4 posts tagged “armyrangers”
Last year we were standing in frozem mud, which turned to slush as the temperature rose to just above freezing. Last year we stood on the sidewalks and screamed at the moonbats and assclown posse as they called our troops war criminals and murderers and spit on some of our members.
What a difference a year makes. 366 days. 52.4 weeks.
Well, this year, we did it a little differently. This year we took the street and showed the world what true patriotism looks like.
My very good friend Katie O'Malley has some observations on the weekend's festivities. Please leave a comment, and I'll have more on this later this evening, with some additional comments from This Ain't Hell.(but you can see it from here)
Jonn Lilyea from This Ain't Hell has some great pictures and commentary.
Ronald Winter, USMC and Viet Nam veteran acted as if meeting ME was the highlight of the day on Friday. He's actually got me linked on his blog. Now order his book, cause you'll love it.
Ladies and Gentlemen, for your viewing pleasure, I give you Eagles one year later:
Day 8:
Coop and I arrived just in time to catch the RTW RV as it was traveling to the step off point for the 8th day of the Resolve to Win Walk. I had dropped my vehicle at the VA/NC State line and rode with Coop. I was not prepared for the level of motivation displayed by these men and the people with them. I knew it was high; but when you experience it first-hand, it's truly inspirational.
These men had spent their lives in service to their country and retired to enjoy the benefits of the freedoms they had fought to preserve. They voluntarily returned to active duty and went to Iraq. What they saw there convinced them, in spite of news reports to the contrary, that we can win if only have the Reslove to Win. They didn't have to do this. They could have stayed home and enjoyed every minute of the rest of their lives and no one would have questioned it. Instead, they decided it was time to make a statement. It was time to show the American people, and the world, that America is a force for good and we need to win.
The Major runs a tight ship.
We stepped off promptly at 0730 with Gunny taking the Guidon, Major Heerup holding the American flag and just as promptly, it began to rain. Not too bad. The first leg of the walk was mildly uncomfortable, with intermittment rain squalls, but we had two young active duty Army recruiters on point and spirits were high. No way was I gonna go girly in front of these Warriors. I am a former Marine after all. I had prepared with rain gear, and knew I could handle just about anything short of a hurricaine or tornado.
I had emailed two morning radio shows about this event and had called in around 0630 to the Lee Brothers on WRVA.
I was informed that they would take my call at 0750. Coop is giving me five minute warnings as the clock ticked. Promptly at 0750 I made the call and was put right through. Scott Lee spoke to Major Heerup and emailed at 0759 to tell me that VNN had picked up the story.
I mentioned two morning shows didn't I? The second show was John Boy and Billy out of Charlotte. I never heard a response back from this one, and no one picked up the phone during the broadcast. I'm disappointed with these people and will let it be known just how disappointed I am shortly. They have always been good supporters of the troops in the past, but apparently, three retired Army officers just back from Iraq who decide to walk 400 miles to show their resolve that we can win this thing isn't worthy of their time. I would appreciate it if anyone reading this would take a minute and let them know how I feel as well.
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Our first stop came, and we rested for thirty minutes and stepped off again. I noticed a white SUV parked on the side and assumed it was a LEO waiting for us. As I walked past, I looked back and saw a license plate with 173DABN Sky Soldiers mounted on the front. Well, I wasn't going to walk past THIS vehicle without a question. Turned out to be the parents of two soldiers with the 2nd Battalion 508BCT. They had heard of the walk and brought two little ones with them and those are the pictures you see at the top of this post. They met us twice more during the walk and the video is Major McCool speaking to the parents at the VA/NC state line.
A little more rain, and now my feet are starting to bark. I have good boots; I never had a problem with my feet. Suddenly, I'm feeling pain where there usually isn't any. Shifting my weight from the ball to the heel helped; the burning on the bottom of my heels subsides and then it becomes a contest to see how long it takes to relieve the pain in my heels, versus the pain in my calves as I shift my weight.
