Very rarely in life, you meet special people.  These people are the ones that not only befriend you, but *get* you.  They aren't simply friends, they are the kind of people whose opinions you treasure, whose company you crave, and who, for me, are in a select group of friends who I will drop everything if they needed something.

I can probably count them out on my remaining fingers.

Carrie Costantini was one of those people.  Snark and sarcasm was her outward face, but her inner heart shined through to the people she was close with.  She cared.  Above all else, she cared. 

I met Carrie in 2007 like this:

Hi Chuck and Carren,
You don't know me but I do know of you through Beth.
I also don't know your schedule for the day after the milblogger conference but I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to my home for dinner on Sunday, May 6th.
I would like to open up my home for those out-of-towners still here after the conference on that day.
I don't live too far away from DC and when I was compiling my dinner guest list, I thought of you two.
Hope you can come.  Feel free to ask me any questions.
I am not a felon...just ask Beth...:)  Heh.
Carrie Costantini

Although we didn't make the dinner, Carren and I came to know the Costantini's through other avenues... Carren through Spousebuzz, and I through my blog.  Over the years, Carrie became very active with Soldier's Angels Project: Valor-IT, heading up not only the Marine Corps fundraising team, but also working with me on the overall fundraisers for the project.

Much like Carren, Carrie was one of the few voices who could reign in my smart assitude, my sarcasm, and my temper.  It's a very rare thing, for me to give that level of trust to someone. When I founded Hero Labradors, Carrie was the absolute FIRST person I called about being on my board of directors.  I will miss her posts on Facebook, her love of art and old houses, pictures of Thatcher and her headbutting idiots in the the milspouse community.  One thing I came to know about Carrie from those--if you were in disagreement with her, the problem was probably with you.

I will miss her so.

Shop a lot!

Till midnight PST, Shop at amazon smile and 10% of your purchase goes to Hero Labradors!
HTTP://smile.amazon.com/ch/81-4705687

As Promised, my twitter feed reaction post

Yesterday (1 March) I promised to write a post based on what I saw at the top of my twitter feed when I first signed on.

Hey, why not?  Here goes:

Wow that's messy. And maybe another reason Biden didn't run. https://t.co/P83IYdCmrx

— Seth (@dcseth) March 2, 2017

Beau Biden's Widow in Love Affair with His *Still* Married Brother | RedState https://t.co/qodYpj4C6k

— Mickey White (@BiasedGirl) March 2, 2017

Apparently, Beau Biden's widow is dating his brother, who is still married.

My response--Good for her.

I'd hope that if I died (which honestly, given my past is either not possible or will happen any moment now) that the missus, after a brief decade or two of mourning, would find love again. I know she could never replace me, nor find anyone who could fill the void I'd left, she could at least find someone to share her remaining days with.  I'd be okay with that.

I don't know if Beau's widow will find love in the other Biden boy.  And frankly, in a world as messed up as ours, who really cares who she dates?  It's nobody's business but hers.  "News" like this isn't, it's the kind of garbage that busybodies and nosy nellies fill their day with.  Is Beau's brother cheating/separated/trans-married?  Who Gives A Flying Fig?  Redstate is devolving to tabloid garbage quick, fast, and in a hurry with shit like this.

Jesus Jumping Christ, if they are hurting that bad for Real, relevant news, commentary and opinion, with just a hint of wit, sarcasm, and dark humor, they should throw some sheckles my way and I'll gladly write for them.

THIS, THIS is part of what the "Fake News" kick is about.  This isn't news, it isn't of interest to the general public.  It's being made an interest item because news organizations are putting it on their menus.  An analogy, if you will:

You are really hungry.  You go into a fine dining establishment, expecting a substantial meal with healthy, and tasty choices.  The waiter hands you the wine list--
Thunderbird
MD 20/20
Boones Farm Strawberry Hill
Ripple
Cisco
Night Train

You're really thirsty for a good wine, but finding only swill, you choose the one that you'll at least be able to keep down, knowing that most of the others taste like piss filter through a can of bad clams.

On to the main menu at this fine dining establishment...
Chicken Nuggets
Hot Dogs
Fried Butter
Gravy on Saltines

You wanted a good, aged steak.  You can't get one here.  You know that the nuggets are chicken, the hot dogs are lips and assholes, fried butter is something best left to Mama June and Gravy on Saltines might be filling, but... ew.

So, still being hungry, and with no other choices available, you opt for the nuggets, paired with a nice bbq dipping sauce that will go with the Ripple.

You pay your bill, and the staff wishes you well, complimenting your choices and appetite.

You leave the restaurant, fed, yet undernourished.  You know you will have a bad night either sitting on the throne or driving the porcelain bus.  You know that tomorrow you''' feel terrible, and though you will search out new sources of food, you will likely end up back at the big chain, forced to eat poorly prepared food that will only leave you feeling full but not truly fulfilled.

