PCS to LinkedInUSAF: Optimism Trumps Fear #9

It's Christmas for us here back at home. It's Christmas for the men and women who selflessly volunteer to protect all of us back here at home. It's Christmas for the fallen that have been laid to rest, with honors, at Arlington National Cemetery who sacrificed their lives to protect us here at home. For those of you that saw my post a few days ago (yes, it's origin was here), there is someone special here at home who sacrifices every year for those that have fallen - and supports those serving now or who have served in the past. Mr. Morrill Worcester makes a scene that is just this poignant possible:

[U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Jim Varhegyi]

Everyone, please remember Mr. Worcester, his family, and his company as they remember all of us (those that have served, are serving now, or who died serving). God Bless, and God Speed!

As for the best of the best, the U.S. Military is taking names and kickin' keesters! As you can see from the last weeks CENTCOM News Releases, it's 25 -to- 1 GOOD to SETBACK! You just can't beat positive progress like this with a stick! Biggest bits of news for our 9th installment are troop reductions, weapons caches captured and destroyed, and a new spot: Terrorist Darwin Awards!

First off I think it best, even though this has been widely covered all over, during Mr. Rumsfeld's (SECDEF) visit of the troops he gave a great speech with some thanks for the troops and some thanks for the troops. He spent a considerable amount of time during each of his visits ensuring that everyone there heard his appreciative, heart felt, praise and admiration for their service, commitment, dedication, sacrifice, and vision to see freedom come to the Middle East.

[DoD photo by Cpl. Adam B. Groenhout, U.S. Marine Corps]

As he spoke he let on that the number of U.S. Troops are beginning to decrease due to deployments being held back now and some that were to occur early next year. This dove tails nicely into what the Bush Administration has been telling us: as security increases and control resumes under Iraqi leadership, U.S. involvement decreases. Signs that things are going well like the 1st election last year, Iraqi self-security getting better every day, civilians turning in terrorists to the authorities, and an even larger and more historic election just this month proves that Iraqi control is increasing. Let's be honest, as their involvement and control increases, we can begin to bring our troops home. From the SECDEF comes two good Christmas presents: praise and thanks, and troop deployments held back in the theater. Sounds good, let's keep it going!

[DoD photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley, U.S. Navy]

Quite a few news releases provide background into weapons caches that have been captured and also destroyed. In fact, in one air assault operation, we scored some 6 terrorists and a weapons cache of varied ordinance on an island in the Tigris River! Nice double play, folks! In two of the other press releases civilians are attributed for capturing 15 rocket launched weapons in a home and 26 60-millimeter mortar rounds (obviously for IEDs) found at another home. Civilians are continuing to increase the pressure because as there are more eyes there are less places to hide. It's a good thing, and so are the numerous instances of weapons caches and IED factories being found out, ordinance captured, and then the destruction of IED making materials.

TERRORIST DARWIN AWARDS!
You know it's getting bad for the terrorists as time slips away, the pressure is increasing, and mistakes begin to happen more often. That's why when these factors become reality, training and a cool head screwed on tight is your best bet. For a couple of bonehead terrorists, their heads weren't so much cool as they were, well, no longer necessary? Seems these two gents were trying to place an IED along the road and it, well, detonated. Bad hair day all around, wouldn't you say? Then, we picked up two more hapless lost causes trying to assist the wounded terrorist in evading capture.

Homemade IED: Free
Terrorists it takes to bury an IED: Two
Unstable explosive device going off in your hands: Deadly
Being caught running away: Priceless

Yikes. Cowardly actions beget dire negative consequences for a couple of terrorists. Darwin?

Well, we've got a big list for you with only one setback, so on to the CENTCOM wrap-up!