After I took that last photo of him, he flapped away to parts unknown. Maybe some time down the road I’ll see him or some of the other herons that inhabit this area.
You don’t need a zoo pass if you’ve got a four foot wingspan
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Litany of Failure: some MAFB specifics
“Inspectors watched as a security forces airman played video games on his cell phone while standing guard at a “restricted area perimeter,” the DTRA report said. Meanwhile, another airman nearby was “unaware of her duties and responsibilities” during the exercise.”
…
* An internal security response team didn’t respond to its “pre-designated defensive fighting position” during an attack on the weapon storage area, leaving an entire side of the maintenance facility vulnerable to enemy fire.
* Security forces didn’t clear a building upon entering it, which allowed inspectors to “kill” three of those four airmen.
* Security forces failed to use the correct entry codes, issued that week, to allow certain personnel into restricted areas.
* Security forces airmen failed to properly check an emergency vehicle for unauthorized personnel when it arrived at a weapons storage area, or search it correctly once it left.
* While wing airmen simulated loading an aircraft with nuclear weapons, security forces airmen failed to investigate vulnerabilities on the route from the storage area to the flight line, and didn’t arm three SF airmen posted at traffic control points along that route.
* While on the aircraft, one flight of security forces airmen didn’t understand key nuclear surety terminology, including the “two-person concept” — the security mechanism that requires two people to arm a nuclear weapon in case the codes fall into the hands of an airman gone bad.
How could things get this bad? I don’t know. It’s going to take a long time for the Minot AFB personnel to build a decent reputation again. But the Air Force is going to set about doing just that, apparently, with the addition of another B-52 squadron to the base. At first glance, a cynic might think it’s typical of government to reward failure, but I think that’s the wrong way to look at it. According to the article I linked above, they’re going to use the extra active-duty resources to allow for more training. Hopefully that’s the case.
It really does seem as though MAFB’s problems were a top-down issue. The first article I referenced described leadership that was detached from the servicemen. It’s hard to make changes at the top in any government organization, civilian or military, but hopefully the recent shakeup at the top of the Air Force command structure will ripple downward. Oh, and someone please teach these kids how to leave their cell phones behind.
Cold War exhibit at the Heritage Center
I’m not sure how long this exhibit is scheduled to be in the Heritage Center; in fact, I took the pics over a week ago. It doesn’t show up on the State Historical Society web page, but that doesn’t look like it’s updated very frequently. If you’re interested in this exhibit, hang a sharp right as soon as you enter the Heritage Center. It is (was?) in the gallery room preceding the door to the library of the state archives.
Haiku along Highway 1806
Or are those telephone wires?
Sun comes wand’ring past
I highly recommend picking one up…or picking up with one
Two of us got to run that shiny new turbo-diesel VersaHandler (it’s a rental). I have forklift experience from working in my parents’ warehouse, but that didn’t compare to unloading giant steel beams with this thing! It has all-wheel steering, a self-leveling adjuster via rocker switch, and a joystick control for all the boom and fork operations. Talk about a trip!
I have to admit, I was scared silly while running this thing. I was unloading really wide steel beams, several at a time, with my pastor and other close friends working below. I like those guys, including the truck driver sitting atop the steel giving me directions, so I’d hate to drop a beam on any of them! Plus it would be expensive to replace any damaged steel. Thankfully, I didn’t drop or bend anything.
This machine was fun in a number of ways. I have to admit that there was a stretch of time where I wanted nothing more than to get OUT of the cab and away from the stress of wielding those giant beams around on uneven ground! But as soon as I got out of the cab to return to work, I felt a longing to get back in and start white-knuckling my way around the truck again. Sadly, my time in the machine was over. I could spend a few hundred bucks and rent it myself, or $140,000 to get one of my own. Instead I’ll just wait for the next load of building materials to come and hope we rent it again!
A preacher said a while back that there will be two types of people that walk into our new church building when it’s completed. The first type will look around and say something like, “Wow! This sure is a nice place!” The second type will say something like, “I remember when we were up all night hanging that sheetrock over there” or “It sure looks different than when we first started framing out the walls” or even “I remember when so-and-so started painting this room with the wrong color!”
