Recently in Military Category

Forbes has pictures of prototypes and artists' renditions of yet to be built models.

At stake: $100 billion and a chance to make Arnold Schwarzenegger's driveway a little more crowded.

I hope you are all having a wonderful long weekend. TB, the kids, and I certainly are. Yesterday we had a movie night, and broke with our usual routine to dine in front of the TV. The movie was National Treasure: Book of Secrets. The movie fell somewhat short of the first due to its predictability, but the banter and special effects were top notch. And there was a hint of a third movie to come which we'll definitely want to see.

Today, the kids are over at a schoolmate's house for the afternoon. TB is taking it fairly slow since she's recovering from a tooth extraction combined with a sinus infection. Me, I've got around 35 pounds of pork shoulder (butt roast) on the smoker - it's pulled pork for dinner tonight.

Had we not received the invite for the kids, I would have liked to have driven south to the tour of Dover's Revolutionary War veterans at Christ Episcopal Church Cemetery in Dover. Did you know we lost 25,000 people in the Revolutionary War? Not all were battlefield deaths, most died from disease or in prison ships. Casualty-wise, the Revolutionary War differs dramatically from our current conflict in scope. What the first war does have in common with today is that the troops then, as now, were all volunteers.

While all those who have died in defense of our country deserve respect and remembrance today and every day, there's a special place in my thoughts for those who willingly serve knowing that they may not survive. It's a devotion and love for country and countrymen that some Americans don't feel and can't understand. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as this is a free country and folks can believe as they wish. Still, I can't fathom the need for some to take a day like this and use it to deride the sacrifices so many have made for our country.

For example, I saw a post yesterday on another blog suggesting that we separate Memorial Day into two holidays - one to "honor the troops that were drafted into fighting", and another to shower contempt upon those "schmucks that signed up for it" who "knew what they were getting into". This means volunteers, including, for example, the 25,000 I mention above and the 6.3 million who volunteered during during the second world war.

However, it's still a free country, and I don't mind having volunteered 20 years of my life toward maintaining his right to spit contempt and ignorance.

Back to the real nature of the holiday, though. TB and I wish for all of you to have a safe and happy holiday as we honor and thank those who gave us the freedoms we enjoy today.

Especially the volunteers.

An arrest was announced this morning:

A Boeing Co. assembly line worker from Trevose has been arrested on charges of hacking wires on a $30 million Chinook helicopter being assembled at a Ridley Township plant last week.

U.S. Attorney Patrick Meehan announced the arrest today, about a week after damage was discovered on two of the new model Chinook CH-47F helicopters. The dual-rotor aircraft were still on the assembly line, and no damage was found to other models in production or already deployed.

Meehan's office identified the arrested man as Matthew K. Montgomery, 32, an employee for 18 months at the Boeing plant. Montgomery admitted that he damaged one of the aircraft he was working on, Meehan said. Montgomery was arrested last night while being interviewed by Defense Department investigators.

Apparently, I was right about the motive - the sabotage was caused by a disgruntled employee:

Meehan said he would not speculate on a motive in the Montgomery case. According to an affidavit filed in the case, Montgomery was told on May 10 - two days before the severed wires were detected on one of the Chinooks - that he was being transferred to another assembly line at Boeing.

Montgomery told investigators yesterday that he cut the wires the day he was told of the transfer, the affidavit said.

There may have been "some sense of lack of appreciation for the job he may have been doing," Meehan told reporters at a news conference.

Well, he certainly got his wish - there's no way he'll get transferred to another assembly line now.

He appeared before a judge today, and was released on own recognizance. He also agreed to undergo psychiatric evaluation.

Both Boeing and the feds quickly settled on referring to this as "vandalism", rather than calling it sabotage. To me that suggested that they had an idea early on as to who and why.

They're still treating the second aircraft as a separate incident, and the investigation is ongoing.

Sorry for the quietness this morning - had a busy work day.

Boeing started production again on Chinook helicopters. If there was any doubt that this was not an accident, the Pentagon has removed it by offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the culprit.

I haven't had much time to scan news today, so please forgive me if any of this repeats what has already been reported. It's been confirmed to me that the washers were dropped into the oil sump of one of the transmissions - the one that combines the drive shafts from the engines and turns output shafts to the forward and aft rotors. The oil sump is protected by a debris screen which would have to be removed in order to place any foreign objects inside - not something that can happen by chance.

The wire harness was not cleanly cut, but looked as if someone used dull tin snips or scissors to sever, and struggled to do so. Both of the folks at the plant I spoke with agreed that this was not an accident.

I've heard that nailing the culprit may be difficult - Boeing has lots of security cameras in use to watch the perimeters of the buildings and grounds, but few positioned to view the interiors of buildings. While it may be possible that the list of potential suspects has been narrowed down to a short few, proof may be, for now, in short supply. The working assumption is that the acts occurred last weekend, when fewer folks were around to witness the damage.

Now that production has resumed, I expect the investigation will occur quietly in the background as most people will be focused on getting back on schedule. But I've been promised a call from a friend there should there be anything worth passing on. Stay tuned.

Yesterday, Boeing shut down production at the Ridley Park plant where CH-47 Chinook helicopters are assembled:

WASHINGTON - Army criminal investigators are looking into damage to two military helicopters on a production line at a Boeing Co. plant in suburban Philadelphia, prompting the company to shut down the line.

