Broadside Blog - Military Times

Government when it works

Representative Marv Hagedorn (CWO3, retired) presents a joint memorial to the Idaho State legislature. After approval by the Senate, the memorial will be sent to the President for consideration of a Medal of Honor. The story is riveting.

Lola

Wow, this is a hero article you probably aren’t expecting. It is about a cartoonist. Cartoonists are not generally thought of as heroes. In fact, the words “cartoonist” and “heroes” rarely appear in the same sentence.

Cartoonists have the reputation of being flaky, quirky, oddball introverts who sit in a dark room all day drawing funny little pictures. They can’t hold a normal conversation. They don’t get out much, and if they do, they dress in goofy outfits and often mumble.

As a cartoonist, I take exception to that reputation, because my room isn’t dark.

Over the years I have written about a few cartoonists who break the mold. They go way beyond artistic talent to contribute in other ways. Todd Clark is one of them.

Todd Clark and Lola

Todd draws the cartoon “Lola“, which follows the adventures of a crotchety old WWII veteran who has moved in with her adult son and his family (based on an actual person). It is a wildly successful strip that appears in well over a hundred papers.

What people don’t know about Todd is that he has a strong tie to the military. He grew up an Air Force brat and for several years drew a cartoon called “Military Brats” for Air Force Times. I didn’t like him because his strip was funnier than mine.

As fate would have it, we ended up living in the same town. When we met, I was hoping to discover that he was conceited and surly.

To my disappointment he was likable and as funny in real life as he was on paper. So funny that he regularly writes jokes for several other cartoonists around the country. He is a gag machine. I was having a real difficult time disliking him.

Quite frankly, the guy is just too likable to dislike. As our friendship grew, I asked him if he would be interested in drawing for the troops one day. Not only did he say yes, he volunteered to draw for veterans at the VA hospital as well (and has done so ever since, year after year). Then he began traveling to active duty military hospitals to visit the wounded troops and cheer them up as they recovered. Eventually he traveled to the Middle East to entertain the troops there too.

When he heard that a local program had been created to assist severely wounded veterans through education, professional development and job placement, he asked what he could do. Mentoring is a big part of the program and he and his wife jumped at the opportunity. Now they both advise a severely wounded veteran as he navigates his way from military life toward a satisfying civilian career. Then…he asked what ELSE he could do.

Don’t you hate guys like that?

Todd Clark is our hero of the week.

Greenside of the Week – Feb 8, 2012

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Zoo Patrol

I don’t know about you, but I really enjoyed the (can’t say the REAL name because it’s copyrighted or trademarked or something, but it rhymes with Zoo Patrol). Not only was it an exciting game that only got more exciting as the clock ticked down, but I also ate like a pig. We had a group of about 50 people at the house, and since it was pot luck we had enough food for twice that many.

We had been busy as beavers getting ready for the Zoo Patrol party, and I was as hungry as a horse by the time the herd began arriving. Now, I don’t exactly have the memory of an elephant – not by a long stretch – but I remember enough from other parties to know that the early birds get the worm when it comes to food selection.

My job as host was to be a social butterfly, of course, which could have made it difficult to get in some serious grazing, but when it comes to food, I am as sly as a fox.

I did my socializing in the kitchen, where the food was.

When a big play caught everyone’s attention, I would slip in – quiet as a mouse – and snatch a tasty morsel. When the game got really exciting (in the last few minutes), I went in whole hog and piled the food on my plate.

I was happy as a clam.

The real problem began after everyone had left. All that feeding at the trough began to catch up to me. I must have been crazy as a loon to think I could eat all that food without consequence. Before long I was as sick as a dog and angry as a hornet (at myself) for overindulging.

I was tired and really wanted to hit the hay, but the rumblings in my stomach forced me to be a night owl until it all quieted down. I should have taken it easy in the food department, but instead I charged in like a bull in a china shop and gorged myself like a pack of wolves on raw meat. Should have known better.

