H/T: Sipsey Street Irregulars
Die with your boots on...
...
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
We only need 49 more...
H/T: Larry
The legislation here: HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 3
LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO
Sixtieth Legislature First Regular Session 2009
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 3
BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
A JOINT MEMORIAL
TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, AND TO THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION REPRESENTING THE STATE OF IDAHO IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES.
We, your Memorialists, the House of Representatives and the Senate of the State of Idaho assembled in the First Regular Session of the Sixtieth Idaho Legislature, do hereby respectfully represent that:
WHEREAS, the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution does not simply provide for a collective right or a right for the states to establish militias; rather it provides for the right of the people to keep and bear arms; and
WHEREAS, the primary purpose of the right to keep and bear arms is to protect one’s self, family and possessions from either the private lawlessness of other persons or the tyranny of government; and
WHEREAS, the right to keep and bear arms is also meant to protect the general private uses of firearms in activities such as hunting and other sporting activities; and
WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court in District of Columbia v. Heller, 128 S.Ct. 2783 (2008), recently struck down a firearms ban in the District of Columbia, explicitly ruling that the Second Amendment protects the right of the people to possess firearms for private use; and
WHEREAS, despite this ruling, legislation has been introduced in the United States House of Representatives calling for a system of mandatory federal licensing of all firearm owners; and
WHEREAS, the legislation introduced would require all firearm owners to apply for and carry a federally issued picture identification in order to keep any firearm in their homes; and
WHEREAS, the legislation introduced would make it a federal crime to keep a loaded firearm or an unloaded firearm and ammunition within any premises including, under certain circumstances, American homes where a child may be present; and
WHEREAS, the legislation introduced specifically purports to preempt any state or local law inconsistent with it; and
WHEREAS, the introduced legislation, Blair Holt’s Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009, is a direct imposition on each American’s individual right to keep and bear arms in their homes and for their protection.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the First Regular Session of the Sixtieth Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives and the Senate concurring therein, that members of the United States Congress cease and desist attempting to enact federal legislation impinging on the individual right of every American to keep and bear arms in any manner.
Specifically, that members of Congress oppose the passage of the Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009, and any similar legislation.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate be, and she is hereby authorized and directed to forward a copy of this Memorial to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Congress, and the congressional delegation representing the State of Idaho in the Congress of the United States.
Go Idaho!
Die with your boots on!
...
The legislation here: HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 3
LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO
Sixtieth Legislature First Regular Session 2009
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 3
BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
A JOINT MEMORIAL
TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, AND TO THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION REPRESENTING THE STATE OF IDAHO IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES.
We, your Memorialists, the House of Representatives and the Senate of the State of Idaho assembled in the First Regular Session of the Sixtieth Idaho Legislature, do hereby respectfully represent that:
WHEREAS, the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution does not simply provide for a collective right or a right for the states to establish militias; rather it provides for the right of the people to keep and bear arms; and
WHEREAS, the primary purpose of the right to keep and bear arms is to protect one’s self, family and possessions from either the private lawlessness of other persons or the tyranny of government; and
WHEREAS, the right to keep and bear arms is also meant to protect the general private uses of firearms in activities such as hunting and other sporting activities; and
WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court in District of Columbia v. Heller, 128 S.Ct. 2783 (2008), recently struck down a firearms ban in the District of Columbia, explicitly ruling that the Second Amendment protects the right of the people to possess firearms for private use; and
WHEREAS, despite this ruling, legislation has been introduced in the United States House of Representatives calling for a system of mandatory federal licensing of all firearm owners; and
WHEREAS, the legislation introduced would require all firearm owners to apply for and carry a federally issued picture identification in order to keep any firearm in their homes; and
WHEREAS, the legislation introduced would make it a federal crime to keep a loaded firearm or an unloaded firearm and ammunition within any premises including, under certain circumstances, American homes where a child may be present; and
WHEREAS, the legislation introduced specifically purports to preempt any state or local law inconsistent with it; and
WHEREAS, the introduced legislation, Blair Holt’s Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009, is a direct imposition on each American’s individual right to keep and bear arms in their homes and for their protection.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the First Regular Session of the Sixtieth Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives and the Senate concurring therein, that members of the United States Congress cease and desist attempting to enact federal legislation impinging on the individual right of every American to keep and bear arms in any manner.
Specifically, that members of Congress oppose the passage of the Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009, and any similar legislation.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate be, and she is hereby authorized and directed to forward a copy of this Memorial to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Congress, and the congressional delegation representing the State of Idaho in the Congress of the United States.
