Normandy D Day Vet: Oldest Military Blogger Posts Pictures

Finnegan has finally posted photos! The oldest military blogger put these up July 1. Please go over and look at his collection of photos from WWII.

Normandy D Day Vet: Oldest Military Blogger Posts Pictures

Mom vs. The Blue Prius

Not the blue Prius, but close.

There must be some law of nature that in order to drive a Prius, you have to be slightly out of it and really don't care. I mean, to the point of excluding reality, and the people you're annoying. Now, before my hybrid driving friends get offended, you have to admit that you are not mainstream. I love you, but the reason I do, is that you're a little off, and I'm a little off, so let's call it a truce, okay?

Today, I found the crackpot of all Priuses. It was an anemic blue model with the type of bumper stickers you pray you don't find, but know you will. It's not that that I don't think of Hetch Hetchy, or know of the political tangle and maneuverings over water during the first third of the 20th Century. It's not that I don't Support Yosemite, or any number of environmental concerns that could be found printed on weathered bumper stickers on the back of this car.

But once, I'd love to see an "NRA," or "LIBERALS SUCK MY TAILPIPE", "I speed up for large mammals," "I've got the beef, where's yours?" on the back of a speeding red Prius hightailing past me, window down, cigarette being tossed out the window as the driver pounds on the horn making people get out of the way.

If it were possible, that is.
But today, something pretty amazing happened.
The I-5 was clogged today. Now, Marc Danziger knows how much I hate the I-5. For almost a year, Marc and Grace would get on their motorcycles and come see me, because I refused to drive anywhere except for a 2-mile radius around house. Either I drove 2 miles or I would get on a plane and fly 3000. This pretty much blows any pretense I might have had about having a light carbon footprint --especially if the only place I could imagine meeting Marc for dinner was 3000 miles away in NYC. (Marc only lives 20 miles from me, and I don't have to take I-5 to get to his house. My reasoning, it could be said, was flawed).

But daughter and I had to go into Los Angeles to a place right off I-5, and there was no choice. The traffic was bad, so we exited the freeway to take side streets. Making our way through trucks on Firestone Bl., we finally reached Telegraph Ave., where I promptly found myself stuck behind the anemic blue Prius and wedged beside an equally annoying (and the stupidly-named) Honda Pilot.

It was as if some "slow traffic" Karma had been stirred into my coffee this morning. The blue Prius went a jamming 30 mph in a 45 mph zone. It didn't matter that cars were stacked up behind it, as the driver was probably more concerned about maximizing its fuel efficiency to get 2,950 miles per gallon and put it on Facebook.  To make matters worse, the Pilot driver was on the phone. They'd speed up, let cars get behind it, then slow way down. Finally, a row of us were stuck behind the Prius and wedged beside the Pilot. there must be some kind of sympathetic relationship between these two poorly named cars.

I followed this Prius through the towns of Norwalk and Pico Rivera. During this time, I was able to explain to my daughter that a more interesting project for her AP European History class, wouldn't be the one the teacher assigned: a map of Renaissance Europe. Rather, a map of Europe with what Renaissance masters would be doing today.  Leonardo da Vinci would be running an internet company (people would find him suspicious).  George Clooney would be dating Mona Lisa, and both would be pursued by the papparazzi.  The de Medici's would be plotting with Rupert Murdoch and they would all have married into the Agnelli family. Carla Bruni would dump President Sarkozy and take up with Marlowe. Shakespeare would have the most popular Twitter feed.  Michaelangelo would paint with groupies around, he'd have an agent, and a deal with Thomas Kinkade to start "Michaelangelo, Painter of Angels in Light" stores in malls.

"I mean, really, Kat. A teacher asks you to do a project over the summer, they deserve a smart ass response."
She was not impressed. Note, the giveaway that this was not in compliance was the liberal use of swear words directed at the blue Prius as I was pitching the project.

Anyway, my pitch did nothing to reduce my growing annoyance with the blue Prius.
The traffic slowed as we reached the city of Commerce. Telegraph once again snaked its way back toward the I-5. The Prius got ready to sit in a line of cars turning left to get onto the freeway. Cars went careening past me, free from this little blue suckster. I turned to my daughter as we got ready to continue straight.

