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In the early days of America's history, before independence, wily frontiersmen formed community militias to provide protection from the native Indians and French-Canadian settlers. By the 1760s, peace resulted in militia training reaching a low point. For example, during militia training, a common salute to an officer consisted of a militiaman's firing a blank shot at an officer’s feet. A general sense of humor and neglect existed among the colonists toward formal military discipline. However, marksmanship and weapon handling remained important as a part of daily life and thus was regularly practiced. Many of the other practices of the...

I predict that as the Federal Government over-reaches on some issues and fails to uphold its responsibility on other issues, states will begin acting more independently. 10th Amendment Issue: Texas Sends Rangers To Border Because Federal Government Failed To Address Problems 84rules September 11, 2009

UPDATE: Tom Hicks tells The Dallas Morning News that he is not yet in default; please see tomorrow's paper for details. I've adjusted the wording throughout this item to reflect that. If anybody has information that contradicts his position, please let me know. Dallas billionaire Tom Hicks' holding company stopped interest payments on $525 million in loans, according to a report today by financial Web site FINalternatives. Hicks Sports Group, which owns the Texas Rangers and the Dallas Stars, failed to make an interest payment on syndicated banks loans earlier this week, according to the report. The Hicks group is...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8K7roZu3WU

I am watching the game and there she is! With Piper and Bristol (or perhaps not Bristol, but the middle daughter- I forgot her name). she looks great! A mixed crowd reaction, but mostly cheering, some boos for sure, but they were drowned out by the music. Hey, people can boo if they want, it's still a free country (for now). It all went off without a hitch. I Love Sarah Palin.

My 17 year old son has announced that he wants to join the Army right out of high school and become a Ranger. Today a friend of his took him to the National Guard to talk to a recruiter who told him it would be no problem becoming a Ranger through the Guard. Based on the conversation he relayed to me, the recruiter also made it sound like an MP is a great MOS. I have a brother in Iraq right now with Black Water, he is too emotionally involved to get a straight answer out of. Everyone has an...

DALLAS -- Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan has agreed to become the Texas Rangers team president, a person with knowledge of the negotiations

In the newspaper world, of which I am a lapsed citizen, the number thirty is the traditional code that ends a perfect piece of copy. In baseball world as we knew it Wednesday night, thirty is the number that represents the worst night of human rights violations in the long enough and, once upon a time, glorious enough history of baseball in Baltimore. If that city has seen any crime wave equal to Wednesday night’s mass murder in Camden Yards, I’m willing to bet the the newspaper morgues (no pun intended) and the police records don’t show it. You’d have...

BALTIMORE (AP) -- The Texas Rangers rounded the bases at a dizzying pace, touching the plate so often it became almost embarrassing to make an out. The Rangers became the first team in 110 years to score 30 runs in a game, setting an American League record Wednesday in a 30-3 rout of the Baltimore Orioles. Trailing 3-0 in the opener of a doubleheader, Texas scored five runs in the fourth inning, nine in the sixth, 10 in the eighth and six in the ninth. It was the ninth time a major league team scored 30 runs, the first since...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h2ELEj6Ngs

Army medical examiners were suspicious about the close proximity of the three bullet holes in Pat Tillman's forehead and tried without success to get authorities to investigate whether the former NFL player's death amounted to a crime, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press. "The medical evidence did not match up with the, with the scenario as described," a doctor who examined Tillman's body after he was killed on the battlefield in Afghanistan in 2004 told investigators. The doctors - whose names were blacked out - said that the bullet holes were so close together that it appeared the...

Inspiring video clip of a 42 year old medic who graduated tops at Army Ranger School, one of the hardest if not hardest military training schools available. Hoo-ah!

My life is filled with heroes, that I have never seen before, there are those who serve on the homefront, and those who’ve gone to war. Soldiers, sailors, policemen, firemen, nurses, the EMT, those who do their duty, to keep me safe and free. And they are all just doing their jobs, and I never hear them complain, yet each time that I see one, I hear this refrain: What would it take to persuade you, to put your life upon the line? If I gave you ten million dollars, would you give your life for mine? If I gave...

