This article, under the same title, was published by Fox News and written by J.D. Gordon, a retired Navy Commander who served as a Pentagon spokesman in the Office of the Secretary of Defense from 2005-09. He serves as senior adviser to several Washington-based think tanks.
Sen. John McCain’s labeling of the Pentagon’s press secretary, Rear Adm. John Kirby, as an “idiot” ought to spark a long overdue debate on the role of military officers serving in high-profile Obama administration posts.
McCain, a Navy war hero, insulted Kirby in a recent radio interview in North Carolina during which he expressed his frustration with Kirby’s rambling response when he was asked at a Pentagon press briefing whether the U.S. is losing the war against ISIS, as McCain had suggested.
I feel bad for Adm. Kirby. I feel bad for Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey. And their top advisers too. As fellow career military officers, they can’t be pleased to see our armed forces gutted so badly and to witness one foreign policy train wreck after another.
I’m a former Pentagon spokesman and retired Navy commander who served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense while in uniform under Secretaries Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates, so McCain’s remarks hit close to home. Especially considering that I’ve known John Kirby as a friend and former colleague for roughly 15 years, and I know John McCain as well.
While I’m saddened to see the admiral in a tough position, McCain brings up a very important issue that deserves to be discussed nationwide.
Here’s the question:
Are the uniformed military officers who try to persuade Americans to essentially “keep calm and carry on” while the White House clearly weakens America more each day really just President Obama’s “useful idiots” — or are they “good officers,” simply following orders?
No matter what side of the political spectrum one is on, when evaluating American military power and prestige these days, facts are facts:
• The White House is implementing $1 trillion in defense cuts over this decade, hollowing out the military as it did in the 1970s;
• President Obama failed to notify Congress as required by law about releasing the Taliban’s five top leaders from Guantanamo in exchange for Army deserter Bowe Bergdahl;
• The Pentagon’s response to combat ISIS has been notoriously weak;
• The president and secretary of defense fail even to acknowledge ISIS — the Islamic State — is “Islamic”;
• Top military brass is being fired more than at any time in recent history;
• Team Obama is forcing one social experiment after another on the military.
And the list goes on.
Everyone knows that military men and women swear an oath to support and defend the Constitution, and the president was duly elected by the American people. They follow orders. It’s that simple, as it should be.
Yet it’s disheartening to see military officers covering for political decisions that are so severely damaging national security.
I feel bad for Adm. Kirby. I feel bad for Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey. And their top advisers too. As fellow career military officers, they can’t be pleased to see our armed forces gutted so badly and to witness one foreign policy train wreck after another. And even worse, to accept high-visibility, high-prestige and high-pay positions from which they are justifying the White House actions to the American people.
In their defense, one can argue they are zealously representing their bosses and doing their jobs.
I was criticized by some during my Pentagon tour as providing military “window dressing” for President Bush, Secretary Rumsfeld and Secretary Gates. But here’s the difference — I truly believed they were working to advance American security interests. Can anyone honestly say the same about President Obama and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel?
In Kirby’s case, though he is Hagel’s spokesman, his actual boss is Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Brent Colburn, a young political operative who was Obama’s national communications director for the 2012 campaign.
In Dempsey’s case, his boss is Hagel, who, although he is a Republican, was to the left of most Democrats on defense issues during his time in the Senate. He was among the softest senators on Iran and a key figure behind the “Global Zero” movement trying to abolish nuclear weapons. A nice thought, but laughable to the Russians, Chinese, North Koreans and Iranians. And downright scary for our allies who rely on the U.S. nuclear umbrella.
So while some dismissed McCain’s insult as bluster, we can’t wish away the underlying problem. A serious national conversation on this issue is entirely appropriate.
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Monday, October 27, 2014
Is America Deserting her Friends?
