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

Category: Who knows

  • When did the DSC become a TV prop?

    The DSC on Fresh Beat Band.

    OK I was watching the Fresh Beat Band, a TV show on Nick Jr with my kid. Then I saw the image above. So I am wondering who’s bright idea was it on the show to use the second highest decoration for valor as a TV prop? I mean I think that it is a good show. My son loves them and got to see them live in San Antonio. But this is proof that that people in costume and wardrobe use medals because they look regal. Perhaps if they fully understood what people have done to be deemed worthy to wear it that perhaps they would see the error of their ways. We will see.

    I am going to write themto see what kind of answer I will get.

  • StrikeFO Goes To Washington (MilBlogCon From Another Angle)

    So apparently everyone on here likes to introduce themselves. My name is Paul, I’m a Marine infantry vet, and I DO have a DD-214. My call sign is StrikeFO. Instead of blathering on about where I’ve been and what I’ve done, I figured I’d write a story about the conference. This one is going to be a long one, but I think it’s fairly entertaining. Enjoy.

    I showed up to D.C. around 11am on Thursday. My best friend from my first infantry battalion (3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 81s Platoon) picked me up. We hadn’t seen each other in about 4 years, but we talk on the phone every so often. He had a sign like he was a limo driver making a pickup that said, “Munson, Roy E.” With this, I knew it was the start of a great trip.

    So we left the airport and headed over to another friend from 3/3’s house in Alexandria — Shawn. I hadn’t seen him in over 6 years. We took a drive to get something to eat in Old Town. Within about 5 minutes, we were back to telling the same old jokes, calling each other dipshits, and telling stories we hadn’t told in years. The military bond truly is amazing.

    After lunch we dropped Shawn off and Chris and I went into D.C. (via Metro) to be tourists for the rest of the day. We got off at the National Archives and walked up the Mall. We had a brief departure over to the Korean War Memorial, which is truly amazing. If you haven’t been — it’s a small wall with the faces of soldiers etched into it looking out on a platoon on patrol. The most important part of the wall states that “Freedom Is Not Free.” We took some pictures then headed to the Lincoln Memorial. We got to say hi to Abe, read the Gettysburg Address, sit on the steps of the memorial like we were in Wedding Crashers, and then we moved on. We also saw a group of kids on a tour who were forced to wear reflective belts. Looks like Army and Marine Corps regs are spreading.

    We pulled out the iPhones to figure out the best route to get to the Marine Corps Memorial. We were going to take the Arlington Bridge but we thought we found a better way. We were wrong. We ended up literally running through traffic and then playing the “if you can dodge traffic, you can dodge a ball” game. We miraculously survived and then made it to the memorial. We took some photos at the base and then we thought we would head back.

    We were planning on going the following day but since we were so close, we decided to go to Arlington Cemetary. It was around 6:30pm so (luckily) most of the dipshit tourists that don’t understand what hallowed ground means were not there. We walked to Section 60 together – myself for the third time, him for the sixth – retelling stories of our friend and mentor, Staff Sergeant Jason Ramseyer. (more…)

  • Kate Hoit’s letter to her Mom

    Kate Hoit and I had a rocky start, but I’ve come to like her, and I think she evolved somewhat, too. But that has been the way most of my friendships have begun. For some reason, a lot of people find me abrasive in the beginning. I guess it was the Army’s fault since they taught me to be the best jerk I can be.

    But, anyway, Kate wrote an open letter to her mother from where currently works at the Department of Veterans Affairs, and I hope she doesn’t mind if I quote part of it;

    My mom supported me when I decided to join the U.S. Army. She showed up to my basic training graduation in a bright red suit and an American flag scarf tied around her neck. She supported me as I packed my bags for Iraq. She emailed me almost daily while I was overseas just to tell me that she loved me. She screamed and cheered and cried as I walked across the stage at my college graduation. She watched as I packed a single suitcase and headed to D.C. to take my first real job. She is the reason why I’m here today.

