Memorial Day

Pray for those who served and continue to do so.
Remember those who have given their lives for our freedom.
Honor them by working toward peace in your community, and in the world.
Screen shot from a short glimpse of Restrepo

Should We Be In Afghanistan?

(This article was originally published on the Sebastian Junger Community).
Having read Sebastian Junger's reasoned response to the same question, I've had awhile to think of my own. Unlike Sebastian, this war stuff is relatively new to me. My resume reads less like a human rights campaign than it does a bookworm who happened to raise kids. Sure, I'm an Army wife now, but for 23 years I was just a regular civilian wife with absolutely no ties to the military, and any engagement with world events was entirely selective.

I think that's how most Americans live. We can turn off the tragedies, violence, inequities, murder and suffering at our choosing. We can spend more time thinking about Fair Trade and buying relatively green goods to make our houses more pleasant, than about infant mortality rates in the Sudan, or the selling of girls in Burma into prostitution rings in Thailand. There are people who don't even know about this stuff, and I can't blame them. It's heavy, and not everyone is equipped to deal with it emotionally or intellectually, or feel they're going to be able to make a difference. Truthfully, this is the stuff that can really make a person desperate, because if anything, Americans like to see themselves as problem solvers.

So a good many of these people do put their energy into other areas where tangible results can be seen: volunteering in their communities, giving to local charities, even being a good neighbor.
But I guess this is at the crux of this whole question. What the question "Should we be in Afghanistan?" really means is, "Will our presence make a difference?"

If you had asked me ten years ago, I would have said "no." I couldn't have listened to what Sebastian said about his earlier experience in Afghanistan, nor about what happened afterward. It might not have mattered because I had a very black/white, good/bad view of peace and war. Besides, I was busy.

Crank the clock forward. Time stops, my heart pounds, when the phone rings at 3 AM and it's a wrong number. Today, I say yes, we should be in Afghanistan. Maybe should have been there after the late Charlie Wilson did his gig. I have clarity now that my involvement isn't elective. A few years ago, my husband, at the ripe age of 52, was recruited into the military. They needed guys like him who have run the gamut of healthcare. From busy surgical practice in big hospitals in a major metropolis to the Army, where everything isn't necessarily bigger --it's just different. War pushes it to the extreme, a MASCAL event at an FST is L.A. County x200. A clinic in Afghanistan is East L.A. x 100, however, the patients don't threaten to sue and they are reverent of what a doctor can do for them.

Junger (left) with Tim Hetherington at COP Restrepo

So while I can't run through the politics, won't go into the intricacies of military strategy, I can --off the top of my head think of local Afghans whose lives have been saved by the ISAF medical teams. Each day, locals are brought in by the soldiers, or sometimes they just show up. Their needs run the gamut from burns, amputations made necessary from IEDs, or other injuries and illnesses. All would have a greatly diminished life, or be dead were it not for the consideration of the soldiers on the ground and the medical teams at the bases.

But this isn't the only story. Glance through the PRT-Kunar blog and read daily stories about small differences. Literacy, schools for girls, starting home businesses from keeping bees to gem stone processing are projects being discussed by Nasima Sadat, the Kunar Women's Affairs Director. There are even Female Marine Engagement Teams deployed to make inroads with the Afghan women and girls (OORAH!). Or go to Jalalabad, and read about the civilian projects run by MIT's FabLab is doing to wire the town with WiFi, enabling a generation to go online, begin ordering books for a reading room, or learn digital photography.

Each effort spells promise, an outlook to a future that wasn't there ten years ago. But it's fragile. It could go away, and it's no exaggeration that all of this comes at great risk. Afghans who partake in these programs risk their lives just showing up to the clinics, schools, shuras, and classes. Can you see this is humbling? People willing to gamble their life in order to gain a stake in a better future? It takes my breath away because things like this are taken for granted here.

I hate war. I am tired of war. I wish it would go away. I hate sending my husband off to war. I hate thinking about what he will see, how he will change. I hate it that so many who serve can't sleep at night. I hate seeing veterans sleeping on the streets. I hate that innocent people die because of it, and some assholes derive power and get rich off it.

