Good afternoon from a stormy, thunderous Kuwait! This Christmas morning I probably got out of bed the latest I will for the rest of my time here. It was about 720am when I finally rolled out, the whole time struggling to sleep a little longer because I knew when breakfast time at our dining facility (D-FAC) was. Little did I know that at some point in the last day or two, whoever is in charge of running the D-FAC put up a tiny little sign outside that no one saw with alternate Christmas hours. Breakfast was an hour shorter. That left my buddies and I out of luck and venturing to Starbucks a few yards away to see what they had to offer. My roommate Richie treated us to our drinks. I got some coffee-free strawberries-n-cream frappuccino drink which was good but not worth five bucks. For those who don't know me well, I don't drink coffee or any of that other junk with caffeine in it. Thanks to my mom's wonderful care packages, I had a strawberry multi-grain cereal bar to go with it. Then, I chilled for a while before heading over to our chapel for a 10am Christmas worship service. I sat with my 1st Sergeant and listened to one of the Pentagon's head chaplains give a wonderful sermon about Jesus Christ. After the service concluded, we proceeded to lunch early. Because of this special day, they took away an hour from breakfast and added it to our normal lunch hours. I could now see why. Half way down the serving line, my plate was already full. If you were still hungry after brunch, you are one picky eater. Ham, turkey, fresh cut roast beef, shrimp, crab legs, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, collard greens, and a few other yummy items were on the menu. To wash it down, there was an eggnog station and your choice of sparkling white or red grape juice on the table. I said earlier on Facebook that I hoped I wouldn't be struggling from such a full stomach when I do our Christmas 5k later in the day. As it turns out, I didn't have to worry about that. Thanks to mother nature with all that wonderful thunder and lightning she likes to blow on Kuwait this time of year, the 5k was cancelled and left me a block of time to do some writing. So thanks to a couple curve balls thrown in my day, I've had to hit the ball the other way and make the best out of what life has thrown me here. They close breakfast early. I try some weird Starbucks drink and eat my mom's yummy cereal bars. Mother nature nature strikes again with thunder and lightning to cancel the 5k. I'm writing this blog post and jamming out to Christmas music. When's the next curve ball coming? Who knows but I'll make the best of it and live life.
I don't know when it started but somewhere along the way I learned to make the best out of any situation life throws at you. It could be that I'm just a positive person and like to have fun. It could be that I've been thrown in some tough situations and learned how to make it through them. Being here on Christmas Day is a good example. Although I wouldn't call it tough, there are many places that I'd rather be today than sitting on my bunk writing a blog in the middle of a thunderstorm in the desert. I'm sure most of my family and friends would rather me be home. I'm sure most of America wonders why we're even here. I can only tell you what I know. And what I know is we actually do have a mission and a reason to be here and here's how I'm making the best of it:
I'm making a home where I live. I don't have much but I have enough to live comfortably and be thankful for what I have. Thanks to the army, I have power, cable tv, internet, recreational facilities, gyms, terrific dining facilities, bathroom and shower trailers, a bicycle to ride around, and a roof over my head with air-conditioning.
My family is growing. Ever have to move somewhere, live in a new place, meet new people, and make new friends? That's what I'm doing. I'm serving with a group of soldiers, most of whom I didn't know until a couple months ago. I'm slowly getting to know all of them and befriending most along the way. We have to live and work with each other every day. We take care and look out for one another. Families do something similar to that right? If you look back, you'll probably realize that you have become a part of or made many families throughout your life. For most it starts with the family at home. You have your mom, dad, grandparents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. That grows once you step out of your home and meet new people. For me, I have my rock at home: my mom, older sister, two younger brothers, and a new baby nephew. Then, I have my dad's family. He has two brothers and through them I have four cousins. Next is all my friends from my hometown that I've known a good part of my life. Some of our parents are amazed at how close we are still after all these years. I'm not that old but people tend to go their own ways and lose touch. Next is my Penn State family. These are friends I made during my college years at Penn State from 2005-2010. Even though we're scattered throughout the country, we still find time to keep in touch and hang out when we can. Just like my friends I went to high school with, we started a bond during our time together and we continue it to this day. And last but not least is my Army family. I've probably met, lived, and worked with the most people in this family with many families. I have the family of soldiers I made serving in Iraq in 2004. I have the family I've made in my home unit since the day I joined the Army National Guard back 2002. Now I have this new family I'm making as we serve our country proudly during this deployment.
So as you can see although I'm far away from all my other families, I'm still enjoying life and the holidays with the new family of soldiers I'm serving with here. Sure I'm missing a lot being here. Sure I'll have serious FOMO (fear of missing out) at different times when I'm here and I'm missing something at home. But I have a lot to be thankful for. I'm thankful for all of you who show me every day how much you really care by reaching out to me more and more and sending me care packages, letters, cards, and pictures. I'm thankful for the safe living conditions I'm in. Many friends and family I've talked to can tell you that I've said I will never complain while I'm here. It's true. We are well taken care of and I'm just going to make the best of it and do what we came here to do.
Merry Christmas Fam! Make the best of it and see you soon!
Love,
Brian
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Friday, July 8, 2011
Why PNC Field blows right now and I miss the Red Barons!
Recently with some time off, a couple friends and I ventured to PNC Field and Coca-Cola Park to check them out and scout the Yankees and Phillies prospects working their way up. Our first trip was to PNC Field, home of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. Originally called Lackawanna County Stadium, it was the home field of the Phillies Triple-A affiliate, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons, from 1989-2006. As a kid, my father, being a diehard Phillies fan took me to see them play on a weekly basis in the summer. I remember it being one of the coolest places to go around my hometown of Wilkes-Barre. On any given sunny day, you could pull into the ballpark and find families and other groups tailgating along the big rocks on the exterior of the parking lot. With four or five bucks in your pocket, you could enjoy the game in the metal bleachers down the left and right field lines or for a couple dollars more, you could sit in the orange upper deck seats. Concessions were reasonably priced. There were promotions almost every game. I remember one game they gave away 10,000 free hot dogs. I still have a Red Barons wooden bat they gave away on Bat Day. Every summer, they had at least one baseball clinic on the field where you could get autographs and baseball instruction from all your favorite players on the team. As the years passed and technology advanced, you could watch the game live from a center field camera with audio on any TV in the Stadium Club and get instant replays on the big screen behind the center field wall. Any family or group of any income level could enjoy a night of Red Barons baseball and not put a hole in their wallet. Average attendance was around 7,000 while the Barons were in town. Fast forward 5 years of Yankees ownership and the average attendance this year as of last month is 2,808. That's good for 13th out of 14 teams in the International League. I think I can speak for most of us who grew up in this area and had the opportunity to attend many Red Barons games when I say the present day PNC Field is nowhere near what it used to be when we all enjoyed going there and seeing our favorite local mascot, the Grump.
Here's why:
Ticket Prices: $14 for the green seats downstairs, $12 for the orange seats (used to be the metal bleachers), and $10 for the orange upper deck seats which are only available on weekends. Parking is "free" now.
