tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61632202012-02-03T18:44:24.651-08:00Your One-Stop-Shopping Center for "Unapologetic Americanism;" stomping the guts out of the Nation's enemies - both foreign and domestic - since 2003.Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comBlogger7261100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-36450460117809443132012-02-03T18:35:00.001-08:002012-02-03T18:44:24.845-08:00

The Squeals have put on one hell of an ad campaign for their upcoming Hollywood blockbuster. I mean, first OBL and now this. And think of all the press they'd get if their gigs weren't Sooper-Ultra Top Special Secret...Either way, "Act of Valor" opens in three weeks. Be there.

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-31579946366061417562011-12-18T20:14:00.001-08:002011-12-18T20:28:20.418-08:00

Sitting on my porch, enjoying a fine cigar (the first in many, many months) while ducking inside every couple minutes to enjoy "True Grit" as well (the new one), when I chanced upon Fox News. And what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a fat, dead commie, at this Christmas time of year.Yes, the Jonger has become one with the Matrix.So long, you chunky, commie rat. I can only hope your fat,

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-62411463688491689512011-11-18T23:44:00.000-08:002011-11-19T00:02:23.225-08:00

Well, he shelved that Batman vs al-Qaeda book I was so looking forward to all those years ago (or more accurately, wrote it... without Batman). But comic book legend Frank Miller, creator of 300, Sin City, and Batman: Year One (which heavily inspired the current Batman movies) has some choice words for the Occupy [wherever] crowd. Awesome.So, I'll give him one. He is... Batman.

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-32085205066758126182011-11-10T03:00:00.001-08:002011-11-04T23:27:15.730-07:00

I've heard a tale told - I don't know if it's true or just a good sea story - about a very old, very retired, Chesty Puller, being invited to a birthday ball once as the guest of honor. After an introduction bordering on an hour by whoever the General officer was who preceded him, Chesty stepped to the podium. You could hear a pin drop. And the entirety of Chesty's remarks were as follows: he

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-90414380142469144492011-10-18T18:06:00.007-07:002011-10-31T22:29:15.554-07:00

Subject: Sleeves downTo All, The Marine Corps will roll sleeves down and remain sleeves down year round...at the start of work on Monday 24 Oct. There will be official SEPCOR [ALMAR/MARADMIN] released soon directing the uniform change. Please ensure widest dissemination.Thanks, mpb ---------------------------To those who don't get it, those are the initials of the Sergeant Major of the Marine

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-53627423231446645392011-10-15T15:29:00.002-07:002011-10-15T15:34:40.911-07:00

The splash-prevention technique was so freaking awesome I rewound it twice to make sure that I actually saw what I just saw. As Allahpundit asks, "greatest war movie ever?"It may have competition...

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-76666071817813436372011-09-27T19:24:00.002-07:002011-09-27T19:28:09.160-07:00

This Date In Marine Corps History: 27 September 1944The American flag was raised over Peleliu, Palau Islands, at the 1st Marine Division Command Post. Although the flag raising symbolized that the island was secured, pockets of determined Japanese defenders continued to fight on. As late as 21 April 1947, 27 Japanese holdouts finally surrendered to the American naval commander on the scene.[

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-32961076735169251082011-09-10T17:58:00.003-07:002011-09-10T20:00:08.393-07:00

Ten years. That’s both a long time and the blink of an eye, depending on how you want to slice it. Come tomorrow, everybody is going to spend the day recounting where they were, what they were doing, how they reacted. I could do that too, but what I have to say wouldn’t be appreciably different than anyone else. I suppose (in a certain way of thinking) I’m one step closer to the events of 9/

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-17417925164209326642011-07-04T12:06:00.005-07:002011-07-04T12:14:27.394-07:00

Click it... you know you want to..."And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm Reliance on the Protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."My fellow Americans, may your lives be better, fortunes greater, and honor never questioned. Happy Independence Day!

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-26849032653565651622011-06-30T19:08:00.002-07:002011-06-30T19:10:55.659-07:00

Four years of D!! Happy Birthday, pal!Here he his, being way more amphibious than his daddy...

