And so:

To the editor,

Veteran's Day is once a year. It is a day when, as a nation, we thank those who've served, risked, and sacrificed. It has recently come and gone. And with the passing of that day, the temporal heightened acknowledgment has passed as well.

I deployed for Iraq on July 1, 2006. Prior to leaving, I had lived in a small, one bedroom apartment in Lakewood that required little upkeep and little expense. I paid my bills on time and was a bother to no one. So as I left for Baghdad, I thought all loose ends were wrapped up. However, I had forgotten to call Tacoma Power to notify them that I was moving and to settle my final bill of $11.

I returned from Iraq two months ago and moved into a rental outside the reach of Tacoma Power. In the past two weeks, I've moved near downtown Tacoma and had to reinstate my account with Tacoma Power. When I called, I was surprised to hear that I had an outstanding balance of $65. Yeah, $65. That's the original balance of $11 plus 16 months of interest. I told Tacoma Power that I had been deployed during that time, that I was and still am in the Army and that I was serving in Iraq. Didn't matter. They were committed to collecting a profit. $65. That's what it'll take to transfer power to my new place.

Years ago, long before I or maybe even my father was born, service to our country was revered and respected. A company who sought to profit 500% on a soldier's forgotten bill would have immediately been publicly chastised. However, this simply isn't the case today. I'm going to send in my check so that I will continue to have power and to avoid the hassle of a fight. But I'm angry...

So I'd like to simply say thanks. Thank you Tacoma Power for reminding me that Veteran's Day is only once a year.

Dan Futrell

UPDATE: Tacoma Public Utilities spokeswoman Chris Gleason says she took the matter to the customer service department, who called Lt. Futrell this afternoon to let him know they were reversing the interest charges.

"Our policies are pretty clear but this was an unusual situation," Gleason said.

The Stars & Stripes reports that the pending standup of I Corps' forward headquarters in Japan is among the grievances that will have thousands of protesters at the gates of Camp Zama on Sunday.

That's a few more than were down at the Port of Olympia.

The corps commander, Lt. Gen. Charles H. Jacoby, Jr., and much of the corps staff is headed to Japan in the next couple weeks for the annual Yama Sakura exercises with the Japan Defense Force. Among the items on the to-do list: formally opening the corps' presence in Japan -- at Zama -- to begin planning the Corps headquarters' eventual move there from Fort Lewis.

Maj. Brent Clemmer, a former Stryker brigade company commander who we've featured in several stories (here and here, for instance), will receive the Silver Star for gallantry in combat in a ceremony Thursday at Fort Lewis, the post announced.

Clemmer will get the nation's third-highest award for combat valor for his actions last Jan. 28 near Najaf. He was commander of C Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment at the time, serving as the 'just in case' force for U.S. commanders in Baghdad.

From the Lewis press release:

Capt. Clemmer was notified of a downed AH-64 helicopter, and that coalition forces were receiving significant small arms and mortar fire in the area. He moved his unit approximately 100 kilometers to the site, linked up with the Special Forces team near the crash site, which had suffered casualties, and established a defensive perimeter between the wreckage and enemy forces.

He was also credited with putting in place rules of engagement to identify and destroy enemy forces while directing the recovery of the aircraft and pilot’s remains.

Clemmer was also cited for actions to direct his unit in repulsing several enemy counter attacks during the night. At daylight, Clemmer and his unit deployed forward to support his sister company’s assault of an enemy trench to the east. Clemmer and his men also accepted the surrender of several hundred personnel, many combatant and others non-combatant. He identified wounded and established a landing zone for medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) and for bringing in additional medical supplies, water, and humanitarian rations. His actions and those of his soldiers resulted in approximately 250 enemy killed, 81 enemy wounded and 410 enemy captured. They also recovered several hundred weapons to include small arms, machine guns, mortars and RPGs, plus stockpiles of enemy ammunition, medical supplies and food.

