Will Unusual Background Robert Wilkie Keep Him Out?
President Trumpβs new pick for VA Secretary is, on paper, the perfect candidate for such a high-profile military administrative post. Maybe too good to be true.
In the past two decades, we have seen a variety of backgrounds for secretaries of the agency. Shinseki and Peake ran branches of the military. McDonald ran a major corporation. Shulkin rank a major medical system.
So what do we know about the present nominee Robert Wilkie? Not much until Washington Post and a few other publications did some digging.
He grew up on Fort Bragg, North Carolina, with a Purple Heart recipient for a father. He has had his own successful career as an Air Force reserve officer. Heβs a licensed attorney with extensive experience working in DOD and working with Congress. Seems like a golden-boy, shoo-in appointment.
Can we object to a candidate so well put together? Only if some unusual dirt comes up during the vetting process.
While he is good on paper, Wilkie’s background investigations are revealing some skeletons that may be raising some eyebrows among veterans nationwide and on Capitol Hill.
Wilkie LGBT Stance
His stance on the LGBT community is the first one that jumped about at me since many veterans identify with the community. It would stand to reason a future Sec VA should be agnostic on this topic.
But when it comes to gay personnel and veterans, Wilkie’s position pretty clear-cut and negative. βWeak, morally sick wretches,β Wilkie called them on record.
This type of statement is growing less common in todayβs political landscape, so it is surprising to see a candidate for Secretary of VA with such a position since the agency serves veterans from all backgrounds.
Maybe President Donald Trump did not use traditional vetting channels?
Confederate Flag?
Perhaps less controversial for some readers, if only because it is less recent, this publication condemns his 1993 public defense of an organization whose logo included the Confederate flag.
Wilkie is fascinated with Confederate regalia, though his colleagues on both sides of the aisle acknowledge that his ancestors fought for the Confederacy.
When considering the impact of a symbol as emotional as the Confederate flag, however, itβs important to note that Wilkieβs ancestry is an exceptional situation. Most people viewing that flag will have markedly different ancestors in mind.
That speculation aside, Retired Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Arnold L. Punaro believes any concern about Wilkie’s previous interest in the Confederacy is overblown. A former Democratic staff director on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Punaro said that in more than 30 years of knowing Wilkie, he never saw βany of the leanings of Jesse Helms when it comes to the issues people were concerned about.β
βIf the implication is that because he is interested in [events that commemorate the Confederacy] he somehow doesnβt treat everyone with dignity and respect β I would say that doesnβt logically follow,β Punaro said. βBecause if you know the guy, thatβs just not who he is.β
So maybe the flag issue raised by Washington Post is a non-issue.
To me, the real question is whether Robert Wilkie going to be transparent with us? Will he treat all veterans fairly?
At the end of the day, it seems likely Wilkie will be selected. We need to encourage him and his entourage to pursue transparency while removing corrupt leadership that has infested VA at every level.
Got to admit, I’m skerd. Now with all this other VA bullshit, and how all the comments are negative, this makes me even more skerder.
So against the odds, this skerdness has forced me into the hands of the competent VA for in-facility counseling for 3 months. Do you think I’ll survive? I mean I’m getting all the fired up for it and shit. I heard this Program is the one that will really bust you up and to make things worse.
You folks need to pull together to find a way to get the VA out from being protected by Federal Tort Laws. Yep, that’s the plaque that blocking the VA from EVER BEING THREATENED TO CHANGE.
That’s what I’m looking and talking about, fucking feel me now? Stop playing and look for a main point for attack, then find the best way to implement such to get the job done and fucking out of the way. Military tactics, where the fuck is everyone at? Wake up.
Don’t get mad at me, been wanting to say this now for over a year. Figure out where VA’s carotid artery is, forget the jugular.
Good to hear from you again anuttervet, A suggestion try to get choice, and go somewhere else, but at times there may be no options, if not, setup some contacts on the outside to always check on you and have them call or visit. And watch some of those medicines they push, were getting older and some of it ain’t none too good for us. Anyways hope it helped a little bit if not disregard.
It is way past time for some real leadership at the VA. Leadership that speaks truth publicly about how bad things have really gotten. Leadership that develops solutions to take better care of ALL our nations warriors.
