Fortiter in re, Suaviter in Modo - Pythagoras's Blog - Victoria Advocate

Fortiter in re, Suaviter in Modo - Pythagoras's Blog - Victoria Advocate http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/Pythagoras <i>Resolutely in action, gently in manner. (To do unhesitatingly what must be done but accomplishing it as inoffensively...or not, as possible)No Quarter!</i> Tales from the mountians of Colorado to the desert of Iraq and back. Occaisional comedy, notes on ancient history, a new turn on current events and as always lessons learned. <i>"Little surprises around every corner but nothing dangerous."</i> -William Wonka <i>Resolutely in action, gently in manner. (To do unhesitatingly what must be done but accomplishing it as inoffensively...or not, as possible)No Quarter!</i> Tales from the mountians of Colorado to the desert of Iraq and back. Occaisional comedy, notes on ancient history, a new turn on current events and as always lessons learned. <i>"Little surprises around every corner but nothing dangerous."</i> -William Wonka en-us Obabma's Turn http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/Pythagoras/9527 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/Pythagoras/9527 <p>I sooo could not resist posting this link to the Onion. Typically this is a comedy news organization but I really  think they're on to something here. Plus it ties into a blog I will be posting in the near future...sorta...well, not really.</p> <p>DOH!</p> <p>Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are</p> <p><a href="http://www.theonion.com/content/video/obama_win_causes_obsessive?utm_source=EMTF_Onion">http://www.theonion.com/content/video/obama_win_causes_obsessive?utm_source=EMTF_Onion</a></p> Constitution and Citizenship Day http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/Pythagoras/8851 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/Pythagoras/8851 <p>Good day all!</p> <p>Given today's semi-holiday status, follow the link below to "sharpen the saw" on the US Constitution. </p> <p><a href="http://constitutionday.cpms.osd.mil/lowbandwidth/index.html">http://constitutionday.cpms.osd.mil/lowbandwidth/index.html</a></p> <p>All in all a pretty good use of time. Doesn't take long unless you really want to get into the weeds about how the country was set up.</p> <p>Have a great day!</p> Politically Clueless http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/Pythagoras/8601 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/Pythagoras/8601 <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">You might think that I am referring to someone other than myself. Nope, I am politically clueless. </font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">I truly have no clue about our future presidential candidates. I figure I am even worse than the protesters that are ruining my current home with their “peaceful” protests. Just for the record…throwing feces or urine balloons…is not peaceful. Those items carry disease that can be inflicted on the innocent being hit with it. Also for the record I feel it’s our duty to bring to light injustices so that they are public knowledge and the public has to deal with them but when you march down a crowded highway and throw excrement at me because of what you “believe” is an injustice then you invade my personal space…and I would advise you not to do that.</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">No, I have not been hit with such things but I have friends who are police officers who may be in the line of fire.</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">The irony here is that the very people who are protesting are Democrat or will vote Democrat and oddly enough the Democratic Party agrees with you. So now that I have invalidated your entire protest here in Denver…please leave the city as you have made your point to those who care and now you’re just annoying the rest of us who have lives and have to keep working so that the world continues to turn. Just so you don’t feel like you protest was all for not, those of us who are working to change things heard you a long time ago and have been working feverishly to change what’s wrong to what’s right. So I am going to give you two choices…1. Go away, 2. Shut your cake hole and put that energy into actually changing things i.e. paperwork, building corporations with your values etc.</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Oops. I sorta went off on an independent, semi-republican, democratic rant. My Bad! </font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Well, back to being politically clueless. I need help understanding a few things. </font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Color. Why is Barak Obama’s color and issue? Moreover, why would vote on a president because of the color of their skin? I really have a hard time with anyone who would do that as it shows that you aren’t looking at the bigger picture i.e. running the freak’n country!</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Sex. Why is having a woman president such a big issue? Again, if you’re voting on a president because of their sex…go away. </font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Houses. I am pretty sure Obama knows how many houses he has because he has probably purchased a few. McCain on the other hand married into his wife’s money (from what I hear) so naturally he would have no clue as to the number of houses his WIFE has. Oh wait! How does that matter? I bet Kerry could tell you how many houses his wife has! </font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Leadership. This I understand. I understand that I have yet to see a Democratic Candidate who understands this as well as McCain does or should (Politically Clueless, remember?). Someone called him out on using the POW Card. Many people don’t know this but that’s a REAL Card as opposed to the Race Card (Obama, Sharpton, Jackson etc.) or the Sex Card (Hillary) as everybody has a race and a sex. My question to any candidate for federal public office is, “What qualifies you to send me to war?” Have