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Some of the military wives and moms that I have had the immense pleasure of knowing and chatting with are underground. I have heard them tell one another not to mention that their husband, son or daughter is in Iraq in a conversation until they can be sure that the person to whom they are speaking will not go off on a tirade of anti-war sentiment. It’s not as if myself or these other moms walk around with a huge sign that our sons are soldiers, but it certainly does come up in conversation when it is warranted.

I support and uphold any citizen’s right to air their grievance where an institution is involved — including the military. This is one of the basic and fundamental rights for which my son is currently fighting to preserve. These basic rights are what compelled my husband to leave the civilian world and work as a soldier to support the efforts of our Army. This is in no way, shape or form, a call to silence people. This is my own airing of grievances.

There are those in our society who feel an intense opposition to the war in which we are currently engaged. Again, I respect their right to protest, to voice their discontent, and to do whatever they have to do, within the limits of the law, to make their voices heard. I, in turn, reserve my own right to do likewise.

Sometimes people around you are genuine, and are truly trying to find something to say when they learn that you have a loved one in Iraq. I honestly feel for them. I know that awkward feeling of not knowing what to say, but feeling compelled to say something anyway. I have found that saying “I really don’t know what to say, but I will be praying for you.” is a safe and honest response. I would rather hear that than hear a comment that leaves us both feeling uncomfortable.

I thought I would do a quick “Cliff Notes” version of some of the things I have heard personally, or have heard from other families. These are things that were hurtful or just straight out insensitive. Some of the comments are things that I think well meaning people utter without thinking about what they are saying. Oh, and yes the comments below are real comments and real questions. No one could make this stuff up!

I think I may put these on note cards so that when I am caught in the moment I can rattle off a retort. It is so hard to do on the spot sometimes:

“I don’t know why your son would join the military right now. This war is illegal and wrong! (insert a tirade of political gobbledygook here)”

OK, here’s the skinny. My son joined because he does not believe this is an illegal war. Your opinion is just that — opinion. Many young men and women are rising to the challenge to defend this Country and to defend your right to say the things you just did. Please, find someone to vent to who can listen to you and appreciate it. I am not that person.

“Your son should have stayed in college!”

There is a concept in Social Work that we call “Self Determination.” It is something that adults do. He is a man, and quite capable of making his own decisions, and I happen to be very proud of him for his decision to join.

“Stop worrying. I know your son will be just fine. Have a little faith.”

I appreciate that you are trying to comfort me, but those words minimize my very real and surmounting fears. How do you know that every thing will be just fine? How can you say that? Also, please realize that voicing my fears and frustrations is not an indicator of a lack of faith. It is an outward manifestation of my frailty and my humanity.

“Has your son ever had to kill anyone?” (yes this is a real question, and one that soldiers get asked sometimes too) I am going to quote my son here:

“Why do you want to know? To know if I might be one step away from being a PTSD sufferer? Or is it because you want to live vicariously through me? Is it because you understand the thought process that goes behind having to pull the trigger on a living, breathing, human being? Maybe you want me to prove that I’m a killer, and upon receiving that proof you want to use it to show how the military changes good men. The military, and combat, does change good men; it changes them into people who respect life more than anyone else could ever understand. Stop asking.”

“Where are you going to bury your son if something should happen?”

Say what? You did NOT just ask me that! Either you are a very tactless salesman for the local cemetery or you are very socially inept. Basically, you had better get out of arms reach of me, and quickly. First, let’s talk about all of your thoughts on the death of your own child, and then maybe we can get to mine. I still can’t believe you just said that!

“Has your son ever seen a dead body?”

Dude, he’s in Baghdad. He’s smack in the middle of a combat zone. Now, let’s play a game of connect the dots!

“What do you think about Cindy Sheehan?”

The only thing that she and I have in common is that our sons have both served in the military and served in Iraq. She does not represent military mothers any more than the rest of us. We all have our opinions, and hers bought her a season of fame. Her son is a fallen hero, and I hold him in highest regard. Other than that I do not think about her at all.

