War is a nasty business. War is demanding more and more focus and mental fortitude than ever before. Long gone are the days of following our leaders blindly into battle. Today's soldiers' are all leaders. Empowered with the authority to make insightful decisions, realistic courses of actions, and the ability to say no.
It is not unusual to see women serving in Afghanistan as an Military Police - some as young as 18. These MPs are making life and death decisions in everything they do. Young men are serving up distasteful fire fights that are reminiscent of the war heros' only seen in movies.
These are the soldiers that protect our country. Why would anyone, especially older, more seasoned veterans serving side by side with these young soldiers choose to use them for thier own personal sex toys? To find more on this thought provoking issue read "In Iraq they say it's safe Inside the Wire... that's a lie."
Soldiers' serving in combat differ from those serving in a war zone, outside the wire. Those who serve in the combat areas and come muzzle to muzzle with the enemy make condescending remarks about those who serve inside the wire. They have special names for these soldiers who provide service and support for the soldiers who come inside the wire for fuel, food, medical treatment and rest - Fobbits. Not a very nice name.
The soldiers' who fight in the dark, cold, rain, heat, already have little respect for those serving inside the wire. They say - Yeah, its' safe inside the wire - why don't you step outside into my world and then see how you feel about the war. The feelings of superiority reign high.
This is only compounded by the antics of some of our forces leadership. Men in positions of authority with the age, rank and position to do great things often misuse their position to make sure they are getting everything they want. that includes stalking, grooming the hand picked members of their inner circles.
To read about this tale of corruption, sex, violence and war turn to Amazon.com and order a copy of "In Iraq they say it's safe inside the wire.. That's a lie" today.
Showing posts with label sara minks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sara minks. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
In Iraq They Say It's Safe inside the Wire That's a Lie!
Go to Amazon and buy your copy today!!
http://www.amazon.com/Iraq-they-safe-Inside-Wire/dp/1609119738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1305085012&sr=1-1
- Paperback: 150 pages
- Publisher: Eloquent Books (August 15, 2010)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 9781609119737
- ISBN-13: 978-1609119737
- ASIN: 1609119738
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #83,767 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #51 in Books > History > Military > United States > Veterans
In Response to kego520-------
Lived the life of the book, April 12, 2011
So, yeah. I pretty much lived the story in this book. I knew Sara Minks, and while I wasn't a huge fan of her, I don't necessarily dislike her. We had no issues whenever we had to deal with each other and so everything in this book is about Soldiers other than myself. That's probably why I'm not a character in the book. And that's a good thing.
By reading the publisher's review, you can get an accurate description of what the book is about. However, and I'm sorry to be a bit against you SFC Minks, but I feel like many things were a bit exagerrated. Now, this isn't to say that what she talks about didn't happen. Was there fraternization? Yes. Were there efforts to cover it up? Yes. Were orders from higher ranking Soldiers undermined by even higher ranking individuals? Yes. Its true. But what Sara Minks fails to talk about is the individuals in the unit who did speak up, females and males alike. I know of some of my sergeants who spoke to the commander to advise him of the issues and were shunned. The commander made many mistakes, and he knew it. Our commander was a good guy, but not the best commander. Our first sergeant was a bad guy, and a bad leader. That's that. Unfortunately, Sara Minks makes almost the entire unit look like scumbags. As a Soldier in this National Guard unit for over 10 years, and as a lower level leader myself, I have seen this unit live its ups and downs.
I say good job to Sara Minks for speaking up about her experiences, but next time give credit to the good Soldiers in the unit. And the good Soldiers make up the majority.
RESPONSE
That's a good point. I do appreciate the review, and just to help clarify. This book is about one experience and one experience only. Yes there were good soldiers - good people in or out of uniform. The entire point of this book is to talk about my experience. You know the old adage - there is always more than one side to a story. I have knowledge of only what I experienced. I can not write about the events that occurred that I was not a part of.
I am writing another book - this one chronicles another experience which sheds light on the good soldiers that are in the National Guard. I am not sure if you have ever used facebook, but there is a former member of the same unit who has shared her first hand knowledge of the 1SG's inner circle. It is worth reading. However I must warn you it goes back quite a ways in her postings. I found it best to scroll through about 12 pages of postings and read it forward.
Clearly this woman was affected by the experience in a very hurtful way. She will never be the same, young woman. Her experience has made her wiser, this is a good thing. (http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=553408729)
Each person's experience is unique. I personally can only write from my perspective, which is what I did. My intent was to address a problem that has long been ignored. My experience speaks only for me. I acknowledge there were several stellar men and women. What they did or did not do in terms of putting a stop to the event in my book, I will never know. But if it is true that other soldiers' had made the commander aware of the existing situation, and he did nothing, then he lied under oath through his claim that he never knew about the fraternization, pregnancies or affairs. This is the breakdown that I'm talking about. Where does the responsibility lie? Whose job is it to go beyond the chain of command to put a stop to the degradation of human beings? Do we just address it, then ignore it? If a report is made and no action is taken the next step is to get someone involved from outside the chain of command to investigate the claims.
