Don't Ever Call Me A Hero

Hannah and Archer lounging on the couch.

Hello all,

I apologize for the length of time that has passed between postings. First off, things are going well here in the mountains. I am progressing with the with the book,Don’t Ever Call Me A Hero . I am in a new phase of editing and I hope to broach completion within the next 8 months.

I am forever grateful to the wonderful group of veteran authors that I work with. They have been a constant support during this process and have urged me to wait to release the book until I am fully satisfied that it is honoring all of the men that I served with as well as  our time together in Iraq.

I addition to working on the novel, I have also starting working in the Bail Bonds Industry in Colorado as a bail recovery and bonds agent. I truly enjoy the job and find that it suits the skill set that I developed while in the Marine Corps. It also has been taking up time that I would be using to write so bear with me if it takes a little longer that I first thought it would.

Last but not least, following the loss of our beautiful puppy Frejya this past March, my wife and I were met with an amazing outpouring of support. I wanted to thank you and let you know that while we still miss our Frejya, we decided it was time to find a new friend for Hannah as well as a new companion for myself.

Archer is a 9 month old mutt we picked up from Charlie’s Place, an animal shelter in our neighborhood and he is one of the nicest dogs I have ever met. You can see his mugsy face in the picture above. I will keep you updated on how he fits into my life as a therapy dog. as well as update you regarding any new happenings with the book.

Semper Fi.

Mark

Go ahead. Put it on, faker.

U.S. District Judge Robert Blackburn has ruled the Stolen Valor Law unconstitutional. Wait, what? In an unprecedented display of “Freedom of Speech”, the Judge dismissed Rick Strandlof’s charges under the stolen valor law on July 17th. This is insulting.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the case, Mr. Strandlof was a US Marine. Annapolis graduate. Survivor of the September 11th attack on the Pentagon. Three tours in Iraq. Purple Heart. Silver Star. Or so he claimed… continue reading…

Poppies in Afghanistan

Up to a third of Afghanistan’s poppy harvest this spring? Dead. Killed by a mysterious disease wreaking havoc on the country’s primary source of income. The Taliban’s public relations strategy will say that the U.S. has introduced this disease to destroy the farmer’s crops, even though US forces have significantly decreased efforts against the poppy harvest. The Taliban PR machine is fast and efficient, and while the US and NATO investigate the cause of the blight, Afghan farmers are quick to lay blame.

This doesn’t bode well for public image. continue reading…

Peter Bollinger | Popular Science Magazine

Former Marine Colonel Roosevelt Lafontant first pushed the idea of a Marine space plane in 2002. Long a sci-fi fantasy, it’s becoming a reality, sooner than you think. With the Air Force launching a space plane this week, the Marine Corps has issued a ConOps, or Concept of Operations regarding a space-bound aerial drop platform for the Marine Corps.

It seems I got out of the Corps too early. That’s uber-badass. continue reading…

I know it’s been about a month or so since I have posted. I’ve been working hard on the book, and here is the official status update. As you can see here, I’ve finished the cover design. I designed it all myself with the input of a few authors I get together with every month. continue reading…

Over at The Unconscious Warrior Project my wife and I are calling out to veterans, their spouses, loved ones, and significant others to tell us your stories. War takes its toll on so many different levels, and we want to hear what changes it has had in you, and what you have done in your life to live with these changes, work to approach them, and incorporate and work with them in your daily life.

Our goal with this project is to become a non-profit company, receive donations, and run veterans support and outreach programs from our home in Black Hawk, Colorado. We will have an open dialogue between veterans, discussing how we have changed and what we can do to not let some of the negative affectations of war take over our lives. We expect to begin groups this summer.

The stories we ask for now may be incorporated into a book that Sara and I are writing, that will hopefully help other veterans work in their relationships like we have learned to work in ours. It has been a long, arduous road, but one that is more than worth it.

So, if you are a veteran, a spouse of a veteran, active duty military, or a family member or significant other, we want to hear from you. How have you changed? How has your life changed? How has your relationship changed? What have you had to change to incorporate what has happened during war into your daily life? How has it affected you, for better or for worse?

Please visit The Unconscious Warrior Project to read more, or email us: Sara Perna or Mark Perna

Hannah (left) and Freyja, our beautiful girls

Monday night, our two dogs were on the deck playing. Hannah pawed the door to come in, and she came running. Freyja did not. I turned the light on to see her laying there, still, not responding to my voice. I ran out into the snow in my bare feet, wearing nothing more than a t-shirt. I knelt by her, and I knew she was in trouble. There was something stuck in her mouth, I thought she might be choking, so I grabbed it. It was cold. It was her tongue. I looked into her eyes and I knew she was already dead. The sound of anguish I made drove Sara to my side. I was horrified. I was perplexed. She was a year and a half, had no health problems, but there she was, just lying there, and she was gone.

continue reading…

Soldiers inside a cave complex captured by a Pakistani offensive

After a long offensive in the federally administered tribal areas of Pakistan, Paki forces declared that they had seized a large network of caves in the Bajaur tribal area—a final militant holdout. This network of caves is just four miles from Asadabad, where I was stationed in 2005. While there are strongholds remaining along the border, at a press conference Maj. Gen. Tariq Khan stressed the tactical importance of this victory.

continue reading…

I finally watched The Hurt Locker last night. I was sorely disappointed. For a movie that has been receiving awards left and right, I expected more. A lot more.

Let’s start with the portrayal of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal tech, Sergeant James. He’s a cavalier, reckless, careless, adrenaline junkie. He disregards all safety, tactics, techniques, and procedures, to just walk up on IEDs, brazenly clear buildings, and save the day. Bullshit. continue reading…

Starkey / AP

Marines are now encountering stiff resistance in the northern part of Marjah, reports say. Three more coalition troops have lost their lives in the battle, bringing the tally to 11. While more casualties are mounting than previously, it’s still significantly less than what coalition officers had prepared for. The Taliban have also deployed new tactics. Snipers.

continue reading…