NATO Non Article 5 Medal?

From the Soldier side: OK, so I’ve never been one who got too excited about getting trinkets and stuff.  My last promotion, before deploying to Iraq, I asked the First Sergeant if I could just stick my new stripes on and be done with it.  He thought I’d love to be promoted in front of the company…Nope.  The promotion is OK, I just don’t like making a big deal out of it.

My best friend is very interested in these medals and things.  I’ll admit there’s a story that goes with each one, and when I put them on a rack, it might look cool. I kept my dad’s ribbons when he died.  I was proud of his.  He spent 22 years in the Air Force.  (Aim High!)

There was this time when we were in Bosnia.  My team had an actual mission we were supposed to go out on when the camp commander of the little tiny camp we were at told us: “the General is flying up to give us our medals.”   We were 2.5 hours away by road, so he flew up in a Blackhawk.
I didn’t really care and I asked: “what medals?  Can’t they just mail them to us?” 
Nope, the camp commander insisted that we wait and get our medals.  We were with the “RED BULLS” and when the General came up to me and pinned my little medal things on he asked: “What part of Minnesota are you from Soldier?” 

I said: “Sir, I’m from a little town north of San Francisco.” 

He still gave me my trinkets…but I thought he was going to chock.  I guess he forgot that our little teams that went out every day were made up from California National Guard pukes. 

What are these things worth? 

NATO Non-Article 5 Medal for the Balkans Ribbon $1.50

NATO Non-Article 5 Medal for the Balkans Ribbon Criteria: Awarded to U.S. Armed Forces personnel serving 30 days or more in the Balkan Theater on or after January 1, 2003. The “Balkan Theater” is defined as the political boundaries and airspace of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (including Kosovo), Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Albania, based on the detailed descriptions contained in the corresponding various NATO operations plans. Service days may be either continuous or accumulated. Those personnel serving as aircrew members accumulate one day of service for the first sortie flown during any day of the operation. Additional sorties on the same day receive no further credit. This medal is authorized to replace the NATO medals issued for NATO Operations Joint Forge and Joint Guardian. Note: This service ribbon is issued by the military along with an accompanying medal. Check the appropriate Branch of Service category for purchase of its medal counterpart.

The Keystone Cops and Firemen…

From the Cop side:  One of the things I’ve done in my police career that I almost never talk about is the department where I started out at.  It was not a “normal” police department by any sense of the word “normal.”  It was far from Normal.  I think “abnormal” would apply. 
Now I don’t mean that they didn’t have some good cops, and we made some damn good arrest and got into lots of wild pursuit and cool shit.  But, the one thing that didn’t work was a concept called “Public Safety.” 

We were also supposed to be firemen (now called fire fighters.)  The problem was, most of us didn’t know the first thing about how to fight fires, other than “put the wet stuff on the hot stuff.” 

In an effort to try to train us, we had fire drill training every Tuesday for four hours.  There was no long term plan as to what we got trained in, so often the most senior officer to show up was put in charge of training.  Sometimes they actually knew something about fire fighting, sometimes we just sat around and ate donuts. 

How was the response to actual fires?  Well, the “fire department” was not staffed.  We each had a Plectron radio thingy in our homes that would go off when they needed us to come in.  We had to live within 2 miles of one of the fire stations.  That sucked--- who wanted to live in a city with such a bad fire department? 

The problem with the call out was we never knew who would show up and we hoped somebody showed up that actually knew what to do.  I remember many times I was just falling asleep and I’d hear a “beep…beep…beep…beep. KLS-9--- report of a structure fire at 123 Alice street, station 1 and 2 respond.  Beep…beep…beep…beep… report of a structure fire at 123 Alice street, station 1 and 2 respond…KSL 9--- out”

I’d jump up and put on my clothes…it didn’t matter what we wore to the station because once we got there we were putting on our turn outs…so in the summer I usually had shorts on…and my 1911 45.  Funny seeing firemen with guns.  I figured if I couldn’t get it out with water, I would shoot down the flames.