Rep. Joe Sestak, a Democrat whose district includes the plant, said Wednesday he was told that wires that appeared to be broken or severed were found in one helicopter and a suspicious washer was found in a second.

My sources (fair reliability, better than 60%) tell me that the "wires" were an entire wire harness, and the washer was more than one. The wire harness was apparently in an area where accidental breakage is highly improbable, and the washers were placed in an area where the only way they could have gotten there has to be planned and deliberate. I have a few more details but I'm waiting for confirmation before passing them on. However, I will share that at no time was there any danger of defective aircraft being delivered to the Army - Each and every aircraft is inspected thoroughly and passes a rigorous flight test regime before delivery. Additionally, these helicopters are put together the old fashioned way - by hand. That means lots of eyes on each aircraft each day, and chances are good that these problems would have been discovered outside of any quality process. I know many of these folks personally, and they take a great deal of pride in what they do.

Boeing sent home over 100 production workers yesterday, and todays production crew, including evening shifts, were told to remain home save for a minimal crew to assist in inspecting the other 6 aircraft on the assembly line.

As to a motive (should this be determined to be deliberate), there are several possibilities I can think of:

• Disgruntled employee - the most likely cause in my opinion. Someone who's been under fire at work recently may have decided to "get even".
• Corporate sabotage - Boeing is in a battle with Lockheed and Sikorsky over a $15 billion contract for USAF aircraft called CSAR, for Combat Search and Rescue. Boeing initially won the contract but the award has been tied up by numerous challenges to the government from the losers. One of the reasons Boeing initially won was low risk, a series of "mishaps" could certainly cast a shadow over that advantage.
• Domestic dissident - Chinook aircraft are, after all, military aircraft. There are a number of our own citizens who hold the administration, the military, and the war in contempt. Not everyone who works in the defense industry is a Republican.

I think the likelihood of international espionage is small, as this is a manufacturing site with the type of security you'd expect at a defense contractor. They don't do tours or allow unscreened visitors.

I have a personal interest in this one, so I'll be watching closely and let you know what develops.

If John McCain runs this as a campaign ad, he's gonna have an easy time in November.

Unlike the candidates who actually had access to classified intelligence, he opposed the war from the beginning. In other words, he opposed the war based on... ignorance. Good luck with that.

"I will cut investments in unproven missile defense systems." Sheer stupidity. How can you prove a system if you don't invest in it?

"I will slow our development in Future Combat Systems." You know, the massive Army program that has spawned all of the force protection and unmanned systems that are saving soldier's lives. Yes, while it's true that the systems being fielded today aren't technically part of FCS, they wouldn't have been developed as fast or in some cases not at all had it not been for the investment in FCS. Maybe Senator Obama would prefer that Army doctrine return to the days of trench warfare - it worked in WWI, after all.

Considering his view of FCS and missile defense, his statement about the quadrennial review really comes into focus. What would Barack consider to be unnecessary defense spending? Pretty much all of it, by the looks of it.

As for nukes - is he talking about the same Russia that's been pining for the good ol' days lately? Is he really so naive as to believe that everyone else will dispose of their nuclear weapons after we do? A nuclear weapons-free world is a nice goal. But to assume that Putin will suddenly start wearing flowers in his hair because Obama asks nicely is more than a little naive. It's downright dangerous. Oh, and notice he doesn't mention China.

When it comes to national defense, Obama's views sound less like a potential Commander-In-Chief and more like Jane Fonda. Is this really what you want for a President?

Via AP/Yahoo:

BAGHDAD - A roadside bomb killed four U.S. soldiers in Baghdad on Sunday, the military said, pushing the overall American death toll in the five-year war to at least 4,000. The grim milestone came on a day when at least 61 people were killed across the country.

Well, I guess we know what the topic of the week is going to be for the Democrat candidates. Expect more dishonest tripe from both as Obama claims his ignorance-based stance on the war shows better judgment than that of those who actually had access to intel, and watch Hillary spin like a top as she regrets basing her Iraq war vote on facts instead of opinion polls of the moonbat wing of her party. And both will attack each other on which plan for surrender waves the white flag faster and higher.

Lost in all of this will be the troops, some of whom have made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom while the left continues to actively undermine the morale and mission of those that remain.

As a military retiree, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the men and women currently serving their country. Your tireless devotion, courage, and professionalism are appreciated.

The Wall Street Journal answers your questions - apparently, it's a lot like the good ol' days, when service was more than a bag of peanuts and a soda:

Airman Fauci, a diminutive blonde, was working in supply management on the flight line of an F-16 squadron in New Mexico two years ago. When she told her base commander she planned to leave the service at the end of her four-year stint and apply to be a flight attendant at Southwest Airlines, the officer put her in touch with the 89th Airlift Wing. Soon after she was selected, Ms. Fauci re-enlisted for four more years. She has traveled to foreign destinations ranging from Australia to Belgium, serving first lady Laura Bush and members of Congress.

When it came time to serve the new cookies on Secretary Gates's trip to College Station, the extra work paid off. They "were so much better," she says. And when the passengers noticed they were shaped like Texas, "they thought that was awesome."

Just doing the jobs that American flight attendants (and Southwest, Northwest, Delta, US Air, Continental, etc.) won't do.