By
Me "kego520" (At home, in California) -
This review is from: In Iraq they say it's safe Inside the Wire: That's a lie. (Paperback)
COMMENT:
By reading the publisher's review, you can get an accurate description of what the book is about. However, and I'm sorry to be a bit against you SFC Minks, but I feel like many things were a bit exagerrated. Now, this isn't to say that what she talks about didn't happen. Was there fraternization? Yes. Were there efforts to cover it up? Yes. Were orders from higher ranking Soldiers undermined by even higher ranking individuals? Yes. Its true. But what Sara Minks fails to talk about is the individuals in the unit who did speak up, females and males alike. I know of some of my sergeants who spoke to the commander to advise him of the issues and were shunned. The commander made many mistakes, and he knew it. Our commander was a good guy, but not the best commander. Our first sergeant was a bad guy, and a bad leader. That's that. Unfortunately, Sara Minks makes almost the entire unit look like scumbags. As a Soldier in this National Guard unit for over 10 years, and as a lower level leader myself, I have seen this unit live its ups and downs.
I say good job to Sara Minks for speaking up about her experiences, but next time give credit to the good Soldiers in the unit. And the good Soldiers make up the majority.
RESPONSE
That's a good point. I do appreciate the review, and just to help clarify. This book is about one experience and one experience only. Yes there were good soldiers - good people in or out of uniform. The entire point of this book is to talk about my experience. You know the old adage - there is always more than one side to a story. I have knowledge of only what I experienced. I can not write about the events that occurred that I was not a part of.
I am writing another book - this one chronicles another experience which sheds light on the good soldiers that are in the National Guard. I am not sure if you have ever used facebook, but there is a former member of the same unit who has shared her first hand knowledge of the 1SG's inner circle. It is worth reading. However I must warn you it goes back quite a ways in her postings. I found it best to scroll through about 12 pages of postings and read it forward.
Clearly this woman was affected by the experience in a very hurtful way. She will never be the same, young woman. Her experience has made her wiser, this is a good thing. (http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=553408729)
Each person's experience is unique. I personally can only write from my perspective, which is what I did. My intent was to address a problem that has long been ignored. My experience speaks only for me. I acknowledge there were several stellar men and women. What they did or did not do in terms of putting a stop to the event in my book, I will never know. But if it is true that other soldiers' had made the commander aware of the existing situation, and he did nothing, then he lied under oath through his claim that he never knew about the fraternization, pregnancies or affairs. This is the breakdown that I'm talking about. Where does the responsibility lie? Whose job is it to go beyond the chain of command to put a stop to the degradation of human beings? Do we just address it, then ignore it? If a report is made and no action is taken the next step is to get someone involved from outside the chain of command to investigate the claims.
Monday, May 2, 2011
NO women in Combat?
'No Women in Combat'? Tell It to the Kids
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Although everyone knows women face what amount to combat situations every day in Iraq, President George Bush says his policy is "no women in combat."
"There's no change of policy as far as I'm concerned," Bush told The Washington Times in an Oval Office interview Tuesday. "No women in combat. Having said that, let me explain, we've got to make sure we define combat properly: We've got women flying choppers and women flying fighters, which I'm perfectly content with."
Women are best known for serving in military police (MP) units. In Iraq, policing often equals combat. Tagging the Pentagon for the shift of women into battle, newsmax.com gave examples of women already in those situations.
Among them was Marine Lance Corporal Kay Barnes, a crew chief on a UH-1N Iroquois "Huey" gunship in Afghanistan. She is 30 and originally hails from Richmond Hill, Georgia. She talked about her experience in a recent Defense Department press release.
"They told me when I checked into my squadron they didn’t care if I were male or female, as long as I could carry a 50-caliber," she said. "I didn’t expect a vacation out here. I expect to perform as part of a team and accomplish missions as they arrive. I didn’t see sitting around while my country was going to war without me."
Probably the most publicized example of women in combat involved Army private first class Jessica Lynch, who was caught in an ambush of an Ordnance Maintenance Company supporting the Third Infantry. That unit included three women: Lynch, Army private first class Lori Ann Piestewa, and Army specialist Shoshana Johnson. Piestewa died from injuries she got when her vehicle crashed during the ambush. Piestewa was the first Native American woman ever killed in combat and the first woman killed in Iraq. Shoshana Johnson was shot twice and filmed by her captors on Iraqi television.
There are differing accounts of the number of women who have died in Iraq so far, but reports suggest it could be as many as 30, with perhaps two dozen dying in combat situations. According to a January Associated Press report, among the women who have been injured or killed are: Army private Teresa Broadwell, 20, who won a Bronze Star for valor for returning fire when her MP unit was attacked in Karbala in October; and Army private first class Rachel Bosveld, 19, who was killed in a mortar attack on the police station in Abu Ghraib that same month.
And back in October, cbsnews.com recounted the death of Pamela Osborne, a mother of three, who'd been killed in a rocket attack that month.
The nonpartisan Women's Research and Educational Institute (WREI) estimates that 10 percent of all the troops in Afghanistan and Iraq are female. Overall, 15 percent of active-duty troops and 17 percent of National Guard and reserve forces are women. And more than 33 percent of active-duty enlisted women are African American.
The Clinton administration changed the rules to let them serve on combat aircraft and on ships. But they were banned from serving in land combat units.
In a letter to House Armed Services chairman Duncan Hunter obtained by The Washington Times, Elaine Donnelly, head of the Center for Military Readiness, said, "Female soldiers, including young mothers, should not have to pay the price for Pentagon bureaucratic blunders and gender-based recruiting quotas."
That they're out there taking fire should surprise no one, least of all the president. "Women MPs in Iraq and Afghanistan are as much on the front line as they can be," retired Navy captain Lory Manning, who heads WREI's Women in the Military project, recently told the AP. "I'd say if they have the mental and physical toughness to do that, they have the physical strength to be in the infantry." In April 2003, she told iraqcrisisbulletin.com, "Unless we want to draft men, we have to take women. We have to have an all-volunteer service or go back to the draft. That's the trade-off."
