H&I* Fires, 12 May 2007

Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite.

You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...

*********************************
John (a.k.a. Noonan, the cheater who stole a $9k march on the next charity drive.) at OPFOR makes a definitional argument I largely agree with and have argued over at Alan’s once or twice.

The Fort Dix dix may not be terrorists by the strictest or most accurate definition, but, like LTC P, I think they have passed well out of civilian law into the realm of military law and should be dealt with in said legal realm.
--
J over at Armchair Generalist and Warhistorian (Prof Grimsley) seem to think this is a brilliant bit.

I don’t. Anyone care to explain why it isn’t shallow thinking (China and Iran get to see what our military does ergo we lose!) to me in the comments? Really, I don’t get it. It could be the greatest thing since sliced bread the way they talk about it, but I don’t see it that way.
--
Mental health for veteran’s story. This isn’t good to hear. Keep talking to Boyda, Armorer. This bulldog needs to fed, stat.
--ry

********************************

Let's have some fun and see who the naval geeks are.

Anybody recognize, and know the source, of the forward gun on this PT boat?

-the Armorer

*********************************

Jules Crittenden has an *excellent* round-up of milblogging, much from in-theater, as a smorgasbord of goodness. -the Armorer

*********************************

Ah, crap. A patrol got ambushed, with 5 dead - and three missing, two soldiers and an interpreter. We take casualties in war, I'm fine with that - but in this war, POW status has thus far been meaningless with the enemy, being used instead as an excuse to engage in particularly vile forms of barbarism. Here's hoping we get lucky and find them fast - and in time. Especially for the interpreter, who is probably at greatest risk for being treated horribly. -the Armorer

**********************************

This is important to get out there.

Earlier this week, I put up a bit in an H&I Fires post about the NRA seeking information about *possible* gun confiscations occuring in Greensburg. I opined then that it was more likely that LEOs were securing loose weapons found during search and rescue operations, and that the weapons were being taken for safe-keeping and would be returned to their owners.

I'm a Life Member of the NRA, but I will freely admit the breathless nature of NRA-ILA emails leaves me cold. Something else that leaves me cold is the precipitous way the gun boards will sink, and cling to, the darkest options in a scenario, and mutter darkly about Leviathan, just because it might *possibly* be that's the case. Certainly they can be right like a broken clock is right, but.

And *where* you live matters, certainly. If you know you live in gun-hostile country, your experience will certainly be different than that of us in here in my neck of the Kansas woods, where the gun collectors in my Rotary club will pop a trunk in the parking lot and admire new acquisitions. And the Chief of Police, who is a member, doesn't bat an eye.

Anyway - given the prominence in the online gun-owning community to the NRA's request for information (and I put it up, too) I think I should give equal prominience to this piece from the Adjutant General of Kansas. And I'll probably run it again, in smaller form, on Monday, to catch the high-traffic day.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 11, 2007 No. 07-072

Guns Recovered in Storm Now Being Returned to Greensburg Residents

Local law enforcement authorities have been returning weapons recovered after the tornado to their rightful owners in the Greensburg area.

Following the storm, guns were found throughout the city and law enforcement determined it best to collect the weapons to ensure everyone’s safety and to ensure the safekeeping of the property for the owners. The total number of guns collected was 349. Thursday, 140 were returned to residents who came to claim them. Friday, 38 firearms were returned.

“The reason we took the firearms was to protect personal property because no one knew what was going on here immediately following the storm,” said Vernon Chinn, Pratt County Sheriff. “As law enforcement officers, we knew the potential of what could happen if the firearms fell into the wrong hands. The number one stolen property is firearms. We just didn’t want them falling into the wrong hands.”

“In the process of returning some weapons we have located stolen firearms,” Chinn noted. “A person may have legally purchased the gun at a gun show, but it was stolen, and in that case we want to return it to the rightful owner.”

Any residents who still have not claimed their firearm should go to the gun trailer located east of Davis Park on the north side of U.S. 54. The trailer is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday until all guns are returned.

I forwarded this to the NRA, as well. Heh. I've got *no juice at all* with those people. I get better service from my Democrat Member of Congress than I do the NRA. But I'm letting my ego get in the way there, a little bit, methinks. I haven't ambushed Wayne LaPierre or Chris Cox in a dark, wind-swept parking lot like I did Ms. Boyda.

But then, Mr. LaPierre might be armed. Of course, here in Kansas, so might Ms. Boyda...

I said *might* people. I'm *not* asserting Ms. Boyda packs heat. Just that she legally could be.

The whole central point of concealed carry.

Greensburg Tornado Update.

UPDATE ON GREENSBURG TORNADO RECOVERY

Assistance Pours into Greensburg ; Cash Donations Best

The out pouring of support for the victims of the Greensburg Tornado has been tremendous. However, only financial donations are requested at this time. Food, clothes and supplies, while thoughtful, are difficult to accept right now, as there is nowhere to store or distribute such items. Relief workers and residents may easily become overwhelmed by excess and perishable materials.

Financial gifts can be handled through the Green for Greensburg Fund coordinated by the United Way : Green for Greensburg Fund, United Way of the Plains, 245 N Water, Wichita , KS 67202 . Make check out to: Green for Greensburg Fund.

In addition, many individuals are wanting to volunteer their time and/or equipment resources to the community. They are asked to contact the United Way which is coordinating all donated resources for the community. Please call 1-888-413-4327.

