H&I Fires* 04 Sep 2007

September 4, 2007 | | Comments (7)

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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Today is the Armorer's sister's Natal Day of Celebration! Of course, we don't celebrate 'em that much any more, being 'tweeners - between celebrating milestones like able to vote, able to drink, car insurance reductions and celebrating because - dang, we made it one more year and aren't in the "home" yet! The Armorer's sister was issued at Comanche County Hospital in Lawton, Oklahoma, home of Fort Sill and the Artillery. She's been back *exactly once* and was no more impressed with Lawton than she was when she was a pointy-headed poop factory... Somehow, when she reads this, I suspect she's going to have mixed feelings... Anyway, sis - here's some presents for you. 1. You Are Not Alone. 2. A coupon for Rachel Cox if you need it, and 3, the knowledge that despite your travails and retelling thereof... your story is *not* #1 in Google for "Remodeling Hell." That's *got* to be a good thing, right?

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From the newsdesk of MNF-I:

- Military surge working, Bush tells troops in Iraq

- Iraqi, U.S. Forces provide locals with medical, dental care

- Engineers make roads safer for Coalition, Iraqi forces

- Black Hawk crews transport VIPs in style

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Lastly - the answer to the question?

FWIW I had the Smith’s Ale

-the Armorer

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Wounded Iraq veteran (and Valour-IT recipient) J. R. Salzman is blogging again. He writes about his mind (and even his body) still being in Iraq.

Meanwhile, his wife is writing of her memories of that awful day:


"Hi, is this Josie Salzman?"

"Josie, this is 1SG..."

F***. F***, f***, f***. This is not good. Don't say it. Don't say anything else. Just tell me hi and have a normal conversation with me.... please.

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Bob Calvert, who has been reporting from Iraq as an independent embed, has returned to the U.S... just in time to say goodbye and lay to rest his "Greatest Generation" father. - FbL, dashing through...

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...and in the "Eeeeeeeewwwwww!" Dept...

This is just SO wrong.

Instapilot

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We breathlessly await what Cassandra will think about this bit of reportage.

Quick - was Michael Vick present?

This just in! Britney still lacks class! Film at 4, and 5, and 6, and 7, and...-the Armorer

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*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"

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7 Comments

By AFSister on September 4, 2007 9:30 AM
I think that Blackhawk article is about my cousin's unit. I'm pretty sure that's her. She's 2-3 Cco. I sent her an email, but I probably won't get a reply for a while. She's on R&R in Thailand right now, I believe.
 
By John of Argghhh! on September 4, 2007 2:16 PM
It's mean, but my first thought was... Senator Clinton after a stroke.
 
By AFSister on September 4, 2007 2:48 PM
Billary looks something like Leno on a bad hair day.
 
By Cassandra on September 4, 2007 3:23 PM
Jeez John. You (and every other man who is foolish enough to read me) is going to regret that one. I heard that in the car this weekend. I also read it last February. I wanted to write about then, but it was in danger of turning into one of my patented post-feminist rants, so I waved off. I figured you gentlemen had suffered enough. Are you sure you want to know what I think? Because in my present excessively foul mood, I'm likely to actually tell you for a change...
 
By John of Argghhh! on September 4, 2007 3:33 PM
Well, it was mostly a pathetic attempt to get attention, another classic male behavior... ;^ )
 
By Jon The Mechanic on September 4, 2007 5:10 PM
And to answer for Trudy before I get slapped. Women go for the men who treat them like a cherished heirloom that is worth more than gold. Women go for the ones smart enough to know a good thing when they see it, no matter what the packaging. Women go for the ones who get up early in the morning to get the tea water going and make sure that the car is warmed up before the drive to work. Call me whipped, but I has finded me a good home and no more doghouse for me.
 
By AFSister on September 4, 2007 8:53 PM
Jon... that's not whipped; that's educated in the ways of lurv! And... you're right. Being treated right, and loved right, is much more important than arm candy. Of course, that's not to say that eye candy will be ignored by any means!