People look at the destroyed compound of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

People look at the destroyed compound of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi near the village of Barisha, in Idlib province, Syria
AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed

This image released by the Department of Defense taken from a remotely piloted aircraft

This image released by the Department of Defense taken from a remotely piloted aircraft shows the compound of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as it is destroyed in Syria
Department of Defense via AP

Chinese paramilitary policemen stand guard under the portrait of former leader Mao Zedong

Chinese paramilitary policemen stand guard under the portrait of former leader Mao Zedong outside the Tiananmen Gate in Beijing
AP Photo/Andy Wong

Snow falls on an honor guard soldier before a ceremony

Snow falls on an honor guard soldier before the welcoming ceremony for Slovenia's President Borut Pahor at the Cotroceni presidential palace in Bucharest, Romania
AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda

Snow is kicked up by the prop wash from the Marine One helicopter

Snow is kicked up by the prop wash from the Marine One helicopter carrying President Trump, as it hovers over the snow-covered South Lawn landing at the White House
AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

Military Thoughts

Cheese?

Remote Control Pilots Suffer Stress

This shouldn't be a surprise but the article acts like it is. "The Air National Guardsmen who operate Predator drones over Iraq via remote control, launching deadly missile attacks from the safety of Southern California 7,000 miles away, are suffering some of the same psychological stresses as their comrades on the battlefield."

I'm glad it's a problem. I just wish someone had thought that it might be. Hopefully these pilots are getting the help they need.

Full article at AP.google.com

Barnes & Noble Making It Easy to Support the Troops

With thoughts turning from tasty Thanksgiving turkey to holiday shopping lists, one national bookseller has made it easy to find the perfect gift for everyone, including the nation's servicemembers.

Barnes & Noble, a corporate supporter of the Defense Department's "America Supports You" program, has created an online book store that benefits troop-support organizations with a 5 percent donation from each sale made through the www.bn.com/asy Web site.

America Supports You is a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad. 

http://www.americasupportsyou.mil/americasupportsyou/Content.aspx?ID=44943546

General Petraeus' Testimony

In light of the mixed reaction to General Petraeus' testimony, consider this quote.

"It appears we have appointed out worst generals to command forces, and our most gifted and brilliant to edit newspapers. In fact, I discovered by reading newspapers that these editors/geniuses plainly saw all my strategic defects from the start, yet failed to inform me until it was too late. Accordingly, I am readily willing to yield my command to these obviously superior intellects, and I will, in turn, do my best for the Cause by writing editorials - after the fact."
- Robert E. Lee, 1863

My Beautiful America

Beautiful, inspirational presentation. It brought three questions to mind:

1. How many of these wonders have you experienced in person?
2. How soon before you see the rest?
3. What have you done lately to show our military how much you appreciate them?

OldBlueWebDesigns.com/MyBeautifulAmerica.htm

The 9/11 Generation

In the movie "Shooter" (a movie that seemed to me to be confused about its politics), Marine Corps sniper Bob Lee Swagger (Mark Wahlberg) makes the mistake of starting to apologize for the death of his buddy. Sarah Fenn (Kate Mara) slaps him and then admonishes him for trying to steal his buddy's honor. She says something to the effect of, "He knew what he was doing and he died doing what he believed in - don't take that from him." My apologies to the script writer. She made what was probably the most significant point in the movie.

The Weekly Standard has an excellent article about how a generation of young (and not-so-young) people are stepping up to protect freedom... and how liberals and the media seem to want to strip the honor from that by making them out to be young, ignorant kids with no other options.

USS George Bancroft @ King's Bay

On the 5th I mentioned the static display at Kings Bay Subase that was quite impressive. Through the miracle that is the Internet (I had to come to WV to get access!) I discovered it is the USS George Bancroft SSBN-643 surfacing just outside the gate. I found this picture at www.StMarysSubMuseum.com. I think old George is more impressive when viewed from across the street but this gives you the idea. One of my brothers spent a few years on a sub - not all at once but it might have felt that way - so I thought this was pretty cool.

Not All Ivy-Leaguers Avoid Military Duty

One Dartmouth graduate took the road less traveled by his peers and became a Marine. Nathaniel Fick is a Marine, a Dartmouth graduate, and is currently pursuing two master's degrees at Harvard. He is the author of One Bullet Away: The making of a Marine officer.

www.NathanielFick.com