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Vista Print ~ http://www.vistaprint.com/vp/ns/default.aspx?GP=10%2F1%2F2008+12%3A37%3A59+AM

Afghanistan-The forgotten war

A correspondent reports from Afghanistan's southern Helmand Province, where he was embedded for nearly three weeks in May and June with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit. They are among 60,000 foreign troops on the ground in Afghanistan—more than half of them American.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=8cd_1222424876

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=e9d_1222424697

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=844_1222424455

Saddleback Church forum on video

http://trevinwax.com/2008/08/17/obama-mccain-with-rick-warren-at-saddleback-forum-video

In case you ever get to a computer where you can turn up the volume and listen to this
Saddleback Church forum with Obama & McCain

A very important message from a 1/8 Marine

I received this email and links from Mike Ergo, a 1/8 Alpha Marine, and now a student at Cal-Berkeley. Mike asked me to edit his words but honestly I think that they are just right! I hope you will click on both of the links at the bottom of this email. The first link will take you to a television news broadcast -- an interview with Mike. The second link will take you to a MySpace page that will tell you a bit more about Vets4Vets.

In Mike's own words ---

Once again I have found myself unworthy to speak on behalf of the warriors of the 1/8 Marines. If this helps anyone, share it. If not, don't make me look like a glory hound. I 'm definitely not. I am only trying to honor the memories of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, as an unworthy Marine could only try. I never am happy being in the spotlight, but at least I was able to promote the book by Gary Livingston, " Fallujah, With Honor."

As a member of Alpha Company, 1/8, I don't try to pretend I saw what Bravo company did, but we did support them in their darkest day, clearing houses at night. Hopefully their sacrifice ( and those of Alpha Company) will be honored by my speaking to the media.

Semper Fi,

Mike Ergo

Here is the link:

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/assignment_7&id=6398206

Vets 4 Vets Bay Are

amyspace.com/veterans4veterans

PTSD ~ by Gary Jacobson

http://namtour.com/ptsd.html

http://pzzzz.tripod.com/nampoemsNpix.html

http://pzzzz.tripod.com/namtour.html

War is a defiant affront to sensibilities born in gentility

to boys raised to respect and love the good life.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,

known simply as ptsd by its sufferers,

is an insidious residual of war

buried deep in the hearts and minds of those that survive it...

impacting their forever!

Hopefully this poem will give an understanding to the Hell

many veterans cope with in their daily lives...
ptsd

CIVL ENGINEERING

CIVIL ENGINEERING {land surveyors} ~ BLAH

It runs in our blood, dad side of the family that is. My great grandfather worked on the Panama Canal, until he got malaria a couple of times. My grandpa was in the 1st Sea Bee's battalion ever formed in WW II, than later he started and ran his own company until he died. My uncle Robert was in the same Sea Bee’s battalion as my grandpa for 20 years, he served in Nam. My uncle Howard has is own civil engineering company that he runs out of his house.

My dad & brother started their own civil engineering company as well. We run it out of our house. My dad & brother share the field work. My brother & I do the mapping on the computers, attending city meet's we all kind of share.

The more I do this ... the more I work on the maps, attend the meetings and try to explain to the clients why their projects isn't moving as fast as they would. The I realize one thing..... I FUCKING HATE THIS SHIT ! I would rather be deployed to Iraq fighting the insurgents one square block at a time or in Afghanistan dropping bombs on the Taliban. When you’re in the military there is always something different you can be doing.... each day maybe bring something new.

When your drawing up grading plans, erosion control plans, profiles, typing out construction notes.... it is always the same fucking thing. Take this line out, add a line here, extend that line here, place more sand bags here, change these construction to this code, make sure your cross section are every 2ft- 50ft ..... BLAH, BLAH, BLAH .... The list goes on. It's just so fucking boring ...... by the end of the day my eyes hurt from looking at the computer. I feel like a zombie by the end of the day ..... I don't want to do anything but close my eyes and go to bed.

BAIL OUT !

I KNOW THIS MAY SOUND KINDA STUPID TO SOME PEOPLE ..... BUT IT'S JUST A THOUGHT !


All these big companies filling Chapter 11 like AIG (American International Group Inc), Lehman, Merrill Lynch, Bear Stearns Cos ....the list seems to grow almost every day. It's greedy poor ethical miss management that got these companies into trouble. It's more GREED than anything! These companies over the past 10 - 15 years hand billions of dollars, their CEO's found ever tax loop whole possible to hind their money.


Instead of the Federal Government helping to bail them out of the trouble they have gotten into. The Federal Government should make the CEO's who have been in charge over the past 10 - 15 years, use their own personal money they have made to bail their own companies out. Than if they do not have enough money...... than the Federal Government would step in and help.


Why are the tax payers getting stuck with the bill! The CEO's are the ones that fucked up with their greedy poor ethical miss management. I always laugh at people who wave their college dreegers in my face. Mainly because they think they are so smart and have all this right answers. The CEO's of all this companies that are failing right now. They all went to college and look how bad they have fucked things up.