The Project for Excellence in Journalism is out with a new survey of reporters working in Iraq. The summary of their findings:

After four years of war in Iraq, the journalists reporting from that country give their coverage a mixed but generally positive assessment, but they believe they have done a better job of covering the American military and the insurgency than they have the lives of ordinary Iraqis. And they do not believe the coverage of Iraq over time has been too negative. If anything, many believe the situation over the course of the war has been worse than the American public has perceived, according to a new survey of journalists covering the war from Iraq.

Read the survey here.

Lt. Col. Bill Prior, commander of the 4th Brigade's 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, features in a long story on the Wired web site.

It is headlined, provocatively, "How Technology Almost Lost the War: In Iraq, the Critical Networks Are Social ? Not Electronic," by Noah Shachtman.

A long read; Strykers figure in here. Prior's soldiers are the guys fighting with the Land Warrior System.

UPDATE: There's also this via YouTube. Appears to be a production by the Land Warrior project management team.

Note the Stryker's bent slat and skinned up armor panel behind Manchu 6's left shoulder. Doink!

The Austin American-Statesman's Robert W. Gee had a good story yesterday that provides some insight into the job ahead for Col. Jon Lehr, commander of the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division.

Gee's story profiles the work that Col. David Sutherland has done with local sheiks the last few months in forging reconciliation in post-Arrowhead Ripper Diyala Province. He commands the 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division.

But now Sutherland's brigade is returning to Fort Hood. It was to formally turn over responsibility for Diyala to the 4-2 in a ceremony this week.

For the 4-2, the change means a greatly expanded area of operations. Sutherland and a senior U.S. military spokesman on Saturday told reporters that the 3-1's depature would result in an overall decrease in American soldiers in Iraq but a net increase in Diyala. Reading the transcript it's not completely clear how the latter is the case, but it is true that a Stryker brigade like Lehr's is much larger and has several hundred more infantrymen to employ than Sutherland's cav brigade.

Two of the 4-2's infantry battalions – the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment and the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment – have moved up from Baghdad to Baqouba and Muqdadiyah to cover down on the new area, brigade officials said.

Last information I had was the 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, the 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment, the 202nd Brigade Support Battalion and the brigade headquarters was still at Taji, and the 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment was working in Baqouba and Khan Bani Sa'ad.

MEANTIME, in case you missed it earlier this week Michael Yon had a one-paragraph update on Baqouba, scene of so much hard work by soldiers from the just-returned 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division before and during Operation Arrowhead Ripper.

An excerpt:

The markets are opening and the streets are again filled with people. I thought the veterans of Baqubah might like to know that their efforts have made a tremendous difference for the people here. You fought hard. This writer saw it. Your sacrifices truly meant something.

It's not about the Strykers or any unit from Fort Lewis but Kelly Kennedy's series in the Army Times, "Blood Brothers," shouldn't be missed.

Checked out Part 1, "To Adhamiya and Back," this morning. Could not stop reading.

NOTE: The stories are about the life-and-death experiences of soldiers in combat. If getting deep into that wouldn't be good for you just now, you might want to wait and read it later. MG

Installments will be published at the Army Times web site Dec. 3, 10 and 17.

We're getting hammered again on the United for Peace of Pierce County web site, this time for "embellishing" our report on the deaths Sunday of three more Fort Lewis soldiers.

If you believe the critique, I made up the part about the soccer balls.

Here's a link to the full AP story about the Baqouba bombing.

This version of the story includes the following quote from a boy at the scene, a quote that was omitted from the version of the story cited in the UFPPC critique:

Rasoul Issam, 16, said he and his friends were playing soccer when the U.S. soldiers called to them from their vehicles to come get gifts.

"We ran toward them and I caught a ball when suddenly an explosion took place about 20 meters (yards) from us," Issam said from his hospital bed in Baqouba.

The Multi-National Force-Iraq press release that said it was a suicide bombing is here.

As for why the critique's author would appear to be so vexed by the notion of Fort Lewis soldiers passing out toys and treats to the local kids in Iraq, I can't say.

