Happy New Year!

I just wanted to wish you all a Happy New Year and pass along the hope that 2007 is your best year yet!

Keep the faith and God bless!

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

Notice to all Soldiers, Saliors, Airmen and Marines in Iraq!

I know that you can't post your stories from Iraq any more so I wish to extend this offer to you, e-mail me your thoughts and stories and I will repost them for you.

I will not use your name, rank or location unless you ask me to and I will only accept e-mails from a .mil account.

Your stories need to be told so that America knows what is actually going on over there.

E-mail me!!

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

Got a new book series for Christmas.

I received War Stories by Oliver North for Chrstmas this year and wanted to reccomend it to all of you out there. The books come with a DVD of the show that the stories were featured on and gives some wonderful insight from warriors past.

If you treasure the experiance of those that have come before you then you will love these books.







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

See the Noose placed around Saddam's neck

This video was filmed as Saddam was being lead to the gallows. The Iraqi government has taken control of internal issues and have removed a part of the evil that hs been hanging over their heads for years. Lets hope this will allow the to move on and deal with some of their ther pressing issues like security and national unity.

read more digg story


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

Saddam is dead!

The Iraqi government held the trial, they came to a verdict and handed out a punishment to the man that had ruled them by fear and torture for more than 30 years.

I wish the leaders of the new Iraq luck in the upcoming year as they have now laid their ghosts to rest. Their past in just that, their past and now they can move forward.

I have seen the progress with my own eyes and I wish them luck and am happy to see that they were able to turn the tables on the man that terrorized them for so many years.



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

America's Army 2.8 has been released!

Come join in on the fun!

2.7 to 2.8 patch

2.8 Full install

There have been a few bug fixes as well as a map editor included in this version. Come play the best free game out there!


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

I've opened a new web site about flying!

I've opened a new site to talk about my adventures in aviation.
I invite all of you to stop on by and check out my progress with becomming a private pilot.
The site is currently under construction so if you have any ideas or would like to place an ad please let me know.

Check it out!

Tags:flying, airplanes, aviation, pilot

Merry Christmas to all!

I know I've been away for awhile but I just wanted to take a moment to wish you all a Merry Christmas from my family to yours.
Please don't forget our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines serving far from their loved ones this year.
Please add them to your prayers and have a very Merry Christmas.


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

Iran begging America to leave Iraq.

If he wants us out that bad then we must be on the right track.

Message of H.E. Dr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
President of the Islamic Republic of Iran
To the American People
In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
O, Almighty God, bestow upon humanity the perfect human being promised to all by You, and make us among his followers.
Noble Americans,
Were we not faced with the activities of the US administration in this part of the world and the negative ramifications of those activities on the daily lives of our peoples, coupled with the many wars and calamities caused by the US administration as well as the tragic consequences of US interference in other countries?
Were the American people not God-fearing, truth loving, and justice seeking, while the US administration actively conceals the truth and impedes any objective portrayal of current realities;
And if we did not share a common responsibility to promote and protect freedom and human dignity and integrity;
Then, there would have been little urgency to have a dialogue with you.

Click here to read the full letter

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

Help raise money for wounded soldiers.

You will all notice an ad in every posting asking that you make a donation. This donation will go to a project to provide voice controlled laptop computers to wounded soldiers.

The goal is to raise $45,000 by veterans day so please help us out. I am starting late on this project so I have chosen to add it to every listing so every visitor to this site can see and take part in this important quest.

We only have each other to fall back on in our times of need so please do what you can to help a fellow American warrior in their time of need.

This project will continue after veterans day has passed so if you don't see this before then you can still help out but please help us so we can meet our goal of $45,000 by November 10th.

Please donate through the link above. More information can be found at their web site by clicking here.

Project Valour-IT(Voice-Activated Laptops for OUR Injured Troops)

In memory of SFC William V. Ziegenfuss

"At that time I had no use of either hand. I know how humbling it is, how humiliating it feels. And I know how much better I felt, how amazingly more functional I felt, after Soldiers' Angels provided me with a laptop and a loyal reader provided me with the software. I can't wait to do the same, to give that feeling to another soldier at Walter Reed. "
--CPT Chuck Ziegenfuss, on the inspiration for Valour-IT

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

What solders think of John Kerry's "joke"

Here it is, you know you all wanted to see the wonderful photo!

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

A video about George Bush, John Kerry and iraq.

I just had to pass this along to the rest of you.

Dennis Miller rocks!

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

John Kerry voices his true feelings about the American Soldier once again.

"You know, education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq."



