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

Author: Hondo

  • A Smile to Begin the Work Week

    Military humor and songs are, shall we say, often a “mite rough” as our English friends might put it.  That’s true today, and was also true during World War II.

    Even though the 1930s and 1940s were a “more genteel” time, some of the songs of World War II could get pretty crude – even by today’s standards.

    But sometimes those crude tunes (some of which were written simply to ridicule the enemy) turned out to be more accurate than the authors could have hoped.  Video clips below are possibly NSFW and are definitely not safe around prudes, clergy, or small children.

    It turns out that historical documentation long thought to have been lost proves those folks were right after all!

    Of course, during the war Adolph became aware of the tune.  Word has it that he was not amused. (smile)

  • Oopsie.

    It seems as if there was a bit of a gaffe recently at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.

    The Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) office there distributes occasional promotional items.  One of the items it recently distributed was lip balm.

    Unfortunately, no one checked the ingredients before ordering the lip balm.  I can’t say I blame them; unless it’s from a questionable source like a “head shop”, I probably wouldn’t think to check the ingredients on lip balm either.

    Well, in this case it turns out they should have.  The lip balm Elmendorf SAPR office purchased contained hemp seed oil – and thus trace amounts of THC.  Products containing hemp seed oil are banned on DoD installations.

    Oops.

    JBER public affairs officials have emailed base personnel asking them to trash any tubes of lip balm they received from the base’s SAPR office.

  • Another World War II MIA Returns

    DPAA has announced the identification and accounting for of the following formerly-missing member of the US military.

    From World War II

    • 1st. Lt. Leonard R. Farron, 67th Fighter Squadron, 347th Fighter Group, 13th Air Force, US Army Air Forces, was lost on 15 October 1942 on Guadalcanal. He was accounted for on 9 December 2015.

    You’re no longer missing, elder brother-in-arms. Our apologies that your return took so long.

    You’re home now. Rest in peace.

    . . .

    Over 73,000 US personnel remain unaccounted for from World War II; over 7,800 US personnel remain unaccounted for from the Korean War; and over 1,600 remain unaccounted for in Southeast Asia (SEA). Comparison of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from recovered remains against mtDNA from a matrilineal descendant can assist in making a positive ID for unidentified remains that have already been recovered, or which may be recovered in the future.

    DPAA’s web site now has what appears to be a decent “Contact Us” page. The page doesn’t have instructions concerning who can and cannot submit a mtDNA sample or how to submit one, but the POCs listed there may be able to refer you to someone who can answer that question – or may be able to answer the question themselves. If you think you might possibly qualify, please contact one of those POCs for further information.

    If your family lost someone in one of these conflicts and you qualify to submit a mtDNA sample, please arrange to submit one. By doing that you just might help identify the remains of a US service member who’s been repatriated but not yet been identified – as well as a relative of yours, however distant. Or you may help to identify remains to be recovered in the future.

    Everybody deserves a proper burial. That’s especially true for those who gave their all while serving this nation.

  • If You Still Doubt the NYT Is Politically Biased . . .

    . . . you need to read this article.  It should cure you of that damnfool notion.

    “All the news that’s fit to print”?  Yeah, right.

    These days, it’s more like, “All the news that supports ‘The Cause’ – truth or completeness be damned”.

  • Just When You Think You’ve Seen It All . . .

    . . . something comes along to show you that no, you haven’t.  And occasionally, it’s something you can even smile about.

    Here’s what appears to be an item of official correspondence promulgated at Thule AB earlier this year. (Click the image for a larger copy.)

    OK, here’s the background.

    Earlier this year, the USAF Space Command CG – Gen. John Hyten – apparently visited Thule. He was supposed to be there for 2 days.

    Due to a number of mechanical delays, he ended up staying six.

    A band – called “Blue Steel” – was also apparently stranded there as well.  That band apparently often played the old Eagles tune “Hotel California” quite often while Gen. Hyten was there. The song’s final couplet:

    You can check out any time you like
    But you can never leave

    Apparently the Base Commander (or perhaps someone on his staff – the memo isn’t 100% clear on the “who”) ordered the band not to sing the song’s last lines one night. The next day, the mechanical problems with Gen. Hyten’s aircraft were fixed and he was able to depart.

