Vietnam Veteran Receives Purple Heart 45 Years Later

All I can say is, “It’s about time….”

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ARMY VETERAN AWARDED PURPLE HEART 45 YEARS AFTER INJURY

Fox News

April 14, 2013

A North Carolina veteran has been awarded a Purple Heart 45 years after he was wounded in Vietnam.

The AshevilleCitizen-Times reported Friday that U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, D-North Carolina, presented Dockie Brendle his third Purple Heart during a special afternoon ceremony at the Charles George VA Medical Center.

READ MORE   http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/04/14/army-veteran-awarded-purple-heart-45-years-after-injury/

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Posted by:

Charles M. Grist

www.MyLastWar.com

Walking Down The Far Side Of The Hill – What It’s Like To Be Retired

I’ve got to tell you that retirement isn’t all it’s cracked up to be – especially when you’ve spent your entire life with a Type A personality. Being either a military man or a cop has occupied most of my time since I first left home for the Citadel at age 18. Since then, it’s been hard just to fit all the adventures into one lifetime.

Now I’m no longer running patrols or dodging bullets in the jungles of Vietnam. I’m not on a plane making a crash landing in Vung Tau. I’m not on a C130 getting ready for a parachute jump. The convoys along Route Irish in Baghdad are over. I’ll never again stand in Nebuchadnezzar’s palace in Babylon, Iraq. I’m not a street crimes officer on a robbery stakeout. I’m not a detective interviewing some suspect trying to get him to confess. I’m not a patrol officer doing a felony stop. I’m not chasing a burglar or car thief through alleys and apartment complexes. I’m not wrestling with a shoplifter. I’m not looking over the top of my Glock at a guy who just pulled a knife on me. These experiences are all in the past.

Life is very, very tame at 64.

The good part is that my wife Debbie and I get to spend most of our time together instead of apart. She doesn’t have to worry about me getting shot by some street thug or ambushed by terrorists. I don’t have to deal with scumbags, cope with the deaths of both good guys and bad guys, and it’s no longer necessary to put up with the political horse manure in the military and law enforcement communities.

We’ve traveled some, and we’ll travel more. But the last three years since my retirement have been mostly a time of adjustment. The big adventures may be over, but the small adventures will be of our own making. We went to Idaho and Montana last year. This year it may be Mount Rushmore or perhaps the Alamo and Tombstone. We’ll figure it out.

Regardless, my greatest blessing from God has been to live the last forty years of my life alongside my wonderful wife. Debbie and I are walking down the far side of the hill of life together, and we shall deal with whatever obstacles we may encounter - as we always have. After all, life is all about enjoying the good times in between the bad times.

The mission of life continues…..

Posted by:

Charles M. Grist

www.MyLastWar.com

Home From The War: Army Sergeant Surprises Sons

You can never get tired of these reunion videos. Get the tissues out:

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From The Blaze:

THERE WILL BE TEARS: U.S. ARMY SGT. RETURNS HOME AFTER A YEAR IN AFGHANISTAN AND SURPRISES SONS AT SCHOOL ASSEMBLY

U.S. Army Sgt. Chris Page had been away from his two sons for roughly a year serving in Afghanistan. On Tuesday of last week, Hunter Dodd and Chandler Pittman got their dad back in a tearful reunion at a school assembly.

See the full story and the video here: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/02/25/u-s-army-sgt-returns-home-after-a-year-in-afghanistan-and-surprises-sons-at-school-assembly/

You can also watch more of these great videos at the Welcome Home Blog.

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Posted by
Charles M. Grist
Author of the award-winning book My Last War: A Vietnam Veteran's Tour in Iraq

Remembering The Troops At Thanksgiving

As we gather with our family and friends to celebrate another Thanksgiving, don't forget the troops who make it possible for us to enjoy this day in peace and safety.

Please say a prayer for the thousands of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen who are in harm's way. Without their sacrifice - and the sacrifice of their families - this world would be a very different place....

Charles M. Grist
Author of the award-winning book My Last War: A Vietnam Veteran's Tour in Iraq

We Won In Iraq - It's Time To Come Home

The agreement negotiated by President George W. Bush with the Iraqi government mandates that our troops leave Iraq by the end of 2011. There has been some talk that we would stay longer if the Iraqis asked, but there is no indication they will invite us to do so. That is as it should be. It's time to come home.

Like many military veterans who served in Iraq, I always felt that Operation Iraqi Freedom was a war that didn't need to be fought while we were still chasing Osama bin Laden all over Afghanistan and Pakistan. Still, my fellow warriors and I did our duty, followed our orders, and defeated the regime of Saddam Hussein. We also killed or captured a lot of Islamic fundamentalist bad guys.

In place of the Sunni dictator, we installed a democratic government that has now been in place for many years. We drew down on our combat forces as the Iraqis built up their army and police. Our training mission continues, but we have forces in place that could respond like a SWAT team to a major problem. We also have advisors who accompany Iraqi units in the field, and those Americans remain in great danger. If any training continues after this year, it can be conducted next door in Kuwait or elsewhere.

The problems that remain in Iraq will be there whether we leave today or twenty years from now. The Sunni versus Shiite religious disagreements existed long before America was created. They will continue to be the greatest issue to face the Iraqi people. Watch radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al Sadr and the Mahdi Army - they are the Hamas, Hezbollah, or Muslim Brotherhood of Iraq.

