Cut Defense Spending, Close USAFA

I will always appreciate the United States Air Force Academy for introducing me to my old lady, the inimitable Mrs. Morganobrien.com. We met at jump school, it was like a Mountain Dew commercial.


Extreme!

Anyway, other than that, I find the service academies worthless, especially USAFA considering it produced my archnemesis. I'd love to see how that piece of work would do in real college.

My main man Tom Ricks articulated this much better than I did over the weekend in the WashPo:

Why We Should Get Rid of West Point
By Thomas E. Ricks
Sunday, April 19, 2009

Want to trim the federal budget and improve the military at the same time? Shut down West Point, Annapolis and the Air Force Academy, and use some of the savings to expand ROTC scholarships.

After covering the U.S. military for nearly two decades, I've concluded that graduates of the service academies don't stand out compared to other officers. Yet producing them is more than twice as expensive as taking in graduates of civilian schools ($300,000 per West Point product vs. $130,000 for ROTC student). On top of the economic advantage, I've been told by some commanders that they prefer officers who come out of ROTC programs, because they tend to be better educated and less cynical about the military.

This is no knock on the academies' graduates. They are crackerjack smart and dedicated to national service. They remind me of the best of the Ivy League, but too often they're getting community-college educations. Although West Point's history and social science departments provided much intellectual firepower in rethinking the U.S. approach to Iraq, most of West Point's faculty lacks doctorates. Why not send young people to more rigorous institutions on full scholarships, and then, upon graduation, give them a military education at a short-term military school? Not only do ROTC graduates make fine officers -- three of the last six chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff reached the military that way -- they also would be educated alongside future doctors, judges, teachers, executives, mayors and members of Congress. That would be good for both the military and the society it protects.

We should also consider closing the services' war colleges, where colonels supposedly learn strategic thinking. These institutions strike me as second-rate. If we want to open the minds of rising officers and prepare them for top command, we should send them to civilian schools where their assumptions will be challenged, and where they will interact with diplomats and executives, not to a service institution where they can reinforce their biases while getting in afternoon golf games. Just ask David Petraeus, a Princeton PhD. (link)

There you have it. Seems pretty cut and dry. Go ahead and close them.

HT: Tom Ricks on Foreign Policy

Jon and Kate Update

Rare is the day I come home to find Mrs. Morganobrien.com not tuned into TLC viewing the hideously unwatchable Jon and Kate Plus 8. I haven't caught more than 30 seconds of the show in one sitting (and I'd admit it; for instance, I'll watch The Real Housewives of NYC/OC--not Atlanta--when it's on), but Jon and Kate and their child abuse by reality show disgust me while inexplicably providing a constant source of enjoyment for my wife.

Adding to my consternation, the show fills my TiVo, because it's seemingly on non-stop. My old lady also recently read their book, Multiple Bles8ings (not a typo--that's a totally out-of-place 8 replacing an 's' there), which appeals to my inner copy editor.

Because hate is such a strong word, I only hate one human being (There are 3 folks I would place in the despise category, all of whom I met in NM. Thanks, Kirtland). With that in mind, I won't say that I hate Jon and Kate Gosselin and their brood but I'll cop to maintaining a strong sense of schadenfreude towards them.

And that's why I'm so happy to report the following:

'Jon & Kate Plus 8' heading for divorce?
(link)
By Hanh Nguyen March 05, 01:50 PM
Jon and Kate Gosselin of TLC's docudrama Jon & Kate Plus 8, about their family life with two sets of multiples, may have trouble in paradise.

The couple appears to have serious marriage problems now that Jon has started spending increasing amounts of time away from home and partying with college girls, claims InTouchWeekly.com.

It turns out that Jon apparently met some Juniata College (PA) co-eds at a bar called Mimi's on Valentine's Day, returned to a house party with them and then got all touchy-feely as the night progressed. He also reportedly played Beer Pong. Sounds like a great Valentine's Day. I went to Red Lobster.

And what good is an Internet rumor without a photo that may or may (probably) not indicate impropriety?


Jon Plus 2

For their part, the Gosselins deny these stories as baseless rumors.

"It is certainly hurtful for people to spread rumors and lies about us. It certainly makes me reluctant to live my life like the average person would. This has made it very clear that the simplest innocent gesture -— such as taking a picture with a fan, can be taken out of context. As you can see on the show, I am not perfect, but I am a part of a loving family and couple."

