Bravo Company Bad Boys 2/227 AVN

Back and Neck pain survey for DOD

2011-04-06T23:14:00.000-05:00

Researchers for the Office of the Secretary of Defense are urging current and former
military pilots and crewmembers to complete this short online survey at

www.DoDhelicopterseatsurvey.com.

Completed surveys are anonymous and should only be taken once. If you participated in a similar January 2010 Navy and Marine Corps survey, please do not complete this survey, as the results will be merged with this study. The survey will be available online from April 1 through April 30, 2011.

Meet a Physician Assistant: Dean Pennington

2011-03-22T11:45:00.000-05:00

So On Line College.org calls me up and wants to do an interview about being a PA. Here is the result.

Dean Pennington has been a physician assistant (PA) for more than a decade, beginning his career in 1997. He works as a team with other PAs or with one or more physicians in order to provide care for patients. Pennington regularly sees, diagnoses, and treats patients, along with his responsibilities of interpreting test results, aiding in procedures, and assisting during surgeries. He obtained his training from the University of Oklahoma's College of Medicine and initially worked in occupational medicine and family medicine before moving on to orthopedic and trauma surgery, then spine surgery. Pennington writes all of the post operative orders for patients, and helps patients and their families better understand procedures and treatments. In addition to all of those responsibilities, Pennington blogs regularly at Scuba Instructor Training, which is dedicated to his other passion – scuba diving.

Why did you decide to pursue this career field?That is an interesting question for me. I garnered a significant amount of information about PAs while I was in Desert Storm. I was a Warrant Officer and AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter Pilot. We had an Aeromedical Physician Assistant and a Flight Surgeon assigned to our unit. I developed a deep friendship with both of them. They did a great job of educating me about their jobs, including their responsibilities and duties to the patient. I found that I enjoyed learning about this intriguing work, so much so that I decided to pursue it. The U.S. Army did not have a pathway at that time to transition from pilot to Physician Assistant, so I exited the Army with the single goal of becoming a PA. This was a big change and a big risk, but I was committed. It is my thought that if you want to do something, you must commit to do it wholly. Just like joining the Army to fly, if I wasn't committed, I would not have completed the training. I knew that becoming a PA was what I wanted to do, so now I had to do it. I felt that I could help many people after becoming a PA, but I had to get there first.

What type of preparation did you do to get into this field?
Getting there is not easy. I had a degree in aeronautics, with a minor in aviation safety, but I didn't have the biological science prerequisites to enter physician assistant training. This meant I had to complete an entire year of classes at a local community college. It was interesting going back to school as an adult. I was driven because my future depended on two things: learning as much as possible and making excellent grades. These both were necessary for me to continue on to PA school.

In addition to this, I took a job at the local hospital as a nursing assistant. This could be one of the most difficult jobs I have ever held. It has given me great respect for people who do the daily grind of caring for another. It is not easy. I took the weekend position, the 7 to 3 shift every Saturday and Sunday. This entailed coming in for report at 6:30, vital signs every 4 hours, 2 meals served, baths, bed changes, enemas and all the heavy lifting. I felt like I could never catch up, but I did learn about being with and taking care of a patient and of a person. I knew this experience could only help me to get into school. I also shadowed two different PAs. I spent time in their practices, watching them take care of people. I applied to only one school, the University of Oklahoma Medical School in Oklahoma City. If I had known the statistics of entry into the program, I would have applied to more. You were required to submit transcripts of all colleges attended, any relevant work experience, and an essay on "Why I want to be a Physician Assistant."

The process is straight forward. The first cut was made on GPA alone, which halved the field. Next, the essays were read and face-to-face interviews made. I think my military experience was helpful, in that I had faced life and death situations, which not everyone does. Also in my favor was the fact that I made a 4.0 GPA in all the prerequisite coursework. Classes pertaining to medicine were weighted slightly heavier than the others. I did not realize how fortunate I was when I was accepted into the program. Many of my classmates had applied one or two years in a row.

How did your education help you in your career?
The education I received at OU gave me the core information I needed to treat patients from a primary care prospective. It also provided me with the knowledge to pass our national certification exam with the NCCPA (National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants). Being certified allows you to obtain a State License, which in turn allows you to practice medicine in that state. PAs take a recertification exam every six years. We are also required to obtain 50 hours of continuing medical education every year. Being a certified PA has told my colleagues and employers that they can be confident that I possess a broad minimum core knowledge in medicine.

What was your career path like in this field?
I have held three positions in the past 14 years. The first position was for only 4 months. It was a great job that I learned a lot from. Unfortunately, it was tied dramatically to the local economy, plus the fact I was required to do some additional training at OU made it short-lived. My second job was doing orthopedic surgery and trauma. I gained a significant amount of experience here. I did everything from total joints of the hip and knee, to shoulder injury repair, fracture repair of all sorts and even some spine surgery. I continued in this job for almost 4 years until the surgeon I was working with moved out of state. My third and current job is neurosurgery. I have been working with the same surgeon now for over nine years. We concentrate on the spine, doing fusions and decompressions of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine.

On and off, I moonlight in an ER or doing trauma orthopedics. I will continue doing neurosurgery until the surgeon I work with retires. I am a PA. We are the bread and butter of medical care for patients. I will always work with a physician as a team to provide care to patients. You can specialize in any field you like, and it is mostly on-the-job training. There are some residencies and advance training in certain fields if you want to learn more before going into that field. Many PAs become practice managers either through necessity or desire. Most states now allow a PA to own the practice. My path for now, will be working with a surgeon to provide the best care that I am able to.

What types of skills is someone required to have to work in your position?
Tenacity, patience, empathy, and care for others. Yes, I know these are not skills, but I think it very important. Skills for surgery would be good hand-eye coordination, endurance (the surgeries can last from 1 hour to up to 8 hours – they average for me about 3 to 4 hours). You must also have a good memory to remember patients, medications, treatments and the medical plan. Good organizational skills are also very important, as is familiarity with computers. Most practices are going to electronic medical records.

What do you do on a typical work day?
Monday, I will go to the hospital to be ready to start surgery at 7:30 a.m. Once the patient is in the OR, I go over their chart. I read aloud their diagnosis and the surgical plan. I review the imaging studies. Once they are asleep, I am in charge of positioning the patient on the OR table. I mark where the incision will be, then I will scrub and complete a sterile wash of my hands and arms, then get gowned and gloved. Once the surgeon arrives, I begin. This involves cutting the skin, then incising down to the lamina. From this point, I will assist the surgeon however he needs. This could be controlling bleeding, or retracting muscles or nerves. Once we are complete, I will either tie as the surgeon sews or I will sew and close the wound and put a dressing on myself. The patient is moved to the bed and taken to the recovery room. Once there, I write the operative note and post operative orders. If we have patients in the hospital, I will go see them. This means I see how the patients are doing, if their pain is controlled, if they are getting up and moving, etc. I write a progress note and any orders to change medications if needed. Then, it is back to more surgery. We try to schedule it where we are done about 5:00 p.m. This is variable.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we have clinic. It starts around 8:00-8:30 a.m. I will make rounds before clinic. Then, I see all the new patients before the surgeon. I will do a physical exam on them. I dictate all the charts with a voice recognition system into a electronic medical record.