I guess now we know how John Kerry really feels about members of the military. We are uneducated rocks that is we didn't have the military to turn to we'd be out on the street or flippin' burgers somewhere.

I want him to know that I have a degree in electrical engineering and had a good job in that field. I chose to serve my country in the armed forces because it is the right thing to do. Am I an officer or a clerk? No, I am a tanker and have chosen to be a combat soldier because I am good at it and to me its what being in the military is all about.

I for one demand an apology from Mr. Kerry and all of you out there that support the military or are members of the military need to speak out on this matter. I am tired of being called dumb, blind, a Nazi and so on and so on by our supposed leadership in this country.


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

Digg has banned this site.

I'm not exactly sure how this has happened but the social networking site Digg has labeled this site as a media middle man. I suppose it could be because some of my posts do link to other stories outside of this weblog or it could be because my views appear to differ from most of the people that I've met while on Digg.

Every post comments on the story that I link to so I can't seem to understand how I'm just a middle man since I am trying to add to the story. If some posts are pushing the limits then fine, remove the link to that post but why ban the entire site? That is what makes me think that somebody just didn't like the subject that I am talking about.

To have a popular post on Digg it would appear that you must either be talking computers or anti war / anti bush. Without those subjects you don't get seen.

Help me to get reinstated to Digg so those of us in uniform that actually believe in what we are doing can post our views next to those that don't.


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

Photos from Iraq and various places that I've been.

More photos will be added from time to time so make sure you stop by to check them out.

Click on a photo to go to my album on Flickr

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

The Tanker Brothers weblog is shutting down.

Due to tighter restrictions on personal web pages, Tanker Brothers will be shutting down while both of the boys are in Iraq.

Its really a shame that the DOD is so scared of what soldiers are saying that they won't let us continue to talk about our time in the war.

I understand about OPSEC and the fact that the very people that defend the freedoms that you enjoy don't get to exercise them in many ways while in service but the stories that are being told are ones of success and pride in their jobs.

These are the stories that you don't read about in the paper or see on the news, the world that most of the deployed soldiers see is very different than what is shown to the average civilian on TV.

Please visit Tanker Brothers before their Veterans Day end date and show your support for these wonderful guys.

As a note to the Tanker Brothers from this tanker, don't forget that Tankers rule the battlefield and the next time a scout tells you different just park on his M1114 and see if he still feels like a big shot.

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

Following a dream now that I am home

I have always wanted to learn to fly and now I'm going to do it.

While I was in Iraq I had time to think of the things that I have always wanted to do so I figure its now time to start doing something about the list I've made. I plan on taking lessons through the Ft. Lewis flying club as soon as I can but it is quite expensive. Are there any instructors out there willing to donate a little time (wink,wink)?

I know that there are many other things that I need to focus on in my life but at the worst times of the deployment I couldn't shake the thought that I had failed to do many of the things that I have always wanted to do in life and that if I made it home in one piece I would start marking things off of the list that I had built.

If anybody out there has any tips or suggestions for me I'd love to hear from you.

Wish me luck!

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

Know the real facts about gun ownership before believing the hype that you hear.

Many people are talking about taking away guns from lawful owners. This would include the guns that we use for hunting, target shooting and protection. These helpful and safety conscious people truly believe that guns are the problem and not the people that are using them for crimes. Take the guns away and the innocent, untrained non law enforcement types won't hurt themselves. I've even heard some say that if guns were harder to get then the suicide rate would drop....How do they figure? Please follow the "read more" link for some more information on the truth about gun ownership and related injures.

read more digg story

The real fear facing many soldiers in Iraq is much different than you think

No soldier that has ever deployed to anywhere for any amount of time knows what they will find when thy return home. For many in Iraq, the fears of what is happening at home are much more stressful than what is happening to them on the battlefield. I speak from experience when I say that I can deal with bullets but whats going on at home?

read more digg story

Murphy's Laws of Combat

•If the enemy is in range, so are you.

•Incoming fire has the right of way.

•Don't look conspicuous: it draws fire.

•The easy way is always mined.

•Try to look unimportant, they may be low on ammo.

•Professionals are predictable, it's the amateurs that are dangerous.

•The enemy invariably attacks on one of two occasions:

When you're ready for them.

When you're not ready for them.

•Teamwork is essential; it gives the enemy someone else to shoot at.

•If you can't remember, the claymore is pointed at you.

•If your attack is going well, you have walked into an ambush.

•Don't draw fire, it irritates the people around you.

•The only thing more accurate than incoming enemy fire is incoming friendly fire.

•When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is not our friend.

•If it's stupid but works, it isn't stupid.

•When in doubt empty the magazine.

•Never share a fox hole with anyone braver than you.

