Grow the Army

If you've been paying attention to "Army" news, then you probably already know that an announcement was made before Christmas concerning the approved locations for re-stationing of the additional 74,000 Soldiers that will be added to the force by 2011. Forts Bliss, Stewart and Carson are the major recipients of new Brigade Combat Teams (BCT), but Fort Leonard Wood also will receive a headquarters element for a Combat Support Brigade (Maneuver Enhancement). The main point to keep in mind as one compares the new force organization with the pre-transformation force is that the Army now is "brigade-centric", versus a legacy "division-centric" organization. While divisions remain, they no longer have habitual relationships with the same brigades. Two each BCT will be located at Bliss, Carson and Stewart, and there will be eight new Combat Support Brigades.One-third of the Army will be re-stationed according to the plan, and the total military construction program associated with all of this is approximately $66 billion. Some continue to argue that the Army will still be too small even with this significant increase. Time will tell.

Merry Christmas

For those who read this Blog on a regular basis, I plan to take a few days off from writing updates, primarily so I can celebrate the Christmas holiday period. I'll be back later next week. To all, have a most joyous (and safe) Christmas. Especially all of our dedicated military and civilian personnel deployed overseas. Cheers!

Engineers in the Pentagon

I just returned from a visit with the Office of the Chief of Engineers - Pentagon. These are the folks who serve to cover all engineer bases, so to speak, for the Chief of Engineers, and help make sure all aspects of Army Engineering are properly stated and represented throughout all levels of the Department of the Army staff and elsewhere. Colonel Bill Haight is in charge, and he is ably assisted by Colonel (Retired) Ron Hawthorne (who at one time sat in Haight's seat), along with a superbly qualified staff of military and civilian personnel. Essentially, OCE-P is the "eyes and ears" for the Chief of Engineers in a location where keen vision and hearing are required. They do what they do on a "wartime footing" and have personnel right inside the Army Operations Center 12/7 today, and 24/7 as needed. I'm going to prepare an article about OCE-P for the Jan-Feb issue of Army Engineer, so you can read more then. For now, rest assured that the right engineer people are on point for us in the Pentagon.

Better and better

Friday night evening news, ABC reported that "The situation in Iraq is getting much better. Today was the first day in a long time that there were no reports of terrorist activities in Baghdad." Is it "the surge" or have the terrorists finally figured out that it's not to their long term advantage to continue to harm innocent women and children. It's too early to tell, but maybe, just maybe, we are seeing a glimpse of stability that might last. Let's hope so.

Game of Chicken

According to news reports today, many government and contract employees of the Army and Marine Corps will begin learning soon whether they could be laid off in early 2008 because Congress has failed to pass a war spending bill for the new fiscal year. That’s because the Department of Defense is paying for the war out of the services’ baseline budget operations and maintenance accounts, which also cover a large portion of base operations and civilian employee salaries. The notices apparently will be in the form of an “informational” letter, and not a furlough notice. Now starts the game of “chicken” between Congress and the administration, right on top of the holiday season.

I want snow!

If you are now stationed in the mountains of Afghanistan, or live in the northern regions of the United States, then this blog entry is not for you. For those of us in the mid-atlantic or southeast U.S., however, some (mostly me) want to see some white stuff the closer we get to Christmas. So, what do we get? Our local SW Virginia forecast is for record warmth next week, even though we had a small amount of freezing rain last night. I graduated from Michigan Tech in 1963, and there was still snow on the ground that gradation day in June. (Check out the site's web cam to see the snow on the ground now). Not that I want to have THAT much snow now , just enough to make me have to shovel the driveway. We're still a ways off from the big day when Santa climbs down my chimney, but I sure hope he has to hold on tight due to snow on our roof.

Loyalty

It seems to me that if you are an Army Engineer now serving, or if you are a veteran of such service, then you ought to consider belonging to the Army Engineer Association. Not only will you receive six copies of a great magazine annually, with all sorts of relevant articles about Army engineering, but you will demonstrate your loyalty to the only organization devoted entirely to promoting and reporting on the current missions, history and traditions of Army Engineers. The inseparable bonds of engineer service are strong, perhaps the strongest in the Army. Take a look at AEA's membership information on the web site, Just hit your browser's "back" button and there you are.

A key signal to a long term presence

Regardless of all the speculation going on about a sooner rather than later U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq, a signal I get that we may be there for some time, is the number of NEW post exchanges that are being constructed to support the troops in major base locations. These don't appear to be some "wooden hut" arrangement, so I have to assume they are being built for the long haul. Picture above, Pfc. Matt Hayes, from Nashville, Tenn., Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery, checks out at the new Post Exchange, Dec. 1, following a grand opening ceremony on Forward Operating Base Hammer, Iraq. (Photo by Sgt. Natalie Rostek, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs)

Changing technology

I've been using computers in some fashion or another since the early 1980's. I remember being introduced to the "power" of computers by the S-1 of the battalion in which I served, when she brought in her IBM "personal" computer, and demonstrated how she could manage some of the data she utilized (like awards, promotions, etc) on her machine. I was hooked. Later, the S-3 did the same, as did a company commander. The latter had one of the first Macintosh computers made, and when I saw it, I knew Apple was for me. It still is today, but what I can do now makes what we did back in the 1980s seem stone-age in comparision. The sad thing about all of this, is that technology changes so fast these days, that what you buy now, will be obsolete in a very short time. I keep telling myself that computers can't do much more than what I want them to do now; but then, some company unveils a new technology that makes me think otherwise. Sadder is that fact this all raises the balance on my credit card!

Army mechanics

Having served as an Army combat engineer for some years, I have to say that without a doubt, many of the missions in which I was involved, during peacetime and during combat, could not have been successfully completed without the ingenuity of Army mechanics who kept our equipment running. These Soldiers often worked behind the scenes, spent many sleepless nights, toiled under and on exceptionally dirty and greasy heavy engineer construction equipment, and all the while maintained a can-do attitude. So, the next time you talk to an Army mechanic, tell them "thanks".

Do it later time

The period in between Thanksgiving and Christmas is, for many, a "do it later" period. In other words, let it ride until after New Years Day. Long ago when I was a Department of the Army staff officer in the Pentagon, this time of year was when many offices planned ways to out do the other, in terms of Christmas parties. Therefore, some staff actions were slower (than normal) to occur. Not that things ground to a halt mind you…we just had more important things on our minds. Back in those days, one could bring in as much booze as desired (bottled liquor) to fuel party goers, and many Army staff elements opened their doors to all who were wandering around the halls, looking for good cheer. The hallways after these parties were littered with very large piles of empty bottles (neatly stacked of course...this was a military setting we're talking about). And, many suffered the next day with aching heads. Most in the military today would not believe this actually happened, but it did, each of the four years I was in the Pentagon (75-79). I could elaborate quite a bit more on what actually went on during these parties, but I value the reputation of my DA Staff partners (and my own) way too much to repeat it publicly now.

Thanksgiving Holiday Weather

Never fails, it always seems like the weather gods conspire against us mortals each year by tossing in some sort of bad weather on top of Thanksgiving holiday travel plans, thus creating bottle necks here and there. After watching the evening news last night, I thought to myself that there is no way I'd want to be out in that mess, what with today's dismal condition of the airline industry, the lack of adequate rail and other alternative travel options, and a staggering increase in the number of vehicles sitting bumper to bumper on deteriorating highways and byways all across America. Stay close to home is my motto these days. So, with these happy thoughts, everyone have a happy turkey-day!

Monday, Monday

This blog title represents one of my favorite songs from the Vietnam era...by the Mamas and the Papas...but that's not what this is about. Here's some brief thoughts of mine as I scan the internet for news and such today with coffee cup in hand: 1. Racing season is over, Jimmy Johnson won the cup, and Jeff Gordon set a new record for the number of top ten places in a single season...30. Hendricks Motor Sports is at the top of their game, and next year Dale, Jr. will race with the team. I can't wait. 2. The Amy is now looking at getting some 37,000 Soldiers into a combat zone for their first time. 60% of the 515,000 active-duty force has been at least once. Most of those yet to deploy since 2001 are in the medical field, and their skills are needed back home. But about 4% are in the combat arms. I'm glad to see the Army is on top of this. Homesteaders look out, pack your gear! 3. It's estimated that over 170 tons of turkeys will be eaten this week by the military. Good for those in uniform, bad for those with the feathers.