Leadership that recognizes that when they are doing a good job β β β it will be veterans singing their praises, rather than the VA needing a PR Agency to put out βFluff Piecesβ to mislead America and her citizens about what a stellar job they are doing.
They are not. In fact, they are doing a very pyss-poor job.
The VA has a first-world budget which they use to provide veterans less than third-world medical care and benefits. Current VA leadership has their Brain Housing Group the size of mice and their Heart no bigger. It is about TWENTY YEARS PAST TIME TO FIX THE DAMN BROKEN VA:
1. IMMEDIATELY recognize the problems inherent in the VA are SYSTEM-WIDE, not just limited to a few locations.
2. Fire all the Lazy No Good Workers. Fire EVERY single AFGE/SES Employee.
3. Sell off all the VA facilities. Alternatively, they may be converted into military barracks-style housing for homeless veterans. These will be run with military-style rules to promote good order and discipline.
4. Issue all veterans a card that allows them to choose their own doctors within their community that they can TRUST.
5. The United States Government will PAY those doctors promptly (Within 45 days) for the care they provide veterans.
6. ELIMINATE the βFederal Protectionβ Umbrella for incompetent QUACKS that the VA sends to other states to practice other than their own. Going to practice in XX state? You need to be LICENSED in XX state.
7. Any claim a veteran submits to the VBA that requires more than 90 days to adjudicate, is automatically found to be in favor of the veteran. Should a veteran file a false claim to scam the system, the VA will have to prove in civil court that the claim was falsely submitted. For filing a false claim, the veteran will be subject to ALL of the following:
(A). The claim shall be denied. If the veteran has received any form of benefits because of the false claim they will be required to fully repay the benefits at cost.
(B). The veteran will be banned from all VA facilities for the remainder of their life.
(C). The veteran will lose any benefits they originally have or had, and will not be allowed to file for further benefits.
8. All veterans will be allowed to seek/retain the services of a Veterans Rights Attorney from their first initial contact with the VA. This will help to protect the legal rights of veterans against corrupt and incompetent VA employees.
9. No AFGE, nor any other Labor Union business will be allowed to take place in any Federal Workplace. Conducting Union Business during working hours will be STRICTLY PROHIBITED and will be STRICTLY ENFORCED. Should any government employee be found violating this provision, it will result in IMMEDIATE LIFETIME DISMISSAL FROM ANY/ALL STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTAL EMPLOYMENT.
10. Attorneys for appeal will be retained at the former employeeβs PERSONAL expense. U. S. Taxpayerβs will not be subject to payment of legal bills for incompetent or dishonest personnel with regards to Governmental Employment.
You have my contact information Mr. President. Call me anytime. I have a lot of ideas to help this nation improve the services provided to my fellow veterans. The ones that were promised but have yet to be delivered upon. Veterans have been waiting for over fifty years for the fulfillment of those promises. I will not hesitate to speak up at all.
For my fellow veterans who have been ill-served by this DERAILED CLUSTERFUCK of an AWFUL TRAIN WRECK CALLED THE VA over the years:
Our battles overseas were far less stressful than our war here at home. Never Cruel or Cowardly. Never Give Up. Never Give In. We are on the Righteous path.
POTUS Reagan broke up PATCO in the β80βs. Time for POTUS Trump to break up the AFGE. The vast majority of our current Congress Critters do NOT have Veterans Interests at heart. Perhaps their replacements will. VOTE OUT all these WORTHLESS BASTARDS.
Give their replacementβs one term to take care of Veterans who put aside their own personal lives to answer this nationβs call when she needed them. Many of those Veterans suffer the remainder of their lives for doing what most of their countrymen had not the courage to do.
If they cannot MUSTER THE STONES to do it properly β β β vote their worthless asses out as well. Party should NOT MATTER. What SHOULD MATTER is their VOTING RECORDS ON VETERANS ISSUES.
Rhetoric is cheap. Congressional Voting Records on veterans issues speak louder than words.
NO Combat Veteran should be surprised when the next McVeigh, Congressional Baseball Team, or Las Vegas Sniper Incident occurs. Bound to happen. Just a matter of time . . .
