Vandal

Looks like Berkley pussed out. The Marines can chalk up another point against the Hippies of Berkley. Berkeley City Council Retreats From Anti-Marines Offensive, Voices Support for Troops Wednesday, February 13, 2008 BERKELEY, Calif. — City councilmembers who were heavily criticized for telling Marine recruiters they don't belong here have moderated their position, saying they oppose the war in Iraq but support the troops. Berkeley's City Council voted two weeks ago to send a letter to a downtown recruiting station advising the U.S. Marines they are not welcome. After a marathon session that stretched into early Wednesday, the council decided not to send the letter, saying they recognize recruiters' right to be in Berkeley. The council said they still strongly oppose the war and the recruitment of young people into it, but "deeply respect and support" the men and women of the armed forces. • View photos of protests staged at Berkeley City Hall Some on the council had pushed for issuing an apology. But others rejected that, saying they just wanted to clarify their position. Councilwoman Linda Maio said the council opposes recruitment, not the military. "It's behavior that we oppose, not the people," she said. The meeting drew hundreds of people on both sides of the issue who rallied from dawn until well into the night outside City Hall. Inside the chamber, scores of speakers addressed the council. Some decried the council's earlier action. "You owe our military an apology," said Kevin Graves, a San Francisco Bay area resident who said his son died serving in Iraq. But others applauded the council's stand. Medea Benjamin, co-founder of the anti-war group Code Pink, said her group supports the troops — "we support them so much that we're desperate to get them back home." In rallies outside, members of the pro-military group Move America Forward waved flags and held signs including "Boycott Berkeley for Bashing Our Boys" and "Support our Troops." Meanwhile, protesters with Code Pink waved signs saying "Peace Now" and "Bring Our Troops Home." At its height, police estimated the crowd at about 2,000. A handful of people were arrested for scuffles between protesters, said Berkeley police spokeswoman Sgt. Mary Kusmiss. The recruiting office opened in Berkeley in late 2006 and operated quietly until four months ago when Code Pink began holding regular protests. The City Council's initial vote Jan. 29 outraged several lawmakers, who have threatened to withhold millions in state and federal money destined for Berkeley. On Tuesday, more than 40 House Republican members asked President Bush to immediately rescind over $2 million in earmarks awarded to Berkeley.

From Fox News via Toledo Ohio Mayor to Marines: Training Would 'Frighten People' Saturday , February 09, 2008 An Ohio mayor had a stern order for a company of Marine Corps Reservists: Get out. The Toledo Blade reports that Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner ordered the Marines out Friday as their buses were arriving for a three-day training mission in the city, where they have periodically trained since 2004. The 200 Marines, based in Grand Rapids, Mich., had planned to participate in urban patrol exercises in downtown streets and a vacant building, according to the Blade, which reports that past exercises have included mock gun fights, ambushes and the firing of blank ammunition to simulate urban combat. Finkbeiner said that would be alarming. "The mayor asked them to leave because they frighten people," Brian Schwartz, the mayor's spokesman, told the newspaper. "He did not want them practicing and drilling in a highly visible area." Toledo police knew of the plan days in advance, but Finkbeiner apparently didn't, the Blade reports. The Marines turned around and went home to Grand Rapids. This isn't the first a city has given Marines the cold shoulder. The City Council in Berkeley, Calif., voted last week to send a message to Marine recruiters that they weren't welcome in the city because of the military's "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy toward gay servicemen and servicewomen. Following a public uproar, Mayor Tom Bates issued an apology Wednesday to military personnel for any personal offense taken by the council's actions, according to a report in the San Jose Mercury News.

From the AP. I think it is time the feds started pulling out their funding for that place. Cut federal highway funding to the state and punish the whole for the actions of a few. Ya know like the AF has been known to do. You jack up the highways in CA and the whole damn state will grind to a halt. The Associated Press Posted : Tuesday Feb 5, 2008 11:37:13 EST BERKELEY, Calif. — Two Berkeley City Council members want the city to rescind a declaration that says the Marine recruiting center is not welcome in Berkeley. Council members Betty Olds and Lauri Capitelli have proposed backing off the anti-Marines declaration and publicly declaring that Berkeley opposes the war in Iraq but supports the troops. The controversy erupted last week after the City Council passed an item condemning the Marines’ downtown recruiting center. The declaration angered right-wing groups and prompted a Republican senator to try to cut off federal funding for Berkeley. The City Council will vote on the new proposals next week.

I wanted the Pats to win, but that had to be one of the best 4th quarters I have ever seen. Oh can't forget that Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers kicked ass!

