Obama set to visit troops at Elmendorf

Obama set to visit troops at Elmendorf: "ANCHORAGE, Alaska — President Barack Obama was scheduled to address Alaska troops Thursday in his first — and very short — visit to the state.Obama planned to arrive at Elmendorf Air Force Base shortly before 1 p.m. for a refueling stop before he heads to Tokyo to launch his first Asia trip.His speech to troops and invited politicians is closed to the public. That didnt kept people from inundating the Alaska Democratic Party office Wednesday.'Our phones have been ringing constantly, people wanting to know how they could get in,' spokesman Kevin Harun said.Harun said that because the visit is private, his office is not planning any events to coincide with the visit from the Democratic president.The Republican Party of Alaska also has no events planned, according to chairman Randy Ruedrich.

He said earlier this week that staging a political event would be inappropriate in light of the deadly shootings at Fort Hood, Texas, last week.Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, is among those attending the event at Elmendorf. The two other members of Alaskas congressional delegation — Republicans Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Rep. Don Young — dont plan to go.Neither does Republican Gov. Sean Parnell. Spokeswoman Sharon Leighow said he has a speaking engagement that was booked a month ago, but added a representative from his office would attend.In the general election last year, Obama lost the traditionally red state to Republican John McCain and running mate Sarah Palin, then Alaskas governor. Obama received almost 38 percent, while McCain garnered over 59 percent of the more than 326,000 votes cast.More than 126,000 Alaska voters are registered as Republicans, followed by more than 77,000 as nonpartisan. Among the states total of 485,098 voters, nearly 75,400 are registered as Democrats.Palin spokeswoman Meghan Stapleton said the former governor was in Chicago taping an interview with Oprah Winfrey and wouldnt be at Elmendorf."

(Via Air Force Times - News.)

WWII-era plane makes emergency landing

WWII-era plane makes emergency landing: "BELLINGHAM, Wash. — A fighter plane from the World War II-era flying over Whatcom County for Veterans Day safely made an emergency landing at Bellingham International Airport after smoke filled the cockpit.The P-51 Mustang was doing flyover as part of an event at the Heritage Flight Museum and was preparing to land when a resistor in the cockpit overheated, says Greg Anders, the pilot and the museums executive director.Anders tells The Bellingham Herald that smoke started coming from the resistor cover so he shut down the electrical system and made the emergency landing. Aside from the burned cover, the plane had no damage.Anders says the plane will remain grounded until its determined what caused the resistor to overheat."

(Via Air Force Times - News.)

The Situation Room ...KitchComm

I have had many people e-mail me and ask me to take a gander at "KitchComn" my home-based communications center where I monitor the world via the airwaves and the digital waves. It all flows in through many electric pipes and its recorded, sifted and then distributed to various news (local and national) agencies.

Via my computer-controlled monitoring post I listen in to local and international police, public safety, military, satellite, aviation and emergency frequencies and send out "bots" over the Internet also searching for breaking news.

But for a better description- visit the link below.

LINK


-Steve Douglass

Wedgetail Downunder

Wedgetail Downunder: "

Following Boeing’s recent revelation that it had completed tests of the counter measures dispenser system (CMDS) for the Australian 737 Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft for Project Wedgetail, it seems the first aircraft has already been delivered. According to my information the first 737, callsign ‘Boeing 201’ departed a gloomy Seattle on Nov 6 – bound for sunnier climes in Australia via Honolulu and Pago Pago. The second Boeing-converted aircraft is also set to follow by the end of the month, confirms the company. Separately Boeing is also expected to announce in the next day or so that the first Australian-completed Wedgetail is due to fly to the United Arab Emirates to participate in the upcoming international show in Dubai. The aircraft, one of four converted and completed at RAAF Amberley, is likely to be the third Wedgetail which first flew in modified form in late January 2008.

An earlier shot of the first Wedgetail departing Boeing Field on a test flight. (Photo Joe Walker)

"

(Via Ares.)

Heroes Both

Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Military divers have found the body of a U.S. paratrooper who went missing last week in a river in western Afghanistan.
The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force said the soldier was found close to where he disappeared on November 4. Officials are continuing their search for a second paratrooper lost at the same time.

Both men -- from the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division -- disappeared in the Morghab River near Afghanistan's border with Turkmenistan. The men were on a routine resupply mission, ISAF said.
Family members identified the recovered body as that of Benjamin Sherman, 21, of Plymouth, Massachusetts.

They said he jumped into the river when he saw a fellow soldier struggling in the water.
"I know that day he jumped into the river to try to save his comrade was because he didn't just see another soldier in the water, he saw his brother," said Sherman's sister, Meredith, in a statement to CNN affiliate WCVB in Boston, Massachusetts.

"He didn't jump in because he was trained to, but because that's what his heart told him to do."
Sherman's mother, Denise, said the family called him "the unstoppable one."
"I raised him with the understanding that when you choose to do something, you do it to the best of your ability," she said in a statement to WCVB. "He was powerful, ingenuous and determined."