This ain't Hell, but you can see it from here

Author: Hondo

  • Now, That’s REALLY Wanting to Avoid Deployment . . . .

    Not that many people in the military actually want to deploy. But when their number comes up most grumble a bit – then go.

    Hey, I can understand not wanting to deploy. No one likes the idea of potential unsanitary involuntary random body piercings, or being separated from friends and family for months at a time. But it’s part of the deal you made when you signed on the dotted line.

    However, a few actively try to avoid deployments when their number comes up. And some really pull out all the stops to avoid going.

    What stops, you ask? Well, like convincing their own spouse to shoot them.

    No, I’m not kidding.

    It seems a young USAF SSgt stationed at Barksdale AFB, LA, was accused of doing exactly that the other day. She is accused of having her husband (also in the USAF, and also a SSgt at Barksdale AFB) shoot her to avoid deployment to SWA. She was wounded in both legs – apparently not seriously, since she’s already out of the hospital.

    She originally told police that she was shot early Friday by an intruder who escaped before police arrived. On further investigation, local police arrested her husband for illegal use of a weapon – for shooting her.   Police also issued her a summons for criminal mischief for filing a false police report.

    No word on whether the USAF has preferred charges yet for malingering, conspiracy, or other crimes against either. But I’d guess that’s only a matter of time.  Tell your careers goodbye, Sergeants – and possibly all your VA benefits as well.

    I will never understand some people. Sheesh, how freaking stupid can someone be?

  • Make It Three for Four

    As in, “Three out of four countries where the US actively encouraged or stood by and did nothing when Arab Spring uprisings lead to a change in government.” That’s the number of such countries in which US diplomatic facilities have been attacked.  So far Tunisia remains the sole exception.

    According to early reports, the US embassy compound in Yemen has been stormed.  It appears the Embassy buildings themselves were not penetrated. However, part of the Embassy compound was occupied, and the US flag at the Embassy compound was reportedly burned.

    A key difference in Yemen is that the current Yemeni government is not dominated by Islamists and/or those linked to al Qaeda.  Yemeni security forces apparently were effective in restoring order shortly after the Embassy had been stormed.

    No reports yet regarding casualties or damage to facilities.

    US support for those Arab Spring uprisings is starting to look like a really good idea about now, isn’t it?

  • Why Did the Aurora Shooter Choose the Cinemark?

    I’m certain everyone remembers James Holmes, the (alleged) Aurora theater mass-murderer.

    John Lott has an interesting take on just why Holmes may have chosen the Cinemark Theater as his venue for murder. It wasn’t the closest to his house, or the largest one showing “The Dark Knight Rises” that evening.  So why the Cinemark?

    Turns out that the Cinemark was the only theater nearby that – by business policy – banned patrons from bringing licensed concealed firearms into the theater.

    The article is short, but is worth a read. Lott’s argument that gun-free zones are counterproductive and foolish is rather persuasive.

  • Now I’m Really Confused

    This one has me scratching my head – bigtime.

    According to his military lawyer, accused Fort Hood mass-murderer Nidal Hasan offered twice to plead guilty.  The Army apparently rejected both offers.

    FORT HOOD, Texas — The Army psychiatrist charged in the 2009 Fort Hood massacre twice offered to plead guilty and “accept full responsibility” for the crime earlier this year, his lead defense attorney said Thursday.

    After the government turned him down in January, Maj. Nidal Hasan offered to plead guilty again last month without a deal — and also tried to challenge Army rules that prohibit a judge from accepting a guilty plea to murder in a death penalty case, said Lt. Col. Kris Poppe.

    I can understand why the Army likely refused the first attempt at a plea; it almost certainly included conditions as part of the deal that the Army didn’t want.  And I can technically understand the second refusal, too.  After all, rules are rules.

    No, what confuses me is the rule itself.  Why in the hell can’t an Army judge accept a guilty plea in a case where the death penalty is on the table?

    If any of our military lawyers (or other readers) could clarify, I’d be greatly obliged.  Because that just doesn’t pass the common-sense test.

    Sometimes it really seems like Pogo was right after all.

     

     

  • Lawyer Scams Vets, Gets Busted, Pleads

    In The Inferno, Dante reserves a special place in his vision of hell for those who commit fraud and treachery.  He assigns them the worst punishments in hell:  the innermost two circles.

    I have to say that I agree with Dante.  And in my book, it’s doubly bad when the victim of fraud or treachery is helpless, due to either age or infirmity.  So let’s just say I really don’t like those who defraud or betray aged or seriously disabled veterans – particularly when they’ve been appointed to a position of special responsibility and trust.

