Sunday, 06 August 2006Maj. Gen. William H. McCoy Jr.
To the editor of the Washington Post,After spending almost three days traveling with and being interviewed by one of the co-writers of a very poorly written article ("Much Undone in Rebuilding Iraq, Audit says", Washington Post, August 2, 2006), I'm astounded at how distorted a good story can become and what agenda drives a paper to see only the bad side to the reconstruction effort here in Iraq. Instead of distorting the facts, let's get to the truth.
There is no flailing reconstruction effort in Iraq. The United States has rightfully invested $20 billion in Iraq's reconstruction - in the opinion of many here, we should do more. This massive undertaking is part of a wider strategy for success in Iraq that involves the establishment of a democratic government, the development of professional Iraqi security forces, and the restoration of basic essential services and facilities to promote the sustained economic development of this new country.
Yes, this reconstruction effort has been challenged occasionally by security, poor materials, poor construction program management practices, and in some cases poor performance by contractors for a variety of reasons. The Department of State and Defense professionals over here, many of them civilian volunteers, and the Iraqi associates who risk their lives every day to have a future that approximates what America has today, continuously see the challenges and develop and implement solutions. This is a core part of managing construction anywhere in the world and, while somewhat more complex here, it is successfully being accomplished. Have we been guilty of poor planning and mismanagement? The answer to that is, at times, yes. But professionals constantly strive to overcome challenges that arise and we are succeeding and making Iraq better every day!
The heart of the article rests on several old statements by the Special Investigator General for Iraq Reconstruction which infer these are recent or recurring problems. The SIGIR knows that, in fact, program management, construction quality, progress, and accountability have all improved significantly since the early days of the effort some three years ago. Yet, the reporters' "project problems" comments infer that these are recent issues. Such actions inflame public opinion in the United States and create resentment by the very people so many conscientious Americans over here are trying to help here in Iraq and worse, embolden our very enemies.
When I arrived here a year ago we planned to complete 3,200 reconstruction projects. Today we are focusing on the completion of 3,700 projects. We've started 3,500 of those projects and completed almost 2,800...and work is continuing! This is not a failure to meet our commitment to the Iraqi people as the article states. In some cases we are not executing the same projects - we have changed to meet new priorities of three government changes in Iraq since our arrival - but in all cases, rest assured, these projects will be completed. We discussed this at length with the reporter...and he was taking notes and recording our conversations.
We told the reporter that, while 141 health clinic construction projects were taken away from a U.S. contractor who failed to perform, they were re-awarded to Iraqi contractors who are already demonstrating progress, have improved quality and shown their great desire to work with the United States to help Iraq improve ... and they are doing so phenomenally!
We did talk to the reporter about on electricity. Three-quarters of Iraq gets twice as much electricity today as they did before the war. Furthermore, we are working with the Minister of Electricity to improve the situation in Baghdad daily and have doubled the hours of power from four to eight in the capitol in the last six months in spite of the fact that demand is markedly increased with Iraqis' new ability to buy personal electrical products.
What is truly amazing to me is that we took the reporter to the Nasiriyah prison project and, while it is true that we terminated the prime U.S. contractor for failure to perform, the Iraqi sub-contractor continues to work there (now directly for us) and his progress and quality have improved significantly ... and he saw that! We are not turning unfinished work over to the Iraqis as he stated in his article; we are fulfilling the U.S. commitment to the people of Iraq and using Iraqis to do it!
The reporter didn't tell you about the hundreds of dedicated military and civilian professionals he saw over here working to make Iraq better, or the Iraqis who come to work every day at their own peril because they believe in what we, and they, are accomplishing together.
He failed to tell you about Aseel or Salah who worked for the Corps of Engineers since we arrived in 2003, because they wanted to make their country like ours, but who were recently brutally murdered in the streets because they worked for the Americans.
He never wrote about the Water Treatment Plant he visited that will provide fresh potable water to over half a million people in southern Iraq in just two more months, or the one in northern Iraq that is providing water for the 330,000 citizens of Irbil.
He never told folks back home about the thousands of children that are now in 800 new or rebuilt schools, or about oil production now being back to pre-war levels and getting better everyday, or raw sewage being taken out of the streets and put back in the pipes where it belongs, or about the thousands of miles of new roads, or post offices, police stations or courthouses or... well, he just left a great deal out now, didn't he?
Why?
Perhaps it's because some in the press don't want the American people to know the truth and prefer instead to only report the negative aspects of the news because "it sells papers."
We deserve better from those who claim the protection of the Constitution we are fighting to support and defend.
America, don't give up. You are doing much better over here than all too many of your press will tell you. If you are tired of fighting for freedom and democracy for those who so strongly long for the country we have, then think of the alternatives for a moment. Iraq will be better for our efforts and so will the world. And you are making it happen. Be proud and keep supporting this vital effort. It is the most important thing America can do.
Thank you. I invite you and your staff to come over at any time to get the facts. I took a risk with Mr. Mosher and obviously got what I consider to be a very unbalanced representation of what he saw, personally. But I still believe in general in the press and will always be open to helping you tell a balanced story.
Essayons! Deliverance!
Maj. Gen. Bill McCoy
Commanding General
Gulf Region Division
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Multi-National Force-Iraq
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Maj.Gen. William H. McCoy Jr. Unloads on the WaPo for Slipshod Reporting-agenda driven-truth denying-negative news
Monday, August 07, 2006
And we're Back!
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
When Poison Arrows Fall
As a group, the ideological Left rejects the notion of victory in war for Western forces (although it is fine for jihadists); rejects the notion that there are enemies that are impossible to appease; and specifically rejects the idea that Israel has a right to defend itself against its enemies, let alone vanquish its foes.
Our World: Seeing the war in its true colors | Jerusalem Post
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Jim Malone: On a Disproportionate Response
The Chicago Way:
"You said you wanted to get Capone. Do you really wanna get him? You see what I'm saying is, what are you prepared to do?
Ness: Anything and everything in my power.
Malone: And *then* what are you prepared to do? If you open the can on these worms you must be prepared to go all the way because they're not gonna give up the fight until one of you is dead.
Ness: How do you do it then?
Malone: You wanna know how you do it? Here's how, they pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. That's the Chicago way, and that's how you get Capone! Now do you want to do that? Are you ready to do that? " Memorable Quotes from The Untouchables (1987):
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Outside the airlocker:Diyar Ismail Mahmoud, AKA Abu al-Afghani Number One on 101st Airborne Hit Parade
Yahoo! News:
Monday, July 17, 2006
Get A Grip Already, Islamic -jihadi-thug-enablers,--it's not like it was the 'F' word
First lady Mrs. Truman once told an anxious woman who admonished her for not correcting President Truman's vocabulary during a voter stump speech to farmers. My dear, she was reported to have said, it's taken me this long to just get him to say 'manure'.
