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Canadian Forces-Basic Training

Canada continues to honour the Canadians, and Americans under their command, who lost their lives while serving in Afghanistan

07/26/2014

Several months ago I wrote a few blogs about the Great Escape, the incredible part the Canadians played in that historic event, and how many of them and others were murdered after escaping from the German POW Camp for Air Force officers.

The later of these columns told of the recent march by British serving officers a few months ago and their march from that very POW camp in Germany to the victims' final resting place to conduct suitable ceremonies.

In May of this year I brought you as few blogs about the march of some of the Canadians who became injured or disabled during their service in Afghanistan and how a group formed representing them, and called SOAR... Soldiers on Afghanistan Relay... sent a relay of 19 heroes on a march from Trenton Ontario through several small towns etc en-route to Ottawa to participate in the National Day of Heroes on May 9th.

At that time I also shared news on the Vigil.. a memorial created by the service men and women themselves...to honour their lost comrades, both Canadian, and American but under Canadian command at the time, who were killed in actions in Afghanistan. Two of the later blogs on subject can be re-read at...
http://www.canadianmedalofhonor.com/wednesday-and-friday-blogs/canada-remembers-and-honours-our-afghanistan-war-dead-and-injured-over-40000-more-who-served-families-and-communities-back-at-home-who-supported-these-troops

and    http://www.canadianmedalofhonor.com/wednesday-and-friday-blogs/may-9th-was-the-nation-day-of-honour-in-Canada

The above three images show the veterans marching to Ottawa and having arrived, at right.

The top picture is a display of the Afghanistan Memorial Vigil, that was built and added to over the years in that far away place and added to as additional Canadians and Americans died for their countries. Our Governor General and our Prime Minister and their wives visited the memorial in May at the Parliament Buildings.

Canada sent over 40,000 troops, both men and women, to S/W Asia between 2002 and 2014 to perform various functions including combat, security and training missions mostly in the Kabul and Kandahar theatres of operations. The overall deployment into harm's way was the longest in Canada's history and the largest since WW ll.

In our first months of service we lost four soldiers... to friendly fire in a horrible miscalculation of enemy positions. Since then service men and women would contribute their all in every year following till 2010. We would lose 158 heroes, and to that we must add 3 other heroes... a Canadian diplomat, a female journalist, and a contractor. During the later years of 2009 till 2011 there were four US battalions attached to the Canadians on the ground and actually came under our command. During that time 40 of these men and women, heroes more, would also lose their lives.

The display at top showing the plaques in Ottawa consist of several panels with individual plaques mounted on each. The whole affair is portable, and this very series of plaques is being sent across Canada and will make 20 stops at major military centres and cities and end up back at Ottawa in time for Rembrance Day services. The display was in Victoria BC for several days and I made it a point to visit the showing twice to pay respects and gather these photo's to bring to this space.

When you stand in front of any of the panels, and read the names of these heroes and see how young they were..many in their late teens it is no longer a story on the TV or in the news. It is real. These are the very markers the service men and woman created and that were in honour of their comrades who died for you and me and for our country. It was so emotional to stand in this room and think of all that these men and women gave, but I was even more painful to see service men and women, touching markers for those they obviously knew..or perhaps were even related to. And it made me wonder... how can you and I ever repay these folks for what they did, what they gave and what they will never known in life so that you and I can live our lives.

The least we can do is get out and see this memorial when it comes to our neck of the woods. And failing that, a trip to Ottawa to pay respects would be well worth it as well.

I was told that there were a very limited mumber of books produced by the federal government that list all of these heroes and tells a little about their service and how they died. The book also contains information on where the individual plaque for each member is on the panels. Above you can see one of the pages of this book as well as another book for guests to sign, as I did.

At the bottom right is the very flag of Canada last flow at Kandihar Airbase, a set of bagpipes that played as the bodies left the country on their way to being repatriated back to Canada, along Canada's new Highway of Heroes and ultimately to their final resting places. Also shown to the right is the scarf worn by the padre conducting final services before repatriations home.

In 2006 Nichole Goddard was a crew commander in an armored vehicle. Her job was as a Forward Observation Officer and she was calling down fire on enemy positions when her crew carrier came under heavy fire. This included two rocket propelled grades. One of these killed her. She was only 26 and in the country just 4 months at the time. Captain Goddard became Canada's 16th member killed in action in the war. The year was 2006. Her plaque is at the bottom right.

