The Exception is the Rule

The greatness of America is that we are born with the freedom to be whatever and whomever we want. We love a good story where an underdog, someone with a challenge or circumstance, refuses to give up and beats the odds to become great, popular, or even just to live when they weren't expected to. Americans love this because that's what we are; it's how we started, and how we continue to exist.

The British left the United Kingdom for religious freedom and for a new start. Even as colonists, they still considered themselves -and were proud of being- Britons. The problem arose when the government refused them the respect and autonomy that they felt they deserved, due to their exertions in the French and Indian War, as well as their position as British subjects. Instead, the King and Parliament imposed tyranny and oppression with taxes and denial of rights (ehem, sound familiar? - Note: it's never-ending... you must always defend your rights!).

British-Americans became "more attentive to their liberties, more inquisitive about them, and more determined to defend them," John Adams. The colonists were being contemptuously referred to as Yankees, and while William Pitt had warned British Parliament not to treat us as the "bastards of England," they didn't listen and treated our cause as illegitimate. The British insulted and verbally attacked us as well as some of the most venerable people of that era, including most notably, Benjamin Franklin.

We went on to declare our independence from the United Kingdom and fought an enormous war to cement that. And suddenly, the Yankees, the troublemaking colonists beat the biggest empire of that time. We were victorious over England, who had a huge army and the largest naval fleet in the world, and won our freedoms, becoming the United States of America. We had a couple fits and starts along the way, but we succeeded, and continue to succeed, because we are tenacious in our beliefs, persistent in our love of individuality and freedoms, and just plain stubborn about what we know is right.

This bulldog-ish personality has trickled into each and every American, for each and every of the 234 years that we've had our independence. In Britain, if you were born into a class, you stayed there. But in our great country, that is simply never the case. We all know what the American dream is - the possibility and opportunity to become something. To create yourself in any image you desire. There is no limit unless you believe there is one. There are no rules except self-imposed ones...

In our country, the exception is the rule. Yes, people suffer hardships. Yes, some roads are far more difficult than others. But it's possible in this country as long as you persevere. I could go on and name numerous examples, but here are just a few: John D. Rockefeller, Conrad Hilton, Chris Gardner, Ray Charles, Mark Wahlberg. Our predecessors came to this land to seek the American dream before there was an America... people still come to our country just to have that same chance. We are lucky enough to be born here. You have the opportunity in your reach.

Choose your dream and run after it. Never stop running, never stop working to achieve it, and never, ever listen to your detractors.

Be an American. Live the dream ... to the very last second.

Chanukah - The Festival of Lights

My father came home from work today, infuriated about an ignorant, denigrating, and just plain wrong article written about the holiday of Chanukah. I proceeded to read it and become outraged as well. Of course it was written by a fellow Jew (sometimes we are our own worst enemy). If you're interested, here's the link. My blog will primarily address the true history of the holiday as well as attacking the article's fallacies, so it might help to read it - please do keep in mind that the article is misleading, misrepresentative, and inaccurate (to say the least)!

Let me begin by saying this in response to the article, Hanukkah, Rekindled (by Howard Jacobson):
Mr. Jacobson mocks our Jewish holidays before unfairly and ignorantly ripping into Chanukah (it's Hebrew so all English transliterations are correct, in case you're wondering). Click on the holiday names for the real story.
Passover: "... relates the great narrative of the Jewish flight from Egypt in a form that lends itself to rumbustious family dinners - those who want to recite every word of it in Hebrew contesting with those who want to get it over and done with expeditiously in English, but everybody coming together in exaltation to visit boils and locusts on the ancient Egyptians."
Purim: "... gives us a pantomime villain in Haman the Jew-murderer and the chance to eat hamantashchen, the delicious little fruit and poppy-seed pastries, spiced with anger and made in the shape of the scoundrel's dastardly three-cornered hat. Food and vengeance: that's what you want from a festival."
Rosh Hashanah: "...tolls the bell of the preceding year, each day pregnant with the sins we hope to expiate on Yom Kippur, on our knees to the fearful mountain G-d of the Torah. Food, vengeance, terror and guilt."

Apparently, according to Mr. Jacobson, with the way the Chanukah story is told, it "struggles to find a path to Jewish hearts." Really?

The only impression I ever got throughout my life is that my Jewish friends simply did not know the story in detail. They knew about the miracles of the Maccabees over the Greeks, and the eight days of oil, but they didn't outright DENY and DOUBT the history like our friendly author does. They never openly ridiculed the Hasmoneans and Maccabees, referring to them as "Scottish Jewish."

