for their home purchase.

We have long-enjoyed working with the men and women who are eligible for VA Loan financing - active duty military, Veterans, reservists, military spouses, etc. - and it is our pleasure to try and provide a ‘peek’ into the joy that the program can bring to their lives. Read about our first featured Vet, Wayne Burris, who recently moved into a new home in his town of Enid, Oklahoma. And be sure to check back for future features as well!

…if they’re anti war. You won’t find this kind of in depth reporting anywhere else.

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You know me - I’m not big on honoring politicians or celebrities when there are so many more worthy fallen troops that deserve the honors. However, Lieutenant General Caldwell, Commanding General of the Combined Arms Center at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, has a great blog post up remembering Tony Snow. Having met Mr. Snow when I visited the White House last year, I echo his comments.
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You know, I’m fed up with politics. By writing this post, I do not advocate nor support voting for or against either the subject of this post or his opponents (yes, there are more than one!). But, I can’t keep my mouth shut about the fact that a man that won’t accept the truth about the realities of combat may one day become my boss. Naturally, I’m talking about Barack Obama. And I’m talking specifically about his views on MILITARY-related topics. It is up to YOU to look at each candidate based the entirety of their views and choose accordingly. I simply offer my views as an American who happens to be in the military and will be greatly affected by the policies of ANY President. I criticize now as I will be unable to do so to President Obama without grave consequences.
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Go to http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7415315.stm and read this story. It is a prime example of how the Taliban and Al-Queda are trying to keep the people of Afghanistan back in the stone ages. I know the Ghazni province well as I spent many weeks during my tour in 2006-2007. Many of the blog entries I wrote during my tour were based on my time in Ghazni.

This is a place where I went into villages and was the first American they had ever seen, much less met. Even though we had been there for 5-6 years already, Afghanistan is so rural and spread out that the US forces had not gotten everywhere. In fact I am sure there are still places that US soldiers have not ventured into yet. There were even villages where they had never even seen a Afghan Army soldier or police officer before.

The only way that a country which I commonly say is “a week and a half out of the stone age” is going to move forward is to educate its people. Beheading teachers, burning schools, killing kids will certainly deter anyone from even trying to get an education. At one time when I was there, the Taliban typically only did this to schools that allowed girls to attend. Now it appears that the Taliban is afraid of anyone getting an education and is going after all schools.

The place is too big, and too spread out. We need a lot more soldiers there, we need to earn the trust of the people that we will protect them, the Afghan forces need to continue to grow and become more of a leading force and the people need to stand up for themselves as they have done here, http://www.afghannews.net/index.php?action=show&type=news&id=2922. This last story is a great one in the fact that it shows local afghans starting to stand up for themselves and fight for the rights they want and dream of. The right to raise their family in peace and lead productive lives. It has to start somewhere, and education seems like the right place.