This article was published on Defense in Depth and authored by Emerson Brooking and Janine Davidson, with the title "Why Is a Comedian the Only One Talking About the Plight of Afghan Interpreters?" This article outlines the plight of Afghan Interpreters who have been largely left on their own after the US Military pull out. But this is nothing new as the U.S. has been accused of deserting Dr. Shakeel Afridi, the Pakistani Doctor and CIA informant who helped track down Osama bin Laden. Dr. Afridi is imprisoned in Pakistan and reported to be routinely tortured. Some people think that the U.S. could trade a little Foreign Military Sales money or otherwise exert some political pressure to get Afridi's release. But then again, when there is another isolated American, Marine Sergeant Andrew Tahmooressi, in a Mexican prison that the U.S. Government can't get released, the future goes not look good for Afghan terps or Dr. Afridi.
The article "Why Is a Comedian the Only One Talking About the Plight of Afghan Interpreters?"
If you tuned in for last Sunday’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, you also watched some of the most thorough reporting to date regarding efforts to secure Special Immigration Visas (SIVs) for Afghan and Iraqi translators who have served for years alongside U.S. military personnel. When American servicemen rotate away, these translators remain—often becoming top-priority targets for reprisal attacks. Unfortunately, the State Department program intended to get Afghan translators and their families to safety has long been stuck in a bureaucratic swamp, stranding more than 6,000 Afghans across various stages of the process. With the visa program slated to end on December 31, many of these Afghans are now in very real danger of being abandoned. This raises two difficult questions: first, why has this been allowed to happen? And second, what now—at this late stage—can still be done to save them?
The first question, unfortunately, has an easy answer: asylum-seeking Afghans have been largely ignored by the U.S. government because they have no citizenship, no political leverage, and no large constituency to speak on their behalf. For most members of Congress, this places the plight of Afghan interpreters at the bottom of a very long list of issues. Conversely, the federal bureaucracy also has faced little urgency in speeding the process to grant safe passage to these individuals. There is no clear incentive to make the gears of the process move faster; on the other hand, there are ample reasons to move slowly. What civil servant would want to bear even tangential responsibility for letting a potential security risk into the United States?
In fact, the only reliable constituency for Afghan interpreters have been the American men and women who fought alongside them. As Rusty Bradley, a retired Army Special Forces officer with eight deployments to Afghanistan, recently wrote in a piece titled “Heroes Left to Die:”
I hear all the time about security concerns. The Department of State (DoS) is concerned about admitting Afghan interpreters for fear that al-Qaeda operatives will use the program to enter the United States. This is a loaded excuse. Apparently the State Department is not talking to the FBI, because al-Qaeda is already here. And even if they weren’t, they will not get here through this program. To be sure, there might be unsavory elements among any immigrant population. You don’t think some of the crime problems we have come from Mexican cartels and gangs? But unlike other potential immigrants, our intelligence staffs vet every Afghan interpreter numerous times. We trusted them with mission details, automatic weapons and our lives. The Afghans I sponsor and fully support to come to this country can live under my roof any day. I have vetted them time and again and they have proved themselves to be true, doing so under fire and in the most challenging of circumstances. Who could more deserving of the right to live, work, and enjoy our freedoms then them?
For all the lobbying efforts of U.S. servicemen and veterans, however, the Afghan SIV program has lagged terribly, even when compared to the also beleaguered Iraqi program (in which 6,500 of 25,000 authorized visas were issued). Four years after the initiative’s 2009 launch, the number of successfully processed Afghan visas remained abysmal: it awarded just 32 visas in 2012 to more than 5,700 applicants.
This poor performance prompted a review by Secretary of State John Kerry and incremental reforms that have gradually improved the process. Coupled with rare bipartisan Congressional action taken on August 1 to expand the number of available FY14 visas from 3,000 to 4,000, these have represented small steps in the right direction. But the (according to Oliver’s investigation) fourteen-step visa application process remains cumbersome, oversubscribed, and slow-moving—and time is running out.
