Mike over and Sipsey Street and David at WOG have covered the lead up and hearings themselves brilliantly. One item that was missed in coverage was the Terry families opening statement. In it was a reading of a poem Brian Terry wrote to describe himself and his mindset.
“If Today Is to Be the Day…So Be It”.
If you seek to do battle with me this day, you will receive the best that I am capable of giving.
It may not be enough, but it will be everything that I have to give and it will be impressive for I have constantly prepared myself for this day.
I have trained, drilled and rehearsed my actions so that I might have the best chance of defeating you.
I have kept myself in peak physical condition, schooled myself in the martial skills and have become proficient in the applications of combat tactics.
You may defeat me, but I’m willing to die if necessary. I do not fear death for I have been close enough to it on enough occasions that it no longer concerns me.
But, I do fear the loss of my honor and would rather die fighting than to have it said that I was without courage.
So I will fight you, no matter how insurmountable it may seem, to the death if need be, in order that it may never be said of me that I was not a warrior.
I read as much as most and more than many, rarely has the written word affected me so much. As the statement was read I was not so much angry, or even sad, but yet I cried. I tear now again writing this. This man, is America and everything that makes us a nation exceptional. I am sorry I never got to know him, I know I will never forget him.
Showing posts with label Border. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Border. Show all posts
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
Tango Down?
News story HERE
From my AO and patrol area. The important part "Border Patrol agents track a group of armed suspects seen carrying backpacks when they discovered the body."
Watch your six, got mine covered.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Train
What did you do this weekend? Passed on Nascar for some small unit tactics. Rest assured we all have actual faces in real life. First aide, communication and group movement was studied and practiced. If you know how... share it, if not... learn it. This is NOT a call to arms, but the responsibility you choose as a gun owner and a patriot.
Practice like you fight, and you will fight like you practice.
Jason
FYI- I am on far right, we were covering basic first aide and trauma procedures before live movement drills.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Bean bags vs. AK-47s
An excellent follow up on the recent murder of a Border Patrol agent in AZ. I could not just paste a clip, so here is the article in its entirety.
Another Border Patrol agent on the Arizona border was shot and killed by Mexican drug smugglers last Tuesday. Of the eight attackers, four are in custody and a fifth is under surveillance by Border Patrol Blackhawk helicopters as he tries to make his way back to the Mexican border.
BP Agent Brian Terry was part of a BORTAC team (for border tactical unit) tracking armed drug smugglers 15 miles northwest of Nogales, Ariz., (and only three miles west of Interstate 19) when they were attacked with automatic weapons fire. The area is well-known as a major drug-smuggling corridor, and the smugglers are known to frequently be armed with AK-47s and other long rifles.
Here's the part Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Border Patrol management are trying to hide: Border Patrol Agent Terry and the BORTAC team were under standing orders to always use ("non-lethal") bean-bag rounds first before using live ammunition. When the smugglers heard the first rounds, they returned fire with real bullets, and Agent Terry was killed in that exchange. Real bullets outperform bean bags every time.
The larger, ugly truth Napolitano and senior managers in the Border Patrol want to hide is that the rules of engagement and inadequate weaponry of the Border Patrol place the lives of all agents at grave risk. The National Border Patrol Council, which represents over 15,000 field agents, believes the border is too dangerous for officers to patrol without body armor, armored vehicles and automatic weapons.
Concerned about the impact of illegal aliens on the United States? Don't miss Tom Tancredo's book, "In Mortal Danger: The Battle for America's Border and Security" – now just $4.95!
Another aspect of this story that is not being reported is that the site of the shooting, Peck Canyon, is inside the area Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., has proposed to designate as the Tumacacori Highlands Wilderness reserve. If Grijalva's bill is enacted into law, what is now a well-established drug smuggling corridor will become a drug-smuggling superhighway, because the Border Patrol will be prohibited from patrolling the region. Rep. Rob Bishop of Utah has proposed legislation that will remove the restrictions on Border Patrol jurisdiction on such public lands within 50 miles of the border.
On Thursday, Secretary Napolitano and several aides flew to Tucson to meet with local Border Patrol brass. The Obama administration obviously has a mess on its hands, and Napolitano does not want it to blow up before today's U.S. Senate vote on the Dream Act. They know another murder on the southwest border will not help garner needed votes for the Dream Act, because senators supporting that bill must be able to say with a straight face, "The border is as secure as it has ever been."
The BORTAC team encountered not one or two smugglers but a team of eight. Four are in custody, one is under surveillance in the rugged terrain of the Pajarita Wilderness area east of the small ranch town of Ruby, and three others are missing. The captured smugglers had AK-47s and backpacks filled with ammunition, food and radios. There are rumors that three of the captured four are members of the Mexican military, but that is unconfirmed. Yet, it would not be the first time Mexican police and military have been apprehended smuggling drugs into the United States.
It is not widely reported by our news media that the smugglers maintain a dozen or more permanent lookout posts on desert hilltops inside the U.S., and that those lookout posts are manned in week-long shifts by individuals who commute not from Mexico but from Phoenix, Tucson and other Arizona cities.
