The Most Hopeful Indicator of an Obama Win — NASCAR Dads…
By bruce | October 27, 2008
I’m a Democrat. I voted absentee a week ago for Senators Obama and Biden, Governor Warner, and my friend Dr. Feder. No real surprise there.
I also have been coordinating the Veterans and Military Families for Obama in Region six. My area covers Prince William and Fauquier Counties, and Manassas and Manassas Park. Our hardy band of American patriots has grown from an initial list of 12 to 300 strong. We’re phoning Vets all over the Commonwealth with the real facts of Senator Obama’s genuine support for our military.
As the Gainesville Democratic Committee Chair I’ve coordinated canvass’, phone banks, parades and a host of other outreach activities, all in near perfect synchronization with the incredibly dedicated small staff on the Obama and Coordinated campaigns.
Now with a week to go, most of the yard signs have been stuck in the ground, the bumper stickers applied and – take a deep breath – the Get Out The Vote is about to start in the Commonwealth – a GOTV effort that will be talked about for ever!
I’m taking nothing for granted, and neither are the campaigns and we’re going to work these last few days like our country’s future depends on the outcome and I truly beleive it does.
The efforts expended in the cause are intense and the anticipation of the outcome is high, especially in light of Virginia’s history, but we’re gonna take it to the house, with righteous energy. But sometimes the task is daunting, then I read something today that gave me the inspiration to suck it up and truly sprint to the finish line. 
Today NASCAR icon Junior Johnson endorsed Senator Obama.
Here’s the text of the letter that went to all those NASCAR folks in North Carolina…
My family and I have given this election a lot of thought.
Our country is in a rough spot, and we’re going to need some serious change. There’s only one candidate ready to deliver it — and that’s Barack Obama.
Every day I talk to someone else who’s never voted for a Democrat, but now they’re voting for Barack Obama. They realize that Barack understands what we’re going through here in North Carolina. And they’re ready for change.
So I’ve made up my mind, and I’m ready to get involved. I know that I could never have won a race without my pit crew, and I know Barack can’t win this one without us.
Can you sign up to volunteer this last crucial week?
When I talk to folks about why I support Barack, I just tell it like I see it.
There’s been a lot thrown at him this election, and he’s stayed calm, positive, and focused. I know a little something about how important it is to stay cool under pressure.
And with all the dangers in our world today, that’s the kind of rock-solid leadership our country needs.
These days, I run a small country ham and pork skins business. Barack Obama will fight for a fair economy where small businesses like mine have the freedom to grow, and he’ll defend the Second Amendment to protect the hunter’s way of life.
But the most important reasons I’m speaking out for Barack Obama are named Robert and Meredith, my two children. My wife Lisa and I talked it over, and honestly, we know in our gut that their future is more secure if Barack Obama is president.
At the end of the day, there’s just nothing more important than that.
That’s why I’m going to talk to my neighbors this week, and I’m asking you to do the same. This election in North Carolina is going to be one of the closest ever, and we all need to lend a hand.
Join me by volunteering this week:
http://nc.barackobama.com/NC100kHours
I’ve been in a lot of races in my life. But this may be the most important one of all. So let’s all get in gear and win it together.
Yours,
Junior Johnson
P.S. — I know what it means to run an aggressive race, but I also know what it means to compete with integrity. Have you gotten one of these pre-recorded calls that are flooding our state smearing Barack Obama’s character and questioning his patriotism? That’s crossing the line, and North Carolinians deserve better. Help fight back by canvassing this week to tell your neighbors the truth about Barack.
First Bluegrass Icon Dr. Ralph Stanley endorses Senator Obama, now Junior.
I feel a vibe in Virginia, Prince William, and the Gainesville District like never before. Hitting 1500 doors, each day, making 2000 phone calls each day (not those McCain/Palin Robos, but real people reaching out to real people, and making a difference like never before.
Work with us to take our country back. It will be worth your effort like nothing you’ve ever done in your life.
b
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The Return of Swift Boaters…
By bruce | October 10, 2008
You betcha…
b
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The Busy Season …
By bruce | October 7, 2008
Sorry for not posting to my three avid fans. Since the Debate watch party we’ve coordinated/worked on:
- Huge Haymarket Days parade effort (50 people plus float)
- Haymarket Days Democrats booth
- Multiple Vets for Obama events and activities
- Another party for the first debate
- Pumpkin Pandemonium booth (where are the R’s??
and we took a few days to go to NYC so i could ride my ship back to the pier.
Two more events to coordinate and then the big election day. What a great time to be a Democrat in Virginia.
