Being There

Wednesday Hero

2008-11-21T17:45:00.000-05:00

Ueberlauer - http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/5945/yeoman3rdclassmargretueaq6.jpg
Navy - http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/3695/navynr1.gif
WH Logo - http://img374.imageshack.us/img374/3411/whl2xv3.jpg

Click Image For Full SizeYeoman 3rd Class Margret Ueberlauer

Yeoman 3rd Class Margret Ueberlauer hands out toys to HIV infected children during a community relations project at the Camillian Center in Pattaya, Thailand. The USS Abraham Lincoln Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

The Battle of Ia Drang 1965

2008-11-14T03:25:00.001-05:00

Remember

HAL MOORE

2008-11-14T03:24:00.001-05:00

7th Air Cav commander Lt. Col. Hal Moore after the battle at la Drang on this date in 1965. Please remember.

Go ahead, vote for Obama!

2008-06-26T00:08:00.008-04:00

Go ahead, vote for Obama. Just remember a few things while you do:

1-Obama wants to lose in Iraq, by bringing home troops without any plan for orderly
withdrawal...remember Viet Nam?

2-Obama wants to raise virtually all taxes on everyone he calls rich, which includes
anyone making $85,000 a year or more.

3-Obama wants to eliminate all heathcare programs in place now (including military
plans) and replace them with government run healthcare known as socialized
medicine. It works sooooo well for England and Canada, that they all come here for
healthcare. See link on McCain's plan compare to Obama and Hillary.

4-After our economy and healthcare system are destroyed by Obama, then he can start
putting all offshore drilling projects in the can, and forever ban oil
drilling on offshore or onshore areas of this country. $100 a gallon gas anyone???

Go ahead, vote for Obama.

PS-In case I still have readers on this blog, you might wonder why a statement all of a sudden. I'm home for a short time on medical leave. I had a minor heart attack (no damage) and so I have a little time to post. Thanks for BEING THERE

Wednesday Hero

2008-06-26T00:06:00.000-04:00

This Weeks Hero Was Suggested by Mary Ann

Staff Sgt. Jude Voss
1st Battalion, 3d Special Forces Group (Airborne)

His courage illustrates a combat truth to these veterans of World War II, Korea and Vietnam: Soldiers aren¢t thinking about glory or ideals in the midst of a battle. They fight for the men to the left and right of them.

And that's just what SSgt. Jude Voss did in September of 2006 when, without consideration to his safety, SSgt. Voss ran through enemy fire and the burning, smoking debris of a truck to rescue Sgt. 1st Class Greg Stube. Sgt. Stube was in a bad way. Uniform burning and legs busted, but because of the actions of SSgt. Voss he is alive today.

Because of his actions that day, SSgt. Voss was nominated for and received the Silver Star Medal for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action. "I did what everybody out there would do" Voss said. "I was just the closest guy."

You can read SSgt. Voss's story here.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Have Every Right To Dream Heroic Dreams. Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

2008-06-20T02:17:00.000-04:00

Click Image To View Full Size

Capt. Jamie Riddle(Left) and an Iraqi Flight Instructor School student walk to the flightline before a recent mission at Kirkuk Air Base, Iraq. The Iraqi air force recently established the school for Iraqi pilots. Captain Riddle is an instructor pilot with the 52nd Flying Training Squadron

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Have Every Right To Dream Heroic Dreams. Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

2008-06-03T15:45:00.000-04:00

Petty Officer 2nd Class Adam F. Kenney

Petty Officer 2nd Class Adam F. Kinney, a Navy Corpsman with Company E, 2nd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1, gives an Iraqi Child a shot during a routine patrol. Kinney is assigned to Echo Co. for their seven-month deployment and will return to his parent command, 4th Tank Battalion in Fort Knox, Ky., upon his arrival.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

2008-05-28T11:13:00.001-04:00

Gen. Benjamin S. Griffin

General Benjamin S. Griffin, commanding general, U.S. Army Materiel Command, talks with Brig. Gen. Shallal Abdul Rasool Habeeb

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

2008-05-26T20:15:00.001-04:00

Sgt. John F. Thomas(Right) & Sgt. Ronnie L. Shelley, Sr.(Left)
33 & 34 years old from Valdosta, Georgia
2nd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment, 48th Infantry Brigade, Georgia Army National Guard
July 24, 2005 & July 30, 2005

Sgt. Ronnie "Rod" Shelley and Sgt. John F. Thomas became best friends in the Georgia Army National Guard.

They both were ex-Marines, both about the same age, and both enjoyed searching for arrowheads and fishing together. As their friendship grew, Thomas often came over to Shelleyâ€™s house for steaks and ribs barbecued by his friend. And when their infantry unit was sent to Iraq in May of 2005, they went to war together.

When their unit was mobilized for combat duty in Iraq, Shelley promised to watch out for Thomas. "Ronnie said, 'Don't you worry, I'll bring him back safely,"' said Thomas' grandfather. But neither Sgt. Thomas or Sgt. Shelley made it back safely. Sgt. Thomas was killed July 24, 2005 by a roadside bomb near Baghdad. And Sgt. Shelley was killed six days later on July 30 by another roadside bomb, also near Baghdad.

Shelley was a family man, married with three children, who was obsessed with having a neat yard, his wife said. "The grass had to be two inches," she said. "If the neighbor mowed the grass, Rod had to mow. He also wanted the biggest, baddest lawn mower."

She said she fell in love with his "gorgeous blue ... eyes," and "he had a laid back attitude. I could not make him mad."

Thomas was married but had no children. His grandparents said he dreamed of becoming a forest ranger. "John wanted to hike the Appalachian Trail. Now the only trail he can walk is the trail in heaven," the grandfather said.

Mrs. Thomas, wiping back tears, said the soldier felt responsible for the others in his unit. "He cared for people," she said. "That's why he had so many friends. People cared for him."

Killed alongside Sgt. Shelley were Staff Sgt. David R. Jones Sr., Sgt. 1st Class Victor A. Anderson and Sgt. Jonathon C. Haggin and killed alongside Sgt. Thomas were Army Spc. Jacques E. Brunson, Army Staff Sgt. Carl R. Fuller and Army Sgt. James O. Kinlow.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

2008-05-01T00:17:00.000-04:00

This Weeks Hero Was Suggested By Mary Ann

Wednesday Hero was started to put a face to the men and women of the American Armed Forces and what they do for us. Vary rarely has there been a member of a foreign military profiled. In fact, in the two years Wednesday Hero's been going on it's only been done once before. Here's the second.

Lance Corporal Matt Croucher
24 years old from Birmingham, England
40 Commando Royal Marines

L/Cpl Matt Croucher is not only one of the bravest men alive, he's also one of the luckiest men alive. On the morning of February 9, 2008 L/Cpl. and his unit were searching a compound near Sangin in Afghanistan that was suspected of being used to make bombs to be used in attacks on British and Afghan troops. Walking in the darkness among a group of four men, Croucher stepped into a tripwire that pulled the pin from a boobytrap grenade. His patrol commander, Corporal Adam Lesley, remembered Croucher shouting "Grenade!"

As others dived for cover, Croucher did something nobody expected. He lay down on the grenade to smother the blast. Lesley got on the ground, another man got behind a wall, but the last member of the patrol was still standing in the open when the grenade went off.

"My reaction was, 'My God this can't be real'," said Lesley. "Croucher had simply lain back and used his day sack to blunt the force of the explosion. You would expect nine out of 10 people to die in that situation." L/Cpl. Croucher was that 1/10. Not only did he survive, amazingly he only suffered shock from the blast and a bloody nose. He was saved by the special plating inside his Osprey body armor. The backpack he was wearing was thrown more than 30ft by the blast.

"I felt one of the lads giving me a top to toe check. My head was ringing. Blood was streaming from my nose. It took 30 seconds before I realized I was definitely not dead," said L/Cpl. Croucher.

For his actions that day, L/Cpl. Croucher was in line for the Victoria Cross, the highest award for a British Serviceman, but it has yet to be awarded.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Wenesday Hero

2008-04-22T23:08:00.000-04:00

Click To Enlarge

Cpl. Markbradley Vincze gives students from al-Raqhaa School backpacks in the Monsouri area of Iraq. Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1-76th FA, 4th BCT, 3rd Inf. Div., delivered backpacks, soccer balls and notebooks.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

2008-04-17T16:47:00.002-04:00

Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael T. Williams
(Click Image For Full Size)

Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael T. Williams, a kennel master with Task Force Military Police, 1st Battalion, 10th Marines, and his dog "Kitt", search for ordnance and firearms during a route reconnaissance operation through the western Anbar province of Iraq April 1. The dog handlers conduct operations in support of 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion to bring peace and stability to Iraq and its people.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

2008-04-17T16:47:00.001-04:00

Maj. Mark E. Rosenberg
32 years old from Miami Lakes, Florida
3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
April 8, 2008

Mark Rosenberg grew up in South Florida. "All boy," his aunt, Madelyn Rosenberg, remembers. "Very active, but very lovable." As long as she can recall, Maj. Rosenberg wanted a military career like his father, Burton Rosenberg, had.

He attended New Mexico Military Institute and entered the Army in 1996. Later, he met a woman, Julie, and they
married one day after his sister's wedding. He and Julie had two boys, now 3 and 22 months. They settled in Colorado near Fort Carson, where he was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division.

Maj. Rosenberg was on his second tour of duty when the Humvee he was riding in was struck by an IED in Baghdad.

"He would say he's over there to do a job," Madelyn Rosenberg remembered. "He loved what he was doing."

These
brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

Wednesday Hero

2008-04-03T04:32:00.001-04:00

This Weeks Hero Was Suggested by Kathi

Soldiers' Angels Living Legends Team
May No Soldier Go Unloved

Living Legends began in May 2005 with a very small team of seven dedicated angels. The team's mission was to let the families and friends of fallen heroes know that we were here to support them and to honor their loved one. At the same time, they had to make sure that they were sensitive to what the family was going through. While this team has grown tremendously, they have worked very hard to maintain that same level of dedication and sensitivity. This team is staffed with trained volunteers who carry out a very difficult mission for Soldiers' Angels. Due to their dedication, Soldiers' Angels is able to honor those heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation and to pay their respects and offer their deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones grieving the painful loss of their son or daughter; husband or wife; brother or sister; mom or dad; aunt or uncle; their friend.

For more information on the Soldiers' Angels Living Legends Team, you can visit their site.

TSometimes a hero is one who sacrifices everything in their life to help others. And sometimes a hero is one who sacrifices nothing more than their time.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

2008-04-03T04:30:00.000-04:00

This Weeks Hero Was Suggested By Mary Ann

Spc. Jeffrey Jamaleldine
Company C, 1st Battalion, 77th Armor

"How can I say to my sons, stand up for something, fight for what you think is right, if I don't do anything myself?"

The Jeffrey Jamaleldine that you speak to today is a complete 180 from the Jeffrey Jamaleldine that you would have spoke to in the past. In 1991, Jamaleldin was living in Germany when joined in anti-American protests on Berlin's Kurfürstendamm boulevard during Operation Desert Storm. "That was the way it was back then," he says. He was 15 and "America was simply the enemy." And today, Jeffery Jamaleldine is a wounded veteran of the U.S. Army. On June 6, 2005, after the terror bombing in Madrid, Spain, in the middle of the Iraq war, he showed up at the U.S. Army recruiting office in Little Rock, Arkansas, to enlist. His father, Bashir, told him at the time: "Son, this won't be a picnic."

On June 30, Jamaleldine was on patrol in Ramadi, Iraq. The patrol ahead of him had been ambushed by at least 70 combatants and were now under fire. During the fight, Spc. Jeffrey Jamaleldine was hit in the face by a bullet. In the end, the battle lasted into the next morning and the soldiers were able to stop the enemy from returning to Ramadi.

The article on Spc. Jeffrey Jamaleldine is five pages long, and I simply can not condense it down to only a few paragraphs. You can read the entire story here.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

--

Wednesday Hero

2008-03-20T16:58:00.001-04:00

Spc. Monica Lin Brown
19 years old from Lake Jackson, Texas
4th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team

Army Spc. Monica Lin Brown has done something only a very few female soldiers in American history have ever done. She's been awarded the Silver Star.

Brown saved the lives of fellow soldiers after a roadside bomb tore through a convoy of Humvees in the eastern Paktia province of Afghanistan in April 2007. "I did not really think about anything except for getting the guys to a safer location and getting them taken care of and getting them out of there."

"We stopped the convoy. I opened up my door and grabbed my aid bag," Brown said.

She started running toward the burning vehicle as insurgents opened fire. All five wounded soldiers had scrambled out.

"I assessed the patients to see how bad they were. We tried to move them to a safer location because we were still receiving incoming fire," Brown said. "So we dragged them for 100 or 200 meters, got them away from the Humvee a little bit," she said. "I was in a kind of a robot-mode, did not think about much but getting the guys taken care of."

For Brown, who knew all five wounded soldiers, it became a race to get them all to a safer location. Eventually, they moved the wounded some 500 yards away and treated them on site before putting them on a helicopter for evacuation.

"I did not really have time to be scared," Brown said. "Running back to the vehicle, I was nervous (since) I did not know how badly the guys were injured. That was scary."

The military said Brown's "bravery, unselfish actions and medical aid rendered under fire saved the lives of her comrades and represents the finest traditions of heroism in combat."

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

2008-03-11T01:18:00.000-04:00

Sgt. Steve Morin Jr.
34 years old from Arlington, Texas
111th Engineer Battalion, 36th Infantry Division, Texas Army National Guard
September 28, 2005

From the time he finished high school, Sgt. Steve Morin Jr. made serving in the military his career.

"He always stood up for what he thought was right," Gwendolyn Michelle Morin, his wife, said. "He was a fighter. He would never give up." "He had called me to let me know what he was going to do that day," she said. He expected to be able to call her more often because of the missions he was being assigned. Sometimes they would go 11 or 12 days between calls.

Morin enlisted in the Navy after graduating high school in his hometown of Brownfield, Texas at 17. By 34, Morin had devoted 14 years to the Navy, served in the National Guard for two and planned to attend Officers Candidate School. Morin was still in the Navy when he met his wife. At the time, the two were working for a photo company; he was Santa Claus and she was an elf, she said. Both were attending Texas Tech University. "It was funny because we always kept running into each other. He would hang outside my classes and wait for me with a Diet Coke," recalled Gwendolyn. "He knew how to make me really happy."

Sgt. Morin died when an IED went off, overturning the vehicle he was riding in near Umm Qasr, Iraq.

"He's very strong willed, very determined. Humorous, a clown, but he was also very disciplined and very passionate about what he believed in," Gwendolyn Morin said. "He always wanted to serve his country."