This leads to the other big question: what comes next? The entire Afghan SIV program is currently in the process of winding down; the application deadline was September 30, 2014, and all visas must be issued by September 30, 2015. Yet Americans are still fighting in Afghanistan, the Taliban are far from defeated, and good translators remain one of the most critical links in the war effort. To let this initiative lapse on December 31 would be a tragic mistake and a moral failure.
There are signs of a solution from Congress. Two bills, introduced by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-3), would extend the program to the end of 2015. They languish now respectively in the House and Senate. If they are taken up and passed in Congress’ lame duck session, it will represent an important step in fixing this terrible oversight.
John Oliver may have reignited this conversation, but it shouldn’t end with him. These Afghans have put everything at risk to aid U.S. servicemen, arguably investing more than anyone else in the vision of a free and democratic Afghanistan. To fail them now would not only be a breach of faith—it would also signal to future would-be allies that the United States’ word is not to be trusted and that they help us at their peril. We can do better than this, and we must.
This article does not reflect any position, official or unofficial, of the Special Forces Association (SFA) nor of Chapter IX of the SFA. It is posted to reflect some current on-line commentary regarding the situation of the aforementioned incidents.
The article "Why Is a Comedian the Only One Talking About the Plight of Afghan Interpreters?"
If you tuned in for last Sunday’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, you also watched some of the most thorough reporting to date regarding efforts to secure Special Immigration Visas (SIVs) for Afghan and Iraqi translators who have served for years alongside U.S. military personnel. When American servicemen rotate away, these translators remain—often becoming top-priority targets for reprisal attacks. Unfortunately, the State Department program intended to get Afghan translators and their families to safety has long been stuck in a bureaucratic swamp, stranding more than 6,000 Afghans across various stages of the process. With the visa program slated to end on December 31, many of these Afghans are now in very real danger of being abandoned. This raises two difficult questions: first, why has this been allowed to happen? And second, what now—at this late stage—can still be done to save them?
The first question, unfortunately, has an easy answer: asylum-seeking Afghans have been largely ignored by the U.S. government because they have no citizenship, no political leverage, and no large constituency to speak on their behalf. For most members of Congress, this places the plight of Afghan interpreters at the bottom of a very long list of issues. Conversely, the federal bureaucracy also has faced little urgency in speeding the process to grant safe passage to these individuals. There is no clear incentive to make the gears of the process move faster; on the other hand, there are ample reasons to move slowly. What civil servant would want to bear even tangential responsibility for letting a potential security risk into the United States?
In fact, the only reliable constituency for Afghan interpreters have been the American men and women who fought alongside them. As Rusty Bradley, a retired Army Special Forces officer with eight deployments to Afghanistan, recently wrote in a piece titled “Heroes Left to Die:”
I hear all the time about security concerns. The Department of State (DoS) is concerned about admitting Afghan interpreters for fear that al-Qaeda operatives will use the program to enter the United States. This is a loaded excuse. Apparently the State Department is not talking to the FBI, because al-Qaeda is already here. And even if they weren’t, they will not get here through this program. To be sure, there might be unsavory elements among any immigrant population. You don’t think some of the crime problems we have come from Mexican cartels and gangs? But unlike other potential immigrants, our intelligence staffs vet every Afghan interpreter numerous times. We trusted them with mission details, automatic weapons and our lives. The Afghans I sponsor and fully support to come to this country can live under my roof any day. I have vetted them time and again and they have proved themselves to be true, doing so under fire and in the most challenging of circumstances. Who could more deserving of the right to live, work, and enjoy our freedoms then them?
For all the lobbying efforts of U.S. servicemen and veterans, however, the Afghan SIV program has lagged terribly, even when compared to the also beleaguered Iraqi program (in which 6,500 of 25,000 authorized visas were issued). Four years after the initiative’s 2009 launch, the number of successfully processed Afghan visas remained abysmal: it awarded just 32 visas in 2012 to more than 5,700 applicants.
