All posts by Jim

Left HS before report cards came out. Enlisted in the Marines for four years. By the time those years were over, I was hooked - they had me for life. Spent nearly ten years as enlisted. Received a Silver Star, Bronze Star w/V, Purple Heart as a Sgt during first RVN tour. Upon returning to the State's received a combat commission to 2Lt. Retired after 36 total years as a Colonel. Book follows my career, but is more about the heroes with whom I served, the great mentors I had, and the leadership principles they instilled in me.

Seventy-Two Years Ago

Iwo Jima: a volcanic island 660 miles south of Tokyo; 2 miles wide by 4 miles long. Today, seventy-two years ago U.S. Marines invaded Iwo Jima after months of naval and air bombardment. The Japanese defenders of the island were dug into bunkers deep within the volcanic rocks. Approximately 70,000 U.S. Marines and 18,000 Japanese soldiers took part in the battle. In thirty-six days of fighting on the island, nearly 7,000 U.S. Marines were killed. Another 20,000 were wounded. Marines captured 216 Japanese soldiers; the rest were killed in action. The island was finally declared secured on March 16, 1945. It was one of the bloodiest battles in Marine Corps history.

As I do every year, I received an email Commander Victor H. Krulak, USN, Chaplains Corps (Ret) who was our battalion chaplain in Second Battalion, Seventh Marines at San Mateo, MCB, Camp Pendleton, CA in the early 70’s. He said:

As is my wont again on this 72nd anniversary of the landing on Iwo Jima, I am sending the remarks of Rabbi Gittelsohn at the dedication of the 5th Division Cemetery at the end of the battle as a reminder of the great cost of this battle that is so much a part of the legacy of the Marine Corps.

S/F, Vic

Rabbi Roland B. Gittelsohn at the Dedication of the 5th Marine Division Cemetery on Iwo Jima.

This is perhaps the grimmest, and surely the holiest task we have faced since D-Day. Here, before us lie the bodies of comrades and friends. Men who until yesterday or last week laughed with us, joked with us, trained with us. Men who were on the same ships with us, and went over the sides with us as we prepared to hit the beaches of this island. Men who fought with us and feared with us. Somewhere in this plot of ground there may lie the man who could have discovered the cure for cancer. Under one of these Christian
crosses, or beneath a Jewish Star of David, there may rest now a man who was destined to be a great prophet — to find the way, perhaps, for all to live in plenty, with poverty and hardship for none. Now they lie here silently in this sacred soil, and we gather to
consecrate this earth in their memory.

It is not easy to do so. Some of us have buried our closest friends here. We saw these men killed before our very eyes. Any one of us might have died in their places. Indeed, some of us are alive and breathing at this very moment only because men who lie here
beneath us had the courage and strength to give their lives for ours. To speak in memory of such men as these is not easy. Of them too  an it be said with utter truth: “The world will little note nor long remember what we say here.” It can never forget what they did
here.”

No, our poor power of speech can add nothing to what these men and the other dead who are not here have already done. All that we even hope to do is follow their example. To show the same selfless courage in peace that they did in war. To swear that by the grace
of God and the stubborn strength and power of human will, their sons and ours shall never suffer these pains again. These men have done their job well. They have paid the ghastly price of freedom. If that freedom be once again lost, as it was after the last war, the unforgivable blame will be ours not theirs. So it is we the living who are here to be dedicated and consecrated.

Too much blood has gone into this soil for us to let it lie barren. Too much pain and heartache have fertilized the earth on which we stand. We here solemnly swear: This shall not be in vain! Out of this, and from the suffering and sorrow of those who mourn this, will come — we promise — the birth of a new freedom for the sons of men everywhere.

God Bless them all, each and every one of them. These events are all but forgotten to the youth of today’s America. Our new educational system rather teaches worldly events of no value or consequence to our own country. I pray that will change with the new leaders!

Originally posted 2017-02-19 12:55:26.

They Just Won’t give up

Another day, another “controversial” Trump nominee confirmed.

This time it’s Scott Pruitt, Trump’s pick to lead the EPA:

The Senate confirmed President Donald Trump’s nominee, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, to lead the Environmental Protection Agency on Friday in a mostly party line vote.

