Captain Terry M. Hestilow (Ret) (courtesy thegatewaypundit.com)

The Honorable Senator John Cornyn, State of Texas
United States Senate
517 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510

Re: Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and that agencies preparation for war against citizens of the United States of America

Dear Senator Cornyn,

It is with gravest concern that I write to you today concerning the recent appropriation of weapons by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that can only be understood as a bold threat of war by that agency, and the Obama administration, against the citizens of the United States of America. To date, DHS has been unwilling to provide to you, the elected representatives of the People, justification for recent purchases of almost 3,000 mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) armored personnel carriers, 1.6 billion rounds of ammunition (with associated weapons), and other weapons systems, when, in fact, the DHS has no war mission or war making authority within the limits of the United States of America . . .

Significant is the fact that at the same time the Obama administration is arming his DHS for war within the limits of the United States against the People of the United States in accordance with his 2008 campaign speech claiming,

“We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we’ve set. We’ve gotta (sic) have a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well funded [as the United States military]”–Candidate Barack Obama, 2008.

The Obama administration is deliberately defunding, overextending, and hollowing the Department of Defense; the only legitimate agency of the U.S. government with a war mission.

This act of the Obama administration stands as a glaring threat of war against our nation’s citizens! This act of the Obama administration can only be understood as a tyrannical threat against the Constitution of the United States of America! If left unresolved, the peace loving citizens who have sworn to defend the United States Constitution “against all enemies, both foreign and domestic” are left no option except to prepare to defend themselves, and the U.S. Constitution, against this Administration’s “coup” against the People and the foundations of liberty fought for and defended for the past 238 years. We have no choice if we honor our oaths.

The only proper response to this threat against the American people is for the representatives of the People, the members of the U.S. House and Senate, to demand in clear terms that the Administration cannot ignore, that the Department of Homeland Security immediately surrender their newly appropriated weapons of war to the Department of Defense (DoD).

Further, since the DHS has assumed a position in the Administration to enforce the tyrannical acts of this president against the People of the United States against the limits of the United States Constitution, it remains for the United States Congress to exercise its limiting power in the balancing of powers established by our founding fathers, to disestablish and dissolve the DHS as soon as possible.

One needs only to look to the rise of Adolf Hitler, and his associated DHS organizations, the SA and the SS, of 1932-1934, to see the outcome of allowing an agency of government this kind of control over the free citizens of a nation. The people of Germany could not have imagined, until it was too late, the danger of allowing a tyrant this kind of power. We must not be so naïve as to think it will not happen to us as well if we remain passive toward this power grab by the Marxist Obama administration!

Finally, for more than two centuries the nation has lived in peace at home because of the protections of our legitimate military and the many appropriate state and federal law enforcement agencies, supported by Constitutional courts. We stand today at a cross-road. Will we allow this present Administration to overthrow our United States Constitution and its legal processes to amend injustices, or, will we honor our obligations to defend the Constitution against a “domestic” enemy?

Our Constitution lays out the proper methods of resolving our differences; and it does not include its overthrow by a rogue agency of a Marxist leadership at home. You, sir, are our constitutionally elected agent to defend our Constitution at home. We are counting upon you. We remain aware, however, of this present threat and will not expose ourselves as an easy prey to the authors of the destruction of our nation.

I know that this letter demands much of you. We elected you because we, the citizens of the State of Texas, believe that you are up to the task at hand and will, against all threats, honor your oath and office. We are also writing to your fellow members of the House and Senate to stand in integrity with the Constitution and against this present threat by the Obama administration and his DHS.

We refuse to surrender our Constitution or our nation!

Resolved,

Captain Terry M. Hestilow
United States Army, Retired
Fort Worth, Texas
March 23, 2013

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109 COMMENTS

    • Really? Do you really want a military that can’t be trusted to stay out of politics?

      The good Captain is at serious risk of rightfully losing some retirement pay for using his rank and uniform for politics.

        • I would have a hard time calling this an example of “using his rank.” Unless he is trying to influence some retired Army Lieutenants, which are the only officer ranks (O-1 and O-2) that an Army Captain (O-3) outranks.