State Vehicles Replace Destroyed Local Government Vehicles

Twenty-one vehicles from the state of Kansas surplus supply have been delivered to Greensburg and local officials are taking possession of them today. The vehicles were sold to the community by the state for $1.00 each. (State regulations that state surplus property must be sold and cannot be donated). The vehicles include sedans, pickups and four-wheel drive vehicles and will replace the 21 city vehicles destroyed by the tornado. In addition, four Kansas Highway Patrol surplus vehicles will be provided to the Greensburg community and a fifth vehicle loaned to the city of Mullinville .

Residents and Responders Should Take Safety Precautions

Due to the debris and rubble throughout the city of Greensburg , residents, emergency responders and volunteers are asked to take precautions. Tetanus shots are available through the Kiowa County Hospital which has staff moving throughout the Greensburg area to provide the shots on the spot. More than 2,000 shots were given Thursday.

Volunteers and others coming to the area are asked not to bring their children with them because of the danger in the area including glass, nails, metal and many other items which may pose hazards to anyone, but especially children.

Debris Removal; Trash Disposal

Debris removal remains a priority for the city of Greensburg . The Kansas National Guard, Kansas Department of Transportation and contractors hauled nearly 1,100 dump truck loads to the Kiowa County landfill Thursday, approximately 430 loads Wednesday and 150 loads Tuesday.

Residents with spoiled food items are asked to put the food in trash bags along the curb. Any food items could pose a health hazard if not disposed of in this manner.

Supplies Available to Residents for Clean Up

Trash bags, empty boxes, empty containers, gloves and tarps are available to residents at Brown’s Auction across from Davis Park on U.S. Highway 54. These supplies will be free to the community until supplies are exhausted.

Severe Weather Plan

All individuals in the Greensburg community will be evacuated if severe weather moves into the area. A National Weather Service meteorologist is on site and will provide updates regarding weather to those working in the community who will then make the determination about the need to evacuate the area.

Animals

The animals found and held in Greensburg following the tornado will be moved to the Pratt County Humane Society and held for 30 days. If individuals are unable to pick up their animal, other arrangements will be made to board the animals. Please call 620-672-6777.

Greensburg residents can get free dog and cat food by calling 620-723-2897. Inquiries regarding livestock or other companion animals can also be addressed by calling 620-723-2897.

I've noted before I'm a Rotarian. We passed the hat at our meeting on Wednesday (that meeting and the Board meeting the day before themselves displaced due to the local flooding threat) and sent a quick $250 to the Wichita Downtown Rotary Club's foundation, for consolidation and forwarding to assist with Greenburg's recovery. The board will consider a more substantial effort and probably a long-term project when next we meet.

Greensburg has a Rotary Club, in fact they've had one since 1936, and they are a part of District 5690. The members of 5690 are organizing (they've already arranged for a large tent) the things needed so that the local high school can have their graduation ceremony. They are seeking more volunteers to help get it set up - so, if you are within striking distance of Greensburg, and would like to help District 5690 out - here's the info:

It's a Four Way Test kind of thing.

A little

By the way...

Rotary Membership

Members of a Rotary club are part of a diverse group of professional leaders working to address various community and international service needs and to promote peace and understanding throughout the world. If you would like to be considered for membership by a local Rotary club, complete a Prospective Member Contact Form. RI will forward your information to clubs in your area.

We're sorta like the Masons, in that we're "by invitation." But if you'd like to be invited to a meeting or three, on us, just ask!

H&I Fires* 11 May 07

Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite.

You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...

*********************************

Today we honor the unsung heroes who truly make our military strong ... Military Spouses.

In honor of the day, Francis Marion - fresh back in the US after a dally in the P.I. - shares the tale of When God Created the Military Wife. Now there's a tough set of specs. Feel free to leave him a comment when you visit, although he won't get to read them until he finally reaches home, and the comfort of his own family.

A report from boots on the ground in Iraq - report #13 from the perspective of an Army officer on his third deployment. He knows the affect of the politics of defeat on the troops.

These men walk a fine tight rope. And why shouldn’t they, they read a steady diet of defeatism in the press.
I can’t help but wonder about the huge amount of relief the enemy must feel after years of climbing, knowing that they are no longer looking at a false peak. There it is! The summit, right in front of them! I have climbed enough mountains to know how easy that final ascent is. The burst of enthusiasm at knowing the end is in sight. After years of constant conflict, in a brutal strategy of pure attrition, this must be a huge relief. They had no measurable way of marking success. No march across Europe. No castles to siege, no flags to raise. Only an endless series of explosions and ethnic killings with no real way of knowing when victory might be in sight. But now, completely inexplicably we have told them where the finish line is. Foes that thought they were in a marathon know that they only have several hundred more meters to run. Those on the fence have renewed hope. Victory is in sight.

*********************************
General Announcement: the Middle Ground and Soldiers' Angels KC are under forced renovation. Apparently, our graphics host decided to clean up his server and wiped out all our graphics, thus, forcing me to recreate them. Which, due to work (drat that work), is not happening until this weekend. So please excuse the mess when you go to any links. Thank you.

Well, I missed the regular posting day, so I hope folks will forgive me. It's time for Wednesday Heroes. I know, it's Friday. But Everyday is a good day to learn about our heroes and, as penitence (sp? see how often I use that word) I've put extra effort into finding stories of our heroes (yes, for those who know, it's long, but if you're challenged, there are pictures).