And, I will finish with my all time ‘favorite.’ This was said to a mother of a deployed soldier by someone who noticed the yellow ribbon magnet on her car. He spoke before he knew he was speaking to a soldier’s mom, but unfortunately I don’t know if that knowledge would have stopped him. :

“Those magnets are stupid and cheesy. You aren’t supporting the troops by displaying that. If you really wanted to support them you would demand that they come home.”

If you think for one moment that the mother, wife, father, husband or any loved one of a deployed soldier wants him or her in a combat zone then you really are a few clowns short of a circus. We don’t want them there, but we support them being there because we understand that it is necessary. Balancing paradoxical emotions and understandings is hard work, but we manage. You have no clue what that woman does for the troops. I am sure it goes beyond a magnet on her car.

Furthermore, leave her alone and let her have her ribbon magnet. She is minding her own business, abiding by the law and harming no one. What makes you think she should have to stand there and be verbally assaulted by you because she is displaying a very public symbol of a personal reality. Oh, and I always have an extra magnet and contact information to send a soldier a care package, here’s my card since you are anxious to support our guys!

I am afraid that this is to be continued….

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Enjoy your dose of good news for the week. There are a couple of articles regarding Afghanistan as well.

Marines strengthen relationships through medical care

Excerpt

by Pfc. Jerry Murphy
RCT-1 PAO

MUDIQ, Iraq (July 17, 2008) To strengthen their relationship with local Iraqis, Marines of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1, conducted a combined medical engagement earlier this month.

“The people need to see our presence know we are here to help them,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew G. McDonald, a corpsman with Headquarters and Service Company, 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines. “Our support through (medicines), food, stickers, suckers and interaction with the children is very important.” Read more…

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Read the rest of this entry »

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This week has been hectic and I have been battling a case of poison ivy. My son won’t stay out of the weeds. I bought some highly toxic poison ivy killer at the local mega store and will be out destroying the follage this weekend.

I had a slow pitch game and of course I was not sure if I should take my child with me to the field. I tried to call the coach and my teammate to let them know what was happening. I did not want to have him spreading any rash around. I finally get in touch with my coach and because I did not show up they forfeited the game. I told her what was happening with my son and she said to bring him to the next game. They needed me. My son, in his infinite wisdom said, “Mom, you can’t let the team down!” I agreed with him. We made it to the field and I played my game. I was the only one who called to let them know the situation and see if I should even show up. Turns out I wasn’t the reason for the forfeited game entirely. Turns out there were 3 other team members who either failed to call and show or called at the 11th hour from out of state to say they would not be there.

This brings me to my point. We as a nation are a team aren’t we? If one of us says we aren’t going to vote then we are letting down the team. We don’t have to be on the same team. For instance, at the end of each game we all come together, high five each other and say “good game.” Why is it that we can’t realize that as a voter we have the same opportunity to be on a team? The responsibility to show up and play the game through even if we don’t like the score. The ability to be a good winner and an even better loser.

We did not win that game Thursday night. But that was okay. We have a great time. We laughed and encouraged each other. We joke with the other team and have a good laugh with them. Aren’t there many parallels in a team sport and being an American citizen? We are the team that makes up this country. It takes more than one team to play a game doesn’t it? This is not solitaire. We have to work together and at times be adversaries in the political arena.

How many have died for this right that some take so lightly? How many have died trying to bring these very same rights that we sometimes take for granted to their own countries? Why do so many take our right to vote for granted? Have we become that jaded and cynical? We all have to participate. We all must vote and have our voices heard. I don’t care what party you belong to. Vote! We have to individually be a part the process. If I don’t vote because I am going to rely on the next guy to show up, then I am failing myself, my children and my country.