          Its not like a retired General or Admiral saying this. Its not even like a retired Navy Captain (O-6) saying it. It is just a retired Army veteran who served honorably and is proud of that service.

      • Except that the military is already in politics. Whatever party is in power gets to force their will upon the people by threat of military force. That is exactly why the Founding Fathers did NOT want a standing army in a time of peace – because they knew it would be used against the people of the United States.

      • What he is railing against is not politics, but tyranny and I think he has every right to voice a concern. He is a citizen just like the rest of us. I could understand an objection if he were speaking out against Obamacare or how the president is handling Iran or something like that, but arming against the American people is fair game in my book.

      • Skyler isn’t very bright. “I can typing” is a dangerous mode of operation, but it does provide amusement.

    • I think arming the US Marines with Depleted Uranium Anti-Drone Loads would be useful in containing the DHS in this situation;)!

      Y’all take a close look at the insignia in this photo. Any Army vet will get it.

        • JimD What It means Sir, Is; There is a man that has
          been Selected to “Do A Take Over” Remember
          someone said” tell your People It will to wait until I am re-elected” Yep You Got It Now Right ??:-)

      • I’m an AF vet and don’t see anything wrong with the uniform unless you are talking about the lack of a name tag…the hat insignia is right, the shoulder insignia is right, the medals are in the right place (except maybe the one over the right pocket, and I didn’t get enough to see if that were acceptable) the US insignia is right, the crossed weapons of the Calvary insignia looks right so I too need a hint.

        • He is wearing Infantry insignia, two crossed rifles; the combat patch of the 82nd Airborne; and an assortment of medals, the highest of which appears to be an Army Commendation Medal. Everything looks right except the conspicuously missing name plate, and the regimental affiliation crest, which does not look like the 504th, 505th, or 325th crests consistent with units in the 82nd during Desert Storm, or the 508th crest consistent with Vietnam or OIF/OEF. both of those things could easily be explained by changes in dress blue uniform standards over the years and this Soldier leaving the Army from a different unit than he served in combat with.

    • the active duty oathkeepers are being relieved of their duty for saying they wont fire on americans. look it up.

    • huh. It feels like everything I’ve read lately feels like last years’ Infowars posts.
      Jones is either a shameless self-promoter or the canary in the mine….on second thought, maybe he’s both….

    • You must be from another country. This guy hit it on the head.
      Obama is a tyrant, HWBush stated it in his New world Order speech.
      Why the hell do you think the civilian disarmament plan is so important to Obama.WOW…. better get on board, were gonna need all the help we can get!

  4. Hitler was not stopped by angry letters. Will you honor your oath and help lead others to stop this newest tyrant, Captain Hestilow?

  5. If indeed this is not an April Fool’s joke, there is a whole lot of hope to be had if Congress actually goes on a mission to demand the surrender of the armaments that appear to have no purpose other than sustained combat here at home.

    If they actually look into this, it will cast his gun control vigil in the light it actually reflects in.

    • Here’s the thing LC- While today may be April fool’s day, its not the first time we hear of a request for information on this particular front.

      • No, it is not the first time I’ve seen a request for transparency. This is the first I’ve seen of anything resembling an official asking for it AND demanding the arms be surrendered (to the DoD or otherwise).

        The “surrender” idea is welcome but abjectly laughable and absurd considering the administration currently in place. That’s why I was slightly suspicious of the letter.

    • Speaking of April Fool’s…

      One of the things that struck wrong with me was his rank and the fact he’s retired.

      Retired? as a Captain?
      Maybe in the Navy where a Captain is an O-6 and a SENIOR Officer.
      But in the Army a Captain is an O-3 JUNIOR Officer. One does not remain in long enough to retire and stay an O-3. If he does… there is something seriously wrong with his ability to promote up the chain.

      • Not if he was prior enlisted…In my 21 years of military service, I knew plenty of prior enlilsted officers who retired at 20 as Captains.

        • Or Medically Retired….happens everyday, we have been at war for more than 10 yrs.

      • I’m sorry to say, but you are wrong. It is entirely possible to be honorably discharged as a Captain in the Army. Lots of people stay captains for 5 years before being promoted.