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-37373781365017502252011-05-05T14:22:00.004-07:002011-05-05T14:47:33.162-07:00

So, we don't get bin Laden headshot pictures... for now. But nevermind that. I am geekin' out so hard over this thing, I almost sicken myself. The implications of this helo are so game changing that it is hard to overstate. We obviously had the capability to get Special Operators where we wanted them, but now the whole world knows - especially the bad guys - that sleeping with one eye open

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-73058878024377744592011-05-01T19:50:00.004-07:002011-05-03T18:35:50.552-07:00

More like asshole Sunni...Waiting for confirmation... if so, I'm standing by with a shot of Jameson...UPDATE: 2339, 1 May 2011 - Confirmed. Adios OBL, you S.O.B.UPDATE: It's now 3 May and I'm still savoring... Got over to Lex, who has the appropriate music.

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-672204900541537122011-04-27T16:11:00.004-07:002011-04-27T16:22:35.563-07:00

It's kids like this that bolster my hope for the future of this country - individual Americans that take it upon themselves to do what their government bureaucracies have so utterly failed to accomplish. Insta-link. Kid's website is now on the blogroll to right, as well (in the "National Archives" group).Teen makes digital record of Arlington gravesRicky Gilleland, a tech-savvy 11th-grader, has

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-60138392324878717552011-04-22T14:06:00.011-07:002011-04-22T16:58:30.748-07:00

This morning I got an email (along with everyone else in my unit) from our Security Manager (the guy who oversees the handling of classified material and the physical security of our building). In it, he related how we all needed to be on the lookout and show extra vigilance because recently $32,000 worth of UPS uniforms were sold on eBay to some unknown entity. Virtually anyone in a UPS

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-59609574889139538362011-04-11T16:42:00.002-07:002011-04-11T16:49:10.219-07:00

If not for a rare stop over at Big Hollywood, I would have completely missed that this was coming. Either I'm totally out of the pop-culture loop (entirely possible), or mainstream Hollywood doesn't want this seen (more likely). Either way, I hadn't heard anything about this - no ads, no previews, no nothing. The last time it was even a blip on my radar was probably two years ago, back when it

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-23032795809295588642011-04-09T09:06:00.002-07:002011-04-09T09:10:41.532-07:00

The 11th hour (literally) save last night, keeping us from a gov't shutdown doesn't much change anything I said below. In fact, I'm almost MORE insulted that THAT'S what it took to spur action. But hey, if you wait until the last minute, then it only takes a minute, right?

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-52698105742568239212011-04-08T13:54:00.009-07:002011-04-08T14:26:45.638-07:00

The raw amount of unreal, surreal, and completely outlandish buffoonery that has occurred since last we spoke boggles the mind. Hello, my friends (both of you), and welcome back. I'd love to say that it's been the demands of work and the raw lack of time that kept me away for so long. While that's partially true, it mostly has come down to my heart not really being in it as of late. Why?

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-54692088151778929112011-01-08T11:53:00.002-08:002011-01-08T12:02:07.066-08:00

THIS should absolutely scare the everlovin' bejeebus out of all of you.President Obama is putting plans in motion to give the Commerce Department authority to create an Internet ID for all Americans, a White House official told CNET.com.White House Cybersecurity Coordinator Howard Schmidt told the website it is "the absolute perfect spot in the U.S. government" to centralize efforts toward

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-48169895828825676632010-12-20T12:57:00.002-08:002010-12-20T13:00:42.665-08:00

If only to move more depressing subjects off the top of the page...It is Christmas, after all.h/t to Curtis

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-12670282646840019662010-12-19T10:13:00.004-08:002010-12-19T10:24:49.402-08:00

Oh if only we'd dropped DADT sooner, then poor Bradley wouldn't be in such a lowly condition. It's certainly the fact that he was a closeted homosexual that led to his bad behavior. If only he'd be able to wear that pink feather boa with his Class A's this might have all been avoided...Or it could just be he's upset that they put him in a Marine brig instead of an Army stockade. Tough $hit. It

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-24741382286026785372010-12-18T12:40:00.018-08:002010-12-19T09:58:28.601-08:00

Why did it matter? Why change it? Why? Welcome to the world of unintended consequences. The world where my contempt for elected officials is only rivaled by their apparent contempt for me.Don't Ask, Don't Tell is now essentially dead thanks to the spineless jackholes of the US Congress, a once august body that hopefully soon will be again - but sadly, not at present. These people have made an

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-24901839200017020422010-11-27T07:17:00.002-08:002010-11-27T07:22:38.040-08:00

This speech, especially under the conditions that Gen Kelly - former commander of MNF-W (essentially the western third of Iraq) - gave it, will leave you floored. Semper Fi.h/t to another blog you should read, Great Satan's Girlfriend

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-5617220867576029662010-11-25T07:44:00.005-08:002010-11-27T07:25:13.203-08:00

Your annual eight and a half minute history lesson.Transcript here for those who are YouTube deficient.