Did I learn my lesson? Probably not. Will I do it again for the next Zoo Patrol?

Of course.

Silly goose.

Broadside of the Week – Feb 6, 2012

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Military Photographers

One of my favorite DOD sites is a compilation of some excellent photography (now accompanied by music) by military photographers. Click on the images below, and once you get there click on the slideshow button (if necessary). Then sit back and enjoy their artistic talents.

Army Master Sgt. Johancharles Van Boers

Air Force Staff Sgt. Cherie A Thurlby

And finally, this is Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Robert “Bobby” Richard McRill. He was killed in action on July 6, 2007. His photographs are his enduring legacy.

To see more selections from military photographers, click here.

Chris Tschida

About a year ago, Idaho was preparing for the first ever visit by a sitting Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. His staff had requested the names of wounded warriors in the area so that he could meet them and they could attend one of his speeches as his guests. They each needed to submit a bio.

One of the men who responded submitted an email providing little more than the names of his family and period of service. When prompted for more information, he added three sentences saying that in 2005 he was ambushed in Iraq and had two grenades thrown into his turret. The first took off his hand and the second shattered his jaw in four places.

A few days later Chris Tschida met Admiral Mullen.

Josh Callihan, a VA employee who had collected the biographies for the visit, was intrigued. A wounded warrior himself, Callihan contacted Chris to learn more. He found out that he had never been recognized for his actions, and – more importantly – that there was much more to the story than could be described in three sentences. Josh contacted Idaho State Representative Marv Hagedorn, a retired Navy CWO3 and told him the story.

Almost a year after the visit by CJCS, the Idaho Legislature introduced a bill to present a Joint Memorial to the Commander-in-Chief, asking that Chris be awarded the Medal of Honor.

Here is the Memorial.

WHEREAS, on May 15, 2005, Idaho native Army Sergeant Chris Tschida and the three crew members of his tank were patrolling route “Michigan” between Ramadi and Fallujah in the Al Anbar Province of Iraq while conducting operations under Operation Iraqi Freedom;

and WHEREAS, Sgt. Tschida, along with his loader, were standing watch in the gun turret, watching for enemy activity while the tank driver and a Lieutenant were inside the tank preparing for a mission later that night. The loader shifted his body and accidentally knocked his water bottle down inside the tank and while lowering himself inside the tank to pick up the water, an insurgent used the opportunity to attack by throwing two enemy grenades inside the tank;

and WHEREAS, Sgt. Tschida could hear the grenades fall in the tank and instantly found one, yelling “grenade!” to his crew members while retrieving one grenade to put into the tank’s breach to absorb the blast. In this process, the grenade exploded and amputated Sgt. Tschida’s left hand. Moments later the second grenade exploded inside the tank, severely wounding Sgt. Tschida and two of the other crew members;

and WHEREAS, still conscious, Sgt. Tschida began assessing the damage inside the tank, but was unable to see because of the smoke and fire caused by the grenade. Sgt. Tschida attempted to key the microphone on his radio to call for support and report the enemy attack when he noticed his left hand was missing. Sgt. Tschida wrapped the stump of his hand into his shirt and began checking the status of his tank and fellow soldiers. At first glance Sgt. Tschida saw his Lieutenant slumped over and unconscious with his head resting on the .50 caliber sight. The Lieutenant was bleeding heavily from his eye socket and appeared to be dead;

and WHEREAS, Sgt. Tschida then noticed his loader, hanging half-way out of the tank’s turret, missing both legs from the knees down. Sgt. Tschida shook his Lieutenant to see if he was alive, at which time the Lieutenant let out a gasp of air that confirmed he was not dead;

and WHEREAS, an evaluation of the tank also confirmed the ammunition bay had been busted open from the grenade blast and the tank ammunition was at risk of catching fire and exploding. Knowing he and his fellow soldiers were not safe inside the tank, Sgt. Tschida pulled himself out of the hatch and then began pulling his loader out of the tank. Once his loader was safely out of the tank, Sgt. Tschida began pulling his Lieutenant out of the commander’s hatch of the tank. Once both soldiers were safely out of the tank, Sgt. Tschida began administering first aid by tying a tourniquet on both of the loader’s legs and by stuffing a field bandage inside of the eye socket of the Lieutenant to stop the bleeding from his head;

