United States Marine Corps Celebrates 233 Years Of Fighting For Liberty

In honor of the United States Marine Corps' 233rd birthday:


Semper Fi!--and thanks to my father (post-Vietnam), grandfather (Korea), great uncle (WWII), and all veterans--a debt that can never be repaid.

Support The Troops At The DNC

Not all rallies at the DNC will be infested with moonbattery--support the troops and their families on Sunday, right across from the anti-war protesters at Civic Center Park:

American Victory Coalition has a permit for a rally at Pioneer Monument Park in Denver on Sunday, Aug. 24th. from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Invited participants include Families United for Our Troops and Their Mission, and Vets for Freedom. Speakers include: Debbie Lee (Gold Star Mom), Major Diggs Brown Jr., Vets for Freedom representative Brian Ivers, Dr. Niel Dobro, Joshua Sharf.

Our goal is to show the world America’s true colors: strength, patriotism and resolve in the war on terror. The Democratic National Convention will be a left wing free-for-all with mass media trumpeting radical anti-war messages. If you respect our troops, their commanders and their mission, this is the opportunity to make your voice heard.

Media attention on Americans who actively support victory is almost non-existent. This is an opportunity to change that. It’s important for the public to see that the “silent majority” is silent no more. Also this rally will be directly in view of the delegates to the DNC, who clearly need to hear this message. The organizers welcome anyone who wants to show their support for victory in the war against radical Islamic extremists and the regimes that support them.

Quote Of The Day 042908

"For who he was and the sacrifice he made, he is now, and for eternity, a true American patriot and a hero."

RMN Columnist Surprised Coloradans Still Joining The Military

First, a RMN reporter was "shocked" that citizens of Colorado were choosing to protect themselves and avail themselves of their rights--perhaps under threat by Democrats in the halls of political power--by requesting concealed carry permits.

Now a RMN columnist Tina Griego is surprised that young Coloradans are continuing to choose--that's right--choose to take up the nation's call. That they are given a job in a shaky economy and the added benefit of a paid education is the least we can offer them:

Now, five years after the war began, with the conflict more unpopular than ever, I am again surprised by the numbers. Last month, 435 recruits were sworn in at MEPS, and Maj. Hunt says since Thanksgiving, "We've been slammed. It might have something to do with the economy. I don't know."

He says the reasons for enlistment have not changed much. Number one is usually that it pays for college.

"Five to 10 percent do it for patriotism," Hunt says, "or because the family has a military background. But those families are like a dying breed."

Gee, now why might that be? Anti-war, anti-military moonbattery doesn't help.

More from Griego:

So, I return to MEPS and I call schools looking for a particular group of recruits: high school seniors. The war has been a backdrop of their adolescence. Twelve and 13 years old when it began, theirs has been a youth accompanied by the press conferences of generals and pickets of protesters and the sad and steady tributes to fallen soldiers.

I wonder how all this weighed upon their decision to enlist. In choosing to join in a time of war, these young people have decided to risk being sent to fight its battles. An abstraction becoming concrete.

I find them as pragmatic and intent on the immediate as Hunt predicted. Perhaps, too, it is youth's invincibility speaking, but they say the war they have grown up with, the war they may join, was simply not a factor in their decision.

It'll pay for college, they say. It'll help make me become a stronger person. It's a ticket out.

And the war? If we go, we go, they say; it's the job.

More maturity than your pampered, trust-funded anarchist activist, like the ones planning to invade Denver this August for the Democratic National Convention.

Not all are so pragmatic. There are still those who feel the call to duty:

I do find exceptions. Eric Gallagher is a Cherry Creek High senior. He leaves June 30 for West Point, a choice, he says, that satisfies both his dreams and his parents'.

"The practical part is it's a great education. It's free, that's practical. But that's not all there is. Look at who's fighting and there's no one from my zip code dying. It's not a broad range of people fighting. And they're dying for people who are living it up here."

That few bear the burden is wrong, he says.

I learn they grew up in military towns or that they wanted to join since middle school or that among their treasures is the medal of a great-uncle wounded in World War II.

Kerr tells me his father was a Marine and his grandpa fought in World War II.

