Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Want to see Hilary Run? Throw Rocks at Her


I ain't a big fan of the Senator myself, but Jeez some of these people are complete assholes. Including, and led by, Rush Limbaugh.

Writer raises a Ruckus with anti-military speech


And the military is defended by.......wait for it.......you'll never guess........Californians.

THE COMBAT LIFESAVER

The Purpose of the Combat Lifesaver:
The combat lifesaver is a bridge between the self-aid/buddy aid (first aid ) training given all soldiers during basic training and the medical training given to the combat medic. The combat lifesaver is a non-medical soldier who provides lifesaving measures as a secondary mission as his primary (combat) mission allows. The combat lifesaver may also assist the combat medic in providing care and preparing casualties for evacuation when the combat lifesaver has no combat duties to perform.

Normally, one member of each squad, team, crew, or equivalent-sized unit will be trained as a combat lifesaver. (auth. note-every man on my 11 man team is a trained combat lifesaver already and we are going through the training again).

A major advantage of the combat lifesaver is that he will probably be nearby if a member of his squad or crew is injured. It may take a combat medic several minutes or longer to reach the casualty, especially if there are several other casualties and/or the medic is at another location. The combat lifesaver is trained to provide immediate care that can save a casualties life, such as stopping severe bleeding, administering intravenous fluids to control shock, and performing needle chest decompression for a casualty with tension pneumothorax.

-from the Combat Lifesaver Course: Student Self Study (except for authors note)

Medical training for the next four days. Among other things, I was allowed to be one of three people who inserted a nasal-pharyngeal airway on a real person. The video is below. You may remember the "patient" as Captain Bryan Taylor who has become a frequent guest star on this blog. He recently co-starred as the pilot of the Cessna a few posts ago.

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Barack Obama takes a stand on not taking a stand


Barack gets interviewed reference the big spurt of murders in Chicago. His solutions, which seem to contradict each other:

1. Get more cops on the streets (solution to gun violence in this case is more guys on the streets....with guns)
2. He is against concealed carry laws, because.......wait for it..........the solution to gun violence is NOT more guys on the streets with guns. And that there is no evidence that concealed carry laws have caused any drop in crime (Which is NOT True, even FBI studies have shown a drop in crime where concealed carry laws are enacted).
3. And then the last line in the interview, and I quote (this is referencing the recent controversy about the personally owned gun ban in Washington DC), "I don't like to take a stand on pending cases". OK, I am going to translate-"I will form my opinion about this when the issue has already been decided."

What a twit.

Anyway, here's the article

Friday, April 25, 2008

C-130 landing on the deck of the USS Forrestal


I had heard and read that the Navy had tested the C-130 as a carrier resupply plane, but had never seen any video. Well, here's the proof. Note that the C-130 has no tail hook, but was able to land and stop on the deck all by itself. Of course the deck had to be clean (no planes parked on it, they would have to have been down in the hangar deck) so I am sure that was one of the reasons that the Navy decided not to use this option for their resupply needs.

Link to video on Fark.com here

God's Laws



Dear President Bush,
Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from you and try to understand why you would propose and support a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage. As you said 'in the eyes of God marriage is based between a man a woman.' I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that you say in Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination... End of debate...I think?
I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements of God's Laws and how to follow them.
1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?
2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanness - Lev.15: 19-24. The problem is how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.
4. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is, my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?
5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2. clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself, or should I ask the police to do it?
6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this? Are there 'degrees' of abomination?
7. Lev.21:20 states that I may ! not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle- room here?
8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?
9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?
10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev.19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair, like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)
I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, so I am confident you can help.
Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

War between Canada and the US over Fresh water supplies


Experts say that the Us and Canada will war over fresh water supplies in the great lakes. OK, Canada, but just keep this in mind: Our Army units have nicknames like the "All Americans", the "Screaming Eagles", and "Rangers". You have the Princess Patricia Light Infantry. Get away from our lakes.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Those of us who know history are doomed to realize that it DOES repeat itself


Obama's Secret Plan

Can't believe I never posted this before


Letter to the editor from my Dad

April 25, 2007

Editor, The Journal Standard

It has been and is very proper to honor the dignitaries, victims of disasters and tragedies and their families by lowering the United States flag to half-staff for a period of time. I support this tradition and will continue to honor them and their families in this public display.

