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Memorial Day Memorial Day (or less commonly called Decoration Day) is a federal holiday in the US for remembering and honoring people who died while serving inour Armed Forces. The holiday, which is currently observed every year on the last Monday of May, was previously observed on May 30 from 1868 to 1970. Some communities, including mine (Grand Rapids, MI) still celebrate it on May 30. Many people visit cemeteries and memorials on Memorial Day, particularly to honor those who died in military service. Many volunteers place an American flag on each grave in national cemeteries. It’s important to preserve our national culture that families, in some way, take the time on this day to honor those of our nation’s military who are no longer with us.
Employers Can’t Support Spouses If We Don’t Let Them Military spouse job seekers have a decision to make: Do we self-identify during hiring and let employers put their money where their mouths are, or do we slow our complaints that corporate America doesn’t support us? Almost 400 employers have joined a Defense Department-organized network of companies who have pledged to hire military spouses. Cities are stepping up in partnership with the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes program to launch Military Spouse Empowerment Zones (MSEEZ) where local companies are dedicated to spouse hiring. Major corporations such as Starbucks, Amazon, Hilton and Microsoft have spearheaded spouse education and hiring programs that not only give spouses jobs, but also change corporate culture. And yet many military spouses hesitate to raise their hands and identify as part of the community. A new survey from Monster, highlights the problem. The survey, conducted in late 2018, included 305 active-duty and veteran spouses as part of a larger veterans’ survey. It found that 45% of respondents view their status as a military spouse as a “barrier” to employment, while over half, 53%, choose not to disclose it when applying for a job. That perception is warranted. There are few specific statistics to show that employers have historically discriminated against spouses, but there’s plenty of anecdotal evidence from spouses who feel that their status has resulted in rejections. And there are overall statistics that lend credence to that narrative. While a 2018 Hiring Our Heroes survey of 1,300 spouses showed a 16% unemployment rate, down from 23% in 2015, an astounding 70% said they feel that their education or past work experience is not fully utilized at their current job. In short, although the unemployment rate has fallen, spouses continue to have trouble finding meaningful, long-term employment. Increasingly, though, companies say they want to fix that. But will we give them the chance?
Features
Make America Muslim This 1-minute interview with the Muslim Congress-person from Michigan makes it absolutely clear that the goal of the Islamist leaders is to make America Muslim. Listen to this speech. They hope to move towards this goal through public education. This, to me, is it total violation of our Constitution and my desire to be free from having Islam forced on my nation.
General MacArthur at West Point On 12 May 1962, Douglas MacArthur delivered his famous “Duty, Honor, Country” valedictory speech at West Point.
The World’s Best Snipers Snipers are a special breed, warriors with a combination of shooting skill, cunning, and patience. Military history has shown that a single sniper in the right place at the right time can change the course of battle, even in the face of overwhelming odds. Here are the five most legendary among them:
Pregnant Army Soldiers Army soldiers have more babies in their first two years of enlistment and miss more work as a result than do women in the other military branches, a finding that researchers say is linked to different service policies on birth control education and access at basic training. Between 2013 and 2016, the birth rate among soldiers in the first two years of military service ranged between 10.1% and 11.4%, while the combined rate for women in the other branches hovered at around 6.4%. The higher rate among soldiers resulted in an additional .04 deliveries, 3.7 more days of postpartum leave and 28.2 more pregnancy-related non-deployable days per service woman trained than for sailors, airmen and Marines, said Dr. Tim Roberts, a retired Navy commander who now works at Children’s Mercy Kansas City. Babies themselves may be a joy, but when they aren’t planned, they can upend a service member’s life and affect readiness, Roberts said. Citing studies of service members who left deployments early in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm due to unintended pregnancies, Roberts called it “a problem that has a definite impact on the combat readiness of the troops.”
