Whoa, wait a minute - I checked the web site below - Sue, is this you? Dora > http://www.cdbaby.com/suegilmore > > __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop! http://platinum.yahoo.com

Bush is on now warning Hussein to leave Iraq. I really dont think Hussein will run tell we are actually on his door step. -- Wild Bill, North Pole, Alaska I started out with nothing & still have most of it left. http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=wildbill

Thanks Pamela, you are special and so are so many others on this list. My freinds are only about 35 miles outside of Jacksonville, and will be arriving shortly. Let's hope we don't have war, but it sure looks like we are headed that way. It will be interesting tonight to talk with our freinds coming to visit. He is a Lt. Col. and they spent the night in Bixoli, Miss at the Air Forse Base there last night. We also have some Generals and a rear Admiral in the neighborhood, lots of former Air Force pilots, and Navy pilots as well. Mayport is only a few miles from me, and I can see the planes fly over each night or day from my back window. some of the area around us here at Queens Harbour also belongs to the Navy, which is a bit scary. I like you and many others on the list, hope we don't have a war. Guess we all will be glued to out TV sets tonight. Let's all say a special prayer. My freinds up the street from me lost their whole family when Hitler was the dictator that he was. So many horror stories. Bettye has been cooking all day for my special guest, and my daughter and the beautiful grandchildren will also come dine with us. My daughter loves all of my best girl freinds that I grew up with. I am still having a horrible time with my neck and the injury I got. Guess it will take time. Take care and lets all say a special prayer to whatever God you may worship tonight. Bettye

