Friday, December 24, 2010
And now for something completely different.....a Merry Batman Christmas...
This was just too good not to post.....only thing missing is the " BIFF " and " WHAM " balloons when Batman hits Joker.....too funny...Merry Gotham Christmas !!!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Christmas Wishes come true for a little girl....Her Daddy comes home
A little girl's Christmas wish comes true.....Her Dad comes home for Christmas....Having a Kleenex handy will likely be a good idea......
"A great comfort and a little piece of home to our troops.” - The fuzzy strays that make things a little less stressful for Warriors in Afghanistan
Animals provide comfort to our Warriors especially when they are far from home, under fire and spending many months away from home...The stray dogs & cats are pretty much verboten but like many other things, military personnel find a way to keep the fuzzy friends under wraps....While recognizing the issues this causes, I can say as one who has been there, fuzzy friends can be a major stress reliever...See the enclosed story from Stars & Stripes.
Bases Going to the Dogs – and Cats
December 13, 2010
Stars and Stripesby Jon Rabiroff
ARGHANDAB DISTRICT, Afghanistan -- U.S. Soldiers and Marines are smuggling them onto bases across the country.
The military leadership seems to turn a blind eye, though regulations specifically prohibit them.
They go by names like Smoke, Bacon, Mickey Blue Eyes and Butterscotch, and they can be coerced with as little as a pat on the head, a scratch behind the ears or a tasty treat.
They are the stray dogs and cats of Afghanistan who, at many -- if not most -- U.S. bases here are adopted by Soldiers and Marines individually, by squad or platoon, and spoiled as much as any mutts or felines in suburban America.
While no one will say so officially, it appears commanders recognize the value that pet dogs and cats bring to the morale of a base, so they look the other way as long as the animals do not interfere with the mission or present health concerns.
You might call it a policy of don’t bark, don’t smell.
“It is common in both Iraq and Afghanistan for units to adopt local dogs and cats,” said SPCA International spokeswoman Stephanie Scott. “We have been told time and time again that these dogs and cats can be of great comfort and a little piece of home to our troops.”
Spc. Jimmy Labbee, of the 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment’s Company B, based in the Arghandab district of Kandahar province in southern Afghanistan, said: “I can honestly speak for everybody else -- it definitely boosts our morale and gives us another bit of responsibility. It keeps our energy positive, playing with them and spending time with them.”
‘Conduct that is prejudicial’
In 2000, U.S. military General Order 1A was issued, “To identify conduct that is prejudicial to the maintenance of good order and discipline of all forces in” war zones.
More than 20 activities are listed as prohibited, including having sex with a foreign national, drinking alcohol, looking at pornography or removing national treasures. Another prohibited activity -- punishable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice -- is “adopting as pets or mascots, caring for, or feeding any type of domestic or wild animal.”
Despite that, you can close your eyes, pick any U.S. military base in Afghanistan and find yourself a heartwarming pet story worthy of an “Animal Planet” feature.
In a secluded corner of the U.S. Army’s Operational Control Center for the Arghandab district, there is a wooden dog house surrounded by a generous supply of tennis balls that is home to Momma, Bacon and Smoke. Smoke and Bacon have their names written over the entry to the shelter.
“Smoke, he’s our squad dog, but he goes around to all the squads,” Labbee said. “We all pretty much look after the dogs.”
One or more of the dogs goes out on virtually all foot patrols, according to Soldiers at the base.
“When they see us out here getting ready, they usually sit around and wait for us to go [on patrol],” Labbee said. “They usually hang out with the front guy.”
Body armor be damned, the dogs are protective of their military mates.
“They keep a lot of the rambunctious kids away -- the ones who throw rocks and stuff like that,” he said. “Bacon just mostly tries to play with them, and they run off. But Momma, she’ll actually run after them and scare them off.”
At an outpost adjacent to the Afghan National Police headquarters in the Garmsir district of Helmand province, the U.S. Marines in recent months launched a catnapping mission during which two felines were taken from nearby Forward Operating Base Delhi for the purpose of taking care of the outpost’s mice problem.
Weeks later, the mice were gone but the cats remained as the constant objects of affection and, at one point, a spirited discussion among the Marines about which had the more interesting personality traits and habits.
“They’re more like dogs than cats,” one Marine said, as if bragging about his children.
At FOB Edgerton in Kandahar province, Soldiers recently discovered a litter of abandoned kittens and promptly went about spoiling them. Two Canadian servicemembers fashioned a house for the six felines by putting a blanket down and cutting a door into an upside down crate.
As word spread about the kittens, it was not long before a crowd of a dozen Canadian and American Soldiers were standing around cooing at the squirming fuzz balls. By the following day, the kittens had all been given names, including Mickey Blue Eyes, Fear Factor and Butterscotch.
The kittens were never left wanting for attention. They ate eggs, tuna and chocolate milk brought to them from the dining facility; one Soldier made a point of putting drops in their eyes every day to ward off conjunctivitis; and there always seemed to be at least one Soldier sitting with the felines no matter the time of day.
Stray saviors
The IED-detecting successes of military working dogs used during the war in Afghanistan have been well-documented. But they are not the only animals in Afghanistan credited with saving the lives of servicemembers.
In February, a suicide bomber reportedly snuck onto a U.S. military base in the Dand Aw Patan district of Paktia province and was headed toward a barracks when three stray dogs attacked him, forcing him to prematurely detonate his explosives, killing himself, one of the dogs and injuring five Soldiers.
The surviving dogs, Target and Rufus, were credited with saving dozens of American lives and subsequently appeared on “Oprah.” They were even adopted by families in the U.S. Unfortunately, Target eventually wandered away from his Arizona home, was picked up and mistakenly euthanized at an animal shelter.
In September, at Combat Outpost Ware in the Arghandab district, stray dogs Thumper and George, who liked to go out on patrol with their two-legged base buddies, were killed when one of them stepped on an IED.
“It’s good that they kept a human from getting injured, but it was also bad because they were our pets,” said Spc. Sean Hutchinson of the 1-66’s Company B. “But better them than a human.”
U.S. military officials in authority were reluctant to talk about stray dogs and cats taken in as pets by their Soldiers and Marines, because it is still against regulations no matter how often it is done.
In fact, when a Stars and Stripes reporter recently started making inquiries about getting photographs of stray dogs accompanying troops on patrol, Soldiers at one base made a point of not taking the animals with them outside the wire. They said they were afraid someone high in the chain of command might order the killing of on-base pets if the widespread practice were publicized.
One official who was willing to address the controversy was Lt. Col. Matthew Reid, commander of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, who essentially said he has a lot more important things to worry about in the life-and-death world of a war zone than who might be sneaking a puppy or kitten into their bunk at night.
“I really haven’t given it too much thought, to be honest,” he said, adding that he was aware of cats employed on some bases to address rodent concerns. “My focus is usually elsewhere, and my mind is always going 100 miles a minute.
“It’s probably not wise to allow troops to keep indigenous animals as pets, for many reasons. Although, with 50 outposts in my [area of operation], there may be a few violators.”
Bases Going to the Dogs – and Cats
December 13, 2010
Stars and Stripesby Jon Rabiroff
ARGHANDAB DISTRICT, Afghanistan -- U.S. Soldiers and Marines are smuggling them onto bases across the country.
The military leadership seems to turn a blind eye, though regulations specifically prohibit them.
They go by names like Smoke, Bacon, Mickey Blue Eyes and Butterscotch, and they can be coerced with as little as a pat on the head, a scratch behind the ears or a tasty treat.
They are the stray dogs and cats of Afghanistan who, at many -- if not most -- U.S. bases here are adopted by Soldiers and Marines individually, by squad or platoon, and spoiled as much as any mutts or felines in suburban America.
While no one will say so officially, it appears commanders recognize the value that pet dogs and cats bring to the morale of a base, so they look the other way as long as the animals do not interfere with the mission or present health concerns.
You might call it a policy of don’t bark, don’t smell.
“It is common in both Iraq and Afghanistan for units to adopt local dogs and cats,” said SPCA International spokeswoman Stephanie Scott. “We have been told time and time again that these dogs and cats can be of great comfort and a little piece of home to our troops.”
Spc. Jimmy Labbee, of the 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment’s Company B, based in the Arghandab district of Kandahar province in southern Afghanistan, said: “I can honestly speak for everybody else -- it definitely boosts our morale and gives us another bit of responsibility. It keeps our energy positive, playing with them and spending time with them.”
‘Conduct that is prejudicial’
In 2000, U.S. military General Order 1A was issued, “To identify conduct that is prejudicial to the maintenance of good order and discipline of all forces in” war zones.
More than 20 activities are listed as prohibited, including having sex with a foreign national, drinking alcohol, looking at pornography or removing national treasures. Another prohibited activity -- punishable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice -- is “adopting as pets or mascots, caring for, or feeding any type of domestic or wild animal.”
Despite that, you can close your eyes, pick any U.S. military base in Afghanistan and find yourself a heartwarming pet story worthy of an “Animal Planet” feature.
In a secluded corner of the U.S. Army’s Operational Control Center for the Arghandab district, there is a wooden dog house surrounded by a generous supply of tennis balls that is home to Momma, Bacon and Smoke. Smoke and Bacon have their names written over the entry to the shelter.
“Smoke, he’s our squad dog, but he goes around to all the squads,” Labbee said. “We all pretty much look after the dogs.”
One or more of the dogs goes out on virtually all foot patrols, according to Soldiers at the base.
“When they see us out here getting ready, they usually sit around and wait for us to go [on patrol],” Labbee said. “They usually hang out with the front guy.”
Body armor be damned, the dogs are protective of their military mates.
“They keep a lot of the rambunctious kids away -- the ones who throw rocks and stuff like that,” he said. “Bacon just mostly tries to play with them, and they run off. But Momma, she’ll actually run after them and scare them off.”
At an outpost adjacent to the Afghan National Police headquarters in the Garmsir district of Helmand province, the U.S. Marines in recent months launched a catnapping mission during which two felines were taken from nearby Forward Operating Base Delhi for the purpose of taking care of the outpost’s mice problem.
Weeks later, the mice were gone but the cats remained as the constant objects of affection and, at one point, a spirited discussion among the Marines about which had the more interesting personality traits and habits.
“They’re more like dogs than cats,” one Marine said, as if bragging about his children.
At FOB Edgerton in Kandahar province, Soldiers recently discovered a litter of abandoned kittens and promptly went about spoiling them. Two Canadian servicemembers fashioned a house for the six felines by putting a blanket down and cutting a door into an upside down crate.
As word spread about the kittens, it was not long before a crowd of a dozen Canadian and American Soldiers were standing around cooing at the squirming fuzz balls. By the following day, the kittens had all been given names, including Mickey Blue Eyes, Fear Factor and Butterscotch.