"I feel obligated to serve," Kerr says. "The war does not impact my decision at all."

No, but peer pressure sure can--these recruits are still in high school.

But they don't flinch when their moonbat classmates chide them:

This is not a popular decision. West High Senior Chris Hinojosa (Marines) says his friends tell him he's stupid. North High School senior Bridget Romero (Air Force) says people warn her she's going to Iraq.

"I've just stopped talking about it at school," she says. "People keeping asking me, 'Why?' I don't feel like I have to explain it to them."

Of course, their parents worry. Kerr's and Gallagher's families planned for their sons to go to college. It's taken some time, their parents say, to accept this path. But I hear, too, something like awe in these parents' voices. Their sons are passing a threshold into adulthood and, Laura Kerr and Mike Gallagher say, they are doing so with focus and diligence.

"Raise your right hands," Maj. Hunt told Stewart and Kerr Thursday. Nervous, excited, they vowed to defend the Constitution of the United States. Stewart leaves for boot camp on Sept. 21; Kerr on Aug. 18.

Not all of America's youth are coddled, self-absorbed, moonbats.

A salute and hearty Godspeed to them all.

And shame on the RMN columnist for continuing to be "surprised" that there are those still willing to fight for our freedom, despite the cost.

Personal note: my brother-in law, a legal immigrant from England, has just completed his military physical. He will be shipping off later this spring for boot camp, joining the Coast Guard. Proud American--and he isn't even a citizen yet!

Denver's St. Patricks Day Parade 2008

Well, after a lengthy technical difficulty, here is attempt number two--

Scroll for pics . . .

Bagpipes a blazin', effortless Irish dancers, honored veterans of all branches, spiffed out cars, and some funky livestock:




Just a couple of weeks 'til Opening Day!


99 green balloons go by . . .


Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper shows off his "green"--in the "100% electric" vehicle


A little off-roadin' in Downtown Denver


A puppet in a parade--and it's not Bush!?!?!?


Honoring the veterans


Like Ronald, we were all McLovin' it

Annual Anti-War Protests Prompt Warnings Of Violence, Threats Against Military Recruiters, Soldiers

Last week, we learned of the anti-war protest plans of the local moonbats:

Boulder: Saturday, 15th. Rally at 11 a.m. at the Main Branch, Boulder Public Library Lawn (Canyon between 9th and Broadway), followed by a march.

Denver: Sunday, 16th. Rally at 1:30 at the West Steps of the State Capitol.

We also questioned the "peaceful" nature of the anti-war, anti-military, anti-American activists.

Our fears are not unfounded, courtesy of Michelle Malkin, who also has a roundup of planned "actions" and a copy of the full threat report:

Subject: FW: SUBJECT: HQ USNORTHCOM FORCE PROTECTION ADVISORY 00002 (UNCLASSIFIED)
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

FYI

For your information. As the 5th anniversary of the Iraq war approaches, protest groups are increasing activity, some to include a direct threat to Recruiters, other Soldiers, others with DoD decals and their families. Areas of concern include Seattle and Tacoma, Washington; Pittsburgh; Washington, DC.; Chicago; Chapel Hill, NC; New York; Orlando and many locations in California.

Mitigation recommendations include standard AT/FP precautions to include:
- Avoid known risks
- Remain vigilant
- Use the Buddy system
- Inspect vehicles
- Do not engage belligerents

Can't wait for the "street theater" brought to us by Recreate '68 and the "festival of democracy moonbattery" at the DNC!

Besides, you don't want to engage the "belligerents" anyway--the overwhelming body odor and patchouli stench will rub off.

Colorado Disabled Veterans' Tuition Bill Suffers Setback, Now All But Dead

"We’re talking about our countrymen who are serving to protect us and provide the freedom we all enjoy. These are the people who put their lives on the line for us. They deserve to be taken care of"--Rep. Rafael Gallegos, sponsor of the free tuition bill for decorated combat veterans



Email Rep. Gallegos--rafael.gallegos.house@state.co.us--and let him know you support continuing the fight for veterans' tuition



An update from a few weeks back, when it was revealed through leaked emails that the Colorado Department of Higher Education was aggressively trying to kill a tuition waiver bill for veterans--including the disabled--through back-door channels:

In the duel between veterans and the Colorado Department of Higher Education, the bean counters parried successfully this morning.