Do you plan to advance to another position within your career field?
No, I don't. That is kind of like asking a physician if he or she plans to advance to another position. I may go into another specialty in the future. I do have a special interest in Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine. I have had extensive training in that field. I did this because I like it and it goes along with my other passion: scuba diving.

What type of person do you think is best suited for a job in your field?
I don't know for certain. I know many PAs and they are all different! There are a few common denominators: they are all smart, they all care about the patient, they have great verbal skills and they are as creative as possible at getting care for a patient even in difficult situations or circumstances. Most I know are quick to help but slow to accept accolades.

Do you have any advice for those who are looking to launch a career in your field?
Yes I do! If being a physician assistant is what you want to do as a career, you must:

•make good grades
•have good communication skills
•be committed
•learn as much as possible about PAs, which includes interviewing and shadowing them as they care for patients
•and lastly, don't give up. Many of my classmates got into school after 1 or 2 tries.

Being a PA is very rewarding. It allows you the satisfaction of knowing that you make a difference in people's lives. You work intimately with a physician to do this as a team. You will have the opportunity to laugh with patients and cry with them. In the end, if you are fortunate indeed, you will see that look or word that says so much. The one that says 'Thank you for what you have done for me.'

Jounalist attempts tolerating Waterboarding

2011-03-10T23:21:00.003-06:00

Mark Parrish

2011-02-10T16:58:00.003-06:00

I found this on-line totally by accident. I'm sure some of you have probably keep in contact.

http://parrishpartners.biz/partners/mark-parrish/

Mark Parrish
Originally from West Virginia, Mr. Parrish graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point and was commissioned into Army Aviation. During ten years of uniformed service, Mark served in five countries on three continents. As an AH-64 Apache pilot, he served in Operations Desert Shield/Storm where he was awarded the Bronze Star and Air Medal for Valor. He left the service and entered the Leaders for Manufacturing Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he earned two Masters of Science degrees in Engineering and Management. Mark joined Harley-Davidson, Inc. (NYSE:HOG) following his graduation from MIT. During his tenure he contributed to Harley’s legendary success while ascending to the position of corporate Director of Vehicle Assembly.
Mark next joined Interface, Inc. (NASDAQ:IFSIA), a $1B Atlanta-based floor covering manufacturer, as the Vice President of Global Manufacturing Strategy. Here he led the financial turnaround efforts of Interface’s $370M national network of installation and maintenance service providers.
Mark then joined with Fenway Partners, a New York based private equity firm, as Director and Chief Operating Officer for MW Manufacturers, Inc., Fenway’s $250M mid-Atlantic manufacturer of residential windows and doors. Following the financial turnaround of MW, he transitioned within Fenway’s portfolio to the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer of The Simmons Companies of Atlanta, Georgia. There Mark was an instrumental member of the team that helped $700M Simmons to improve customer service and operational efficiency. During Mark’s tenure Simmons stock more than tripled in value.
After Simmons, Mark consulted for a number of companies requiring operational improvement or assistance in organizational development as an Operating Partner in Chicago-based Northlight Capital, L.L.C., and in Phoenix-based Parrish Partners, L.L.C. Mark also advised financial analysts pursuing research on both the motorcycle and mattress industries as a Gerson Lehrman Group Council Member.
Today Mark is a Director, President and CEO of Deceuninck North America, the $105M North American subsidiary of a $1B Belgian-based, publicly held parent (Euronext:DECB). With over 300 associates, DNA provides lineal extrusions to the window and door industry and a variety of other building product extrusions nationwide from its production facilities and distribution centers in Ohio. Mark resides in the Cincinnati, Ohio area.

Kopra replaced

2011-01-25T20:58:00.000-06:00

It seems Tim will be replaced on this mission secondary to his injury. How unfortunate!

Tim Kopra breaks hip.

2011-01-25T20:45:00.001-06:00

http://blogs.chron.com/sciguy/archives/2011/01/key_discovery_astronaut_injured_in_bike_accident.html

Key Discovery astronaut injured in bike accident

It was only last week that NASA was able to set a launch date for the oft-delayed flight of space shuttle Discovery, slotting the mission for Feb. 24.

Those delays were due to technical issues with the vehicle. Now there may be a problem with one of the mission's key astronauts, Tim Kopra.

Bill Harwood, of CBS News, reports that Kopra sustained a non-life-threatening injury while riding his bicycle on Saturday. Sources told Harwood that Kopra may have broken his hip. If surgery is required it's not a minor process.

Kopra is the mission's lead spacewalker, so he has received a ton of specialized training for this flight. NASA no longer trains backup crews as it did during the Apollo era, and a replacement, even a veteran, would require time to learn and practice spacewalk moves.

NASA
Kopra trains in the waters of the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory in southeast Houston.
It is unclear how long such expedited training would take for Kopra's two spacewalks, how long it will take Kopra to recover, and how this might affect the final flight of Discovery.

NASA originally said it would complete the shuttle program by the end of September, 2010. Combined with Discovery's delays and the probable addition of another flight later this summer, the program's end may not come until a year later. Each additional month the program continues costs between $150 million to $200 million.

On a side note, as a fellow bike rider in the Clear Lake area, I wish Kopra a speedy recovery and urge drivers to be mindful of cyclists.

PFC Ed Mauser Passes at 94

2011-01-25T11:33:00.002-06:00

January 22, 2011
Ed Mauser, oldest living member of 'Band of Brothers,' dies at 94
Times wires
OMAHA, Neb.
Oldest member of the 'Band of Brothers' dies
The oldest living member of Easy Company, the U.S. Army unit from World War II portrayed in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers, has died at age 94. The Omaha funeral home Heafey Heafey Hoffman Dworak & Cutler confirmed that Ed Mauser died Friday (Jan. 21, 2011) in Omaha. Mr. Mauser was not among the soldiers portrayed in the miniseries. A message left for his family wasn't returned. Terry Zahn of the Midwest chapter of the 101st Airborne Division Association said Mr. Mauser had been battling pancreatic cancer. Mr. Mauser was born Dec. 18, 1916, in LaSalle, Ill. He was drafted in 1942 and volunteered for the 101st Airborne. He was assigned to Company E, or Easy Company, which fought in some of the fiercest battles of the war. The miniseries followed the unit from its training in Georgia to the war's end in May 1945.

Major Winters Passes on January 2, 2011

2011-01-25T05:39:00.003-06:00

Major Richard Winters Passes at Age 92
By Alex Horton January 10, 2011 at 6:17 pm -->

Early this year, the Veteran community lost one of its very best: Major Richard ‘Dick’ Winters passed away at age 92. He was the XO for Easy Company, 2/506 of the 101st when the unit conducted a combat jump into German held Normandy. When his commander did not report (later he would be identified as KIA), then Lieutenant Winters took command of Easy. What followed was one of the most legendary stories of small unit infantry action. Under the command of Winters, Easy Company led an assault on a fixed artillery position that was firing on the causeways leading out of Utah Beach. Easy’s fifteen men overtook a fifty man Wehrmacht platoon and destroyed the guns. The aggressive assault on the batteries was not only instrumental in an Allied victory in Normandy, but it instructed future leaders for years to come. The assault is still taught to West Point cadets today.
The exploits of Major Winters became widely known after the book and miniseries Band of Brothers, where a generation seemingly disconnected from World War II was introduced to history that changed the world. The series premiere had a rendezvous with destiny all its own: the show debuted just two days before September 11, 2001. The country was in a fragile state after the attacks, and many found inspiration and hope watching the characters of Easy Company, lead by Major Winters. The men of Easy became celebrities afterward, particularly Major Winters. One can only gather that his humility persevered long after the war.
Major Richard Winters continues to be a national treasure and I’m certain he will continue to inspire the country for generations to come. Our deepest gratitude goes out to his family, both by law and the family forged in Normandy, Holland and Bastogne. Truly a company of heroes.

