WHY?

WHY?

Friday, January 31, 2014

Betrayed by Billy Vaughn

Betrayed: The Shocking True Story of Extortion 17 as told by a Navy SEAL’s father
"If you’ve seen the recent big screen stories of US Navy SEALS in Afghanistan, in Lone Survivor and Zero Dark Thirty, you are no doubt struck by the sacrifices these elite warriors make on the modern battlefield and the impeccable examples of heroism these movies have portrayed — not propaganda but truth.

However, there is another US Navy SEAL story from Afghanistan that’s not receiving much attention, simply because its truth is an indictment of failure on the part of the Obama administration, US Congress, and senior military leadership.

It is the story of the fate that befell a CH-47D helicopter, call sign Extortion 17.

Back on August 6, 2011, six months after Navy SEALs had terminated Osama Bin Laden, America suffered the single largest one-day loss of life in the ten year combat operation in Afghanistan. It was also the largest loss of Navy Special Warfare life in their history.

The mission that fateful evening entailed US Army Rangers going into the Tangi River valley in Wardak Province in Afghanistan after Taliban leader Qari Tahir.

As the Rangers landed and executed their mission, the Aerial Weapons Team (AWT) in two US Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopters observed two individuals fleeing, but permission to engage with 30mm guns was denied.

The AWT then observed these two individuals, who they assessed to be armed, link up with six others who took up positions near the proposed helicopter landing zone (HLZ) that would be used later. Again, permission to engage was denied.

Back at the Forward Operating Base, the decision was made to launch the Quick Reaction Force (QRF). But just before takeoff, seven Afghan Commandos who were listed on the manifest to accompany the mission were switched out, and the new Afghans were not manifested.

The QRF loaded onto a CH-47D Chinook aircraft headed into a hot HLZ zone where combat operations had been raging for some three hours. The lumbering CH-47D is slow and possesses less maneuver capability than the normal special operations MH-47 aircraft.

Unescorted, the CH-47D made its way to the area of operations in the Tangi River valley, a Taliban stronghold. Because of the rules of engagement, no pre-assault fires were approved on the HLZ and there were no “eyes on” the HLZ to support the QRF infiltration.

It was easy pickings for the enemy. From a prepared firing position atop a building, they launched three rocket-propelled grenades. One hit the CH-47D’s tail rotor blade and in approximately 5 seconds it broke up into three pieces and crashed into a dry creek bed in a ball of flames.

The AWT had eyes on the point of origin of the RPG shots but the AH-64s were denied approval to engage the enemy — who were seen handing down equipment and fleeing the area.

I recommend you all pick up a copy of the book, Betrayed: The Shocking True Story of Extortion 17 as told by a Navy SEAL’s father by Billy Vaughn. Billy and Karen Vaughn live just north of me in Stuart, Florida, and I came to know them as they reached out to me while I served in Congress on this matter.

I know the story in detail because I received the classified briefing on the incident. In Billy’s book, you feel his pride in his son and the moment when he learned of his son’s death. You share the emotional strain of the family as they deal with the loss of Aaron.

But you also share the anguish of a father who learns he has been lied to as he uncovers the truth. You’ll read the declassified documents and investigation report that Billy had to read to learn the massive cover-up surrounding the death of these brave men, including his only son.

I’m sure you remember President Obama’s May 2011 speech after the killing of bin Laden, but there was no speech after Extortion 17. Billy and Karen Vaughn lost their 30-year-old SEAL Team VI son, Aaron Vaughn in that helicopter shoot down. Along with Aaron there were 16 US Navy SEAL Team VI members, five US Navy SEAL Team support members and one working dog, five US Army and Army National Guard flight crewmembers, three US Air Force members of the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, seven unidentified Afghan Commandos, and one Afghan interpreter.

What is so appalling is the lack of concern from the Obama administration, Congress, and the military to lift the curtain of deceit. As well, you come to realize media hypocrisy is hiding this incident from the American people.

If this were the Bush administration, the story would have been all over the New York Times, Washington Post, and every single liberal media outlet — not that’s not the case. Remember Cindy Sheehan and attention she got? Then why are Billy and Karen Vaughn shunned?

Betrayed is a must read, you will not put the book down. It is a book that MUST be made into a film, albeit controversial. It should be mailed to President Obama, Vice President Biden, Speaker Boehner, Senator Reid, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi with one simple question, “Where is the truth for the Vaughns and all the families who lost their loved ones?” It is a book that should shame the media for not covering this dark moment in US Military history.

Never should our warriors and their families be treated in this manner. Never again should they be Betrayed."

This article was written Lieutenant Colonel Allen West

Dan Emplit WBFD
USN 1986 - 1992

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

SOTU address

So let me get this straight.
Because Obama can't get his 'vision' for America by working with Congress (you know, the OTHER ELECTED officials), he's going to go around them.
The last time I looked, we have three branches in the Federal government, all of which WE ELECT in the hopes that they will represent our views and vote to support what WE want.

"What I offer tonight (BLAH BLAH BLAH). Some require congressional action, and I'm eager to work with all of you. But America does not stand still, and neither will I."

"I will act on my own to slash bureaucracy and streamline the permitting process for key projects"

"The American people aren't interested in refighting old battles," This was a dig at Republicans about the Affordable Care Act, Which is Law (that he keeps illegally changing), But Barry keeps forgetting that the Second Amendment is part of the supreme law of our land.