We set the bar for those who come after us. I take my children with me when I vote and they push the very last button for me. This year my youngest will go with me. He is a team player. He already understands the concept at his young age. I don’t want him to forget this and will take him every time I vote no matter what the election is for. His future depends on me. Our future depends on Us. All of us.

So the next time you complain about the canidates and our lack of good choices just remember that at least we have a choice. Keep in mind your children and grandchildren learn from what they see, hear and experience. Teach them well.

We are all in the end on the same team…just with different opinions.

Don’t let your team down!

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First Lieutenant Nathan M. Krissoff, 25, 3rd Recon Bn RCT-5 I MEF, died December 9, 2006 in the Anbar Province during combat operations. He was the units counterintelligence officer. 1LT Krissoff was a remarkable man and deeply touched the lives of those around him.

“Nathan, like so many who have gone before us, can be considered a modern-day knight,” said Lt. Col. William Seely (shown above at memorial service), the battalion commander. “Why? Because he believed and shared our beliefs in service to others. His service and sacrifice shows us great courage and steadfast dedication to rid Iraq, and more importantly the world, of oppression, tyranny, and extremism. He believed those things.”

“I think the thing that is most telling about his character is the fact that this is a young man with a whole lot of options available to him, and he wasn’t looking to learn a trade or a skill,” Marine Corps Captain Dubrule said after the memorial. “He wanted to serve and give back to his country. That should be pointed out whenever you talk about Nathan Krissoff — that he was there for the right reasons.”

Nathan’s brother, Austin, is also an officer in the Marine Corps. These two college graduate brothers wanted to work on the front lines of the war on terror.

But, this post is not really about Nathan Krissoff. It is about his family. Like so many Gold Star families, they live their lives in quiet tribute to their fallen. I am always impressed at the strength and conviction of the Gold Star Families I know.

Months after Nathan’s death, his father, Bill Krissoff, decided to honor his son by closing his orthopedic practice and joining the Navy as a combat surgeon. He and his wife sold the family home and moved to San Diego. There was only one problem. The 61 year old needed an age waiver and it was stuck in red tape.

Invited to a meeting with President Bush for Gold Star Families, Dr. Krissoff had the opportunity to respond to the President’s question, “Is there anything I can do to help?” He asked the President for an age waiver to join the Navy. Three days later, he received his waiver.

Dr. Krissoff was commissioned as a lieutenant commander on November 18 and attended officer development school in January 2008. He is attached to the 4th Medical Battalion and hopes to join a combat surgical team and hopes to serve in Iraq.

The Krissoff family are remarkable Americans. God Bless them all. And, thank you for all you have given to our country.

The Krissoff Family ~

The Krissoff family, left to right, son Austin Krissoff, mother Christine Krissoff, son Nathan Krissoff, and father Dr. Bill Krissoff. Austin is also a Marine officer.

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Are you ready for another weekly report on the news, full of political incorrectness and sarcasm? If so, read on McDuff, otherwise you are free to return to your regular programming. The soaps and Judge Judy await you.

One of CAIR’s main terrorist supporting imams said that the Presidential candidates need to come out against all bigotry in America, especially Islamophobia. That’s nice. When Islam refutes the Koran’s commandments that all infidels are to be converted, enslaved (dhimmitude) or put to the sword, brings itself out of the 7th century, and starts treating women properly then we’ll consider treating muslims as humans.

Dawud Walid, an imam, is executive director of the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation’s largest Muslim civil liberties group.

So “civil liberties” means promoting religious hatred and terrorism? Well, Jesse, Al, and Calypso Louie agree….

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080708/OPINION01/807080308/1008

Russia threatened to retaliate by military means after a deal with the Czech Republic brought the US missile defence system in Europe a step closer. Since this threat came a couple of days before Iran tested missiles that supposedly can reach all of Israel, and deep into Egypt and Turkey, all we can say is…nice timing for that threat, morons!

Meanwhile, the head of French energy giant Total said that it is too politically risky to invest in Iran, which is a bad sign for Iran’s energy sector since Total is the last major western energy group considering a big investment.

