http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/ Come and join us at the friendliest firearm and hunting forum! en Thu, 09 Sep 2010 07:41:15 GMT vBulletin 60 http://cdn.gunandgame.com/forums/images/gag/misc/rss.jpg http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/ http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/milproakron/back-once-again-114/ Sat, 04 Sep 2010 12:34:14 GMT Well, folks, ol MilPro is back from yet another short trip on Uncle Sam's dime. I've missed being able to read and post here at G&G. The wireless at the training center was so bad you generally couldn't even get on it, let alone access the webernet!

So, as is my tradition following such trips, I will utilize this blog to air my thoughts and concerns regarding my latest experience.

First, the good parts. A few days into my assignment, the NCOIC of the Morale, Welfare, and Recreation office came down with a serious illness and was removed from the training site. So, the 1SG came to me and asked if I would mind taking over that responsibility. My job would be to provide rest and recreation to soldiers on their way to war? Well, Hell Yeah I'd be happy to do it! Nothing is more important to me than taking care of soldiers, mentoring them, giving them advice, and ensuring they have the tools to be successful. So, an opportunity to hang out with them is one I would never turn down.

So, after completing my regular assigned duties, I spent the rest of the day and evening signing out sports equipment, giving clinics on playing pool, and cooking hotdogs on the grill for hungry troops. Awesome duty if you can get it! I met some great troops and I tried my best not to let them see my concerns, which we shall cover now.

I witnessed innumerable failures of leadership during this training cycle. Most importantly, failing to care for the troops in the field. That, in this old timers opinion, is inexcusable. I will not go into great detail on the issue, but suffice to say, there are many people wearing stripes who shouldn't be. In the old days you had to show you were NCO material before they even considered punching the pins of hardstripes into your flesh. (Blood-rank. Now called hazing, a violation of the UCMJ. Its fitting that NCO rank is now applied using velcro.)

Article 15s aplenty! I find it disgusting that supposed soldiers are so undisciplined and irresponsible that they can't complete a two week training cycle without receiving an Article 15. We're not just talking lower-enlisted here, we're talking NCOs. Or, at least what the Army calls an NCO today.

Career fluffing, back scratching, and kudos galore! Senior NCOs spent hours working on award recommendations for each other, for ridiculous, imagined accomplishments, (this was just a two week thing, fellas. Really. Nobody was rescued from a burning building.) and completely ignored the hard work performed by the lower enlisted troops who actually did the work. They also spent hours fluffing each others' NCOERs so much that they were concerned about the high marks each had received and how to justify them.

Inflated egos, unwarranted arrogance, and general decision making disorders were so abundant that you would have believed a bumbling, rambling Woody Allen was giving the orders. It seems the standards for the Officer Corps isn't faring much better these days. But, enough about that.

The most important thing that I witnessed was the poor quality of the training. I wonder how these so-called instructors sleep at night knowing they "half-assed" their way through training sessions during critical training for troops heading off to war? In my time as a military instructor, attention to detail and being a subject matter expert was critical. What kept me awake at night was the dreaded thought of, "Did I cover everything? Was that enough hands-on? Did they absorb what I was teaching?" Because I never wanted to question my own actions if one of those young men didn't come home. I did not see that same commitment on this trip.

These young soldiers were being handed an M4 with a CCO (AimPoint - M68) and not being taught how to use it. They were given one chance at zeroing, and if it was a bad zero, they were sent to the qualification range anyway. Then people wondered why there were so many no-go's and low qualification scores. With over 100 instructors on the ground, the guy grilling hotdogs shouldn't have to be teaching troops about marksmanship.

PMI (Primary Marksmanship Instruction) on these weapons was pathetic and spent more time explaining how the M4 operates than on how to actually shoot the damned thing and hit a target.

Granted, I did not meet EVERY trainer, NCO, and Officer. I know there are good ones out there. Usually old timers who actually understand what its all about. I did meet several of those, some of them old friends I haven't seen in years. This, of course, lead to us talking among ourselves and asking the question, "What the hell have they done to our Army."

This training cycle rant could expand into a chaptered book on poor leadership, so I had better stop here.

During one of our final formations, I raised my hand for what may effectively be the final time. I did it because I love my country. I did it because I love my soldiers. I did it because these kids aren't ready. Someone has to help get them there. When that is done, I will probably walk away. This new generation doesn't care about the old ways. We old timers are a dying breed. I'm reminded of the toast in the movie Gardens of Stone:

"Here's to us, and men like us. Damn few of us left."

When the Army starts teaching leadership again, someone call me. ]]> milproakron http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/milproakron/back-once-again-114/ http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/milproakron/useful-idiots-one-all-98/ Tue, 27 Jul 2010 20:47:00 GMT Howard Dean and Oliver Stone.

That is all.

What? Thats not enough information for you? You know, for any reasonable person, those two names would be enough to end this entire blog entry.

Ok! Fine! I'll elaborate. Let's start with Dean.

