Few Words, Many Photographs In Afghanistan...

All photographs are there to remind us of what we forget. In this - as in other ways - they are the opposite of paintings. Paintings record what the painter remembers. Because each one of us forgets different things, a photo more than a painting may change its meaning according to who is looking at it.
~~~~~John Berger


I've been trying to catch up on some reading, and a few other things that have taken a backseat the last few days. The garden in the back yard is growing well. It has kept me busy tending it, as well as keeping my muscles sore. You would think I'd grow accustomed to the bending, stooping, tugging and pulling. But I haven't. However, the crisp cucumbers I've enjoyed for lunch and supper this past week are more than making up for the discomfort I'm feeling. If only those tomatoes would turn from green to rosy red a tad bit faster.

The garden work is something I do after I return home from the paycheck place. Most nights it's nigh onto O' dark thirty before I come inside. Which leaves me little time to read the current day's backlog of news and the posts from google reader. **Sigh** Tonight I took a breather from the garden.

While reading my news updates, I came across this compilation of photographs (Cryptome.org) titled "Afghanistan Photo War". The majority of the pictures were taken in the months of May and June 2009. There's a whole slew of them. From what I read, most are attributed to AP photographers, unless otherwise noted. Many of them I hadn't seen. Not surprising, that.

There are four sets of compiled pictures from Afghanistan and a few that resulted from being in Afghanistan. Yes, there were several funereal photo's. None in bad taste, but very poignant in my opinion. Since most of the photographs are protected by AP rights, I'm going to give you the links to do the clicky click thing on.

Peruse to your hearts content. I know I did.

Afghanistan Photo War 1

Afghanistan Photo War 2

Afghanistan Photo War 3

Afghanistan Photo War 4




And so it goes......

Help For Landstuhl's Wounded Warriors...

I've seen and met angels wearing the disguise of ordinary people living ordinary lives.
~~~~~Tracy Chapman



During the Mil-Blog Conference in April, it was my privilege and honor to meet one of the Soldiers' Angels who volunteers at Landstuhl Medical Center. Y'all remember me talking about Mary Ann, don't you? She is one amazing woman. And I'm not the only one around here who thinks so...

I was tickled pink to see the following article about what she and so many others do for 'Our Guys'. I can say without a doubt that the men and women who are brought into this facility have the best help and care available. Please be sure to do the clicky click thing to continue to read about one of the greatest support projects ever. Oh, and be sure to also check out Mary Ann's blog to see what's going on with her and her crew.

'Chaplains Closet' Helps Landstuhl's Wounded Warriors

By Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill
Special to American Forces Press Service

LANDSTUHL, Germany, June 26, 2009 - The boxes arrive daily from the United States, 15 to 20 each day, along with $8,000 to $12,000 in cash every week from Americans and U.S. nonprofit groups.

Air Force Maj. Gen. Michael D. Dubie, the adjutant general of the Vermont National Guard, stands in the Wounded Warrior Ministry Center -- nicknamed the "Chaplains' Closet" -- at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, June 17, 2009, during a visit to wounded warriors. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

The boxes and the money are meant for the wounded warriors who pass through here, most coming from Afghanistan or Iraq. More than 54,000 wounded warriors have passed through Landstuhl Regional Medical Center's doors since Operation Enduring Freedom began in October 2001, according to a hospital spokesman.

Lined with shelves organized in a manner that would make even the most obsessive-compulsive supply sergeant proud is the "Chaplains' Closet." The name is a misnomer; it is about the size of an average neighborhood convenience store and its official name is the Wounded Warrior Ministry Center.

The Chaplains' Closet shelves are stacked with clothing, toiletries and shoes. A box of shoes marked "single shoes, left" is for servicemembers who are amputees. Their spirit shows in their humor. Recently, one soldier took a left shoe and another soldier took a right from the same pair. They looked at each other. "We're brothers," one quipped.

The service members who receive the donations didn't expect to be here -- they arrive suddenly, with nothing, because they required treatment for wounds suffered on the battlefield. The medical center is a jointly staffed, Army-commanded, 138-bed hospital near Ramstein Air Base, Germany. It is the largest American hospital outside the United States.

"We have Conex boxes full of stuff," said Air Force Lt. Col. Curtis Wagner, a Protestant chaplain from the Ohio Air National Guard's 179th Airlift Wing, serving a 120-day rotation here. "We have a whole warehouse at Ramstein that's filled with these donations. We just get so much in, and then we distribute it to the soldiers."

About 1,200 service members visit the Chaplains' Closet each month. If they are bed-ridden, a liaison officer gets their supplies for them. On average, service members spend three to five days here before they are sent to the United States or back into theater...

And so it goes......

Guest Blog Post, From A'stan...

