An Officer and a Gentleman...and a few other friends
Mood:  caffeinated
Now Playing: You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling (the title gave me a flashback of Top Gun)

I had the time and the extra money this weekend to take a trip to Quantico, Va. to visit the National Museum of the Marine Corps (NMMC). This is actually something that I have wanted to do since it opened a couple of years ago. Marines are inculcated with a strong sense of history and tradition beginning in boot camp, and most of us develop an interest in that history that lasts our whole lives (hint to the other services ~ this is where a sense of pride and ESPRIT DE CORPS is developed).

The museum was great but, it was just like the museums at Parris Island, San Diego, or Okinawa that I have already seen. Albeit on a grander scale and with a bit more polish and pomp. I didn't learn anything at the NMMC that I had not already learned from reading "WITH THE OLD BREED A PELILIEU (SLEDGE)", "FIRST TO FIGHT (KRULAK)", Chesty Puller's, and John A. Lejeune's biography's, and many other books that I have devoured on Marine Corps history over the last eighteen years.

The real bonus to taking the trip this weekend came in another form, thus the title of this post. I met an Officer, a Gentleman, and a few other friends. And I spent time with my family, that made my trip worthwhile.

The Officer:

I had the chance to take my family and a couple of friends to dinner at a well known local restaurant, the Globe and Laurel. The restaurant is owned by Maj. Rick Spooner (USMC/Ret). Major Spooner welcomed us into his establishment and we enjoyed the dinner but, it was what happened after the dinner that turned this into a memorable evening. I retired with a cigar and a cocktail to the back porch of the restaurant after the dinner was over. There were a few docents from the museum, a couple of retired infantry Colonels, and a few fresh-faced Lieutenants from TBS, which is where the Marine Corps trains new officers, gathered to swap Marine Corps stories.

As Major Spooner read from the manuscript for his new book, a tale of the Boxer Rebellion in China- specifically the battle for Tientsin, many jabs about the "Canoe College" in Annapolis and the "Girls Finishing School on the Hudson" (the US Naval Academy and West Point) were traded back and forth between the gentlemen present. Sea stories the Marine Corps version of "been there done that" tales that turn into legend, were also in abundance.

At one point, when the Lieutenants were coming outside to join us and I was going in to get my sons so that they could hear the proceedings, I held the door open for them. When they responded "Thank you, Sir", I growled " I'm a Gunnery Sergeant, not a Sir!". This rsponse elicited a chuckle from all senior officers present as it is typical for Gunnery Sergeants to correct young Lieutenants on points of military courtesy as we help to mentor and train these junior officers.

It is a rare opportunity to hear an oral history of my Corps during WWII or Korea. I am glad that my sons were present for that. Listening the Major Spooner read from his new manuscript was also a great experience and thanks to my friend Alana, I now have a copy of his first book "The Spirit of Semper Fidelis: Reflections From the Bottom of an Old Canteen Cup," which is a historical novel about the Pacific War and also his personal memoir. I will not be able to read it without hearing his voice. Thank you for a great evening, Sir! Semper Fidelis.

The Gentleman:

I have an 18 year old daughter who is very attractive. Lately there have been a few men who have been showing an interest in her. We have raised her to prefer courtship and not dating because of our beliefs. She has been free to begin courtship since she was 15 or 16, within the established rules, of course.

Those rules are simple:

Rule 1. I don't care about a man's color, nationality, or political views -but an absolute must is that the man be a Christian. What I mean by that is that the young man have a relationship with Christ which includes a good understanding of what we call salvation by faith through grace. In other words, you can't just go to a church once in a while and call yourself Christian, you must have a relationship with Christ where he is preeminent in your life and you seek him earnestly. A relationship where you have confessed your sins, accepted that Jesus is the son of God and the propitiation for your sins, and your redeemer.

Rule 2. Look me in the eye, shake my hand, and clearly state your intentions concerning my treasure, Victoria.

Many men have tried to talk to and become close to Victoria while ignoring all of these rules. So far, she has been very smart about this.

Part of the reason that I went to Virginia this weekend is to meet a young man who has show interest and been friendly to Vicki through FaceBook. If this is occurring in your family, you need to check it out and not rely on what I call "online personalities". The man needs to be more than just an "Avatar".  I am not sure what his ultimate goal is, but I wanted him to know that I am a concerned and involved father. My daughter means much to me!