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

2008-03-01T04:18:00.001-05:00

Navy Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Michael E. Koch
29 years old from State College, Pennsylvania
East Coast-based SEAL team
February 4, 2008

"There are only approximately 2,500 SEALs in the Navy and they really are a brotherhood," said Naval Special Warfare spokesman Lt. David Luckett. "This is another unfortunate reminder of the risks and sacrifices these amazing warriors and their families make on a daily basis."

Koch leaves behind his parents and a fiancee. He enlisted in July 1998 and entered SEAL training in January 1999, according to The Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk. He received the Bronze Star, Joint Service Commendation Medal and three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals.

Navy SEAL Michael E. Koch died Feb. 4 after being wounded by small-arms fire during combat operations in Iraq alongside fellow SEAL Nathan Hardy, who was profiled last week.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

2008-02-15T13:07:00.001-05:00

Cpl. Ryan J. Buckley
21 years old from Nokomis, Illinois
2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne (Air Assault)
June 26, 2006

"His platoon leaders described him as the type of soldier every leader wants: A very talented, dedicated soldier, who did everything that was asked of him." That's what Lt. Col. Greg Butts, commander of the Army's 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, said about Cpl. Ryan J. Buckley at his memorial service. "I'm glad I could come here. It was an opportunity to recognize one of my great soldiers."

Cpl. Buckley lost his life on June 26, 2006 when an IED detonated near his Humvee during combat operations in Baghdad. "I held him while he died," Spc. Richard Morris, a fellow soldier who was wounded in the attack, said after the service. "He was my best friend. This nation has lost a hell of a soldier."

Ryan Buckley, a 2003 graduate of Hillsboro High School, was attending Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield in March 2004 when he left school to join the Army. He had told his mother on 9/11 that he planned to join the military to defend his country. Jennings Carter, who recently retired from the Army, was the commander of the Litchfield Army Recruiting Station when Buckley signed up. Carter said Buckley was an unusually cheerful young man. "Every time we saw him, he was always smiling," Carter said. "Before he went to Iraq, we saw him a few times. He was always happy. He would come by and tell us what he was doing."

Jean Buckley, Buckley's aunt, said he was always a responsible young man, who took his school work seriously, as well as his role in the school bands. The talented French horn player was awarded the John Philip Sousa award his senior year as the outstanding band member.

"He was always a protector," Jean Buckley said. "It's such a sad time. We're so thankful for the Ryans of the world. I appreciate all the veterans and all they've done for this country."

Cpl. Buckley was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star for his service in Iraq from Nov. 30 to June 23. Bronze Stars were presented to his wife of one year, Tina Buckley, his mother, Sally Nation, and father, Dennis Buckley.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

2008-02-06T17:25:00.001-05:00

This week's hero is a good one. Robert Cone is the second Cousin of Wednesday Hero's partner in crime, Greta.

Robert S. Cone
85 years old from Delray Beach, Florida
506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division

Surrounded by family, feted by a U.S. congressman and a Veterans of Foreign Wars color guard, one of the few surviving members of the "Filthy Thirteen" was honored on October 8, 2006 in a backyard on Massapoag Avenue.

Robert S. Cone, 85, now of Delray Beach, Fla., finally received the 13 military medals he was due for his service on D-Day during World War II, including the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, POW medal and Presidential Unit Citation.

"To tell you the truth, I never expected it. I'm very honored to get it and really feel good about it," Cone said.

"He's finding it an honor, and he's a little embarrassed, to be honest," said Cone's son, Edward R. Cone, 45, who hosted the family barbecue that included a visit from U.S. Rep. Stephen F. Lynch.

Only a few members remain of the 101st Airborne Division's famed "Filthy Thirteen," an elite parachute and demolition unit that volunteered for a suicide mission on June 5, 1944, the eve of the D-Day invasion of Normandy.

The Filthy Thirteen, who shared a Quonset Hut in England, were a group of "pretty bad boys," Edward Cone said, renowned for hard-living and fierce fighting. They are believed to be the inspiration for the 1967 movie "The Dirty Dozen," although none of the Filthy Thirteen was a convict.

The unit's mission was to parachute behind enemy lines on the night before D-Day to blow up bridges and impede the Nazis.

Many were killed on the drop. The survivors found it difficult to reunite on the ground because the pilots had panicked when the Germans opened fire.

Cone said he spent two days in a hedgerow battle and was shot in the right arm. When he escaped to a French farmhouse, the owner turned him over to the Nazis and he became a prisoner of war.

His unit and his family thought he was dead. His mother, in Roxbury, received a telegram from the War Department saying he had been killed in action.

Cone spent 11 months in three POW camps in Germany before being liberated by the Russians near the Polish border. He fought alongside the Russians as they made their escape, his son said.

Cone walked to freedom through Poland, Russia and Romania, journeyed by ship to Egypt and was eventually flow to Italy, finally making his way home.

All the medal ceremonies had taken place without him.

Cone married Ida, now his wife of 61 years; became a postal worker and plumber; raised three children in Hull; and spoke very little about the war, Edward Cone said.

About four years ago, Edward Cone decided to find out whether any of his father's Army colleagues were still alive.

He found the Filthy Thirteen's leader, Jake McNiece, in Oklahoma, and put his father in touch by telephone. Their conversation was recorded by the BBC and played on the anniversary of D-Day.

Later, the History Channel filmed its own segment on the pair, which still airs, Edward Cone said.

The group reunited in Taccoa, Ga., the home of their jump school.

"My Dad and I drove from here to Georgia. I heard everything on that trip," Edward Cone said. "Three were alive from the unit. They talked and drank and told stories for days."

Three years ago, McNiece published a book, "The Filthy Thirteen: From the Dustbowl to Hitler's Eagle's Nest: The 101st Airborne's Most Legendary Squad of Combat Paratroopers."

It was McNiece who mentioned that Cone was due a few medals. Edward Cone and his fiance, Kate Guthrie of Leominster, who works at the Statehouse, gathered documentation and contacted Lynch.

The result was the Sunday party, also attended by Cone's daughters, Ronna Townsend of Monroe Township, N.J., and Natalie Gaudet of Hampton, N.H., and most of his seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Cone admits he never talked much about the war before.

"I really didn't," Cone said. "But they insisted I tell the grandchildren and the great grandchildren. So I talk to them. I tell them stories. I tell them true stories. They all enjoy it."

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

2008-02-01T11:46:00.001-05:00

SSgt. Justing R. Whiting
27 years old from Hancock, New York
3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
January 19, 2008

Staff Sgt. Justin R. Whiting, a Special Forces medical sergeant sustained fatal wounds when his vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive devise 16 kilometers south of Mosul, Iraq.

He is survived by his mother, Estelline, of Colorado Springs, Colo., father, Randall, of Hancock, N.Y., sister, Amanda, of DuPont, Wash., and brother Nathan of Dover, Tenn.

For more information on SSgt. Justin Whiting, you can download this PDF file.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

2008-01-23T07:13:00.000-05:00

Airmen from the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron at an air base in Southwest Asia prepare a C-17 Globemaster III for an airdrop mission Jan. 14 to deliver humanitarian supplies to coalition forces in Afghanistan

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

2008-01-16T03:31:00.001-05:00

Cpl. Phillip E. Baucus
28 years old from Wolf Creek, Montana
3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force
July 29, 2006

Marine Cpl. Phillip E. Baucus was the nephew of Montana Senator Max Baucus. He joined the corps in 2002 and was sent to Iraq in March of 2005.

Cpl. Baucus was killed alongside fellow Marines Sgt. Christian Williams, 27 yrs old from Winter Haven, Fla. and Lance Cpl. Anthony E. Butterfield, 19 yrs old from Clovis, Calif. during combat operations in Al Anbar province.

"Phillip was an incredible person, a dedicated Marine, a loving son and husband, and a proud Montanan and American," Sen. Baucus said. "He heroically served the country he loved and he gave it his all."

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

2008-01-02T15:55:00.001-05:00

1st Sgt. Eric Crayton
From Sparta, Georgia

Sgt. Eric Crayton, the first sergeant for the Extension Detachment, Company C, Special Troops Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, serving Christmas dinner to Soldiers at the Pegasus Dining Facility at Camp Liberty, Iraq.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your blog, you can go here.

Christmas Hero

2007-12-22T10:41:00.001-05:00

This week's hero was suggested by Cindy & Kathi

Each year, around this time, since 1992, the Arlington National Cemetery has something happen to it. It gets covered in vibrant green Christmas wreaths. The wreaths are donated by a man named Merrill Worcester who is the owner of the Worcester Wreath Co. in Maine. From the Worcester Wreath Co.'s website:

Each year Worcester Wreath donates Maine wreaths to adorn the headstones of those who serve and those who sacrificed to preserve our freedoms. In 2007, over 10,000 wreaths are destined for the annual wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington. In addition, 2,500 wreaths will be sent to Togus National Cemetery in Augusta, Maine. Worcester Wreath also donates ceremonial wreaths that will be used as part of the Wreaths Across America events at over 230 State and National veterans cemeteries all across the Country.

Sometimes a hero is one who sacrifices everything in their life to help others. And sometimes a hero is one who sacrifices nothing more than their time.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesday Hero, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

2007-12-04T18:53:00.000-05:00

This Week's Hero Was Suggested By Mark Bell

Marty and Sue Horn

Born in Philadelphia, Marty Horn spent 20 years in the Army as a Military Policeman, retiring in 1993 and going to work in Internet technologies. In 2003, his son Brian Horn deployed to Iraq. Trying to support their son’s unit, Marty and his wife Sue, who also served as in the Military Police, put together the concept of Any Soldier. In essence, Any Soldier is an effort to provide support and encouragement to those who are in harm’s way. Due to overwhelming requests for ready-made care packages on the AnySoldier.com site, Sue Horn started TreatAnySoldier.com.

Using his background in Internet technologies, Marty built and maintains the web site. The Any Soldier program slowly expanded to include other Army units. In 2004, the program opened up to include all service branches.. In 2005, the websites for AnyMarine.com., AnySailor.com, AnyAirman.com, and AnyCoastguardsman.com were launched.

In the words of the Any Soldier web site: "The success of Any Soldier has far exceeded expectations and continues to grow with the invaluable help and guidance of our supporters, board members and Support Team."

In the words of Marty Horn: "It is the supporters who deserve the credit."

Thanks to the efforts of Marty and Sue, their son Brian, and a dedicated staff, over 950,000 servicemen and women received support and encouragement they would never have been able to get through the Any Soldier program.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your blog, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

2007-11-28T06:52:00.001-05:00

Sgt. Antwan L. Walker

22 years old from Tampa, Florida
2nd Forward Support Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division
May 18, 2005

Sgt. Antwan Walker was excited about coming home from Iraq to celebrate his 23rd birthday with his family and friends. His mother, Andrea Pringle, was busy planning the party when an Army official unexpectedly came to her house.

She said he told her Thursday that her son was killed the previous day by a bomb blast in Ramadi. The Department of Defense hasn't publicly confirmed his death.

Sgt. Antwan Walker, known as Twan to his friends and family, joined the Army in 2000. Pringle said her son joined to earn money for college.

"Twan had a lot of goals in life," She said. "He was very ambitious and very smart."

Sgt. Walker had been in Iraq for about a year. He called his family often but didn't want to talk about war. Instead, he talked about starting a real estate career and his three children.

"He was such a good dad," his mother said. "All he wanted to do was make a good life for his kids."

In April 2005, Walker wanted to talk about the fighting. He told his mother five soldiers he was traveling with were killed. His phone calls became more frequent after that.

Pringle said she had days when she couldn't eat or sleep because of her worries. But she never forgot to give her son her support.

"I always told him I'm proud and be safe".

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your blog, you can go here.

A little something anyone can do

2007-11-24T01:05:00.002-05:00

What a GREAT idea!

Subject: thanks to the troops

Something cool that Xerox is doing...

If you go to this web site, www.LetsSayThanks.com you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq . You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to some member of the armed services.

How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!!! This is a great site. Please send a card. It is FREE and it only takes a second.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the soldiers received a bunch of these? Whether you are for or against the war, our guys and gals over there need to know we are behind them...

From Terri at "A Soldier's Mind" Blog

2007-11-10T03:58:00.000-05:00

Thanks Terri. It needs repeating often and loudly!!!

I had almost forgotten ...Old draft evaders never die … they just have a hair cut and shave.

AMERICA'S FIRST COUPLE? ... PLEASE, NOT AGAIN !%$@#

From your Vietnam Era Veterans.

Bill &Hillary, 1970

BILL CLINTON's MILITARY CAREER

(Bill & Hillary - Grit your teeth before you read this!)

Bill Clinton registers for the draft on September 08, 1964, accepting all contractual conditions of registering for the draft. Selective Service Number is 326 46 228.

Bill Clinton classified 2-S on November 17, 1964.

Bill Clinton reclassified 1-A on March 20, 1968.

Bill Clinton ordered to report for induction on July 28, 1969.

Bill Clinton refuses to report and is not inducted into the military.

Bill Clinton reclassified 1-D after enlisting in the United States Army Reserves on August 07, 1969, under authority of COL. E. Holmes.

Clinton signs enlistment papers and takes oath of enlistment.

Bill Clinton fails to report to his duty station at the University of Arkansas ROTC, September 1969.

Bill Clinton reclassified 1-A on October 30, 1969, as enlistment with Army Reserves is revoked by Colonel E. Holmes and Clinton now AWOL and subject to arrest under Public Law 90-40 (2) (a) registrant who has failed to report...remain liable for induction.

Bill Clinton's birth date lottery number is 311, drawn December 1, 1969, but anyone who has already been ordered to report for induction is INELIGIBLE!

Bill Clinton runs for Congress (1974), while a fugitive from justice under Public Law 90-40.

Bill Clinton runs for Arkansas Attorney General (1976), while a

Fugitive from justice.

Bill Clinton receives pardon on January 21, 1977, from President Carter.

Bill Clinton becomes the FIRST PARDONED FEDERAL FELON ever to serve as President of the United States.

All these facts come from Freedom of Information requests, public laws, and various books that have been published, and have not been refuted by Clinton.

After the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, President Clinton promised that those responsible would be hunted down and punished.

After the 1995 bombing in Saudi Arabia, which killed five U.S.

Military personnel, Clinton promised that those responsible would be hunted down and punished.

After the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia, which killed 19 and injured 200 U.S. Military personnel, Clinton promised that those responsible would be hunted down and punished.

After the 1998 bombing of U.S. Embassies in Africa, which killed 224 and injured 5,000, Clinton promised that those responsible would be hunted down and punished.

After the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole, which killed 17 and injured 39 U.S. Sailors, Clinton promised that those responsible be hunted down and punished.

