BLACKFIVE: May 2009 Archives

Field expedient 9mm holster

Posted By Uncle Jimbo

Anyone who has met my buddy Kev or seen the Freefly videos we made knows he's not right.....in the 'ead. Below the fold is proof perfect of that. Do not go look and them complain to me, the picture is twisted and just plain wrong. Plus you will need eye bleach for sure. I warned you. Wish him well at FOB Grizzly.

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May 31, 2009 • Permalink • Comments (14) • TrackBack (0)
Categories and Tags: Military Humor • Technorati Links
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Ah, Diplomacy

Posted By Grim

Greetings from Baghdad.

Everyone remember General Order #1? It's the order that all troops in Iraq and Afghanistan (and myself as well, as a civilian advisor to the military) have to live under, in order to avoid giving offense to our Muslim hosts. I suspect it was inspired by the folks who labeled us Crusaders, in that it rather resembles the original law of the Poor Knights of the Temple: no sexual activity, no racy magazines, no alcohol, no visiting soldiers of the opposite sex in their quarters, no gambling, no anything that might be even slightly offensive.

Apparently they have different rules at the State Department. This isn't pointed at the lads and lassies on the ePRTs who are doing good work, running the hazards and sharing the suffering with the rest of us. I've yet to meet a one of them I didn't like, while I've met a few I genuinely admire. But what should I read in the paper?

Change has certainly come to Baghdad. And it appears that includes the U.S. Embassy, where they are holding what the invitation says is the first-ever U.S. Embassy Gay Pride Theme Party next Friday at Baghdaddy's, which is the embassy employee association's pub.

'At their pub,' he says.

That's awesome, guys.

May 30, 2009 • Permalink • Comments (40) • TrackBack (0)
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Two Questions for Bloggers & Readers

Posted By Laughing_Wolf

First, I know some of us have noted some interesting and odd occurrences over the last year or so, in terms of computer outages and such at places like the FAA and the power grid. If you have any specific examples of similar occurrences, or peculiar activities at or near power or flight centers, and/or contacts on same, please feel free to drop me an e-mail or leave what you care to in comments.

Second, if you are a blogger who received a nastygram from AP for what you feel was fair use of an AP story, I would love to get a link to the article in question and a copy of the e-mail or print letter sent.

Thanks,

May 29, 2009 • Permalink • Comments (0) • TrackBack (0)
Categories and Tags: Current Affairs • Technorati Links
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Last Night...

Posted By Blackfive

...this was posted on a blog at the New York Times. Go see what an artist has to say about our military men and women and their families.

[Hat tip to Scott-In-the-Stans]

May 29, 2009 • Permalink • Comments (13) • TrackBack (0)
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"I think my mother prayed me out of that camp"

Posted By Subsunk

He Kept His Faith In The Man Upstairs

Submariner survived 3½ years in Japanese POW camp

The Day, May 29, 2009

Ernest “Ernie” Plantz survived 1,297 days as a prisoner of war during World War II because he had a “strong belief in the man upstairs” and the will to live.

”I never, ever really thought I was really going to die,” he said. “… I think my mother prayed me out of that camp. She was very religious. I wasn't a particularly religious boy. I had been raised Baptist, went to church, but like most teenagers I wasn't too religious. But I'm convinced that's what got me out, between my mother and the man upstairs.”

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May 29, 2009 • Permalink • Comments (6) • TrackBack (0)
Categories and Tags: Someone You Should Know • Technorati Links
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Prince Harry: Playboy or Soldier?

Posted By Uber Pig

And I thought the US press corps was rude. Check this piece out in the Guardian, talking about Prince Harry. Lede:

Prince Harry arrives in New York today for a two-day rite of passage that will see him seek to dispel his playboy image and replace it with a patina of empathy in his mother's mould.

Not once does the writer of the piece, Ed Pilkington, mention that Prince Harry has already done a tour as a British soldier in Afghanistan, and acquitted himself well.