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-8906664710079324762010-11-10T09:00:00.004-08:002010-11-10T15:08:52.202-08:00

Happy Birthday, Leathernecks.LiveLeak-------------------Click the YouTube and LiveLeak links to right to see Birthday moto and other vids from years past.UPDATE: Almost forgot! Give to the Valor-IT Project over at Soldiers' Angels! Click the big "Give Now" button at the top right of their page and help push the Marine Team across the line. Ccome on in for the big win!UPDATE II:New York Post,

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-6417080400491264252010-09-07T09:42:00.013-07:002010-09-07T14:06:42.125-07:00

Uploaded with ImageShack.usAlso at LiveLeak and YouTubeAs the eleventh of the month closes in on us, I think back. It’s been nine years… nine long years. But it goes back much farther than that. In 1993, it was followers of Islam that first tried to bring down the World Trade Center… but that was an isolated incident and we moved on. In 1983, 241 Americans were killed when the Marine Barracks

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-30449852304833249142010-08-28T08:49:00.002-07:002010-08-28T09:03:57.932-07:00

AP - August 28, 2010Obama used his weekly radio and Internet address Saturday to highlight Tuesday's formal end to U.S. combat missions in Iraq and remind people that he's keeping a promise he made as a candidate in the 2008 election. ..."As a candidate for this office, I pledged I would end this war. As president, that is what I am doing," Obama said.Washington Post - August 22, 2008U.S. and

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-6703018912830710732010-08-12T18:44:00.001-07:002010-08-12T18:46:01.503-07:00

I don't care what anyone says... I miss Dubya. Classy move, sir.----------------found at HotAir

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-35773096736386082502010-07-03T21:18:00.002-07:002010-07-03T21:21:26.438-07:00

Last year's post still applies. Happy Fourth!

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-79134862683265618392010-06-30T19:23:00.002-07:002010-06-30T19:25:46.273-07:00

That's right - 3 years of Little D! ("Little" now defined very loosely...)Happy Birthday, buddy!

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-8344323464410576052010-06-27T10:14:00.002-07:002010-06-27T10:19:35.529-07:00

I mean, c'mon dude...Biden made the comment Friday after the Kopp’s Frozen Custard shop manager told him that his dessert would be on the house if he lowered taxes."What do we owe you?" Biden is heard saying in footage captured by WISN-TV."Don’t worry, it’s on us," the manager replied. "Lower our taxes and we’ll call it even.""Why don’t you say something nice instead of being a smartass all the

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-52422486287679396002010-06-19T18:13:00.002-07:002010-06-19T18:32:47.853-07:00

Given that the last post was focused on just how bad politicians have become, let's cleanse the pallet.The Defence of Fort McHenryBTW, David Hendrick - as it turns out - is someone you might remember from last year...

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-58699579065114243152010-06-19T13:33:00.002-07:002010-06-19T13:35:38.891-07:00

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-33431309443941633692010-06-18T19:34:00.002-07:002010-06-18T19:41:48.937-07:00

Semper Fi...Sgt. Chuck Taliano was awaiting an honorable discharge at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island in 1968 when a reservist writing a book about boot camp snapped a picture of him giving a recruit an “attitude readjustment.”That cemented Taliano’s place in Corps legend.The photo captured his snarling mug inches from a fresh-faced recruit with the caption, “We don’t promise you a rose

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-84267421097300386342010-05-28T20:01:00.002-07:002010-05-28T20:09:20.511-07:00

Against GySgt Wallgreens request I recorded his speach in secret..... the result is this awesome video with the last words we heard before boarding helos and heading into the heart of Marjeh. Have you ever wondered how Marines get pumped up? This video will show you how true leaders inspire their Marines to do the unthinkable.-- description w/video on YouTube

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-28854296698377475202010-05-27T20:16:00.005-07:002010-05-28T12:44:50.720-07:00

The military has one job: DEFEND AMERICA. If I thought that could be best accomplished by an all-volunteer albino midget force, then that's what I would say we should have, even though it would look nothing like the composition of the country as a whole. The very notion that the military should ever be America's petri dish for social experiments is insulting, and quite possibly will hinder its

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-71874966731558510692010-05-25T17:46:00.001-07:002010-05-25T17:50:19.051-07:00

By VICTOR DAVIS HANSONHBO's 10-part series on the Pacific campaign of World War Two just ended. That story of island-hopping was mostly about how the old breed of US Marines fought diehard Japanese infantrymen face-to-face in places like Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima, Guam and Okinawa. No one can question the Marine Corps' record of having defeated the most savage infantrymen of the

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-12765095606990011062010-03-30T18:34:00.003-07:002010-03-30T18:49:07.673-07:00

Skip the blather, and jump to the 2 minute mark to hear the... blather.And to cleanse the pallet...Found here.