you ever marched in my boots? </font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">War. I barely understand this in its modern sense. I knew that Kerry didn’t understand it because soldiers don’t throw the medals of their brothers back at the very house that is responsible for issuing them. I knew Bill didn’t understand it because we would have completed the task of the Iraq war during his presidency. In addition I had military friends that worked in the White House during his tenure and he and Hillary treated them like second class citizens. There is no way I would allow her or him treat my brothers that way again. I know Obama doesn’t understand it because he has never served and until you walk in those boots you can never understand it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>I know McCain understands it because he has a POW Card. </font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Don’t get me wrong, I still have no clue who I’m voting for as I am not a big fan of McCain or Obama so I may be forced to do what I do every election…vote for the lesser of two evils or write myself in. This two party system is crap. I need more choices, at a minimum just one extra to even it out…or odd it out or however you want to put it. </font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Shall we recap? Okay then!</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Matters: Leadership, experience, validity, values etc.</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Doesn’t matter: Candidates houses, Sex, Race etc.</font></p> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><font face="Times New Roman">One last note on political cluelessness. Yes, I have proven beyond the shadow of doubt that I am politically clueless but if you are listening to an actor, actress or any other personality involved in entertainment for your political advice…and I mean this with all the love in the world…GO AWAY!</font></span> An update. http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/Pythagoras/8365 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/Pythagoras/8365 <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Okay..I know I said I would be posting a lot about the election but oddly enough it is the election that is keeping me from posting. The Democratic National Convention comes to Denver this month and I have been busting my behind to support it through the National Guard, thus making me too busy to write.</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Actually, I am too busy to write now but I figured it’s been much too long since my last post. Let me update you to what has been going on.</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">It is one year to the day I was medically evacuated from Iraq. Since my return I have had to endure thing I never thought I would have to endure. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></font></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">I have had to bury my section leader who left behind a 3 year old son and a pregnant wife. As part of my duties I presented her with the flag that draped his coffin and spoke at his memorial. I was well prepared to this in Iraq but not so much here. </font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">I have had some of my soldiers driven out o the Army by ridiculous processes. </font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">I have watched some of my soldiers leave the Army for retirement.</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">I have watched my soldiers struggle to get back into the swing of life and flourish in doing so.</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">I have gone to work for the Army full time and struggled with the politics in a job that should be simple.</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">I have watched some of my soldiers struggle to keep their marriages together. I have watched some of those marriages fail. </font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">I have watched my soldiers struggle with PTSD and slowly recover from it. </font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">I have gone from being happy here to wanting to go back to Iraq because it’s much simpler over there. There is only one full time job to do there, where as there are 2-4 that I am doing as we speak. Don’t get me wrong…I’m staying here until them make me go back.</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">I have reached a point that I need a vacation. I need time at home with my family and friends. I need time in Las Vegas. Oddly, I have had the urge to buy a sailboat and sail off into the deep blue sea and only return when I have found what I am looking for. </font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">I have the urge to sail to Italy, buy a Tuscan farm near the sea and grow olives and grapes, barley, hops and wheat and make beer, wine and bread. </font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">I have the need to daydream.</font></p> I might be an Angry White Man; My New Stereotype http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/Pythagoras/6672 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/Pythagoras/6672 <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">Take a read of the following article from the Aspen Times</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt"><a href="http://www.aspentimes.com/article/2008198091324">http://www.aspentimes.com/article/2008198091324</a></div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">I was unaware that I had a personal stereotype but I think this is pretty dang close. The article seems to be a little against Hillary Clinton. I’m good with that, but then I’m not a fan of Obama and I am not that much of a fan of McCain. </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">I would like to take a moment and shed a slight shadow on the Clinton Regime. I have a friend who served on the Clinton White House Explosive Ordnance Disposal team. That team’s function is to go through were ever the