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Author: TriSec    Date: 04/10/2018 09:57:40

Good Morning.

While America remains at war this morning, it's unclear whether there are external enemies, neighbors, or if we remain at war with ourselves.

Much has been made recently about Mr. Trump's plan to send troops to the Mexican border. This almost has the feel of a setup for a new Gleiwitz Incident. I almost expect something to happen soon.


But I've also been wondering about the mechanics of this plan. The National Guard isn't actually the President's to command. That would fall to the individual states, unless the troops are nationalized. Fortunately for the President, he's found a willing partner in Arizona.


PHOENIX — Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey said Monday that 225 members of the state's National Guard were heading to the U.S.-Mexico border to support President Donald Trump's call for troops to fight drug trafficking and illegal immigration.

More of the state's Guard members will be deployed on Tuesday, said Ducey, a Republican.

The Arizona troops were being sent after Texas announced Friday it would send 250 National Guard members and helicopters took the first of them to the border.

Trump said last week he wants to send 2,000 to 4,000 National Guard members to the border.

New Mexico's Republican governor has said her state would take part in the operation but no announcement has been made on deployment. California Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, has not said if the state's Guard members will participate.

Trump has said he wants to use the military at the border until progress is made on his proposed border wall, which has mostly stalled in Congress.


The last time we had Veterans of Domestic Wars would have been in the aftermath of the Civil War. Soon we'll have an entirely new class of veterans on our hands, and nobody in living memory will know what to do with them.

Remember though, our border is being protected now against an invasion of brown people. As if we need any help fighting that war - it is something we excel at, actually. At least one airman won't be helping with the national defence in that regard, since he's already been taken care of.


Courtland Savage never expected to fly fighter jets.

Though he had served in the Air Force Reserve before transferring to the Navy and knew his way around a C-17 Globemaster transport, his test scores weren't the highest and the demanding, elitist culture of fighter aviation seemed beyond his reach.

And then there was the thing everyone knew about fighters, at least in the Navy: It was a homogeneous community of white men, with little diversity to be seen anywhere.

"I never thought about flying fighters, because people that look like me don't fly fighter jets," Savage told Military.com.

But then he got his Navy Standard Score, or NSS, used for placement in aviation training. He'd managed a 50.9 -- a hair over the score of 50 needed to qualify for fighters. Soon after, Savage was in the training pipeline to fly the F/A-18 Super Hornet. He'd earn the coveted wings of gold, marking him as a naval aviator, in December 2015.

Less than two years later, though, Savage would be kicked out of fighter training and find his Navy career in shambles. While he acknowledges he struggled in some disciplines, he believes that implicit racial bias ultimately made the difference for him between having his training cut short and being given another chance.

And he's not alone. Over the course of several weeks, Military.com spoke with three different naval aviators and trainees who believe the deck was stacked against them because of the color of their skin.

They allege the subjectivity of flight evaluations and the utter lack of diversity in fighter aviation contribute to an atmosphere of implicit or unconscious bias that leaves minority aviators on the margin at a greater disadvantage than their white counterparts.

They say they represent an even greater number of black aviators in the same predicament.

And the data tells its own story.

An investigation by Military.com reveals black pilots are vanishingly rare in naval aviation, and particularly on fighter platforms. Data also shows that they are significantly more likely to leave or be forced out of training than their white counterparts at certain points in the pipeline.

The findings and allegations raise grave questions about whether the Navy is doing enough to ensure objective standards for all trainees regardless of color, and why the service has been so remarkably unsuccessful at recruiting and retaining non-white aviators to date.

For the aviators, all of whom are pursuing redress with the Navy, these questions are pressing and consequential.

The Navy, which responded to a detailed list of questions for this story, maintains it is working hard to protect and promote diversity in aviation and across the fleet.


But never mind getting kicked out of flight school - how about getting kicked out of Veteran Status? I regret that this next one can't be pinned on Mr. Trump. This unfortunately occurred in 2015 under the previous guy's watch - but is only coming to light just now.


Two categories of honorably discharged veterans cannot apply for a new, free ID card from the Department of Veterans Affairs because their service branches aren't listed on the application.