That's exactly what fake news is.  You want real news about important happenings in the world, in your government, in your life.  You get bits about how someone sat on a couch.  Who's dating who. Who did or didn't clap when the President said something.

Dear god people, don't click on these stories, it only encourages the bastards!  Follow stories of substance.  Read those stories with an eye towards what is fact and what is opinion.  If the opinions outweigh the facts, stop reading, because you are no longer being informed, you're being led.

That's fake news.  Give them garbage to eat, because there are no other options.  If there is something substantive, give it to them with a layer of opinion so thick that they will agree with our conclusions.
And holy hell am I tired of it.

--Chuck

My other gig

Hero Labradors

www.herolabradors.com
On Twitter:  @HeroLabradors
On Facebook (I think that is the right link)(CM: it is)
Via Email

I am a wounded warrior. A service dog helped me immensely in my recovery, and has continued to help me live a normal life. One of the things instilled in me during my years of service was a dedication to a lifetime of service to our nation. To that end, I am starting Hero Labradors.

Hero Labradors has a simple goal: I am breeding AKC registered Labrador retrievers to serve our wounded veterans.

There are many wounded and disabled service members who could benefit from a service dog. There are many charities that train and provide these dogs for free to veterans. The kink in the pipeline is the dogs. Not every dog has the temperament or aptitude to be a service dog.

So, my premise is simple: If a dog line can be bred from good hunters to produce dogs with great hunting drive, or a line can be bred to produce dogs with great show lines, why not try to breed dogs to produce the qualities that are common in service dogs?

The Labrador retriever is my choice for several reasons--
1. I personally have owned two Labrador service dogs, and have owned many Labrador pets throughout my life. I love the breed and find them not only great companions, but also readily trainable.
2. They possess the right body type and weight to assist full grown adults with many mobility and stability issues.
3. They are handily America's favorite dog breed
4. They have a great and friendly temperament in general, are very good with kids, strangers, and other dogs
5. They usually bond rapidly with their owner, and readily focus on them and their needs
6. They tend to have large litters (6-10 pups) meaning there is a greater chance of producing dogs with service aptitude

There are a multitude of other reasons (too many to list!) but I want to fill a niche that I have not seen filled: a breeder with a primary goal of breeding aptitude for service, and (importantly) providing these dogs free to charities that will in turn pair them with a wounded warrior, train them to meet the warrior's needs, and then donate the dog to the wounded warrior.

Normally, an AKC lab from the lines I breed would run upwards of $2500 per pup. I take care of feeding, vaccinations, weaning, rearing, and housing these pups until they are donated or (for the ones who don't make the cut for service dogs) sold as pets. This endeavor isn't a cheap one, but it's a labor of love. I am exploring setting this up as an LLC and a non-profit, more to follow on that; right now, I believe that the best thing is to focus on the dogs and on spreading the word that this program exists.

I had a litter (only three pups) in August, of these, one has been accepted as a service dog by Dogs Helping Heroes, another is soon to be evaluated for service, and #3 is going to stay with me to continue the breeding line.

How can you help? Share this with your friends and let people know we're out here.

--Chuck

Oh! I forgot to mention

Hero Labradors

I've a pup available! 

Driver, Hold up right here.

I went back to look at how much I've changed in the last dozen years or so since I started doing this. One of My first posts was "Load Sabot, Driver Move Out."  I'll save you the click, because I'm going to repost it in its entirety, and highlight some changes I've made over the years.  Because I enjoy color blindness, (and my code monkey is on a self-imposed hiatus--I really am sorry, and wish you'd come get some bananas) all of my up-to-date commentary will be highlighted thusly:

This is my first attempt at blogging. (Technically still my first attempt, as I've made no other attempts.)

I start by saying that because I have been lurking around many blogs for a while, and posting to comments on articles that I wanted to weigh in on. I finally came to the realization that I needed a place to post my own opinions, a place where friends could stop by when they wanted to and see what I was thinking about certain topics. 

Hell, it's better than screaming at the news. It makes the people in the chow hall think I'm kinda crazy. I sometimes tend not to agree with established institutions, but I am in a position where I am a cog in that same machine.  I'm not a cog in any machine anymore!  The gloves are off!

But that isn't the only reason I write. My beleaguered wife certainly doesn't need to listen to me ranting from 12,000 miles away. It tends to make for big phone bills, and I'd rather not spend the money to vent on someone who a) doesn't deserve it b) usually agrees, and c) has enough of her own troubles raising the kids and getting her masters degree (almost done and still carrying a 4.0--she's smarter than me, but doesn't believe it) without me dumping on her. She kept the 4.0, and is a MSW now!

So what will you see here? A person is usually judged by the company he keeps. Me, I read Kim Du Toit (no longer up) daily, and when I have time, I read longer submissions from Eject!Eject!Eject! (no longer up) and for a little Brit Humor, Chase Me Ladies, I'm in the Cavalry. (Still funny) Most of the folks they link to are pretty good reading. 