And Mr. Jacobson, perhaps Hasmoneans "rings no bells" because you're an ignorant individual who refuses to read up on your own religious history. Further, the only 'proof' you supply in support of your argument that Chanukah isn't "authentic" is that it didn't "draw on events described in the Hebrew Bible." News flash, Mr. Big Shot Reporter for the New York Times, it wasn't included in the Torah because it took place AFTER the Torah was written. Logic helps sometimes, no?

Chanukah is, however, referenced briefly in the Mishna (Bikkurim 1:6, Rosh Hashanah 1:3, Megilah 3:6, Bava Kama 6:6). It wasn't covered more intensely because, according to Rav Nissim Gaon, information on the holiday was so commonplace that the Mishna felt no need to explain it. Chanukah is also mentioned and described in the Talmud (Gemara, tractate Shabbat 21).

The story of Chanukah is also alluded to in the book of 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees (links below). You can also find it in the Megilat Antiochus (both in Aramaic and Hebrew), which has been dated back to the 2nd and 5th Centuries, and whose Hebrew text with an English translation can be found in the Siddur of Philip Birnbaum. And the Christian Bible refers to Jesus being at the Jerusalem Temple during "the feast of the dedication and it was winter" in John 10:22-23. Lastly, if you want to go secular, one can review the Narrative of Flavius Josephus in his book Jewish Antiquities XII, where he refers to Chanukah as the Festival of Lights.

Mr. Jacobson also states that while "escaping from bondage in Egypt by dint of magic and smart talk is comprehensible," it's a "touch suspicious" that the Maccabees defeated the Syrian-Greek army (because Jews, I guess, are supposed to be weak, skinny, and nerds). Again with the mocking. At this point, I will bring two fair comparisons into play: (1) the American revolution against the mighty British Empire. If it hadn't happened, I think it'd be fair to say that the concept of a tiny colony throwing off an Empire with the strongest navy in the world is a "touch suspicious," perhaps even spurious! (2) the Jews who fought in the camps at Warsaw Ghetto, and who held off the mighty Nazis longer than the Polish Army did.

Our distinguished author continues with his mocking of our holiday of Chanukah, using phrases such as "excruciating rabbinic banalities" and "horrible imitation[s] of shtetl simplicity" in his attempts to gain sympathy from his adoring public. He requests better songs, states so nonchalantly that it is a "children's festival, after all" (completely untrue - see below), and that we should sarcastically insist upon presents like vehicles rather than dreidels (which have serious historical significance).

Mr. Jacobson, the only reason I am taking the time to respond to your (mostly) ignorant, baseless, and insulting article on Chanukah is because I don't want other mis- or uninformed Jews being misled by your mischaracterizations of the holiday. Sir, the "cruel truth" is that your accusations of Jews being "the Polish equivalent of the Flintstones" (which is insulting to both Jews and Polish people and to the Flintstones), that your mistruths (lies) about Chanukah having no pretext and thus being "doomed to be forever the poor relation of Christmas" only displays your blatant disregard for your own religion. I hesitate (only briefly) to use this label, but I am forced to apply it to you. You are nothing but a self-hating Jew... No one else would claim that the holiday has no chance to engage our imaginations. No one else (no Christian, no Jew) would have the chutzpah, even facetiously, to suggest that Chanukah merge with Christmas. You are appalling and a disgrace to the Jewish people.

Now... On to the facts.

Chanukah
Chanukah is an eight day Jewish festival that begins on the eve of the 25th day of our Jewish month of Kislev. It celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, purity over adulteration, and of spirituality over materialism. Chanukah is one of the best known Jewish holidays, primarily because of its proximity to Christmas. Many non-Jews and many assimilated Jews (along with our ignorant author above) don't understand the holiday and think of it as the Jewish Christmas, adopting many of the Christmas customs, such as elaborate gift-giving and decoration. It is bitterly ironic that Chanukah, which has its roots in a revolution against assimilation and the suppression of Jewish religion, has become the most assimilated, secular holiday on our calendar.

The Jewish Calendar
To start, the Jewish calendar is lunar and consists of twelve months. Because it follows the moon, it falls behind the Gregorian calendar each year, so once every 3-4 years, we add a "leap month" to catch up. This year, Chanukah is extremely early; it starts tonight, December 1st. Also, our days start at sunset (and continue until the next sunset), which is why our holidays and Sabbaths always begin the night before it's mentioned on American calendars.