Howard Dean, Doctor, former Governor, failed Presidential candidate, and current head of the Democrat party appeared on a segment of Foxnews Sunday this past weekend. During the segment (to which I have included a link below, which for giggles also leads to a useful idiot website, Huffington post) Dean began railing against Foxnews for its racist coverage of the Sherrod affair and Fox's overall racism that causes such things to happen.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/0..._n_658502.html

Dean was not even phased when he was asked if he was aware that Sherrod's name hadn't even been mentioned anywhere by Fox prior to her resignation. Dean's only response was that Fox is racist. Then, Dean decided to go for the knockout blow by throwing in the name of Glenn Beck, who is arguably the most hated conservative on the planet.

"It was about to go on Glenn Beck, which is what the administration was afraid of." Dean yelled, apparently also unaware that Beck wasn't aware of the incident, nor did he report on it that day via his radio or television programs. To top it off, Dean was apparently totally unaware that when Beck DID talk about the Sherrod affair, he did so in defense of Sherrod, forcefully criticizing the Obama administration for forcing her to resign. Even Van Jones, Beck's rabid communist arch-nemesis gave Beck kudos for his handling of the Sherrod story.

We've all known Howard Dean was a regular idiot for quite some time. Now he has been elevated to the title of Useful Idiot for his blind adherence to progressive talking points without verifying whether they are even true. Stalin would have loved you, Howard. You are now nothing more than a puppet. Not even an entertaining puppet. At least when you ran for President and humiliated yourself we could laugh about your missteps. Now we just have to pity you.

Oliver Stone has been rewriting history for three decades now. His oscar winning movie Platoon made him a household name, but his portrayal of U.S. troops as evil, murderous, nutjobs, war protestors in uniform, and cowards put him in disfavor among many veterans. Stone's fictional portrayals of the Kennedy assassination and Richard Nixon are often mistaken for historical recreations, which is a sad statement on the American education system.

Stone, who is well known for his aggressive defense of anything communist and dictatorial, such as his promotion of such people as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Hugo Chavez, and Fidel Castro has now added Stalin and Hitler to his personal list of admired maniacal psychopaths.

Stone claims that the Jewish dominated media prevents us from viewing Stalin and Hitler in "context." Well, Oliver, we all knew you were a communist (if you didn't, now you do and you should get out more) but, now we know you are an anti-semite as well. Honestly, that doesn't surprise me. Anti-semitism seems to be en-vogue these days.

You are right, Oliver. Its very difficult to view such evil people "in context." Its hard to see them at all, hidden as they are among the piles of human flesh. When the body-count is in the tens of millions, it becomes very difficult to look beyond them. Its also very difficult to read any "contextual" or "objective" writing on them as "people" when everything concerning them is written in the blood of their victims.

Here is your first stop on the Stone-train with regard to this story:

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/alana-g...ng-portrayed-c

Oliver Stone hasn't received a single penny of my money since I made the mistake of watching Platoon as a young Army Private. I would suggest, if you too are a lover of life, and the truth, that you avoid Stone's work altogether.

Howard Dean, Oliver Stone, congratulations on your promotions from regular idiots to useful idiots. Your families must be proud. ]]> milproakron http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/milproakron/useful-idiots-one-all-98/ http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/milproakron/guerrilla-vs-terrorist-there-difference-94/ Sun, 18 Jul 2010 17:31:49 GMT I have often heard the old phrase, "One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter." Many historic figures in warfare have been labeled freedom fighter, guerrilla, or terrorist, with political ideology generally being the dictator of the terminology choice.

But, there is a very real difference between a guerrilla fighter and a terrorist. Terrorism by its definition is designed to terrorize a populace and bring political pressure on a military operation. The suffering of the civilian population is intended to cause a loss of support for the terrorists enemies. It often backfires, but it has been effective in many cases such as Spain. The key to terrorist vs guerrilla is the target. Terrorists target unarmed civilians in their operations.

Guerrilla warfare on the other hand targets military operations. Guerrilla tactics have been a part of conflict since the beginning of time. Its typical of a small force trying to take on a much larger force. You can't defeat them in head on engagements, so you stick to the shadows, interrupt their operations, lay ambushes, disrupt supplies, and target key figures that may change the course of the conflict. We used them ourselves as Americans during our revolution and have employed them around the world at various times. Point being, guerrillas target enemy military forces, not civilian populations. The guerrillas will be counting on civilian support for their cause if their rebellion should be successful, so attacking those same civilians is a very bad tacic for freedom fighters.

So, once and for all, lets put an end to the idiotic saying that one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. Terrorists have no interest in freedom. Their only goal is destruction and oppressive rule. As long as they continue to attack civilians, the only respect they should be given is a quick and efficient demise. ]]> milproakron http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/milproakron/guerrilla-vs-terrorist-there-difference-94/ http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/milproakron/border-war-goes-global-93/ Sun, 18 Jul 2010 17:19:59 GMT On July 15, 2010, the narco-terrorist war on our southern border went global. Not global in its scope, since drug violence seems to permeate every geographic location, but global in its terroristic methods. A VBIED (vehicle born improvised explosive device - what we used to call a carbomb) was... On July 15, 2010, the narco-terrorist war on our southern border went global. Not global in its scope, since drug violence seems to permeate every geographic location, but global in its terroristic methods.

