Current Events - May 26, 2014

Watch As A Group Of Soldiers Does Something Truly American For Our Fallen Heroes At Arlington 

By Emily Hulsey

Every year before Memorial Day weekend, soldiers from the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as “The Old Guard,” place American flags in front of every tombstone at Arlington National Cemetery. Watch as a soldier explains the meaning behind the 66-year-old tradition, which they call “Flags In.”

We express our sincerest thanks to the soldiers of “The Old Guard” for this inspiring display of respect for those who came before them, and we thank all of our nation’s veterans for the sacrifices they have made.

Read the Humble ‘Dear Soldier’ Letter Written by a Regretful Man Who Forgot to Thank a U.S. Soldier

By Kyl Becker

I’m sorry.

Early on Feb. 9, in the cold, black and blue hours of a winter Sunday, I said nothing.

I first saw you in your camouflage fatigues patiently waiting in the airport security line.

I spotted you later shuffling around the gate with a wide smile on your face waiting to board the six-hour, non-stop flight from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Seattle-Tacoma International.

I wonder where your service has taken you. What have you witnessed as you’ve sacrificed so much to protect and defend America and her allies?

I watched a hurried woman stop and thank you for your service. You were so kind, so gracious, so humble.

Still, I said nothing.

I don’t know your name, where you were coming from, or if Seattle was even your final destination. I could have asked all those things.

More importantly, I could have thanked you for serving our country.

But, I didn’t.

I’m sorry.

I’ve certainly launched those conversations before. When it’s been convenient, I’ve stopped other service members in airports, restaurants and gas stations around the country. Like so many others, I’ve paid for meals when they were behind me in line or tucked into the neighboring booth.

Not today.

This morning I was too tired, too grouchy and too annoyed at my nasty head cold. Don’t you understand I’d been up since 4 a.m. and already driven 90 miles to the airport?

I saw you again when you boarded, but I was far too busy bemoaning my minuscule middle seat and complaining about our high row number. I told my seat mates we were so far back on the plane, our arrival time was 15 minutes later than those in first class.

Eventually, I settled in and allowed my mind to wander up to your row. Where were you stationed? How long had you been in the military? Were you going home for good, or only for a few short days that pass too fast?

Who would be waiting for you on the other end? A beautiful bride who can barely catch her breath at the thought of seeing you descend the escalator? Young children with crayon and construction paper signs? A mother and father who will whisper prayers in your ear as they wrap their grateful arms around you?

I could have asked those things, too, but I was preoccupied with missing my own family already and we weren’t even airborne.

Soldier, sometimes I’m gone for a day or two, maybe six or seven. Did you know I’ve even had a few trips run two full weeks? After grueling school assemblies and exhausting book signings I absolutely ache to return home to my loved ones.

Fourteen days away from my family! In a row! I bet you can’t even imagine that, can you, Soldier?

I wonder where your service has taken you. What have you witnessed as you’ve sacrificed so much to protect and defend America and her allies? Have you been sitting at a small, metal desk in some green zone? Or are you a member of a special operations unit where losing your life is a real possibility every day you punch in?

Honestly, it doesn’t matter.

I believe the uniform doesn’t care where you’re serving and what your specific assignment is, it only cares that you’re wearing it. Honor doesn’t come from any particular type of service; it comes from the service itself.

I wish I’d told you that, too.

Instead, I blew my nose and felt sorry for myself and the work piling up back home. I’ve got too many projects, too many columns, too many Facebook posts to manage and an eternity of emails to sort. Working for myself presents so much unpredictability, anxiety and stress.

What a drag, right?

As for you and your colleagues in uniform? All you do is strap on a vest and hope that routine desert patrol isn’t your last.

Soldier, if I could have those moments back, I would shake your hand and thank you on behalf of everyone who feels more safe and secure because you’re doing work that many of us would not be courageous enough to do.

I would promise you that never again would I find myself so caught up in my own selfish discomfort to let you pass by. And I would suggest that if servicemen and women can do what they do, I can certainly do what I do.

I would say thank you for bravely going to work when you have a head cold and when life puts you in the middle seat.

I would say, “thank you.

The letter above was written by critically acclaimed New York Times columnist Jason Wright, and was published on Fox News on February 10, 2014. It was reposted on Liberty News on February 12, 2014.

On Memorial Day weekend, it is a memorable tribute to those veterans who have fought and given the ultimate sacrifice for their nation.

