New DHS Department

I work for the Department of Homeland Security in the Personal Service System (PISS). We were created because so many Americans were unhappy with the federal response to disasters lately and it was felt that as long was we were going to be blamed for errors made by incompetent local officials and the fact that natural disasters are just that – acts of God (or “acts of nature” for those of you who don’t believe in God) where government services breakdown due to circumstances beyond anyone’s control, we might as well solve the problem by giving all 275 million Americans their very own PUD.

I LOVE IT!

Courtesy of Right Wing Nut House…

I'm Pro Victory

As you can see in the side bar to the right, I have a new image, the “I Am Pro-Victory” graphic in the sidebar, designed by Wonder Woman at North American Patriot. This is a terrific idea, suggested by Jay Tea at Wizbang and I’m jumping on the band wagon, and I think you should too, but only if you love this country and everything it stands for.

I agree with Wonder Woman when she says, “Who says we can't win? I say screw 'em -- We already are winning.”

Hooah!

Grant Awards

All morning I’ve been fielding phone calls. Okay that’s not unusual you say. Well it is when you consider that three of them have been from both of my State Senators and my State Representative to Congress. Seems the grant application my Fire Department submitted under the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program has been approved.

So I know what the Board of Directors will be doing for the next 3 months….we’ll be getting building permits and lining up the contractors to install our new Vehicle Diesel Exhaust system. Yeah!

According to the Grant Program web page there were a Total of 20,972 requests for a total dollar amount of $2,916,760,440. Not sure how much will be approved but if it was all approved the Feds would be giving out grants totaling $2,677,956,855. According to the latest press release, in September the AFGP will have issued approximately 5,500 awards worth nearly $600 million in direct assistance to firefighters and first responders throughout the country, demonstrating Homeland Security's commitment to ensuring that America's firefighters have the resources they need to protect their communities. That’s a nice chunk of change but nothing compared to what Police Departments have been receiving for the past 20 years.

Please, call your Congressmen and Senators and let them know that the Assistance to Firefighter’s Grant program is important to you and your community.

Thanks.

Memorial Services

Once again Thunder 6 takes us by the hand and lets us enter the very private world of a memorial service for the 3 fallen soldiers he mentioned earlier this week.

“Although all three men were brave and fearless soldiers it wasn’t their martial
skill we came to mourn. Instead we were gathered to remember their bright and
noble hearts - and how much better we were for having known them.”

Go and remember these men for it is in their giving that you can sit here peaceably in freedom.

Haloscan

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.


And now I see that all my comments are gone. So if you commented here before, I'm not deleting them...haloscan did it. Or I did it by installing haloscan wrong....not sure which yet.

*Sigh*

JP Borda is on a mission....and you can get something free!

JP posted a caption contest on the Soldierfoto blog. If you add a trackback to the caption contest from your blog to the Soldierfoto blog, He will send you a free 5 x 7" print of your choice from the Photo Gallery.

Hooah!

Casey NOT Cindy

Blackfive reminds us that with all of the coverage lately of Cindy Sheehan, don't forget about Casey Sheehan who'll never get any media coverage but is the real hero.

The Declaration of War, 1998

I’ve written about Jennifer before and I have to admit this teenager, yes I said teenager has it right once again.

“If you thought that the people we are fighting are negotiable people, think again. If you are a Christian or reject Islamic thinking, than you are automatically worth killing, period. Terrorists are not nice people, and I, personally, am SO thankful to our troops for keeping them out of my home.”

For anyone that just doesn’t get it this is the crux of dealing with the terrorists, this is not a new declaration on their part but a continued one since 1998. Yes 1998 long before 9/11/2001 and even before the Cole bombing, but from the time of the second Clinton Administration. For those who think that we are in an illegal war its high time that you get your head out of the sand and realize that war was declared on the US a long time ago and diplomacy in the first phase of the war did not work.

‘On that bases, and in compliance with Allah’s order, we issue the following fatwa to all Muslims.
The ruling to kill the Americans and their allies-civilians and military- is an individual duty for every Muslim who can do it in any country in which it is possible to do it. This is an accordance with the words of Almighty Allah, “and fight the pagans all together as they fight you together,” and “fight them until there is no more tumult and oppression, and their prevail justice and faith in Allah.”’ source

Read that again.

