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Tuesday, February 27, 2007

2006 Milbloggie Winners Announced!

From Milblogging.com:

Congratulations to the 2006 Milbloggie Winners!
Tuesday, February 27, 2007, 07:47 PM
Remember, the Milbloggies are NOT a popularity contest. The purpose each year is to recognize military bloggers for their contribution to blogging, news and information, and to the military over the past year. Make sure to check out each winning milblog below, and you’ll see why they won this year’s Milbloggie Award.

Now, I’d normally write up an eloquent piece about the Milbloggies and each of the winners (which I will get around to), but I’ve been online all day monitoring the website and at this point, I’m not really making sense. Earlier this evening I took a quick break to rock my 10-month old son to sleep, and it turns out I was holding a Mr. Potato Head. Congratulations again to all the 2006 nominees and winners! I will post the final standings as of 8 PM shortly. I did take a snapshot of each Branch chart exactly at 8 PM EST with the current count of votes. You would think it would be as easy as turning off the Voting feature, but apparently I can't. Damn you website problems. Damn you straight to he$$.

And now, without further ado, the 2006 Milbloggie Winners:
U.S. Army
Acute Politics

U.S. Air Force
Afghanistan Without a Clue

U.S. Navy
Doc in the Box

U.S. Marine Corps
SandGram

U.S. Military (Veteran)
Blackfive - The Paratrooper of Love

U.S. Civilian
Soldiers' Angels Germany

U.S. Military (Spouse)
Andi

U.S. Military (Parent)
Some Soldier's Mom

U.S. Military (Supporter)
Fuzzilicious Thinking


Congratulations to the winners, and thank you to everyone who nominated and/or voted for this blog.

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Milbloggie Voting Now Open!

From Milblogging.com:

Milbloggie Voting is Now Open
Thursday, February 22, 2007, 10:47 AMCongratulations again to all the nominees that placed in the Top 5. You can now vote for one milblog in each category. This is the final phase so please participate. Click the links below to view the current standings and also to vote for a blog. Keep in mind, you must be signed in to vote.

U.S. Army
U.S. Air Force
U.S. Navy
U.S. Marine Corps
U.S. Military (Veteran)
U.S. Civilian
U.S. Military (Spouse)
U.S. Military (Parent)
U.S. Military Supporter

The charts also include the results from the Nomination phase. As of now, the charts are sorted by the number of nominations, but there is a column called “Votes” that displays the current number of votes. The Voting will close on February 27th at 8 PM EST. To view the current standings at any time, click
here.

Winners will be announced next week. And each winner who does attend this year's Milblog Conference, will be presented an award.

I do appreciate everyone’s patience with all the problems we’ve had with the website this past week. This was the first time I tried using an actual voting system, instead of the Favorites feature that we used for last year’s Milbloggies. And leave it to me to make things more complicated. The only explanation I have is I’m a Virgo. As a kid, I used to organize things in file cabinets...for fun...rather than playing with the kids outside. True story.


***********************************************


So make sure you stop by and pick the best blogger in each of the categories.


Of course, I'm hoping that in the U.S. Civilian catgegory, that will have you voting for me! I'm going to the Milbog Conference this year anyway, but picking up a Milbloggie is another great reason to be there!

In any case, make sure to go and vote!


Milbloggie Voting is still open until 8 pm tonight.

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Iwo Jima - Beyond the Flag-Raising



Whatever you do, don't miss this (H/T to Seamus):

The New York Giant Who Died on Iwo Jima
W. Thomas Smith, Jr .

We’ve seen it countless times: The stirring photograph snapped 62-years-ago of five U.S. Marines and one Navy Corpsman raising the second (larger than the first) American flag atop Mount Suribachi on the Japanese-held island of Iwo Jima...

...What most Americans forget, however, is that the battle was far from over. Three of the six men who raised the flag on February 23, 1945 would soon be killed in action. And from February 19 through March 17, nearly 7,000 Americans would perish as they wrested control of the island from the enemy: most of those Americans unsung or a least unknown in general American culture...

