JADE HELM Part III: My Email From United States Congressman Mike Conaway (Rep. TX)

As you may know from reading one of my recent posts, I sent email letters to both US senators from Texas and to Congressman Mike Conaway, my congressional representative.  Quite to my surprise, Mr. Conaway was the first of these three men to actually respond to me.  Senator Cruz "sent" an auto-response telling me that he would get in touch later, but that does not really count as a response.  I have heard nothing from Senator Cornyn as yet.

Congressman Conaway surprised me too, in that the response to my email was an actual response, not just a reprinted "press release."  Whether I agree with Mr. Conaway's politics, I appreciate that he did take time from his schedule to dictate a response to me.  I was pleased to get this response, but, yet the response was not a response in some ways.

Mr. Conaway first expressed his pleasure that I had confided my fears to him concerning JADE HELM and said he was glad to take this opportunity to allay my apprehensions.  It turns out that Mr. Conaway is a member of the House Armed Services Committee, and as such, is in a position to "closely monitor" this operation.  Mr. Conaway went on to assure me that JADE HELM is indeed a military exercise, contrary to the fears and rumors being spread on the Internet.  JADE HELM is a necessary exercise so that our soldiers will be prepared to fight overseas (emphasis mine).  The reason that our armed forces are conducting exercises across varied terrain in at least seven states, including much of Texas, is that these various terrains will simulate the land in which our soldiers will fight while engaging enemies "overseas" (again!).  Mr. Conaway also assured me that the operations taking place "in rural, sparsely populated areas" will "interfere very little" with our day to day lives.  Again, I appreciate Mr. Conaway's response, as far as it went, which was, in my opinion, not far enough.

First, I am little comforted that Mr. Conaway will "closely monitor" JADE HELM exercises in West Texas.  For one thing, he cannot possibly monitor even the action in Howard County alone, much less in the entire area.  Second, even if he MONITORS this exercise, will he step in to stop illegal actions of soldiers, or even just step in to stop exercises that place civilians in immediate danger?  He did not answer that question in his letter.  Third, he did not address how our soldiers blending in with AMERICAN CITIZENS in AMERICAN CITIES would prepare our soldiers to blend in with targets "overseas," which after all, is the proclaimed object of JADE HELM.  Fourth, Mr. Conaway did not touch on what must be a rather sticky issue for the "overseas" aspect of this exercise, and that is WHY are 'federal partners" involved in JADE HELM when, in fact, the FBI, the BMI, the DIA, Homeland Security, US Customs, and other agencies would have no authority to participate in a military operation that took place "OVERSEAS"!!

In addition, Mr. Conaway trod very lightly over the issues I brought to his attention, the information in the military's own press release that stated outright that soldiers participating in JADE HELM as "unconventional warfare" operators would "attempt to operate within the civilian population undetected."  The military release goes on to say that these unconventional units, as part of their Realistic Military Training (RMT - they LOVE acronyms!) would do whatever was necessary to remain undetected, to complete their missions, and to escape after completing their missions.  Examples the military chose to cite as "petty crimes" included burglary, car theft, kidnapping, and sabotage...none of which are really petty crimes; in fact, these crimes are all felonies! 

By treading lightly, I mean Mr. Conaway did not cover this most important issue at all.  I pointed out that if the unconventional units were operating in Big Spring, Texas (not in rural, sparsely populated land, as the Army claimed), how would civilians know that these unconventional units were not, say, criminals?  How would the police know in a split second whether the weapons carried by what appeared to be armed thieves were loaded with blank ammunition?  I pointed out the VERY STRONG possibility that soldiers could be shot by home owners or by police who did not know the particular burglary or car theft was part of Operation JADE HELM.  I do not want to see our soldiers needlessly hurt in such a tragic accident. AND what of the possibility that the unconventional units might use combat training and tactics against civilians who, thinking that a bunch of thugs were stealing property or kidnapping someone, intervened.  Special forces operatives could easily severely injure OR KILL a civilian.  Policemen might be injured in a similar fashion.

I closed my letter to Mr. Conaway by urging and pleading with him to halt the Texas portion of JADE HELM.  He did not directly respond to that request, but instead reassured me that JADE HELM was a military operation that had been planned for years and would not endanger the public in any way.  He reiterated that JADE HELM was necessary to train the troops for threats they will encounter overseas.  I have little reason to believe that my letter, or any number of letters from others for that matter, will halt JADE HELM.  That being case, I am can only say that I will continue, as will Mr. Conaway, to monitor JADE HELM as it unfolds in nearby Big Spring and in the hills of Howard County and the surrounding area. 