We are getting converts all the time…
b
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Yes Virginia we’re in play, BIG TIME…
By bruce | August 30, 2008
Last Thursday, the Gainesville and Brentsville Democratic Committees of Prince William County hosted a party to watch our Presidential Nominee, Senator Barak Obama make his acceptance speech. I was hoping for a respctable 30-50 folks to attend as has been the case with most events other than when Senator Colgan has Mark Warner coming to town.
I rented the Social Hall of my church BRUU and committed to buying beverages etc, and started inviting people. I checked out the wireless internet access and my new Mac was chomping at the bit to stream the High Def pictures coming from the DNC site in Denver.
Then the numbers started coming in, 50 here – 75 there and 100 from canvassers. The message was clear to me – buy more beer. Turned out that over 230 people RSVP’ed and over 175 attended. Standing room only! We even had soon to be elected House of Representatives member Judy Feder in the house.
The video worked flawlesly (sorta like the Federal Government with President Obama at the helm) and a fantastic time was had by all, but these thoughts kept running through my head…
Would this have been possible last year, or during Senator Webb’s crushing victory over a sitting official, or three years ago, or when the last presidential race was run? No way. And definitely not in Manassas and Western Prince William County. The times are a changing.
Virginia is really in play and that with polling numbers that don’t include tens of thousands of new voters registered or the tens of thousands that have cell phones and are not polled. This does not bode well for McCain nor the Mayor of Moose Nose or what ever.
I was so proud to be a part of this event and the people who watched will not go away. They will walk, they will call, they will reach out to their neighbors, they will proudly display yard signs and bumperstickers, and … they will vote for our great Democratic candidates on November 4th!
Virginia will be blue very soon. We’re in play and even Senator McCain believes it when he says “We have a good shot to win Virginia.”
b
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Virginia Veterans for Obama, Sit-Stat…
By bruce | August 25, 2008
Four Years ago something happened in the Presidential contest that nearly ruined politics for me – the Swiftboaters. Not gonna happen this time. There will be no Democratic version of that crap, just lots of veterans supporting the senator.
Senator Obama’s campaign has established Veterans For Obama groups in all 50 states and Virginia being a battleground is leading the way. We’re organized as are the Obama regions and have several hundred members already.
I’m coordinating Region 6 (Prince William and Fauquier Counties and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park) and from an initial list of 15 names we’ve grown to over 150 proud veterans supporting the Campaign for Change.
If you want to help us out, sign up or make a small donation at our ActBlue Site.
http://www.actblue.com/page/virginiavetsforobama
We’re going to use the money for Vets Obama stuff. The campaign is correctly focusing on funding field operations and responding to swiftboaters in minutes not weeks. We’ll step up, after all it’s kinda like our GI’s trying to Up-Armor their Humvees or buying their own bulletproof vests or helmet liners.
If you want to join our group, send your contact information to Bruce.VetsForObama@verizon.net
Wait till you see about 75 of us with our float in the Haymarket Days Parade!! Gonna be a thing of beauty.
b
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Greg Lettique approves of the UU Knoxville murders/terrorism???
By bruce | August 4, 2008
I happened to stumble upon a post about Mimi and her Howling Latina blog on BVBL. Mimi’s got real issues with Senator Obama and posted a “questionable” graphic. Now I’ve had some real issues with her failure to accept the primary process, but hey it’s her blog. She does seem to be in denial, but that’s her issue.
My issue is that there is a blog in Manassas, that has a fair amount of readers, that’s advising the faithful it’s ok to kill people if you don’t agree with thier ideas and values.
Greg Lettique takes Mimi’s post about a few bloggers (presumably “Lefties”) wanting their blogs removed from her blog roll as proof that Democrats are the spawn of the devil, yadda, yadda. Sort of expected, but then I read the last paragraph and just about spun off into the ether. This direct quote is from this post…
The implosion of the left will only continue with these demands for orthodoxy. You can ultimately herd leftists no more easily than you can herd cats, unless of course deadly force is on the menu of coercive methodologies that can be employed.
So close to the Knoxville murders. So painful to so many. Is it any wonder that the Atkinson’s of the world storm into a UU sanctuary or an Amish worship house with the intent to act on their paranoia?
This kind of hate is similar to, oh I don’t know, you tell me. What is the point of this other than to validate and incite hate and violence. I’m no rocket surgeon, but I know what deadly force is. Is this a veiled threat? And don’t give me that <wink> <wink> can’t you take a joke. This is just wrong. Killing people for their ideas? Maiming humans because of what they believe?
Mimi’s post pales in comparison to these vile words.
This is about people’s lives.
I consider myself a progressive, but since I’ve been accused by Greg in the past of being one of these lefties (In Greg’s mind, the un-pure I suspect) I guess I could be adversely affected by this advice to his faithful as well.