Memorial ceremonies for the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division soldiers killed in recent bombings in Iraq will be held Nov. 28 and Dec. 5 at Evergreen Chapel at Fort Lewis.

The Nov. 28 ceremony, scheduled for 1:30 p.m., will be for Sgt. Christopher R. Kruse and Cpl. Peter W. Schmidt, who died Nov. 13 in Mukhisa, and Sgt. Kenneth R. Booker, who died the next day, also in Mukhisa.

The Dec. 5 ceremony is scheduled for 11 a.m., for Pfc. Marius L. Ferrero, Cpl. Jason T. Lee and Cpl. Christopher J. Nelson, who were killed Nov. 18 in Baqouba.

Persons without Department of Defense ID or stickers on their vehicles can still get on post to attend memorial ceremonies. Go to the visitor center at the main gate and present your driver's license, registration and proof of insurance to get a temporary pass.

The 3rd Brigade's new commander, Col. David Funk, referred to it as "a math problem" when I asked him about when or if the brigade might next be called on for an overseas mission.

Funk didn't divulge any dates or timetables, so what follows is pure conjecture on my part. Make of it what you will.

The Army has seven Stryker brigades. Where they are now, and what they might do next:

• 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division: Safely esconced again at Fort Lewis and on their way out for a big chunk of block leave (W00t!). Assuming SecDef Gates and CJCS Mullen mean business with that 12 months of dwell time, 3-2 would be ready for deployment no earlier than this time next year.

• 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division: Not so safely esconced in Taji and Baqouba. Due home to Lewis apx June-July 2008. Again, assuming now fewer than 12 months dwell time, next deployable August 2009.

• 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division: Still waiting for that reflagging. The Destroyers are standing up and last I knew were to reach "initial operating capability" by early 2009.

• 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division: The Alaska Strykers got home in December 2006 after working overtime in Iraq as the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team. They're reset and ready and apparently standing by as part of the Pentagon's "global response force." They reach the SecDef's dwell time standard next month or so.

• 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment: Former 1-25 from Fort Lewis arrived in Iraq via Germany in September and would figure to be there until November 2008. After redeployment, block leave, reset, etc., they'd be ready again by December 2009 or January 2010.

• 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division: As we speak is en route from Hawaii to Iraq. Figure they will be there into December 2008/January 2009, and available for more by February or March of 2010.

• 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team: The Pennsylvania National Guard brigade, currently fielding all its trucks and equipment, reportedly will be deployed to Iraq in February 2009.

So to sum up: Two new brigades in development, due to be ready early 2009.

One brigade just now unpacking after 15 months in Iraq (second trip), ready apx late late 2008, early 2009 -- assuming 12 months dwell time is hard and fast.

One combat-tested brigade available more or less now for come-what-may.

Three brigades in Iraq, all due to come home in latter half of 2008.

U.S. Rep. Adam Smith, D-Tacoma, presented outgoing brigade commander Col. Steve Townsend a signed, framed copy of the remarks he made on the House floor Oct. 23 noting the unit's return from Iraq.

Read them here in the Congressional Record.

With Tuesday's announcements from the Department of the Defense, the number of Fort Lewis soldiers to be killed in the Iraq war stands at 174.

Mosul 46
Baghdad 38
Baqouba 18
Taji 9
Tal Afar 9
Muqdadiyah 5
Balad 5
Total of all others 44

The post's troops and their families have paid a dear price for the continued security of Mosul and Baqouba, in particular – two areas where U.S. military officials have reduced troop levels but say they're watching carefully for renewed activity by insurgents.

The deputy commanding general billet at Fort Lewis and I Corps has turned into a launch pad-slash-revolving door.

The latest: Brig. Gen. Donald M. Campbell has been selected for assignment to command Fort Knox and the U.S. Army Armor Center and School, the Army chief of staff announced Tuesday.

Campbell, a tanker, has been at Fort Lewis since July.

