MilBlogs Archive - Dec, 04'

12/25/04

All Mrs G wants for Christmas...

...is a soldier coming home.

For those troops that are reading blogs to get closer to home, our thoughts and prayers are with you. We love and miss you.

Merry Christmas,
Keep Safe,
Come home soon.

ps

Greyhawk,

I've spent too much on Christmas presents this year,
I think trying to compensate for you not being here,
but out of all those gifts under the tree,
the only gift these kids want is you to come home safe and free.

XXXXOOOO

(Now this didn't start out to be a poem but after the first three lines it had to end as one. I think there's a poetic bug in the blogosphere air)

_____

In the mail:

Dear Madam, DearSir, I we wish you and your family a wonderful Christmas and all your friends. And a great Thank You to all the people who has supported us to help the wounded Soldiers and Marines in Landstuhl. We will all the wounded troops are staying for recovery over Christmas in LRMC here in Germany a still and peace loving Merry Christmas and a great and good Happy New Year and more Peace of Earth.

Merry Chrismas and Happy New Year

Wilhelmine Aufmkol, Germany
soldiersangels.com
http://www.armyfisherhouses.org/testsite/landstuhl3.html

__________________________________________________________________

- Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from home -
to all Soldiers, Civilian and Patients in the US Hospital in Landstuhl,
the Fisher House Landstuhl and the Kleber Barracks in Kaiserslautern!

On the 15th December 2004, a wonderful winter morning with blue sky and white frosted trees, we started with 2 cars our trip to Landstuhl. It was so cold, but no rain and snow! A great day began. So let me tell you: Our day in Landstuhl was, I cannot tell you, overwhelming. It was a large moment to see, that someone is so far away from home and you can treat to him and you see that he is overjoyed and his eyes beam with joy.

This is a story you don’t believe if you have everything what you like to have to live! Rudi told me he has never seen that someone was so happy to get a shower gel! He told me, “Tell me how anyone can be happy only over a shower gel! As I set up an open box with personal hygiene items at the entrance of the Kleber Barracks because I had something left in my car. I saw as I came back that a soldier in uniform was standing nearby the box and looking in it! ” As my husband saw him the Soldier looked at Rudi and asked him: “Sir, can I have this shower gel, only the shower gel please?” Rudi looked so surprised and said, ”Yes sure! All the things we have with us are for the soldiers, Sir.” In this moment the Soldier, he has been arrived in Kleber today, looked perfectly happy and he said so many thanks to Rudi. So a shower gel is sometimes such more as an expensive gift what you do not need at the moment!

First I must say “Thank you” to all the wonderful people who donated so much good things for the 60 backpacks, 25 sport backs, and all the Christmas stockings which arrived here in Germany for to hand out to wounded Soldiers and Marines in LRMC and in the Kleber Barracks.

Our new Angel Mary Ann, an American from Munich, came with us with additional 47 filled backpacks, 20 CD player and 20 special backpacks for wounded women. And so it is the Soldiers Angels hope that we can bring the wounded service members - who are far away from home and loved ones in this holiday season - holiday greetings and a little bit of comfort.

The Fisher House is “a home away from home”

Irene and Manfred Kilp, Mary Ann and I we met us at 9:30 am in Landstuhl on gate 3. At first we had an invitation to a wonderful musical program at the Fisher House! The Officers' wifes' Club from Ramstein AB were coming to present their Christmas program. They sung Christmas songs for guests of the Fisher House.

Here we met John, a wounded Airborne Division soldier with his wife. John is an outpatient and stays with his wife for recovery in the Fisher House. We wished both a wonderful Christmas under this specific circumstance this year. For his wife we had a nice German/English cooking book and for him a backpack with a handmade blanket and a large Christmas stocking.

A great thank you to Kathy Gregory, manager from the Fisher House Landstuhl for to give us her time to go with us to the wounded soldiers. We don’t know how it could works without Kathy and the Fisher House! Read more here about the Fisher House and how you can help: http://soldiersangels.homestead.com/Fisher-House-Germany.html

from left Manfred, Willie, Rudi and Irene

At the Hospital

LRMC is about eight miles away from Ramstein and is the largest U.S. Medical Center in Europe. It operates with outpatient clinics - one of them is in Kaiserslautern – the Kleber Kaserne. Landstuhl has a capacity of 230 beds or more if it is necessary. Here you have inpatients who can have battle injuries with gun shot wounds, burns, amputations, or other non battle injuries as heart attacks and so on. And here are outpatients, who can go by themselves and do not need to lay down in a bed for recovery.

As we went to the hospital with Kathy, the manager from Fisher House and SPC W. from the Family Assistance Center with 60 filled backpacks with handmade blankets. Our sewing circles gave their time and sew the blankets for the wounded. These blankets will bring hope to so many of our wounded heroes. The Clair E. Gale Junior High School, ID as well as, Joyce from AZ, Paul and Berta from CA, Rosi from Idaho, Sarah from FL and the students from the East Hill Christian School 1st and 4th grade Pensacola, Fl and other Angels and friends have sent us to fill in the backpacks wonderful Christmas cards. A lot of other Angels have donated T-shirts, socks, underpants, candies, items for personal hygiene, books and more goodies. And we here in Germany have filled all the backpacks and sportbags. And without the personal help from Sgt. Leecharde R. Bersamina from the 1st AD this would not be possible, too.

The 150 Christmas stockings from the Soldiers Angels were a gift bag of goodies filled with reading materials, stationary, pens, socks, and selected toiletry items such as bath gels, shampoos, lotions, razors, dental products, or more goodies.

