The Daily Brief

The news was bad. I went into renal shutdown, my heart started skipping beats, and nothing digested as my appetite went to zero. After two days in ICU, and then several hours on machines, a miracle happened: SGTSTRYKER CAME BACK UP ON LINE!! HALELLUJAH, PRAISE THE LORD (AND THE ENGINEERS,ETC)

I never knew how addicted I was to writing here, nor did I realize how precious the friendships had become. Thanks so much, Sgt. Stryker, Sgt. Mom, Kevin, Sparkey, and all those who worked to get our means of communicating back into operation. I had become so twitchy that Jenny was about to kick me out and make me live in the barn. Now things are better. I just took my laptop and my PJ’s out of the wheelbarrow (What, you thought I had a tractor? In your dreams, I wish I could afford one. Giddyap, Daisy!) It’s nice to actually have heat again, to sit at a desk wothout shooing chickens away. Glad to see y’all again, keep it hopping!

Joe

OMG, where’s Speedwell? She’d be so happy and pat me on the back tonight. I had a problem with my monitor and I fixed it. Worst kind of problem you can have, an intermittent, where you touch the PC board anywhere and the thing goes berserk. The vertical was collapsing to about 1/4 size, driving me nuts, making the ‘puter useless.

It has been doing this for several weeks, but I could whack it on the side and it would straighten up – for a while. But if I dared breathe too hard at the dang thing it would go nutzo again, and it finally got to where it would not work at all.

I had to go to Macon, GA, about a 2-hr drive, today, actually we went and spent the night last night, as I was scheduled for a cervical myelogram at a hospital there today. I’ve had 7 c-spine surgeries, and things have been well with my neck for a couple of years, but a few weeks ago my left hand went numb and my left shoulder started hurting so bad I wanted to snatch my scapula out and beat that sucker flat. (Oh, scapulas are flat anyway. Disregard.) OK, I got back from the myelogram test today and found the computer monitor toes-up. Nothing for it, but to tear it open and see if I could find the problem.

I didn’t feel too hot, just off that diagnostic test, and this thing made me feel worse. But I started putzing around on the circuit board and luck would have it – I touched a particular IC and yikes, the picture came back! Oh, was I happy! This could have dragged on for days; intermittent problems are sometimes so hard to find. My old AFSC was Acft Elect Nav Sys Tech, (328X1) and over the years I had so many intermittent writeups I can’t count them. But you couldn’t just sign it off and let it go, the system (usually the radar) would just fail again, and your ass would be on the line, if you know what I mean. SMSG’s, Capt’s, Lt.Col’s, all would be on your case, so I just got to where I would NOT sign off a writeup until I found and fixed something that was broke. You wanna know, MY birds flew code 1, no writeups, more often than not.

OK, I got out the old soldering iron, and just soldered around the IC, and glory, when I powered it up, it worked, and I couldn’t make it quit. Case closed, monitor fixed, I guess the happy herky bird fixer/’puter engineer will sign the writeup off and go to bed.

‘Nite, all!

Joe

P.S. Myelogram results 11/16. I’ll let ya know.

I liked this one

Just saw Dr. Paul Epstein on FNC, talking about hurricanes. It seems Dr. Epstein is a big mucky-muck with a conference going on this week at Ha’vaad Medical School, trying to determine if hurricanes are going to increase naturally or decrease naturally, or if us bad old humans are responsible for the evil things causing global warming, or just what in heck is going on. Just moments after another, probably just-as-smart-professor said that we shouldn’t worry, these things run in cycles much too long for us to affect, the great Dr. Epstein let forth with such wisdom as I’ve never heard. First, we have to kill off anyone who disagrees with him, then do further work on thinning the population until there are miles between humans, and we start all over again. Oh, along with all this, we have to come up with clean energy and cease and desist from using oil. Er, I don’t know at what temp bear grease loses its viscosity, but I’d certainly have to give up the old sky steed. The Chevy, however, could at least be hauled around by dogs or mules.