Recently nine paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division (our son served with them in Iraq and Afghanistan) were killed by a suicide truck bomb! Other servicemen and women are wounded or killed almost daily. I propose that we fly the United States flag at half-staff to honor those killed, wounded and their families until thirty days after the last to serve is home from Iraq and Afghanistan.

If we honor civilian victims in this public display, how much more fitting is it to honor those who have promised to defend you and me from all enemies?

Sincerely,

Allen Buus

4145 Business 20 West

Freeport, Il. 61032

Biggest oil field discovery in 30 years in Brazil


Could end Us dependence on oil from the Persian Gulf regions, allowing us to leave and let those bastards all blow themselves clean to hell. Be ready for the liberation of Brazil.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Pre-Flight

Captain Bryan Taylor Pre-flighting the Cessna 172

Combat Pose


Waiting in line to qualify with the M203 Grenade launcher (not pictured)

A little recreation during training

Yesterday after training, I and another of my teammates, Captain Bryan Taylor, who is a private pilot, rented a Cessna 172 from the Manhattan airport and went on a little flying tour of the Manhattan, Kansas area. We flew around for about an hour and then did a few touch and goes before turning the aircraft back in. A lot of fun, but I had forgotten how much those little birds bounce around in the wind! Our final landing was a full right crosswind at about 15 knots. Interesting to say the least, especially if you are not a pilot. Here is a video clip of one of our landings.

Saturday, April 19, 2008

My job, and other things

Training, such as it is, has commenced with a resounding crash here at Fort Riley. My team is starting to gel real good. A great bunch of guys with a ton of experience in the Army, but noone is getting hung up on rank.

As my faithful readers may know, I am an Enlisted Infantryman with 18 years of time spent on active duty. I have been deployed to combat pretty much at every level of the rank structure to date, as an Infantryman. And my job on the team is going to be.......wait for it.........NCOIC of the intelligence section. Time to start OJT'ing like a mad man! My OIC, though is an experienced intel guy. He is a Captain who will probably be promoted to Major next fall, so he is taking me under his wing and teaching me what I need to know.

Training today: We sighted in our personal weapons and fired the qualification course. Tonight we Execute night fire qual with our night vision systems.

To my six loyal readers (one came on board last weekend) drop me a line and let me know how things are going!

Monday, April 14, 2008

bitching gets you attention

Three hours after I put up my gripy post, I get a comment from a new reader! All right! Moan moan moan moan moan moan. Anyone else?

why i dont post

Nothing is going on here. We have a four-day weekend and I haven't been able to get farther than 100 meters from the barracks. Can't afford a taxi and you are forbidden to walk on the only road that leaves the damn base. Other than that everything is just peachy. I heard two owls hooting at each other outside just a few minutes ago, and about half an hour ago I heard coyotes yipping at each other. My phone doesn't get reception in the barracks, so everyone thinks I am ignoring them. I paid for internet access (wifi) that only works some of the time, not that anyone ever responds to my emails anyway (kind of have to send nasty ones out to get any response). I get lots of trash emails from Amazon and FTD, though, have to stop buying things from them I guess. That's about it. Nice to know that the "main effort" in the war in Iraq is so important, that as soon as you show up, they give you time off. This is after they tell you that you are going to be so busy that you shouldn't bring a car.

Now of course, blogger is telling me that I have no internet access, so I won't be able to post this. Maybe that's for the best.

The mess hall is serving only two meals a day for this weekend, the manager says that is because everyone has left for the four-day weekend and they can't afford to run three meals a day, although "brunch" runs long, you are still only allowed to eat twice a day. I'd call my congressman...............