Operation Christmas From Home

As we handed out the first Christmas stockings in the Hospital the both wounded were so surprised that someone from home was thinking on them. Both asked me at once, "Who has made the wonderful Christmas stockings?" I told them, “…two great ladies, Sarah and Becky, worked over months to make this ready for you!” A doctor who was standing beside the bed of one wounded hero told me, “…it is a great thing that so much people from home spend their time and money to bring our heroes a so great Christmas gift. They must know that they are not alone…” You can believe me the both guys had tears in their eyes!

Christmas messages

Later we met Chaplain Young on the floor too and he told me, “…please give all Angels and friends a great thank you for all the good things the Soldiers Angels are doing for the wounded soldiers here in Landstuhl and Merry Christmas to you all…." The eight Christmas books we have with us, with - Christmas messages from home - we have let one in the Fisher House and the others in the Hospital and Kleber. Later as we were on the way to lunch I met Lt. Col. S. R., one of the chief nurses of the Landstuhl nursing staff and she said, “… you all are doing a great work! Thank you again and Merry Christmas…”

Wounded Guardman

A Deputy Public Affairs Officer from Oregon National Guard asked me,” Please look for Staff Sgt. C. who will arrive soon from Iraq. We have heard he shattered the bones in his legs enroute to his base station in Iraq and was at the hospital in Baghdad due to be sent to Landstuhl for stabilisation prior to travelling to Army Hospital in the States….” For the wounded Guardman we had a special backpack with a pair of trousers, t-shirt, underpants, socks, sweater, personal hygiene items, blanket and candies and more. It was not possible to visit him in person and talk to him. The security is very high at the moment! A nurse has brought in our name this backpack with a nice Get Well card to him and has given him out best wishes for a fast recovery! This is the most of the time normal I must say. Sometimes we can go and talk with the wounded soldiers and other times it is not possible like here. We are not sad about this! Security is very important today, terrible that we must say this.

Operation Christmas From Home

Our Angels Sarah LaPage, FL and Becky Morton, NC started in fall the project “Operation Something From Home” to bring some love and cheer to the wounded soldiers in Landstuhl and other main military hospitals in the States. A lot of students and people from companies have helped to make 500 Stockings ready with a lot of personal items and goodies and more. And over 140 are arrived in Landstuhl and donated amongst other things from:

The Soldiers’ Angels Foundation and Hershey Foods, PA. Hershey Foods sent the following message to our Herous: “Please relay to the men and women that it is people like them who have made our great country what it is today, and we at Hershey Foods thank them for their dedication. Our hearts go out to them for so bravely serving our nation.” Cindy and Caley Trujillo, Kennesaw, GA. Caley is in the Girl Scouts, and chose Operation Christmas from Home as her service project! She and her mom Cindy contributed over 70 stockings to the project with assistance from: Girl Scout Troop 2161.

The many, many Soldiers’ Angels who wrote Christmas cards and sent them to Sarah and Becky to stuff in the stockings for the heroes. There are too many of them for to thank here! Four schools in Pensacola, FL whose students wrote Christmas cards especially for our project. Despite being delayed in their lessons for several weeks due to Hurricane Ivan, these schools still took the time to do something special for our wounded soldiers: Little Flower Catholic School, East Hill Christian School, Alethia Christian Academy and Trinitas Christian Academy. If you have more questions about the Christmas Project 2004 or if you are interested to work with us for the next Christmas project 2005 please contact: Sarah LaPage: Soldiers’ Angels, PO Box 699, Cantonment, FL 32533 e-mail: sarah_ruth_81@yahoo.com or Becky Morton, Soldiers’ Angels, PO Box 375, Graham, NC 27253, email: rpmorton375@yahoo.com.

Santa`s for Soldiers

You do not believe it! More Christmas Stockings were coming! From the project “Santa`s for Soldiers”, from students of the Lewisville High School, 1098 W. Main, Lewisville, Texas 75067 came 145 stockings in 13 boxes to me for to bring it in their name to the wounded soldiers.

“Santa`s for Soldiers”
Posted on the wall at any ward in LRMC.

All students don’t have a lot of money, but they have big hearts. In all the stockings the soldiers didn’t find expensive stuff, but what they used so much, personal items and goodies.

"May No Soldier Go Unloved“

From Colorado we received wonderful 38 handmade ornament Christmas stockings from clients of Bernina Sewing Center which are donated over the Bernina store, Co. The filling was donated and suffered by church members, friends and family of Joan Pignon or others. From the Colorado Angels we had to talk to all wounded soldier: “Thank you for sacrificing the comforts we are enjoying to go away from your family and friends, your hobbies and interests so that we can maintain our liberties. Thank you for going without creature comforts and for enduring extreme environments, hostile people, monotonous work, horrible scenes and repetitive meal selections. Thank you for sharing the generosity and concern of Americans with those who question our movies dislike our interventions. Again, thank you for your service to our country! We are praying for your health, safety, and optimism and for your family.”

"May No Soldier Go Unloved“
Christmas Stockings from a Colorado Contingent of Soldiers Angels

Our visit in the Kleber Barracks in Kaiserslautern.

On our trip to Kleber Kaserne in Kaiserslautern a medical facility from Landstuhl came Darla and Jane with us. This was the first time that we were here. As we arrived in Kleber, at first SSG G. told us something about the Kleber Kaserne.

