Posted on 04/28/2003 4:00:35 AM PDT by snippy_about_it
From my email
By Jeff Hildebrandt, from his book
Cowboy Up America
When a cowboy's in a pinch,
He just tightens up the cinch,
Spurs his horse and rides right through it
'Cause that's the way the Duke'd do it.
He'd cowboy up.
And when our country is in danger,
A cowboy's like the old Lone Ranger.
Ridin' hard and shootin' straight,
Fightin' those who spread the hate.
He's cowboy'd up.
A cowboy's ready and he's willin'
To face the foe, like Marshal Dillon.
And when the gunsmoke clears away,
Cowboy spirit wins the day.
So, cowboy up. Pull that hat down tight,
And don't back down from what is right.
We'll bring back "Happy Trails" for you
Like Hoppy, Gene, and Roy would do.
Think back about Flight 93
And how those heroes came to be.
They knew that thousands more could die
If they just let that airplane fly.
They cowboy'd up.
One widow had this tale to share,
A husband's love and one last prayer.
And when their sacrifice was done,
Terror lost and Freedom won.
"Let's roll," he said, and cowboy'd up.
'Cause cowboys fight until they win
Just like TV's Paladin.
They will not let our flag unravel
As long as they Have Gun, Will Travel
And cowboy up, hell bent for leather.
'Cause we're all in this fight together.
We're ridin' hard right on their trail
And with God's help, we will prevail.
If Gary Cooper, Joel McCrae,
And Randolph Scott were here today,
They'd fight for what is right and true
Like Rex and Tex and Lash LaRue.
They'd cowboy up.
So, let's give Uncle Sam a hand,
'Cause we're all ridin' for his brand.
Let New York and the Pentagon
Inspire resolve to carry on.
So cowboy up and listen tight.
The world had better do what's right.
Our country's through with playin' games.
We're kickin' butt and taking names.
We've cowboy'd up. In God We Trust.
We fight because our cause is just.
We're standin' tall and standin' free,
'Cause we won't stand for tyranny.
So America, cowboy up.
From Logistics Group Western Pacific Public Affairs
SINGAPORE (NNS) -- In a break with tradition, Cmdr. Randy Hill relieved Cmdr. Mike Gilday as commanding officer of USS Higgins (DDG 76) during an otherwise traditional ceremony April 24 — and brought his entire crew with him. That new crew took Higgins to sea April 28, when the ship departed here to continue its anything but traditional deployment, marking a key milestone and historic first during the second phase of the Navy’s “Sea Swap” experiment.
Hill’s crew, the former crew of USS Benfold (DDG 65), is now the crew of Higgins. Gilday’s crew, which took Higgins into action during Operation Iraqi Freedom, will return soon to San Diego and take over Benfold, fully completing the first ever crew swap cycle of Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.
“History. Some write it, you made it happen,” Gilday told the assembled crews during the change of command ceremony, just minutes before his crew passed the Higgins torch to the former Benfold crew. “Today, the eyes of the Navy are on you, Higgins, and you, Benfold, and all that you have done for the past year, and especially the past several weeks to prepare for this moment.”
The crew swap keeps Higgins forward-deployed without the need for the timely transit back to the ship’s home port of San Diego. During the experiment, Higgins, which is approaching the six-month mark on its current deployment, will remain forward-deployed for 18 consecutive months. The crew of USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) is scheduled to relieve the current Higgins crew later this year. The reclaimed transit time results in approximately three months of additional forward presence when compared to a typical three-ship cycle.
The former Benfold crew arrived April 16 and following four days of liberty and the arrival of the ship April 20, began the turnover process with the Higgins crew while the ship took on needed maintenance.
Sailors said communication was the key factor during turnover. “The biggest challenge initially was communication with the other ship, trying to get each other on the same page,” former Higgins crew member Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class Nicalus Haynes, from Tucson, Ariz., said. “But once we got to Singapore, things worked themselves out, and it went far better than I thought it would.” More
WOOOOOO HOOOOOOO!!
The Minnesota Senate passed the Minnesota Personal Protection Act (Shall Issue) law this evening on a vote of 37 to 30.
It's a good day in Minnesota!
ok.. I return you to your regularly scheduled freeping.
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We will not tire,
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Good night Sam, thank you for inviting me into the Foxhole with you and Jen and all our visitors.
Good night all.
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