Monday, August 01, 2011

The fallen, veterans and service members

David VanCamp was among the 15 US soldiers who died in the Iraq War in June. WTOV reports that, at Arlington National Cemetery today, he will be buried and tha a procession led by the Patriot Guard Riders started yesterday. Shelly Hanson (Wheeling News-Register)notes his survivors include "his wife Chelsea, parents Donald and Linda, brothers Donald, Dennis and Daniel" and Hanson notes that VanCamp was wounded while serving in Iraq in 2006 "wanted to go back to Iraq" for another tour of duty. Lindsey Bumworth (WDTV) offers a video report of the West Virginia Patriot Guard Riders taking part in the procession.

Matt Armstrong (Journal-News) reports on Iraq War veteran Thomas Pierce:

"It ages you, I feel like I'm 60 years old," Pierce said. "They say, I forgot the exact numbers ... but one year in the military is actually like three years in a normal person's life, and then being overseas one year is like four years, and it feels like it because it takes a toll. The sun, everything, it just wears you out."
Pierce was injured by an improvised explosive device on his birthday in 2006 while in Iraq, for which he was awarded the Purple Heart. Pierce was injured while his squad was pursuing suspects in a mortar attack on their position, he said.
"We start chasing them, and it's a narrow canal, like you barely have enough room for your Humvee. ... I told my squad leader to look to the right while I'm shooting to the left," Pierce said. "There was a yellow bag tied to a duck weed, and that's what they used to mark the IED. ... It blew up half the Humvee's engine, threw me back in the turret, burnt half my face."
While he was qualified to receive the Purple Heart, Pierce said he felt like he shouldn't have received it because his injuries weren't as severe as those of other soldiers.
"I never lost a limb, thank God. ... That's why I felt bad," he said. "You got people out there that ... they get the Purple Heart, (and) I think they deserve it."

Meanwhile Sgt T.J. Doerner is back from Iraq. Eloise Ogden (Minot Daily News) reports he thought he would be returning for a few weeks only but a flood in his hometown of Minot changed that:

The siren sounded in Minot on Wednesday, June 22, alerting everyone in the flood zone that they had to leave. The swollen Souris River had overtopped levees several hours ahead of the evacuation deadline and the worst flood to ever hit the city now was on its way here.
T.J.'s bosses at Minot AFB and in Iraq decided he should return to North Dakota. "I was allowed to fly home on emergency leave with the option of going back. If I got here, was able to sort things out - it was naive of me to believe I could sort all of this out in a couple weeks - I would be allowed to go back to Iraq and finish out my tour there."
But as it turns out, "I'm back here for good now," he added.
He now lives in the base shelter for flood evacuees - military members and their families. The former alert facility was set up as the shelter.

Isaiah's The World Today Just Nuts "Presidential Stature" went up yesterday as did Kat's "Kat's Korner: Talent breaks free, EMI suffers." Law and Disorder Radio begins airing this morning on WBAI at 9:00 am and all around the country throughout the week. Attorneys Heidi Boghosian, Michael S. Smith and Michael Ratner (Center for Constitutional Rights) host the program and the developments at the top of the show are worth listening to and then some. A long interview then follows with bitter Marxist Richard Wolff whose bitterness poisons his insights. I know Paul Krugman and will often critize him for being too acoomdating to Democrats in power (currently Barack) but I would never say that he has a "very mistaken way of thinking" and would tend to doubt an 'economist' who claimed Krugman didn't understand Kensian economics. I aslo don't think a left economist is tarring the Tea Party as "loony" by explaining that Wall Street is against them. (Wall Street's against them! Oh, a victory!) Wolff was worthless on Democracy Now last week except when Juan Gonzalez pinned him down (as Ava and I pointed out) and he's just as awful here. The hosts do the best they can with a fossil who is out of touch and has nothing of value to contribute today. If you wonder why Doug Henwood was run off WBAI and a spot was found for Wolff, the reason is that Wolff whores for Barack and Doug refuses to. The topics being addressed on Law & Disorder -- or what the hosts are attempting to address -- were covered Saturday by Doug and Brad DeLong on Behind The News (click here for KPFA archived broadcast).

the first half is an excellent speech given by Michael Ratner. I do not promote nor recommend

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