Going for my CERT certification.

After thinking for a while on what to get certified I decided to go for CERT it makes the more sense to me.

I also need to get recertified on my CPR and First aid, I think it is important for people to at least know CPR, you never know when you are going to need it.

This is part of the CERT:
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community.


Bottom line, I need to get prepare for any thing that comes my way, and be able to help others

General Al Gray

General Al Gray, A Marine that loved his Marines!

The Commandant of the Marine Corps was General Al Gray, a crusty old "Field Marine." He loved his Marines and often slipped into the mess hall wearing a faded old field jacket without any rank or insignia on it. He would go through the chow line just like a private (In this way, he was assured of being given the same rations that the lowest enlisted man received. And, woe be it to the mess officer if the food was found to be "unfit in quality or quantity").

Upon becoming Commandant, General Gray was expected to do a great deal of "formal entertaining"...fancy dinner parties in full dress blue uniform. Now, the General would rather have been in the field eating cold "C-rats" around a fighting hole with a bunch of young "hard charging" Marines. But the General knew his duty and as a Marine he was determined to do it to the best of his ability.

During these formal parties, a detachment of highly polished Marines from "Eighth and Eye" (Marine Barracks located at 8th and I Streets in Washington, D.C., home of the Silent Drill Team) were detailed to assume the position of "parade rest" at various intervals around the ballroom where the festivities were being held.

At some point during one of these affairs, a very refined, big-chested, blue-haired lady picked up a tray of pastries and went around the room offering confections to the guests. When she noticed these Marines in dress blues, standing like sculptures all around the room, she was moved with admiration. She knew that several of these men were fresh from our victory in Kuwait . She made a beeline for the closest Lance Corporal, drew near him and asked, "Would you like pastry young man?"

The young Marine snapped to "attention" and replied, "I don't eat that shit, Ma'am." Just as quickly, he resumed the position of "parade rest." His gaze remained fixed on some distant point throughout the exchange.

The fancy lady was completely taken aback! She blinked, her eyes widened, her mouth dropped open. So startled was she that she immediately began to doubt what she had heard. In a quivering voice she asked, "W-W-What did you say?"

The Marine snapped back to the position of "attention" (like the arm of a mousetrap smacking it's wooden base). Then he said, "I don't eat that shit, Ma'am." And just as smartly as before, back to the position of "parade rest" he went.

This time, there was no doubt. The fancy lady immediately became incensed and felt insulted. After all, here she was an important lady, taking the time to offer something nice to this enlisted man (well below her station in life), and he had the nerve to say THAT to HER! She exclaimed, "Well! I never...!" The lady remembered that she had met that military man in charge of all these 'soldiers' earlier. She spotted General Gray from across the room. He had a cigar clenched between his teeth and a camouflaged canteen cup full of bourbon in his left hand. He was talking to a group of 1st and 2nd Lieutenants. So blue haired lady went straight over to the Commandant and interrupted.


"General, I offered some pastry to that young man over there, and do you know what he told me?"

General Gray cocked his eyebrow, took the cigar out of his mouth and said, "Well, no Ma'am, I don't."

The lady took in a deep breath, confident that she was adequately expressing with her body language her considerable rage and indignation. As she wagged her head in cadence with her words, and she paused between each word for effect, "She said, 'I - don't - eat - that - shit - Ma'am!'"

The lieutenants were in a state of near apoplexy. A couple of them choked back chuckles, and turned their heads to avoid having their smirks detected. The next thought that most of them had was, "God, I hope it wasn't one of MY Marines!" and the color left their faces.

General Gray wrinkled his brow, cut his eyes in the direction of the lieutenants, put his free hand to his chin and muttered a subdued, "Hummm Which one did you say it was Ma'am?," the General asked.

"That tall sturdy one right over there near the window, General," the woman said with smug satisfaction. One of the lieutenants began to look sick and put a hand on the wall for support. General Gray, seemed deep in thought, hand still to his chin, wrinkled brow. Suddenly, he looked up and his expression changed to one indicating he had made a decision.

He looked the fancy lady right in the eyes and said, "Well, fuck him! Don't give him any."

Pocket knife!

Really good read! 

It used to be that a pocket knife was an essential item that a man carried with him. You had your wallet, your keys, and your trusty pocket knife.

The History of the Pocket Knife

1^st Century Romans created the first folding pocket knife. They made for easy carrying for soldiers and other explorers on their journeys and conquests. However, as the use of sheathed knives became more popular, the use of pocket knives fell somewhat into disfavor.