I agree with evry word Jeff said. As a former USAF SAC pilot for eight years in the 60's I can say that every serviceman I knew was totally dedicated to the military mission they supported and it is the same with our troops today. To give you an idea of the extent that the military must go to defend us consider my experience. This was during the height of the cold war "non-conflict" when electronic reconnasiance aircraft were frequently shot down and their crews never to be heard of again and the 'Cuban" missile crises. Many of our Emergency War Operations missions were to heavily defended targets for which we only had enough fuel to reach plus 30 minutes at best. If we survived the departure from the US and the penetration of the communist border and the defenses around the target to deliver the weapon we were to bail out in a "safe" area and wait 'til the end of the war for rescue. We all knew that these were a suicide missions, but that was what was required to protect this country. Thank the Lord we never had to take that step to nuclear war. Now, can we wait for Hussain to die or for his country to rise up and overthrow him and his cohorts? The answer is yes, if all we had to defend against is some long range bombers, which he doesn't have, or nuclear wepons which he probably doesn't have yet, and if he contented himself with just dominating his country only. But he does have biological and chemical weapons which can be distributed by a single covert person who might be your next door neighbor who's been there for 20 years. And he has demonstrated a proven willingness to export and support terrorism outside Iraq. So we can't wait him out. That's why, Pamela, that the rights of privacy have been reduced. We somehow have to find these people as well as get rid of the financial and technical support for them, of which the largest is Hussain and Iraq. I've lived under the military justice system and never felt threatened by it as I didn't have anything to hide. I feel that it is a small trade off for continued existance for me, my family and my country. Do I feel that our leaders are not truthful or trustworthy? I am like President Reagan who said about the Soviets, "Trust but verify". Because of that belief, I challenge the truthfulness of every politician who claims to be anti-war now but who said nothing about Clinton's bombings in Kosovo, Serbia and Somalia. Where were these hypocritical politicians then. Did they attack President Clinton and demand that our actions be "legalized" by the oxymoronic United Nations? They didn't say a damn word and that includes the peanut man and Clinton himself. I'll say it again and someone will probably accuse me of flaming again but it's a fact. Any Democrat politician who is speaking out against the war after being silent in the 90's attacks or after silence in the congress when voting on the authorization it gave the President to take this action, is using the war as a way to gain power for the Democrats at the expense of the security of the citizens of the United States. I respect every person who sincerely believes that that the war is wrong for their own reasons, but I reject self serving politicians and actors using their bully pulpit for their own ambitions. Actors are trained to deceive you as part of their professon and the best win awards for it. As a result, they are not able to convince me that they really believe what they are saying, as they could be saying it for career advancement in liberal dominated Hollywood. Further they take their misplaced recognition for the admirable characters they play and use it to try to convince people that what they're saying is the only way. Michael Sheen, who plays the president in West Wing carries this to the extreme. He really must think he is the president. Charlton Heston thought he was God after all the biblical roles he played. I also want to compliment everyone for your considerate, measured responses about the war so far. I am proud to be a part of this fine group of caring, thoughtful geneolgists. Ron IBSSG ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeff" <Scismgenie@adelphia.net> To: <BLACKSHEEP-CHAT-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, March 16, 2003 11:58 PM Subject: [BSChat] your freedoms and who is protecting them. > When I was in the service, I taught Combat Survival, I also was a > weatherman at first, and a photographer, in my later career I built > space suits and worked on spy planes. I have a wide experience over 16 > years of working closely with all levels of the Military. > > I have met and debriefed many of the returning POWs from Vietnam, I knew > all three who were shot-down and captured ot evaded in the Gulf war, > and later. They all were pilots in squadrons I was also in at the same > time, although when they got shot down, I was already out. > > I have personal time in Grenada, Panama, and the middle east. > > There was the Iran Hostage rescue, which ended tragically in a > sandstorm. > > I got out in 1990, just before Gulf War I. My brother fought in that > conflict, and has his purple heart, and a small vet's check every month. > I have my small disability check as well. > > We disabled veterans, with service connected injuries, live our lives > coping with the fact that we gave a small part to what we believed in, > and almost all of us would willingly put on a uniform, and continue. > We all know those who went out, did their jobs, and didn't return. We > and they know the risks, accept them as a part of the job, and deal > daily, with the knowledge that we could very well be a statistic. Our > families dealt with fear and uncertainty when we were gone. > > My parents KNEW that if an operation was on, and I was out of contact, > that I was close to the activity, and they worried. > > Often I wasn't allowed t tell them I was going to be gone for the next > 3, 6 or 18 months, and that IF they heard from me it would be a short > generic call. They understood that of times the job would put me in a > "black" location, with a deniable job, and if I didn't come back, a > mystery that may never be solved. > > Many of our military have these uncertainties even in "peace." We are > always doing job, or practicing for it, and training for all > anticipated probable situations, it was normal to NOT know if it was > real or training, so we treated it all as real. > > Our servicemen are doing these things and more, as time goes on the > mission changes, today they are just as much ambassadors as soldiers, > sailors and airmen. The military has become not only a > offensive/defensive force, but the US identity is on their shoulders. > The world sees TWO things that represent the USA, TV, and our military. > They also see our tourists, or bands and entertainers, and news about us > written by those who LIKE us and those who despise us. > > Our military has given up their civil rights when they sign on, and take > that oath. Even the Bill of Tights are suspended and modified. The > Uniform Code of Military Justice is the replacement, and believe me > it does protect the military member ALMOST the same as the Bill of > Rights. With modifications, detailed additional crimes and suspension > of "double Jeopardy". If a military member commits a civil offense he is > liable to the civil authorities, THEN after they are done, the Military > tries him/her again. There is also "Non Judicial punishment", known as > Article 15. > > A military member can be offered Article 15 in lieu of a courts marshal. > In Article 15, punishments and confinement, and "extra duties" can be > levied, read "extra duties" as LABOR as in "Hard". Article 15 can cost > rank, fines, reductions in pay, and loss of status as an > Non-Commissioned Officer. Agreeing to accept Article 15 punishment, > does not admit guilt, but believe me if it is offered, you take it, > guilty or not. You can rebut it, and explain by letter mitigation, > but if you are on charges, you have little chance of talking your way > out of it. Article 15 may be seen as the military version of a > MISDEMEANOR. > > Just try to consider that the people that are protecting your rights and > freedoms are doing it under LESS freedoms than you enjoy. They can be > ORDERED to speak against themselves, everything is searchable and a slip > of the tongue can cost a lot of hardship. > > Military life isn't easy, but it has rewards too. The pride of being one > of the most respected in the world, the knowledge that you have the > best available equipment, and support structure, and the ideals of a > country that believes in protecting the freedoms of even non citizens. > > AND you get a grand tour of all the BEST tourist spots....just look out > the port hole and lean a little to the right. > > > -- > > > > Jeffery Scism, > http://blacksheep.rootsweb.com/ > International Blacksheep Society of Genealogists > > Links to my Homepages: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~scismfam/ > > Genealogy is the art of the living haunting the dead.... > > Heritage is the anchor in the sea of life, > holding us steady, giving us a standard to live up to or beyond, > a compass for our course, and a place to call home. > > > ==== BLACKSHEEP-CHAT Mailing List ==== > Unsubscribe from the list: > Mailto:Blacksheep-Chat-L-request@rootsweb.com?subject=unsubscribe&body=unsub scribe > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 >

