Comments for One Giant Leap at http://www.michaelyon-online.com , comment 1 to 42 out of 20 comments http://www.michaelyon-online.com Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:32:55 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/one-giant-leap.htm#comment-20382 The start of your piece (hearing Mr. Armstrong remember the moon landing) brought to mind a small 'snippet' I wrote in response to an invitation to share memories of that date 40 years ago: http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-300827 I read your reports with awe and pride in these Marines. Please stay safe. - Bill Moore Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:29:23 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/one-giant-leap.htm#comment-19745 33 years as Midshipan and Marine Officer and and I was emotionally moved by your observations of the indomitable spirit of the individual Marine. My only regret at 59 years of age is that I am not allowed to serve side by side with my brothers. The next best thing is working as a contractor supporting Marines in battle. Semper Fidelis from Iraq - Ron Sun, 09 Aug 2009 03:08:01 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/one-giant-leap.htm#comment-19615 My husband is a surgeon with an FST in another part of the country. The team is, as you say, prime --the best he's every worked with. This is saying alot given that he's been a surgeon for 23 years, in one of the busiest regions in the USA. Now, he is a full time active duty surgeon. He says he's never worked with so many dedicated professionals who are stellar. It's very true. The quickness in which they can move a soldier from battlefield to a primary FST, stabilize the soldier, then send them on to a larger base hospital, and then onto Germany, Washington or Texas is fast. In fact, in many ways due to the closure of stateside trauma units, it's far more efficient. The challenge is retooling the smaller military hospitals and addressing staff shortages caused by constant deployments and difficulties in getting physician recruits. To their credit, they are now going after MD's with 20 years of experience which is highly needed to give a better mix of just-graduated medical residents. As for the issues soldiers have with long term care from either the VA or subcontracted TriCare providers, this all has to be monitored closely by a willing public. - The Kitchen Dispatch Sun, 02 Aug 2009 15:16:20 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/one-giant-leap.htm#comment-19614 Michael, thank you so much for your recent report. I have a son-in-law currenty serving in the Helmand area. Recently his wife, my daughter was talking with a soldier who had recently returned from there and he told her that he was really glad that he was in the Army and not the Marines. He said the Marines had it really bad over there compared to everyone else. I have had an opportunity to talk with my son-in-law recently and though he admits he misses the shower, he refuses to admit that the going is tough. I am proud of him and all the young men and women currently serving the Corps. Our young men in the past few years have had to endure repeated absences from family but continue to give their all for our country. God Bless them and protect them, and you as well. Thank you for reports. Semper Fi!! - R. J. Morgan, MSgt USMC Retired Sun, 02 Aug 2009 14:18:39 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/one-giant-leap.htm#comment-19599 Michael, This is the first time I have seen your column. Keep up the good work and honest reporting. Your work is reminiscent of the great WW II G.I. reporter, Ernie Pyle. He too lived and reported with the everyday troopers. We seriously need truthful and timely reporting from the battlefield. Unfortunately our main stream media only reports information favorable to our foes. We were winning in Vietnam, but the news media forced the American people to believe that we were lost. The battle at Hue was a good example. Our MARINES are the greatest fighting force the world has today. May GOD bless the USMC and all our servicemen and servicewomen. The patriotism of some of our young tigers is unbelievable. Too bad we can't instill a little of this pride and belief in our christian principles in our academic community. Keep up the good work - Gene T. Elliott Fri, 31 Jul 2009 04:25:59 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/one-giant-leap.htm#comment-19594 After two deployments to Iraq, one to Jordan, one to Israel, One to Somalia, And one to Saudi/Kuwait, I can honestly say that I have not slept in a tent or stayed in a FOB during combat operations. My average weight drop: 25 lbs. My bed: the ground. My pillow: my helmet. Temperature during my last trip to Iraq: 154 degrees farenheit. My best friend: my m4..worst friend: shitty m9 magazines. You rock dude. Semper Fi! --GySgt Felker 0321 - Gunny Felker Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:03:32 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/one-giant-leap.htm#comment-19588 Thank you Michael, my son is one of those in Helmand who is living like an animal. Not one complaint from him as Marines stay focused on each other, their mission and self is last. God Bless you for riding with our troops. It has been a long time since I have spoken with him, so every detail you write is never taken for granted. Stay Safe Michael....you have my support. Laurie VPM Lcpl. Blake - Laurie Thu, 30 Jul 2009 08:28:01 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/one-giant-leap.htm#comment-19585 Great to see you there in "stan" doing what you do best, keep us informed. Thank you and God Bless all those in harms way. *To my marine brothers out there "Livin’ the dream", Keep taking the fight to the enemy They CANNOT win and you will destroy them if/when they fight. SemperFi - danny Thu, 30 Jul 2009 07:42:31 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/one-giant-leap.htm#comment-19583 The Marines are using lessons learned on both war fronts, They have looked back to Combined Action Programs from the vietnam era and are adapting the principals to the wars against terror. (See) capmarine.com Semper Fi George - G Beckerman Thu, 30 Jul 2009 07:10:06 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/one-giant-leap.htm#comment-19582 My son is a Marine deployed in Afghanistan right now and I just wanted to say "THANK YOU" so much