PLAIN SPEAK FROM THE MAN FROM TEXAS............My kind of POTUS
"'See the irony is that what they need to do is get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit and it's over,'" Dubya
Give me a break already, here we are, practically free falling into the abyss of poison arrows and hell fire and the free loading son's of perdition from the antique main stream media are getting the vapors because the open mike they booby trapped the president with caught him saying "SHIT! " Sweet jumping judy! Don't we have our priorities straight. How is that for adding to the stability of the human race on the eve of destruction.
On the other side, the lefty side, Juan Cole says:
"It is a little window into the superficial, one-sided mind of the man, who has for six years been way out of his depth. I come away from it shaken and trembling.
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Stand with Isreal
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad threatened to "wipe Israel off the map." Iranian proxies have initiated combat to enforce operation bulldoze Isreal into the sea. Just as soon as pigs fly and it snows in hell.Iranian foreign policy over the last 27 years:
- contempt for the most basic international conventions;
- long-reach extraterritoriality;
- effective promotion of radical Pan-Islamism;
- a willingness to go the extra mile for Jew-killing (unlike, say, Osama);
- an all-but-total synchronization between rhetoric and action.
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Maj. Gen. Mike Lehnert, CG Marine Corps Bases (West) Hits one out of the Ball Park,
Good morning ladies and gentlemen,
Eight days ago, I was present in the audience when Tom Brokaw addressed the 2006 Stanford graduating class. After the initial pleasantries and one-liners, Mr. Brokaw said something unexpected. He told the class that they were the children of privilege, fortunate to be attending one of the finest educational institutions in the country, the anointed because they had both the test scores for admittance and parents who were able to afford their tuition. He noted that they could likely expect rapid advancement in almost any endeavor they choose and that they were destined to lead the most powerful country in the world. The class was beaming.
And then Brokaw reminded them that the liberties and freedoms they enjoyed were being defended by young people their age that did not have their advantages. That at this time thousands of men and women were fighting, dying and suffering debilitating injury to ensure that the rest of us could live the American dream.
There was an uncomfortable shifting in the seats, followed by slow but growing applause from the audience.
When we sent my son to Stanford four years ago, we filled out a form asking for demographic information. One of the questions for the parents said, what is your profession? After it was a list of about thirty professions including doctor, lawyer, congressman, educator, architect. Military was not listed so I filled in “other.”
My son was the only graduate who had a parent serving in the armed forces. As I was introduced to his friends’ parents, it was interesting to watch their reaction. Few had ever spoken to a member of the military. One asked me how my son was able to gain admittance with the disadvantage of having to attend “those DoD schools.” Many voiced support for our military and told me that they’d have served but clearly military service was not for their kind of people.
This year of the so-called elite schools, Princeton led them with nine graduates electing military service. Compare that with 1956 when over 400 of the Princeton graduating class entered the military. Most of the other Ivy League schools had no one entering the military this year. I wonder how many of you know the young people who are serving today. I wont embarrass anyone by asking for a show of hands to ask how many really know a young enlisted Marine who has been to war. I’m going to try to give you a better feel about those who serve our nation.
Our Marines tend to come from working class families. For the most part, they came from homes where high school graduation was important but college was out of their reach. The homes they come from emphasize service. Patriotism isn’t a word that makes them uncomfortable. The global war on terrorism has been ongoing for nearly five years with Marines deployed in harms way for most of that time. It is a strange war because the sacrifices being levied upon our citizens are not evenly distributed throughout society. In fact, most Americans are only vaguely aware of what is going on.
That isn’t the case aboard the Marine bases in Southern California where we see the sacrifice everyday as we train aboard those open spaces that you covet for other purposes. Many of our Marines are married and 70% of our married Marines live in your communities, not aboard Marine bases. These Marines coach your soccer teams. They attend your places of worship. They send their kids to your schools. However, in many ways they are as different from the rest of the citizens of Southern California as my son was different from the rest of the students at Stanford.
One of the huge differences between the rest of society and our Marine families, is when Marine daddies and mommies go to work, some of them never come home. The kids know that. The spouses know that. Week after week we get reports of another son, father, husband who won’t be coming back. During the past four years, over 460 Marines from Southern California bases have been killed by the enemy. 107 more have died in Iraq and Afghanistan due to accidents. 6500 have been wounded some of them multiple times.
You will never know or meet Brandan Webb age 20 or Christopher White age 23 or Ben Williams age 30. They were all assigned to First Battalion First Marine Regiment, Camp Pendleton, California. They were some of the Marines who died this week out of Marine bases in Southern California.
Last Friday, we hosted a golf tournament at Camp Pendleton to raise money for wounded Marines. There are a lot of expenses that the government cannot legally pay for from appropriated funds. The people who attended the tournament genuinely wanted to help and we invited a couple of dozen wounded Marines to golf with them. As I watched the teams leave for a shotgun start, I saw three Marines sitting by themselves and went over to talk to them. Clearly they’d been told by their chain of command that this was their appointed place of duty. They were sitting in the sun chatting, probably not unhappy with the duty but mildly uncertain as to why they were there. I asked them why they weren’t golfing and they said that they’d never learned. No one in their families ever played golf and that this was the first time they’d ever been on a golf course. I asked them how many times they’d deployed. One of the young men had just returned from his third deployment and had been wounded every time. The others teased him for being a bullet magnet. I asked him if he was going to stay in and he thought for a moment what to say to a general and he said, “I think I’d like to try college. No one in my family has ever gone.”
I asked these Marines if I could buy them a beer. They looked at me and smiled. One of them said, “We can’t ask you to break the rules sir. None of us are 21 yet.”
They seemed much older. As I left them I wondered about a policy that gives a young man the power of deciding who will live and who will die but won’t let him drink a beer. I thought about these young Americans who had never shot golf but had shot and killed other men in order to carry out foreign policy.
On the 10th of August we will open a wounded warrior barracks at Camp Pendleton. Few taxpayers’ dollars were used. We were able to raise the money through the Semper Fidelis fund to house those Marines who no longer need to be hospitalized but who suffer debilitating injuries and need follow-on care. Heretofore, when regiments left for the war, they left their non-deployables behind. These Marines often had to live in WWII era barracks with open squad bays and gang heads down the hallway. Those having limited mobility found it difficult and uncomfortable. It was no way to treat our wounded warriors. We’re fixing it.
Now let me introduce you to another enlisted Marine. His name is Brendan Duffy. Brendan was an infantry Marine. Like so many others, Brendan had dreams of going to college but no means to do so. While he was in the Corps, he immediately began using his Montgomery GI bill benefits by enrolling in Mira Costa College. Though deployed soon after signing up for college, he took his textbooks to war. Last month he received Mira Costa’s highest award for academic excellence, the Medal of Honor for Academic Excellence. Brendan described studying pre-calculus while fragments from explosions struck the sandbag shelter he was in. Brendan left the Corps this week and has been accepted to the University of California Los Angeles to study math and economics.