Yes'm, old friends is always best, 'less you can catch a new one that's fit to make an old one out of.
~~~~~Sarah Orne Jewett


This morning I had a weird dream during one of those half awake, half asleep moments in a lull of the 10 minute snooze fest. After a really late night, I'm surprised I heard the alarm at all. It was so wonderful and comfortable to be snuggled up in bed. I didn't want to give in to the need to ready myself for another day at work while there was much better things to do at home.

But back to my dream...

It's been said that dreams are subconscious thoughts that you've had during the day that didn't get fully resolved. Normally I don't remember too much of what my brain is processing while I'm asleep. With some of my thoughts, I reckon that's a good thing.

Anywhoo, today I remembered one... I dreamt I received an email from a friend (I'll call him "Toad"). While getting emails from him isn't uncommon, I hadn't heard from him in what to me seemed a very long while. You see, Toad is stationed in Afghanistan doing what he does best. That just happens to be piloting helicopters. Over the last month or so, several emails had gone unanswered. Yep, I know it's a war zone. But me, being the worry wart I am, thought something untoward might have happened. I had checked all the official DoD notices without seeing his name on any of them. Yep, extremely thankful on eliminating that possibility!
After finally coaxing my reluctant body out of bed, starting our coffee, etc., etc., I checked my gmail. And there it was. An email from Toad, just like I remembered seeing in my dream. How weird!! Yet how sweet it was to read that everything was okay with him.

Some time back, Toad had made mention that he might do a guest post here on the blog. His email this morning was his follow up on that, giving me the "good to go" green light to post partially or all. One tiny problem, it was in Army 'power point' format. If I could figure out how to get that on here, I'd be set. Alas, I couldn't. Everyone knows how technically challenged I am. So I'll have to do what I'm good at... cut and paste. Okay, it was a bit more difficult than that. At least I got most everything off of the power point slides.

I do hope y'all enjoy his pictures and commentary.


Direct From The 'Stan- A Trip To Bamyan, Another Side of Afghanistan...






















And so it goes......

'Tis Fathers' Day...

Old as she was, she still missed her daddy sometimes.
~~~~~Gloria Naylor


Words can no longer be spoken. Hugs can no longer be exchanged. Kisses can no longer be given. No more picking up the phone to hear your voice. Never again to hear "I love you, too." No baking of your pineapple upside down cake, nor cooking your favorite foods. None of those things we would do on this special day or any day given the chance.

But... there will always be love in our hearts for the man we called Daddy.







And so it goes......

Home-Grown American...

