Lots of News From Dan in Iraq...

DISCLAIMER: The images and writing contained in this blog are the thoughts and opinions of the blogger. Obviously, all names have been left out to protect both the innocent and the guilty. Thank heavens for the 1st Amendment to the United States Constitution which allows presentation of my own feelings and opinions. There are those that feel I have violated privacy or confidences, however, with no names mentioned, attachment can only be made by inference. If by chance you don't agree with what is written here, or, feel you don't like what you have read, stop reading and don't bother coming back.


Well... it's been some time since my last submission here. Let's catch up...

My son Dan is a Corporal (USMCR) stationed in western Iraq with the 4th Amphibious Assault Battalion.This is Dan's 2nd deployment to Iraq and hopefully, but probably not, his last. He was recalled to active duty in January 2005 and spent from 8 Jan 2005 (approx) to 13 March 2005 in additional training at Camp Lejeune, NC.

After arriving in Iraq and doing whatever his unit was doing, somewhere around the middle to the end of June 2005 Dan was injured while doing mechanical maintenance on his trac. Some sort of bolt (spring loaded?) went through his right hand and then ricochetted (sp) to his left jaw. Considering wounds suffered by some of his fellow Marines in Iraq, his were minor injuries... Not to ME and Dan (I don't think)...

Anyway... Dan took 15 stitches in his right hand and thank G-d has full feeling and motion (use) 6 stitches in the jaw (cheek)... His face has hence healed but the hand has been a problem, having broken open on first use after the stitches were removed. So it will probably take a little more time for his hand to heal fully. For Dan. the worst part about staying back (at base) is not being with his men. He's bored as hell and wants to get back with the guys asap.

Below is a picture of Dan, captured from a video Dan had made while enroute to Iraq.


Anyway... Dan is slowly healing and I am lucky he has the ability to call home periodically. It is a thrill for me to hear his voice... I send him packages of necessities and the extras he asks for... It's all I can do, keep him supplied and as happy with news from home. His Uncle David and Aunt Marilyn Moto Mail him often and David sends him videos (and other neat stuff...lol) to while away the hours.Knock wood... almost all the news is good here... More later... and especially some FANTASTIC news...

Dispatches from Iraq

DISCLAIMER: The images and writing contained in this blog are the thoughts and opinions of the blogger. Obviously, all names have been left out to protect both the innocent and the guilty. Thank heavens for the 1st Amendment to the United States Constitution which allows presentation of my own feelings and opinions. There are those that feel I have violated privacy or confidences, however, with no names mentioned, attachment can only be made by inference. If by chance you don't agree with what is written here, or, feel you don't like what you have read, stop reading and don't bother coming back.


My son Dan, Cpl, USMC-R, now in Iraq for his second tour... I get to hear from him periodically by phone...and e-mail once in awhile...Dan told us he was sending home a DVD he made with his new camera... Well when Dan comes home I think he should seek a job with Steven Spielberg...lol His video was great... background music and all... I can't wait to see his next DVD...

Anyway... more later...

10 Days, Two Scares !!

DISCLAIMER: The images and writing contained in this blog are the thoughts and opinions of the blogger. Obviously, all names have been left out to protect both the innocent and the guilty. Thank heavens for the 1st Amendment to the United States Constitution which allows presentation of my own feelings and opinions. There are those that feel I have violated privacy or confidences, however, with no names mentioned, attachment can only be made by inference. If by chance you don't agree with what is written here, or, feel you don't like what you have read, stop reading and don't bother coming back.


Well.... 10 days and it's already been one hellova month. Last Thursday I finally got a phone call from my son Dan... the US Marine, presently in Iraq (his second deployment). I was delighted... About 5 minutes into the call, I hear a loud explosion in the background...

Dan yells either into the phone or just in general... "I gotta go... I gotta go... I gotta go"... then the line went dead.

If I had heart problems... I think the big one would have hit me right then. I fell to pieces... for the next 10 minutes I just wept... I could not imagine what horror Dan could be suffering through. And then...The phone rang and again I heard Dan's welcome, angelic voice... "Hi Pops"... sheeesh... Turns out Dan was back at his "forward operating base" had a few minutes to call home, no line for the phone so he called. Also turns out no one passed the word that there would be a controlled detonation of confiscated weapons and so it took a lot of people by surprise, to say the least. So knock on wood... Dan's ok... but I have not been that afraid as a father in a long time.