    Yet as Jonn reminded us a few weeks ago such treachery happens with disturbing regularity.  People appointed to look after aged or seriously disabled veterans’ finances steal from them all the time.  IMO the VA needs to do a better job in selecting those it appoints to look after the financial matters of veterans.

    But sometimes one of these treacherous, thieving bastards gets nailed.  And when that happens it brings a smile to my face.

    I’m smiling today.

    It seems an unscrupulous attorney in Houston was preying on veterans.  He was acting as fiduciary for some aged and/or seriously disabled vets; his wife was in on the scam.   They were diverting at least some of those vets’ funds for their own use.

    They got caught.  And yesterday, Joe B. Philips plead guilty in  Federal court to conspiracy to make false statements, misappropriation by a fiduciary, and signing a false income tax return.  His wife, Dorothy Philips, plead guilty to conspiracy and making a false statement on an income tax return.

    Joe’s facing up to 13 years in prison; Dorothy is facing up to 8 years.  And I doubt they’ll get to share a cell.

    The Philips are somewhat aged themselves – in their 70s, to be precise.  You know what? I don’t care.  I still hope the judge gives each of them the maximum allowable sentence.

    That would really make me smile.

  • Update: ICE Chief of Staff Resigns

    A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about apparent issues with senior leadership at DHS.  Well, it looks like one of the individuals at DHS accused of seriously lewd and inappropriate behavior around subordinates – ICE Chief of Staff Suzanne Barr –  has resigned.

    In resigning Barr denied any wrongdoing. Rather, Barr indicated she was resigning in order to “prevent further harm to the agency and to prevent this from further distracting from our critical work.”

    Yeah, right. Given what’s recently been made public concerning her, um, . .  . , “uninhibited” conduct around subordinates in redacted copies of affidavits, I just don’t think I’m ready to buy that.

    Looks to me more likely that Ms. Barr was acting like the Chapter President of the equivalent of a female “Animal House” rather than a senior government official, got caught red-handed, and was “asked” to resign to limit the damage.  But I guess I could be wrong.

    Best of luck in your future private-sector employment search, Ms. Barr.

  • Three Less Vietnam MIAs

    Modern DNA forensic analysis techniques are powerful. And they’re useful for more than law enforcement or medicine.

    Modern DNA analysis was used recently to identify the remains of SFC William T. Brown of La Habra, California,SFC Donald M. Shue of Kannapolis, NC, and SFC Gunther H. Wald, of Palisades Park, NJ.  The three US soldiers disappeared after an ambush in South Vietnam in 1969 – 43 years ago.

    All three were reported to have been injured/wounded at the time. However, they could not be extracted during the ambush.  A combination of enemy presence and weather precluded US forces from searching the site for 8 days after their disappearance.  When US forces returned they located no bodies.

    In any case: the MIA list from Vietnam is now three names shorter. That’s a good thing.

    Rest in peace, my elder brothers-in-arms.  Rest in peace.

    ———

    Update:  the Army Times article omitted the fact that remains of all three MIA soldiers have been recovered – not only SFC Brown’s – as well as the names of the other two MIAs.  These other individuals were SFC Donald M. Shue of Kannapolis, NC, and SFC Gunther H. Wald of Palisades Park, NJ.  It also omitted the fact that a group burial of remains was scheduled in Arlington National Ceremony for the three on August 30, 2012.   I’ve edited the article to account for this new information.  Hat tip to 2-17 AirCav for the reference to the additional information.

  • Another Reason to Be Glad You’re an American

    “An Englishman’s home is his castle.” That principle has a long history – back to Roman times, in fact.  And it was perhaps most clearly expressed by Blackstone in Merry Olde England in his Commentaries on the Laws of England (Book 4, Chapter 16). But it looks like it’s no longer true – at least not in England.

    Seems that a man and his wife were renting a farm house at Melton Mowbray, Leics.  They had been victims of a series of recent break-ins. The last break-in occurred while the man and his wife were at home.

    Confronting the would-be burglars, the man grabbed a lawfully-owned firearm. He apparently fired at the four intruders.  They left.

    His aim was apparently reasonably good.  Two of the four intruders later sought medical treatment for non-life-threatening gunshot wounds. The police arrested all four of them.

    But it seems the man’s marksmanship was his undoing.  The police also arrested the farmer and his wife on “suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm.”

    This isn’t the first time in recent years a man has been arrested for defending himself or his family in his own home in the United Kingdom. In fact, on at least two previous occasions the individual defending his home/family has ended up convicted and sentenced to prison.

    Blackstone must be spinning in his grave. I’m certainly glad some of my ancestors valued their freedom and caught a boat heading west.