The Parking is not free. It's included in the ticket now. The Red Barons always charged for parking. It was usually five bucks and my dad would always park across the street to negate that cost. Wouldn't lowering the ticket prices and charging for parking appeal more to the supposed local Yankee fan base? They'd see 5 or 7 dollars for a ticket and 5 bucks for parking. This would make fans want to carpool more. Say you have a family of 5 or a group of 5 friends go up together. The cost of each person in the car to go to the game and sit in the upper deck would be 6 dollars. A dollar each for the parking fee and five dollars for the game ticket. I'm no economics or business major but that definitely sounds more appealing to me. How about you?
Boring Concourse: You walk around the concourse now, you feel like you're about to walk in a funeral parlor. There seems to be less concessions than I remember. It used to very lively. I like that they have Revello's Old Forge Pizza up there now but there's nothing else special or unique that makes you want to wander around in-between innings and see what else there is to offer. The cheapest beer is $5.50 which is not surprising but how about adding a variety to choose from besides the standard selection from your sponsor, Budweiser. I'm not saying import beers from everywhere. How about adding a few local flavors i.e. Lion Brewery in Wilkes-Barre?
Revamp the Stadium Club (now called Legends): On Red Baron Gamedays you were lucky to get a seat in there let alone a window table where you had a clear view of the game. This week, my dad, his friend, and I walked in there well after the game started and got a window table without waiting. The Red Barons used to charge a general admission ticket to go in the Stadium Club during the game. There is no such charge now. We walked in, had dinner, and a few two dollar Buds for the price it would've cost us to buy regular game tickets and maybe two beers. Then the last couple innings we watched the game at the bar. The bartender asked for last call at 10:30, maybe a half hour after the game ended. I'd understand if they'd want to close earlier when the team is about go on the road after the game but they weren't. My dad and his friends always tell me how the Red Baron players used to come and mingle with fans in the Stadium Club after the game and it would be open much later. There was also no game audio on inside during the game because they've been waiting a long time for their audio system to be fixed. There is video of the game on the TVs inside but you can only see the press box view from behind home plate which makes it harder to tell what's going on in the game especially with no audio.
Why is the home dugout on the third base line?
In most, but not all ballparks the home team dugout is on the first base line. The Red Barons were always in the first base dugout. Their clubhouse was right next to the Stadium Club. Now it's the opposite. When I walked out of Legends the other night with my Dad, there were hoards of Phillies fans waiting for the IronPigs to come out of the Clubhouse. I should've walked over to the other side of the stadium to see if there was a soul waiting for the Yanks outside their clubhouse.
Instant Replay No More!
The big screen behind the center field wall that used to show replays is no longer used. It was blank the whole game. The other screen they do use next to the scoreboard is not very visually pleasing either. It gets blurry at times when you're trying to read the lineups and boxscore.
In-Game Entertainment: Average at best
They do a few different things in-between innings to try to get the fans involved but they can still do a lot more. They need to make it a more fun, exciting atmosphere if they ever want the attendance to be more than the maybe one or two thousand people in the crowd when we were there.
Why the Yankees are allowing it to be like this now:
The Yankees are cutting their losses. Even though I think this is a stupid business move, they are trying to make the most money they can during the week by keeping the upper deck closed and forcing fans to buy the more expensive tickets. That way they don't have to open concession stands and clean up after fans upstairs when they know their average attendance won't even fill the seats downstairs. Less concessions means less food to buy and less labor. I don't think I saw any workers walking around the stands offering beer, hot dogs, etc. I assume the big screen is really broke and they aren't going to spend the money to fix it or they won't spend the money to operate it if it really does work. Replacing the metal bleachers with regular orange seats was dumb in my opinion but I guess if you're going to charge higher ticket prices, a more comfortable seat would be nice?
Why are they cutting their losses now?
In May, Lackawanna County officials announced that Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett had approved $20 million for a major renovation of PNC Field. This sealed a deal county and Yankees officials unveiled last November that would sell the Triple-A franchise to SWB Yankees for $14.6 million, ensure the sport's presence here for at least 30 more years, and spend $40 million to rebuild PNC Field from the ground up.
My hope and belief is that the Yankees are saving money in every area they can now so they can invest it all in the new stadium which has no timetable for construction and eventual re-opening. My only question about all this is where is this so-called Yankee fan base in Northeastern Pennsylvania? I told my Dad that I think this area is 60 % Phillies fans and 40% Yankees fans at most. Even if that is true, you'd think more of their fan base would come out in droves on these nice summer nights to support their team who as of today are in 2nd place in their division, 3.5 games behind the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Phillies).
I'll have my review of Coca-Cola Park in the next few days. Hope you enjoyed my analysis, got some insight, or maybe even learned something new. Please feel free to comment or share stories from your experiences up there.
T.G.I.F! Enjoy the weekend!
BMart
Here's why:
Ticket Prices: $14 for the green seats downstairs, $12 for the orange seats (used to be the metal bleachers), and $10 for the orange upper deck seats which are only available on weekends. Parking is "free" now.
The Parking is not free. It's included in the ticket now. The Red Barons always charged for parking. It was usually five bucks and my dad would always park across the street to negate that cost. Wouldn't lowering the ticket prices and charging for parking appeal more to the supposed local Yankee fan base? They'd see 5 or 7 dollars for a ticket and 5 bucks for parking. This would make fans want to carpool more. Say you have a family of 5 or a group of 5 friends go up together. The cost of each person in the car to go to the game and sit in the upper deck would be 6 dollars. A dollar each for the parking fee and five dollars for the game ticket. I'm no economics or business major but that definitely sounds more appealing to me. How about you?
Boring Concourse: You walk around the concourse now, you feel like you're about to walk in a funeral parlor. There seems to be less concessions than I remember. It used to very lively. I like that they have Revello's Old Forge Pizza up there now but there's nothing else special or unique that makes you want to wander around in-between innings and see what else there is to offer. The cheapest beer is $5.50 which is not surprising but how about adding a variety to choose from besides the standard selection from your sponsor, Budweiser. I'm not saying import beers from everywhere. How about adding a few local flavors i.e. Lion Brewery in Wilkes-Barre?
Revamp the Stadium Club (now called Legends): On Red Baron Gamedays you were lucky to get a seat in there let alone a window table where you had a clear view of the game. This week, my dad, his friend, and I walked in there well after the game started and got a window table without waiting. The Red Barons used to charge a general admission ticket to go in the Stadium Club during the game. There is no such charge now. We walked in, had dinner, and a few two dollar Buds for the price it would've cost us to buy regular game tickets and maybe two beers. Then the last couple innings we watched the game at the bar. The bartender asked for last call at 10:30, maybe a half hour after the game ended. I'd understand if they'd want to close earlier when the team is about go on the road after the game but they weren't. My dad and his friends always tell me how the Red Baron players used to come and mingle with fans in the Stadium Club after the game and it would be open much later. There was also no game audio on inside during the game because they've been waiting a long time for their audio system to be fixed. There is video of the game on the TVs inside but you can only see the press box view from behind home plate which makes it harder to tell what's going on in the game especially with no audio.
Why is the home dugout on the third base line?
In most, but not all ballparks the home team dugout is on the first base line. The Red Barons were always in the first base dugout. Their clubhouse was right next to the Stadium Club. Now it's the opposite. When I walked out of Legends the other night with my Dad, there were hoards of Phillies fans waiting for the IronPigs to come out of the Clubhouse. I should've walked over to the other side of the stadium to see if there was a soul waiting for the Yanks outside their clubhouse.