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-23519050223322908432010-03-30T18:28:00.003-07:002010-03-30T18:34:03.040-07:00

Click, and soak it all in my friends. My favorite by far is the - shall we say - ahem... er... "anti"capitalism shirt... that costs 15 bucks.I mean, c'mon, THAT'S funny.

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-75722526421312543612010-03-25T19:56:00.000-07:002010-03-25T19:57:08.073-07:00

The Parable of the Satellite Dish

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-79004548805031879632010-03-23T07:22:00.002-07:002010-03-23T07:40:23.810-07:00

I personally have a good number of gripes with the medical care provided via the military medicine system known as Tricare. I've said here before that the military does shock/trauma better than anyone, but after that it can go south pretty fast, especially in the realm of family medicine. I've talked about the issue of the Feres Doctrine and the way it seems to take multiple independent

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-13645464670661708362010-03-17T19:32:00.001-07:002010-03-17T19:36:22.148-07:00

... and girls...

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-58914693532653334162010-02-04T18:29:00.004-08:002010-02-13T20:43:23.183-08:00

And my Grandad - old sea salt that he was - continues to spin in his grave. He patched up wounded Marines on Peleliu so that he could have a personage as august as the President of these United States... well, just click.UPDATE: Oops... missed one. Hey, when somebody pulls off the trifecta ya gotta give 'em their due.UPDATE II: Lex weighs in... heh.

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-37960619928932894752010-01-27T15:11:00.004-08:002010-01-27T15:27:16.260-08:00

Theo has the screen shot. I've been to Iraq twice - neither time being exceptionally taxing, mind you - but I'll happily never set foot there again all my live-long days if they'll let me. So this is a good thing from a multitude of viewpoints.But remember: a few years ago, the Corps was out of the Afghanistan business too. Now... not so much.And let this one blow your mind: most young Marines

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-8031041582689542612010-01-09T07:31:00.000-08:002010-01-09T07:32:09.768-08:00

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-74256588990144240452009-12-31T06:28:00.003-08:002009-12-31T06:37:10.986-08:00

Well folks, it looks like I'm gonna have to do it and pay for the "upgrade" to the comments. Brian suggested his commenting system, but I just can't find a way to fit it into my template. After six years, Blogger has gone through a great many changes, and I - being a creature of habit, or at least one who likes what I like - have not changed a thing. As such, the recommendations for what to

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-61192097089487106242009-12-23T13:24:00.002-08:002009-12-23T13:36:58.637-08:00

For a while now, I've seen this thing called "Echo" pop up when I go into Haloscan to moderate my comments. See, I've had Haloscan on this blog since before Blogger had a comment feature (six years!) and it's done two things for me: worked just fine and been free.Now, "Echo" - whoever the hell they are - have bought out Haloscan and have given everyone two weeks notice to fork over 10 bucks

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-49250162018842232732009-12-13T12:59:00.002-08:002009-12-13T13:04:07.437-08:00

BlackFive for Congress!! (of Illinois)So this is obviously not the first post Matt has done about this, but it's the first I'd heard of it. Good luck trooper. In a place like that, you're gonna need it...

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-67020856827435963472009-12-13T07:04:00.002-08:002009-12-13T07:11:03.153-08:00

Don't think I've posted this before... but even if I have, so what? This is funny if you've ever tried to set up a conference call, and even funnier if you've ever had to fight with a VTC that wouldn't work... especially when a General is on the far end...Switching to a Secure Frequency - watch more funny videos

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-39877230128848967642009-12-07T07:57:00.002-08:002009-12-07T08:19:39.496-08:00

This is the flag I flew in front of our headquarters building along the flight line at Al Asad on 7 Dec 2005 for my Grandpa, a retired Navy Captain. He was not at Pearl Harbor, but it seemed a fitting day to fly a flag for a man who loved the Navy and had fought the war in the Pacific. That flag now sits with him in his grave. We are losing more veterans of that war every day. If you see one,

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-78176435503029363382009-12-03T14:42:00.002-08:002009-12-03T14:46:47.393-08:00