History of Chanukah
The story of Chanukah starts in the time of Alexander the Great, who conquered Syria, Egypt, and Judea, but allowed the people under his control to continue observing their own religions and retain a certain degree of autonomy. More than a century later, after Alexander died, no one was strong enough to keep the entire land mass under one rule, and it was split into three parts. One of those parts (Egypt) was ruled by King Ptolemy V Epiphanes, who was defeated by King Antiochus III (of Syria) in 200 BCE at the Battle of Panium. At that time, Judea (what was then Israel), which had been part of the Ptolemaic Kingdom, fell under the rule of Antiochus. Antiochus III the Great continued in Alexander's footsteps, and guaranteed the Jews' right to "live according to their ancestral customs" and to continue to practice their religion in the Holy Temple. In 175 BCE, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, his son, invaded Judea and began his oppression of the Jews.

Antiochus IV oppressed the Jews severely in his attempts to forcefully Hellenize the people of Israel and bring them into Greek culture. He massacred Jews, placed a Hellenistic priest in the Holy Temple, further desecrated the Temple by requiring the sacrifice of pigs on the altar (as well as placing an altar to Zeus as well), and outlawed aspects of Jewish observance, including the study of Torah. This all began to decay the foundation of Jewish life and practice. He was relatively successful since during this period of time, many Jews began to assimilate into Greek culture, taking on Greek names, and marrying non-Jews.

In response to this oppression, a small group of courageous Jews took to the hills of Judea in open revolt against this threat to Jewish life. The group (called the Maccabees) was led by Matisyahu (Mattathias, in English) and his five sons, one of whom was named Judah, and they led an attack of guerilla warfare against the Syrian-Greek Army. Matisyahu belonged to the priestly Hasmonean family.

King Antiochus IV sent thousands of well-armed troops to crush this rebellion, but somehow (with a little help from upstairs), a miracle occurred, and the Maccabees succeeded in driving the foreigners from their land.

The fierce Jewish fighters entered Jerusalem in the Jewish month of Kislev, 164 BCE. The Holy Temple was in shambles, defiled, and desecrated by foreign soldiers. The Maccabees cleansed the Temple and rededicated it on the 25th of Kislev. When it came time to re-light the Eternal Lamp,  they could only find enough pure oil (bearing the seal of the High Priest) to last for one day. They were crushed; it took eight days to manufacture and properly cleanse oil so that it was pure enough for the Lamp, but what choice did they have? They used the oil and -again- miraculously, it lasted for eight days, long enough for them to produce a new supply of oil for use in the Temple. From then on, Jews have observed Chanukah for eight days, starting on the 25th of Kislev, in honor of this historic victory and the miracle of the oil.

Following further Hasmonean victories (147 BCE), the Seleucids were forced to restore autonomy to Judea, and with the collapse of the Seleucid kingdom (129 BCE), Jewish independence was again achieved.

Religious Observance & Tradition
Chanukah is not one of the more religiously significant holidays in the Jewish calendar. The only religious observance related to the holiday is the lighting of candles. The candles are arranged in a candelabrum called a chanukiah (incorrectly referred to as a menorah, which only holds six plus a shamash, and is located in the Temple). The chanukiah holds nine candles: one for each night, plus a shamash (helper candle) at a different height or separated. On the first night, there are three blessings recited (l'hadlik nehr - a general prayer over candles; sheh-asah nisim - a prayer thanking G-d for performing miracles for our ancestors; and sheh-hekhianu - a general prayer thanking G-d for allowing us to reach this occasion), and the following seven nights, only the first two blessings are recited.

The Chanukah candles are not to be used for anything productive. The shamash is the one that lights all the candles and for the chanukiah to be kosher, all the candles must be on the same height, in the same line, and the shamash must remain separate.

It is traditional to eat fried foods on this holiday because of the significance of oil to the holiday (e.g. latkes and sufganiyot - potato pancakes and doughnuts, respectively). Gift giving is not a traditional part of the holiday, but has been added lately because of the conflict with Christmas and commercialization of Chanukah. The only traditional gift of the holiday is gelt. Chanukah gelt is a Jewish custom rooted in the Talmud (a central text of mainstream Judaism in the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs, and history):

The Talmud states that even a very poor person must light Chanukah lights, even if he can't afford it. A person with no money is required to go knocking on doors until he collects enough to buy at least one candle for each night of Chanukah. The Torah concept of charity --tzedakah-- requires us to help the recipient in the most dignified manner possible. Therefore, the custom arose to give gifts of money during Chanukah so that someone who needs extra money for Chanukah candles can receive it in the form of 'Chanukah Gelt.'