We have now reached the next accelerative phase of our country falling apart. Country before Party. Principles before Personalities. Always.
Want to REALLY fix the VA? The next SecVA needs to be a former Enlisted Man brought in from the general veteran population with a few serious axes to grind against the VA and the AFGE, with zero previous governmental civilian service. Apparently, Former Flag Officers and SES appointed Civilians canβt cut the mustard . . .
Maybe a SINCERELY MOTIVATED Gunnery Sergeant or Chief Petty Officer CAN.
Disgruntled Veteran
1973 β 1976 USMC
1978 β 1993 USN
Wounded Warrior
There was a time being LGBT was considered being “mentally ill” by the DSM.
I believe people have a right to their opinion and as long as they can carry out their job w/o letting their personal beliefs cloud their decisons, I believe it’s ok.
Me, personally? I believe our military has turned into a place where people want to carry out all their social experiments (i.e. putting women in combat roles, paying for transitioning) – when that is far from what a military is for. I believe all this has watered down and distracted us from our mission.
I could go on and on, but we live in a time where if you don’t wanna bake a cake for someone, instead of them respecting “your” right to your beliefs/practices – you’re labeled an “ist” or “obe”. Last time I looked, tolerance should go both ways and all lately, so called “tolerance” is only if you’re on the left or liberal.
Look at what happened to Ms. Huckabee…chasing someone out of a restaurant is a form of “tolerance”? And certain people like Maxine Waters giving marching orders for more things like this to take place? Seriously?
Rant over….
This Wilkie guy? I don’t care if every weekend he gets on a horse, puts on a white hood and lights a burning cross on someone’s lawn…because the VA’s mission is “Delay, Deny, Until You Die” and “iReallyDon’tCARE”, so for sure he will fall in line with the rest of the garbage at the VA.
I foolishly thought we’d see change with President Trump. His lack of follow up and continued cronyism at the VA changed my mind.
TaB, I am siding with you, I thought things would change, after all,…….. Veterans issues was his top priority, along with fixing the VA, along with border issues. I think enough time has passed, that our POTUS, has clearly forgotten Veterans.
Will we ever learn? Isn’t it pretty clear by now, that the only people who give a shit about Veterans, is other Veterans?, and even that is a stretch of the imagination, Veterans come in all sized and shapes, some are loyal to each other, and others would have no trouble at all, throwing any of us under the bus to put a damn penny in their pockets.
You would think, that a Veteran in control of the VA would be the optimal choice right? Not so, I mean, once exposed to all the corruption, and slime that is the VA, well………….lets just say,………… if you hang around with cotton pickers,………….you end up picking cotton.
Like others I been fighting this system for over 40 years now, nothing has changed in all that time, and nothing will change in another 40 years. They play the odds, just like Vegas, and as in Vegas, the house always wins. Lets face it, we are looking west, pissing into a east bound wind.
I do like to read everyones comments, I love the enthusiasm from the younger generations, and I loathe having to be the killjoy, but there is nothing being posted I haven’t already read, or heard 100 times before, its just packaged a little differently each time.
Fuck………..I talk too much.
Later Gators -!ii!-
President Trump will remember us exactly twice more. I’ll bet you +1 internet. We will be remembered this upcoming Veterans Day where he will interrupt any speech he gives thanking us vets for our service with self congratulatory outbursts exclaiming how much beautiful work he’s done for the vet and how wonderful Wilkie is working out. Wilkie could be punching babies and shooting crippled veterans in the face while gay bashing with 6 of his closest drunken frat bro’s but he’s still doing a bang up job. Anybody know if we’re still having a military parade this year? Maybe we should see about getting on the tail end of that with signs that say “FIX THE FUCKING VA YOU INCOMPETENT BOOB”
The second time President Trump will remember us is when he needs to start the hardcore campaigning for reelection, if he makes it that far, although by now that’s anybodies guess. In both instances he’ll be framed by a backdrop of bobbleheading VSO funny hatters who will be clapping so hard their arms may pop out of the sockets
@WyldeChylde,
The only thing Putin’s Pawn in the White House AKA POTUS D. J. Trump is doing is isolating America from the rest of the world.
