I found this tribute on YouTube. The annotation reads:
“This is a Tribute Video of the American Legion Riders and Patriot Guard Riders who Ride for our Fallen Brothers and Sister here in Nebraska. May these heroes rest in peace.”
Newsletter comment: I see the administration & DoD are going through another debate – just like the Ft. Hood killings – if this is terrorism.
What would YOU call it? What is it with this administration that can’t seem to utter the word? Meanwhile they are lobbying the cable companies to include Al Jazeera!
“Voices around the world, from Europe to America to Libya, are calling for U.S. intervention to help bring down Moammar Gaddafi. Yet for bringing down Saddam Hussein, the United States has been denounced variously for aggression, deception, arrogance and imperialism…”
Newsletter comment: It does seem strange to me that while many have been screaming about getting our troops out of Iraq & Afghanistan, they now seemingly can’t wait to send our stretched forces into Africa. Guess it depends on what your cause is? Even Sen. McCain is pushing to establish a no-fly zone in Libya.
Whatever the decision it will be our brave troops that will pay the price if they get the green light. Remember the folly in Somalia? Best intentions but with no resolve from the Clinton White House when things turned ugly. – Roger Young, editor
“The U.S. is not at war with Libya and has not taken sides, but President Obama nevertheless has signed off on the use of armed predator drones in the North African nation that has been torn by a weeks-old bloody conflict, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday…”
Newsletter comment: Not a war, not taking sides, and where is the Congressional Resolution authorizing this action? – Roger Young, editor
“…For Iraq and Afghanistan-era veterans, the unemployment rate for January was 15.2 percent. This is a sharp increase from 9.4 percent in November and 11.7 percent in December, a clear trend of a worsening job market for younger veterans, many of them combat veterans…”
“More than 20,000 veterans, active-duty troops and reservists who took out special government-backed mortgages lost their homes last year — the highest number since 2003.
“The rate of foreclosure filings in 2010 among 163 zip codes located near military bases rose 32 percent over 2008, according to RealtyTrac, a foreclosure research firm. This compares with a 2010 increase in foreclosures filings nationally of 23 percent over 2008…”
“Military veterans are much more likely to be homeless than other Americans, according to the government’s first in-depth study of homelessness among former servicemembers.
“About 16 percent of homeless adults in a one-night survey in January 2009 were veterans, though vets make up only 10 percent of the adult population.
“More than 75,000 veterans were living on the streets or in a temporary shelter that night. In that year, 136,334 veterans spent at least one night in a homeless shelter — a count that did not include homeless veterans living on the streets.
“The urgency of the problem is growing as more people return from service in Iraq and Afghanistan. The study found 11,300 younger veterans, 18 to 30, were in shelters at some point during 2009. Virtually all served in Iraq or Afghanistan, said Mark Johnston, deputy assistant secretary for special needs at the Department of Housing and Urban Development…”
“The unemployment rate last year for young Iraq and Afghanistan veterans hit 21.1 percent, the Labor Department said Friday, reflecting a tough obstacle combat veterans face as they make the transition home from war.
“The number was well above the 16.6 percent jobless rate for non-veterans of the same ages, 18 to 24…”
“WASHINGTON, March 8, 2011 – As the men and women who serve in today’s military leave active duty, communities around the country should tap their potential as employees for the benefit of the nation, the top U.S. military officer said yesterday…”
“Eleven major U.S. firms have joined together in a pledge to hire 100,000 veterans and military personnel after they’ve finished serving the country over the next several years. Huge corporations such as JPMorgan Chase, AT&T, Verizon and Cisco are among those participating…”
“Veterans of Modern Warfare is the Newest National Wartime Veterans Service Organization, focused on mutual assistance to Veterans with military service from 1990 – the time of the Persian Gulf War which ushered in a new era of modern warfare – through the present, including the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
Newsletter comment: As the wars are starting to wind down – at least in the minds of many civilians and the MSM – the same “Rambo syndrome” is setting in for our younger vets that many Vietnam vets experienced after coming home; that some employers are reluctant to hire military veterans for fear of you “going postal” for lack of a better term.
Because of that false perception, many military veterans would not include their military service during Vietnam on their resumes. And I submit, such attitudes by employers and the media only added to a false sense of shame and only made PTSD even worse!