Posted on Delaware Watch is the below video on Diego Garcia. I'm not studied on the primary subject of British policy in Diego Garcia, but the second minute of the piece paints the US military as baby killers. Sadly, this kind of disgusting totally untrue smear of the troops happens far too frequently in leftist circles. It is beyond dispute that no military in history has worked harder than ours to avoid civilian casualties.

The piece does show what appears to be horrible treatment of the indigenous population of Diego Garcia. However, its view of the U.S. military is so dishonestly wrong that the rest of the piece is highly suspect.

There's a lesson here. Journalists who really care about exposing injustices should check any ideology at the door else risk discrediting any good they might accomplish. Same goes for those who spread it.

Update: If the atrocities outlined in the film are real, then notable are the dates - the key years for the United States' involvement are between 1961 and 1968 - all during Democrat administrations.

I'm sure that makes it all OK, right? Since it was for the "common good", after all...

This post was blocked by Blogrolling.

Two clips - the first is the USAF-produced newser, the second is raw footage of Maggie being loaded into the shipping container and aircraft.

You never, ever see this happening with donkeys. Donkeys hate the military.

The Air Force article with more details can be found here.

H/T Michelle Malkin for the Danny Glover link.

I couldn't help but think back to the visit his vile bunch of haters made to Delaware. Kristin Harty recalls the event in the Wilmington News-Journal today:

Demonstrators from Fred Phelps' Westboro Baptist Church huddled together with their signs.

"God Hates Fags."

"Fags Doom Nations."

"Thank God for Dead Soldiers," some of the signs read.

Then one of the demonstrators smiled at Dunn and spit on the American flag.

"Can't you do anything about that?" Dunn asked one of the dozens of policemen protecting the protesters.

"Not a thing," the policeman said.

Thankfully for the family of Cpl. Cory Palmer, the town of Seaford poured out into the streets to counter the Kansas group's disgusting display. The town made sure the location of the protest was out of view from where friends and family paid their respects to Cory. A funeral for a fallen hero is surely a sad event, but thanks to many Seaford residents, it was also a proud day for Delaware as over a thousand folks stood up for their own.

It wasn't just Seaford residents. Ms. Harty doesn't mention the efforts of 370+ Patriot Guard Riders, who helped to cancel the sick vitriol from Phelps' haters.

Marine Corporal Cory Palmer, 21, died on May 6, 2006 at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Tex., from wounds received while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Anbar Province. One of Delaware's own, and a true hero.

Paul Tibbets, 92, passed away yesterday. Paul was the pilot of the "Enola Gay", the B-29 bomber that dropped the bomb on Hiroshima during WWII.

Most of the coverage I've seen on the news sites centers on controversies surrounding the atomic bomb that helped bring about the end of the war with Japan. I won't deal with that here.

Paul Tibbet was part of a generation that placed country above self. He and the others who served in WWII answered the call from their nation with courage and honor, and enjoyed the support of a grateful American public. Today's America could learn some valuable lessons from that era.

Rest in peace, Paul Tibbets.

From yesterday evening on Fox News (via Hot Air):

I want to make it abundantly clear: if there’s anyone who believes that these youngsters want to fight, as the Pentagon and some generals have said, you can just forget about it. No young, bright individual wants to fight just because of a bonus and just because of educational benefits. And most all of them come from communities of very, very high unemployment. If a young fella has an option of having a decent career or joining the army to fight in Iraq, you can bet your life that he would not be in Iraq.

A few folks were willing to give him a pass the last time. Not me, and I knew he'd repeat it sooner or later. To Charlie, our troops are greedy and/or desperate mercenaries who lack the civic spirit to join the military for altruistic reasons.

And we get some insight as to why he feels this way: "...as I did when I was 18 years old". Since the only reason Charlie joined was to escape his own poor neighborhood, that must be why everyone else joins. Very sad.

Maybe the lack of opportunity was what drove him to seek public office as well. You know, 'cause nobody would submit to being interviewed on Fox News if they had a decent career.

Tomorrow, while we're all furiously scanning the news for hints of how the election may be going, some folks will be spending a painful day in a hospital. Thank goodness there are some folks who didn't forget:

TAMPA, Fla., Nov. 6 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Players for the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be a big hit when they visit hospitalized veterans Tuesday, Nov. 7, at the James a. Haley VA Medical Center in Tampa, Fla., to celebrate Veterans Day.

Attending will be wide receiver Joey Galloway, defensive end Dewayne White and center John Wade, who are scheduled to visit the hospital at 2 p.m., signing autographs, presenting patients with souvenirs, and helping brighten the day for those who have sacrificed so much for the cause of freedom. The Buccaneers are the 2005 NFL South Division Champions and won Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003 with a 48-21 victory over the Oakland Raiders.

The Buccaneers players will visit the James A. Haley VA Medical Center, 13000 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in advance of Veterans Day, bringing team pennants for all the patients and footballs for severely wounded Iraq War veterans at the Tampa VA Polytrauma Center.

I've never been a Tampa Bay fan. But at least for tomorrow, I will be.

And thanks to the DAV for setting it up!

Update: But wait! There's more! Now I get to be a fan of the Ravens, too!

BALTIMORE, Nov. 6 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Players for the NFL's Baltimore Ravens will be a big hit when they visit hospitalized veterans Tuesday, Nov. 7, at the Baltimore VA Medical Center in Baltimore, Md., as part of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Celebrity Entertainment Program.

