Archive for the ‘Military’ Category

Veteran’s Day

Monday, November 12th, 2018

I’m just coming in under the wire for noting Veteran’s Day, since it was actually yesterday, but is officially observed today. It’s the 100th anniversary of the Armistice that ended World War 1. I noted once before that something like 80% of the generation that fought in Europe was killed. Here’s a visual representation (click on the picture for a larger image):

To anyone else who served, thank you for your service.

I’m wishing this YouTube channel had more posts

Monday, August 20th, 2018

I ran across Speech Jammer Storytime a few days ago, and it’s not only fun, it brings back memories. When I was attending the Naval Academy, one of my extracurricular activities was being part of the Brigade Activities Committee, the group that ran skits at pep rallies and pregames.

One particular pep rally skit I remember had me narrating something, with my words amplified and emitted via the loudspeakers mounted on the wings of Bancroft Hall that were on the far side of T-Court from me. There was a noticeable delay between the time I spoke and the time I heard my amplified speech. Because of that, I can really sympathize with this guy:

It’s Memorial Day

Monday, May 28th, 2018

There are other bloggers who have moving posts, and I’ve done some in the past. Today, I’ll just link to this story in the Daily Mail, and note that patriotism, despite the efforts of some, is not dead.

Memorial Day

Monday, May 29th, 2017

On Memorial Day I usually repost one of two things.

Today, I’m going to link to other people.

First, the Associated Press notes that many Americans have no idea what Memorial Day is all about.

Over at Unified Patriots, Vassarbushmills talks about the Bachelor’s Corner. It’s a good story.

Woodsterman has a nice set of photographs.

Mike at Cold Fury links to this powerful photo series.

Wirecutter points to the story of “The Lone Marine,” and asks that we remember those who are not normally remembered on Memorial Day.

Finally, Peter, over at Bayou Renaissance Man, has the text of Donald Trump’s Memorial Day proclamation.

Memorial Day

Monday, May 30th, 2016

As I have done before, I’m posting two things for Memorial Day. The first is a poem that Robert Service wrote after World War I:

PILGRIMS

For oh, when the war will be over
We’’ll go and we’’ll look for our dead;
We’’ll go when the bee’’s on the clover,
And the plume of the poppy is red:
We’’ll go when the year’’s at its gayest,
When meadows are laughing with flow’’rs;
And there where the crosses are greyest,
We’’ll seek for the cross that is ours.

For they cry to us: Friends, we are lonely,
A-weary the night and the day;
But come in the blossom-time only,
Come when our graves will be gay:
When daffodils all are a-blowing,
And larks are a-thrilling the skies,
Oh, come with the hearts of you glowing,
And the joy of the Spring in your eyes.

But never, oh, never come sighing,
For ours was the Splendid Release;
And oh, but ’’twas joy in the dying
To know we were winning you Peace!
So come when the valleys are sheening,
And fledged with the promise of grain;
And here where our graves will be greening,
Just smile and be happy again
.

And so, when the war will be over,
We’’ll seek for the Wonderful One;
And maiden will look for her lover,
And mother will look for her son;
And there will be end to our grieving,
And gladness will gleam over loss,
As – glory beyond all believing!
We point …… to a name on a cross.

The second is a link to remind you of those who gave their all for their country, and some of the others that it affects:

A veteran is someone who, at one point, wrote a blank check made payable to ‘The United States of America ‘ for an amount of ‘up to and including their life.’

It is Veteran’s Day

Wednesday, November 11th, 2015

There’s not much left of the day, here. I should have set up a draft post yesterday – I only sat down with my laptop a few minutes ago, and don’t have time to do anything substantial in the way of post contents.

In any case, if you know a veteran, thank them. You don’t have to do it on Veteran’s Day, you can do it anytime. Even if they’re embarrassed to hear it (and I know I always feel awkward when someone thanks me for my service), they do appreciate it.

Memorial Day

Monday, May 25th, 2015

Remember, when you think of those who gave their all for their country:

A veteran is someone who, at one point, wrote a blank check made payable to ‘The United States of America ‘ for an amount of ‘up to and including their life.’

The Great Loss

Saturday, June 28th, 2014

It’s the 100th anniversary of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by Gavrilo Princip, the event that triggered the start of World War I. General Sherman famously said, “War is Hell.” World War I, also known as “The Great War” and “The War to End War,” was particularly hellish.

I’ve seen estimates that up to eighty percent of the young men of that generation in Europe were crippled or lost their lives, between valiant but stupid charges in the trench warfare, the poison gases, the shelling, and the disease. That is incredibly tragic, but the extent of the killing had other effects once the fighting was over – a lot of traditions and knowledge were lost because the people who maintained them either died during the war, or had no-one to pass them on to after the war.

Among the knowledge lost was most of Europe’s martial arts. There were schools and clubs for such things as quarterstaff, rapier, and the like. Japan has had a continuous martial arts tradition, but after the war in Europe, there were either no instructors or no students, because there were too few men left for any of them to have time for such activities. That’s in addition to the fact that not many people overall take such classes, anyway, so there were fewer who had the interest, let alone the time.

There are groups such as ARMA working today to reconstruct some of the knowledge that was lost. It’s slow going, but fascinating.

Now, imagine that four out of five men in their late teens and 20s die in the next few years. What might be lost? Could our society survive both the loss of manpower and the loss of continuity? Are we more or less robust than those earlier societies? Where would vacuums (of power, of people, of whatever) occur, and who would fill them?

And what would that mean for you?

Seventy Years Past

Wednesday, March 26th, 2014

It was the 70th anniversary of the Great Escape this week. Technically, the night of the 24th into the 25th for the escape from camp itself.

I have, of course, seen the movie several times. I’ll watch it any time I come across it. I don’t remember if I read the book before or after I’d seen the movie the first time.

A very good story, in either form. If you’re not familiar with the story, the movie is probably more accessible. The book is more in-depth, and more accurate – there are differences. Either one is well worth your time.

It’s Veteran’s Day

Monday, November 11th, 2013

My thanks to all my fellow veterans, even the WooPoos 🙂