Another tradition of the holiday is playing dreidel, a gambling game played with a square top. It has four sides, each with the following four letters, nun, gimel, hay, and shin (an acronym for the saying, "Nes gadol hayah sham," or "A great miracle happened there"). In Israel, the four letters are nun, gimel, hay, peh for the saying, "Nes gadol hayah poh," or "A great miracle happened here"). The tradition of  dreidels started back in the time of the Seleucids. When the Jews were forbidden to study Torah by Antiochus IV, Jews would sneak into the forests to learn about their religion. When they were occasionally found, they would pull out their dreidels and pretend to play and gamble so that their unlawful Torah study was not discovered.

Lastly, there are traditional songs that go along with this holiday. The most well-known is Maoz Tzur, with another being Haneros Hallalu.

If you have any questions, here are some additional Jewish/Chanukah links and sources for you:
Jewish Virtual Library (a division of the American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise)
Judaism 101
Chanukah on the Net
Wikipedia on Chanukah
Chabad on Chanukah
1 Maccabees
2 Maccabees
AJewishMinute.org

A Happy Thanksgiving to All!

Since 1863, on the fourth Thursday in November, Americans celebrate the national holiday of Thanksgiving.

Here's a quick timeline (I'll spare you the history lesson... this time):
The First National Proclamation of Thanksgiving was given by the Continental Congress in 1777.
In 1789, President George Washington made a Thanksgiving Proclamation. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln, during the Civil War, proclaimed a national day of Thanksgiving.

It has been my impression that Americans have been taking this holiday more seriously, more lately, than ever before (that makes me very happy). Sometimes it is frowned upon as merely a holiday where we gorge ourselves and have leftovers for a week straight, but it's more than that...

Thanksgiving is a day where each of us get to value what's most important to us. For me, that's family. Only twice a year do all the Drissman family members get together (the other occasion being Passover and, even then, we don't always get to have everyone at the same table); I wouldn't miss this day for anything. My family celebrates over a brunch/lunch, which allows us avoid any scheduling conflicts and permits spouses to have their dinners with all family members as well, and while my mom does most of the cooking, there is some "pot-lucking" as well. This year, my SIL (sister-in-law) baked one of her ever famous desserts, a chocolate chip pie, my sister made a cucumber salad, and I made an apple cider-cranberry relish for our turkey. YUM on all three counts.

My brothers and sisters, my mom and dad, we may not all get along all the time, and we may not agree on political/social/religious/other issues, but we are blood. We may argue and we may disappoint, we may take actions that the other just doesn't understand (and never will), but we are family. In this country of 300 million, I have THREE sisters (one by blood) and FOUR brothers (three by blood). That's it - a very small number. I understand that there are many individuals who are simply not as lucky as I am when it comes to family - that's why I value and love them that much more. I'm not telling you to respect someone who doesn't deserve it - I'm saying, embrace those that do.

You also may have noticed that I consider my in-laws family. They absolutely are. Family does not need to be someone who is related to you genetically. I say blood, but family can (and should) be applied to those people (friends, cousins, etc.) who have similar values and morals to you, to those who take time out of their lives to be there for you during great times and difficult ones, to those who understand you and who don't (and don't judge). Family can be anyone who is worth the title. Judge wisely, embrace tightly.

Americans are one big dysfunctional family (we put the "fun" in it). We're not perfect. We aren't a melting pot; we are a stew.

America is not like a blanket - one piece of unbroken cloth, the same color, the same texture, the same size. America is more like a quilt - many patches, many pieces, many colors, many sizes, all woven and held together by a common thread. -Jesse Jackson

Americans are individuals who may not agree on political/social/religious/other issues, but we are blood. We believe in our country and what she can accomplish. We love what she stands for, and we are proud that she is good (not perfect). Don't put anyone on a pedestal, it just gives them further to fall. But don't be fooled; she is the best country on this Planet Earth, and we are lucky to be born here. Don't take her (or any family) for granted.

America is great because she is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great. -Alexis de Tocqueville

One of the best things about a good family (both immediate, national, and everything in between) is that we can have civil discourse. We can "discuss" all day long, and in the evening, we still know that they have our best interests at heart and that they are only giving us a hard time because they care about what path we're on. Family is one of the most frustrating things, but as we are deep into this Thanksgiving Day (Season), remember that it is also one of the best. 