Engineer units in transition

Thanks to a retired Army Engineer (LTC Doug Lehmann) who volunteers his valuable time, AEA is able to maintain a list of engineer units and organizational web links on its web site. You obviously are aware of AEA's site, because you got here, from there. The list of units and organizations which have web links used to be rather large, but over the past several years it has shrunk considerably. Why? Transformation of the Army. Many units have been inactivated, reorganized, or had their numeric designations changed. Additiionally, time is at a premuim these days, to maintain a web presence. While the number of active and reserve component units which have active web sites has declined, the number of "reunion" or veteran sites has increased. That's good, because it speaks to the inseparable bonds of service we all have, as a result of being an Army Engineer, military or civilian. Doug is in the process now of updating all the present links while at the same time searching for more, and AEA plans to go live with a totally re-designed web site in early December. For now, check out the current list here.

Messing with the money

Here we go again, congress (with a definite lower case "c") is now messing with the funds the Army needs to continue to operate efficiently. All just to score points with their political base by showing that they are "doing all they can to bring the troops home". I'm not against that objective, nor should anyone be who has a military background and has served in combat. I'm not going to blame one side or the other, they both stink in my view, when it comes to getting anything done in Wash DC. But I am going to put the finger on those who care more about getting re-elected than they do about doing something really constructive, in a bi-partisan manner.

2007 Veterans Day…an after thought

My wife and I spent last Sunday (Veterans Day) with an Army buddy of mine and his wife, in North Carolina, about 2 hours drive from where we live. When we arrived late morning, Jim was wearing a red, white and blue ribbon on his sweater, which he'd worn to church earlier that morning. At the time I didn't think much about the ribbon, but later that evening when we got home, I thought that I too should have worn some sort of symbol to honor Veterans all, like he had done. It's not that I was unaware of the significance of the day, it's just that I sort of took it for granted, and that was my error, especially considering all of the veteran affairs with which I have been indirectly involved throughout the year. Another lesson learned.

Happy Friday

Here’s something to make you smile on a Friday. Enjoy it, but don’t hold me to it being “official policy”. It reminds me of the sort of stuff we used to pass around the Pentagon on April 1st. I’ve included only portions of the original message, and made some wording changes to make it fit in this context.

NEW POLICY FOR SOLDIERS IN TRAINING ANNOUNCED
After a lot of long hours and hard work by staff, the Army recently announced it is ready to give every Soldier in basic training the Training Assessment of Cognitive Operations, or the TACO test. Realizing that not all Soldiers learn at the same level, the Army will two versions. For those Soldiers who struggle with learning, the Army will have an easy version called the Soft TACO. For those high speed Soldiers who need to be challenged, the Army will have a difficult version called the Hard TACO. Of course the Army will grade all assessments on a bell curve which will be called the TACO Bell. Those Soldiers who fail to achieve a passing score on their first attempt, will be placed in remedial training with a Basic Educational Appraisal-Not Satisfactory or BEANS. So to recap, the new plan is to give every Soldier in basic training a TACO. They can have a Soft Taco or Hard TACO, it all depends on their abilities. Those who cannot handle a TACO will be given BEANS.

Voting day and phone calls

I suppose I'm not any different than most of you, but it seems like "local" elections generate way more unwelcome phone calls than do the national variety. Also, TONS of negative junk election mail has flooded our mail box the past three months. Thankfully, voting ends in a few hours. Then all I have to worry about are people calling to offer me a better home mortgage or low interest credit card. I have to admit, being stationed overseas away from these idiot phone solicitors was a benefit of military service I truly miss.

Non-thinking day

Sunday's are for resting, and not doing too much creative thinking…not that I'm any good in that regard. But, for what it's worth, (or in text messaging FYIW) here are some not so important, and totally uncreative thoughts: 1. Remember to vote next Tuesday. 2. Big football game on TV today: Pats vs Colts. 3. Only three more races to go to determine who will win the Nextel Cup racing title…I'm rooting for either Jeff Gordon or Jimmy Johnson, but I'm wearing my Gordon hat today. 4. Next year, Dale, Jr. will be a racing team mate with Gordon and Johnson, I can hardly wait. Jr's new 88 green or blue colors will flood over the stands like a tidal wave, replacing his Budweiser and number 8 red color. 5. I hate raking leaves. 6. The U of Nebraska football team has fallen so far this year, Kansas beats them 76-39. Incredible!

Old photos

Well, they aren't THAT old…1980's vintage of my family's two assignments to Germany…32nd Army Air Defense Command in the early 80's and the 18th Engineer Brigade toward the end of that decade. My wife is putting together in a scrapbook, all the photos we took; a hobby she shares as a part of a group of local ladies who have the same interests. Anyway, I'm dragging this blog out longer than it needs to be. My main point is that when I looked back at those photos today, I arrived at two main conclusions. First, we sure looked younger, were thinner and had much more hair. Second, we developed some VERY close personal relationships with many we lived alongside at the time, and many of those relationships have survived to this day. Not only did we work hard in performing missions the Army set for us, but we also had fun as a part of a military team. Family quarters neighborhood parties (like cross-country bocce ball in Darmstadt, or playing "washers" in Karlsruhe), unit personnel golf and/or ski vacations in Bavaria and elsewhere, and lastly family trips and tours all over Europe. It was a much different Army (and world!) then, serving in Germany. I like to think we were there at a perfect time. Our photos are proof.

Salute to the 19th Engineer Vietnam Vets!

Check out this great Vietnam veteran webpage of the 19th Engineer Battalion

Air Force capabilities?

First, there was the blunder of B-52s carrying nuclear weapons inside the United States without notice, and we now learn they are contracting to use Russian military cargo planes to haul supplies to Iraq…apparently because there aren't enough heavy haulers in the U.S. inventory. I'm not bashing the Air Force, just repeating what I read in the media. I really have no problem with using Russian heavy cargo aircraft; maybe it will further our relations. And, the Air Force (to their credit) stepped forward and admitted it made a mistake on the nuclear weapons situation. But, I do wonder of there might be some way to better utilize USAF (ground-based) manpower, so as to take some stress off the Army and Marines, who are doing most of the heavy lifting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Rain comes…finally

Rained here in SW Virginia for the past three days and we need it. Our area is near eight inches from this event in portions of the county. If it were to have popped up in mid-winter with normal temperatures, I'd be out shoveling tons of snow! Is this topic worth a "blog" spot? Darn right, considering we've gone months without any substantial precipitation in most of the southeast. And, this gives me a chance to highly recommend USA made, calf-high XTRATUF boots, which I learned about while traveling in Alaska. They call them "Alaska tennies", and they are without a doubt the most comfortable and effective wet-weather boots I've ever worn. You can get them here.

Anyone notice?

Have you noticed a significant decrease in the number of news articles and headlines lately concerning the situation in Iraq? Guess it's because there is progress being made, and that's not news. I do have to give a pat on the back to ABC nightly news, who last Friday had a good report on how much safer it has become over there, in areas that were previously exceptionally deadly.

Living close to a NASCAR icon is nice

We live about two miles from Martinsville Speedway, which plays host to several NASCAR races annually. The track celebrates its 60th Anniversary this year, and has grown from a simple dirt oval to one of the most popular tracks on the circuit. The races this past weekend were great, and of course I attended both the Craftsman Truck race on Saturday, and the NASCAR Subway 500 on Sunday. However, what struck me the most about where we live in relation to the track was yesterday morning around 7AM when I was out walking our dog. It was cool, in the low 40's, with a clear sky. The crispness of the early morning was transformed by the low, rumbling sound of high-power engines being revved up, in preparation for the Subway 500 race that afternoon. Blending in with the roar of the cars you could faintly hear announcements over the track's public address system, letting drivers and pit crews know the latest times for events of the day. As I completed my walk, I could hardly wait to get to the track for what would be a long, but exceptionally exciting day of slam-banging, fender-rubbin, short-track racin.

When I walked our dog this morning, the day after the race, you could hear the leaves falling, it was so quiet. Flashing back to yesterday brought back memories of Dale Junior bumping Juan Montoya out the the way, Jimmy Johnson and Jeff Gordon trading places within the top five most of the way, and old time racers such as Ricky Rudd and Bill Elliot still showing their short track stuff alongside the much younger field. Brakes failed, engines blew, transmissions went out, and cars bumped and banged throughout. I suppose there are those who say half-mile short track racing is not as exciting as going nearly 200 MPH over a mile or two long banked track. But, at Martinsville, you can see it all, smell the rubber and hot oil close up, and be completely surrounded by screaming, die-hard fans showing their loyal support to their favorite driver. And what's even more special for me, is that I live close by.

