Knee Deep in the Hooah!

So, the Olympic torch made it to Tiananmen Square today. I seriously do not know how anything remotely related to the Olympics can be celebrated in the Square where thousands lost their lives for nothing more than protesting the communist government and asking for democracy and reform. I used to believe that the Olympics held a symbolism of hope and good will to mankind. I guess I am wrong. Like so many other things it has become a disembodied symbol that has more to do with money than with the original message it hoped to spread. Do you remember watching the events unfold? I do. I will never forget the one brave man who tried to block the tanks from coming into the square. As much as I abhor the Chinese government, I must say that there are some very courageous souls who live there.

Tiananmen Square is now famous for the 1989 Massacre and for having the world’s Olympic Torch arrive there. Talk about cognitive dissonance at it’s very finest. In China, the Torch is not the only thing burning, unfortunately. Human rights violations are not a thing that ended with the Massacre. They are still happening today. How ’bout they toss a few monks bodies on the Torch to keep it flaming while it’s still there? Disgusting.

I have always had, somewhere on my blog, the saying “do just one brave thing today… then run like hell.” The man who tried to block those tanks did about the bravest thing I ever witnessed, and he did not run that day. His bravery and actions that day are a much closer symbol of what the Olympics have meant to me over my lifetime.

Tags: politics by Claire
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The State of Tennessee has declared March 29 “Vietnam Veterans Day” and this weekend was the first celebration of our new State holiday. I was not able to attend any of the festivities happening in Crossville (where the first celebration was sponsored) due to a sick toddler and a very busy family schedule, but from what I have read it sounds like it was celebrated well.

While watching the local news this morning I saw parades, confetti, flags, bands, and the “welcome home” celebration that these Veteran’s did not get when they came home from the Vietnam War. A reporter asked one of the young children in attendance if she knew why she was there, and the child said “When the Veterans came home they were treated badly, so we are treating them the right way now!” The statement was poignant and right on track.

Continue reading below to hear how one Veteran fought for this day, and now other states are taking up the challenge to declare March 29 as their own day to celebrate our Vietnam Veterans. The following news excerpts are taken from the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

After suffering through name-calling in the early 1970s, and then the years of denial that followed, Roger Rahor finally is ready to own up to his Vietnam veteran status with pride.

The Signal Mountain resident plans to march as a veteran for the first time on Saturday, which marks a first for Tennessee and the nation: the first official Vietnam Veterans Day.

…

“When we came home, not only did we not get a welcome, but we were mistreated,” said Mr. Dunham, who recalls being called a “baby killer” upon his return from the combat zone. “A lot of veterans couldn’t get past it.”

So Mr. Dunham, who was deployed with the Coast Guard, has been working since February 2007 to petition for the new holiday. He got his wish in May 2007, when Gov. Phil Bredesen signed a proclamation declaring March 29, 2008 — exactly 35 years after the country’s last 2,500 troops were withdrawn from South Vietnam — Vietnam Veterans Day.

The proclamation was the first of its kind in the nation, said Mr. Dunham, adding that since then it has spurred a national movement as efforts have been launched in 26 other states to enact similar measures.

…

“It’s through their service that we are reminded once more that to each generation falls the duty of spreading liberty, of protecting democracy and of safeguarding our security,” the governor said during a Veterans Day ceremony last November.

The Proclamation that Governor Bredesen signed to acknowledge the day officially is worded as follows:

WHEREAS, thirty five years ago, on March 29, 1973, the last 2,500 troops were withdrawn from South Vietnam thus ending military involvement in what is now the longest war in our country’s history, and

WHEREAS, it is important and appropriate to honor the men and women who survived and the 58,195 brave souls who fought and died, were never given the respect and gratitude they deserved for serving their country, and

WHEREAS, 1,293 of the names listed on the Vietnam Memorial Wall are from the Great State of Tennessee, let us honor their memory and thank them for their unselfish devotion to duty.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Phil Bredesen, Governor of the state Tennessee, do hereby proclaim March 29, 2008 as

VIETNAM VETERANS DAY
in Tennessee and encourage all citizens to join me in this worthy observance.

…

Mr. Dunham said he expects from 50,000 to 100,000 veterans to attend, more than 600 of them from the Chattanooga area. Some will travel from as far away as Alaska and Hawaii, and one from Australia, he said.

…

Charlie Hobbs, president of the Chattanooga chapter of Vietnam Veterans of America — the largest chapter in Tennessee and third largest in the country — is leading a bus and four trailers to the event. Chapter members plan to set up their Tennessee Vietnam Memorial Wall, which pays tribute to the 1,291 Tennesseans killed in action in Vietnam.

