David We Will Miss You, Thank You for Your Friendship and I Wish You Were Here Again!
Current mood: morose
Category: Life

SUSAN VOYLES
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL ..PUBLICATION GOES HERE
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Posted: 1/11/2008
Modified: 1/11/2008

Army Sgt. Sean M. Gaul, 29, of Reno, and five other soldiers were killed Wednesday in Sinsil, Iraq, when their vehicle was struck by a homemade bomb during combat operations.

Gaul was the second soldier from Reno to die this week. Army Sgt. David J. Drakulich, 22, of Reno, was killed Wednesday when his vehicle struck a mine near Chagali, Afghanistan.
Gaul was in his fifth deployment, serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, after enlisting in the Army in late 1999. He was killed while on patrol in Diyala province.
"Sean loved his job. Knowing the risks, he re-enlisted during his fifth deployment," his wife, Jessica Gaul, said in a statement. "It seemed Sean was a lifer for sure. He did not waver from his responsibility. He always trained hard as he led the way by example. He was focused and determined as he sought out more Special Forces training.
"Sean was a very good man, loving husband, father and true friend," she said.
Gaul was the 57th soldier from Nevada to have died in Iraq, Afghanistan or elsewhere in the Middle East since Sept. 11, 2001.
Gaul attended Reed High School, where he was a member of the JROTC and earned a general equivalency diploma in 1997. He enjoyed martial arts, scuba diving, triathlon racing and fly fishing, his family said.
Gaul leaves behind his wife, daughter, mother, father and four sisters, as well as other family.
Members of the Gaul family said they want to "extend warm and burdened hearts" to the Drakulich family.
Funeral services for the soldiers have not yet been set.
Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons, who had flags flown at half-staff at the Capitol on Friday for Drakulich, will do the same for Gaul on Monday.
"Staff Sgt. Gaul was an extraordinary and dedicated soldier who made the ultimate sacrifice for his country while serving his fifth tour of duty in support of the global war on terror," Gibbons said. "It is with profound gratitude that we honor his devotion and his service to our nation."
The others killed with Gaul were Spc. Todd E. Davis, 22, of Raymore, Mo.; Staff Sgt. Jonathan K. Dozier, 30, of Rutherford, Tenn.; Sgt. Zachary W. McBride, 20, of Bend, Ore.; Sgt. 1st Class Matthew I. Pionk, 30, of Superior, Wis.; and Sgt. Christopher A. Sanders, 22, of Roswell, N.M.
The soldiers were assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Vilseck, Germany.
Gaul initially served with B Co., 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C. and was first deployed to Afghanistan soon after the Sept. 11 attack.
He then was deployed to Fallujah, Iraq. In September 2003, he was sent to Afghanistan with a coalition security forces team to help guarantee free elections. He then transferred to a Stryker brigade at Fort Lewis, Wash., and was deployed to Ramadi and Mosul, Iraq.
After graduating from the Army Ranger school, Gaul returned to his unit, which had transferred to Vilseck, Germany. He then completed the U.S. Army's sniper school before deploying again.

.. I've run rgj_columnist_tag.pbo -->

http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080111/NEWS18/80111079&oaso=news.rgj.com%2Fbreakingnews
Posted: 1/10/2008
Modified: 1/10/2008

In honor of Sgt. David J. Drakulich, flags at the Nevada State Capitol will be flown at half-staff today, Gov. Jim Gibbons said today.

"Dawn and I are deeply saddened by the news of Sgt. Drakulich's death," the governor said in a statement Thursday. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the Drakulich family as they mourn the loss of one of our nation's true heroes."
"We have lost one of Nevada's finest and will remember him for his honorable service to our country and for the many sacrifices he made in the name of democracy so that we may live in a safer world," the governor said. "I extend my deepest sympathy to those mourning the loss of this exceptional young man."
Drakulich is the 13th soldier from Washoe County and at least the 51st soldier with Nevada links to have died in Afghanistan, Iraq or other parts of the Middle East since Sept. 11, 2001.

http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080110/NEWS18/80110066

This is one of my old pieces i wrote a long time ago and i just wanted to put up for everyone!

http://www.packpatriot.com/PDF/vol3iss4.pdf

To Surge or Not to Surge!

