The Warrior Ethos

I am an American Soldier.
I am a Warrior and a member of a team. I serve the people of the United States and live the Army Values.
I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen comrade.
I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills. I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself.
I am an expert and I am a professional.
I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies of the United States of America in close combat.
I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.
I am an American Soldier.

Technorati Tags : Iraq, Baghdad, War, OIF, Army, Military, Navy, Marines, Veterans,

The next generation is off to the Army!

Today I watched my nephiew graduate from basic at Ft. Knox.

He was a member of Cco. 1-46 IN and is shipping out to Fort Huachua in Arizona.

Please wish him luck and keep him in your prayers.

I know I couldn't be a prouder uncle.

Technorati Tags : Iraq, Baghdad, War, OIF, Army, Military, Navy, Marines, Veterans,

Download America's Army 2.7: Overmatch!

The latest version of America's Army has been released.

Download it and play!

Baghdad, War, OIF, Army, Military, Navy, Marines, Veterans,

More thoughts on Islam, the religion of peace.

I have been told that I am mistaken about Islam not being a peaceful religion. First let me say that I do know more than a few Muslims and I don't have anything against their religion, now, having said that I must add that I have never seen a Christian strap a bomb to their body and run at a military convoy screaming "God is great".

I have never seen Jews in rolling street riots because the Muslim leaders of Iran said that Israel should be wiped off of the face of the earth.

What I have seen are a large group of people that will kill themselves, children and women in the name of their god. I've heard the speeches from Muslim leaders about a few words spoken by a catholic pope based out of Italy that was born in Germany and by some magic connection America gets the blame.

I really hope that Islam is a religion of peace and that these crazy people are the minority but I warn all Muslims that if you don't put a stop to their crazy ranting and violence, the world won't care if the peaceful Muslims are the majority, it will appear that your religion is lost to these fanatics. I only hope that it isn't too late for you.


Technorati Tags : Iraq, Baghdad, War, OIF, Army, Military, Navy, Marines, Veterans,

Is Islam the religion of peace?

Sure they are!!

How could you even ask that question?

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Soon it will be September 11th.....9/11 five years later.

Its been five years since that tragic day and things have taken a turn for the worse. I'm not talking about the war in Iraq or politics, I'm talking about that fact that most people seem to have forgotten about what has happened or who caused it. It appears that here in Washington state the library system in one of our counties wants to remember this day by not talking about what actually happend, instead thet will speak of the experiances of immagrants during the turn of the centuary. That would be fine in itself but they advertise this as a way to remember the events of 9/11.

I guess its ok to remember this day as long as you forget the actual details of what happened.

I want people to remember exactly what happened and who did it! It wasn't us!!

It was a group of cowards that hide behind women and children because they know that they can't take us on one on one.

They kill women and children because its easy!

The people killed on 9/11 had nothing to do with them, they were not soldiers or diplomats, they were mothers, fathers and husbands.

I am angry about what happend five years ago and you should be too! We should post the pictures of the hijackers on billboards so everybody remembers who attacked us and we need to educate our children properly on this subject.

I will continue this topic more in the next few days so please share your thoughts with me and my readers.


Posts that contain 9/11 per day for the last 30 days.

Get your own chart!

Path to 9/11

Its my understanding that the Clinton camp doesn't like how they have been shown in the mini-series called Path to 9/11.
I have heard that their broadcast license has been mentioned in a request to change the movie to show the former leaders in a better light.

I hope that ABC has the guts to show it as they have filmed it. Hollywood always leans so far to the left that I doubt anything was meant to support President Bush so I would venture to guess that somebody is afraid of the truth making them look bad.

If this shows Bush in a bad light then you wouldn't hear a peep from the left......This is getting childish, run the country, worry about doing what is right and stop bashing each other all of the time.

Technorati Tags : Iraq, Baghdad, War, OIF, Army, Military, Navy, Marines, Veterans,

This soldier speaks out against war!

Remember that war never solved anything except:

Slavery

Nazism

and

Fascism

Just my thoughts on that.

Technorati Tags : Iraq, Baghdad, War, OIF, Army, Military, Navy, Marines, Veterans,

Heat injuries are easily prevented.

