WJPBR Email News List [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Peace at any cost is a Prelude to War!
ARTICLE 9
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Laptops won't buy Quality Engineer Diggers!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ed.: It has come to that in many units. The old guys outperform our young
combatants in PT.
****************************************************************************
A disgusted Engineer Sergeant!
I am a member of an active reserve engineer unit. We are critically short of
people but I hardly think giving$ 50,000 bonuses is the answer. Now they want
to use our tax money to give all new recruits a brand new laptop computer!
What a joke!
Having a laptop computer won't make anybody willing to dig a fighting
position or get down and dirty like we do in the engineers. We have more than
enough pansy-ass recruits as it is. I am 37 years old and did more on the PT
test than all my young soldiers. Do we really need more CHAIRBORNE
RANGERS????
============================================================
ARTICLE 10
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Command Sergeants Major - have they become Enlisted Generals
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ed.: I have received many similar responses. For years I have feared that
senior enlisted personnel have patterned themselves after career driven
officer chains. An experienced command sergeant major should do a lot more
than just enforce AUSA membership, paint jobs and police calls. But...if
that's all they do, do we need them? Let the debate continue.
***********************************************************
By D.O. W.
It pains me to write this, but I have never had the benefit of having a
"good" Command Sergeant Major (CSM). I have had good First Sergeants and good
Company Commanders. I even had one pretty good Battalion Commander - but not
a single "good" CSM.
I classify a "good" CSM as a total package - wise leader, vocal advisor,
technical expert, soldier advocate, reality checker and example-setter. I
know that this is a tall order, but these traits are what I see as required
experience for a "good" CSM. The readily apparent wisdom and steady judgment
of "good" CSMs inspire trust and encourage emulation and veneration by
enlisted and officer alike.
On active duty, I had two Battalion Command Sergeants Major. The first, a
Vietnam Vet, could easily have been a wonderful mentor for the soldiers of
the Battalion. But he wasn't. Instead of spending time with the troops in the
motor pool in garrison and at the work site in the field, he usually hung out
at "meetings" or in the BSA. Most soldiers knew little of him beyond his
incomprehensible end-of-day screaming tirades about the sorry state of the
motor pool and its equipment.
Obviously overweight, he made excuses why he didn't finish the 3-mile run in
the Division Commander's "Fit to Fight" required time. His was the only
Hummer in the Battalion that was permitted to have custom seats. My NCOs
complained that our Noncom development sessions were nothing more than a
pitch for NCOA. Opportunity for mentoring lost.
During an NTC rotation, two of the four First Sergeants consistently failed
to return their logistics packages to the logistics release point on time,
seriously hindering logistical support. Did the CSM intervene? Of course not!
Yearly Barracks maintenance meant re-painting the doors and railings red and
replacing/cleaning the white rocks out front.
Forget about really fixing the flooding that occurred in half of the rooms
when it rained. Soldiers joked that they wondered how the CSM's back yard had
been landscaped with concrete stepping-stones when there was always a
shortage of training "mines" in the Class IV yard. The Battalion Commander
allowed the CSM to "do his own thing" because he did not want to share power.
It's a hell of a lot easier to screw soldiers when there isn't a BN level NCO
around to keep him straight!
The next CSM was almost the opposite, but still not "good." At least this CSM
was in shape. He almost immediately alienated himself from the leaders of the
Battalion by talking down or even screaming at them. I can remember this guy
screaming at many an NCO and even officer right in front of their troops for
problems that obviously weren't isolated failures but systemic problems. He
argued endlessly with the Battalion Commander, Company Commanders, Staff, and
1SG's at Command and Staff every week. To him, everyone was wrong and he was
right. As a result, no one wanted to see him let alone request any sage
advice. Soldier issues were almost always the soldier's fault - get help, why
even ask! Again, another opportunity wasted.
My current National Guard CSM is the worst yet. Fat, unhelpful, political,
and neither technically nor tactically proficient, one wonders how he reached
his lofty position but for his job as a full time National Guard maintenance
tech job. Unwilling to enforce standards or require others to, he perpetuates
the rag-tag "good-old boys club" mentality of the past. NonCom professional
development during drill is an excuse to take all company's NCOs midway
through the day on drinking binges and return them the next morning hung-over
and barely willing to work. Inspections, training schedules, PT tests, and
weapons qualification are but paperwork, not reality.
With only a mandatory retirement age of 60, there is nothing to keep this sad
sack from being around until he tires of adding to his retirement plan. His
legacy will linger even longer, though, as the 1SG's of the Battalion have
been chosen "in his image."