Find your family and embrace them. 
Happy Thanksgiving. May it last all year 'round.


BTW, in case you're interested, since relish can be eaten anytime, the recipe is below! Enjoy, and be grateful to all the wonderful, little, and big things all year long!

Apple Cider-Cranberry Relish

Items:

3 cups apple cider

3/4 cup sugar

4 cinnamon sticks

1 tablespoon orange zest

12 cloves

2 1/2 cups fresh cranberries

Directions:

In a pan, bring cider, orange zest, sugar, cloves, and cinnamon sticks to a boil. Stir and simmer for 15 mins until sugar dissolves. Add cranberries, increase the heat, and bring to a boil. Cook on high heat, stirring until cranberries begin to pop, about five to ten mins. Reduce heat, cook on low until relish begins to thicken, stirring occasionally. Remove from stove and discard cinnamon sticks. Pour into a bowl to cool.

Serves 8.

Be An American Troublemaker; Have Fun With Your Constitutional Rights!

Matt Kernan had fun with his rights regarding the TSA...
Next time you have a few hours to spare, and don't need to be anywhere, follow his lead and exercise your superfun Constitutional rights!

Food for thought:
At least with regards to the Marines JAG Corps, if you have an arrest on your record within the past year (non-conviction notwithstanding), you cannot apply to join said branch (at least until one year after the arrest date). Thus, due to the ridiculousness of the TSA situation, if you decide to defend your Constitutional rights, you CANNOT join the military.
**This is something that occurred to me after I read about the "Strip-Down Passenger," who is facing two misdemeanor charges after he fought for his Constitutional rights.

Our Security and the TSA

...Providence has been pleased to give this one connected country to one united people -- a people descended from the same ancestors, speaking the same language, professing the same religion, attached to the same principles of government, very similar in their manners and customs, and who, by their joint counsels, arms, and efforts, fighting side by side throughout a long and bloody war, have nobly established general liberty and independence. -John Jay, Federalist Paper, No. 2 (emphasis added).

The above passage was written centuries ago and, unfortunately, not many Americans have read the brilliant Federalist Papers. Despite this, they remain relevant even today, especially in these troubled times. They remind us how gifted our Founders were, and that we are one of the most powerful countries on earth, if not the most powerful; some of the greatest things to which we can lay claim are our freedoms and liberties.

The reality is, there are serious security issues that threaten us in our very own land, but these are not the first occasions of these threats. They are the first threats of this magnitude. The point of terrorism is to scare the citizens of a country, to make them doubt themselves, their brethren, and their security. To cause a collapse of national and personal values and beliefs with threats of violence. We cannot allow them to succeed.

Let us not be cowed into giving up our liberties by those who don't value life. Let us not be intimidated by those anti-American, anti-West terrorists who are threatened by our Judeo-Christian ideals and ethics. Let us not submit to their way of life - one that praises intimidation, glorifies death and murder, and worships fear and coercion.

Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both. -Benjamin Franklin

In our fears, we have allowed the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to go too far; we have permitted the federal government to restrict our freedoms. It is our own fault. In our trepidation of insulting the Other, we have embraced the wayward and evil concept of political correctness. The combination of our actions has blinded us to the solution to the problem of terrorism. The insistence upon political correctness has led to the illusion of security, and not the actuality of it.

Americans, do not be deluded. YOU ARE RIGHT! You are correct in your disgust of the assaults on your body and on your liberties! A certain level of security can be attained, but not the way we are handling it right now.

Before we delve into the solution, let's briefly review the law regarding the Fourth Amendment:
In 1968, the Supreme Court decided the landmark case of Terry v. Ohio. Then Chief Justice Warren, joined by seven other members of the Court, held that it is not a violation of the Fourth Amendment for an officer to detain and search a man's person for a weapon in absence of a search warrant, so long as the officer acts upon a reasonable belief based upon objective factors that the man is armed and dangerous.

According to Peter Siggins, Chief Deputy Attorney General for Legal Affairs in charge of all the legal work of the California Department of Justice, in the weeks following September 11, 2001, "federal, state and local law enforcement officials worked feverishly to investigate those responsible for the most reprehensible crime on American Soil and to assess our state of vulnerability to further acts of terrorism. As part of those efforts conclusions about the ethnicity and national origin of the prime suspects was inescapable. This crime was committed by a group of foreign nationals of middle eastern descent" (emphasis added).

