johnhouse.us

By now everyone knows about the devastation in Oklahoma from tornadoes.  It is no surprise that tornadoes happen in Oklahoma but still tragic when one hits and kills people.  This one seems worse than others because of the school damage.  Parents aren’t supposed to bury their children.  Tornadoes, of course, don’t care about that.

This is the time of year to pay attention to the weather.  Southwest Georgia has had its share of rough weather.  Fortunately in recent years we have not seen the loss of life that recently happened in Oklahoma.  Any loss is terrible for the families and friends.  The report that some actually drowned due to a broken water line adds to the horror of the event.

I remember stories from my childhood of the 1953 tornado that hit Columbus.  My mother was pregnant at the time but apparently did not realize it (another story).  She watched our garage literally lift off and fly into a neighbor’s yard moments after she brought the family bird dog inside from the garage.  Any hesitation on saving Jerry, the dog, probably would have gotten us all killed.  Years later one of my aunts was killed by a tornado near Birmingham, AL.  Tornadoes are not to be trifled with.  If you live in a place that is prone to experience tornadoes or other natural disasters, it would be wise to have a plan for action to survive it.

Personal resilience is critical in withstanding the outcome of any disaster.  America has always been strong because its people have been resilient.  Sometimes I worry that we are losing that toughness.  I hope my fears are misplaced.  If as a nation we ever lose the ability to come back after a hard hit, we will not last long.  I think most of those people in Moore, OK, will come back.  You don’t live out there and not be ready to recover from a disaster like this.

Resilience is important.  As citizens we must be prepared to take care of ourselves.  The government can help, but when a disaster comes the government often cannot stop it and cannot be on hand before our neighbors and we can take action.  We must be prepared to take care of ourselves.

I am really fed up with the government bowing to political correctness and the insanity of liberals who label everything Christian as bad and accept any other religious beliefs as valid.  I’m sick and tired of hearing liberals claim that many of the founding fathers were deists and not Christians so Christianity is bad.  This lunacy is going to wreck the country.

The recent revelation that in 2011 our Department of Defense allowed a Muslim cleric to pray at a memorial for dead Seal Team 6 members is a prime example.  Some of the families recently held a press conference to reveal what happened and demand an apology.  This cleric damned our fallen heroes.  Why in the world would the Department of Defense allow something like this?  What idiot was in charge?

In March 2013 a leader of the Muslim group known as the Council on American Islamic Affairs (CAIR) touted that Muslims in America should be governed by Sharia (Muslim law) and not U.S. law.  This Muslim declared that Islam is the only religion and will take over the world.  Google CAIR sometime and you will see the connections to the Muslim Brotherhood and other terrorist organizations.

Now the Department of Defense is re-writing its policy on religious tolerance.  An atheist is on the committee and appears to have convinced some of our leaders to court-martial service members who share their faith.  That will make life pretty tough on chaplains.  The Secretary of the Army published his Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness Program memorandum on 25 March 2013 where he outlined the important elements of soldier and family fitness.  The “Five Dimensions of Strength” were physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and family.  However, after highlighting spiritual fitness Secretary John McHugh then wrote that spiritual fitness was optional.  Huh?

Our government is so politically correct to everything except the societal and cultural elements that made this country great it is no wonder we are led by people who lack honor and are not protecting us.  Did you know that there have been five instances of a terrorist reaching his intended target inside the United States since President Obama took office the first time?  These include a murder at a recruiting office in Little Rock, the underwear bomber on an airplane, the Fort Hood terror attack called work place violence, the attempted bombing at Times Square, and the bombing at the Boston Marathon.  The Administration refers to the war against terrorists as overseas contingency operations and tries hard to avoid ever naming our foes as what they are – Muslim fanatics.  The Benghazi debacle now finally being considered newsworthy by mainstream media was not acknowledged initially as an attack by al Qaeda when it clearly was one.