Later this morning I’ll be meeting with educators across the California University system. We are trying to make California more veteran friendly. California hosts 40% of the combat power of the Marine Corps and 40% of the Marine veterans who leave the Corps do so out of Southern California bases. 96% have participated in the Montgomery GI Bill and are eligible for benefits but only a small number enter the California University system. That’s because California, unlike other states did not provide any veterans preference or even reach out to veterans. These combat veterans score in the top 50% of their age group, are drug free and morally straight but are lost to California and return to other states that aggressively work to attract them.
Several months ago, I along with senior leadership of all the Services, met with Governor Schwarzenegger and told him that California was not an education friendly state for military veterans. To his credit, he is trying to change that and this meeting today is a natural outgrowth of his support.
In Iraq, the media talks about the casualties. They seldom report the successes. I don’t think that this is intentional. It is just more difficult to quantify progress and reduce it to a sound bite.
Some of you may recall almost exactly two years ago when a four man sniper team from 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines was killed on a rooftop in Ramadi. It made news because sniper teams aren’t supposed to get ambushed and because an M40A1 sniper rifle was now in the hands of the enemy.
Over the next two years, that rifle was used against Americans and we wanted it back. Last week, a 21 year old Marine sniper from 3rd Battalion, Fifth Marines out of Camp Pendleton observed a military aged male videotaping a passing patrol of amphibious assault vehicles near Camp Habbaniya. After radioing the patrol and telling them to stay low, the Marine watched the man aiming a sniper rifle that looked remarkably like his own.
He killed the enemy sniper with one round to the head. Seconds later, another insurgent entered on the passenger side and was surprised to see his partner dead. That hesitation was enough time to allow Sgt Kevin Homestead age 26 to kill the insurgent before he could drive off. When the Marines went down to inspect the scene, they saw that the sniper rifle was one of their own. It was the same M-40A1 sniper rifle looted from the 2/4 sniper team exactly two years earlier.
We are making progress in Iraq. The Iraqi Army is more capable each month. In the Anbar province we have brought the 1st Iraqi Division – the most capable of the Iraqi formations – to the former British RAF base of Habbaniyah – between Fallujah and Ramadi. We are standing up the 7th Division. In Baghdad, Iraqi brigades own parts of the city and are reporting directly to the US Army Division commander as component units.
The Iraqi Police are the essential element – and the most difficult challenge. In any insurrection, the insurgent specifically targets the local security elements of the government – because they are essential to maintaining control via interaction with the community, intelligence gathering, and law enforcement against petty and organized crime, traffic control. These police units are having good success in places like Fallujah. Ramadi is a different kettle of fish. Some of the police departments haven’t been paid in months and the intimidation campaign is in full force.
My Chief of Staff, Colonel Stu Navarre formerly the Commander of the 5th Marine Regiments told me this story. One day in December, the Ramadi Police Dept Operations Officer (#3 in the pecking order) did not come to work. When we inquired, he told us that the day before his 10 year old son had been kidnapped after school and transported to the north side of Ramadi. He was called by the kidnappers and advised of his son’s location. When the Operations Officer arrived at the location, he found his son alive, with a note pinned to his shirt, “If you go to work tomorrow, you will never see your son again. We know where you live.” I wonder how many of us would show up for work with that kind of intimidation.
Your fellow Americans in uniform in Iraq and Afghanistan are doing a superb job in the most dangerous places on earth. They believe in what they are doing. The majority of the sergeants, corporals, and privates enlisted after 9-11. They knew what they were signing up for. They want to deploy in defense of the nation. We are sending best leadership to the combat zone. Service in Iraq/Afghanistan has become the norm for our Marine and Army leaders, and an essential part of their experience/qualifications for advancement. Finally, the American people have continued to demonstrate an unprecedented level of support for their fellow Americans in uniform – as well as the understanding that these young men and women are executing the policies of their elected representatives.
Reconstructing an entire nation takes time. Think about our own experience during the American Revolution. Despite having a homogeneous nation with no incipient insurgency, it was thirteen years from the Revolution to the ratification of the Constitution. We seem to have forgotten that it takes time to build institutions.
Introduction of a stable, representative form of government in Iraq is revolutionary in its impacts on the region and the world. Iraq is at the center of the Mideast, the Arab world, and Shia Islam. Iraq has been, and will continue to be a major producer of natural resources – especially oil. It is at the center of the chess board. Iraq separates two sponsors of terrorism – Iran and Syria – and with Afghanistan – isolates Iran. It is no coincidence that Muammar Qadaffi has sensed the change in the wind and sought to distance himself from terrorism and WMD and become a legitimate player in world politics.
The Iraqis are capable of running Iraq. Today, thousands of young Iraqis are lining up to become soldiers and policemen – despite constant, highly lethal attacks on recruiting stations, police stations, and army checkpoints. Concurrently, there is no more dangerous job than being a candidate for office or an elected official in Iraq. We should not underestimate the absolute danger to any Iraqi that steps up to plate for law, order, and progress. The enemy is absolutely committed to winning. For him, there is really no other option. He also understands that the center of gravity is the commitment of the American people.
One of my major concerns is quality of life issues for our Marines, Sailors and their families. We are making significant progress but we have a long way to go.
We are building 1600 more homes at Miramar to give our Marines and Sailors decent places to live. California is a beautiful State. It is also extraordinarily expensive and we are the gypsies in your castle often driving 50 or 60 miles one way to because those are the only places that our junior Marines can afford to live.
We are replacing worn out World War II vintage barracks that we make our single Marines live in. When I took over, I visited some of the open squad bay barracks at Camp Horno in Pendleton. A young Marine corporal and veteran of the fighting in Iraq looked at me and said, “Sir, I lived better in Fallujah.” That hurt but he was right. A couple of weeks later I had a chance to talk to the Commandant and tell him the same story. I told him that at the rate we were replacing barracks, we wouldn’t have decent enlisted quarters until 2036. To his credit, he listened and we now plan to have them replaced by 2013. This won’t come without a cost because the Marine Corps doesn’t get more money to build barracks, we have to realign our priorities and not buy other things that we need. It was a significant decision by our senior leadership but the right thing to do.
With our Navy partners we are going after Pay Day Lenders. Pay Day Lenders are the parasites found outside of our military bases in Southern California who prey on young Marines and Sailors because the lenders know they are uninformed consumers. Pay day lenders take advantage that California has some of the weakest laws in the country. In North Carolina, pay day lenders are limited to 36% annual percentage rates of interest. Here in San Diego we regularly see rates of 460% and I have seen rates as high as 920% being charged legally against our service members. Service members go into a cycle of debt. Ultimately because we expect our Marines to be financially responsible, their ability to reenlist, compete for good jobs and keep a security clearance is effected.
