Veteran's Day 2009 [LTC John - November 11, 2009 2:55 PM]
Every year, this day has meant more to me.
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Welcome Back Veterans Video Thanks [Soldier's Mom - November 9, 2009 10:18 PM]
http://www.welcomebackveterans.org/thanks
Hope you can take a second to take a look and join the movement.
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AfPak & Vietnam, what we should be reading [CDR Salamander - October 29, 2009 12:28 AM]
In a media dominated by Baby Boomers and their resulting cultural reference, it is little wonder that we hear a lot about Vietnam vs. Afghanistan; just like we did with Vietnam and Iraq.
That is no shock, what is though is a day when CDR Salamander finds himself in rough alignment with the WaPo's Richard Cohen. Does he read my blog? No, I don't think so.
However, he is getting close. He is reading Sorley.
As it turned out, South Vietnam was ultimately defeated because Congress turned its back on it - not pretty or necessarily honorable but effective.
Yes, yes, great Caesar's ghost --- yes.
For years I felt like I was just one little cricket in the cow field about this basic truth. Some called me a clueless wingnut - deluded about the unwinable war. Well --- when someone like Richard Cohen of the Washington-frick'n-Post starts putting that truth out - well - as always, the truth will show itself.
I do note that he does not mention which political party was in charge of Congress - but that is OK; I will. Democrats. That is where the tie in with AfPak comes in.
Credit for Cohen breakthrough though goes mostly in this case to Sorley and his book, A Better War: The Unexamined Victories and Final Tragedy of America's Last Years in Vietnam
I have nibbled at both - but still need to finish the books I am already reading. I think Richard Cohen also read Sorley's Op-Ed in the NYT last week. It is a very good article discussing those parallels between Vietnam and Afghanistan. He ends with this.
Maintain political support at home: All that was accomplished on the battlefield in the latter years of Vietnam was lost when Congress, having tired of the whole endeavor, drastically cut support for South Vietnam. Neither Lyndon Johnson nor Richard Nixon was able to rally public and press support for the war. President Obama has said that Afghanistan is a war of necessity. If so, he must put his political capital behind it. As he and his advisers plan the new course for the war, he must also come up with a new approach for selling it to Congress and the American people.
Yes, yes, yes. Bring them all to the light.
Maybe one day this nation and specifically those who smeared them through the '60's, '70s, and '80s will apologize to those who served in Vietnam. Again, they did not lose that war - the Democrat Congress did. Full stop.
Perhaps one day all those who opposed the surge in Iraq will say they were wrong as well. Then again, maybe not. Will we learn from history? Perhaps. Perhaps not.
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In memoriam: Sgt. Christopher M. Rudzinski [Greyhawk - October 21, 2009 3:58 PM]
Generations of Valor -- [Anne Morse/NRO]
Mike Rudzinski, is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the son of a Vietnam vet, and the father of Chris Rudzinski, who served in the 4th Infantry Division in Iraq. His son's time in the sand "was much more perilous than mine," Rudzinski wrote. When asked why so many sons of Vietnam veterans saw their sons volunteer for service in Iraq, Rudzinski replied "I believe Chris joined because he loved his country and he loved his family and he wanted to do something for both. I'd like to think that my dad and I were an inspiration to Chris: after all, my dad was the inspiration for me to join.."
Fort Stewart soldier killed in Afghanistan -- [Savannah Morning News]
The Department of Defense announced Sunday the death of a Fort Stewart soldier killed while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Sgt. Christopher M. Rudzinski, 28, of Rantoul, Ill., died Oct. 16 near Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.
He was assigned to 293rd Military Police Company, 385th Military Police Battalion, 16th Military Police Brigade (Airborne), Fort Stewart.
Chris was a fine man, whom I'd wish I'd known -- [Chuck Z]
Matt Burden (Blackfive) was feeling all kinds of happy in Las Vegas until he received a text from his friend, Mike. The news was not good.
Godspeed, Sergeant Chris Rudzinski -- [Blackfive]
I was sitting in McCarran airport in Las Vegas looking forward to coming home when I received word that Chris Rudzinski, on his fourth tour, was killed by an IED in Afghanistan.
Chris's father Mike has been with us at Blackfive since 2003 and comments on blogs as "Annoying Mike". Mike is a Colonel and the son of a viet nam vet, and Mike has another son in the military.
my heart in 1000 pieces -- [Mike Rudzinski]
I don't have the details yet on Chris' death. I was told it was an IED. Chris is my oldest son, 28 years old and a father for his little boy Ryan and husband to Caroline, his wife. I have attached a picture of Chris and Ryan, who turned one year old last month while his daddy was in Afghanistan. The picture was taken on the day of his departure.
through the clouds...... -- [Mike Rudzinski]
I hope you don't mind me writing you and updating you on Chris' return home. I'm not sure I can cry any more tears and remain strong for my family too without talking with somebody. My head is in a spin and my heart aches as we start the process of bringing Chris home. Today Natalie, Caroline, Ryan and I were flown to Dover Air Force Base to witness the dignified transfer ceremony. It is the ceremony where our men and women in uniform take heroes and render honors as they return to American soil. I've had to do some difficult tasks in my life and Army career, but I have to say that standing there in the rain and cold and watching our military men and women take loving care of my son, like they have with the thousands who have preceded him was about too much to bear. It was too much for Caroline, she collapsed at seeing her beloved husband and Ryan's daddy, in a flag draped transfer case, being unloaded from the plane and put into the van which has taken Chris to the mortuary unit to prepare him for his trip home...
But I thought you should also know about the other heroes we ran into today, because they made my heart swell with love and pride, even as it was breaking.