...One of those Americans was 1st Lieutenant Andrew Jackson “Jack” Lummus Jr., a Texas-born Marine officer and recipient of the Medal of Honor (MOH) who was – and is – quite literally the epitome of all that is wrapped up in what it means to be a Marine...


Read the whole thing here, and have the kleenex ready.

The text of Lummus' Medal of Honor citation is here.

"Among the men who fought on Iwo Jima,
uncommon valor was a common virtue."

-- (Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, USN, 16 March 1945.)
Graphics in this post by Doug Kidd

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PORT VISIT
USS Ronald Reagan arrives in Sasebo, Japan, Feb. 24, 2007, for a scheduled port visit. The Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group is under way in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility as part of a surge deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Sarah Foster

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U.S. Soldiers Save Iraqi Baby Boy's Life

U.S. Army Spc. Carrielynn Spillis, a medic with the 210th Brigade Support Battalion “Providers,” 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, shows Nasseir Alaobed how to care for his infant son at the Patrol Base Yusufiyah aid station in Yusufiyah, Iraq Feb. 21, 2007. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Angela McKinzie


Support Battalion saves child’s life with around-the-clock attention.


By Staff Sgt. Angela McKinzie
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division

YUSUFIYAH, Iraq, Feb. 26, 2007 — Soldiers recently received something they least expected – a baby.

Soldiers from the 210th Brigade Support Battalion “Providers” and the 4th Battalion 31st Infantry Regiment “Polar Bears,” both units of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), took care of a sick Iraqi baby boy at the Patrol Base Yusufiyah aid station here.

“The baby’s mother brought him to us because he was very sick,” said Maj. Casey Geaney, a native of Portland, Ore., who serves as a battalion surgeon currently attached to the 4-31st.

"We would take turns watching him. One medic would stay with him at the aid station during the night and others would watch him during the day." -- Spc. Carrielynn Spillis
Knowing that the baby, Sajad, was very ill and that the Iraqi medical system did not have the capabilities to care for the infant, Geaney decided Sajad would become an in-patient.

“Usually this is not an in-patient facility,” Geaney explained. “However, after discovering the child had an infection we did not want him to go home.”

Sajad, who was seven months of age, was only the size of a two-month-old. He was believed to have suffered brain injury during his birth.

“Sajad was very dehydrated and sick when we first saw him,” said Spc. Carrielynn Spillis, a 210th BSB medic and native of Toledo, Ohio, as she held him in her arms. “We have been feeding him through a tube because he was too weak to feed from a bottle.

”Keeping Sajad was a huge responsibility for the team. He required around-the-clock attention, just as any infant.

“We would take turns watching him,” Spills explained. “One medic would stay with him at the aid station during the night and others would watch him during the day.”

Another medic shared her thoughts of caring for Sajad.
“It’s tiring to take care of him,” said Spc. Erin Byers, a medic with the 210th BSB and native of Guysmills, Penn.

“But it is a nice change of pace. I am used to dealing with soldiers, but Sajad allowed me to be compassionate – it is a different mindset.”

After caring for Sajad for four days, Geaney decided he was well enough to return home. But before releasing the infant, Geaney and the medics taught Sajad’s father how to care for him.

“They (the doctor and medics) did a nice job,” said Nasseir Alaobed, Sajad’s father, as he was learning to feed his son through a tube. “The Iraqi hospitals do not have this kind of care and I am glad I brought him in.”

Sajad was returned to his parents fully hydrated and with more strength. At one point, Spillis was mentioned that Sajad was actually feeding from a bottle.

Though the soldiers were able to care for Sajad, the need for Iraqi children to see doctors in Iraq is immense.

“There are a lot of children with chronic problems and it is frustrating that we are seeing so many patients that need help,” Geaney said. “But we do what we can do to help.”

“Sajad has a better chance of survival,” Geaney added with a smile.

Sajad’s parents were sent home with lessons on how to care for him and infant formula that contained extra calories in order to help the infant gain weight.


