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Thursday, June 25, 2009

Guest Blog Post, From A'stan...

Yes'm, old friends is always best, 'less you can catch a new one that's fit to make an old one out of.
~~~~~Sarah Orne Jewett


This morning I had a weird dream during one of those half awake, half asleep moments in a lull of the 10 minute snooze fest. After a really late night, I'm surprised I heard the alarm at all. It was so wonderful and comfortable to be snuggled up in bed. I didn't want to give in to the need to ready myself for another day at work while there was much better things to do at home.

But back to my dream...

It's been said that dreams are subconscious thoughts that you've had during the day that didn't get fully resolved. Normally I don't remember too much of what my brain is processing while I'm asleep. With some of my thoughts, I reckon that's a good thing.

Anywhoo, today I remembered one... I dreamt I received an email from a friend (I'll call him "Toad"). While getting emails from him isn't uncommon, I hadn't heard from him in what to me seemed a very long while. You see, Toad is stationed in Afghanistan doing what he does best. That just happens to be piloting helicopters. Over the last month or so, several emails had gone unanswered. Yep, I know it's a war zone. But me, being the worry wart I am, thought something untoward might have happened. I had checked all the official DoD notices without seeing his name on any of them. Yep, extremely thankful on eliminating that possibility!
After finally coaxing my reluctant body out of bed, starting our coffee, etc., etc., I checked my gmail. And there it was. An email from Toad, just like I remembered seeing in my dream. How weird!! Yet how sweet it was to read that everything was okay with him.

Some time back, Toad had made mention that he might do a guest post here on the blog. His email this morning was his follow up on that, giving me the "good to go" green light to post partially or all. One tiny problem, it was in Army 'power point' format. If I could figure out how to get that on here, I'd be set. Alas, I couldn't. Everyone knows how technically challenged I am. So I'll have to do what I'm good at... cut and paste. Okay, it was a bit more difficult than that. At least I got most everything off of the power point slides.

I do hope y'all enjoy his pictures and commentary.


Direct From The 'Stan- A Trip To Bamyan, Another Side of Afghanistan...






















And so it goes......

Sunday, June 21, 2009

'Tis Fathers' Day...

Old as she was, she still missed her daddy sometimes.
~~~~~Gloria Naylor



Words can no longer be spoken. Hugs can no longer be exchanged. Kisses can no longer be given. No more picking up the phone to hear your voice. Never again to hear "I love you, too." No baking of your pineapple upside down cake, nor cooking your favorite foods. None of those things we would do on this special day or any day given the chance.

But... there will always be love in our hearts for the man we called Daddy.







And so it goes......

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Rock Steady...

Chance is always powerful, let your hook always be cast; in the pool where you least expect it, there will be a fish.
~~~~~Ovid










And so it goes......

Monday, June 15, 2009

Monday's News From A'stan...

Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to.
~~~~~George Seaton



General Stanley McCrystal takes command of NATO-ISAF in Afghanistan.

...In a brief ceremony in the headquarters of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), he officially took the charge of the entire foreign forces, operating in Afghanistan.

He landed Sunday in HQ ISAF in Kabul where he commands about 30,000 troops from other NATO allies...

~~~~~

126 Attacks in a week.


...Insurgency has increased by 40 per cent in Afghanistan over the past week with the Taliban carrying out 126 attacks across the country

Afghan Interior Ministry said 78 people including 30 policemen were killed and more than 170 were wounded in the string of insurgencies over the last seven days.

Afghan Interior Minister, Mohammad Hanif Atmar said the attacks in Afghanistan are being schemed and masterminded outside the country...


~~~~~



Afghan and Coalition Forces to safeguard Helmand.

...Afghan and coalition force will safeguard Helmand borders where militants easily commute between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Helmand governor said

Provincial governor, Mohammad Gulab Mangal told a news conference that presence of foreign terrorists have increased in Helmand.

Governor Mangal told reporters in Kabul that after the Pakistani army offensive in Swat and Buner, foreign national terrorists entered Afghan soil through Helmand...


~~~~~


Afghan President Hamid Karzai to visit Russia for Shanghai Summit.

...Afghan President left for Russia Monday morning to attend a multilateral summit to discuss counter terrorism and counter narcotics

Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit will be held Tuesday in Ekaterinburg, a major city in the central part of Russia where leaders of many countries including Pakistan and Iran will participate...


