One of the members of our Military Support Network has a son who is still in Iraq. His name is John Heald and he is quoted in the story below. Both of his grandfather's have died while he was on deployment.
3/25/2009
By Sgt. Dean Davis,Unit Regimental Combat Team 8
NINEWA PROVINCE, Iraq — Since the Marine Corps is known for its expeditionary prowess, maybe one of the best examples of this trait can be found in Iraq’s Ninewa province. Patrolling the terrain of northern Iraq, the Marines of 3rd Platoon, Company D, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 8, have spent the bulk of their deployment staying true to this expeditionary mindset by remaining ‘outside the wire’ to interdict smuggling.
“The work these Marines do is tough and they do a phenomenal job every time,” said Staff Sgt. Joshua J. Lepper, platoon sergeant for 3rd Platoon. “The highlight of this deployment has been seeing the Marines out in the field for 75 days at a time with no complaints and happy to do the job they are assigned. I couldn’t ask for a better platoon of Marines.”
Occasionally the platoon returns to Sahl Sinjar Airfield, a remote airstrip here, but ask 1st Lt. John W. Heald, commander of 3rd Platoon, and he will tell you, that like the rest of the Marines in his platoon, he would rather be out operating in the desert and villages.
“It has been rough at times, but this platoon is very tight, which improves any situation,” said Heald. “Being out for this long and living out of the vehicles like this forced us to adapt.”
The rest of the story can be found here.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Busy, busy, busy
My associate, Maria, and I have been on the road a lot this week working with the Florida Legislature to - we are hopeful - pass a bill establishing a St. Johns River license tag. Florida has more than 100 of these specialty tags and this one will help the St. Johns River Alliance, a 13-county coalition, to pursue its river research and restoration goals.
With all the road trips to Tallahassee (six hours round trip), there hasn't been much time to post.
News from Ft. Bragg
The news still remains positive. Paperwork is being circulated but no orders cut for establishing an ETS date (expiration of term of service) for SGT Mark. With all the talk of the 82nd Airborne being the backbone of the upcoming operations in Afghanistan, we, the parental units, are hoping this is resolved soon.
Get it right media
Both NBC and PBS referred to the soldiers heading over to Afghanistan as "trainers."
I'm sorry, the soldiers of the 82nd Airborne are not trainers. They are infantry. Their new mission may be training but they are not trainers. It's a subtle distinction but an important one.
My associate, Maria, and I have been on the road a lot this week working with the Florida Legislature to - we are hopeful - pass a bill establishing a St. Johns River license tag. Florida has more than 100 of these specialty tags and this one will help the St. Johns River Alliance, a 13-county coalition, to pursue its river research and restoration goals.
With all the road trips to Tallahassee (six hours round trip), there hasn't been much time to post.
News from Ft. Bragg
The news still remains positive. Paperwork is being circulated but no orders cut for establishing an ETS date (expiration of term of service) for SGT Mark. With all the talk of the 82nd Airborne being the backbone of the upcoming operations in Afghanistan, we, the parental units, are hoping this is resolved soon.
Get it right media
Both NBC and PBS referred to the soldiers heading over to Afghanistan as "trainers."
I'm sorry, the soldiers of the 82nd Airborne are not trainers. They are infantry. Their new mission may be training but they are not trainers. It's a subtle distinction but an important one.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
This sounds familiar
From the Fayetteville Observer:
Obama to unveil new war strategy next week
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The United States will change the way its forces are arrayed in Afghanistan as part of an overhaul of U.S. strategy in the flagging war, a senior defense official said Friday.
President Obama is expected to unveil a revamped plan for fighting insurgents in Afghanistan and Pakistan next week. The official , who spoke on condition of anonymity because the review is not complete, said it would call for new garrisons in far-flung Afghan communities.
That would help the U.S. hold ground against a resurgent Taliban-led insurgency, the official said. Under today’s hub-and-spoke system, U.S. forces leave protected bases to conduct anti-insurgent operations. When they leave, insurgents come back.
