Ma Deuce Gunner

Ma Deuce Gunner

PROTECTING FREEDOM.....HALF AN INCH AT A TIME.

Monday, July 09, 2007

An Armed Populace

is an inherently safe populace. Who wants to rob or attack someone who quite possibly has a gun??!! It levels the playing field, allowing the ordinary citizen to defend himself against crime and terror. The Iraqi government today urged that its' citizens arm themselves amid the violence in the country. While this may prove to be a headache for the forces who have to sort the good guys with guns from the bad guys with guns, but I believe thoroughly in the concept that one of the best ways to deter violence is to be ready to respond with equal violence. This may well work well.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!!!

SGT MDG.....OUT!!!!!!!

Monday, March 12, 2007

Idaho Steelhead

 

For a great time, visit Rawhide Outfitters and ask for Steve to float you on a trip down the Salmon River. Absolutely an excellent time. Steve and his family also run a fine little place called the "Motel Deluxe", smack in the middle of Salmon, Idaho. If you are anywhere near Idaho and have the time, I HIGHLY reccommend giving this a try.

Thanks, Bobby and Steve, for a GREAT trip and a REAL TASTY fish.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!

MDG.....OUT. Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Is it me....

...or is Al Gore the Biggest Lefty Moonbat Ever?!?!?!?!!!!


SCOUTS OUT!!!

MDG...OUT.

Friday, December 29, 2006

A Red Letter Day In Iraq

Saddam Hussein is dead. One of the most evil human beings on the planet is gone, and can murder no more innocent people.

I believe that this will bring out of the woodwork a lot of silent supporters of the insurgency in Iraq. This will definitely "flare the violence" in Iraq and will piss off a lot closet Baathists. Hopefully these supporters, who may have been facilitators, harborers and financiers in Iraq, will show their colors. When they do rear their heads, we should remember four things: Steady Position, Sight Picture, Breathing Control, and Trigger Squeeze.

Scouts Out.

MDG....OUT!!

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

A Summary of my Recent Outdoor Activities

 
 
 
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Wednesday, March 22, 2006


This is my new Pup, Gracie. She is apx 4-6 months old. She is mainly Chocolate Lab, but I think there may be some Akita mixed in somewhere, she has a white stripe on her belly and her tail curls up straight over her back, like an Akita. Now I just gotta get her trained.
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Monday, March 20, 2006

Happy Blogoversary...to myself!

I realized today that I have been 2 weeks past my blogoversary. Whoops. I even missed my 100,000th visitor.

I must apologize for my lack of posting. I will pick it back up, mark my words.

My wife and I adopted a puppy this weekend, a chocolate lab / mix. I picked her up today, and she is just getting adjusted to the new house. She is very docile, and is just adorable. Pictures will be up within the day.

SCOUTS OUT!!!

Mike..(aka MDG)..OUT.

Monday, February 27, 2006

Frustration Defined

POP. POP POP POP. BRRRRRRPPP. POP. POPPOPPOPPOPPOPPOP. BOOM!! BOOM!! POP POP POPPOPPOP. BRRRRRRRRRP. BRRRRRRPP.

Automatic gunfire pierces the spring morning, sending the birds of southern Kirkuk skyward with a start, and my crew to a bit higher alert level. My squad had just dropped some medics off at a training location so they could educate the Iraqi Army. It was mid morning, but the mercury was already becoming unkind. We were swigging water and having a smoke break before returning to the FOB.

That day, I was in the vehicle commander's seat, for my squad leader was home on leave.

"Whoa, that sounds close.", says 'Little Man', my 5'3" driver.

"That sounds like Aidalla Police station.", says Jones, my gunner.

"Yep, sounds like rifle, machinegun fire, and maybe RPG's," I said. "Sounds like a firefight."

"Yo, Renegade Three Bravo, this is Three Alfa.", sqwaks the platoon net.

"Three Bravo.", I reply.

"Three Bravo, since you are the only one who seems to be able to talk to company, call that up, will ya?? Over."

"Wilco." The sound of the firefight continued in the not so distant distance.

As I switched handmikes, another NCO from the platoon a SSG, who, in my honest opinion, is a coward, and never should have made it to the position in which he was occupying at the time, walked over to the open door of my HMMWV.

"Animal House, this is Renegade Three Bravo...", and I reported what we had heard.

"Renegade Three Bravo, this is Animal House, Uhh...Roger." 'Uhh' is one of the things I HATE to hear on the radio. It is one of my pet peeves. In a big way.

"Animal House, this is R3B...sounds like the IP at Aidalla are getting their asses shot up over there...what is your guidance, Over?"

