The Right Stuff

This has really struck a nerve with me. I first heard about it shortly after it happened back on the 29th.
Even before the video, eye-witness descriptions pointed to a load shift.
Then the video came out.
And reportedly, air traffic control communications reporting the pilot said he had a load shift.

These pilots do some fantastic flying. All the way to the ground. They never quit. You can actually see it...

Part of what bothers/ed me is the critical importance of doing even the 'small jobs'. And attention to detail.
The pilots are highly trained, a crew of seven... loads of experience... but, it likely came down to whether or not someone used the correct type of chain/strap or tightened it down correctly on the vehicles in the cargo deck.
The very moment the plane started to climb, it was doomed, because the cargo shifted, rolled backwards, thrust the plane onto its tail making it nigh impossible to control.

And yet, the best part, is that the pilots didn't QUIT. They may have known they were doomed, but they kept trying. A book I love uses the quote, "I've tried A, I've tried B, I've tried C!" showing how you don't give up all the way down.

And for a beast of a plane loaded with cargo, way outside of its design limits, they ALMOST do it. To the untrained/unfamiliar eye, the plane looks like it's falling from the sky, as controlled as an autumn leaf. But these pilots, and they ARE piloting that whale, do the amazing following steps:
Recognize the Stall
Overcome ALL human instinct in a stall situation close to the ground and begin to aim the plane AT the ground to recover (a very key point of training - had they done differently, the video would have been much shorter).
The left wing wobbles, dips as the stall begins. They recover the left wing stall rolling into a right wing stall.
It begins. But, with the wings now both stalled, and then recovered, a spin starts. They kick the rudder hard, turn her... and get wings level and ready to begin accelerating to recover flight.
Nose down a bit to start accelerating right when the precious margin between aircraft and ground ran out. The maxim 'Altitude is Life' is as timeless as aviation itself. With altitude, you have time... you can make it happen.... but, they just ran out.
With all of their incredible aviating, and IF ONLY for a couple thousand more feet... they might have made it. Or at least, to start solving the next part of the problem.... getting the crippled bird back onto the ground in one piece. But, somewhere... one person shortcutted. (Truth be told: in aviation, there's never ONE cause, there's a chain, but universally, if you can break that chain anywhere, then you can avoid it... so, there may be many causes, but any one could have stopped it.)
These civilians don't get the military honors. They don't get the "Thank you for your service." They don't get any of the glory or anything that our uniformed brethren get. Yet, without their support and their efforts, we couldn't do it. And they are volunteers as much as we are.
There's not likely going to be a Missing Man Formation of 747s (wouldn't that be a sight?), nor any ceremonies. The families will deal with this privately.
But to you Aviators, what to the vast majority of the viewing world seems like sixty seconds of sheer terror was likely sixty seconds of amazing professionalism and solid performance. I'm in admiration.

Why You Fight for Others' Rights

Over the past weekend, I wrote about how it was fundamentally critical to us, as Americans, to ensure that we enshrine our rights. We must make sure that these rights are there when they are difficult - for the Marathon bomber, for the Westboro Baptist Church, for the Second Amendment, for everyone we disagree with, etc.

We press for these rights for others because while we talk and debate others losing their rights, we boast and are sure that OUR rights will never be threatened. We're Americans, and it'll never happen here.

Not ever.

It couldn't.

Could it?

Nah.

Or... could it?

Maybe just a tiny right, in the interest of a Greater Good, and who would really mind? "If you have nothing to hide..."

Innocent people dragged from their homes at the point of a gun, frisked, escorted down the street, while they wait for their homes to be searched without a warrant...

But, but... we had to find the bomber! And, certainly, there IS a definite concern there. I'm one who wants to find the guy who's blowing up people. BUT, don't we have a way to do that? Judge issues warrants, authorizing police to only search and seize just the person they're looking for? Maybe the police have to ask first? Still, how intimidated do you feel when you open the door and see a shotgun pointed at you? CAN you say no? What happens if you do? And for all of you/us who say, "Ain't no one coming in my house without a warrant!" ok... fine, and what happens when we show our shotgun to the 20+ heavily armed, trigger-itchy cops outside?

