Whew! I see My Educational Summit

I will graduate in May of 2009 from Webster University's International Relations graduate program. I don't believe I will pursue a PhD; however, the decision is not final...there are more than one summit to conquer.

Technical Sergeant Zamounde Allie's Air Force Retirement

Technical Sergeant Zamounde S. Allie, Jr. presented a high level of leadership, and as such, provided excellent support to the airlift mission worldwide. He served as the NCOIC, Contingency Verifications, Global Readiness, and as Channel Mission Manager for Global Channel operations at the 618 Tanker Airlift Control Center (TACC), Scott AFB, Illinois, prior to retiring from active duty after 20 years of service in 2007.

Sergeant Allie grew up in Detroit, Michigan and joined the U.S. Air Force in June 1987. He has performed various duties in civil engineering and air transportation. His other assignments included two CONUS bases in South Carolina, and one in Arkansas. He also served three overseas assignments in England, Korea, and Germany to include temporary duty to Africa to upgrade two runways in support of Cold War operations, Germany for an explosive demolition project, and Italy in support of Operation Joint Guard.

EDUCATION:

1990 Air Force NCO Preparatory school
2000 Air Force NCO Academy
2003 Associate Applied Science in Business Administration & Management/Transportation Mgt, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2005 Bachelor of Science in Workforce Education and Development,College of Education and Human Services,Southern Illinois University,Carbondale
2006 Enrolled graduate student/ Masters of Art in International Relations, Webster University, St Louis, Missouri

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. Jun 1987-Aug1987, trainee, Basic Military Training, Lackland AFB, Texas
2. Aug 1987- Sep 1987, student, Pavement Maintenance Apprentice course, Shepherd AFB, Texas
3. Oct 1987- Jun 1990, specialist, 819 RED HORSE Squadron RAF Wethersfield,
England
4. Jun 1990-Jun 1994, crew leader, 437th Civil Engineer Squadron, Charleston, South
Carolina
5. Jun 1994- Jun 1995, crew leader, 554 RED HORSE Squadron, Osan Air Base, South
Korea
6. Jun 1995- Jun 1996, crew leader, 20th Civil Engineer Squadron, Sumter, South
Carolina
7. Mar 1996– May 1996, student, Air Transportation Apprentice course, Lackland AFB,
Texas
8. Jun 1996-Mar 2001, shift supervisor, 314th Transportation Squadron, Jacksonville,
Arkansas
9. Mar 2001- Apr 2003, shift supervisor/training manager, 723 Air Mobility Squadron,
Ramstein Air Base, Germany
10. Apr 2003- Jul 2007, NCOIC/Manager, 618 TACC, Scott AFB, Illinois

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Air Force Meritorious Service medal
Air Force Commendation medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement medal with three oak leaf clusters

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS:

1990 3rd Air Force Distinguish Graduate NCO Preparatory School
2004 TACC/Global Channel Operations NCO of the Year

2006 Huyser Chapter: Airlift/Tanker Association Award for Contribution to Air Mobility NCO of the Quarter

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:

Airman Dec 22, 1987
Airman First Class Oct 22, 1988
Senior Airman Jun 22, 1990
Staff Sergeant Jun 1, 1994
Technical Sergeant Feb 1, 2001

Dr. Wright's School Real Men Read and Career Day

I was invited to speak to groups of children at Dr. Wright's elementary school in East St Louis. A lot of strong men turned out including the mayor. We had a photo opportunity, and was escorted by a student to our perspective classrooms. I must say that it's been a while since I've been to that level of school to speak. I loved the children enthusiasm and the hundreds of questions that poured from their hearts and minds. It was an honor that drilled deep in my heart to be able to reach out to the young and give them an inside look at life beyond school. I told them a story about people asking me what I wanted to be when I grew up but never telling me how to achieve it. I spoke to them about setting goals,and never giving in to so-called failures because life is one big test. The main point I wanted to address was how to pick careers, lay out a course of action e.g. classes, scholarships, and schools etc...I read to them, spoke about my obstacles and how I refused to accept no from anyone when I knew in my heart that I wanted to do something. I gave examples of my books published etc. I spoke about doors of opportunity and how hard it was to get a key if you did not study life, and read about and find mentors or people who have already done what you want to do. I told them about my travels around the world and how people were the same no matter what color or race. I told them about the man lying in the street near the subway entrance that everyone passed by without notice in New York and in Paris, France. I'm blabbing but after speaking to three classes for 45 minutes each or so and having all the children give a mission statement and announce who they are, where they are from, what they wanted to be, and what they were going to do to achieve it I prepared to leave. I ended with stating that life is a test and they will have to study and read to win. The students applauded me, however, my heart applauded them. We have hope for the future--let's not forget that it takes each and everyone one of us doing our part "each one-teach one".

