August 2009 - BlackFive - The Network of Care

Giving Back Their Names

The other day, in doing this post, I realized that a post I thought I had done never made it up. Back during my first embed, I came home via Landstuhl and Walter Reed. While I Landstuhl, I was privileged to be there when the wounded arrived and to learn...

Published Mon, Aug 24 2009 10:59 PM by BLACKFIVE

Filed under: Caring For The Defenders

ISAF COIN Guidance published

h/t Abu Mookie Gen. McChrystal has published a seven page guide discussing how to conduct COIN operations and while I don't have any real quarrels with it, there isn't much there, there. I would summarize it as: Make friends with the Afghans,...

Published Tue, Aug 25 2009 6:05 AM by BLACKFIVE

Color commentary on a firefight

Reader Bill Free sends this video of his boy auditioning for a job as an announcer for X-Games A-stan.

Published Tue, Aug 25 2009 11:23 AM by BLACKFIVE

The political battle for Afghanistan

From the WaPo- President Obama is caught between two important constituencies as he recalibrates his policy in Afghanistan -- the generals who want more troops, and the base of his own party, whose tolerance for a worsening conflict is quickly evaporating...

Published Wed, Aug 26 2009 4:00 AM by BLACKFIVE

Ted Kennedy - CBS Needs to do some Fact Checking

Senator Ted Kennedy was a veteran of the US Army. After getting kicked out of Harvard for cheating, he was drafted. After serving his three years, he went back to Harvard and you probably know the rest of the story. CBS News interviewed staffers and family...

Published Thu, Aug 27 2009 3:21 AM by BLACKFIVE

Filed under: Bust Their Chops

Kev leaves from leave

The TankerBabe went to see Kev off back to Iraq after his mid-tour leave. How sweet. I on the other hand maintain my strong disdain for the troops.

Published Sun, Aug 30 2009 12:28 PM by BLACKFIVE

McChrystal's Report

Man it would be nice to read McChrystal's report and have the brain trust here at Blackfive looking at it rather than just reading about it in leaks to MSM outlets. Ya' know? I'm just sayin', man it would be nice. jimbo at unclejimbo.com...

Published Mon, Aug 31 2009 1:43 AM by BLACKFIVE

The Man On The Horse

Gerard Van der Leun makes a very good point. If you are not paying attention, or are laughing at/dismissive of, beware, for it will bite you and the West in the butt. You need to be paying attention to this... LW HT: Insty

Published Mon, Aug 31 2009 7:54 PM by BLACKFIVE

Filed under: Current Affairs

Off to war

Armed Liberal's oldest boy has just left for Afghanistan with the 82nd Airborne. I have spoken with his son about the Army several times as he made his career choices and he is an impressive American. Many of you have done this same goodbye and the...

Published Wed, Aug 19 2009 7:49 AM by BLACKFIVE

Favre to play for the Vikings?

I stood up for him when he tried to come back to the Packers. I tolerated his stint as a Jet. But playing for the Minnesota ViQueens is a slap in the face to any Packer fan. I hope the Packers beat the Queens like a wet dog in a dry house. Favre playing...

Published Tue, Aug 18 2009 8:44 AM by BLACKFIVE

Taliban successful at killing Afghans

One of the driving factors in the Anbar Awakening was the realization by the sheiks that the al Qaeda infiltrators they had either been partnering with or ignoring were killing far more innocent Iraqis than they were the occupyimg Americans. The sheiks...

Published Tue, Aug 18 2009 1:21 AM by BLACKFIVE

ObamaCare idiot brings gun to ideas fight

Update: Apparently the guy was not anti ObamaCare, although I maintain he may still be Stuart Scott's idiot cousin. OK I jumped on the idiot who decided that exercising his carry rights (which I completely support) at a rally attended by the President...

Published Mon, Aug 17 2009 12:43 PM by BLACKFIVE

Today is National Airborne Day - Part V

In order to send the Air Force some love, there were two USAF Pararescue (PJs) HALO jump videos which are shared below and then one rockin' compilation video after the jump that's a must see: I swear, that @#%& is better than a cup of coffee...

Published Sun, Aug 16 2009 6:50 AM by BLACKFIVE

Filed under: Video Channels

Today is National Airborne Day!

"I was that which others did not want to be. I went where others feared to go. And did what others failed to do. I asked nothing from those who gave nothing, and reluctantly accepted the thought of eternal loneliness, should I fail. I have seen the...

Published Sun, Aug 16 2009 6:44 AM by BLACKFIVE

Filed under: Military

Infamous Abu Ghraib skank Lynndie England a no-show

Jonn Lilyea and I headed to the Library of Congress to hopefully see Lynndie England pimping her book about Abu Ghraib etc. We had every intention of voicing our disgust to her for showing her face in public and that the LOC would sponsor such an event...

Published Fri, Aug 14 2009 9:28 AM by BLACKFIVE