Let me be clear. Pay day lenders are not providing our Marines with a service. They are parasites, bottom feeders and scumbags. One of them sent me a note recently telling me that he was a member of an honorable profession and that I should back off. He told me that a pay day lending institution had been found in the ruins of Pompey after Mount Vesuvius erupted. I responded to him that archeologists also found a whore house and that antiquity did not bequeath virtue. It is a shameful practice.
We also recognize that military leaders have a responsibility to educate our service members and their families about sound money management. We are doing that. We are using our base papers, information campaigns and personal intervention to tell them that there are alternatives to the pay day lending institutions.
Both the State and Federal legislatures have heard our message as well and there are bills making their way through the process to significantly curtail the excesses of payday lenders. I know that many of you came here today to find out what I would say about the airport situation at Miramar. So as not to disappoint you, let me be clear.
The Marines came to Miramar ten years ago as a result of a BRAC decision and four subsequent BRAC rounds determined that the interrelationship of the Marine and Navy bases in Southern California provided a capability that was unmatched anywhere in the country. The Marine Corps uses its bases as a projection platform for combat power. 25,000 Marines from California bases are presently deployed in harms way and over 3,000 of them are from Miramar.
Through the years, we have accommodated our neighbors’ development needs. Often we allowed infrastructure that was unpopular elsewhere but vital to the community. San Diego’s primary landfill is located at Miramar. A nuclear generation facility sits aboard Marine Corps property at Camp Pendleton and powers 2.2 million Southern California homes. We want to be good neighbors and work hard at it.
We examined the proposal for joint use of Miramar carefully, provided all data requested and saw that data ignored. Joint use does not work at Miramar. Thus the real issue is whether you want a civilian airport at Miramar or Marines.
If you want us to leave, you should say so. However you must understand that no matter what names are used to describe us in the Union Tribune, the decision whether or not to leave do not rest with the military leadership in Southern California. It rests with your elected leaders and most of them have clearly put defense needs above local requirements and said no to Miramar. The decision rests with the appointed civilian leadership in the department of defense. They’ve said no as well.
Sadly this controversy has effected local civil military relations. There is no way you can sugar coat it or pretend otherwise. But we are here. If our leadership tells us to leave we will. We will take our Marines, our families, our wounded and if necessary we will dig up our dead. However right now our leadership says we stay. And whether or not we remain in San Diego, the Marine Corps is committed to protecting your liberties and your freedoms.
We know that this is a difficult issue. We know that we have many friends in San Diego but we also know that we have others who see the economic potential of development of the military installations. They say that they love the military but would rather love them somewhere else than in their backyard.
If you take nothing away from this talk, I’d hope you understand and appreciate what a remarkable group of young people currently serve in your Armed Forces today. Want to know what Marine Generals talk about when we are together? We talk about what a remarkable privilege it is to lead these extraordinary Americans.
I started by mentioning Tom Brokaw. His book coined the phrase, “The Greatest Generation” and our nation responded in kind. Twenty years from now we may recognize that this young generation currently serving has the same qualities of greatness.
On the battlefield today are future CEOs of corporations, university presidents, congressmen, state governors, Supreme Court justices and perhaps a future president of the United States.
Take the time to meet one of these young people. You won’t be disappointed. OK, I’ve talked long enough. Id be happy to take your questions.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment new school for kids
Marines from 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment unveiled a brand-new grade school in this city of about 30,000 on the Iraq-Syria border in western Al Anbar Province July 7, 2006.About one week before its opening, insurgents planted an improvised explosive device inside the school which would have leveled a good portion of the building, destroying nearly three months of work by Marines and locals, said Gunnery Sgt. Joseph S. Mallicoat, team leader for the civil affairs team here.
Marine Corps News -> Marines thwart insurgents’ attempt to destroy new Iraqi school for girls
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
2nd LAR Marines storm bunkers, Range 410A
By Pfc. Nathaniel Sapp USMC
Combat Corresponndent
After a short night of sleep on the rocky terrain at Range 410A here, Marines from A, C and D Companies, 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, awoke early June 22 and took the Squad Hasty Attack Course head-on as part of their Mojave Viper pre-deployment training.
The live-fire course consists of three bunkers and forces the Marines to employ basic and advanced skills they've learned.
“Essentially what we did there is pretty much the foundation of what the Marine Corps is made of,” said Staff Sgt. Scott P. Rixmann, a Cheyenne, Wyo., native and acting company gunnery sergeant for Company D.
“This course allowed us to not only perform the same function as any other infantry unit, but also use the strength of our vehicle's weapons for a longer period of suppressive fire,” he added. The vehicles' weapons consist of 25 mm chain-gun and a 7.62 mm machine-gun.
The Marines take advantage of this type of training due to the positive impact it has on the entire team, as well as the reinforcement of basic skills.
“Mainly this type of training can be used as a confidence builder for shooting on the move, formations and movement and most importantly, unit cohesion,” said Sgt. Johnny W. Benson, an Oakman, Ala., native and squad leader for 2nd Platoon, Delta Company.
“We started training for this range way before we even came out here,” He said. “When we got out here we did two range-walks, one dry-run [a run with blank rounds], and finally the live-fire.”
Much like how a band practices their songs individually, the Marines practice single elements until they know them by heart, before they put on their “show.”
“We aren't able to do training like this on such a large scale back in [Camp Lejeune] because we don't have the facilities there,” he added. “Instead we just break it down into little parts and tackle those.”
It's because full-scale training like this that these Marines are able to deal with the heat and other rough conditions.
“What made it worth it was watching and working with my Marines, seeing them come into their billets and lead,” Benson said.”
Overall, the course went well with the Marines meeting and exceeding expectations.
“I expect my Marines to be genuine, to accomplish the tasks set out to them and to perform as a team,” said Rixmann. “Ultimately I saw all of that during the training.”
"
Monday, July 10, 2006
DSU In Haditha story/photos By Sgt. Roe F. Seigle, 1st Marine Division
Cpl. Derek Metallo, a 27-year-old Marine reservist from Jacksonville, Fla
Cpl. Alexander Lucea, a 27-year-old Marine gunner
HADITHA, Iraq (July 7, 2006) -- In Iraq, a country where temperatures often soar above 110 degrees and terrain is mostly fine grains of sand, Cpl. Derek Metallo never thought he’d find himself patrolling Al Anbar province in a boat when he arrived three months ago.
Metallo, a 27-year-old Marine reservist from Jacksonville, Fla., is part of a team of Marines who patrol the Euphrates River by boat, providing security to the Haditha Dam – one of the country’s largest sources of electrical power and home to the Hawaii-based 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment’s headquarters.
The dam provides electricity to thousands of Iraqis throughout the Al Anbar province, as well as portions of Baghdad.