It helps us remember the dedication and courage of those who continue to fight for what is right to this day.

Triple Amputee Veteran Hammers Our Inept Commander In Chief In His Powerful Memorial Day Letter

By Brian Kolfage, Sra, USAF Ret.
President Obama,
On this Memorial Day I can’t help but think of the many veterans who have given their lives to protect the freedoms that we all enjoy today, and quite frankly one that so many Americans take for granted. As you’re playing your 165^th round of golf this weekend you can count on our warriors to protect you and to protect this great nation.
From the Civil War to the wars in the deserts of the Middle East, our brave men and women have given their lives for freedoms that can only be found in America.  Generations of selfless Americans have stepped up to fight for a  cause greater than themselves. Freedom is never free, and the price of our freedom has been paid with the blood of our finest Americans. Your daughters  have been fortunate enough to reap the freedoms that so many have sacrificed their lives for. Without these heroes you would have never have had the opportunity to become the President of this great nation.
Sadly, the men and women who have volunteered to fight the in the most extreme conditions in the world are coming back only to find themselves engaged in a new war at home. They have now found themselves in a war with your incompetent administration, who’s scandal ridden legacy has finally hit an all-time low. I can’t help but feel the deepest disgust for the pain you and your administration have caused the families who have lost their heroes battling your war against our veterans back home.  I can’t think of more shameless way to for this country to dishonor its veterans.  And sadly, it’s the lack of your leadership and accountability that lead to these failures.
These men and women who bravely fought in WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and the Gulf Wars have been forced to rely on your useless bureaucratic employees for their health care. These federal employees disrespected these men and women and the sacrifices they have made in the worst imaginable way. They ignored their pleas for help and in many cases left them to die in favor of hefty government bonuses for exceptional performance. We all know you and your regime doesn’t give a damn about these heroes. Your disdain for America and her greatness has never been a secret. You were raised to hate the “American Empire” and were taught that the American military is the enemy. It was easier for you to just ignore the Veteran Affairs crisis as you crisscrossed America fundraising for your fellow Democrats.
I remember candidate Obama promising to overhaul the VA and reduce the backlog.  You claimed that America’s support for its veterans is obvious by the way we treat our vets. You really nailed that one didn’t you?
Just like you were going to fix Detroit or fix foreign policy.  Your high school like approach to solving complex issues can’t be fixed by tweeting hashtags with propaganda to people who want to kill us. Anyone with an ounce of common sense can see you’re unfit to lead our nation, let alone act as our Commander In Chief.  What our country needs now, more than ever is real leadership, someone who doesn’t wait for a crisis, but is able to foresee an issue and deal with it before it happens. Unfortunately for America, you’ve been too busy campaigning and don’t have time to deal with the health care crisis of our veterans. The only thing you seem to care about is your own radical agenda, and now our vets are paying for your negligence with their lives.
As I sit here typing this out I’m dealing with my own VA nightmare which involves the Phoenix VA.  I have given 3 limbs for this country, but apparently that is not enough.  A “clerical error” made by a VA employee has resulted in nearly a year of abuse and mismanagement of my case. In other words, the VA is stealing over $7000 from my disability compensation that I earned when I lost 3 of my limbs for our country.
On this Memorial Day, as I battle your incompetent bureaucrats my family would like to thank you for once again failing our veterans. We can’t help but wonder about the disastrous socialized medicine program that we will surely be dealing with if Obamacare is allowed to be fully implemented. If our incompetent VA cannot handle government healthcare for a fraction of our population, who would be foolish enough to believe a massive health care system designed to provide health care for all American’s would be any different?  You can’t even find someone to build a competent website to work for your socialized medicine program when you had your name attached to it, so why would you care about our veterans when you could so easily push the blame off on someone else?
You have not only failed our veterans, you have failed America in every way imaginable.  You have purposely divided us by race, political parties, and socioeconomic status in order to push a radical agenda on America that can only be passed when you have successfully divided all Americans. Your entire administration is incompetent and you have set America on a path for certain failure.
So, on this Memorial Day, as we honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, I’d like to thank you, our Commander In Chief for not even caring enough to provide us with quality health care.

