Army Spc. Elizabeth Wasil wins gold in the 1500-meter wheelchair race during the 2013 Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 14, 2013. More than 200 wounded, ill, and injured service members and veterans will compete in the games, which run through May 16. The military service with the most medals will win the Chairman's Cup. DOD photo by EJ Hersom The Marine Corps sitting volleyball team celebrates a point and went on to defeat Army, earning the number one seed during the 2013 Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 13, 2013. More than 200 wounded, ill, and injured service members and veterans will compete in the games, which run through May 16. The military service with the most medals will win the Chairman's Cup. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Jimmy D. Shea Marine Corps Cpl. Kyle Reid wins the men's 200-meters open race during the 2013 Warrior Games track and field competition in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 14, 2013. More than 200 wounded, ill, and injured service members and veterans will compete in the games, which run through May 16. The military service with the most medals will win the Chairman's Cup. DOD photo by EJ Hersom U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jim Castaneda throws the shot put during the 2013 Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 14, 2013. More than 200 wounded, ill, and injured service members and veterans will compete in the games. The military service with the most medals will win the Commander's Cup. DOD photo by EJ Hersom Continue reading

The following book review and exclusive interview with John Sanford is provided as a special by Elise Cooper for BlackFive readers. You can read all of our book reviews by clicking on the Books category on the far right sidebar. John Sandford’s latest book, Silken Prey, is a fascinating insight into the world of politics. He has the ability to blend strong characterizations with a very powerful plot. His dialogue is very realistic and often times funny. For anyone who is disgusted with politics as usual this is a must read book. The story begins when Lucas Davenport, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Agent (BAC) is asked by the state’s Governor to investigate a campaign scandal. Senator Porter Smalls is running for re-election and is accused of having child pornography on his office computer. The trail leads to the disappearance of a political fixer, the involvement of the Minneapolis police department, and more troublingly, to the dirty tricks of his opponent, Taryn Grant. She has hired as bodyguards two trained killers who will protect her at any cost. This book is not a “who done it,” but more in the tradition of Colombo, a “how they done it.” Sandford told blackfive.net that he wrote it because, “In a nut shell I was fed up with both sides, Republican and Democrat. The problem with politicians is that they are stuck with an ideology and can’t get around it, which explains why nothing ever gets done. They can’t seem to compromise for the better good. There is no longer any grey, only black and white. There is a take no prisoner attitude surrounding politics, that it is no longer congenial, with the fighting both political and personal. They have no respect for each other on the other side of the aisle. People are spending a large amount of money and there are no limitations on what they will do to get elected, so I just pushed that to its natural conclusion.” He wrote the book to entertain but also to get his readers to think about politicians, how they have blind spots and are out of touch with the average working person as they live in their own Washington DC world. This message is emphasized with his powerful character development. Taryn Grant could give Machiavelli lessons with her ideas about the way the world should work through her use of money, ruthlessness, and desire. Grant has a narcissistic personality with an oversized ego, extravagant plans for her political future, and someone who wants one day to be the first woman elected President. She is a new type of politician: smart, attractive, ambitious, and very wealthy. Sandford is hoping that readers will find “Taryn likeable. I gave her qualities you would want in a politician: tough, independent, and smart; but she is also a killer. I tried to balance readers going from admiring to hating her.” Her opponent, Senator Porter Smalls is an old-school politician who has a clear agenda. He is more of a supporting character with the main characters being the hero, Lucas Davenport and the antagonist, Grant. Davenport is a cool headed investigative officer that is intelligent, sexy, a family man, someone who takes things to its limits and can connect the dots. Sandford commented that he is pondering Davenport’s future since he is very dependent on the good graces of Minnesota Governor Elmer Henderson. “I thought about what Davenport might do after he leaves the BAC. Maybe the current Governor will become Vice-President and the new Governor makes Lucas feel uncomfortable so he leaves his position. Thanks to the Vice-President he becomes a free lance US Marshall and is able to just take cases of his choice. He tracks down unsolved cases and can travel anywhere in the world.” Another character in the book who makes a cameo appearance is Virgil Flowers. Sandford intentionally puts him in the story to remind people of the Flowers series, with a new book due out in the fall. Blackfive.net was given a heads up about the plot. It will be a comedic satire surrounding a Minnesota minister who steals a stone while on an archeological dig in Israel. A number of groups are trying to buy it from the Turkish Government to Hezbollah as Israel attempts to get it back. Lucas Davenport will also have a small role in this next book. Since Silken Prey is his 23rd thriller featuring Lucas Davenport, how does he continually come up with such fascinating plots? Sandford responded, “Pay attention to the news. For example, the three girls kidnapped in Cleveland allows for a great crime scenario. I enjoy playing off of a story by taking an idea from the news and using it as an inspiration for a plot. Of course, it should not to be too specific so that it interferes with real peoples lives. You don’t want them to think you are writing an entertainment book out of their misery. You put a riff on it which allows for the feeling of the plot being real without really being real.” Silken Prey is one of those plots that appear realistic. It is a very suspenseful book that combines murder and politicians. A riveting story that anyone, regardless of party affiliation, will want to read if they are disgusted with todays politics and want a thriller with many twists and turns. Continue reading

