Dead Drop: September 29

GWOT MEMORIAL: Plans are underway to build a memorial on the National Mall in Washington dedicated to Americans who participated in the Global War on Terror.  Well, to be more accurate – plans are underway to develop plans to build it. The site will be just north of the Lincoln Memorial, close to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Members of the public are being asked to submit design input. If experience is any guide, this ain’t gonna be easy.  The design for the Vietnam War Memorial was controversial when it was first debated and built – although over time, has become something of a source of healing and unity.  The GWOT “help design history” effort is kicking off with a 22-day survey, representing 22 years of America’s ongoing fight against terrorism.

NOT IN MY BACKYARD:  The Dead Drop resisted (for a week or so) commenting on the USMC F-35B that went missing for the better part of a day recently. We resisted because the jokes pretty much wrote themselves (just like the plane flew itself) and everyone was already launching those jibes.  You know…milk cartons with pictures of missing F-35s on them and such. But this week, authorities released the 911 call where the pilot and a North Charleston, SC resident (into whose backyard the aviator landed after ejecting from the jet) calmly called and asked for an ambulance. As just about everyone knows, the pilot – a veteran aviator – was not seriously hurt while the plane (when it was found in a forested area about 60 miles away) was as you might imagine – a wreck.  It made us reflect on how lucky everyone was.  Imagine if the pilot had ejected and ended up in some remote woods, and the F-35 came to rest in some suburban backyard?  If you look closely enough, you can see the Silver lining.