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Subject: MORE SWAT STUFF
Time: 5:42:00 PM EDT
Author: meanstreets9
A Thanks to our German and Danish CounterTerrorism friends for their continued vigilance. Good Job! Danke,Wundebar!
TRUE BLUE: The new German GSG-9 Wings. Their Elite membership are not exactly thrilled about changing their Uniforms from the tried and tested Forrest Green Border Police color scheme to the "new" blue BundesPolizei issue. I believe the Unit should decide what collr they want to wear, they earned it.
SWAT WINGS:
As there has been some recent enquiries regarding SWAT Qualification/Membership "Wings" and am addressing it in my Book, I invite anyone that may have information to submit it even if they are referring to Police Airborne "Jump" Wings such as the ones worn by the French Police Nationale elite RAID Team.
A Bullion reproduction of the 1st Issue Jump Wing.
METAL JUMP WINGS (Current Issue) "Gee, I wonder who did their miniature Lapel Size Wings for this Elite French Unit? Hmmmmm.... Let me think, its a bit fuzzy.....is he an Irishman from Boston that drinks Diet Mountain Dew until it squirts out of his ears. BTW, I will trade SWAT Insignia for other Mountain Dew DIET flavors such as the Red,Orange, and Grape.
METAL RAID JUMP WINGS (1st issue):
1st Photograph. As photographed on the Black BDU of its first Commander (Photo:Daniel J. Meany III)
These (Metal) are actually worn, the ones pictured above and "bullion" variants have not been confirmed.
SETA: These were the first SWAT "Wings" worn by Washington Area Tactical Officers who made up the Membership of the now defunct Special Equipment and Tactics Association. As time passed many of the teams started producing their own SWAT Qualification Wings. The Editor for GUNG HO Magazine took umbrage about a photo of me wearinga SETA Baseballhat that accompanied my article on SWAT Collectibles in SWAT Magazine. He was not happy with SETA adopting the SF Design as part of their logo, and he pointed out that I had not been a member of the Green Berets. Well,Pal...neither were you. I was an MP.
A glimpse at the very Rare and obsolete Washington DC Metropolitan Police ERT Wings.(Author's Collection). Look for a piece in my book about "Wings over Washington".
WHAT ONCE STOOD, WHAT WE FIGHT FOR, & WHY WE WILL NEVER FORGIVE or FORGET! AN IMAGE: FOR THOSE WHO HAVE FORGOT HOW LARGE THE TWIN TOWERS WERE (Photo:DJ Meany III)
A Neighbor of mine, a Flight Attendant, who caught the early moring free shuttle Bus from Winthrop to Boston's Logan Airport on September 11th, 2001 and never returned home.
MOVIE REVIEW:
I went to see Oliver Stone's new film WORLD TRADE CENTER and anticipating that it would be for me an emotional experience (as was UNITED 93) , I made sure that I went to the earliest Matinee where there would be less of a crowd. It is a must see, but be forewarned I went through at least two Kleenexes. I gritted my teeth in an attempt not to have my eyes well up with tears, but to no avail. I readily admit I am not a big fan of Nicholas Cage but his remarkable performance honored those brave souls that "stepped up" that fateful day. I was impressed .Therewas one scene that triggered a "flashback" for me to when I served on the Dignitary Protection Team (the only one representing Red Sox Nation there) for the 50th Anniversary of our World War II Victory Celebration and Parade in New York City.I had also produced the 3000 Medals given to the Veterans on that occasion. In the darkened theater, for a moment I could see the smiling faces of the members NYPD,PAPD, and NYFD who proudly participated that day. Mayor Guiliani marched slightly left and forward to me, as we were the rear of the Protective Ring. It dawned on me that, like ghosts from the past, many of those intrepid souls that I had shared a few laughs with on that proud moment in time had later vanished from the face of the earth on 9/11. They were truly New York's Finest and Bravest.
1995 New York City V-Day WWII 50th Anniversary Celebration: Shown is the Secretary of the Navy and the Dignitary Protection Team, on the far right is the only representative from Boston that served. The pins we wore are something I will cherish as on it appears the World Trade Center, six years before it vanished. I am at the far right in brown leather jacket.
A Special Thanks to Beau of Chesapeake Beach,Maryland for sending me the pair of U.S. Congress 9-11 Memorial Coins to me during this week when we look back, they mean a lot to me. Never Forget,Never Forgive,Never Surrender.
Bo Dietl in Boston (right), and avid SWAT COLLECTOR on Left.
POLICE TRIVIA: What special relationship did the WTC hold for Detective Bo Dietl?
Who complained to me, through Security Consultant Graham Knowles, that prior to the first World Trade Center Bombing that his Bureau handlers had refused to provide him with "fake" detonators that would have prevented the explosion? Where was he from? Who do you think sent him to infiltrate the "Blind Cleric's" Mosque? What is the only book penned by Graham Knowles? What alias did former Special Agent Christopher Whitcomb give him in the pages of his personal memoirs (COLD ZERO) of his service on the FBI HRT Team?
REMEMBERING SEPTEMBER 1972: THE MUNICH MASSACRE
As we say in Boston when someone has done a really great job on something significant and things have really fallen into place, that they "Have cleared the Wall (The Green Monster) and hit the Citgo Sign (the huge neon landmark in Kenmore Square down the street from Fenway Park). I believe that this Red Sox Nation reference fittingly describes the research and fine work done by my buddy and fellow writer Leroy Thompson on the upcoming National Geographic Special on the MUNICH OLYMPIC MASSACRE as part of their Series: SECONDS FROM DISASTER.This incident was one the prime reasons that I enlisted in the U.S. ARMY MILITARY POLICE CORPS in 1973, so it holds a special significanse for me.Note Leroy's smooth handling of the AK versuses the fumbling of the late islamofascist Zarqawi ( he was more adept at cutting off (sawing) the head of a trussed-up unarmed American Civilian with a knife than anything related to actual combat). Read Leroy's related "Munich" articles in SWAT Magazine.To view a short clip of the Munich program , it is available via the British National Geographic website, here is the path:
http://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/explore/seconds/
Also, highly reccomended is two films : THE DEPARTED (starring my favorite ex-Inmate Mark Wahlberg, yes...he did a bit at the Ol'Deer Island Prison where I worked) and FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS (Semper Fi, Clint. Great Job on this one).
QUICK KUDOS: Goes out to SEAL Team 2 "Plank Owner" Harry Humphries for his Technical Advisor/Military Consultant work on the Film: THE KINGDOM. keep up the Good Job from the guy that helped teargas the Republican Guard during the First Gulf War (Yep, they thought it was your guys (SEALS) using Nerve Gas! OC/CS in a clear vapor tossed by SF .)
Don't forget to read SWAT Magazine. My exclusive article on the Federal Air Marshals appeared in an expanded April 2007 issue.Also, you can go back to the first entries on this Blog in the "VIEW ARCHIVES"feature and check out the SWAT Trivia Section (Yes, I know the Saying: "If you ain't cheating,then you ain't trying" ....try that with the IRS and E-Mail to tell me how far that got you. You Tax Lab Monkey.)
12 Gauge NAVY SEAL Submachinegun
We Need More General John Singlaubs, and Far Less Michael Moores in the Country! Sorry for the blurry image, but I'm in the Photo and not taking it.
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I had no idea that you were such an awesome writer. keep it up baby!!
8/15/06 7:59 PM