While most U.S. and Iraqi military forces operate in the country’s cities and towns, Metallo and the dozens of Marines who make up the dam’s security unit spend their days patrolling the waterways on both sides of the dam.
“We patrol around the dam all day to make sure insurgents are not trying to breach the area around the dam,” said Metallo, a gunner assigned to the dam security unit.
On one patrol Metallo said an infantry company was receiving indirect fire from mortar rounds and the Marines located the insurgents. The insurgents fled the area when the Marines arrived.
The Marines use Small Unit Riverine Craft, military boats used by the Armed Forces to secure rivers and other small bodies of water, to patrol the Euphrates River and the manmade Lake Qadisiyah, which sits on the northern side of the dam.
The Security Unit’s Marines are mostly reservists who put their civilian lives on hold to support the Marines who operate out of the dam.
Cpl. Alexander Lucea was an airline pilot and lived in Hollywood, Fla., before he volunteered to join the Corps’ active duty ranks and serve as a gunner with the water-bound unit.
“Just like the active duty Marines, we all miss being at home,” said Lucea, 27. “The initial adjustment was the hardest part of coming to Iraq, but I enjoy being here with my fellow Marines.”
As the Marines patrol the bodies of water around the dam, they also keep their eyes open for any suspicious activity on the banks of the water. Recently, the Marines found a small cache of weapons hidden along the Euphrates River, said Metallo, a 27-year-old from Jacksonville, Fla.
“Some patrols are more interesting than others,” said Lucea. “We have responded to firefights involving the Marines from three/three and saw insurgents shooting mortars right off the bank of the river. You never know what is out there.”
The Marines are not only trying to keep the waterways clear and safe from insurgent activity, but also protect the hundreds of fisherman and farmers who work along the river’s banks.
“We have established a good relationship with the farmers and the fisherman,” said Lucea. “They know we are not the enemy and we are just here to help them.”
When the Marines arrived here earlier this year, locals were sometimes abrasive and rude with Marines when they searched their vehicles along the waterways. Now, the locals are cooperative with the Marines and realize they are protecting them and their families, said Lucea.
Although heat, insurgent attacks and the occasional uncooperative local makes the job challenging, Metallo said he still enjoys patrolling the waterways in the boats that come with twin turbo-charged diesel engines.
“These boats can stop on a dime even when they are going full speed,” said Metallo, who is a physics teacher at Inglewood High School in Jacksonville, Fla.
Now, Metallo and Lucea said they are looking forward to returning to their civilian lives in a few short months, but they will miss the Marines they met in their unit.
“I have always wanted to be a school teacher and a Marine, now I get to do both,” said Metallo. “Plus I got to ride cool boats while I was in Iraq.”
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Saturday, July 01, 2006
More "Who Shot John" From the Treasonous Bastions of Democracy at the NYT "When Do We Publish a Secret? - New York Times
Dean Baquet LAT and Bill Keller's NYT excellent editorial/defense/ explanation: "When Do We Publish a Secret" should be retitled "Why We Are From the Planet Zoom!"and even then I won't believe a word of it. Our hero's paean begins with a description of the perils they over came:Dean and Bill faced "excruciating choices in covering the government's efforts to protect the country from terrorist agents."
Gosh Golly! Uncle Dean and Bill. Tell us more!
"We have correspondents today alongside troops on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan. Others risk their lives in a quest to understand the terrorist threat; Daniel Pearl of The Wall Street Journal was murdered on such a mission. We, and the people who work for us, are not neutral in the struggle against terrorism."
Wow!
Our job, especially in times like these, is to bring our readers information that will enable them to judge how well their elected leaders are fighting on their behalf, and at what price.
Ah huh. What else Uncle Bill! What about the evil yankee government!
"....our papers have brought you a great deal of information the White House never intended for you to know — classified secrets about the questionable intelligence that led the country to war in Iraq, about the abuse of prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan, about the transfer of suspects to countries that are not squeamish about using torture, about eavesdropping without warrants."
Are these the same dudes that are after my US Marine? Uncle Bill? Uncle Dean?
"How do we, as editors, reconcile the obligation to inform with the instinct to protect?"
Dear Uncle Bill and Uncle Dean,
How about a nice big glass of STFU! Jack Burton always says at a time like this "Condescending Bastions of Democracy MUST PAY!"
When Do We Publish a Secret? - New York Times
Haiji Girl Grounded----Ah ? Dude, you're in the Corps---put a sock in it...
Supposedly Belile has the option to record during his off hours according to Eugene Fidell. Excuse me?! Off hours? Off Hours!! What! Off Hours? The articles of war had an item on "off hours?"
Dude, do I feel so totally ripped off. Here I thought all it said was Love, Honor, Obey, sign here and Keep your pie hole shut.
Marine Corps Times - Record producer: Marine will not record ‘Hajji Girl’: "When contacted by Marine Corps Times, Belile confirmed that he had canceled the free studio time, but declined to specify whether he had changed his mind or if it had been changed for him.
Eugene Fidell, president of the National Institute of Military Justice, said an order that prevents Belile from performing and recording the song in his off hours “certainly raises a First Amendment question in my mind.”
“They could get him for disobedience, but there is still a question about whether the order is lawful,” Fidell said."
Friday, June 30, 2006
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Cpl. Joshua Belile, "Hadji Girl" Gets Off with NO Charges
ABC News: US Marine exonerated for song about killing Iraqis
Monday, June 26, 2006
ABC, CBS, NBC Ignore 14 of 20 Top Medal Recipients
Since 9/11, when the war w/ Islamic Jihadis started, we have heard so much liberal speak as "support the troops but not the blah, blah" or more recent Ann Scott Tyson, book reviewette for the Washington Post:"Americans including members of the media-- are appreciative of the sacrifices not only of medal winners but of all those who serve, regardless of their views on the wars.". Yes. Bean counters over at the Media Research Center come up with a different tally. They say that all the services have a grand total of 20 men for top three medals: Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, Silver Star. Of the 20 only six have been mentioned by the three mainstream media networks. I was reminded of this today by Bruce Kesler who doesn't want to take on the duties of a military blogger.
"...narratives about our heroes is mighty scarce in the media. I haven’t counted, but the conservative Media Research Center has:» Since the war on terror began, the military has awarded top medals to 20 individuals.» None has been given more than a fraction of the attention that the latest (Haditha) allegations against the military have received. In fact, 14 of the country’s top 20 medal recipients have gone unmentioned by ABC, CBS and NBC." Bruce Kesler, The Examiner Jun 26, 2006
Major Mark Mitchell, U.S. Army: In November 2001, after Taliban and al Qaeda prisoners attempted to seize control of the prison at Mazer-e-Sharif in Afghanistan, the Army Special Forces Major led an effort to quell the revolt and rescue two CIA operatives caught inside the prison. According to an account in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Mitchell moved in to the prison "with no body army or helmet and vastly outnumbered....From a vulnerable position on the wall, he directed air strikes that proved vital in defeating the Taliban fighters at the fortress....Even when an errant bomb injured nine of his men — more than half — he was able to evacuate the injured and direct the remaining soldiers as they repelled the Taliban attacks." The first recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross in nearly 30 years, Mitchell at the Nov. 13, 2003 award ceremony told his wife and daughters, "You’re the only people I ever hoped would consider me a hero."