Go Idaho!
Die with your boots on!
...
Quote of the Week
"What I really want is the truth; is Obama a natural born citizen of the United States. If not a natural born citizen, America has been defrauded and then we would be stuck with Joe Biden whose only redeeming attribute is that he is probably not a communist."
~Major General Childers (ret.)
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~Major General Childers (ret.)
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Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Wednesday Hero Blogroll
19 years old from Knox, Pennsylvania
1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division
December 4, 2006
His mission was to patrol the streets of Adhamiyah in northeast Baghdad and find a place to put a 250-kilowatt generator that would provide electricity for more than 100 homes. But it's a mission he wasn't able to accomplish.
Shortly after Pfc. McGinnis's convoy left the compound, and less than a mile from FOB Apache, an insurgent standing on a nearby rooftop threw a grenade into the sixth, and last, Humvee. "Grenade!" yelled McGinnis, who was manning the vehicle's M2 .50-caliber machine gun. He tried to deflect the grenade but it fell into the Humvee and lodged between the radios.
"McGinnis turned and looked down and realized no one in the truck knew where the grenade was," said Capt. Michael Baka, his company commander. "He knew everyone had their doors combat-locked and they wouldn't be able to get out."
Instead of jumping out of the truck to save his own life, like he had been trained to do, McGinnis threw his back against the radio mount, smothering the explosive with his body. The grenade exploded just as Pfc. McGinnis covered it. The blast filled the vehicle with black smoke and debris and blew the driver's door and right passenger's door wide open and blew the machine gun off its mount. The explosion hit McGinnis on his sides and his lower back, under his vest. He was killed instantly.
The other four soldiers in the Humvee suffered relatively minor injuries.
On the morning of December 4, 2006, before his convoy had left, Cpt. Baka has signed a waver promoting Pfc. McGinnis to Specialist and he was posthumously promoted to E-4.
For his heroic actions on that day, McGinnis was awarded the Silver Star and was nominated for a Medal of Honor which he received on June 2, 2008.
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.
The Stimulus Bill Explained
Shortly after class, an economics student approaches his economics professor and says, "I don't understand this stimulus bill. Can you explain it to me?"The professor replied, "I don't have any time to explain it at my office, but if you come over to my house on Saturday and help me with my weekend project, I'll be glad to explain it to you." The studentagreed.
At the agreed-upon time, the student showed up at the professor's house. The professor stated that the weekend project involved his backyard pool. They both went out back to the pool, and the professor handed the student a bucket. Demonstrating with his own bucket, the professor said, "First, go over to the deep end, and fill your bucket with as much water as you can." The student did as he was instructed.The professor then continued, "Follow me to the drain and then dump 1/4th of your bucket of water into the drain. Now follow me over to the shallow end, and then dump the rest of the water from your bucket into it." The student was naturally confused, but did as he was told. The professor then explained they were going to do this many more times, and began walking back to the deep end of the pool. The confused student asked, "Excuse me, but why are we doing this?"The professor matter-of-factly stated that he was trying to make the shallow end much deeper. The student didn't think the economics professor was serious, but figured that he would find out the real story soon enough. However, after the 6th trip between the shallow end and the deep end, the student began to become worried that his economics professor had gone mad. The student finally replied, "All we're doing is wasting valuable time and effort on unproductive pursuits, and we are losing 1/4th the water we alread had. Even worse, when this process is all over, everything will be at a lower level than it was before, so all you'll really have accomplished is the destruction of what could have been truly productive action!
"The professor put down his bucket and replied with a smile, "Congratulations. You now understand the stimulus bill."
Die with your boots on...
....
The AER fiasco
I can't help but weigh in on this.
Asshat Jeff Donn published an article for AP that grossly mischaracterizes one of the Army's best programs; AER. The Army Emergency Relief fund is a fantastic charity. Where else can you get an interest free loan?
I have personally known several folks who benefitted from this program.
I remember when I was a soldier and AER fundraising was going on. There were incentives to donate. I rememebr tha tif our entire troop donated, we'd get a weekend pass. pretty cool. Of course, if you didn't want to donate, that waas always your call.
Let's put things into perspective here. the articla is basically trashing the AER for multiple transgressions. Firstly hoarding.
