Cartoon of the Day

March 19, 2010 9:37 AM

From The Front: 08/19/2010

By Denizens on March 19, 2010 | | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)
News and Personal dispatches from the front and the home front.
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Random Shots

By The Armorer on March 19, 2010 | | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)
Since two of our Medals of Honor from today revolve around USS Franklin -I would point out the USS Franklin Reunion is going on *right now* in Branson, Missouri.  If you're in the area, drop by and shake a hand or eight.  While you're there in the Chaos - there's a request to help a brother out.

I've been largely silent on Tom Hank's view of the (to him) amazing parallels of the War in the Pacific with the Global War er, Struggle, er, Grappling With, um, Stake Out, Current Operational Environment, and just how racist it all is, as he touts his new paean to the Racist Hate-mongers, er, heroes who lynched the Japanese, um, fought the Japanese.  Lots of other people are piling on that example of "present-ism" in historical analysis.  It's a disease historians, especially amateur celebrity historians, are prey to.  I'll let Jules Crittenden stand in for me there.  I'm not watching the show, as I've read the books already and I have other things to do with my time.  That's not a knock on the show (hey, I said I haven't seen it) that's just a statement of priorities. [Read More]

Today's Medal of Honor Moment for 19 March

By The Armorer on March 19, 2010 | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)
There are ten Medals awarded for actions on this day, running from the Civil War to Vietnam.  Two are posthumous awards.Civil War, and a fight at Bentonville, North Carolina, near the end of the war.ANDERSON, PETER Rank and organization: Private, Company B, 31st Wisconsin Infantry. Place and date: At Bentonville, N.C., 19 March 1865. Entered service at:------. Birth: Lafayette County, Wis. Date of issue: 16 June 1865. Citation: Entirely unassisted, brought from the field an abandoned piece of artillery and saved the gun from falling into the hands of the enemy. CLUTE, GEORGE W. Rank and organization: Corporal, Company I,... [Read More]

VA Recognizes "Presumptive" Illnesses in Iraq, Afghanistan

By The Armorer on March 19, 2010 | | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)
Perhaps more accurately, VA recognizes "presumptive" illnesses for Desert Shield/Storm which extend to OIF/OEF veterans.From the VA Press Release:WASHINGTON (March 18, 2010) – Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki today announced the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is taking steps to make it easier for Veterans to obtain disability compensation for certain diseases associated with service in the Persian Gulf War or Afghanistan. This will be the beginning of historic change for how VA considers Gulf War Veterans’ illnesses.Following recommendations made by VA’s Gulf War Veterans Illnesses Task Force, VA is publishing a proposed regulation in the Federal Register... [Read More]
March 18, 2010 9:56 AM

From the Front: 03/18/2010

By Denizens on March 18, 2010 | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

News and Personal dispatches from the front and the home front.
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An email making the rounds inside the Army.

By The Armorer on March 18, 2010 | | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)
From: [MG Kurt Stein]Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 2:21 PMSubject: Special Army Story: SGT Jeremiah Wittman - 4th IDImportance: HighI'd like to share a good news Army story with you. I apologize up front that it is a bit lengthy but believe it is a worthwhile read.While flying on United Airlines last week I overheard a telephone conversation from a gentleman seated directly behind me. His words went something like this "although today was an extremely sad day for me - it was absolutely the happiest day of my life and I am proud to be an American."This gentleman went on... [Read More]

Caption Contest (Chest, Tool, Pioneer: Edition)

By Boquisucio on March 18, 2010 | | Comments (22) | TrackBacks (0)
I wonder what the NSN on this "Tool" Chest, is.



Boq [Read More]

Today's Medal of Honor Moment for 18 March

By The Armorer on March 18, 2010 | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
There are five Medals earned for actions on this day (there is also one that covers this day which will appear tomorrow).  All five were earned during World War II, and four were posthumous.  One posthumous award, that to Corporal Wilkin, is a posthumous award not because he died while earning it, but died one month later, in fighting at the absolute end of the war in Europe.World War II*MATHIS, JACK W. (Air Mission) Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Corps, 359th Bomber Squadron, 303d Bomber Group. Place and date: Over Vegesack, Germany, 18 March 1943. Entered service... [Read More]
March 17, 2010 11:27 AM

It All Came Out In The End

By Boquisucio on March 17, 2010 | | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)
Just up the road from where I live (well, the county across the line), a doggie got its munchies... [Read More]

All Hail TOTUS

By Boquisucio on March 17, 2010 | | Comments (11) | TrackBacks (0)
The real caption reads... [Read More]

From the Front: 03/17/2010

By Denizens on March 17, 2010 | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
News and Personal dispatches from the front and the home front.
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Happy Saint Paddy's Day

By Boquisucio on March 17, 2010 | | Comments (14) | TrackBacks (0)
To everyone OCONUS,  may you drive away the snakes from your Operating Zone.


Boq [Read More]

Ear, tin, 1ea. American Idol

By The Armorer on March 17, 2010 | | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)
Performer Andy Garcia stylin' with his ribbons - or, "metals" as many of the commenters on the now-defunct-and-removed comment thread called them.They have deprived us of this classic crie de coeur:So what if Andrew wears the metals, big flippin' deal.Isn't it interesting how the military brainwashes people. Don't EVEN get me started about the politics of war. We'll be here till eternity.That flash of insight was from Flash_Underwear whose current mood "is pissin' all over herself, anxiously waiting for AI9"   I'm sure her parents are proud of that piece of information, though I'm rather guessing she wouldn't care.  And perhaps her 'rents... [Read More]

Today's Medal of Honor Moment for 17 March

By The Armorer on March 17, 2010 | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
There are six Medals awarded for actions on this day, front loaded to the Civil War and Indian Campaigns, and one from Vietnam.  One is posthumous.Civil War  Boatswain's Mate Mullen is a two-time recipient of the Medal.MULLEN, PATRICK Rank and organization: Boatswain's Mate, U.S. Navy. Entered service at: Baltimore, Md. Birth: Baltimore, Md. G.O. No.: 59, 22 June 1865. Citation: Served as boatswain's mate on board the U.S.S. Wyandank during a boat expedition up Mattox Creek, 17 March 1865. Rendering gallant assistance to his commanding officer, Mullen, lying on his back, loaded the howitzer and then fired so carefully as... [Read More]

AAR, Part Three: Odyssey and Oddity. B'gorrah.

By Bill on March 17, 2010 | | Comments (23) | TrackBacks (1)
Since I once promised not to relate any Irish jokes here because it wouldn’t be fair (John can only retaliate with “old” jokes, and I already have the lock on those), and I have to contribute *something* to keep BCR from sticking my picture on a milk carton from gaining the reputation as a slacker.Now, for those – okay, both – of you who have been on tenterhooks wondering if I got back in one piece from my Winter Vacation – I did.For those of you who have been waiting to find out how I managed to do it, pull... [Read More]