Thursday, February 27, 2014

Nigeria: Twenty nine students murdered..does anybody notice?

That 'religion of peace' strikes again.



From CBS:
February 25, 2014

Boko Haram Islamic militants storm Nigeria boarding school, kill 29 children

DAMATURU, Nigeria -- Gunmen from Islamist group Boko Haram stormed a boarding school in northeast Nigeria overnight and killed 29 pupils, many of whom died in flames as the school was burned to the ground, police and the military said on Tuesday.

Some of the students bodies were burned to ashes,รข€ Police Commissioner Sanusi Rufai said of the attack on the Federal Government college of Buni Yadi, a secondary school in Yobe state, near the state's capital city of Damaturu.

Female students were spared in the attack, said spokesman Abdullahi Bego. The attackers went to the female dormitories and told the young women to go home, get married and abandon the Western education they said is anathema to Islam, he said. He was relating to The Associated Press what survivors and community leaders told Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam when he visited the now-deserted and destroyed Federal Government College at Buni Yadi, a secondary school 45 miles south of the state capital, Damaturu..

Soldiers guarding a checkpoint near the government school were mysteriously withdrawn hours before the attack, said Abdullahi Bego, the spokesman for the governor of Yobe state....

Go here for more gruesome details.

Allen West says this:

 Some may read this story and ask who cares?

 I’m not advocating the United States police the world but if we refuse to comprehend the global threat of Islamic totalitarianism, we are only fooling ourselves. 

This is not about occupation warfare but strike operations against these non-state, non-uniform belligerents, and we must interdict their flow of financial and materiel support. Along with that we must stop the PC mantra of not attacking their ideology, stop calling them extremists and refer to them as who they are, jihadists, Islamic terrorists. 

I am waiting to hear condemnation from President Obama. Not holding my breath.

No, me neither.  Go read Allen West here.

 From Jihad Watch:

Nigerian students trying to escape college attack were “slaughtered like sheep” by Islamic jihadists who slit their throats
 February 25, 2014

Remember: when you hear Leftists and Islamic supremacists going on about “Islamophobia,” demonizing those who call attention to atrocities like this, this is what they are enabling: students burned alive, and having their throats slit when they tried to escape. This is, apparently, what the “Islamophobia” industry — the real one that pushes the concept, not the counter-jihad one that Hamas-linked CAIR imagines to exist — wants to see: heaps of dead Infidel bodies....

[...]

Adamu Garba said he and other teachers who ran away through the bush estimate 40 students died in the assault that began around 2 a.m. Tuesday at the Federal Government College at Buni Yadi. 

It is a co-ed school about 70 kilometres south of Damaturu, the capital of Yobe state, and difficult to communicate with because extremists last year destroyed the cellphone tower there.

Soldiers still are gathering corpses so he could not give an exact number of dead, said military spokesman Capt. Eli Lazarus....
 
Much more here. 

What happens 'over there' has nothing to do with us.  Right?

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

World Trade Center 1993: Terrorism comes to America

Always remember.

 February 26th marks the 21st anniversary of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the first of the two terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center Towers.

 1,042 people were injured after a truck bomb detonated in the garage of the WTC North Tower, killing six. The blast from the 1,500-pound bomb blew a hole five stories deep and half-a-football field wide,badly damaging the tower's inner support beams and causing $500 million in property damage. It took officials 11 hours to completely evacuate roughly 50,000 people from the massive buildings. But the twin towers were repaired, cleaned, and reopened in less than a month.

Since then, each year we honor the memory of Robert Kirkpatrick, 61, Stephen A. Knapp, 47, William Macko, 57, John DiGiovanni, 45, Wilfredo Mercado, 37 and Monica Rodriguez Smith, 35, and her unborn child . 

Kirkpatrick, Knapp, Macko and Rodriguez smith were all employees of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, owners of the World Trade Center buildings.  They were having lunch when the blast took place. The three men were mechanical supervisors for the agency and Rodriguez Smith was Macko's secretary.  DiGiovanni, a dental supply salesman was visiting the site and Wilfredo Mercado was checking the food deliveries in the basement.

At about 17 minutes past noon, a thunderous explosion rocked lower Manhattan.

 Investigators going through the rubble following the bombing of the World Trade Center.

The epicenter was the parking garage beneath the World Trade Center, where a massive eruption carved out a nearly 100-foot crater several stories deep and several more high. Six people were killed almost instantly. Smoke and flames began filling the wound and streaming upward into the building. Those who weren’t trapped were soon pouring out of the building—many panic-stricken and covered in soot. More than a thousand people were hurt in some way, some badly, with crushed limbs.


It was Friday, February 26, 1993, and Middle Eastern terrorism had arrived on American soil—with a bang.

As a small band of terrorists scurried away from the scene unnoticed, the FBI and its partners on the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force began staffing up a command center and preparing to send in a team to investigate. Their instincts told them that this was terrorism—they’d been tracking Islamic fundamentalists in the city for months and, they’d later learn, were tantalizingly close to encountering the planners of this attack. But hunches weren’t enough; what was needed was definitive proof. 


They’d have it soon enough. The massive investigation that followed—led by the task force, with some 700 FBI agents worldwide ultimately joining in—quickly uncovered a key bit of evidence. In the rubble investigators uncovered a vehicle identification number on a piece of wreckage that seemed suspiciously obliterated. A search of our crime records returned a match: the number belonged to a rented van reported stolen the day before the attack. An Islamic fundamentalist named Mohammad Salameh had rented the vehicle, we learned, and on March 4, an FBI SWAT team arrested him as he tried in vain to get his $400 deposit back.


One clue led to another and we soon had in custody three more suspects—Nidal Ayyad, Mahmoud Abouhalima, and Ahmed Ajaj. We’d also found the apartment where the bomb was built and a storage locker containing dangerous chemicals, including enough cyanide gas to wipe out a town. All four men were tried, convicted, and sentenced to life.





 Much more here.

1993 World Trade Center Bombing Documentary by prediqnous11

(source)

From the BBC:


In May 1994, four men - Mohammed Salameh, Nidal Ayyad, Mahmud Abouhalima and Ahmad Ajaj - were sentenced to life for bombing the World Trade Center, which killed six people and injured 100. 

 In October 1995 Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman, a blind cleric who preached at mosques in Brooklyn and Jersey City, was sentenced to life for masterminding the bombing,. 

He was also found guilty of the murder of extremist Rabbi Meir Kahane and a scheme to assassinate Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak during a trip to New York in 1993. 

 Go here for more - plus video.

NEVER FORGET.

