Taji Idol

Taji's take on American Idol for the 4th - we gotta do something, may as well as mimic pop culture. 14 contestants, mostly military, couple Philipinos. Good Kenny Rogers cover. And I fell for an Army chick from SoCal that did a cover of Fever. So nice. Great name too but can't print here. Too bad.

Black guy from, I think, Kentucky, won the run off. Too many haters not enough players. So he say. Had people jumping, including folks on the roof of the Mayor Cell.

They usually start events with the national anthem and a woman from the Army sang a cappella, on the fourth, in Iraq. Standing in a sea of military, I couldn't help but hear that and not be moved in some way.

Happy belated 4th.

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

1st Lt. Christopher N. Rutherford, 25, of Newport, Ohio, died July 2 near Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the Forward Support Group, 19th Engineer Battalion, Fort Knox, Ky.

For more information in regard to this release the media may contact the Fort Knox public affairs office at (502) 624-3051.

She's as cool as you think she is.

The flag at the Statue of Liberty.

The flag, as presented here, resembles the flag patch that every U.S. soldier wears on his or her shoulder. The flag is shown "backward" to symbolize the movement forward, never back. Always forward. Press on.