Argghhh! The Home Of Two Of Jonah's Military Guys..: July 29, 2007

by Denizens on Aug 04, 2007 | General Commentary

Continuing the Whatziss...

Keep at it, boys and girls. If you're new to this - start here.

Any new ideas?

Or ask Marvin Perret, Coast Guard veteran. Jim Robbins did, for National Review:

by John on Aug 04, 2007 | Gun Pr0n - A Naughty Expose' of the fiddly bits

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday USCG!

The United States Coast Guard is 217 years in service today. Bravo Zulu!

More often than not, they are the forgotten military service. But, as the Army song notes... "When we were needed, we were there..."

Ask the one million saved.

A Coast Guardsman’s Tale
Semper Paratus.

By James S. Robbins

There are still many surviving veterans of the June 1944 Normandy Invasion. Also many who landed at Iwo Jima in February 1945. But how many can claim to have participated in both battles? Not to mention Operation Dragoon in southern France and the “Typhoon of Steel” at Okinawa? If he can, there is a good chance he was a member of the United States Coast Guard, which celebrates its 217th birthday this Saturday.

One such veteran is Marvin Perrett, a Coast Guard landing craft coxswain assigned to the USS Bayfield (APA-33). He joined up in 1943 when he turned 18 and was sent to Camp Lejune to train on a classic drop-front Higgins Boat landing craft (LCVP). Shortly thereafter he found himself on a rough sea voyage to Britain. At that time the Coast Guard had been seconded to the Navy and operated jointly as a Navy asset. The Coastguardsmen wore Navy uniforms, the only difference being a small shield on the sleeve. This became the object of sport for the sailors — during liberty at Glasgow they spread a rumor among the young ladies that the shield signified that these men had a social disease. “After a few bar room fights we straightened that mess out,” Marvin said.

He first saw action April 28, 1944, during Exercise Tiger in Lyme Bay off the southern coast of England. It was a warm-up for the Normandy invasion and was supposed to have tight security, but nine German E-Boats snuck into the training area and attacked. The E-Boats hit fast and furious then withdrew, pursued by much slower American rocket-armed boats, one of which was manned by gunners mate Yogi Berra. Over six hundred Americans were killed by enemy fire, and later several hundred more died from friendly fire in the live ammunition exercise. Ultimately there were more casualties in Exercise Tiger than there would be on Utah Beach on June 6.

Read the whole piece by clicking the link above.

Always Ready - a tip of the Armorer's helm to the lads and lasses of the United States Coast Guard!

H/t Larry K, whose son serves in the USCG which causes Larry to be our source for all things Coastie!

by John on Aug 04, 2007 | Observations on things Military

What famous movie/TV character is your boss?

One of the projects I'm working on is an analytical effort supporting Army experimentation that will take place over the coming year. One of the things you've got to get done early - and well - are setting your objectives, from that developing the issues, from that decomposing your essential elements of analysis, then your measures of performance and merit, etc. Parallel and in conjunction, all of that helps you define your venues, participants, and how you are going to generate and collect all your data. All of which wraps up into a product called the Data Collection Management Plan. Thank heavens I'm not in charge of it - but I'm on the team that's developing it. I'm also helping in the parallel efforts of scenario design and models and sims support.

All this means meetings. Meetings with smart, very experienced people of diverse backgrounds, from warfighter commanders and operators, to math geeks, to academics.

Meeting after meeting after meeting after meeting of smart, type-A personalities, each and every one of us capable of a detailed-in-the-minutiae discussion of how many angels will dance on the head of that pin.

I don't envy my colleague who has to herd these cats.

Some of this is *hard*. We'll sit there, seeming victims of a Harry Potter-esque "Stupefy" spell, all anxiously waiting for someone else to drag us back from the precipice. Well, that's early in the meeting. Later in the meeting you can hear the conductor in the background yelling "Boaaaard! Last call for the bus to Abilene!"...

Yesterday, in the DCMP meeting, we were discussing differences in commanders and how they gather, analyze, and act on information, and how that relates to what data they need and how it needs to be presented to them. We were talking about explicit and implicit knowledge, and where a commander's knowledge of his subordinates came into play in that context.

It was one of those precipice moments.

And one of us suggested (tongue-in-cheek) that the way to get to that particular element was to bring in a division commander and his brigade and battalion commanders... and run a seminar along the lines of "The Apprentice."

Whereupon someone else noted - "I worked for a commander like Trump - he'd point to you in a staff meeting and say, "You're Fired!"

Heh. After noting that I too had worked for a commander like that - I added that I had also worked for the Dread Pirate Roberts - a commander who said the equivalent of "Well enough for today John. I'll likely kill you in the morning."

So - what famous/infamous/funny cultural characters have *You* worked for?

I worked for Captain Jack Sparrow. He was always hatching hair brained schemes, counting his squabs before they hatched, hitting on the women and some how, always came out on top. That is, until one day, the dreaded Davey Jones rose out of the sea and said, "your fired!"

I think I worked for Harvey the Invisible Rabbit, too. Never had his door open. Always heard him talking to somebody, but no idea who and everybody gave him credit for things he couldn't possibly have done because he was invisible!

And golum. I worked for golum once. He definitely had a tendency to be bent over some statistical reports and operational plans whispering, "my precious". And he did not like to share. Occasionally he would try to push people over the edge or beat them to death with a rock.

Oh..then there was the nerdy, talky guy that reminded me of the accountant in "Ghostbusters". You know the one that was the "key master"? Always trying to win people over with some nifty sales pitch or party while simultaneously calculating the cost and looking for the least expensive (need I say "cheap"?) way to do things. He never could figure out why no one wanted to hang out with him.

posted by kat-missouri on August 4, 2007 9:54 AM

I worked *with* a fellow commander who was Doctor Peter Venkman. Always a hare-brained idea he couldn't quite pull off, as it went bad in some bizarre fashion.

posted by John of Argghhh! on August 4, 2007 10:12 AM

Well, my first battalion commander loved giving creatively profane motivational speeches to the whole battalion.

At his Farewell, we ran the opening sequence of 'Patton' whilst roasting him.

posted by Heartless Libertarian on August 4, 2007 12:22 PM

I once worked for a "continued Major" who our Chief refered to as the "Mystery Guest," but the rest of us called him "Sybil." Some days he would be at work an hour before the morning staff meeting (that he chaired, BTW) and yelling at anybody who got in his way about just about anything; he particularly liked to chew out the Captain who ran the bomb dump in public. He once chewed my a$$ because His desk was a mess. Other days, he would come in an hour late in a uniform that it looked like he had slept in and didn't give a sh*t about anything.

posted by Oldloadr on August 4, 2007 2:10 PM

A hybrid of Niccolo Machiavelli and Temujin.

Minus their sense of humor...

posted by BillT on August 5, 2007 7:11 AM

My last boss was so much like Kramer that my co-worker and I actually called him that on many occassions. He'd bust through the door, look around, shifting his eyes; mouth slightly agap, and then say "DBIE! I need.... blahblahblah"

pretty funny.

posted by AFSister on August 5, 2007 10:43 PM

by John on Aug 04, 2007 | I think it's funny!

H&I Fires* 3 Aug 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...

