This one and then this one. Crossposted from Laughing Wolf Continue reading

In Congress, July 4, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, —That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.—Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world. He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good. He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them. He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only. He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures. He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people. He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within. He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands. He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers. He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries. He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance. He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures. He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power. He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation: For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us: For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States: For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world: For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent: For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury: For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies: For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments: For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever. He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us. He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people. He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation. He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands. He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is... Continue reading

Long overdue, and well deserved. Crossposted at Laughing Wolf Continue reading

Over at Laughing Wolf, I remember my Dad. I also share my thoughts on the political violence in the USA and make a plea. I also remember and share the latest on the murder of Libby and Abby. Someone, somewhere, knows who this sack of something is, and needs to turn him in. Take a moment, look at the photo, and listen to the voice. If you recoginze either, turn it in. For the latest in the investigation, go here. Continue reading

Bumping yet again. The media coverage is dying down, but they are still getting about 100 tips a day. More are needed, and this man needs to stay famous. To him I say: This is not going away, and there are some of us who will do all we can to keep you in the public eye until you are caught. If you think you know him, note that the reward has grown a bit... Bumping again. This is not going to go away. Someone, somewhere, will recognize your image or voice. The reward is now more than $200k, and growing. You can run, but you will just die tired. Give it up. For any who think they know him, note the reward. Bumping, as someone, somewhere, knows who he is. He may be the person at church who recently shaved his head or dyed his hair after a comical "accident." He may be the person who assisted you at the home improvement store, or that gets his cigars/cigarettes at the same place you do. He may be the person you see getting gas each week. He may be the neighbor down the street. He's the person you would not think of in this context, so adding this to help people think a bit. Listen to this voice. Listen Again. Imagine that you know something bad is about to happen to you, and that you have no effective means to prevent it. You know nothing can stop it, but you activate the video feature on your cell phone not to help you, but to help police find the person or persons who did those things to you. 14-year-old Libby German did just that in the moments before at least one male ordered her and her friend -- 13-year-old Abby Williams -- "down the hill" and ultimately to their deaths. She showed a clarity and courage that I'm not sure many adults could or would match under the same circumstances. The least we can do is spread this far and wide, so that the killer or killers are brought to justice. Somebody, somewhere, will recognize the photo or the voice. Share it far and wide. Light. The. Bastard. Up. Cross posted at Laughingwolf. Continue reading

Long-time readers will remember DefendUSA from our comments section. DefendUSA is Army Veteran Denise Amundson, and I regret to have to inform all of you that her husband, Army Veteran Martin Amundson, passed away very unexpectedly on 30 October. Martin was active in a number of efforts to help other veterans, and freely gave to help those in need. A GoFundMe effort is underway to help Denise and their children. Please help as you can. For those in the Raleigh area, Rey's Restaurant is hosting a celebration of Martin's life Saturday 5 November from 1100-1400. Please keep them all in your thoughts and prayers. Continue reading

UPDATE: Arrested after shootout. That said, be careful! Updated with additional photos. Not going to get into the idiocy of DeMoroniso and others, just be aware. While he may still be in the NY/NJ area, there's no real guarantee of that. Meantime, be alert. If you see something that is off, even if you aren't quite sure what, get out and report. That applies everywhere -- and keep in mind that the knife jihadi was in a security guard uniform -- and you really don't want to know how many police and other uniforms are missing across the country. Even if this guy is caught, this is far from over. Be careful out there. Continue reading

This is the second time this year the SAS has used snipers to good effect. For me, I find the justice involved delightfully poetic. Continue reading

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world. He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good. He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them. He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only. He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures. He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people. He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within. He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands. He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers. He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries. He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance. He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures. He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power. He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation: For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us: For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States: For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world: For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent: For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury: For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies: For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments: For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever. He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us. He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people. He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation. He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands. He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all... Continue reading