      • He, if my old eyes don’t decieve me is prior enlisted. Looks like a good conduct medal he is wearing top row right side. Only enlisted are authorized GCM. It also shows he has multiple awards for the medal, given for a 3 year period of service with good conduct.

        As someone stated above, he has been around the block. 82nd Airborne, and insignia of branch infantry.

    • “A few more high-ranking military guys”? This guy’s a freakin’ Army captain. “High-ranking” ain’t in the same timezone as this guy.

        • No, he promoted all right. He had to be prior enlisted that then went officer. You can’t retire as an 0-3 without having had prior enlisted service. Unfortunately, whether you agree with what he has to say or not, nobody is going to give a rat’s a$$ about what a retired 0-3 has to say about anything. They wouldn’t even give a crap what a retired Flag Officer had to say,

        • There are a lot of retired Army Officers of this rank especally Vietnam vets. Before you dishonor his service you should consider how you dishonor yourself with your ignorance and casual snark.

          OK – maybe he needs to confirm his facts better. Thats a fair response. But attacking him personally without doing so is the hallmark of the cowardly Alinsky progressives we can expect to make their bottom dwelling way over here from DailyKos or ThinkProg to sock puppet and spread FUD…his beliefs while you demean him.

  7. …for more than two centuries the nation has lived in peace at home because of the protections of our legitimate military…

    Really? Then why has the US military deliberately killed more US civilians than any other organization in history? Even George Washington sent the US Army to kill tax protestors in the Whiskey Rebellion. Or the 2 women and 9 children burned alive in the Ludlow Massacre.

    “To hell with the constitution, we aren’t going by the constitution.”
    -Maj. Thomas McClellend

    “Habeas corpus be damned, we’ll give ’em post mortems.”
    -Gen. Sherman Bell

    • Because of that Alexander Hamilton b@stard and the Federalist machinations to hijack the Republic and restore obedience to Great Britain.

      Oh yeah, and then there was that Lincoln guy. According to Lincoln apologists, it was justifiable to murder hundreds of thousands of American citizens in the name of preserving political power.

      The military was long ago turned into a strong man and a bully put to use by the government under the guise of patriotism.

      I certainly support all of our grunts and forever respect their decisions and courage to serve, though I doubt these good men would have enlisted if the government told them what they were truly fighting for.

      • Lincoln was between a rock and a hard place.

        He was trapped between the european central bankers, who were itching to weaken both north and south so that america could be unofficially colonized again (which was explained by britains military bulk being focused in Canada and France’s in Mexico), and a south that was being encouraged and financed by Britain.

        He also blessed off the interest free greenback to avoid getting into bed with central banking.

        He’s good in my book, despite acts of desperation to keep the union together.

        • Im not disagreeing with you.

          Lincoln certainly wasnt perfect. Without him, the consequences would have been dire for the young republic.

      • What out, you just committed sacrilege. Lincoln is a sacred deity to those who believe in the religion of government.

  8. I agree with everything except the Marxist remarks. If anything we’re headed towards a hell of a fascist state. Last time I checked, Marxists don’t believe in giving corporations unchecked powers (just look at the whole Monsanto debacle).

    • You are correct, sir. If anything we are headed for a oligarchical state where a few mega corporations (Google, Monsanto, et al) control the nation and citizens are reduced to a proletariat designed to feed the beasts. The crony capitalism we have now is just as dirty as Marxism.

      • Although I’m sure I’ll get slammed on here for this, watch Michael Moore’s movie about Capitalism, although it’s out there, there are some real eye openers. Including letters by major corporations saying the “one vote for one person” levels the playing field too much for their corporations. This country is an Oligarchy. Their is no Democracy, unless you are a corporation.

        • When CocaCola or Monsanto barges through your door at 3am and tosses you in the klink then you come here and start spouting about fat ass MM. If TRUTHY means truther why don’t you get the F outta here.

    • Obama and his administration won’t even give a crap. Some lower tier folks might get all huffy and puffy about it and attack the guy, but frankly, when the rubber hits the road, nobody gives a crap what a retired o-3 has to say.

