Challenge Coins (UPDATED!)

Posted By Mr Wolf

I recently ran into some interesting info online, and was wondering what the Blackfive readers had experienced.  All in regards to challenge coins.

For those that are not familiar, challenge coins are coins that are handed out by commanders, sergeants-majors, units, and others as 'mementos'.  But that was not their original usage- while many units have varied histories around challenge coins, most will agree that it originates from WWI when a downed pilot used it to verify his background.  From that point forward, the unit had everyone carrying a coin in a pouch around their neck.

Coins really took off in the Vietnam era, and many from that conflict are quite valuable- ones from MACV-SOG or other specialized unit are especially coveted.  During my trips over there, I was not able to secure a 'real' coin but fakes are readily available.

Coin usage nowadays is not for combat; its for camaraderie.  Any place, ANY time, a person holding a coin can issue a challenge; showers too!  Those not able to reach their coin buys the round; those holding the HIGHEST RANK of coin gets rounds purchased by the others.  IF, in a challenge, everyone comes up with their coin, one of two things can happen- either the LAST person producing the coin buys, or the challenger buys, depending on local/unit tradition.  Personally, I'm never without a 4-star coin, ever.  My most 'valuable' one is a Rumsfeld.  He's known for having been especially strict on giving them out.  Never, EVER challenge Blackfive.  He's known to carry a Presidential one.  Can't.be.trumped.

How do you acquire one?  They are given as a 'reward' in many cases, similar to an award, but much less formality involved.  Presenter places one in their palm, shakes hand of the recipient, and transfers the coin.  This is the only TRUE method.  You can, indeed, buy most if not all coins (even a Rumsfeld, but they are expensive, and fakes are numerous) but only those given and received in this traditional manner are really worth anything.  My favorite coin was given to me by an Admiral in Iraq- his first coin, and his first coining, in theater.

One of my favorite challenge stories was in the summer of '86 in Camp Grayling, MI.  The 101st Airborne provided some companies to act as OPFOR in the training areas, and when we came out of the field phase the usual nuttiness followed at the O' and NCO' clubs on post.  One night, a particularly attractive lieutenant (from my guard HQ) appeared in the O' club on Grayling.  For those who've never been there, to me, this is THE BEST officers club on any facility.  She walked to the bar in the back of the club, slammed down the 101st Commanders Coin, and hilarity ensued when the guys from the 101st, who were mostly in the back of the room, bulldozed their way to the bar to slam their coins down.  Over tables, over people, over everything to get to the bar in time.  The place was PACKED, and damn, no one wanted to be last or without.  No one was expecting HER to coin the 101st.  I don't think the place settled down for the rest of the summer after that little stunt.

You got a good challenge coin story?  Share it in the comments.  I've got dozens of stories of coining in Iraq.  Joint Chiefs chairman GEN Myers dumped an entire SLEEVE of his coins into the cargo pocket of a unit Sergeant Major to give out to troops on his behalf.  I don't know what made that SGM more nervous- watching the Chairman do that to him, or the fact he was carrying 5 pounds of coinage in his pocket.

Drop a story or two into the comments..

Wolf

Some coins that were sent in: (story to follow in the comments)

 

And someone sent in their favorite collection of Air Force coins:

---

Mission: To protect and promote the reputation and dignity of America's Warriors.
Join us!

Dealing With The Pain That Comes From Rendering Honors

Posted By Laughing_Wolf

I watched what I could of the Ft. Hood memorial service, and found it good.  I was particularly pleased at some of what was said, and some that was not said.  Now is not the time to parse the words or actions, or to criticize, but to acknowledge the loss and that which was good from each who took part.  I was particularly pleased with certain things said by the President, and in his action of placing a coin at each memorial for the families.  The musicians and the singers did an excellent job, as did. Lt. Gen. Cone.

I won't claim to speak for anyone else, but for me, watching or attending military memorial or funeral services can just about rip my guts out. Frankly, I've gotten where I hate movies or television that feature taps or a bagpipe playing Amazing Grace.  If you, like me, need something to take you away and change your mental state, I would share a memory of my father's funeral that still can bring a bit of humor even during that difficult moment.

