posted @ 16:15...

Wikipedia is a great resource for information on pretty much anything. Many people know this already, but I'm just now getting around to writing about it.

It's essentially an online encyclopedia, but what makes it great is that it's open to editing & contribution from anyone. If there's something - place, person, idea, whatever - there's probably information about it in Wikipedia. And when someone posts an edit to a particular article, the change is immediate. Yesterday's Indy 500 is written about as if it's already in a historical archive. In fact, I just went to the article on Billings, Montana and wrote the "History" paragraph. (Never thought that info in my head would come in handy.) Of course, there are mechanisms (and volunteers) in place to ensure that nothing obscene appears. And if it does, it's quickly deleted.

posted @ 13:32...

The 3rd Infantry Division's General Order about "inappropriate relations" states that Soldiers in theater cannot be in the living quarters of a Soldier of the opposite sex. They also cannot allow Soldiers of the opposite sex into their own rooms.

So here's an amusing scenario: A Soldier is in her room doing unmentionable things with a member of the opposite sex. A Soldier outside her room is aware of what's going on. The Soldier outside the room wants to make the company commander aware of the "activities." He or she writes a message on a piece of paper, wraps it around a brick, and throws it at the commender's door. With a loud thud the commander is alerted, and opens his door to check out the noise. The text of the note is exactly as follows:

Sir,
SGT _____ is in her room violating General Order #2 as we speak.
--Anonimis

posted @ 04:31...

Happy Memorial Day!

A while back I posted something about a memorial service I attended for PFC Darren DeBlanc & PFC Charles Cooper. Well, I recently found a video of it here.

posted @ 16:45...

I'd feel awful guilty if anything happened to one of my best friends. This is the second time he's taken my place on a mission outside the wire. Since I am not allowed to wear my IBA because of my present medical condition (or lift anything heavier than my weapon), I can't go out. That's nice for me, but B-H is the one who gets to go instead.

When he went to Abu Ghraib to conduct some briefs for me a few weeks ago, they received a rocket attack. He was unharmed, but he said he heard the thing go right overhead and impact about 400 meters away -- as he sat on the toilet. Sounds funny, but it's not. One guy actually lost a leg. If it were me sitting in the port-a-john, I would have been thankful to be occupying that particular seat as rockets exploded around me.

posted @ 15:35...

The latest of many birthdays came and went. Thank you to all the folks who have emailed me and posted comments wishing me a happy birthday. I apologize to you friends & family who emailed me and who I have not had the chance to email back. It has been crazy with all the briefings I've been giving lately. More on that in a second...

Having a birthday over here didn't feel too much different than my anniversary or Christmas… I got to chat online with my wife, and that’s the highlight of any day. They relaxed the IBA rule for those attending the Toby Keith show, so I would have gone if I hadn’t been so sick. I’ve been fighting a cold for the past few days, and there just wasn’t energy left. So the medical issues make me feel every one of these 31 years.

I have been sharpening my public speaking skills by giving many repetitive mandatory briefings to my unit. Instead of briefing this legal stuff to the whole battalion at once, they’re divided up into many platoon-size groups. This is because my unit is busy fighting a war, and is never all together at once.

By "public speaking," I actually mean: "sitting in the dark, reading from PowerPoint slides." Briefs are typically insanely boring, so I made mine as short as possible. I also try to ad-lib a little too… basically paraphrasing what the slide says, so I don’t get quite so bored with it myself. Well, back to work...

posted @ 04:02...

Turns out, Michael Crook isn't dead after all, just as I earlier suspected. He fabricated the story. I had emailed his "family representative" asking about certain details, and someone emailed me back with various semi-plausible explanations for the holes I noticed in the story. Kinda funny.

I still think he could get the crap beaten out of him. It won't be me, but I know of plenty of people (military and civilians) who would like to. And that's exactly what he wants. He wants to prove that we're the heartless, mindless, morons who see violence as the only answer.

Sometimes violence is the answer. Bringing down murderous regimes and securing the freedom of a nation requires violence. Silencing a goofy, hateful know-it-all in Syracuse does not.

posted @ 11:36...

When someone has some painful swelling in the lower left abdomen, it’s best to get checked out by a doctor. This was recently the case with me and my abdomen. Turns out, I have a hernia. My first thought was, “of all the random things…!”

So I went to another medical facility near BIAP (Baghdad Airport) to be examined by another doctor. The Air Force Major poked and prodded parts of my body I didn’t know I had. “By the way,” he added, “you also have a small umbilical hernia in your belly button.”