By the late 16th Century, pocket knives began to regain popularity. They were especially popular in the American colonies. From farmers to lawyers, men from all walks of life started to carry them. The ultimate portable tool, the pocket knife was a useful aid in various tasks, including eating on the go.
Pocket knives have been an essential tool for soldiers throughout American history. New York and New Hampshire required their militias to carry pocket knives during the American Revolution. Even George Washington toted one around as he led his troops. The U.S. Navy began issuing pocket knives to sailors during the Civil War. During WWII, the pocket knife was standard issue for American GIs.

Men have been carrying pocket knives for centuries. But with increased security at the airport and other buildings, knives have been disappearing from men’s pockets. Yet these minor obstacles are not sufficient reason to give up carrying a knife completely. The carrying of a pocket knife is a man tradition that should be continued.

Why a Man Should Carry a Pocket Knife

How many times have you been in a situation where you’ve said to yourself, “Damn, a knife would be really handy now!” Here are a few instances when a pocket knife can come in handy or just make the simple things in life more enjoyable:

1. Opening a box.

2. Cutting rope, tags, and string.

3. Cutting an apple. I love eating an apple that I’ve cut with my pocket knife, slice by slice. You feel like a bad ass doing it. You hold the apple in your non-dominant hand and then make a slice with the knife using your dominant hand. After you make the slice, pinch it between your thumb and knife blade. Bring the blade to your mouth and deposit the apple slice.

4. Opening a letter. Sure, you could use your finger, but using a knife is just more manly.

5. Weapon. Not the most effective, but it’s better than nothing.

6. Camping. How else will you sharpen the point of a stick in preparation for stabbing your prey? And by prey I mean hot dog.

7. You never know when you’re going to have to MacGyver your way out of a crisis. Be prepared.

8. You need something to clench in your teeth when swinging from a rope.

What kind of pocket knife should you get?

Picking out a knife is a personal thing. It’s like picking out a wallet. It all comes down to personal taste. Men have a bond with their tools. Pick something that feels good in your hand, and that you’ll take pride in and want to carry around.

There are three common designs of pocket knives: the jack knife, the pen knife, and the multi-purpose knife. We’ll discuss the features and benefits of each one, in order to help you decide what kind of knife you should get.

Jack knife. A jack knife has a simple hinge at one end, and may have more than one blade. The jack knife is popular among hunters, fishermen, and campers.

Pen knife. A pen knife is hinged at both ends of the handle, and usually has two or three blades at each end. The pen knife was originally designed to cut or sharpen pen quills for writing. The pen knife is good if you want more than one type of blade. It’s also small and lightweight and won’t be noticeable in the pocket of dress clothes.

Multi-purpose knife. These are probably the most popular pocketknives. The Swiss Army knife and the Handyman are probably the most well known of the multi-purpose knives. Boy Scout knives are also multi-purpose knives. In addition to the knife blade, multi-purpose knives have can openers, scissors, leather punchers, tweezers, or even screwdrivers. These can come in handy on camping trips. However, if all you’re looking for is a sharp blade, the extra features will probably annoy you.

There are variations of these knife designs that you should take into account as well. Here are few to think about:Lock blade knife. The name of the blade explains it all. When you open the blade fully on this type of knife, the blade locks in place. Closing the blade requires you to release the blade by pressing down on a lever located near the back of the knife handle to disengage the hook from the notch that keeps the blade in place. A lock blade is useful for more heavy duty use. A good example of a lock blade knife is the Buck knife.Slipjoint knife. On a slip joint knife, the blade doesn’t lock, but is held in place by a spring device that allows the blade to fold only if a certain amount of pressure is applied. Most pen knives or multi-purpose knives use the slipjoint blade. Because the blade is less stable, it should only be used for light jobs.

Friction folder knife. This is another method of a non-locking blade. Friction folder knives use friction between the blade and the scales to hold the blade in place once opened.

One handed opening. Newer knives have a feature that allows for one handed opening. On the top of the blade, there is a hole that enables you to place the pad of your thumb in. Just press up and BAM, you got an open knife. This feature makes using a pocket knife much easier, especially when you have your hands full.

Where to Get a Pocket Knife

The best pocket knifes to have are the ones with a sense of history. I carry around a pocket knife that my father gave to me. It’s still in really good shape, and with regular sharpening cuts like new. It’s something tangible that reminds me of my father. One day I hope to pass it down to my son. So ask your dad if he has an old pocket knife that he can give to you. I’m sure he’ll be happy to pass it along.