I will not call him out by name here, but I was very impressed with "JP". Although he is interested in many things that I am not, and although he is a bit of a "dapper dandy" and I am very much "down home country", JP seems to me to be exactly the man that his FB profile says that he is. Although the Marines at the Museum were "impressed" by his differences, I like a man who is not afraid to be himself and stand for what he believes in.

JP enjoys great clothes, is a member of the Young Democrats of Maryland (although he voted Ron Paul and has stated that he is a registered Dem only so that he can help change the party as a conservative on the inside), and can speak in depth about Vicki's favorite author Jane Austin. Fashion and Jane Austin? Not my type of guy, normally... BUT... He is the only man that has followed the rules, looked me in the eye, and not wilted. He is forthright. He has fortitude. He passed a Gunnery Sergeant's muster. I don't think that he understands yet what that means, but if you know Marines and you are military... You will.

...and a few other friends:

This weekend I had the chance to once again meet the incorrigible Jessica Rabbit, Alana. She is one of the Marines I met through a Marines only social networking site and is also a docent at NMCC. We have much in common, starting with the fact that we are both Marines, and continuing through the fact that we both have children on the Autism spectrum and deal with the same issues. We went through the museum with Alana and also had the pleasure of her company at Tun Tavern (inside the NMCC) for lunch and at the Globe and Laurel for dinner. JR, thank you for spending time with us!

We also had a chance to meet some friends in Williamsburg for lunch on the way home on Sunday. Laura and Jason Paxton and their 6 lovely children! Laura began following this blog right after I returned from deployment in 2006 when I first began posting. Jason is a Petty Officer in the Navy and at the time they were stationed in the upper mid-west, and we were in Arizona. The military moves people frequently so, as it happens, now we are much closer together. So we made the effort to meet. Jason and Laura are also Christian brothers and sisters of ours. There are many similarities between our families but again, before this weekend, only our "avatars" knew each other. Jason, Laura, we enjoyed lunch very much. It was so great to meet you in person and I am very glad that we all hit it off quite well. My sons enjoyed playing with your boys and Vicki has adopted your daughters as her little sisters! We really do have to meet again soon. Our house is always open for you.

There were a few SNAFU's. We tried to get to DC on Sunday morning, but driving in those traffic conditions was not the best option for someone who still has problems with PTSD. I had a breakdown and I fear that I ruined the day for my wife (at least until we met the Paxtons in Williamsburg). Those streets looked like canyons, the traffic was very confusing, and I have problems driving in those conditions because they remind me of how dangerous it was to drive in Iraq. But every part of life has it's challenges, doesn't it?

Madam Poix, my apologies for not meeting and for the abbreviated phone conversation that you had with my wife. She was trying to talk to you and I was having problems, so her attention was very divided. Again, my profound apologies. We very much wanted to meet your family. We will schedule another trip to the DC area when we have a longer weekend and more time to spend. And Sallie will definitely drive next time!

Semper Fidelis,
Mike

 

Stumped
Mood:  irritated

Hmmmmm.... I am stumped, that is why you haven't seen a lot of activity here lately. It is not because there is nothing going on in my life right now. On the contrary!

Health problems in my extended family have kept me under pressure on many fronts which go way beyond the emotional drain.

My work is very challenging. I am doing a job using a tool that was developed and thrust upon us with, in my opinion, not enough planning or testing. I know this because they are actually taking everything I develop to train my guys, and promulgating it to everyone else. My work? C'mon, really? How much DID you plan? And W.T.Hk! were you thinking? I know it's a data tool, but we are using it to keep track of important maintenanc...Never mind, OPSEC.

I am suffering MAJOR depressive cycles that go along with my life experiences and that I can't shake off very easily.

My biggest struggle, however, is that my faith is under fire. What I believe has been gutted in some ways, by more than one person's speech or hypocritical actions. But I know that is not an excuse to quit believing. God is leading and training me but, the information and training is not coming fast enough to keep me from a burdensome struggle. And before you quote me "cast all your cares on Jesus"....be quiet. I've heard it. I know it. I just can't get from knowing to action', and your input isn't going to help. God has me in a dessert for a reason. In order that I will learn to trust in him  and nothing else.

I flashed on the passage in Matthew where Jesus is explaining why....well, here it is in Matthew 12:43-45:

⁴³ “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. ⁴⁴ Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. ⁴⁵ Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.” (Matthew 12:43-45, New King James Version)

The Jewish religious leaders were trying to "do it themselves". They were trying to earn forgiveness for their wrongs with good works; Jesus used this parable to show them that this wasn't the way to be reconciled to God. In the end, Jesus came to provide forgiveness for us by dying for our mistakes, our selfishness, our pride, and every other bad thing we will ever do.