U.S. Army Spc. Carrielynn Spillis holds Sajad, a sick Iraqi baby boy, while Maj. Casey Geaney, the battalion surgeon for 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, prepares a feeding tube at the Patrol Base Yusufiyah aid station in Yusufiyah, Iraq Feb. 21, 2007. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Angela McKinzie

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ENTOURAGE
U.S. Army Sgt. Scott Monahan, a tactical human intelligence team leader assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, collects an entourage of children while on a civil affairs mission in the Rabi area of Adhamiyah, Baghdad, Feb. 26, 2007. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Mike Pryor

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In Today's News - Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Quote of the Day
"Virtue, liberty, and independence"

-- Pennsylvania state motto

News of Note
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Baghdad Terror Stronghold Raided - PHOTOS
Majority in U.S. want troop deadline in Iraq: poll - Video
Iran, Syria and U.S. to attend Baghdad talks: Iraq
Petraeus, Our Old New Man in Iraq

Operation Enduring Freedom
Cheney Was the Target
VP unharmed after blast at Afghanistan base
UK rules out talks with Taliban for now (For now??)
Suicide raid kills, wounds several in Afghan south - Video
Taliban says targets Cheney in Afghan suicide blast - Video

Homeland Security / War on Terror / Hamas-Hezbollah Happenings
Senate to debate homeland security bills
4 Suspected Somali Pirates Arrested
Fourth Frenchman dies after Saudi attack: doctor
Israel Pulls Out of Largest West Bank City

Other Military News
Japanese Veteran Recalls Vivisections on POWs During World War II (And people criticize OUR troops????)
China rejects U.S. criticism of military build-up
Wars Eroding Military Capability, Gen. Pace Says
2 Army units will forgo desert training
Military.com Op-ed: No Way to Treat Our Wounded

Worldwide Wackos
Iran: We Will Never Give Up Nuke Program
North, South Korea Resume High-Level Talks
South Korea to press North on ending nuclear arms

Homegrown Moonbats
Report: Al Gore's Home Uses Over 20 Times the Energy Than the National Average (How Now, Brown Cow...typical of this crowd - The rules apply to you, not them. Wouldn't be at all surprised if this is true)

Politics / Government
Democrats Back Off Plan to Limit President's War Powers
Sharpton Wants DNA Test to Determine Ties
Japan plans to host 4-way meeting on Mideast peace
Bush urges governors to back tax reforms
Giuliani keys on the economy and taxes
Dems struggle to find next step on Iraq
Sen. Clinton's family charity not disclosed: paper

In the Courts / Crime and Punishment / Law and Order
Former Treasury Worker Gets Jail for Stealing Uncut Sheets of $100 Bills
Cops: Fla. Kidnap Suspect May Flee to Mexico
Brown ordered jailed until he pays $19K
Court backs $3 billion California stem cell plan
4 jailed cops killed in Guatemala prison

Adventures in Political Correctness
Overweight 8-Year-Old May Be Taken Into Protective Custody in U.K.

U.N. News
Ex-Minister Named in Darfur War Crimes Case

Science / Medicine / Technology
Global warming hits world's largest tiger reserve
Biologists record call of rare bird
Want to stop disease from spreading? Open a window
Garlic does not lower cholesterol, says study
Artifacts could be from early galleon
Chinese scientists control pigeons (Egads...)

Mother Nature
Jaguar That Killed Denver Zookeeper Had Mean Twin Named Osama
Thirty Strange New Creatures Found in Antarctic Waters
Storm Slows East Coast Travel - PHOTOS

Oddities
Mom Pleads Guilty to Coaching Kids to Fake Retardation
Stand-in mistress sought to take wife's abuse
Heavy petting? Try this Dutch dating Web site
Sexually Suggestive Sermons From Michigan Pastor Leave Some Hot and Bothered

Other News of Note
Holocaust survivors meet their Polish saviors
U.S., Italian envoys hurt in Sri Lanka

Fox News
Who Knew Bush Was a Jeter Fan?
'Holy Grail of Baseball Cards' Sells for $2.35 Million
Critics Decry 'Jesus Tomb' Claim - SPEAKOUT!
Eddie Murphy Loses Oscar, Bolts From Show
'Holy Grail of Baseball Cards' Sells for $2.35 Million
Crucial Week for Antonella on 'American Idol'
Scholars, Clergymen Criticize New Documentary on Alleged Tomb of Jesus Christ
Florida Court Rules Anna Nicole Smith Remains Can't Be Moved to Bahamas
Postal Service Could Introduce 'Forever' Stamp That Would Be Good Regardless of Future Price Increases
Was Jack Nicholson Channeling Britney Spears at the Oscars?