Those who served in the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) or as commissioned members of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are considered veterans by law and are entitled to all veteran benefits, including health care through the VA and burial at national cemeteries.

But the new veteran ID card ordered by Congress in 2015 does not include USPHS or NOAA on a list of service selections. The electronic card application cannot be submitted unless a service is selected, said retired Army Col. James Currie, who directs the Commissioned Officers Association for the USPHS.

"It's even worse than you think, because there are two entire uniformed services whose members cannot apply for the card because their service is not listed on the VA's pull-down menu," he wrote in an email to Military.com. "They are totally left out, though they are veterans under federal law."

"I have brought this to the attention of the VA, and they do nothing to fix the glitch," he wrote.

VA officials did respond by deadline to a Military.com request for comment.

Currie said there are about 13,000 currently serving and former members of the USPHS, including Vice Adm. (Dr.) Jerome Adams, the U.S. surgeon general.

NOAA has about 321 current commissioned officers, according to its website. Estimates as to how many veterans have previously served in NOAA were not immediately available, and NOAA officials did not respond to requests for comment.


At least under Mr. Bush, we knew veterans were still there - he at least used them as props on occasion for his war games. Under Mr. Trump though, veterans are rapidly becoming a hidden sub-class of society. Out of sight, out of mind - unless we need more to fight in an ever-expanding circle of war.



 
 

34 comments (Latest Comment: 04/10/2018 23:22:16 by Mondobubba)
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Comment by Raine on 04/10/2018 13:09:35
GOOD MORNING!

Comment by wickedpam on 04/10/2018 13:14:28
Morning

Comment by Scoopster on 04/10/2018 13:15:03
Mornin' all!

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DaasVCBW4AEaAai.jpg


Comment by Scoopster on 04/10/2018 13:21:57
Sorry, I know I shouldn't be perpetuating that kind of meme born from sexism. I just can't help it because it's such perfect turnabout on that jackass.

Comment by Raine on 04/10/2018 13:36:54




and Tapper trolled well:






Comment by Raine on 04/10/2018 13:58:31
Quote by Scoopster:
Sorry, I know I shouldn't be perpetuating that kind of meme born from sexism. I just can't help it because it's such perfect turnabout on that jackass.

I think some people have exceptions.

No need to apologize from me.

Comment by Raine on 04/10/2018 14:01:17
me this morning:




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via GIPHY



Comment by Scoopster on 04/10/2018 14:01:32
Comment by Raine on 04/10/2018 14:07:19
GAH LOR EEE US!





Comment by Raine on 04/10/2018 14:12:27
I didn't know this!!!







Comment by Scoopster on 04/10/2018 14:22:36
Hmmm.. Zuck seems to be takin' his time. The live stream hasn't started yet.

Comment by wickedpam on 04/10/2018 14:23:08
Quote by Raine:
me this morning:




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via GIPHY




lol

Me last night

https://media1.tenor.com/images/4cf3c5192780a82803333101e166261b/tenor.gif?itemid=8058831


Comment by Scoopster on 04/10/2018 14:29:40
Quote by Scoopster:
Hmmm.. Zuck seems to be takin' his time. The live stream hasn't started yet.

OH FOR FACK'S SAKE I MISREAD THE START TIME.. it's 2PM.

Comment by TriSec on 04/10/2018 14:59:18
Morning, comrades.

So, Mike Pence is in town this afternoon for a fundraiser. Our Republican governor Charlie Baker ‘has something else scheduled’ and won’t be attending.



Comment by Scoopster on 04/10/2018 15:21:11
The winning continues...




Comment by Will in Chicago on 04/10/2018 16:00:19
Hello bloggers!If Trump gets Muller fired, will this GOP-dominated Congress do anything?

Comment by Scoopster on 04/10/2018 16:07:08
Quote by Will in Chicago:
Hello bloggers!If Trump gets Muller fired, will this GOP-dominated Congress do anything?

I literally just saw two threads on Twitter, one about Grassley and one about Thom Tillis, both basically saying he better not fire Mueller. In fact the Tillis one was about a demand for his bill to protect the Special Counsel to be passed.