Mothers in the Navy Lt. Cmdr. Karen Sankes-Ritland never imagined life outside the military. Her father was a Marine. Her husband is an explosive ordnance disposal officer. She’s a Naval Academy graduate. But more than a decade into her career, the strains of family life and a dual-military household were taking a toll. Her father had recently died, her third child needed open-heart surgery, and she was pregnant with her fourth child. Meanwhile, her husband was scheduled to deploy soon. “I just felt like I was starting to drown,” she said. Something had to change. She needed a break. But she didn’t want to leave the Navy. So after her fourth child’s arrival in 2016, she took advantage of a program that lets enlisted sailors and officers take a sabbatical. For a year, she was a stay-at-home mom. “I will forever be grateful for that year off because that was a very important time for me to be able to spend that time with my very young children,” she said. “And I can tell you stay-at-home moms definitely have a really tough job. Very tough, but very rewarding.” She returned to the Navy in 2017 and now serves as the training officer aboard the aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush. The time off rejuvenated her. She said it made her a better officer.
DashCam Video of Pilot Ejecting Dashcam footage from a freeway commuter shows the moment a pilot ejected from an F-16 military jet, releasing a parachute before the aircraft slammed into a Riverside County warehouse. The pilot had reported hydraulic problems with the single-engine Fighting Falcon before bailing. The pilot planned to return to the March Air Reserve Base on the other side of the freeway, but was instead forced to eject from the aircraft. After ejecting from the jet and deploying a parachute, the pilot landed safely in a nearby field. The unmanned jet then crashed into the See Water Inc. warehouse, west of the airfield. The footage, shot by YouTube user James Dyer, focuses on the road ahead as traffic moves along steadily. The jet appears suddenly in the upper-left frame, plummeting downward. A burst of smoke appears as the pilot ejects, and the plane glides at a distance into the center of the frame. Traffic slows, then comes to a stop. The crash ruptured the building’s sprinkler system. In the midst of the debris, water can be seen pouring from the roof. The jet was flying with a standard armament package. The area around the crash and several nearby businesses were closed, and once secured, the ordnance was detonated in a nearby field. No one was seriously injured in the crash. Ten people were treated in an emergency room and three others were taken to a hospital with injuries that did not appear to be life-threatening. The pilot was taken to a hospital and released in good condition. The Coming American Civil War This writer’s viewpoint is that our “Cultural Wars” are expanding and growing in lots of areas and he sees us erupting into full-fledged Civil War maybe as soon as 3 years from now. I don’t think so, but when you peel back the layers to the violence in America that is not just criminal violence, we find that the vast bulk of the violence comes from folks on the left side of the political spectrum… That has been true since Lincoln’s Assassination, and it continues to be true today.
Black Women at West Point Thirty-two black women will graduate from the US Military Academy at West Point this month — the largest class of black women in the school’s history. The news comes just a year after Lt. Gen. Darryl Williams became the first black officer to assume command at the 216-year-old academy, and Simone Askew became the first black woman to lead the Corps of Cadets. Some of the graduates recently posed for photos to memorialize this significant moment in history. “My hope when young black girls see these photos is that they understand that regardless of what life presents you, you have the ability and fortitude to be a force to be reckoned with,” cadet Tiffany Welch-Baker told Because of Them We Can, a website that features black news and photographs.
More Really Inappropriate Actions by Military Prosecutors Military prosecutors in the case of a Navy Seal charged with killing and ISIS prisoner in Iraq in 2017 installed tracking software in emails sent to defense lawyers and a reporter in an apparent attempt to discover who was leaking information to the media, according to lawyers who told The AP that they received the corrupted messages. The defense attorneys said the intrusion may have violated constitutional protections against illegal searches, guarantees to the right to a lawyer and freedom of the press. “I’ve seen some crazy stuff but, for a case like this, it’s complete insanity,” said attorney Timothy Parlatore. “I was absolutely stunned … especially given the fact that it’s so clear the government has been the one doing the leaking.” Parlatore represents Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher, who has pleaded not guilty to a murder count in the death of an injured teenage militant he allegedly stabbed to death in 2017 in Iraq. Gallagher’s platoon commander, Lt. Jacob Portier, is fighting charges of conduct unbecoming an officer for allegedly conducting Gallagher’s re-enlistment ceremony next to the corpse. The case against Gallagher, a decorated SEAL, has attracted the attention of congressional Republicans who have called for prosecutors to drop the case. And President Trump tweeted in March that Gallagher was being transferred to less restrictive confinement to honor “his past service to our country.”
