This ain't Hell, but you can see it from here …but you can see it from here

The Military Times reports that the Defense Department is preparing to send a report to Congress that was two years in the writing. According to Military Times the report touts Reserve Forces as more cost effective than a large active duty fighting force;

According to a draft copy of the report obtained by Military Times, the Pentagon analysis concludes that Guard and Reserve troops not only are cheaper when in drilling status but also when fully mobilized, in part because their overall compensation is lower when taking into account noncash benefits such as retirement accrual and health care.

Moreover, the overall costs for outfitting units with reservists are lower because part-time troops do not tap many military perks such as family housing, DoD schools, installation-based family support and the moving stipends that active-duty troops get every few years when they are reassigned, according to the draft report.

Yeah, it’s as if Task Force Smith, Kaserine Pass and the First Battle of Bull Run never happened. I have nothing against the Reserves, but even they’ll admit their training is lacking compared to the active duty force.

During Desert Storm, reservist combat units were called up in case war went on longer than it did and in the months during the train up, none of the reserve units, as far as I know met the standard required before they were certified for combat. There was a buttload of reservists who went AWOL at Fort Hood during their training. I’m sure with the current crop that wouldn’t happen. I have more confidence in reservists today than I did the reservists of my days – but so much has changed since then. And this is a return to those old days.

It appears that the only thing the Defense Department is defending these days are their jobs in the Pentagon. They’re certainly not defending this nation in any recognizable form;

The Pentagon disavowed the draft copy obtained by Military Times, dated April 26, 2013.

“The draft report was released prematurely and there are some inaccuracies; the department does not stand by it,” said DoD spokeswoman Lt. Col. Elizabeth Robbins. “We cannot comment on the report prior to the final version being completed and sent to Congress.”

But a Pentagon official who spoke on condition of anonymity said the data appear finalized even if the language that fleshes out the 34-page report may undergo further revisions. Congress passed a law in 2011 requiring DoD to draw up the analysis, but it remains unclear when an official version will be finalized and released publicly.

Remember when they were talking about drawing down the active force before Desert Storm, and some units had to be reconstituted in the midst of their deactivation to respond to Saddam Hussein, but at least they had a large, trained active force to deploy and the only reservists were support units. How are we going to respond to threats in 2016?

I know I could drop a grenade among the whole group here and not hit a Katie Couric fan, but the folks over at the Katie Show sent us a message that she’s saluting the troops Thursday in preparation for Memorial Day (which I just discovered is the 27th not the 31st this year and it’s the 26th next year) so I thought I’d pass the information along to y’all;

“Katie” salutes our troops and shares amazing stories from the front lines and the homefront in a special episode leading up to Memorial Day, which will be broadcast THURSDAY, MAY 23 (check local listings/ or www.katiecouric.com).

Highlights from the show include:

· The first female soldier amputee of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Melissa Stockwell, tells her story…from wounded warrior to Paralympics champion.

· Sergeant Paul Horton, a bomb specialist who served four combat tours, describes his harrowing battle with PTSD and explains how big the problem is for many men and women returning from active duty.

· ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff discusses his own recovery after a life-threatening injury while covering the Iraq war, and some of the heroes he met along the way.

· Veteran Jaspen Boothe’s crusade to help fellow female solders find work and housing through her “Final Salute” program.

· Meet “The Smileys.” One mom from Maine got creative when her husband was deployed, and created an unforgettable year of special dinners for their three boys. She writes about the experiences and the incredible guests who joined them in the book, Dinner with the Smileys.

I know what you’re going to say, but if we boycott these folks when they do things we don’t like, we have to support them when they do good things, right?

Someone at the American Legion sent us this link to a PRNewswire link;

The American Legion announced that it is allocating $1 million to veterans affected by the tornadoes in Oklahoma. The money will be used to cover relocation expenses for veterans and their families whose homes were devastated by the disaster.

The American Legion, the nation’s largest veterans organization, has previously assisted emergency efforts following Hurricane Sandy, Hurricane Katrina and other natural disasters.

The American Legion has set up a hotline for veterans needing emergency assistance. They can call 1-800-504-4098. If they have legal custody of minor children, they can seek help though the Legion’s Temporary Financial Assistance Program. Veterans without children can seek assistance through The American Legion National Emergency Fund. Individuals wishing to donate to The American Legion National Emergency Fund should call 1-800-253-7000, donate online at www.legion.org/emergency/help or mail checks to The American Legion NEF, PO Box 1055, Indianapolis, IN 46206.

Arby sent us a link to an NBC story which reports that, although it’s almost a foregone conclusion that Nidal Hasan is guilty of at least thirteen counts of murder and scores of counts of attempted murder, he’s still rolling in dough;

The Department of Defense confirms to NBC 5 Investigates that accused Fort Hood shooter Major Nidal Hasan has now been paid more than $278,000 since the Nov. 5, 2009 shooting that left 13 dead 32 injured. The Army said under the Military Code of Justice, Hasan’s salary cannot be suspended unless he is proven guilty.