No word yet on his successor.

Before Campbell, Brig. Gen. William J. Troy held the job for 12 months before being promoted to major general and moved to the Pentegon as vice director for force structure, resources and assessment on the Joint Staff.

And before that, Brig. Gen.John W. Morgan was the post's No. 2 for about eight months before he was sent to be deputy commander of U.S. forces in Korea. He has since been promoted to major general and assigned to command the 2nd Infantry Division in Korea.

Award winner's announced Tuesday in the Auburn Veterans Day Parade held Saturday:

• General’s Award – Best in Parade: Kamiak High School Marching Band

• Admiral’s Award – Best Military Drill Unit: Fort Lewis Marching Unit

• Harold Page Memorial Award – Best Veterans Marching Unit: Washington State POW/MIA Color Guard

• Colonel’s Award – Best Motorized Unit: Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association

• Veteran’s Award – Best Animal/Mounted Unit: Backcountry Horseman of Washington, Pierce County Chapter

• Mayor’s Award – Best Musical or Drill Unit: Clan Gordon Pipe Band

Here's a Veterans Day story by former Fort Lewis marketing director, author and amateur historian Phil Raschke:

John Babcock of Spokane has the honor to be the last surviving veteran of the Canadian forces of World War I.

During WW I, Canadian forces numbered nearly 620,000 and suffered over 214,000 casualties. Today, only Babcock still remains standing.

At 107, he’s showing no signs of slowing down.

John Babcock, right, and author Phil Raschke hold a photo of Babcock's World War I unit – D Company, 146th Overseas Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force. The photo was taken Sept. 5, 1916 at Camp Valcartier near Quebec while the unit was en route to Nova Scotia for training and then deployment to England. Babcock is the last surviving Canadian veteran of World War I. Photo courtesy of Phil Raschke.

He needs a walker to get around, but he still enjoys going out to lunch with friends, chatting with visitors and receiving letters from queens and prime ministers.

In a recent interview, Babcock proudly noted he obtained his private pilot's license at age 65 and his high school diploma at 95. Today, he delights in entertaining visitors by reciting the alphabet backwards, tapping out Morse Code messages and signing his name with either his right or left hand.

Back in 1916, Babcock was able to enter the military by looking older than his real age of 15. He trained with the 146th Overseas Battalion in Nova Scotia and then convoyed through U-Boat infested waters to England.

Upon arrival, his training continued near Brighton on the English Channel. Babcock's favorite memory was a daily 6 a.m. march to the channel wearing only a long gray coat and canvas shoes. Upon arrival at the beach, all 1,300 soldiers would get "buck naked" and plunge into the cold water. To the watching civilians, it "was quite a sight," Babcock said.

=> Read more!

Was Googling "fort lewis" and "army" and "construction" and came across this one that I hadn't seen in a few years – from back in the day when the Army was still feeling like it had to put on the full-court press for the Stryker brigades.

The following Veterans Day events and observances are scheduled Friday through Monday:

Friday

• The International Association of Workforce Professionals will hold its annual walk to the memorials from noon to 1:15 p.m. on the state capitol campus in Olympia. The walk begins at the Korean War Memorial, then goes on to the World War II Memorial, and concludes at the Vietnam War Memorial.

• The Green River Chapter No. 690, Vietnam Veterans of America holds its fourth annual “Thanks to Them” tribute 7-9 p.m. at Grace Community Church, 1320 Auburn Way S., in Auburn. Admission is $10 in advance, $15 at the door. For information call Chuck Lawrence at 253-279-6729 or write sarge6000@comcast.net

Saturday

• The City of Auburn once again hosts a daylong observance, including a parade along Main Street featuring a C-17 flyover, more than two dozen marching bands and a special presentation about the USS Indianapolis, the ill-fated Navy ship that delivered the first atomic bomb to the U.S. air base at Tinian Island.

Highlighted events in Auburn include:

• A remembrance ceremony begins at 9:45 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park, 411 E St. N.E.