Lee Rigby killers get life


From the Beeb:

26 February 2014

Lee Rigby murder: Adebolajo and Adebowale jailed

 Michael Adebolajo has been given a whole-life term and Michael Adebowale has been jailed for a minimum of 45 years for murdering Fusilier Lee Rigby.

 Adebolajo, 29, and Adebowale, 22, drove into Fusilier Rigby with a car before hacking him to death in Woolwich, south-east London, in May last year.

The judge, Mr Justice Sweeney, said Adebolajo's case was one of those "rare cases" warranting a whole-life term.

The pair were absent during sentencing after a scuffle in the dock. 

As Mr Justice Sweeney began to sentence the men they started shouting and scuffling with court security guards. They had to be forced to the ground and were removed from court.

Sentencing the killers in their absence, the judge said they had been convicted on "overwhelming" evidence of the "barbaric" murder of Fusilier Rigby...
 
Much more here.

The family is quoted as saying that no other sentence would have been acceptable, and I have to agree....although it galls me that a) there is no death penalty in GB, and b) I suppose a long appeal process will now commence and c) these scum get to live on the taxpayer GBP for the rest of their lives..

Rest in Peace, Fusilier Rigby.  Rest In Peace.... 

GITMO: British graduate arrested *gasp*

I know, I know, I am as surprised as you are (ie NOT AT ALL!)

Mainstream media, on both sides of the pond,  is reporting that GITMO graduate  has been arrested in Birmingham.
From The Telegraph (London):

Former Guantanamo detainee Moazzam Begg arrested following compensation payout

Begg won compensation from the British taxpayer just over three years ago after suing government

4:43PM GMT 25 Feb 2014



A former Guantanamo detainee who won a huge compensation payout from the British taxpayer after suing the government has been arrested on suspicion of Syria-related terrorism offences. 
Moazzam Begg was one of four people arrested by counter-terrorism officers in Birmingham on Tuesday morning. 
Begg was being questioned on suspicion of attending a terrorist training camp and facilitating terrorism overseas. 
The 45-year-old Briton was originally held on suspicion of being an “enemy combatant” and a “confirmed member” of al-Qaeda after a raid in Pakistan by FBI agents and local police. 
He was transferred to Bagram detention centre in Afghanistan then to Guantanamo Bay, but was released without charge in January 2005 after the British government intervened....

There is more on this one here. 

I had forgotten about him, and how the msm had painted him as misunderstood blah blah....until I heard an interview on radio last night with one of Begg's long-time friends in England, commenting on Beggs' arrest.

"He is a very calm, very articulate sort of person so to suggest he would go off and raise a kalishnakov (sp?) is out of character..."...He is an advocate...
The whole interview is here. 

It is well known that a huge percentage of the GITMO grads return to their old ways.  It is also well documented (here and other places) that Syria is a magnet for foreigners who want the terrorist training offered there, so they can return to their own countries and raise hell. This is not news.

As part of the Beggs focus on CBC last night, they rebroadcast a clip of an interview they did with him after his release from GITMO.  Interesting on a number of levels, not least of which was his telling his knowledge of Omar Khadr.  Khadr and Beggs seem to be cut from the same cloth: both misunderstood. 

As noted above, Beggs raked in the money, after successfully suing the British government.  Khadr obviously paid attention, since he is currently suing the Canadian government for $60m. (Yes, million.)  


As POTUS MIC continues trying to close GITMO, and releases all those misunderstood residents, we will be seeing more of these stories.

PAY ATTENTION.
 

Wednesday Hero

This post was suggested by Michael





Lt. Col. Iceal Hambleton85 years old from Tucson, Arizona
42nd Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron
November 16, 1918 - September 19, 2004

U.S. Air Force

Lt. Col. Iceal Hambleton was a navigator who was shot down over Vietnam in April of 1972. He was the only one of six crewmen to survive and was behind enemy lines for 11 days before being rescued.
You can read more about Lt. Col. Hambleton here

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives just so others may get to enjoy freedom. For that I am proud to call them Hero.

Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look
This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.


Wednesday Hero Logo:




Tuesday, February 25, 2014

WELCOME HOME HMS Richmond!

From The News (Portsmouth)

HMS Richmond sailors’ joy at seeing families again after seven months

22 February 2014 

  • by Sam Bannister
HELICOPTERS roared over the heads of cheering families in a salute as HMS Richmond returned home from seven months at sea.

The Royal Navy frigate has spent 2,881 hours at sea, clocking up 33,316 nautical miles and visiting several foreign countries.

Yesterday, excited mums, dads, sons and daughters, lined the jetty at Portsmouth Naval Base for the ship’s homecoming.

Banners and flags were waved at the frigate’s crew as they arrived in the harbour in the early morning.

And once the gangways were lifted into place, the ship’s company flooded off the ship and out to meet their loved ones.

Chief Petty Officer John Hobson, 30, was met off the ship by his two-year-old son John, four-month-old son Albie, and wife Natasha, 32.

He said: ‘I’m pleased to be back home.

‘It’s been a long and hard deployment but everyone has worked hard.

‘Everyone on board has been looking forward to this day for a very long time....


Much more here, and while you are there, go check out exactly where HMS Richmond has been at this link.

WELCOME HOME!

Operation Ranch Hand: Agent Orange Legacy

From Homeland Security News Wire:

C-123 returns home from Vietnam with Agent Orange contamination // Source: xuite.net

Aircraft used in Vietnam source of postwar Agent Orange contamination in U.S.

24 February 2014

From 1971 to 1982, Air Force reservists who flew in about thirty-four dioxin-contaminated aircraft used to spray Agent Orange and who returned to the United States following discontinuation of the herbicide spraying operations in the Vietnam War, were exposed greater levels of dioxin than previously acknowledged, according to a study published in Environmental Research.

“These findings are important because they describe a previously unrecognized source of exposure to dioxin that has health significance to those who engaged in the transport work using these aircraft,” says lead investigator Peter A. Lurker, Ph.D., PE, CIH, an environmental engineer with many years of experience evaluating environmental exposures in the Air Force.

An Elsevier release reports that during the Vietnam War, in an operation called Operation Ranch Hand, approximately twenty million gallons of herbicides, including around 10.5 million gallons of dioxin-contaminated Agent Orange, were sprayed by about thirty-four C-123 aircraft. These aircraft were subsequently returned to the United States and were used by Air Force reserve units between 1971 and 1982 for transport operations. After many years without monitoring, tests revealed the presence of dioxin (also known as TCDD). All but three of the aircraft were smelted down in 2009.

The Air Force and Department of Veterans Affairs have previously denied benefits to these crew members. Current policies stipulate that “non-biologically available dried residues” of chemical herbicides and dioxin would not have led to meaningful exposures to flight crew and maintenance personnel, who are therefore ineligible for Agent Orange-related benefits or medical examinations and treatment....

