Georgia Veterans Hall of Fame

The only thing that makes battle psychologically tolerable
is the brotherhood among soldiers.
You need each other to get by 
---War, Sebastian Junger

Without heroes, we are all plain people,
and don’t know how far we can go
--Bernard Malamud

Greater love hath no man than this, 
that a man lay down his life for his friends 
--John 15:13
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An addendum to 7 Oct PSA on the "Airborne Instructors Reunion" (The Black Hats):

For those able to attend the Airborne Instructors Reunion, a special guest will be Col Paul Longgrear (Ret'd), the last surviving officer from the well-documented Vietnam Battle of Lang Vei. Ranger wishes to bring attention one of Paul's latest accomplishments, the founding of the Georgia Military Veterans Hall of Fame (GMVHOF).

When Paul was inducted into the Arkansas Military Hall of Fame in 2012, he told us he was humbled to be in the company of such decorated fellow Arkansawyers. Upon realizing there was no such recognition given to Georgia Veterans (the home of Ft. Benning!) Paul decided to form a nonprofit in 2013 to give veterans in his adopted home state the same recognition.

Georgia is now one of only 20 states that honor veterans through a Hall of Fame.

Of the more than 770,000 veterans who have hailed from the Peach State, 18 have been inducted into the first (2013) class of the GMHOF; 16 were in the second (2014).

Paul's goal in forming the organization was to ensure that Georgia military veterans are properly honored for their service and sacrifice and to introduce young people to heroes. He said, "Athletes and entertainers are stars, but not heroes. When they signed on to serve their country, military veterans signed a blank check for an amount up to and including their lives. They are real heroes."

For those interested in making a nomination, candidates may be living or deceased and nominated for valorous military performance, extraordinary achievements or combined military and civilian community service. An independent selection committee reviews the nominations and honorees are inducted at an annul banquet in November.


Visit GMHOF.org for more information or to submit a nominee. You can contact Col. Longgrear directly at GMVHOF, P.O. Box 745, Pine Mountain, Ga. 31822, (706) 302-2220.

Radically Left

Life is anything that dies when you stomp on it
--Dave Barry
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[Ranger will not be re-wallowing (to quote Dick Cavett) in the sorrow-porn of the day, each agency vying for the new angle, like the "Children of 9-11". Not today.]

Today we return to our homey Sunday homily form --

Sunday Homily: Was Jesus the world's biggest bleeding heart liberal, or, Would Glen Beck call Jesus a Bum?

This entry was inspired by Paul Longgrear's recent letter to the editor of the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer sent to Ranger by a sleeper agent. Col. Longgrear, a minister and a brother-in-arms, objects to the idea of a "fair share plan" which he implies led to the socialization of this Great Nation and an endlessly raised debt ceiling.

Both Lisa and Ranger have conservative friends with strong notions of how to keep Old Glory flying high. It seems they are often emotional reactions which involve keeping certain people (= parasites) away from the pot of goodies that they have not earned, or alternately, which keep them parasitzed.

The parasites are people who need some assistance to make ends meet, and the fear is that they will keep the rest of us on a hamster wheel working for their salvation, or at least their existence. This is an adversarial relationship which presupposes that life would be better if the parasites could be separated from their host.

Many of these conservative thinkers also hold a strong Christian religious stance. Still, they also accept the rectitude of the use of torture in the Phony War on Terror (PWOT ©), whose 10th birthday we commemorate today.

This all brought Ranger back to the founder of their religion, Jesus -- an unprivileged man conceived by an unwed mother and born in a stable. He was dedicated to the concept of uplifting the non-productive parasites in his society, i.e. the early Christians before they developed mega-churches with big screens, cheerleaders and quad sound systems.

Jesus was a thorn in the side of the Roman status quo who had consolidated power amongst the elite. Instead of genuflecting to authority, Jesus provided free wine and loaves and fishes on a socialist basis (= commodities). He also performed healing miracles for the most unsavory amongst his society (= free health care). Jesus was better than an EBT card.

These miracles tried to give the masses their "fair share" of the largesse of a newly sent Godson. "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). He was not speaking to the bankers.

As for the issue of illegals, wasn't the unverified journey to Bethlehem by a future mother of God an attempt by the Romans to deal with illegal immigration? And how did that end up for the Roman Empire?

Jesus's message formed the basis of a new religion which appealed to the hoi polloi of the times, and is now the predominant religion of the developed Western nations. But somehow, the founder's method was warped into something called prosperity gospel, and many Christians think that God somehow holds those in lower socio-economic rungs in disdain.

However, the words of their founder belie this notion:

"Sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor ..." (Luke 18:22; Matthew 19:21);

"But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you?" (James 2:7)

"And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: [yea, though he be] a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee" (Leviticus 25:35)

"I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak" (Acts 20:34)

"He has filled the hungry with good things and the rich he has sent away empty" (Luke 1:53). "Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in Egypt" (Exodus 22:21).

Of course, there is nothing that should link the fantasies of a nomadic desert people with the workings of our society or governing policies. The Bible ain't the Constitution and we are already a socialist nation. Since Christianity is a socialist dogma, Ranger concludes that religion is the problem and not the solution.

We seem to be led by the mish-mash that is the Old Testament meets the New: An eye for an eye, yet turn the other cheek -- "forgive up to seventy times seven". Do we/should we follow Christian values when dealing with religious enemies? Should "values" issues (homosexual rights; abortion rights) even be a part of national political discourse?