Ravens running back Musa Smith, fullback Justin Green and offensive lineman Jason Brown are scheduled to visit the hospital at 11 a.m., signing autographs, presenting patients with souvenirs, and helping brighten the day for those who have sacrificed so much for the cause of freedom. The Ravens won Super Bowl XXXV in 2001 defeating the New York Giants 34-7.

The visit by the Ravens players to the Baltimore VA Medical Center, 10 North Greene Street, will be their first as part of the DAV Celebrity Entertainment Program. They join other NFL teams, Major and Minor League Baseball players, NASCAR drivers, country music singers and others participating in the program. They are generously donating their time to remember the men and women who sacrificed greatly in defense of liberty.

"We are proud to welcome the Baltimore Ravens to our Celebrity Entertainment Program," said DAV National Commander Bradley S. Barton. "I know that their visit to the Baltimore VA medical center will bring a great deal of joy to the men and women veterans being treated there. Many of these wonderful veterans rarely get visitors. They have sacrificed a great deal to defend our nation's liberty, and they should get the respect and care they deserve."

Update 2: Bears!

CHICAGO, Nov. 6 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Players for the NFL's Chicago Bears will be a big hit when they visit hospitalized veterans Tuesday, Nov. 7, at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago, Ill., as part of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Celebrity Entertainment Program.

Wide receiver Rashied Davis and defensive end Copeland Bryan are scheduled to visit the hospital at 11 a.m., signing autographs, presenting patients with souvenirs, and helping brighten the day for those who have sacrificed so much for the cause of freedom. The Bears have won nine football championships, including Super Bowl XX. The team has 26 members enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the most of any team.

From Kerry's website earlier:

Statement of Senator John Kerry

As a combat veteran, I want to make it clear to anyone in uniform and to their loved ones: my poorly stated joke at a rally was not about, and never intended to refer to any troop.

I sincerely regret that my words were misinterpreted to wrongly imply anything negative about those in uniform, and I personally apologize to any service member, family member, or American who was offended.

It is clear the Republican Party would rather talk about anything but their failed security policy. I don’t want my verbal slip to be a diversion from the real issues. I will continue to fight for a change of course to provide real security for our country, and a winning strategy for our troops.

"I sincerely regret that my words were misinterpreted to wrongly imply anything negative..." - In other words, "It's a shame that the troops (and the rest of you ignorant peasants as well) are too lazy and uneducated to understand the finely nuanced humor from my superior intellect."

This is as forced an apology as I've ever heard. And the addition of swipes at the right just give the impression that he hasn't had a change of heart since he made the "I don't apologize" speech yesterday. He's sorry anyone was offended, but not sorry he said it.

Even if, as he says, was making a joke about Bush, it would still warrant an apology. I've griped about the level of discourse in politics before, nowhere is it more of a problem than among our elected officials. The decline of statesmanship in Congress over the last thirty years is truly shameful. As a country, we deserve for our elected officials to set standards for dignity and grace. They can and should disagree - just act like adults.

Making jokes about the troops or the president in this manner is simply juvenile. It shows a distinct lack of maturity and character. The inability to offer a simple and contrite apology when necessary is a serious flaw - one that Kerry seems determined to display over and over.

Nope - this didn't cut it.

I'd heard about this, stored it, then promptly forgot about it. Thank goodness for this press release:

The National Museum of the Marine Corps Dedication will take place on Friday, Nov. 10, in conjunction with the Marine Corps Birthday, with some 15,000 invited guests including the President of the United States, Cabinet members, all living former Commandants of the Marine Corps and Marine delegations from 50 states. The Dedication Ceremony will be hosted by Jim Lehrer, Marine, executive editor and anchor of "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer," on PBS. Marine and American Idol finalist Josh Gracin will perform in the dedication's prelude program. All media are invited to attend; museum dedication credentials are required.

To commemorate Veterans Day, Saturday, Nov. 11, veterans groups and military families will tour the museum. A candlelight memorial service for fallen Marines and the dedication of Semper Fidelis Park will also be held at the museum at 5 p.m. All media are invited to attend; museum dedication credentials are required.

I don't know if it will be open to the general public on either of those days, but if you're in the area, it would be worth looking in to. If you go, let me know what you think. I work with several retired marines who would all be there if they could.

My personal view from knowing lots of Marines over the years is that the museum will be wholly inadequate. There are far more great Marine stories than any museum could tell. Even so, it would still be worth the trip.

...in today's Washington Post to decry Republican name-calling. In the process, he continues to show why Democrats like him don't deserve to be in power. His message is unmistakably clear - Iraq is hard, we might lose, so we should give up.

Had the forefathers of this country decided that the possibility of losing was enough not to try, we'd still be a colony today. How about WWII? Winning wasn't a given when we engaged in Europe - matter of fact, we went over there because our allies were losing. Murtha's head-in-the-sand brand of defeatism would have condemned Europe to defeat at the hands of Hitler all because it was too hard.

Is Iraq a mess? Yes. Do the Iraqi people deserve the even worse chaos and loss of life that would ensue if we simply pulled up stakes and abandoned them? No.

