So... How strong are those concrete barriers around military base entrances? When people are told that they will stop traffic, including speeding trucks, they usually laugh or shrug it off... But here is a clip from a test done quite a while ago...

1 truck - 65,000 lbs, 50 mph

stopped in 24 inches!

President Obama, Army MG Daniel V. Wright, Army BG Michael S. Repass, Army CSM Mario Virgil, AF CoS GEN Norton A. Schwartz meeting returning soldiers to Dover AFB. They were returning as do all fallen soldiers via a Globemaster C-17.

The Army ALWAYS has at least a 2-star general for each flight to repatriate the soldiers.

After the soldiers disembark the plane, they conduct a formal repatriation ceremony, followed by an award ceremony during which any medals are awarded to the soliders.

BG = 1 star general

MG = 2 star general

LTG = 3 star general

GEN = 4 star general

CSM = command sargant major

Side note - I worked with Norton Schwartz when he was operations chief for the Joint command.

Afghanistan and Iraq Photos

Nevada Test Site / Nevada Prooving Ground

This is a small part of the "Nevada Test Site." It lies 90 miles north of Las Vegas. Approximately 8 miles to the east is Groom Lake (i.e. Area 51). Area 51 is the 51st numbered area within the old "Nevada Prooving Ground." All these craters were formed by nuclear testing. The one in the upper right-hand corner is nearly 1/2 mile across!

Baby Rhino

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8281455.stm
Baby Rhino at zoo in Germany. Her mommy didn't want her, so the zookeepers will raiser her.

Sydney

Interesting photos from the recent dust storms in Sydney - makes one think what cities would look like on Mars - if the red skys that NASA depicts were true.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/photos/#id=2693741&num=27

Eight Years

It has been 8 years since we invaded Afghanistan - with all the sidetracking and such, we'ven't accomplished what we set out to do at this point.

5,130 identified US Soliders have given their lives in both wars - Meet them at: http://projects.washingtonpost.com/fallen/

953 were killed in Afghanistan.

Side Note: we're 6 months short of being the same length as the Vietnam War.

8,,(