Ok, AER never denies a soldier a loan or a grant provided their eligible to receive the aid. In other words, dire need. That's why it's called 'Emergency Relief". In fact the numbers basically prove that. The fact that they have plenty of reserve money most made through investing doantion money shows they'e pretty smart fiscally and the program will not dry up due to overspending. There's also another possibility that noone seems to have looked at. Or even considered. maybe the soldiers and their families have become more fiscally responsible themselves and don't need as much aid. just a thought, probably not the case, but still...
So then there are these stories of soldiers being denied aid, and soldiers being pressured to contribute and all that jazz. Folks, let me explain something to you here. The Army is not the same as civilian life. In order for a unit to have good cohesion and in order for a given company or troop to be willing to die for any other one in the group, something has to fundamentally change about their relationship with their "co-workers" I doubt any of you civvies out there would jump on a grenade for their coworker in the next cubicle. AER is something the Army does for the Army. And when I say that I mean it in the most extreme sense. "Soldiers taking care of soldiers". That is the essence of AER. If you're appalled by any attempts to get troops to contribute to a cause that they amy have to draw on in the future, then you obviously have no f**king clue. These drives are just one part of making the soldiers realize what being a soldier is about. the Army has a values system, I generally disregard alot of the propaganda because the "Army Values" were values I already hold dear. No big deal. But not everyone who enters the service is on the same page, so to speak. They try their damndest to mold soldiers into good citizens as well as good soldiers.
The Army isn't perfect, but they're sight better than the alot of civilian agencies.
I'm going to include some links here for you.
The misleading report on AER.
AER's rebuttal
Hat tip to Denizens of Castle Argghhh!
....
Asshat Jeff Donn published an article for AP that grossly mischaracterizes one of the Army's best programs; AER. The Army Emergency Relief fund is a fantastic charity. Where else can you get an interest free loan?
I have personally known several folks who benefitted from this program.
I remember when I was a soldier and AER fundraising was going on. There were incentives to donate. I rememebr tha tif our entire troop donated, we'd get a weekend pass. pretty cool. Of course, if you didn't want to donate, that waas always your call.
Let's put things into perspective here. the articla is basically trashing the AER for multiple transgressions. Firstly hoarding.
Ok, AER never denies a soldier a loan or a grant provided their eligible to receive the aid. In other words, dire need. That's why it's called 'Emergency Relief". In fact the numbers basically prove that. The fact that they have plenty of reserve money most made through investing doantion money shows they'e pretty smart fiscally and the program will not dry up due to overspending. There's also another possibility that noone seems to have looked at. Or even considered. maybe the soldiers and their families have become more fiscally responsible themselves and don't need as much aid. just a thought, probably not the case, but still...
So then there are these stories of soldiers being denied aid, and soldiers being pressured to contribute and all that jazz. Folks, let me explain something to you here. The Army is not the same as civilian life. In order for a unit to have good cohesion and in order for a given company or troop to be willing to die for any other one in the group, something has to fundamentally change about their relationship with their "co-workers" I doubt any of you civvies out there would jump on a grenade for their coworker in the next cubicle. AER is something the Army does for the Army. And when I say that I mean it in the most extreme sense. "Soldiers taking care of soldiers". That is the essence of AER. If you're appalled by any attempts to get troops to contribute to a cause that they amy have to draw on in the future, then you obviously have no f**king clue. These drives are just one part of making the soldiers realize what being a soldier is about. the Army has a values system, I generally disregard alot of the propaganda because the "Army Values" were values I already hold dear. No big deal. But not everyone who enters the service is on the same page, so to speak. They try their damndest to mold soldiers into good citizens as well as good soldiers.
The Army isn't perfect, but they're sight better than the alot of civilian agencies.
I'm going to include some links here for you.
The misleading report on AER.
AER's rebuttal
Hat tip to Denizens of Castle Argghhh!
....
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
How to start each day with a positive outlook..
HOW TO START EACH DAY WITH A POSITIVE OUTLOOK
1. Open a new file in your computer.
2. Name it 'Barack Obama'.
3. Send it to the Recycle Bin.
4. Empty the Recycle Bin.
5. Your PC will ask you: 'Do you really want to get rid of 'Barack Obama?'
6. Firmly Click 'Yes.'
7. Feel better?
GOOD! - Tomorrow we'll do Nancy Pelosi!
...
1. Open a new file in your computer.
2. Name it 'Barack Obama'.
3. Send it to the Recycle Bin.
4. Empty the Recycle Bin.
5. Your PC will ask you: 'Do you really want to get rid of 'Barack Obama?'
6. Firmly Click 'Yes.'
7. Feel better?
GOOD! - Tomorrow we'll do Nancy Pelosi!
