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Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:26:21 -0700

Playing with Squidoo

Look me up on Twitter @chucksimmins

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Mon, 19 May 2008 18:26:04 -0700

My blog has been up and down all day. The ISP has been having problems with the server that I'm on for some time. It's becoming tiresome.

http://ChuckSimmins.stumbleupon.com/review/19910761/

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:33:18 -0700

Silver Star

Though she won't know it until she's a bit older, Juliannah Roedema owes a lot to Lance Cpl. Moses Cardenas.

That's because Cardenas, a scout with 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, gave her the best birthday gift: her father's life.

Cardenas was awarded the Silver Star medal during a ceremony March 29 at Camp Las Flores, pinned by LtCol. Scott D. Leonard, commanding officer of 1st LAR, and LtCol. Kelly P. Alexander, former 1st LAR commanding officer during the battalion's most recent deployment.

"I'm honored. My lieutenant was just telling me about the magnitude of this award," said Cardenas, 20, a Fullerton, Calif., native. "Not a lot of people get it, and a lot of people have died for it. So, I'm a pretty lucky man to be alive and receive it."

Luck may have had some part. More likely, though, was the training instilled in Cardenas and the sense of brotherhood developed by the Marines in his fire team.

Cardenas and Sgt. Randy M. Roedema were on a routine early morning zone reconnaissance patrol with the quick reaction force last year in Western Anbar province in Iraq. They happened upon a vehicle which crossed their sector, so they moved in to check it out, according to Cardenas.

After repeated attempts to get the driver and passengers of the truck to submit to a search, three men burst from the top of the vehicle and opened fire. The Marines quickly attempted to bound back to their vehicles for cover, and to allow their turret gunners an open line-of-fire.

Three Marines were hit. Lance Cpl. Christian Vasquez was killed, and Cardenas was hit in the neck. After he hit the deck, he looked up and saw that Roedema was on the ground.

"I saw my sergeant laying down and I said, `Not today,'" Cardenas recounted after the ceremony.

Already injured, Cardenas began dragging Roedema to safety, but they had more than 50 meters to cover, so Cardenas alternated dragging Roedema with applying suppressive fire with his squad automatic weapon.

"'You're going to see you're daughter,' that's what he said when he was pulling me," said Roedema, 25, from Denver, Colo. "He saved my life."

Cardenas was again hit with a round from the insurgent's weapons, but he continued pulling Roedema until they we both safely behind cover, and only later, after a corpsman arrived, did Cardenas receive attention for his wounds.

Asked why he risked his life for Roedema, Cardenas answers simply, "He's my sergeant; he's the chief scout; it really didn't register how dangerous it was. After sleeping, eating, and laughing with my fire team everyday, you get really close, like brothers."

Roedema was treated and taken to medical facilities. Even better than the diagnosis that he was going to recover from his wounds was the news that he had just become a father, after his wife, Sharla, gave birth to baby Juliannah.

"Without [Cardenas], I'd never be able to see my daughter," Roedema said. "Words don't explain what he means to me and my family."

Cardenas' family watched the young Marine receive his medal from the front row at the ceremony, and couldn't be happier with their son.

"I'm very proud of him," said Raymundo Cardenas, Moses' father. "Since he was 15 or 16, he said he wanted to go to the Marines.

"It was a sad day when they left on their last deployment," Raymundo continued. "We didn't know if he'd come back or not. We won't be as worried this time; he knows what he went through."

Cardenas and 1st LAR are scheduled to deploy back to Iraq in the Fall. When he returns, he'll have with him a token of the Roedema family's gratitude: a dogtag and cross inscribed with protective scripture.

"He's a role model for fighting men in all services around the world," said Alexander, Cardenas' former CO. "We all want to be that guy."

Cardenas was meritoriously promoted to corporal Apr. 2 at Camp Las Flores.
Marine Corps
By Sgt. M. Trent Lowry, 1st Marine Division
Photos by Cpl. Chris Mann

http://ChuckSimmins.stumbleupon.com/review/19778842/

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 19:50:21 -0700

The President wept openly as the ceremony to honor Navy SEAL PO2 Michael Monsoor proceeded at the White House today.

Here are his remarks on this occasion:

The Medal of Honor is America's highest decoration for military valor. Over the years, many who have received the medal have given their lives in the action that earned it. The name of Petty Officer Michael Anthony Monsoor will now be among them.

In September 2006, Michael laid down his life for his brothers in arms. Today, we remember the life of this faithful Navy SEAL. And on behalf of a grateful nation, we will present Michael Monsoor's family with the Medal of Honor that he earned.

I welcome the Vice President. Secretary of Defense Gates, thank you for coming. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Peake; Secretary Don Winter of the Navy; Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and wife, Deborah; General James Conway, Commandant of the Marine Corps, and Annette; Admiral Gary Roughead, Chief of Naval Operations, and wife, Ellen; Senator John McCain; Congressman Ed Royce; Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez.

Previous Medal of Honor recipients, thank you for joining us.

I appreciate Chaplain Burt; Navy SEALS -- the finest warriors on the face of the Earth; the Monsoor family, and everybody else.

The Medal of Honor is awarded for an act of such courage that no one could rightly be expected to undertake it. Yet those who knew Michael Monsoor were not surprised when he did. This son of Orange County, California, grew up in a family where helping others was a way of life. Mike's father was a Marine; his mother a social worker. Together, they raised their four children to understand the meaning of service and sacrifice.