A few days later and it's Mothers Day. Nothing Special going on in the morning, Jay was home (Rachel too) and we were just working around the house. Jay bought a Knabe upright piano and it was delivered that morning. Great piano. We're supposed to have dinner (possibly)with my friend Liz but that was not firmed up...She was away in New Jersey herself the day before...

So anyway, Jay's friend Liz (from Massachusetts and working in New Jersey, not to be confused with my Liz from Long Island...lol) was in Connecticut and was coming to visit for a few hours. So Rachel and I followed Jay to Port Jefferson. Rachel and I were to wait near a Nathan's Famous Restaurant (about 20 minutes) while Jay went on to the ferry to pick up his friend Liz coming in at 2:45PM.

So, Rachel and I are shopping (across from the restaurant) at a Family Dollar store, picking up odds'n'ends... little stuff... And (here's scare # 2) suddenly I feel a pain in my chest like I've never felt before. Normally if I feel chest pain, it's like "heartburn"... I take some TUMS and away it goes, But this... did not feel like a TUMS will get rid of it type pain. Now, I don't go to doctors or hospitals for myself in any type of rush basis... But feeling this pain...I felt this would be a good time to "get checked".

I told Rachel what I was feeling and she literally dropped what was in her hands and walked me out to her car. She put oxygen on me right away and we were off to Mather Memorial Hospital 5 minutes away. Mather has a unique "Chest Pain ER"...

We walked in and were immediately whisked into the "Chest Pain ER"... Within minutes they had my vitals, taken an electro cardiogram and a chest x-ray. Then came the blood tests. Now we wait for results. Well, the cardiogram looked good but the ER Doc said that does not mean nothing went on. My chest pain had subsided by the time I arrived at the ER... The chest x-ray also, no abnormal findings. So we wait for the blood test results. When they arrive, the attending reads them and tells me my cardio enzymes results were high...(norm is 90... my count was 102... Cardiologist says... no... not really high until 110... but ER Doc playing it safe) a possible indication of heart problems. Muscle damage etc. So he wants me admitted. A least overnight. This is because they want to repeat the blood tests and cardiograms a few times. So I agree. The other reason for the overnight stay is to have a stress test done immediately. If I went home, they'd have to schedule a stress test and that could take 10 days. So I stayed...

Long and short of it is, I pass the stress test, pass with the exception of not going as long as they wanted (my legs cramped up) and my pulse only reached 138, not the 146 they were looking for... But from all indications, the heart is strong. So go home.

And finally, 25 hours after I walked into the ER, I left the ER. But boy, that was a scare. Saw my own Doc few days later... he reviewed all the tests and says I'm good to go... whew... See ya later...

Been Awhile...

DISCLAIMER: The images and writing contained in this blog are the thoughts and opinions of the blogger. Obviously, all names have been left out to protect both the innocent and the guilty. Thank heavens for the 1st Amendment to the United States Constitution which allows presentation of my own feelings and opinions. There are those that feel I have violated privacy or confidences, however, with no names mentioned, attachment can only be made by inference. If by chance you don't agree with what is written here, or, feel you don't like what you have read, stop reading and don't bother coming back.


Well... being retired from being Chief has been good for me... The dust has settled and I am now sleeping regularly and getting alot of home work accomplished.

I am still responding on calls, but less often than before. Not picking and choosing but responding more on a time schedule suited to my needs. So points will still be up there.

Dan, my son in Iraq with USMC... has moved to another area... Don't know where but he'll let me know when he can. I send him Moto Mail and packages as often as I can. Buying stuff for him is my pleasure but is getting very expensive...lol

Anyway, he's out there preserving our freedoms so I guess the expense to keep him stocked on what he needs is a small price to pay.

I have cleared the entire driveway up to my shed in the back yard. Took a week of 2-3 hours work a day, but it's getting there... OK thats it for now.. will return again soon.

