OK, here are my answers to the latest meme. I cut out #58 since I’m not going to “tag” anyone with it, but feel free to chime in, use the comment section if you wish.
57 things you never wanted to know about Hook…
1.What time did you get up this morning? 0430 hours (every morning).
2. Diamonds or pearls? Black pearls (not for me, for my lady).
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? United 93.
4. What is your favorite TV show? 24 (hooked like everyone else).
5. What did you have for breakfast? Coffee.
6. What is your middle name? Pudding tane.
7. What is your favorite food? Northern Italian cuisine.
8. What foods do you dislike? Cottage cheese (who’s idea was that?).
9. What kind of potato chips do you like? Regular, plain Lays potato chips.
10. What is your favorite CD at the moment? The Mommas and Poppas.
11. What kind of car do you drive? Jeep (well, wish I still had it).
12. Favorite sandwich? Turkey and swiss.
13. What characteristics do you despise? Arrogance and cowardice.
14. Favorite item of clothing? Ball cap.
15. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Scotland.
16. What color is your bathroom? I’m not really sure.
17. What is your favorite brand of clothing? I’m not really sure.
18. Where would you want to retire? Still working on that, currently leaning towards Maine.
19. Favorite time of day? Sunset.
20. Where were you born? Atlantic City, New Jersey (dare ya to ask “what exit”).
21. Favorite sport to watch? NFL.
22. Who do you least expect to answer this???? My mother.
23. Person you expect to answer first? The guy on the corner who begs a buck from me every morning on my way to work.
24. Coke or Pepsi? Coke!
25. Are you a morning person or night owl? Morning glory.
26. What size shoe do you wear? Why do you ask?
27. Do you have any pets? Yes.
28. Any new and exciting news you’d like to share with everyone? Am being transferred in a few weeks (another move).
29. What did you want to be when you were little? Big.
30. Is the glass half empty or half full? Runneth over.
31. What is your best childhood memory? Coming home.
32. What are the different jobs you have had in your life? Cook, bartender, landscaper, fish marketeer, soldier.
33. What color underwear are you wearing? Underwear?
34. Nicknames: Hook, Hookie, Hooker.
35. Piercings? Negative.
36. Eye color: Hazel (kinda grayish blue today).
37. Ever been to Africa? Not yet.
38. Ever been toilet papering? Yes.
39. Love someone so much it made you cry? Men don’t cry, but yes.
40. Been in a car accident? Yes (helicopter crash too).
41. Croutons or bacon bits? Croutons.
42. Favorite day of the week? Friday.
43. Favorite flower? Sunflower (love the way they follow the path of the sun during the day).
44. Favorite ice cream? Cold Stone.
45. Disney or Warner Brothers? Disney.
46. Favorite fast food restaurant? Boston Pizza (they have the best calzones).
47. What color is your bedroom carpet? Never noticed.
48. Failed your drivers test? Yes (was too wrapped up with demonstrating my mastery of hand signals).
49. From whom did you get your last e-mail from? My dear friend Mrs. Teresa Stevens from Zimbabwe who has $20.5 million asking help moving it, offering 10% (some friend) if I agree. Or was she offering cheap Viagra?
50. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Border’s Books.
51. What do you most often do when you are bored? Bored? What’s that?
52. Bedtime? 2100 hours.
53. Who are you most curious about their responses to this questionnaire? The guy on the corner who begs a buck from me every morning on my way to work.
54. Last person you went to dinner with? The lovely and talented and downright sexy Mrs. Hook.
55. Lake, Ocean or river? Ocean.
56. How many tattoos do you have? One (thinking about a second, any suggestions?).
57. Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Depends on the dish (i.e. egg if it’s a quiche).
Still awake? Your turn. Sgt Hook out.
Hotel Tango Pixie.
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This post is filed under: Q&A
Your Army continues to go rolling along:
1,700 Soldiers in Kosovo
1,700 Soldiers in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
200 Soldiers in Saudi Arabia/Bahrain
680 Soldiers in the Sinai
18,000 Soldiers in Afghanistan
180,000 Soldiers in Iraq and Kuwait
1,700 Soldiers in the Horn of Africa
And they are busy, serving you well and making you proud…
Terrorists in Iraq recentlyfelt the wrath.
BAGHDAD , Iraq – Coalition forces killed 12 terrorists during a raid April 25 in Yusifiyah at a safe house associated with foreign terrorists. Multiple intelligence sources led the troops to the specific structure located approximately 8 kilometers N/NE of the location where the U.S. Apache helicopter crashed April 1.