I personally know of Vietnam Vets who were exposed to Agent Orange, and have seen how the subsequent governments have dragged their heels in compensating these Vets.. Today, we are seeing the same kind of political bs regarding the known toxins that our GWOT Vets have been exposed to in the sandbox.

Read the rest of this one here, and PAY ATTENTION.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Israel and the jihadi threat from Iran

From The Jerusalem Post:

Military Intelligence expanding to cope with jihadi threat from Syria

02/24/2014

The IDF remains concerned that al-Qaida affiliated organizations will seek to turn their guns, bombs, and rockets against Israel in the future.

The IDF prevents Israel's enemies, such as Hezbollah, from growing stronger "almost every night," a senior security source said this week.

Despite the efforts of IDF Military Intelligence, Hezbollah is believed to be armed with some 100,000 rockets and missiles, including a small but deadly collection of satellite-guided projectiles that can be used to target key Israeli installations and national infrastructure sites in a future war.

Military Intelligence has created a fully formed list of Hezbollah targets.

Military Intelligence is also growing in size, to cope with the mushrooming of global jihadi operatives in next-door Syria. The IDF remains concerned that al-Qaida affiliated organizations will seek to turn their guns, bombs, and rockets against Israel in the future....

Much more here of the always present threats against Israel.

Syria: Misses chemical weapons deadline



There's a surprise - NOT!

From Homeland Security News Wire:

After failing 5 February deadline, Syria wants 100-day extension to remove chemicals

24 February 2014

After missing the 5 February deadline to have all its chemical weapons removed from its territory, Syria has submitted a new 100-day plan for their removal. The international group monitoring the operation says the completion of the removal can be accomplished in less time than that. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) executive committee met on Friday in The Hague to discuss the joint mission at a time when there is a growing international frustration with Syria over its failure to live up to its commitments.

Arutz Sheva reports that the Syrian government failed to meet the 5 February OPCW deadline to move all of its declared chemical substances and precursors out of the country.

The OPCW deadline for all of Syria’s declared chemical materials to be destroyed is 30 June.
The Syrian 100 day plan for removal of the chemicals, on which we have been briefed, is not adequate,” Philip Hall, head of the British Foreign Office Counter Proliferation Department, told the OPCW, according to a copy of his statement.

We now urge the Syrian authorities to accept the proposals submitted by the Operational Planning Group that provide for removal in a much shorter time frame, without compromising on security,” he said.

A senior UN diplomat, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity, said the OPCW believes the operation can be carried out before the end of March, adding that Syria’s proposed end-May deadline would not leave enough time for the chemicals to be destroyed before the end of June....

ANYbody who has been paying attention, would have predicted this.  Read the rest here.

 

Op/Ed on WI Honor Guard: Words (and pictures) Matter

Words have power: Use them wisely.


Last week social media was abuzz with news, and commentary,  of a series of photos taken by a  group of National Guards. The msm soon jumped in, and copies of those photos, and the accompanying cut-lines, became the topic du jour.

I first became aware of the gathering storm via a social media group of Gold Star Families, some of whom I have known and loved for many years.  Witnessing their pain and anguish in reaction, I followed the trail back to the origin of the offending - and offensive - pictures.   As often in the past, when any of our Troops have been cast in a bad light in the msm, I had no intention of writing about this specific incident. I usually choose not to join any public lynch mobs. However, as I watched and heard the Gold Stars,  I knew I had to share their perspective on the disrespect laid bare for all to see..  They gave me permission to share their thoughts, and that was this column.  

Within that column, I chose not to reprint the offensive photos, (unlike most msm reporting)  and instead chose to share pictures of the Fallen Heroes represented by the Gold Star Families' words.  As always, I was determined to give voice to those we rarely hear from, at least in print, in public.

The following day, the Adjutant General of the Wisconsin National Guard issued a public statement, with assurances that an investigation would be underway, and appropriate consequences  would occur. Despite my initial scepticism of any need for an investigation - to me, the photos  were all I needed for proof - since then,  I understand that some of the participants of those ill-chosen words and deeds has been suspended as the investigation proceeds.

All good, right? and we can be confident that these latest delinquents will feel the wrath of their Military command.   Yes, I really DO have confidence in our Military leadership (well, for the most part,) and the mainstream media seems to have moved on to the next headlines.

However, since I published the original column, my thoughts have been not only with our Gold Stars, but also with the hundreds of thousands of men and women of our Military, both Active Duty and Veterans. 

In short?  I feel as if I failed all our Military (past and present) and I am sorry.   As the furore raged this last week,  many Veterans (from all our recent Wars) commented both publicly and privately.  Their outrage and their condemnation was unanimous.

I feel that by my choice not to acknowledge the effect of these photos on all of our Military, I could be perceived as one of those who only ever writes about our Troops and Veterans when they have something negative happen.

Yes, I am well aware that it was not my photos/comments that caused the storm, and yes, I know that my complete body of work over the years clearly demonstrates my unwavering support for our Troops.  However,  by my own ill-chosen words in that one column,  I added to the arsenal of those who always salivate over anything they can find to smear all our Troops in a bad light.  As many in the new and old media know,  some stories drive up readership, and affect the bottom line.  On the former, I can report that this is true right here on this site.  The day my headline was "WI NG..." I had more daily readers than I have had on any other single day for the past year. 

I can safely deduce that many who found my column were not regular readers, but were driven here on a quest to feed their need for negative news about our Military..  By my perhaps poorly chosen words, I feel that I gave those fly-bys more ammunition, to reinforce their own anti-Military biases. I regret that.

By my own editorial comments, (and omissions) I know I did a disservice to our men and women, who never makes the headlines, as they Serve with integrity.   Through my own lapse in judgement, I fell into the 'he we do not name' school of hack journalism. I have edited the original now (the joy of being an independent!) and removed what I consider inappropriate and unacceptable.


Over the years of online writing,  I have learned a few lessons, which I suspect those young National Guards are discovering the hard way: the internet is forever (and never private); once you have put something out there, you lose all control over it, and whilst you the originator know what you meant by any specific posting - your intent -  you have no control over any future readers/viewer's interpretation. Once a word or image is on the internet, its reach becomes global, often to places unimagined by the poster. Those who insist on posting pictures of their youthful indiscretions on the internet, discover that their choices will come back to haunt them (Mouth In Chief, anyone?)  I guess these young miscreants never read This Ain't Hell who, when these incidents occur,  frequently advise: don’t act a fool, and certainly, don’t take pictures of it and post it to the internet, FFS

Our Military has many enemies,  both foreign AND domestic. Those enemies drool at any opportunity to portray our Serving men and women in a negative light, all the while totally ignoring the good they do day in, day out, for years.   No matter that this current group of jack asses represent but a tiny 'smidgen' of the majority wearing the uniform; our Military's enemies never miss a chance to use any propaganda tool to cover all our Troops with the cloak of the usual inaccurate vitriol that they so delight in to paint anybody in a Military uniform. Oh and yes, murderers in international Terrorist networks do use the internet, and use any negative press about our Military as weapons against us.  It seems that every time a small handful of our Troops (or Veterans) is caught on camera during a momentary lapse of judgement, anti-Military politicians, and the msm, also rush to heap a full measure of scorn on the entire Military community.   (John Murther ring a bell?)