Accusations...Already

DISCLAIMER: The images and writing contained in this blog are the thoughts and opinions of the blogger. Obviously, all names have been left out to protect both the innocent and the guilty. Thank heavens for the 1st Amendment to the United States Constitution which allows presentation of my own feelings and opinions. There are those that feel I have violated privacy or confidences, however, with no names mentioned, attachment can only be made by inference. If by chance you don't agree with what is written here, or, feel you don't like what you have read, stop reading and don't bother coming back.


Well... we're not even 5 full days into the "new" administration and what... accusations fly...lol

It all started with a phone call from the "new" Chief. She wants the invitations to installation dinners I received while I was Chief. I said to her... I'll get back to you... That was two days ago...I never said anything about not giving them to her.

I worked on computer programing all day yesterday and had my corps phone off. When I turned it on... whew...it was burning up with an upset, more like frantic message for me. Seems the "new" Chief did some checking... protocol has it that the outgoing Chief should render unto the incoming Chief all invitations so she can go instead. I did some checking on my own and the departments holding the dinners would have no problem with my attending, after all, I did receive the invites while Chief, but... I'll give them to her.

I had already decided to give her the invites for I certainly would not want to upset the apple cart. (and she got all upset before I could even give her an answer, it's not as if I said no...I guess she just "assumed" I would give her a problem with it...) But, I jumped the gun myself as she was very amiable and suggested a compromise, she'll go to two and I'll go to two. So that part is settled.

But the blistering message I received, accused me of (1) smoking in the Chief's Car... totally false. Not once in the entire year I was Chief did I smoke in that car. Knowing who I was dealing with in this corps, I dared not smoke in the car. It seems that the car reeks of cigarette smell however, and that could only be from my clothes. It does permiate and stick to everything. So... if the car has a "stench" as she put it... that is why. Sorry bout that...

Then (2) I was accused of boasting... I love that word... boasting that I was able to drive in the HOV lane on the expressway with no one else in the car because it's an emergency vehicle. LOL big time. Now, I know who to whom I said this and now know who has the blabber mouth. Therefore, it was helpful to hear it got to her. Of course, like any good game of telephone, what was originally and actually said and what gets to the end person is never the same. Seems while traveling on the expressway one day and I usually take the HOV lane, (with someone else in the car, during restricted hours) I realized about six exits into the trip, this was a restricted time frame and I was alone in the car...LOL...Once I realized, hey Chief... you shouldn't be here and got out of that lane. Now, in passing conversation, I mentioned (to our balbber mouth member) how I had inadverently driven in the HOV lane and was probably lucky I was not stopped becuase I was alone and was in an emergency vehicle. I did not "boast" about it, I laughed about it because it was not a blatant disregard of the law, it was an accident of timing... nothing more... but let's accuse Larry anyway.

(3) And this is a good one. I drove to Laguardia Airport in the Chiefs car. Absolutely true. Of course no one mentioned I was picking up our Training Officer, who's original ride fell through, upon his return to New York from Chicago. If a department car cannot be used to aid fellow officers and members (outside of answering emergency calls, (of which I answered 580 of 1760)then what good is it?
Hell... previous administrations have taken First Responder cars to conventions upstate... why not to a local airport to pick up a member and an officer to boot.

Liz and I are going to a Broadway show in the city, instead of an installation dinner on the 23rd... Later...

Installation Dinner? or Farewell Party?

Saturday evening, April 2nd... an ambulance company from somewhere in Suffolk County held it's 2005 installation dinner somewhere in Suffolk County. With such a decidedly split organization, one found it difficult to discern, installation dinner or the outgoing chief's farewell party.

I had a blast. Giving out awards to those that earned them was a treat. Especially fullfilling were the "special" awards... We chose two probationary members of the year. One male and one female. I feel that this years recipients really deserved the title. In addition, the Chief's Award was given to a very hard working, dedicated individual who helped me throughout the year. He really helped me alot...pain in the butt sometimes...LOL but...he definitely deserved this award. Of course, no matter who gets what awards, some people will be unhappy... Oh well...


A Suffolk County Legislator presents the outgoing Chief with a proclamation. 