20 years of Bad Atitude

2010-12-24T06:10:00.001-06:00

Could it be 20 years since I flew in Desert Storm? 1991 was not twenty years ago, no, it has gone by like a blink of an eye.

This morning as my 5 year daughter climbed into bed, I lay there thinking. Thinking about the past. I am 45 years old. I was 25 years old then. I entered the Army at age 19, in May, 1985.

The next 6 years were spent in training. Basic training at Ft. Jackson, Warrant Officer training, Flight School, AH-64 Apache Course at Ft. Rucker, AH-64 Apache Armament Officers course, Ft. Eustice, Two new Apache Battalion Unit Training Programs at Ft. Hood. Hundreds of hours in the Combat Mission Simulator (CMS). And of course the flying.

I initially flew as a front seater with a wonderful pilot named J.D. Reimer. He was a great pilot who taught me more than he knows. He also had fun flying. Then I flew back seat. My front seater was Erich Hardy, a young man from Florida. Having just met, we first flew in the CMS together. Someone thought we did well together then, so we were paired as a team. They were not wrong.

For the next 2 years we flew exclusively together as a crew. We trained with five other crews as a company of Apaches. We as a company concentrated on mission training. Daytime, nighttime, anytime. We even did endurance training, one day spending eight hours in the cockpit. We flew all over Texas. We flew in Germany. We flew in Saudi Arabia. Always training, always trying harder.

We had a unique mix of personalities as the pilots and crews of our six Apaches. From the stern by the book, to the knowing the book better than the writers, to the lax barely minimum obtainer, and the outside the box thinkers. But the most important thing we had was a camaraderie, a trust and a confidence in the other guy. We flew together constantly. We knew how the other guy would fly, we knew each others skills. We knew we could count on each other.

Now there is a funny thing about guys who train a lot to do a very hard job. As they get better, their confidence grows. I was in a Battalion that had three companies of these guys. Eighteen Apache crews, three companies of six, thirty six pilots. And as it turned out, the Bad Boys.

Officially we were the Bravo Company Attack Platoon, the Death Dealers. Unofficially we were the Bravo Company Bad Boys. Somebody has to be the best, we thought we were just that, the best. As a company we flew, we flew formation everywhere. We practiced precision start times, no commo flights and plus or minus 5 seconds on crossing checkpoints as well as on target. We trained like this in the day time as well as night. We flew night with FLIR. We flew night formation with FLIR. We got good.

Adding to this was an attitude, an artificially created mystique, a way of life that we called being a Bad Boy. This wasn't doing bad things. This was a planned overt method of competition that drove our group to try harder, to be better. Because if you were going to lay it out there, you better back it up. Everybody, I do mean everyone was after you. Just lying in wait for you to slip up, to fail, to not be as good so they could be better!

I can honestly say that when we flew combat missions in the Middle East, we were at a peak. We were prime. I believe we were the best pilots in the world at that time.

I think the statistics of our flying speaks for itself. We participated in three separate missions.

The battalion, as a whole, did well. Call it the spirit of competition that drove everyone to be better. We just called it being a Bad Boy.

http://www.facebook.com/dean.pennington

Merry Christmas

2010-12-03T06:56:00.003-06:00

I'm a little disappointed that I haven't heard more regularly from everyone here at the Blogger. But as with myself, I know everyone is heavily engaged in life's challenges. I'd like to encourage all to rekindle the passion for keeping in touch, as Dean had so nobly intended by generating this blog.

Observing the calendar and looking forward to my Christmas holidays I realize that 2011 is the twentieth anniversary of Desert Storm. Its hard to beleive that so much time has passed. I will certainly spend some time during this holiday in reflection. As I get older, the less favorable memories are as resilient as the good ones. But I would never trade the good memories in an effort to forget the others (in truth, as "oldtimer's" sets in I may not have choice, seems they all get cloudy these days). I cherish and honor the relationships and time spent with the Bravo Company Bad Boys and freinds. I am thankful for the experiences you have all given me.

I pray that this holiday season, everyone enjoys health and peace, and has a Very Merry Christmas.

S. Lee

2010-07-28T12:53:00.002-05:00

DATE:26/07/10
SOURCE:Flight International
Sikorsky X2 sets unofficial helicopter speed record
By Stephen Trimble

Sikorsky today unofficially broke the helicopter speed record as the X2 technology demonstrator reached 225kt (417km/h) during a 1h flight test.
The compound, coaxial rotor system surpassed by 9kt the official record set by the Westland Lynx in 1986, Sikorsky X2 chief engineer Steve Weiner says.
The Lynx's 216kt record, however, stands in the Federation Aeronautique International (FAI)'s books until Sikorsky conducts the flight with an official observer present from the National Aeronautic Association, he adds.
Although the X2 is now unofficially the world's fastest helicopter, Sikorsky's goal is to raise the speed limit by at least 25kt within two months.

©Sikorsky
X2 chief pilot Kevin Bredenbeck says the aircraft "still has a lot of power" at 225kt, prompting Sikorsky officials to consider the possibility of pushing the aircraft slightly beyond the 250kt-goal for the test programme.
Another positive sign is that recent changes to the flight control system and increased tail surface area has improved the aircraft's stability.
"My workload is down and now I'm just along for the ride," Bredenbeck says.
Sikorsky has quickly added two horizontal surfaces with a total area of 0.46m² (5ft²) to the X2's inverted tail to counteract instability in pitch, Weiner says.
The ideal solution for the longitudinal stability issue would involve enlarging the main horizontal tail, but that would have required a more significant redesign, says Sikorsky programme manager for advanced programmes Jim Kagdis.
The X2 is now entering the final two months of a nearly-year-long pursuit of the 250kt-speed goal. Sikorsky will add a new aerodynamic tail surface, as planned, to reduce drag.
Sikorsky launched the X2 demonstrator in hopes of delivering a dramatic increase in speed for the next generation of military and civil helicopters. The aircraft reuses the T800 engine from the cancelled RAH-66 Comanche programme. But the programme's legacy is mostly based on the Sikorsky XH-59 advancing blade concept (ABC) programme from nearly 40 years ago.
The XH-59 also employed a compound, coaxial rotor power system to boost speed, but failed to overcome vibration and stability control problems in an era before the invention of fly-by-wire technology for helicopters.
Sikorsky timed the X2's record-setting flight to coincide with the 37th anniversary of the first flight of the XH-59, Bredenbeck says.
No members of the original XH-59 staff were on hand to witness the milestone flight, but former Sikorsky chief test pilot John Dixson was asked to observe as a consultant. After completing the historic flight today, Bredenbeck recalled hearing few praises from Dixson while he ran Sikorsky's flight test team.
But Dixson told Sikorsky's staff today that "they should be proud for what they have accomplished" during the X2 programme, Bredenbeck says.