“We’ve got a bond that won’t ever be broken,” Mr. Hobbs said. “Our founding principle is that never again will a generation of veterans abandon another.”

…

“This is going to be the most patriotic thing Tennessee has ever seen,” he said.

Believe me, Tennessee has a bend toward being pretty patriotic as it is, but I can only imagine how beautiful it must have been to see these Veterans, our sons and daughters, finally given the welcome home they deserved 35-years ago. Our Vietnam Veterans fought hard, lost many and came home to face the same! They did not come home and rest, they came home, fought hard and have lost many to the home front battle. I pray that as a Nation we will never allow another Veteran’s mistreatment to go unchallenged. We should always remember Coolidge’s words, that “A Nation which forgets its Defenders will itself be forgotten.”

There are currently other states on board. Here is a list I found on TN City Data page… is your state listed? If not, find out why! This list was posted in December of last year:

The following states are now in the process of going for proclamations making March 29th Vietnam Veterans Day.
Tennessee (the first to celebrate)
Alaska
Arkansas
Arizona
Connecticut
Georgia
Iowa
Indiana
Minnesota
Missouri
Mississippi
Montana
North Carolina
New Jersey
New York
Oregon
Texas
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin

Tags: American Flag, Army, Army Mom Posts, Army Wife Posts, Morale, Troop appreciation, combat, communication, deployment, history, holidays, memorial, military, politics, veterans, well wishes by Claire
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Five for Fighting has a very beautiful tribute video. Take a peek, and grab your tissues.

Tags: American Flag, Army, Islam, Morale, Terrorism, Troop Surge, Troop appreciation, combat, deployment, memorial, military, music, politics, veterans by Claire
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Emma and I often have some of our most enlightening conversations while we are in the car. She has a pretty good set up. I drive her around, and in turn she bosses me around. It’s usually quite funny to me because here’s this little wisp of a girl, strapped snugly into her car seat, telling me that I should “go mommy!” when the light is red. Our conversations are usually full of girlish silliness, which my daughter is very prone to. Sometimes our talks are of what she wants, what she would like to eat for lunch, or what she did at dance class or gymnastics. The other day our conversation took a turn that I was not expecting.

We talk about Michael everyday. He is a part of our family and I have always made it a point to mention him to Emma on daily basis. I did the same for Bryan when he was gone from her for so long. We talked about “papa” like he was home with us. “What would papa want to eat for lunch, Emma?”, and questions like that, often came up in discussions. Emma knows Mike is in Iraq. She told me one time, not too long ago, that “Mike is in a rack!” I tried to help her understand that he was not in a rack, but rather he is in Iraq. “Oh never mind!” I thought to myself, “If the girl wants to believe that her oldest brother is somewhere sitting on a rack then why would I try and educate her about a war zone?” I don’t know what kind of rack she had in mind exactly, but with her limited knowledge I can only imagine she meant a towel rack, a dish rack, or a coat rack.

Then about two weeks ago we were driving to Bryan’s work, and Emma spotted a horse out in a meadow as we drove by. “Mama! I see a horsey!” She was so excited and I asked her what color it was, and it morphed from being a brown horse, to being a brown horse with red and pink hair (a punk rock horse I am to assume). Somehow this talk of horses then morphed into a talk of modes of transportation. This was not a connection I was expecting her to make. She is not old enough, in my mind anyway, to understand that a horse and an airplane are similar in that they are vehicles we use to get from one place to another. So, Emma pipes up and loudly proclaims “Mama, I am going to fly on the airplane!” To which I reply “Oh really now?! And who is going to fly with you?” Emma reassured me that her papa was going to take her onto the airplane. “Oh really? So, you and papa are going on the airplane? And just where are you and papa going, little girl?”

“Mama! Papa is going to fly with me to Iraq and we will get our Michael.” she squealed loudly!

I am glad I had my sunglasses on. How did she come to know and understand that Iraq is a place? How I pray that she will not have to know much more than that, for a very, very long time. How I pray for the day when she can see her Michael walking down that long ramp and into the arms of his anticipating family.

Tags: Army Mom Posts, Army Wife Posts, Shack Pack news, Things I love, deployment, family life, military, redeployment, reunification, veterans, war on terror, well wishes by Claire
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This very interesting article came out a couple of weeks ago, but lo and behold, it was not plastered all over the main stream media. Is anyone surprised by that? Of course the media had been holding fast in deep anticipation for that moment when they could report the number of soldiers killed in Iraq had hit 4000. For 2 weeks before the number rolled over, nearly every article talking about Iraq had to be prefaced with something like “The war in Iraq is nearing its 4000th death…” or some variation on that. The fifth year anniversary has also fueled a lot of antiwar/anti-military protests across the nation — some protests have even resulted in vandalism to recruiting centers.