One night I had just ended my police patrol shift and was in the report room (which was also the briefing room, the lunch room, the training room and the staff lounge) getting an arrest report done….when the watch commander comes running back and yells at me and the other guys writing reports: “Can any of you drive a fire truck?”

I told him” I drove big ass trucks in the Army, I think I can.”

Then I became the fire engineer.  I should have figured the 1,000 gallons of water in the back would make the truck a little top heavy as I almost rolled it going around the first corner. 

We got to the fire and saved the dumpster from being a total loss. 

I think I was a pretty good cop, but thinking it over, I was not a very good firemen.  Both jobs require too much special training. 

Do you have a problem with Authority?

From the retired Soldier and Cop side: I started going to a writing class one night a week. Since I graduated from high skool and kollege so long ago, I had forgotted a lot of the stuff needed to write good fiction. You see for the last 30 plus years I had to write “just the facts”. The class I’m in is rather different, it’s for Vets and it’s free. A local group sponsored the thing, so I felt the price was right and seeing how I rite, it could help.

Nice doggy.  USMC working dog at Camp Gannon, Iraq- CI Roller Dude pet him

I’m one of the younger vets. Most of the others are Nam vets. One guy was a grunt Army commander in Nam and when I talked to him before class, I asked why he got out after 14 years. He said: “I had a problem with authority.”

I was thinking what he said over during class. Remember, I first joined the regular Army after high school and only did a few years before I got out. I stayed out for 13 years, then joined the Army National Guard. Why did I get out and stay out for so long? At first I thought I had a problem with Authority. But after I carefully thought it over I came up with:

It’s not a problem with Authority; it’s a problem with stupid.

So I stayed in trying to beat down stupid shit. I won some battles and lost some…others I’ll call it a tie. But one thing I noticed, the troops we’re getting in before I got out seem to be a lot smarter. I just hope they stay that way as they get promoted and don’t go for the lobotomy.

In police work I had an easy way to lead: "As long as nobody get hurt, we all go home at the end of the shift, no citizen's complaints and the department doesn't get sued, we're OK."

Bin Laden has been killed. Good job!!!

From the Soldier side: 
When I watched the jets crashing into the Twin Towers in New York, I knew many of our lives would change.  Not long after that, I re-upped in the National Guard. 
Now Bin Laden is dead.  My only hope is that they will bury his body in the US so we can go piss on his grave.  What a POS he was and all those who follow him.  May they all rot in hell. 

Small Team Leadership 101

Some old guy I know has put togeather a short book in the Kindle on Small Team Leadership. If you don't have an Amazon Kindle, you can download the software for free and read it on a computer, I-Pad etc.

 Small-Team-Leadership-101

A few good Leaders....OIF 2005

From the Soldier side: I should start my thoughts on leadership by first talking about some of the BEST leaders I’ve had in my jobs. I know it’s so easy to forget the good ones and remember the horror stories of the bad leaders.

In 2005 when I was a little over half way through my one year tour in Iraq, I got slightly injured. I wish I could say the injury was from something exciting and all, but it was only a strained back from falling on my ass in a Marine Am-Trak when the driver did a very hard turn.

So I was back in Baghdad and the doctor told me to stay on light duty for at least a few weeks. Since there was a shortage of experienced NCOs who were doing my type of work (mess kit repair) they had to find a replacement for me. One of my old buddies who I had deployed to Bosnia with was stuck in the Operations Management Team office, and he asked if he could take over my team for awhile. I was glad to have him do it and the boss approved it.

Getting trucks ready for the Morning commute to work

But I was soon to learn that the office I was taking over as the NCOIC (Non Commissioned Officer in Charge) was more than dysfunctional. Not screwed up because of my friend, but some of the junior officers they had stuck in the office to keep from doing too much damage. They had replaced (fired) at least 3 officers and I was there with the worst. The worst turned out to be pregnant and got sent home after only being in Iraq for 3 weeks!!! WTF? Oh well, it was best for all she went home.