The United States Congress passed the USA Patriot Act, an omnibus bill containing reforms to federal criminal procedure, laws relating to foreign intelligence surveillance, wiretaps and interception of electronic communications, laws relating to the gathering of documentary evidence, and DNA and immigration laws. The Act makes it easier for federal investigative agencies to obtain wiretaps on multiple electronic devices, and procure electronic and documentary evidence from ISPs and cable and telephone companies. It relaxes prohibitions on the sharing of information obtained in investigations by different federal agencies. Section 412 of the Patriot Act permits the attorney general of the U.S. to detain aliens he certifies as threats to national security for up to seven days without bringing charges (the standard to establish grounds for detention are based on Terry).

According to a USA Today/Gallup poll conducted in the weeks after the attempted Christmas Day bombing of a Northwest Airlines flight headed for Detroit, Americans widely endorse the use of profiling to single out airline passengers for more intensive security searches before they board U.S. flights, based on their age, ethnicity, or gender.

As well they should. There is no need to curb our rights.

Israel, a country that is surrounded by its enemies, has solved the problem. El Al, the national airline of Israel, collects $2.1 billion in revenue, and has 1.9 million passengers fly annually, and not one flight leaving Ben Gurion Airport has ever been hijacked.

How has Israel solved the problem?

Ethnic profiling. They work smarter, not harder. El Al has utilized sky marshals for over thirty years on each and every airplane so that potential hijackers and terrorists know that their life is over if they behave in a threatening manner. They don't make passengers take off their shoes or belts, and passengers can even bring liquids onto flights. El Al is proactive. They think like the terrorists and anticipate trouble. They are realistic; they target the potential enemies instead of the 99.9% of flyers who are innocent. And if it makes you feel better, rename it. Don't call it ethnic profiling - call it criminal profiling.

The solution is not to physically assault little old ladies and barefoot munchkins who can barely speak; there is no reasonable belief that those individuals are armed and dangerous. The solution is not a personal assault prior to a flight, whereby had any other civilian committed a full body pat-down, it could have constituted a felony.

Teachers profile students in order to increase educational success, managers profile employees in order to increase productivity, and life coaches profile in order to find business leaders.

Profiling can help in certain situations, and it will help in ours. Proper profiling (not just racially and religiously, but also regarding personality, etc.) will give us back our privacy rights, our liberties, and our security.

Let's liberate the idiocy of political correctness, and take back our bodies, our country, our values, and our freedoms.

May G-d Bless our Newest Medal of Honor Recipient: Army Staff Sgt Salvatore A. Giunta

Staff Sergeant Salvatore A. Giunta
2010 Congressional Medal of Honor Winner
The first living recipient since the Vietnam War

Three years ago, on 25 October 2007, at 22 years of age, while serving our country in the hellish Korengal Valley, Afghanistan, exercising extreme bravery and uncommon valor, then-Specialist Salvatore A. Giunta risked his life to save two comrades who had been severely wounded by enemy fire. Under heavy fire, he was shot twice (one hit his body armor, another hit his secondary weapon), but managed to not only save his comrades, but to medically save their lives.

To see the CBS video interview with Staff Sgt. Giunta, please click here.
For the written article on Staff Sgt. Giunta, please click here.


Giunta's official citation states:

Then-Specialist Salvatore A. Giunta distinguished himself by acts of gallantry at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a rifle team leader with Company B, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry Regiment during combat operations against an armed enemy in the Korengal Valley, Afghanistan on October 25, 2007. When an insurgent force ambush split Specialist Giunta's squad into two groups, he exposed himself to enemy fire to pull a comrade back to cover. Later, while engaging the enemy and attempting to link up with the rest of his squad, Specialist Giunta noticed two insurgents carrying away a fellow soldier. He immediately engaged the enemy, killing one and wounding the other, and provided medical aid to his wounded comrade while the rest of his squad caught up and provided security. His courage and leadership while under extreme enemy fire were integral to his platoon's ability to defeat an enemy ambush and recover a fellow American paratrooper from enemy hands.

Thank G-d for our military, and for such humble, yet fierce, soldiers. Because of them, our flag still flies high, and the United States of America remains the best country on the face of this earth.

Proud to be an American

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is a branch of the United States armed forces and one of seven uniformed services. The USGC is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission (with jurisdiction in both domestic and international waters) and a federal regulatory agency mission as part of its mission set. It operates under the Department of Homeland Security during peacetime, and can be transferred to the Department of the Navy by President or Congress during time of war.
To check out USCG careers, click here. Semper Paratus!