Murtha was quite the humanitarian when speaking out on the loss of Iraqi life when he claimed our troops were killing them in cold blood without the benefit of a complete investigation. If our continued presence while the Iraqis gradually take over saves lives that would otherwise be lost in the expanded sectarian violence that would surely erupt if we left now, why wouldn't Murtha support that? Cause it wouldn't further his political ambitions? Some humanitarian, eh?

Lots of things are hard, Jack. Lots are painful, too. Running away from things that are right because they might be hard and/or painful shouldn't be the trademark of a decorated veteran.

Very unusual in an AP story - a tale of heroism:

CORONADO, Calif. - A Navy SEAL sacrificed his life to save his comrades by throwing himself on top of a grenade Iraqi insurgents tossed into their sniper hideout, fellow members of the elite force said.

Please go read the rest.

Update: Must remember to search before posting. Shoulda known Froggy was on top of this over at Blackfive.

Kit has chapter 2 and chapter 3 of her series about the Pendleton Eight posted. Doesn't disappoint. We disagree on a point or two, but I'll wait until the series is completely posted to comment. Suffice to say that on most of her major points, I agree. These men appear to be getting a raw deal and the military needs to address the problem.

is being discussed in a series of posts starting today by the always excellent Kit Jarrell of Euphoric Reality. This is not only the must read of the day, but the rest of the series as it gets posted should be watched for as well:

Now imagine that you are sitting in an 8×8 cell, as are seven of your brothers, waiting to find out if your promise to remain faithful will in fact result in your death–not in a hail of enemy fire, not in the blinding explosion of a terrorist’s bomb, but by the sterile needle of a lethal injection, administered by the very country you spent your adult life defending. You have been shackled, wearing a label that says “PVD”: potentially violent and dangerous. You have been here for over a month now, in solitary confinement for almost 24 hours a day, with nothing to do but pray that someone stands up for you, just as you did for them. But hope is dwindling. Your military attorneys don’t have time to help you, and your civilian attorneys are being denied access to evidence that would prove you’re innocent–no autopsy of the man they say you murdered in cold blood, no witnesses, nothing.

Kit also provides links for those who wish to help - also recommended.

It matters little if you believe these men innocent or guilty - they deserve to be treated fairly by the military justice system, and by all indication, they haven't been.

I would also recommend writing to your elected officials in Congress. Unless, of course, you live in Pennsylvania's 12th Congressional District, where your representative is likely in his favorite rocking chair knitting nooses instead of flags. Those folks should write to someone else's Representative instead.

Via AP/Yahoo:

The government announced Thursday that a person officials would not identify had turned in the laptop and external drive, which were stolen from a VA data analyst on May 3. The FBI said an initial review determined that the contents had not been accessed or copied.

This turns yesterday's good news in to today's very good news. While issues surrounding privacy and computer security urgently need addressing, the most immediate concern should be the welfare of the veterans affected by the theft. The FBI is conducting additional forensic testing of the computer, but a gut read of this suggests high confidence that the data wasn't used, else the FBI would have deferred making a statement until deeper tests had been performed.

VA Secretary Jim Nicholson isn't off the hook, though. While disaster may have been avoided, the fact remains that improper handling of personal data caused a situation that could have been much worse. The recovery of the laptop should not in any way reduce the sense of urgency to investigate the causes and take corrective action.

Via CNN:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The government has recovered the stolen laptop computer containing sensitive data for up to 26.5 million veterans and military personnel, Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson announced Thursday.

Nicholson also said there have been no reports of identity theft since the May 3 burglary at the Maryland home of an agency employee.

"There is reason to be optimistic," he told reporters just before the start of another in a series of hearings Congress has had on one of the worst breaches of information security.

"It's a very positive note in this very tragic incident," Nicholson said.

Nicholson offered no immediate details on how the laptop was recovered.

This is indeed very good news. Assuming the database wasn't copied, the chances that veterans will suffer identity theft have diminished greatly.

As I said last night, there are still questions to be answered as to whether this was a single individual disobeying rules or an institutional failure. The hearings should certainly continue in order to discover how best to prevent this kind of thing from happening again.

The AP reports it has documents showing the permission level of the VA analyst in the stolen laptop case:

WASHINGTON - The Veterans Affairs worker faulted for losing veterans' personal information had permission to access millions of Social Security numbers on a laptop from home, agency documents obtained by The Associated Press show.

The story summarized the documents:

The documents show that the data analyst, whose name was being withheld, had approval as early as Sept. 5, 2002, to use special software at home that was designed to manipulate large amounts of data.

A separate agreement, dated Feb. 5, 2002, from the office of the assistant secretary for policy and planning, allowed the worker to access Social Security numbers for millions of veterans.

A third document, also issued in 2002, gave the analyst permission to take a laptop computer and accessories for work outside of the VA building.

"These data are protected under the Privacy Act," one document states. The analyst is the "lead programmer within the Policy Analysis Service and as such needs access to real Social Security numbers."

There's also going to be a hearing in the House tomorrow featuring the testimony of VA Secretary Jim Nicholson and others.

The piling on and upchanneling of blame is starting as well:

"The gross negligence in this case are the people above him," said Rep. Bob Filner (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., the acting top Democrat on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee. "They gave him express permission to take the information home. When it was stolen, he reported it right away."

"They're trying to pin it on this one guy, but I think it's other people we need to be looking at," he said.

Meanwhile, President Bush requested funds to help the VA deal with the fallout:

Separately, the president asked in a letter to House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., for the $160.5 million to help the VA cover the costs of credit monitoring and fraud watch services.