  13. OH NO!!! OH NO!! Them Obama commies is comin’ fer us! Oh, wait, those MRAPs were actually contracted for by the Navy, under contract number M67854-07-D-5032 for delivery to the Marines, for use by the Marines? Imagine, the exact same number, 2717, ordered not by DHS but the Navy, for the Marines. How could this be? What a shame, what a waste of all those great conspiracy theory brain cells.

  14. I don’t think this will make things any better. The military (DOD) recruiting commercials I have been seeing lately have a line in there about following the orders (no mention of how cheerfully) of those above them. Kind of like the DHS indoctrination films featured here recently. The divider in chief is dividing the armed element of the government from the general population. The DHS is fast becoming a domestic military for federal enforcement of “laws and regulations” but considering how top brass have been questioned regarding firing on civilians, what’s the difference which branch of the government is squeezing the trigger or flying the drones?

    • “The military (DOD) recruiting commercials I have been seeing lately have a line in there about following the orders (no mention of how cheerfully) of those above them.”

      Noted that too did you? I had to stop a moment because I thought I’d misheard. But then it showed up in other commercials. Creepy.

      • And yet military / LEO’s (or former military / LEO’s) love to claim that being a government thug isn’t about blindly following orders. Apparently even the recruiting ads no longer deny it.

        • I think they are taking a page out of the gang bangers bible. Join the brotherhood of followers where you will always belong as long as you do what we tell you. They create a covenant.
          The 2 a conflict is coming to a head like a big red boil on the country’s ass. And it will break like a big red boil spraying blood, puss and stink all the hell over the place.

    • Following orders didn’t help the arsewipes in Nuremburg and it won’t help them here either!

  15. The 2700 or any other large number is unimportant, that’s an internet lie to distract from the actual number and the meaning behind a Para-military force with no Constitutional restraints, virtualy unlimited powers operating with no Congressional oversight, with no public oversight paid for by tax payers who these weapons are meant to opress.
    Lets not forget the DHS targets of children and women, some holding babies that were to be used to “Train” Civilian Law Enforcement and DHS thugs

  16. The whiskey rebellion was responded to under order of Pres. Washington, with a force of 15,964 Militia members from other states, federalized by the President, led by Gen. Harry Lee.

    Is the acquisition of surplus equipment a build up for war, or the unabashed enjoyment of federal surplus property by local jurisdictions (a time honored use of discarded federal stuff)

    I don’t know.

  17. Now if only the rest of the citizens of the US would get it as well.

    There is no need for DHS to own military firearms unless they plan on
    attacking citizens. If war comes to US soil again let the NG or military deal with it.

  18. This country knows how to deal with traitors, lets hope it doesn’t come to that, Randy

  20. The art of the conspiracy theory has been alive and well throughout the generations, since before my time. I am on my twelfth President and through every administration, Democrat and Republican, Liberal and Conservative, the conspiracy theorists have spun their tales of impending woe. Be it food riots, race war, commies (and homosexuals), and now the evil Obama secretly planning to enslave us all, the stories and the story tellers change, but the conspiracy theories live on. The big difference now, of course, is the speed with which misinformation can be spread to fan the flames. Instead of lending credence to idiotic conspiracy theories, lets all try to concentrate on real issues, like the very real threats to our legitimate rights by idiotic legislators on both sides of the aisle who need to prove that they’re “doing something.” Because when some of us continue to push these ridiculous notions, all of us look like nuts.

    • But…doesn’t your admitted claim that our legislature is continuously filled with lackwits who somehow, thanks to dishonest media that chooses which material to highlight or hush-hush, manage to get re-elected and new beacons of hope fall to the “old ways” once inside the Beltway, confirm that there is in fact some malevolent conspiracy behind it all? Maybe not on the level of the NWO or the reptilians, but there must be some explanation as to why reason and logic consistently fail to win the day? Not all conspiracy theories come from outer space.

      Maybe the powers at be don’t want us disarmed in order to slaughter us, but they must have some motivation in order to so earnestly push this fight against liberty, and a fight against liberty is indeed good cause for conspiracy theories.