"Dammit Bautista, don't ask that, they might want us to go over there. I ain't driving over there with people shooting. Anyways, we have to escort the BC (batallion commander) at 1000.", says SSG Coward. "It's not our job to handle that".

"The old man will wait for us," I say to him, "especially if we catch or kill some bad guys, and we have a bunch of medics with us, in case they need some medical attention.", and I told him that with as much disdain as my voice could carry, and my facial expression echoed the sentiment. If looks could kill, I tell you.

Meanwhile, the firefight continued, with intervals of light and heavy fire. Men were dying as I fingered the coils of the radio handmike. How time seems to drag in those situations.

Have you ever been in a position where you are waiting for a decision that is being made somewhere else from your present location, and it is serious, and still you wait...knowing what you should do, but are waiting to be told to do it??

"Renegade Three Bravo, this is Animal House...we are rolling QRF from the FOB, Over." My blood pressure instantly skyrocketed, for the FOB was 10 minutes drive time away, and that was pushing the HMWWV's to maximum speed. I was less than 3 KM from the shooting, straight down the road.

"Animal House, this is Renegade Three Bravo, it is gonna take too long for them to get there, I am 90 seconds away, Over"

"Uhhh......(whoever was manning the CP at the time actually un-keyed the radio and then re-keyed it in this space).........Roger, over."

As I waited, the A team leader and acting squad leader came to my truck. "What did they say?? I told him, as the gunfire tapered in the distance. At that time, SSG Coward joined us, and told us that we better get back to the FOB.

Unable to convince SSG Coward that we should go over and investigate, we loaded our HMMWV's and left to return to the FOB.

We passed the QRF heading towards the IP station only 1/4 mile from the gate.

Five Iraqi Policemen died that morning. Three others were seriously wounded. The terrorists got away. Somewhere, somehow, someone made a decision to let them die.

Later, reports stated that it was four terrorists in a sedan, with 2 AK47s, a PKC, and an RPG. I had 3 HMMWV's, 2 .50 cal heavy MG's, a M240B, and fifteen soldiers with which to greet the enemy.

I have never felt such frustration in my life. I felt so angry, because we could have done something. Killed a few bad guys. Bandaged up a few good guys. Who knows. Communications broke somewhere that day, and information never got to the decision makers.

That was one of the worst days of my time in Iraq...we were so close, yet were kept so far away...too short of a leash, I guess.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!

MDG...OUT.

Thursday, January 19, 2006

New OBL Tape

 
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FOX News, Drudge, and others are reporting that an new audio tape, reportedly by Osama Bin Laden, has been released by Al-Jazeera.

It is reported that the tape offers a truce in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but after claiming that they are winning on those two fronts.

"In response to the substance of the polls in the US, which indicate that Americans do not want to fight Muslims on Muslim land, nor do they want Muslims to fight them on their land, we do not mind offering a long-term truce based on just conditions that we will stick to.


"We are a nation that Allah banned from lying and stabbing others in the back, hence both parties of the truce will enjoy stability and security to rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan, which were destroyed by war.

"There is no problem in this solution, but it will prevent hundreds of billions from going to influential people and war lords in America - those who supported Bush's electoral campaign - and from this, we can understand Bush and his gang's insistence on continuing the war."



To me, it sounds like they know they are losing in Iraq, and have completely lost in Afghanistan, and they are trying to cover the fact that they are really getting their butts whipped. They aren't just getting their butts whipped, but they are getting their pants pulled to their ankles, hung upside down on the swingset, and we are buying candybars, pop and comic books with their lunch money.

The tape also claims that the measure we have undertaken to safeguard our shores have not inhibited their efforts to bring more terror to the US. OBL claims that they are just involved in preparatory stages. Bring it on, sucker, like we need another reason to turn you into worm food.

It is a longstanding US policy to not negotiate with terrorists. Simple as that.

Now my question to the anti-war folks. The CIA has authenticated his voice on this tape. My question is this (or maybe it's more of a statement, I'll let ya'll decide):

Bin Laden claims to have influence on the terrorist we are fighting in Iraq. It seems as if he controls them, and is the one responsible for the insurgency in Iraq. Who claimed responsibility for 9/11??? Oh, yeah, Bin Laden did. So, Iraq has nothing to do with 9/11??? Riiight...any other theories that need de-bunking??

One thing OBL has right is his strategy in this tape. He strokes the anti-war protesters, using almost identical rhetoric when attacking President Bush. Makes you wonder, who is reading who, and what kind of un-holy alliances run much deeper than we may like to think.

More as the situation develops.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!!

MDG....OUT.

Thursday, January 05, 2006

All Went Well

I am so totally amazed at my vision. I am a little giddy, because it is completely WEIRD that I don't have to wear glasses or contacts anymore.