Really, I think right now that I’d encourage Dr. Epstein to go spend a year or two at SP Station, Antarctica, studying deep core ice samples. He might even do us some good. I’ve had the honor of working rescue/recovery post several hurricanes, such as Frederick in 1979, and Hugo in 1989. Both of those were horribly destructive, and we had occasion to shed tears along with more than a few residents who lost everything. I don’t have a lot, but losing it all is almost beyond comprehension to me. My heart ached for those folks, and we did the best we could to get their lives going again. And ya know what? Most every one of them today has healed and gone on, rebuilding homes, businesses, and family. I love those people in McClellanville, SC, where Hugo charged onshore with a 25-ft wall of water, nearly wiping the town off the map. They lost all their fire engines, and one indication of the damage, their ambulance was found in a TREETOP! I took at least five rolls of film, the destruction was mind-boggling. Shrimp boats (the big steel-hull ones) about a half-mile inland, houses moved off foundations, or just plain smashed. Thankfully, no one lost their life in this small, tight-knit fishing village. And we made lifelong friends.

And, sob sob, here I was, after Charley last September, getting my stuff ready, the van loaded, all prepared to head south, waiting to get my assignment, when dang it, I fell and rebroke that obnoxious left foot! Well, no hurricane relief this year, like a high school football player with a twisted knee, I had to watch from the sidelines as other ham radio operators, medics, and others headed south to help those poor, dazed Florida folks. Maybe next year, but I’d rather not having to go at all.

My own personal experience with hurricanes goes back to one that hit south Florida in 1948. I was just 5, we lived in Miami, and from what my small brain picked up afterward, it tore things up pretty badly. But, as my dad drove us around, we saw folks helping each other all over, recovery starting probably even before the winds died down. If you ever doubt the goodness in people, or if you just want to see a good indication of the human spirit, go down and watch folks get back together after a hurricane or tornado. Of course, I have to mention the other side – the dirtbags who go into the area trying to line their filthy pockets by sticking it to helpless residents. Yeh, they’re there, but the law will get ’em and thank God for that. I’ve been in hurricanes that didn’t scare me, and a couple that had me wishing I was ice fishing in Alaska…..Just like everything else, there’s big’uns and little’uns. I have an aunt who lives in Ft. Meyers, FL. She’s about 90, but when a hurricane gets named, she hightails it to GA. This year she ran right into 3 hurricanes that way!! But she’s real sweet, and we love having her come up.

So, if things warm up, and all indications are that they will, the storms will be more frequent and stronger. No problem, so we’re warned, and knowledge is power. It doesn’t matter to me much one way or the other just how the environment got warm, it did, and we have to live with that. Now, I’m not a slash-and-burn type who ignores sound environmental policy. Far from it. We all have to share this planet, so we should get together and do the best we can to protect it. But let’s not go off the deep end. The operative word is “sound” environmental policy. Let’s figure out what works, and do it. And hang on to something when the wind blows!

Joe

Let me invite those who commented on my Blog from yesterday, to go back for my last comment, added this evening. Survivor is on and I didn’t have time for a new blog, but my ending comment to the last one should answer your questions. Thanks for commenting, I look forward to your remarks.

God Bless,

Joe

Actually, now two comments. Added one at 2 AM…….

Well, 4 PM, a long night past, a lot of tension, a little sleep this morning, out to go flying this afternoon, then a great address by the President. This is a great, decent, caring, humble human being who deserves this victory with great honor, and who will wear it well.

Last night when it became obvious that President Bush had it won, around 3 – 4 AM, I was not surprised, but deeply angered that Mr. Kerry (choke!!) refused to concede the election. I am sure that this “empty suit” poor excuse for a senator had to be sat down by his handlers and told that this was not a fight he could win, and that he’d better concede before he became a laughingstock even to his own supporters. I am so glad that I don’t have to listen to his voice any more, that I don’t have to listen to fresh-faced liberal hounddogs on Fox tell us with such a “true believer” attitude what “JohnKerry” will do to change this country. Bye, Mr. Kerry, go home to Boston and tend your garden or something. Good bye, too, Mr. Edwards. Go home to NC and see if you can sue another doctor for a few million more. Stay the hell out of Washington, we don’t need or want your kind on the hill.

Folks, yesterday, Evangelical Christians showed the rest of the nation that we do have considerable political power, and we will use it when fundamental American values are in jeopardy. To the Liberals, beware. We will not abide gay marriage, we have shown you that we firmly believe the historical and worldwide tradition of marriage between one man and one woman for life. For instance, I have been with one woman for 46 years, and will stay with her for the rest of my life, thank you very much. We do not believe that killing innocent unborn children is a way of life that is acceptable, nor is it a “choice” that should be given to anyone. It is my personal hope to see Roe V Wade overturned in the next four years, and the abortion mills shut down forever. For all I care, the doctors who perform abortions should lose medical licenses and go work on hog farms. I don’t know, though, there’s some things even hogs won’t put up with!