A VBIED (vehicle born improvised explosive device - what we used to call a carbomb) was used in an attack on Mexican officials in Juarez. Four people were killed in the attack, which, in the grand scheme of things in Mexico currently, was a slow day for drug related murder. The design and implimentation of the device is described as Hezbollah inspired due to its resemblence to various methods used by the international terrorist group. This should come as no surprise to anyone following my blog since I've pointed out the presence of Hezbollah in central and south America several times. With their decades old presence in the tri-border region and their continued cooperation with narco-terrorist organizations, Hezbollah's influence in drug cartel tactics was only a matter of time.

If you remember the commercials from a few years ago regarding drug use and supporting terrorism, you'll now see the nexus that those commercials referenced. Hezbollah, as well as many other terrorist organizations, operate in and profit from a variety of illegal activities, including the drug trade. This is not new. In my investigative career I've seen drug activity, counterfeiting, and even organized retail theft all tied to middle-east terror groups. Profits from these activities are sent directly to the front lines of Islam's war against America and Israel. Even the fact that Islamic terror kills more muslims than anyone else seems lost on these organizations. Eradication is our only hope to end it.

Here's one of the articles about the VBIED:

http://www.ktsm.com/war-on-drugs/fou...juarez-bombing

Securing our border and preventing more of this drug war from spilling onto America's streets is our most critical National Security issue. ]]> milproakron http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/milproakron/border-war-goes-global-93/ http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/milproakron/terrorists-racism-91/ Thu, 15 Jul 2010 01:16:07 GMT In a major departure from his previous stance on islamic terror, President Obama, in an interview with the South African Broadcasting company referred to "Radical Islam" as a major influence in terrorism. To the average human being, this is no surprise, but to an administration that has gone out of its way to excuse Islam from any responsibility with regard to terror, its a major faux pas.

Ironically, President Obama only seems comfortable with an islamic tag on terrorism if it is also related to racism against people of African heritage. Labeling Al Qaida a racist organization seems a bit ridiculous, but also seems to be the only instance in which Obama is willing to go on the offensive with regard to Islam. Complaining that an organization is racist because it only uses black members for low level operations and suicide missions just seems ludicrous in the light of that organizations overall mission, which is the destruction of anyone not muslim.

So, the President is finally down on islam for its participation in terrorism, but only because islamic terrorism is racist in its practices. Read the full article below.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010...est=latestnews

Now we know where the President's true allegiance lies. If muslims attack white Americans, its just a crime unrelated to Islam. If muslims harm or insult Africans, then its racist Islamic terror. That all makes perfect sense.... to someone... but not me. ]]> milproakron http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/milproakron/terrorists-racism-91/ http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/milproakron/importance-range-time-90/ Wed, 14 Jul 2010 23:12:40 GMT For a shooter, spending time at the range used to be what we called a no-brainer, before the politically correct minions decided that term was offensive and it was erased from the Official Corporate American Lexicon. You have to shoot to be a shooter. Period. But, this post isn't going to be about that at all. (Gotcha!)

I'm talking about the comeraderie of old friends and the making of new ones. I spent a couple of hours at the range today. It was my way of treating myself after having a rootcanal re-done. (loads of fun. I recommend it.)

There were two shooters on the range. One around my age, the other much older. They were sighting in some beautiful M1 Carbines and an M1 Garand. Each rifle seemed to be in excellent shape and I suspect they came from the Civilian Marksmanship Program, although I didn't ask. It turns out they were both a couple of old soldiers, just like me.

I'm always surprised with the ease and familiarity shooting enthusiasts show around each other. I was mounting my newly purchased light on my G19 when the younger shooter walked over and started a conversation with me about it. I showed it to him and demonstrated it while telling him I was testing it out to see how it held up to actual weapons fire. He went back to his Garand and I fired off a few rounds, testing the light every couple to see if it was still functioning correctly. Low and behold, within about 15 rounds, the light started malfunctioning. He observed my aggravation and struggles with the light and brought over one of his own for me to try. Its made by Springfield armory and is designed for the XD, but will mount on anything with a rail. I put it on and quickly found that it outperformed my pathetic new light.

As the time wore on, we discussed alot of things. The old timer described his enjoyment of the M3 Greasegun he carried in Viet Nam, and the younger guy, an Army Spec Ops veteran, talked about his love of Glocks. He even brought his Glock 36 over and told me to put a few rounds through it. I was very impressed with the G36. Its a very soft shooter for a .45, especially a compact. Its felt recoil wasn't much more than my G19, but you can feel the difference between a 9mm and a .45, regardless of the recoil. They just feel different. Needless to say, I left the range today thinking a Glock .45 may be in my future.

Now, I'm not a Glock lover kinda guy. I've only owned the one I have now and had very little experience with them prior to buying it. I've always been a 1911 man, but the ease of function, reliability, and simplicity of the Glock grabbed me one day and I just had to have it. Now I guess I'll have to have another one.