This latest example of  'letting loose' by a handful of our Troops disrespected all our Fallen Heroes and was in direct contradiction of the training and mindset they are expected to uphold.  Every Military member I know (Veteran and Active Duty,)  strongly condemns as 'indefensible' the behaviour of the latest delinquent Soldiers. As we all should.

I don't know these particular Soldiers,  so I cannot say what was in their minds when they a) took the pictures, or b) when they posted them...I have no clue of any of their backgrounds.  However,  I do know this:  these photos and their actions, are now the public - permanent - record of their infamy.   I also know that when any recruit swears an oath upon enlistment  into our Military, they then become the representative of the whole profession.  It is no longer about one individual, but of the common goal to serve a larger ideal.

Our Fallen Heroes, their families, all our Troops,  have earned our respect.  I apologise if any of MY previous words fed into the festering pus that is the anti-Military crowd. Our Troops deserve better from me.

Words have power - I will use them more wisely in the future...


(H/T Deb)


[Bratnote This one is for all who have paid the ultimate Sacrifice - and those Troops and Veterans who continue their honourable Service - protecting my rights to free speech and my rights to prove what an ass I also can be! : Sgt Major MacKinder, SSG Cowdrey, SSG Arnette, SGT Stokely, SSG May, MAJ Galloway, and so many more that I am privileged to know and love..  Thank you.]

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Iran: Poet, Activist Hanged

From Iran comes yet more proof of that tolerant regime - you know, the one that Kerry et al believe as they give false assurances on faux treaties designed to make our world safer.

From The Clarion Project:

Iran Hangs Well-Loved Human Rights Activist, Poet

Israel: MUST READ Open Letter to John Kerry

John Kerry MAY be the current US Secretary of State, but just about daily, he proves what a clueless moron he is. As we have seen, his boss - the Mouth In Chief  - also demonstrates on a daily basis just how dangerous, to all of us, this wilful ignorance about world affairs really is.

Now from Israel comes an open letter to John Kerry; you know, giving him FACTS from the Israeli point of view.

From The Times of Israel:

Greater Men have Tried

February 2, 2014

Paula R. Stern

Dear Secretary of State John Kerry: 

Because of my respect for the United States, I will attempt to afford you the honor you think you so richly deserve. It’s hard to speak to you with anything but anger, hard to feel the need, again, to start from the beginning because you clearly choose to ignore history in your quest for glory. It is a quest destined to fail but its outcome, even, or more accurately especially, in failure, will hurt Israel.

Greater men than you have tried to make, to force, peace on the Middle East. I promise you, you will fail too. You will fail because you are not addressing the root cause of the problem. You, like so many before you, take the easy way out. Blame Israel. It is so easy to do, and so stupid.

I could speak to you of history – a history longer and greater than you can imagine. I could speak to you of injustices – yes, our land is filled with the graves of those murdered for the unjust reason that they lived here, or traveled abroad, or ate in the wrong restaurant, or took the wrong bus.

I could speak to you of justice – of a population exchange similar to those that have taken place throughout history as nations settle between war and peace. They left their lands to go there, most voluntarily so that their invading brothers would have a clear path as they pushed the Jews into the sea. And our people, who left their homes and possessions in Arab lands, most forced, not voluntarily, and came here...


I prefaced this post by calling it a MUST READ.  Sadly, John Kerry, and others in this administration who should read this and learn, will not.  You can find the rest of this letter here.

Arizona: Unemployed Homeless Veterans find jobs, homes

The numbers of our Veterans who are homeless and unemployed (in all our coalition countries) is truly beyond outrageous.  Now comes news of a programme that is actually doing something positive to address this injustice.

From FOX News:

Arizona parks program helps homeless veterans become rangers



Working as an Arizona State Park Ranger isn't just a job for Army veteran Carlos Garcia, it's a second chance.

Under a program the state launched in partnership with a host of public and private agencies to put homeless veterans to work, he is earning $12 an hour and living in a FEMA trailer. He is taking part in the Arizona Action Plan to End Homelessness Among Veterans, and he said it has changed his life.
“I was homeless,” Garcia said. “I was out of work for about two years and I had gotten into a little bit of trouble so this program boosted me, my morale -- it's just helped me out a lot. I'm glad to be working again.”...

Go here and read the rest of this - and watch the video interview with Carlos Garcia.

This is a good start, but we need more creative programmes like this.

[H/T Kevin]


NASA: Speedy star


The Shocking Behavior of a Speedy Star 

 02/21/2014

Roguish runaway stars can have a big impact on their surroundings as they plunge through the Milky Way galaxy. Their high-speed encounters shock the galaxy, creating arcs, as seen in this newly released image from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope. In this case, the speedster star is known as Kappa Cassiopeiae, or HD 2905 to astronomers. It is a massive, hot supergiant moving at around 2.5 million mph relative to its neighbors (1,100 kilometers per second). But what really makes the star stand out in this image is the surrounding, streaky red glow of material in its path. Such structures are called bow shocks, and they can often be seen in front of the fastest, most massive stars in the galaxy. Bow shocks form where the magnetic fields and wind of particles flowing off a star collide with the diffuse, and usually invisible, gas and dust that fill the space between stars. How these shocks light up tells astronomers about the conditions around the star and in space. Slow-moving stars like our sun have bow shocks that are nearly invisible at all wavelengths of light, but fast stars like Kappa Cassiopeiae create shocks that can be seen by Spitzer’s infrared detectors.  

 

Friday, February 21, 2014

DHS: Flying? Go shoeless - still

Remember Richard Reid, the man whose actions have seen us all have to remove our shoes before we board a plane?

Today, via Homeland Security News Wire comes this:

DHS warns airlines of renewed shoe-bomb risk

21 February 2014

DHS has alerted airlines flying to the United States to the possibility that terrorists might try to bring explosives on board in their shoes. The airlines were told that there were no specific plots, and that the information was based on information collected in the United States and abroad that bomb makers affiliated with terrorist groups were working on a shoe-bomb design. Hiding explosives in shoes is not new. In December 2001, passengers aboard an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami prevented a U.K. citizen, Richard Reid, from detonating explosives hidden in his sneakers.

