The war in Iraq: Bakersfield.com

Red Flag 11-2 report (Nellis AFB)

Red Flag 11-2's media day was held recently and I was there to cover it. These exercises are held about 4 or 5 times annually and feature a large combination of United States and Allied foreign aircraft engaging each other as well as ground targets on the Nellis ranges, north of Las Vegas. It's not unusual for there to be as many as 150 aircraft involved. For this trip, there were about 50 photographers from across the nation to catch the action. Unfortunately many of them were clearly not legitimate media people, a slap in the face to many of us who work our butts off to get opportunities like this. That being said, let's get to the details.........

Meeting our PAO escorts at the visitor center mid-morning, we were loaded onto a bus and headed out towards the flightline to catch the pending launches. For those who may not know, during Red Flag media days, the photographers are bussed out to an area IN BETWEEN the two runways.

On our way out there, I noted a fairly large number of bombers - FIVE B-1s and FOUR B-52s! That's a bit more than what is usually here for a Red Flag exercise. The B-1s were from the 28th Bomb Wing / 34th Bomb Squadron ('Thunderbirds') of Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota. The Buffs, aka B-52s, were from the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB. Since we were allowed to get about 175 feet from the runway concrete, the roar of the bombers was going to be one hell of an experience! Two of each type were sent out for the day's sortie. During launches, the B-52s launched on runway 3L, which meant you didn't have to point your camera into the sun. However the B-1s went out on 3R, which did mean backlit images.

Other 'heavies' present were a pair of E-3 Sentries, some C-130s from Belgium, one FT coded Hercules, a pair of Hercs from the 'Flying Vikings' / 96th Airlift Squadron out of Minnesota, and several KC-135s - from McConnell AFB, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. Nose art was prevalent on many of the larger aircraft, however we really never got quite the right angle on most of them, to get close up shots. We had a chance when one of the 96th AS Hercs took off, and again when the B-52s returned on runway 21R, and that was about it. Everthing else was too far off, or showing the wrong side of the aircraft.

Next up it was time for the fighters. The usual suspects, the Aggressors, launched a few F-16s from the 64th AGRS, and then we saw a good mix of other stuff, including many WA and OT coded birds from Nellis' Weapons School and Operational Test units. Other participating aircraft included F-16 Vipers from the UAE (F-16Es and Fs, aka "Desert Vipers"), F-16 Vipers from the 510th FS 'Buzzards (Aviano Italy), more Vipers from the famous 555th FS 'Triple Nickel' squadron (also from Aviano), A-10 Warthogs from the 303rd FS 'KC Hawgs' at Whiteman AFB in Missouri - these feature the NFL Kansas City Chiefs logo as fincaps - one was nicknamed 'Thunderbolt of California'; more F-16s from the 22nd and 23rd fighter squadrons ('Stingers' and 'Fighting Hawks' respectively) at Spangdalhem, Germany; plus a few scattered new additions to the aggressor units that have not been painted yet. Both the 64th and 65th guys have received new aircraft recently, including some Minnesota ANG Vipers - one of which was a color bird, Shaw AFB 'Gamblers' Vipers which recently stood down, and an FF coded F-15 Eagle, formerly with the 1st FW at Langley AFB. There were also a handful of older F-15s with no tail code, presumably they are also new additions to the aggressor 'fleet'. These aircraft will most likely get their new paint when they are due for depot maintenance.

A big surprise at the end of the day was the departure of three F-22 Raptors from runway 21R. Two of these raptors were sporting drop tanks. This is something RARELY seen, and I do mean RARE-LY. First time I'd seen this. The running joke is (started by somebody with a website in Mojave, Ca.) that Raptors with drop tanks are known as "Raptors with Boobs". One of the pilots even used the afterburner - something the Raptor usually doesn't do - and it doesn't really need it either. But this is always a welcome sight for us photogs. In a matter of a few hours, we photographed about 120 different aircraft.

Thanks to Senior Airman Michael Charles for the opportunity to come out to Nellis.

Local Iraq Vet, and Future Soldier Stand Out in 9/11 Rememberance

At ‎5:30 AM September 11, 2010, PFC Raymond Herron (ARMY) and LCPL Santino Anaya (USMC) arrive at the Kern County Superior Court. They have with them 3 memorial signs, "HONK TO REMEMBER THE SACRIFICES." "IN MEMORY OF 9/11/01." "PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN."

At 5:46AM local time is when the first of 2 hijacked airliners slammed into the World Trade Center North Tower. LCPL Anaya stands in his Dress Blue uniform and gives a proper salute. At 6:03AM, the second plane hits the South Tower, again, LCPL Anaya gives a salute. 6:37AM, another salute to the airliner flown into the Pentagon. 7:03AM a final salute to those lost in the fourth flight, crashing near Shanksville, PA.

Between the hours of 5:30 and 9:30AM about 1 in 50 vehicles recognize the two young men for what they are, a two man memorial service, and honk for rememberance. At about 9:45, they move to 24th/Chester, where the 178 hits downtown Bakersfield, and take up position on the southwest corner. It is later in the morning, more people are awake, and aware. They start recieving a complete commotion as drivers all around see the signs. Horns are honking, engines are revving, people are yelling, they are making a great racket. One man walks from the 24th Street Cafe to bring the two young men bottles of water. This motivates them further, and they begin to cry out, "Never forget, those we lost this day 9 years ago. Never forget, those we have lost in the fight in the 9 years since. And never forget those who STILL fight to keep this country as free, and as strong as ever."

At 11:30 they move to 23rd/Chester, where downtown turns into Highway 178. These two are doing great, people are coming and shaking their hands, bringing them water, and thanking them for their service, and for the memorial. About 12:20 a guy yells from a truck, "Hey Marine, you only salute Officers, not these nasty civilians." To which LCPL Anaya replies, "Roger that, They give me a honk, I give them a salute." That pretty much killed the joy, pride, and FUN these two men had spreading the word of rememberance for this day.

At about 12:30 the young men walk into the Jack In The Box on the corner, cool off, and wait for their ride to come pick them up. LCPL Anaya is stopped by a young girl, looks to be about 15-17 and requests to have a picture taken with him. "Of course," he replies, squares himself away, and poses with the girl while her godmother takes the photo with her iPhone.

Long day comes to a happy ending with a little photo shoot. Sadly, however, ALL LOCAL NEWS STATIONS, AND PAPERS were contacted multiple times, and given names and locations of where they were. NO ONE SHOWED UP. They said " Were covering other stories, we'll try to get out there." LCPL Anaya calls shenanigans, because he called the day before, and asked a local station if there was anything going on. VillageFest doesn't start for another 5 hours, and the only other things going on were car washes.

Must be nice to know that a carwash is better news than two young men working hard to get a little support from the community. BPD, Sheriff, Highway patrol, Hall Ambulance, NONE OF THEM gave the two the time of day. Big thanks to all those random drivers that honked their horn for 9/11.

Personal message from both LCPL Anaya, and PFC Herron "HUGE THANKS TO ALL OF YOU RANDOM, AMERICAN, PATRIOTIC, HORN HONKERS!"

America's Birthday and the "Bombs Bursting in Air"

As everyone knows, our Nation's birthday is right around the corner. It is a day for celebration, especially for veterans who have risked everything for our country. For us it is not just a day to remember the birth of our country, but it is also a day to remember what we fight for, and to be thankful that we are still here to celebrate with our friends and family. And while I am happy to celebrate with the people I love, it can also be a little difficult.

This Sunday, the air will be alive with the smells of barbeque, watermelon, and gunpowder. The fireworks display on the 4th of July is the most identifiable part of the celebration. The colors, the sounds, the smells: these are all magnificent and dramatic reminders of the "bombs bursting in air" from our National Anthem. As much as I enjoy celebrating the 4th of July, I still have trouble with the fireworks.

