"Don't be dismayed at good-byes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends."
~~Richard Bach
This morning I read that the remains of two missing GI’s who were captured last May have been identified. Mournfully, the families of 25-year old Army Sgt. Alex Jimenez and 19-year old Pvt. Byron W. Fouty were informed on Thursday of the deaths.
My thoughts and prayers are with the families today.
Another victory story from Iraq that the American MSM is not interested in reporting. After all, good news is NO news for them.
Iraqis Lead Final Purge Of Al-Qaeda
Timesonline.co.uk
(hat tip RN)
July 6, 2008
Excerpt
American and Iraqi forces are driving Al-Qaeda in Iraq out of its last redoubt in the north of the country in the culmination of one of the most spectacular victories of the war on terror.
After being forced from its strongholds in the west and centre of Iraq in the past two years, Al-Qaeda’s dwindling band of fighters has made a defiant “last stand” in the northern city of Mosul. [Read more →]
This was pointed out to me by someone who read my good news thread on another site. If you happen to visit icasualties.org and carefully look at the stats for US deaths based on hostile/non-hostile reasons you will note the following:
We have not had one loss due to hostile reasons since June 26! We are on our 11th day with no combat related deaths! Why isn’t the media celebrating this fact? Why are we not screaming this good news from the roof tops? Well, I have my suspicions, but regardless I want to spread the good news where I can.
11-days without one combat related death!
Good work US and Coalition Forces!
Ok, so maybe all of that interest in video games and text messaging really does have its vicarious benefits.
The world’s first unit of digitally networked foot soldiers returns from combat in Iraq this week. Reports have it that the American troops’ controversial “Land Warrior” wearable-node technology has changed in both role and configuration during its 15-month baptism of fire. Indications are that the equipment - slated for disposal by army chiefs just last year - has done well enough that it will now live on. [Read more →]
I didn’t realize that it was a 4th BCT soldier who won the new Jeep Liberty from Operation Gratitude! Wow! Congratulations to Spc. Gallagher, and to all of the Dragoon Raider Brigade. A special welcome home to my wonderful son who is a soldier in this Brigade. It’s wonderful to know their colors are uncased and they are home from their mission!
Soldiers from 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, will be welcomed home during a ceremony Tuesday at Fort Lewis, Wash.
The brigade, known as the Dragoon Raider brigade, was deployed from April 2007 through June 2008.
During the ceremony, the brigade will uncase its colors to signify the completion of its deployment and its return to Fort Lewis. Silver Star awards will be presented to several soldiers during the awards portion of the ceremony.
Prior to the ceremony, representatives from Operation Gratitude and Chrysler will present a 2008 Jeep Liberty to Spc. Michael Gallagher, who received the keys to the sport utility vehicle in Operation Gratitude’s 300,000th care package while he was deployed.
Gallagher designed a mural for the SUV to honor fallen soldiers from his unit, and the customized SUV will be unveiled during the presentation.
I just love these provocative titles. Don’t you?
Apparently there are a lot of pro-censorship guys like Phil Carter, still at work for the Army. In this latest case a certain Lt. G was ORDERED NOT TO BLOG. The story is here, here, and the original is here. Oh, and The Thunder Run also has it. (wave to DavidM.)
BUT, not only was he ordered not to blog … he was then ordered to REMOVE AND DELETE HIS BLOG. We’re lucky that one of his friends archived the entries in question so that you can go read ‘em for yourself. I was a regular reader of Lt. G’s blog, KABOOM. I read the post that got him into hot water. At the time of my initial reading I thought to myself, “The more things change the more they stay the same in the Army.” But it never occurred to me that anyone would take Lt. G’s post as anything but a very, very, glossed over account of a not so atypical day in the life of a rising Officer.
The order to stop blogging for a while? Lame. But no big deal. The order to delete? That’s an abuse of power. And here’s my opinion as a civilian who has been in the Army: The man in Lt. G’s chain of command who ordered this is a POS Pogue who wouldn’t know the pointy end of the spear from his pointy head and should have his leadership “looked into” by JAG.
There. That ought to get me linked to the WaPo Intel Dumpster and Stand-downTo! for sure.
And if that doesn’t then this might - Redleg six, dumping kilobytes and preparing to surrender. Out.
I guess we don’t need political leaders to cause the Army to fail. We’ve still got lots of people like Phil Carter and Wesley Clark to take care of that for us. We’re winning in spite of these people. It amazes me just how good the Army is that it can survive these people.
I love the Army. I really do. I’m trying very hard to get back in. BUT this sort of crap we do not need. It’s weak. It does not support the mission. It supports one individuals ego.
The greatest Army ever to march on the face of the earth doesn’t need this kind of short sighted leadership.
Mr.Hooah!, out.
A private battle made public
Veteran hopes account of war, PTSD struggle helps other troops
By Sean D. Naylor - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jun 25, 2008 12:18:11 EDT(excerpt)
After surviving one of the most vicious firefights in the war in Afghanistan, Capt. Nate Self knew he had to write about it.
Self led a Ranger platoon in a daylong battle on Takur Ghar mountain that claimed the lives of seven U.S. servicemen on March 4, 2002. [Read more →]
Another Haditha Marine has charges dropped against him. The NY Times was sure there when the mud slinging was happening. Too bad they aren’t around to help clean up the mess of the defamation that was done to these Marines. There is one left to go. [Read more →]