Our government has become too responsive to trivial or ephemeral concerns, often at the expense of more important concerns or an erosion of our liberty, and it has made policy priorities more dependent on where TV journalists happen to point their cameras.... As a nation we have lost our sense of tragedy, a recognition that bad things happen to good people. A nation that expects the government to prevent churches from burning, to control the price of bread or gasoline, to secure every job, and to find some villain for every dramatic accident, risks an even larger loss of life and liberty.
~~~~~William A. Niskanen, "For a Less Responsive Government," Cato Policy Report, 1996



Whilst surfing a few on my blog roll, I stopped by CIID. You might know him as Cannoneer No.4, This was his posting from 18th June. He requested that others post this letter on their blogs, and since I completely agree with Janet, I took him up on his offer.

As Cannoneer stated, Glenn Beck has the letter on his site/program. I've been reading and listening to Glenn when I have a few minutes to spare. His common sense makes sense to me. I've also subscribed to his email updates. I suggest you go take a look and listen, I'm almost positive that there are a growing number of people who agree with what he is saying. Oh, while you are at it, you might want to click on the "sign the petition" link.

But for now you can read the letter from a "home-grown concerned American" below.

I am Janet Contreras, a concerned, home-grown American citizen. I’m a home grown American citizen, 53, registered Democrat all my life. Before the last presidential election I registered as a Republican because I no longer felt the Democratic Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. Now I no longer feel the Republican Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. The fact is I no longer feel any political party or representative in Washington represents my views or works to pursue the issues important to me. There must be someone. Please tell me who you are. Please stand up and tell me that you are there and that you’re willing to fight for our Constitution as it was written. Please stand up now. You might ask yourself what my views and issues are that I would horribly feel so disenfranchised by both major political parties. What kind of nut job am I? Will you please tell me?

Well, these are briefly my views and issues for which I seek representation:

One, illegal immigration. I want you to stop coddling illegal immigrants and secure our borders. Close the underground tunnels. Stop the violence and the trafficking in drugs and people. No amnesty, not again. Been there, done that, no resolution. P.S., I’m not a racist. This isn’t to be confused with legal immigration.

Two, the TARP bill, I want it repealed and I want no further funding supplied to it. We told you no, but you did it anyway. I want the remaining unfunded 95% repealed. Freeze, repeal.

Three: Czars, I want the circumvention of our checks and balances stopped immediately. Fire the czars. No more czars. Government officials answer to the process, not to the president. Stop trampling on our Constitution and honor it.

Four, cap and trade. The debate on global warming is not over. There is more to say.

Five, universal healthcare. I will not be rushed into another expensive decision. Don’t you dare try to pass this in the middle of the night and then go on break. Slow down!

Six, growing government control. I want states rights and sovereignty fully restored. I want less government in my life, not more. Shrink it down. Mind your own business. You have enough to take care of with your real obligations. Why don’t you start there.

Seven, ACORN. I do not want ACORN and its affiliates in charge of our 2010 census. I want them investigated. I also do not want mandatory escrow fees contributed to them every time on every real estate deal that closes. Stop the funding to ACORN and its affiliates pending impartial audits and investigations. I do not trust them with taking the census over with our taxpayer money. I don’t trust them with our taxpayer money. Face up to the allegations against them and get it resolved before taxpayers get any more involved with them. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, hello. Stop protecting your political buddies. You work for us, the people. Investigate.

Eight, redistribution of wealth. No, no, no. I work for my money. It is mine. I have always worked for people with more money than I have because they gave me jobs. That is the only redistribution of wealth that I will support. I never got a job from a poor person. Why do you want me to hate my employers? Why ‑‑ what do you have against shareholders making a profit?

Nine, charitable contributions. Although I never got a job from a poor person, I have helped many in need. Charity belongs in our local communities, where we know our needs best and can use our local talent and our local resources. Butt out, please. We want to do it ourselves.

Ten, corporate bailouts. Knock it off. Sink or swim like the rest of us. If there are hard times ahead, we’ll be better off just getting into it and letting the strong survive. Quick and painful. Have you ever ripped off a Band‑Aid? We will pull together. Great things happen in America under great hardship. Give us the chance to innovate. We cannot disappoint you more than you have disappointed us.

Eleven, transparency and accountability. How about it? No, really, how about it? Let’s have it. Let’s say we give the buzzwords a rest and have some straight honest talk. Please try ‑‑ please stop manipulating and trying to appease me with clever wording. I am not the idiot you obviously take me for. Stop sneaking around and meeting in back rooms making deals with your friends. It will only be a prelude to your criminal investigation. Stop hiding things from me.

Twelve, unprecedented quick spending. Stop it now.

Take a breath. Listen to the people. Let’s just slow down and get some input from some non-politicians on the subject. Stop making everything an emergency. Stop speed reading our bills into law. I am not an activist. I am not a community organizer. Nor am I a terrorist, a militant or a violent person. I am a parent and a grandparent. I work. I’m busy. I’m busy. I am busy, and I am tired. I thought we elected competent people to take care of the business of government so that we could work, raise our families, pay our bills, have a little recreation, complain about taxes, endure our hardships, pursue our personal goals, cut our lawn, wash our cars on the weekends and be responsible contributing members of society and teach our children to be the same all while living in the home of the free and land of the brave.

I entrusted you with upholding the Constitution. I believed in the checks and balances to keep from getting far off course. What happened? You are very far off course. Do you really think I find humor in the hiring of a speed reader to unintelligently ramble all through a bill that you signed into law without knowing what it contained? I do not. It is a mockery of the responsibility I have entrusted to you. It is a slap in the face. I am not laughing at your arrogance. Why is it that I feel as if you would not trust me to make a single decision about my own life and how I would live it but you should expect that I should trust you with the debt that you have laid on all of us and our children. We did not want the TARP bill. We said no. We would repeal it if we could. I am sure that we still cannot. There is such urgency and recklessness in all of the recent spending.

From my perspective, it seems that all of you have gone insane. I also know that I am far from alone in these feelings. Do you honestly feel that your current pursuits have merit to patriotic Americans? We want it to stop. We want to put the brakes on everything that is being rushed by us and forced upon us. We want our voice back. You have forced us to put our lives on hold to straighten out the mess that you are making. We will have to give up our vacations, our time spent with our children, any relaxation time we may have had and money we cannot afford to spend on you to bring our concerns to Washington. Our president often knows all the right buzzword is unsustainable. Well, no kidding. How many tens of thousands of dollars did the focus group cost to come up with that word? We don’t want your overpriced words. Stop treating us like we’re morons.

We want all of you to stop focusing on your reelection and do the job we want done, not the job you want done or the job your party wants done. You work for us and at this rate I guarantee you not for long because we are coming. We will be heard and we will be represented. You think we’re so busy with our lives that we will never come for you? We are the formerly silent majority, all of us who quietly work , pay taxes, obey the law, vote, save money, keep our noses to the grindstone and we are now looking up at you. You have awakened us, the patriotic spirit so strong and so powerful that it had been sleeping too long. You have pushed us too far. Our numbers are great. They may surprise you. For every one of us who will be there, there will be hundreds more that could not come. Unlike you, we have their trust. We will represent them honestly, rest assured. They will be at the polls on voting day to usher you out of office. We have canceled vacations. We will use our last few dollars saved. We will find the representation among us and a grassroots campaign will flourish. We didn’t ask for this fight. But the gloves are coming off. We do not come in violence, but we are angry. You will represent us or you will be replaced with someone who will. There are candidates among us when hewill rise like a Phoenix from the ashes that you have made of our constitution.

Democrat, Republican, independent, libertarian. Understand this. We don’t care. Political parties are meaningless to us. Patriotic Americans are willing to do right by us and our Constitution and that is all that matters to us now. We are going to fire all of you who abuse power and seek more. It is not your power. It is ours and we want it back. We entrusted you with it and you abused it. You are dishonorable. You are dishonest. As Americans we are ashamed of you. You have brought shame to us. If you are not representing the wants and needs of your constituency loudly and consistently, in spite of the objections of your party, you will be fired. Did you hear? We no longer care about your political parties. You need to be loyal to us, not to them. Because we will get you fired and they will not save you. If you do or can represent me, my issues, my views, please stand up. Make your identity known. You need to make some noise about it. Speak up. I need to know who you are. If you do not speak up, you will be herded out with the rest of the sheep and we will replace the whole damn congress if need be one by one. We are coming. Are we coming for you? Who do you represent? What do you represent? Listen. Because we are coming. We the people are coming.

To reiterate Cannoneer's request, please copy and paste Janet's letter and post on your own blog if you agree with so many of us home-grown concerned Americans. When I clicked on the "sign the petition" link, there were over 109,000 who have already signed. Will you be the next one? See ya there!




And so it goes......

Finally Friday Funnies...

We are not the same persons this year as last; nor are those we love. It is a happy chance if we, changing, continue to love a changed person.
~~~~~W. Somerset Maugham