In an interview with the Voice on Wednesday, Manning explained her position more fully. "No one is trying to put women in combat. That's not what's happening," she said. "Women will not become members of infantry or combat units. They will continue to serve in whatever support capacities they are presently serving."
The old notion that women should be kept from combat may simply not be practical anymore. "When that policy was made up, there was a different threat," Lieutenant Colonel Chris Rodney, an Army spokesperson at the Pentagon, told The Washington Times in October. "We imagined a more linear combat environment. Now, with the nature of asymmetrical threats, we have to relook at that policy." Rodney cited the fighting in Iraq as typifying the new threat, with all soldiers, support or combat, facing attack by rockets, mortars, roadside bombs, and ambushes. "Everybody faces a similar threat," he said. "There is no frontline threat right now."
"There's no change of policy as far as I'm concerned," Bush told The Washington Times in an Oval Office interview Tuesday. "No women in combat. Having said that, let me explain, we've got to make sure we define combat properly: We've got women flying choppers and women flying fighters, which I'm perfectly content with."
Women are best known for serving in military police (MP) units. In Iraq, policing often equals combat. Tagging the Pentagon for the shift of women into battle, newsmax.com gave examples of women already in those situations.
Among them was Marine Lance Corporal Kay Barnes, a crew chief on a UH-1N Iroquois "Huey" gunship in Afghanistan. She is 30 and originally hails from Richmond Hill, Georgia. She talked about her experience in a recent Defense Department press release.
"They told me when I checked into my squadron they didn’t care if I were male or female, as long as I could carry a 50-caliber," she said. "I didn’t expect a vacation out here. I expect to perform as part of a team and accomplish missions as they arrive. I didn’t see sitting around while my country was going to war without me."
Probably the most publicized example of women in combat involved Army private first class Jessica Lynch, who was caught in an ambush of an Ordnance Maintenance Company supporting the Third Infantry. That unit included three women: Lynch, Army private first class Lori Ann Piestewa, and Army specialist Shoshana Johnson. Piestewa died from injuries she got when her vehicle crashed during the ambush. Piestewa was the first Native American woman ever killed in combat and the first woman killed in Iraq. Shoshana Johnson was shot twice and filmed by her captors on Iraqi television.
There are differing accounts of the number of women who have died in Iraq so far, but reports suggest it could be as many as 30, with perhaps two dozen dying in combat situations. According to a January Associated Press report, among the women who have been injured or killed are: Army private Teresa Broadwell, 20, who won a Bronze Star for valor for returning fire when her MP unit was attacked in Karbala in October; and Army private first class Rachel Bosveld, 19, who was killed in a mortar attack on the police station in Abu Ghraib that same month.
And back in October, cbsnews.com recounted the death of Pamela Osborne, a mother of three, who'd been killed in a rocket attack that month.
The nonpartisan Women's Research and Educational Institute (WREI) estimates that 10 percent of all the troops in Afghanistan and Iraq are female. Overall, 15 percent of active-duty troops and 17 percent of National Guard and reserve forces are women. And more than 33 percent of active-duty enlisted women are African American.
The Clinton administration changed the rules to let them serve on combat aircraft and on ships. But they were banned from serving in land combat units.
In a letter to House Armed Services chairman Duncan Hunter obtained by The Washington Times, Elaine Donnelly, head of the Center for Military Readiness, said, "Female soldiers, including young mothers, should not have to pay the price for Pentagon bureaucratic blunders and gender-based recruiting quotas."
That they're out there taking fire should surprise no one, least of all the president. "Women MPs in Iraq and Afghanistan are as much on the front line as they can be," retired Navy captain Lory Manning, who heads WREI's Women in the Military project, recently told the AP. "I'd say if they have the mental and physical toughness to do that, they have the physical strength to be in the infantry." In April 2003, she told iraqcrisisbulletin.com, "Unless we want to draft men, we have to take women. We have to have an all-volunteer service or go back to the draft. That's the trade-off."
In an interview with the Voice on Wednesday, Manning explained her position more fully. "No one is trying to put women in combat. That's not what's happening," she said. "Women will not become members of infantry or combat units. They will continue to serve in whatever support capacities they are presently serving."
The old notion that women should be kept from combat may simply not be practical anymore. "When that policy was made up, there was a different threat," Lieutenant Colonel Chris Rodney, an Army spokesperson at the Pentagon, told The Washington Times in October. "We imagined a more linear combat environment. Now, with the nature of asymmetrical threats, we have to relook at that policy." Rodney cited the fighting in Iraq as typifying the new threat, with all soldiers, support or combat, facing attack by rockets, mortars, roadside bombs, and ambushes. "Everybody faces a similar threat," he said. "There is no frontline threat right now."
I have been in the army since 1980. From the time of my enlistment and up until now, I have traveled around the world. I have served with some amazing men and women. I love the army. There are many soldiers, men and women, who serve with honor and integrity. These are the folks who are given a bad name by soldiers conducting themselves as vigilantes with no regard for the army’s values.
Two of my sons have served in the army. One is currently serving in Baghdad. One has elected to end his affiliation with the army due to his bad experience with poor leadership.
There are those soldiers who misuse their positions. I have seen everything from mockery to downright physical abuse. Now, I am not talking about a good old-fashioned ribbing; I am talking about someone knowingly trying to humiliate and destroy another human being. These people prey on the weak and thrive on the fear they produce. It is important for me to bring light to the seriousness of the misuse of power, trust, and confidence by unethical leaders.
