Afghan Update – 29 Oct 11

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As you may have heard by now, we lost 13 Americans today near Kabul. In addition to that attack, my FOB was attacked by four rocket attacks beginning at 0422 this morning. We’re all fine.

A lot has been going on that is keeping me busy. We are entering the heavy season for rest & recuperation leave. We have a constant a stream of troops coming and going.

A few weeks ago, I lost a good friend in SSG Brian Cowdrey. He was out in RC-East responding to a MEDEVAC request after a firefight. Brian and his crew arrived in a hot LZ. He helped carry two Soldiers onto his bird then went back for a third Soldier that was already dead. On the way back to the chopper, Brian was shot and killed.

We were very close and spoke often over here. His loss hit me hard and came at a difficult time, which actually sounds a bit selfish.

It’s no secret that Michael Yon and I have no love lost between us. It’s hard for me to support someone that is the complete opposite of everything I believe in: integrity, honor, loyalty, and selflessness.

Recently, Yon and his fanatics launched an all-out attack on me. Yon filed a formal complaint through Army channels claiming that I had threatened and sent Soldiers to kill or harm him. As absurd as that sounds, the Army is required to at least look into such accusations.

I have a very weak leadership chain that is hostile towards bloggers. So, I arrived at the unit already on their hitlist with a “reputation.” Over the past year, Yon has seen fit to levy other false accusations against me through my command. Because of the spineless nature of my unit, they would rather I shut up instead of have to keep having idiots contact them every time they disagree with me.

This latest Congressional inquiry and formal investigation has put a lot of pressure on me. While I’m confident that no negative actions will come out of it since I am innocent of these psychotic charges, it doesn’t change the face that it’s diverting resources from our mission here. Because of that, the command is upset with me.

This is my problem with today’s Army. Anyone can levy any wild and crazy allegation out of spite and instead of recognizing it for what it is, leaders simply get pissed at the target of these allegations for having to settle them. I tire of hearing hypocritical statement like, “look, I know you didn’t threaten this person, but…” Then, they commence getting on to me for “professional language.”

Naturally, while I’m getting spoken to about using professional language, four letter words pepper the entire conversation on their part. Professional language and accountability is a one-way street these days.

I hate to be so negative, but to be honest there hasn’t been much positive lately going on. I don’t like writing negative stories about the Army, so I tend just to keep my mouth shut. However, this goes beyond the Army when people think they can just get their congressman involved every time they disagree with me, hear a rumor, or are given a blatant lie or falsehood.

In the Army, any time you are under an investigation, formal or informal, you are automatically flagged. This means that you cannot receive any favorable actions like promotions, awards and decorations, and other things. The Army takes a guilty until proven innocent stance regardless of the nature of the accusation, how bogus it is, or the source of the allegation. For the first time in my 17-year career, I’ve been flagged and for something I didn’t do. It’s a great life.

Physically, I’m doing well. However, I haven’t been sleeping much and keeping food down is a challenge. I have a lot of support from outside my unit and within my small team. However, I no longer feel as if I an rely upon my leaders. My phone calls and emails go unanswered unless they are in response to a request they sent out. I am treated like a brand new private and criticized for small, inconsequential things.

For example, the other day I was criticized for requesting phones and computer monitors through the shop that handles phones and computer models because I didn’t go through particular people that want to keep their boot to my neck.

Over the past few years, I’ve learned great coping skills to deal with stress and PTSD indicators. These are definitely coming in handy, but sometimes I feel stretched beyond my capabilities.

I hope everyone is doing well. I guess I shouldn’t complain since I fought for this. But, I was asked and wanted to be honest.

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CJ, hang in there my friend. Always remember, you have friends here at FA. There will also be a need to write books following this military adventure there in the land that time forgot. Americans are going to want to know the particulars not the BS from the brass wearers. May I suggest recording everything in an old fashioned tablet rather than a computer.

Sorry to read of your friend. Keep the faith, we wait for every transmission from you.

Skook.

Be strong CJ. I cannot even fathom what you are going through. When I turned 18 I desperately wanted to join the military, but because of my congenital heart problem I was turned down.

What you and your compatriots are doing is beyond brave and you are to be commended. It is too bad that the liberal left and their PC attitude have infiltrated this far into our military.

God bless you, CJ and thank you.

