Remember The Alamo

On this date in 1836 the thirteen days of glory came to a close and the siege of the Alamo by the Mexican Army was complete.

REMEMBER THE ALAMO!

An Extended Absence

...makes the heart grow fonder?

Not in my experience, they just usually move on and think your a douce for not staying in touch.

Sorry for the absence, this has been my third tour in Iraq and to be honest there hasn't been a great deal that I've felt like posting. Are there things I could or would like to comment on? You bet, and maybe some day I will feel comfortable talking about all the things that went on here during OIF 09-10. None of it is earth shattering or of the war crime variety, but I can tell you what masquerades as leadership sometimes in today's Army is a shocking and disturbing thing.

We're in the home stretch now, so within the next few months we'll back back in the good ole' US of A.

Can't wait to see everyone!

In the meantime if this doesn't provide you enough INTERNET entertainment feel free to go to the other blog I write at from time to time THREEDONIA. Yeah, I don't know what that name means either.

I've Been Told That There Is A Song Attached To This Video

I've watched it 10 times now and I still can't hear it.

Yeah, It's Been A While...So Sue Me.

This just in from ABC!

There are "secret" codes telling people to look up bible scripture on sights being sold to the US Military.

If you don't believe me then go HERE to find out more.

Trijicon the maker of the sights has said that the "Codes" have been on their products for years. ABC needed three reporters to figure out the deep dark secret that J8:12 meant Book of John chapter 8, verse 12. It's been a while since I've been to Sunday school but it didn't take a great deal of imagination for me to figure that out. The "code" is the size of a serial number on the sights.

I guess we're truly fooked now they've figured out our secret weapon. Now if we had a unit full of women that used these sights while eating pork and bacon products we would be truly unstoppable.

A "U" For Judgment

One of the thing I have found amusing during my regular trips to Iraq is reading the letters column in the "Stars and Stripes" newspaper. Without fail at least once an issue someone steps forth to distinguish themselves with their stupidity or outright selfishness. A few days ago I was both embarrassed as an Army Aviator and glad that this Lieutenant was not a member of my unit.

It seems that SEP 30 was the official "wear-out" date for one-piece tan/sage green and two piece flight suits that are not of the ACU variety. Having been forced to wear my A2CUs for a while now I wasn't aware of this and we were unable to mark the passing of this uniform properly. Please, everyone, a moment of silence for our good friend and chick magnet the one piece flight suit.


Here in all its glory, is a letter to the editor written by 1LT Allen, United States Army lamenting the demise of our good nomex friend...

Flight suit was best for wings Stars and Stripes
Letters to the Editor, Tuesday, October 6, 2009

It’s finally complete: The Army’s process of destroying esprit de corps was accomplished Sept. 30, 2009. If you don’t know, this was the wear-out date the Army set for aviation one-piece flight suits (tan and green), and the two-piece tan aircrew battle dress uniform (ABDU).

Although the other services continue to utilize the one-piece and two-piece flight suits, the Army has decided its years of service have been completed.

More important than the function of the one-piece flight suit is the fact an aviator can wear his or her wings earned on the flight suit. The process of becoming a pilot does not end with the 16 months of flight school (that’s for a UH-60, longer for other airframes). Every pilot and crew chief has an annual evaluation that encompasses everything from flying, aerodynamics, hydraulic systems, electrical systems, fuel, turbine engine, all the way to the anatomy of the eye, and altitude physiology.

You, being the rest of the Army that sits in the back, can rest assured the aircrew you are with are some of the most dedicated individuals in the Army. I know some people will read this and be upset (these are the same people who earn their Combat Action Badge while waiting in line for their iced coffee just because they saw the plume from a rocket). As a UH-60 pilot and platoon leader with the privilege of being around senior warrant officers and crew chiefs, whose sole mission in life is to support the ground forces commander, I will say it again: Pilots are the most dedicated individuals in the Army, and they deserve to be able to wear their flight suit with the wings they continue to earn well past graduation day from flight school.

First Lt. James Allen
Joint Base Balad, Iraq

I don't know what 1LT Allen expected to achieve by writing this letter. I'm sure he brought unwanted attention to himself and his unit. I'm sure what he wrote won't change the minds of anyone involved in the decision to give us a flight uniform that costs four times as much as the one-piece version and wears out faster...but we do pretty much look like everyone else which was the point. Instead of pointing out logical reasons for why the uniform should be retained he resorts to emotion and hyperbole. I hope he feels better because if he thought writing a letter to Stars and Stripes was going to achieve something...then I've got beach front property in Arizona I want to sell him.

If LT Allen or anyone else needs to wear their wings to make themselves feel special, them I would suggest that they take a long look at themselves in the mirror and think about the reasons that they serve. We (aviators) exist to serve the guy on the ground. You know those guys that "sit in the back" as the LT so quaintly puts it.

I'm not that upset by the LT's letter, saddened is the more accurate term. For the record I didn't get my CAB for seeing a rocket plume while standing in line at the BK, it was for a more direct type of action with the enemy...something I'm sure 1LT Allen has done plenty of.

Girl Friday, 2 OCT 09

Yep, it's the first Friday in October. There's a nip is in the air and I'm not talking about Zeros flying over Pearl Harbor either.

Today's Girl Friday features a Playboy Coed of the Week, Ms. Malina Rojel. Malina seems to enjoy playing billiards half dressed...whatever works I guess.







Everybody have a great weekend!

Number Four Thousand Seven Hundred Twenty Five with a bullet

That is this blog's ranking on WIKIO...which I stumbled upon somehow.

It is amazing to me that it even ranks as little as I have done with it recently. For those who continue to check in from time to time I appreciate it.

I wish I had more for you to read...things here in Iraq have been fairly slow, which is a good thing. There is a marked difference from the last time I was here. Last time here (2006-07) we had our first engagement while conducting the hand-over with the unit we were replacing. This time we have of this writing not fired our weapons in anger. Sorry to all those people who keep pronouncing this war as a futile effort, you'll just have to try your damnedest to loose the war in Afghanistan...looks like we're off to a great start, unfortunately.

Nice First Pitch

Feel free to compare and contrast with other first pitches.

It's Football Season!

Go Cowboys!

I still miss Tom Landry.

Craig Ferguson on 9/11/09

Nice!

Corinary Delight

WTF?!?

Girl Friday, 28 AUG 09

Kayla Collins, Playmate of the Month for AUG 08 stops in to welcome the weekend and the start of the college football season. RAH!

This is the first Girl Friday for this third tour in Iraq. For fans of this feature I apologize once again for its absence. For those that can do without it, I also beg for forgiveness.

Have a great weekend!

It's Rangeriffic

This a a video detailing what you will become if you attend the presitgious US Army Ranger school...

WARNING!

This video is chock full of cursing and may contain images that will shock and or confuse you. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!

You Should Be Dancing...

He likes the nightlife, he likes to boogy.

It's Back!

Yeah, there's a new post on this blog. Shocker huh?

I plead guilty to a bit of laziness and using the excuse of slow internet connections and work in Iraq as my lame reasons for not posting.

For those who stuck with me here's something cute to look at:

Now That's a Nice Piece of Work

I've mentioned this guy before, but Mr. Bawidamann does some pretty awesome work.

Girl Friday, 17 APR 09

It's Friday, only one more left in CONUS.

Today's Girl Friday, by request is Jennifer Miriam. I am here to please.








Y'all have a great weekend.

This Really Is The Way Things Work...

...in Fantasy Land.