The sad thing is ....... about every ten years this country hits a slump. Sometimes it doesn't last long and other times it does. The fun and good times went on for 15 years. Now that the music has been turn off and all the cake has been eaten. Everyone is crying because their is no more free liquor to drink.

The 19th annual Stater Bros. Route 66 Rendezvous

http://www.route-66.org/maps.htm

Marine Attitudes

Attitude is Everything

Joseph Kinney July 24, 2008

Thirty-nine years ago I was shot in an ambush while a Marine on a nightpatrol in Vietnam . I had potentially fatal wounds to my chest and aserious wound to my right leg. To put matters bluntly, I had never beenmore terrified in my life. Would I die? And if I died, would I go toheaven? I also thought about the buddies I was leaving behind. Somehow, I wanted to believe that they would be better off without me to slow themdown.

The next morning I woke up at a hospital in Da Nang . The doctors told methat my days as a fighting Marine were over. Somehow, I felt that I hadmore to give but wouldn't get the chance.

My history is relevant only because there are huge differences betweenthen and now when it comes to our Wounded Warriors. For the past couple ofyears I have had the privilege of knowing Col. Jack Cox ( USA , ret.) who isa stalwart in the Wounded Warrior Program at Fort Bragg. He has been agreat friend and mentor, and has taken the time to introduce me to some ofthis generation's wounded.

There are at least two important differences between my generation and theyoung men I have seen at Fort Bragg 's Womack Hospital which is near whereI live.

For openers, the Army acts as if the wounded person is going to remainforever a soldier. That is their basic operating assumption movingforward.

Second, the attitude of these kids is amazing. These brave warriors, nomatter how badly wounded they are, believe that they will soon be backwith their units fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Today, there are 17 Marines who are amputees fighting in Iraq . I amcertain that there are as many soldiers doing the same for the Army.

Recently, I received a widely distributed email from Col (Dr.) BrettWyrick. He was a trauma surgeon at Balad Air Base in Iraq .

He wrote: "If I ever hear (anyone) griping and complaining, I jump intothem pretty quickly, now. Most people over here have nothing to gripeabout compared to Marines. Marines are different. They have a differentoutlook on life . .

"One Marine Private was here for several days because he was a lowerpriority evacuation patient. He insisted on coming to attention anddisplaying proper military courtesy every morning when I came through on rounds. He was in a great deal of pain, and it was a stressful to watchhim work his way off the bed and onto his crutches. I told him he wasexcused and did not have to come to attention while he was a patient, andhe informed me he was a good Marine and would address '. . . Air Forcecolonels standing on my feet, sir.' I had to turn away so he would not seethe tear in my eye. He did not have 'feet' because we amputated his rightleg below the knee on the first night he came in.

"I asked a Marine Lance Corporal if there was anything I could get him asI was making rounds one morning. He was an above the knee amputation afteran IED blast, and he surprised me when he asked for a trigonometry book.'You enjoy math do you?' He replied, 'Not particularly, sir. I was nevergood at it, but I need to get good at it, now.' 'Are you planning on goingback to school?' I asked. 'No sir, I am planning on shooting artillery. Iwill slow an infantry platoon down with just one good leg, but I am goingto get good at math and learn how to shoot artillery.' I hope he does.

"I had the sad duty of standing over a young Marine sergeant when herecovered from anesthesia. Despite our best efforts there was just no wayto save his left arm, and it had to come off just below the elbow. 'Can Ihave my arm back, sir?' he asked. 'No, we had to cut it off, we cannotre-attach it,' I said. 'But can I have my arm?' he asked again. 'You see,we had to cut it off.' He interrupted, 'I know you had to cut it off, butI want it back. It must be in a bag or something, sir.' 'Why do you want it?'I asked. 'I am going to have it stuffed and use it as a club when I getback to my unit.' I must have looked shocked because he tried to comfortme, 'Don't you worry now, colonel. You did a fine job, and I hardly hurtat all; besides I write with my other hand anyway.'

Now, please tell me that these young guys aren't the Greatest Generationthat has ever lived.

In Their Boots

http://intheirboots.com/index_main.php

"Fighting For Life" - PPR Edition- Available Now on DVD!

http://www.americanfilmfoundation.com/order/fighting_for_life.shtml

GOOD 9/11 videos

I have to be honest, I set a very high standard tonight with my guests. Or better yet, my guests set a pretty high standard tonight. The 9-11 Memorial Show was a resounding success and if you missed it, you missed a lot of history and chance of a lifetime interviews with real life heroes from many generations.

http://www.vamortgagecenter.com/blog/2008/09/11/9-11-memorial-show/


Watch this to its conclusion. It is pretty powerful. It brought tears to my eyes.

http://www.gcfl.net/911/heroes.php