Birth of a Soldier

My son's memorial

2007-08-15T00:21:00.001-07:00

PFC Wise Memorial
Originally uploaded by melpeloquin

To all who have sent their condolences...thank you.

Final Goodbye

2007-06-28T17:21:00.000-07:00

I guess the only thing left to do to wrap up here is say goodbye. Chris died in a car accident on April 18, 2007. By all accounts, he was well on his way to being an outstanding soldier. I miss him so very much, but I know he is at peace.

My Final Post

2006-10-03T12:27:00.000-07:00

Now that Chris is with his permanent unit, I have decided to wrap up my little project and say "Good-bye." It's becoming more and more difficult to find anything to write about, and then there's the concern of revealing too much when I do think of something.

So, I'd like to thank everyone who has stopped by, this has been therapeutic and educational for me, and I appreciate the opportunity to share this journey with you. Please keep Chris, and all of our brave military men and women, in your prayers.

God bless you, and God bless America.

*Oh- and one more thing: I should at least let you know how Chris is doing since he left...

He is loving his permanent unit! He's amazed at the amount of "freedom" he has now in the evenings and on the weekends. So far, his only complaint-no cell signal in his bedroom!

He's made some friends, and they've taken a weekend trip to Nashville- and he had "the best time" there! (Nashville? Bet they didn't visit the Grand Ole Opry!)

And with that, I'm signing off.

Caffeine and Tears

2006-09-24T06:39:00.000-07:00

We're off and running this morning...Chris is making sure he hasn't forgotten to pack anything. I'm making sure I have plenty of coffee on hand. We leave for the airport in 30 minutes, and I'm trying not to cry. It's easier than it was when he left for basic training. But it's still not easy. I can't believe my son will spend the next couple of years waaaay up in Kentucky. He's never experienced a winter outside of Texas or Louisiana. He HATES cold weather...should be interesting at least!

Today is my Rolling Victory Fast day- so far, so good. Of course, I've only been awake for about 45 minutes. I'll give another update when I get back from the airport.

Victory Fast Update, 11:45am: 2 cups coffee; not even remotely hungry.

Chris departure: Solemn and uneventful. (Short-term parking was full, so we had to hike waaaay too far, carrying ridiculously heavy bags-you wouldn't believe the size and weight of Chris' big duffle bag, I'm pretty sure it is almost as tall as I am, and probably weighs about as much...of course he just slung it onto his back like it was nothing!) After saying good-bye, I cried in the ladies' room, back through the parking lot and MOST of the way home. You see, it WAS a little better than the first good-bye...I didn't cry ALL the way home this time!

My new favorite place!

2006-09-23T00:43:00.000-07:00

Chris managed to get a few days leave before he heads off to his permanent unit. He's home, and I love it, and the days are flying by too quickly! Naturally, he's been dividing his time between his family and friends...somehow, his friends seem to be getting more of his "awake" time-but, I can't begin to express the feeling I get when I look in on him, sleeping in his old room (which is actually now, his sister's room.) I get choked up, seeing them both sleeping so peacefully-my babies....sigh!

Yesterday, he and I made a trip to the local Army surplus store. I've never been and was amazed at all the cool Army stuff for sale there! Bumper stickers, banners and t-shirts-Oh My!!! Chris found a 101st license plate for his car, and he educated me on the different uniforms belonging to the different branches of the military. I bought stuff I didn't need, and can't wait to go back for more!

I hadn't been "shopping" with Chris for a long time-even before he left for basic training, so I enjoyed every minute of it. All the little things I used to take for granted are now precious memories for me to hold in my heart. Now, every time I go to that little surplus store, I will remember my first trip there-the one I took with my son.

7 and a wake-up!

2006-09-16T21:46:00.000-07:00

That's right-the countdown has started! Sunday, September 24th is my day to participate in the Tanker Brothers Rolling Victory Fast! If you still haven't checked out these guys, you're really missing out on a great blog!

Ft. Campbell or Bust!

2006-08-31T14:30:00.000-07:00

HOOAH! Chris graduated from AIT today!

He actually seems to be looking forward to joining his unit in September! I am beaming with pride!!!

Begging for recommendations!