The funny thing about fireworks being used to represent bombs is that they actually do sound like bombs. Hearing that loud boom and smelling the gunpowder has a different association for me now. I have struggled for years to get past my discomfort with fireworks. Two months ago, I actually stood through a fireworks display at a local event. I found out that if I stood behind something, I felt a little bit better. I took my place behind a tree, and watched the display. On the very last boom, there was an incredibly loud bang accompanied with nothing but a white explosion. I fell to the ground and tucked myself in, ready to absorb the shock. It was instinct, nothing more than muscle memory. The crowd cheered and clapped, and were very entertained. And while I was proud of myself for standing as long as I did, I still felt that I wasn't quite over the fear completely. This Sunday will be another test, and I will see where I am at from there. I have no problem when I am in control, lighting them myself. When I am out at a display the sound still bothers me, especially when there is a shockwave from the larger explosions.

Even with these issues on my mind, I am prepared to celebrate this Sunday. I love this country, and I am proud to call it home. I will be outside, lighting sparklers in my backyard, grilling out, and thinking about how great it is to be here (or back here as the case may be). As uncomfortable as I may be with fireworks, I will not let it stop me from remembering what Independence Day is all about. I want to wish all of my fellow veterans out there the best of luck this 4th of July, and I hope that all of you and your families have a wonderful, fun, and safe holiday weekend.

~J.R. Browning, Iraq veteran

Send Warm Wishes to warm wishes to our troops deployed overseas from the Karaoke King Show

The Karaoke King Show along with Tomi’s Cowgirl Café will be sending warm wishes to our troops deployed overseas. This Thursday night and every Thursday night (Except Thanksgiving) now through December 17th we will be broadcasting live online all who wish to send their warm wishes and thanks to our troops serving overseas. All wishes will be recorded as well and archived online for those who cannot watch live on Thursday nights.

Can you please help spread the word to all families in Kern County that they are welcome.
All expenses are being paid for by the Karaoke King Show and Tomi’s Cowgirl Café.

Tomis Cowgirl Café is located at 1440 Weedpatch Hwy in Bakersfield, Ca 93304
The Location is open to all ages and there is no cost to participate.

For more information please contact Kyle Brown 661-633-9200 or visit www.KaraokeKingShow.com

We will also be taken donations for Operation Interdependence.
Operation Interdependence is a nationwide 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides a means for community members to support troops serving on the frontlines, military families and veterans. Our long term goal is to ensure that every Solider, Sailor, Airman and Marine is served by OI® from the time they don the uniform to the day they are honorably laid to rest.

OI has donated more than 1,005,070 pounds (503 tons) of goods to military families and veteran organizations since its inception in 2001. Our volunteers support veterans at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System and Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston; injured warriors at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio; and military family groups at U.S. Army Fort Hood near Austin, TX., and Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton near San Diego
Click for more Info...

Good Time Karaoke, The Karaoke King Show & Chartbuster Karaoke support all troops Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force.

Please spread the word about the Free video messages.

Warhammer Online: Traditional Chinese Website

"There is no way to be the end-all of PvP guides or a dissertation on the differing abilities and builds of each class."Cheap Warhammer gold, fast Warhammer powerleveling and Warhammer cdkey is for sale in holiday season, contact our online service team and check the stock, you will get Warhammer Online gold or other items efficiently. If you're looking for ways to better yourself at PvP, this may help. Warhammer Online: Age of Conan is bringing the experience to China Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau. Online gamers in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau China who want to experience Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning have been brought one step closer to doing so with the launch of the game's localized Chinese language website. If you're looking for specific strategies and builds for your class, the best way for you is to try checking out your class forum or the PvP section of WoW.The site will provide background on the armies, history, characters and classes of WAR, including the upcoming introduction of The Black Guard and Knight of the Blazing Sun classes. This guide should shed light on many of the gray areas that exist in PvP.Updated community news and account management functions will also be provided. GM of Warhammer developer Mythic Entertainment and co-founders said, the launch of this site is a big step toward our goal of delivering WAR to a truly worldwide audience. As such, it's important to actually know how to get the most out of your time spent.They want any and all players to be able to join the ranks of Order and Destruction, regardless of location or language. Hope this game will be available soon for the players in China main land. The ultimate goal of PvP is to defeat your opponents. World of Warcraft is a complicated and fascinated MMORPG which involves many interesting elements. What's essential to realize is that you don't always have to do both every time.One point is that WOW is heavily depend on WOW Gold. PvP, especially in battlegrounds, has a strong reliance on teamwork and communication with your allies.Players may purchase various items like precious armor and weapon with cheap wow gold to level up characters. You are a member of one of two factions, the Horde or the Alliance.WOW Gold farming has become an industry in the near years as there are 9 million people in the world playing this game. No matter which side you choose, you have thousands of allies.Some of the players are crazy fans who are willing to pay real money to buy cheap wow gold or virtual goods in World of Warcraft. Use them to your advantage, there's no dishonor in teaming up with fellow players.Mostly, these virtual goods are supplied by gold farmers, who play the game up to 12 hours a day gathering gold in the game. These gold farmers sell cheap wow gold and various items players. Cheapest wow gold Battlegrounds are a new type of PvP environments at most that were implemented in differing Blizzard patches.It may seem surprising that players would be willing to spend money for virtual goods in a game, but World of Warcraft ""gold farming"" is in fact a multi-million dollar business that is not going to go away anytime soon. Each type of battleground offers different objectives and different styles of play, but all fall under the Honor System and the regular rules of PvP.The fact that 9 million people take this game very seriously means that there is a big demand for virtual in-game goods. guild wars gold The only difference between a Battleground and the normal World are that no matter where you go in the map, you will be flagged.Many people who do not play World of Warcraft cannot understand why these wow fans wish to buy cheapest wow gold with real money instead of gathering themselves. You can not un-flag inside a battleground.The truth is WOW can only be interesting once the player have best armor and weapon which can only be purchased with World of Warcraft gold most of time. lotro gold Be warned, if you go Away From Keyboard) through either idling or typing, you will be instantly removed from the battleground, sent back to your queuing location, and slapped with a 15 minute Deserter debuff.So rather than spend hours upon hours doing repetitive tasks to level up their character, they prefer to pay someone in China to do it for them for a very low wage, rather than waste time leveling up themselves. The wow gold buying industry is much stronger than before, and developing as the MMO industry grows. " . This battleground requires the smallest amount of players to initiate. world of warcraft account The game will activate when both sides have seven people queued and will cap out at 10 players per side. Once the game begins, if at any time the amount of players on one side dips below 5 and remains that way for 5 minutes, the game will end prematurely and that side will lose by default. wow account europe Bonus honor and marks will be awarded. You will not receive bonus honor from unmade flag captures. wow accounts As previously stated, Warsong Gulch is of the Capture-The-Flag genre of battlegrounds. Each side has a flag in their possession, located on top of a yellow flag stump. wow accounts You may pick up the flag by right clicking on it. You may not move the flag your team is defending. wow gold If an opposing player attempts to steal the flag, you must kill them and right click on the flag once it drops. Doing so will instantly reset it atop the flag base inside your base. In order to capture a flag, you must take the flag from the enemy base all the way back to your own and travel across your own flag. Your flag may not be in enemy hands when trying to capture the flag. If they have your flag, you must wait until it is returned before you may capture. Teamwork is essential here, from keeping defenders off of your flag carrier, to healing your flag carrier, to preventing the opposing team from stealing your own flag. By and large, World PvP is what existed before battlegrounds came into being. It still exists pretty readily on PvP servers, but not to the large-scale degree it used to. The difference in World PvP and Battlegrounds is the absence of level brackets, amounts of players per faction (capped at the 40-per-raid, but you can have multiple raids), and the method of re-spawning. In World PvP you must return to your corpse to resurrect. You still take no durability loss from death in PvP, but you do from Guards. Guards tend to re-spawn very quickly compared to normal mobs. Players that are of a grey level to you yield no HKs or honor. "

9-11 UNITED WE STAND

9-11 I was in the middle of building our swimming pool, contractor Kris Krauter was here with me going over things and I had news on. I couldn’t believe what I saw when first plane hit and went totally white and STUNNED when second one hit, then news of the third plane TOTAL SILENCE total DISBELIEF and yes TERROR, the fiercest feeling of PATRIATISM I have felt since VIETNAM VETS came home and the realization that this IS IT...