But I also hate oppression even more. And I think there are times when we have to fight like hell. Were we to leave, every literacy project for women and girls would be gone. Those who had gone to the clinics, the shuras for women, the men who had worked with any projects that could be tied to the ISAF or westerners, would be maimed or dead. Gone too, would be educational opportunities like the Fab Lab or the School started by the San Diego-Jalalabad Sister Cities project. This school is funded by diligent Rotary Club members in La Jolla. There's even a Rotary Club in Jalalabad now.

Are we making a difference? Yes we are. Is it going to be easy? No it isn't. Will more people die? Sadly, yes. But if a kid is willing to risk his or her life to go to school, I happen to think it's worth being there to help. Like Sebastian said, they might not like us, but god forbid, if we should leave. The prospect of anyone losing freedom is a far more troubling thing to have to bear.

Brings A Tear To Your Eye: Dr. Joe's Babies

Yeah, sometimes you just need good news. This came out last night, and I'm so happy he decided to post it on his blog today. Enjoy.

"So when people ask me why I chose to leave my wife and children to go to war - I now think about the fact that I am so lucky to just be able to make that choice."

Another Giveaway: Movie Tickets To Restrepo

A little birdie dropped a bunch of tickets down from the sky. I have free tickets available to film festival screenings of Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington's movie, "Restrepo."
Restrepo chronicles the year of a platoon in the Korengal Valley, Afghanistan.
Here are the dates of these screenings:

At the Seattle Film Festival
May 28 at 6:30 PM
May 29 at 3:45 PM
at the SIFF Cinema.

At The Little Rock Film Festival
June 4 at 3:45 PM
June 6 at 3:00 PM

Please respond here on this thread, and let me know the number and also the preferred time slot. Priority is given to active duty soldiers, family members and veterans. This isn't a movie to bring kids to. This has also been posted over on the Stryker Brigade News and Facebook.

I won't be able to accommodate everyone, but not to fear.... Restrepo starts coming to theaters 25 and 26 JUNE in L.A. and NYC, with a general roll out across the nation starting 2 JULY. Pester your local theaters and ask them to book it. Then chat it up with veterans groups, friends, local community groups and get them to go.

I'm already missing them

Funny thing on the blogosphere. You become used to people you've never met. I like reading their blog posts, or seeing them on Facebook.
But this summer two of my favorite people are going to be downrange. Combat reporter and military historian Andrew Lubin has left for his embed to Afghanistan. I don't expect him to be on Facebook much, but I had grown used to the back and forth between him and newspaper reporter Julie Baker Carter.
Like me, he curses the Facebook addiction. Though to a freelance writer, it's like having some office mates to chat with now and then. However, I'm sure now that he's in the big bad land of downrange, he'll have other workmates to chat with!

Also, Charlie Sherpa will depart sometime this summer with the Red Bulls. I can imagine right now must be like a giant check list of things for him to do, both for the National Guard, at home and even with his professional life.

So, I guess I'll prepare myself for a quieter time on Facebook.
In fact, let's face it. This massive deployment is going to mean quieter times for all of us. But that doesn't mean, we still won't have fun.

The Winners of The "WAR" Book Giveaway

We writers wait for someone to write a doozy of a book. While we're sent a lot for review, blurbs, or even editing, many of them just pass by. Then comes along Sebastian Junger, who manages to hit the heart, shins and the funny bone.

Yet, my own review has yet to be written. Which, considering I have written many, wrote on how to write a book review, seems a bit laggardly. But this one hit on a personal level, and deserves examination on how and why. So stay tuned. It's coming.

Marjorie Miller of the L.A. Times shared this:

He offers a close-up view of men and the raw elements of war: fear and courage, killing and death, love and brotherhood. "I wanted to understand it unburdened by the very important but confusing and complicated political and moral issues that usually surround a discussion of war," he says.

And that's what I like. He looks at it in a completely different context. And if you want, he's even given a seasoned response to the question "Should we be in Afghanistan?"