I am proud to have served in Operation Iraqi Freedom with some of the finest soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines who ever fought for America. We liberated over twenty-five million people, made many friends among the Iraqis, and gave them a great opportunity to live in a land filled with freedom and opportunity.

The future of Iraq is now in their hands.

Charles M. Grist
www.MyLastWar.com

Iowa Soldier Killed In Afghanistan

Specialist Maher

From the "Honor the Fallen" website:

Army Specialist Brent M. Maher was killed on April 11, 2011 during Operation Enduring Freedom.  Maher, 31, of Council Bluffs, Iowa was assigned to the First Battalion, 168^th Infantry Regiment of the Iowa National Guard, Shenandoah, Iowa.

Specialist Maher died in Paktia province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

Our condolences to Specialist Maher’s family, friends, and fellow warriors.

Charles M. Grist

www.MyLastWar.com

Thanksgiving, 2010 - So Many Reasons To Be Grateful

Even as America struggles through the most challenging times since the Great Depression, there are so many reasons to be grateful.

Here are a few of mine:

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I'm thankful for my family - my wife, my sons, my daughters, my grandchildren, and my countless relatives who are scattered throughout America from the Atlantic to the Pacific;

I'm thankful that my parents, John and Claire Grist, taught me the values that they did. They are no longer with us, but I hope that I did not disappoint them;

I'm thankful that God has given strength to those in my family - and those throughout America - who have suffered great challenges, both financial and medical, during this last year. They have shown strength and resolve in dealing with their difficulties;

I'm thankful that my son, John, survived his near-fatal automobile accident and will share his Thanksgiving with us as he recuperates. He almost lost his right foot and part of his leg, but the air bag saved his life. I am also grateful for the skill of his surgeons;

I'm thankful that I was able to retire this year and spend some quality time with my beloved wife. My own parents were not so fortunate. My mother died before my father retired;

I'm thankful for our founding fathers and for their vision in creating the United States of America;

I'm thankful that Americans, in the form of the Tea Party movement, have risen to the occasion - as their ancestors did - to put the brakes on the decline of our wonderful country. The bad times are not over, but we shall stick together, and America shall remain the greatest, most inspirational country in history;

I'm thankful that I was able to spend many years as both a soldier and a police officer, serving with some of the finest, bravest, most selfless Americans that I have ever known;

I'm thankful that God allowed me to survive the wars in Vietnam and Iraq without so much as a scratch;

And, finally, I shall always remain grateful for the thousands of soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines, who continue to fight the good fight on our behalf, who stand guard at scores of posts throughout the world, and without whom we would not be able to enjoy Thanksgiving in peace and safety.

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May all Americans - both at home and abroad - enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving and a safe, joyous holiday season.

Charles M. Grist
http://www.mylastwar.com/

Nothing Ever Stays the Same: Army Makes Changes to Basic Training

The Army has announced some changes to basic training. The following article is from the Army News Service:

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The Top Ten Basic Training Changes

July 20, 2010
Army News Service
by Kelly Schloesser

This year, Basic Combat Training has gone through a transformation. Here are some of the changes you'll see in new Basic and OSUT courses, as of 1 July 2010:

1. BCT has become more challenging...not "softer." BCT has been extended from nine weeks to 10. The Warrior Tasks and Battle Drills (WTBD) have been refined, and are now geared toward training fewer and more relevant tasks well. These tasks and battle drills correspond with the current operating environment, and we are using training that is geared toward the generation of Soldiers entering our Army during this time of war...and those must be adapted to all the Occupational Specialties. (Find the WTBD on the, Army Training Network)

2. Rifle Marksmanship is more extensive, with more hours on the range, more bullets fired, and Soldiers using both Basic and Advanced techniques. Soldiers now fire 500 rounds (750 for infantry) during basic, and also have to "certify" as part of the Combat Field Fire phase based on the new Rifle Marksmanship Strategy. While all BCT Soldiers fire "slick" (no equipment) through qualification tables (BRM) to allow for familiarity with the weapon, equipment is worn during the difficult and combat-related Advanced Rifle Marksmanship (ARM) period.

3. Combatives are more relevant...and tougher! New instruction has been added which teaches Soldiers to fight from their feet, not wrestle and grip on the ground. Soldiers now attend 22 hours of instruction, which is double the previous requirement at BCT. Additional techniques - wearing full kit - have been added that is more relevant to what Soldiers might be asked to do in a combat situation.

4. Most up-to-date medical training in Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) and Combat Lifesaver (CLS). Medical experts have taken combat lessons and updated the first aid training Soldiers receive. There's no longer an IV "stick. Why? Because doctors say it's counterproductive on the battlefield, and useless for treating heat injuries. New techniques for preventing heat injuries before they happen are now taught.

5. Physical Training is standardized, with scientifically proven techniques that improve conditioning and help prevent injuries. Those returning from combat say "drop the long runs, the repetitive sets of pushups and sit-ups, and volleyball games; instead focus on training the right muscles and energy systems needed in the fight! Prepare your body for walking patrol with SAPI and equipment or hauling your injured buddy out of harm's way!" FM 22-20 has been replaced with TC 3.22-20, and that applies to Soldiers in Basic Combat Training and the entire Army (and, you can get this Training Circular as an app starting in August)!