They left me alone on the range after a while, heading out for dinner with their respective families. We wished each other well and I was sternly told, "Keep your head down" with regard to my impending deployment. I broke out the camera and shot my latest YouTube video. You can check it out on youtube under this same name, MilProAkron. But, my heart was light, my determination was reinforced, and the good company made me forget all about the damned root-canal. So, for all of those things, I thank my local range. Where else could I meet such interesting people? ]]> milproakron http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/milproakron/importance-range-time-90/ http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/milproakron/revolutions-near-far-86/ Mon, 05 Jul 2010 22:07:55 GMT The arrival of the 4th of July always makes me think about how our country was born. The details of that can be found in many places, so we won't revisit them here. But, the fact that the American Revolution was successful, in and of itself is amazing. It was the determination and ingenuity of the American citizen and soldier that allowed it to happen.

It seems another type of revolution occurred in America while most of us were not paying attention. This political revolution has changed, and continues to change, not only the political landscape, but the very definition of what America used to mean. The erosion of liberty, the expansion of government control, and the deterioration of our once great economy are all the byproducts of this revolution. Hopefully, in our next voting cycle, there will be another revolution; one that returns us to the path of greatness that turned some angry farmers into the most powerful Nation to ever grace the earth.

Currently there is a revolution taking place south of our border. The new Mexican revolution is being perpetrated by narco-terrorist thugs who operate with impunity and have carved out entire sections of Mexico for their own use. The Mexican government, the Mexican military, the Mexican police, and the Mexican people seem helpless and powerless to respond to this revolution. My own opinion is that it won't be stopped without the armed intervention of America. Regardless of your stance on immigration, everyone should know where they stand when it comes to preventing this revolution from spilling over into our own country. Let the U.S. Marines and Army make short work of the narco-thugs and possibly Mexico can be free to be a prosperous state once more. Solving the immigration issue would be a byproduct of our intervention. People wouldn't be fleeing Mexico if it were a decent place to live and work. Once narco-terrorism and corruption are brought under control, perhaps Mexico could produce an export other than their own citizens.

Lately there have been two countries on my mind with regard to revolution. Burma and Laos are two countries that NEED a revolution. Unfortunately, the poor and disarmed (remember the disarmed part) citizens are incapable of standing against the oppressive regimes that rule their lands. Neither country will be able to mount a meaningful, or effective revolution without the intervention of foreign money, arms, and men. The military junta of Burma seems to have made a sport out of massacring innocent civilians and not one major Nation has made any meaningful attempt to prevent it. Now Burma is in search of the means of creating its own nuclear weapons program. Celebrities are rallying and supporting the "U.S. Campaign for Burma," calling for the freeing of Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been imprisoned since winning the last open election by an 82% landslide, promoting human rights work, and promoting democracy. Unfortunately, ideas and ideals don't overthrow armed governments. Sadly, probably the most meaningful thing I've heard said about saving the Burmese people was a line from the last Rambo movie. When the aid workers were asked if they were smuggling guns to the people, and they replied absolutely not, Rambo could only say, "Then you aren't changing anything."

In Laos, the Hmong tribes have been suffering for decades through attempts by the Laosian communist government to commit genocide against them. If you don't know the history of our relationship with the Hmong people, you should really do some historical research. They are fascinating and brave people who fought by our side during our war in Viet Nam, and were abandoned by our government at the end of our involvement there to be hunted and slaughtered by the communists, much the same way the Montagnards were. Another poor and disarmed people, the Hmong and Laosian populations are at the mercy of the psychotic dictatorship that controls their country. Again, an influx of money, arms, and soldiers is the only hope those people have for freedom in their lifetime.

Recently a retired U.S. Army officer and several Hmong residing in America were caught up in a sting operation as they attempted to procure weapons, materials, and mercenaries to use in a coup in Laos. Embarassingly, their only arms dealer contact turned out to be an undercover BATFE Agent who coaxed them into some weapons sales, then promptly busted up their attempt at freeing their people from oppression. So now they are on trial for buying weapons that they wouldn't have been able to buy if not for the BATFE providing them and are all looking at lengthy prison terms. The charges were dropped against one Hmong so far, but the rest will have to be played out in federal court. I have mixed feelings about sting operations. Having been involved in some myself, from an investigative standpoint, they can be a useful tool in fighting organized criminal activity. But, if taken too far, they become entrapment. In my opinion, when you have a group of people who are just talking, and your operation provides them with the means to do more than talk, you created a criminal where there were none. They are also charged with violating the U.S. neutrality act. Since when is the U.S. neutral when it comes to the question of freedom or tyranny?

Perhaps in the next American revolution, the one that will take place at the ballot-box in November, we can also create some new rules for government. I would like to propose a new rule that states, "Pinheads in fancy suits in Washington shouldn't be the ones to decide who gets to live free." By preventing freedom loving people from bringing freedom to their own people, the U.S. government itself is violating its own rule of so-called "neutrality." They have openly sided with the dictators. Thats not the America I grew up in. Thats not the America I love. Thats not the America to whom I swore an oath.

There are many conflicts that can be argued America should not have been a part. But when people are being slaughtered and oppressed and have no means to fight back, the least America can do, if not openly support them, is to stay out of their way and let them fight and die for their own liberty... Just as our founding fathers did 234 years ago. ]]> milproakron http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/milproakron/revolutions-near-far-86/ http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/chris/change-usertitles-77/ Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:55:16 GMT For more than 7 years here on Gun and Game, the usertitles have remained the same. Seeing the same usertitle such as Senior Members and Members wasn't that descriptive. I went through a few ideas of new usertitles, and I think I came up with some basic ones.