The kittens were never left wanting for attention. They ate eggs, tuna and chocolate milk brought to them from the dining facility; one Soldier made a point of putting drops in their eyes every day to ward off conjunctivitis; and there always seemed to be at least one Soldier sitting with the felines no matter the time of day.
Stray saviors
The IED-detecting successes of military working dogs used during the war in Afghanistan have been well-documented. But they are not the only animals in Afghanistan credited with saving the lives of servicemembers.
In February, a suicide bomber reportedly snuck onto a U.S. military base in the Dand Aw Patan district of Paktia province and was headed toward a barracks when three stray dogs attacked him, forcing him to prematurely detonate his explosives, killing himself, one of the dogs and injuring five Soldiers.
The surviving dogs, Target and Rufus, were credited with saving dozens of American lives and subsequently appeared on “Oprah.” They were even adopted by families in the U.S. Unfortunately, Target eventually wandered away from his Arizona home, was picked up and mistakenly euthanized at an animal shelter.
In September, at Combat Outpost Ware in the Arghandab district, stray dogs Thumper and George, who liked to go out on patrol with their two-legged base buddies, were killed when one of them stepped on an IED.
“It’s good that they kept a human from getting injured, but it was also bad because they were our pets,” said Spc. Sean Hutchinson of the 1-66’s Company B. “But better them than a human.”
U.S. military officials in authority were reluctant to talk about stray dogs and cats taken in as pets by their Soldiers and Marines, because it is still against regulations no matter how often it is done.
In fact, when a Stars and Stripes reporter recently started making inquiries about getting photographs of stray dogs accompanying troops on patrol, Soldiers at one base made a point of not taking the animals with them outside the wire. They said they were afraid someone high in the chain of command might order the killing of on-base pets if the widespread practice were publicized.
One official who was willing to address the controversy was Lt. Col. Matthew Reid, commander of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, who essentially said he has a lot more important things to worry about in the life-and-death world of a war zone than who might be sneaking a puppy or kitten into their bunk at night.
“I really haven’t given it too much thought, to be honest,” he said, adding that he was aware of cats employed on some bases to address rodent concerns. “My focus is usually elsewhere, and my mind is always going 100 miles a minute.
“It’s probably not wise to allow troops to keep indigenous animals as pets, for many reasons. Although, with 50 outposts in my [area of operation], there may be a few violators.”
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
A Holiday Visit to Arlington National Cemetery
Be Thankful at this time of year (and always) for the brave men & women who gave us the gift of a safe & peaceful land. I was at Arlington National Cemetery in November and it is a solemn and awe inspiring place. God Bless them all.
December 22, 2010
A Holiday Visit to Arlington National Cemetery
By Donna Miles, guest blogger, American Forces Press Service
I walked the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery yesterday morning to put wreaths on the graves of two dear friends and a fallen soldier I’ve never met.
The cemetery never fails to move me, its stark white headstones standing dress-right-dress along its hills and plains for as far as the eye can see. Driving through the grand entrance gates just as they opened this morning of the winter solstice – the longest, darkest day of the year – I knew I was in for an emotional morning.
Each headstone was adorned with a holiday wreath, donated as part of the “Wreaths Across America” project. The bright red ribbons provided cheerful contrast to the cemetery’s hills and plains, much of it still blanketed with the last remnants of an early-season snow.
Walking through Section 60, the final resting place for almost 700 fallen veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, I stopped at the grave of Army Staff Sgt. James R. Patton. I’d never met “Jimmy,” as his family calls him, but I had the privilege of meeting his mother, Sheila, during a recent trip to Fort Campbell, Ky.
Jimmy, who was serving his seventh overseas deployment since 9/11 with the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, died in a helicopter crash in Tikrit, Iraq, on April 18. His father, Army Command Sgt. Major Gregory Patton, who is deployed to Afghanistan with the 101st Airborne Division’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team, accompanied his son’s body home for the funeral, then left to rejoin his unit. Sheila Patton, despite all she’s dealt with during the past year, has stood as a font of courage and inspiration to everyone whose lives she has touched.
“I am a proud momma of a soldier who died fighting for his country and doing what he loved doing,” she told me. “If he had to die before us, that is the only way we could ever have accepted his death: to smile and be proud and honored that God thought enough of my son to make him a hero.”
But despite Sheila’s seemingly Teflon composure, I know this Christmas will be a particularly painful one.
As I stood at Jimmy’s grave, I looked around me and took in the majesty of Arlington National Cemetery. In every direction, I saw reminders that other families, like the Pattons, will be feeling the loss of a loved one this Christmas.
Many had visited their husband’s, wife’s, father’s, mother’s, son’s, daughter’s, brother’s, sister’s gravesite, leaving behind personal and very individual tributes.
Some had left simple holiday memorials: a festive floral arrangement, a miniature Christmas tree, a wrapped gift box.
Others were more elaborate. The grave of Army Cpl. Christopher John-Lee “C.J.” West, an 82nd Airborne Division soldier killed in Iraq in February 2004, featured two American flags, a large Styrofoam snowman, a set of felt reindeer antlers and a sweatshirt of West’s beloved Dallas Cowboys.
Two bright balloons flew over the grave of Sgt. Alberto Montrond, a 7th Special Forces Group soldier killed in Afghanistan in February 2006. At the base of his headstone, next to a wreath, was a plate with two holiday cupcakes.
A large floral arrangement with a ribbon proclaiming, “Rangers Lead the Way,” adorned Army Cpl. Ryan Casey McGhee’s grave. The 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, soldier was killed in Iraq in May 2009.
His mother had left behind a hand-written Christmas card, telling her son that although she thinks of him every day, the holidays are going to be especially tough.
He won’t be there to open gifts with his family, to share in a holiday toast, or even to call from a faraway deployment to tell them he loves them. And the empty seat at the dinner table will forever be a reminder of what they’ve lost.
As I left Arlington and headed off to work, I felt a deep sense of sadness over how much so many have sacrificed.
But then I remembered Sheila Patton, and the selfless gift she and so many others like her have given me and every other American.
Merry Christmas, Gold Star families. I wish you – and all of us — peace on earth
December 22, 2010
A Holiday Visit to Arlington National Cemetery
By Donna Miles, guest blogger, American Forces Press Service
I walked the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery yesterday morning to put wreaths on the graves of two dear friends and a fallen soldier I’ve never met.
The cemetery never fails to move me, its stark white headstones standing dress-right-dress along its hills and plains for as far as the eye can see. Driving through the grand entrance gates just as they opened this morning of the winter solstice – the longest, darkest day of the year – I knew I was in for an emotional morning.
Each headstone was adorned with a holiday wreath, donated as part of the “Wreaths Across America” project. The bright red ribbons provided cheerful contrast to the cemetery’s hills and plains, much of it still blanketed with the last remnants of an early-season snow.
Walking through Section 60, the final resting place for almost 700 fallen veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, I stopped at the grave of Army Staff Sgt. James R. Patton. I’d never met “Jimmy,” as his family calls him, but I had the privilege of meeting his mother, Sheila, during a recent trip to Fort Campbell, Ky.
Jimmy, who was serving his seventh overseas deployment since 9/11 with the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, died in a helicopter crash in Tikrit, Iraq, on April 18. His father, Army Command Sgt. Major Gregory Patton, who is deployed to Afghanistan with the 101st Airborne Division’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team, accompanied his son’s body home for the funeral, then left to rejoin his unit. Sheila Patton, despite all she’s dealt with during the past year, has stood as a font of courage and inspiration to everyone whose lives she has touched.
“I am a proud momma of a soldier who died fighting for his country and doing what he loved doing,” she told me. “If he had to die before us, that is the only way we could ever have accepted his death: to smile and be proud and honored that God thought enough of my son to make him a hero.”
But despite Sheila’s seemingly Teflon composure, I know this Christmas will be a particularly painful one.
As I stood at Jimmy’s grave, I looked around me and took in the majesty of Arlington National Cemetery. In every direction, I saw reminders that other families, like the Pattons, will be feeling the loss of a loved one this Christmas.
Many had visited their husband’s, wife’s, father’s, mother’s, son’s, daughter’s, brother’s, sister’s gravesite, leaving behind personal and very individual tributes.
Some had left simple holiday memorials: a festive floral arrangement, a miniature Christmas tree, a wrapped gift box.
Others were more elaborate. The grave of Army Cpl. Christopher John-Lee “C.J.” West, an 82nd Airborne Division soldier killed in Iraq in February 2004, featured two American flags, a large Styrofoam snowman, a set of felt reindeer antlers and a sweatshirt of West’s beloved Dallas Cowboys.
Two bright balloons flew over the grave of Sgt. Alberto Montrond, a 7th Special Forces Group soldier killed in Afghanistan in February 2006. At the base of his headstone, next to a wreath, was a plate with two holiday cupcakes.
A large floral arrangement with a ribbon proclaiming, “Rangers Lead the Way,” adorned Army Cpl. Ryan Casey McGhee’s grave. The 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, soldier was killed in Iraq in May 2009.
His mother had left behind a hand-written Christmas card, telling her son that although she thinks of him every day, the holidays are going to be especially tough.
He won’t be there to open gifts with his family, to share in a holiday toast, or even to call from a faraway deployment to tell them he loves them. And the empty seat at the dinner table will forever be a reminder of what they’ve lost.
As I left Arlington and headed off to work, I felt a deep sense of sadness over how much so many have sacrificed.
But then I remembered Sheila Patton, and the selfless gift she and so many others like her have given me and every other American.
Merry Christmas, Gold Star families. I wish you – and all of us — peace on earth
North Korea Threatens War Over South's Christmas Lights - The NORKS act like the Grinch !!
A South Korean military officer stands guard Tuesday as Christians prepare a lighting ceremony in front of a Christmas tree atop a military-controlled hill near the militarized border. The tree is the latest focus of tensions with North Korea.
Every Who in Whoville like Christmas a lot but the GRINCHES in the NORK Kingdom did not !!!
The NORKS are ready to go to war over CHRISTMAS LIGHTS!!! What's next? A hit on Santa??? Propaganda on Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer?? Maybe they are after Santa's elves....who knows with the whacky NORKS....too funny....they fear our celebration of Christ's birth....too flippin' funny to be believed.
North Korea Threatens War Over South's Christmas Lights
Dec 22, 2010 – 8:55 AM - Theunis Bates, Contributor
It's the season of goodwill to all mankind, but not on the Korean peninsula. The two rival neighbors are once again threatening to go to war -- this time over a gaudy display of Christmas lights.