An airline industry source said the DHS warning listed 25 to 30 cities overseas, all with nonstop flights to the United States. Johannesburg, Paris, London, and Cairo, as well as some cities in the Middle East, were on the list.

The alerts advised carriers that there would be increased scrutiny of people who appear on the TSA’s “selectee list,” which includes people deemed suspicious who could require additional screening, as well as randomly picked passengers....

Yes, there is more here...

NYPD did not target muslims

Under Ray Kelly's 14 year watch as New York's Commissioner of the NYPD, much was made of his efforts to 'target' muslims.  He has gone from that position now, but his legacy is still under scrutiny. Today comes news of a ruling in New Jersey.

From JihadWatch:

NJ judge rules NYPD didn’t discriminate against Muslims with counter-terror surveillance

Robert Spencer 20 February 2014

This lawsuit was a craven attempt to end NYPD counter-terror efforts. If it had succeeded, it would have given a green light to Islamic jihad activity, with the NYPD handcuffed and unable to do anything to stop jihad terror plots. Judge William Martini ruled in favor of common sense: “The police could not have monitored New Jersey for Muslim terrorist activities without monitoring the Muslim community itself. … The motive for the program was not solely to discriminate against Muslims, but to find Muslim terrorists hiding among the ordinary law-abiding Muslims.”

AP suffers a blow with this decision as well: they disclosed the surveillance in order to bring an end to it. They failed. But there is no doubt that Islamic supremacists and their allies in the mainstream media will try again, and again, and again, until they get the outcome they want, while free people stand by on the eroding bank of their freedoms and refrain from getting involved in anything “controversial.”

“NJ judge throws out NYPD spying lawsuit,” from the Associated Press, February 20 

NEW YORK — The New York Police Department’s intelligence unit didn’t discriminate against Muslims with far-reaching surveillance aimed at identifying “budding terrorist conspiracies” at Newark mosques and other locations in New Jersey, a federal judge ruled on Thursday.

In a written decision filed in federal court in Newark, U.S. District Judge William Martini dismissed a civil rights lawsuit brought in 2012 by eight Muslims who alleged the NYPD’s surveillance programs were unconstitutional because they focused on religion, national origin and race. The suit had accused the department of spying on ordinary people at several mosques, restaurants and grade schools in New Jersey since 2002....


Much more here.  

Pay attention.

Thursday, February 20, 2014

GITMO: USS Cole Tribunal on hold - again

Remember the USS Cole bombing in October 2000?  

On Thursday, October 12, 2000, while refueling at a port in Aden, Yemen, the U.S. Navy destroyer Cole was attacked by a two suicide bombers navigating a small motorboat full of explosives. The explosion occurred at 11:18 a.m. Bahrain time, killing 17 crew members and wounding 39 others....

[...]

The ship, which was carrying a crew of 293, was en route to the Persian Gulf to help enforce an oil embargo against Iraq.  (source)

Those charged with the attack have been held in GITMO, and are currently facing hearings in a Military Tribunal: 

Abd al-Rahim Hussein Muhammed Abdu Al-Nashiri (Saudi Arabian)
Al-Nashiri is charged with perfidy, murder in violation of the law of war, attempted murder in violation of the law of war, terrorism, conspiracy, intentionally causing serious bodily injury, attacking civilians, attacking civilian objects, and hazarding a vessel. The charges arise out of an attempted attack on the USS THE SULLIVANS in January 2000, an attack on the USS COLE in October 2000, and an attack on the MV Limburg in October 2002.

A charge is merely an accusation; an accused is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Thirteen years after the USS Cole attack, the families of those murdered still wait for justice.

This last Monday, the current round of Tribunal Hearings in this case - which was scheduled to last eight days - was abruptly halted. From Military.com:

USS Cole Bombing Hearing Halted at Guantanamo

Miami Herald | Feb 18, 2014

GUANTANAMO BAY NAVY BASE, Cuba -- An Army judge abruptly recessed the first military commission session of the year Monday because the alleged architect of al-Qaida's 2000 USS Cole bombing may want to fire his lawyer.

One-time waterboarded Saudi prisoner Abd al Rahim al Nashiri, 49, is scheduled to face trial in September. The judge, Army Col. James L. Pohl, had scheduled eight days of hearings to address defense and prosecution representation questions, efforts by Nashiri's lawyers to narrow the case -- as well as postponing the trial until at least February 2015.

But Nashiri's death-penalty defender, Rick Kammen, a civilian, told the judge moments into the hearing that the prisoner had lost confidence in him, and wanted to fire him. He asked for two days to work with the accused on preserving the relationship. Pohl agreed.

He recessed until Wednesday and said, if the hearings go forward, he'll hold Saturday and Sunday sessions to make up time.

Nashiri, who could be executed if convicted as the mastermind of the suicide bombing of the $1 billion warship off Yemen in October 2000, sat silently in the courtroom for the 10-minute hearing.
Seventeen sailors were killed in the attack, and the fathers of three said later that the recess was proof that the United States was bending over backwards to give the accused terrorist a fair trial.

"I'll be here no matter what. We owe this to our son to make sure this happens," said John Clodfelter, 65, whose sailor son Kenneth, 21, was killed in the blast. He's made the pilgrimage to this remote base in southeast Cuba for each hearing, and declared himself "past disappointed a long time ago."

Jesse Nieto, 70, whose son Marc, 24, was also killed, echoed long-held sentiment that the accused was engaged in stalling tactics. "Anything he can do to gum up the work's he's going to do it," he said.

 No report out of GITMO yet as to the outcome today, but you can read the rest of the above account here.

As with the ongoing Military Tribunal relating to the 9/11 terrorist attack, the wheels of justice are grinding exceedingly slowly.  For some sense of why, you might want to check out the 'unofficial/unauthorised transcript' of the USS Cole proceedings posted on the Military Commission's own website.   

 Mr Nieto, quoted above in the military.com story is not alone in his perception that the accused "was engaged in stalling tactics. "Anything he can do to gum up the work's he's going to do it," ...

I would be hard-pressed to argue their observations. However, even as we all watch the ongoing tactics of the accused, I continue to hold to the belief that for the USS Cole and 9/11 survivors, there WILL be ultimate justice.

 (From the FBI site)

 

Video: The absurdity of Amnesty

As Obama continues to threaten us all with his "I have a pen and a phone,' comes a video from Top Right News .

Just over three minutes long, it is a very simple demonstration of the implications of MIC's determination to give amnesty to the millions of illegal aliens living in plain sight in the US.