For all of the hype and insanity that tends to be at the core of the radical protests, look at what they are accomplishing: they are possibly emboldening our enemy. In reality I think it is fair to say that the antiwar crowd could very well be prolonging the war by hindering progress through their indirect (heck in some cases even direct!) support of terrorists and insurgents. I really do not see the radicals in these groups as antiwar any longer. I see them as anarchists with severe personality disorders. If you don’t believe me, just visit Zombietime for photographic and video proof.

The data in the official paper is somewhat limited. I will admit that, but wouldn’t you think that a reasonable response would be to greatly back off of the antiwar hype until we know whether or not they inflict suffering on our troops? Well, a reasonable person maybe, but the likes of Berkeley Code Pink whackos would never back down, even with proof. That’s why it is vital that we, the pro-troop supporters, have got to make our voices heard. We must be loud, clear, and decided. We can not let our voices of support (for the troops AND for their mission) be silenced or drowned out.

Are Iraqi Insurgents Emboldened by Antiwar Reporting?
Economists say their study, with caveats, finds some linkages

By Alex Kingsbury
US News & World Report

Excerpt:

Are insurgents in Iraq emboldened by voices in the news media expressing dissent or calling for troop withdrawals from Iraq? The short answer, according to a pair of Harvard economists, is yes.

In a paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, the authors are quick to point out numerous caveats to their findings, based on data from mid-2003 through late 2007.

Yet, their results show that insurgent groups are not devoid of reason and unresponsive to outside pressures and stimuli. “It shows that the various insurgent groups do respond to incentives and shows that a successful counter insurgency strategy should take that reality into account,” says one of the paper’s coauthors, Jonathan Monten, a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.

The paper “Is There an ‘Emboldenment’ Effect in Iraq? Evidence From the Insurgency in Iraq” concludes the following:

* In the short term, there is a small but measurable cost to open public debate in the form of higher attacks against Iraqi and American targets.

* In periods immediately after a spike in “antiresolve” statements in the American media, the level of insurgent attacks increases between 7 and 10 percent.

* Insurgent organizations are strategic actors, meaning that whatever their motivations, religious or ideological, they will respond to incentives and disincentives.

<SNIP>

Article

Entire Paper in pdf format, here.

Tags: Army, Army Mom Posts, Berkeley, Morale, Terrorism, anti-military, combat, communication, deployment, military, politics, veterans, war on terror by Claire
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I have been amazed more than once since starting this blog and starting our journey into military life at some of the incredible meetings we have had with others. I am not someone who believes in coincidences, so I can only accept these meetings and circumstances as blessings just waiting to be had.

I mentioned once before on this blog that a reader and I began exchanging emails back in August of last year (I believe that’s when we first said “hi” to one another). We were both very OPSEC rigid at the start, and so neither of us were willing to give much information to the other about our particular soldier. The only thing we both knew was we each had a soldier in Iraq and they both served in a Stryker Brigade. That only narrowed it down to a degree.

Over time we began sharing just a tad more information, like first names. Then we finally got confirmation one day, me on my end and her on her’s … we found out through our soldiers that only were they at the same FOB, but they know one another! I think we both were taken back. What were the odds that the two of us would meet through this blog and find out that our guys know one another!? I have never mentioned publicly any of Mike’s Division info, Company info or any detailed information. It was not a coincidence at all. This person has been a very good friend to me, and has been able to support me through some tough times since she knows the more detailed happenings that our guys have gone through, such as the losses they have shared.

I have also corresponded with another reader whose husband had a very similar fracture to Mr. Hooah!’s and had just finished OCS. We joke that the two of them were probably hobbling past one another in the same hospital as they were recovering from their injuries. It would take pages for me to explain all of the uncanny parallels that this new found friend and I share. Similar backgrounds professionally, other similarities between our husbands, and much more. No doubt that she is, indeed, another blessing. I have a few other stories similar to those two that I could share, but there is another story that is too incredible to pass up.

When Mr. Hooah! joined the military there was a write up in our local paper. Someone who heard our story contacted someone she knew at the local paper. Originally there was to be a female reporter who would come to our house for the interview and she would write the story up. A day or two before the interview, she called to let me know that a gentleman from the paper would be coming out in her place. She reassured me that he would be the best reporter for the story since he had a lot more experience writing up military related stories. We were fine with that. Ultimately our goal was for the paper to tell our story in hopes that others who were interested in joining at an older age would realize they could do it! We also wanted the community to know what a good job our local recruiters do with new recruits.

