The announcement was made this morning after a ceremony in Kabul marking the formal handover of combat operations in Afghanistan from NATO forces to the Afghan Government.

The handover of responsibility at a ceremony, attended by NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen and Mr Karzai, marks a significant milestone in the nearly 12-year war.

It also marks a turning point for US and NATO military forces, which will now move entirely into a supporting role and opens the way for their full withdrawal in 18 months.

So now they have taken over all combat operations in the country. I wonder how that will work out for them and how long it will take until the Taliban really tests them….

The handover came the same day as a large bomb exploded in the Afghan capital, killing at least three people.

The blast was in the Pul-e-Surkh area of the western part of Kabul.

Seeing that both these quotes are from the same article, I guess the answer is “not long”. So this is it, this is the time for the Afghans to truly step up and take it, this is the final exam before this 12 year class is over. I am sure the “leaders” (I use that term very loosely) in the Afghan government are very happy for this, but I am bet the Afghan soldiers aren’t.

I also how “support role” will be defined for the NATO forces. I mean, when I was there in 06-07 we were in a “support role” with every mission requiring an “afghan face” on it. Afghan face meant 15 Afghans in two Ford Ranger pickups at the front of a convoy of 4 heavily armed up-armored HUMVEES with TACSAT radios and bombers or jets just a radio call away.

I am sure the Afghan government and the military will do whatever they can to give themselves an advantage and avoid the true kinetic head to head fight…

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has said his government will send representatives to the Gulf state of Qatar as soon as possible to hold formal talks with the Taliban.

Yep, I would say trying to work out a deal with the enemy would qualify as doing whatever they can. An enemy that has no reason to give any consolations or even care to. They just need to hold on long enough for us to get our troops out, then the whole place can destroy itself because in the end the people are accountable to themselves.

Each year, Americans can enjoy four special days set aside specifically to honor our veterans and comrades in arms. Sadly, too many of us often overlook these opportunities to pay our respect and recognize the sacrifice and service of these individuals. These four days are intended to, in some small way, express the sentiments of a grateful nation. So what does it say of us when we forget, overlook, or simply brush aside the opportunity to honor the best among us?

I understand that today our lives are more complicated and busier than ever. We have so much going on in our lives these days; school getting out, visiting relatives, graduations, and any number of other competing priorities. I hope each of us were able to honor all our heroes last November on Veteran’s Day. But what about the other days?

It’s perhaps easy to seek and find forgiveness for not making it out to a veteran’s cemetery last Memorial Day Monday. After all, who of us is not grateful for a day off or for a chance to sleep in, fire up the grill, catch a new summer blockbuster, and recharge our batteries?

The American Flag which flies above the USS Arizona Memorial

Go read Retired Chief Master Sgt. Scott Hubbartt’s entire piece at http://www.military.com/flag-day/why-flag-day-is-important.html

Taliban insurgents on Monday launched a grenade and gun attack on Kabul airport, firing on military facilities before being overwhelmed in an operation hailed as a victory for Afghan security forces.

Two suicide bombers blew themselves up and all five other attackers were killed when elite Afghan troops stormed two multi-storey buildings where the militants were holed up near the airport’s perimeter fence.Read more at http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/world/17541616/taliban-target-kabul-airport-in-ongoing-attack/

…Green on Blue attacks…

The shooting in Paktika province is the latest in a string of attacks in which infiltrators or disgruntled Afghan police or soldiers have killed international troops working with them.

The killings threaten to shake the confidence and trust of the two sides as withdrawal of most international troops approaches in 2014.

Read more at http://news.sky.com/story/1101060/afghan-insider-attack-kills-three-americans

…and RBIEDs**…

Watching the man over closed-circuit television, they ordered him to strip naked, which he did. Satisfied, they let him get dressed and took him to see their boss upstairs.Then he blew up. The suicide bomber killed only himself, but Mr. Khalid sustained severe abdominal wounds as well as injuries to his hands and arms.

Now, months after that attack, on Dec. 6, a spokesman for the National Directorate of Security, Shafiqullah Tahiri, confirmed that the attacker had hidden the bomb inside his rectum.

Read more at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/09/world/asia/attacker-in-afghanistan-hid-bomb-in-his-body.html?_r=0

there is no doubt that the full blown fighting season has begun in Afghanistan. I am so glad we are keeping soldiers there just to watch our stuff until we can get it all back (snarkiness). The pull out needs to happen now, not in 2014.

** Rectum-borne Improvised Explosive Device

These were warriors that truly exemplified what it meant to be courageous and brave.

June 6, 2013 marks the 69th anniversary of “Operation Overlord” – the D-Day invasion where more than 160,000 allied troops landed on a 50-mile stretch of French Coastline to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France in 1944. The invasion led to the deaths of more than 9,000 allied forces, but the victory resulted in a significant turning point for Europe’s history. Today, we would like to honor the allied forces that participated in the invasion by sharing a film created by the U.S. Army in 1969. In this film, the drama and battle action of the landing at Normandy is portrayed along with the fierce combat that took place to overcome “Fortress Europe” (compliments of the National Archives).