=====================================================================
ARTICLE 11
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Submarine Raised
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ed.: Nine courageous submariners and their boat are returning to shore after
136 years. They were the proud forefathers of our own deadly silent service
and the elite U-boat Wolfpacks. They began a tradition of men who would
fearlessly face the enemy but also an unforgiving environment. SFTT honors
all submariners who gave their lives while doing their duty.
***********************************************************
By Mark Crissman, Senior Navy Editor
On August 8, 2000 a Confederate submarine came home from patrol after 136
years at sea. The submarine H.L. Hunley sank in thirty feet of water off
Sullivans Island, South Carolina, on February 17, 1864. The hand cranked sub
was 40 feet long, 4 feet wide, 4 feet high and fashioned from locomotive
boilers. It is expected to undergo restoration at least seven years before
going on display at the Charleston Museum.
The Hunley's mission that fateful February night was to search out and
destroy a Union blockade ship in the Charleston Harbor. The nine men powered
their way across the harbor through sweat and shear determination. The target
of opportunity was spotted. It was the Union blockade ship USS Housatonic.
The helmsman flooded the subs two ballast tanks and angled the dive planes
down.
A Union lookout spotted the submarine as the sub approached the from the
stern. The Union sailors opened fire with a volley of small arms.
The Hunley, equipped with a 135 pound charge shaped liked a hornets stinger
at the end of its 17 foot bow spar, rammed into the stern of the ship. The
men furiously cranked, reversed direction and backed away. The weapons
lanyard pulled taught setting off the explosive device as the sub backed away
from its doomed prey. The explosion rocked the ship. The USS Housatonic
slowly sank and all of its crew abandoned ship. Two Union crewman perished
that fateful evening. It would be World War I before another submarine would
sink its target. The nine Hunley submariners perished at sea during their
journey home.
The submarine was discovered in 1995 by diver and well known military
novelist, Clive Cussler. It was found laying on the sandy bottom pointed
toward Sullivans Island, South Carolina. The Hunley was recently raised and
now rests at the former Navy Base in Charleston Harbor. I recently spoke to
Mr. Emmett Davis, a major contributor to the salvage effort and designer of
the holding tank where she now rests. Mr. Davis said, "The Hunley will remain
submerged until the ph level is slowly brought back to normal levels,
otherwise she would quickly rust when exposed to the air."
Hundreds of boats formed a flotilla around the salvage ship. A steel
superstructure was lowered on top of the sub. Divers placed a cradle of foam
filled straps underneath the submarine. The Hunley and its steel cradle
surfaced to cheers from the surrounding boats. Although full of water the
submarine remained completely intact. Mr. Davis noted "that very little water
leaked from the Hunley as it rested on the barge." 1,500 hundred paying
onlookers waved to the flotilla from the aircraft carrier now museum USS
Yorktown. "This is so incredibly exciting," said Marc Ramsey of Richmond Va.
"This was like the stealth bomber of its time."
You can visit the official web sight http://www.hunley.org
==================================================================
ARTICLE 12
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Quality of Life Update: Medicinal Pork, Active Duty - Get out the Vote
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ed: It seems that Pete doesn't think much of "Porkmeisters" either. You can
still read the complete text of his sick call special report at
http://members.tripod.com/MHCRG/sfttreportsickcall.htm
***********************************************************
By Pete Peterson, Quality of Life Editor
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Web Site: http://members.tripod.com/MHCRG
As stated in an article above, the Pentagon's Congressionally Directed
Medical Research Program has grown from $25 million in 1992 to $1.5 billion a
year. With research on drunken fruit flies to various cancers, we're
convinced Defense isn't the place to put this money, unless it directly
results in improvement of health care for DOD beneficiaries, specifically.
DOD is about bullets and bodies, not "Pork" programs to influential and
politically connected nerds on the left coast whose Washington "pork
wranglers" are siphoning off millions from the care, feeding and arming of
those who will die in defense of their country.
Let's keep the research that benefits all citizens separate from the special
needs and purposes of DOD. Put the Box-a-Bum programs,
"three-strikes-and-you're-cured-again " Drug rehab programs and general
medical research where it belongs - over in the public health side of the
government. It doesn't belong in DOD, which in case you haven't noticed,
isn't doing that great of a job taking care of our troops and retirees,
despite more broken promises from Bill Cohen, his agents and the Congress. In
many cases, the general population is being served better than those who
serve their country!
The parasitic actions of Senators and Congressmen to skim and redirect
Defense money into their home districts for their own self interests is a
practice that has outlived the needs of our citizens. And, it's expensive too.
When the politicos no longer have the needs of all the people in mind, it is
time to send them home. There, they can scour, hunt and gather at will, but
restricted to private and not public funds, they can practice first hand what
they like to call "free enterprise" and capitalism. We won't have to pay for
it, unless we buy what they sell! They can call themselves businessman or
entrepreneurs at that point, and let the free market rule!
