Posted on 11/02/2006 9:56:59 PM PST by NotJustAnotherPrettyFace
We've been inundated with media requests about the source of the now-famous "HALP US JON CARRY" banner. (I've already done a live shot on Fox News, and given interviews for John Gibson's show and "Inside Edition," which should air later today.)
**UPDATE The MSM catches up.
Even CNN is reporting Troops respond to 'Jon Carry' with plea for 'halp'; while CBS is reporting "Minnesota Guard Members Mock Kerry In 'Irak' Photo", The AP has put a story on the wire, and the Minneapolis Star-Tribune is also catching up:
The photo initially was posted on the website of Milwaukee talk radio host Charlie Sykes, who said "everybody picked it up to the point where it crashed our server."
Sykes said one of his listeners has had regular e-mail correspondence with a member of the unit. "Yesterday morning the listener sent it along to me and I put it on the blog," Sykes said. "It's national at this point. It's huge."
Here is the audio of my discussion with the father of one of the soldiers in the picture.
Here is the background:
The listener who emailed me the picture writes:
Thanks for getting that posted and out. What awesome coverage. Kyle Kuepker was my college roommate... He is in that unit and his commander is the third from the left. He sent it over yesterday to me. Didn't really think this would circulate like it did, but man, how awesome. I'm so damn proud of Kyle and those guys.
Here is an email I received from him a couple weeks ago about all the great stuff they are doing.
He attaches this earlier communication:
Hello,
Once again, I find myself writing an update after two months have already passed - time's flying and I'm not complaining. ...
September was our most active to date. Violence escalated due to sectarianism which seemed to coincide with the beginning of Ramadan. Our base was rocketed through the month with one particular stretch lasting four consecutive nights. Thankfully they're terrible aim and rarely pose much of a threat - mostly serve as a disruption and an inconvenience. Our mission continues unchanged and successful. My company leads the way with fewest IED strikes and most IED discoveries year to date - as well as battle loss $$. Within the 8 companies in my battalion, we've accumulated over $750,000 is battle damage or un-repairable equipment due to the mission - of this total, my company represents $497 or less than 1% - so I'm extremely pleased at our results and couldn't be more proud of the track record - my troops continue to do "The Hard Right".
Civil Military Operations (CMO) conducted since the arrival of the Red Bull; we're in the process of completing a water treatment plant that was started a year ago, built a city park in Al Batha, constructed a water treatment facility/reverse osmosis purification system that provides water to 1500 villagers in Al Fawaz and surrounding areas of the Euphrates River. We've employed approx 100 locals throughout the Dhi Qar province in an effort to improve roadway appearance and remove debris, repaired an existing/inoperable reverse osmosis pump/generator which feeds approx 250-500 villagers in another area, repaired 25 km of road that was previously un-navigable during the rainy season near Al Harza, improved 10km of Al Batha City Center roads to increase access in and around the City Center which should create a short term economic boost to the city by employing laborers from the local area, provided 100 1500 liter water tanks to 13 villages what will store potable drinking water to an estimated 3000 people, replaced an electrical transformer in Al Humady that was hit by lightning and provides electricity to a school and local villages with more than 300 people. Future projects we have our radar on include a medium scale irrigation restoration project to provide water to cropland, improvement of 14 km of Al-Shakarra road to double lane width which is impassible 6-8 months of the year due to road height in low areas, a water infrastructure project expected to employ 1000+ manual laborers which would ultimately support commercial and industrial expansion and to raise a school yard to prevent it from flooding. In addition to these projects we've provided medical training to Iraqi Highway Patrol officers, cleared unexploded ordnance from agriculture areas and delivered countless humanitarian supplies to numerous villages and locals tribes. Every project we coordinate or develop, we put an Iraqi face with - so the work being conducted is by the locals and all the materials come from within the country - which can be frustrating. We (the Army) tries to buy everything we need from the local economy - some of it good, some of it not so good... "In Sh Allah" means God willing, so if the part we bought off the local economy works...it was because God willed it... if it didn't, it's because God willed it... Everything is In Sh Allah, hence the frustration since it seems God didn't want anything that we buy to work??? We ask, "will you come back tomorrow to fix it"? "In Sh Allah" ... see the frustration??
The first 6 months we spent adjusting, refining and adapting to our mission and surroundings. Now we're on the down hill slide and trying to keep the "horses from smelling the barn" (quote from my Sergeant Major) or becoming complacent. Our time for training was extremely limited during our first six months in country - however, we've found our groove for the moment and training has been taking place for about 3 weeks now. "A company that trains during war survives during war". I'm not sure if this is a famous dead guy quote, but I heard our Brigade Commander (COL Elicerio) say it the other day and it stuck, so this is my plan until we leave, which is about 150 days away. Plans are being developed for our re-deployment to Ft McCoy, WI and appear we will be in the area the early parts of April.
