Recruits at Naval Station Great Lakes applaud Vice President Cheney at the training facility in Great Lakes, Ill. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
by Mark Silva
Vice President Dick Cheney took a field trip today to see a simulated missile strike and send off a new crew of Navy recruits.
During his outing at Naval Station Great Lakes, the vice president reminisced about how, as a boy, he though the Navy had turned his father into a bird. We'll explain this -- it's a cute story.
Air Force Two landed at Waukegan Regional Airport, at about 10:45 am local time, and Cheney traveled by motorcade to Naval Station Great Lakes, home to the Navy’s boot camp for recruits. Cheney delivered private remarks at a “capping ceremony’’ for about 350 recruits – removing their caps reading, "Recruit," and replacing them with caps marked, "Navy.’’
Then the vice president took a tour of a replica destroyer, a 5/8th-scale ship used in training. “The tour included a simulated missile attack, featuring loud, explosion-like noises and blinking lights,’’ the print pool ress pooler on the trip, Matt Stearns of McClatchy Newspapers, reports. Cheney “appeared to enjoy the tour that followed, during which he watched how recruits are trained to respond to a strike, such as firefighting and aiding the wounded.’’
“Thank you,’’ Cheney said at tour’s end. “It looks like a great system.’’
Then, addressiing about 5,000 recruits and sailors, he recalled that his father, Richard Cheney, had gone through boot camp at Great Lakes during World War II. His father came home on leave and explained to young Cheney, then 4, that he was a yeoman in the Navy, and he showed his son the bird-like insignia on his shoulder.
"It's one of my earliest memories, so I wasn't very old, obviously, at the time.'' the vice president told the sailors. "I had a lot of questions for him -- where had he been? What had he been doing? He explained to me that he was now in the Navy. He said he was a yeoman
"He pointed to the insignia there on his shoulder, which looked to me an awful lot like a bird,'' Cheney said. "Being only four years old, I concluded that when Dad was home, he was just Dad -- but when he went back to the Navy, he turned into some kind of bird....
"You see, very early in life, I decided the United States Navy could do just about anything.''
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Comments
If things aren't bad enough...do we need to bring out anything about the dark overlord?
Posted by: bill "hussein" r. | March 7, 2008 3:02 PM
Hey Cheney, get out of my City, war criminals like you aren't welcome here!
Posted by: John E | March 7, 2008 3:06 PM
Cheney said. "So you see, very early in life, I decided that the United States Navy could do just about anything."
Yes Mr. Vice President, they can even go to other countries at your bidding to secure more oil only to return home in body bags or with missing limbs or brains that have turned to mush from the concussion blast from IEDs. When will you regret the "cakewalk" and "last throes" comments? Will it be before you are rotting in Hell?
Posted by: justsayin | March 7, 2008 3:12 PM
So that explains the sulfur smell here today...
Posted by: a blinkin | March 7, 2008 3:25 PM
I have seen the USS Trayer, the Naval Training Simulator that Cheney visited, and I can personally attest that it's an amazingly real battle simulator that prepares our troops for naval combat very well.
The Trayer was designed and built with the highest of effects and simulation standards by some of the best firms in the effects business. It accurately prepares our young men and women in uniform out in the field.
It realistically presents what combat is like. It has real rising water level compartments, real fire scenarios, and real communications and signaling systems that our sailors will use out in the field.
It was an amazing job completed by contractor James McHugh construction co. and I'm glad that the Vice President has recognized it and the wonderful young men and women who graduated from NSGL.
John E and the Husseins, you can get back to slandering our vice president now. I just wanted to take this little break in the vitriol to recognize a great training facility as the VP has. Lord knows none of you would ever recognize our sailors and what they're doing right, as the VP has.
Posted by: Jeff | March 7, 2008 3:52 PM
So it's nice to hear how Dick Cheney felt warm and fuzzy about his dad serving in the Navy.
It's funny how Dick is happy about everyone else serving, but he has other priorities.