CJ, I feel for you and will keep you in my prayers.
Strength beyond what is human is what you need.
Just continue to do what is right and no one will be able to make a false charge stick.

Thank you, man. Thank you for being brave. Thank you for protecting us.

Good luck and God’s speed, CJ. We’re a great nation because of men and women like yourself.

Ivan.

CJ,
THEY SAID ALL I WAS THINKING,
You are being attack from the front and the back,
how dare they do it, don’t let them step on you, just laugh at their stupidity,
you need to watch the front without being upset by a bunch of ignorant know it all,
after all the brave is you not them cowardly hitting you from the back.
take care

CJ: I am going to give you some SAGE ADVICE.

Get anything you blog CLEARED THROUGH PROPER CHANNELS.

Your “friends” are not who you think they are.
Example, MINE. Read this, but understand that IT…IS…NOT…THE…WHOLE…TRUTH:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Urgent_Fury

Operation Urgent Fury.

Early October, 1983. I was a 1st Lieutenant attached to the 75th Regiment, 3rd Battalion. (Army Ranger Regiment Three)
Assigned to The USS Saipan, we were heading east toward The Middle East in a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) sailing out of Norfolk Va ( Intell said there were war drums pounding in Lebanon).
1AM one night, I went topside for a smoke. An Ensign said “Hey! See he Orion Constellation? What’s wrong with this picture?”

I said “It’s in the wrong place. We’re sailing south.”
BINGO!

Cuba was over-running the Island Nation. (Proxy war)
Reagan ordered our MEU to intervene and liberate the island (Exact words in the pre-opt video were “EXTERMINTATE THEM”).

My squad (of 8) was ordered to:

1) Take The Airport and hand it over to Regular Army.
2) Head to The Governors Mansion and extract “The Governor and his mistress.” (NOT MAKING THAT UP. Photos were provided).

Well we had to jump from a C-130 at 300 feet. (Not a typo) due to heavy triple A fire.
We were spaced out at about 100 feet on descent. Joey Chin was headed right on top of a machine gun nest. He had the “White Grenades” (M-15’s) so as I grabbed my side arm pistol and directed fire on his nest, Joey Chin cut the strap on the bag, popped the knuckle on one grenade and shoved it into the duffle bag of M-15’s and let it fall on the nest. Then HE FELL on the nest.
BOOM!. We knew Chin was toast. (He was not. Later learned that he was badly wounded, but wind blew him to the side of the nest, so he was later evacted out)

Anyway, we were fucked. The rest of us were out in the open, 2 more nests each end of the airstrip. No place to hide, 50-cal rounds pounding us. There was a caterpillar bulldozer on the tarmac. I ordered all to go to it.
“Anyone know how to hot wire this piece of crap?”
CPL Tedesco of Brooklyn said he could do it. He did, from behind an unprotected plexiglass top. We hid behind the 2-inch steel blade and moved to the south end of the strip. We had 3 M-16’s with grenade launchers. I ordered each one to fire on my command, one at 15 degrees, one at 20 degrees and me at 25 degrees at the south end nest. One of us hit it square in the kisser. We took their 50-cal and took out the north nest. IT WAS FUN!

So we secured the strip and headed to the mansion.

East gate. West gate. Took out the sentries.
Had to call in for A-10 air support, but got to mansion. Tied up maids and servants BUT LEFT THEM FOOD AND WATER. (VERY IMPORTANT ) Regular Army was soon to follow. THEY WERE ALL SAFEWe got the Governor and his whore back to Saipan. Found out all maids and servants were executed. Kitchen covered with M-16 shell casings. My squad was brought before a Uniform Code of Military Justice proceeding. (A GENERAL COURTS MARTIAL).

Took over a year to clear our asses, even though democrats wanted us shot. (Congressman Rob Simmons saved our ass. He was CIA at the time).
M-16 shell casings were traced to Belgium, a NATO Member at the time. Shells were given to Cuba.

BOTTOM LINE, CJ: BE CAREFUL!

You could end up at the wrong end of a rope if you post stuff that isn’t “cleared” by your liberal masters.

Nostradamus… are you not aware of CJ’s past, being hauled in front of the feds for his milblogging? You can read Michelle Malkin’s post about him in 2009, and CJ was also covered in the Army Times.