*********************************
Cry me a river. Not.

On this one, you can cry me a river. Not because of the conviction, but because of the failure of leadership that led to the ruination of several lives - not least the murder victim. -the Armorer

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Beachamp Investigation Concluded
Matt Sanchez blogs about the result of the Scott Thomas investigation.
After a thorough investigation that lasted nearly a week the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division has concluded that the allegation made by Private Thomas Scott Beauchamp, the "Baghdad Diarist", have been
"refuted by members of his platoon and proven to be false"
h/t The Corner....Maggie

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Continuing in that theme about TNR and Scott Thomas - Bob Owens at Confederate Yankee has more. -the Armorer

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Howdy. You may remember from the July 31 H&R a note from Denizen Steve about Operation YouTube Smackdown, going after YouTube for hosting jihadi videos. I'm happy to report John has authorized me to share a Daily Featured Smackdown with you. Each day I'll be posting a link to one of our Repeat Offenders, an uploader with a large number of jihad videos on his account, but one we haven't been able to get YouTube to close down (we've got dozens of videos and five accounts closed in our first few weeks).

You can click the link, and watch the video until you see something objectionable, then flag it. Typically under hate speech or graphic violence. As a rule, we won't put the worst up on our Daily Feature, so it'll be as 'work-safe' as this kind of jihad video can be. We've begun this over at Rachel Lucas' site, and yesterday we had an account with over a dozen videos taken down.

You can click on the link above to visit our site, where we have more how-to info, and a Daily Dozen of such links we're posting to make it easier for folks to find and flag these videos. We'll appreciate as much or as little time as you have for the effort. Today's Featured Smackdown video: Insurgent sniper video from iraq - by huz999

Thank you. - Rickbert
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The Armorer notes - we've signed on to help Rickbert in his quest because it's all a part of the emerging battle of ideas and cultures - and how we use and exploit the Internet. For those of you who participate in this - you are engaging in what the services term an "Information Operation," and are in fact doing something DoD would probably like to do, but faces some real legal challenges to do on their own. That said - remember when you are clicking links they are going to be real war videos, take into account where you are and who you are and who is around you.

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Given that the Armorer is a redleg, and given that the Canadian army rarely beats the U.S. Army to the punch, I found this piece at Jane's IDR quite gratifying:

The A2 version of BAE Systems' M777 Lightweight 155 mm towed howitzer was awarded Full Material Release by the US Army Tank Automotive and Armaments Command in July.
The M777A2 incorporates a software update enabling it to programme and fire the Raytheon M982 Excalibur GPS/INS-guided projectile, substantially increasing the howitzer's range and accuracy.

The US Army and US Marine Corps (USMC) have so far ordered a total of 591 M777s, of which approximately 250 have been completed. The majority have been M777A1 models fitted with the General Dynamics TAD (Towed Artillery Digitisation) fire-control system, but these were preceded by 96 baseline M777s delivered to the USMC with conventional optical sights as part of low-rate initial production.

The M777A2 version of the howitzer will be the version issued to all US Army and USMC units. Those army units currently operating the M777A1 will receive a software upgrade to bring their TAD systems to A2 standard, as will the USMC M777s.

...

The Canadian Army has so far purchased 12 baseline M777 howitzers through Foreign Military Sales and was the first to commit the weapon to battlefield operations, having had a battery of four M777s (since raised to six) in service in Afghanistan since February 2006. These have been modified with a bespoke Canadian-conceived digital gun management system (DGMS) based on the Selex LINAPS automatic gun laying and navigation system, in combination with a handheld ballistics computing terminal. DGMS allows the Canadian gunners to programme and fire Excalibur.

Actually, what amazes me about this story is that my country's Department of National Defence could actually come up with a customized gun management solution quickly enough to deploy it when we bought the guns from the USMC in the first place. Normally, that sort of thing takes years and years and years.... - Damian

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See: Precision-guided munitions kills top al Qaeda leader Multi-National Division – Center PAO

Since Sgt. Hutchins was from Plymouth, the local papers have been running stories about his family. It really seems like a horrible but unusual event in his life. They really seem like a nice family. I feel they are victims too. Not to take away from the suffering of the victim and his family, but they seem more real to me because they are right here in my backyard.

posted by Maggie on August 3, 2007 8:37 AM

Easiest way to get a video / user banned from YouTube is to flag them Conservative

posted by KCSteve on August 3, 2007 12:15 PM

BLIND NAVY VETERAN ACCOMPLISHES THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM
The Navy has a tradition of helping their own. Elroy day, a former bubble head has an incredible story to tell. He was blinded in a home invasion in North Carolina in 1995. He recently applied for and was accepted into the Purple Heart Service Foundations job training program to teach him how to become an at home call center agent. Against all odds, working with a disability that would stop most everyone else, he graduated. He completed 600 hours of hard training and now he is reaching out to other blind and vision disabled veterans to tell them about the opportunity that he had. He wants other blind veterans to come and join him. You see, he has a dream of opening a blinded veterans call center. Staffed by former members of the US military who are now blind, for what ever reason. You can help with his dream, just spreading the word. If you know of any veteran who is vision disabled, have them contact Elroy Day immediately . They can email him at eday@carolina.rr.com or call Ms. Thompson at 703 835 3531.
And remember, the Navy has a tradition of helping their own.

posted by Elroy Day on August 3, 2007 12:18 PM

I see the Excalibur is being put to good use.

[MNF release]:

BAGHDAD — The top target for al Qaeda in Iraq south of Baghdad was killed July 14 in Arab Jabour by precision-guided munitions, the Excalibur.

Shortly after 12 p.m., 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, received a call that Abu Jurah and 14 anti-Iraqi forces were meeting at a house in Arab Jabour. At approximately 1:12 p.m., the house was positively identified allowing 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery Regiment to fire two Excalibur rounds destroying the meeting house...

posted by Ledger on August 3, 2007 10:52 PM

mullah cimoc say amerika right now this moment being destroy. No. 1, him barak obama him working for the hilary clinton woman. divert the money from the real competitor with fake campaign. him test water on issues for clinton woman, see what safe for her. No. 2, real mr. imus story of get the fired him. this been planning long time. imus him just convenient target, could have been anyone, if white and the male. this real purpose to terrorize media persons for lose job if tangle with this woman hilary clinton and the most important for signal true end of white male controlling usa. This call the impose discipline. this all part god plan yes.

thising for purify whitie society to cleanse of the bad. so bad time for tattoo having people when cleansing time come. them get it very very first. like big neon sign on head say: i scum, please cleanse me.

posted by mullah cimoc on August 3, 2007 11:54 PM

We need more amateur Information Operators and PSYOP Surrogates. Nobody in the government is going to effectively counter the enemy propaganda enthusiastically pumped into our brains 24/7 by our own media.

posted by Cannoneer No. 4 on August 4, 2007 9:18 AM

by Denizens on Aug 03, 2007 | General Commentary

Let's have a whatziss!

Go ahead, speculate

Go ahead - guess away.

by John on Aug 03, 2007 | Gun Pr0n - A Naughty Expose' of the fiddly bits

New correspondent from the box...

Carpe Capria
Slightly larger version available here.

In addition to Bill's Excellent Adventure, there is a Castle Reader and Contributor off in the 'Stan.

His contributions are the "Motivators" posters - his latest available above.

The good sailor in a landlocked-country is a busy man, but we've got some missives of his to give a flavor of the "Life of the Deployed."

Well it’s been a long trip but we are here. Kabul is an interesting place, at least what I can see from the compound. On the convoy in from the airfield the British Corporal in charge said to watch out for anything “unusual”. Of course that only works if you know what is “usual”. I just looked out for the kids, figuring that if people let their children out it should be safe for us.