'Tis a good day when laughter erupts from within our soul, laughing not only at ourselves but those things that make so much sense that they become hilarious. I know I've done some stupid things over the last 40+ years that if I hadn't laughed, I would have cried. Since I don't like to cry so much, laughing at my life is the only way to survive the insanity. Especially in retrospect while examining those little lessons that God sends my way.
Yep, I have to enjoy those "how could I have been so stupid?" moments that occur more often than not.

Nevertheless, my dear friends and family continue to send me little reminders to laugh out loud on a daily basis. Laughter is sorta like milk, "It does a body good." And with that, here's hoping the following funnies will cause much laughter to overflow into your cup of life.


Mission Accomplished...

Uncle Sam and Osama decided to settle the whole war with a dogfight. They would each have 5 years to breed the best fighting dog and whoever's dog won would dominate the world.

Osama found the meanest Doberman females in the world and bred them with the meanest wolves. They selected only the biggest and strongest puppy from each litter. After 5 years, they came up with the biggest, meanest dog ever.

When the day came for the big dogfight, Uncle Sam showed up with a strange looking animal. It was a 9-foot long Dachshund. When the cages were opened up, the Dachshund came out of it's cage and slowly waddled over toward Osama's dog.

Osama's dog snarled and leaped out of it's cage and charged the American dog--but when it got close to the American dog, the Dachshund opened it's mouth and ate Osama's dog whole!

Osama replied, "We don't understand how this could have happened, we had our best people working for 5 years with the meanest dogs and the meanest wolves!"

"Uncle Sam said, "That’s nothing, we had our best plastic surgeons working for 5 years to make that alligator look like a weenie dog."
~~~~~

You Can't Win Them All...

A man, called to testify at the IRS, asked his accountant for advice on what to wear. "Wear your shabbiest clothing. Let him think you are a pauper."

Then he asked his lawyer the same question, but got the opposite advice. "Do not let them intimidate you. Wear your most elegant suit and tie."

Confused, the man went to his rabbi, told him of the conflicting advice, and requested some resolution of the dilemma. "Let me tell you a story," replied the rabbi. "A woman, about to be married, asked her mother what to wear on her wedding night. 'Wear a heavy, long, flannel nightgown that goes right up to your neck.' But when she asked her best friend, she got conflicting advice. 'Wear your most sexy negligee, with a V neck right down to your navel.

The man protested: "What does all this have to do with my problem with the IRS?"

"No matter what you wear, you are going to get screwed."
~~~~~

Book Report...

Students at a local school were assigned to read 2 books, 'Titanic' by James Cameron, and 'My Life' by Bill Clinton.

One student turned in the following book report, with the proposition that they were nearly identical stories! His cool professor gave him an A+ for this report.

Titanic:.... Cost - 29.99
Clinton:.... Cost - 29.99

Titanic:.... Over 3 hours to read
Clinton:.... Over 3 hours to read

Titanic:.... The story of Jack and Rose, their forbidden love, and subsequent catastrophe.
Clinton:.... The story of Bill and Monica, their forbidden love, and subsequent catastrophe.

Titanic:.... Jack is a starving artist.
Clinton:.... Bill is a bullshit artist.

Titanic:.... In one scene, Jack enjoys a good cigar.
Clinton:.... Ditto for Bill.

Titanic:.... During the ordeal, Rose's dress gets ruined.
Clinton:.... Ditto for Monica.

Titanic:.... Jack teaches Rose to spit.
Clinton:.... Let's not go there.

Titanic:.... Rose gets to keep her jewelry.
Clinton:.... Monica is forced to return her gifts.

Titanic:.... Rose remembers Jack for the rest of her life.
Clinton:.... Clinton doesn't remember Jack Schitt.

Titanic:.... Rose goes down on a vessel full of seamen.
Clinton:.... Monica...ooh, let's not go there, either.

