Right now, a fair number of America's Rapid Response Force, the 82nd Airborne Division, are sitting on their duffs at Ft. Bragg waiting for clearance to land at the Port-au-Prince airport. Clogged with civilian aircraft and foreign aircraft spending four hours on the runway for photo ops, the military can't get in.
Gen. Honore complained from the beginning that the military, not USAID, should be in charge at least until its assests are deployed. The 82nd has the capacity to find a straight road, parachute in and establish another runway that can land C-17s, Honore says. Instead, they hurry up and wait.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Bragg soldiers heading to Haiti
from the Fayetteville Observer:
Fort Bragg is sending a battalion to Haiti to help with humanitarian efforts in the wake of Tuesday's devastating earthquake.
More than 100 soldiers from Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 73rd Infantry are to travel to Haiti this afternoon, according to a release issued by Fort Bragg this morning. The rest of the battalion is to deploy tomorrow. It will be joined by about 800 soldiers in a 2nd Brigade Combat Team Command & Control Element.
Meanwhile, a six-person liaison team was sent to Miami Wednesday night by the XVIII Airborne Corps Headquarters to assist with the planning effort.
In the release, Fort Bragg said its units "are highly trained and ready to respond to crises such as this tragic event in Haiti and fully prepared to support the mission as long as required to do so."
Soldiers from Fort Bragg will continue preparations for additional deployments for continued support if called upon, the release said.
Fort Bragg is sending a battalion to Haiti to help with humanitarian efforts in the wake of Tuesday's devastating earthquake.
More than 100 soldiers from Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 73rd Infantry are to travel to Haiti this afternoon, according to a release issued by Fort Bragg this morning. The rest of the battalion is to deploy tomorrow. It will be joined by about 800 soldiers in a 2nd Brigade Combat Team Command & Control Element.
Meanwhile, a six-person liaison team was sent to Miami Wednesday night by the XVIII Airborne Corps Headquarters to assist with the planning effort.
In the release, Fort Bragg said its units "are highly trained and ready to respond to crises such as this tragic event in Haiti and fully prepared to support the mission as long as required to do so."
Soldiers from Fort Bragg will continue preparations for additional deployments for continued support if called upon, the release said.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Fort Stewart facing deep budget cuts | Jacksonville.com
Fort Stewart facing deep budget cuts | Jacksonville.com
excerpt:
"....
Like Fort Stewart, some of the Army's biggest posts - where soldiers have completed four and five combat tours since the wars began - are facing significant spending reductions, according to AP's figures. Fort Stewart currently has 13,541 soldiers deployed.
Figures showed potential cuts of 40 percent at Fort Campbell in Kentucky, home of the 101st Airborne Division; 25 percent at Fort Bragg, N.C.; 22 percent at Fort Drum, N.Y., and 21 percent at Bamberg, Germany...."
Ft. Bragg is home to the 82nd Airborne Division and a host of Special Forces and Ranger battalions; Ft. Drum, 10th Mountain Division; Bamberg, 173rd Airborne BCT and other units.
excerpt:
"....
Like Fort Stewart, some of the Army's biggest posts - where soldiers have completed four and five combat tours since the wars began - are facing significant spending reductions, according to AP's figures. Fort Stewart currently has 13,541 soldiers deployed.
Figures showed potential cuts of 40 percent at Fort Campbell in Kentucky, home of the 101st Airborne Division; 25 percent at Fort Bragg, N.C.; 22 percent at Fort Drum, N.Y., and 21 percent at Bamberg, Germany...."
Ft. Bragg is home to the 82nd Airborne Division and a host of Special Forces and Ranger battalions; Ft. Drum, 10th Mountain Division; Bamberg, 173rd Airborne BCT and other units.
Officially official
The Veteran's Administration has classified our young vet as permanently disabled. He has quite a list of injuries, one of which will require surgery later in the year. This is not something any parent would wish on their son but at least there is some certainty about his future.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Friday, January 1, 2010
Another chapter is closed
While it is not official, it looks as if the VA has agreed that SGT Mark has lifetime of service-related injuries with which he will have to deal. We have mixed emotions about all of this. On the upside, he should be able to apply for an honorable discharge ending the threat of an individual ready reserve mobilization and ending the harassing phone calls from Army Reserve recruiters.
On the other hand, I wouldn't wish a lifetime of pain on anyone, much less my son.
He never complains....just goes about his business...because he was ....and is....and will always be....a Red Falcon paratrooper.