      • The main pull is simple tribalism, those that are not like you will cause the damnation of your village by simply existing among you. Anti-gunners are motivated by their own ideologies and personal freedom doesn’t fit in with them. If we have the personal freedom given to us by the Constitution what’s next? Will we be expected to actually support ourselves and take responsibility for ourselves in other aspects of life? That simply isn’t a possibility for the left, it isn’t even imaginable for them and the existence of such an idea threatens everything they center their existence around. It isn’t merely job security, it’s life security to them, too bad none of their misguided dreams are tethered in the least bit in reality. To them the government will take care of everything and they will be taken care of completely so nothing the government can do is wrong.

        In a period of time where the deficit is increasing a few factors more than GDP the necessity of such DHS spending should come into question and be stopped, unless they have some insider information on some mole people that will surface in our borders, or perhaps it will be terminators, or maybe aliens, but that just gets back to the crazy conspiracy theories. The most probable theory is far more malevolent.

      • Or it could be that once politicians bump up against brick walls trying to get things done, and start to get used to the goodies and cash they get from lobbyists, they eventually just join their senior colleagues and stick their snouts in the trough (assuming that is was not their real intent from the start). If you can’t beat ’em, you might as well get your share of prime rib, 21 year old scotch, and 18 year old hookers. No need to suppose a conspiracy in many cases when human nature can explain it. As to the leftist idealists, a shared world view can account for much without resorting to secret cabals.

    • You don’t have to believe in a massive, New-World-Order conspiracy theory to be disturbed by the militarization of the DHS and police forces around the country. I think it is natural for government agencies to gradually increase their power by default in the absence of good regulation. That is just the way people, and thus their ruling governing structures, work.

      The fact that we are in the middle of an economic crisis and DHS is spending unknown millions of dollars for no redeemable reason or purpose is, in itself, enough for me to question the wisdom of such a move.

      • Again, human nature. Look at the way TSA has become a kind of welfare. You see your government union employee neighbor with a smile on his face, wearing nice clothes, driving a nice car, taking regular vacations and feeling stress-free while you tighten your belt and worry about how you will pay your mortgage next month. Kinda tempting to get in on that too, isn’t it?

    • When you actually have EVIDENCE the Conspiracy ceases to be a THEORY!

      Just sayin’

    • Joel, your diatribe is disconcerting. You are of sufficient age to know better. If you truly believe what you’ve penned, it would serve you well to refrain from further discourse and completely remove all doubts about your critical reasoning. Let me revise that, all doubts are gone. Carry on.

  21. OK, forget all the NWO denial. The NWO is the UN And Obama thinks he is the king, or so he has been led to believe he will be by the world power brokers,
    Kissinger, Brzezinski, Soros and the like.
    Get it now naysayers?

  22. One minor quibble: The DHS wasn’t started by Obama, so it isn’t “his DHS”. The DHS was started by that idiot-who-would-be-king George W Bush.

    The rest of it: yeah, the DHS does not need to be gearing up for war. The stated purpose of the DHS when it was created was to facilitate communication and coordination between the several agencies which now comprise it, as a reaction to the September 11, 2001 attacks on USA soil.

    • It’s been Obama’s DHS since January 2009. He is the President, and all of the executive branch reports to him.

  24. Thank you Steve, and Andrew. Like I said before, promoting these idiotic, paranoid fantasies just makes all of us look like nutjobs and fools, distracting from the very real issues facing us regarding our rights.

    • And ignoring facts in front of you for all to see leads to results like happened in The Third Reich.

      But go ahead, stick your head in the sand and deny evidence at your own peril.

      As for me, I’m preparing for the worst and praying I’m wrong.

  25. I’d like to say something about Rep. Cornyn, he’s one of the good guys, he’s my rep with Cruz and while Cornyn is a rank and file republican, he’s as honest and forthright as they come, I’ve had a bunch of dialog back and forth with Rep Cronyn over the years and even though I disagree with probably half of his stances, I can’t say enough good things about him.