So who did they send in to be the OIC (Officer in Charge)? A really great WO 3 (Warrant Officer 3) who had been doing our business for many years and was extremely good at it.

The WO 3, whom I called “Chief” was very laid back, but he was an expert. If ever I didn’t know what to do, I could ask him and he ALWAYS had the right answer.

One day, one of the teams who went out into Baghdad 5-6 days a week had returned to camp. The team leader was very upset and so were some of the others. I noticed the team leader get out of his Humvee and start kicking the tires and he looked very mad. I let him vent for a bit, then walked up to him and asked what was wrong.

He told me about the dumbass gunner and what he’d done that day. (The gunner was mentally challenged and did something stupid on a daily basis.) I asked the team leader if he wanted to take care of the discipline or he wanted me to do it. He said: “I’m an NCO now, I will take care of it, but can you give me some advice on what I can and cannot do?”

Sure. Don’t kill him or beat him where it shows.

The problem was taken care of in a professional manner at the lowest level. Later that night, the Chief (who knew everything that went on) asked me if he needed to do anything. I told him: “Chief, it’s NCO business….all taken care of.”

He said: “Good, that’s what NCOs are supposed to do.”

He knew exactly what the problem with the dumbass gunner had been and he had even figured out how the team leader had corrected the problem and was good with it.

(in this case, the gunner had to dismount and cover the team on a foot movement. However, the gunner had gotten too damn fat and couldn’t keep up with the team –only walking a few Klicks…so the team leader took fatass out every morning and ran with him until he was back in shape.)

In this case, the team leader did good, the Chief did good and the problem was fixed without it going on the gunner’s record.

Leadership.....

From the Cop & Soldier side: A while back, somebody suggest that I write a book on military/ law enforcement leadership. Who the hell would read it. If I did write such a book, it would not be some pretty fluff crap that foo foo cops and soft soldiers could use in a leadership course. It would be the kind of book that those who lead small teams or groups would want to read to make sure they got the job done.


In all the leadership duties I was put into under critical times, I NEVER demanded to be in charge. They way I ended up in charge and un-fucking things was, my boss put me in charge without askin’ or I jumped up and took over before things really turned to shit. (see, that’s how I’d have to write the book, so no official leadership course would allow such language.)

I never thought as either a soldier or a cop I’d become a leader. Not just a leader, but I actually lead troops in combat and hostile area. I’ve lead cops into deadly events, and lots of daily stuff that we just took as part of the job. My leadership skills are not perfect. But I worked for some really good leaders (who I took ideas from) and really shitty leaders (who I made damn sure I didn’t do anything like that did.)

The best leaders are those who put the mission and their troops first. The worst are those who put themselves first, mission second and their people last. I’m sure if you are, or ever have been a cop or in the military, you can picture what I’m talking about.

I've done some stories in the past and I plan on doing a few post on some of the best leaders I’ve worked for and some of the worst.

Standing by for comments….CI Roller Dude

Model 57, Soccer Ball & Шљивовица, Mission accomplished!

From the Soldier side: Some of the things we did as soldiers had nothing to do with our duties or missions. Much of the time, while on deployments we had to “make our own fun.” For my Bosnia mission “making our own fun” was pretty easy. To this point in my life, I still think Bosnia was about the most fun job I ever had!


For some reason, one of my more popular post, was about the time I visited a Bosnian dude. He had been an Army commander during the war. Despite the law about possession of a pistol, he had kept his Model 57 7.62 MM army pistol. Go read: Model 57

In that story, I the “retired” commander handed me his Model 57, 7.62 MM pistol and told me to shoot an old soccer ball on the hill in his back yard. ( I did check the background and we had a safe field of fire.)  I had never fired a pistol like that before (a Yugoslavian version of the Tokerav) so I missed. When I asked if he had any more bullets, he regretted to tell me that was the last one. AND I MISSED! I couldn’t believe that I missed. It was only about 20 meters away.