The point is, participation has its blessings. We get to feel some ownership in this new building if we choose. For instance, one of our church members works for the company pouring the concrete for this building. I can’t describe how happy he looked while out grooming the concrete of the slab on Tuesday! It was really encouraging to see. When I first typed up this post, I was excited about getting to run that fancy new loader. But what really sticks with me is the excitement of being part of something bigger. That kind of excitement sticks around a lot longer.
How about a lift?
I used to work for mountain operations at Big Sky back in the 80s. For part of that time I ran a ski lift or gondola, depending on the day. Later on I was simply paid to snowboard…not a bad gig if you can get it! Big Sky runs some of their lifts in the summer for hikers and mountain bikers, and while I know some guys like biking Huff Hills, I don’t think they get to take the easy way up the hill.
One of my mountain bike friends heard the metallic sound of something striking his bike frame as he went down the hill out at Huff. In the instant that he looked down, he saw that it was a rattlesnake that had been surprised by his fast descent and struck at his bike. Thankfully the snake hit the bike and not his leg! I wonder if you can chip a fang on titanium…
Memorial Day 2008 in pictures
I was able to attend the ceremony at the Veteran’s Cemetery out near Fort Lincoln today and brought back some photos for those who were unable to make it. I had wool socks and long johns on, because it was cold enough to see my breath when I first got there and started swapping lenses. I’d even tanked up on hot cappuccino before getting out of the truck. There isn’t really much to say about the sacrifice of our military personnel that hasn’t already been said, and far more eloquently than I’m able, so I’ll let my photos do the talking.
That’s pretty much it. I have other photos as well, but these tell the story of the day pretty well. All this typing has also helped me regain feeling in my fingers; working a camera with gloves on isn’t very realistic! I hope you enjoyed this look at the ceremony and I ask that you take a moment to consider the brave men and women who carry the safety of our nation and our freedom on their shoulders.
Some gave all
As far as I’m concerned EVERY soldier who ever served receives my honor and respect, and not just on Memorial Day. Does a soldier have to die in battle to sacrifice? No, sir. For instance, the day they enlist they give up a lot of their freedom so that they can be prepared to protect ours. They give of their time. Their families do, too. They pay the toll in injuries in training and on the battlefield, many of them career ending. And, yes, many pay with their lives. How great a cost they pay for our freedom!
There are two memorial ceremonies being held this weekend. For a program of the events taking place at the Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery out near Fort Lincoln, click here. Patriot Guard Riders and other riders will be participating. Vice Admiral Jeffrey Fowler, superintendent of the US Naval Academy, will be the keynote speaker.
It doesn’t have to be Memorial Day for a person to reflect on the sacrifice of US military personnel. Having a day to devote to their memory, however, is a special opportunity to make sure that we express our gratitude as a nation. Oh, and hopefully the flag is flying at the North Dakota State Capitol this year. That was pretty embarassing last year.
No homeschoolers allowed to participate – or, apparently to proofread the rules
I don’t actually buy into the stereotypes of public vs. home schooled children completely. For instance, I know plenty of smart products of public schools. But I think home schooled kids should be allowed the same opportunities as public school kids. I remember a stink a few years back about a kid who wanted to compete in NDHSAA speech events, for instance. I’m all for it.
The fact of the matter is that home school kids wouldn’t be sneered at or excluded if they weren’t often 1) pretty proficient, and 2) Christians of some sort. I don’t know which of these is a threat to Subway, but it’s a bit of a black eye in this instance nonetheless.
Just in case they (ahem) make the mistake go away, you can click here for a screen capture of the original contest entry page as I found it.
The Grant Marsh situation
I saw a report on TV many years ago (I think I was still with NBC, actually) that talked about the disrepair of the nation’s bridges. I thought it was a little unsettling then, but with two of Bismarck-Mandan’s major bridges showing such extreme wear I’m between unsettled and alarmed! Thankfully it looks like someone’s on the situation, and we don’t have to deal with the thing collapsing before paying attention to the condition of its supports.
In the mean time, maybe I’ll use the Expressway Bridge. 🙂