I just spit coffee on my keyboard. Of course, that means you won't be able to FIND the new SECDEF when something is going down. :) (I'm pretty sure he has an appointment this morning...yeah, an appointment!)

I find it curious, that in an era when the single most dangerous thing to a senior officer's career is women, we are going to give junior officers and enlisted the opportunity to do the same. I guess it's about fairness. "Yes Sgt Smith, you can fuck up your career just like Petreaus, et al." -Jaeger

"Let's Go!" 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment and although I never served there, the ISA's "SEND ME" has always struck a chord.

Well 12 million fewer voters didn't help, but let's just say that the GOP reminds me of an aging woman right now, still trying to get by on her looks. Plenty will buy her a drink for old times' sake, but her best days are behind her. Goldman Sachs? 71% of their $4.7 mil in donations went to the GOP. As far as the tech players, Microsoft, et al. you just need to look at corporate culture to understand that one. And you are right, the GOP does ignore the religious right after getting elected. I would argue that is MORE upsetting than just being above board about it. Conversely, I am sick to death of trying to swing otherwise moderate voters who are terrified of Roe v. Wade getting overturned. I ask them, "do you really think that Roe v. Wade is on the table?" make some headway, and then some candidate starts spouting pro-life demogogery and I lose them. At the end of the day, we need to stop playing the polling game, and start actually having some convictions. The Constitution, hard work, fair play, justice, personal responsibility, and the rule of law are what I want to hang my hat on. Not some fairy tale vision of an America that never was.

Dinowhatever... Really. You gonna "break it to me?" How about this. #1 I didn't say dump them, I said stop pandering to them. They are welcome on the bus, but the need to shut up and wait til after the bus stop at the corner of "Fiscal Responsibility Ave." and "Individual Liberty St." to start running their mouths again. #2. Where they gonna go? Suddenly start voting for the party of Planned Parenthood and prayer banning? I don't think so. They'll stay where they are because it'd be their turn to pick the "lesser of two evils". (Just like we've had to do for the last 20 years) #3. Corporate money makes the GOP run. That isn't going anywhere. #4. The Left's worst nightmare is the GOP to stop alienating mainstream America. And mainstream America doesn't feel threatened by gays, abortion, or any of the rest of the Bogeyman crap the GOP trots out every election. So you gonna break what to whom?? Namaste --Jaeger

Well, let's put some blame where it lies... #1. We are seeing the conflict between the "maternal"(Giving out candy and putting bandaids on your boo boos) and the "paternal" ("pull your head out of your ass son and take responsibility for your actions" views of the state. #2. Abortion? Gays in the Military? Gay Marriage? Really??? Who gives a rat's 4th point of contact. This is the stupid crap the GOP hung its hat on, and soccer moms across America refused to associate with policies that would embarrass them in line at Jamba Juice. I can give you SIXTEEEN TRILLION things more important to our country right now. #3. Speaking of the above, stop pandering to the religious right. Libertarians and fiscal conservatives keep getting alienated. "Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined and imprisoned. What has been the effect of this coercion? To make one half the world fools and the other half hypocrites" –Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia, 1782. #4. Let's talk about federalism. Romney started to, when he was explaining why it is ok for a state to have universal healthcare, and not the federal government. Then he started mumbling and wandered off confused. Once again, a point where a clear distinction could have been made, and failed. Anyhow, this is already longer than I wanted. But it's disingenuous to be butt hurt about self-inflicted GSWs.

Ok, I have a question. If the following statement is true: "On Monday, GEN Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, declared that GEN Ham's departure was part of a planned rotation in the works since July." Why is he being replaced by Gen Rodriguez? In a normal world, a "planned rotation" is a three year tour at a four-star post, and a three star replacing you. Instead, they have tapped Gen Rodriguez, already a four-star, and FORSCOM CG. (It should also be noted that he has been the FORSCOM CG for only about a year and a half- barely enough time to break in the office furniture.) Hmmm..... http://www.stripes.com/news/obama-to-nominate-army-gen-rodriguez-to-lead-africom-1.193564 http://www.stripes.com/news/rodriguez-tapped-for-fourth-star-forscom-command-1.139362 http://www.navytimes.com/news/2012/10/army-forces-command-head-david-rodriguez-tapped-lead-africom-101812w/ http://www.forscom.army.mil/cmd_staff/GEN_Rodriguez/GEN_Rodriguez.htm

No ducking this one either... State Department is not in that OODA loop.