Sorry I’ve been out of circulation for the past 3 weeks, I’ve been so sick I had to get better to die. However, over the past 3 days, I’ve gotten better and didn’t die, to the dismay of some of my critics (even in the family). I even went flying for an hour this afternoon, a little instrument practice culminating with an ILS approach to VDI (Vidalia). It was such a pretty day I had a hard time keeping my head in the cockpit and on the guages. But I did, and when I got to the Decision point, asked the instructor if I saw the airport, he said yes, and I dropped flaps, pointed the nose at the ground, and squeaked it on. One of these days soon, I’ll be taking my FAA written, and the checkride for Instrument rating, and then the real fear begins when I fly in bad weather for real and can’t see the ground. Wish I had an autopilot in the old steed. Oh, well…..

The tension, the relief, the joy and satisfaction of this election are behind me now. I just pray that the obstruction – I mean the opposition, will fall in line and support the man who just received the highest number of votes in history. As I see it, they have two choices – get in with us and help navigate this nation, or just get mad and go off on a tangent. We’d like to have you with us, but we won’t mourn too much if you go off and chop down trees to get it out of your system. Really, I’d like to see the nation come together, it would make me happier, but from what I’ve seen and heard over the last 3 years, I won’t hold my breath. Up to you now, guys, ball’s in your court. Whatcha gonna do?

I have just watched local coverage of the crash mentioned in the post below. It appears that the plane may have lost an engine, spun out, and crashed. I FLY IN THE ATLANTA AREA, and I can assure everyone that NO plane could or would be doing any aerobatics in the vicinity of downtown Atlanta! Everyone is under positive control of Atlanta Approach, and it would not be tolerated. In addition, the Beech Baron, the type that crashed, is not approved for, nor capable of, aerobatics. The last couple of times I flew into Atlanta, much to the horror of my wife, I flew directly into Hartsfield, one of the busiest airports in the world. All of our local pilots wanted to touch me, to get my autograph – Oh, I’m kidding, but most pilots of small planes (I have a Cherokee, 4-place, single engine) are afraid to fly into places like Hartsfield. You have to mix it up with 767’s, 727’s, MD-80’s, etc. But it’s no problem, approach sends you into holding patterns, doglegs, and all kinds of maneuvers, in order to put you into flow, and then they clear you to land. Piece of cake, in spite of the wife’s fainting spells! I went up there to pick up our granddaughter coming in from Colorado (Later, to take her back) and she didn’t even blink, she loved it….I guess my not fearing Atlanta is because I started out flying in a positive-control environment. Jacksonville, FL, Fort Meyers, FL, New Orleans, etc.

I’m really sorry to hear about the crash, it makes everyone in the General Aviation community sad to lose pilots and their passengers. Flying is still the safest mode of travel, much safer than by car, but crashes always grab headlines. In a city the size of Atlanta, there will undoubtedly be more than two people killed in auto accidents today, but they will make only the local news, if at all.

The New York Times on 10/17/04 contains an article by Neil Lewis reporting that harsh tactics during interrogations are being used at our terrorist living facility in Cuba. Well, golly gee, should we be entertaining these swine with tea and crumpets? Perhaps we should be asking them if their cells are comfortable, or if they would like their own bomb-making manuals, of if they would like classes on the best way to use an AK-47 in combat, or maybe have for their use a complete library of Osama’s best hits?

Come on, Mr. Lewis, these are folks who, if let loose, would slit your throat while you’re trying your best to make them happy! I refer you to the latest news out of Pakistan, where one of the terrorists who was deemed not to be a threat and was released is holding hostages with bombs strapped to them. What would those poor guys have to say about harsh treatment in Gitmo? Of course, we should show them how real human beings treat each other, but at the same time, “no coddling” rules should be followed. And what do we do with the others who were released and then found to be back on the battlefield, fighting against our brave soldiers once again? Sorry, but I can’t find it in my otherwise kind (I hope) heart to give any one of them a break. Caught on the battlefield, while trying to kill American soldiers? The slammer is just too good for them. And that’s my word.