for sharing this news and the pictures with us. Our Marines are AMAZING. I pray so much for their safety and for the families who sacrifice so much. It means so much to us to hear stories that support their mission. - JD Thu, 30 Jul 2009 06:53:56 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/one-giant-leap.htm#comment-19580 I started my working career in 1970 in the international credit department of Union Carbide. After about 6 months on the job our department was reviewed by an internal auditor. The auditor was a hardnose and not very friendly at all until he learned that I had been in the Marine Corps. He became friendlier and told me the following story: He had been a Captain in the Army and had been considering making it a career and he blamed the Corps for changing his mind. In Vietnam his battalion had been trying for weeks to take a hill held by the VC. Every time they made their attacks they suffered, what was considered by Army standards, heavy casualties and were forced to withdraw. Between attacks they called in heavy artillery fire and air strikes. The entire battalion was bogged down for weeks and huge resources were spent with no success. It came down to a stalemate. According to the auditor he was in his CP on another hill when he observed a company of Marines land by helicopter at the base of hill. He watched in astonishment as the company formed up in line and started up the hill. Within a few hours the hill was taken, the VC that didn’t escape were all dead, and the Marine company had suffered 60% casualties. He said he was so embarrassed that a company Marines had accomplished in a few hours what his battalion could not accomplish in weeks that he decided there on the spot that he wasn’t going to make the Army his career. - Richard Reilly Thu, 30 Jul 2009 05:39:26 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/one-giant-leap.htm#comment-19578 I would like to thank you for the work you are doing. I give you the same respect that I do my brother's in the Marines. You are on the front lines putting your life in danger trying to defend americans from lies and prop from main stream media. It is impossible to know what it is like in combat unless you have been there but you shed a much needed life on it. Remember there is no safer place on earth than inside a battalion of Marines! Semper Fi ! - Enoch Pashby Thu, 30 Jul 2009 04:09:13 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/one-giant-leap.htm#comment-19577 First time reading your column. (Extremely interesting) I know it is all so true because I lived the life many years ago (50). I can atest to the fact that Marines use out dated equipment. We were using WWII radio gear and eating "C" rats from the 40s. One day I was in the chow line in the field and we were having hot dogs--w/beans, plus some other goods the Marine Chefs had cooked up. Lo and behold the case that the sick looking hot dogs came in was marked in big red letters REJECT US ARMY. It felt good to eat some hot chow for a change. SEMPER FI to all you good men out there - William Axium Thu, 30 Jul 2009 03:02:44 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/one-giant-leap.htm#comment-19575 The United States Marines are the unltimate fighting force for the USofA. As a retired Army Major, I have the highest respect for all of our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines and the difficult duty that they have to accomplish, however, the United States Marines have proven their worth time and time again in past battles and will continue to carry forward the strong Marine training and selflessness in all that they do. - Richard Stamm Thu, 30 Jul 2009 02:46:25 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/one-giant-leap.htm#comment-19492 As a Marine mom and mother-in-law, I can't thank you enough for sharing your experiences and observations with the world about the war. God bless you. - Diane Welker Thu, 23 Jul 2009 08:17:45 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/one-giant-leap.htm#comment-19491 Michael, Please keep safe and keep-up the great reporting! We need your dispatches. Thanks for all your great work from Afghanistan and Iraq. - Tracy Thu, 23 Jul 2009 05:59:03 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/one-giant-leap.htm#comment-19478 The Mi-26 crash did not occur at Kandahar. It happened about 500 meters from where I am sitting in Sangin, Helmand Province. Am surrounded by eyewitnesses; some of these men secured the crash. (British 2 Rifles.) The crash on KAF (Kandahar Airfield) was a different helicopter. There were numerous crashes this month so it's easy to mix them up, but the dispatch was correct. The soldiers here believe it was hit by an RPG, but they are unsure. Some of them actually saw the moments of the crash. It happened right outside the base. Michael - Michael Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:20:48 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/one-giant-leap.htm#comment-19475 "The cause of the Mi-26 crash last Tuesday that killed five is unclear, but a military source mentioned that the helicopter was shot down by an RPG." There's no way that copter could have been hit by an RPG. It hit a berm on take off and probably crashed within the base perimeter. I'm a contractor working on the airfield and saw the smoke just after it crashed. One theory going around is the aircraft was overloaded and lost lift upon takeoff. The Tornado apparently lost an engine on takeoff and both pilots bailed out. I heard the afterburners kicking in and everyone was thinking WTF? Then the crash and smoke. They keep crashing and burning but that's Afghanistan for you. Anyways I've been checking out your dispatches since Mosul, Iraq. You're doing great things. Glad to know we are taking it to 'em. Air Assault! - Ben Wed, 22 Jul 2009 08:17:32 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/one-giant-leap.htm#comment-19472 Great post Michael.......our marine has been on a MEU in the Indian Ocean taking out "pirates".....Hes due back in port soon and is heading to Afganistan in the fall. Semper FI dont worry about your backside. The marines have you covered!! - Carl Wed, 22 Jul 2009 06:40:49 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/one-giant-leap.htm#comment-19461 Any word on how the Canadians are doing? Almost like the forgotten cousin syndrome. - tomax7 Tue, 21 Jul 2009 17:32:50 +0100