    • Dear Mr. Wiebelhaus,
      I only wish John Cornyn were worthy of your compliment. Ted Cruz on the other hand is and much much more. He, Ryan Paul and possibly Mike Lee are the only Senators worth their salt in the US Senate. I promise you that if you were in a fox hole and surrounded on all sides, Ted Cruz is you man and not John Cornyn. Mr Cornyn is looking out for number one period. He lacks cojones and isn’t qualified to carry Ted Cruz’s water. I guarantee you that John Cornyn will leave Ted Cruz high and dry if he thinks backing him will cost him face or standing irrespective of whether support is the proper road to take for the good of his district or not. There is a movement in the Senate today spearheaded by John McCain, Phil Graham and other seasoned RINO’s to coalesce against Ted Cruz in particular but Ryan Paul as well to show these “little snot nosed kids” how things are done in Washington. John McCain et al have a Ted Kennedy (vomit) attitude and do not like freshmen Senators coming to town with a take charge attitude stealing their thunder so they’re creating disruptive undercurrents to undercut Ted Cruz’s and Ryan Paul’s effectiveness and to the detriment of our Country. But unlike others, Ted Cruz will not be swayed or intimidated by their sophomoric nonsense. Ted Cruz is principled, honest and has impeccable integrity unlike most of the rest. John Cornyn is on the fence unwilling to step up and defend Mr. Cruz against the RINO games and foolishness knowing full well that it would be the proper thing to do. Our Country is in a sad state of affairs and we have politics and politicians to thank for that. Personally, I advocate overthrowing the current ‘administration” for otherwise, I do not believe our system of governing will survive it’s term. Very sad indeed.

  26. Hate to come in so late, but better late than never. I served under a Capt. when I was a 2nd lt. The man had been a reserve officer as the Desk Sgt of the MP unit at Ft Benning for many years, and was a damn fine MP unit commander in Germany. As to the arming of HLS: Why? Reminds me of the Brown Shirts that Hitler formed and used to suppress opposition to his Third Reich. Needs Congressional investigation I think.

  27. FLAME DELETED Nothing prohibits a retired military man from using his rank, uniform, and position (retired) to promote personal goals. He is NOT running for office. You might want to find out what the hell your talking about before you say bogus crap to people on a web site. They may be stupid enough to believe you and get intimidated and stop protesting….. or is that your goal? Perhaps you are working for Homeland Security to go around these blogs ans spew crap like that to intimidate people. Shut up….. fool.

