Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Staff Sergeant Wuterich needs our support

Up to date info at Gathering of Eagles
H/T: Drillanwr at Pat Dollard


By Chris Hill 12/30/2008
THE HADITHA CASE IN BRIEF...
Eight Marines were originally charged Dec. 21, 2006, with crimes related to the deaths of 24 Iraqi civilians during a bloody, door-to-door sweep in the town of Haditha. The deaths occurred after 1 Marine was killed and others were wounded by a roadside bomb Nov. 19, 2005. Evidence of a massacre never materialized, and the original reports by the news media, as well as slanderous comments by Congressman John Murtha (D-PA), have been thoroughly discredited.
Initially, four enlisted men were charged with unpremeditated murder, and four officers were accused of failing to properly investigate. To date, charges have been dismissed against six Marines, while one was found not guilty on all counts in courts-martial. In June 2008, a military judge dismissed charges against Lt. Col. Jeffrey R. Chessani, who was the battalion commander at the time, after finding the case was improperly influenced by an investigator. Prosecutors have sought a new trial and a decision is pending. The sole remaining defendant is the squad leader, Staff Sgt. Frank D. Wuterich, whose court-martial is not yet scheduled.
This Marine needs our help or he will become the sacrificial lamb. With only a couple of weeks left in the Bush Administration, I am asking that every one of you call the White House public comments line at 202-456-1111, fax the President at 202-456-2461 or send an email to comments@whitehouse.gov and ask that Staff Sgt Wuterich be pardoned. Better yet, take five minutes from your day and do all three. As I have said many times before, if you ever wonder if our brave men and women in uniform would do the same for you, remember: THEY ALREADY ARE.
We have proven we can shape policy with our collective voices. Now let's prove that we can right wrongs. You have your marching orders troops. Let's give Staff Sgt Wuterich the fire support he deserves. Manchu.

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/nationworld/story/578770.html

http://warchronicle.com/TheyAreNotKillers/DefendOurMarines.htm


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Wednesday Hero Blogroll

This Weeks Post Was Suggested By Kathi
2nd Lt. Christopher E. Loudon
2nd Lt. Christopher E. Loudon22 years old from Brockport, Pennsylvania1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry DivisionOctober 17, 2006U.S. Army2nd Lt. Christopher Loudon graduated from Slippery Rock University with a Baccalaureate Degree in Environmental Health in 2005. Upon graduation, he entered the United States Army on September 9, 2005. He received his commission as an Infantry officer and was assigned to 2nd Platoon, Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry, 4th Infantry Division at Ft. Hood, Texas. He deployed to Iraq in July 2006 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. 2nd Lt. Loudon’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Combat Infantryman Badge, and the Ranger Tab.He was KIA in Baghdad, Iraq when an IED detonated near his vehicle. Also killed with him were; Corporal David M. Unger, 21, of Leavenworth, Kansas ;Corporal Russell G. Culbertson III, 22, of Amity, Pennsylvania and Specialist Joseph C. Dumas Jr., 25, of New Orleans, Louisiana.He leaves behind his parents, Randy and Susan Loudon ; his wife, Jacey Loudon ; a daughter, Isabel Loudon ; two brothers, First Lieutenant Nicholas Loudon ,and Jonathan Loudon ; his paternal grandmother, Florence Loudon and his maternal grandfather, Everett William Campbell.
These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People LivedThis 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.
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Wednesday, December 24, 2008

What is it about Christmas?



Well, it's quickly approaching and as usual I am woefully unprepared for the biggest celebration of the year...

But, I think we need to stop and consider what does this holiday, Christmas, mean to us. Not just as individuals, but as human beings. More and more the society that I was brought up in seems to be in decline and is scarcely recognizable today. Christians, I'm sure will tell you how the holiday is the celebration of the Birth of Christ. It is of course, for them. We also have Yule, which alot of our traditions are from those old pre-christian traditions carried over to today. I think what really makes a Christmas special is the brotherhood of man. Tomorrow we will celbrate (or not) in our own way. Some of us with family and/or friends, some of us alone. Some of us won't even celebrate holiday, so be it. How many of us will go to the movie theater to watch the Christmas day releases of the last films released this year?

I dunno. I guess Christmas has been one of those times of year that no matter how much I was depressed about not being ablwe to spend time with family and friends, especially in the Military, I never really was truly depressed.