Reuters: Top News
U.S. Olympic medalist finds South Korean birth father
Microsoft's MSN marks Greater China separate region
Launch of Apple TV device delayed
Circus tour for De La Hoya and Mayweather fight
Philippines challenges India for outsourced dollar
Oscars draw more viewers and mixed reviews
China stocks plunge 8.8 percent
Apple shares slip
Oil slips below $61 after 4-day rally
Global stocks slide, bonds and yen surge amid Iran angst
Brocade shares rise
Reuters Summits: Manufacturing
Honeywell: Economy doing "pretty well"
Subprime "shock" and the Fed
Toyota says to build new plant in U.S. - Video
January durable goods orders tumble 7.8 percent
Volvo to buy Ingersoll-Rand road unit for $1.3 bln
Blackstone CEO says public markets "over rated"
Wal-Mart's Asda could bid for Sainsbury: report
Wal-Mart inks $1 bln China retail acquisition

AP World News
Study: College students more narcissistic
Demand for big-ticket items down in Jan.
Mavs score another 12-game win streak
TXU Corp. to report earnings for 2006
No. 3 Kansas holds off pesky Oklahoma
Syracuse ends No. 9 Hoyas' streak at 11
Electronic Arts replaces CEO Probst

Military.com
Shop for Deployment Gear Necessities
DT: Fun for Feds and Fathers
Play Trivia and Win an iPod
A Social Security Boost for Vets

CENTCOM: Press Releases
INSURGENTS KILL 15 IRAQIS, WOUND NINE
SUSPECTED AL-QAEDA EMIR, ELEVEN OTHERS DETAINED IN RAIDS THROUGHOUT IRAQ
CAVALRY PARATROOPERS FIND, DESTROY CACHE
IRAQI POLICE, COALITION FORCES DISCOVER LARGE EFP CACHE
SUSPECTED AL-QAEDA EMIR, 14 OTHERS CAPTURED
IRAQI ARMY, COALITION FORCES DISRUPT TERRORIST CELLS IN TITTEN

USJFCOM
Newsmakers: Navy Captains Kevin Frank and Susan Chiaravalle - podcast
Secretary of Defense visits Joint Forces Command
USJFCOM partners with ACT to sponsor NATO urban workshop - podcast

DefenseLink
Iraq Key to Defense of U.S., Bush Tells Governors - Story
Pace Discusses Force Levels, Military Challenges - Story
Chairman Fields Troops’ Questions
Denying Safe Havens Essential in War on Terror - Story
Task Force Improving Iraqi Businesses, Economy - Story
Pilot Receives Medal of Honor for Heroism - Story

More Headline News
Youth ChalleNGe Cadets Tour Pentagon, Capitol
Top Doctors Visit Military Facilities in Germany
Pentagon Channel to Debut New Programming
Head of DoD Health Affairs to Step Down

Military News
Military Adopting More Diverse Fitness Programs
Pace Visits 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team
Chairman Presents Awards for Heroism in Iraq
Officials Overhaul Disability Evaluation System

America Supports You
Troops Get Red Carpet Salute - Story
‘Blue Star Mothers’ Support Military Sons and Daughters
Anchorage Honors Military
'Treasure Hunt' Raises Funds

War on Terror
Iraqi Tips Lead to Bomb Factory Discovery - Story
Suspected al Qaeda Leader, Others Captured
Soldiers Assume Responsibility for Five Provinces in Afghanistan
Forces Conduct Humanitarian Ops

Transformation
New Agency Director to Guide DoD Business Transformation - Story
Iraqi Riverine Assault Company Brings New Strategy to River
Training Becomes More Realistic
Propane Plant Fuels Alternatives