I got glasses when I was 6. I just turned 25. I had been wearing glasses and/or contact lenses for the past 19 years, and Tuesday, that all changed. I LOVE it!!!!

Seriously, if you have ever contemplated getting this surgery done, take my advice...stop contemplating and DO IT.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!

MDG...OUT.

Tuesday, January 03, 2006

Gettin my eyes done...

I am going in for Lasik laser-eye-surgery this afternoon. I would ask for your prayers that this very routine, low-risk procedure would go well and no complications arise. Thanks..

SCOUTS OUT!!!

MDG...OUT.

Thursday, December 22, 2005

New Video

Got some new video posted over at my MDG Video.

It is a montage of photos compiled while in I was in Iraq. I have many, many photos, and hopefully this will be the first of at least a few pictures slideshows I publish.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!

MDG...OUT.


UPDATE: The link above is now fixed. Thanks for the heads-up, Karl.

Thursday, December 15, 2005

U.S. House Resolution

Click here to read the new resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives, about the fallacy of setting an artificial timeline for the redeployment of U.S. Forces from Iraq.

I believe that this is a very needed gesture, and it reads very well. Call your Congressman, and tell him or her to vote in favor of this resolution.

You can find their contact information RIGHT HERE.

Please, voice your support for this resolution. Call your Senator, maybe we can get something like this done in the Senate.

SCOUTS OUT.

MDG.....OUT.

Momentus..

Today, a significant leap towards democracy was taken in Iraq.

I won't re-hash the turnout numbers too much, except to say that the high turnout is a testament to the 'state of the war', that we are winning!! It says that people feel secure enough to go out and stand in line and not fear reprisals.

Sunni Arabs turned out en-masse, which is a considerable turnaround. Sunni's are seeing and understanding that they hold the key to their own freedoms in their hand, and, while sometimes fighting for it is the only option, voting for it and abiding by the decisions of the general populace is a pretty darned good way to go about deciding how your government should work, and who should be a part of your government.

Today is an especially good day for me, and should be for all the men and women who have served over in Iraq. Not just Americans, but everyone who is a part of the "Coalition of the Willing". Every person who has toiled, bled, sweated, and cried in the sands of Mesopotamia should rejoice today. Today is what we worked for. The groundwork laid by us has proven solid, and a democratic nation is being erected on that foundation. I spent a year of my life in Iraq, doing my part to secure the country, that democracy and free will might be given a chance to flourish in a part of the world where those things are rare, and to allow a formerly repressed people to live in peace. Every soldier wonders wether his contribution will be wasted, will the Iraqi people squander this opportunity we have given them?.
Today they raised their purple index fingers again and said "NO!!! We will not waste what you have given us!!!" A year of my life in that desert, and today I see that my sweat was not in vain. My fallen comrades blood was not spilt in vain.

A while back, on the first election day, in January, I wrote on my buddie's site, that the seed of democracy had been planted. A fitting analogy, as the fertile crescent is some of the most fertile ground in the world. In October, that seed of democracy pushed through the crust of the Earth and showed its green stems to the world, under sunny skies. Today, that young shoot has become a tree, and has begun to unfurl leaves, leaves that are red on top, black on bottom, and have green stars and arabic writing on a white center stripe. This tree will soon bear fruit, and that fruit will be sweet to the Iraqi people. Victory and Freedom.

I think back to the Iraqi guys who worked with us as interpreters. Doc, Jay, Bob, Omar, and Adam. I think about how they were on the last election day. I think about their purple fingers, and how Jay, in particular, made an effort to show his purple finger to every soldier in the platoon, and to shake their hand or hug them and show his appreciation that he was able to vote for his own life, to express his own free will.

Finally, I want to leave all you who oppose this war and our efforts in Iraq with this question:

How does unprecedented voter turnout and very sporadic attacks or violence look like we are losing??

SCOUTS OUT!!!

MDG...OUT.

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

Yes, I know I am a Nerd

 


Just wanted to post some gun pictures...this is my daily carry setup...the gun changes regularly, though. Posted by Picasa

Monday, December 12, 2005

Can you believe...

Apple wants to charge a person $49.95 just to talk to someone about any problem you have with your iPod, if you call after the first 90 days you have had the thing.

Anyone know what the little icon on the iPod means if it shows an iPod with "x"'s for eyes and a frowny face, and a triangle with an exclamation point next to the picture of the iPod?? My users manual is in our conex that is somewhere between here and Kirkuk, and the online manual does not address that icon.

Anyone who knows anything about iPods, please HELP!!!

Scouts Out!!!


MDG...OUT.