In the Pledge of Allegiance there are those very powerful words, “…with liberty and justice for all.” I believe in those words, I don’t just say them. I suspect that each of us needs to assess whether we really believe them or not.
I could care less about Mimi’s blog, but Greg’s statement is a direct attack on my family. I will protect my family…
b
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Some days it’s tough to live and believe in your values…
By bruce | July 28, 2008
Just heard of the shooting in Knoxville at a Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church. Two dead, and five more in critical or serious condition.
Right now I’m just too pissed off to think rationally about this domestic terrorism/hate crime. But our UUA National President Bill Sinkford speaks for us all.
UUA President Releases Statement on Tennessee Shootings
July 27, 2008
Statement from Rev. William G. Sinkford, President, Unitarian Universalist Association
I am shocked and sorrowed by the terrible shootings in the sanctuary of the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church. My heart is heavy and my prayers are with our injured sisters and brothers in Knoxville. While many details of this tragedy remain unclear, our Association will do all we can to support Unitarian Universalists in Knoxville in the hard days to come.
A tragedy such as this makes us acutely conscious of the beauty and fragility of our lives and those of our loved ones. I am especially saddened by this intrusion of violence into a worship service involving children and youth. I know that many people, both in Knoxville and around the country, are struggling with shock and grief right now. I pray that those so affected will find strength and comfort.
Members of the Unitarian Universalist Trauma Response Ministry are on their way to Knoxville to offer additional ministry to the congregation as it grieves. And Unitarian Universalists around the world are sending love and prayers to the Tennessee Valley congregation to tell them they are not alone on this dark day.
The Kubler Ross model of Grief Stages is appriopriate here…
The stages are:
- Denial:
- Example – “I feel fine.”; “This can’t be happening.”
- Anger:
- Example – “Why me? It’s not fair!” “NO! NO! How can you accept this!”
- Bargaining:
- Example – “Just let me live to see my children graduate.”; “I’ll do anything, can’t you stretch it out? A few more years.”
- Depression:
- Example – “I’m so sad, why bother with anything?”; “I’m going to die . . . What’s the point?”
- Acceptance:
Sorry for my lack of perspective on this one, kinda stuck in anger right now…
b
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No young Americans or Iraqis were killed in the generation of this energy…
By bruce | July 18, 2008
It is just a rumor, but I did hear that one of the union construction workers did receive a slight muscle pull and one of the bosses got sunburned. Both are reported to be in rehab… Full recoveries expected.
b
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How Green is Bob Marshall??
By bruce | July 15, 2008
When I ran against Bob Marshall one of the things I was slow to figure out was the support he received from the environmental protection community. I was really dumbfounded when the League of Conservation Voters did not even offer me a courtesy interview. They just happily endorsed Bob. And of course little old progressive me got bupkus.
Knowing Bob’s record on environment issues fairly well I have a perspective that a lot of his votes on growth were much less about environmental issues, but more about keeping the flat earth society and Grover Norquist and the ultra rich in the green. I was especially upset when Bob voted against millions of dollars to clean up the Chesepeake Bay in 2004 included in Governor Warner’s historic bi-partiasan tax revision budget to finalize the clean up of the Gilmore mess.
Now he votes FOR off shore drilling with a bogus statement that when congress approves it, we Virginians want to get our money for transportation. What? Of course Bush the clueless made a statement today about his support for this canard. The Sierra Club, who’s endorsement Bob in his recent US Senate bid touted as his strongest indication that he’s got support of we lefties, must be very proud.
UNLESS you read their position paper from 2006 on off shore drilling.
Off shore drilling is more of the same from these “feed the rich” types. The oil companies get richer. And they probably need much more than the 68 million acres the are already sitting on with mineral leases. NOT. There is no effect on gas prices for the foreseeable future (ok 10 years). Transportation fixes are put off to much further in the future (Oh and thanks for the great session to solve our road issues). And the national security implications are huge too.
We need to listen to T. Boone.
But I guess the energy lobby has some legislators by the _________.
Not me.
b
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Fund this and we might find Jim Gilmore too…
By bruce | July 8, 2008
Again, if you don’t believe in science that do not read/act on the following…
Dear roemmelt,
Arecibo Observatory, the world’s largest radio telescope and the source for the SETI@home data that your computer analyzes, faces massive budget cuts that will END its ability to continue the search for life beyond Earth. The decision to ensure full funding currently rests upon votes in Congress on Senate Bill S.
2862 and House Resolution H.R. 3737. These bills desperately need more support.Please take a moment to help us SAVE ARECIBO.
Clicking the link below will direct you to a web page that allows you to print out letters prepared for your Senators and Congressional Representative urging them to support Arecibo. Printing and mailing the letters is really easy, too!
