FINAL INSPECTION

 

  by:  Sgt Joshua Helterbran

 

Part I

The soldier stood and faced God,
Which must always come to pass,
He hoped his shoes were shining,
Just as brightly as his brass.

"Step forward now, you soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"

The soldier squared his shoulders and
said, "No, Lord, I guess I ain't,
Because those of us who carry guns,
Can't always be a saint.

I've had to work most Sundays,
And at times my talk was tough,
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.

But, I never took a penny
That wasn't mine to keep...
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep,

And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear,
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.

I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here,
They never wanted me around,
Except to calm their fears.

If you've a place for me here, Lord,
It needn't be so grand,
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand."

There was a silence all around the throne,
Where the saints had often trod,
As the soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.

"Step forward now, you soldier,
You've borne your burdens well,
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell." 

To all that serve. 

- Part II

I'm very saddened by America today, 
when they take credit for what others say.

I wrote a poem because of problems in my past, 
how was I to know that it was going to last.

It has been read by all and loved the same, 
but indeed at the end there is no name.

The name is simple for those who know, 
it's not Kilmer, Longfellow, Service, or Poe.

It's a soldier who has fought for his country so true,
He's proud of the ole Red, White and Blue.

You now know the poem the one and the same, 
The Final Inspection is the name.

I wrote it because of the trials so true, 
and of my buddies who died for country and you.

So take this poem, take it as you trod, 
because in Heaven I'll see my God.

He will look at me and say don't be sad, 
others read your poem and you made them glad.

Now step forward my son and look your best, 
and come inside with all the rest.

by:  Sgt Joshua Helterbran

This is the second part to the poem

Final Inspection

 

Notes:

A HUGE Thanks to Joshua Helterbran's Mother for sending me the missing verse and for letting me know who wrote it.  Thanks also for having a wonderful son that is so talented.

Here's a small bio Joshua kindly permitted me to publish and a note from his Mom about the wonderful poem:

I entered military service September 18, 1996 I graduated from Basic Training in Ft. Benning, Ga. I then attended Jump School there, and went on to attend R.I.P (ranger indoctrination program). I was then stationed with Aco 3rd Platoon, Weapons Squad, 3rd Ranger Battalion. I then was stationed with the 1/508th ABCT, 173rd Brigade in Vincenza, Italy. I am currently stationed with HHC 224th Engineer Battalion. We were on deployment in Iraq, when I was injured. I am currently stationed at Ft. Sill, OK where I am receiving medical treatment. Thank you again for all you have done for us troops. God speed and God Bless

From Joshua's Mother:
The poem has a lot of meaning to many of people, as I have found it at many points on the Internet.

Dear Joshua,
Stay STRONG!  Hurry Home!!
GOD Bless you always,
Beti Ryan-Mercer

  

Department of Defense (DOD)

Photo of the Day

Department of Defense (DOD)

Photo of the Day: The guided-missile destroyer USS Mustin fires a Standard Missile 2 missile from the ship's forward and aft missile decks during a missile exercise in the Pacific Ocean, Sept. 20, 2012. The Mustin is one of seven guided missile destroyers assigned to Destroyer Squadron 15 and is forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Devon Dow

Can a Christian Vote for a Non-Christian Candidate?
I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.           
– 1 Timothy 2:1-2  

It is clear from the Apostle Paul’s writing that we are to pray for all leaders in government, including  those who may not be Christians. But can we vote for them?

Theologian Wayne Grudem writes in Politics According to the Bible, 

“Christians should support the candidates who best represent moral and political values consistent with biblical teaching, no matter what his or her religious background or convictions.”

