Military Emails

These are some emails that I have received. I thought you would like to read them also. Enjoy!!!

- Thoughts from a Marine -

I sat in a movie theater watching "Schindler's List," asked myself, "Why didn't the Jews fight back?"

Now I know why.

I sat in a movie theater, watching "Pearl Harbor" and asked myself, "Why weren't we prepared?"

Now I know why.

Civilized people cannot fathom, much less predict, the actions of evil people.

On September 11, dozens of capable airplane passengers allowed themselves to be overpowered by a handful of poorly armed terrorists because they did not comprehend the depth of hatred that motivated their captors.

On September 11, thousands of innocent people were murdered because too many Americans naively reject the reality that some nations are dedicated to the dominance of others. Many political pundits, pacifists and media personnel want us to forget the carnage. They say we must focus on the bravery of the rescuers and ignore the cowardice of the killers. They implore us to understand the motivation of the perpetrators. Major television stations have announced they will assist the healing process by not replaying devastating footage of the planes crashing into the Twin Towers.

I will not be manipulated.

I will not pretend to understand.

I will not forget.

I will not forget the liberal media who abused freedom of the press to kick our country when it was vulnerable and hurting.

I will not forget that CBS anchor Dan Rather preceded President Bush's address to the nation with the snide remark, "No matter how you feel about him, he is still our president."

I will not forget that ABC TV anchor Peter Jennings questioned President Bush's motives for not returning immediately to Washington, DC and commented, "We're all pretty skeptical and cynical about Washington."

And I will not forget that ABC's Mark Halperin warned if reporters weren't informed of every little detail of this war, they aren't "likely -- nor should they be expected -- to show deference."

I will not isolate myself from my fellow Americans by pretending an attack on the USS Cole in Yemen was not an attack on the United States of America.

I will not forget the Clinton administration equipped Islamic terrorists and their supporters with the world's most sophisticated telecommunications equipment and encryption technology, thereby compromising America's ability to trace terrorist radio, cell phone, land lines, faxes and modem communications.

I will not be appeased with pointless, quick retaliatory strikes like those perfected by the previous administration.

I will not be comforted by "feel-good, do nothing" regulations like the silly, "Have your bags been under your control?" question at the airport.

I will not be influenced by so called, "antiwar demonstrators" who exploit the right of expression to chant anti-American obscenities.

I will not forget the moral victory handed the North Vietnamese by American war protesters who reviled and spat upon the returning soldiers, airmen, sailors and marines.

I will not be softened by the wishful thinking of pacifists who chose reassurance over reality.

I will embrace the wise words of Prime Minister Tony Blair who told the Labor Party conference, "They have no moral inhibition on the slaughter of the innocent. If they could have murdered not 7,000 but 70,000, does anyone doubt they would have done so and rejoiced in it?

There is no compromise possible with such people, no “meeting of minds,” no “point of understanding” with such terror.  Just a choice: “Defeat it or be defeated by it. And defeat it we must!"

I will force myself to:

-- hear the weeping

-- feel the helplessness

-- imagine the terror

-- sense the panic

-- smell the burning flesh

-- experience the loss

-- remember the hatred.

I sat in a movie theater, watching "Private Ryan" and asked myself, "Where did they find the courage?"

Now I know.

We have no choice. Living without liberty is not living.

Ed Evans, MGySgt., USMC (Ret.) Not as lean, Not as mean, But still a Marine.

- Living in the White House -

It doesn't matter to me whether you are a Republican, Democrat or an

Independent, I thought you would enjoy reading this:

A lot has changed since George W. Bush became president--executive orders

that support a "culture of life," judicial appointees who respect the

constitution and members of the Cabinet who are unapologetic about their

faith.  But perhaps nothing more clearly represents the new

leadership we enjoy as a country than that place Mr. Bush now calls his

temporary home, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  The president is quick to point

out that it is not his house, but the American people's house.  And, as

such, he treats it and the people who work there with respect.  From the

Secret Service to the grounds crew, the folks who work at the White House

rave about the First Family.  The President and First Lady prefer to

entertain family friends in their private quarters rather than ask the

stewards and waiters to negotiate difficult formal dining rooms.

Harkening back to the days of Ronald Reagan, Bush will not allow any man to

attend a meeting in the Oval Office without a jacket and tie.  Gone are the

days of blue jeans and pizza boxes.

One of the clearest ways to show respect for someone is to respect their

time.  Everyone who works with and around the President has noted his

punctuality.  Meetings begin and end on time.  This stands in stark contrast

to the previous occupant of the White House, who was notorious for keeping

visitors and the media waiting.

And speaking of the former President, in his administration more than 500

staffers had access to the White House kitchen.  One presidential aide said

they turned it into a fast-food restaurant.  These days, only 15 senior

staff members have meal privileges.

Of course the Clinton years were known for worse things than that.  US News

& World Report reported recently that it was common for President Clinton to

have violent and sex-laden R-rated films playing on Air Force One.  Even

seasoned reporters would blush at the images being played out before their

eyes while trying to question the President on some issue of national

importance.  A Marine who worked at Camp David publicly stated that

pornography was littered all over the retreat.  In contrast, President Bush

has said that even some of the new major motion picture releases, which are

routinely sent to the White House for viewing by the First Family, are too

vulgar for him.