•Anything you do can get you shot, including doing nothing.

•Make it too tough for the enemy to get in and you can't get out.

•Mines are equal opportunity weapons.

•A Purple Heart just proves that were you smart enough to think of a plan, stupid enough to try it, and lucky enough to survive.

•Don't ever be the first, don't ever be the last and don't ever volunteer to do anything.

•The quartermaster has only two sizes: too large and too small.

•Five second fuses only last three seconds.

•It is generally inadvisable to eject directly over the area you just bombed.

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

Differences between you and the American soldier.

I have been reading a lot of anti war and anti soldier articles lately and to be quite honest, every word hurts me. We are not monsters that love to fight and kill, we serve because we believe it is the right thing to do. We do not make policy but we are required to carry it out. We can't just quit because we might not like what we are told to do, we just do it. I received the following thoughts in an e-mail the other day and saw it posted on a few military sites so I thought I would repost it here for you all to see, read and think about what we go through compared to those that have never served. This is just a short list, I could come up with many more examples of things that most people never have and never will experience. Please read this closely and pass it on to your friends. Feel free to post your comments if you feel differently than I do, I'd love to discuss it with you.

_________________________

Your alarm goes off, you hit the snooze and sleep for another 10 minutes.

He stays up for days on end.

_________________________

You take a warm shower to help you wake up.

He goes days or weeks without running water.

__________________________

You complain of a "headache", and call in sick.

He gets shot at as others are hit, and keeps moving forward.

__________________________

You put on your anti war/don't support the troops shirt, and go meet up with your friends.

He still fights for your right to wear that shirt.

__________________________

You make sure you're cell phone is in your pocket.

He clutches the cross hanging on his chain next to his dog tags.

__________________________

You talk trash about your "buddies" that aren't with you.

He knows he may not see some of his buddies again.

__________________________

You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls.

He walks the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists.

__________________________

You complain about how hot it is.

He wears his heavy gear, not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow.

__________________________

You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong.

He doesn't get to eat today.

_________________ _________

Your maid makes your bed and washes your clothes.

He wears the same things for weeks, but makes sure his weapons are clean.

__________________________

You go to the mall and get your hair redone.

He doesn't have time to brush his teeth today.

__________________________

You're angry because your class ran 5 minutes over.

He's told he will be held over an extra 2 months.

__________________________

You call your girlfriend and set a date for tonight.

He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home.

__________________________

You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday.

He holds his letter close and smells his love's perfume.

__________________________

You roll your eyes as a baby cries.

He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if they'll ever meet

__________________________

You criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything.

He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own people and remembers why he is fighting.

__________________________

You hear the jokes about the war, and make fun of men like him.

He hears the gunfire, bombs and screams of the wounded.

__________________________

You see only what the media wants you to see.

He sees the broken bodies lying around him.

__________________________

You are asked to go to the store by your parents. You don't.

He does exactly what he is told.

__________________________

You stay at home and watch TV.

He takes whatever time he is given to call, write home, sleep, and eat.

__________________________

You crawl into your soft bed, with down pillows, and get comfortable.

He crawls under a tank for shade and a 5 minute nap, only to be woken by gunfire.

__________________________

You sit there and judge him, saying the world is probably a worse place because of men like him.

If only there were more men like him!

If you support your troops, re-send this to everyone you know,If it gets to another veteran who hasn't received it yet, it will bring back memories.

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you,Jesus Christ and the American G. I..

One died for your soul, the other for your freedom

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

Operation Support Our Troops need your help!

Operation Support Our Troops is running a fund drive until 5pm pacific to raise enough money for postage to ship care packages to soldiers deployed overseas this Christmas. 100% of your donations go to postage costs. Please help to send a gift to our deployed soldiers.

read more | digg story

North Korea tests a nuke!

Looks like things are heating up. I guess we had all better keep an eye on the little man across the pond.
This guy is thumbing his nose at the world, this isn't the way to make friends and advance your country.
I feel bad thing are coming our way in the near future. Soldiers, dust off your cold weather gear!

read more digg story



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

Restored ME262 takes to the air

Watch this video of a restored ME262 flying at the Berlin air show Its too bad that this plane was built by the Nazis. I know, I know, this isn't about Iraq but it is a cool piece of history.

Follow the link below to see the video.

read more digg story

Understanding what an Iraqi insurgent really is.