November 7th is the date. Circle it on your calendar! We all know who hasn't
stood tall on the issues and injustices we've spent time this year trying to
fix. Turn them out! Let them make their own way in life at their expense, not
ours. You might also reevaluate your memberships in various Retiree and Vet
associations, who not only failed to represent us, and push forward, but have
on several occasions actually aided and abetted the Congress in working to
limit our effectiveness. Some of them played on the wrong side of the field
with our membership money as well.
Lastly, a kind fatherly word to our "youngsters" on active duty. Your First
Amendment rights may be slightly curtailed by your current duties, but
there's a reason. If you're ever unfortunate enough to see combat, there
won't be a lot of time for anything except giving orders, getting orders and
executing orders. This doesn't mean you've lost your right to Vote, however!
The voting turnout for active duty is atrocious. In matters of National
Defense, there probably hasn't been a more important election than this one
in the last 21 years. I'm asking you nicely. Please register to vote,
absentee if you have to. Exercise that right! It'll help us old guys out here
keep faith with what we've been doing to make a better Military for you to
serve in.
Exercise the Right you are defending. Please? For those that don't respond to
sensitive and considerate requests, try this. Vote! That's an order!
Congress / DOD: FIX TRICARE NOW!
===========================================================
ARTICLE 13
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GI HUMOR - Something is wrong with my Plane!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ed.: This highly researched material clearly shows that pilots drive
airplanes and leave the real problems to others....
***********************************************************
"Squawks" are problem listings that pilots generally leave for maintenance
crews to fix before the next flight. Here are some squawks submitted by US
Air Force pilots and the replies from the maintenance crews.
(P)=PROBLEM (S)=SOLUTION
(P) Left inside main tire almost needs replacement
(S) Almost replaced left inside main tire
(P) Test flight OK, except auto land very rough
(S) Auto land not installed on this aircraft
(P) #2 Propeller seeping prop fluid
(S) #2 Propeller seepage normal - #1 #3 and #4 propellers lack normal seepage
(P) Something loose in cockpit
(S) Something tightened in cockpit
(P) Evidence of leak on right main landing gear
(S) Evidence removed
(P) DME volume unbelievably loud
(S) Volume set to more believable level
(P) Dead bugs on windshield
(S) Live bugs on order
(P) Autopilot in altitude hold mode produces a 200 fpm descent
(S) Cannot reproduce problem on ground
(P) IFF inoperative
(S) IFF always inoperative in OFF mode (IFF-Identification Friend or Foe)
(P) Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick
(S) That's what they're there for
(P) Number three engine missing
(S) Engine found on right wing after brief search
(P) Aircraft handles funny
(S) Aircraft warned to straighten up, "fly right" and be serious
(P) Target Radar hums
(S) Reprogrammed Target Radar with the lyrics
===============================================================
ARTICLE 14 - MEDAL OF HONOR
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ed.: He got the bombers through and inflicted tremendous damage on superior
enemy forces.
The equivalent of a bayonet fight in the air!
If you know of any MOH recipient who is hospitalized or has passed recently,
please write James H. Also, if you would like more info on MOH recipients and
their stories, please email James H at [EMAIL PROTECTED]
***********************************************************
DeBLANC, JEFFERSON JOSEPH
Rank and Organization: Captain, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Marine Fighting
Squadron 112. Place and date: Off Kolombangara Island in the Solomons group,
31 January 1943. Entered service at: Louisiana. Born: 15 February 1921,
Lockport, La.
Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life
above and beyond the call of duty as leader of a section of 6 fighter planes
in Marine Fighting Squadron 112, during aerial operations against enemy
Japanese forces off Kolombangara Island in the Solomons group, 31 January
1943. Taking off with his section as escort for a strike force of dive
bombers and torpedo planes ordered to attack Japanese surface vessels, 1st
Lt. DeBlanc led his flight directly to the target area where, at 14,000 feet,
our strike force encountered a large number of Japanese Zeros protecting the
enemy's surface craft. In company with the other fighters, 1st Lt. DeBlanc
instantly engaged the hostile planes and aggressively countered their
repeated attempts to drive off our bombers, persevering in his efforts to
protect the diving planes and waging fierce combat until, picking up a call
for assistance from the dive bombers, under attack by enemy float planes at
1,000 feet, he broke off his engagement with the Zeros, plunged into the
formation of float planes and disrupted the savage attack, enabling our dive
bombers and torpedo planes to complete their runs on the Japanese surface
disposition and withdraw without further incident.