ABC7 has confirmed the region’s two military hospitals are furloughing more than 3,500 civilian employees who care for the nation’s wounded warriors, nearly their entire civilian staffs.

I am disgusted to see this and convinced of one of two things. Either someone’s priorities are so screwed up they should not hold a public service job of any type, or someone in the Government is wanting to play on America’s heart-stings and using our wounded warriors as pawn’s in the big game of Sequestration.

I only imply the latter because of all the hype that came out of the administration prior to the sequestration when it was all doom and mayhem if Congress did not get it resolved. Remember the prisons would have to release prisoners, the borders would be left unprotected (this happened on purpose in Arizona ironically), our troops would be left without the gear and training they need and of course the old warning that flights delays will happen and flight safety would be at risk. And we see what happened with the last one.

I pray and hope it is because of mis-aligned priorities (i.e. someone’s head is up their fourth point of contact) and not the other reason.
Read more: http://www.wjla.com/articles/2013/05/caretakers-for-wounded-warriors-at-walter-reed-receive-furlough-notices-89467.html#ixzz2Uuq2SxlO

            We awake as citizens to new political scandals, thievery, and senseless acts of violence which are usually unprovoked.  Every day our civil liberties are trampled for the “greater good” which is completely false.  In a round-about way, I am labeled a racist or homophobe. I am labeled as unstable because of injuries occurred. My family is considered on the outside of society here because of our political and moral views.  Why is it ok to believe in whatever they want? Yet when I speak about my beliefs I am thrown aside and even labeled as evil? It perplexes me because of what I have sacrificed for this country.  What my family continues to sacrifice as we serve our nation.  There seems to be this sense of non-accountability and quest for a utopian society where only the elitist elements rights and beliefs are only acceptable.  I live in a state that is archaic with their laws concerning the Constitution; yet they reward illegal behavior by justifying it and saying it is society’s fault that this happened and not the culprits.

            Where does society go from here as it seems our moral compass is spinning out of control?  I feel abandoned by my community, an outsider looking in even though the 99% has done next to nothing to better itself.  I feel lost upon the world when I speak to my wife and simply state that I have no answers.  I hate the fact that I despise our society and what it stands for.  If you were to look at me you would not believe I have faith (in my own way) or that I do believe in abortion rights when it comes to a rape victim or incest. I also believe in small government and entitlement reform.  I am raising our son to believe that he must earn his way and life will not always be fair, most likely it will be down-right cruel.  We are raising him to understand that he will need strong morals and convictions in order to get through the difficult times, but have an open heart that is willing to forgive and to love.  He will need to understand that there are so many out there will take him at first glance simply because he is white. Yes I just said that.  In today’s world it is about an onslaught of racial labeling, gun waving conservative nutcases who hate anything that is not white, straight and religious.

            Sadly, our world is dictated by what is on the idiot box (television) and not by researching, reading, discussion and actual facts and not ideology.  I grow tired of this world and where it is going. The simple hello’s and thank you seem to fade more and more every day. The more politicians and less statesmen fuel this fire but abdicating for more entitlements, sense of due and decisive polarization from both sides.  When people say thank you to me for my service, if they actually even find out I served I tell them going to war is easy compared to a lifetime of service. They never respond.  I always ask my wife…how did the country get to this point?

MT

Enjoy…

I sit here happy for all of them to be able to enjoy the freedoms of this country and the ability for all of us to get together. Some of them have served and they know what it means, others never have and only know the stories from some of us who have. Good for both of the distinct groups. Thank God we have so many that have answered the call of this Country to preserve this way of life. Also thank God those that are here can enjoy a life without knowing the horrors others have seen.

I also sit here sad thinking about those reunions and gatherings that are missing a key person in the last few years. That father, mother, son, daughter, cousin, husband, wife, brother, sister, cousin or friend that cannot be with loved ones. The one that is the reason why we have this weekend. Why we honor Memorial Day.

I think about Danny missing his brother, or Cheryl or Donna missing their sons, or Robert missing his, or Rachel missing her husband or Illiana missing her brother. Those are just a few of the names of family of the fallen that I either know personally and/or have written about on this blog.

These are just a few of the reasons why we have this day and for as much as I am sure those who have fallen would look down on us all now and say enjoy the day and have a great time with each other, the rest who are still walking this earth miss them.

I know that had I been called to give my life, that would have been my last wish “don’t cry for me, I am in a much better place, enjoy each other and make the most of your time together”.

So it is in this dilemma I sit, where I know we all celebrate and should, but for many we also mourn as many of us always will. I hope all who read this truly take the time to think, ponder and remember why we have this holiday and why it is a very special one that stands apart from all of our other holidays. If you personally knew someone who has given their life for our country in the Global War on Terror, you can find their picture and any news stories about them at http://projects.militarytimes.com/valor/. Or you can just go see and learn about some of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice on your behalf.

I ask you to also consider and think about the statement below. Maybe even use it to teach the children in your life about these days and put them into perspective.

Without Veterans’ Day there would be no Memorial Day and without Memorial Day there would be no Independence Day.

He did a good job in putting together the text, song and visuals to help remind people why we have this weekend.