DAAAAAMN...Millett, then around 80 years old, told how he’d joined the U.S. army at age 21 in the summer of 1941 – and then deserted, because the U.S. wasn’t yet in the war. He came to Canada and joined our army to go overseas. He wanted to fight Nazis....After Pearl Harbor, when the U.S. entered the war, he transferred back to the U.S. army, served in North Africa and Italy, winning the Silver

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-66269327459710395442009-11-28T07:59:00.001-08:002009-11-28T08:01:12.458-08:00

As soon as she turned 18, she joined the Royal Navy to do her bit for the war effort.Hers was a small part in a huge, history-making enterprise, and her contribution epitomises her generation's sense of service and sacrifice.Nearly 400,000 Britons died. Millions more were scarred by the experience, physically and mentally.But was it worth it? Her answer - and the answer of many of her

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-44170675651104906532009-11-12T18:18:00.002-08:002009-11-12T18:29:49.484-08:00

The upsetting part here is that some Army jackoff wearing stars on their shoulders will probably go after THIS Major for stating the facts. And why not? No less than the Army Chief of Staff said that the worst thing about the Fort Hood attack wasn't the death of US soldiers. No, no... it was the threat posed to "diversity." Not to knock the Army (even though under normal circumstances I take

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-65127132620838115732009-11-09T22:04:00.006-08:002009-11-10T05:49:26.034-08:00

Happy Birthday, Marines!Watch this video at YouTube (in HQ) or LiveLeakLast year's video and all my creations can be found by clicking the YouTube and LiveLeak channels on the sidebar.

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-46119507585692318142009-11-06T20:55:00.002-08:002009-11-06T21:02:17.295-08:00

Been really busy and almost forgot to put up the link this year. I'll go haze myself now...And I'm back.Go give and help the Marine Team smoke the competition this year. Sure the money all goes to the same place, but to quote Big Worm, "there's principalities in this".-----------------About Project Valour-IT

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-62166816876144418932009-11-01T08:51:00.002-08:002009-11-01T08:56:29.424-08:00

... in everything that Dubya wasn't. I leave it to you on how to interpret this photo op solemn moment.More.

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-11797010623392106112009-10-23T18:34:00.004-07:002009-10-24T06:30:29.790-07:00

I'm a video game junkee, much to the beloved Wif's chagrin. Oh yes, it's true. I can hit line drives and snipe bad guys with the best of 'em, from right here behind this keyboard. I don't have an XBOX 360... and given my current status as husband and daddy, I may - nay, probably WILL - never have one. But I sure as hell wish I did, if for no other reason than to play THIS. As proven by a

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-77860004203054050772009-10-23T18:10:00.000-07:002009-10-23T18:11:55.415-07:00

Awesome.

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-44934495265812177692009-10-22T16:51:00.009-07:002009-10-22T19:08:11.115-07:00

I get a pay raise. Yay! Most everything else is screwed up, though...Allow me to deconstruct:Military personnel will get an above-inflation pay raise of 3.4 percent (sweet) under a Pentagon policy bill the Senate passed Thursday and sent to President Obama for his signature.The pay increase was a half-percentage point more than Obama sought earlier this year and beats the average

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-45048672750221526822009-10-13T14:58:00.001-07:002009-10-13T15:00:37.862-07:00

I am one.And now, for your viewing pleasure, the Civil War. In four minutes.

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-76928952755852326132009-10-09T14:40:00.005-07:002009-10-11T13:57:04.155-07:00

My head exploded.Blew right the f@ck up.I got in my car this morning, turned on the radio, and then – like a mafia hit – brains splattered all over the inside of the vehicle. It looked like that scene at the end of “Pulp Fiction” where Travolta shoots the guy in the face. Grey matter on the windows. Blood and bits of scorched skull gathering in the folds of the seat cusions.They gave him what?

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-20113545001697782192009-10-02T15:01:00.002-07:002009-10-02T15:04:32.100-07:00

I mean, they were able to concentrate on the Olympics. They didn't have to avoid other things in order to go to Copenhagen, so they kinda had an unfair advantage...

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-6268528142853775712009-09-28T14:31:00.002-07:002009-09-28T14:35:32.169-07:00

"I've talked to the president, since I've been here, once on a VTC [video teleconferece]," Gen. Stanley McChrystal told CBS reporter David Martin in a television interview that aired Sunday."You've talked to him once in 70 days?" Mr. Martin followed up."That is correct," the general replied.--------------------------------------------------- Today, the White House announced that President Barack

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-13771351956102317332009-09-27T08:31:00.002-07:002009-09-27T08:38:45.633-07:00

Why help the people who are dying when "there are people dying"?Click the image for story.