Read this if you are confused

¹⁶`God loved the world so very, very much that he gave his only Son. Because he did that, everyone who believes in him will not lose his life, but will live for ever. <sup>17</sup>God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world. He sent him to save the world. <sup>18</sup>`Everyone who believes in the Son will not be judged. But everyone who does not believe in him is judged already, because he does not believe in the name of God's only Son. (John 3:16-18, Worldwide English (New Testament))

Church folks don't need a whole lot of explaining, but maybe someone reading this does.

Goodness and Charity only get you so far. Good and graceful acts will only get you a clean hotel so that you provide a tidy place for the bad stuff to come back to. When it comes roaring back, it will be back with a vengeance. I am struggling with things in my life harder than I ever have before. The one I hate and struggle with most is my speech (including telling tall tales...OK...LIES!)

By the way, I'm tired of advice or "fixit" formulas and I don't want to hear them. God will work this out for me. I DO have the Holy Spirit living inside of me...my comforter and God's voice in my ear. 

So now you know where I am at in my life. Keep all of your own....baggage. I've got enough of my own. All I can do is hang on to my faith and trust God to be the righteous and faithful God that the Bible tells me he is.

Stick with me and you will be amazed at what God can do.

 

Heavy
Mood:  caffeinated

My 14 year old son, Noah, came to me to talk last night about his future plans. For quite a while now, he and his little brother Jesse have been scheming and planning to go to Annapolis and play Navy Football. Don't get all excited, shipmates, these are Marine kids with a grungy old Gunny for a dad. The want to be Department of the Navy, but their plans are MENS DEPARTMENT! (Aww, take a little good natured ribbing ya dang swab jockeys!)

Anyway, Noah finally laid out his plans to be an Infantry Platoon Commander. YIKES! I'm grungy, but that was a shock even for me.

Okay, I'm not the type to pour water on any of my children's plans. I would rather encourage them, but what do you say? This is a heavy subject. Being at war myself since 911 and having 2 tours in OIF, knowing what I know about how it goes over there, and having lost friends to this war... how do you address this subject?

When I joined up in '92, we had just whipped the tar out of the Republican Guard and Saddam's Army in thirty days or so. Sure I remembered my dad's return from Vietnam in '69, but that was his war... the war in my generation had been quick. For ten years I enjoyed a fairly easy life of military exercises and deployments to peaceful overseas nations. Things changed on 911.

We have been fighting for nine years now. I have great respect for every military member who has joined up since then. They enlisted during conflict. They chose this life at a dangerous time in our nation's history. My enlistment changed at the halfway point, but I chose to be a Marine. And I have re-enlisted twice since then, so I guess I made the transition. I chose this and I can handle it.

But the perspective changes when it is one of your children. And, to tell the truth, I feel the same way about all of my young Marines, too.

Noah and I sat and talked about the history of Islam going back all the way to Crusader times and the Ottoman and Turkish Empires.In more recent history I traced the trail back from Iraq and Afghanistan through the USS Cole, the first attack on the WTC in 93, Somalia and Blackhawk down, the Gulf War, Hezbolla and the bombing of the Marine Barracks on 23 October 1983, to the Iran Hostage crisis, the Ayatollah, and the Deposition of the Shah of Iran. Folks this is a 30 year old war. We have only stayed safe during those years when we had a President who was strong on national defense...but that's another post.

I'm not going to turn Noah's heart from something he feels lead to do, but holy smokes! There is a good chance that we will still be fighting when he graduates the Academy, OCS, and PLC. I had better start praying hard for him now (not that I don't already). And, it's time to start helping him gain the martial skills he will need to go with his sense of duty and patriotism. Anyone know any good MMA dojos in coastal NC? Look out Young Marines, here comes Pvt. Anderson.

Heavy.

SF

Mike

Men of Quiet Duty
Los Angeles Times
October 26, 2009

In Iraq, A Father Gains Connection But Not Closure

Dr. Bill Krissoff joined the Navy medical corps after his son was killed on duty, hoping for a sense of completing his son's task. He returns to Camp Pendleton after months in Anbar province.

By Tony Perry

Reporting from Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.--When Navy Lt. Cmdr. Bill Krissoff deployed to Iraq earlier this year, his assigned job was to serve as a physician at the military hospital in Anbar province.