Permit me my objections: to these statements : "You have the Freedom of Speech, as long as you don't disagree with Bush." You just did, and no-one is going to worry you for it; because McCarthy died a while ago. "You have the Right to bear arms if you're a criminal or don't belong to a militia." In Canada, run by stupider politicians, they just blew a BILLION dollars trying to register every long-arm (rifle) - there are only about 30 million rifles in Canada, mostly up north and on farms. "You have the right to pursue happiness as long as you're not hitch hiking." No argument there.... "You have the right to pay 3/4 of your salary in taxes." It isn't quite that bad. Your "tax-freedom" day is in early June; in Canada it's a month later "You have the right/privledge of going to school, where its neither safe nor do you get a decent education." Ya kicked God out of the schools, now yo want Him back? VOTE ! "You have the right to starve, while we are shipping tons of food overseas, to countries who couldn't care less about us." Bush is just one of a long line of polits who bribe other countries with food your poor could have eaten. It isn't just a Republican trick. Again, ya gotta VOTE !

I have seen this several times myself. Never ceases to move me. I love to see the veterans enter the ring. They are honored at every Pow Wow. I will always support our troops. I will not support this man in office and hope most can see the difference. I am very much against this war, but will be there for our troops. Ok, I will go back into lurk mode. Rhonda IBSSG ----- Original Message ----- From: "shadlock" <shadlock@brightok.net> ] your freedoms and who is protecting them. > > > Jeff, in some circles you are so very honored. > At the pow wows we attend, the honor guard comes out and at grand entry, the > men who served in the military are in fatigues with their medals and have > rifles they shoot off with a song and the drums playing and the american > flag displayed. The song is indian song and indian sung and very powerful. > The guns of course shoot blanks but with the beat of

You also have to prove who you are to survive in the US(SSN). They finally out-lawed the vagrancy laws. But for a long time if you had no identifcation they could arrest you, hold you 72 hrs, while running an id check. Then as soon as you walk out on street arrest you again for the same thing. The right to a speedy trial. A friend of mine was arrested 22 months ago, and is still in jail waiting for his jury trial. They keep putting it off. Also he has been to court 32 times, and still hasn't went to a trial by jury. Am proud member of the IBSSG --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Web Hosting - establish your business online

Jeff, re your Mum's arm. Have you heard of using comfrey for bone injuries. It is an age old remedy for promoting fast healing of bone injuries and wounds. I have seen and heard first hand evidence of its effectiveness from three people personally. It's common name is 'knitbone'. It can be found in all herbal books, is easy to grow and common to people with vegie gardens, but I don't know how it grows in the severe winters that you have over there. It can be added to meals or used as a compress or straight on skin wounds. Don't be put off by the fact that it is 'just a herb'....remember that our pharmaceuticals originate with plants. From memory, its healing qualities have to do with the allointan contained in it. Just thought I should pass this info on to you. Lucind.