RE: Prince Harry Will Not Go To Iraq (2007) RE: Good On Ya Harry (2008) RE: Prince Harry: Playboy or Soldier? (2009) RE: The Prince and the Marine (2010) RE: Captain Henry Charles Albert David Wales Reporting for Duty (2012) Captain Wales recently took a walk in Section 60 at Arlington National Cemetery. A friend of mine posted the note below on Facebook, and I asked if I could share it with all of you. If you read another post today, read the one above about Harry and Todd Nicely ("The Prince and the Marine"). From Maas, second generation paratrooper: Prince Harry. I’ve been a fan of his for a long time. They call him the Warrior Prince After seeing the day at Arlington my gf asked why do you guys like him so much. That’s an easy answer but it’s difficult to explain. I told her there were thousands of 28 year old pilots in US military doing the deed everyday through out our history. And not one of them laid a wreath at Arlington. That’s a high honor for a very young CPT. There is a historical bond in the military between the British and us. We based our ranks, organization off them. We also sent soldiers to fight with them more than once. If there was any guy in the world who could pick another job, it’s him. He didn’t become a community activist, he didn't order the Naval Special Operations team to kill OBL, and he didn’t marry a woman who for the first time felt pride in our country was only when her husband got elected. He grew up being proud of his country. Just like every military family. He served one tour on the ground and another as a pilot. And from a buddy flying MEDEVAC with the Brits covering, I was told that he was deadly serious about his job. And while this may make a few of my family cringe...He rated everyday naked in Vegas. There is a picture of him walking among the graves. Politician’s lay wreaths and family members visit the one grave . Only Warriors do that walk. That’s why we like him. He’s one of us. And if in 5 years he’s still alive and naked in Vegas we’ll only love him more. Maas Continue reading

The US Army Soldier of the Year is going to be... every Soldier. That's right. I wish I read it at the Duffel Blog but instead those crazy bastards at the Rhino Den have the scoop and I trust their word over just about anyone's. It seems almost comical. Perhaps there were a bunch of generals sitting around trying to fluff their OER so they could get another star, maybe it was a PAO prank run amok, or maybe a Duffel Blog writer slipped a note to the Sergeant Major of the Army. Whatever the root cause may be, next year’s Soldier of the Year will be: Everyone. Every single soldier in the United States Army will be Soldier of the Year. The details haven’t been worked out yet how every soldier, to include officers will receive the trophy and commendations that usually go with winning Soldier of the Year, but the basic plan is that everybody’s been doing such a good job, that they want to reward, well pretty much everyone... Read the whole thing at the Rhino Den. Update: best comment so far from the masses has been a lone voice from the lower ranks, "Can I put The US Army Soldier of the Year on my resume?" Continue reading