You will also have the chance to add a few personal thoughts, if you wish, to let your Senators and Representative know why this funding is important to you!
And if you’re really feeling passionate about saving Arecibo, please use these letters as the basis for letters you write yourself, urging your congressmen and women to vote to save Arecibo.Because our representatives in Congress rarely give much attention to all the email they receive, printing out and MAILING these letters via standard U.S.
Postal mail remains our best option for contacting them and our best hope for saving Arecibo (The second best option is to call your representatives). Your
42 cent stamps on these letters could help us get the millions of dollars needed to save Arecibo.Our search cannot continue without the necessary support. Your work, as SETI@home participants, represents an indispensable resource for conducting the search. Now, we need your help to ensure that our other most valuable resource
- our eyes and ears to the cosmos – can continue to probe the universe as we seek to answer the question: Is there anybody out there?http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/arecibo_letter.php
Thank you for your help,
The SETI@home Team
b
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Yes Virginia, a Mac is the bomb…
By bruce | July 2, 2008
Day 7 of conversion to Macintosh. I am a good Democrat and the switch to a real computer was only enhanced by the speculation that Bill Gates could be McCain’s running mate, but fueled entirely by the frustration with Windows and PC based computers. I have always been an IBM guy but in spite of the stellar hardware quality Windows could screw up a soup sandwich! I had my last lock up a week and a half ago and made the decision to start with a MacBook laptop thanks to my friend Scott Nolan’s superb assistance.
I emailed Scott and asked him tons of questions. He patiently answered each one (and the innumerable follow up questions) and I made a virtual trip to the Apple store and the rest is history.
I got a tricked out MacBook:
2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
4GB 667 DDR2 SDRAM – 2×2GB
250GB Serial ATA Drive@5400rpm
SD 8x(DVD+R DL/DVD+RW/CD-RW)
iWork ‘08 Preinstalled
Apple mini-DVI to VGA Adapter
Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard
I also bought Adobe Premier Elements, but will have to install Windows with ‘Boot Camp’ as I can’t afford to replace MindPath’s Mind Jet and Expression Web. I also got a $10 program O2M to seamlessly move you email/contact/calendar stuff to the Mac.
It’s fast, black and beautiful. And Steve Jobs gives a lot more to Dems than Gates. Did I say that Gates could be the next Dick Cheny? 
My T-60 has moved on to Beth as her T-40 was just about dead. The extended warranty on the T-60 goes for another 2 years, but my intent is to convert the entire fleet to Apple.
I’ve been thinking about this move for a long time, but when I was at my OBTS Board meeting in Boston last month easily 1/3 of my colleagues had Macs.
I do have one more question for Scott tho…
“Why the hell did I wait so long?”
b
Did I also tell you that Apple has real customer service. Waldo will be so proud of me…
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The Right Wing is Happier than we are…
By bruce | June 25, 2008
I know that this is SCIENCE, and we all know how problematic science can be when faced with real issues of opinion, emotion, ignorance and the ever popular “I read it in a really big book.” None the less check out this research snippet from the 60 Second Psych website.
Conservatives are happier than liberals. This according to a 2006 Pew Research Center survey cited in a paper published this month in Psychological Science.
But New York University researchers set out to isolate the reasons why right-wingers would have greater subjective well-being than left-wingers.
They collected data from nearly 1,200 people from the 2000 American National Election Study and found that above the effects of gender, marital status, income, religion and age, the reason for this happiness disparity can be distilled to the separate ideologies of liberals and conservatives.
The authors argue that a conservative belief acts as a psychological buffer in a world of increasing inequality. The idea is that conservatives tend to rationalize inequality as the result of a fair process in a meritocracy, whereas liberals tend to see inequality as inherently unjust.
Analyses with data from 9,000 people across 10 countries uncovered the pattern that, not only do right-wingers report greater life satisfaction across cultures, but the gap widens in those countries where quality of life is low.
Finally, the authors looked at U.S. data spanning the past 30 years, and found that increasing economic inequality is associated with the decrease in the nation’s overall happiness. But noted they found that liberals’ self-reported happiness decreased more steeply than that of conservatives.
- Christie Nicholson
When I read this one I signed up to knock a few hundred additional doors for Dems this fall.
b
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It ain’t over ’till it’s over, Dominion…
By bruce | June 17, 2008
The SCC is not rolling over for Dominion on the 500 kv powerline – yet. Got this PEC missive upon my return from a conference in Boston.