The money would be taken from programs in the departments of Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Labor, Transportation, Treasury and Veterans Affairs whose money would otherwise go unused or from programs previously set for elimination, according to Scott Milburn, spokesman for the Office of Management and Budget.

And the requisite bickering to go along with it:

Some Democrats said money to pay for veterans' protection should not come at the expense of other programs.

"It's outrageous to first expose millions of Americans to credit fraud and identity theft and then to try to cut food stamps, student loans, and youth programs to pay for it," said Sen. Patty Murray (news, bio, voting record), D-Wash. "This is a new problem that needs to be solved with new money."

The budget is fixed each year, and even discretionary funds get spoken for pretty quickly. Be afraid whenever a politician is looking for "new money". At least the rationale for the funds is a good one:

Nicholson told lawmakers this week that the money would cover monitoring for about half of the 17.5 million people whose Social Security numbers were compromised. He said it also would pay for out-of-pocket expenses ranging from $10,000 to $20,000 for those whose identities are stolen.

If there are any identities stolen - and so far, none have - this sounds like it would take care of all but the very worst cases.

Kinda makes you wonder how much the lawyers who brought suit have the troops' interests at heart - remember, they've blocked the VA from publicizing this assistance out of concern that it would diminish their award.

Additionally, from the descriptions of the documents the AP gives, I'm unconvinced that the unnamed worker had permission to take the personal data home with him, as the article suggests. The first document apparently deals with software - not data. The second gives permission to access social security numbers - something that would be necessary for work performed at the office, AP doesn't directly say that the permission extended to home in the document's description. And the third simply gives permission to take the laptop ouside the facility - something that would be required if he was subject to travel on department business. All three seem fairly ordinary.

My problem with AP's description is the lack of anything that looks like a smoking gun. The type of documents described above would be government forms or boilerplate letters, and very specific in scope. If any of the documents gave specific permission to take the live database home, why no quote?

Hopefully some of this will get clarified as the AP updates the story, or during the testimony in the House tomorrow. I'm still fairly angry about the situation, but not ready to assign blame until I learn more.

I don't often quote entire articles, but this one is important to a lot of folks I know, and I have some questions that hopefully one of my readers who have legal experience could answer. Via AP/Yahoo:

WASHINGTON - A federal judge temporarily has barred the government from publicizing its free credit monitoring offer to veterans whose personal data was stolen and wants to see if they might get a better federal offer.

Lawyers who have filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of the 26.5 million veterans and active-duty troops affected contend that accepting the government's offer could jeopardize their chance of winning more money in the privacy suit.

U.S. District Judge William Bertelsman in Kentucky scheduled a hearing this Friday to determine whether the Veterans Affairs Department should revise its offer. His order on the credit monitoring was issued late last Friday.

The suit seeks free monitoring and other credit protection for an indefinite period as well as $1,000 in damages for each person — or up to $26.5 billion total — in what has become one of the nation's largest information security breaches.

Last week, the department announced its plan to offer free monitoring for a year to millions of veterans and nearly all active-duty military troops whose names, birthdates and Social Security numbers were stolen May 3 from a VA data analyst's home in suburban Maryland.

The department said it would send out letters to affected veterans and military personnel in early August — after it solicits bids from contractors — on how to sign up for the free service. It also posted information on the government's Web site.

But in court papers, lawyers for veterans said the VA's deal was "incomplete and misleading." The VA must make clear whether veterans who take the government deal will have to give up their rights in court to a potentially larger payout, lawyer Marc Mezibov wrote.

A spokesman for the VA did not have an immediate comment Sunday.

Last week, a Senate committee approved $160 million to pay for the credit monitoring for veterans. It is one of many expected payments as the government struggles with fallout from data breaches crossing at least six agencies.

The VA alone has spent more than $14 million so far to notify veterans by letter and set up a call center, and it is spending an additional $200,000 a day to maintain the call center.

Class-action suits filed by veterans alleging privacy violations are pending in Covington, Ky., and Washington, D.C.

OK, the questions:

The article doesn't say the VA is banned from helping, just publicizing it. Is that a typo? If not, what good does that do for anyone?

The lawyers are suing for cash plus credit monitoring. If the Gov't offers the credit monitoring, how does that hurt the case in any way? Or are the lawyers looking at the value of the monitoring as part of the basis for determining their fee?

By the way, here's the press release from the VA about the credit monitoring service. I see no hint of "veterans who take the government deal will have to give up their rights in court to a potentially larger payout" anywhere in there. From where are they getting this?

For what it's worth, I'm not very impressed by this suit in the first place. If my data (which was on the laptop that was stolen) is actually used for some criminal purpose, of course I want Uncle Sam to fix the damage. But so far there's no indication that the information is being used by anyone. Credit monitoring seems appropriate, and after enough time has passed to be reasonably sure that this was a non-event, will no longer necessary. Credit monitoring for life - essentially what they're asking for - seems expensive and unecessary.

The theft of the laptop alone doesn't seem to me enough to justify an award. Until my data is actually used in some way, I don't have a reason to sue anyone. Of course, once that happens, the damage may add up to much more than a grand. Will this class action prevent me from making a claim if that happens?