    My mother was definitely happier when I left the Army than when I joined, and she wasn’t very happy when I volunteered to go back on active duty at the age of 50, but she was always there to support whatever I did. She and my step-sisters bent over backwards to throw a party for me when I came back from Desert Storm, and it was nice to know that through all of my journeys and assignments, mom was always there to welcome me home. I guess that’s why we always say that we go off to fight for her and apple pie.

    Happy Mothers’ day to Kate’s Mom, my Mom, my kids’ Mom and all of the Moms out there.

  • Arrest made in Matthew Owens assault

    Arthur sends a link from WKRG5 which reports that Mobile, AL police have made an arrest in the Matthew Owens assault that we discussed the other day;

    Mobile Police made their first arrest in the mob beating of Matthew Owens. 44-year-old Terry Rawls surrendered Wednesday on assault charges.

    “This here is an ongoing dispute with neighbors, that’s what this is,” explained Corporal Chris Levy with the Mobile Police Department.

    Police say the tension between Owens and Rawls had been escalating for three years. In fact, that wasn’t the first time police were called to Delmar Drive. Police say Rawls has attacked Owens before, but charges were never filed because they say Owens instigated it.

    You’ll be relieved to learn that despite witnesses reports that one of the mob shouted “That’s justice for Trayvon”, that the police have decided that this has nothing to do with the murder of the young thug by George Zimmerman;

    Witnesses claim one of those attackers screamed, “That’s justice for Trayvon” as she drove away. That comment has created has created an uproar nationwide, but police say Florida’s Trayvon Martin case has nothing to do with this.

    “I can tell you without a doubt 100 percent that the Trayvon Martin case was not the motivating factor, said Levy. “That 100 percent, it is an ongoing incident between people that have been fighting for a few years now.”

    Well, I don’t know about you, but I feel better now.

  • Secret Service agents sent back from Colombia

    The Washington Post reports that up to a dozen Secret Service agents who were in Cartagena, Colombia ahead of the President’s visit there this week for the Summit of the Americas.

    Donovan declined to disclose details about the nature of the alleged misconduct. But Jon Adler, president of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, said the accusations relate to at least one agent having involvement with prostitutes in Cartagena.

    Prostitutes? Really? In Cartegena? I’ve been in Colombia, dude. In fact, I personally repopulated the country single-handedly in the 70s and I never paid a dime. Yeah, prostitution is legal there, but not if you’re in the Secret Service and on the US government’s payroll. And it’s not necessary. Smooth move, guys. Way to carry the flag.

  • Bronze Star Woes.

    I have been away from my home computer and will be away for awhile. My internet is spotty at best so I have been lacking in the posting. But I saw this and thought that this needed a post. It all starts with a TSGT being awarded a Bronze Start for here tour in the Stan. Here is the back story found on thelittlep

    JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas — An NCO from the 802nd Comptroller Squadron earned the Bronze Star March 14 for her actions in Afghanistan.

    Tech. Sgt. Christina Gamez, a financial analyst in the 802nd CPTS, received the Bronze Star for meritorious service from Brig. Gen. Theresa A. Carter, 502nd Air Base Wing commander, prior to a commander’s call at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.

    The Bronze Star is the U.S. military’s fourth-highest individual decoration for bravery, heroism or meritorious service.

    Gamez distinguished herself by meritorious achievement as the NCO in charge during a 365-day deployment, January 2011 to January 2012. While in Afghanistan, she accurately executed operational funds across eight remote bases, providing commanders with flexibility in support of counterinsurgency efforts. Gamez trained 68 operational fund teams, reviewed 34 projects and funded 280 joint acquisition board packages enabling critical base sustainment.

    It seems that the flak behind it was bad enough to have the story pulled from the Air Force’s website. Granted for how many times have we seen the Bronze Star get awarded to Senior level NCOs and Company Grade Officers during deployments but I never remember anything like this happen in the Army. Even the Air Force Times is covering it saying that there was another TSGT that was on the reciving end of harsh words. They even titled it that they were being “bullied”” on the front cover. I tried to find the story but I think that it is too new.

