I have just a minute or two as I wait for my chance to shower...
I wish you all a very merry Christmas. Today is bittersweet as I am away from my own faith community, my friends and most of my family. As I write, my host is away, taking an NCO to the airport who is trying to get home in time to say a last goodbye.
Christmas.
A bunch of us are still sick. (I'm much better than I was though; thanks for the good wishes and inquiries.) We're away from home and trying to make a good Christmas for others here. It's not an easy Christmas, but this year, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Have a wonderful day. I'll write more when the dust settles.
24 December, 2009
21 December, 2009
If you're wondering...
...I'm traveling at the moment. Not a whole lot of reliable internet available.
All is well except for me having what I hope is just a very nasty cold. Unfortunately this means that when I get back to my hotel, I just check email and fall into bed. I'll try to post some deeper things as soon as possible.
And if I don't have a chance to say this before the day, have a very Merry Christmas!
All is well except for me having what I hope is just a very nasty cold. Unfortunately this means that when I get back to my hotel, I just check email and fall into bed. I'll try to post some deeper things as soon as possible.
And if I don't have a chance to say this before the day, have a very Merry Christmas!
20 December, 2009
19 December, 2009
PJ PIc
Pararescue students work as fast as they can during a mass casualty exercise that
simulated an explosion on a base at 4 in the morning. (U.S Air Force photos by Tech
Sgt. Matthew Hannen)
18 December, 2009
PJ Pic
Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn III greets Air Force pararescue jumpers
while touring a Role 3 hospital in Bastion , Afghanistan , on Sept.10, 2009. DoD
photo by Master Sgt. Jerry Morrison, U.S. Air Force. (Released)
16 December, 2009
Wednesday Hero
Edit: I'm joining other Milbloggers in going "dark" until December 18 in support of CJ Grisham. Please see Blackfive for ways to take action.
This Weeks Post Was Suggested & Written By Greta
This week's Wednesday Hero is both an individual, and a group. The group we honor are the milblogs: the military blogs, spouse blogs, and support blogs who bring you the news and information you can get nowhere else. The information and news that matter to you. The individual we honor today is C. J. Grisham.
Army Master Sgt. C. J. Grisham has always led from the front, from combat that earned him the Bronze Star with V device, to doing right by the men he led. His honesty won him readership and respect, from the White House on down. Yet, when he stood up for his children in school, his command did not stand by him. You can read more at Military Times to get the full story.
Please donate via PayPal; or you can log into PayPal on your own, go to the send money page, and put in his email: dj_chcknhawk AT yahoo DOT com; or, you can send donations directly to:
Grisham Legal Fund
c/o Redstone Federal Credit Union
220 Wynn Drive
Huntsville, AL 35893
Please write "Grisham Legal Fund" in the memo line if you use this option.
Milblogs have been a vital link in getting accurate news and information about the military, and military operations, to you. Today, many milblogs are gone and others are under attack from within and without. Today, you have the chance to imagine a world without milblogs, and to do something about it. Make your voice heard by writing your congressional representatives and others, and by making donations as you see fit.
The battle for freedom of speech and the marketplace of ideas is fought on many fronts and in many ways. Without your help, the battle may well be lost.
These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived
This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.
This Weeks Post Was Suggested & Written By Greta
This week's Wednesday Hero is both an individual, and a group. The group we honor are the milblogs: the military blogs, spouse blogs, and support blogs who bring you the news and information you can get nowhere else. The information and news that matter to you. The individual we honor today is C. J. Grisham.
Army Master Sgt. C. J. Grisham has always led from the front, from combat that earned him the Bronze Star with V device, to doing right by the men he led. His honesty won him readership and respect, from the White House on down. Yet, when he stood up for his children in school, his command did not stand by him. You can read more at Military Times to get the full story.
Please donate via PayPal; or you can log into PayPal on your own, go to the send money page, and put in his email: dj_chcknhawk AT yahoo DOT com; or, you can send donations directly to:
Grisham Legal Fund
c/o Redstone Federal Credit Union
220 Wynn Drive
Huntsville, AL 35893
Please write "Grisham Legal Fund" in the memo line if you use this option.
Milblogs have been a vital link in getting accurate news and information about the military, and military operations, to you. Today, many milblogs are gone and others are under attack from within and without. Today, you have the chance to imagine a world without milblogs, and to do something about it. Make your voice heard by writing your congressional representatives and others, and by making donations as you see fit.
