My sons and I were at the pancake breakfast last Saturday morning at Camp Pendleton paid for by Congressman Darrell Issa’s Family Foundation to gather toys and contributions for Homefront San Diego. Issa’s Family Foundation is matching all contributions. Homefront San Diego has no overhead and no payroll. Every cent of tax-deductible contributions directly benefits the lower enlisted active duty military families in the San Diego area. Just go to the Homefront site and make your contribution to those who serve.
As a former Marine Sergeant, of course I enjoyed who worked the line serving us Saturday morning, though they serve us every day.
Major General Jackson, second from the left (after the base chaplain), is commander of the seven southwestern US Marine installations, whose “primary mission is to support training, sustaining, and deploying the warfighter, and to provide their families with services that enrich their lives.” After Jason and I packed away three servings of delicious Marine victuals, while Gavin visited neighboring tables to swipe their candies, MajGen Jackson promised to take good care to “straighten up” the boys if they choose to enlist.
Colonel Marano, to Darrell Issa's right, is commanding officer of Camp Pendleton. His distinguished combat record demonstrates (as Issa – who served in the Army as a demolitions tech -- reminded Jason) it’s the strong mind that is most important, and that creates the strong body and will to succeed.
Congressman Darrell Issa is new Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, where he will be at the point of reform. Here’s the Blueprint For Congressional Oversight he issued in September. Here’s Issa’s post-election update: “[O]ne of my number one priorities to give all 74 IGs, inspector generals, subpoena authority. I believe they are the ones that need to be able to use subpoena, be able to do investigations and be free of fear of being fired for doing it.”
A large group of kids from the Boys & Girls Club was there, who signed a Christmas card to President Obama but didn’t know how to deliver it. Congressman Issa promised to do so, personally. Another speaker at the breakfast joked that enclosed would be subpoenas.
Another service project, Saturday night, was my son Jason’s Cub Scout Pack marching in the Encinitas Holiday Parade (yeah, it used to be called the Christmas Parade). The Pack served free hot chocolates and cookies for the thousands of parade watchers. Jason “bridges” (graduates) to Boy Scouts in February. Gavin joins the Pack in September, so he joined in parading. Like Gavin's and my Elf-Yarmulkes?