Here we go again

If you've been reading some of my earlier posts here, you know I'm not a big fan of all the Army's so-called "recruiting strategies". Plain and simple, it's my view that the Army has lowered entrance standards over what they ought to be simply to meet quotas, and the fact that those in charge keep trying to spin it some other way, really irks me. Now I read online at Stars and Stripes where "Army researchers are looking for ways to measure young troops’ enthusiasm and 'heart' to find ways to include more borderline recruits". The article went on, "…the test can help spot recruits whose body mass index labels them unfit to serve, but whose drive and strength show them to be worthy of an opportunity". So, what the Army seems to be saying is that when a potential recruit can't meet physical or other standards (already lowered from earlier times) then that's OK, let's just take a look to see how "enthusiastic" they are. If the Army judges them as being enthusiastic enough, then why not let them join; who knows, maybe they might eventually make it. That means more pressure being placed on Drill Sergeants who will not only have to deal with making qualified personnel into warriors, they will now have to figure ways to develop "enthusiastic but sub-standard personnel" at the same time. Dumb proposal.

Iron and Wine

If you like alternative music, check out the group Iron and Wine. You can download all their songs on iTunes. The group's newest album, The Shepard's Dog, is really nice…one of the best albums I've heard in a long time.

Wish I knew what's real

Last night on the evening TV news I caught a brief segment that said the Washington Post reported some significant progress in Iraq, specifically a trend perhaps indicating that the al-Qaida threat has been severely reduced as a result of U.S. efforts. Then, I listened to the words of retired LTG Ricardo Sanchez, former commander in Iraq, who was totally negative on just about everything. Why the general waited until now to unload his frustration is a good question. Anyway, I frankly have no idea what's real or not. Looking back at my Vietnam experience, it was hard to find anyone on the ground early in the 1970's (wearing tattered jungle fatigues) who was that supportive of our mission there, given it had been so screwed up earlier by politicians and others. Politicians today certainly are not helping us to archive success in Iraq, but my gut tells me that (unlike in Vietnam) the majority of our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan remain very supportive of their mission. I wish I knew for sure what's real.

This thing will make you feel younger

Yea, I know, this post has (like many others I write) nothing to do with the Army, but I'd bet a month's retirement pay that way more than half those serving in the Army today carry one of these babies around with them in their ACU pocket. What you see is the original Apple iPod, compared to one of the new ones…the iPod Nano. The newer models not only hold music, but play videos as well. And depending on the capacity of the one you own, lots of music and videos. I bought one of the older models, but it took me a few years after the original one was released in 2001 to do so. Now, I covet one of the newer models. My old one still works fine, but I figure if I get a newer one, I'll feel younger and more in touch with what's happening today within the techno generation.

Recruiting Objectives Met?

At a presentation in the Pentagon to news reporters today, David Chu, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel & Readiness, said in explaining how the military met recruiting objectives in 2007, "…waivers were given to recruits whose criminal pasts were limited. Most of the recruits exempted were let in because charges against them were dropped or they had been convicted of misdemeanors, not serious crimes. Of the 15 percent of recruits who needed a waiver last year, 87 percent were because of misdemeanor convictions."

If this is not lowering standards to meet objectives I don't know what is. I also do not understand how the Army is going to be able to expand its force by 50,000 as planned over the next several years, given the fact that fewer and fewer top rate people seem willing to voluntarily serve.

Expanded Basic Training

The Army plans to add a week to Basic Training starting next month (from nine to ten). That's good, but what is really better is that the TRADOC commander has said there will NOT be any additional training tasks added. That means Drill Sergeants will have more discretionary time during which to reinforce existing skill training.

The importance of music

Perhaps I'm a bit different from the typical music listener, because I have favorites from many genres…country & western, blue-grass, classical, pop, jazz or blues. I especially like Russian and Chinese music, as well as other traditional music from just about anywhere in the world. Given all the stress and strain we have today throughout the globe, wouldn't it be nice if we could just sit down together and enjoy each other's music, instead of having so many differences of opinion about which form of government is best? Yea I know, a simplistic and irrational view of things, but still it seems like a nice scenario to dream about…while listening to a favorite tune on your iPod.

Crisp Point, Michigan Light House

While not all are in use today, there are many historical lighthouses along the shores of Lake Superior in Michigan. This one is north of Newberry.

Back in time

I just returned from a week in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where my wife and I joined three other family members in a (very) backwoods hunting cabin, built in 1949. Nothing major has changed since that time. No electricity, no running water, and few (if any) comforts of home we've grown so accustomed to over the years. There was a "two-hole" outhouse about 50 feet away from the cabin, and if you wanted to go out there at night, you best take a flashlight with you, and shine it first in the surrounding tree line to look for the glaring eyes of a wolf or bear, who inhabit the remote area. If you wanted water, you used a metal hand pump connected to a nearby well. Heat came from a propane stove, which recently replaced a wood-burning, hand-made barrel-style stove. The change was not made by choice, but by the insurance folks, who mandated it, or else bye-bye policy. Lighting came from oil lamps, and block ice allowed us to keep food cold. Eggs, bacon and pancakes taste much better when cooked in such an environment, and when you climbed the steep creaky loft ladder to go to bed at night, the silence outside was unbelievable, as was the sight of millions of stars unblemished by man-made light pollution. We were definitely transported back in time, but were more than ready to return home, and take a long hot shower, simply by turning a couple of knobs.

Cheating is OK today

My high school and college age grandkids, and most of their peers see nothing seriously wrong with finding every "game cheat" they can on the internet to make it impossible for them to lose a round of "World of Warfare" or whatever. Additionally, when a new piece of computer technology or electronic gadgetry is announced, "hackers" around the world stop everything they are doing in an attempt to disable existing capabilities, or to add something they felt the manufacturer should have included. And when manufacturers make changes to their hardware or software to prevent or reduce hacking, many of those techies loudly cry "foul", as if they did nothing wrong in the first place. Too many of our young people today desire everything handed to them, with little if any personal sacrifice or commitment on their part. If it takes a cheat here and there to meet their desires, so be it. Why? Most would say "it's not fair any other way."

Well said

I read the following comment today from LTG (Retired) Ricardo Sanchez, past top commander in Iraq.

“My assessment is that we have a crisis in national political leadership,” Sanchez said. “When will America recognize the danger we face? When will the corrosive partisanship of American politics end and allow for a bipartisan solution to arguably the most dangerous threat our nation has faced in over 60 years?”

Well said. He received a standing ovation last weekend after making this remark (and others) to a group of military veterans.

Red to green

If you are/were a Dale Earnhardt, Jr. NASCAR fan, the image of his bright red, number 8, Budweiser sponsored race car will be hard to erase from memory next year, as he begins a new chapter of his career with Hendricks Motorsports, driving the green 88, Amp Energy Drink sponsored car; or depending on the race involved, a blue 88, National Guard sponsored car. If you have a number 8 tattoo somewhere on your bod, then you may want to go get a second digit placed beside it. And, now is the time to buy his old number 8, Budweiser gear, because it's going to be highly discounted for the remainder of this racing season. When I was at Bristol Motor Speedway last month, his gear was selling at a 50% discount. The lines were long as his faithful "red horde" fans opted to buy just one more thing in red.

Football Sunday isn't the same anymore

I used to be a rabid Green Bay Packer and Washington Redskin football fan, and my Sunday afternoons were generally reserved for NFL games on TV, no matter what teams were playing. But now, I've lost most of my enthusiasm. The NFL is not the same as it used to be…too much emphasis on individual players rather than on team unity, and there has been a general loss of integrity and ethics throughout the league. Any others feel the same?

Knowing where you're at

Thanks to hi-tech gadgetry I now know where I'm at whenever I wish to know. I bought a hand-held global positioning system (GPS) unit last July and have been having lots of fun keeping track of my movements while out for my morning walk, or while riding along in the passenger's seat with my wife, giving her continual updates as to our exact location on the highway, our elevation, our expected time of arrival at our destination, the time spent moving and stopping, and when to expect the next exit or rest stop. Those of you with in-car navigation units are already aware of this, but having a hand-held unit is so much more fun. Like when I'm watching TV with my wife at night, I can sit and calculate the distance from our house to, say, Marquette, Michigan. Then I pick another destination, then another, until she shouts, "Put that thing away!" Then, there was the other day when we were backing out of the garage. I just knew she wanted to know how many feet we had gone as she slowly moved in reverse. "10 feet, now 12, now 13, now 14." Fun stuff, eh? Yes, I definitely know where I'm at when I want to know. My wife on the other hand needs no help in that regard. She's known where "I was at" for years.