This poor performance prompted a review by Secretary of State John Kerry and incremental reforms that have gradually improved the process. Coupled with rare bipartisan Congressional action taken on August 1 to expand the number of available FY14 visas from 3,000 to 4,000, these have represented small steps in the right direction. But the (according to Oliver’s investigation) fourteen-step visa application process remains cumbersome, oversubscribed, and slow-moving—and time is running out.
This leads to the other big question: what comes next? The entire Afghan SIV program is currently in the process of winding down; the application deadline was September 30, 2014, and all visas must be issued by September 30, 2015. Yet Americans are still fighting in Afghanistan, the Taliban are far from defeated, and good translators remain one of the most critical links in the war effort. To let this initiative lapse on December 31 would be a tragic mistake and a moral failure.
There are signs of a solution from Congress. Two bills, introduced by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-3), would extend the program to the end of 2015. They languish now respectively in the House and Senate. If they are taken up and passed in Congress’ lame duck session, it will represent an important step in fixing this terrible oversight.
John Oliver may have reignited this conversation, but it shouldn’t end with him. These Afghans have put everything at risk to aid U.S. servicemen, arguably investing more than anyone else in the vision of a free and democratic Afghanistan. To fail them now would not only be a breach of faith—it would also signal to future would-be allies that the United States’ word is not to be trusted and that they help us at their peril. We can do better than this, and we must.
This article does not reflect any position, official or unofficial, of the Special Forces Association (SFA) nor of Chapter IX of the SFA. It is posted to reflect some current on-line commentary regarding the situation of the aforementioned incidents.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Green Berets pay tribute to JFK at Arlington National Cemetery
Though the Special Forces existed before JFK took the presidential oath, it was JFK who authorized the cap as the official headgear of the U.S. Army Special Forces. “The challenge of this old but new form of operations is a real one and I know that you and the members of your Command will carry on for us and the free world in a manner which is both worthy and inspiring. I am sure the Green Beret will be a mark of distinction in the trying times ahead,” Kennedy wrote to Gen. William Yarborough at Fort Bragg in October 1961.
Pictured at left is MOH Recipient Bernie Adkins and BG Darsie Rogers, Commander of Special Forces Command.
Kennedy visited Yarborough and toured Fort Bragg shortly before he wrote that letter to him in 1961, when he presented the Special Forces with the Green Beret. Among the soldiers who spoke with him in 1961 was Clair Aldrich. Aldrich, who was in attendance Tuesday, was at Kennedy’s funeral in 1963. He said it was the saddest day of his life. “The man, you could just look at him and see confidence," Aldrich said. The second saddest day for Aldrich was when he watched the assassination in Dallas over the television.
The Green Berets expanded their force under JFK by adding four additional groups on active duty and four new groups in the National Guard and the Army Reserve, according to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library.
“The Green Beret is again becoming a symbol of excellence, a badge of courage, a mark of distinction in the fight for freedom,” Kennedy wrote to the U.S. Army in 1962.
When Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, his family requested the Green Berets participate in the Honor Guard at his funeral.
“(Kennedy) got behind the Green Berets. They are a very highly trained group of people who travel all over the world helping other countries into their freedom process. He was the kind of guy that from his Second World War experience, he just made us so proud that he was behind us. We knew we had a president that was backing us up,” Aldrich said. “His death was just a terrible thing.”
“JFK, what he did in World War II, it just gave us the thrust we needed to go out there and be as much like him as we could. As for how I feel about it today, it makes me so dog-gone proud to come up here and participate in something like this. It’s unbelievable,” Aldrich added.
Article from Stars and Stripes
Monday, October 20, 2014
10th SFG Soldier Named Army's Best Warrior
A Fort Carson Green Beret has been named the Army's best sergeant after a weeklong event at Fort Lee, Va. Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Carpenter with the 10th Special Forces Group was one of three Fort Carson soldiers in the Armywide Best Warrior competition.
