THE PURGES HAVE BEGUN

16 comments

Posted on 29th January 2013 by AWD in Economy

Celebrate comrades, the purges have begun….

Obama to Top Brass: Will you fire on American Citizens?

16 Comments

  1. Yojimbo says:

    I found this by seaching “Jim Garrow Homecoming Football Game” The only referenced officer is Admiral Tim Keating.

    Shipmate Article [Jan/Feb 07 issue]
    Class of 1971
    05 December 2006
    Mike Longworth, Class Secretary

    What a great fall – our 35th Reunion and a win over Army! Lisa and I did attend the game – a first for her. The weather was ideal for a fall football game, the score was just right for our team! The after game festivities were just as much fun as we joined Jean and Perry Martini, Joyce and Steve Dmetruk, Terry and Dave Vandover and several of Annapolitians at La Fourno for fellowship and a victory dinner. Surely hope there are many more of these!

    My first note is from John Ball: “Duke, Gay and I attended Homecoming and had a fabulous time. Our Reunion Committee deserves a resounding Bravo Zulu for the wonderful arrangements they made.
    “Our San Diego contingent included Lana and Tom Hammons, Nancy and Rick Smith, Susan and Bill Nevitt, Vince Zabala, Marilyn and Jim Loiselle, Mary and Pat Doyle, Linda and Bill Meyers, Bruce McClure, Susan and Bill Nichols, Fred Mallgrave, Debbie and Bruce Linder, Betsy and Jim Carlin, Jim Smoogen, Steve Comer, and Cecily and Ed Kelly.
    “We spent some time with Linda and John Long, who live in Aldie, Virginia, and recently celebrated the marriage of their second son, Adam. Irene and Fred Klein live in northern Virginia where Irene is thrilled to regularly be with their grandson. Gail and Ted Ruddock came from New Orleans – Gail and Gay reminisced about teaching school together in Annapolis when we were mids. Marlys and Sim Austin live in East Hartford, CT where Sim is Director of Advanced Programs for Pratt & Whitney. Sim and I reminisced of the time I took him for a demo flight in the XV-15, and then I mentioned that my favorite Bell helicopter is the Model 412, powered by two Pratt & Whitney PT-6 engines. Vince Zabala is managing his modest real estate empire in San Diego. Marie and Jack Balcom live in New Hampshire – Jack recounted how our laundry would get switched because of our similar names. Karl Schwelm, who lives in the Atlanta area, kept things lively on the game bus maximizing his party time. My former squadron-mate Bob Stuhlman was up from Virginia Beach. Duke Brunelli and I did some hangar flying. Duke flies for Southwest Airlines out of Oakland. While stocking up at the Mid Store, we ran into Jeff Hull, who retired from the Marines after 25 years, is fully retired near Cherry Point, and was touring with his wife in their RV. There we also spotted Keith Nadolski smiling as he stocked up on Navy gear.
    “On Saturday evening, eight 26th Company couples gathered at O’Brien’s on Main Street. Tim Gilman and Sue Bradley attended from Seattle where Tim works for an electronics firm. Barbara and Fred Becker live in Virginia where Fred is CEO of the National Association of Federal Credit Unions. Jackie and Scott Gessis live in New Hampshire and are enjoying their two teenage sons. Noreen and Mike Hichak live in Atlanta – Mike left Delta Airlines recently and now flies for MaxJet, a new airline that flies to London. Steff and Mike Stephens live in Atlanta area where Mike works in the defense industry. Mary and Jeff Hemler live in northern Virginia and are “local parents” for company-mate Pat Kelly’s son, Robert, now a plebe. Sherrie and Pat Kelly did not make the reunion but had just been to USNA for Parents’ Weekend. Joyce and Steve Dmetruk retired last year to the North Georgia mountains – Steve admits his life revolves now around golf and woodworking. Lenore and Dave Poyer made an appearance on Friday. Norma and Mike French attended from Virginia Beach. Mike Rohrbaugh did not make the reunion but reportedly flies for American Airlines and lives in Ponte Vedra, Florida.
    We were able to take a stroll around the Yard and see the newly-restored Memorial Hall. We stopped by the Chapel where we were wed in 1972 and ran into our friends Marilyn and Jim Loiselle who were married there at 3 pm on Graduation Day, the first wedding in the Main Chapel. At the Chapel we also met Scott Burd, who was showing his fiancé Katy around – they are getting married soon in California.
    “Two of our former astronauts were in attendance. We chatted with Nancy and Bob Cabana, who live in Houston where Bob is the Deputy Director of Johnson Space Center. Bob looks to be in tip-top shape, but admits his Marine major son can whip him in athletics. I also chatted with Frank Culbertson, who is retired from NASA and the Navy, and doing well working for SAIC.
    “At the game, I met numerous other friends, including Tom Gross, Brian Horais, Bill Butler, Tom Stevens, Al Hutchins, Rick Plank, and John Muncie. Of course I’ve mentioned only a few of the hundreds of our classmates who came from far and wide. It was just a super weekend for all. We’ll return for the next one. John Ball.” Wow, what a great note.