1-325 Airborne Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne, the All American division. All the way. Let's Go!!!!
On to the next chapter.
On the other hand, I wouldn't wish a lifetime of pain on anyone, much less my son.
He never complains....just goes about his business...because he was ....and is....and will always be....a Red Falcon paratrooper.
1-325 Airborne Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne, the All American division. All the way. Let's Go!!!!
On to the next chapter.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
In the spirit of the season
A friend of ours and his wife just returned from Massachusetts on Christmas Day. He had been up to visit his brother but it wasn't for a family reunion.
His brother was very ill and struggling with failed kidneys and constant dialysis. Our friend went to donate one of his healthy kidneys to his brother. The procedure went well. The doctor said the transplanted kidney started working within minutes. Days later, his brother's pallor pinked right up after being a pasty white.
Our friend's son said "I hope my brother will be there for me if I get sick."
In that family, I suspect he will.
His brother was very ill and struggling with failed kidneys and constant dialysis. Our friend went to donate one of his healthy kidneys to his brother. The procedure went well. The doctor said the transplanted kidney started working within minutes. Days later, his brother's pallor pinked right up after being a pasty white.
Our friend's son said "I hope my brother will be there for me if I get sick."
In that family, I suspect he will.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Preparing for Christmas
One of the vestiges having three grown sons (two have moved on) is the tons of stuff they have left behind: rock collections, baseballs, and the like. For example, today I decided to charge the digital and video cameras in preparation for the weekend and pulled out a box of AC adapters/chargers. There were 26.
I spent about six hours trying to reunite the chargers with their devices, which can be tricky because they all have different power outputs.
Eleven were united to the proper cameras, hurricane lanterns and radios, etc. Nine are still orphans, including one car charger. One device, a remote controlled boat, has no charger. Six, all from deceased cell phones, are heading for hazardous was day.
I also found a Sony Walkman CD player that no one wants, three sets of ear buds and two sets of head phones.
But the cameras are charged and ready to go.
I spent about six hours trying to reunite the chargers with their devices, which can be tricky because they all have different power outputs.
Eleven were united to the proper cameras, hurricane lanterns and radios, etc. Nine are still orphans, including one car charger. One device, a remote controlled boat, has no charger. Six, all from deceased cell phones, are heading for hazardous was day.
I also found a Sony Walkman CD player that no one wants, three sets of ear buds and two sets of head phones.
But the cameras are charged and ready to go.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
This week in summary
Saturday: News our first grandchild. Yippee!!
Sunday: Jaguars disastrous loss to Miami, putting playoff bid in jeopardy. Yikes!!!!
Monday: Found out that I have prostate cancer. Double yikes!!!!
But caught it early. Whew!
Tuesday: Army recruiter shows up at the door looking for SGT. Mark. Sigh.
I wonder what Wednesday will bring.
Sunday: Jaguars disastrous loss to Miami, putting playoff bid in jeopardy. Yikes!!!!
Monday: Found out that I have prostate cancer. Double yikes!!!!
But caught it early. Whew!
Tuesday: Army recruiter shows up at the door looking for SGT. Mark. Sigh.
I wonder what Wednesday will bring.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
11-30-09 Aussie Puppies
Where SGT Mark's pup was born. FYI, we have two rescue dogs and three rescue cats.....but these guys are too cute.
Pearl Harbor Day - honoring my neighbor
Mr. Ellis has been our neighbor for the last 26 years. See the video here
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Individual ready reserves and the Afghanistan surge
Predictably, the mainstream media has been focused on the politics surrounding President Obama's Afghanistan speech at West Point Tuesday night. But there are many questions about which military families want to know:
Trying to find current information on IRR mobilizations is next to impossible. From what's out there on the web, there was a mobilization in October and another Nov. 17. About 14,000 former soldiers were called to a one-day muster this year to assess mental health and physical condition. No word on what will happen in 2010.
- What impact will sending an additional 30,000 troops to have on the Army National Guard and Reserves?
- Will units currently deployed to Afghanistan be extended an additional three months as they were in Iraq?
- Will this surge increase the number of individual ready reserves who have already been mobilized after returning to civilian life?
- Will the surge have an impact on the dwell time that units receive once it has completed a deployment?
Trying to find current information on IRR mobilizations is next to impossible. From what's out there on the web, there was a mobilization in October and another Nov. 17. About 14,000 former soldiers were called to a one-day muster this year to assess mental health and physical condition. No word on what will happen in 2010.
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