If you are under 99 posts right now the usertitle will be:
Firearm Zealot

If you have over 100 posts your usertitle will be:
Firearm Enthusiast

If you are a contributing member you still have have the ability to change the default usertitle.

Any questions let me know. ]]> Chris http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/chris/change-usertitles-77/ http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/milproakron/congress-dhs-behind-curve-75/ Sat, 26 Jun 2010 14:36:50 GMT I would consider it an honor if our so-called distinguished representatives were reading my blog. Not only would that mean they actually care what our citizens have to say, but it would mean they aren't getting the information they require from the official bureaucratic channels that clog the tunnels of real-world information. Now, I would never be so arrogant to suggest that members of Congress are listening to me (or any other freedom loving American for that matter), but it seems they are at least waking up to the same concerns I have regarding our Nation's security.

Rep. Sue Myrick, Republican, N.C recently issued a formal request to the Department of Homeland Security for a study on Islamic extremist groups entering our country with the assistance of Mexican drug cartels. Nice work, Madame. Unfortunately, you are just about 25 years behind the curve.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010...-nexus-border/

As many of my online readers already know, I have been talking about this terrorist/cartel partnership for a very long time. In fact, I remember giving a class on terrorism in 1987 in which I was asked, "So, how will these terrorists get the fake documents necessary to enter the United States?" To which I replied, "They don't need them. They just have to walk across the border with the illegals and drug smugglers."

I wasn't psychic back in those days. It was a simple fact that I had already learned from various books and intelligence reports on the subject. I was literally just a kid, a very studious kid, who had developed a real concern about terrorism and spent every free moment studying it. That lead to the my Army unit making me the terrorism briefer, quite frankly because nobody else wanted to do it.

It has been common knowledge within the intelligence and anti-terrorism community for decades that international terror groups and international drug cartels have been working together. Much of the funding for terrorism is derived from the drug trade in much of the world. Hezbollah has had a "regional office" in the tri-border region for decades. The most concerning part of this situation is why it has taken so many years for someone in government to publically express concern about it.

I suspect the reasons are the same as with virtually any other real concern Americans have. The government doesn't want to cause widespread panic or enflame racial tensions toward certain groups of people. To that we can all use the old saying, "It isn't paranoia if they really are out to get you." Its better to face the truth than to live in an imaginary world of safety, peace, and love. Terrorists have been at war with us for decades. Even with two wars and numerous small excursions occuring around the globe it seems the vast majority of Americans and Congress still don't understand that.

I've also often suspected that the majority of the people who read my blog and my forum posts are not concerned citizens, but concerned government agents. Especially since the DHS labeled all of us veterans and military personnel as a threat. But, if they learn something and actually start paying attention, I'm more than happy to keep leading them in the right direction.

The bottom line: Thanks for waking up, Rip Van Winkle. Now get to work and clean up the mess you created with your slumber. ]]> milproakron http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/milproakron/congress-dhs-behind-curve-75/ http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/milproakron/world-i-just-dont-understand-73/ Fri, 25 Jun 2010 22:48:05 GMT Once again I awoke to a world I no longer understand. Terms like bipartisan and compromise apparently now mean a strict party line vote. Such was the case when the finance committee held their marathon 20 hour session to create a 2,000 page document they call financial reform. Everything you need... Once again I awoke to a world I no longer understand. Terms like bipartisan and compromise apparently now mean a strict party line vote. Such was the case when the finance committee held their marathon 20 hour session to create a 2,000 page document they call financial reform. Everything you need to know about this bill is summed up by Banking Committee chairman Chris Dodd:

"It's a great moment. I'm proud to have been here," said a teary-eyed Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.), who as chairman of the Senate Banking Committee led the effort in the Senate. "No one will know until this is actually in place how it works. But we believe we've done something that has been needed for a long time. It took a crisis to bring us to the point where we could actually get this job done."

Teary-eyed? Over legislation he himself just admitted he didn't understand and doesn't know how it works? Are you serious? I'm now of a firm belief that not only are our distinguished representatives neither distinguished, nor representing, but they are also retarded.

Here is a link to the full article. Please read it, but try to prevent blood from shooting out of your eyes as you see once again our government's inability to do anything intelligent.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...500675_pf.html

In essence, the government representatives keep saying they don't know if it will work, they don't know how it will work, it doesn't accomplish what they set out to accomplish, but thank God they passed it now before it was too late. Again, I now fully believe Washington, DC is infected with a retardation virus.

Our world is virtually in flames, and in some cases actually in flames. We have a southern border that is a full-blown warzone producing more casualties than Iraq and Afghanistan, in their entirety, combined. We have a global economic meltdown that is threatening to crush what little remains of American wealth. We have a secretary of Homeland Security more concerned about America's veterans than terrorists crossing our border with Mexico. We have an advisor on Counterterrorism who is afraid to say the words, "Muslim extremist" and "terrorist."

...and our politicians have nothing better to do than to spend 20 hours debating legislation they themselves admit they don't understand and will probably not work? Then have the audacity to pat themselves on the back as if they have saved humanity?