Instant Replay No More!
The big screen behind the center field wall that used to show replays is no longer used. It was blank the whole game. The other screen they do use next to the scoreboard is not very visually pleasing either. It gets blurry at times when you're trying to read the lineups and boxscore.
In-Game Entertainment: Average at best
They do a few different things in-between innings to try to get the fans involved but they can still do a lot more. They need to make it a more fun, exciting atmosphere if they ever want the attendance to be more than the maybe one or two thousand people in the crowd when we were there.
Why the Yankees are allowing it to be like this now:
The Yankees are cutting their losses. Even though I think this is a stupid business move, they are trying to make the most money they can during the week by keeping the upper deck closed and forcing fans to buy the more expensive tickets. That way they don't have to open concession stands and clean up after fans upstairs when they know their average attendance won't even fill the seats downstairs. Less concessions means less food to buy and less labor. I don't think I saw any workers walking around the stands offering beer, hot dogs, etc. I assume the big screen is really broke and they aren't going to spend the money to fix it or they won't spend the money to operate it if it really does work. Replacing the metal bleachers with regular orange seats was dumb in my opinion but I guess if you're going to charge higher ticket prices, a more comfortable seat would be nice?
Why are they cutting their losses now?
In May, Lackawanna County officials announced that Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett had approved $20 million for a major renovation of PNC Field. This sealed a deal county and Yankees officials unveiled last November that would sell the Triple-A franchise to SWB Yankees for $14.6 million, ensure the sport's presence here for at least 30 more years, and spend $40 million to rebuild PNC Field from the ground up.
My hope and belief is that the Yankees are saving money in every area they can now so they can invest it all in the new stadium which has no timetable for construction and eventual re-opening. My only question about all this is where is this so-called Yankee fan base in Northeastern Pennsylvania? I told my Dad that I think this area is 60 % Phillies fans and 40% Yankees fans at most. Even if that is true, you'd think more of their fan base would come out in droves on these nice summer nights to support their team who as of today are in 2nd place in their division, 3.5 games behind the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Phillies).
I'll have my review of Coca-Cola Park in the next few days. Hope you enjoyed my analysis, got some insight, or maybe even learned something new. Please feel free to comment or share stories from your experiences up there.
T.G.I.F! Enjoy the weekend!
BMart
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
9 Years Later...Still Army Strong and All I Can Be!
Nine years ago yesterday, I raised my right hand and joined the PA Army National Guard at the bright, young age of 17. Coincidentally, it was also my sister's 19th birthday so every year since then I fondly remember and celebrate the day. I was going through my junior year of high school when a recruiter by the name of Sgt.J.P. Karpovich gave a recruiting presentation in my history class one day. He had previously called my house looking to talk to me about the benefits of joining the Guard but I wasn't home at the time and said he'd call back. He didn't before the presentation and I called him out on it when he asked if any of us had received phone calls. He gave a good sales pitch in the class that intrigued not only myself but my good buddy and classmate Ed Brown, who joined and served with me. Sgt. Karpovich did finally call me and the next thing I knew I was taking the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test to determine if I was eligible to join. I did. My mom and dad gave the parental consent and I signed an initial six-year contract. As it did then and as I look back now, the decision to join made sense for me. I was always interested in the military. I used to watch old war flicks and talk about the military all the time with my grandfather, an Army Vet who did a tour in Germany in the 50's. I also wanted to go to college but not burden my parents with the cost or put myself in debt from college loans. By being a soldier in good standing in the PA Army National Guard, you have the opportunity to continue your education at many colleges in Pennsylvania tuition-free, and many others at a much lower cost than the average college student pays to go there. You also get a monthly stipend called the G.I. Bill for your living expenses. Count Me In!!! I couldn't tell you how many times during my college career someone said to me how fortunate I was to have this benefit. It required a commitment that initially took me away from my friends and family for two summers. The first summer was after my junior year when I went to Basic Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. The second was after my senior year for Advanced Individual Training (A.I.T) at Fort Gordon, Georgia. This was for the job I'd be doing one weekend a month and two weeks every summer in the Guard for the duration of my contract. After returning at the end of August, I originally had planned on attending Temple University in the spring of 2004 to study sports journalism. Little did I know by the end of October 2003, my unit was being alerted of a pending deployment to the Middle East at the beginning of 2004. My section chief called to tell me the news while I was working at Schiel's Family Market. They were initially looking for volunteers. It gave me a very nervous feeling at first but we talked about it and by the end of conversation I was telling him to put my name on the list. My reasoning was that I'd rather see myself go then a guy who had a wife, kids, and a full-time job. I was a soon-to-be 19-yr-old kid who really didn't fully understand what I was committing myself to. As it turns out, I probably would've have been picked or as we call it "volun-told" to go on the deployment anyway. They needed a certain amount of troops for the mission and I was a young, fit, healthy, and trained soldier with nothing that might hold me back. I tell everyone that my tour of duty in Iraq was a real learning experience for me. It made me appreciate life more than ever before. I learned to treasure the little things in life that so many others don't have or don't even have access to. I learned to cherish every minute with my friends and family and just really enjoy life and make the best of any situation. Whether you are for or against the war, the support for us was overwhelming and something those of us who have served overseas will never forget. One of my favorite pictures and one that gave me more inspiration while I was over there was this pic I found in one of Saddam's palaces. Just like in high school when I went to Honduras to help build schoolhouses and other buildings for Honduran children and later in college when I volunteered to help with the Penn State Dance Mara(THON), which raises funds to help kids fight cancer, I can say that my service there was for a better future for those kids we saw every day waving and cheering for us along the roads of Iraq. Now that our presence there is slowly coming to an end, I just hope that the investment we made in money, troops, and time and the toll on everyone involved especially those who lost loved ones in the line of duty and our veterans who didn't come back the same whether physically or mentally, will lead to a better, brighter, safer future for Iraq and the rest of the Middle East.
By the time I returned home, I had become very interested in government and politics and decided I wanted to study political science. I was also being lobbied by friends from home who were studying at Penn State to go there too. I always loved Penn State but wanted to go away somewhere to school and didn't want to start at one of their branch campuses. While I was finishing up my time in Iraq, I applied to Penn State's Main Campus and with a great recommendation behind it from my high school guidance counselor and friend, I was accepted and started in the fall of 2005. By this time, my friends attending Penn State were all juniors and here I come starting my freshman year as a 20-year-old Army Veteran. Honoring my commitment to the Guard, I made the two hour ride home from school one weekend a month and two weeks every summer to serve with my unit. Although many times it took me away from my new friends, my fun life as a student, and my second home in Happy Valley, I was also able see my family and friends at home more than many other students away at school. During my time at Penn State, many soldiers in our unit deployed again multiple times with other units. They looked for volunteers again but this time I said no. I wanted to finish my college education before committing myself to any kind of tour of duty that would further delay my education and my life.
