We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2007 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:18:28 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2008 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification An activity for the Labor Day weekend! Our landlocked Sailor emails from the Fobbiton: The job of an officer is to make tough decisions, that’s what the pay and privileges are for. You never know when or where the hard ones are going to come your way. You can only pray that your training and experiences make you ready for it when it comes, as it comes for us all. For a NATO staff officer in Afghanistan . It comes like this. Joe Now this is a hard choice. A very tough choice, and, quite possibly, the success of the... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html Sun, 02 Sep 2007 09:21:49 -0600 I have it from Aussie authority that Fosters is not fit to drink. They brew it for export to commercial-watching Americans, only! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63972 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63972 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 16:16:26 -0600 The swabbie's drinking in the wrong place. Any decent slop chute would have to have some Yankie beer. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63959 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63959 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 11:53:20 -0600 None of the above. Even good beer tastes bad out of a can. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63957 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63957 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 10:45:30 -0600 Judging by the open tab on the Foster's can, someone made a decision... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63951 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63951 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 08:03:29 -0600 Don't drink the stuff in the white can! We had it while I was in Khandahar in '02. It's horrible! I've had German beer (Good!), American Beer (Meh), and Korean Beer (blech), but that Belgian crap in the white can is the worst beer I've ever had! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63943 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63943 Mon, 03 Sep 2007 21:31:13 -0600 What? No Weed? (Those who know, know.) Instapilot http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63932 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63932 Mon, 03 Sep 2007 17:34:53 -0600 Ahh yes, the difference between an NCO and an officer. The oficer wonders "which one," or if he is a Good Officer, "which one first, and which should I share with my NCOs?" If he is a Really Good Officer he first asks the NCOs for input on the decision. The Good NCO, meanwhile, would know instinctively which one to drink, and in the time it takes to ask this question would finish all four, a second and a third round, have a few more with some passing Australians, get kissed by some random girl, and would by now be looking for a couple shots to help wash a little snack down. A snack comprised of two or three more beers, of course. The Good Junior Enlisted Man, in contrast, didn't ask, drank whatever he could get his hands on with whomever was there, booted, rallied, drank some more, and is already on Post Detail as minor NCO punishment for throwing up on the Sergeant Major's neatly painted rocks, which, coincidentally, the Good Junior Enlisted Man painted and arranged in a neat circle 'round the flagpole on a prior Post Detail. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63928 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63928 Mon, 03 Sep 2007 16:57:05 -0600 Zywiec to choose. Tough call. I'd have to drink both and be happy about the conundrum on several levels.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63925 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63925 Mon, 03 Sep 2007 16:09:06 -0600 Foster's, even warm, from our unwavering Aussie allies. It's perhaps a small nod (or rebuke), but a required one at that. ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63924 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63924 Mon, 03 Sep 2007 16:03:51 -0600 A) the UK has been our best ally Gosh, I hate to rain on what has been a pretty happy parade up until now, but there is a deeply disturbing new story making the rounds today: 'Brown and Bush haven't spoken for five weeks' ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63923 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63923 Mon, 03 Sep 2007 15:31:43 -0600 Beck's! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63921 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63921 Mon, 03 Sep 2007 15:07:24 -0600 Stella is Belgian! Tigerhawk looses both JMPE I AND has to do his Beer PQS all over again. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63920 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63920 Mon, 03 Sep 2007 14:49:09 -0600 If there are any Aussies in the 'hood, try to score some Victoria Bitter! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63891 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63891 Sun, 02 Sep 2007 19:35:02 -0600 The John Smith's is a best bitters, and deserves pride of place because A) the UK has been our best ally and B) it tastes better. I don't like Foster's, myself. Just be glad our allies the Romanians aren't supplying. Both Ciuc and Ursus are terrible. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63890 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63890 Sun, 02 Sep 2007 18:45:02 -0600 Hide them all from your buds, drink them one at a time disguised in your canteen as water. And who cares if they are cold? Papa Ray West Texas USA]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63889 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63889 Sun, 02 Sep 2007 17:51:55 -0600 Not Foster's. As an Aussie friend once told me, "We export Foster's so WE don't have to drink it!" http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63888 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63888 Sun, 02 Sep 2007 17:28:24 -0600 They are much better cold, Joe. Get four clean socks, soak in water, put one can in each, and hang out in that desert air until evaporative cooling works its magic. Don't tell me only Marines know this trick! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63887 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63887 Sun, 02 Sep 2007 16:53:04 -0600 ONLY FOUR???!!!! What a wimp. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63882 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63882 Sun, 02 Sep 2007 14:44:38 -0600 I love a good pilsner and Beck's is very good, but I switched to Pilsner Urquel when I committed to drink only "Coalition of the Willing" beverages back in 2003. The Merkel government has been cool enough, though, that Beck's is back on the list. The Belgians still aren't there, though. So, Beck's first. After that it really doesn't matter. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63880 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63880 Sun, 02 Sep 2007 14:15:08 -0600 first?"]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63879 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63879 Sun, 02 Sep 2007 13:43:35 -0600 Foster's http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63878 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63878 Sun, 02 Sep 2007 13:24:38 -0600 There are some decisions all the military schooling in the world can't prepare you for; that's why you're making that big non-com dust, Joe. Meantime, you've reminded me of the existence of beer. If they ever put extended-range tanks on these Cobras, there won't be any decision-making necessary on your part. Except for whether to toss the empties as they're produced or wait until I'm finished... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63875 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/09/news_from_our_m_4.html#comment-63875 Sun, 02 Sep 2007 10:30:19 -0600