There's growing steam behind a report by ESPN's Buster Olney that the Red Sox might have submitted the top bid for Seibu Lions righthander Daisuke Matsuzaka. One major league source indicated, "That wouldn't surprise me one bit. I have heard the Red Sox were very competitive. It would be a strike against the Yankees, who have been considered the front-runner, and it show Red Sox fans the team is serious about rebuilding what happened last season."

On Veterans Day weekend, the Arizona Cardinals will honor the late Pat Tillman with a special halftime ceremony and give him a place on the team's Ring of Honor at University of Phoenix Stadium. But a less-publicized tribute in the Phoenix area is paid to Tillman every time a 24-year-old war veteran and student at Scottsdale Community College takes the stage as the lead singer of the punk rock band Second Stint. Sgt. Brad "Jake" Jacobson was among the Army Rangers on a mission in southeastern Afghanistan when Tillman was killed by friendly fire in April 2004. Jacobson wrote and...

I heard Brian Williams compare suicide bombers to US special forces. I was listening to Hugh Hewitt's Radio Show. He is on vaction, his host was someone nameed Jed or Jess I heard this man on other shows like Rush, Hannity etc. He said I am going to break when I come back I will tell you something that is unbelieveible and until I heard it I could not believe it. After the break he mad e a few comments on the Theorists already saying the Bob Threat was Bush engineered. Then said just hours Chris Matthews was talking to...

My mother just called and let me know that my brother has successfully passed Army Ranger training and will graduate this Friday! I am so excited for him. He has wanted this all his life!!!!

The sound of the UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters echoed off the rugged, snowy ridges, almost 9,000 feet up in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan, near the Pakistan border. In the dim first light of dawn, the men of U.S. Army Special Forces detachment Alpha 732 were scanning the fog-bound boulders and trees, searching for Taliban fighters... Ten months later, home from Afghanistan at Hawaii's Camp H.M. Smith, Sgt. Sar stood at attention as he received the Silver Star, the nation's fourth-highest award for valor in combat. He was a reluctant recipient. He felt that what he had done that day in...

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Rangers pitcher Adam Eaton is headed for the disabled list after suffering at least a strained tendon in his right middle finger in a start against his old team, the San Diego Padres, on Wednesday afternoon. The Rangers were awaiting the results of an MRI exam but manager Buck Showalter admitted, "It doesn't sound good." The Rangers, after naming R.A. Dickey as their fifth starter in the morning, were meeting Wednesday night to discuss possible options. Juan Dominguez and Edinson Volquez were sent to the Minors in the morning and one of them could be brought back....

<p>A criminal probe is being opened into the death of former NFL star Pat Tillman, who was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan.</p>

It's taken a while to download ... but I have a very well done 3-minute video clip of the 101st Airborne Division in Iraq. The video is very well done and professional grade in appearance. If anyone is interested in viewing this clip, send me a note with an email contact!

FORT BENNING, Ga. (Army News Service, Nov. 22, 2005) -- Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker presented Army Rangers more than 25 awards for valor during a ceremony at Fort Benning, Ga., Nov. 18. The Soldiers, all assigned to 3rd Bn., 75th Ranger Regt., deployed between July and October in support of Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom. “I am glad I could be here to recognize great heroes,” said the Army chief. “I’m proud of your service. I am proud of what you do and what you represent. You are living the Ranger Creed and Warrior...

Military reopens probe of Tillman death Robert Collier 8/23/2005 The Pentagon has reopened an investigation into last year's friendly fire killing of former football star Pat Tillman in combat in Afghanistan, saying it will begin a "review" of a previous Army probe that Tillman's parents and others have strongly criticized. /snip "Hopefully something will come of this," said Mary Tillman. "Many crucial things that happened did not come out in the earlier reports. People above should have been punished," she said, referring to Pat Tillman's commanding officers in Afghanistan. /snip the Army initially told Tillman's family and the public that...

Lord, Keep our Troops forever in Your care Give them victory over the enemy... Grant them a safe and swift return... Bless those who mourn the lost. . FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer for all those serving their country at this time. ...................................................................................... ........................................... U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel...