president is going to be and find or execute any explosive device in the area. Let me elaborate on the gravity of this job. The purpose is to protect the president and in doing so die for the president. They open every door, sit in every chair, open every drawer, and function every switch in the hope that they will execute any explosive device that may harm the president or his staff. </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">If you had a team of people who were constantly on the lookout for you, putting their lives on the line everyday would you ask them to hide so they wouldn’t have to see you on a daily basis? Would you treat them like second class citizens? According to my friend this is how the Clinton’s treated this team of soldiers. </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">I would like to urge you to vote but if you are going to vote, do your research and don’t believe all the crap that is flung at you from these debates and the press. I have said it in many other blogs and I will stress it again do not believe everything you hear in the press.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">A few more bits of wisdom:</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">1. Don’t vote for Hillary just because she is a woman. A “leader” who treats their troops like she and her husband did doesn’t deserve the protection they provide but they will receive it and without hesitation because that’s what soldiers do. To me that’s abuse of power. If she does it to the people responsible for her life; what makes you think she won’t do it to the people she is supposed to be “leading”.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">2. Don’t vote for Obama just because he’s black. Do your research! I would make more comments on Obama but I think I will just vote “Present”.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">3. Who cares what race, sex, religion, or sexual preference the candidate is? What you should care about is their previous profession. Were they a lawyer? Were they a business person? Were they an engineer? Were they a career politician? Where are their roots? That will tell you much more about your candidate than the typical equal opportunity fascia.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">Stay tuned! I am currently working on the first big issue I plan to tackle; abortion. Feel free to provide any pre-blog comments on abortion or this current blog.</div> My Run for Public Office http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/Pythagoras/6484 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/Pythagoras/6484 <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">Okay, here we go.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">I can’t say that I’ll be making a lot of friends with this one. I have been so disheartened with the current election choices. Once again I will be voting for the lesser of 2 evils. With that in mind I figure it’s time to begin my jog towards life as a public servant. I haven’t made a decision on what to run for just yet. My ultimate goal would be the Senate or the Presidency. Seeing as it would be a great discredit to those I would be serving to go straight for the top I think I will flex my learning muscle in the City Counsel or on the School Board. Maybe even both. Both would probably give me a better insight as to what is going on in lower level politics, then maybe a run for the State Senate and finally on to the Big Show.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">I think the first place to start would be to choose a party to be affiliated with. Yeah….about that. One of the things I am seriously tired of is these two parties who seem to go at each other much too aggressively. What I mean by that is they seem more driven to thwart each other or the current president rather than doing what’s right for the people. I have heard stories about senators/congressmen voting against great ideas just because they were proposed by a different party. I can only imagine the type of childish rivalry that takes place at the people’s expense. The people, those folks that are supposed to be represented accurately and fairly, end up suffering because these two parties have forgotten who they serve.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">So what party should I choose to affiliate myself with? I guess a little research is in order. What do these two parties stand for? Are they based on a set of Values? What makes you a republican? Is it the way you vote? I think everyone has their stereotype images of both parties to include myself. Typically I vote more Republican than Democrat but I think that has allot to do with my personal stereotypes regarding the two parties. For now let’s call me Independent.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">The next step is to decide what kind of politician I want to be. HOLD UP! I am NOT a politician. I am a leader. I refuse to be lumped in with men who pretend to be moral and the lie to the people they represent. I am not the type of man who shirks his responsibility when he screws up. I’ll get into that later. The bottom line is I am not a politician.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">So I have established that I am an Independent Leader. Kind of sounds like I want to take over the world. That could not be further from the truth. Don’t let the independent leader title fool you all it means is that I am not the same as a politician. I’m sure you will get my jest as this series of blogs continues. Over the next few months I will make an attempt to tackle the issues as the candidates have and you can be the judge of whether I stand up to the test or not. Feel free to let me know where I need improvement. Something I won’t put up with is just saying I “suck”. I f you think I suck then say why AND offer a solution on how to fix it, otherwise shut your pie hole, respectfully of course.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">If you have any suggestions on which issue I should tackle first let me know!