Tomorrow, before a House committee on Benghazi, State Department employees are testifying about the battle. Apparently, these State personnel are whistleblowers who were threatened into silence about the role of their organization and its leaders that resulted in the deaths of 4 and the wounding of dozens of Americans in Benghazi, Libya. I think that we'll hear about a STAND DOWN order being given, threats of termination of employment or prison from their superiors if they talked about Benghazi, why we haven't heard ONE WORD from the survivors, and possibly a lot more about the handling of the battle. Bryan Preston at the PJ Tatler has five questions that must be answered tomorrow. It's a great piece, a primer really, on what needs to happen tomorrow. Over at NPR: ...Three State Department employees whom the House Oversight Committee is calling whistle-blowers will testify before that panel Wednesday; one of them, Gregory Hicks, was the No. 2 U.S. diplomat in Tripoli at the time of the attacks. The issue has become a cause celebre among conservative media outlets. On his radio show Monday, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said Hicks will testify that four special operations soldiers in Tripoli were not allowed to board a Libyan military cargo plane that was leaving for Benghazi. "We now know that special forces were poised and ready and had repeatedly asked for permission to go in and try to intervene, and they were told to stand down," Huckabee said. "I know that Mr. Hicks will testify that his jaw dropped when later Hillary Clinton said she did not know of any requests for assistance and that there were no requests for assistance."... NPR goes on to post speculation that this is really about Hillary Clinton's presidential ambitions and the Republicans attempts to thwart them. One interesting piece is how anyone challenging the Benghazi military and State Dept story can avoid challenging Admiral (ret) Mike Mullen, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, who was appointed as head of the investigation into the Benghazi debacle. Regardless, Admiral Mullen wasn't appointed to investigate the origins of "the YouTube Video Was the Cause" talking points or why we have not heard from ANY survivors. Continue reading

First, a warning to regulars that this will make you upset, angry, etc. This woman is stuck on stupid. US Air Force (USAF) veteran Julie Frein said she is willing to give up her burial plot at Arlington National Cemetery to Tamerlan Tsarnaev - the deceased Boston bombing suspect. The Anne Arundel County woman told Fox45 she feels the terrorist suspect should be able to be laid to rest and just wants it to all be over. "I feel sympathy for [his family] in that as long as this issue is open, they can't have closure," Frein told Fox45's Joy Lepola. When asked how she thought Americans would react to the suspect being buried in a national cemetery, Frein replied, "Well the country would just have to get over that, wouldn't they? Because nobody, nobody deserves to rot above ground." Frein has already called the funeral home in Massachusetts where Tsarnaev's body is currently stored and is in the process of contacting the Office of Veteran Affairs to see if she will be able to offer up her plot. Frein served in the USAF for two years. Her husband served in the US Navy for 20 years Update: And in case you're wondering if this is even possible, got a note from a former Marine who checked with Arlington and got this message: We have been receiving calls about the interview a veteran did regarding giving up her space at a veteran cemetery to the Boston Bombing suspect so he can be buried. We want to make it clear that this suspect is not eligible to be buried at Arlington -- a veteran can't transfer their eligibility to another person. Please pass this along to those who are concerned! Continue reading

The NRA's Life of Duty looks at the immediate response to the Boston terror bombing. For those present, it was the most horrific experience of their lives. But one group of men had experienced this sort of thing before, half a world away. It was these men who were seen rushing towards the sound of the blast, putting themselves at risk for the benefit of savings lives. [Edit. note: "Line of Duty" was corrected to "Life of Duty".] Continue reading

As seen through a night-vision device, a Canadian special operations forces service member conducts a high altitude high opening jump from a C-17 Globemaster III during Emerald Warrior 2013 over Hurlburt Field, Fla., April 29, 2013. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Andy M. Kin Continue reading

One of the reasons that I wanted to publish the Blog of War was because that there won't be boxes of letters from the war found decades letter. In this electronic age, important writing (emails, blog posts, social media etc.) can disappear into the ether (net). This is an interesting story (especially if you are history detectives junkie type), and, maybe, you can help connect the dots. ...Pamela Gilliland, who was unaware of the letters when she first bought the hatbox, just last week enlisted the help of a history buff, Doug Eaton, to find out more about them. Written by sibling soldiers Eural and Robert Harvill, the letters were addressed to their parents, a "Mr. and Mrs. E.H. Harvill, Box 7, Drumright, OK," according to the Tulsa World... Read the whole story here. Continue reading

U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno presents the Bronze Star Medal for Valor to Sgt. Scot Gerwitz during an award ceremony in Vicenza, Italy, May 1, 2013. Gerwitz received the award for his courageous actions during combat operations in Afghanistan. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Teddy Wade Continue reading