Here it is where soldiers stay who not requiring hospital beds but evacuated to Landstuhl stay here during appointments and medical treatment. The soldiers travel normally 30-40 minuets each way by bus to LRMC to have here their medical treatment. The barracks can hold 356 Soldiers, but average only 150. If necessary, up to 410 Soldiers could be accommodated in the second building they have. Here is a place where transient Soldiers can relax and recharge their batteries as they wait for their wounds to heal. At the moment every week 110 wounded come or leave Kleber. The average stay for a Soldier — before returning to duty lasted not more than 15 days. The soldiers told us a stay at Kleber are short term and relatively comfortable. Here the soldiers have a pool table, library, free Internet access, movie rooms, reading room, Ping-Pong table, air hockey table, two day rooms, each with its own wide-screen television, a kitchenette and a telephone room where Soldiers can call their families for free. The soldiers here in Kleber do not need a phone card! The library has a lot of donated books and new magazines. Soldiers who come here receive two sets of desert battle-dress uniforms, a Gore-Tex jacket and a pair of gloves and a $250 AAFES gift card so they can purchase some civilian clothing. SSG G. showed us his full storage. He was glad that he has now enough uniforms for the soldiers.

After the lesson from SSG G. our hard work started! At first we all together brought the Christmas stockings in the large hall on the first floor. We all drove a lot of nails into the wall and have hung up all Christmas stockings on the wall. So all soldiers could take a wonderful Christmas gift by themself.

A younger and an older soldier were coming to us and say thank you for the stockings. And Kathy introduced us Germans working together with the Soldiers Angels to make this ready for them. They asked us if they can make pictures of our group and we said “sure”. And so they beamed with joy!

Jane, Kathy and Rudi.......................Irene and the Christmas Stocking

All the soldiers who were coming in or went out, or were sitting in the TV room we have given a Christmas stocking. They asked us currently, "Who has made these wonderful Christmas stockings". They all were so surprised that we have brought such gifts for them.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Let us hope that the next year will bring us more peace and freedom in our world.

And thank you to all the women and men to fight for us the war against the terrorism.

Wilhelmine Aufmkolk, Germany
"May No Soldier Go Unloved“
soldiersangels.com
e-mail: JosephineFS@aol.com

I'd like to thank Soldiers Angels for their time and dedication to make sure all of out soldiers feel loved.

_____

Belleau Wood

A Classic!

Belleau Wood

Oh, the snowflakes fell in silence
over Belleau Wood that night
For a Christmas truce had been declared
By both sides of the fight

As we lay there in our trenches
The silence broke in two
By a German soldier singing
A song that we all knew

Though I did not know the language
The song was "Silent Night"
Then I heard my buddy whisper,
"All is calm and all is bright"
T
hen the fear and doubt surrounded me
"Cause I'd die if I was wrong
But I stood up in my trench
And I began to sing along

Then across the frozen battlefield
Anothers voice joined in
Until one by one each man became
A singer of the hymn

Then I thought that I was dreaming
For right there in my sight
Stood the German soldier
'Neath the falling flakes of white

And he raised his hand and smiled at me
As if he seemed to say
Here's hoping we both live
To see us find a better way

Then the devil's clock struck midnight
And the skies lit up again
And the battlefield where heaven stood
Was blown to hell again

But for just one fleeting moment
The answer seemed so clear
Heaven's not beyond the clouds
It's just beyond the fear

No, heaven's not beyond the clouds
It's for us to find it here

The Authors are : Joe Henry and Garth Brooks Copyright 1997

_____

Merry Chistmas to Troops

The life of a soldier, each brave and strong, Always making sure that things here don't go wrong. This holiday season, I want All to know, That our happiness and freedom, to each of You we owe.

We as a people are so truly blessed,
To have soldiers like you spread from East to West.

To the North and the South, surrounded are we,
With military who love us, from sea to shining sea.

My most gracious thanks...I send to you,
The Brave, the Proud, the too precious Few.

And I send to you this Christmas...All my Love,
Along with a prayer that the lord above,

Bless you most kindly, with warmth and grace,
And a smile may he place, on each loving face.

Peace to All, Good will toward Men,
Without each of you, this would definitely end!

Merry, Merry Christmas
from LadyGator and Family

God Bless you All

12/24/04

Tending Distant Fires

Far from hearth and home, watching
Cold alone but not alone
On distant shore and only wanting
Safe return and little more

What tales we'll tell
When that time comes
When tales can be told

When things grim
Seem far away
When other fires go cold

Some distant sunset, vision fading
Memories remain
And tired eyes gaze 'pon folded flags
While distant drums beat their refrain

Saluting fallen friends whose names
And youth will never fade
Here's to those on other shores,
for them live well, the price is paid

- Greyhawk,
-- Iraq, December 2004

Deployed far from home and hearth this Holiday season, awaiting a bit of cheer via comments:

1000 Words from Iraq

2Slick's Forum

Able Kane Adventures

Armor Geddon

Beef Always Wins

Blog Machine City

Dagger JAG

In Iraq for 365

Iraq Calling

Lance in Iraq

A Line in the Sand

The Mudville Gazette

Never heard of this place till now!!!

News from Baghdad

OIF

The Questing Cat

Steven Kiel

Training for Eternity

Tweak's World

Life in This Girl's Army

pure-randomness

NotQuiteDead

And those who wait:

Trying to Grok

Visit here; spread Christmas cheer
and if you can, throughout the year

(missed any? Leave a comment or email greyhawk@mudvillegazette.com)

12/23/04

MilBlogs Roundup

Baldilocks has done a superb job at doing a round up to a few of the best MilBlogs. I, Mrs G, will have to apologize for lacking in this department on this page. Been busy. Glad to see I can count on a another Milblogger to make sure the jog gets done.
Thanks Baldilocks

12/20/04

Tanks!