Tour de Cure Follow-up

Whew! That 50-mile ride was treacherous but fun up in Grafton, Illinois near the Mississippi River. There were some hills that showed me just how conditioned I was for the ride (70%). I managed to pull through well until around the 40th mile when my legs locked up, but fortunately there was a scheduled resting point up the hill: I ate a couple of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, an orange and drank some more water. I was good to go the rest of the final 10 miles. Our team finished in under 5 hours which was good considering we were fighting prevailing winds and hills throughout the ride. We topped 20 MPH on straight-away's, but bogged down to 5 MPH on most of the hills. The final down hill had us a 34-37 MPH which was a reward for the hours of paddling. After the ride we tried to sit and eat hamburgers etc, but the wind had picked up a lot more due to an incoming storm system across the Mississippi so we headed back home. Our total contribution to the American Diabetes Association was roughly $3000.00, and 2,000 plus calories burned. We registered a 5 person team; however, only three of us rode together. One rode the hundred miles, and the other moved out of town prior to the ride. It was all for a good cause plus it gave me a chance to get ready for the next few 25/50 mile rides. The next one in Missouri in August is a tough one that I rode last year (one hill steeply climbs for a straight three miles--you run out of gears and are brought to a walking pace at one point) I hope to do a lot better on that hill this year. I need to turn in my bike though to have it tuned up. The gear that I needed the most slipped out during this ride. Until next year's Tour de Cure...ride hard.

Senator Barack Obamas' Response to my Letter on Economic Development Etc in East St Louis Illinois

Dear Zamounde:

Thank you for contacting me regarding economic development in East St. Louis. You raise some important concerns.

I agree with you that our government needs to devote more time and resources to help communities struggling with unemployment, sprawl, blight, and other ills associated with lagging economic development. I also take sincere note of your point about the effects of underdevelopment on my friends in East St. Louis and the Metro East area.

I am a strong supporter of federal efforts to improve the lives of my hard working constituents in the Metro East, including the many good folks I've met in East St. Louis. I have encouraged the federal Economic Development Administration (EDA) to focus more of its efforts on blighted and underdeveloped communities, and I am a strong supporter of federal job training efforts that would help displaced individuals find new employment. Further, I've voted against legislation such as the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) that was slanted too far in favor of corporate interests but ignored the needs of many of my constituents, including families in East St. Louis. I also secured record levels of funding in last year's national transportation bill that will help individuals in Illinois find good-paying jobs in transportation-related industries.

I will continue with my efforts to fight for working families in the days ahead. As this process proceeds, I will certainly keep your concerns closely in mind. I believe our government has a responsibility to help individuals like you, who are looking to recapture the cities of their youth after a long career spent outside of Illinois. America is certainly a land of opportunity, but we still have much work to do to make sure that the full breadth of that opportunity extends to communities like East St. Louis.

Again, Zamounde, thank you for contacting me. I wish you the best on your coming retirement, and encourage you to contact me again in the future.

Sincerely,

Barack Obama
United States Senator


P.S. Our system does not allow direct response to this email. However, if you would like to contact me again, please use the form on the website: http://obama.senate.gov/contact/

Stay up to date with Barack's work in the Senate and on issues of importance to Illinois. Subscribe to the weekly podcast here: http://obama.senate.gov/podcast/

My Midterm

Well I had to write a 10 page response to two questions for our midterm exam. The instructor seem to like it a lot, and wants me to compete for money. If I can find the time I may consider the offer. You'd think I could find the time, but it's hiding between family, work, school, and sleep; I may find the time in my dreams LOL.