and WHEREAS, while caring for both soldiers, Sgt. Tschida did a security check of his area. At this time an enemy insurgent, believed to be the one who attacked Sgt. Tschida’s tank, engaged Sgt. Tschida while he was administering first aid to his fellow soldiers. Sgt. Tschida was able to repel the enemy assault with his M9 service pistol, killing the hostile force;

and WHEREAS, knowing they were in imminent danger, Sgt. Tschida attempted to get the driver of the tank to respond to his commands, but the soldier was in shock and unresponsive. After beating on the hatch and pleading with the driver to respond, the driver opened the driver’s hatch and began receiving commands from Sgt. Tschida. At this time, Sgt. Tschida commanded the driver to return them and the tank with its munitions back to the nearest security gate to get help. Sgt. Tschida then shielded both soldiers with his body on the surface of the tank until they arrived at a safe location;

and WHEREAS, all four crew members, including Sgt. Tschida, survived the injuries they sustained on May 15, 2005, and the tank was returned and repaired for future use. To this day, Sgt. Chris Tschida has not received recognition or accolades for his heroism and steadfast leadership on May 15, 2005.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the Second Regular Session of the Sixty-first Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives and the Senate concurring therein, that we urge President Barack Obama, in the name of Congress, to award Retired Sergeant Chris Tschida the Medal of Honor for distinguishing himself through conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty, or the highest appropriate recognition.

Every day I am humbled by the heroes who live among us. The Joint Memorial serves as a testament to bravery, leadership in combat, and the quiet dignity of a man who fought through horrible wounds to return his team to safety.

And we know about it because of a three sentence email.

Greenside of the Week – Feb 1, 2012

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Open Collar

Robert Duvall (photo by Josh Jensen)

I am a big fan of what Robert Duvall (Army veteran and the son of an Admiral) calls his Trilogy:

Lonesome Dove
Open Range
Broken Trail

They are all cowboy movies, made the way westerns are supposed to be made. I like them all, but my favorite is probably Open Range. It is the story of a cattle drive to Montana, and the right to travel through land no one owned. The men in the story were going through a transition in their lives, and had to work through it. It was a struggle, but they got through.

I am having a struggle too, only it isn’t about an open range. It is about an open collar. My transition has to do with the transition from wearing a uniform to wearing a suit. Cowboys didn’t have to worry about that.

You see, as a cartoonist, my work attire consists largely of tee shirts and blue jeans. (Sometimes PJs, but let’s not confuse the issue.)

But now, as a part of a new organization providing a full spectrum professional development program for severely wounded veterans (the Wyakin Warrior Foundation), I have to dress up every so often. Sometimes I get invited to events where the attire is “business casual.”

Business casual. What in the world is business casual?

On the east coast, it means a blazer and tie.
On the west coast, it means a blazer and no tie.
In Hawaii it means a Hawaiian shirt, only a nicer one than normal.

Or something like that.

It all depends on the situation or something. I think.

All I know is that, of all the options, the “open collar” shirt with a blazer doesn’t work with my head. Maybe because it is too bulbous. Maybe it’s the haircut (as in I have no hair). Maybe it’s my neck.

Look at the photo at the top of the page. That’s the way it is supposed to look.

This is how I ACTUALLY look in an open collar (this was taken in San Diego after the retirement of good buddy Chuck Bragg):

It’s kind of tough to see, so I blew it up for you:

That’s right. I turn into police inspector Daniel Clay in the movie Plan 9 from Outer Space (zombie phase).

So I’m struggling. I’m not sure of the solution, but I need to figure it all out and soon. I may have to move.

Or better yet, maybe I’ll just become a cowboy.

Broadside of the Week – Jan 30, 2012

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