"I wanted to show the Army what makes my unit work so well," Carpenter said in a telephone interview. His victory was announced in a Friday news release.
The competition drew 28 soldiers to compete for the titles of best soldier and best sergeant. They were tested on military skills, military knowledge, marksmanship and physical fitness. To get to Fort Lee, the soldiers had to win a series of competitions, starting against other soldiers in their units.
Carpenter, an engineer sergeant, serves on 10th Group's A-teams, which specialize in training foreign troops and conducting lightning raids. His commanders were happy with the win. "His excellence in these competitions is demonstrative of the diversity, versatility and maturity of our people, and exactly what enables 10th Special Forces Group to accomplish a wide range of special warfare tasks as directed in Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, and Afghanistan," said Col. Brian Petit, the group's deputy commander.
Green Berets may have a leg up in the Warrior events. To earn their Special Forces status, they must go through the same training as other soldiers, complete jump school and then tackle more than a year of extra training, much of which is designed to wash them out of contention for the Green Beret.
While only the smartest and toughest get the beret, that doesn't mean the Fort Lee competition was easy for Carpenter. In one event, competitors were asked to don heavy chemical protection suits. In the early fall heat of Virginia, the tasks that followed were a sweaty test of endurance. "It was warm out and, when you're in that gear, it does become very hot," Carpenter said. "It's cumbersome and hard to move in."
Carpenter sealed his win with a stellar performance in marksmanship. Competitors fired the Army's M-9 pistol and the M-4 rifle. "I like the shooting evening events," he said.
Job well done First Sergeant Carpenter!
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Chapter Meeting Notes - 20 September 2014
Jerry Rainey Scholarship: The fund has $15,595 (Donations Ted Lamb $100, Don Nance $400 and $1000 anonymous).
SFA Membership: Life membership is still a good deal at $430. It is $280 for members over age 65. New Member dues = $40. Billy Waugh told Ike he will be making a donation for the Scholarship before tax time.
19th Annual Jerry Montoya/Ralph Dominguez Food Drive: Chapter needs to assemble the Committee right away. Jerry Campos will get 100 boxes. Naipo Robertson has consented to be the Chair again.
9th Annual CSM(R) John McLaughlin Memorial Golf Tournament: Held Saturday 13 September 2014 at the Fort Bliss Golf Course. We had 106 players and 45 Hole Sponsors. If you sold a hole sponsorship and want a certificate of appreciation for your sponsor - contact Pete Peral. We made at least $18K profit this year. Duke Armendariz came from San Antonio to help. Everybody got breakfast burritos and a full meal at lunch. Leo ran the hotdog stand at “Apache Junction”. Brian Kanof took photos again and got a shot of each team that are available for those who want them. Photo below is just some of the people who made this event not only possible but well run.
Teamhouse Committee: Chairman is Steve Franzoni; on the Committee is Gus, Brian, Chuck, Tom, Tony and Chuy; the committee is listing requirements for the 2800 sq ft steel building (2 bath, office & kitchen). Working on permits and need to get CEMEX to give up the land (To VFW, deeded to SFA9).
Rest and Recreation Center Fort Bliss: PTSD Soldiers still meet with Chuy every Monday from 1100 hrs to 1600 hrs in Bldg. 48 at Fort Bliss. Chapter donates $200 each month for arts and crafts.
9-11 Celebration: VFW Post 812 hosted an awards ceremony on September 11th to honor the firefighter and policeman of the year chosen by their senior leadership. Numerous Chapter 9 members attended.
Isaac Camacho Head Start School: 125 students in the school. Supplies that you wish to donate please bring them to the meetings. Chapter donates up to $100 per month, as needs arise.
Christmas Party: Scheduled for Saturday, 20 December, 6 pm social, dinner at 7 pm, at VFW 812. Joe “China Boy” Lopez will arrange the Holiday style meal and Trini Peral will do the raffles and decorations. Each Member and one guest will be no charge, any additional guest will cost $10 each. Tony’s Villa Band will provide the music. Sign-up sheet was circulated. Deadline to register is 15 December.