Chief Petty Officer Stephen Bass, U.S. Navy: In November 2001, Bass was also at the Mazer-e-Sharif prison as the captured terrorist prisoners attempted to seize the facility. According to the citation that accompanied his Navy Cross, Bass was "engaged continuously by direct small arms fire, indirect mortar fire and rocket propelled grenade fire" as he entered the prison to try and recover the two CIA operatives inside. Bass made multiple attempts to gain access to the missing Americans only to have "large volumes of fire falling on his position." After darkness fell, he made a dash to the center of the prison. "Running low on ammunition, he utilized weapons from deceased Afghans to continue his rescue attempt. Upon verifying the condition of the American citizen, he withdrew from the fortress. By his outstanding display of decisive leadership, unlimited courage in the face of enemy fire, and utmost devotion to duty, Chief Petty Officer Bass reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."
Senior Chief Petty Officer Britt Slabinski, U.S. Navy: On March 3, 2002, in Operation Anaconda in eastern Afghanistan, Slabinski led a seven man reconnaissance team into a mountain position to support an offensive by U.S. Army forces. According to Slabinski’s Navy Cross citation, the group’s helicopter was met by "unrelenting rocket propelled grenade (RPG) and small arms fire by entrenched enemy forces," and one of the group ejected himself from the helicopter, which later made a controlled crash. Despite the overwhelming enemy presence, Slabinski led the group on a mission to attempt to rescue their missing comrade, engaging "multiple enemy positions" and killing several terrorists as they searched. When their "position became untenable," Slabinski led a tactical withdrawal, "an arduous movement through the mountainous terrain, constantly under fire, covering over one kilometer in waist-deep snow, while carrying a seriously wounded teammate." In a defensible position, Slabinski kept up the fight for 14 hours until the enemy was defeated. According to the citation: "During this entire sustained engagement, Senior Chief Petty Officer Slabinski exhibited classic grace under fire in steadfastly leading the intrepid rescue mission, saving the lives of his wounded men and setting the conditions for the ultimate vanquishing of the enemy."
Technical Sergeant John Chapman, U.S. Air Force: During the fierce fighting of Operation Anaconda on March 4, 2002, a rocket-propelled grenade hit Sgt. Chapman’s helicopter, causing Navy Petty Officer Neil Roberts to fall to the ground and into enemy hands. Chapman volunteered for a small rescue party, and he killed two enemy fighters before his group came under fire from three directions. Cut off from the rest of his men, "he exchanged fire with the enemy from minimal personal cover until he succumbed to multiple wounds," according to his citation. "His Navy sea-air-land team leader credits Sergeant Chapman unequivocally with saving the lives of the entire rescue team." Sgt. Chapman’s widow and two daughters received his Air Force Cross on January 10, 2003.
Hospitalman Apprentice Louis E. Fonseca, U.S. Navy: On March 23, 2003 Fonseca was with U.S. Marines in an amphibious assault vehicle, part of a convoy sent to capture the Saddam Canal Bridge. Just after the vehicles crossed the bridge, they were ambushed, attacked on all sides. Fonseca left his vehicle to attend to five Marines wounded when a rocket-propelled grenade hit their vehicle, which was still burning. He attended to two Marines with badly injured legs, then enlisted others to help transport the wounded back to his own vehicle. As described in the book Home of the Brave: Honoring the Unsung Heroes in the War on Terror, "the 5 feet 5, 140-pound Fonseca had a 6-feet, 210-pound Marine draped over his back and was dodging enemy fire all the way." Fonseca exposed himself to enemy fire again when he heard reports of additional wounded Marines. According to his citation, "his timely and effective care undoubtedly saved the lives of numerous casualties." The Secretary of the Navy gave Fonseca the Navy Cross on August 11, 2004.
Gunnery Sergeant Justin D. Lehew, U.S. Marine Corps: On March 23, 2003, Sgt. Lehew and his men aided in the rescue of wounded soldiers from an earlier Iraqi ambush, then went about trying to secure a Euphrates River bridge. As Lehew recounted to a military Web site, once his men were on the bridge it was briefly quiet, then "all it once it seemed like Armagedden opened up from all angles of the streets....Swarms of Iraqis started converging on our positions. There had to have been hundreds." According to his citation, Sgt. Lehew "continuously exposed himself to withering enemy fire during the three-hour urban firefight." He told the military Web site that Iraqi fire was coming from windows, doorways and cars: "They were using women holding babies as spotters. But we had to hold the bridge at all costs." As the Iraqi attack progressed, Sgt. Lehew and his men helped evacuate 77 casualties. He received the Navy Cross on July 24, 2004 for "his outstanding display of decisive leadership, unlimited courage in the face of heavy enemy fire, and utmost devotion to duty."
Lance Corporal Joseph B. Perez, U.S. Marine Corps: On April 4, 2003, Cpl. Perez was the point man for a Marine platoon assigned to clear an area south of Baghdad when they were attacked. Out in front, Perez drew much of the fire but instead of retreating, he attacked the Iraqi positions, storming an enemy trench and firing his rifle at the Iraqis as they ran away. He fired a rocket at a machine gun bunker, destroying it and killing four Iraqi soldiers. As he fired away at the Iraqis, Perez was shot in the torso and shoulder, but continued to direct his squad despite his serious injuries. For his "outstanding display of decisive leadership [and] unlimited courage in the face of heavy enemy fire," Perez was awarded the Navy Cross on May 6, 2004. His mother later told the Houston Chronicle that her son’s actions were typical. "He never wanted to be in the back. He always wanted to be the leader."
Sergeant Scott C. Montoya, U. S. Marine Corps: On April 8, 2003, the day before Baghdad fell to Allied troops, Sgt. Montoya ran into a firefight and carried to safety a wounded Marine. According to an account in the January 22, 2005 Orange County Register, "As he ran toward the fallen Marine in a hail of gunfire, all he could think about was a passage from the New Testament: ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.’" Montoya then exposed himself to enemy gunfire four more times to retrieve four more wounded Marines. Awarded the Navy Cross January 23, 2005, the citation praised Montoya’s "outstanding display of decisive leadership, unlimited courage in the face of heavy enemy fire, and utmost devotion to duty."