The scale of the PR challenge facing the 24-year-old prince, who has set foot in the US only once before, as a child, has been underlined by advance media coverage. The New York Daily News noted his "hard-partying ways", Time magazine highlighted his penchant for "long, alcohol-fueled nights" and the Associated Press reminded its subscribers of the apology he had to make for wearing a Nazi swastika at a fancy-dress party.

Playboy indeed. I think by going to Afghanistan Prince Harry showed more character than his older brother, or his father, or his sainted mother, or the vast majority of young men from his highly privileged background. Ed Pilkington and the Guardian may think Harry has something left to prove, that Harry needs to establish his estrogen credentials, that Harry needs to start playing ball. Don't rock the boat, Harry. Don't make the rest of your class look bad. Don't make Ed Pilkington's class, which washes the balls of your privileged class, look bad. Get back to the business of being a Prince and acting like your mother and doing charity work and playing polo and driving bio-diesel fueld cars like your father because that makes the Guardian's liberal readers feel all warm inside and less guilty that they aren't making the same kinds of personal sacrifices their service members make in Afghanistan and Iraq every day.

-- Uber Pig

May 29, 2009 • Permalink • Comments (10) • TrackBack (0)
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Digital Life: Back to the Newsroom

Posted By Laughing_Wolf

This panel features Ted Bridis, news editor, Associated Press. For bloggers, we do have his thoughts on the AP use guidelines as well as his take on the history/issue of same. You might want to read it. As before, the majority of this is being put below the fold and will be built in part or whole from the tweets.

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May 29, 2009 • Permalink • Comments (0) • TrackBack (0)
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Congrats to Operation Gratitude

Posted By Blackfive

Operation Gratitude has taken care of a lot of military men and women over the years (and their XMas Stocking program is very well known). Their founder, Carolyn Blashek, is an amazing person and responsible for over 440,000 care packages sent to our troops in harms way. Op Gratitude just participated in a contest sponsored by Target and they received some much needed funds. I voted for them. Thanks to all who participated.

Troop Support Group Hits Target's Charity Bullseye

Office of the Secretary of Defense Public Affairs

Story by Sharon Foster

Date: 05.28.2009
Posted: 05.28.2009 02:01

WASHINGTON - Operation Gratitude will receive $232,948 from Target as part of the company's first online giving campaign.

The California-based troop-support group was one of 10 charities selected by Target to receive a percentage of $3 million based on votes cast in its online "Bullseye Gives" contest, hosted by the social-networking Web site Facebook.

"I would like to thank everyone who voted for Operation Gratitude," Carolyn Blashek, Operation Gratitude founder, said. "Each vote paid to send an additional care package to our deployed troops. Target and our voters have truly made a difference to the men and women of the U.S. military who are in harm's way, far from home and their loved ones. I am forever grateful for their dedication to this cause."

From May 10-25, Operation Gratitude's Facebook fans, volunteers, donors and supporters joined forces to cast 22,627 votes, earning the organization 7.8 percent of the $3 million charitable donation pledged by Target.

Target invited all Facebook members to visit its Facebook page to make a choice on how 10 national charities would receive a portion of its $3 million in weekly charitable giving. The charities Target selected included the American Red Cross, Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Feeding America, HandsOn Network/Points of Light Institute, Kids In Need Foundation, Operation Gratitude, Parent Teacher Association, National Park Foundation, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the Salvation Army.

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital received the most votes -- 77,427 -- and earned $797,123.

Laysha Ward, president of Target's community relations department, said the company is grateful to the online voters for their "passionate" response to "Bullseye Gives" and their willingness to share personal stories about why these charities are important to them.

"We're excited that all 10 amazing charities will receive a generous donation, as well as increased awareness through social-networking platforms," Ward said.

In return, Blashek said, she thanks Target for its generous support and creative vision in embracing the social-networking world for good causes.

"My attitude has completely changed about Facebook and other social-networking tools," Blashek said. "This is a very powerful thing. It is a wonderful way to reach out to people and for people to reach out to you."

