Wikipedia Loves Weapons, Not Soldiers

This week I had a meeting with a "Wikipedian in Residence" at a history of science museum.  I was asking her about how to put people on Wikipedia.  Specifically, I wanted to write about National Guard First Sergeants and Sergeant's Majors and I thought it would be possible to create Wikipedia pages about some of the top sergeants I would write about.

Not possible.

My friend the Wikipedian went through the rules for creating a page about a person, and it is not possible to create a page about an enlisted soldier, or any soldier below the rank of Major General unless they have received the Medal of Honor or the Distinguished Service Cross.

I understand they have to have rules, but there is no weapon or vehicle that does not have a page. Also, in the context of the entire world of who gets on Wikipedia, it is very clear soldiers are not all Heroes.

Because the real heroes of our culture can and do have Wikipedia pages:

• Every professional athlete in any sport
• Every actor who has ever appeared in a movie
• Every porn star
• Every televangelist
• Every serial killer

The culture may use the word "hero" to refer to the guy who lives down the street and goes to war every few years, but our real heroes get fame and money.  A first sergeant who spends a year in the desert making sure his men are ready to fight and hopefully get home, that guy does not does not meet the athlete/movie star/porn star/televangelist/serial killer threshold required to be the subject of a Wikipedia page.  

More Pictures from Aircraft Refueling in Phillipsburg

More photos:

Fueling Aircraft in Phillipsburg

Last weekend I flew to Mid State Airport in Phillipsburg in a Chinook helicopter.  Aboput 100 soldiers had set up a refueling site at the end of the abandoned airstrip in the middle of the state.  In addition to the fuel site, they set up air traffic control, a tactical operations center, and a maintenance area.

It was bitterly cold.  Here are some photos of the cold soldiers putting fuel in "hot" aircraft.  Hot fueling is putting the fuel in while the aircraft is running.  Cold fuel is when the engines are shut down.

My Battalion Commander in Iraq was Promoted to Brigadier General Today

Scott Perry was promoted to Brigadier General today.  Pinning on the stars are his mother, Cecelia Lenig, daughters Mattea and Ryenn, and wife Christy.

On a windswept parade field on Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in February of 2009, then Lt. Col. Scott Perry spoke to the battalion he would command in Iraq a few months later.  The soldiers at Fort Sill were the majority of the 700 who would make up Task Force Diablo at Camp Adder, Iraq.  In that speech, Perry told those troops, some of whom were seeing their commander for the first time, that “Envy destroys community.” 

Not every commander mentions the second worst of the Seven Deadly Sins at the beginning of a deployment, but Perry turned that warning into a goal for every soldier.  “If someone is getting something you want, don’t envy, go and get what you want.  Don’t worry about them.”

After 35 years of service that began with basic training in 1980 at Fort Dix, New Jersey, Perry pinned on the star of a Brigadier General and joined the very small community of soldiers who achieve flag rank.  Perry, following his own advice, pursued his own goals and today achieved a very big goal for an Army officer. 

Following basic training, Perry served in the enlisted ranks for several years before attending Officer Candidate School.  He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Field Artillery branch, but soon branch-transferred to Army Aviation, where he became qualified in numerous aircraft including Huey, Cayuse, Kiowa, Cobra, Chinook, Apache and Blackhawk helicopters and is an instructor pilot.  His 29 years as a pilot began with flight school in 1986 and ended this summer with a final flight at Muir Field on Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa. 

As an Aviation Officer, he has commanded at the company, battalion and brigade levels throughout his career including serving as company commander during a deployment to Kosovo in 2002.

Perry commanded 2-104^th General Support Aviation Battalion when it deployed to Iraq in 2009-10.  During this deployment, he flew 44 combat missions. 

In 2011, he was promoted to the rank of Colonel, and recently completed command of the Fort Indiantown Gap National Training Site. 

He presently serves Assistant Division Commander (Support) for the 28th Infantry Division.  He is a graduate of the US Army War College with a Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies.  In addition to serving in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, Perry is in his second term as a United States Congressman representing Pennsylvania’s Fourth Congressional District.  Perry and his wife Christy are the proud parents of two daughters, Ryenn and Mattea.

Stuffing a Humvee into a Chinook Helicopter

A Chinook helicopter looks huge inside and out compared to any other helicopter in the Army inventory--until you try to fit a Humvee inside of it.  Then the very big Chinook helicopter looks a lot smaller when you see a Humvee backing into it.  The Humvee is just a couple of inches narrower than the cargo area of the Chinook.  It also fits within just a few inches on top.

But it fits.  Here are some photos:

My First Flight in a UH72 Lakota Helicopter

Today I got my first ride in the very plush UH72 Lakota helicopter.  I was at Mid State Airport near Phillipsburg, Pa. on Army training.  I flew up in a Chinook helicopter and was about to board it for the return flight, when I saw Tom Luckenbach, one of the pilots who has flown nearly every aircraft in the Army inventory.  He flew up in a Lakota. I asked if I could ride back with him.

Ten minutes later, I was in the small scout helicopter and listening to the pilots and crew chief go through their pre-flight routines.

Even with choppy air, the small, new aircraft was quiet and smooth for the 100-mile trip.  Here's some pictures from my seat.

Cat Lover in Iraq: Chased Out of Briefing Tent

During our deployment to Iraq in 2009 - 10, fuelers from Echo Company, 2-104th GASB were dispersed to bases all across the southern half of Iraq, from Camp Garry Owen on the Iran-Iraq border to Camp Normandy near Baghdad.

These lonely detachments refueled helicopters at all times in all weather.  At Camp Normandy in the summer, one of the fueler sergeants made a pet out of a cat.  He named it Fluffy.  

One day he walked into the morning briefing and announced, "We lost one of our own last night." The sergeant looked genuinely sad.  The dozen soldiers in the room started whipping their heads around looking to see who was not at morning meeting.  Then someone said, "Who?"

The big sergeant said, "Fluffy, somebody ran her over in the night.  She was stuck to a HEMMT tire this morning when I found her."

Several soldiers threw Gatorade bottles and chased him out of the tent.