</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">Stay tuned! I’ll be right back after a brief word from the sponsors I don’t have!</div> Lessons Learned: A final post on OIF 06-08 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/Pythagoras/6398 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/Pythagoras/6398 <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">I am thinking that this will be the last installment of my personal OIF Blog but certainly not my last comment on Iraq. As with any good life or training experience a good review of the lessons learned is certainly in order. In the Army we call it an After Action Review. Yes, occasionally it’s a boring as it sounds but every once in a while you have an experience that teaches you a lesson or in this case lessons that are immeasurable. Not to bore you with my experience but I thought you might be curious about what a young officer / aviator would learn in his first trip into war. </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">Where should I begin? When we left for Ft. Hood I considered myself very green as far as leadership, soldiering and aviating goes. Even after a year in combat I still feel green at aviating and soldiering but not so much at leadership though I will maintain that I am still green and still have much to learn in all aspects. The biggest lessons I learned in Iraq dealt with the people I served under and served for. Lessons I will never forget, lessons that were validated upon my return.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">Fort Hood gave me the confidence to lead my soldiers under pressure as we trained on finding IEDs and defeating them. Fortunately, I never had to do that in Iraq. Actually it was completely absurd that I was even trained to do that. The Army would be wasting a lot of money sending a Medevac platoon leader out to do an Infantry soldiers job. There are better men for that job; stronger men. They call them grunts and they’re one of the greatest things in the Army.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">I learned that the Army teaches you more of what NOT to do more than what TO do even before you go to war. I had previously thought that was a technique unique to Army schools. </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">I learned that no matter how angry about going to war you are, as an officer, leadership is still your job and if you let your personal issues get in the way, your soldiers will lose respect for you and you will be following yourself into battle chasing your tail. You are not here for yourself; you are here for your soldiers regardless of the rank you hold. That same officer showed me that favoritism is not only a detriment to the unit but again will make soldiers loose respect for you. Regardless what you think your job is or who your friends are you are still an officer and you must make decisions fairly and you must hold everyone to the same standard. As an officer I choose to be respected rather than liked fortunately for me I have found a balance between the two. That balance is still heavy on the respect side.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">I learned that respect renders respect regardless of rank, color, creed, sex, or any other adjective you want to label yourself with. Soldiers will not respect you unless you respect them first. They may give you the proper military courtesy but it doesn’t mean they respect you. “We salute the rank, not the man.”-Maj. Richard Winters. I strive to salute the man.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">True colors show in combat and there is no way of estimating how someone will perform under these conditions. I had two soldiers that were outstanding individuals in the garrison environment or in the cockpit. The moment we arrived at Fort Hood they were treated as second class citizens by the other soldiers of their rank and by the officer described above. This behavior set the tone for both of these officers. A person can only take so many instances of abuse before they begin a careful, possibly unconscious, campaign of backlash. In the military it has to be a “careful campaign” because anything else would get you in a mess of trouble. That’s exactly what they did. What they failed to realize is that their actions affected me more than the folks they were angry at. That’s what Platoon Leaders do. They serve as a filter for BS and a buffer for crap. I won’t get into any of the gruesome details because they aren’t important to the lesson but I will tell you that I was very heartbroken to see these individuals act in this manner and part of me understands but the other part of me cannot excuse the fact that they are mature individuals that needed to get over it for the good of the platoon. I still cherish their advice and I still respect them as individuals but I have no desire to go to war with them again under the same command. I do need to clarify one thing. The officer mentioned above was not my commander. If he had been, I would be writing you from Ft. Leavenworth.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">I learned that NCO business is NCO business and having a platoon sergeant that knows what his job is and what his soldiers needs are is worth more than all the gold in the world. Having good NCOs is a blessing let them do their job and they will do it well. Stand over them while they do it and you will end up failing in the long run. </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">I learned that the enemy is always watching and waiting for the opportunity to exploit you even when you are sleeping in the semi-comfort of your hooch. </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">I learned that regardless of the fact that you are in combat on the front lines there will always be part of your organization that gets a combat award before you do even though they’re flying a desk under the protection of a Forward Operating Base. Those organizations begin at the Battalion level and continue up to Brigade but then fizzle out (I’m assuming that they fizzle out). </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">I learned that a good soldier will turn down an award if it’s incorrect or at least get it corrected. Other soldiers will notice when you’re awards are incorrect but not always let you know when they are. A good commander will correct the award. I am writing at least one of those as we speak.