Above her is the plaque for an embedded journalist... Michelle Lang from the Calgary Herald.. She was killed when the carrier she was riding in with troops ran over a concealed bomb on the roadside. Four Canadian soldiers in the same carrier were also killed in that attack. The year was 2009 and she was only 34 years of age. She was only to be on this temporary assigned to Afghanistan for 6 weeks.

There is much more to come but I will bring this to you on Wednesday next.

Bart

http://www.canadianmedalofhonor.com/wednesday-and-friday-blogs/canada-continues-to-honour-the-canadians-and-americans-under-their-command-who-lost-their-lives-while-serving-in-afghanistan

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Canadian tank squadrons’ success in Afghanistan goes untold

You don’t see, hear or read much about them

, but Canada’s new Leopar

d 2A6M tanks thundered

into Canadian history recently when one crew destroyed a Taliban mortar detachment in

Afghanistan with a 120-mm HEAT round.

The HEAT round is a High-Explosive Anti-Tank round which is a shaped-inverted cone that

causes a chemical reaction when it hits its tar

get, turning its surface into molten metal which is

propelled inside by shear kinetic en

ergy with devastating results.

Only Canada and Denmark have used the new tank

s in combat and it was the first time

Canadians with C Squadron of the Edmonton-bas

ed Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians)

have opened up on an enemy position with its devastating new firepower.

The tanks also figured prominently in combat

that forced the Taliban to retreat from the

Arghandab District in late October after it launched a major offensive north of Kanadahar to seize

the weapons cache of a former warlord.

There are many variants of the Leopard 2A6 tank and

the Internet is awash with articles referring

to as the world’s most powerful tank, thanks

to its 120-mm smooth-bore gun which is more

powerful than that of the American Abrams’ M1A2.

The “M” in the Canadian variant stands for its

mine protection package that affords much greater

protection than the 30-year-old Leopard C2s some

of the Canadians are still using in Afghanistan.

Still, in many ways, the 17 Leopards the Canadi

ans first sent to Afghanistan in the fall of 2006

also made history, too, because it was the firs

t time since the Korean War that Canadian tanks

were sent to an active war zone.

They entered the field on December 2 and the very

next day fired the first shots with their 105-

mm high-pressure gun when insurgents launched a rocket attack.

The government announced in April this year t

hat the old Leopards would be replaced with 20

Leopard 2A6Ms that would be borrowed from

Germany and that Canada would buy up to 100

more of them from the Netherlands.

At the time, it was thought that the new tank

s were needed both for the better protection they

offered and for the air conditioning found on some variants to better deal with the 60 C heat in the

Afghan desert.

The variant the Canadians have is not air-condit

ioned. Maj. Trevor Cadieu, second in command

of the Lord Strathcona’s who has se

rved in Afghanistan, said it wa

s found that cooling suits worn

by the tanks’ four-man crews were su

fficient to deal with the desert heat.

“It’s night and day. They didn’t require air conditioning,” he said.

“The key thing is the new tank has a 120-mm gun which has an even longer range that the

previous tank, more armor protection and mine-

blast protection,” explains the Strathcona’s

commanding officer Lt.-Col. Pascal Demers.

“I did get information about one person who had t

he misfortune of commanding an old tank that

hit an improvised explosive devic

e (IED) and, six weeks later,

he hit a second IED which was

much bigger in the new tank. Had it been a LAV III there would have been many injuries.”

“In terms of confidence in the equipment, it gives

the infantry a certain amount of comfort. If the

enemy wants to mix it up, they are happy to

have that extra firepower and protection.”

“And, the firepower is instantaneous – as opposed to

air power or artillery – which can take a few

minutes. There is nothing quite like firing right away.”

There is another background story here and that is

the lessons learned by the many soldiers who

have already served in Afghanistan have been in

valuable in the training those who follow.

The 1st Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light

Infantry, the 1 Combat

Engineers and others

have constructed sophisticated ranges at Camp Wa

inwright that includes Bedouin camps, tiered

compounds, mosques, markets villages, grape fields and grape drying huts mirroring those

Canadians training there

now will face overseas.

In that regard, history teaches

us what was old is new again.