If Hasan had been a civilian defense department employee, NBC 5 Investigates has learned, the Army could have suspended his pay after just seven days.

Personnel rules for most civilian government workers allow for “indefinite suspensions” in cases “when the agency has reasonable cause to believe that the employee has committed a crime for which a sentence of imprisonment may be imposed.”

Meanwhile, his victims struggle with their injuries as Hasan and his lawyers make a joke out of the military justice system. If the moron won’t shave his beard off in keeping with Army regulations, why does the Army have to pay him, FFS?

“There have been times when my wife and I cannot afford groceries. We cannot afford gas in our car,” [one of Hasan's victims, Army Spc. Logan] Burnett said. “Literally, times where we ate Ramen noodles for weeks on end. This [that Hasan is still earning a paycheck] makes me sick to my stomach,” said Burnett.

Burnett isn’t alone in his outrage.

“We’re giving the defendant in this case every benefit of the doubt. But yet we’re not giving the benefits to the victims,” said Rep. Thomas Rooney (R) Florida

Rooney, a former prosecutor at Fort Hood, recently signed a bi-partisan letter urging defense secretary Chuck Hagel to “…reclassify the victims’ deaths and injuries as ‘combat related’…”

The letter said the current situation has “…resulted in an embarrassing lack of care and treatment for the victims and their families.”

If the Army ever acquires the testicular fortitude to execute Hasan, they’ll probably pay his SGLI benefit to his bereaved family.

Lest you forget who Royston Potter is, here he is talking about his awesome military records:

This came to the fore because he believes that the Boston Bombing was perpetrated by unknown special operators:

In a previous article, we at This Ain’t Hell have questioned the military background and credentials of Royston Edward Potter.  Due to his admitted background as a self-acknowledged polygamist who went public, was fired from his job as a police officer as a result, and even took the State of Utah to Federal court in a challenge to Utah’s bigamy laws (where he lost), we were reluctant to believe that he actually was a military retiree.

We were wrong.  We have received a reply to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) from the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC), in Saint Louis, Missouri.  They are the official repository for all records of Federal military service.  If the records aren’t there, well, there’s no record of it happening – so it probably didn’t happen in Federal military service.

We wish to state, for the record, that per information releasable under the FOIA from your official records on file at NPRC, Royston Edward Potter is indeed a retired LTC, US Army Reserve.  And his career is simply amazing.

In 28 years combined Active and Reserve Component service, according to his official military records on file at NPRC, he even received medals.  He has the Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal; the National Defense Service Medal, for serving on Active Duty after 11 September 2001; the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, for a tour in Bosnia (the same tour for which he received the National Defense Service Medal); and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Bronze Hourglass and “M-device”, also received for his tour in Bosnia (we presume the first listing for the AFRM on his FOIA reply indicates receipt of the medal for performing 10 years of qualifying Reserve Component service in a 12 year period).  He also rates the Army Reserve Components Overseas Ribbon – indicating he performed Reserve training in an overseas location, probably Japan, and the Army Service Ribbon.

That’s it.  Per his official records, Potter received absolutely no personal decorations for merit or valor whatsoever, not even an Army or Joint Achievement Medal.  All items on his massive and hugely impressive rack of six (6) total ribbons are for service vice meritorious performance or valor – what one might call “been there” badges, were one inclined to do use that term.

Yea, verily, that is correct:  Royston Edward Potter’s highest decoration is the Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal.  That is the Army Reserve and Army National Guard rough equivalent of the Good Conduct Medal for the Selected Reserve, except that officers are also eligible to receive it.  Receiving it requires nothing more than serving in a Troop Program Unit (TPU) or Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) position for either 3 or 4 consecutive years (depending on the date), provided said years qualify for Reserve Retirement and the soldier’s disciplinary record is clean.  See paragraphs 4-14 and 4-18 of AR 600-8-22 for the specific eligibility criteria.

In our experience, this may be a rare if not singular and unique achievement.  I have personally never before heard of anyone retiring after a 28-year career with no personal decorations whatsoever – not even an Achievement Medal.  And certainly not one who retired at the exalted rank of Lieutenant Colonel!

We therefore humbly beg your forgiveness, Royston Edward Potter – oh most exalted and talented retired LTC with no decorations for merit or valor and no deployments to combat or a bona fide designated combat zone.  (Bosnia was designated by Congress as a Qualified Hazardous Duty Area, to be treated as if it were a combat zone, by PL 104-117; it was never designated a Combat Zone by DoD.)

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Washington Times‘ Bill Gertz writes that US leaders in Afghanistan are anticipating an upswing in green-on-blue attacks in the coming months, mostly because the Taliban says they’re going to use that as part of their strategy to drive the infidels from their country, or something;

Pentagon spokesman Cmdr. Bill Speaks said the military is aware of the threat.

“As we approach the traditional fighting season, the frequency of insider attacks is likely to increase,” Speaks said. “But we will not allow this insidious tactic to erode our will to complete the mission or hinder our partnership with the [Afghan National Security Forces] in defeating those who threaten Afghanistan’s future.”

