POSTED 10-19-09

$ NONFICTION REMEMBERING STAFF SERGEANT MATT MCKEON, PLATOON 71 DRILL INSTRUCTOR, ON THE OCCASION OF HIS DEATH by john c. stevens iii SECRETS OF THE COLD WAR an excerpt from the memoirs of lee mccaslin, army intelligence I was jumped from the rear, spun around and was looking down the barrels of two silenced pistols. A fight started which I very quickly began to lose. MONOTONY & MORALE AT GRIFFIN BASE by Bill Clark The puff of smoke from the explosion of the Patriot at intercept was almost directly above our compound. The intercept was a near miss. The Scud continued on and slammed into the warehouse in which members of the 475th Quartermaster Group, an Army reserve unit from Pennsylvania, were billeted. Twenty-seven were killed and ninety-eight were wounded. BRIDGE INSPECTION by laudizen king The Jeep slowed and stopped in front of the man with the lantern. He was dressed in the black of a simple farmer and he came around to the Captain and, in Vietnamese, he spoke quickly and with great agitation as he gestured down a path that was now visible in the light of the lantern. Through the vegetation, we saw another small lantern coming down the path and two figures approached us. FEMALE MARINE AWARDED COMBAT V by lcpl alesha r. guard for marine corps news THE ALBRECHT SQUAD HOW ONE FAMILY IS MAKING THEIR WAY THROUGH WAR “So what types of secrets would our walls share? “Would they tell of the lonely nights when the mom cried for her Soldier boy who was thousands of miles away? Or perhaps the silent sobs of three boys who wanted to be brave for that same mom? What about the arguments that were started out of the subconscious mentality that it would be easier to bid farewell when angry with each other. “I imagine these walls know about tears...so many tears that fell while living here...for ourselves, our friends and the many we never knew. They would tell of the flood of tears and breathless sobs that tore at my heart when I heard that a Soldier fell. The tears of gratitude and same as I cried that it wasn't mine yet heartbroken that it was someone else's. “Oh yes, many tears, perhaps an ocean or two.” From The Albrecht Squad, “If These Walls Could Talk” THE LATEST FROM AFGHANISTAN THE FEED FROM FREE RANGE INTERNATIONAL As the cool weather finally moves into Afghanistan I have to tell you that from my perspective not much is happening. I am not talking about security incidents – they almost doubled last week from a near all time high the week before. There is lots of villianary going on – the weather is perfect for it – but nothing seems to be really changing. One gets the impression that the players from all sides want to maintain the current status quo because all the sides are benefiting. GOLF HELPS RETIRED SERGEANT MAJOR TEACH MARINES by heather owens, carolina living editor MILSPEAK IN STARS & STRIPES BY TERRI BARNES FICTION BOX OF LIGHT by warren slesinger POETRY IT IS WHAT IT IS HAIKU BY ANDY “O.A.T.S.” SYOR VOICE FROM THE GRAY BY TOM “SACHEM TWO” SHEEHAN PLUS “INTELLICHUMP” CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS FROM POWDER EDITOR LISA BOWDEN We are looking for good writing by women who have served for possible inclusion in a play on women in the military called *Coming in Hot* (korepress.org), based in part on Powder: Writing by Women in the Ranks, from Vietnam to Iraq (Kore Press 2008). We are specifically looking for personal essays/memoir/creative short non-fiction on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” soldiering and motherhood (in particular, leaving kids behind), and writing on being a recruiter. 800-2500 words, or so. We edit writing so it can work on a stage. Send submissions to Lisa Bowden: lisa@korepress.org. MILSPEAK MEMO NOW INCLUDED IN POETS & WRITERS LITERARY MAGAZINE LIST! SEND LETTERS TO THE COMPILER\\\ KUDOSORKRAP@MILSPEAK.ORG “If the words honor, nobility, self-sacrifice, and altruism mean anything to you, this is the book to buy.” --Stephen Page-- BA Insider: Capital Living in Buenos Aires YOUR PURCHASE OF THE ANTHOLOGY HELPS FUND THE MILSPEAK FOUNDATION MISSION AND HELPS KEEP MILSPEAK PROGRAMS FREE TO PARTICIPANTS. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING MILSPEAK FOUNDATION. Contributors retain all rights to their works. ©2009 MILSPEAK FOUNDATION OOHRAH! PRODUCTIONS END OF POST V5.10-19-09$ shapeimage_2_link_0