ArmyBlood

I’ve seen my dog startle from some unusual sound and wonder what the history is (she was found wondering in Dallas a couple of years ago).  I can’t imagine what this poor pup has to struggle with internally

Out of the 58 bomb-sniffing dogs the Marines have in Afghanistan, only one—a brown-eyed, floppy-eared yellow Lab named Gunner—is suffering from such severe canine post-traumatic stress disorder that he had to sit out the ongoing offensive in central Helmand Province.

“He”s;s the only combat-ineffective dog out here,” says his kennel chief, Cpl. Chad McCoy.

Like their human comrades, some war dogs can handle combat, and some can”t.

via Even His Red Squeak Toy Can’t Get First Sgt. Gunner, USMC, to Fight – WSJ.com.

Look for more from Politico since our Vets are the best thing going on on the hill this week:

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, the largest organization for veterans of the wars, will host a series of events as a part of their Storm the Hill campaign this week, culminating in Thursday’s release of their legislative agenda for 2010.

via Veterans’ advocates hit the Hill – Marin Cogan – POLITICO.com.

There is a great page at www.spouseclubs.com that lists officer and enlisted spouse’ clubs all over the world, arranged by location and post.  She runs a new blog at SpouseClubs.com/Blog.  This is a great resource to anyone looking for information about these groups.

-And she talks about the blood program!

Scroll to 7:45 to see Julia Connor’s (the Newslady!) report on our ceremony. Stars Luke, Simone, Ronald, and Col. Braverman. Good job FHOT!

via DVIDS Fort Hood on Track – Jan. 29, Part 3.

The Pentagon Blood Center finally finds a home!

Photo by Alex McVeigh

. Stephen Beardsley, Northern Regional blood manager for the Armed Services Blood Program, talks about his goals for the Pentagon Blood Donor Center, which just re-opened in its new location Jan. 22 during the open house.

via Blood Donor Center opens in Pentagon.

and yes – that is a very communal “suck it ARC” (vis Kathy Griffin)

Just in case there was some extra tax money someplace, or a sensible person in the Tripe Department at the Pentagon:

Over the weekend, the Missile Defense Agency released news of another failed intercept test. And no, the interceptor didn’t fail to lift off or fly off course. This time, the tracking radar that wasn’t up to scratch.

via Missile Defense Test Flops as U.S. Unveils New Strategy | Danger Room | Wired.com.

R or D in charge, missile defense continues to be the worst idea ever (well, maybe except for this) and, no matter how much integrity or common sense our leaders pile on the smoking heap of fail that is, they can’t even fake this one.

Via Donna and Macon.com – one ballsy leader.  Can’t be easy for this crusty old CSM to tell his story, but he is because he wants to do right by his troops. This is a hard problem – maybe one of the “wicked” problems – faced by today’s military leaders. But the good ones do face it and more need to take it straight on.  We must all work together to change the culture that prevents even one possible intervention from happening because of shame, misunderstanding, or lack of resources.  Good on CSM Rhodes:

They’re the faces of men who, haunted by problems at home or memories of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan — the dead children, the fallen comrades and the lingering smell of burnt flesh — pressed guns to their heads and pulled the triggers or tied ropes with military precision and hanged themselves.

…

“How many times have I written that letter in my head? I still think about suicide, but when I start thinking about it I have to think, ‘What’s the impact on everyone I care about?’’’

via Tough old Georgia soldier battles new enemy: Suicide epidemic – Local & State – Macon.com.

Good on ‘em for reporting on this sorry situation.  IAVA is quoted.

And the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America organization says it’s concerned about another trend: Recent veterans are ending up on the streets faster than veterans of other conflicts. Most Vietnam veterans didn't wind up homeless for five to 10 years after that war, yet some Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are becoming homeless within 18 months of coming home, according to the VA.

Advocates hope an array of services and programs will help Iraq and Afghanistan veterans avoid the fate that befell tens of thousands of Vietnam veterans, who had few resources to help them avoid homelessness.

via More troops returning from urban warfare to battle homelessness.

DoD PAO types (I’m one, I know) love to point out that “Stars and Stripes” and “ArmyTimes” are not official publications, because they occasionally run stories contrary to what the services want.  I think they do a good job and that, in the main, are very friendly to the Pentagon.  Some things you just can’t hardly sugarcoat (all the euphemisms for “enhanced interrogation” aside).  Kudos to the Stars and Stripes for getting a piece of home into the hands of our troops toiling in Haiti:  via Overcoming Daunting Logistics, ‘Stars and Stripes’ Starts Delivery to Troops in Haiti.

“Stars and Stripes has not only a proud tradition but a mandate to be sure that we provide a newspaper wherever soldiers are,” Senior Managing Editor Howard Witt said in a telephone interview Friday. “The main places we go now obviously is Iraq and Afghanistan, but as soon as it was apparent there was going to be a massive deployment to Haiti, our distribution and circulation people were trying to figure out how to get on the island.”