Where I Stand

Moving Day

2011-03-08T11:59:00.001-08:00

This site has been moved and revived with a slightly different perspective. You can find my latest ramblings at www.Where-I-Stand.com

Need Help

2009-11-15T12:14:00.001-08:00

I'm looking for someone in the Phoenix area who would be willing to help me by inspecting and possibly picking up and moving a trailer across town.

Veterans Day

2009-11-09T10:14:00.001-08:00

To each of you who have served before and those who continue to serve today. Thank you for your sacrifice in preserving liberty for another day and may our nation continue to be worth the price paid.

Coming out

2009-10-20T11:13:00.001-07:00

For the past year I have been working for an organization that prohibits me from discussing much about my work. Based on that and the rather redundant work I have been doing, I have not been active here. I have not been completely inactive. I have been preparing a campaign for public office within the state of Utah.Utah is in pretty good shape overall but I have never been someone to sit on

STOP!

2009-04-16T12:00:00.001-07:00

Stop using my tax dollars to reinforce failure!

Election Day

2009-01-31T08:51:00.001-08:00

I did this myself just three months ago back at home; it was significantly different here. The elections in Mosul, currently the hottest spot in Iraq, had all the makings of an exciting day but from everything I saw and heard, the day has been a peaceful one.Our escort for the day was a squad of Texas based MPs in the Army Reserve and I must say that they were the most pleasant MPs I have worked

Elections in Iraq

2009-01-28T05:24:00.001-08:00

It is day 9 of A New Hope and someone forgot to tell the rest of the world. AQI definitely doesn't seem to care."BAGHDAD (AFP) – Al-Qaeda remains a threat to this weekend's elections in Iraq, a senior army commander warned on Tuesday, as his American counterpart said violence could erupt when the results are announced."The rest of that here. Meanwhile, in the region I am working this week,

I just love this man!

2009-01-24T06:58:00.000-08:00

Be warned! Put down the drinks and empty your mouth before playing the embedded video. I cannot be held liable for any damage you may cause to your monitor or keyboard.Now, enjoy!

Liber

2009-01-03T11:41:00.001-08:00

De Oppresso Liber. The motto of the United States Army Special Forces; it is Latin for liberators of the oppressed. For me, it means much more than freedom from tyrannical governments, much more. Liber is obviously the root for our word liberty and, to the Romans, also means free, independent, unrestricted, and book. Book becomes obvious when you understand that true knowledge is necessary

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T00:37:00.001-08:00

The clock said 4:55 when my eyes cracked open this morning. There was nothing unusual about awaking early on Christmas morning, as anyone with children can attest, but, the unusual began with the knowledge that my alarm was set to go off in just a few more minutes.Before 6:00 AM I was in full battle-rattle and stuffed in the back of a suburban while shaking off the cool morning breeze that

Ad Arma

2008-12-23T22:13:00.001-08:00

I, once again find myself under arms to protect American interests abroad. The work has not been taxing but has been uneventful. The streets of Baghdad are frequently chaotic yet the locals know to keep their distance from our patrols and simple reminders are all that have been needed to keep us safe.Now, with a little ice broken, how about a little unusual Christmas cheer from my favorite new

Happy Veterans Day

2008-11-11T07:57:00.001-08:00

We are not a nation at war; we have a national subculture at war. Throughout this recent election I have frequently wanted to ask many anti war protestors why they are opposed to the war. I suspect that almost none of them have been affected by the war beyond what they have seen on the evening news. Most probably don't even know anyone in the military.If you are reading this, you are probably

Now for the good news...

2008-11-05T00:09:00.000-08:00

...Since I'm going to a war zone to provide security and based on past history of Democrats in the White House that don't know jack about national security, our current hot zones will get hotter and I'll likely get a pay raise.