Who knows if this is true (farbeit for me to question the veracity of a Star magazine story). Regardless, I'm glad to see that karma is alive and well--exploit your children, put yourselves in the public eye and fill up my DVR and you get what you deserve.

Morgan O'Brien's WiGO 02.20.09

Fort Lewis Update
An update to a story we posted earlier this week. Our thoughts are with the family of Leah King, who died on Fort Lewis earlier this week in what appears to be a drug-related incident.

Unfortunately, without even knowing the details, I would have bet that the events that lead to her death played out just like this. Young GIs plus High School Girls too often equals trouble.

Girl in Fort Lewis incident is being released from hospital
By Seattle Times staff
A 16-year-old girl was being released from Madigan Army Medical Center today, after she was admitted early Sunday when she was found unconscious in a Fort Lewis barracks, a hospital spokesperson said this afternoon.

Another 16-year-old with her, Leah King, died Sunday in the case authorities say is drug-related. (link)

Young kids make stupid mistakes (just ask A-Rod). And when military members make mistakes, they're going to be magnified because we're called to adhere to a higher standard. We're supposed to be protectors and if people are to feel safe anywhere, it should be when they're in the company of our armed forces.

Speaking of protectors failing to protect...

Ex-airman guilty in wrong-way crash
Deal limits jail sentence

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - A former airman from Kirtland Air Force Base admitted in court Thursday that she drove drunk two years ago and rammed head-on into another driver on Interstate 25.

Danielle Best, 23, pleaded guilty to one count of great bodily injury by DWI, a third-degree felony.

In February 2007 Best crashed her pickup truck into a small car near Gibson Boulevard critically injuring Michael Hauser.

Best will be sentenced on March 23. The district attorney and the defense agreed she would receive no more than 18 months in jail. (link)

18 months...wow. God bless New Mexico's stringent drunk driving laws!

I distinctly remember a couple of things about this case. First, I was so happy not to be working at Kirtland when this happened. Second, the event happened on Mardi Gras, and I'm told that Best was wearing her beads when she critically injured Hauser. Finally, I remember that this came in a bunch of other drunk-driving related incidents (2, IIRC) surrounding Kirtland airmen.

And finally, in other Kirtland related news.

Welcome to the Desert

How sad it must have been for BG Voldemort to be separated from his loved ones and serving overseas during the holidays. However, I have to point out that a week-long trip to desert garden spots on the arm of a 4-star does not a war veteran make.

Oh, and Valentine's Day shouldn't really count as a holiday:


There he is on the left...only 7 years late to the party!

Gee, I'd really love to hear his war stories upon his triumphant return. We'll keep an eye out for the inevitable editorial in Hanscom's paper.

As always, with my greatest respect,
xOxO
Morgan

The Military is Phat

A Jelly Donut, Pvt. Pyle?

I wasn't surprised to read that obesity in the military has doubled since 2003. The ugly confluence of a stressful ops tempo plus a willingness to dig a little deeper into the talent pool plus the time-honored tradition of comfort eating certainly set up our uniformed servicemembers for failure. Also, let's not forget the general public (which is growing more obese by the day) comprises our all-volunteer force.

Obesity in US military doubled since 2003

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Since the start of the Iraq War in 2003 the number of overweight and obese US military has doubled, in keeping with the national trend but also due to the stress of deployment, a Pentagon study said.
"In the past decade among active military members in general, the percent of military members who experienced medical encounters for overweight/obesity has steadily increased; and since 2003, rates of increase have generally accelerated," said the report published in January.
In 1998, the number of military personnel diagnosed overweight or obese stood at 25,652, or 1.6 percent of the entire armed forces. In 2003, it increased to 34,333 (2.1 percent), and from then to 2008 the number doubled to 68,786 (4.4 percent of the total).
A 2005 poll of the US military established that "stress and return from deployment were the most frequently cited reasons for recent weight gain," the report said. (link)

As I mentioned above, the military's loosened the standards for troops they're allowing in uniform. And the sad reality is that recruiting shortfalls often come with some ugly strings attached. I recognize and accept that some folks are just big-boned (we'll get to that in a second), but I really can't get over the fact that we'll allow lazy fat slobs (or non-high school graduate or convicted felon) to serve over loyal, patriotic men and women who don't want to have to hide homosexuality. So in an effort to fill our ranks, you can be undisciplined about your weight (or morality), but you can't be gay:

Study: Percentage of overweight recruits up
By Haya El Nasser - USA Today
Posted : Friday Mar 30, 2007 8:17:11 EDT
The pool of recruits fit enough to enlist is shrinking and troops’ waistlines are expanding, a reflection of the nation’s battle against obesity.