One thing that Mr. Conaway pointed out, and the military information states as well, is that the ENTIRE military force assigned to JADE HELM, "including support personnel" numbers only 1200 soldiers.  Think about that for a minute.  Including fighting forces, command personnel, truck drivers, plane pilots, helicopter crew, and even medics...ONLY 1200 soldiers are participating in an operation that is designed to train THREE DIFFERENT military commands, plus elements of unconventional warfare such as the Army Special Forces.  And JADE HELM is set to take place in SEVEN STATES, plus possibly two more states that are lately requesting to get in on the action.  If only 1200 men and women are involved, that would mean that less than two hundred soldiers would be operating in each of the seven already enlisted states.  That number would stretch even thinner if two more states actually join the operation.

I don't know about you, but this number rings a little hollow with me.  But, be that as it may, if nearly two hundred soldiers are operating in Big Spring and Howard County, that number is still large enough to wreak havoc on an area that can hardly muster fifty police officers.  And remember, beside the military units, "federal partners" are also participating in the exercise.  Only 1200 total participants?  Really?

I believe JADE HELM will take place as planned, and that it will have some degree of impact on an unwitting civilian population and law enforcement officers.  I hope that my fears that people will be hurt or killed in confrontations with JADE HELM participants prove to be unfounded.  I hope, as the military and Mr. Conaway tell us, this exercise has little to no impact on the local population.

One more thing...I hope that all of the wild fears seen on the Internet are just that...wild fears and conspiracy theories.  Because Operation JADE HELM will happen, and I believe the numbers of soldiers and the scope of this operation have not been truthfully explained to the American people.  How could training only 1200 soldiers POSSIBLY impact a large, overseas operation to any significant degree?  With all of the millions of acres available to the military, with all the various terrains represented, WHY ON EARTH does Operation JADE HELM need to happen in civilian areas?  So many questions, so few answers, none satisfactory to the known information.  July 15th is supposed to be the big day, although things are already happening around Big Spring.  We will see, come September 15th, whether JADE HELM is in fact just another operation.  On that day, the exercise is scheduled to come to a halt, and life will return to normal again.

We shall see...

God Bless America

JADE HELM and West Texas, Part II

My previous post about the JADE HELM military exercise dealt with general dangers posed to the general public by such an operation.  In way of review, those dangers were related to members of the public mistaking exercise participants for actual criminals or terrorists, the "terrorists" and "unconventional military elements" confronting civilians while committing "petty crimes" to further the success of their assigned tasks, and by police confronting well-armed "criminals" and the consequences of any of these confrontations.  The dangers are so apparent that they need no further comment here.

Tonight's post concerning JADE HELM relates to possible aspects that are somewhat more sinister in nature than accidental confrontations between those participating in the military exercise and civilians or police attempting to arrest violators, stop crimes in progress, or protect themselves.  Tonight I would like to focus on one aspect of the JADE HELM that, on its face, causes an informed and thoughtful person to question the true motives and objectives behind JADE HELM, motives and objectives that belie the military's statements to the public and to local political leaders.

(By the way, and this is just an interesting tid bit, but if you think about it, Jade Helm can sound a little like ji'had.  Hmmm.)

The military "officials" who provide information and interviews concerning JADE HELM have both stated, and provided in writing, one reason above all others that requires an outrageous and dangerous operation such as JADE HELM, and that is for "realistic military training (RMT)."  We are to believe and understand that the various branches of the military, and the both conventional and unconventional units of those branches, cannot conduct RMT on the millions of acres of military reservations and bases around the United States.  To get that vital RMT it is necessary, according to JADE HELM organizers, to conduct this huge exercise OFF ALL MILITARY BASES, and not only that, but the exercise MUST BE CONDUCTED in realistic terrain that can only be found on various public and private properties around the nation that have been "selected" for this exercise.  These military leaders also tell us that they need rural, sparsely populated lands such as might be found in the deep Southwest.  BUT...they ALSO tell us that this sparsely populated land needs to be located immediately adjacent to cities of fairly significant size, such as Big Spring, Texas, with a population of over 28,000 people. 