This sounds like a good idea so I thought I would forward it to you sheepers. Lucind. HOW TO PROTECT YOUR ADDRESS BOOK! Here's a computer trick today that's really ingenious in its simplicity. As you may know, when/if a worm virus gets into your computer it heads straight for your email address book, and sends itself to everyone in there, thus infecting all your friends and associates. This trick won't keep the virus from getting into your computer, but it will stop it from using your address book to spread further, and it will alert you to the fact, that the worm has gotten into your system. Here's what you do: first, open your address book and click on "new contact," just as you would do if you were adding a new friend to your list of email addresses. In the window where you would type your friend's first name, type in AAAAAAA. Same in space labeled screen name. For email address enter AAAAAAA@A... Now, here's what you've done and why it works: The "name" AAAAAAA will be placed at the top of your address book as entry #1. This will be where the worm will start in an effort to send itself to all your friends. But, when it tries to send itself to AAAAAAA, it will be undeliverable because of the phony email address you entered. If the first attempt fails (which it will because of the phony address), the worm goes no further and your friends will not be infected. Here's the second great advantage of this method: If an email cannot be delivered, you will be notified of this in your In Box almost immediately. Hence, if you ever get an email telling you that an email addressed to AAAAAAA could not be delivered, you know right away that you have the worm virus in your system. You can then take steps to get rid of it! Pretty slick huh? If everybody you know does this then you need not ever worry about opening mail from friends. You may want to pass this on to all your friends. > Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > Version: 6.0.456 / Virus Database: 256 - Release Date: 2/18/2003

""Freedom of movement is a joke. Ask any hitch hiker!!!!!!!"" YOU DO have "freedom of movement" Hitch-hiking aside, ( a very dangerous practice, believe me). Other than your apparent history of being hassled while hitch-hiking, what evidence do you have that your "freedom" of movement is hindered? (Of course those who are incarcerated lose "freedom of Movement") Jeffery Scism, http://blacksheep.rootsweb.com/ International Blacksheep Society of Genealogists Links to my Homepages: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~scismfam/ Genealogy is the art of the living haunting the dead.... Heritage is the anchor in the sea of life, holding us steady, giving us a standard to live up to or beyond, a compass for our course, and a place to call home.

Officers are Lieutenant, Captain, Major and up with all the variations. Enlisted men were private, corporal, sergeant and others with variations. I don't know what the division is in the Navy, but I probably can find out. I am not sure where the warrant officiers fit into all that. http://www.tesarta.com/www/resources/library/militaryrank.html is a good site for the names of the ranks. If you can google it go for "military rank". Good luck! Pamela Bonds wrote: > > Hi Sheepers, > > Can anyone help me with this; I now have a name to search for (I think it is the right one) so I can now request military records from NARA for my father. One of the questions on their request form I don't understand because I have no military knowledge. The question is whether he was an officer or enlisted? I don't know what he was because I don't understand the terms 'officer' and 'enlisted'. I tried to find help at NARA site but didn't find any. > > Any ideas anyone? I suppose you are all sleeping sheepies right now so I'll have to wait till you all wake up. > Thanks, Lucind. > > ==== BLACKSHEEP-CHAT Mailing List ==== > Unsubscribe from the list: > Mailto:Blacksheep-Chat-L-request@rootsweb.com?subject=unsubscribe&body=unsubscribe > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237

Freedom of movement is a joke. Ask any hitch hiker!!!!!!! Am proud member of the IBSSG --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Web Hosting - establish your business online