Well, I had to right that wrong. Last year, I found a gun dealer who had a bunch of cherry Model 57 pistols in stock. I ordered one.

CI Roller Dude's M9 and Model 57

Then I went to the sport store and range with my best friend and we set up a soccer ball to be executed. I hate to make excuses, but the sights on the Mod 57 are way off. So it took me a few rounds to find the target…then I laid waste to the soccer ball.

"J" suggested taping the target down- a good idea!

Then a few months ago, I went to a combined police agency pistol qualification. I took the Model 57 and was able to qualify with it. Everybody else was shooting Glocks, Sigs and other modern pistols. It’s not the best combat gun in the world, but in the right hands, a rock and stick can be deadly.

Funky sights!

The cool thing about these old pistols is, the ammo is so cheap.  There's tons of former Commie stuff being imported into the US now. 

Bring out your dead....after a pint....

From the Soldier side: I find it kind of funny, but often when I read something on another blog or someplace, it may jar a memory of something from the past. I did so many “little adventures” in the Army and National Guard over the years, that I’ve forgotten many of them. However, I was reading America’s First Sergeant at: http://castrapraetoria1.blogspot.com/   post the other day about the troops from Wales and some history with the US Marines.


Well, when I was stationed in the Berlin Brigade http://www.berlinbrigade.com/  I met some soldiers from Royal Regiment of Wales: http://www.rrw.org.uk/

The troops I met were in mortars like me, so we first started looking at each other weapons and kit on a professional point of view. Then, since they were about my age, away from home and liked to consume alcoholic beverages, we started drinking.

One night they invited me over to their pub… we had a “few pints” and they asked if I wanted to go to the cinema. I had to think for a minute and translate that into American…”oh, you mean a movie?”

Yes, Yank a movie. I asked what was showing…they told me something called “Monte Python.”

I had no idea what or who that was, but after a few pints, I’d try anything.

It was Monty Python and the search for the holly grail. Let me tell you, it was 100 times better watching it for the first time drunk. Damn it was funny.



Bring out your dead http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grbSQ6O6kbs


Black Knight http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eMkth8FWno&feature=fvsr


Gwell Angau na Chywilydd - Better Death than Dishonour


Rhowch i mi peint!

10th Mountain Div, WWII hero- Bill

FALL IN!  DRESS RIGHT DRESS! 

From the Soldier side: It’s funny when I look back at my career of being a Soldier, that one thing seems to remain the same in the military. The people.

Don't they look sharp! 

In any team, squad, platoon, company etc you will have a number of troops who you could take from 1944 and drop into a unit in 2011 and except for the uniforms and equipment, they’d be the same type of person. These types of people are the ones who will volunteer for stuff and get the job done.

A few years ago I had the privilege of finally meeting a hero from the US Army’s WWII 10th Mountain Division. He was one of the original members from WWII who fought in Italy and was wounded. His name is Bill.

Bill is my uncle’s father in law and I first had a chance to chat with him via e-mail while I was deployed. I remember when he saw pictures from Iraq, he asked me what all the "stuff" was.  I told him the M-4 replaced the M1 Carbine, the M249 SAW replaced the BAR, and the Humvee replaced the jeep, half track and a few other vehicles. 

I finally got to meet Bill a few years ago. He and I got to sit down and tell war stories. I would have loved to have been in his unit or for him to have been in mine. He was funny and I could tell that he was the kind of guy to tell jokes and pull pranks, but when you needed a soldier to get the job done…he was the guy you looked for.

I wish I could have gone back and spent more time talking to him. For those serving now, did you know I learned a lot of little tricks I used in Iraq from vets who fought in the past? Some things that hold true through out history. The equipment changes, but the people don’t--- at least I hope they never change. Read some history from past wars…and you’ll understand what I’m talking about.

Thanks Bill. You made the world a better place and you are a hero.

More on Vet Posers....

From the Cop & Soldier side: For my 2 or 3 regular readers you know I got out of the “Regular Army” in the 1970’s. Since I actually joined before the Viet Nam war was over, I could have considered myself a Viet Nam ERA vet. I never chose to ever use that status when talking to people and as far as finding jobs, it did absolutely no good.