Bombers to the Mid-East The B-52 Stratofortress bombers that deployed to the Middle East this month to counter unspecified threats from Iran have begun patrols over the Persian Gulf, Air Forces Central Command (AFCENT) said. “The B-52s were deployed to US Central Command to defend US forces and deter any aggression. They have begun flying deterrence missions in the region, including over the Arabian Gulf,” AFCENT spokeswoman Maj. Holly Brauer said in an email. CNN reported that F-15C Eagles and F-35A Joint Strike Fighters that were already deployed to the Middle East for operations in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan have joined the B-52s for “visible patrols” over the Persian Gulf. A defense official confirmed on background that the aircraft have begun “show of presence” flights over the gulf.
School Safety Schools that allow teachers to carry guns are extremely safe: Data on the rate of shootings and accidents in schools that allow teachers to carry shows zero instances of people being hurt.
The US Constitution When members of our Armed Forces are sworn in, we all take an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the US against all enemies, foreign and domestic. The entire document, including all amendments, takes slightly less than 7600 words. We veterans and, indeed, all patriots, should read this document over and over again. It’s not complicated. The 2nd Amendment is not about protecting citizens’ right to hunt. It’s about the citizens’ right to protect themselves—even from our own government. There are two national organizations that are focused on making our nation aware of, and practicing, the Constitution—and I’m active in both of them. First is Concerned Veterans for America (cv4a.org). Then, there’s Combat Veterans for Congress (CVC.org).
Unintentionally Funny Our military loves slapping an acronym on anything that moves. Actually, things that don’t move are equally likely to be described with a jumble of letters when words would do the trick just fine. Sometimes it’s obvious that the acronym-izer should’ve put more thought into the process, and we get some unintentionally hilarious descriptors.
Wise Words Retired Navy CAPT Joe John has done many things in his life; I’ve asked him to share a few words of wisdom with us: Joe chairs the group, Combat Veterans For Congress. Here’s the list of nominees for the board plus his comments.
Please Participate On Veterans Day we began a new program—and I still need your help—I’m quickly running out of stories. On each show we honor a deceased military person—not the super stars, but the average soldier, sailor, marine, airman or coastie. They don’t have to have served in combat—but must have served honorably, on active duty or in the guard or reserves. Send me about 250 words summarizing his or her service—that I’ll read on the show. Sent the info to me at denny@FrontlinesOfFreedom.com.
Military Music One of the songs we cadets sang—especially around graduation time, was Army Blue. The only recording of it I could find was this one by some good-old-boys. The words are correct, but we cadets sang it quite differently. Here is Army Blue.
Frontlines of Freedom Gear If you’d like to have a Frontlines of Freedom shirt or hat or whatever, we do have it for you. Check our store at http://fof.logoshop.com/
Two quotes to consider. Only our individual faith in freedom can keep us free. Dwight D. Eisenhower
If you find yourself in a fair fight, you didn’t plan your mission properly. David Hackworth
Programming: You’ll want to tune into the show (live or by podcast) 1-7 June: This is Frontlines of Freedom’s 12th Anniversary Show. Senior Director Nate Anderson from Concerned Veterans for America will discuss challenges we must face and how to deal with them. Then CAPT Joe John will share about the goals of Combat Veterans for Congress, and Col Doug Makance will discuss the goals of the Uniformed Services League. 8-14 Jun: Senator Mike Lee will discuss his book, Our Lost Declaration. Then Spencer Brown from Young Americans for Freedom will discuss the impact of our very liberal college compuses on veterans and ROTC cadets. AF vet Ron Craft will discuss how his KC135 saved lives. And Max DeBack will discuss his upcoming status as a new cadet at the USAF Academy.