This E-mail from a friend.....E T..... - To Kill an American > > You probably missed it in the rush of news last > week, but there was actually > a report that someone in Pakistan had published > in a newspaper an offer of > a reward to anyone who killed an American, any > American. So an Australian > dentist wrote the following to let everyone know > what an American is, so they > would know when they found one: > > > An American is English, or French, or Italian, > Irish, German, Spanish, > Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be > Canadian, Mexican, African, > Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, > Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or > Pakistani, or Afghan. An American may also be a > Cherokee, Osage,Blackfoot, > Navaho, Apache, Seminole or one of the many other > tribes known as native Americans. > An American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, > or Buddhist, or Muslim. In > fact, there are more Muslims in America than in > Afghanistan. The only > difference is that in America they are free to > worship as each of them > chooses. An American is also free to believe in > no religion. For that he will > answer only to God, not to the government, or to > armed thugs claiming to > speak for the government and for God. > An American is from the most prosperous land in > the history of the world. The > root of that prosperity can be found in the > Declaration of Independence, > which recognizes the God given right of each > person the pursuit of happiness. > An American is generous. Americans have helped > out just about every other > nation in the world in their time of need. When > Afghanistan was overrun by > the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with > arms and supplies to enable > the people to win back their country. As of the > morning of September 11, > Americans had given more than any other nation to > the poor in Afghanistan. > Americans welcome the best, the best products, > the best books, the best > music, the best food, the best athletes. But they > also welcome the least. > The national symbol of America, The Statue of > Liberty, welcomes your tired > and your poor, the wretched refuse of your > teeming shores, the homeless, > tempest tossed. These in fact are the people who > built America. Some of them > were working in the Twin Towers the morning of > September 11, 2002 earning a > better life for their families. I've been told > that the World Trade Center > victims were from at least 30 other countries, > cultures, and first languages, > including those that aided and abetted the > terrorists. > So you can try to kill an American if you must. > Hitler did. So did General > Toto, and Stalin, and Mao Tse-Tung, and every > bloodthirsty tyrant in the > history of the world. But, in doing so you would > just be killing yourself. > Because Americans are not a particular people > from a particular place. They > are the embodiment of the human spirit of > freedom. Everyone who holds to that > spirit, everywhere, is an American. >

Your "rights" are varied, and only guaranteed from GOVERNMENT interference. The Bill of Rights and other amendments to the US Constitution are your federally guaranteed rights, and federal prohibitions in some cases. The other federal laws, regulations and policies are based in the US Constitution. STATE laws are based on each State's Constitution, local laws, and must also comply with US Constitutional laws. Freedoms are what you make of them. An example is "freedom of Speech" you are free to say anything you want, write it down, and distribute it, HOWEVER, there are penalties for Libel, slander, and false witness. You can say it, but you also have the responsibility for what you say. You have a freedom of religion, but constitutionally, the GOVERNMENT can not CREATE it's own religion. (There is no reference to "separation of Church and State" in the Constitution, That phrase was created in 1906 by the Supreme Court.) You have a freedom from "unreasonable" search and seizure. (This is ONLY by Government search and seizure) the term "unreasonable" leaves a lot of room, this is where "probable Cause" comes from. You have right to Keep and Bear Arms. Nowhere in the constitution does it say "of an approved type". Militia is not a dirty word. It is a group formed for the common defense of a community. (Militias are also held responsible for their actions...) Nothing says the Militia has to be formed or approved by the Government. It should be "well regulated". Your other rights follow he principals dictated by the Constitution. You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to a legal advisor. You have a right to know that anything you say, write or do may be held in evidence against you. You have a right to trial by a jury of your peers. (peers means fellow citizens, not a specific ethnic group). Social freedoms are those that reasonable people would expect. Freedom of privacy, in ones own home, office or place of work. Freedom of movement, within a social community, or a jurisdiction. The freedom to vote as you choose. The freedom to express your opinion. The freedom to choose your own job, and the freedom to change jobs. (even the freedom to NOT have a job) The freedom to choose to worship in a church of your choice, under a doctrine of your choice. Freedom to disagree. Freedom to assemble. Freedom to educate your children "outside" the system. Freedom to choose the products you buy, and NOT to choose. Freedom to LEAVE the country. Freedom to choose who you associate with. Freedom to live in the community of your choice, (as long as you can afford it...) Freedom to use public services without discrimination. All of these freedoms, rights and abilities come with the responsibility to maintain them, support them by assuring they are FREELY available to all, and to FIGHT if necessary those who would deny them. (our military, and officials swear to defend against all enemies, "Foreign and Domestic". That means people who are internal enemies.) Which freedoms do you have, that are truly YOUR freedoms? Which are freedoms only possible in our form of society? -- Jeffery Scism, http://blacksheep.rootsweb.com/ International Blacksheep Society of Genealogists Links to my Homepages: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~scismfam/ Genealogy is the art of the living haunting the dead.... Heritage is the anchor in the sea of life, holding us steady, giving us a standard to live up to or beyond, a compass for our course, and a place to call home.