Corporal Marco A. Martinez, U. S. Marine Corps: On April 12, 2003, a platoon of 42 Marines was ambushed in al Tarmiyah, Iraq, and Cpl. Martinez found himself in charge of his squad after his leader was wounded. With enemy fire coming from a nearby building, Martinez first launched a captured rocket-propelled grenade into the building, then stormed the building single-handedly, killing four Iraqis. Presented with the Navy Cross on May 3, 2004, Martinez was featured in the book Home of the Brave. He told the authors: "I was glad we were in this firefight because to me, the more enemy you eliminate the easier it gets farther down the road....I had such deep hatred for the cowards that did what they did [September 11th] that you could say it was a joyous occasion for me because I was able to do my job and eliminate the enemy."
Captain Brent Morel, U.S. Marine Corps: Captain Morel was leading a 15-vehicle convoy near Fallujah on April 7, 2004 when his Marines were attacked with grenades, mortars and machine guns by a larger group of insurgents. After a machine gunner had his hands blown off by an insurgent RPG, Captain Morel ordered his Marines to dismount and he personally led a charge into the enemy position. He and his men killed 10 insurgents before Morel himself was fatally wounded, the only Marine to lose his life in that incident. "Brent never asked anyone to do anything he wouldn’t do himself," his father was quoted as saying. "He was the first in line. He didn’t lead from the back." Morel’s family received his Navy Cross at a ceremony on May 21, 2005.
Sergeant Willie L. Copeland III, U.S. Marine Corps: In the same battle that felled Marine Captain Brent Morel, Sgt. Copeland and his men followed Morel’s daring assault on the enemy’s positions, and Copeland assumed the leadership role after his captain was shot. Sgt. Copeland signaled to the other Marines to stay in covered positions while he administered first aid to Morel and stayed with the fatally injured man until an armored Humvee arrived. When he was awarded the Navy Cross on April 21, 2005, he said he was only doing his job. "Nothing’s natural about running into bullets," he was quoted by the Orange County Register. "It’s more important for me to make sure my men are okay."
Sergeant Anthony L. Viggiani, U.S. Marine Corps: Leading an assault against an enemy-held ridge in eastern Afghanistan, Sgt. Viggiani’s Marines came under heavy fire. Half of his team were pinned down; two of the Marines were wounded and needed to be evacuated. So Viggiani charged the cave, only to be met by enemy fire. He then went back to retrieve a fragmentation grenade and again exposed himself to enemy fire to deploy the grenade, killing three of the Afghan enemy. That allowed Viggiani and his men to continue to advance, killing a total of 14 enemy fighters, although Sgt. Viggiani was wounded in the leg. For his "outstanding display of decisive leadership [and] unlimited courage in the face of enemy fire," Viggiani was awarded the Navy Cross on February 24, 2006. "I just knew I had to keep a promise I made to my boys," Viggiani said later. "I had promised to bring them all back home."
Sergeant Jarrett A. Kraft, U.S. Marine Corps: According to his citation, on the morning of December 23, 2004, Kraft was leading a group of Marines in a dense residential area of Fallujah when his group was attacked by "numerically superior insurgent forces." Sgt. Kraft engineered a counterattack, placing himself between his men and "intense enemy fire." Kraft received shrapnel wounds from an insurgent grenade that killed one of his men, but continued to lead his men. According to an account in the Fresno Bee, "When the gunfight ended, Kraft and his men had retrieved three fallen Marines, killed 28 insurgents and wounded many more. He had also personally saved the lives of several other Marines wounded during the firefight." Awarded the Navy Cross on May 11, 2006, Kraft said, "It is a great honor. But this medal means nothing to me because those Marines are gone....I’ll never forget them."
Corporal Jeremiah W. Workman, U.S. Marine Corps: Cpl. Workman was another of the Marines working to cleanse Fallujah of insurgents on December 23, 2004. With some Marines trapped inside a building controlled by insurgents, Cpl. Workman ignored enemy fire and grenade attacks to lay down enough fire to let one group of trapped men escape. After that, Workman "rallied the rescued Marines and directed fire onto insurgent positions as he aided wounded Marines in a neighboring yard," according to his citation. He then led an assault to retrieve another group of trapped Marines, but an enemy grenade blew up directly in front of him, giving him numerous shrapnel wounds. Still, Cpl. Workman "continued to provide intense fire long enough to recover additional wounded Marines," and then launch yet another attack on the building to extract the last Marines. Workman was presented the Navy Cross on May 12, 2006, but he told South Carolina’s Beaufort Gazette that all he could think of during the ceremony were the Marines who were not saved: "I wished there was more I could’ve done."
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Islamic Jihadis Outside the Air Locker
Ameriyah)
June 7: Abu Musab al Zarqawi (AMZ) - AQIZ leader (Baquba)
June 7: Sheikh Abd al Rahman - AMZ spiritual advisor (Baquba)
June 8-9: AMZ follow-on operations kill five additional terrorists and detain
multiple others (Baghdad)
June 11: Nazir, Aysar, Abu Thawban - foreign fighter facilitators (al
Ameriyah)
June 16: Abu Abdullah - foreign fighter tied to Sheikh Mansur (Northwest of
Baghdad)
June 16: Sheikh Mansur and two other terrorists (Yusifiyah)
Key Captures (names withheld)
June 8: An AQIZ military cell leader in Baghdad (Baghdad)
June 9: A senior AQIZ foreign fighter network facilitator (Fallujah)
June 10: A senior Ramadi-based AQIZ leader (Yusifiyah)
June 18: A senior AQIZ Taji-based terrorist cell leader (Yusifiyah)
via Milbogs
68361.pdf (application/pdf Object)
Friday, June 23, 2006
NTTimes and LATimes Sell Out USA To Al Qaeda
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Menchaca and Tucker bodies found....beheaded
"Tortured in a Barbaric Fashion"
Marines in training----tighten up! Thinking of the weekend? Forget about it! Keep your mind focused on on your training. Everything else is academic. Those of you in harms way, as always, - -- don't jump just because the Thugs pushed.
Ahmed Khalaf Falah, a farmer who said he witnessed the attack Friday, said three Humvees were manning a checkpoint when they came under fire from many directions. Two Humvees went after the assailants, but the third was ambushed....Mario Vasquez, Menchaca's uncle, said Army officials reported the bodies of two uniformed soldiers had been found, both of them beheaded. "tortured in a barbaric fashion"
Iraqi: Soldiers killed in 'barbaric way' - Yahoo! News
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Dances w/Cretins Part II
Oh, TWRAT!!
A hacker broke into the Energy Dept and stole names, ranks and serial numbers of 1500
employees. "The file contained names, Social Security numbers, date-of-birth information, a code
where the employees worked and codes showing their security clearances.
A majority of the individuals worked for contractors and the list was
compiled as part of their security clearance processing."
This is same department that spents over a $140 million yankee taxpayer dollars on cyper security. DOE brass have no clue how the hacker got in, got out or anything else other than "dude your credit rating is toast". Are we starting to see a pattern here?