The genesis of this post started many years ago, and I tend to edit and revise it each year. Maybe one day it will do justice to the day and those I remember on Memorial Day. Crossposted at Laughing Wolf Foster Powers USN, KIA 1945 To the God in Man displayed -- Where'er we see that Birth, Be love and understanding paid As never yet on earth! To the Spirit that moves in Man, On Whom all worlds depend, Be Glory since our world began And service to the end! Final stanzas, The Choice, Rudyard Kipling Let me start with the end, instead of the beginning. I am not asking that we make Memorial Day somber and solemn, a thing without levity or fun. I know none who have served who would want that, particularly those who did not come home. We should enjoy the day and the weekend in their honor, so that they and the reason for this day are not forgotten. My Dad did not like to make a big fuss on Memorial Day. We did not troop to any cemetery, nor do I remember attending any services when young. Looking back, I think it was still too personal and painful for him, for he remembered the fallen almost every day. For he lost family, and helped bury his fellow Marines on various islands across the Pacific. It was not something he wanted to share, to talk about, or for me to ever understand. More than once when discussing funeral plans, he said that he simply wanted to be wrapped in a blanket and put in the hole, as if it were good enough for the Marines in the Pacific, it was good enough for him. For me, I'm not sure when Memorial Day became more than just a holiday. I think it changing had to do with my wanting to know more about my Uncle Foster. I never met him, as he was killed in one of the last torpedo plane raids on Japan. As I learned of him, I began to learn of others, and the day took on more reality for me as I grew. I discovered this year that the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC, an organization I feel needs to be scrapped and restarted) lists him as MIA in 1946. How they got the date, I don't know, but it does not match the information I was given. When told of the loss, Dad was supposed to meet with Foster's squadron commander who was on a ship nearby. However, fleet movements prevented that, and Dad instead talked with him on the radio. He was told that Foster's plane went down in a manner that indicated the pilot was dead (or unconscious), and that none of the crew made it out. I still hope that one day his plane is found. I've visited the Punchbowl, and seen his name on the memorial wall there. It hurt me, badly, when as a child my father told me he hoped I would never qualify for membership in the American Legion. As that young child, I did not understand why he felt that way, though I do now. I understand better than he would have ever wanted, though I disagree with part of his position. Memorial Day has grown for me, and it is much more than just my Uncle Foster. I know part of it changed after 10/23/1983, and I had to begin remembering LCPL Bill J. Stelpflug. In college, I knew his sister (a beautiful woman) and his mother, who was part of the English Department as a GTA if I remember correctly. He and his brothers were a factor in the thinking of those of us who wanted to date his sister... His sister was the subject of one of the first, and worst, photoshoots I ever did. Never did share those photos, as they did not do her justice. Today, it is the names of those who have fallen since 9/11 that I knew online and in life. It became the names of those I came to know second hand courtesy of my embeds, men I wish I had known first hand: Specialist Marieo Guerrero KIA 17 March 07 Captain Anthony Palermo KIA 06 April 07 Private First Class Damian Lopez KIA 06 April 07 Specialist Ryan Dallam KIA 06 April 07 A man I met first hand, and anticipated getting to know more than just briefly, is in my thoughts this Memorial Day: Lance Corporal Jeremy W. Burris, USMC. LCPL Burris died in Iraq during the time I was attached to his unit. His vehicle was hit by an IED, and I was told that he got the others out, began rendering aid to them. He went back to the vehicle to get some gear that would aid and comfort them, and was hit by a second IED. The mission had been delayed because sandstorms had prevented Dustoff from being flown. I knew the mission was out, and saw the Dustoff coming back in, and was photographing it when I realized why it had been out. I dropped my camera on its strap and walked off, not realizing that I had been seen. One of his buddies did see, and thanked me later for not photographing the aftermath (he was not onboard), and told me what had happened. No greater love... I also remember • Staff Sergeant Christopher Moore • Sergeant Jean Medlin • Specialist David Behrle • Specialist Joseph Gilmore • Private First Class Travis Haslip • Private Alexander Varela Again, I wish I could have known them first hand, and am honored to have been able to do a little something in their memory, and to help their brothers and one particular Gold Star Mother. Rather than their deaths, I would that more would learn about the child they saved earlier in their tour... For what seems like most Americans, this is another three-day weekend, the start of summer,... Continue reading