Prior to starting at Penn State, I went to the Primary Leadership Development Course (PLDC) early in the summer and earned my promotion to Sergeant. I'll always thank my recruiter and great friend J.P. for putting me in a duty position where I could move up in rank very quickly. I have a been a Staff Sergeant since late 2006 and cannot thank my fellow soldiers, peers, and unit leadership enough for their guidance, tutelage, and patience with me during my career. While having been a non-commissioned officer (NCO) for almost six years now, there's still plenty of room for me to learn and grow as a leader and soldier. People always ask me if there's a chance I could get sent on another deployment. The answer is always yes as long as I am still serving in the Army National Guard. While I was in the middle of my junior year at Penn State, my six year enlistment was set to expire. I decided to re-enlist for three more years because I wasn't ready to move on from the Guard and I wanted to continue serving with the band of brothers in my unit and enjoy those education benefits for two more years. I graduated from Penn State with degrees in Political Science and Security & Risk Analysis in May of 2010. In October, unit leadership wanted to know where I stood with the expiration of my contract coming up again. I gave them my word then that I would give them another year. My contract would have expired on this past Saturday had I not decided to extend for a year. With it comes another year of service, commitments, and then another decision to make this time next year. Recently, I was offered another opportunity to work with kids. It sounded like the perfect starter job for a guy with some experience working around kids and looking for his first real full-time job. With weeks of training with my unit coming up in each of the next three months, they couldn't give me the job and I totally understand why. How can you develop a relationship, mentor, tutor, and guide kids when you're going to be away so much? I'm not bitter about it. It's just frustrating like this whole job hunt has been since I graduated. But you know what? I'm not going to piss, moan, and complain about it. I'll get up tomorrow and keep trying like I've been. I'm the one who raised his right hand and signed the dotted line to stay in. Hopefully that decision will turn out to be rewarding like it has been twice before and all this training and whatever else my future in the Guard holds will be worth it. I have no regrets. I hope it eventually leads to the career and life I want. Until then, if you or anyone you know is looking for a military man with limited availability for next few months but much more time to work hard for you in the summer months and beyond, send them my way! I'll be on this National Guard roller coaster ride for the near future but don't let it deter you from me. I can't believe it's been nine years already! Thank you so much for all the love and support through it all and in the future!
Cheers to more service, camaraderie, friendship, family, and fun!
BMart
By the time I returned home, I had become very interested in government and politics and decided I wanted to study political science. I was also being lobbied by friends from home who were studying at Penn State to go there too. I always loved Penn State but wanted to go away somewhere to school and didn't want to start at one of their branch campuses. While I was finishing up my time in Iraq, I applied to Penn State's Main Campus and with a great recommendation behind it from my high school guidance counselor and friend, I was accepted and started in the fall of 2005. By this time, my friends attending Penn State were all juniors and here I come starting my freshman year as a 20-year-old Army Veteran. Honoring my commitment to the Guard, I made the two hour ride home from school one weekend a month and two weeks every summer to serve with my unit. Although many times it took me away from my new friends, my fun life as a student, and my second home in Happy Valley, I was also able see my family and friends at home more than many other students away at school. During my time at Penn State, many soldiers in our unit deployed again multiple times with other units. They looked for volunteers again but this time I said no. I wanted to finish my college education before committing myself to any kind of tour of duty that would further delay my education and my life.
Prior to starting at Penn State, I went to the Primary Leadership Development Course (PLDC) early in the summer and earned my promotion to Sergeant. I'll always thank my recruiter and great friend J.P. for putting me in a duty position where I could move up in rank very quickly. I have a been a Staff Sergeant since late 2006 and cannot thank my fellow soldiers, peers, and unit leadership enough for their guidance, tutelage, and patience with me during my career. While having been a non-commissioned officer (NCO) for almost six years now, there's still plenty of room for me to learn and grow as a leader and soldier. People always ask me if there's a chance I could get sent on another deployment. The answer is always yes as long as I am still serving in the Army National Guard. While I was in the middle of my junior year at Penn State, my six year enlistment was set to expire. I decided to re-enlist for three more years because I wasn't ready to move on from the Guard and I wanted to continue serving with the band of brothers in my unit and enjoy those education benefits for two more years. I graduated from Penn State with degrees in Political Science and Security & Risk Analysis in May of 2010. In October, unit leadership wanted to know where I stood with the expiration of my contract coming up again. I gave them my word then that I would give them another year. My contract would have expired on this past Saturday had I not decided to extend for a year. With it comes another year of service, commitments, and then another decision to make this time next year. Recently, I was offered another opportunity to work with kids. It sounded like the perfect starter job for a guy with some experience working around kids and looking for his first real full-time job. With weeks of training with my unit coming up in each of the next three months, they couldn't give me the job and I totally understand why. How can you develop a relationship, mentor, tutor, and guide kids when you're going to be away so much? I'm not bitter about it. It's just frustrating like this whole job hunt has been since I graduated. But you know what? I'm not going to piss, moan, and complain about it. I'll get up tomorrow and keep trying like I've been. I'm the one who raised his right hand and signed the dotted line to stay in. Hopefully that decision will turn out to be rewarding like it has been twice before and all this training and whatever else my future in the Guard holds will be worth it. I have no regrets. I hope it eventually leads to the career and life I want. Until then, if you or anyone you know is looking for a military man with limited availability for next few months but much more time to work hard for you in the summer months and beyond, send them my way! I'll be on this National Guard roller coaster ride for the near future but don't let it deter you from me. I can't believe it's been nine years already! Thank you so much for all the love and support through it all and in the future!
Cheers to more service, camaraderie, friendship, family, and fun!
BMart
Monday, December 13, 2010
26 Wishes in honor of my BDAY!
Happy Monday Everyone! I hope y'all had a great weekend. In honor of the 5th anniversary of my 21st birthday today, here's 26 wishes for the upcoming year. These are in no particular order. I'm just jottin em down as they come to my head.
1. A full-time job and my own apartment (not that I don't mind living at home)
2. Army beating Navy for the first time in 9 years!
3. Continued career progression in my Army career
4. Joe Paterno announcing his retirement. Love the guy but it's time.
5. Penn State Dance Marathon (THON) raising lots and lots of more money For The Kids!
6. New Nike Shox. Mine are starting to show wear and tear.
7. Penn State Basketball to fire DeChellis and hire a legitimate college bball coach who can make them relevant and competitive.
8. Manny Pacquaio vs Floyd Mayweather!! Please!!! Everyone in the free world wants to see this fight!
9. The Buffalo Bills drafting the next Jim Kelly, Bruce Smith, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed, Pete Metzelaars and returning them to prominence
10. The Atlanta Braves knocking the Phillies off their N.L. East pedestal and making a long playoff run
11. Continued progress in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
12. Republicans and Democrats being friends and working together harmoniously for their country, state, and constituency, not their party
13. The NFL and NBA signing labor agreements with the player unions before it disrupts their seasons and hurts their sport
14. Chipper Jones: Comeback Player of the Year!
15. A Great Big Ten Championship Game featuring Penn State!
16. Continued on and off the field success for Michael Vick! I've always been a fan!
17. A nice, healthy, fun relationship with a girl for this single guy!
18. Another year of safe, clean driving!
19. Lots of fun, career success, and happiness for all my friends.
20. A finalized divorce and current house occupant named Walt (mom calls him Chumley lol) moved out for my mom so she's finally happy and doesn't have to deal with his petty nonsense any more.
