Washington D.C. in the Spring is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Actually, driving over to my folk’s house in Arlington with all the azaleas blooming along with the dogwoods brought back instant memories of growing up. I traveled from Texas to DC this weekend for the first MilBloggers conference, and I must say that at first I didn’t know what to expect. “Capt. B” from “One Marines View” drove up from North Carolina and I figured that we would get together; tell war stories, drink some beer, smoke cigars, and rant and rave about our time in Iraq. It was all that and more! This was one of the most professional, well-orchestrated conferences I have ever attended. Andi, from “Andi’s World” must have slaved 24/7 to pull off such a flawless show.
Things started when we drove downtown for happy hour at Fran O’Brien’s, the steakhouse that donates the dinners for the wounded troops. What a great crowd there! Of course, with many beers, some shots and two cigars, it’s a bit hazy. I did indeed wear my kilt Friday night and, as a couple gals found out, I wore it traditional. Ha!! It was very cool to put faces to screen names of other Bloggers who showed up. My mom has been into blogs in general (especially keeping up on the Swiftboat forum during Kerry’s attempted run) and all the MilBlogs of the guys over in the Iraq theater. She is the one who would tell me to read up on this guy or that.
This weekend has opened my eyes on the future of Blogs in general. They are no longer daily journals, but the voice of the average guy on the street, telling you about a situation that the mainstream media just won’t cover. Whether it’s due to the owner’s agenda at the station, or the networks’ bias towards a person or group. Take for example Africa. There are countries engaged in a civil war where brutal dictators kill thousand of people monthly and no one even bats an eye. Maybe that nasty gal from “All in the Family” Silly Sally Something ruined it with her high-pitched annoying voice as she enlisted the help of all the couch potatoes to give their monthly beer drinking money to feed the children. A local example is the grass roots efforts to save Fran O’Brien’s Steakhouse from closing. It was posted on someone’s Blog, then pick up by another until it hit the news desk at Fox, and was written about in The Washington Post and The Washington Times. Crazy how fast something can spread.
I started sending updates into AnySoldier.com when I first arrived in Iraq, because I was told the Marines didn’t like Bloggers. I shamelessly used poor Marty Horn as my Webmaster to post my views of life in general in Iraq until “Capt B” helped me get my Blog up and running. The thing that burned me up the most while over there was how CNN and the others would run a six-word ticker at the bottom of the broadcasts about a bombing in Baghdad. What they didn’t show you was that our boys/gals in uniform over there were flying all these wounded civilians to our hospitals in and around Iraq, calling for walking blood banks [what is a walking blood bank? A soldier?] if they were short of a certain type of blood to help save the Iraqi lives. Why doesn’t the news cover that?
No, they don’t want to show the big bad U.S. doing something productive and helpful to the fledgling democracy. They could do a wonderful positive human interest story on the sixty lives saved after some Islamic terrorist bomber just blew himself up at the market place with a C4 vest and tons of little BB’s. Instead they televise the death and mayhem it caused. Why not focus the attention where it belongs? First on the people responsible and second on who we saved in the aftermath of the bombing. Can you imagine the pressure the press could exert on these terrorist groups? Maybe causing the Iraqis to standup and say “enough is enough” ???
That’s where I see the future of our young Marines/Soldiers out there, reporting to you the things that national news just won’t cover for fear of it all stopping. They would then have to go back to covering who is sleeping with who in Hollywood. What would everyone’s attitude be towards terrorists if they made them out for what they are; bad guys with an agenda to kill all non-Muslims.
While in Iraq, I had endless material to write about, but now I’m back to the grind of flying all over the country, playing with the family, and that chapter in my life is slowly closing. I’m thinking about writing stories that have happened to me over the course of almost twenty years in the Marines. I don’t think I have the clout to ponder the bigger picture of the war, and I don’t think my opinions would gain me any favor among the brass in the Military or the Liberals. I heard one statement this weekend that rang true, “write about what you know.” I can tell stories–love to tell stories, and I think that is the route I will go with in the future.
For those Marines and Soldiers out in the Sandbox, please keep sending the truth out to our folks back home. Never give up and if you have to, type it up and save it for later because the moment of clarity will pass after months and begin to cloud. If you are worried OPSEC, then just hold on to it till later when it would be right to send out to the world, and you won’t put any of your men in jeopardy.
Well Gang, on my next layover, I will put some thoughts down, and you tell me what you think. Thanks again for everyone who worked the conference this weekend, to my folks for putting up with two Marines, and to my wife for letting me go…
Semper Fi,
Taco
The SandGram 
April 26, 2006 at 6:06 pm
Great time Taco. Thanks again to the folks and Mrs for letting us and helping us get together. Reload and lets do it again!!
April 26, 2006 at 6:49 pm
I tell ya, being invited to look under the kilt for authenticity did me wonders. Thank the stars my good sense warned me not to. Haaaaahahaha!!
You and the Captain were a riot and I had a great time meeting ya’ll. Can’t wait to do it again next year.
April 26, 2006 at 7:13 pm
Thanks for the pics!!!! I couldn’t get down there (Fran’s) ’till late and you guys would have been gone.
You were great at the conference!! I got your question/rant from the audience on video, along with a lot of Capt B and MDFays responses. You guys were the best!!!
I think when you get tired of flying in say 50-60 years, you should consider politics. Your stories are wonderful and you MUST continue telling them, but you also have great ideas that would be well suited to shaping public policy. OK, fly and legislate – you’re certainly bright enough to do both!
(my word verification is “igghog” – you tryin’ to say sumthin? :))
April 26, 2006 at 8:39 pm
Great post, LOVE the pictures. Next time you’re in Seattle area, the first round’s on me 🙂
I loved your rant at the conference (GunnNutt – I would truly enjoy a copy of your video!).
April 26, 2006 at 8:42 pm
Taco;
I want to see the “I wanna get into the war and I got my gear!” photo that made you famous.
It was great to meet you and then to hear you at the conference saying it like it is!
April 26, 2006 at 8:50 pm
Don’t forget to check your email:)
April 26, 2006 at 10:18 pm
YOU AND CAPT B ARE STILL THE NUTTS AND THE GOODS. STAND TALL AND BE PROUD FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY.
April 26, 2006 at 11:06 pm
Taco, you are a good story teller and I always look forward to reading more.
Sounds like you had a great time at the conference. I started reading the blogs because of the posts on anysoldier. Hearing directly from those over there about all the positive and courageous things that our warriors are doing sure beats reading the tickers,or listening to the crapola that the MSM puts out there.
I wasn’t quite clear on EVERYTHING that AIRBOSS takes care of,until one of your replacements wrote up a very informative description. Like you said,there is a lot going on that most never hear about.
Fly High!
April 26, 2006 at 11:40 pm
Hi Major,
Pardon me but I’ll leave the kilt-peeking to your wife but I would like to hear the rant. Can you put it on the blog somehow?
(What does my password-tmykfkd mean?)
April 27, 2006 at 1:39 am
Taco – Great to meet you and Capt. B. I’m sorry we didn’t have more time to talk. I’m glad you had a good time and enjoyed the conference. Thank you and Capt. B, for everything.
All the Best.
April 27, 2006 at 5:25 am
man I’m starting to really regret that “Marines can’t write” crack…
Between you, Capt B, Threats Watch Steve, Rule 308, I’m totally eating my words.
So the AF may not have as talented writers as the USMC, but you guys can’t even touch our golf courses!
April 27, 2006 at 11:09 am
You were great at the conference Saturday, Taco, and I really enjoyed meeting you and your Mom.
What a blast this was, especially the evening at Fran’s! No frickin’ way I was going to check under that skirt, though…
April 27, 2006 at 1:13 pm
It was sooo nice meeting you, and that sweet Momma of yours…. make sure and tell her hi.
-make sure she knows she did good
April 28, 2006 at 1:56 am
Hey guys, don’t know about the code except mine said “Jrk0af”, I think I need to call these guys. Sorry we missed the pub crawl, next year!!!!!
s/f
Taco
April 28, 2006 at 3:18 am
T — meeting you was one of the highlights of the conference! I sure hope you keep writing — now from the “other side”. I loved your Mom and she told me a few stories that only improved your reputation (hehehehe). I want to see the “gun & rifle (only)” pics…
April 28, 2006 at 3:49 am
Hi everyone! Some soldier’s Mom! Something tells me that you may get your wish before too long! I, too, had a wonderful time getting to meet so many of Taco and Capt B’s supporters at Fran’s on Friday night and at the conference on Saturday! You are an awesome bunch, to say the least!!! We thoroughly enjoyed having Capt B stay with us! He is a delight and we are eager to meet the rest of the family when they arrive. Now that you have met him in person, can you believe I almost put him in the bedroom filled with little girl’s dolls and toys? A warrior like Capt B in a girl’s room? Nah. So, I made Taco give up his room for Capt B and HE slept with the dolls!!
April 28, 2006 at 5:19 am
Hmmm – I’ll leave alone the image of Taco in a kilt with the dolls, I just can’t wrap my head around that one! LOL!
Geek Note :
The code thing isn’t a password, it’s an anti-spam device. Spam-bots will automatically spam the same comment to many posts, or even multiples on the same post. Blogger’s word verification defeats the spam-bots by forcing you to read and type the letters, which change on each refresh. The spam-bots can’t deal with it, so the code fails to leave a comment. Voila – no more spam.
(Except me – MWAahahahaha!)
April 28, 2006 at 11:02 pm
T ~ stop frowning at the ‘puter! It was damn good to meet you and I sure wish you all had made it to the bar crawl but I know the streets of DC can be a bit scary for you Marines 😉 Next year maybe we’ll have it in a safer location for ya!
Taco’s mom ~ maybe next year I’ll bring my mom along too. I think she would have a blast as well.
May 1, 2006 at 9:23 pm
Hi Taco,
As usual, another great post. I had the distinct honor of getting to meet the illustrious Capt “B” (and his wife and sister) on the AnySoldier cruise this past weekend. It was great and everyone had fun. I love the kilt! Take care, be safe and God Bless. ~Judy~