Enough delay:

The winners, chosen by the magic of Random.org,
--which amazingly is more random than me:
1. Squid Thoughts
2. Dr. Joe of Fast Surgeon (in Afghanistan)

Thank you for entering! I'll need your snail mail addys. I'll contact you through your blog. Or if your addy isn't on there, then mine is on the sidebar under "Hire Me" to the right. So many of you have great blogs. I really appreciate you coming over here for the ride. It means a lot. I'll try to post them later in the week.

Book Drawing: Win Sebastian Junger's New Book "WAR"

I have 1 extra copy of Sebastian Junger's book WAR. (Update: if there are 20 entries, I'll add another book. 30, I add one more).
For those of you who don't know of him, he also wrote the book The Perfect Storm. This drawing is for those who haven't already heard from me via email and are on the publisher's list.

1. You must have a blog or be on Facebook. If you review books already, all the better.
2. You can't have already been sent or have bought this book.
3. Just leave your name and blog URL in the comments below. (I enjoy checking the blogs! I even add good ones to my sidebar).
   
4. Share this link with others on Facebook, Twitter, or on your blog.
   

The drawing will be at 9:00 AM TUESDAY and will be chosen by the random number generator at Random.org. I will contact you through your blog, so make sure you have an email addy on there.
The book will be sent to your house (by me) on Tuesday. I do not keep or share addresses.
Winning the book does not obligate you in any way to providing a review. However, letting people know what you think of it is appreciated either way.

SHOUT OUT: Be on the watch out for Andrew Lubin's interview with Sebastian. To paraphrase what Andrew told me: 'It was two veteran combat reporters talking for two hours.'

Castra Praetoria: Just Your Average Zombie Crunching 1st Sgt

The Road To Moloch (click here)

Sometimes we do nices thing for America's 1st Sgt. Some send him brownies, others make speeches for him at the milblogging conference.

Since he's been really "BUSY BUSY BUSY" out there in Bahrain, I thought I'd share with him this movie that reminded me of a certain zombie crunching Marine.

Sure, there are details that could be one heck of a lot better, but stick with hit...the pay off is there. It's only 17 minutes long!

This film will be at the Little Rock Film Festival (see post below) and is up for best short. The filmmaker is Robert Glickert, who describes himself as a wannabe ninja.

Restrepo: Little Rock Film Festival

FOUR films that will no doubt interest military supporters will be showing at the Little Rock Film Festival, June 2 - 6 in Little Rock Arkansas. Each offers a different perspective, made by individuals with different points of view. There's bound to be revelations plenty to touch viewers on a broad range of emotional levels, from intellectual to humor.

Restrepo, a documentary by Sebastian (A Perfect Storm) Junger and Tim Hetherington documents the year long deployment of the 2/503, 173rd Airborne at COP Restrepo in the Korengal Valley. It is the story of brotherhood, and its elements. It will have two screenings. Official Movie Site

Camp Victory, Afghanistan, a film by Carol Dysinger.
"Camp Victory, Afghanistan is a verite documentary that tells the story of several U.S. National Guardsmen stationed in Herat, Afghanistan and the Afghan officers assigned as their mentees. Together they've been tasked with building the 207th Corps of the nascent Afghan National Army into an institution capable of providing stability, peace and justice to a volatile nation." Official Movie Site


How To Fold A Flag, a film by Michael Tucker and Perla Epperlein "When the American flag is folded at a memorial service,each fold is said to represent a virtue: liberty, unity, justice, perseverance, hardiness, valor, purity, innocence, sacrifice, honor, independence and truth. These are the things soldiers are said to fight for. Then they come home...." Official Movie Site

In the short films competition, Road To Moloch, a 17-minute film by Rob Glickert.

"While on a mission to locate three missing soldiers, a team of reconnaissance marines encounter a blood-spattered Iraqi stumbling through the desert. After following the distraught man into the depths of an insurgent cave, the marines make a horrifying discovery bringing them face-to-face with an ancient evil." Official Movie Site

I've always held the opinion that many of this nation's finest storytellers have come from the southern U.S. This year, the Oxford American is sponsoring a $10,000 prize for the Best Southern Film. It'll be FIVE days of intriguing films, all of which will transport you to another time and place, as good stories ought.
Congratulations to all the filmmakers who made it in!