I just had to repost this from the Army web site. This is good info for everybody out there and not just soldiers. Anybody that does anything outdoors at ANY time of the year needs to be aware of the symptoms and dangers of dehydration.

Heat injuries easily prevented

By J.T. Coleman

The human body needs water to maintain proper blood volume, which helps the body to regulate heat and perspire, according to the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine.

Courtesy photo



FORT RUCKER, Ala. (Army News Service, June 16, 2006) – Taking a drink of water when thirsty may be too little, too late in some cases.



“You may already be 1-2 percent dehydrated at this stage, which could result in impaired performance, coordination and concentration,” said Dr. John Campbell, U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center Command Surgeon. “Coffee, tea, juice and sodas are not substitutes for water. In fact, some of these are diuretics and can cause you to lose more body fluids.”



More than 1,700 heat injuries occurred Army-wide in FY05 according to Brig. Gen. Michael B. Cates, commander of the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine. Of those injuries, 258 people suffered from heat stroke and 1,467 suffered from heat exhaustion.



“Steps could have been taken to reduce these injuries,” said Campbell.



Staying hydrated is critical because it helps maintain proper blood volume, which allows the body to perspire and regulate heat, according to the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine Web site.



According to Army Technical Bulletin MED507, titled Heat Stress Control and Heat Casualty Management, people performing routine activities should drink six to eight quarts of water a day. People in hot environments, or who perform strenuous activities, should increase to between nine to 12 quarts.



“Heat injuries can be preventable,” said Campbell. “Leaders, supervisors and Soldiers must keep an eye on each other and look for the early warning signs.”



Early warning signs of heat stress include dizziness, headache, nausea, unsteady walk, weakness or fatigue, and muscle cramps.



USACHPPM cautions that over-hydration, or water intoxication, can also be harmful. Some of the symptoms include confusion, weakness and vomiting. Individuals who exhibit these symptoms but are still eating, drinking and urinating should seek emergency treatment.



Heat injury prevention is a command, leadership and personal responsibility. Proper use of Composite Risk Management will help reduce the likelihood of heat injuries.



“Heat injuries and illness pose a serious threat to our Army’s force – and a loss of one of our Army team is always deeply felt,” Campbell said. “Soldiers and civilians are deployed in some of the hottest areas in the world. We want everyone to stay in the fight and continue to Own the Edge.”



Additional resources:



USACRC https://www.crc.army.mil



USACHPPM chppm-www.apgea.army.mil/heat



AR 40-5 Preventive Medicine dated 22 July, 2005 www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/r40_5.pdf



TB MED 507 Heat Stress Control and Heat Casualty Management dated 1985 www.army.mil/usapa/med/DR_pubs/dr_a/pdf/tbmed507.pdf



FM 21-20 Physical Fitness Training dated 1998



https://akocomm.us.army.mil/usapa/doctrine/DR_pubs/dr_aa/pdf/fm21_20.pdf



(Editor's note: J.T. Coleman writes for the U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center.)

Technorati Tags : Iraq, Baghdad, War, OIF, Army, Military, Navy, Marines, Veterans,

Old news but good news, Zarqawi is dead!

Click for Photo


BAGHDAD (Army News Service, June 9, 2006) – The death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was reason to celebrate and reason for caution, Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell IV, spokesman for Multi–National Force – Iraq, said yesterday.

“Although Zarqawi's capture is reason to rejoice, we must be cautious not to be overly optimistic, as one man's life does not signify an end to an insurgency,” the general told reporters at a Thursday afternoon press conference in Baghdad.

“Iraqis can rejoice today. They have earned it with their blood, their sweat and their tears,” said Caldwell. “Tomorrow we must continue to march forward. The march forward towards an Iraq that is free, that is for all, that exemplifies unity, prosperity and security.”

Zarqawi, the terrorist leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, and five others were killed Wednesday morning by a U.S. Air Force air strike north of Baqouba. Zarqawi and one of his key lieutenants, spiritual advisor Sheik Abd-Al-Rahman, were in a house when F-16 fighter jets dropped two 500-pound bombs on it.

The strike was a product of intelligence gathered from local sources and from Zarqawi’s network, Caldwell said.

Caldwell would not go into details of the intelligence gathering. He did say the intelligence was gathered with the help of coalition partners, the Iraqi government and neighboring governments.