"Look, I HAVE to do this," I said.
"What?" she asked.
"HONK!" I said, leaning on the horn as I went past the Prius.
"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEKK!" screamed the lady through her rolled down window.  The startle response was perfection.  The look on her hassled face was shock, disbelief, and fright.  I  had broken what she would call her reverie, and what the rest of us called oblivion and self righteousness. We continued on our way.
"That was SO worth it!" my daughter laughed. She picked up the phone and relayed the event to my son. As she was talking, she looked over to the freeway which ran alongside us on the left.
"And there she is again!" she said, pointing to the blue Prius.
I looked at my daughter and did the only thing I could do.
I leaned on the horn, rolled down my window and waved.

Again.

Friday: The Gratitude Post. The Lads of the 7 Commando Battery, 29th Commando Regiment

This week on NPR,  Sebastian Junger outlined why some men miss war. War, for all its violence, tragedy, and also for its tendency to throw young men and women into an abyss of PTSD, has its silver lining.

"I think the more profound draw to combat is the sense of utility, the sense of purpose and, above all, the incredible unity in a group, in a platoon in combat. It's something that can't be duplicated very well in society, and I think it really goes back to our evolutionary past, these hunter-gatherers in small groups in a very dangerous world. And I think it resonates on a very deep level with these young men." 

Add to this, the brilliance, irony and humor that comes out during these times. Watching the 7th Commando Battery, 29th Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, one thinks of the good times like these the men will often relive when they are older.
Enjoy!

"My family, we do war." Tim Hetherington's Final Photos

The memory: meeting Tim for the first time in Beverly Hills. I was the odd person out on the Restrepo PR Team. The geek with the husband in the military. So, so nervous. I was awkward meeting Tim and Sebastian. They were giants, after all. I was just a writer, poet, and blogger. A military wife whose husband lived either 3,000 or 12,000 miles away, a mother with children who didn't listen, and a cat who gave me grudging respect.
"My family, uhmm... we do war, and we'll be working together," I said, quite inarticulately as I shook his hand.
Tim paused, then smiled.  "Don't worry, I'm British. I understand irony,"

 While there is the machinery of war --the guns, vehicles with big pronounceable acronyms, drones, computers, and bombs, all of it is run by either service members in the military or contractors.  And whether or not we agree with policy or strategies, the role people like me is simple:  we care about them. We send packages, cry when we read of another fallen, but mostly we talk to those who have fought the big battles in lands far away, as well as when they get home. We try to offer the safer harbors of family, friendship, acceptance, hope and encouragement. We're not perfect, and there are times we'd like to quit. But the truth is that war is always on our mind, and being part of this is etched in our DNA.

Tim's Final Photos

Newsweek recently posted Tim Hetherington's final photos, taken with his Mamiya 7. Tim's friend, and an editor of Newsweek James Wellford shared these words from Tim:

“Photography is great at representing the hardware of the war machine,” he told his good friend and writer Stephen Mayes, a month before he died. “But the truth is that the war machine is the software, as much as the hardware. The software runs it, and the software is young men. I’m not so young anymore. But I get it. That’s really what my work is about.” -Tim Hetherington

Tim had a knack for breaking down broad topics  into smaller parts, to which the rest of us could relate. In one of his last notes to me, Tim wrote how he had begun to understand how much work and what the families mean in the broader context of this war machine. It might be that the men and women are the software of war, and most certainly, at the very least, their friends and families are the best Apps around.

Note From Herat: Thank You Friends

Signpost at Herat. The medical staff is multi-national.

I didn't post anything about The Hub's recent deployment, mainly because his internet connection never worked and we spoke sporadically. But there was one thing that happened in the middle of his tour.
He sent me an email asking for supplies for the children.
Since so many readers and Facebook friends wanted to know what they could do, I told them of the need.

Giving is a beautiful thing, my friends put themselves out for children they would never see or know.  And they did this --from coast to coast.  They sent supplies as individuals, and also in groups.  In fact, one group sent a box. The Hubs sent them a thank-you letter and they responded by sending him 17 more.

So I wanted to share this excerpt from a snail mail letter that I received the day before he arrived back here in the U.S. He mailed in 26 May. I received it in July.  Some of my friends received thank-you letters, but he didn't have time to send them to everyone. So this one is addressed to me and all of you.

"Thank you for all the stuff. I have a mountain of packages stacked in my room, so you can (please) tell everyone they can hold off on the candy and school supplies. I found a tiny clinic run by the Albanians near the entry post (they do all the security because they are so tough). It is over-run with moms and kids every day.

If people want to keep sending stuff, OTC pediatric medications, vitamins (small bottles of 30 only, the ones in large bottles somehow melt) and fortified powdered milk in cans are always running short. Also laser-jet photographic paper and blank DVDs and CDs are good. The patients like to take some pictures home of the hospital or themselves, and right now we are just printing it on paper. We are stocked up on the rest of the supplies for now!