The forthcoming plan also places an onus on Pakistan to confront the threat of insurgents who use its territory as a sanctuary from attack by U.S. and allied forces, officials familiar with the program have said.
The emerging plan contemplates a large build-up of Afghan armed forces and security services, to as many as 400,000, other defense officials said. That would be more than twice the number Afghanistan now has.
U.S. military leaders have said an able Afghan military is the key to allowing U.S. and allied forces to leave.
Obama to unveil new war strategy next week
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The United States will change the way its forces are arrayed in Afghanistan as part of an overhaul of U.S. strategy in the flagging war, a senior defense official said Friday.
President Obama is expected to unveil a revamped plan for fighting insurgents in Afghanistan and Pakistan next week. The official , who spoke on condition of anonymity because the review is not complete, said it would call for new garrisons in far-flung Afghan communities.
That would help the U.S. hold ground against a resurgent Taliban-led insurgency, the official said. Under today’s hub-and-spoke system, U.S. forces leave protected bases to conduct anti-insurgent operations. When they leave, insurgents come back.
The forthcoming plan also places an onus on Pakistan to confront the threat of insurgents who use its territory as a sanctuary from attack by U.S. and allied forces, officials familiar with the program have said.
The emerging plan contemplates a large build-up of Afghan armed forces and security services, to as many as 400,000, other defense officials said. That would be more than twice the number Afghanistan now has.
U.S. military leaders have said an able Afghan military is the key to allowing U.S. and allied forces to leave.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Off topic: Spring has sprung
Now that it's officially Spring, Floridians can change their footwear.
From bottom to top:
Office flops,
Beach flops,
Yard flops (last year's office flops).
This for all you expatriate Floridians out there.
But, of course, for working in the woods, year-round snake boots are still mandatory. These things are so ugly that no self-respecting snake would try to bite them.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
NY Times: Gates would pay family travel to Dover
Pentagon Will Help Families Travel to Dover
By Katharine Q. Seelye
Updated | March 19
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today that the Pentagon would pay for families to travel to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware if they want to be present when the body or remains of a loved one is returned from war.
Mr. Gates announced last month that the Pentagon was reversing its longstanding policy of barring media coverage during the repatriation of fallen soldiers at Dover. He said then, and reiterated today at a news conference, which the Pentagon’s Web site streamed live, that the decision about media coverage would be up to each family.
The rest of the story can be found here.
By Katharine Q. Seelye
Updated | March 19
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today that the Pentagon would pay for families to travel to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware if they want to be present when the body or remains of a loved one is returned from war.
Mr. Gates announced last month that the Pentagon was reversing its longstanding policy of barring media coverage during the repatriation of fallen soldiers at Dover. He said then, and reiterated today at a news conference, which the Pentagon’s Web site streamed live, that the decision about media coverage would be up to each family.
The rest of the story can be found here.
for our friends in the 82nd Airborne
Mark sent this over yesterday. I hadn't seen it before. You have to click on it to read it.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
From the Washington Post: Stop loss
Army to Stop Extending Tours Beyond Service Obligations
By Ann Scott Tyson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 18, 2009; 3:42 PM
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced today that the Army will virtually eliminate the unpopular practice of "stop loss" -- or mandating that soldiers stay in the Army beyond their service obligation -- by March 2011 and will offer extra pay to soldiers whose service is extended under the policy.
About 13,000 soldiers are serving in the Army under the stop-loss policy, nearly double the number of two years ago. Gates said the goal is to reduce that number by 50 percent by June 2010 and to bring it down to scores or less by March 2011.
"I felt particularly in these numbers that it was breaking faith" to keep soldiers in the service after their end date comes up, Gates said. "To hold them against their will is just not the right thing to do," he said at a Pentagon press conference.
To achieve that, the Army Reserve will no longer mobilize units under stop-loss policy beginning in August, the Army National Guard in September, and the active duty Army by January 2010.