After the airstrike, Iraqi police moved to the house and secured the area. Coalition forces identified the body of Zarqawi through facial recognition and fingerprinting.

Intelligence gathered at the site of the house where Zarqawi was killed led to 17 different operations, Caldwell said.

News of the terrorist’s death spawned joy among Iraqi and coalition leaders.

"Today Zarqawi has been terminated," Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said at a press conference Thursday. "Every time a Zarqawi appears we will kill him. … We will continue confronting whoever follows his path. It is an open war between us."

Coalition forces “delivered justice to the most wanted terrorist in Iraq,” U.S. President George W. Bush said in Washington.

“Now Zarqawi has met his end, and this violent man will never murder again. Iraqis can be justly proud of their new government and its early steps to improve their security. And Americans can be enormously proud of the men and women of our armed forces, who worked tirelessly with their Iraqi counterparts to track down this brutal terrorist and put him out of business,” the president added.

In London, British Prime Minister Tony Blair called al-Zarqawi's death "a very important moment in Iraq. A blow for al-Qaida in Iraq is a blow for al-Qaida everywhere."

(Editor's note: From the Multi–National Force – Iraq Web site at www.mnf-iraq.com.)

Technorati Tags : Iraq, Baghdad, War, OIF, Army, Military, Navy, Marines, Veterans, Memorial Day

Let us never forget!

Let us never forget!

Technorati Tags : Iraq, Baghdad, War, OIF, Army, Military, Navy, Marines, Veterans, Memorial Day

Why are you marching son?

Listen to the question raised by a true American, how would you answer?







Technorati Tags : Iraq, Baghdad, War, OIF, Army, Military, Navy, Marines, Veterans

Peoples true feelings about soldiers

There is nothing more true and shameful than the following quote:

For God and the soldier we adore, In time of danger, not before!The danger passed, and all things righted, God is forgotten and the soldier slighted." - Rudyard Kipling

Technorati Tags : Iraq, Baghdad, War, OIF, Army, Military, Navy, Marines, Veterans

Remember what Memorial Day is for........Please

I hope that you all enjoy your time off on what for most is a three day weekend. I do have this one request for all of you out there, please remember what this time off is all about. Most of you will go camping or to a fun vacation spot with your families and not even give a second thought to why you have the time off.

I ask that you remember the soldiers that never shared any more time with their loved ones, never played with their kids again, never grew old with their wife or husband.

I don't care if you support the current war in Iraq or if you have supported the reason we fought at any time in our history because to the soldier, politics means very little during a time of conflict.

Soldiers go where the leaders of our country point us, we have a job to do and our feelings on the issue at hand don't matter.

We only know that we must do our job even if it means we'll never see our home again. We only know that the person to our right and our left are counting on us to do our job so that they may live to see tomorrow and that is all we ask in return.

One of my duties since returning from Iraq is as a team leader providing the final honors for a fallen soldier and their families. Most of the services that we conduct are for WWII and Korean vets but we have had some soldiers from Iraq pass through the gates of the National Cemetary where I am stationed.

There is nothing worse than the thought of people protesting against these honorable soldiers during the last moments that their families can be near them. I have been lucky not to have run in to any protestors and I beg you all from the bottom of my heart, PLEASE keep your protests away from those that had no choice in the matter. Keep it away from the easy targets that crying family members make. Let them have their time, they have earned it.

This Monday there will be services honoring those that have passed during times of war, please go and support these honorable soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines. If your politics don't agree with when or why you think they died leave that at home and go to support the people that are there to protect you, to offer your freedom to you and that allow you to stay with your families in your nice soft bed while they are alone, cold, hungry and scared.

Agree with why we fight or not, like us or not I don't care..........Just please don't forget us.

Technorati Tags : Iraq, Baghdad, War, OIF, Army, Military, Navy, Marines, Veterans

Illegal immigrants take to the streets!

If people want to have the rights granted to Americans shouldn't they want to become Americans?
If they want to become Americans, do they really think it is wise to start out by breaking not only our law but also our sovereignty by sneaking across our borders?
If our government bows to these law breakers then why should I follow any of our laws?
Why should I, a soldier that has earned every right granted to Americans, follow laws that don't mean very much?
What do you think would happen if a large group of Americans marched across the Mexican border waving American flags, I bet they would shoot at us and try to send us home!
I heard one protest "leader" today that said if the people that had died sneaking across the border were animals, Americans would be screaming for a fix to the problem but because they are Mexican, nobody cares. To that I say, if you were trying to get in to this country at a border crossing you wouldn't need to worry about staying alive!