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">I learned that family and friends are extremely important during a deployment and there is no substitute. I would like to mention a few very important family and friends that were very good to me during my time away. Matt and Janice, you’re care packages were invaluable. Angia, you and you’re father helped keep me going as well. Stephanie, we may not be speaking at the moment but there is no way I would have had as much fun on this deployment without knowing you. Kevin and Kristi, thank you so much for your support not only through the deployment but from the moment I met you both. Jenn, I know we don’t speak as much anymore but knowing you has made me a better person and your support during my deployment was invaluable as well. Letters from mom and Kim and chatting with the bro were moments I could not do without. Lessons from the veterans I know like Mike, my uncle Steve and others helped prepare me for what to expect and how to handle the worst if it happened. Now, I know there were many others and I have done my best to thank you since my returned but if I have missed you please do not hesitate to call me on it, I will certainly make amends without hesitation. </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">I should also take a moment to thank the soldiers I served. They are by far the best in the world and I would take them back to War against any enemy, anytime, anywhere.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">I have learned that divorce is hard, but divorce when you are deployed is deadly. The distractions of a divorce can render a soldier ineffective or cause him to lose focus just enough for the enemy to exploit this lack to the extent of that soldier losing his/her life. I don’t hold the enemy responsible for a soldier’s death in this matter as they are only doing their job. Several of my soldiers received a notification from their so called loved one while on deployment. If you are reading this and you contemplated leaving your soldier I want to tell you to hang in there, it’s not forever and they will be home soon. They maybe a little different when they return but at least give them the opportunity to get to know you again you owe your marriage that much. If you’re reading this and you left your soldier for an unjustified reason (be patient I will hit the other side of the coin in the next paragraph) then you are no longer human to me and I will treat you as such. </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">Not all soldiers are perfect and the reverse of the situations above does take place. If you’re a married soldier who thinks it is okay to be unfaithful while deployed then you may remove your rank for you are no soldier in my Army. There is no excuse. </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">I learned that the rumor mill can destroy a soldier. They say that perception is 90% of reality. I had a soldier who was accused of sleeping around so I confronted her about it. It turns out that she was best friends with the other soldiers family and frequently visited him and his wife and children back in the states but because it looked like they were spending too much time together they were labeled and were forbidden to be anywhere near each other. It’s is my leadership philosophy to give the soldier the benefit of the doubt so I did. In doing that, she began to excel under my leadership and the strict tutelage of my high speed Platoon Sergeant. I do not tolerate rumor mill crap. UPDATE: That same soldier was made the DUSTOFF Associations Medic of the year.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">Those are the big lessons. Every day was a new challenge and a new lesson and this blog is not big enough for me to get everything in. I guess you’ll just have to join up for yourself and find out what kind of great lessons await. </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">Upon my return I noticed a few things about me that had changed. I have a more compassion than when I left. My will to help people grows stronger by the moment. I don’t like crowds of people I don’t know. Driving was horrifying and took a bit to get used to. I am much more aware of packages or trash on the side of the road. Loud, sharp noises make me jump more than they use to. I have less tolerance for protesters and will now gladly confront them. I have less tolerance for politicians who have not served and think they are qualified to send me off to die when they have no clue what’s going on. My desire to run for congress or the presidency is almost insatiable. When you say “support the troops but not the war” you don’t fully support the troops and I don’t need half hearted support I need full support or this crap is going to drag out much longer than we want it to. </div> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">I could go on but I feel this blog is slowly taking a political turn down the toilet so I’ll end it here. I’m different and I know that. I’m better for having these experiences and I love sharing them with people who will never have the opportunities I did during this deployment. I would certainly encourage anyone to join the US Military but make sure you will be doing a job that you love otherwise it’s going to be pure hell. Here ends my OIF Blog series. I hope I shed some light and truth on the things that were going on during my tenure there. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have regarding Iraq or the military. I am always willing to engage in some good conversation. Thanks for listening and stay tuned for more entertaining blogs.</span>

Title: 4thFSMT Logo copy.jpg
Caption: 4th FSMT Logo. Latin: "I will find a way or I will make one."