The day is coming when America will need some allies. Not so sure we can count on them being there for us, when we do.
Putin made the “Deal of the Century” when Trump got elected.
The “OPERATIVE” question is……Will he be a tenacious fighter for Veteran’s Rights?
And, And…… is he will to use the CLOUT he has from the backing of the WHITE HOUSE
to fire and take pensions from the Vile Scum that infects the entire VA System. AKA the Air Force Mafia.
We know who they are and the VA can only get well if they are removed.
The Col. sends
I just called my Senators office and requested, vociferously, that my senator do what he can to hold Wilkies nomination based on his on the record remarks about the LGBT community. If you think a VA secretary should work and fight for all veterans then perhaps you should call yours and demand action.
I don’t expect any miracles. Things will undoubtedly continue to get worse and worse. WE ARE DOOMED!
Need to find way(s) to add more pressure unto VA, so that she can be embarrassing bitch slapped into righteous. Or, take the MF’ers out to the woods. Ultimatum time, a long time ago.
first check to see if he has a pair, like the kind you see hanging from the back of duallies, seen some real combat, been treated at a VAMC and ignored and forgotten, supports privatization and talking to veterans who have been treated the same. Then let combat veterans vote him in.
as far as homosexuals and transgender in the military, I’m ok with it as long as I don’t have to go on patrol with them, somebody might frag em.
Letβs see how this βremoving corrupt leadership β pans out. My guess is that the va leadership, (1st line supervisors, mid management, staff and executive management) will stay intact. Rather, new leadership will continue blaming the union employees as the problem. You will see the demise of whistle blowers because they will end up losing their job or be catagorized as βproblem employeesβ or βdisgruntled workersβ.
I agree with a previous contributor, get an enlisted man who has lived in the real military system. Maybe a chief who has real first stud experience. He (she)will get solutions. Why? Because chiefs started as E-1βs and rose through first line supervisory positions to really executive management positions. That person will figure out where in the chain of command and action that the mission is being bastardized.
Instead of blaming union employees for the vaβs shortcomings , try to imagine what your va experience would be like if va middle Mgmt had nobody questioning their actions.
But union employees by and large are to blame.
WTF? Really? Honestly, I am getting really tired of all this damn SJ, PC, crap that everyone must cower to. You know what? You don’t have to like, or agree with every single fucking thing, or person, or group, to be able to do your damn job. I can hate every single person, group, and symbol, known to man, and still be able to come to a just decision, it’s called doing my damn job.
This is starting to take on the feel of the national enquirer of the Veteran community. Did I offend any Veterans? Too fucking bad, deal with it.
Right on cj.I wanted to say something similar about this yesterday when this bullshit started. We’re all on the same sinking ship here. If we don’t work together to fix the damn hole we’re fuched. JEEZUS people,the VA is going to love us fighting amoungst ourselves. Light one up and shut up.
veterans, Wilkieβs position pretty clear-cut and negative. βWeak, morally sick wretches,β Wilkie called them on record.
You got this backwards a bit Ben. Wilkie is being all inclusive. This statement of his above previously only applied to mainstream veterans from VA leadership. Wilkie is simply acknowledging his genuine enthusiasm to extend equality to ALL veterans and not just the politically correct heros anymore.
And so he lkes flags – I like flags too so what the hell is the big deal about his down home good ol boy symbol of hope that the South shall rise again! It’s good clean fun. Curious though about him now that I see his photo? Do you have to cut extra large holes in the white sheets for horn rimmed glasses or just wear them on the outside?
Do you think he’s still a virgin? He’d be perfect for the job then.
Follow
It’s simple really. Anybody who has a problem with a group of veterans can’t possibly effectively lead an organization that deals with veterans.
Triggered.
Mike alpha, return to base.
what no long winded blathering post? or did I dazzle your tiny rage fogged brain? I assume your earlier protestations requesting a cease fire where merely a ruse yeah? Let me know when you get your hate machine up to speed I got another wrench for it π
Precisely.
vets !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! screwed agin wait for it @@!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In my opinion,
Another “wait and see situation” is happening again!
I got tired of waiting and seeing. So I rolled up my sleeves and jumped on in π 6 Interns and counting. π π
Hilarious!