Shadows of Change

While he was at war, the children turned into teens.
Son, 6'1", lifting weights, bigger than Dad will ever be.
Daughter, almost-tall-as-Mom, has a face to break hearts.
(His breaks just a little as he watches her ready her backpack for school).

But the sprogs take little notice, as he sips coffee
from a French Press --the wife tossed the coffeemaker away.
Like soldiers through history, when he came back, all had changed.
Even the cat grew fatter, and now the dog has a walker?

But some things have remained,
Shutting the door, requires a kick.
The car still starts with a rattle.
Paint still peels from sills and doors.

He marvels, but only until someone tears
into the room with a joke, a story, a you-know-what?
And like the soldier he is, he falls into line, marching
with his small family wondering if they don't see changes too.

"(Elvis) and The milblogging Icons Have Left The Building"

In like a lion, out like a lamb.
April showers bring May flowers.
A gallon of water brings forth a bucket of pee.

It seems to be the season for imploding icons. It was bad enough we had to learn about Elvis' colon. Now milblogging icons have departed for balconies in greener pastures where they're witnessing a smaller war. This uneasy time has fueled yet another to furiously type about clowns and clown cars in a train of insults into a comment box on a well-known blog.

It's tempting to let them become objects of satire. But were it not for the rock solid foundation of interestingness they provided, we chump milbloggers would not be here! Everyone should all shut up, already.

Remember:
International men of mystery don't have to try to win
--they already own the whole shebang.

There are even movies about them, so sit down, be quiet and learn.

Milblogging Goes To The Dogs

Pups Leta, Amy and Hope...maybe!

Funny guy, veteran, and milblogger Coffeypot has a daughter who is a veterinarian. She and another veterinarian run a well respected Georgia-based animal rescue organization called Leftover Pets. They rescue, vet, and find homes for them.
Right now, they have a group of seven puppies all from the same litter. John (Coffeypot) is set to transport them to a new place where they'll all find loving home.
You can see them all here on their Facebook Photo Album.
If we can raise $25 per pup, each dog will be named for individuals who have been tireless military supporters:

Leta (Tankerbabe), Amy (FabLab), Hope (everyone knows Hope), 1st Sargent (Castra Praetoria), Tim (from Free Range), Uncle Jimbo (Blackfive), and Andrew (the military correspondent Andrew Lubin)
This could be Uncle Jimbo, but only with your help! (Some might argue it might be an improvement over the older model). Go to their site to donate.

That War Down South: Right on our doorstep

Photo: LA Times. Fr. Greg Boyle lays off 300 workers, including himself.

This week, Homeboy Industries laid off 300 workers in East Los Angeles. This included case workers, job development staff, mental health counselors, tattoo removal, curriculum and legal services. Homeboy Industries laid off all its senior staff, administrators and support staff. This leaves a shortfall for an organization that helped thousands in a poverty stricken area resist or even leave gang ties behind them and build a life around legitimate work. There are no shortage of success stories both small and large because of it.

Fr. Greg Boyle started it back in the '90's. He has always been in charge (except for a few lonely years) of a parish in one of the poorest, violent, and bloody areas anywhere in the USA. Fr. Greg has always seen it straight, dealt with the violence and gang warfare head-on. He's probably one of the bravest heroes in America. Anyway, pray for them and if you can, donate a few bucks. Those 300 jobs were much needed in an area where people are trying to move themselves out of poverty, and where the drug war from Mexico has silently made inroads.

Speaking of the War on our doorstep,
my friend, journalist Julie Baker Carter of the Ruidoso News and the knowledgeable Frank DuBois (who runs the excellent blog The Westerner) in New Mexico keep me abreast of the wars down on the borders. After the murder of rancher Rob Krentz, there was a demand to bring in The National Guard. Frankly, I think it's too late for that. 22,700 + people have died in the drug wars since 2007. Even the U.S. Consulate in Ciudad Juarez instructed its employees to evacuate family members. And though CNN is "warning" that the drug war could slip over, were they asleep? Everyone in the border states knows there's been a well-fed mule train for years.

