November 2009 - BlackFive - The Network of Care

Thanksgiving in West "By God" Virginia

We had a great family feast out at my brother's farm house just over the line in West Virginia. The Misty Mountains you see there are the Blue Ridge ones and they mark the line between WV and VA. Great time for all. There was a magnificent experiment...

Published Fri, Nov 27 2009 4:23 AM by BLACKFIVE

No one more deserving...

Army Sgt. Maj. Robert Prosser, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team sergeant major, shakes actor Gary Sinise's hand after presenting him with the American flag and a special unit coin on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26, 2009. Sinise visited wounded soldiers...

Published Fri, Nov 27 2009 1:40 AM by BLACKFIVE

Filed under: Caring For The Defenders, Picture of the Week

The Patented Blackfive Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

[This post is an annual event here...] The Bartender at Madfish Willie's reposts my patented Irish Paratrooper Turkey Recipe every Thanksgiving. Blackfive: "How To Cook A Turkey" 1) Go buy a turkey. 2) Take a drink of scotch whisky (Laphroiag...

Published Wed, Nov 25 2009 4:02 AM by BLACKFIVE

Filed under: Humor

Thanksgiving Pooch

A dog rides in a U.S. soldier's backpack on Combat Outpost Jeleran, Afghanistan. The dog, named Cookie, is the unofficial mascot of the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Francisco V. Govea II

Published Wed, Nov 25 2009 4:10 AM by BLACKFIVE

Filed under: Picture of the Week

Slaughter in the Philippines

Home of some of the longest running insurgencies, the Philippines saw a horrific massacre this week. AMPATUAN, Philippines – The Philippine president placed two southern provinces under emergency rule Tuesday as security forces unearthed more bodies,...

Published Mon, Nov 23 2009 11:59 PM by BLACKFIVE

Man lives Dalton Trumbo's "Johnny get your gun" Metallica's "One"

This poor *** lived it for 23 years. A man thought by doctors to be in a vegetative state for 23 years was actually conscious the whole time, it was revealed last night. Student Rom Houben was misdiagnosed after a car crash left him totally paralysed...

Published Sun, Nov 22 2009 3:08 PM by BLACKFIVE

Lunch at the Australian Embassy

Apparently our friends from down under have sinned in an earlier life and must listen to me run my mouth during lunch this Thursday in DC. Thanks to B5 reader Mario for the invite. Dress is business attire. Monthly Meeting When - Thursday November 19...

Published Mon, Nov 16 2009 4:42 AM by BLACKFIVE

Godspeed British Staff Sergeant Oz Schmid

Photo of Staff Sergeant Schmid courtesy of the MoD Mike Yon posts about the loss of Staff Sergeant Olaf "Oz" Sean George Schmid. From Mike's email this morning: Oz had been killed in Afghanistan. Oz was one very good soldier who stood out...

Published Tue, Nov 03 2009 12:24 AM by BLACKFIVE

Filed under: Fallen But Never Forgotten

Afghanistan ideas

I spent some time yesterday talking with a senior editorial member of an influential conservative publication. We discussed a number of things including Afghanistan, and he had some interesting thoughts I wanted to put out into play. First is that Obama...

Published Fri, Nov 20 2009 2:49 AM by BLACKFIVE

Troops make a great photo op

I am going to reserve some of the choicer things I could say about this, but I think it sadly illustrates what a complete political tool our current President is. He has left our troops in harms way in Afghanistan flapping in the breeze, while his political...

Published Wed, Nov 18 2009 11:12 PM by BLACKFIVE

Manhunting

This dovetails so nicely with Jimbo's post on the Italian kidnapping/rendition case: The Joint Special Operations University's publication on "manhunting." This is not just targeted killing or detention, but encompasses a range of behaviors...

Published Wed, Nov 04 2009 8:48 AM by BLACKFIVE

Tom Friedman on the Terrorist "Narrative"

An unusually common sense piece from Ton Friedman in the NY Times. He takes up a question that many of us would consider common sensical but which most of his compatriots in the media have been willfully ignoring, the terrorist motivation of Nidal Hassan...

Published Sun, Nov 29 2009 1:15 AM by BLACKFIVE

Dealing With The Pain That Comes From Rendering Honors

I watched what I could of the Ft. Hood memorial service, and found it good. I was particularly pleased at some of what was said, and some that was not said. Now is not the time to parse the words or actions, or to criticize, but to acknowledge the loss...

Published Tue, Nov 10 2009 5:25 AM by BLACKFIVE

Filed under: Humor

How the New York Times does Veterans Day

I know you're not surprised. I guess I still expect more from "professionals". For posterity, here's a screen shot of the NYTimes Veterans Day Section (archive): On the right for web headlines about Veterans Day issues, the NYTimes lists...

Published Tue, Nov 10 2009 11:18 AM by BLACKFIVE

Filed under: Bust Their Chops

On The 11th Day at the 11th Hour....

Today, little Deebow asked me "Daddy, what are those for?" I told him that these were to honor the sacrifice of the men that Daddy was in the war with. Then he asked, "What's a war?" I didn't know what to say.... I don't...

Published Wed, Nov 11 2009 1:57 AM by BLACKFIVE