Omg guys he doesn’t like Muh gays!
Seriously, Benjamin? Dogging the guy because he don’t like gays and went to a southern memorial dinner thingy?
That’s what you find to blow the whistle about? I’m betting the number of vets that ID with the queer crowd is tiny and insignificant just like the queers.
Everyone does not have to worship at your alter of pc correctness.
Maybe if he is biased against darkies he will do something to unjam all the affirmative action reparations anti white crowd that infests many urban VA hospitals.
They do nothing but collect a free check and fuck up service but if I got selected as head of the VA and said hey, a bunch of black racists work at the VA and it’s time for them to go would you whine and cry and call me a racist because I identified and solved a problem that offended you?
Get the fuck out bro.
DisabledforgottenOIFveteran June 28, 2018 at 2:30 pm
You are currently shitting on another group who got cut off from their slice of the VA pie.
You would be Hippocrates greatest student grasshopper.
Dude, your hypocrisy is showing, might wanna zip that up…
Nice try slick.
I know for a fact that you are a flip flop and the true hypocrite. I knew that reading your comments before I even decided to comment here.
I know for a fact that you constantly attack people on here with leftist rhetoric any time they violated your feelings.
Quoting what I said by pointing out your hypocrisy and trying to throw it back in my face is a typical leftist snowflake tactic.
At least I don’t get on here and attack old veterans who feel neglected and forgotten who speak out by calling them swine.
I’m on to you fucko and I will never rest until you leave this place. My new priority in life is to expose your leftist rhetoric and childish tantrums every time you post here from now on.
I’m pissing in the corner now to mark my internet territory. Want to continue this, agree to disagree or simply stop being a bitch for good?
I am neither interested in arguing with your inflammatory and hypocritical rhetoric or measuring digital dicks. But you will not attack me or other veterans anymore, ya hear? You cause infighting and anyone can go back and prove it in the history of your comments.
By the way slick, all you did is quote my words of wisdom without actually citing where I was a hypocrite. Failed attack.
Conversely, we can agreesee that there are more pressing issues at hand than this kind of infighting.
Grow up chief.
“I know for a fact that you are a flip flop and the true hypocrite. I knew that reading your comments before I even decided to comment here.”
Facts please.
“I know for a fact that you constantly attack people on here with leftist rhetoric any time they violated your feelings.”
Yes I do. Just like you’re doing right now.
“Quoting what I said by pointing out your hypocrisy and trying to throw it back in my face is a typical leftist snowflake tactic.”
No Sir, it’s not a tactic. It is simply the truth. You get on me for chastising somebody, albeit a bit harshly in retrospect, and yet the very next day here you are hating on a group of veterans the exact same thing you accused me of doing. That is not only the absolute pinnacle of hypocrisy it also has an extremely high iron content as well. If there is a snowflake in this conversation it is absolutely you. Here, do me a favor, cry into this cup for me I need your tears for my coffee.
“At least I donβt get on here and attack old veterans who feel neglected and forgotten who speak out by calling them swine.”
My response to that prick was adequate. I hate to be the one to tell you buddy but we are ALL old veterans who are being ignored, forgotten, neglected. Even the young guys just coming down the pipe. I noticed nobody else jumped on him or called him out as directly as I did. I guess it takes a lefty to have some balls to stand for something around here.
“Iβm on to you fucko and I will never rest until you leave this place. My new priority in life is to expose your leftist rhetoric and childish tantrums every time you post here from now on.”
Ok first off “fucko” is my word I use it I call dibs get fucked. The only way I go anywhere dude is if Ben asks me to leave. Go cry to Ben about it see what he tells ya. As for exposing me, well, let me go get some popcorn this should be entertaining. My “leftist rhetoric”, incidently I am a lefty :D, needs no exposing I have no hidden agenda. I stand for all Veterans getting what they deserve from a corrupt and incompetent rogue fedgov agency.
Let me put this to you in a way that your tiny little biggoted mind can process. We as veterans are stronger together as a group than we are as tiny factions of a whole. When you spout off with your anti queer bullshit people like Curt Cashour sit back in their cushy office with their hands clasped behind their head and their feet up on their desk laughing their asses off. Do you know why? Because when your out there queer bashing or nigger bashing or whatever bashing you voluntarily diminish the power of this group as a whole. That is beyond short sighted it is abhorrent.Instead of “being on to me” why don’t you instead try to keep your eyes on the goddamned prize for once.
