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Archive for the ‘Admin’ Category

POTUS Stands Up Task Force 250

Sunday, February 2nd, 2025

President Donald Trump (“Trump 47”) has issued an executive order establishing what they’re calling Task Force 250, more formerly titled the “White House Task Force on Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday.”

The United States will be celebrating the 250th anniversary of its independence on Independence Day 2026, roughly 18 months from now.

The Executive Order was issued yesterday, January 29.

This is how it reads:

Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in anticipation of the 250th anniversary of American Independence on July 4, 2026, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1. Purpose. It is the policy of the United States, and a purpose of this order, to provide a grand celebration worthy of the momentous occasion of the 250th anniversary of American Independence on July 4, 2026. It is also the purpose of this order to take other actions to honor the history of our great Nation.

Sec. 2. Establishing the White House Task Force on Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday.

(a) There is hereby established the White House Task Force on Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday (Task Force 250).

(b) The President shall be the Chair of Task Force 250 and the Vice President will serve as Vice Chair. The Chair shall appoint an Executive Director, who shall administer and execute the day-to-day operations of Task Force 250, and who shall report through the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy. The Chair, the Vice Chair, or a member of Task Force 250 designated by the Chair, shall convene regular meetings of Task Force 250, determine its agenda, and direct its work, consistent with this order. The Executive Director and the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy shall assist in the performance of these duties. The Chair may designate any member of the Task Force to preside over meetings of the Task Force.

(c) In addition to the Chair and Vice Chair, Task Force 250 shall consist of the following members:

(i) the Secretary of State;
(ii) the Secretary of the Treasury;
(iii) the Secretary of Defense;
(iv) the Secretary of the Interior;
(v) the Secretary of Agriculture;
(vi) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development;
(vii) the Secretary of Education;
(viii) the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy;
(ix) the Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative Affairs;
(x) the Cabinet Secretary and Deputy Chief of Staff;
(xi) the Director of Speechwriting;
(xii) the Chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities;
(xiii) the Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts;
(xiv) the Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services; and
(xv) the heads of such other executive departments, agencies, and offices that the Chair or the Vice Chair may, from time to time, designate or invite to participate.

(d) The Chair and the Vice Chair, as they deem appropriate, shall invite the Executive Director of the United States Semiquincentennial Commission to provide recommendations and advice to Task Force 250.

(e) Task Force 250 shall coordinate with the executive departments and agencies (agencies) to plan, organize, and execute an extraordinary celebration of the 250th Anniversary of American Independence and shall coordinate agencies’ communications with the United States Semiquincentennial Commission. In addition, the Executive Director may seek information or advice from such other agencies as Task Force 250 shall direct.

(f) For administrative purposes, the Task Force shall be housed in the Department of Defense, which shall provide funding and administrative support for Task Force 250, to the extent permitted by law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(g) Agencies shall provide a report to Task Force 250 regarding their respective planning and activities with respect to the celebration of the 250th Anniversary of American Independence. These reports should be submitted to the Executive Director of Task Force 250 no later than March 1, 2025.

(h) Task Force 250 shall terminate on December 31, 2026, unless extended by the President.

Sec. 3. National Garden of American Heroes.

(a) Executive Order 13934 of July 3, 2020 (Building and Rebuilding Monuments to American Heroes) and Executive Order 13978 of January 18, 2021 (Building the National Garden of American Heroes) are reinstated as they were prior to issuance of Executive Order 14029 of May 14, 2021.

(b) The Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy shall recommend to the President additional historically significant Americans for inclusion in the National Garden of American Heroes, to bring the total number of heroes to 250.

(c) Section 3(c)(ii) of Executive Order 13934 is amended by striking “prior to the 250th anniversary of the proclamation of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026” and inserting in its place “as expeditiously as possible”.

Sec. 4. Protecting America’s Monuments from Vandalism.

Executive Order 13933 of June 26, 2020 (Protecting American Monuments, Memorials, and Statues and Combatting Recent Criminal Violence) is hereby reinstated as it was prior to the issuance of Executive Order 14029 of May 14, 2021. Recent examples of conduct necessitating reinstatement of this order include pro-Hamas-related vandalism of historically significant public monuments and related assaults on Federal officers and employees following October 7, 2023, including the vandalism of the exterior of the Department of the Treasury and of statues in Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C. on June 8, 2024, and the assaults on Federal officers and vandalism of the Christopher Columbus Memorial Fountain and Freedom Bell at Union Station in Washington, D.C. on July 24, 2024.

Sec. 5. General Provisions.

(a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

Read more Presidential Actions online at Whitehouse.gov.

Banged by a Shot at SHOT: “Flaskbang”

Thursday, January 23rd, 2025

Here’s something a little different and kind of cool. Lots of people make special morale patches and decals to hand out or trade at SHOT Show. This year instead of  my friend David Reeder from Breach-Bang-Clear teamed up with a company called Bad Moon Armory to pass out little flashbang-shaped whiskey flasks.

