Monthly Archives: January 2022

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

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9:45 PM

Today’s Weather: Sunshine. High 26. 11 now.

Two hours ago, US Air Force aircraft attacked the Russian column advancing south down I-87 in New York State. Thirty minutes later, strikes were launched against the growing Russian encampments in Plattsburgh, NY and outside of Burlington, VT. As these strikes were taking place, the 600 troops remaining at Fort Drum were evacuated from the area under heavy USAF air cover. They will join the remainder of the 10th Mountain Division at its staging area somewhere in the eastern United States.

Minutes ago, the State Department received a request from the Russian government for talks to be held at a location of our choosing sometime in the next twenty-four to thirty-six hours.

And that’s the summary of my workday.

On a personal note, David will be arriving in Colorado this weekend. I would like for him to take a posting with the Office of the Secretary of Defense for the duration. Even though I’m also his boss now, as well as his father, I will leave the decision up to him. Right now, he’s in San Diego enjoying the tail end of a two-week leave by visiting some friends stationed out there. When I left Lancaster, he remained there for two more weeks helping my successor get acclimated. I hope he will want to stick close to me and the family for a while longer but I have a feeling David would also like to get back to the Fleet and flying. We’ll discuss it when he is back.

Tuesday, January 30, 2024

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11:27 PM

Today’s Weather: Cloudy with snow showers. Cold. High 16. 7 degrees now.

In New York State, there are roughly 2,000 Russian troops now encamped at Plattsburgh with a column of perhaps 400 soldiers, tanks and other armored vehicles making its way south along I-87. USNORTHCOM needs more time but assures me there will be enough air assets based in that region by tomorrow to hit both the column and Plattsburgh hard. That’s good because we need decisive engagement as soon as possible. The longer we wait, the stronger Russia’s toehold in upstate New York becomes.

Speaking of Russia, they are making a big deal about me becoming secretary of defense. They’re urging every nation out there to punish the United States for selecting a ‘war criminal’ to be their defense chief. The UN has chimed in as well, reminding the US government that I still have an active arrest warrant on my head courtesy of the ICC. It would be an affront to the international community should I be rewarded for being a ‘war criminal.’  The White House laughed at that and by the end of the week, my new staff will have a press secretary on board who knows how to play the game well.

As for my day, it was long and filled with a lot of classified briefings. Since I have not been confirmed yet, I need to tread carefully with these journal entries. I do not want to mistakenly write about something I shouldn’t. I have enough problems these days 😊

Monday, January 29, 2024

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11:40 PM

Today’s Weather: Sun and Clouds. Cold. High 18. 4 degrees now.

For the second time in less than two weeks I’ve assumed the duties of head of an executive department of the US government. The learning curve for Defense will be far greater than that of the newly founded Department of National Recovery. To make matters even more of a challenge, I have limited time with which to learn everything I need to know and start making decisions. Another negative factor I’m being forced to deal with is the fact that morale in the Department of Defense is very low in the aftermath of the spy scandal. My predecessor was a Russian agent, though it is unclear whether he knew it. According to what I’m hearing, Lee Maier is telling the Feds he believed the information he was channeling out of Denver was going to a consortium of European defense corporations. This wasn’t the case at all. I don’t know if Maier’s story is sincere or just an attempt to cover himself. I don’t believe it will matter in any event. Maier is going to face a firing squad for the damage he’s done.

Today was my first official day as the Acting Secretary of Defense. Next week upon confirmation the ‘Acting’ will be removed from my title. Anyhow, today ended up being a series of briefings that ran for thirteen hours. Tomorrow and Thursday will be much of the same. For the time being, if there are any major decisions to be made on defense or security matters, the White House will handle that. Seeing as the current president was the secretary of defense until last December, I don’t see that being an issue.

Anyway, it was a long day and I need to get a half-decent amount of sleep. Tomorrow will begin around 5 AM, same as today.

And We’re Back!

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Good Morning! After a few days away I am more than ready to jump back into Final Days. Given the rising tensions with Russia in Europe right now, the plot of this blog seems to be rubbing shoulders with reality a bit. I do not foresee this becoming an issue unless fighting breaks out between NATO and Russia. But we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.

So, here’s the deal. Journal entries will start up again on 29 January. I’ll treat the period of time from 23-28 January 2024 as a period suspended animation, so to speak. The world was frozen and we’ll pick right back up where we left off. I think this is the best option, all things considered.