So...do they need lots of space...or do they need population center that can be isolated rather easily during a military "exercise?"  Well, the military answers that question, maybe rather inadvertently, with more information they themselves provide.  The organizers of JADE HELM tell us one object of this exercise is that certain elements of "unconventional warfare units" will attempt to "blend in" with the general population of Big Spring while carrying out various tasks related to subduing "hostiles."  Even more interesting is that those hostiles are specifically citizens who refuse to give up arms and therefore "pose a danger" to the peace and stability of the nation.  The military says that there will also be attempts to capture "terrorists" and to kidnap certain "valuable political targets."  While it would certainly be possible to break into a few outlying homes to "simulate" disarming a legally armed person or group of persons if the operation took place in a rural area, it would be more difficult to simulate "blending in" to an urban population, capturing terrorists, kidnapping important officials, or controlling access of people, goods, and information if there is no town or city involved.

Obviously JADE HELM needs to be staged in a rural or semi-rural setting, but that staging area must be near a "target-rich environment" to allow the above mentioned types of operations.  We must assume that at some point military elements will invade Big Spring with various goals in mind.  The military tells us that local law enforcement will be well-informed as to the persons, vehicles, goals, and time-tables involved in JADE HELM.  I call foul here!  If the military truly wants RMT, it is highly doubtful that commanding officers would inform law enforcement of more than very vague, very general objectives for a particular day. 

The information provided by the military states that participants (soldiers and federal agents) will accomplish their goals, and hopefully remain undetected while doing so, by any means necessary.  As I stated last night, these means include petty theft, burglary of (hopefully) unoccupied homes, detaining or attempting to detain civilians (NON-PARTICIPANTS!!!) who stumble upon them, and possibly even confronting LOCAL law enforcement officers who may either notice suspicious activity or respond to calls regarding suspicious activity.  The organizers alluded to possible kidnappings of political or other valued targets but did not explicitly state that those "kidnapped" would be willing participants.  Kidnapping could be done at one's place of work or at one's home, perhaps during night-time hours.

We are told that the soldiers will not be allowed to carry live rounds.  Can that information be relied on?  What about the "unconventional elements?"  Will these special forces be unarmed?  We are not specifically told.  Imagine what may result when well-armed home owners are surprised by someone trying to break into their dwelling.  Imagine what could happen when police officers confront armed persons in the dark of night.  If citizens or police officers fire on soldiers, even merely confront them with weapons, what will the army's response be?

There is every likelihood that part of the "invading force's" mission will be to control traffic into and out of Big Spring.  Just imagine your reaction if you were forced to a stop at gunpoint, and that some of those guns were mounted on large tanks and armored vehicles.  Since the training is supposed to be RMT, is there any reason to suppose that the armed forces would not use any means at their disposal to stop those who do not voluntarily stop, whether out of fear or merely out of the knowledge that they are NOT participants in JADE HELM?  Is it out of the realm of possibility that vehicles might be rammed by such armor, or even shots fired to emphasize the need to cooperate?  Since the military might be looking for "terrorists" or "guerrillas," would it not be very likely that the soldiers would need to search all vehicles at such a check point?  What if persons not part of the test do not want to "play" army?  I do not think it is unreasonable to believe that soldiers who learning to control uncooperative "hostiles" would use their physical tactics to subdue such hostiles.  I believe citizens could be badly hurt, even killed, in such a scenario.

And now for some questions, the answers to which elude me?  In the JADE HELM exercise, who will pay for, or even acknowledge, damages caused to property, homes, businesses, and public facilities or streets?  If weapons are confiscated, will they be returned to the rightful owners?  Where, and for how long, will any persons detained during this exercise be housed?  How will these detainees inform their families and employers of their situations?  And finally, how many more JADE HELM exercises will be needed to train our soldiers?  Okay, one more question...after two invasions of Iraq, after invading Afghanistan, after occupying those and other locations for nearly two decades, can you honestly believe that our armed forces are wanting in exactly the types of training JADE HELM will supposedly provide?

I have heard as much about JADE HELM as the next guy, and I have way more questions than answers.  My biggest question is this: Is JADE HELM actually a field exercise with a pre-determined beginning and ending, or is it designed to be an ongoing operation that simply changes location each year?  Is it designed to end at all?  By that I mean, is it really an exercise, or is it the end of America as we know it?  As I said yesterday, I am not looking at this from a point of helpless hopelessness, but from the point of view of a good citizen who is outraged at the activities of his government and who still has the time and the means to protest, and maybe to halt, operation JADE HELM.  I urge each of you who reads this to educate yourself concerning JADE HELM.  If you are bothered by this operation, and its implications for a free American, as I am bothered, I urge you to become very familiar with your local, state, and national leaders, and BOTHER THEM until we get this fiasco halted for all time. 

