All the way

Happy Birthday Leathernecks! On the date that this is posted, 10 November 2014, it is the 239th birthday of the United States Marine Corps.  No, I am not a Marine, but I respect the hell out of them.  During my time in the PA Army National Guard, I have been trained by numerous former Marines and I know that they are among the best trained military personnel in the world.  To put Marines in perspective with the other armed forces in the U.S., you have to understand the size of the situation you are looking at.  The Army is divided into Corps.  I Corps is one area, II corps another, and so on.  Yet, there is only one Marine Corps.  And the Marine Corps is in their mission, all the way.
   Basically, when you are a Marine, you are a rifleman.  You can be a computer tech, a helicopter pilot, etc. in the USMC but you are first and foremost, a rifleman.  They have been called jarheads but I prefer devil dogs and leathernecks.  From Bobby Fuller, who taught me about anti armor weapons when I was a TOW rat, to Ben Chamberlain, who taught me about reading a map and not getting lost, to a friend's son named Ty, who has just joined the Marine Corps, I salute all Leathernecks.  And the reason why they have been given that nickname.  You see, back in the 1800s there was a group called the Barbary Pirates.  They were bloodthirsty savages (did I mention they were also muslims?) that were causing problems in what is now Libya.  After some skirmishes with American ships, the Marines were called in to take care of the situation.  The pirates were known to cut the heads off their victims (does this sound familiar?) so the Marines quickly took to wearing hardened leather gourgets around their necks, hence the term Leathernecks.  Since we are still dealing with savages beheading people, I always refer to Marines as Leathernecks.  And, I will always salute them and celebrate their birthday.  Ooorah!

*****

   Update on the VA.  If you didn't know VA Secretary Bob McDonald was on 60 Minutes the other night.  From watching the interview, or reading the transcript, you can tell that he is learning about bureaucracy.  But, I think McDonald is doing his job, as well as he can.  The VA system is not only entrenched in bureaucracy, but it is entrenched in antiquity.  Antiquity of computer systems that haven't been updated, in some cases, since the 1980's.  Antiquity of the internet.  McDonald is bringing about changes that will reduce the 12 different websites that the VA uses into 1. 
   Am I saying the VA Scandal is over?  Hell, no.  Not until all of the VA is functioning as it should.  Not just the medical centers, but the other parts of the VA which are found lacking as well.  A lot of the stories that are surrounding the VA say McDonald is "cleaning house".  Well, its a rather messy place and, as I've said before, it won't be fixed in a day.  McDonald supposedly wants to hire as many as 28,000 new medical employees for the VA.  That's a tall order, especially when private hospitals are in competition with the VA medical centers for those doctors, technicians, and nurses. 
   Between taking on the bureaucracy and adding thousands of new medical personnel, McDonald is, I believe, doing a good job so far.  He needs to keep the pedal to the metal, as the saying goes, and he needs to remember the motto of his alma mater, West Point: Duty, Honor, Country.

*****

   Veterans' Day.  I started this post off with a tribute to Leathernecks.  I'm going to end talking about Veterans' Day and by referencing a recent blog post by @OldMarine1 where he talks about how to honor our Veterans all year long.  I agree with the post and I urge you to read it.  Whether you have taken an Oath to defend this country or not, this is truly the best way to honor our Veterans.  Free dinners are nice, but the men and women who have served this country know the meaning of selfless service.  To be of service for them is the best way to honor them.  There is a group on twitter that uses the hashtag #ISBU.  Basically, what it means is "I'll Stand By U".  Any time a Veteran needs to talk or is in a bad place, I will be there for you.  It's a lot like the Spartan Pledge which is run by A Gallant Few.  This organization, along with a whole list of other groups, including Chili off the Grid (I will always throw a shout out to those guys and the great job they are doing), are all interested in the same goal.  The goal I think all Veteran Service Organizations have as one of their main goals, to stop the Veteran suicides that happen all too often, each and every day.  To that extent, I think all of us should reach out to a Veteran, not just on Veterans' Day, but every day.  Let them know they are appreciated.  Let them know there is some one who will listen.  #ISBU
That is all.

*****

If you are a Veteran or know of a Veteran who is in a dark place call the Veterans Crisis Line 1-800-273-8255.  You can also text them at 838255.  You are not alone.

On the Way!!