When we start back up, Dan Wertz has just been offered the job of secretary of defense. Quite a lift from where his journey began back in September, 2022. He will assume the job at a precarious moment. Russian troops are moving into New York State and staging to launch a ‘Peacekeeping Operation’ in the eastern United States under the ‘direction’ of the United Nations. There have been clashes in the air between US and Russian fighters and the first air strikes are about to be launched against Russian forces now advancing south from Plattsburgh. In Albany, a brigade from the 82nd is preparing to move north to establish blocking positions along the old Interstate 87 as more US ground forces move into the region. Wertz’s focus is transitioning to big picture events. But this does not mean Lancaster and Pennsylvania will fade into the shadows. Quite the contrary. We are far from finished with PA and the folks of Windy Creek. 😊

I hope everyone is doing well and keeping warm. –Mike

A Brief, Reluctant Departure

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Afternoon, everyone. I’ve been falling behind on posts these last few days thanks to work and some other real world responsibilities. Part of life, I know, but it frustrates me tremendously. So what I am going to do is step away from Final Days until Wednesday or Thursday at the latest. By then, my plate won’t be anywhere nearly as full as it is right now. Then I can concentrate on moving Final Days forward into its final chapters without a number of distractions looming.

It’s only a few days, I know. But it still stinks. Please accept my apologies and pop back in on Wednesday. — Mike

Wednesday, 18 January, 2024

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10:08 PM

Today’s Weather: Clouds and sun. High 28. 16 now.

The block outside looks like a scene out of a Chuck Norris movie. Humvees, troops and sandbagged emplacements now line what had been a normal upper-middleclass suburban neighborhood before I showed up.  To our neighbor’s credit, they have been real champs about it all. While some of the parents might have misgivings about the current situation, the kids love seeing so many ‘army men’ and ‘tanks’ rolling past (and once in a while through) their front yards.

Today was my first workday as Secretary-Designate. It consisted of personnel selection mostly. Trying to decide who will be the best choices for my assistant secretary and under-secretary spots. The next half of the day was spent working on a plan to have the Department of National Recovery up and running on the same day I’m confirmed by the Senate which looks to be 1 February or so.

On the Secretary of Defense front, the White House was quiet on the matter today. The President is still expected to announce the new secretary tomorrow, but I have not heard any scuttlebutt on who the choice will be. To be honest, I’m still getting my feet wet around here. I’m just glad to have a job in an office environment again with my family nearby and conditions that are more normal than any I’ve experienced in the past sixteen months or so.

Tuesday, January 17, 2024

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9:55 PM

Today’s Weather: Sunny, followed by late afternoon flurries.

A new SecDef will be announced on Thursday. President McAlister has a very short list that he is working from and will make a decision by Wednesday night. For whatever reason, he has seen fit to include my name on the list. I’m certain it’s a political calculation. For whatever reason, my stock is rising now and according to a number of folks in and around the White House, I’m seen in a very positive light by the public. So, with that in mind, my inclusion on the list makes complete sense.

The UN and Russia have protested loudly over the airstrikes launched last night against the Russian columns now moving south from Plattsburgh and northern Vermont. The President’s promise that air attacks will extend to targets in Canada soon has the Canadian government in an uproar. But they’re not working to deescalate the situation or kick the Russians and UN out. A brigade from the 82nd Airborne Division is starting to arrive in Albany this evening. That will be the base of operations and mainstay for US ground forces moving north. Things are really heating up in New York State. I just can’t help thinking there’s more to come. The Russians have something else up their sleeve. Something big.

Sunday, January 15, 2024

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11:50 PM

Today’s Weather: Cloudy, flurries. High 27. 19 now.

It turned out Secretary Lee Maier did not have to worry about posting his resignation. The President fired him at the Cabinet meeting this morning. Then he dropped an even bigger bombshell and announced to everyone present that the FBI had uncovered the moles in the US government, and they were placed deeper than anyone expected. A moment later, twenty Secret Service and FBI agents swept into the room. They cuffed Maier and one of his assistants seated against the wall and formally placed them under arrest for treason and espionage-related activities. They were Mirandized and taken away.

The media was informed of the story later in the day and it has created shockwaves here and around the world. The full extent of the damage Maier caused has yet to be determined. It doesn’t look good though. Cabinet members were given a more in-depth briefing on the investigation and everything leading up to the arrest earlier today.

Now, with a foreign force encamped on US soil and more likely on the way, we do not have a Defense Secretary and the President doesn’t think any of the people remaining in the Office of the Secretary of Defense are up to the task. He needs to find a new secretary and fast.

Incidentally, the President has asked me to join him for breakfast tomorrow morning.