Hugh Hewitt, on Time magazine noting a "blog of the year":

This recognition is greatly deserved but also a little ironic --as if, in 1940, the radio networks got together to award a "television reporter of the year" award.

Geeesh, some people just can't show simple gratitude.

The fact that it's been a year since my response to Time's cover story reminds me that after another year with an increasing number of front-line blogs, emails home, and other real-time communication from GIs here we've seen little change from some sources in tone of coverage on the supposed "GI view" of the war. The fact that the media storyline hasn't changed is not surprising, the fact that so many are willing to believe it is unfortunate.

The fact that blogs have come a long way in that same 12 months shows that increasing numbers of people are not so inclined, and I remain hopeful for the year ahead.

So continue to put words in our mouths at your own risk, you priests of a crumbling temple. We've our own platform now, and we'll call you down from that lofty tower...

Here's OIF vet Jason Van Steenwyk responding to the Christian Science Monitor via letter.

Here's Michael at A Day in Iraq recounting stories of his previous assignment in Iraq and his ongoing preparations to return here. A quote: "I can't think of anywhere else I would rather spend over a year of my life."

Now I could name a couple, (but here's to better years!) but I recognize his sincerity, and I know exactly what he means. Others in DCUs do too.
How would a cynical mainstream media respond to such?

Cori Dauber notes another case of the "demoralized military a la Vietnam" theme in the press.

Rick Atkinson, author of the subject piece, wrote the book "In the Company of Soldiers", one of least informative accounts I've ever read from an embed on the invasion of Iraq. Atkinson recounts a large share of the negative reporting throughout the actual march on Baghdad; we trained for the wrong foe, sand and dust will stop us, Baghdad will be a nightmare of door-to-door combat, etc. etc. Even after the fact in the book he couldn't really bring himself to rise above his pre-war conclusions that 1) the war was unjustified and all about oil and 2) the war was a series of U.S. failures culminating in the capture of Baghdad but so what?

Atkinson from Soldiers:

On Forward Area Refueling Points (FARPs):

With stupefying obtuseness, the military had named the FARPs for oil companies, despite Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's insistence that the invasion of a country with 112 billion barrels of confirmed reserves had "nothing to do with oil, literally nothing to do with oil".

On the motivation of U.S. Soldiers:

But most soldiers evinced a cool detachment toward their potential Iraqi adversaries. Certainly no hate lodged in their bones. Many had an inchoate conviction that this deployment was somehow linked to the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, a delusion encouraged by the nation's political leadership. Long before 9/11, however, the Army had become an expeditionary force that careered among global hot spots. If they were modern legionnaires, these soldiers nevertheless thought of themselves as defenders of a secular faith embracing sundry liberties and entitlements, including many that were noble, and others - such as the daily consumption of more than 25 percent of the world's oil supply by only 5 percent of the world's population - that were less so.

On finding a warehouse complex full of boxes labeled 'Oil-for-Food':

As we poked about, I catalogued the emporium. Warehouse No. 4: fifty-kilo sacks of sugar from France and twenty thousand bags of black tea from India. Warehouse No. 10: cooking oil from Malaysia. Warehouse No. 19: detergent powder - the place smelled like a lemon grove - from Algeria and Syria. Warehouse No. 5 was my favorite: bed sheets, Phillips flat-screen televisions, men's underwear, throw rugs, light bulbs, candles, compressors, pencils, erasers, light switches, trash bags, and, not least, a carton of box cutters. Perhaps, I thought, we had found the elusive link to Al-Qaeda.

That final comment being particular ironic in light of the growing Oil for Food scandal.

His otherwise straightforward account is marred by political injections into what is actually a 90 percent non-political look at an army at war. But in the end - perhaps in fear of being labeled a "Bushie" - he can't resist spilling his personal views out onto the page. His opinions on the war are anything but inchoate; his attacks are like little IEDs shoehorned in at various spots throughout his prose, catching you when you're off guard.

Atkinson's previous effort, "An Army at Dawn", was a Pulitzer Prize-winning account of WWII battles in North Africa, a campaign marked by initial failures that nonetheless set the foundation for eventual victory. In "Soldiers" he actually recounts learning he'd been honored with the Pulitzer while in Iraq during the war. I haven't read that one, but I'd expect his problem is presenting real-time data vs. history, the latter being somewhat more malleable in the hands of someone unconcerned with accuracy, or a response from those who were there. Perhaps he expects that years from now his work on Iraq will be the definitive shaper of thoughts on this age?

Here's a quote from his latest article:

But as this war grinds on, as these dead stack up, soldiers and their families are faced with the appalling suspicion that their troops are risking their lives in a cause that is uncertain at best and illegitimate at worst.

The son of an Army officer, Atkinson is ever careful to wrap his nay saying in a thin armor of feeble praise for those in uniform. But guys like Michael or Red Six or 2Slick keep showing up on the horizon, and certain 'embeds' would do well to take note.

Even tanks get destroyed some times, don't you know.

_____

Welcome a new member to the family

The MilBlog family. An activated reservist Going Down Range

_____

Blog Power

I, a GI in Iraq, found this through Power Line.

By the way, if you’re interested in what combat troops have to say about the armor issue, read this.

And in the amazing coincidence department, that story also involves Sgt Lizzie

Hat tip for those last two to Sarah.

