Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld Resigns

Interestingly enough, President Bush recently stated that Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, would be staying on through the duration of his administration. Yet, today November 8, 2006, less than twenty-four hours after Democrats took the House of Representatives in the midterm election the Secretary is stepping down. Word has it that Donald Rumsfeld, seen as a contentious figure by some as he attempted to “transform” of the military, previously offered his resignation but the president declined it. If he was going to agree to accept it now, doing so before rather than after the election may have effected the outcome. … Continue reading →

John Kerry’s “Joke” No Laughing Matter?

By now, most people have heard what John Kerry recently said about getting a good education or you’ll “get stuck in Iraq.” He tried to play it off, claimed that he simply misspoke, and that he had intended to bash the Commander in Chief instead of the troops (as if that were a good thing). He claimed it was a botched joke, but unfortunately for him, nobody is laughing. Kerry was asked to apologize, which he would not immediately do. After hearing terms like “political suicide,” used to describe his career and future election plans, he did apologize. At first … Continue reading →

Photographer of the Iwo Jima Flag Raising Photo Dies

I do not know if you caught this in the news headlines, but the photographer who took one of the most famous war photos ever – the raising of the flag at Iwo Jima – recently passed away at the age of 94. Joe Rosenthal won a Pulitzer Prize for this photo and eventually, an Iwo Jima memorial modeled on the photo was built in Virginia. There was actually an earlier raising of the flag that February day in 1945. But because they felt the flag was too small, the second was raised and that was the image that is … Continue reading →

Yeah, But We Are the Bad Guys!

Every time I turn on the news, it seems that most countries hate us. I know we have our faults, but we also instigate many humanitarian efforts to genuinely try to help others. But we rarely see that on the news. Instead, we see terrorists calling for our demise, people burning our flag, and bombing our embassies and military installations. So I was somewhat happy when I saw the headline on CNN today that said “U.S. Marines save Iraqi captain from pirates.” U.S. Marines from the destroyer USS Roosevelt saved an Iraqi captain and his 17 member crew from Somali … Continue reading →

Anti-War Songs

I realized the other day, when I read a headline that death metal band Six Feet Under had released a new protest song titled “Amerika the Brutal” (about lead singer Chris Barnes’ cousin who fought in Iraq) that I have always loved protest songs. That is not to say that I myself am a protester. I almost always support the government in its actions and I most definitely support the troops. I did not realize it that many of the folk songs I grew up with during the Sixties and early Seventies were actually protest songs. My parents had Kingston … Continue reading →

The United Service Organizations (USO)

When many people think of the United Service Organizations (USO), they think of World War II dances and women serving sailors coffee. But, the USO is still around today, still a way for civilians to show the military their appreciation. The USO is actually a non-profit charitable corporation chartered by Congress rather than an actual government office. Endorsed by both the President and Department of Defense, the mission of the USO is simply to support the troops and their families in any way possible, no matter where they are stationed. Many major airports in the United States include USO offices … Continue reading →

Things I See Living in a Military Town

I went to the New River Marine Corps Air Station. It was just a normal visit to get groceries at the Commissary. Since the North Carolina heat made it feel like it was about 1,000 degrees outside, I stopped by the Wendy’s in the shopping center next to the Commissary. I noticed two new Marines – Geiger Tigers as they are sometimes called getting out of a cab. Camp Geiger is one of the first stops for many Marines after they graduate from Marine Corps boot camp. They report to Camp Geiger to attend the School of Infantry. You could … Continue reading →

Ways to Thank the Troops

Supporting military troops has always been an important issue with me. Many members of my family serve or have served their country so, from a young age, I learned what it was like to have a family member possibly in harm’s way and the sacrifices they give. When I married an Air Force member the realities of military life and what deployed troops endure became even more evident. I would like to share with you some resources through which people can support the troops that are currently overseas defending our freedom. Network for Good– This website has a section where … Continue reading →

Taliban Views Canada as Weak

As Canada’s Members of Parliament are gathering in order to discuss Canada’s role in Afghanistan it would seem the eyes of the Taliban are upon us. An article from Canoe.ca reports that terrorists see this meeting as a sign that Canada’s resolve in the fight against terrorism is weakening. For many years now Canada’s role in various conflicts has been one of peacekeeping. We’re world renowned for this role and have always been proud of it but could our long-time identity as a peaceful military be hurting us? A message from a Taliban spokesperson suggests this may be so. Qari … Continue reading →

Dishonoring the Dead

While reading through some older news columns this morning I came across a letter to an editor that caused my hackles to rise. In this short but not-so-sweet rant the writer urged The Post to quit reporting when deceased soldiers are sent home. His opinion is it serves no purpose to do so and weakens a country’s resolve against the war on terror. Excuse me? Let me see if I’ve got this right. We should send our brave men and women into battle in order to keep our country safe and free of terrorists (hopefully) but when and if they … Continue reading →