Something for everyone

After the grilling that Gen Petreaus and Amb Crocker withstood by Congress, they both probably wished they were back in Iraq. What they had to report was fair in my view, and gave something for everyone…troop reduction by mid-2008, and a strong recommendation to not depart too soon. But still, I have to admit that a troop reduction of 30,000 is not really a recommendation, but a necessity, given that there would be no troops available to replace those 30,000 that are part of the surge, if they returned home as normal by next summer. That, coupled with the general lack of progress by the Iraqi government as reported by Amb Crocker, will give ammunition to those in Congress who want a much larger troop reduction sooner than later. Like most Americans, I have absolutely no idea what the situation will be in Iraq by the end of this year, and any light at the end of the tunnel thereafter is obscured by many more unknowns. Depressing situation for us here at home, and something that's no doubt causing a lot of stress and concern by the families of those now serving.

Way over the top

The totally inappropriate and incredibly disrespectful ad portraying GEN David Petraeus as GEN Betray-us, in the New York Times, paid for by a far left-wing democratic political group (moveon.org), is about the worst thing I can remember any political oriented group stooping so low as to release. I'm basically neither a democrat or republican, preferring to support the most qualified individual or policy. But if anything will turn the military farther away from supporting the democratic party, this type of thing is it. STUPID!

Candid assessment

I’m glad to learn that the Chief of Staff of the Army, GEN George Casey, is concerned about the quality of recruits the Army is now allowing to join. At a recent gathering of government executives, General Casey noted that the number of people joining today who have a GED rather than a regular high school degree has increased, as have the number of CAT 4 individuals (lower end of the quality scale). While it’s still too early to judge the overall impact on the Army as a result of these statistics, it's fairly obvious to me at least, that there may be future problems which will be difficult to overcome. He also indicated that many mid-grade leaders are deciding to leave the Army. These are the people the Army has groomed for years to assume senior level leadership positions. The decreasing mid-grade experience base situation is further exacerbated as a result of the Army’s new structure which calls for an increase in mid-grade leaders at brigade level. I like the fact that those at the very top are now being more realistic about what kind of shape the Army is in, but I don’t like the fact it’s taken so long to say so candidly.

So many decisions these days…

Seems like the older I get, the more decisions I'm faced with. Fortunately, none I'm dealing with now have any major significance. If you've been a reader of my BLOG, then you may know I'm a big fan of Apple, Inc. and all their products. All my work is done on Apple computers, and my morning exercise program would not be complete without my iPod playing various songs in my music collection. Everything was going along just fine when about a month ago I began reading rumors about new iPods "on the way". My mouth began to water, and my anticipation meter started to rise. Then, earlier this week, Apple introduced the new iPod line-up. I want a new iPod, but which one do I buy? Again, not a major decision, but it seems like all I have done the past two days is read opinions from people on the I-net about the new iPod line-up. Many like me are in the same boat…which to buy. When faced with such situations, I tend to just hunker down…and do nothing. In my younger days, I'd have just ordered the one that cost the most, and had the most "cool" stuff. Today, I'm more conservative, but lurking just below the surface is my desire to "get one now". But, which one? Decisions, decisions, decisions.

Air Force blunder

Nuc weapons loaded on a B-52 flying on a mission over U.S. soil? Yup...happened August 30th, from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota to Barksdale Air Force Base, near Bossier City, in Louisiana. Great. Back to the good old days of the USSR! Someone was asleep at the switch on this one. Glad I'm not that person.

Printing, mailing, delivery of AE Magazine

There may be some out there who subscribe to Army Engineer magazine, and wonder why, for example, the July-August 2007 (and all others for that matter) was mailed from Springfield, MO so as to arrive at the tail end of August (2nd month in date title). Rather than having the cycle set so that it's received at the front end (1st month in the date title). Simple answer is because it's always been that way, right or wrong, and to make a change now would require doubling up the production effort and editorial calendar to move it forward by at least a month. Not easy to do, and I suspect most subscribers care more about timely and consistent receipt of six issues a year, whatever the date title. Anyway, just in case you wondered. If not, have a nice day.

Progress or not?

Looks like the next couple of weeks are going to be interesting in terms of news coming out of Iraq, and whether or not it is going to be reported fairly, or spun to meet the agenda of special interest groups…all political. The President stole some of the thunder by taking his "A-team" (his words not mine) with him to Iraq to get a first-hand look before the pending progress report is released, and debate begins in Congress. My gut says there won't be any appreciable change in troop levels at least until well into next year, but when I balance my gut against political realities, I am not so sure. Whatever, any person who looks fairly at the situation has to admit there has been some recent progress militarily. It's the lack of progress by the Iraqi government that tarnishes the overall record. Again, evening TV news will be interesting to watch.

Close Combat Badge

I was very happy a year or so ago when the Army authorized the Close Combat Badge to recognize the role played by non-Infantry Soldiers engaged in combat. Combat Engineers were included in the criteria, as they ought to have been. The eligibility as I read it includes the following: A Soldier must have been:

* Assigned or attached to an Army brigade or smaller unit that is purposely organized to routinely conduct close combat operations and engage in direct combat, in accordance with existing Army rules and policy.
* Under fire while engaged in active ground combat, to moving into contact and destroy the enemy with direct fire. Battle or campaign participation is not sufficient to qualify for this award; the unit must have been in active ground combat.

Makes sense to me, and I say commanders and leaders should make sure recognition is given to all Engineers who are directly engaged in combat, along the same lines as their brothers in the Infantry. What does not make sense to me might be instances where the "system" allows the award of such recognition to a person who for whatever reason was engaged in the "fringes" of combat, not necessarily moving into contact to destroy the enemy by direct fire, and was not specifically assigned or attached to a combat unit. Could, for example, an Engineer Soldier who is not a Combat Engineer by MOS, and who is not assigned to a close combat unit, but was still engaged in some sort of "combat action" such as being hit as a part of an ambush while riding in a convoy be allowed to receive the badge? I would hope not.

But, I remember from my combat tours during the Vietnam War, that there were too many in the military who seemed to me to be "recognition seekers and badge collectors". To them, it was more important to come home from Vietnam with a combat patch on their right shoulder, with as many "rows of ribbons" as they could get to adorn their uniform, and then to be able to strut around looking like some sort of combat hero, which most certainly many were not.

I suppose there will always be those sad leaders who say to their troops, "charge forward men, I'll be closely observing you through high-power lenses from my position here in the rear." Then, when the fight is over, that so called leader is first in line to make sure they get their own "personal badge of honor". That's too bad, because by them doing this, the true significance of the "badge" is tarnished for those who really deserve it.

Super professionals at work

I've observed all levels of operation within the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) composed mostly of dedicated Department of the Army Civilian personnel with a small percentage of military men and women assigned. Yesterday I was fortunate to have been hosted by Colonel Ron Light, commander of the Transatlantic Programs Center (TAC) in Winchester, VA, and his Public Affairs Officer Joan Kibler. What I saw and heard convinced me once again that there is no government agency anywhere in the world as professional as USACE, and in my view TAC stands at the top of that command in relation to what they do to support deployed Soldiers.

I was there to get information and to conduct interviews for an article to be published in the November-December, 2007 edition of Army Engineer magazine. There is no question in my mind that when that article is published, it will be one of the best I've had the pleasure of compiling for insertion. Look for it!

One more from Bristol

For some watching the Bristol race on TV last weekend, it was (in their words) boring. I suppose that what they wanted was total chaos lap-by-lap, complete with numerous caution laps, and lots of wrecks. Me? I was totally captured by the spectacle, the speed, and listening (on my race scanner) to the happy words of the drivers who were having a ball.

Bristol racin'

It was a tremendous experience for me to be a personal part of last weekend's Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Thank's to an Army buddy of mine (Retired Engineer Colonel Gary Wright)who was able to get hard-to-find tickets, I was able to go to Bristol.It's situated in a mountainous valley area of Eastern Tennessee; a place where you'd hardly expect to find such a MASSIVE facility, which seats 160,000 people, and has perhaps another 20,000 or so outside the track doing whatever they could to be a part of it all. Looking at it from about a mile away from where we'd parked the truck hours before the race (to share several beers with Gary's son Chris and his friend Jimbo) the track looks incredible. (That's me at the far right seated in the stands, Gary next to me, Chris, then Jimbo)

As we walked about a mile to the track for the 8PM start time, the track kept getting larger and larger, so by the time we entered the entrance way to the main track and vendor area, my jaw was continually in a dropped position, and my eyes were bugging out at the sights and sounds I experienced.

The pre-race ceremonies were incredible, complete with a military skydiver parachuting with a large U.S. Flag right onto the track, fighter jets overhead, and the world's largest "card-show" which portrayed the colors of the United States. NASCAR fans are perhaps the most patriotic people in the country. The race itself was super-fast with the new concrete surface, and there was enough excitement to keep us on the edge of our seats throughout.