“Iβm pissing in the corner now to mark my internet territory. Want to continue this, agree to disagree or simply stop being a bitch for good?”
Sounds like you need to be house broken…. Let’s you and I get something straight. I use idiots like you for practice for when I have to go up against actual real biggots. All you are to me at this point is a scratching post. I’m not sorry one bit that I keep throwing wrenches in your pretty little hate machine. Get used to it. But I will offer you an out because you sound like you need one. Stop hating on vets and we can stop having this conversation.
“I am neither interested in arguing with your inflammatory and hypocritical rhetoric or measuring digital dicks. But you will not attack me or other veterans anymore, ya hear? You cause infighting and anyone can go back and prove it in the history of your comments.”
If your not interested in arguing why are you arguing, albeit poorly? It sounds to me like you want to be able to sit back and fire your rounds at “those gawdfersaken queers” with impunity but the moment somebody starts firing back it’s all “WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA I’M BEING ATTACKED” and empty threats. It’s actually kind of embarrassing are you off your meds? If making people aware of a different point of view causes infighting then I’m going to assume that you want me to refrain from exercising my 1st amendment right to freedom of speech? I find this also to be ironic that a veteran would only apply that amendment to people HE deems “worthy” of that? Interesting.
“By the way slick, all you did is quote my words of wisdom without actually citing where I was a hypocrite. Failed attack.”
You’re absolutely right and I would like to apologize for that. I assumed, wrongly, that you where intelligent enough to stay with the unfolding conversation. I also assumed that you where intellectually capable of understanding what I was talking about. I also assumed that, barring any higher functioning, you would at least have been marginally intelligent enough to go back to the previous article and review yesterdays conversation. It’s not that hard, really.
In the future, when calling you on your right-wing hatred, I will make every effort to be as precise as possible, with quotes, if needed, when rubbing your nose in your own pile of shit.
“Conversely, we can agreesee that there are more pressing issues at hand than this kind of infighting.”
There are absolutely far more pressing issues at hand that concern us all. Like Congress potentially allowing a known bigot to helm one of the most corrupt fedgov agencies we have. It sounds like as long as he doesn’t shit on you then everythings fine.
Incidentally June was Gay Pride month, I know this because my fiancee is bi. The Pentagon, for the first time since the ban was lifted, hasn’t put out an offical memo recognizing and encouraging events. Like they do for all other “event months” for other groups like African Americans etc etc. The Pentagon spokeswoman had no comment when asked about it. Also incidentally because there was no offical memo on the matter recognizing the “event month” the promotional office is not allowed to make distribution materials for any events. Not really big potatoes in the grand scheme of things I suppose but there it is on full display in the government, If you can’t see it I’m talking about divisiveness, the very same thing you accuse this “lefty” of.
“Grow up chief.”
When you drop your millstone and start kicking for the surface. I’ll be there with an extended hand to help aboard Sir. Until then, sort yourself.
Big Wisdom out of the Goat Locker this morning:
“Let me put this to you in a way that your tiny little bigoted mind can process. We as veterans are stronger together as a group than we are as tiny factions of a whole. When you spout off with your anti queer bullshit people like Curt Cashour sit back in their cushy office with their hands clasped behind their head and their feet up on their desk laughing their asses off. Do you know why? Because when your out there queer bashing or nigger bashing or whatever bashing you voluntarily diminish the power of this group as a whole. That is beyond short sighted it is abhorrent. Instead of βbeing on to meβ why donβt you instead try to keep your eyes on the goddamned prize for once.”
“Bulldogs Away” and “Happy Trails”. Fair Winds and Following Seas.
While I abhor the Q and N words today, there were times when I did use them aboard ship in my Pollywog days back in the late ’70’s. Hopefully, I have learned a bit since then about how ugly and hurtful they are to some of my most trusted friends and shipmates. Also hopefully, I sound a little less stupid than I did those many years ago.