“Today we would be taking too much political risk to invest in Iran because people will say: ‘Total will do anything for money,’” de Margerie told the Financial Times newspaper.

No, you know that any investment you make there will probably be destroyed in the upcoming war that Iran’s trying to force.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked President Bush on Tuesday to start using the oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as a way to reduce crude prices and help motorists who are suffering from the rising cost of gasoline.

The GOP responded to Pelosi’s proposal by noting that she was supporting a supply increase — something the Republicans have rallied behind in the form of increased offshore drilling, which the Surrendercrats oppose. Meanwhile, Iran is threatening to close the Straits of Hormuz…and we might NEED that reserve.

The ARMY TIMES had a headline in the past week of “Obama: I need to earn troops’ trust” The Crawfish responds with a rousing “No kidding, you anti-Constitutionalist, anti-military, anti-American, liberal!”

Meanwhile, Obama addressed the NAACP convention, making the rounds of racist organizations (La Raza earlier). He said that blacks need to take more responsibility for their lives, actions, and education. This after making MORE proposals to have gummint be responsible for every aspect of life from birth to the age of five, with the rest of life being only 97.5% the responsibility of the gummint.

This story comes along from the Philadelphia Daily News. “A SORDID TANGLE of corruption, cash and sex rocked the Statehouse yesterday in a political scandal that left one current and one former legislator and 10 current and former staff members facing criminal charges.

Among the accusations leveled by two state grand juries: Former top legislative staffer Mike Manzo got his lover, a twenty-something former rural beauty queen, a $29,000 job and $7,000 bonus mostly for doing her schoolwork.”

Does anybody out there want to take a guess as to which political party all of the accused belong to? Yes, the same one as McGreevey, Spitzer, Kennedy, Clinton…….

http://www.philly.com/dailynews/local/20080711_Scandal_in_the_statehouse__12_Democrats_face_corruption_charges.html?adString=pdn.news/local;!category=local;&randomOrd=071108054613

Al Qaida’s “ambassador” in England has been freed by a judge. He lives in a £800,000 house that is exempt from taxes, and gets over £50,000 per year in entitlement handouts from the Brit government, all for being a terrorist supporter. Yeah, the Brits are really doing a bang-up job of fighting radical Islam…by surrendering even more than the French.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1033882/Pictured-Smiling-preacher-hate-Abu-Qatada-enjoying-800-000-home-life-benefits.html

We lost 9 American soldiers in an attack in Afghanistan this week. The news story reads, in part, “Militants fired machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and mortars from homes and a mosque in the village of Wanat in the mountainous northeastern province of Kunar, NATO’s International Security Assistance Force said in a statement.” If a mosque was used for military purposes, we hope that it was immediately destroyed, and bacon grease liberally applied to the remains of the mosque and whoever was inside it at the time. The attackers came over the border from Pakistan, who’s intelligence forces are actively supporting Islamic terrorist groups and the Taliban. The Crawfish actually agrees with Obama in that we need to send our own forces into Pakistan and clean out that area. If the Pakis object, we’ll threaten to start helping out India a bit more.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D91T4CM81&show_article=1

More from the Temple of the Prophet Algoracle and his followers, the Gorons: “A top Democrat told high school students gathered at the U.S. Capitol Thursday that climate change caused Hurricane Katrina and the conflict in Darfur, which led to the “black hawk down” battle between U.S. troops and Somali rebels.” The Democrat was Congressman Edward Markey of Taxachussetts. Once again providing reasons for The Crawfish to continue calling that political party the Dim-ocrats. The myth that is Glo-Bull Warming had nothing to do with the fighting in Darfur, nor in Mogadishu (where the Black Hawk Down incident took place), and the number of hurricanes is down again (N’awlins was WAY past due for a hurricane smackdown anyway when history is reviewed).

http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=32291

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I am woman hear me roar? No, actually since becoming a mother 23 years ago my slogan has been “I am woman hear me snore!” or “I am woman at the store!” Of course “I am woman face flat on the floor” is a given! There are times when motherhood is both a blessing and an overwhelming responsibility. Solo parenting when your husband is deployed is a time when overwhelming may not even come close to describing it! I used to tease my husband and tell him that while he was at “Uncle Benning’s Camp for Wayward Husbands” I was being trained by the toughest toddler know to humankind! It got more familiar with time, but easier? Well, some days maybe.