They can pass all the laws they want, but nothing can force an employer to hire a veteran. Sadly history is repeating itself! – Roger “Bear” Young
Newsletter comment: Why is it that others, including high level officials in the Obama administration, wish to condemn Arizona for attempting to enforce Federal immigration laws?
“Accusing Arizona of trying to ‘second guess’ the federal government, the Justice Department on Tuesday filed a lawsuit challenging the state’s immigration policy — claiming the ‘invalid’ law interferes with federal immigration responsibilities and ‘must be struck down’…”
I am a veteran who works at a nonprofit organization who does free home repairs for low income housing, seniors, people with disabilities and veterans. Rebuilding Together Seattle started the Veterans Program in 2009. And that there is a Rebuilding Together National Initiative (http://www.rebuildingtogether.org/section/initiatives/veteran_housing)
I came across your newsletter/website when I was at the Seattle Veterans Museum. I am looking for ways to get our program out to veterans to help more in need. We have been able to help over ten veterans this year, but I want to increase that number. I need more veterans applicants who are in need of some free home repairs. If you want to read about our organization you can click here – Rebuilding Together Seattle
Please let me know if this opportunity is available or you know any other resources I can reach out to help fellow vets.
Thank you,
Jason Cummings Program & Outreach Coordinator, Rebuilding Together Seattle 811 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109
P: 206-682-1231/ F: 206-682-8962
“Military leaders are not facing facts about soldiers who are being ‘warehoused’ in Army’s Warrior Transition Units, writes guest columnist Amee Gilbert. She has had to intervene several times in her soldier son’s care…”
“…In another insane situation, the Westboro Baptist Church, which hates gay people and believes God is punishing America, won a victory in court. These disturbed souls from Westboro disrupt military funerals, so Albert Snyder of York, Pennsylvania, the father of a Marine killed in Iraq, sued the church for intentional infliction of emotional distress and invasion of privacy. Mr. Snyder won in the beginning and then lost on appeal, and incredibly, the court has ordered him to pay more than $16,000 in court costs to the Westboro people.
“That is an outrage, and I will pay Mr. Snyder’s obligation. I am not going to let this injustice stand…”
“…The objective of Operation Moshtarak, which means ‘together’ in Dari, is to secure the region from narcoterrism and establish basic services under supervision of the Afghan government, a senior defense official told Fox. To do that, Afghan and NATO forces need to defeat the remaining insurgents and drastically reduce the number of heroin producing crops that fund the Taliban. U.S. commanders are confident they’ll win the fight, but removing the poppy will prove harder than the battle…”
As a grandpa I often wonder, what kind of future are we leaving for our children and grandchildren?
With the alarming rise of our national debt, the lack of heavy industry in our country, and the raiding of our social security by countless administrations, I am very concerned.
Today, politicians look at fiscal policy only looking towards the next election cycle. They are not concerned how their spending binges today will impact our nation’s future, and I’m convinced they could care less. Remember they sold us on international trade and trade agreements like NAFTA, and what do we have to show for it? Cheaper electronics and fewer good paying jobs with good benefits as major industry fled the U.S. for cheaper labor markets. We were promised this was a good thing for one and all. It never made any sense!
Another personal observation is that government workers not only have the excellent perks, they now have salaries that are well above the private sector. There was a time only a generation back when my father entered civil service for the good retirement benefits and job security at a lower wage. It was a good trade off. Government workers still have all the benefits plus what has become excessive salaries which we, as a nation, will not be able to sustain as our government continues to grow.
Today we have a very professional military that is engaged in a protracted war on terrorism. As the budget crisis grows there will be cries to slash the defense and intelligence budgets, two of our nation’s largest expenditures, which will gut our nation’s defenses. I see no other option as a coming day of financial reckoning looms in the not-too-distant future.
Perhaps that is the grand plan? To destroy our very defenses from within? To tax the middle class into extinction? To be the first generation to leave a worse future for our children and grandchildren? Isn’t that a wonderful legacy! That’s what I foresee if the American people won’t start holding their elected officials accountable for their irresponsible actions!
