A Grateful Nation Honors Vietnam Veterans: The Defense Department's 50th Anniversary Commemoration of the Vietnam War

In December of 1970 I was an 18-year-old sailor serving aboard the USS Kitty Hawk on "Yankee Station," off the coast of Vietnam.

The attack aircraft carrier pounded Viet Cong and North Vietnamese positions in support of American and South Vietnamese ground troops.

My older brother had been one of those soldiers in South Vietnam only a few years before.

I'm proud of my minor role in the war, as I believe we were fighting a just war against a fanatical and dictatorial communist government in the north and their Viet Cong surrogates in the south. That many thousands of Vietnamese "boat people" fled South Vietnam under God-awful conditions once the communists took over proves my point, I believe. 

Although the U.S. military never lost a battle over company strength in more than 12 years of combat, the communists defeated the South Vietnamese in 1975 after U.S. combat troops had been withdrawn. In my view, it was a dark day in our history when we allowed the communists to take South Vietnam.

Still, one should honor the troops who served.

So I was pleased that the Defense Department, where I served as a civilian employee for 33 years after serving four years in the Navy, has a commemorative program honoring Vietnam veterans.

According to the Pentagon, the commemorative program will continue through 2025 and will include activities and ceremonies to achieve the below stated objectives:

1.    To thank and honor veterans of the Vietnam War, including personnel who were held as prisoners of war (POW), or listed as missing in action (MIA), for their service and sacrifice on behalf of the United States and to thank and honor the families of these veterans.

 

2.    To highlight the service of the Armed Forces during the Vietnam War and the contributions of Federal agencies and governmental and non-governmental organizations that served with, or in support of, the Armed Forces.

 

3.    To pay tribute to the contributions made on the home front by the people of the United States during the Vietnam War.

 

4.    To highlight the advances in technology, science, and medicine related to military research conducted during the Vietnam War.

 

5.    To recognize the contributions and sacrifices made by the allies of the United States during the Vietnam War.

 

To learn more you can visit the Defense Department Vietnam War Commemoration site via the below link:

http://www.vietnamwar50th.com/

You can also read two of my previous posts on the Vietnam War via the below links:

http://www.pauldavisoncrime.com/2012/02/look-back-at-vietnam-war-and-lessons.html

http://www.pauldavisoncrime.com/2010/05/look-back-at-aircraft-carrier-uss-kitty.html

A Little Night Music: David Benoit's 'The Key To You'

I just listened to David Benoit's smooth and pretty song The Key To You. 

You too can listen to the great jazz pianist, accompanied by singer David Pack, via the below link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y9J6w1qkso   

My Philadelphia Inquirer Review Of 'Unbreakable Bonds: The Mighty Moms And Wounded Warriors Of Walter Reed'

The Philadelphia Inquirer published my review of Dava Guerin and Kevin Ferris' Unbreakable Bonds: The Mighty Moms and Wounded Warriors of Walter Reed today.

You can read the review below:

Note: You can click on the above to enlarge.

FBI Most Wanted: FBI Seeking Tech Experts to Become Cyber Special Agents

The FBI web site offers a piece on their seeking cyber tech experts.

Since its earliest days, the FBI has looked for recruits with specialized skills to fill its special agent ranks: lawyers, accountants, scientists, and engineers, to name a few. Today, however, the most sought-after candidates possess a uniquely 21st century quality: cyber expertise.

Investigating cyber crimes—such as website hacks, intrusions, data theft, botnets, and denial of service attacks—is a top priority for the FBI. To keep pace with the evolving threat, the Bureau is appealing to experienced and certified cyber experts to consider joining the FBI to apply their well-honed tradecraft as cyber special agents.

“The FBI seeks highly talented, technically trained individuals who are motivated by the FBI’s mission to protect our nation and the American people from the rapidly evolving cyber threat,” said Robert Anderson, Jr., executive assistant director for the Bureau’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch. “What we want are people who are going to come and be part of a team that is working different very complex types of investigations and to utilize their skillsets in that team environment.”

The Bureau recently launched a campaign to bring aboard more technical talent, including computer scientists, IT specialists, and engineers. In a job posting—open until January 20—the FBI says no other organization will apply the expertise of successful candidates like the FBI.

You can read the rest of the piece and watch a video via the below link:

http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2014/december/fbi-seeking-tech-experts-to-become-cyber-special-agents/fbi-seeking-tech-experts-to-become-cyber-special-agents?utm_campaign=email-Daily&utm_medium=email&utm_source=fbi-top-stories&utm_content=388550

Mark Twain's Grave Vandalized

G. Jeffrey Aaron at stargazette.com reports on the theft of Mark Twain likeness at his gravesite.

Elmira City Police and the administrator of Woodlawn Cemetery are searching for the person who removed the bronze likeness of Mark Twain from his gravesite in the Elmira cemetery.

Cemetery Superintendent Bryce Cuyle said someone who was visiting Twain's gravesite over the holiday weekend left a voicemail on the cemetery office's telephone saying the plaque was missing from the 12-foot high granite monument that commemorates both Twain and his son-in-law Ossip Gabrilowitsch.

Gabrilowitsch was the conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and husband of Twain's daughter, Clara. His likeness is also attached to the monument stone, but only Twain's profile was taken.

"I don't believe it was taken for its scrap value because it's a specialty item that will be recognized around here," said Cuyle. "I think it was taken because of who it was."

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

http://www.stargazette.com/story/news/local/2015/01/02/woodlawn-cemetery-mark-twain/21193295/

A Little Night Music: The Crusaders Add A Touch Of Smooth Jazz To Carole King's Rock Classic 'So Far Away'

The Crusaders, with guitarist Larry Carlton, offer a fine cover of Carole King's So Far Away.

You can listen to the long song via the below link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0ygAhakw5w

Sadly, Joe Sample, The Crusader's pianist, died last year.

      

New Law Requires Cruise Lines To Publicize All Crimes Committed On Board

Foxnews.com offers a piece on the new law regarding crimes on cruise lines.

Cruise lines will now be mandated by law to publicize and provide details on all crimes committed on their ships.

A new provision of the Coast Guard reauthorization bill, signed into law Dec. 18, also stipulates that cruise companies post information about crimes that are alleged or under current investigation, reports Cruise Critic. The Department of Transportation will host a website to be updated quarterly where consumers can check out details of the reported crimes including names of the perpetrators, both passenger and crew member offenders.

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2014/12/31/new-law-requires-cruise-lines-to-publicize-all-crimes-committed-on-board/