_____

An enigmatic farewell…

From Ali

_____

Last edition of "Good news from Iraq" for 2004

Dear Mr & Mrs Greyhawk

Wishing you a relaxing and happy Christmas and an exciting - and safe - 2005; and thanking you for your support throughout this year.

This is the last edition of "Good news from Iraq" for 2004 - as always, there's plenty of news under-reported by the mainstream media - and as Iraq is moving closer to the election, the segment will definitely be coming back in 2005:

Chrenkoff

Opinion Journal

Winds of Change

Best regards

Arthur

12/17/04

From The Jag

Eric at Dagger Jag has been working issues with the Iraqi elections. In one of his posts on that topic he also introduces something you likely haven't heard of:

Today we conducted another detainee release mission. I've wrote about one way back during the summer but things have changed a bit since then. We still conduct the release missions every week or two. The detainees come up from Abu Ghraib on busses or trucks and we meet them in Tikrit and escort the busses to a smaller village outside of Tikrit. There, they are released at a "halfway house" of sorts.

The Iraqis running this program wanted to establish a way to reintegrate the detainees into Iraqi society and try to educate them and encourage them to help work for the future of Iraq. The detainees receive new clothes and are checked out by an Iraqi doctor. Then they are fed and picked up by their host families. A number of local families in the town have agreed to house the released detainees and help them reintegrate into Iraqi society. The town has been very peaceful throughout the whole time we've been here and, because of that, they have reaped a lot of benefits. Some of that might be a quid pro quo but I much of it is because contractors can work safely there and we are willing to help them with their needs. The families show the former detainees what can happen to an area that is peaceful.

For three days the released detainees attend classes at the "halfway house." They receive classes on how to use a computer and the internet (something that might or might not be useful to them) but most of the classes are on Iraqi history, religion, and politics. The goal is to motivate these men to take charge and work for the good of THEIR country. It really is an amazing program and, by all accounts, successful as well. Many of the detainees go back to their homes afterwards and keep in touch with the director. Some have even come back and helped out with later classes. It has been the most encouraging thing for me especially since all of this was done without our prompting or funding. The director is a remarkable man who developed the program and is paying for it with his own funds and with donations from other Iraqis. He has told me, and I agree, that the program is much more successful because they are not associated with the US military. They are Iraqis taking care of other Iraqis.

Read it all.

He's got more on the halfway house here.

Excerpt:

The director shared another anecdote with me about a released detainee who explained to the group how before he was detained, he thought all Americans were like Saddam Hussein's goons; cruel monsters who used their power to do whatever they wanted and killed anyone who got in the way. He said that when he was detained he was treated well and actually made friends with some of the prison guards. He said he had completely changed his mind about the Americans and wanted to tell everyone he used to hang out with not to attack the Americans anymore. Now I don't know how much of this is true but it does sound like the program is doing some good.

And more on the upcoming elections here.

12/17/04

Hero

Your must read for today

12/16/04

On a cold snowy night

blockquote>

On a cold snowy night back in 86
I saw a young man standing by some bricks

I watched out my window as the snow drifted down
I could see his breath in this cold little town

He was walking back and forth with his gun by one arm
at first I was nervous but he meant me no harm

He stood there and stood there freezing I know
just standing a pacing there in the snow

Then out of nowhere a tear fell from my eye
just knowing he would protect me even if he had to die

I gathered my self up and went to my Dad
it was 2 in the morning but he was not mad

I went to the Kitchen and made some warm tea
walked down the cold stairs "to you, from me"

He put out his hand and put it on my head
then he whispered to me "all is safe, go on to bed"

with a lump in my throat a tear in my eye
I went back upstairs but did not cry

I went back to the window and took a peek out
he looked up and saw me his smile came out

He stood at attention saluted me, he did
I saluted him back and let out a grin

By Adam J
Adam says: (I was 11 years old and My Father was stationed in Germany that was right after we Bombed Libya.)

12/16/04

Rough Men

Hawk, It was my reading of that quote at your site so many times that inspired me to write something about it. It is a wonderful bit of wisdom, and combined with this quote of Haile Selassie's, is a rather effective way of making critics of the war ponder their position, if but for a moment, until their fuzzy logic takes hold again.

"Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph."

Charles at Global Spec Ops brought this bit of wisdom to my attention.

"Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.”

George Orwell (with a nod to the Mudville Gazette)

Rough men

There’s a character trait that’s decided by fate
Comes (sadly) to many, far too faint, far too late.
They won’t face the aggressor, stand up to his ire
They have not the will to fight his fire with fire.
So they bend over backwards to see all sides as fair,
Till they’re faced with dragon breath fire in their hair.
Like our brethren in France, who’d know better than we,
Yet seem never to learn, seem doomed never to see.

Yes, it seems there are some who’re determined by fate,
To possess not the courage to step up to the plate,
Who shrink from all threat because nothing’s worth war.
But how can they know lest they’ve been there before?
Thank God some have courage, the will, yes, the grace,
To stand for the shirkers, stand strong in their place.
Thank God we have stalwarts who’ll stand for us all,
Who will rise to the challenge at their nation’s call.

The faint-hearted, who fear, whose reaction is flight,
Have no comprehension of those who will fight.
To hide their own trepidation they attempt to demean
The rough men, who defend them, as barbaric, obscene.
Yet these rough men stand ready, hard weapons to hand,
To put placaters behind them, draw a line in the sand,
To preserve for the peaceniks what they won’t defend,
So their own unearned freedom won’t perish, won’t end.