North Korea's Grinch-like military reportedly is threatening to shell a floodlit metal tower -- decked with 100,000 light bulbs and topped with an illuminated cross -- that the South has erected on its side of the heavily militarized border, according to the South's Yonhap News Agency. The Christmas tree-shaped beacon was switched on Tuesday night at a ceremony that saw a Santa-hatted choir -- surrounded by gun-toting marines -- sing "Joy to the World" and other carols.
A South Korean military officer stands guard Tuesday as Christians prepare a lighting ceremony in front of a Christmas tree atop a military-controlled hill near the militarized border. The tree is the latest focus of tensions with North Korea.
"I hope that Christ's love and peace will spread to the North Korean people," said Lee Young-Hoon, pastor of the Seoul church that organized the ceremony, according to The Associated Press.
Pyongyang has dismissed claims that the tower is a religious symbol, saying it's nothing more than Southern propaganda. The brightly lit steel tree sits on a peak high enough for it to be seen by North Koreans living in impoverished border towns, which frequently suffer electricity cuts and food shortages. The officially atheist North warned that lighting the tree would constitute a "dangerous, rash act" that could trigger a war, according to the AP.
Kim Kwan-jin, the South's defense minister, promised a tough response to any anti-tree activity. "We will hand a daring punishment so as to remove the source of artillery fire" if the North attacks the tower, he told the parliament Tuesday, according to Yonhap.
The lighting ceremony went ahead without incident.
This is the first time the tree has been illuminated since 2003, when the South agreed to shut it down -- along with loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts over the border -- in an attempt to ease tensions with the North. However, after the unprovoked shelling of a South Korean island last month, which killed two soldiers and two civilians, President Lee Myung-bak's administration has become increasingly focused on proving it's not willing to be pushed around by the North.
The South has staged a series of military exercises with the U.S. in recent weeks, and today launched a four-day naval drill in the Sea of Japan, about 60 miles from the maritime border with the North. A one-day live-fire artillery exercise is scheduled to take place Thursday at Pocheon, about 25 miles south of the demilitarized zone
Every Who in Whoville like Christmas a lot but the GRINCHES in the NORK Kingdom did not !!!
The NORKS are ready to go to war over CHRISTMAS LIGHTS!!! What's next? A hit on Santa??? Propaganda on Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer?? Maybe they are after Santa's elves....who knows with the whacky NORKS....too funny....they fear our celebration of Christ's birth....too flippin' funny to be believed.
North Korea Threatens War Over South's Christmas Lights
Dec 22, 2010 – 8:55 AM - Theunis Bates, Contributor
It's the season of goodwill to all mankind, but not on the Korean peninsula. The two rival neighbors are once again threatening to go to war -- this time over a gaudy display of Christmas lights.
North Korea's Grinch-like military reportedly is threatening to shell a floodlit metal tower -- decked with 100,000 light bulbs and topped with an illuminated cross -- that the South has erected on its side of the heavily militarized border, according to the South's Yonhap News Agency. The Christmas tree-shaped beacon was switched on Tuesday night at a ceremony that saw a Santa-hatted choir -- surrounded by gun-toting marines -- sing "Joy to the World" and other carols.
A South Korean military officer stands guard Tuesday as Christians prepare a lighting ceremony in front of a Christmas tree atop a military-controlled hill near the militarized border. The tree is the latest focus of tensions with North Korea.
"I hope that Christ's love and peace will spread to the North Korean people," said Lee Young-Hoon, pastor of the Seoul church that organized the ceremony, according to The Associated Press.
Pyongyang has dismissed claims that the tower is a religious symbol, saying it's nothing more than Southern propaganda. The brightly lit steel tree sits on a peak high enough for it to be seen by North Koreans living in impoverished border towns, which frequently suffer electricity cuts and food shortages. The officially atheist North warned that lighting the tree would constitute a "dangerous, rash act" that could trigger a war, according to the AP.
Kim Kwan-jin, the South's defense minister, promised a tough response to any anti-tree activity. "We will hand a daring punishment so as to remove the source of artillery fire" if the North attacks the tower, he told the parliament Tuesday, according to Yonhap.
The lighting ceremony went ahead without incident.
This is the first time the tree has been illuminated since 2003, when the South agreed to shut it down -- along with loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts over the border -- in an attempt to ease tensions with the North. However, after the unprovoked shelling of a South Korean island last month, which killed two soldiers and two civilians, President Lee Myung-bak's administration has become increasingly focused on proving it's not willing to be pushed around by the North.
The South has staged a series of military exercises with the U.S. in recent weeks, and today launched a four-day naval drill in the Sea of Japan, about 60 miles from the maritime border with the North. A one-day live-fire artillery exercise is scheduled to take place Thursday at Pocheon, about 25 miles south of the demilitarized zone
“I wanted to come out here to thank you guys personally for all that you do,” Mark Wahlberg visits Camp Leatherneck for Christmas Holiday
Boston Native Mark Wahlberg visits the troops at Camp Leatherneck for a Christmas Holiday.....Good to see the troops got a visit from him.
Glad " the Fighter" could be there for the troops....Kicking around my old stomping grounds.
Mark Wahlberg visits Helmand province
Regional Command Southwest
Story by Lance Cpl. Jeremy Fasci
Mark Wahlberg visits coalition forces aboard Camp Leatherneck, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Dec. 19, 2010.
Regional Command Southwest
Story by Lance Cpl. Jeremy Fasci
Mark Wahlberg visits coalition forces aboard Camp Leatherneck, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Dec. 19, 2010.
During his visit, Wahlberg premiered his new movie, "The Fighter" as well as signing autographs and having his picture taken with various service members aboard Camp Leatherneck in support of International Security Assistance Force.
(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl Timothy P. Chesnavage/Released)
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Service members at Camp Leatherneck, Camp Dwyer and combat outpost Azadi had the met with actor Mark Wahlberg during a holiday visit to Afghanistan, Dec. 19 and 20.
The first trip to Afghanistan by Wahlberg turned into an instant success as service members, the majority of them Marines, jockeyed for the chance to get a picture and autograph. Working twelve-to fifteen-hour days, often 7 days a week, having a celebrity like Wahlberg visit was a welcomed break for service members.
“Everyone was kind of in good spirits looking to get out of the office, go see a movie and get a few hours off of work,” said Staff Sgt. Laura Maguire, current operations chief for I Marine Headquarters Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force (FWD). “It was important for me, I grew up in Jersey and he was a big deal, granted he was from Boston, but he was huge for us, you know Mark Wahlberg, Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, the Calvin Klein underwear ads. Over the years he turned into a great actor and I just wanted to meet the guy.”
After arriving in Afghanistan Maj. Gen. Richard P. Mills, commander of Regional Command Southwest, met with Wahlberg and spoke to him about the many different things coalition forces are doing in Helmand province to provide security for its people. Once the meeting was done, the group set out to meet and greet as many servicemembers as possible.
During his time at Camp Leatherneck, Wahlberg visited Marines with 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Logistics Group and 1st Marine Aircraft Wing in front of their respective headquarters compounds. He also met with Marines from the military working dog platoon, the wounded warrior program and servicemembers recovering at the Bastion Hospital. Between the different meetings his new movie, ‘The Fighter,’ was played for large groups at a modified theater set up on Leatherneck.
As the crowds packed into the theater Wahlberg spoke to everyone about his deep appreciation for their efforts and why it was so important for him to come here.
“I wanted to come out here to thank you guys personally for all that you do,” said Wahlberg. “People always want to pat me on the back and tell me how great I am. I am a very humble guy, you guys deserve all the pats on the back and all the thanks in the world.”
For many service members this was the first time they had seen a movie so quickly after it was released since arriving in country nine or ten months ago.
The second day of the trip Wahlberg took a trip to Camp Dwyer. During the visit there was another showing of his new movie and visits to the medical center and wounded warrior area.
Once he was done meeting service members in these locations he pushed out to an even smaller location, COP Azadi in Marjah. Marjah was once one of the most dangerous areas in Helmand province but is now quickly becoming a model for other areas throughout Afghanistan.
Wahlberg met, took pictures with and signed autographs for as many service members as possible and broke up the monotony of everyday life in Afghanistan for coalition forces.
“He was phenomenal, he was really down to earth and soft spoken,” said Maguire. “People were literally grabbing his jacket and tugging on his hand to get his attention to get a picture and he was just cool with it. He literally took the time to sign as many autographs as people wanted and took pictures with everybody. I thought that was pretty cool because a lot of the people that come out here are just here for public appearance and not to meet the troops
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
The Shepherds and the Angels - The real meaning of Christmas
It must have been unusual for shepards to experience the presence of Angels....they accepted the words of the Lord's messengers and followed the Star to the babe in the manger..I wanted to post the story here as many of our Soldiers, Marines, Sailors & Airmen will be in that same region of the world, awaiting the news of the birth of the Savior, and celebrating his birth on Christmas Day...may the protection of the Lord and his Angels be with them on Christmas Day and always.
------------------------------
The Shepherds and the Angels- The real meaning of christmas
Luke 2:8-14
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
" Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests "
Truman carrier strike group returns in time for Christmas
No better place to be than back home from Sea.....bet there might be some "Christmas Babies" coming along nine months from now.....no surprise there.
Truman carrier strike group returns in time for Christmas
WVEC.com
NORFOLK -- Just in time for the holidays, 7000 sailors and Marines from the USS Harry S. Truman strike group are home from a seven-month deployment to the Middle East.
The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier Truman, Winston Churchill, Oscar Austin, Ross, and Normandy sailed in to Naval Station Norfolk, greeted by thousands of sign-waving family members as Christmas music played.
Among the welcoming crowd were 119 new family members. The Navy set up a new moms tent for mothers and the 119 babies born during the deployment.
The carrier group supported U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Its air wing flew more than 2,900 missions.
The air wing returned over the weekend, and returning a little sooner than originally planned is a real holiday bonus.
"It's really awesome. When we left here we were under the impression that we were going to get home in January, so finding out that you get to go home for Christmas is always a blessing. It's good to see these guys and spend Christmas with everyone and really enjoy it," said Lt. Bobby Nicoli.
Lt. JG Jesse West got to hold his son for the very first time.
"I'm, like, a father. My life's changed. It hasn't hit me till today. Holding him right now, I think it's the beginning."
His wife was thrilled to have her husband home.
"I’ve waited for this for the past three and a half months. I'm just speechless. I'm just so excited that he gets to hold him now," said Margaret West.
Truman carrier strike group returns in time for Christmas
WVEC.com
NORFOLK -- Just in time for the holidays, 7000 sailors and Marines from the USS Harry S. Truman strike group are home from a seven-month deployment to the Middle East.