The allegation that the Sinaloa drug cartel obtained those AK-47s from gun shops in the United States is nonsensical. That's a fairy tale cooked up by the Obama administration and endorsed by the Mexican government because they do not want to admit that the cartels get most of their serious weaponry from the international black market and the Mexican military itself.
The rules requiring first use of bean-bag ammunition is but one example of the suicidal rules of engagement that govern Border Patrol operations. The reason they have such insane rules? The politicians who run the agency do not want the public to think the border is so dangerous a place that Border Patrol agents fear for their lives. In other words, the rules of engagement are based on a lie, a lie that must be maintained for political purposes.
Secretary Napolitano should do two things on Monday morning. First, she should order all Border Patrol agents to be issued weapons adequate for both self-defense and apprehension of armed drug smugglers. The second thing she should do Monday morning is resign.
Tom Tancredo is a former five-term congressman from Colorado and 2008 candidate for the Republican presidential nomination. He currently serves as chairman of the Rocky Mountain Foundation and co-chairman of TeamAmericaPac. Tancredo is the author of "In Mortal Danger: The Battle for America's Border and Security."
Original article HERE
Angry yet, you F'n well should be
Another Border Patrol agent on the Arizona border was shot and killed by Mexican drug smugglers last Tuesday. Of the eight attackers, four are in custody and a fifth is under surveillance by Border Patrol Blackhawk helicopters as he tries to make his way back to the Mexican border.
BP Agent Brian Terry was part of a BORTAC team (for border tactical unit) tracking armed drug smugglers 15 miles northwest of Nogales, Ariz., (and only three miles west of Interstate 19) when they were attacked with automatic weapons fire. The area is well-known as a major drug-smuggling corridor, and the smugglers are known to frequently be armed with AK-47s and other long rifles.
Here's the part Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Border Patrol management are trying to hide: Border Patrol Agent Terry and the BORTAC team were under standing orders to always use ("non-lethal") bean-bag rounds first before using live ammunition. When the smugglers heard the first rounds, they returned fire with real bullets, and Agent Terry was killed in that exchange. Real bullets outperform bean bags every time.
The larger, ugly truth Napolitano and senior managers in the Border Patrol want to hide is that the rules of engagement and inadequate weaponry of the Border Patrol place the lives of all agents at grave risk. The National Border Patrol Council, which represents over 15,000 field agents, believes the border is too dangerous for officers to patrol without body armor, armored vehicles and automatic weapons.
Concerned about the impact of illegal aliens on the United States? Don't miss Tom Tancredo's book, "In Mortal Danger: The Battle for America's Border and Security" – now just $4.95!
Another aspect of this story that is not being reported is that the site of the shooting, Peck Canyon, is inside the area Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., has proposed to designate as the Tumacacori Highlands Wilderness reserve. If Grijalva's bill is enacted into law, what is now a well-established drug smuggling corridor will become a drug-smuggling superhighway, because the Border Patrol will be prohibited from patrolling the region. Rep. Rob Bishop of Utah has proposed legislation that will remove the restrictions on Border Patrol jurisdiction on such public lands within 50 miles of the border.
On Thursday, Secretary Napolitano and several aides flew to Tucson to meet with local Border Patrol brass. The Obama administration obviously has a mess on its hands, and Napolitano does not want it to blow up before today's U.S. Senate vote on the Dream Act. They know another murder on the southwest border will not help garner needed votes for the Dream Act, because senators supporting that bill must be able to say with a straight face, "The border is as secure as it has ever been."
The BORTAC team encountered not one or two smugglers but a team of eight. Four are in custody, one is under surveillance in the rugged terrain of the Pajarita Wilderness area east of the small ranch town of Ruby, and three others are missing. The captured smugglers had AK-47s and backpacks filled with ammunition, food and radios. There are rumors that three of the captured four are members of the Mexican military, but that is unconfirmed. Yet, it would not be the first time Mexican police and military have been apprehended smuggling drugs into the United States.
It is not widely reported by our news media that the smugglers maintain a dozen or more permanent lookout posts on desert hilltops inside the U.S., and that those lookout posts are manned in week-long shifts by individuals who commute not from Mexico but from Phoenix, Tucson and other Arizona cities.
The allegation that the Sinaloa drug cartel obtained those AK-47s from gun shops in the United States is nonsensical. That's a fairy tale cooked up by the Obama administration and endorsed by the Mexican government because they do not want to admit that the cartels get most of their serious weaponry from the international black market and the Mexican military itself.
The rules requiring first use of bean-bag ammunition is but one example of the suicidal rules of engagement that govern Border Patrol operations. The reason they have such insane rules? The politicians who run the agency do not want the public to think the border is so dangerous a place that Border Patrol agents fear for their lives. In other words, the rules of engagement are based on a lie, a lie that must be maintained for political purposes.