In Michelle Malkin’s column (www.michelleMalkin.com) a post on 10/13/04 at 0520 caught my eye. There is a statement that John Kerry’s honorable discharge includes a cover letter by Carter Admin SECNAV W. Graham Claytor, that the action had been reviewed by a board of senior officers. This is an unusual occurrence, as most discharges are not reviewed. One, actually, the most common reason for such a review is a situation where the discharge has been forwarded under less than honorable conditions and a board of review was necessary to upgrade the conditions of release. The basis for the board is given in the cover letter as 10 USC Sec 1162 and 1163, which deals with separation of an involuntary nature.

The basis for this entire question springs from an article in The New York Sun, by Thomas Lipscomb, dated 13 Oct 2004. I am not registered to read the paper online, so perhaps someone else can research this further, or maybe someone from the Kerry Campaign would like to inform us of what this is all about……….Of course, we would have all the answers if only Mr. Kerry would have signed DOD Form 180, which he has stubbornly resisted doing. Come on, Senator, WHAT ARE YOU HIDING, WHY DO YOU DEFLECT QUESTIONS AND WHY DO YOU STUBBORNLY, BULLHEADEDLY REFUSE TO RELEASE ALL YOUR MILITARY RECORDS FOR PUBLIC REVIEW?

Source: Financial Times, 12 Oct 2004

In a story by Hugh Williamson and Gerrit Wiesmann in Berlin, entitled, “Germany In Rethink On Iraq Force Deployment”, the Financial Times of London reveals that statements by Peter Struck, Germany’s Defense Minister seem to indicate that Germany favors a Kerry Administration. Apparently we don’t need a terrorist attack a la Madrid to attempt influence on our elections process. Outside influence, much welcomed by Democrats, (Nancy Skinner, in an interview with Neil Cavuto on FNC, Wed. Oct 13) appears to be rearing its head just prior to US elections. Is this maybe an “October Surprise” by the Dems? It seems quite clear from Mr. Kerry’s campaign promises, that he will court Europeans as never before if he wins office. One of his most-quoted promises is to bring France and Germany into the Iraq war. We may be seeing things unfolding here that are unpalatable to most patriotic Americans: We have never subliminated our government or our national policies to anyone outside our own nation.Are we about to start now? Read the article and see what you think. Here’s a link direct to the article:

As I write this, there is a story unfolding on Fox News: A car has gone off a cliff in the Malibu area of California. They relate that a rescue is in progress, supposedly two people are in the car, and no one knows how long the car has been down 500 feet below the highway. Details to follow as things develop.

This story brings back a flood of memories from a few years ago. The incident will be a chapter in my upcoming book, “LIFESAVERS: True stories from the files of Paramedics”, the book is a compilation of my experiences as a Paramedic for 27 years.

The incident I mentioned took place in the early 1990’s, when I was in Colorado. I lived in a small town where we had a volunteer fire/rescue department. A mountain in our back yard was the source of a number of emergency calls. One of the most urgent was that a car had gone off the cliff on one of the switchbacks. Rushing up the gravel road as quickly as we could, we found a car down about 700 feet below, lying upright on top of a tree that it had landed on. The tree was flattened, and a witness who had seen the car go over said there were two girls in the wreck. Throwing over our long roppes, anchoring them to fire trucks, we suited up for the plunge. I had a bag with oxygen tanks, and a medical “jump kit”, containing the basic supplies I might need to save lives. In this case I was the only full-fledged Paramedic on the department, and we had just received our certification as an Advanced Life Support unit. The rest of our people were firefighters and EMT’s, qualified in Basic Life Support. Down I went, over the edge, clinging to the ropes, stumbling and sliding, in a great hurry, concerned that someone was in great danger. We had called for the nearest LifeFlight helicopter team, and they were being directed in for a landing as I went flying down the rope. Reaching the bottom, we found two teenage girls, who had already been extricated from the car. I was amazed to find them both conscious, alert, and with seemingly only minor injuries. Of course, because of the mechanism of injury, i.e., a long flying ride off a cliff in a car, we had to treat this as though they may have hidden internal injuries that we could not diagnose on the scene. Two stokes baskets were sent down, and the flight nurse from the chopper slid down the ropes to help. We bandaged, splinted, checked vital signs, and packaged the victims for transport. Then a group of firefighters began the long, difficult climb, supporting the patients and keeping them stable, as teams of rescuers up above began pulling them up on relays of ropes. After cleaning up the scene, it then came our turn to go up. The thought then struck me for the first time: Good grief, I forgot when coming down that I had to get out of here! How in the world is a 50-year-old, out of shape, overweight and not-so-strong guy going to do this?