If you are not regularly reading The Liberty Zone, you should be. There is a lot that can and should be said about the travesty that is the VA, and as usual, Nicki hits it out of the park with National Shame, Part II. Continue reading

Happy Holidays to All! Today is the shortest day/longest night of the year, and to my Norse/pagan/other friends who celebrate the Solstice tomorrow, a good one to you. To my friends of a a different faith, a belated Happy Hanukkah. If you celebrate something different, the blessings of that to you. Please be careful out there. Today is also the anniversary of the Lockerbie bombing, and if you think the timing wasn't deliberate, well... There is a lot going on, and if we get through the next couple of weeks without a major incident, I will be surprised and pleased. The propane tanks and cell phones in the news are but a small part of things. There are reports out in the open about Middle Eastern males checking out Bagnell Dam in Missouri; not-in-the-media reports of Middle Eastern males checking out a National Guard armory in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. There was a (mild, thankfully) poison/toxin attack on a synagogue just south of Paris that hasn't gotten a lot of attention. For those paying attention, there is a lot going on and Daesh has continued to issue calls for attacks here and abroad. This time of year offers the chance for maximum impact and to target religions and groups that are hated by Islamists. Others too, but if you don't think Daesh and other Islamist groups are the prime threat... For me, I say Sod Them. Enjoy your holidays, and enjoy them without fear. Just be alert and be prepared. Merry Christmas! Continue reading

Let me start by saying I don't care about wrappers, or who does what to whom how or when (so long as there is consent). By wrapper, I mean the outward manifestation that is the amazing human body. What matters to me is if a person can and does do the job, be it serving in the military or any other occupation, and if they are what I consider a good person. Yes, that order is deliberate, as I know some people that are great at what they do, but frankly are assholes outside of that. So long as they don't move beyond being "Do-Che's" as Uncle Jimbo has called it, I would use them for their proven abilities and expertise at need. Being able to do the job is what counts. Right now, our all-volunteer force is -- in my opinion -- the finest fighting force ever to exist. It is such because of a combination of training, professionalism, and high standards for any number of specialties, from combat to nuclear engineering/technical operations. That said, there are a lot of people of progressive bent that would like to see that force be eliminated, or otherwise degraded. Those points being given, the Secretary of Defense has ordered -- over some valid objections -- all military occupation specialties to females. So, I have one basic question for SecDef Carter: How does this improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the U.S. Armed Forces? After all, that is the bottom line, is it not? That one question does raise a host of sub-questions for me. While the order states open to those who meet the current standards, how long before the standards are changed to ensure diversity? After all, many of those current standards are difficult for females (and a large number of males) to meet. They were set high for a number of reasons, the majority of which come from experience in what is required to physically and mentally meet the demands of that specialty. If they are to be changed, what will be the driver for that change, reality or social engineering? The order also appears to come with a dearth of planning for how to implement this effectively, which often means a number of preventable problems. My question here is if that is considered a bug or a feature? Will the problems be used to create real solutions designed to improve the situation, and the effectiveness and efficiency of our forces to do their job of bringing death and destruction to our enemies, or will it be used to enact further changes to appease the Social Justice Warrior crowd? While I agree with Jonn that many years of study were ignored or wasted, was any review or consideration given to examining the operations of countries that have already allowed females to serve in a variety of combat specialties? While Israel is not alone in this, most have not allowed females into ALL specialties for a variety of reasons. If these were not examined or considered in deciding to open to all, why not? To reiterate for the regular trolls and other idiots: I don't care about the wrapper. I care about competence. I would love to have detailed answers from the SecDef to my questions, but estimate the chances of that are on par with my winning both the PowerBall and MegaMillion lotteries this week. Now, what are your thoughts on this? Continue reading