Interestingly, the facilities at BIAP are not a sterile enough environment to perform this surgery. So I will wait until I get home. Meanwhile, I’m not allowed to lift anything heavier than my weapon. This means no wearing of the IBA (body armor).

My not wearing the IBA wouldn’t be a problem, except for the fact that Toby Keith is coming the day before my birthday. Now, why would a Toby Keith concert be an issue? Well, the powers that be have decided that if the enemy finds out when and where such a concert will be held, they might launch mortars and rockets, hoping to kill Soldiers. Therefore, everyone who attends the show must be wearing their helmet and IBA. But I've gone 31 years without seeing Toby Keith; I figure this American Soldier can wait a little while longer.

posted @ 15:08...

Hi everyone. It's me, your friendly neighborhood "overpaid scum." So says the operator of a website we recently found. If you hate American Servicemembers and everything we stand for, then Forsake the Troops is a place where you'll feel right at home.

The guy who runs the site, uses his right to free speech to shower hatred on us, the members of the U.S. military. He calls us leeches, saying that we're overpaid. He calls our supporters "pro-military pukes." He shows glee when he hears about us dying, saying that we bring it upon ourselves.

Now, this paragraph likely finds you still laughing. You're asking, "How can anyone be so stupid?" You're wondering, not if, but when Crook will have his butt kicked by Soldiers from Fort Drum (just 90 minutes from where he lives). In fact, you may be seeing red: "How can anyone say this about our beloved military? I've found an enemy here at home! Yay!"

Your reaction, as it will be with most other Americans, is a knee jerk one. This is already the case with the countless pro-military comments in his guestbook. You may be planning a road trip to Central New York to find Mr. Crook, and perhaps egg his house.

While it is true that his comments are bitter, caustic, and down-right unwarranted, there may be something very simple going on. In fact, any goofball can put up a website. (You're looking at proof of that!) One theory I have is that the guy is bored, and maybe even looking for a fight. "Well, he's got one," you're thinking. But wait a minute. That's exactly what he wants. I believe the only reason he would put up a site like this is to get a reaction. Whether or not he really believes the things he's saying, he's getting a reaction. This guy may also have a need to buck trends. It seems that everyone loves the military. "So, how can I show myself to be drastically different than everyone else? I know, I'll put up a website and talk a about how much I hate the military." I know this mentality. I've tried to be as "different" as I could be for most of my life. (Yes, I see the irony in the fact that I'm now in the Army. Go ahead, laugh.)

My other theory is that Crook used to be in the military, and was somehow hurt or offended by its policies, its personnel... or something. See, there are a lot of problems with our military. I know from experience that it's not perfect. However, this is still the best military in the world. We are still one of the only countries that doesn't have mandatory military service. Simply put, the U.S. Military is the reason this joker has the freedom to write what he wants to write. And I have the freedom to call him a joker. Obviously, he would not be allowed to write these things if, in 1941, the United States simply ignored the Pearl Harbor attack. In fact, he would probably be speaking German, and he would be killed or imprisoned for even hinting that he might hold such views. I know from talking to Iraqis that this was the case with Saddam's regime.

While Forsake the Troops is a slap in the face to those of us who risk their lives every day for his freedoms, we can choose to give him what he wants, or we can turn the other cheek. Ignore him, and he'll get tired of squeaking. Meanwhile, pop in a Toby Keith CD and forget about Mr. Crook's silly, insignificant website.

posted @ 17:15...

These things don't get any easier. I just got back from a memorial ceremony for two Soldiers who were recently killed by an IED.

One guy, who was from Jamestown, New York, had joined the Army right out of high school. This was not only his first experience outside the United States. It was his first time away from home. These guys had parents, sisters, brothers, and girlfriends.

The sunshine and cool breeze were combined perfectly, after a week of 90+ temperatures. Each battalion's flag flew gracefully in the wind alongside Old Glory. I can usually get through these things just fine until the roll call. There's something chilling about hearing the company First Sergeant call each Soldier's name without getting a response. Looking over at these Soldiers' company, all formed up and at attention, I thought about what must be going through their minds; that it could have been any one of them, had the explosion occurred at a slightly different time.

After the service, they followed the Division Commander, our Brigade Commander, our Brigade Sergeant Major, and many others, in approaching the makeshift altar that held each man's boots, rifle, and helmet. Each Soldier, from the General to lowest-ranking Private, paid their respects with a snappy salute and the wiping of a tear. Commanders laid their commanders' coins down near the Purple Hearts.

I hope this is the last one.