In case you wondered...

Yes, I'm the father of the girl in the video.

Old Style Turbine Power

Making ships go faster took some ancient technology applied in a new way.

As set out here.

Bunny snipers ....

So, been waiting for some quasi pro-GWOT ... errrrr .... make that Overseas Contingency Operations fiction? Welllllll ..... you need to learn to love the bunny.

Japanese are a funky bunch.

National Medal of Honor Day

Today March 25 is the National Medal of Honor Day, a day dedicated to honor our American heroes who has given much to our country

The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force which can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the Armed Services of the United States. Generally presented to its recipient by the President of the United States of America in the name of Congress, it is often called the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Lightning Bear Studios presents "A Hero's Welcome", a documentary film that focuses on John Finn, the oldest living Medal of Honor recipient (99) and the first recipient from WWII.

Dear friend of Mudville and late Milblogger, Bill Faith - gives us the story from a past post on MOH Bud Day

TSO at This ain't Hell, reminds us of LT John R Fox, (May 18, 1915–December 26, 1944) who was killed in action when he deliberately called for artillery fire on his own position after his position was overrun, in order to defeat a German attack in the vicinity of Sommocolonia, however it was almost 38 years later before he was given the Medal of Honor.

You Served directs us to Colonel Robert Howard (ret.), a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his heroism in Vietnam.

One Marine's View Points us to Medal of Honor Winner, Ed "Too Tall" Freeman and points to a challenge issued by a flight attendant during a recent commercial air flight which will leave you frustrated with "the current lack of appreciation of our military heroes."

TankerBabe tells this story about Sgt Walter Singleton, MOH Recipient and reminds us that there are 19 Double Recipients of the Medal of Honor.

Greyhawk gives us the story of Corporal Jason Dunham who was killed in Iraq. Corporal Dunham wrestled the insurgent to the ground and in the ensuing struggle saw the insurgent release a grenade. He immediately alerted his fellow Marines to the threat. Aware of the imminent danger and without hesitation, Corporal Dunham covered the grenade with his helmet and body, bearing the brunt of the explosion and shielding his Marines from the blast.

And this story of Corporal Rubin who's actions in Korea earned him four recommendations for the Medal of Honor. He was also nominated twice for the Distinguished Service Cross, and twice for the Silver Star.

And Greyhawk reflects on the death of Medal of Honor recipient Desmond Doss, who refused to carry a weapon but insisted on serving his country, a "conscientious cooperator.”

TFW brings us the story of Michael A. Monsoor, a 25-year-old member of SEAL Team 3 from Garden Grove, Calif., instantly smothered the grenade with his body. The blast killed him, but his actions, officials said at the time, saved the men on the rooftop.

BlackFive met Col Ola Mize
Colonel Mize's last words to me were, "Someday, Matt, you will have the honor of being led around by a lieutenant. When that day comes, don't be a jackass."

MaryAnn reminds us Medal of Honor has been awarded only 3448 times since the Civil War, and just 98 recipients are living today and directs us to the Stars and Stripes' great read, written by MOH Recipient, Col. Robert Howard
Wounded 14 times in 54 months of combat duty in Vietnam, Robert Howard was awarded the Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Service Cross, The Silver Star, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit and eight Purple Hearts.

Theodore's World has a great story of MOH Recipient, Airman First Class William H. Pitsenbarger

The Corner's Michael Ledeen points us to a letter to his local newspaper, Medal of Honor holder Michael Thornton reminds us of the qualities of such men.

Defense link has a slide-show presentation of all MOH recipients and their stories.

And the Pentagon Channel will have several shows on today focusing on MOH recipients.

More info can be found here, here, here and here

Medal of Honor Exhibit Opens in Boise - The Idaho Military History Museum will hold a National Medal of Honor Day on Wednesday, March 25.

Update Some thoughts and observations...

There are plenty of links here to learn about our Heroes that have made this country so great.

Can the everyday American (who hasn't been exposed to milblogs) name a Medal of Honor recipient or a single Hero of these wars?

No because the main stream media does not cover them. Apparently today is not newsworthy. Just Google National Medal of Honor Day in the News, nothing from the MSM.