We have a media and a President that are still, almost two years into the new administration, blaming the previous president for all the ills in the world. (Just for giggles, I'd like to point out that the economy, the war, and my personal sanity was MUCH better when W was President.) And we have a government that disallows a General the right to free speech, and is trying to strong-arm Germany into taking on more debt in order to save the rest of Europe...

http://www.cnbc.com/id/37845294

Which is exactly what George Soros WANTS Obama to do... Here's old Commie Soros saying it himself:

http://rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1342676

So what we have are a bunch of marxists pressuring everyone to push themselves into insurmountable debt for the sake of an internationalist, globalist agenda that will only benefit the marxist elites. You will still be out of a job, by the way, because poor people don't create jobs. Just thought I would inform you of that. In case you weren't paying attention.

So, welcome to the new world. I don't understand it, but at least I know I'm not alone because the U.S. government proves to me daily that it doesn't understand it either. Some days I just wish the sun would explode so I don't have to wake up tomorrow and say once again, "What the hell?" ]]> milproakron http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/milproakron/world-i-just-dont-understand-73/ http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/chris/bill-carns-top-shot-70/ Thu, 24 Jun 2010 17:07:33 GMT If you haven't been watching this show on the History Channel, you should!
It's a simple concept, 16 people start off shooting all types of weapons, firearms, bows, and any other projectile weapon. Two teams, red and blue. The red team has lost all of the challenges so far.

Bill Carns is a radio talk show host, and probably would be fun guy to talk with on an afternoon. Bill stated stated that his ex-wife's fiance shot himself in the chest. Kelly said, "Wow, was she that bad?" He admitted it was a stupid thing to say (and it was, but I've said dumber things at that age). He apologized to Bill but Bill refused to accept it and went on a vendetta.

First off, it's Bill's EX-wife...not current wife.

Sure it was a stupid comment, but not something I would have gone rambo on a younger guy for.

Anyways, I can't wait for the next episode. ]]> Chris http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/chris/bill-carns-top-shot-70/ http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/milproakron/iran-bomb-its-too-late-69/ Thu, 24 Jun 2010 01:49:34 GMT As someone who actually understands nuclear weapons, I've finally had enough of the media and the UN telling me that Iran MAY be able to develop a nuke SOMETIME in the future. Its a very large crock of you know what.

Here is the latest article (see link below) that states that Iran is now enriching uranium beyond that necessary for nuclear powerplants. They are now producing what is referred to as "further enriched uranium" which they claim is for medical purposes. (there is a legitimate use for radioactive material in medical research and treatment, so I won't attempt to deny the Iranian people those medical advancements.)

The real problem I have with all of this is the fact that apparently the UN, the U.S. Government, the mainstream media (Yes, even Foxnews), and most of the American public are ignorant of how you produce this material.

Iran has centrifuges. They are using them to produce the material for power and for research. ITS THE SAME PROCESS USED FOR CREATING WEAPONS GRADE URANIUM. The only difference is the length of processing. (This information comes directly from someone who works at an enrichment plant, so if you think you read something different on cnn.com, don't come whining to me, ok? Thanks.) The conversation is always about how many centrifuges Iran has operating. "Oh, we don't need to worry until they have 15,000 or 20,000 centrifuges working." Well, that is all a lie.

If you don't have enough centrifuges, it will only slow down the process. The uranium can be REprocessed through the same centrifuges over and over again until you achieve the required enrichment level for weapons grade material. Period.

Conclusion? Iran will have the bomb, if they don't already, long before anyone has the intestinal fortitude to destroy their capability. If Israel and the United States don't act NOW, I mean like yesterday, we will be dealing with a nuclear armed Iranian Islamic Terrorist State before we have a chance to elect someone smart enough and tough enough to confront them.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/06...est=latestnews ]]> milproakron http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/milproakron/iran-bomb-its-too-late-69/ http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/milproakron/mcchrystal-balls-68/ Tue, 22 Jun 2010 20:52:54 GMT It seems the latest casualty in the war on terror (Yes I still refuse to call it an "overseas contingency operation") is going to be the career of one General Stanley McChrystal. McChrystal's crime? Speaking his mind.

Article 88, UCMJ:

“Any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Governor or legislature of any State, Territory, Commonwealth, or possession in which he is on duty or present shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.”
Elements.
(1) That the accused was a commissioned officer of the United States armed forces;
(2) That the accused used certain words against an official or legislature named in the article;
(3) That by an act of the accused these words came to the knowledge of a person other than the accused; and
(4) That the words used were contemptuous, either in themselves or by virtue of the circumstances under which they were used. Note: If the words were against a Governor or legislature, add the following element (5) That the accused was then present in the State, Territory, Commonwealth, or possession of the Governor or legislature concerned.

Its wordy, and a bit complicated, but the UCMJ clearly states that an officer (this Article only applies to Commisioned Officers) can't make contemptuous statements against the above listed persons. Apparently the White House and the mainstream media THINK this is what happened. So, lets take it apart and see whats inside, shall we?

For the first element, yes, General McChrystal is a commissioned officer. No defense there.