Things I'll generally rant on: 
The US Constitution. (My interpretation, also known as In My World) 
Main Stream Media.
Things that piss me off not included in #1 and #2 
Other topics of discussion are basically anything I see fit to waste electrons on. 

Ground rules. (Mostly no change.  comments should still work, I can do formatting and editing of text, I still misspell from time to time.) 
I will open up comments as soon as I figure out how. I built my first computer before al whore gore invented "teh intraweb", and was out of school before anyone figured out how HTML was supposed to work, so HTML isn't a skill set I have. I can sometimes read it, especially when looking for something specific. Like how to do strikethroughs. (I just read your source code Kim, Thanks!)

When I am pissed, I type fast. When I am busy, I don't edit. I seldom polish writing to make it better, much to the chagrin of English professors at every institution I've attended. Bottom line, I don't care if misspelled words are your cause celibre. I don't care if I spelled that wrong or missed an accent here or there. (Hell it's French anyway, so who gives a rat’s ass?)

I curse.Like a drunken sailor with a horrid case of touretts. My mom is okay with that, but I never use the "F" word around her, and I just don't use the "C" word (not clinton. The other one.) If cursing bothers you, get over it or go away.  (no change) 

I hate most of the people I know, and for some reason I tend to attract weirdo’s. I'm talking about the people you see in wal-mart that you keep in the corner of your eye like a circus freak or a car accident. These people come up to me and strike up conversations. I am polite and talk to them, while my head screams "GO AWAY! Why are you talking to me! I don't know you!" If this particular attribute carries over into the ether, then I am sure that comments will get interesting. (no change) 

Finally, for those of you who are curious, a bit about me that I haven't covered.
Family: 
1 each: Wife, Son, and Daughter. She's my love, He's my pride, and my baby girl is my heart. I you ever say anything bad about them I will hunt you down and kill you. (I will ridicule you and otherwise dedicate my copious free time to creatively causing you trouble)  If you ever hurt them, I will hunt you down and make a career out of seeing you languish in pain. Take heed, all you aforementioned weirdo’s.  (no change) 
Job: 
 (Retired) Army Officer. Company Commander. Deployed to Iraq. Been doing this for 15 years.   (did it for 22 years) Unashamedly Patriotic American.
Core Values:
Service to the Nation is second to service to God. The family comes first in my heart, but the Nation comes first because it says it does. (Corrollary: The Army is for Thirty, the family is forever.

States rights vs. Federal Rights:
Usually, Federal Authority. Except for the death penalty (Yay Texas) and Queer Marriages (Boo New England).  (I honestly don't care about gay marriage.  I just hope people who find love can be happy and have access to the same rights as any other American.) If left to their own devices, schools in Kansas would still be segregated, and hicks southerners would still own slaves.

Homosexuality: 
Is a sin. Period. (It's my dogma, my religion, my belief. Don't try to change my mind.) It doesn't mean that I think less of gay people or wouldn't associate with them, I just don't agree with their lifestyle choice/genetic code.) I don't care what you do in your bedroom. As long as you keep it in your bedroom.   (See above.  Believe it or not, what changed my mind was having kids.  If one of them came to me and said they were gay, I wouldn't love them any less.  I would still want them to be happy and successfull.  I wouldn't stand for anyone treating them differently because of their sexual preferences.  I've never met a heterosexual who could tell me exactly when they chose to love the opposite gender, I certainly can't remember when I did, I just did.  There are so many important things to work on in this country that sexuality doesn't even register anymore.

That being said, there are two genders.  (It's all in the chromosome pairs, baby!) I don't care if you identify as LBGTQWERTY, or as a whatever-kin.  Be happy, I applaud your lifestyle as long as it doesn't negatively affect anyone else's.

Abortion: A woman's body is hers, and she can do with it as she pleases. As long as I don't have to pay for it. Once born, it’s a baby. If you believe otherwise, then you have to accept that every fertilized egg that doesn’t attach to a uterus is a baby, and you have to start buying tinier and tinier caskets.   (no change) 

Social Programs: 
As long as I don't have to pay for it. (no change) 

Extended Family: 
Dad was a vet, served as long as he could until cancer caused by Agent Orange took him when I was 24. He gave me his (sometimes morbid, sometimes gallows, but always funny) sense of humor. It is the greatest gift he had, and the thing I use every day to cope. Dad fought for 15 years after he retired from the Army (and for 10 years while still in) with cancer, and he never gave up. I miss him every day.  (no change) 

Mom: 

The Family Prankster. If Dad gave me his sense of Humor, mom taught me everything else (except how to swear, I learned that from Dad, working in the shop.) Mom taught me that there is little else in this world funnier than a practical joke well played, especially when the victim(s) blame someone else. She taught me how to cook, how to sew, how to treat ladies (BTW, not all women are ladies, but you should treat them all that way until they prove otherwise.) And most importantly, like Shaddrack, Meeshack, an Abendigo, to "Do and Remember what you learned at Home."  (no change) 
My Sister: 
 (Was) Is in the USAF but I won't hold that against her (honestly, it proves she's smarter than I am. She's never had to sleep with her head in the mud.) Actually, I really love my sister, I just don't get to see her very often and we argue over who gets to keep Wondermom (TM). Sis has 3 kids (2 nephews and a niece for me!) and one  (Abusive, piece of shit Ex-) Husband, which, I suppose, makes a total of four kids. Between Her, Her Hubby, and me, Wondermom is a triple-blue-star-mom.