I think the thing that impressed me most was the fact that Major Heerup and I share a common interest. Major Heerup is a structural engineer in civilian life. Because my job involves the construction of infrastructure, I had questions about the conditions in Iraq, and whether he had used his skills as an engineer during his deployment. We spoke about the conditions of the infrastructure in Iraq. He told me it was bad. Insurgents apparently do not appreciate the basic neccessities we here in America take for granted and really don't think about until they cease to function: clean water, waste water treatment, and power. Not only do the insurgents not appreciate them, they don't want anyone else to have them either. Major Heerup spoke of an incident where a WWTP (waste water treatment plant) had been repaired and put online. Within days, the insurgents had stripped and removed every piece of equipment, every run of wire, anything that could have been sold for scrap. Clean water is the basis of a civilized society. When you provide a clean sustainable source of clean water to any area, you can build from there. PRT's (Provincial Reconstruction Teams) are working daily in Iraq and Afghanistan to provide these people with the basic neccessiities and AQI and the Taliban are working just as hard to keep these people in the Dark Ages.
The left in this country don't seem to understand this fact either; and if they do, their actions make them culpable with the terrorists. They are either incredibly stupid or they are traitors.
The day ended for me at the VA/NC state line. Gunny and his wife Lori were impressed. Lori chastised me for not getting in the car with her for the last 1/2 mile. Fussed at me is more like it. She could tell I was hurting, and frankly, the thought had crossed my mind until I saw that Georgia-Pacific water tower in the distance. Thats in VA. Just across the line. From my position as "Tail-end Charlie" I called out to the group "Ya see that water tower? THAT'S IN VIRGINIA!!!"
I hurt in places I haven't hurt in since boot camp. I move like an old man this morning. But you know what, I'm going to join them again in Fairfax on Sunday and walk the last 16 miles with them.
You couldn't keep me away with a shotgun.
OOOOOOORAHHHHHHHHH!!!! The Gunny was walking with'em today...SEMPER FI, Gunny.
I'll see you Saturday 0600 hours
The blog for Resolve to Win is here.
Bubba has pictures from Day 5 here (I think). http://www.gatheringofeaglesnc.org/rtw_day5pix.html
I went to DC today and listened to a 3 star speak.
General Odierno was at the Heritage Foundation. He gave a good review of the situation in Iraq and was candid with
answers. The video should be up at the Heritage Foundation website.
1) The Clinton-Soros Group Media Matters for America takes Rush out of context and reports that he called soldiers who oppose the war in Iraq "phony soldiers."
2) The Drive-By Media runs with the lie.
3) A reporter challenges President Bush's spokeswoman to repudiate the quote (that Rush never said.)
4) Democrat senators and House members trip over themselves to condemn Rush, demanding he apologize (for what he never said) and challenging Republicans to condemn him.
If reporters had bothered to check the transcripts and audio at RushLimbaugh.com, or even to call the EIB Network for comment, they wouldn't look like such fools. Rush was talking about phony soldier Jesse MacBeth. MacBeth portrayed himself as a decorated Iraq war veteran who opposed the war. Since "Corporal" MacBeth fit the left's anti-war template, the Drive-By Media lapped up his lies. The truth? Mr. MacBeth was just sentenced to five months in jail for being...a phony soldier. MacBeth never served in Iraq, never won a Purple Heart, never reached the rank of corporal, was never an Army Ranger -- and therefore never could have witnessed war crimes against Iraqi civilians as he claimed. In fact, MacBeth washed out of Army boot camp after 44 days. (Rush 24/7 Members: Listen Here).
Rush reminds us of how Democrats smeared General Petraeus, and how John Kerry, Jack Murtha and Dick Durbin attacked our rank-and-file soldiers based on lies. The full transcript of these comments is posted at RushLimbaugh.com. The Dittocam video of Rush's opening monologue is up on YouTube. Will the media bother to look at either?
The left had to go to a phony soldier to give them bad news out of Iraq. They need bad news because they're invested in defeat, and cannot accept the fact that the surge has brought Sunnis over to our side and away from Al-Qaeda. Frederick Kagan's piece in then Wall Street Journal, "Why We're Winning Now in Iraq," details the anti-war left's worst nightmare. The tide has turned, so much so that every major Democrat presidential candidate has committed to staying in Iraq through 2013. (Rush 24/7 Members: Listen Here).