Upon arrival the troops took direct fire and immediately engaged the threat with small arms fire as well as rotary wing aircraft machine gun fire. The troops initially killed five terrorists outside of the safe house, and then called for an air strike to neutralize the persistent direct fire coming from the safe house.
After the precision air strike, the ground troops conducted a tactical search of the destroyed safe house and located the bodies of seven more terrorists and a woman. Every male who was found in the rubble was wearing an AK-47 vest with two loaded magazines and two grenades. The troops also discovered suicide notes on one of the terrorists, body bombs, weapons to include a shoulder-fired rocket and ammunition.
American aviators are training Afghan aviators to fly helicopters and fly them tactically with the goal of eventually taking over the mission in the Stan. This is the next critical step in phasing out U.S. forces from the region and standing up Afghan forces to secure their own nation. Just as in Iraq, we’ve been able to stand up combat forces allowing for them to take over the mission, but combat support units like aviation are much more challenging to train and resource, but challenges are what your Soldiers thrive on.
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (Army News Service, April 24, 2006) – Afghan National Army aviators recently completed their first combat-support mission in partnership with the Coalition’s Task Force Falcon.
Two Afghan National Army Air Corps crews arrived at the airfield April 10, completed several days of training and then flew supplies aboard their Mi-17 Hip helicopters to Afghan and U.S. forces in Jalalabad.
Afghan and Coalition participants are calling the mission a success.
The first group of Afghan aviators conducted after-action reviews to identify areas in which they could improve, and then continued to fly missions for the remainder of their 10-day stay, Serota said. A second group was scheduled to replace them as soon as they departed.
“The goal is to get them up every single day doing aerial movements,” to prepare them to share the aviation-operations load with the Coalition, Serota said.
“We want to rely on the Afghan Air Corps, to be able to give them a mission, or part of a ring route, and have them plan, coordinate and execute it themselves,” he continued.
Nobody comes close to what your Army Corps of Engineers are achieving.
Formerly was known as Saddam City, Sadr City has always been a low-income section. Neglected under the former regime and occasionally punished for challenging Saddam Hussein’s rule, the city is among the most impoverished and neglected in the country.
The run-down city of more than two million inhabitants was in urgent need of essential services. Broken pipes allowed both untreated and sewage water to inundate the streets. This water also seeped into the pure water supplies through leaky pipes. Streets were unpaved and mounds of garbage and debris were piled up in most of the neighborhoods of the city.
Concerning water projects, the Corps of Engineers, Gulf Region Division, has completed about 27 compact water unit projects. Each of these water units produces 15,000 liters of clean drinking water daily in the city which helps to improve the living condition of all of the residents in Sadr city.
There is a group of mostly unseen Soldiers in your Army that peform one of the most difficult, yet important jobs around, especially during wartime; the mortuary affairs Soldiers.
SATHER AIR BASE, Iraq (Army News Service, April 24, 2006) – Tucked away in an obscure building at Sather Air Base, a group of Soldiers hopes today is a slow one.
Although most people like to have lots of work, these Puerto Rico Army Reserve Soldiers are content not to have business. When they are busy, it means someone has died.
Although there is no requirement to do so, the team leads a brief ceremony as they load the remains onto the aircraft to pay respect for the individual’s service. They and volunteers carry the flag-draped transfer case onto the aircraft while a small military formation presents a final salute.
“The (person) made the greatest sacrifice for the cause,” said Mendezvega. “I try to go every time and pay my respects.”
Your citizen Soldiers continue to answer the call to duty, and the 294th Infantry Regiment out of Guam have done just that.
FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii – Soldiers from the Guam Army National Guard’s newly formed Co. C 1st 294th Infantry Regiment spent a tough week training tirelessly for their upcoming deployment to Africa in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
It was a challenging week for the troops, from joint operations exercises and stress firing to convoy operations and more.
“The biggest threat in theater comes in convoys,” said Capt. Kristen Graham, the engineer team chief in charge of the convoy exercise.
“The Soldiers reacted to sniper attacks and improvised explosive device attacks, as well as reorganization skills afterwards,” she added.
Stress firing is a technique in which Soldiers’ bodies are pushed to the limit, and then they fire their weapons to get an idea of the physical and mental strain of battle.
Near and dear to my heart, the CH47D Chinook continues to be the workhorse throughout today’s battlspace.
