Taking the Lid Off

01/11/2021

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20/10/2021

The podcast is back with a valuable episode on personal security. If you’re wondering about advice on how to secure your personal data using things like VPNs, secure messaging and email then have a listen. Apple and YouTube links in the comments.

https://takingthelidoff.libsyn.com/personal-data-security

In this episode I talk with my friend and security expert Justin about protecting your personal data. We talk about using secure email and messaging as well as using VPNs and browsers. Find more from Justin at https://swiftsilentdeadly.com

13/10/2021

05/10/2021

Any vets run into this as they got out of the military? It’s about the same as credit. I’ll be running into this as a new helicopter pilot when I’m done getting all my certifications.

22/09/2021

🤷‍♂️

19/09/2021

Sunday Scripture from
Self explanatory. 🙏

11/09/2021

This post is mainly to capture my story of where I was when 9/11 happened. Feel free to share yours as well.

I was a young sergeant serving as a sniper in the battalion scout platoon for 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division. We were “on the rocks” in our formation area with our gear waiting to go to a live fire range. We were going to do some react to contact drills and “Aussie peels” as I remember.

Someone from our platoon hollered out the window for us to come upstairs and see what was happening. As we got up there we were just in time to see the second plane hit on the one large screen tv that was in (either specialist or sergeant at the time) McBride’s room. It was the kind of large screen TV that weighed 500 pounds back then, not flat screens like today. We just stood and watched wondering what our futures held.

We ended up going to the range anyway knowing we’d likely be shut down. We sat there listening to range control on the radio as they eventually started shutting down all the ranges and airspace and telling everyone to return to their units.

After that our battalion was put on lockdown one company at a time to respond in case anything happened at Fort Bragg. We had no idea if/when there would be more targets hit and Fort Bragg seemed like a likely place to hit.

I didn’t get to go home for three days due to being a sniper team for the quick reaction force. Guys that did get to go home either didn’t make it to work or it took them hours to get into work thanks to all the searches being done at the gates. Funny enough, when I finally got to go home I left super early the next day to make it into work and because they had stopped searching every single vehicle I ended up getting to work at like 0300 in the morning. I pulled a spare mattress out in an extra room and slept till time for formation.

From there, things changed….

11/09/2021

There are tons of posts today saying “Never Forget” when clearly much of our country has forgotten. Maybe don’t post that if you’ve every called for things like defunding the police or taking a knee during the anthem.

The media is busy this morning talking about the unity we had following the attacks when they’re the exact ones that have worked the hardest along with the politicians to divide us.

Ironically, on the 20th anniversary the taliban just got what they wanted days ago. It’s a tough day to try and remember with the emotions of the failure still lingering.

10/09/2021

Let’s have this same energy against the terrorists that killed 13 service members in Kabul.

Let’s have this same energy against China for causing this debacle and many other reasons to retaliate against them.

Let’s have this same energy about heart disease, cancer and obesity.

Let’s have this same energy about veteran su***de and mental health in America period.

Why don’t we have this same energy at the many other things that are issues in our country? Makes you wonder…..

08/09/2021

This agency to help these refugees adjust is a really good thing. Most people won’t understand the culture shock these people are about to have. Children in America have more possessions in their own room that entire Afghani families have.

Could you imagine living off the land and in a mud hut with no bathroom your entire life and then you come to America? What would going to a grocery store be like? These people are about to get overwhelmed with abundance.

Now if we could just send the people who think America is so terrible to Afghanistan for some culture shock.

Bridge Refugee Services is preparing to receive more Afghan refugees.

01/09/2021

This is what we mean when we say “mil-spec”……

Never be afraid to test out new techniques, that's what training is for.

01/09/2021

On a lighter note, I’m considering new flying shoes….. Floafers

31/08/2021

We need to take a moment to recognize the “Order from Chaos” that the 82nd Airborne took care of during a very crazy time. They were handed what would be a near impossible mission if not for their preparation and professionalism.

Imagine being one of those young soldiers standing guard keeping back all those people literally dying to get on a plane to freedom. They’re humans too and I’m sure most wanted to let everyone through they could, but they’re also following orders.

Imagine being that Company, Battalion or Brigade Commander and First Sergeant getting handed this mission which was not only tough on it’s own, but multiply that 100x with all the pressure from the eyes on them. Every General and Congressional official’s eyes and weights of their office bearing down on them. It’s the kind of thing that can make or break your career.

Imagine sitting there as a young warrior wanting nothing more than to go out and do your job and rescue Americans along with other allies to get them to safety. And then imagine being told “we’re not authorized”.

They knew the cost and they did their job like not many could. They had the weight of the Afghan people pressing on one side with the weight of both rank and elected officials bearing down on the other side.

These soldiers are heroes. They are the best of us. They deserve all the honor, praise and 10% discount at Lowe’s they can get. The news will go back to covering whatever athlete is kneeling during the anthem or protests about how terrible our country is, meanwhile the soldiers of the 82nd will return to that proverbial wall standing guard quietly. (They’ll also need a few beers, get ready Fayetteville)

All the way

31/08/2021

Biden checking his watch was worse than it appeared. Listen to these new Gold Star fathers and what they had to say. Imagine watching your child’s casket come off a plane and the president who put them there is checking his watch during the transfer ceremony.

President Joe Biden needs to issue a public apology.

30/08/2021

For those that have taken part in either ramp-side or other memorial ceremonies for the fallen, could you imagine checking your watch during the ceremony?

29/08/2021

If we trust the Taliban so much that we are willing to negotiate with them, give them names of American citizens trying to get out and believe when they say they will allow Americans to travel freely beyond our withdrawal….

Why are we closing the embassy and not keeping it open? We trust them right?

Pic just because.

26/08/2021

The United States Government is negotiating with terrorists despite what the White House spin machine says. They’re own .gov website states them as such. Even worse, we were relying on them(the Taliban) for a perimeter around the airport in Kabul so we can evacuate our citizens and allies.

There are now multiple service members dead and this is just the start. We need to unleash hell, stack some bodies and get our people to safety. President Biden and his national security staff have proven themselves incompetent on multiple levels. They need to execute or get out of the way.