These are the people who I want you to know about.
I came into my deployment to Iraq with fourteen years of experience. I was a high school teacher for eighteen years. I had taught in some of the roughest inner city schools in the nation. I was educated. I had been highly trained and I was proficient in my Military Occupational Specialty (MOS), including soldiering skills, and I was a respected teacher. I felt that this would be enough to make it through any situation. I found out that my current level of training would not be enough, and my personal courage and moral integrity would be challenged. I was humiliated, degraded, and ostracized by my leadership because I didn’t go along with the status quo. On a personal level, I was outraged at the general lack of resolve and crass mentality presented by my chain of command. Professionally, I lost respect and trust in my chain of command. Not only did this affect me, it affected every soldier I deployed with.
Soldiers rely on their leaders as role models. When leaders abuse this connection, and knowingly manipulate inexperienced soldiers it is reprehensible. The ability for any one person to demoralize an entire company is unconscionable. This abuse is not talked about openly because of fear of retribution. But when junior troops get together behind closed doors, they open up to the horrors they are subjected to by less than proficient leaders. It is up to every soldier to raise their voice and be heard. If we [soldiers] allow this good-old-boy system to go unchecked, then we have failed the soldiers we are training to become the next leaders in this great army of ours.
The TRUE story of a HERO!
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Lone-Survivor/Marcus-Luttrell/e/9780316067591?r=1&cm_mmc=PriceGrabber-_-Category-_-Title-_-9780316067591&mr:referralid=567013ce-74c7-11e0-9770-001b2166becc
Synopsis
Four US Navy SEALS departed one clear night in early July, 2005 for the mountainous Afghanistan-Pakistan border for a reconnaissance mission. Their task was to document the activity of an al Qaeda leader rumored to have a small army in a Taliban stronghold. Five days later, only one of those Navy SEALS made it out alive.
This is the story of the only survivor of Operation Redwing, fire team leader Marcus Luttrell, and the extraordinary firefight that led to the largest loss of life in American Navy SEAL history. His teammates fought valiantly beside him until he was the only one left alive, blasted by an RPG into a place where his pursuers could not find him. Over the next four days, terribly injured and presumed dead, Luttrell crawled for miles through the mountains and was taken in by sympathetic villagers who risked their lives to keep him safe from surrounding Taliban warriors.
A born and raised Texan, Marcus Luttrell takes us from the rigors of SEAL training, where he and his fellow SEALs discovered what it took to join the most elite of the American special forces, to a fight in the desolate hills of Afghanistan for which they never could have been prepared. His account of his squadmates' heroism and mutual support renders an experience for which two of his squadmates were posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for combat heroism that is both heartrending and life-affirming. In this rich chronicle of courage and sacrifice, honor and patriotism, Marcus Luttrell delivers a powerful narrative of modern war.
Synopsis
Four US Navy SEALS departed one clear night in early July, 2005 for the mountainous Afghanistan-Pakistan border for a reconnaissance mission. Their task was to document the activity of an al Qaeda leader rumored to have a small army in a Taliban stronghold. Five days later, only one of those Navy SEALS made it out alive.
This is the story of the only survivor of Operation Redwing, fire team leader Marcus Luttrell, and the extraordinary firefight that led to the largest loss of life in American Navy SEAL history. His teammates fought valiantly beside him until he was the only one left alive, blasted by an RPG into a place where his pursuers could not find him. Over the next four days, terribly injured and presumed dead, Luttrell crawled for miles through the mountains and was taken in by sympathetic villagers who risked their lives to keep him safe from surrounding Taliban warriors.
A born and raised Texan, Marcus Luttrell takes us from the rigors of SEAL training, where he and his fellow SEALs discovered what it took to join the most elite of the American special forces, to a fight in the desolate hills of Afghanistan for which they never could have been prepared. His account of his squadmates' heroism and mutual support renders an experience for which two of his squadmates were posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for combat heroism that is both heartrending and life-affirming. In this rich chronicle of courage and sacrifice, honor and patriotism, Marcus Luttrell delivers a powerful narrative of modern war.
When I was first injured
When I was medevaced to Landsthul Germany, many things ran through my head. While I was in the Wounded Warrior Transition Battalion I felt so depressed. At one point here is an excerpt from my journal:
The time has come to acknowledge my pain. I am ready to stop coping and start living. I have been coping since Feb 27, 2009. I am afraid to allow myself to feel. It is easier to stuff everything than it is to acknowledge it. I have lost myself.
I am angry, hostile and sad. I have no energy, no desires and am having a difficult time deciding what I am going to do next. I push myself to the edge. I cannot sleep, I cannot exercise, I cannot visit with friends. I am secluding myself behind closed doors.
I feel like I don’t know what is real. I am not ready for this. I do not have the time to deal with this.
This was a very dark time for me.
You never know what you'll Find
Follow this link to a video that shows what went on in the 40th MP quarters when soldiers were supposed to be resting for the next days missions...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lDsh_g0JSc&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
Impressive?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lDsh_g0JSc&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
Impressive?
Sunday, May 1, 2011
We are AMERICANS bitches!
Secretary of State Hilary Clinton ( you go girl) just spoke. She totally nailed it on the head - to paraphrase; " You can not out run us, you can not out wait us, you can not out distance us. WE are AMERICANS. It is true. The death of Osama bin laden filled Americans' around the world with a sense of satisfaction they haven't felt since Franklin Roosevelt was in office.
A plaque of the darkest terror any living human could create has been irraticated.