CAMP TAJI, Iraq (Army News Service, April 24, 2006) – To Soldiers on the front lines in Iraq, the delivery of supplies is critical to sustaining a force spread over 17,000 square miles.
The 4th Infantry Division’s Combat Aviation Brigade CH-47 Chinook helicopters have become a major factor in ensuring repair parts, mail and other much-needed materiel reach its intended destinations.
To date, CAB aircraft have delivered more than 7.7 million pounds of cargo and more than 60,800 passengers to locations throughout Iraq since taking over Multi-National Division – Baghdad’s aviation mission four months ago. Of these passengers, more than 40,000 have traveled aboard the brigade’s CH-47 Chinooks.
The Chinooks are assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 4th Aviation Regiment, and have been solely responsible for bringing a heavy-lift capability to the fight. Because the Chinook pilots have flown more than 2,000 hours and delivered more than 3,800 tons of materiel, Coalition Forces have been able to keep more than 1,400 trucks off the roadways. This action has also kept an estimated 3,541 Soldiers out of harm’s way.
And our comrades in arms, the Soldiers to the north, are themselves serving proudly in Afghanistan.
No one knows better than the coalition soldiers in Afghanistan why Afghanistan needs coalition soldiers. They see it and live it every day, on every patrol, every convoy excursion along Highway 1 — the soldiers call its forbidding stretches, variously, Michelob and Whiskey and Miller — that can so abruptly swerve from routine to chaotic, every probing from a forward operating base, every report of another roadside explosion or suicide bombing.
And they suck it up, as no Canadian civilian can, at every solemn “ramp ceremony” for a fallen comrade, regardless of nationality. Four more, now, of those. And four coffins transported home to grieving families.
In Afghanistan, in quiet late-night conversations over cigarettes, I never heard a single soldier speak of regrets or mission misgivings.
Just a snapshot of your Army as it rolls along, defending freedom and our way of life. Thank you ever so much for the undying support that you provide, it is the fuel your Soldiers rely on. Sgt Hook out.
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This post is filed under: Army Times & The Soldier
This thing stinks from the bowels of hell. I’m not really very business savvy, nor do I care to be, but even with my limited capacity to grasp the business decisions made by Hilton Corp in their dealings with Fran O’Briens, it seems to me that Hilton is making some bad choices here.
Buzz Paterson has a letter posted over at the Mudville Gazette that lays it all out.
In the meantime, the Hilton stopped paying Fran O’Brien’s for the room service they provided to guests that were billed their hotel room. The Hilton continued to give different accounting excuses on why it could not be paid until more than 6 months had gone by and the amount owed exceeded the amount in one month’s rent. Hal, being the smart business man that he is told the Hilton to use the money owed toward that month’s rent. The Hilton came back saying no way and took it as a non-compliance of rent payment.
At about that time, the Hilton stopped all voice and email response to Hal’s constant contact. The Fran O’Brien’s lease was up at the beginning of 2006 and Hal repeated contacted the Hilton, but was never given the courtesy of a response either way. Because the lease expired and Fran O’Brien’s was going month to month because no one told them otherwise, the Hilton Corp decided it was within their right to increase the rent 100%. That’s right folks the Hilton Corp doubled the rent in an effort to force Fran O’Brien’s out of business. When the Hilton finally saw that Hal and Marty were not folding, they sent them an eviction notice to be off the property within less than 30 days. That folks is Hilton’s way of doing business.
Matt add his two cents much more eloquently than I could. I found myself nodding as I read each word.
Hal and Marty do not treat our men and women as heroes. They do much better for those who gave us so much and are away from their units, their hometowns, their friends recovering from their wounds.
Hal and Marty treat our wounded troops like family.
And that’s something that the corporate suits at HILTON won’t understand.
I’ve never met Hal and Marty, but I’m extremely grateful for their treatment of our Wounded Warriors, and it is more than just treating them to a steak dinner on Friday night, but I am a part of that “family” of Soldiers and have myself made a business decision.
You see, there’s business, and there’s the right thing to do. Fortunately for me, my business decision just happens to be the right thing to do. I will no longer stay at any of the Hilton Hotels or their affiliates.
Andi has another way you can help.
Thank you for the literally thousands of e-mails generated to the management of the Hilton Hotels Corporation on behalf of Fran O’Brien’s Stadium Steakhouse and the troops. You were so effective that they closed the e-mail addresses we published. You can still reach them through the Hilton Honors website - hhonors@hilton.com.
