Buck Made Me Do It

Iron Tom Roberts (aka Buck) over at EIP "inspired" me to run out and do this.

But it all worked out as I think my pirate name is rather neat. Perhaps I am officer material after all. (And that my friends is a story for another time!)

So mateys, have ye the stones to get yer own pirate name? Arrr! Get thee hither, be ye man (or woman) enough. Arrr!

(And ye can share yer pirate name with yer shipmates here in these spaces. If ye have the guts fer it!)

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr....

Off Station

My Mom's in town for a few days. So...

Blogging may be a little light for the rest of the week.

Not that I've been burning up the blogosphere lately.

As Lex would've said, "Talk amongst yourselves"...

...Guinness is in the fridge, Jameson's is under the sink.

The Sarge is Off Station at this time...

Monday

Michigan Won, Packers Won
The Rest? Bah, Humbug!

On the whole a rough weekend for my teams. Air Force didn't play this weekend, so at least they didn't lose.

Rough outing for Army, in a high scoring game like that, to lose by one point. Geez.

And I don't even want to talk about the Patriots right now. Defense comes through, chip shot field goal, missed. So close, yet so far. Cardinals seem very improved. I was impressed by their defense.

It's always fun to watch a Bears - Packers game. A very long rivalry. Also nice to see the Pack get back on track.

Michigan? Go Blue! (Sorry UMass, but I have family that went to Michigan.)

Navy versus Penn State. Won't even go there. 'Nuff said.

Colorado State. Two disappointing outings in a row. Of course CSU is a much better team than when I was in school there. Back in those days, the football program was bad. Very bad. Program has improved a lot since the mid-80s. But not looking good this year, yet.

That's all I have right now sports fans.

After going all geopolitical over the weekend, I needed to lighten things up a bit.

Hard to say what tomorrow will bring. I feel a rather serious post brewing inside me right now.

Or maybe it's just the Buffalo Chicken I had for dinner. Only time will tell...

Update:


Ouch!

Is it just me? Or has Peyton lost some arm strength? Last week and this it seemed that a lot of his passes floated and were kind of wobbly. Three picks in the first quarter. And a fumble. Broncos started off badly. Based on the final score I'd say that cost them the game. Just a bit.

A Hero

Dan Murphy, Father of LT Michael Murphy stands alongside USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) at Naval Station Newport.
The official commissioning of the ship will take place Oct 6th in New York City.

Saw this photograph over at The JOPA. Just had to share it. In that picture is the father of a true American hero.

I recently read Marcus Luttrell's book, "Lone Survivor" in which he tells the story of the mission which cost the United States the lives of three of their best: LT Murphy, Danny Dietz and  Matthew Axelson. Marcus was the lone survivor of the title. If you have not read this book, do so. It will give you some idea of the challenges faced by our men and women who are out there, for us.

So this post is a short one, a tribute to one man who gave his future for our today. And in remembrance of all of those brave men and women who answered freedom's call. Especially those who gave everything.

LT Murphy's Awards and Decorations

LT Michael P. Murphy, USN

LT Murphy's Medal of Honor Citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life and above and beyond the call of duty as the leader of a special reconnaissance element with Naval Special Warfare task unit Afghanistan on 27 and 28 June 2005. 

While leading a mission to locate a high-level anti-coalition militia leader, Lieutenant Murphy demonstrated extraordinary heroism in the face of grave danger in the vicinity of Asadabad, Konar Province, Afghanistan. On 28 June 2005, operating in an extremely rugged enemy-controlled area, Lieutenant Murphy's team was discovered by anti-coalition militia sympathizers, who revealed their position to Taliban fighters. As a result, between 30 and 40 enemy fighters besieged his four member team. Demonstrating exceptional resolve, Lieutenant Murphy valiantly led his men in engaging the large enemy force. The ensuing fierce firefight resulted in numerous enemy casualties, as well as the wounding of all four members of the team. Ignoring his own wounds and demonstrating exceptional composure, Lieutenant Murphy continued to lead and encourage his men. When the primary communicator fell mortally wounded, Lieutenant Murphy repeatedly attempted to call for assistance for his beleaguered teammates. Realizing the impossibility of communicating in the extreme terrain, and in the face of almost certain death, he fought his way into open terrain to gain a better position to transmit a call. This deliberate, heroic act deprived him of cover, exposing him to direct enemy fire. Finally achieving contact with his headquarters, Lieutenant Murphy maintained his exposed position while he provided his location and requested immediate support for his team. In his final act of bravery, he continued to engage the enemy until he was mortally wounded, gallantly giving his life for his country and for the cause of freedom. By his selfless leadership, Lieutenant Murphy reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