THIS IS THE DAY AMERICA CHANGED FOREVER. This is the day the world will know how strong and UNITED we are, and Terrorism does nothing more than ignite the fierce determination to eradicate those who partake. THE WORLD UNITED on this. Terror does not accomplish anything other than to inflame and to re-enforce the need to do away with those who do not understand the ways of civilization where communication and mutual understanding, agreeing to disagree is acceptable. The Lord says Pray for your enemies, and he says Vengeance is mine. So I do pray for my enemies. I might not pray for their health and well being, but I pray. AND vengeance, well the Lord G-od Almighty leads those who are called by his NAME into many a battle in which they OVER COME the enemy! VENGENCE! God BLESS AMERICA and ALL those countries that also lost their loved one in this senseless act. Which gained NOTHING for their own, but empowered the world instead to fight.

Military in Iraq

Almost Home

I can barely believe it myself, but in less than a week, my husband (an Army helicopter pilot) will finally be back home (for good) at his duty station in Alaska from a 12-month deployment in Iraq.

Under normal circumstances, a week usually goes by quite quick. But despite my every-growing list of things to do, this “week” can’t seem to go by fast enough. After a whole year of deployment, you’d think a person would have had plenty of time to accomplish everything on their “to-do” list. But evidently that’s not my case. Already short on time and yet my list keeps on getting longer. Time is running out for me to pick out that perfect “welcome home” outfit, add the finishing touches on the welcome home signs, and make hotel and rental car reservations, among plenty of other last minute travel drama. And apparently, I’m also discovering it’s kind of hard to cram the amount of exercise I should have done this past year, into a measly seven days – go figure!

Yet, here I am, busier than I have ever been in my life and the time is still dragging on and on and on ….

It’s odd how I managed to survive a year of raising my two-year-old daughter without my husband by my side, yet the thought of surviving the next seven or so days seems almost impossible. Seven days. Can it really be? After 12 long months, there is only seven days left until my daughter is reunited with her daddy, until I am back in the arms of my beloved hero once again.

Introduction to Terrorism Course at Bakersfield College Delano Campus This Fall

Some say if you constantly predict doom, someday you will be a prophet. But for many, the reality of another terrorist attack like that which resulted in the World Trade Center’s demise on September 11, 2001 is not a matter of if, but when.

Addressing the reality of terrorism is the goal of a new class at Bakersfield College. In Introduction to Terrorism, class discussions will center on defining terrorism, the history and beginnings of modern terrorism, international and domestic terrorism, the United States response to post-9-11 terrorism, as well as prevention and response to weapons of mass destruction.

Starting with the fall 2009 semester, Bakersfield College criminal justice instructor Chuck Feer will be teaching Introduction to Terrorism as a Special Topics in Criminal Justice (Crim B55) at the College’s Delano Campus. Bakersfield College’s Delano Campus is located at 1450 Timmons Avenue in Delano.

“The battle against terrorism cannot be won by government alone,” explained Feer. “We, as active citizens, must be vigilant, know what to look for, and be confidant when we call law enforcement to report our concerns and suspicions.”

In addition to learning why terrorists hate the United States, what they have done in the past and what they may do in the future, Feer’s class will help students develop a greater understanding of world geography, religion and recent global political and social events.

Feer has been an instructor of criminal justice at Bakersfield College for 11 years. He recently completed anti-terrorism training through the United States Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance as well as several classes from FEMA on weapons of mass destruction. Feer holds a jurist doctor degree from Western State University and a Master of Public Administration Degree from California State University, Bakersfield.

Home at last (for a little while)

It was a sea of red, white and blue as we stood waiting in the airport for him to come home. Minutes later a vision of Army camo appeared. One moment, my (almost) two year daughter was standing next to me, and seconds later she ran straight into the arms of her daddy. For a moment, as I stood there watching them share a long-awaited hug, it seemed like it was only yesterday that she last saw her dad. But in reality, I knew it was a lot longer than just a day…it had been nine long months.

I am extremely thankful to say that my husband is “home” … at least for a little while (two weeks to be exact). Yet I’m already dreading the 18th of April (the day he is schedule to fly back to Iraq). But for now, I am trying to live for the moment and to cherish the time we have together as a family once again.

Almost "home" (even if it's only for just a little while)

Home. Some say, home is where the heart is. For me, home is usually wherever the military sends my family. For the past two years, my home has been Fort Wainwright Alaska (the Army base my husband has been stationed at). However, since his deployment to Iraq this past July, my home has been here in Bakersfield with my parents. And when my husband returns to the U.S. for his two weeks R and R (Rest and Recuperation) … he will be coming “home” to Bakersfield.

Yes, I can finally say it -- In just a few more weeks, after eight tiring, sometimes good, sometimes bad, extremely long (and I’m talking l-o-n-g) months – I will actually get to see my husband and hold him in my arms once again!

Of course, I must remind myself he won’t be home “for good,” but at least he will be home, even if only for a little while.

Even though he will be coming to Bakersfield, I’m pretty sure he doesn’t want to spend his two weeks hanging around the good ‘ol town of Bakersfield (especially after spending the last eight months in a not so lovely town in Northern Iraq). I’m quite sure we will be taking a few trips to the beach, venture down south, and probably do some quality family time at Disneyland. Of course, the best part is that he will be here to celebrate our daughter’s 2nd birthday at the beginning of April. This celebration will actually be a family first since he was away on a training exercise on her 1st birthday.

Sometimes I wonder if two weeks is long enough for him to actually “rest and recuperate,” especially since we have a lot of catching up to do. After all, he has missed every holiday since July (including my birthday, which I personally like to consider a holiday), endless trips to the doctor, visits to the park, crazy errands around town with a toddler in tow, and do I dare attempt to count the number of diaper changes that have occurred since he left?

And when it comes to our daughter -- now there is a lot of "catching up" my husband will have to do. After all, she was barely 15 months old when we said goodbye. Then, she was still so baby-like, no hair, and barely walking around. Now, she has grown into a rambunctious 2 year old, with a head of hair, climbing, running, jumping, talking, and trying really hard to test my limits nearly every moment of the day.

In the end, however, I have a feeling that in a few weeks, when he arrives “home” at the Bakersfield airport, and steps off the plane in his Army uniform with Iraqi dust still on his boots, our daughter will run, skip and jump her way to him as if he hasn’t been gone for a single day these last eight and really (really) long months!

Least we forget during this holiday season

     With all the business of the holidays, I must admit time has been rolling right along while my husband is deployed (and trust me – the faster time goes by the better my life will be).

     Correction on that – time was rolling right along up until about a week or so ago when I got an email from my husband that brought time to a screeching halt. “I’m fine” the email began, “but something has happened and we just lost two of our guys. Heaven now has two more angels. I will call you when I can.”

      I couldn’t believe my eyes…did I just read what I thought he said? Here we are almost six months into this deployment, weeks away from Christmas, a time when everything finally seemed to “slow down” and get “quiet” over there (recent words from my husband), and for the first time during his units deployment – two very brave and talented men (both helicopter pilots my husband worked and lived beside every single day) had suddenly died in a helicopter crash.

      Now, to my ever-growing list of Christmas cards, I find myself more importantly adding writing “sympathy cards” to the top of that list. Instead of the typically hustle and bustle of writing “Merry Christmas with love” over and over…I will now sit down and write some of the hardest letters I will probably ever have to write to two very dear families.

      At a time when we are so caught up in the moment, decorating the house, sending out cards, fighting the crowds at the mall, busy finding that one last perfect gift, let us not forget the families of the brave men and women who are not here to celebrate the season. The families -- such as those in my husbands unit -- who will never again be able to celebrate any season with their dearly beloved. I certainly will not forget the two courageous souls who recently gave their life so that we may live free in this country. Free to celebrate the holidays with our families, wherever they may be…

Welcome Home Son

I would like to congradulate my son, LCPL David Cole Lang, for his honorable discharge after serving in the Marines for 4 years. Cole has served two tours in Iraq and his last deployment was in Afghanistan, where his platoon, 2/7 Weapons Company out of 29 Palms is still deployed. Cole is just like many of your sons. He was a pistol growing up, gave me a few grey hairs, made some wrong choices at times but stood proud and "took the oath" when our Country was attacked. He'll hate that I'm writing this but I want you all to know of a true hero that lives here in Bakersfield. While on his second tour in Iraq, he got the news that his wife, Monique, was having their first child. God is good and Cole came home 2 months before his daughter, Daisy, was born. The last tour was hard for him. He left behind a 6 month old baby and his wife, again. Monique is strong. She is a TRUE military wife.