Dad had a military funeral, and even though most there knew what that entailed, I'm not sure all were prepared for it.  Having been busy and going for days since I rushed home when things started downhill, I was tired but busy.  Taking care of Dad, his care, and final time, and all that comes with such a loss had been my focus and my way of coping.  It was at the end of the service, when almost all was done and I had no more to watch, check, or care for that it began to hit.  The final words were said, and the Marines rendered honors.  I can't begin to describe my thoughts at that moment, but the first volley ended up taking me almost to laughter.  It probably isn't nice of me, but that's where I almost went courtesy of my youngest niece, who was in her early 20s.  When the volley was fired, she didn't just jump a bit, she probably came a full foot out of her chair, and then leaped/lunged across her big sister's lap like she was diving for safety.  I knew that the loss was hitting her hard, but her reaction (esp. since she did seem like she might keep going for ground and cover) almost made me laugh out loud.  I found out that some others present thought she might be hitting the deck too, and had a hard time not laughing. 

She never realized it, but my niece gave me a gift that hard day that as been a grace more than once since.  When services reach that point, and emotions build, I will turn to that memory and find some peace and a reminder that humor is not just the best medicine, it is also one heck of a good shield.  May any of you who need it, now or at any time, use that during dark times to drive back that which surrounds. 

LW

---

Mission: To protect and promote the reputation and dignity of America's Warriors.
Join us!

TODAY IS A SPECIAL DAY-

Posted By Mr Wolf

Its UNCLE JIMBO'S BIRTHDAY.

Yeah, you got it.  The one day a year that it's 'Jimbo Day.'

We'd be a lot less worthy if he weren't a part of the team.

Happy B-day, buddy!

Now get back to work...

Wolf

---

Mission: To protect and promote the reputation and dignity of America's Warriors.
Join us!

A Call to ALL YOU FORMER CHINA POST GUYS!!

Posted By Mr Wolf

                                   

I'm a bit remiss in getting some good posts up, but given where I've been and up to the past few weeks, I hope you'll forgive.

As many of you may recall, I had been blogging/covering the American Legion national convention in Louisville while traveling back east.  It was a fantastic time, and as a result, I had a chance to meet many key individuals within the Legion.  One of these was the Commander of China Post #1, Shanghai, China.

Those of you familiar with the W.E.B. Griffin stories may recall that several characters and scenarios are based on a 'relationship' with men in this Legion Post.  During my coverage of the convention, I was introduced to the Commander of CP#1, and we struck up a conversation about this historic post.  We also had a chance to delve into parts of my background, and the Commander came to the realization that I was a candidate for CP#1. 

Candidate?  Why would you need to be a 'candidate'?  Well, CP#1 is NOT your conventional post within the Legion.  Its one of the very few without a 'real' building as a post, but not because they can't or don't have one- their post is currently 'occupied' by the Communist Government of China, and they are not about to re-occupy that old headquarters anytime soon.  Hence, why the post is considered 'in exile'.

To become a member of this particular post, YOU MUST have some sort of Special Ops, Intel, or 'letter agency' background.  I'm not about to go into how yours truly fits this (most should realize) but suffice it to say, the Commander immediately pulled out a blue card and 'transferred' me into the CP#1 post.

Oh, and we also 'shanghaied' a certain Blackfive into the post as well.  How this affects his campaign has yet to be ascertained.  He, too, fit the background on several criteria.

After being 'indoctrinated' into the post, shown the secret handshake, and told whom to see and where to go to find their secret meeting places,  I then went about meeting others within the Legion at various gatherings at the convention; the introductions would go as follows (almost verbatim):

"Hi there!  I'm Mr Wolf and I'm covering the convention."

"Hello Mr Wolf, I'm (insert name/position here).  Which post are you a member of?"

"Um, I belong, now, to China Post #1"

"Oh shit.  Hey, I had nothing to do with that (incident).  Swear it.  Don't hurt me.  What do you need?  I wasn't there.  Did you find witnesses?"

Then, I would meet various commanders or Past National Commanders, and to a man, most would say ''we worry about members of that post.  They have a predilection towards taking over small countries..."  Then they'd go into the latest Griffin book entry.  Which, til now, I was totally unfamiliar with.

So what does all this have to do with this entry?  Well, this...

