General Discussion Thread

[Poohbah]

Well, more has come out:

Wife confessed. (More like "wife bragged about it.")

Financial chicanery was involved, and the decedent's business assets have been seized by the state of Colorado.

As this is a reserve assignment, Roberta and I will be moving back to Mantell House in Couer d'Alene during late spring; fortunately, we also have a condo in Wichita (24AF is at McConnell) from my previous assignment as a staffer in the A-5 shop all those years ago.

I see some proctologist exams of various officers in the reserve side.

At least the current 24AF commander isn't implicated. But we're all getting a full workup on suitability and fitness for duty.

[jemhouston]

Well, more has come out:

Wife confessed. (More like "wife bragged about it.")

Financial chicanery was involved, and the decedent's business assets have been seized by the state of Colorado.

As this is a reserve assignment, Roberta and I will be moving back to Mantell House in Couer d'Alene during late spring; fortunately, we also have a condo in Wichita (24AF is at McConnell) from my previous assignment as a staffer in the A-5 shop all those years ago.

I see some proctologist exams of various officers in the reserve side.

At least the current 24AF commander isn't implicated. But we're all getting a full workup on suitability and fitness for duty.

Whoever picked him as the next 24AF commander has some explaining to do. I can't imagine rumors about him weren't around the AF.

[Poohbah]

I see some proctologist exams of various officers in the reserve side.

At least the current 24AF commander isn't implicated. But we're all getting a full workup on suitability and fitness for duty.

Whoever picked him as the next 24AF commander has some explaining to do. I can't imagine rumors about him weren't around the AF.

That has been duly noted here and there.

[jemhouston]

Really sorry they never made Felony Stupid an actual crime.

[Poohbah]

Testimony went well on the Hill yesterday and today, and Senator Masters took it upon himself to escort me around to some Senators who wanted to meet me.

Productive conversations all around.

[Matt Wiser]

Good vibes, then...

Sheriff Kelly Ray is settled into the new job in Bannock County, ID. She has a good Undersheriff who filters out the paperwork-leaving only the important stuff for her attention, as she's doing something her predecessor did once in a while, but she does it at least twice a week: She goes out on patrol. Oh, she has a partner, always. But she wants to mentor new deputies-personally if at all possible. Not unlike her weekend job at the 419th, where she often takes a new pilot under her charge, having he or she as the Wing CO's wingmate. In both cases, the principle is the same: a newbie learns from a longtime veteran.

[jemhouston]

Both cases, open ears, closed mouth, but still ask questions.

[jemhouston]

Got a morbid question for the board. Outside of the nuclear strikes on DC and Omaha, what was the highest-ranking US officer killed during the war?

I'm assuming we lost a bunch of one and two stars, but did we lose any three or four stars?

[Poohbah]

Got a morbid question for the board. Outside of the nuclear strikes on DC and Omaha, what was the highest-ranking US officer killed during the war?

I'm assuming we lost a bunch of one and two stars, but did we lose any three or four stars?

ISTR that the commander of XII Corps bought the farm in Northwest Kansas during the Soviet 1986 Summer Offensive; the Corps HQ was signaling 2x2 (too long and too much), and ended up getting flattened by a brigade time-on-target salvo of SS-23s with cluster warheads. Something like 85% casualties among the corps staff.

We were still making rookie mistakes and unforced errors almost ten months into the war.

[jemhouston]

Got a morbid question for the board. Outside of the nuclear strikes on DC and Omaha, what was the highest-ranking US officer killed during the war?

I'm assuming we lost a bunch of one and two stars, but did we lose any three or four stars?

ISTR that the commander of XII Corps bought the farm in Northwest Kansas during the Soviet 1986 Summer Offensive; the Corps HQ was signaling 2x2 (too long and too much), and ended up getting flattened by a brigade time-on-target salvo of SS-23s with cluster warheads. Something like 85% casualties among the corps staff.