2006-08-22T23:26:00.000-07:00

Chris will be permanently stationed at Ft. Campbell, KY (101st Airborne support) as of Sept. 20th. His car is here in Southern Louisiana. I'm checking into auto transporters, and would love to hear from anyone who has shipped a vehicle before-good or bad experiences, please let me know. There are hundreds of companies and/or brokers to choose from, and with the amount of money involved (and my son's precious ride,) I can't afford to hire a third-rate operation.

Thank you so much!
Melissa

Sweet Southern Comfort

2006-08-17T23:32:00.000-07:00

The beauty of the South:

It's been a rough month. I haven't been writing because-well, lately, the news from Chris has been either very depressing or completely non-existent. When I said he is homesick-that's an understatement. He's been able to call his friends, and I'm sure the images of them going to the movies, staying up all night, talking on the phone, and sleeping late are tormenting him. Pay attention kids: stay in school! The thing is, Chris probably would have joined the Army regardless of his scholastic outcome...it's what the men in my family do. But, I'm sure he would have preferred waiting until all of his buddies were on their ways to whatever adult ventures lie ahead of them. (Maybe a couple would have even enlisted with him!) But, as I've had to point out to him, we live the consequences of our actions. When you drop out of school, you don't get to be a teenager anymore. You want to be an adult? You want to be treated like an adult? Then you have to make responsible decisions, work hard, and act like an adult.
So, the realization that his childhood is now officially over has fully sunk in. Add to that- there's a whole lot of people in the world that don't especially like our country...particularly our military, and you've got the fixins for a good ol' pity party...and my boy likes his parties!
He's also managed to do something to his back, and keeps failing his PT test (a huge source of aggravation for a kid whose physical capabilities have always been rather impressive.)
Tonight however, he's found a new reason to get the pity-party rollin': we can't make it to MISSOURI for his extended off-base Labor Day weekend! For those who don't know-I live in Southern Louisiana. That's more than a few miles from Missouri. We (Chris' grandma and I) drove up there for his graduation. It was a long, boring, expensive trip (in case you live in a cave-gas ain't cheap these days!!)
I understand Chris wants to get out for a few days. Really and truly, I get that. But even if I wanted to make the drive-I just can't afford it! I hate to hear him so "oh, woesome me"- but, my hands are truly tied on this one.
I guess I haven't written much, because he's such a downer to listen to on the phone, I didn't want to bring my 10 readers down with us. Oh well, you take the good with the bad, I guess.
****I've been told he'll probably settle in much better once he gets to his permanent station...oh please let that be true!****

The 17 Year Old Soldier

2006-08-11T22:30:00.000-07:00

An actual update? Well, yes and no.

Pvt. Wise is officially in AIT. He is studying to be a construction equipment repairer. So, how's he doing??? That's tough to answer. He's finally aware that there is a world outside of his own. And it's a big, dangerous, hateful world. And unlike the gratuitous violence of his video games, or the glorified violence of his favorite rap tunes- the violence of war is real...and it's ugly. And he is an American Soldier serving during a time of war.

He's also realizing that being a teenager in school really wasn't that bad. Maybe he should have spent less time on the phone, and more time studying...maybe lying around the house, bored out of his mind, wasn't such a bad place to be? Maybe that teacher that was always on his case, wasn't so difficult after all? These things he'd never admit, but I imagine they've crossed his mind. In short, he's homesick, and he's scared...but I imagine he's not alone over there.

Can you spare 39 cents a week?

2006-07-19T02:29:00.000-07:00

Soldiers' Angels are dedicated to ensuring that our military know they are loved and supported during and after their deployment into harms way.

Did you know you can send a letter to a soldier in Iraq, Afghanistan, or anywhere else in the world with a single stamp? Could you sacrifice a few minutes out of your day to write (yes, literally- pen on paper) a letter of encouragement to a soldier who is sacrificing so much for you?

Sure you can...and Soldiers' Angels can show you how. I'm an "Angel"- why aren't you?

Don't call it a Jihad!

2006-07-19T01:35:00.000-07:00

****Highly Suggested Reading****

From The U.S. Army Professional Writing Collection:

Choosing Words Carefully: Language to Help Fight Islamic Terrorism

The United States must do more to communicate its message. Reflecting on Bin Ladin's success in reaching Muslim audiences, Richard Holbrooke wondered, "How can a man in a cave outcommunicate the world's leading communications society?"1

Use Precise Terms Precisely.