May God Bless America!



 

JADE HELM and Big Spring, TX

Many of us know by now that the United States military (which has no business conducting training in American cities on unsuspecting citizens) as well as various federal agencies (which have no business conducting joint operations with the United States Military) are conducting the largest military exercise in American history within the borders of the United States.  The powers that be have labelled this military test JADE HELM.  I have to confess, in my ignorance, that I first thought Jade Helm was perhaps a person with some kind of military history, or perhaps a female spy...I don't know...but now I have learned the truth.  JADE HELM is an acronym (I should have known, after all our military and federal agencies can't even write an office memo without some acronym - SNAFU comes to mind, but I digress) that stands for Joint-Assisted Deployment and Execution.  This is born out by numerous sources in both the regular news media and by sources on the Internet.  So easily are these sources located that I will not place any here.   The meaning of HELM has, so far, been less easily discernible, but I have run across several sources that mention a certain acronym. 

I hope someone with better info than me can enlighten me as time goes on, but for now the best information I can find indicates that the HELM in JADE HELM is the acronym formed from the words Homeland (referring to Homeland Security) Eradication of Local Militias.  This is, I hope, my error.  Many people may not realize this, but local militias were the backbone of the nation at one time in our history.  Does our government really want to wipe out local militias?  That means the government. OUR GOVERNMENT, wants to wipe out you and me. So, like I said, I hope someone can correct me in my error. 

JADE HELM, whatever the true meaning of these letters, is a large military operation, taking place in at least seven states (that is what we are TOLD - I suppose we don't really KNOW how many states are really involved - and how many troops, for that matter).  Just down I-20 from Midland, is the city of Big Spring.  By the way, many people misspell it with the word Springs...but in this case Spring is singular.  At one point in time, the Big Spring was the only reliable source of water between the Pecos and the Colorado Rivers.  Be that as it may, for some reason Big Spring, and the surrounding areas of Howard County, were selected as settings for the West Texas portion of JADE HELM.  And the "leaders" of Big Spring and Howard County welcomed JADE HELM with open arms because of the "big money" this exercise will bring to the area.  Apparently just over $150,000 is enough to make the leaders expose the rest of their fellow citizens to this military fiasco.

But, is JADE HELM simply an overgrown military exercise that puts people at risk merely by its execution?  This is the $64,000 question, I mean the $150,000 question.  All over the Internet are stories and reports concerning JADE HELM, some touting its military value as a test (AND ONLY A TEST) while others imply or state outright that JADE HELM is the cover story for what will become the biggest military coup in history.  But before examining any of the "conspiratorial" implications, I would like to talk about some very real problems and dangers that should be recognized with the execution of JADE HELM.

First, the military authorities assert that there is no risk to local citizenry who may become inadvertently involved in JADE HELM.  The military planners tell us that soldiers participating in this exercise will, as part of their training, attempt to blend in with "the locals" while completing their assignments without being detected by citizens, the police, or "the enemy."  One "for instance" is that units may need to "escape" after accomplishing some planned objective, such as kidnapping a local dignitary.  To affect the escape, or to gain food and supplies, soldiers operating as "spies" might need to commit "minor" criminal offenses.  The listed examples include trespassing, stealing cars, or even breaking into unoccupied (hopefully!) homes to get food or medical supplies...or to find weapons held by "hostiles."  All of these examples were cited in MILITARY reports and interviews, not by the usual "paranoid conspiracy" types.

But here is something to think about.  If you live in Big Spring, Howard County, or any of the other cities and states involved in JADE HELM, and you happen to see someone break into your home or your neighbor's home, WHAT will happen to you if you take action?  For instance, what if a person retrieves a weapon to confront and hold a "suspect" or even a group of suspects?  Remember, these soldiers are charged with accomplishing their mission UNDETECTED.  At the very least, the soldiers will want to salvage their mission, and their pride, by overcoming the person detaining them.  Remember, these soldiers must remain unidentified as participants in JADE HELM.  What if the citizen opens fire on well-meaning soldiers attempting to carryout their orders?  What if the citizen is seriously injured by the soldiers as they subdue a "hostile?"  What if police confront these soldiers and open fire?  What if people are caught in the middle of a situation like this?

