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

Category: Military issues

  • Enlisted MOH recipients and POWs denied full military honors at Arlington?

    Enlisted MOH recipients and POWs denied full military honors at Arlington?

    I am honestly dismayed by this policy.  Flabbergasted,  should full military honors for these veterans not be the only and obvious choice?

    A House bill seeks to afford enlisted Medal of Honor recipients and former Prisoners of War the right to be buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.

    Those honors, which include an escort and horse-drawn caisson, are currently reserved only for officers and servicemembers killed in action.

    One would think this would be corrected by Congress with unanimous support in short order.

    The Full Military Honors Act of 2018 was introduced to the House Armed Services Committee on Sept. 7 by Rep. Mike Bishop, R-Mich.; Sam Johnson, R-Texas; and Tim Walz, D-Minn. The congressmen are working to bring the legislation before the full chamber this fall.

    “Medal of Honor recipients and POWs have earned and deserve nothing less than full military honors,” Walz said in a statement. “As a retired enlisted soldier of 24 years, I’m proud to join in introducing the Full Military Honors Act. To help ensure we honor the sacrifices these heroes and their families have made for our country, we must pass it without delay.”

    I realize Congress has its hands full investigating investigators of ongoing investigations, but honestly… this should not require any significant thought.  You can read the entire article HERE. 

     

     

  • “I’m a Muslim Marine, Ask Me Anything.”

    “I’m a Muslim Marine, Ask Me Anything.”

    Not all issues are resolved to simply black and white.  I have found that life is composed mostly of different shades of grey.

    Years ago, as a Muslim American man, Mansoor Shams decided to join the U.S. Marine Corps: to fulfill his duties to both his country and his faith. What conflict of interest?

    He’s not the only one. Countless other Muslim men and women have served, and continue to serve, in our armed forces, willing to lay down their lives for the nation they love and call home: America. That’s why we’re highlighting their powerful stories here.

    I firmly believe that Islam is a disease of the mind.  However, there were moments during my deployments when my very existence was dependent upon the deeds of men who were Muslim.  These things are not easy for most of us to resolve.  I can respect the messenger without respecting the message…so long as the messenger is capable of respecting me.    I respect what Mansoor Shams is doing and he is getting criticism from both extremes.  I have no respect for his religion…it is a disease of the mind.

    Semper Fidelis my brother.

    Muslim Marine

    Episode 7 on the issue is enlightening.

  • Sgt. 1st Class Mario King saving the world one person at a time.

    Sgt. 1st Class Mario King saving the world one person at a time.

    Sgt. 1st Class Mario King, Army Human Resources Command information technology specialist career adviser, is presented the Soldier’s Medal during a ceremony hosted by Maj. Gen. Jason Evans, Army Human Resources Command commanding general. (Master Sgt. Brian Hamilton/Army)

    Sgt. 1st Class Mario King and his wife, fellow soldier Sgt. Adriane King, were driving in Kentucky when a movie-like scene unfolded in front of them.

    The information technology specialist at Army Human Resources Command at Fort Knox, Kentucky, received the Soldier’s Medal on Friday for his actions that day.

    It was May 13, and the Kings were coming back from a surprise visit to Mario’s parents for Mother’s Day.  “Normally we take a different route back, but because of all the traffic that weekend, we took a detour,” King told Army Times.  They were behind a small car and a fuel truck on a two-lane highway when they noticed the small car had veered off to the left, as if to make a turn.

    “But then all of a sudden, it went back to the right in front of the fuel truck, and that’s when the accident occurred,” said King, who has served in the Army for 17 years.  He said he thinks the smaller car misjudged how much room it had to get back in front of the truck, which was in a “no-win situation.”  The fuel truck carrying 8,000 gallons of fuel swung around, jackknifed and began rolling down the highway before it came to a stop upside down.

    “My wife and I looked at each other like, ‘Did we really just see that?’” King said. “This is something you just see in a movie. Like a Michael Bay movie.”  The small car had spun around, too, but the driver got out with minor injuries, he said.  King and his wife had pulled over at this point and talked to the driver of the small car while others called 911.  Then King ran over to the truck and saw the driver, Burl “Doug” Bowling, trying to get out, but he was stuck.

