Minnesota unit created 'Halp us Jon Carry' sign

Minneapolis Star Tribune ^ | 11/02/2006 | Bob von Sternberg

[UB355]

Minnesota unit created 'Halp us Jon Carry' sign Members of a unit under the command of the Minnesota National Guard turn out to be the creators of an intentionally misspelled sign that takes a mocking shot at Sen. John Kerry. Bob von Sternberg, Star Tribune Members of a unit under the command of the Minnesota National Guard turn out to be the creators of an intentionally misspelled sign that takes a mocking shot at Sen. John Kerry. The sign, painted in thick, blue letters across a white banner says, "Halp us Jon Carry - We R stuck hear n Irak." The picture of the sign, held by eight soldiers, has raced across the Web and on TV newscasts for the past two days. Power Line, the Twin Cities-based conservative blog dubbed the soldiers "our hometown heroes of the Minnesota National Guard." Late this morning Lt. Col. Kevin Olson, a spokesman for the Minnesota National Guard, said the "Red Bull" logo and the number on the bumper of the truck "1-34" indicate that the soldiers in the picture are under the command of a Minnesota unit. "All symptoms are there that they're from our base in Bloomington," Olson said. About 2,600 Minnesota Guard members have been deployed to Iraq and attached to the 1/34 Brigade Troops Battalion, which has a total of 5,000 troops in the war zone.

[maggief]

Late this morning Lt. Col. Kevin Olson, a spokesman for the Minnesota National Guard, said the "Red Bull" logo and the number on the bumper of the truck "1-34" indicate that the soldiers in the picture are under the command of a Minnesota unit.

"All symptoms are there that they're from our base in Bloomington," Olson said.

About 2,600 Minnesota Guard members have been deployed to Iraq and attached to the 1/34 Brigade Troops Battalion, which has a total of 5,000 troops in the war zone.

It is impossible, however, to say whether any of the eight soldiers in the photo are Minnesotans, because the unit also has soldiers from five other states, Olson said.

WCCO reported that Major Jay Adams, chief of public affairs with the 13 Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) and Logistics Support Area Anaconda, confirmed the soldiers holding the banner in the photo are members of the 1/34th.

[elcid1970]

"article 15s by some a$$ kissing commander"

Boy have you got that right. I'll bet now that those soldiers' unit is known, sKerry's staff is hounding the chain of command with angry emails:

"Those people are soldiers and are forbidden to make any public political statement! Especially one which denigrates an elected Federal officer! A full investigation is demanded, and right now! If not, there will be consequences!"

Don't rule it out.

):^(

[elcid1970]

"[Drudge] has taken the picture down."

So who threatened Drudge?

[elcid1970]

Me too, the link is gone.

So who threatened the newspaper?

[MplsSteve]

WELCOME TO FREE REPUBLIC'S MINNESOTA PING LIST!!!

45 MEMBERS & GROWING...!!!

LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT ON OR OFF THIS LIST!!!

[PhiKapMom]

The link at #18 works for the paper!

[jaycee]

I WANT ON~~~

[Clintonfatigued]

Good for the soldiers.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Please add me to your MN ping list. I don't live there, but I visit a lot and have a lot of friends who live in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area.

[Starwolf]

Was the picture actually taken in Iraq, Ive heard some people questioning the trees and the railroad in the backdrop

[MNbelle]

Thanks for the ping, Steve. Some well deserved notoriety for our great National Guard members. I'm sure it greatly irritates the Red Star to have to cover this as well as the very liberal St. Cloud Times. One of the guys in the picture is from St. Cloud. He's a police sgt. and emailed the Police Chief in St. Cloud and verified that he is in that picture. The Chief commented that the Sgt. has a college degree.

[nutmeg]

ping!

Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my ‘miscellaneous’ ping list.

[jurroppi1]

Please add me to the ping list.

As an aside...
My Son is in the National Guard and he will probably be deployed in the next six months or so. He's still a senior in high school, but will graduate early (the ex and I decided to hold him back a year because his b-day is after school starts). Anyhow, I showed him the comments "Carry" made and the follow up late term abortion of an apology he made - before he made the more seemingly sincere apology to anyone that was offended by misconstruing his words.

His immediate reaction was "what a jacka$$". He sent it (a link from FR) on to a friend in the guard, and as far as I know it went on from there. At any rate, I ramble... The basic take he had on it was the same as mine... If it really was a gaffe, then Kerry should've immediately stated so and apologized for the conclusion hey laid bare for all to come to, and stated he really meant his criticism for the president and not the troops.

At that point the American people could wrestle with the fact that they have a member of the senate - a junior member no less, that was tearing at the president during a time of war, openly and in plain view of the public simply for political gain. That should've been that, but Kerry had to appear tough so the moon-bat base would trust him again, and that looks like it was all for naught anyway.

What a long strange trip indeed.

[3AngelaD]

Sorry, I do not know for sure. But my understanding was that thay are in Iraq. One of the news stories said when they had been deployed. Of course, I guess it could be part of the NG unit that hasn't been deployed yet. I really don't think it makes much difference, they made their point very well.

[Ciexyz]

May the Lord bless and keep these fine soldiers safe.