The answer to Mr. Holbrooke's question is an unsophisticated one: Bin Ladin speaks in a language that his Muslim listeners understand. We, on the other hand, simply do not comprehend the meaning of many words that we use to describe the enemy. American leaders misuse language to such a degree that they unintentionally wind up promoting the ideology of the groups the United States is fighting.2 We cannot win wide-spread support throughout the Muslim world if we use terms that, to them, define the behavior of our enemies as moral. Because the Global War on Terrorism-or more precisely the war against Islamic totalitarian terrorism-includes a war of ideas, leaders, journalists, authors and speakers must use the most accurate terms to describe those ideas.

The responsibility for precision in expression rests with anyone who believes in the need to share information candidly. But for those unfamiliar with Islamic doctrine, history and tradition, it may often be necessary to rely on scholars or other experts about the Islamic world to provide one with the necessary guidance to help convey the message correctly. Muslims will ultimately determine whether the ideology of al-Qa`ida, its affiliates, franchisees and fellow travelers represents authentic Islam or not, but the West can have enormous influence on their decisions. Furthermore, it is important to make sure that the civilian community in the United States and that of our allies and coalition partners accurately understands the nature of the enemy that we are fighting. Unfortunately, Western governments, intellectuals and journalists commonly use words that inadvertently (or sometimes deliberately) authenticate the doctrines of our enemy as truly Islamic. Correcting this vocabulary is a necessary step to educate the wide-ranging groups who are affected by the war; to discredit those who either passively or actively, or wittingly or unwittingly support Islamic totalitarian terrorism; and to reveal the truly insidious nature of our enemy.

What Are We Really Saying?

This essay discusses the most egregious and dangerous misuses of language regarding Islamic totalitarian terrorists; a comprehensive study would require a book. We begin with the word jihad, which literally means striving and generally occurs as part of the expression jihad fi sabil illah, striving in the path of God. Striving in the path of God is a duty of all Muslims. Calling our enemies jihadis and their movement a global jihad thus indicates that we recognize their doctrines and actions as being in the path of God and, for Muslims, legitimate. In short, we explicitly designate ourselves as the enemies of Islam.

Muslims have debated the meaning and application of the concept of jihad for centuries. Our application of the term to the actions of our enemies puts us on their side of the debate. We need not concern ourselves with the identification of the original or legally correct meaning of the term; individual Muslims will make up their own minds. As Professor Streusand has previously written, "Classical texts speak only to, not for, contemporary Muslims." It is also important to note that opposing jihad, a basic principle of Islam, violates a classical text of our own. The United States Constitution denies our government the ability to prohibit the free exercise of religion; consequently, we should never use a term, such as jihad, that misstates our current and historical position on religion.

Mujahid (plural mujahidin or mujahideen): one who participates in jihad, and frequently translated in the American media as "holy warrior." The use of this term designates the activity of the enemy as jihad and thus legitimizes it. It was quite proper for us to describe the warriors who resisted the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan as mujahidin, many of whom are now our allies in Afghanistan. To extend the term to our current enemies dishonors our allies as well as authenticates our opponents as warriors for Islam. Even to a Western audience it can lend a sense of nobility to an otherwise ignoble enemy.

Caliphate (khlilafa): This term literally means successor and came to refer to the successors of the Prophet Muhammad as the political leaders of the Muslim community. Sunni Muslims traditionally regard the era of the first four caliphs (632-661) as an era of just rule. Accepting our enemies' description of their goal as the restoration of a historical caliphate again validates an aspect of their ideology. Al-Qa`ida's caliphate would not mean the re-establishment of any historical regime; it would be a global totalitarian state. Anyone who needs a preview of how such a state would act merely has to review the conduct of the Taliban in Afghanistan before September 11, 2001.

Allah: the word Allah in Arabic means the God, nothing more, nothing less. It is not specifically Muslim; Arabic speaking Christians and Jews also use it. In English, Allah should be translated as God, not transliterated. While translation emphasizes the common heritage of Judaism, Christianity and Islam (the three faiths which identify their God as the God of Abraham) it does not imply that the Abrahamic faiths share identical concepts of God. Even though some Muslims use Allah rather than God in English, the practice exaggerates the divisions among Judaism, Christianity and Islam.3

What Are the Right Words for the Job?