We need to wake up and re-connect with our history and the values that made this nation great.  We also had better acknowledge the dangers we actually face and call them whatever they are.  Trying not to offend people who hate us anyway is beyond stupid.  Honesty with ourselves is critical if we are to survive as a nation.

No doubt there are some people who could care less about the past.  I felt that way by and large until I was assigned to Germany the first time.  Between seeing things I had only read about previously and accepting that history was the only way I could learn about how nations resolve their differences short of experience (that might include me being shot at!), I realized that history is important.  Without an understanding of our past we cannot learn from past successes and failures.  We also have a moral obligation to remember the people who died saving this nation.

Since I like history, I enjoy museums.  Several in the Columbus, GA, area attract my attention periodically and include the National Infantry Museum, the Civil War Naval Museum, and Fort Mitchell in Russell County, AL.  My concern though is really with a museum not yet constructed.  When the U.S. Army Armor School moved to Fort Benning from Fort Knox, the Armor School’s museum holdings formerly held in the Patton Museum moved as well.  Unfortunately the Army pulled the money originally allocated because of the move caused by the Base Realignment and Closure process.  Something like $33 million was supposed to build a museum support facility.

I’ve heard a couple of reasons for pulling the money.  One was that the Army needed the money to fix problems at the Walter Reed Medical Center that later was closed and moved to the Naval hospital at Bethesda that then was renamed.  The other story was that a key Senate staffer argued that the Army does not build museums, so the Senate withdrew the money.  Regardless, this was a travesty in my view because it is so important to remember all that has happened in our nation’s history.  Only by learning from our history can we improve and avoid mistakes.  The blood of thousands of dead also cries out for someone to remember them.

The National Armor and Cavalry Heritage Foundation is trying to raise about $60 million to construct an Armor and Cavalry museum on Fort Benning near the National Infantry Museum.  When completed the museum will honor the memories of the mounted force and also add to the historical attractions in the Chattahoochee Valley.  I truly wish them a speedy result.  The soldiers who fought as part of the armor and cavalry units on America’s various frontiers deserve such a memorial to their sacrifices.

Most everyone now is aware of the escape this week of three women held captive by one man in Cleveland, OH, for about 10 years.  The idea that one man could keep three women locked up in his home with no one knowing is simply unbelievable.  One of the victims had a child now 6 years old.  Another may have been pregnant five times with her abductor beating her until she had an abortion.  This is simply incredible.  How did neighbors and family miss it?

Thank goodness neighbor Charles Ramsey heard Amanda Berry screaming for help when she had one hand waving through the doorway.  Amanda Berry with her daughter, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight were rescued.  Charles Ramsey is a hero who thankfully was home from work and willing to find out why a young woman was yelling for help.

Since the arrest of Ariel Castro for this crime several reports have been made about hints at something being amiss at Castro’s home.  Regardless of the truth or fiction of these reports, the bottom line is that no one saw anything sufficiently odd to cause them to call the police or to confront Castro until Ramsay heard Berry scream 10 years after her kidnapping.  Amazing.

This really shows how important it is to be just a little nosy and to get to know your neighbors.  In this age of craziness like that we just saw in Cleveland and two young men building bombs from fireworks to blow up the Boston Marathon, it is important to be aware of things happening around us.  We, our families, and our neighbors might be at risk from someone who is evil beyond understanding whether a kidnapper and rapist or a terrorist with a bomb.  Citizens are really the first responders because we are best positioned to know what is happening.  Also, if we don’t act, we might become a victim.  It behooves us to pay attention.

Thankfully the decade-long horror show is over for Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight.  Even with that said getting back to a normal life will be difficult and take time.  I hope that all of us are more diligent protecting ourselves and those around us so some nut cannot again keep three women locked up for 10 years again.

Our forces have had a rough 10 days in Afghanistan and I’m sure I’m not aware of everything.  We lost a surveillance airplane with four dead Americans.  A contract civilian Boeing 747 crashed on Bagram Airbase killing the seven crew members.  A KC-135 went down just outside Afghanistan while supporting operations in the region.  I just learned that five soldiers died in a roadside bomb blast near Kandahar.  Two soldiers also died in a separate attack by an Afghan forces attacker.  Instead of losses going down as we depart losses appear to be rising.

