Archive for the ‘Michigan’ Category

Another Michigan link:
West Michigan Army team goes to Afghanistan to engage other women, and win them over

As a mother, Army Sgt. Andrea Yearsoivich treasures home and family.

And as such, she values the chance to lead female soldiers in Afghanistan with a specialized new role: Win hearts and minds, not by firing weapons, but by breaking down cultural barriers that often impede male troops.

“I think it makes absolute sense. It is an amazing opportunity,” said Yearsoivich, 31. The Grand Rapids resident left last week for Afghanistan with other members of the Wyoming-based Michigan National Guard.

Yearsoivich heads a team of six “female engagement” soldiers, tasked to earn the trust of Afghan women and gain information often off-limits to men.

Good stuff, and proud to see some local guardspersons on this important mission.

Longtime readers may recall a 2006 interview Murdoc had with Jannelle Zalkovsky, a soldier who was on a similar mission in Iraq.

Heh. “Guardspersons.”

Private security firm hired to guard Michigan’s National Guard bases and facilities

The state has hired a West Michigan-based private security firm to protect six of its National Guard and Air National Guard bases and facilities.

In a 5-year, $15 million contract, DK Security will provide armed security services at six military installations around the state.

The facilities include Camp Grayling, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Battle Creek Air National Guard Base, Ft. Custer Training Center, Joint Forces Headquarters and Grand Ledge Army National Guard Base.

Reminds Murdoc of

Quicken Loans Carrier Classic is Prepared for Anything

Production is underway on the Quicken Loans Carrier Classic basketball game aboard the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70).

The Michigan State Spartans are set to take on the University of North Carolina Tar Heels at the first ever college basketball game on a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier.

Preparations to set up for the event have been taking place throughout the week, with the construction of bleachers seating 7,000 people and a full basketball court on the flight deck of Carl Vinson.

Sailors assigned to the “Seahawks” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 41, are assisting with the setup of the event. Naval Aircrewman 3rd Class Marco Gilio and Naval Aircrewman 3rd Class Carlin Henderson have donated over 30 hours of their time assisting with the construction of the event. In return, the squadron will be giving them tickets to the event.

The game will be played on Friday, Veterans Day, 11/11/11. Magic Johnson and James Worthy will be honorary team captains. A secondary court with smaller stands is being built on the hangar deck in case of foul weather.

Naval Aircrewman 3rd Class Marco Gilio, Naval Aircrewman 3rd Class Aaron Armellini, and Naval Aircrewman 3rd Class Carlin Henderson, all assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 41, volunteer to set-up bleachers for the Quicken Loans Carrier Classic basketball game aboard the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). The three will get free tickets to the game. The Michigan State University Spartans are playing the University of North Carolina Tar Heels aboard Carl Vinson for the first ever Quicken Loans Carrier Classic on Veteran's Day, Nov. 11. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Amanda Huntoon/Released)

More photos below.
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Murdoc’s not heard what the distribution plan is for the new grenade launcher or how far along it is, but it looks like 37th Infantry, part of the Ohio National Guard, has them.

The 37th Infantry also include elements of the Michigan National Guard, including the 126th Cav from the city of Wyoming (Grand Rapids area). That’s Murdoc’s stomping ground.

Three Guys versus the Asian Carp

The Illinois River connects to Lake Michigan through a shipping canal, which is tenuously protected by electric shock barriers. What would happen when billions of Asian Carp break through into the Great Lakes is terrible to consider.

There was actually an Asian Carp Summit held at the White House last year where officials from the several Great Lakes states got together to voice concerns. Stern memos were drafted.

Surprisingly these had little impact.

The asian carp issue is a serious concern to those in the Great Lakes region. It’s only a matter of time.

Via Instapundit.

In Lawrence, Michigan, the school district’s telephone alert system, intended to alert residents of snow days, school lock-downs, and other high-priority school-related business, was used to robocall people and encourage them to sign the recall-Governor-Snyder petition. Lawrence is just a few miles down the road from where Murdoc’s in-laws live.

“It will never happen again” Lawrence Public Schools Superintendent John Overley told Capitol Confidential today, referring to the alert that went out about the Snyder recall. “It will not be done again, ever.”

Capitol Confidential asked Overley if the use of the alert in connection with the recall had been a mistake.

“Yes, a big mistake,” Overley responded.

Capitol Confidential asked Overley if the situation involving the alert had been brought before the district’s school board.

“No, we haven’t done that, but the school board members know about it,” Overley said. “My understanding was that this was to be more informational than it turned out.”

Capitol Confidential asked Overley if that meant he had known ahead of time that something concerning the recall was going to be sent out.

“We’re not going to ever let this happen again,” Overley asserted.

Nope. No dodging of questions there.

Whenever someone asks Murdoc why he’s not afraid that the huge changes being pushed by Governor Snyder are too much too quickly, he just replies that, judging by the unhinged response from the Michigan Education Assossiation (MEA), it has to be the right thing to do.

These people cannot be trusted with money, public property, or authority of any sort. So why do so many people trust them with their children?

Via Instapundit.

No, Murdoc is not anywhere near the big news story out of West Michigan tonight: Michigan Police Surround Suspected Gunman Who Allegedly Killed 7 in Shooting Spree

Crazy story. Apparently this longtime felon killed a kid, five women, and man. A couple of other shootouts and a wild chase through downtown and the wrong way up I-196 ended when he holed up in an apartment with two hostages.

Now it seems he’s snorting something and threatening to kill himself.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed.

How 12-year-old West Michigan boy’s quick actions saved dad’s life

While his dad spray-painted a friend’s bedroom, 12-year-old Jordyn Tyler put finishing touches on the hallway.

Then, his dad started laughing uproariously.

“I said, ‘What’s so funny?’ He didn’t answer. So I asked him again, and he didn’t answer.”

With the bedroom sealed in protective plastic, the son hollered: “If you don’t answer, I’m going to kick the door open.”

Murdoc’s said it before and he’ll say it again: Boy Scouts is a great program and every boy should give it a try.

It prepares guys for a lot more than just camping in the woods.

He said he still can’t believe his son acted so fast.

“He knew exactly what to do,” Tyler said. “I don’t know how he even knew.”

Murdoc knows how.

Plot to blow up Dearborn mosque foiled by tip to police

Not a Tea Party disciple of Beck and Limbaugh and Palin.

He didn’t “just snap.” He’d been snapped for quite a while.

While dealing with a virus infection on some of my sites a couple of days ago I decided to pull the plug on MichiBlogger.net. I started it up several years back but never had time to focus on Michigan news and events like I wanted.

Though I don’t like pulling down content, I also don’t feel like maintaining a site that isn’t seeing anything from me and is seeing virtually no traffice whatsoever. I mean, it was like Air America traffic level.