2010-07-27T14:43:00.000-05:00

Nobody posts anymore? whats up?

2010-05-25T18:42:00.002-05:00

Darpa’s Super Sniper Scopes in Shooters’ Hands by 2011
By admin May 25, 2010 | 10:08 am | Categories: DarpaWatch

Earlier this month, a British Army sniper Corporal Craig Harrison broke the world’s record for superaccurate shooting, taking out a pair of Taliban machine gunners from a mile-and-a-half away. It was a one-in-a-million feat — one performed under “perfect” conditions, Harrison says: “no wind, mild weather, clear visibility.”

Darpa, the Pentagon’s way-out research arm, is hoping to use lasers and advanced optical systems to make other snipers Harrison-accurate, even when the winds are howling. The agency is looking for 15 ultraprecise sniper scopes to put in shooters’ hands by next year.

The “One Shot” program originally aimed to give snipers the power to hit a target from 2000 meters away in winds as high as 40 miles per hour. In the first phases of the 3-year-old program, shooters used prototype rifles dressed with lasers and fancy computer hardware to do damage from 1,100 meters away in 18-mile-an-hour winds. The scope-mounted lasers can “see” wind turbulence in the path of the bullet and feed the data to computers, enabling real-time calculation of — and compensation for — the wind-blown trajectory.

The program is just one of several high-tech hardware upgrades the U.S. military is pursuing for its snipers. Plans are also in place to make bullets that can change course in mid-air and a stealth sniper scope that would make shooters all but invisible.

With initial demonstrations complete, the next step for One Shot is to make 15 “field-testable prototype, observation, measurement, and ballistic calculation system[s], which enable [s]nipers to hit targets with the first round, under crosswind conditions, up to the maximum effective range,” Darpa says in its program announcement. Total cost: $7 million.

Darpa stresses that ”no alignment verification of the laser/crosswind optics to the spotting scope or calibration in-field should be required,” indicating that those early demos probably required a lot of tender loving care from the engineers who designed the systems. Lockheed Martin received $2 million to participate in the early phases of the program, and will presumably compete for the opportunity to make the rifles battle-ready.

What the agency really wants is a battle-ready system that doesn’t require tricky in-field optical alignment and fiddling with lasers. Night and day accuracy also means that the laser, which is used to help calculate and subtract wind turbulence between the predator and his prey, can’t be infrared. Enemies with night-vision goggles would see that from a mile away.

The program is slightly behind schedule. The original goal was to have production-ready scopes by fall of 2009. With luck, Darpa will have its new supersniper rifles by the fall of 2011.

– Olivia Koski is an intern at Wired’s New York offices. This is her first post for Danger Room.

Photo: Department of Defense

Tags: Agony of A-Stan, Craig Harrison, DarpaWatch, Gadgets and Gear, Guns, Lockheed Martin, sniper rifles

Hank Johnson, Congressman from Georgia and Idiot

2010-04-03T17:47:00.003-05:00

During a congressional hearing regarding whether or not to send more Marines to Guam, Georgia Congressman, Hank Johnson, was asking a lot of questions. Mostly on the size of the island, and just HOW big is it again? He then said that he was concerned that sending thousands of Troops to Guam would cause the island to tip over. “My fear is that the whole island will become so overly populated that it will tip over and capsize.”" (complete with hand gesture of said island flipping over)

What an idiot! To think he represents the People!!!

Little Girl Can't Let go as Sergeant Daddy Leaves For Iraq - ParentDish

2009-10-08T21:19:00.003-05:00

If a picture is worth a thousand words, this one says more with the emotion it brings into my heart! dean

Little Girl Can't Let go as Sergeant Daddy Leaves For Iraq - ParentDish

Some things are just not allowed when soldiers are standing in formation. One of them is 4-year-old girls.
However, there was no soldier stern enough to pry Paige Bennethum of Laureldale, Pa. from her father as he prepared to leave last July for a year-long deployment in Iraq.
Abby Bennethum captured her daughter's emotions in a photograph that she passed along to the Reading Eagle, the newspaper in Berks County, Pa. The image immediately captured many other people's emotions.
Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Brett Bennethum was preparing to depart from Fort Dix, N.J., for Iraq, leaving behind his pregnant wife and two little girls. His family was there to see him off. His commanding officer didn't have the heart to tell Paige she had to let go of her daddy.
"I didn't want to let go of him," she told NBC Philadelphia.
Sgt. Bennethum, 30, is scheduled to return home next July. Until then, he's transporting supplies across the Iraqi border. He serves with the 733rd Transportation Company based in Reading, Pa.
Abby Bennethum said she got pregnant right before her husband left for Iraq. "I've heard of deployment babies, but I never thought I'd be having one," she told the Reading Eagle. The couple's other daughter, Lena, is just 10 months old.
Staff Sgt. Bennethum got a four-day pass so he could spend some quality time with his family and they could make the two-hour trip to Fort Dix to see him off. Almost immediately upon arrival, his commanding officer ordered the soldiers to fall in.
"Gotta go," he told his family. But Paige walked up behind him in formation, grabbed his right hand and would not let go.
"I called her a couple of times, but she wouldn't budge," her mother said. She still wishes she was holding her father's hand.
"I just miss my dad right now," Paige told NBC.

Shared via AddThis

I MISSED EVERYONE

2009-08-02T19:38:00.002-05:00

Hey boys,

It has been some time since I have spoken with the tribe but all is well and I just wanted to check in. Had it not been for a lot of prayer, support from Dean P (I LOVE YOU BROTHER), Erich Hardy (YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH IT HELPED) and lady luck you most likely would have read another story about a tragic end too early to be understood. I have been through the fires and came out the other end a bit burned, a lot scarred but with my health, my good spirit and most important my SON! I hear there is a chance of a reunion this year so I hope to hug all of you and put away a drink or two with you Dean and share my story.

I love you all and those who prayed, IT WORKS!

SPC Spengler

More on Col. Kopra

2009-07-17T13:14:00.001-05:00

You may find this link interesting. Looks like he's having fun.

http://www.nasaimages.org/luna/servlet/view/search?q=Kopra&search=Search

Army Commercial Featuring Tim Kopra

2009-03-25T20:52:00.002-05:00

I believe this is the commercial that Dan was referring to. Tim's voice seems to have matured somewhat. None the less, I am proud he is an astronaut. He is about to do what very few have.

BadBoy - Space Cowboy

2009-03-22T10:01:00.002-05:00

I wast watching TV the other night when the new Army commercial came on, when I thought I recognized someone. Thanks to the magic of PVR, I rewound and it was Tim Kopra. I emailed him and recommended if the Army thing doesn't work out, he could work on infomercials selling ShamWow's or something.

Tim will be on the next shuttle flight in currently scheduled for June depending on program and scheduling.

Dan

Nitro Circus

2009-03-15T00:25:00.003-05:00

So I am flipping through the channels and I run across MTV. Not a big fan anymore, especially since they don't play music videos anymore.

