Retired Reservist

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  • Don’t give up hope of resolving MIA cases

    It all began on February 20, 1967 when a plane went down. Now more than 40 years later a piece of bone is discovered during an excavation in Vietnam. On January 8th 2010 Nellis Air Force pilot remains are found and identified. "This is the four inch bone fragment that was found," pilot's daughter, Christine Stonebraker says. While it would take more than two years for DNA results to be confirmed, Christine Stonebraker now knows what happened to her father, Nellis based Air Force pilot...
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  • Zackery Bowen - Iraq vet -murder suicide

    Saw there is a book out – seen here on Amazon – about an Iraqi Vet that served and returned home to New Orleans in time for Hurricane Katrina. Intrigued that his path somewhat matched my own as I returned home from Iraq and was deployed to Hurricane Katrina cleanup, I thought I’d take a look. The story review from Publishers weekly On October 17, 2006, 28-year-old Iraq war veteran Zackery Bowen leapt to his death from a New Orleans hotel roof, leaving a suicide note directing police to the dismembered...
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  • Food for thought today

    Stumbled accross this sentiment... and I found it compelling TOMORROW IS NOT PROMISED Author Unknown Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there, they serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson or help figure out who you are and who you want to become. You never know who these people may be: your neighbor, child, long lost friend, lover, or even a complete stranger who, when you lock eyes with them, you know at that very moment that they will...
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  • Interesting Photos of Army Reserve

    Ran across this interesting picture show from Time Magazine that covers the 100 Years of the Army Reserve. The 16 pictures provided are a very brief look into the history of the Reserves. From my own perspective is the stuff inbetween the pictures… the years of less than adequate funding and few training resources that were somehow overcome in our nation’s moment of need to provide the Ready force we have today. There are lots of unsung Reserve soldiers that toiled for years in unappreciated efforts...

  • VA charging my insurance

    I spent 24 years on Active and Reserve duty in the Army. After my tour in Iraq ended in Dec 2005, I decided to go to the VA to get checked out, after all I never recieved an exit physical from the Army upon my discharge (Honorable). Several attempts later and after restarting the process this past couple months I finally got the physical and blood work. You can read about my first attempt in earlier posts... Imagine my suprise at recieving a notice from my Health Insurance that the VA charged the...

  • Lt Watada - Officer that refused to go to Iraq

    The Army is allowing the resignation of the first commissioned officer to be court-martialed for refusing to go to Iraq. The Associated press reports that officer, First Lt. Ehren Watada, will be granted a discharge on Oct. 2, “under other-than-honorable conditions,” The Army attempted to court Marshal this officer for other charges related to his missing his unit’s deployment and with conduct unbecoming an officer for denouncing President George W. Bush and the war — statements he made while explaining...
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  • I have been Delinquent

    I haven’t written a post in a while dear readers, it has been actually pretty slow in the news department with regard to the Army Reserve community. I have often thought of branching out subject matter for this blog site… but that would not necessarily encourage more readers and would be a little dangerous if I discussed anything about my current position with the Army as a civilian employee. That second piece is a token recognition of the fact that Army Civilian employees also lose the right of...
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  • Still messing with the VA

    I continue my saga with the VA...I decided to involve my congressman Charlie Dent... I sent him this note in my attempt to get a physical completed... Mr. Dent, I am writing to you to ask your assistance. I am a retired Army Reserve Soldier. I served in Iraq from Sep 2004 to August 2005. I retired from the Army Reserve in July 2006 after 24 years active and Reserve Service. I recived no physical upon my departure from Iraq nor when I retired from the Army Reserve. Within the first year back I attempted...
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  • 50 Years ago - first Vietnam Combat Casualties

    The Vietnam Veterans Memorial will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first two American combat casualties of the Vietnam War with a special ceremony and wreath laying at The Wall on Wednesday, July 8, beginning at 10:30 a.m., said Jan C. Scruggs, founder and president of the Memorial Fund. U.S. Army Master Sgt. Chester Ovnand and Maj. Dale Buis died on July 8, 1959, when their compound was attacked by North Vietnamese communists. Theirs are the first two names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial...
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  • Unique Army Summer Hire

    It’s that time of year again when the summer hire programs are in progress. Many aspiring students are given the opportunity to experience the workplace at Military Installations or organizations working temporartily as Army civilian employees. The Summer Hire program or more correctly Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP) is a temporary employment program for student employment during the summer months. Recently this program at my installation had a new first. For the first time a combat Veteran...

  • MNSTC-I is 5 years old

    To think I was there nearly at the beginning … today I read that MNSTC-I “Minsticky” is 5 years old. I arrived at MNSTC-I in September 2004 just months after the LTG Petraeus took over the reins of the training effort for Iraq’s Military and Police forces. It was a tall order then and remains just as difficult as new requirements are born from the agreements with the Iraqi National Leadership. The article from MNSTC-I. PHOENIX BASE, BAGHDAD - Coalition forces and NATO training mission military personnel...
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  • Memorial Day Activities

    I belong to an American Legion Post that has essentially abandoned its community role in participating in Memorial day activities in the local community…that is until this year. The post had not participated in services or marked the occasion of Memorial Day in at least 20 years that I’m aware of…leaving the void to be filled by other posts and veteran’s organizations in the area. Fortunately, that changed this year and our post fielded its Legion Riders to the communities Memorial Day services with...

  • Armor Warfighter Conference

    Just returned last week from the Armor Warfighter Conference. This conference is hosted each year at Ft. Knox for the Armor community to foster communication and educate on developments within the Heavy Force. It is always very informative and provides an opportunity to get updated on what is happening in my basic branch. This year was a little quieter in terms of future plans with the FCS being recently de-tuned with regard to vehicle platforms. The future of the Armor force will include a varient...
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  • FCS versus heavy force equipment

    The big news in some Army circles is the decision by Defense Secretary Robert Gates to submit a budget that kills Army plans for the FCS program combat vehicles. Reading the news it looks like the Army has spent about $14 billion in research and development costs for the FCS vehicle fleet and, yes there is little in the way of actual vehicles to show for the effort. What we have seen and should have inherently known was that these vehicles were thinned skinned due to light force proponents setting...

  • DHS Assessment on Veterans

    There is a slight furor from several Veterans and Right Wing groups over the recent Department of Homeland Security assessment which was sent to law enforcement on extremists. The federal Homeland Security Department document entitled “Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Environment Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment” contains such targets as veterans, folks anticipating additional restrictions to their Second Amendment rights, and those concerned about the loss...
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