Search results at the time of this post:

Associated Press

New York Times

LA Times

Washington Post

Washington Times

FOX News

I could keep doing this but it's too depressing. Is it too much to ask to give a mention to those who have served us so bravely?

UPDATE II: Pres. Obama participates on National Medal of Honor day. Guess he felt he needed to make up for this blunder.

Milblogger Down

Sad news:

Illinois National Guard Sgt. Christopher Abeyta will return home Thursday.

Abeyta, 23, was killed by an explosion March 15 in Afghanistan.

His body will be flown to Midway Airport and driven through his hometown on the way to Hickey Memorial Chapel, 4201 W. 147th St., Midlothian. His wake will be from 2 to 9 p.m. March 27 at the funeral home.

A funeral Mass will be said at 10 a.m. March 28 at St. Christopher Catholic Church, 4130 W. 147th St., Midlothian, followed by a procession to Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery near Elwood.

A small ceremony for the public will precede a private burial.

The Abeyta family has requested donations be made to a fund for the family of Spc. Norman Cain III, 22, who left behind a wife and two children.

Sgt Abeyta blogged his earliest days in Afghanistan. More details (including addresses for donations or condolences to families) at Blackfive.


Update (via JP), meet Mike, an Air Force Staff Sergeant blogging at A Year in the Sandbox:

On 15 March 2009 on our way back to the FOB from assessing a future school site in Kot, the lead vehicle of our 4 vehicle convoy (I was in the 4th truck) struck an IED. The truck was occupied by SSgt Timothy Bowles, SGT Christopher Abeyta, SPC Robert Weinger and SPC Norman Cain, four great guys. Two of them were killed instantly and the other two passed shortly after being medevac’d out.

Consecrating Ground

Joe Galloway, on ceremonies at the parade ground at the new National Infantry Museum at Ft Benning, Ga:

Highjump

A way down under operation.

Submarine in ice, a plane crash with an icy rescue, and using helicopters for the first time as guides.

As set out here.

Where have all the Flowers Gone?

In case you were wondering, IVAW hasn't gone away - just their media coverage. Protests on the anniversary of the Iraq war (or any other time) that once would have made world-wide headlines are now covered only by small conservative news outlets:

Kokesh and other members of the IVAW gathered on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on Thursday to call on Obama to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. They also launched a 24-hour vigil/demonstration called “Operation No Change” to mark the sixth anniversary of the start of the Iraq War (March 20, 2003).

“In some ways, Obama is worse than Bush,” Kokesh told CNSNews.com. “Bush wasn’t proposing a surge in Afghanistan – and Bush was talking about a quicker timeline for withdrawal than Obama.”

“That’s why we called this ‘Operation No Change,’” said Kokesh. “What Obama is doing with our foreign policy on a fundamental level is not change. Though we are going to re-label the troops ‘non-combat troops,’ they are still out there, and clearly they are still fighting for American interests.”

One day you'll tell the kids...

...about how back during the Iraq war new technology was making deployments easier...

Morale among the American airmen in Kuwait is high, Harvey noted. He attributed frequent contact with home as part of the reason.

"E-mail is the best thing that ever happened to the United States Air Force," said the fighter pilot, whose wife, Connie, and daughters, Anne, 15, and Sarah, 12, live in Columbia, S.C. "We are able to chat with our loved ones back home on a daily basis. That has just been phenomenal for morale. That's the best thing they've ever invented."

Air Force Master Sgt. Eric Farr, also with the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing in Kuwait, attributes the high morale to the wing's real-world mission. The 23-year veteran airman from the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., is a first sergeant with the wing's logistic squadron.
<...>
"No one likes to see war or be a part of a war. There's no joy in bringing destruction on anyone," Farr said. But putting 10 or 20 years of training to actual use is a kind of validation, he noted. "We've trained hard, and now that training's paying off."

I apologize

For the US Navy, I humbly ask for your forgiveness.