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-36402569106891291462009-09-11T05:46:00.001-07:002009-09-11T13:59:54.935-07:00

When the mastermind of 9/11 goes from looking like a caricature of Super Mario come to life to being almost the spitting image of a squeaky-cleaned-up Osama bin Laden - after more than six years in US custody - we have done something horribly wrong. Apparently, the waterboarding doesn't have any side effects other than make you cleaner, make you look healthier, and give your spectacular new

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-71799309351710769892009-09-09T18:18:00.002-07:002009-09-09T18:40:44.905-07:00

Seriously? You people out there who want the government involved in your health? Really?Well then I guess you'll be okay with this:Doctors left a premature baby to die because he was born two days too early, his devastated mother claimed yesterday.Sarah Capewell begged them to save her tiny son, who was born just 21 weeks and five days into her pregnancy - almost four months early.They

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-71269320795523043602009-09-05T07:05:00.005-07:002009-09-05T08:03:52.344-07:00

The milblogs are buzzing over the last day regarding the decision by the AP to release a photograph of a mortally wounded Marine in Afghanistan over the objections of both the DoD and, more importantly, his family. Some have taken the tack that not only should the picture never have been released, it should never have been taken. While I thoroughly agree that it was wrong to disrespect the

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-88765354655498371082009-08-31T19:53:00.002-07:002009-08-31T19:59:57.979-07:00

Why post this? Like I need a reason...For my money, the best line comes right at the 4 minute mark. I did a mini review of the D.I. here.

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-28506822367220482762009-08-31T14:21:00.002-07:002009-08-31T14:29:55.831-07:00

With the 70th Anniversary of the opening of WWII looming, as of one week ago the best America could produce to send to Poland for the memorial service was William Perry, the Clinton-era SecDef (one of 3, and not even the longest serving one, at that) . Seriously, fellas? An event featuring no less than 14 heads of state, to include Germany and Russia, and the best you pull out was William Perry?

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-63637480728040290812009-08-26T14:28:00.002-07:002009-08-26T14:51:22.798-07:00

Yeah, right...You never want to speak ill of the dead, but in some cases... well... it's almost obligated. That being the case: so long Teddy. Mary Jo Kopechne* could not be reached for comment, but as far as I'm concerned, you were a Grade-A douche. (The counter-punch to that particular episode of douchiness is here. Check out the headline on that paper, by the way... that's right Teddy K was

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-41549634915579081552009-08-17T18:02:00.002-07:002009-08-17T18:10:16.302-07:00

This extraordinary feature of combat is depicted in movies in bold, heroic colors, without depth or explanation. Most leaders in the military, however, spend a lifetime trying to understand its complexity. Our pursuit usually starts at Thermopylae, a mountain pass in northern Greece where, in 480 B.C., 300 Spartans faced the entire Persian army. Leonidas, the Spartan king, had a choice: retreat,

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-14149385760447507852009-08-06T17:56:00.003-07:002009-08-06T18:05:17.281-07:00

I wonder if this will get me a different ribbon next time I deploy?It's official. The U.S. is no longer engaged in a "war on terrorism." Neither is it fighting "jihadists" or in a "global war."President Obama's top homeland security and counterterrorism official took all three terms off the table of acceptable words inside the White House during a speech Thursday at the Center for Strategic and

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-72806885469674189242009-08-02T08:42:00.002-07:002009-08-02T08:51:21.959-07:00

Remains of the first American lost in the 1991 Persian Gulf War have been found in the Anbar province of Iraq after a nearly 20-year search, the U.S. Navy said Sunday.The Armed Forces Institute of Pathology has positively identified the remains of Captain Michael "Scott" Speicher, whose disappearance has bedeviled investigators since his jet was shot down over the Iraq desert on the first night

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-12385203995101354772009-07-30T14:29:00.002-07:002009-07-30T14:36:09.868-07:00

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-59011740173709850882009-07-21T18:54:00.000-07:002009-07-21T18:55:51.095-07:00

We Choose the Moonh/t to Theo

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-88041208212443509472009-07-11T08:12:00.003-07:002009-07-11T09:04:18.353-07:00