Unfortunately, I don't see that this suit benefits veterans in the least. If any vets experience real harm, this isn't going to be much help. For those that weren't harmed, at best it makes them unwitting accomplices to what appears to be yet another money grab from some opportunistic lawyers. What's the fee for this sort of thing - 30%? 40%? More? This looks like a retirement event for a few lawyers who fixed a problem that didn't exist and prevented future real problems from being addressed.

Anyone know the answers?

If you weren't aware, today marks 10 years since a truck filled with explosives was detonated outside the Khobar Towers dormitory in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. Air Force Magazine (which I read regularly) has a very well written article marking the anniversary.

One of those killed that day was MSgt Ken Kitson. I worked with Ken (or "KK", as we called him) while I was stationed at Eglin AFB with the 33rd Fighter Wing. We both deployed to King Faisal Air Base near Tabuk, Saudi Arabia for Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

I remember Ken for his good humor, his positive attitude, and the genuine concern he had for the people he worked with. As a natural and intuitive leader, he was respected and well-liked by all who had the good fortune to know him.

When I had a need for advice (or just to vent a little), I frequently sought Ken out. What I learned from Ken during that time has stuck with me over the years, and I consider that much of what I've accomplished since I owe in part to his mentorship.

Although I tried a couple of times, I've never felt that I properly thanked him for being a teacher and a friend.

Rest in peace, and God Bless You, Ken.

Other bloggers are noting this anniversary as well:

Cao's Blog
Capital Region People
Euphoric Reality
Right Voices
Strategic Outlook Institute
Michelle Malkin

Or at least that's the plan (H/T Protein Wisdom):

Marine may call Murtha as witness

A criminal defense attorney for a Marine under investigation in the Haditha killings says he will call a senior Democratic congressman as a trial witness, if his client is charged, to find out who told the lawmaker that U.S. troops are guilty of cold-blooded murder.

Attorney Neal A. Puckett told The Washington Times that Gen. Michael Hagee, the Marine commandant, briefed Rep. John P. Murtha, Pennsylvania Democrat, on the Nov. 19 killings of 24 Iraqis in the town north of Baghdad. Mr. Murtha later told reporters that the Marines were guilty of killing the civilians in "cold blood." Mr. Murtha said he based his statement on Marine commanders, whom he did not identify.

Mr. Puckett said such public comments from a congressman via senior Marines amount to "unlawful command influence." He said potential Marine jurors could be biased by the knowledge that their commandant, the Corps' top officer, thinks the Haditha Marines are guilty.

"Congressman Murtha will be one of the first witnesses I call to the witness stand," Mr. Puckett said yesterday.

Mr. Puckett represents Staff Sgt. Frank D. Wuterich, an eight-year Marine who was a key participant in the Haditha operations that resulted in the 24 civilian deaths.

I don't know if the claim of unlawful command influence will have any traction - but somebody in the command structure thought these Marines were guilty. And the choice of Murtha as a recipient of the leak shows malice as it should have been predictable what would be done with it.

But the fact is that we don't yet know what the truth is regarding Haditha. I'm hoping they're innocent, but recognize that it could go the way of those who hope that they're guilty. If you're reading this and saying "but I don't hope they're guilty - I just know they are" then you're being dishonest. You can't know any more than I can since the facts haven't all been revealed. Only a fool driven by more emotion than brains could reach a conclusion of innocence or guilt on the public facts as they currently stand.

So if you believe they're guilty, it's not fact, but hope alone that drives you, and I don't have it in me to even pity you.

Murtha has hope, too. Political gain seems like such a petty motive, doesn't it? But his reprehensable act cuts both ways - if there is something that the Marines should be brought to justice for, Murtha and his informant may have given them the tools to avoid it. If they're innocent, they'll never be able to remove the stain that's been smeared on them.

That's not something to be proud of, folks. Why don't some of you "hopefuls" tell me again how courageous and patriotic Murtha is - OK?

Update (5:00pm EST): Okay, okay - I had a change of heart on the drive home from work. "Patriotism" is overused nowadays anyway - just like "integrity". Both are terrific concepts, but the application of each changes dramatically depending on perspective.

So in all fairness, it's entirely possible that Murtha believes that selling out a few Marines to achieve his party's and his own objectives is beneficial to the country, therefore, patriotic. You know, kinda like that woman down in Texas who claimed that the only way to save her kids was to drown them. So, in that spirit, the last paragraph of this post is corrected to read:

That's not something to be proud of, folks. Why don't some of you "hopefuls" tell me again how Murtha did the right thing - OK?

There. I feel so much better now.

Today's first sighting - AP:

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon Thursday confirmed that 2,500 U.S. troops have died in the Iraq war since it began more than three years ago. The grim milestone was announced just hours before the House was to begin a symbolic election-year debate over the war, with Republicans rallying against calls by some Democrats to set a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops.

I take back the nice remarks.

Via AP/Yahoo

WASHINGTON - Personal data on more than 2.2 million active-duty military personnel — not just 50,000 as initially believed — were among those stolen from a Veterans Affairs employee last month, the government said Tuesday.

VA Secretary Jim Nicholson said the agency was mistaken when it said over the weekend that up to 50,000 Navy and National Guard personnel — and no other active-duty personnel — were affected by the May 3 burglary.

In fact, names, birth dates and Social Security numbers of as many as 1.1 million active-duty personnel from all the armed forces, along with 430,000 members of the National Guard, and 645,000 members of the Reserves, may have been included.