But

I ran across this show called Nitro Circus. I saw its premiere episode. I have to say, some of the things these guys did were funny. What made it even funnier, was the fact that they are so competitive, they can't let one one up the other.

Hummmm, kind of reminded me of the Bad Boys. Always willing to push it just a little farther.

Check it out if you get the chance, here is there website http://nitrocircus.com/blog/. It shows some of their antics. You can watch full episodes here http://www.mtv.com/ontv/dyn/nitro_circus/series.jhtml

dean

Desert Storm Posters

2009-01-05T21:49:00.006-06:00

If you guys would like a 16x20 of the Bryan and Brent hovering over the Oil Well Fires at night or a 20x24 of Jim and Steve flying Midnight Insertion in front of the fires during the day let Darla know soon. Steve looked and looked but he could not locate the original negatives so I photographed them the other day. Darla has a connectin at a large format lab and we can get them for $20 for the 16x20 and $30 for the 20x24s. Or $45 for both. Let her know soon :-) That includes your shipping.

Archive footage of 1lt McNamara

2008-12-11T23:25:00.001-06:00

This was shot by a civilian. Just listen to the announcer between 1:30 and 2:00 min to hear about our hero!

2008-11-15T22:09:00.002-06:00

Dennis has contacted Bob Davis, missing from last meeting. He will be at this meeting and he is bringing his wife.

With that said, it has been suggested that wives, girlfriends and significant others be allowed.

Brad is thinking Vegas.

Please add input and suggestions!

Bad Boy Reunion 2009

2008-11-13T23:03:00.003-06:00

So I get this text message today, It is Dennis requesting June 27 and 28, 2009. These are the proposed dates of the next reunion.

Hey it will only have been three years since the last one.

He liked the central location of Dallas, but is open to suggestion.

Now is the time to voice your opinion. When, where, and who.

I am thinking on opening our arms to all our brothers. Post your thoughts.

This will be Dennis's show this time. I am just along for the ride.

dean

Apache Needs Cockpit Upgrades, AATD Says

2008-11-06T09:42:00.002-06:00

Apache Needs Cockpit Upgrades, AATD Says
Aviation Week's DTI

Bettina H. Chavanne | October 30, 2008

This article first appeared in Aerospace Daily & Defense Report.

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. -- If the U.S. Army's Apache AH-64D Longbow aircraft is to keep pace with its own manned-unmanned common architecture program, it will require extensive technological upgrades to the cockpit, according to the Army Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (AATD), a driving force behind the technology.

The issue was raised Oct. 29 during a presentation on the Apache modernization program that highlighted the Army's success in fielding the VUIT-2 system (video from unmanned aircraft systems for interoperability teaming - level 2). The first prototype battalion equipped with the capability, which allows an Apache to receive streaming video from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), is testing the program in Iraq.

"AATD is providing manned-unmanned (MUM) capability to the cockpit, but it wasn't built for this mission," said Ray Wall, chief of AATD's Systems Integration Division. "You need a different concept of a fourth-generation cockpit to totally utilize what MUM is now and what will evolve. Is that in the Apache's vision?"

Wall contended that with Level IV capability around the corner -- which will place control of the UAV in the hands of the Apache pilot -- "it could get a little ugly." The workload for the pilot will only increase, particularly based on the number of "button pushes on your current system," Wall added. "There's technology that needs to be [improved]."

Army representative and Apache program manager Lt. Col. Rob Johnston said simply that the Apache's cockpit "is what it is," in part because troops deployed with VUIT-2 have not had a chance to provide feedback on the system's performance in theater.

Lockheed Martin is developing the Level IV for the Block III Apache. This includes a Ku-band Tactical Common Data Link (TCDL) antenna inside a modified version of the mast-mounted radome used for the Apache's Longbow fire-control radar. This allows two-way wideband communications between the helicopter and UAV.

Col. Neil Thurgood, Army program manager for Utility Helicopters, said his division is pressing for VUIT-2 on its Black Hawks. "We should at least have it in our [medevac-configured] aircraft," he said. "We're trying to beat that drum with our medical community." Thurgood said the Army is going to demonstrate the Black Hawk's ability to field VUIT-2 within the next 60 days. "We're trying to be fast followers so we can get the capability into our Black Hawks," he added.

The program updates were part of the Army Aviation Association of America's (Quad A) 13th Helicopter Military Operations Technology Specialists' Meeting, or Helmot, here.

Sound Off...What do you think? Join the discussion.

Copyright 2008 Aviation Week's DTI. All opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily reflect those of Military.com.

Breakfast at Denny's

2008-09-28T11:23:00.003-05:00

Dan and I enjoyed a hearty breakfast at Denny's while he was in town putting some issues to bed at Ft Huachuca. We reminisced about all the absolute "Great" things we'd done as a group and both agreed that those were some of our most memorable.

What we found most interesting was were some of our members had ended up in life.
A Preacher
A Politician
A Roofers
A Doctor
A Dental Office Manager
A Grampa Day Care
A Sandwitch Shop Owner
A Scapholing Rental Guy
Some Government Shirts
and

Some Contracters

But all stil freinds!

WE NEED ANOTHER REUNION - DEAN START WORKING THIS NOW!

The Goo

Bad Boy Reqest

2008-06-03T15:40:00.007-05:00

There has been a request for information!

What were the tail numbers of the aircraft we flew during Desert Storm?

Dan/ Cpt.--------444

Dean/ Erich-----033

Jim/ Steve-------041

Dwayne/ Brad ---457

Dennis/ Lt. ----- 451

Bryan/ Brent

Post it if you got it!

British Gun Control, It could happen to us!

2008-05-27T10:04:00.003-05:00

Steve sent this to me.

What the British have lost, we can as well. Should a man go to prison when he attempts to protect himself from intruders and murder in his own home?

Britians gun control laws have allowed only the criminals to be armed. Just take a listen at some of the elderly woman who want their guns back, for protection.

Bad Boys a Tribe

2008-05-26T22:23:00.003-05:00

After reading Steve Perry's blog on Human Tribes, I realized that is exactly how I think of what I have choosen to call the Bad Boys.

In my minds eye we are a tribe. Unique, different, set apart. A tribe of warriors.

On this day, Memorial Day, I remember the Tribe.

I remember the Bad Boys. I remember mostly only the good, the good intentions, the good acts. I choose not to dwell on anything other.

As I remember each of you, I say Thank You for your service. For your service to our country. It does not go unnoticed.

Thank You

Dean Pennington II

School Lesson

2008-03-30T21:37:00.002-05:00

My Mom sent this to me via e-mail. I thought you guys might like it.

A lesson that should be taught in all schools!

Back in September of 2005, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren, a
social studies school teacher at Robinson High School in Little Rock, did
something not to be forgotten.

On the first day of school, with the permission of the school
superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, she removed all
of the desks out of her classroom.

When the first period kids entered the room they discovered that there were
no desks.

Looking around, confused, they asked, 'Ms. Cothren, where're our desks?'

She replied, 'You can't have a desk until you tell me what you have done to
earn the right to sit at a desk.'

They thought, 'Well, maybe it's our grades.'

'No,' she said.

Maybe it's our behavior.' She told them, 'No, it's not even your behavior.