Or at least it used to. Nowadays it would mean "tobacco fines."Pentagon health experts are pressing Defense Secretary Robert Gates to ban the use of tobacco by troops and ends its sale on military property, according to USA Today.I enjoy the occasional cigar (on far fewer occasions now that there's a kid in the house), but I don't smoke cigarettes and I've never been a dipper... I can't even

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-22767879691504185452009-07-04T18:09:00.002-07:002009-07-04T18:36:04.282-07:00

I was listening to talk radio the other day... as I am wont to do... and I heard a some people breathlessly inform the host that they just couldn't bring themselves to celebrate Independence Day, due to the outcome of the last Presidential and the personage that currently embodies the office at 1600 Pennsylvania. They were simply too downtrodden...I wanted to reach through the radio and choke

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-56348280521571307512009-06-30T03:00:00.001-07:002009-06-30T03:00:43.061-07:00

HE'S TWO!And dear lord he's gettin' big...Happy Birthday, Little D!

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-76643139696482595322009-06-23T18:13:00.001-07:002009-06-23T18:16:25.050-07:00

Semper Fi, Colonel Ed McMahon.6 Mar 1923 - 23 Jun 2009

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-26357261418019871422009-06-22T19:48:00.003-07:002009-06-24T18:03:34.842-07:00

They want to have the Iranian regime celebrate Independence Day after brutally repressing a freedom movement in Iran? Sickening.--------------------------... a gesture of solidarity per our two nations’ shared interest in life, liberty, and shooting women in the heart on the street, I guess.--------------------------UPDATE, 24 June: No tofurkey dogs for the Mahdi's boys. How bold!Yesterday’s

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-60630535990699417342009-06-22T15:20:00.003-07:002009-06-22T15:28:51.633-07:00

The headline is what grabs the attention. "Al Qaeda says would use Pakistani nuclear weapons." We all know it's true - it's not like it's a secret. But in the west, this is what gets play."God willing, the nuclear weapons will not fall into the hands of the Americans and the mujahideen would take them and use them against the Americans," Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, the leader of al Qaeda's in

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-32783878514207450982009-06-20T07:56:00.002-07:002009-06-20T08:01:05.952-07:00

The fate of three of nine foreigners abducted in Yemen last week is known — their bodies were found, shot execution style. The whereabouts of the other six — including three children under the age of 6 — remain a mystery.But terrorism experts say their abductors and killers are almost certainly not a mystery. They say the crimes bear the mark of Al Qaeda, and they fear they are the handiwork of

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-87431185662245438802009-06-15T14:48:00.002-07:002009-06-15T15:04:19.861-07:00

For all the buzz about the recent release of those Uighurs from Gitmo, here's a little tidbit that has been largely overlooked, and is - to my mind - of much greater significance.During a hearing in Guantanamo in October 2004, Zuhair was accused of involvement in the 1995 killing in Bosnia-Herzegovina of William Jefferson, a U.S. official with the United Nations. At the tribunal, U.S. officials

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-11238891493771458332009-06-06T05:42:00.003-07:002009-06-06T05:47:16.556-07:00

To those boys of Point du Hoc, and all the others that were there on that Day of Days, I offer the best tribute I can as a Marine... two simple words: Semper Fi.

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-56461904752531198802009-05-30T15:34:00.001-07:002009-05-30T15:38:41.890-07:00

The rest of the world doesn’t observe Memorial Day. But it understands the crude symbolism of a rogue nuclear test staged on the day to honor American war dead and greeted with only half-hearted pro forma diplomatese from Washington. Pyongyang’s actions were “a matter of...” Drumroll, please! “... grave concern,” declared the president. Furthermore, if North Korea carries on like this, it will —

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-75428808562510808282009-05-21T16:39:00.003-07:002009-05-21T16:42:29.926-07:00

Who's the one man awesomely awesome enough to stop crime dead in it's tracks, even when lacking all three of the dimensions that the criminals have access to?I think you know who...

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-63110583298481831682009-05-18T19:44:00.003-07:002009-05-18T19:47:57.042-07:00

To steal a line from Patton, I didn't make this... but I wish to hell I had.Click image to biggie-size

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-61616057208824017092009-04-18T08:10:00.003-07:002009-04-18T08:14:32.740-07:00

"Sergeant Reese gave his rifle to another sniper to cover him while he tried to cut away a Taliban fighter’s ammunition pouches with a four-inch blade. The fighter had only been pretending to be dead, the soldiers said. He lunged for Sergeant Reese, who stabbed him in the left eye."