Other relatives: My Uncle Bob is my surrogate Dad, of sorts. He's at the Army Sergeants Major Academy. (I'm the first officer in my family, my wife is the second, but she's no longer in). (Retired) 
My Father in law: 
I call him Dad and seek his advice on many things. He asks for my spin on many world events, and he gets, as you will, my opinion. We may not agree, but we don't argue, either. (no change) 
My Mother in Law: 
I actually get along great with the Mom-in-Law. She doesn't always get my sense of humor, but she puts up with my antics anyway. (no change) 

Enough about the Famn Damily.

When I am not doing the green suiter (well, currently brown suiter) thing, I raise kids, brew and keg my own beer, and do yard work. The boy is getting to the age where the fishing and shooting are going to become his hobbies, as soon as the Mrs. will let me get him to the range.   (Lots of change.  The boy and I hunt--deer, rabbit, turkey, armadillo, and eventually hogs; the daughter hunts too, but not as much.  I still do tons of yardwork, but it's on land I OWN, not in Army Housing.  I will get back to brewing someday, but these days I shoot, hunt, reload, build, play with dogs, and otherwise get creative with my time.) 

That’s about all I have to say for now. I figure I should set up the rest of this blog before I write too much more.

Tap Tap Tap... is this thing on?

I'm back, baby.  The blog is back.  I'm doing this again because I like doing it.  I enjoy writing, being a curmudgeon, and otherwise calling things the way I see them.

It's been what, a year or more? Maybe two?

So let's update:

Retired from the Army in January, 2015.  What an awesome, 22 year-long ride that was.

Applied for VA disability (*started the process in July, 2015).  It only took them 14 months to determine that yes, I was a cripple and yes, it was all service connected.  (except for my hearing loss and tinnitus.  Which is odd, because I distinctly recall having pretty good hearing and no damned 24/7/365 ringing in my ears BEFORE an IED blew up at my feet, and blew both my eardrums out of my head, but that's the VA for you.)

While waiting on the VA to determine if I was a cripple, I went to work for PriceWaterhouseCoopers.  Almost immediately, I was set upon by the permanently offended crowd, who were oh so kind in their made-up complaints.  Well, mostly made up.  I did often say things like "drink the cool aid."  I received complaints of sexual harassment (never happened), being mean, (well, it's not mean to tell someone their performance is on par with what you'd expect from an intern with a learning disability, two left hands, and permanently attached boxing gloves.  Okay, it's mean... doesn't make it any less true.)

Eventually the investigated, determined unfounded complaints stacked up to the point where the bosses figured I was a liability, and I was canned after about a year.  By that time, I was receiving my Army Pension and VA pension, so I figured what the hell, I needed to make up for all the time lost with my family, and get to what I really wanted to be doing with my life:  raising Labradors for service animals.

Thus, that is what I do now.  I'm a stay at home dad, I get to go to school events, I get to work on projects with the kids, I get to play with puppies.  Life is good.  (Also, I could REALLY use someone who can build a web page.  I have the URL, (herolabradors.com) other than that, I'm in the dark.)

Naturally, things just wouldn't be me without getting hurt, so in the past two years I've also had two back surgeries (stemming from 2005 injuries), and managed to get bitten by a rattlesnake.  That was loads of fun, too.

What can you look forward to now that I'm back?

Life, Observations, Gripes, and Humor from the very not pointy part of the spear.  And puppies.

--Chuck

Call me Mister.

I'm out.  Done.  Kaput.  Finished.

Retired.

I enlisted at 17, nearly a quarter century ago.  Now I am retired, free to say and do what I want.

First, thanks for bearing with me.  The last few years have been rough.

Second, John Patrick White is, in my opinion, one of the worst and most toxic leaders in the Army and a complete douchebag.

Third, ow.  During the last month, I've finally had the pain in my back diagnosed.  My L5 vertabrae is about 2/3 the size it's supposed to be, has bone spurs, and is canted and pushing down on my SI joint, and compressing the nerve clusters there, sending shooting and stabbing pains all the way to my feet, which have gone numb.  I will need a spinal fusion surgery to correct this.

The orthopedic surgeon I visited last week wants to see the images from the CT scan I had in November before scheduling surgery.  Right now I am waiting on the radiology department at Tripler Army Medical Center to get them to me.

Process will be (well, should be)
Get images, give to Doc. (I start calling up the food chain tomorrow morning.  I expect I will have my images in hand within the week.)

