This is a forum where I make random comments about my journey in life, rants, raves, opinions and observations. Why the name "Always-A-Comment." Because I always have a comment about everything. Created by Mike Hale, a "Cranky Old Guy" in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone, no offense intended. WARNING: I have a slightly warped sense of humor; but a serious and emotional side as well. Copyright 2014, All Rights Reserved (not that anyone cares).
April 6, 1968 . . . my buddy, colleague and friend made the ultimate sacrifice that any Hero can.
As I do every year at this time, I take a moment to remember Dean Owen, a young man with whom I served in Vietnam. His life ended when he was hit and mortally wounded during a mortar attack.
Dean and I met in advanced training at the end of which we were assigned to other bases in the U.S. Army. Later, we were to reunite during the remobilization of the 9th Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kansas in June, 1966. We were then deployed together, to Vietnam in advance of the entire unit, to prepare for the eventual arrival of the entire Division.
Dean and I were special radio operators in the Battalion Headquarters of the 15th Engineers where we handled radio traffic for the units of the Battalion. A few months after our arrival 'in-country' we started to receive more personnel, one of whom was Robert "Bob" Whiteside. The three of us became good friends, as bonding in a military unit was quite common.
We had 'good duty' as our jobs kept us, most of the time, quite safe in the Division Base Camp. The usual tour for a combat deployment in Vietnam was 12 months. The three of us decided to extend our tour an additional 6 months, as we felt comfortable and secure with our radio assignments. That meant that we wouldn't be going home with the rest of our unit in October 1967, but that we would stay until April 1968.
During that time frame, I was given an opportunity to move to a position in Company "A" of the Battalion, as a 'Commo Chief' which would result in a promotion. I tried it for a few weeks, but decided to pass on the position, so I returned to HQ company. Dean was offered the same slot and accepted and was reassigned to "A" Company.
Bob, Dean and I knew that we would be returning home in the middle of April and became "Short-timers" as the days dwindled down.
On the morning of April 6th, 1968, with just a couple of weeks left in our tour, the Viet Cong sent mortars and rockets into our positions. Bob and I in HQ Company were fine. We made it to the shelter, safe from harm. We later found out that Dean didn't; he was running for safety when he was hit.
It is bad enough when one loses a buddy in combat, which has been hurtful for 42 years; but when you add to this mix of thoughts and emotions the fact that your friend took the assignment you refused . . . . and died as result . . . . well that bears heavily upon my soul.
Rest In Peace My Friend - You will NEVER be forgotten!
I have to admit it . . . Facebook has taken over my thoughtful postings (and some of my not so thoughtful postings.)!
I have neglected posting here because of Facebook, and because we were traveling over the holidays. But really that is no excuse, because we took a laptop with us . . . and still posted to Facebook.
However, I will keep blogging as it permits me to expand my thoughts to a much greater length than I am permitted (space-wise) in Facebook. I guess I'll post my short bursts of insightful (or not) thoughts on Facebook, and my longer inspirations here.
When I step back from all this, I realized that I may have way too many portals in which to communicate:
FOUR email accounts.
THREE Facebook accounts.
TWO blogs.
TWO phone numbers.
TWO Flickr page for photos.
ONE postal address.
YIKES!
I also realized that I rarely send any hand-written missives via 'snail-mail' other than the few postcards sent from Florida during our travels.
Am I an 'electron(ic)-addict?' "Hello, my name is Mike, and I am a Electron(ic) Addict."
Okay, I am, but, so what? It's one of the ways I pass the time, and a way used to communicate these days. But I also read, listen to music, view movies and television, take photographs, nap, and travel; not to mention the entertainment I provide to my beautiful bride.
Gee, I 'blogged' and hadn't intended to go on so long. And, Facebook couldn't have taken all these words due to the maximum limit of characters permitted to post.
So be it! Thanks for reading . . . . and I'll see you on-line . . . . somewhere.
I am a Vietnam Veteran and I support our troops. They are performing a tough job, and they truly believe in what they are doing.
I, on the other hand, do not support the 'war' in Afghanistan or Iraq, and haven't from the beginning. We have no right to be in either country. Both are in the midst of a CIVIL WAR. We should not be interfering in the internal matters of another country!
We are not the world's police force!
I do not believe that we have to worry about the Taliban interfering in the affairs of the United States. Al Quieda, perhaps. What we should be doing is having our troops reinforcing our own borders to prevent the infiltration of 'enemy' forces or other harmful individuals. We should strengthen our procedures to review and examine the credentials of anyone wishing to enter our country for whatever reason. In this way, we can assure that potential enemies of our state can be stopped at the borders / entry points to the U.S.
You thought Vietnam Veterans have 'problems.'
Those of us who were participants in the Vietnam War know the effect of combat on a person, both at the time of the action, and many years thereafter (PTSD). And, we only had a tour of 12 to 13 months, unless we volunteered for more tours.