The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier Truman, Winston Churchill, Oscar Austin, Ross, and Normandy sailed in to Naval Station Norfolk, greeted by thousands of sign-waving family members as Christmas music played.
Among the welcoming crowd were 119 new family members. The Navy set up a new moms tent for mothers and the 119 babies born during the deployment.
The carrier group supported U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Its air wing flew more than 2,900 missions.
The air wing returned over the weekend, and returning a little sooner than originally planned is a real holiday bonus.
"It's really awesome. When we left here we were under the impression that we were going to get home in January, so finding out that you get to go home for Christmas is always a blessing. It's good to see these guys and spend Christmas with everyone and really enjoy it," said Lt. Bobby Nicoli.
Lt. JG Jesse West got to hold his son for the very first time.
"I'm, like, a father. My life's changed. It hasn't hit me till today. Holding him right now, I think it's the beginning."
His wife was thrilled to have her husband home.
"I’ve waited for this for the past three and a half months. I'm just speechless. I'm just so excited that he gets to hold him now," said Margaret West.
Monday, December 20, 2010
VW Van, stolen in 1974, Returns Home With a Little Help From Its Friends
A VW Van is one vehicle that inspires loyalty among it's owners....Like many VWs, there were great memories associated with the time spent on the road....I had a 1969 Karmann Ghia in College and it was FUN to drive.....pretty sporty too.
Here is the end of the story for a VW Van that was stolen in 1974 ad found it's way back to it's rightful owner....with a little help from some friends.
Van, Stolen in '74, Returns Home With a Little Help From Its Friends
By MIRIAM JORDAN
WSJ.com
SPOKANE, Wash.—Last Christmas, Michele "Mikey" Carlson Squires' middle son, Matt, gave her a toy Volkswagen van, just like the blue-and-white hippie mobile stolen from her in 1974.
The gift was meant as a consolation. Miraculously, the real microbus recently had been discovered and auctioned off, but Ms. Squires was outbid in her attempt to buy it. "You didn't get your van back, but this is something you'll always remember it by," said her son.
This year, Ms. Squires has her bus back just in time for Christmas.
"Everything looks the same, except the curtains are gone," Ms. Squires declared, sitting at the wheel of the refurbished 1965 microbus outside the Chinese restaurant where she works.
On Tuesday night, Ms. Squires gathered family, old buddies and customers at Cathay Inn to celebrate the van's homecoming, a day after she and her boyfriend finished hauling it 1,300 miles from a car auctioneer's lot in California. "Congratulations, Mikey!" read a banner that greeted about 100 revelers, who posed for pictures with the vehicle in the biting cold.
Ms. Squires' bus was merely a memory when she spotted it on a TV news report in November 2009. It had been found by customs agents at the Los Angeles port—in pristine condition and bound for Europe—three decades after disappearing from a Spokane auto-repair shop.
After the The Wall Street Journal ran a front-page story last year about Ms. Squires' surprising discovery and her attempts to reclaim the van, a retired attorney tracked her down at Cathay Inn. As they exchanged recipes and family stories by email, a friendship blossomed. "I decided I was going to do everything to get her beloved back," says Kris Cook, 68, of Tulsa, Okla.
And thus began the year-long journey to reunite Ms. Squires with her VW bus. "Not a week went by when someone at the restaurant didn't ask me about it," says Ms. Squires of the bus, which went missing just before a trip she had planned to the Rocky Mountains with several girlfriends, then in their 20s.
Now 59 years old, those women were at Tuesday's celebration wearing tie-dye shirts and peace-sign chokers. Janice Updike, who claims to be the wildest of the van gang, brought a chocolate cake with a design of a VW bus, peace signs and daisies adorning its side. A barber shop quartet that sang at the Cathay Inn in the 1970s crooned a corny song about Coney Island. On a round table with memorabilia, an album featured fuzzy pictures of Mikey and her friends in bandanas and bell-bottom jeans.
"We'd pile in as many people as we could get in there," said Maralee Appa, who is ribbed by the gals about having conceived her oldest daughter in the van. (She denies it).
Ms. Squires, tall and thin with a girlish face framed by brown hair and bangs, was overwhelmed by the attention. "This is surreal," she said.
Over the past year, she's had other offers of help. One man said he'd give her $1,000 to help buy back the van, in honor of a VW bus he had once owned. Ms. Squires thanked him but didn't take the money. Another wrote a letter to Allstate Insurance Co., which had paid a $2,500 claim to Ms. Squires after it was stolen in 1974, in which he suggested that giving the vehicle back to her would be good public relations for the company.
Shortly after the van was retrieved last year, Allstate, which said it was the rightful owner because it had paid the claim decades ago, announced it would auction the bus and donate the proceeds to charity. A few days before Christmas, the van was sold at auction for $30,250 to an undisclosed buyer.
Ms. Squires figured "the party was over," she recalls. But Ms. Cook, the attorney from Tulsa, never lost hope. In a flurry of phone calls and emails, she began questioning whether any party since Ms. Squires had a title to the vehicle, which had changed hands several times. "I obnoxiously bugged companies and authorities," says Ms. Cook.
Finally, she learned from the National Insurance Crime Bureau and the California Highway Patrol that Allstate didn't have title to the vehicle, which meant it couldn't legally transfer it to a new owner. Then, the California Department of Motor Vehicles notified Copart.com, the company that conducted the auction, that a court judgment was required "stating to whom the vehicle has been awarded."
Months passed. The van sat in a Copart.com warehouse in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
The parties finally reached a settlement that enabled Ms. Squires to get the bus back. Ms. Squires says she agreed with Copart and other parties not to disclose the terms of the deal, revealing only that she borrowed money from her boyfriend, Earl Roethle, to acquire it.
Last week, Ms. Squires and her boyfriend set out from Washington state to southern California, pulling a trailer behind their truck. For good luck, Ms. Squires placed the toy bus that her son gave her last Christmas on it.
The couple drove about 18 hours, stopping only for fuel and bathroom breaks. When Ms. Squires first saw the VW, she gushed, "It's got some cobwebs and dust on it, but it's beautiful." It needed a jump start to come to life.
On the ride back to Washington, a highway patrolman approached Mr. Roethle when he stopped for diesel just 60 miles outside Spokane. Mr. Roethle says he froze, only to hear the officer ask: "Is that the 'one'?"
In Spokane, Mr. Roethle installed a new battery, put air in the tires and shined up the bus for the celebration. "If I were to pay all that money for a car, I'd buy a vintage Pontiac GTO," he said, before quickly adding: "But it means a lot to Mikey. We'll have fun with it."
At the party Tuesday night, Ms. Squires's sister, Pat Strong, had her own idea: "Truth is, I'd like her to keep it for a year, sell it and put the money in her retirement account."
Not a chance, said Ms. Squires: "This is my legacy to my grandchildren."
She's waiting for the winter to pass before she starts driving it. She and her buddies already have plans to ride the bus in the Spokane Lilac Festival parade next spring, all decked out for the occasion.
Write to Miriam Jordan at miriam.jordan@wsj.com
Copyright 2010 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Here is the end of the story for a VW Van that was stolen in 1974 ad found it's way back to it's rightful owner....with a little help from some friends.
Van, Stolen in '74, Returns Home With a Little Help From Its Friends
By MIRIAM JORDAN
WSJ.com
SPOKANE, Wash.—Last Christmas, Michele "Mikey" Carlson Squires' middle son, Matt, gave her a toy Volkswagen van, just like the blue-and-white hippie mobile stolen from her in 1974.
The gift was meant as a consolation. Miraculously, the real microbus recently had been discovered and auctioned off, but Ms. Squires was outbid in her attempt to buy it. "You didn't get your van back, but this is something you'll always remember it by," said her son.
This year, Ms. Squires has her bus back just in time for Christmas.
"Everything looks the same, except the curtains are gone," Ms. Squires declared, sitting at the wheel of the refurbished 1965 microbus outside the Chinese restaurant where she works.
On Tuesday night, Ms. Squires gathered family, old buddies and customers at Cathay Inn to celebrate the van's homecoming, a day after she and her boyfriend finished hauling it 1,300 miles from a car auctioneer's lot in California. "Congratulations, Mikey!" read a banner that greeted about 100 revelers, who posed for pictures with the vehicle in the biting cold.
Ms. Squires' bus was merely a memory when she spotted it on a TV news report in November 2009. It had been found by customs agents at the Los Angeles port—in pristine condition and bound for Europe—three decades after disappearing from a Spokane auto-repair shop.
After the The Wall Street Journal ran a front-page story last year about Ms. Squires' surprising discovery and her attempts to reclaim the van, a retired attorney tracked her down at Cathay Inn. As they exchanged recipes and family stories by email, a friendship blossomed. "I decided I was going to do everything to get her beloved back," says Kris Cook, 68, of Tulsa, Okla.
And thus began the year-long journey to reunite Ms. Squires with her VW bus. "Not a week went by when someone at the restaurant didn't ask me about it," says Ms. Squires of the bus, which went missing just before a trip she had planned to the Rocky Mountains with several girlfriends, then in their 20s.
Now 59 years old, those women were at Tuesday's celebration wearing tie-dye shirts and peace-sign chokers. Janice Updike, who claims to be the wildest of the van gang, brought a chocolate cake with a design of a VW bus, peace signs and daisies adorning its side. A barber shop quartet that sang at the Cathay Inn in the 1970s crooned a corny song about Coney Island. On a round table with memorabilia, an album featured fuzzy pictures of Mikey and her friends in bandanas and bell-bottom jeans.
"We'd pile in as many people as we could get in there," said Maralee Appa, who is ribbed by the gals about having conceived her oldest daughter in the van. (She denies it).
Ms. Squires, tall and thin with a girlish face framed by brown hair and bangs, was overwhelmed by the attention. "This is surreal," she said.
Over the past year, she's had other offers of help. One man said he'd give her $1,000 to help buy back the van, in honor of a VW bus he had once owned. Ms. Squires thanked him but didn't take the money. Another wrote a letter to Allstate Insurance Co., which had paid a $2,500 claim to Ms. Squires after it was stolen in 1974, in which he suggested that giving the vehicle back to her would be good public relations for the company.
Shortly after the van was retrieved last year, Allstate, which said it was the rightful owner because it had paid the claim decades ago, announced it would auction the bus and donate the proceeds to charity. A few days before Christmas, the van was sold at auction for $30,250 to an undisclosed buyer.
Ms. Squires figured "the party was over," she recalls. But Ms. Cook, the attorney from Tulsa, never lost hope. In a flurry of phone calls and emails, she began questioning whether any party since Ms. Squires had a title to the vehicle, which had changed hands several times. "I obnoxiously bugged companies and authorities," says Ms. Cook.