Dominion & PJM Ordered to Run New Tests
Dear bruce,
A victory of sorts occurred on Wednesday (yay!) –newly available information has caused the State Corporation Commission to reopen the transmission line evidentiary record and to require additional studies from Dominion and PJM. Hearing Examiner Alexander Skirpan, Jr. has requested the new studies be provided by June 18th. We will then have a chance to review the studies and perhaps run our own tests before heading back to Richmond for a hearing on June 30th.
PJM Auctions Provide New Generation and Demand Response The Hearing Examiner’s order was brought about by the results of PJM’s recent Reliability Pricing Model (RPM) auction. The auction, part of PJM’s new market structure, collected bids for generation and demand response for the 2011/2012 time frame. The auction brought in over 4,200 megawatts of new generation and demand response. The results of this auction are particularly important, because Dominion has been threatening blackouts in the summer of 2011 if their 3000-megawatt transmission line is not built. The hearing on the 30th will be open to the public, please let me know if you are interested in attending. Also, please consider making an online donation to help fund our continued efforts before the SCC. Piedmont Environmental Council is proud to have received Charity Navigator’s highest rating.
The full text of the hearing examiner’s ruling is here. So this has the potential to be good news. Demand management and local generation (Ala Jim Bacon’s production centric system) can do it. If we continue the fight we just might win… b
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Voting Republican???
By bruce | June 16, 2008
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Obama’s First Presidential Stop in my District, Wanna be on my team????
By bruce | June 3, 2008
As the Gainesville Democratic Committee Chair and the last person to run for the House of Delegates in the 
13th HOD District I’m proud to be a Team Captain for Barak’s big Prince William Kick Off in MY HOOD!
If you want to be on my team this Thursday send me an email. Here’s the details…
OBAMA RALLY IN PWC ON JUNE 5In case you have not heard yet, our presumptive presidential candidate will be holding the first rally of his national campaign this Thursday in Prince William County!The link is below to get your tickets.We do need volunteers for this event. Volunteers are needed at the Pavillion in the early afternoon. If you or anyone you know can volunteer please contact me atbruce.roemmelt(at)gmail.com We’re gonna have to arrive around 11:30 a.m.Barack Obama in Prince William County, VAJoin Barack Obama at a rally in Bristow on Thursday, June 5th.Rally with Barack ObamaNissan Pavillion7800 Cellar Door DriveBristow, VAThursday, June 5thDoors Open: 3:00 p.m.Program Starts: 6:00 p.m.The event is free and open to the public. Tickets are NOT required, but an RSVP is strongly encouraged. Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis. Please RSVP using the form to the right.For security reasons, do not brings bags. Please limit personal items. No signs or banners permitted. No outside food or beverages allowed, with the exception of clear and sealed water bottles.
b
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Now back to our issues, remember stopping the Dominion Power line???
By bruce | May 28, 2008
Well it’s been a while and Dominion is still going fast forward to building the 500KV power line. As I posted when I was trying to contrast my opposition with Delegate Marshall’s non-opposition statement, Dominion is playing the classic “whack a mole” game like a master.
The Piedmont Environmental Council has a great compilation of “post hearing briefs” here in their Executive Summary of 78 pages of reasons to halt the power line. An aside is that Delegate Marshall’s State Corporation Commission (SCC) statement’s main points, all pointed towards how to manage the impact AFTER the 500 KV line is built, bury it, pay the home owners, make sure the SCC does it’s job, are not included. My points were and are, stop the powerline, conserve energy, enhance demand management, really publicize good numbers relating to the real need.
Bri West’s thumnail sketch of the PEC Comments…
- The application must be denied since the transmission line does not sustainably or economically resolve the simulated reliability violations that allegedly make the line necessary.
- The line makes the Mid-Atlantic more susceptible to electrical outages and natural or manmade assaults.
- The simulated reliability violations that allegedly make the line necessary are the product of faulty PJM tests that Virginia should reject.
- PJM’s and the applicants’ reliability tests are fatally flawed by their reliance on arbitrary and unjustifiable assumptions about future generation and demand management.
- The Applicants’ stubborn failure to consider less costly and less environmentally damaging alternatives to the transmission line make a finding of public convenience and necessity impossible.
- In the absence of need, the taking of conservation easements and other protected national and Commonwealth lands cannot be justified.
- In the absence of need, the uncompensated losses occasioned by the transmission line cannot be authorized in the public interest.
- Even if authorization could be justified in the public convenience and necessity, undergrounding should be required to minimize uncompensated losses and damage to the environment.