ALL YOU KNUCKLE DRAGGERS AND SLACKERS WHO JOINED THIS POST OVERSEAS - JOINED THE LEGION THEN THIS POST- and dropped out of sight...

And you know who you are- GET YOUR DUES AND MEMBERSHIPS BACK UP!  Commander, CP#1, sends.  What do we have to do, come find you?  And you KNOW we can...

See, quite a few joined CP#1 during their 'tours' overseas in order to get access to cheap booze.  Ok, ANY booze, given where most were.  Then, once out of the AO, dropped like it a hot rock.  Now guys, that ain't right.  You signed, you joined, you belong. Come back into the fold now, and all will be forgiven...

Otherwise, those black helos may get re-missioned ... and good luck trying to get back in when you get re-deployed back overseas (and you know you will).

BTW, CP#1 is having its annual reunion in Las Vegas this week- those in-the-know understand where to be and who to see.  Otherwise, contact me and I'll link you up. 

Wolf, out...

---

Mission: To protect and promote the reputation and dignity of America's Warriors.
Join us!

STEAL THIS BOOK.... NOW!

Posted By Mr Wolf

Yeah, yeah.. Abbie Hoffman got away with that title.  But what I'd like to really recommend is this book, below. I mean, you REALLY need to get this book...

My good friend, Sergeant Major Steve Valley, has finally released his book.  This is a topic that, til now, has not been covered at all by books or press.  SGM Valley and I served together in Baghdad as PAO brothers, trying to keep together all the mayhem that made up the daily press briefings and other workings of the CPIC (Coalition Press Information Center).

From his publisher:

Inside the Fortress isn't a traditional "blood and guts" wartime book. It's a behind the scenes look at life for an Army senior listed leader inside Baghdad's world renowned Green Zone. The book is based on a written journal kept by Steve Valley from the day his Army Reserve unit was mobilized in December 2003, to the night he returned from the Middle East in January 2005.

Inside the Fortress gives readers an up-close look at the inner workings of an Army public affairs unit that dealt with a non-stop barrage of bullets, explosions and convoys on the dangerous Airport Road, all the while trying to satisfy the never ending requests from the media that brought the successes and failures of Operation Iraqi Freedom into American homes every night. Valley lived it for a year and writes of the daily struggles that war had on the men and women that serve in today's all volunteer American military.

 

Whether you are a private citizen, politician, journalist or Soldier, you will envoy Valley's point of view as a husband and father, a military leader and an American Soldier serving in Baghdad.

 

Steve Valley is a 24-year Army veteran whose former Army Reserve unit returned from a year-long deployment to Iraq in February 2005. Valley served as the unit's first sergeant, the senior enlisted Soldier at the Combined Press Information Center (CPIC) and as a media spokesperson for Multi-National Forces-Iraq. He currently serves as a Sergeant Major in the US Army Reserve. He's also an All-American VFW Post Commander and a sustaining member in the AUSA, the USO and the Wounded Warrior Project. Valley is a Massachusetts native now residing in Florida with his wife and two sons.

Ok, that aside, what I can tell you about the content of this book is that its a FANTASTIC read; simple, to the point, and very funny.  Yeah, its like the 'inside baseball' stuff to me, but I can guarantee that you will be amazed at some of the stuff that went on behind the scenes there.

Oh- you can purchase the book HERE, from Publisher Direct.

What is also amazing is that his editor/publisher required him to REMOVE a fantastic amount of stuff, just because they could not fathom that it actually happend.  I can, from first hand knowledge, say that these things DID happen.  The SGM has changed a few names to protect the 'innocent' and those still on duty, but beyond that, this is no work of fiction.

We are trying to get a TV series set up based on this book.  Because of its location, its proximity to every high-level person in the country, and its visibility on the world stage, the CPIC was the epicenter of much that happened in Baghdad over the last 6 years.  MOST of it never before explained nor described anywhere.

Take a look- and stay tuned.  More interviews and information from the SGM are forthcoming.  Also follow updates on Twitter via @warriororg and @sogmedia.

Wolf

---

Mission: To protect and promote the reputation and dignity of America's Warriors.
Join us!

USO Girl Training- TSO v. Uncle J

Posted By Uncle Jimbo

 TSO from This Aint Hell and I are in Dallas fundraising for Warrior Legacy Foundation well actually on personal biz but I will have a post on the excellent fundraiser we went to yesterday soon. We were set against each other in the USO Girl training challenge at DFW and it was brutal.