Finally, she learned from the National Insurance Crime Bureau and the California Highway Patrol that Allstate didn't have title to the vehicle, which meant it couldn't legally transfer it to a new owner. Then, the California Department of Motor Vehicles notified Copart.com, the company that conducted the auction, that a court judgment was required "stating to whom the vehicle has been awarded."
Months passed. The van sat in a Copart.com warehouse in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
The parties finally reached a settlement that enabled Ms. Squires to get the bus back. Ms. Squires says she agreed with Copart and other parties not to disclose the terms of the deal, revealing only that she borrowed money from her boyfriend, Earl Roethle, to acquire it.
Last week, Ms. Squires and her boyfriend set out from Washington state to southern California, pulling a trailer behind their truck. For good luck, Ms. Squires placed the toy bus that her son gave her last Christmas on it.
The couple drove about 18 hours, stopping only for fuel and bathroom breaks. When Ms. Squires first saw the VW, she gushed, "It's got some cobwebs and dust on it, but it's beautiful." It needed a jump start to come to life.
On the ride back to Washington, a highway patrolman approached Mr. Roethle when he stopped for diesel just 60 miles outside Spokane. Mr. Roethle says he froze, only to hear the officer ask: "Is that the 'one'?"
In Spokane, Mr. Roethle installed a new battery, put air in the tires and shined up the bus for the celebration. "If I were to pay all that money for a car, I'd buy a vintage Pontiac GTO," he said, before quickly adding: "But it means a lot to Mikey. We'll have fun with it."
At the party Tuesday night, Ms. Squires's sister, Pat Strong, had her own idea: "Truth is, I'd like her to keep it for a year, sell it and put the money in her retirement account."
Not a chance, said Ms. Squires: "This is my legacy to my grandchildren."
She's waiting for the winter to pass before she starts driving it. She and her buddies already have plans to ride the bus in the Spokane Lilac Festival parade next spring, all decked out for the occasion.
Write to Miriam Jordan at miriam.jordan@wsj.com
Copyright 2010 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Micromanagers - The Cancer of good morale and poison to exceptional effort
In my humble opinion, there is a disease loose in the world of business that is a Cancer to good morale and exceptional efforts - That poison is " Micromangement "
Defined as " a manager who rather than giving general instructions on smaller tasks and then devoting his time to supervising larger concerns, the micromanager monitors and assesses every step of a business process and avoids delegation of decisions.
Micromanagers are usually irritated when a subordinate makes decisions without consulting them, even if the decisions are totally within the subordinate's level of authority."
I worked for a couple of these and they were able to suck the oxygen right out of any room they entered.....Enclosed is a good Leadership lesson on how to avoid being one of these curmudgeons....Don't be that guy.
THEORY & PRACTICE
Micromanagers Miss Bull's-Eye
Dealing With Every Detail Robs Subordinates of the Freedom to Solve Problems.
By CARI TUNA - WSJ.com
Two years ago, Greg Cushard was leading eight or nine meetings a week at Rubicon Oil Co., the truck-refueling company he founded and runs. He would interrupt conversations among subordinates, identify mistakes and make even mundane decisions, he says.
"I acted like a quarterback ... more than a coach," Mr. Cushard says. He had little time to think about the business. Employees "stopped making suggestions because they were afraid they'd get shot down."
Prompted by advice from his top lieutenants and executive coach, Mr. Cushard resolved to stop micromanaging. Leadership experts say micromanagers -- from small-business owners to managers in large organizations -- share an unwillingness to trust subordinates; still, many can be successful, to a point.
Former President Jimmy Carter was known to personally review requests for White House tennis courts. Martha Stewart once described herself as a "maniacal micromanager" who had to "understand every part of the business to be able to maximize those businesses." Former Walt Disney Co. Chief Executive Michael Eisner ordered stronger bulbs put in reading lights in Disney hotels.
The best managers help employees learn to work independently by giving them meaningful responsibilities, organizational coach Diane Foster says. "Who wants to be in a company where you are not allowed to think?"
Michael Hakkert, vice president of corporate marketing for Blue Coat Systems Inc., says he struggled with the urge to micromanage in his first supervisory job at Cisco Systems Inc. 10 years ago. Mr. Hakkert says he would act as an intermediary between subordinates and other Cisco employees instead of letting employees own their projects.
"It was very difficult to understand when to continue to roll up my sleeves and when to actually delegate," he recalls. A leadership-development class and mentor at Cisco helped Mr. Hakkert realize that good managers facilitate the work of their subordinates, whether or not they help create the final products.
Frontline workers often are best suited to identify problems and suggest creative solutions, says Ira Bryck, director of University of Massachusetts's Family Business Center in Hadley, Mass. But when conditioned to rely on a heavy-handed manager for guidance, employees become complacent, he says.
Managers should give employees goals and leave them to work out the details, Mr. Bryck says. They should resist the temptation to take control when subordinates make minor mistakes.
Some micromanagers need a push from others to break the habit. Mr. Bryck recalls the CEO of a small software company who asked him why employees didn't follow instructions. After interviewing employees, Mr. Bryck determined they resented the boss's heavy hand. He asked the employees to rewrite the CEO's job description to help him understand where his guidance wasn't necessary.
At Rubicon, the truck-refueling company, Mr. Cushard started leaving meetings after briefly setting the tone and agenda. He soon stopped attending some altogether, appointing others to lead in his place. Rubicon, Sacramento, Calif., has about 40 employees.
"When the CEO became a member of the meeting and not the center of the meeting, so much more got accomplished," says Tim Johnson, Rubicon's head of sales.
For example, Rubicon's accountants thrived when left to decide how to tackle the department's goals, Mr. Cushard says. They trimmed the average time to collect a payment to about 23 days, from 31 days.
"They did not want me there," Mr. Cushard says. "My presence hindered thinking."
But Rubicon's operations department initially "failed miserably because I had the wrong person" running the department, he says. The operations head purchased three more refueling trucks than the company needed -- for $175,000 each -- at a time when business was slowing. The trucks sat idle for months before they could be rotated into use.
Mr. Cushard ultimately fired the manager and split the operations department into two smaller groups that are easier to manage. "You instantly find out who's good and who's not by ... putting the ball in their court," he says.
Today, Rubicon employees take turns running meetings. Leaders periodically follow up with co-workers, creating more accountability within departments, Mr. Cushard says.
Mark Goulston, a Los Angeles-based management consultant, likes that approach. "It gives everyone the opportunity ... to feel what it's like to try to keep people on track," he says.
Mr. Cushard now attends three or four meetings a week; subordinates send updates from the rest. In his newfound spare time, Mr. Cushard launched a second company, a fuel clearinghouse that tracks oil prices.
As owners, "we think we know best, but we don't, not all of the time," he says. "I realized that it's not all about me."
Write to Cari Tuna at cari.tuna@wsj.com
Printed in The Wall Street Journal
Defined as " a manager who rather than giving general instructions on smaller tasks and then devoting his time to supervising larger concerns, the micromanager monitors and assesses every step of a business process and avoids delegation of decisions.
Micromanagers are usually irritated when a subordinate makes decisions without consulting them, even if the decisions are totally within the subordinate's level of authority."
I worked for a couple of these and they were able to suck the oxygen right out of any room they entered.....Enclosed is a good Leadership lesson on how to avoid being one of these curmudgeons....Don't be that guy.
THEORY & PRACTICE
Micromanagers Miss Bull's-Eye
Dealing With Every Detail Robs Subordinates of the Freedom to Solve Problems.
By CARI TUNA - WSJ.com
Two years ago, Greg Cushard was leading eight or nine meetings a week at Rubicon Oil Co., the truck-refueling company he founded and runs. He would interrupt conversations among subordinates, identify mistakes and make even mundane decisions, he says.
"I acted like a quarterback ... more than a coach," Mr. Cushard says. He had little time to think about the business. Employees "stopped making suggestions because they were afraid they'd get shot down."
Prompted by advice from his top lieutenants and executive coach, Mr. Cushard resolved to stop micromanaging. Leadership experts say micromanagers -- from small-business owners to managers in large organizations -- share an unwillingness to trust subordinates; still, many can be successful, to a point.
Former President Jimmy Carter was known to personally review requests for White House tennis courts. Martha Stewart once described herself as a "maniacal micromanager" who had to "understand every part of the business to be able to maximize those businesses." Former Walt Disney Co. Chief Executive Michael Eisner ordered stronger bulbs put in reading lights in Disney hotels.
The best managers help employees learn to work independently by giving them meaningful responsibilities, organizational coach Diane Foster says. "Who wants to be in a company where you are not allowed to think?"
Michael Hakkert, vice president of corporate marketing for Blue Coat Systems Inc., says he struggled with the urge to micromanage in his first supervisory job at Cisco Systems Inc. 10 years ago. Mr. Hakkert says he would act as an intermediary between subordinates and other Cisco employees instead of letting employees own their projects.
"It was very difficult to understand when to continue to roll up my sleeves and when to actually delegate," he recalls. A leadership-development class and mentor at Cisco helped Mr. Hakkert realize that good managers facilitate the work of their subordinates, whether or not they help create the final products.
Frontline workers often are best suited to identify problems and suggest creative solutions, says Ira Bryck, director of University of Massachusetts's Family Business Center in Hadley, Mass. But when conditioned to rely on a heavy-handed manager for guidance, employees become complacent, he says.
Managers should give employees goals and leave them to work out the details, Mr. Bryck says. They should resist the temptation to take control when subordinates make minor mistakes.
Some micromanagers need a push from others to break the habit. Mr. Bryck recalls the CEO of a small software company who asked him why employees didn't follow instructions. After interviewing employees, Mr. Bryck determined they resented the boss's heavy hand. He asked the employees to rewrite the CEO's job description to help him understand where his guidance wasn't necessary.
At Rubicon, the truck-refueling company, Mr. Cushard started leaving meetings after briefly setting the tone and agenda. He soon stopped attending some altogether, appointing others to lead in his place. Rubicon, Sacramento, Calif., has about 40 employees.
"When the CEO became a member of the meeting and not the center of the meeting, so much more got accomplished," says Tim Johnson, Rubicon's head of sales.
For example, Rubicon's accountants thrived when left to decide how to tackle the department's goals, Mr. Cushard says. They trimmed the average time to collect a payment to about 23 days, from 31 days.
"They did not want me there," Mr. Cushard says. "My presence hindered thinking."
But Rubicon's operations department initially "failed miserably because I had the wrong person" running the department, he says. The operations head purchased three more refueling trucks than the company needed -- for $175,000 each -- at a time when business was slowing. The trucks sat idle for months before they could be rotated into use.