ROFLMAO

2008-11-03T21:10:00.000-08:00

Cory the Well Driller

2008-11-02T19:12:00.001-08:00

I don't care much for spam and recognize that most of those cute e-mails or warning e-mails that people send to all their friends list are created just for spamers to identify more addresses but every once in a while I do get a real gem like this one. Enjoy the read:Mr. Obama, Given the uproar about the simple question asked you by Joe the Plumber, and the persecution that has been heaped on him

A blast from the past

2008-10-23T22:34:00.001-07:00

I recently moved into a house with enough room to get everything out of storage. This comes from one of those stored treasures. The date was, Fri 30 Sep 94.Gonaives, Haiti. Time has lost all meaning except for determining when I'm scheduled for radio watch. It's difficult to recall when this madness all began. I returned to work, after my 3 weeks leave finished, on 6 Sep. It was, I believe

Local politics

2008-10-07T19:35:00.001-07:00

I have been politically active all my life. For my adult life I have not been actively involved in local politics because I have seldom been "home." It is now time for that to change.I live in Utah Senate district 5 and one of our candidates is someone I know very well. He stands a pretty good chance because, in this district, 3 out of 5 typically vote Republican during presidential elections.

Today's uplifting moment

2008-09-30T07:06:00.000-07:00

Obligatory Milblog Conference Post

2008-09-21T20:39:00.001-07:00

It's already been covered enough in greater detail than I can provide so just hit the sidebar to see what the blogoverse has to say about it. Just a big HT to Andi, Ward, and the Blackfive crew for arranging this excellent extravaganza. I really enjoyed my time there meeting so many of the people that I have read so much about over the past several years. The only people present that I had

Milblog Conference

2008-09-17T08:40:00.001-07:00

OK, I will be there. After all, it's only 5 hours away by car. I would have preferred the bike but my wife is not as accustomed to the seat as I am.According to the current plan, we will be arriving in town around noon and plan on visiting an oasis for a few hours before checking into the hotel on Fremont St. Dinner will be a private affair to commemorate our anniversary a week early. I plan

The Proper Role of Government

2008-09-16T07:40:00.000-07:00

Embedded bellow is a video that should be mandatory for everyone running for public office. It is a 1968 speech given by Ezra Taft Benson the Secretary of Agriculture under Eisenhower. I know that 24 minutes may be quite long for a video embed but it is well worth the time. (I could have used the original 1:07 speech.) Pay close attention to what he calls "man's right to delegate power" and

Welcome home PVT Jordan Thibeault

2008-09-14T21:11:00.001-07:00

Friday morning began at a cool 50° with a cloudless sky. On the day after Alaska's favorite mom said farewell to her son, a local mother welcomed hers home.I pulled out a rag and performed a quick touch-up on my bike then mounted a Utah state and U.S. flag on the back. I finished it off with a Patriot Guard banner across the windshield. I then rode off to join some great American patriots.We

Today’s News 29/8/08

2008-08-29T08:15:00.001-07:00

I was at first shocked when I heard that former president Carter had reportedly said that John McCain is "milking every possible drop of advantage" from his 5 ½ years as a POW. Then it occurred to me, what would you expect from a man who left 52 of his countrymen as hostages in Iran for 444 days? If he could leave his Iranian embassy staff to face the daily threat of death for over a year then

Dog Days

2008-08-26T15:24:00.001-07:00

I have not had a day off for over three weeks now with each morning starting before 6:00 AM. The work has been very demanding but equally rewarding. I have already given some indication about some of the training and will now take some time to elaborate further. Much of the training has been on activities I have performed a number of times in both Afghanistan and the Philippines. The

Another update

2008-08-17T06:27:00.001-07:00

It has been a while since my last posting; mostly because I have not been involved in the fields this blog normally covers. On the personal side, I've been waiting for a contract and moved into a new house. I'll share one proud moment. About 10 years ago I built a bed for my son. It was a real sturdy one elevated like a bunk bed only with shelves and a desk instead of a bed below. After 10

Patriotism & Honor;

2008-06-10T20:19:00.001-07:00

They still exist!I left my home a little before 11:00 today and enjoyed a beautiful ride past Park City. June is the month when our mountains are green and in full bloom so the scenery was spectacular. I continued on past Coalville and was overtaken by the sight of the Echo Reservoir. The green grass on the hills was waving in the wind and the water shimmered right up to its grassy shores. It

Irony

2008-06-05T20:58:00.001-07:00

I was enjoying a wonderful ride on my bike across the Salt Lake Valley the other day and pulled up behind a Jeep Cherokee at a light and saw some real irony. The car had 2 bumper stickers; one said, "Nobody's born a bigot," and the other was the "=" associated with the equality for gays and lesbians movement. For those who may have found this page through a search engine using the just

Local Idol

2008-05-21T06:09:00.001-07:00

I went for a ride yesterday and took the back streets to the range; some roads I haven't been on for a while through the suburb of Murray. I was remembering the cities trademark smokestacks where a new hospital now stands when I turned right and was greeted by a 30 foot tall David Archuleta. There, covering most of the front of Murray High School was a banner saying, "Home of our local Idol."