    The story drew 70 online com­ments between March 26 and March 29, mostly from people who were livid because they said Gamez did not deserve to be recog­nized for doing her job.“I was the camp soccer mom because I was always taking care of people, so that’s the kind of pace I keep, whether it’s here or there,” Gamez said. “I knew that when I was deployed I needed to stay as busy as possible and that’s my normal.” Gamez was shocked that adults could be bullied like this.

    “To all those who have gone out­side the wire and are going outside the wire wearing 70lbs of gear and return with no more than a thanks for doing your job, I’m sorry you have to see people get BSM that don’t deserve them,” one commenter wrote on the Air Force website before the story was removed.

    Anyways. It is not like this has happend before. Or that people in the Military know how the Bronze Star is given out. I mean there were more Bronze Stars given out during OIF 2003-2010 than the Combat Action Badge, by about 30,000. If the Combat Action Badge has a negative image about being just handed out then what does this say about the Bronze Star without Valor?

    But honestly for some reason I am not bothered by her getting a BSM. I mean I would rather worry about Admin personal that lie about their awards to rip people off.But what say you?

  • Wrong kind of egg, but good eye, kid

    SnafuDude sends us a link from Military.com about some British kids on an Easter egg hunt who discovered a handgrenade among the hidden treats;

    The family alerted police, who quickly cordoned off the area and part of a nearby road as part of safety precautions.

    The Explosives Ordnance Disposal then carried out a controlled explosion.

    “The EOD has attended the scene and destroyed the object in a controlled explosion,” said an Avon and Somerset Police spokesman.

    WTF?

  • More Martin the Lovable Muppet stuff (UPDATED)

    I have no intention of making a bigger deal of this Trayvon Martin shit than some bloggers and the media have already made of it, but we all need to know stuff, right?

    Country Singer sends a link in which the Washington Free Beacon reports that gun-slinging, neighborhood watch guy, George Zimmerman is a registered Democrat. I guess it’s interesting because Democrats aren’t supposed to be genetically predisposed to carrying firearms. With bullets. And actually protecting the neighborhood without getting a government subsidy.

    John Hawkins of Right Wing News sends us a link to his latest post which includes twenty of Trayvon’s “tweets”. I don’t read gangster, so I have idea WTF it says except that it tells me that the child should have spent more time in school.

    Oh, did you know that Trayvon’s mom, whose only concern is for her child and justice has gone ahead and copyrighted “We are all Trayvon” memorabilia, because that’s what important. And in case you haven’t noticed, the focus of the street theater over the death of the 17-year-old has shifted to Washington, DC because apparently, Washington is the seat of justice;

    Members of Mt. Ennon Baptist Church in Clinton, Maryland, marched in front of the Department of Justice on Tuesday, calling for charges against Zimmerman.

    Yeah, because despite evidence to the contrary, dillweeds in Maryland can spot guilt from half-way across the country and demand arrests, while the prosecutor who has all of the evidence in front of his face can’t see clearly enough. In other words, race pimps across the country smell a money making scheme and they have no problem working the ignorant masses into a frenzy.

    Yeah, I think that’s enough assault on common sense for one day. Have a ball.

    Oh, wait, a late-breaking entry;

    North Miami Beach Police are investigating after a group of high school students who walked out of school in protest of the Trayvon Martin shooting were caught on video ransacking a drug store last week.

    Cuz, nothing says “We are all Traynor” like ransacking Walgreens. Whatelse you got?

    UPDATE: So just when I thought I’d completely covered the daily nutbaggery;

    The Black Panther dude, Hashim Nzinga, who announced the reward for the capture of George Zimmerman was arrested right after his little press conference for possessing a firearm as a felon.

    Serial intruder into real life, Spike Lee, tweeted George Zimmerman’s address, but because he’s as competent Googler as he is a film maker, he tweeted someone else’s address.

    How could this not be a circus with all of these clowns on periphery?