The reporter and the recruiter showed up the morning of the interview. It all went well and the write up was nice. So, it sounds like that is the end of the story, right? Keep reading.

I joined the YMCA the very week that Bryan left for boot camp. I did this to help me deal with the stress of both guys’ deployments and to get myself back to a reasonable state of health. For a long time I didn’t “know” many of the other people who worked out at the Y, but there were many familiar faces — they were the regulars, like me, who come on a regular basis. Over time I started to get to know more people, and several of the moms from my MOPS group began surfacing too. Then one day I saw the reporter who interviewed us at the Y. When I saw him there it jogged my memory that the recruiter had called me and asked if I would be willing to talk with this reporter and his wife if they had any questions. He had decided to possibly pursue an OCS commission.

When I saw Cliff (the reporter) I asked him how he and his wife were doing and told him that if they ever wanted to talk with me they were welcome to call anytime. I didn’t realize then that they have two very sweet girls who had been playing with my Emma this whole time.

Fast forward to the broken hip insanity and Bryan coming home. One day we were at the Y together and we see Cliff. Bryan gives him our phone number and email address. Cliff mentions the next time we see him that he had talked with his wife, Kristen, and they wanted to know if we would like to come to supper one night. We accepted the invitation and had a very delightful night and we knew right away we had made some quality friends. Emma had such a wonderful time that she thanked Cliff and Kristen for the “wonderful party!” She now refers to their girls as “my pretty girls!” She adores them both.

Guess what? Cliff left for Ft. Benning last week, and he starts OCS soon. He is prior service as a Marine, and Kristen is here for now. She is doing a great job holding down the fort, planning those moves, selling the house, and watching all of the pieces of the puzzle graciously fall into place as her faith deepens. It’s a wonderful thing to witness, and they are a wonderful family to pray for.

It was no coincidence that Bryan joined when he did and that the first reporter could not keep her appointment with us. It is no coincidence that Kristen’s smile was already familiar to me, as I had seen it before at the Y, and Emma knew the girls. It was no coincidence that a reader of this blog wrote to me about her Stryker soldier and became a much needed friend — only for us to find out that our soldiers are friends too while in Iraq together. It’s no coincidence that I wrote a summation of our year at the same time that another Officer’s wife read my blog and heard that my husband and her husband had more in common than attend OCS at Benning. It is all too uncanny for me to accept as mere circumstances. Blessings are a much better word to describe them, for sure.

When you ponder the world it can be very overwhelming to contemplate its size and the number of people who inhabit it. The world seems infinitely huge. Within it is contained moments of finite familiarity when a stranger really does wind up being a long lost friend or relative, and when a scary and unfamiliar place suddenly feels like home.

Congratulations Cliff and Kristen! God speed to you both, and Hooah!

Tags: Army, Army Mom Posts, Army Wife Posts, Morale, Shack Pack news, communication, deployment, faith, family life, military, prayers, updates, well wishes by Claire
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We are under a snow shower warning for today. I woke up to a heavy frost and 26-degree temperatures. It’s quite the contrast to last week’s 70+-degree weather and the sunshine.

Apparently the children who attend the school in Diyala, where we sent the school supplies, wanted to draw us some pictures. Mike is sending them my way and I will share them with you all when I get them (and then pass them on to the appropriate people). I am so touched that they did that, and I am can’t wait to see what they drew. There are few things in this world that are more touching than a special picture penned by a child.

Mike reported that he was able to go back to that school and they were able to supply the school with some cisterns for water fountains. Next time we speak I will see if there are any more school supply needs and I will let you all know what they request.

I am leaving for the gym in a bit, and then I plan on coming home and torturing myself relentlessly with an SQLdatabase that does not want to cooperate. I am sure if you asked the database it would say I am the problem, but if it would just cooperated with me then things would be great.

Keep your eyes open for some new cartoons. I plan on posting a few this week. I hope you all have a wonderful Monday morning. Happy Spring Break, if that’s you lot this week.

Tags: Shack Pack news by Claire
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I hope that everyone has a most blessed and restful Sunday and a wonderful Easter. I thought I would leave you all with a couple of chuckles tonight.

First, one of my all time favorite Easter cartoons:

And, if you have a moment, please help me caption the following picture. I can’t decide if these bunnies are in a get away car or on a road trip… you probably have some even better ideas… Caption it, please:

(Caption This!)

Here’s my lame attempt:

“Little did Marge and Mavis know that they had unwittingly hopped
into a car with none other than the notorious bank robber Bugsy Malone!”

I hope you all have a wonderful time with your family. Rest and God bless. I will “see” you all on Monday.

Tags: family life, holidays, well wishes by Claire
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