Maybe if Clinton had kept those promises, an estimated 3,000 people in New York and Washington, DC. Who are now dead would be alive today.

THINK ABOUT IT! It is a strange turn of events. Hillary gets $8

Million for her forthcoming memoir. Bill gets about $12 Million for his memoir yet to be written. This from two people who spent 8 years being unable to recall anything about past events while under oath.

Sincerely, Cdr. Hamilton McWhorter USN (ret)

P.S. Please forward this to as many people as you can! We don't want this woman to even THINK of being President!

Wednesday Hero

2007-11-10T03:55:00.000-05:00

Army Spc. Eric S. McKinley
24 years old from Corvallis, Oregon
Company B, 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment, Army National Guard
June 13, 2004

An avid outdoorsman, Spc. McKinley worked as a baker at Alpine Bakery in Corvallis, Ore. Upon his return from Iraq, he hoped to open a juice bar in the college town to provide a drug and alcohol-free environment for young people. Friends and co-workers remember Spc. McKinley as a quiet, caring young man who dyed his hair, sported several tattoos and loved ska and rock music. His senior yearbook picture showed a grinning young man with spiked hair dyed red and green. In other 1998 yearbook pictures, he has purple and blue hair in a mohawk.

Spc. Eric McKinley was killed when a roadside bomb north of Baghdad detonated destroying two vehicles and wounded four other Oregon soldiers. They were identified as Staff Sgt. Phillip Davis, 23, of Albany; Sgt. Matthew Zedwick, 23, of Bend; Cpl. Shane Ward, 23, of Corvallis and Pvt. Richard Olsen, 23, of Independence.

Almost 500 people attended the memorial service for Spc. McKinley at Starker Arts Park in Corvallis. There was a mix of people dressed in either military or punk attire — including McKinley’s six-year-old cousin, who, in tribute, wore his hair in a bright green mohawk.

Coventry Pacheco, McKinley’s fiancee, sat in the first row at his celebration-of-life service. They hadn’t set a wedding date, but were planning to get married.

He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service, a Purple Heart and the Oregon Distinguished Service Award. U.S. and Oregon flags were presented to his parents, Tom McKinley of Salem and Karen Hilsendager of Philomath.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your blog, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

2007-10-23T23:09:00.001-04:00

This Week's Hero Was Suggested By Cindy

Lt. Michael P. Murphy
29 years old from Patchogue, New York
SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1
June 28, 2005

On Monday, Lt. Michael P. Murphy was posthumously awarded the Medal Of Honor. His father was the one who accepted the award. Lt. Murphy will receive the award for his extraordinary, selfless heroism and steadfast courage while leading a four-man, special reconnaissance mission deep behind enemy lines east of Asadabad in the Hindu Kush of Afghanistan June 27 to 28, 2005

"We are thrilled by the President's announcement today, especially because there is now a public recognition of what we knew all along about Michael's loyalty, devotion and sacrifice to his friends, family, country, and especially his SEAL teammates," the Murphy family said in a statement released earlier in the month. "The honor is not just about Michael, it is about his teammates and those who lost their lives that same day."

Murphy was the officer-in-charge of the SEAL element, which was tasked with locating a high- level Taliban militia leader to provide intelligence for a follow-on mission to capture or destroy the local leadership and disrupt enemy activity. Taliban sympathizers discovered the SEAL unit and immediately revealed their position to Taliban fighters. The element was besieged on a mountaintop by scores of enemy fighters. The firefight that ensued pushed the element farther into enemy territory and left all four SEALs wounded. The SEALs fought with everything they had. despite being at a tactical disadvantage and outnumbered more than four to one. Understanding the gravity of the situation and his responsibility to his men, Murphy, already wounded, deliberately and unhesitatingly moved from cover into the open where he took and returned fire while transmitting a call for help for his beleaguered teammates. Shot through the back while radioing for help, Murphy completed his transmission while returning fire. The call ultimately led to the rescue of one severely wounded team member, Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Marcus Luttrell, and the recovery of the remains of Murphy and Gunner’s Mate 2nd Class (SEAL) Danny Dietz and Sonar Technician 2nd Class (SEAL) Matthew Axelson.

Eight more SEALs and eight Army "Nightstalker" special operations personnel comprising the initial reinforcement also lost their lives when their helicopter was shot down before they could engage the enemy.

Murphy was also inducted into the Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon during a ceremony yesterday. His name was engraved beside the names of some 3,400 other service members who have also been awarded the nation’s highest honor.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your blog, you can go here.

Cardiac Bypass Surgery

2007-10-23T06:22:00.000-04:00

I found this on UTube today and I was somewhat shocked to view what I had done to me (seven of these bypasses) seven years ago. I don't think I ever really completely understood this surgery even though I had it done. Th ought I would share it with you. Deep depression sometimes follows this surgery, especially for men. That has happened to me, and it has spiralled out of control for all these seven years on and off. I'm taking anti-depressants, but they don't seem to help much. I can't bring myself to discuss this with an expert, and my wife is sick of hearing about it and sick of experiencing it. I have hope, but it's a tough row to hoe. I really don't know if I would go through this again, if this is the outcome. My heart is fairly healthy, and I'm alive, but not alive in a way. I hope you never have to go through this surgery, and that you never have to go through the depression I'm dealing with for so long.

PS: Sorry about the Hungarian language inserts in the video, but this was the only video I found that was complete.

Wednesday Hero

2007-10-17T07:28:00.001-04:00

Sgt. Robert M. McDowell
30 years old from Deer Park, Texas
2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division
April 01, 2007

Sgt. Robert M. McDowell was a military police noncommissioned officer assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion.

Originally from Deer Park, Texas, he joined the Army in February 1998 and completed training at Fort Benning, Georgia.

In June 1998 he was assigned to Fort Hood where he served until being reassigned to 1st Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment at Katterbach Kaserne in Germany in January 2003. While a member of 1st Infantry Division, he served as an AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter repairman.

McDowell was assigned to Fort Drum in March 2006 after completing military police reclassification training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

He was deployed to Bosnia from February to September 1999.

His awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Valorous Unit Award, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Combat Action Badge and the Army Aviator Badge.

Sgt. McDowell was killed when and IED struck his vehicle in Baghdad, Iraq. He is survived by his wife and son, of Evans Mills, N.Y., and a daughter, Madison McDowell, of New Mexico.

Also killed in the attack were Staff Sgt. David A. Mejias, Staff Sgt. Eric R. Vick and Sgt. William G. Bowling. You can find more information about them at this site.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your blog, you can go here.

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Wednesday's Heroes

2007-09-26T00:14:00.001-04:00

Lance Cpl. Cory Jamieson
Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania
Personal Security Detachment, Headquarters and Support Company, Task Force 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, attached to Regimental Combat Team 2

Hippocrates once said, "Art is long, life is short".

Cpl. Jeremy David Allbaugh lived a short life. But, he was immortalized recently in acrylics by a Lance Cpl. Jamieson who painted a mural in his honor.
"I feel sad because it is for him, but it makes me happy because I can still do something for him," said Lance Cpl. Jamieson. "I thought about it during the ceremony in the chapel. I looked up at the stained glass windows and I thought 'I should do something like that'".

Along with help from family, a fellow Marine and a Morale, Wefare and Recreation manager, Jamieson had the paint and tools needed.

"I would paint eight or nine hours in the gym and time would fly by," Jamieson said.

Cpl. Jeremy David Allbaugh, 21 years old from Luther, Oklahoma, was killed by a roadside bomb on July 5, 2007 while conducting combat operations in Qaim, Iraq.

"He believed very strongly in what our country's doing," said his mother, Jenifer Allbaugh. "They were doing good things over there, and we don't see that in the news or media. There's a lot of progress being made. I wish more people would talk to our boys who are in it and not our politicians because they see it firsthand".

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your blog, you can go here.

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Wednesday Hero

2007-09-19T18:18:00.000-04:00

1st Lt. Forrest P. Ewens
26 years old from Tonasket, Washington
1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry)
June 16, 2006

The love of Megan Ewens's life arrived at Arlington National Cemetery on July 7, 2006. His ashes inside a small wooden box, the box inside a coffin, the coffin draped with an American flag and carried on a caisson pulled by six black horses.

Lt. Forrest P. Ewens had shipped out for Afghanistan in March of that same year. His wife, being the same rank in the Army, understood the risks, telling a colonel at Fort Drum, N.Y., that if anything happened to her husband, she didn't want to hear about it from a stranger.

On June 6, 2006 Lt. Ewens and Sgt. Ian T. Sanchez were killed when ATV struck an IED while on combat operation in Pech River Valley, Afghanistan.

A few weeks before his death, Lt. Ewens called his wife from an Afghan mountain to inform her that his unit had been subsisting on melted snow and rations and that he had been writing his impressions down in a notebook he carried.

"This was the love of her life," Megan Ewens's mother said. "They were so well-matched and made such a good team. We couldn't ask for a better son-in-law."

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your blog, you can go here.

WELCOM TO FALL IN THE NORTH GEORGIA MOUNTAINS

2007-09-18T01:11:00.001-04:00

Isn't this wonderful?

Wednesday Hero

2007-09-15T01:35:00.000-04:00

Staff Sgt. Richard P. Ramey
27 years old from Canton, Ohio
703rd Ordinance Compan, supporting the 82nd Airborne Division
February 8, 2004

Richard Ramey always knew what he was going to be. Once, while in the third grade, his teacher asked him what he wanted to do when he grew up. His response? "I’ll go to war and fight" Concerned by his answer, his teacher called his mother, Julie Ramey. She told her "No, that's my son".

SSgt. Ramey was killed when insurgents attacked his and other convoys in Mahmudiyah, Iraq.

"Richard loved to do his job. No matter where it would take him," said his mother. "He really felt deeply that he wanted to protect people that couldn’t protect themselves"

In a statement released through Fort Knox, the Ramey family said, "He was adventurous and smart, combining both qualities in what he did for the Army. We knew his work was dangerous but also knew he wouldn’t have wanted to do anything else".

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your blog, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

2007-09-06T15:31:00.001-04:00

This Weeks Post Was Suggested By Randy Thorsvig

Ken Leonard (On The Right)
From High Point, North Carolina

Every once in a while you run across one of those "feel good stories". Those stories that show us just what a person can do when they really want it bad enough. And Ken Leonard has one of those stories.

In 2005, Ken Leonard left his job as a police officer in High Point, North Carolina to go to Iraq to work with a private security firm. In December of that year, Ken, along with five other men in his vehicle and six others in the vehicle behind him, was hit by a roadside bomb outside of Baghdad. "After the bomb went off, I knew exactly what had happened," Leonard recalled. "My feet got jarred, so I knew they were hit." While others in his vehicle were injured, he had received the worst of it. He had lost both his feet.

The vehicle behind them pushed Leonard's to a safer area. But flames were coming out of the air conditioning vents and they had to get out. Leonard crawled from the car and fell to the pavement. "That’s when I saw my feet," he said. "I could tell they were gone. They were still attached, but they were shredded."

On July 19, 2007, Ken Leonard went back to North Carolina to get his job back with the police force. To do that he needed to pass the Police Officers Physical Abilities Test, which, among other things, consisted of a 200-yard run to be finished in under 7 minutes, 20 seconds. And he did just that with 24 seconds to spare.

"Somebody told me one time they said, 'You know, what you've lost is just bone and muscle. You've still got heart, and you've still got, you know, what's up here,'" Leonard said, pointing to his head.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesday Hero, you can go here.

Please Read and ACT!!!

2007-09-02T21:21:00.000-04:00

A message from my blogger/soldier friend CJ came in today that I hope you will read and act on. Thanks.

I know I've been a pain in the butt lately with all these emails, but I just learned something that really depresses me. SGT Samantha Bates is a squad leader and lost one of her Soldiers, Josh Rechenmacher. I profiled him on They Have Names. I was talking to her tonight and asked her if she was getting enough mail. She told me "I don't get mail." As an NCO, I know that we care more about making sure our troops are taking care of and forget about ourselves. We're so focused on other things that we don't think about number one. It's a good trait, but can be very damaging.

I'm writing to ask you for help in sending some letters, cards, care packages, WHATEVER. Samantha LOVES country music. If the only thing you can do is write a letter, please do so. You don't have to send huge boxes or extravagant gifts. Just let her know that America cares about her personally. We've sent things to her platoon in the past, but nothing specifically for her. If you'd like to send her some support, here is her address:

SGT Samantha Bates
Unit #43208
HSC DSTB 1CD
APO AE 09344

Please feel free to pass this along to your TRUSTED friends and family. And thank you in advance. I can't stand to see a Soldier go unsupported.

Let's Help Out!!

2007-08-22T23:13:00.000-04:00

A blogger friend of mine and a fine US soldier, passed this on to me, so I'm letting all of you know what kind of help is need. Do what you can, please. Thanks, CJ.

A friend of mine (a Sergeant Major) sent this to my email and I asked him if I could pass it along so others are aware. I'm not sure if the formatting will work, so everything after this sentence is directly from Craig.

Dear family and friends, As you know I have been in the Army now for 22 years. It is a mission and a passion that I believe in and will continue to support for as long as I can. You also are aware that I am a devote runner. Well....I have a confession. I have not been running like I used to. I still consider myself a runner...but am not logging the miles that I once did when I was younger. In an effort to get back on track again I signed up to run the Marine Corps Marathon with the Armed Forces Foundation. The Foundation supports Active Duty, Reserve, National Guard, retirees and their families. Specifically, the Foundation provides accommodations to families who are traveling to the MDW area to be with their wounded family member (whether they are hospitalized at Bethesda or Walter Reed). They also have done great work on providing remodeling to make homes wheel chair and handicap accessible. This is where you come in....in my effort to get myself back into fighting shape as a runner....I want to help by giving back to the Foundation who has helped hundreds of military service members from all branches. Please consider making a donation (which is tax deductible)....to do so, visit http://www.armedforcesfoundation.org/run/. On the right side you will see a list of other runners. Scroll down until you see my name (listed as Glover, C. Craig ), highlight it and click submit. You will be taken to my site to make your donation. There is a little link that says sponsor C. Craig now that will be your guide. The Armed Forces Foundation does great work. I want them to be able to continue providing the servies that they do to our military members and their families. Help me to make that happen. To view more about the Armed Forces Foundation mission and on going projects, go to The Armed Forces Foundation. Thank you for your support, Craig

Wednesday Hero

2007-08-22T23:11:00.000-04:00

This Weeks Post Was Suggested By Kasee

Click Image For Full Size

SSgt. John T. Self
29 years old from Pontotoc, Mississippi
314th Security Forces Squadron
May 14, 2007

A kindhearted patriot. That's how SSgt. John Self was described by those who knew him. "John was a good boy, a good boy who loved his country and who loved Christ and for that he’ll move on to a better place," said Laron Self, Sgt. Self's grandfather, fighting back tears.