Now that a few unsuitable word choices have been addressed, it is time to begin to identify the proper expressions to use whenever discussing the global Islamic totalitarian terrorist movement. Many of these terms will be unfamiliar to Westerners, but not to most Muslim audiences. Only those who actively, passively or even unwittingly support al-Qa`ida's (and similar groups) professed goals would find the terms, and their use by non-Muslims, offensive.

To refute challenges to the new context surrounding these expressions, any user of these terms must be able to define the words in order to defend their accuracy and the appropriateness of their use. Otherwise anyone who dares to define the enemy using its own Islamic language can be challenged by a variety of "pundits" who still see the struggle in terms of religion or poverty rather than political ideology; who despise Western society, capitalism or democracy; or who oppose the war for any other reason.

Hirabah: this word, which is derived from the Arabic root which refers to war or combat, means sinful warfare, warfare contrary to Islamic law. There is ample legal justification for applying this term to Islamic totalitarian terrorists and no moral ambiguity in its connotation. We should describe the Islamic totalitarian movement as the global hirabah, not the global jihad.4

Mufsid (moofsid): this word refers to an evil or corrupt person; the plural is mufsidun. We call our enemies mufsidun, not jihadis, for two reasons. Again, there is no moral ambiguity and the specific denotation of corruption carries enormous weight in most of the Islamic world.

Fitna/fattan: fitna literally means temptation or trial, but has come to refer to discord and strife among Muslims; a fattan is a tempter or subversive. Applying these terms to our enemies and their works condemns their current activities as divisive and harmful.5 It also identifies them with movements and individuals in Islamic history with negative reputations such as the assassins of the Caliph `Uthman in 656, who created the first fissure in the political unity of the Muslim community.

Totalitarian: calling our enemies totalitarian serves several purposes. There is no such thing as a benign totalitarianism. Totalitarianism is a Western invention and it appeared in the Islamic world as a result of Western influence (first fascist, then Marxist- Leninist). It is also in direct contrast to the idea that the enemy would actually establish a caliphate if they defeat the United States, our allies and coalition partners.

Not the Last Word, Just the Beginning.

This essay is neither definitive nor complete. It is only the beginning of a "primer" of the terminology used to describe Islamic totalitarian movements. There should be far more discussion about the right words to use to describe the variety of threats posed by transnational terrorists-Islamic groups and others. This article, we hope will help jumpstart the discourse.

Notwithstanding the fact that this article is a small beginning, the terms proposed herein should become an indispensable part of the vocabulary of America's leaders, reporters and friends immediately. The wrong terms promote the idea that terrorist elements represent legitimate Islamic concepts, which in turn might aid in the enemy recruitment of disenfranchised Muslims because we have identified to them a seemingly "traditional" outlet through which they can voice their dissatisfaction. It is essential to use the right language to address worldwide problems so that various audiences-which include the American-Muslim community-understand the full scope of the problem and are intellectually able to identify with potential solutions that are reasonable and ethical.

This paper offers word choices not just for public officials and correspondents but even students in the classroom and others studying terrorism. In fact, anyone who is interested in current events should have some familiarity with these words as well as the concepts and new dialogue they represent. We must use the right turn of phrase whenever attempting to inform and educate; language is a key component for us to be able to, in a way that makes sense to any audience, ask for assistance or demand action that will help defeat the scourge of Islamic totalitarian terrorism.

NOTES

1. National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, The 9/11 Commission Report (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, undated), 377.

2. The 9/11 Commission's own report is guilty of this by using Jihad (and other variations of the term such as Jihadists) throughout. Jihad, discussed more in detail later, does not have a negative connotation for most Muslims-even when combined with descriptions of terrorist purpose or action.

3. On this issue see Daniel Pipes, "Is Allah God," FrontPageMagazine.com, June 28, 2005, at http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=18577.

4. James Guirard of the TrueSpeak Institute explains the reasons for using the term hirabah rather than jihad in "Terrorism: Hirabah versus Jihad: Rescuing Jihad from the al-Qaeda Blasphemy," American Muslim, July-August, 2003 athttp://theamericanmuslim.org/2003
jul_comments.php?id=349_0_21_0_C. Guirard's approach underlies this entire article.