Arizona Rancher Rob Krentz

With far fewer troops and resources, our military could get much further in Mexico than they've gotten in Afghanistan. Patrol the borders with unarmed drones. Support the Mexican government to get tough on corruption both within their own ranks and out. Send teams in to set up and train teachers in schools, help existing health clinics, and work on agricultural and small business projects as well. Then leave. If anyone has a work ethic, it's Mexicans. They'd rather stay there than make the awful trek here. Hit two problems with one stone. The immigration and the drug issues may seem like two issues, but they're very much related.

Will the drug wars continue to be ignored? If so, it just makes life harder for people on both sides of the border --including Fr. Greg. Only after those areas are secured and free from the drug trade, and the corruption is greatly stemmed, can we deal with the effects of NAFTA ("Nafta, we didn't hafta"). It's too late for the likes of William Randolph Hearst, so might as well get on with it.

Welcome readers

Yes, it's true. After four great years, I've retired the original blog, Easy-Writer. If you're here because you've read the retirement post, then welcome to my now permanent digs. The Kitchen Dispatch has been around since November 2008 or so (I forget). I'm happy to have my writer friends who are interested in literature and writing follow me here. It was impossible and ridiculous to separate everything out. Blogs are a reflection of the person writing it, and all their facets. Writing, literature, military, yoga, life, absurdities even rants will all be found here.

Enjoy this:

WAR by Sebastian Junger: Reflections on a book review

I read Sebastian Junger's book, WAR, and have decided to rewrite the original review by re-reading it. This is a book that deserves to be read, savored and thought about deeply. Any review now, would simply be cursory. But I will leave you with this. I think anyone who hasn't served in the military often wonders --what is courage? I mean, the type of courage that makes the men and women who serve get up every morning to the same gritty war. What is it that holds them together? What is it that makes people who would normally hate one another have a deep commitment to save each others lives, even die for them?
WAR is shedding light on all of these questions, and I think deserves far more reflection before I write anything further. Believe me, you'll get a lengthy review.
Yes, buy it. Just click on that little box on my sidebar.

Other news from the mat: Just wanted to put a shout out to Eric Walrabenstein in Phoenix, a former infantryman who is putting the final touches on his stress reduction program for veterans. The program is based on relaxation techniques used widely in yoga. However, one doesn't have to be a yoga practitioner to use this, and Walrabenstein is determined to have this available free to those who need it. More news to follow. Eric is the owner of the Yoga Pura studio in Phoenix.

The FST Sends A Fabulous Note of Appreciation

I wanted to mention a really nice letter I received from the Trauma NCO, SSG Willer of the 759th Forward Surgical Team. SSG Willer was part of a group that became a very tight team under the most trying of times in Afghanistan. Last year, they received dozens of packages from readers of this blog while my husband was there. The items sent ranged from a goofy Halloween mask sent by Coffeypot, snacks, decorations, books, yoga materials and shoes, socks and clothes for children gathered by my husband's 83-year old Aunt and her friends in Charlevoix MI.

He wrote last week, and I wanted to make sure everyone who sent things got a chance to read it:

"Thank you for everything you have done to help build the morale of the FST personnel, and raise the spirits and quality of life for the local national children whom we treat. Thank you, for sharing your husband and his vital talents with us in the Army. He is an incredible man. LTC XXXX is always patient, kind, understanding and a wonderful teacher. I learned an incredible amount in a a very short time thanks to his expert tutelage. He saved the lives of many of my Soldiers, as well as an incredible number of local nationals; for this we are also incredibly thankful.

Your generosity was never overlooked or ever went unappreciated. Things got hectic here for awhile with my parent unit, and I lost track of a few FST related things for awhile, I understand there is no excuse for my tardiness, but please accept my most sincere apologies. The support you have shown us has helped out greatly. Things are going relatively well here now in the "off season." I hope this correspondence finds you well and in god spirits. Please say hello to the good doctor fom all of us here, and let him know that we miss him greatly. Thank you again for everything."