The room I share with the two Poles is a little small, but as our old team leaves LTC M and I will take their cushy digs, which means I can actually unpack much of my stuff and also set up my computer and download my photos. The food however, is great, there is curry and kabob meat available at lunch and dinner, and I usually stick with that. The job is in a bit of transition right now, we are here as part of a Joint Forces Command experiment fielding some new planning tools. NATO is not sure if they want to use all or parts or none of the things we bring, but we are doing our best to lend an oar wherever we see a need.

Some quick impressions:

The Engrish: A large sign on the Afghan office announcing it the home of the “Sivil Aviation Bureau” and the slightly off grammar of most of the signs around. (Please not to put refuse in toilet)

Being briefed by a Lawyer from the Canadian Navy named LCDR Pierre-Noel and wondering if there was a Captain Santa Clause from Toronto somewhere.

Going to the Bazaar, where everyone is my friend (“hello my friend”) and has the lowest prices on the best quality in all Afghanistan, only for me.

More on that last bit in a future post. All I can say is - it's good for the Brady Bunch that the Armorer is *not* in Kabul, as the count of pre-1898 weapons in the US would *double* by the time I returned. My mailman would hate me for all the long bulky packages he'd be schlepping to the door.

Being briefed by a Lawyer from the Canadian Navy named LCDR Pierre-Noel and wondering if there was a Captain Santa Clause from Toronto somewhere.

I don't know of a Canuck Captain Santa Claus, but I do know of an American Captain Canada. From CTV News correspondent Tom Clark's Afghanistan blog:

Thursday March 1, 2007
I am not making this up.

Today I met Captain Canada.

Clearly this needs some explanation.

The Kandahar Air Field is swimming in nationalities: Canadians, Brits, Dutch, Romanians, Jordanians, Afghans, Australians, and especially Americans. Our southern cousins are everywhere here, which is not surprising because they are by far the largest contingent on Base. They are also everyone's best friend in need. Any ground unit here knows that if you run into a spot of something, one call to the American air force can usually get you out of it. They are also extremely friendly.

Although this is a multinational mission, every country maintains, and proudly so, its own distinct uniforms, insignias, and recreational compounds. The Dutch, for instance, have their own little Amsterdam style café, without of course anything you would normally find in an Amsterdam Café, except coffee.

But the mess tents are a multinational free-for-all. It was there that I spotted him. At the next table, a person wearing a distinctly American uniform, with the words U.S. Air Force over the left pocket of his shirt, and the word Canada over the right pocket. I guess my curiosity showed.

"Canadian eh?" he said in a drawl that came straight from south of the Mason Dixon line.

"Canadians always stare".

Well, yeah!

Any uniform that has both U.S. Air Force and Canada on it is a bit unusual, for either Canadians or Americans. It turns out that it was more unusual than I imagined.

He introduced himself.

"Hi. Captain Rick Canada"

(First reaction: get out of here! Second reaction: stifle growing urge to guffaw.)

So I had to say something I never thought I'd ever get to say; "Nice to meet you ... Captain Canada".

From his expression, he's gone through this routine a few times before. But he was extremely indulgent, patient, and pleasant. He explained that the origin of his name is Spanish (which lends credence to one of the stories of how we got that name for our country -- a Spanish explorer took one look at it and declared "Ca Nada", which loosely translated means "there's nothing here").

But when I got more comfortable with his name, Captain Canada and I talked. He was an extremely amiable man and he opened up about something else.

He's been in Afghanistan for six months now, and it's the first time he's ever worked with Canadian soldiers.

"We really like working with your guys." And in that wonderfully direct and sincere way Americans speak he added: "I mean it. They're great. Best around."

Who's to disagree with Captain Canada? Not me.

Sorry for the length, but like Clark, I found the whole situation quite funny - and appropriate, given the Santa Claus quip in the post.

posted by Damian on August 3, 2007 8:43 AM

Some days the goat. Nothing like a sense of humor for some real motivation. Thanks.

posted by Rickbert on August 3, 2007 11:53 AM

Hubs and I understand more than most what reactions you get from names. His name is Dean Martin. Seriously. We've had everything you could think of, including one calling me Jerry Lewis. Not hardly. Anyhow, it's still fun to see others in the same predicament. ;-) Thanks for the giggle.

posted by tankerswife on August 3, 2007 3:21 PM

by John on Aug 03, 2007 | Global War on Terror (GWOT)

Postcards from the Edgy.

Pity the poor Guardian Angels...

Between the weather, aircraft availability and mechanical problems, this week's training program has been a bust. Aircraft availability because they pulled everything that could fly and sent it into North Waziristan last week. *Huge* op going on there. [Anybody told Senator Obama 'bout that? -the Armorer]

Tuesday, forty terrs bailed out of three trucks approaching a Pak checkpoint and assaulted -- fifteen killed, two captured after the Cobras and checkpoint troops were finished with them. Eight more KBA when two carloads zipping away from a foiled IED-planting expedition tried to outrun a pair of AH-1s and four more scratched when they tried to kamikaze a Pak convoy and failed to look *up* before they made their move.

There are at least three suicide boomers laying low in Islamabad. Two of the ones that went off in mid-July had remote detonators stitched into their belts as "insurance" in case they weren't sufficiently motivated -- they were; cops found the remotes intact. The ISI guys think they were 15-to-17-year-old kids trained in the Lal Masjid who were launched on time-delay before the cops blockaded it.

The MSM here is wondering WTF is going through Barry Obama's brain with that "we'll send US troops into Pakistan" pronouncement. They're contrasting it with Cheney's "emphasis on Pakistan's status as a sovereign state" and his reminder that the US and Pakistan "continue to collaborate successfully in counterterrorism operations."

In other news, security in Shangri-La is getting tighter -- they're installing scanners in the usual locations, pairs of MPs are working the streets on Hondas and the guys manning the checkpoints are actually *behind* the sandbags instead of sitting alongside them. Brown sandbags=MPs, blue sandbags=cops. Last but not least, all foreign diplomats have been instructed to notify the gummint if they plan to go visiting outside their compounds so the gummint can provide gun truck escorts. The gummint also hinted that this would be an excellent time for all of them to stay in and catch up on their reading.

All of the above from the front pages of yestiddy and today's "The Nation"...

And the wireless has gone kerflooey. It keeps insisting the UserID and password it downloaded from its parent site during setup are "incompatible."

Damn ChiCom red plastic POS...

And while these aren't quite the right model of Cobra - this clip's for you, Bill - if that ChiCom POS will allow you to view it, ever.

Ya might wanna kill yer volume or wear head-phones - the music is pretty raucous.

by John on Aug 03, 2007 | Bill's Excellent Adventure

Last bit on Boyda... for a while, anyway.

Aside from the more, shall we say, *committed* Republicans in my circle of people I consider friends (or, emailers driven by the blog), the overall tone of response to Representative Boyda's (D-KS) walk out during General Keane's testimony before the House Armed Services Committee last Friday is one of "I'm so disappointed in her, I had higher hopes for her."

There is a surprising feeling among the assorted right-wingers and centrists of my association that Democrat or no, she has, Iraq campaign votes aside, been pretty representative of the District and done more for the District than her Republican predecessor, Jim Ryun. I've not taken the time (I frankly don't have it at the moment - I'll leave it to others) to do a piece-by-piece examination of Ryun's legislative record vice Boyda's - what's important, especially in the political sphere - is the general consensus of opinion was a politcally-reluctant conclusion that Ms. Boyda was in general exceeding their expectations on most metrics if not the one that is not surprisingly most important among my highly-but-not-exclusively military circle of correspondents.