Doc reviews images, tells TRICARE I need surgery.  (+/- 1 week after getting images)

TRICARE approves surgery and it is scheduled. (I will be on the phone with TRICARE from the moment the request is sent until it is approved.)

Surgery happens approximately 2 weeks after request is approved, depending on availability of OR and Dr.

Ideally, by the end of February, my back should be fixed.  I'll spend the next three months in a back brace.

Approximately 9% reduction in flexibility of lower back and huge pain reduction.

Not exactly how I planned to spend my retirement, but no plan seems to survive around me.

We live in Texas now.  We have a nice house, nice land, a barn and a breeding facility for dogs. I plan to breed Labrador retrievers for service animals for wounded warriors.  If anyone has or knows of someone who breeds Labs, please let me know.

--Chuck

Surf PT

Yes, it is possible to look pissed off when you start your day surfing.

But then, you get a diffent view of the world.  You see the calm, you feel the power of potential, you feel the sudden rush...

To hell with it.  Not today.

This is interesting

It does explain a lot, I think.

Miss me yet?

I'm starting over.  Everything that was before is gone, so don't bother looking.

Starting over.  Starting fresh.  Wiping the slate clean and applying what I've learned, to make both my writing more relevant, focused, and quite frankly, better.

So I'll write when I feel the need, I post that which I find interesting, and I invite you along for the ride.

--Chuck

I am just going outside. I may be some time.

I always knew this day would come—not how, or when, or why, just that it would.

The reasons I could give for pulling the plug on "From My Position..." are actually pretty few.  I could list them, fisk them, lay them all out...

But I won't.

I will simply thank you, for your time reading my story, for sharing this journey of recovery and healing with me.  I thank the vast majority of you who took my words at face value, who did not read into them for deeper meaning.  I thank those who took offense and came forward with discussion, and those who simply enjoyed sharing the journey. I am truly humbled by the outpouring of your tremendous support--for me, for Project VALOur-IT, for Soldiers Angels, for the Warrior Ride, for all of the encouragement and the years of seeing me and my family through really tough times.

I thank you all--and I thank a few in particular:

Carren—the Mrs.  She who will gripe and bitch about how much time I spend "playing with that infernal contraption" but who knows that this has helped me heal immeasurably, and somewhere, secretly, loves that I found a healthy outlet, when so many unhealthy ones were available.  She’ll go back to being my sole sounding board, my keeper of secrets, of bearing the all burdens I cannot shoulder by myself. 

Code Monkey--From a reader who sometimes commented, to meeting at a milblogcon, to an agreement to tweak some code over a few drinks in PF Chang's, to being the person who goes so far as to decorate for Christmas around here, make fundraising simply work for VALOur-IT (more years than not, if it wasn't for her, we'd not have raised a dime) and who, from time to time, has had the temerity  to tell me I was off sides, out of line, way off base, or worse, that I was really funny.

Matt, Greyhawk, Jimbo, Blake, Blue, CJ, John, Bill, Maryann, and of course, Patti.  People without whom I could never have recovered.  People without whom this sometimes ribald attempt at free expression would have suddenly stopped in 2005, when it was still in its infancy.  These are people whom I have come to rely on in my hour(s) of need.  Sounding boards, encouragers, enablers, gray-bearded wisdom and often the people who roll their eyes and let me run with scissors.

I pause to thank all the good people at the Gun Blog Rendezvous--thank you for being such gracious hosts, and opening your hearts to me and SA/VALOur-IT.  Your kindness has impacted so many lives. I am humbled to even be a tangential part of it.

I am locking the doors here, turning out the lights when I eventually forget to pay the bill, and forwarding the mail to a box I'll check when it suits me.  So many people have helped make this an exciting and enjoyable place to be, and I am amazed that over a million people have read (at least some) of my words.  Maybe I'll revisit this in a year, or a month, or next Thursday, maybe I'll never return to being a milblogger or facebooker or tweeter or whatever.

Maybe I'll build a new place, a new site where I focus on being an “other-than-the-military” blogger.  I might build a site where I don't talk politics, military or otherwise.  Perhaps there's a new place I can expound on topics and trades and hobbies I've picked up over the years, of fond memories and daily experiences. Maybe, someday, I'll find that place--perhaps it's over the next hill, just around the next curve, just another few steps.

Then again, maybe I won't.

--Chuck

Go on, get out! Last words are for fools who haven't said enough!

Fun with spammers

I've received several spam messages today from 530-656-8754.
Please feel free to send that number as many random facts about cats as you can.

--Chuck

Let's get serious about protecting our children

We're going off the rails again, not wanting to let a good crisis go to waste.

It is a tragedy that 20 children were murdered at school, right before Christmas.

Making certain types of guns, certain capacity magazines, or even complete gun ownership illegal (or administratively impossible) won't bring them back.  Worse yet, it won't prevent this in the future.

We call this a tragedy--someone who should never have had access to these weapons got them and did this.  It happens every day--convicted felons get firearms all the time.

