Monday, July 28, 2008

Good Riddance

President Bush is stepping up! The world is coming to an end. He approved the execution of an Army PVT Ronald A. Gray. Gray was convicted of committing two murders, an attempted murder and three rapes. The victims included a civilian and two members of the Army. The crimes were committed in the late 1980s.

This makes me sick…

“The court-martial panel convicted Gray of:

_Raping and killing Army Pvt. Laura Lee Vickery-Clay of Fayetteville on Dec. 15, 1986. She was shot four times with a .22-caliber pistol that Gray confessed to stealing. She suffered blunt force trauma over much of her body.

_Raping and killing Kimberly Ann Ruggles, a civilian cab driver in Fayetteville. She was bound, gagged, stabbed repeatedly, and had bruises and lacerations on her face. Her body was found on the base.

_Raping, robbing and attempting to kill Army Pvt. Mary Ann Lang Nameth in her barracks at Fort Bragg on Jan. 3, 1987. She testified against Gray during the court-martial and identified him as her assailant. Gray raped her and stabbed her several times in the neck and side. Nameth suffered a laceration of the trachea and a collapsed or punctured lung.



Gray should be executed…absolutely a worthless human being.

Read the article here.

Nonsense.

More filming for the documentary is starting up on Thursday and going until August 10th. I can not wait. Army, Marines, Navy...maybe Air Force. Stops in Albany, DC (really excited about the women/stops in DC ), NYC, Michigan and California (at some point). It is all coming together nicely and has been a ton of work...been reading a lovely 186 page RAND report for the past couple of days. Hopefully, I'll be able to post photos/video of the whole process soon.

What else?

Getting tattooed in Boston tomorrow. Anyone from Boston read this thing?

My summer class ends on Wednesday! I can not believe it. I loved this class and met a few good people. My greatest accomplishment would have to be getting an A+ on a lead paragraph I wrote for a potential story.

I don't know...I'm excited/nervous for the next few weeks. Ahh!

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Does the military have the right to control graphic images?

Freelance photographer, Zoriah Miller took photos of Marines KIA and posted them on his website. He has now been forbidden to work in Marine Corps in Iraq. "Maj. Gen. John Kelly, the Marine commander in Iraq, is now seeking to have Mr. Miller barred from all United States military facilities throughout the world."

Read the NY times article here.

Here’s the argument...

Technically publishing photos of dead Soldiers is not barred under the “embed” rules...however, out of respect for the fallen Soldiers and their families should these photos be published? Or is this just our government and our military attempting to control journalist? Censorship at its best? Does the public have a right to view such photos? Do we even want too? Would opponents of the war exploit images of fallen Soldiers? I personally do not want opponents of the war plastering images of dead Soldiers everywhere...doesn't sit well with me. On the other hand...I believe the public has become desensitized to the same tired video/photos of Soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan. It is always Soldiers with weapons in hand, running up and down the street...that is it. It is useless imagery...says nothing...means nothing...effects no one. So I'm up in the air with this one. On one hand, I do not want dead Soldiers photos exploited by people for personal gains but I believe the public should really see the effects of war. What if you flipped on the news and saw something besides just a random number…some news reporter wouldn’t just be blurting out 11 Soldiers killed by an IED, photos would be attached. Dead Americans. Would it compel us to do something? Pay more attention? Would the war suddenly be reported more? Or would it have the opposite effect…would we cringe, feel sick to our stomachs, force the war further out of our minds…would we turn off our Tvs all at the same time…and neglect reality? Maybe we should start with something this administration has barred, photos of flag-draped coffins. 4,000 and counting.


*This posted is dedicated to Patrick. My professor emailed everyone in my class my blog address...and Patrick emailed me this afternoon and "half expected" to see a reaction to this NY times article. Here ya go Patrick.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

Congress is holding its first hearing in 15 years! on the don't ask, don't tell policy. What do you all think? It is appropriate to bar bisexuals, gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military? Can we afford to even do this anymore? If gays were finally allowed to serve openly in the military, do you think they would join?

I say this policy is outdated and needs to be abolished. I knew several women in basic training that were gay…a few males…served in Iraq with several gay Soldiers also. We were one big happy family…its 2008…get over it. This isn’t your grandfathers Army anymore.

Here is an article that appeared in Time magazine today.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Annual Training.