Random Thoughts

2008-05-08T20:20:00.001-07:00

It has been much too long since I have written anything. I guess I'm still trying to get over the disappointment from our current presidential prospects since Romney conceded just days after my last post. I need to write my opinions on that soon – but not today.I am currently waiting for some final details to fall into place so I can start my next contracting job. I hope to spend about a year

My Candidate

2008-01-20T10:35:00.001-08:00

Let me take the time to officially announce my support of my chosen candidate. This is a decision that has been a long time in the making and has come with plenty of contemplation.Sen. McCain has c0-sponsored many bills in his time and most of them with radical-left Senators and they have all been disastrous examples of legislation. He is a donkey in an elephant costume and the only reason I

This is so WRONG!

2008-01-15T22:26:00.000-08:00

A picture is often worth much more than a thousand words. One taken on Iwo Jima provided funding to finish WWII. One taken of a So. Vietnamese officer assassinating someone helped lose a war.So, click here scroll to the bottom and review the photos.Update: Just because the Clintons have a track record of trying to change history, I have saved the evidence and posted it here. This photo was a

Thanksgiving

2007-11-23T12:02:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving quickly became my last meal in Baghdad. A quick change in plans had me leaving a few days earlier than expected and only 12 hours to pack; I spent half the time sleeping.So I spent most of Thursday packing, shipping, and turning over equipment but no big loss; it's not like I had much else to do here. At least I could spend the day with a few thousand family members I didn't know –

Veterans Day

2007-11-12T23:35:00.001-08:00

In Mike Royko fashion, I spent Veterans Day working. Not that you could call what I do here working but I was away from home and ready to pounce on any machine I am responsible for that may decide have a hic-up. After all, it's not my fault these machines have a reputation better than Maytags.For me, the whole holiday weekend was rather noteworthy. On Friday, I was stuffed into a Blackhawk

2007-10-31T13:52:00.000-07:00

It's that time again. Time to return just a tiny token for the life changing sacrifice made by my brothers and sisters in uniform who have been injured while preserving the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness that so many take for granted.Project Valor-IT is in full swing again and the wounded warriors need all the support you can muster; even your couch change can help.Hit the link and hit

A Day Out of the Ordinary

2007-10-29T12:07:00.001-07:00

So, I woke up this morning and spent about an hour chatting online with my wife then grabbed a bowl of Froot Loops before hopping into the shower… Now, they managed to squeeze a shower and toilet in between two 9' x 10' rooms to make a trailer park duplex and I only have to share the facilities with one other guy and don't have to walk 100 yards like other locations I have been and how many

RC Update!

2007-10-24T00:48:00.000-07:00

Just because you asked...I finally painted my car and handed the controller to someone else so I could take some good action pics of it. I have been racing it frequently as you can tell by the wear on the car. It is fast and I consistently make it into the finals and always seem to choke in the finals. Oh well, there's always next week.

Agape, Philos, Eros

2007-10-21T06:00:00.001-07:00

The first time I ever looked into his eyes I saw a reflection into my soul. There was no doubt that he was life that I helped create. One week later, through him, I learned patience. These thoughts and many more, flooded through my mind when I read this article by SemperFi Wife over at Spousebuzz.They broke the plumbing when he was born so we never had the choice to have more. But as

Contrast

2007-10-19T10:08:00.000-07:00

In my video linking debut, here are a couple that contrast the concerns of children in the West versus the Mid-East.

The Waxman Wax-job

2007-10-03T11:50:00.001-07:00

Congressional Dimwit Henry Waxman has found a new personal vendetta against BlackwaterUSA and is using his position as Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to slander them in an ongoing effort to lose the war in Iraq."Blackwater's contract to provide protective services to the State Department provides that Blackwater can engage in only defensive use of force. In over 80%

Back online.

2007-10-02T22:12:00.000-07:00

Guess who has unrestricted internet access again?Now I can check my comments and watch Jimbo's smackdowns...You'll probably hear more from me too.