Technorati Tags : Immigration, Baghdad, War, OIF, Army, Military, Navy, Marines, Veterans

More reasons to stop illegal immigrants.

I found this while surfing on BlogMad today and it proves my point on border security. Head on over to Part-Time Pundit to read the full story with good stats to back it up.

"Facts are a funny thing. They are conveniently forgotten if they don't uphold one's point-of-view, and they're easily overlooked if they are randomly scattered about. But when solid facts are brought together in one place, the pattern is difficult to ignore. The facts I'm about to provide below are just such a case. People may be able to overlook a single fact, but the weight of their significance cannot be denied when they come together in one place. That is the purpose of this week's Blogburst - to look at some hard facts."

Technorati Tags : Immigration, Baghdad, War, OIF, Army, Military, Navy, Marines, Veterans

What going to war has done to me.

Going to Iraq had a major impact on my life. While war is a nasty and terrible thing, it has opened my eyes to many things and I am grateful for that experience.
During my time in Iraq I felt that I was actually doing something important and that my actions made an impact on everybody around me.
My fellow soldiers looked to me for guidance and at times protection and the people in the villages that we helped looked to us for help building their new nation.
I will never be the same person again and for that I am grateful.
There were times when you didn't know if you'd see tomorrow and I wasn't even in the worst of it. Rockets would come in while you were in the porta-john and shake the plastic walls that gave no protection from fragments....what a way to die! I spent my time on convoy duty and civil affairs missions and from time to time rockets and mortars would fly over your head or we find that we missed getting caught in an ambush by seconds.
After all of this I haven't become addicted to drugs, I don't drink more than a beer a week, I'm not afraid of going outside and I have never hit my wife but I have changed.
I know that it could all come to an end at any second so I'd better make every second that I have count. I love my family more than I ever thought I could, I know I can do anything that I put my mind to, I watch what happens around me and try to help make things better when I can.
There will be a time when I must leave my home and return to combat, after all I did pick a combat related job and not a nice office chair like some, but I will do it with my head held high knowing that no matter what anybody else thinks, the person to my left or right knows that I can do my job well and that they can count on me no matter what.

Technorati Tags : Iraq, Baghdad, War, OIF, Army, Military, Navy, Marines, Veterans

Illegal Immigration must be dealt with!

I swore an oath to uphold the Constitution and protect this country from ALL enemies both foreign and domestic.

One of the things that threatens the American way of life is not immigrants that come here to be Americans and live the American way of life, its those that sneak across the border, don't care to learn the language and don't care about being an American.

These people come from many different countries and while most are good hard working people, there are some that would wish to do us harm. Good or bad doesn't really mean very much when you look at the fact that they broke the law just by coming here the way that they did. Should we reward these people just because they have been here awhile? Should we show the world that as long as you make it here we will take care of you even though you show a disregard for our laws by sneaking across the border?

If you want to come to my country the proper way like my family and many of my friends did, I say Welcome to my country!

Its time that Americans put our money where our mouth is and demand that something gets done before we suffer a similar fate as Rome did.

Don't know what I mean by that? Maybe you should look it up.

We are starting to lose our national identity and that will always lead to a countries downfall.

Technorati Tags : Immigration, Baghdad, War, OIF, Army, Military, Navy, Marines, Veterans

JVERITAS - TRANSLATING THE IRAQ DOCUMENTS: March 2003 Top Secret Memo: TRANSFER OF SPECIAL AMMUNITION (POTENTIAL CHEMICAL WEAPONS) Translation

Below you'll find a link to what I believe to be a very important web site. This blog is run by a man born in Jordan that has become an American and loves his country. He has taken his own personal time and knowledge of Arabic and combined that with the captured documents from Iraq that have been released to the public. Do I know this man? No, I have heard his story on a local radio program and believe in what he is doing. While most natural born Americans sit on their couches watching the news and cussing out their country, this man is trying to lend a helping hand.