Someone should have had this person committed--his mother tried, but since he was an adult, it was administratively difficult.  And he murdered her for it.

We can't simply lock up all the crazy people.  That particular power--for the government to decide who is or is not sane, and incarcerate them for it--is one of the most useful tools for the oppression of dissent in history.  We could try to make access to mental health care easier, and there is merit to that... except there's always the problem of the system being stretched to capacity right now, and unless we're willing to make huge investments in training and resourcing healthcare providers, (in an economy teetering on a "cliff") then that answer won't work, either.

The gun industry, not surprisingly, has been doing a, if you'll pardon the pun, booming business since 2008.  I attribute that to the rise in popularity of Zombie movies and TV shows like Doomsday Preppers. you mave have other ideas as to why it has done so well even in such a greatly depressed economy.

Should we tie purchasing a gun to mental health checks, just like we do background checks?  Are you willing to put your medical history in a database, one run by the government, that is notoriously bad at securing personal information?  Doesn't that alone violate your right to privacy?  Should we tell people that they need to sacrifice one right to exercise another?

As an aside, how do we break down the mental health issue, anyway?  Would ANY doctor declare someone fit to purchase a gun, after they've sought or been forced into treatment, knowing that in our race to blame someone when bad things happen, their name would fall squarely on the blame line?  Has any mental health professional ever declared someone "cured and incapable of relapse?"

By the way, 20 is a drop in the tragedy bucket.  Every day, that many children die in car accidents.  But we aren't looking to make buying, owning, or operating cars any harder.

Children ages 1 to 4 have the highest drowning rates. In 2009, among children 1 to 4 years old who died from an unintentional injury, more than 30% died from drowning.^1,2  Among children ages 1 to 4, most drownings occur in home swimming pools.² Drowning is responsible for more deaths among children 1-4 than any other cause except congenital anomalies (birth defects).¹ Among those 1-14, fatal drowning remains the second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death behind motor vehicle crashes.¹

 ^{(Emphasis added)
Source:}

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) [online]. [cited 2012 May 3]. Available from: URL: http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars.
2. Laosee, OC, Gilchrist, J, Rudd, R. Drowning 2005-2009. MMWR 2012; 61(19):344-347. )

So if we're trying to avoid tragedy, we need to get serious about banning swimming pools and kids in cars.  We can talk about arming security guards or teachers (not a bad idea) but there will still be school, mall, and theater shootings.  These shooting will almost always be done by mentally ill people or terrorists.  We can never catch all of the crazies, no matter how big the butterfly net, and  we obviously can't stop all the terrorists.  The real secret to security isn't that you stop every attack, it's that you make yourself a harder target than the next likely target.  Make the schools impenetrable, then this will happen on school buses and in public parks.  make those impenetrable, and it will happen at children's hospitals (where they are busy treating the thousands of children injured in swimming pools and car accidents.)

The point I'm making about pools and cars is that it is a far greater risk of injury to children, yet no one is making any stink about it, because it isn't in the news every day.  There is not enough bleeding to lede, I suppose.  Even if it did make the local news, it wouldn't get picked up nationally.  (Can you imagine a nightly news "Death Pool" or "Toll Booth of Death" tallying the reports of children dying across the nation?  And here's the worst part:  of the swimming deaths, every single one was 100% preventable.  Of the car deaths, some are preventable. 

--Chuck

But don't let me tell you, let the CDC tell you:

While shocking and senseless shootings give the impression of dramatic increases in school-related violence, national surveys consistently find that school-associated homicides have stayed essentially stable or even decreased slightly over time.
According to the CDC’s School Associated Violent Death Study, less than 1 percent of all homicides among school-age children happen on school grounds or on the way to and from school. So the vast majority of students will never experience lethal violence at school.¹

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. School-associated student homicides—United States, 1992–2006. MMWR 2008;57(02):33–36. 

http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/index.html\
http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/
http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/youthviolence/schoolviolence/data_stats.html
http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/youthviolence/schoolviolence/SAVD.html
http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/childmaltreatment/index.html
http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/suicide/index.html

 

And we're back

Someone complained that something I wrote may have been in violation of Artilce 88 or 89 of the Uniformed Code of Military Justice.

They didn't, however, note exactly what it was they thought might have crossed that line.

So, looking back across nearly two thousand posts, I went back and pulled every post which I thought had any politics involved at all.  (of the posts I wrote.  Anything written by someone else, I've left alone.) 

I make no bones about it, the current administration isn't the one I would have chosen.  It is however, the one the electoral college chose, and therefore I accept their choice, and the CIC remains the CIC for the next four years, and I will support my commander completely.  Bear in mind, however, that the beautiful thing about our Military, which differs so vastly from almost every military on the planet, is that we do not pledge loyalty to the president, the congress, or any person.  We are sworn to uphold and defend the constitution of these United States.