I have a pretty easy day today. Maybe I will find time to nap in between chores.

My to-do list for today is so simple it should be a snap! Here it is:

1. Clean and organize my home. It will be so spotless even a germaphobe will roll around on my carpet!
2. Save a kitty cat from a burning tree and return him to his grateful owner.
3. I will make homemade cheerios, and shape each one by hand into a perfect little circle.
4. Cut my lawn with kitchen shears (they are so much more accurate than a stupid mower!)
5. Lose the other 10 pounds that I really need to lose — Yes, I will do that tomorrow.
6. Tone this body up now that it is thin again. Tomorrow I will go from flabby to fabulous! I just know this is my day!
7. I will hang my American Flag out in the morning, and Emma and I will say the pledge and sing the National Anthem out front in our star spangled morning robes.
8. I will feed the hungry by 2 pm. I mean ALL of them!
9. I have to apologize for not dealing with the whole need for world peace. I will get right on that. It will be done no later than 7pm tonight. Thank you for your patience.
10. I will rescue a confused, orphaned bear cub, name him Simba — feed him from a bottle and have him ready for re-entry to the wild by 2:30.
11. I plan on repainting the house… inside and out. I also think I need to re-do the cement walkway. That can be done by 10:30 AM. It’s best to get those things before the heat sets in.
12. I will have Emma obeying perfectly and proficiently speaking 3 languages (aside from English and toddlerease that is). We’ll worry about Algebra later.
13. I will host a dinner party for 25, and offer a 3, no 4, awh what the heck, 7 course meal! I will make little tiny individual cheesecakes with perfect swirls of chocolate and raspberry sauce.
14. I will single handily destroy the forces of darkness and the forces behind all of the horrible Elvis impersonators (Wait, I think that they are one in the same!)
15. Bake enough cookies to feed every single soldier that is serving, has served or is even thinking of serving. While I am at I will rivet a few planes.

Did I mention that I will be doing all of the above wearing pearls and pumps?

Well, you get the picture right? I tend to have very high expectations for myself. The sad part is they are unrealistic many times. Through God’s grace that is slowly being tempered, and my zeal for accomplishment is being focused on things that matter much more than homemade cheerios.

Any Martha Stewart wannabe can cut down a tree, process it into beautiful paper, home make her own ink from the juice of her own home grown blackberries, fashion a pen out of some obscure common household item, write the entire Constitution (from memory of course!) verbatim in perfect calligraphy on the homemade paper, and frame it with a frame fashioned from the left over paper wood. Ha! I laugh at that. I have to deal with the worlds toughest toddler everyday. Martha has nothing on me!

I have an mp3 player that I use when I run or am exercising at the gym. It really helps me to focus. I am a musical person, so hearing a strong beat and fast tempo helps to keep me on track. I sometimes finish and do my cool down with the Pretenders’ Middle of the Road. It’s a great reminder…

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I held down the fort when my son and husband were both gone, and I had to make a lot of adjustments for myself and my two youngest children. My oldest son was in Baghdad and was part of a Stryker Brigade that was sent over to be a strategic part of the Surge. As strange as it sounds my heart sank when I knew the time was approaching for him to leave Baghdad to head up to Diyala. I had been watching the operations in and around Baqubah with bated breath and a self-torturous interest. I knew our contact would all but stop for quite sometime, and it did.