Posted by: dogjudge | March 7, 2008 4:04 PM
He should be apologizing to those fine young men and women for endangering thier lives with his un-necessary and ill planned invasion and occupation of Iraq. He should apologize to those fine young men and women for endangering them should they ever become POWs by justifying the use of torture.
Posted by: Michael | March 7, 2008 4:11 PM
Now I know why the sky clouded over and it is getting darker outside....
Posted by: lochnessmonster | March 7, 2008 4:22 PM
John E and the Husseins, you can get back to slandering our vice president now. I just wanted to take this little break in the vitriol to recognize a great training facility as the VP has. Lord knows none of you would ever recognize our sailors and what they're doing right, as the VP has.
Posted by: Jeff | March 7, 2008 3:52 PM
That's pretty impresive Jeff, now exactly when is it that you're going to back up McCain's toughguy talk and sign up for the military yourself?
Yes Jeffy, we must stand down and let the military run the country afterall that's what the GOP nominee, John McSame as Bush want's to continue doing and your his biggest fan:
A vote for McCain is a vote for a third term of Bush/Cheney.
http://www.bushflash.com/14.html
Posted by: John E | March 7, 2008 4:27 PM
Best wishes to the new crew and to their families. Chicken-hawk Dick Cheney has no moral authority to send off a crew of Navy recruits. If Dick Cheney had any moral fiber, or guts, he would visit VA rehab centers and attend some of the troops' funerals. He wouldn't go hide in military places where it is insubordination to debase him, or to speak truthful opinion.
After time, when you can't be WHAT you are--you have to fall back on WHO you are. Good luck Dick.
Posted by: Vivian | March 7, 2008 4:32 PM
Like I tell you everytime you ask, John E. Whenever I can share my foxhole and k rations with you. You and Dale Peters and the rest of your imaginary GI Joe brigade.
Posted by: Jeff | March 7, 2008 4:44 PM
Dick Cheney reminisced about the time he spent in the Navy . . . .
Um, I mean, he reminisced about the time he spent in the Army . . .
Um, I mean he reminisced about the time he spent in the Marines . . .
Um, I mean he reminisced about the time he spent in the Air Force . . .
Um, I mean he reminisced about the time he spent in the Coast Guard . . .
Um, well, er, never mind.
Posted by: Buster | March 7, 2008 4:46 PM
Like I tell you everytime you ask, John E. Whenever I can share my foxhole and k rations with you. You and Dale Peters and the rest of your imaginary GI Joe brigade.
Posted by: Jeff | March 7, 2008 4:44 PM
Jeffy,
I don't support the Iraq clusterfreak, you and your hero McCain do and you want to send off more of our young people to die for it.
So when are you going to back up your words Mr Chickenhawk?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFGit_tZDqs
Posted by: John E | March 7, 2008 4:53 PM
John E and the Husseins, you can get back to slandering our vice president now. I just wanted to take this little break in the vitriol
Posted by: Jeff | March 7, 2008 3:52 PM
I see...today your above all this political stuff.
Lord knows none of you would ever recognize our sailors and what they're doing right,
Posted by: Jeff | March 7, 2008 3:52 PM
Of course...right again Jeff. because we think Cheney has been the worst VP for America, that means we hate the troops. What a refreshing idea.
Posted by: bill "hussein" r. | March 7, 2008 4:57 PM
Doesn't Chicago have an extradition treaty with Brattleboro and Marlboro, VT?
Seriously, that would be funny. I can see the Pigeon squealing now.
Posted by: Bud McFarlin | March 7, 2008 4:59 PM
You so called American Citizen's disgust me, but that's OK because the military is and always has been the reason you are free say what you want. Just know that while you are sound asleep in bed, our ALL VOLUNTARY Armed Forces are deployed all over the world maintaining the freedom and peace all of you take for granted. No one held a gun to their head and made them serve their country. They do it because they want to and unless you have ever been associated with the military, you will never understand that. How about some support for our Armed Forces and stop bashing the people who have to make the hard decisions.
God Bless America!!
Posted by: Robert | March 7, 2008 5:02 PM
Jeff,
Why do you think it's clever to retort that you will join the war effort as soon as pacifists like John E. do? Why don't you just admit you are a coward and aren't interested in fighting for Iraq?
Posted by: jackson | March 7, 2008 5:25 PM
"CHENEY SPEAKS"
I WOULD HAVE INVITED YOU TO THE WHITEHOUSE, BUT I NEEDED TO CHECK ON THE WASTE I'VE ALLOWED TO POLLUTE YOUR WATERWAYS.
I WOULD HAVE INVITED YOU TO THE WHITEHOUSE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE CLUE ON HOUSING, WE PUT A MAN IN PLACE THAT RAN AT&T BUT WE KNOW IT WAS LISTENING PURPOSES ONLY.
I WOULD HAVE INVITED YOU TO THE WHITEHOUSE, BUT WE HAVE TO KIND OF STAY AWAY RIGHT NOW, AS WE HAVE NO CLUE AS TO WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN BETWEEN NOW AND
FISA!
SO PLEASE DON'T MIND THE SLUDGE OR WASTE WE ARE DUMPING. THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS.
Posted by: Roger Morris | March 7, 2008 5:52 PM
Cheney said. "So you see, very early in life, I decided that the United States Navy could do just about anything."
Only he never had the guts to find out for himself.
Posted by: Rick/Sneads Ferry, NC | March 7, 2008 6:09 PM
Because it is. And Jackson, John E is the furthest thing from a pacifist any of us has ever heard from in our lives. That one gave us all a good chuckle.
Posted by: Jeff | March 7, 2008 6:33 PM
Cheney thought his dad was a bird? Did he shoot him in the face, too?
Posted by: Harry Whittington | March 7, 2008 6:40 PM
How about some support for our Armed Forces and stop bashing the people who have to make the hard decisions.
God Bless America!!
Posted by: Robert | March 7, 2008 5:02 PM
Wow...great rhetoric...if I hadn't been stuck on a fire base in Nam defending my right to say that I think Cheney has hurt America, I might feel bad.
Posted by: bill "hussein" r. | March 7, 2008 6:41 PM
C'mon Rick. Cheney had other priorities. Chickenhawks always have more important things to do than fight for what they profess to believe in. Heck, that military stuff can be dangerous.
Posted by: Tom O | March 7, 2008 6:52 PM
JohnE.... Forget Jeff and his foxhole.
It's Lent and it's Friday, there must be a McDonald's somewhere in Iraq for a fish fillet.
We havn't heard any [bad] news from 'The Swamp' about Iraq,...are we winning yet?
Thanks for your service to our country!
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | March 7, 2008 6:52 PM
Because it is. And Jackson, John E is the furthest thing from a pacifist any of us has ever heard from in our lives. That one gave us all a good chuckle.
Posted by: Jeff | March 7, 2008 6:33 PM
It's way past time for you to back up your words, Jeff.
I'd hate to think that you are nothing more than a stuffed suit like your hero McCain is.
Give me your address and I'll set you up with a recruiter ;-)
Posted by: John E | March 7, 2008 7:03 PM
You first, Johnny ;) Or you can just hold your breath and wait until I call. Say, do you want to take my bet on Oberweis versus Foster? Did you see that Foster got Obamaed?
Posted by: Jeff | March 7, 2008 7:53 PM
CREEPY!!!
Posted by: goldaura | March 7, 2008 11:20 PM
Well my husbands there in the crowd of recruits somewhere.....
Posted by: CJ | March 8, 2008 1:03 AM
Welcome Mr. Cheney. We're proud to have you here in the Chicago area and proud of all the fine graduates of the Naval Training Center.
Posted by: J. Wesley | March 8, 2008 9:54 AM
My lower body is in that picture
Posted by: Fireman Twist | March 8, 2008 9:16 PM