5. For example the leader of al-Qa`ida in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, has stated that Shiites are rafada or rejecters of Islam. The Salafist Sunni terrorist groups, the most well-known of which is al- Qa`ida, do not recognize other traditional Islamic sects as acceptable or Muslims. Use of rafada is from Fouad Ajami, "Heart of Darkness," Wall Street Journal, September 28, 2005, pg.16. As cited in the on-line version of The Early Bird, https://www.us.army.mil/suite/earlybird/
sep2005/e20050928393978.html, accessed September 28, 2005. The al-Qa`ida attack of civilian weddings at three hotels in Amman Jordan on November 9, 2005 is another case in point of terrorist attempts to promote discord among Muslims. The attacks killed 57 people and wounded 115, the majority of whom were Jordanian and Palestinian. Direct attacks by al-Qa`ida in Iraq against Shiite holy sites throughout Iraq continue as of February 28, 2006.

Also available online at:
http://www.ndu.edu/csc/docs/Choosing%20Words%20Carefully--
Language%20to%20Help%20Fight%20Islamic%20
Terrorism%2024%20May%2006.pdf

The long and the short of it:
To use the terms of al-Qa'ida (jihad/jihadis=holy war/holy warriors) legitimizes the actions of the terrorists. Learn the vocabulary and apply it appropriately.

A few graduation shots

2006-07-14T13:56:00.000-07:00

Entrance

Assembly

Exit

Post-Graduation Pictures

2006-07-14T13:43:00.000-07:00

Back at the hotel

Enjoying the last moments of freedom

Back at FLW

Mom & Chris being invaded by knats

Chris tiring of the photoshoot (& me)

It's Right Around the Corner....

2006-07-12T21:13:00.000-07:00

Wow! Time really does fly...when I originally posted this in July, September seemed like ages away. Of course, having a birthday in September probably helped to speed time up a bit!

I hope you've had a chance to check the Tanker Brothers out- they're working hard for all of us (and manage to keep a very active blog....unlike yours truly!!!)

Don't worry, I'll be sure to report the details of my Victory Fast Day.

Original Post:

UPDATE! UPDATE!
09/24-my coffee & diet coke day!

Okay, I've tried very hard to keep this blog as politically neutral as possible, but I must breakaway from the norm here for what I consider a worthy cause.

I find the actions of Cindy Sheehan offensive and almost cringe giving her precious space on my son's page...HOWEVER, as long as she is riding her 15 minutes of fame on the blood of her soldier-son, I'm hoping more and more people will see her for who she really is (not a grief-stricken mother, but a publicity-seeking opportunist!)

One of the blogs I frequently visit started this "counter-fast" in response to Sheehan's newest publicity quest. It's symbolic, of course, and I doubt any participants will be sought after by the press for an interview. Certainly, no one will profit from their endeavor. However, anyone who accepts the task can look themselves in the mirror, knowing their stomach growls for a noble cause...canceling-out the efforts of anti-military kookbirds!

So, why not check it out (below) and sign up?!

Tanker Brothers - Two Soldiers In The War On Terror

American Soldier

2006-07-11T11:39:00.000-07:00

It's official...and I am very proud!

Happy Independence Day!

2006-07-04T03:04:00.000-07:00

The reason we celebrate.

We Have MUSIC!

2006-06-24T15:24:00.000-07:00

GOD BLESS THE USA!

Update: Music no longer available.
(Turn up your speakers)

When News Happens...

2006-06-23T18:06:00.000-07:00

I report it...eventually!

Amazingly, Chris is less than two weeks from graduation. (I say, "amazingly" because my boy has faced more than his share of obstacles in the last few weeks.)

First there was the pink-eyes setback. Not pleasant, but quickly and easily curable. As I predicted, once Chris could actually see clearly again, his rifle-marksmanship improved. (There was something he said about some problem with his rifle, but I had no idea what he was talking about, and couldn't find anything on Google remotely close to what I think he said.) Apparently, everything fell into place, because he qualified. My son is now a Marksman.

Things are looking up...until Chris calls home on a Tuesday afternoon. This can't be good... He's in the emergency room. Dear Lord...He sprained his ankle. Whew! A sprain? Well, could've been worse...

Chris' only concern was having his graduation date delayed. He is absolutely determined to graduate on-time, with his platoon. I told him to try to take it easy on the ankle when he's given the chance. He told me he would, but he wasn't going to let this hold him back. (This is a new development in Chris' character: in the past, when faced with a set-back, Chris would throw in the towel. Now he's talking about doing whatever it takes. Quitting- even slowing down- isn't an option.) I am impressed.