The confirmation vote came after contentious hearings during which Democratic lawmakers questioned Pruitt over his ties to fossil fuel companies, his multiple legal challenges to EPA regulations and his public statements questioning the science behind climate change.

Senate Democrats boycotted a committee vote to move forward Pruitt’s nomination earlier this month and stretched debate before the full Senate into the early hours of Friday. On Thursday evening, some Democrats again called for Pruitt’s confirmation vote to be delayed after an Oklahoma judge ordered his office to turn over thousands of communications with fossil fuel companies to a watchdog group.

Make no mistake: This is a great pick, and the hysterical liberal campaign to discredit Pruitt was absolutely insane.

First, the notion that he shouldn’t be secretary because he sued the EPA. So what? Oftentimes Environmental Protection Agency policies have serious consequences for Americans. Pruitt’s efforts as Oklahoma Attorney General were aimed at restoring the state’s role in setting its own environmental policy.  Pruitt, and others recognize that regulations that apply to all states do not apply equally. States like West Virginia, Louisiana, and Oklahoma might be disproportionately harmed by sweeping environmental regulations favored by folks in California and New York. Indeed, even the most committed environmentalists acknowledge that centralized, Washington based regulation often fails to take into account the individual environmental challenges faced by the states. 

Second, the notion that he’s a “climate change” denier is absurd. More broadly, the term “climate change denier” needs to go. Acknowledging that global temperatures have shifted in one direction or another is something very few people can deny. What’s worth debating is what impact human activity has had on this, and what we might do to adapt or remedy it. But liberals aren’t interested in debate, they’re interested in shutting down the conversation and authorizing billions of dollars in programs for alternative energy and thousands of pages of business stifling regulations.

So what does Pruitt actually believe? As Daniel Payne at the Federalist notes, his beliefs are pretty tame:

Well, back in May, Pruitt co-wrote a column at National Review in which he noted, correctly, that “[the climate change debate] is far from settled. Scientists continue to disagree about the degree and extent of global warming and its connection to the actions of mankind. That debate should be encouraged — in classrooms, public forums, and the halls of Congress. It should not be silenced with threats of prosecution. Dissent is not a crime.” That’s it. That’s literally the only evidence they provide that Pruitt is a “climate change denialist.”

Pruitt’s failure to make common cause with global warming people who were telling us that a new ice age was upon us thirty years ago suggests he’s a critical thinker. A measured approach to problems isn’t dangerous, it’s rational. Rational is good. Right?

Well, not according to the mainstream media. Here’s how they’re framing it:

 

Thanks for the editorial on the Pruitt confirmation, @washingtonpost pic.twitter.com/SSgH8b1aXZ

— Jay Caruso (@JayCaruso) February 17, 2017

That’s not all. EPA employees, in a show of the rank politicization that infects the agency, have been calling senators and urging them to block Pruitt’s nomination.

We can see why. For years, the out of control agency’s priorities have been at odds with those of normal Americans. As every dire prediction about global warming has turned out to be totally false,

It’s safe to say that Pruitt will be quick to drain the swamp over there.
Read more at http://trumptrainnews.com/articles/great-again-trump-s-latest-victory-is-going-to-drive-tree-hugging-hippies-absolutely-crazy#HX68hSpzOJiRLoLd.99

Originally posted 2017-02-18 12:07:34.

Their Reply

Well, I received my reply, but not from Mr. Stuart,

Him:”He’s a busy man so he asked me to reply.”

Yeah right, I am sure he did.  Anyway, I got the reply I suspected I would get.

Him: “We did a survey to find out where we should advertise to inform the millions of veterans who do not know about USAA.”

Me: Okay, I buy that, and your survey told you to advertise on CNN? Who did the survey? How many of those millions of veterans do you personally believe watch CNN?

Him: “I don’t know the answer to that.”

Me: Sir, you do realize that when you advertise on a particular show/event/special broadcast, you are in effect endorsing it? You may think you are, but how often do Americans write or call the advertiser when they are disgusted with a particular show? You know the saying about: Money talks, and something walks?