Titanic:.... Jack surrenders to an icy death.
Clinton:.... Bill goes home to Hillary - Basically the same thing.
~~~~~



And so it goes......

More News From The 'Stan...

Promises are like the full moon, if they are not kept at once they diminish day by day.
~~~~~German Proverb



I had started this post yesterday, but was distracted with the reading of more news than I could handle before departing for the work place. Many hours later, I'm still reading the news coming from Afghanistan and other places.

Iran is the topic of choice on twitter as well as other places. The president has his fingers in so many pies that his staff can't clarify exactly what the hell he's doing... how does anyone keep up with it all? I've come to the conclusion that I can't though I give it one heck of a twirl.

While I'm cognizant of the other news items, I tend to focus my attention on the other side of the world. Weird, I know, but that's just how I am.

Anywhoo...here's the news I've been reading.


Blast in Kandahar.

3 Danish soldiers killed by roadside bomb in Helmand.

Taliban leader captured and weapons seized in Farah.

Danish Minister vows to build schools in Helmand.

Oh, there's more at Quqnoos. They are one of the first sites I read when I get up in the morning. Quite a few times, they have the most recent news long before it hits other sites with news from the 'Stan. Which is why I go there first. Smart, huh?

From other sources are these items...


Potato farmers in Bamyan looking for solutions to problems.

Nangarhar Province: Success story with hydroelectric project.

ANSF and ISAF help local villagers in Ghazni province.

Schools open in Naray.

There's more at DVids with news from Afghanistan.

And it seems that Prince William wants to join the fight with the other Brits in Afghanistan.


My family wonders why I can't get anything done! Now they know.




And so it goes......

Rock Steady...

Chance is always powerful, let your hook always be cast; in the pool where you least expect it, there will be a fish.
~~~~~Ovid









And so it goes......

Monday's News From A'stan...

Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to.
~~~~~George Seaton



General Stanley McCrystal takes command of NATO-ISAF in Afghanistan.

...In a brief ceremony in the headquarters of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), he officially took the charge of the entire foreign forces, operating in Afghanistan.

He landed Sunday in HQ ISAF in Kabul where he commands about 30,000 troops from other NATO allies...

~~~~~

126 Attacks in a week.

...Insurgency has increased by 40 per cent in Afghanistan over the past week with the Taliban carrying out 126 attacks across the country

Afghan Interior Ministry said 78 people including 30 policemen were killed and more than 170 were wounded in the string of insurgencies over the last seven days.

Afghan Interior Minister, Mohammad Hanif Atmar said the attacks in Afghanistan are being schemed and masterminded outside the country...

~~~~~

Afghan and Coalition Forces to safeguard Helmand.

...Afghan and coalition force will safeguard Helmand borders where militants easily commute between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Helmand governor said

Provincial governor, Mohammad Gulab Mangal told a news conference that presence of foreign terrorists have increased in Helmand.

Governor Mangal told reporters in Kabul that after the Pakistani army offensive in Swat and Buner, foreign national terrorists entered Afghan soil through Helmand...

~~~~~


Afghan President Hamid Karzai to visit Russia for Shanghai Summit.

...Afghan President left for Russia Monday morning to attend a multilateral summit to discuss counter terrorism and counter narcotics

Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit will be held Tuesday in Ekaterinburg, a major city in the central part of Russia where leaders of many countries including Pakistan and Iran will participate...

~~~~~

ISAF paratroopers discover weapons caches

KABUL, Afghanistan (June 15) - International Security Assistance Force soldiers (ISAF) have confiscated two insurgent weapons caches in eastern Afghanistan, 11-12 June .

...ISAF soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment found a cache of weapons and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) making material, in Khost province...

~~~~~

I'm sure that there is more news from and about what is happening in Afghanistan. Are you looking for it? If not, you should be. But that's just my own personal opinion.

I'm happy to note that MudPuppy is back on the web. His time in "the suck" is about up though. Drop by to see what he's been writing and tell him "Hey". Some of his stories are sure to make you laugh out loud. Okay, maybe it was just my weird sense of humor. Still... go visit him, please.




And so it goes......

Forever Long May She Wave...

Your flag and my flag,
And how it flies today
In your land and my land
And half a world away!
Rose-red and blood-red
The stripes forever gleam;
Snow-white and soul-white -
The good forefathers' dream;
Sky-blue and true-blue, with stars to gleam aright -
The gloried guidon of the day, a shelter through the night.
~Wilbur D. Nesbit, Your Flag and My Flag

Please remember all those who willingly gave their lives to ensure that Our Flag will forever be seen as the emblem of freedom.

PSD~Failure Is Not An Option...

Smarts and action are on the same side of the equation where the sum is success.
~~~~~Garrett Hazel


Reckon I should clarify the acronym "PSD", in mil-speak it's Personal Security Detachment. Basically it's a team of Our Guys who are tasked with the security of a "higher up". Ya know, one of the Big Boys in Charge.

The Marines of the 2nd MEB (Marine Expeditionary Brigade) that were tasked with the PSD for General David Petraeus, took their job very seriously. But I happen to think that Marines take any job they are given the same way.