The aircraft losses have not been reported as due to hostile fire.  Prior to this loss of three fixed wing aircraft, several helicopters also went down.  These aviation losses in the amount of time have very much been a surprise.  Since hostile fire has not been the cause this has to bring on speculation about worn out equipment, poor maintenance, bad fuel, and exhausted air crews.  Investigations should eventually provide some answers so corrective action can occur.  That is little comfort to the families or the airmen who are still flying.

Losing five Americans to one roadside bomb has not happened in some time as well.  Since the soldiers were in an armored vehicle of some kind, the bomb apparently was very powerful.  I’m sure this will increase the unease of the soldiers in theater.  We are withdrawing forces.  Units are still deploying to Afghanistan but are covering a larger amount of terrain.  Afghan security forces are replacing American units.  We want that, of course, so that we can leave.  Nonetheless, soldiers will be more comfortable with an American on the left and right rather than someone from Afghanistan.  That’s simply a human reaction to have greater trust in soldiers that you know are trained like you are.  The continued attacks on U.S. personnel by allied Afghan troops don’t make it any easier to continue the fight.

Afghanistan remains a dangerous place to serve.  As we withdraw and the nation’s leadership focuses elsewhere it will be easy for the deployed troops to feel abandoned and frankly some of them could very well be virtually abandoned.  This administration has proven that it is very comfortable hiding bad news if it is politically expedient.  Benghazi proved that.  Please keep all of our deployed personnel whether military or civilian in your prayers.  They are doing our bidding and risking their lives to keep us safe.

The Obama administration and the rest of the government continue to amaze me with their arrogance. Several recent events come to mind.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano recently declared that she and the other members of the Administration can choose the laws to enforce. That’s not in any version of the Constitution that I’ve read. The Executive Branch must enforce the laws passed by the Congress. Clearly the power sharing that the Constitutional Framers intended have become skewed. Secretary Napolitano and the rest of the Administration are bound by the Constitution to enforce the law.

A judge has ordered that the “morning after” pill also known as “Plan B” must be available to women as young as 15. That’s crazy. What could justify an over the counter remedy for sex when often sex at 15 is statutory rape? How can it make sense to legalize contraception over the counter for statutory rape? I don’t like the morning after pill anyway because it is not clear to me how this is not the destruction of a fertilized egg, but I admit I’m still grappling with the different formula medications sometimes lumped under the term “morning after” contraception. Regardless of whether this prevents ovulation or destroys a fertilized egg, I do not see how any rational person could advocate for easy contraception for an event that would most likely be statutory rape. This judge is nuts.

The arrogance over the Benghazi fiasco where four Americans died including our ambassador continues to amaze me. Now White House Press Secretary Jay Carney says that the attacks in Benghazi happened a long time ago and that the Administration has answered the questions about what happened and why. That is astounding because the Administration has stonewalled inquiry and a full accounting from the start. This entire sequence of events is a sophisticated cover-up with the idea in mind to string out the concerns long enough for the American people to lose interest. Unfortunately it might work. Hillary Clinton at a minimum has blood on her hands either through a willful act of refusal to increase security or monumental incompetence because she allowed other people to answer and transmit her mail using her name. She is not fit to be president and will surely run unless the truth about Benghazi stops her. The stakes in the truth are high, which explains the cover-up.

So I think the president should write a new book titled the Audacity of Arrogance because it sure fits the U.S. government while he’s in power. The arrogance is scary, but the audacity seems to be working, at least with regard to having his way.

I don’t think we are hearing a lot about events in Afghanistan these days. Whether caused by the Boston bombing or simply war weariness, the sacrifices of our soldiers and our allies’ soldiers are not generating much talk. U.S. and NATO aircraft continue to go down whether due to mechanical failure or enemy action. Passengers and crew die. I heard more about the hail storm in Ladonia, AL, than I did about the 50 American and NATO aircraft were damaged by hail at Kandahar Airfield. The Taliban has opened its Spring Offensive and already used roadside bombs to kill. Most Americans are not paying much attention. Is this good or bad?