The Hubs has often said, that this was a group that truly worked as a team. It was the team that saved lives, the team who decided to have additional lectures on patient care, the team, who kept things calm when all hell was breaking loose.

If it worked like this more often in the outside world --private practice, clinics, hospitals and even military medical centers, many of the problems in health care would greatly subside. We've both been around the block many times to see good people torn apart by differences that are slight. This teamwork is something that should be a top priority in all of health care, and hopefully, the people here will take the experience gained with them through their entire career.

A Stand-In Mother's Day Card

Today, Luke Larson guest blogs for Mother's Day.


By Luke Larson

Phoenix, Ariz.


On this Mother’s Day millions of heartfelt cards will be sent. When opened they will reveal great appreciation for all the sacrifices mothers endured for their children. However there will be one group who desperately would love such a card - although their mailbox has the highest chance of remaining empty - they are the mothers of the 180,000 service members presently in Iraq and Afghanistan. These moms would gladly forfeit their card for the knowledge that their grown children are safe.

So I offer this letter as a stand-in to my own mother for my twin-brother, a Marine officer, who is currently deployed to Helmand Province in Afghanistan I also offer this to all the mothers whose adult children are in a combat zone a world away in dangerous cities such as Ar Ramadi, or Marjah.

During my two tours to Iraq in 2005 and 2007 I did not write my dear mother on Mother’s Day. It was not for lack of appreciation but rather my total commitment to the task at hand. As an infantry officer I felt tremendous pressure to get my platoon and company back to the States safely. While some in uniform had an opportunity to send a card or an email, my focus on men and mission too often blocked out my duties to my own family- like writing Mother’s Day letters.

I do not envy what a mother experiences during a deployment. What the wives and mothers experience is far worse than that of the Marine or soldier experience because they are thinking worst case. They need to be consoled in knowledge that the soldiers and Marines fight hardest to bring each other home.

In these years of multiple deployments, many mothers wonder “Do they appreciate that I’m worried sick about them?” I can assure you they do. After yet another long day in Ramadi, I found no greater joy than to open a letter from my mom and read about how, “They’re calling for rain and everything’s same ol’ same ol’ in Johnsonville.”

So to the Mother’s of sons and daughters deployed on this day I offer this as a stand-in Mother’s-day card, and convey my deepest gratitude for your continued support of your children’s service to our country. Don’t take an empty mailbox as lack of gratefulness, but rather their commitment to send their fellow sons and daughters home safely to you.


Luke Larson served two tours in Iraq as a Marine Infantry Officer. He now lives in Phoenix, Ariz., with his wife, Kristen. He’s an MBA candidate at Thunderbird School of Global Management and author of “Senator’s Son: An Iraq War Novel."

This was Battle Company

In 2008, Elizabeth Rubin wrote this article in The New York Times, Battle Company Is Out There. In addition, there's also a this from Battle Co., A slideshow.

"The Korengal Valley is a lonely outpost of regress: most of the valley’s people practice Wahhabism, a more rigid variety of Islam than that followed by most Afghans, and about half of the fighters confronting the U.S. there are homegrown.."

All this leads to honoring the men and women from many nations who have served and continue to do so. Restrepo the documentary is but one story of many, but an important one to take in.

Damned Fine Thoughts On "Restrepo." Worth Reading!

"I truly wish every end-the-war-now-liberal-protesting yuppie would
watch this film with an open mind..."
-Ilana (from the comments) read on for the rest of her fine thoughts

First up, I've got two more screenings for the movie Restrepo. You can read the full press kit here, and also an interview with the filmmakers Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington.

Mountain Film Festival in Telluride, CO May 28- 31 Check website for exact screening date/time and buy your ticket early.

Seattle International Film Festival, May 28, 6:30 and May 29, 3:45
Buy tickets now!