SSgt. Self was killed, and three other airmen wounded, when an IED hit the Humvee they were traveling in while on his 79th patrol in Baghdad, Iraq. "John volunteered for this deployment while he was deployed to (Southwest Asia)," said Chief Master Sgt. Keith Morris, 314th SFS security forces manager. "We discussed this deployment via e-mail. He said he made his decision to deploy again to gain experience."

"He could always find the humor in anything regardless of the situation," said Senior Airman Daniel Hunsperger, a member of Self's fire team. "He believed in everything he did. This was obvious to us after learning he had only spent two weeks home between his last deployment and volunteering for this one."

On May 23, SSgt. Self was laid to rest with a crowd of hundreds to pay their respects. People lined both sides of the highway for more than 5 miles waving flags as the hundred-car procession traveled to the burial. Shouts of, "We love you John," and "Thank you, John, could be heard as the train of cars passed by. "That’s a hero," Susan Chambers, one of the many mourners, said to her son as she pointed at Self's casket.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesday Hero, you can go here.

A Chance to Help

2007-08-09T22:19:00.000-04:00

Thanks for alerting us to this Terri.

Hey guys, just got this email from a Soldier's wife in Alaska. They're Soldiers are returning home at the end of September and they're needing some help getting rooms ready for the Single Soldiers. I was wondering if you all could post the information on your blogs, I'll be doing the same at ASM and see if we can't get them the things that they need.

Thanks!
Terri

---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: A adopt a platoon told me to email you
From: "shirlynn Corbett"
Date: Tue, August 7, 2007 12:10 am
To: terri@soldiersmind.com
Cc: anthony@soldiersmind.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

A adopt a platoon told me to contact you. I know nothing about blogging at
all.

I have copied pasted and attached a letter to let you know about this
project I am working on. I have not have much luck and it would seem there
would be at least 2000 us citizens that would be willing to help , but We
have only received $1000 that would cover only 20 soldiers rooms.

I trying to keep my chin up , but I starting to get a little down in spirit.
I just want the singles welcomed home like my husband feels when he comes
home.

If you can help please let me know.

Thank You , Shirlynn Corbett

July 30th, 2007

To whom it may concern,

I am writing this letter to ask for help to make a warm welcome for the
single soldiers of Anchorage, Alaska. The married soldiers have their
spouses and children to make them feel welcome, but the single soldiers
really do not have anyone.
Alaska is a long way for Parents, siblings and friends to travel to welcome
their [our] soldier home.
As it stands right now, the single soldiers are assigned a room with a bed.
[Military did away with issuing bedding to single soldiers, because they
wanted a more personal touch to their room]
There will not be linens, towels, bathing soap or laundry soap. Just an
empty room. Their belongings and vehicles are in storage. With so many
soldiers coming home it will take time to get their belongings.
I am in high hopes that corporate American, and Americans will help
with this project as proud Americans to welcome the single soldiers home. I
do this for OUR soldiers as Proud USA citizen. To support OUR Troops coming
home from deployment.
To make their to room like a Bed & breakfast hotel room with an old fashion
touch of American LOVE. My problem is we are in need of 2000 twin size sheet
sets and 2000 towel sets and or money to buy items.
I was hoping for donation of some sheets and towels and items on
list attached, and /or money to make this project be successful and our
soldier feel welcomed home. Basically, if we get 2000 USA citizens to
donate $50 each that would cover everything needed to make a nice quaint Bed
& Breakfast welcoming home room.
Our deadline for the collection is Sept 31st ,2007 that will give us the
time we need to set up the rooms.

Send all items and money to Eagle River Church of GOD:

Eagle River Church of GOD [907-694-9395]
Money donations are to be made out to: Eagle River Church of GOD
On the Memo line please write: BB Single Soldier Room [ so money is put in
right ministry account]

Eagle River Church of GOD
17108 Hanson Dr
P.O. Box 770017
Eagle River, Alaska 99577
Please, let me know if you can help.
Please, I am open to any advice that you can offer.

Please, feel free to add any ideas also.

Thank You,
Shirlynn Denise Corbett [POC]
Shirlynn.corbett@us.army.mil
Home # 907-622-8408 Cell # 719-641-6288 FAX # 907-622-8407

Here is a list of things we were looking forward to having for each single
soldier's rooms. If there is any items you are able to help with please let
us know.
We really hope for the bed & breakfast touch / an old fashion touch of home.
Being over there is hard, but coming home seems harder for the soldiers to
adjust sometimes, so we were thinking the friendly loving touch would be
nice.
Basically, if we get 2000 USA citizens to donate $50 each; that would cover
everything needed to make a nice quaint Bed & Breakfast welcoming home room
for Our single soldiers here in Anchorage Alaska.
Our deadline for the collection is Sept 31st, 2007 that will give us the
time we need to set up the rooms.

These are items needed:

Welcome home cards
Chocolate bar on pillow {because Chocolate melts in Iraq}
One set of twin sizes sheets
One set of towels
Shaver
Shaving cream / after shave Female Hygiene items

Shampoo and bath soap
Lotion
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Mouthwash/floss
Deodorant
Comb and hairbrush
Air fresheners
Laundry soap
Fabric softener
Hangers
A living Plant

These are item would be an added plus:

Deodorant
Chap Stick
Q-tips
stationary/ notebooks
envelopes
pens
bands-aids
disinfectant
plastic/ paper cups
microwave safe plates
paper plates
utensils
paper towels
books and magazines
Picture frame

Send all items and money to Eagle River Church of GOD:

Eagle River Church of GOD [907-694-9395]
Money donations are to be made out to: Eagle River Church of GOD
On the Memo line please write: BB Single Soldier Room [ so money put in
right ministry account]

Eagle River Church of GOD
17108 Hanson Dr
P.O. Box 770017
Eagle River, Alaska 99577
With True Sincerity and Prayers,
Shirlynn Denise Corbett[POC]
Shirlynn.corbett@us.army.mil
Home # 907-622-8408 Cell # 719-641-6288 FAX # 907-622-8407

The only thing necessary for triumph of evil, Is for good men[country]
to do nothing. [Edmunde Burke] The more information we have, the more
flourishing, successful and powerful we can be as a team and a person
[teamwork]!!!My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: (Hosea 4:6aKJV)

With True Sincerity and Prayers,

Shirlynn Denise Corbett

The only thing necessary for triumph of evil,

Is for good men[country] to do nothing. [Edmunde Burke]

The more information we have, the more flourishing, successful and powerful
we can be as a team and a person [teamwork]!!!My people are destroyed for
lack of knowledge: (Hosea 4:6aKJV

http://soldiersmind.com
Proudly Supporting My Deployed Hero

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wednesday Hero

2007-08-08T17:52:00.001-04:00

This Week's Soldier Was Suggested By Gary

Col. James W. Harrison Jr.
47 years old from Missouri
U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Combined Forces Command Afghanistan
May 6, 2007

Duty, Honor, Country. Col. James Harrison Jr. embodied that ethos, said his family. He was committed to the mission of the United States in Afghanistan and spoke with great pride about the accomplishments of the men and women with which he served

Col. Harrison was killed on May 6 when a Taliban fighter, dressed as an Afghan police officer, shot him at point blank range at Pul-e-Charkhi prison near Kabul. Also killed along side Col. Harrison was Master Sgt. Wilberto Sabalu Jr. and two other soldiers were wounded. All four men were working as mentors to Afghan troops providing external security for the prison.

Harrison graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1981. He also graduated from the Military Police Basic and Advanced courses, the Combined Arms and Services Staff School, the Command and General Staff College, the Army Inspector General Course, and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He earned a Master of Business Administration from Syracuse University and a Master of Science degree in national security and strategic studies from the National Defense University. Before going to Afghanistan in December 2006, he was assigned to Fort Leavenworth as director of the School for Command Preparation at the Command and General Staff College.

He is survived by his wife and three sons.

To read a letter from the Afghan general in charge of the detention facility, visit Amy Proctor's site.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesday Hero, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

2007-07-30T19:14:00.001-04:00

This Weeks Soldier Was Suggested By Cynthia

Master Sgt. Michael Wert (Left)
35 years old from Saginaw, Michigan
2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
May 5, 2007

Master Sgt. Michael Wert, an intelligence chief for the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing at Cherry Point in Havelock, N.C., was vacationing on an early May weekend with his family at the beach when he saw two boys struggling in the surf.

His wife, Debbie, said her husband rushed into the water to help while she went to call 911. Their daughter, Katrina, grabbed a boogie board and followed Wert into the water. She managed to help the boys onto the board, but didn't see her dad with them. One of the boys told her that he (Wert) had to let them go and had died.

The rescue team found Wert, brought him to shore and tried to revive him. As they worked, strangers prayed with the family and comforted the Wert children.

Wert was six days shy of celebrating his 36th birthday.

Wert joined the Marines in 1989 after graduating from Alma High School, in Saginaw, MI, where he was a cross-country runner. He served in Operation Desert Storm and supported Operation Iraqi Freedom.

As the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing intelligence chief, he gracefully accepted the role as the go-to guy for his Marines. He was the one who helped his major’s son build a pinewood derby car while the officer was deployed. He knew when babies were born in the command. He kept up with birthdays and anniversaries. He was the first to greet Marines getting off the plane after a tour in Iraq. "He was always there to help," Lt. Col. William Conley, commander of Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 2 said at a memorial service for Wert. "Master Sergeant Wert responded to the need for help. As always, he didn’t hesitate — he went to help. He tragically lost his own life in doing so."

"I admired him for his commitment to service and the Marine Corps," said Col. Kathy Tate. "We know he was a hero every day."

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesday Hero, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero....early

2007-07-22T16:50:00.000-04:00

I had to post this one early and give it a little more exposure. This one is one of my favorites.

This Weeks Solider Was Suggested By Robert

Lt. General Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller
June 26, 1898 - October 11, 1971

Lieutenant General Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller was a colorful veteran of the Korean War, four World War II campaigns, and expeditionary service in China, Nicaragua, and Haiti. He is one of only two Marines to win the Navy Cross five times for heroism and gallantry in combat earing him the distinction of being the most decorated Marine in the history of the USMC.

A Marine officer and enlisted man for 37 years, General Puller served at sea or overseas for all but ten of those years, including a hitch as commander of the "Horse Marines" in China. Excluding medals from foreign governments, he won a total of 14 personal decorations in combat, plus a long list of campaign medals, unit citation ribbons and other awards. In addition to the Navy Crosses, the highest honor the Navy can bestow, he holds its Army equivalent, the Distinguished Service Cross. A list of his awards can be found here.

Born 26 June 1898, at West Point, Virginia, the general attended Virginia Military Institute until enlisting in the Marine Corps in August 1918. He was appointed a Marine Reserve second lieutenant 16 June 1919, but due to force reductions after World War I, was placed on inactive duty ten days later. He rejoined the Marines as an enlisted man to serve with the Gendarmerie d'Haiti, a military force in that country under a treaty with the United States. Most of its officers were U. S. Marines, while its enlisted personnel were Haitians.

After almost five years in Haiti, where he saw frequent action against the Caco rebels, Puller returned in March 1924 to the United States. He was commissioned a Marine second lieutenant that same month, and during the next two years, served at the Marine Barracks, Norfolk, Virginia, completed the Basic School at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and served with the 10th Marine Regiment at Quantico, Virginia.

In July of 1926, Puller embarked for a two-year tour of duty at the Marine Barracks, Pearl Harbor. Returning in June 1928, he served in San Diego, California, until he joined the Nicaraguan National Guard Detachment that December. After winning his first Navy Cross in Nicaragua, he returned to the United States in July 1931 to enter the Company Officers Course at the Army Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia. He completed the course in June 1932 and returned to Nicaragua the following month to begin the tour of duty that brought him a second Navy Cross.

In January 1933, Puller left Nicaragua for the United States. A month later he sailed from San Francisco to join the Marine Detachment of the American Legation at Peiping, China. There, in addition to other duties, he commanded the famed "Horse Marines." Without coming back to the United States, he began a tour of sea duty in USS AUGUSTA of the Asiatic Fleet. In June 1936 he returned to the United States to become an instructor in the Basic School at Philadelphia. He left there in May 1939 to serve another year as commander of the AUGUSTA's Marine Detachment, and from that cruiser, joined the 4th Marine Regiment at Shanghai, China, in May 1940.

After serving as a battalion executive and commanding officer with the 4th Marines, Puller sailed for the United States in August 1941. In September, he took command of the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, at Camp Lejeune. That Regiment was detached from the 1st Division in March 1942 and the following month, as part of the 3rd Marine Brigade, sailed for the Pacific theater. The 7th Regiment rejoined the 1st Marine Division in September 1942, and Puller, still commanding its 1st Battalion, went on to win his third Navy Cross at Guadalcanal.

The action that brought him that medal occurred on the night of October 24-25 1942. For a desperate three hours his battalion, stretched over a mile-long front, was the only defense between vital Henderson Airfield and a regiment of seasoned Japanese troops. In pouring jungle rain the Japanese smashed repeatedly at his thin line, as General Puller moved up and down its length to encourage his men and direct the defense. After reinforcements arrived, he commanded the augmented force until late the next afternoon. The defending Marines suffered less than 70 casualties in the engagement while 1400 of the enemy were killed and 17 truckloads of Japanese equipment were recovered by the Americans.

After Guadalcanal, Puller became executive officer of the 7th Marines. He was fighting in that capacity when he won his fourth Navy Cross at Cape Gloucester in January 1944. There, when the commanders of the two battalions were wounded, he took over their units and moved through heavy machine-gun and mortar fire to reorganize them for attack, then led them in taking a strongly fortified enemy position.

In February 1944, Puller took command of the 1st Marines at Cape Gloucester. After leading that regiment for the remainder of the campaign, he sailed with it for the Russell Islands in April 1944. He went on to command it at Peleliu in September and October 1944. He returned to the United States in November 1944, named executive officer of the Infantry Training Regiment at Camp Lejeune in January 1945, and took command of that regiment the next month.

In August 1946, Puller became Director of the 8th Marine Corps Reserve District, with headquarters at New Orleans, Louisiana. After that assignment, he commanded the Marine Barracks at Pearl Harbor until August 1950, when he arrived at Camp Pendleton, California, to re-establish and take command of the 1st Marines, the same regiment he had led at Cape Gloucester and Peleliu.