There are many biblical examples of God bringing non-believers to work alongside His people to further His purpose:
 Genesis 41:37-57 - God used Pharaoh to establish Joseph in a position of authority in Egypt. 
 1 Kings 5:1-12 – Hiram, King of Tyre helped Solomon build the Temple. 
 Daniel 2:46-49 - Nebuchadnezzar placed Daniel and his Jewish friends in positions of high authority in Babylon. 
 Isaiah 45:16 – Cyrus, King of Persia, restored the Jewish exiles to Israel. 
This working together with non-believers is called co-belligerence. Christian apologist Francis Schaeffer writes, “A co-belligerent is a person with whom I do not agree on all sorts of vital issues, but who, for whatever reasons of their own, is on the same side in a fight for some specific issue of public justice.” 
There are many other examples of co-belligerence. William Wilberforce joined with non-believers to abolish the slave trade in England. Our country’s Christian Founding Fathers joined with their nonChristian counterparts, men like Jefferson and Franklin, to establish the foundations of a new nation. 
There will be times that God calls us to engage in co-belligerence for the furtherance of His Kingdom.  We may be required to vote for a non-Christian to help us accomplish God’s design for our time. 
Al Mohler, President of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary writes: “We must be honest and  acknowledge that there are non-Christians or non-evangelicals who share far more of our worldview and  policy concerns than some others who identify as Christians. The stewardship of our vote demands that  we support those candidates who most clearly and consistently share our worldview and combine these commitments with the competence to serve both faithfully and well.” 
Theologian Dr. John Frame writes in Doctrine of the Christine Life: “…in some cultures (like the ancient Roman, in which the New Testament was written) there is not much that Christians can do, other than pray, to influence political structures and policies. But when they can influence them, they should. In modern democracies, all citizens are ‘lesser magistrates’ by virtue of the ballot box. Christians have an obligation to vote according to God’s standards. And, as they are gifted and called, they should influence others to vote in the same way.” 
Christians need to vote responsibly. We have an obligation to be informed about issues and candidates, and then vote for those whose stances most closely align with biblical principles. As voters, we share the responsibility of government and thus share accountability to God for what takes place in our nation.
And yes, this may mean that at times we need to vote for a non-Christian

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Photo of the day:

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Photo of the day: Nichole Noyer served in the U.S. Army from 2000-2008 as a Broadcast Journalist for American Forces Network Europe. She is photographed in Belgium. Thank you for your service, Nichole!

Department of Defense (DOD)

Photo of the Day:

Department of Defense (DOD)

Photo of the Day: Sailors assigned to the guided-missile destroyer Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Michael Murphy (DDG 112) salute the 9/11 Memorial as the ship transits New York Harbor in preparation for her commissioning Oct. 6. The new destroyer honors the late Lt. (SEAL) Michael P. Murphy, a New York native, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in combat as leader of a four-man reconnaissance team in Afghanistan. Murphy was the first person to be awarded the medal for actions in Afghanistan, and the first member of the U.S. Navy to receive the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class John Scorza

The choice we face


Dear Dorothy,

Never in my lifetime has my vote -- and your vote -- been more powerful than it is this year.

You and I have the choice between President Obama, who signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act as his very first bill, and Mitt Romney, who can't even say whether he would have signed it into law.

We have the choice between President Obama, who believes women should be able to make our own decisions about our health care, and Mitt Romney, whose party platform -- which was written at the direction of his campaign -- includes a plank supporting a constitutional amendment to ban abortion, even in cases of rape or incest. He would turn women's health decisions over to our bosses, and let them deny employees access to contraception. 

And we have the choice between someone who is working to make sure women can afford health care for ourselves and our families and someone who has promised to repeal the Affordable Care Act on Day One.

Any one of these basic facts would be reason enough to vote -- and there are dozens more. 

The truth is that Mitt Romney is the candidate representing the backlash against all the social justice and environmental gains that we've made. The question is only this: Will the majority vote? Or will too many fall for the propaganda that our voices don't matter?

Take a look at this video to hear from a few of the women who are standing with President Obama this November -- then share it with your friends and family.

You and I hold the key to this election.

Whether we want to control our own bodies, or we want equal respect and pay for equal work, one thing has always been true: Change isn't about party labels, and it doesn't happen from the top down. Like a tree, real and lasting change grows from the ground up.

So watch this video, then pass it on. It's up to us to vote for our own dignity, our own rights, and our own future:

http://my.barackobama.com/Womens-Voices

We are half this country. Every issue in this election is a women's issue. Our country and our future depend on you and me.

With friendship,

Gloria

Ann Romney: Debate will highlight contrast between candidates

By NBC's Jamie Novogrod

14

minutes

ago

LITTLETON, Colo. – On the eve of the first presidential debate, Ann Romney said Tuesday that the debate will highlight the "contrast" between her husband and President Barack Obama.

"We are excited about that," she said of the debate. "We're focused. And I can't wait for the contrast that we're going to hear tomorrow."

Romney's remarks echo messaging from advisers to her husband, Republican nominee Mitt Romney, as pressure builds for him to deliver Wednesday.

"I think the governor sees it as an opportunity to draw out the very clear choices and the very clear contrast that he wants to offer to voters yet to make up their mind," senior adviser Kevin Madden told reporters.

Several recent polls have shown Romney trailing Obama, although the race remains close. An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released Tuesday shows Obama three points ahead among likely voters, 49 to 46 percent, which is within the poll's margin of error.

Littleton, where Ann Romney spoke Tuesday, is about 10 miles south of Denver, where Wednesday's debate will be held.