The battle for freedom of speech and the marketplace of ideas is fought on many fronts and in many ways. Without your help, the battle may well be lost.
These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived
This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.
14 December, 2009
PJ Pic
Pararescue students work as fast as they can during a mass casualty exercise that
simulated an explosion on a base at 4 in the morning. (U.S Air Force photos by Tech
Sgt. Matthew Hannen)
simulated an explosion on a base at 4 in the morning. (U.S Air Force photos by Tech
Sgt. Matthew Hannen)
The Commando Memorial
I had the privilege of visiting the Commando Memorial in the Scottish Highlands
Standing watch over the land where they trained, the Nevis mountains and hills...
"United we conquer"...
Standing watch over the land where they trained, the Nevis mountains and hills...
"United we conquer"...
12 December, 2009
Today's Score Card
Amtrak 4.5/5 Conductor with a hilarious sense of humor, on time arrival, but screwed up a few people's seat assignments.
SEATAC Airport 4/5 A couple great restaurants and bars, finicky wireless.
British Airways 3/5 Ok, so I'm spoiled by the old days. No hot towels, no Bailey's, small breakfast, arrived super late. But they're still better than most airlines. Free Drinks...
"London Heathrow Cars" 5/5 Picked us up in a Mercedes, professional driver (probably E. European) who probably could have gotten us safely through a war zone in time for tea... He got a 30% tip.
More later when I've finished with other companies...
SEATAC Airport 4/5 A couple great restaurants and bars, finicky wireless.
British Airways 3/5 Ok, so I'm spoiled by the old days. No hot towels, no Bailey's, small breakfast, arrived super late. But they're still better than most airlines. Free Drinks...
"London Heathrow Cars" 5/5 Picked us up in a Mercedes, professional driver (probably E. European) who probably could have gotten us safely through a war zone in time for tea... He got a 30% tip.
More later when I've finished with other companies...
PJ PIc
Pararescue students work as fast as they can during a mass casualty exercise that
simulated an explosion on a base at 4 in the morning. (U.S Air Force photos by Tech
Sgt. Matthew Hannen)
simulated an explosion on a base at 4 in the morning. (U.S Air Force photos by Tech
Sgt. Matthew Hannen)
11 December, 2009
10 December, 2009
PJ Pic
Pararescuemen train to face the world's worst dangers-day or night. That intense
training helps them save lives... sometimes against all odds. ( U.S. Air Force Photo
by Tech. Sgt. Matthew Hannen)
training helps them save lives... sometimes against all odds. ( U.S. Air Force Photo
by Tech. Sgt. Matthew Hannen)
09 December, 2009
Wednesday Hero
Abdul Rashid, a 5-year-old resident of the Nawa district of Afghanistan, receives a dressing for a wound on his face from Petty Officer 2nd Class Daniel Elsey, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, while a linguist translates at a medical aid station at Patrol Base Jaker Dec. 3. Rashid was injured by a motorcycle earlier that day. Navy hospital corpsmen like Elsey routinely see local residents and children here to treat their wounds.
Photo Courtesy United States Marine Corps
These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived
This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.
08 December, 2009
Counting down...
It's always different when it's your family...
A family member will be deploying next year. It's still some time away, but I'm watching the ripple effect in the family. Tears... contingency plans... worries... they're all coming to the surface.
It surprises me, but it shouldn't. We've all been at this for a while, but circumstances change and danger levels change. When you know that someone in the same spot you're loved one will be in just died, the reality slams in and you start fleshing out the what-if's.
I wrote earlier about the idea of the "first day of your real life." To me, this is the bedrock of courage. You face what you have to face, not so much because heaven is your "safety net," though it is, but because your eyes are fixed on something bigger and better.
That's how I cope. Don't get me wrong; I'll probably have Landstuhl on speed dial from wheels-up, but I've learned to have a big-picture focus that isn't destroyed when all hell breaks loose. At least, I hope I've learned.
A family member will be deploying next year. It's still some time away, but I'm watching the ripple effect in the family. Tears... contingency plans... worries... they're all coming to the surface.
It surprises me, but it shouldn't. We've all been at this for a while, but circumstances change and danger levels change. When you know that someone in the same spot you're loved one will be in just died, the reality slams in and you start fleshing out the what-if's.
I wrote earlier about the idea of the "first day of your real life." To me, this is the bedrock of courage. You face what you have to face, not so much because heaven is your "safety net," though it is, but because your eyes are fixed on something bigger and better.