Since it's military spouse appreciation time, I wanted to remind you that Soldiers' Angels and Spa Emergency have teamed up to support the troops. Didn't remember it was "spouse appreciation day"? Get over to Spa Emergency and print off a gift certificate, grab some flowers from the store and you're all set. She'll think you've been planning it all week (or at least more than 30 seconds).

Don't forget Mother's Day this Sunday. I know you did, but this is your friendly reminder. Spa Emergency.

My little video of the flooding Missouri River right down the street.
-kat

The President visits, and the National Guard helps clean up...

...in Greensburg, Kansas.

President George W. Bush thanks U.S. Army Soldiers from the Kansas Army National Guard in Greensburg, Kan., May 9, 2007. The town was struck by a massive tornado May 4. Approximately 400 National Guard members have been called up to assist with the cleanup, provide security and perform other disaster response functions. DoD photo by Master Sgt. Greg Rudl, U.S. Army. (Released)

U.S. Air Force Airmen from the Kansas Air National Guard remove debris from Greensburg High School in Greensburg, Kan., May 9, 2007, after it was hit by a massive tornado May 4. Approximately 400 National Guard members have been called up to assist with the cleanup, provide security and perform other disaster response functions. DoD photo by Sgt. Heather Wright, U.S. Air Force. (Released)

The Air Guard deploys a hospital to the Greensburg disaster site, and scores a first, and newly promoted Brigadier General Rose, commanding Joint Forces Kansas, gets an early introduction to her duties:

EXPEDITIONARY MEDICAL SYSTEM HOSPITAL BEING SENT TO GREENSBURG

The Kansas National Guard’s Expeditionary Medical Support System field hospital is deploying to Greensburg , Kan. , to provide medical equipment and operating space for medical personnel in Greensburg .

Twelve trucks were loaded with the pre-packaged units at the 190th Air Refueling Wing, Topeka , and will leave for Greensburg at approximately 6 a.m. on Friday, May 11. Upon arrival in Greensburg at approximately 1 p.m., the trucks will be unloaded and the hospital set-up will begin on west Hwy 54 across from the Greensburg John Deere dealership.

“The Expeditionary Medical Support System is going down to replace the hospital in Greensburg until a new facility can be constructed,” said Brig. Gen. Deborah Rose, director of Joint Forces Headquarters Kansas. “The hospital lost virtually everything. The Expeditionary Medical Support System has equipment and space for just about any service a regular hospital provides – surgery, dental care, laboratory services, pharmacy, supply and in-patient care.”

“We look at this as an opportunity to provide hope to the community and start the rebuilding process,” said Rose.

Rose said that support staff from the 190th ARW will accompany the EMEDS to Greensburg to help orient the local medical personnel who will be working out of the facility. Medical services for area residents will start as soon as possible.

The EMEDS is based out of the 190th Air Refueling Wing in Topeka . The 190th ARW is the only organization in the country currently with an EMEDS dedicated to homeland security and will be the central location for all EMEDS logistic support throughout the United States .

The Kansas EMEDS was first used for relief operations in Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina, which was the first time an EMEDS unit was tasked domestically for a relief or homeland security mission.

For information on how you can help the residents of Greensburg and the surrounding region recover click here for information from the State of Kansas, with links to make donations, etc.

Other Opportunities to Help

Green for Greensburg
The United Way of the Plains has established a statewide Green for Greensburg Fund to collect monetary donations to help tornado victims in Greensburg.

League of Kansas Municipalities
The League of Kansas Municipalities has set up the Greensburg Fund to provide assistance to the city government of Greensburg. Checks should be made to the "Greensburg Fund" and mailed to:

League of Kansas Municipalities
Attn: Greensburg Fund
300 S.W. 8th Avenue
Topeka, KS 66603

For questions regarding this fund, please contact the League of Kansas Municipalities at (785) 354-9565.

Pizza Hut
This Thursday, May 10th, Pizza Hut restaurants across the state of Kansas are donating 20% of profits to the United Way Greensburg Disaster Fund. The money will directly benefit those affected by this past week's tornado.

The Emporia Gazette has a round-up of opportunities to act to assist Greensburg, as well.

H&I Fires* 10 May 07

Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite.

You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...

*********************************

Dammit! I dunno - it could all be a plot - it's the *french* who are reporting it. They just want to keep it all for themselves!

Two days ago was the anniversary of VE-Day, 8 May, 1945. Today is the anniversary of the end of the Phony War, 10 May, 1940. A lot happened between those two dates.

-the Armorer
**********************************
From the RCCM today (Rovian Conspiracy Coordination Memo)

Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson Says He Will Take Personal Responsiblity For Implementing Recommended Changes In Veterans Care. "VA Secretary Jim Nicholson told skeptical House members Wednesday he would work hard to improve veterans' care and said he would take personal responsibility for implementing a presidential task force's recommendations. ... Nicholson said he would accept blame if the recommendations don't make significant headway. 'I take personal responsibility in assuring Congress, veterans and service members that this report will be accompanied by definitive and measured actions,' Nicholson said. ... Nicholson responded that he is seeing a renewed zeal to solve problems, with top officials from the Pentagon and VA meeting earlier this week to discuss ways to break bureaucratic obstacles that have delayed reforms in the past." (Hope Yen, "Nicholson Vows To Improve Veterans Care," Miami Herald, 5/09/07)

Does this mean that the Secretary will set measureable goals with appropriate metrics and we can expect a prompt resignation over failure? One can only hope, though I despair of the President *ever* recognizing that one of his greatest strengths - personal loyalty - is also one of his greatest weaknesses. The President of the United States, no matter how much he or she may care, cannot afford to have friends who are also employees. *Everybody* is expendable, if they aren't getting the job done. Political loyalty is one thing, loyalty in the face of faulty performance in cabinet level positions is quite another. -the Armorer

*********************************

We have a rather lengthy update from our Angel contact in Iraq: LTC Turner. With pictures, edited for OPSEC to keep us square with the military, but still extremely interesting.