Credit: Pythagoras

Title: 4thFSMT Logo copy.jpg
Caption: 4th FSMT Logo. Latin: "I will find a way or I will make one."
Credit: Pythagoras

4thFSMT Logo copy.jpg 4th FSMT Logo. Latin: "I will find a way or I will make one." Pythagoras Denver News 4 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/Pythagoras/6309 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/Pythagoras/6309 <p>Good day all!</p> <p>Had drill this weekend. The annual Safety Day! Had a little surprise when I showed up. The Governer of the State of Colorado was there to pin my Purple Heart on me. Check the link below.</p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><a href="http://www.cbs4denver.com/video/?id=38038@kcnc.dayport.com"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman","serif"">http://www.cbs4denver.com/video/?id=38038@kcnc.dayport.com</span></a></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">I have anoher blog to post. Check back later this week.</span></p> One More Round Please http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/Pythagoras/5818 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/Pythagoras/5818 <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Most of you have been privy to the events that have taken place over the 18 months I have been deployed. Yes, it was 18 months. Six of those months were spent at Ft. Hood “training” to go to war. The events that are described here took place about two weeks prior to my previous engagement with the enemy in which I promptly left the country.  I have adapted this from a detailed narrative that was written by one of my senior Warrant Officers. This should be one of the last installments of the Iraqi Saga. Maybe one more blog about how I’m adjusting to life back home. We’ll see.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><strong>One more round, please.</strong></div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><strong>_____________________________________________________</strong></div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">One warm Iraqi morning…isn’t that the way it always begins. I had just crawled out of bed and was still covering the first up mission. I slid my boots on just in case. Sure enough the radio went off as obnoxiously as possible. I sprang towards the door and trotted towards the operations shack. I knew my copilot was already at the aircraft getting started. It just so happened that Mr. G, from my previous story, was my copilot. I raced to don my gear and listened to the 9-Line mission request as it came in. I plotted the landing zone on the map, got my bearings, grabbed the mission request sheet and trotted towards the aircraft. </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Naturally, the mission request stated that there were enemy in the area so we had to get approval for launch. While waiting for launch approval I monitored the primary radio frequency of the soldiers on the ground to get an idea of what was going on where they were. We received a call that we were authorized departure at the Pilot in Commands discretion. I made the call to launch and immediately made contact with the ground unit to check the status of the landing zone (LZ). They were very close so we proceeded direct to their location right at tree top level. Our sister ship headed out to a safer place to loiter just in case. </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Just prior to our arrival the ground unit declared the LZ clear of enemy so we made our approach. I accepted a tailwind approach because the LZ was an improved road and this would place the aircraft that much closer to the injured soldiers. There was quite a bit of dust but we touched down without incident. We were now sitting between a Bradley Armored Fighting Vehicle and one of the new Explosive Ordinance Disposal Vehicles.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">I dispatched my medic and crew chief. Both of which were female. I had previously mixed these two up for fear they would find themselves in a bind if they had to lift a heavy patient without support from any ground soldiers. Ok, bring on the sexist comments and the discrimination comments. No really, please do…nothing? That’s what I thought. These two soldiers are actually two of my favorite and are two of my most capable, which is why I decided to place them together on this crew. I discussed this with them at length and they both agreed on my previous decisions and the current crew configuration. </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">SPC Summer, my medic, headed to the first injured soldier while SGT Red stood watch near the aircraft. My copilot and I watched the surrounding area taking everything in. I looked at security risks on my side and directed SGT Red to keep her eyes on a specific area. I made contact with the gunships just above us to make sure they were on scene and were looking after us. </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">We received a call over the radio from the gunships above. They had spotted enemy moving into the area. About that time SPC Summer moved alongside the JERRV (the forward-most armored vehicle used by the Explosive Ordinance folks) assessing and packaging the first wounded trooper when the litter team and security elements came under a low volume of small arms fire. She and the soldiers around her took cover behind the JERRV while the security elements returned fire. While the incoming fire was being suppressed SPC Summer grabbed the nearest soldier and told him that she needed to get to the second patient at the damaged Bradley.