Mr. Cushard ultimately fired the manager and split the operations department into two smaller groups that are easier to manage. "You instantly find out who's good and who's not by ... putting the ball in their court," he says.
Today, Rubicon employees take turns running meetings. Leaders periodically follow up with co-workers, creating more accountability within departments, Mr. Cushard says.
Mark Goulston, a Los Angeles-based management consultant, likes that approach. "It gives everyone the opportunity ... to feel what it's like to try to keep people on track," he says.
Mr. Cushard now attends three or four meetings a week; subordinates send updates from the rest. In his newfound spare time, Mr. Cushard launched a second company, a fuel clearinghouse that tracks oil prices.
As owners, "we think we know best, but we don't, not all of the time," he says. "I realized that it's not all about me."
Write to Cari Tuna at cari.tuna@wsj.com
Printed in The Wall Street Journal
Sunday, December 19, 2010
" We're Americans. We're Americans, and we'll never surrender. They will."
" Do not yield. Do not flinch. Stand up.... We're Americans. We're Americans, and we'll never surrender. They will."
Senator John McCain - Speech to Republican National Convention, August 2004
I am a big supporter of Senator John McCain. He is one of my personal heroes. I have not nor will be a big political party guy as I firmly believe in voting my conscience - I vote for the candidate, not the party.
Senator McCain's story is a compelling one of a man who had to deal with many issues that became the shaping forces of his life.
"As a young man, I would respond aggressively and sometimes irresponsibly to anyone whom I perceived to have questioned my sense of honor and self-respect," he said.
"Those responses often got me in a fair amount of trouble earlier in life."
But in the second half of McCain's well-known narrative, he found the true meaning of honor and a calling greater than his own self-glory when he was captured and tortured for five-and-a-half years as a prisoner of war.
"I once thought I was man enough for almost any confrontation," McCain said. "In prison, I discovered I was not. I tried to use every personal resource I had to confound my captors, and it wasn't enough in the end. But when I had reached the limit of my endurance, the men I had the honor of serving with picked me up, set me right, and sent me back into the fight. I became dependent on others to a greater extent than I had ever been before. And I am a better man for it."
In Hanoi prison, McCain's youthful resistance to authority became the source of his inner strength and resilience. The story of McCain's personal courage — whether he's taking on his Vietnamese captors or corrupt members of his own party — is at the core of his political message.
Those who don't understand the drive of someone who could stand up under the withering and crushing force of five years of captivity and torture will see him as abrasive and unyielding. I see a man who knows what's at stake for our country, as he had his liberty taken away for 5 years and knows the price of freedom.
Let the chips fall where they may - I Support Senator John McCain.
McCain's new role: GOP agitator
By: Manu Raju - Politico.com
December 19, 2010 07:01 AM EST
Sen. John McCain is getting under the skin of Democrats these days — and he seems to be relishing it.
After Democrats scrapped a massive $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill Thursday, McCain gloated about its defeat — and Democrats fumed. When he took a whack at efforts to bring up a bill aimed at helping Sept. 11 first responders, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) reacted fiercely. And as he went down fighting Saturday on the repeal of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was baffled, saying, “I don’t understand it.”
Fresh from a whopping electoral victory Nov. 2, McCain is inserting himself into the biggest issues of the day, acting as a power player in the Senate and angering Democrats. And while Mitch McConnell may be the Senate GOP leader, McCain has embraced a role as the leading Republican agitator against President Barack Obama, who defeated him in the 2008 presidential election.
“It’s kind of expected,” Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) said of McCain’s approach. “It’s sort of the John McCain of 2010.”
At least one senator isn’t very forgiving of the straight-shooting, hot-tempered McCain. In October, McCain ripped Sen. Barbara Boxer on the campaign trail for being the most “anti-defense senator” and accused her of endangering national security — and the California Democrat is still ticked off.
“He makes things up. He loses control. That was an example,” she said in an interview.
When asked whether he still believes what he said about Boxer, McCain said, “Sure.”
“Anybody who has voted against every single one of our efforts going all the way back to Desert Storm — that’s my view,” McCain told POLITICO. “I have to stand up for what I believe is best for this country, particularly on national security issues.”
With a nuclear arms treaty with Russia hanging in the balance, McCain has significant sway over his GOP colleagues on whether the the deal will be ratified this year.
McCain took particular pleasure in battling — and helping defeat — the earmark-laden omnibus spending bill. When the bill was pulled from the floor last week, McCain gleefully hailed the outcome — and some of his colleagues were miffed at what they considered showboating by the Arizona Republican.
The 74-year-old McCain doesn’t seem too worried about that.
“I love it. I love it,” he said. “Because I’ve been fighting for years, they’ve been obviously supportive of what I believe is a corrupt practice [of earmarking]. I was very entertained by the response.”
McCain critics say he has ditched the title of “maverick” — which he touted in his 2008 presidential campaign — and has taken a hard partisan line against the Obama administration, even on issues he once supported like a comprehensive immigration bill and a cap-and-trade climate change plan. And he emerged as the leading opposition figure on a range of other high-profile legislative efforts — like the national health care law.
Many saw McCain’s positioning over the past year as part political since he faced a competitive primary race against conservative former Rep. J.D. Hayworth, who he ended up trouncing. But after cruising in the general election by 24 percentage points against Democrat Rodney Glassman, McCain returned to the Senate with a head of steam.
Some in the Senate wondered if the newly emboldened Republican would return to his old, deal-cutting ways, bucking his party on measures like campaign finance reform.
But McCain may be more comfortable as an Obama antagonist — even though he says he’ll work with the president when they have common ground.
“I have said all along ... I would be glad to work with the president, glad to sit down and work with the president on a broad variety of issues,” he said in the interview. “But the president has never sought my advice or counsel.”
McCain said he has spoken with Obama lately about the new START deal with Russia — and he has not yet announced whether he'll give the treaty potentially deal-clinching support. McCain now says he hopes there’s more outreach to improve the nonexistent relationship between the 2008 adversaries.
“It’s not [that] there was anything wrong with the relationship; there was just no relationship,” he said.
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of McCain’s closest friends in the Senate, pointed out that the Arizona Republican has, at times, sided with Obama — including on the Afghanistan war policy, the president’s opposition to more money for F-22 jet fighters and the major tax-cut compromise that Obama signed into law Friday.
“It’s kind of odd that every time John gets crossways with our Democratic friends, about 70 percent of the American people are with him,” Graham said in the Capitol on Friday.
Democrats don’t seem to think that. After McCain railed on the Democrats’ floor schedule — and referred to the upcoming consideration of the Sept. 11 first responders bill as “fooling around” — Schumer teed off in a Senate floor speech Friday, saying the Arizona Republican was being insensitive to the emergency responders who need health benefits.
“We are not fooling around,” Schumer said. “We are fulfilling our duty as patriotic Americans for all of those, from New York and elsewhere, who rushed to the towers.”
McCain didn’t back down.
“The majority leader keeps bringing up that and other pieces of legislation for votes [that] don’t get enough votes,” McCain fired back. “So for the senator from New York to somehow interpret that as my [being] critical of the bill itself, of course, is an incredible stretch of the imagination.
“And, frankly, I resent it.”
McCain was severely outnumbered, however, on Saturday’s repeal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, which the Senate passed 65-31. Opponents of the policy accused McCain of repeatedly flip-flopping — so much so that Reid said on the floor earlier this month that McCain offered a “dizzying” defense of the law.
“I have no idea what he's talking about and no one else does either," Reid said plainly.
On Saturday morning, before the vote to end the policy, McCain went down swinging — attacking Reid for having misplaced priorities and for pushing a measure he said would hurt military readiness.
“Here we are, about six weeks after an election that repudiated the agenda of the other side; we are jamming — or trying to jam major issues through the Senate of the United States because they know they can’t get it done beginning next Jan. 5,” McCain said on the floor.
I am a big supporter of Senator John McCain. He is one of my personal heroes. I have not nor will be a big political party guy as I firmly believe in voting my conscience - I vote for the candidate, not the party.
Senator McCain's story is a compelling one of a man who had to deal with many issues that became the shaping forces of his life.
"As a young man, I would respond aggressively and sometimes irresponsibly to anyone whom I perceived to have questioned my sense of honor and self-respect," he said.
"Those responses often got me in a fair amount of trouble earlier in life."
But in the second half of McCain's well-known narrative, he found the true meaning of honor and a calling greater than his own self-glory when he was captured and tortured for five-and-a-half years as a prisoner of war.
"I once thought I was man enough for almost any confrontation," McCain said. "In prison, I discovered I was not. I tried to use every personal resource I had to confound my captors, and it wasn't enough in the end. But when I had reached the limit of my endurance, the men I had the honor of serving with picked me up, set me right, and sent me back into the fight. I became dependent on others to a greater extent than I had ever been before. And I am a better man for it."
In Hanoi prison, McCain's youthful resistance to authority became the source of his inner strength and resilience. The story of McCain's personal courage — whether he's taking on his Vietnamese captors or corrupt members of his own party — is at the core of his political message.
Those who don't understand the drive of someone who could stand up under the withering and crushing force of five years of captivity and torture will see him as abrasive and unyielding. I see a man who knows what's at stake for our country, as he had his liberty taken away for 5 years and knows the price of freedom.
Let the chips fall where they may - I Support Senator John McCain.
McCain's new role: GOP agitator
By: Manu Raju - Politico.com
December 19, 2010 07:01 AM EST
Sen. John McCain is getting under the skin of Democrats these days — and he seems to be relishing it.
After Democrats scrapped a massive $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill Thursday, McCain gloated about its defeat — and Democrats fumed. When he took a whack at efforts to bring up a bill aimed at helping Sept. 11 first responders, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) reacted fiercely. And as he went down fighting Saturday on the repeal of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was baffled, saying, “I don’t understand it.”
Fresh from a whopping electoral victory Nov. 2, McCain is inserting himself into the biggest issues of the day, acting as a power player in the Senate and angering Democrats. And while Mitch McConnell may be the Senate GOP leader, McCain has embraced a role as the leading Republican agitator against President Barack Obama, who defeated him in the 2008 presidential election.
“It’s kind of expected,” Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) said of McCain’s approach. “It’s sort of the John McCain of 2010.”
At least one senator isn’t very forgiving of the straight-shooting, hot-tempered McCain. In October, McCain ripped Sen. Barbara Boxer on the campaign trail for being the most “anti-defense senator” and accused her of endangering national security — and the California Democrat is still ticked off.
“He makes things up. He loses control. That was an example,” she said in an interview.
When asked whether he still believes what he said about Boxer, McCain said, “Sure.”
“Anybody who has voted against every single one of our efforts going all the way back to Desert Storm — that’s my view,” McCain told POLITICO. “I have to stand up for what I believe is best for this country, particularly on national security issues.”