Face of Defense
Father, Son Serve in Afghanistan
Soldier Returns to Defend Title
Volunteer Leads With Passion

DefendAmerica
NEWS UPDATES
Suspected al Qaeda Leader, Others Captured; Weapons Cache Found - Story
For Top News Visit DefenseLink

ON THE GROUND
Troops, Locals Celebrate Reopening of Market - Story
Sergeant Major Gives Troops History Lesson - Story
Iraqi, Coalition Leaders Discuss Security - Story

IN DJIBOUTI
U.S. Marines, Sailors Help Clean Up Local School

IN IRAQ
Army Engineers Oversee Road Construction
Eighteen Graduate from Iraqi Nursing Course
Soldier Spearheads Shoe Drive for Iraqi Children
Marine Security Detail Escorts Battlefield Leader
U.S. Army Instructor Proud of Iraqi Trainees

IN AFGHANISTAN
Afghan Doctors Learn New Medical Techniques
Father, Son Paratroopers Serve in Afghanistan
Desert Hawk Takes Command of Aviation Ops

BACKGROUND
IRAQ
Renewal In Iraq
Iraq: Security, Stability
Fact Sheet: Progress and Work Ahead
Report: Strategy for Victory in Iraq
Iraq Daily Update
This Week in Iraq
Multinational Force Iraq
State Dept. Weekly Iraq Report
'Boots on the Ground' Audio Archive
Weekly Reconstruction Report (PDF)
Iraq Reconstruction
Maps

AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan Update
Maps

WAR ON TERRORISM
Fact Sheet: Budget Request
Fact Sheet: Terror Plots Disrupted
Waging and Winning the War on Terror
Terrorism Timeline
Terrorism Knowledge Base

Weather
Afghanistan
Bost/Laskar Ghurian Herat Kabul Qandahar

Germany
Ansbach Aschaffenburg Berlin Berlin-Tempelhof Berlin/Schonefeld Bremerhaven
Darmstadt Frankfurt Frankfurt/Main Freiburg/Breisgau Garmisch
Garmisch-Partenkirchen Geilenkirchen Gelnhausen Giessen Kitzingen
Hanau Am Main Heidelberg Mainz Mannheim Nurnberg Stuttgart Trier
Wiesbaden Wurzburg

Gitmo

Guam
Agana Agana Heights Agat Andersen AFB Asan Barrigada

Iraq
Al Azamiyah Al Basrah Al Hillah Al Karkh Al Kazimiyah Al Kut
An Nasiriyah Baghdad Baqubah Mosul Najaf Nineveh Tall Kayf

Japan
Kadena Air Base Okinawa Tokyo Yokohama

Philippines
Baler Radar Site Catanduanes Radar Site Manila

South Korea
Cheju Upper/Radar Chonju Chunchon Inch'on Kunsan Masan Mokp'o
Osan Pusan Seoul Suwon Taegu Taejon Tonghae Radar Site Ulsan Yosu

The following USN personnel reported MIA (Killed / Body not recovered) when their UH2B crashed in water immediately following liftoff:
Huie, Litchfield P. (NC); UH2B crashed in water shortly after liftoffblown off carrier

Letchworth, Edward N. (MT)

Sause, Bernard J., Jr. (MD)

Zemple, Ronald L. (MN)

1968
Hartzheim, John F., USN (WI); OP2E shot down (w/Milius) - remains ID'd March, 1999

Milius, Paul L., USN (IA); OP2E shot down (w/Hartzheim)

Palmer, Gilbert S., USAF (AL); RF4C shot down (w/Wright)

Wright, Thomas T., USAF (IN); RF4C shot down (w/Palmer)

1971
Babcock, Ronald L., US Army (AZ); OH6A shot down (w/Mooney), KIA / body not recovered

Lewis, Larry G., USNR (NC); F4J crashed, Killed, body not recovered

Mooney, Fred, US Army (OH); OH6A shot down (w/Babcock), KIA, body not recovered

1975
Dillon, Michael; released March, 1975

Ayres, Vicki, Civilian; released March, 1975

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