If you can’t get a hand on an old pocket knife, or the one your dad or grandpa gave you is no longer usable, pick yourself up a new one. You can find pocket knives at any outdoor store. Better yet, find a knife store in town so you have a wider selection to choose from.

by BRETT & KATE MCKAY

Urban Survival

This is something that every body should be prepare, after surviving the initial swine flu breakout in a third world country, seeing first hand how the basic supplies ran out on the chain stores and pharmacies it made me realize the need to be prepare. 

In USA after 9/11, Katrina, the floods in the South East, people should see the need to be prepare, it is your duty to have at least some sort of plan or supplies for an emergency, next is a clip of urban survival in America.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3doWjRxpg3U

DISCLAIMER: This is a small clip of a Fox news report about urban survival (IOW the clip is not mine). Under the Fair Use Act I can post this clip and ppl can review and provide commentary and thoughts on the subject. 

A little late but Happy B-day NAVY!

Happy Birthday for all NAVY out there. Be safe and watch your six.

President Obama Proclamation.

http://www.navy.mil/docs/Navy_235th_Birthday_Proclamation.pdf

Future Soldier!

Children play with a Gatling gun aboard the USS Makin Island

Lane Jacobson, a native of Healdsburg, Calif., plays with a GAU-19, an electronically-driven gatling gun aboard USS Makin Island Oct. 9. The gun is on a UH-1Y "Venom" with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 367, aka Skarface. The display was part of San Francisco Fleet Week 2010. Fleet Week showcases to the public the Marine Corps' men and women, its aircraft and equipment, and its ability to conduct missions that span the overlapping spectrums of peace and combat, from disaster relief to war. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Justis Beauregard)

This has to make you tear up!

My dad, Angelo, was in the hospital in Tacoma, Washington. A former Marine and veteran of the Korean War, he was having his third knee replacement surgery.

A long and very painful operation was going to be made even worse, because dad was going through it alone.There was no one to hold his hand, no familiar soft voices to reassure him. His wife was ill and unable to accompany him or even visit during his weeklong stay. My sisters and brother lived in California, and I lived even farther away in Indiana. There wasn't even anyone to drive him to the hospital, so he had arrived that morning by cab.

The thought of my dad lying there alone was more than I could stand. But what could I do from here?

I picked up the phone and called information for the Puyallup, Washington Marine Corps recruiting station, where I joined the Marines ten years before. I thought if I could talk to a Marine and explain the situation, maybe one of them would visit my dad.

I called the number. A man answered the phone and in a very confident voice said, "United States Marines, Sergeant Vanes. May I help you?"

Feeling just as certain, I replied, "Sergeant Vanes, you may find this request a little strange, but this is why I'm calling." I proceeded to tell him who I was and that my father was also a former Marine and 100 percent disabled from the Korean War. I explained that he was in the hospital, alone, without anyone to visit and asked if Sergeant Vanes would please go and see him.

Without hesitation, he answered, "Absolutely."

Then I asked, "If I send flowers to the recruiting station, would you deliver them to my dad when you go to the hospital?"

"Ma'am, I will be happy to take the flowers to your dad. I'll give you my address. You send them, and I will make sure he receives them," he replied.

The next morning, I sent the flowers to Sergeant Vane's office just as we had planned. I went to work, and that evening, I returned home and phoned my dad to inquire about his surprise visitor.

If you have ever talked with a small child after that child has just seen Santa Claus, you will understand the glee I heard in my dad's voice. "I was just waking up when I thought I saw two Marines in their dress blue uniforms standing at the foot of my bed," he told me excitedly. "I thought I had died and gone to Heaven. But they were really there!"

I began to laugh, partly at his excitement, but also because he didn't even mention his operation. He felt so honored. Two Marines he had never met took time out to visit an old Marine like him. He told me again and again how sharp they looked and how all the nurses thought he was so important. "But how did you ever get them to do that?" he asked me.

"It was easy. We are all Marines, Dad, past and present. It's the bond."

After hanging up with my dad, I called Sergeant Vanes to thank him for visiting my dad. And to thank him for the extra things he did to make it special: wearing his dress blue uniform and bringing another Marine along. He even took a digital camera with him. He had pictures taken of the two Marines with my dad right beside his bed. That evening, he e-mailed them to me so that I could see for myself that my dad was not alone and he was going to be okay.

As for the flowers, they hardly mattered, but I was glad for the opportunity to express my feelings. The card read, "Daddy, I didn't want just anyone bringing you flowers, so I sent the world's finest. Semper Fi."