I have had this for a while and it needs to make appearance here. This is a satirical piece about all those who think they are uber-tactical badasses for packing heat to help defend the world. So there I was....what really happens to tactical "tools" in a fight As I was leaving my house I stuffed my Glock 10mm "man gun" mexican style in my pants. My backup is a fully customized 1911 with all the IPSC add on options in my $500.00 leather pancake holster custom made by Belgian Monks who have devoted their lives to silence and holster making. These are the ones used by SEAL Team 6, which I used to be a part of but all records of my activities were destroyed in a fire "accident". I put on my Royal Robbins photographer vest to match my pants while wearing a T-Shirt underneath reading "from my cold dead hands", that away nobody can see what I'm packing. I had my Centinial .38 Special in my ankle holster, just like the gun rag guys carry. Lastly I had my "Covert Sniper" I.D. Card in my wallet with my "Concealed Weapons Permit Badge". I was reading for anything. I drove my Bug Out Truck to the 7-11 for some beer, cause you never know. It is a performance styled Subaru BRAT with 4 cylinders of ground pounding fury. I pull up to the 7-11 store and notice a nefarious looking girlscout eyeballing me from the back of her mother's SUV. A likely cover. The mother returned to the truck and went for the keys in her purse, but I knew from my years of combat honed instincts that she was actually making a furtive movement for an offensive weapon. I attempted a tactical shoulder roll, but fell flat on my face, kind of flopping on the pavement to avoid any incomming rounds and to make look like I meant to do that. The store owner called 911 which is good because I then did a roll and attempted to draw my Glock. Unfortunantly, since I did not have a holster, the gun "went off" and the bullet creased my weaner. But I was prepared for that and bit down on a 9mm casing to take my mind off the pain as I dove for the garbage barrel. Thats when I noticed the girlscout shouting somthing to her mother who began to take cover. I knew they were closing on me so I drew my custom trusty 1911 Wilson COMBAT....I knew that they would be impressed with that. I then duckwalked to the front of her SUV but my gut kinda got in the way and I fell on my ass, which caused me to swallow my 9mm casing. I then tried to roll to my right, but didn't want to scuff my holster so I just threw myself into telephone pole, but I landed on right side anyway. So I fired one shot towards the womans SUV to pin them down as I recovered my wind. And before the mother knew what was happening, I charged her and I threw my groin into her knee. I knew that as I vomited on the ground in front of her that I had interupted her OODA loop, I had the advantage now. As she ran screaming for the girlscout (I knew she was going for backup) I made for my Super Charged BRAT tactical truck. I jumped into the driver seat forgeting that I had left my rare Israeli contract AR 15 Bayonet on the seat honed to a razors edge. I could handle it though, half my ass is an implant from war wounds. As I attempted to start my truck police and paramedics arrived on the scene. My truck would not start and instead backfired once and caused the police to tase me. At which point I tactically soiled myself while in convulsions. My custom 1911 then fell window but I still had my Centenial .38. I knew that I had to take out the woman with the purse. So I aimed my revolver at her at which point the first police officer fired once striking me in the chest, fortunantly I was wearing my level 3A body armor. I didn't want to hurt the cops, they had obviously been duped by the evil temptress who was now embracing her partner in crime and crying to the police in the background, I knew it was a ruse. I pulled out my concealed weapons permit badge and showed it to the officer who shot me and yelled out "I'm one of you guys", he continued to cover me and ordered me to drop my .38 so I layed it down, I still had my bayonet after all, attached to my ass. The cop walked toward me and upon reading the badge maced me right in the eyes. Fortunantly my Oakly shooting glasses stopped most of the spray and I was able to rip free of the taser cords easily, it only cost me one nipple, easily replaced. I dove for the passanger side of my truck and began to run zig zag for a ditch, unfortunantly the bayonet sticking out of my ass slowed me down, I knew it would have to be hand to had now. I knew the cop couldn't take me when I saw here merely carried a Glock 17, not a mans gun. So I immediatly threw my eye into his right hook, followed by a knee into his mag light. As I lay thrashing on the ground I took the heel of my Bates enforcer boot and kicked at the cops ankle, I knew that from my classified experiences in Tajikistan that once breaking the ankle, the cop would fall down and I could "stun kick" him in the head, knocking him out but not hurting him. Apparantly the cop had also been to Tajikistan because he side steped me and struck me in the back with his ASP baton, but my trauma plate absorbed it. I then drew my Benchmade auto knife and was promptly tased again, but I was ready for it this time and only wet myself a little bit. Next thing those cops knew I was unconcious. That'll teach 'em.