And so, they came and went, the first period, second period, third period.
Still no desks in the classroom.

By early afternoon television news crews had started gathering in Ms.
Cothren's classroom to report about this crazy teacher who had taken all the
desks out of her room.

The final period of the day came and as the puzzled students found seats on
the floor of the desk less classroom.

Martha Cothren said, 'Throughout the day no one has been able to tell me
just what he/she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that are
ordinarily found in this classroom. Now I am going to tell you.'

At this point, Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and
opened it.

Twenty-seven (27) U.S. Veterans, all in uniforms, walked into that
classroom, each one carrying a school desk. The Vets began placing the
school desks in rows, and then they would walk over and stand alongside the
wall.

By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in place those kids
started to understand, perhaps for the first time in their lives, just how
the right to sit at those desks had been earned.

Martha said, 'You didn't earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes
did it for you. They placed the desks here for you. Now, it's up to you to
sit in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be
good citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get
an education. Don't ever forget it.'

Snopes.com says this is a true story.

Sundays Coming

2008-03-16T22:09:00.002-05:00

Where teh hell is Al Gore when you need him?

2008-03-05T14:40:00.002-06:00

Chinese, Lunar New Year

2008-02-07T13:01:00.000-06:00

Kung Hei Fat Choi

which loosely translates to "Congratulations and be prosperous"

Not happy new year.

To each of you!

dean

Retirement

2008-01-31T11:20:00.000-06:00

Gentlemen,

Well, yet another Bad Boy parts ways with the US Military. This past weekend I enjoyed my retirement ceremony. It was a great event. Over 200 people showed up for the free food. Of course, Bradley was there. Looking back I still can't believe it has been twenty years. Where does the time go?

It has been too long since I've posted. I have a few pictures to share from my recent tour in Afghanistan; my 7th and last deployment...we hope. Look for them in the near future.

I pray you are all well and I look forward to giving/receiving a hard time to/from each of my fellow Bad Boy brothers.

B

Wishing each of you Happy New Year!

2008-01-02T14:32:00.000-06:00

Marvin Dean Pennington II and Djuana Leedy Pennington

More Christmas Morning

2008-01-02T14:23:00.000-06:00

Stocking time with Djuana.

Kaleb Drew Collins and Desirae Olivia Pennington

Moment of excitement!

Christmas Morning 2007

2008-01-02T14:19:00.000-06:00

Donovan Kane Pennington

Early Christmas morning.

1 JAN 2008

2008-01-01T12:40:00.000-06:00

First entry for the new year 2008.

I hope this year is happy and fruitful for all of you.

I would like to see a current picture of you guys and your families, not just a small one. I will post one latter today.

Happy New Year.

May God Bless us all.

dean

Merry Christmas

2007-12-09T12:13:00.000-06:00

To everyone who reads this blog, I hope this greeting finds you well.

Bad Boy Motivational Propaganda

2007-12-04T12:10:00.003-06:00

A different kind of Christmas Poem

2007-11-26T07:29:00.000-06:00

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,
Then thesure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
"I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."

"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.

My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.

I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.

I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.

I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."

"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?

It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.

To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.

Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

"unknown"

Martyn to Come HOME

2007-11-19T11:19:00.000-06:00

Bryan will be returning from far lands before Christmas.

Retirement looms within a few months.

Be nice to see some of you, around that time!

All Hallows Eve

2007-11-15T15:31:00.001-06:00

Donovan Kane Pennington

Desirae Olivia Pennington

2007-11-11T21:50:00.000-06:00

2007-11-11T21:39:00.001-06:00

Vetrans Day

2007-11-11T21:15:00.000-06:00

On this day,

I have thought of each of you.

Thank You for your service to our Country.

It is the service to our country which makes it great.

The actual willingness to give, to sacrifice, to do ... all for the ideals of

Truth

Justice

and Liberty.

It is because of people like each of you, that I live FREE in the greatest country in the world.

God bless each of you, God bless the United States of America.

Difficult to Believe!

2007-11-07T20:56:00.001-06:00

The Armies oldest Lieutenant pins wings on one of the youngest. Few fathers have had this privilege. I can't help but tear up a little just thinking about this. Wasn't Elizabeth just running around Hanau while we were cooking hot dogs just the other day? Surely there has been some mistake! Because if she is graduating from Apache school, why that makes me ........... old .............

These two beautiful girls, nay, beautiful woman cannot be the offspring of one Dennis McNamara!

My class did not have officers like this in it.

All kidding aside, as I told Dennis, I could not be prouder.

I hope she will avoid any and all apache drivers that have even the remostest connection, even by six degrees, to any known BAD BOY living or dean oops I mean dead.

Flying with Kids

2007-11-06T17:12:00.000-06:00

John Rodan used to say, "kids and Army Aviation"....

That's Elizabeth in the front seat, Brendon on the wing and the old man in the back. Goodness, how time flies.

Surface Supplied

2007-10-30T15:14:00.001-05:00

This is a superlite helmet. It is used in modern Commerical diving. I got to try it out for a couple of dives in July while in Seattle visting George.

This is a shot over the abyss. I had been diving on a pinnacle off the island of Saba. Notice there is nothing around and it is a long was down!

Where are you?

2007-10-30T15:12:00.000-05:00

Where are the Bad Boys?

And what are they doing?

Just something very appealing about girls 'n guns!

2007-10-10T13:07:00.000-05:00

Luke. I am Your father!

2007-10-10T13:05:00.000-05:00

Use the force Luke!

Honey, I'm Home

2007-09-25T11:09:00.001-05:00

Not exactly what you want to see! Milla Jovovich from her latest movie.

You got to see it to believe it!

2007-09-20T23:11:00.000-05:00

Dan,

Thanks for the outstanding pictures. Really hard to believe now. So many things change, so many stay the same.

Keep that scanner hot, we all love to see pictures! I would be interested to see more shots of Bravo in other countries as well, Isreal, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, etc....

So guys if you got them, post them.

By the way, you can now upload video on the blog! Can't wait to see your smiling faces!

dean

In "The Iraq" and home

2007-09-20T21:02:00.001-05:00

"That's a Fact Pilgrim"

2007-09-20T20:57:00.000-05:00

In "The Iraq 2"

2007-09-20T20:51:00.000-05:00

I'm adding a few more pics I found since a few of you said you are short on desert photos.

Matt Harding Dancing around the World.

2007-09-20T13:12:00.000-05:00

Seeing Matt dance in these beautiful places just does something for me. I know we as a group collectively have been many places.

Most places, we danced.

Mike and Boys

2007-09-16T20:48:00.001-05:00

Hey guys, sorry I've been away for a while, work and all. I thought ya'll might like to see this latest picture of Justin and I. Jennifer and I made a trip up tp Charleston yesterday. It was the first we have seen of him since he started his knob year at The Citadel. Justin and I have a bet for Christmas. Whoever loses a 2-mile race has to do all of the dishes. I made this bet when I could still outrun him by 3-4 minutes. I'm beginning to think I've got to start running alot more. We couldn't be prouder.