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">The infantry soldier warned SPC Summer that the firefight was not over, but at her insistence, he led her across 10 meters of open road to the damaged Bradley. She said “I’ve got to get to that patient! Cover me!” During the sprint to the second wounded trooper, the enemy opened up on the entire LZ with a high volume of small arms fire. Summer’s ground soldier laid down suppressive fire while she followed close behind him grasping his person as they moved. At this time the operational Bradley at 6 o’clock began engaging the enemy positions with its machine gun mowing down trees and telephone poles in the process. After assessing and packaging the second patient, Summer and the litter team bore the litter across 60 meters of open road, to get back to the aircraft.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">As the incoming fire intensified I instructed SGT Red to get in the aircraft. Once she was inside the enemy fire continued to increase. I gave the order to return fire at will. Red spotted muzzle flashes coming in from the 5 O’clock position and began returning fire from her seat on the right side of the aircraft while the litter loading progressed on the left side of the aircraft. </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">As the incoming fire continued, Summer remained at the aircraft with the second patient and sent the litter team back to get the first patient. A call came over the radio as Mr. G and I were hurrying the ground soldiers as best we could with insane hand gestures. The radio informed us of a third patient with a possible concussion.  The incoming fire continued to increase. Once the first two patients were loaded I made the call that the LZ was too hot to wait for the third patient who was not yet packaged. SGT Red continued firing, changing magazines once during the engagement. </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">With the patients finally loaded, I pulled in power and lifted off the LZ under fire. We joined up with our sister ship and headed for the nearest hospital. I pulled in as much power as I could without drooping the rotor too much. She would only give me 140 knots at 100 feet. Summer and Red cared for the injured troops in the back.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">We arrived at the hospital and off loaded the two soldiers as quickly as possible knowing we had to return to the LZ to pick up the last injured soldier. On our way back we received another medevac request which we figured out was actually the 3<sup>rd</sup> patient so we headed back to the original LZ. When we arrived the ground troops reported the LZ as being clear once more. It was considerably more quiet this round.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Back to the hospital and back to home.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">If you think that women are never placed in combat situations then you obviously think I am exaggerating. Honestly though, their sex makes no difference in this matter or any other. They are my soldiers and they perform, as do all the others, to the very best of their ability and their ability is by far the best. I am very proud of them both.</div> A Hard Lesson to Learn Twice http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/Pythagoras/5700 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/Pythagoras/5700 <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">As I cleaned out my e-mail from Iraq I came across this letter that was written by one of my senior warrant officers. I was very impressed, as I typically am by this gentleman. You may remember me mentioning Lynn’s death in an earlier blog and while I don’t want to re-open old wounds but I do want to pay tribute to a friend on Veteran’s Day and take a moment to morn as I did not get the chance to do so when she passed. She is certainly missed.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">_______________________________________</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Dear Family and Friends:</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">We got some very sad news from back in Colorado. Captain Lynn Scutellaro died last Saturday night in a traffic accident. She was 28 years old, and had returned from a one year combat tour in Iraq last November. She was a Platoon Leader in Alpha Company and a Blackhawk Pilot. She was in Breckenridge for the weekend. Out for a walk after dinner, she was crossing a street where the sidewalk was under construction. A bus came round the corner and struck her. She was trapped beneath it and pronounced dead at the scene by first responders. Awful. Tragic.