Then, Friday June 9th came, and everything ground to a halt. The unexpected passing of his grandfather seemed to break the resolve that had kept Chris moving forward through his potential setbacks. He wanted to come home for the funeral. Nothing else mattered.

(If you haven't read about the extraordinary measures the Army took to help Chris get home without jeopardizing his graduation status, you can read about it HERE.)

I have to say, although the circumstances were heartbreaking, it was a wonderful experience having my son home for a few days. While waiting for his flight to arrive, I really didn't know what to expect. Naturally, he was one of the last people off the plane...

And he looked bigger! He hasn't been gone all that long, but I swear- he looked bigger! Maybe, it was the uniform. Maybe, it was the way he carried himself. Maybe, he's put on a couple of pounds (muscle, of course- he's always been blessed with a slim physique.) Whatever it was, I marvelled at his transformation as I hugged him through my tears.

I think Chris may have been surprised at the grateful remarks he received from perfect strangers. I am positive he understood his worth as an American Soldier by the time he returned to FLW. During his brief stay I noticed some remarkable changes. First of all, he speaks louder and clearer. (This is a good thing, because he always used to sound like he was talking with a mouthful of marbles.) Second, he is polite- to everyone. He said "yes sir" or "no ma'am" to cashiers in stores. Third, he's more generous. (Yes, it wasn't too long ago, when he wanted everything in the world, and not only that- he felt entitled to it. And if he couldn't have it, that was the end of the world.) Now, he's offering to help me get things.

All of this, and he's still in basic training. Color me impressed!

Holy Cow! We've been noticed!

2006-06-22T12:15:00.000-07:00

Tanker Brothers - Two Soldiers In The War On Terror

Real soldiers with a real blog have stopped by- and actually gave us a plug!

I am honored.

Mike Antonucci: Mercy Links vs. Godzilla

2006-06-22T03:53:00.000-07:00

Our very first link!

No! It is NOT a pity link!

(Okay you thesaurus-wielding killjoys...I know "mercy" means pity!)

Today, Mercy Link; tomorrow, Technorati Domination!

Mike Antonucci: Mercy Links vs. Godzilla

List of Army Acronyms and Expressions

2006-06-22T03:29:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, Chris forgets I am a civilian. I have realized that sharing a conversation with my soldier entails alot of acronyms on his side, and alot of "Googling" on my side. (Note to the preparers of the "Guide for Future Soldiers and Their Families": glossaries are good...a pull-out civilian "cheat sheet" even better!)

The Fantasticalest people at Wikipedia have rescued me from many a "huh?" moment the past couple of months with their Awesometacular list of Army Acronyms and Expressions. I'm sure this isn't complete, I hope it's accurate. At any rate, for those of us that don't say "hooah" at the end of every other sentence, here's your very own Army to Civilian Pocket Translator:

Official acronyms and initialisms

5-Ton - Refers to any tactical truck with a cargo capacity of 5 tons.
AAM - Army Achievement Medal.
AAR - After Action Review (formerly: After Action Report)
ABN - Airborne
AC - Aircraft Commander
ACU - Army Combat Uniform.
AIT - Advanced Infantry Training; Advanced Individual Training (specialty training post-BCT).
ALICE - All-purpose LIghtweight Carrying Equipment.
AO - Area of Operations.
APC - Armored Personnel Carrier.
APFT - Army Physical Fitness Test
ARCAM - Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal.
ARCOM - ARmy COMmendation medal.
ASAP - As Soon As Possible (pronounced AY-sap), but usually meaning "Do it right now."
ASI - Additional Skill Identifier; such as F7 (Pathfinder)
or W5 (Jumpmaster). Used at the end of an MOS code to designate skill
trained personnel. Example: 11B4VW5= 11B (Infantryman) 4 (Skill level 4
or SFC/E-7) V (an SQI or Skill Qualification Identifier of V equaling
airborne ranger) W5 (Jumpmaster).
ASOC - Air Support Operations Center
ASW - Anti-Submarine Warfare
AWOL - Absent WithOut Leave (ie. not at one's place of duty, and not authorized to be absent, for more than 24 hours)
BAH - Basic Allowance for Housing (formerly BAQ)
BAQ - Basic Allowance for Quarters
BCD - Bad Conduct Discharge (slang for Bad Conduct Discharge = Big Chicken Dinner)
BDU - Battle Dress Uniform
BCT - Basic Combat Training (familiarly: Basic Training or Basic), Brigade Combat Team (see also HBCT, IBCT, SBCT)
BEQ - Bachelor Enlisted' Quarters
BOQ - Bachelor Officers' Quarters
BX - Base eXchange: Air Force name for a PX (see below).
CASEVAC - CASualty EVACuation
CBR - Chemical-Biological-Radiological (See NBC)
CIB - Combat Infantryman Badge
CO - Commanding Officer (also: conscientious objector)
COB - Close Of Business - the end of the day or duty shift.
Meaning: by the end of the duty day. Usage: "Get that to me by COB
today!!!"
CONUS - CONtinental United States
CQ - Charge of Quarters. A company-level position of
responsibility for units who house troops in their areas. Given to a
mid-level or junior NCO who is responsible for the company's barracks
and area during off-duty hours when the company commander and/or First
Sergeant are not present. Lasts from COB (usually 1700 hours) to First
Formation (usually 0600 hours) the next day during the work week. On
weekends the duty hours are adjusted accordingly.
CWO - Chief Warrant Officer
DA - Department of the Army
DCM- Distinguished Conduct Medal
DCU - Desert Camouflage Uniform (not official)
DD or DoD - Department of Defense
DFAC - Dining Facility (Mess Hall or Cafeteria)
DPICM - Dual Purpose Improved Comventional Munitions (An Artillery Round)
DX - Direct Exchange (of damaged equipment)
ETS - Expiration of Term of Service (scheduled date of separation from active duty).
FARP - Forward Area Refuel/Rearm Point/Position
FEBA - Forward Edge of Battle Area
FTX - Field Training Exercise.
GMC - General Military Course
GCM - Good Conduct Medal
HBCT - Heavy Brigade Combat Team
HE - High Explosive
HEMTT - Heavy Extended Mobility Tactical Truck.
HMMWV Humvee - High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle
IAW - In Accordance With
IBCT - Infantry Brigade Combat Team
IED - Improvised Explosive Device
IG - Inspector General
IRR - Individual Ready Reserve
KIA - Killed in Action
LBV - Load Bearing Vest, for carrying ammunition, water, and other tactical loads while in the field, or during an assault
MEDEVAC - MEDical EVACuation to an aid station or field hospital, usu. by air ambulance
MIA - Missing in Action; missing in a battle situation, not known if alive or dead.
MLRS - Multiple Launch Rocket System
MM- Military Medal
MOAB - officially, Massive Ordnance Air Blast (slang:
Mother Of All Bombs-a dig at Saddam Hussein's characterization of his
defeat in the First Gulf War as the "Mother Of All Battles").
MOLLE - MOdular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment
MOS
- Military Occupational Specialty—formal job classification, usually
expressed as a number or number/letter combination— e.g., 11B
Infantryman.
MOPP
- Mission-Oriented Protective Postures - Established procedures to deal
with the effects of CBR/NBC weapons use. Chemical Protective Suits are
called "MOPP suits".
MP - Military Police.
MRE - officially: Meals, Ready to Eat; (slang: Meals Rejected/Refused by Ethiopians or: Meals Rejected by the Enemy)
NCO - Non-Commissioned Officer: an enlisted person with command responsibility; Corporal to Command Sergeant Major ; see also Specialist.
NBC - Nuclear-Biological-Chemical weapons, equipment, environment, and procedures
O/O - Order of Operations
OCONUS - Outside CONtinental United States, includes Alaska and Hawaii
OCS - Officer Candidate School
OLC - Oak Leaf Cluster (signifying subsequent awards)
OPORD - Operations order
OSUT - One Station Unit Training; combination of BCT and AIT where the soldier remains in the same unit for both training portions
PCS - Permanent Change of Station, reassignment to a different duty station
PERSCOM - PERSonnel COMmand, short for United States Army Personnel Command. Now known as HRC, or the Human Resources Command
PIR - Parachute Infantry Regiment.
PLF - Parachute Landing Fall
PMCS - Preventive Maintenance Checks and Services
POV - Privately-Owned Vehicle, a soldier's personal automobile.
POW - Prisoner of War
PW - Prisoner of War
PT - Physical Training. Used in the plural (PT's), it refers to the PT Uniform.
PX - Post eXchange. A multipurpose store which usually includes a barber shop and a convenience store.
REMF - Rear Echelon MotherF*cker - To Combat Arms soldiers, anyone other than them
RPG - Rocket Propelled Grenade
ROTC - Reserve Officer Training Corps, often pronounced ("ROT-SEE")
SDO Staff Duty Officer - Same duty as CQ (see above) but done by a Senior NCO at Battalion level or above
SBCT - Stryker Brigade Combat Team
SOCOM-Special Operations COMmand. This is the military
organization that oversees the activities of such elite units as the US
Navy SEALs and US Army Delta Force among others.
SOP - Standard Operating Procedure
STRAC - STRategic Army Corps;
STRAC units were those designated to be on high alert to move anywhere
in 72 hours or less; as slang, means tight, together, by the book; when
said with sarcasm by a combat unit about a REMF unit it refers to
stupid troops running around in circles
SITREP - SITuational REPort
STX - Situational Training Exercise
TC - Tank Commander
TDY - Temporary Duty
TF - Task Force
USAREUR - US Army Europe (HQ: Heidelberg)
UXO - UneXploded Ordnance
XO - Executive Officer (officer second-in-command to the CO)
V/R - Very Respectfully. The standard closure line on official mail/e-mail
VBIED - Vehicle-borne Improvised Explosive Device
VDM- Visually Distinguishing Mark
WO - Warning Order
WP - White Phosphorous
ZI - Zone of Interior, the United States. See also CONUS, which is more commonly used