“…With Afghanistan, Iraq, and significant security commitments around the globe, our plate is very full. While I believe this is an important issue, I also believe we need to be mindful as we move forward of other pressing needs in the military. What our young men and women and their families want, what they deserve, is that we listen to them and act in their best interests…”
“…We support ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ and the position is, now, since we are still fighting two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, now is not the time to extend ourselves with a new social-engineering project,’ Legion spokesman Joe March said. ‘We expect the Pentagon will very carefully examine the implications before changing any policies to maintain that highest state of readiness…”
“…Their testimony is expected to be crucial because the service chiefs have wide influence on Capitol Hill. They are the ones required by law to recruit, train and equip the armed forces to ensure they are ready to fight. The current law, on which the policy of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ is based, states that homosexuality is an ‘unacceptable risk’ to good order and discipline…”
“Top Army and Air Force officers said Tuesday they would be reluctant to overturn a 17-year policy that prohibits gays from serving openly in the military without more time to ascertain it won’t hurt the services…”
Newsletter comment: It appears that our military has become the focus for complete social reform. Meanwhile the Generals sit on their hands and say nothing. I have to wonder how much support for our military will be lost in the process? – Roger Young
The 3-17th Cav is currently deployed in Afghanistan. [They returned in late November 2010]. Fellow 3/17th Air Cav veterans (some of “God’s Own Lunatics“), families and close associates can leave messages here for the unit in our comment section.
We have much more posted on our 3-17th Cav Support page. We are updating that page as details/articles become available. I’m extremely proud of the 3-17th Cav serving our nation today!
Here are a few intial updates from Lighthorse 6: [Requires Adobe Reader]
Wanted to pass on a story to you and the guys about Lighthorse in
Afghanistan.
Without getting into too much details in a story that would take an hour
to tell, on Monday February 8th we sent aircraft in terrible weather
into one of the highest threat areas in Afghanistan and picked up a
wounded Soldier and flew him to Bagram Airfield. My most memorable
moment of event was standing in the TOC looking at the faces of the
aircrews and leaders as they were looking at me for a decision to go.
We had already launched and turned around once but they wanted to try
again. This time we were going to try with only an Apache and one
MEDEVAC. I called the ground force to see how long a ground evac would
take and was told 2 hours to get it going. The roads were bad and the
Soldier was on a breathing apparatus and the bumping ride would make it
very difficult to keep him stable. One of the pilots says to me, “Sir,
we can do it. Let us try”. The look of confidence on this face said it
all. I still had to call the Brigade Commander for permission but told
them. “OK, get to your aircraft, I’ll tell COL Galli we are going.” I
called Falcon 6, who was aware of the previous attempt, and instead of
asking told him that we were trying again. He approved and the rest is
history. The Soldier is awake and responsive in the CSH at Bagram.
Fate had it hands in many things that day. Below is the email my
Command Sergeant Major sent out to the leaders that night. Pretty
awesome stuff that will bring tears to your eyes.
“Today was one of the most humbling days of my 21 year adventure with
the Army. Today we saved a life. The family of the Soldier that was
snatched from the hands of death in the Pech Valley will never know.
Rightfully so, it is not within our character to boast. They will never
know that, we too, value their Son as if we were Family and so much
more. We are him. We will never leave a fallen comrade. Thanking the
enormous team involved in saving this Soldier would take a novel, so I
will attempt to do it with brevity.
From Colonel to Private…….
The amount of blood, sweat, tears, and energy put into today’s extremely
high risk MEDEVAC mission would not fit into any earthly container. The
heart of an American Soldier is the only thing big enough. I am honored
to be part of the whole, for the whole will risk all for the part. We
have come a long way from beginning of the formation of Task Force
Lighthorse at Fort Bliss, TX.
From the Commanders who deliberately agreed to trust their Troopers to
the aircrews that wouldn’t quit. From the NCO that busts his knuckles
daily making sure our horses are fixed, fueled, and armed to the
countless others that make sure the mission comes first, all the way
down to the private on the radio.
7 for 1. Seven went into harm’s way for one.
Nerve, guts, bravery, courage, gallantry, valor. Parts of the whole.”
Article in the upcoming issue of Men’s Journal about Kiowa Warrior pilots. Pretty good read on what we do here. The units in this article is stationed south near Kandahar and are commanded by a good friend of mine that I went to flight school with, LTC Hank Taylor. They are out of Fort Campbell.