They want to kill the Americans and their allies, civilian and military. If you think that protesting against the war will save you, the only thing it will save you is a sharper blade when they come to chop your head off.

The left is only making it easier for the enemy to come and kill us all in issuance of the fatwa. To do nothing will ensure that outcome…to resist will ensure the freedom and liberty of every civilized person in the world.

Sheehan Arrested!

Well, this is a bit of good news. I wonder how long it will take before the left spins this little piece of news into a major conspiracy by "W" to keep his enemies quiet?

At least there is one voice of reaons on the streets in D.C today...."I would like to say to Cindy Sheehan and her supporters don't be a group of unthinking lemmings. It's not pretty," said Mitzy Kenny of Ridgeley, West Virginia, whose husband died in Iraq last year. The anti-war demonstrations "can affect the war in a really negative way. It gives the enemy hope."

Of course I noticed that the AP is still supporting Cindy by posting the 100,000 protesters number again. Every account I've ready puts the number as high as 10,000 but more often then not the number is reported as in the 3000 - 8000 range. That's a far cry from 100,000, but its still 8000 ignorants running around committing treason.

Lets hope one of her Code Pink handlers are in the clink with her so she can be "initiated" right!

Conspiracy Theory

This is a conspiracy theory I can get behind....where do I send my party donations?

Grief

Thunder 6 tells us that grief can be as strong as a sledgehammer hitting us square in the chest and that in its own time it will be felt by all …”I will not forget our honored dead, someday when I am safely ensconced in the familiar I will grieve properly, in a way that is fitting for so painful a loss. But for now I’ll accept the stilted range of emotions I’ve been left with and focus on the missions at hand.”

To those soldiers that have passed on, I shall add a small poem that expresses the sacrifice and nobility of their cause, and the gratitude I have for them that toil constantly so that we may live free.

FINAL INSPECTION

The Soldier stood and faced God

Which must always come to pass

He hoped his shoes were shining

Just as bright as his brass.

"Step forward you Soldier,

How shall I deal with you?

Have you always turned the other cheek?

To My Church have you been true?

"The Solider squared his shoulders and said

"No, Lord, I guess I ain't

Because those of us who carry guns

Can't always be a saint.

I've had to work on Sundays

And at times my talk was tough,

And sometimes I've been violent,

Because the world is awfully rough.

But, I never took a penny

That wasn't mine to keep.

Though I worked a lot of overtime

When the bills got just to steep,

And I never passed a cry for help

Though at times I shook with fear,

And sometimes, God forgive me,

I've wept unmanly tears.

I know I don't deserve a place

Among the people here.

They never wanted me around

Except to calm their fears.

If you've a place for me here,Lord,

It needn't be so grand,

I never expected or had too much,

But if you don't, I'll understand.

"There was silence all around the throne

Where the saints had often trod

As the Soldier waited quietly,

For the judgement of his God.

"Step forward now, you Soldier,

You've borne your burden well.

Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,

You've done your time in Hell."

...Author Unknown

What is Treason

"Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or, in adhering to their Enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.” (Constitution of the United States of America, Art. III, Sec. 3, Par. 1)
Henry Mark Holzer makes his case and lets us know why we can no longer continue to ignore it.

Childhood Stories!

Johnny Virgil relates a great story that should take everyone back to their childhood. Case in point: “Markie eased his bike out a little farther on the path, and gave the house the once over with his critical eye. He shared his professional opinion. “I think we can make it,” he said. “I don’t think she’s home. Either that or her car’s in the garage.”

“OK. We go on three,” I said, my voice tight. “One….two….three……GO!”

We pedaled as if our lives depended on it -- because in our hearts, we knew they did. We were only out in the open for maybe twenty seconds, cutting across her yard, following the faint trail that ran along her fence, but it seemed an eternity. We were completely vulnerable, and we knew it. On the one hand, you wanted to zig-zag to throw off her aim, but on the other hand, making a beeline for the woods seemed most prudent from a pure speed standpoint.

“The front door’s opening! I think she sees us! FASTER!” Markie screamed.

“I SEE IT! I SEE THE GUN!” The Snitch yelled back…”

It only gets better from there! Read it all

SSG Silva - Embodiment of an NCO.