Lobbyists for Colorado’s cash-strapped colleges and universities unwittingly revealed in an e-mail earlier this month that they planned to kill House Bill 1068, which would grant free tuition to Colorado veterans. The universities contend that they can’t afford the tuition break and that no one can say how many veterans would qualify.

For now, the lobbyists’ plan is working; as of today, the bill was ailing, if not dead.

During the House Appropriations Committee meeting, lawmakers tabled the bill after committee members cast a tie vote on whether to add an amendment that would limit the number of veterans who would qualify. The amendment would have restricted free tuition to disabled veterans who had received the Purple Heart in post 9/11 wars.

Rep. Rafael Gallegos, D-Antoninto, who sponsored the bill, said he was willing to compromise on limiting the tuition break to post 9/11 service members. But, Gallegos thinks it’s too restrictive to give the benefit only to disabled veterans.

“We’re talking about our countrymen who are serving to protect us and provide the freedom we all enjoy,’’ Gallegos said. “These are the people who put their lives on the line for us. They deserve to be taken care of.’’

As noted in the previous post, among the opponents of the bill claiming a lack of funds is David Skaggs, who called for in-state tuition for children of illegal immigrants just last year.

The same funding excuse continues to stall the bill:

John Karakoulakis, spokesman for the Colorado Department of Higher Education said his side will also work toward a compromise. Higher education officials had supported the today’s amendment. But, without it, the bill has little chance of moving forward. So, at the moment the bill is stalled.

“We were concerned that this was such a wide-open bill. We were trying to address the neediest veterans,’’ Karakoulakis said.

“We’re going to keep trying to work as well,’’ he said, but he said the cost of the bill is still unclear.

“There are is no good number out there (of how many veterans would qualify),” Karakoulakis said. “We don’t have estimates of costs right now.”

Since when do liberals and the bean-counters in higher education care about costs? If this bill were designed for some other group, there would be a moral imperative to find a way to get this tuition waiver through.

It appears the Democrat-controlled Colorado legislature (it must be noted that this bill is sponsored by a Democrat) can't seem to overcome the lobbying of the Colorado Department of Education, who is behind the attempt to kill the bill:

In an e-mail Monday to two dozen Capitol lobbyists, Cathy Wanstrath, a lobbyist for the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, laid out a plan to kill the measure when it is heard by the Appropriations Committee on Friday.

"I think you all agree we need to kill this bill, and (the Colorado Department of Higher Education) has been happy to take the lead," according to the memo obtained Tuesday by the Rocky Mountain News. "However, we need your help in the next couple of days to count the votes to kill it in committee."

Once again, here is the link to the Colorado Department of Higher Education, as well as the Colorado Commission on Higher Education.

Have a message for David Skaggs? (keep it polite)--executivedirector@cche.state.co.us

Emails Allege Fort Carson Deploying Injured GIs To War Zones

"We have been having issues reaching deployable strength, and thus have been taking along some borderline soldiers who we would otherwise have left behind for continued treatment"--e-mail alleging injured GIs are being redeployed improperly and prematurely

---

"This soldier should NOT have even left CONUS (the United States). . . . In his current state, he is not full mission capable and in his current condition is a risk to further injury to himself, others and his unit"--physician Maj. Thomas Schymanski

Injured soldiers have no business being sent back into war zones, so here's to hoping the following allegations prove untrue (and given the moonbat/MSM desire to smear the troops, this should get heavy play later today):

Fort Carson sent soldiers who were not medically fit to war zones last month to meet "deployable strength" goals, according to e-mails obtained by The Denver Post.

One e-mail, written Jan. 3 by the surgeon for Fort Carson's 3rd Brigade Combat Team, says: "We have been having issues reaching deployable strength, and thus have been taking along some borderline soldiers who we would otherwise have left behind for continued treatment."
. . .
Fort Carson could not say Wednesday how many soldiers were considered "no-go's" by medical professionals at the SRP site but were ultimately sent overseas.
. . .
Singh said he does not believe medically unfit soldiers have been deployed to Iraq. He said soldiers with medical issues are only sent to theater if there is a light-duty job for them and medical services are available in theater. He said 3,500 of the brigade's 3,700 soldiers were deployed. The others probably stayed home because medical services could not be found for them in theater.