With a nuclear arms treaty with Russia hanging in the balance, McCain has significant sway over his GOP colleagues on whether the the deal will be ratified this year.
McCain took particular pleasure in battling — and helping defeat — the earmark-laden omnibus spending bill. When the bill was pulled from the floor last week, McCain gleefully hailed the outcome — and some of his colleagues were miffed at what they considered showboating by the Arizona Republican.
The 74-year-old McCain doesn’t seem too worried about that.
“I love it. I love it,” he said. “Because I’ve been fighting for years, they’ve been obviously supportive of what I believe is a corrupt practice [of earmarking]. I was very entertained by the response.”
McCain critics say he has ditched the title of “maverick” — which he touted in his 2008 presidential campaign — and has taken a hard partisan line against the Obama administration, even on issues he once supported like a comprehensive immigration bill and a cap-and-trade climate change plan. And he emerged as the leading opposition figure on a range of other high-profile legislative efforts — like the national health care law.
Many saw McCain’s positioning over the past year as part political since he faced a competitive primary race against conservative former Rep. J.D. Hayworth, who he ended up trouncing. But after cruising in the general election by 24 percentage points against Democrat Rodney Glassman, McCain returned to the Senate with a head of steam.
Some in the Senate wondered if the newly emboldened Republican would return to his old, deal-cutting ways, bucking his party on measures like campaign finance reform.
But McCain may be more comfortable as an Obama antagonist — even though he says he’ll work with the president when they have common ground.
“I have said all along ... I would be glad to work with the president, glad to sit down and work with the president on a broad variety of issues,” he said in the interview. “But the president has never sought my advice or counsel.”
McCain said he has spoken with Obama lately about the new START deal with Russia — and he has not yet announced whether he'll give the treaty potentially deal-clinching support. McCain now says he hopes there’s more outreach to improve the nonexistent relationship between the 2008 adversaries.
“It’s not [that] there was anything wrong with the relationship; there was just no relationship,” he said.
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of McCain’s closest friends in the Senate, pointed out that the Arizona Republican has, at times, sided with Obama — including on the Afghanistan war policy, the president’s opposition to more money for F-22 jet fighters and the major tax-cut compromise that Obama signed into law Friday.
“It’s kind of odd that every time John gets crossways with our Democratic friends, about 70 percent of the American people are with him,” Graham said in the Capitol on Friday.
Democrats don’t seem to think that. After McCain railed on the Democrats’ floor schedule — and referred to the upcoming consideration of the Sept. 11 first responders bill as “fooling around” — Schumer teed off in a Senate floor speech Friday, saying the Arizona Republican was being insensitive to the emergency responders who need health benefits.
“We are not fooling around,” Schumer said. “We are fulfilling our duty as patriotic Americans for all of those, from New York and elsewhere, who rushed to the towers.”
McCain didn’t back down.
“The majority leader keeps bringing up that and other pieces of legislation for votes [that] don’t get enough votes,” McCain fired back. “So for the senator from New York to somehow interpret that as my [being] critical of the bill itself, of course, is an incredible stretch of the imagination.
“And, frankly, I resent it.”
McCain was severely outnumbered, however, on Saturday’s repeal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, which the Senate passed 65-31. Opponents of the policy accused McCain of repeatedly flip-flopping — so much so that Reid said on the floor earlier this month that McCain offered a “dizzying” defense of the law.
“I have no idea what he's talking about and no one else does either," Reid said plainly.
On Saturday morning, before the vote to end the policy, McCain went down swinging — attacking Reid for having misplaced priorities and for pushing a measure he said would hurt military readiness.
“Here we are, about six weeks after an election that repudiated the agenda of the other side; we are jamming — or trying to jam major issues through the Senate of the United States because they know they can’t get it done beginning next Jan. 5,” McCain said on the floor.
SOLDIERS CARVE NEW BASE IN MAIWANT, COMBAT OUTPOST AZIZULLAH
COMBAT OUTPOST AZIZULLAH, KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN – Capt. Mark Ross, the commanding officer of Company G, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, prepares for a mission at Combat Outpost Azizullah, Sept. 1. Patrols are run throughout the Maiwand district regularly to help limit insurgent presence and movement in the area. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Shawn Denham, 2nd BCT PAO, 101st Abn. Div.)
Recently got an e-mail from a colleague who I worked with back at Camp Leatherneck letting me know that he had moved from Leatherneck to a new base COMBAT OUTPOST AZIZULLAH. The next time you feel like you are having a tough day or that things are difficult for you, think about the idea of a group of Military, aided by civilian contractors, carving a brand new base out of the middle of the Afghan shite-wilds....and doing so to assist the Afghan people in making their country. Not the average job but one that will be very satisfying for these warriors.
SOLDIERS CARVE NEW BASE IN MAIWANT
by PFC Shawn Denham, posted Nov 9 2010 12:00AM
Clarksville Now. Copyright 2010 Saga Communications, Inc
COMBAT OUTPOST AZIZULLAH, KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN – Across the nation of Afghanistan, combat outposts allow Soldiers a place from which to operate. These bases are strong points, areas from which units can stage missions and safeguard their Soldiers.
Soldiers of Company G, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment carved new paths by building a combat outpost in the Maiwand district, Kandahar province.
Combat Outpost Azizullah is developing into a full-sized Forward Operating Base. The 864th and Co. G are working together with the Afghan National Army’s 6th Kandak, 205th Corps to turn it into the 6th’s new base of operation.
“We started from the ground up,” said Sgt. Stanley Stewart, native of San Antonio, TX, and a plumber with the 864th, “The walls were the only thing here.”
The engineers worked to ensure the land was ready for construction. Development of untouched terrain is one of the engineer’s specialties.
“This is basically what we do, building from a blank piece of land,” said Stewart, “The land was difficult to work with and we had to smooth it out to build. More people are planning on coming out here and this will eventually be like another FOB Ramrod.”
Turning a large area of desert into a functional military base is full of logistical issues. Concerns such as re-supply, basic living needs and maintaining morale present challenges to be worked out.
“From the time we got here, the challenges we faced were the basic living facilities,” said Staff Sgt. Lonnie Johnston, a native of Las Vegas, NV., and a weapon squad leader with 1st platoon, 3/2 SCR. “Things like showers, laundry facilities and communication with people back home,” said Johnston.
Johnston added, the COP has more than doubled its size since the squadron arrived and morale is high despite limited facilities and food rationing. Soldiers have been working non-stop to improve the conditions around the. Generators have recently been installed to keep the tents air-conditioned whereas not too long ago, only the command tent had power for the computer and communications systems.
“I’ve been excited since the day we were told we were coming out here,” Johnston said, “It’s kind of like old news when you go to an already established base, you just pick up where others have left off. The opportunity to go to a new place and establish a foothold in a new area is exciting.”
Developing a fully functional outpost is physically demanding. Wooden platforms need to be built, tents raised, supplies maintained and plans for expansion need to be coordinated between Co. G and the 864th engineers.
“It’s hard, but it’s got to be built up, it’s got to be done,” said Pvt. Kenneth Cochran, a native of Anderson, SC, and a forward observer with Ghost Company’s 4th platoon. “It’s sometimes stressful, but other than that it’s not bad. Everything runs smoothly.”
Future plans for the base’s expansion are in development. A section of the base currently holds quarters for ANA Soldiers, with the possibility of live fire ranges, impact ranges and other training facilities being added for the ANA. American forces currently reside in tents, with a large open area for a helicopter landing zone.
“The future development of Azizullah includes an ammunition holding area, and additional US elements,” said Capt. Mark Ross, native of Niceville, FL, Ghost Company commander. “There will also be showers, laundry facilities and latrines.”
The squadron runs patrols throughout the Maiwand district to help establish security, which helps build confidence in the local populace, said Ross.
“This is a very unique site we’re at,” Ross said, “The sooner we can win and separate the population from the insurgents; the sooner we can remove the insurgency from the area.”
As Combat Outpost Azizullah grows, its capabilities to provide security for the local people of the Maiwand Province will also increase. Always working hard, the Soldiers of “3/2” continue to demonstrate the American pioneer spirit
Recently got an e-mail from a colleague who I worked with back at Camp Leatherneck letting me know that he had moved from Leatherneck to a new base COMBAT OUTPOST AZIZULLAH. The next time you feel like you are having a tough day or that things are difficult for you, think about the idea of a group of Military, aided by civilian contractors, carving a brand new base out of the middle of the Afghan shite-wilds....and doing so to assist the Afghan people in making their country. Not the average job but one that will be very satisfying for these warriors.
SOLDIERS CARVE NEW BASE IN MAIWANT
by PFC Shawn Denham, posted Nov 9 2010 12:00AM
Clarksville Now. Copyright 2010 Saga Communications, Inc
COMBAT OUTPOST AZIZULLAH, KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN – Across the nation of Afghanistan, combat outposts allow Soldiers a place from which to operate. These bases are strong points, areas from which units can stage missions and safeguard their Soldiers.
Soldiers of Company G, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment carved new paths by building a combat outpost in the Maiwand district, Kandahar province.
Combat Outpost Azizullah is developing into a full-sized Forward Operating Base. The 864th and Co. G are working together with the Afghan National Army’s 6th Kandak, 205th Corps to turn it into the 6th’s new base of operation.
“We started from the ground up,” said Sgt. Stanley Stewart, native of San Antonio, TX, and a plumber with the 864th, “The walls were the only thing here.”
The engineers worked to ensure the land was ready for construction. Development of untouched terrain is one of the engineer’s specialties.
“This is basically what we do, building from a blank piece of land,” said Stewart, “The land was difficult to work with and we had to smooth it out to build. More people are planning on coming out here and this will eventually be like another FOB Ramrod.”
Turning a large area of desert into a functional military base is full of logistical issues. Concerns such as re-supply, basic living needs and maintaining morale present challenges to be worked out.
“From the time we got here, the challenges we faced were the basic living facilities,” said Staff Sgt. Lonnie Johnston, a native of Las Vegas, NV., and a weapon squad leader with 1st platoon, 3/2 SCR. “Things like showers, laundry facilities and communication with people back home,” said Johnston.
Johnston added, the COP has more than doubled its size since the squadron arrived and morale is high despite limited facilities and food rationing. Soldiers have been working non-stop to improve the conditions around the. Generators have recently been installed to keep the tents air-conditioned whereas not too long ago, only the command tent had power for the computer and communications systems.
“I’ve been excited since the day we were told we were coming out here,” Johnston said, “It’s kind of like old news when you go to an already established base, you just pick up where others have left off. The opportunity to go to a new place and establish a foothold in a new area is exciting.”