The body is a food-grade medal with 3D printed caps. The spoon is also polymer, but the pin is metal. You can pull the pin if you want, but you don’t have to. You just unscrew the top to get at the bourbon inside.

Or the Old Fashioned, though there’s not a lot of room for a cherry or orange peel.

As you can see, it’s fairly realistic looking. In fact, one of people who they banged at SHOT had an unexpected encounter with LVMPD when housekeeping reported he had a “grenade” in his room.

If you run into one of the B-B-C gang at SHOT, or someone they’ve banged, you can use the QR code on the label.

If you don’t manage to nab one by “getting banged” at SHOT Shot, you can order one without the labeling at Bad Moon Armory.

Flashbang Flask Double Shot Glass

Happy New Year!

Wednesday, January 1st, 2025

Image from the National WWII Museum.

Grayl Carry Project Modular Pack System

Tuesday, December 31st, 2024

I’ve been using the Grayl water purification system for quite a few years.

Now, they’ve introduced their Carry Project Modular Pack System which consists of the Mission EXP Series and Transport Lone which are described below.

Mission EXP Series: Tactical, MOLLE-ridden, and overbuilt, these packs are made for the harshest conditions. Our Expanse BottleLock and BottleDrop storage systems offer you many options to carry any water bottle and essential gear, keeping hydration ready whenever you need it.

Transport Line: Sleek, stylish, and ultra-versatile, these bags blend the best of both worlds for urban explorers and weekend getaways. With the ease of utilizing our BottleLock® system, your GRAYL purifier is safely stored and ready for adventure, combining practicality with polished design.

Both platforms are made with 100% post-consumer recycled nylons (bluesign® approved), offering rugged durability with an eco-conscious build.

Learn more at grayl.com/pages/carry-project

Blast from the Past – The Gear Guru

Saturday, December 28th, 2024

It’s been 27 years since I created my original website, The Gear Guru, which was founded in October 1997 on Geocities of all places. Even better, I created it on NIPRNET dialup over DSN from Exercise Foal Eagle 97 at K2 in Korea to Hurlburt Field. Eventually it did receive a proper URL: gear-guru.net.

The Way Back Machine has some archived versions of the site. Check them out if you want to know the secret origins of SSD, back when you had to create pages via HTML.

It was a lot of fun when I did it, and I learned a lot.

Eric Graves
Editor

Peace On Earth, Good Will Toward Men

Wednesday, December 25th, 2024

Some of you will recognize this Nativity scene from the movie “Threads” which paints a very bleak future at the hands of nuclear Armageddon. Released at the height of the Cold War in 1984, a year after the US TV movie, “The Day After,” it is a much more frank and horrifying look at the subject by British production by the BBC, Nine Network and Western-World Television, Inc.

We should all thank our forebears on both sides of this tense period who loved us so much that they pulled us back from the brink. They had survived the deprivations of a global depression and at least one world war. They didn’t want us to experience something worse.

On this Christmas, let us all pray for peaceful times.

Seeking The Perfect Jalapeño Popcorn Recipe

Sunday, December 22nd, 2024

Jalapeño popcorn is pretty much an Air Force thing, made in squadron “bars” or snack bars by the “Snack O” or snack officer who is generally one of the NUGs in the squadron. Making jalapeño popcorn isn’t the only duty of this auspicious office. They also manage the money of the snack fund and handle all the other snacks making regular runs to either the commissary or Costco to pick up things like zebra cakes and various energy drinks.

Now, I’m not gonna lie, I really enjoy jalapeño popcorn, but my wife and I went to Ocean Prime for our anniversary a few years ago and they didn’t have any bread to bring out, ?so our server brought us some truffle popcorn from the bar. That stuff is like crack, so now, every time we go there we ask for truffle popcorn as a starter, and then take a box home for a snack the next day.

I’d also like to point out that when I was a scout leader, I would regularly bring Jiffy Pop ?popcorn to outings and make it over the fire. Youngsters had never seen it even though it was a staple when I was a kid back in the 70s and 80s. It’s generally still available at many stores if you look for it and I know you can get it on Amazon as well. It can be a lot of fun if you’ve got a backyard fire pit, or by just making it on the oven top.

Jalapeño popcorn is usually made in an industrial popcorn popper like you’ll find at a carnival or a movie theater. Unfortunately, most of us don’t have one of those consequently, I’m going to hit up my readership and solicit jalapeño popcorn recipes.

Since there are a lot of great seasonings for popcorn out there, and it’s the holiday season, so you’ll have plenty of people coming over, or you’ll be visiting friends and family, popcorn is a great snack to share. My forehead just broke out in a sweat thinking about a nice batch of jalapeño popcorn.

Please share your favorite topping or recipe for popcorn.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thursday, November 28th, 2024

Have a wonderful day of thanks, no matter where you are!