    The policy letter followed. Anyway, “That’s their story and they’re sticking to it.” (smile)

    It is good to see senior officers with a sense of humor. God knows they sometimes need one.

    Like when their command ends up unexpectedly “babysitting” high-level visitors from HQ wearing stars for an extra few days. (smile)

    (Original story – from the “John Q. Public” website – can be found here.)

  • “Red Line”, Eh?

    Former SECDEF Hagel is in the news again.  And this time, it looks like he’s talking about his former boss.

    In a recent interview, Hagel claims that he gave the OK in 2013 to plans for a strike on Syria – on Damascus, specifically.  Hagel indicates he OKed those plans on 30 August 2013, after Assad’s forces had apparently used chemical weapons. The POTUS had very publicly previously indicated that use of chemical weapons by Assad was a “red line” that would result in US action.

    Hagel claims, point blank, that the POTUS overruled him later that day, while forces were standing by awaiting orders to execute.

    Here’s what the Administration had to say in reply:

    A senior administration official defended the decision to Foreign Policy, saying Obama was not prepared to take military action without consulting Congress first – and the diplomatic deal that had Assad relinquish his weapons resulted in a Syria “free of its chemical weapons program.”

    Pure bullsh!t. The current Occupant, 1600 Penn Ave, Wash DC, and his enablers didn’t give a hoot in hell about Congressional authorization for the use of force when we conducted military operations against the government of Libya in 2011 – nor did they comply with the War Powers Act’s requirements for Congressional notification as the operation dragged on. The Administration’s claim here nothing but a transparently obvious attempt at spin. Nor do I believe for one minute that Syria has given up 100% of their chem weapons, either.

    Fox News has a longish article about Hagel’s claims. Regardless of what you think of Hagel, this one’s probably worth reading.

  • Thank You, Captain Obvious

    Well, even a stopped clock is right twice daily.  From our “good DHS Secretary”, Jeh Johnson:

    “We do have to be concerned about the possibility that a terrorist organization may seek to exploit our refugee resettlement process,” he said Wednesday.

    Johnson further went on to say that the      group of fools and tools screwing things up by the numbers in DC     current Administration “is continuing to reevaluate” screening associated with the US refugee resettlement program.

    Gee, Mr. Secretary – ya think?  Maybe seeing 14 killed and 20+ wounded by a terrorist who should have been refused admission to the US because of a grossly insufficient visa screening process gave him a clue.

    Personally, I think Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois had the proper response: “I mean this respectfully to the secretary, but, duh.”

    I agree, Rep. Kinzinger.  Even Stevie Wonder could see there was a potential problem with refugee screening months ago.  One has to wonder why those in current Administration couldn’t.

    And speaking of screening those seeking to enter the US, here’s another bit or two of “oh so good” news.  A senior official of the Department of State admitted when testifying before Congress the other day that it’s not just so-called “refugees” that pose a security problem.  It seems that the State department has no idea of the whereabouts of literally thousands of persons admitted to the US whose visa was later revoked. Many of those visas were revoked due to later concerns that the individual had ties to terrorism.

    Further, a senior DHS individual also confirmed in later testimony before the same Congressional committee that while pilot projects are have begun to test screening of visa applicants’ social media posts, “such checks aren’t being done in an abundant manner”.  Let me provide a plain English translation of that bit of Bureaucrat-Speak:  “We’re still trying to figure out how to do that.”

    Yep.  It sure sounds to me like the current Administration has this issue “completely under control.”  No need to be concerned!

  • ‘Bout Freakin’ Time

    Finally, someone in the current        group of fools and tools in charge in DC today       Administration tells us what we had figured out months ago.

    Chattanooga shooting a ‘terror attack,’
    FBI Director James Comey says

    Comey also didn’t mince words about the San Bernardino attack, clearly labeling it a terrorist act as well.

    It would have been nice to hear that coming from the Oval Office about 5 months ago.   But I guess it must have been so obvious that the current Occupant, 1600 Penn Ave, Wash DC felt it was beneath him to say so.

    Oh well.  At least someone in the current       clown krewe running DC       Administration is on record now as having called the Chattanooga attack what it was on along.  I guess late is better than never.