Chapter IX Shirts, Coins, Mugs and Blazers: Shirts, Polo’s, mugs and coins are available. Coins are $10 each. Check out the Chapter On-Line Store here.
Wreaths Across America: Debbie Torres from the local Civil Air Patrol and wife of Chapter member Rolando Torres, is the Wreaths Across America Chair again. It will be held on 13 December. Chapter will again pay for all interred SF Soldiers and past Chapter Members and spouses.
Chapter Sign at the entrance to the Road: Brief discussion. Tabled until the Team House is completed.
Honorary Member Nominations: China Boy nominated Jesus Rodriguez and Bob Chisolm with the Benavidez-Patterson all Airborne Chapter. Passed unanimously. January the Chapter typically reviews Honorary Members to continue or drop them depending on their participation.
Chaplain John Szilvasy Interview: John was interviewed by the Library of Congress. Copies of the interview are available on CD for $6 donation to FT Bliss Red Cross.
President's Message:
Greetings all; The golf tournament is over and like Bill said we “done good son”. Thanks to all who went out and secured sponsors and teams. We had 6 more players than last year and could have put more out if we wanted. We had to turn teams away.
Our next adventure will be the food drive. Naipo will chair and we need others to work with him. We have a few leads for bulk food items that we’ll be exploring and unless we cancel the support to the Chihuahita we will need the bulk rice, beans and potatoes too. Last year we donated $1,500.00 to the food drive so we’ll see where we go this year. There was talk of making 100 boxes this year but we need to see the need. If we have members that need that many I’m sure a vote will pass. Again, we’ll need volunteers to help Naipo get this going. Other than that, life is good. See you on the 18th.
De Oppresso Liber!
Pete Peral,
President SFA Chapter IX
SFA Membership: Life membership is still a good deal at $430. It is $280 for members over age 65. New Member dues = $40. Billy Waugh told Ike he will be making a donation for the Scholarship before tax time.
19th Annual Jerry Montoya/Ralph Dominguez Food Drive: Chapter needs to assemble the Committee right away. Jerry Campos will get 100 boxes. Naipo Robertson has consented to be the Chair again.
9th Annual CSM(R) John McLaughlin Memorial Golf Tournament: Held Saturday 13 September 2014 at the Fort Bliss Golf Course. We had 106 players and 45 Hole Sponsors. If you sold a hole sponsorship and want a certificate of appreciation for your sponsor - contact Pete Peral. We made at least $18K profit this year. Duke Armendariz came from San Antonio to help. Everybody got breakfast burritos and a full meal at lunch. Leo ran the hotdog stand at “Apache Junction”. Brian Kanof took photos again and got a shot of each team that are available for those who want them. Photo below is just some of the people who made this event not only possible but well run.
Teamhouse Committee: Chairman is Steve Franzoni; on the Committee is Gus, Brian, Chuck, Tom, Tony and Chuy; the committee is listing requirements for the 2800 sq ft steel building (2 bath, office & kitchen). Working on permits and need to get CEMEX to give up the land (To VFW, deeded to SFA9).
Rest and Recreation Center Fort Bliss: PTSD Soldiers still meet with Chuy every Monday from 1100 hrs to 1600 hrs in Bldg. 48 at Fort Bliss. Chapter donates $200 each month for arts and crafts.
9-11 Celebration: VFW Post 812 hosted an awards ceremony on September 11th to honor the firefighter and policeman of the year chosen by their senior leadership. Numerous Chapter 9 members attended.
Isaac Camacho Head Start School: 125 students in the school. Supplies that you wish to donate please bring them to the meetings. Chapter donates up to $100 per month, as needs arise.