This issue should be on the front burner (or at least on the stove) of all Western Prince William residents (including Delegate Marshall who seems to have other items on his agenda. His Senate campaign web site has lots of stuff about gays, abortion, and supporting most of Bush’s failed policies).
b
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Memorial Day, I won’t forget you Bobby…
By bruce | May 26, 2008
I know USN vet with the Vietnam tour. No big deal. Dry bunks, hot food, no real danger. On the flight deck of the USS Intrepid there was danger, and we flew missions just about around the clock. Just finished watching the PBS series “Carrier” where they followed the Nimitz for a full deployment. On station for six months in the Persian Gulf and did not drop ONE bomb. I remember those A4 Skyhawks of ours averaged 5,000 pounds of bombs dropped each mission, and there were 15 planes launched every 90 minutes. One big similarity ‘tween then and now. Troops died to protect each other, and Iraq is just as wrong as Nam ever was. And now the troops are “supported”, except by the folks in charge of crap policy, poor equipment, extended stays, bad health care, and the specter of 100 more years there. And homey, this ain’t the Rhineland where we won, those Iraq IED’s will be blowing our kids up as long as we’re there.
But this post on Memorial Day is not about me or Nam or even Bush’s repeatedly failed attempts to even come close to be a competent CIC, it’s about my friend Bobby Lee Spencer who did not come home. I wrote this piece about 20 years after September 23rd, 1968. Guess even non-grunts had issues…
You are remembered Bobby…
DUSK, SEPTEMBER 23rd 1968
It is dusk. In the South China Sea the USS Intrepid (CVS-11) is launching and recovering twenty four A-4 Sky Hawks and support aircraft every ninety minutes all day and all night. The converted Anti-Submarine Aircraft Carrier is about 100 miles from Viet Nam. We sometimes refer to our membership in the Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club. I’ve never been in a Yacht Club, but I have an idea that this is not quite what it is like.
These hour and a half cycles go on for about ten days until it is time to get more bombs, gas and chow. Then we stop flying for a day and go through an “Un-Rep”, Underway Replenishment. We sail next to a big supply ship that has all of the supplies we need to continue our little part of the war effort. Then back to work. We stay out for about 30 days at a time.
Every thirty days or so we return to the Philippines for about a week. We do some hard core partying in Olongopo City out side of the Naval Base at Subic Bay. Additional repairs and replenishment are done there too. Not much time to develop relationships is allowed. It is not long before we are back at sea, flying missions again.
The ship turns all the time and a sense of compass direction is lost on us. “Airdales,” the folks who deal with the planes and flight operations, are less intent on the “real” Navy. The only times I can tell which way we are going is at sunrise and sunset. The most beautiful sunrises and sunsets I have ever seen have been from the deck of that carrier.
The work is hard for the entire crew. Twelve hours on, twelve hours off. Sleeping is tough as our Berthing Compartment is 14′ underneath the starboard catapult. You can imagine the noise generated by all of that equipment in the process of throwing a big jet plane into the air, one that carries nine 500 pound bombs. Sometimes it is tough getting rest. Then there is that odor developed in a room that can’t be more than 50′ by 50′ containing 115 swabbies.
Steam upwind, launch and recover, steam downwind prepare to launch and recover. Do it again. Most of the real work goes on out of sight of the glamor and excitement of the launches and landings.
Why are we here? I am truly unclear as to our mission. Why am I here? I guess some sense of duty. There is a lot of anti-war activity back home and some of it is creeping into our lives here. We all wonder why we don’t bomb Hanoi though. What is going on in a war where there are places out of bounds and off limits? Many of us have a real detached sense of the war. I guess I am ignorant of the political realities. I do know that in America there is a democratic system and to keep it and change it you MUST pay your dues. My father did in WW II. My country called and I answered.
I am an ABH 3, Aviation Boatswains Mate Third Class Petty Officer (E-4). I am assigned to the Crash Crew. We provide fire suppression and rescue on the flight deck. When the birds crash, we make sure the fires are out and the pilot and crews too. We know each plane and how they operate. We are also responsible for some of the things necessary for putting the flight deck in a position to land planes after a crash.
We have a big crane and fork lift that can literally dump damaged aircraft into the ocean if necessary. We have twenty foot square one inch steel plates that we can weld to the deck to cover major holes. I alternate between these jobs. Tonight I have the responsibility for fire control. In addition to the high tech Light Water and Purple K extinguishers we also coordinate each of the hose crews that will apply the ship’s water foam and high pressure sprays. Just like the war, high tech, low tech.
The flight deck is a blaze of color, sound and fury during Flight Operations. Different crews wear different colored shirts to distinguish their assignments. The crash crew and bomb guys wears red shirts, flight directors and crew leaders wear yellow shirts, repair guys and plane handlers wear blue shirts. The guys who handle the catapults and arresting gear wear green as well as the folks who fuel the birds. The activity is intense, and you have got to keep your head out of your butt or you can get a real thrill being blown down the deck, and maybe over the edge dropping 80′ in to the ocean.