The percentage of 18-year-olds who applied for service in all branches of the military but were overweight rose from 27 percent to 32 percent from 1996 through 2005, according to a recent report by the Army. The share of applicants who were obese doubled from 3 percent to 6 percent.

“We’ve been concerned about this for awhile,” said Col. Gaston Bathalon, deputy commander at the Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine in Natick, Mass. The issue is magnified now because the Army is struggling to meet its recruitment goals at a time when its ranks are strained by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. (link)

You knew this was going to end up with an observation on the Air Force. Again, I'm bothered because my beloved service chooses to move with the tide of societal norms rather than enforcing a standard. I'm not a scientist/nutritionist/health and wellness specialist, but I can say with a good measure of certainty that having a 32-inch waist (male) or 29-inch waist (female) can only be a good thing, and worth striving for and serve as a terrific focal point for health and wellness goals. Here's an explanation of how the system currently works, and the complaints about the system by my man Michael Hoffman:

Scientists disagree on waist measure value
By Michael Hoffman - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Feb 11, 2009 3:57:47 EST
It doesn’t make sense at first glance. How can a 6-foot-5-inch, 49-year-old master sergeant be expected to have the same 32-inch waist as a 5-foot-5-inch, 18-year-old airman?

But that’s the one-size-fits-all standard for the abdominal circumference portion of the Air Force fitness test. Better known as the waist measurement, it determines up to 30 out of a possible 100 points on the physical training test. Airmen with more than a 32-inch waist — 29 for women — have to go through extra hoops if they hope to ace the PT Test. (link)

I fully recognize that some people have great genes (and bragged about acing the PT test, despite riding a bike and not running the 1.5 like a certain one-star we know and love, but I digress) and don't even need to diet to maintain a 32-inch waist. At the same time, I recognize that some folks were not blessed with a body that lends itself to getting to 32 inches. But sometimes life isn't fair (truth be told, military life rarely is fair). Sometimes, everyone doesn't get a trophy or win the spelling bee. Sometimes, you have to accept your limitations.

Our core value of Excellence in All We Do should govern that so long as you put forth an honest effort, not hitting 100 on the PT test is acceptable. It bakes my scrod that the whining element even has the opportunity to have their complaints heard in regard to the waist measurement debate. Too often, the Air Force allows the vocal minority has their day in court--you wonder why the Army and Marines like to bust our chops.

Update- A reader left a great comment (see below). I write "great" because someone actually took the time to read a post. That said, I agree with the reader to a point. I totally understand that in many ways, 32 inches is somewhat of random figure when the full spectrum of body types are considered.

Food for thought:I propose that beyond fitness, there should be some sort of metric to capture how well we wear the uniform. Ideally, I guess this would work were there a way to conduct an impartial eyeball test to gauge whether an Airman wears the uniform well in addition to the waist measurement.

Morgan O'Brien's WiGO 02.06.09

I read this and could almost hear the audible sigh coming from Hanscom AFB. Looks like someone still has a shot at a second star. God bless the service that fails to reward our warfighters--what's next, paying officers to leave during wartime?

Deployment history to be removed from promotion briefs

by Richard Salomon
Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs

2/5/2009 - RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) -- Air Force officials here recently announced that deployment history data will be deleted from duty qualification briefs for officer selection and preselection and from senior noncommissioned officer evaluation briefs.

This total-force initiative will apply to all active-duty members, Reserve and Guard personnel. (link)

I mean, why would deployment experience mean anything nowadays?

Air Force One


The Commander in Chief

I was watching a documentary with Mrs. Morganobrien.com the other night on NatGeo, and it concluded with then President-elect Obama boarding Air Force One for his first flight (this was before the inauguration).

The best part of the doc came at the culmination, in an incredibly cool moment, when the film crew captured the moment Obama met Col. Steven Harrison, the pilot. Upon meeting Col. Harrison, our 44th president said, "You're the pilot of Air Force One? Where'd they find you, central casting? You look like Sam Shepard from the Right Stuff."