LTC Tom von Eschenbach
Commander, TF Lighthorse
FOB Fenty
3-17th Kiowa Warrior flying U.S. Flag – courtesy of CSM Lemke
3-17th Cav Rides Again! – Courtesy of CSM Lemke
Pictures from Vietnam, A Troop, 3/17th Silver Spurs. Speech by Joe Galloway originally given at the Wall for VHPA in 2000.
24 Nov 2010 – Return of the Silver Spurs::
A buddy of mine from my first tour has a daughter married to a commander based at Hunter Army Airfield. Today my buddy attended a welcome home ceremony/party there for the 3rd Squadron 17th Cavalry, including our A Troop. They are back home, with no losses. He said they wore Cav hats and spurs in the formation.
Chuck Oualline, Spur 3 – Vietnam
20 Dec 10:
For homecoming pictures, additional links to news articles from the 3-17th Cav, please see:
The first-year anniversary with the Obama administration is nearly here. When President Obama took office it was my profound hope that he would help bring the nation together, end the bitter partisan politics and bring more transparency. Nothing could be further from the truth.
During these past 12 months, his administration has seemingly targeted military veterans and our military. Let’s take a look at some of the highlights.
March 2009: The administration floated a trial balloon for veterans to pay for their own service-connected health care with their own private insurance. This was quickly removed from the table when the veteran community became outraged. (Ref.)
April 2009: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a report on “Right Wing Extremism” that strongly suggested that military veterans – particularly those returning from Iraq & Afghanistan – were potential converts to right-wing extremist recruiters. Instead of focusing on terrorist fanatics, DHS, headed by Janet Napolitano, seemed more concerned about veterans who had served our country with honor. (Ref.)
June 2009: Two Army recruiters were shot and one killed near Little Rock, Ark., and the President had very little to say about our military being a domestic target by a Yemeni-trained Muslim. The entire issue was virtually ignored by the White House. (Ref.)
Afghanistan: The President while campaigning said he had a plan for Afghanistan. In March 2009 his administration announced his new strategy. (Ref.) Yet when the war started going south in the summer of 2009, it took the President a prolonged period of time, much hand-wringing, and multiple ‘reviews’ to form another new strategy at the request of his hand-picked Gen. McChrystal. It was not until December 1st that the White House announced a troop increase. (Ref.)
Fort Hood Shootings: On November 5, 2009 thirteen people were gunned down at Ft. Hood by the alleged suspect, Maj. Hasan, who allegedly has ties with a Muslim Cleric in Yemen. Following this domestic act of terrorism the President called it a “‘horrific outburst of violence.” (Ref.) Newsweek attempted to paint Maj. Hasan as a soldier suffering from PTSD. (Ref.) At the Ft. Hood memorial service Gen. Casey made every effort to avoid any link to terrorism or Islam.
On November 14th, the President asked that Congress hold off any hearings on the Ft. Hood shooting (Ref.) On November 16th the Senate agreed to postpone committee hearings. (Ref.)
On December 9th, Republicans accused the White House of sitting on the review. (Ref.) On January 15, 2010, the DoD issued its initial report. (Ref.) (You can view a PDF version of the report here.) Also on January 15th it was reported that “as many as eight Army officers may be punished for failing to heed warning signs and take action against suspected Fort Hood gunman Maj. Nidal Hasan, a U.S. official said Thursday.” (Ref.)
With all the avoidance by the White House and leaders at the Pentagon to avoid any connection with terrorism, is it any wonder that soldiers who knew Maj. Hasan were reluctant to file any complaints? With the modern PC world afraid to offend anyone, especially the Muslim community, to have filed any official complaint would more than likely have been a career-ending move. But now we want to hold these officers responsible for policy which gave Maj. Hasan a green light?
I hold the White House and Pentagon leadership responsible for not setting clear-cut policies which would have focused on Maj. Hasan. The same policies that again later allowed another alleged terrorist, who attempted to bring down a commercial airliner on Christmas, a free pass by not having him on the no-fly list. This suspect will be tried in the civilian courts and reportedly also had ties with the same Muslim Cleric in Yemen as Maj. Hasan.
In closing, with just a year in office I believe it is clear that President Obama is not a friend of military veterans, or the brave men and women serving in our military today. Each decision he makes appears to require painstaking reviews often preceded by denials of the obvious. America is at war, and until the President and his advisers realize that, it endangers every American and those who serve in our military.