21. Many more trips to Happy Valley. I miss it sooo much!
22. A nice blizzard so I can build a snowman and go sleighriding!
23. A new boyfriend for my sister. I never really liked the guy and I probably never will.
24. A 24 Movie! I miss Jack Bauer!!
25. A new parakeet! We haven't had a bird in the house in a while!
26. More good times with all my friends! You guys are the best! Thanks soo much!
1. A full-time job and my own apartment (not that I don't mind living at home)
2. Army beating Navy for the first time in 9 years!
3. Continued career progression in my Army career
4. Joe Paterno announcing his retirement. Love the guy but it's time.
5. Penn State Dance Marathon (THON) raising lots and lots of more money For The Kids!
6. New Nike Shox. Mine are starting to show wear and tear.
7. Penn State Basketball to fire DeChellis and hire a legitimate college bball coach who can make them relevant and competitive.
8. Manny Pacquaio vs Floyd Mayweather!! Please!!! Everyone in the free world wants to see this fight!
9. The Buffalo Bills drafting the next Jim Kelly, Bruce Smith, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed, Pete Metzelaars and returning them to prominence
10. The Atlanta Braves knocking the Phillies off their N.L. East pedestal and making a long playoff run
11. Continued progress in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
12. Republicans and Democrats being friends and working together harmoniously for their country, state, and constituency, not their party
13. The NFL and NBA signing labor agreements with the player unions before it disrupts their seasons and hurts their sport
14. Chipper Jones: Comeback Player of the Year!
15. A Great Big Ten Championship Game featuring Penn State!
16. Continued on and off the field success for Michael Vick! I've always been a fan!
17. A nice, healthy, fun relationship with a girl for this single guy!
18. Another year of safe, clean driving!
19. Lots of fun, career success, and happiness for all my friends.
20. A finalized divorce and current house occupant named Walt (mom calls him Chumley lol) moved out for my mom so she's finally happy and doesn't have to deal with his petty nonsense any more.
21. Many more trips to Happy Valley. I miss it sooo much!
22. A nice blizzard so I can build a snowman and go sleighriding!
23. A new boyfriend for my sister. I never really liked the guy and I probably never will.
24. A 24 Movie! I miss Jack Bauer!!
25. A new parakeet! We haven't had a bird in the house in a while!
26. More good times with all my friends! You guys are the best! Thanks soo much!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
You should never have to take these extreme measures!
Come the end of February 2011, I will have been in the Army National Guard for nine years. In those nine years I am proud to say I have never failed a physical fitness test or failed a body fat taping. How did I do it? I was always an active individual. I always played sports inside and outside school and I never had a problem with going to the gym to get bigger, faster, and stronger for a sport or just to stay in shape. Now I understand this does not come easy for some people because of some genetic or hereditary ailment that you may have inherited or maybe something else physically that you've been dealing with all your life. But before any of you decide you want to make a career in a physically-demanding job where it requires you to maintain a certain fitness level, you should look in the mirror and ask yourself: Can you physically, mentally, and spiritually devote yourself to this job?
Almost every night before I go to bed, I like to read an article or two from the various news applications I have on my iPhone. One that caught my eye last night was an article about how Army soldiers are using extreme methods to meet the Army's weight standards. My initial thought was "are they really going this far?" Then I read the article and remembered that any soldier, whether part-time like me or full-time, who wants to move up the promotion ladder in his or her career, must meet these standards. So instead putting in the hard work, soldiers are looking for easier and faster ways such as liposuction, laxatives, diet pills, and starvation to cut the weight. My question to the soldiers doing this is why did you let yourselves get to the point where you're using these exreme and dangerous measures to show you're physically fit? I can agree to a certain extent that the army height and weight standards can be unfair to some soldiers who have different body shapes. Many male soldiers are bodybuilders who weigh much more than than the regulation at their height. They're usually in superior shape but must get taped every year. I'm not a bodybuilder but I get taped every year because I'm overweight but have a very muscular build. I pass it every time. The soldiers trying these unusual weight loss methods apparently don't have that benefit. Their problem and I see this in some of our soldiers in my unit, is lack of proper nutrition and physical fitness. When I came out basic training and A.I.T. (Advanced Individual Training), I was in the best shape of my life. We were fed reasonably healthy food. We didn't have much time to go find unhealthy food and beverages. We did some type of physical fitness every day and had the option of doing more in our free time. You had no excuse if you were not in shape to meet the Army standards. What changes? When soldiers finish all their initial training, they are either reporting home to their guard or reserve unit or going to their next active duty station. Instead of being fed army food and having that time set aside in their daily schedule to maintain their fitness, soldiers have the opportunity to eat the food they want to eat and aren't putting forth their best effort to stay in shape. In the Guard and Reserve, we train one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer. This places more of the responsibility on the soldier to stay in shape and eat healthy in-between those weekends. How much they actually do this shows up in the results of our annual unit physical fitness (PT) test. Every year I see soldiers return from their initial training and within a year or maybe even months, can't pass a PT test or make weight. This tells me they're not eating the right foods or beverages and they're not getting off the couch. Health and fitness experts recommend 30-60 minutes of physical activity every day. You can't tell me you can't find or put aside that short amount of time in your day to maintain your health and fitness. As for nutrition, I'm happy to see the Army is now starting to include "performance nutrition" in basic training. Soldiers will now learn healthy eating habits and more physical fitness training methods that will help them maintain a healthy fit body for the rest of their lives.
Bottom Line: I know stuff happens in life where you might have a problem staying shape and keeping the weight off but tryin any of these risky weight loss measures is not the solution. Commit yourself to that half hour or hour a day. Buy a gym membership instead of a video game. Try some healthy food rather than fast food. An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away! Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Lay off the junk food. If you're going to drink alcoholic beverages, drink moderately and avoid the late night eating. Drink water, not soda. Eat a multi-vitamin daily. Need more fitness and nutrition tips? Talk to your fellow soldiers and leaders. Take some physical education and nutrition classes if you're in school. Don't be lazy!! The benefits from maintaining your health and fitness are endless. Who said being a soldier was going to be easy? The Army may look at modifying its weight and fitness standards if this become a serious problem but in the mean time I'd take care of me instead of sitting around wining, complaining, and making excuses. Hard work, dedication, and motivation! It's your life, your health, your future. Invest in yourself.
Hope this inspires you!