  28. It has been some time since I wrote my letter to Senators Cornyn, Cruz, and my US House Representative Dr. Michael Burgess back in March. I posted my letter to Sen. Cornyn on my Facebook page to encourage my friends to let their representatives in Washington know of their concerns. I also want people to understand that in our nation the constitutional means of changing what we think is wrong in our government is through Congress. I wasn’t running for office; but regardless of what anyone likes I am fully authorized to use my official retired title and photograph in my correspondence (not for the purpose of misrepresenting my status for authority) and social website. Bluntly stated, for those who hold our military in contempt, I’ve earned it! For the intelligence deprived people who want to challenge my legitimacy based on rank at retirement and uniform, I do confess to serving a career in uniform for principle and patriotism. I’m sure that those doubters could never grasp such a concept. My career makes no sense to those predisposed to hatred of our military (even if they won’t admit it). I would not, however, trade a day of my honorable service for a moment of their lives (although I inherently risked my life for their throughout my career). So, for those confused by others, my Army career started as a private in the Military Police Corps in 1970 with my first duty assignment in the Republic of Vietnam. This was my shooting war escorting convoys through the Central Highlands. Later I reenlisted for the infantry and served at Fort Hood, Texas, in the 1st Cavalry Division (1-5 Cav and 2-7 Cav both mechanized infantry). Following that tour of duty I attended college at the University of Texas at Arlington where I was also commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant, Infantry Branch, with my first assignment in the 4th Infantry Division. I left active duty (individual Ready Reserve–IRR) to run for my Texas House District. I was not successful in that political race. I also attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary at this time, though I never finished that MDiv degree. I continued to serve as a reserve officer with the 95th Division (Oklahoma City) until the citizens of this great nation elected Bill Clinton to be my Commander-In-Chief. Since, when I was fighting communists in Vietnam, Clinton had done everything he could to bring about our defeat in the field, I refused to serve him and resigned my commission (captain) effective 19 January 1993. I accepted a call to pastor a church in Colorado. Later, I served as pastor of two churches in Louisiana. Then the terrorists attacks of 9-11 happened. I was determined that I could still serve to fight this threat to our nation. In May of 2002 I finally overcame the obstacles to reenlist meant and returned to reserve duty mobilized to active duty as a non-commissioned officer (again). I was 52 years old, but I was still in great shape and insisted on a return to duty. Following my first mobilization in a CONUS transportation unit, I got a reassignment to a training battalion (1-378 Inf) in my former 95th Division. If the Army was not going to reappoint me an infantry captain I was determined to earn my campaign hat and “This We’ll Defend” pumpkin and go on the trail training young soldiers. They said I couldn’t do it (they had said that before to me; but I never let it stop me). In May 2004 I scored 296 points on my PT test (out of possible 300). 70 push-ups, 70 sit-ups, and 2 miles in 15:15–at 54 years of age. I was accepted and scheduled to attend the Drill Sergeant Academy at Fort Bennington, Georgia. I think it scared the Army to have an old Vietnam vet training a new generation of soldiers. Under any circumstances, they approved my reappointment to Infantry Branch in my former grade of captain (no loss of time in grade). I was almost immediately reassigned to the Civil Affairs Officer’s Course, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. I completed the course in the top 20% of my class and was assigned to lead the Civil Affairs Team for Provincial Reconstruction Team, Farah, Afghanistan 2007-2008; 82nd Airborne Division. A little worn down (at 57), the oldest captain in the United States Army, and educationally disqualified for promotion to the rank of major (no branch officer’s advanced course–CA Course was not accepted and no residency course at USAITC available– I decided it was time to head out to pasture. I am not ashamed of my service, or what I did for our nation and others. My career spans from Vietnam to Afghanistan; enlisted, NCO (StaffSergeant), and officer (Captain)–twice. It isn’t pretty, but it is all honorable. I’m no hero–just an old soldier. For those eagle eye doubters who scanned my uniform to find some discrepancy, you will notice that I was do not wear the “Ranger” tab, Expert Infantryman Badge, Combat Infantryman Badge, or Combat Action Badge. Ranger option was closed to me when I tried to enlist for the 75th Infantry in 1975. I believed that I was too old after my Infantry Officer’s Course in 1983 (Jump School almost killed me at 32). The CAB was not authorized in Vietnam and my time in Afghanistan was, by design, “non-kinetic)–more diplomatic. We never stressed the EIB (which is very hard to earn)–and truth is I was probably too young and stupid to go easement it back then as a young sergeant. The point is, if I was a fraud I would probably be wearing a Ranger tab and CIB–and a Field Grade hat and eagles. Everything on my uniform is authorized and displayed IAW Army Regulations. For you folks who are looking at my right pocket, the unit award is the Vietnam Gallantry DUI with Palm device authorized all who served in Vietnam. Today, Since the Army Green uniform is retired, we are authorized to wear our combat duty unit insignia on the right jacket pocket. Finally, after the DHS letter went viral (through no purpose or action on my own) I was hailed as both hero and devil (as demonstrated in many of your comments above. As I said before, I am proud of my service and my leadership; but this whole episode has convinced me that the people of America cannot be led. Indeed, if Rep. Ron Paul himself were to win election, the next day the Libertarians would turn on him and swear he was a NWO Washington insider just like George W. Bush and Barack Obama. And that is just as true of Tea Party and Conservatives. Unfortunately, the only team that doesn’t bayonet survivors on the political battlefield in America are the Communists (aka Democrats). I’m done. Call me what you want

  29. Sorry for the auto correct on my phone changing some words and grammar in my note above. I should have done that on a real finger keyboard. I also didn’t know how to make paragraphing work on this venue. Word of clarification is also in order concerning Drill Sergeant School. Because I accepted reappointment as a commissioned officer again I was no longer authorized to attend DSS.

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