The following book review is a Special provided by Elise Cooper for BlackFive readers. You can read all of our reviews by clicking on the Books category on the far right side bar. Alison Buckholtz’s book, Standing By: The Making of an American Military Family in a Time of War is a very powerful reminder that the families of those serving are also heroes in the War on Terror. This book, written more like a diary, allows the reader to see what it is like for a military family as they transfer with their serviceperson to different bases throughout the US. From 2009 to 2012 Scott, Alison, and their two children, Esther and Ethan, moved to the small town of Anacortes, Washington for Scott’s three year Navy assignment. Alison allows the average citizen as well as those marrying into the military to understand the trials and tribulations of being a military family: the difficulty of deployment, how a military mom becomes a single mother, and the families reliance on each other for strength and support. The author gives a candid and moving account of her friendships with other military wives and the way they acted as a team, their own unit, to support each other and help one another endure during these difficult times. This was no more obvious that in the chapter about “Pippi,” who struggled to make ends meet both financially and emotionally. While in the hospital recovering from a C-section, Alison organized fellow military spouses to report for duty, to come together to help and support Pippi by cleaning her house, which looked like a junkyard. Buckholtz noted to blackfive.net, “Helping other spouses became a reflex. I wrote this book as a service to other military spouses.” She believes that in military marriages, “The service member’s spouse typically takes on the role of the pep-talk-giver. When the kid is sad about Dad’s absence, wonders why Dad has to be away for so long, or demands to know why someone else can’t do the job.” She fabulously describes what is like not only for the spouse, but for the children who must come to grips with having a parent gone for long periods of time. She noted, “I wanted to stress to my children that this is dad’s job; yet, I understood that it is really tough for a younger child to understand since they see the work as black and white.” This was emphasized in the book when she gave the example of another military wife who felt that her husband chose “to stay in the Navy, which means you choose to leave us.” What made the book very interesting is how she showed different points of view, that she did not feel the same way as the Navy spouse. She tells of Scott quoting a phrase from the Lovelace poem, “I could not love thee, Dear, so much, Loved I not honour more.” When asked about this she commented, “Scott’s career was so much a part of his character, that person who I loved and admired. He would not be that person without the military service.” She told blackfive.net that what she loves about the military is being able to have friendships with people that have a different perspective than hers. There were people who were judged on their actions rather than their sex, political affiliations, religions, or race. “This is the upside. We had a mutual respect for each other that might not have the glue in a civilian world. I am grateful to the military for allowing me to be given the opportunity to get to know people from different backgrounds, people I otherwise might have never met.” Standing By is a beautifully written book that should touch the heart of every American. The author does a great job in explaining how different families reacted to the issue of deployment. It is one of those rare books that can appeal to both those in the military and citizens who want to understand more of what it is like to be a military family. Continue reading

U.S. Army Maj. Eugene Johnson, center, explains the normal birthing process for livestock to staff members of the Directorate of Agricultural, Irrigation and Livestock in Kajaki in Helmand province, Afghanistan, April 24, 2013. Johnson, a veterinarian, is assigned to the Georgia Agricultural Development Team 3, Regimental Combat Team 7. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kowshon Ye Continue reading

Ranger Up has a limited run of their "We Will Not Falter. We Will Not Fail" t-shirt. That is all. Continue reading

A U.S. sailor runs on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush during sunset in the Atlantic Ocean, April 26, 2013. The Bush is conducting training operations. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Tony D. Curtis Continue reading

A soldier touches the Ranger tab after completing the rope crawl portion of the water confidence obstacle during the final day of the 30th annual Best Ranger Competition on Fort Benning, Ga., April 14, 2013. U.S. Army photo by Patrick A. Albright Continue reading

Thought you might appreciate some or all of these posts by the good folks at Brookings. Below are some of the latest news and views from scholars at the Center for 21st Century Security and Intelligence at The Brookings Institution: Are All Bets Off? With reports of the use of chemical weapons in Syria,Brue Riedel says that President Obama has a big decision to make… The Triple Crown In an interview with the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research,Peter W. Singer discusses what Gulf monarchies can do to increase defense cooperation and ride herd on local troublemakers… Time to Pony Up With a post-2014 civil war not out of the question, Afghan officials must stop horsing around and face the country’s deteriorating governance – made worse by its illicit economies – writes Vanda Felbab-Brown… How (Not) to Throw a Nuclear Derby Party Bruce Riedel details the Israeli decision in 2007 to attack a Syrian nuclear facility and the politicization of American intelligence, which can often put the cart before the horse... Jockeying for Position It’s unclear why Russia needs so many nonstrategic nuclear weapons, notesSteven Pifer, but the U.S. and NATO want to put these tactical devices out to pasture… The Pick Six When deciding strategy,Paul Pillar says you need to know your advisors’ true areas of expertise, if you don’t want to end up backing the wrong horse… Down the Home Stretch With Hamid Karzai’s presidency rounding the curve to its end,Michael O’Hanlon and Michele Flournoy think the U.S. must set expectations now for Afghanistan’s upcoming elections… Continue reading