Christmas Party: Scheduled for Saturday, 20 December, 6 pm social, dinner at 7 pm, at VFW 812. Joe “China Boy” Lopez will arrange the Holiday style meal and Trini Peral will do the raffles and decorations. Each Member and one guest will be no charge, any additional guest will cost $10 each. Tony’s Villa Band will provide the music. Sign-up sheet was circulated. Deadline to register is 15 December.
Chapter IX Shirts, Coins, Mugs and Blazers: Shirts, Polo’s, mugs and coins are available. Coins are $10 each. Check out the Chapter On-Line Store here.
Wreaths Across America: Debbie Torres from the local Civil Air Patrol and wife of Chapter member Rolando Torres, is the Wreaths Across America Chair again. It will be held on 13 December. Chapter will again pay for all interred SF Soldiers and past Chapter Members and spouses.
Chapter Sign at the entrance to the Road: Brief discussion. Tabled until the Team House is completed.
Honorary Member Nominations: China Boy nominated Jesus Rodriguez and Bob Chisolm with the Benavidez-Patterson all Airborne Chapter. Passed unanimously. January the Chapter typically reviews Honorary Members to continue or drop them depending on their participation.
Chaplain John Szilvasy Interview: John was interviewed by the Library of Congress. Copies of the interview are available on CD for $6 donation to FT Bliss Red Cross.
President's Message:
Greetings all; The golf tournament is over and like Bill said we “done good son”. Thanks to all who went out and secured sponsors and teams. We had 6 more players than last year and could have put more out if we wanted. We had to turn teams away.
Our next adventure will be the food drive. Naipo will chair and we need others to work with him. We have a few leads for bulk food items that we’ll be exploring and unless we cancel the support to the Chihuahita we will need the bulk rice, beans and potatoes too. Last year we donated $1,500.00 to the food drive so we’ll see where we go this year. There was talk of making 100 boxes this year but we need to see the need. If we have members that need that many I’m sure a vote will pass. Again, we’ll need volunteers to help Naipo get this going. Other than that, life is good. See you on the 18th.
De Oppresso Liber!
Pete Peral,
President SFA Chapter IX
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Chaplains Corner - September 2014
Some of you may have wondered what do Christians believe when they make a confession of their historical and biblical faith during a Worship Service.
What they believe is stated in the Apostles’ (the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ) Creed that contains the major teachings (doctrines) of the Christian Church that demonstrate the identity and unity of the Church.
The following is the Apostles’ Creed: “I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth: And in Jesus Christ His only begotten Son, our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, Born of the Virgin Mary: Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried: He descended into hell: The third day He rose again from the dead: He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty: From there He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; the One Holy Universal Christian Church; the Communion of Saints: The Forgiveness of sins: The Resurrection of the body; and the Life everlasting.”
Volumes have been written to understand these major Christian doctrines. If you want a more detailed explanation, I encourage you to talk with me personally, or you can go to Google on your computer and search “Understanding the Apostles’ Creed.” May God bless you with a meaningful understanding of the Apostles’ Creed that will draw you closer to your God.
Love you all…. Your Chaplain… John Szilvasy
What they believe is stated in the Apostles’ (the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ) Creed that contains the major teachings (doctrines) of the Christian Church that demonstrate the identity and unity of the Church.
The following is the Apostles’ Creed: “I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth: And in Jesus Christ His only begotten Son, our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, Born of the Virgin Mary: Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried: He descended into hell: The third day He rose again from the dead: He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty: From there He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; the One Holy Universal Christian Church; the Communion of Saints: The Forgiveness of sins: The Resurrection of the body; and the Life everlasting.”
Volumes have been written to understand these major Christian doctrines. If you want a more detailed explanation, I encourage you to talk with me personally, or you can go to Google on your computer and search “Understanding the Apostles’ Creed.” May God bless you with a meaningful understanding of the Apostles’ Creed that will draw you closer to your God.