Blashek said the donation comes at a good time. "Operation Gratitude is in the midst of its annual Patriotic Drive, during which a total of 40,000-plus care packages will be assembled for U.S. servicemembers," she said. "These funds will carry us a long way. All of it will go toward care packages for our troops."

In addition to earning Operation Gratitude a financial windfall, "Bullseye Gives" also resulted in a windfall of "fans" for the organization during the two-week voting period.

"Our fans on Facebook increased from 472 on May 9 to 5,131 on May 26," Blashek said. "We are so excited about this new base and members wanting to learn more about us and how they can support our troops."

Overall, more than 167,000 Facebook members voted for the charity of their choice.

May 29, 2009 • Permalink • Comments (0) • TrackBack (0)
Categories and Tags: Caring For The Defenders • Technorati Links
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French honors for the Lafayette Escadrille

Posted By Blackfive

A missing-man formation of F-16 Fighting Falcons follow French Mirages and a Naval Air Factory N3N biplane (not shown) in a flyover at the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial ceremony outside Paris, May 23, 2009. French and American citizens paid homage to some of America's first combat aviators known as the Lafayette Escadrille. The all-American squadron of volunteers flew under the French flag during World War I. U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Scott Wagers

May 29, 2009 • Permalink • Comments (0) • TrackBack (0)
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Digital Life: The Future of Medicine: Electronic Health Records

Posted By Laughing_Wolf

This session features Catherine DesRoches, instructor in medicine, Harvard Medical School. As before, the majority of this is being put below the fold and will be built in part or whole from the tweets.

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May 29, 2009 • Permalink • Comments (10) • TrackBack (0)
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The Blog of War

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"...nonpartisan patriotism is the common thread tying together these reflections, love letters and stories of combat. They make for riveting reading." - The Washington Post

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"This collection is an excellent introduction to an emerging form of war reporting." - Booklist

"...there is much to tell, and celebrate, in the tough, day-to-day work that our soldiers are doing in one of the most challenging environments any army has ever faced..." - The Philadelphia Inquirer

"...the collection is riveting...a worthy tribute." - The American Prospect

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The Authors

Blackfive
Former Paratrooper and Army Officer, "Blackfive" started this blog upon learning of the valorous sacrifice of a friend that was not reported by the journalist whose life he saved.
Email: blackfive AT gmail DOT com
Jim Hanson
Retired Special Operations Master Sergeant, Jim Hanson ("Uncle Jimbo") is now focused on writing about the military, politics, intelligence operations and foreign policy.
Email: jimbo AT unclejimbo DOT com
The Laughing Wolf
Writer, photographer, and raconteur C. Blake Powers is the Laughing Wolf. He is independent in politics and covers topics including journalism, military, weapons, preparedness, space, science, cooking, food and wine, product and book reviews, and even spirituality.
Email: wolf1 AT laughingwolf DOT net
Laughing Wolf's Amazon Wish List
Grim Beorn
Grim -- an Old Norse name that means 'one who wears a mask' -- blogs on issues of intelligence, information operations, and foreign relations.
Email: grimbeornr AT yahoo DOT com
Pinch Paisley
Instapinch Bill Paisley, otherwise known as Pinch, is a 22 year (ongoing) active and reserve naval aviator. He blogs over at www.instapinch.com on a veritable cornucopia of various and sundry items and will bring a tactical naval aviator's perspective to Blackfive. Readers be warned: any comments of or about the F-14 Tomcat will be reverential and spoken in low, hushed tones.
Email: wpaisley AT comcast DOT net
Mr. Wolf
Mr. Wolf has over 26 years in the Army, Army NG, and USAR. He’s Airborne with 5 years as an NCO, before becoming an officer. Mr. Wolf has had 4 company commands. Signal Corp is his basic branch, and Public Affairs is his functional area. He recently served 22 straight months in Kuwait and Iraq, in Intel, PA, and senior staff of MNF-I. Mr. Wolf is now an IT executive. He is currently working on a book on media and the Iraq war. Functional gearhead.