Though Ann Romney said her husband "doesn't fail" and that he "knows how to do turnarounds," most of her speech Tuesday focused on his character.

Saying she is grateful for others who are tired of hearing the former Massachusetts governor "mischaracterized," Ann Romney recounted the story of her husband comforting a 14-year-old boy named David Oparowski who was dying of Hodgkin’s disease.

Pat and Ted Oparowski, David's parents, met the Romney family through their LDS church near Boston and told their story at the Republican National Convention in August. Mitt Romney helped their son craft a will, they said at the convention, and at David’s request, gave his eulogy.

"That is where Mitt is when someone's in trouble," Ann Romney said. "He's there, he's by the bedside. Right now, the country's in trouble. We need someone that cares."

• Obama Visits Hoover Dam Amid Debate Prep

• Michelle Obama: Husband Is ‘Good Debater’

• Polls: Obama Is Expected to Win Debate

• WSJ Guide to First Romney-Obama Debate

First Thoughts: Breaking down the vulnerabilities

12

hours

ago

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Landing in Colorado on Monday night, Mitt Romney was greeted by the endorsement of John Elway at his only scheduled event ahead of Wednesday's first debate. The Daily Rundown's Chuck Todd reports.

Breaking down Obama’s and Romney’s vulnerabilities heading into tomorrow’s debate… Romney says he won’t revoke temporary visas for qualified young illegal immigrants… A Tale of Two Mitts: playing to the base in his stump speeches, while courting the middle in his interviews… Two new national polls: CNN has it Obama 50%, Romney 47%; Quinnipiac has it Obama 49%, Romney 45%... It’s NBC/WSJ poll day!!!... 35 states, including Ohio, are now voting… Missteps for both Brown and Warren at last night’s debate… And RGA announces raising $15 million in 3^rd quarter.

By NBC's Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Brooke Brower

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

As both presidential candidates prep for their first debate on Wednesday night, Mitt Romney spent his first and only event ahead of tomorrow's debate at a museum in Denver, Colo.. Meanwhile, President Obama hunkered down for a more low-key pre-debate schedule in Las Vegas. NBC's Chuck Todd reports.

*** Breaking down the vulnerabilities: Heading into tomorrow night’s first presidential debate, both President Obama and challenger Mitt Romney have two big vulnerabilities that his opponent can exploit. And it’s safe to say that whichever candidate better addresses his vulnerabilities will have more success in Wednesday’s debate. For Obama, one of his vulnerabilities is that he hasn’t fully described what a second term would look like. Yes, in both his convention speech and his two-minute TV ad, he’s mentioned things like adding a million new manufacturing jobs and hiring 100,000 new math and science teachers. But how does he accomplish those things? Where does something like comprehensive immigration reform fit in? And given the fact there is some hunger for change, what change can the incumbent promise that will seem credible? Obama’s second vulnerability -- which he really didn’t mention in his convention speech -- is to explain how his re-election would break the partisan fever in Washington. As he admitted in his recent “60 Minutes” interview, “I'm the first one to confess that the spirit that I brought to Washington, that I wanted to see instituted … I haven't fully accomplished that -- haven't even come close in some cases. And you know, if you ask me what's my biggest disappointment is that we haven't changed the tone in Washington as much as I would have liked.”

Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP

President Barack Obama, left, delivers pizzas for campaign volunteers during a visit to a local campaign office, Monday, Oct. 1, 2012 in Henderson, Nev.

*** Two for Obama, two for Romney: For Mitt Romney, a big vulnerability is that he hasn’t differentiated his economic policies from George W. Bush’s. Yes, in interview after interview, he has said he’ll pursue a different path, but out of the five principles in his economic message -- 1) take advantage of domestic energy resources, 2) give Americans the job skills they need, 3) forge new trade agreements, 4) balance the budget, and 5) reduce taxes -- Bush aggressively acted on ALL OF THEM save balancing the budget. Romney’s other big vulnerability is his lack of specificity: He has yet to say how he’ll pay for his big tax cuts. In fact, here’s what he said yesterday to a Denver TV affiliate. “What we’re going to do is bring down the rates for everybody, and at the same time we’re going to limit deductions and credits and so forth for people at the high end.” Pressed for specifics, Romney added: “As an option you could say everybody’s going to get up to a $17,000 deduction; and you could use your charitable deduction, your home mortgage deduction, or others… And higher income people might have a lower number. Or you could do it by the same method that Bowles-Simpson did it where you could limit certain deductions, but that’s the sort of thing you do with Congress.”