Edited: More added below, as promised. In examining the data coming out on the terrorist attack in San Bernardino, some quick thoughts and an invitation for discussion (by other than the regular trolls). First, as to the claim that the wife 'radicalized' her husband. Bullshit. I strongly suspect he was radicalized before, and that the marriage was an effort to strengthen that. I hope that competent people are looking into who helped facilitate that, and how. If memory serves, this would not be the first time a wife was chosen to help facilitate terrorist acts. Second, it would appear that they did have a plan, and had primary, secondary, and possibly even tertiary targets planned. They were loaded for bear, and headed somewhere else to do more mayhem when intercepted. Third, as Moe Lane points out (hat tip Instapundit), it seems clear to me that the holiday party was not the primary target, but rather a target of opportunity. No, I am not convinced he left angry and that caused this (too many people there, including one who was sitting with him, said he wasn't angry when he left). Why they went to snap count, however, is not that important, but rather that they moved before plan, off plan -- and I think we dodged a huge bullet by them doing so. Think about it: the number killed by weapons was not nearly as high as it could have been, and the IEDs, which could have put this on par with the Paris attacks didn't work. Did they move ahead of testing/rehearsing stage? It also would appear to suggest that any control working with them was not local. And, yes, right now I do think they had a control. Fourth, who financed this? He made $50k a year in one of the most expensive places to live in the US. On that salary, there is no way he/they could have afforded all the weapons and gear they had. It would seem that they had to have help, on finances if nothing else. Fifth, people did see things before, but were scared to say anything. My own thought is that a lot of effort has been given to vilifying/intimidating people who see something and say something. Gee, think there might be a reason for that? Thank goodness someone did say something after, which led to police intercepting them on the way to a secondary target. There is more, but that's all the time I have right now. Please do sound off in the comments. BTW, Uncle Jimbo has been on a roll on this one, hope to have time to post some links (or that he does so) later this weekend. Edit 1: Nicki at The Liberty Zone had similar thoughts (great minds think alike). If you are not regularly reading The Liberty Zone, you should be. Edit 2: The President will address the nation tonight. Anyone want to start a pool that 1 percent will be about the terrorist incident, and that he will not be able to bring himself to call it Islamist/Islamic/other-term-of-your-choice; and, that 99 percent will be about disarming Citizens via executive order? Edit 3: Uncle Jimbo has been on a roll, appearing on O'Reilly three days in a row! Working to add good links for all three days. Some good food for thought in the following: Day 3 Continue reading

Since it seems to be the thing to do, I am running a sale on all my works on Kindle starting this Friday. For a limited time, the three books in my "A Different View" photography series (A Different View: Travels to Al Qa'im and Beyond , A Different View: Travels with Team Easy, Iraq 2007 , and A Different View: DJ, Doura, and Arab Jabour ) which showcases day-to-day life of the troops in Iraq will be available for just $0.99 cents. My short story "Flight of the Fantasy " will also be available for just $0.99 cents, and my latest short story "Slaughterhouse " will be available for free. You don't have to have a Kindle to read them, you can download a free app for your computer or smart phone. If you have read, or do read them, please do leave an honest review of them. Continue reading

Amazon has grown to become a major part of our lives, to the tune of more than $88 billion in revenue in 2014. Think about that number a minute, and then think about the Amazon Smiles program. This is a program from Amazon that, if you enter Amazon through an Amazon Smile account link, a small percentage of your purchase will go to that charity. Yes, it is a small percentage, but look at that total revenue and think what half a percent of that would be. Right now, small charities -- and I suspect military charities even more so -- are struggling for donations. Shopping Amazon via an Amazon Smile link costs you nothing, but it can provide much needed funds to the charity you find worthy. The more who use it, and especially if you use it all year, the more that charity will get. While I hope you will consider using the Mission: VALOR Amazon Smile link, I ask you to pick the charity of your choice and use that link now, and all year long. It's a small way to make a difference, and a potentially large difference at that without you having to fork out a dime. Continue reading

My friend, AF veteran Ellen Adams, will be on a special episode of Chopped tonight. Please tune in to cheer her, and the other veteran participants, on what looks to be quite a challenge! Premiering Tuesday, November 10th at 10pm – “Military Vets” Veterans of the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard and Navy face off in the Chopped kitchen. In the first round, one of the chefs stumbles upon a brilliant way to treat scalloped potatoes. Precooked meatloaf is the big challenge in the second round. The two final chefs go all out in the dessert round, making very clever sweet treats from a crispy snack and a sweet and tart drink. Host: Ted Allen Judges: Maneet Chauhan, Marc Murphy, Chris Santos Continue reading

