We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html Sat, 24 Mar 2012 16:04:04 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification Nicholas, over at Ghost of a Flea sent us a link to an interesting video of artillerymen who don't have enough to do. It reminded me of a story. TINS. Long time readers at the Castle know that I was an Observer/Controller at the National Training Center, a relatively prestigious job, and a plum for a combat arms officer - especially if there hasn't been a war lately. Since it was 1988, there hadn't been... Anyway, the was (and is) a lot of esprit and camaraderie among O/Cs. Fort Irwin, not an oasis now, was even more primitive back then,... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html Sun, 20 Feb 2005 11:54:31 -0600 Barb - Okay, then--"Love, Uncle Bill." http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15532 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15532 Tue, 22 Feb 2005 09:31:46 -0600 John, in re reading it I see where I made my boo boo. Thanks for the response. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15530 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15530 Tue, 22 Feb 2005 09:17:05 -0600 Heh - That'd get their attention :-) 'Cept you aren't old enough to be my Dad (better for you)! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15512 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15512 Tue, 22 Feb 2005 00:20:40 -0600 Barb - Really scare them--scrawl "Love, Dad" on it with a black magic marker... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15511 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15511 Tue, 22 Feb 2005 00:10:38 -0600 I think you need to expand the store offerings, John. A Twitchy Bill poster will do so much more to intimidate the folks in the cubes next to mine ;-) http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15491 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15491 Mon, 21 Feb 2005 19:58:53 -0600 Ohhh... Just saw the video.... Good hit! That's just wrong, on sooo many levels.... *snicker* http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15489 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15489 Mon, 21 Feb 2005 19:49:24 -0600 No, Cricket - it was just your average soldier in the porta-john. The Doc I referred to was the Emergency Room doc on duty when we brought the kid in. He explained the consequences of the approximate one hour delay had we hauled the kid in via ground ambulance vice the 8 minute flight. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15466 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15466 Mon, 21 Feb 2005 17:23:50 -0600 Duct tape... Lots and lots of duct tape... TLZ Owl and a pair of silver eagles, and that's all I'm gonna say... (Statute of Limitations not withstanding...) http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15442 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15442 Mon, 21 Feb 2005 13:24:32 -0600 Like I said, a nice little spot outside, even during a windstorm. Was it the doctor that was locked in the porta potty? I hope he hurled all the way to the hospital. You are good people, John. And did we get a suitable revenge on the crew chief? And the higher up for being moronically stoopid? Cricket's law says no good deed will go unpunished. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15384 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15384 Mon, 21 Feb 2005 08:19:47 -0600 BTW, Sanger? Remember the mug discussion we had a while back? There *is* a "Twitchy Bill" mug available in the store... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15381 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15381 Mon, 21 Feb 2005 05:44:29 -0600 Ouch! Now that brings to mind the horrific windstorm we had out in the desert and an occupied porta-pottie got blown over and rolled down the hill, coming to rest on the door. The soldier inside couldn't get it open, was covered in, well, you know what he was covered in, and panicking badly (don't blame him, either) hell, he'd ended up swallowing stuff. As the storm was dying down - called in a Medevac bird - the crew chief refused to allow us to put the kid on board. By this time the kid is puking his guts out and covered in... well, y'know. So I looked the steely-eyed defender of his bird in the eye, picked the kid up and put him on board, then got in myself (hell I needed decon now). While I had been arguing with the crew chief, my NCO has gotten a shelter half from somewhere that we both sat on. The crew chief complained to his bosses who complained to higher - and I got called on the carpet. I just brought the on-duty physician with me. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15379 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15379 Mon, 21 Feb 2005 05:27:11 -0600 OOPS!). Never realized those things could roll so far... 2. Sergeant-Major decides that Port-a-Pots placed next to runway should be transported to woodline 100 meters away, decides to do it himself to insure it's done properly, drives forklift up to nearest Port-a-Pot and lifts it up--panicked Battalion Commander flings open door and goes for spacewalk.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15378 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15378 Mon, 21 Feb 2005 00:45:23 -0600 An OPFOR battalion commander - that would explain why the name seemed familiar. I met them all and worked with them... Checking AKO, there is an retired Armor LTC by that name. You want the address associated with that? (No, people, I'll email him, jeez, we're not stupid, y'know - just lazy!) http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15375 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15375 Sun, 20 Feb 2005 23:09:04 -0600 John All I know is he was a tanker and an OPFOR armor unit (BN-size?) commander (got to know him in school after his NTC tour). http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15372 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15372 Sun, 20 Feb 2005 22:44:25 -0600 You know, rules is rules. I hate to sound mean and petty, but to drive up to a KNOWN locale and waste time and resources for one's own PC, well, I am sorry, but if the guy had that much time to drive to a PC, he could have dug a hole. And to tell you the truth, a nice little spot outside would have been FAR better than the PC. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15371 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15371 Sun, 20 Feb 2005 22:36:58 -0600 The name sounds familiar - was he a Raven? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15370 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15370 Sun, 20 Feb 2005 22:06:29 -0600 BTW, John, was John Feeley there when you were? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15366 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15366 Sun, 20 Feb 2005 21:53:40 -0600 5000 people and 15 porta potties...TF HAWK in a nutshell. You haven't lived until you squat (I'll be damned if I'm gonna let my ass touch a crapper in a 333.33-to-1 anus-to-receptacle ratio situation) and find your nether regions lit up like a Olivier's face on the London stage...well, that's what a dropped flash light will do. At least I didn't drop my weapon...or my NVGs...like some did. Feh. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15365 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15365 Sun, 20 Feb 2005 21:51:15 -0600 Discerning readers may notice that, while JofA was indeed being an evil nasty juvenile tasteless crude practical-joker-type person, he was also being a responsible, prudent, rational, "careful of the safety of those in his charge" evil nasty juvenile tasteless crude practical-joker-type person! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15364 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15364 Sun, 20 Feb 2005 21:47:47 -0600 Ooooh. That is so wrong. Funny. But wrong. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15363 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15363 Sun, 20 Feb 2005 21:25:40 -0600 oh me oh my...roflmao http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15362 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15362 Sun, 20 Feb 2005 19:14:12 -0600 Cricket gets it, Teresa. Yer son does, too... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15361 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15361 Sun, 20 Feb 2005 19:04:38 -0600 Maybe if I was a guy... I would get it... *sigh* Nope I'll just have to let everyone else giggle over it since it makes no sense to me at all. *** shaking head *** don't get it *** http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15360 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15360 Sun, 20 Feb 2005 18:03:43 -0600 I love it when a plan comes together...and the release of a trapped 'honey wagon' victim smells like VICTORY!!!! I have heard stories about Irwin. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15359 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15359 Sun, 20 Feb 2005 16:57:20 -0600 um...EEEWWW LOL! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15351 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/02/time_for_a_war_story.html#comment-15351 Sun, 20 Feb 2005 12:20:13 -0600