Every Day Heroes

Nineteen 3rd Special Forces Group soldiers received the Silver Star Medal during a Valor Awards Ceremony in the JFK Auditorium at Fort Bragg, N.C., Dec. 12, 2008. The Silver Star is the 3rd highest military decoration that can be awarded to any member of the United States Armed Forces. Photo by Cpl. Sean Harp


Members of Operational Detachment Alpha 3336 of the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) recon the remote Shok Valley of Afghanistan where they fought an almost seven-hour battle with terrorists in a remote mountainside village. Photo by Sgt. David N. Gunn

Silver Stars

Photo by Cpl Sean Harp
December 15, 2008

At the John F. Kennedy Auditorium, Fort Bragg, N.C., Dec. 12, Lt. Gen. John F. Mullholland awards Silver Star Medal to Sgt. 1st Class Luis Morales of 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) for actions in combat during his deployment to Afganistan.

Photo by Staff Sgt. Corey T. Dennis
December 15, 2008
Lt. Gen. John F. Mullholland awards the
Silver Star Medal to Master Sgt. Scott Ford
of 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group'
(Airborne) for his valor in Afghanistan.
The award ceremony took place at
John F. Kennedy Auditorium, Fort Bragg, N.C.,
Dec. 12

Not one hero today, BUT 19 very special heroes:

3rd Special Forces Group honors 19 with Silver Stars

Dec 15, 2008
BY Janice Burton

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, Dec. 12, 2008) - In one of the largest awards ceremonies since the Vietnam era, the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) awarded 19 Silver Star Medals, two Bronze Star Medals for Valor, two Army Commendation Medals for Valor and four Purple Hearts here at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, Dec. 12.

Col. Gus Benton II, the commander of the 3rd SFG(A), said the men of the 3rd SFG(A) have distinguished themselves by taking the fight to the enemy and simply "doing what had to be done."

"It is my distinct honor and privilege to celebrate the awarding of these medals to our intrepid warriors," Benton said. "History will record and we will long remember their sacrifices."

Addressing the standing-room-only crowd, Benton said that earlier this week the group had the honor of awarding 43 Bronze Stars for Valor and 39 Army Commendation Medals for Valor....

And there is more. Please go here to read the rest of this article. THEN go read the details of what these amazing men did:

The story behind the Silver Stars

Dec 15, 2008
BY Janice Burton

There are no roads leading into the Shok Valley. The village, which stands sentinel over the valley, is home to one of the fiercest of the insurgent forces in Afghanistan - the Hezeb Islami al Gulbadin, or HIG.

On April 6, 2008 a daring raid into the stronghold by Afghan Commandos and their Special Forces counterparts tested the mettle of the Afghan forces and further forged the bond between them and their SF brothers....

When you ask them to use one word to describe April 6, their words pop, much like the gunfire that rained down on them.

"A nightmare."

"Baptism by fire," said Staff Sgt. Daniel Plants, "it was my first firefight."

"Cliffhanger."

More words followed as the team went back in their minds to that day.

The Mission

The team was assigned to take out high-value targets within the HIG. The insurgent group was entrenched in the valley and was guarded by a number of highly-trained foreign fighters. The sheer number of weapons and amount of ammo used by the insurgents led the team to conclude that they had been stockpiling the weaponry within the fortress-like village since the Russian invasion of the country during the late '80s.

Accompanying the team that day was a group of Afghan Commandos. "We have such a big rapport with the commandos we've trained," said Staff Sgt. Luis Morales, the team's intelligence sergeant. "They have such a loyalty to us. They try as hard to protect us as we try to protect ourselves."

"We eat, sleep and train with these commandos," said Capt. Kyle Walton, the detachment commander. "We die with them, too. These guys are close friends to us. At the outset of the attack, I lost my interpreter, and we were as close as anyone."

The interpreters hold a special place within the team. "They are just like a member of the team," said Morales. "One of our interpreters has seen as much combat as any of us. He has six years of combat experience. He's been with six SF teams and been in hundreds of firefights - but he doesn't get the six-month break. ...

You know there is more. Go read the whole story here.