For the second element, all of the quotes that have been leaked thus far were from General McChrystal's aides, not the General himself. I have yet to read the full article, due out on Friday, but unless there are specific quotes from the General himself, this element is not met. It does however mean that some of McChrystal's aides could be charged under Article 88. Many of the most disparaging remarks were against Ambassador Eikenberry, and Envoy Richard Holbrooke. Special Envoys and Ambassadors are conspicuously absent from the list of people you can't make remarks against in article 88.

Element three is obvious. Yes, the statements were made public, thanks to Rolling Stone. If McChrystal had kept his mouth shut, its doubtful anyone would have known about it at all, since I don't know anybody except burned out former hippies and wannabe rock-stars who actually read Rolling Stone today.

So, were the words contemptuous? Let's see what the dictionary says:

Main Entry: con·tempt
Pronunciation: \kən-ˈtem(p)t\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin contemptus, from contemnere
Date: 14th century
1 a : the act of despising : the state of mind of one who despises : disdain b : lack of respect or reverence for something
2 : the state of being despised

None of the statements leaked prior to the articles release would meet this standard. General McChrystal, by his own admission, voted for President Obama, and therefore has shown his utmost respect for the President. He also kept his mouth shut and soldiered on when he asked for an additional 60,000 boots on the ground in Afghanistan, and was granted only 30,000.

General McChrystal will arrive in Washington to take the heat for the published article. Whether he made the statements or not, he will still take the heat. Yes, he could easily throw his aides under the bus and let them take the fall, but he won't. McChrystal is a leader. Leaders not only lead, they also take responsibility for the actions of their subordinates, not just their own. Only politicians and crooked CEOs use scapegoats. Warriors and leaders do not.

In today's modern military, you don't achieve the rank of General, or Admiral, without knowing how to play politics. Those are political ranks and political savvy is required to attain them. This is why most of your storied, highly decorated, and highly regarded military officers in modern history retire at Colonel, or Lieutenant Colonel. (Captain or Commander for you Navy guys) They were warriors, not politicians.

The bottom line for General McChrystal is that he spoke his mind and he will now become a political casualty of the Obama Administration. They will let him retire with his rank and his pay, but probably not his dignity. We can only hope he writes a book and tells us the truth of the matter, because we can already assume we won't hear it from anyone else involved.

He should have seen this coming. Perhaps he was blinded by the same wave of optimism that swept Obama into office. But, as a warrior, and one not new to playing politics, the General should have known his head would be on the chopping block at first opportunity. It Doesn't take a McChrystal Ball to see that. But, standing firm on your beliefs, speaking the truth at all cost, and ensuring your soldiers are well cared for, in a country now governed by the very ideologies we swore to defend against... that takes balls. McChrystal Balls.

Don't back down, General. Its a charge you can beat and the soldiers need leaders like you. ]]> milproakron http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/milproakron/mcchrystal-balls-68/ http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/milproakron/dont-stop-talking-64/ Wed, 16 Jun 2010 02:20:44 GMT Currently I'm attending yet another military school, one that I'm sure is known to cause health problems, like aneurisms, migraines, and heartburn. In a nutshell, it involves math. But, other than that, it affords me yet another opportunity to speak with other military people. That has to be the single most enjoyable aspect of these type of activities.

You always meet the most interesting characters when people from all over the country come to one place to learn yet another perishable skill set that they will probably never use.

From the retired Sergeant Major instructor, to the Scottish immigrant subject matter expert; From the Sergeant who could probably build me an AR from scraps he could find in the barracks, to the EOD Captain who was the first to throw a paper-wad in class; and from the instructor you can hardly follow, to the family of groundhogs that live under our barracks, interesting characters all.

But, one thing I also make an effort to do is talk to younger soldiers. I mean actually talk. After the bravado, after the grumbling about the BS that accompanies military life, and after the laugh riot jokes, if you are together long enough, you just talk. We talk about the difficulties military life causes our families, our struggles with PTSD, and the pain we live with daily from wounds and injuries we conceal during the normal work day.

Its therapeutic, whether we admit it or not. So I also encourage them to never stop talking. When you stop talking and internalize all of your grief, it will eventually eat you alive. I can attest to this fact personally. So, please, I'm talking to you, and you know who you are, DON'T STOP TALKING. Get the help you need. There is no shame in that. Take care of yourself with the same devotion you have shown to your Country and your family.

Now, on a lighter note, I will relay a story of courage that rivals most similar stories. It involves a camp in Afghanistan, a young soldier on his first deployment, and an attack courtesy of the Taliban involving small arms, RPGs, and Mortars.

The layout of the defensive positions had been altered since the soldiers last trip to the wire. Things had been quiet for some time. When the attack came, without warning, the young soldier instinctively ran to the position he had held the last time. Unfortunately, this position was on the other side of the camp.

Running at full speed, the soldier braved mortar rounds and bullets, running in a zigzag pattern across the camp. Remarkably, he arrived at his position unscathed, took up his position, threw his SDM rifle across a sandbag, and started scanning for targets. A few moments later he realized that the people around him were not speaking english. Due to the assignment change, his old reliable defensive position was now occupied by the German Army!