On another note, Mike Jr. has enlisted in the Army Reserves as a 15R, assigned to the Apache unit in Conroe, TX. I thought that might make all of you Apache dudes happy. (He is now sans beard, we don't have any pictures of him in uniform yet.) I never could have imagined 18 years ago that both of my sons and I would be in the army. What in the world is going on?

The origins of "Patriot Day"

2007-09-12T09:16:00.000-05:00

For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary September 4, 2007

Patriot Day, 2007

A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America
September 11, 2001, was a defining moment in American history. On that terrible day, our Nation saw the face of evil as 19 men barbarously attacked us and wantonly murdered people of many races, nationalities, and creeds. On Patriot Day, we remember the innocent victims, and we pay tribute to the valiant firefighters, police officers, emergency personnel, and ordinary citizens who risked their lives so others might live.
After the attacks on 9/11, America resolved that we would go on the offense against our enemies, and we would not distinguish between the terrorists and those who harbor and support them. All Americans honor the selfless men and women of our Armed Forces, the dedicated members of our public safety, law enforcement, and intelligence communities, and the thousands of others who work hard each day to protect our country, secure our liberty, and prevent future attacks.
The spirit of our people is the source of America's strength, and 6 years ago, Americans came to the aid of neighbors in need. On Patriot Day, we pray for those who died and for their families. We volunteer to help others and demonstrate the continuing compassion of our citizens. On this solemn occasion, we rededicate ourselves to laying the foundation of peace with confidence in our mission and our free way of life.
By a joint resolution approved December 18, 2001 (Public Law 107-89), the Congress has designated September 11 of each year as "Patriot Day."
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim September 11, 2007, as Patriot Day. I call upon the Governors of the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, as well as appropriate officials of all units of government, to direct that the flag be flown at half-staff on Patriot Day. I also call upon the people of the United States to observe Patriot Day with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and remembrance services, to display the flag at half-staff from their homes on that day, and to observe a moment of silence beginning at 8:46 a.m. eastern daylight time to honor the innocent Americans and people from around the world who lost their lives as a result of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-second.

GEORGE W. BUSH

You can now salute when out of uniform

2007-09-12T06:51:00.001-05:00

To amend title 4, United States Code, to prescribe that members of the Armed Forces and veterans out of uniform may render the military salute during hoisting, lowering, or passing... (Considered and Passed by Senate)
S 1877 CPS
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1877
To amend title 4, United States Code, to prescribe that members of the Armed Forces and veterans out of uniform may render the military salute during hoisting, lowering, or passing of flag.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 25, 2007
Mr. INHOFE introduced the following bill; which was read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed
A BILL
To amend title 4, United States Code, to prescribe that members of the Armed Forces and veterans out of uniform may render the military salute during hoisting, lowering, or passing of flag.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. CONDUCT BY MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND VETERANS OUT OF UNIFORM DURING HOISTING, LOWERING, OR PASSING OF FLAG.
Section 9 of title 4, United States Code, is amended by striking `all persons present' and all that follows through the end and inserting `those present in uniform should render the military salute. Members of the Armed Forces and veterans who are present but not in uniform may render the military salute. All other persons present should face the flag and stand at attention with their right hand over the heart, or if applicable, remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Citizens of other countries should stand at attention. All such conduct toward the flag in a moving column should be rendered at the moment the flag passes.'.

Calling All B Co 2/227

2007-09-11T15:57:00.000-05:00

Here is a new request for e-mail addresses, home address and phone numbers.

This will not be published.

Please send it to mdpii@juno.com.

Please extend the invitation to join to any who may be associated with us! I will need their e-mail address to allow them to write on the blog (other than just comments).

Thanks

Dean

Battle

2007-09-11T12:59:00.000-05:00

Today I remember.

Today I would like to forget.

Today we remember what happened in our country six years ago.

Today we will never forget that an enemy came to our soil with only one thought; to hurt my brother, to hurt my parents, to kill my children.

Today you will remember them and pray thanks it wasn't you.

Today you will not forget that it was our country that was attacked, our people who were killed.

We are in a battle.

I believe we must fight, must fight for our lives. It is my house that was harmed. It is my family, my mothers, my fathers, my brothers, my sisters, my children that were killed that day six years ago.

If not us, then who?
If not now, then when?

Today I remember.

Where were you on that day 6 years ago.

2007-09-11T12:26:00.000-05:00

Lest we forget...

A motley crew

2007-09-10T20:00:00.000-05:00

While cleaning out the garage this weekend, I found a couple treasures at the bottom of a box. I have the high res version of the company if you are interested. (dan@craytor.net)

I remember the quote from LTC Billy Stevens when he first saw the nose art. “Ya know, ya’ll couda painted a ham, bottle of Jack Daniels or anything else, but ya had to pick the one thing to get me in trouble. You can keep the nose art but ya gota put clothes on those girls.”

The GOO retires

2007-09-03T11:55:00.000-05:00

Thanks for all the kind words, deeds and cards I received. It was a two days whirl wind that included Poker, Beer, Thunderstorms, Golf, Beer, Dancers, More Beer, a Huge Family Pool Party, Patrone (really good tequila) Gifts, and then the MAIN EVENT - The All Adult Male Belly Flop Contest!

What a weekend! Here is a small sample of our fun! I can't wait to help put Bryan's together next! Don't miss it! Love to all!

The GOO

Girls and Guns

2007-08-30T11:52:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Steve Lee for providing this short bio!
Please click on picture for larger view.

Cool Pic I found on the Web

2007-08-21T08:53:00.000-05:00

Maybe hard to see if the pic is small, but does anyone recognize the panther on the engine cowl?

Dean Invades Seattle

2007-07-29T17:23:00.000-05:00

Here are a couple of pictures of Dean's trip here to Seattle. It was great having him here and look forward to a return trip...

Last Flight!

2007-06-27T18:32:00.000-05:00

It was great, flew with a really good buddy and performed a little airshow for the family out in the desert to boot! Wish everyone of you could have been there. Can't wait to see everyone again soon!

"I'm With Fred"

2007-06-27T07:42:00.000-05:00

Dean Please contact me

2007-06-21T09:28:00.000-05:00

Since my hardrive crashed without a back up, and I don't have your email adresses ( and I'm the only one who puts my e-mail/contact info in the blogger profile).

Dean I have something for you... e-mail me or call so I can e-mail you this info.

3192638914

The picture worth a thousand words...

2007-06-01T14:05:00.000-05:00

GO TIME!!!!!

2007-06-01T12:55:00.001-05:00

Well boys it is June 1st and soon July will be upon us. Dean is planning on being here in Seattle and I have thrown up the idea of having a get together. I would love to have as many of you up here as possible so I will be soon posting some local hotel information for anyone that is interested and get an e-vite out so we can monitor the headcount. I am thinking a good game of paintball might be in the future so if that scares ya let me know....

G

Memorial Day

2007-05-28T22:28:00.000-05:00

This is the symbol for our country. This symbol represents the United States of America.

For each of us it means different things.

For me it represents Freedom. Freedom hard won and always requiring more, more from each of us to keep it alive.

It represents sacrifice. Giving of ones self so that others may live free.

It is a symbol of achievement and victory through adversity.

Today we remember our fellow soldiers. We hold in our hearts those who serve our country, just as we have and still do.

Today we remember those who gave thier lives for our country, our freedom.