• The parade begins at 11 a.m. along Main Street, including marching bands, floats, antique military vehicles, horse units and assorted other features. It’s one of the country’s largest Veterans Day parades.

• A marching band competition follows at 1 p.m. at Auburn Memorial Stadium, 801 Fourth St. N.E. Admission is $12.

• One of the last survivors of the sinking of the USS Indianapolis will help tell the ship’s tragic story beginning at 2:30 p.m. at the Auburn Performing Arts Center, 700 East Main St. Admission is free.

Clilck here for a complete listing.

• Hypnotists from around Washington are putting on free stress reduction classes for veterans and their families, including one from 4 to 6 p.m. at AmVets Post No. 1, 5717 S. Tyler St. in Tacoma.

Sunday

• South Prairie will host an observance at 9 a.m. at the Monument to Veterans in front of the Community Center at 350 Highway 162.

• The 3rd District Veterans of Foreign Wars holds its 72nd annual Veterans Day brunch and ceremony 10 a.m. to noon at 3510 McKinley Ave. in Tacoma. To reserve a spot at the brunch, call 253-272-1405.

• The Tahoma National Cemetery will hold its observance at 11 a.m. The ceremony is located at 18600 S.E. 240th St. in Kent.

• Also at 11 a.m., the Thurston County Veterans Coalition will hold an observance in the Capitol Rotunda in Olympia. The American Legion band will play at 10:30 a.m.

• Also at 11 a.m., the Veterans Memorial Cemetery at Evergreen-Washelli Memorial Park in Seattle holds its 58th annual observance. Keynote speaker is U.S. Rep. Adam Smith, D-Tacoma. The cemetery is located at 11111 Aurora Ave. N.

• A monument bearing the names of 750 Pierce County residents who lost their lives in World War II will be dedicated 2 p.m. at War Memorial Park, at the west end of Sixth Avenue at MacArthur Street, overlooking the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.

Click here for the list of names engraved on the monument.

• The Washington Soldiers Home in Orting will hold its observance at 2 p.m., at 1301 Orting-Kapowsin Highway.

• The American Legion Doughboy Memorial Post No. 138 hosts its annual Veterans Day spaghetti dinner 4-7 p.m. at 7515 Cirque Drive W. in University Place.

Monday

• Admission is free to all veterans, active-duty service members and their families at the Washington State History Museum in downtown Tacoma. Observance ceremony at 10 a.m.

• Puyallup’s annual observance begins at 1 p.m. at Pioneer Park
Pavilion, 330 S. Meridian St. Speakers include Col. Harry D. Tunnell, commander of the Army’s 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division at Fort Lewis, and Vicky Mohler, the Marine Corps mom who founded the Support America’s Armed Forces organization, which has provided hundreds of care packages to service members in Iraq and Afghanistan.

• The Evergreen State College in Olympia will host an observance at noon at the recital hall in the Communications Building, 2700 Evergreen Parkway N.W. Speakers include Michael Colson, the outreach coordinator at the Seattle Vet Center, Tracy Simpson, co-director of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Women’s Trauma and Recovery Center, and Doris Kent, a Gold Star Mother whose son Jonathan Santos was killed in Iraq in 2004.
For more information see the Evergreen web site.

For more see the state Department of Veterans Affairs schedule, which includes events all around the state.

Denise Dhane of Dhane Orthodontics in DuPont -- that's a lot of Ds -- is fired up about the community's "Operation Make a Soldier Smile." They're sending as many care packages -- stuffed full of goodies from the Costco snack aisle –- as they can manage to soldiers from 4th Brigade in Iraq and the 864th Engineer Battalion in Afghanistan.

She invited anyone who wants to help to come to a packing party at 6 o'clock Thursday next door to the Starbucks in DuPont, just west of exit 119 from Interstate 5. She also invited anyone who wanted to send a package to their soldier to bring the address and Dhane and her volunteers would take care of the rest.

"If you have a family member over there, we're going to get a box to them," she said. "This is a hometown that takes care of our troops."

DuPont, of course, is practically Fort Lewis Housing West, with hundreds of Army families moving into the growing community. Chloe Clark Elementary School has some 70 students in its club for kids with deployed parents, Dhane said.

"We are in the middle of all this," she said. "We've got to do something."

You can reach Dhane at 253-912-9383.

When most folks around here last heard from Brig. Gen. Bob Allardice, he was still Col. Bob Allardice and was on his way to the Pentagon after two colorful years in the top job at McChord Air Force Base.

The former 62nd Airlift Wing commander survived his time in “the building” and since March has been leading the Coalition Air Force Transition Team – the effort to rebuild the Iraqi Air Force.

He and his wife Susan make Tacoma their home now, and Allardice is in town this week on mid-tour leave.

In an interview Monday, Allardice said at one time Iraq had one of the Middle East’s largest air forces complete with state-of-the-art Soviet MiG fighters. But the jets that weren’t destroyed in the first gulf war were done in by the time of the U.S. invasion in March 2003.

This was the state of the Iraqi air force when U.S. troops encountered it at Mosul Airfield in April 2003. Photo: Peter Haley/The News Tribune

The thrust of the U.S.-led program now is to build up the institutions of an air force – recruiting and training, for instance – and the capacity for airlift and for surveillance and intelligence gathering from the air.

They’ve got a few C-130s, Cessnas for pilot training and some Huey helicopters. About 340 U.S. airmen train Iraqi pilots and ground personnel, while another group acts as individual advisers with their counterparts in the Iraqi force.

Allardice gave a detailed briefing to military bloggers in September, and his chief of staff, Col. Michael Wobbema, gave an update last week.

“This kind of adviser work is fascinating because we in the military all focus on, ‘hey, let’s solve the problem,’” Allardice said. “But we find that’s not very successful. If we solve the problem for them, it wouldn’t be any good. ...

“That old saying about a 60 percent Iraqi solution is better than a 100 percent American solution is always true.”

Allardice today is part of a Fort Lewis/McChord “branch campus east.” He was at McChord just before Lt. Gen. James M. Dubik arrived to command Fort Lewis; now he works for Dubik, who is the commander of the U.S. effort to build the Iraqi military and security forces.

=> Read more!

Brian Kerrigan at home in Frederickson. Photo: Dean J. Koepfler/The News Tribune

Army Sgt. Brian Kerrigan kept a blog while he was deployed, including this passage from the day he got hit the first time:

We were traveling a few kilometers south of Camp Anaconda at about 50 MPH when I noticed two large blast holes in the road. Martin swerved to miss them and took another quick veer to the right for an unexplained reason. Just as our truck lurched to the right side of the road everything stopped as if someone had pushed the slow motion button on their DVD player. A large blast and then smoke poured into the hatches of my truck. My whole body shifted from the pressure of the explosion. My head went crashing into the side of the truck where I sat at the gunner’s station. Cement, rocks and dirt poured in and my ears began ringing loudly.

The Army’s TBI chain teaching program can be downloaded here. There's also a link to a video for family members.

The Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, operated by the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, has a lot of basic information about programs to understand TBI and help soldiers and veterans with the condition.

The Pentagon’s Deployment Health Clinical Center includes links to recent news articles, fact sheets and information for medics in the field and doctors.

The New England Journal of Medicine had a great overview by Dr. Susan Okie that featured a former Stryker soldier from the old 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Sgt. David Emme.

For the civilian perspective on TBI, see the Brain Injury Association of Washington. There is also the North American Brain Injury Society, which is sponsoring a new organization, the Blast Injury Institute, to raise public awareness of issues related to brain injuries from explosions.

PTSD Combat: Winning the War Within is an independent online journal maintained by Ilona Meagher, author of “Moving a Nation to Care: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorer and America’s Returning Troops.” Although it’s focus primarily is PTSD, the site also includes links about TBI and other mental health issues.