WELCOME HOME Medics!

Another of my most favorite stories, featuring Blackhawk Medics, AND it was covered by the local msm!

From CBS Sacramento:

Black Hawk Unit Gets Welcome Home From Afghanistan In Sacramento



SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A California National Guard Black Hawk unit got a big welcome home in Sacramento after serving nine months in Afghanistan.

CBS13 was there as 15 soldiers’ family and friends greeted them right after landing at Sacramento International Airport.

It was an emotional day for the families who have waited nearly a year for their loved ones to return.
“Words don’t even describe it,” said soldier Kevin Vinatieri.

The members of the California National Guard Unit medevac team were on standby every day answering calls to take the wounded off the battlefield.

“Always on duty, medevac standby waiting for any Afghani nationals all the way to obviously our personnel,” said Sgt. Cody Weaver....


Go read the rest of this - and watch the video - here.

WELCOME HOME... Thank you for your Service...

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Knesset votes to quit paying terrorists


Did you know that Israel has been paying a stipend to terrorists?  I did, and have never understood this practice, but it seems that may be about to end.

From Israel National News:

Knesset Passes Bill Cancelling Stipends to Terrorists

Terrorists affected would be those who are Israeli citizens and who were released in deals and 'gestures.'

By Gil Ronen 2/19/2014

The Knesset passed Wednesday, in the preliminary reading, a bill proposed by MK Yariv Levin (Likud-Beytenu) that would cancel the eligibility of certain terrorists freed from Israeli jails to receive National Insurance payments.

The terrorists affected would be those who are Israeli citizens and who were released before the end of their jail terms in assorted deals and 'gestures.'

MK Levin noted that the release of security prisoners is absurd in and of itself, but paying them NII benefits is even more absurd. When freed from Israeli jails, terrorists who are Israeli citizens receive an “acclimation stipend.” In addition, they are eligible for welfare checks.

Levin told Arutz Sheva that the proposed law will make released terrorists ineligible for any NII payments for the duration of the term that they were sentenced to, so that terrorists who had received life sentences would never be eligible for payments....


 More on the efforts to right this absurdity, here.


Wisconsin National Guard: Adjutant General responds



Yesterday I shared some of the Gold Star Families' reactions to a few of the WI NG actions.

Today, Wisconsin Adjutant Major General Donald P. Dunbar issues a statement. 
A statement from the Wisconsin Adjutant General to the entire military family:
 February 19 2014

The recently revealed inappropriate photos and commentary posted to a social media site by a Soldier under my command are unacceptable. I am taking this matter very seriously. Upon learning of this incident, I ordered an investigation and we will wait until that is concluded to evaluate appropriate action.

Military funeral honors are a sacred trust, and that is why this issue has generated such a public outcry. The general public is understandably upset, and I understand the anger and response that it has caused. For those of us who wear or have worn the cloth of our nation’s uniform, this story cuts like a knife. I fully understand why so many veterans have expressed outrage. Lastly, I am acutely aware of the pain that this story must have caused for our Gold Star family members.

I deeply regret the pain this has caused, and personally apologize to the entire military family.

Donald P. Dunbar Maj Gen, Wisconsin National Guard
The Adjutant General

(source)

I am assured by somebody who knows Major General Dunbar that he is sincere, and will pursue this matter.  

This is not going away.  Stay tuned.

Ft Hood tears down Building 42003

Building 42003 was the site of the Hasan terrorist attack - no, NOT 'workplace violence' as some people insist on calling it.

From Jihad Watch:

Fort Hood tears down site of 2009 jihad massacre

Robert Spencer


“For the building in which this horrific event took place just to be wiped off the map before we have a say in what’s done with it seems like another slap in the face.” Platoni is right: this is just another manifestation of the all-pervasive denial of the reality of jihad. They are pretending this jihad attack did not happen. Instead of acknowledging the murders realistically and redoubling our determination to resist jihad, U.S. officials have consistently dissembled and pretended that Nidal Hasan had motives other than the ones he repeatedly stated. And one thing is certain: whatever memorial is constructed there will say nothing whatsoever about why Hasan murdered these people — as if a Pearl Harbor memorial said, “Random airplane pilots spontaneously and for no discernible reason decided to attack Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.”

“Fort Hood tears down site of 2009 massacre,” by Nomaan Merchant for the Associated Press, February 18

DALLAS (AP) — A Texas Army post has razed the building where a former psychiatrist carried out one of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history, with plans to put up trees and a memorial in its place.
Fort Hood officials said Tuesday that they have torn down Building 42003, the site of a 2009 massacre that left 13 people dead and more than 30 wounded.

The building was part of a processing center complex for soldiers deploying and returning from combat. On Nov. 5, 2009, then-Maj. Nidal Hasan carried two weapons inside, shouted “Allahu Akbar!” — “God is great” in Arabic — and opened fire on soldiers waiting for vaccines and paperwork.

Yes, there is more here.


Kosovo Refugee earns Royal Marine Green Beret

From the MoD:

Marine Arben Islami

A refugee has become a reservist in the Royal Marines 15 years after his first encounter with them on the war-torn streets of Kosovo.

At the height of the Kosovo War, back in 1999, teenager Arben Islami saw Nato troops enter his country as part of the campaign to end Slobodan Milosevic’s persecution of ethnic Kosovo Albanians. Among those forces were the green berets of the Royal Marines. 

At the time, the 14-year-old looked up to these men with awe, unaware of the remarkable path that lay ahead.

He fled Kosovo shortly afterwards, a solitary young refugee whose only hope was reaching an uncle he had heard about in the UK.

Making his away across Europe he arrived, destitute, in the UK where he was immediately placed into foster care. Over the years he learned English and settled in Birmingham.

He adapted to British life but never forgot where he came from or his encounters with the Royal Marines. So strong was the pull to join them, that at the age of 28 he passed the commando course and fulfilled his boyhood dream enabling him to proudly wear the green beret.

Marine Islami said: 

As children we saw the marines in Kosovo and I knew I wanted to be one of them. Then I fled and came to the UK. I didn’t have the intention at the time as I was only just a young kid but when I got indefinite leave to stay here and became British I knew I had to....


Go read the rest of this great story here.

Thank you for your Service, Marine.




Wednesday Hero

This post was suggested by Michael




Lt. Col. Jerry Coleman89 years old from San Diego, Calif.
VMTB-341, VMA-323
September 14, 1924 - January 5, 2014

U.S. Marines

Jerry Coleman, a decorated war hero, Yankee World Series MVP and Hall of Fame San Diego Padres broadcaster, died January 5 at age 89 after a career of more than 70 years in baseball.
Coleman signed with the Yankees out of the San Francisco sandlots in 1942 only to spend the next three years as a Marine bomber pilot in the Pacific theater of World War II, flying 57 combat missions over the Solomon Islands. Upon his return from the war he rejoined the Yankees only to be called back to duty in '51. He flew another 120 missions in Korea and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel.