Lord, Keep our Troops forever in Your care Give them victory over the enemy... Grant them a safe and swift return... Bless those who mourn the lost. . FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer for all those serving their country at this time. .................................................................. .................... ........................................... U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should...

Servicemembers and veterans were among those who got a sneak peek of the film that promotional materials say tells the story of the "most spectacular rescue missions ever to take place in American history: 'the great raid on Cabanatuan.'" The raid was conducted to rescue the more than 500 U.S. prisoners of war who had survived the Bataan Death March through the jungles of the Philippines. Lt. Col. Henry A. Mucci, working from 6th Army Headquarters in Luzon in the Philippines, was charged with figuring out how to free the POWs before the Japanese army's "Kill All" policy was enforced....

Directed by John Dahl, The Great Raid captures the story of WWII’s 6th Ranger Battalion who undertake a daring rescue mission to liberate 500 American prisoners-of-war in the Philippines. The film premiers on Aug 12

I just thought I would pass along some information about a program you may want to watch. The Discovery Military Channel (previously called Discovery Wings) will be showing three hours from the Best Ranger Competition on Thursday night (6/16). While this is not the first time it has been aired on television (ESPN usually carries an hour break down shown on odd Saturday times), it is only the second time I know of that 3 hours will be carried for broadcast. To my knowledge, this will be a recording of this year’s competition. http://wings.discovery.com/convergence/bestranger/bestranger.html Other sites that carry information on...

Associated Press FORT EDWARD, N.Y. — Maj. Robert Rogers, the frontiersman whose 18th century manual on guerrilla warfare has become a blueprint for Army Ranger fighting tactics, is getting what some consider a long-overdue honor: a statue in his memory. But some veterans believe unveiling the monument on Memorial Day is insensitive because Rogers was loyal to England during the Revolutionary War. "I think it's a travesty that we would think about honoring a person, especially someone who fought against us, on that day," said Bob Bearor, who served in the Army's 101st Airborne Division in the 1960s. "It's a...

Rangers Versus Special Forces: Hostage Rescue Discussion Board on this Military Joke The Chief of Staff of the Army asked his Sergeant Major, who was both Ranger and Special Forces qualified, which organization he would recommend to form a new anti-terrorist unit. The Sergeant Major responded to the General's question with this parable: If there were a hijacked Boeing 747 being held by terrorists along with its passengers and crew and an anti-terrorist unit formed either by the Rangers or the Special Forces was given a Rescue/Recovery Mission; what would you expect to happen? Ranger Option Forces/Equipment Committed: If the...

Freepers, I did not find a post on this topic..so I am posting it. Hope it's not a duplicate. I was in Wal Mart tonight and saw that they are selling a CD done by Keni Thomas and Cornbread. The CD is titled- Flags of Our Fathers: A soldiers story. http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/thomas__keni/855096/album.jhtml It is a very good CD and some of the proceeds are set up to go to the Hero Fund. Keni Thomas was one of the Rangers who endured the actions in Somalia. (Which the movie Black Hawk Down is about) It caught my eye because it had a...

Lord, Keep our Troops forever in Your care Give them victory over the enemy... Grant them a safe and swift return... Bless those who mourn the lost. . FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer for all those serving their country at this time. ...................................................................................... ........................................... U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel...

On this day...2/28/95 "US Marines swept ashore in Somalia to protect retreating UN peacekeepers." 12/1/92 December 1992 Yazdi, Turabi, and Bashir agree to begin planning and preparing various terrorist attacks to be conducted in close coordination. These attacks included an escalation of attacks against US and UN forces in Somalia and (later) against the World Trade Center in NYC. circa 1/1/93 Osama bin Laden had dealings with Iraqi Intelligence as early as 1993 in Somalia. During that period, various militant Islamic groups, to include bin Laden and Iraqi intelligence and military operatives, were in Somalia to organize, train and mobilize...

A battalion of American Rangers headed for duty in Afghanistan, is taking 16 Stryker armored vehicles with them. Normally, the Strykers are only used in mechanized infantry brigades. But since the rangers will be moving around a lot in Afghanistan, and not always by helicopter or on foot, it was thought that the Strykers would be a useful vehicle for that kind of work. The Strykers are equipped with satellite communications equipment and remote control (from inside the vehicle) gun turrets. The regular infantry who have been using Strykers in Iraq have been very satisfied with the vehicles. Normally, the...