The Washington state chapter of Operation Homefront is beginning a support group for spouses of wounded soldiers, particularly those with mTBI.

Two former soldiers who went to Iraq in 2003-04 on the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division's first trip to Iraq are among the writers contributing to the New York TImes' compelling Homefires blog.

Sandi Austin was a sergeant with the Army reserve civil affairs company that was attached to the 3rd Brigade Strykers.

Brian Turner was an infantry team leader in the brigade's 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment and wrote an award-winning volume of poetry, "Here, Bullet" about his experiences. Here's a selection that we printed in a story about the book last year.

"Ashbah"
The ghosts of American soldiers
wander the streets of Balad by night,
unsure of their way home, exhausted,
the desert wind blowing trash
down the narrow alleys as a voice
sounds from the minaret, a soulfull call
reminding them how alone they are,
how lost. And the Iraqi dead,
they watch in silence from rooftops
as date palms line the shore in silhouette,
leaning toward Mecca when the dawn wind blows.

From " Here, Bullet" by Brian Turner (Alice James Books, 2005)

They'll be welcoming home more than 115 airmen from the 7th Airlift Squadron from a 120-trip deployment in Turkey and Kyrgyzstan.

McChord says its active-duty squadron flew more than 2,700 missions out of Incirlik and Manas air bases and hauled all the stuff the troops need on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan: mine-resistant vehicles, mine-detecting equipment, armor and assorted other supplies – 84 million tons in all.

They also flew 16 combat drops in Afghanistan, bring food, water, ammo, fuel and winter supplies to the troops hunting the Taliban and al-Qaida in the mountains.

They also "supported the largest C-17 passenger movement yet in the region in September by airlifting more than 43,000 service members in and out of the region during the summer surge," according to a McChord press release.

They signed the "Army Family Covenant" at Fort Lewis on Friday – a campaign initiated by Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey to reiterate the service's gratitude to service members' spouses and children.

They're having similar signing ceremonies at posts all around the world. The Fort Lewis corps commander, garrison commander and command sergeants major gathered with soldiers and family members at the Cascade Club on Friday to do the local honors.

"We have always felt the moral obligation, and desire, to provide adequate family services, but we have not always had the resources," Lt. Gen. Charles J. Jacoby said. "... This day marks a meaningful recommitment. Through a covenant, the Army is telling you that we will have the priority and the resources- because our families do matter."

$1.4 billion in additional spending on family programs across the Army in 2008 will pay for more assistants to family readiness groups and six new child-care centers at Fort Lewis, among other things.

The covenant says:

We recognize the commitment and increasing sacrifices that our families are making every day.

We recognize the strength of our Soldiers comes from the strength of their Families.

We are committed to providing Soldiers and Families a Quality of Life that is commensurate with their service.

We are committed to providing our Families a strong, supportive environment where they can thrive.

We are committed to building a partnership with Army families that enhances their strength and resilience.

We are committed to improving Family readiness by:

• Standardizing and funding existing Family programs and services

• Increasing accessibility and quality of healthcare

• Improving Soldier and Family housing

• Ensuring excellence in schools, youth services, and child care

• Expanding education and employment opportunities for Family members

Fair amount of reaction to the story this morning about the prospects of the Army shooting HIMARS rockets at Fort Lewis.

To answer the poster's question: No matter how it works out, I don't think you'll be able to talk them into firing one at McCabe's. There are regulations against that sort of thing.

Here's what they look like when they're shot:

A few of you have asked: The Fort Lewis noise complaint hotline is 253-967-0852. But it's probably too early to start calling and leaving a ton of angry messages there.

Post officials say they haven't decided yet whether they'll pursue all the environmental reviews they'd have to do before they could shoot the HIMARS on post. And if they proceed, there will be a period where the proposal will be open to public comment.

And from this one guy's purely anecdotal, non-scientific, one-day's-worth-of-experience perspective, they didn't seem all that much louder than some of the other stuff they fire and explode out on the post's 86,000 acres.