Memorial Day Video

Here is a Memorial Day video I put together Sunday after taking many of the pictures Saturday afternoon. It is about the only thing I've done all weekend and Cheryl and I both have come down with a bug.

Long due update

The latest:

• Lisa got her wish to leave 29 Palms. In July she will be transferring to a similar Motor T unit at Camp Pendleton, just north of San Diego. She will finally escape the 110 degree days in the dessert. I know she will miss some of her co-workers and her roommate. Her new unit is available for deployment overseas although it is not scheduled at this time.

• Lisa and her roommate, are returning from a trip to visit her roommates family is South Dakota. They took off Friday night and drove all night to arrive on Saturday. Can you say Road Trip! Her roommate is also Native American and hails from the Rosebud reservation.

• Lisa will be home for some leave in early August including the Pow Wow. She is participating in a wedding on Saturday but expects to be in Siletz on Friday evening and Sunday. I don't know the exact days yet and she is undecided if she is driving, or flying up.
  

Hip problems again

Well after doing better for awhile, Lisa's hip is giving her a major problem again. She made here stop running this morning and sent her of to have it checked out again. They did some MRI's earlier this year but nothing was conclusive and things were better for awhile.

So if you think to say a prayer for her I know she would appreciate it. She returns to see the doctors again tomorrow (Wednesday).

Driving the ultimate All Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV)

Lisa sent this picture of her standing next to the new M-ATV. This is specifically designed for use in the rugged terrain of Afghanistan.

Lisa said since they are new there isn't much work to be done on them. But she does get to drive them around which she, and I, both think is pretty cool!

To see M-ATV in action go here and/or here for video.

The M-ATV is built by Oshkosh (they have come a long ways from making kids clothes) . Here is a more detailed description:

Oshkosh Defense is committed to providing the best protection and mobility to our Warfighters – through the most threatening terrain, in the most treacherous of circumstances. They get that with the Oshkosh® M-ATV. Because it’s engineered specifically for their difficult missions – to move them in and get them out as safely as possible.

The Oshkosh M-ATV incorporates rugged, durable, patented components and systems for maximum Warfighter mobility and survivability. Derived from the Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) platform, the M-ATV incorporates the proprietary TAK-4® independent suspension system with battle-tested technology. It has the wheel travel, payload capacity, side slope stability, vehicle durability, extreme mobility and necessary Warfighter protection for today’s fight. In today’s most challenging battle zones, the M-ATV is the combat-tested, mobile, survivable, durable solution – the solution to getting Warfighters to the fight and back again.

Personally, I think it would be pretty cool to tailgate in one of these. Maybe at next years Rose Bowl if Oregon can come up with a quarterback and I can come up with $500,000.

Marine's Launch Assault in southern Afgahnistan

You may have heard on the news that the Marine's have launched a major assault on Marjah in the southern part of Afghanistan. This is one of the Taliban's strongholds.

There is some information here and here. It is frustrating to me that most of the best information these days come from newspapers in Europe. I didn't see any real detail about what is happening over there in American media until a wayward missile hit a civilian location. The second link talks about the stifling rules of engagement that can cripple our troops efforts to win. Here is an example from the UK's Times Online paper:

US Marines said they are constrained by strict new rules of engagement that make their task more dangerous. Under the rules, troops cannot fire at people unless they commit a hostile act or show intent.

Corporal Travis Anderson, 20, from Iowa, said his platoon had repeatedly seen Afghan fighters dropping their guns into ditches before melting away into the civilian population.

“It’s hard to fight a war like this,” he said. “They’re using our rules of engagement against us.”

And there is more. One of Lisa's friends is over there assisting two of the two infantry units involved, known as the Marjah Marines. As a result of the rocket incident they are no longer beging allowed to use them to target the bad guys.

Keep them all in your prayers. This information from the mom of Lisa's friend brings home just what they face.

(Lisa's friend) called last Thursday. Her unit had a meeting the night before and was told the (stuff) is about to hit the fan and to call home to make peace with your loved ones and paper work. While she has a desk job she is also required to drive convoys when ever needed. She had a convoy the day before and was scheduled for one the next day, which happened to be Friday, the day the Marines went in to Marjah. Her last thoughts were for me to “tell Dad I love him very much.”

UPDATE: (She) also called her Mom very early Monday morning. She is back at her desk job. Her Mom said she was fine and she sounded great.

Lisa qualifies as Sharp Shooter

Lisa finished here work on rifle range last Friday finishing just short of Marine Expert by a few points. She said one shooting table, the rapid fire at 300 yards cost her the Expert qualification.

The good news is that qualification was the final step for her to be pinned as a Corporal which should happen in a month or two at the most. She bought her chevrons and pins which they are required to have with them all the time. The promotion usually happens without warning so they have to be prepared for it to happen.

Last step on the way to Corporal!

Lisa has been on the Rifle Range for the last week. Today was test day and she "qual'd" That is the Marine lingo for passing score.

She said she was on pace to score Expert, the top rank, but didn't score as well on the rapid fire series as she normally does. But she is hard on herself and it probably isn't all that bad. She has testing on moving targets tomorrow which provides a chance for her to boost her score.

In any case she was relieved after last year and said this was the last thing she needed to pass before she can obtain a rank of Corporal. No telling when they will actually do that. The Marines are kind of funny that way. But is should happen in the next month or two.