Off to Bristol

Racing time again, this time courtesy of an Army buddy of mine who was able to get tickets to the most popular short track on the NASCAR circuit...Bristol. Short track racing is the best in my opinion (I live two miles from the next most popular short track...Martinsville). I'll take my digital camera and if any come out good enough, (it's a night race) I'll post one or two here. As a result of my trip, I won't be updating the blog until early next week. See you then.

Luck means a lot at times

There is no question that when I took this photograph last month at Katmai National Park in Alaska, I was at the right place at the right time. This is but one of many scenes and places I observed during a two week vacation to Alaska, the Bering Sea and Eastern Russia. However, without my Nikon D70S camera it would have all been nothing more than a memory. Luck was on my side so many days, I feel very fortunate.

Virginia Tech Hokie Nation

Our oldest daughter and I took her oldest daughter Jennifer back to Blacksburg yesterday, to start her second year at "Tech", a place she could not wait to get back to, after a summer in Martinsville working pretty much fulltime as a lifeguard. As soon as we pulled into the parking lot across the street from her new dormitory to start the unloading process, I knew by her almost constant talking and nervous energy, that she felt she was back at her real home... the only place she really wanted to be...a place she started to miss last May, well before we got five minutes off campus, when we picked her up to come home for the summer . She was a resident Hokie again...something I have to admit I would have loved to have experienced myself. I went to "Tech", but mine was in Michigan, and while we were Huskies up in the cold Upper Peninsula of the Great Lakes state, we had nothing like the pride, spirit, and feeling of belonging to something very special, which VT students, faculty and alumni have. Hokie Nation is that indeed, but it's also "family", and I suppose I am a part of that family now, albeit extended by distance and grandfather relationship to a single student there. We ARE Virginia Tech.

Recruiting and the Draft

While there has been a recent increase in the amount of talk from Congress and some in the Pentagon about a need to return to the military Draft, it's hard to accept the fact that such a prospect could make it through the decision process favorably, while there is so much happening in the political arena. However, given the fact the Army continues to face recruiting challenges year by year, it may be that the Draft issue will become much more of a hot topic. The Army is now meeting its recruiting objectives, but over the past couple of months it fell a bit short. And, each week seems to bring a new wave of recruiting and re-enlistment incentives, such a bonuses, educational offers and other hard to turn down rewards. Also, last year the Army changed many of its recruiting standards so that people who were previously not eligible to join, may now do so. Too early to tell what long term effects on the Army these policies might cause.

Quiet Steets on Fort Bragg

Army Times newspaper (online version) has an interesting article today about how quiet things are on post at Fort Bragg, NC. All four of the 82nd Airborne Division's combat brigades are deployed, as are many other XVIII Airborne Corps units (20th Engineer Brigade for example). According to the article, the strangest thing is to drive around early in the morning, and not see/hear thousands of Soldiers jogging in formation and chanting as they participate in physical training. Also strange is the relative absense of C-130's dropping paratroopers during training, hour by hour during the day and night. It's more of a "family" post now, with spouses and children waiting for the return of their loved ones. Such is the price we pay to keep America safe.

Random thoughts

The new Harry Potter book is very good, in case you're interested in such. My grandson got me into the series several years ago, and I've enjoyed every one. The newest book is the last in the series, and it has an excellent number of twists and turns in the plot toward the end of the book.

Who cares if Barry Bonds hits more home runs, not me. Any record he may establish is clearly tainted by steriods...as is his body...and mind.

Speaking of professional sports. I miss the good old days when players played for the game more than they did for the bucks involved. But then professional sports today is all about money.

The 31st Engineer Battalion recently re-activated at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. It was in-activated in the 1990's there, as a One Station Unit Training engineer unit, and that's it's new configuration now. The 31st has a proud record of service to the Army and the nation.

It's interesting to read more and more positive reports coming out of Iraq and Afghanistan lately, especially pertaining to measured progress with security. Unfortunately, the Iraqi government remains bogged down and has taken a "vacation". Some might say taking time off is an incorrect discription, since they've never been "at work" as far as getting anything significant done. Regardless, General Patreous seems to have a good handle on leading the effort, and it's hard not to be supportive of his work...even if you work at CNN.

Saying so doesn't make it so

I'm getting a bit weary of a few retired general officers invited by cable news programs to offer their views, suggest or say outright that the strain being placed on the Army as a result of having to fight two distinctively different wars is not that bad. A few like MG (Ret) Bob Scales and GEN (Ret) Barry McCaffrey are more realisitc in their views, and correctly represent what's really going at ground level. What others like them suggest, however, is much farther from reality, and seems to be based on what they hear from within the halls of the Pentagon, rather than what they might see themselves were they to get down with the troops a bit more. Generals McCaffrey and Scales, to their credit, have been down at ground level, and are not at all hesitant to tell it like it is.

When I hear some say that a 15-month combat tour, followed by 12-24 months of "dwell time" in between rotations ought to have minimal impact on morale, I recall what I've actually seen at locations such as Forts Bragg and Leonard Wood, where in the case of the former many have more that three combat rotations since 2003, and at the latter where instructors and Drill Sergeants are being asked to do more with less. For example, where is the "dwell" in dwell time when people are working harder with longer hours away from families when they are at home, compared to what they were doing while deployed? Consider those who have indeed returned "home", but are required to spend significant time away from families, engaged in peacetime missions such as fire fighting, disaster recovery, and training elsewhere with equipment that's not available locally because all unit equipment was left behind in the combat zone.

There are not enough troops in the force today to execute all the missions required at home and overseas (especially within the Army National Guard). Regardless, some retired general officers and editorial writers keep suggesting we don't have a major problem today in the Army. Saying so does not make it so.

Being Held Accountable

The situation involving the so-called cover up pertaining to the death of Pat Tillman in Afghanistan hopefully will result in some senior people being held accountable. It ought to start with the former Secretary of Defense (Rumsfeld) who himself often glossed over "details" that were sometimes not in concert with his expectations.

The media is reporting today that there may be administrative actions taken against some involved retired general officers...one a Lieutenant General. Reports indicate that the Secretary of the Army may recommend he be reduced in retired rank to Major General. Assuming the LTG knew early on that Tillman's death was caused by friendly fire, and not by enemy action as was being reported by the Defense Department at the time, my view is that he ought to lose all three of his stars and be retired at some lessor rank. People need to be held accountable for their actions (or inactions), and unfortunately that's not been happening enough, both in the Department of Defense and within the Bush administration.

Airline Industry Broken

I've been reading for several years about all the woes associated with traveling by air, but it was not until just recently that I experienced personally just how bad it has become.

My wife and I were traveling on United Airlines originally from Greensboro, NC, through Chicago to Anchorage, Alaska. We made our reservations months in advance, only to learn the day prior to our departure that United had changed our initerary from Greensboro, to Washinton DC (Dulles) to Denver, then to Anchorage. Nothing we could do at that point, so we accepted it as it was.

The short leg from Greensboro to Dulles was uneventful and on time. But it was at Dulles that things went downhill fast. First, after a three-hour wait to depart to Denver, we learned the incoming flight had been delayed by an hour. After we finally boarded, we were told that the co-pilot was "not legal" and had too many flying hours. Fortunately, there was a "legal" co-pilot on board as a passenger (in uniform returning home), so she switched with the non-legal pilot. This took almost an hour. More delay was associated with getting all the baggage loaded. Then we were told that the plane had a flat tire, but that it was being changed with us on board. Another delay. Finally as we began to slowly move away from the loading dock, the pilot said they were having touble "determining the total weight of the aircraft." More delay. At this point it was turning into some sort of comedy of errors...but it really wasn't that funny to us since we had a plane to connect to in Denver to get us to Anchorage as scheduled. Finally...to a rousing cheer from many on board, we left the ground.

Long story short, as a result of the incompetence of United Airlines, we missed our flight to Anchoprage and had to spend the night (at United's expense) in Denver...not a fun experience for those like us who had expected to be sitting in cool Alaska, but were instead sitting in 98 degree heat in the mile high city...a place I never want to see again.

The next day after waiting over six hours in Denver International for our evening flight, we finally departed for Anchorage; and fortunately for us, our luggage was on board as well. So it was with great relief when we finally arrived in Alaska. Since we'd included two days extra in our plans before we had to board a cruise ship, spending the night in Denver did not impact that aspect of our travel, but it did cause us to miss seeing some things around Anchorage that we wanted to see. Still, this was our third time there, so we adapted as best we could with only a day left to "explore".