Honored during the ceremony with Silver Star Medals were:

The members assigned to ODA 3336 for valorous actions undertaken in Afghanistan on April 6, 2008:

- Capt. Kyle Walton (Carmel, Ind.)
- Master Sgt. Scott Ford (Athens, Ohio)
- Staff Sgt. Dillon Behr (Rock Island, Ill.)
- Staff Sgt. Seth Howard (Kenne, N.H.)
- Staff Sgt. Luis Morales (Fredricksburg, Va.)
- Staff Sgt. Ronald Shurer (Pullman, Wash.)
- Staff Sgt. John Walding (Groesbeck, Texas)
- Sgt. David Sanders (Huntsville, Ala.)
- Sgt. Matthew Williams (Casper, Wyo.)
- Spc. Michael Carter (Smithville, Texas)

The members assigned to ODA 3312 and 3214 for valorous actions undertaken in Afghanistan on Nov. 2, 2007:

- Master Sgt. Frederick Davenport (San Diego, Calif.)
- Staff Sgt. Robert Hammons (Hunstville, Ala.)
- Sgt. 1st Class Jacob Allison (Livonia, N.Y.)
- Sgt. 1st Class Paul Fiesel (La Porte, Texas)

For actions undertaken in Afghanistan on Nov. 10, 2007:
- Sgt. Gabriel Reynolds (Oswego, Ore.)

For actions undertaken in Iraq on July 27, 2007:
- Capt. Kent Solheim (Oregon City, Ore.)

For actions undertaken in Afghanistan on Aug. 26-Sept. 13, 2006:
- Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Konrad (Winchester, Tenn.)

For actions undertaken in Afghanistan Aug. 7-9, 2005:
- Capt. Brandon Griffin (Athens, Ga.)

For actions undertaken in Afghanistan July 25, 2005:
- Sgt. 1st Class Larry Hawks (Bowling Green, Ky.)

The Silver Star Medal is awarded in recognition of a valorous act performed during combat operations while under direct fire from enemy forces. It may also denote an accomplishment of a heroic nature in direct support of operations against an enemy force.

Lt. Gen. John F. Mulholland, commander of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, who presented the awards to the Soldiers. "Where do we get such men? There is no finer fighting man on the face of the earth than the American Soldier. And there is no finer American Soldier than our Green Berets."

Mulholland said that he was "incredibly humbled" to stand and address the actions of his men, because their actions "speak volumes beyond what I can say."

"Day-in and day-out, they are the unsung heroes, seeking no recognition," he continued. "If you asked them, I'm sure they would say: `the other guy did it.'" (source) [my emphasis]

Or they would probably say "Just doing my job"! How blessed we are that such men do their "job" so well. My grateful appreciation to ALL of them.

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Do YOU remember?

The plane was headed for New York

1988: Jumbo jet crashes onto Lockerbie

A Pan Am jumbo jet with 258 passengers on board has crashed on to the town of Lockerbie near the Scottish borders.

Initial reports indicate it crashed into a petrol station in the centre of the town, between Carlisle and Dumfries, and burst into a 300-foot fireball.

Hundreds are feared dead as airline officials said flight 103 was about two-thirds full with 255 adults and three children on board.

Rescue teams have confirmed there are many casualties at the scene including townspeople who were on the ground.

The Boeing 747 left London Heathrow at 1800 GMT bound for New York's JFK airport...

In Context

In total 259 people aboard the flight and 11 on the ground died in the crash which took place 38 minutes after take-off.

The debris from the aircraft was scattered across 845 square miles and the impact reached 1.6 on the Richter scale.

The subsequent police investigation was the biggest ever mounted in Scotland and became a murder inquiry when evidence of a bomb was found.

Two men accused of being Libyan intelligence agents were eventually charged with planting the bomb.

Abdelbaset ali Mohmed al-Megrahi was jailed for life in January 2001 following an 84-day trial under Scottish law, at Camp Zeist in Holland.

His alleged accomplice, Al Amin Khalifa Fhimah, was found not guilty.

In 2002 Al Megrahi's appeal against conviction was rejected. [both pieces from BBC here]

A number of ceremonies are planned
in Lockerbie throughout the day

Special "places to remember" are being opened in Lockerbie, with a wreath-laying ceremony taking place at the Dryfesdale Ceremony.

In the evening there will be services at both the Tundergarth and Dryfesdale Church.

A little after 1900 GMT the exact anniversary of the atrocity will be remembered.

For many who lived through it, the memories remain fresh despite the time which has passed.

We were sitting in our houses at Christmas we didn't have any trees, cards and decorations - we took them down Maxwell Kerr Eyewitness

George Stobbs, Lockerbie's police inspector at the time, recalls the events of 20 years ago with great clarity.

"Nobody actually knew what had happened, we realised an aircraft had come down but I thought it was a military aircraft," he said.

"Once I got into Sherwood Crescent I could see flames along the roadside, the footpaths were burst and there were gas pipes fractured - there were dancing flames coming up from them.

"Hedges were on fire, drop pipes on the side of houses were on fire and they were in turn climbing up and setting fire to the roofs."

It was only later in the evening that the scale of the death toll at Lockerbie began to emerge.[here]

It is said that those who forget history, are doomed to repeat it. Will YOU forget?