Peace,
Staff Sergeant Brian Martin
Almost every night before I go to bed, I like to read an article or two from the various news applications I have on my iPhone. One that caught my eye last night was an article about how Army soldiers are using extreme methods to meet the Army's weight standards. My initial thought was "are they really going this far?" Then I read the article and remembered that any soldier, whether part-time like me or full-time, who wants to move up the promotion ladder in his or her career, must meet these standards. So instead putting in the hard work, soldiers are looking for easier and faster ways such as liposuction, laxatives, diet pills, and starvation to cut the weight. My question to the soldiers doing this is why did you let yourselves get to the point where you're using these exreme and dangerous measures to show you're physically fit? I can agree to a certain extent that the army height and weight standards can be unfair to some soldiers who have different body shapes. Many male soldiers are bodybuilders who weigh much more than than the regulation at their height. They're usually in superior shape but must get taped every year. I'm not a bodybuilder but I get taped every year because I'm overweight but have a very muscular build. I pass it every time. The soldiers trying these unusual weight loss methods apparently don't have that benefit. Their problem and I see this in some of our soldiers in my unit, is lack of proper nutrition and physical fitness. When I came out basic training and A.I.T. (Advanced Individual Training), I was in the best shape of my life. We were fed reasonably healthy food. We didn't have much time to go find unhealthy food and beverages. We did some type of physical fitness every day and had the option of doing more in our free time. You had no excuse if you were not in shape to meet the Army standards. What changes? When soldiers finish all their initial training, they are either reporting home to their guard or reserve unit or going to their next active duty station. Instead of being fed army food and having that time set aside in their daily schedule to maintain their fitness, soldiers have the opportunity to eat the food they want to eat and aren't putting forth their best effort to stay in shape. In the Guard and Reserve, we train one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer. This places more of the responsibility on the soldier to stay in shape and eat healthy in-between those weekends. How much they actually do this shows up in the results of our annual unit physical fitness (PT) test. Every year I see soldiers return from their initial training and within a year or maybe even months, can't pass a PT test or make weight. This tells me they're not eating the right foods or beverages and they're not getting off the couch. Health and fitness experts recommend 30-60 minutes of physical activity every day. You can't tell me you can't find or put aside that short amount of time in your day to maintain your health and fitness. As for nutrition, I'm happy to see the Army is now starting to include "performance nutrition" in basic training. Soldiers will now learn healthy eating habits and more physical fitness training methods that will help them maintain a healthy fit body for the rest of their lives.
Bottom Line: I know stuff happens in life where you might have a problem staying shape and keeping the weight off but tryin any of these risky weight loss measures is not the solution. Commit yourself to that half hour or hour a day. Buy a gym membership instead of a video game. Try some healthy food rather than fast food. An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away! Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Lay off the junk food. If you're going to drink alcoholic beverages, drink moderately and avoid the late night eating. Drink water, not soda. Eat a multi-vitamin daily. Need more fitness and nutrition tips? Talk to your fellow soldiers and leaders. Take some physical education and nutrition classes if you're in school. Don't be lazy!! The benefits from maintaining your health and fitness are endless. Who said being a soldier was going to be easy? The Army may look at modifying its weight and fitness standards if this become a serious problem but in the mean time I'd take care of me instead of sitting around wining, complaining, and making excuses. Hard work, dedication, and motivation! It's your life, your health, your future. Invest in yourself.
Hope this inspires you!
Peace,
Staff Sergeant Brian Martin
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
The Fightin' Phils forgot how to fight
I'm sitting here watching the 2008 World Series Game 5 on espn classic and I'm wondering why the 2010 Phillies aren't preparing to at least attempt to accomplish what that team did with far less talent.
The 2008 Phillies roster consisted many home-grown players and role players brought in by then-GM Pat Gillick. Growing up with a father who is a diehard Phillies fan, I saw most of this home-grown talent play for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons, the Phillies Triple-A farm team from 1989-2006. I was so proud to see them succeed in the major leagues and rooted for them like any other raucous Phillies fan throughout the playoffs despite my allegiance to the Atlanta Braves since the early 90's. Their lineup with the exception of Raul Ibanez for Pat Burrell in Left and Placido Polanco for Pedro Feliz at Third, was identical to this year's lineup. Offensively, I considered these swaps an upgrade. Ibanez was a run-producing machine in the American League and continued that with the Phillies. Burrell, one of the those home-grown players, never quite lived up to expectations and was a very inconsistent hitter throughout his career. Polanco was always a great contact, get on base, hit for average hitter whereas Feliz had a little pop in his bat but couldn't hit for average. Their starting pitchers heading into the playoffs were Cole Hamels, Brett Myers, Jamie Moyer, and Joe Blanton. Going into the 2010 playoffs, the Phillies added two elite starting pitchers in Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt to go along with Hamels and Blanton.
The 2010 Phillies had it all! They had an all-star lineup full of veterans with speed, power, and playoff experience. With Hamels, Halladay, and Oswalt almost unhittable down the stretch, the Phillies went 22-7 from September 1st on. They headed into the playoffs with the best record in baseball, home field advantage, and the hottest team peaking at the right time. The Reds didn't know what hit them. They had no answer for H2O or the intimidating lineup and were swept in the blink of an eye. Then came the San Francisco Giants, who won a very close and competitive series with my Atlanta Braves. I predicted the Phils would beat them in six games because I thought the Phils were just too powerful. So what went wrong with these Phils who were in the NLCS for the third year in a row?
Clutch Hitting
The Phillies as a team hit .216 with 3 HRs, 18 RBIs, and 56Ks. Ryan Howard went 7 for 22 with 12Ks and ZERO RBIs. I'm not just going bash and blame him though. Chase Utley went 4 for 22 with ONE RBI. Raul Ibanez went 4 for 19 with ZERO RBIs and was benched in game 5 because he was struggling so much. Carlos Ruiz, a .293 hitter with runners in scoring position (risp) during the season, went 3 for 18 with 1HR, ONE RBI, and 7Ks. Jayson Werth, despite his .150 avg. with risp during the regular season had 2HRs and 5RBI in the series to lead a very poor showing by the Phils run producers. In fact, normal run scorers Jimmy Rollins, Placido Polanco, and Shane Victorino combined for the 11 of the team's 18 RBIs in the series. You're not going to win many playoff games with those kinds of numbers from a supposed all-star lineup.
Lack of Bullpen Depth
Because of the Phillies lack of reliable relievers, Ryan Madson pitched in five games and was working on his second inning of relief in game 6 when he gave up the series-clinching home run to Juan Uribe. Chad Durbin blew a 4-3 Phils lead in his only appearance in game 4. The Phillies eventually lost game 4 in the bottom of the 9th when Charlie Manuel summoned starter Roy Oswalt to pitch with Brad Lidge still in the bullpen and Madson on the bench after pitching the last inning and a 2/3rds. H2O can't do it all. A few more dependable relievers would've helped in those close, late-inning games.
Poor Game Management
I could see what Charlie Manuel was thinking when he went with Joe Blanton to start game 4. He'd had Halladay for game 5, Oswalt in 6, and Hamels for game 7 if necessary. However, down 2-1 in the series and with the known lack of success teams have in coming back from being down 3-1 (my Braves did it in '96!), this is a must-win game. If my ace says he's ready to go whenever you want him to pitch before this game, I'm going with my ace. Who knows if the end result would've been different with Halladay on the mound in Game 4 but if I'm a betting man, I'd bet that Halladay would've given the Phils at least 6 or 7 solid innings and they wouldn't have had to use Chad Durbin early in relief or have to go with Roy Oswalt to pitch the ninth. I didn't like Manuel's decision to go with Oswalt in the ninth either. He should've went with Lidge in his normal ninth inning spot and then went to Oswalt or another well rested starter or reliever if it went to extras.
Ben Francisco is your pinch-hitter with runners in scoring position and one out in game 6? This just shows how weak their bench really was. His other options were Ross Gload, Domonic Brown, Wilson Valdez, and the veteran former RBI machine Mike Sweeney. Francisco was never a run producer. Brown is rookie who was just called up in September. Valdez is known for his slick fielding. I'd have went with Sweeney who had a hit in his only previous at bat in the series. He was enjoying his first postseason in his long career. He would've loved getting this opportunity to drive in the go-ahead run. Coulda, shoulda, maybe woulda! The Phillies will have to improve in these areas if they want to live up to their potential.