    “He was upside down and his feet were stuck under the dash,” King said. “He managed to grab and push out the windshield.”  The sergeant first class pulled Bowling out of the vehicle and dragged him about 150 feet away as the truck’s fuel tank was engulfed in flames and its tires were exploding.  “The flames hadn’t quite reached the cab of the truck yet, but you could feel the heat from the surrounding flames,” he said.

    King’s wife, Adriane, said the way the accident happened, they thought the outcome would be much worse.  “We pretty much thought both [drivers] were gone,” she said. “It was a sense of relief to know both of them were still alive.”  King said his Army training kicked in when he helped the truck driver out of the burning vehicle.     Army Times

     

  • Vets want the Wacky Weed

    Not all of us think giving Pot to veterans is a good idea.  The “debate” continures…and will continue until “medical marijuana” is approved for use by the Veterans Administration.

     Medical marijuana for veterans is having another moment on Capitol Hill.

    As lawmakers work to wrap-up their pre-election work in the next three weeks, they’re also considering a host of proposals that could have wide-ranging effects on veterans’ ability to access cannabis for a host of ailments.

    Among the ideas are broadening research into the medicinal effects of cannabis, allowing veterans to discuss use of marijuana with Veterans Affairs physicians, and new legislation introduced this week which would essentially decriminalize the drug for veterans across the country.

    All of the plans still face a difficult path before they can become reality. Neither the White House nor VA officials have expressed support for expanded use of medical marijuana, even as advocates like the American Legion have touted it as a possible alternative to highly-addictive opioids.

    I am concerned that there is no talk about the millions of people who have pissed their life away being all smoked up on dope.  Do we really need more “research” at this point?  Decades of research has shown that smoking Pot makes most people “feel” good…for a while.  It also suppresses the brain centers for aggression and increases appetite.  My professional experience is most every person who does use the drug on a regular basis is a massive underachiever.  That drug retards initiative.  Too many veterans are already sitting on their couch getting by on a check in the mail and complaining that the VA owes them even more.

    I constantly hear about the virtues of marijuana, I also hear about the benefits of VA disability payments…I don’t hear about any study into what the cost is for making all of these people dependant on handouts from the government and now giving them the drug that makes them feel even better about doing it.

    Ya, ya, ya, I know…I should be more supportive about giving money and drugs to veterans.  Nah, Probably not during this lifetime.

    There is an article HERE

  • $400,000 missing from Veterans GoFundMe account

    The $400,000 raised through a GoFundMe account to support a homeless veteran in Philadelphia after he gave his last bit of money to help a stranded motorist is reportedly drained.

    A lawyer representing Johnny Bobbitt, whose story garnered national attention last year after he gave Kate McClure his last $20 to fill up her gas tank, told the Philadelphia Inquirer on Tuesday that news of the depleted account “came as a complete surprise.”

    Is anyone at TAH completely surprised?

    Chris Fallon, the lawyer, said he became aware of the financial standing of his client’s account after a conference call with attorneys for McClure and her boyfriend Mark D’Amico – the couple who started the GoFundMe account for Bobbitt after his kind gesture, promising him a home.

    Bobbitt’s attorneys requested that the couple remain in New Jersey, surrender their passports, post a bond and restrict access to their bank accounts after they failed to meet a court-ordered deadline to deliver any remaining money from the GoFundMe account, according to the paper.

    Last week, Superior Court Judge Paula T. Dow ordered the couple to wire the remaining funds to a trust for Bobbitt, and submit an accounting report of the donated money within 24 hours.

    Bobbitt has received roughly $75,000 dollars of the funds, which he used to purchase a camper and SUV – both of which he no longer has, the paper reported.

    A so called homeless veteran does not need $400,000.   He needs to walk his ass into the local VA office, unless he has a Dishonorable Discharge in which case he should stop calling himself a veteran.

  • Vetmade Industries – not passing the smell test.

    Vetmade Industries – not passing the smell test.