November 1st will mark the 1st ever Twin City Marathon (Shadow Race) in Iraq - which I'll make up a team of 4 for the event. I participated in the Tallil 10 mile (Tallil Air Base) a couple weeks ago and averaged an 8:40 pace, which I was pleased for two reasons. #1, I wanted to beat a 9 minute mile pace. #2, I quelled all thoughts of running a full marathon (Sorry Mark, but I think I've only got a half left in me)...
Regardless of what you see on the TV and read in the papers, let it be known that we're doing good things in this country and for its people - and I'm proud to be a part of it.
All for now - I hope this finds everyone well, in good spirits and in health.
Take care,
Kyle J. Kuepker
CPT, AD, HHC 1-34 BTB(FWD)
Commanding
do you have a link?
There probably isn't a link, but during my tour in Iraq, I am sure we were briefed not to publish APO's on the World Wide Web, belive it or not, some of our troops got Hate mail in Iraq, Illlinois Guard recently made my son's unit pull their homepage from the unsecure internet. Can't speak for Mn Guard. It's just something you have to be careful about.
DU has an hilarious thread on this - demanding the soldiers be disciplined because they are getting involved in "partisan" politics! (Other, more levelheaded Dummies are saying, "No, no. Wait till after the election to get them in trouble.")
Woo hoo!!! What I wouldn't give to see that newspaper in hard copy. But in lieu of that, I did go online to find the story and the picture as they published it.
From the Fargo Forum: Guard unit mocks ‘Irak’ remark
Link to "Irak" photo published at Fargo Forum's website: 
In this photo provided by WTMJ-AM radio in Milwaukee, a group of Iraq-stationed soldiers from the Minnesota National Guard hold up a comically misspelled sign mocking Sen. John Kerry’s recent comments about people who didn’t study in school being “stuck in Iraq.” Associated Press
What's astonishing is that any of the DUmmies are showing any kind of restraint or level-headedness - period. The angrier they get, the funnier (i.e. odd funny, not ha-ha funny) they are.
Let's just hope that the fellow workers don't make any kind of attempt to get her fired. That would be outrageous!
Awesome. This is going to save the country's collective arse from Dem control of anything. I've heard countless vets (including Dems) calling in to express outrage.
I don't know why they would think it was political, there's no one named Jon Carry in politics, as far as I know!
I have often thought the same thing.
HOORAH for the 34th ID!!
Ping for Iowa National Guard too!!
Hubby was CO HHC 1/168, in Council Bluffs back in the 80's!!
Love to the Red Bull!!
Thank you very much....Being somewhat of an old maverick and iconoclast around here by not buying into the ideological fanatcism that abounds, I thought perhaps something else was your motivation. I apologize for my guarded approach and appreciate your remarks. I would do those 30 years all over again if they'd let me.
Thanks ;-) I'd saved the image source with the image, which included the web site name: VietNamVetsagainstJohnKerry.com. These folks, the Swiftees, and like-minded vets, well, we owe them for all they did to sink kerry's presidential boat before it could dock in DC.
That is actually a TRUE story! Ignored by the DBM, of course!
I have no problem with them going to Wendy's to celebrate their wedding anniversary as a fun memorial to how poor they were on Anniversary #1. My husband and I were both in college during our first year of marriage and I well remember not having $1.00 to buy a cheap, warm winter scarf that year; I remember standing in the grocery store with a deck of cards in my hand, pondering for many minutes if we could afford to buy them so we could play pinochle with our friends at our home. I have no problem with them enjoying a fine meal later in the day or evening. But why not allow the same media access to the real meal, why not give the proper weight to both events?
AMEN!!!
Haha, exactly what my husband says. ;)
They won't get in trouble either, as most military commanders LOATHE Clinton-Kerry political moroons. Besides, there's old Slick Willie's 'don't ask, don't tell' fall-back policy, if needed. I thank them for their service & may God grant them success in their missions, victory in battle (if necessary) & a safe return home to their loved ones. All true Americans are proud of them (& their Free Speech Banner)!!!
I want my message to get out there. Where do you suggest my video song productions get posted to get the same exposure? It seems that YouTube is the place to get maximum exposure. Although I don't buy or read the L.A. Times, I have occasionally been obligated to advertise a client's commercial property there. I'm open to suggestions.
Why aren't there *more* John Kerrys.
That's what I'm thinking.
Even one more dolt *like* John F'in Kerry & any and all troubles the right might have would disappear.
...overnight. ;^)
Wink, wink!
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