Comments for H&I* Fires, 07 MAY 2007

H&I* Fires, 07 MAY 2007

2007-05-08T04:15:36Z

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...

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SWWBO and I have to pack out and head to the airport for our return to the Land of Ahs, where, sadly, there have been many Dorothy's this weekend. So I'm going to toss this up here for the rest of you to fill out, leaving this picture of soldier's on patrol in Nineveh. There are more pics from this series available from Strategy Page.

A Soldier with Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division from Fort Bliss, Texas, patrols the Nineveh ancient ruins, April 4, Mosul, Iraq.

Oh, we had dinner last night at Carrie's, with Cassandra, Mrs. G, Maryann, Carla, SWWBO, Fuzzybear, and others - I'll leave you with this teaser. A conversation opener was;

"Oh, sure, you threw me under the bus for a Starbucks, b*tch!"

The conversation went downhill from there.

(all in fun, no worries, eh?) -the Armorer

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We had our Talking With Heroes event on Friday May 4th. I have some video from the pre-event talking with some of the guests, troops and supporters.

I would also like to suggest watching Doc in the Box on CNN about milblogging.

Or, check out Blackfive for letters from congress people in support of milblogging and a very special video with Mr. Stokely talking about his sons service, when he discovered he was killed and how milblogging gave him back his life.

Also, on a side note, I want to address a news story that came out of Greensburg, KS last night. Apparently, 4 soldiers from Ft. Riley (along with a reserve police officer), who were there to assist with the restoring order after the complete devestation of the town [update: just home and caught the news and comments - these soldiers were not there on official business; they went down on the their own and possibly planned to loot], were arrested for stealing alcohol and cigarettes from a local Dillons. Now, this might not seem like a big deal considering what could have been taken, but, in the balance of things, when people have lost their whole lives, this takes on a whole new perspective. Particularly, when it is done by people in uniform that others instinctively trust.

Maybe, they assumed what some do, it is only a pack of cigarettes and the store has insurance. That is neither here nor there. Take nothing when you see such disaster. Give everything. Every day, men and women in uniform around the world do just that. They have given everything. .

Shame on these men for breaking trust and bringing dishonor.
-Kat

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(Restoring) Best quote from the Weekly Standard ...
"On a final note, there was one character in particular who stands out in my mind as the group's most enthusiastic blogger/activist/all-around-lunatic. That would be the man behind the blog Castle Argghhh!, who provided much of the event's comic relief. His claim to fame: his blog is ranked number one by Google for the search "I bayoneted myself." Definitely a site you'll want to bookmark if you have even the slightest interest in the milblog phenomenon. "

AHHHHHHH..... Life is good, is it not? - AFSister
(helpfully posted by Barb)

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The Armorer of Argghhh... stomped on again, this time by Barb [posting the same thing I was) - (sound of blogwork being done accompanied by mutterings about snarky non-posting co-bloggers] [Sound of canvas screen being whipped away, revealing the next 4 words] about me now being Milblogging's most famous and enthusiastic eccentric. My life is complete. -the Armorer

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Coffee does a soldier good! Help a deployed soldier win coffee for his unit from Folgers. Vote for him.

You can vote once a day. So make sure you go over tomorrow and the day after, etc, to vote.

-Kat

]]> *A term of art from the artillery. Harassment and Interdiction Fires.

Back in the day, when you could just kill people and break things without a note from a lawyer, they were pre-planned, but to the enemy, random, fires at known gathering points, road junctions, Main Supply Routes, assembly areas, etc - to keep the bad guy nervous that the world around him might start exploding at any minute.

*Not really relevant to today's operating environment, right? But, it *is*

The ~~UAVs~~ (oops, can't call 'em UAVs anymore - they're now Unmanned Aerial Systems... some Colonel got his Legion of Merit for that change...), er, um UAS's we fly over Afghanistan and Pakistan looking for targets of opportunity are a form of H&I fires, if you really want to parse it finely. We just have better sensors and fire control now.

I call the post that because it's random things posted by me and people I've given posting privileges to. It's also an open trackback, so if someone has a post they're proud of, but it really isn't either Castle kind of stuff, or topical to a particular post, I've basically given blanket permission to use that post for that purpose. Another term of art that might be appropriate is "Free Fire Zone".

Comment from Carrie on 2007-05-08

2007-05-08T21:00:14Z

Before I forget.. All in fun, yes!! No worries here. And I am a total pottymouth which is a very small part of the reason why I bonded so quickly with the person I said that to. I have the most delightful imaginary friends. If the milbloggers conference is here next year, I'll install a trapeze in the family room for the post conference dinner...

Comment from Cassandra on 2007-05-08

2007-05-08T16:33:23Z

With any luck, you could have been over ANY "male". Or under. Hmmm...exactly what kind of conference *was* this anyway????