As the parent of a soldier in Afghanistan, I’m concerned. My daughter’s feet are firmly on the ground but she is stationed on a large airfield. When something happens to an aircraft I worry about her because of the people she knows I also worry about the children of friends who are pilots. I worry about the soldiers and their families simply because they are who they are. Every time we lose soldiers a family is hurt and we lose a hero – a soldier who volunteered to serve in time of war. Their heroism far outshines my sacrifice on active duty. I signed up when we weren’t fighting anybody and Desert Storm was my war – much shorter and easier than the repeated combat tours of today. The young men and women serving today are true heroes. They joined and continued to serve while a war goes on. That takes a special kind of courage. When we lose people like that, it tears at the fabric that builds the nation. Their sacrifices are worth remembering.

That’s the reason the apparent cover-up about the terrorist attack in Benghazi bothers me so much. Good people died and many of the people who let that happen and who are obscuring the truth never had the courage to put their lives at risk for this country. It really galls me to see people who lack the courage or dedication risk everything to get away with letting others die. By the same token, it worries me when such people hold the fate of our young men and women in uniform in their self-centered hands. I think we are not hearing a lot about Afghanistan these days because these same people want the average citizen to lose interest and assume all is well or at least well enough. Ignorant people won’t know to question what they are later told.

Maybe most of the press has lost interest or maybe people have. But our young men and women from all over America and even some foreign countries are dying for us in Afghanistan. Regardless of the outcome, their sacrifices have kept us reasonably safe for over a decade. Families and loved ones of service men and women care because their lives are changed forever when their soldier is hurt or killed. All of us need to remember that. Our leaders in Washington especially need to.

On Saturday, 27 April, I had the privilege of providing the welcome for the beginning of the homeless veteran standdown held by the South Atlantic Center for Veteran Education and Training in Columbus, GA. The event was in the Columbus Trade and Convention Center. Former Columbus Mayor Bob Poydasheff delivered a proclamation from Georgia Governor Nathan Deal. Retired USMC Master Gunnery Sergeant Harry Crawford read a proclamation by Congressman Sanford Bishop recognizing the day. Columbus Judge John Allen who handles the local Veterans’ Court also was present meeting people who participated.

The event was important because the freedoms we enjoy are a direct result of the sacrifices of veterans. Without men and women willing to lay their lives on the line, the United States would not exist. We would not enjoy the economic wealth that we have. At this point there’s a good chance we would not even be speaking English. Our current main enemy, Muslim extremists, would not let us worship as we please if they could defeat us. So veterans deserve our thanks.

Unfortunately sometimes life does not work out well when veterans return home. Military service helps many young men and women learn discipline and special skills that can help them find work and build successful lives after military service. But that’s not always the case. Whether due to the physical or psychological impact of military service or simply the inability to match skills to economic opportunities, some veterans have difficulty adjusting to civilian life. In extreme circumstances they even find themselves homeless. The increasing percentage of female veterans also has resulted in a corresponding increase in the number of homeless female veterans. That’s where SACVET comes in.

The SACVET standdown consisted of a variety of services concentrated in one location to help veterans who might not otherwise be able to find those services. The Veterans Administration was on hand to provide a variety of counseling and medical services. Several colleges and universities were available to provide educational assistance. Several potential employers held a small job fair. A special area was set up for female veterans.

The event was a worthwhile outreach to homeless veterans. A significant challenge, of course, is maintaining the effort. SACVET is a nonprofit organization that helps veterans. Without contributions and community help it cannot survive. My worry is that the help needed will not materialize. Without such help, some of those men and women, who were there when the country called, will be lost as productive members of society. That will be a sad occurrence since without them and all those other veterans we would not have a country in which to live.