Just the other day, I was speaking to my eldest brother as our family waited for our Momma to have a medical procedure completed, he said his 2nd son, a Marine, was concerned he wouldn't be given the security clearance he needed to deploy with his particular MOS. He was prepared to jump through any hoops deemed necessary to insure that wouldn't be the case. His CO investigated and informed him he needn't worry. He's turning into a fine young man as he starts his journey in the Marine Corps.

But I digress... continue on to read why "Failure is not an option."

Personal security from an outside perspective

By Cpl. Aaron Rooks, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade
Jun 12, 2009 - 6:55:24 PM


... Blackanthem Military News

Sgt. Jace Aguilera, motor transport chief, Personal Security Detachment, Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan, stands watch while Army Gen. David Petraeus, commander, U.S. Central Command, meets with MEB-Afghanistan leaders here May 25. The PSD Marines patrol different, interconnected areas to minimize the possibility of threats getting anywhere near the secured area. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Aaron Rooks).

CAMP LEATHERNECK,
Helmand Province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan -
The sun was high and the heat was at its peak. The sound of rocks crackling beneath service members' boots, the noise of construction work, and the voices were nowhere to be heard.

It was as if time came to a sudden halt.

Off in the distance, various Marines walked back and forth making sure the undisturbed area stayed that way. Each person or vehicle that came close to them was immediately turned away, with no questions asked and no explanations given.

After a few minutes a convoy arrived at the recently-deserted location. In one of the vehicles were Army Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command, and Brig. Gen. Larry Nicholson, commanding general of Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan.

Petraeus stepped out of the vehicle and proceeded to meet with the brigade's senior leadership. The Marines, still silently pacing nearby, acted as if nothing had changed. They continued moving back and forth from one spot to another, looking for anything or anyone who posed a threat.

"Our perspective is always outboard," said Sgt. Roy Price, platoon sergeant, Personal Security Detachment, MEB-Afghanistan. "Our mission is to identify any possible threats and negotiate them long before they ever reach the person we're protecting. We're focused on our mission, not the visitor."

The area remained silent, motionless and empty. The Marines on the ground patrolled different areas that interconnected with each other, while other Marines watched from elevated positions to eliminate any possible threat.

"Once the area is secured, you can see a threat coming from 30 meters away because there is nobody else around," said Price, an Allentown, Pa., native. "As for the Marines, they're focused and prepared to execute."...

Cpl. Aaron Rooks has more he has written about this special group of Marines. Please be sure to do the clicky click thing on the title link to finish this story and check out a few more photo's that accompany it.

You won't be sorry you did.




And so it goes......

My Answer Will Always Be...Yes!

Don't ever save anything for a special occasion. Being alive is the special occasion.
~~~~~Author Unknown







Seems like I've been in a blue clouded funk lately. There's always something that needs my attention. Health problems for my Momma, scheduling issues at work caused by the downturn of the economy, personal relationship problems with my youngest, and always the issue with money, or the lack of it. Thankfully, I have the garden to work in to relieve some of my frustrations, that is if it ever stops raining long enough for the dirt to become dry enough to bear my weight. Which reminds me that my family thinks I've lost too much of it. I'm not dieting. Honestly I'm not. But when you sweat copious amounts of water out each day, there's bound to be some weight loss. Right? All I know is that it's kicking my derriere.

But no matter my problems. 'Our Guys' are out there in Afghanistan and Iraq are enduring so much more than I. At least I don't have to wear 60+ pounds of gear as I work like they do. I remember when Taylor sang this song a few years ago, and my answer then and now will always be...Yes! You ALL do make me proud.




And so it goes......

Evidence From Kunar...

Primitive does not mean stupid.
~~~~~Author Unknown


In my last post, I tried to show the difference in what gets reported about the stuff Our Guys are doing in Afghanistan. It's all about perception and the information war being waged between good and evil. Anyone with any sense knows the Taliban uses propaganda to promote their "successes", they even go so far as to create outright lies that paint US in a very bad light, while we at times are left standing in the dirt.

This latest escapade was about the grenade tossed into a crowd of Afghans who surrounded a convoy of US. Soldiers in Kunar province, who had been stopped by a blown tire. To stem the flow of bad blood, U.S. Forces Public Affairs has released a video that clearly shows that it wasn't a U.S. soldier who threw that grenade. Uh, hello! I could have told you that!!

Well... it seems that evidence gathering is still on-going to counter some incenderary remarks about that incident.

Download Hi-Res

EVIDENTIARY HEARING

Asadabad village elders at the Kunar Governors compound meet with U.S. Navy Commander Murray Tynch and listen as he shows them recovered grenade pieces gathered with Afghan National Security Forces, Kunar province, Afghanistan, June 10, 2009, Tynch is assigned to the Provincial Reconstruction Team. U.S. Navy photo by Navy Lt j.g James Dietle

I'm happy to see that Our Guys are finally getting on the stick in countering the bad information others are quick to put out. This kind of stuff is important.



And so it goes......

Same Story, Different Takes...