I've been at my unit for the past two weeks (I'm sitting here now blogging...I'm really surprised I can get on my blog via a military computer. I wasn't able to get access a few months ago), and working on getting things together for the documentary. Right now I'm searching for studies/articles regarding women in combat, women in military, women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, sexual harassment and trauma, etc. I've come across a few studies and tons of articles. Figured I'd post a few of them...

* An article titled "Body Mass Index and Disordered Eating Behaviors Are Associated with Weight Dissatisfaction in Adolescent and Young Adult Female Military Recruits", appeared in Military Medicine; Feb2008, Vol. 173 Issue 2, p138-145, 8p.

Highlights: So the objective is..."To examine factors associated with weight dissatisfaction, a risk factor for eating disorders, among female Marine recruits. Methods: A diverse adolescent/young adult sample of 2,157 female recruits completed a questionnaire upon entering Marine Corps training. Weight dissatisfaction was the main variable of interest. Results: Body mass index (BMI), disordered eating history, and worry about meeting military "weight" were related highly to weight dissatisfaction. Women with BMIs near the upper limit of the Marine Corps weight standard (23.5 kg/m²) reported the highest rates of weight dissatisfaction. Those who reported vomiting, binging or pill use, or being worried about "making weight" were four and five times, respectively, more likely to report weight dissatisfaction. Conclusions: New female Marine recruits with higher BMIs, disordered eating histories, and worries about "making weight" are significantly more likely to be weight dissatisfied. Such findings may identify those at risk for developing eating disorders when exposed to strict military weight standards.

"Military weight standards have come under increasing scrutiny
as the general population in the United States becomes more overweight. A recent study showed that 43% of 17- to 20-year-old adolescent and young women in the general
population were over the maximum allowable weight to join the military."

I have the opposite problem. When I joined I was a healthy 17 year old...I'm 5'2" and at the time of joining weighed about 117lb. However, once I got into basic training my weight jumped. I got to probably around 130lb. Did I eat a lot? Not more then the other Soldiers...maybe I did like breakfast a little too much but I just packed on muscle. When I got home my weight dropped back down. Fast forward a few years later...deployed to Iraq and what do you know? Got back up around 130-132lb. And I didn't even eat breakfast! I lived on cheese sandwiches (not a lot of vegetarian options) and whatever else I could come up with. My arm muscles were big...my ass got huge...total nightmare. I remember I got his letter/rap song from some male Soldier who saw me "around base". He talked about my thighs and my ass in the letter (the letter was about four pages long and hand delivered to me on a Sunday morning). I was blown away. It was embarrassing...I was like; does he realize I'm a white girl? White girls don't necessarily embrace their thickness. Asshole. My roommate thought it was hilariously and then we decided we should remove our names from our door, so no one else could stroll up and express their unwanted feelings towards us. Anyways, came back home and my weight dropped quickly...112lb. I pass the Army weight standards.

Next...

* A commentary that appeared in Off Our Backs by Krista Donaldson titled, "Is It Time For G.I. Jane?"

Alright so now we have a "warrior, the peace activist, the mother, the team-playing American, the safely middle-class white girl, the justice fighter" feminist who really likes the movie G.I. Jane. But she just can't figure out what to make of women in combat. Donaldson is excited..."the thought of women charging into special operations and combat alongside males sounds like the equality we have been fighting for. With the United States warring in Iraq and Bush at the helm, the armed services are ripe for feminist progression. The question arises-is representation in war the kind of equality we want?" I guess it is safe to say I assumed feminist would support females in the military...be the ones to embrace our accomplishments stateside as well as in Iraq and Afghanistan. I would like to remind Donaldson and other feminist...you don't necessarily get to hand pick the type of progress you desire...right now, progress is being made…glass ceilings are being shattered…but it is taking place in a war zone and it is being handed to you whether you like it or not. However, I do realize feminist have the power to decide "how far" they really want to take this. I guess one has to dissect the situation females are in. Throw war aside for a minute...pull out the female Soldiers, look at what they're accomplishing and overcoming and then decide if it worthy enough for feminist support.
Then Donaldson says this… “What’s wrong with a draft?...The Iraq war is being fought by poor people, those living in rural places, and people whom, for whatever reason, the option of joining the military sounded good.”
For the record, I fully support a draft. Say what you want. If it gets people motivated to do something, to throw up their arms and say enough is enough…I think that is what we might need. Put a little fear in people…shake things up…feel uncomfortable.
However, I do not support what Donaldson said… fought by poor people? Living in rural places? Give me a break. This myth has been debunked by studies and the statement as a whole is completely ignorant.
Donaldson ends her commentary by stating… “If the world had more women in decision-making positions, international conflicts would be different. Until then, I am left asking a lot of questions, writing a lot of letters and cheering for G.I. Jane.”
Does “G.I. Jane” really want someone like this cheering for her? (I hope she doesn’t think all women in the military look like G.I. Jane, she might be disappointed to find out some of us have long hair, love handles, didn’t grow up on a farm, have some extra cash, and joined the military because we wanted to better ourselves and do something for our country.)