Trying to stay sane here

2007-09-08T10:33:00.001-07:00

I have been having problems with my internet connection in my room which is nothing more than piggybacking on an open WiFi network and my connection at work has a block on blogspot.com. So, I haven't been able to check my blog in a couple of weeks.I am stuck on Cp. Liberty without transportation and only get the Stars and Stripes for news and it's always a day later than what I read online.

Francis does the news

2007-08-21T00:39:00.000-07:00

Fox News carried this headline on their web site, “Barack Obama Accuses Rivals of Taking Advantage of His Comments,” and I just had to write the story.DES MOINES, Iowa – The administrators at Des Moines Elementary School are still trying to come to terms with events that occurred at their school today. Principle Dean informed us that Senator Barack Obama chose his elementary school as an

Who knows COIN?

2007-08-20T06:37:00.000-07:00

Bellow is a response to the opinion piece by some NCO's from the 82nd Abn Div that was published in the NY Times. I posted it as a reply to Uncle Jimbo's article over at BlackFive but, since this place has been rather quiet lately, I'm posting it here too.Let me begin by saying that these men are doing a terrific job and are performing to the best of their abilities. Their article is written

In Baghdad

2007-08-07T09:27:00.000-07:00

The first thing that hits you here is the heat; it’s Phoenix hot or maybe a little more on occasions. Baghdad International seems a little neglected and the terrain could be some drier parts of Utah, like Dougway. In the parking lot I smell old urine and think, “maybe Tucson.”I’m staying on Camp Victory and it’s HUGE, lots of support here. The Chow Hall/DFACs are large too with more options

Francis who?

2007-07-24T17:49:00.001-07:00

I know, I've been absent. I'll just catch you up the major points of the past month. We completed our vacation with a trip to Busch Gardens for FREE courtesy of their Here's to the Heroes program and managed to fit in Arlington (which really impressed the boys), the Washington Monument, and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing into our last day. I spent the next month trying to get settled

Washington Day 4

2007-06-08T20:32:00.001-07:00

I suppose it had to happen; today was our day of disappointment. I didn't get to the Washington Monument in time for tickets. The Library of Congress was a stop just to break up our walk in the heat but it did have a great room devoted to Bob Hope. Then, we crossed the street to the Capitol Building for another let down. I didn't know we needed tickets to tour the Capitol Building too. We

Washington Day 3

2007-06-07T17:28:00.001-07:00

The White House was first on our list today. We exited the Metro at the Farragut West station and started walking south on 17th. Suddenly, a patrol car approached us from the front with lights and siren on. It came to a rapid stop right in front of us blocking all traffic from entering the intersection from our right; the officer exited her vehicle and began directing traffic. This gave us

Washington Day 2

2007-06-06T19:33:00.001-07:00

The International Spy Museum was the first attraction that we paid money to enter. The boys said it was definitely worth it; easy for them to say because they didn't pay for the tickets. For me, there was not much new. Just about everything has been covered in some form of training or counter-espionage briefing that I have received. Still, the boys had fun running around checking out all the

Washington Day 1

2007-06-06T06:49:00.001-07:00

We started off with the Air & Space Museum because it was within walking distance of our hotel. When we entered I was thrilled to see that Space Ship One was already on display in the entry way. 3 hours later we had seen a small fraction of the building and the boys were working hard to spend all their money on the first day and a good portion of mine. That is when one of them remarked that we

Day 0

2007-06-04T20:14:00.001-07:00

I spent a little extra to get the only non-stop flight into Washington-Reagan – it was worth it – 4 hours on a plane and we where there. We even got a bonus during our descent through a thunderstorm; I think we can avoid Bush Gardens on this trip.Checked into the hotel behind the Smithsonian and enjoyed the free dinner they offered then off to the Mall. On the few occasions that I have been

Vacation

2007-06-04T16:07:00.001-07:00

I have taken the family to Washington, D.C. for some fun and education. Just a little jet lagged right now but I'll keep you posted on our events.

In Memoriam

2007-05-28T06:04:00.001-07:00

The other day I was paging through an old copy of the official U.S. Special Operations Command magazine and saw a list of USSOCOM soldiers who had been killed in action in the war on terrorism. I found the names of the two from my battalion during my first deployment to Afghanistan and one of a soldier I attended the Special Forces course with that recognized my brother in Bagdad just before he

Out of the office

2007-05-14T21:21:00.000-07:00

Or something like that.I'm home. I'll post when I come up for air.