The Citation reads:
Congressman Murtha's selfless devotion to the Nation's Sailors and Marines ensured they were provided the resources necessary to effectively conduct the Global War on Terrorism. His courageous leadership, vision, and loyalty to the men and women of the Department of the Navy greatly contributed to their quality of life and helped create the most modern and highly trained fighting force in history. As Chairman of Subcommittee on Defense of the House Appropriations Committee, Congressman Murtha's tireless advocacy helped maintain the Navy and Marine Corps team at the highest levels of combat readiness to meet the challenges of the 21st century. With grateful appreciation for his outstanding contributions to the Nation and the Navy and Marine Corps, Congressman Murtha is awarded the Department of the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award.

Making 'em pay for it

"President Obama made clear during our discussion that he intends to force private insurance companies to pay for the treatment of military veterans with service-connected disabilities."
- Commander David K. Rehbein of The American Legion

Interview with General McKiernan

MARGARET WARNER: Gen. McKiernan, thanks for having us. Do you think the war is winnable in military terms?

GEN. DAVID MCKIERNAN [Commander, International Security Assistance Force, Afghanistan]: Well, it’s “the war’s winnable.” Let’s not put it in military terms because it’s going to take security, it’s going to take governance, and it’s going to take socio-economic progress – all three of those in a comprehensive way. But this campaign is absolutely winnable and will be won.

THE VICTORY LAP OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP SCURRYING AND LOVE THE CALM

video flashback of Buck Sargent circa August 2008

This one's for you, GH:

JAMming in Jamia: Strumming the West Baghdad Blues and bringing it to Jaish al Mahdi with some SRV northwest of the IZ.

Yes, I'm finally home again.

You know, I'm glad. I need the rest.

Bear

Rescue ship near the North Pole, sailed with Byrd to Antarctica, fought the Germans in the "weather wars."

A legend.

As set out here.

So, still happy with Shinseki?

Always looking out for the troops, you know.

Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki confirmed Tuesday that the Obama administration is considering a controversial plan to make veterans pay for treatment of service-related injuries with private insurance.
...
The groups also cited an increase in "third-party collections" estimated in the 2010 budget proposal -- something they said could be achieved only if the Veterans Administration started billing for service-related injuries.

Asked about the proposal, Shinseki said it was under "consideration."

"A final decision hasn't been made yet," he said.

Enough folks in Congress who do not want to deal with the nightmare that this would be with their voters are letting it known it is DOA ... but still.

Where Have The Heroes Gone?

...Andy Rooney asks.

We don’t have many heroes these days because there isn’t much opportunity to be a hero, and most people aren’t usually heroic anyway. Being heroic means doing something that risks your life while saving someone else’s.

Ahem, I know quite a few right here

David Marron of Thunder Run has the Story

Fire Bad!

Registan: The Army’s Woeful IT Policies Poison the War Effort:

BAGRAM AIR BASE, AFGHANISTAN — In January, when I first arrived here, I made an alarming discovery about the state of IT in the Army. Practically all of the blogs and other online tools I use to stay informed and connected to my colleagues (see here, for example) did not work.

Given the great strides forward the Army has made in embracing blogs and blogging I'd be a bit surprised at this report - but I'm not.

Here's why: Air Bases are run by the Air Force, not the Army. And the Air Force has been looking at blogs with fear and superstitious dread from the day they first heard about them. (And I also can tell from the websense screencap that you can see at Registan that it's an Air Force block - that's the service the USAF is paying to determine what sites are "bad" and should be kept away from USAF eyes.) Imagine a tribe of cavemen eons past whose neighbors had discovered 'fire' or 'sharp sticks' and who were worried they might be scorched or poked in a confrontation with those neighbors and therefore decided "fire bad" and you'll have a good idea of the Air Force policy on blogs (or the internet in general). Imagine what the future held for those who ran from fire and you'll have a good idea of the future of the Air Force, too.

Surely it can't be that bad? You might ask. Surely it can:

Airmen may still access information sources outside official Air Force outlets, but only "primary, official-use sources."

"Basically," said Maj. Henry Schott of the command’s plans and requirements section, "if it’s a place like The New York Times, an established, reputable media outlet, then it’s fairly cut and dry that that’s a good source, an authorized source."