From a very early age, Mike showed the strength of his own convictions. Apparently going to kindergarten wasn't one of them. Mike had no complaints after the first week of school -- until someone broke the news to him that he had to go back the next week. (Laughter.) Many mornings, Mike refused to put on the nice clothes for school. Instead, he insisted on wearing mismatched outfits. Mike's mother soon discovered there was no stopping the determined young boy from mixing plaids and stripes. And years later, there would be no stopping an even more determined young man from donning a uniform of Navy Blue.

In some ways, Mike was an unlikely candidate for the Navy. He suffered from terrible asthma as a child. On some nights, his coughing fits would land him in the hospital. But Mike would not lie low for long. He strengthened his lungs by racing his siblings in the swimming pool. He worked to wean himself off his inhaler. He built himself into a superb athlete -- excelling from sports like football to snowboarding.

After enlisting in the Navy, he began preparing for the ultimate test of physical endurance: SEAL training. Less than a third of those who begin this training become SEALs. But Mike would not be denied a spot. In September 2004, he earned the right to wear the Navy SEAL trident. More at this link

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Sun, 17 Feb 2008 12:26:20 -0800

A Coalition soldier explains instructions for medications to a young Afghan girl. More than 250 men, women and children received medical checkups when Afghan National Army soldiers from the 205th Kandak and Coalition forces visted the village of Baghak in Khakrez District Kandahar Province Feb. 13.

CJTF-82

Residents of a small, rural agricultural village in the Khakrez District of Kandahar Province received a visit from Afghan National Security Forces and Coalition forces Feb. 13.
Soldiers provided much-needed medical assistance to residents of Baghak Village.
More than 250 villagers received medical check-ups during the visit. Most of the men, women and children sought treatment for typical cold and flu-like symptoms that are common during the long, frigid Afghan winter.

This year, Afghans have endured one of the harshest winters in recent memory. Record-breaking snowfall accumulations and prolonged freezing temperatures have made life extremely difficult for Afghan citizens living in remote sections of the country. The severe weather makes it difficult for families to travel to larger cities or district centers to restock supplies or seek medical care during the long winter months.

Hundreds of Afghan citizens and thousands of livestock animals have perished due to exposure throughout the country this winter.

In addition to medical check-ups, the soldiers gathered the children of the village to teach them about the importance of oral hygiene and dental care. Children listened intently to the medics and soldiers who taught the class, then they received toothbrushes and toothpaste.

"These visits are just one way the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan shows that it is concerned for the welfare of its citizens," explained Army Capt. Vanessa R. Bowman, a Coalition spokesperson. "Meeting the needs of its citizens throughout the winter goes a long way towards ensuring security throughout the region."

http://ChuckSimmins.stumbleupon.com/review/17404004/

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:02:51 -0800

Democracy Is Hard
This is the story of a small nation, winning its independence and trying to make its way in the world despite growing pains and foreign interference.

Year 00: Independence declared

Year 01: Nation's capital occupied by enemy

Year 04: One of nation's top generals defects to enemy

Year 04: Militias loyal to enemy ravage parts of south

Year 05: Nation adopts new form of government

Year 07: War for independence ends. Nearly 100,000 people loyal to enemy flee nation, fearing for life and property

Year 10: Internal rebellion

Year 13: New form of government adopted. Many regions oppose

Year 14: Warfare against insurgents on frontier

Year 15: Constitution amended to grant rights to people

Year 15: Internal rebellion

Year 22: Goes to war with former ally

Year 23: Internal rebellion

Year 24: Beginning of 15 years of undeclared warfare against smaller nations in Africa

Year 24: Disenfranchised citizens rebel

Year 27: Head of state committs nation to huge land purchase without legeslative authorization

Year 28: Vice President murders former head of treasury

Year 29: Disenfranchised citizens rebel

Year 35: Disenfranchised citizens rebel

Year 35: Warfare against insurgents on frontier

Year 36: Declares war on world superpower

Year 38: Enemy occupies / burns capital

Year 38: Warfare against insurgents on frontier

Year 39: Disenfranchised citizens rebel

In the first forty years, I make that:

Capital lost to enemy twice
New form of government adopted twice
Two major wars
Several minor wars
Six rebellions

Not to mention the refugees fleeing, the militia problem, the lack of security on the borders, a chief executive exceeding his perogitives and gunfire among top officials.

Democracy is hard. But the United States made it. I suspect that if we are patient, the Iraqis will, too.

http://ChuckSimmins.stumbleupon.com/review/17402246/

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 20:06:52 -0800

Here is the best of the best of America's North Shore Journal:

The Amanda Pinson Story
The girl next door who became a soldier, and then a hero. The commentors include her friends and family, her fellow soldiers and her superiors.

War on Terror Heroes
Read the untold stories of the heroes of the War on Terror. Here are the men and women who have been recognized for their courage and daring.

War on Terror Medals of Honor
Here are the stories of the heroes of the War on Terror who have been awarded the ultimate recognition for their bravery, the Medal of Honor.

Our Best: Babe Edition
The pictures and stories of women in the military, doing their jobs and doing them well. Also check out our feature on Beauty Pageant Winners in our military.