I also wanted to share this from a new reader named Ilana. She doesn't have a blog, and so she left her thoughts in the comments. Because they are so complete and heartfelt, I wanted to share them with you. Thank you Ilana, I didn't have any way to contact you. I hope you don't mind. Come back often, and walk in peace and light. -Kanani

"Just saw Restrepo at the SF Film Festival...here are my reflections:

This film touched my soul. It has been weaving in and out of my mind all day and night since seeing it at the SF Film Festival last night. As an American, initially this movie made me feel incredulously disconnected to the war in Afghanistan…but by the end, it delivered a combination of profound understanding, gut-wrenching compassion, camaraderie with fellow Americans, and a genuine pride and thankfulness for my freedom that these soldiers are putting their lives and emotional health on the line for.

For those that made it out alive, many are suffering sleepless nights and worse to preserve my freedom as an American woman, freedom to be who I am in a world where there is so much oppression. I shudder to think what life I would have as a woman in Afghanistan…

This film provided a visual of the remoteness of the Korengal Valley, which scarily helps me understand how many potentially harmless civilians could be so easily indoctrinated by the Taliban. I have come to realize that I am an incredibly liberal person, yet I am not anti-war.

I truly wish every end-the-war-now-liberal-protesting yuppie would watch this film with an open mind and heart, perhaps even recognizing that their right to “protest” wouldn’t even exist in places like Korengal...

Lastly, it was really important how this film focused on our soldiers, on their innocence and courage, determination and strength, resilience and focus, and commitment to protecting freedom. Thank you, thank you, thank you to the soldiers for your bravery and thank you to the film-makers for capturing truth.

I am also thankful for the families and loved-ones of our soldiers who will be providing the bulk of emotional support and care where our government and veteran-care typically falls short. I wish for my son to live in a world of freedom much as I have been fortunate to live in thus far and support all efforts to protect this world from whoever attempts to threaten such freedom."

May 5, 2010 8:27

Stupidity Abounds: Students Kicked Off Campus For Wearing US Flag T-Shirts. Hint, next time try irreverence

First, read this article about a school in Northern California.

Okay, I can't say whether or not those students who all decided to wear the same t-shirts and bandannas were doing to incite a fight. What I can say is those of Mexican heritage, the administrators and the alleged perpetrators were completely lacking historical knowledge.
And that should be more of a pisser than anything else.
I mean, c'mon, get it together.

Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day. It's to mark the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla in 1862, when a small Mexican Army fought off a much larger French Army and won.

I can't say whether the French Army was drunk off their butts after a night of imbibing the best tequila (and you know, the French would only have premium stuff). However, if one wanted to be irreverent, those students should have worn French ones. They could wear berets, screen films by Truffaut, perhaps have a picnic with serving French food made from recipes straight out of the very American Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," and yes, blare Edith Piaf in the cafeteria. They could practice pithy pick up lines and say, "You have a certain je ne sais quois."

The Mexican students could counter by offering up their own well known cuisine, which we here in California eat everyday (salsa and tortillas are staples in our house. Proof of some kind of gastronomic victory). They could have a film retrospective of works by Cantinflas --or heck, show those of present filmmakers Inarritu, Del Toro and Cuaron. Display artwork by Diego Rivera, and wear their own t-shirts with designs by Frieda Kahlo. They could have any number of musicians --take your pick. Maybe they could ask Salma Hayek to make an appearance. If she did, well, there's no doubt, Mexico will have won again.

But both ought to think about being the melting pot rather than the salad bowl with all its various elements, which has led to separation. Read about that here in Victor Davis Hanson's "The Remains of a California Day."

Thoughts On NYC: "We're at war, America is at the mall."

Whomever is calling the car bomb in NYC a failure, is only seeing a partial picture. Selective vision is a nasty habit of making light of the fact that extremists could have taken out a whole city block. Or judging from this quote from the L.A. Times, a way of playing paddycakes:

"I know his family for a long time, and they are very humble people," said Faiz Ahmad, a Pabbi villager. "I met Shahzad a year ago. … I found him to be very calm and quiet."

Wake up. He's not that calm, not that quiet, and in fact ...he's deadly. Why are journalists wasting time getting quotes like this?
Why did the Mayor Bloomberg of NYC assume the worst of Americans by saying this:

"We will not tolerate any bias or backlash against Pakistani or Muslim New Yorkers," he said.

