Zero Foxtrot

Rarely given.  ALways taken.

We are different than the average Kyle or Karen walking down the street. We are not better. Or worse. We are different. And I will go a step further. Combat veterans who are also or have been law enforcement officers are different than Kyle, Karen and the average veteran even.

As an acquaintance recently put it, we’ve been re-wired. Re-programmed. Re-taught how to deal with threats, stress and even down time.

Through my work, I met the “owner”, for lack of a better word, of All 1 Team. A social website specifically for veterans. They are going through some growing pains but the site is up and running. And has numerous articles that deal with veteran issues, including PTSD and veteran suicide.

One particular article answered questions for me. Directly.

For us, part of our active duty survival strategy included seeing a persons face and quickly discerning their intentions. Is this person a threat? Is this person going to engage? Do I engage with this person? Where does this person fit in the ROE (Rules Of Engagement)?

Today, we are surrounded, AND we can not make the call on peoples intentions. (Link)

As a cop, I relied on people’s faces to help me anticipate their next move. It was absolutely tantamount to the person “telling” me what they were going to do. Over the years I was able to read the micro-expressions on their face and combined with hand movement and body language pretty much tell what they were going to do. Fight. Flight. Comply. Could all be read in their faces, hands and body.

Until I read the article, I had no idea why I was so uncomfortable going to stores for example. Then it all made sense. Check out the site. Not much activity on it yet but YOU can change that.

Oh. And have a sense of humor. Click the image above to go to the website.

“The rifle itself has no moral stature, since it has no will of its own. Naturally, it may be used by evil men for evil purposes, but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda, they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles.”

― Jeff Cooper, Art of the Rifle

I get a little cranky when I see people on social media with feigned outrage over something some overpaid performing chicken does on television that they perceive to be disrespectful of our flag or something else they portray as near and dear to them.

Yet they are perfectly ok with other displays or actions that according to code DO disrespect the flag.

Like when a person parachutes into a stadium with the flag below him and ultimate drags it across the ground.

Or when people spread the flag out horizontally across the field.

If you’re going to upset about disrespecting our flag, you either need to be all in or sit your ass down and shut the fuck up.

4 U.S. Code § 8. Respect for flag

No disrespect should be shown to the flag of the United States of America; the flag should not be dipped to any person or thing. Regimental colors, State flags, and organization or institutional flags are to be dipped as a mark of honor.

(a)The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.

(b)The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, the floor, water, or merchandise.

(c)The flag should never be carried flat or horizontally, but always aloft and free.

(d)The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery. It should never be festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds, but always allowed to fall free. Bunting of blue, white, and red, always arranged with the blue above, the white in the middle, and the red below, should be used for covering a speaker’s desk, draping the front of the platform, and for decoration in general.

(e)The flag should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored in such a manner as to permit it to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in any way.

(f)The flag should never be used as a covering for a ceiling.

(g)The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any nature.

(h)The flag should never be used as a receptacle for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.

(i)The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever. It should not be embroidered on such articles as cushions or handkerchiefs and the like, printed or otherwise impressed on paper napkins or boxes or anything that is designed for temporary use and discard. Advertising signs should not be fastened to a staff or halyard from which the flag is flown.

(j)No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform. However, a flag patch may be affixed to the uniform of military personnel, firemen, policemen, and members of patriotic organizations. The flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing. Therefore, the lapel flag pin being a replica, should be worn on the left lapel near the heart.

(k)The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.

Privacy is an illusion, sold to you by the very people and organizations you wish to maintain your privacy from.