T6 sends us another post about how important it is that we continue on with the fight until it is done and not cut and run as some of our "leaders" suggest. To cut and run would dishonor the memory of these fine men and tarnish all that they have done.
Read the whole post.

Things not going your way…doctor the photos!

The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) has been caught doctoring a photo at their web site, then hiding the evidence.

A picture of a woman at a recent CAIR photo-op to promote the bogus “fatwa against terrorism” was crudely altered to add a hijab: Stalinism at CAIR: photo doctored for Islamic correctness.

Melancholy memories

NOTE: Orginally written June 1, 2005

Its amazing how certain things bring back memories that you had not quite forgotten but never really thought about. Gina Cavallaro Army Times article has done just that for me. I know its one thing to read the account of how a friend or fellow “brother” gave his all for something but it is something entirely different to witness it first hand. Gina’s article brought back those very memories for me this morning.

I still remember that June day in 1993. We were dispatched to a house fire in a neighboring town. Arriving not long after the first due engine arrived we picked up their line and made the connection to our pump to provide them water then we went to the roof to ventilate. In those days I was riding on an engine, one of those fire trucks that carry water and hose to the scene and take the firefighters drag the hose into the building to find and put the fire out. But everyone always wants to go to the roof for some reason, I guess it’s the exposure you get, everyone can see you doing something and it’s exciting. Jamie and I pulled a ground ladder off the side of the engine, grabbed our tools and went to work. As soon as the first cut was made smoke started to poor out of the incision. As each cut brought forth more smoke we would periodically disappear from the sight of others but never each other. It was summer and we were sweating profusely in our turnout gear, but the chief seemed immune to the heat. Perhaps it was because he always did things his own way, but I’ll never figure out how he got away with only wearing a bunker coat and his white helmet on the scene, with nothing but a pair of shorts and his sneakers.

Jamie and I crossed over to the other side of the roof and began cutting a hole in that side of the roof to aid in the fire suppression activities. As we crossed over I remember seeing the Chief standing there at the top of the ladder watching us and yelling something. Seems like he was always yelling at someone, to do something differently, but with our gear on and the noise of the fire ground I couldn’t tell what it was. To this day I still don’t know what he was saying, but Jamie seemed to know, I guess it was because the Chief was his father and he just knew what his dad wanted done. We created the other ventilation hole and crossed back over to get off the roof. By now the black smoke issuing from the holes we had made had turned to thick white smoke as the engine crews inside the building put water on the fire.

I looked over to the ladder as we made our way and noticed that the Chief was gone, not unusual, he had other things to tend to. We climbed down and headed back to the engine to switch our gear over and go inside. That’s when we noticed that the Chief was walking towards the ambulance. He never made it there collapsing a few feet from the rear door with the EMTs in tow. They scooped him up and slammed the doors behind them as they began working on him. The last thing we both saw was the ambulance pulling away from the scene, rushing him to the hospital. Jamie followed along driven to the hospital by another firefighter.

I don’t remember much of that day after that, but the Chief died about an hour later. Four days later in the hot summer sun, we buried him. I now work not far from the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial, and whenever I get the chance I walk over there and pay my respects to my fallen Chief and brother and the thousands of other names on those brass plates. And, I wonder how it is that the last memory you have of someone is them yelling to you and somehow it’s the fondest memory you can recall of them. To Gina, I wish her the best in dealing with the lost of her new friend and comrade in arms. To all those who have lost a loved one, I commend you to the rolls of the hero’s that survive and keep their memories alive.

September 11, 2001

NOTE: I originally wrote this on September 9, 2002. I thought it most appropriate to pull it back out for this year.