During the First World War, in March 1917, Sir

Julian Byng directed the creation of a full-scale

replica of Vimy Ridge over which Canadians repe

atedly and realistically rehearsed their roles

prior to one of the most decisive battles in Canadian history.

http://www.cdfai.org/bergenarticles/Canadian%20tank%20squadrons%20success%20in%20Afghanistan%20goes%20untold.pdf

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Statement by the Prime Minister of Canada to mark the second annual Korean War Veterans Day

July 27, 2014
Ottawa, Ontario

Prime Minister Stephen Harper today issued the following statement to mark the second annual Korean War Veterans Day:
“Today, we honour the more than 26,000 Canadians who fought to defend the freedom of the people of Korea during the Korean War, as well as the approximately 7000 Canadians who continued to serve there to deter further aggression in the years following the Armistice.
“These brave members of the Canadian Army, the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Royal Canadian Navy played an important role, along with Commonwealth and other allied troops, in defending the Republic of Korea against Communist aggression.
“Our troops fought in difficult conditions – from the bitter cold of the Korean winters to the scorching heat of its summers – but they persevered.
“Places like Kapyong, Chail-li and Hill 355 are replete with stories of Canadian blood, sweat and valour. At the Battle of Kapyong, Canadians won widespread recognition holding Hill 677 against seemingly insurmountable odds. Wave upon wave of enemy troops attacked the heavily outnumbered and exhausted Canadians, but they held strong in the face of great adversity to help prevent a potentially devastating defeat for the South Korean and allied forces. For their gallant stand, the 2^nd Battalion of Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry received the United States Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation.
“2014 also marks the 100^th anniversary of the PPCLI and the Royal 22^nd Regiment (the Van Doos), who fought valiantly in Korea.
“The Canadian sacrifices were great during the Korean War, with more than 1,500 casualties, including 516 who gave their lives. Many lie buried in Korean soil.
“I encourage Canadians to pause today to remember those brave Canadians who served in the Korean War and to learn more about this amazing part of our history which both we and the Korean people continue to honour.”

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The Canadian forces can't be gender-blind

Stéfanie von Hlatky More from Stéfanie von Hlatky

Published on: July 18, 2014Last Updated: July 18, 2014 12:01 PM EDT

Kandahar, Afghanistan. 21 November 2009- Sgt Tanya Casey, a volunteer from the Camp Nathan Smith, greets an Afghan woman during the celebration of Eid al-Adha organized by the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team where bags of flour, prayer carpets and tea were donated.
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On July 9, the Chief of the Defence Staff, General Tom Lawson, issued an update on the External Independent Review that will investigate sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). Several sex scandals have haunted the military over the past 15 years, but evidently, bringing these scandals to light has not brought about meaningful change.

I would suggest this independent review should revisit the policies by which female military personnel, approximately 15 per cent of the force, have been integrated into the CAF. While the situation has improved, it’s time to further encourage women’s participation by making enhanced military effectiveness the focal point rather than simply advocating in favour of gender equality for gender equality’s sake.

This means focusing on how the integration of women translates into a better overall force, so that diversity is embraced rather than imposed.

The first example should be drawn from Canada’s experience in Afghanistan. Military interventions need to engage with every segment of the population because security threats vary from group to group. For instance, while Afghan men take up arms and fight on the battlefield, women and children stay back home but face security risks that are ignored if there are no female soldiers on site to respond to community-level security concerns. NATO allies deployed female engagement teams that were created to do just that. This strategy paid off and showcased what women can bring to the fight.

Acknowledging the security risks and threats faced by the whole population, rather than just the fighting population, is sound military strategy. This realization has been enshrined in UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and is influencing the way the Canadian government will make policy in the future. NATO also continues to implement that vision with its Women, Peace and Security initiative.

For the military to be at its strongest, it should recruit from the most diverse pool of applicants. The CAF have an interest in making military careers more attractive to women.

One way to achieve this is to redefine job requirements in the military to better reflect the physical standards that are actually needed for the job. The new physical aptitude test, called the FORCE evaluation, is an encouraging development. Reviewing job-specific fitness requirements goes a step further. Yes, that sometimes means adjusting the physical standards for certain positions so that the most qualified person (but not necessarily strongest physically) can accomplish it. Our cyberwarriors need not benchpress 400 pounds, but must have the acumen to operate on several different digital platforms. Opening jobs this way means more applicants and more competition for the position. It strengthens the military by increasing the recruitment pool, which makes sense for a country with an aging population. The military needs to recruit more women.

In the CAF, however, the mantra is that the military is blind to gender, meaning that a soldier is a soldier, male or female. That approach made sense when women were first integrated into the military, but the recent sexual assault cases remind us that gender does matter, actually. The gender-blind approach does not work.

So how can we truly make room for women in the CAF? Let’s use the opportunity provided by this external review to study Canadian military culture so that it can be shaped by both women and men in the future. It will also take outspoken individuals like Australia’s army chief who took a firm, public stand on the issue in his own country. Canadians can start by focusing on a core goal shared by all members of the CAF, namely how best to achieve military success. Hint: the answer involves women.