Tour de Stooges and Bike Rides

Well I rode in the annual Tour de Stooges bike ride held out in Lebanon, Illinois at Mckendree College although my rode bike had a bad tire. I chose to ride regardless and picked up my heavy mountain bike--that 19 miles in 1 hr 20 minutes was a workout. I better get my bike fixed so I can go further next time. My next major ride will be 50 miles in the Annual Tour de Cure just outside of St Louis--our team has raised $3000 plus for the charity.

I Don't Have Time for Games!

I'm busy like a tree--you think that I'm just standing here blowing in the breeze.
You don't see my roots working. I don't have time for games!

Queen Latifahs' Last Holiday-Movie Review

Great movie--Last Holiday! I've always loved Queen Latifah's style and candid ways even when she was only in the music industry producing rap/hip-hop songs. This movie demonstrated her range as an actress, and I must say without a doubt that I truly enjoyed it, and was happy to add it to my DVD collection. The movie mixed comedy and serious life issues with grace and clarity; with a slight pinch of hope and aspiration that was able to keep this hardcore action film watcher seated for the duration. What more could I say--I bought it.

Current Research Project

Selling U.S. Terminals at Major Sea Ports to Foreign
Companies does not Negatively Impact National Security
Zamounde S. Allie, Jr.
Webster University, Scott AFB, Illinois

You Can’t Out Run a Tornado

I don’t like tornadoes. My daughter and I had gone to the movies to see ATL in O’Fallon, Illinois just outside of East St Louis, when I noticed a strong cool breeze moving about us, afterwards. It felt eerie to me so I told my daughter that we needed to get out of there and go home. I called my wife to ask her if she needed anything, she said that she wanted me to stop by Wal-Mart for some sort of special glue so that she could finish braiding a daughter of her friend’s hair. I decided to stick to my initial thought to get out of O’Fallon and so I headed over to Belleville’s Wal-Mart. There was a fast moving funny looking cloud out on the horizon to the west of us in St Louis so I told my daughter that we had to make haste (she thought that I was over exaggerating the situation).

We had originally planned to get something to eat, too, so I pulled into McDonalds drive-thru after leaving Wal-Mart, but the wind was picking up so quickly I decided that I was not going to leave us stuck in a line when the storm turned ugly (to which it was starting to). So I jetted out of the line while my daughter looked at me with dissatisfaction. I glanced over at the fast moving cloud and strangely enough it had covered a lot of ground in that short period of time between leaving Wal-Mart and was visibility moving upon us. Foolish as it may seem I thought that I had time to stop at Little Caesars and pick up a $5 to go pizza. The young lady at the register (bless her heart) was very concerned about the weather and verbally told her boss that she was going home. I had to wait for one customer ahead of me to order and as soon as I picked up my pizza I headed out the door. The wind blew so strongly sideways that I barely made it to the car. I hopped in (daughter in car with engine already running) and quickly traversed on to the main road to head home.

I told my daughter that a tornado was around us some where, and said that she needed to watch out for anything flying through the air because we were going to have to jump in a ditch (there’s nothing but cornfields around here). The wind was picking up speed, and I tried to out run the storm doing 55 mph but it was right on my tail so I drove 80 mph or more to no avail we were enveloped in this fast moving storm. I watched a flock of birds suddenly dip from about 20 feet in the air to down about a foot off of the ground in a second, and I lost all of my manhood and prayed out loud. The car felt like it wanted to fly as the wind hit it like a wall of water. Everything loose was moving across the street in front of us, and I could see our home in the distance across the cornfields. I told my daughter to keep looking out for anything strange and to call home to tell her mother to take cover in the shelter.

When I arrived at Scott AFB, Security Forces were securing the gate for closure and one of them hollered for us to seek shelter. I burned rubber through the gate after getting a quick confirmation from the guard. By this time the storm was in full force with hail pounding on the windshield and trees leaning over consistently to one side. I pulled up in the driveway. My daughter and I ran into the house, and to my surprise my wife, son, and the little girl that was getting her hair braided were in the living room sitting (chillin’) as if nothing was going on. I ordered (lovingly as possible under the situation) everyone into the shelter. After securing everyone I wanted to listen out for that distinct sound of a tornado coming that everyone speaks about on the news. I looked out of the front door first and saw a foolish neighbor of mine chasing down his kid’s Jungle Gym set. I went to the back of the house and looked out the back door window to see if I could observe anything, and my 60 pound 3-seat swinging chair set was almost two houses down separated into two parts. I looked up in the sky and all sorts of small debris were flying around, (roof shingles I believe) but I wanted to check the radar on TV, too, before I went back into the shelter. The main part of the storm had passed and I saw that we would basically be in the clear shortly so I kept my family in the shelter and continued to observe the weather. Soon it was over and we all sat down for pizza.