Next...(last one I promise)

*I found a study that appeared in the Journal of Women’s Health titled, “The Mental Health of U.S. Military Women in Combat Support Occupations.”

Brief rundown of the study:

“The proportion of women in the U.S. military is increasing, and they are being selected into jobs that are more combat related. However, the mental health effects of working in combat support occupations among military women have not been previously evaluated.”

The study followed active-duty enlisted Navy and Marine Corps women in combat and noncombat support positions for two years between January 1994 and August 2001. RESULTS? Women in combat support occupations were found to be significantly less likely to be hospitalized for a mental disorder than women in all other military occupations. Also older women were slightly more likely to have a mental health hospitalization compared with women in the youngest age category (19 years and younger). Interesting. During the 18-month period, 1.3% of women in combat support occupations were hospitalized for a mental health disorder, compared with 2.2% of women in noncombat support occupations. Some studies have indicated that women working in nontraditional, male-dominated occupations have “more effective coping methods and experience less strain” compared with women in traditional occupations. What does this study suggest? Women working in combat support occupations, in comparison with women in other military occupations, were not at a higher risk for mental health problems. Explanation? Women know what they are getting themselves into…for the most part. If a woman volunteers or is selected to enter a combat support occupation she is generally more mentally prepared for her task and physically fit.

It is about time I came across a study like this. There needs to be more!

Monday, July 21, 2008

Soldiers Are Shooting Pigs.

I get emails from VetVoice all the time (thanks guys!) and this one caught my attention..."Army had soldiers in the 25th Infantry Division shoot live pigs and then treat their injuries during a training exercise last week." Maj. Derrick Cheng, spokesman for the 25th Infantry Division said the training is "to teach Army personnel how to manage critically injured patients within the first few hours of their injury,"

WHAT?!

Say what you want...maybe some think this is a really great learning experience, realistic and high-speed. But there is no way in hell I would ever do this. I do not think this is justified and not to mention the toll it would take on the Soldiers mentally. (And please don't give me any shit..."Soldiers are suppose to be killers blah blah blah." If the pig isn't coming after them with an RPG or weapon, I'm sure shooting the animal would be difficult.) I would not inflict any pain on a human being or an animal if it wasn't in the name of self-defense. Anyone in the Army knows that we practice first aide on those beat-up dummies and throw a couple bandages on them and call it a day or stab one another with needles attempting to learn how to be a good combat life saver...maybe this is not totally efficient training but there has to be a medium!

Being a vegetarian for over five years and against animal testing, etc. I just find this to be absolutely absurd and tasteless. Poor pigs.

PETA has to be having a field day with this. I wonder is Pamela Anderson is going to wear anti-army shirts now.

Check out the post on VetVoice.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

White-power groups have recruited 203 veterans...

"extremist leaders have historically favored recruiting active and former military personnel for their knowledge of firearms, explosives, and tactical skills and their access to weapons and intelligence in preparation for an anticipated war against the federal government, Jews, and people of color.”

Read the article.

Monday, July 14, 2008

Quick Fact.

In May 2008, Obama raised $21,889,522.

In May 2008, McCain raised $21,393,773.

Thank you Opensecrets.org.


UPDATE!

Obama raised $52 million in June, while McCain raised $22 million.

read.

Generation Kill?


Who watched it last night? I was stuck at work. How was it?

Friday, July 11, 2008

Two Soldiers Found and One Missing...and Other News.


The bodies of Army Sgt. Alex Jimenez and Pvt. Byron W. Fouty have been identified in Iraq. They were kidnapped during an ambush in May 2007.

Read the article here.

A female Soldier based at Ft.Bragg is missing. What is going on at Ft.Bragg?