U.S. Marines exit the back of a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter while conducting a parachute operation during exercise Eagle Reslove over Qatar, April 26, 2013. The helicopter crew is assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 266. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Christopher Q. Stone Continue reading

Wow. Just wow. Sgt. 1st Class Greg Robinson has become the first amputee to complete Army air assault school, a course so grueling his prosthetic leg broke twice over the 10 days spent rappelling down ropes, navigating obstacle courses and completing strenuous road marches... Go here to read the whole story. Continue reading

NSFW (Language and one SEALY!) Over at Ranger Up's Rhino Den, you can watch all of "The Damn Few" episodes INCLUDING THE WORLD PREMIERE OF THE FIRST FULL LENGTH "THE DAMN FEW!" Continue reading

U.S. Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, left, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, salutes Chinese troops before a pass in review with Chinese Gen. Fang Enghui, Chief of the general staff, in Beijing, April 22, 2013. DOD photo by D. Myles Cullen (Marty, we need a CoJCS with a stronger first name if we are up against a "Fang") Continue reading

Veteran Tech Brigade Helps Veterans Find Meaningful Employment Frustrated with the high unemployment rate among veterans and inadequate career transitioning services offered them, Veteran Tech Brigade is working with numerous commercial companies and government contracting firms to provide meaningful jobs and free pre-employment counseling to our military veterans and their spouses. Attending military job fairs is the easy part. Any staffing agency can do that. Veteran Tech Brigade goes the extra mile to reach deep into the ranks and pull out the best and brightest military service members to place with client companies. Veteran Tech Brigade has established relationships with a large number of veteran education and training organizations to ensure they capture the cream of the crop as they exit the armed forces and hang up their boots. The company’s specialty is IT personnel ranging from tier 1 help desk technicians to network architects with many of their candidates having government security clearances, but they're not limited to that. "Currently we have eight fields that we specialize in; IT, CBRN, HR, Homeland Security, Logistics, Intelligence, Program Management and Business Development because so many veterans have experience in these areas," says Veteran Tech Brigade CEO Kelly Crigger, a retired US Army officer. "But we're always looking to expand into areas where veterans excel. The 'T' in VTB can be any technical field." And now is the best time for recruiting with fiscal cliff skepticism and employment uncertainty growing because of recent government budget cuts that have led to layoffs and massive personnel movements. In times like these people looking for new work or wishing to change employers flock to companies like Veteran Tech Brigade. "We add tremendous value to employers interested in hiring veterans in a number of ways. We remove the costly expenses of conducting background checks, attending job fairs, reading countless resumes and military evaluation reports while providing our clientele with grateful employees who help grow their business and remain onboard through thick and thin. Not only are military veterans, excellent disciplined employees, there are also a number of significant tax benefits companies can gain by hiring one.” One company that has taken advantage of Veteran Tech Brigade’s opportunity to gain diligent military veterans for their employee base is U.S. Gas & Electric, a leading energy supplier in numerous states. Not only has USG&E established a plan to hire military veterans and their spouses, but they’ve also developed specific energy programs for military veterans to reduce their natural gas and electricity expenses simply by enrolling through the company’s online site at www.USGandE.com/FriendsandFamily and entering promotional code: VETERAN. “As our company and employment opportunities continue to grow significantly, we plan to hire a number of military veterans,” stated Doug Marcille, Director, CEO and President of USG&E. “Our current team members who hold a military background have shown tremendous dedication and we could not be more pleased by their quality of work. We are thrilled that Veteran Tech Brigade has been created as we will now have a much easier and more cost-effective way to employ even more military veterans and their spouses.” Business owners or executives interested in hiring veterans should contact Veteran Tech Brigade at isupportfreedom(at)veterantechbrigade(dot)com and for more information about Veteran Tech Brigade, please go to www.veterantechbrigade.com and/or Like, Follow and Connect via the following social media outlets. http://www.facebook.com/veterantechbrigade https://twitter.com/VetTechBrigade http://www.linkedin.com/company/veteran-tech-brigade About Veteran Tech Brigade Veteran Tech Brigade (VTB) LLC. is a unique technology staffing and government contracting firm led by U.S. military veterans with the mission of lowering the unemployment rate among veterans (and their spouses) while providing businesses with the best employees in the job market today. Veteran Tech Brigade provides motivated employees for companies who appreciate the value veterans add to a business and is actively seeking other businesses with the desire to hire veterans. Veteran Tech Brigade has the most diverse veteran candidate sources in the market today to include military job fairs, military installation transition programs, and standing partnerships with multiple veteran educational training programs. Veteran Tech Brigade identifies and engages with the most talented and experienced military veterans to deliver candidates directly to the best companies in America. About U.S. Gas & Electric U.S. Gas & Electric, its subsidiaries and family of companies (“USG&E”), is a leading retail energy supplier to commercial and residential customers in Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania with plans for further expansion. USG&E provides energy to customers with wide ranges of energy usage patterns and requirements and gives them the benefit of being a part of a large wholesale buying pool. The company relies on their market knowledge, internal efficiencies, and core capabilities to provide customers with the best possible pricing plans for the energy they provide. To date, USG&E has saved more than 220,000 customers over $45 million on their natural gas and electricity supply. For more information, visit www.USGandE.com. Continue reading