Never mind all the conspiracy mongers, paranoids, right-wingers, and whomever else might be named in this context, the dangers inherent in a straight-forward military operation carried out on an unsuspecting civilian population are too dangerous to contemplate.  The military has plenty of federally-owned army bases around the country to complete a test of this nature.  Our military has no business conducting an exercise in civilian territory, and our "leaders" have no business exposing us to the inherent dangers of such an exercise.  Our "maverick" Texas governor has been EXTRAORDINARILY quiet about this operation.  Would his protest of JADE HELM amount to his forfeiture of the upcoming presidential election?  Our United States and Texas political leaders are quiet.  Why?  They should be looking out for us, the voters, the citizens. 

Big Spring, Texas will soon be "invaded" by a large "conventional" military force as well as by many elements of unconventional military as well.  AND the military will be aided by federal agencies that have no business conducting a joint operation with the military.  Not only will the citizens of Big Spring and Howard County be affected by JADE HELM, but so, potentially, could people just "passing through" on Interstate 20, Highway 87, Highway 176, and so on.  People from all over Texas and the surrounding states could inadvertently become involved in JADE HELM.  What about these people?  What about the dangers posed to them?

Tonight I have only scratched the surface of JADE HELM and how it could affect the people of West Texas, as well as the people in the other states "participating" in this exercise.  I don't know if it is too late to stop this exercise, but I will be contacting my politicos in the next few days.  I hope many of you will do the same.  My intention is to demand that this exercise be moved back to military bases and not carried out in our cities, towns, and country-sides.  I do not expect to gain any satisfaction from my efforts other than to satisfy myself that I participated in the effort to stop JADE HELM.  But I do want to be able to say I TRIED!

My next post will cover some more potentially harmful issues arising from JADE HELM.  I am not adopting a position of helplessness and hopelessness; I am merely trying to do my part to support both our military and our way of life, our right to be free of fear of our government's stupidity that could lead to harm to our soldiers and citizens for no valid reason.  To me, the idea of the military conducting such an exercise on an unsuspecting and unprotected population is outrageous.  As a taxpayer I do not want to fund such a dangerous exercise.  And I also am not totally alien to the idea that there may be more sinister aspects to JADE HELM.  But that is for another post.  I urge you to make noise with your political leaders and demand that JADE HELM and any other such operations be halted, or erased from the planning stages, and never again perpetrated on American citizens.

God Bless America

 

The Preacher Stepped On My Toes - Again

I attended my local church today, after a couple of weeks of absence due to deaths in the family.  And today when it was time for the preacher to...er...preach, he walked up to the pulpit and immediately began stepping on my toes!  You know that expression, right?  The preacher says something so apropos that it is almost painful.  Over the years that let to the expression that "the preacher sure stepped on some toes this morning!"  For me, it is usually, "ouch...the preacher sure stepped on my toes this morning!"

The first words out of the preacher's mouth, besides "good morning" were "do not surround yourself with those who complain, those who talk about how the United States is about to collapse, how the world is on a downward spiral and there is nothing we can do stop it!"  Right about here my toes were really feeling so smushed, and it was right about here also that I noticed my lovely bride was staring pointedly at me and giving me her famous "stink eye" which I am pretty sure she learned from her late mother.  So I immediately defended myself most vigorously and with strength!

"What?!!"  I said to Sweetie.

By this time several nearby church goers were looking in my direction.  There was no way they could miss the stink eye my wife was most delicately casting in my direction.  And there I sat, trapped by that stink eye...but...guilty as charged.  I have to confess, and I know this will be a big surprise to many, but I DO appreciate a good conspiracy theory, and even more, I tend to gravitate toward various politicos, journalists, authors, historians, and probably even some crack pots, who have done a lot more research than I have, and have concluded that the United States, as a free society, is headed for economic collapse and, even worse, the trampling of the United States Constitution and the slavery that will follow.

Before this point in my life, I would have gone on a long diatribe (some would call it a rant) about all my beliefs regarding the Constitution, the way our own government is leading the way in its destruction, and the fact that our nation is on a downward spiral and there is no way to stop it.  I am fond of decrying the excessive and, most of the time, illegal use of military drones (and those owned by un-named agencies as well) to conduct air strikes in countries with whom we are not at war, to kill American citizens without arrest, indictment, and trial, and now to spy on Americans here on our own soil.  All of these things are happening RIGHT NOW, and all are very serious...serious to the point that the continued existence of a free United States is in doubt....