I shouldn’t have worried. I was not so bad! In fact, I sort of outdid some of the younger folks! I came up that rope line like it was nothing. I was surprised, and pretty happy about how well I had done. I had quit smoking less than a year before, and my body had begun rebuilding itself after years of abuse. I was convinced that the nonsmoking lifestyle was really worth the fears of what would happen when I put out that last cigarette. No problem, and now life was good!

As for our patients, they were airlifted to a nearby trauma center, and both did well, with no serious injuries. A few broken bones, some bruises, and a newfound respect for mountain roads. Their brakes had failed after too much use while coming down the mountain, a common occurrence in mountainous territory, when people not accustomed to mountain driving do not realize what can happen to hot brakes. One nearby mountain, Pikes Peak, has brake check stations where park rangers check people’s brakes and make them stop for a while if they have hot brakes. One tip for mountain driving: Use gear reduction, putting your transmission in low gear so you don’t have to use so much braking. I had been up and down Pikes Peak so many times that I had learned how to use reduction, I could make it all the way down from the top to well below the tree line without even touching the brakes in my old van. (I was a volunteer with the annual Pikes Peak Hillclimb Races, checking speeds of the racers at points along the course.)

Being a paramedic exposes one to many different experiences, that goes almost without saying. Some experiences are frightening, some are intense, with a life on the line and the medic fighting like a tiger to keep someone alive until they can get them to a hospital, and some of those experiences are downright funny, even hilarious, when a nonthreatening event shows a patient’s faubles that put them in an embarrassing but otherwise not emergent, position. This one had presented itself as a bit frightening to the medics, worried that a life was in the balance, and it was a relief to find that there was no lasting effect upon the victims, except maybe a healthy respect for mountains. Back to the barn, put it all away, ready for the next call. What would it be?

Now we’re waiting to find out what happens in Malibu……

Joe

P.S. Anybody know a publisher??

Just couldn’t resist: The weather was nice, I was tired of dragging this clubfoot around, wanted to prove (to myself, maybe?) that I could fly safely with a broken foot. Hard time preflighting, it was torture to get down under that wing and check the gas tanks, untie the old air horse. But the payoff started when the old Lycoming O-320 fired up and that fan in front of the pilot started turning……Leaping off the runway at 60 knots, I am always amused that a 150-hp engine that small can propel me up so high and go so fast. Here I am at 5000 feet, streaking along at 140 knots. This thing reduces my travel time to my son’s home, Birmingham, from 6-7-hours by crawling along the interstate, to 2 hours with no traffic jams…..Back to reality….

Today it was a short cross country, with a touch-and-go at an uncontrolled airport, then attention to detail as I programmed the GPS for a practice ILS approach to my hometown aerodrome. Hit the intxn right on the money, turned inbound to the NDB, then intercepted the LOC, and down the chute to a perfect crosswind landing. Dumped the flaps, firewalled the throttle, and back up for a landing on another RWY. 24 was the first, but with wind at 160 deg, a roundabout to RWY 13. Down the chute again, pretty close on the final, dropped full flaps all at once, pointed the nose at the ground, rounded out for a nice flare, EEK-EEK, tires on the tarmac, and taxiied in to shutdown. I hate to stop! I mean, this really clears out all the cobwebs, just sheer fun, no schedule to keep, no ARTCC, no APC or TWR, just me and my trusty airsteed. OK, it’s just a Warrior, not fast or complex, a simple aircraft that is fun and not too expensive. But it’s mine, and it keeps me going.

Any pilots out there? Let’s hear your love of flying. If you are one of those folks who wonder about flying yourself, get out to the airport and take just one lesson. When my oldest grandson (16) took the controls for the first time a few months ago, he was hooked. My son, who used to go with me most everywhere I flew when he was a kid, got all fired up when he again took his place in the right seat. The youngest grandkid needed a couple of cushions to see over the panel, but when he got hold of it we all got a thrill. Not knowing better, he yanked the yoke back and we had a good view of the sky! Taking the controls back, he got a short course in gentle movements of controls, then he did a great job for a 10 year-old. Last I heard, son and oldest grandson were getting set up for flying lessons…….You just can’t do better than flying for recharging the old batteries. Too old? Nah, that won’t fly. I didn’t even start for my license until I was 40. Been flying with other people since 18, but a trip with a client of mine down to the mouth of the Mississippi river, him putting me in the left seat and coaching me, I just HAD to get that privilege for myself. The lessons started a week later. I pored over volumes of textbooks, ate, slept, and breathed flying for the next six months, flew, learned what I needed to know, took the written with a 98% passing grade (study, study, study), and the practical was a breeze. Just another flight with someone telling me to do this, do that, go there, and land here. As much fun as any other flight, and I had that ticket saying that I was a full-fledged Birdman.