All of them feel kicked in the teeth, in a sense, by the events of last Friday, as reported. Some have taken a "Ah, she's showing her true colors!" attitude, shading into "She's parroting the Party Leadership, who are making her march to the drum" to - "Damn, she really needs a lot of education about the military if she thinks Jack Keane is a shill for anybody." And there's a real grumbling about she needs a lot of education about war, warfighting, and the difference between the role of Congress and the role of the President on the issue of who does what.

My own feeling is that Ms. Boyda thus far has been batting about .600 on my issues - that's an unweighted scale, mind you. Doesn't mean I'm going to support her for re-election, we'll have to see who the competition puts up. But while I'm reliably Right Wing, and I'm aware of the strategic issues involved in party politics, I decided long ago to eschew doing my bloviating from a purely partisan perspective.

I think it's paid dividends - I've far more access and with that I have *some* influence with Congresswoman Boyda's office than I *ever* did with Jim "Send 'em the standard boilerplate" Ryun. Influence in that I know my voice is heard, and my opinions respected - which is *not* the same thing as accepted... which is fine. But that approach to blogging and politics is why I bring this up - from the Congressional Record, Boyda's floor speech in support of the Accountability in Congress legislation - which she is a co-author of. Because Iraq campaign aside - she *is* doing good stuff, and she ought to get credit for that, too:

Chair: Pursuant to the order of the House of January 4, 2007, the gentlewoman from Kansas (Mrs. Boyda) is recognized during morning-hour debate for 3 minutes.
Rep. Nancy Boyda [D-KS]: Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of accountability in Congress. This year, taxpayers will pay the retirement benefits for Dan Rostenkowski, Duke Cunningham and Bob Ney. What do these men have in common? All are retired Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. All are convicted criminals. Each abused his office by committing fraud, bribery or conspiracy, and each was found guilty in Federal court.

Despite their convictions, these three representatives and over a dozen other former lawmakers remain eligible to draw taxpayer-funded pensions for their service. The exact amount of the payments vary, of course, but the average is about $47,000 per year. That's more than the average American makes. Let me tell you, it's certainly more than the average Kansan makes. Certainly a lot more than the average person in the Second District of Kansas makes.

Mr. Speaker, when the new majority was sworn into the House of Representatives, we had a clear mandate from Americans--End the scandals. Clean up Congress. We've already taken meaningful first steps toward reform. In our first days, we passed an ethics package that banned Members from accepting gifts from lobbyists. We blocked representatives from flying on corporate jets. And we prevented Congressmen from pressuring businesspeople to fire or hire for political reasons.

That last one to me is especially important. Before this Congress, our Congressmen were out there actually influencing people and saying, if you don't agree with my politics, we're asking you to hire or fire businesspeople. It was so wrong.

But our work is not done and it never will be done as long as convicted criminals can draw a congressional pension. Congress can and should revoke the pensions of convicted lawmakers. But for decades now, even as payments have totaled millions of dollars, this body has quietly ignored the problem. But no longer. Today, the bill we will consider this afternoon incorporates legislation that I authored to strip the pensions of these crooked lawmakers. The final bill also sets limits on the so-called revolving door of lawmakers who are turning into lobbyists, and it imposes financial disclosure requirements on the lobbying industry. Sunlight is the best disinfectant and we need a whole lot more transparency still.

Taken together, these changes represent the most significant ethics overhaul to pass the Congress in decades. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. By enacting these sweeping reforms, Congress can begin to recover from the long years of scandal and corruption. Congress can begin to earn back Americans' trust.

Key phrase is "Begin to earn back" Heh. One thing you learn as a leader - never assume trust, and *always* work to earn it. Don't work to *keep* it, that's coasting. Always work as if you are *earning* it - and you'll do fine.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20070804/COMMENTARY/108040001

My impression of Ms. Boyda is that she is very smart and very intent on establishing herself as a good "blue dog" representing a very conservative district. But I also find her to be both uninformed and misinformed. While both conditions can be remedied, in the end this will tell the tale of her competence.

What is more important is the matter of trust. No doubt her party understands that they must allow her to establish some bona fides that will sit well here in the 2d District of Kansas. But, when the vote really counts, she will not be on our side. On this, you can depend.

posted by leavenworth centurion on August 3, 2007 8:51 AM

Centurion - on the issue of Iraq, I concur. On other issues, I'm not as convinced that she will toe a party line.

Only time will tell.

But I will suggest that being supportive of her when she's doing those things we *do* approved of, and not being needlessly personal when attacking those things we don't approve of - we're more likely to keep her tethered near the center.

posted by John of Argghhh! on August 3, 2007 8:59 AM

Below is a letter I just mailed to Denny Moore Progressive At Large. It also applies to all others in Congress. Including Mrs Boyda, she needs to understand her walk out are typical of why this is.

Congressman Dennis Moore
1727 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Congressman Moore,

From Zogby:

UPI/Zogby Poll: 54% Lack Confidence in Bush's Ability As Commander in Chief

Survey shows just 3% of Americans approve of how Congress is handling the war in Iraq; 24% say the same for the President

A majority of American adults (54%) lack confidence in President Bush’s ability as Commander in Chief of the U.S. military, a new UPI/Zogby Interactive poll shows. A majority (60%) said they do not trust the president’s judgment when it comes to the war, while 38% say they have faith in his military decisions.

Just 24% give the president favorable ratings of his performance in handling the war in Iraq, but confidence in Congress is significantly worse – only 3% give Congress positive marks for how it has handled the war. This lack of confidence in Congress cuts across all ideologies. Democrats – some of whom had hoped the now Democrat-led Congress would bring an end to the war in Iraq – expressed overwhelming displeasure with how Congress has handled the war, with 94% giving Congress a negative rating in its handling specifically of that issue.

The online survey was conducted July 13–16, 2007, and included 7,590 respondents. It carries a margin of error of +/– 1.1 percentage points.

That 3% approval rating .. that's you ... good job Congressman Moore. Keep working at it and don't forget ... Career.com is your friend.

posted by jim b on August 3, 2007 9:26 AM

You might care to read Good News Bad For Some that appeared in the 4Aug07 Washington Times:

Marine6 Sends

posted by Marine6 on August 4, 2007 8:20 PM

by John on Aug 03, 2007 | Politics

H&I Fires* 2 Aug 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...

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Over at The Weekly Standard, John Noonan of Op-For asks a good question. Nice score, Noonan.

CAPT H points us to GOPublius, where you can read Senator Clinton's famous vanishing senior thesis from Wellesley. The one that was buried by the school during the Clinton Presidency but has now surfaced again in time to give us a peek into Young Hillary. I'd have to caveat this with the observation I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be terribly impressed with *my* writings from that era in my life...

From Green Mountain Politics comes this *gem*:

Subject: Manchester Republican Committee to Host Machine Gun Event

The Manchester Republican Committee (MRC) will hold its first Annual Machine Gun Shoot fundraiser on Sunday, August 5, 2007 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The public is invited.