    {John Long John Ball HC 06.jpg} John Long, John Ball Homecoming 06

    The next note is to our class president from Mike Greene: “Perry, I just wanted to tell you and the other organizers of the 35th Reunion that my wife, Neil, and I had a great time. It was very well executed. The dinner and the tailgating were great fun.

    “A bunch of us from the 18th Company went out to Mike’s Crabhouse on Saturday night – Jeanne and Dan Hickey, Pat and Tom Ledvina, Diane and Bob Nelson, Linda and Mick Brown, Ellen and Andy Mazzara, PJ Dunsford, Susan and Mark Cooksey, Jim Rehkoph. While leaving the restaurant, I got a call on my cell phone from our classmate, Hugh Marcy, who was walking down the street on his way to work in Kabul, Afghanistan. We stood in the parking lot and sang “The Goat is Old and Gnarly” to him to make him feel a part of the reunion. He is there helping to set up the Afghan government and should be back in the Washington area next summer. Times surely have changed since the days of MARS calls from WestPac. Thanks again, Mike Greene.” Sure sounds like lots of fun. Keep us posted on Hugh’s exploits!

    Perry Martini sent the following: “Duke, Here is a great photo of our senior (and only four star admiral) Classmate at the homecoming parade.”

    {Homecoming 2006 parade.jpg} ADM Tim Keating – Reviewing Officer

    As a follow up to my 36th Company notes in the November issue, here’s a note Rich Naple sent to us: “Classmates, Thank you for a wonderful 35th reunion party. It was so good to see all of you. Barb and I had a great time. Your wives and partners are sweethearts. I want to propose a ski trip for us, and would appreciate your feedback. The last 36th Company ski trip was attended by Rich Connelly, John Nus and his father, and me in 1970. Maybe we can have a few more at the next one. Sonny Naple. p.s. Has anyone seen Dick Taylor?” Great idea, Sonny. I think this has legs as we are moving toward a Feb/Mar trip to Lake Placid. This will be fun. Perhaps we’ll find Dick along with way!

    My next note is the “standard” response to a good idea and is from Don Beaudette: “Sonny–Sounds terrific! I’ll be visiting my son Tim in San Diego Feb. 17-24, but after I grind the rust off my edges (which should take quite awhile since I still have 207s!), I should be able to go any other time.
    “I also want to express my sincere thanks to Anne and Ron Spratt for putting our 36th Co. reunion together. Seeing all of you was far better than I could ever have imagined. A few more pounds, a lot less hair (for some of us, at least!), but the same camaraderie, good humor and fellowship from “back in the day”. My son Matt ’07, thoroughly enjoyed the sea tales, advice and encouragement from my company mates and my old roommate. We went out to join Matt’s friends afterward, and I saw the same strong bond with them that we experienced many years ago. I had forgotten how strong that bond is until I saw all of you again. “ Great to see Don after all these years. He is leading the charge to get more non-grads to attend our Homecoming events.

    I received affirmative replies to the ski trip from Clive Graham, Steve Joens, Garry Holmstrom, Jim Barron, Mark Horgan, Jan Milligan and Craig Welling. This should be fun.

    Here’s a note from Jan Milligan: “Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, and also enjoyed the 5th straight Navy Victory yesterday. Our 35th reunion just passed in October and several of us met in Annapolis for the festivities. Those in attendance this year were Anne and Ron Spratt, Barb and Sonny Naple, Bruce Gallemore, Stu Fisher and friend Yolanda, Jane and Don Beaudette with son Matt ’07, Kathy and Steve Joens, Carter and Craig Welling, Karen and Rich Connelly, Shauna and Jan Milligan, Jim Barron, Mark Horgan, and Lisa and Duke Longworth. Your old classmate, Jan Milligan (milligan@flightline.com).” Keep the notes rolling, Jan!