While choosing to give assistance to the world, America has provided the opportunity for other nations to offer their citizens a chance to live in a world free of terror. There has been a surge in people demanding basic human rights. The simple truth is: ALL peoples want to live a life that allows for food, shelter, love, family and life.
The world now has a chance to make the single largest change in the history of the planet - The chance for world peace. It is my hope that this magnificent event is the catalyst to unite the world.
A plaque of the darkest terror any living human could create has been irraticated.
While choosing to give assistance to the world, America has provided the opportunity for other nations to offer their citizens a chance to live in a world free of terror. There has been a surge in people demanding basic human rights. The simple truth is: ALL peoples want to live a life that allows for food, shelter, love, family and life.
The world now has a chance to make the single largest change in the history of the planet - The chance for world peace. It is my hope that this magnificent event is the catalyst to unite the world.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
If you turn your eye to evil - who is to blame for the continuance of that evil ? YOU! FOOL!
How can I express this succinctly? YOU are a part of the problem if you know about it and don't do anything to change it! How's that? I am sick of hearing about - Well I knew it was happening but It wasn't my place to say anything. BULLSHIT. Sorry - I got a little carried away there.
IF we wait for the next person to say something t may be too late. Seriously. Why is it so difficult to make a report about the issue at hand? If we ignore it, and move on through our life as if something didn't happen - the problem does a geographic and continues.
Let's make this perfectly clear - if you ain't a part of the solution you are a part of the problem!
IF we wait for the next person to say something t may be too late. Seriously. Why is it so difficult to make a report about the issue at hand? If we ignore it, and move on through our life as if something didn't happen - the problem does a geographic and continues.
Let's make this perfectly clear - if you ain't a part of the solution you are a part of the problem!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Today's NEW Army
Why would anyone even care? Why take the time to look at the research? Because at the end of a day it says something about who you are.
When the news of out first sergeant's affair broke, there were varying degrees of acceptance. Some said live and let live. Others said what a lousy way to manage a company. Yet when the news hit you would have thought that I had done the damage.
All I did was provide the information to the right chain of command. I am not the one who kept the love notes. I am not the one who sent email after email discussing why I can't leave my wife. I am not the one who spent endless hours crying over a man who had dumped me. I am not the one who spent every waking moment trying to lie my way out of a scandal.
All I did was file a report. So why take your anger out on me? If it had been your daughter, would you have turned a blind eye? Would you have wanted a cover up? If your daughter came home pregnant with a bastard child, how would you feel knowing that the man who did this was your daughter's first sergeant?
I suppose there are still those who perpetuate the underbelly of lies and deceit, but someone has to make an effort to stop the corruption. OK. So I told. Am I really the bad guy here?
When the news of out first sergeant's affair broke, there were varying degrees of acceptance. Some said live and let live. Others said what a lousy way to manage a company. Yet when the news hit you would have thought that I had done the damage.
All I did was provide the information to the right chain of command. I am not the one who kept the love notes. I am not the one who sent email after email discussing why I can't leave my wife. I am not the one who spent endless hours crying over a man who had dumped me. I am not the one who spent every waking moment trying to lie my way out of a scandal.
All I did was file a report. So why take your anger out on me? If it had been your daughter, would you have turned a blind eye? Would you have wanted a cover up? If your daughter came home pregnant with a bastard child, how would you feel knowing that the man who did this was your daughter's first sergeant?
I suppose there are still those who perpetuate the underbelly of lies and deceit, but someone has to make an effort to stop the corruption. OK. So I told. Am I really the bad guy here?
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Barnes and Noble
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/In-Iraq-They-Say-Its-Safe-Inside-the-Wire/Sara-J-Minks/e/9781609119737/?itm=1&USRI=sara+minks
Monday, January 24, 2011
If you haven't bought a copy - check it out now!
yuou have got to read it to understand it!
"This is the kind of book that makes you skip lunch, and loose sleep because you can't put the darn thing down! LOL.. I love this book because the author had the guts to write about the things that happened to her during a hellish deployment to the grueling sandbox. Most women will continue to live their lives keeping this kind of crap stored, but Sara stepped up to the plate and is willing to let everyone know what kind of scumbags there are out there. this book is full of emotion and unforgettable an unforgettable reading experience. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone! "
-Marky Mark
"Excellent read. I couldn't put it down. Before reading this book, I was only aware of these types of problems through rumor and hearsay. As an Infantry Soldier (who has been deployed to Iraq), interaction with other female Soliders is limited, fleeting, and under a microscope. That a Military Police unit, charged with enforcing our regulations, could create an environment like the one described in the book, is disgusting at best. For Soldiers to allow this to happen is a travesty and I commend the author for having the courage to bring it to light. If you are a female Soldier or an NCO/Officer in charge of female Soldiers, you need to read this book. This should never be allowed to happen again"
"This book is powerful and emotional. Having many female friends that have served this great country of ours, and hearing their personal stories I can completely relate to this book as it's written. At times I have doubted the authenticity of their personal experience. Horror stories about corruption, favoritism, sexual abuse, and out of control leadership just can't be true when speaking about our armed forces. It just can't be. However, as frightening and sad as it may be, this book matches experience shared many of our female service members. I am now sold on the fact that these things do happen, there is abuse, corruption, and something needs to be done to correct the system. It's almost as if having stripes on your shoulder is a get out of jail free card to be a predator, to be unaccountable, and to be a disgusting human being. All I can hope is that these stories will start to surface after being buried for so long. If this had happened to my daughter, I would only hope to find the cowards one day in a dark alley."