But he had a private mission as well: to pay homage to his oldest son, Marine Lt. Nathan Krissoff, killed by a roadside bomb outside Fallouja in December 2006.

After his son's death, Krissoff closed his orthopedic practice in Truckee in Northern California and sought to enlist in the Navy medical corps and serve in a war-zone unit caring for Marines. He was 60.

When his application for an age waiver got bogged down, a push from the White House sped the process. He and his wife, Christine, had met President Bush as part of a group of family members of military personnel killed in action.

Krissoff did months of training, then deployed to Iraq with a medical unit from Camp Pendleton in January. Christine Krissoff moved the household to a spacious home in this northern San Diego County suburb.

At the hospital at Taqaddum, Bill Krissoff patched up sailors and Marines, commonly with shoulder and knee injuries. The war's intensity has declined in Anbar, so there were only a few blast injuries like the one that killed his oldest son.

While Krissoff was in Iraq, his younger son, Marine Lt. Austin Krissoff, 26, was serving at the nearby base at Al Asad. In recent weeks, father and son finished their missions and returned to Camp Pendleton.

"I wanted a sense of completing Nathan's unfinished task," Krissoff said last week. "I think both Austin and I were doing that with this deployment."

Now 63, Krissoff is assigned to the medical staff at the Camp Pendleton hospital. He has an age waiver until 67 and would be willing to deploy to Afghanistan.

Being in Iraq, he said, helped him understand what his son experienced but did not soften the pain of his loss. Krissoff opted not to visit the site where his son was killed.

"I don't think you get closure -- at least I don't," he said. "Life goes on. I was just happy to do my part."

Like many families of fallen military personnel, Bill and Christine Krissoff went through grief counseling. They think of Nathan every day.

While her husband and son were gone this year, Christine Krissoff, 58, was busy closing one household and opening another. A horse enthusiast, she rode during the day. But the nights in an empty house were challenging.

She said she understood the need her husband and younger son felt to go to Iraq. "These are the kind of men they are," she said. "I'm very proud to have men like that in my life. We're a military family now."

Still, there are limits. "If Bill asked to go to Afghanistan, we're going to have to talk," she said. "I think we've done a great deal."

In his study at their new home, Bill Krissoff's shelves are lined with books about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. On the walls are family pictures and a display of photos of Nathan in Iraq with his fellow Marines and with an Iraqi man he befriended.

Krissoff tends to answer questions directly and without hesitation. Only when asked what Nathan would have thought of him deploying to Iraq did he pause.

"I think he'd have been proud," he said quietly.

Remember 23 Oct 1983?

America, do you remember 23 October, 1983? I don't specifically remember what I was doing that day, It was the middle of my Senior year in High school in Wiesbaden Germany where my father was stationed at the time. So I was probably being a typical teenaged pain in the butt. It is a date that every U.S. Marine remembers, though. A date that I have reflected on every year since I joined the Corps in 1992.

On that Date the Marine Barracks in Beirut Lebanon was bombed by a truck-bomber. 241 Americans lost their lives. Marines, Sailors, and Soldiers. I may not remember what I was doing on that date, but I remember 2 other events from that time in my life. One was the casualties coming through Germany. At that time, they went through Wiesbaden Hospital, not Landsthul. I also remember the re-patriation of the hostages from the US embassy in Iran because they made the stop in Wiesbaden for their first medical check-up's on the way home, but that is a different story.

The point is, we should never forget what happened that morning. Those Americans who died in the bombing were heroes. The truck bombers came from a nation that has been fighting our country for over 26 years, Iran. They are still our enemies, and are still actively supporting those we are at war with America in Iraq and Afghanistan.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/deadly_anniversary_YWZTwUfrSB9maKlBSGbaaJ

Some folks counsel negotiation and dialogue with Iran. Not me.

Beirut Marines, you are not forgotten, at least not by this old Gunnery Sergeant.

SEMPER FIDELIS!
Mike

Justice served
This is a follow up to my last blog post about a poser who claimed that he had PTSD, claimed to be a combat veteran when he had never served in Iraq or Afghanistan, wore unauthorized medals, and took advantage of these false claims to get into free concerts and professional sporting  events. Today he pleaded guilty to these charges along with malingering, and making false statements at his court martial. He at least had the cojones to admit he was a fake. Now, dishonorably discharge him, and let him be yesterday's news. His claims of "stolen valor" have finally worked out in the wash and real Marines are vindicated.

SF
Gunnz

Fry this Poser!