Our current troops are mandated for many more tours than we had experienced, sometimes 2, 3, 4 or more tours in a combat zone. This takes a great toll on a human being!
The troops who have been 'at war' since 2003 are going to be affected even more than the vets of my generation with the effects of PTSD. You think my generation has 'problems,' just wait and see what comes from this 'war.'
We are already seeing what combat has done to some of our soldiers . . . . just look at the suicide rates. According to Congress.org more U.S. military personnel have taken their own lives so far in 2009 than have been killed in either the Afghanistan or Iraq wars so far this year.
And what about violence inflicted upon loved ones, family members or other persons as a result of our loyal, combat -stressed vets returning from a combat zone. It is horrific!
Enough is enough!
The people of Afghanistan and Iraq have their problems . . . let them resolve it on their own. If they want to war amongst themselves - let them do so. We don't need to send our tired and war-weary young people off to these countries just to be maimed or killed for people who don't care, either about their own country or killing or injuring our kids.
We need to leave.
I realize that we just can't stop today and leave; it takes time to organize and arrange the logistical nightmare to return our troops and their equipment (we paid for) to our country. We don;t want to leave this stuff there by any means.
So let's set an end date that we'll be gone, completely! How about by the end of 2010? It CAN be done, we just need to be firm and committed.
Let's tackle our problems, all of them, right here, in the U.S. We CAN do it.
I am thankful for my wonderful family, friends, colleagues, and all my God-given blessings. I am truly Blessed! I pray for all our troops and first-responders, especially for all those who work for us on holidays.
The Michigan Legislature is awash in a sea of broken promises: can't keep promises to our future - our kids' education; can't promises to do their job - make up a budget on time; can't show up to work when they have a responsibility to do so - taking off on a Jewish holiday (when they have a budget deadline!).
THIS IS A BUNCH OF NONSENSE! They are a bunch of limp legislators and wishy-washy workers! I ranted about their inability to meet a budget deadline last year, and they are doing it again this year.
The legislature works for us - we are their employer! I think it's time we fired these 'employees' (legislators) and get someone to do the job with responsibility to their employers - us, the citizens of Michigan!
What really burns me up (besides their E.D. - elective dysfunction) is that they have broken a promise to our children - the future of Michigan! The 'Michigan Promise' to provide educational opportunities to college and school children has been ripped from the proposed budget for 2010. Yeah, that's smart. Let's just cut, cut, cut - and run, run, run from meeting our obligations.
I am fed up with the direction our state is going. I know we are economically strapped, but so are the citizens. Should we raise taxes to meet our obligations? Perhaps. But how about doing it on: cigarettes, gasoline, sales, sporting events, etc. where discretionary income is spent. We are a tourist destination, why not raise taxes where visitors to our state help us out?
I cannot publish my true feelings (politely) as to how I feel about this fiasco. If you want to hear them, contact me, I'll be glad to share with you my unabashed feelings.
However, Jack Lessenberry of Michigan Public Radio has stated it best. Check out his comments HERE.
It is truly a sad state of affairs when individuals have to take this type of action to provide for their basic needs. I've noticed guys (mostly) posted at various street corners hoping that a passing motorist might stop and make a donation.
While I might consider doing just that, the skeptical side of me asks . . . " Is this true, does he/she really need the money for food, or will it be spent on alcohol or other drugs? If a job is offered, will the person accept?"
With this thought in mind, can one justify ignoring the plea and continue driving?
I have seen alleged "veterans" begging for assistance. And I've been tempted to help them. But I always come back to the rationale that these folks can be helped, if they only avail themselves of the various programs that are designed for this purpose.
So it is that with a bit of guilt that I continue on my way to my destination, hoping that another Good Samaritan will come along, offer assistance and help this poor soul to rebuild their life and self-esteem. But it won't be me.
So sad that I even think of the negative aspects of this situation. What have we become?
OK, as an American I have the right to discuss and debate issues of concern to me, especially those which may affect me personally. And I respect the rights of others to disagree with my points of view, this is a constitutional right.
However, the recent "discussion" at some of these town hall meetings has gotten out of hand. Yelling, hollering, shouting and drowning out those speaking is not in my way of thinking, not at all proper, and frankly is downright rude! I understand that some individuals have differing viewpoints, but loudness is not a method which can be utilized to convince me or others that you have an intelligent or rational point to make.
There is speculation that some special interest groups may be behind all the cacophony and chaos, and I tend to agree with this presumption.
On the issue of health care reform, I would not be surprised if some drug manufacturer or insurance lobbyists have something to do with all the hullabaloo. Not would I put it past any opposition party member organizations contributing to the uproar.
OK, let's debate and discuss . . . . . but let's keep it polite!
On the issue of health care reform, I'm sure we all agree that something has to be done, and I don't claim to have a solution (other than kicking out all the special interest groups and lobbyists from the discussion).