Cole is home now, walking among all of you. You may have passed him in the store and never even knew you were in the midst of a hero. Cole lost 21 friends in 4 years. He's not bitter. He knew this was going to be the job of his life and he passed.

The next time you see a soldier, shake their hand and say "Thank You". Tell a Vet "Thank you". They've earned my friends.....

So, congradulations LCPL David Cole Lang. Job well done Marine. Semper Fi

2nd Annual Support our Troops Ride

Harleys, Hondas and Heroes. All were gathered Thursday evening for the Second Annual Support our Troops ride from Bikersfield Leather and Accessories at 2622 Fairhaven Road to Chuy's on Rosedale Highway. The reason? To support our troops who defend our liberties daily.

"I want the same freedoms for my children and grandchildren that I had," said Sgt. Tonna Mullens. Tomorrow marks her twentieth anniversary serving our country. She came back from Iraq last year. "It was a great tour, I have no regrets."

When asked why she joined the service five years ago, Spc. LeeAnna Tameny said, "My father was in the military, and I felt it was my calling. I'm just a patriotic person." Tameny served in Kuwait.

Watching the motorcycles drive in, several of them with American flags attached to their bikes, one couldn't help getting a chill thinking about the day that the world stood still seven years ago.

The band Really Big Midgets played a variety of music, keeping the crowd entertained, soldiers showed several military vehicles to interested people, some bikers stood and admired other bikes.

One bike that really stood out was owned by Jim and Bonnie Padgett of Bakersfield. It was a Russian Military Bike, Ural. It was painted camouflage and had a side car and two seats that looked like seats from a beach cruiser bicycle.

At the time of this post it is unsure how many people showed up for this event, but I will be conducting an interview tomorrow with the man who set all this up and will likely update this post.

The next run will be the Returning Heroes Poker Run II on Saturday, September 20, 2008. Registration starts at 9:00 am at Bikersfield Leather and Accessories, 2622 Fairhaven Road (behind Budget Bolt off Rosedale Highway). Run ends at Ethel's Old Corral, 4310 Alfred Harrell Highway.

Cost: $20 for Rider, $15 for Passenger and additional hands

There will be live music, a 50/50 raffle, raffle prizes, biker games, food (Beefy Boys BBQ) and drinks, 2008 Soldier Babe contest, and a vintage and modern military vehicle display.

All proceeds will be used to support our soldiers and their families. For more information on supporting this even or what you can do to assist our soldiers, go to www.ridefreeus.com.

One month down...

I can’t believe it has been a month since I said good-bye to my husband. I can now say I have officially survived one whole month of deployment. Wow! One month … gone just like that, oh sure -- I can handle this.

Wait….did I say ONLY ONE MONTH? As in ONLY one month down, and ONLY fourteen more to go before this deployment is over?

One month spent writing those “oh-so-special and loving” handwritten letters. One month spent carefully shopping for and mailing two extremely filled to the top “care-packages.” One month spent writing dozens of daily emails written extremely carefully as to not forget to include every last little daily detail. One month spent taking hundreds of digital pictures so I could give my husband a daily play by play of nearly every “thing” our 16-month-old daughter has done that day (i.e. eating, crying, sleeping, walking, laughing, playing, watching TV, staring at me for the thousandth time wondering why I still have the camera in my hand).

Yes, one month to mark off the calendar. One month to be thankful my husband is still safe, still doing his job, still defending the freedom of our county.

One month down…fourteen more to go. I guess I better pace myself (and stop by Costco to buy batteries in bulk for my camera!)

Waiting for His Return

My birthday is July12. But my husband won’t be here to celebrate it with me. He wasn’t with me last year (he was in Louisiana for training instead). And next year he will still be deployed to Iraq. But if all goes well, come July 12, 2010 there is a good possibility we’ll be together for my birthday.

Welcome to the life of a military spouse.

I did not enlist, and I was not commissioned, but on May 1, 2004 – the day I married my husband -- I officially joined the Army as a “military spouse.”

Since that day, I have moved from California to Alabama, to Hawaii, then on to Alaska and now back to California. Yes, that is a lot of packing, unpacking, address changes, telephone changes, renting a house, buying a house, selling a house (the list goes on and on). For me however, it is the chance to live someplace new and exciting (and sometimes interesting – I could go on for days about the winter in Alaska) and, of course, meeting a ton of new friends along the way.

In fact, it was just a few weeks ago that I found myself saying goodbye to my latest friends, packing up my “household goods,” and filling out a change of address card at the Post Office (which by the way I’m getting to be a real pro at). The moment I had been dreading for quite some time had finally approached – my husband’s unit had received orders to report to Iraq.

After much deliberation, my husband and I decided it would be best for me, and our 15-month-old daughter, to return to my hometown of Bakersfield and stay with my parents while he is deployed. So, instead of enjoying the crisp 68 degree summer days of Alaska (which is a real “heat wave” for the locals) I find myself “enjoying” the scorching hot 108 degree summer days of Bakersfield and reminding myself every minute that it was my choice to come here.

Although it was my choice to be here in Bakersfield, it is not my choice to send my husband off on a 15-month deployment to Iraq. I may not agree with the war, I may not disagree with the war. But one this is for certain, I am a military spouse and I stand proudly beside my husband and support him in everything he does.

And if it means missing my birthday so that he can defend the freedom of our country for the sake of all Americans and to secure a safe future for our children to grow up in, then so be it. We don’t have to spend my birthday together, this year, or next for that matter. The only true thing that matters most, is that he remains safe and successful in all that he does…and that he returns home once more.

A Soldier's Words

During a recent email conversation I had with Sergeant Evan Webb, who spends the majority of his days and nights outside the wire in Iraq, the topic of patriotism came up. "I've always been patriotic. The "Star Spangled Banner" has been my favorite song for as long as I can remember and I still tear up whenever I hear it. Serving in the Army has changed my viewpoint in some ways, though."

When I asked him to elaborate, he did so with much candor. "We always hear about sacrifices and hardships of past generations of Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, and Airman. Each war or conflict does pose its different hardships such as terrain, weather, and of course, the enemy themselves. Our Grandfathers had to endure harsh winters while facing an enemy poised on controlling all of Europe - and even the world - in WWII. Our Fathers dealt with stopping the spread of Communism in arid jungles during Vietnam. Now, I am faced with dealing with 110+ degree heat in an effort to stop religious radicals from killing those who don't share the same beliefs as they do.

As technology improved over the years, the safety and effectiveness of the American fighting forces has grown along with it. My Grandfather, for instance, didn't have a vest that would stop a bullet fired from his adversaries rifle like I do. Nor did he have a vehicle that could take the force of energy from two, three, four, or more 155mm High Explosive Artillery sells exploding underneath it simultaneously like I do.

However, regardless of the differences in the respective war each American serviceman or woman has fought in, we all share some things in common. Every day we wake up missing our families and friends back home. Every day we wonder if today is the last day of our lives. We also wonder every day if this is the last day we will see the man standing next to us alive.

The only people who can fully relate to how I feel about holidays like Independence Day, Memorial Day, and Veterans Day are those who have done what I am currently doing. Men who know the distinct sound of an AK-47 Assault Rifle fired at them. Or the sound of a Improvised Explosive Device detonating underneath their vehicle. Many millions of people have served in the United States Armed Forces over our country's history. Yet only a small percentage of those men, or women, know the heart-skipping feeling you get when a Rocket Propelled Grenade hits the outside of the door your sitting behind or a Mortar shell landing outside of the building your sleeping in. There is nothing wrong with the average American not knowing these things. That is why we pick up our weapons with tired hands a walk miles in our worn out boots. We do it in hopes that the average American will never have to know those things."

What could my response be to such an answer? A feeble Thank You just wasn't good enough. He couldn't see the tears in my eyes as I read his words. The only response suitable was to share his thoughts with you this Independence Day (with his permission).

I asked Evan if he had a special message for anyone reading this and he replied, "Everyone says that Soldiers are such heroes. Personally, my wife is my hero! Oh yeah, and Go Diamondbacks!"

Support our Troops?