The noise of the jets is numbing. The heat of the exhausts is searing. Intakes on the jets are deadly. Each time they land they go to 100% power just in case they miss one of the five arresting gear cables. If they “Bolter”, the power lifts them nicely into the air so they can try again. You have to be careful up here on the deck.
Occasionally a plane will “crunch” during landing and break something. A main gear, a nose wheel or something. “Hung bombs” often release upon landing, bounce on the deck and splash harmlessly into the ocean. They tell us the detonators need a couple of hundred feet to arm and we are much too close to the ocean for them to explode. Even though they don’t explode it is a pretty awesome sight to see them bounce and splash!
I once saw a Sidewinder missile fire upon touchdown from an F-8 Crusader fighter. That will make you butt cheeks pucker. I consider the 80′ drop into the ocean, should it be necessary. The Forestal just had a major fire and dozens were killed. Our ship is much smaller and there is less room to run and hide.
Sometimes the birds are shot up. They can lose hydraulic power and are real sloppy to handle using auxiliary control. Bullets make all kinds of things leak in a plane, especially the pilots. Besides hydraulic fluid, jet fuel leaking is a real problem. From a fire fighter’s angle it is nice to have the ship turn into the wind. When you are fighting a fire it is always good to have the wind at your back.
The days and nights are filled with 99% routine hard work. As dusk approaches this evening, the 23rd of September 1968, word comes down from the “Air Boss” that a damaged Sky Hawk is coming back and will be landing in the next recovery effort. He was shot up by ground fire over some target, somewhere. There is more tension now. We can only see the light on the wing as the bird comes in on final approach. He needs to land real bad. We assume the pilot is shot and hurt too.
The light on the wing is a real point of focus for those of us watching this plane land. It is an indication of the Angle Of Attack (AOA) of the approaching airplane, the angle it needs to be at, to be slow enough to land and fast enough to stay in the air. We have seen thousands of those lights. At dusk and at night all you can see is that light until, the plane hits the deck. This time the light indicates that the bird is in trouble. Everyone’s eyes are on those lights for the thirty seconds of final approach.
The nose is going up and down on the injured Skyhawk. We can tell by the lights on the wing. Three lights; red, green, and yellow. Each gives a visual indication of AOA. Red, green then yellow … Yellow green then red. Too fast, too slow. Too slow, too fast. And just before touchdown, way too slow. The Sky Hawk gives up the will to fly, makes a left turn and crashes into the flight deck, the Landing Signal Officer’s (LSO) Platform and then lurches in slow motion into the ocean.
There is a big explosion as the Sky Hawk hits the water. The sea temperature is about 65 degrees and the hot parts of the Sky Hawk are several hundred. There is a big steam cloud from the port side (left) of the boat. NO fire! There are several planes in the air that need to land. Fuel is critical and the birds have nowhere else to go. They have got to land or crash. The pilots either land on the Intrepid or pull those yellow and black striped handles and “punch out.” We have to make the flight deck ready for landing. Perform. Do your job. Two dead, one dying, one badly injured.
We get the deck ready to accept aircraft. The injured and dead are evacuated. Emergency landing lights are rigged to guide the rest of the planes in. We bring the birds down after much hectic but organized activity. All of the training and discipline pay off. The system works for the pilots in the air. The system does not work for my friend Bobby Lee Spencer.
Bobby Lee Spencer is dying. He was the enlisted radio man for the LSO. His left leg and right arm were ripped from his body by the A-4 as it tumbled across the deck and cartwheeled into the sea. A terrible wound ran from his left groin to his right chest. The Corpsman applied trauma dressings to Bobby and we put him in a Stokes Litter. He goes rapidly to the ship’s Operating Room ten decks below. He never had a chance.
Twenty four hours later, at dusk on the 24th of September 1968, between one of the innumerable 90 minute flight operations cycles, a small memorial ceremony is held. Three wreaths are thrown into the South China Sea to honor the three who died in the crash: the pilot of the plane that crashed, another young pilot who was just observing on the LSO’s platform and Bobby Lee Spencer. A prayer is said. Taps are played. Few tears. Flight Ops in five minutes. No time for pain.
I visit Bobby’s name on THE WALL every September 23rd. I think of his sacrifice and that of my 59,000 brothers and sisters whose names are on that Wall. I wonder if anyone else thinks of Bobby these days. His death hurts more now, than it did at dusk, the 23rd of September 1968. Now I have the time to hurt.
bruce edgerly roemmelt
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One loss, and one win…
By bruce | May 21, 2008
Last Saturday’s Democratic 10th Congressional District Convention was a blast. I lost my bid to be a National Obama delegate to the Denver Convention, but was so impressed by the tremendous energy of Barak’s supporters. We’re gonna deliver Virginia for this hugely inspirational man. I did make it to the second ballot, but the fact that the Prince William/Manassas portion of the 10th is only 10% doomed my run from the start. Thanks to all my supporters and congrats to all the winners. Special props to Marcia Carlyn from Loudoun who has been a tireless worker and supporter of Senator Obama.