All of us appreciate everyone's generosity, their thoughts and gifts. You are all truly part of the effort and we appreciate your support."

As you know, he's back. If people want to send things, I will work to get the name of the head of the clinic to email her to see how they are with inventory. Just let me know.

The Ties That Bind: Dakota Meyer, USMC, to receive Medal Of Honor

I'm putting a lot of links in this article, and I hope you will follow them.
The Hubs was home this weekend. He came back from Afghanistan, and made a pit stop here before returning to post for outprocessing. While he was here, news of the next Medal of Honor Recipient Dakota Meyer, USMC, reached us. There was one word that stood out, which made both of us pause: Ganjgal.

As it is for Dakota Meyer, that day brings back a torrent of memories. None of which are easy. After watching Meyer's videos, we learned of his mixed emotions. "All of this attention is great, but it was the worst day of my life," he said in the American-Statesman. Nevertheless, the Medal of Honor is a tradition, and marks a pivotal moment in time when the full extent of a service member's character emerges and conquers the horrendous demands of tragedy and violence. Valor, courage and honor prevailed that day.

Of all the photos sent to me by The Hubs, this is the one that stays with me.

Shoes powerwashed after MASCAL event. 9/2009
Photo credit: LTC Anderson, 759th FST

America's 1st Sgt has included it in his well-read blog, Castra Praetoria. He's written a thoughtful piece and has mentioned the 759th Forward Surgical Team, which was thick in the middle of the action that day. Each person in the 759th fought, lost, and gained something that day.


 I looked back through my archives and found this tribute that I wrote for the young Navy Corpsman, James R. Layton.  (I hope you will reread it). Layton grew up in the same area I did. There are so many ties that bind many service members and their families to that day.

The Hubs and I are very grateful to Dakota Meyers, for his actions, 

and for embodying the very best virtues. 

We wish him peace and love.

News on the the 48th Combat Support Hospital from The National Defense

First, today I'll be a guest with hosts Jerry Newberry and Randy Miller on The National Defense Radio Show to discuss the road ahead, and treating PTSD with complementary methods such as yoga and massage. We'll cover the War Photographers' Retreat, and also might touch upon conditions here on the homefront, which included a visit from The Hubs this weekend. The show is downloadable through iTunes. 

 "They have a clinic open 7 days a week, and the national locals bring their children in, and you know.... we treat 'em, with gentleness and care."  -Jerry reporting from Afghanistan 2008.

It's hard not to pass up a hospital story, even if it is a bit old. But what they did then, still holds today. In 2008, Jerry Newberry,  the VFW National Communications Director and former Airborne Paratrooper returned from an embed to Khost, Afghanistan. Jerry always delivers the news in a straightforward, humble way, and captures the stories that the much of the media doesn't catch. In this episode, available as a downloadable broadcast, Jerry tells about his observation of the 48th Combat Support Hospital in Khost, carrying out diplomacy through medicine. 

Click here: Jerry Newberry Reports From Afghanistan

Giving Back To Those Who Cover The Wars

Click to give! (Photo courtesy of Finbarr O'Reilly/Reuters
Today, we kicked off our fundraiser for the War Photographers' Retreat.  I hope you will join us by giving. You can read about it over here, then click on the widget thingy.

Without a doubt, certain images taken during wars, conflicts and disasters have become iconic --symbols for a broad range of the human condition.  The person behind the shutter is rarely thought about, yet, those images stored in our collective psyche stay with us for decades.
Just off the top of my head, the iconic images of these photographers are forever in my mind.

The Great Depression :Dorothea Lange
WWII: George Stevens
Vietnam: Nick Ut 
Iraq: Chris Hondros
Afghanistan: Tim Hetherington
There are so many more. So many brave photojournalists have gone back and forth to hives of uncertainty and tragedy for decades. And it's time we give back to them.

I know times are stretched. But a few dollars will help make this ground breaking event precisely the event we think it ought to be. If you can, will you hit the donate button?  Thanks!

Thank You Mila Kunis: your date with Sgt. Scott Moore, USMC

The flirtatiousness of the sunglasses move

You never know unless you ask. And so it was with Sgt. Scott Moore, making a small You Tube video asking actress Mila Kunis to be his date.

Whether it's a high school ball, or the much bigger and grander Marine Corps Ball, being asked to one always emits a blush and a glow for the female. So it was with Mila Kunis, who after being prodded by movie co-star Justin Timberlake, has agreed to go with him to the Marine Corps Ball. Read the details here.