Looking Ahead to 2011
The Phillies need to shore up their bullpen whether it comes from their farm system, free agency, or via trade. Their four postseason starters are back. Kyle Kendrick, who shared the fifth spot with Jamie Moyer during the regular season, is eligible for salary arbitration. Moyer is a free agent. Kendrick is still young and could be brought back for a one year trial and another year under the tutelage of pitching coach Rich Dubee. Despite some success earlier in the year, I wouldn't give the ageless wonder Moyer more than a minor league deal and invite to spring training to tutor and compete with the Phillies young pitchers.
Besides Jayson Werth who is a free agent, the rest of the Phillies lineup is signed through next year. I highly doubt they can afford to keep Werth with Scott BorASS as his agent. The Phillies want to keep Werth and he would like to stay but Boras is known to persuade his clients to try the open market first. He's also known to be a tough negotiator and I don't think the Phillies' offer will be match what Boras thinks Jayson is worth. As a cheaper alternative, Baseball America's no. 1 prospect Domonic Brown is also waiting for his turn at the major league level. The Phillies have mentioned possibly using him in a platoon role with Ben Francisco in right field next year. Werth is a great talent but I see the Phils going a different direction and giving Brown his chance along with an opporunity for Ben Francisco to show what he could do with more playing time than he's had the last two years. I also see them bringing in another veteran outfielder or two to spring training to push and compete with them.
I can't wait for next year. I'm hoping for another to another pennant race between the Phils and Braves! Until then, I will be watching the World Series because I love baseball but not with as much interest. I'm picking the Rangers because I love their team, their potent offense, and clutch pitching. Let's see if the Giants prove me wrong again and shut down another powerful lineup.
The 2008 Phillies roster consisted many home-grown players and role players brought in by then-GM Pat Gillick. Growing up with a father who is a diehard Phillies fan, I saw most of this home-grown talent play for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons, the Phillies Triple-A farm team from 1989-2006. I was so proud to see them succeed in the major leagues and rooted for them like any other raucous Phillies fan throughout the playoffs despite my allegiance to the Atlanta Braves since the early 90's. Their lineup with the exception of Raul Ibanez for Pat Burrell in Left and Placido Polanco for Pedro Feliz at Third, was identical to this year's lineup. Offensively, I considered these swaps an upgrade. Ibanez was a run-producing machine in the American League and continued that with the Phillies. Burrell, one of the those home-grown players, never quite lived up to expectations and was a very inconsistent hitter throughout his career. Polanco was always a great contact, get on base, hit for average hitter whereas Feliz had a little pop in his bat but couldn't hit for average. Their starting pitchers heading into the playoffs were Cole Hamels, Brett Myers, Jamie Moyer, and Joe Blanton. Going into the 2010 playoffs, the Phillies added two elite starting pitchers in Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt to go along with Hamels and Blanton.
The 2010 Phillies had it all! They had an all-star lineup full of veterans with speed, power, and playoff experience. With Hamels, Halladay, and Oswalt almost unhittable down the stretch, the Phillies went 22-7 from September 1st on. They headed into the playoffs with the best record in baseball, home field advantage, and the hottest team peaking at the right time. The Reds didn't know what hit them. They had no answer for H2O or the intimidating lineup and were swept in the blink of an eye. Then came the San Francisco Giants, who won a very close and competitive series with my Atlanta Braves. I predicted the Phils would beat them in six games because I thought the Phils were just too powerful. So what went wrong with these Phils who were in the NLCS for the third year in a row?
Clutch Hitting
The Phillies as a team hit .216 with 3 HRs, 18 RBIs, and 56Ks. Ryan Howard went 7 for 22 with 12Ks and ZERO RBIs. I'm not just going bash and blame him though. Chase Utley went 4 for 22 with ONE RBI. Raul Ibanez went 4 for 19 with ZERO RBIs and was benched in game 5 because he was struggling so much. Carlos Ruiz, a .293 hitter with runners in scoring position (risp) during the season, went 3 for 18 with 1HR, ONE RBI, and 7Ks. Jayson Werth, despite his .150 avg. with risp during the regular season had 2HRs and 5RBI in the series to lead a very poor showing by the Phils run producers. In fact, normal run scorers Jimmy Rollins, Placido Polanco, and Shane Victorino combined for the 11 of the team's 18 RBIs in the series. You're not going to win many playoff games with those kinds of numbers from a supposed all-star lineup.
Lack of Bullpen Depth
Because of the Phillies lack of reliable relievers, Ryan Madson pitched in five games and was working on his second inning of relief in game 6 when he gave up the series-clinching home run to Juan Uribe. Chad Durbin blew a 4-3 Phils lead in his only appearance in game 4. The Phillies eventually lost game 4 in the bottom of the 9th when Charlie Manuel summoned starter Roy Oswalt to pitch with Brad Lidge still in the bullpen and Madson on the bench after pitching the last inning and a 2/3rds. H2O can't do it all. A few more dependable relievers would've helped in those close, late-inning games.
Poor Game Management
I could see what Charlie Manuel was thinking when he went with Joe Blanton to start game 4. He'd had Halladay for game 5, Oswalt in 6, and Hamels for game 7 if necessary. However, down 2-1 in the series and with the known lack of success teams have in coming back from being down 3-1 (my Braves did it in '96!), this is a must-win game. If my ace says he's ready to go whenever you want him to pitch before this game, I'm going with my ace. Who knows if the end result would've been different with Halladay on the mound in Game 4 but if I'm a betting man, I'd bet that Halladay would've given the Phils at least 6 or 7 solid innings and they wouldn't have had to use Chad Durbin early in relief or have to go with Roy Oswalt to pitch the ninth. I didn't like Manuel's decision to go with Oswalt in the ninth either. He should've went with Lidge in his normal ninth inning spot and then went to Oswalt or another well rested starter or reliever if it went to extras.
Ben Francisco is your pinch-hitter with runners in scoring position and one out in game 6? This just shows how weak their bench really was. His other options were Ross Gload, Domonic Brown, Wilson Valdez, and the veteran former RBI machine Mike Sweeney. Francisco was never a run producer. Brown is rookie who was just called up in September. Valdez is known for his slick fielding. I'd have went with Sweeney who had a hit in his only previous at bat in the series. He was enjoying his first postseason in his long career. He would've loved getting this opportunity to drive in the go-ahead run. Coulda, shoulda, maybe woulda! The Phillies will have to improve in these areas if they want to live up to their potential.
Looking Ahead to 2011
The Phillies need to shore up their bullpen whether it comes from their farm system, free agency, or via trade. Their four postseason starters are back. Kyle Kendrick, who shared the fifth spot with Jamie Moyer during the regular season, is eligible for salary arbitration. Moyer is a free agent. Kendrick is still young and could be brought back for a one year trial and another year under the tutelage of pitching coach Rich Dubee. Despite some success earlier in the year, I wouldn't give the ageless wonder Moyer more than a minor league deal and invite to spring training to tutor and compete with the Phillies young pitchers.