Why do Soldiers re-enlist? The Baghdad Bureau: Iraq From the Inside, (This blog is produced in Baghdad by the Times staff) write of the 1,200 Soldiers who re-enlisted on July 4th and their reasons for doing so. My favorite is Bryna Morris.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Bored at work?

I am. I've been searching the internet for hours and reading "Co-Ed Combat" by Kingsley Browne. I came across a link on MSNBC..it's a free for all...what do you think about the war? It is titled, "Iraq: Five Years Later." It is so entertaining.
I'm only up to page ten (there are 938) but here are some highlights!

Here is the link if you're also bored.

-First, there is no war. Only congress can declare war after being asked to do so by the President of the United States. If I recall correctly, that has not been done to date. Second, there is no front in Iraq so where are the troops going and what is their objective. So it seems to me, its another Vietnam and we all know how that turned out. Congress didn't declare that a war either. I support all the troops there, but not there function. We invaded that country under a false premise. We have become the Japanese and this was not a good Pearl Harbor.

-I do agree, there really is no "war". Because in order to have war, you must be fighting someone. And who is it that our soldiers are fighting? And honestly, what really bugs me, is that the President himself can stand there and say that he will not let any of the troops come home until they "succeed". Its like telling a kindergartener that they can't go out to recess until they've finished their work. I mean, come on. That just sounds like a serious slap in the face to our troops. They've had NO GUIDANCE whatsoever in this so-called "war". Sadly, joining the military has now become a fear rather than an act of patriotism.

-Its funny really.... I really think Iraq was better off with Saddam in power.... We went to Iraq for oil and that alone and yet we can even get it... The Shitties, Muslims, and Kurds mined you all bitter rivals... are working together by coordinating roadside bomb attcks everyday... What everyone fails to realize once the US leaves a civil war will begin...... It in the forseeable future and it has to happen..... What bush did was outright wrong and I consider a Mass Murder by sending our troops into harms way to get killed over oil..... My cousin and a friend have served over in Iraq and I damn well know what is said on the t.v. is not what is really going on.... My nieghbor severed two tours in iraq and both times had a roadside bomb explode in his convoy.... He told me the soilders that are injured don't ask for help no.... They let them die on the street because there is nothing they can do..... Its pathetic how we let Bush into office twice.... We were on something that day... Barack Obama will get us out of this mess...

And if you vote for Mccain.... he wants to have troopsin Iraq for 100 hundred years..... We have our own dictator that we need to get out our county's lead..... God bless the troops and thank you for laying your lifes on the line....

-I'm enlisted in the United States Army as an Infantryman. I will be deployed soon to Iraq. I am scared, but I'm more than happy to serve my country with honor. In my mind I believe with drawling from Iraq would be foolish. It is a necessity we stay and fight for the win. The men and women fallen in combat have given so much. They have paid the ultimate sacrifice for every American. I believe many people have forgotten what happened on September the 11th, 2001. The children, women, men, families that ended with disaster. This is why we are at War. In the end I am ready to give my life in combat. All I ask is that you support us (the troops) with all your might. It really helps to see the country I fight and may die for, supports my brothers and I. The presidential elections coming are vital in winning the war in Iraq. We MUST not withdraw now! The enemy is standing by waiting for the democrats to win. The enemy knows if Hilary or Obama accomplishes victory they will have the upmost opportunity to re-establish their strength in Iraq and overtime have the power to launch attacks on United States soil. Just remember all the sacrifices the American people and soldiers have given, don't let it be for nothing. Thankyou for your time. :)

-This war was sold to this nation and the rest of the world by a lie. It started from people from the sr. bush administration the so called patriot who divided this nation with hate,race, and mostly class. It is not the rich kid that is dying it is the children of the innocent american who took the word of fear brain washed in to them by some greedy self centered bad execuse for human being. What would the forefathers' of this nation would say in there grave. A governor from Texas who stole the election and the so called congress who let him kill innocent people from here all the way to the middle east. They had a word for them It is called treson. The enemy we have is from inside and we call the our leaders.