If someone would turn some water into wine, Ranger says he'll drink to the elimination of biblical dogma from the halls of Congress.

--Ranger and Lisa

The Gospel According to Paul

Lisa and Paul (8.26.11)

[RangerAgainstWar is back from holiday. We're just gaining our traction, kind of like Wile E. Coyote, so we will begin at the end, with one of our final visits in Georgia to Ranger's friend and associate, Col. Paul Longgrear (ret'd).]
___________________

We have written about Paul before as he was recently inducted into the Ranger hall of Fame, no small peanuts there. Paul is a humble man, and during our chat wondered aloud why he was chosen for this honor.

Col. Longgrear's name has popped up throughout our travels. Ranger's cousin John mentioned a History Channel program he'd just viewed on Lang Vei, the action in which Paul earned his Silver Star. "I don't see how those guys survived", said Cousin John, a former Marine. Paul's name also surfaced organic to a recent post @ Milpub. Lisa has a mad crush on him (and holds his straight-shooting wife Patty in equally high regard; it is always a pleasure to meet a couple who hold each other in such high esteem), so it just seems appropriate.

Paul is a representative of his generation, as iconic as LT. Dick Winters in the film Band of Brothers. He was just that kind of soldier and leader, representing another generation that answered the call to arms. Paul is well-chosen as our symbolic representative.

We discussed how we've now passed into history, and how Vietnam is now become a "big thing". Paul shared that he had delivered the eulogy at the funeral of Lang Vei combat medic James Leslie Moreland earlier this month. (Moreland's remains were positively identified in Vietnam 43 years after the action in which Longgrear had commanded him.)

How to describe an era which still cannot be adequately summated? Ranger has known Vietnam Medal of Honor winners Bob Howard, drunk with Franklin "Doug" Miller and associated with Jon Caviani, and in his estimation, Paul walks as tall as any of those heroes.

Heroism is a trait which runs through the thread of a man, and Paul has demonstrated it repeatedly and characteristically throughout his life, both as a soldier and as a man of God. He is an inspiration. For all the men we as a nation have left behind in our forced march of life, it is a good thing that men like Paul have led the way.

Paul and his family will return to Vietnam after Christmas holidays to participate in a documentary which will cover the spiritual effects of that conflict upon those involved. Honorable soldiering, humanity and genuine humility -- these traits describe Paul Longgrear, and can even affect a cynical friend like Ranger.

The day we came through his neck of the woods he had just returned from celebrating his mother's 90th birthday with her. Ranger raises his cup to you, Paul, and wishes you many happy returns,

Humbly signed,

Not-a-snowball's-chance-in-hell Ranger Hall of Famer,

--RAW

--Something you don't see every day

Ranger and Paul

--St. George Slaying the Dragon,
Peter Paul Reubens

A hero has faced it all;
he need not be undefeated, but he must be undaunted
--Andrew Bernstein

Let’s get together before we get much older
--Baba O'Riley, The Who

The sniper in the brain, regurgitating drain
Incestuous and vain,
and many other last names
I look at my watch it say 9:25 and I think
"Oh God I'm still alive"
--Time, David Bowie
_________________

Ranger would like to say a private word about Paul Longgrear, a personal friend and associate. It is difficult to write anything about Paul on an anti-war site because he does not associate with "turncoats", but in my case, he makes an exception.

My late friend James Donald Reid had the pleasure of being a member of training company commanded by Longgrear, and it was through him that we met. Some later duty assignments threw us together, and though we never saw eye-to-eye, the one constant was that Paul was the Real Deal.

Two books are recommended reading for the Battle of Lang Vei -- Tanks in the Wire and The Night of the Silver Stars. These books were special for Ranger because he served with Col. Shungel, CPT Willoughby and LTC Hoadley, all of whom were officers present at the battle. Paul is the sole surviving officer. The books will tell you all you need to know about these men, but it is safe to say they could have lit safety matches on their foreskins with very little effort. But let me tell you about Paul.

Paul is a man of God and has dedicated his life since Lang Vei to the ministry. He has been a family man, husband and father, and has a wonderful wife to whom he is dedicated. He has travelled the world spreading the words of Jesus in some inhospitable environments, but still he drives on.

We don't agree on the wars, and we don't agree on religion, but it is my hope that we agree that our past associations have made us friends. There is too little time and there are too few of us left not to be.

Paul's Message

I have a small personal follow-on to Lang Vei, Revisited:

I have had the distinct pleasure of meeting with Paul Longgrear on two occasions. He is charming, witty and fully at ease in his own skin. The last time he spoke a bit about Lang Vei.

When they emerged from their bunker the next day, Paul was severely wounded, and fell backwards into the mud. Unable to go on, his fellows left him, which he said was the correct thing for them to do. However, that left him alone and exposed.

It was then that he heard what he feels to be God speaking to him. The question was very clear: "And what will you do now?" The inquiry was a challenge to go deep within. Somehow, Paul was able to make it onto his feet, and left the camp on his own. At each turning point, the question again arose, "What will you do now?"

It is a great message for us all. In her poem, "Wild Geese," Mary Oliver says,

"Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on"

What Paul heard was a call to action. There is no time to tarry. Misery and sadness is surely a portion of the human condition, but the better part is its resilience and triumph over the odds.

Thank you for sharing, Mr. Longgrear.