Stéfanie von Hlatky is Director of the Centre for International and Defence Policy at Queen’s University and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Studies. She is also the Board Chair of Women in International Security – Canada.

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/the-canadian-forces-cant-be-gender-blind

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PTSD Awareness March - No Man's Land

video:

PTSD Awareness March - No Man's Land

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdkJoeATBMo

Trnscription

14-0125 PTSD Awareness March - No Man's Land
(Fade up from black to bilingual Canadian Army logo.)
(Fade to black. Fade in music.)
( Fade up from black.)
(Wide shot of a man walking along a roadway.)
Steve Hartwig: My name is Steve Hartwig. I’m a veteran with PTSD.
(Cut to a medium shot of the man walking wearing a red T-shirt with ‘PTSD’ written on it.)
Steve Hartwig: Several years ago I had an idea that I wanted to help increase awareness about what PTSD is,
(Cut to a medium shot of the man standing in front of sign for CFB ASU Wainright.)
Steve Hartwig: the foundation of PTSD, how diagnosis happens and the care that’s received as well.
(Cut to a wide shot of the man walking with cars passing by.)
Steve Hartwig: I have a couple of very personal situations where I’m helping people with PTSD
(Cut to a medium shot of the man walking on the roadway.)
Steve Hartwig: and it’s helped my healing significantly; so the mentorship, I think, is really important and that, even on the march,
(Cut to a medium shot of the man standing in front of sign for CFB ASU Wainright.)
Steve Hartwig: I continue to be in touch with these people that I care very deeply about. I hope to bring the awareness and help other people share their stories.
(Cut to a medium shot of the man crouching and attaching a white wooden cross to his backpack.)
Steve Hartwig: This cross I carry I’m planting every 50 kilometers across Canada so it’ll be 1 cross that’ll have 150 stops.
(Cut to a medium shot of the man standing in front of sign for CFB ASU Wainright.)
Steve Hartwig: There are literally thousands of people that are dealing with PTSD every day, so I think the discomfort of marching is minimized when I think about the inspiration of all these people.
(Cut to a wide shot of the man walking across an intersection.)
(Cut to a wide shot of the man in the distance walking along a roadway.)
(Cut to a medium shot from behind the man with the large cross on his backpack prominently visible.)
Steve Hartwig: People that are associated with or in any type of front line service: military, law enforcement, ambulatory services, firefighters,
(Cut to a medium shot of the man standing in front of sign for CFB ASU Wainright.)
Steve Hartwig: the effects of trauma are, in some cases, long and lasting. Getting care immediately is very, very important. I urge all Canadians to take a look at PTSD in a more open-minded and open-hearted way.
(Cut to a medium shot from behind the man as he leaves the curb to resume his journey.)
(Fade to black. Fade to Title reading: Strong. Proud. Ready. Forts. Fiers. Prêts)(Fade to National Defence Identifier and copyright information. Fade to Canada wordmark.)

Video / July 23, 2014 / Project number: 14-0126

http://www.army-armee.forces.gc.ca/en/news-publications/national-news-details-no-menu.page?doc=ptsd-awareness-march-no-man-s-land/hxynhdeh

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BLOGGED: Clara's Big Ride 4 Mental Health- Let' Talk

CANADIAN OLYMPIAN- Clara Hughes Finishes Bike Ride -July 3 update-from the mouths of the children- JUNE 26 UPDATE- CANADA DAY'S COMING-JULY 1- GET UR CANADA ON -4 CANADA OLYMPIAN CLARA HUGHES BIG RIDE 4 MENTAL HEALTH FOLKS- send her tweets of support and love- Hey it’s Canada –Mental Health matters. NEWS UPDATES-Teen/Youth/PTSD/Abuse/Bullying stuff /Our Olympian Clara's completes journey 4mentalheal-let's talk-July 1- Clara's in Ottawa CANADA DAY 2014

http://nova0000scotia.blogspot.ca/2014/03/students-and-youth-are-stepping-up.html

Please share

pls share- Know some1 hurting? Sendupthe Count- WWW.MILNET.CA hashtag ?#?sendupthecount? nSOLDIERS4SOLDIERS 18553738387

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152706405126886&set=pb.627936885.-2207520000.1404387282.&type=3&theater

AND..

rVETSMATTER-soldier2soldier VETS CANADA- tollfree phone line, 1-888CAVETS1 (1-888-228-3871) call-in centre that serves the country http://thechronicleherald.ca/opinion/1182731-dunne-a-rescue-mission-for-troubled-vets …

AND..