I say again, you can’t beat flying!

Joe

Sorry I haven’t gotten my blog out this week. I fell and broke my foot last week and all crazy has broken out! I’m working on it, I promise it’ll be good, but you can’t rush goodness! Hang in there, I’ll finish it today or tomorrow.

This is almost a live blog. We’re not too technically savvy here, and the first draft went swirling down the drain when the old, tired warrior struck the wrong key and lost it! Oh, well, all in…. love…. and in…. writing(?)

Less than five minutes after the great debate ended, we were switching channels to find out the neatest tidbits of information. Among the talking heads on every channel, we paused on CBS (well, maybe a little longer than necessary) and caught a comment from Dan Ra(th)er: not verbatim, but to the effect that Kerry was much more exciting, and that the nation would do better under Kerry. (Did anyone give any credence to CBS?)

Later, the same talking heads unveiled their “response meter” – a laughable device reminiscent of a ’50’s TV game show – which told them (and us) that Mr. Kerry was the unchallenged winner of the debate, just completely stripping the President of any “supposed” lead. What a surprise from the “Chronically Broken System” of NY! Time for the birdman to listen a bit…..

Moving to a different channel, where fairness is loudly proclaimed, we found Joe Lockhart, a Kerry campaign adviser, nearly jumping up and down as he preened and strutted, proclaiming the death of the President. Well, he may have been wrong on that account, but perhaps he had a point as far as tonight’s debate is concerned.

We thought, from our observations, that possibly one of the best exchanges was when Kerry proclaimed that he had only ever held one position on Iraq, that he had never changed it. After that, President Bush shot back that the only thing consistent about his opponent was his inconsistency. However, on the whole, it seems that the President missed a few opportunities to strike back. And most of the observers that we listened to were disappointed, as were we, about the general tone of the debate. Mr. Kerry seemed to be in command at some points, and the President looked pained a few times. Then there were the places where Mr. Bush’s natural smile was mistaken by some to be a smirk. But quite cogent was the time when Mr. Bush looked all of us in the eye through the camera as he passionately laid out his deep concerns for the safety and security of each and every one of us.

It’s not “woe is me” time for the President, nor is it “jump for joy” time for the Senator. The President is still in the lead as the polls go, but the only poll that matters will be taken on November 2. This was just one debate, and though supporters of the President may cringe at the thought of a debate on economic issues, it’s not over. One commentator reported how excited the Kerry supporters are, and that is fine. We concede that Mr. Kerry did very well in this debate, and that he is a really tough opponent, but Mr. Bush did make some compelling points, and the presidential race is based on much more than three staged debates. This is a very serious and dangerous time for America, and we all, as a nation, must be very careful and very serious ourselves when we enter voting booths on November 2. Whoever we vote for, we must go out to vote, and we must choose the man whom we deeply believe will protect this country and it’s people in the strongest manner. Good luck in choosing!

Friday has come, another work week passed into history as my Beloved drove up, I helped her out of the car and into the house, and she flopped on the sofa with a huge sigh. Again I’m Blessed. We may be poor, there may be little food in the house, but we’re still here, our kids are safe and happy, and we’re still optimistic as we pray for the grandkids….

But my heart is heavy. Today the Army announced two more deaths in Iraq, and that means two mothers are heartbroken, two more families have been deprived of very precious and beloved sons. Our nation has lost two men who were so very valuable; these men were important to each of us.

Unlike the armies of many other nations, the Army of the United States of America is comprised of men and women who have volunteered, who are there because of the desire to serve not just the nation – that’s too broad to wrap your head around – but the neighbor down the block, his/her friend’s Aunt Sophie, and the little kid in Yonkers whom he never met. Our military family consists of people, people who saw a need and filled it, who saw their duty and rose to it, no matter the cost. And here today we mark the ultimate sacrifice of two more heroes who gave their all that we might live in a free and wonderful society. I have to stop for a moment to honor these brave men.

Tomorrow my flag will fly a little higher, my determination to be a better man will be a little stronger, and I will do my best to live up to and try to be worthy of, the sacrifice of all those who have given their lives in order for me, my friends, and even those who would be my enemies, to breathe free air.