Gate said that the Army retains the authority to use stop loss under "extraordinary" circumstances. But he said that should only happen in an "emergency situation where we absolutely had to have somebody's skills for a specific limited period of time." Such decisions would be made by the secretary of the Army, he said.
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Effective this month, the Army will also pay soldiers who are under stop loss an extra $500 per month, and those payments will be retroactive until October 2008, when they were authorized by Congress, Gates said.
By Ann Scott Tyson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 18, 2009; 3:42 PM
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced today that the Army will virtually eliminate the unpopular practice of "stop loss" -- or mandating that soldiers stay in the Army beyond their service obligation -- by March 2011 and will offer extra pay to soldiers whose service is extended under the policy.
About 13,000 soldiers are serving in the Army under the stop-loss policy, nearly double the number of two years ago. Gates said the goal is to reduce that number by 50 percent by June 2010 and to bring it down to scores or less by March 2011.
"I felt particularly in these numbers that it was breaking faith" to keep soldiers in the service after their end date comes up, Gates said. "To hold them against their will is just not the right thing to do," he said at a Pentagon press conference.
To achieve that, the Army Reserve will no longer mobilize units under stop-loss policy beginning in August, the Army National Guard in September, and the active duty Army by January 2010.
Gate said that the Army retains the authority to use stop loss under "extraordinary" circumstances. But he said that should only happen in an "emergency situation where we absolutely had to have somebody's skills for a specific limited period of time." Such decisions would be made by the secretary of the Army, he said.
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Effective this month, the Army will also pay soldiers who are under stop loss an extra $500 per month, and those payments will be retroactive until October 2008, when they were authorized by Congress, Gates said.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
Military support network
On Saturday, Gayle and I met up with the organizer of our military support network and her husband for drinks and hor dourves. Their son is recently back from Iraq. We were stunned to hear that his unit had suffered a 10 percent causality rate in the 15 months since our son was back from the surge. From everything I read, Iraq is supposed to be relatively peaceful, albeit fragile. Ten percent equates to 65 men killed or wounded. How is it that we don't know this?
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Saturday news and notes
Ft. Bragg happenings
A slide show of the First Lady's visit to Fayetteville Thursday can be found here. It's at the bottom of the story.
Mark's battalion is in from a long field exercise, so it's a working weekend for him and a lot of other soldiers. I don't think we will see him again until Memorial Day. I am hopeful that he will have a handle on his injury issues soon.
I posted the article below about the Warrior Transition Union at Bragg for a reason. The Army still has a very hard time telling the difference between a s**tbag and a soldier with legitimate health issues. In the Army's defense it would be difficult to tell if someone was shamming or really needed help. But nonetheless, with the spike in suicides and issues concerning PTSD, it's a problem the Army needs to solve.
Backyard mayhem
There was no sleeping in this morning although it was a perfect morning to do it: the beaches are socked in with a heavy fog for the second day in a row (see La Florida). At any rate, the blue jays were making this horrible racket as were the squirrels and an occasional mockingbird. Turns out there was a very large red-shouldered hawk in the sycamore tree next to the bedroom window and the blue jays were running dive-bombing sorties on him. He finally left but the blue jays are now doing victory laps around the backyard.
Front yard mayhem
Jon's surfing clothing sale (RVCA). No sign of recession there.
A slide show of the First Lady's visit to Fayetteville Thursday can be found here. It's at the bottom of the story.
Mark's battalion is in from a long field exercise, so it's a working weekend for him and a lot of other soldiers. I don't think we will see him again until Memorial Day. I am hopeful that he will have a handle on his injury issues soon.
I posted the article below about the Warrior Transition Union at Bragg for a reason. The Army still has a very hard time telling the difference between a s**tbag and a soldier with legitimate health issues. In the Army's defense it would be difficult to tell if someone was shamming or really needed help. But nonetheless, with the spike in suicides and issues concerning PTSD, it's a problem the Army needs to solve.