One of the many wondrous peoples that poured forth from the rich imagination of the late J. R. R. Tolkien were the Ents. These tree-like creatures, agonizingly slow and covered with mossy bark, nursed themselves on tales of past glory while their numbers dwindled in their isolation. Unable to reproduce themselves or to fathom the evil outside their peaceful forest — and careful to keep to themselves and avoid reacting to provocation of the tree-cutters and forest burners — they assumed they would be given a pass from the upheavals of Middle Earth. But with the sudden arrival of two...

Just days after Pat Tillman died from friendly fire on a desolate ridge in southeastern Afghanistan, the U.S. Army Special Operations Command released a brief account of his last moments. The April 30, 2004, statement awarded Tillman a posthumous Silver Star for combat valor and described how a section of his Ranger platoon came under attack. "He ordered his team to dismount and then maneuvered the Rangers up a hill near the enemy's location," the release said. "As they crested the hill, Tillman directed his team into firing positions and personally provided suppressive fire. . . . Tillman's voice was...

Lord, Keep our Troops forever in Your care Give them victory over the enemy... Grant them a safe and swift return... Bless those who mourn the lost. . FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer for all those serving their country at this time. .................................................................. .................... ........................................... . U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. . . Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their...

Last Saturday night brought His Imperial Highness Prince Nguyen Phuc Buu Chanh of Vietnam, Regent of the Imperial Dynasty and President of the Vietnamese Constitutional Monarchist League, to Cornell. The Prince, a member of the Vietnamese imperial family gave a lecture, entitled "Revival of Vietnamese Culture: The Nguyen Dynasty," before a crowd of about 50 people. Maria Nguyen '05, vice president of the Cornell Vietnamese Association sang the American national anthem and then played the national anthem of South Vietnam. Aided by PowerPoint slides, Prince Buu Chanh then began his lecture speaking from a podium draped with the American flag...

The Imperial Nguyen Dynasty of Vietnam is politically pressuring the government of Vietnam to protect the liberty, religious rights of the Vietnamese people as well as the culture, traditions, languages of the Montagnards and Khmer Krom in Vietnam. (PRWEB) October 23, 2004 -- Today, Vietnam is experiencing a minor period of outward growth. Even the most dedicated Communists are abandoning old communist economic policies, which have proven to be ineffective and sometimes harmful. Capitalism is being introduced, with the Communist Party maintained only as a vehicle to exercise absolute control of the elite Party leaders over the common people. The...

Lord, Keep our Troops forever in Your care Give them victory over the enemy... Grant them a safe and swift return... Bless those who mourn the lost. . FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer for all those serving their country at this time. ...................................................................................... ........................................... U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel...

Aurora,IL (PRWEB) September 8, 2004 -- OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS - From the Office of the Leadership of the The Imperial Nguyen Dynasty of Vietnam & Vietnamese Constitutional Monarchist League: His Imperial Highness Prince Nguyen Phuc Buu Chanh of Vietnam, Regent of the Imperial Nguyen Dynasty and President of The Vietnamese Constitutional Monarchist League denounces the Communist Government on the return of United States Servicemen MIA or possible POWs’ and Human Rights Record. It has been stated by American Marines and Army Soldiers who are in Vietnam searching for MIA's, that there is corruption within the government of Vietnam. They stated that...

Officers say Mt. Tam patrols are dangerous without protection A recent court ruling means rangers who patrol 22,000 acres of land on Mount Tamalpais cannot carry firearms while they make their rounds, investigating everything from calls about gunshots to marijuana plots. "It's remote and we are usually up there alone, yet we have no protection," said Jackson Barker, a Marin Municipal Water District ranger. "It's a public safety issue and personal safety issue. "We don't have that deterrent anymore," he said, noting rangers were ordered to turn in their firearms 18 months ago. The MMWD rangers - who now total...