Perhaps defending the constitution lies in speaking out against what I believe are clear violations of it.  I don't think it's wrong to call things as I see them, with respect for the person sitting in office, as long as I don't attack that person, just the policies of the administration.  Attack is too strong a word--disagree.  Respectfully disagree.  It is neither insolent or discourteous to respectfully disagree with a policy.  I have done that many times in the past.  I have also crossed that line in the past, and have received guidance telling me what is and isn't appropriate.  (For instance, salty language is best left in the locker room, and making up nicknames for the VP is also not a good idea.)

As a wordsmith, I choose my words, usually, for their exact meaning or the emotion they convey.  When I write from the heart, fueled by emotion or passion, my words tend to get more precise, but less discerning.  It may be a character flaw.

I used to keep this blog as a place where I could write anything I wanted, about any topic, in any way I saw fit.  Then I was forced to grow up.  Internet graffiti is taken seriously by some, especially since my audience has grown beyond my mom, dog, and imaginary friend.  I now have tens of people visiting every day, and what I write may upset one of them, it may cause them to completely skip over the bigass disclaimer at the bottom of the page (or the link to it at the top of the page,) and rather than confront me directly about what they think may be an error or worse, a speech crime, they choose to go completely off the rails and file formal complaints. 

I understand why someone would do that.  Most people, given the choice, are non-confrontational.  However, given the anonymity offered by the internet, I can't simply assume they didn't want to say something here.  What I am left with then is that they are either simply cowards, or they are acting out of malice.  They want to see me act rashly--pull down the blog permanently, or rail against the machine and put my career and livelihood on the line.  Worse, they want me to not write at all. 

I believe, (believe, mind you, means I have no proof) that this person making complaints is a combination of the three: a coward who disagrees with my point of view and wants to silence me because they know deep down that I am right.

And that's the other thing:  I believe in what I write, at the time that I write it.  My opinions do change, with age, wisdom, learning, or in the discovery of new facts.  I am willing to change my mind, about my views and about the people who complain about me.

--Chuck

I make no secret about my identity, nor is it really that hard to find me online. (try tcoverride-at-gmail-dot-com.)  Or you can find me on facebook, though that isn't the best way to get in touch. 

Job needed

Any of you people need to hire someone in the Phoenix, AZ area? 
I have a code monkey in need of some bananas.

--Chuck

It's been a while

My hands hurt.

Turns out, x-rays show my thumbs have adanced artritis, and I may have some injury to the tendons and ligaments in my fingers. 

Makes typing painful (and I do lots of that at work, and the Army doesn't let me install adaptive software on their computers.

I'll write more later, i promise.

--Chuck

Why we can't just get out, now, from Afghanistan

A well thought out piece from my friend, Blue.

We are in the military.  We are all military thinkers, and as such we must not be driven by emotional responses.  We can't say, "Fuck it, let's shut out the lights and leave!"   There is a difference between passion and emotionalism, and we need to stay on the side of informed passion and avoid frustrated emotional responses.  Some are looked to by civilian readership for some leadership, some courage.  Emotionalism in that role can be harmful, or at least unhelpful.  In the end, it sounds like another voice in support of the president's non-strategy; even if it is a negative reaction to it. 

I get the frustration.  I do.  I understand the urge to cry out for evacuation.  I do.  And it's wrong.  First, logistically, it's impossible or at least completely improbable.  You simply can't move all that shit that quickly.  Second, it's just flat ill-advised.  If you want a dissertation on why, I'll happily drown you all in words that will make lots of sense if you dry your eyeballs out reading them.

Instead, I'll give you this; if you want to advise quitting, your prayers have been, in part, answered.  Our commanders in the field have quit.  Force protection is job 1.  Period.  Mission?  Not really.  And it's evident.  What's happening now is lip-service being paid to the advisory mission and the de facto implementation of the Biden plan.  Our military in Afghanistan is a lost ball in tall grass.  We have lost our way because command climate trickles down, and our national strategy on Afghanistan is not based on any goal or desired end state in Afghanistan other than for it to be a plus in favor of [this administration's] reelection.  The national command climate, set by the CIC, is a shambles, and that's reflected in the zeitgeist on the ground.  National security strategy, the objective of which becomes to satisfy domestic political imperatives, is not national security strategy; it is domestic political campaigning.  That is what Afghanistan has become.

It's what Afghanistan has been since the day that [this administration] announced [it's]  non-conditions-based withdrawal schedule with a time hack one month and six days before the 2012 election. 

An Army left to fight a domestic political campaign in a foreign country will fail at it.  (Nobody told the Marines that they were fighting for votes in the 89th precinct, so they keep fighting what they believe to be a war.)   