Needless to say, he’s been dangling at the “wrong end of a rope” already… and very high profile hanging at that.

CJ.

It was very bad to hear that we lost 13 patriots today. Sorry about SSG Cowdrey. Hopefully those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country will not have it wasted for political reaons.

As for Yon, it’s mindboggling that your chain of command, especially NCO channels, will not go to bat for an NCO over a journalist. When you first emailed about it, I did a Google search on him to check out his credentials. It sounds like he may be a legend in his own mind. Someone in your chain, most likely a SGM, needs to yank his ass off to the side and have a “come to Jesus” talk with him, although it sounds like it may be too late for that. Had it have happened sooner, perhaps it wouldn’t have gotten this far. Given the time you have in, don’t do anything that’ll flush it down the toilet. And by all means, if it is having an adverse effect on your troops, you may need to take it up or outside the chain. It sounds like it is getting out of hand. Good luck

CJ I’m so glad to hear you are ok and so sad about SSgt. Crowley. With regard to MY – I know enough about you to know that your integrity and honor guide your life more than anything else.

Still digesting this news, CJ. And my research has only now just begun into the archives of what is the sad spiral of this journalist into the depths of paranoia.

Then again, he started losing me, personally, when he was labeling Iraq a “civil war” and stated unequivocally we were “losing in Afghanistan” back 4-5 years ago. I got enough of that crap from Pelosi and Reid, without having to take it from Yon.

And while I thought there were better commanders than McChrystal available, and had my beefs, I found the utter disrespect of Yon beyond the pale. Words are cheap when there are brigades around to keep your unarmed butt from harm. But commanding wars, while dealing with the pesky and counterproductive politics, is way above Yon’s personal pay grade. I don’t care that is said from the safety of a US armchair, by simple Monday morning quarterback types. But I sure as hell don’t want to hear that from an embed, where that journalist is interacting and possibly having negative influence on the soldiers and their own respect for the chain of command. This type of BS from a star struck Jimmy Olson can hinder, or break down, the entire process.

It’s with serious mixed feelings that I view Yon. In one sense, his own 1980s service, as well as his early dedication to being on the front line for reporting were admirable. On the other hand, I find his decision to post a soldier’s personal email to him on Facebook, leading to your own charges that he was violating OPSEC regulations… (whether it fell within the parameters of prosecution or not)… damned stupid and downright dangerous.

Obviously, the first words anyone over there needs to utter with Yon is “this is off the record”.

I’m been somewhat aware of Yon’s battle between wanting to be an effective reporter, post all his awards and his own ego, for a few years now, but less than aware of the specifics surrounding all that. He is, after all, a glorified icon. Or as someone once described him, the rock star of embed journalists. I guess, compared to Christiane Amanpour or Anderson Cooper, he is. But is that saying much?

Thanks… I’ll take Ollie North instead.

This is the simple reality, CJ. As far as I can see, the only person you have ever threatened with bodily harm (outside of enemies on the battlefield, of course) in your life has been yourself… and we’re all glad that you have embraced life as the alternative.

You have now awakened what is more than simple curiosity in me. For, you see, it seems that Yon’s paranoia… thinking you are a physical threat to his life… has now exposed a man suffering from his own form of PTSD… Paranoia Tremulus Stress Disorder. And frankly, I’m wondering if the man who should actually be investigated, or sent home, just isn’t Yon himself.

It seems your high profile as a soldier, and as a controversial milblogger – an entity that Yon clearly disdains as competition – means that you have some loftier calling in life, CJ. Obviously you will not be able to live life as a low profile family man, soldier and blogger. And for that.. if it’s an unwelcomed path in life… I am sorry it’s not going to be filled with some of the simpler joys.

But you have to remember, you sure aren’t on your own. There are so many that have your back, and have sadly watched Yon’s descent into what may be the very insanity he accuses you of. But if he has chosen a side, and decides he wants to pull the artillery of the federal government against a US soldier for headlines, or to relieve his own paranoia, he’s now invited the rest of the world to delve more closely into his own behavior and delusional theories. And that most especially includes me.

Personally, I want to know more about what Yon will not speak of himself… just why he lost his embed status to begin with. I don’t buy his his nondescript, Alex Jones mentality that it was a conspiracy by McChrystal and the higher ups. The military is not new to bad press… most especially from the embeds.