The rest of the estimated 26.5 million records are from retired and separated military. The story also mentions lawsuits have already been filed:

It also came as a coalition of veterans' groups charged in a lawsuit against the federal government Tuesday that their privacy rights were violated by the theft. The class-action lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, is the second suit since the VA disclosed the burglary two weeks ago.

Personally, I think the lawsuits are premature. It's still too early to determine how much damage this will cause (so far there's been no indication that the data has been used), and there's still a slim possibility that the computer will be recovered in the coming weeks.

When this first broke, there was mention of letters being sent out to those affected. Have any of my veteran readers received one? I have not, and now wonder if perhaps I'm not affected, or I am and it got lost in the mail, or what...

Arianna hits bottom and digs yesterday as she shows her utter contempt for the troops and advises Democrats to sell out our military for political gain as "drugged up, hallucinating, and stressed out" killers for whom Haditha is an everyday occurance.

She starts by extending allegations about Haditha to all the troops.

It means the killings in Haditha -- like Abu Ghraib, like Bagram, like Guantanamo, like all the everyday, unheralded horrors perpetrated on innocent Iraqi civilians -- have made America less safe.

After all, says Arianna, smearing our troops is the moral thing to do. She continues by expressing her approval of Murtha's use of the tactic:

This is the issue that nationalizes the 2006 races. It's the right stance strategically (as Jack Murtha has been saying for months). It's the right stance morally. And it's also the right stance politically.

This is disgustingly cold and calculating by anyone's standards. But hey, it's about regaining power, right? After all, painting them as "baby killers" worked before...

And to Arianna, this represents an opportunity to be exploited - nothing more.

If Democrats can make this their defining issue, they can stop worrying about the laundry list of "what ifs" they are now obsessing over: What if people forget about Katrina and Abramoff and DeLay? What if gas prices come down? What if GOP gerrymandering trumps voter unrest? What if the gay marriage ruse works again? What if, what if, what if...

They need to calm their nerves and keep it simple. It's about making us safe, stupid. And keeping our worn-out, stressed-out, missionless troops in Iraq is making us less -- much less -- safe.

This is not just sick - it exposes an icy vacuum where heart and soul should be. In Arianna's case, I think the last thin veil of "I support the troops" - if indeed it was ever visible - has forever fallen away.

Update: Welcome Blackfive readers!

And they all belong to veterans:

WASHINGTON - Personal data, including Social Security numbers of 26.5 million U.S. veterans, was stolen from a Veterans Affairs employee this month after he took the information home without authorization, the department said Monday.

Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson said there was no evidence so far that the burglars who struck the employee's home have used the personal data — or even know they have it. The employee, a data analyst whom Nicholson would not identify, has been placed on leave pending a review.

That's nearly 9% of the population, folks. When are people who maintain this kind of information going to learn?

By the way, this likely affects me - since I'm a veteran.

More later when I cool down.

Scientists Probe the Use of the Tongue

PENSACOLA, Fla. - In their quest to create the super warrior of the future, some military researchers aren't focusing on organs like muscles or hearts. They're looking at tongues.

Ick. This makes me kinda glad I'm retired.

I heard about this from the radio while taking my 2nd-grader to the bus stop. Via AP/Yahoo:

DOVER, Del. - A C-5 cargo plane with 17 people aboard crashed near the Dover Air Force Base Monday morning, according to a state public safety official.

There is no word on fatalities but Department of Public Safety assistant director Allen Metheny said some injuries have been reported. Some patients are being taken to a local hospital and others were being taken to a trauma center.

It's not clear if the plane was landing or taking off when it crashed around 6:45 a.m.

The plane broke into three pieces, with the cockpit separated from the fuselage and a wing shattered. It wasn't immediately clear whether the plane was taking off or landing when it crashed.

The C-5 is one of the Air Force's largest cargo planes and is designed to carry very heavy cargo loads on transcontinental deployments.

Yet despite its size, the C-5 is desigend to be a versatile aircraft which can fly non-stop for 2,500 miles at jet speeds and is able to re-fuel in air. The plane, made by Lockheed Martin, can take off and land on relatively short, unpaved air strips, and can load cargo from both ends at once.

The C-5 also has a respectable safety record. Prior to today, only 5 had been lost since it entered service in 1970. I flew (as a passenger) on C-5s several times during my active duty career - a truly impressive aircraft.

Some of you may know that I live in Newark, Delaware. I occasionally travel to Dover AFB, and enjoy meeting and speaking with the active duty professionals there. TB and I are thankful that there were no fatalities, and our prayers are with the 17 passengers and crew for a rapid and complete recovery from their injuries.

Via AP/Yahoo:

Army Teaches Troops How to Pick a Spouse

WASHINGTON - They are the Pentagon's new "rules of engagement" — the diamond ring kind. U.S. Army chaplains are trying to teach troops how to pick the right spouse, through a program called "How To Avoid Marrying a Jerk."

I'm sure that this program will be widely ridiculed, but folks who have served (like me) will tell you story after story of fellow troops who could have used the advice. I've known way too many to marry within weeks after the first date, or marry a foreign national whose singular goal was to gain entry into the US. While sometimes these marriages work out well, all too often they end tragically, adding to the high rates of divorce and domestic violence in military communities.

Kudos to the Army for supporting the person as well as the warrior.