People are starving, we are taxed to death, gas&food prices are sky-high, Aids is running rampant through our young people, and nobody cares. Am proud member of the IBSSG --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Web Hosting - establish your business online

You have the Freedom of Speech, as long as you don't disagree with Bush. You have the Right to bear arms if your a criminal or don't belong to a militia. You have the right to pursue happiness as long as your not hitch hiking. You have the right to pay 3/4 of your salary in taxes. You have the right/privledge of going to school, where its neither safe nor do you get a decent education. You have the right to starve, while we are shipping tons of food overseas, to countries who could care less about us. Am proud member of the IBSSG --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Web Hosting - establish your business online

When I meet the Irish, I want to dance a jig, They art a merry people though the land isn't big. They have musical names, like Seamus and Shawn, towns like Londonderry, and lyrical songs. The thing I like most is an Irish lilt, makes your tongue twist, and your senses tilt. And magic is important in their legends and songs, what would the world be without Leprechauns? Happy Patty's everyone. -- Jeffery Scism, http://blacksheep.rootsweb.com/ International Blacksheep Society of Genealogists Links to my Homepages: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~scismfam/ Genealogy is the art of the living haunting the dead.... Heritage is the anchor in the sea of life, holding us steady, giving us a standard to live up to or beyond, a compass for our course, and a place to call home.

-- Officers are those who have a COMMISSION in the Military, Usualy they are college educated, andhave attended the Officer candidate school, fr their branch, or one of the four Service academys, (counting Coast Guard). The term enlisted is more correctly referenced as the 'ranked" personnel . In the Airmy they would be Privates, Corporals, specialists, and Sergeants. Once a rank, usually e-4 or e-5 is attained the lower enlisted grades are supplemented by Non-Commissioned Officers, or non-coms. These would be Sergeants (Varies by branch) Liuetenants and above ( Captaian, Major, Liuetenant Colonel, Colonel, and Generals)(Navy has different titles for the same ranks). are OFFICERS. There is a tird class, with nuch fewer of them around, and that is WARRANT OFFICERS, Warrrant officers are appointed from teh lower ranks, or directly appointed to fill some positons, OFFICERS are referred to as "Sir" or "Ma'am", and Warrent Officers are referred to as the same or as "Mister" depending on branch. What rank was your father? Jeffery Scism, http://blacksheep.rootsweb.com/ International Blacksheep Society of Genealogists Links to my Homepages: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~scismfam/ Genealogy is the art of the living haunting the dead.... Heritage is the anchor in the sea of life, holding us steady, giving us a standard to live up to or beyond, a compass for our course, and a place to call home.

I am very grateful for your service, for your protection and for your explaining to the list some of the duties, obligations,etc. a person in the service of our country must deal with. My family has been extremely fortunate to have our World War II volunteers return to us. All served in the European Theatre.