To appeasers, rough men are coarse government tools.
To rough men, appeasers are dumb delusional fools.

Russ Vaughn
2d Bn, 327th Parachute Infantry Regiment
101st Airborne Division
Vietnam 65-66

Thank You Russ

Russ Vaughn is the Poet Laureate of The American Thinker

Update: It seems there is a debate on where this quote originated. Now by all means, I'm no scholar but I can google and this is my conclusion.

It may be a merger of the statment made in Orwell's essay on Rudyard Kipling (1942) [ "He (Kipling) sees clearly that men can only be highly civilized while other men, inevitably less civilized, are there to guard and feed them." ]

and the definition of a pacifist from Orwell's" Notes on Nationalism" (1945) [ PACIFIST: Those who 'abjure' violence can only do so because others are committing violence on their behalf. ]

Now who do we attribute this quote to? I say both. No one knows who created the exact quote that Greyhawk uses. Neither Orwell or Kipling said those exact words in any of their writings and we may never know who did so let's close the matter with what we do know. These two were brilliant men and the quote was obviously derived from these writings.

And to the commenter who says on his site, Still, (mostly) warmongerers have been repeating this made-up phrase without question for a long time, and now with the "Good" attached - which in my opinion significantly alters the meaning of the quote which implies that the "good people" consent. Plenty of good people do not consent to most war.

To this I say yes, you right, "Good" shouldn't be added because Bad people also sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf. And the word "Good" added doesn't show consent by good people, it's just an undeniable fact and for your information all quotes are made up, that's how they become into existance.
Now "Shoo Fly don't bother me". -Thomas Brigham Bishop (sang by Kitty Wells)

PS:
maybe Greyhawk should add this quote to his header:

"Take my word for it, the silliest woman can manage a clever man; but it needs a very clever woman to manage a fool. - Rudyard Kipling"

Silly me
mrs g

12/15/04

SGT Hook Out?

It is a sad day to here that Sgt Hook will be hanging up his boots and retiring from Blogging. Although he will sorely be missed, Greyhawk and I understand completely, Hooks position on this.
Farewell sir, but please keep in touch via e-mail.

Peace out!

_____

SOA

I'm moving this post up for those that may have missed it.

Have you donated to the SoA Blogger challenge? Here's the sort of things you're helping to make happen.

Iraq the Model bloggers Omar and Mohamed are touring America along with SoA founder Jim Hake (MilBlogger Grim got a coveted invite to one event!) demonstrating the new Arabic language blogging tool called Viral Freedom:

Every blog developed using the Arabic blogging tool will include space that is under the control of organizations that we work with, such as Friends of Democracy. This space or “real estate” will be a portion of the blog header (top of the page) and the left column. The organizations will use the space to promote groups, individuals and news that, in the big picture, advance freedom, democracy and peace in the region. Thus, everyone that creates a blog will be promoting moderate and progressive information and viewpoints in the Arab world. Friends of Democracy will use the space to publicize pro-democracy groups, election information and related news. The blogs created under Friends of Democracy will be ambassadors of democracy in the Arab world.

Friends of Democracy
The first group of blogs will be under Friends of Democracy. It will focus on Iraq but anyone, and any group, anywhere that wants to be a “friend of democracy” will be able to create and maintain a Friends of Democracy blog in Arabic at no cost. Friends of Democracy will establish and enforce policies regarding blog use and blog content.

Beyond Iraq
If enough funds are raised, we will seek other moderate organizations to oversee blogs in other Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia and Syria. We will also fund the development of the blogging tool in Farsi so it may be used in Iran and in Kurdish.

Contributions through Mudville thus far are enough to fund hosting of 50 blogs for one year in this effort (Note: contributions are to SoA to use as they see fit - will go where the need is greatest.)
"Viral Freedom" makes Mrs. G's choice of link banner quite appropriate, don't you think?

Witness the growing influence of blogs; Omar and Mohamed have already met the President of the United States - and soon they'll be hosted by none other than Roger L Simon! (The reader can insert their own witticism here.)

In honor of the whole series of events, I've decided to up the ante: all who donate 20 dollars or more via Mudville (click banner above) will receive not just pogs but 10,000 (Saddam era) Iraqi Dinar. See additional details here. (And yes, those who've already asked shall receive this too. Act now - offer good only while supplies last.)

_____

Email Via Blackfive

Hi All,

Just got word that, while Toby Keith will not perform at the funeral
(he takes two months off per year to spend with his family and will
not violate his own rule), HE WILL CUT A CD TODAY DEDICATING the song
to Specialist Mahlenbrock. He'll get it to the family in time for the
funeral.

Keep pestering those radio stations.

We're making this happen. YOU PEOPLE ROCK!!!

Thanks!

Blackfive

_____

Sometimes it's Personal

Sometimes I get the feeling some folks forget that the military blogger isn't just spouting their opinion from mom's basement. Here's a must read from Smash. Just go.

_____

More good news

Bill Faith has some more good news from his Iraqi-born friend Haider on his site here and here

_____

The Sands of Christmas

I'll be posting various Military Christmas poems found on the internet during the next couple weeks.
here's one to start.

The Sands of Christmas

I had no Christmas spirit when I breathed a weary sigh,
and looked across the table where the bills were piled too high.
The laundry wasn’t finished and the car I had to fix,
My stocks were down another point, the Dolphins lost by six.

And so with only minutes till my son got home from school
I gave up on the drudgery and grabbed a wooden stool.
The burdens that I carried were about all I could take,
and so I flipped the TV on to catch a little break.