Love you all…. Your Chaplain… John Szilvasy
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Romy Camargo: An Everyday Hero in the Special Forces Community
This story is from the Green Beret Foundation provides immediate and long term support to our wounded, their families, and to the families of our fallen. As the foundation states "The Army's Green Berets, America's Quiet Professionals, are a brotherhood of elite warriors who have been waging silent wars for decades. They carried the mantle of freedom into Afghanistan on September 12, 2001 and continue to fight there and in Iraq still today. The regiment has seen a lot of battle and the men and their families need our support."
The Green Beret Foundation highlights who they call "Everyday Heroes in the SF Community" and the following story underscores the never give up, always contribute mindset of the Special Forces professional.
CWO3 Romulo "Romy" Camargo always knew that he wanted to be in the military. He joined the US Army in 1995 and became a Green Beret special forces operator. While serving in Afghanistan, 25-30 enemy forces attacked him and his team with rocket propelled grenades and AK-47s. Camargo was hit. He was paralyzed but he and his family have persevered. Romy and his wife Gaby are opening the Stay in Step Recovery Center (www.stayinstep.org) in Tampa to support other people with spinal cord injuries in their rehabilitation.
This video is part of the Green Beret Foundation's "Everyday Heroes in the Special Forces Community" video series about Green Berets and their family members. The videos share the story of these heroes' military service and their work in their communities as they come home from war.
Learn more about the Green Beret Foundation:
The Green Beret Foundation highlights who they call "Everyday Heroes in the SF Community" and the following story underscores the never give up, always contribute mindset of the Special Forces professional.
CWO3 Romulo "Romy" Camargo always knew that he wanted to be in the military. He joined the US Army in 1995 and became a Green Beret special forces operator. While serving in Afghanistan, 25-30 enemy forces attacked him and his team with rocket propelled grenades and AK-47s. Camargo was hit. He was paralyzed but he and his family have persevered. Romy and his wife Gaby are opening the Stay in Step Recovery Center (www.stayinstep.org) in Tampa to support other people with spinal cord injuries in their rehabilitation.
This video is part of the Green Beret Foundation's "Everyday Heroes in the Special Forces Community" video series about Green Berets and their family members. The videos share the story of these heroes' military service and their work in their communities as they come home from war.
Learn more about the Green Beret Foundation:
Saturday, October 4, 2014
New MH-47G Advanced Chinook Special Operations Helicopter
The newest version of the tried-and-true workhorse of the military sports an improved “monolithic machined-frame” and an advanced flight control system. The improvements came about through a collaboration of military experts, who expressed specific needs and the Boeing Defense engineers who, through research and development, made good on those military requests.
Special Operations Aviation has a storied history dating back to the formation of a helicopter company specifically designated for the Army’s Special Forces during the protracted Vietnam War.
The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) -SOAR-is headquartered at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. This special operations force provides helicopter aviation for both special operations forces and general purpose forces. Its missions include attack, assault, and reconnaissance; usually conducted at high speeds, at night, in low altitudes, and on short notice.
The SOAR aviators known as the Nightstalkers became almost famous to civilians after the Doug Stanton book “Horse Soldiers.” Stanton highlighted the skills of these aviators when they flew Special Forces and CIA teams into Afghanistan following the attacks of 9/11. The Nightstalkers, flying Boeing Chinooks, navigated in conditions they had never seen, nor could ever imagine.
Just yesterday, Boeing announced restructuring plans to relocate some 2,000 Pacific Northwest-based employees to facilities in Oklahoma City, Jacksonville, Florida, and St. Louis, Missouri. What Boeing has no plans to change in the near future is the Boeing Defense arm of the company that has production sites near Seattle where they make KC-45A tankers and the U.S. Navy's P-8 Poseidon aircraft.
Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space, and security businesses with 56,000 employees worldwide. Boeing remains the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. The new MH-47G Chinook project was a $300 million contract for Boeing Defense.
article from Examiner.com
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