The two week ship's expedition we were on to Alaska, the Bering Sea and Russia was wonderful, but in the back of our minds was the thought we had to eventually suffer the "friendly skies" of United Airlines again on our journey back to Greensboro. As you might expect, there were delays coming home too, and our baggage was not waiting for us when we arrived; although it was delivered to our home late in the day we got home.

Was our experience much different from millions of others worldwide these days? Not at all, if the opinions of the 100 people from the U.S., UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand we sailed with are considered. Virtually all of them suffered some sort of airline problem themselves. This indicates to me that the worldwide airline industry is on the verge of total collapse.

Right now my feelings are if I can't drive to a destination, then I ain't going. Maybe in a few years my feelings will change. I hope so because there are many places in the world we want to visit.

Global Warming

I spent the past two weeks in the Bering Sea sailing from Kodiak Island to Unalaska-Dutch Harbor to the Pribilof Islands to St. Lawrence Island to Provideniya, Russia and lastly past the Arctic Circle, and saw first hand the effects of global warming, both on the Yupik natives who live in small, very remote villages throughout the area, and on the unbeliveable diverse amount and species of wildlife. All you have to do is listen to village elders explain how shoreline erosion caused by a lack of protective sea ice is affecting their village, and how much more difficult it is to find the same numbers of sea mammals to hunt as they used to see. True, maybe it's a temporary blip on the radar of time, but maybe not. The natives think not.

On Vacation

My wife and I are leaving for a two week vacation in Alaska. When we return, I'll resume the blog. Thanks for visiting the site anyway.

Army Recruiting

Saw this in the Army Times (online) newspaper today: "The military is opening the door to many recruits it has not welcomed in the past. That includes people who are a bit older; who score lower on aptitude tests; and who have medical conditions such as asthma or attention deficit disorders that can be controlled better now with medicine." The Army, for example, raised the age limit from 35 to 42 to be eligible to enlist. Why were these steps taken?

Because it's becoming harder and harder to convince people to enlist in the military (all services). The Army Times article says, "Other job prospects are soaring and relatives of potential recruits increasingly are discouraging them from joining the armed services." More from the Times article, "The findings reflect the growing unpopularity of the wars, particularly among family members and other adults who exert influence over high school and college students considering the military as a place to serve their country, further their education or build a career."

The challenge the Army is going to be facing next year pertains to the planned increase of 30,000 Soldiers to its ranks. Will standards be lowered even more to meet recruiting goals? Will more and more people in basic combat training and advanced individual training be "recycled" time and again until they finally meet training objectives? If so, how will that effect unit leaders who will be the recipients of these individuals?

I don't think we'll ever see a return to the military DRAFT; but if there are valid reasons to do so, we may be seeing some of them starting to pop up now.

Bits and pieces

Nothing here of true importance…just some bits and pieces about, well…stuff.

IPhone:
Unless your TV is broken or has been unused for several weeks, you have surely seen at least one of the commercials for what many regard as a new standard in cellular "smart" phones, in the form of Apple's iPhone. Looks interesting, and fun to use. It's a combination phone, music player, internet device, personal data repository,etc. It's to be released June 29th, and is going to cost around $500. Big question in my mind is how well will it work once it gets into the hands of the public, many of whom do not always follow directions, and therefore often identify faults, bugs, and associated issues the manufacturers never dreamed about.

Buying a car:
I'm a truck man. Yesterday, I took my grandson out to several local dealers to look at possible purchases for his first "car"…a 4-door sedan. I've not driven a sedan for years, and had forgotten what they are like inside. We saw several pretty neat innovations, and some we got into were very roomy. And, they are way better on gas consumption today than were the trucks I've owned, especially my new Nissan Titan V-8. Thank God for credit cards when I fill that baby up with it's 28 gallon gas tank! He had not a clue at first about what to expect, and I suspect he was pretty well worn out after we got home following visits to five dealers selling various brands. Nissan and Toyota scored high on his list, but he also like Ford. His older sister has a Dodge, so that brand was never a consideration for him, even though her Dodge has been a good car so far.

Presidential politics
I've concluded that MSNBC cable news network has lost it's mind by spending so much time analyzing over and over again, who is or is not the front runner, who's tubing, who's peaking, who's going to enter, who's leaving. CNN is not far behind. FOX News seems to have less time devoted to the subject, but still is doing its part to bore us senseless. I tried watching network news for a few weeks, but it's so bad and biased I gave up. I suppose by the end of 2007 I'll be watching more and more reruns of the Andy Griffith show during the evening news period. It sure would be nice to live in Mayberry wouldn't it?

Monday morning attitude

It's Monday morning, and even though my attitude is pretty good, especially after having a nice Father's Day yesterday with our family cooking and eating burgers, dogs, "tater" salad, baked beans and corn-on-the-cob, I feel a need to "vent" a bit, so I figured I might as well do it here.

The manner in which the Pentagon (and White House indirectly) handled the announcement about replacing the present Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace, was ill advised. The administration said (through the Secretary of Defense) they did not want to have to go through the "pain" of having to look back at why decisions about the war were made, and felt that would negatively affect the confirmation hearing of General Pace. So, they decided not to re-nominate him. Later, we learned that the Secretary of Defense had asked General Pace to resign. To his personal credit, as well as to the United States Marine Corps, General Pace said no way would he voluntarily leave the battlefield with troops still deployed. He apparently said something to the effect…"if you don't want to re-nominate me for the position, then go ahead and make that announcement, but I'm not voluntarily leaving otherwise." There is no question in my mind that this whole deal was politically motivated and thus ill advised.

Over the past two years, I have watched with sadness at how badly things have been handled in relation to the war by politicians in Washington DC. Neither the White House nor Congress have done much if anything to add "gold stars" to their respective report cards. I agreed that it was time for Secretary Rumsfeld to step down when he did, but everyone else who is associated with his term in office ought not be discarded in the same way, just because of "politics".

I guess the intent of the Administration is to try to just keep wiping the slate clean, whenever it gets tarnished in some way. What has happened to learning from our mistakes and then adapting in new directions? This "road to war" does have an end, even though no one has thus far found a way to identify it on a map. Maybe it's time for a new map.

This is what makes it worthwhile

I'm pretty lucky to be doing what I'm doing...putting together six issues of Army Engineer magazine each year, plus managing www.armyengineer.com. Sometimes, when I get a bit overloaded, something really great happens that makes what I do so personally satisfying.

About a year ago I placed a few photos of 297th Combat Engineer Battalion veterans of the Second World War on the magazine's front cover. I also put together a two-page spread photo essay inside the magazine. The original photographs were sent to me by the daughter of one of the unit's veterans, Mari Ippolito. Well, today Mari sent me a photo scan of that cover, which had been personally signed by veterans at their reunion last week. She has told me many times how much those guys appreciated what we did to recognize them in the magazine, and I was of course willing to do all I could to thank them for their dedicated service.

These veterans are amazing. No matter their age or medical condition, they always seem to find a way to get together. More importantly, they care for each other like "family". And when people like Mari help keep things moving year after year, that family grows in ways too numerous to mention. She's not the only person doing this. In the May-June issue of Army Engineer there is a feature story about the special bonds of engineer service. Part of that story was written by Mari. I'm going to soon post that article on the AEA's website, so if you are not a magazine subscriber, you can read it online. Probably sometime next week, so look in the veterans section of the site to read it.

Like I said, this is pretty neat stuff we're all involved in. So, when you get overloaded like I do at times hearing about whether or not Paris Hilton escaped from jail again, go find an engineer veteran and have them tell you a few war stories.

You got to love this…

If you like NASCAR, then read on. If not, hit your browser's "back" button.

When I learned yesterday that Dale Earnhardt, Jr. decided to race for Hendrick Motorsports in 2008 I was at first a bit surprised. But shortly thereafter I started to chuckle, thinking this news is going to really rile up many of Dale Jr's hard-core fans. Afterall, Hendrick's drivers include both Jeff Gordon and Jimmy Johnson, who are typically reviled by Junior's fanatic fans. When drivers are introduced at most tracks in the south, the loudest jeers are reserved for Gordon and Johnson. Mostly, because they usually win races, and Junior doesn't. Envy, plain and simple. Now that Junior will become part of their team next year, it's going to be interesting to see how his die-hard fans adapt by bringing the "enemy" into their camp.

Makes great sense for Earnhardt to make this move in my opinion. He wants to win the championship, so why not give yourself the best opportunity to do that, by joining up with the best team, so as to have the best support around. Sure, he's going to be under tremendous pressure to win, once he has such support. If, for example, he does not win, he can't blame it on not having a good car, high tech engineering support, or the best pit crew. It's all going to be on his ability to take the top notch support given to him and make it work, by his ability to drive a fast race car and win.