My heart is heavy with the thought that Fran O’Brien’s will no longer take care of our Wounded Warriors and at how Hal and Marty are being treated after taking such good care of my family members. Don’t mess with my family. What say you? Sgt Hook out.
UPDATE: The latest info is up at Andi’s.
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This post is filed under: Army Times & Heroes & Soap Box
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As a follow up to my No Tears In Heaven post, I offer this…
The dozen or so Soldiers were all smiles as they walked through the colorful and patriotically decorated station, having just arrived on the overnight. Stepping from the train, dressed in the standard issue desert camouflage uniform, a light layer of dust still on them, they were all caught by surprise at the welcoming that awaited them. Throngs of people lined the terminal, clapping, cheering, waving, and shouting their thanks and praise. The hand shakes and pats on the back raised the hair on the necks of some, brought tears to the eyes of others, and swelled the hearts with pride of all.
“Welcome home Soldier,” Marine Captain Mike Williams said as he shook hands, grabbing an occasional elbow with his left hand and looking deep into their eyes.
“Thank you sir,” was the general reply, barely heard over the rhythmic patriotic sounds of the military band playing nearby.
“Top McNeely is waiting for you outside with further instructions,” Captain Williams furnished before offering his hand to the next in line, “Welcome home Marine.”
“We got everybody?” First Sergeant Julian McNeely asked the group, not really expecting an answer. “OK, first of all, let me welcome you all home and I’d like to just take a minute to say how damned proud I am of each and every one of you,” he went on, feeling himself getting a little choked up. “You’ve given your all for something greater than yourselves, and that places you into a very special category that few others will ever know. I am truly honored to be standing here among you.”
First Sergeant McNeely went on to explain that just inside the pearly gates atop the hill behind him, on the right, they would find Fiddler’s Green where a sponsor awaited each one of them to help get them settled and show them around the base camp. “The sponsorship program works in this outfit,” he added flatly. “If there are no questions, grab your duffel bags and follow Corporal Sanchez.”
“Uh, First Sergeant?” asked 19 year old Private Jones, his hand raised.
“Yes Jones?” McNeely replied giving his undivided attention to the young Soldier.
A little surprised that the first sergeant knew his name, the native New Yorker asked, “How’d you know my name First Sergeant?”
“What’s your question Jones?” the wise old NCO patiently pressed.
“Oh, we gonna be able to call home or email or somethin’ First Sergeant?”
Taking a moment to look at each member of this latest group to arrive, First Sergeant Julian McNeely spoke softly to the entire formation, “You will receive a series of briefings on how things operate around here, but to answer Jones’ question specifically, no, we can’t call or email our loved ones, but we do have an open line of communication with them any time of day or night, 365 days a year. You will be able to check in and keep watch over them at all times. Now pick up your gear and move out.”
The Soldiers did as they were told, grumbling with questions that would be answered soon enough as they followed Corporal Carmen Sanchez up the hill, who was smiling as she overheard some of their conversations.
“Dawg! How did he know my name man?!?” Jones incredulously asked Specialist Darryl Wilbur from Atlanta, Georgia, who was walking next to him.
“I don’t know man, but it ain’t good if Top knows your name,” the 20 year old artilleryman replied, privately thankful he hadn’t raised his hand, wanting to ask the very same question Private Jones had.
“Who’s in charge here sir?” Command Sergeant Major Jesse Martin asked Captain Williams.
“Welcome home Sergeant Major, I’m in charge of the welcoming team and First Sergeant McNeely takes care of the newly arrived Soldiers, getting them settled in.”
“McNeely? Julian McNeely?” Command Sergeant Major Martin of Cincinnati, Ohio asked.
“That’s him Sergeant Major,” Captain Williams answered.
First Sergeant Julian McNeely had been the senior noncommissioned officer for Alpha Company, 1st Battalion of the 76th Infantry Regiment. Command Sergeant Major Jesse Martin was the 1st Battalion, 76th Infantry Regiment CSM.
CSM Martin hesitated a moment, knowing that his best 1SG had been killed two months ago while leading a convoy through Tikrit. Jesse Martin, at age 46, suddenly realized that he too had made the ultimate sacrifice serving his country. He swallowed hard and took a deep breath through his nostrils, steeling himself at the thought of not ever seeing his five year old son Tommy again.
Looking deeply into Captain Williams’ eyes the 28 year Army veteran managed to say, “First Sergeant McNeely and I served together in Iraq, I’d like to have a word with him when he’s available Captain.”