So, with that in mind...

Here's why we, as Americans, must... MUST fight for the rights of each and EVERY one of us, whether we like or agree with people or not:

It's Not Easy...

Being an American is difficult. We are constantly challenged by others to demonstrate what we say we believe in, to 'walk the talk' as it were.
If a brutal crime occurs, we have to let the criminal justice system work its wonders, even sometimes when we watch someone go free.
We have to listen to the most hateful speech we can ever imagine - the KKK, Westboro Baptist Church, we have plenty of examples - and we not only listen to them, but we DEFEND their right to speak. Yes, their RIGHT to speak.
The Bill of Rights exists so that our rights aren't subject to the whims of politicians.
It's not easy.
It's incredibly difficult. It challenges our emotional responses. We WANT our visceral pleasure - to see the criminal viciously tortured, the hate group muzzled, and other scums of society that deserve not one bit of our love, our friendship, our charity, but every bit of our democratic support.

I am often surprised (not really) by how often I see people quote Martin Niemöller, yet then cry out for squashing the rights of those they deem unacceptable. Or fellow military members who've sworn oaths promising to protect and defend the Constitution, but then leave comments promising blood oaths of violence against the very people needing those Constitutional protections.

America and her Freedoms is not an easy idea; she is difficult and needs constant protection and vigilance. When we stop protecting those Freedoms, then the bright radiance of our shining city on a hill dims a little bit, until one day... we fade into the darkness.

RIP, Allan Arbus

RIP to Allan Arbus. An Army veteran from the 1940s, he is best known for his role as Dr. Sydney Friedman from M*A*S*H.

He died at the age of 95.

May you slide on the ice, sir...

Last Combat Brigade Leaves Iraq

It's quite the news this week.  The "last" combat brigade has left Iraq.  The war is over!  Yay!

Or...

Not quite.

We still have 50K troops in Iraq, and they're now called "Advise and Assist Brigades".  Snort.  Whatever.  The point that the media seems to have missed is this:  Have the insurgents and al-Qaeda withdrawn the last of their combat troops?  No?

Hmmm... then I guess the war isn't over (sorry about the timetable), and that brings us to one last salient point.  When the bullets and IEDs and other explosive munitions fly between people, it doesn't matter if they're called "combat" troops or not... it's still combat.

War doesn't end because of the press release announcing it's over... it ends when both sides agree it's over.  Whether by treaty, defeat, annihilation, whatever.

As Feared...

Yesterday was a primary election in 12 states.  For months, we've read about how America is fed up with the people in Congress.  The approval rating is in the low teens.

Tea Parties are held across the country.

"Throw the bums out!" is the common outcry.

Yet, yesterday... 97 out of 98 incumbents survived.  So, essentially... as feared... "They're all bad, except for my guy... he's good."

Sigh.  Is there any hope for real change?

Arlington

This is starting to break out... all over.

I first noted something from my FB feed from Army Times.  They posted a small blurb of a column noting the pending retirement of the Arlington Cemetery Superintendent:

Arlington Cemetery superintendent retiring

The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Jun 9, 2010 7:54:49 EDT

WASHINGTON — The superintendent of Arlington National Cemetery for the past 19 years is retiring.
John C. Metzler Jr. has worked for the government for 42 years and says his last day will be July 2.
The 62-year-old’s father was also superintendent at the cemetery outside the nation’s capital.
He said the high point of his career was expanding the cemetery for veterans and their families so it could continue to take new burials until 2060.
In November, Secretary of the Army John McHugh ordered an investigation into allegations of lost accountability of some graves, poor record keeping and other issues at Arlington.
Metzler said those issues weren’t as bad as had been reported.