I also think that by joining with Hendrick, he's going to have a wonderful mentor in the form of Rick Hendrick, the team owner. Additionally, by being around Jeff Gordon a lot more, Junior will be able to learn from a person who was a fierce competitor with his father, but was also someone whom Dale, Sr. respected for his driving ability. Like Gordon or not, you have to admit he's very good at what he does.

Now we sit back and watch with interest how the car numbering and sponsorship for Dale, Jr. will work out with the new team. Will he retain the number 8 Budweiser car for example, or will he be in the 5 Kellogg car. Going from "Bud" man to "cereal" man will be quite a leap, especially for Junior's fanatic fans out there in NASCAR land.

June, 1944

This day in 1944, June 7th, was monumental for every second, every minute and each hour as allied troops and supplies finally began to break out of their main beachhead areas in Europe as the primary assault force landed on June 6th, finally on their way to war's end a little over a year later. I'm sure there are lots of veterans of the Second World War today who remember just about every aspect of what they were doing in June 1944. Many are probably reliving those memories together right now, as part of reunion groups. I know that's true for vets of the 297th Engineer Combat Battalion. For all Army Engineer veterans of WWII, what you accomplished has never been equaled. You are indeed our greatest generation.

Sad state of our education system

This topic has nothing directly to do with the "Army"; but indirectly, those who eventually elect to join the Army are going to come from what I believe is a "not so good" education system.

Today, my wife and I attended a two-hour long 8th grade "awards" program which involved our granddaughter. While there were numerous "shining stars" recognized, there were many more who did little more than shuffle in their seats and talk as brighter and more well behaved students paraded accross the stage. Teachers spaced every other few rows apart worked hard to keep the background noise at a minimum. There were cheers and shouts, all well deserved, but I still left with a feeling that many who had been given recognition either did not fully appreciate what they had been recognized for, or else felt that what they had been given was something they were entitled to, virtue of the fact they had been to class and passed their standards of learning (SOL) test.

Thanks to the government's "no child left behind" program, what we now have in our schools are teachers having little time other than to just teach those subjects that wil be a part of the SOL. There are few times to "experiment" or to expand on learning by reaching out into new areas. Fewer and fewer students seem to think originally anymore, and way too many are unable to sever themselves from learning crutches such as calculators, computers and online "research" to seek words to cut and paste into required school writing assignments.

Our oldest daughter teaches 8th grade science, and she usually comes home daily during the school year frustrated by what she is having to do. Never-the-less she reports early the next day to deal with whatever comes her way. She is paid far too little for what she does, and I don't say that because she is my daughter.

NASCAR again

If you look back in my Blog archives, you'll note one of the last ones I did before taking a short break in my blogging chores had to do with the big NASCAR race in Daytona. Since then, we've had an interesting season so far. My favotite race here in Martinsville was spectacular, with Jimmy Johnson holding off Jeff Gordon for the last couple of laps to take the win. The Car of Tomorrow (COT) has now become the car of today pretty much. I was able to watch the new car very closely at the Martinsville race, and have been impressed with how well a few teams have been able to adjust to it. Notably, RCR and JGR. Dale JR fans have not been able to cheer as much as they might like so far this year. Some of his fans at Talladega in Alabama demonstrated just how rabid they are, and showed no respect for the sport in general, by tossing beer cans onto the track to show disgust and hatred of Jeff Gordon who won fair and square. What that sort of crap is going to cause if it continues is a total ban on beer at race tracks and we sure don't want to see that. Today is the Monster Mile race at Dover, but the weather does not look so good right now. Probably be a Monday race. Go Denny Hamlin!

Who are we talking about?

I heard a news media person on TV this morning talk about the people who are figinting the war we're in as being, "primarily from the lower class and unable to do anything well except join the military." How this idiot got his job is beyond me. But then, many in his profession today are equally guity of not speaking and writing enough about those who make a decision to join and serve.

If you want to find out for real who these people are, and what segment of society they come from, then attend a basic training graduation somewhere. Earlier this month I was at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri doing a story about soldiers in training, and while there I stayed at a local motel outside the post. I was there the night before the traditional weekly graduation for basic training, and most of the motel guests were family members or friends of someone who was graduating the following morning. Standing next to them in the lobby listening to what they were saying, and talking with them on an elevator ride to and from our rooms reinforced what I already knew. These are just plain Americans, from all walks of life, from all economic and demographic segments of our society. Just plain folks. One common thread ran through each of them…pride in the fact that their son or daughter was about to graduate from a meaningful training program, and they were exceptionally proud.

So, to those in the media who continue to represent our young military members as being "those who can't find a job elsewhere", I say get your collective butts on out to Fort Leonard Wood, or anywhere else where the miitary is training initial entry personnel, and get your facts straight before opening your mouths, or putting pen to paper.

Lesson learned…people do read my BLOG!

I stopped writing this blog last February, primarily because I felt not many were reading it. Last week when I visited Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri to write an article for the July-August issue of Army Engineer, and then went on up to St. Louis for the 3-day, 2007 Engineer Regimental Training Conference, I was asked by several folks, "What happened to your BLOG, you took it off the AEA website". "Yup, that's true", I said, "Guess I need to put it back online". Another lesson learned.

What I found out while at Ft. Leonard Wood was reinforced while I was at the St. Louis conference. Poeple in the Army today are much busier than I thought. And, in many cases are making do with less. Waiting for Congress to pass the budget so things could move forward, units getting ready for another rotation to Iraq or Afghanistan after too few months back home with families, some personnel and grade shortages being dealth with, and equipment shortages in the reserve components. Nothing really bad, but together stress builders for sure, that our folks don't need. I'm continualy amazed at how resilient they are, and how adaptive they have become in recent years.

I'm worried we may be facing some future problems in the Army as a result of how our training base has been degraded over the years in terms of people and resources to support a training tempo equal to the needs of the combat and combat support force. NCOs in the training base are often having to do double duty in many cases, and there are growing shortages of people in key positions. I have written an article about all this for the July-August 2007 issue of Army Engineer, so won't go into any more detail here. Suffice it to say the Army needs to place greater emphasis on growing the training base to keep pace with growth and change in the Army's front line forces.

Anyway, the BLOG is back. Hope you enjoy. If so, make a comment at any time. Thanks

Daytona Finish Wild

If you're not a fan of NASCAR, stop reading. If you are, then you probably either are a happy or a sad camper today, based on yesterday's wild finish when hard charging Kevin Harvick beat NASCAR's most sentimental favorite Mark Martin, by a couple of feet to cross the finish line and win the prestigious Dayotna 500. It was wild to say the least, considering that behind the two side-by-side racers heading into the final turn, others were wrecking all over the place. I was hoping Martin would win, because he's an old guy (in NASCAR terms) and was driving the Army sponsored car. But, I was also glad to see Harvick win, instead of other drivers in the final mix at the end that I do not care for...Kyle Busch being one. But, it would have been great to see Mark standing on top of his car after the race, celebrating as the winner, as hard as anyone could possibly do. The nice part of all this is that the racing season has just begun. Hold on.

Not what I expected to hear

Last Friday night as I was flipping between TV channels (my wife was not home so I had total control of the remote and could flip as much as I wanted to) I caught a portion of the testimony by the Secretary of the Army, Francis Harvey, and the Army Chief of Staff General Peter Schoomaker before the House Appropriations Committee. I was surprised at the rapport I saw between the committee and the Sec Army and CSA. I got the impression the committee was pretty much ready to provide levels of funding being requested by the Army, but only if such could be well substantiated. I was also impressed by the sort of questioning of some Democratic committee members (John Murtha for example). He seemed very knowledgeable about what Army requirements are, and gave me a much different (better) view of his position from what I had expected. Other committee members asked equally good questions. Better still, Secretary Harvey and General Schoomaker gave very candid and complete responses, with no hint of defensiveness. I watched for about an hour and as I changed the channel I thought to myself that things are not as bad in Congress as I may have thought.