http://www.amazon.com/Iraq-they-safe-Inside-Wire/dp/1609119738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1295929033&sr=1-1
"This is the kind of book that makes you skip lunch, and loose sleep because you can't put the darn thing down! LOL.. I love this book because the author had the guts to write about the things that happened to her during a hellish deployment to the grueling sandbox. Most women will continue to live their lives keeping this kind of crap stored, but Sara stepped up to the plate and is willing to let everyone know what kind of scumbags there are out there. this book is full of emotion and unforgettable an unforgettable reading experience. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone! "
-Marky Mark
"Excellent read. I couldn't put it down. Before reading this book, I was only aware of these types of problems through rumor and hearsay. As an Infantry Soldier (who has been deployed to Iraq), interaction with other female Soliders is limited, fleeting, and under a microscope. That a Military Police unit, charged with enforcing our regulations, could create an environment like the one described in the book, is disgusting at best. For Soldiers to allow this to happen is a travesty and I commend the author for having the courage to bring it to light. If you are a female Soldier or an NCO/Officer in charge of female Soldiers, you need to read this book. This should never be allowed to happen again"
"This book is powerful and emotional. Having many female friends that have served this great country of ours, and hearing their personal stories I can completely relate to this book as it's written. At times I have doubted the authenticity of their personal experience. Horror stories about corruption, favoritism, sexual abuse, and out of control leadership just can't be true when speaking about our armed forces. It just can't be. However, as frightening and sad as it may be, this book matches experience shared many of our female service members. I am now sold on the fact that these things do happen, there is abuse, corruption, and something needs to be done to correct the system. It's almost as if having stripes on your shoulder is a get out of jail free card to be a predator, to be unaccountable, and to be a disgusting human being. All I can hope is that these stories will start to surface after being buried for so long. If this had happened to my daughter, I would only hope to find the cowards one day in a dark alley."
http://www.amazon.com/Iraq-they-safe-Inside-Wire/dp/1609119738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1295929033&sr=1-1
Saturday, January 15, 2011
is it ever really over...
The effects of being deployed never go away. Sure they can fade into distant memories or they are relived with each retelling, but you never forget.
There are soldiers who sleep on the ground in freezing rain. They walk for miles with 80 pounds of gear, They fight in the dark, they push on. There is little time for stupidity. For these soldiers and for the ones who fell, they are the real heroes. They average in age from 19 -27. They lead the young men who follow them through the toughest experiences of their lives. These are the soldiers' who shake their head at the non sense that goes on while deployed.
Those who fight with each other, sleep with each other, miss wake up for a mission because they are asleep from too much to drink, those who go on a mission only to go into villages to eat, they laugh at those who shoot donkeys for fun. They are angered by the women who go home pregnant.
There is honor to having served in war time, but their is also embarrassment. The stupid games that happen are needlessly wasting soldiers' time. Is it ever really over? No. When those same soldiers' return home they will create the same drama back at home.
There are soldiers who sleep on the ground in freezing rain. They walk for miles with 80 pounds of gear, They fight in the dark, they push on. There is little time for stupidity. For these soldiers and for the ones who fell, they are the real heroes. They average in age from 19 -27. They lead the young men who follow them through the toughest experiences of their lives. These are the soldiers' who shake their head at the non sense that goes on while deployed.
Those who fight with each other, sleep with each other, miss wake up for a mission because they are asleep from too much to drink, those who go on a mission only to go into villages to eat, they laugh at those who shoot donkeys for fun. They are angered by the women who go home pregnant.
There is honor to having served in war time, but their is also embarrassment. The stupid games that happen are needlessly wasting soldiers' time. Is it ever really over? No. When those same soldiers' return home they will create the same drama back at home.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Livin the Dream
...yeah, Livin the Dream is a common phase used to say a lot with minimal words. It is usually said to mean - in reality this shit sucks, but let's keep our attitude positive. That will carry you a long way towards the finish line.
You might see people overwhelmed with duties, such as going down range on training missions, going on missions outside the wire, as well as doing Physical training in the rain, working out in the gym, eating healthy and in moderstion. You could look at them and say - man I would hate to be them. But they are looking at you sayin the same thing!
In the Army when you say how's it going? The common answer might be "Living the Dream" Or "Doin the damn thang" all this means is this is a choice I made. I knew it would be hard, but here I am. I am not going to complain about it, but I will make light of it.
A lot of soldiers' get caught up in the anger, the depression, the pity parties. But this doesn't help you get thru the mission any easier. The best way to get through the mission is to stay focused on the mission, be busy after work, get plenty of rest, stay vigilant, look out for your fellow soldiers and above all stay in touch with your family.
Keep the Drama down. Don't get into other peoples' lives back home. Be honest to yourself and to other's around you. If you can do all of this you will get through it all. The best advice I can give you is no matter how bad it gets is to stay happy. Stay centered. The dream - makin money, seeing the world, meeting new people ( and killing them) (JK) is the dream. And when you return home hopefully you will have some money saved for a nice little vacation and when someone asks you what you are doing on the beach with a cold beer rockin some new threads, you can replyy" Livin the Dream baby, just living the dream"
You might see people overwhelmed with duties, such as going down range on training missions, going on missions outside the wire, as well as doing Physical training in the rain, working out in the gym, eating healthy and in moderstion. You could look at them and say - man I would hate to be them. But they are looking at you sayin the same thing!
In the Army when you say how's it going? The common answer might be "Living the Dream" Or "Doin the damn thang" all this means is this is a choice I made. I knew it would be hard, but here I am. I am not going to complain about it, but I will make light of it.