Sixty-two coalition troops were killed in 46 attacks in 2012, Speaks said, noting that from 2007 to 2011, 42 insider attacks resulted in 69 coalition deaths. A total of 34 Americans were killed by the method last year.

Well, there’s cure for that; while the Afghan troops and police are near US troops make them remove their magazines – that’s what they did to US troops which caused this mess in the first place. As soon as US forces were allowed to carry weapons and have them loaded, that nonsense ended, almost completely, last year. So take the strategy a step further.

When the US and Afghans are on joint operations, then you can use your “guardian angels”, or whatever you want to call them, to keep the Afghans covered in case they get offended over seeing the soles of someone’s boots or something and start blasting away.

They can also change the name from “guardian angels” to “avenging demons of Darth Cheney” or something more sinister to actually strike fear in the hearts of the superstitious prospective turncoats. The time for pussy-footing around with these people has passed. They obviously aren’t interested in protecting US forces in their country, the country we handed to them, so why make a show that we trust them when we really shouldn’t.

Am I missing anyone?

USassyMC
LostBoys
pineywoods
lucky
Nicki
ROS
Doc Bailey
Sam from the Corn
Average NCO
MSGTAF
AW1Tim
Green Thumb
Old Trooper

All of you should have received an email with teh info. If you did not, or if someone out there also wants to be on teh committee, just leave a comment here, be sure to include your email in the block that asks for it.

The Albany Times-Union reports that New York’s legacy governor Cuomo recently called his state’s sheriffs to Albany. They thought that he was asking them to discuss the letter they sent him with recommendations to change NYS’ onerous SAFE Act, a restrictive new gun bill that Cuomo and his cronies shoved down the throats of New Yorkers. However, that’s not the reason the sheriffs were summoned to the court of the prince of New York;

Instead, Cuomo pushed the sheriffs to stop publicly speaking out against the act, Moss said.

“The governor was of the opinion that the sheriffs around the state should not be interjecting their personal opinions in reference to the law,” Moss said, adding that Cuomo said sheriffs can’t do that and enforce the law.

One person briefed on the meeting said Cuomo threatened to remove sheriffs from office, a little-used power afforded the state’s chief executive under the state constitution. Moss would not confirm this. He did say the meeting was heated at times, but overall he described it as “cordial.”

Kehoe did not return calls, and Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi declined to comment. An administration official, speaking anonymously because he was not authorized to discuss a private meeting, “strongly” denied Cuomo had threatened to remove any sheriff.

Last week, the Sheriffs’ Association as well as several elected sheriffs filed an amicus curiae brief supporting a federal challenge to the SAFE Act.

Yeah, I’m sure that Cuomo’s bullying tactics, the same bullying tactics he used to get the massively flawed bill through the legislature will work so well against the State’s sheriffs. I’m sure they’re shaking in their boots. Maybe Andrew should tell his daddy on them, too.

The Associated Press reports that the House has passed the latest version of the Stolen Valor Act in a 390-3 vote. 40 members of Congress didn’t vote, the three who voted against it were Justin Amash (R-MI), Paul Broun (R-GA), and Thomas Massie (R-KY). Here’s the roll call vote.

This is probably the best bill that we could get, considering that the Supreme Court said that last version violated the First Amendment. But, as I’ve said in the past the bill, is just a lawyer employment act. The bill, which amends Section 704 of title 18, United States Code, says;

Fraudulent Representations About Receipt of Military Decorations or Medals- Whoever, with intent to obtain money, property, or other tangible benefit, fraudulently holds oneself out to be a recipient of a decoration or medal described in subsection (c)(2) or (d) shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than one year, or both.’

What is a “tangible benefit”? Can it include scoring with a hot chick in a bar with whom you wouldn’t have had a shot without your phony SEAL persona? I’ve had two car salesmen tell me they were Special Forces in order to convince me that I should buy a car from them. Is that a tangible benefit?

There is a bill in the Senate, S.210, with similar language awaiting a vote. The bill certainly won’t hinder our work here at This Ain’t Hell, mostly because of the ambiguous language. The Valor thieves misinterpreted the Supreme Court’s decision, you can count on them thinking they’re smarter than Congress, too.

ECHO…Echo…echo…

DU to AP: You should put some ice on that.

Set Phasers to Politics

Semi-automatic stupidity

…that sandwich isn’t going to make itself, sweetie.

Ugh. Poetry. Bad poetry…as if there’s another kind.

Go with the Flow.

Smarter than the average DUmbass

Altered state

Rovian

Scandal? What scandal?

“Fake” outrage?

A tax on the stupid.

Why not hot chicks?

News flash: Ted Rall is still a colossal douche.

Greedy hospitals want poor people to die.

Dan the poofter

BOOM, headshot.

Urban Outdoorsmen

Trial by DUry

Global Climate Warming Hope & Change

Policy of truth