The results were predictable in a contest of sales skills, however I would hate to go up against him on policies affecting the military, so it all works out.

---

Mission: To protect and promote the reputation and dignity of America's Warriors.
Join us!

Support Groups

Posted By Blackfive

Had to post this one.

---

Mission: To protect and promote the reputation and dignity of America's Warriors.
Join us!

The Story Behind Today's Delta Bravo Sierra

Posted By Laughing_Wolf

When you read today's Delta Bravo Sierra (and if you are not, you should be) there is a backstory. The backstory is mine, and comes from the fact that on my second embed I thought for a bit there that you would all be seeing a photo of me buried under a mound.

The only recognizable feature to show that I was buried there would be one hand/arm, forlornly sticking up out of the mound, a tattered celophane bag still clutched in one hand. The mound of kids would still be yelling "Chok-lat! Chok-lat!" The first part of my second embed was spent in Doura, a Baghdad neighborhood that had been a very nasty place. At the time, it was coming out in a big way and I spent several hours one day touring on foot. No sniping, no grenades, no IED's -- in short, a rather radical change from even a few months before I am told.

Having learned from the first embed, I had a bag of candy with me and was going to give it out to some kids there, who were not shy at all about swarming around asking "Chok-lat? Chok-lat?" The colonel I was with looked at me as I made an intention movement and simply said "If you do that, I will NOT rescue you." Watching the growing swarm of kids, I decided that I should listen to him and so waited. Good thing, as I later learned the trick of how to safely give out candy (make one of the kids give it out one piece at a time -- they can and will get the others to line up and be orderly).

I recently shared this with deltaB5, and am delighted it made it into his fine strip. Seriously, if you aren't reading Delta Bravo Sierra, you should be.

LW

---

Mission: To protect and promote the reputation and dignity of America's Warriors.
Join us!

Moonbat on the Mall- Arrest Bush, Cheney First

Posted By Uncle Jimbo

So I teed this one up with a blast from my earliest days of covering the far left in the Mad City and here is a classic to remind us of an upcoming holiday which will have a huge message from a new Pro-America group. I moved to DC knowing that these folks would be here in force, and today I met a wonderful dude. Friendly, polite but clueless as the day is long about the issues he beclowned himself regarding. I am the truest believer in free speech, but I also believe that anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of public opinion. Enter the "Arrest Bush 2009" movement. The Uncle J YouTube channel is here for subscriptions or browsing.

---

Mission: To protect and promote the reputation and dignity of America's Warriors.
Join us!

Moonbats in the mist

Posted By Uncle Jimbo

You often see articles on conservatives written by liberals who treat them as an alien species that they are studying a la Jane Goodall. I actually entered the blogging/citizen journalism realm in a similar way cataloging the many and varied moonbat species in the free range environment of Madison, WI. I bring you the first piece I think I ever published on the topic, from the run up to W's re-election and the left's virulent efforts to reclaim America. The reason for this trip down memory lane will be apparent tomorrow when you see the video I shot today with the proprietor of "Arrest Bush 2009" on the National Mall in front of his 15 ft. tall inflatable Bush Pinnochio.

Independence Day 2004 in the Mad City         


One of the joys of living in Madison, WI is the variety and vigor of our
hippies. The Mad City is truly one of the most progressive cities in
the world and I mean that as a compliment. I live here by choice
because of the quality of life.

That means we get excellent street theater from our thriving Bush
haters and general moonbattery. Today we got a July 3rd Tea Party
and reading of a revised Declaration of Independence for our
entertainment. I attended to ensure there was more than
one viewpoint on display. I was resplendent in my Peace sign T-shirt
and my SF hat with all my badges and tabs and crap on it.

The game was to march to the park while beating drums and
chanting the usual boilerplate hey hey ho ho Bush and Cheney got
to go and I was afraid the whole thing might just suck. But once they
got to the park things livened up. First lets get a look at the usual
suspects.

Here we have the Pro-Death Moonbat with a sign containing her
heart-warming sentiment.

Continue reading "Moonbats in the mist "

---

Mission: To protect and promote the reputation and dignity of America's Warriors.
Join us!