Events and updates for Soldiers' Angels in Kansas City

PGR Confirmed Missions for Sabula and Harrison. John notes it's open to the public. PGR and SA will be there.

And odd news of the day: Militant Mickey Mouse. Just goes to show how people take a nice innocuous mouse and turns him into part of the war machine. Actually, it's pretty sick. I think this is the reason why I despair of the Palestinians and figure they will be stateless forever.

Stay tuned for a video update on the flood from my area. Evacuation order is lifted but we're not out of the water yet.
-Kat

*******************************

Yo, BCR - you've got competition! -the Armorer

*******************************

Argghhh!!! They've found us out.

Democrats in America are evenly divided on the question of whether George W. Bush knew about the 9/11 terrorist attacks in advance. Thirty-five percent (35%) of Democrats believe he did know, 39% say he did not know, and 26% are not sure.

Really. At least in that Rasmussen survey population.

Things like this are exactly why I made note to Ms. Boyda, my Democrat Representative in Congress - you're known by the company you keep, and at some point, it ceases to matter who you really are, since you don't truly control the image, thanks to the press... and the Internet.

Update: Blogfather Jonah Goldberg of NRO has a reader with a different take on the poll.

I think people are reading too much (or maybe its not enough) into the "Bush knew" poll. Like many polls that ask things other than who will you vote for, the answers are a proxy for registering some other opinion. No way do over 60% of Democrats think Bush either knew about 9/11 or might have known. No way. The poll should be properly read as: How much do you hate President Bush? 35% would like to personally torture and kill him, 26% wish he would die but wouldn't do the killing themselves, and 39% don't hate his guts

**********************************
Once again, the economy must be tanking, because the active duty component of the services met or exceeded their recruiting goals for the month of April, so there are lots of uneducated people with no prospects opting for the services as their last hope before going on the dole. I just realized, it *isn't* the Left that has taken over academia - it's the Right! It must be, as a part of the Rovian conspiracy to continually keep public school kids functionally illiterate so that there is a pool from which to draw the Myrmidons from! [Hard working school teachers who are trying to do the right thing by your kids may ignore that bit of satire].

That said, the picture for the Reserve component, while not as rosy as that of the active force, was still not too bad in recruiting. Retention?

Reserve forces retention. For April, Army National Guard retention was 107 percent of the goal of 20,069, and Air National Guard retention was 102 percent of its goal of 936. The Army National Guard is currently at 100 percent of its end strength, while the Air National Guard is at 96 percent. Losses in all reserve components for March are well within acceptable limits. Indications are that trend will continue into April.

Of course, there are layers, and the loss of mid-career personnel from the active force is higher than we'd like - but I wonder how many of them find their way into the Guard and Reserve? I dunno, and haven't the time to look. Perhaps one of you guys knows? -the Armorer

*********************************
Pay attention, people. I don't need this kind of email from you! So, pay attention to the emails you're getting and while you're at it, update your antivirus software.

SUBJECT: Malicious Worm Activity

SUMMARY: US-CERT has received reports from multiple organizations that variants of the Storm Worm (AKA Peacomm) are propagating throughout the Internet.

The worm sends e-mails disguised as notifications for users to update their systems against a new worm. Attached to these e-mails are malicious password encrypted zip files along with instructions on how to unzip and install the program. The malicious e-mail contains a password protected zip file attachment with instructions to unzip and install the attachment.

It has been reported by SANS that the known subject line of the e-mails generated by the worm are:

“Worm Alert”
“Worm Detected”
“Virus Alert”
“ATTN!”
“Trojan Detected!”
“Worm Activity Detected!”
“Spyware Detected!”
“Dream of You”
“Virus Activity Detected!”

Users are reminded to review the NETCOM TECHCON Implementation Memorandum 2004-011A, E-mail Attachment Filtering. This TECHCON addresses methods available to Army service providers to significantly reduce the risk associated with e-mail borne virus attacks. Appendix A identifies the attachment types that will be stripped at the Tier 1 SMPT Proxy and optionally within the Tier 2 e-mail servers. All users should ensure that they are up-to-date with the latest anti-virus definitions and report any suspicious e-mails to their SA or IASO.

*********************************

A big Laurel and hearty handshake to reader Jon W., who coached me through fixing my formatting issues in both the main blog and the left sidebar. H/t to Cassandra for her assistance and (with some aperity) coaching on color, too! Though I'm still not fully in compliance with her guidance... 8^ ) -the Armorer

********************************

Another milestone.

A Red Ensign Moment.

...and then there was one.

Percy Wilson was only 15 when he enlisted as a bugler in the 69th Artillery Battery to serve in the First World War (Courtesy Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre).

Veteran Percy "Dwight" Wilson died this morning at the age of 106, leaving only one known surviving [Canadian] veteran of the First World War.

Wilson passed "peacefully" at Toronto's Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Canada's largest veterans' care facility, where flags were lowered to half-mast in honour of the veteran.