That is the 100% right way to ensure you get on the pilot of Air Force One's good side. I mean, is there a better thing to say to a pilot? This only cements the fact that President Obama just has 'it'.
(link)

Reserve Recruiting

I received a neat email this week from a reserve recruiter:

I ask you to think back to why you separated from the Air Force (not right, or wrong... just YOUR reasons) and see if those reason are still valid today. Do you miss being on our Air Force Team? Do you miss the camaraderie of being a part of something "bigger than yourself"? Do you have a substantial amount of service time going to waste and applying that time to an Air Force Reserve Retirement may look a bit appealing?

Once again, there is no right or wrong way to answer those questions; as those answers are both personal and individual to where you are...personally and professionally.

I haven't regretted the decision to leave the service, a point I've made numerous times on this very site. That said, there isn't a day--literally--that goes by, that I do not recognize the value of my time in uniform. This email also reminded me of this great post from 2dinar (link).

One sidenote: this email was tied to my personnelist AFSC, and not my PA experience. Interesting.

Morganobrien.com Remembers

In more somber news, I want to remember a couple of young men from a couple of my orbits that both passed away far too soon this week. There's not much worse than seeing a young, healthy, bright, talented peer pass away.

So here's to the memories of Capt. Jonathan Bayless and Diplomat Brian Adkins.

As always, with my greatest respect,

Morgan

Steve Jobs is Sick...

...and (Gasp) from the looks of it if things keep up, this might be devolving worse then we first imagined!



Click image for enlightenment

All in the name

What a Dick (literally)

Sometimes, everything comes together. The perfect crime, the perfect response, the perfect mugshot, the perfect name and the perfect double entendre:

Naked Home Invader Nabbed After Senior Citizen Grabs His 'Cahoochies'

An 80-year old woman grabbed a naked man named Michael Dick by the crotch and gave him a good squeeze; police nabbed him a few minutes later.

PORTLAND, Ore.) - It seems some criminals have a problem of underestimating their victims. Police say that today at 6:30 AM, an 88-year old woman in her bathrobe was confronted by a naked man who had entered her home in the 2500 block of SE 287th Avenue through an unlocked sliding door.

Deputy Paul H. (Mac) McRedmond with the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, says the man, saying nothing, backed her into the living room of the house and pushed her face down onto a chair.

"Before whatever plans the suspect might have had, the woman reached behind her and grabbed the man by the crotch, 'giving him a good squeeze', McRedmond said. (story here)

Thankfully, the victim is alright, just a little shaken up.

The only thing that would make this story better is if I found out if this perp is related to the biggest Dick I know.

Finally, let it be known from this day forward, any article that includes the word 'cahoochies' in the headline will earn a featured mention on morganobrien.com.


Photo: Multnomah County Sheriff's Office

Morgan O'Brien's WiGO 12.13.08

My new favorite military vegetarian



Apparently, PETA hosted a contest to honor the military's sexiest vegetarians and recently announced the winners. I'd like to take this opportunity to send my most sincere congratulations to the Air Force's representative:

* Air Force 2nd Lt. Gina Lewis, stationed at Hurlburt Field, Fla., has been a vegetarian since she was 6, when she said she realized that Bambi and his mother were no different from other animals killed for food. The former model has completed four marathons since entering the Air Force, proving wrong those who told her she wouldn’t be able to maintain her vegetarian lifestyle in the military. She has cared for rescue animals at every duty assignment, and hopes to convince the Air Force to switch to leather-free combat boots.

Commercial Contest
I must figure out a way to get in on this:

12/9/2008 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Senior leaders are asking Airmen to get behind the camera and submit a video for the next Air Force advertising campaign. The contest has begun and runs until Jan. 9.

Airmen are encouraged to create a video depicting what their unit or they do to support the Air Force mission, as well as highlight why people should join the Air Force. The videos potentially will be used for the next recruiting and retention advertising campaign, according to Keith Lebling, the contest manager. (continued)

I'm going to mess around with my flip camera one of these days, and I promise to create something worthy of entrance into said contest.

Air Force Combatives


Mrs. Morganobrien.com takes no prisoners!

Great. Just after I get out of the service, the Air Force introduces combatives (link). Now I'm not saying there weren't a few guys that would have roughed me up pretty good, but I can think of at least one dude I would have loved to meet in the octagon. Unfortunately, I'm sure the wuss would fake a knee injury and then brag about getting a 100 on a modified PT test.

Oh, and Carson Smith (read this crap) deserves a beating, too. Although, as I write this, I realize that I have know idea how big Mr. Smith is. But for beating a defenseless rat terrier to death with a golf club, I think even he realizes that he deserves to be cut down to size by someone bigger than him.

PS-I bet Mrs. Morganobrien.com could hold her own in the octagon.

MMA = not for the faint of heart

...and speaking of combatives, after my sign off, check out these badass videos from the world of MMA (courtesy of Deadspin)


As always, With my greatest respect
xOxO
Morgan




Feets don't fail me now!



You don't know how long I've been waiting to do that!

Putting the 'I' in UCI

It's been a while, but rest assurred, Morganobrien.com stands vigilant. After all the guff this guy gave me after my team owned our ORI in '06, I can't let this guy get his picture in the Hanscom paper reviewing an Inspection and allow it to go unchecked (I mean, I guess I could, but that wouldn't be very fun).

Plus, I'm sure he broke some sort of record by injecting himself and his experiences into the briefing--just look at the jacket he's rocking indoors; I know Mass. is chilly in Nov (I was up there this weekend), but spare us--so I'm compelled to recognize the effort:

UCI Outbrief
Brig. Gen. Voldemort, Electronic Systems Center vice commander, presents the results of the recent Unit Compliance Inspection and Targeted Readiness Inspection at the Hanscom Base Theater Nov. 10.

Morgan O'Brien's WiGO 10.22.08

Sam Bradford: He's no Sonny Sixkiller

Native American Athlete Update

Had the chance to read another great article on a Native American athlete starring on the national level, this time Oklahoma stud soph QB Sam Bradford is in the spotlight, and is proving to be a huge hit within the Cherokee community:

Sooners’ Bradford Is Accidental Cherokee Hero
By THAYER EVANS
Published: October 11, 2008
Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford, who is one-sixteenth Cherokee, is at the forefront of the Heisman Trophy conversation, but he finds his role as the tribe’s hero somewhat awkward.

It looks like Nassau may have to halt the Wall of Shame:

Nassau removes Wall of Shame, Suozzi vows to appeal
BY ANN GIVENS | ann.givens@newsday.com
9:49 PM EDT, October 21, 2008
Nassau County took down its online "Wall of Shame" Tuesday, and from now on will post only the names and photos of those who are convicted of drunken driving, said County Executive Thomas Suozzi.

That's probably fair, considering the whole innocent until proven guitly thing the nation's built upon. I had a feeling that this was coming because 'Wall of Shame' + the name of the lady taking up the case was gettin a ton of hits on morganobrien.com. I figure council was doing research to see how her name was being used in light of her posting on the Wall.


I Hate Your Guts, Jim Norton

I'm excited about Jimmy Norton's new book, I Hate Your Guts, due out Election Day, Nov. Jimmy is an incredible comedian and was very gracious when he met me and Officer O'Brien after we caught a set at the Comedy Cellar. If I can find it, I'll post the photo he took with us.


In closing, a couple of notes for the dogs:

'Walter Reed' for combat dogs opens at Texas base
By MICHELLE ROBERTS – 10 hours ago

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — A new $15 million veterinary hospital for four-legged military personnel opened Tuesday at Lackland Air Force Base, offering a long overdue facility that gives advanced medical treatment for combat-wounded dogs.

And then there's this: further proof that when the chain of command fails, there's always the power of the press:

Sunday: Minnesota soldier's dog headed here from Iraq
Ratchet is finally headed to Spring Lake Park after three attempts to spring him from Iraq. Army Specialist Gwen Beberg found the mutt in a trash heap there in May.

We should give them Homer as a fair trade

And of course this, my favorite Web video of all time. Apparently, this is the welcome home received by a Tech. Sgt. who just spent the last fourteen months deployed:



As always,
With my greatest respect,
Morgan

Morgan O'Brien's WiGO 10.14.08

Nassau is going to keep the Wall of Shame!

Nassau to Keep Posting D.W.I. Suspects’ Photos
By DERRICK HENRY
Published: October 12, 2008
Critics say it may be better to use a Web page intended to identify drunken drivers upon conviction, not arrest, suggesting the way it’s done now strips suspects of the presumption of innocence.

I think that this is a great tool, and any move designed to deter this behavior is fine with me. Anyone that gets on the road under the influence puts me in danger and that's not cool. That said, I feel for anyone that was wrongly arrested, and see the value in waiting until a conviction gained before posting.

Great to see that Bengal fans are not of the fair-weather variety

CINCINNATI -- Disappointed fans of the winless Cincinnati Bengals are trying to unload thousands of tickets for remaining home games, many of them well below face value.

The online ticket agency StubHub.com has 3,000 tickets for Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. At least 4,000 tickets are available for each of the remaining games.

Some sellers don't care about making a profit. There are $64 tickets priced as low as $24.

Bootsy!

Personnel Shortfall Slows State Department

As if morganobrien.com didn't admire and respect the work of Defense Secretary Bob Gates enough, he goes and gets quoted in an article saying stuff like this:

Perhaps contrary to conventional wisdom, this is not a turf war the current defense secretary wants to win. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates favors stronger State Department funding.

State Department "programs are not well understood or appreciated by the wider American public, and do not have a ready-made political constituency that major weapons systems or public works projects enjoy," he said. "As a result, the slashing of the president's international affairs budget request has too often become an annual Washington ritual -- right up there with the blooming of the cherry blossoms and the Redskin's opening game."

Basically, he's saying that compared with the Pentagon, State is the Rodney Dangerfield in international matters -- it gets no, or certainly too little, respect.

The article goes on to hilight an impressive stat: "If just one war per generation is avoided because of effective diplomacy, think of the savings it brings to the nation."

It's a diplomatic victory -- and not a military victory that could only be gained by the spilling of much blood.

Yet, at the same time, the Department of Defense has played an ever-increasing role in diplomacy, much to the dismay of diplomats.

"The 'militarization of diplomacy' is noticeably expanding as DOD personnel assume public diplomacy and assistance responsibilities that the civilian agencies do not have the trained staff to fill," the report says.

Now, if only we could ensure that guys who never deployed never wore stars...

Cowboys now have two Roy Williamses

Now, all they need is Carolina's head baseketball coach to complete the set!

And here's a neat article about the two from their college days on the warring sides of the Red River Rivalry (link).

And finally, please tell me you dig Nike's new LT/Polamalu Ecstasy of Gold commercial:

As always,

With my Greatest Respect,
Morgan

Resisting the Temptation...

The picture, complete with half the rocket bearing "U.S. Air Force" markings, makes this story so much more enjoyable.

(Editor's note: I'm trying so hard not to make the obvious jokes here...I can only say that this reminded me of a certain commander that spoke of his certain "male" surgery in front of a wing officers call. I couldn't eat for the subsequent three days.)

Man's 'Viva Viagra' missile misfires in NYC court
NEW YORK (AP) — A court says a man's escapade in New York with a decommissioned missile emblazoned with "Viva Viagra" is a dud.

A federal judge ruled Wednesday that Arye Sachs' antics infringe on a trademark held by Pfizer Inc.

Sachs was ordered to stop displaying anything with Viagra logos.

He towed the 25-foot rocket last month to various spots in Manhattan, including Pfizer's headquarters.

His plan was to invoke Viagra while distributing politically themed condoms. The judge worried people would mistake the missile for a Pfizer-approved ad.

Sachs' phone rang unanswered Wednesday, and lawyers for Pfizer didn't return phone calls.

And here I am thinking Roger Clemens had the corner on being New York's Viagra Rocket.

Oh, and another great aspect of the story: the dude wears a flight suit:



Only in New York, kiddies. Only in New York.

Why the long face?

One would imagine that the life-altering promotion from colonel to brigadier general would inspire joy and cheer. According to these photos, that's apparently not the case.

I wonder why as a colonel, Voldemort was all smiles and contact lenses while as general, he's a more demure, bespectacled Voldemort. Either way, I hope he cheers up...it's not like he's ever had to leave his family for the desert en route to 'earning' those stars (in this wartime military). So he's got that going for him.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday, United States Air Force. We've had a love-hate relationship over the last decade, but I can't help but always come to the conclusion that I'm a better person for having served. Even if you do stuff like this (link--biting my tongue).

PS- Happy birthday to the CIA and Joint Chiefs, as well. God Bless the National Security Act of 1947.

I think I just threw up in my mouth

I knew this day would come, I just never believed it:
Most Disappointing News EVER!!!