He was very cordial, polite, and a listener; well-trained, which I would expect nothing less from his station in the organization. However, I refused to budge an inch. I continued to express my displeasure with their advertising on ANY news program considering the plethora of displeasure Americans are expressing against the MSM in general. Especially in these trying times since the election and their bashing the duly elected president, and the deep divide in our country.

He did say that they are rethinking CNN after the problems created by the leaking of questions in the debate. I don’t know if he was saying that to try to appease me or not. But he assured me, he would express my thoughts with the folks responsible for where they spend advertising dollars, which I jumped in to remind him those funds are “our” money. He agreed.

I recommended all the NCAA sports e.g. woman’s basketball, WNBA, NHL, soccer, etc. He agreed, and never thought of the NCAA women’s sports. Once again he promised to mention my thoughts and ideas to the responsible people. I hope he does, but…?

So, will I leave USAA? No, but they have stepped down a tad from the very high pedestal where I had them for 43 years. Several of the responses I recv’d from you stated how much you loved USAA, and I could not agree with you more; they are my only financial company and have been for eons. But even the greatest of champions misstep now and then. I am a patriot, probably the most patriotic person you have ever known, and I am not a member of the so-called “silent majority.” I don’t know if I am even part of the “majority,” but I do know I am far from being “silent”.

Originally posted 2017-02-17 16:00:26.

Islamic Group Turns Down Trump Money to Fight Terrorism

Well, we taxpayers have just saved $800,000. That was easy. They accepted the money offered by their “brother,” but now reject it from President Trump. It’s amazing how he keeps on saving us money! However, what is disturbing about all this is their mission: “to serve the community and to bring our community to a position of excellence.” Really? How about bringing your community into America by accepting our values and laws, and helping us to fight terrorism?

 

A California Islamic school has become the fourth Muslim group to turn down federal funds to fight terrorism under President Donald Trump’s administration, funds they had been receiving under a program developed by former President Barack Obama.

The Bayan Claremont graduate school’s board made the decision to turn down $800,000 in federal funds made available via the Department of Homeland Security through a program created under Obama known as countering violent extremism, or CVE. Officials say the program is aimed at fighting terrorism by attempting to undermine extremists’ abilities to recruit terrorists around the world. Fox News reports the rejection of the funds was borne of a desire to disassociate from Trump.

[T]he fledgling school’s founding president, Jihad Turk, said “officials ultimately felt accepting the money would do more harm than good.”

“It’s “a heck of a lot of money, (but) our mission and our vision is to serve the community and to bring our community to a position of excellence,” Turk said. “And if we’re compromised, even if only by perception in terms of our standing in the community, we ultimately can’t achieve that goal,” he said, adding that accepting the funds would be short-sighted.

Originally published by The Blaze.

Originally posted 2017-02-15 08:09:37.

Rescuing The Frog

As with much of the stuff sent to me by compatriots, I do not know who wrote this. And that’s a shame because I really do like to attribute excellent pieces to the rightful author. If anyone knows the author, please let me know. This is a well written piece by someone who is obviously knowledgeable, well versed, and intelligent. Globalism is something we don’t hear many people talking about, especially the silly MSM, probably because they haven’t a clue what it means or entails. Here is an excellent primer. Bravo Zulu to whoever wrote this fine piece.

                                                                     

I have no idea what Donald Trump will do as president except that, in general, he will tear down the insidious, liberty-sapping globalist infrastructure put in place by globalists on both the left and right. We all know the story of putting a live frog in a pot of cold water and slowly heating the pot until the frog, not realizing he is being boiled, is cooked. 

Over the past 50 years, globalists of both parties, have been slow cooking the American frog.   Who are globalists?  They are people who believe that the world is, with technology, becoming increasingly smaller.  Consequently, they believe in the ever increasing consolidation of governing power in fewer and fewer hands.  They are the same people who, in the United States have turned the government on its head, taking governing power from the states whenever possible and vesting it in the federal government.

They are people who would take power from the Congress and vest it in the President thus taking power from the people.  They are the people who, as in Europe, believe that sovereign governments like Italy, Greece, Portugal, and Germany should cede their governing power to a more centralized government, like the EU in Brussels.  They are people who believe that sovereign government and governments like the EU should then cede their power to a United Nations.  Slowly, over 50 years, the world has been moving in these directions.