But...

I have been re-centered, as it were, by a couple of tragic things in my life that have put things back in perspective for me.  The events are known by many, and I will not recount them here, I will just say the loss of my mother-in-law and my grandmother have re-set my sights somewhat.  My eyes have been turned from what is so bad in my life to what was so important in my life.  Do I believe that there are a lot of things going wrong with the nation?  Yes, I still do.  Do believe the use of drones for illegal purpose is both wrong and getting out of hand?  Yes, I still do.  Do I believe the national debt and all the other things happening in the United States put the continued existence of the United States as we know into peril?  Yes, I still do.  Am I worried about it?  Not so much anymore.
Will I do things that all Americans should do to try to keep our nation afloat?  Yes...but in moderation, of course.

But, the things in life that are important cannot be taken away by the actions of men, although excessive WORRY and PARANOIA can certainly take something away.  You see, for the past few years I have let worry and worldly matters have a huge foothold in my garden, so to speak, so that the green plants and the flowers were choked away by weeds and thorns, again so to speak.  But with the events of the past weeks, I have seen what was really important, and it had little to do with politics, spying, drones, or the end of the world.  Instead, it had to do with life and with love for the people in my life.  I have come to see that only two things matter; one is that we love those in our lives, and, that we care for and support our loved ones when we lose those we love.  The most important thing of all is that the Good Shepherd is watching over you and me.  That is what really matters.

The United States may, no, WILL one day cease to exist.  Scary?  Maybe a little.  But so many people have worried about the "fall" of America for so many years that you'd think all the worrying had already been done.  Years ago, the greatest empire up to that time was in its best years.  The Roman Empire had conquered the known world, including a small strip of desert known as Palestine.   In Palestine there was a city called Jerusalem, the headquarters of the Jewish world at that time.  Unfortunately for the Roman Empire (the Beast with ten horns?) a man called Jesus was born near Jerusalem.  Jesus, the son of a mere carpenter, was born at Nazareth.  After that, nothing was the same for Israel, the Jews, people everywhere. 

Eventually, for various reasons, the Roman Empire began a spiral downward, just like the preacher today talked about.  I am willing to bet that there were plenty of people predicting all kinds of terrible things about the end of the Roman Empire and all the terrible things that would happen.  Well, by the time five hundred more years had passed, the Roman Empire had ceased to function as a government, and as far as history is concerned, the world was in chaos.  But I bet something else...I bet that all those people, way back after Jesus was crucified and then raised from the dead, all those people who feared the worst and spent the rest of their days waiting for the collapse of the Roman Empire...I bet each and every one of those persons died of the common things that kill people.  A few were killed by criminals or criminals in government, but the majority lived their lives and then died, of natural causes, just like most of us will do in these modern times. 

Will the United States collapse soon?  I don't know, but I know it will someday.  Will there be a World War III?  Who knows?  Lots of people are screaming about the things happening in the Middle East, about how the fighting in one of those very small, seemingly insignificant little nations will spiral out of control, and eventually bring in the Big Three nations, into a great world war and the destruction caused by such a war.  The only thing I know for sure is that life and death continue, and in between the day we are born and the day we die,  we can either live in constant fear and worry about the things that MIGHT happen, or we can live our lives to the fullest each day and enjoy the good we have, the good things that happen to us.  We can enjoy our loved ones while they are in this world with us, we can enjoy our blessings and the good things in this world, and we can live in comfort knowing that the Good Shepherd walks with us here, and keeps us safe when it is our time to leave this world and move on to our permanent home that awaits.

God bless all of you. 

Officer's Last Watch: Michael Villareal, Pearsall PD, Pearsall, TX April 12, 2015

Today I am honoring Patrolman Michael Villareal of the Pearsall Police Department, Pearsall, TX.  The officer was transporting a prisoner to a detention facility in Atascosa but was involved in a serious traffic accident near Jourdanton.  The officer died at the scene while the prisoner and the driver of the other vehicle were both critically injured.  Prayers for the family and friends of the police officer and for the survivors and their families as well.  The mere act of driving down the highway is dangerous these days, as well as is driving while distracted.  The cause of the accident is still under investigation.