*cross-posted from Assoluta Tranquillita*

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Canadian is new Governor of Kandahar

Tooryalai Wesa, 58, fled Afghanistan in 1991 and settled in Coquitlam, B.C, Canada. Today, he takes up a new post as Governor of Kandahar.

"Some of the Afghans are trying to come back because we want to help the country and because of the lack of the professional people" in the country, Wesa told CTV Newsnet Thursday in a telephone interview from Kabul, Afghanistan.

Born and raised in Kandahar, Wesa has extensive work experience in the province and feels that he can be an effective link between the local population and the international force of soldiers, diplomats and aid workers currently posted there.

Go read the rest at Assoluta Tranquillita here.

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SANTA TO MAKE PRE-CHRISTMAS EVE INSPECTION

SANTA TO MAKE PRE-CHRISTMAS EVE INSPECTION OF SANTA TRACKER HEADQUARTERS AT NORAD
Flight by World-Famous Macy's Santa to Help Children of our Fallen Military Heroes
Santa Offers Holiday Tips for Those Coping with Grief During the Holiday Season

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 19, 2008

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Just before his epic flight on Christmas Eve, the world-famous Macy's Santa will make a special trip on December 23rd to NORAD's Santa Tracker headquarters. Santa's special flight next week will provide support for children of our nation's fallen military heroes who are involved with TAPS, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors.

As Santa's Traveling Workshop, Santa's flight on a Halcyon Jet will take him to NORAD's Santa Tracker headquarters, where Santa will ensure that all is in order for Christmas Eve. He'll also visit a household chosen by the winner of an online eBay auction and visit a children's home or military base to talk with boys and girls. Proceeds from the auction will help children of our fallen military heroes.

Located at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), has been in the business of tracking Santa on Christmas Eve for the past 50 years. The command will track Santa as he flies from New York City on December 23rd to the community selected by the winning auction bidder, welcome Santa to tour NORAD, and then track Santa back to the North Pole on December 23.

TAPS, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, will distribute toys provided by Santa and the workshop to children who have lost a parent. "Santa's flight and toys will bring a lot of holiday cheer to children who have suffered a great loss and while also raising awareness for the ongoing programs that help children cope with their grief," said Bonnie Carroll, founder and chairman of TAPS.

Because the holidays can be a difficult time for families who are grieving, said Carroll, Santa also will offer some tips during his December 23rd flight to help those who are supporting a bereaved child this holiday season. "Among children involved with TAPS, the one gift they most want is one that Santa can't bring – the return of the parent or relative who died," said Carroll. "We know that Santa is working hard to bring joy and holiday cheer to children who've suffered the death of someone they love, and his December 23rd flight shows he cares about them and will provide resources to help the children of our fallen military heroes."

A few of the tips Santa offers are:

Make holiday plans that help your child feel nurtured, emotionally safe, and comfortable. Review your plans for the holidays with your child. Spend the holidays where you and your child feel supported, nurtured, and comfortable.

Allow your child to remember the person who died through a tribute. Light a candle together at dinner time to remember the person who died. Make a wreath with pictures and items that represent the things the lost loved one cared about and place it at the gravesite for the loved one. Hang an ornament on the tree that reminds the child of the loved one. Help your child offer a blessing at a holiday meal that honors the person who died. Create a picture or collage with your child, display a favorite photograph in your home, or let your child help you set a place at the dinner table to represent the loved one who died.

Laughter, play and joy are good for your child. Children do not grieve continuously and they need to take breaks from grieving. Encourage your child to play, run, and do recreational activities he or she would normally do. Clowning around and laughing (which releases endorphins into the brain) are good for children.

More tips on dealing with grief during the holidays for children and adults are available at www.taps.org<http://www.taps.org>.

Santa's Traveling Workshop has brought toys and cheer to hundreds of thousands of children and families in need, beginning in December of 2005 after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. It also delivered 100,000 toys to children from all walks of life on the National Mall in Washington, DC in 2006.

TAPS provides ongoing emotional help, hope, and healing to all who are grieving the death of a loved one in military service to America, regardless of relationship to the deceased, geography, or circumstance of the death. TAPS meets its mission by providing peer-based support, crisis care, casualty casework assistance, and grief and trauma resources. Services are provided free of charge. For more information go to www.taps.org<http://www.taps.org> or call the toll-free crisis line at 800.959.TAPS.

Media Contacts
Santa's Traveling Workshop Media Contact: Travis Thomas, 858.759.2000

TAPS Media Contact: Ami Neiberger-Miller, 202.588.TAPS, ami@taps.orgami@taps.org>

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Defamation Resolutions: Enough Already!

I learned about the existence of this CNS News article through a link at Eye On the UN.