*** Romney says he won’t revoke temporary visas for qualified young illegal immigrants: But Romney did get more specific on one issue: President Obama’s announcement that his administration would no longer deport qualified young illegal immigrants. After being pressed -- for almost four months -- on what he’d do about Obama’s action, Romney finally told the Denver Post yesterday he wouldn’t revoke their temporary visas. "The people who have received the special visa that the president has put in place, which is a two-year visa, should expect that the visa would continue to be valid. I'm not going to take something that they've purchased," he said. "Before those visas have expired we will have the full immigration reform plan that I've proposed."

*** A Tale of Two Mitts: So, on the one hand, you have Romney saying in recent interviews that he won’t revoke Obama’s executive action on young illegal immigrants, that he’s the “grandfather of Obamacare,” and that he’s empathetic because he was able to get all Massachusetts residents health insurance. But on the other hand, one of us saw -- firsthand -- all the conservative red meat he gave at his rally in Denver last night. Solyndra. Card check. Keystone. Even a shout-out to Focus on the Family. Indeed, you can see his stump speeches as his play to the base, while his media interviews are his courting of the middle. Perhaps that’s the correct balance, but the courting of the middle is still only VERY recent.

*** Two new national polls: There are two new national polls that find the presidential race in pretty much the same place among likely voters. CNN has it at Obama 50%, Romney 47%, andQuinnipiac has it Obama 49%, Romney 45%. The number that’s fluid is Romney’s, not Obama’s. Are we seeing some natural tightening with Romney’s number? The end of Obama’s month-long bounce? But the number to watch has always been Obama’s: If he’s at 49% or 50%, that’s a winning number in this election. There were two bounces in the last month -- one for Obama and one for Romney (in the wrong direction). What these national polls show is that Obama’s bounce is holding; Romney’s negative bounce, to Boston’s relief, is disappearing.

*** It’s NBC/WSJ day!!! And speaking of national polls, we will debut a brand-new NBC/WSJ survey at 6:30 pm ET. Will our numbers be similar to CNN’s and Quinnipiac’s? Or will they be different? How big of an impact did Romney’s “47%” comment have on the electorate? Be sure to tune in for the answers. And by the way, don’t miss Ron Brownstein’s explanation why Obama appears to be over-performing in the swing states: He’s running “considerably better than he is nationally among white women without a college education.” Brownstein adds, “Obama’s gains with these so-called ‘waitress moms’ are especially pronounced in heartland battlegrounds like Iowa, Ohio, and Wisconsin.”

*** 35 states now voting: With early in-person voting beginning today in Ohio and absentee ballots going out in the Buckeye State as well as Florida and New York, voting is now underway in 35 states across the country, per NBC’s Kyle Inskeep. And that includes the battlegrounds of Florida, Iowa, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Virginia. Two more states -- Connecticut and California -- will begin early voting later this week.   

*** On the trail: With the presidential candidates in debate prep, the VPs and spouses hit the trail: Biden stumps in Charlotte, NC at 11:10 am ET and Asheville at 3:30 pm ET, while First Lady Michelle Obama hits Cincinnati, OH… And Paul Ryan, remaining in Iowa, campaigns in Clinton, Muscatine, and Burlington, while Ann Romney holds a rally in Littleton, CO.

*** Missteps for both Brown and Warren: In last night’s debate between Scott Brown and Elizabeth Warren -- moderated by NBC’s David Gregory -- both candidates made missteps. Gregory asked Warren which Republicans she could work across the aisle, per MSNBC’s Michael LaRosa, and she responded that Sen. Dick Lugar would be one of them. "He's not going to be there," Brown and Gregory both responded of the Indiana GOP senator, who lost his primary earlier this year. Meanwhile, LaRosa adds that Brown drew stunned reaction from the crowd when he was asked about his model Supreme Court Justice. His answer: "Justice Scalia is a very good judge.” Those words were met with loud boos. "Justice Kennedy, Roberts, Justice Sotomayor are also good justices," Brown continued, along with the audience reaction. Here’s the Boston Globe’s take on the debate: “Senate candidates make some illuminating stumbles.”  

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*** RGA raises nearly $15 million in the quarter: The Republican Governors Association says that it raised nearly $15 million in the 3rd fundraising quarter, and that it has raked in almost $44 million for the year. To put those numbers into perspective, the RGA raised $7 million in the 3rd quarter of 2008, and it hauled in $22 million for the year to date in '08.

Countdown to 1^st presidential debate: 1 day
Countdown to VP debate: 9 days
Countdown to 2^nd presidential debate: 14 days
Countdown to 3^rd presidential debate: 20 days
Countdown to Election Day: 35 days

No human remains found at Michigan site of Jimmy Hoffa tests

Jerry Siskind / AFP - Getty Images file

Jimmy Hoffa and his son, James P. Hoffa, who later also became president of the Teamsters, in a 1971 photo.