...
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Are you a liberal...in the original sense
Well, this is a neat little test. I'm not a hardcore libertarian...but I do hold alot of the same values. Most notably of those that i don't share, is the toppling of foreign dictators. It may not be a truly liberal view, but like Amercian Mercenary I believe that if a foreign nation...headed by a dictator poses a threat to our security, it is in our best interest to take care of it. Much like the situation in Israel/Palestine.
But that's why i love this country. We can still hold differing viewpoints and not go to jail for it...yet.
But that's why i love this country. We can still hold differing viewpoints and not go to jail for it...yet.
Shameless Plug for my Mom, the author.
This is a bit outside the normal purview here at Wrath of Mjolnir.
My mom is a children's book author and I am going to shamelessly promote her new book here.
In fact If you have never read any of mom's books, I'm going to show you what y'all have been missing.
If you've got a youngun' you should check these out. the standard genre here is young adult historical fiction. It's a tough gig, but mom has been quite successful.
Her newest book is called Secrets of Greymoor
Secrets of Greymoor is the third in the series of Hattie books.
My mom is a children's book author and I am going to shamelessly promote her new book here.
In fact If you have never read any of mom's books, I'm going to show you what y'all have been missing.
If you've got a youngun' you should check these out. the standard genre here is young adult historical fiction. It's a tough gig, but mom has been quite successful.
Her newest book is called Secrets of Greymoor
Secrets of Greymoor is the third in the series of Hattie books.
The first book in the series is Hill Hawk Hattie. The second book is called Hattie on her Way.
Now these are good books and they're set in the northeast US. New York and PA.
Now the Hattie books came after 3 other books she wrote. The First was Annie's Choice. The second book is called Nellie Bishop. The third book is about one of the 'characters' from the second book; Willie. And the book is called Willie and the Rattlesnake King.
The first two books are based roughly on our own family about turn of the century in Northeast Pennsylvania. The third is really about one of the characters from the second book and doesn't really have any basis in fact storywise, but the elements are historical. And, I might add the main character is a boy. Not surprisingly this one was dedicated to your's truly.
And if you just want to find out more, you check out her blog here
Stop by, especially if any of you are aspiring writers. And tell her I sent ya.
Enjoy folks!
...
Outlaws Will be Outlaws...
This little tidbit of info is not surprising to those of us that dwell down here on the border.
In fact the same sort of tactics are employed here in AZ as well.
Wildlife areas on U.S.-Mexico border let in outlaws (Homeland Security)
Heavily armed outlaws are threatening national parks and other public lands along the Mexican border, where terrain and environmental concerns limit the range of U.S. Border Patrol agents. Numerous Border Patrol agents say that drug smugglers and human traffickers are using ecologically diverse sanctuaries to evade law enforcement officials, whose access is limited in some areas to foot patrols and horseback. About 1.1 million acres of federal wildlife refuge, two national forests, five American Indian reservations and eight national parks account for more than 40 percent of the border region. Mexican drug cartels are adept at exploiting gaps in the border. Drug runners have spotters on the mountainsides watching federal law enforcement officers on the roads below. Along the San Diego border, drug spotters sit on the hillsides with binoculars and guns taunting agents. Mexican drug runners account for more than 90 percent of cocaine and more than half of the heroin entering the U.S. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/feb/17/conservation-zones-a-hotbed-for-outlaws-along-us-m/
...
In fact the same sort of tactics are employed here in AZ as well.
Wildlife areas on U.S.-Mexico border let in outlaws (Homeland Security)
Heavily armed outlaws are threatening national parks and other public lands along the Mexican border, where terrain and environmental concerns limit the range of U.S. Border Patrol agents. Numerous Border Patrol agents say that drug smugglers and human traffickers are using ecologically diverse sanctuaries to evade law enforcement officials, whose access is limited in some areas to foot patrols and horseback. About 1.1 million acres of federal wildlife refuge, two national forests, five American Indian reservations and eight national parks account for more than 40 percent of the border region. Mexican drug cartels are adept at exploiting gaps in the border. Drug runners have spotters on the mountainsides watching federal law enforcement officers on the roads below. Along the San Diego border, drug spotters sit on the hillsides with binoculars and guns taunting agents. Mexican drug runners account for more than 90 percent of cocaine and more than half of the heroin entering the U.S. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/feb/17/conservation-zones-a-hotbed-for-outlaws-along-us-m/
...