Landing with the 1st Marines at Inchon, Korea, in September 1950, he continued to head that regiment until January 1951, when he was promoted to brigadier general and named Assistant Commander of the 1st Marine Division. That May he returned to Camp Pendleton to command the newly reactivated 3rd Marine Division in January 1952. After that, he was assistant at division commander until he took over the Troop Training Unit, Pacific, at Coronado, California, that June. He was promoted to major general in September 1953, and in July 1954, assumed command of the 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune. Despite his illness, he retained that command until February 1955, when he was appointed Deputy Camp Commander. He served in that capacity until August, when he entered the U. S. Naval Hospital at Camp Lejeune prior to retirement.

In 1966, General Puller requested to return to active duty to serve in Vietnam, but was turned down because of his age. He died 11 October 1971 in Hampton, Virginia, after a long illness. He was 73.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesday Hero, you can go here.

Now what....???

2007-07-18T00:53:00.002-04:00

It's been a while again since my last post. The 2008 Presidential race has me up in arms with worry and discontent.

What a choice we have.

Hillery...we get her lack of backbone, insight and intelligence coupled with her hubby's gigantic ego and hard-on. No Thanks!!!

Obama...what the hell kind of name is that? None of us in this country know what HE stands for. He's been more slippery that Mr. Teflon, Bill Clinton.

Edwards...hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rudy...good mayor, but what does he know about national and international policy? Besides, he's way too wishy-washy on the issues.

Romney...he's got way too much money. I mean, where'd it come from? His dad was a Michigan congressman who retired from General Motors. Hmmm?

McCain...changes his mind about every five minutes. Besides his hesd's way too big for his body.

Pretty sad bunch of characters.

Get my Libertarian ballot ready please.

Wednesday Hero

2007-07-18T00:53:00.001-04:00

Cpl. Clinton Warrick (Soldier On The Left)
Medic with the 2nd Platoon, 300th Military Police Company

Even after having been thrown several meters, knocked unconscious, set aflame and buried under rubble all as a result of a suicide-vehicle-borne IED, a Fort Riley medic braved small-arms fire to save the lives of fellow Soldiers and Iraqi policemen last year.

Cpl. Clinton Warrick received the Army's third highest award for valor during a June 18, 2007 ceremony at Riverside Park for his actions during a Sept. 18, 2006, insurgent attack at the Al Huryia Iraqi Police Station.

Maj. Gen. Carter Ham (soldier on the right), commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley, present Cpl. Warrick the Silver Star and other awards before his family and friends, and his former 300th MP Co. platoon leader, company commander and first sergeant.

"This is one of Fort Riley's great Soldiers - one of our real, no-kidding heroes," Maj. Gen. Ham said at the ceremony. "It is right and proper that we come here to present you this award for valor. It is heroes like this who make our Army the best in the world and our nation so strong."

You can read the rest of Cpl. Warrick's story here.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesday Hero, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

2007-07-12T03:17:00.000-04:00

This Weeks Hero Was Suggested By Sunni Kay

Ryan Rahe has been active in the Special Olympics since he was in Middle School. The now 25-year-old has won quite a few medals over the years, but not all of his medals are at his Tennessee home. Some of them have been sent, by Ryan, to soldiers fighting the War On Terror for "good luck".

Jayne Rahe, Ryan's mother, said the idea of sending support to the soldiers in harm's way came about when she and Ryan were talking about news coverage of the war in Iraq. Jayne visited www.anysoldier.com and discovered how she and Ryan could let the men and women in Iraq know their efforts are appreciated.

Ryan, named 2006 Special Olympics Athlete of the Year for the Blount County Sports Hall of Fame, said he felt good when he received the box from the soldiers. He said if he could talk with them face to face, he would say, "Thank you."

The Rahes plan to continue sending care packages to soldiers, including the medals.

"Ryan is a pretty generous fellow," Jayne said. "He doesn't mind giving things to people."

In a letter that Ryan received, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Anthony W. Grillett wrote:
"I and the Battalion can never thank you enough for sending us your medals. They have brought us luck and good fortune, and now as we prepare to deploy home we send them back to you with our eternal gratitude.

That you would send us something so precious is a reflection of your character. As you called us heroes; to me you are the hero. For I believe it is not who you are, or what you are that makes you a hero, it is the ability to give all especially when it is never asked.

Your courage to face the challenges required earning those medals and then so freely send them to us here in Iraq will forever make you a hero to me. I will never be able to truly express in words how honored I was when I read the letter from your Mother. It truly humbles me and shows me that what I fight for in our country will always be worth the small sacrifices asked of me. Thank you again."

Sometimes a hero is one who sacrifices everything in their life to help others. And sometimes a hero is one who sacrifices nothing more than their time.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesday Hero, you can go here.

Happy July 4th From PJ and Wednesday Heros

2007-07-03T22:30:00.000-04:00

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On this Fourth Of July, a day in which we celebrate the birth of this great nation, we must also remember the brave men and women who made this day possible. To everyone who has and are currently serving in the United States Military I say Thank You. What you do day in and day out are what make this country great and me proud to live here. The sacrifices you've made for people whom you will never meet face to face will never be forgotten.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesday Hero, you can go here.

Adsense

2007-06-28T16:09:00.000-04:00

Just a word of advice. Don't bother signing up for Blogger's Adsense program if your blog content doesn't agree with their preconcieved notion of what sells. After trying on a couple of occasions to sign up, they have consistantly denied me based on a nebulous form letter (email) saying my content did not suit their advertisers needs. Therefore, I'm forced to assume that patiotism and caring about our heroes overseas, doesn't sell. More likely it goes against Blogger's owners, political leanings. I had planned on donating any money I made on Adsense to Soldier's Angels, but that will not happen. It won't stop me from donating myself, but I thought that a little extra might help too. Therefore, unless you can adapt your opinions to Google's confines, don't bother with Adsense.

However, now I'm stuck with some kind of gap in the the top of my blog that Adsense/Google did not remove. Can anyone help me and tell me how to remove it from my template? I don't know what I'm looking for in the template.

Wednesday Hero

2007-06-26T21:11:00.001-04:00

This Weeks Soldier Was Suggested By Jenn

Staff Sgt. Darrell R. Griffin Jr.
36 years old from Alhambra, California
2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division
March 21, 2007

"He was a really patriotic young man", said Darrell Griffin Sr. "He said that the people there really needed us and he felt it was the right place to be. He wished we didnâ€™t have to have wars, but since thatâ€™s the way mankind is, he felt he was contributing an important part to his country".

SSgt. Griffin lost his life in Balad, Iraq when his unit came under fire as it was returning to base after conducting security operations in the Iraqi capital.

The eldest son of six children, SSgt. Griffin worked as an EMT before joining the California Army National Guard in 1999. He enlisted in the Army two years later, and in July 2001, was assigned to the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, in Ft. Lewis, Washington. He served with that unit in Iraq from October 2004 to September 2005.

On his second tour of duty, SSgt. Griffin had been awarded the Bronze Star for valor in 2005 when he was credited with saving the lives of three U.S. and two Iraqi Army soldiers injured during battle in Tal Afar. He had also received the Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Combat Infantry Badge, Expert Infantry Badge, Parachute Badge, and the Meritorious Unit Citation.

"Griff was the type of man you want to have by your side in a fight," Maj. Brent Clemmer, his former company commander, wrote from Iraq. "He was the type of squad leader every young soldier wants to have".

"Darrell was my husband, my Soldier, my gift from God who was also the love of my life and always will be." Said his wife, Diana. "He was also 'a Soldier's Soldier of Strength and Honor' whose commitment to duty, honor and loyalty will be forever remembered by all who know and love him. The news of his death saddens us deeply and we ask for your prayers in our time of grief. Please also continue to keep our Soldiers in your prayers

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesday Hero, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

2007-06-19T20:12:00.000-04:00

Lance Cpl. Hatak Yuka Keyu M. Yearby
21 years old from Overbrook, Oklahoma
3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force
May 14, 2006

Hatak Yuka Keyu Martin Yearby was remembered in funeral services as a small town boy who balanced his Choctaw tribal heritage and his military life.

He did traditional American Indian dances with grace, compassion, discipline and free spirit — "the way he lived his life," the Rev. Timm Emmons said Monday.

"He had a desire to be in the military since he was a young boy. And he believed in what he was doing. He was a warrior, and he was a hero and he finished the course."

Yearby was killed by a roadside bomb, along with fellow Lance Cpl. Jose S. MarinDominguez Jr., in the Al Anbar province of Iraq, two months after he arrived in that country.

Friends and family, fellow American Indians, teachers and classmates filed past his open casket for an hour after the funeral while a U.S. Marine Corps honor guard stood at attention.

About 1,000 people attended a funeral service meant to celebrate the life of the 21-year-old newlywed from Overbrook in southern Oklahoma’s Love County.

Those who spoke in the packed Marietta High School auditorium talked of how he loved to hunt, but never came back with anything. He played tricks, won dancing awards at powwows and appeared on a recruiting magazine for Upward Bound because of a headdress he made from a T-shirt.

Nine of his friends stood on stage to remember Yearby. Jake Barber spoke for them, pausing several times to regain his composure.

"Many great words describe Hatak. The only real word you need to say is 'brother'. He will always be known to us as the ace of spades, the most important card in the deck. He touched us so dearly that words cannot explain,".

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesday Hero, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

2007-06-15T17:43:00.000-04:00

This Weeks Hero Was Suggested By Malinda

69-year-old Bert Brady has never stepped foot in Iraq or Afghanistan, yet many soldiers who have know who he is and appreciate what he's done for them. You see, for the past year Mr. Brady has made a trip to the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport nearly every morning to welcome home returning American troops. Bert Brady, along with fellow veterans, is a member of the Welcome Home a Hero program. They make sure that every soldier who steps off a plane in Dallas gets a special homecoming.

Brady shows up each day with the goal of making soldiers feel appreciated and proud of their service. He's often joined by veterans of the Vietnam and Korean wars who did not get a warm reception when they returned from battle.

"We are not going to forget them like a lot of Vietnam soldiers have been forgotten," Brady said. "We are not going to forget the soldiers of today."

To read more about Bert Brady, you can go to ABCnews.com

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesday Hero, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

2007-06-06T23:05:00.000-04:00

This Weeks Soldiers Were Suggested By Mary Ann

Col. David Sutherland(Left)
45 Years Old From Toledo, Ohio
Commander, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division

Since being deployed to the Diyala province of Iraq in November 2006, Col. David Sutherland, along with brigade Chaplain Maj. Charlie Fenton, pictured on the right, has made it a point to visit every wounded soldier and say goodbye to each and everyone of his men who've lost their life. Four of his soldiers died on one day in April 2007 and the bad news arrived at his office in waves -- a knock on the door, a note handed in by an aide, heads bowed, knowing glances exchanged. Aides say Sutherland walks to the mortuary affairs tent at his base and embraces the dead bodies of his men. "I hug all my fallen soldiers", said Sutherland. "They are my own".

Diyala province is one of the worst places in Iraq. Public beheadings of Iraqi police, tribal wars, sectarian wars and al-Qaida. "I didn't come here thinking it'd be easy. No one told me, 'You're gonna get 9 hours of sleep a night and you're not gonna lose soldiers'. But I believe this is the place for me."

"As a soldier, I want to be here on the ground," he said. "As an American, I want it to end."

For more information about Col. Sutherland, visit this page.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesday Hero, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

2007-05-29T20:30:00.000-04:00

This Weeks Soldier Was Suggested By Kathy

Ahmed Qusai al-Taayie
41 years old from Ann-Arbor, Michigan

Specialist Ahmed Qusai al-Taayie is a Iraqi American U.S. Army linguist soldier, from Ann-Arbor, Michigan who was kidnapped on October 23, 2006 in Baghdad and has not been seen since.

al-Taayie joined the Army in 2004 to help not only his country, the United States, but also his birthplace of Iraq and was deployed in 2005. On October 23, 2006 he was visiting his wife in the Karrada Shiite neighborhood in central Baghdad when he and his cousin were kidnapped by a group calling themselves Ahel al-Beit Brigades. His cousin was released shortly after. On November 2, 2006 al-Taayie's uncle received a ransom demand of $250,000 for his return. Along with the ransom came a grainy video that showed a man beaten up who was identified as al-Taayie. No more has been heard from al-Taayie or his captures.

For more information on Ahmed Qusai al-Taayie you can go here

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesday Hero, you can go here.

Get Real

2007-05-24T17:23:00.000-04:00

Thanks to CJ at A Soldiers Perspective for this link. It will sober you up when the drunkeness of home life makes you dizzy. Please read it, it's important.

Wednesday Hero

2007-05-23T15:58:00.001-04:00

Pfc. Joseph Allen Jeffries
21 years old from Beaverton, Oregon
Army Reserve’s 320th Psychological Operations Company
May 29, 2004

Below is all the information that could be found on Pfc. Joseph Jeffries.

Pfc. Jeffries was killed with two fellow soldiers, Capt. Daniel W. Eggers and Sgt. 1st Class Robert J. Mogensen, and an unnamed sailor, when their vehicle drove over an IED in Kandahar, Afghanistan. All four service members were attached to the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force – Afghanistan. He is survived by his wife, Betsy, and his parents Mark and Linda Jeffries.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesay Hero, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

2007-05-16T01:16:00.001-04:00

This Weeks Soldier Was Suggested By Cindy

Lance Cpl. Steven Chavez
20 years old from Hondo, New Mexico
2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force
March 14, 2007

Tears ran down cheeks and strong men choked back emotion as the city of Hondo, NM payed tribute to fallen Marine, Steven Chavez. LCpl. Chavez lost his life on March 14, 2007 in a non-combat incident in which he was accidentally shot.

Chavez enlisted in the Marine Cops. right after he graduated in 2005. "You pray and you pray that the day never comes, and then it does," said Novelda Chavez, Chavez's mother. "Your emotions are mixed — it’s not true, it’s a bad dream, a bad dream you never wake up from."

In a letter Chavez wrote before he was sent to Iraq, he wrote:
"First of all I would like to thank everyone for your support. When I'm home on leave and when I'm away. That is so important to me. Thank you for your kind, supporting words in your letters and for the packages I've received. Those are awesome.

I've been through some pretty hard times, in the short time I've been in the Marine Corp. None harder then what I'm about to face. Yes I'm scared; nothing is scarier than the uncertainty of what your future holds for you. I'm prepared to face whatever lies ahead.

I put my life in the hands of the Lord. And pray that He guides my fellow soldiers and I down a safe path, that He will calm our fears, and give us the strength to do the job we have been trained to do, and to do that job well.

There are many lonely nights, when you're lying in your bunk thinking of family and friends, wondering what they are doing at that very moment. Wondering what mom is cooking for supper. I can almost taste the tortillas on the griddle.