A lot of soldiers' get caught up in the anger, the depression, the pity parties. But this doesn't help you get thru the mission any easier. The best way to get through the mission is to stay focused on the mission, be busy after work, get plenty of rest, stay vigilant, look out for your fellow soldiers and above all stay in touch with your family.
Keep the Drama down. Don't get into other peoples' lives back home. Be honest to yourself and to other's around you. If you can do all of this you will get through it all. The best advice I can give you is no matter how bad it gets is to stay happy. Stay centered. The dream - makin money, seeing the world, meeting new people ( and killing them) (JK) is the dream. And when you return home hopefully you will have some money saved for a nice little vacation and when someone asks you what you are doing on the beach with a cold beer rockin some new threads, you can replyy" Livin the Dream baby, just living the dream"
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Living a Myth
For as long as I can remember I have never liked the grey areas. I have a serious issue when the rules say - you may not do this, if you do then this is the consequence AND THEN someone breaks this rule and the consequences don't apply. this goes against all the norms set forth.
Whenever norms on behavior are enforces episodically, even with situational adjustments the value or the impact of that norm is reduced. So let's take this situation for instance; the rules say the fraternization is not allowed. And if this does occur then the result will be any combination of consequences. But this really only applies to soldiers outside of your organization, not to you. Bullshit.
If the rules are broken it is either yes it is broken or no it is not. Of course there is the saying that you are innocent until proven guilty - but really you already know if you are guilty or not, it is just a game to make THEM PROVE you did it.
It has become the norm in some units to know the rules, but not to adhere to the rules. And when they are called to answer for their choices, they immediately look for ways to beat the system. This is a gray area. For not going with the status quo, for asking if this is the rule, why aren't we following it? means risking not being a team player. If being a team player means sticking my head in the sand and ignoring what is occurring and not reporting the inconsistency between what the rule is and what is actually being done, then I am not a team player.
If I am responsible for my team, and my team does something that breaks the norms, breaks the rules or challenges what is morally right I need to step up and say something. So if by looking out for the best interest of my team means I am not a team player, then I can live with that. I do not want to be a team player at the risk of living a myth.
Whenever norms on behavior are enforces episodically, even with situational adjustments the value or the impact of that norm is reduced. So let's take this situation for instance; the rules say the fraternization is not allowed. And if this does occur then the result will be any combination of consequences. But this really only applies to soldiers outside of your organization, not to you. Bullshit.
If the rules are broken it is either yes it is broken or no it is not. Of course there is the saying that you are innocent until proven guilty - but really you already know if you are guilty or not, it is just a game to make THEM PROVE you did it.
It has become the norm in some units to know the rules, but not to adhere to the rules. And when they are called to answer for their choices, they immediately look for ways to beat the system. This is a gray area. For not going with the status quo, for asking if this is the rule, why aren't we following it? means risking not being a team player. If being a team player means sticking my head in the sand and ignoring what is occurring and not reporting the inconsistency between what the rule is and what is actually being done, then I am not a team player.
If I am responsible for my team, and my team does something that breaks the norms, breaks the rules or challenges what is morally right I need to step up and say something. So if by looking out for the best interest of my team means I am not a team player, then I can live with that. I do not want to be a team player at the risk of living a myth.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Who Will Take Responsibility?
It is so important to me that I have to say it...
There were some soldiers who I deployed with who were amazing. What made them amazing was thier heart. They genuinely cared about the mission, other soldiers and they were not into playing games. Take this one soldier - she was a former marine. She was a squared away soldier. She knew her job and she did it. You didn't have to tell her or ask her. It was done.
There was a couple of male NCOs who were loyal to their wives loyal to their families and loyal to the soldiers. One in particular stood out to the point of being everyones friend. He looked after the soldiers even if he talked shit behind their back - don't we all do that to some degree. This talk wasn't out of disrespect it was out of disbelief. He dealt with a lot of idiotic issues. Some he put squarely on the commanders desk and a lot of others he mentored, (toutalidge) There were a couple of male NCOs who kept to themselves, they went to the gym, they went to work and they were doing their best to stay out of the fray.
The problem with all of this good stuff is that these soldiers witnessed what was going on and they didn't do anything to stop it. They were just as responsible for the debaucle as those directly involved in it.
It is the responsibility of every NCO to do the right thing even when no one is watching. It isn't always easy to be the responsible one. But if you are the one wearing the stripes - it is your primary responsibility to keep your troops in line. If you choose to ignore the behavior or turn a blind eye to the behavior then you are a piece of shit. Nothing that you do has any meaning and you cannot be trusted.
Being part of a team doesn't mean you area a patsy. a push over or blind. Being part of a team means you hold the moral compass for your actions as well as the actions of your team. It is NEVER OK to accept immoral behavior for the sake of friends. If not you then who? Who will step in and take responsibility?
There were some soldiers who I deployed with who were amazing. What made them amazing was thier heart. They genuinely cared about the mission, other soldiers and they were not into playing games. Take this one soldier - she was a former marine. She was a squared away soldier. She knew her job and she did it. You didn't have to tell her or ask her. It was done.
There was a couple of male NCOs who were loyal to their wives loyal to their families and loyal to the soldiers. One in particular stood out to the point of being everyones friend. He looked after the soldiers even if he talked shit behind their back - don't we all do that to some degree. This talk wasn't out of disrespect it was out of disbelief. He dealt with a lot of idiotic issues. Some he put squarely on the commanders desk and a lot of others he mentored, (toutalidge) There were a couple of male NCOs who kept to themselves, they went to the gym, they went to work and they were doing their best to stay out of the fray.