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Mexico: Hundreds Protest Army Operations Against Drug Cartels
Stratfor Today
February 17, 2009
Demonstrators Feb. 17 blocked Mexico-U.S. border crossings in the Mexican cities of Monterrey and Reynosa, protesting the Mexican army’s operations against drug cartels, Reuters reported. The protest was staged by hundreds of people, some of whom reportedly were paid by drug cartels.
....
Stratfor Today
February 17, 2009
Demonstrators Feb. 17 blocked Mexico-U.S. border crossings in the Mexican cities of Monterrey and Reynosa, protesting the Mexican army’s operations against drug cartels, Reuters reported. The protest was staged by hundreds of people, some of whom reportedly were paid by drug cartels.
....
Friday, February 13, 2009
And so it comes to pass...
Via Politico.com
The House has passed the final version of the economic stimulus bill, 246-183. No Republicans voted for the bill.
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The House has passed the final version of the economic stimulus bill, 246-183. No Republicans voted for the bill.
....
Who is and Who isn't....
H/T: Pat Dollard
Pat posted this from Hardball1911 at his site...it's well worth the read. Here is an excerpt...
Let’s talk effort, participation in an effort, who is, and who isn’t.
Where to begin? Let’s see. First and foremost, I have never claimed that I am even close to the smartest person on earth, and neither have I claimed to know her. I know it is “her”, because men are just too stupid to be the smartest person on earth. Otherwise, we wouldn’t buy stupid things like vacuum cleaners for Mother’s Day, pots and pans for Christmas, or those stupid assed teddy bears that cost $60 that have nothing to do with our true personalities or those stupid pajama grams that really don’t do anything for HER but instead help us to get all excited about making “the face” after slapping her ass and saying the completely wrong thing…But I digress
It has been rather apparent in the last few decades, at least, that our very way of life in America has been under fire from within our own borders; and from a concentrated effort to change the way we live, the way we think, the things we hold dear, and the freedoms that we enjoy. Let me explain my train of thought: (As though you could change my mind.)
We have watched the political process in this country change from the founder’s intended methods to methods involving deception, cheating, and fraud. These changes haven’t gone unnoticed, but they have gone fairly well unchallenged. I am not talking one party, either. It is the entire process that has been over run with the contempt for the average citizen and disregard for truth and law.
We watched as one of the greatest two term Presidents this country has known was dragged through the mud, day after day, and repeatedly attacked for his courage and wisdom as being a war monger, a harbinger of fear, and many other things. I am not talking about George W. Bush. I am talking about Ronald Reagan. In his two terms as our President, he was often bashed as being senile, overbearing, etc. Name it, they called him that. Yet with the hindsight of twenty years, his policies brought about a fundamental change to the way our society in America went about daily business. We went from having our children practicing bomb drills in our schools’ hallways and watching oppressed peoples in defeated countries deal with communism and tyranny with sympathy in our hearts to a world where the communist models had been proven to be not only ineffective, but an outright lie as to their potential. We watched as walls fell and a country disintegrated because of failed policies and harsh totalitarianism. All due to the confrontation that Ronald Reagan placed in their laps.
Die with your boots on...
...
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Wednesday Hero Blogroll
This Weeks Post Was Suggested And Written By Brat
Sgt. Patrick Tainsh
33 years old from Oceanside, California
Troop E, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment
February 11, 2004
Five years ago today, Sgt. Patrick Tainsh sacrificed all as the mounted unit he
was part of was hit by an IED in Baghdad. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze and Sliver Stars saving the lives of his commanding officer and other soldiers before succumbing to his own wounds. Also killed in the attack was Pfc. William C. Ramirez from Portland, Oregon.
On Veteran’s Day, 2007, Deborah Tainsh, Sgt. Tainsh's mother, attended a school in Columbia, Georgia, and shared a story she had written called "A Boy Named Patrick."
