February 2010 - Argghhh!

Stephen Green, the Vodkapundit, has a good ice-breaker post (what other kind for the Vodkapundit, eh?) up at Pajamas Media, called "One of these things is not like the other." It starts out with a discussion on the naming of military operations, and then moved on to the name of the offensive in Afghanistan - Husky.Torch.Anvil.Overlord.Olympic.Linebacker.Reforger.Rolling Thunder.These are the names we used to give our military operations. Forceful names. Decisive names. Military names. OK...

Mines and IED's all have a logical structure to their designs, thus they can be safely handled by expert hands. The technician in this video surely knows his craft. Still, I personally would be a wee bit more careful than he. Though I have to thank him for showing us all the fiddy bits of the boom-boom thingie, and making that jungle trail a bit more safe for all who transit through it. Still, does anyone in the UXO community out there can I.D. this beastie? Boq

There are ten Medals awarded for actions on this day or periods of service which ended this day. Only one was posthumous. The Civil War appears today, to break the grip that World War II and Vietnam have held the last few days - though both those conflicts present today, as well.Civil War. Five Medals, one for a daring rescue under fire, the others for naval service leading to the capture of Fort Fisher, a campaign that generated a number of Medals already.BIEGER, CHARLES Rank and organization: Private...

The Medal has been awarded six times for actions on this day, only one of them posthumous. Three are naval lifesaving Medals, three are combat awards, spanning from the Civl War through Vietnam.Civil War. Every officer hopes to have a Sergeant like this. I've known some officers who would not have been rescued.TOBAN, JAMES W. Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company C, 9th Michigan Cavalry. Place and date: At Aiken, S.C., 11 February 1865. Entered service at: Northfield, Mich. Born: 1844, Northfield...

There have been 13 Medals awarded for actions on this day. Ten in the 19th century, three in the 20th. One was posthumous.Civil War. 8 of 16 men defending a wagon train against an attack by 125 cavalry earn the Medal. I can't help but think the cavalry didn't want the train *that* much. Which is, of course, all a guard force has to do. Make it not worth the cost. Don't overlook the Fort Donelson Medal, buried in amongst the Nolensville ones. BURGER, JOSEPH Rank and organization: Private...

Mores in our military are changing...

Oh, about eight or so zeroes to the left of the decimal in your defense budget. The whatzis, revealed.