-What do "The Surge" and "Operation Phoenix" in the Vietnam War have in common? The deaths of thousands of hard-core killer jihadists. Anyone with any sense knows that the Iraq War's hidden strategy is the luring of thousands of Jihadists into Iraq from all over the Middle East and elsewhere so that we can kill them there. This is fact, itself hidden by the non-release of jihadists killed, just as in the Vietnam War when when certain "targets" (usually Viet Cong and North Vietnamese leaders) were killed or assassinated. History will show that the Iraq War, seen as part of an overall anti-terrorist strategy, was not only worth it, it was one of the most intelligent (although secret) military and anti-terrorist strategies ever conceived. Bury your political agendas and emotions. Think rationally about it.

-As someone who is currently on his third deployment to Iraq and taking some precious time to read all of your thoughts. I am staggered by the utter disregard some of you are showing for the people of Iraq. As a nation we as Americans have a responsibility for our fellow man that goes beyond the spending of money. We are the wealthiest nation on the face of the earth, and no matter what reasons drove our leaders it is our responsibility to look beyond money and be willing to extend for All time the Freedom that we so readily take for granted. And by the way, if it comes down to it I will come back as long and as often as it takes to see that the efforts of my brothers and sisters who have fought and died do not go to waste. W.W.J.D


You are an american hero, and none of us posting on these boards who have not served in combat are your equal. I honor your service sir, and will continue to do everything I can to support your and yours in your noble efforts to ensure that the Iraqi people have a chance at a secular and peaceful nation.

We cannot quit now, we are beginning to get the upper hand on the jihadi's(our true enemies). Leaving now can only strengthen them, and unleash a horrendous genocide within that nation.

Simply put this is the most important issue in the most important election cycle in American History. I Respect and am inspired by many of the words of Barrack Obama. But on this one issue, this singular issue of our times, John Mccain is the only choice.

-You go ahead and keep wondering. My fellow troops and I will try our best to keep your *** safe. Maybe get some real-world experience in our jobs, to continue the strongest military presence the world has ever know. And just maybe help a country, once enemy, now ally, be able to get beyond a dictatorship that kills & tortures thousands every year. And while you are asking about Bush's private agenda, maybe you could see that it should have been an American Agenda 15 years ago to act.

-You are an American hero and WWJD? He would support our troops but hate the war, because war is the sinfulness of man

-We were already hated by the arab world before we set foot over there. We have gotten a bloodthirsty tyrant out of executive office of a country where his own countrymen hate and despise him. He took great joy in killing just for the heck of it with no regard or remorse whether it be outsiders or his own followers. I believe that this war, though we sacrifice like in every war, is worth the cause. I have several friends and family that are serving in this war. I to am fixing to deploy there myself and feel strongly for the motives for which I joined and am proud to serve. Though war is sad and we lose many great soldiers, that's life. But we can't quit fighting. If we didn't attack when we did, more attacks on us would be imminent. We had to counterattack in response to their cowardliness offense on us. And all these professors that sit in their comfortable little offices that don't know what on God's green earth they're talking about, but they think they do because they have their, PHD or some kind of degree from reading and studying a book and no hands on, real life experience, only the fiction or scenarios they read, they think that makes them an "expert" and they say, "We should never have gone over there. It was a bad call on our part. Blame Bush. It's all his fault. And it's every citizen that voted for him's fault. Bush should've stayed in the USA and let them bomb and kill our very friends and family that we love and care about. People that we've known our whole lives. It's Bush's fault. They wouldn't have come over here." Yes they did. 9/11. New York. Washington. Penn. Or did everybody forget that??????? Seems like everybody has forgotten about 9/11. About what our country went thru that terrible day. So yes, I VERY STRONGLY agree that this war is worth the cause. Instead of fighting amongst ourselves, we should all be on the same side. Because arguing about Bush and his administration and the downfalls of USA will not solve the problem.

-The war in Iraq has ended the economy and wellbeing of Americans...This has been by far the biggest error in the history of USA...An honorable country which this generation has not been touch by a break in the economy, we just heard from relatives about the depression...this is worse! People did not recognized an unprepared president for the task of first world leader...just a cowboy with a 91 IQ those are my specialty in the school system as ESE! Americans lets start making our homework when placing a ballot!Are we better off because of the war?...check the mortages, the banks conditions, the stock market, the respect for Americans in the world, and the prices at your gas pump! Do the math and decide!