Read the end, again.  It's barely even seems worth mentioning, right?  And the Superintendent, the guy under investigation, says it's not that bad.

Before I delve further, I have a question for Mr. Metzler.  Given the allegations of "lost accountability of some graves", what would be not as bad as reported?  The only thing I can think of would be... no lost accountability.  Anything else IS as bad as reported.  These are the graves of our servicemembers... and their spouses.  The Heroes of our Nation.  All cemeteries are special; our veteran and national cemeteries especially so.  However, while the cemeteries across the nation are likely known only to those connected to the ones interred there, Arlington is special.  It's immortalized in stories, poems, movies...  and this video from Trace Adkins:  Arlington.  Listen to the words.  The Army has dedicated an entire regiment, the Old Guard, to tend to those at Arlington.

Arlington is special.  Hallowed ground.

So, to refer back to the innocuous column from the Army Times, what are these issues?

From Salon, there are allegations of graves not marked, remains unknown (and no, not the ones at the Tomb of the Unknown).  Also, there are further allegations, of general disregard by the staff for mementoes and meaningful items left behind by those who visit the graves. 

Sigh.

When I first heard about this, my immediate question was... "How?"  And I think it comes back to how a certain jadedness sets in.  It's common wherever you work.  When I was at a call-center, I reminded my agents that while the customer may ask what to them were "stupid questions", to the customer they were the first time they'd asked the question and it was certainly important to them.

In the hospital climate I work in now, it is certainly easy to slide into your patients becoming just a procedure... not a person.

We encountered this a few years back at Walter Reed.  The scandal there brought down generals and the Secretary of the Army.

Who will answer to these allegations?  Will criminal charges be pursued?  If the fundamental notion of your job description as a Superintendent of a cemetery is to properly inter and care for the remains of our fallen, then I presume that allegations of misplaced and/or unknown remains and poor care of the cemetery will reflect a gross failure in that position, at a minimum.

Properly?  Punish.  Make the example.  Let it be clear that in a time where media and protesters can seem to almost revel in counting the numbers of our dead that our fallen are not merely numbers, not merely another task to do before going home for the day - they are our fallen Heroes, and more importantly, they are, or were,  meaningful to someone.  They were at least a Son or Daughter, and quite possibly also Husbands, Wives, Brothers, Sisters... Fathers and Mothers.

A key part of working there should be the fundamental realization and internalization of that simple fact.  If that's not possible, please work somewhere else.  There are thousands who would gladly work there and who would show the proper respect to those permanent residents of Arlington.

In the meantime, let's see our senior officials take immediate steps to ensure the command climate at Arlington properly reflects the special nature of Arlington.  It's not a lot to ask those charged with the care of the cemetery to give a damn; after all, those in their trust gave every last measure.

He's Not Quite Dead!

There's an article out on the AP about the RI State Police (made famous in Me, Myself, & Irene) catching a man with a blood-alcohol content of .491!

Yes, a .491.

State police say they arrested a man early Tuesday whose blood alcohol level was 0.491 percent — the highest ever recorded in Rhode Island for someone who wasn't dead.

Gotta love that line... he's tops in the "not dead" category.

The legal limit in Rhode Island is 0.08. A level of 0.30 is classified as stupor, 0.4 is comatose and 0.5 is considered fatal, according to the health department.

Just thinking... do we give him an award for not managing to die? Of course, the bigger miracle is that somehow, he didn't kill anyone... himself of otherwise. Seems police noticed his intoxication after he:

Kobierowski, 34, of North Providence, was arrested after he drove into a highway message board on Interstate 95 in Providence, O'Donnell said.

Considering there are only 42 miles of I-95 in Rhode Island... again, I'm just amazed that the guy 1) could drive, b) didn't hurt anyone, and 3) well... just amazed.

Now, back to your regular blogging.

Lest We Forget...