[the Romney campaign's] approach to this is brilliant.  He cannot win otherwise.   He could not possibly have a brilliant campaign plan for Afghanistan.  He cannot possibly win after proclaiming [the administration's] "strategy" of withdrawal to be in the least bit ill-advised.  There is no way for him to politically overcome the seduction or withdrawal.  It's like the voice in your head that screams at you to stop running in the late stages of the longest run you've ever done.  America has that voice screaming in it's head... and it sounds a lot like [this administration's] voice.  [It] has always been the voice of the easy path, the seduction of the abdication of responsibility; the excusable acceptance of mediocrity.  For the same reasons that Social Security disability claims have surged so much in the past four years, there is no overcoming the seduction of the softer, easier path. 

It is best that Afghanistan is a non-issue in this election. 

That being said, it is a shame that it can't be adequately discussed.  But, since that is impossible, it must be kept from the fray at this point.  Romney has handled this well.  His endorsement of the withdrawal deadline not survive the first quarter year of his presidency.   But he danced around the [the administration's] attempt to paint him as a hawk.  That was all he needed to do.  In an America which has convinced itself that Afghanistan is too difficult and in fact unworthy of our best efforts, which has convinced itself that it is tired of a war that most have experienced a few minutes at a time on the news, a hawk is not what the sheeple want to vote for. 

And trying to explain that [this administration's] plan is a disaster unfolding would avail him nothing. 

What would a President Romney be expected to do?  I expect that he will approach this problem as he approaches any business problem.  That in itself would be a huge leap... if you will excuse my political jingoism... forward. 

It's hell when a simple word like the word "forward" become tainted by politicization. 

I would expect a top-down review to be commissioned immediately after his inauguration.  [This administration] did the same thing.  [It] assembled (arguably) the best set of minds you could find on the subject of Afghanistan and Pakistan, and they gave him good recommendations.  At first, [it] appeared to listen.  Then [it] pulled the rug out from under the whole thing with the announcement of the withdrawal date.  It was immediately apparent as being driven by domestic political needs of the [administration], not driven by national security needs for results.  Here is where I would expect to see differences.  I would expect Romney to actually listen to the advice that he is given.  Romney is not a national security strategist, but he will know what his desired end state is.  When he chooses a strategy option generated by actual strategists, it will be chosen based upon that desired end state and not based upon domestic political imperatives.  A real goal based upon a desired end state on the ground will be a step (again, please forgive me) forward. 

Vote. 

"It was just ‘yeah, of course we’ll help.’"

Marines help save 14 New Yorkers trapped by Hurricane Sandy

BROOKLYN, Ny - Winds, close to 80 mph, whipped the 14-foot floodwaters through the streets of New York Monday night as Hurricane Sandy bore down on the city. During the height of the storm, a detective from the New York Police Department approached the duty noncommissioned officer of 6th Communications Battalion, Force Headquarter Group in Brooklyn, N.Y., and requested assistance for a rescue operation.

A transformer in the Queens neighborhood of Rockaway Beach burst, triggering a house fire that soon spread to adjacent buildings. Because of the fire and the rising floodwaters, many residents were trapped.

First responders attempted to help stranded residents, but they were also trapped, bringing the number of those marooned to 14. The water was too deep for the emergency services units, so the NYPD called on the Reserve Marines for support.

“We were just checking (our training center) for damage because the storm was getting pretty bad,” said Sgt. Jorge Negron Milwaukee, WI, a ground radio repairman with 6th Communications Battalion. “The police showed up at the gate and, after getting approval, there was no hesitation. It was just ‘yeah, of course we’ll help.’”

Lt. Col. Richard Bordonaro, Inspector-Instructor for the 6th Communications Battalion, authorized the use of two 7-ton trucks, as well as the service of three Marines and one Navy corpsman, to conduct rescue assistance under the authority of the Defense Support of Civil Authorities directive.

Sgts. Allan Donaire Union, NJ, Michael Roy Tarrant, TX, and Jorje Negron along with Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew Pulitano, a hospital corpsman, responded to the police department’s request at approximately 10:15 p.m.

“As soon as we got over the bridge, the water (between us and the neighborhood) was so high,” said Sgt. Michael Roy, also a ground radio repairman with the battalion. “SUVs were completely underwater and the flood waters were almost over the hood of our 7-ton (approximately seven feet).”

There were two fires raging when they arrived in the Breezy Point area -- one of the fires eventually destroyed 111 houses, and the other that burned at a power plant.

“When we turned the corner (and seeing the homes ablaze), it was the most disturbing thing I’ve ever seen,” said Negron. “The entire block was on fire; it looked like the road to Armageddon.”

The first responders’ vehicles were either water-logged or not large enough to enter the floodwaters, so over the next five hours, the Marines transported members of local police and fire departments to different areas of the neighborhood.

“The bravery and dedication I saw was so great,” said Negron. “Everyone was riding in our truck and then the police would hop into their raft and go to a family in need and the fire department would get in their (rafts) and go straight to a fire.”


Read the rest: http://www.dvidshub.net/news/97094/marines-help-save-14-new-yorkers-trapped-hurricane-sandy#.UJRNI8WHIjA#ixzz2B6oHeEPE

Veterans Day Discounts

VETERANSDAYDISCOUNTS2012.pdf