The National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. The National Guard of the United States is a joint reserve component of the United States Army, United States Air Force and maintains two subcomponents: the Army National Guard of the United State for the Army and the Air Force's Air National Guard of the United States. The state National Guard serves as part of the first-line defense for the United States, is divided into units stationed in each of the 50 states and US territories, and operates under their respective state governor or territorial adjutant general. The National Guard may be called up for active duty by state governors or territorial adjutant general to hep respond to domestic emergencies and disasters. The National Guard of the United States is administered by the National Guard Bureau, which is a joint activity under the Department of Defense.
To contact the National Guard, click here. Always Ready, Always There!

The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare service branch of the United States armed forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The USN is the largest in the world and its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The USN traces its origins to the Continental Navy, which was established during the American Revolutionary War; the United States Constitution provided the legal basis for a military force by giving Congress the power "to provide and maintain a navy." The USN is administratively managed by the Department of the Navy, which is headed by the civilian Secretary of the Navy. The Department of the Navy is itself a division of the Department of Defense, which is headed by the Secretary of Defense.
To check out US Navy careers, click here. Honor, Courage, Commitment!

The United States Air Force (USAF) is the lead aerial warfare and space warfare service branch of the United States armed forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the US Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of 1947. The USAF articulates its core functions as Nuclear Deterrence Operations, Special Operations, Air Superiority, Global Integrated ISR, Space Superiority, Command and Control, Cyberspace Superiority, Personnel Recovery, Global Precision Attack, Building Partnerships, Rapid Global Mobility and Agile Combat Support. The Department of the Air Force is headed by the civilian Secretary of the Air Force who oversees all administrative and policy affairs. The Department of the Air Force is a division of the Department of Defense, headed by the Secretary of Defense.
To check out USAF opportunities, click here. Aim High ... Fly-Fight-Win!

The United States Army is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the US military, and is one of the seven US uniformed services. The modern Army has its roots in the Continental Army which was formed on 14 June 1775, before the establishment of the United States, to meet the demands of the American Revolutionary War. The primary mission of the Army is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities ... in support of the National Security and Defense Strategies." The Army is a military service within the Department of the Army, one of the three military departments of the Department of Defense, and is headed by the Secretary of the Army.
To check out Army careers and opportunities, click here. This We'll Defend!

The United States Marine Corps (USMC)  is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for providing force projection from the sea, using the mobility of the USN to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. It is one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. In the civilian leadership structure of the United States military, the Marine Corps is a component of the United States Department of the Navy; however, in the military leadership structure, the Marine Corps is a separate branch, and the Marine Corps is the smallest of the United States armed forces in the Department of Defense.
To join the United States Marine Corps, click here. Semper Fidelis!

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps (NOAA Corps) is a federal uniformed service of the United States which operates under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a scientific agency within the Department of Commerce. The NOAA Corps is one of the seven uniformed services of the United States, has over 300 commissioned officers, though it has no enlisted or warrant officer ranks. The NOAA Corps traces its roots back to the former US Coast and Geodetic Survey, which dates to 1807 under President Thomas Jefferson. Coast and Geodetic Survey officers were commissioned so that under the laws of war, they could not be executed as spies if they were serving as surveyors on a battlefield.
For information on the NOAA, click here. Forward with NOAA!

The United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHSCC) is the federal uniformed service of the United States Public Health Service (PHS) and is one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The PHSCC is one of two uniformed services that only consists of commissioned officers and has no enlisted or warrant officer ranks, although warrant officers have been authorized for use within the service. Officers of the PHS are classified as noncombatants, unless directed to serve as part of the armed forces by the President or detailed to a service branch of the armed forces. Members of the PHSCC wear the same uniforms as the USN with special corps insignia and hold ranks equivalent to those of naval officers. Officers of the PHSCC receive their commissions through the PHSCC's direct commissioning program. The PHSCC is under the direction of the US Department of Health and Human Services, is led by the Surgeon General who holds the grade of vice admiral. The Surgeon General reports directly to the Assistant Secretary for Health who may hold the rank of admiral if he/she is a serving member of the PHSCC.
To check out opportunities with the PHSCC, click here.

For over 234 years, the United States of America has been protected and guarded by our brave military men and women. They have dedicated and donated their lives in service to our country, and they have not been afforded the proper respect. They have been spit on, yelled at, accused of evil acts, and disrespected. On this Veteran's Day, we must all remember and honor those who have been there for us - those who have voluntarily and involuntarily, directly and indirectly (including families), performed the most noblest deed of all: military service. Let us all restore this day to what it should be. It's never too late; patriotism has no expiration date.