Soldiers join forces to combat suicide and PTSD

'Send up the count' campaign encourages troops to stay in touch

By James Cudmore, CBC News Posted: Dec 12, 2013 5:11 PM ET Last Updated: Dec 13, 2013 10:14 AM ET

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/soldiers-join-forces-to-combat-suicide-and-ptsd-1.2461855

AND..

CANADA- A new toll-free support line, 1-855-373-8387, was launched today, established for soldiers by other soldiers

Canadian Forces ?@CanadianForces 1h

Mental health care is available and recovery possible - listen to your fellow #CAF members tell their stories- http://ow.ly/vf9qS

blogged:

WELCOME 2 CANADA- Come 2 Canada Irish youth- EU Youth-live and work -study- we'd love 2 have u-COME GET UR CANADA ON

http://nova0000scotia.blogspot.ca/2014/03/welcome-2-canada-come-2-canada-irish.html

Canadian Forces @CanadianForces 1h

Mental health care is available and recovery possible - listen to your fellow #CAF members tell their stories- http://ow.ly/vf9qS

SEND UP THE COUNT

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152706405126886&set=pb.627936885.-2207520000.1404387282.&type=3&theater

SOLDIERS OF SUICIDE

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152706407381886&set=pb.627936885.-2207520000.1404387282.&type=3&theater

CANADIANS REMEMBER

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152706408566886&set=pb.627936885.-2207520000.1404387282.&type=3&theater

RED FRIDAYS CANADA- TILL THEY ALL COME HOME

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152703569316886&set=pb.627936885.-2207520000.1404387792.&type=3&theater

HONOUR- OUR- TROOPS-

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152706406376886&set=pb.627936885.-2207520000.1404387282.&type=3&theater

MONCTON PROUD-

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152704995466886&set=pb.627936885.-2207520000.1404387426.&type=3&theater

CLARA'S BIG RIDE ACROSS CANADA 2 WAKE UP CANADIANS ON WIPING OUT STIGMA ON MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES- let's talk openly and often..... millions of teens, tweens, kids and youth are stepping up... as are millions and millions who put our troops at the forefront of 'we matter'

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152704991211886&set=pb.627936885.-2207520000.1404387426.&type=3&theater

AND...

#MilitaryMonday #Veterans #Women change your perception of what a #Veteran looks like @USArmy #SOT #SOV pic.twitter.com/Ujs23JMFdx

Don’t let Washington balance the budget on the backs of those who have served. #CutDebtNotVets

#MilitaryMonday #Veterans #Women change your perception of what a #Veteran looks like @USArmy #SOT #SOV pic.twitter.com/Ujs23JMFdx

Don’t let Washington balance the budget on the backs of those who have served. #CutDebtNotVets

AND..2011

6,000 American troops plus lost 2 suicide......

The Marines - Retired Marine walks 3400 Miles to raise Suicide In USA Military

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTft5GbAGX4

AND...

"A Creed for a Comrade"--In honor of suicide prevention month USA- EVERY MONTH IS SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzs5V9c_BJk

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We Are Canadian Soldiers

A TRIBUTE 2 THE PHILIPPIINES AND CANADIAN DART OFFENSE

A little old soldier’s humour...