I see this slogan everywhere. Yellow ribbons on cars, big baloons.... and I can't help but think how ethnocentric we are as a country. Where is the support THEIR troops sticker? We send naive young men and women over to kill Arabs with a lie in their hearts and a paycheck in their wallets, but what about the hundreds of thousands that have died on the defensive just to protect their homeland? Is it because they are not American that we don't care? Is is because we have no emotional connection?

The fact of the matter is convincing a soldier that they are going to kill for an intangable idea like freedom is really no different than convincing a soldier they are killing for God. Both groups should be slapped. And if you are thinking, "but they do fight and die for our freedom"... let me ask you this. Who has been dying lately for Australia's freedom? How about Switzerland's? France's? And more importantly what is freedom? I mean I understand it in the no longer captive sense, but is the most highly legistated country with the highest percentage of prison inmates per capita really entitled to call itself free at all, let alone kill to protect the ludicrous idea? You take any of these soldiers and raise them in the opposite environment and you will see the same gullability, just with a different look and catch phrase.

I swear if I hear another brainwashed redneck claim that our troops are somehow fighting for our "Freedom" I am going to snap. You know who is fighting for our freedom? The ACLU. The poets and the thinkers of society. Want to know who throughout American history has been the greatest threat to the Bill of Rights? Militants.

For every person that died in the WTC 100 have died in Iraq (yes Arabs are people too). Stop justifying this BS.

-J

Local Soldier Recognized

Sergeant First Class (SFC) Glen Chaney, who is currently stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma with the 2nd Battalion of the 2nd Field Artillery Regiment, is now preparing to move to the Republic of Korea to serve a one year tour, beginning in September. He has served at Fort Sill since 1999 and has two combat tours to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom I and III where he received the Bronze Star Medal.

Glen is a Delano High School graduate, class of 1989, and has 17 years of service in the United States Army. In addition, Glen is a 17-year member in The American Legion Merle Reed Post 124 and charter member in the Sons of The American Legion Squadron 124 in Delano.

For his service and performance while assigned to several units at Fort Sill, SFC Chaney has been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal (SM). The Meritorious Service Medal is a military decoration presented to Senior Leaders of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States. His citation reads, “For exceptionally Meritorious Service while assigned to numerous units and organizations of the III Corps Artillery and Fort Sill. SFC Chaney’s professional excellence and demonstrated expertise has contributed greatly to the success of the war on terrorism and are in keeping with the finest traditions of American military service. This reflects great credit upon him, the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Field Artillery, and the United States Army.”

SFC Chaney has also recently been inducted into the Honorable Order of Saint Barbara. The Order of Saint Barbara is an honorary military society of the United States Field Artillery. Both U. S. Marine and Army Field Artillery along with their military and civilian sup-porters are eligible for membership. Those who are selected for this honor have achieved long-term, exceptional service to the Field Artillery. The order links field artillerymen of the past and present in a “Brotherhood” of professionalism, selfless service and sacrifice symbolized by Saint Barbara.

Glen’s family resides in the area. His parents Lon and Zana Chaney and brother, Gary live in Delano. Glen’s sisters and brothers-in-law, Jennifer and Jed Scott are residents of Bakersfield and Christina and Javier Medina live in Wasco.

Sending care package to troops in Kuwait — need help!!!

You can buy Girl Scout Cookies to donate in this package going out in March to soldiers in Kuwait. A dear friend of mine's daughter, Candace, is there with the US Air Force. They are on duty out in the desert there. We love and respect the soldiers in Iraq but let's not forget these other ones also fighting in Kuwait and Afganistan to protect us.

In addition to wanting a lot of Girl Scout cookies, Candace also asks for these items for the troops:

• Flushable wipes

• Snacks and treats

• First aid items

• Health and beauty products: hair ties and clips in black or brown only, deep conditioners (the water here is not even drinkable, gives you rashes and dries your hair out like none other!!!), body/baby/foot powder

• Blank or unsused cards with messages like happy birthday,

miss you, thinking of you, and such are always needed

• Anything to break the rut of the work cycle

Call me, Teresa, at 833-8749 to arrange pick up of your donation and or to buy your cookies at $4 per box to donate to this package. Thanks & God Bless!!

email me too: tajwilly@yahoo.com

Serving up steaks in Iraq

Iraq — Why would four civilians spend $32,000 of their own money to leave the good old USA on Christmas Day to come to war?

“To grill steaks,” said Tom Anton, founder of Cooks from the Valley, a group of men from Bakersfield who spend their own money and time going to military installations in combat zones and stateside to grill premium steaks for servicemembers.

“We appreciate you for everything you sacrifice, including your own safety and comfort, to keep our homeland safe. Grilling up a delicious steak is the least we can do,” Anton said.

The group of four left at 3 a.m. Christmas Day bound for Iraq with 545, 12-ounce steaks for a barbecue they held at the Air Force Theater Hospital two days later. And they were no ordinary steaks. The group brought Harris Ranch Natural Black Angus Beef from the San Joaquin Valley — the kind served in upscale restaurants.

In the 25 years the group has operated, they have grilled countless steaks, more than 76,000 since 2001 alone, said Anton, a lawyer who was working on cases until midnight the night before his flight to Iraq. Anton and other group members pay their own transportation to and from military sites and pay all costs associated with the beef.
The steaks are a hit with troops.

“This is the best meal I have had the entire time I have been here,” said Air Force Lt. Col. Jodi Volmert of Vestal, N.Y., a flight surgeon with the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility. “It was moist, medium rare and perfectly seasoned. Talk about a morale booster.”

So grateful was Volmert, she sought out the cooks to thank them personally.

Staff Sgt. Marvin Reyna, a medic from San Antonio, Texas, with the 15th Military Intelligence Battalion and an emergency room volunteer at the hospital, wanted to say “I love you” to the cooks after eating a steak, he said.

“Every time I finish one of these (barbecues), I say, ‘OK, that’s it, I swear to God, I can’t do this anymore,’” Anton said. “And then I think, ‘I have just got to get the guys together and go out and do it all over again for you.’”

Cooks from the Valley plans to go to Kuwait in the spring.

Sgt. Jasmine Chopra is with the 316th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, Public Affairs Office, LSA Anaconda, Iraq.

Californian Readers Respond Touching A Soldiers Heart

Thank you everyone who has written my son Matthew, US Army Specialist, 10th Mtn Division, 4th Brigade deployed in Baghdad. Matthew said he had returned from mission and had received over 50 letters. I had not informed Matthew about the article in the Californian. Matthew emailed me this Sunday morning 12/23 and said "I cant believe it so many people have written me and all the other soldiers were coming over and reading them". These were not just letters from anyone, but from where Matthew lives back home. You have made my sons Christmas and most of all touched my sons Heart along with the other soldiers. Thank you, everyone so very much.

Merry Christmas Brian & Laura Wilcox

Thanks to "Old Friends of Bakersfield"

Bakersfield has done it again. More specifically the "Old Friends of Bakersfield" car club has stepped up with their support for our troops. My son, Dillon Davis is currently stationed at Balad AFB in Iraq. The shop where he works recently started receiving care packages from Bakersfield. He thought it was a coincidence until one of the packages was addressed to him. He said they got "tons" of stuff from the "OFOB". Boxes and boxes of all kinds of goodies, all of which is much appreciated by the receiving Airmen. I would like to publicly thank the "Old Friends of Bakersfield" for their unsolicited charity and support. Not only does it mean a lot to the troops over there, it is very appreciated by Dillon's mother, Rhonna and myself to know that there are people out there who haven't forgotten our service members.

remembering Those Who Serve

Hello to all,

Our son Matthew has been deployed to Iraq from fall 2007 until spring 2009. He was deployed fall 2006 until late spring 2007 in Afghanistan. Matthew like so many other men and women missed being home with their families during Christmas and Thanksgiving 2006. Matthew will also be missing 2007, 2008 Christmas and Thanksgiving with us as he is serving now in Iraq. Matthew is currently assigned to the 10^th Mountain Division, 4^th Brigade, C-2/30 CBT( Combat Team) stationed out of Fort Polk, La.