I will continue to post portions of his translations and links to the full text as well as links to the source documents as they are published.


Document ISGP-2003-0001498 ISGP-2003-0001498 contains a 9 pages TOP SECRET memo (pages 87-96 in the pdf document) dated March 16 2003 that talks about transferring “SPECIAL AMMUNITION” from one ammunition depot in Najaf to other ammunition depots near Baghdad. As we know by now the term SPECIAL AMMUNITION was used by Saddam Regime to designate CHEMICAL WEAPONS as another translated document has already shown. For example in document CMPC 2004-002219 where Saddam regime decided to use “CHEMICAL WEAPONS against the Kurds” they used the term “SPECIAL AMMUNITION” for chemical weapon http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1601810/posts . What is also interesting is that these “SPECIAL AMMUNITION” were listed as 122 mm, 130 mm, and 155 mm caliber shells which are not by itself SPECIAL unless it contain CHEMICAL WEAPONS. In fact the Iraqi have always used 122 mm, 130 mm, and 155 mm caliber shell as a main delivery tool for Chemical Weapons Agents by filling these type of shells with Nerve Gas, Sarin, Racin, Mustard gas and other Chemical Agents.


Beginning of partial translation of Pages 85-96 in document ISGP-2003-0001498


In the Name of God the Merciful The Compassionate


Top Secret

Ministry Of Defense

Chairmanship of the Army Staff

Al Mira Department

No. 4/17/ammunition/249

Date 16 March 2003

To: The Command of the Western Region

Subject: Transfer of Ammunitions

The secret and immediate letter of the Chairmanship of the Army Staff 4/17/308 on 10 March 2003

1. The approval of the Army Chief of Staff was obtained to transfer THE SPECIAL AMMUNITIONS in the ammunition depots group of Najaf and according to the following priorities:

A. The first priority

First. Ammunition (122 mm)

Second. Ammunition (130 mm)

Third. Ammunition (155 mm)

To the depots and storage of the Second Corp and the two ammunition depot groups Dijla/2/3

B. Second priority.

First. Ammunition (23 mm)

Second. Ammunition (14.5 mm)

To the ammunition depots of the air defense and distributed to the ammunition depot groups in (Al Mussayeb- Al Sobra- Saad).

2. To execute the order of the Chief Army Staff indicated in section (1) above, we relate the following:

A. Duty

Transfer of the ammunitions shown in sections (A) and (B) from the ammunitions depots of Najaf to the ammunition depots in (Dijla 2/3, and Al Mansor, and Saad, and Al Mussayeb, and Sobra and Blad Roz and Amar Weys from March 16 till April 14 2003.

Signature…

General Rasheed Abdallah Sultan

Assistant to the Army Chief of Staff- Al Mira

March 2003

End of Partial translation

The remaining pages of this 9 pages top secret memo talk about getting the special vehicles to transfer the SPECIAL AMMUNITION and the people assigned to supervise and execute the transfer and they were top Iraqi Army and Military Intelligence officers.

Technorati Tags : Iraq, Baghdad, War, OIF, Army, Military, Navy, Marines, Veterans

Students protest to foce the Government to do nothing!

Now I've seen everything!

I don't know how it is in other parts of the country but here in Washington state we've had students walk out of their class rooms in protest of the illegal immigration problem that this country faces. Did they walk out to show the Government that we need change? Did they walk out in support of fixing a problem that has plagued nations for centuries?

NO!

They walked out in an attempt to force the Government to do NOTHING!

These protestors wave the flag of Mexico and call these reforms racist but offer no suggestions to help fix the problem of illegal immigration in to this country. They have no solution for removing the strain on our emergency rooms or the welfare system that these people have caused.

Should I be suprised?
Not after hearing some of these same students say that a US Marine that was awarded the Medal of Honor is not a good role model for young adults. What is this country comming to? Are we destined to suffer the same fate as Rome for the same mistakes? Should we reward the breaking of our laws so we don't offend anybody?

I support the people that want to come to America to be Americans, what I don't support are those that come here by sneaking across our borders and don't want to be Americans. These are the people that live off of our system and hold on to their home country's identity. These people don't care to learn the language or give back to the country that is supporting them.

Technorati Tags : Iraq, Baghdad, War, OIF, Army, Military, Navy, Marines, Veterans