Secretary Napolitano should do two things on Monday morning. First, she should order all Border Patrol agents to be issued weapons adequate for both self-defense and apprehension of armed drug smugglers. The second thing she should do Monday morning is resign.
Tom Tancredo is a former five-term congressman from Colorado and 2008 candidate for the Republican presidential nomination. He currently serves as chairman of the Rocky Mountain Foundation and co-chairman of TeamAmericaPac. Tancredo is the author of "In Mortal Danger: The Battle for America's Border and Security."
Original article HERE
Angry yet, you F'n well should be
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
RIP Agent Brian A. Terry, may you sacrifice not be in vain. Sadly I have often said it will take many more of his circumstance before anything will happen. May his family find peace, and may their sacrifice save our border and countless other lives.
"This is a sign that the politicians and bureaucrats are overly optimistic in their assessment that the borders are more secure now than at any point in our history. It showed just the opposite,"
Full Story HERE
"This is a sign that the politicians and bureaucrats are overly optimistic in their assessment that the borders are more secure now than at any point in our history. It showed just the opposite,"
Full Story HERE
This is what happens when criminals are ignored and lands are given to the lawless. This is a real threat in the southwest, coming to a neighborhood near you soon.
Jason
Monday, November 1, 2010
An Open Letter to Sheriff Paul Babeu
Attn: Sheriff Paul Babeu
With all of the current media reports and claims, why can we not bring together the Sheriff’s Department and citizens that want to be active? There are many people in the community that wish to take an active role in the establishment and security of their homes outside of a full time commitment. While I understand the department’s reluctance to endorse and support citizen patrols of the desert regions, this is done at a time that the Sheriff’s Office says “We find our deputies are being outgunned and clearly the violence has increased recently.” (From your site HERE) Has thought been given to providing training or guidelines to citizens that want to, need to, participate in their community and its defense? Many of those I have spoken with would appreciate a more open dialog. To paraphrase them, “if you lead, we will follow.” While some out there are looking for publicity and or attention, many more just want to help. If this means providing water, emotional, spiritual, moral, and in the extreme case tactical support; we will. But keep in mind that as you ask for donations to increase your departments arms supply, many citizens have the equipment, means, experience and desire; why can this not be utilized with the co-operation of the Pinal County Sheriff’s Department? Money is the one thing many citizens do not have at this time. From another article on your site it states “What this incident does show is the lack of manpower in Pinal County. Deputy Puroll was alone and outgunned. There is one deputy for every one thousand citizens in Pinal Co., and Sheriff Babeu says it's time for some border help”.(Emphasis mine original article HERE) Having simple limits, background checks or requirements can filter out some of the negative traits of volunteers that may be frowned upon. Require a combination of prior Police/Military/EMS service and/or current AZ CCW, with an interview and/or background check provided by the Pinal County Sheriff’s Department. I do realize that there is a liability to involving citizens; but claiming a lack of resources, and denying a major resource of your constituents and willing volunteers seems against your goal. If you feel you cannot endorse a group, any group, is there a way to set up a route to open the dialog and/or communication for persons who will participate independently? Thank you very much for taking the time to consider these questions as I know your time is very busy right now.
Jason XXXXX
Pinal County Resident
With all of the current media reports and claims, why can we not bring together the Sheriff’s Department and citizens that want to be active? There are many people in the community that wish to take an active role in the establishment and security of their homes outside of a full time commitment. While I understand the department’s reluctance to endorse and support citizen patrols of the desert regions, this is done at a time that the Sheriff’s Office says “We find our deputies are being outgunned and clearly the violence has increased recently.” (From your site HERE) Has thought been given to providing training or guidelines to citizens that want to, need to, participate in their community and its defense? Many of those I have spoken with would appreciate a more open dialog. To paraphrase them, “if you lead, we will follow.” While some out there are looking for publicity and or attention, many more just want to help. If this means providing water, emotional, spiritual, moral, and in the extreme case tactical support; we will. But keep in mind that as you ask for donations to increase your departments arms supply, many citizens have the equipment, means, experience and desire; why can this not be utilized with the co-operation of the Pinal County Sheriff’s Department? Money is the one thing many citizens do not have at this time. From another article on your site it states “What this incident does show is the lack of manpower in Pinal County. Deputy Puroll was alone and outgunned. There is one deputy for every one thousand citizens in Pinal Co., and Sheriff Babeu says it's time for some border help”.(Emphasis mine original article HERE) Having simple limits, background checks or requirements can filter out some of the negative traits of volunteers that may be frowned upon. Require a combination of prior Police/Military/EMS service and/or current AZ CCW, with an interview and/or background check provided by the Pinal County Sheriff’s Department. I do realize that there is a liability to involving citizens; but claiming a lack of resources, and denying a major resource of your constituents and willing volunteers seems against your goal. If you feel you cannot endorse a group, any group, is there a way to set up a route to open the dialog and/or communication for persons who will participate independently? Thank you very much for taking the time to consider these questions as I know your time is very busy right now.
Jason XXXXX
Pinal County Resident
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