One hopes that the Brady Bunch got their invitation, too! Read all about it here. -the Armorer

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There are probably a few civilian AND military types that wonder how Lt. Gen. Kensinger ends up holding the bag for with holding information or other wise covering up Cpl Pat Tillman's death. I believe, after sifting through almost 3000 pages of testimony, tests and other memoranda, I discovered why Lt. Gen. Kensinger was thrown under the bus. [updated: 15:55z]

The long and short of it is, he decided to re-interpret the regulations regarding family notification or, as I also suspected considering the number of regulations repeated like a Mage Shield in World of Warcraft sequence, he was trying harder to CYA than to take care of his soldiers. Everyone CYAs once in awhile, but, if you don't know when it's time to stop CYA and just do your duty, you are very likely no longer an effective officer or leader.

Right there, I don't blame the Tillman family for their years of trying to get the truth and not trusting the only people that can give it to you because they were not doing their jobs. I would be crawling up Rumsfeld's well protected hindquarters too since these officers were allowed to continue to act that way after two investigations without proper "re-direction".
-Kat [update: I apologize for the chopped up sentences and thoughts on the earlier posting. Learned my lesson, too. If you are in a hurry, you likely can't do the job right. A problem the Tillman investigation showed and I should have learned my lesson from. update to the update: forgot to mention, after much review and re-checking the source material, updated part I of the Tillman story with a more complete outline of the battle scene and an updated diagram. Apparently, I was looking at the scene in reverse. Tillman was on the north side and serial 2 coming from the east. My apologies for any confusion.]

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A Canadian serving with the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan e-mailed some photos and an interesting story to go with them - a story of incremental progress in local governance that you won't find in the MSM. - Damian

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I had a meeting on the Fort this morning, which prevented me from standing with a flag along the cortege route as I usually do when we bury a fallen warrior. We buried hometown Leavenworth loss Sergeant Courtney Finch at Fort Leavenworth today. The odious Phelps clan was present, with a new sign (to me) "Don't worship the dead!"

We don't worship them, you buffoons. We honor their service and offer our respect to the grieving. Something in short measure for you carrion-eaters, who feast on the flesh of the slain to sustain your warped view of the world.

The Armorer was bad. I gave the Phelp's a single-digit handwave as I passed their knot of pinch-faced small-spirited drones spouting their vileness. I regret the lapse that dropped me to their level of discourse. -the Armorer

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Once again - pressure works. The Army is going to do head-to-head testing of the M4 carbine against rifles critics charge function better in extreme environments. This is a good thing, methinks. The flip side, of course, is the whole Dragonskin foofaraw... -the Armorer

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I hope they include the SCAR-L and Robinson Armament XCR in that test, along with Colt's SOCOM competition entry, and not just make it the M4 vs the HK 416.

Actually, neither the HK416 nor the Colt product, being that both are basically piston-driven M4s, address what I see as the #2 and 3 design issues with the M4/M16-first, that 7 lug bolt (8 if you count the extractor) which is much weaker than other designs, and the narrower grooves are more susceptible to fouling/dirt, and second, the lack of space inside the receiver to allow any dirt/sand that get in there to move out of the way of the moving parts.

But I suspect this will just end up being a way to get some 'compensation' for HK for the XM8 getting canned.

posted by Heartless Libertarian on August 2, 2007 1:36 PM

You gave them the finger? I wouldn't have been as restrained. However, you didn't engage them in any dialogue, nor did you taint the air you breathe or violate your personal space by getting in their faces. Definately more classy.

Must remember the subtlety of the bird.

posted by Cricket on August 2, 2007 1:44 PM

I'm going to ask a dumb question:
Why can't our weapns aquisition people get somebody to "reverse engineer" an AK-47? It may have a few drawbacks in the accuracy department, but it's well known as the Timex watch of assault rifles. You just can't abuse them enough to cause a stoppage. Besides the paratroop model with the folding stock is quite versatile.

posted by Oldloadr on August 2, 2007 2:09 PM

John - I know what you are saying about dropping to their level ... but you didn't. Their level of vile spewing is something I don't think you (or any of us who treasure the Castle environment) could emulate, as it is entirely alien to us. A simple (and as Cricket says, subtle) bird is simply a statement of disgust. Don't feel bad.

posted by Barb on August 2, 2007 2:35 PM

Why can't our weapns aquisition people get somebody to "reverse engineer" an AK-47?

*Somebody* already did -- utilizing the most useful features of it, anyway. They make some neat variants, too.

posted by BillT on August 2, 2007 2:41 PM

"... drop to their level ..."

The broom can sweep up the trash only if it's dropped to street level. It can not do so while being held in a lofty position above the trash.

It may become soiled somewhat in its duties, but the broom itself does not become trash while being used responsibly. Only if abandoned and discarded in the street does it become the trash.

John, thank you for being the broom today!

posted by fdcol63 on August 2, 2007 3:55 PM

PS...bummed I couldn't make the flag line with you this morning.

posted by kat-missouri on August 2, 2007 4:03 PM

Dang, Chief, beat me to it! *And*, it has a bottle opener! And a wire cutter! And it's a dessert toppi

.

posted by Justthisguy on August 2, 2007 4:06 PM

I have very low expectations for the rifle testing.

I am willing to suggest the results are already in. They will follow the guidelines of "Catch 22"

Obviously we have found a better rifle than the M16 family however the fact that we already have M16's make it a superior choice.

Or else it will be Lalalalalalalala I can't hear you.

You can't see the Major when the Major is in. You can only see the Major when the Major is out.

posted by jim b on August 2, 2007 4:54 PM

Here we trap, shoot and/or poison vermin.

There you give them rights.

You are an odd people.

Seriously if ANYONE tried that level of disrepect at a funeral here there WOULD be violence.

posted by Murray on August 2, 2007 4:54 PM

Ahh, Jim B, ain't this Deja Vu all over again? Reminds me of what I've read about how we got the M-16 in the first place: The tests were rigged against it; that later became so obvious that McNamara [spit!] required its adoption anyway, without addressing some very real problems, and then there was using the wrong powder, and it really did need to be kept clean, and possibly wrong theories about wound ballistics, and etc. usw. and so forth.

It was obvious to anyone of the meanest understanding, a hundred years ago, that some kinda 7mm cartridge is at the sweet spot of optimization for infantry rifles using smokeless powder. Britain was about to switch to that, but then there was this big stupid War and all, .....

posted by Justthisguy on August 2, 2007 5:13 PM

Hey, I'm not rigidly fixated on the number "7"!

We could bring back the 6mm Lee Navy, a cartridge which was ahead of its time, shooting a heavier,farther-ranging bullet than the .223 anti-woodchuck projectile.

posted by Justthisguy on August 2, 2007 5:33 PM

Jim..you're killing me. LOL

the Major will see you now. Please come back tomorrow.

posted by kat-missouri on August 2, 2007 6:35 PM

H3ll, just provide me 7.62 X 51 mm or .30-06 in 8 rnd clips and I'll bring my own next deployement. The (stupid) A2 is only a pound lighter than a Garand anyway. I'd actually be happiest with a G3 if they insist on buying European.

posted by Pogue on August 2, 2007 7:38 PM

What I'm trying to say here, I think, is that we've known for about a hundred years just what is the right rifle cartridge for humans to shoot each other with, when warring against each other.

Now just what is the optimum rifle for the crazy dangerous humans to use, to fire such cartridges at each other?

That's a different question.

Yeah, I read that the Galil works well, and is also heavy.