So far this year, across the United States 34 police officers have died; however, about 28 of these deaths were of non-criminal causes, but still duty-related.  At least ten officers died of heart attacks either while performing strenuous duties or shortly afterwards, including running for training and conducting SWAT training exercises.  Several officers have been struck by cars while either working accidents, escorting funerals or other processions, or while conducting traffic stops.  One officer died of complications from his participation in the Ground Zero rescue efforts in 2001.

Texas and Alabama lead the states with four deaths each (including Officer Villareal).  Texas consistently ranks as one of the most hazardous states for police officers even when non-criminal deaths are prevalent.

Police work is dangerous due to dangerous people and dangerous situations.  But it is also dangerous because of the "8-2 syndrome" wherein many police officers spend most of their day doing activities that are almost sedentary in nature, but then all at once go into full physical mode with no warm-up time in between.  Thus heart attack and stroke become as deadly to officers as criminals firing weapons or using brute physical strength to kill or maim policemen.

Regardless of the cause of death, I honor each officer who dies in the line of duty, especially Texas Peace Officers.  I also honor those officers who are injured severely or who contract some illness while performing their duties.  These officers all made the ultimate sacrifice for their fellow man.

Another Sad Goodbye And Another Miracle - What A Week!

If you read my last post, you know that my wife's mother suffered a severe stroke and was seemingly just waiting to die.  But then she somehow (through the power of prayer I believe) regained full consciousness and got to spend another three days with her children and loved ones.  You may not know, however, that she passed away on the fourth day.  My wife lost her mother but was so happy to get those last three days with her.

My mother came to visit us on the following Sunday, and attended the funeral with us.  My mother-in-law was buried on this passed Wednesday.  My mother stayed with us and was to attend my daughter's baby shower today, April 12th.  That did not happen.  Unfortunately we received word that my grandmother has passed away on Thursday evening (the 9th).  My grandmother had been fading for the past several weeks, and we knew her death was imminent, but we were still saddened by the news.  Mom and I packed quickly and made the long drive from Midland to Gatesville, some three hundred and twenty miles.  I did not race, just drove the speed limit, while Mom and I talked about our memories of life with my grandmother.

About midnight we arrived at Gatesville and immediately received a phone call from my uncle.  He told us that "Grannie" was resting peacefully now that they had given her some stronger medication.  I was in shock.  I had been about to tell my uncle I was sorry he had lost his mother.  But she was still alive and was breathing on her own with little difficulty.  Mom and I spent a basically sleepless night then made our way to the nursing home.  There we gathered with several other relatives.  We talked among each other and watched over their mother.  She had not regained consciousness overnight but was still breathing with no mechanical assistance.

As the relatives talked, I sat silently at the foot of my grandmother's bed.  One of my aunts was sitting in a chair near my grandmother's head.  My aunt whispered to me, "Wesley, I don't believe she's breathing."  I looked at my grandmother and I saw that indeed her chest was neither rising nor falling.  I checked her carotid artery and felt nothing.  And she was not breathing.  I told everyone there that she was gone.  A nurse came into the room and confirmed that this dear lady had indeed passed away.  With no more than a missed breath, she slipped away into forever.

Tomorrow we will bury her body, but tonight I know that she has already made that final journey and is resting in the Good Shepherd's arms.  Yes, Grandmother died, but my mother and I, and the others there, were able to spend her last minutes with her.  Had we not received the call from a misinformed person, we would have been in Midland when my grandmother passed away, not at her bedside.  I was still reeling in amazement from the first miracle, the brief return of my mother-in-law, so I was nearly overwhelmed in the miracle Friday, the miracle that allowed us to spend a little time with my sweet grandmother before she passed on.

We don't need anymore death in our family for a little while, yet just today my dear sister suffered the loss of one of her loved ones.  Death will be with us always, and will visit our closest relatives from time to time, but we do not live in the fear of Death.  With the crucifixion and resurrection of the Good Shepherd over two thousand years ago, Death has lost its power and its sting.  It still saddens those left behind, but those who are taken are secure in the knowledge that they are going to the arms of the Good Shepherd.  I hope Death does not linger in my family, but we are not fearful.  Instead we are confident of our hope in Christ.

Rest in peace, my sweet Grandmother (Grannie) Curry. 

Kitchen Chores....And A Miracle!

I really should be doing household chores now instead of typing on this computer, and I will do the chores in a few minutes.  First, though, I have to stop for just a while, and appreciate a miracle, to tell what I have seen.  They say "seeing is believing," but I am having a hard time believing what I have seen in the past few days.

