Four Years ....

Today is the anniversary of "that" day. Some people call it an Alive Day... Noah just says it was the worst !@#$%^; day of his life (and ours).Not dwelling on it... I'm sure it won't be mentioned in our house at all... it is old news... but it is not forgotten... will never be forgotten...

See the video at Some Soldier's Mom

I guess we can close up shop now.

Some people just forget their manners......

LEXINGTON LAUNCHES A DIFFERENT KIND OF DEFENSE BLOG

Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D.

Greetings from New England. Yes, I too am at the beach. But I'm still working, and the purpose of this brief is to tell you about a new project that the Lexington Institute has launched while you were away. It is a defense blog. Yes, yes, I know -- there are already hundreds of defense blogs, and many of them are pretty awful. But that's why we launched our own blog on the Lexington homepage, called Early Warning. It isn't awful. In fact, I'm betting that if you read a few entries, at some point you'll say -- "Gee, I didn't know that."

We all recognize what the main problem is with blogs. The barriers to entry are so low that almost anyone with a laptop can start one, and it's hard to sort out the good ones from tendentious nonsense. For every interesting, competent effort like DoD Buzz, there are dozens of ill-mannered rants masquerading as insight. To say that blogs have lowered the standards of public discourse on policy matters is an under-statement -- there are no standards. Anybody can say anything, with extra points for verbosity.

We are trying a different approach. First, we intend to keep our postings brief. It will be a rare day indeed that a posting on Early Warning runs as long as this brief, and the typical posting will run to two or three paragraphs. Second, we plan to be long on facts -- especially little known, useful facts -- and short on opinions. I mean really, why should you care what I think about the Bradley infantry fighting vehicle or V-22 tiltrotor unless I have inside information to impart? And third, we intend to write about national security in a somewhat more expansive manner than most military analysts. We will frequently look beyond the realm of strategy and tactics, to dissect economic trends, political developments and technology breakthroughs that have a material bearing on national security.

Obviously, we do not expect this vision of a world-class web-log to spring spontaneously from the collective consciousness of the Lexington braintrust onto the Internet. It will take some time to get the blog right, including all the material that surrounds it at www.lexingtoninstitute.org. The blog has actually been up and running for over two weeks, and we are still tweaking features such as how the postings display and are written. But we think we're off to a good start, and are already getting indications that people in the defense community have noticed.

We want Early Warning to be an island of sanity in the chaos of the Worldwide Web. With so many traditional news outlets declining and no new hierarchy of credible sources yet emerged, we'd like to offer a site that is both sensible and engaging. We will never match the resources of the New York Times or the reach of the Associated Press. But we hope that when you read something on the Lexington blog and say, "Gee, I didn't know that," it will be because the information is new and not because it is wrong.

About like the Soviets on 08 AUG 45; tell'n us how to address our failure to fight and win against Japan --- or sump'n.

CAPT Speicher honors at NAS Jacksonville

For those retirees in the Jacksonville, FL areas or those non-USN active duty in the area who didn't get the email, I though I would post this in case you have an interest in participating. Note that you need access to the base.

I don't think CAPT Scorby would mind if I quoted in full.

Shipmates, As I'm sure most of you are aware, the return of Fallen Hero CAPT Michael "Scott" Speicher will occur this week. The latest plan is as follows: CAPT Speicher's remains will arrive at NAS Jacksonville on Thursday at 1500. The remains will then be transferred to the NAS Jacksonville All Saints Chapel where they will lay in repose until 0900 Friday. All personnel with base access will be allowed to pay their respects at the Chapel from 1630 Thursday until 0700 Friday. This will not be open to the general public. National and local media will be present throughout.

As we have done for all our Fallen Heroes, respectfully request your assistance in lining the roads to honor CAPT Speicher and his family. This one is going to be different as a result of the route and will occur on both days. On Thursday, respectfully request that you line the roads from Yorktown and then down Mustin to the Chapel. Those personnel that previously lined Yorktown WEST of Mustin (VP-30/Hangar 511, etc) are now requested to line Mustin down to the Chapel instead. On Friday,
respectfully request that you line the roads from Mustin to Yorktown towards the main gate. Those personnel that previously lined Yorktown EAST of Mustin (FRCSE/FISC/Air Ops, Etc) are now requested to line Mustin down to the Chapel instead. Bottom line is please fill in on Mustin and Yorktown as required.

This is once again an opportunity to honor a Fallen Navy Hero and show a grieving family that they are not alone and that the men and women of NAS Jacksonville stand behind them.

Once again, appropriate honors is to salute the Hearst as it drives by. Non military would place their hand over their heart. Security will also be closing all roads/parking lots throughout the route on both days as the procession departs so you may want to alert your personnel to avoid departing around the time of the procession. If there are any changes to the times or routes, I will update you. Thank you all once again for your amazing support!

V/r
CAPT Jack Scorby
CO, NAS Jacksonville

Hat tip Byron.

EMAC versus DoD?

This little article from The Hill got me to thinking. Are the Governors right to be skeptical?

I am quite sure these folks would say "@#$% yes!"

I have to be very careful when I look at my past experience with Domestic emergencies - it was lousy and embittering. Well, I should say Katrina was, the Mississippi Floods of 1993 were not.

Anyways, I think the Governors are very correct to be cautious - they have learned the hard way, and through the EMAC, they have the means to get the help they need. I'd have to be convinced that this really is necessary. Anyone care to do so?

UPDATE: I should have explained a bit more about "EMAC". The Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) is an agreement between States (and DC, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands and Guam) to provide assistance to each other - National Guard, police, and the like. It covers Command and Control, reimbursement and liability issues. It was blessed off on by Congress in Public Law 104-321, October 1996.
The Governors feel they have a proper framework in place and the DoD is nosing in where it is not needed.

Credit where credit is due

Many in our community of arms have bemoaned the difficulties of traditional media outlets covering Afganistan or Iraq. The lack of reporting, the reliance on stringers, bias and mistakes have all gotten our hackles up at many times.

However, there are counter-examples. I would point out what the Chicago Tribune (who I have no great love for) has done with the deployment of thousands of Illinois National Guard Soldiers to Afghanistan. This article touches closest to home, but do not skip over the entire body of work.

Credit the Tribune with some good work on this.

Odd Subs in the Hudson River

A pair of odd submarines off New York - and heading up the Hudson River? Yikes!

No, not Akulas but something from an earlier day.

The U.S. Coast Guard, now celebrating its 219th birthday, was involved.

Raise your glass in toast to them! It's legal to now.

Captain Michael "Scott" Speicher, USN; rest in peace

May he and his family find peace.

The Department of Defense says the remains of Captain Michael "Scott" Speicher have been found.The Jacksonville resident was the first American lost in the 1991 Persian Gulf War.

Acting on a tip they received in early July, DOD officials found a place in the Iraqi desert they believed to be Speicher's crash site.

That is where they found the remains.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Captain Speicher's family for the ultimate sacrifice he made for his country," said Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. "I am extremely grateful to all those who have worked so tirelessly over the past 19 years to bring Captain Speicher home."