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Lynn grew up in New Jersey. Attended the prestigious Lawrenceville prep school. Graduated from CU Boulder with a BA in Sociology. She enlisted in the Guard to help pay for school, I believe. Applied for OCS upon graduation and then went on to flight school. She was almost six feet tall, with dark hair and a classic Roman face and a strong, beautiful rowers body. She looked like a warrior. Our behind-her-back nick-name for her was Warrior Princess. She was very strong-willed and had an East Coast edge that was often misunderstood in the Colorado Guard. She worked with juvenile delinquents in a half-way house for a time, and had aspirations of becoming a law enforcement officer. For her war service she was awarded the Iraq Campaign medal and the Air medal. She surely has many other awards that I'm ignorant of.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Her death hit me particularly hard because I did not particularly like her. Its not surprising that a crusty old 40-something warrant officer would not have much besides the mission in common with a newly-minted 20-something commissioned officer. I had not seen her in over two years. She had a young lion's, show-the-world, chip on her shoulder. I butted heads with her more than once. We flew together a few times. Once, in a mission de-brief, as a new co-pilot of the lead aircraft, she challenged some critique I was making as the Instructor Pilot/Air Mission Commander. When in frustration, I offered to discuss it with her outside after the de-brief (so as not to further embarrass her), she misunderstood me as offering to engage her in fisticuffs. There at the planning table, in front of several crews, she made the karate salute of the sheathed fist, and said "Bring it"! That young woman had more moxy than any other I've met.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Captain Scutellaro will be laid to rest with military honors at Fort Logan national Cemetery in Denver this Saturday, after a Catholic mass. I wish I could be there. I sorely regret the small ill will I had against her. I have learned this lesson twice before from the deaths of two men older than me. I forgot it. I will not do so again. That is Lynn's parting gift to me. Never hold a grudge; never hold any resentment, however small, in your heart against anyone. When they die, it evaporates and you realize it was nothing. My wife, Patti reminds me that I spoke well of Lynn Scutellaro's positive qualities even when I was having difficulties with her, and that is a comfort to me. She had great potential as an officer and as an aviator, and I'm sure in all other aspects of her life. Her untimely death is a great loss for the Colorado Army National Guard, and the citizens she served. My heart breaks for her family and friends.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">The second big lesson re-enforced for me by her passing is this: the Higher Power rules. Captain Scutellaro flew many hundreds of hours in combat on General Support and Air Assault missions. She was home only eight months before she was called Home. We salute you, Warrior Princess. We will miss you. We are proud to have known you. Rest in Peace, our Sister Soldier.</div> New Beginings http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/Pythagoras/5697 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/Pythagoras/5697 <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">It would appear that the Victoria Advocate is certainly moving up in the world of technology. I am very impressed with the new Web digs. I am also very impressed with the VICAD support staff. Thanks for the help.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> For some time now I have been trying to get my old blog content restored. Much to my dismay this has been unsuccessful. I have no idea why this is so difficult but I am certainly not bent out of shape for it. Actually, I have taken it as a sign. A sign that I am not the same person I was 18 months ago. I am different. I am new but I am old. </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Keeping that in mind I figured it was time to start over. I am still not done posting my stories from Iraq but for the most part a new chapter in my life has begun and who better to share it with than the people of my home region. Those people who have groomed me in some way, some a little more literally than others. </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Here’s to the next few years! Be on the lookout for my final stories from Iraq and new and insightful (or not) ranting about politics, little tidbits of ancient history, and maybe even a little comedy.  Stay tuned!</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"></div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">If you would like me to post one of my earlier blogs, just ask.</div> <div style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Thanks!</div>

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Caption: Just a little teaser of what's to come.
Credit: Pythagoras

Title: P1020123.JPG
Caption: Just a little teaser of what's to come.
Credit: Pythagoras

P1020123.JPG Just a little teaser of what's to come. Pythagoras