“In order for the tree of freedom to thrive, the roots must occasionally be refreshed with the blood of patriots and of tyrants.”

(Thomas Jefferson)

Let us pay tribute to:

Sgt Skipper Soram, 23, of Federated States of Micronesia
ASSGD: 3/82, 1CavDiv 9/22/2004 Baghdad, IED

SSG Lance J. Koenig, 33, Fargo, ND
ASSGD: NDNG 141 EngBn 9/22/2004, Tikrit. IED

May God comfort their families, and may they be welcomed into the Presence of Heroes in Heaven above.

We must never forget what we’re fighting for. Oh, God, if I could but just put that uniform back on and get out there!

Have a good and Blessed weekend!

Who knew? That’s what I asked my wife of 40 years a few days ago. Who ever could have dreamed of the importance, nay, necessity(!) of a personal computer at home even 10 years ago? Then, it was just needed for writing on a manuscript that I started during Operation Desert Storm, in 1990. If you happened to be the A/C of a certain C130 from a certain base in CO, and you remember one of your crew sprawled out on top of a cargo pallet relentlessly pounding away on a cheap (radio shack) laptop, that was me. Nowadays, the computer is busy nearly all day. When I’m home, I’m busy reading, writing, or just browsing around. When she comes home, she jumps in, playing games for hours to destress from the day’s work in a busy medical practice. Yep, if the thing crashes (which it did last year) it’s an emergency of huge proportions!

That time in Desert Storm was important to me for reasons of which I was unaware until we came home. I was fortunate to be in the advance package, and was out there at the base when the rest of the fleet came in. As eighteen C130’s – Herky Birds – came in low over the Air Force Academy, then turned and passed near Cheyenne Mountain, over Fort Carson and Colorado Springs, and began touching down, my chest poked out to near the bursting point. My eyes swelled with tears and I have to admit I choked a bit, as the lead bird came up to the ramp flying Old Glory and the CO state flag. I could not but stand tall, at attention, holding my breath as the planes all lined up on the ramp, then at a radio signal from the AC of the lead bird, each cut all four engines at once! The crowd surged out onto the ramp, greeting fathers, husbands, brothers, sisters, and sons! Then we all retired to a hangar where the party of the decade awaited us. It was a proud and glorious day, A day never to forget, and a very special day for one who was also a veteran of another, mostly forgotten war in a distant land.

What did I get coming back from Southeast Asia? A warning that it was unsafe to wear my uniform off base! That not only from my first tour of duty there, but from each of FIVE unvolunteered assignments. I had (and have) not yet visited the Vietnam memorial in DC, just don’t think I could take the emotion. As many others, I fear I would again come up with the thought that plagued me for so long: Why did I come back and many, many others didn’t? And I wasn’t even in combat, except once when we were attacked by VC sappers; I nearly bought the farm in that dustup, but for the most part Iwas safely(?) in the Air Force.

That sunny spring day in 1991 did a lot to help me rid myself of much of the baggage that I didn’t even realize I still carried. You see, I came back from the final SEA assignment in 1972, got out of the service, attended college, got a job, and never really looked back. I did go back in later, first as a reservist, then back to AD, but I had a family, 2 kids to raise, and life was good for us. God blessed, and we are today very proud of two kids who have their own families and who are pursuing their own dreams. We nod and say, “we did something right!” Maybe I still carry some of the burden from Vietnam, but each year it gets lighter, and CONTRARY TO WHAT JOHN KERRY SAYS, I DID NOTHING,** NOT ONE IOTA** OF ANYTHING OF WHICH I AM ASHAMED IN VIETNAM OR ANY OTHER OF THE FEW COUNTRIES TO WHICH I WAS ASSIGNED IN THOSE DAYS….WE WERE AMERICAN FIGHTING MEN, DESCENDANTS OF A PROUD TRADITION, RIGHTEOUS AND RIGHT IN OUR DEEDS. MR. KERRY MAY HAVE COMMITTED ATROCITIES, AND IF HE DID, HE DESERVES TO BE SENT TO JAIL, NOT TO THE OVAL OFFICE!!!!

OK, I’ve said my Piece. I feel better, and I hope you do too. God bless you and yours!

This morning’s news says that CBS has finally admitted the obvious, along with a long, whining, statement of their desire to inform us with accurate, believable news. Looks to me like another case of too little, too late…..We need a “NO CBS ZONE”