H&I* Fires, 18 MAR 2008

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.

Time to add a new caveat, because from email it's not clear to some folks (mind you, if you don't read this it won't matter...) Being an open post, people (collectively, the Denizens) other than I post in the H&I. They sign their work (most of the time) - keep that in mind when you want to flame someone in email please - if it doesn't say "The Armorer" or "John" then I didn't write it! And honestly - if you don't like something said or posted... leave a comment, and hash it out (within the context of The Rulez which are clearly posted on the comment form, I would add).

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Sgt. B checks in...

We finally found out why our shouts out of the Firebase Comm shack weren't going anywhere - seems the microphone wasn't plugged in... Any way, we're up and running, and I offer a continuing series of posts related to one National Guardsman's experiences as his unit ramps up in preparation for deployment in support of OIF. I also have a header contest, in which I hope you will honor me by participating... - Sgt. B

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CJ, who was one of the bloggers invited to the White House last September, has some observations for this, the 5th anniversary (CJ went across the border at 23:59 19 March 2003) - especially observations of the intent of some of the anti-war protestors in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

At the Pittsburg recruiting station the Pittsburg Organizing Group (POG) (more like Pogues) will be holding a torch-lit march “to a modern day castle of abominations,” the local military recruiting station. The group intends to “…evict it and everything inside of it, occupy the location, and transform it into something useful for the community. We’ll also be bringing a movable cage in which to confine military recruiters until they no longer pose a danger to our friends and neighbors.” Essentially, the group is planning to kidnap Americans and coerce them with blackmail in order to be released. I hope they’ve been to SERE. If you’re in the Pittsburg area, please show up to provide support. Bring whatever items you feel necessary to protect yourself.

Looks like a conspiracy to commit kidnapping to me. And in such a way as you might even be able to sweep it up under RICO. Good luck with that folks. Though I'm not sure the Federal Government would have the stomach to prosecute it to the hilt. CJ has some other advice for the soldiery this week, hopefully overwrought. Check it out here, Protesters’ Day of Joy - Iraqi Freedom Anniversary -the Armorer

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I think what I like best about this NPR piece is the implicit acceptance of the assumptions of global warming that permeate the article. The Mystery of Global Warming's Missing Heat. It's all about we just aren't finding the data we're looking for... -the Armorer

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Lex writes about what he was doing five years ago today. - FbL

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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."