Or perhaps they saw that Yon’s own Paranoia Tremulus Stress Disorder was already getting out of control.

The WOTN editors, while putting Yon in his place back in Jan 2011 for attempting to prevent your deployment (he’s had it out for you for some time, as you know…), said something quite prescient about both you, and Uncle Jimbo at Blackfive – a friend who always has your back:

Neither Jimbo nor CJ need someone else to defend them. Both are perfectly capable of mounting their own defense. On the other hand, no bully should be allowed to attack Honorable men with impunity.

I have to agree.. and not even sure that any of our lesser voices (like mine) does much. But what it may do is add to the public dismay that the ego of a hypersensitive journalist, with a personal vendetta, is abusing his embed position and elevating his status as an observer far above what is deserved.

Oh yeah… another perk is we may have the honor of being added to Michael Yon’s “banned” list…. a man who really believes in the 1st Amendment, eh? LOL

CJ,Looking at your rank, I see that you are a Master Sergant (E-8), so I can see why they breathe down your neck for this a-hole Michael Yon. Over at ‘Blackfive’ is a very good write-up ofthis character, and it is all bad. Uncle-J of Blackfive stated that Yon made up charges of him being threatened with death by some-Iguess he meant you.
What you have to know is that we are aware of this guy, and he has been removed from embed by your chain-of-command, so that takes care of him from that end, and it also should make you feel good that not only is he gone, but that the chain-of-command found him to be a distraction, nuisance and a troublemaker.

I can sense your frustration in your words, you need to know that we support you no matter what. I know the condition of your deployment is strangling your spirit, but remember it is only temporary; it will be over soon. Write as much as you can, get what bothers you off you mind, and focus on your safety, mission and brothers around you.
It is you, the soldier, whose noble service, and guarding us here from afar, that allows us to sleep well here, and for that alone I want to thank you!!
Yon is a very disturbed individual, but he no longer can manufacture lies, and cause unnecessary distraction with his ‘actor spiel’, he is done being able to libel you, or anyone else.

Thanks, everyone, for the support. After over seven years of blogging, the military is less supportive – not more – of milbloggers, it seems. Not sure why, but over the past three years, I’ve encountered more leaders hostile towards blogging than not. It doesn’t matter that what I’m writing is well within regulations. As a matter of fact, I was told point blank that “if I can’t get you on the blogging and social media regulations, I will find something within Article 134 to charge you with.”

This is in response to the entire Yon issue even though my blogging had nothing to do with it. When the attitude is to “find something” with which to charge me, I take exception. Unfortunately, with some leaders your only recourse is “yes, sir” or “no,sir.” “Yes, sergeant major” or “no, sergeant major.” Trying to reason with unreasonable people is a losing prospect.

On the plus side, Yon is digging his own holes. He’s now attacking Special Forces as a profession. He does this when he doesn’t get his way. He did it with me. He did it with SSG Cowdrey before he was killed. He’s done it to other branches of the military when they refused to embed him. He did it with PAO. He did it with RC-South here when he was kicked off his embed. It’s what he does.

Thankfully, Yon is no longer in Afghanistan putting our troops in danger with this antics and distractions. He levied false charges, then high-tailed it out of here before being questioned on them.

I’m a strong guy. I’ve witnessed the depths of my emotional abilities and have come out of them stronger than ever. Having PTSD just means that it’s hard to come out of the funk as quickly. The processing isn’t as efficient as it used to be. I have learned many useful techniques for dealing with and managing these emotions that are positive for the most part. I still stress out my wife because part of rebuilding process is to withdraw into a cocoon and away from everyone. It’s the one bad habit I haven’t been able to break.

CJ
HI,
NO it’s not ptsd, you are having a normal human reaction as any would have react more damaging to
YON’S pursue of his own interest alone no matter where he hit or damage a reputation,
because you are under the fire line and you are protecting your people in there,
you are the one with the extreme pressure not THAT PEST OF YON,
hope he finely got the message, and that goes for who are under your leadership, along with those on top of you, they must get of their pedestal and help instead of picking on the braves on the front line,
otherwise they are responsible for the consequences of giving the extra pressure,
resulting to loss of life from the ones in front, like IVAN would say, they failed and people get kill.
we cannot afford petty insignificant quarrel from command,
they have a job to do,that is to protect the one under them, not harass them.
your the best

@MataHarley:

Or perhaps they saw that Yon’s own Paranoia Tremulus Stress Disorder was already getting out of control.