~~~~~

ISAF paratroopers discover weapons caches

KABUL, Afghanistan (June 15) - International Security Assistance Force soldiers (ISAF) have confiscated two insurgent weapons caches in eastern Afghanistan, 11-12 June .
...ISAF soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment found a cache of weapons and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) making material, in Khost province...
~~~~~

I'm sure that there is more news from and about what is happening in Afghanistan. Are you looking for it? If not, you should be. But that's just my own personal opinion.

I'm happy to note that MudPuppy is back on the web. His time in "the suck" is about up though. Drop by to see what he's been writing and tell him "Hey". Some of his stories are sure to make you laugh out loud. Okay, maybe it was just my weird sense of humor. Still... go visit him, please.




And so it goes......

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Forever Long May She Wave...



Your
flag and my flag,
And how it flies today
In your land and my land
And half a world away!
Rose-red and blood-red
The stripes forever gleam;
Snow-white and soul-white -
The good forefathers' dream;
Sky-blue and true-blue, with stars to gleam aright -
The gloried guidon of the day, a shelter through the night.
~Wilbur D. Nesbit, Your Flag and My Flag










Please remember all those who willingly gave their lives to ensure that Our Flag will forever be seen as the emblem of freedom.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

PSD~Failure Is Not An Option...

Smarts and action are on the same side of the equation where the sum is success.
~~~~~Garrett Hazel


Reckon I should clarify the acronym "PSD", in mil-speak it's Personal Security Detachment. Basically it's a team of Our Guys who are tasked with the security of a "higher up". Ya know, one of the Big Boys in Charge.

The Marines of the 2nd MEB (Marine Expeditionary Brigade) that were tasked with the PSD for General David Petraeus, took their job very seriously. But I happen to think that Marines take any job they are given the same way.

Just the other day, I was speaking to my eldest brother as our family waited for our Momma to have a medical procedure completed, he said his 2nd son, a Marine, was concerned he wouldn't be given the security clearance he needed to deploy with his particular MOS. He was prepared to jump through any hoops deemed necessary to insure that wouldn't be the case. His CO investigated and informed him he needn't worry. He's turning into a fine young man as he starts his journey in the Marine Corps.

But I digress... continue on to read why "Failure is not an option."

Personal security from an outside perspective

By Cpl. Aaron Rooks, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade
Jun 12, 2009 - 6:55:24 PM



... Blackanthem Military News

Sgt. Jace Aguilera, motor transport chief, Personal Security Detachment, Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan, stands watch while Army Gen. David Petraeus, commander, U.S. Central Command, meets with MEB-Afghanistan leaders here May 25. The PSD Marines patrol different, interconnected areas to minimize the possibility of threats getting anywhere near the secured area. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Aaron Rooks).
CAMP LEATHERNECK,
Helmand Province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan -
The sun was high and the heat was at its peak. The sound of rocks crackling beneath service members' boots, the noise of construction work, and the voices were nowhere to be heard.

It was as if time came to a sudden halt.

Off in the distance, various Marines walked back and forth making sure the undisturbed area stayed that way. Each person or vehicle that came close to them was immediately turned away, with no questions asked and no explanations given.

After a few minutes a convoy arrived at the recently-deserted location. In one of the vehicles were Army Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command, and Brig. Gen. Larry Nicholson, commanding general of Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan.

Petraeus stepped out of the vehicle and proceeded to meet with the brigade's senior leadership. The Marines, still silently pacing nearby, acted as if nothing had changed. They continued moving back and forth from one spot to another, looking for anything or anyone who posed a threat.

"Our perspective is always outboard," said Sgt. Roy Price, platoon sergeant, Personal Security Detachment, MEB-Afghanistan. "Our mission is to identify any possible threats and negotiate them long before they ever reach the person we're protecting. We're focused on our mission, not the visitor."

The area remained silent, motionless and empty. The Marines on the ground patrolled different areas that interconnected with each other, while other Marines watched from elevated positions to eliminate any possible threat.

"Once the area is secured, you can see a threat coming from 30 meters away because there is nobody else around," said Price, an Allentown, Pa., native. "As for the Marines, they're focused and prepared to execute."...

Cpl. Aaron Rooks has more he has written about this special group of Marines. Please be sure to do the clicky click thing on the title link to finish this story and check out a few more photo's that accompany it.

You won't be sorry you did.




And so it goes......