There is a lot of speculation that Daesh brought down Metrojet Flight 9268, a Russian civilian airliner, over Egypt. This is both behind the scenes and in the media, and it brings up some interesting points for consideration. First, it brings up the point of what did happen and how that is handled. In the US, airline, railroad, and other similar accidents fall under the National Transportation Safety Board. Yes, they can and have investigated more than airline incidents. One of the best legacy products of the now defunct Aviation/Space Writers association is a booklet called Air Accidents and the News Media. If you can find a copy, it gives a good breakdown of what happens, when, why, and who is authorized to talk at any given point. The actual process used is designed to allow a complete and impartial investigation and to avoid political interference in same. Sadly, the latter is needed as politics do come into play. It has since the early days of the railroads and continues today, and my thoughts on current and recent administrations eagerly coming out with immediate denials of terrorism should be easy to guess. The early, and often completely unfounded, speculation about any accident/incident is not helpful, and flat out wrong. It does, however, give the media and politicians ratings and a chance to grandstand. Getting real data is time consuming, and involves a lot of engineering and non-engineering forensics. It means testing each piece of debris, and often requires that the pieces be, in effect, re-assembled so that a full and accurate reconstruction of events can be developed. These days, it also involves a lot of computer modeling, which is a time-consuming process in and of itself -- and GIGO is very much on the minds of those involved. Those involved via the NTSB and similar agencies around the world tend not to talk or leak, knowing that while pieces may be sensational, how they fit together can provide a very different story. In my personal opinion and experience, the first speculations are often wildly wrong. The mid-phase speculation is more on target. The final report is (at least here with the NTSB) is accurate, fairly complete, and somewhat boring to read even when the results are significant or even spectacular. I will also note, for the conspiracy theorists out there, that I have never seen a final report that was clearly changed or whitewashed -- and trust me, given the hundreds of people that end up involved it would be very hard to keep such an event secret. I will also note that not every country follows our model. We are into that middle period of public speculation, and it is interesting to say the least. While there were early reports of the co-pilot being unhappy with the condition of the aircraft, there is a lot of back channel discussion of involvement by Daesh. This is now coming out in public announcements, and I do find it telling that the UK has stopped direct flights to the UK from the Sinai. This is not, however, definitive by any means. Which leads to a second major bit of food for thought. The Russians (and the Soviet Union before them) tend towards direct action when terrorism is involved. For our older readers, I simply will say Beirut, though there are many other examples. If this was indeed an act of terrorism, I suspect that the apocalpytic cult that is Daesh may well get some of what they seek. Speaking strictly for myself, I will simply say Владимир: Добрый Охота! Your mileage may vary, and if so sound off in the comments. Continue reading

Lawyer, politician, and actor Fred Thompson has passed. He played an instrumental role in the Watergate investigation as chief minority council; went on to serve in the Senate and run for president; and, was a successful actor of film and television -- and much enjoyed in the military community for the clip above. While he did not serve, I can say that he did indeed support the troops and encouraged private efforts to help troops and veterans. He also enjoyed a good cigar, and I plan to have one in his honor. Godspeed. Continue reading

Post previously pinned The FedEx hub in Indianapolis is looking to hire a large number of people (I've heard up to 500). This is part-time work, but comes with full-time benefits including medical, dental, vision, 401k and pension plans, tuition reimbursement, and more. There are opportunities to move up to a variety of other positions (nationwide even) after six months. I will note that the FedEx recruiter Mission: VALOR is working with is a Reservist, and we would like to see as many of these jobs as possible go to our troops and veterans. Please help us spread the word! Continue reading

I'm not only writing fiction these days, but am also doing some experiments. One that falls in both categories is a MilSF short story I have on Kindle for just $0.99. The plan is for this story to be the first in a series that flips between combat and what happens after the troops return home. I hope you will check it out, and feel free to leave honest reviews on this or any of my other works. Continue reading

It doesn't sound nearly so nice phrased that way, does it? It is far more blunt and honest though than the pablum of 'respecting other cultures.' The news has been full of the story, and in particular the case of SFC Martland. My friend Nicki says what needs to be said over at The Liberty Zone. For me, I simply note that, in my opinion, for even an unofficial policy to be as widespread as this requires the willful ignorance of those in command, if not their outright encouragement. For it to become the defacto official policy, it requires acceptance at very high levels. Go read Nicki, and share your thoughts. If you were over there and care to share, please do but you might want to use a non-work & non-personal computer to do so. Continue reading