6. No more bayonet assault course against rubber tires...but lots more pugil and combatives against a thinking opponent. The bayonet assault course has been a staple of bayonet training since WWI. But that's when bayonets were prevalent on the battlefield! The last time the US had a bayonet assault was in 1951, and the rifle we now use in combat isn't meant for bayonet charges. Now, Soldiers will see more pugil drills in pits and on obstacle courses. This, combined with additional hours in combatives, will "warriorize" our Soldiers.

7. Expanded Values and Culture Training. Soldiers will still receive instruction in the Seven Army Values, but that instruction will focus on applying those values in combat, in garrison, and during off-duty time. That's to build a better Soldier...and a better citizen! And all Soldiers will now be issued a The Army Soldier's "Blue Book" (also available as an iPhone or Droid app) that links our present-day Soldier to his predecessors, and describes our professional requirements.

8. We're treating the Soldier as a "Tactical Athlete". The Surgeon General of the Army will begin supplementing initial training units with physical therapists and athletic trainers to prevent injuries and ensure better conditioning. Additionally, we're instituting the "Soldier Fueling" initiative, to teach and enable Soldiers to develop a nutritional lifestyle to counter our societal challenges.

9. We've instituted Comprehensive Soldier Fitness (CSF). Every Drill Sergeant has received Resiliency Training, and all new Soldiers take the Global Assessment Tool upon entering Basic. Additionally, all AIT Platoon Sergeants receive 10 days of resiliency training.

10. We're connected to Social Media, and on web pages. IMT does fall under TRADOC, but no decision is made without Soldiers input. Visit our social media sites and tell us what you think. We'll listen!

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As long as the training remains tough and continues to produce top-notch warriors, we support it 100%!

Charles M. Grist
http://www.mylastwar.com/

Happy Birthday America!

Another year of freedom has been purchased with the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform who are at war in Iraq, Afghanistan, and lesser known battlefields throughout the world.

As we take time on the Fourth of July to grill those hamburgers and hotdogs, enjoy the beach, marvel at the fireworks, or just float around in the swimming pool, please remember our troops and pray for their safety.

May God continue to bless America.

Charles M. Grist
www.MyLastWar.com

American Ranger - The New Road Ahead

Well, the final countdown is on. I will retire from the police department at the end of this month, which means only twelve more workdays because of our 12-hour shifts.

I know I haven’t had many postings on “American Ranger” recently. For that, I apologize. However, I have been re-evaluating how I will handle the blog after I retire. I started it in 2006 in preparation for my last two years on active duty. At that time, I anticipated I would deploy again to Iraq or even to Afghanistan.

Unfortunately, my unit would never release me to deploy, and I spent those last two years training and mobilizing the soldiers who did go to war. Yes, training is an important job, but there is still nothing like being “at the front” with your fellow warriors, doing the job you were trained to do.

Now I will be a retired cop as well as a retired soldier. But I’m still a “full-time” American, so there is always much to be done – even as a civilian. The only thing really happening is that one door is closing even as another opens. This old warrior cop will never really retire.

For now, I plan to spend more time promoting my book, a lot of time writing the next one, and a little time reflecting on where I am in life. I also plan to spend more time with my wife, Debbie, and together we will walk this unknown, exciting path into our future.

Trust me, “American Ranger” will continue. I will continue to support America’s warriors (whether soldiers or cops), and I will work to spread the word of what America is all about. Like most of you, I am concerned about the direction upon which the current administration has embarked. Real Americans will ultimately fix the problem, and that fix must begin with the Congressional elections in the fall.

Thanks to all of you who have read and supported “American Ranger.” Join me in the next phase of my life. Call it “American Ranger Unleashed”, if you will.

The adventure of life goes on.

Charles M. Grist
www.MyLastWar.com

Chuck Norris Turns 70

Vietnam veterans have always approved of Chuck Norris (or else). No, really; the man was among the first actors to portray Vietnam vets as patriotic, courageous warriors. For that, we shall be eternally grateful. See the following list of "facts" about Chuck Norris from Tom Cullen. Caution: Parental judgement suggested for some of these:

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Mar 10th 2010 By Tom Cullen

This man has been kicking people square in the head for 70 years ... to the day.

That's right, Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris woke up this morning (actually Chuck Norris doesn't sleep, he waits) at the ripe old age of three score and 10. And there's no question that he could still kick your organs inside-out just for breathing the same air as he does.

Anyway, despite our best efforts we could not find an address for Mr. Norris to send him a birthday cake (made of nunchucks), so we've had to settle with a round up of our favorite Chuck Norris facts. One bonus fact first: As decreed by Mr. Norris himself, Norris facts don't have to actually be, uh, true.

Keep reading and enjoy ...