Military Spouses Day

2007-05-10T09:58:00.001-07:00

In honor of Military Spouses Day on May 11th. I'm posting this story that I found a few days ago. The original is attributed to Erma Bombeck in the late '80s but it has been changed countless times to the point she no longer considered it exclusively hers. You are also hereby given prior tissue warning.When God Created the Military WifeWhen the Lord was creating a military wife He ran into His

So close yet so far…

2007-05-09T10:13:00.001-07:00

I didn't get any sleep Saturday night. It was part of my sleep time adjustment plan. Then half way through the night someone let me know that the mil internet access was inadequately monitored so I identified the network settings and stole redirected some bandwidth just in time to catch the last few hours of the MilBlog Conference. I even managed an hour or two of video; well, broken audio

What I will not miss here

2007-05-05T12:45:00.000-07:00

1. Being wet all the time. If it’s not raining I’m sweating.2. Spider webs across the face several times a day.3. The constant, never ending, sound of a generator.4. The fear that strikes me each time I don’t hear the

Traveling

2007-05-03T04:23:00.000-07:00

My travels started earlier than I originally expected but it still does not get me home any sooner. I just stole some online time to drop a note and tell you why I have not been around lately. Give me a few more weeks to travel and settle in at home then I'll be back in business.Best wishes to the MilBlog Conference; I wish I could be there.

Self Defense vs. Defense of Others

2007-04-18T23:34:00.001-07:00

The typical firearms instructor in most concealed carry classes teaches prospective armed citizens to distance themselves from the threat. This is the true concept of self defense; use the firearm to discourage the wolf from following you while you make your escape. In Grossmans analogy this would make them a dog, since they have the opportunity to fight back, but does not make them the

Give me Liberty!

2007-03-23T22:14:00.001-07:00

Em, aka Frazzledsister, seems to be a young lady with a lot of responsibility and maturity beyond her years. Through her blog she mentions that 23 March 1775 is the date that Patrick Henry made his famous, "give me liberty or give me death" speech. His conclusion is just as relevant today.Gentlemen may cry, "Peace! Peace!" -- but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that

Who is Ryan Mauro?

2007-03-21T01:52:00.001-07:00

While surfing the web, a difficult task with my limited bandwidth, I stumbled upon this child prodigy who, at age 18, had already published a book, Death to America – the Unreported Battle of Iraq, and appears to have pieced together some open source intelligence that the media has been actively ignoring. He has researched a subject that I have been talking about for the duration of the Iraq war

Balikatan Concluded

2007-03-20T00:40:00.001-07:00

The road is now completed and the travel time between Jolo and Bato Bato has been cut in half and is possible without a 4 wheel drive vehicle. We turned a couple of fuel barrels into barbeques, found a nice beach, and began the party. Most quickly stripped to PT shorts and hit the water which was the perfect temperature for a hot day. Some clouds came in and it sprinkled a bit but not enough

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

2007-03-17T05:54:00.000-07:00

Let me send my hearty greetings on this St. Patty’s day. I do have a trace of Irish blood in my veins as evidenced by the copper hair of my youth and I married into a more direct line and, I am told, my wife will be taking my son and some of his cousins to a parade back home. As for me, I started the night before by watching Boondock Saints with a bunch of Marines and Seabees then this morning

Dog & Pony Shows

2007-03-06T04:06:00.000-08:00

Any old piece of colorful cloth can be attached to a piece of bamboo to make it a banner and these lined the streets making a clear contrast with the trash and filth of the beach covered by bamboo huts on stilts. This scene was enhanced by young children on the side of the road in their white and green school uniforms waving handmade U.S. and Filipino flags and practicing their English greetings

Balikatan 2007

2007-02-27T18:06:00.001-08:00

Balikatan means shoulder to shoulder and is an annual combined military exercise involving U.S. and Philippine forces. This year, one significant portion of it, is a civil project in a small town on the north shore of our island. It's my teams turf so we are responsible for the coordination between the Marine engineers and Navy Seabees and the Philippine forces involved. These Sailors and

DoD Identifies Marine Casualty

2007-02-26T07:37:00.001-08:00

The Department of Defense announced today [22 Feb 07] the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Cpl. Timothy D. Lewis, 20, of Lawrenceburg, Ky., died Feb. 15 as a result of non-hostile action in Jolo, Republic of the Philippines. His death is under investigation. Lewis was assigned to Combat Logistics Regiment 37, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine

Milbloggie Finalist?