Speaking Out in Honor of the Fallen

By Mary Ramirez
I often see them when I’m in an airport, and I always take a moment to thank them. I’m almost always choking back a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes as I do it. The emotion results from my understanding of what they have done and continue to do for me, and every American. I also know that for every one I see alive and well, there are many others permanently hurt, or dead.
I’m one of the lucky ones. My brother came back.
Have you ever personally thanked a veteran? Particularly, have you ever personally thanked a combat veteran?
Watch their face the next time you do. They’ll smile politely and answer with a “thank you ma’am” or “thank you, sir” in return, but watch their eyes closely next time. If you blink, you’ll miss it. A deep pain, unlike any most of us will ever know or experience, passes through their eyes. For a moment you’re given a rare opportunity to experience the depth of their devotion.
For many of these veterans, every “thank you” they receive triggers a familiar sequence.
“I’m not a hero. The guy who died next to me is.”
Followed suit by:
“Why did I live, and he die?”
On Memorial Day, we honor those men and women who didn’t make it back. We honor every single fallen soldier to whom we owe our precious freedoms.
This Memorial Day, I’m writing to plead with those who did make it back alive:
Let us thank you. Let us honor the memory of the fallen today by recognizing you for your heroism as well.
More specifically, allow yourselves to be praised for doing a job. It is not only your right to accept this praise, but consider it your sacred duty in honor of those who didn’t make it back to receive it. You would have given your lives in an instant to save theirs if you had had the chance, and indeed, you would insist that they receive the honor and praise they deserve upon returning home.
Let yourselves receive this praise, which is the very least we can do for those who pledged to give their very lives to keep us safe. Let yourselves receive this praise without the burden of guilt. You have earned it.
In recent days, the country has finally become aware of yet another burden that you’ve carried—the despicable way in which so many of you have been treated by the very Veterans Administration system that was meant to serve you in return for your service to this country.
I know all too well that many of you fear retribution for speaking the truth about your experiences with the VA, (after all, we’ve seen what happens to some the employee whistleblowers) and I certainly don’t ask you to endanger access to your own care by speaking out.
But for those who feel that you can do so, on this Memorial Day you can honor the memory of the fallen by speaking out about your own treatment. You can honor the fallen by continuing to fight for your own lives; lives that were spared on the battlefield.
If you remember nothing else from this piece, remember this: those brave brothers and sisters of yours whose blood stains the fields of foreign lands did not die so that you could come home and be treated in so contemptible a manner. On this Memorial Day (and now, under the protection of the light of truth that has been shed on this matter), I plead with you to speak out.
I know we’ll never understand your burden. We can’t possibly. And that’s why your voices are so important.
I know we’ll never understand your burden. We can’t possibly. And that’s why your voices are so important.
You have fought well, good and faithful soldiers. You’ve done what your country asked you to do . . . and now I humbly ask you to fight this one last battle.
I know that many of you will never be able to fully accept praise for what you’ve done for us. I further realize that many of you (even if you don’t fear retribution for speaking out) feel that it’s not your right to call attention to your individual plight. Today, I know I speak for millions of Americans when I say it absolutely is.
If not for yourselves . . . then do it in honor of the fallen.

White House Makes Big Mistake Involving Secret Identity of CIA Chief in Afghanistan

By Billy Hallowell

The White House made a big mistake over the weekend, accidentally revealing the name of the CIA’s top officer in Kabul in a prepared list of U.S. officials who were taking part in a briefing related to President Barack Obama‘s surprise visit to Afghanistan.
After the White House caught the error, which named the individual as the “Chief of Station” — a label given to the CIA’s top spy in any given country — the agent was removed from the email and a revised list was distributed, the Washington Post reported.
But before making the change, the official’s identity was sent to more than 6,000 recipients, including reporters for TheBlaze. The Obama administration has asked media outlets to withhold the name to help ensure the agent’s safety as well as the well-being of his family.
The incident is notable, as it marks a rare occurrence in which the U.S. has revealed the name of one of its spies. CIA operatives’ identities are generally protected to ensure safety, the Post reported.
The list was apparently initially composed by military officials before the White House delivered it to reporters.
After it went out to thousands of recipients, Washington Post reporter Scott Wilson noticed the peculiar CIA title — one that is not generally used in public releases. He inquired with White House press officials to see if including the name was a mistake and discovered that it was.
It is unclear whether the agent will be forced to leave Afghanistan as a result of the error. The CIA and White House have not officially commented on the matter.
Obama visited Afghanistan over the weekend to spend some time with U.S. troops.