Donnell Dike-Anukam

Since the midterm elections have
concluded there has been talk from
the beltway and across America regarding
President Bush’s proposal
from his major speech in early January
on how to stabilize the situation
in Iraq. I’m no expert on politics or
military tactics, but when three and
four star generals such as Generals
Casey, Meyers, and Abizaid talk, I
listen! On the flip side, when you
have a group of politicians who
shoot down every idea and offer
nothing in return, even if you want to
ignore them, you can’t, because you
still need their support.
What should Mr. Bush do now that
he’s got Chuck Hagel (R-NE) and
Gordon Smith (R-OR) publicly abandoning
him on Hardball? The situation
in Iraq is deteriorating (but winnable),
and Iraqi leaders seem to care
more about their own self-interest
than the people they were elected to
represent. Sunni and Shia militias in
Iraq are undermining the security of
the country. And try don’t forget the
five-hundred pound gorilla in the
room—Iran.
With these factors in mind it’s easier
to understand why Mr. Bush doing
he’s doing; you send what troops
you can and hope that we can get by
without reintroducing the draft.
The president, in a gesture of candor
to the world and to the American
people, admitted to a lack of effectiveness
in some key areas in this
engagement. There are those who
would rather rehash 2004 repeatedly
than deal with the problems in Iraq
and move forward. We know that
“staying the course” is no longer an
option. As much as everyone hates
the situation on the ground in Iraq, if
we leave it would make the Middle
East a much more dangerous place.
We need Speaker Nancy Pelosi
and Majority Leader Harry Reid to
stop playing monday-morning quarterback
while pretending like they
care about the troops. The electorate
apparently thought you could do
something to help the situation, so
pick up a shovel and help do some
work.
I can’t say this enough: SUPPORT
THE TROOPS! That means do more
than just bitching about the situation.
Donate some time, money, or anything
to help our troops dealing the
mess out there. Contact your Senators
and Congressmen by writing to
them or calling them, and demand
that they ask for more funding for
armor, food, and supplies. When
you hear someone whine about pulling
our troops out of Iraq, set that
person straight and remind him that
the young men and women are doing
what they signed up to do, their duty
as members of the United States
Military who go in our defense and
risk their lives dealing with thugs,
dangerous terrain, and other hazards
associated with war.
In closing I want to leave you with
a quote that a good friend mine said
to me about being in mess and trying
to fix it “You must take action today,
now and tomorrow.”

Lost In the Woods of Politics:  

About 4 weeks ago I found myself lost in a forest of unappealing and uninteresting candidates for president for the Republican nomination. I had been at this point utterly with fed up stories of one candidate being called one name and other not, and vice-versa. Then the issue of not discussing actual issues or problems but, of the importance of the APPARENT flaw in their character that later came to be true not by pointing it out but, by constantly having the flaw talked about nightly over and over again, or just plain mudslinging and pointing out real flaws of the said candidates. More importantly I couldn’t find a top tier candidate that wasn’t spending time on attacking, pointing out the weakness of their opponents personal lives and, not talking about their own initiatives, policies and ideas. Hell, I was even considering not voting in the primary/caucus season. After all the personal wrangling I decide to in effect take a hike through the messy thick of the forest of candidates.

In this vast and thick forest I have found many varieties of candidates some a tall list of touted experience, connections, and name and financial power; and others that tower over me in areas like charisma, influence and apparent electablity like a giant sequoia. Like a well trained hiker I’ve been guiding my self home by looking through the thick of forest and getting to route or road to get home that way without getting stuck in the awesome scenery of such an immense forest. The urgency to get home to my core values and issues of what I want and believe in and finding a candidate was ever present in my analysis.

A candidate who is as strong as Redwood on Foreign Policy, Experience in government (without becoming part of the machine and negativity and do-nothing attitude of Washington) and Consistency (in positions time and time again), and last and most importantly on Fiscal Responsibility, and Bi-Partisanship (without compromising morals and position for the sake of public/political pacification) and willingness to get things done. Along those same lines those/one who have always seen the willingness to want to change America for the better not just in this election cycle or in the last year.

As I combed through the forest and after thinking I had found my way back the highway home. I would think I had made it but, I had only come upon another something kind obstruction or deceived into thinking I had found the road but, it was a impassible river or a cliff that looked like a road opening. Or worse the forest itself shifting in the wind almost every minute and making the appearance of a road or clearing but, only an extension of its endless and empty self. Finally I came of well interesting conclusion in that maybe what I’ve been looking for isn’t a new untested and unknown route but, a tried and true path that is open, accessible, and as clear as the night sky in middle of the Nevada desert. So in way I kind of guided my way home with the clear and fixed an never changing positions of the heavens.

I have come to the conclusion there’s no substitution for good old fashioned clarity, simplicity, and straight forward people. Those who are to willing tell you where they stand and why; best of all those won’t waver in face of unpopularity, or in an instant change positions out of fear and polls. That’s why after my long arduous journey through the woods I have found myself at the base camp of John McCain. A candidate made of the rugged individualism that is need to face the challenges of our time. At the same time one who does not dismiss them or discount them but, who sees the issue at heart in its totality and know how to deal with it without sugar coating its meaning. A man who’s record and integrity is as strong as Redwood, and his stances as clear as a day.