   Free at last.  Sgt Andrew Tahmooressi is finally free from his Mexican jail cell.  Without a doubt this should have happened a lot sooner.  Like 214 days sooner.  But, if there is anything good that has come of this, it is the fact that a group of Americans were able to band together and bring about the release of a Veteran from a Mexican jail.  What, you say it was a Mexican judge's ruling that set SGT Tahmooressi free?  Yep, you're right.  But, if anyone thinks Tahmooressi would be free today if it weren't for people like Montel Williams, Greta Van Sustern and USMCfamily (twitter handle), among others, then you might be voting for Pres. Obama soon.  More about the upcoming election later on in this post.
   No, SGT Tahmooressi is free today because a group of people to include members of the media and even some politicians, took to the rooftops and let the world know that an injustice was being committed.  If  you wrote a letter, made a phone call, or sent an email/tweet/facebook post you are part of the reason SGT Tahmooressi is free.  There is strength in numbers.  We have seen that before during the VA scandal, and we are seeing it now with Tahmooressi's release.  It's a team effort.  That "team effort"is one of the basic tenets why the U.S. Military is one of the premier fighting forces in world.  The U.S. Army Infantry relies on "buddy teams" to fight and move onto objectives.  It is those buddy teams that helped our country win wars in Germany, Korea, Vietnam (yes Virginia, militarily we won the war in Vietnam), Iraq and Afghanistan.  Weapons systems used in the Military require a "team effort" as well.  On a mortar crew you need a gunner, assistant gunner/loader, a gun leader.  In mechanized units the driver also sets the charges for the mortar round and may also operate the field phone with your fire direction control group.  It takes all of those soldiers to send a round down range.  And when the asst gunner is hanging that round and he yells "On the way!!" it is through the efforts of countless days training.  Training with a gun crew.  Training with his platoon.  In a lot ways it is "We the People" personified on the battlefield.

*****

    Rock the vote.  I alluded to the upcoming elections before.  I really do try to keep out of the politics.  This is a blog on Veterans Issues and Military issues.  Too often, however, politics is tied into how our Veterans are treated in the U.S.A.  The VA scandal is an outstanding example of politics and politicians rearing their ugly heads in the affairs of Veterans.  I am a conservative and a firm advocate of the U.S. Constitution.  That being said, I will forever be an advocate of anyone who has the privilege of being able to legally vote in the United States to do so.  Election experts say we may see only about 20 to 30 % of registered voters vote in the upcoming Election 2014.  That is a travesty.  Earlier this year, the people of Scotland voted in a referendum on their independence from the United Kingdom.  More that 80% of them voted.  One can only wonder what it would take for almost 90% of registered voters to actually cast a vote in an election in the U.S.  The talk among the election experts in the media is which party can "energize" their voters to actually vote.  Some say that the inaction by the current president means democrats will stay home and not vote.  How about this, how about if you do vote and you register your disagreement with the way the United States is heading?  If you don't like how the U.S. Senate isn't doing its job, go and vote.  If you are a democrat it doesn't mean you can't vote for a republican, does it?  I refuse to vote "straight party".  I vote my mind.  Whenever someone goes into a voting booth it should be like their political affiliation is gone.  Poof.  No more republican or democrat.  You're now an independent.  Vote for whoever you feel like in a general election.  Here in PA, I have to choose one of the two major parties to vote in the Primary elections.  That is something I'd love to see changed but first things first.  Lets vote!
   After this election both the House of Representatives and the Senate could be under control of the Republican party.  Harry Reid wouldn't be able to stop a vote on any bill presented to it from the House.  This would be the Legislative branch of government against the Executive branch.  One of the reasons why House resolution 620 (dealing with the imprisonment of SGT Tahmooressi) never made it out of committee was because it wouldn't be passed by the liberal controlled Senate onto a president who never lifted a pen or a phone to help out SGT Tahmooressi.
   But, I digress.  My whole reason for writing about the election is that we need more of our country voting.  Does it have to be about states' rights?  Well, it is.  Does it have to be about the security of our nation?  Well, it is.  To me, though, voting is about honoring those men and women who wear the Military uniform of the United States of America.  To me, voting is about the ultimate sacrifice far too many of my brothers and sisters have given for this country.
   When it all comes down to it, I want every American citizen to vote.  Make your voice heard by voting.  I've talked about the "team effort" it takes for a mortar platoon to function.  Well, for our government to function it takes the same effort.  "We The People" have to go out and vote.  Don't sit home.  Don't think that not casting a vote is your way of voting.  Vote.  Vote your mind. 
   I cant really speak about financial issues.  Trust me, my wife can vouch for that.  I can only speak about issues of the Military and the Veterans.  And regarding those issues, I can emphatically say our Veterans deserve better than what a lot of democrats have given us.  Most have never served in the Military.  To them, the Military is a humanitarian organization to help rebuild some place or to help with a medical issue like ebola.  To a lot of Democrats (and some Republicans), the promises made to Veterans are an agreement that can be changed.  That is wrong.  A promise made to defend your country is a promise that should be kept in whole.  Its a promise "We The People" need to make a "Team effort" to keep.  And, to keep those promises to our Military and our Veterans, we need to vote.  Look at who didn't sign HR 620 and, if they are up for election, send them a message by voting. 
   I ask that you share this blog with anyone who has the privilege to vote.  I hope that they will vote, no matter whom they vote for.  It is the least any of us can do to honor our Veterans.
That is all.