Author: Zero Ponsdorf

  • They Have Names

    Our pal CJ has been developing a website called They Have Names that goes well beyond just a memorial. Candidly, I have trouble reading it.

    Recently the site made the local news.

    kcentv.com – KCEN HD – Waco, Temple, and Killeen

    Technical aside: I dunno if Jonn or someone else has mentioned the site. Spent the last month switching satellite ISPs. This is my first real attempt since. Hope it doesn’t send TAH into never-never land?

  • An Injection Or Two Will Cure PTSD

    The story from FoxNews lays the groundwork.

    Although PTSD is my secondary diagnoses this kinda troubles me.

    For over 20 years the VA has been trying out their panoply of drugs on me. True even longer for some.

    Although the VA is not directly involved with this one (YET) they do tend to fund research into such. Some say to the detriment of other aspects of their purview.

    I’m reminded of “One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest”.  This injection could save lives, but what is the cost?

    Exit question… would you still be you after this treatment, or would you just be mellow? I’m so used to being paranoid and “twitchy” I ain’t so sure?

     

  • Attack on Camp Bastion: The Destruction of VMA-211

    Stole the title from a better writer than I.

    I noted the shift  here, but let John amplify:

    Late on Friday, Sept. 14, 2012, a Taliban insurgent force of sappers attacked the NATO ISAF base, Camp Bastion, in Afghanistan, resulting in the worst loss of U.S. airpower in a single incident since the Vietnam War. Two Marines, including VMA-211’s commanding officer, were killed in the attack, and nine other personnel (eight military and one contractor, reportedly) were wounded. By the time the base was secured roughly five hours later, six U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) AV-8B+ Harrier “jump jets” had been destroyed, and two more “significantly” damaged. In addition, three refueling points were destroyed, and six “soft-skinned” aircraft hangers were damaged to some degree. As a result of this attack, the air strength of Marine Attack Squadron 211 (VMA-211 – “The Avengers”) presumably 10  aircraft, was almost completely destroyed.

    I considered this event as a significant shift in focus by the Taliban. Sadly it is even worse than I thought.

    One more like this and we will be discussing a paradigm shift.

    And the withdrawal date is known…

     

  • Focus…

    This struck me as profound.

    On Friday Sept. 14, at around 10.15 p.m. local time, a force of Taliban gunmen attacked Camp Bastion, in Helmand Province, the main strategic base in southwestern Afghanistan.

    About 15 insurgents (19 according to some reports), wearing U.S. Army uniforms, organized into three teams, breached the perimeter fence and launched an assault on the airfield, that includes the U.S. Camp Leatherneck and the UK’s Camp Bastion, where British royal Prince Harry, an AH-64 Apache pilot (initially believed to be the main target of the attack) is stationed.

    But,

    Considered that the U.S. Marine Corps are believed to be equipped with slightly more than 120 AV-8B+, the attack on Camp Bastion has wiped out 1/15th of the entire U.S. Jump Jet fleet and a large slice of the Yuma-based squadron. A serious problem for the USMC, that was compelled to buy second hand RAF Harrier GR9s to keep the AV-8B+ in service beyond 2030, when it will be replaced by the F-35B.

    The headline: Marine Attack Squadron loses eight Harrier jets in worst U.S. air loss in one day since the Vietnam War

    Can it be that those goat ropers have shifted focus?

     

  • And Then…

    Many of our friends recently visited San Antonio for a MilBlog event.

    There was a focus of no small note:

    “May No Soldier Go Unloved,” encapsulates the motivation behind Soldiers’ Angels.   The volunteers of Soldiers’ Angels work tirelessly to demonstrate active care and concern for veterans, the wounded, deployed service members and their families.

    But they also had some fun of sorts.  Soldiers Angels gets less play here than, perhaps, they should.

    But…

    The band did packing for those deployed as well.

  • A Loud Voice.

    Just had a casual Telco with Larry Bailey about this and that.

    He has an insight you’d be foolish to ignore.

    Briefly,  he believes that Ventura got what he deserved, and that The Book is wrong on many levels.

    BUT, The SOS is working towards an event in DC mid October.

    I’ve been asked to handle commo again. All of you GoE folks pay attention.

  • File Under Oops

    Got this via FaceBook and John Gresham:
    Setting aside Starship Trooper Can YOU pass the test?

    I’m kinda simple minded (and old)  and yet I got an 89.

    This exercise might be trivial, however, it can also be fun.

  • An Alternative?

    Hondo did a remarkable write up about saying goodbye but this suits me at a visceral level.

    Kiwis in action.

    Might as well note that Matt over at BLACKFIVE is reading my mind again.