Thanks.

~~~~~~

In a less than twenty-four hours it will once again be September 11th. I’m sure many of us are still thinking of an appropriate manner in which we would like to commemorate the murder of so many at the hands of terrorists, while other’s I’m sure have already made a decision on how they will do this duty. For me the day will be spent doing my job, one that needs to be done, but that does not mean I won’t be commemorating the loss we as a nation experienced that day.

At 8:46 a.m. EDT, I will remember the news as it spread up and down the halls that something was happening again at the World Trade Center. I can still hear the excited tone in my co-workers voice in the office next door as he saw the news on his television. I’ll remember walking down the hall wondering what the commotion was all about but knowing in my mind that it must be something big. I’ll never forget the images that I saw for the first time on the screens in the conference room as the top half of WTC Tower 1 burned. I’ll remember how we all sat there transfixed to the screen wondering how the Fire Department was going to stretch enough hose to get to that fire and wondering if the standpipes were still functional. I’ll remember how I felt I had to contact my partner who was on the West Coast teaching a class to let him know that this was happening, I immediately ran back to my office and called him. He had to know, I had to tell him. So with it not even 6:00 a.m. where he was, I called waking them all up. On their end it was the same emotions, shocked disbelief and a question as to how the Fire Department would be able to fight a fire like that so high up in a building. But then our world changed, despite that stories reporting that a plane had hit the tower, we didn’t really know until that moment at 9:03 a.m. EDT when a second plane hit WTC Tower 2 that our mission and goals would change so drastically.

For the next several minutes all we could do was sit there in disbelief. If there had been any doubt about this being an isolated accident, at that moment our thoughts were clear that this was no accident. Someone had intentionally attacked us! We knew we had a job to do and we immediately began to put into place our emergency plans and set up an Incident Management Team. We cancelled classes and pulled the students into the auditorium so we could brief them as to what was happening, and we went about the business of ensure that America would continue to operate as a democracy.

But still our thoughts were about the job of firefighting. We speculated that the buildings could still be saved…they can stretch hoses to a point in each building and stop the fire from taking it all, there had to be enough water in all of NYC to handle those fires. We also began to worry about the possibility of partial collapses. Knowing how the FD operates we knew that the command posts would be in the lobbies of the building and that the collapse zone for these buildings would be an area larger than any collapse zone encounter to date by any department. And then at 10:05 a.m. our worst fears came true, when the South tower fell. All went silent in the room and then we began to look around the room, searching for our co-worker that retired from the FDNY and knowing that his son was a police officer in NYC and we just looked at him all of us wondering if his son was there. Had he responded like everyone else to the scene, had we lost one of our family? I’ll never forget wondering how do you ask that question, and I’ll never forget the look in his eyes said all that you needed to know. He didn’t know if his son had answered his last call, but he was preparing to accept the worse.

I’ll remember at 10:28 a.m. how our world was shattered once again as Tower 1 fell, and how the incident became more personal for me. As the images of the destruction began to appear on the screen I saw apparatus on which men I had just worked with a couple of weeks earlier were assigned. Apparatus, mangled and crushed by the weight of several thousand tons of debris falling on it, and I knew that they had to have perished. Were these men good friends of mine? No, they were simply fellow firefighters that I had had the pleasure of training with a few weeks earlier. Of sitting out in the evening after class and shooting the breeze, talking and sharing stories, and learning from each other. For me September 11th will always be about these men and how our President stepped up to the plate and took charge.

So what will you do to commemorate September 11th? I know I for one won’t be watching any television that day, for September 11th has become a circus for the networks and I can’t stand to see the images and voices on the screen that I still see in my memories. Feel free and join me in going to work and doing your job in the memory of those men who did their job and paid the ultimate price. Or join me in honoring those ordinary citizens who also paid the ultimate price for being at their job on that day. Or join me in honoring those American’s who finally saw clearly what they had to do, and became citizen’s in defense of their country. Just don’t be surprised if you see me stop and say two short prayers to the men of Rescue 1 and Rescue 3.

Brothers this one is for you.

Questions

Have you ever wondered why the worst moments in humanity bring out both the best in people and the worst in people?

Is this Gods way of showing us the true fabric of our neighbors, our culture, our humanity?

Why is it that when the call is sent out for help some will readily stand and take up arms in defense of a cause or go to the scene of an emergency to aid those that were caught up in the disaster, while others will stand off on the sidelines and attempt to derail the cause or attempt to fix blame on the shortcomings of the response or look for some hidden meaning behind the disaster?

My friend in Iraq almost died the other day, but a person was in his path that could see the nobility of his cause. He set up a small barricade that caused my friend to stop and think for a moment. Infact the barricade was so small that his vehicle could have driven over it without a second thought. But something told him to stop. Was this the hand of God at work? I do not know. What I do know is that a noble man saw the need to act and he didn't stand back and do nothing, he stepped up and at great danger to himself he took action.

Are you so self centered that you can't see the truly honorable cause right before you?

Which group do you want leading you?