Backyard mayhem
There was no sleeping in this morning although it was a perfect morning to do it: the beaches are socked in with a heavy fog for the second day in a row (see La Florida). At any rate, the blue jays were making this horrible racket as were the squirrels and an occasional mockingbird. Turns out there was a very large red-shouldered hawk in the sycamore tree next to the bedroom window and the blue jays were running dive-bombing sorties on him. He finally left but the blue jays are now doing victory laps around the backyard.
Front yard mayhem
Jon's surfing clothing sale (RVCA). No sign of recession there.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Army to review how injured soldiers treated
From the Fayetteville Observer:
By Kevin Maurer
The Associated Press
The general in charge of the Army’s more than 9,000 wounded soldiers said Wednesday he is ordering a review of how the ones at Fort Bragg are being punished for minor violations.
Brig. Gen. Gary Cheek said he is asking the Army Surgeon General to look at all discipline that has been taken against soldiers in the base’s Warrior Transition unit to make sure each case was fair.
Cheek’s comments come a day after The Associated Press reported that soldiers in the unit are being disciplined three times as often as those assigned to the base’s main tenant, the 82nd Airborne Division. The AP found that discipline rates vary widely across the Warrior Transition system; some units punish their soldiers even more frequently than the one at Fort Bragg, while others are far more lenient.
“We are transparent enough in this that we want to make sure that we aren’t doing anything bad by our soldiers,” Cheek said.
The rest of the story can be found here.
By Kevin Maurer
The Associated Press
The general in charge of the Army’s more than 9,000 wounded soldiers said Wednesday he is ordering a review of how the ones at Fort Bragg are being punished for minor violations.
Brig. Gen. Gary Cheek said he is asking the Army Surgeon General to look at all discipline that has been taken against soldiers in the base’s Warrior Transition unit to make sure each case was fair.
Cheek’s comments come a day after The Associated Press reported that soldiers in the unit are being disciplined three times as often as those assigned to the base’s main tenant, the 82nd Airborne Division. The AP found that discipline rates vary widely across the Warrior Transition system; some units punish their soldiers even more frequently than the one at Fort Bragg, while others are far more lenient.
“We are transparent enough in this that we want to make sure that we aren’t doing anything bad by our soldiers,” Cheek said.
The rest of the story can be found here.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Wednesday news and notes
Brain injuries: Military.com this morning reports that as many as 360,000 service members have suffered some type of traumatic brain injury while deployed. If there is an upside, the vast majority of them have been concussions that required no treatment. The story can be found here.
Rumor has it: that SGT. Mark may put fingers to keyboard here soon. It's been about 10 months, which is a healthy case of writer's block. We shall see.
Full moon, Friday the 13th, the Ides of March: I'm not superstitious or anything but I think I will lay low for the next few days.
What dogs can teach us: This is from an e-mail that Gayle received:
". . . if a dog was the teacher, YOU would learn things like:
* When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
* Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
* Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.
* Take naps.
* Stretch before rising.
* Run, romp, and play daily.
* Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
* Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
* On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
* On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
* When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
* Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
* Be loyal.
* Never pretend to be something you're not.
* If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
* When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.
THESE ARE GOOD TIPS ~~ ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!"
I would add from our border collie: When you have some extra time, find a tennis ball and go play (i.e. exercise).
Rumor has it: that SGT. Mark may put fingers to keyboard here soon. It's been about 10 months, which is a healthy case of writer's block. We shall see.
Full moon, Friday the 13th, the Ides of March: I'm not superstitious or anything but I think I will lay low for the next few days.
What dogs can teach us: This is from an e-mail that Gayle received:
". . . if a dog was the teacher, YOU would learn things like:
* When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
* Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
* Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.
* Take naps.
* Stretch before rising.
* Run, romp, and play daily.
* Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
* Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
* On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
* On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
* When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
* Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
* Be loyal.
* Never pretend to be something you're not.
* If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
* When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.
THESE ARE GOOD TIPS ~~ ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!"
I would add from our border collie: When you have some extra time, find a tennis ball and go play (i.e. exercise).
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