Class personified. Making fun of a vet.

@Ivan: Some people only use their veteran status to achieve selfish, destructive, and dishonest means. Those people become jokes themselves and are not above reproach.

@CJ: Some people only use their veteran status to achieve selfish, destructive, and dishonest means. Those people become jokes themselves and are not above reproach.

Couldn’t be more true, CJ. Perhaps John “Baby Killer” Kerry is the most famous demonstration of those, using and abusing their veteran status for personal gain. Nor are all veterans worthy of undying and eternal respect.

Timothy McVeigh was a veteran. Nidal Hasan, the Ft. Hood shooter, was an active duty soldier. A soldier’s conduct on and off the battlefield, as well in his retirement, is not a sacred and untouchable tenet, where anything is forgiven. When a veteran deliberately, and knowingly, turns their back on fellow soldiers and behaves in a way that is disrespectful of the military, the chain of command, and risks other active duty soldiers’ safety, they are not immune to criticism… or to my disdain.

But obviously there are those that still believe Yon still walks on water. To those, I suggest you get a better handle on the Yon reality and read thru the thread at Professional Soldiers, comprised of vetted special forces individuals. Yon is called on the carpet for sundry reasons. Yon, himself, refuses to respond to specific questions about his “green beret” credentials when asked.

Originally Posted by Michael Yon View Post
If this is the new Special Forces, my decision to leave was correct. I am not one of you.

No desire to take special favors and take it offline.
Michael Yon

… snip…

Since you have no desire to to take anything offline, can you please give your bonafides to the rest of us? i.e. when you went through the Q course, when you served, how long you served, in what capacity? etc. This will allow the rest of us to properly gauge your responses based on our shared experiences.

I’ll even take the lead,
Joined in 86, 3 yrs in the Infantry
SFQC in 89, graduated as an 18B.
Served as an 18B, 18F, 18Z, and 1SG.
Currently serving as a SGM in SWC.
I have been in 7th SFG, 3rd SFG, JRTC, and SWC.

1stindoor
Quiet Professional

…snip…

I’ve also found out that you have but a few months assigned to Special Forces, a few months, is that true? Now it’s time to find out how long you served and your actual Special Forces experience. I’m sure a lot of news agencies that purchase and air your “stories” doing so based on your “Green Beret” background will want to know. You want to enlighten us now as to your Special Forces experience? (Doesn’t matter I’ll obtain your records anyway.)

Jeff Hinton
Team Sergeant
Quiet Professional

According to Yon’s bio, he served in SF (for a couple of months only, evidently) in the early 80s, and therefore the reason the “quiet professionals” are questioning his actual combat experience. Grenada, the only brief conflict during the Reagan years, was in late 1983. If Yon was part of the 7600 or so troops, sent to Grenada, he’s not bothering to respond to the queries by fellow SF peers that he substantiate his bandied about credentials.

Yon’s faux pas has been that of stepping outside the boundaries of embedded journalist observer, and into the realm of activist, based on what.. in his arrogant opinion… is wrong with the military. He will stop at publishing nothing if it serves his cause. Nor does he research the events prior to putting his foot in his mouth.

A perfect example of this is his most recent Red Air/Medevac “dispatch”… apparently the last before he was shipped back to cover floods in Thailand.

I, like CJ, will not link to anything Michael Yon. You want to read it, I’ll provide it with both sides of the story… something Yon never does. Here’s the reprint from Blackfive, complete with the counter response of Col. Kolb, Deputy, ISAF Public Affairs… which includes the very stellar mission statistics of medevac response since Nov 2010.

Yon needs his sensationalism because now he is dependent upon donations to stay abroad. In the quiet times, he beat up on CJ… like this idiotic charge that CJ has “threatened” his life. One might want to consider that such “threats” are also part of Yon’s own presentation, such as this from August of this year, railing against those Public Affairs types, those who tend to get in the way of his embedded reporter career because of his disregard for verifying facts, and stupid dissemination of OPSEC information.