There are any number of ways to write memorials, and I can certainly take the time reminisce about where I was and how I remember hearing about the Challenger exploding... twenty-two years ago.

However, I am blessed to have a friend... she's been a good friend for well over a year now. And, of note to me... she was the voice of NASA that morning.

So, I'm going to link to her memory of that day.

Lest we forget... progress is never without a price. And the lessons of safety are always written in blood.

Ad Astra per Aspera

On 27 January 1967, America lost its first astronauts in a spacecraft. In a test. There was supposed to be no risk - there wasn't even fuel in the rocket!

And yet, in less than fifteen seconds, a violent fire snuffed out some of America's brave explorers - Gus Grissom, Ed White (first American spacewalker), and Roger Chaffee.



I think it's important that we remember a quote from Gus Grissom, "If we die, we want people to accept it. We are in a risky business and we hope that if anything happens to us it will not delay the program. The conquest of space is worth the risk of life."

An Eerily Familiar Story

My mother-in-law called me tonight. She's mailing me an article she read in the local paper.

She read it to me over the telephone.

It felt like I'd heard it ALL before.

Much of it sounded as if I'd written it.

From the article in the Charleston Post & Courier:

At her home in Fishtown, Pa., Andrea Collins Smith, inveterate hipster, South Street fixture and "Punk Rock Mommy" of the blogosphere, is speaking quickly, racing ahead like the fast-spreading cancer that will take her life.

Smith, 37, the raison d'etre for a New Year's Eve day benefit concert organized by Philadelphia's Paul Green School of Rock to raise money for her care and her family's support, has a rare and virulent form of the disease.

In May, two days after graduating with a psychology degree from Temple University and two days before Mother's Day, the mother of six, whose tattoos and piercings are too numerous to count, learned she has inflammatory breast cancer.

Stage 4. Incurable, her doctors said.

Two weeks later, she started chemotherapy: Six rounds of caustic chemicals pumped into her body, three weeks apart.

Oct. 20: Radical surgery to remove both breasts and underarm lymph nodes.

Nov. 20: The start of radiation treatments.

This month, more trouble: A CT scan revealed cancer in two vertebrae.

It wasn't there in September's tests.

"That's how fast my cancer spreads," Smith said. "That's how aggressive this cancer is."

The last line of the article struck home (as if the rest had not):

Because there is no history of cancer in Smith's family, and her strain of the disease usually hits without early warning signs, she titled her blog "Andrea Collins Smith and the Great Cancer Swindle."

Please... I remember how uplifting E & I found all of your comments during our darkest, and not quite so dark, days. Perhaps, you can stop by and say hi to Andrea. She, like another I once knew, is a woman of indominitable spirit and charm.

Click here to zip on over.

Closing a Chapter of the Past

In the paper earlier this week, word of a job closing came out.

A call center in Goose Creek is closing on 31 May 2008. It hosts several telephone departments for National and Alamo car rentals. These companies were recently acquired by Enterprise Rent a Car.

I used to work there. I'm still friends with quite a few people who (for now) work there.

Lots of good memories. I met Ellicia there.

And now, it too, shall move into the past. Obsolete. Not worth the investment.

I'm so sorry for the friends who just received sad Christmas news.

Stand Up! Stand Up! Get Up Off of that Seat!

Scientists apparently are beginning to believe that sitting down turns off the body's fat-burning mechanism (it also causes global warming, but that can't be helped).

Take a look.

There's likely something to this... so, when you have the opportunity, stand up. Get out of that chair. Work standing up... Walk...

This time of year can be hard enough.

Here's the story.

Hero Saluting Heroes

Recently, you'll recall the tragic deaths of the 9 Charleston firefighters.

They were buried a few days ago. It was a major event, as thousands upon thousands poured out to say good-bye. Fire departments from all over the world, I hear, sent representatives to give their respects.