    The next note is from our warrior, Bob Anderson: “Duke,
    I hope you guys all had a great time at the 35th reunion! Although I had planned on joining you, I wound up having a surgical procedure scheduled for the day the whole thing started, so my plans went right down the scuppers.
    “Stan Szemborski’s correction to your previous column, about the four members of the class remaining on active duty, gave me pause as I am most certainly still on active duty myself. (Don’t know if Sankey Blanton has returned to being a ‘weekend warrior’.)
    “With any luck, I will be done with my medical stuff around the first of the year and can get back to my civilian employment. But I already got a call this past summer from the Army trying to send me to Afghanistan to run an Afghani battalion, much as I did the Iraqis, so who knows? I had to tell them ‘no joy’ as I was recuperating from back surgery at the time. Hope this finds you well and it is my personal opinion that I will get to see the big blue team BEAT ARMY this weekend. Bob.” That’s MSG Anderson! Bob is NCOIC of the Battle Training Team at Ft. Huachua, AZ.
    Bob sent a follow up note: “Duke, I was just pulling your chain and realized that I had been remiss in updating you since I returned. It had been my intention to extend in country (as I had related to you from over there), but the Army made it impossible to do so. I decided that if I had to work THAT hard to stay when everyone else was trying to get home, perhaps I wasn’t meant to be there just then.
    “I appreciate your taking the time to respond to my gibe. Take care and BEAT ARMY! Bob.” Bob fits the definition of “duces virum.”

    Here’s a note from Terry Weiss: “The second ’71 reunion of the fall occurred in Michigan the weekend of November 10th through 12th on traveling to Detroit to play Eastern Michigan at Ford Field. Michigan residents Barb and Jim Garrow and Ruthie and Terry Weiss hosted Sue and Mario Summa from Louisville, Kentucky, and Brenda and Dave Bloomer of Stafford, Virginia. As many of you know, Dave is originally from Michigan. His dad, Al Bloomer, joined the group on Saturday for the game. Ironically, Al is an Eastern Michigan graduate and played football for Eastern in the late 1940’s. Despite his split loyalties, after several liquid refreshments, Al joined in and helped cheer Navy on to a 49-21 victory. Post-game activities included a celebratory feast where additional USNA and military exploits were definitely embellished. Mario and Sue’s two sons, Greg ’98 and Dan ’01, are on active duty. Jim and Barb’s son, Tim, serves with the USMC in Okinawa, Japan, and Dave and Brenda’s son-in-law, Tim, is with the USMC serving in Iraq. It was appropriate that we were all together to celebrate Navy’s victory and keep all these family members in our thoughts on Veterans Day, November 11th.

    There is more mail! Did anyone see Dave Chew at our 35th? If not, it was because he is busy with his new duties. This was sent from the El Paso Times on October 10th: “Gov. Rick Perry today announced he appointed El Pasoan David Wellington Chew as chief justice of the 8th Court of Appeals. Chew has been a justice on the court since 1995 and will serve as chief until the next general election.” Nicely done, Dave! I know you’ll maintain the law in TX!

    As a follow up to the March ’06 column, here is more news about Peter De Vos: “New York, October 16, ’06” RBC Capital Markets, the corporate and investment banking arm of RBC, today named Peter de Vos as Head of U.S. Investment Banking. Formerly the firm’s Head of Corporate Finance, Mr. de Vos oversees RBC Capital Markets’ investment banking businesses in the USA. Mr. de Vos is also a director of RBC Capital Markets Corporation. RBC Capital Markets is recognized as part of the “Bloomberg 20”, a ranking of the top 20 investment banks globally.” Wow. Well, when next I get to NYC, I’m calling Peter! Nice to see you at the reunion!

    Dave Poyer continues his fine writing with a new novel, THE THREAT. Dave had a book signings in Washington, DC in November and December. His penmanship is taking him to the top!

    I just received this from Perry Martini: “It is with deepest regret that I pass along to you the tragic death of Wendy Burlingame, daughter of our late classmate, Chic Burlingame. Wendy perished in a tragic fire on Tuesday 5 Dec, while asleep in her New Jersey Condo. The family requested that you all be notified and appreciates your thoughts and prayers. It is with consolation that we can be assured that Chic welcomed her home with open arms. Duces Virum, Perry Martini.”