Michael Yon on his FB page: “Well that’s another Public Affairs mess made by Public Affairs. After about seven years of this, I hunt those guys like prairie dogs. They pop out of a hole and you’ve got to use good breathing and trigger squeeze. I’m with a great combat unit, 4-4 Cav, so I’m happy so long as I can keep the prairie dog population under control.”

But for those who prefer to read, instead of simply jumping on me for my opinion about Yon’s danger to our troops as an embed (feeding their own… ahem… personal vendetta against me, an MO not unlike Yon, himself), I’ll say it (and link it) again – read the Professional Soldiers thread from beginning to end. Despite trying to give Yon every opportunity to debate the questions, or then to redeem himself of his arrogance demonstrated to those there, Yon dug himself even deeper into a very lonely trench. The clincher was, of course, when he spit on the forum SFs, saying he was “no longer one of them”.

Yon’s latest petition, lobbying Congress for removing Red Crosses from medevac units and arming them, is not only against Geneva Conventions and our rules of war, but extremely foolhardy and would solve nothing. Additionally, I found that article extremely offensive when he graphically spoke of the way that soldier died… then announcing to the world that he died for “politics” and that the medevac airlift and Apache support (which came from two different locations, advancing on an active hostile war zone) were to blame from the loss of his life. Chutzpah. But then, perhaps in addition to commander in chief and four star general omnipotent experience, Yon has now become a premiere medic who can predict life and death on any injury.

I’m sure that the family and friends do not appreciate the callous and calculated remarks of a journalist, desperate for hyped stories and accolades. But then, it’s a great way to drum up a bit more cash so he can fight a military that doesn’t want him there at all because Yon is a yutz, and a danger. This reporter has lost it when he considers the enemy the military command, and individual troops, and not the global jihad movements which they engage.

@CJ: It’s good to see that Yon is out of there. I thought he was still there. After reading Mata’s links, perhaps he has a case of you know what type of envy because he knows he can’t match your service. I had served with some old school SF types ( I was not SF) from VN who would have loved to have taken him on a mission. It looks as though the Army may be going PC which isn’t surprising considering the CiC. Hopefully you are keeping records of all this. Once you are exonerated, perhaps you can get your hands on some of the money he’s made bashing the troops. That would be poetic justice! BTW, the 15-6 officer, IG, or whoever is doing the investigation is probably tracking your comments here.

To show exactly how out there Yon is on CJ, in particular, here’s his Feb 1st, 2011 Facebook posting, not so subtly suggesting that CJ is unstable, and therefore as dangerous as the treasonous intel/stealing Pfc Bradley Manning.

He uses this little diddy to link to a WaPo article about Wikileaks and Manning, and introduces that article with this:

Crazy Decisions

Another soldier in the intelligence field who radiates instability is CJ Grisham. The guy is like a pulsar of dishonesty and erratic behavior. He is a writer and a public figure who has taken pains to make his own mental health a matter of public discussion. (One could argue that he moonlights as a soldier but actually is a writer.)

@MataHarley: I read the Professional Soldiers thread from start to finish. It looks as though he is melt down mode. He called someone out on an accusation and was answered proving him wrong and he turned around and accused the guy’s ODA of murder on his Facebook page as a result. The SF guys really hammered him and it looks like they have no intention of letting the charade continue. He’s screwing with the wrong group.

Yes, that was a particularly revealing thread, and Yon was seriously overmatched in professionalism and knowledge, another vet. That’s why, in @my first comment on this thread, I said I thought it sad to watch him melt down, and that perhaps the one unfit for any task in the combat zone was Yon, himself.

Yon likes to take credit for taking soldiers and leadership down. He is dangerous when embedded with troops, deliberately sowing discontent and disrespect for the chain of command. As CJ, and the quiet professionals said, he should be banned permanently from any future embeds in combat zones.

BTW, did you catch the site host requesting that only special forces peers weigh in from that moment on? Yup… they got their sites trained, and only letting the best of the best have at it.

BTW, I see the Professional Soldiers Yon thread is getting the hits with the blogosphere spreading the word. Just checked, and it’s up to 15,703 views at this comment…. the hottest subject in their general discussion category. That’s almost 2000 more than their thread on Project Gunner.

MATA,
HE is now demoted from , Y ON, TO Y OFF
NOW HOW DOES IT FEEL to receive it justified,
after giving it unjustified.