You see, on Monday night one of my loved ones suffered a massive, severe, and deadly stroke.  In just a matter of minutes she went from talking and enjoying the sunset to not knowing her name and not even recognizing her own daughter.  And then...she collapsed on the hospital bed, not talking, not seeing, not even breathing on her own.  She was placed on a ventilator and we were told to "call in the family."  The machine was to keep her alive until everyone assembled and said their farewells to her.  The brain damage was so severe that life functions could not even be guaranteed. 

A short...yet it seemed forever...twelve hours later, after all the goodbyes were said, after so many tears of love and sorrow were shed, this lady was taken off the ventilator.  We all sat there in the room with her, sometimes in silence, sometimes with words of comfort for one another, sometimes talking of memories of the life spent with her...and we waited.  The end was near, only hours or minutes away.  She was breathing on her own, but this would not last, the doctors told us.  As the hours slowly crawled by, many of her friends came to see her one last time, hugged her, touched her, and told her they loved her.  Pastors and preachers came.  And time wore on...

Sometime around five o'clock that evening my lovely bride had gently washed her mother's face then turned away from the bed.  As I looked toward her, I saw her eyes suddenly open.  I said, "Look!"  My bride turned to her mother.  She was looking my wife in the eyes, both of her eyes wide open and alert.  My wife said, "I love you."  My mother-in-law told her, in clear and easily understood words, "I love you, too!"  Since then, she has improved in many ways, and continues to do so to this very hour.

All of us who spent time with her since she was so badly stricken were told by the doctors that her time was short, that she would not last through the first night.  Some of us saw the computer data that showed the damage.  Never mind the doctors' opinions, diagnoses, and prognostications...all the hard data showed that this lady should not be alive.  If she lived, she should have no abilities, no speech, no memory, no movement at all.  By all logic and evidence she should be either dead or permanently in vegative state.  She was still alive, and now had gained much of her memories and physical abilities.  A miracle.  I will say it again...A MIRACLE!

I have to say that in the past couple of years I have not really appreciated miracles...I did not look for them at all.  Yes, I heard many people talk about "miraculous" events in their lives, but I was not impressed.  Coincidences, I thought.  Other times I listened to people talk about their "miracles" and put it up to that "fifty-fifty" chance.  You know, something either happened or it did not.  It was just a simple game of chance, nothing else.

But then she woke up.  She talked.  She knew her name, and recognized her children.  And she survived ...no just survived, but she lived.  She got one more chance to tell her children she loved them.  She got one more chance to see her friends and they to see her.  And...so sweetly ironic to me...she looked him in the eyes.  She talked to the very preacher that we had called a day earlier because she had wanted him to speak at her funeral.  He was visiting her in the hospital, and she was talking to him...lucidly and with strength.  And I knew...I had seen a miracle!  I had witnessed this lady come back from the Valley of the Shadow of Death.  It can't be explained by the doctors.  It is not possible according to the images of her injuries.  She should not be alive...but she lives.

No, the doctors and the data cannot explain how this lady is alive...but I think something can.  I am surprised after the past couple of years that I would be saying this tonight.  There is only one explanation...are you ready?  Prayer.  Yeah, that's it.  Preachers, pastors, priests, ministers, and "civilians."  They all prayed prayers of power...of power I had never really heard before.  And this wonderful lady, this mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother came back in power...not a vegetable, but a cognitive, conscious person...herself. 

Prayers of power.

The doctors still tell us this miracle may be only temporary, and maybe that is true.  But the miracle is not her ultimate survival, but her return to the living, her return - no matter how brief- to her friends and relatives.  It was a glad reunion.  It made me wonder if I had seen a glimpse of what it will be like someday in Heaven, someday when I, or you, are there for that glad reunion.  Yes, this dear lady will someday walk the last mile with the Good Shepherd.  But for now, each day, each hour we have with her is a gift from God.

This woman said just yesterday that she was still here because God had something more for her to do.  I believe that is true, but I think God has more than one thing for her to do.  I think this because she has already done at least two things: she brought joy to her family and friends by coming back to be with them again one more time; and, she showed me something I had forgotten over the past few years.  She showed me that miracles DO happen, and that prayers said in Strength and in faith are more powerful than any doctor's medicine or medical opinion.

I can't explain what happened or how...and I am not going to try.  It is time to finish my chores and hit the sack.  And tomorrow I will visit once again this wonderful lady, and look into the face of a miracle.