ProtestGayDay.com Exists To Protect & Preserve Our Innocent Youth Against The Homosexual AgendaProtest or PRAY with us at the Ballpark in Arlington at 6:00 pm on Sunday, Sept 14th.Game Start Time Is 7:05 pm - Protest Organizes at 6:00 pm  Click Here to Sign Our PetitionThe Straight Truth About ProtestGayDay.com& “TEXAS RANGERS TO HOLD GAY DAY”At The Ballpark In Arlington. Words In Quotations Taken From The Gay & Lesbian Newspaper Article    Mike Cramer, who is the President of Operations with the Texas Rangers organization, has repeatedly refused to address the article in the Dallas Voice Newspaper stating, “Gay Day at the Ballpark will be the first...

The Washington Times www.washingtontimes.com Elite veterans prowl PakistanBy Rowan ScarboroughTHE WASHINGTON TIMESPublished August 9, 2004 The United States, on the hunt for Osama bin Laden, is augmenting counterterror operations in Pakistan with scores of former special-operations warriors who work for the CIA and other agencies under contract.     Thousands of U.S. troops are openly fighting in Afghanistan along the Pakistan border. The stated U.S. policy, however, is that no American troops are inside Pakistan pursuing bin Laden's al Qaeda terrorists or advising local troops.     The reality is there are "a load of contracts" with U.S. agencies attracting veterans of Special...

At 3pm Eastern time today, ESPN 2 is scheduled to show the US Army Best Ranger Challenge. It is the ultimate in skills and endurance competition. It is not known what year they are showing. A guess would have it be the 2002 competition since the Best Ranger Competition web site states that ESPN will be showing the taping of the 2004 competition (held just recently) on July 3rd. It is possible that the dates could have changed. Congratulations to SSG Boley and SSG Nash of the 75th Ranger Regiment for winning the 2004 Best Ranger. Congratulations to all who...

Remarks at the U.S. Ranger Monument Pointe du Hoc, France June 6, 1984 One of two speeches commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the D-Day Invasion, this speech was delivered at the site of the U.S. Ranger Monument at Pointe du Hoc, France, where veterans of the Normandy Invasion, and others, had assembled for the ceremony. Later during the day, President Reagan spoke at Omaha Beach, France. 1,988 words. ****************************** We're here to mark that day in history when the Allied armies joined in battle to reclaim this continent to liberty. For four long years, much of Europe had been under...

BAGDHAD (May 8) -- The world stares transfixed to CNN, ABC, NBC, Al Jazeera or whatever Media-du Jour outfit blasting the images of the prison abuse at Abu Ghraib at the hands of a handful of US Army National Guard members. Here in Iraq, business continues. Special Forces, SEALs and a new unit called the Marine Corps SOCOM Detachment ONE working with the SEALS (More on them in future editorial) are busy ensuring that Baghdad does not become the next Beirut. The SOF mission: Get the bad guys before they get us. There are bountiful IED (Improvised Explosive Device) makers...

The public memorial service for former Arizona Cardinals player Pat Tillman will be televised live by ESPN on Monday starting at 6 p.m. EDT. The service will be held in Tillman's hometown of San Jose, Calif., at the San Jose Municipal Rose Garden. Tillman, who walked away from a three-year, $3.6 million contract offer from the Cardinals to join the Army in 2002, was killed April 22 in an ambush near the Afghan-Pakistani border. Tillman was awarded the Silver Star on Friday for leading his Army Rangers unit to the rescue of comrades caught in an ambush. The Silver Star,...

In the Style section last summer we profiled a Los Angeles writer named Micah Ian Wright, who'd just published a shrill antiwar poster book called "You Back the Attack! We'll Bomb Who We Want!" In his book, he described himself as a veteran of combat, a former Army Ranger whose experiences during the 1989 invasion of Panama turned him into a peacenik. In interviews with The Post and other media, he played up that background. Wright, it turns out, is a liar. He never served in the military --

<p>Tillman was killed while performing his duty "without regard to his personal safety," the Army said in a statement.</p> <p>Tillman left behind his NFL career as a safety with the Arizona Cardinals to join the Army after the attacks of September 11, 2001.</p>