His death leaves John Babcock, who lives in Spokane, Wash., as the only surviving Canadian First World War veteran.

The rest of the story is available here.

H/t Kate at Small Dead Animals, via CAPT H.

Accordingly, now is the time at Castle Argghhh! when we dance: In Memoriam. I will repair the halyard of flagpole and we will dip the Red Ensign in salute this weekend.

Colonel Harrison's Memorial Service.

To the Fort Leavenworth Community:

There will be a Memorial Service Monday, Monday, 14 May, at 1000 hours in the Main Post Chapel in honor of Colonel James W. Harrison, Jr. who was killed in Afghanistan on 6 May. Colonel Harrison served as Commandant of the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks from June 2004 until June 2006 when he assumed the duties of Director of the School for Command Preparation at CGSC. Colonel Harrison's family welcomes the Fort Leavenworth community.

The family of Colonel Harrison would like to express their deepest appreciation and sincere thanks to the many friends and loved ones for their prayers and support during this difficult time.

A devoted husband, father, son, and Soldier, Colonel Harrison embodied the ethos of "Duty, Honor, Country." He was committed to the mission of the United States in Afghanistan and spoke with great pride about the accomplishments of the men and women he served with. Colonel Harrison died serving the country he loved but his spirit and dedication lives on in those of us who knew, loved, and served with him.

The family requests, in lieu of flowers and cards, that donations be made to the Fisher House Foundation, 1401 Rockville Pike, Suite 600, Rockville MD 20852; www.fisherhouse.org.

FYI. The memorial service is open to everyone at Fort Leavenworth and the greater community, but the Mass and interment later in the day is for family/close friends. A note - if you do not have a Fort registration sticker, leave a little earlier, as your car will be searched prior to entry to the fort.

If you are new to this story, click here.

Castle Public Service Announcements...

This will be up top today and in the regular rotation tomorrow. No, most of the people in Greensburg don't know about the Castle and don't have internet access, either.

But their friends and family might. Just in case you are wondering why I do this.

Centralized relief center established for Greensburg residents Federal, state and local services available in Haviland

To streamline the recovery efforts in Greensburg , a Disaster Assistance Center (DAC) has been established in the nearby town of Haviland . There, Greensburg residents will be able to access services from charitable organizations and federal, state and local governments.

The center is located in Hockett Auditorium, located at the corner of Kingman and Elm streets on the campus of Barclay College .

“We want to make it as easy as possible for residents to get the services they need without having to make multiple trips to multiple locations,” said Governor Kathleen Sebelius.

Health and well-being services at the DAC

· The Salvation Army is operating a distribution point at the DAC where water, food, blankets and other necessary items can be obtained. The American Red Cross and FEMA are also on-hand with a service center that is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.

· Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services personnel are available to determine Medicaid and HealthWave eligibility for those seeking medical assistance and will try to obtain verification of all items. They will also assist beneficiaries in getting duplicate ID cards.

· The Southwest Kansas Area Agency on Aging will have staff available to assist seniors. Case managers will be available to provide general information and assistance. They will also be able to assist with immediate needs such as housing, transportation, assistive devices and prescriptions.

Document replacement at the DAC

· The Kansas Department of Revenue is available at the DAC to provide replacement car titles, driver’s licenses and identification cards. Staff will also be available to assist taxpayers in obtaining copies of their tax returns and answer any other questions relating to their tax accounts.

· The Kansas Department of Health and Environment will be making replacement birth and marriage certificates available at the DAC. Applicants in the affected area will be interviewed to establish eligibility for the requested records in order to ensure the retrieval of the correct record.

· State agencies will waive any fees associated with generating new copies of state records for victims of the Greensburg tornado.

Employment and business assistance at the DAC

· The Kansas Department of Labor is on-site to assist those affected by the severe weather to sign up for state unemployment benefits and Federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance.

· The U.S. Small Business Administration is also at the DAC providing one-on-one assistance to disaster loan applicants. Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property. There are also disaster loans available for all businesses and non-profit organizations. To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, victims must first call the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362).

Other assistance available in Greensburg and the surrounding area

· The American Red Cross has a shelter open in Haviland and one in Mullenville for citizens displaced by the tornado, and has four emergency response vehicles in Greensburg serving food and four vehicles providing minor first aid. It also has a communications vehicle at the Haviland shelter to assist people with registering for the “Safe and Well” Web site. Finally, the Red Cross is operating an evacuation site at the Odd Fellows Lodge in St. John where storm victims can rest, meet with friends and family and eat lunch. That site will operate from 8:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. daily.

· The Salvation Army is operating four canteens in Greensburg , while a Kansas National Guard mobile kitchen is also there.

· Military families in need of financial assistance or other resources can receive help through the Kansas National Guard Family Program Office. The number is (800) 432-2447 ext. 9.

· Women, Infants and Children (WIC) supplemental food and nutrition services are available for Greensburg residents at county health departments in Dodge City , 106 E. Spruce; Pratt, 712 S. Main; and other local WIC clinics. Those residents who lost WIC checks will be able to have them replaced at WIC clinics in the surrounding area. WIC clients who lost food during the tornado can also have checks to replace that food.

H&I Fires* 9 May 07

Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite.

You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...