1. Since 1940, the year Chuck Norris was born, roundhouse-kick-related deaths have increased 13,000 percent.
2. On his birthday, Chuck Norris randomly selects one lucky child to be thrown into the sun.
3. Chuck Norris mistakenly sent Jesus a birthday card on Dec. 25. Jesus was too scared to correct Chuck Norris and to this day Dec. 25 is known as Jesus's birthday.
4. Chuck Norris was born three months premature, because he had asses to kick.
5. Rather than being birthed like a normal child, Chuck Norris instead decided to punch his way out of his mother's womb.
6. And on the first day Chuck Norris was created ... and he took care of everything else later that afternoon.
7. Chuck Norris once kicked a horse in the chin. Its descendants are known today as giraffes.
8. Chuck Norris can set ants on fire with a magnifying glass. At night.
9. Chuck Norris drives an ice cream truck covered in human skulls.
10. Chuck Norris can touch MC Hammer.
11. James Cameron wanted Chuck Norris to play the Terminator. However, upon reflection, he realized that would have turned his movie into a documentary, so he went with Arnold Schwarzenegger.
12. Chuck Norris destroyed the periodic table, because Chuck Norris only recognizes the element of surprise.
13. Chuck Norris is the reason why Waldo is hiding.
14. Chuck Norris once ate a whole cake before his friends could tell him there was a stripper in it.
15. Chuck Norris sleeps with a pillow under his gun.
16. Chuck Norris can slam a revolving door.
17. According to Einstein's theory of relativity, Chuck Norris can actually roundhouse kick you yesterday.
18. Chuck Norris can divide by zero.
19. Chuck Norris doesn't wear a watch. HE decides what time it is.
20. Chuck Norris can win a game of Connect Four in only three moves.
21. They once made a Chuck Norris toilet paper, but there was a problem: It wouldn't take shit from anybody.
22. Police label anyone attacking Chuck Norris as a Code 45-11.... a suicide.
23. The original title for Alien vs. Predator was Alien and Predator vs Chuck Norris.
24. Chuck Norris ordered a Big Mac at Burger King, and got one.
25. There is no theory of evolution. Just a list of animals Chuck Norris allows to live.
26. If you spell Chuck Norris in Scrabble, you win. Forever.
27. Chuck Norris has the greatest Poker-Face of all time. He won the 1983 World Series of Poker, despite holding only a Joker, a Get out of Jail Free Monopoly card, a 2 of clubs, 7 of spades and a green #4 card from the game UNO.
28. Chuck Norris got a blow up doll pregnant.
29. Google won't search for Chuck Norris because it knows you don't find Chuck Norris, he finds you.
30. There is no chin behind Chuck Norris' beard. There is only another fist.
31. In an average living room there are 1,242 objects Chuck Norris could use to kill you, including the room itself.
32. It takes Chuck Norris 20 minutes to watch 60 Minutes.
33. Chuck Norris counted to infinity - twice.
34. Chuck Norris uses a night light. Not because Chuck Norris is afraid of the dark, but the dark is afraid of Chuck Norris.
35. Aliens DO indeed exist. They just know better than to visit a planet that Chuck Norris is on.
36. When you say "no one's perfect", Chuck Norris takes this as a personal insult.
37. Chuck Norris once shot down a German fighter plane with his finger, by yelling, "Bang!"
38. Chuck Norris never wet his bed as a child. The bed wet itself out of fear.
39. If at first you don't succeed, you're not Chuck Norris.
40. Chuck Norris CAN believe it's not butter.
41. We live in an expanding universe. All of it is trying to get away from Chuck Norris.
42. Chuck Norris invented black. In fact he invented the entire spectrum of visible light. Except pink. Tom Cruise invented pink.
43. Chuck Norris played Russian Roulette with a fully loaded gun and won.
44. Chuck Norris' first job was as a paperboy. There were no survivors.
45. When Chuck Norris does a push-up, he isn't lifting himself up -- he's pushing the Earth down. Observe ...


46. A Handicapped parking sign does not signify that this spot is for handicapped people. It is actually in fact a warning, that the spot belongs to Chuck Norris and that you will be handicapped if you park there.
47. Chuck Norris is the only man to ever defeat a brick wall in a game of tennis.
48. The phrase 'dead ringer' refers to someone who sits behind Chuck Norris in a movie theater and forgets to turn their cell phone off.
49. What was going through the minds of all of Chuck Norris' victims before they died? His shoe.
50. Contrary to popular belief, the Titanic didn't hit an iceberg. The ship was off course and accidentally ran into Chuck Norris while he was doing the backstroke across the Atlantic.
51. Godzilla is a Japanese rendition of Chuck Norris' first visit to Tokyo.
52. When Bruce Banner gets mad, he turns into the Hulk. When the Hulk gets mad, he turns into Chuck Norris.
53. Human cloning is outlawed because if Chuck Norris were cloned, then it would be possible for a Chuck Norris roundhouse kick to meet another chuck Norris roundhouse kick. Physicists theorize that this contact would end the universe.
54. There are no such things as tornadoes. Chuck Norris just hates trailer parks.
55. When the Boogeyman goes to sleep every night, he checks his closet for Chuck Norris.
56. Chuck Norris and Mr. T walked into a bar. The bar was instantly destroyed, as that level of awesome cannot be contained in one building.
57. Chuck Norris does not follow fashion trends, they follow him. But then he turns around and kicks their ass. Nobody follows Chuck Norris.
58. The Great Wall of China was originally created to keep Chuck Norris out. It failed miserably.
59. When Chuck Norris says "More cowbell," he MEANS it.
60. Chuck Norris once sued Burger King after they refused to put razor wire in his Whopper Jr., insisting that that actually is "his" way.
61. Every time someone uses the word "intense", Chuck Norris always replies "you know what else is intense?" followed by a roundhouse kick to the face.
62. If, by some incredible space-time paradox, Chuck Norris would ever fight himself, he'd win. Period.
63. Chuck Norris invented a language that incorporates karate and roundhouse kicks. So next time Chuck Norris is kicking your ass, don't be offended or hurt, he may be just trying to tell you he likes your hat.
64. When an episode of Walker Texas Ranger was aired in France, the French surrendered to Chuck Norris just to be on the safe side.
65. Chuck Norris is so fast, he can run around the world and punch himself in the back of the head.
66. In a fight between Batman and Darth Vader, the winner would be Chuck Norris.
67. The square root of Chuck Norris is pain.
68. Chuck Norris once participated in the running of the bulls. He walked.

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Happy Birthday, Chuck!

Charles M. Grist
www.MyLastWar.com

Remembering Our Troops at Christmas

I remember my Christmas in Vietnam in 1970:

Watching the Bob Hope Christmas show in Bien Hoa, playing cards on the firebase, drinking a lot of beer, looking at the stars and thinking about past Christmases, missing my family back home, recalling how hard my mom worked in the kitchen making cookies or a turkey dinner, listening to the far-off sound of artillery. I even watched a firefight in the darkness of the valley below - the good guys' tracers were red, the bad guys' tracers were green - the Christmas colors...

In Iraq, Afghanistan, and on lesser known battlefields throughout the world, our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines are fighting the good fight so that we may enjoy our Christmas in peace. Take time to think of them, and ask God to protect them. To my military friends who are at war or serving stateside, thank you for your service on our behalf.

Thanks also to everyone who has supported America's warriors. I extend my best wishes for a Merry Christmas to all of the readers of "American Ranger" and to each of your families. May God continue to bless America.

Charles M. Grist
www.MyLastWar.com

Remember Our Troops at Thanksgiving

On Thanksgiving Day in 1970, my platoon and I worked our way toward a landing zone where we were scheduled to receive a Thanksgiving dinner as part of a resupply. A few hundred meters short of the landing zone, we stumbled upon a North Vietnamese bunker complex which was, thankfully, unoccupied.

It was a gigantic complex, complete with large bunkers and even classrooms. We had to clear every single structure, but there were no bad guys or enemy supplies. I radioed the coordinates to my company commander, and we moved to the landing zone to wait for the resupply helicopter.

A couple of Red Cross girls (we called them Donut Dollies) were on the chopper, and they delivered our turkey, stuffing and other food. It was great to see a couple of attractive "round-eyed" girls. We were out in the jungle with enemy soldiers not very far away, but the touch of Americana raised everyone's spirits.

Just as we were about to enjoy the food, we received word that our unit was dropping gas on the bunkers we had cleared. This was an effort to make them unusable for the enemy. Unfortunately, those making the drop misjudged the wind, and we started to get a little tingling in our eyes.

We had to pack up everything, including the Thanksgiving meal and the Donut Dollies, and move to another landing zone a long distance away. The girls weren't used to moving through the jungle, so they were understandably a little scared about the proximity of the bad guys.

We eventually made it to the other landing zone and enjoyed the meal. The Red Cross girls flew away on the helicopter while we moved out on our next mission - with full stomachs and renewed energy.

Today, in Iraq, Afghanistan and other lesser known places around the world, our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines are holding the line in the war on terror. They have placed their lives on the line for all of us, and some of them have made the ultimate sacrifice.

Remember them in your prayers on Thanksgiving. Without their efforts, this would be a much different world.

For my fellow warriors who may read this, may God protect you this day and every day. You are indeed appreciated by those you left behind...

Charles M. Grist
www.MyLastWar.com

Remembering September 11, 2001

Those who lived through World War II will never forget where they were when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. The members of our generation will always remember exactly what they were doing when the terrorists attacked on 9/11.

I was a police detective, standing in the Seminole County courthouse, teaching a new detective how to get an arrest warrant issued. County employees announced that a plane had just hit the World Trade Center. Just like that, all of our lives changed forever.

Since that terrible day when our fellow citizens were murdered on our soil, our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines have engaged Islamic fundamentalist terrorists throughout the world. Thousands of our brave troops have made the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf.

On this somber day, please take time to say a prayer for the victims of the 9/11 attacks, for their families, for America's warriors and their families, and for all of the men and women from America and its Coalition partners who have given their lives for the cause of freedom.

Charles M. Grist
www.TheCobraTeam.com
www.AmericanRanger.blogspot.com

Happy Birthday America!

Have a wonderful Fourth of July for 2009. Please take time to remember the sacrifices made over many generations to achieve and maintain our freedom.

We will enjoy this day of fireworks, cookouts, and family fun because our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines are taking care of us on battlefields throughout the world.

God bless our warriors, and may He protect them from harm. And may He continue to bless the United States of America...

Charles M. Grist
www.TheCobraTeam.com
www.AmericanRanger.blogspot.com

The Ranger Cop Catches Up A Bit

The world of police patrol hasn’t changed much. A variety of calls – good guys and bad guys – including shoplifters, domestic violence victims and suspects, suspicious people, illegal aliens, transients, victims of identity theft, burglars, wanted felons, and a multitude of others.

From the C.O.B.R.A. Team: Cobra 3 (Higginbotham) is back in the States, Cobra 2 (Aaron Self) met Cobra 5 (Kristi Self) for a vacation before heading back to their respective assignments, Cobra 4 (Doc Actis) was in California (the last time I heard from him) doing the acting thing as “John Ceallach”.

I’m not real happy that our new president is being so buddy-buddy with dictators and other slimy international thugs.

How the heck did Obama think he could even propose that wounded warriors pay for their medical care with their own health insurance? Thankfully, even his left-wing supporters in Congress didn’t buy off on this stupid idea. Tells you where he’s coming from though, doesn’t it?

It’s just plain wrong that the government won’t let some of the large financial institutions pay back their government “loans”.

Florida still remains near the top of the list in lost home values and foreclosures. I can’t sell my rental house now because it has dropped in value so much. Guess I may as well hang on to it.

The unemployment problems have hit close to home for just about everyone. Members of my own family have lost their jobs or have had their hours drastically cut. It is painful to see those you love having such problems when the whole thing wasn’t their fault in the first place.

I’m angry that the Democrats are spending the future income of our children and grandchildren with no concern for the inflation that is sure to cripple us down the road. A big “high five” to those who put together and attended the Tea Parties around the country.

Our “politically correct” new administration in Washington doesn’t have the guts to protect our borders. More illegal aliens enter our country every day to take jobs from Americans and pay no taxes. But they use our health care and education systems for free.

Caught a Mexican guy who was about to illegally dump a load of landscaping waste. His only identification was his Mexican driver’s license. He was driving, so he went to jail for not having a Florida driver’s license. I had to call a Spanish-speaking officer to translate for me – “You’re under arrest, amigo…”

Debbie and I haven’t decided whether we will move out of Florida or not when I eventually retire from the police department. We’ve looked at Tennessee, Idaho, and Utah, but we’re still not sure. I guess it will depend on the economy.

The final editing of my book is complete. I had the help of a really professional editor from my publisher. Next week it will move to the production phase, so hopefully it will finally be available in six to nine weeks. My author’s website is also almost ready, and I will also have a “book trailer” on the site. I’ll keep you posted.

I read a quote from a famous writer. He said that, with all the revisions, corrections, etc., that he probably re-wrote his book seven times. I kind of feel like that myself, but I am proud of the final manuscript.

I’ll try to do better in making entries to the American Ranger blog. Thanks for checking in…

Charles M. Grist
www.TheCobraTeam.com
www.AmericanRanger.blogspot.com
Email: TheRangerCop@aol.com

Turning 60 – The Adventure of Life Continues

"A man is not old as long as he is seeking something." Jean Rostand

Sixty years ago today, I entered the world at twelve o’clock noon – just in time for lunch. I was raised in Central Florida by my parents, John and Claire Grist, who provided my sister Jeannie and me with a wonderful life. For my contemporaries who remember the old television show “Father Knows Best”, that was my life. Businessman father, homemaker mother, middle class neighborhood, old American values.

Like most people my age, I’ve experienced both success and failure over these many years. I’ve made some good decisions, but I’ve also made really bad ones. Such is the game of life. Debbie and I have spent thirty-five years together, we’ve raised four kids through good times and bad, and we now enjoy our four beautiful grandchildren. We haven’t done everything right, but we worked hard together and we did the very best we could.

I’m a lucky man and I know it. I’ve had the opportunity to serve my country in uniform during part of five decades. Even with the breaks in service, the active Army, the Florida Army National Guard, and the Army Reserve each had a piece of me in the sixties, the seventies, the eighties, the nineties, or now in the first decade of the 21st century. I am truly blessed to have served with some of America’s greatest citizens, warriors in each of those decades who stepped forward to fight for their country. I've served with them at war in both Vietnam and Iraq, and many of my comrades gave their lives defending the cause of liberty.

My Army retirement is effective today. Although I spent most of my military service as a sergeant (and I am damn proud of it), I am retiring as a first lieutenant, my old Vietnam platoon leader’s rank. I may very well take my wife to the officer’s club every now and then, but drinking a beer with my NCO buddies will always be my first priority. I was the last Vietnam veteran in my Army Reserve unit.

I am still fortunate enough to be able to work as a police officer, although it appears that I am now the oldest cop at the police department. That’s okay; when I was an Army lieutenant, there were those who said I was too young to be an infantry officer. As an old Army sergeant and an old police officer, there are some who may think I’m too old for those jobs. I didn’t listen in 1969 and I won’t listen today. When it came time to retire from the Army, I knew it was the right thing to do. I’m also the best one to decide when I will hang up the holster, the handcuffs and the badge. And I will be the last Vietnam veteran at my police department.

Throughout my life, I have sought one challenge after another. It is the quest to live life to the fullest that makes life worth living. As I enter my final years as a police officer, I will only look ahead for the next adventure. I will never give up, I will never quit, and I will always remember that Rangers lead the way.

Thanks to those of you who have taken the time to read the ramblings of an average soldier, a common man, and an old street cop.

The journey continues, so stick around. Let’s see what the future holds for me and for all of us…..

Charles M. Grist
www.TheRangerCop
www.AmericanRanger.blogspot.com

Iraqis Now In Charge of Green Zone and Saddam’s Palace

During my time in Iraq, I spent a lot of time in the Green Zone as well as inside Saddam's former palace that became our first embassy. For any soldier who served there, the new changes are something else. I always hoped I would get another tour in Baghdad so I could re-live some of the atmosphere that became so life-altering. (I took the above photo of Saddam's home during my tour in 2004.)

My team, the C.O.B.R.A. Team, lived in a small villa that was across the street from our general’s house. Our little villa, which we nicknamed the “cobra pit”, was directly on the Tigris River across from the Sheraton Hotel and just up the river from the palace. From the roof of our headquarters building, we could look out over Baghdad and take in some of the majesty of that ancient city.

Watching the swift Tigris River, listening to the call to prayer from the nearby mosque, and hearing the sounds of gunfire or mortars in the distance was an electrifying experience. It was especially so for an old soldier like me who was experiencing his last war.

Now that Iraqis have taken over the security for the Green Zone, the safety issues in that compound will be enormous. America has also left Saddam’s old palace to the Iraqis and we now have our own new embassy.

With the new status of forces agreement, there is no doubt that our military role in Iraq will continue to decline. Truthfully, if they don’t want us there, it’s their country and they can make that call.

I am proud that my fellow warriors and I played a part in liberating the nation of Iraq. We made many friends over there regardless of the self-serving factions that don’t care for us.

Shiites should remember that Saddam Hussein treated them like dirt, murdered them, didn’t allow them to celebrate their holidays, and would have continued to suppress them if he and his sons had retained power. I don’t suppose a little gratitude from the new government would be out of place, but I won’t hold my breath.

The future of Iraq is in the hands of the Iraqis. Let us hope they do not squander the chance we gave them to live their lives in freedom and prosperity.

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Iraq Takes Over Green Zone Security

January 01, 2009
Agence France-Presse

BAGHDAD - The United States today handed over security control of the Green Zone, symbol of the American-led occupation, to Iraq as a UN mandate for foreign troops ran out and bilateral military accords took effect.

Iraqi government and military officials hailed the return of the heavily fortified area in central Baghdad to Iraq's control in an emotional ceremony at the former palace of ousted dictator Saddam Hussein.

"It is our right to consider this day the day of sovereignty and the beginning of the process of retrieving every inch of our nation's soil," Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said in an impassioned speech in a palace hall.

"The palace is the sign of Iraqi sovereignty and it is a message to all Iraqis that our sovereignty has returned," Maliki said as the Iraqi flag was hoisted at the palace entrance.

Maliki also declared the day a national holiday.

"I ask the Council of Ministers and the Presidency Council to announce this day as a national holiday."

Under the terms of an agreement signed with Washington in November, U.S. troops officially decamped from the nine square kilometre (3.5-square-mile) Green Zone located on the banks of the Tigris in central Baghdad.

However, U.S. troops will continue to play an advisory role to the Iraqi military and the new huge U.S. embassy complex lies within the fortified zone although many other buildings already have been handed back to the Iraqis.

The end of the UN mandate put in place on October 16, 2003, seven months after the invasion by U.S.-led troops to topple Saddam, means Iraq takes greater control of its own security and a further step towards full sovereignty.

Soldiers from the Baghdad Brigade, who take orders from Maliki, took over when the UN mandate expired at midnight although American forces will help man checkpoints and play an advisory role to the Iraqi military.

"The American withdrawal from the Green Zone will be gradual," Iraqi military spokesman in Baghdad, Major General Qassim Atta, told AFP.

"U.S. checkpoint equipment remains in place and the checkpoints will be coordinated with the American forces but the zone will be run by the Baghdad Brigade."

The embattled country also took another step towards full sovereignty as British forces handed over control of Basra airport, its main military base in southern Iraq, to Iraqi officials in line with agreements signed this week.

"This is a great and important day during which Basra airport control tower and all the airport was turned over by the British to us," Basra province governor Mohammed Masbah al-Waeli said at ceremony at the airport.

Britain's troops had already withdrawn from Basra -- a key oil and financial hub and Iraq's third largest city -- in September last year and handed over security control of Basra province some three months later.

The U.S. military has also handed back to the Iraqis control of Baghdad airport although the adjacent U.S. military base, Camp Victory, will remain a key headquarters for the U.S. military.

However foreign troops will still remain on Iraqi soil for some time.
The United States, which has 146,000 soldiers in Iraq, signed in November a bilateral agreement with Baghdad which allows its combat forces to remain in the country until the end of 2011.

Britain and Australia -- which had the second and third largest contingents respectively -- have signed their own separate bilateral agreements with Iraq on Tuesday and will stay on until the end of July.

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Most people don't believe me when I say that I miss Baghdad. I guess only someone who's been there would understand what it's like to live each day on the edge. There is nothing like the rush of adrenaline to keep your senses alive.

I've written a book about my tour in Baghdad with the C.O.B.R.A. Team. It is titled, "My Last War - A Vietnam Veteran's Tour in Iraq". It should be available in two to four months. I'll keep you posted on the status and you can always check out the team's website at www.TheCobraTeam.com.

On behalf of all of my fellow Iraqi war veterans, thanks for your support. It was mighty different during and after Vietnam.


Charles M. Grist
www.TheCobraTeam.com
www.AmericanRanger.blogspot.com

Remember the Troops at Christmas

During the Christmas season of 1970 in Vietnam, I managed to get to the Bien Hoa Army Base for the Bob Hope Christmas show. I remember that the stars who appeared with him included the Golddiggers, Miss World, and Johnny Bench. I was only twenty-one years old.

After the show, I returned to our brigade headquarters at Firebase Mace where I spent Christmas Eve. I later wrote about that night:

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“We were playing cards on this particular holiday night, drinking a lot of beer and feeling somewhat melancholy when we heard mortar rounds begin to hit the firebase. We were reminded that another soldier was recently wounded by a mortar only a few feet from our tent and the hole was still in the ground.

We looked at each other and someone said “Should we take shelter?” Almost in unison we said “Nah…” and continued to play cards. The explosions from the mortars stopped shortly thereafter.

I decided to take a break, so I walked to the bunker line along the perimeter. It was dark and I looked up at the moon and the stars as I thought about my family back in Orlando and how they must be enjoying the holidays.

Suddenly, I heard the sound of weapons firing near a village in the valley below. When I looked into the darkness of the valley, I saw tracer rounds arching into the sky. I recognized the red tracers of the friendly troops, but then I saw the green tracers of the enemy being fired in the opposite direction.

I don’t know why it struck me as funny (sick, war-time G.I. humor, I guess), but I realized that the tracers being fired by each side were the Christmas colors of red and green. All that could be seen in the darkness of the valley were the colored tracers as they crossed each other’s path.

For no particular reason, I softly sang, ‘Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way…’”

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Please remember our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines in your Christmas prayers. We can all feel very safe this year because they are taking care of us in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other places throughout the world.

I especially wish a safe Christmas to Aaron Self, Kristi Self, and Chad Higginbotham, the members of the C.O.B.R.A. Team family who are once again at war.

I miss you guys…

Charles M. Grist
www.TheCobraTeam.com
www.AmericanRanger.blogspot.com

Reservists Can Now Qualify for Early Retirement Pay

For those of you who are retirement-eligible reservists, this is good information from the Air Force News.

Wish they’d done this a few years ago.

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Reservists May Qualify For Early Retired Pay

December 11, 2008
Air Force News

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- The Department of Defense has issued new guidelines for early receipt of retired pay for members of the reserve components. Instead of having to wait until age 60 to receive Reserve retired pay, eligible members may receive retired pay prior to age 60 but not before age 50.

Under interim changes to Department of Defense Instruction 1215.07, Service Credit for Reserve Retirement, issued under a law passed by Congress effective Jan. 28, 2008, reserve component members are able to reduce the age at which they are eligible to receive retirement pay by three months for each cumulative period of 90 days served on active duty in any fiscal year.

Under the new law, members eligible to receive retired pay earlier than age 60 must still wait until age 60 to receive health-care benefits.

Involuntary mobilization and voluntary active duty in support of a contingency qualify, but there is no requirement to be involuntarily mobilized, to support a contingency or to serve on active duty outside the continental United States to receive credit under the law. Most active-duty time qualifies, including training, operational support duties and school tours. It does not matter whether active-duty time is paid for under military or reserve personnel appropriation accounts, provided such active duty is performed under the authority of 10 U.S. Code § 12301 (d).

Also included is full-time National Guard duty served under a call to active service by a governor and authorized by the president or the secretary of defense under 32 U.S.C. § 502(f) for purposes of responding to either a national emergency declared by the president or a national emergency supported by federal funds.

The following time served on active duty is not creditable service for purposes of reducing retired pay age: as a member of the active Guard and Reserve (10 U.S.C. § 12310); on annual tour (10 U.S.C. § 12301(b)); while in captive status (10 U.S.C. § 12301(g)); for medical treatment, medical evaluation for disability purposes or medical study (10 U.S.C. §12301(h)); as a member not assigned to, or participating satisfactorily in, units (10 U.S.C. § 12303); under active-duty agreements (10 U.S.C. § 12311); for disciplinary/courts-martial (10 U.S.C. § 12315); or for muster duty (10 U.S.C. §12319).

Qualifying active-duty service performed after Jan. 28, 2008, the date on which the fiscal 2008 National Defense Authorization Act was enacted, is creditable. The law does not provide credit for time served on or before that date.

Here's an example of how these new guidelines work. A Reservist performed five days of active-duty service on MPA orders in February 2008. He then volunteered for active duty beginning June 1 and ending Nov 30 (leave, reconstitution and post-deployment/mobilization respite absence included, as applicable). The Reservist performed a total of 127 days of active-duty service in fiscal year 2008 and 61 days in fiscal 2009.

Under this scenario, all of the active-duty time the Reservist performed could be credited toward reduced retirement age eligibility because it was active-duty time performed under circumstances permitted under the new law (i.e., orders for voluntary service, 10 U.S.C. § 12301(d)). However, because time credited must total 90 days or must be in multiples of 90 days in the aggregate during a fiscal year in order to correspondingly reduce his retirement age by three months, or multiples of three months, the Reservist will be able to reduce his retirement age by three months for fiscal 2008. Had he performed 53 more days of active-duty service after Jan. 28 and before going on active duty June 1, he would have accumulated 180 total days for fiscal 2008 and thus would be able to reduce his retirement age by six months.

Similarly, because the Reservist has so far served on active duty 61 days in fiscal 2009, he must perform an additional 29 days of active-duty service some time during the year in order to reduce his retirement age by an additional three months.

All Airmen are encouraged to ensure their orders specify the statutory provision under which their active-duty service is performed. Airman are also encouraged to keep track of their active-duty service and orders to ensure they receive proper credit and they meet the cumulative 90-day thresholds to reduce retirement age.

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If you know some old soldier like me who is nearing retirement and has recent active duty service, you may want to pass this information on to them. (This includes, of course, any old sailors, airmen or Marines, as well.)

Charles M. Grist
www.TheCobraTeam.com
www.AmericanRanger.blogspot.com