August 2009 - Argghhh!

From Heartless Libertarian, who took a break from his duties in Afghanistan to send this along.From the school pipe-bombing in the Bay Area yesterday (Note: psychos don't need guns.)Note the comment from the teacher who tackled the bomber:"There's one hero in my family, and he's in Iraq right now," Santana said, referring to his brother, who is in the military.No, Mr. Santana, you qualify. You did what needed to be done, at great risk to yourself, for the safety of others.And...

A question that has been chapping some people, both in comments here and in email.Simple. He is eligible under the existing rules.Senators who spend 2 years in the Army and 40 years in the Senate qualify for Arlington. It isn't PFC Kennedy that is being buried there, in a sense.Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Thurgood Marshall, who never served in uniform, is buried in Arlington. Arlington is considered a national treasure and is managed a bit differently from the other cemeteries in the...

Chuck and Carren, their kids, dog, and a few firearms and a growler of Chuck's home-made brew are coming this way to demolish the brisket SWWBO is smoking, along with home-made ice cream and a Castle Cake - since today is Carren's 21st+N Natal Day.Chuck is already planning ahead for mischief and mayhem - this is the response he sent to the update on the Castle Technical:Dude....Two of my neighbors actually get erections when a jeep drives by. Any Jeep.That'd give them coronaries.You gotta...

Heh. Don't believe the ads. Satellite internet access is a viable choice only if your only other option is dial-up. The weather is killing me here this week. And it isn't good when the sky is clear, for that matter. Unless other's pick up the slack - this is all there'll be today!We open today's Medals with the Civil War, with an iconic flag capture, moving to a Canadian-born Sergeant assuming command after the officers are disable (I can hear the snickers now - "Oh, you...

The Medal makes it's first appearance on this day in history during the China Relief Expediiton, in 1900. There are a slew of Medals, to twelve Marines and two sailors, covering the period from 28 June to 17 August, with most of them of the type that would be covered by different awards today - but back then, the Medal of Honor was the only award of its type. As is my convention, for Medals which cover more than one day, I list them on the last day of the covered period. This is also a rare day...

A Marine of the 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, loads a 50 cal. machine gun prior to moving into the firing slot, a key position in the defense of Boulder City after the Communists had taken outposts Berlin and East Berlin. This was the final battle before the Korean truce talks. ID #127-GK-235-A174618090806-A-2575T-003: LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Moultrie, Ga., native, Spc. Waylon Selph, a gunner with Company B, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain...

Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite. ************************************ In today's From the Front : (Click on link to read stories highlighted below) P.J. Tobia : Bravery And Afghan Voters Helmand Blog - Afghanistan : PICTURES: Polling day in Helmand At War : The Day After. Then the Wait Iraq the Model : Who Was Behind Wednesday's...

The Medal waited for over a century after its establishment in July 1863 to make an appearance, doing so in a sharp firefight in Quang Tri province - and the all-to-common covering a grenade, though it must be noted that Lance Corporal Anderson was fighting like a lion and already severely wounded.*ANDERSON, RICHARD A. Rank and organization: Lance Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, Company E, 3d Reconnaissance Battalion, 3d Marine Division. Place and date: Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam, 24 August...