The World Around Us

The person in the foreground, she represents a lot of people in this country now-a-days. She's just going about her business, blithely unaware of her surroundings. The sun is shining, everything is good.

Now that lion in the background? That lion represents a lot of people "out there". Both within this country and especially beyond our borders. A predator sensing an easy kill, confident that the target is paying no attention whatsoever, confident that there will be no retaliation, confident that no danger will come to them.

Most predators will not go after their prey if they sense there is the possibility that they could somehow be injured or even killed in making an attack. The price of the meal isn't worth the risk.

Right now, our freedom, our way of life and our belief systems are under attack. The predators can sense weakness, they sense that there is no risk to themselves at all. American citizens and interests can be attacked at will.

Recent events seem to bear this out. The enemy senses that they can attack us at will and that our government will do little, if anything, to retaliate. In essence, we have given them free reign.

What we need to do is make it clear, both in words and especially in deeds, that if you mess with the United States, if you kill or harm American citizens, then there will be a horrible price to pay. You will be made to pay and you will be made to pay dearly.

We need a return to the days when the following held true:

"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve."

Right now we stumble from one crisis to the next. No one takes the U.S. that seriously anymore. We need to change that and we need to change it NOW!

The following should be our motto as regards the way the rest of the world sees us:

"No better friend, no worse enemy"

Mess with us at your peril but if you stand with us, we've got your back.

Cross posted at The Lexicans

Where Do We Draw the Line?

The U.S. Ambassador to Libya and three other Americans murdered in Benghazi!!!

How much more of this anarchy in the world will we tolerate? Where do we draw the line and say, "That's it, not one step further."

It's impractical, if not impossible, to declare war against a frenzied mob. Especially a frenzied mob in another country. Another country where you get the feeling that no one there is really in charge. They've only recently been through a "regime change" which was achieved by blood and bullets, not ballots and babble. Certainly doesn't appear to be a stable, established government.

Perhaps that recent blood-letting has given that bunch a taste for that kind of thing. It's "Hey, we're pissed off and offended! Let's go blow things up and kill people we don't like." It's barbarism I tell you. Civilization does not seem to have taken root in that region of the planet. There's a patina of culture and civility, but scratch the surface and there lies the wolf.

I have no answers which involve diplomacy, talking or negotiating. One does not reason with savages.

We have emboldened these new barbarians with our peace talks, appeasement and "gee why don't they like us" naïveté. They feel that there are no boundaries which they cannot cross, no new atrocity they cannot inflict. There are no limits for them.

We fight with one hand tied behind our backs. We need to start fighting fire with fire.

"Why, doing that would bring us down to their level", it is said by the ivory tower dreamers.

Oh, really?

Is it better to let them slaughter diplomats or continue to blow up children on school buses in Israel? Murder and rape women in Afghanistan? For their so-called honor?

We're at war dammit! They know it and are exploiting our innate goodness and sense of fair play.

Where do we draw the line against this descent into a new Dark Age?

Where?


Cross posted at The Lexicans

Sharing the Awesomeness

This video is well worth 9 minutes and 49 seconds of your life...

H/T to Edward Olsen over at The Lexicans.

I just have to mention that I got the shivers after seeing the tail code on that first jet. "ZZ" is the code for the 18th Fighter Wing, at Kadena AB. I was stationed there for 2 and a half years back in the day (mid '70s). But, I must confess, the video also made me feel a bit old. Back in my day, the 67th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) flew the F-4C, long out of service.
 
But really, all I can say, is, that after watching this video, I am so jealous of what Big Time and the WSO do for a living.

Seriously...