Nuclear agency computers hacked data on 1,500 employees taken
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Note from Christopher Hitchens-Muslim boycott has Failed
"Postscript: A note of cheer to all those Slate
readers who either attended the Solidarity With Denmark rally, or sent
encouragement, or rallied round to buy Danish goods. I have today
received a note from one of the Copenhagen editors who published the
original cartoons, informing me that in the last quarter, Danish
exports to the United States have increased by 17 percent and that,
overall, the Danish economy has more than compensated for the results
of the unjustified Muslim boycott. Let us keep this example in mind." Christopher Hitchens
Monday, June 12, 2006
Dear Veteran.....a dance of the cretins has resulted in the loss of your ID data including Names, DOB's, SS numbers
Dear Veteran:
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has recently learned that an employee took home electronic data from the VA, which he was not authorized to do and was in violation of established policies. The employee's home was burglarized and this data was stolen. The data contained identifying information including names, social security numbers, and dates of birth for up to 26.5 million veterans and some spouses, as well as some disability ratings. As a result of this incident, information identifiable with you was potentially exposed to others. It is important to note that the affected data did not include any of VA's electronic health records or any financial information.
Appropriate law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and the VA Inspector General's office, have launched full-scale investigations into this matter. Authorities believe it is unlikely the perpetrators targeted the items because of any knowledge of the data contents.
Out of an abundance of caution, (too bad this "abundance of cautions" doesn't watch out for hiring morons) however, VA is taking all possible steps to protect and inform our veterans. While you do not need to take any action unless you are aware of suspicious activity regarding your personal information, there are many steps you may take to protect against possible identity theft and we wanted you to be aware of these. Specific information is included in the enclosed question and answer sheet. For additional information, the VA has teamed up with the Federal Trade Commission and has a Web site (www.firstgov.gov) with information on this matter or you may call 1-800-FED-INFO (1-800-333-4636). The call center will operate from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. (EDT), Monday-Saturday, as long as it is needed.
Beware of any phone calls, e-mails, and other communications from individuals claiming to be from VA or other official sources, asking for your personal information or verification of it. This is often referred to as information solicitation or "phishing." VA, other government agencies, and other legitimate organizations will not contact you to ask for or to confirm your personal information. If you receive such communications, they should be reported to VA at 1-800-FED-INFO (1-800-333-4636).
We apologize for any inconvenience or concern this situation may cause, but we at VA believe it is important for you to be fully informed of any potential risk resulting from this incident. Again, we want to reassure you we have no evidence that your protected data has been misused. We will keep you apprised of any further developments. The men and women of the VA take our obligation to honor and serve America's veterans very seriously and we are committed to ensuring that this never happens again.
In accordance with current policy, the Internal Revenue Service has agreed to forward this letter because we do not have current addresses for all affected individuals. The IRS has not disclosed your address or any other tax information to us.
Sincerely yours,
R. James Nicholson
Enclosure (View enclosure at http://www.firstgov.gov/veteransinfo_letter/enclosure.shtml)
See updated Frequently Asked Questions at http://www.firstgov.gov/veteransinfo.shtml
View Signed Version of Letter in .pdf (.PDF | requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Outside the Air Locker--Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
"Scouts report incoming Slimers, sir. Thousands of them" Haditha: The Left's Big Push to Destroy Our Effort to Win the War via Rush Limbaugh
"RUSH:
This Haditha story, this Haditha incident, whatever, this is it folks,
this is the final big push on behalf of the Democratic Party, the
American left, and the Drive-By Media to destroy our effort to win the
war in Iraq. That's what Haditha represents -- and they are going about
it gleefully. They are ecstatic about it, and this is a time where we
all need to come together and stand up for the US military, the men and
women who serve, who volunteer,
becauseI told you last week, "The officials that know whatever in the process
of this investigation cannot say a word for fear of having any
conviction or any verdict thrown out because they've been involved in
shaping opinion about it." So it's going to be a one-sided story. The
critics are going to have a field day, and the critics are going to be
able to make things up. The critics are going to be able to go out
there and tell you things happened that they don't know happened.
They're going to be able to use all these anonymous sources, and it's
going to be... Folks, let me just put it in graphic terms. It is going
to be a gang rape. There is going to be a gang rape by the Democratic
Party, the American left and the Drive-By Media, to finally take us out
in the war against Iraq. Make no bones about it." Rush Limbaugh
Sunday, June 04, 2006
England afraid to fly its own flag - News from Israel, Ynetnews
Oy! Give Us a blooming crusader flag here! I haven't got all day now have I! Except for Tony Blair, Melanie Phillips and the tabloid The Sun the rest of old England has gone Londonistan scared shitless to fly the old flag because of threats from some old black hearted islamic thugs called al-Muhajiroun. The surrender first crowd is falling over themselves to appease the offended ones by banning the flag in every form including throwing out a two year old babe who " who was thrown out with his parents from Leicester, because he wore the England team's uniform. " Jesus Wept!
England afraid to fly its own flag - News from Israel, Ynetnews:
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Dude! It's Saturday. Where's USMC Jason Sepulveda's Savings Account Cash...??
"It is with great sadness that I am writing this letter but with all
that has gone on with the recent events and my health, I feel it is the
best interest of the city and myself to resign my post as mayor for the
City of Fort Lupton. I believe in this town and I am very proud of the
way the town is moving ... It has been a great pleasure to have served
and worked with each and every one of you."
I don't especially feel a great sadness at your leaving but I would feel a lot better if you left behind Jason's savings account cash for a major yahoo! party on your way out. However, since four years have transpired since you "liberated" Jason's cash I don't expect you're in any hurry to pay anything back. Guess you figure everyone has a 30 second memory bank anyway and if we don't we do have one those MI-this-memory-will-self-destruct in....
Jim Bostick, who also buried Jason Sepulveda, still owns a couple of funeral homes in Colorado but will not repay the money taken from the savings account of the Marine who died in a car accident while on weekend liberty in North Carolina four years ago. Excuse me...thats 2002. Only now he gets around to resigning from embarrassment. Ok. Jim Bostick is a hard case hombre. As such, Jim Bostick is in need of serious attention and inquiry.
Jack Burton says: Jim Bostick must pay.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Standby to repel Slimers
Be mindful of the CIC's word:"I am troubled by the initial news stories. I am mindful that there is
a thorough investigation going on. If in fact laws were broken, there
will be punishment. I know this. I have talked to General Pete Pace
about the subject. He's a proud Marine. And nobody is more concerned
about these allegations than the Marine Corps. The Marine Corps is full
of men and women who are honorable people, who understand rules of war.
And if in fact these allegations are true, the Marine Corps will work
hard to make sure that that culture, that proud culture, will be
reinforced, and that those who violated the law, if they did, will be
punished."
These People "Support the Troops"?: Sheriff Murtha's Posse Removes "Allegedly," Convicts Haditha Marines & Undermines Americ