And along the route that the hearses drove, many more lined the streets, giving a final farewell to these heroes.

Including one of mine.

Just so happens someone caught this picture...

Heroes

You've seen it on the news. 9 firefighters died in a fire in Charleston, SC. I know the store... shopped in it. Didn't buy anything, but that's beside the point.

These firefighters went INTO the building... a building on fire... a building that everyone inside was desperate to leave. They went IN. And rescued those inside. They were outside. And they went back in to make sure everyone else was out.




And then the roof collapsed.

Heroes walk amongst us, and so often, we never know their names until they're just a picture.

I urge you all... learn the name of a hero... before they become a picture. We all know Paris Hilton's name... Britney, Insert Favorite Sport Star Here, etc... Learn the name of a hero in your community... they're walking right amongst us, silently, no attention, no press... but they're there.

Cancer Deaths Drop for 2nd Straight Year

Excellent news! We must continue our fight against this disease.

Do you know what struck me the most about this article? It wasn't the drop, nor the tinge of regret that it'd dropped and Ellicia isn't part of the drop.

The numbers.

Yes, the decrease was 3,014 fewer deaths than the previous year. But worse, we're averaging over half a million men, women, and children dying to this disease in its various forms.

Half a million. Each year.

Think about it.

Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation - Donate Today (They have a memorials page)

American Cancer Society - There are many forms of cancer.

James Doohan has died.

Ok, this has nothing to do with Afghanistan.

The world lost another of the original "Star Trek" actors today. James "Jimmy" Doohan played Scotty in the Star Trek. Even if you've never watched "Star Trek" (What?! Have you been living in a cave???), you know the phrase "Beam me up, Scotty."

Doohan was special amongst the actors. One reason was his genuine affability. He was always genial and happy in his philosophies. He was a joy in person, and I'd had the pleasure of meeting him several times.

He was also a Soldier. He landed on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day with the Canadians. He was wounded six times, including the loss of a finger.

Doohan never shied from his fame or association with "Star Trek". His legacy will be one of sharing with the fans, including saving one notable one from suicide.

Scotty is gone, another one of the famous crew gone. Slowly, the door on the original "Star Trek" seems to be closing. It's a finality that's inescapable... no warp speed or shields to stop it.

I will miss Doohan being around, but am glad, yes, glad he died. Recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's, he faced a future of being robbed of his mind - instead, he was blessed to die with his wife by his side, and mind still there. It was our culture robbed, but... that was always destined to happen.

"Star Trek" is a legacy that will live on for generations to come (yes, I believe that - it's one of our society's cultural legends) and through it, so will Doohan. We'll always be able to go back and see that smile, hear the laugh, and call out to have him beam us up.

God speed, Scotty. And thank you.

Have you heard about this?!

A mother calls her son from Iraq, and his school makes him hang-up.

For full story in the local newspaper, click http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/news/11575912.htm.

The school says they're suspending him due to his behavior when confronted and made to hang up the phone. I'd behave the same way in his situation. If I were a kid, and my mom was in Iraq, I would NOT hang up the phone.

To then be disallowed from answering when she calls back... Grrrrrr.

Who are these people? And this school district SERVES the local Army post!

Very disappointing and disheartening.

For those who don't know, when you're serving in the combat zones... access to phones is infrequent and unpredictable. If you're lucky, you can use your unit's military phone lines. If you're lucky. What you usually end up having to do is wait in line for the MWR (Morale, Welfare, Recreation) phone banks. This can take hours. When you get to the head of the line, you make your call. It isn't for very long, and you just can't take into consideration things like what time it is on the other end of the line. Families get phone calls at all hours of the day and night. I've never heard a spouse complain about a phone call at 0330.

This Soldier is in a warzone, and the school is more concerned about his use of a cellphone (during lunch - not even class). Zero tolerance... no thinking. No use of discretion or decision making. What are we teaching our children by robotic responses to situations like this?

(End of rant)