You are mighty right on the context of the real problem, Chief. Bravo Zulu.
Not sure what a goat locker is sounds…interesting. I had actually written that in notepad and had intended to do some light editing of certain words. Alas, a couple of bowls later, the idea flew completely out of my head. I felt at the time that I included them that they could be seen in the context they where being used. I certainly try not to endorse that type of language. Sometimes, admittedly, that’s a loosing battle but we strive onward and upward.
Glad I could hit the nail on the head for you. We 13Bangers have a habit of putting steel on target, it’s just in our nature.
My error. I stand corrected. Thought from the context of the discussion, you were a Navy Chief Petty Officer. Don’t follow the blog as much as I used to due trans-oceanic move of household in progress.
Goat Locker is a naval term for the CPO’s living/eating spaces aboard ship. Formally known as the “Chief Petty Officer’s Mess”.
“Bulldogs Away” is the radio call a ship xmits upon launch of a Harpoon missile. “Happy Trails” is the same xmit for launch of a Tomahawk Cruise Missile.
As a Marine, then later a sailor I understand steel and rounds on target. But I got to ask “13Banger ???”
And yeppers . . . your post was squarely on point.
“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Khwrjewd0yA”
13Banger is slang for 13Bravo which is the Field Artillery Cannon Crewmember specialty for the Army. I was a 109A6 Paladin driver which you can see operated in the above vid.
It’s also part of one of our double time cadences
When I get to heaven.
St. Peters gonna say.
How’d you earn your living boy?
How’d you earn your pay?
I’ll reply with a whole lot of anger.
and say I earned my living as a 13Banger!
I’ll reply with a whole lot of gusto.
and say I earned my living as a 13Bravo!
20 years later that shit still makes me want to bust out a 6 mile run π π π
Steel on Target used to be a Bangers motto considering that artillery is more of a precision strike platform that fires 155mm.
In my time we where referred to as the King of Battle due to our high body count. Not sure if that’s still true. Maybe that’s why I like to shoot off my big, fat, mouth. π π π
Great video! I’ll bet that was a lot of fun playing with a toy like that! Thanks for enlightening me. Biggest vehicle I ever got to drive was a 5 ton 6 x 6. Lucky you!
Yeah, but does he like The Beatles?
Shit-On-A-Shingle looks good on paper…until you really see it splatted onto your plate and realize this is your life and you start to wonder how many rats it took to make the secret recipe.
We’re dealing with rats that ONLY use the VA (and Veterans) to use their ratty claws to climb laterally up the swamp sewer tubes to that untouchable full retirement with benefits, regardless of how many they ransacked on way to the goal.
Until a former ENLISTED salty Veteran with a bug up his/her ass with the VA is VA Secretary, only the rat bastards will continue to benefit upon backs of nonhuman test subjects.
Ask yourselves: Why hasn’t Wilkie, with his tight DOD connections, made it in recent past so the DOD and VA could electronically be on same page?
All by design and all about that ascension within the swamp sewer systemic mess…in a mood!
Your right namnibors, their fuckin shitty recipes always look good on paper. It’s not going to get any better, they’ll only evolve into a more sophisticated parasitical haunted house of a fuckin system. All by design, absolutely.
On paper, he does look good. Thomas Murphy (remember him?) also looked good on paper. Rima Ann Nelson looked good on paper. Sharon Helman looked good on paper.
The commonality is that all upper level VA management and directors look good on paper. In the real world, not so much. None of them can seem to get much done for the average veteran. In fact, it seems quite the opposite.
We have no choice but to give the next SecVA (whoever they may be) a chance. At the same time, we should not hold out great hope for swift change at the VA.
Far better for this nations veterans if they were given a card that allows them to choose their own doctors.
The scandal after scandal after scandal will continue. Why? Because (their words, not mine) the VA provides the best care available to our nations veterans.
Uh-Huh.
So how long has he worked for the DOD cuz they haven’t done anything for the Phx va all DOD does is take the complaint all your information and give it to them to retaliate against you and DOD don’t follow through if they did we the Phx va dietetics wouldn’t have a 1970s kitchen or a va with mold look and see on Twitter been showing off the Phx va for 11 months let’s play a game how how much mold does the Phx va