The Army-gods are not always crazy, however. At the same time I lost contact with Mike, I had regained some contact with my husband. He had just finished one phase of training that left us physically separated and unable to even talk by phone for almost three months. A quick weekend reunion ended the drought and phone calls became a little more frequent.

Some seasons in our lives are characterized by moments of crisis and times of change. For me it happened when my awareness peaked and melted away my hardened propensity to step on the aromatic flowers right at my feet. How many times have I overlooked the beauty of the tiniest of things because of my own busyness, or because I was more fixed on my own ‘to-do’ list than on the appreciating that needed doing? Too many times for me to even count, I am sure. Due to my chronic humanity it’s still happening, but to a lesser degree today. I pray I never forget the days of deployments past, and that I use the lessons learned to deal with deployments we will face in the future.

What I learned may not seem profound to most people, but the understanding I gained was well earned. It is not uncommon for military spouses or parents of deployed service members to face their own battlefield. The battlefield we encounter is a war between fear and peace, time warps and patience, and hope and despair. It was on this battlefield for me that I learned how to appreciate a good deep breath. I really learned to truly love the small things.

I never realized before that phone calls can be paradise. As I mentioned above, there was a time when I had little to no contact with either of my soldiers. My husband was not allowed to use the phone for a very long time, so we learned to connect through the written word. It is a blessing today to have the letters that we sent back and forth then. The words in them express a deep love for one another, and a deep commitment to our Country and the Army - a commitment we both made even though only one us was sworn in. I am working hard to not forget the blessing of reading my husband’s words when the mailbox was my only link to the other half of my heart. One late summer morning Bryan was headed out to the field for a week. We talked the evening before and said our good-byes. There are no phones allowed out in the field, so he used his really early that morning, and left it behind. Before he left he sent a text message to my phone. He never used text messaging before, but that morning he did. “we are heading out. talk to you next week. love you.” Simple? Yes, but more meaningful than 100 movie dates.

Mail was the only medium to send encouragement, love, support and morale to my son for a few months. Our phone contact was very limited and computer time was unheard of for months. So, with the new challenge came more opportunities to recapture that love and appreciation for the small things. I remember waiting for a box that he sent out before he relocated to Diyala. It had two suits in it. Two suits that he and a friend had made by an Iraqi tailor one day after they first arrived in Iraq. I was asked to care for them while they were deployed.

The suits were made for his friend’s wedding that was planned for after redeployment. I cried when I thought of opening that box. It was no ordinary parcel to me. It was filled with such huge hopes for the future, and it was mixed with sand. The sand that felt like a fine powdery silt to me. It was on everything. That sand was not common sand. It was a piece of the turf where my son lived, worked, played and where two in his platoon had bled and died.

That box contained within its cardboard walls a message to me that said “Mom, care for my suit because I am coming home and I am going to carry on with my life when I am done fighting.” He doesn’t even know how much he said when he excitedly told me of the box that he was shipping home. I took good care of his suit and his other items. He stayed the course, fought hard, kept up the good work, and through gracious providence he came home safe and sound.

My four-year old daughter loves to postpone bedtime with any legitimate excuse she can find. For the longest time it was always “more kisses!” I had a hard time leaving her room because she always needed one more. I stopped, paused at her door, and remembered that one day she will not need the extra kisses. I learned to stop and indulge her girly giggles, and take the opportunity to lavish some more affection on her.

I gave her many kisses from me, many from her papa, and many from her brother. She told her papa one night on the phone while he was still away that she is a “baby soldier.” She would follow her papa anywhere, and so would I. That night my little Emma reminded me that we are both soldiers in our own right, and that while we remain at home we too fight the good fight to keep the home front a refuge for our soldiers when they return.