In Iraq, he received the moniker of Mr. Wolf after the Harvey Kietel character in Pulp Fiction, when "challenges" arose, they called on Mr. Wolf...
Email: TheDOTMrDOTWolfAT gmail DOT com
Deebow
Deebow is a Staff Sergeant and a Military Police Squad Leader in the Army National Guard. In a previous life, he served in the US Navy. He has over 19 years of experience in both the Maritime and Land Warfare; including deployments to Southwest Asia, Thailand, the South Pacific, South America and Egypt. He has served as a Military Police Team Leader and Protective Services Team Leader and he has served on assignments with the US State Department, US Air Force Security Police, US Army Criminal Investigation Division, and the US Drug Enforcement Administration. He recently spent time in Afghanistan working with, training and fighting alongside Afghan Soldiers and is now focused on putting his 4 year Political Science degree to work by writing about foreign policy, military security policy and politics.
McQ
McQ has 28 years active and reserve service. Retired. Infantry officer. Airborne and Ranger. Consider my 3 years with the 82nd as the most fun I ever had with my clothes on. Interests include military issues and policy and veteran's affairs.
Email: mcq51 -at - bellsouth -dot- net
Crush

Chris Carter is a former USAF firefighter and now civilian firefighter who covers military history, national security, and baseball. Find out more at his website.

Twitter: @CrushingChris
EMAIL: crushnik AT yahoo DOT com
Tantor

Tantor is a former USAF navigator/weapon system officer (WSO) in F-4E Phantoms who served in the US, Asia, and Europe. He is now a curmudgeonly computer geek in Washington, DC, picking the taxpayers pocket. His avocations are current events, aviation, history, and conservative politics.
Long Tab Sig O
Twenty-three years of Active and Reserve service in the US Army in SF (18B), Infantry and SOF Signal jobs with operational deployments to Bosnia and Africa. Since retiring he's worked as Senior Defense Analyst on SOF and Irregular Warfare projects and currently ensconced in the emerging world of Cyberspace.

The Authors Emeritus

Major Pain
Major Pain -- A Marine who began his blog in Iraq and reflects back on what he learned there and in Afghanistan. To the point opinions, ideas and thoughts on military, political and the media from One Marine’s View.
Email: onemarinesview AT yahoo DOT com
Froggy
Froggy is 21 year Navy SEAL corpsman and vet of the War on Terror. Follow Froggy on Twitter @FroggyRuminates
Driven
"Driven" is an OIF vet, Sergeant and team Leader in the 82nd Airborne Division...
Uber Pig
Uber Pig was an Infantryman from late 1991 until early 1996, serving with Second Ranger Battalion, I Corps, and then 25th Infantry Division. At the time, the Army discriminated against enlisted soldiers who wanted use the "Green to Gold" program to become officers, so he left to attend Stanford University. There, he became expert in detecting, avoiding, and surviving L-shaped ambushes, before dropping out to be as entrepreneurial as he could be. He is now the founder of a software startup serving the insurance and construction industries, and splits time between Lake Tahoe, Boonville, and San Francisco, CA.

Uber Pig writes for Blackfive a) because he's the proud brother of an enlisted Civil Affairs Reservist who currently serves in Iraq, b) because he looks unkindly on people who make it harder for the military in general, and for his brother in particular, to succeed at their missions and come home in victory, and c) because the Blackfive readers and commenters help keep him sane.

Email: enlisted swine (at) gmail (dot) com.
COB6
COB6 spent 24 years in the active duty Army that included 5 combat tours with service in the 1st Ranger Battalion and 1st Special Forces Group . COB6 was enlisted (E-7) and took the OCS route to a commission. COB6 retired a few years back as a field grade Infantry officer. Currently COB6 has a son in the 82nd Airborne that just returned from his third tour and has a newly commissioned daughter in the 4th Infantry Division.
Subsunk
Subsunk is a retired US Navy Submarine Officer.