On the up side my resolution to enhance support for all of our Democratic House of Delegate and Senate candidates passed unamiously.
In order for Democrats to be a real force in Virginia politics and we need to support all of our official candidates and contest every race. To do that we need to help our candidate at a minimum level and plan for higher levels of support as resources allow.
My resolution (passed and vetted through the 10th CD committee as well) will now be sent to the DPVA State Resolutions Committee for consideration at the Hampton State Convention in June.
Here’s the text of the resolution…
A RESOLUTION PRESENTED TO THE 10TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION
Whereas in the 2007 Virginia General Assembly election nearly $10 million dollars was spent by groups that basically depended on the contributions of many democrats who believed the funds would be distributed to our Democratic candidates;
Whereas decisions about which candidates these groups supported were primarily made based on past district electoral performance without regard to evidence that these districts and candidates were competitive in the 2007 election;
Whereas this form of targeting, often flawed in its conception and execution, reduced or denied the necessary financial and other support to other candidates who could have won;
Whereas this faulty targeting mechanism may have helped to reduce the electoral success of past candidates and will likely discourage potential candidates if the future; and
Whereas it should be our democratic goal to encourage and not compromise viable candidates who are ready, willing, and able to stand for election; it is now
HEREBY RESOLVED that the Democratic Party of Virginia adopt, endorse, and conform to the following guidelines for future General Assembly House of Delegates and Senate candidates:
Funding and support should be provided to assist all official Democratic House of Delegates and Senate candidates after the primary date who are competing in a contested race at the following minimal levels:
· Any “Coordinated Campaign” effort in the candidate’s district will include him or her in Voter ID, Voter Persuasion, and GOTV;
· An Opposition Research report should be provided to the candidate at no cost to candidate;
· A Baseline poll should be provided to the candidate at no cost to candidate;
· Voter File (The VAN) will be provided to the candidate at no cost to candidate; and
· At least one high profile fundraising or political event with a statewide elected official will be offered (Federal or Commonwealth).
House or Senate Candidates must commit to the following:
· Publicly supporting the Democratic Party of Virginia’s Party Platform;
· Written political and fundraising campaign plan;
· Local and Congressional committee(s) approval;
· Professional Campaign Manager; and
· Written Commitment to run a professional campaign that includes raising money and performing voter contact.
Submitted by Bruce Roemmelt, EdD
The days of picking the “low hanging fruit” will be over very soon.
b
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I ask for your vote…
By bruce | May 16, 2008
I’m running for one of two Obama National Delegate slots at the 10th Congressional District Convention Saturday. I wrote a letter to all the Obama delegates this week and thought I’d also post it here.
Wish me luck as “unslated” is a tough row to hoe.
b
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My email to the Prince William County BOCS….
By bruce | April 28, 2008
Dear BOCS Members,
I support Supervisor Principi’s courageous position to revisit the immigration resolution. I also support Chief Deane 100% who, in my opinion, is one of the finest public servants I’ve ever known.
The resolution is not about safety but about something else and I’m still trying to figure out what. The entire board acted on not facts but anecdotal information. My perspective is to beef you the zoning enforcement and make sure the Jails are fully participating in the 287G program.
Try to hold the Feds feet to the fire on living up to their end of the ICE bargain and do NOT endanger our excellent police department by forcing them to racially profile. I don’t know how you avoid it by only asking people with brown skin certain questions. The law suit on this one will also blow a huge hole in the county budget!
Most of all I’m concerned about public safety funding. Altho there are still fire fighters in the budget the issue has been and will always be the adequate supervision levels of all of these new young fire fighters. Nothing brings this issue to the fore more that Kyle Wilson’s death.
Prince William is my home and always will be. I love the community but look what is happening. Chasing a segment of our population away is causing for one thing a surplus of foreclosed, empty “safe houses” for gang members, and now with the policies you all have forced on our excellent police department the community policing model that was our law enforcement jewel is crumbling, because the very community that could give the cops good Intel on the bad guys is sacred to death every time they see a blue uniform. Seems like we’ve accomplished exactly the opposite of the intention.
You all have the opportunity to fix the mistakes made in the past and focus on the future. The future of all who live, work, and visit Prince William can be bright, but continuing down this draconian road will just give us many more dark days.
b
Bruce Roemmelt, EdD
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