One injured soldier, Master Sergeant Denny Nelson, says he found himself being returned to Iraq despite critical injuries that all but rendered him ineffective:

Capt. Scot Tebo's e-mail was, in part, a reference to Master Sgt. Denny Nelson, a 19-year Army veteran, who was sent overseas last month despite doctors' orders that he not run, jump or carry more than 20 pounds for three months because of a severe foot injury.

Nelson took the medical report to the Soldier Readiness Process, or SRP, site on Fort Carson, where health-care professionals recommended Nelson stay home.

The soldier, who has a Bronze Star and is a member of the Mountain Post's Audie Murphy Chapter, was sent to Kuwait on Dec. 29.
. . .
"This soldier should NOT have even left CONUS (the United States). . . . In his current state, he is not full mission capable and in his current condition is a risk to further injury to himself, others and his unit," said the physician, Maj. Thomas Schymanski.

Nelson, 38, had fractured his leg and destroyed the tendons that hold the bones in his feet together while jumping on his daughter's trampoline.

He arrived back at Fort Carson on Sunday.

"I just want to make sure these soldiers get back safe. I got back, and the only reason I got back safe is because I'm an E-8 (master sergeant). If I was a private or a specialist, I guarantee you, I'd be in Iraq," he said. "If nothing comes out of this other than those soldiers coming back home before one of them gets killed, then I can sleep at night. But God forbid if something happens, and I didn't do anything . . . ."

The New York Times, Violence, Vets, And Alleged War Crimes In Colorado

The New York Times (via Instapundit) began a series "War Torn: Across America, Deadly Echoes of Foreign Battles":

A series of articles and multimedia about veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan who have committed killings, or been charged with them, after coming home.

It continues:

Town by town across the country, headlines have been telling similar stories. Lakewood, Wash.: “Family Blames Iraq After Son Kills Wife.” Pierre, S.D.: “Soldier Charged With Murder Testifies About Postwar Stress.” Colorado Springs: “Iraq War Vets Suspected in Two Slayings, Crime Ring.”

Individually, these are stories of local crimes, gut-wrenching postscripts to the war for the military men, their victims and their communities. Taken together, they paint the patchwork picture of a quiet phenomenon, tracing a cross-country trail of death and heartbreak.

The New York Times found 121 cases in which veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan committed a killing in this country, or were charged with one, after their return from war. In many of those cases, combat trauma and the stress of deployment — along with alcohol abuse, family discord and other attendant problems — appear to have set the stage for a tragedy that was part destruction, part self-destruction.

Armed Liberal takes apart the Times' assertion that violence among returning soldiers exceeds that of the same age group who are not veterans and have never seen combat. The blog Democracy Project questions the paper's methodology, as does the Army.

The final story in the opening paragraphs of the Times' piece, however, refers to the alleged murders and other crimes perpetrated by a "ring" of soldiers in Colorado:

Pfc. Bruce Bastien Jr. and former soldier Louis Edward Bressler are charged with first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of Spc. Kevin Shields on Dec. 1 and Pfc. Robert James on Aug. 4. Another former soldier, Kenneth Eastridge, also is charged in Shields' death.

The motives for the two homicides differed:

Investigators believe Shields was killed after a fight with one of the suspects, while James is believed to have been killed as part of a robbery.

Bastien


Bressler


Eastridge

What the Times leaves out, however, is the secondary subplot underlying the alleged homicides--the assertion by Bastien that while in Iraq (the men accused all served together) he and Eastridge used stolen AK-47s to shoot randomly at Iraqi civilians, with the type of weapon used giving them cover:

Fort Carson officials confirmed they "immediately" notified military officials in Iraq about allegations of soldiers shooting at Iraqi civilians, but specifics about that investigation were scarce Wednesday.

Military law experts, however, said any criminal investigation in a war zone months after the alleged crime will be especially difficult.

The allegations surfaced in an El Paso County homicide case involving soldiers accused of killing fellow soldiers in Colorado Springs and allegedly committing a wave of violent crimes here in recent months.