The degree to which this is swell is immeasurable. But I hope she's accepted not because she thinks it's a gesture to her country. I hope she's going because she wants to have a good time with a man who went to a lot of bother to make a video in dusty Musa Qala, and afterward went back to... now how does America's 1st Sgt put it.... slaying dragons, rescuing maidens, doing violence on others' behalf (something like that).

There's something incredibly romantic about that.  When was the last time any guy did that for you? That's right. Never.

Sigh.
Okay, some guidelines for Miss Kunis.
1. Leave your publicist and PR machine at home. This is date. Besides, the Marine Corps has its own, plus you'll be at the side of the very capable Sgt. Scott Moore. 
2. Do go in a few days ahead. Have dinner with Sgt. Scott Moore. Let him take you fishing (or something), tour the base, pay some visits to wounded warriors. Go see a movie. Preferably yours. (If he offers to buy you popcorn, ask for extra butter).
3. Talk with the other girlfriends and wives. They will love you all the more for it.
4. Lastly, read Tanya Bianks' fun advisory about attending military balls. You're Smokin' Only If Your Dress Isn't On Fire. 
5. After missing your high school prom due to a 'scheduling conflict,' this is one of life's rare do-overs. Make it happen. 

Why Mila Kunis should go out with Sgt Scott Moore, USMC

It's been really hot this week, and when it is, I  shut down. So it is, the only thing of interest to me is this little tidbit:

Marine Sgt. Scott Moore (3rd Battalion 2nd Marines in Musa Qala, Afghanistan) 
asks actress Mila Kunis to the Marine Corps Ball

First, I'll let you watch. After, I'll argue his case.



Now, a typical response amongst some of the older milbloggers is Who is Mila Kunis?  While many of us can untangle acronyms, tell you how to ship 25 pounds of bubbles to children to Afghanistan, or in the case of the Navy SEALS --find Bin Laden, many would not be able to discern Mila Kunis from any other hot military wife. Now that I've pointed out our communal shortcoming, most also have no idea who she is currently dating (except apparently, she broke up with MacCauley Culkin earlier this year). However, we have learned that Mila Kunis is in a film with Justin Timberlake.

Now most of us have heard of Mr. Timberlake, but we really don't know who he is either. We can tell you who Admiral Mike Mullen is, can also tell you that Sal Giunta was the first living Medal Of Honor recipient since Vietnam. Most can even recount in detail the circumstances under which he earned this medal. But the best I can remember about Mr. Timberlake is that he sings and also was singing at the Superbowl when Janet Jackson had a 'wardrobe malfunction.'  

But let's just imagine for the sake of hot summer nights and a bit of boredom, Ms. Kunis had her choice to go out with Sgt. Scott Moore or Justin Timberlake (I will not even argue a Culkin case).

No doubt, Mr. Timberlake could probably whisk her away on a jet to some very private island, and win her heart --if not just for the duration of the trip. There wouldn't be many surprises on the date, or even after the initial flirtation. She could be sure that everything would be first rate, and no expenses would be spared. The meals would always be great, the wine superb, there would be shopping excursions where you did more than just window shop, and there would be plenty of opportunities to wear wonderful clothing at red carpet events. A date with Mr. Timberlake would be reliably posh.

Gotta love the smooth move with the shades!

Now, let's look at the reasons she should go out with Sgt. Scott Moore.

He's a Marine.

Be there. Marine Corps Ball. November 18. Greenville, NC
Semper fi.

War Retreat Update and the life of a conflict journalist

We've been promoting the War Photographers' Retreat for two weeks now. Several organizations have signed on to help spread the word, we've got a knitting team making scarves. We've even arranged for them to bring a guest. A few people have signed up.  The War Photographers' Retreat is for journalists whose work takes them to wars, conflicts and disasters. I'm not sure if it's accurate to say their work directs them there, rather, I think they go because their internal compass makes it so they are drawn to these events. It takes a different kind of person to tread the boards they walk upon --camera in both hands. I got this quote from someone in military public affairs who wrote after learning about the retreat:

A friend of mine summed it up this way. His name is Joe Longo and he was a WWII combat cameraman.  He said "the brave ones were shooting bullets, the crazy ones were shooting film."  Unfortunately Joe passed away a few years ago but he would have been a great advocate for this program.

We're accepting applications until July 15. To refer people, or to apply yourself, simply go to http://warretreat.org
To read more about the combat cameraman Joe Longo, please read about this man's accomplishments here.