That's how I cope. Don't get me wrong; I'll probably have Landstuhl on speed dial from wheels-up, but I've learned to have a big-picture focus that isn't destroyed when all hell breaks loose. At least, I hope I've learned.
Real Life
A couple weeks ago I encountered Daughtry's song "Open Up Your Eyes" and the lyrics have been with me ever since:
Shortly after hearing it for the first time, I learned that my friend's baby had died. And somewhere around that time, I learned of a military marriage that's falling apart largely due to PTSD. It's hard not to think about them when I hear this song.
But what I love is this picture of "the other side." People run around with a lot of odd ideas about heaven, and admittedly no one has a whole lot of intel on it! Often we talk of heaven for what will not be there; no more sickness or sorrow. And that helps, particularly when thinking of the torment that someone with out-of-control pain or PTSD experiences. But we neglect the "first day of your life" element. What we go on to... it's not just some consolation prize. Someone I know just lost her ex-military husband to cancer. During the service I had something of a vision of what it's like every time a good soldier shows up in heaven: a flood of greetings from his brothers in arms, dogpiling, stories... think of the best party you've ever been to and multiply it by about a thousandfold. Yes, there's plenty of "worship" going on in heaven, but somehow I don't think there's any conflict of activities... love, too, is a gift from God.
One passage of scripture I find particularly interesting is a reference to how God's people will "judge the angels" at the end of the age. What tweaks my mind and makes me smile is that angels often have military-like functions. So I just have to grin over the mental image of civilians trying to do this job (although admittedly we'll have a new kind of wisdom then) and officers and NCOs stepping up to make sure it's done right.
If you've ever read Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas books, you'll know that there's an interesting kind of spirituality there. He's often so close to the greatest truths but one gets the feeling that he hasn't quite gotten there. In all fairness, that's where most of us are this side of heaven. But he's written a character, a girl named Stormy, who believes that when we die we move on to "service" which shapes us to be ready for the real reward that comes later. It's an interesting concept, and perhaps not too far off. But I can't help wonder if those who have already served will skip that part...or enjoy it more than anything else they could be given.
Seems it's only been a moment
Since the angels took him from her arms
And she was left there holding on to their tomorrow
But as they laid him in the ground
Her heart would sing without a sound
For the first time you can open your eyes
And see the world without your sorrow
Where no one knows the pain you left behind
And all the peace you could never find
Is waiting there to hold and keep you
Welcome to the first day of your life
Just open up your eyes
Since the angels took him from her arms
And she was left there holding on to their tomorrow
But as they laid him in the ground
Her heart would sing without a sound
For the first time you can open your eyes
And see the world without your sorrow
Where no one knows the pain you left behind
And all the peace you could never find
Is waiting there to hold and keep you
Welcome to the first day of your life
Just open up your eyes
Shortly after hearing it for the first time, I learned that my friend's baby had died. And somewhere around that time, I learned of a military marriage that's falling apart largely due to PTSD. It's hard not to think about them when I hear this song.
But what I love is this picture of "the other side." People run around with a lot of odd ideas about heaven, and admittedly no one has a whole lot of intel on it! Often we talk of heaven for what will not be there; no more sickness or sorrow. And that helps, particularly when thinking of the torment that someone with out-of-control pain or PTSD experiences. But we neglect the "first day of your life" element. What we go on to... it's not just some consolation prize. Someone I know just lost her ex-military husband to cancer. During the service I had something of a vision of what it's like every time a good soldier shows up in heaven: a flood of greetings from his brothers in arms, dogpiling, stories... think of the best party you've ever been to and multiply it by about a thousandfold. Yes, there's plenty of "worship" going on in heaven, but somehow I don't think there's any conflict of activities... love, too, is a gift from God.
One passage of scripture I find particularly interesting is a reference to how God's people will "judge the angels" at the end of the age. What tweaks my mind and makes me smile is that angels often have military-like functions. So I just have to grin over the mental image of civilians trying to do this job (although admittedly we'll have a new kind of wisdom then) and officers and NCOs stepping up to make sure it's done right.
If you've ever read Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas books, you'll know that there's an interesting kind of spirituality there. He's often so close to the greatest truths but one gets the feeling that he hasn't quite gotten there. In all fairness, that's where most of us are this side of heaven. But he's written a character, a girl named Stormy, who believes that when we die we move on to "service" which shapes us to be ready for the real reward that comes later. It's an interesting concept, and perhaps not too far off. But I can't help wonder if those who have already served will skip that part...or enjoy it more than anything else they could be given.
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