Old Soldiers

1. Can cuss for a full ten minutes without ever repeating a word.
2. Know that “Cav” is an abnormal condition that can be cured with testosterone shots.
3. Can remember when there were real NCOs in the Army.
4. Will fight with bayonets and E-tools just to save ammo.
5. Wear Corcoran jump boots in garrison just in case they have to kick the shit out of some loudmouthed MP.
6. Have eyes in the backs of their heads.
7. Can see in the dark.
8. Would rather be a squad leader than a general.
9. Have wet dreams about leading a parachute assault on Baghdad.
10. Still don’t trust the Russians.
11. Still hate the French.
12. Will take vacation time just to make a pilgrimage to see Iron Mike.
13. Know who Iron Mike is.
14. Don’t give a damn about being politically correct.
15. Don’t know how to be politically correct.
16. Think that “politically correct” should fall under “sodomy” in the UCMJ.
17. Love deploying to combat because there’s less paperwork.
18. Can be found eating and bunking with the troops.
19. Can remember the “daily dozen.”
20. Can remember running PT in boots.
21. Have enough “fruit salad” on their greens to be Mexican field marshals.
22. Have enough time in service to retire as captains.
23. Think it’s cool to teach their kids how to do “SPORTS.”
24. Do not fear women in the military.
25. Would actually like to date GI Jane.
26. Are convinced that “wall-to-wall counseling” really works.
27. Think that Bradley crewmen are emasculated infantrymen.
28. Know that tankers exist in order to allow the enemy to deplete its basic load of sabot ammunition.
29. Know where the “Green Ramp” is.
30. Can remember who their “Ranger Buddy” was.
31. Know that there’s a difference between “giving orders” and “going through the orders process.”
32. Think that “slides” involve ropes and snap links.
33. Don’t like taking orders from a guy who couldn’t get a DD 214.
34. Still know how to PMCS a buffer.
35. Can field strip an M1 Garand, although an M14 is an authorized substitute.
36. Believe that they do have a rendezvous with destiny.
37. Know that most of life’s problems can be solved by applying the eight steady hold factors.
38. Know that the US Military was too stupid to have assassinated Kennedy.
39. Believe that “Nuts” wasn’t exactly all that BG McAuliffe said to the Krauts at Bastogne.
40. Think that we should develop nuke rounds for the M203.
41. Know the true meaning of the word Hooah.
42. Want both “Cross of Iron” and “Saving Private Ryan” to be training films.
43. Don’t know how to use a “stress card.”
44. Idolize John Wayne.
45. Know why you should carry two field dressings on your LBE.
46. Would rather have a “mad minute” than a “VTC.”
47. Shudder when they hear “Garry Owen.”
48. Know that the vertical buttstroke is not a sexual position.
49. Don’t believe that “AAFES” needs a “commander.”
50. Don’t need “leadership tabs” to know when they’re in charge.
51. Can pass a PT test slobbering drunk.
52. Can remember when two boys in bed together was wrong.
53. Don’t have to “do a Lewinski” to get a “one block.”
54. Don’t give a damn if they get a “one block.”
55. Won’t brief it if it’s too complicated to fit on a few 3 x 5 cards.
56. Would have paid money to watch Custer getting his clock cleaned.
57. Believe troops don’t really want the “Single Soldier Initiative.”
58. Really don’t like taking crap from those who haven’t “been there.”
59. Believe that “RHIP” was invented by individuals who couldn’t lead their way out of a field latrine.
60. Know how to properly construct a field latrine.
61. Can set the headspace and timing on a “fifty” by touch alone.
62. Know how to do a “daisy chain.”
63. Enjoy heating MREs with C4.
64. Might admire the Germans, but still realize they got their asses kicked.
65. Aren’t afraid of the Chinese, who probably still don’t have enough rowboats to invade Taiwan.
66. Would rather be OPFOR than MOPP4.
67. Know that the new OER system is as screwed up as the old one.
68. Think that the neutron bomb would be appropriate for the Bosnia scenario.
69. Realize that Reagan won the Gulf War.
70. Don’t believe a damn thing the Iraqis say.
71. Want to be like Teddy Roosevelt.
72. Love the smell of napalm in the morning.
73. Know that “napalm” is really called “incendi-gel.”
74. Don’t need a GPS to find themselves.
75. Think of Army aviators as guys who wear pajamas to work.
76. Know that it really is possible to crawl inside a Kevlar when someone’s shooting at you.
77. Have enough extra TA-50 in their closets to start a surplus store.
78. Would love to own their own HMMWV.
79. Believe that SMA McKinney got caught.
80. Think that MREs taste good.
81. Would like to see what kind of creature “ham and chicken loaf” comes from.
82. Realize that there were no starving people in Somalia.
83. Can remember open bay barracks.
84. Believe that “combat power on the objective” is a bunch of crap.
85. Believe that killing the enemy isn’t.
86. Know that “accuracy counts,” especially in combat.
87. Know the Ranger Creed by heart.
88. Still have jungle fatigues in their closets.
89. Never count on the artillery in a clutch.
90. Believe that terrorists can be taken care of for 32 cents each (the cost of a 9mm round).
91. Would love to go to sniper school.
92. Have more time on a static line than most other soldiers have in the chow line.
93. Know what a “link count” is.94. Realize that volleyball is the most important subject taught at CAS3.
95. Know that it’s not real coffee if you can’t stand a track jack up in it.
96. Don’t need a “MCOO” to know where the enemy will come from.
97. Remember when the “men were men” and the “women were women.”
98. Don’t blame poor marksmanship on their M16.
99. Know that crappy leaders will always say they have crappy soldiers.