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I was asked the other day why I only post a good news thread. I think that the person asking may have been implying indirectly that I have a Pollyanna outlook. The truth is I post good news threads because I hear bad news all the time. I don’t have to search hard or dig for the disasters. If there is tragedy, death and sadness to be reported I only have to look as far as any of the major main stream media networks. Good news, on the other hand, is much harder to come by. Read the rest of this entry »

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I have a confession to make. I have been withholding some information from all of you. Mostly out of shame and also out of fear of what you would think of me.

Here it is…I am on a slow pitch team! I did not post or blog about this as I haven’t played softball since I was a kid and I was not too talented. I was roped in by my friend who was looking for warm bodies to fill in the lineup and stand in the outfield. I fit the bill. I went to my first practice Monday and I had my concerns as I am sure the coach and her husband did as I drove off into the sunset. I prayed for rain on Thursday. No such luck. It passed right by us!

I just got home from the game and I would be lying if I did not say that I was giddy with excitement! I surprised myself, the coach and her husband. Seems I work better under fire. Who knew? I did not strike out. Managed to hit the ball even. Made all base hits but that is good. I did get tagged at first one time so that is cool. Sad thing was we were playing with Barbie girls. They would squeal when the ball came their way, when they missed it and just for the heck of it. I had a blast! I was laughing at them. Had to feel bad for them. They made me look like a good player.

Of course it is appropriate that I am a “right” fielder. Sort of just happened but it is ironic. I have worked on my throwing as I normally throw like a girl. Now I have more of an arm. I did buy a kettlebell and a DVD so will train with it and get even stronger.

When I was in the Army, I about got the instructor and myself killed on the grenade range. I TOLD him I could not throw. I had eyes chalked on my helmet from peeking after I threw a smoke grenade. They(DI’s) were kidding me all day. The instructor got in my face and told me to pull the pin…OMG! I did and froze. Sort of like a booby trapped deer in headlights. Well I “threw” the grenade and before you knew it I had this hunky man in a flak vest laying on top of me in the dirt. I was actually eating the dirt. The romance was short lived though. Talk about speed dating! He was not too happy with me. WELL…I did warn him! I hauled out of his AO and sat in the corner somewhere with my kevlar helmet and chalk drawn eyes feeling the pain of defeat and the victory of being alive after all of that. That was the only bad day I had in basic…it was also about my last day on earth.

Now I am throwing balls and playing a sport I never thought I could. What a confidence builder. I have to say going to the range and shooting may have helped my aim with the bat. There could be something to that. I am now looking forward to next Thursday.

This week has flown by and I have so much I would like to say. My biggest concern is the current state of affairs our country finds itself in.

I will start with Obama and the whole Jesse Jackson issue. I wonder how long Obama can keep looking good and all those around him fall apart. I am not sure Jackson knew he had a “hot” mike but you would think after all these years in the public spotlight he would expect it to be on. I would and I am not a public figure.

I did get a good laugh about it. He was very expressive. Love that little move and grunt he made as if to demostrate his technique in the neutering of the Obama. I look at it as an analogy in a way. Obama has to be “neutered” politically somehow or we will find our country in a situation never before imagined. I am not a chicken little but I, along with many others, have many fears about the future of this country if he becomes president.

It is as if he is made of teflon and is a liberal media darling. There is something amiss here and it is only a matter of time before it comes out. I just wish Senator John McCain would grow a bigger pair. He HAS them. He needs to use them. Now is the time for that fiery temper of his to come out and be channelled in a positive way. He needs to expose the Obama. Who is advising him? Are they telling him not to show his anger? Well I think now is the time he needs to use some of his anger. He is not the best choice by any means but he is the only choice we have. As I have stated before he needs to find a good running mate who has the economic background to start pulling this country out of the financial mess it is in.

Sometimes though I think we as Americans listen too much to the Fed and all the financial bull they have to say. We react and the stock market is affected by these emotions. Economic PMS. Many sell off their shares of stock that they feel are at risk. Why not stand firm and see what happens. It is amazing how we have become a fast food, immediate gratification nation. Nothing is about take your time and smell the roses. This shows in the way the market is reacting on a daily basis.