My wife showed me a column by Washington Post columnist, Charles Krauthammer "A better health reform plan" (August 7, 2009). I think it is thought-provoking and want to share it with you.
Health-Care Reform: A Better Plan
By Charles Krauthammer
Friday, August 7, 2009
In 1986, Ronald Reagan and Bill Bradley created a legislative miracle. They fashioned a tax reform that stripped loopholes, political favors, payoffs, patronage and other corruptions out of the tax system. With the resulting savings, they lowered tax rates across the board. Those reductions, combined with the elimination of the enormous inefficiencies and perverse incentives that go into tax sheltering, helped propel a 20-year economic boom.
In overhauling any segment of our economy, the 1986 tax reform should be the model. Yet today's ruling Democrats propose to fix our extremely high-quality (but inefficient and therefore expensive) health-care system with 1,000 pages of additional curlicued complexity -- employer mandates, individual mandates, insurance company mandates, allocation formulas, political payoffs and myriad other conjured regulations and interventions -- with the promise that this massive concoction will lower costs.
This is all quite mad. It creates a Rube Goldberg system that simply multiplies the current inefficiencies and arbitrariness, thus producing staggering deficits with less choice and lower-quality care. That's why the administration can't sell Obamacare.
The administration's defense is to accuse critics of being for the status quo. Nonsense. Candidate John McCain and a host of other Republicans since have offered alternatives. Let me offer mine: Strip away current inefficiencies before remaking one-sixth of the U.S. economy. The plan is so simple it doesn't even have the requisite three parts. Just two: radical tort reform and radically severing the link between health insurance and employment.
(1) Tort reform: As I wrote recently, our crazy system of casino malpractice suits results in massive and random settlements that raise everyone's insurance premiums and creates an epidemic of defensive medicine that does no medical good, yet costs a fortune.
An authoritative Massachusetts Medical Society study found that five out of six doctors admitted they order tests, procedures and referrals -- amounting to about 25 percent of the total -- solely as protection from lawsuits. Defensive medicine, estimates the libertarian/conservative Pacific Research Institute, wastes more than $200 billion a year. Just half that sum could provide a $5,000 health insurance grant -- $20,000 for a family of four -- to the uninsured poor (U.S. citizens ineligible for other government health assistance).
What to do? Abolish the entire medical-malpractice system. Create a new social pool from which people injured in medical errors or accidents can draw. The adjudication would be done by medical experts, not lay juries giving away lottery prizes at the behest of the liquid-tongued John Edwardses who pocket a third of the proceeds.
The pool would be funded by a relatively small tax on all health-insurance premiums. Socialize the risk; cut out the trial lawyers. Would that immunize doctors from carelessness or negligence? No. The penalty would be losing your medical license. There is no more serious deterrent than forfeiting a decade of intensive medical training and the livelihood that comes with it.
(2) Real health-insurance reform: Tax employer-provided health-care benefits and return the money to the employee with a government check to buy his own medical insurance, just as he buys his own car or home insurance.
There is no logical reason to get health insurance through your employer. This entire system is an accident of World War II wage and price controls. It's economically senseless. It makes people stay in jobs they hate, decreasing labor mobility and therefore overall productivity. And it needlessly increases the anxiety of losing your job by raising the additional specter of going bankrupt through illness.
The health-care benefit exemption is the largest tax break in the entire U.S. budget, costing the government a quarter-trillion dollars annually. It hinders health-insurance security and portability as well as personal independence. If we additionally eliminated the prohibition on buying personal health insurance across state lines, that would inject new and powerful competition that would lower costs for everyone.
Repealing the exemption has one fatal flaw, however. It was advocated by candidate John McCain. Obama so demagogued it last year that he cannot bring it up now without being accused of the most extreme hypocrisy and without being mercilessly attacked with his own 2008 ads.
But that's a political problem of Obama's making. As is the Democratic Party's indebtedness to the trial lawyers, which has taken malpractice reform totally off the table. But that doesn't change the logic of my proposal. Go the Reagan-Bradley route. Offer sensible, simple, yet radical reform that strips away inefficiencies from the existing system before adding Obamacare's new ones -- arbitrary, politically driven, structural inventions whose consequence is certain financial ruin.
It's not that I don't have issues or topics to post, it's just that I am really enjoying being out on our deck this summer; and relaxing is just as soothing as releasing my frustrations in my blog.
Also, I haven't spent time reading a great piece of fiction in a very long time, and a friend of ours passed on to me about 31 books by the author, W.E.B. Griffin, and I have been engrossed in them for several weeks.
So, unless something really ignites a fire under me, I'll be relaxing out on the deck. I do, however, post brief bursts of thought on my Facebook page in lieu of longer thoughts here.
April 6, 1968 . . . my buddy, colleague and friend made the ultimate sacrifice that any Hero can.
