5.01.11 We got him!

UBL is dead. Finally. OutFreakinStanding! And by "we", I mean the United States of America. Specifically, Seal Team Six with some help from the 160th SOAR Nightstalkers and probably a whole bunch of other folks behind the scenes. "Thank you" does not seem like nearly enough to say, but Thank You all the same, all of you who made it happen, from a Brother Warrior.

And now, to the politicians and others out there who have been busy wringing their hands about us killing an unarmed terrorist, get over yourselves. Or those of you worrying about offending muslims. Really? We are at war. This war is not over simply because Bin Laden is dead. Usama Bin Laden was pure evil and needed to be destroyed. The trash needed to be taken out, and it was, thanks to our military. But this war is going to continue for a long time, and more of it will likely be fought here. Some of it already has been, but your destructive political correctness and desire to appease the islamists will not acknowledge that. Now more than ever, it's time to stand up, stand to, and be ready.

9.11.01 Never, Ever Forget...

This morning I found myself sitting in front of the tube having a cup of coffee and watching some of the memorial going on at Ground Zero. My 13 year old granddaughter came in and sat next to me in time to see some of the video from That Day.. the towers being hit and coming down, the people running down the streets trying to escape the collapse. One of the many pictures that got a strong reaction from her was of a man, coated in gray dust, dazed, walking away from the scene. You couldn't tell what color he was, what color his clothes were.. he was just solid gray. An innocent American citizen, who had just survived the attack. When she asked me "Papa, why did they do that?" I tried to explain to her, in a thousand words or less, what had happened on That Day, and why we are at war now.

I realized that it was going to take a lot more of my time than one sitting to get it all across to her, and vowed to my self to make that happen soon. To be sure she has an understanding, at least as much as a 13 year old can, of the events of That Day. I owe it to her, and to the memory of 2,996 Americans who did not survive the attacks.

Force Science Institute training...

I just returned from a week long training school hosted by San Jose PD, the Force Science Institute's Use of Force Analysis certification course. Talk about an intense course.. Forty hours of training from some of the top minds in the field of human behavioral science studies as they relate to deadly force encounters.

An absolutely incredible week.. my sincere thanks to to Dr. Bill Lewinski and the FSRC staff.

A link to the Force Science Institute is: www.forcescience.org

So, this friend of mine said...

Recently, a friend told me that the reason to have a blog is to write something...

"You Shall Not Be Afraid..."

From the Wall Street Journal, the caption reads: "RESCUE AND PROTECT: Staff Sgt. Edward Rosa reads the Bible and extends a cigarette to Pfc. Jorge Rostran Obando, who was stunned by an explosion in Afghanistan's Arghanab Valley. One comrade was killed and two injured in the blast. Pfc. Rostran asked the sergeant to read Psalm 91, a favorite from his childhood."

A warrior giving aid and comfort to a brother warrior.

One of the lessons I learned early on, as a young deputy sheriff, was that we always looked out for one another. We might not necessarily even like each other off the playing field, but when things went ugly we all knew we had each others' six. This lesson was taught to me when I was fortunate enough to be assigned to a resident post with four other deputies, all much senior to me, all with prior military experience, and several with combat time in Vietnam.

Later in my career, that lesson was repeated again to me by one of my SWAT instructors and was probably more eloquently and simply put than I've heard it anywhere else:

"Fellas, when it comes down to it you're not doing it for Queen and Country... you're doing it for your mates." - Phil Singleton, formerly of the 22nd SAS.

I have carried that lesson, along with many others, throughout my career, and passed it on to the young officers I have trained.

I will say of the Lord,
"He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust."

Godspeed to the warrior who was KIA. A speedy and sure recovery to the two WIA's, and God bless and watch over all of them and their families.

My Quote for the Year, from Kipling...

This pretty much sums it up for me at the moment:

"A man can never have too much red wine, too many books, or too much ammunition"

Rudyard Kipling

June 6, 1944, D Day

I was outside working most of the day yesterday so I didn't get a chance to write until this morning. Off and on during the day I found myself thinking about the Allied invasion at Normandy on June 6, 1944. An incredible, audacious assault by the Allies against the German war machine in an attempt to liberate Northwestern Europe from the clutches of Hitler.

We all know what the outcome was. The Allied forces prevailed but not without tremendous losses: Approximately 10,000 total Allied casualties, KIA, MIA, wounded or captured. 2499 Killed In Action from the United States alone. The bravery and sacrifice of these men, what they did for us and for the people of Europe should never, ever be forgotten.

Saving Private Ryan should be required viewing by every American school student. I know... it's just Hollywood, not reality. But every once in a great while even they get it right. And if it helps to keep alive the memory of our battles, achievements, our veterans and our fallen, then I'm OK with that.

The WWII Fallen from the Greatest Generation... what would they think of us now, what we have become? America is truly the greatest nation this earth has seen, a bright light of freedom shining through the darkness. It is the American soldier who made it so, and keeps making it so. I've heard the word "hero" used an awful lot these days. These men were truly heroes. In the days and years ahead, remember them and honor what they gave us.