Deplolyment to Dwell Time

I recently attended the 18th Airborne Corps Engineer Conference at Fort Bragg, NC. It was an inspiring visit, not so much by the things I learned while there, but from the looks of determination I saw on the faces of those in attendance. You see, these warriors are preparing (again) for a new "road to war" later this year. The main engineer unit involved is the 20th Engineer Brigade, but the Corps staff will be deploying as well. To get a feel for the sacrifices these Soldiers deal with every day, you had to see the number of hands that went up when the Commander of the 20th Engineer Brigade (Colonel Peter DeLuca) asked for a show of hands from those who had been to either Iraq and Afghanistan three times or more since 2003. Lots of hands were raised. In 2003, Army objectives for the active force was to have a ratio of 1:3 for years deployed to dwell time (back home). The objective ratio was 1:5 for reserve component Soldiers. Today, for a large percentage of Soldiers assigned or attached to the Corps the deployment-dwell time ratio is 1.3 to .5 (that's "point" five!). Talk about being motivated and willing to serve! If we saw such motivation from the average American civilian, we'd have a a bunch doing something more inspiring than sitting in front of their wide-screen HD TV sets worrying about who the next "American Idol" is going to be.

Army Uniform

I don't know whether or not General Casey (nominated to become Army Chief of Staff) will be confirmed by Congress or not, but if he is, I sure hope he reverses the decision by the current CSA to replace the green Army Class "A" uniform, with the current blue "Mess Dress" uniform. I also hope he will change uniform regulations to allow officers to wear their branch insignia on the Army Combat Uniform (ACU). I know it's a bit superficial right now to discuss this situation, given all the other more important actions underway; but, I also recognize that the Department of the Army staff initially decided to push this ill-advised effort during an equally critical period.

Computer Operating Systems

Now that the new Microsoft Vista operating system has been released, Windows PC users out there are faced with a decision of whether or not to upgrade from (probably) the Windows XP operating system. There are several Vista upgrade versions available and they are not cheap, so many users will probably decide to stay where they are now, unless they intend to buy a new computer soon. More importantly, other than some new features many won't use, and neat "eye-candy", Vista essentially does the same thing that Windows XP does. Passionate user arguments aside from both Microsoft and Apple camps, many of the new Vista features have been around in the Apple OS X operating system for some time. But to keep comparisons fair, Vista has some features that OS X does not. Personally, I prefer doing actual work on my Apple MAC desktop and laptop computers, while leaving my Windows XP machine to primarily manage my work email account, and financial records. So, for me Windows XP is just fine, and other than being interested visually in Vista's new graphic interface features, I'll keep what I have. When that computer dies (as it eventually will) I don't intend buying another Windows machine, so using Vista on a daily basis will be something I'll probably never experience. It's going to be interesting to see how the military eventually adapts to Vista, since they are tied to Windows exclusively. Talk about shelling out some BIG BUCKS!

World War II guys never give up

I posted information last December 13th (see Blog archives for 2006) about a fire in a restaurant in Kentucky. Bad enough, it was made even worse by the fact that the structure also housed a museum containing wartime memorabilia from the 297th Engineer Combat Battalion and other units and organizations. Hal Miller who owned the facility has decided to re-build at another location, regardless of the recent devastation. It seems to me that veterans of World War Two never give up. That's what makes their generation so special.

Center for the Intrepid

On January 26th, a severely injured military service member rehabilitation facility was officially dedicated at Fort Sam Houston, TX. To say the $50 million, privately funded center is "state-of-the-art" is understated. It contains just about every possible modern capability to help rehabilitate service members who have sustained serious injury such as a loss of limbs or disfiguring burns. The 65,000 square foot facility is accompanied by superb housing to allow family members to reside nearby for periods when they are most needed. While the facility is impressive, it's made even more so by the manner in which it was funded through private donations to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. This is not a plea for donations to that cause, but simply recognition to what is being done. To their credit, Senators John McCain and Hillary Clinton attended the opening ceremony, along with more than 3000 military and civilian leaders and personalities. Unfortunately, much of the credit for creation of this facility has been lost in the media, which remains obsessed with reporting wartime political debates and casualties, than it is in reporting service member rehabilitation efforts. Once again, those doing all the hard lifting are being overlooked by way too many Americans.

Senator Warner

From the media today I read:

Senator John Warner (VA) is critical of earlier reports given him and his colleagues in Congress, about the status of the Iraqi Army. He said it was his understanding based on positive status reports in the past provided to him by senior military leaders, that the Iraqi Army's growth and development was much better than what it (apparently) is today.

Super Bowl Time...and it's not about football

If you go to NASCAR.com you will quickly become aware of the fact it's only a few weeks before the Super Bowl of Racing at Daytona. I've always wondered why in NASCAR the biggest event of the year for many is the first one, instead of the last one as is the case with other sports. I guess its popularity relates to the roots of NASCAR which began growing in 1947 when the Daytona race was held on the beach road course. Today, the track is a modern 2.5 mile oval, with seating for around 170,000 screaming fans. Add TV and Internet live coverage and you have something special. Another one of NASCAR's oldest tracks is Martinsville, but in this case it's a half-mile paper-clip shaped arena, and although it seats less than half of what Daytona does, the fans are equally rabid. I have my tickets in hand for the April 1st Goody's 500, and also the Subway 500 in October. Short track racing like in Martinsville, Richmond and Bristol seem so much better to watch in person since you can span the entire track and pit areas at a glance, and most times you miss nothing. At larger tracks like Daytona, your view is much more panoramic, but since I've never been there in person, I'm really no expert in that regard. Still, my eyes will be glued to the TV on February 18th for the Daytona 500. The REAL Super Bowl!

Jan-Feb issue of Army Engineer Magazine

From time to time, I remind subscribers of the publishing schedule for Army Engineer Magazine. Of course, all know it's published six times a year…every other month. The first issue of each year is January-February, and that sequence carries on with following months. The objective is to have each issue mailed to subscribers during the first week of the second month of a specific issue…for example, the Jan-Feb 2007 issue will be mailed to subscribers during the first week of February. Some may wonder why the magazine could not be mailed before a two-month series starts…for example, mail the Jan-Feb issue in December. Such is possible, but in order to make that happen, the entire schedule for editing, printing and so forth would have to be moved up by two months at some point during a publishing year, in order to re-set the schedule. Given the fact that the magazine is put together using a "one-person production department", and that at first two issues would have to be developed back-to-back, such is not realistic. The key is to publish six issues a year on a consistent schedule, and that's what is being accomplished. So, subscribers can expect to get their copy of the January-February 2007 issue of Army Engineer during early February, consistent with the intent of scheduling explained above.

The next six months are critical

"The next six months are critical." How many times in the past few years have we heard that phrase…lots of times. Well, tomorrow we're to learn officially about the latest strategy for success in Iraq. Then again, most of that "new" strategy we've heard before from the mainstream media, as portions thereof have been discussed at length on nightly TV news, talk radio and the Internet. What most Americans will focus on regarding the President's words tomorrow night, will be any increases in troop deployments. I don't want to go through the various points of view on this matter, because no one really knows what's going to result. It all depends on how optimistic or pessimistic you are.

Averages

Things average out over time, so I suppose we're due for some colder weather over a majority of these United States pretty soon. I sure hope so. One thing the unseasonably warm weather has brought me (again) are moles. I have to say these animals are (next to squirrels and deer) one of my least favorite air breathers. Portions of my yard now look like an exploded minefield. Heavy rains and warm temperatures have brought lots of worms to the surface, and right behind them come the moles. My quest to end their worthless lives as fast as possible starts with mashing down their winding trails to find the active borrows, then insertion of mole poison to hopefully win my seemingly endless war against their invasion. I remember when we were stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, our neighborhood was held hostage by the critters, and the sound of gas lawn mowers cutting grass during the summer was over shadowed by curses shouted as mower blades "cut dirt mounds" instead of grass. We tried every remedy we could think of to get rid of the moles…nothing worked for long. So, here I sit in January, waiting for the ground to freeze to give me temporary relief from my enemy. Averages, help me out!

Hope

I guess I need to join the long list of people today, who are placing thoughts about 2006 and 2007 online. No real reason why I feel a need to do this, except for the fact that I can.

2006 is over…enough said. 2007 has begun…what lies ahead. Nothing but "hope" I guess.

I hope politicians in Washington DC realize they were elected to do something besides point fingers. I hope we see better results from our efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan early in 2007, and that the military is better resourced to execute the missions they are asked to do…especially the Army and Marines. I hope those in the media wait at least until a year from now before reporting extensively on the 2008 elections. I hope we see some really cold weather and snow along the east coast this winter, and that all global warming predictions turn out to be false. I hope the New Orleans Saints win the Super Bowl…not that I'm a big fan, but just a person who thinks that would be pretty neat. I hope Dale Earnhardt, Jr wins the 2007 Nextel Cup. I hope my garden tomatoes grow better this summer, than they did in 2006. And, I hope every Army Engineer veteran alive today gets a well deserved "thank you" from everyone with whom they come in contact.

Hope is a wonderful thing.