2007-02-21T17:21:00.001-08:00

By the time indicated for the closing of nominations and before any official announcement I was in the top five finalists for the Milbloggies Army branch. I will be out on assignment for the next several days and will not have the chance to wait for any official announcement or campaign for the coveted award of top Army blogger. So, keep me in your thoughts and prayers and vote.

Care for the Soldier

2007-02-21T06:57:00.001-08:00

With all the publicity caused by the Washington Post's article about conditions for Walter Reed Army Medical Center's outpatient care, I am not surprised. Substandard housing conditions and administrative support is common where soldiers are temporarily assigned. In November of 2001 I was activated to go to Afghanistan. Our mobilization station was Ft. Campbell and for 3 months a National

Milbloggies

2007-02-17T18:19:00.001-08:00

I have been kicking this around for a few days now and decided it would be fun to see how my site ranks. So, I'm tossing my hat into the ring.If you didn't already know that the Milbloggies were accepting nominations then you live much more remote than I do. Drop in and tell everyone what you think of my blog. Cast your vote's quick, nominations end on the 21st.Direct link to my pageUpdate: I

The Wall

2007-02-17T04:02:00.001-08:00

When I was attending the Special Forces Qualification Course at Ft. Bragg, I had a brother stationed there with the 82nd Airborne. I remember stopping by his barracks after returning from 4 weeks in the field. First, I ordered pizza for us and his roommates to eat a meal I could enjoy for the first time in a month. Then, over the remnants of my long craved for meal, I asked, "Where can we go

Iraq's Terrorist Connections

2007-02-11T22:46:00.000-08:00

It has been a long-standing claim among the war protesters that there was no connection between Saddam’s Iraq and al Qaeda. Again, this is more wishful thinking than reality. I have lost contact with my Middle-eastern NSA/State Department source, so this part will have to remain undocumented. He told me that an Iraqi newspaper reported on the pending 9/11 attack three months prior to the attack

It Is The Soldier

2007-02-04T19:28:00.000-08:00

OK, time for me to weigh in (when I should be doing homework). I just cannot let this injustice continue without revealing it for the hypocrisy it is. Arkin from the WaPo, and now O’Meara, a misguided moron over at Daily Kos, are trying to advance our defeat in a time of war. Since our first troops went into Afghanistan back in ’01, the MSM has spoon-fed the American public highly filtered

Tax Time

2007-02-02T05:47:00.000-08:00

Once again, it is tax time and if you have not already heard, members of the armed forces can use TaxCut online free of charge. You need to follow the link from www.MilitaryOneSource.com for free access. I always do the taxes in my home and the opportunity to do it online made it very easy this year. My military W2 was available online at MyPay so I only had to wait for the W2 from my

Good news!

2007-01-31T21:11:00.000-08:00

News this good has to be shared!I am taking courses from University of Phoenix Online and my current class is Human Nutrition. I know, I'm breaking the Jon Carrie stereotype. Either that or I'm trying to get unstuck. So, back to class. This little bit of info shows up from WebMD. Apparently, dark chocolate (not all that wimpy, waxy stuff most of us eat but the real dark, rich in flavor stuff

I need your help

2007-01-25T01:29:00.000-08:00

I need some help. I have spent most of my life living in the desert southwest where the weather is dry. Now that I am on a tropical island where it rains almost every day, everything rots. Around here, if it is made of metal it has rust on it, if not metal it grows mold. The rust I can handle. Proper maintenance and liberal oil can solve that but the mold is another issue.If any of you have

News from the front

2007-01-18T16:59:00.000-08:00

I have been completely out of contact with the rest of the world, both real and virtual, for the past week; a week that ended with some significant success in the Global War on Terrorism. Yesterday, I called home and my wife read me this article from the AP. MANILA, Jan. 17 -- A militant leader tied to al-Qaeda and accused of masterminding one of Southeast Asia's worst terror attacks has

MedCap

2007-01-08T22:16:00.000-08:00

Counter Insurgency (COIN) operations are all about winning the hearts and minds of the local population. This can be difficult when we are perceived as the foreigners imposing legislation on a population that wants political autonomy and where the insurgents are often family members who claim to be fighting for autonomy. Our best efforts are focused on helping the locals achieve peace and

More good news out of the islands…

2007-01-07T06:06:00.000-08:00

A composite team of government forces killed two Abu Sayyaf leaders and five of their men following a firefight off the waters of Panglima Sugala town in Tawi-tawi on Saturday afternoon, a military spokesman reported. Keep reading. You will see that they captured two other high value targets the day before.