You can read more about Lt. Col. Coleman here

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives just so others may get to enjoy freedom. For that I am proud to call them Hero.

Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look
This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.


Wednesday Hero Logo




Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Wisconsin National Guard: Where is YOUR Honor? Gold Star Families need to know

Late yesterday, a series of pictures hit social media, of a group of  Military 'trainees' displaying for all the world to see,  their utter contempt for the Fallen Heroes of America.  These Soldiers were apparently in training to be part of the Honor Guard:  the group charged with escorting our Fallen Heroes on their final journeys home as they are laid to rest, after giving their full measure of Sacrifice in Service to our country.

I watched for many hours as the storm of condemnation swiftly followed the emergence of the irrefutable evidence of the DIShonoring of our Fallen, and their families.  I found most of it on the Wisconsin National Guard FaceBook page.

When it became obvious to the WI NG that this issue was not going to go away, they issued a short statement:




'May have'????????  Hell no!  No 'may have' about it,  despite one of the NCO's trying to excuse  the INexcusable. For the Gold Star Families (and other Military members and their families - and those of us who love them) the pain ran deep as the condemnation continued unabated.

I refuse to share the disgusting, offensive pictures here, but I have been given permission to share some of the Gold Star Families' responses.

THEY are not buying any milque toast excuses  for what is obvious disrespect, dishonor in that most solemn and sacred duty of laying our Fallen to rest.  The Gold Star Families - and any Military I know  - are not accepting one of the NCO's feeble attempt to explain away the deeply wounding, and irreparable  actions laid bare right across the internet.  This is not acceptable to  any of the Gold Stars, and rightly so.:



You will know I had a few choice words for him.

Brian Jopek, Gold Star dad of Fallen Hero SGT Ryan Jopek (and himself a retired SSG) wrote the following in a Gold Star Family group:


Since you're bound to see this, please know the Wisconsin Army Guard is looking into this whole thing as apparently, one of those involved is a member. They were at class to learn how to be Honor Guard and supposedly, this photo was taken as a way to let off steam since its pretty stressful. However, a Wisconsin Army Guard Soldier also posted a pic of her in her blues and posting it was too cold for a funeral. Her NCO had said in response to all this that she had joined the Honor Guard because she understood the commitment and all that. Again, please know the Wisconsin Guard and I'm sure the different states the other troops belong to will be looking into the matter.

"With regard to the photo of the troops at PEC for Honor Guard and other photos of your troop. First off, as a retired NCO myself, I'm pretty disappointed in your defending what happened. Look, I get the whole 'needing to let off steam' thing. That detail is stressful. But you DON'T do it with a US flag draped casket. And then you DON'T go posting 'We put the FUN in funeral' in your blues and you DON'T bitch on social media about how it's too cold for a funeral. THAT, sarn't, is anything BUT selfless. I have the utmost respect for Honor Guard personnel. My son, Ryan David Jopek, was a cav scout who was KIA in Iraq two years after I was there myself. This behavior is NOT acceptable. I'm really very sorry you have apparently no comprehension of the shit storm your troop and her cohorts cooked up with their little stunt and her subsequent postings on social media as a member of an Honor Guard.

Now, I don't know what, if anything, you and your chain intend to do about this. Let's hope that whatever is done your troop truly understands the severity of the whole thing and can somehow grasp the importance of being part of such an esteemed detail.

If she doesn't, then you have failed her as her NCO.

Sincerely,

Brian Jopek, SSG (retired)
Father of Ryan David Jopek
32nd Brigade Combat Team, WIARNG
KIA outside Tikrit, Iraq
2 August, 2006"

" ...Let's hope that whatever is done your troop truly understands the severity of the whole thing and can somehow grasp the importance of being part of such an esteemed detail. ..."

Brian was not the only Gold Star who was distressed, offended by this apparent misunderstanding by these morons as to just how wrong their actions were.

Gold Star Widow Karin Windorski (herself a Veteran) wrote an open letter:




Karin Windorski Cruz Please feel free to pass this letter on to[...] the soldier in question.

Are you the owner of the "traaww" Instagram account (screen shot attached)? If so, please let me introduce myself.

My Name is Karin Windorski. I am the widow of CW3 Philip Windorski, Jr. I became a Gold Star Widow when my beloved gave his life on the battlefield in Iraq on 25 January 2009. He spent just over 17 years in the Army, serving our country with HONOR, DIGNITY and RESPECT. I met Phil at Fort Hood when we were both stationed there. (Yes, I too have worn the uniform of our United States Army.) Together we built a life and a family.

On a very frigid February morning, hundreds gathered outside in BITTER BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES in upstate Minnesota as the Minnesota National Guard Honor Guard soldiers stood proudly by my husband's casket. (I could tell they weren't having any FUN at this FUNeral. Maybe we should have asked for you and your team to perform the duties instead?)

The Honor Guard soldiers took the time to show my beloved the respect HE EARNED during his almost two decades worth of selfless service to our county. Those same soldiers carefully folded the flag that just moments before was draped over the casket that held all that physically remained of my beloved and presented that sacred symbol to me, passing on the respect I HAD EARNED by standing by my husband's side for 11-1/2 years. And then those same soldiers presented our three children each with their very own folded flag and showed them the respect THEY HAD EARNED by giving up their dreams of having their father there at their baseball games, soccer games, high school graduations, weddings, birth of their own children, etc... (And just so you know, not one of those Honor Guard soldiers "jacked up" our flags simply because they had to perform their duties in the dead of winter. Out of all five flags presented to me, my children, and my mother-in-law that day, not one bit of red was showing.)

Ms. Harrison, it is one thing to be so incredibly disrespectful to our heroes and their families, but to do it WHILE IN UNIFORM and to post it on the Internet is UNCONSCIONABLE, UNETHICAL, INDEFENSIBLE and WRONG! Your actions are a disgrace to yourself, your unit, the Wisconsin National Guard and to the United States Army. I pray that this grievous error in judgement will be the last you will have when it comes to dishonoring our country's fallen heroes and their families.

I truly hope that this message speaks to your heart. And I hope that you will see how much hurt you have caused to many as your pictures are now floating all over Facebook and they will not be going away anytime soon. Out of respect for all of the good and honorable soldiers who wear the uniform for the right reasons, please consider whether or not you can learn how to respect what it means to be on the Honor Guard and what it means to be a United States Soldier. If not, I implore you, leave the military ASAP and pursue your goals and dreams in the civilian sector.