Tis' the season, or so they say. Season for what? It's the season of giving and showing courtesy and respect if not outright love for our fellow man. What sparked this shining example of what is truly great about us? I can't really say, i wasn't even born yet. I suspect it's an innate thing, but I could be way off base, I'm sure there are plenty of 'scientific facts and studies' to prove and disprove that little theory. Frankly I don't care.

There is one notable and quite famous story of the Christmas Truce of 1914. In WWI German and English troops after going through the hell of trench warfare and enduring the most bloody battles the world ahs ever seen, set aside their arms and celebrated Christmas together. They exchanged gifts, smoked and laughed together, played soccer together and generally just gon on together quite nicely, after all, it was Christmas... Where has that spirit gone? I really couldn't say. Some believe it's still there, but I am not so sure. Not as strong as it once was methinks, but perhaps still clinging to some of us who haven't forsaken each other for some selfish pleasure. Who knows for sure? Not me.







I do know that I am blessed to have such a supportive family and extremely good friends albeit scattered throughout the world at this point. And that I have the opportunity to spend time with some of my family and some of my close friends. It's a gift in my eyes. A truly special gift. In a world goin' to hell in a handbasket and an economy going to the shitter...well every little bright ray of sunshine is a blessing of sorts.

I'm going to leave you all with a little poem I came across. I hope you read it and think long and hard about what it means. I'd like to tip my hat to Stewart-Rhodes blog for providing the you-tube video for this and I've got some great pics from a variety of other places.



A Carol from Flanders

by Frederick Niven (1878-1944)

In Flanders on the Christmas morn
The trenched foemen lay,the German and the Briton born,
And it was Christmas Day.
The red sun rose on fields accurst,
The gray fog fled away;But neither cared to fire the first,
For it was Christmas Day!
They called from each to each across
The hideous disarray,
For terrible has been their loss:
"Oh, this is Christmas Day!"
Their rifles all they set aside,
One impulse to obey
'Twas just the men on either side,
Just men — and Christmas Day.
They dug the graves for all their dead
And over them did pray:
And Englishmen and Germans said:
"How strange a Christmas Day!"
Between the trenches then they met,
Shook hands, and e'en did play
At games on which their hearts were set
On happy Christmas Day.
Not all the emperors and kings,
Financiers and they
Who rule us could prevent these things —
For it was Christmas Day.
Oh ye who read this truthful rime
From Flanders, kneel and say:
God speed the time when every day
Shall be as Christmas Day.

I'm not known for being all PC, so i'm going to really end this with a hearty...
MERRY CHRISTMAS to ALL


With a special Shout out to all you Coalition troops in the Middle East. God Bless all of you!
And Thank you for one helluva damned fine job!
Scouts Out!
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Wednesday Hero Blogroll: Christmas Post


To the Men and Women of the United States military, and all the armed forces around the world, thank you for everything that you do. And to those who are laying their heads down tonight in a foreign land, away from your loved ones, thank you so very much. Stay safe, you're in our thoughts and our hearts. Merry Christmas.


These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

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.
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Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Back in the Saddle

Well folks, I'm back after a couple of weeks away from the internet. I was on a mission for my organization and had limited access to internet. I even missed last weeks Wednesday hero Blogroll...sometimes it just can't be helped.

I'm back.

And as always....

Die with your boots on!

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Wednesday Hero Blogroll

This Weeks Post Was Suggested By Melinda

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christian P. Humphreys
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christian P. Humphreys
28 years old from Fallon, Nevada
6th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, Task Force 49
November 15, 2008
U.S. Army

A funny, nice guy who loved to fly. That's how Christian P. Humphreys is remembered by his friends. "He was a great guy, always happy and had a joke," said Sean Whitney, a flight medic. "We used to play with our paintball guns in the cornfields behind his house."

Humphreys flew with the Fallon Naval Air Station Search and Rescue Longhorns from June 6, 2004, to May 5, 2006. He left the Navy and joined the Army as part of the "Blue to Green" program to become a helicopter pilot.

Humphreys, along with Chief Warrant Officer 3 Donald V. Clark, 37 years old from Tennessee, was killed when their OH-58 Kiowa helicopter crashed while on a mission over Mosul, Iraq. As a rescue crew chief, Humphreys was in charge of the operation behind the pilots. He made the decisions when to deploy rescue crews out of the helicopter to assist injured people, and he also took care of the equipment.

"He was a funny guy, a nice guy, a lot of character," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Justin Schmidt. "The guy was always entertaining, always had something to say, but like everyone here, he displayed the professionalism in saving lives."

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christian P. Humphreys leaves behind a wife and parents.


All Information Was Found On And Copied From MilitaryCity.com

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

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.
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