The next day at work I discussed the storm with co-workers and one of them stated that the construction debris in the new subdivision where my house was under construction, too, took flight and damaged a lot of homes. A 2x4 piece of wood flew through the window and stuck into the living room wall of one of the homes, and many of the roofs were damaged. Later on that day I was in my graduate class talking about the storm, again. A classmate said that she was in Fairview Heights, at the Steak-n-Shake restaurant when all of a sudden the power lines all bent over and some snapped while the wind raced down the street. The manager ordered everyone (25+) into the small men’s bathroom. When they finally were able to come out debris was every where and the K & G store across the street was destroyed. She talked about her ordeal in the bathroom, the sound of the wind, and that she had called her husband on her cell phone to see if he was okay. I told her about the ordeal we went through over in the Belleville area, but I had no ideal how close to my heart the situation would become later.

The next day I was at the library checking my emails, and there was one from a close friend of mine from O’Fallon stating that his wife and daughter were in the K & G when the tornado struck and the roof collapsed. He said that his wife and daughter were okay and that they had to climb out of a lot of rubble and downed power lines were every where. All of them had made it out except for one man that was killed, and that his wife was very distraught over the situation. I told my wife when I got home that we needed to do an intercessory prayer for them and everyone who had suffered more than others in this situation.

I sat and watched stories about the tornado on TV, and I’m telling you this story because before it happened to me so closely I was always the spectator watching it on the news (impersonal), but when it happens to you and someone you know—it makes you feel very aware of how precious our time on earth really is to us. I thank God for every second, minute, and hour.

Grad Class

It's getting better as we go. The subject of international relations is very interesting. Our instructor although a few years younger than I have a genuine love and understanding for his chosen field so that's a plus. I'm working on my two-question 10 page response for our midterm right now, and letting my fifteen page research paper marinate at fourteen pages--I have time.

Graduate School--the First Class

Well I started my first graduate class a few weeks ago, and there are a few things that I noticed:

1. Graduate students don't want to take breaks--they want to leave early (Does taking breaks speed up the clock?).

2. There are very few people in the graduate class compared to my undergraduate class.

3. I find myself drifting off of the main subject because the teacher (I mean lecturer) is doing the same. So I guess I'll read a little bit more and take good notes.

4. "What does feminism have to do with realism and idealism in international relations?" I think my sister-friend to the left of me was not happy at all about the subject.

5. I work from 6:30 in the morning to 4:30 in the evening and start class at 5:30. I'm glad it's just once a week for now.

6. Some of the class was shocked that I had almost completed my research paper--shoo pick a subject you like to talk about, and you'd find it hard to stay within the limits. I need to save this subject and expand on it for my main paper, too [subject undisclosed].

Finally, I am happy that I decided to go and complete my graduate program. I'm still a young, old head LOL.

Support my Tour de Cure--St Louis Area

I will be cycling 50 miles in the American Diabetes Association's Tour de Cure fund-raising event June 17, 2006 in the St Louis area with Team Smooth Run. Please support my ride with a donation by selecting the "Click Here to Sponsor Me" button. Our efforts will help set the pace in the fight against diabetes. So let's get in gear and bike to beat diabetes!
Last year I put in over 500 plus miles training for long rides--now I want to put some money towards a good cause while I ride this spring/summer season.
Click here to Sponsor Me

You may also consider joining a riding team, too, or to learn more about the Tour de Cure effort in your area.

