
I often think about those in the past fighting our wars who came home to no one. They fought just as hard as the next guy, made it out alive and when it came time to come home, there was no parade, music or even loved ones there to meet them.
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A lot can happen over a cup of coffee as I remember back during my first deployment we had been running hard for a few weeks and we received a mission to establish a blocking position atop a 14,000 Ghar (Mtn).
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There is NO greater ally of the USA than Australia. Some may say other countries, however, Australia has been shoulder to shoulder with the US in every major conflict. Many say they will fight with us, Australia does it.
Continue reading "The ANZAC Day tradition - Lest we forget" »
I was on my second tour in Afghanistan and about half way through it. We had taken our share of wounded and KIA and I can tell you like any combat deployment, it had its challenging times. One day I was out and about I happen to look down and see the rock pictured above.
Continue reading "Find a Cross - Happy Easter" »
Pass the law, doesn’t mean it will happen. You can pass a law that allows people to openly protest at warrior’s funerals. You can allow them to spew their vomit on the family members while they grieve. However, just because there is law that allows it, it doesn’t mean that it will always be successful.
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With us engaged in two wars, the terrorism threat no less than Sept 11th, the Chinese building advanced long range fighter aircraft and soon to launch its first ever aircraft carrier that will change the world power levels, is this really the time you would want to be making cuts in the defense section? Seriously? Many of the cuts will come from what they call “unneeded, duplicative and obsolete programs and administrative overhead."
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Be grateful for what you have because in a blink of an eye it could all change. Your warriors deployed continuously experience third world countries culture and life cycle that would put most Americans in a hurt locker if they had to live that one for even a day. The catastrophic bitching that would commence if a neighbourhood didn’t have running water would be astronomical. Going without some of the many luxuries we have today would grind most people mentally and physically to a halt. I’m not even talking about your precious iPhone, I’m talking about your oven and heating source.
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During my tour in Ramadi Iraq, it wasn’t uncommon to meet warriors still serving on active duty with prosthetics. If a warrior can pass the Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test (PFT) they can serve in the Marine Corps. Boot ties and duct taped to a robotic leg accompanied one Marine I met in Ramadi. Another Lieutenant passes by on a running path while I was in Camp Lejeune with his prosthetic leg. One Marine with two amputated arms became a martial arts instructor in Quantico with a quadruple amputee Marine kept his sanity with the help of a strong Marine wife.
Continue reading "Tough guys making tough decisions" »

With the announced departure of Defense Secretary Gates as early as July one has to wonder of the domino affects that will transpire after Gates departs. A possible replacement for Secretary Gates is Leon Panetta, the current head of the CIA and Gen. David Petraeus is suspected to replace Panetta as head of the CIA.
Continue reading "Closed Gates " »