Respectfully,
Karin Windorski

Mrs Windorski is not the only Gold Star Widow to share her sorrow.

 Deborah Iverson May, Gold Star Widow of SSG Donald May Jr, told me this:



 

Letting off steam is not a good excuse for the widows... That woman has no respect for the role she has in the military...We don't find any of the photos at all amusing. I guess that comes from our angst and sadness at understanding she's joking about someone's husband and soulmate, or daddy, or someone's child.  

I think to even function properly in the military you have to have a sense of pride at what you are doing. That girl doesn't belong in that role and it's quite possible she shouldn't be in the military.

Nothing takes away the pain but BOY, you can add to it! And that girl sure did!

 The Gold Star community was - understandingly - unanimous in their outrage..

Mickey Bryant, Gold Star Mom of SSG Jason Arnette, shared her thoughts with me:



Wow and not in a good way. How can people be so disrespectful to our fallen heroes, especially those to wear our military uniforms. It's a good thing I'm not standing closer..

 This is who they have totally disrespected and so many more like my son. 

What they all deserve is an Article 15 Commanding Officer's Non-Judicial Punishment with maximum sanctions under that article. Then if they do the same or something similar, a Court Martial. 

Letting off steam, my ass.  NEVER is there a proper time for this behavior.  Make no difference if it was an empty casket. It is still representing a Family and a Fallen Hero who stood in worst condition than the cold so she could be an idiot of disrespect. 

Military members are held to high standards, this is an act of foolishness and lack of pride for what and whom they represent and it is just not about the pictures but about how they carry themselves on a day to day basis, it should and must be addressed... 

What matters? Our Fallen Military members matter, and should NEVER be disrespected in this manner. Once this NO LONGER MATTERS, is when this country has big issues!What matters? Our Fallen Military members matter, and should NEVER be disrespected in this manner. Once this NO LONGER MATTERS, is when this country has big issues!

  This was just sent to me,  and it is the response from Holly at Arlington (who is well known to many of our Gold Star Families): 

I've looked on the calendar (5 at work here) and nowhere do I see it is officially " National Nothing is SACRED Week"..So here's to putting an end to the notion that anything done in a uniform is okey dokey as long as you can find someone else to grin at it. My dad used to say, "Don't say anything you don't want to read in the POST"... same goes for lifting your iphone and posting in the ether.. it IS in the Post then. I've seen enough in 2 days to lose all feeling in my face, but I have a clarity to share. 

Howzabout zero tolerance for acting a fool while in any class of uniform,.. and for the folks who see the fault in the outting, not in the deed.-- Howzabout a thresh-hold for behavior that anything done in uniform (photographed or not) rest on this criteria alone..--- Would you be proud to be holding a framed copy of the image of that moment ? Would you be equally proud in your uniform to hand it to your CO/Commander/Chief of your Branch or Commander in Chief? Would you be proud to take it to the WALL, Iwo, KWM, WWII Memorial, or stand central in 60 holding it at Arlington? If the answer is no to any of those things,.. it's likely that what's initially wrong with the picture is that there is a person in it who isn't proud of that uniform, and should be relieved of it.

 As the hours marched on yesterday, and as more became aware of these pictures, many more Military members and their families spoke up.

Military Mom Leah Petrilli  said this:
As the mother of a deployed Marine I am completely outraged by the actions and lame explanations of these individuals. They are not worthy to serve in our military. Kick them all out. Disgraceful.

They [Chain of Command] better do something severe to placate the Gold Star Families. And quickly.

An Army wife and veteran advocate said this - and yes, I am quoting her directly:
This is what happens when HONOR is no longer a teaching code. They get rid of the soldiers who learned honor, respect, and love of country, and soon it will be a military of whiny titty babies...

[I asked her:  do you think honor, respect and love of country can be taught? To the Troops? Surely, they should already have that? ]
  
Not always. If it is...it is buried, and the Drill Sgt will 'find' it.  In basic training, they are taught a different way. Not every soldier joins because of love of country. But after Basic they better.   

The Veterans spoke out loudly with their comments raging from hope that they never had these morons as their Honor Guard if they had been killed in action, to suggestions as to what they believe the punishment should be.  Those 'behavior corrections'  ranged from specific physical damage being rained down upon the offenders, 'to wall to wall counseling, ' to Dishonorable Discharge.

One USN Veteran said this:


Seriously, FIX YOURSELVES!!! This is unacceptable at the BEST of times and shouldn't be considered at the worst. If you cannot instill a better moral compass in your soldiers then they and you need to seek life elsewhere.

That was his public comment, and his private comments to me?  Yes, I have his permission to quote directly:

Ever notice this keeps coming up with these subpar jackasses?.....I guess you can take the rat out the hood but not the hood out the rat...just because affirmative action and lowered standards ensures them a job among us, we cant make them be worth a shit.

And on my ship, [...] and many many more......we would have had out attitude changed for us if we even THOUGHT about this bullshit.

 His comments were certainly representative of the Veteran community's highly vocal condemnation of the ongoing disrespect by members of our Military who, above ALL, should understand how they are expected to behave once they don the US Military uniform, and swear an oath to Serve.

As always, the Veterans over at This Ain't Hell... had much to say, as they join the universal discussion about this latest public airing of what is going on within our Military these days.

Bottom line is that this behavior, whether made public or not, is NOT ACCEPTABLE.  It has been pointed out that it is not just the Wisconsin National Guard that is represented by these latest pictures.  As has been demanded above, swift action needs to be taken - across the different branches of our Military - to address this mindset which seems to be like a virus pervasive in the Military.  This must be checked.  

There are some who attempt to excuse these latest revelations as a momentary lapse in judgement by people doing stupid things because they are too young to know better.  I do not accept that.  Yes, we have all done stupid crap in our youth. But luckily for most of us, pictures of our actions are not surfacing on the internet - which does last forever.  

FACT:  The Gold Star Families' Sacrifice and grief is also forever, and they deserve so much better.

Thus far, more than 18 hours after these pictures spread like wildfire across social media, no further public statement has been issued by the Wisconsin National Guard. 

 There was this headline from about 7.pm CST: 

Soldier suspended over 'inappropriate' pictures from funeral honors duty


That is certainly a good start. However, as is evident by the sampling of reactions shared above, severe corrective actions MUST be taken to cut out this perception of the acceptance of inappropriate behavior by those who cannot show all due respect and HONOR to our Fallen Heroes.

Honor is one of the bedrocks within all our Military.   Day in, day out, the thousands of our Military men and women act with integrity and honor.  Time for WI NG to clean house.





  (source)