Although his escort mission was fulfilled upon the safe retirement of the
bombers, 1st Lt. DeBlanc courageously remained on the scene despite a rapidly
diminishing fuel supply and, boldly challenging the enemy's superior number
of float planes, fought a valiant battle against terrific odds, seizing the
tactical advantage and striking repeatedly to destroy 3 of the hostile
aircraft and to disperse the remainder.
Prepared to maneuver his damaged plane back to base, he had climbed aloft and
set his course when he discovered 2 Zeros closing in behind. Undaunted, he
opened fire and blasted both Zeros from the sky in a short, bitterly fought
action which resulted in such hopeless damage to his own plane that he was
forced to bail out at a perilously low altitude atop the trees on enemy-held
Kolombangara.
A gallant officer, a superb airman, and an indomitable fighter, 1st Lt.
DeBlanc had rendered decisive assistance during a critical stage of
operations, and his unwavering fortitude in the face of overwhelming
opposition reflects the highest credit upon himself and adds new luster to
the traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
===========================================================
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EDITOR'S NOTE:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For Article Submissions: Please try to keep article to 750 words or less.
SUBMIT IN WORD FORMAT, if possible!
R.W. Zimmermann
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
=============================================
GLOSSARY OF MILITARY ACRONYMS:
We've had numerous requests from troops in different branches of the military
to establish this link so that we will all know how "all you others" talk
that talk. Please see below:
http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/jel/doddict/acronym_index.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
***** BOOK SALES *****
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hack's books About Face*, Hazardous Duty*, The Price of Honor* and The
Vietnam Primer can be found at www.hackworth.com. They make a great addition
to any library. We are offering them at a special SFTT price.
====================================================
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Defending America Newsletter: Administrative Volunteers:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
R.W. Zimmermann, Chief Editor, President of SFTT, Mine Detector and "Gunner"
David H. Hackworth, Spirit Guide, and undisputed Y2K Expert
Bill Rogers, Senior Assistant Editor and SFTT Vice President
Kate Aspy, Contributing Editor and Oracle
Barry "Woody" Groton, Chief TECH DROID and Medicine Man
John Cloven, Master web manager
Ed "Edgar" Schneider, Copy Editor, Man of Letters and gentleman:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Kyle Elliott, Book List Editor and Most Over-worked
James H., MOH Editor and NCOIC
===================================================
Defending America
VOLUNTEER EDITORS/SPECIALISTS
NOTE: The following list only includes the two primary assistant editors for
each service or special area. Please refer to our WEBSITE -- www.sftt.org,
for the complete listing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ALL Letters and Articles for considered publication should be submitted to
one of our brave, resolute and caring volunteers.
****************************************
U.S. Army:
Tig Dupre, Civil-Military relations, weapons expert and Senior Editor
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
CPT Scott Key, Armor, Generalist, Assistant to Chief Editor
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Robert L. Duecaster, Legal
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
**********************************************
U.S. Navy:
Mark Crissman, Naval Aviation, Generalist and Senior Editor
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Pat Nisley, Navy Generalist and XO
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
John J. Vanore, Surface Warfare, Reserve and Intelligence issues
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
**********************************************
U.S. Air Force:
Paul Connors, Senior Editor, AF Historian, Grunt experience, Procurement and
AirCrew issues
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sean Fermat, Fighters, WSO, Weapons, C&C, Generalist
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
**********************************************
U.S. Marines:
Maj. Gordon Todd, USMCR, Communications & Tech., Small Arms Training, Senior
Editor.
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Capt A. McRae, Marine generalist
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
**********************************************
US Coast Guard
Tom Grabowski
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
**********************************************
Department of Defense
Mike St.Clair Acquisition and Quality Assurance
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
*COPYRIGHT NOTICE** In accordance with Title 17 U. S. C. Section 107,
any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use
without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest
in receiving the included information for nonprofit research and educational
purposes only.[Ref. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ]
Want to be on our lists? Write at [EMAIL PROTECTED] for a menu of our lists!
******************************************************************************
*******************
A vote for Bush or Gore is a vote to continue Clinton policies!
A vote for Buchanan is a vote to continue America!
Therefore a vote for Gore or Bush is a wasted vote for America!
Don't waste your vote! Vote for Patrick Buchanan!
Today, candor compels us to admit that our vaunted two-party system is a
snare and a delusion, a fraud upon the nation. Our two parties have become
nothing but two wings of the same bird of prey...
Patrick Buchanan
<A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A>
DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER
==========
CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic
screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are
sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis-
directions and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with
major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought.
That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and
always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no
credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply.
Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector.
========================================================================
Archives Available at:
http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html
<A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of
[EMAIL PROTECTED]</A>
http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/
<A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A>
========================================================================
To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Om