With nothing to do but return to the other side of camp and avoid being listed as MIA during an attack, the soldier pulled himself up, took a deep breath, and bolted.

Again running the zigzag pattern, trying his best to avoid the rounds that were zinging past his head and the explosions of the mortars, he ran with all his might toward the opposite side of camp. He knew his squad had to be there and if he was going to die, he wanted to die among people who spoke his own language.

After several narrow misses and a couple of close mortar hits, he headed into the home stretch with his legs moving as fast as they could go carrying the weight of his gear, and head down, charging. And then it happened....

BAM! Thrown backward onto his back, helmet off, rifle tossed, and skull beaten against the ground, he lay there in the dirt knowing this would be the end. He lay there for a few moments, his head pounding, his neck tweaked, and his body covered in sweat and dirt. When he could move again, he began feeling his chest, arms, stomach searching for wounds so he could assess the damage. Nothing. Picking up his aching head, he looked for his rifle and found it. As he stumbled to his feet and pulled himself erect to start moving to safety again, he saw it. He quickly identified his attacker and considered killing it, but thought it better to just get to safety. But, it was there none the less, right there in the open for all to see, except perhaps himself....

Clotheslined by a tent rope. And somewhere in Afghanistan, a GP Medium tent laughs. ]]> milproakron http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/milproakron/dont-stop-talking-64/ http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/milproakron/reuters-news-service-reshaping-opinions-years-58/ Wed, 09 Jun 2010 23:56:39 GMT When the so-called "humanitarian relief flotilla" attempted to break the Israeli imposed Gaza blockade, film crews and Reuters journalists were on board. By now, most of us have seen at least still images from the incident, if not video footage. As mentioned in one of my previous blog posts, the stark difference in coverage was painfully obvious.

One incident is bad enough for a so-called "news organization" but it got me thinking about another incident of which I was previously aware.

A certain website, which I will not name, posted a video a couple of months ago of gun-camera footage from Apache helicopters in Iraq. Still images were also taken from the footage and made their way across the globe via the internet. An American Soldier was recently apprehended and is charged with leaking the video to the unnamed website. That article ironically came from Reuters itself:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100607/...sa_journalists

If you only watch the edited video, or only view the still images, it would appear that the U.S. military blatantly murdered unarmed civilians, "In cold blood," As speaker Harry Reid would say. Here is some Reuters reporting on the incident:
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6344FW20100406

But, if you view the entire video, at least from a military man's point of view, just the opposite is true. During the course of the video a Reuters journalist is killed. In the first few minutes of the video footage, that same "journalist" is walking the streets with armed insurgents, laughing (easily seen on the clear, daytime footage), chit chatting, and apparently happy to be hanging out with his friends. He wears NO Press identification. The terrorists with him were moving into position to attack American or Iraqi forces. The green light was given and they were taken out.

The fact this "journalist" was walking the streets with terrorists and seemed to be having a grand old time doing it was never addressed by either side in this incident. It does, however, fit right in with Reuters' apparent affinity for terrorists, extremists, and thugs.

As is usually the case, my investigators mind started churning and I started doing some very basic research. What I found was a lengthy history of faked photographs, altered scenes, intentionally misleading or completely false reporting, and a predictable anti-American and anti-Israeli slant.

Here is a fairly extensive analysis of Reuters' reporting during the 2006 war in Lebanon, during which, Reuters faked, altered, or staged the majority of all its photographs and stories related to the war:
http://zombietime.com/reuters_photo_fraud/

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7...286966,00.html

With regard to the Flotilla incident, it was widely reported that Reuters had cropped one of the images it used in its report to remove a knife-weilding "humanitarian aid-worker" from the photo of an attack on an Israeli commando. Here is a story on that photo:
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/06...ade-commandos/

What I discovered during my research however, was that THAT photo was not the only flotilla photo altered by Reuters to conceal the weapons used by the "aid-workers" during their attacks on the Israeli commandos. Here is an extensive study of a separate photograph:
http://trueslant.com/charlesjohnson/...pool-of-blood/

I also have yet to read in any Reuters reporting that "aid-workers" threw one commando over a railing, dropping him about 20 feet or so onto the steel deck below, permanently injuring his back. He was last reported still in critical condition. Reuters also has no explanation for how commandos received stab wounds, but that doesn't surprise me since they edited out all the pictures of the knives used.

I have also spoken to some soldiers during the last week who had their own experiences with Reuters in Iraq when they were deployed. I will not relate those incidents to you because they have not been made public, but suffice to say the soldiers I have spoken to don't even consider Reuters a news organization.

I have reached the conclusion that Reuters, instead of providing accurate journalism, is simply an advocate and mouth-piece for Hezbollah, Hamas, and any other Islamic, Salafist, Jihadist organizations they can get close to. They have taken fraud and bias to a level even beyond the American Congress, and that is quite an accomplishment. Reuters should end the charade by declaring themselves no longer in the news business, but in the activist business. Then, at least unsuspecting citizens won't have their point of view tainted, manipulated, and shaded by Reuters' disgusting display of journalistic prostitution on behalf of extremists world-wide. ]]> milproakron http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/blogs/milproakron/reuters-news-service-reshaping-opinions-years-58/