*********************************
Last night, the Master and Mistress of Argghhh! had the privilege of dinner with Denizen Blackhawk, an active duy Armor officer stuck in the land of Maneuver Support. He popped up here from Fort Lost-in-the-Woods to crack open young Major's skulls and pour in knowledge as they study here at the Command and General Staff College. Sadly for She Who Will Be Obeyed, it turns out that Blackhawk and I crossed paths professionally and had many shared experiences - which meant that SWWBO had to sit through a dinner of nothing but TINS and geek soldier-talk. Blackhawk and I had a good time, SWWBO was a good sport, but clearly, we pushed her to her TINS limit. In other words, we had fun!

Moving on - speaking of training - this is a significant change:

Department of Defense Announces the ROTC Language and Culture Project

The Department of Defense announced today the award of four grants totaling $2 million to Indiana University, San Diego State University, the University of Mississippi and the University of Texas at Austin as part of the new Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Language and Culture Project.

"The department's goal is to expose ROTC cadets and midshipmen to the study of languages and cultures of the world critical to national security," said David S.C. Chu, under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness. "Through this innovative effort we hope ROTC cadets and midshipmen will have the opportunity to learn a foreign language which will prepare them for future duties as commissioned officers."

You can read the whole release here, at DefenseLink.

Of further interest on the subject of language and culture proficiency:

DoD Announces Pilot Language Corps

The Department of Defense announces the implementation of a pilot "The Language Corps" over the next three years. The pilot Corps will include no fewer than 1,000 members drawn from all sectors of the U.S. population. Members will have the opportunity to join a dedicated pool or a national pool of linguists.

The Language Corps, formerly the Civilian Linguist Reserve Corps, represents a vital new approach to address the nation's needs for professionals with language skills.This is an integral component of the Defense Department's comprehensive language roadmap and the President's National Security Language Initiative.

"The department is confident that a successful Language Corps will not only address gaps in
federal preparedness, but also serve to reinforce the importance of language skills in the American population and the U.S. education system," said Gail McGinn, deputy under secretary of defense for plans.

The corps will be an entirely civilian organization managed by the DoD for the federal sector
composed of members who will voluntarily join and renew their membership.

Again, more detail is available at DefenseLink.

It's slow progress, in the middel of a war where language and cultural understanding has been an issue, but it's progress.

A request for assistance:

I must try to communicate if possible to Dustoff 339C, an old army medic as he calls himself. I was really screwed over by LTG Kiley personally and would like for this guy to email me at this email address. PLEASE! It would be so great to get in touch with this person as I could use a ltter of support right now to clear my name. Scott (Doc in New York)

Dustoff339C, I can't really verify this. If you wish more information and/or Scott's contact info, drop me a line in email and we can chat. That's it for the nonce - the Armorer

*********************************
From the NRA-ILA:

The National Rifle Association has received a number of reports of ongoing firearm confiscations in Greensburg, Kansas.

We are currently gathering as much information as possible to verify these claims. If the reports are true, your National Rifle Association will act swiftly to correct this injustice and stop any unconstitutional gun confiscations.

If you have any information regarding gun confiscations in Kansas, or know any law-abiding citizen who has had their firearms confiscated, please contact NRA immediately at 1-800-392-8683. Thank you.

If for some reason you don't want to contact them, send it to me. But bear in mind - if a LEO is walking through a devastated neighborhood and finds firearms laying in the open and unsecured (such as if the Castle was hit and the basement exposed) and they retrieve those weapons and secure them - that isn't necessarily an unlawful confiscation as it is securing dangerous property. Context matters, as well as what they do with them. Bear in mind - at this point, it's a RUMOR and the NRA (and I) are seeking to confirm or deny, not fan a hysterical flame. -the Armorer

UPDATE: It looks like it was a lot less gun confiscation than it was what I suggested - securing dangerous property and keeping it safe. -the Armorer

*********************************
SITREP Riverside and Parkville, MO - Water continues to rise. Missouri River is estimated to crest at 7pm tonight. Mostly no rain yesterday, beginning to sprinkle now. 30% showers predicted. Parkville residents continue to move out of the low lying areas. Volunteers have been helping store owners to secure their property and move it to higher ground. Water level prediction to be 11 ft lower than the Great Flood of 1993. This is no comfort since that water level put the area under for weeks, knocked out the local oil storage facility and a number of businesses. New levees and flood gates may protect stores and homes closer to North Kansas City.

Highway 9 going in and out of Parkville and Riverside has been closed to outside traffic so getting pictures and a closer look at the situation is difficult. Where I am in Riverside is currently dry. 1993 flood had covered part of the area down the hill from me, but we may be safe due to the flood gates.

Electricity and other services are still on in our area, but Parkville will be shutting down basic services sometime today for the safety of the population and prevention of fires.

Standby for updates.
-Kat

The War Comes Home, again.

Another Blue Star turns to Gold for a Fort Leavenworth family. I'll post more info as I have it.

NEWS RELEASES from the United States Department of Defense

No. 551-07 IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 08, 2007

DoD Identifies Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died May 6 at Pol-e-Charki, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from small arms fire. Their deaths are under investigation.

Killed were:

Col. James W. Harrison Jr., 47, of Missouri. He was assigned to the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

Master Sgt. Wilberto Sabalu Jr., 36, of Chicago. He was assigned to the U.S. Military Police
School, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.

For more information on Harrison the media can contact the Fort Leavenworth public affairs office at (913) 684-1718.For more information on Sabalu the media can contact the Fort Leonard Wood public affairs office at (573) 563-4015.