Then there's the question of what to do about the crazy-dangerous normal people who may well make up 99% of the human race, but I won't get into that here.

posted by Justthisguy on August 3, 2007 1:14 AM

And, yes, I have been drinking. I'll stop writing now. 'Nite, all!

posted by Justthisguy on August 3, 2007 1:27 AM

Yeah, I read that the Galil works well, and is also heavy.

There are times when heavy is nice to have and there are times when light(er) is better. Personally, I don't think there's a One-Size-Fits-All out there -- but in my particular occupation, I prefer something rugged (so it won't break if you look at it cross-eyed), compact (so it doesn't rattle around in the cockpit) that will hit what I'm aiming at and will knock down what I hit -- because that means whatever *he* was using hit what he was aiming at (my helicopter) and knocked it down, placing me in the situation of needing something that will hit what I'm aiming at and will knock down what I hit.

And if my ride home is delayed, I want a boatload of ammo, just for the warm-fuzzy...

posted by BillT on August 3, 2007 5:24 AM

Hmmm. I don't have a Galil, nor have I ever handled or fired one.

I have handled, humped across hill and dale, and shot the G3. The G3 is too nose-heavy for my taste.

Yep. Gimme my ugly-plastic-stocked M14 again.

I've an interest in the P90, but I'm not sure that design would transition well to a 7.62-ish cartridge, since it stacks the bullets transverse to the line of fire.

Hmmmmm.

I've not handled a P90, nor have I been willing, thus far, to pony up the bucks for a PS90.

posted by John of Argghhh! on August 3, 2007 6:58 AM

The Senate leadership of the majority party is already standing on the soggy bodies with his bullhorn.

by Denizens on Aug 02, 2007 | General Commentary

I blame Bush. Well, Senator Reid does, anyway.

After I heard about the bridge collapse yesterday evening, I looked at SWWBO and said... "I blame Bush." Tongue-in-cheek commentary on what I expected to find at Daily Kos, were I to look. Sure enough, there it was.

But wait - there's more!

Yes, this is a discussion that needs to happen - and has been needed for *decades.* Because politicians, such as the Senator from West Byrdinia, prefer to build new, so they can get their names plastered on them, rather than plan and appropriate, and yes, if needed, *tax* to support the infrastructure that already exists. In Missouri we have similar problems. But this is a problem that can be laid squarely on a *class* of people, not an individual or a side.

Senator Reid would have better served his broader constituency had he simply apologized for scoring political points in the budget process, and vowed to move forward.

Feh.

A pox on both your posturing houses.

by John on Aug 02, 2007 | Politics

Congresswoman Boyda and her now-famous walk.

Coming in to work yesterday was interesting - I had voicemail from Representative Nancy Boyda - mostly about our upcoming veteran's/military group meeting next week, but a little bit about her "walk-out" during the testimony of General (ret) Keane at the HASC committee meeting. Uncle Pavian over at West Neanderthal Drive has a wrap-up of the incident and the coverage it's received in the press, along with some... commentary on the subject.

Leavenworth Centurion, retired warrior, fellow rural denizen, and occasional commenter here was so fired up about it that he hit me up for contact information, which, with permission, I provided and his email chat with her staff resulted in a personal call to him from Representative Boyda.

The Centurion's email to me, full of the colorful imagery we routinely fling at each other is below:

John,

We have beaten to quarters, run out our guns, ported our helm, and are bearing up. I intend to rake her by the stern. I have the weather guage.

[Leavenworth Centurion]

My note is below. I will hit send before I go to lunch, your comments are welcome

Dear Doug, [This would be Ms. Boyda's Legislative Director, Doug Matties - a fine fellow in all regards, politics aside]

With your kind permission, I received your email address from a friend, John Donovan.

The Associated Press has quoted Ms. Boyda as saying by way of an explanation for walking out of a committee hearing during testimony by retired General Jack Keane, "there was only so much that you could take."

These are my sentiments exactly. But, what I can no longer take is the political rhetoric coming from the Leadership of the Democrat Party, and now from my own representative. Nancy may be tough, but if she is listening to Senator Reid and Speaker Pelosi, she is also profoundly ignorant of what is going on in Iraq at both the tactical and operational level. Like many in the retired military community, have friends, colleagues, and family who have served and are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan . I can sort the wheat from the chaff amongst the press reports, the official military releases and feedback from trusted and knowledgeable sources.

What Jack Keane said is what many of my ilk can also report. There is a profound change in the conduct and nature of the war at the tactical level. The signs are clear and unequivocal. The only way that the insurgents can achieve victory is if our politicians hand it to them on a silver platter. I have no doubt that is exactly what the Democrat Party intends to do. Their political strategy is transparent: profit politically by engineering a defeat for the United States . I am glad to know that Ms. Boyda is now a full participant in that strategy, for it will steel my opposition to her.

Many, including myself, have been sharply critical of the way that this war has been fought over the past five years, and the blame falls squarely on the shoulders of the President and the former Secretary of Defense. But, we cannot let their mistakes lead us to an even bigger mistake. Can anyone who advocates surrender (for that is exactly what a withdrawal short of our goals will mean) provide a credible and plausible scenario of the positive consequences of that action. If Ms Boyda can offer one up, she will be the first in her party to do so.

This war can be won, and we must show the political will to do so.

Respectfully,

[Leavenworth Centurion]

He later reported out on his conversation with Nancy, when she called him later that day:

Cordial, but not worth much. She apparently doesn't like criticism from people who appear before her committees. Jack Keane said that schools were open, markets are busy, and that people are going about their daily lives in Bagdhad. This she knows to be a lie. Exactly how she knows this, she did not make clear.

Says that she is just trying to have an honest conversation about what to do in Iraq. I believe that was my complaint - her leadership is doing exactly the opposite, refusing to have an honest conversation. So we talked past each other. Didn't impress me with either being well informed or well spoken on the issue. Cited Article 8 of the Constitution regarding Congress' role in regulating the Army and Navy - seems to think that warfighting is done by regulation and policy.

In her voicemail to me, she basically said "Let's not over-react to partisan political rhetoric."

My point remains - while Leavenworth Centurion and Uncle Pavian may not be in a part of the district electorate that she can really expect to win over as a Democrat, the views they express *are* representative of the chunk of the center of the electorate who gave her the victory last November, and who's sensitivities on the issues of Iraq and the larger GWOT she needs to be mindful of. Her hard-core base, who probably ate the stuff up, aren't the slice of her electorate that may switch back to a Republican candidate, if she's going to give us Daily Kos moments of political theater - whether it was her intention to do so, or no. In human interaction, perspective is reality, and an objective truth is essentially a philosophical construct (i.e., the "if a tree falls in the woods, and no hears it does it make a noise" example).

And the real crux, from the political perspective - is that the truth of the matter as she believes it to be matters not - as it's the appearance of the matter, as expressed in such mainstream media outlets such as the WSJ, WashTimes, and, more damaging for her in the district, the KC Star, not just the blogs. That's what the electorate are going to take away from this event.

I don't know if this will be an item of discussion in the formal meeting, as there are numerous veteran's and general military issues and such on the table, but I'm willing to bet, if her schedule has the time in it - it will at least get discussed off-line by the gaggle of retired senior leaders and at least one mid-level retiree-who-blogs - Jack Keane, as Leavenworth Centurion observes, is widely respected in the military community as a straight-shooter, not a political shill - and deserves a respectful hearing, even if it seemingly doesn't match your pre-conceived notions.

But Uncle Pavian is correct - her handling of this does constitute a test of her ability and political agility. It's interesting having a ring-side seat to the theater, to, um, badly mix metaphors.