It has been said that many who have come to the end of their lives never say I wish I had worked harder. Many wish they had loved more and spent more time with their families. Why can’t we sacrifice a little bit? Take the time to get to know those you love and not worry about the almighty dollar. Seems it isn’t so almighty at the moment. Wouldn’t it be ironic that when we stop stressing out about money and relax a bit, the economy levels out?

I am a true Capitalist in ever sense of the word but there comes a time when it rules us. Why not rule it? We have control of our own destiny as a nation. I stress about money or the lack thereof myself. I am tired of it. It makes me sick to my stomach. I am going to liberate myself.

If a segment of our society thinks the Obama has all the answers then they will regret their vote. His honeymoon period will end and he will make the former President Jimmy Carter look like a hero and one of our greatest Presidents. We can’t let it get that far.

I have to close with a goodbye to a man i will never know. I am saddened that Tony Snow passed Saturday, July 12, 2008 at the young age of 53. He fought hard and I always found him fun and interesting to watch. He could work the press. Gotta love that! He was funny and hard hitting. He knew his stuff and loved his family.

Tony leaves us all a reminder to get checked for colon cancer and never take life for granted. Money is nothing if you don’t have those you love around you. Many lose loved ones every day and understand the pain his family is feeling. His death from cancer was so public. I guess I along with so many others feel as if we lost a family member in a way.

My prayers are with his wife and children.

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If you still have not cashed out of the market you are probably singing that song. Thank God It’s Friday!
What a week! Well I have been overwhelmed with people wanting advice on what to do with the money the had in the Market (What is left of it).
Let me share some of our recommendations with you.

1. Establish an emergency cash reserve of at least $3000.00 (This needs to be liquid).
This way if something breaks (Car, Hot water heater etc.) You will not be forced into using debt.

2. PAY OFF DEBT! All the debt you can. If the economy were to collapse your 401k would be useless. If you own what you possess you start out 10 floors above everyone else when recovery begins. and you will have assets of intrinsic value with which to bargain for your needs.

3. Store up basic provisions. If things continue to skyrocket in price and you have food stored up you will not go hungry. You do not get a second chance if I’m right.

4. Find ways to save and invest in things of intrinsic value. Gold ,Silver, etc.
those things will always have value even when our Dollar is worthless.

This is not some far out fringe extremist survivalist strategy but the prudent plan of wise men throughout History.

This is a blog and you are welcome to ignore it completely if you wish. But should you ignore it and these things take place please don’t bother to come calling. There will not be enough for everyone. I am laying up provisions for my family and a few others but they are all moving purposefully towards this goal.

I will be speaking ,as I do almost every weekend in a Church. The people there will get a step by step plan to reach and exceed these goals.

These brief seminars are called Financial Freedom seminars. They are taught weekly in Churches and civic groups Nationwide.

Keep in mind my military family and friends, you must change how you are doing what you are doing if you want your life and future to change for the better.

Insanity is doing the SAME THING and expecting DIFFERENT RESULTS!
If you continue what you are doing or do more of it you will harvest MORE of the SAME results.

Politicians cannot save you. 401k’s cannot save you. Your smarts cannot save you. (If they could you would already be doing far better than you are now) YOU MUST have a plan to get free.

There is hope for all who seek it. But be cautious. There are also those who would have what you have saved, by force or influence.

My job is to be a watchman on the wall. calling out a warning.

Who will heed???

You can be free but you must act now. Freedom is why we served and freedom is what we sacrificed for, but few in this land possess it.

Do you want some freedom? Freedom from employers who control your life? Freedom from want? Freedom to enjoy your life? Freedom to help others? Freedom brings peace and rest, in your body , mind and your spirit.

My prayer for you this day and every day is that you will find true peace and freedom.

” Let Freedom Ring”.

See ya in 2 weeks, Going to Banff Canada for some of that freedom. ( Can you say FISH ON!)

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