Col. James W. Harrison Jr., 47, was the former commandant of the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth. He was killed in Afghanistan on Saturday. He and MSG Sabalu were killed near a prison at Pol-e-Charki. They were allegedly shot by an Afghan soldier - which is why the notice says their deaths are under investigation.

Colonel Harrison was married and had three sons. The family is keeping to themselves and I'm not bothering them. MSG Sabalu, was an MP stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He was married and has two children.

Stars and Stripes has reported that two U.S. personnel were ambushed Sunday outside the Pol-e-Charki prison by an Afghan soldier described by some as mentally ill.

Stars and Stripes says that the shooting was the act of a single gunman who was later killed by soldiers from the Afghan National Army.

The Fort Leavenworth PAO said Harrison was detailed out as a detention policy expert with the Combined Forces Command Afghanistan. Harrison, who among other jobs had commanded the Fort Leavenworth Disciplinary Barracks had an extensive background in detention operations. I knew him tangentially, having run across him while he was the director of the School for Command Preparation at the Command and General Staff College.

Now is the time at Castle Argghhh! when we dance: In Memoriam.

Ready, Fire, Aim!

As many readers know, the Castle Moat has not required any topping off of late, nature having been doing that for us. The Moat Monster is quite disturbed, as he prefers brackish, stagnant water with sickly, easy to catch fish and stale cheetohs that Ry tosses out the dungeon grate (we do let him have light for 30 minutes a day). The Missouri River right now is just a touch under 6 feet above flood stage, and should crest today. This is well below the 15 foot flood stage in the Great Flood of '93. This being a slow-moving disaster, the city and county have had ample time to sandbag the small areas (mostly city-owned, in terms of buildings) likely to be affected. I will be inconvenienced only in that my Rotary club, which usually meets in the Riverfront Community Center which is closed due to the proximity of the water, so we will move across the street for today's meeting. (Hand dramatically to forehead) Oh! The humanity!

Alas, there are some in Kansas who are not so fortunate, such as the residents of Greensburg, the town flattened by the tornado this weekend.

And oh, lucky them, they got drawn into the politics of it, as we, out here in our big old sparsely populated rectangular fly-over got drawn into a mini-reprise of Katrina finger-pointing and the politics of the war.

I'm sure the residents are, well, thrilled.

Governor Sebelius opened the exchange of unaimed fire by asserting that the State was short of gear for the Guard because of the war. "I don't think there is any question if you are missing trucks, Humvees and helicopters that the response is going to be slower," she said in response to a press question yesterday. "The real victims here will be the residents of Greensburg, because the recovery will be at a slower pace." She asserted that surrounding states, part of the mutual assistance compact, are also missing gear, and that equipment that could have been borrowed is over in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Tony Snow, the White House spokesman, returned with his own shots, showing that Snow, and perhaps the White House, hadn't learned the lesson of Katrina and adjusted the ROE - instead of addressing the issue of missing equipment with facts and figures (which he may well not have had at his fingertips, certainly) or with statesmen-like words, he asserted that any slowness of response was... Sebelius'/Kansas' fault, and if she simply followed the guidelines of the Federal Response Plan - identify your shortages and request what you need to meet those shortages, well, that's *your* fault, Governor. "If you don't request it, you're not going to get it." was Snow's response to reporters asking about Governor's Sebelius' comments. "As far as we know, the only thing the governor has requested are FM radios," said Snow.

Both sides, having taken shots at each other, rather than the enemy (the disaster) took a breath and decided a little fire control was in order.

Snow, after having been grabbed by the lapels and shaken like a puppy dog (okay, I made that up) came back later in the day and clarified things a bit. He noted that in fact the state had requested several items that the federal government had already supplied — the radios, a mobile command center, urban search team, and was coordinating to get helos to Greenburg. He did stick a small shiv in the Governor's side by detailing a phone conversation yesterday between Sebelius and the Bush's homeland security adviser, Fran Townsend. During that conversation, the Governor reputedly said she was pleased with the federal response to the tornado and the state had everything we need to deal with it. But he didn't twist it. Just pinked her a bit.

For her part, the Governor trotted out her spokesperson to make the "What I really meant" defense.

Spokesperson Nicole Corcoran averred the governor didn't mean to suggest that Kansas was unable to deal with the tornado damage. Rather, Governor Sebelius' comments about National Guard equipment were meant to be taken as a warning about the state's inability to handle additional disasters, such as another tornado or severe flooding, she said, neatly inoculating Sebelius if the Missouri river flooding gets out of hand. There have been some levee breaches downstream of here in flatter and more densely populated ground - here at Leavenworth we're up on a bluff overlooking the river, except for the narrow area where our steamboat landing used to be.

"We are doing absolutely fine right now," Corcoran said. "What the governor is talking about is down the road."

Governor Sebelius has been griping for a while about the war and the drain on National Guard manpower and equipment she clearly feels should be home in the state and not out gallivanting about the world and leaving their gear behind. She's continually griping the Pentagon is not replacing gear, such as the engineer vehicles that are most useful in disasters, quickly enough.

True enough. The Pentagon is focused on the external threats and fighting the war, though I'm guessing that NORTHCOM, the combatant command charged with the defense of the continental US is fully aware of where the shortages exist and has plans for coping. At least we did back in the day when I was a Federal disaster response planner.

Both sides were playing for a larger audience, and both sides fired on each other when the effort would have been better expended attacking the common problem. But that seems too hard for the political class these days.