U.S. Republican/Democratic Party President Debt Comparison June 30, 1950 to September 30, 2005

Six Republican Presidents
$17,418,946,823.59 1953-1961 Dwight D. Eisenhower [5]/Cold War
$124,439,418,745.59 1969-1974 Richard Nixon [2] Vietnam War/Cold War
$226,278,000,000.00 1974-1977 Gerald Ford [1]Vietnam War/Cold War
$1,828,701,960,187.32 1981-1989 Ronald Reagan (3)Grenada/Panama Invasion/Cold War
$1,554,057,922,952.06 1989-1993 George H.W. Bush (4)/Cold War/Persian Gulf War/
$2,125,246,249,523.44 2001-present George W. Bush** (2)9-11/Persian Gulf War II/
Total Debt Accumulated
$5,876,142,498,232.00

5 Democratic Presidents
$21,392,462,040.29 1950-1953 Harry S. Truman [4] Korean War/Cold War
$13,178,083,844.25 1961-1963 John F. Kennedy/ Bay of Pigs/ Vietnam War/Cold War
$58,878,736,195.24 1963-1969 Lyndon B. Johnson [3]/ Vietnam War/Cold War
$3,097,869,000,000.00 1977-1981 Jimmy Carter* (1)Iran Hostage Crisis/Cold War
#1,395,974,529,060.68 1993-2001 William Clinton (5) Bosnia & Herzegovina
Total Debt Accumulated
4,565,900,349,100.17
[The difference between Republican and Democrat accumulated debt in the 55 year period is one trillion, three hundred and ten billion, two hundred and forty-two million, one hundred and forty-nine thousand, one hundred and thirty-one hundred dollars and eighty-three cents ($1,310,242,149,131.83). You also have to consider the amount of wars, interventions, and invasions of other countries under each president, and other factors such as changes in technological advances, growth of the economy, dependencies on foreign trade etc that may increase/decrease spending. For example according to a statistical study at http://www.cwc.lsu.edu/cwc/other/stats/warcost.htm the U.S. spent 61 billion dollars in the Gulf War, but was reimbursed 54 billion by coalition countries so the actual U.S. cost was 7 billion dollars. It's a tricky game so I urge you to not accept everything you hear on face value without considering a little homework and see how different your opinion may be compared to just accepting what's portrayed on the news]

I for one don't care what party is in office--I care about what they are doing for us as a people today, and for the future!

Legend:
* = Presidents with the highest accumulated debt
** = Presidents with the second highest accumulated debt
"(1)" = ranking after U.S. debt reached 1 trillion dollars
"[1]" = ranking after U.S. debt reached 1 billion dollars

Note: Study does not indicate whether a party had majority rule over congress.

Data source: Bureau of the Public Debt: Historical Debt Outstanding-Annual http://publicdebt.treas.gov/opd/opdhisto4.htm

The Facts on the U.S. Deficit Snapshot

The National Debt is $8.2 Trillion as of 6 March 2006


Source: http://www.federalbudget.com/

Find out for yourself how our taxes are distributed--avoid political twist and Red Herrings so check out the full disclosure.

Master's Degree for Master Plan

I pondered the thought of continuing on with my education for about five months now, but out of the blue I walked over and register at Webster University. I had planned to obtain a certification in Microsoft; however, I did not feel like driving all over the place or catching the train after work to go into the lab etc. I guess you could say my decision to start my M.A. was out of convenience until you see the price of each class ($810 + Books). Let's see I could have spent $3700 for 4 months or $9720 plus books for two years. I don't know really, but I do know that I am interested in competing for local offices and fighting to catch all the money that trickles down from the government only to return because not enough people are writing the correct grants or creating a income base in the area besides services to improve the conditions of the up and coming citizens who may not realize the game. So I will use the master degree as a resume enhancment to allow me to compete along with my experience and determination with my opponents while enhancing the team of folks currently fighting the game. We are turning rapidly towards a globalization unprecedented and if you take my statement lightly then you may want to read up on how much of America is owned by foreign countries and companies. Let's spin the dial, and set up shop here in the so-called ghettos of America and tap into the global money. I won't disclose my plan yet, but believe me I'm doing my homework. My master degree will be in international relations, my BS is in Workforce Education and Development, my AAS is in Transportation Business Management; however, my heart is with the people. That has always been my charge--to change things for the positive. Look for my petitions and name on the ballots by 2009.

Disclaimer: In no way do I discount the efforts of those out there working hard for the betterment of the nation not those who have come and gone before me--I intend to bring my plan to the table with the same diligence and/or greater than the effort I gave to the U.S. Military for two decades.