News from the front

2007-01-03T06:40:00.000-08:00

One notable fact about serving in the Philippines is that it does not take long for information to appear in the news. MANILA, Philippines (AP) -- Remains believed to be from the chief of the al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group, who was a target of a monthslong U.S.-backed manhunt, have been found in the southern Philippines, the military said.

My Lancet

2006-12-30T20:34:00.000-08:00

The following was written a few days ago but posting has been delayed due to technical difficulties and ongoing operations. So, I did something pretty stupid the today; I watched I Walk the Line, by myself, on the day after Christmas. I can sing pretty well and have a pretty good voice for singing and I really enjoy singing for an audience but I cannot write the songs. Sometimes, especially

Christmas

2006-12-28T00:51:00.000-08:00

To quote my wife, “I’m glad it’s over.” In all my years and all my deployments I have only been away from home for two Christmas’ now. The first was just after my son was born twelve years ago. I guess I forgot how terrible it is. Loneliness is redefined when you’re married and again when you have kids and the Holiday Season is only a constant reminder of it. On Christmas Eve we were

My Job

2006-12-12T23:49:00.000-08:00

As a soldier it is my job to hunt down and kill or capture known Islamic terrorists. I know that these terrorists do not represent the majority of Muslims. I see them every day and when I talk with them they almost all just want to live and raise their families in peace.Islam is proclaimed as a religion of peace but you don’t see Jews flying planes into skyscrapers and you don’t see Buddhists

News from the front: 2

2006-12-11T04:40:00.000-08:00

The Smithsonian Magazine this month contains an article on our efforts here. It’s a couple of month old but still relevant. Then Dateline aired an old 45 minute interview with Gracia Burnham who, along with her husband, were held hostage by Abu Sayyaf for over a year. CNN was here this past week to but I haven’t been watching their station since their coverage of the Iraq Study Group turned me

Really Unconventional Operations

2006-12-07T19:50:00.000-08:00

I flew to Manila for some emergency dental work this past week. What a relief it was just to get a hot shower, but more on that when I get time.Once back on our island I had to wait a few hours for a helicopter ride back to my teams base camp because my team was too busy to pick me up. While waiting, I received a fair amount of teasing from some of the guys. Not because they were too busy to

Time out

2006-12-06T05:07:00.000-08:00

I've been traveling, spent some time in Manila, got a hot shower or three for the first time in 2 months and a reminder that the world is still out there. Give me some time to recover and I'll have more up here for you.

News from the front: 1

2006-12-02T18:15:00.000-08:00

JOLO, SULU ISLAND, Republic of the Philippines -- Just days after a charitable organization teamed up with the U.S. military to deliver ambulances here, the emergency vehicles are making a difference in the lives of local residents.

Infil into my AO

2006-12-02T17:58:00.000-08:00

The following events toop place just over two month ago and are not related to the recent typhoon which struck the Philippines this week.Infiltration into my Area of Operation (AO) required a night on a plane, a day lost crossing the international date line, a night on a wooden slate bed in a Phil Army compound then another night on a large WWII landing craft in a typhoon. I went from Sunday to

A little payback.

2006-11-30T05:37:00.001-08:00

I owe BlackFive one for sending so much traffic my way so…When Matt made his book The Blog of War available for download I decided that I needed to check it out. I have attempted to read this book several times. If I’m lucky I can get through one page before having to put it down. It hits to close to home. The stories are real and the emotions are real and us tough Green Berets are not

"I'll be home for Christmas" - Not!

2006-11-30T05:19:00.000-08:00

Philippine troops hunting down the combined Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) terrorists in the hinterlands of Sulu were ordered "to neutralize high-value targets before Christmas." I’m not listening to any Bing Crosby this year but this article also provides a little background on the murderers we are after.