    Also, Tom O’Brien is headed to North Carolina State as the head coach. We wish you well, Tom. Meanwhile, GO NAVY – BEAT BC!

    Time, tide and column due dates wait no longer. Please pray for our classmates and their wives. Please pray, too, for the success of our mission in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our selfless service personnel sacrifice much for us. They deserve our whole-hearted support.

    Duces virum, Duke

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    29th January 2013 at 1:23 pm

  2. Yojimbo says:

    Admin

    If you think I shouldn’t have posted that, please delete it. But if I can come up with something in 30 seconds (literally), I think the government can do it as well.

    Maybe Garrow went overboard in providing details.

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    29th January 2013 at 1:27 pm

  3. PlatoPlubius says:

    I didn’t know where to post this but I thought some TBPers might take the time to watch it.

    “Rise of the Drones” a PBS original

    http://video.pbs.org/video/2326108547

    Scary shit! Drones will be used to monitor, subjugate and terrorize the population. The video discusses new technology call ARGUS (which has hundreds of cameras functioning simultaneously and that can zoom in while still having another window open to show a larger Point of View POV.

    Just imagine this technology on a blimp that just hangs up in the sky! YOu could technically keep a large area under constant surviellance unlike with satellites that move around in orbit.

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    29th January 2013 at 2:20 pm

  4. Bullock says:

    Hitler Lives!! The Rise and Fall of The Third Reich. That is one book when I started reading I could not put it down. We are living it.

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    29th January 2013 at 2:49 pm

  5. AWD says:

    It’s brilliant, really. Clean out the military of patriots, replace them with people willing to kill their own citizens (just following orders) who have been deemed “domestic terrorists”, a term that could fit anybody who says or does anything the government doesn’t like.

    Once Obama and progressives fully control the military and they are willing to be deployed in the U.S. and kill U.S. citizens, then the populous is doomed. Obama can do whatever he wants, including seizing power. Once the military does his bidding instead of defending the Constitution, he has become equally powerful as Hitler, Stalin, and all the other dictators in history.

    You don’t think it isn’t going to happen? Some event taking place that will be used as his excuse to seize power and become ruler? He is already bypassing congress and “representative government”, he controls the justice department, and has roughly 128 million people dependent on him and the government. It would be very few step away, indeed, to become dictator. It is his wish, and Obama gets his wishes doesn’t he?

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    29th January 2013 at 2:54 pm

  6. AWD says:

    confused-statist.jpg

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    29th January 2013 at 2:56 pm

  7. AWD says:

    Plato:

    They work so well, killing people, why not try ‘em here?

    obama-predator-drone.jpg

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    29th January 2013 at 3:10 pm

  8. beast rudolfo says:

    the government must be purged first. “Presidential Memorandum — National Insider Threat Policy and Minimum Standards for Executive Branch Insider Threat Programs”

    http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/11/21/presidential-memorandum-national-insider-threat-policy-and-minimum-stand

    b.r.

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    29th January 2013 at 4:18 pm

  9. beast rudolfo says:

    as the days ahead come to pass, and the battlefield preparation continues, remember these words of Ron Paul: “”Anything the government assumes they have a right to do to us, we should assume we have a right to do that to them.” there are no rules.

    merriam- webster: Definition of ASSUME-1 a : to take up or in

    b.r.

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    29th January 2013 at 4:38 pm

  10. Celtic Tiger says:

    The purges are not new. They have been routinely asking new recruits since the Cllinton years if they would fire upon American citizens during a gun confiscation sweep. Urban warfare training also goes back to the 90s.

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    29th January 2013 at 4:53 pm

  11. sangell says:

    I doubt this story is true. While the president does nominate every flag officer promotion and the Senate confirms the nominations the ‘real’ selection process takes place within the officer corps years earlier.

    The average age of officers getting promoted to general officer rank is 48. They’ve already served 20 years in the military to reach the rank of Colonel or Captain in the Navy and the internal selection process to reach that level is done entirely by the officer corps. The guys Obama has available to choose from ( if he even reviews the candidates) were nominated to attend the service academies back when Reagan was still president. That’s one reason the left never really attempted the ‘long march through the institutions where the military was concerned. They’d be found out before they even made it past junior officer like John Kerry was exposed in Vietnam.

