Unfit For Duty -- Again !

Those of you with a little sea duty under your respective belts know how a shipmate can be some one very much like a relative. Some of them are as close as (or closer) than a brother. Some of them you look up to like a father. Then there are the ones that are like your black sheep cousin. Regardless of your feelings about any of them, they are family.

Subsequently, I try to avoid bad-mouthing former shipmates. But in the case of a certain junior Senator from Massachusetts, I'll make an exception.

John F. Kerry -- you sucked as a J.O. on the USS Gridley and you've been going downhill ever since.

I don't know if you flubbed your speech as you claim or not. But I do know that a real man will own up to what ACTUALLY came out of his mouth. It doesn't matter what you may, or may not have intended to say -- it's what you did say that counts. The fact that you have tried to weasel out of it just underscores why you have no business being President of the United States, U.S. Senator, or Dogcatcher for that matter.

By the way Senator, if you were truly concerned about our military personnel, you could hit the donate button on the right and "express yourself" by giving to Project Valour-IT. I imagine you could put the Navy team over the top just by donating your pocket change. Knowing you, I won't hold my breath.

F.R.O.O.M.B.!

Way back in my misspent youth, I recall seeing an old political cartoon from before WW II that shows the globe driving a Model T Ford down a slope toward a precipice and saying "Fluid's running out of my brakes!" The cartoon portrayed the feeling of helplessness and inevitability people were feeling as the world slid toward war.

I've been having that FROOMB feeling recently and I've been trying to figure out if it is a reflection of what's happening in the world, or what's happening in my head. Old Earth has gone around the sun sixty times since I was born and I've lived long enough to see many dire predictions fail to pan out. Y2K anyone? Yet there is that nagging feeling that the brown stuff is about to hit the fan. All in all, I rather it was just me - know what I mean?

Giving

There are people in places like Walter Reed and Bethesda who have given more for us than anyone should expect. They are the ones who came back alone on a stretcher instead of with their unit. Can you think of anyone who is more deserving of your support? I can't, so that is why I frequently donate to Project Valour-IT. If you already know about it, here is another chance to donate. If you've never heard of Valour-IT before Click Here to find out about this wonderful program to assist our wounded warriors.

Now anyone can donate to Project Valour-IT at any time, but between now and Veteran's Day, the Milblogger community is having a little friendly competition. After all, inter-service rivalry should be good for something. So if you care to give to this worthy program (and I sincerely hope you do,) you can click on the Valour-IT donate button in the right sidebar to donate to the Navy team. Of course, if you happen to be partial to one of the other services, you can go here and pick the team of your choice.

Please note: Donating to a particular team does not mean you are targeting your donation to a wounded warrior from a particular service. All money raised goes into the same pot. This competition is merely a method of raising more money and generating a little bragging rights.

Please give as you can. Your donation is, of course, tax deductable.

Thanks in advance.

p.s.: For John the Armorer - Since I am first and foremost a "squid", the Navy team gets the big bucks, but I'm slipping a little extra into the Army sock for the Castle crew.

O.M.G.! Beavers 33, USC 31

There will be some partyin' going on in Corvallis tonight. Hopefully, no one will get creamed going home and none of the team members will be arrested as has happened in the past.

What a nail biter at the finish. The last four minutes of the game were intense, and the outcome was decided in the last 7 seconds by a tipped pass. USC almost pulled off a win after coming back from a 33-17 deficit at the end of the third quarter.

Hell of a game, man. Hell of a game.