USO Canteen FReeper Style ~ Marine Corps Separation Temporary Policy Change ~ January 10, 2003

WASHINGTON: Preparing for possible war against Iraq, the Marine Corps has taken the unusual step of stopping all Marines from leaving the service for the coming 12 months, officials said Thursday.

The decision was announced to all Marines in an internal message Tuesday from Gen. James Jones, the Marine Corps commandant. He said it applies to active-duty as well as reserve Marines and is effective Jan. 15 through Jan. 31, 2004.

The last time the Marines took this action, known as "stop-loss," was during the buildup to the 1991 Gulf War, said Capt. Gabrielle Chapin, a spokeswoman at the Combat Development Command at Quantico, Va.

Although the order applies to the entire Marine Corps, which has 173,000 men and women on active duty and 100,000 in the reserves, some exceptions can be made, including for those who already have a retirement date of April 1 or earlier. Commanders also can consider exceptions for personal hardship and other circumstances.

Separately, 125 Marine Corps reservists with Company A, 8th Tank Battalion, based at Fort Knox, Ky., were reporting for active duty Thursday. Sgt. Maj. Timothy J. Didas of the 8th battalion said in a telephone interview that the reservists are to report to the 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune, N.C., on Friday.

Another 20 reservists in support positions with the 8th battalion, including cooks, radio operators and motor vehicle repairmen are being mobilized from bases in New York, Kentucky, South Carolina and Miami along with Company A, Didas said.

Didas said he had no information on whether the reservists were going to deploy to the Persian Gulf area. During the buildup to the 1991 Gulf War the entire 8th Tank Battalion was activated and deployed to the Gulf.

Last fall the Army issued "stop loss" orders for nearly all its Special Forces soldiers, who are heavily engaged in the war in Afghanistan, although the action did not apply to the rest of the force. The Marines are the only ones to apply a "stop loss" action to all service members.

In addition to the approximately 1,000 Marines from the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force who recently arrived in Kuwait in anticipation of a possible war against Iraq, thousands more are either heading to the Gulf region from U.S. bases or are preparing to do so in coming weeks.

Specific figures are classified, but Jones said Wednesday in remarks at the National Press Club that if there is a war in Iraq, the Marines likely would contribute between 65,000 and 75,000 troops – mostly from the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton, Calif.

The Pentagon's Iraq war plan calls for the use of up to 250,000 troops from all services.

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE! TGIF!

A big THANK YOU! to all our fantastic troops, veterans, and allies wherever you may be right now. I hate to think what this country would be like if not for your efforts and sacrifices in your duty to the USA!

Hmmmm. Things are looking serious-er and serious-er every day and this move by the Marine Corps says a lot about just how serious. May God watch over our troops and keep them safe in whatever lies ahead.

I've got a lot of catching up to do when I wake up later today...two threads! Glass work kept me away yesterday. When I checked my "troop e-mailbox" a few minutes ago, these guys were waiting to join Aeronaut in his morning flyover at the Canteen. This pic is courtesy of one of my newfound buddies on the "Connie".

WAAAAAAHOOOOOO!!!!!

Now how am I supposed to sleep after something like this!! LOL! Easily....just close my eyes. I'll see y'all later. Good "night" and HUGS for all!

Today's classic warship, USS Illinois (BB-7)

Illinois class battleship
Displacement. 11,565
Length. 368'
Beam. 72'3"
Draft. 23'6"
Complement. 660
Speed. 17 k.
Armament. 4 13", 14 6", 16 6-pdr., 6 1-pdr., 4 tt.

USS Illinois (BB-7) was laid down 10 February 1897. by the Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Va., launched 4 October 1898; sponsored by Miss Nancy Leiter; and commissioned 16 September 1901, Captain G. A. Converse in command.

After shakedown and training in Chesapeake Bay, the new battleship sailed 20 November 1901 for Algiers, La., where she was used to test a new floating dry dock. She returned to Newport News in January 1902 and from 15 to 28 February Illinois served as flagship for Rear Admiral R. D. Evans during the reception for Prince Henry of Prussia. Bearing the flag of Rear Admiral A. S. Crowninshield, the battleship departed New York 30 April 1902 and arrived Naples 18 May, where the Admiral took co mmand of the European Squadron. Illinois carried out training and ceremonial duties until 14 July 1902, when she grounded in the harbor of Christiana, Norway, and had to return to England for repairs. She remained at Chatham until 1 September 1902, then proceeded to the Mediterranean and South Atlantic for fleet maneuvers.