Bees, now *that* was funny! LOL

MATA,
THAT WAS QUICKER than the eye can see,
bye

The overt Yon meltdown is now a topic in many threads… i.e.

at the Military Photos forum.

And at the AR15 guns rights forum. On that one, there are a few die hard Yawn fans still working overtime.

Operation Keep Yon Unembedded is going nicely…..

@MataHarley #11:

Nostradamus… are you not aware of CJ’s past, being hauled in front of the feds for his milblogging? You can read Michelle Malkin’s post about him in 2009, and CJ was also covered in the Army Times.

Also made mention about here at FA

@MataHarley #17:

Couldn’t be more true, CJ. Perhaps John “Baby Killer” Kerry is the most famous demonstration of those, using and abusing their veteran status for personal gain. Nor are all veterans worthy of undying and eternal respect.

Timothy McVeigh was a veteran. Nidal Hasan, the Ft. Hood shooter, was an active duty soldier. A soldier’s conduct on and off the battlefield, as well in his retirement, is not a sacred and untouchable tenet, where anything is forgiven. When a veteran deliberately, and knowingly, turns their back on fellow soldiers and behaves in a way that is disrespectful of the military, the chain of command, and risks other active duty soldiers’ safety, they are not immune to criticism… or to my disdain.

In general, I greatly admire and respect all those who serve; but going along with this, Thomas Ricks had published a good commentary by a Marine.

Sorry for the loss of your friend, SSG Cowdrey, CJ. And for all the unnecessary stresses and bs you are going through. Hope this too shall come to pass, and you’ll emerge stronger than ever, enjoying the last laugh.

I used to enjoy Yon’s dispatches “back in the day” every bit as much as I followed A Soldier’s Perspective. All of that feels tainted now, due to how he’s spiraled down into the rabbit’s hole with his rantings, today.

@MataHarley: People like that have a tendency to slit their own throats. Accusing that ODA of murder 6 years after the fact just because the Team Sergeant called his B.S. will do it. His credibility and respect are now shot for good and he will probably never get it back. Given his propensity for OPSEC violations, which put troops’ lives as risk, he needs to be banned from future embeds. As a matter of fact, he should have been banned a long time ago and Soldiers like CJ wouldn’t have had his distractions to deal with.

@ilovebeeswarzone: ROFLMAO, beezy!

CJ, I must admit I was in the dark. I am embarrassed and outclassed, that’s for sure. However, my keyboard is available if you need me for anything.

This is a mess, but I think you have a lot of people backing you up, the right kind of people. Mata alone is like a weapons platoon all by herself, that’s why I call her Fearless. You have a lot of friends CJ and that list is growing everyday.

Skook

@MataHarley: Doesn’t this guy remind you of Scott Ritter or whatever his name was? The guy who complained that Clinton didn’t go after Saddam because he had WMD and then complained because Bush did. Perhaps they are related.

More from B5.

http://www.blackfive.net/main/2011/10/michael-yon-vs-professional-soldiers-and-the-winner-is.html

Stay strong CJ. This blowhard will soon be out of wind.

Didn’t uncle Jimbo have his clock cleaned by Yon a year or so ago?

Yon has never cleaned anyone’s clock but his own, especially not Jimbo.

CJ,
hi, take care,
you know that YON, IS NOW YOFF
BYE

IVAN
what’s your point about the clock?
YOFF CLOCK IS TICK TACK TO LOUD, ,
AND HE BETTER FIX IT SOON.

the MILITARYS WHO DON’T LIKE BLOGS, IT’s because they don’t know it,

THEY AUGHT TO GET A LERNIN OF BLOGS,
BECAUSE the truth is easyer to understand in the CONSERVATIVES BLOGS,
and the BLOGS ARE HERE TO STAY.
BEST PLACE TO FIND THE SMART PEOPLE HERE

@CJ: Don’t pay attention to Ivan. He gets his panties in a bunch if he doesn’t try to stir stuff up every so often.

It is an attention deficit disorder, if he doesn’t get enough attention (much like a problem child, he even seeks negative attention) he sees it as a deficit.

@Ivan: I hear Occupy Wall Street is a great place for getting attention. Just make sure you take plenty of Vaseline.

CJ he should also bring that pepper you like,