I've visited the White House twice since President Bush moved in.  As anyone

might be, I was awed by the history of the place.  Oil portraits of past

occupants reminded me that some presidents have understood the honor of

living there and others have wantonly dishonored it.  My visits with

President Bush at the White House were an opportunity to witness first hand

how much this man respects the office to which he was elected.  He arrived

at our meetings promptly and took the time to greet every person in

attendance.  He was warm and polite to each of us.  His manner conveyed the

message that he knew he was only a temporary resident and his job is to

leave this august home in better shape than he found it.

In one of my meetings, I made a point of speaking to a young man who is part

of the military service assigned to the White House.  His job is to escort

guests and to help people find their way through the large  hallways.  His

uniform was covered with ribbons and his shoes were perfectly polished.  His

face was emotionless and he drew no attention to himself, but for some

reason he caught my eye.

"Thank you," I said, "for the work you do.  You really represent us all in

your service here.  It must be wonderful work."  He paused and then allowed

a big smile to cross his face.  "Oh, yes, sir, it truly is."

Yes, things certainly are different in Washington.

Courtesy of:

Rear Admiral Steve Brachet, USN (Ret) &

Brigadier General Bob Clements, USAF (Ret)

Nice to share some good things once in a while as well as jokes scams and

stories.  Enjoy and pass this along.

October 22, 2004 from ArmyTimes.com Demand for Medevac unit’s services on the rise By Edward Harris Associated Press     Polish soldiers carry an Iraqi national guardsman with a gunshot wound to the stomach to a waiting Black Hawk helicopter belonging to the 45th Medical Company, based in Babylon, Iraq, on Wednesday. — John Moore / AP photo   BABYLON, Iraq — An Army helicopter flashes over insurgent-infested Iraq, flying fast and low. Instead of mounted weapons, this Black Hawk wears a red cross, identifying it as an ambulance but offering little protection to the medics inside. As the four-member crew is the first to admit, picking up the wounded around Iraq can be a thankless task, involving great risk to the medics with little sense of accomplishment if the patient doesn’t make it. And yet it is a job in high demand as insurgents battle U.S.-led forces. “I wish no one got hurt down here, but unfortunately they do,” said Sgt. Amos Ritter, a crew chief with the Army’s 45th Medical Company. Ritter is one of at least a dozen men and women in the company responsible for evacuating casualties in south-central Iraq. Based near the historic ruins of the ancient city of Babylon, they have three Black Hawks at their disposal. The air ambulances alight at attack sites as well coalition-controlled landing zones to evacuate not just Americans and their allies, but also the insurgents they battle and civilians caught in the middle. “I’m happy that wounded see us flying into these landing zones,” said Ritter, 31, from Allentown, Pa. “Whether that comforts them is another thing.” The medics report a sharp climb in demand for their services, with insurgents’ roadside bombs and ambushes increasingly targeting U.S. and coalition forces. More than 8,000 Americans have been wounded since the U.S.-led March 2003 Iraq invasion, the Pentagon said this week. That is over double the number six months ago, when the insurgency suddenly accelerated. On April 5 the number wounded in action stood at 2,988. The 45th ferries a steady flow of wounded to Iraq’s main hospital, a U.S.-run facility in Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone. The helicopters carry stretcher-borne patients as well as those able to walk. The 45th rarely transports corpses, unless they pick them up at the attack site — to spare the deceased’s comrades an agonizing trip back to base with the body. The medics prefer not to know when a patient doesn’t make it. “We had a Romanian soldier we picked up under fire,” said Chief Warrant Officer Joseph Carroll, a 35-year old pilot from Boulder, Colo. “He was really bleeding bad. We came back to base and had lots of clean-up to do in the helicopter. We found out later he didn’t make it.” Medical ethics dictate that everyone who boards the 45th’s air ambulances gets the best treatment possible — even Iraqi insurgents hurt in firefights with coalition forces. “A body is a body is a body. We just fix them,” said Sgt. Rex Gates, 30, a medic from San Diego. “You just do what you need for the patient.” Not all injuries handled by the 45th are combat-related. Some evacuations during one recent 48-hour period: U.S. soldier swallowed a retainer at chow hall; U.S. soldier hit in head with football; U.S. soldier struck by lightning; Polish soldier constipated. “Last few days, we’ve had some weird ones,” Carroll said. But for the most part, the 45th’s missions are deadly serious — and risky. In April, Gates watched from his airship as a rebel-launched rocket-propelled grenade downed an Apache attack helicopter, killing a number of its crew. One of the crews’ greatest concerns is being targeted by a surface-to-air missile. The Black Hawks are equipped to foil heat-seeking or radar-homing missiles, but pilots take constant evasive action nonetheless. The Black Hawks fly at about 150 mph, staying low over the sandy scrublands and date groves to surprise would-be attackers. The pilots often must pull up sharply to avoid flocks of birds or electrical wires, sending passengers’ gizzards into their gullets. On the ground, Iraqis can be seen waving. “Some wave, some throw rocks and some kick their soccer balls at us,” said Chief Warrant Officer Russ Toeller, 35, from Milwaukee. The rescue Black Hawks frequently come under fire, despite the red crosses stenciled on the fuselage. “At night, the Iraqis can’t see the red cross,” and tracer fire frequently crosses the Black Hawks, Gates said. Also, Iraqis are less familiar with the red cross than the red crescent, the symbol Muslims use to indicate the non-combat status of a vehicle, he said. While the medics carry pistols, their Black Hawks lack the heavy weapons of attack helicopters — and bullets often flash toward the aircraft. “We get shot at a lot,” Toeller said. “But we get missed a lot, too.”

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