Comment by Scoopster on 04/10/2018 16:14:28



If he's recused, then he's got a connection either in legal circles, personal, or to someone else who is a target of the investigation. Since we already know he's a buddy of Rudy Guiliani, that's probably the someone. The question is whether Rudy himself is a person of interest.

Comment by Mondobubba on 04/10/2018 17:16:49
A moment for ranting. I effing hate the contemporary job application process. First, there is the hand job of applying online which makes nigh impossible to circumvent the algorithm-driven resume review process and get my resume into the hands of the people actually making the hiring decisions. Believe me, I have tried doing this with a couple of jobs and both times it's been a hard no. Second, trendy recruiting bullshit. I just completed a seven-question one-way video interview for a financial services company that shall remain unnamed. I will say this about the said firm, they didn't have any hand in crashing the economy in 07 and 08. Seriously I just want to talk to people face to face. It was nice you had line employees reading the questions but if you are interested enough in me, have me come in and talk to you.



Comment by Mondobubba on 04/10/2018 18:28:06
And here we go...Zuck's roasting starting any minute now. I didn't know that Ted Cruz had such Nixonian jowls.

Comment by Mondobubba on 04/10/2018 18:30:09
Zuck, what, no hoodie today?

Comment by Scoopster on 04/10/2018 18:35:43
He's probably thinking "sheeeeeit I'm on par with Howard Hughes now!"

Comment by Mondobubba on 04/10/2018 18:44:46
Is it me or is Zuck blinking a lot?


Comment by Mondobubba on 04/10/2018 18:50:31
My senior senator doesn't have a clue.

Comment by Mondobubba on 04/10/2018 19:22:27
Well, I'm having a stroke since I am agreeing with Orrin Hatch.

Comment by Scoopster on 04/10/2018 19:27:44
Okay I'm calling total BS on Zuckerberg saying that pictures uploaded to FB belong to the user.

It's STANDARD PRACTICE ACROSS THE INTERNET to put into TOS that ANYTHING YOU UPLOAD BECOMES THE PROPERTY OF THE COMPANY.

How in the ever-loving hell would he not know that, much less claim it to be true.

Comment by Mondobubba on 04/10/2018 19:41:15
Quote by Scoopster:
Okay I'm calling total BS on Zuckerberg saying that pictures uploaded to FB belong to the user.

It's STANDARD PRACTICE ACROSS THE INTERNET to put into TOS that ANYTHING YOU UPLOAD BECOMES THE PROPERTY OF THE COMPANY.

How in the ever-loving hell would he not know that, much less claim it to be true.



You own it, but there are some caviats

Comment by Mondobubba on 04/10/2018 19:44:20
Lindsey Graham, is there a fucking legit question there.

Comment by Scoopster on 04/10/2018 19:48:53
Quote by Mondobubba:
Quote by Scoopster:
Okay I'm calling total BS on Zuckerberg saying that pictures uploaded to FB belong to the user.

It's STANDARD PRACTICE ACROSS THE INTERNET to put into TOS that ANYTHING YOU UPLOAD BECOMES THE PROPERTY OF THE COMPANY.

How in the ever-loving hell would he not know that, much less claim it to be true.

You own it, but there are some caviats

Oooh interesting.. thankee!

Comment by livingonli on 04/10/2018 20:15:01
Quote by Mondobubba:
Lindsey Graham, is there a fucking legit question there.

He has just caved. Is it Russian money or blackmail that got him?

Comment by Mondobubba on 04/10/2018 20:18:39
Ted Cruz, you can fuck right off.

Comment by Scoopster on 04/10/2018 20:20:55
OH FOR FUCKS SAKE I KNEW TED CRUZ WOULD BE THE JACKASS TO TURN THIS WHOLE THING PARTISAN.

Comment by Scoopster on 04/10/2018 20:22:41
You can see it in Mark's face - he's actually offended at the line of questioning from Cruz, because he knows that Cruz is trying to defend hate speech from Nazi scum like himself.

Comment by Mondobubba on 04/10/2018 23:22:16
Quote by Scoopster:
OH FOR FUCKS SAKE I KNEW TED CRUZ WOULD BE THE JACKASS TO TURN THIS WHOLE THING PARTISAN.


I tweeted him. "This is why your colleagues all hate you."