Recognizing the raw emotion in the senior NCO’s voice, the Marine Captain replied, “I’ll let him know you are here right away Sergeant Major, please make yourself comfortable in the VIP lounge, and help yourself to some coffee.”
“Julian,” Command Sergeant Major Martin warmly said extending a hand to his former first sergeant.
Firmly accepting the sergeant major’s hand, Julian McNeely replied, “Sergeant Major, how are you?”
“I suppose you can call me ‘Jesse’ considering our circumstances Julian,” the senior said.
“Yes Sergeant Major,” the first sergeant affirmed.
“What in the hell is going on here Julian? The last time I saw you was…”
“…On the tarmac of Al Asad Airfield, at my ramp ceremony. I appreciate the send off by the way; having the entire battalion lined up as my flag draped casket was carried onto the C-17 at two in the damn morning was more than I deserved CSM, but thank you.”
CSM Martin replied, “You deserved each and every one of those salutes, and then some Top. Damn, I can’t believe we’re here.”
First Sergeant McNeely knew what his old Command Sergeant Major was feeling. He had gone through a similar gauntlet of emotions himself just two months ago.
“Sergeant Major, I know this is kinda tough to swallow and you probably have a lot of questions, but let me just say, you’re here for a reason, we’re here for a reason, and it’s a good reason,” Julian McNeely offered, looking directly into the old Soldier’s grey-blue eyes.
“I know Julian, but Tommy,” a tight throat and teary eyes precluded the sergeant major from finishing his thought.
Resting his strong hand on CSM Martin’s shoulder the first sergeant offered, “Tommy will speak to you each night and you will watch over him like you’ve never been able to watch over him before Sergeant Major, trust me, he’s in good hands,” the two old Soldiers hugged one another.
“Excuse me,” their embrace was interrupted by a twenty-something skinny, dark skinned, dark haired man with brown eyes dressed in a white silk shirt and loose fitting black pants, “where am I?”
The two hardened warriors stepped back from each other, looked at the young Muslim and said in unison, “What?” each leaving out “the f*#k” from the question.
“I am Muhammad Ali Zeyad and am wondering as to my whereabouts?” the young man asked.
Command Sergeant Major Jesse Martin turned his head to look at First Sergeant Julian McNeely and asked, “Did he just say his name was Muhammad Ali?”
Pausing to look at the dark young man, Julian McNeely replied, “Yes Sergeant Major, I believe that he did.”
“I am Muhammad Ali Zeyad from Syria and am not understanding where it is that I am. What place is this?”
“Ali, did you by any chance blow yourself up with a vest killing many people along with you,” the first sergeant asked sarcastically.
Muhammad Ali Zeyad suddenly looked embarrassed, “I was supposed to push the red button, but when I heard the baby cry and saw the child talking with the soldier, I could not do it. I could not push the button!” he exclaimed, holding his face in his hands, crying almost uncontrollably.
The seasoned warriors again looked at one another wondering what in the hell was going on.
“Zeyad,” the Sergeant Major bellowed, “are you telling us that you strapped on a vest full of C-4, ready to kill a bunch of civilians and soldiers, then pussied out at the last minute and now you wanna know where in the f*#k you are? What kinda chickenshit is that?!?”
“I was promised 72 virgins, honey cakes, and sweet wine,” the Muslim responded.
“But you just said that you didn’t push the red button!” First Sergeant McNeely rebutted.
Muhammad Ali Zeyad again looked embarrassed, “My vest was remotely exploded in lieu of my failure.”
“Well you just hit the lotto Muhammad Ali, but I’m sorry to inform you that there are not 72 virgins waiting on your ass. You might find some wine, definitely some beer, up the hill on Fiddler’s Green,” First Sergeant McNeely said.
“I am not in Paradise?” the young holy warrior asked.
“Call it what you want,” CSM Martin interjected, “But for whatever reason you are here at the station, at the gates of Heaven, and you damned well better live up to that honor.”
After several silent moments of thoughtful meditation, Muhammad Ali Zeyad said, “Yes, I must respect the honor bestowed upon me, thank you.” Picking up his valise, he started walking up the hill.
“Top, I think I’ll accompany Mr. Zeyad up the hill. Thank you for the warm welcome, it’s damned good to see you again,” Jesse Martin offered.
“It’s good to see you too CSM, and I’m proud to have served with you. We done good CSM, we done good.”
“And I see that you haven’t stopped doing good Julian, thank you.”
Sgt Hook out.
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This post is filed under: Fiddler's Green & Homecoming
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Sgt. Hook’s Makin’ Me Cry……Again!