Invited dignitaries spoke briefly, extolling the outgoing Chief's (my)accomplishments...There were some cheers, some boo's (no couth) at various times through the night but overall... it went well.

One very special award was given out that night. As previously posted here... back in October, 2004, one of our ambulances was involved in a head on collission with an alleged drunk driver. (He hit our vehicle in our lane of travel) The EMT in charge, with an infant patient and the patients family in the back of the ambulance, with total disregard for her own injuries (2 broken ribs and sprained shoulder)


Shown here are the outgoing Chief, the high calls EMT/Driver (over 700), an outstanding hero EMT holding her award, and an Asst. Chief. 

evaluated and the evacuated the ambulance. She then settled everyone on the side of the road and went about rendering emergency aid to the alleged drunk driver. He was seriously injured and she remained with him until relieved by arriving EMS workers.

For this she was recognized before her peers and received a standing ovation. Everyone stood but a few...(we won't mention names here, as in this entire blog...) and that showed what ignorant people they really are. But we did not let that stop the great party from continuing on.


I got to dance with Rachel to "Butterfly Kisses" She looked great, didn't she? 

I got to dance with Liz,(oops there I go mentioning names...lol) and with my daughter Rachel...(to Butterfly Kisses) My brother David and sister-in-law Marilyn were there too. All in all we enjoyed my farewell party.


I surprised Liz with a bouquet of roses (a gift to her actually from the ambulance organization) 

I was going to make a long speech, about what I attempted to do during my first year as Chief... instead I simply congratulated the in-coming Chief saying, "Congratulations on being elected Chief, but remember, a year is a short period of time... I'll be back". Ooos and ahhs abounded...lol

Now I'll be able to get some personal things accomplished in my life. It'll be a great year. Later...

The End is Near.... Thank heavens....

The end of my term as Chief is here...Just One More Day. Thank Heavens.

Finding out that one was duped... in any forum is disheartening to say the least... But the realization that it happened in an organization of which I've been a member for 18 years, really stinks.

But for the few members that have some real intellegence, I can quite frankly live without at least 27 members of my corps. The fact that they (the 27) re-elected the past Chief, the one that tampered with ballots after last years elections, boggles the mind. (but then again... the country elected Tricky Dick twice... so.....)

None the less, the days have dwindled down and soon I'll turn over the responsibilities of being Chief to her. It's almost a relief for me. My entire first year was spent putting out fires... not real fires, but the petty squabbles, intentional sabotage and in-fighting that are the clearest indicators of a split corps.

It's funny how some people can join an organization like ours, one that is dedicated to saving lives, helping the sick and injured in their time of need, helping to bring new life into this world and keeping the grim reeper at his distance because of our skills, and then could even think of not responding, staying away from, emergency calls for help, because I was Chief. To make me look bad? To raise our mutual aid numbers, which in reality makes the entire corps look bad?? Unthinkable, really sad... but true...

I knew this was the case early on in my one year as Chief. But there was little I could do to change it. I tried to be the good guy... to always do the right thing, the ethical thing, whether it made people happy or not. The right thing. When one is attempting to pull 50-60 people together against a tide of 20-30 people pulling it apart at every turn, is very hard. And remember, it is difficult to remember the original task was to empty the swamp, when you are up to your ass in alligators...

Prime example of what these people would do, the under handed tricks... Example, how about a past female Chief (older one, not the one just re-elected) currently Chairperson of the Board of Directors, offered to help me out by calling membership to try and get more people to come out on calls and instead attempted to destroy me in the same breath... What was I to expect? The fact that she would even have the nerve, the balls, the unmitigated gaul to say to many other members, "Larry is a burnt out, crispy critter" This should not really be all that surprising. Smiles in your face and stabs you in the back... Luckily, I have learned to take a lot of what happens with a grain of salt.

So tonight at 11:59:59 I will take my leave as Chief of the ambulance company. April 1st will mark the reign of a returning April Fool... At least this year, that's not me.

For the next year, I'll go back to being a first responder EMT, and serve on a shift like any other member... I'll have time for doing some things for myself, for my family. Will I run again?? Maybe, just to keep them honest... Well....as honest as possible anyway. Remember.... "HE ONLY WANTED THE CAR"... later...