DADT Watch: Lt. Dan Choi is back with his National Guard unit

By GottaLaff

Last June Lt. Dan Choi announced that he was gay right out there on the Tee Vee Machine where everyone could see. Of course, because of Don't Ask Don't Tell, he was recommended for a discharge from the National Guard.

What a swell policy. He was about to be kicked out because of who he is. Not what he did... who he is. Hello, Lt. Choi? Outright Discrimination is calling.

Now we have better news:

The move doesn't appear to be evidence of an explicit policy change on Don't Ask Don't Tell, but it does appear to count as more potential evidence of a shift in attitude in military circles. [...]

The news of Choi's return was first reported on the website Bilerico.

It appears that the development was prompted, if indirectly, by the increasing likelihood that DADT is on the way out. [...]

And in an email to TPMmuckraker, Choi explained his return to his unit by saying simply that he rejoined "because we needed to train on critical infantry skills for a possible upcoming deployment."

Choi warned that he may still be on shaky ground. "Good to be back with my unit," he wrote, but added, "although I can still be fired at any moment for DADT."

But at least he's back where he wants to be, and nobody has to ask, because he already told.

Video- Elkhart, Indiana: From battlefield to unemployment line

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Pretty freaking rough when your only choice just might be going back to war to make money. I know one of those guys, and my heart just breaks. MSNBC has done a whole series of stories about Elkhart and how hard the shitty economy has hit them. Well worth a read when you have a minute.

Veteran Report Card 2008: Who in Washington Really Support Our Troops and Vets?

From our friends at the IAVA. Hint- McCain made the D list.

From their flag lapel pins to their yellow ribbon bumper stickers, every politician in America wants you to believe they “support the troops.” But actions speak louder than words. When veterans’ issues actually came to a vote in Washington, what did your representatives do?

Now, it’s easy to find out, thanks to IAVA Action Fund’s 2008 Congressional Report Card. At IAVA Action Fund, we tracked every bill and vote on veterans’ issues. We’ve crunched the numbers, and today we’re releasing letter grades for every single Senator and Representative on Capitol Hill (including McCain, Obama and Biden). In just a few clicks, you can find out how your representatives voted.

How did Congress do this year? Over all, they scored very well. From the passage of the landmark Post-9/11 GI Bill to fully funding the Department of Veterans Affairs, we have tremendous progress to celebrate this year. More than 150 legislators earned a perfect score, a grade of A+.

But some lawmakers failed to vote in support of our troops and veterans. This year, 9 politicians earned Ds or Fs.

Sarah Louise Palin's military command limited, to say the least

By GottaLaff

Now remember, Sarah Louise has more experience than General Petraeus and Bill Clinton combined, so she's ready to oversee our nuclear arsenal, Russia's nuclear arsenal, and even the global hockey puck arsenal:

When presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain introduced Gov. Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate Friday, the Arizona senator emphasized her role as commander in chief of the Alaska National Guard.

Later, when questions were raised about Palin's lack of experience in national or international affairs, the McCain campaign pointed again to her military command experience as governor. Some reporters have tried to follow up. [...]

But the governor has no command authority overseas -- or anywhere in the United States other than Alaska, says Maj. Gen. Craig Campbell, the service commander of the Alaska National Guard.

"When members of the National Guard are federalized, they work for the president," Campbell said Wednesday. "It's not just overseas. They could be federalized to go to other states, or they could even be federalized in the state."

Occasions in which Palin does retain command authority over the 4,200-member Alaska National Guard are whenever the guard responds to in-state natural disasters and civic emergencies, said Campbell, who also serves as commissioner of the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.

Some examples?

"We've deployed individuals in state service all over the state under Sarah Palin," he said. "We had defense men down in Seward for the (Mount) Marathon run doing security.

"Out west and northwest we had erosion problems and the National Guard was involved in some of the protection out there. About three days ago, the Army National Guard picked up a lady from Little Diomede ... at the request of state troopers."

Did Palin directly approve each of those activities?

No, Campbell said. The governor has granted him authority to act on his own in most cases, including life-or-death emergencies when a quick response is required, or minor day-to-day operations.

I couldn't be more impressed.

The recent decision to deploy a C-17 cargo plane from the Alaska Air National Guard to Louisiana to assist during the Hurricane Gustav response was an occasion in which he briefed the governor's office and sought its approval, Campbell said. But in that case, chief of staff Mike Nizich signed off on the deployment.

The flooding that occurred in Fairbanks in late July -- in which the guard sent water trucks north to provide clean drinking water -- didn't require the governor's approval, Campbell said.

Wow! I'm... underwhelmed.

Last year, during Palin's first year as governor, there wasn't much action, Zidek said. "Thankfully we didn't have any major disasters."

Former Gov. Tony Knowles:

"I had more military action in one week when I was in the Army as a sergeant (in Vietnam) than I had as commander in chief for eight years," he said.

Maybe she should think about becoming a community organizer.