We remember.

We will not forget.

I thank each of you for your service. I pray for each of you, all of our soldiers and our great country.

I will not forget.

Mother's Day

2007-05-13T21:25:00.000-05:00

Well Boys,

They are the reason we are here. Our Mothers!

Mine was here last night!

She (Jeanie Pennington) is holding Donovan. We ate outside, fish taco's (tilapia). It was a good night and I am fortunate to be able to tell my Mother thank you and that I Love Her.

dean

This is pretty cool... even if you don't drink

2007-05-08T07:25:00.000-05:00

THROWING THE GAUNTLET II

2007-04-24T16:56:00.000-05:00

O.K., I have given it some thought and figure what the hell the worst thing that could happen is you decrepit fly boys go sissy on me and don't show. I am inviting everyone up for round 2 of the reunion here in Seattle, Wa. I think a good time would be July since Dean will already be here and the weather has a better chance of being promising. There is a Whirly Ball court not too far from my place and I have a finger on the pulse of Seattle. Give me some feedback and I can start looking into dates, lodging and entertianment ideas. I would really like to have you all here in my hometown and hopefully we can reach a few more of the old crew.

Looking forward to all responses!

George, Whirly Girl and Tristen

2007-04-23T21:26:00.000-05:00

This is the course George is alluding to. I will be attending this July.
George says he has Seattle wired!

dean

NOAA/UHMS/USRF PHYSICIANS' TRAINING IN DIVING MEDICINE COURSE

JULY 9-20, 2007

NOAA Diving Center, SEATTLE, WA

The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society is pleased to announce that it will again conduct the above referenced advanced training program in diving medicine for physicians. This course is held in conjunction with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Undersea Research Foundation (USRF). The program has been scheduled for July 9-20, 2007. Dr. Morgan Wells (USRF) will serve as Course Director. This two-week course will be held at the NOAA Diving Center, 7600 Sand Point Way, NE, Seattle, Washington.

The goal of this course is to fully train physicians to be capable to handle complex diving medical emergencies. After completing the course, the diving physician should be able to manage diving emergency cases and to safely operate the hyperbaric chamber and its support equipment.

The course will include practical "hands on" experience operating and working inside recompression chambers, and the use of commercial and military diving equipment. Training facilities will include 72", 60", and 42" diameter therapeutic recompression chambers and a 30-foot deep diver-training tower. Chambers will be equipped to demonstrate recent technological advances developed by USRF and NOAA.

Instructional content covered by the faculty experts include:

Physical and physiological effects of pressure
Hypothermia and hyperthermia in undersea and hyperbaric systems
Physiological effects of gases
High pressure nervous syndrome
Life support parameters/systems
Diving in polluted water
Fundamentals of gas exchange
Tunnel and caisson workers
Decompression theory and procedures (air/oxygen/mixed gases)
Chamber safety
Diagnosis & treatment of diving casualties
Oxygen toxicity
Recompression therapy
Saturation diving
Ear, nose and throat problems
Recreational diving
Patent Foramen Ovale
Hyperbaric technology

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy

Applicants for the course should possess an M.D., D.O., or equivalent degree. A detailed curriculum vita should be submitted with the course application. Supporting references should be submitted directly to the UHMS. Preference will be given to those applicants who will use the training in their geographic areas to enhance the safety and efficiency of diving operations. Consideration will be given to those applicants who indicate how the training will enhance their professional careers in diving, hyperbaric, or occupational medicine. The applicant must pass a diving physical examination if they wish to participate in diving/pressure related activities.

The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to sponsor continuing medical education for physicians. The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) takes responsibility for the content, quality, and scientific integrity of this CME activity.

The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society designates this continuing medical education activity for 82 hours in Category 1 of the Physician’s Recognition Award of the American Medical Association.

I'M BACK!!!

2007-04-23T00:58:00.000-05:00

Hey guys sorry I have waited so long to get signed into this google account. Life has been crazy busy but I wanted to drop a quick hello. More to follow on a life update. One quick thing I would like to throw out there is that Dean is coming to Seattle for a diving class and I thought it might be an idea to have the 2nd Annual Bad Boy get together here in my home town. Let's get some feedback on that idea....

George, Whirly Girl and Tristen

You gotta try this

2007-04-19T20:50:00.000-05:00

1) Go to Google maps
2) select "get directions"
3) enter New York, NY to London, England
4) scroll down to step 24 and see what it says :)

The origins of the Stryker Assault Vehicle

2007-04-19T19:42:00.000-05:00

Few people know that the Stryker Assault Vehicle we know today, got its heritage, and was truly birthed from the less well known "Urban Insult Vehicle". The lessons learned from the numerous (water baloon)attacks, the rapid deployments (within seconds from any maintenance or chow line event), the versatile configuration changes(upgraded weaponry to jet streams from gas powered pressure washers)and on the move mission change capability, was the inspiration for todays combat mobility vehicles.

Bravo Co. always traveled with our very own private Flight attendant.

2007-04-19T19:38:00.000-05:00

Gen Rutherford after the war

2007-04-19T19:36:00.000-05:00

Gen Franks after the war

2007-04-19T19:34:00.000-05:00

Damn Dean, where'd that girlish figure go?

2007-04-19T19:31:00.000-05:00

About the Pictures

2007-04-19T13:44:00.000-05:00

Steve,

All can say is Thank You!

Thank you for the art on the nose of my aircraft. Thank you for taking so many wonderful shots of the people and aircraft during our little foray into the desert.

Unforgivably, I do not thank you for taking the shot of me taking a growler on a mre box.

I will take the good with the bad.

Your pictures have added alot to this blog site! It helps with our memories, or I should say, it helps with my memories.

So keep that scanner going. I anxiously await your next post!

I will state for the record, I did not take a single picture during our stay. So the only pictures I have are the ones you guys have shared. Especially you and Erich.

Thanks
dean

Can't believe no one has any comments for these pics

2007-04-19T07:31:00.000-05:00

If these pics don't stimulate comments, I'll assume everyone is reflecting on the wonderful memories and freindships.
However, I have to ask, someone needs to help me with some of the names, because unforgiveably, I don't remember all at the moment. Please post names left to right in each pic, post corrections as required. Thanks!!!

Team Midnight Insertion

2007-04-18T19:42:00.000-05:00

Team Sissy's Seekin'

2007-04-18T19:39:00.000-05:00

Bugs?

2007-04-17T21:00:00.000-05:00

Where is your picture?

Team Scout

2007-04-15T18:09:00.000-05:00

Team Fantasia

2007-04-15T18:06:00.000-05:00

Team Bad Boy Toy

2007-04-15T18:04:00.000-05:00

Team Check Six Cindy

2007-04-15T18:00:00.000-05:00

Team Ghost Rider

2007-04-15T17:58:00.000-05:00

Team Surprize Attack

2007-04-15T17:57:00.000-05:00

Team Apache Crews

2007-04-15T17:52:00.000-05:00

Anyone remember these guys?

2007-04-15T17:49:00.000-05:00

Bob Davis Sighting

2007-04-01T23:32:00.000-05:00

Bad Boys,

Bob Davis has been sighted! This has been confirmed by audio only. We will see what pans out from this once missing BAD BOY.

dean