After you've heard two eyewitness accounts of an auto accident, you begin to worry about history.
~~~~~Author Unknown


I'm always amazed at the difference in reports about the happenings in Afghanistan. There seems to be some discrepancy between us and them. Heck, there's even major discrepancies among the MSM. The one word I'll take over any others are from the 'boots on the ground'.

Take for example the following reports of a convoy of Our Guys in Kunar Province.


Here's one report from Yahoo on what happened in Kunar

...ASADABAD, Afghanistan (Reuters) – A blast near a U.S. troop convoy in Afghanistan killed at least one child and wounded 34 civilians on Tuesday, officials said, but witnesses blamed a U.S. soldier for throwing a grenade into a crowd...

...Abdul Jalal Jalal, chief of police in Kunar province, said officials were investigating whether the blast in the provincial capital Asadabad was caused by a grenade thrown by U.S. troops or by an insurgent attack...

..."I was on my way to school. Their tire burst, and then a soldier hurled a hand grenade from the convoy," said Abdul Wahab, 12, lying in a hospital bed with two shrapnel wounds in his leg...

Finish the article yourself to see what I'm talking about.


Then there's this report about the same situation from Quqnoos.

Blast Kills Two and wounds 52 in Afghan East

...Eye witnesses in the area say that the incident took place after one of the coalition troops vehicles hit a wall in the city. Locals crowded the US convoy and suddenly an unknown man threw a grenade among the people...

...A US officer in Kuner said that their troops use American weapons, while one of their soldiers found the pieces of the grenade that was made in Russia.

Kuner governor, Sayed Fazilullah Wahidi said that a delegation was sent to the scene and the case was under the investigation...

While it's good to be reading accounts from different perspectives, I have to wonder at what the real truth is.
See, in the report from Yahoo, there is blame placed on the US Soldiers for throwing a grenade into the crowd that injured 34 and killed at least one child.
In the report from Quqnoos, 2 killed and 52 injured. 3 of the injured were reported to be Our Guys. It was reported that the grenade fragment had been located and it had been manufactured in Russia. Uh, don't think we use those.

I'm sure that there will be many who have to investigate this incident. How long it takes for the real truth to be found will be hard to determine. There are still reports being written about the incident from the air strike in Farah that happened in May. Arguments are still on going over the number of civilian causalities. The Pentagon officials, who weren't there, have admitted that mistakes were made in the air strikes by us. They've added another layer to the ROE. Jeezle Pete! We've got one hand tied behind our back now. This is just going to make it harder for the guys on the ground to get air support when they really really need it...

Talk about a Charlie Foxtrot!!!

I guess there will always be an issue with all the different sides of the story being told. There's never just the truth. Especially if there is compensation involved. Which we give to the Afghans who have a family member killed or injured. Wouldn't it be wonderful it Our Guys had a better grip on the information operations than we currently do? I'll keep hoping that will change soon.


**Update**
Read this for a completely different look at how IO works.




And so it goes......

Go READ THIS...

The world needs anger. The world often continues to allow evil because it isn't angry enough.
~~~~~Bede Jarrett


That little quote above fits quite nicely with what Tim over at Free Range International just posted a bit ago. Cause, let me tell you, I think Tim is more than a tad bit angry. Honestly, if you haven't been reading what Tim has written before, you seriously need to get yourself over there right now!

His latest post is an articulate forceful rant on the current mis-management of what is happening in Afghanistan and his suggestions to correct those problems. I believe part of it is called COIN. While I know there are many with boots on the ground that understand that doctrine, not many of the 'big boys' are utilizing the specific teachings of it. Perhaps a kick in the pants would help with that.

Tim should know what's going on in country, he owns and operates a private security company there. And he's former Marine. He met up with a few of his Marine friends down in Gardez. It's quite the hot spot. Or has been to date. Now that the Marines have been setting up shop, look for that designation to change. He's got some great pictures on this post, too.

Please... go read Tim's post. I hope that you will understand what he's talking about. If not, do some more reading besides that one post. Not only his, but the mil-bloggers who have been there or are there at the moment. They know of which they speak, and we need to understand what they're saying.

What? You ain't gone yet?




And so it goes......

T I M B E R!!

Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.
~~~~~Cree Indian Proverb

Soldiers Disrupt Timber Smuggling in Afghan Province

By Army Sgt. Amber Robinson
Special to American Forces Press Service


KONAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan, June 8, 2009 - Task Force Chosin soldiers from 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, have been making a difference in disrupting timber smuggling in this lush area near the Pakistan border.

Konar has been a route of transit for smuggling goods from the Korengal Valley into Pakistan, an activity that helps to fund enemy operations.

"The enemy funds their operations a number of ways," Army Lt. Col. Mark O'Donnell, Task Force Chosin commander, said. "They smuggle illegal gems, opium and timber."

Soldiers of 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, intercept illegal timber as it is smuggled through the Narang Valley in Afghanistan's Konar province. Donkeys are the primary way that timber smugglers are able to export the timber without detection over the rough terrain of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Courtesy photo (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

In the months following the fall of the Taliban, many insurgents fled to Pakistan, where they continue to operate and help to fund insurgency operations in Afghanistan. Various resources that fund weapons for enemy groups operating in Afghanistan are imported across the border.


Timber, O'Donnell explained, is used mainly for expensive, ornate furniture produced exclusively in Pakistan. Before the task force arrived, he added, timber smugglers operated with impunity.


"Mostly, the units before us did not have the troop strength that we have to combat the problem," O'Donnell said


Although drug and gem smuggling are lucrative ways for the enemy to fund insurgency, timber smuggling is even more lucrative. Most of the timber comes through the Korengal Valley and is then moved down the Konar River to strategic points. It is picked up by trucks and then moved up the Narang Valley through the mountains into Pakistan.


Although the Pakistan border has various checkpoints that monitor traffic, the border is still porous. Trucks carrying the illegal timber can't move through the checkpoints, so the cargo is loaded onto the backs of donkeys and transported across the rough border terrain. Task Force Chosin's unmanned surveillance equipment has photographed and recorded the smuggling procedure on various occasions.
~~~~~