I want to say to all of you tonight, I wouldn't change one thing about my life.

I've never been more proud of the choices I made in my life than the day I graduated from basic drill instructor placed that Anchor, Globe and Eagle Pin in my hand I knew then I was a UNITED STATES MARINE!

I'm Proud to protect and serve My Country

I'm Proud to protect and serve My Community

I'm Proud to protect and serve you

Thank you so much for your Support. Keep those letters coming. Mail is a precious commodity when you're so far from Home.

YOUR U.S. MARINE

LANCE CORPORAL STEVE CHAVEZ"

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesay Hero, you can go here.

Yes, I'm still here.

2007-05-16T01:08:00.000-04:00

It's been months since my last blog entry, and some may wonder if I've moved on. lost interest or died. I'm happy to say none of those things have happened. As I told you earlier, I've taken on a new job, completely diffrent than what I've been doing for the past several years. I am now working for the county sheriff in a capacity of booking/dispatch officer and it's been a togh time training for those very different diciplines which are definitly not anywhere similar to a 911 comm. officer. It's been a tough few months but I think I have a handle on it now, and I can take some time to blog. In my new digs I have no internet access, so all this must come while I'm home. I'll be writing again soon, so thanks for hanging in there with me.

Help Needed

2007-05-10T12:35:00.001-04:00

I received the following from a blogroll member. If you would be willing to let others know about this that would be great.

Kyle wrote:

From: "Kyle"
To: "Indian Chris "
Date: 9 May 2007 08:28:25 -0700
Subject: Local soldier needs help

Chris,

I don't often do this, but I need some help getting the word out about a local soldier who is in need. Chris Cooper Jr is currently stationed in Iraq. His father passed away from cancer last month, and the combination of loss of income, medical bills and funeral expenses has practically wiped the family's finances out. Cooper has had to take out a loan against his military pay to help pay for the funeral and other bills.

I have a post up at Lone Star Pundit about the Cooper family's plight: http://lonestarpundit.wordpress.com/2007/05/09/support-the-troops-help-a-local-soldier/

There is more info in the local newspaper, here: http://www.hcnonline.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18292534&BRD=1574&PAG=461&dept_i d=574060&rfi=6

Would you be willing to send out a message to the Wednesday Hero blogroll, to see if anyone would be interested in carrying (or at least linking to) Cooper's story?

Much obliged!

Thanks,
Kyle

http://lonestarpundit.wordpress.com/

Wednesday Hero - Google It

WEDNESDAY HERO

2007-05-09T11:42:00.001-04:00

Spc. Josiah H. Vandertulip
21 years old from Irving, Texas
2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division
October 14, 2004

Louise Vandertulip fussed at her son about his spending. He bought wild, overpriced hats that had flames on them or horns coming out of the top, she said.

While in Army basic training, he bought portraits of himself. His mother told him to save his money.

She's glad he didn't listen.

The hats and the pictures are all a part of her memories now.

Spc. Josiah H. Vandertulip was killed in Baghdad when his patrol came under small arms fire.

Josiah Vandertulip joined the Army right after his graduation from Irving High School in 2002. He spent a year in South Korea before being stationed at Texas' Fort Hood in February. Against his mother's advice, he volunteered to go to Iraq. She told him to wait, to go to college.

"When he was determined to do something in his heart, he would do it and hell or high water couldn't keep him from it," she said

By going, he knew someone else with a young family could be saved from serving, relatives said.

He always had the important things right, Louise Vandertulip said.

"There's a lot of rest in knowing that he died doing what he believed in and doing what he thought was right," she said.

"We have a much more real sense of the cost for the freedom that we enjoy now," said his father, Robert Vandertulip.

"Josiah was the first brand new soldiers I recieved as a dismounted team leader in Korea. He was one of the Best soldiers I have had the honor to train and work with. He loved being a soldier as much as any guy I have met. He was a great leader in the absence of his superiors. I could always count on him to make sure the mission was accomplished. I watched him change over the year I had him from a goofy kid, to a hard charging soldier."
Sgt. Nickolas Faul

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesay Hero, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

2007-05-03T22:19:00.000-04:00

This Weeks Soldier Was Suggested By Echo9er

Hospitalman Luis E. Fonseca Jr.

On August 11, 2004, Navel Hospitalman Luis E. Fonseca, Jr. was awarded the Navy's second highest decoration. The Navy Cross, which is awarded for extraordinary heroism while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States and must be performed in the presence of great danger or at great personal risk, was awarded for his actions while serving with Amphibious Assault Vehicle Platoon, Company C, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines, Task Force Tarawa, II Marine Expeditionary Force.

On March 23, 2004, Fonseca, Jr.'s unit were trying to take the Saddam Canal Bridge. Five Marines were injured when their vehicle was hit by an RPG. Fonseca, while still being fired upon by machine guns and RPG's, pulled the Marines to safety and established a casualty collection unit inside his own medical evacuation vehicle. After his vehicle was hit once again, Fonseca organized litter teams and directed the movement of four of the Marines, while personally carrying one wounded Marine over open ground to another vehicle. On November 15, 2004, Seaman Fonseca was awarded the "Grateful Nation Award" from the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs for his actions.

"I was doing my job," said Fonseca. "I wish I could have done more."

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. If you would like to participate in honoring the brave men and women who serve this great country, you can find out how by going here.

Wednesday Hero

2007-04-25T14:42:00.000-04:00

This Weeks Soldier Was Suggested By Sunny Kay

Col. Cyril Richard "Rick" Rescorla
68 years old from New York City, New York
16th Air Assault Brigade, Parachute Regiment (England)
Platoon Leader of 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) (U.S.)
September 11, 2001

Col. Rick Rescorla is a multiple time hero. In 1957 he enlisted in the British Army and began training as a paratrooper with The Parachute Regiment of the 16th Air Assault Brigade. He went on to serve with an intelligence unit in Cyprus, a paramilitary police inspector in the Northern Rhodesia Police (now the Zambia Police Service). When his military career ended in England he joined the Metropolitan Police Service in London. But he found the paperwork too boring and quite at the behest of a friend who encouraged him to join the United State Army. Which he did.

In 1963, Rescorla enlisted, with his friend, in the United States Army. After he completed basic training he attended officer training school and was assigned as a platoon leader in the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile).

He was shipped to Vietnam and participated in the Battle of la Drang. While in Vietnam, he was given the nickname "Hard Core" by his men for his bravery in battle.

In 1968, Resorla became a U.S. citizen and continued his service in the Army Reserves until 1990 when he retired. In 1985 he joined a financial services firm, located in the World Trade Center, as security director.

In 1993, when the WTC was bombed, Rescorla was instrumental in evacuating people from the building. Afterwards, he enacted a policy in which all employees of the firm practiced evacuation drills every three months.

September 11, 2001. Rick Rescorla was supposed to be on vacation getting ready for his daughters wedding. Instead he was at work covering a shift for one of his deputies so that he could go on vacation. When American Airlines Flight 11 hit Tower 1, Rescorla ignored officials advice to stay put and opted instead to put his evacuation drills to use. While evacuating the 3,800 employees of his firm in Towers 2 and 5 he kept reminding them "be proud to be an American ...everyone will be talking about you tomorrow" and sang God Bless America over his bullhorn. When Flight 175 struck Tower 2, Rescorla had already evacuated most of the employees from his firm as well as many others from other floors. He then went back in, despite being told he needed to evacuate himself. The last known words anyone heard him say were, "As soon as I make sure everyone else is out". Tower 2 collapsed with Rick Rescorla last seen heading to the 10th floor looking for more people to help.

As a result of his actions that day, all but six employees of his firm made it out alive. One of those being him and three others being his deputies who followed him into Tower 2, Wesley Mercer, Jorge Velazquez, and Godwin Forde.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. If you would like to participate in honoring the brave men and women who serve this great country, you can find out how by going here.

Wednesday Hero

2007-04-20T12:56:00.000-04:00

This Weeks Soldier Was Submitted By Anna

Chief Master Sgt. John Gebhardt
Superintendent of the 22nd Wing Medical Group at McConnell Air Force Base

Have you heard of Chief Master Sgt. John Gebhardt? Maybe you have and maybe you haven't. CMSgt. Hebhardt gain some notoriety recently. Not for an action that he took on the battlefield, but rather for a picture(not shown because it is graphic) that was taken of him.

In 2006, CMSgt. John Gebhardt was photographed holding a little Iraqi girl that had been injured. Her family had been attacked by insurgents. Both of her parents were killed, along with many of her siblings, and she had been shot in the head and left for dead. But she was tougher than that. She was brought to Balad Air Base Hospital where she was operated on and ultimately saved. As you can imagine, it was an extremely hard time for this little girl. Her recovery was hellish. But when CMSgt. Gebhardt would hold her, she seemed to be comforted. He spent many nights sleeping in a chair with her in his arms. The picture wast taken by a fellow airman while CMSgt. Gebhardt and the little girl were napping. Said CMSgt. Gebhardt, "I'm sure that probably just gave her some inner peace that she could reach."

On a side note. This is why I started doing these Wednesday Hero posts. Because of people like Chief Master Sgt. John Gebhardt. It's soldiers like him that make me proud of our military.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. If you would like to participate in honoring the brave men and women who serve this great country, you can find out how by going here.

Wednesday Hero

2007-04-05T16:50:00.000-04:00

Maj. William D. Chesarek, Jr.
Royal Air Force's 847th Naval Air Squadron, Commando Helicopter Force

Maj. William D. Chesarek, Jr. has done something no other U.S. service member has done since WWII. On March 21 of this year, Maj. Chesarek was awarded the British Distinguished Flying Cross, by Queen Elizabeth, for saving lives and in recognition for his bravery during combat operations in Iraq. Maj. Chesark was assigned as an exchange officer with the Royal Air Force's 847th Naval Air Squadron, Commando Helicopter Force in 2005 and was the pilot of the RAF’s Lynx Mk7 helicopter.

On the evening of June 10, 2006, Chesarek was providing radio communication relay for British ground troops conducting a company-sized search operation near Amarah, Iraq. Listening to radio transmissions, he overheard that a vehicle involved in the operation had became disabled and a crowd of insurgents was firing small arms and rocket-propelled grenades at the company.

According to his award citation, "Chesarek elected to fly low over the area in an attempt to distract the crowd and if possible, to engage the insurgents." Because the crowd was so close to the ground troops, instead of engaging his machine gun, he "opted instead to provide bold, harassing, very low level flight over the area in an attempt to disperse the crowd."

You can read Maj. Chesarek's story in it's entirety here.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. If you would like to participate in honoring the brave men and women who serve this great country, you can find out how by going here.

Wednesday Hero

2007-03-28T20:57:00.000-04:00

This Weeks Post Was Suggested By Kathi

Billy Hodges, in the blue shirt, with a wounded soldier on a fishing tournament in Palacios, Texas

Billy Hodges, who served in the U.S. Army and Texas National Guard between 1971-1979, is not only being profiled for his service, but also for what he's done since then. Mr. Hodges runs an organization based in El Campo, Tx called Hunts For Heroes. They also have chapter in South Carolina , Arkansas , Mississippi , and California and what they do is take soldiers who've been wounded in battle on hunting and fishing trips and other outdoor related activities. All free of charge.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. If you would like to participate in honoring the brave men and women who serve this great country, you can find out how by going here.

Wednesday Hero

2007-03-20T13:27:00.001-04:00

This Weeks Soldier Was Suggested By Jenn

Capt. Alan B. Rowe
35 years old from Hagerman, Idaho
1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center
September 3, 2004

The Perfect Marine. That's how many describe Capt. Alan B. Rowe. Respected and dedicated to the Corps and still able to be a husband and father.

Rowe, who was on his fourth deployment since joining the Corps in 1985, died with two other Marines, Lance Cpl. Nicholas Wilt, 23, of Tampa, Florida, and 1st Lt. Ronald Winchester, 25, of Rockville Center, N.Y., when a remote-controlled explosive device detonated as they returned to their vehicle after inspecting a bridge in Anbar province, near the Syrian border.

"He was a quiet, humble person and extremely polite," his widow, Dawn, recalled from their early days of dating. "He was a traditional type of gentleman. My mom was surprised to meet such a ... perfect-picture Marine." "He did a great job balancing a pretty intense Marine Corps career with also being a great husband and father. He worked extremely hard to balance it." "He was so dedicated to the Marine Corps. He was really driven and believed in what he did. He was a Marineâ€™s Marine. Tall, blond and fit. Kind of the mental image you think of when you think of the Marine Corps."

A week after his death, Capt. Rowe was posthumously promoted to major. He leaves behind his wife and two children.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. If you would like to participate in honoring the brave men and women who serve this great country, you can find out how by going here.

Sorry, friends.

2007-03-10T00:14:00.000-05:00

I've started my new job at the county jail in booking. I really like it. A great break from the screaming obscenities and moronic calls coming into the 911 center. Not to mention the idiotic bosses I had there. Everyone here is very supportive and helpful, a complete change from the "knife your fellow worker in the back" at the 911 center. Plus I can actually have my days off...off! However, there's no internet access available there, and I wouldn't have time if there was, so my blogging has been lacking lately. Now that I'm settled in, I hope to get back on track here. Thanks for your concern and patience.

Wednesday Hero

2007-03-10T00:00:00.000-05:00

This Weeks Soldier Was Suggested By SJ Reidhead

Cpl. Jennifer Parcell
20 years old from Bel Air, Maryland
Combat Logistics Regiment 3, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force
February 7, 2007

Cpl. Jennifer Parcell was petite, but one learned quickly that underestimating her was foolish.

"She was an absolute firecracker," Master Sgt. Jerry Widner said. "Just a go-getting machine."

Her relentless can-do attitude led her to volunteer for Iraq. And then to volunteer for the Lioness Program, which provides female Marines for searches of Iraqi women to respect Muslim cultural mores.

Parcell was killed Feb. 7 in Anbar province when a woman she was searching blew herself up with a suicide vest. Parcell had started doing the searches a week before and was three weeks from going home.

You can read the rest of Cpl. Jennifer Parcell's story here.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. If you would like to participate in honoring the brave men and women who serve this great country, you can find out how by going here.

Wednesday Hero

2007-02-27T22:09:00.000-05:00

This Weeks Soldier Was Requested By Echo9er

Sgt. Maj. Brent "The Rock" Jurgersen
Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 4th U.S. Cavalry, 1st Infantry Division

Active Duty

Not even two near-death encounters deterred Sgt. Maj. Brent Jurgerson's passion and eagerness to serve his country and lead his troops back home.