Every day our military puts themselves in harm's way, at home and abroad, to guarantee the freedoms and rights enumerated in our Bill of Rights (the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution). Men used to be drafted and today join the selective service, and now, both men and women voluntarily sign their name on that dotted line. Once they do so, they are dedicated to each other, watching each other's backs. They are dedicated to us, the 300 million Americans who forget how lucky we are and take for granted this greatest country on earth.

Our soldiers are vanguards and protectors of our amazing Bill of Rights. No one but a soldier can understand what they go through, what they have experienced, what they feel for each other and for our country. No one but a soldier can know what dangers exist, both visible and hidden, and those dangers are present, especially today. We cannot simply pretend that the threats are not there; we must face them head on. We must support our troops, financially, emotionally, and physically.

Know and remember that our troops are human beings, still Americans, still someone's child, sister, brother, mother, father, cousin, co-worker... Know and remember that no one is perfect and they do the best they can. Know and remember that our military is doing their job when they guard us, when they go where Uncle Sam instructs them to go, when they die for us. Know and remember that they are still scared when they get deployed, when they serve, and when they hear about their fellow soldiers fighting on the battlefields of Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere.

Courage is doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared. -Edward Vernon Rickenbacker

Courage is what preserves our liberty, safety, life, and our homes and parents, our country and children. Courage comprises all things. -Titus Maccius Plautus

The men and women of our military are the most courageous people in our country. These are the most honorable. They put our country before themselves, they put us before themselves, and they put our liberties and rights before their own lives. They do what the rest of us are unwilling, or unable, to do.

So please, on this Veteran's Day, and on every day thereafter, please thank a soldier whenever you see one. Shake their hand. Tell them just how indebted you are for their service, and ask them what you can do for them since they have done more for you than you ever could. Make a donation or volunteer at the VA, the USO, your local VFW. Join a veteran's organization and support them - be there for them as they have been there for us. Let them know that we appreciate and love what they do and who they are. Remember what they stand for and who they stand for.

They have lived and died for us.

The least we can do is honor and respect them.

Happy 235th Birthday to our USMC!

On this day, in 1775, the United States Marine Corps was born in Tunn Tavern, Philadelphia. The first Marine (and Commandant) Captain Samuel Nicholas formed two battalions of Continental Marines as naval infantry. Since then, the Marine Corps has served in every American armed conflict. It includes just over 203,000 active duty Marines (as of October 2009) and just under 40,000 reserve Marines. It is the SMALLEST of the United States' armed forces in the Department of Defense, but is larger than the armed forces of many significant military powers (e.g. IDF and the entire British Army).

The USMC traces its institutional roots to the Continental Marines of the American Revolutionary War, by a resolution of the Second Continental Congress to raise two battalions of Marines. At the end of the American Revolution, both the Continental Navy and Continental Marines were disbanded in April 1783, and it would not be resurrected until 1798. In that year, in preparation for war with France, Congress created the United States Marine Corps.

Under Commandant Jacob Zeilin's tenure, Marine customs and traditions took shape. The Corps adopted the Marine Corps emblem on 19 November 1868 and the Marines' Hymn was first heard. Around 1883, the Marines adopted their current motto, "Semper Fidelis." John Philip Sousa, the musician and composer, enlisted as a Marine apprentice at the young age of 13, serving from 1867 to 1872, and against from 1880 to 1892 as the leader of the Marine Band.

Since their birth, our Marines have acted in numerous actions, including the First Barbary War against the Barbary Pirates (immortalized in the Marines' hymn and Mameluke Sword carried by Marine officers), the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Global War on Terrorism.

Commandant James F. Amos is currently the highest-ranking officer of the Marine Corps, is the symbolic and functional head of the Corps, and has the U.S. Code Title 10 responsibility to man, train, and equip the Marine Corps. He is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and reports to the Secretary of the Navy.

On this day, we remember and respect all our Marine brethren, those who have fallen, those who fight for our freedoms, and those who have always stood true to our United States of America. If you come across a solder, thank him. Your freedom isn't free. May G-d watch over them, bless them, and keep them safe. They do the same for us every single day.

Happy birthday to our devil dogs, leathernecks, jarheads, gyrenes, and soldiers of the sea... and here's to many more!

Semper Fidelis and Oooorah!