Tom Ricks joins Operation Yellow Elephant!

Tom Ricks, former Washington Post reporter covering military issues, now blogs at The Best Defense at Foreign Policy.

Rommney's sons?

An acquaintance of mine who served with the 1st Infantry Division in Vietnam, and whose son and son-in-law are both preparing to deploy to Afghanistan, wonders why none of Governor Romney's many sons ever saw fit to join the military. Romney's response is, Hey, I thought it was a volunteer military. Yet if everyone volunteered at the rate his family has, we would be forced to re-institute a draft. I wonder if he has ever discussed joining the military with any of his sons, and if so, whether he encouraged them or discouraged them.

OYE Comment: We thought the same thing, and warmly welcome Tom Ricks to Operation Yellow Elephant.

Let's see if anyone responds to our comments [#1 and #2] to this effect.

from the U.S. Air Force Academy

They'll be deployed to the box soon enough. Enjoy!



Hat tip to JoeMyGod.

Marine Deployment Video from Iraq

Here's another deployment video from Iraq, this is how we win wars:



Here's the official music video, Bloodhound Gang - The Bad Touch:

Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden: What his Deployment Means for America

Serving in a war zone teaches anyone many things, including intolerance for nonsense, a nicer term for bullshit. Delaware Attorney General Joseph R. "Beau" Biden, III [D] has told those who served in Iraq at the same time,

I've said many times that serving with people like you was the greatest honor of my life. The sacrifice from you and your families is remarkable, and in my estimation, too few in our nation understand the depth of it.

And here's what it means for America: Attorney General Biden, along with New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman [D], has taken the lead in insisting on the integrity of our legal system, that "robosigner" fraud on our judicial system be punished, and that those responsible, including at the corporate managerial level [the military equivalent of which is command responsibility] be held to account.

“This action concerns far more than the financial interests of a few sophisticated investors,” [Manhattan Federal] judge [William Pauley] wrote. “And the intervention of the state AGs in this action will protect the interests of absent investors.”

OYE Comment: We believe that serving in a war zone has ensured that Delaware Attorney General Biden will always find the time and energy to do the right thing for his state and, indeed, for America.

And if more of our civilian political leadership, at all levels, had shared such experiences, our country would be a better place.

Hat tip to AmericaBlog.

Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden: Pics from his Deployment to Camp Victory, Baghdad, Iraq

Celebrities at Marine Corps Balls

We salute Sgt Scott Moore, USMC, for starting a trend: YouTube invitations to celebrities, in his case actress Mila Kunis, to attend the Marine Corps Birthday Ball. November 10 was the 236th birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps; celebrations take place all month.

"It's a huge honor just to be invited, it is. [ . . . ] Talking to people and hearing their stories, being a part of something that truly I know nothing about but I'm incredibly eager to learn."

OYE Comment

We've always said, if more prominent Americans personally knew some of our enlisted servicemembers or junior officers - those most at risk in combat - our country would be a better place.

And now Mila Kunis is one of them. What a great lady!

We also take note of another celebrity, "Dancing with the Stars" alum Kristin Cavallari, who attended a Marine Ball in California with Lance Cpl. Jonathan Burkett. Hat tip to Huffington Post.

Columbia University Actively Recruits Veterans

The New York Times reports that Columbia University is actively recruiting veterans for its School of General Studies, an undergraduate unit specially created for adult students including veterans, which is separate from Columbia College, its traditional undergraduate school.

Even Doonesbury has taken note of the need for good colleges and universities to recruit our 21st Century veterans.

As we have said before, if more Americans personally knew enlisted servicemembers or junior officers - those most at risk in combat - or recent veterans, America would be a better place.

Props to Columbia University for supporting this effort.

Props to California's LA/Valley Pride: Welcome, Marines!

Operation Yellow Elephant salutes LA/Valley Pride in California.

Now that "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is history, organizers invited all military branches to recruit at San Gabriel Valley Pride in Pasadena. Unfortunately, while the Marines were interested, they had no money. From the LA Times:

Marine recruiters reach out at gay pride event in Pasadena

[ . . . ]

Alan Chan, San Gabriel Valley Pride's secretary, invited military personnel in the Pasadena recruitment office across from the college to set up booths at the event. The Navy, he said, did not have adequate staffing. The Army had previously committed to another event. The Air Force did not respond. And the Marines, who alone expressed interest, nearly had to plead poverty because the branch had exhausted its funds for the fiscal year and did not have $150 for the exhibitor fee. LA/Valley Pride covered the fee, said Executive Director Paul Waters. [ . . . ]

OYE Comment:

If the Marines' participation at this event results in the eventual enlistment of one qualified recruit, we'll consider it a success.

We salute not only the Marine Corps Pasadena recruiting office but also the GLBTQ community in the area, who realize that, if more Americans personally knew someone wearing the uniform, especially enlisted servicemembers and junior officers - those most at risk in combat, our country would be a better place.

How about you, Ben Quayle? Would you encourage the GLBTQ community in your district to invite military recruiters to their event?

Hat tip to AmericaBlog Gay.