Jurgersen celebrated his second "alive day" anniversary January 26, 2007. It was a day of mixed emotions for him because on that same day two years ago he was given a second chance to live. It was a day that changed his life forever. While on patrol in Ad Dyuliah, Iraq, two rocket-propelled grenades struck his Humvee. The explosion killed his gunner and left Jurgersen fighting for his life, flat-lining twice on the operating table in Balad.

Afterwards, during a promotion ceremony in August of 2006, Jurgersen was selected for a command sergeant major appointment. Becoming the first full limb amputee student to attend the academy.

You can read the rest of Sgt. Maj. Jurgersen's story here.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. If you would like to participate in honoring the brave men and women who serve this great country, you can find out how by going here.

The Right Stuff

2007-02-19T06:46:00.000-05:00

Soldier Overcomes Cancer Battle To Serve In Iraq

Sunday, 18 February 2007

After finding out he had cancer four years ago, WO1 (RSM) Mick Fraser was unable to join his colleagues at 3 Regiment Army Air Corps when they deployed to Iraq. Now fully recovered, he is realising his lifelong ambition to undertake an operational tour.
Mick Fraser is an unassuming and reserved man. Talking to him you get no sense of the trauma and pain he has endured as he battled against non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system. He explained how things unfolded during the winter of 2002-03:

"I was the Artificer Quarter Master Sergeant (AQMS) of 663 Sqn AAC where I ran a section of people who maintained the Lynx and Gazelle aircraft which were being readied to deploy to Iraq," he said.

"It was a key post within the regiment, we'd spent a lot of time planning and preparing the aircraft for various exercises. When Iraq came along we were up with the game, we had everything ready. It's like the pinnacle of your career; you spend 17 years training in the Army and this was where everything would come together and you were going to do the job for real."

But for Mick, 40, as preparations for war were developing, things were starting to go badly wrong for him:

"Suddenly I became ill, I started losing my fitness and realised there was something wrong. I'd been going to the doctors beforehand because I think I was probably showing symptoms 6-12 months before I was diagnosed."

Mick was told that he had a massive tumour in his chest which was seriously affecting his breathing:

"I went to the Ipswich NHS Trust and was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. At first the sheer disappointment of not going to Iraq with my troops masked the realisation that I was seriously ill."

The tumour was advanced and it meant that Mick would have to undergo invasive chemotherapy throughout 2003.

"The one low point, was my initial prognosis. It saw me get a first course of chemotherapy, which was supposed to have cured the problem. That didn't work so I went on to a stronger course throughout the summer of 2003, which was quite uncomfortable. The final course of treatment was a high-dose chemotherapy followed by a stem-cell bone marrow transplant.

"I had a scan at the end of that treatment and the results showed that nothing had changed. That was a particularly low point. But they had given me the wrong test results, results from several months previous. So although I was very low at that point, the next day when the correct results came back it was a real high point."

Being in the Army meant that Mick was a physically fit man when diagnosed with his condition. But so often with illnesses of this nature it is a person's mental strength that can be the difference between life and death. Mick's approach of 'I can deal with this, I can beat this illness' clearly paid a huge part in his recovery:

"Without a doubt that's true," he said. "Even when I was receiving incorrect diagnoses, I was thinking 'I can still run' and 'I can still do some exercise'. It was my fitness and mental strength at the time that really helped push me through."

Mick, who is now fully recovered, is extremely grateful that the Army supported him throughout the difficult times as well as welcoming him back to work. Although he is still in the engineering world, for his current tour to Iraq he has been deployed in a more administrative capacity:

"I was very keen to come back to the whole soldiering aspect, and especially to go on an operational deployment. But the only opportunity to fulfil that meant I had to move over to this regimental role and come out here as an RSM which is away from engineering but it makes a refreshing change."

The nature of his current role at the Contingency Operating Base, near Basra – as Regimental Sergeant Major at the Joint Helicopter Force (Iraq) – means he is never far from his beloved Lynx helicopters:

"I'm very comfortable in this environment, even though it's tri-Service we speak the same helicopter 'language'. I certainly know what the engineers are talking about, but working on the admin and security side is a good place to be."

Mick arrived in Iraq early January 2007.

"The facilities we have here are comfortable, the welfare package is good. We work long hours and the facilities allow us to both relax and to maintain fitness without having to worry about things like the administration of your laundry, cooking etc.

"It's an interesting environment; a bit beige and featureless when you look at it but the temperature is quite comfortable at the moment, although it's going to start getting a bit warmer!"

Mick firmly believes that British troops need to stay in Iraq until the job is done:

"The fact that the Government has said that we won't leave until the Iraqis are able to provide their own security is something we have to live up to. When the Iraqis get to that stage, then we can take a step back, and oversee how they cope and then finally withdraw, and I think it really must be supported for everybody's sake."

Four years ago when his regiment were deploying to Iraq, it was about to be the pinnacle of Mick's career, something he had spent 17 years training for. That he has now overcome cancer to serve in Iraq is a testament to not only first rate medical treatment, but his own mental strength and determination.

Welcome Home A Hero

2007-02-15T07:14:00.001-05:00

I saw this on "A Soldier's Mind" posted by Terri, and had to share it on my blog too. Tip of the hat and a big thank you to Terri, and ABC News for doing the right thing for a change.

Get the tissues ready, before you view this.

2007-02-14T16:26:00.001-05:00

Ellicia Stanley & her husband SPC Reid Stanley

I received and email from Wednesday Hero Blogroll member Mary Ann in which she suggested that I profile the spouse of a soldier. Seeing as I'd profiled one such spouse in the past, I though this was the perfect opportunity to do it again. I hadn't read the entire letter before I said yes, but after reading it I'm glad she sent it to me.

I think military families, especially the spouses, while they sign no contract, serve our country just as much as the service member. They give up familiar home ties and relocate all over the country, all over the world. They give up their civilian lives for something bigger than themselves. Ellicia was a military wife for only two and a half years. Before they married, but after 9/11, Reid came to her and told her of his desire to enlist. He wanted to do his part. He tells part of the story in his blog post
http://kafstorm.blogspot.com/2005/07/why-i-joined-army.html

She encouraged him, pushing him so he could meet his goal of serving his country. He did and took his oath in October 2002. By the time they were married in July 2004, Reid was already stationed in Germany. It was 3 months before she could join him there. In a move that, for someone who'd seldom left her hometown in South Carolina, must have come as quite an adjustment. But she did it, as do so many other military wives.

Then came deployment to Afghanistan in May 2005. They spent their first anniversary apart. Reid writes about that anniversary in this post
http://kafstorm.blogspot.com/2005/07/my-hero.html

It was in the sixth month of deployment when Ellicia received the news — she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Devastating. However, in an email to me on the day she received her diagnosis, the phrase she used was, "not stellar news". Understated, calm, steady, no hysteria, it was another challenge to face.

I came to admire her because, I too, had been away from home, (not to a foreign country), with a one small child (not three), and my husband traveling (not in a war zone). Knowing what my experience had been like, I was amazed at how she took it all in stride. Even when faced with a
terminal diagnosis, she faced it all with grace, dignity and humor. All the while supporting her husband, the mission and the country.

Reid was given compassionate leave back to Germany in November 2005. For the next thirteen months they fought their own personal war with cancer…breast, lung…and finally eleven tumors in her brain.

In November 2006 the Stanley's took compassionate reassignment back to the U.S. to Ft. Eustis, Virginia.

On 31 December 2006, Ellicia lost her battle. But her spirit lives on in her husband, her children, and the many people she inspired with her courage.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. If you would like to participate in honoring the brave men and women who serve this great country, you can find out how by clicking here.

The Real Story

2007-02-11T08:31:00.000-05:00

You know as a civilian in support of our troops, I am still daily amazed at the wide source of information available to the general public about what's going on in Iraq and around the world. But what amazes me the most is that somehow the main stream media (read: biased scum scribblers) never seem to find these sources. Thanks to Tanker Brothers, I've found another source to share with you. It is the web site of the multi-national force in Operation Iraqi Freedom. It's linked above and I'll be putting it in my links list on my sidebar.

One more thing. Even though I'm leaving the 911 dispatcher profession, this blog will continue to do what it can for our troops. If any of you have any news, views or links you'd like to share feel free to let me know.

A Bit Of Fun

2007-02-11T06:05:00.000-05:00

A joke sent to me by fellow blogger Terri. Thanks, girl!

I bought a new Lexus 350 and returned to the dealer the next day complaining that I couldn't figure out how the radio worked. The salesman explained that the radio was voice activated. "Watch this", he said, "Nelson" and the radio replied, "Ricky or Willie?" "Willie", he continued and "On The Road Again" came from the speakers. Then he said, "Ray Charles", and in an instant "Georgia On My Mind" replaced Willie Nelson. I drove away happy, and for the next few days, every time I'd say "Beethoven" I'd get beautiful classical music and if I said, "Beatles" I'd get one of their awesome songs.
Yesterday, a couple ran a red light and nearly creamed my new car, but I swerved in time to avoid them. I yelled "Ass Holes!" Immediately the French National Anthem began to play, sung by Jane Fonda and Barbara Streisand, backed up by Michael Moore and The Dixie Chicks, with John Kerry on guitar, Al Gore on drums, Dan Rather on harmonica, Nancy Pelosi on tambourine, Harry Reid on spoons, Bill Clinton on sax and Ted Kennedy on scotch.

Damn, I LOVE this car!

Change of Life

2007-02-10T15:30:00.000-05:00

Just a brief note for those who have read this blog for some time. As of Feb. 20th I will no longer be a police/fire/ems/911 dispatch supervisor. I am finally cutting the cord and finishing my law enforcement career at the local county jail as a dispatcher/booking officer. For those who do not know, this is quite different from what I have been doing and mountains of stress less. I'll let you know how it's going.

A Gathering of Eagles

2007-02-10T07:06:00.000-05:00

Below is a copy of the post left by Terri at "A Soldier's Mind" regarding what I think may be the most important event of the year. Please read about it and if you can make plans to attend. I will be reposting this as the event grows closer.

Terri
February 9th, 2007
Politics, In The News, Motivation

Thanks to CplM from A Soldier’s Perspective for alerting us to The Gathering Of Eagles and their plans. We’re only too happy to share this information with our readers here.

It appears that a group, led by Cindy Sheehan, Jane Fonda, Ramsey Clark and others are planning to gather at the Vietnam Memorial Wall to begin a march to protest the US involvement in the Iraq war on March 17, 2007. This date is significant, as it marks the 4th anniversary of the beginning of the Iraq war.

However, for this protest march, they’ll be met with a group of Viet Nam veterans and supporters who plan to gather at the Wall to show their support for the U.S. Troops. This group of Vets and supporters calls themselves the Gathering of Eagles, and was organized by Retired Col. Harry Riley. Organizers hope that thousands of supporters will show up in Washington DC from all over the country to show their support for our Troops and protect the Wall from vandals, such as what occurred at the last anti-war march in Washington D.C., where vandals painted the steps of the Capitol building.

“The anti-war/anti-America group cannot be allowed to use the Vietnam Memorial Wall as a back-drop to their anti-America venom and stain the hallowed ground that virtually cries out with blood at the thought of this proposed desecration … it must not happen,” said veteran Bud Gross. “… All Americans are invited to support our effort, which is intended as a defender of hallowed ground and intended as a non-violent competition between those that would sell out America and those of us who support freedom and keeping the fight with the enemy on distant shores.”

The Gathering of Eagles members will be wearing armbands to identify themselves. Those who are unable to go to Washington D.C. to stand with the patriots are asked to wear armbands with small U.S. Flags to show their own communities that they abhor the tactics of this group led by Fonda and Sheehan. Other suggestions are to hold rallies across America on this date, calling on Veteran Organizations across the country to rally their citizens to unite together at local memorials to demonstrate their solidarity with those standing against the protestors in Washington D. C. and they further suggest inviting your local media to such event.

“We’ll be there to act as a countervailing force against the Cindy Sheehan-Jane Fonda march from the Vietnam Memorial to the Pentagon,” retired Navy Capt. Larry Bailey said. “We will protect the Vietnam Memorial. If they try to deface it, there will be some violence, I guarantee you.”
Bailey and thousands of his fellow Vietnam vets are worried that the anti-war protesters will damage the wall, just as they spray-painted the steps of the Capitol at their last march.
The wall is sacred to the men and women who fought in that war.
“It is our contact with our dead brothers — those who lost their lives in the cause of their country,” Bailey said.

I think that this is a great idea. What better way to show our Troops that we support them, then to stand with others who support our troops as well and declare it loud and clear! Please let us know, if you’ll be able to go to Washington DC on March 17th or if you’ll be organizing a vigil in your own community. Let’s get the word out and make this happen all across the country!

To read more about The Gathering of Eagles and their plans, please visit The US Veteran Dispatch where you’ll also find a link to a message board to share your ideas about this event.

Wednesday Hero

2007-02-09T06:51:00.000-05:00

This week's Wednesday Hero was submitted by Louie at the above link. Thanks.

Sorry, no picture this week

On May 9th 2004, SFC Lloyd A. Heinrichs Jr was down at the Ocean front in Virginia Beach when a ‘Swimmer in Distress’ call came in to the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Dispatch office about noon. Myself (Gary Couch, Dive 8), SFC Heinrichs and Petty Officer First Class Scott Weil of the U.S Navy, volunteered to respond the call. There were a total of 3 people in the water that were being pulled out to sea by the current. The temperature of the water was only around 65 degrees Fahrenheit with the air temperature at 78 degrees Fahrenheit. The undertow was very extreme that day with the beach already “Red Flagged” due to the strong currents and excessive waves.

Upon arrival to the scene, SFC Heinrichs and PO1 Weil identified the victims. Without hesitation and with total disregard for their own safety each grabbed a torpedo buoy and entered the water. SFC Heinrichs went for the first victim to the South of 36th Street while PO1 Weil went for the second and third victims, which were hanging on to each other to the North of 36th Street. As I observed SFC Heinrichs and PO1 Weil, once they were waist deep, the current rapidly pulled them out. SFC Heinrichs made his way to the first victim and started fighting his way back to shore. Once SFC Heinrichs reached his victim, he calmed her down, making the attempt to head back to shore. Several times SFC Heinrichs and his victim were rolled under by the enormous waves and undertow. His victim was completely exhausted from the ordeal. Once he reached shallow water, he assisted his victim to shore. The victim was an older heavy-set lady, early forties. The Virginia Beach Fire Department Paramedics placed the victim on a stretcher and the Virginia Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad took her to Virginia Beach General Hospital.