Matthew’s long time childhood friend, who is also in the United States Army serving in Iraq with a different unit, was on leave this past summer and he visited us. During the visit he explained he was having a really bad day in Iraq. He went on to say at the end of the day he had received letters from some elementary school kids in Tehachapi. He remembers all his problems of the day melted away as he read the letters touching his heart. He said it was such a morale booster to him and those around him that others were still thinking of them especially the young kids. I could see in his eyes and hear in his voice as he told my wife Laura and I, that receiving these letters still left a deep impression on his heart.

I am asking you to remember my son and the many others. Would you consider writing my son Matthew an encouraging note in your spare time. We received a phone call from Matthew this Thursday 12/13/07 morning at 230am telling us his new address and he had been airlifted to where he will be living at F.O.B.(Forward Operating Base) Rustamiyah, Iraq. Matthew sounded good only complaining of how bad it smelled in Iraq. How is missed and loved us all. My wife Laura and I continue to pray for Matthew’s and the others serving, for their safe return and that he may fix his eyes upon Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.

Respectfully,

Brian & Laura Wilcox

Tehachapi, CA.

If you do decide to write to Matthew here is his address exactly as he indicated.

SPC Matthew McCool

HHC 2/30 INS. 4^TH BDE 10^TH MTN DIV

UNIT #41542

F.O.B. RUSTAMIYAH

APO, AE 09390-1542

Another picture of Starbucks in Kuwait

"I'll have a mocha frappacino, extra whipped cream and oooohhhh can I get two camel patties to go please?"

Iraq 2007-2008

Happy Veterans Day Bakersfield

I am a medic in the National Guard currently serving in Iraq. The base where I am stationed hosted a 5k Veterans Day “fun” run. Most on this run carried with them our nation’s flag to honor those who have fought and died for the freedoms we enjoy in America. But myself, and First Sgt. Daniel Patrick (who is also a Bakersfield resident) found it equally important to honor the men and women from Bakersfield who have also made sacrifices for us by serving our country and our city. I hope that whoever sees this is reminded that there have been and always will be men and women from Bakersfield willing to give everything to protect the safety and freedoms of their country and their city.

Will Iran Be Next?

Local members of The World Can't Wait - Drive Out the Bush Regime! joined others at the Peace Corner (Stockdale Highway at California Street) on October 12 to protest the threatened aggression our country has made towards Iran. We can already see the level of hatred towards Islamics is growing in this country that will help make it easier to attack and kill anyone we accuse of being an Islamo-Fascist. Already we have witnessed attacks on a local mosque, which sheriff's deputies are investigating as a "hate crime." And in just a week's time, college campuses across the country will be split apart by David Horowitz's "Islamo-Fascist Awareness Week." This is a well-designed attempt to instill the flames of hatred and help break down resistance to a possible attack on Iran.

AT&T PIONEERS AND BAKERSFIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS SEND SUPPLIES AND SMILES TO THE TROOPS

BAKERSFIELD, Calif., October 4, 2007 — Laughter and smiles filled the Laurelglen Elementary School cafeteria as students, teachers and administration stood alongside Bakersfield City Council Member Harold Hansen, representatives from the offices of U.S. Congressman Kevin McCarthy and state Sen. Roy Ashburn and members of the AT&T Pioneers, AT&T’s volunteer organization, to fill 100 care packages for troops serving in the military overseas.

Students excitedly filled each package with the supplies that they and the AT&T Pioneers had collected over the past two months, including toiletries, snacks, books, playing cards and batteries. In addition to the supplies, each package included a copy of the Laurelglen Elementary School Student DVD "Little Voices, Big Hearts.”

In May 2007, the AT&T Pioneers partnered with two third-grade classes at Laurelglen Elementary School to write letters to the troops and create a DVD, “Little Voices, Big Hearts,” of the students reading their letters and singing songs to the troops.

“Thank you to the school and thank you, AT&T. Not only are you a leader in cutting-edge communication, but you are also a leader in social responsibility,” said Jeff Flores, an aide to state Sen. Ashburn. “The care packages and DVD are a nice reminder of what our troops are fighting for – for our freedom.”

The care packages will be sent to military men and women from Kern County, including many friends and family members of the students and volunteers who assembled them.

“When I got the call to be here I was very pleased, as I have a grandson, Ryan, in Iraq,” Hansen said. “I’ve been told one of these boxes will go to him, so this is very special to me. I give a heartfelt thanks to the Laurelglen Elementary School students and to the AT&T Pioneers.”

The AT&T Pioneers are the nation's largest company-sponsored volunteer organization with more than 350,000 AT&T employees and retirees, who volunteer their time to enhance the communities where they work and live. The Pioneers mainly focus on education, social needs and the environment. In 2005, AT&T Pioneers donated more than 11.3 million hours of their time to community outreach activities — nearly $204 million worth of volunteer time.

My Thoughts on the War

My son will soon be deploying for his second tour of duty in Iraq. In fact, the actual date is September 27, 2007. Its too close for comfort. I'm the very proud and terrified mother of United States Marine Cpl. Jose Rodriguez III. Soon my family will gather at Camp Pendleton in San Diego to see him off. I have been there before but it doesn't get any easier. The things i do know are....I support our troops 1000%. I don't like war but we are in it. Maybe we shouldn't be in Iraq, but we are. America doesn't run. Wouldn't the terrorist love to think they have defeated us. People need to support our troops and pray everyday. These young men and women are sacrificing so much for you, me and all of America. Find a military family and help them out in some way...write a letter or card, assemble a package for their loved one, mow the grass-anything. The holidays are right around the corner. Do something. I too, read and watch t.v., and cry with these military families. I support you and your loved one. May GOD protect all our troops and their families. I will sign off the way I signed off each letter I wrote my son everyday during his first tour of duty in Iraq......Be Safe Be Strong!! --Loretta Davis, proud mother of Marine Cpl. Jose Rodriguez III, Bakersfield, CA.

The War in Iraq

Less than a week ago was the six year anniversary of the attacks on Septemeber 11, 2001.

Then, I was a naive little eighth grader going to a predominately "red" school, and chose to support the GOP to fit in. I waved American flags and sang along to every Toby Keith song imaginable.

In high school, I started hanging out with those "kids" who were rebellious and had "ideas of their own." It was during that time that I was introduced to some rather interesting conspiracy theories of that fated day.

Now, out of high school and well on my way to college, pursuing political journalism, I have a clearer understanding of this war.

September 11th has been officially dubbed "Patriot Day," but as some of us may recall, that day showed anything but patriotism, and instead the horror of terrorism. However, these attacks were not necessarily those by the Taliban (there's a bunch we haven't heard about in a while), as we have been lead to believe by Fox News, but by those within our our sacred government. Now, six years later, we know that Bush knew about the attacks well in advance but never took them seriously.

I know a lot of you reading this are already planning on spraypainting the word "terrorist" on my garage door after reading this. COMMUNICATING these so-called "conspiracy theories" does NOT undermine the lives that were lost in the Twin Towers. We are undermining them by NOT asking questions. By just believing this terrorist conspiracy hoax our government placed in our laps just to save face.

9/11 was merely just a well-planned gimmick to get American support of a war. We were initially chasing Bin Laden, so why are we in Iraq? Why the sudden itinerary change?

It has nothing to do with a war on terrorism. This isn't a war on terrorism. It's a war FOR oil. It's a cheap conspiracy put on by our own government to get our approval of this war. Don't believe me? Show me a black box from the planes that crashed. How about any remains from Flight 93, the plane that was supposedly aimed for the white house? Show me ANYTHING that was found.

Show me where the plane hit the Pentagon, because a 747 JET did not crash into that little hole on the side of the Pentagon. Just to prove my point more, why was every single person inside in a meeting on the other side of the building, coincidently?

Everything added together is too suspicious to believe.

war in Iraq

I believe that we are fighting for a good cause. I do have many friends who are fighting and who have fought, one who was sent home because he and his unit were victims of a car bomb. Many lives will be lost to this war, many have already been lost, but if fighting this war brings freedom and peace to a nation that has suffered so much, then I say fight the fight ... and may God bless and protect all who are protecting our country!

What do you think about the war in Iraq?

Since the war in Iraq began more than four years ago, American public opinion has changed from overwhelming support to dissatisfaction.

But polls and numbers cannot describe the feelings of a mother whose child is shot at daily, or a friend who is grateful for those fighting the war — even though it cost one of those friends his life.