"It may be tough," said Eugene Fidell, a Washington, D.C.-based military law attorney and military justice professor. "The trail may have grown cold. But this is the type of thing that has always challenged military investigative organizations."
. . .
After Bastien was arrested in connection with the Colorado Springs homicides, he told a U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command agent that Eastridge would often shoot at Iraqi civilians while the pair patrolled the streets of Baghdad.

"Bastien said that he knows that an Iraqi civilian was struck on at least one occasion," according to a motion filed Tuesday by prosecutors in the Shields homicide. The men used stolen AK-47 rifles commonly used by insurgents so if the shootings were questioned, they could "claim they were taking on hostile fire," Bastien told the investigator.

The Army's investigation failed to turn up anything credible:

A soldier's claim that he and another soldier randomly fired at Iraqi civilians while they patrolled neighborhoods in Baghdad is unfounded, Army investigators said Thursday.

"To date, our investigative processes that we have used have not been able to uncover any credible information or evidence to substantiate the recent allegations," said Chris Grey, spokesman for the Army Criminal Investigation Command.

That the MSM--represented by the NYTimes--would use such anecdotal stories to grind a larger axe, whether against the war, the veterans, or the administration is not surprising. What is surprising is that the MSM has failed to pick up on the alleged war crimes angle presented by these Colorado cases. As with any alleged crime, the accused are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law--it just seems odd, however, that the first thing out of one of the accused's mouth is to assert alleged war crimes violations--perhaps a strained attempt to garner support as victims of precisely the type of "combat trauma" that the MSM is so eager to prove is the cause of a new war-based crime spree? Or, as hinted in one of the follow-up articles, an attempt to frame one of the other soldiers with fantastic stories of shooting Iraqi civilians (the reports in the links above conflict over whether Bastien accused Eastridge of shooting Iraqi civilians, or admitted that they both did)?

Others--Blue Crab Boulevard and JammieWearingFool--question the Times' agenda and smear campaign.

Colorado State Parade Of Honor

"The day was celebrated with the state's longest parade ever"

**Update--no pics/video, real life and equipment failures have intervened.

Channel 2 said next year's parade would be even larger (Dolly Parton, Alabama and the Oak Ridge Boys have committed to performing at the event):

"It makes me proud that we have come together as a nation honoring our veterans and not treating them like we were treated after Viet Nam," said Kenneth Classen. He was one of the hundreds, perhaps thousands, who attended the first Parade of Honor.

September 15th was designated by Governor Bill Ritter as a day to honor law enforcement officers, firefighters and veterans. The day was celebrated with the state's longest parade ever. Parade organizer Frank Young, of the Trinity Community Services Foundation, said the parade was a success.

"These people put their lives on the line every day of the year, and we need to respect them and honor them," said Young.

A hundred law enforcement and fire fighter agencies participated in the parade plus various civic organizations and high school bands.

And yes, local impeachment moonbats made an appearance, hijacking a non-partisan parade of honor to further their own agendas:

John H. Kennedy, a political activist, took the opportunity to spread a message condemning the war in Iraq.

Dressed in a baseball cap with the message "Impeach Cheney," Kennedy held a sign saying "(Weapons of Mass Destruction) lies are impeachable."

"Our job is to get people's attention and at least make them think about this," Kennedy, a member of the Impeachment Coalition of Colorado, said.

Concensus? A good parade with a great purpose--just needs more publicity, but not too bad for a first showing:

The audience for the event was small, with marchers outnumbering viewers by a large margin. But those who attended were enthusiastic.

"It is completely extraordinary," said James Clarke, a London resident here on vacation.

There is nothing quite like the parade in London, he said. "It is so full of variety and life," said Clarke, a composer.
. . .
The sparse turnout didn't bother some marchers. "For a first year it was pretty good," said Lisa Wood, the mother-in-law of an active duty sailor who rode her motorcycle with the Patriot Guard Riders, a group that guards military funerals from protesters.