Comment from Trias on 2007-05-08

2007-05-08T14:00:59Z

There something sickeningly basal about criminal temptation to loot during a disaster which appears very widespread. You see it all the time. Iraq after the conquest, after Katrina, the LA riots and so on. Bit like taking your mum's purse after she falls down the stairs or something. I'm sure the US military (and police) has rules and they need only follow that whether civilian or military. No doubt exploiting the uniform of the police and army to conduct criminal acts is quite a no-no. I'm just glad they got caught. And it didn't happen in Iraq.

Comment from Barb on 2007-05-08

2007-05-08T05:07:13Z

Hey, Ry - I think we have John and Beth's votes already. We need to go lobby Andi if we want the arrangements for next year to head to the center of the country :-)

Comment from ry on 2007-05-07

2007-05-08T02:57:09Z

Well, there's still the Castle Blogshoot that's been tossed around half a dozen times. And I've got all these shooting bibs....

Comment from AFSister on 2007-05-07

2007-05-08T01:54:28Z

Maggie- Blackmail sounds so prejudice. I'm pretty sure it's just "red-headed hungover" mail. With any luck, you could have been over ANY "male". Or under.

Comment from Cassandra on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T23:48:34Z

I have received a horrific email in a dastardly blackmail attempt.... Blackmail is a crime punishable by death. Or so they say. Wish I'd been able to attend the conference - I heard so much (good) about all of you. I'm very jealous.

Comment from AW1 Tim on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T23:41:10Z

Gang, I'd like to go back to DC. Still stuff i want to check out, but I'm open to other venues. I just need to check for a few things before heading to Sandy Eggom or California. I'm pretty sure I cleared up those warrant thingees...... Heh... :)

Comment from Barb on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T23:27:54Z

I've done it in DC - although it's been a few years. Oh, wait. You meant the conference. (Just being enthusiastic ... heh!) Seriously - I would love to converge on KC next, because it might optimize meeting more Denizens and other fine bloggers, and because we could arrange a Castle meet as well. But I think Kat has a good point. Sandy Eggo would be wonderful as well - but I bet KC would be more cost effective ;-)

Comment from kat-missouri on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T23:23:18Z

laced with rum

Comment from Maggie on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T22:50:05Z

I have received a horrific email in a dastardly blackmail attempt. Any pics you see that are purported to be of me at the MilBlog Conference are clearly doctored. It is abundantly clear that this is the work of some criminal syndicate or terrorist group. I would not rule out Hamas, since this appears to be photoshopping along the lines of "Flat Fatima". I was a good girl alllllll night. Remember, the Armorer himself said so elsewhere in this blog. I sat, demurely in a chair, sipping a cup of Earl Grey tea.

Comment from kat-missouri on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T22:38:25Z

Yeah! Kansas City! Although, I understand doing it in DC. DoD, congress, white house, walter reed and plenty of publicity.

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T22:02:24Z

I'm up for a change of venue. Heck, Kansas City - closer to everybody!

Comment from lex on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T21:59:38Z

I'm so very much happier that you got that kind of attention for your Google fame, then I might have gotten for mine. That kind of love I don't need. Nice to meet all of you that I did, regrets that I missed those I didn't. How about Sandy Eggo next year?

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T21:28:29Z

The article of the UCMJ that covers what CAPT H is driving at is Article 134, called the "General Article."

934. ART. 134. GENERAL ARTICLE Though not specifically mentioned in this chapter, all disorders and neglects to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces, all conduct of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces, and crimes and offenses not capital, of which persons subject to this chapter may be guilty, shall be taken cognizance of by a general, special or summary court-martial, according to the nature and degree of the offense, and shall be punished at the discretion of that court.

Emphasis mine. If the civil authority chooses to prosecute for larceny, theft, etc, whichever charges are appropriate under Kansas law, then I, as a commander, would not prefer charges under the UCMJ for the same offenses. If the civil authorities did turn them back to me with an expectation that I would deal with it (which they might well do, so that the costs associated with trial and any conviction would be borne by the Army and not the affected county, or the State) then I would still charge them for the purely Military offense of "Conduct of a nature to bring discredit to the Armed Forces of the United States." Further, depending on the circumstances of an acquittal of the larceny charges by the state, I would *still* charge them under Art. 134. Because that's the way it would be, in my command.

Comment from ry on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T20:55:39Z

Ed, I have no problem with that. If that's what the Regs read then so be it. I'm just opposed to hyping and adding simply because it happened during a very public moment. If petty theft is a ballbuster than use the nutcracker. If it isn't? Then don't reach for it to win PR brownie points. That's all I'm saying. And it sounds ike JMH is saying that a nutcracker can be gotten without fudging. Fine. I have no problem with that. Just so long as there's no fudging the system to placate the public.

Comment from BillT on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T19:33:49Z

Barb (posting the same thing I was) - Milblogging's most famous and enthusiastic eccentric. And here I thought *you* were Milblogging's most famous and enthusiastic eccentric. All this time, I figgered Barb was merely famous and enthusiastic...