We asked the community — including many families of soldiers currently serving in Iraq — to submit their thoughts on our Web site.

The responses were varied yet singularly powerful.

Read what others have to say by clicking here.

What the polls say

A nationwide poll by CBS News conducted in June showed that 77 percent of Americans thought the war was going “badly,” and 40 percent believed all troops should be removed from Iraq.

California voters feel the same. A Field Poll released in mid-August shows 39 percent of voters supporting full withdrawal. And in both polls, 26 percent want to see the number of troops in Iraq decreased.

So what do you think of the war in Iraq? Click here to post your response.

LOCAL ARMY HERO RETIRES AFTER 24 YEARS OF SERVICE

On May 24, 2007, in Fort Hood Texas, Colonel Timothy D. Reese retired from the Army, after serving his country for 24 years. Born in Dodge City, Kansas in 1959, Col. Timothy D. Reese moved with his farming family in 1965 to Bakersfield, California. He graduated from Foothill High School in 1979 and California State University, Bakersfield in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing.

Sworn into the U.S. Army Reserves immediately after graduation from college, COL Reese reported for the AMEDD Officer’s Basic Course in July, 1983. Subsequent staff nurse assignments at Tripler Army Medical Center and the U.S. Army Health Clinic, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; Weed Army Community Hospital, Fort Irwin, California; and Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C. preceded his attendance at the U.S. Army-Baylor University Graduate Program in Healthcare Administration, from whence he graduated in 1994 with a Master of Health Administration degree.

Col. Reese served in both conflicts with Iraq. During Desert Storm he served as the Head Nurse, 2nd Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in Saudi Arabia and Iraq (1990-1991). In 2006 he was assigned to head up efforts by the 21st Combat Support Group to cleanup Abu Ghraib Prison (Sadaam Hussein and his brother "Chemical" Ali were patients) where his unit was successful in closing the prison down and handing it back over to the Iraq government.

COL Reese continued his nursing/healthcare administration career with assignments as the Chief, Managed Care at Fort Benning, Georgia and Regional Medical Director, TRICARE Lead Agency, Region 10, Travis AFB, California. He had subsequent staff positions as the Senior Healthcare Analyst and Chief, Nursing Clinical Operations at Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas.

His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (3 OLC), Army Commendation Medal (2 OLC), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal (2 OLC), Air Force Achievement Medal, Army Superior Unit Award, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, and theExpert Field Medical Badge.

Col. Reese has service credit for the Cold War, National Defense (1 Bronze Star), Southwest Asia (3 Bronze Stars), the Global War on Terrorism, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He has also received the Armed Forces Reserve Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Ribbon, the Saudi Arabia/Kuwait Liberation Medal, and the Kuwait Liberation Medal.

His military education includes completion of the Army Medical Department Officers Advanced Course, Combined Arms Service Support School (I), and the Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and was enrolled in the Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, PA at the time of his retirement. Col. Reese has eight children and two grandchildren in Central Texas. He is currently employed at the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System in Temple, Texas.

What I think of the war in Iraq

As a mother whose son is serving in Iraq at this moment, I really doubt that all the facts are revealed whether for the right or the wrong. I continue to believe daily my son is there for the good. I trust in the one who is in control over his life, who is God, and pray for all others who are there fighting the fight as we are. Those in the wrong will also answer for it someday, too.

What I think... and what I know are two different things.

Let's see... the news is pretty censored, the president lies to us, and people are dying like crazy. It's certainly hard to believe that our being there is doing any good or that we are there for the reasons we've been told. Still, I hang onto what little hope I have left, that there is some noble purpose behind it all... that our president did not use the loss of thousands of people in 9/11 for his own political and financial gain, and that some greater good will shine through in the end. It is naive I know. But I have to "think", at least for now, that my (step)-son, whom I could not possibly love more if I had given birth to him myself, is not laying his life on the line for nothing. I need it, however stupid or naive people may say that I am. Because right now the only things I really do know, are that my son has been there over a year - He's tired, sick, frustrated, lonely and at times quite scared. I know he's come too close, too many times, to being blown off the face of the map. I know I hear gunfire in the background of his phone calls and that it makes me so scared I get sick. I know the longer he is there, the less likely he is to make it home. After all that, it really doesn't matter what I "think."

War in Iraq

Bakersfield.com asked what we thought about the war. At one time I did support this war. But the longer this goes on, I have come to realize that it has nothing to do with the 9/11 plane hijackings. IT has more to do with Bush trying to finish what his daddy never did. Now America is in so deep, that it is about impossible to just start pulling out.

Too many men and women have died in a war that the USA can not win. They never know who the enemy is. And now we are sending men and women back for 2nd tours of duty. Why? Is once not enough?

I support our troops and their purpose!

I never post on here but for once would like to add a small taste of my opinion. Although I know as soon as it is posted I will be told how wrong my opinion is. I for one support our troops to the fullest extent. I have many friends who are overseas right now and have lost 2 very close to me. My grandfather fought in World War II and was honored in this years Veteran's Day Parade. I think people are so paranoid that someone is out to get them that they forget there might possibly be no "hidden agenda". Someone might just be looking out for you. War has always been a part of our history. I don't want to be at war as much as any of you but sometimes it is a necessity. If a stranger was harming your child would you try to talk it out with them and be polite? No. You wouldn't. You would be irate. I am irate that people had the nerve to fly our planes into our buildings and kill our people! I think it is a necessity for us to be at war right now. If we quit now they will only come back again. If you are waiting on the world to change by means of sitting back and avoiding conflict you have one long wait. These things require action. You all will be singing a different tune when you get your wish and we withdraw our troops and then the war moves here to be fought on our land. Then it will be thanks to you that more of our people will be lost. God bless America! And God bless our troops!

We are fighting the right war!

We are in a fight for our lives and our civilization against Islamic Fundamentalists. Our President Bush is fighting the right war in Iraq. Thank God for the brave men and women in our armed forces who are willing to fight for our freedom. It is sad to see the "politically correct" Generals in the Pentagon who have set "rules of engagement" that hinder the battle. It is time to push for VICTORY with our new General in Iraq. Iran will be our next battle.

The War in Iraq

Just think, if Saddam was so bad, now as Bush n company try to pull sway there, more people have died in the last year than in all the years that Saddam was in power so who's the greater evil?, We seem to be worse!

Wars, every one of them are about money, makin money and so many corporations here are makin tons of money, I understand that if a new truck gets a flat tire they throw it away and buy another one cuz Halliburton makes a ton of money on this war, and they moved to Dubai, so the US couldn't see what there doing,. Its sickening, all the young American boys that had to die so they could take our money, and all the poor Iraqis that's have died, they wont even tell us the true number, I'm guessing it's over 80k and over 200,00 Iraqis wounded and they're not our enemy, Just think, Al Quaidia doesn't even have an army, were fighting a street gang really, I'd say if we cant stop the Bloods or Cripts here, that kill over 10,000 Americans in America every year, not to mention the robbing and raping, how do we, the supposed most powerful country in the world , ever think we could win against a smaller street gang in Iraq, the answer is, were not tryin to win, were tryin to keep the war going on as long as possible as to make more money for the companies that supply the armies, That's just sick, When we 1st went into Iraq, we didn't go to the museums 1st ,or the banks, to secure them, the 1st target was the oil pipe lines and oil producing facilities, So don't ever say its about freedom, cuz it isn't, its about money, My god there wasn't even any Al Quaidia in Iraq until we got here. We have completely wrecked that country, The Iraqi's were never our enemies, they were never a threat and now it seems we have completely forgotten about Bin Laden, what on earth is going on, well Im a fool and even I can see what happening.

I love this country ,the people, and the beautiful countryside, the cities, but look what's going on before its too late and bush declares martial law!

What country comes to mind when I say these following statements, its a country that can take any citizen to jail forever without trial or a phone call, can hold them forever with a charge, can torture them, can tap our phones and computers, suspended habeas corpus, took the freedom of press and the freedom of speech away, and all the other countries in the world hate them, no its not , Nazi Germany, The USSR, or Cuba, or Red China, its the good old USA, now I expect the storm troopers to come at 3am tonight and take me away to Spain and torture me for the next 40 years, Is this Nazi America? God please I hope not, and our forefathers fought to preserve this? I think not. Bush took the country over in a military coup, but the people cant even see that,

tell me Im wrong

Vincent

NO MORE WAR

DEAR PRESIDENT BUSH:

HAVE A HEART and please do not send any more troops to Iraq or Afghanistan.