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-6414432634240814402009-04-17T19:21:00.002-07:002009-04-17T19:26:09.262-07:00

Every picture is worth a thousand words, yet this leaves me speechless.Hugo Chavez: just another guy that POTUS pals around with.

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-80263133010429806702009-04-14T13:17:00.002-07:002009-04-14T13:20:29.965-07:00

I may be an enemy of the state... as may be you, just by your very reading of this blog.

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-44952565609070446062009-04-14T12:34:00.003-07:002009-04-14T13:08:32.634-07:00

After being honored with an award from the Secretary of the Navy, Rep. John Murtha - Corrupt, Lying Porkocrat (Pa.) - has now managed to skate for defaming Marines accused (but never convicted, or for the most part even brought to trial) of the "massacre" in Haditha. His defense? "I'm above your laws, petty mortals."Murtha, a former Marine, used his congressional immunity as his defense, arguing

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-42275278816827103722009-04-11T11:05:00.006-07:002009-04-12T11:23:39.926-07:00

"...the various new substitutes for "unlawful enemy combatant" abolish an important distinction in traditional international law. As the eminent military historian Sir Michael Howard argued shortly after 9/11, the status of al Qaeda terrorists is to be found in a distinction first made by the Romans and subsequently incorporated into international law by way of medieval and early modern European

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-85995640586474922372009-04-08T16:09:00.002-07:002009-04-08T16:12:51.446-07:00

I know it didn't happen this way, but in my mind it went down something like this...In all seriousness though, I do hope the Navy can get the captain back safe and sound.

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-23931449668956127612009-04-07T14:41:00.004-07:002009-04-07T15:23:42.428-07:00

In light of the link I put up two days ago regarding the comparative appearances before a group of troops by both the current POTUS and the former one, I now provide you with the vid of Mr Obama's visit to Baghdad today. Is this event more comparable to the one when W. visited Anbar? Sure it is. Does Obama get some love in Baghdad? Sure he does. Is it to the same level of fervor? I'll leave

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-4671868566250953672009-04-06T14:23:00.004-07:002009-04-06T14:44:19.621-07:00

Death, taxes, the UN's complete lack of relevance. Some things never change.By the way, no clicky the below with the kiddies present... but of course, I'm sure you already knew that.Meanwhile, the Jonger is grooving to his new satellite radio service.*Apparently, Hans Blix actually was consumed by sharks, because he ceased being relevant (assuming he ever was) shortly after Team America's

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-67465882677176545492009-04-05T13:08:00.005-07:002009-04-05T13:12:04.794-07:00

For your viewing pleasure. Make sure you actually read the part below the video, as it contains all the "yeah, but" arguments that I don't feel like going round and round about here...

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-70475056892765540882009-03-21T06:37:00.002-07:002009-03-21T06:45:52.614-07:00

Congressman John P. Murtha, Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, was presented this week with the Department of the Navy’s Distinguished Public Service Award. The award, granted by the Secretary of the Navy, is the highest form of public service recognition bestowed by the Department of the Navy for a non-employee. It consists of a gold medal, miniature medal, lapel bar

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-84269000085712685862009-03-16T16:19:00.000-07:002009-03-16T16:20:25.065-07:00

"There is simply no logical explanation for billing a veteran's personal insurance for care that the VA has a responsibility to provide. While we understand the fiscal difficulties this country faces right now, placing the burden of those fiscal problems on the men and women who have already sacrificed a great deal for this country is unconscionable."

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-67473432058182353762009-03-12T13:07:00.005-07:002009-03-12T20:35:31.583-07:00

I know I'm not the only one who remembers hearing for years about how President Bush wasn't doing enough for veterans and how his support to the VA was lacking. I also remember that same claim made about John McCain on the campaign trail. A quick Googling of "Bush, Veterans Administration" and "McCain, Veterans Administration" bears out my memories with story after story about their supposed

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-39673480921250701332009-03-01T08:02:00.002-08:002009-03-01T08:39:07.693-08:00

... except when we don't...Just because you're "trying," doesn't mean you're "working," you tools.I will never rent another car through Avis, ever. Or maybe it's just their Florida shops that are entirely peopled with idiots, because I never had this problem in California. See, in Cali, I lived about 2 blocks from an Avis and it was cheaper to rent a car for a trip to the airport than to take

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6163220.post-66617937449271262612009-02-23T14:46:00.002-08:002009-02-23T14:50:23.996-08:00

Ira Hayes, John Bradley, Rene Gagnon, and some dude in the middleSemper Fi.

Mike the Marinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05323240230969524680noreply@blogger.com