By M. Alex Johnson, NBC News

Updated at 3:40 p.m. ET: Soil tests indicate that no human remains are buried beneath a shed in Roseville, Mich., where authorities were investigating the possibility that the late Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa might have been buried, officials said.

Scientists at Michigan State University tested two samples from a home in Roseville, a suburb of Detroit, after an unidentified tipster told authorities that he witnessed a body being buried there the day after Hoffa disappeared in July 1975. 

Those tests came up negative for human remains, Roseville police said Tuesday.

The lead appears to be yet another dead end in the search for Hoffa, who ran the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the country's biggest labor union, from 1957 to 1971. It joins a long line of false leads that have fueled conspiracy theories for years.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Investigators searching for the remains of notorious Teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa have come up dry after pursuing a lead in suburban Detroit. NBC's Brian Williams reports.

Investigators and other experts had said that they doubted that Hoffa was at the site.

Andy Arena, the former FBI special agent in charge for Detroit, said that while his "gut feeling is that this person saw something," it defies common sense to believe that the Mafia would have buried the body in broad daylight in a busy suburban area.

"If this guy was standing there watching this, and it was Jimmy Hoffa, he would have been in the hole with him," Arena said.

1976 FBI memo on Jimmy Hoffa's disappearance (.pdf)

Dan Moldea, author of "The Hoffa Wars" and numerous other books on organized crime, also said he "never thought that Hoffa was here, ever."

PA State Judge Blocks Voter-ID Legislation

 October 2, 2012

By KRIS MAHER

A Pennsylvania state judge on Tuesday blocked the state's voter-identification law from taking effect in time for the November election.

Pennsylvania Judge Blocks Voter-ID Law
A Pennsylvania judge on Tuesday blocked the state's controversial voter-identification law from taking effect in time for the November election. Kris Maher has details on Lunch Break. Photo: Getty Images.


A Pennsylvania judge on Tuesday blocked the state's controversial voter-identification law from taking effect in time for the November election. Kris Maher has details on Lunch Break. Photo: Getty Images.

Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson said he thought the measure, which would have required voters to show a photo ID at the polls, could have kept some people from voting, as the law's opponents had argued.
"I'm still not convinced in my predictive judgment that there will be no voter disenfranchisement," Judge Simpson wrote. While delaying implementation of the law, the judge said he didn't find a problem with requiring photo IDs generally. He also directed the state to continue its $5 million campaign to educate people that the photo IDs will be required in the future.
State officials indicated they wouldn't appeal the ruling. Voters will be asked to show identification on Nov. 6 but people without it will still be able to vote, said Carol Aichele, the Pennsylvania secretary of state.
The ruling was a victory for groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union, which had sued to block the law, and a blow to state Republicans, who had passed it in March over Democrats' opposition.
As the case moved through the state courts, the legal focus shifted from a broad argument over whether the law was constitutional to whether its implementation would prevent any registered voters from casting a ballot this fall.

Bring Your ID

See a state-by-state breakdown of voter-identification requirements.

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Republican Gov. Tom Corbett said the state would continue "to make sure every registered voter has the proper identification in an effort to preserve the integrity of our voting process in Pennsylvania."
David Gersch, a Washington lawyer who represented the plaintiffs in the case, called the ruling "a big win in that you can still vote without ID in November." He said a future challenge to the law could focus on problems that elderly and disabled voters recently reported in obtaining IDs, but added, "It's premature to say what that trial will look like."
Pennsylvania's law was among the strictest of 31 voter-ID measures in place around the U.S. In other cases, states have mailed the necessary IDs to all voters or have said people can sign affidavits at the polls attesting to their identities if they forget to bring IDs.
Pennsylvania Republicans have said the law was intended to prevent voter fraud, while Democrats have said they believed it would have disproportionately affected poor urban voters and others more likely to vote for President Barack Obama and other Democrats.
Pennsylvania estimated earlier this year that 89,000 voters, or about 1%, might lack an acceptable ID. The state has issued roughly 11,000 voter IDs since the law was passed in March, and in September it eased some requirements for obtaining one.
Judge Simpson previously rejected claims that the law would prevent some people from voting, and he refused to block the law when it first came before him in August. Last month, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ordered him to block the law unless he determined there would be no voter disenfranchisement and that new state voter IDs are easy to obtain.
In the most recent hearing, voters testified that they had trouble getting a new ID the state began offering in August. One voter said she made two 80-minute round trips to a driver's license center but couldn't get an ID because she lives with someone else and had no proof of residency.