Man, you will never understand how much this angers me! I was on scene at the Tsunami disaster in Indonesia (Banda Ache) in 2004 within 24 hours. It was during a deployment with the 15th MEU. I earned my Humanitarian service medal on that trip and, on top of that, we went from there to Iraq.... I was in Iraq again in 2006 right after the Samara mosque was bombed. Even though I was a Fobbit (stayed on my base) fixing jets to support the grunts, we were hit by mortars and RPG's more than once. I didn't earn a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, A Combat Action Ribbon....but I have friends that did, and I
have friends that didn't come back from that war.

Fry this guy. Lock him up and throw away the key. Jackass.

SF
Gunnz

Fayetteville (NC) Observer
October 20, 2009

Marines Say Sergeant Faked War Injuries

By Associated Press

HAGERSTOWN, Md. - A Marine sergeant charged with faking battle injuries to get freebies intended for wounded warriors will plead guilty, a Marine Corps spokeswoman said Monday.

Sgt. David Budwah, 34, of Springhill, La., will enter the plea at a court-martial hearing Wednesday at the Marine Corps Base in Quantico, Va., 1st Lt. Joy Crabaugh wrote in an e-mail.

Crabaugh wouldn't say what offenses Budwah will acknowledge. "That will all be addressed Wednesday," she wrote.

Budwah faces eight counts, including making false official statements, malingering, misconduct and larceny. They carry combined penalties of up to 31½ years in prison and a dishonorable discharge.

Prosecutor Marine Capt. Thomas Liu declined to disclose terms of the plea agreement.

Budwah is accused of bluffing his way into 33 events last year, including six rock concerts, two Washington Nationals baseball games, a Washington Redskins football game and a World Wrestling Entertainment "Monday Night Raw" show. Sponsored by various civilian groups, the events often included special recognition of injured service members in attendance.

Budwah is alleged to have worn eight unearned medals and decorations on his uniform, including bronze-star medals from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Other unauthorized decorations included a humanitarian service medal denoting work on the 2004 tsunami relief effort, the government has said.

Budwah claimed in a speech to young boys at an American Legion camp near Sabillasville in July 2008 to have been wounded in Afghanistan when he dove onto a homemade grenade to shield a buddy from the blast - a false story, the government contends.

Instead, Budwah was with a radio communications unit in Okinawa, Japan, from early 2000 to early 2006, and then at Quantico, the Marines have said.

OLD MAN STRENGTH
Mood:  caffeinated
Now Playing: Welcome to the Jungle
I have come to realize in the past couple of months that in order to stay fit enough to lead Marines at 44, I need to put out physically on the same level that a professional athlete does. I feel Brett Favre's pain. In a Corps that is at war, there is not room for slackers.

If you want to know what I am talking about, in order to get a perfect Physical Fitness Test score of 300, I need to do 20 dead hang pull-ups, 100 crunches in under 2 minutes, and an 18 minute 3 mile run. I can do 10 dead hangs and 100 crunches, but alas...in the last 3 years (due to back problems) my run has dropped from a 19:30 to a solid 24 minutes as measured on my last PFT. Still a first class score at 199 points, but I don't like that.

In addition, the Corps now has a scoring system for the new Combat Fitness Test. Perfect score of 300 can be obtained by lifting a 30 pound ammo can (from chest height to arms extended overhead) for 90 reps in 2 minutes, a movement to contact (880 in boots and utilities) in 2:45 minutes, and a maneuver under fire type course consisting of low-crawls, grenade tosses, casualty drag, 100 yard fireman's carry, and 100 yard sprint with 2 30 pound ammo cans, in 2:14 for the youngest.

My age group gets scored 300 points  on the CFT for 89 ammo can lifts, movement to contact (MTC) in 3:03, and maneuver under fire (MUF) in 2:34.

There is nothing like going out every day and tossing a thirty pound ammo can over your head 61 times in two minutes. I did it today and it's killing me. We figured out the math afterwards. To get a first class score of 270 or higher at my age, my MTC of 3:15, 61 lifts, and MUF of 3:20 is good enough to score a 272. But that just barely makes it. And a Marine leader leads from the front, not the rear.

It may be time for me to retire at 20 years and leave this to the kids. I'm still considering it... Nah, I'll just push a little harder. I want to be a Master Guns.

SF
Mike

10 Inches of Rain in 2 hours!!

This is what it looked like outside the shop yesterday:

OUCH! (and thanks for your support Senator Graham!)