By Judi McLeod ——Bio and Archives--October 27, 2014
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“There couldn't have been all that many decorations in his hand -- six or seven -- because he made a closed fist around his collection with ease as he waited his turn. I recall him getting stopped by one or two wounded vets in wheelchairs, clearly worried that they wouldn't be able to get their stuff over the looming fence, who gave him a few more decorations. Kerry says he doesn't remember this. “In a voice I doubt I would have heard had I not been so close to him, Kerry said, as I recall vividly, "There is no violent reason for this; I'm doing this for peace and justice and to try to help this country wake up once and for all." “With that, he didn't really throw his handful toward the statue of John Marshall, America's first chief justice. Nor did he drop the decorations. He sort of lobbed them, and then walked off the stage.”
Summary: (U) Open Source media reported that jihadist and Islamic State militants have called on supporters to scour social media for addresses of military and their family. Additionally AFNORTH warns that there is an aggressive social media campaign by terrorist organizations that intend to obtain large amounts of military related information they can use to target DoD. At this time there is no intelligence of any active threats against MacDill AFB personnel or their families (U) All DOD affiliated personnel, including family members have a responsibility to ensure that no information is being posted to public media or social networking sites will jeopardize personnel, assets or operations. WHAT CAN YOU DO: Watch out what you put on social media, and who you allow to have access (permissions) to your information. At the bottom of this email are links to smart cards to help you lock down your pages and to help you avoid some common personal security mistakes. Read them and share them with your friends and family. Additionally as personal security measures: * (U) Consider eliminating common indicators such as military identifiers on private vehicles (Service emblems, CENTCOM and SOCOM plates, qualification badges on windows, etc.) as well as military-themed clothing. * (U) Reconsider the use of military specialty plates on your POV. * (U) Avoid the use of T-shirts, and hats in public that show your military affiliation, past or present. * (U) Be aware of where you wear the uniform off-base and after hours; avoid big gatherings and change into civilian clothes if you eat dinner out with your family. * (U) When opening your wallet in public, ensure your CAC card is not viewable. * (U) Avoid the use of deployment banners and yellow ribbons at your residence as signals of a deployed service member. * (U) Re-evaluate your social media page(s). What does it say about you and your military affiliation?What’s not wearing the military uniform off-base and after hours do for “the land of the free and the home of the brave”? In America, President Barack Obama has all but gutted the military over six long painful years. Please Prime Minister Harper, don’t send Canada hurtling down the same path. Young Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, standing guard at Canada’s National War Memorial, died in his uniform as did Quebec Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent. As the National Post’s Matt Gurney wrote: “ Canadian soldiers don’t hide in their own damn country--rescind the order to not wear uniforms in public.”
“It wasn’t all that long ago that you almost never saw a soldier, sailor or airman in public in Canada. Our tiny military had virtually no footprint in the public sphere, especially since most of our large bases are located well outside our major cities. Obviously, communities near a military installation always saw their share of uniforms, but growing up in the suburbs of Toronto, I was well into my teenaged years before I saw a soldier going about his business in public (waiting for a bus, more specifically). “That’s gradually changed. Canadians still don’t think or care about their armed forces enough, but the long war in Afghanistan at least helped reverse the military’s slow, quiet slide out of the public eye. You see more soldiers — men and women, every colour and creed — out and about more often now. And you see something else: People giving up seats to them on the subway, paying for their coffee at Tim Hortons, or even just giving them a tiny nod. They’ve always been there for us, waiting to kill or be killed on our behalf, even for all the long years we, as a country, seemed to forget why we needed soldiers. Or that we had them at all. “We can’t let that go now. I have no objection to our military responding to specific warnings of credible threats, which may sometimes mean taking a lower profile in a given area for a brief period. And any service member who doesn’t feel like they would be safe in public while uniformed should of course make whatever decision they feel is best. “But an outright order for our troops to only go out in public out of uniform? No. That’s tantamount to retreat in the face of terror, and Canadians — especially our volunteer warriors — do not give in to madmen. Now is the time for all of us, including the members of the Canadian Armed Forces, to shed a few tears and then get back to normal. For the military, that means walking openly in public, proudly wearing the uniform they have worked hard to earn the right to wear. That will send a signal every bit as important as our members of Parliament being at their desks Wednesday morning, ready to get back to work. “Oh, and Canadians? Watch for those uniforms, and show them how proud we are to have such fine men and women in uniform. It’s a good time to buy them that coffee. Or even just nod in thanks.”In both Canada and the United States we owe our troops so very much, including our very liberty which they bought and paid for with their blood. God bless our troops.
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