Besides Jayson Werth who is a free agent, the rest of the Phillies lineup is signed through next year. I highly doubt they can afford to keep Werth with Scott BorASS as his agent. The Phillies want to keep Werth and he would like to stay but Boras is known to persuade his clients to try the open market first. He's also known to be a tough negotiator and I don't think the Phillies' offer will be match what Boras thinks Jayson is worth. As a cheaper alternative, Baseball America's no. 1 prospect Domonic Brown is also waiting for his turn at the major league level. The Phillies have mentioned possibly using him in a platoon role with Ben Francisco in right field next year. Werth is a great talent but I see the Phils going a different direction and giving Brown his chance along with an opporunity for Ben Francisco to show what he could do with more playing time than he's had the last two years. I also see them bringing in another veteran outfielder or two to spring training to push and compete with them.
I can't wait for next year. I'm hoping for another to another pennant race between the Phils and Braves! Until then, I will be watching the World Series because I love baseball but not with as much interest. I'm picking the Rangers because I love their team, their potent offense, and clutch pitching. Let's see if the Giants prove me wrong again and shut down another powerful lineup.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Do Ask, Do Tell and I'd Still Be Proud to Serve Our Country With You
I'm not a gay rights activist or speaking on behalf of anybody but myself. I'm just a military man with an opinion and here's my view homosexuals in the military:
Why Not?
On December 21, 1993, the Clinton Administration issued Defense Directive 1304.26. In its provisions on homosexual conduct it states that a person's sexual orientation is considered a PERSONAL and PRIVATE matter, and is not a bar to service entry or continued service unless manifested by homosexual conduct. Applicants for enlistment, appointment, or induction shall not be asked to or required to reveal whether they are heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual and also will not be asked or required to reveal whether they have engaged in homosexual conduct, unless independent evidence is received indicating that an applicant engaged in such conduct or unless the applicant volunteers a statement that he or she is a homosexual or bisexual, or words to that effect. This is what became known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
I highlighted the words personal and private because that's exactly what this is. It's personal. It's private. It's your way of life and who you are away from work place. At work, everyone should go about their job in a professional manner. Whether someone is gay, straight, bi, or no preference whatsoever should not affect your ability to do your job or work together with anyone. It's the same way in the military. When you put on that uniform, you are expected to live up to and abide by all the values that come with it. In the Army, they are Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage. Shouldn't any able person who has all these values and wants to serve their country be allowed to freely? Why not I say. If he or she can meet all the requirements to be a professional soldier regardless of sexual orientation, why can't they stand next to me in a foxhole and defend our country? Right now in the military if you state that you are gay or evidence is found that shows you are, you will be kicked out. It doesn't matter if you are one of the best in your unit or the next aspiring leader being groomed at West Point like Katie Miller. Being gay is a No Go. But yet I see these stories of soldiers who have served overseas or have served in units where everyone knew they were gay, getting discharged after openly saying they were gay. You serve your country on the frontlines for a year or two and then upon coming home and the military later finding out your sexual preference, their thanks for your service is kicking you out???? How about a big thank you, a pat on the back, a hug, or a promotion like everyone else receives for a job well done?
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was a policy compromise. Clinton wanted the entire ban lifted while others wanted the ban to remain in effect. I'm all about compromises and sides giving a little to get a little but this compromise just isn't working in today's world. It should be either allow people of all sexual orientations in or only heterosexuals. I'm in favor of eliminating "Don't Ask, Don't Tell. I'd much rather know that someone is gay than trying to guess and then seeing all rumors going around a unit and all the drama that goes with that. I'd also rather not see a fellow comrade who served our nation proudly be kicked out because he is gay. Supporters of the ban believe having homosexuals in the military affects troop morale and unit cohesion. Well what do you think happens to troop morale and unit cohesion when you discharge a soldier who is a great leader, person, and one of the best at his job because he is gay? As long as being gay does not affect you being able to do your job and work well with others in uniform, you should be able raise your right hand and serve your country. If the soldier gets out of hand with his or her sexual desires, he or she should be handled accordlingly by a supervisor and counseled. If their advances become a serious problem, then the next step is reporting them and tried under Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) where they can reprimanded and charged with a crime just like any other soldier. You've desegregated the military. You've allowed women to serve in many more prominent roles in the military. In an everchanging world, it's time to adjust fire again and allow the best and brightest regardless of sexual orientation, serve our country openly, proudly, and without fear of being who they are.
Why Not?
On December 21, 1993, the Clinton Administration issued Defense Directive 1304.26. In its provisions on homosexual conduct it states that a person's sexual orientation is considered a PERSONAL and PRIVATE matter, and is not a bar to service entry or continued service unless manifested by homosexual conduct. Applicants for enlistment, appointment, or induction shall not be asked to or required to reveal whether they are heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual and also will not be asked or required to reveal whether they have engaged in homosexual conduct, unless independent evidence is received indicating that an applicant engaged in such conduct or unless the applicant volunteers a statement that he or she is a homosexual or bisexual, or words to that effect. This is what became known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
I highlighted the words personal and private because that's exactly what this is. It's personal. It's private. It's your way of life and who you are away from work place. At work, everyone should go about their job in a professional manner. Whether someone is gay, straight, bi, or no preference whatsoever should not affect your ability to do your job or work together with anyone. It's the same way in the military. When you put on that uniform, you are expected to live up to and abide by all the values that come with it. In the Army, they are Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage. Shouldn't any able person who has all these values and wants to serve their country be allowed to freely? Why not I say. If he or she can meet all the requirements to be a professional soldier regardless of sexual orientation, why can't they stand next to me in a foxhole and defend our country? Right now in the military if you state that you are gay or evidence is found that shows you are, you will be kicked out. It doesn't matter if you are one of the best in your unit or the next aspiring leader being groomed at West Point like Katie Miller. Being gay is a No Go. But yet I see these stories of soldiers who have served overseas or have served in units where everyone knew they were gay, getting discharged after openly saying they were gay. You serve your country on the frontlines for a year or two and then upon coming home and the military later finding out your sexual preference, their thanks for your service is kicking you out???? How about a big thank you, a pat on the back, a hug, or a promotion like everyone else receives for a job well done?
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was a policy compromise. Clinton wanted the entire ban lifted while others wanted the ban to remain in effect. I'm all about compromises and sides giving a little to get a little but this compromise just isn't working in today's world. It should be either allow people of all sexual orientations in or only heterosexuals. I'm in favor of eliminating "Don't Ask, Don't Tell. I'd much rather know that someone is gay than trying to guess and then seeing all rumors going around a unit and all the drama that goes with that. I'd also rather not see a fellow comrade who served our nation proudly be kicked out because he is gay. Supporters of the ban believe having homosexuals in the military affects troop morale and unit cohesion. Well what do you think happens to troop morale and unit cohesion when you discharge a soldier who is a great leader, person, and one of the best at his job because he is gay? As long as being gay does not affect you being able to do your job and work well with others in uniform, you should be able raise your right hand and serve your country. If the soldier gets out of hand with his or her sexual desires, he or she should be handled accordlingly by a supervisor and counseled. If their advances become a serious problem, then the next step is reporting them and tried under Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) where they can reprimanded and charged with a crime just like any other soldier. You've desegregated the military. You've allowed women to serve in many more prominent roles in the military. In an everchanging world, it's time to adjust fire again and allow the best and brightest regardless of sexual orientation, serve our country openly, proudly, and without fear of being who they are.
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