I believe Ms Boyda is another Moore.

I believe them both to be Moonbats and to do what the Pelosi leadership calls them to do.

I would like to introduce them both to another life option ... called Career.com.

It's time for them to Redeploy to another occupation.

posted by jim b on August 2, 2007 11:11 AM

Mrs. Boyda ought to get her head out of her arse and just listen to what General Keane has to say. Why are the Democrats so blinded by their egos, and why do they continue to be one-sided? To understand the situation in Iraq you need to keep an open view of the discussion, and you have to be willing to listen to suggestions from "professionals", and make a fair and balanced decision. It really urks me when politicans think they are God-like and look down on us citizens and "think" they know the right answers. Or they just don't know, and they are constantly brain dead. Whatever happened to the "tarred and feathered" method to ridicule our political representatives? Well, it is time to write up that law. It is pure hatred of this administration from the Democrats that has them unhinged concerning the Iraqi war, as well as anything involving the current administration. It has so blinded them to the facts,and to the overall picture that they are now walking zombies. I am a registered Democrat, but too tell you the truth I really am disgusted with them and plan on voting Independent. Just give me a bucket of hot tar and some feathers, I will be happy.

posted by Rita on August 2, 2007 11:24 AM

Jim - understanding where you're coming from, I've dealt with both Ms. Boyda and Mr. Moore.

While I'm not campaigning for Boyda - I'm glad she's my Rep and not Mr. Moore. I share your opinion on Mr. Moore.

posted by John of Argghhh! on August 2, 2007 11:52 AM

Well said, Centurian. Thank you for both taking the time to speak up and for saying so well what I have been thinking on this topic.

At the moment I am taking comfort in the fact that there seems to be a building wave of change in how the major media are reporting on Iraq this last week. Let's hope their sudden "discovery" that things are actually improving in Iraq and that a pullout would be disastrous for both them and us isn't just a passing fad on their part.

posted by FbL on August 2, 2007 1:12 PM

Tell Ms Boyda that she shouldn't go in for half-measures, fence-stradling, and mealy-mouthedness.

If she's going to throw in with the dKos/McGovernite crowd, she should go all the way and start doing photo ops with Murtha, McDermott, et al.

The grunt language version is in email, as it most likely violates the Rulez.

posted by Heartless Libertarian on August 2, 2007 1:53 PM

Well, frankly, I thought the little prancing move was juvenile and petulant, not particularly the moves of a leader pondering a very important question.

"theater" best describes it. Frankly, I am surprised that Boyda did that, though I understand that she is taking her cues from from the Democrat leadership, I am thinking that someone's assessment is correct: that type of action is pandering to the rabid anti-war folks since your average citizen sees it for what it is - theater.

Of course, congress these days is looking more and more like kabuki theater with over exaggerated emotions painted on their faces, fake sword fights and paper dragons.

Most days, I wonder how citizens could vote any of these people in. Boyda's just one of the many.

posted by kat-missouri on August 2, 2007 3:37 PM

Like most Democrats in Washington she seems to have a closed mind on the question of what's actually happening in Iraq. It should come as no shock that Rep. James E. Clyburn - the third ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives -and an important memeber of the Democratic Party Leadership in the House - was quoted this week as saying that a positive report from General Petraeus "would be trouble for us." To paraphrase another Democrat, It depends on what the definition of us is.

And, by the way, you might suggest to your representative that she really ought to read the Constitution. The powers of the Congress are enumerated in ARTICLE I of the Constitution. And she should probably review Article II which states, in part, "The President shall be the Commander in Chief of the Army and the Navy of the United States."

Marine6 Sends

posted by Marine6 on August 2, 2007 3:53 PM

Bearing up is no way to act, if you think you have a chance in the fight. It means putting the wind behind you and running off to leeward. Dacres did a lot of that in Java, versus Constitution.

As someone said to Jack Aubrey in the novel, during that fight, "I have no notion of all this wearing."

Luff up for a good broadside; if yer good, you won't get stuck in stays, and can unload the other side on 'em!

posted by Justthisguy on August 2, 2007 4:36 PM

And oh, Marine6, I reckon you know that the closest Jack Aubrey came to death, in all of the novels, was the wound from a rifle ball fired by a US Marine?

Yup, almost killing Jack Aubrey is something no-one else was able to do, not the French, not The Doctor, not The Dutch, not the Random Incompetent Highwayman, not STDs, not jealous boyfriends, not nobody, just some Marine rifleman.

Snork. No, really. Y'all almost got him, nobody else came anywhere near so close!

posted by Justthisguy on August 2, 2007 4:52 PM

Trackbacked by The Thunder Run - Web Reconnaissance for 08/03/2007
A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day...so check back often.

posted by David M on August 3, 2007 10:11 AM

by John on Aug 02, 2007 | Politics

Meanwhile, over in the sandbox...

U.S. Army Spc. Carlos Santos, of 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, surveys the streets of Jamia, Iraq, for insurgent activity July 29, 2007. DoD photo by Master Sgt. Brian L. Boone, U.S. Air Force. (Released)

U.S. Army Spc. Carlos Santos, of 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, surveys the streets of Jamia, Iraq, for insurgent activity July 29, 2007. DoD photo by Master Sgt. Brian L. Boone, U.S. Air Force. (Released)

by John on Aug 02, 2007 | Global War on Terror (GWOT)

Pressure works.

From the VA:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 30, 2007

VA’s Suicide Hot Line Begins Operations

Nicholson: “Help a Phone Call Away”

WASHINGTON – To ensure veterans with emotional crises have round-the-clock access to trained professionals, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has begun operation of a national suicide prevention hot line for veterans.

“Veterans need to know these VA professionals are literally a phone call away,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson said. “All service members who experience the stresses of combat can have wounds on their minds as well as their bodies. Veterans should see mental health services as another benefit they have earned, which the men and women of VA are honored to provide.”

The toll-free hot line number is 1-800-273-TALK (8255). VA’s hot line will be staffed by mental health professionals in Canandaigua , N.Y. They will take toll-free calls from across the country and work closely with local VA mental health providers to help callers.

To operate the national hot line, VA is partnering with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

“The hot line will put veterans in touch – any time of the day or night, any day of the week, from anywhere in the country – with trained, caring professionals who can help,” added Nicholson. “This is another example of the VA’s commitment to provide world-class health care for our nation’s veterans, especially combat veterans newly returned from Iraq and Afghanistan .”

The suicide hot line is among several enhancements to mental health care that Nicholson has announced this year. In mid July, the Department’s top mental health professionals convened in the Washington , D.C. , area to review the services provided to veterans of the Global War on Terror.

Too bad it *takes* pressure on a subject like this.

by John on Aug 02, 2007 | Observations on things Military

Kansas Casualties

Kansas Army National Guard:

Staff Sergeant Bachmann and his son, Tyler

KANSAS GUARDSMAN KILLED IN IRAQ

Staff Sergeant Travis S. Bachman, 30, a member of the 1st Battalion, 161st Field Artillery, Kansas National Guard, died today, August 1, 2007 at approximately 5:10 a.m. when an improvised explosive device exploded near his vehicle.

"My sincere condolences go out to Travis' family and friends," said Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting, the adjutant general. "He was a man who loved his country and loved being a Guardsman. He will be missed and remembered. This country was made great and remains so today thanks to valiant patriots like Sgt. Bachman."