U.A.E. Port Thoughts

I awoke this morning fresh listening to the news updates and a thought came to mind:

1. Has anyone considered the World Trade Organization's possible influence on the decision to allow the U.A.E to take over six of our major ports? All politics aside we are moving rapidly toward a better globalization of the world market place, and if we ( U.S.) are allowed to set up shop in other countries why can't the same be done for others?

2. Now, let's consider the security risk at hand. We do not have a viable security plan in place besides the Coast Guard and private company security.The main factor is making money; time spent checking every vessel and goods container is money lost. What is our buffer right now for security? Money. A rich tycoon nation like the U.A.E can afford to take on such extreme cost required to meet the security demands of our ports. Terrorist will try our weaknesses whether the owner is eastern or western. Do you think Saddam-like or Bin Ladens' people give a damn about whose standing guard?

3. I am torn, too, by the very notion of a foreign country running our ports, but it has nothing to do with what foreign country.

Home Is Where the Heart is...

I've been gone a long time now from home (Detroit), all the family I know have family of their own almost grown if not already, too. I think back to that warm June night when I left to stay over in an old downtown hotel before jetting off to Air Force basic training. I wondered what would become of me and my wife of 2 years then. What a whirlwind of memrories flocking my finger tips, but I won't write all of that down. Let's see we went to England for 3 years where I traveled to Germany, Italy, and Africa. We lived in Charleston, and Sumter South Carolina for a 6 year stint minus a year for me spent over in Korea. Next we moved to the Little Rock Arkansas area for 5 years followed by about two years in Germany where we ventured over to Belgium, and France. Now here we stand just outside of St Louis 19 years later. The question remaining in my heart is where is home? I carried a safeguard statement for years you know "Home is where the heart is..." Well my heart is all over the world now for I've met a lot of people that became close like family. Yet somehow I still look back to Detroit and miss a lot of family for no matter what I say that is my home.

Follow-up on Pilgrim Temple Event

I must say that I enjoyed myself at Pilgrim Temple CME on the south end of East St Louis. Pastor Clark was inspirational, and everyone made me feel at home. As promised here is the transcript from my inspirational thoughts presented to the audience in two parts:

I opened up with a short confession of the fact that I had not been to a church in three years. I presented this poem for part one:

For Coretta Scott King

I saw a dream shine on us
She bought gifts for many today
A hopefulness like no other
A child of God
Graced us with her selflessness

This dream our dream
Never did it subside
Or give way to new lights
It flashes still in our hearts and minds

The many steps she took
All over the history books
Cannot be appreciated fully
Unless you see how God works

Coretta inspired many
A center in the Jerusalem of America
Unyielding drive for social change
A love for all people
Holding onto the "I have a dream" still

The second time I went up to the podium I caught the children's choir off guard by asking them to participate in one of the poems:

These Feet

We step faithfully
Like spring dreams constantly sprout
We were planted here
Still stepping
>>>Choir response (CR) These feet!

These feet give us hope
Our brave nights enlighten days
Dry tears on petals
Still stepping
(CR) These feet!

Coretta flower
Sailing onward in our hearts
No one can stand still
Still stepping
(CR) These feet!

Give glory to God
For cold and hot clouds above
Drench ourselves in love
Still stepping
(CR) These feet!

We smell crops growing
Our harvest is tomorrow
Celebrate today
Still stepping
(CR) These feet!

Descendants of peace
Stand on assured roots of time
See no boundaries
Still stepping
(CR) These feet!

Mother's charisma
Hugging the world joyfully
Raising summer fields
Still stepping
(CR) These feet!

We cried yesterday
So God smiles on us today
Promised forever
[The choir surprised me by exclaiming "These feet!" one last time.

I made a brief comment, and continued with:

So I Am

Our feet are like gold
Priceless dreams of steam
Rising to new heights

We will truly be more
Walking steady in God's light
To be a soldier

Our hands are priceless
The seasons forever change
So we can be bold

We're not colors
Reflections of inner light
We are God's flashlights

I ended by stating that when we walk into a room people should ask "Who turned on the light" for if we don't have that affect we need to go back out and come in again. I presented a brief history of my writing chronology, and passed out my website address (at the request of my unofficial agent Mr. David W. Brown, Jr.)