Here is part of the story :
…a little boy named Patrick who loved football, beaches, surfing, and
skateboarding, and especially reading. Patrick watched his dad be a Marine for
over twenty years. During this time Patrick kept reading not only surfing and
skateboarding magazines, but history books, too. One day when Patrick was a man, he told his dad and best friend, “I want to do something that will make a
difference in the world, I’m going to be a soldier.” And so he did. And in 1999
he went to Fort Knox, Kentucky for boot camp and then went to Fort Polk,
Louisiana where he worked and trained hard to become a United States Army
Cavalry Scout. Then in 2003 Patrick had to say good bye to his mom and dad
because he had to go fight a war in Iraq to protect his country, friends, and
family from terrorists and to help fight for the freedoms of the boys and girls
in that country where they and their families were treated very badly by their
country’s leader. Patrick once wrote a letter to his mom and dad telling them
that he cried for the children because they were hungry and he didn’t have food
to give them. He said he couldn’t understand how a country’s leader could treat
the people so badly and make them live in such dirty conditions with trash and
wild dogs everywhere. And so Patrick's mom and dad keep a photo in their living
room of Patrick surrounded by Iraqi children.
You can read the story in it's entirety here.
Sgt Tainsh came to the military later than some, but rose through the ranks fast. In his last letter to his parents, Sgt Tainsh shared his thoughts about his mission. And in 2006, Sgt. Tainsh's mother wrote a book called Heart Of A Hawk about her son's life and her and her husband's struggles since their son was killed.
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.
33 years old from Oceanside, California
Troop E, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment
February 11, 2004
Five years ago today, Sgt. Patrick Tainsh sacrificed all as the mounted unit he
was part of was hit by an IED in Baghdad. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze and Sliver Stars saving the lives of his commanding officer and other soldiers before succumbing to his own wounds. Also killed in the attack was Pfc. William C. Ramirez from Portland, Oregon.
On Veteran’s Day, 2007, Deborah Tainsh, Sgt. Tainsh's mother, attended a school in Columbia, Georgia, and shared a story she had written called "A Boy Named Patrick."
Here is part of the story :
…a little boy named Patrick who loved football, beaches, surfing, and
skateboarding, and especially reading. Patrick watched his dad be a Marine for
over twenty years. During this time Patrick kept reading not only surfing and
skateboarding magazines, but history books, too. One day when Patrick was a man, he told his dad and best friend, “I want to do something that will make a
difference in the world, I’m going to be a soldier.” And so he did. And in 1999
he went to Fort Knox, Kentucky for boot camp and then went to Fort Polk,
Louisiana where he worked and trained hard to become a United States Army
Cavalry Scout. Then in 2003 Patrick had to say good bye to his mom and dad
because he had to go fight a war in Iraq to protect his country, friends, and
family from terrorists and to help fight for the freedoms of the boys and girls
in that country where they and their families were treated very badly by their
country’s leader. Patrick once wrote a letter to his mom and dad telling them
that he cried for the children because they were hungry and he didn’t have food
to give them. He said he couldn’t understand how a country’s leader could treat
the people so badly and make them live in such dirty conditions with trash and
wild dogs everywhere. And so Patrick's mom and dad keep a photo in their living
room of Patrick surrounded by Iraqi children.
You can read the story in it's entirety here.
Sgt Tainsh came to the military later than some, but rose through the ranks fast. In his last letter to his parents, Sgt Tainsh shared his thoughts about his mission. And in 2006, Sgt. Tainsh's mother wrote a book called Heart Of A Hawk about her son's life and her and her husband's struggles since their son was killed.
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.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Wednesday Hero Blogroll
Gunnery Sgt. Nick Popaditch 
In 2003, Sgt. Popaditch, along with 1st Tank Battalion, rolled into Baghdad from Kuwait at the start of the Iraq War. They had just taken the city and the tank that Sgt. Popaditch was in had rolled up to a 40-ft statue of Saddam. I think we all remember that statue. Popaditch was given a cigar by a fellow Marine and as he smoked it an AP photographer snapped a picture of him.
Fast forward to April 7, 2004. Sgt. Popaditch's wife was vacationing with their son when she received a phone call informing her that her husband had been injured in an attack. The turret of his tank, that he was situated in, had taken two direct hits from RPG's. He fell through the hatch to the floor of the tank. As he struggled to his feet, he began to shout orders to his men but go no response. He then realized that the attack had caused him to go deaf in both ears. But that was only temporary. He then reached up and felt that his head was wet and knew it wasn't good.
In the aftermath of the attack, Gunnery Sgt. Nick Popaditch had lost his right eye. And because of that he now proudly wears a prosthetic eye with the Marine Corps. logo embossed on it. On November 10, 2005 Gunnery Sgt. Nick Popaditch was awarded the Silver Star, the nation's third-highest award for heroism in combat. He also has a book out titled Once A Marine.
You can read more about Gunnery Sgt. Nick Popaditch here and here.
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
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