Illinois was detached from the European Squadron 10 January 1903 and assigned to the North Atlantic. She engaged in fleet maneuvers, gunnery and seamanship training, and ceremonial operations until December 1907, when she joined the Great White Fleet for the cruise around the world. Following a Presidential review, the mighty battleships sailed from Hampton Roads on their important voyage. The Atlantic Fleet joined the Pacific Fleet 8 May 1908 in San Francisco Bay and after a review by the Secretary of the Navy the combined fleets continued their cruise. The ships visited Australia, Japan, Ceylon and other countries, arriving Suez 3 January 1909. At Suez word of the Sicilian earthquake sent Illinois, Connecticut, and Culoga to Messina. After rendering valuable aid to victims of the disaster, the ships rejoined the fleet, returning to Hampton Roads 22 February 1909. President Roosevelt reviewed the fleet as it arrived, having given the world a graphic demonst ration of America's naval might. Illinois decommissioned at Boston 4 August 1909.

The battleship was placed in reserve commission 15 April 1912 and recommissioned 2 November 1912, in time to take part in winter fleet exercises and battle maneuvers with the Atlantic Fleet. During the summers of 1913 and 1914 Illinois made training cruises to Europe with Midshipmen. In 1919 the ship was again laid up at Philadelphia Navy Yard and was later loaned to the State of New York 23 October 1921 for use by the Naval Militia.

Excluded from further use as a warship by the terms of the Washington treaty, Illinois was fitted out as a floating armory at New York Navy Yard in 1924 and was assigned to the New York Naval Reserve. She remained there for more than 30 years, though reclassified IX-15 8 January 1941 and renamed Prairie State to allow her name to be assigned to a projected new battleship. During World War II she served as a U. S. Naval Reserve Midshipmen Training School at New York. Following the war, she was retained on loan to the State as quarters for a Naval Reserve unit until 31 December 1956.

Prairie State, after over 50 years of useful service to the Navy and the Nation, was towed to Baltimore and sold for scrap to Bethlehem Steel Co., 18 May 1956.

Chicago....You Have To Love It

First you must learn to pronounce the city name.
It is Chi-ca-go, or Cha-ca-ga depending on if you live
North or South of Roosevelt Rd.
Next, if your road map is more than a few weeks old,
throw it out and buy new one. If in Naperville and
your
map is one day old, then it is already obsolete.
Forget the traffic rules you learned elsewhere.
Chicago has its own version of traffic rules... "Hold
on and pray."
There is no such thing as a dangerous high-speed chase
in Chicago. We all drive like that.
All directions start with, "I-94"... which has no
beginning and no end.
The morning rush hour is from 6 to 10. The evening
rush hour is from 3 to 7. Friday's rush hour starts
Thursday morning.
If you actually stop at a yellow light, you will be
rear ended, cussed out and possibly shot. When you are
the first one on the starting line, count to five when
the light turns green before going to avoid crashing
with all the drivers running the red light in
cross-traffic.
Construction on Northwest Tollway is a way of life
and a permanent form of entertainment. We had sooooo
much fun with that we have added Elgin O'Hare and the
I-355 to the mix.
All unexplained sights are explained by the phrase,
"Oh, we're in Cicero!"
If someone actually has their turn signal on, it is
probably a factory defect.
Car horns are actually "Road Rage" indicators.
All old ladies with blue hair in Mercedes have the
right of way. Period.
First Ave, LaGrange Rd, NW Highway, all mysteriously
change names as you cross intersections (these are
only a FEW examples).
If asking directions in Cicero you must have knowledge
of Spanish.
If in Bridgeport, Mandarin Chinese will be your best
bet.
If you stop to ask directions on the West or South
side
you better be armed.
A trip across town (east to west) will take a minimum
of four hours, although many north/south freeways have
unposted minimum speeds of 75.
The minimum acceptable speed on the Dan Ryan is 85.
Anything less is considered downright sissy.
The wrought iron on windows near Englewood and Austin
are not ornamental.
The Congress Expressway (Ike) is our daily version
of NASCAR.
The Dan Ryan is called "The Death Trap" for two
reasons: "death" and "trap."
If it's 100 degrees, it's Taste of Chicago. If it's 10
degrees and sleeting/snowing, it's opening day at Sox
Park. If it's rained 6 inches in the last hour, the
Western open Golf Classic is in the second round.
If you go to Wrigley Field pay the $25.00 to park in
the "Cubs Lot". Parking elsewhere could cost up to
$2500 for damages, towing fees, parking tickets, etc.
If some guy with a flag tries to get you to park in
his yard, run over him.
Chicago, there's no place like it!

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