The problem with all of this good stuff is that these soldiers witnessed what was going on and they didn't do anything to stop it. They were just as responsible for the debaucle as those directly involved in it.
It is the responsibility of every NCO to do the right thing even when no one is watching. It isn't always easy to be the responsible one. But if you are the one wearing the stripes - it is your primary responsibility to keep your troops in line. If you choose to ignore the behavior or turn a blind eye to the behavior then you are a piece of shit. Nothing that you do has any meaning and you cannot be trusted.
Being part of a team doesn't mean you area a patsy. a push over or blind. Being part of a team means you hold the moral compass for your actions as well as the actions of your team. It is NEVER OK to accept immoral behavior for the sake of friends. If not you then who? Who will step in and take responsibility?
Monday, January 3, 2011
Now This is how serious the MP mission Is
This is the 16th MPs who were our higher.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UEgfSqFPdE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UEgfSqFPdE&feature=related
Sunday, January 2, 2011
40th Military Police National Guardsmen at thier best!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lDsh_g0JSc&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
Idiotic behaviors?
Saturday, January 1, 2011
So Now What?
This issue now begs the question - So Now What?.
If the status quo is to simply go along as we always have because that is easier than dealing with the implication of military stalking and abuse within the Army National Guard, then this type of event will continue to occur and those that speak out against them will continue to be Black Listed.
In an effort to address the behavior of predatory stalking, often ignorantly referred to as "NCO chasing", "the cost of doing business", or "I can't help who I am attracted to"; it is time the leaders in today's military take an aggressive stand and place a zero tolerance on this behavior.
The odd thing is that soldiers on Active Duty take this issue very seriously. They receive annual and semi-annual classes and training on the sensitive subjects of stalking, date rape, excessive drinking, and fraternization. Where does the break down lie? Is the Army National Guard leadership and members left out of this requirement? Are they lacking the training?
Sadly the answer is no. Each component is required to have this training during MUTAs and before deployment. The difference is, the Army National Guard doesn't take it seriously. In the case in point, the females who became pregnant in a war zone were given birth control pills and condoms for no charge. They were briefed on becoming clearing barrels for the men who would use them and then leave them and go home to their spouses. They were told that the mission comes first.
Yet in 9 cases, within the same company females became pregnant in a war zone. These pregnancies resulted in a loss of personnel strength and a weakened battle force. The females were sent home by way of a REFRAD station where they continued to receive a military paycheck until they gave birth to their bastard children.
When an investigation was conducted and sworn statements were signed these girls lied, under oath and nothing was done. The something that could have been done involved a lot of paperwork and the Active Duty Army did not want to deal with it and the Army National Guard unit involved sure as hell didn't want anything to do with it.
The men from within the unit who fathered the children should have been brought up on chrages - conduct unbecoming and adultery. The women should have been charged with lying under oath and conduct unbecoming, but they weren't. No one wanted to go down that long paperwork trail.
When these folks returned home, the men involved (in some cases) moved out of their spouses home and into the new home of the female they impregnated while at war.
My issue with all of this behavior is the implication that it is easier to go with the status quo than it is to do the right thing. The weight of the paperwork outweighed the choice to do nothing. Therefore this behavior continues to occur because history has proven time and time again that nothing will become of your adultery or your conduct unbecoming.
If the status quo is to simply go along as we always have because that is easier than dealing with the implication of military stalking and abuse within the Army National Guard, then this type of event will continue to occur and those that speak out against them will continue to be Black Listed.
In an effort to address the behavior of predatory stalking, often ignorantly referred to as "NCO chasing", "the cost of doing business", or "I can't help who I am attracted to"; it is time the leaders in today's military take an aggressive stand and place a zero tolerance on this behavior.
The odd thing is that soldiers on Active Duty take this issue very seriously. They receive annual and semi-annual classes and training on the sensitive subjects of stalking, date rape, excessive drinking, and fraternization. Where does the break down lie? Is the Army National Guard leadership and members left out of this requirement? Are they lacking the training?
Sadly the answer is no. Each component is required to have this training during MUTAs and before deployment. The difference is, the Army National Guard doesn't take it seriously. In the case in point, the females who became pregnant in a war zone were given birth control pills and condoms for no charge. They were briefed on becoming clearing barrels for the men who would use them and then leave them and go home to their spouses. They were told that the mission comes first.
Yet in 9 cases, within the same company females became pregnant in a war zone. These pregnancies resulted in a loss of personnel strength and a weakened battle force. The females were sent home by way of a REFRAD station where they continued to receive a military paycheck until they gave birth to their bastard children.
When an investigation was conducted and sworn statements were signed these girls lied, under oath and nothing was done. The something that could have been done involved a lot of paperwork and the Active Duty Army did not want to deal with it and the Army National Guard unit involved sure as hell didn't want anything to do with it.
The men from within the unit who fathered the children should have been brought up on chrages - conduct unbecoming and adultery. The women should have been charged with lying under oath and conduct unbecoming, but they weren't. No one wanted to go down that long paperwork trail.
When these folks returned home, the men involved (in some cases) moved out of their spouses home and into the new home of the female they impregnated while at war.
My issue with all of this behavior is the implication that it is easier to go with the status quo than it is to do the right thing. The weight of the paperwork outweighed the choice to do nothing. Therefore this behavior continues to occur because history has proven time and time again that nothing will become of your adultery or your conduct unbecoming.
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