Bring all U.S. troops home NOW.

9-11 Started this??

After reading the articles in this section, I decided I needed to say something about what several people keep bringing up: We are fighting terrorists because they started all of this with the tragedies on 9-11. Let's for a moment forget that there were no Al Qaeda terrorists in Iraq before we got rid of Hussein. Let's for a moment forget that the Taliban and Al Qaeda are in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Let's instead look at the incidents that happened on 9-11.

The official report states that the two towers fell due to fire weakening the steel web structure of the buildings. The government states that the tops of the buildings became unstable and collapsed onto the floors beneath causing a chain reaction collapse. Very little information is given about building 7's collapse. Building 7 collapsed the same way, however, it wasn't hit by any plane and wasn't on fire. The only thing it had in common with the other towers is that it was leased and insured by the same corporation.

That information in and by itself may seem like the rantings of a conspiracy theorist, but there is more. Over 110 senior military, intelligence, law enforcement and government officials have gotten together along with architects, pilots, engineers, and 9-11 survivors to share their knowledge about the impossibility of our government's claims. They believe that all 3 buildings were brought down through controlled demolition. Most notable of all is General Wesley Clark, former Commanding General of European Command, and Commanding Military Officer of NATO. Go to patriotsquestion911.com to see for yourself.

Everyone has a right to their own opinion on this matter, and you may think I'm off my rocker if you wish. But, if you don't at least look into some of these things...If you just take your favorite media personality's opinion for fact...your opinion counts for little.

If these people are correct in their accounts of the events of 9-11, then we as a people need to do something about the leadership of this country from top to bottom....public and private. If these accounts are true, then we have been wasting American lives, the lives of innocent (and not so innocent) Iraqis, and billions upon billions of our hard earned tax dollars because of a lie promulgated by government and corporate leaders.

I pray that's not the case.

The War on Iraq; Remembering Vietnam

I try not to think about the war in Iraq. I have a nephew in Iraq now. This is his second deployment. I had hoped the war would end before he had to go back. Obviously it didn't, and if history repeats itself, probably won't for several years. People are tired of the politics between the President and Congress. People are tired of their children dying. I realize the death counts are lower than Vietnam, but if your kid is there, it isn't a matter how many lives have been lost. It's the knowledge that your child is there and could be the next victim of a roadside bomb or suicide bomber or friendly fire. You want your child safe and you want them home in America. I was a little girl when Vietnam started, and became a young woman before it ended. I was in the 4th grade, when a former neighbor and family friend was killed in action in Vietnam. I remember the long drive to Boron High School where we attended the funeral for Gene Ross. After that, the war became more personal to me.I worried about it more than my parents or teachers thought. I would see war footage on the news, or pictures of children bleeding and bandaged in the Life magazines. I had bad dreams that the Vietnamese came to the United States and were hunting us. I wonder if our school age children have the same fears regarding Iraq. When I was in 7th grade, Jane Fonda started speaking out against the war, everyone hated her. Draft dodgers headed to Canada. Mohammed Ali refused to fight. Americas voice raged for a few more years then finally the President heard. Once he made up his mind, it didn't take long to bring our troops home. Hopefully our next President will listen with an open mind and trusting heart to what America wants. End this war and bring our children home. I love America.

Military solution invites violence

Just as many in our nation felt fearful and angry after the 9-11 attacks on our soil, surely we can understand how the Islamic world now feels angry and fearful of the U.S. - due to our military presence in Iraq. This war has had the opposite effect from that which was originally predicted by President Bush and his advisers. It has moved the world farther from peace, freedom and democracy. If we continue to seek a military solution to the many problems facing the Iraqi people, we invite violence in return.

What do i think of the war in Iraq.

I think we need to win the war in Iraq as quickly as possible by whatever means necessary. The more time we use the more casualties for both sides.

When Hitler became a threat what did the US do? After the Japanese invaded American soil what did the US do? What happened to the Soviet Union during Reagan's leadership? What happened after 9/11? The answer to this question is still being written.

I think the best advise (dialogue) the US leadership (President Bush) can give leaders of any country that threaten the US interests in any way shape or form is for them to think about Hitler, Pearl Harbor and President Reagan.

Can anyone answer this question for me

What do I think about the war in Iraq?

I have got one question for that.

I wonder if President Bush has any family members fighting in Iraq?

I doubt it.........

Freedom isn't free

What do I think of the war in Iraq? I think it is a necessity. It is necessary to preserve the freedoms we as Americans have taken for granted for so long. Many seem to have forgotten the events of 9/11/01. To prevent further attacks on our own soil we need to sharpen our focus & kick butt & stop worrying about being politically correct or offending any certain group or person. I also believe we need to let our military run the war, not Hollywood, the politicians or the media. My grandfather served in World War I, my dad in World War II, & my son is currently on his 2nd tour in Iraq, and to them, and the thousands of others who have fought for this country I am eternally grateful.

When will it be over?

With so many Americans dying most likely everyday in Iraq, the question comes to mind: "What are our people still doing over there?" It is obvious that Americans are not wanted over there, and our help is not wanted by a great deal of the people. I would love to see some of our tax dollars spent on issues here at home.

Bait taken........ now what?

I always preferred stream fishing over sitting on the bank or trolling in a boat...... I enjoyed the challenge of sneaking up on the next pool, without the trout seeing me. One or two casts is about it on a small stream...... why? The fish learns the difference between what's real and what's bait.

A source of confusion for me regarding the war is the way our "society at large" has responded....... My question is this: "What specifically has/is the American public done/doing to help our soldiers get home?"

My father lied about his age to enter the service in the early 40s...... he was a medic when we landed on Okinawa. My mother volunteered at some hospital in L.A. She no longer wore silk stockings..... they needed silk for the war effort. Aluminum, rubber, steel, fuel..... some things you could not get.... and wouldn't want to, cuz our boys needed it more. Some things we cut back our consumption of in a big way. All for the war effort. In 1942..... farmers in the south were required by the federal government to grow HEMP, for the war effort.

How is it that we here at home have somehow, ever since the beginning of this war, completely dismissed our duty as Americans to cut back on the driving force behind the war????? Oil....... Please read "Spinning the lure..... taking the bait?". If there is any question please consider the following:

1. Not one Iraqi was on any of the 9/11 flights.

2. Bush gets his money from the importation of oil.

3. Iraq is the "second largest oil reserve in the world".

4. At the onset of the war, Bush blatantly told the American people to consume fuel as you will..... it's all good.

5. Bush is comfortably in cahouts with the Saudi's.

6. There were Saudi's on the 9/11 planes.

7. Condee had her namesake taken OFF of an Exxon tanker shortly after Bush won the first election..... to separate the administration from any perceivable connections with oil. Some have left office and gone back to work for the oil industry.

8. ALL reasons the administratiion has given for taking our kids to war....... have turned out to be lies. To the extent that they have to fall back on........... "the world is a better place without Sadam", as the viable reason to take Iraq.

Soooo..... how clear does the writing have to be on the wall for Americans as a whole, to STOP consuming so much fuel? To STOP buying into the smoke screen that, none of these things are connected..... and I have the planetary rights to consume as much as I want, and it will have no consequence on the things that are happening now. I have the money, so I have the right! I have to say..... not once since the war started have I been able to understand the ego/ethnocentricity it takes to put a yellow "I support the troops" on the backside of a Hummer. Don't get me wrong, I know these folks' hearts are in the right place all day long...... but I do contend. It does NOT make any sense! Not one bit when compared the standards set by all Americans in the early 40s................ do we say, but I love the horsepower I get?

Peace to all, pickerman.

P.S. What now?

I Support our U.S. Troops

I support the U.S. Troops 100%, but not the Bush Administration, which is nothing but Lies and Corruption.

We shouldn't be in Iraq nor Afghanistan at all. So that is my answer to that principle question, definitely not.

My question is; Do you think the president's daughters should volunteer to Iraq or any other country that we have invaded unjustifiably?