From the AF website Officials move ROTC field training to Maxwell by Carl Bergquist Air University Public Affairs 2/1/2008 - MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. (AFPN) -- Air Force officials here recently announced all ROTC field training is moving to Maxwell Air Force Base beginning the summer of 2008. Last summer's ROTC schedule included three encampments here and three encampments at Ellsworth AFB, S.D., but this year will mark the first time all encampments will take place at one location. In addition to the move, officials are revamping the training curriculum to incorporate 11 days of training at Maxwell AFB's Officer Training School, six days at Maxwell's Blue Thunder Training Complex, and six days at the Joint Force Training Center in Hattiesburg, Miss. Instructors will conduct primarily in-class instruction at the OTS portion, but training at the Blue Thunder complex and JFTC involves extensive deployment and expeditionary training in response to Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T Michael Moseley's desire to instill a strong "warrior ethos" mindset among Airmen. "Our biggest challenge is getting airlift support to take cadets to the JFTC," said Maj. John Carros, the Air Force ROTC chief of training. "We have a commitment from the 908th Airlift Wing at Maxwell AFB, but we are also working with the Air Force Reserve to get additional commitments from other air mobility units." Lt. Col. Guy Parker, the ROTC Director of Operations, said he and Army Col. Earnest Shows, the JFTC commander, are looking forward to building a long-term partnership to benefit Air Force ROTC and its training program. Training capabilities at the JFTC include four forward operating bases, simulated Southwest Asian cities, a C-130 Hercules runway and C-17 Globemaster III assault strip, live-fire weapons ranges, convoy operation areas, a land navigation course and base defense training areas. "We are leveraging their expertise for our cadets, and some of the most current lessons from the war can be learned at the JFTC facility," Colonel Parker said. Other obstacles cadre members are overcoming include plans for adverse weather; medical support; and a lack of dormitory space, Major Carros said. While dormitory-expansion plans are in the works, cadre members developed overlapping encampments to provide adequate living quarters for incoming cadets. As a result, six field training classes will overlap during this summer's encampments. The plan is a "temporary, tactical solution to a strategic problem," Colonel Parker said. A cadre of more than 70 people will run each encampment, with O-6s filling the commander and vice commander positions. Air Force leaders said they consider the transformation as the most significant change to Air Force ROTC training in the last 60 years.

In the word of Charleton Heston "NOOOOO!!!!"

Wannabe, it's time to take Seacrest out! Aren't the writers still on strike?

airdrop them into afghanistan for the needy to feed off of.

M2, I am a member of the xdtalk forums and they are amazing. I have looked at getting a GI but don't really want to start with one, it is a little to basic for my tastes. If I could find a gently used Springer 1911 Loaded I would jump on it as that is basically what I want but I an not to excited about dropping 800+ for a new one on a college kid's funding.

Nothing on the KPD, but if you want tactical tupperware go with the xD line, Smith and Wesson M&P or Glock; something proven. Lots of stuff out there for all of them and Kimber seems to have tossed something together to try and compete. This comes from not reading any reviews, but their entry into the polymer market is not something I ever thought I would see. I think the KPD is a mythical beast in the gun world. I have yet to see one at my local gun shops or the 2 Cabelas I visit frequently.

I am going to bump this thread instead of starting a new one. I am the proud owner of a Springfield xD45 and it is my daily carry weapon. Now I am looking into getting a entry level 1911 of some kind. Currently, I am looking at the Taurus PT1911 Stainless. I like the features it has ambi-safety, extended beavertail, Heine Straight 8 sights and the list goes on and I can pick on up locally for about $580, MSRP is $800. Is there anyone on the boards who has one and what are your impressions. Also, is there anything on the market that has comparable features and pricing? Thanks in advance. Vandal

Not from the Deid but rather Balad. We are running LIDAR on base in the combat zone now. WTF?? https://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123081451 by Staff Sgt. Travis Edwards 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs 1/8/2008 - BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) -- Maintaining a safe and secure base for deployed members would be impossible without the help of a group of Balad Air Base Airmen who took an oath, promising to serve and protect their fellow troops. Ensuring a safe and secure environment here are the Airmen of the 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, Det. 1, Provost Marshal Office, or PMO. "We're here to create a place that is secure for everyone," said Capt. Julia Jefferson, the 332nd ESFS Det. 1 Provost Marshal, deployed from Bolling Air Force Base, D.C. "We want to make sure that when an Airman or Soldier comes in from a convoy, he has a place that is secure so he can relax." And although infractions happen, the captain said the number of offenses here are relatively low based on the population. "I would contribute the low number of offenses here to leadership involvement and portrayal of expectations, along with PMO's community policing and presence around the base," the captain said. Aside from keeping the base protected, PMO members also collect and destroy contraband found during inspections and in the amnesty boxes. Additionally, PMO Airmen respond to indirect fire attacks. While most people take cover, PMO members rush to secure the scene of impact to protect others from any unexploded ordnance and confirm full detonation or other possible UXOs. "The responsibility of our job really hit home when two of my patrolmen told me they saw a mortar hit 50 meters to the left of their vehicle and then another 100 meters to the right -- and then I saw the crater for myself," Captain Jefferson said. Senior Master Sgt. Scott Powers, the 332nd ESFS PMO provost sergeant, deployed from Fairchild AFB, Wash., said the team is here to serve and protect deployed members. "Their well-being and safety is our main concern," he said. "We are doing you a favor by stopping someone from doing something unsafe, preventing them from injuring someone else."