I came upon a desert scene in shades of tan and rust,
No snowflakes hung upon the wind, just clouds of swirling dust.
And where the reindeer should have stood before a laden sleigh,
eight hummers ran a column right behind an M1A.

A group of boys walked past the tank, not one was past his teens,
Their eyes were hard as polished flint, their faces drawn and lean.
They walked the street in armor with their rifles shouldered tight,
their dearest wish for Christmas, just to have a silent night.

Other soldiers gathered, hunkered down against the wind,
To share a scrap of mail and dreams of going home again.
There wasn’t much at all to put their lonely hearts at ease,
They had no Christmas turkey, just a pack of MREs.

They didn't have a garland or a stocking I could see,
They didn't need an ornament-- they lacked a Christmas Tree.
They didn’t have a present even though it was tradition,
the only boxes I could see were labled "ammunition".

I felt a little tug and found my son now by my side,
He asked me what it was I feared, and why it was I cried.
I swept him up into my arms and held him oh so near
and kissed him on the forehead as I whispered in his ear.

There’s nothing wrong my little son, for safe we sleep tonight,
our heroes stand on foreign land to give us all the right,
to worry on the things in life that mean nothing at all,
instead of wondering if we will be the next to fall.

He looked at me as children do and said its always right,
to thank the ones who help us and perhaps that we should write.
And so we pushed aside the bills and sat to draft a note,
to thank the many far from home, and this is what we wrote,

God bless you all and keep you safe, and speed your way back home.
Remember that we love you so, and that you’re not alone.
The gift you give you share with all, a present every day,
You give the gift of liberty and that we can’t repay.

by Michael Marks
© December 2003

Seems Bill thinks like me and has same poem also.

12/13/04

You Won't Hear This One In The Congressional Debates

Sarah with a letter from a GI on the Armor issue - he makes another point we're all well aware of, but that I haven't heard used in this discussion yet. (And you'll probably not hear it anywhere else. There's only a few with the 'license' to say it.)

Rebel Rouser has some interesting pics of the HMMWVs being used in Iraq, along with the latest and greatest.

_____

Global Voices Online

BlackFive has been rubbing elbow With a lot of influential bloggers, at Harvard.
Go read his adventure here and here

man, spend a few months in Iraq and you miss out on everything
_____

All good things must come to an end.

During my weekly run thru the MilBlog Ring (sorry can't do it more often but there are 113 of you), I found we will be losing one of our members.
It was good while it lasted Chromedomezone, you will be missed.

Mrs G

_____

Big Time

MilBlogger (Intel Dump) Phil Carter on the armor issue (and transformation in light of the the evolution in threat faced by the military) - in the New York Times:

Many are taking the exchange, along with alarming new statistics on military preparedness from the House Armed Services Committee, as proof that the Bush administration has failed to give soldiers in Iraq the equipment they need to face combat. Actually, the problem runs much deeper than the current administration: it stems from the Pentagon's uneven effort over the last decade to turn a cold-war military into a force able to meet today's challenges.

<...>

Simply put, there are no more front lines. In slow recognition, the Army purchased light armored vehicles in the late 1990's for its military police to conduct peacekeeping, and more recently spent billions of dollars to outfit several brigades with Stryker medium-weight armored vehicles, which are impervious to most small arms and rocket-propelled grenades and can be deployed anywhere in the world by airplane.

But the fact that there is no longer a front line also means there aren't any more "rear" areas where support units can operate safely. Support units must now be prepared to face the same enemy as the infantry, but are having to do so in trucks with canvas doors and fiberglass hoods because Pentagon procurement planners never expected they'd have to fight. Remember that Pfc. Jessica Lynch, the Iraq invasion's most celebrated prisoner of war, was a supply clerk with a maintenance company.

Well done, Phil! (Oh wait - it's Phillip now! ;) - Hey don't forget all us "little guys"!)

_____

12 Days til Christmas...

Baghdad style
Here's a little ditty, compliments to MilBlogger MamaMontezz

Hat tip to Bill
_____

Arthur's Latest

Dear Mr & Mrs Greyhawk

From the other theater of operations...

It's early days yet, but Afghanistan looks like a success story of President Bush's foreign policy - not surprisingly then, the media has "moved on" to other quagmires and disaster areas. Afghanistan's just not all that important anymore.

Let all of us in the West, leading safe and comfortable lives which allow us to take so much for granted, don't disparage the little things that are today taking place on the other side of the world; a song that can now be sung, a girl who can go to school, a joke that can be told, a country road being built - or indeed a rose smelled again. These things may not sound like much to us, but for the people of Afghanistan they are all small steps leading them towards a better life and a normal future.

The latest round-up of positive developments from Afghanistan is available on:

Chrenkoff

Opinion Journal

Winds of Change

Thanks for your help in spreading the good news.

Best regards

Arthur

12/12/04

Last Day!-2004 Weblog Awards

We're not just in the Military Blog category! There are MilBloggers hidden throughout the 2004 Weblog Awards. And here is where you'll find them:

EagleSpeak in the 6750+ category.

Geek Empire and Chapomatic in the 3500 - 5000 category.

The Common Virtue in the 1000-1750 category (Man down! Get there, stat!)

Brain Fertilizer and Froggy in the 500-1000 category.

Serenity's Journal and Ipse Dixit in the 100-250 category.
And...

The Mudville Gazette and The Evangelical Outpost in the
Top 100 category.

This is the last day to place your vote, so what are you waiting for? Get over there!