    All of these so call veteran charities have got to be looked into.  If there is a veteran out there that is homeless or unemployed, cart their ass to the local VA.  Companies who specailize in raising money for these people keep the vast majority of it for themselves.

    Does anyone have half a clue as to how many Adirondack Chairs we can make for $5 Million?   I get so sick and tired of people portraying Veterans as some kind of mentally and emotionally damaged individual that needs to be taught how to cut a stick and paint it green.  That is not a job skill, that is not training a veteran to do anything he could use to feed himself and or his family.

    This and many other so-called “Veteran Charities” need to be shut down.  People need to be held accountable and serve some real time in a prison.  The companies that are professional fundraisers by trade need to be shut down.

    This constant portrayal of Veterans as helpless do nothing losers who need to be spoon-fed needs to stop.

    I hope they follow through with this investigation, maybe we can help.  I am sure if we dig deep enough the stench will get bad enough for someone to clean up this mess.

    https://www.facebook.com/Vetmade.org/

    http://www.vetmade.org/

  • The Last Reunion for Merrill’s Marauders

    The Last Reunion for Merrill’s Marauders

    Military Times reports:

    It’s the last reunion for members of the famed U.S. Army jungle fighters called Merrill’s Marauders. Three thousand volunteered for a dangerous secret mission during World War II — a mission so secret they weren’t told even where they were going.

    They hacked their way through nearly 1,000 miles (1600 kilometers) of jungle behind enemy lines in Myanmar, then called Burma, fighting in five major and 30 minor actions against veteran Japanese troops.

    “This is the last of the outfit,” said David Allen of Rock Hill, South Carolina.

    By: Associated Press

    The unit won a Presidential Unit Citation, six Distinguished Service Crosses, four Legions of Merit, 44 Silver Stars and a Bronze Star for every man in the regiment. Their shoulder patch was adopted by the 1st Battalion of the 75th Infantry Ranger Regiment. And their families are pushing a pair of bills to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Merrill’s Marauders.

    A war correspondent created the nickname, after Brig. Gen. Frank Merrill, because the formal name was a mouthful, according to the 2013 history “Merrill’s Marauders: The Untold Story of Unit Galahad and the Toughest Special Forces Mission of World War II.”

    If you find time, read the whole article HERE. 

    There are several good documentaries about them.

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  • Our old buddy Stewart Rhodes of the so called “Oath Keepers” – still running his suck.

    Our old buddy Stewart Rhodes of the so called “Oath Keepers” – still running his suck.

    Back in the early days of TAH there were the Blog Wars.  Some guy named Jonn and a bunch of others didn’t care much for Stewy and his klan.  I am just a loving and kinda forgiving guy so far be it for me to try and outshine the eloquence of one Jonn Lilyea on the matter:

    “Yeah, the Oathkeepers, our sworn enemies led by former Ron Paul staffer, Stewart Rhodes, were the “source” for rumor. I wouldn’t believe Rhodes, an Adam Kokesh supporter, if my life depended on it. If you read further down the “article” you’ll see there no real reason to believe the story, it’s just a bunch of crackpots trying to stir up some shit;”

    ” Personally, I think that the Oathkeepers are more despicable.”

    Let’s just say TAH as a general guideline doesn’t care for Patchy Rhodes very much.  His hysterical babbling and tin foil temperament are some of his better qualities.  I have lost count of how many posers/embellishers we have busted that were affiliated with his group.  It started out as an interesting group but quickly turned septic mostly due to the puss filled ego of its blowhard leader.

    We all have variant opinions on the late Senator McCain but Stewy goes full batshit as if he has some breaking secret scoop about McCain that the average literate person didn’t have decades ago.  The irony of this one-eyed fat man claiming someone else built a reputation on lies and deception is just too rich.

     

    Anyone interested in a trip down memory lane can put “Stewart Rhodes” in the search box at the top of the page.   There are one-eyed fat men that I admire…he just ain’t one of them.  I try not to link to sites that I think suck so you will have to look up OathKeepers on your own.  The interview was done by that guy over at The Next News Network.