I think I have this soundtrack on 8-track.... AATW!

Mortarman11C, is that your bird?

Yes, although I have to give her props for having good taste in music to cover. :) http://tinyurl.com/7jrlpob

Wow... somehow this makes the Russel Brand / Katy Perry breakup make SOOOOOO much more sense!!! (Bwahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!) (I think I forgive her now for violating The Outfield's "Your Love" ) Thumbs Up KP! /Jaeger

You guys have have it all wrong. You are remembering the old days when we only allowed straight wimmin in the military! Now we have a large pool of large women "in comfortable shoes" who can probably not only fireman carry your ass out of the kill zone, but drag your buddy at the same time. I for one welcome our new Sapphic Overlords!

Too many pairs of "Trews" =) Welcome Home Laddies

They were doing the best they could on the "Hookers & Cocaine" diet without the cocaine... which is FREAKING HARD IN COLUMBIA. They should be complimented on their restraint. =) /Jaeger

Call these guys, pop a brew and occupy an LP/OP. Hell's Lovers is a multi-ethnic outlaw motorcycle club founded in Chicago in 1967, currently with about 1,500 members in the US. One of the first integrated biker clubs in Chicago, the club was founded by Frank "Claim-Jumper" Rios after he was denied membership in another motorcycle club.[1] The club's motto is, "Death is my sidekick and the highway is my home."

I read most of it, then I started throwing up in my mouth at the phrase "Taliban operatives." For a little more perspective, consider the world record in shooting accuracy: It currently belongs to British Army sniper Corporal Craig Harrison, who shot two Taliban operatives from a mile-and-a-half away. And Harrison performed that feat under “perfect” conditions.

Fair winds, and following seas.... ("520th Infantry Regiment" should read 5th BN, 20th Inf Regt.)

Too bad you can't bottle that and dump it in their water supply...

...can't anyone in your entire organization do simple math? If they could do math would they have become journalism majors? Quod erat demonstrandum.

The double-chin calling the kettle fat.

So much for the "Total Force." "Post 9-11 World" is an excuse for everything. I could just as easily say that the role of voting has changed significantly in a post 9-11 world. The Chief of National Guard Bureau became a 4-Star position in 2008? Why the hell is that needed??? The State Guards are commanded by either the Governor or the President during a call up. If they are activated, the become part of their parent service, either the Army or the Air Force. How exactly is any of that helped by expanding the National Guard Bureau into a de facto 8th Service? (counting the Coast Guard, NOAA and USPHS) Oh wait, is it that the current Chief of Staff of the Army (Gen Odierno) is too stupid to know the difference in readiness and capabilities between the Division Ready Brigade at Fort Bragg, and the 336th Messkit Repair Battalion of the West Dakota National Guard? Or is it that taking care of soldiers and airman who are guardsmen is too tough a job for these guys? We need ANOTHER guy to do that? Or do 'they' need a venue for a more politically motivated 4-Star in the puzzle-palace? Political favor promotes an O-5 to O-8 to become a State AG, then a simple whisper makes him the 'best' candidate to head up the National Guard Bureau because he should come from the Guard right? Let's just call this what it is. It's another attack on Federalism. It is bad enough that we had a 3-Star in DC trying to boss around all the 2-Star State Adjutant Generals already, usurping state command of the guards left and right. Now we have a 4-Star doing it. Next the Senate envisions an even greater co-option of state control under the aegis of a 4-Star Pseudo-Service Chief who gets to make the the AG's drool Pavlov style, and sideline the state Governors in a "Post 9-11" world. All because the least trusted body in the US (Congress) desides it needs to muck about with one of the most trusted (the Military). Fie on you gentlemen, fie!

Yup! Good day! Just need more cowbell =) ...and maybe a BLT

Hey Lissa, My only regret is that I didn't get to pull the trigger. You need to get a dictionary and look up the words 'criminal' and 'enemy.' Criminals get trials, enemies get boat-tailed hollow points. Cheers! /Jaeger (By the way, you might also look at other odd notions like 'jus ad bellum' and 'jus in bello,'. Just sayin'. Living in the little protected bubble we call the good ole' US of A it is quite common to conflate criminals and enemies. We are so insulated from the Hobbeseian world we actually live in that we often confuse it for the Lockeian world that we think we live in. - namaste)

Ahh hell man that wasn't an assist, that was a target of opportunity. Keep your feet & knees together.