    The other factor is there are two career paths in the military and the guys who command the actual combat units of our armed forces, the fighter and bomber wings, the Marine Amphibious units, the Army infantry and armored units are in one and the technocrats in procurement, war planning, logistics and stuff are in another. The officers who rise to command our combat forces
    have been trained to avoid killing even enemy civilians. Its a career ending event for a Captain or Colonel to have a unit he commands be involved in a massacre of enemy civilians. To expect these guys to willingly participate in such a thing on the civilian population of their own country is just not rational.

    Hot debate. What do you think? Thumb up 5 Thumb down 4

    29th January 2013 at 5:31 pm

  12. Novista says:

    … to take arms against a sea of troubles
    And by opposing, end them

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    29th January 2013 at 7:23 pm

  13. Makati1 says:

    Sangell, what is not rational? Better yet, what IS rational in our government today? NOTHING!

    And, yes, they WILL order their troops to fire on Americans eventually. You always have cold blooded killers in the officer corps of any country. They will move to the top. And don’t give me the BS that they will not kill civilians in enemy countries. They have, do and will. Thousands every year.

    Perhaps you have a military member in your family that you want to believe will never do it, but they will or step down. Then they will replaced by someone that will follow orders. Believe it. I served under some bastards that would do the job easily.

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    29th January 2013 at 9:39 pm

  14. sangell says:

    Makati your comments are over the top and are made with no evidence or even reason to back them up. They are just mindless assertions made by an ignorant man without a clue as to how the US military operates. General Jack D. Ripper was a fictional character in a black comedy not a real life Air Force general. 99% of any military officers career is spent in a goverment bureaucracy where procedures and rules of engagement are established for the day when they are called to duty. A blood thirsty criminal does not prosper or even survive in such environments. If anything the US military suffers from too much command authority. Modern communications allow a general and military lawyers in Tampa, Florida to tell a company commander in Afghanistan if he has authority to return fire on some towel head village! Such a system is not conducive to rogue officers eager to commit war crime.

    Hot debate. What do you think? Thumb up 3 Thumb down 5

    29th January 2013 at 10:11 pm

  15. varnelius says:

    Plato: you apparently missed the bit of media coverage (not MSM, more like ZeroHedge) a few weeks ago talking about “Gorgon Stare.” Go ahead and google it, altho according to recent sources, seems that program has been canceled.

    That drone program nailed it as to the problem that programs like “Gorgon Stare” are trying to solve. The drone pilot captain said it himself…. when operating those drones, once you get zoomed it, “it’s like looking thru a soda straw.” You have absolutely no situational awareness in any other direction, whether in the air or on the ground.

    Your on to something with the blimp. Once a set of sensors were built to hang off the bottom of a reaper, they could be adapted to just about anything else. A tethered blimp would be the next step, and even better yet, a solar powered glider that can stay in the air for years….. search for the Helios prototype on wikipedia.

    1984 wasn’t far off, but the author missed the point. There will be no freedom hiding in grassy meadows, assuming no one can see you. Big brother will be watching.

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    29th January 2013 at 2:26 am

  16. AWD says:

    I got an email from Ron Paul:

    Campaign for Liberty

    Dear (AWD),

    I’ve seen firsthand what happens when members of Congress start to feel the heat from concerned citizens like you on an issue.

    They get this unmistakable look of concern on their faces that their constituents might actually be watching them!

    Sadly, many would rather you ignore what happens in Washington, D.C. so they can get back to “business as usual” – ramping up spending and growing government.

    So I can’t thank you enough for taking action to stop the madness in Washington.

    Your action in support of Campaign for Liberty’s ongoing efforts to restore free markets, sound money, and respect for individual liberty and constitutional principles is making an unmistakable impact.

    And it’s an impact you and I are only just beginning to realize.

    Whether it’s bringing the Federal Reserve to the forefront of American politics or halting statist schemes to seize control of the Internet, Campaign for Liberty’s members and supporters have made a huge mark on national politics already.

    And with your help, that will only be the beginning.

    I know it may seem like the statists’ onslaught will never end.

    But the truth is, it will.

    And it’s good folks like you who support Campaign for Liberty’s critical efforts who will make sure of it.

    You’ll be receiving an email from my good friend, John Tate, President of Campaign for Liberty, with some additional information about C4L’s ongoing fights.

    I hope you’ll take the time to read about some of the wonderful things Campaign for Liberty has accomplished and – if possible – lend your support.

    In Liberty,

    Ron Paul

    http://www.CampaignForLiberty.org

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    29th January 2013 at 11:14 am

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