We were still making rookie mistakes and unforced errors almost ten months into the war.

Combat is the most Darwinian environment known to man. It's the survival of the least stupid.

[Poohbah]

Got a morbid question for the board. Outside of the nuclear strikes on DC and Omaha, what was the highest-ranking US officer killed during the war?

I'm assuming we lost a bunch of one and two stars, but did we lose any three or four stars?

ISTR that the commander of XII Corps bought the farm in Northwest Kansas during the Soviet 1986 Summer Offensive; the Corps HQ was signaling 2x2 (too long and too much), and ended up getting flattened by a brigade time-on-target salvo of SS-23s with cluster warheads. Something like 85% casualties among the corps staff.

We were still making rookie mistakes and unforced errors almost ten months into the war.

Combat is the most Darwinian environment known to man. It's the survival of the least stupid.

I think we sacked something like 100-plus GOFOs during the first year of the war, because we had a lot of guys who could cut a fine figure in a staff meeting, but had no freaking clue when it came to tactical and operational art.

[Wolfman]

And how many of those were court-martialed?

[Poohbah]

And how many of those were court-martialed?

Several dozen. Everything from sexual congress with enlisted personnel to dereliction of duty with special circumstances.

Last year, there was an incident down in San Diego involving an admiral getting her freak on with her flag aide. CINCSAC Actual happened to be at March for an exercise with the HQ det, and he said, "We need a flag officer who has a stick jammed up his ass to remind all the generals in 8th and 20th AF that these here stars on our shoulders are a privilege."

He said this while staring at me. Along with every other general in the room.

Me: "Why is everyone staring at me?"

Deputy A-2: "Sir, with respect, you were looking Congresswoman Delcara in the eye while she had four buttons undone . . . and she is pretty hot."

[Matt Wiser]

And how many of those were court-martialed?

Not enough!

[jemhouston]

And how many of those were court-martialed?

If I remember correctly, Poohbah related the tale of General Donovan, distantly related to the Wild Bill Donovan. Short version, for his division he grabbed a number of Poohbah's High School people. During Battle of what later became Phase Line Patriot after said students, they held, another brigade didn't and ran, they died at Phase Line Patriot.

General Donovan was court-martialed and hung.

[Wolfman]

I remember that tale.

[Belushi TD]

I don't. Can we get a repost?

Am I correct in understanding that Donovan was hung because part of his division broke and ran, while part of it didn't?

Belushi TD

[Poohbah]

I don't. Can we get a repost?

Am I correct in understanding that Donovan was hung because part of his division broke and ran, while part of it didn't?

Belushi TD

Also for completely mishandling his division (63rd ID) while simultaneously short-circuiting US Army personnel policies and managing to get 20% of Patrick Henry's Class of 1985 killed in one battle.

[Poohbah]

Wrapped up a week at McConnell discussing my impending change of command. Checked out the condo in Wichita, it's in good shape. Got back to March just in time for the deluge to hit. Big Bear Lake is getting some snow.

Roberta made a slow-cooker beef stew, and we're planning on sipping hot chocolate under a heavy fleece throw while watching Silverado.

[Lordroel]

Had some free time, do not know if it is consider canon but i like it.

Northern Mexico Security Zone, Baja California & Mexican Rebel Groups

Northern Mexico Security Zone, Baja California

(light Turquoise) Posted by Matt Wisser over at the Images Of Kara's First Day: Pictures Of Red Dawn's WW3 And The Aftermath on AH.com thread related to the Northern Mexico Security Zone which is made up of Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and the Northern part of Tamaulipas:

The Northern Mexico Security Zone is controlled by the U.S. Army, yes. Demilitarized, no. Mexico refuses to acknowledge the Zone, insists the Zone is "Occupied Territory of Mexico" (and still appoints officials to go there, but of course, they don't make the trip), etc., etc..

Folks there are split several ways, but apart from a small minority who wants to go back to being part of Mexico, there's quite a few points of view. About 30-40% of those polled want Statehood: the 52nd to 54th States. Another 30-40% wants Commonwealth status, in line with Puerto Rico's (U.S. annexation, locals are U.S. Citizens, but they don't pay income taxes and don't vote in Presidential elections, nonvoting delegate to Congress, that sort of thing). A smaller percentage (about 10-15%) wants a "Compact of Free Association" with the U.S. (they run their own internal affairs however they want, but the U.S. handles foreign affairs and defense), and the rest want independence (Call it the "United States of Northern Mexico" or something along those lines. This argument is expected to continue indefinitely, and there's no rush in D.C. for any course of action other than maintaining the status quo.

A UN "fact finding" mission to the territory found a lack of interest in returning to Mexico, and a desire to at the very least, keep the status quo, being quite common. Locals work on American bases, American companies have set up operations, there's a lot of infrastructure work going on (roads, railroads, airports-all of which took a lot of damage in 1988-89, and other than military, hadn't seen any repair crews since, telecommunications, and so forth), and American companies are exploiting the captured oil fields along the Gulf Coast seized during the Baja War. Along with the U.S. military eradicating the cartels, and all of that put together told the mission a lot. Along with subtle signs: Street signs and signs along the highways in both English and Spanish, the major American TV networks getting affiliates in cities like Monterrey or Hermosillo, newspapers offering English-language editions (and American papers like USA Today or the Dallas Morning News being available).....Just as in Baja after WW III ended, but before the 2010 Baja War.

(Turquoise) Posted by Matt Wiser over at the Images Of Kara's First Day: Pictures Of Red Dawn's WW3 And The Aftermath on AH.com thread related to Baja California:

Baja California had risen in revolt near the end of the war and asked for U.S. protection. That request was granted. U.S. Forces moved in, and over the years, Baja was a de facto territory of the U.S. as the locals didn’t want to return to Mexico. Eventually, as the American economy recovered from the war, funds went into Baja to rebuild, infrastructure projects helped put people to work, tourism returned, all of it. Calls from within the territory to become the 51st State grew more common and loud, and Philly listened. A plebiscite was held, with international observers, and 85% voted in favor of statehood. The rest was split between the status quo, independence, with return to Mexico being dead last. Mexico didn’t like that, and some shooting incidents on 31 Dec 2009 led to the war the following day. Result: Mexico not only lost Baja, but the four border states and parts of a fifth, along with about half of their Gulf oil fields. And as American companies have set up shop in those areas, locals work on American bases, infrastructure is updated or rebuilt, there is sentiment in those territories for a....closer relationship with the U.S.. Some want formal annexation, leading to eventual statehood, others want Commonwealth status, similar to Puerto Rico. A few others want independence (with a defense agreement with the U.S.), with only a few wanting return to Mexico. Needless to say, Mexico is not pleased and screams often for its “stolen lands” to be recovered. They (a) don’t have the military power to do it, and (b) no Allies who have that kind of support. No wonder there have been no formal diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Mexico since the Third World War.

Mexican Rebel Groups

(Brown) Guerrero Uprising conducted by the Popular Revolutionary Army, a far-left guerrilla movement in Mexico. Though it operates mainly in the state of Guerrero, it has conducted operations in Mexican Government controlled Mexican states of Guanajuato, Tlaxcala and Veracruz.

(Green) Uprising conducted by then Comando Jaramillista Morelense of May 23 (shortened CJ23M), a rebel group that have created The Free and Sovereign State of Morelos.

(Red) Chiapas Conflict conducted by the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN), a far-left political and militant group that controls a substantial amount of territory in Chiapas.

(Purple) 3rd Republic of Yucatán (Spanish: República de Yucatán), after two tries to be independent, the third Republic of Yucatán has manged to achieve success, it is they only Democratic place that while not recognized by the international community exist in Mexico.

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