Spirit Of America Not Dead In Denver, Colorado State Parade of Honor This Saturday

"It's time we as citizens stand up and not wait for another 9/11 and recognize those who are working on a daily basis to preserve our rights as citizens"


Frank Young has coordinated the first Colorado State Parade of Honor which starts at 10am on Saturday in downtown. Young was at the Colorado Veterans Monument at Broadway between Colfax and 14th Avenue on Tuesday, September 11, 2007. This is where the parade will conclude with its reviewing stand. Young stands next to the Colorado Liberty Bell a replica of the original Liberty Bell. The parade which will have over 8,000 participants will honor people in the military, active and veterans, and also firefighters and law enforcement officials. (Post / Cyrus McCrimmon)

When news first broke that the Vietnam War Memorial had been damaged by vandals, hope for America's future became a little dimmer. But people like Denver's Frank Young, single-handedly organizing the Colorado State Parade of Honor to pay tribute to American's veterans in the military and law enforcement/firefighting stirs emotion and rekindles a love for country and respect for those willing to assume the duties that the rest of us take for granted (and for those who can't make DC's anti-moonbat Gathering of Eagles):

It's not as if Frank Young woke up one morning and, on a whim, decided to single-handedly put on a parade that would celebrate everyday heroes, cost six figures and tie up downtown Denver traffic for hours.

He gave it a lot of thought first.

"We were kicking around ideas of how we could honor all our veterans, our firefighters," Young said.

By "we," he's including his fellow volunteers at the philanthropic organization he co-founded, Trinity Community Services Foundation.

That was in January. By the end of February, the idea had crystallized, and on March 1, he sat down at his desk at Trinity headquarters - the converted lobby of a one-time motor lodge called the Doll House on West Colfax Avenue - and dialed the mayor's office.

The Colorado State Parade of Honor, featuring local military groups, law enforcement squads, rescue teams and, of course, marching bands, is set to begin winding through downtown at 10 a.m. Saturday. The event will be a new endeavor for the 3-year-old Trinity group, which ordinarily focuses its efforts on needy veterans, battered women and terminally ill children.

But it is a venture that has come to consume the 55-year-old Young and his considerable energies.

"It's time we as citizens stand up and not wait for another 9/11 and recognize those who are working on a daily basis to preserve our rights as citizens," he said.

Six months, dozens of meetings, a fistful of permits and $180,000 after he started, Young says he has lined up 238 marching units, arranged a military-jet flyover and secured Lee Greenwood - the John Wayne of country music - as grand marshal.

We'll have pics/video of Saturday's parade.

France Honors WWII Hero In Colorado

Every now and then, France does the right thing:

FORT COLLINS - World War II veteran Bill Gordon leaned forward on his two canes Wednesday night so the French Legion of Honor medal, that nation's highest military honor, could be pinned to his lapel.

Then after looking around the room at 45 friends and colleagues who had gathered to honor him, he spoke of the people who were not present: the men of B Company who fought and died more than half a century ago to liberate France from the Nazis.

There were 142 men in B Company of the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment when Gordon, a 24- year-old replacement platoon leader, began leading them through the Battle of the Bulge.

By the time he was sent to a stateside hospital after being shot twice, 14 men were left from the original unit.

"I know it's my honor, and I appreciate this great honor," Gordon, 85, a former Army colonel, told the audience at Nico's Catacombs restaurant, choking up a bit. "But I think I need to accept this on behalf of those men."

Phillipe Larrieu, the Los Angeles-based Consul General of France, pinned the bright red ribbon and green-flecked medal on Gordon after expressing his country's gratitude.

The ceremony was part of a program aimed at recognizing the anniversary of the landing of allied forces at Normandy in June 1944 by honoring about 100 U.S. veterans with distinguished records.

"France has not forgotten the American heroes of World War II," Larrieu said. "Col. Gordon, you embody the best of America, and on behalf of France and my fellow citizens, I would like to say, 'Thank you.' "

An appropriate gesture at a time when the two countries could use some diplomatic rapprochement:

Gordon said he has been pained by the strained relations between the two historic allies over U.S. policy in Iraq, he said.

"It's a great honor," he said of the medal. "But more than an honor, it's a reaffirmation of our great friendship."

Now that Nicolas Sarkozy has been elected, perhaps France and the United States can once again become more like allies and less diplomatic adversaries.