Out of the Closet

2006-11-29T01:13:00.000-08:00

I have finally checked and double checked, I have established the boundaries and I can now say…I am reporting live from a combat zone in a tropical paradise.I have been in the Southern Philippines for just over 2 months now as an advisor for the Philippine Army in their hunt for terrorists. The connection between Saddam’s Iraq and the Al Qaida terrorist groups in the Philippines is well

Happy Thanksgiving!

2006-11-23T06:44:00.000-08:00

Mine was good; I had some time off with a chance to relax. Our turkey came a day early and we celebrated by inviting some of the locals. The meal was good, better than I expected but none of my mother’s cherry pie or our apple pie (I can make it as well as she can now) or my lemon meringue. My family will be eating it all in about 7 hours from now. I wish them well.Those few of you that read

Worth its own post.

2006-11-22T18:07:00.000-08:00

Carolina wrote: I think Rangel is simply saying something controversial to see his face in the news. I really don't think there is a chance of draft being make law. However, I have been thinking for some time thatit would be a good idea. It seemed so wrong that such a small percentage of people and their families, those in the military, were carrying all the load for the society as a whole. I

I've said it before...

2006-11-20T18:38:00.000-08:00

BlackFive is discussing the latest Democrat strategy, reinstating the draft. I wrote about this before and my words are just as relevant today as they were 15 months ago. I also predicted that if the draft were to return the Dems would do it. Here's what I wrote:I have seen the “we’re spread too thin” argument far too often and it usually precedes an argument for or against a draft. I am

So, I’m watching CNN again…

2006-11-16T06:35:00.000-08:00

If it wasn’t for the fact that what I am doing is in complete contrast to what CNN is reporting, I just might believe this stuff. It would also be nice to get some real news reporting. Until then, I’ll continue to read the MilBlogs.The other day I watched the Caliphate News Network feature a female soldier who was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress . Apparently she had been traumatized by

Veterans Day

2006-11-11T17:47:00.000-08:00

I began Veterans Day before dawn. I showered for the first time in 2 days, because water is not an unlimited resource, and dressed myself in 70 pounds of combat gear. Wedged behind the wheel of an M1113 (armored HMMWV) we joined a convoy of medical professionals and drove to a nearby village where we set up a clinic in a small school. Approximately 500 people received free medical care in a

And the winner is…

2006-11-09T01:47:00.000-08:00

I watched the election results as they came in on the Caliphate News Network because my only other option was BBC. They did little to conceal their elation and showed nothing but DNC footage the whole day.As a soldier taking the Global War on Terrorism to the enemy, I was very disturbed by the results. I now wonder how a congress soft on defense and with little regard for the soldier will face

Caliphate News Network

2006-10-20T05:50:00.000-07:00

Has anyone beaten me to this one?I saw the CNN show and I was not overly offended by it. After all, This is CNN we are talking about; I have known where they are coming from for years now which is why I only watch them when I need new material to illustrate liberal illogic. What did get my attention about the story was the fact that they decided to air caliphate propaganda but not the Danish

Are Your Eyes Open?

2006-10-04T07:33:00.001-07:00

“And he answered, Fear not; for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.” 2 Kings 6:16I have heard it too many times from Liberals who claim to be the majority. They organize their protests and rally for an afternoon in a park or an hour in front of a Federal Building. They do it more often and get more people; or so they think. But, like Elisha’s servant, their eyes are not

Supporting our Troops

2006-09-29T17:34:00.000-07:00

It’s hat-tip time and in a BIG way. I received the following information for our Family Readiness Group leader. For all of you who like to support the troops, weather family, friends, or otherwise, here are a plenty of organizations who know what “Support the Troops” really means. Please support them or use them as your situation allows. - Free computers for spouses or parents of deployed

Travel Time

2006-09-23T20:24:00.000-07:00

I am writing this during some of my last few hours at home before beginning a long journey half way around the world. I have still not received word on how much I can discuss about where I will be going or what I will be doing for the next 9 months. I will also be very busy setting up our team house and establishing communications. I do not plan on ignoring this blog site for most of a year

World Trade Center

2006-09-07T08:07:00.000-07:00

I have never cared for Oliver Stone or any of his idealistic movies and I think Nicolas Cage is a self-serving egotistical third rate actor, so, put their work together and it’s something I don’t want to waste my time with; but… when my wife said she wanted to see it I wasn’t going to say no on our last night together before I deploy. I did do my homework and checked out the reviews on Yahoo