Their ultimate goal is to take power from the many and invest it a few, chosen from among the elite who, they believe, know better how the world should be.   They have achieved their goals through a reasonable first step, open trade among sovereign nations. But once borders are open for trade, they advance their agenda through increasingly open borders for migration and population redistribution. 

They use agendas like climate change and sustainability to redistribute the wealth of nations and to control their economies.  They control the language people are permitted to use so that certain concepts and issues cannot reasonable be addressed.  They impose regulations that deny individual freedom under the notion of the “common good”.  They overturn the rule of law and attempt to establish in its place “social justice”.   They take religious conviction out of the public square and replace it with moral relativism and situational ethics.   They have translated equality of opportunity into equality of outcome.  They have reconfigured spiritual equality of human beings with material equality of possessions.   They have changed the notion of individual responsibility into group responsibility.  And they have confused discrimination with being discriminating.  For 50 years, these changes have slowly been boiling the American frog.  

Now Donald Trump has upset the apple cart.  And he is being vilified with every action he takes and every word he speaks.  He is in a fight before he even becomes president.  But this political fight is not a fight between Republicans and Democrats nor a fight between the Establishment and the Forgotten Man, nor any of the other media created divisions asserted by pundits.  The fear and outrage we are witnessing toward Trump is precisely because he has pledged to tear down the globalist infrastructure. You can’t blame younger people, for example, for being upset.  It’s all they have known and been taught.  They have no idea how the globalist agenda has weakened the United States in order to make her the equal of other nations.

They are now being told that the rules under which they have operated for most of their politically conscious lives might be over-turned.  It is exactly the way most older Americans felt as Obama spent the last 8 years making everything seem upside down to us.  The difference is that we older folks have lived under both systems and know the difference.  We understood because we lived witness to the heat being turned up on the kettle.  We felt the water beginning to boil.  And, instead of being comforted and lulled to sleep by the warming water, we remembered how cool and refreshing was the pond water that allowed us greater freedom.  And we jumped out.  We jumped with Trump (some of us).

So, Trump’s poll numbers will be low because globalists, foreign and domestic, are aligned against him.  They see 50 years of “slow boiling the frog” about to be over-turned.  The frogs are trying to escape the pot.  They see: freedom and business-killing regulation…gone, a failing, socialist healthcare system…repealed, religious freedom and religion itself…restored, the international globalist world order…redefined, national sovereignty taken from the hands of international bodies like the United Nations, and national borders restored and immigration laws enforced, thereby destroying the George Soros funded open borders that are the very foundation of their globalist agenda.

These things and more threaten the very existence of the globalist world view.  They will bring about change that will be resisted mightily by the very people who have imposed tremendous change on the United States in recent years.   They will attempt, as they have already, to delegitimize Trump, to frighten the uninformed with visions of Hitler and fascism, to tell people that they will be oppressed by a dictator.  They will try to further divide the nation by race, gender, age sexual orientation, suggesting they will all be harmed by this president.  In effect, they are telling the frogs not to jump out of the kettle where it is warm and comfortable and where we are all in it together.  “Don’t jump out into that cold cruel world where there are snakes that can eat you up.  Beware the snakes.  Stay in here where you are nice and comfortable and where WE will protect you from the snakes.   Perhaps they are correct that it is safer in the pot for now but I have no doubt that in the long run, we will be “cooked”. 

In the near future, there will be obstruction and a concerted effort by globalists of both parties to undermine the new administration because their plan, at least temporarily, has been derailed. Against this desperation driven fear and anger, I hope and pray Trump can prevail.  But I certainly don’t expect if he does, that it will be with any cooperation from those who oppose him because they operate on the false belief that they will lose more than they will gain.  Those who seek to take power from the people and consolidate it in the hands of the few are frustrated at this point in history.  The people who have been taught that the globalist agenda is best for everyone do not recognize that what is best for everyone is good for no one.   After the past 50 years of being the frog getting slow boiled in the pot of globalism, you can’t really blame them. Trump is taking them and the nation out of the pot.  The only thing that may change their minds is if they see that being taken out of the pot didn’t deprive them of a nice warm home but actually saved their lives.

 

Originally posted 2017-02-14 16:05:39.