So here's some good news from the New York Times - they've figured out how to lower the defense budget: "We would start by killing off the Air Force’s F-22 fighter":

Cutting weapons programs takes political courage — that is why so many have survived so long after their military rationales evaporated. President George W. Bush was not willing to face down industry lobbyists and their carefully cultivated Congressional allies. The F-22 program, backers claim, sustains more than 25,000 jobs in 44 states — jobs that will be fiercely defended in the current economic environment. But cutting unnecessary programs is essential to help pay for more critical defense needs and more cost-effective economic stimulus.

And surely you know what waits below!...

I can't resist.

All done!

Yes we scam

So - if you take a Brigade sceduled to go to Iraq and schedule it to go to Afghanistan instead, then make headlines for drawing down Iraq and building up Afghanistan, could you pull off substituting another Brigade into the Iraq rotation for the one you diverted without anyone in the media pointing out that your drawdown is a scam, a hoax on the American public?

Of course you can. (Well, you and I can't. And George Bush probably couldn't. But Barack Obama can. After all, "yes we can" is his motto, right?)

And yes he did.

Registration is Open

Registration for the 2009 MilBlog Conference is now open. Click here to register.

This one has hit hard

I very rarely, if ever, use the term "heartbreaking". But this is.

I have asked for nothing, from anyone here, for myself. And I won't. Ever. But please consider helping Nyzia.

View image

In The Mail - Congress Will Uphold 1993 Law Regarding Gays in the Military

To: Greyhawk

From: Elaine Donnelly, President, Center for Military Readiness

Date: March 4, 2009

Elaine Donnelly, President of the Center for Military Readiness, predicted today that efforts by liberals in Congress to repeal the 1993 law regarding homosexuals in the military would not succeed. “Members of Congress are starting to take this issue seriously,” she said. “Indications are that repeal of the 1993 law would hurt the ‘Three R’s,’ recruiting, retention, and overall readiness in the volunteer force.”

On Monday Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-CA) announced that she will soon re-introduce legislation to repeal the 1993 law, Section 654, Title 10, which is commonly mislabeled “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” In response, Donnelly predicted that an “illusion of momentum” would not be enough to overcome opposition among military people and doubts among members of Congress on both sides of the aisle who support the military.

She added, “The issue here should not be civilian polls, anecdotes, misguided priorities, or fixation on numbers of discharges that were very small compared to separations for pregnancy or weight standard violations. Most separation cases start with voluntary admissions of homosexual conduct, not investigations. Clarify the law, and such losses could be zero. Repeal the law, and personnel losses could be huge.”

Donnelly emphasized that the annual Military Times Poll of almost 2,000 active duty subscribers found that 58% of respondents supported current law—for four years in a row. The 2008 survey also found that 10% said they would not re-enlist if Congress repeals the 1993 law, and an additional 14% said they would consider leaving.

“This survey does not claim precision,” she said, “but when major efforts are underway to increase the Army and Marine Corps, we cannot afford to lose almost a quarter of the volunteer force, including skilled careerists who cannot easily be replaced.

“The issue is eligibility to serve, not “sexual orientation”—a vague phrase not in the actual law. A future-oriented Congress will support the statute, which the courts have declared constitutional several times. I am confident that they will not allow social engineering to make military life more difficult and more dangerous.”

To schedule an interview on these issues, please call CMR President Elaine Donnelly at (editors note: # given upon request) or Executive Director Tommy Sears in Washington, D.C. at (editors note: # given upon request)

The Center for Military Readiness is an independent public policy organization that specializes in military personnel issues. More information is available at www.cmrlink.org.

No Mr. Limpet

What are your top 5 movies about the U.S. Navy?

I put my selections up here.

Sadly, The Incredible Mr. Limpet did not make the cut.

But add your choices to the list.

Saturday Night's Alright

A U.S. military spokesman, responding to a query about the soldiers, was incredulous. "Just so I understand this clearly, you saw U.S. soldiers at a nightclub in downtown Baghdad outside of the Green Zone in uniform drinking and dancing?" asked Tech. Sgt. Chris Stagner.

Club manager Salah Hassan said Thursday's visit was not exceptional. "The Americans come here four or five times a week," he said. "They buy drinks and pay for them."

Others at the club said the soldiers had been there more than once. "I love the Americans," said Amal Saad, a petite young woman with blue contact lenses and thick red lipstick. "I like it when they come here. I feel so safe."