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Thursday, May 24, 2012
Was it worth his life?
In February 2012, Gold Star Families of 109 Marines, soldiers, sailors or airmen lost in Iraq or Afghanistan since 9/11 came to the Marines' Memorial Club in San Francisco to network with each other and to help each other with the grieving process. In the past seven years, we have worked with more than 600 Gold Star families.

This year, we invited Lieutenant General John Kelly, USMC to speak to the Gold Star families. Gen Kelly and his wife, Karen, are also Gold Star parents, having lost their son, 2ndLt Robert Kelly USMC, on 9 November 2010 in Afghanistan. Here are LtGen Kelly's remarks:
I never met any of your loved ones… your sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, and spouses. I also don’t know how you came to know they were lost in the wars waged today and over the last ten years in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Yemen and dozens of other locations around the world. I don’t know the details, but the stories are ultimately all the same. Most often it started with a knock on the door, or a ring of the doorbell in the early morning hours by a casualty officer who’d been sitting outside your house waiting anxiously for hours for the first lights to come on. He dreaded the mission he’d been assigned that day. He was not glad to be there, but he was privileged to be there as the duty is a sacred one. It is an honor to be called to do it. Most often the casualty officer is a complete stranger. Sometimes he’s your best friend. The minute you saw him standing there framed in the doorway you knew…you knew without being told…before he uttered his first words…you knew.

Go read the rest here:

Remembering Why We Observe Memorial Day
A guest post from Kevin P.

Remembering Why We Observe Memorial Day

Memorial Day has its origins in the aftermath of the American Civil War.  The bloodiest conflict in our nation's history, veterans and the loved ones of fallen soldiers decided it was appropriate to set aside a day of remembrance for those who died.  Originally known as Decoration Day, this scattered-scheduled and unofficial commemoration was eventually dubbed Memorial Day, extended to honor all American lives lost in all wars, and made a federal holiday after the Second World War.

The reasons we set aside such a day of remembrance are obvious.  To give one's life for a greater good is the ultimate sacrifice any one individual can make.  Americans owe virtually everything they experience and appreciate to the wartime risks others make and the tragically inevitable likelihood that some will pay the full price for freedom.  For those of us fortunate enough to live a free life without ever having to fight for it, taking a weekend to think about those that have is the least that can be accomplished.

With that said, your Memorial Day Weekend doesn't have to revolve around mourning and grief to accomplish the task of honoring those that have given their lives for freedom.  In fact, it would most likely be the wish of each and every fallen American soldier past and present for you to take the three day weekend to enjoy the variety of fun and excitement that life in America has to offer.  They gave their lives in part to ensure that life goes on.

If you wish to go about Memorial Day the right way, get off the couch and go take advantage of personal, cultural, and economic freedom.  Attend a parade to pay your respects.  Host a potluck to cherish the company of friends and family.  Take a two-day camping trip to get a dose of the great outdoors.  Visit museums and exhibits to reacquaint yourself with the history and culture we're sworn to preserve.

Memorial Day ought not to be looked at as a blank check excuse for a vacation.  At the same time it shouldn't be spent being sad and mopey.  Instead, remember the sacrifices others have made and let that inspire you to get out there and appreciate all that the United States of America has to offer.


Kevin Pearia is a writer for Veterans United Network (VUN), a source for veterans’ benefits and information.  VUN is proudly sponsored by the nation’s leading VA Home Loan provider, Veterans United Home Loans. 
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Green energy

Well, except for all those hydrocarbons released when they burn...
Obi wan was no Jeff Cooper

Dammit. Again?

Friday, May 18, 2012
Milgram Experiment

Fwd: Free tickets for military, part II
Ranger Up (and our rugby brand, American Sin Bin) is giving away tickets to the College Rugby Championships on June 2-3 in Philadelphia to active military and veterans. 
Free tickets for military

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> Ranger Up (and our rugby brand, American Sin Bin) is giving away tickets to the College Rugby Championships on June 2-3 in Philadelphia to active military and veterans.
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> KC
Friday, May 11, 2012
What I care about in politics
I don't care if a presidential candidate pushed a 6-year-old girl with downs into a chipper shredder.
 
I don't care if a presidential candidate has smoked weed, snorted coke, or shot heroin.
 
I don't care if a presidential candidate has eaten dog, cat, blue whale, or bald eagle.
 
I don't care if a presidential candidate love gays, hates gays, doesn't care about gays, or is gay.
 
I don't care if a presidential candidate is mormon, buddhist, catholic, amish, or atheist, muslim, or practices santeria.
I care if my presidential candidate has a workable plan to make our economy work, reduce our defecit, wean us off the teat of foreign oil, has a workable plan for a strong defense, doesn't bow to anybody, doesn't apologize for America, doesn't take shit from other countries, scares the Russians, French, China, and entire Middle East, supports Israel, and makes North Korea tremble; and laughs in the face of the UN. (In short, a President who believes in "America First, everybody else, take a number.")
--Chuck

Sunday, May 06, 2012
Reasons I never want to go back to the mainland

1. This: