Hell Yeah!

President Obama just announced the first award of the Medal of Honor under his tenure as commander in chief:

Janet Monti was home nursing a cold when the call came in.

At first, she thought it was a joke.

A person who claimed to be a White House aide asked if she would be around for the next half hour.

Ten minutes later, she was on the phone with the President.

“He said, ‘I hear you’re a little under the weather,’” she recalled of President Barack Obama’s first words to her.

His next words made her swell with a mother’s pride.

The president told her he had just signed a posthumous Congressional Medal of Honor for her son and would be presenting it to the family in the fall. (more)

Jared Monti, hero

I love hearing stories of heroism from the front lines, and seeing this gallantry recognized at our nation's top echelons geeks me up. My only request is that it would be a HUGE boost for morale if there were a living recipient of our nation's highest honor. We haven't had one since Vietnam, and I'm certain there is no shortage of American heroes that have come back from the front lines after acting with the bravery every bit deserving of the award.

Freedom's Not Free

Marines march in grueling Afghan sun for July 4

By JASON STRAZIUSO, Associated Press Writer
1 hr 19 mins ago

NAWA, Afghanistan – Taliban militants were nowhere in sight as the columns of U.S. Marines walked a third straight day across southern Afghanistan. But the desert heat proved an enemy in its own right, with several troops falling victim Saturday to temperatures topping 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Marines carry 50-100 pounds (23-45 kilograms) on their backs. But because they are marching through farmland on foot, they can't carry nearly as much water as their thirst demands.
Few even realized the date was July 4, but once word of the holiday spread through the company, several said they knew relatives would be holding lakeside celebrations — a world away from the strenuous task Bravo Company of the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment was taking on.
"Happy 4th of July, dawg. Happy America," said Lance Corp. Vince Morales, 21, of Baytown, Texas said to one of his Marine buddies while resting under a tree during a break.
Some Marines ate watermelon from a farmer's field as the evening sun set, but there were few other signs of a holiday celebration here. (continued)

D-Day

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Some thoughts on Star Trek

Last week, in an attempt to check off one of my goals for my month of freedom, I thoroughly enjoyed watching JJ Abrams' reimagination of the Star Trek franchise (I watched it in Times Square, what a trip). While most people might place Star Trek in the sci-fi genre, I walked away thinking of it as a futuristic war film encapsulating both the cadet and operational experience.

Beginning with James Tiberius Kirk's days at Starfleet Academy, we're deprived of an Iceman-Maverick type pissing contest, but the interplay between Kirk and Spock provided a more cerebral battle of alpha dogs. The storyline regarding the Kobayashi Maru presented an awesome ethical challenge, one which still makes me unsure of how I feel.

Even though he's placed on probation because of his resolution to the Kobayashi Maru, Kirk finds his way into the operational Fleet for a mission against the Romulans. Having been a cadet that trained in skydiving myself, I thought it was awesome that he was able to use his own freefall training during a mission on Vulcan.

Kirk does a great job when placed in the spotlight (facing numerous challenges), and is honored for his valor with a medal and a battlefield promotion that ends up sticking. The realist in me hopes that the military bureaucracy one day becomes a true meritocracy and a cadet can jump to O-6 in one fell swoop. That said, I don't care how logical Spock is, I'd be pissed if some snot-nosed son of a war hero jumped over me for a promotion (no matter how talented he is). But we all know that not all promotions are deserved, ain't that right Voldemort?

Speaking of Spock, I love that he eventually becomes an ambassador after his time in the Fleet. Of course, that might be because I'm partial to guys who become diplomats after their military service. George C. Marshall, Colin Powell, Morgan O'Brien--and the tradition apparently continues on into the future.

Following the diplomatic vein, it is interesting to see how the military efforts of the Starfleet are all intimately tied to diplomacy. Senior leaders within the Starfleet are all well versed in statecraft, and their mission better fits the realm of peacekeeping than that of an offensive force, resorting to engagement only after all other avenues are tried. I don't know what my point is, I guess I just wanted to point that out.

Finally, and with apologies to Gen. Michael Ryan, I wonder why it's Captain Kirk and not Colonel Kirk. I thought America's Air Force was supposed to own space...what gives? Here's hoping that one day we get an explanation. Maybe the Federation saw that supporting the Air Force was a drain on the budget.


Why not Colonel Kirk?

Happy Memorial Day

While the weather leaves much to be desired this weekend, getting three days is always a welcome treat. So in between enjoying your barbecues, parades and time off over the next few days, be sure to remember the reason for the holiday.

As a senior sitting in the Gold Star Mass at Chaminade (my beloved alma mater), I never imagined that we'd ever add another name to the list of alumni killed during their service to our country. The concept seemed so foreign, so impossible. Incredibly, three young men sitting in that very Mass would end up adding their names to that role of honor within the next decade. Simply stunning.

Fast forward a few years when I had the honor of serving alongside a terrific NCO in my public affairs office. This was a guy I went to the field with numerous times and would have gone to war with in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, his life was cut way too short during his service in Iraq, leaving behind two young children.

The realities of war and wearing the uniform provided some eye-opening life lessons for me, lessons I'll never forget. So during my day off Monday, I'll be thinking of the names Frost, Winchester, Regan and LiCalzi and how honored I am to have served alongside these fellas and the nearly 5,000 men and women who have committed the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

------

Ways to contribute:

Wounded Warrior Project
The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund
VFW
American Legion

For the second consecutive year, Major League Baseball and Welcome Back Veterans are raising money through the sale of Stars and Stripes caps All teams will wear red, white and blue-themed caps on Memorial Day, July 4 and Sept. 11. While the percentage of proceeds that make it to the troops remains a little murky, the spirit of the program is pretty cool.

Last year they were blue and this year they're red. It'll be interesting to see how that color clashes with the pinstripes Monday.

Morgan O'Brien's WiGO 04.23.09

Tom Ricks at the Best Defense

Tom Ricks is hosting two very interesting discussions on his blog over at Foreign Policy:

- He's questioning the value of service academies vis a vis OTS/OCS/ROTC
- He has some interesting commentary on Ivy League military officers

Take a few minutes and check out the link here.

Drop the Air Force

While Ricks' blog deals more with the Army, Navy and Marines, the Air Force has received more than enough love in the pages of the New York Times.

On Monday, Paul Kane fired the opening salvo, calling for the end of the Air Force as an independent service:

Yes, air power is a critical component of America’s arsenal. But the Army, Navy and Marines already maintain air wings within their expeditionary units. The Air Force is increasingly a redundancy in structure and spending. (link)

Oh, and don't think he doesn't take a shot at the Air Force regarding recent reports that 12 percent of the Air Force was obese.

Today, there were some great letters regarding the topic. Air Force Chief of Staff, General Norton Schwartz (a morganobrien.com favorite) dutifully chimed in:

Today’s Air Force brings specific capabilities to the joint fight to defend the homeland, deter aggression, help those in need and defend the freedoms we all enjoy. This resonates with the American people because they recognize the vital importance of Air Force global vigilance, reach and power.

We proudly secure our nation’s skies and our sister services from attack, any time and any place. Airmen will be there when America needs them, and every serving member of the Army, the Navy and the Marines knows it. (more here)

As always, with my greatest respect,
xOxO
Morgan

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

In Praise of: Sabbaticals

In the past few weeks, I've read a couple great articles that covered some creative ideas regarding career development through taking time off. One of these organizations is one of New York's most prestigious law firms (we'll get to that in a second), but surprisingly, the military is the other:

Defense officials are proposing an experiment in which service members could take a break in their military careers of up to three years for personal or professional reasons.

This time off — with health benefits, but without pay — would be similar to sabbaticals offered by some private businesses in high-pressure fields and by colleges and universities to some professors, but with a major difference: Most academic and professional sabbaticals are limited to one year.

Officials are calling their proposal “career intermission.” (link)

When the high ops-tempo of a two-war military meets the bullshit that often accompanies wearing the uniform, a three-year break may be just what the doctor ordered to keep talented folks in the service where they might look elsewhere under normal circumstances. (Note: I still would not go back, although I don't know if I'd be considered one of the "talented folks" about whom I write).

Under this program, mid-career officers would owe two years for every one taken, would receive no pay but continue to enjoy military medical coverage and would have a promise from their service that they will not be called upon to deploy during this time frame. Selection for the program is competitive, so as long as you're not spending your sabbatical on the couch, when you return to active duty, you'll remain competitive for promotion and advancement.


Keep holy the sabbath! Sabbatical: derived from the Hebrew shabbath i.e. sabbath, is a hiatus from work for more than two months.

Covering another interesting development in the world of sabbaticals, the New York Times ran a widely read piece covering a program where the law firm of Skadden, Arps was allowing junior to mid-career attorneys could take a pay cut to $80,000 (yes, pay cut) and take a year to do something like pro bono work or

Only in a financial world turned upside down would an arrangement like this one make sense. Looking to cut costs like everyone else, but not prepared to lay off associates, Skadden has chosen instead to offer all of its associates — about 1,300 worldwide — the option of accepting a third of their base pay to not show up for work for a year. (So far, the partners have no equivalent arrangement.)

The company is helping associates find pro bono work, and is encouraging them to do so. But the lawyers could also spend the year catching up on every episode of “Top Chef” that they missed during the boom years, or traveling around the world, “all of which is O.K. by us,” said Matthew Mallow, a partner at the firm. Other firms have adopted similar strategies, but Skadden’s program is unusual in that it has no pro bono requirements. (link)

One of the bonuses of this program is that attorneys on sabbatical are immune from layoffs, according to the firm.

On a personal note, there is nothing better than taking an extended period of time off in between gigs to recreate. I had about four months off after finishing my active duty stint and starting in New York and was able to drive cross country and do manual labor which was a nice change of pace and set me up for my next phase. I hope to enjoy the same kind of experience this summer when I prepare for my next life transition.

March Air Force Madness

I'm excited to fill out my brackets on my Facebook via CBS sports killer app. The tourney is probably the best sporting event going, and maintaining brackets only enhances the experience.

With that in mind, this story is simply too good/typical not to share:

JAG warns against March Madness office pools
Staff report
Posted : Sunday Mar 15, 2009 8:26:54 EDT
Airman, step away from the March Madness tournament pool bracket.

Air Combat Command is warning airmen that they will be breaking military regulations if they start filling out NCAA basketball tournament office pool brackets — even if they are off duty.

Capt. Jeremy Cameron, a judge advocate at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, cited Defense Department rules in his warning to airmen: “According to the Joint Ethics Regulation, DoD employees shall neither participate in gambling activities while on base nor while on duty; this includes both military and civilian personnel.”

Breaking that rule could lead to other crimes.

Officers need to remember that gambling with a subordinate may constitute a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice rules on conduct unbecoming an officer, Cameron warned.

“It is not worth risking your career,” the captain wrote.

And even if you’re willing to endanger your career, gambling doesn’t pay.

“For example, some Air National Guard members ran a fantasy football league on their government computers,” Cameron wrote. “Each member paid $10 to play, and the winner was obligated to buy pizza for the rest of the members. The winner actually spent more buying the pizzas than he even won.” (link)

Gambling on government time should obviously be a no-no, but I hate the scare tactics that the big blue brother likes to shove down airmen's throats. "Risking your career?" Come on now--fussing over a $10/head pool. Shouldn't the Air Force legal arm focus every bit of energy on stemming sexual assault and halting drunk driving? This reminds me of a little story I had a chance to cover a couple years back:

Kirtland Airman hits jackpot
by Capt. Morgan O’Brien
377th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

8/23/2005 - KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (AFPN) -- A master sergeant here got a whole lot more than milk during a recent trip to the supermarket.

In fact, Master Sgt. John San Cartier, a special operations loadmaster instructor with the 58th Training Squadron, “got” a lottery ticket that ended up winning the $93.4 million jackpot.

Good thing he gambled--all you need is a dollar and a dream, right?

In reading this warning, I'm also hoping that this anti-gambling ban is not retroactive, otherwise a lot of people should be in trouble if that's case.

Air Force 60th Anniversary planning begins
4/16/2007 - KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, New Mexico -- On Sept. 14, three New Mexico bases will come together for an all-day celebration of the Air Force's 60th Anniversary.

The celebration, titled "Heritage to Horizons" and hosted by Kirtland AFB, will be held at the Sandia Resort and Casino (emphasis mine), in the foothills of Albuquerque's Sandia Mountains. (link)

A celebration filled with airmen in uniform held at the local casino. Yet another great moment in service hypocracy. I bet no military personnel placed a wager that night...

While we're at it, March is women's history month. Maybe the base planning committed can hold a celebration of females at TD's Showclub???

Remembering Lindsey

Last weekend, an important anniversary came and went, and I was remiss in not mentioning it in this space. Three years ago, my pal Lindsey Patterson passed away totally unexpectedly. In the military, where way too many young, healthy folks are called to their maker before their time, this was a total stomach punch in that she succumbed to a fast-acting freak illness. I only had the opportunity to know Lindsey for a short time while we were junior officers stationed together at Kirtland, but I still feel her impact in my life on a daily basis.

Besides being a lovely, kind and incredibly fit person, Lindsey never hesitated to tell me that she appreciated my sense of humor (which, I’ll admit, sometimes ventures into the odd if not absurd). After she went to a Def Leppard concert in Albuquerque, I always used to ask her, “What has nine arms and sucks?” At Lindsey’s memorial service, we closed with Pour Some Sugar on Me. I still kind of wince when I remember that, but I like to think that she was looking down and laughing when the song rocked the base chapel.


Lindsey Patterson, 11-08-78 to 03-08-06

At a time in my life when things were tough at work, Lindsey’s appreciation resonated then and continues to resonate. When I get people to laugh nowadays, I can’t help but think of her and hope that my joking around somehow, in some small way, pays tribute to her life. I miss my friend.

Right Call by the DoD

Honoring the Combat Fallen

There was a welcome change of policy made by the Defense Department this week.

Obama lifts ban on coffin photos

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is reversing an 18-year ban on news coverage of the return of war dead, allowing photographs of flag-covered caskets when families of the fallen troops agree, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday.

“My conclusion was we should not presume to make the decision for the families,” Gates said in announcing results of a quick review of a ban that had stood through Republican and Democratic administrations.

Although details are being worked out, the new policy will give families a choice of whether to admit the press to ceremonies at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, the entry point to the United States for the caskets of overseas war dead. (link)

Considering the honor and reverence the military treats the remains of our fallen warriors, I think that there won't be any problem as this policy works itself out.

Appropriately, this move comes on the heels of HBO's incredible original film, Taking Chance. And I'm happy to report that Nielsen released some impressive and refreshing news regarding the film's ratings:

From star-studded films to low-budget documentaries, efforts to tackle the ongoing war in Iraq have struggled to find an audience.

On the theatrical side, there’s been “Jarhead,” “Stop-Loss,” “Lions for Lambs,” “Redacted” and “In the Valley of Elah,” among others. While networks have launched FX’s “Over There” and HBO’s “Alive Day Memories,” “House of Saddam” and “Generation Kill.”

Not all were failures, but none were considered breakout hits. Media stories frequently concluded that Americans do not want — or are not ready — to watch stories about the conflict.

Then, on Saturday night, HBO debuted “Taking Chance,” which drew 2 million viewers and became the most-watched original movie to debut on the premium network in five years. (link)

I loved this movie, and I'm thrilled that millions of Americans took the hour and a half to watch Lt. Col. Strobl's journey. I can assure you they're better off for it, and I can't imagine anyone watching this movie without being profoundly moved.

If you haven't yet caught Taking Chance, do yourself a favor and catch it. Here are some of the upcoming shows (link).

Taking Chance- HBO

Chance Phelps

I'm anxiously anticipating an HBO original movie premiering this weekend. Taking Chance stars Kevin Bacon as Marine Lt. Col. Mike Strobl in the film which is based on the true story of an escort officer and his cross country journey to bring the remains of 19-year-old Marine Chance Phelps back to his hometown of Dubois, Wyoming.



Colonel Strobl's moving account does more justice to the story than I ever could. Take 10 minutes and read it here: link.

Reading that reminded me of all the times people bought me lunch or a drink or thanked me simply because I was wearing the uniform.

I also remembered the time we were delayed on the tarmac at Houston and the pilot told us that we were waiting for an aircraft carrying the remains of a fallen troop to receive proper honors. Looking out the window, I saw a number of the airport fire trucks lined the runway and shot cannons of water in an arch over the aircraft carrying the remains. I'm getting choked up just remembering the image.

It's a sad fact of war that we inevitably will lose young, promising lives. However, it says so much about the American people that we recognize this and honor those in uniform and revere those that gave the ultimate sacrifice. While PTSD and military/veteran suicides remain as real problems, we've come a very long way since Vietnam and it shows. God Bless America and her citizens.

Taking Chance premiers Saturday, Feb. 21 at 8 pm.
Future Listings

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

Strange Daze on Army Posts

A couple interesting stories popped out from two CONUS Army posts that warrant mentioning:

2nd soldier at Missouri base dies of meningitis
By JIM SALTER
Associated Press Writer

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (AP) - A second soldier stationed at the Army's Fort Leonard Wood has died of meningitis, officials said Tuesday.
Leonard Wood officials said Pvt. Randy Stabnick, 28, of South Bend, Ind., died Tuesday at a hospital in Springfield.

Another soldier from the base died Feb. 9. His name has not been released.

"The soldiers and their families continue to be in our prayers today," Maj. Gen. Gregg Martin, commanding general of Maneuver Support Center and Fort Leonard Wood, said in a statement. (link)

That's just a sad story, and unfortunately an all-too-true fact of living in close quarters with other young men and women. There was a great piece on HBO's Real Sports about MRSA and the hazards the all levels of football face in locker rooms from high school to the pros.

This next story should develop into quite an interesting piece as this tale unravels and the story comes into focus over the course of the coming days:

Lakes HS sophomore dies at Fort Lewis
By KING5.com Staff
KING5
updated 1 hour, 29 minutes ago

FORT LEWIS, Wash. – Investigators have not yet said what caused a teenage girl to die early Sunday morning at the Fort Lewis barracks.

She was one of two 16-year-old girls who were found unresponsive after someone called 911 at 3:30 a.m. Sunday.

KING 5 News has confirmed the deceased girl was a sophomore at Lakes High School in Lakewood.

The other was taken to Madigan Army Hospital for emergency medical care. She was reported in stable condition Monday. (link)

The Military is Phat- Update

A follow up to something we brought to your attention earlier this week, my man Michael Hoffman reports on an interesting battle the military's fighting with weight in "The Battle of the Bulge II":

Air Force athletes aim for weight standards
By Michael Hoffman - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Feb 14, 2009 10:28:30 EST
Until this semester, Cadet First Class Ryan Kemp ate three peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every night before going to sleep. The sandwiches polished off days the defensive lineman spent eating three squares and snacking between classes at the Air Force Academy.

After the Armed Forces Bowl on New Year’s Eve, Kemp and his fellow firsties (seniors) on the football team have to drop pounds to meet academy and Air Force weight and body composition standards, including the 32-inch waist measurement.

So far, Kemp has lost 20 of the 60 pounds he packed on in his four years in Colorado Springs, Colo. His weight jumped from 195 his first year to the 255 he played at this fall.

Like the rest of the Air Force, cadets must meet weight and body composition standards. Athletes are no exception; the rules are just stretched a bit for those who play positions on teams — football or wresting, for example — where extra weight provides a competitive edge. But after their last season before graduation, the athletes have to shed those extra pounds.

Recently, an Air Force audit found commanders aren’t disciplining airmen who don’t meet the standards; a crackdown is expected, though, with the release of changes to the fitness program this month. (more)

Morgan O'Brien Endorses

Here's hoping Bill White becomes our next Secretary of the Navy, and takes the reigns as the top civilian for the Navy and Marine Corps.

Before I explain my endorsement, here are some key disclosures:

- The current SecNav, Donald Winter, serves at the pleasure of the president. He is a Bush appointee held over under Defense Secretary Robert Gates. There is no set time frame for his departure, but all service secretaries are expected to serve for the next several weeks. This endorsement is in no way a call for Sec. Winter to step down until he's prepared.

- I am totally bias because Bill White is a Chaminade alum.

As President of Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum & Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, the 41-year-old New Yorker is one of America's foremost champions for our military, veterans and their families. Under his leadership, the Intrepid Museum emerged as a world-class education attraction welcoming over 700,000 visitors each year and featuring exciting exhibits like the British Airways Concorde. Recently, I had the opportunity to experience the ship's majesty firsthand, spending Veteran's Day 2008 celebrating the reopening of the ship with President Bush and a bunch of proud American vets.

An incredible fundraiser, White's raised more than $400 million for the families of military personnel lost in Afghanistan and Iraq, for the construction of the Center for the Intrepid, the national Armed Forces Physical Rehabilitation Center in San Antonio, Texas and other related military and Intrepid foundations. This 65,000 square-foot “state-of-the-world” center serves military personnel and veterans who have been catastrophically disabled in action.

As if that wasn't enough, he is currently leading fundraising for construction of the National Intrepid Center of Excellence, a $75 million Traumatic Brain Injury center. Oh, by the way he also served eight years in Point Lookout-Lido Volunteer Fire Department (his hometown), including three years as captain of rescue company.

I heard Mr. White on Imus last week (download), and was blown away by his singular focus on combating the suicide rates of our returning war veterans and healing those who've sacrificed their physical, emotional and mental wellbeing for their country. During the interview, Imus reiterated his endorsement of White to become SecNav. Likewise, noted warrior and former Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Hugh Shelton called White's work on the Intrepid "legendary" and also endorsed White for the post. While Imus and Shelton have championed Mr. White's cause, White himself is most concerned about taking care of our uniformed personnel than promoting any personal agenda.

According to Newsday, White's spokesman, Howard Rubenstein, said White "considers it truly the highest privilege to be of service to the brave men and women of our armed forces, and their families."

One more interesting tidbit:

In 2003 White helped lead the first major entertainers visit to troops fighting in Iraq. Kid Rock, Robert DeNiro and others major celebrities joined in this visit to tens of thousands of military personnel in the war zone. White has visited the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan several times since then.

I was actually all set to see Kid Rock at BIAP in June '03, but our Hummer broke down in some weird village outside of Baghdad and I missed the show.

So, with this impressive resume, With sounds too good to be true, right? Before I forget, Bill's gay*. Talk about perfect timing.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs is on the record stating that Don't Ask, Don't Tell will be overturned under President Obama:

In a response to a question on the Web site Change.gov asking whether Obama would get rid of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said: "You don't hear politicians give a one-word answer much. But it's 'Yes.'"

I've made it perfectly clear that I support overturning this ban. If we can allow criminals, the undereducated and the overweight (to say nothing of non-Americans) to wear the uniform of our nation's armed forces, it's about time we allow patriotic homosexuals to serve openly. As if White's incredible devotion to supporting our troops and tremendous organiztion skills aren't enough, he also happens to be the perfect candidate to lead the charge in overturning this archaic mindset.

For as conservative an organization the military is, it's often been at the forefront of social change. For example, Jackie Robinson was an Army lieutenant before he was a Dodger. Leave it to the military to lead the charge in taking the next giant leap in providing gay Americans with equal rights.

There it is--morganobrien.com endorses Bill White to be the next Secretary of the Navy. Go Flyers!

*Ed's Note: Bill's probably the second most noteworthy gay Chaminade alum since Glen Hughes, giving the smash hit "In the Navy" a whole new meaning

Inglorious Basterds (sic) Trailer

Screw the 2009 Academy Awards, I already know what's going to win Best Picture in 2010. Behold Inglorious Basterds:

The only thing I don't love about this trailer is that it's scary how much 2nd Lt. Aldo Raine reminds me of a young butterbar named Morgan O'Brien. I might have a lawsuit against Mr. Tarantino for stealing my identity...

From Filmdrunk

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.

Why I Love Kid Rock, Reason #167

If America's in the market for a new national anthem, I nominate this tune:



Dale Jr. + Kid Rock + Supporting our Troops = Video I'm definitely posting in morganobrien.com.

The Commander in Chief with America's Best

I saw this picture on AFLink and thought it was pretty awesome, one of those shots that really capture a moment:


God Bless Our Troops

In the company of heroes

Live Free or Die

I'm biased in that I think everyone that's volunteered to wear the uniform of our nation's armed services has shown a measure of nobility. More than having worn the uniform myself, during my last assignment I looked across the podium at hundreds of young men and women that were looking to use their military military to give back and get ahead. I also had the opportunity to go to high school and college with a number of guys and gals who proudly wore the uniform and served in the aftermath of 9/11.

The New York Times did a nice piece on a guy from my neighborhood, Marine Lance Cpl. Jordan Haerter, and a mural done in his honor beneath the 114 bridge in Sag Harbor (photos above, from the NYT, link here).

I've been thinking about Cpl. Haerter a bunch lately, especially after I read this piece on Tom Ricks' fantastic blog at FP:

Marine Maj. Gen. John Kelly on two Marines who were killed stopping a truck bomb heading for the front gate of their outpost in Ramadi: "No time to talk it over; no time to call the lieutenant; no time to think about their own lives or even the American and Iraqi lives they were protecting," Kelly said to Tony Perry of the Los Angeles Times. "More than enough time, however, to do their duty. They never hesitated or tried to escape." He said the two, Cpl. Jonathan Yale, 21, and Lance Cpl. Jordan Haerter, 19, will receive the Navy Cross posthumously next year. (Link to the LA Times story)

Before every oath I issued (more than 800), I always told the new soldier, sailor, airman, Marine or coastguardsman standing across the podium that they were making the best decision of their life--regardless of the outcome, a life of service takes things to the next level and makes America better. While it breaks my heart that Cpl. Haerter will never get to eat at Conca's or swim in the Bay again, these facts make it all the more important that we remember his sacrifice and example.

I know I like to write about so many things, but one of the goals of this blog is to act as a check (or maybe a release valve) that maximizes the democracy of the Internet for the benefit or our junior officers and enlisted. In the information age, knowlege is currency and I strive to add at least a miniscule amount of worthwhile information to the general body of knowledge.

That's why Maj. Gen. Kelly's quote above speaks to me on a number of levels. That is an example of a warrior honoring his fallen comrades. We need to see that. Too often, our military's institutional arms come into conflict with the military's warfighting arm and senior leaders are out of touch with realities on the ground. And because of the institutional framework--the politicization of promotions boards for starters-- here is little hope for those that want to see these things change.

Again, I refer to Ricks' blog, where he touts the bravery of Army Lt. Col. Paul Yingling, who as an active duty officer has worn his emotions on his sleeve while speaking truth to power about the failures of our general officer corps. Yingling once wrote "A private who loses a rifle suffers far greater consequences than a general who loses a war." Wow.

Among the hits from a recent Yingling talk to Marines at Quantico:

Our system of officer development remains essentially unchanged since the Cold War -- the same system that produced the officers who for the last generation refused to prepare for irregular warfare. Our organizational structures remain essentially unchanged since 9/11

Combat forces operate under a simple, brutal incentive system -- adapt or die. Forces in combat are not by virtue of their location intellectually or morally superior to their counterparts in the institutional military. Rather, their priorities are clearer -- when the failure to adapt carries a death sentence, every other consideration -- service and branch loyalties, core competencies, organizational cultures -- pales in comparison.

Our current system suppresses innovation, punishes moral courage and is a strategic liability to our country.

We've lost thousands of lives and spent hundreds of billions of dollars in the last seven years in efforts to bring stability to two medium sized countries; we can't afford to adapt this slowly in the future.

I'm sorry to admit that as an officer I didn't have this courage while I was in uniform, but at the same time I don't know what I would have done differently. For starters, I was blind to the realities of the system until it was too late and I made the decision to separate. Further, it's hard to buck the system for long, and there are far too few folks willing to test the waters (ed note- mixed metaphors).

Thank God there are men like Lt. Col. Yingling that are willing to step up because heroes like Cpl. Haerter deserve senior leadership like him. Anything less is below standard, and too often we find ourselves failing in this area of utmost importance.


American Hero, Jordan Haerter