Mary Katharine Ham has been a friend to Blackfive, and to many of the member authors, almost from the first day of this blog. She was and is a staunch friend to our troops and veterans, and has done a great deal for them -- often quietly. Her support, both direct and via helping a number of veteran charities, is but one way she has walked and not just talked. I believe I can speak for most authors, and say that we were all very happy for her when Jake Brewer came into her life, and became her husband, and the father of a lovely daughter and one child on the way. Like MKH, he too did for others, and was in a bike ride to support a friend with cancer. I regret to report that Jake Brewer was killed yesterday in a tragic accident while participating in a charity bicycle ride. He was 34 years old. MK's post is on Instagram, and she is sharing photos there that give a better view of Jake to us all. On behalf of the authors at Blackfive, I wish to extend our sympathies and sincere condolences to Mary Katharine and her children, and the family of Jake Brewer. There truly are no words at a time like this. I simply add that if there is anything we can do, please do let us know. Please keep them all in your thoughts, prayers, or whatever it is that you do. Continue reading

Guest post by Daniel Burton Ashley’s War by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon At some point while reading Ashley’s War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield, I started to read faster, flipping pages and nearly skimming. It must have been shortly after I realized that Ashley–the title character, but by no means the only female soldier documented in Gayle Tzemach Lemmon’s book–was going to go to Afghanistan to serve on the front lines with special forces and wasn’t going to tell her parents any more than that she would be an “enabler.” They thought she was doing humanitarian work; Ashley was actually participating in raids with U.S. Army Rangers to capture insurgents in the dark of night. As the father of three daughters, it scared the living daylights out of me. If I wasn’t gripped by the book before, I was after this. I couldn’t put the book down, and it was closer to sunrise than it was to sunset when I finally closed Ashley’s War on the last page. Indeed, the entire book is gripping, fascinating reading, and Ashley’s War is a story that should be read by anyone seeking to understand American military policy, as well as the war in Afghanistan. The women Lemmon depicts in the story are admirable, incredible, and inspiring, and they deserve credit for their sacrifices. Ashley’s War documents the creation of Cultural Support Teams by the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, a pilot program to put women on the battlefield to “enable” Green Berets and Army Rangers on sensitive missions in Afghanistan. Simply put, aspects of Afghan culture prevented U.S. Special Forces—comprised entirely of men—from interacting with Afghan women without offending and alienating the population they were sent to protect. Because women in Afghanistan play an important role in the community and were aware of the movement of insurgents, American soldiers missed out on vital intelligence gathering that could have helped their efforts. In contrast, American women are seen as something of a third gender by Afghans, being neither men (and so prohibited from seeing, communicating, or being seen by Afghan women) nor Afghan female. Cultural Support Team members–women–could build relationships with women in ways that men could not. They could go where American men could not. In great detail, Lemmon tells the stories of the women who heard about and applied to join the teams, the rigorous physical testing required of the applicants, and the bonding and friendships that grew during the experience. Lemmon is thorough and detailed in her reporting, relying on first-hand interviews with both the women and their families. The women are tremendous, every bit as brave, courageous and strong as the men they were joining on the front line. Lemmon’s writing is easy to read and understand, and she provides a level of background that allows anyone with any level of understanding about military affairs (or none at all) to read and enjoy. In 2016, the United States moves to full integration of women in the Armed Services. When the history of women in the military is written, the Cultural Support Teams and Ashley’s War may be seen as a critical moment and test in the policy shift. That said, it was hard for me to read Ashley’s War and not experience some reticence about America’s foreign wars in recent years. Do America’s best and brightest need to be spending their best and formative years fighting, bleeding and dying in a faraway land? Has their sacrifice made America more secure? I believe in the men and women that have gone so far and given so much, and I was moved by the realization that far too few of us recognize or acknowledge the enormous burden that those few individuals have carried as a result of the war. Review by Daniel Burton Continue reading