Congrats to our friends over at the Duffel Blog for making the big time. And for being responsible for filling my inbox with irate emails demanding that we here at B5 take action over one of their stories... General (ret) Mattis agrees: ..."The lads have a well-tuned sense of humor and convincingly imaginative 'reporting' that bode well for a country that could use some laughs," said Marine Gen. James "Mad Dog" Mattis, who just retired as head of U.S. Central Command. "I think the writers know that we need to stop taking ourselves so seriously."... Visit the Duffel Blog here. Continue reading

From the 75th Ranger Regiment: Nine years ago today, April 22, 2004, Cpl. Patrick D. Tillman, was fatally wounded when his Ranger unit came under fire during combat operations in southeastern Afghanistan. After he was medically evacuated from the scene, he was pronounced dead by U.S. officials at approximately 11:45 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. He was born in California on Nov. 6, 1976. In the prime of a stellar football career, which included four years at Arizona State University on athletic scholarship and four years as a defensive back with the National Football League’s Arizona Cardinals, Pat Tillman walked away from a multiyear, multimillion dollar football contract to serve his country as a Soldier in the U.S. Army. Tillman volunteered for duty with the Army in May 2002, requesting to serve as a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment — the U.S. military’s premier light infantry fighting force. Here is the video of the participants and their thoughts on the 9th Annual Pat's Run (last Saturday): <A href="http://www.foxsportsarizona.com/pages/video?videoid=b921fc54-bbc8-4b20-9a65-a256a1eb2c54&src=v5:embed:syndication:&from=shareembed-syndication" _mce_href="http://www.foxsportsarizona.com/pages/video?videoid=b921fc54-bbc8-4b20-9a65-a256a1eb2c54&src=v5:embed:syndication:&from=shareembed-syndication" target="_new" title="9th annual Pat's Run">Video: 9th annual Pat's Run</A> Continue reading

Via Carrie (Marine Wife/Marine Mom), comes this seriously badass, awesome, can't-say-enough-about-it, video. She also says to grab a a hanky (I always listen to Carrie). This is the true meaning of Semper Fidelis. If these American Fighting Men don't make you proud, you're at the wrong blog. Please share this. Continue reading

"...if you have a capacity for violence, and a deep love for your fellow citizens? What do you have then? A sheepdog, a warrior, someone who is walking the hero's path. Someone who can walk into the heart of darkness, into the universal human phobia, and walk out unscathed." - Colonel Dave Grossman on Sheepdogs" A much-loved MIT campus police officer with less than two years on the force is the Boston Bombers’ fourth victim, authorities said. Sean Collier, 26, of Somerville Mass., was shot multiple times in his squad car by the bloodthirsty brothers Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev around 10:20 p.m. after the pair attempted to rob a 7-Eleven, according to police and news reports. One thing is certain, Sean Collier is a Hero. End of watch, Officer Collier, Godspeed. Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/boston-bombers-kill-mit-officer-article-1.1321727#ixzz2QvHVYlK5 Continue reading