Bachman, a resident of Garden City, Kan., deployed to Iraq with the 714th Security Forces in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He enlisted with the Kansas National Guard in 1993 while still in high school.

Bachman deployed for Operation Noble Eagle in 2002, providing security at military bases in Kansas.

He is survived by his wife, Amber, three children, and his parents, Rodney
and Connie Bachmann, Garden City.

1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley:

Specialst (then Private First Class) Camy Florexil

FORT RILEY SOLDIER KILLED IN IRAQ

Specialist Camy Florexil, 20, died July 24 in Baghdad, Iraq of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations July 23 in Baghdad.

Florexil was an infantryman assigned to 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. His home of record is Philadelphia.

He entered the Army in September 2005 and began serving with the 1st Infantry Division in February 2006. This was his first deployment in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

To date, 119 Fort Riley Soldiers and one Airman have been killed while serving in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

Two more inbounds to Fiddler's Green.

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

by John on Aug 02, 2007 | Something for the Soul

H&I Fires* 1 Aug 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...

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Hey, when Big Government lovin' maple-syrup 'n beer swillin' Alan has a mildly conservative moment - how can I *not* link it? Especially a post that opens up this way:

What Next...No Butter Knives? by alan [5:01 PM July 31, 2007] I am not exactly a candidate for NRA membership but this bit of news about shutting down a Toronto university shooting range with a perfect track record smacks heavily of something very smelly:

To find out more - click here.

Moving back down south...

Given the, *ahem* good press the farm bill is getting right now - and our recent assumption of the mantle of "farmer," it seems appropriate at this time that though are at least two programs we could qualify for, SWWBO and I do not intend to apply for government largesse with taxpayer dollars to subsidize our dream here. We will, however, take advantage of the tax laws that favor our endeavor - and have already in terms of sales taxes on farming-related equipment and keeping the land in agricultural use so that the property is taxed at agricultural rates.

And we're providing money-making opportunities to *real farmers* in the management of our property.

Just thought I should say that. If I was *relying* on the farm as a primary source of income, I might well feel differently, but the programs I looked at that we qualify for seem to incentivize bad planning, with the possible exception of the crop reserve program - which I'm not applying to because I don't want to give the government even more reasons to tell me what I can, and can't do with the land than it already has. -the Amorer

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Larry K sent along this video - I haven't discovered where the secret tractor meets are in Leavenworth County yet - outside the county fair...

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http://www.grapheine.com/bombaytv/index.php?module=see&lang=uk&code=6f22e8696183c9ed1f2cf2338ef73857

Perhaps some of Canada's problem is that they are letting in a lot of our "Good Riddance" People.

Blame Canada!

It may seem like a quiet country where not much happens besides ice hockey, curling and beer drinking. But our neighbor to the north is proving to be quite the draw for thousands of disgruntled Americans.

The number of U.S. citizens who moved to Canada last year hit a 30-year high, with a 20 percent increase over the previous year and almost double the number who moved in 2000.

In 2006, 10,942 Americans went to Canada, compared with 9,262 in 2005 and 5,828 in 2000, according to a survey by the Association for Canadian Studies.

posted by jim b on August 1, 2007 12:04 PM

Moonbats migrate?

posted by BillT on August 1, 2007 12:24 PM

Ummmm -- just out of idle curiosity, anybody bored enough to ferret out how the immigration stats correlate -- if there is a correlation -- with the increase in health care recipients that's knocking the program further out of kilter?

I suspect that not *all* of the newbies are as young and chipper as the ones depicted in the article...

posted by BillT on August 1, 2007 12:56 PM

You've been fed a line on health care being an issue in Canada.

posted by Alan on August 1, 2007 1:03 PM

Hee! Why did I suspect that would bring Alan in?

I dunno. I can't keep track of who's lying to me about what anymore.

posted by John of Argghhh! on August 1, 2007 1:38 PM

Ummmm, not fer nothin', but the Supreme Court of Canada thinks there's a *big* problem -- including Canada's health system being in violation of Section Seven of Canada's Charter.

Chaoulli v. Quebec

A regional decision with national implications. From the closing commentary: There are those who argue that this decision could potentially lead to the dismantling of the Canadian Medicare system. While others suggest that this could be a much needed wake-up call to repair the ailing system.

posted by BillT on August 1, 2007 2:11 PM

Alan - The problem is that your system may be working fine now (although that is not what we hear from what few conservatives are left in Canada), how will it hold up to legions of liberals coming North and settling in. BTW, since liberals have abortions at 5 times the rate of those who ID themselves as conservative; they will be using up your resources without providing a younger generation to pay into the system...

posted by Oldloadr on August 1, 2007 2:17 PM

Moonbats migrate?

Would that be the English Moonbat or an African Moonbat?

posted by Yu-ain Gonnano on August 1, 2007 4:58 PM

Universal, excellent, available when you need it? Why worry about what you haven't experienced? Just glad for a quad bypass, bowel cancer surgery, chemo, a kid born at 26 weeks, a miscarriage and all the regular stuff that happens it served generations of my family well. At least two would be dead in another system as the people involved would not have had the coverage. Sadly that means more to me than the warm glow of general ideology.

Sure the Chaoulli case happened. Big whoop. How many cases about health care occur in Canada and the US all the time? No constitutional cases in the US, of course, as there is no right to health care. But we have it and the courts make sure it is provided in a timely fashion. So what is the result in Canada? Even the most right wing party makes it a platform to improve wait times. And they have improved. Gee...improved socialist services and a Court that works for the population. What a nightmare.

posted by Alan on August 1, 2007 9:24 PM

Studies by the Commonwealth Fund found that 24% of Canadians waited 4 hours or more in the emergency room, vs. 12% in the U.S.; 57% waited 4 weeks or more to see a specialist, vs. 23% in the U.S. -- from the References in the Chaoulli v Quebec link (above)

Even the most right wing party makes it a platform to improve wait times.

So (to cherry pick one aspect) you agree that the system, as presently constituted, is in need of an overhaul in the wait-time area -- which brings me back to my original question: Do the immigration stats correlate -- if there is a correlation -- with the increase in health care recipients that's knocking the program further out of kilter?

*sipping a cup of coffee 'cause there's no maple syrup over here*

*and you need a license (heh) to drink a beer*

posted by BillT on August 1, 2007 11:04 PM

What? No comments about the Bollywood tractor extravaganza?

posted by The Thomas on August 1, 2007 11:13 PM

Oh. So that is what it was. I were a wondering why the tractors were all ancient not to mention
palm trees...they only grow in SoCal, Arizona, NM
and the rest of the southern US.

John will have to practice tractor jumping sekritly.

posted by Cricket on August 1, 2007 11:39 PM

Would that be the English Moonbat or an African Moonbat?

Which ones carry the cocoanuts and which ones *are* the cocoanuts?

What? No comments about the Bollywood tractor extravaganza?

We see that every day over here. We refer to it as "normal traffic conditions"...

John will have to practice tractor jumping sekritly.

I'm thinking he'll need a downhill run with a trampoline at the end and a *big* sawdust pile on the other side of the tractor.

posted by BillT on August 2, 2007 12:22 AM

And a RATO assist. An Agena B should do the trick...

posted by BillT on August 2, 2007 12:32 AM

What? You want Bollywood and tractors? I'LL give you Bollywood and tractors!...with drama, dialogue, and tension you can cut with a knife...(and just for you) ;-)

posted by DougK on August 2, 2007 6:14 PM