-It is people like you that make me wonder why I would have ever worn the uniform of the United Sates. You want justification? Here is your justification. What did Adolf Hitler do to the United States when we entered into war against Germany? My history books said Japan attacked us. Hitler was nothing more than an insane mass murder, however the United States stepped up to stop him. Don't like that one lets go a little further back. The President was Lincoln and the United States wasn't so united then. That President actually declared war on our own country. Yes I understand there were other issues however one of the pinnacle issues was slavery. I could go on and on through out the history of our country there just isn't room here. America has always stood up to the world and said ENOUGH!!! I constantly hear people like yourself run down what was done. You can not be two faced and say that you support the troops and not what they are doing. To us it just seems like a bunch of political correctness gone awry. On the other hand it seems that posters on here would ask me and my brother and sisters in arms to just ignore how we have been treated since the Iraq war and go to Darfur. So I would like you to answer a question that I already know the answer to but would like your opinion. Why sir should I put on my uniform and defend you with my blood and yes even my life should I be asked too? I mean to follow your line of thought what have you done for me? Why should I risk my life for you. OK you are a taxpayer you know what so are all of us that serve so we are putting not only our taxes in this but we are the ones over there risking OUR LIVES. Perhaps some will take this into account when trying to judge from their living rooms.

-End this war for god sakes and let our men come home

-hey us airforce!...why don't you change your freaking blog name before you start ragging on our government? Did you not have to swear to an oath of enlistment before enlisting? An oath that said to uphold the US Constitution and all superior officers? Doesn't sound like you took it too seriously. You make me ashamed! I hope your not actually in the USAF. I hope your a clueless relative or separated. Have some freakin respect and at least change your blog name before you start expressing your anti-government opinions!

-Always take the fight to the enemy. If you don't like where we are vote in someone who you think will change it. Been there and I am in Afghanistan now. Did the Storm and the Hope as well. If you haven't served then maybe you should before you start making your mind up about anything. One last thing,...do not even think you can understand what it takes to run this country and the decisions that are made that steer us on our course. Yes you have a right to an opinion if you vote. At least make it an intelligent opinion

-everybody is asking were are the wmd's that we couldn't find. Well were is the oil that you ya'll speak of? Is bush hiding 100 million barrels' of oil in his backyard? Are we loading our aircraft carriers up with oil and sending it to the ranch or what? And what if it is about oil, the United States oil production has been decreasing since the 1970's. What are you going to do with out gas for your suv, your boat, or no propane to heat your home. No plastic, no rubber, we've all heard it before. War is inevitable, it's going to happen. when there's not enough to go around, country's are going to start hoarding, and human being are going to die. Plane and simple. I've been to Iraq 3 times. proud to serve for the one's that have before me, and even for you who believe we're all corrupted.

-They can come for my boys when the Bush girls finish basic training.

-Why is oil and gas the all evil? Hypocrites!! All hypocrites! Go live in a cave, and why don't you bring your family with you. Because they won't be able to go to their schools, or play their sports or sleep peacefully at night. No more schools, hospitals, forget travelling. Lets all go back to the ages when we were oil free. You know those carefree, peaceful, fun loving days of the Dark Ages! I'm sure looking forward to that. Civilizations make progress, thats what is supposed to happen. When civilizations start flying planes into buildings and using women and children as mobile bombs, and gassing Kurds, they are not making progress, they are destroying civilization. I'd rather be progressing than destroying and if it takes action to keep ours' and our friends' progressing (i.e. not blowing people up or committing genocide) then so be it! These things happened before Iraq and we need to take steps to keep it from happening as much as possible in the future. I'd love to see anyone of you opining your conspiracy theories about oil and Bush living in a cave somewhere. Me, I'd personnally like to stay civilized.

-You show me yours and I'll show you mine (figuratively). I used that line the first time I got into my wifes pants. I have good memorys of that line. It works. Tomorrow I will look up some un answered questions. I stiil have to catch up on nine more pages. (WHAT?! weird.)