12/11/04

Semi Government

Our friend Bill at Small Town Veteran has been corresponding with an Iraqi, and sharing opinions of an editorial.

Iraqi Editorial ”Semi government”

By: Muhammed Abdul Jabbar

“Help team or foreign help team has deviated from consensus of Islamic teams in terms of the importance of Imams or government. It said that the society has no need for a government. Of course, this idea is not encouraged by large numbers of scholars and it was kept in religious community books....

<...>

I have seen many similar editorials in other Iraqi newspapers. This is a sentiment shared by many writers. Iraq has a united people of different races: Arab, Kurd, Turkman etc. and of different faiths: Muslim, Christian, Jew and of different factions: Sunni, Shiite, Kaldian, Ashurian, Catholic, Ashkenazi & Sephardi etc... But above all they are Iraqi and most want to stay that way. This feeling of Iraqi unity is becoming stronger as Iraqi elections near. Being able to cast their vote, and voice their opinions unites Iraqis. This newfound freedom is a great bond and common denominator of Iraqis. Iraqis feel valued, responsible for their country, responsible for their future, responsible for other Iraqis and lately, responsible for minorities’ rights. While Iraqi politicians squabble for voter favoritism, voters are getting more sophisticated with their search of information and demands for better security, infrastructure etc. It is awe-inspiring to watch the development of freedom and democracy in Iraq. It is shocking however to see the very high price paid. This I am sure reminds us how precious our own democracy is and gives us a higher appreciation of the hard work and sacrifices our founders endured.

Regards
Haider Ajina

It really is an interesting read, something you won't find in the MSM.

12/10/04

SOA

Have you donated to the SoA Blogger challenge? Here's the sort of things you're helping to make happen.

Iraq the Model bloggers Omar and Mohamed are touring America along with SoA founder Jim Hake (MilBlogger Grim got a coveted invite to one event!) demonstrating the new Arabic language blogging tool called Viral Freedom:

Every blog developed using the Arabic blogging tool will include space that is under the control of organizations that we work with, such as Friends of Democracy. This space or “real estate” will be a portion of the blog header (top of the page) and the left column. The organizations will use the space to promote groups, individuals and news that, in the big picture, advance freedom, democracy and peace in the region. Thus, everyone that creates a blog will be promoting moderate and progressive information and viewpoints in the Arab world. Friends of Democracy will use the space to publicize pro-democracy groups, election information and related news. The blogs created under Friends of Democracy will be ambassadors of democracy in the Arab world.

Friends of Democracy
The first group of blogs will be under Friends of Democracy. It will focus on Iraq but anyone, and any group, anywhere that wants to be a “friend of democracy” will be able to create and maintain a Friends of Democracy blog in Arabic at no cost. Friends of Democracy will establish and enforce policies regarding blog use and blog content.

Beyond Iraq
If enough funds are raised, we will seek other moderate organizations to oversee blogs in other Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia and Syria. We will also fund the development of the blogging tool in Farsi so it may be used in Iran and in Kurdish.

Contributions through Mudville thus far are enough to fund hosting of 50 blogs for one year in this effort (Note: contributions are to SoA to use as they see fit - will go where the need is greatest.)
"Viral Freedom" makes Mrs. G's choice of link banner quite appropriate, don't you think?

Witness the growing influence of blogs; Omar and Mohamed have already met the President of the United States - and soon they'll be hosted by none other than Roger L Simon! (The reader can insert their own witticism here.)

In honor of the whole series of events, I've decided to up the ante: all who donate 20 dollars or more via Mudville (click banner above) will receive not just pogs but 10,000 (Saddam era) Iraqi Dinar. See additional details here. (And yes, those who've already asked shall receive this too. Act now - offer good only while supplies last.)

12/09/04

A Dying Warriors Last Request

via Blackfive

Hi All-

Please help with this easy request. Feel free to copy and paste
instead of link.
Specialist David Mahlenbrock was killed by an IED on December 3rd in
Kirkuk, Iraq.

I received this email. It's from David's Squad in Bravo,
65th Engineers in Iraq and they are forwarding a request from David.
It appears that David had a special letter sent to his squad in the
event of his death. He wanted Toby Keith's "American Soldier" played
at his funeral:

------------------------------

Dear 1st Squad,

If you're reading this, then I've died for our country. I just
hope it wasn't for nothing.

After the IED went off yesterday, I wanted to write this in case
something happens to me. There are a few more letters that I'd like
you to give my wife and family.

I'd like to have a military funeral, but, if you can work please
make sure that Toby Keith's "American Soldier" is played at the
ceremony in addition to the bagpipes. If they won't let it happen,
that's ok, thanks for trying…...

I know that all the belongings I have here will go to Melissa,
but there are a few more things I'd like for you guys to make sure she
gets. I have a dog tag w/ our picture on it along w/ some pictures
and an American flag in my left breast pocket. There is also a can
that says "Son" on it that Melissa's parents gave me that I'd like for
them to have, and that angel stone should go to her grandma and
grandpa Snow.

Now if I died w/ blue eyes (one blew that way and one blew the
other way) and there's nothing really left of me, that's ok, I know
you meant well.

Alright, enough with the dead guy's last request, there's a lot
of thank you's I wanna say to you fellas……

-------------------------------------
David will be laid to rest in Arlington on Wednesday, December 15th at 10AM EST.

David's family and friends are trying to get help mobilizing radio
stations to play the song "America

Support Mudville:

Posted by Mrs Greyhawk at February 3, 2003 12:01 AM | TrackBack