We're in a war against an ideology set forth by extreme Muslims, not against your Pakistani doctor. It's sort of like saying after an airing of The Sopranos:

"We will not tolerate any bias or backlash against Italian or Siccilian New Yorkers."

Or perhaps he's assuming the worst of New Yorkers. Regardless, such statements put a damper on discussing the real dangers, the big picture. A conversation about the extremists who are born, raised, and live here is needed. But instead, everyone grabs their keys, goes to the mall and tries to forget.

"Restrepo" Screens in Berkeley: First responses and the movie trailer

My friend, Eric Schmidt, went to the screening of the documentary Restrepo screening in Berkeley. It's about Battle Company, 2/503 in the Korengal Valley. Here's what he had to say:

"the film was excellent. Everyone was very respectful. Mature, appreciative audience. Hetherington fielded some good questions following. Not a pair of giant pink gloves in sight. I felt it necessary to initiate applause for my airborne brethren & the film crew."

Eric Schmidt served with A Company, 3/505 PIR at Fort Bragg 1985-1989. 129th Rescue Wing, Moffet Federal Airfield. To read more about him go here: Out of War, Art Must Emerge.

In addition, I wanted to thank Sonya Sapro of Hachette Book Group and Sebastian Junger for sending me his book WAR. It's teaching me a lot about the brotherhood and the challenges they faced. It's apropos. Most of the men who came through the FST where my husband was a surgeon, were from the Korengal Valley. Blessings. (See my Amazon sidebar to order WAR).

Tim Hetherington (whom Eric mentioned) and Sebastian Junger completed five embeds with Battle Company 2/503. Together they produced the movie Restrepo. The book comes out this week. A long review will follow.

To read my Restrepo posts with the full press kit:
Restrepo: One Platoon, One Year, One Valley
and An Interview with the Filmmakers

173rd Airborne, 2-503 Fundraiser

Leta Carruth is a friend of mine. An honest, upright, tireless civilian supporter of the 173rd Airborne, she's not doing this for any other reason than to say thank you to the men and women who are serving in Afghanistan. She has been doing troop support for almost a decade. If I were a charitable organization in her city, I'd be grabbing to get a supporter as loyal as her. Believe me, the Letas in this world are precious and rare.

Currently, there's a civilian-sponsored fundraiser. They're selling the two throws you see here. Leta writes:

"A group of Gold Star families, Blue Star families, families of the wounded from OEF VIII and civilian supporters of the 173rd, 2-503 are selling throws as a fund raising project. The immediate goal is to raise funds to fly any medically cleared wounded of the 173rd ABCT from OEF X back to Italy and Germany at the end of the deployment to join their brothers in arms for Memorial Services and other official ceremonies.."

It's very important for those who were wounded to be a part of this, to be able to touch base with the men they had to leave behind and feel part of the group again. The path to recovery is not easy, and to be able to re-join their brothers for these ceremonies is a boost to their confidence and outlook. Simply put, it is part of their recovery process.

I think we need all kinds of people to support the troops. Civilian supporters are important, and we must never forget our own history. It was not too long ago, after Vietnam, when the military didn't get support from the public. Children of soldiers were taunted in public schools, men and women in the military were likened to thoughtless killing machines, wives were thought to be nameless, faceless wall flowers, and worse. I never want those days to return.

Support for troops has not been this high since WWII. We must never take the support from the public for granted. The military, together with civilians --both veterans and not, has worked very hard to bring us out of the doldrums to a time when people are actually saying, "Thank you for your service."

We can only do this together and be grateful for people who want to do good for us. All of our civilian supporters deserve a medal. Baring that, we need to thank them for their support with a friendly handshake and smile.
HOOAH!

Lessons In Balance In A Field In Afghanistan

This is my yoga post, that has long been in the making.
Sometimes you find the message (along with all the accompanying lessons), in the most unexpected places.
Like in Afghanistan.
This kid can't be more than 11 or 12. Two things come to mind while watching the entire video:

• Never give up
• It's a matter of balance

Thanks to FabLabAmy for the link! Check out the YouTube account. Loads of videos from Afghanistan.