UN Passes Islamic ‘Defamation’ Measure, But Critics Hail ‘Backlash’
Thursday, December 18, 2008
By Patrick Goodenough, International Editor

In that article, I found a link to a statement by four human rights experts, named in the last page of the document.

International Mechanisms for Promoting Freedom of Expression
JOINT DECLARATION ON DEFAMATION OF RELIGIONS, AND ANTI-TERRORISM AND
ANTI-EXTREMISM LEGISLATION

Having read that statement, I now endorse it, reserving the exception of the following quoted points, to each of which I dissent. [Emphasis added.]

Recognising the importance to democracy, as well as to holding social institutions accountable, of open debate about all ideas and social phenomena in society and the right of all to be able to manifest their culture, religion and beliefs in practice;

Since Islam sanctifies & mandates genocidal¹ conquest² using terrorism³ as a battle tactic, manifesting its practice is a wrong, not a right.

The definition of terrorism, at least as it applies in the context of restrictions on freedom of
expression, should be restricted to violent crimes that are designed to advance an ideological, religious, political or organised criminal cause and to influence public authorities by inflicting terror on the public.

Advocacy of casting terror, incitement to cast terror and glorification of the act & those who perform it are essential to the perpetuation of terrorism and must be condemned as part and parcel of it.

The criminalisation of speech relating to terrorism should be restricted to instances of intentional incitement to terrorism, understood as a direct call to engage in terrorism which is directly responsible for increasing the likelihood of a terrorist act occurring, or to actual participation in terrorist acts (for example by directing them). Vague notions such as providing communications support to terrorism or extremism, the ‘glorification’ or ‘promotion’ of terrorism or extremism, and the mere repetition of statements by terrorists, which does not itself constitute incitement, should not be criminalised.

Terrorism is a tactic, not an enemy. Moral condemnation of conquest in which men are killed, their widows raped⁴ and orphans sold into slavery⁵ is not consequent upon the terror inflicted, it is consequent upon malum in se; the pure evil of aggression against innocent persons. Sanctification of conquest, with a divine mandate to perform it until the entire globe is dominated by Islam⁶, would be sufficient cause to outlaw the propagation of Islam, even in the absence of its 1398 year history of rapine.

Not withstanding those reservations, I endorse the rest of the statement, particularly the following:

The concept of ‘defamation of religions’ does not accord with international standards regarding
defamation, which refer to the protection of reputation of individuals, while religions, like all beliefs, cannot be said to have a reputation of their own.

Restrictions on freedom of expression should be limited in scope to the protection of overriding individual rights and social interests, and should never be used to protect particular institutions, or abstract notions, concepts or beliefs, including religious ones.

Restrictions on freedom of expression to prevent intolerance should be limited in scope to advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence.

International organisations, including the United Nations General Assembly and Human Rights
Council, should desist from the further adoption of statements supporting the idea of ‘defamation of religions’.

In my opinion, that last sentence was poorly written, introducing an ambiguity which should not be allowed to persist. The named bodies should rescind their previous resolutions as listed in the statement, and refrain from passing further resolutions condemning or attempting to outlaw criticism of Islam.

1. Genocide:
1. until he had made a great slaughter (among his enemies) in the land. [8:67]
2. smite at their necks till when you have killed and wounded many of them [47:4]
3. those who had begun to grow hair (pubes) were killed, and those who had not were not killed [Abu Dawud 38.4390]
2. Conquest:
1. And fight them until there is no more Fitnah [8:39]
2. Fight against those who (1) believe not in Allah ... among the people of the Scripture ... until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued. [9:29]
3. The Good News that Muslims will conquer the Known World, and ultimately the Entire World
3. Terrorism:
1. We shall cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve [3:151]
2. ...I will cast terror into the hearts of those who have disbelieved, so strike them over the necks, and smite over all their fingers and toes. [8:12]
3. Allah brought them down from their forts and cast terror into their hearts [33:26]
4. Rape:
1. ...Also (forbidden are) women already married, except those (captives and slaves) whom your right hands possess.... [4:24]
2. ..."We went out with Allah's Apostle for the Ghazwa of Banu Al-Mustaliq and we received captives from among the Arab captives and we desired women and celibacy became hard on us and we loved to do coitus interruptus. ... [Bukhari Volume 5, Book 59, Number 459]
5. Slavery: and a group (of them) you made captives. [33:26]
6. Global domination:
1. ...) and the religion (worship) will all be for Allah Alone [in the whole of the world ].... [8:39]
2. ...to make it superior over all religions even though the Mushrikun (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah) hate (it). [9:33]
3. The Good News that Muslims will Dominate the People of the Book

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