--Tre' M. Barron

Marines doing what they do!

When we heard the gun shot we did what we were trained to do; which was to run toward the fight, not from it.


MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.  — While sitting on the porch waiting for a home cooked meal in Long Beach, Calif. Oct. 6, Pfc. Anthony Rolden and his two friends and brothers in arms, Pfcs. Ryan Shuey and Christopher Smith, hear a gun fire in the distance. Without hesitation the three Marines spring into action, with nothing but raw instincts and Marine Corps training leading them. They race down an alley behind the house where they find a police officer fighting for his weapon and his life.

“It’s rewarding to know he’s alright,” said Pfc. Ryan Shuey, 20, from Huntingdon County, Pa. and a combat engineer, with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division. “I’m glad we were there to potentially save his life.”
The three Marines were taking a break from the mess hall, and having a relaxing night with family and friends before their deployment to Afghanistan in the next few days. That night had different plans for the young engineers and they had to show the true valor of the title United States Marine.
“It looked like David verses Goliath,” said Pfc. Anthony Rolden, 18, from Long Beach, Calif. a combat engineer, with 1st CEB, 1st Marine Division. “It all happened so fast.”
“He was a big guy,” said Pfc. Christopher Smith, 20, from Lemoore, Calif. a combat engineer, with 1st CEB, 1st Marine Division. “I don’t think I could have taken him down myself, so I’m glad all three of us were there.”
When they heard the gun shot the Marines reacted instantly. The Marines rushed to get Rolden’s younger brothers and sisters inside the house, then making their way to the noise. What they found was beyond belief. A police officer, who had been stabbed in the ear and was fighting for his life and his fire arm with another man, and struggling to hold on.
“They saw what was going on and didn’t stand by, they jumped in and assisted,” said Jim McDonnell, Long Beach Police Department chief of police. “Had this intervention not been done, it’s anybody’s guess how it would have turned out.”  
The Marines immediately proceeded in helping the officer. Using their skills in the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program and detainee handling; the three quickly subdued the suspect. They then proceeded to administering first aid on the officer by checking for bullet wounds and stopped the bleeding from the officer’s stab wound.
“We knew what we had to do,” said Rolden. “When we heard the gun shot we did what we were trained to do; which was to run toward the fight, not from it.”
For many people a work day is from nine to five, but for service members the job isn’t over just because you take off the uniform. For these Marines that reputation was put to the test by having to go above the call of duty by literally running into the face of danger to save the life of a fellow defender of freedom.
“This is a perfect example of Marines being Marines 24/7,” said Lt. Col. Andrew Niebel, 43, from Silver Spring, Md., battalion commander of 1st CEB, 1st Marine Division. “Even after the uniform is taken off they are still living up to Marine Corps standards.”

Staff Sgt. Robert J. Miller Posthumously Awarded the Medal of Honor Today

Staff Sgt. Robert J. Miller, Rest in Peace.

He ran towards the bullets instead of running away.

http://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/miller/narrative.html

S&W SWEXT

I just got this knife and I have to admit I am impressed with it, here are some of the Specs.

• Model: SWEXT
• Blade: 5.6" (14.2 cm)
• Overall: 10.2" (25.9 cm)
• Weight: 15.7 oz.
• Steel: 400 Series Stainless Steel
• Handle: Micarta
• Includes Sheath  

When I unboxed the knife it was dull, it wouldn't cut paracord at all, so I had it reprofile and sharpened, now it is scary sharp and ready to work, it is a perfect camping knife, thick enough for batoning and cheap enough that if you damage it you won't worry about it.

I can wait to get out and try this one real camping duties.   

Lucky Bastard!

Zippo Lighter Saves Man In Burglary Shooting

Brad Cooper’s Zippo stopped a bullet that could have killed him. Brad Cooper is a very lucky guy. Also, Brad Cooper is crazy.

It happened when he found a burglar in his backyard. The guy pointed the gun at Cooper, telling him to stop. But Cooper didn’t care: He says that he kept walking towards the thief, who shot him on the leg, near his groin. You may think that the bullet stopped him, but that wasn’t the case. Cooper says that he felt something on his leg, but it didn’t hurt that much, so he kept walking until the burglar put his gun against his head, asking him if he wanted “another one.” And then he stopped.

The reason why he didn’t stop and bleed to death through his femoral artery was the steel Zippo that he had in his jeans’ pockets. The Zippo stopped the bullet, the cops got the burglar’s DNA from his TV, and Cooper lived to see another day.