Comment from Ed Tracey on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T19:11:56Z

Ry - Because people, both barracks/tent mates who have to live together with little security for personal affects, and the populace that we are expected to protect as part of the support and defend the constitution clause in our oaths, theft has traditionally been considered a far worse crime within the military than in the general population. You ask any 1st Sgt and they’ll tell you that larceny in the ranks is second only to murder because it is as J.M. says, prejudicial to good order and discipline. It also destroys morale and unit cohesion.

Comment from J.M. Heinrichs on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T19:03:01Z

Ry You forget "Conduct to the prejudice of good order and discipline." Always the final entry on the list of charges. Cheers

Comment from ry on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T18:52:26Z

don't send me to the dungeon with ry. He eats all the cheetos.

Mine! Mine! Nothing but mine! And they're stale too. Rule of law before court of public opinion or PR. If petty theft has a certain punishment listed in UCMJ it should stop at that punishmnet. There's a time for worrying about media black eyes and then there's a time for doing what's right according to the law.

Comment from kat-missouri on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T18:40:12Z

Heh...John's famous. I am just a groupie, a hanger on, a rider of the tailcoats...LOL Platonic groupie, that is, since SWWBO would murderize anyone as anything else. And here I am not even writing my best stuff. Like going to a cocktail party in your sweats.

Comment from Mike L on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T18:36:26Z

It's important to note that the soldiers WERE NOT on official military business - the Army didn't send them and they were described as being where they weren't supposed to be. I hope thay are first tried and convicted in civil court for their crime, and then tried by Court Martial for dereliction of duty, AWOL and whatever else the CM convening authority cann think of. We (Army - was; am; always will be) don't need this kind of press. Just sayin'. ML

Comment from kat-missouri on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T18:27:17Z

Sorry, boys and girls. It acted like it wasn't posting, then I realized I had the wrong link to the looting story and jumped back in again to fix it. don't send me to the dungeon with ry. He eats all the cheetos.

Comment from Maggie on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T18:24:24Z

Tim - I loved meeting you as well, but I am *not* happy that you didn't explain about your alter ego! Cassandra - I am sorry I missed meeting you. Next year!

Comment from AFSister on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T18:12:34Z

AW1Tim... *wink*

Comment from AW1 Tim on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T18:01:46Z

Gang, A pleasure to meet so many interesting Denizens. Didn't have as much time as I would like to in order to say high to everyone saturday night. I had a 4am wake-up for an early rotate back to Maine which stretched out to a very long day and later arrival home. Ah well, such things make for an interesting life, and will weave themselves into blog posts when I finally break down and get my own up and running. And fellers, the ladies who post here are far more enchanting in person than one would ever imagine. Dangerous, that....... Respects,

Comment from Barb on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T17:48:21Z

Sorry, John - Didn't realize you were trying to restore as well ;-) Ennywho - all's good now. And I agree with the sentiment so far on the looting story. Shameful story.

Comment from Cassandra on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T17:48:17Z

At least you didn't haffta fight the idjuts on I-95 this time... Don't go there. The entire population of Northern Va. has my deepest sympathy.

Comment from Karla (threadbndr) on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T17:34:43Z

John and Maggie - hope the Castle is 'high and dry', we are flooding here in the capitol city. Re the soldiers - COURTS MARTIAL. And then some time in bad side of your post! No excuse. When I think of the fact that our Explorer Scouts and MCJROTC and CAP Cadets (most of whom have NOT raised their hands) are doing/have done better on duty during disasters, I'm appalled.

Comment from Barb on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T17:29:50Z

Oh, fark! Kat wiped out the post I added for AFSis. *trudges off to re-do lost segment*

Comment from John Stephens on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T17:24:32Z

Re: Soldiers in uniform looting The army should NOT let the civilians try these guys. They need to be court-martialed, and that right quickly. If convicted (and the facts as reported look pretty damning), they should be given an old fashioned drumming out prior to being shipped off to Fort Leavenworth for as long as the UCMJ permits. This is disgusting.

Comment from AFSister on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T16:39:05Z

Thanks for the help, Barb! If you haven't seen President Bush's address to the conference, you can find it embedded in the linked article. Listen, pay attention- you'll find that Bush (and/or his speach-writers) are paying attention to us!

Comment from Cassandra on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T16:16:52Z

Two words: *So* Hung over. OK. That was three. How about this: *So* much fun. [groan]

Comment from Boquisucio on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T15:45:45Z

At least you didn't haffta fight the idjuts on I-95 this time, though only Moneta's Minions - Bos. Mag. Somehow I have the feeling that Crystal City won't be the same for many moons to come.

Comment from Maggie on 2007-05-07

2007-05-07T12:41:03Z

I wish I had opted to come back on Monday......my 8:10 pm flight was cancelled and I finally got home at 0245 this morning. I'm sensing a trend with my return from DC adventures....last year was the car accident, this year was "Night at the Airport"