Toro, I was talking about the letter. I am certified in the use of the white pages.

Huggy, When you do would you mind posting it up here?

I have yet to meet a TSA dunce that treats anyone with any kind of respect. All of those assholes are on a power trip as they "protect" us from terrorists by digging through our shit. Supposedly if you use your mil ID at check in you get freed from the extra federally mandated groping; that is a crap shoot though. My personal pet peeve is the people who, as you're loading the plane talk on their phones from the line to get on, down the jetway, onto the plane then get pissed when the flight attendant/stewardess (what ever happened to the hot chicks on planes?) tells him to turn off the phone. I also hate the pre-flight safety briefing, I for one don't hold out much hope for survival if I am in a pressurized metal tube that goes hurtling into the ground. If you can't figure out the seat belts on your own then you deserve to have your ass thrown around the cabin in turbulence.

So I am kinda bored and saw this on foxnews.com https://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,318932,00.html Hannah Montana Concert Winner Lied in Essay Describing Father's Death in Iraq Saturday , December 29, 2007 ADVERTISEMENT GARLAND, Texas — An essay that won a 6-year-old girl four tickets to a Hannah Montana concert began with the powerful line: "My daddy died this year in Iraq." While gripping, it was not true — and now the girl may lose her tickets after her mom acknowledged to contest organizers it was all a lie. The sponsor of the contest was Club Libby Lu, a Chicago-based store that sells clothes, accessories and games intended for young girls. Additional reporting and video coverage at MyFoxDallas.com The saga began Friday with company officials surprising the girl at a Club Libby Lu at a mall in suburban Garland, about 20 miles northeast of Dallas. The girl won a makeover that included a blonde Hannah Montana wig, as well as the grand prize: airfare for four to Albany, N.Y., and four tickets to the sold-out Hannah Montana concert on Jan. 9. The mother had told company officials that the girl's father died April 17 in a roadside bombing in Iraq, company spokeswoman Robyn Caulfield said. "We did the essay and that's what we did to win," Priscilla Ceballos, the mother, said in an interview with Dallas TV station KDFW. "We did whatever we could do to win." She had identified the soldier as Sgt. Jonathon Menjivar, but the Department of Defense has no record of anyone with that name dying in Iraq. Caulfield said the mother has admitted to the deception. "We regret that the original intent of the contest, which was to make a little girl's holiday extra special, has not been realized in the way we anticipated," said Mary Drolet, the CEO of Club Libby Lu. Drolet said the company is reviewing the matter, and is considering taking away the girl's tickets. Uhh what the fvck is the world coming to? Going to these lengths for tickets to see a Disney star sing? Oh my christ.

I'm another fan of the one at Denver. The USO at Indianapolis is pretty small but the service was, as usual, great.

kinda following along the lines here, is there a reg existing that says basically "thou shalt not show socks in BDUs"? We have a real issue around my Det with this and i can't find it in our regs. any hints or links would be great. It is kinda of a pet peeve of mine since it looks like shit to see 1-2 inches of sock between boot and pant leg.

this could bring some fun answers, I'm gonna go find some popcorn.

and if you don't know your blood type what do they put, "unk"?

Col. Kunzweiler was at our ARCON this weekend and basically said hurry up and wait. it was all planned to go but the Finance folks are what is holding it all up; we are waiting for thier approval even after Gen. Flowers gave the go ahead. Don't be looking for it till Nov. 15. The good news is that it will be retro active to 1 Oct.

WTF?

Not a pilot but I just picked up some Oakley Half Wires and they are like you are wearing nothing in terms of weight. I had them on for a 6 hour drive today and no pain, soreness etc. The only place to get them is the Oakley Gov't site though, prices are great. Edit: You can get them else where but MSRP is around 175. I payed 75.

He should have been outed when he mentioned JAG, pilot and vette in the same place. Add those three things together and you get Harmon J Rabb on the web. God watch some JAG will ya!