Jeff, in some circles you are so very honored. At the pow wows we attend, the honor guard comes out and at grand entry, the men who served in the military are in fatigues with their medals and have rifles they shoot off with a song and the drums playing and the american flag displayed. The song is indian song and indian sung and very powerful. The guns of course shoot blanks but with the beat of the drum, the men in fatigues dancing and the singers with their ancient voices is more than I can describe. These men are thanked and a prayer is lifted for ALL of our soldiers and all brances of the military. This is to honor ALL veterans and current military. When a young person joins the service, he is brought before all and honored for his or her choice , we should all do this. It is a warriors honor and brings tears to my eyes everytime. I wanted you to know that in some circles you are very much appreciated. Evie ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeff" <Scismgenie@adelphia.net> To: <BLACKSHEEP-CHAT-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, March 16, 2003 11:58 PM Subject: [BSChat] your freedoms and who is protecting them. > When I was in the service, I taught Combat Survival, I also was a > weatherman at first, and a photographer, in my later career I built > space suits and worked on spy planes. I have a wide experience over 16 > years of working closely with all levels of the Military. > > I have met and debriefed many of the returning POWs from Vietnam, I knew > all three who were shot-down and captured ot evaded in the Gulf war, > and later. They all were pilots in squadrons I was also in at the same > time, although when they got shot down, I was already out. > > I have personal time in Grenada, Panama, and the middle east. > > There was the Iran Hostage rescue, which ended tragically in a > sandstorm. > > I got out in 1990, just before Gulf War I. My brother fought in that > conflict, and has his purple heart, and a small vet's check every month. > I have my small disability check as well. > > We disabled veterans, with service connected injuries, live our lives > coping with the fact that we gave a small part to what we believed in, > and almost all of us would willingly put on a uniform, and continue. > We all know those who went out, did their jobs, and didn't return. We > and they know the risks, accept them as a part of the job, and deal > daily, with the knowledge that we could very well be a statistic. Our > families dealt with fear and uncertainty when we were gone. > > My parents KNEW that if an operation was on, and I was out of contact, > that I was close to the activity, and they worried. > > Often I wasn't allowed t tell them I was going to be gone for the next > 3, 6 or 18 months, and that IF they heard from me it would be a short > generic call. They understood that of times the job would put me in a > "black" location, with a deniable job, and if I didn't come back, a > mystery that may never be solved. > > Many of our military have these uncertainties even in "peace." We are > always doing job, or practicing for it, and training for all > anticipated probable situations, it was normal to NOT know if it was > real or training, so we treated it all as real. > > Our servicemen are doing these things and more, as time goes on the > mission changes, today they are just as much ambassadors as soldiers, > sailors and airmen. The military has become not only a > offensive/defensive force, but the US identity is on their shoulders. > The world sees TWO things that represent the USA, TV, and our military. > They also see our tourists, or bands and entertainers, and news about us > written by those who LIKE us and those who despise us. > > Our military has given up their civil rights when they sign on, and take > that oath. Even the Bill of Tights are suspended and modified. The > Uniform Code of Military Justice is the replacement, and believe me > it does protect the military member ALMOST the same as the Bill of > Rights. With modifications, detailed additional crimes and suspension > of "double Jeopardy". If a military member commits a civil offense he is > liable to the civil authorities, THEN after they are done, the Military > tries him/her again. There is also "Non Judicial punishment", known as > Article 15. > > A military member can be offered Article 15 in lieu of a courts marshal. > In Article 15, punishments and confinement, and "extra duties" can be > levied, read "extra duties" as LABOR as in "Hard". Article 15 can cost > rank, fines, reductions in pay, and loss of status as an > Non-Commissioned Officer. Agreeing to accept Article 15 punishment, > does not admit guilt, but believe me if it is offered, you take it, > guilty or not. You can rebut it, and explain by letter mitigation, > but if you are on charges, you have little chance of talking your way > out of it. Article 15 may be seen as the military version of a > MISDEMEANOR. > > Just try to consider that the people that are protecting your rights and > freedoms are doing it under LESS freedoms than you enjoy. They can be > ORDERED to speak against themselves, everything is searchable and a slip > of the tongue can cost a lot of hardship. > > Military life isn't easy, but it has rewards too. The pride of being one > of the most respected in the world, the knowledge that you have the > best available equipment, and support structure, and the ideals of a > country that believes in protecting the freedoms of even non citizens. > > AND you get a grand tour of all the BEST tourist spots....just look out > the port hole and lean a little to the right. > > > -- > > > > Jeffery Scism, > http://blacksheep.rootsweb.com/ > International Blacksheep Society of Genealogists > > Links to my Homepages: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~scismfam/ > > Genealogy is the art of the living haunting the dead.... > > Heritage is the anchor in the sea of life, > holding us steady, giving us a standard to live up to or beyond, > a compass for our course, and a place to call home. > > > ==== BLACKSHEEP-CHAT Mailing List ==== > Unsubscribe from the list: > Mailto:Blacksheep-Chat-L-request@rootsweb.com?subject=unsubscribe&body=unsub scribe > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > >