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Front page, bottom left hand corner picture says, "Veteran Visit, Vietnam-Era Blackhorse Soldier Revisits Roots", damn he sure looks familiar! The picture on page 6 gives it away, the "John Wayne" pose in the M151 could only one person! None other than Doug Kibbey himself. The picture on the left was taken in front of a display that had a huge stuffed camel, (the only stuffed camel in a military museum) depicting the exploration of the area with the use of camels vs horses. This was an extremely difficult picture for the photographer to take, with all the pushing and shoving by the throngs of reporters and paparatzi that were present. Leaveing the museum was a pure nightmare! All the press knew that Doug drove the sinister midnight black 2006 Mustang GT with Hurst shifter package that was parked prominently in front of the museum, and they waited for him around the car, hoping for an exclusive. But being the true soldier he was, Doug granted his exclusive interview to The High Desert Warrior, the post newspaper. The Desert Dispatch and LA Times were particularly "miffed" at being snubbed for the interview. Close eye was kept on them to ensure they wouldn't "key" the black Mustang in their disgust.
Being the man he is, Doug wasn't going to eat in any fancy restaurant, instead he ate in the mess-hall, to be amoung the current crop of 11th ACR soldiers. Then of course came the event we will all long remember, the M2 Half-Track drive. I haven't seen so much excitment in an individual since my 5 year old walked out to the living room on Christmas morning.
Seriously though, I will mail you some copies, this week. Will 30-40 be enough for you to sign and give to your fans? haha. I am taking a bundle to the museum today. Since my wife delivers the post paper I have free access to as many as I want. I thoroughly enjoyed having you here as did my family and all that came in contact with you. You are welcome in my home any time. I hope this didn't embarrass you to bad, (like you could be embarrassed). Take Care,

Is it significant that on the front page he is looking over at 'Miss Teen Fort Irwin'??

"Have your people call my people and we'll do lunch"

Well, it was a thrill...and all the paparazzi were largely fooled by the body double and diversion motorcade we used to distract their attention from the real entourage.
They may have hasseled Diana's little limo, but nobody mucks with a Big Black Dodge Truck with desert lift kit driven by a serious NCO, No Sir!

My wife remarked something about asking for my autograph....as long as it's not on a check, I'm OK with that.

I think the blue shirt makes me look fat, though.....

Thanks, Jeff...and to all the folks that made the visit possible and so enjoyable....


I notice my "John Wayne" shot is captioned with the 11th ACR, which is not quite correct, that one was with 17th Cav, but you know how the press is...they likely think that's a "tank" I'm sitting in over at the L.A. Times.

- bsmart

Is it significant that on the front page he is looking over at 'Miss Teen Fort Irwin'??

I was gonna' forward this link to my wife, but not now....thanks for the "heads up", Bob!

What body double? The squadron commander commented on your looking to young to have been in Vietnam! The way you scrambled over the M60A3 and M113A2, did'nt strike me as a "fat" man either, quite the contrary.
The reporter did write the following; "He now contributes frequently to the Eaglehorse Web-site and is a moderator on the Armored Fighting Vehicle news channel". I didn't realise you did television as well, is that like "Meet the Nation" or something similar, haha. She also quotes you as saying, "We spent a lot of time in Vietnam without our shirts on". Ahhh, a quote for the ages, (again with the laughter).
I will have your copies coming to your house soon.

- SFC_Jeff_Button

The reporter did write the following; "He now contributes frequently to the Eaglehorse Web-site and is a moderator on the Armored Fighting Vehicle news channel". She also quotes you as saying, "We spent a lot of time in Vietnam without our shirts on". Ahhh, a quote for the ages, (again with the laughter).
I will have your copies coming to your house soon.

Jeff,
You haven't seen "AFV News Channel"?! S'matter, don't you get cable out there?

She also quotes you as saying, "We spent a lot of time in Vietnam without our shirts on"

-I have no idea where she got that either....unless she overheard my responding to the comment of yours about the shirtless mortar crew while we were page-flipping...someone else commented on a pic of the crew members who were shirtless while re-tracking on that mission in the bush...

Lesson: Don't talk to reporters unless you're prepared to cringe when you read their version of the account later. (She was nice enough, though, and tried to do a good job, on balance).

I have two posters up in my office now...with space for a third...and the paper is just that size.....

That isn't fat, it's your 'Homeland Security Approved emergency portable food supply. Back when I was still in 1st TFW I tried to convince them it was my 'Rapid Deployment Force' food supply.

- bsmart

That isn't fat, it's your 'Homeland Security Approved emergency portable food supply. Back when I was still in 1st TFW I tried to convince them it was my 'Rapid Deployment Force' food supply.

I think I tried that line of reasoning, too. It didn't work for me, either.

David