Mercenary - Definition from the Geneva Convention

A mercenary is any person who is specially recruited in order to fight in an armed conflict, who takes a direct part in the hostilities, who is motivated by money and is promised substantially higher pay than that paid to other combatants of similar rank, who is not a national of one of the countries involved in the conflict nor a resident of a territory controlled by any of the parties, is not a member of the armed forces of any of the parties, and who has not been sent by another country on official duty as a member of its armed forces. (Protocol I, Art. 47)A mercenary does not have the right to be a combatant or a prisoner of war. (Protocol I, Art. 37)


Just something to think about the next time you hear shouts for protection for prisoners from Iraq.





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

Supporting the Troops

The following entry is so you all can see the type of people that I run in to face to face every day in the seattle area. Read what this guy has to say and please let him know what you think!
Please follow the link at the bottom.

"The military destroys our freedoms and should not be supported. Those who
believe we are free because of past wars have serious deficiencies in logic
(probably due to govt education). Should we ever support the troops? Laurence
Vance explains a couple times when the troops should be supported."

Click here to read more of his view of soldiers

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

Mark Foley isn't the only offender in the Government!

I just thought that we should give equal time to both sides of the Washington sex scandal subject.

I don't defend this man and I think that he should be locked away for a very long time but I also disagree that the speaker of the house should step down for not taking further actions against Rep. Foley until after we find out how much he knew about this matter and for how long he knew. Normally I would stay out of things like this but I am angry about the way that this is being handled. I think that the republicans are doing the right thing by not circling the wagons around this piece of filth and I just wish that the democrats would have done the same with some of their folks in previous years.

Here are a couple of examples:

Mel Reynolds - Convicted of 12 counts of sexual assault on a 12 year old and was pardoned by Pres. Clinton

Barney Frank - Had a brothel in his residence, only 2 democrats voted for censure.

Gerry Studds - Censured for a relationship with an underage male assistant....served 6 more terms.

Teddy Kennedy - Do I really need to go in to this one?

If this guy was a democrat they would say that the attacks against him were cruel and that his personal life should be private.

WAKE UP PEOPLE!

Protections of the Constitution.

Since when does an illegal alien deserve the same protections that an American has under the Constitution?

Why are we trying to protect non uniformed enemy combatants with these same basic rights?

Why do we issue a drivers license to a foreign national without proof of being here on a current visa and then not mark it as temporary?

Why are we not checking to see if a person registering to vote in this country is actually here legally and trying to become an American?

I guess that my grandparents wasted their time becoming Americans back in the 20's, if they came over now they could still get a public education for their kids, welfare for themselves, vote, get free health care at the cost of the tax payers and live like the rest of us with no fear of being deported.

Why are we so eager to allow law breakers to get away with this?

Why?

Democrat Party supports vets...but from which country?

The Democratic National Committee website has a page called Veterans and Military Families where they purport to care about the welfare of US troops. Unfortunately they couldn't even find a picture of a US soldier to post on the page... the uniform in the DNC photo... is Canadian!

read more | digg story

The Patton Museum at the home of Cavalry and Armor.

These photos were taken at the Patton Museum located at Ft. Knox. This museum covers the history of armor from its beginning to present day and a large amount of information available for you check out.

Check out this link for information on the museum

http://www.generalpatton.org/

General info about Ft. Knox

http://www.knox.army.mil/

Every military member should know this travel agency

https://www.satovacations.com/

View more of my photos over at Flickr.

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

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?

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

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

BlogMad is opening to the public!

On Monday March 20th, BlogMad will open its doors to the public with a payout rate of 2 credits for every blog that you view! I have been using this service for a little while now and it has really helped me reach out to many new people.
BlogMad also includes games and many more ways to earn traffic for your blog as well as meet new people. They have a Promisance server, cage fighting, puzzles and much, much more! Check them out by clicking the following image!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

Last year at this time I was in Ireland drinking a Guiness....ahhhhhh the memories of what seems so long ago and so much like yesterday. Our plane from Kuwait back to the states made a stop in Shannon Ireland on St. Patty's Day and go figure, the bar was open even though it was something like 0300 in the morning and we were the only people in the airport! I called my wife to rub it in and let her know that I would be home the next day, that was a $60 phone call and worth every penny!



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

Civil war in Iraq!

If you read the news papers or watch CNN it sounds like Iraq is now tearing itself apart after the mosque attacks. Lets hear what real soldiers and people in Iraq have to say about this and not just the US, anti-Bush media in this country.

Head on over to The Real Ugly American to read more.

Get more traffic to your blog!

A new traffic exchange site is forming and looking for people to take part. Its still in the testing stages right now so they are offering 25 credits for signing up and 30 for each person you refer.

All you need to do is follow the link below, create an account and read up on the details that will come by e-mail.



Blogmad has gone in to beta testing and will be "live" in the very near future.