I don't trust this man at all. Remember “if you like your health plan, you can keep your health plan”

I did not serve for 6 years in order to live in a dictatorship.

Dan Emplit WBFD
USN 1986 - 1992

Saturday, January 25, 2014

G2 research's "R.I.P." Round

There's a new round in town and I expect it's performance will be .......
Mehhh.
These exotic rounds come and go, but with the modern electronic state they make an initial big splash and then quickly and quietly die when people learn about the street results.

Also their web site is down more than the Obamacare site. But a friend was able to get on and played 'copy & paste' with some of the claims for me.
* 16" Penetration 
* Up to 6" diameter spread 
* 96 gr projectile 
* 2" grouping at 25 yards 
* 1265 FPS / 490 Muzzle Energy 
* 9 Separate Wound Channels 
* Precision Machined 
* Solid Copper / Lead Free
* Defeats all known barriers such as sheet metal, sheet rock, windshields, plywood, heavy winter clothing
First off, '16" penetration' is from the base (and I REALLY doubt it with that bullet weight), and that is, basically, a 9mm wadcutter. If you want 9mm wadcutter performance, buy 9mm full metal jacket rounds. They cost a LOT less.
The '6" diameter spread'..... Of what? If they mean the fragments then that is nothing special. Glaser has been producing the safety slug for decades.
96 grain projectile is very light for caliber, and that means a very nasty SHALLOW wound. A bullet must reach vital organs in order to stop an attack. For that a bullet needs weight. This doesn't have that.
"1265 FPS / 490 Muzzle Energy" On this I call BULL$HIT. Unless someone has changed how foot pounds are measured then this works out to 341 foot pounds. Go ahead and plug the numbers (bullet weight and velocity) in for yourself
"Defeats all known barriers such as sheet metal, sheet rock, windshields, plywood, heavy winter clothing"... AND? So what? So does the .22 long rifle and I wouldn't recommend that for self defense.

I'd like to say this performance is impressive, but the web site is lacking in .... ANY substantial details.
What size was the block? Manufacturer? BB calibration depth? 



Balloons should be terrified.

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe this is a quantum leap in technology. Maybe my math is bad.
Maybe this is marketing and the R.I.P. round is just a flashy specialty round that will not live up to the hype.
Buy a quality hollow point, train with your weapon and avoid these specialty rounds, at least until they are proven on the street.
Late add on: I added a link for a ballistic calculator.

Dan Emplit WBFD
USN 1986 - 1992

Friday, January 24, 2014

EMTs really delivered for senior

I’m 77 and live alone in a high-rise in Wilkes-Barre. On Sunday morning, Jan. 5, I was getting my trash ready to take down the hall to the trash chute when I became suddenly very ill.
It happened so fast, but I knew I was in trouble. I dialed 911. The emergency medical technicians from the Wilkes-Barre Fire Department seemed to be at my door in 5 seconds. I remember opening the door, and that’s all I remember. I don’t recall the two EMTs, being loaded on a gurney, being wheeled down the hall or the ride in the ambulance to the emergency room at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
It was hours later that I became lucid and the ER doctor told me I had pneumonia and was being admitted. While waiting to be transferred up to the intensive care unit, I noticed my cane standing nearby. I asked the nurse how it got there, and she told me the EMTs brought it in along with a lot of other items.
I checked the “other items.” My heavy winter coat, scarf, gloves, hat, shirt, keys, wallet, eyeglasses, cellphone and even the cellphone charger, which I would need that night! How unbelievably thoughtful was that?
I’m back home after 12 days in the hospital and I still can’t get over how thoughtful the EMTs were in gathering up my personal items. I can’t express my gratitude enough to the Wilkes-Barre Fire Department and especially the two EMTs who responded and went above and beyond their duty.
Thank you.

Ray Rinaldi
Wilkes-Barre
That was Paramedic Mike Stadulis and FF/EMT Robert Stehle.
Good work guys.
Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Thursday, January 9, 2014

GasGate still not resolved (and not going to be)

If anyone still thought DA Stefanie Salavantis wasn't tanking the GasGate investigation, well here is the quote that pretty much proved it for me,
District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis said detectives followed up on the editorial. If the paper has something, “then we need it,” she said. 
Eighteen months of investigating and the Times Leader (which by now has printed EVERYTHING that they have) has more info than she does.
And
Detectives also visited the state Department of Environmental Protection in Wilkes-Barre on Monday after the newspaper informed the district attorney that no one from her office sought information from DEP that first investigated the report of missing fuel in July 2012.
Nice to see that the 'detectives' finally got the paper work that said the fuel loss wasn't from a leak or bad record keeping (seems to me THAT would've been step ONE)

Salavantis had said the probe has been delayed by the workload on her office, including violent crimes and homicides
And holidays, don't forget the holiday excuse!

“We had boxes and boxes of documents we had to go through,” Salavantis said 
She had EIGHTEEN MONTHS!!

We follow all the leads and all the information that may be relevant to the investigation,” Salavantis said

Lets face it. Her investigation is a total soup sandwich. No one in the city administration is going to get so much as a slap on the wrist.
If the Times Leader hadn't been involved then this wouldn't have seen the light of day.
If the DEP hadn't gotten involved then this would've been swept under the rug already.

One a side note,
Some days, even pets need help. Especially in this cold. Good work guys.

Dan Emplit WBFD

AKA Don Quixote