Immigration and America

 

            The issue of immigration to me is not who owns or deserves this land but who came here in the right way and fairly. My parents are both Immigrants and they came here via 747 in the 70’s and 80’s; they had to jump through all the bureaucratic hoops and starve, scrimp, and save what they could sometimes due to work regulations and had every chance to cheat and break the law to make their life easier. They didn’t do that not because the fear of getting caught but, because they understood the rule of law and that in time they were to earn their rights as citizens fairly and rightfully. So at the young age of eight years old as I myself was learning American history I had to teach my dad as well so he could take his citizenship test. I remember with great pride of watching my dad after he would sweat and toil, after 12 hours at work to come home and read with me and go through his old college history books and my school books for another 5 to 7 hours so he and I truly understood these important meanings and laws of the constitution from why the right to bear arms is so important and the history of the freedom of speech in America, the most important thing we read together is the fact that America had to fight for her existence and growth but, that we all had to give and more importantly EARN our fairshare in culture, in combat, and a lot of other realms of American life to make that the reality of the America we know now could happen.

            What infuriates me most is that are a whole crop of people have immigrated from the 80’s on. Who have unlike their ancestors and American generations prior have decided not to join the melting pot and contribute their heritage and story into the narrative that is America. More importantly understanding (in it’s history and language) of what makes America, America in those very same lessons I learned are so important. Have now taken and abused things that people fought and died for, and feverously demand that no one criticizes them for it and insist that because that they broke and disrespected the same thing that protects them (the laws of the land of naturalization, law enforcement, and civil rights) they should be exempt from it and allow it to continue without giving their fairshare and again insisting and demanding a status of unfair and unequal treatment. Is that what our founding fathers had in mind that if you have not paid your dues, learned the language, and helped your nation you should get priority over those who have? No nor would they imagined or allowed a concern of our national defense get so mired and bogged down on the basis of keeping the back door open to continue this aberration in the name of RE-ELECTION OR POLITICS by many in government. This now is endangering the lives of millions and making American major cities in the southwest war zones for illegal drugs and activities from implements and waste from abroad.

            What is needed now is someone who understands how to tackle this Goliath of an issue that requires the careful experience, expertise, and understanding what’s really at stake without severely harming America’s economy, sovergnity, and security. I found through the thicket of xenophobia, politicking and posturing were candidates offering catch phases and not answers. If they had answers they were incomplete and unaware of the gravity of the situation and offered more problems than answers and had more holes in their plans than the border fence. Where my logic lead myself was to Senator John McCain of Arizona (from a border state and in crosshairs of this battle) and his many attempts at trying to fix America’s illegal immigration problem. He at first trying to find a way to bridge the gap in one fell swoop with his earlier bill with Ted Kennedy and President Bush’s support; found not a lot support and backing for it. He later in course of trying to get the bill passed found that it had a lot of weaknesses and went back to the drawing board. So he tried again and at the urging and consulting of many of his constituents and collogues (and taking a que from guys like: Lieberman (I-Conn,) Kyl (R-AZ) and Hunter (R-CA)) looking at the real source of the problem was in security. Only from stopping the bleeding in, can we fix the problems on our borders and work on enforcement and fair labor issues. The fact that Senator McCain after taking on such a heated topic and took the heat that dealt with and didn’t succeed but, tried again is testament that he doesn’t care about posturing and politicking for the camera but, on resolving issues that are important to Americans and ensuring they work.

            Also Senator McCain understands that fair enforcement of immigration, labor, security and more importantly fairness is what makes the back bone of this country and what he plans to do with this Immigration plan leads right into this that we should have and need not what is politically convenient or popular but, what helps keep and make America what she is; a melting pot of culture, democracy, and prosperity. A pot that can continue growing and getting better by preventing it from overflowing with contaminates than can sour it. Also by holding the line and preventing those who wish ill will and want to come illegally to be prevented to do so and allowing those who wish to follow the rule of law and the time honored route to lawful citizenship to come in and thus, preserving that all important fairness in immigration and law enforcement.

            I do see John McCain standing up and standing with many Senators and Congresspeople from both sides of aisle is to get the fence built and then we can fix the internal issues it makes no sense to fix laws on the inside you can’t enforce because the hole in the fence on the outside is still creating the problem.

            My parents both waited in line and like millions of other immigrants who have done the same there is a sense of disrespect that my dad talks about when he talks about this current problem of illegal immigration and security. In that those who aren’t entering fairly/safely/legally and ducking from the law and financial responsibilities to the government. Hopefully with John McCain in the saddle and his vow to ensure that fairness, security, and strong enforcement in immigration is a priority and preventing this unfairness from continuing any longer.

 

Thank You,

Donnell Dike-Anukam