-There are sure a lot of people who call themselves Americans criticizing everything that the President does.Even after propping up the stock market so that you can make some money. there is the question that you still have to ask yourselves.Would you rather see the war being fought here in the United States, or in Iraq?
If we withdraw our troops it will not stop the war it will just change places.
There have been numerous attempts to attack us again after 911 and there are so many who still are trying to kill americans anywhere that they can.The most recent suicide bombing was done by a woman.there were suicide bombings done by pre-teen aged boys and girls in europe and spain and an attempt in canada last november.
What is the definition of weapon of mass destruction? The poison gas that saddam used on 100,000+ in Iraq? the nuclear weapons, the suicide bombers?
You have the freedom to say what you want and the iraqi people did not under saddam's reign of terror. In flight 93 there were brave citizens who fought for their lives and saved another plane crash that was aimed at the White House.
Your criticism of the president is the same as saying that those brave people should have just sat there and died in a plane crash at the White House.
Wake up people we are at war. we did not start this war. Saddam did invade kuwait and kuwait asked the world for help and who came? The United States did.
This is not for oil. This is for our lives and our freedom.
If you are an american,they want you dead where ever you are. No price is too much!


**There is so much more! It really passes the time. Anything interesting going on?

Monday, July 07, 2008

a few news stories.


PFC Joseph Dwyer passed away June 28th. Don't recognize the name? You'll probably recognize the photo. He became one of the poster children for the, "U.S. effort to rebuild a troubled Iraq". Since returning home he battled PTSD and this eventually lead to his death. Read the article...seriously heart breaking.



Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki is kicking us out! This is the first time Maliki has proposed such an idea. Interesting. Where to next? Iran? more troops to Afghanistan?!? Only time will tell. Read it!


So what does Hollywood really want to create? With the help of the media and Hollywood, movies portrayed Nam vets as craaaaazy (what do all Iraq vets have? hello...PTSD! right?) anyways, the Army is stepping in! No more shitty movies? "Army Lt. Col. J. Todd Breasseale desk is piled high with scripts, each marked with his name and stamped "confidential." It's his job to help decide which movies should get Army help." read read read!

Words used to describe McCain and Obama. I found this interesting...
McCain: Moral/good and dishonest, 4 percent
Obama: Dishonest, 9 percent
Check out the poll.

Thursday, July 03, 2008

silenced.

The popular blog Kaboom: A Soldier's War Journal by LT G, has been shut down by the Army. He has been ordered to stop blogging and to take down all his previous posts. Some of his posts could be considered "controversial" but that is the beauty of it all...it is real not like the bs the Army or the media feds to the public.

this is bullshit.

(his fiancée will keep his blog going. wonder what the Army will try to do about this?)

a few links:

VetVoice.

Kaboom: A Soldier's War Journal

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

you owe $2.55.

I go to UAlbany. I have not attended school for about a year and decided to take a summer class to get back in the grove of it all. Completely happy I decided to do this. My professor is awesome, all the students talk a lot...I'm totally enjoying it. So here is where the bullshit comes in. I collect veteran benefits...like the GI Bill (I won't be getting the GI Bill until fall) and Tuition Assistance. I also receive financial aid and I get more because I'm a veteran. I filled out all my paper work for Tuition Assistance. What class I signed up for, how many credit hours the class is, how much each credit hour costs, the school fees and I dropped it off at Student Services. TA agreed to pay for everything...the total is $592.00. Awesome! And I am also suppose to get financial aid...how much and when? I don't know. So this afternoon I get an email from a lady at Student Services telling me..."I received your paperwork today and unfortunately you can not have both awards." Okay. I keep on reading. "Since ACES is part of the federal government money I had to use that first." Okay. "Your remaining amount will be $2.55 since ACES only covered $592. Your Persian Gulf award is state funded and it would be a duplicative benefit. If you have any questions feel free to call."

What?

So right now I'm literally staring at my TA worksheet. "Total Cost: $592.00" "Paid by Army: $592.00." "Paid by Soldier: $0.00."

Okay, so they won't accept my TA? What the hell is ACES? My financial aid? Where the hell is the $2.55 coming from? And why do I have to pay $2.55, when the Army said they would cover everything?

This makes me laugh. This is the bullshit vets deal with while attempting to use what is promised to them.

Tomorrow I will make a phone call and figure out why I owe $2.55!!!!!!!!!!

And on top of this I got a $40 dollar parking ticket for not having a parking sticker on my car…fuck it, just add it to my $2.55.

name game.

Jessica Lynch or Shoshana Johnson?

do you recognize these names? which one? maybe both? why?

(don't cheat and google them!)

who would you want to barbecue with?

I want everyone to know, 52% of those polled would rather bbq with Obama than McCain. (McCain got 45% of the vote). I hope everyone can sleep better at night knowing this.

However, I would rather bbq with McCain. Think of all the war stories he has. Much more entertaining.


Heres the article.