Since the Adjutant General falls in the congressional district of Nancy Boyda (D, KS 2) who sits on the House Armed Services Committee, perhaps the Governor will push that lever to affect Administration priorities. The Congress has seen fit in the past to give the Pentagon money for things and programs it didn't want or felt it needed - and since the majority leadership of the Congress clearly feels the Commander-in-Chief and his executive agents aren't up to the task, perhaps they should seize the reins via the budget and their charge to raise and equip armies...

Just sayin'. Several print and broadcast media sources were used in feeding this rant.

Update: For a more troubling look at Governor Sebelius' performance in this issue, take a gander at Peter Boyles in NRO.

Greenburg/Flooding Disaster Update from the Adjutant General.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 8, 2007

No. 07-067

PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH PREPARES TO VISIT GREENSBURG ;

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES PREPARE TO REBUILD GREENSBURG

Residents of Greensburg are preparing for a visit from President George W. Bush on Wednesday, May 9. The President signed a federal disaster declaration for Kiowa County on May 6 at the request of Governor Kathleen Sebelius.

At the same time, local, state, and federal officials in Kiowa County are developing short-term and long-term plans to recover from the May 5 tornado and rebuild the town of Greensburg .

The Kansas Department of Transportation has provided a mobile broadcasting unit to provide updated emergency information to the residents of Greensburg . The low power transmission unit will allow residents in a very limited area to tune to 1610 AM to receive these updated broadcasts.

Search and rescue efforts continue throughout the area at the present time.

Debris continues to be cleared from public right of way to allow for ease of transportation throughout the area and provide access to private property. Anyone who will be assisting with debris removal will be required to have an up-to-date tetanus shot. Locations have been identified where that debris is being transported and disposed. A burn ban is in effect in Kiowa County without the approval of the Board of County Commissioners.

Locations have been identified and temporary structures are being developed to provide housing for city and county government.

A number of insurance carriers have begun processing claims and are headquartered at the Interstate Inn on the east end of Greensburg .

Law enforcement authorities in the Kiowa County area have recovered a significant number of personal firearms during the initial search and rescue. Those firearms have been secured and will be returned when proof of ownership is confirmed.

According to the Kansas Department of Labor, Federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is available for workers affected by the severe weather in Kiowa County . Assistance is available to qualifying residents of Kiowa County pursuant to the President’s federal disaster declaration. All workers are encouraged to apply for regular unemployment benefits. The DUA program covers persons that may be not covered under the regular unemployment insurance program.

Applications for unemployment insurance may be filed at the Disaster Center located in the gymnasium at Barclay College in Haviland beginning at 8am on Wednesday, May 9. Kansas Department of Labor staff will be on site May 9, 10 and 11 to assist workers in filing applications.

Kingman, Neosho and Wabaunsee Counties have declared local disaster emergencies due to flooding, bringing the total number of local flood declarations to 27. Other counties with flood disaster declarations are Barton, Clay, Dickinson , Doniphan, Edwards, Ellsworth, Geary, Harper, Leavenworth , Lincoln , Lyon, Nemaha, Osage, Osborne, Phillips, Pottawatomie, Pratt, Reno , Rice, Riley, Saline, Shawnee , Stafford and Washington Counties .

It was reported earlier that Clark County officials had declared a local disaster emergency. That report was not correct. Clark County currently has no disaster declaration.

The Kansas National Guard has 361 soldiers and 114 airmen on duty in response to the Greensburg tornado, in addition to four command vehicles, plus generators and light sets to support emergency operations. Eight other Guardsmen are assisting authorities in Elwood with levee security.

The Civil Air Patrol is conducting photo reconnaissance flights over the Missouri and Smoky Hill Rivers . There is a temporary flight restriction in effect over the Greensburg area for non-authorized aircraft.

A short review of Spiderman 3.

While most of the Denizens were focused on the Milblog Conference this weekend gollum was drug by The Wife to see SPM3. The best way I can talk about it without being a spoiler is to say that it felt rushed and attempted to be very ambitious with the amount of story it tried to tell.

The Wife and I being casual comic book people we were able to fill in many of the gaps, but people less familiar with the material might be a little bewildered since it is shot at you at 100mph. Maybe not since much of it isn’t dwelt on at length, even though it’s a 2hr+ movie. Which is sad since the back story of Venom, Sandman, and Green Goblin 2 are intensely rich and well developed in the Marvel universe. They could’ve picked just one villain and done the entire movie about Spiderman and that villain.

It’s entertaining. The message is the same as in both SPM1 and SPM2: you always have a choice whether to be an agent for good or not. It is 2 hours and some change long, so if you’ve got Child Labor Units be prepared to have to take them to the bathroom a couple of times.

It was ambitious, and it fails to live up to that ambition. The multiple storylines get little development and can leave you with a 'huh?' moment if you actually wonder about the why. There are great special effects scenes (too many as they interfered with the story telling) and a few not so good ones. It tries to weave at least 4 story lines together at one time. While that keeps you interested it kinda cheats you when you get such truncated ending of each story line.

It is still a pretty film; it’s still a fun popcorn flick with a minor moral message, but not as good as the first two. Well worth matinee ticket prices, but you need to be epic to be worth normal prices in my book. It’s good, but not epic. The first came closer to epic without attaining it so it’s only a little let off, but still worth matinee if you are looking to be entertained. Three and a half out of five I’d say. Not a must see, but worth seeing.
--ry