Developing a fully functional outpost is physically demanding. Wooden platforms need to be built, tents raised, supplies maintained and plans for expansion need to be coordinated between Co. G and the 864th engineers.
“It’s hard, but it’s got to be built up, it’s got to be done,” said Pvt. Kenneth Cochran, a native of Anderson, SC, and a forward observer with Ghost Company’s 4th platoon. “It’s sometimes stressful, but other than that it’s not bad. Everything runs smoothly.”
Future plans for the base’s expansion are in development. A section of the base currently holds quarters for ANA Soldiers, with the possibility of live fire ranges, impact ranges and other training facilities being added for the ANA. American forces currently reside in tents, with a large open area for a helicopter landing zone.
“The future development of Azizullah includes an ammunition holding area, and additional US elements,” said Capt. Mark Ross, native of Niceville, FL, Ghost Company commander. “There will also be showers, laundry facilities and latrines.”
The squadron runs patrols throughout the Maiwand district to help establish security, which helps build confidence in the local populace, said Ross.
“This is a very unique site we’re at,” Ross said, “The sooner we can win and separate the population from the insurgents; the sooner we can remove the insurgency from the area.”
As Combat Outpost Azizullah grows, its capabilities to provide security for the local people of the Maiwand Province will also increase. Always working hard, the Soldiers of “3/2” continue to demonstrate the American pioneer spirit
Lieutenant Colonel Allen West (US Army, Retired) Tells it like it is in response to a question from a former US Marine on the threat of Radical Islam
Lieutenant Colonel Allen West (US Army, Retired) ran for Congress in Florida's 22nd District and won a seat in the New Congress....He is now Congressman Allen West.
I supported him (although I don't reside in Florida) as I feel that we need men of his caliber in Congress. He doesn't need a teleprompter to say what is on his mind and he is the type of Leader we need in Washington, DC. He has been proven under fire as he served in several combat zones: in Operation Desert Storm, in Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he was battalion commander for the Army’s 4th Infantry Division, and in Afghanistan, where he trained Afghan officers to take on the responsibility of securing their own country.
We face threats on many fronts today - Economic, Security, Terrorism, Cyber crime, etc.
I supported him (although I don't reside in Florida) as I feel that we need men of his caliber in Congress. He doesn't need a teleprompter to say what is on his mind and he is the type of Leader we need in Washington, DC. He has been proven under fire as he served in several combat zones: in Operation Desert Storm, in Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he was battalion commander for the Army’s 4th Infantry Division, and in Afghanistan, where he trained Afghan officers to take on the responsibility of securing their own country.
We face threats on many fronts today - Economic, Security, Terrorism, Cyber crime, etc.
Colonel West is the kind of man who knows what these threats mean and will not play politics with our security like others do to appease the very people who threaten our way of life.
From his website -
Peace Through Strength:
The Preamble of the Constitution of the United States defines the Federal Government’s role in “providing for the common defense” of our great country. It is not only the primary mission of our government, but the most important obligation our elected leaders have upon accepting the oath of office. As a 22-year Army Veteran who served in Operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom, and as a Civilian Advisor to the Afghan Army in Operation Enduring Freedom, I understand both the gravity of giving the order, and the challenge of carrying it out.
Make no mistake, we are a nation at war against a totalitarian theocratic political ideology that glorifies death rather than celebrating life. To defeat it, we must stay on the offensive. From Afghanistan and Iraq to the Greater Middle East and South America, radical Islam is on the march. And while our attention is focused on combating global terrorism, we must not forget other looming threats just on the horizon in China, North Korea, Venezuela, Russia & Iran. These nations and their leaders represent the biggest threat to our great nation. As your Congressman, I will work to reestablish American Exceptionalism by growing and modernizing America’s Armed forces to ensure that we are prepared for the strategic challenges ahead.....
Here is the leader we need to take us beyond the political rhetoric and be willing to take a stand for what is right. Godspeed Colonel West......Keep up the good work as we know you will make us proud as you already have done so.
Enclosed is a clip of his answer to a former US Marine on what is the threat we face and how do we identify those who use religion like Islam and Islamic beliefs to threaten the safety of the Western world? I Like his answer.
From his website -
Peace Through Strength:
The Preamble of the Constitution of the United States defines the Federal Government’s role in “providing for the common defense” of our great country. It is not only the primary mission of our government, but the most important obligation our elected leaders have upon accepting the oath of office. As a 22-year Army Veteran who served in Operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom, and as a Civilian Advisor to the Afghan Army in Operation Enduring Freedom, I understand both the gravity of giving the order, and the challenge of carrying it out.
Make no mistake, we are a nation at war against a totalitarian theocratic political ideology that glorifies death rather than celebrating life. To defeat it, we must stay on the offensive. From Afghanistan and Iraq to the Greater Middle East and South America, radical Islam is on the march. And while our attention is focused on combating global terrorism, we must not forget other looming threats just on the horizon in China, North Korea, Venezuela, Russia & Iran. These nations and their leaders represent the biggest threat to our great nation. As your Congressman, I will work to reestablish American Exceptionalism by growing and modernizing America’s Armed forces to ensure that we are prepared for the strategic challenges ahead.....
Here is the leader we need to take us beyond the political rhetoric and be willing to take a stand for what is right. Godspeed Colonel West......Keep up the good work as we know you will make us proud as you already have done so.
Enclosed is a clip of his answer to a former US Marine on what is the threat we face and how do we identify those who use religion like Islam and Islamic beliefs to threaten the safety of the Western world? I Like his answer.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
TOP GEAR Lads try to make a Space Shuttle from a Reliant Robin....with expected results...Brilliant!
This is just too funny.....I love it when the lads at Top Gear try something like this, and it turns out as expected.....
Post Office in Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston named for Fallen US Marine Alexander Scott Arredondo
Here, here.....very fitting and a good way for the community in JP to show they care for this splendid warrior who gave his life in combat.Semper Fi - Alexander, you have made us all proud.
Post office to be named for fallen Marine who grew up in JP
By Matt Rocheleau December 17, 2010 05:45 PM
Boston Globe Town Correspondent
Alexander Scott Arredondo has always had strong ties to Jamaica Plain.
He lived on the neighborhood’s main corridor, went to daycare there, played at Jamaica Plain Pond, attended youth activities at the firehouse and a large number of family members on his mom’s side live there.
Jamaica Plain is also where loved ones paid their final respects to him when his wake and funeral were held at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish six years ago.
Now, Arredondo’s connection to the neighborhood will be remembered – permanently.
The post office in the neighborhood’s center, no more than a 10-minute walk from Arredondo’s childhood home on South Street, will be named in the honor of the 20-year-old Lance Corporal Marine who was killed committing a heroic and selfless act during a battle in Iraq in 2004.
“It just seemed so appropriate to have Alex remembered in Jamaica Plain,” his stepmother, Melida Arredondo, said in a phone interview Friday. “After we’re gone, that building will still be here, and that’s how he and his legacy will be remembered.”
In what would be his last mission, Arredondo led fellow Marines on a mission to clear and secure a two-story building in Najaf, Iraq. Under intense, close-range enemy fire, as bullets from small arms, machine guns and RPGs whizzed by, grenades exploded and debris flew, Arredondo fearlessly and swiftly led his platoon to complete the mission’s objective, according to a statement by his commander read aloud last month before Congress.
In the midst of battle, Arredondo was “personally clearing rooms and assuming the greatest risk … never slowing down and never showing any fear,” said a written account by the lieutenant general.
During his three weeks fighting in Najaf while on his second tour of duty, Arredondo displayed “the highest levels of selflessness and courage,” his commander said, and what would be his final moments were a testament his bravery.
After the building was secured, the young man set his fellow soldiers up in a strategic defensive position preparing to reengage the enemy. As he walked to each squad member to check on their security and well-being, an enemy sniper fatally shot Arredondo on August 25, 2004, “giving his life fighting for freedom and defending his fellow Marines,” the commander wrote.
“I think that that alone – that one paragraph – clearly underscores exactly what kind of a person Lance Corporal Alexander Arrendondo was,” said US Representative Michael E. Capuano, a Somerville Democrat, reading the commander’s account aloud before fellow House members voted to pass legislation to name the post office at 655 Centre St. in Arredondo’s honor two weeks ago.
The bill passed the Senate Thursday, and an official naming ceremony will be held at a to-be-determined date next year, according to a joint release from Capuano, who authored the legislation, and US Senators John Kerry and Scott Brown, who each wrote letters to Senate committee members urging the bill’s passage.
“For a man to give his life at such a young and tender age is an incredible thing, and I am proud,” Capuano said on the House floor last month. “I want to be very clear, this is the first time I’ve been here on something like this. I don’t take this lightly at all. This is not just naming another thing after another person. This particular one is very important to me, to my constituents and to his family because of the service he rendered for this country, because of the fact that he gave his life fighting for our freedom and our rights.”
Arredondo earned the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with combat "V" and the Purple Heart for his actions during that battle. And, a federal building in the middle of what his stepmom called his childhood “home turf,” will now be designated as the “Lance Corporal Alexander Scott Arredondo, United States Marine Corps Post Office Building.”
“I am personally very, very happy to honor Alexander and remember other sons and daughters of military families,” his father Carlos Arredondo said Friday. “It’s just overwhelming … It’s a moment of peace with so much violence going on here.”
Alexander died on his Carlos’ 44th birthday.
.....The couple, who now live in Roslindale, said that their son’s death is “still very painful,” but both are still committed to the outreach aspect of their grieving process. Because of how the traveling – much of which was self-funded – took a toll physically, mentally and financially, they are currently working on efforts closer to home, including assisting other Boston-area families fund-raising for a scholarship they established 5 years ago at Blue Hill Regional Technical high school in Canton, where Alexander graduated from in 2002 before joining the Marines.
Carlos made national headlines for his immediate reaction and he and Melida have become well-known for their work afterward. Carlos, a Costa Rican native, received U.S. citizenship in 2006 with the help of the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy and through a bill signed by in 2003 by then-President George W. Bush allowing parents of fallen soldiers to become citizens.
With Kennedy’s continued support, the couple, around two years ago, began discussing ways to have Alexander’s legacy live on permanently, but when Kennedy died of brain cancer on Aug. 25, 2009 – Carlos’ 49th birthday – the plans hit a snag.
An aide of Kennedy helped the couple reach out to several other local politicians before the Arredondos connected with Capuano who represents most of Jamaica Plain and was eager to help the couple, but was also in the midst of a busy campaign, competing to fill the Senate seat left vacant when Kennedy passed.
“It’s been a long process,” said Melida. “But, it finally happened.”
E-mail Matt Rocheleau at mjrochele@gmail.com
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