...Yep, there's more to this story. You just have to do the clicky click thing on the title link. Ya know ya wanna.

Our Guys up there in the Korengal Valley are facing a very hostile environment. Not only are they doing things like the above, but they also have to deal with hostile neighbors who openly support the taliban. Haven't you read C.J. Chivers articles in the New York Times? If not, well, by golly you should! Chivers is one journalist who understands the importance of the truth. Not like some of the others who write negative pieces or take words and twist them to make Our Guys look like twits. Hell, I know who the twits are.

It's been expressed to me that the Korengal isn't indicative of the true picture of what Our Guys face in Afghanistan. Granted, that may be true, but it is a part of Afghanistan that we have a presence in. So while it's just a small area, does that mean we shouldn't pay any attention to what they are seeing and doing? Umm, No. We should be smart enough to place the pieces of the puzzle that is Afghanistan into a complete picture.

There are hot spots that will see more taliban insurgents than others. Just like Helmand and areas closer to the borders. In my opinion, there will be more provinces and villages that will see an uptick of activity of the bad guys. Especially now that the 7000 + Marines have arrived in country, and more on the way.

I'll be praying that all the AO Commanders will finally get a clue and make some smart decisions instead of bickering over who has the most clout on the big bases. And that, my dear friends is just my opinion based on what I've been reading in the mil-blogs and from different sources. But...Hey! What do I know?



And so it goes......

A Price Was Paid...

I recoil with horror at the ferociousness of man. Will nations never devise a more rational umpire of differences than force? Are there no means of coercing injustice more gratifying to our nature than a waste of the blood of thousands and of the labor of millions of our fellow creatures?
~~~~~Thomas Jefferson

June 6, 1944

Today marks the 65th anniversary of the invasion onto the beaches of Normandy. It was a day that thousands upon thousands lost their lives in defense of the worlds' freedom against tyranny.

Below are the different beaches that were utilized for the Supreme Allied Forces D-Day plans. "Operation Overlord" as well as "Operation Neptune". All information is linked to the Wikipedia article on the Normandy-Landings.

Gold Beach

Juno Beach

Omaha Beach

Sword Beach

Utah Beach

Pointe Du Hoc


From the site Awesome Stories, there is a wealth of facts detailing the complete history of the Normandy invasion. Near the end of the saga, I read this...

Five years before he died, General Eisenhower (who was a conquering hero at war's end) came back to Colleville-sur-Mer. It was the first, and only, time he made that journey after the war. Looking over Omaha Beach, he spoke from his heart:

. . . these men came here - British and our allies, and Americans - to storm these beaches for one purpose only, not to gain anything for ourselves, not to fulfill any ambitions that America had for conquest, but just to preserve freedom. . . . Many thousands of men have died for such ideals as these. . . but these young boys. . . were cut off in their prime. . . I devoutly hope that we will never again have to see such scenes as these. I think and hope, and pray, that humanity will have learned. . . we must find some way . . . to gain an eternal peace for this world. (Eisenhower: A Soldier's Life, by Carlo D'Este, p. 705.)

I've pondered the question what would our world look like now if the Normandy invasion had not been successful? And found this... a 5 year old article from BBC News. "What if D-Day had failed?"

Yes, our world would be so very different had those operations failed. But they didn't... Thanks to the many thousands of men who paid the price to guarantee our freedoms to this day. And Thank God for each and every one of them.


Please visit Blackfive and Mudville Gazette for a more complete understanding of what D-Day was and still is, all commemorated by the Mil-bloggers. Those are the men and women who know what price was paid on this day 65 years ago.




And so it goes......

Warriors in Afghanistan War...

Perseverance... keeps honor bright: to have done, is to hang quite out of fashion, like a rusty nail in monumental mockery.
~~~~~~William Shakespeare


Just saw this video on YouTube, posted by "forgetyourself.org" From what I can gather, it was originally filmed by/for The Guardian. If I'm not mistaken, it sounds like John D McHugh. I know that he had been embedded with Charlie Co. on one of his forays into Afghanistan.

Plus the person filming talks to some of 'Our Guys' and quotes small sections from the "CounterInsurgency" (COIN) Field Manual...








And so it goes......