source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Army few get to see...

2006-06-21T23:48:00.000-07:00

Chris' grandfather (my father) died suddenly Friday, June 9th. With heavy hearts, we contacted the Red Cross to get word to Chris at Ft. Leonard Wood. Chris was very close to his "Paw-Paw." And his Paw-Paw was extremely proud of him.
(As a parent, it broke my heart to have a stranger deliver this news to my son. Even worse, knowing he had to endure this grief over 800 miles away from his mother's arms.)
He took it very hard. He called home. He wanted to come back for the funeral.

A dilemma.

Chris has been working very hard to graduate on schedule. It was the most important thing in the world to him until that day. His grandfather would never have wanted him to jeopardize this goal on his account. Never. No way.

But Chris needed to be here. He needed to say "good-bye."
(Keep in mind, this is my first foray into the Army way of life, so I have no idea what the protocol is in these situations.)

What I learned is that the Army truly takes care of their own- even the E-1's. By the time I hung up the phone, the process of getting Chris home had begun. I didn't even have to think about graduation, because the "powers that be" in FLW would take care of that. I spoke with Staff Sgt. N- and when I say this man "lives the Army values," I mean I was humbled by his concern, and grateful for his knowledge and authority to "take care of things" on their end.

Chris could come home for 5 days without jeopardizing his graduation. If I could get the flight out of Springfield, Staff Sgt. N. would make sure Chris was on it.

***A most important, heartfelt "thank you" to the Officer (who's name I have unfortunately forgotten) who made the two-hour drive to the Springfield airport, so a grieving mother and son could be together in their darkest hour.***

Our entire family is deeply touched and sincerely grateful to everyone at Fort Leonard Wood who helped to make this difficult time just a little bit easier.

God Bless You & God Bless the USA.

In Loving Memory

2006-06-20T20:58:00.000-07:00

July 25, 1946-June 9, 2006
Beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, nephew, friend
We Miss You.

Bump in the Road

2006-06-11T13:03:00.000-07:00

M-16 Rifle

    Basic Rifle Markmanship (BRM) is proving more difficult than Chris expected. It doesn't help that his pink-eye spread to both eyes! Although it's clearing up, he's still having trouble with his M-16. He's really not used to having trouble doing something. To be honest, I can't think of a single thing he has ever set out to do, that he hasn't been able to do well, and with ease. (Of course that doesn't mean that he actually applies himself when the situation calls for it- i.e. his last five years of school...)
    I don't know anything about firearms, so this is a situation where I can offer encouragement, but not advice. So, I just reminded him that he can certainly do anything he sets his mind to, and not to get too discouraged (he's only been at it a week- with a visual handicap at that,) because all he needs is practice.
    In my opinion, if there is a single skill a soldier must master above anything else, it's how to fire their weapon accurately and with confidence. I know Chris can do this, and I know the thought of repeating this course of training is terribly disheartening to him, but for his safety and the safety of his comrades and innocent civilians, I hope he will come to understand just how important this phase of training truly is.