Since many years later I served in Bosnia and Iraq, I’ll gladly claim whatever status that grants me.

CI Roller Dude in Bosnia, Circa 2004

CI Roller Dude, Baghdad, IZ circa 2005

Over the last 30+ years I’ve been a cop in California, I have come across dozens of people claiming that they were some kind of war vet. In my early cop days, they usually claimed to be Nam vets. In those days, I was pretty gullible and would often believe the person’s stories. Then, a few times, I heard things that I knew could not have been possible…usually somebody spreading other bullshit I had heard before.

I lost track of how many criminals, drunks, crazies, homeless people and many “normal” people I heard make false claims. In almost every case, the person would claim something like they had served in some type of Special Forces unit—if it was Army,then they were Rangers or “Green Berets.” If they claimed Navy, it was SEALS, if it was Marines, then they were Recon or a Sniper.  If it was Air Force, then they were the Door Gunner on the Space Shuttle. 

Many times I’d get a call on a homeless person pan handling for money….holding up a sign claiming that they were a “Nam Vet and needed help.”

Since it was my police duty to contact the person and advise them that citizens were complaining, I’d get the begger’s info—date of birth etc. In most cases, I could tell since the person was really too young to have served in Nam, that they were lying. I’d challenge them on it. In most cases I found that they had never even served in the military, or, if they had, they had been kicked out early. I told them that they could not claim Vet status for begging as it was an insult to those who’d actually served in Nam and risked their lives, or gave their lives.

Several years ago I was called to a local college campus to investigate a violent student. He had gone around telling everybody that he suffered PTSD- that was why he attacked so many people and had been arrested for every single crime in the California Penal Code. When I finally arrested him and asked him about “what was your MOS in the Army Rangers---when you went to Grenada?”

He looked at me and asked what was MOS? I told him: “that is what proves you are full of shit.” He had NEVER been in the military, but he somehow had gotten a Veterans Administration medical card.
But, sadly it’s not just bums, drunks and criminals who fake being a war vet. I have run across a few cops who I figured out were also fakes. Fakes at some of the police stuff they’d claimed they’d done and a few who faked having been war vets. Many fakers start out where they may have actually been in the military during a war—but they never actually went to the war. In many cases I’ve seen them start out by putting a decal on their car, or wearing a hat or t-shirt.

After they’ve worn the sticker, hat or shirt for awhile, then some people start the think that the faker had been in the war…and it takes off from there.

I was in West Berlin, Germany in 1975 when we watched South Viet Nam fall on the news. The next day, we had an alert---loaded all our combat gear and headed to Tempelhof Air Force Base (now just an airport). We left the barracks before the sun was up…sat around the base until lunch, ate lunch, then went back to the barracks. That was as close as I got to Viet Nam.

Sonofagun …over 20 years later I did end up going to Bosnia and Iraq, twice as old as I was when Nam ended. I was lucky that I was a lot older and wiser when I went to war.  I think that helped me alot.

So, when you find a person faking being a vet….. once you are sure…challenge them in public. Simple checks: how old are they? Ask what MOS they had. Ask what unit they were in and where they served. If they are true and honest Vets, shake their hand. If they’re a fake poser….then do what you like.

On a positive note, for a REAL VET, a short time after I'd returned from Iraq, I was working my cop job.  I was called to a home where a man and his wife were having problems.  The man was a true Gulf War Vet.  When I got there, he only wanted to talk to me...because he'd read in the local paper a story they'd written about me. 

I sat and listened to him for an hour. He was a mess.  He'd never figured out who to talk to for his very real PTSD.  It turned out, that just me listening to him, relating a few of my experiences in Iraq and telling him it was OK to be bothered by what he experienced... he never had another problem. 

They lived close to the police station I had worked at...so I saw them a few times a week...walking down town, holding hands and smiling.  Life was going to be good.