Advertising on Frontlines of Freedom’s Website and Newsletter: We encourage you to patronize our advertisers; they are keeping Frontlines of Freedom alive and well. You can advertise on-air (as a show sponsor) or only on our website and in this newsletter. If you or someone you know would like to advertise on Frontlines of Freedom please contact me at denny@frontlinesoffreedom.com.
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Humor A retired Army officer sent this in. It’s both hard and easy to believe. A DC ‘airport ticket agent’ offers some examples of why the US is in so much trouble! I love this as the ticket agent actually names the names—I cannot vouch for accuracy: 1. I had a New Hampshire Congresswoman (Carol Shea-Porter) ask for an aisle seat so that her hair wouldn’t get messed up by being near the window. (On an airplane!) 2. I got a call from a Kansas Congressman’s (Moore) staffer (Howard Bauleke), who wanted to go to Cape Town. I started to explain the length of the flight and the passport information, and then he interrupted me with, ”I’m not trying to make you look stupid, but Cape Town is in Massachusets ‘ 3. A senior Vermont Congressman (Bernie Sanders) called, furious about a Florida package we did. I asked what was wrong with the vacation in Orlando. He said he was expecting an ocean-view room. I tried to explain that’s not possible, since Orlando is in the middle of the state. 4. I got a call from a lawmaker’s wife (Landra Reid) who asked, ”Is it possible to see England from Canada?” 5. An aide for a cabinet member (Janet Napolitano) once called and asked if he could rent a car in Dallas. I pulled up the reservation and noticed he had only a 1-hour layover in Dallas. When I asked him why he wanted to rent a car, he said, ”I heard Dallas was a big airport, and we will need a car to drive between gates to save time.” (Aghhhh) 6. An Illinois Congresswoman (Jan Schakowsky) called last week. She needed to know how it was possible that her flight from Detroit left at 8:30 am and got to Chicago at 8:33 am. I explained that Michigan was an hour ahead of Illinois, but she couldn’t understand the concept of time zones. Finally, I told her the plane went fast, and she bought that. 7. A New York lawmaker, (Jerrold Nadler) called and asked, ”Do airlines put your physical description on your bag so they know whose luggage belongs to whom?” 8. A Senator John Kerry aide (Lindsay Ross) called to inquire about a trip package to Hawaii. After going over all the cost info, she asked, ”Would it be cheaper to fly to California and then take the train to Hawaii?” 9. I just got off the phone with a freshman Congressman, Bobby Bright from Ala. who asked, ”How do I know which plane to get on?” I asked him what exactly he meant, to which he replied, ”I was told my flight number is 823, but none of these planes have numbers on them.” 10. Senator Dianne Feinstein called and said, ”I need to fly to Pepsi-Cola, Florida. Do I have to get on one of those little computer planes?” 11. Mary Landrieu, La. Senator, called and had a question about the documents she needed in order to fly to China. After a lengthy discussion about passports, I reminded her that she needed a visa. “Oh, no I don’t. I’ve been to China many times and never had to have one of those” 12. A New Jersey Congressman (John Adler) called to make reservations, “I want to go from Chicago to Rhino, New York.”
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It is our mission to get to know the people that are supporting us, so please be sure to add a picture with your message. Please encourage other like-minded folks to do the same–especially those presently serving in our nation’s military. If you know someone who would like to start receiving this e-newsletter, they can sign up on the homepage of our website. Sincerely, Lt. Col. Denny Gillem (Ret.) denny@frontlinesoffreedom.com |
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