SFC Heinrichs was extremely exhausted and fatigued from the rescue. He turned to check on PO1 Weil and notice that PO1 Weil had reached the other two victims, a male in his late twenties and a female in her early forties. PO1 Weil was struggling with his two victims giving a hand and arm signal for ‘Help’. The female was almost passive from near drowning, and the male who had initially swum out to help her was becoming a victim himself. Without hesitation, SFC Heinrichs picked himself up and ran back into the water to assist PO1 Weil while PO1 Weil did what he could to keep them calm and afloat until help arrived.

Once SFC Heinrichs reached PO1 Weil and the other two victims, they were all rolled by several consecutive waves, pinning SFC Heinrichs under the two victims. A few moments later, SFC Heinrichs emerged between the victims with both lanyards of the torpedo buoys wrapped around his neck, gasping for air. As the situation went from bad to worse, PO1 Weil tried his best to help SFC Heinrichs with untangling the lanyards from his neck while trying to hold his passive victim’s head out of the water. SFC Heinrichs took a deep breath and submerged himself in the attempt to free his neck. As each wave came over the top of PO1 Weil and the victims, we kept waiting for him to resurface in bated breath not knowing that the lanyards kept tightening around SFC Heinrichs’ neck. While continuous waves were tossing PO1 Weil and the victims, SFC Heinrichs reemerged on the side of the victims. He had been under for over thirty seconds trying to get loose. We began to worry whether or not he was going to come back up. You could hear the heavy sigh of relief from all the EMS personnel on the beach once he resurfaced. He grabbed a hold of the male victim and started for shore. The victims once, on shore, were taken away for medical attention. PO1 Weil and SFC Heinrichs were taken to an ambulance and checked for possible hypothermia and released.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them
Hero.

To become part of Wednesday Hero, google the title.

God IS in his heaven and some things are right with the world

2007-02-05T14:44:00.000-05:00

If you go to the link above, you'll see what I mean by this post title. A blogger and soldier activist named Kat has gotten a surprise that was long overdue. She is one of the most tireless workers for our troops and their families in America, and certainly in Georgia. Read the deatils and have some tissues ready.

Just one story of many...

2007-02-01T02:10:00.000-05:00

The following was posted on Andi's World Milblog and I just had to re-post it here. This is one of many stories like this I've heard or read about our association with locals in Afghanistan and Iraq. Andi's World is linked on my sidebar. This post was written by Airforcewife in Andi's absence. Thanks

Wednesday, 31 January 2007

I Would Have Died For Him

About two months into my husband's last deployment I got an interesting email from him. Before I go on to describe what he said, I should probably make clear that of the many choices in amount of communication available to military families, hubby and I have chosen the "I'd rather hear it from you" route, and he tends to give me a fairly clear picture of what his life is like deployed.

I have an incredibly active imagination, and so I exaggerate the information I get from sources other than my husband. After many, many, many,many incidents that nearly caused me to lose my mind we decided that it was better he tell me. Hubby can phrase and parse the situations he encounters all he wants... Just as long as I have an idea of what's going on. That way I can ignore any outside information and still feel like I have a handle on what's going on.

In any case, this is the background under which I received an email about a local on hubby's deployed base called "Rambo."

This email hubby sent me was odd. Never before has hubby singled out one of the locals he works with to tell me about, even though his deployed line of work has him working very closely with locals. I hear aggregate stories about incidents and I hear about funny and isolated events, but he has never mailed me a biography before. The reason is entirely OPSEC.

Rambo, however, was a special case. For one thing, he wasn't one of hubby's contacts. He lived on the base. For another, Rambo genuinely loved the Americans and having them there. He proved it constantly, putting himself in physical danger every day to make sure "his" base and "his" American soldiers were as safe as possible. Rambo could be counted on to be at the very front of the line guarding the facilities any time a crowd assembled.

Rambo's story began in the 1970's; he was an ethnic Tajik that fought with the United States against the Soviets. When the Soviets left, the Afghans allied themselves with various warlords until the Taliban took over.

The Taliban wasted no time in murdering Rambo's entire family, and Rambo left for the hills to fight with the Northern Alliance. When our special forces took Kabul, Rambo fought alongside them, and he was the first guard at the base.

My husband sent me an email about Rambo, pictures of the two of them together, and ended his email with this line, "Rambo takes care of us. He is one of us. Any one of us here would take a bullet for him."

I sent the story hubby emailed me out to many people I knew, because most of our civilian friends and family are far removed from the war. For more than a few, we are the only people they directly know who are fighting. They ask us questions, and they often do not understand. I try to pass on what I can. The amount of devotion Rambo showed to the guys at hubby's base touched me deeply, and I wanted to share what they told me was one of the reasons they supported their cause so much.

Just yesterday, now that hubby is home and safe with me, I learned of yet another chapter in Rambo's story and more proof of his amazing character.

The building hubby worked in while deployed was the target of a suicide car bomber. As the truck of explosives came through the gate, something about them triggered Rambo's attention and rather than waste time sounding the alarm - he took matters into his own hands and yanked the suicide bomber from inside the truck in an attempt to prevent its detonation. The truck detonated after both Rambo and the would-be bomber were free and took a huge chunk out of the building. The damage wasn't as extensive as it would have been if the explosives laden truck had managed to make it into closer proximity.

Rambo didn't blink. He just did.

No one can argue that there are many, many problems in Iraq and Afghanistan; and many things to overcome that are difficult, ugly, and at times despair-inducing.

But there are good things, and good people, there too. The foundations of these new countries will be built with such as them, although the building may be very long indeed.

My husband often recites John 15:13 from the Bible. It resonates with him very deeply: " Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." After hearing about Rambo, I understand why.

Posted by airforcewife on Wednesday, 31 January 2007 at 07:12 PM | Permalink

Wednesday's Hero

2007-01-30T21:36:00.000-05:00

The following is from a web site for LCpl Nicholas J. Manoukian Started by his Mother.

11 January 2007

Mary Manoukian Calhoun
LCpl Nicholas J. Manoukian USMC
Email Address:me10149@aol.com

In Honor and loving memory of my son LCpl Nicholas J. Manoukian, my
"Fallen Warrior." As troops pass in parade he is just a tree in a forest of
men. When he travels from his homeland to the heat of battle, he is just
someone who fills a seat on the air transport. To the enemy he is just
another faceless target to be eliminated on the quest to victory.

But this warrior is more than just a number. He has a personality and a
place in the hearts of those who truly know him. He is the beautiful
baby,an only child that filled a mother's heart with so much love that she
easily dedicated her life to him. She was his harbor of safety when the
storms of boo-boo's and the flood of childhood tears overcame him. He is
the young boy who suffered the loss of a living father the tender age of
12 causing pain more intense than any wound in battle. He is the
teenager who could get into mischievous trouble,charm the girls,and keep his
friends laughing. He is the organizer of fun,the artist that makes sketch
paper and canvas come alive with meaning and the creator of rhythms that
make the primordial drums resonate with brilliance. He is the romantic
that writes poetry with the girl that is special to his heart. The girl
that would compel him to ride a bicycle on a wheel rim with no tire just
to complete the journey to her home. He is the romantic that
places rose petals on his brides bed and proposes to her by
celebrating all of the Holidays that they will miss together while he will be
deployed to Iraq for a second time, ending with sending her on an Easter
egg hunt to find her ring,in July. He is the Step- Daddy to a little boy
who as he grew would depend on him for guidance into manhood. He is the
man who commands respect and love from a stepfather who is proud to
call him his son. He is the son in law and brother in law of a family that
loves him as their own child and brother. He is a Marine who is loyal to
his brother warriors who in turn love him for the man and personality
that he is. He is a man tough enough in body and spirit to face the enemy
for the freedom of his nation and still be able to tenderly say "I
love you mom."

Now this vibrant and talented young warrior has been taken from us by a
heartless enemy. Now we no longer can hear his laughing voice or the
rhythmic beat of his drum solos or the romantic whispers in the ear of the
wife he so loved. No longer can we see his strong stature,his soft dark
eyes or his bright smile. Gone is the firm and steady grip that portrayes
strength;yet a tenderness that made you know that he truly cared. A
writing by Laurel Atherton best captures Nicks spirit:

"For my Son"

I know you probably have a thousand things to do today.Well...now
you have a thousand and one!

Son,I just want you to take a minute to read this.I know your days
are busy,but I hope they are giving back to you as much as you give to
them.

And I know there a moments when things could be better,but I hope
you'll remember that good things come to good people and that...without
a doubt..you are one of the best.

There are so many wonderful things about you.But I think that the
most admirable thing of all,at least to me,is that you do the things
you do with an inner strength and a special kind of love.That's just the
way you are.
You give life a gleam that most people only carry a glimpse of.

Nick is gone from our world but he lives in our memories and our
hearts.More importantly he lives with an eternal spirit in the presence of
God.Until the day we will all see one another again and spend eternity
together..

In Loving Memory of LCpl Nicholas J.Manoukian USMC age 22 killed on
Oct 21, 2006
1st Marines 6th Batallion 2nd Marine Div.
IED attack Ramadi, Iraq
Awarded two Purple Hearts posthumously

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

It Is Foolish And Wrong To Mourn The Men Who Died. Rather We Should Thank God That Such Men Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. If you would like to
participate in honoring the brave men and women who serve this great country, you can find out how by Googling "Wednesday's Hero"

Wednesday's Hero

2007-01-21T22:32:00.000-05:00

This Weeks Hero Was Suggested By Kathi

Lt. Col. Michael E. McLaughlin
44 years old from Mercer, Pennsylvania
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division, Pennsylvania Army National Guard
January 4, 2006

Sitting in the car with Lt. Col. Michael E. McLaughlin's 18-year-old daughter, her
father's friend of 21 years had just broken the news of his death.

During years of friendship and service in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, Lt. Col. McLauglin and retired Capt. Brad Mifsud had a bond so close that they promised each other if something were ever to happen to either one of them, they would be there for the other's family.

Lt. Col. McLaughlin died when a suicide bomber rushed through a crowd of Iraqi police recruits in Ramadi and detonated a bomb that also killed a Marine and nearly 80 Iraqis. The day before the attack, Lt. Col. McLaughlin said he was fully confident that Ramadi had finally turned a corner in the insurgency. As hundreds of local men streamed into the Ramadi Glass Factory on Wednesday to join the city’s long-defunct police force, a wide grin spread over a pinch of tobacco stuffed into the 44-year-old’s lower lip.

"This may not look like much, but it's history," McLaughlin told a reporter.
"We're making history right here."

With a significant wound to the back of his head, Lt. Col. McLaughlin turned to his
injured personal security detail officers and inquired about their well-being. Waving off medical attention, he asked them to check on the soldiers under his command.

"In an act of extreme selflessness, he stated that he was OK, but to concentrate on
saving the lives of his men," said Col. Grey Berrier, a close friend of Lt. Col.
McLaughlin.

Lt. Col. McLaughlin died shortly after giving that instruction, according to the Guard.

A long-time artillery officer in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, McLaughlin was assigned to Task Force 2-222 Field Artillery and was the primary liaison between the 2-28 Brigade Combat Team and local tribal and government leaders in Ramadi. His efforts were instrumental in getting local sheikhs to support the recruitment drive and encourage more than 1,000 area men to volunteer for the force, commanders said.

"Mike is a true hero in every sense of the word, and he died while doing his job the
only way he knew how - out front and with great enthusiasm and courage," said Col.
John L. Gronski, commander of the 2-28 BCT. "This loss only strengthens our resolve
to carry on and complete the mission in order to honor his memory."

A gregarious wisecracker, McLaughlin said his hope was to one day return to a peaceful Iraq, where he planned to walk the streets of Ramadi in a traditional Arab "man dress," or dishdasha, and sip coffee and chai with those sheikhs he had met during the war. McLaughlin said that one particular tribal leader he had developed a close relationship with dubbed him "The Sheikh of Sheikhs" - a nickname that was soon picked up by fellow officers in the brigade.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

It Is Foolish And Wrong To Mourn The Men Who Died. Rather We Should Thank God That Such Men Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. If you would like to
participate in honoring the brave men and women who serve this great country, you can find out how by Googling "Wednesday's Hero"

Name Change

2007-01-20T00:10:00.000-05:00

I've changed the name of my blog to protect the innocent...me. We're being persecuted at my job for the stupidity and incompetance of our bosses, so I no longer want to be associated with a profession that would reward such scum. This blog will continue exposing the idiocy that is public safety and it will continue to bring you happier news and some inspiration from time to time about our troops overseas and in this country. My commitment will not falter along those lines. Feel free to comment on anything on your mind on any of the posts I put up. You don't have to stick to topic. Thanks for your understanding and support.

Delayed Blogging

2007-01-19T23:52:00.000-05:00

Blogs may be few an far between for a while. We're all banned from the internet except job oriented sites at work. The creep I work for has had a boot placed up his ass by his superiors and he's such a crappy manager, all he can do is take it out on us. I'll be blogging and writing from home, and I'm on a dialup connection here. Can't get DSL and cable and satellite high speed are very expensive. So hope to keep up as best I can.

A Reminder

2007-01-18T05:15:00.000-05:00

I posted this some time ago on my blog, after I found it on another dispatching site. It is a tribute to 911 dispatchers written several years ago by a Loveland, Colorado police chief. It bears re-posting from time to time. I saw it again recently on "911 Dispatcher" blog. Thanks for reminding me. It's long, but a good read.

UPDATE: After what I've described to you above, this is somewhat meaningless to me. No one including the police, fire and our bosses gives a shit about us. I'll soon have some more news for you.
I have found in my law enforcement career that dispatchers are the unsung heroes of public safety. They miss the excitement of riding in a speeding car with lights flashing and sirens wailing. They can only hear of the bright orange flames leaping from a
burning building. They do not get to see the joy on the face of worried parents as they see their child begin breathing on its own, after being given CPR.

Dispatchers sit in darkened rooms looking at computer screens and talking to voices from faces they never see. It’s like reading a lot of books, but only half of each one.

Dispatchers connect the anxious conversations of terrified victims, angry informants, suicidal citizens and grouchy officers. They are the calming influence of all of them - the quiet, competent voices in the night that provide the pillars for the bridges of sanity and safety.

They are expected to gather information from highly agitated people who can’t remember where they live, what their name is, or what they just saw. And then they are to calmly provide all that information to officers, fire fighters, paramedics without error-the first time, and every time.

Dispatchers are expected to be able to do 5 things at once - and do them all well. While questioning a frantic caller, they must type the information into a computer, tip off another dispatcher, put another caller on hold, and listen to an officer run a plate for a parking problem. To miss the plate numbers is to raise the officer’s ire; to miss the caller’s information may be to endanger the same officer’s life. But the officer will never understand that.

Dispatchers have two constant companions. Other dispatchers and stress. They depend on the one, and try to ignore the other. They are chastened by upset callers, taken for granted by the public, and criticized by the officers. The rewards they get are inexpensive and infrequent, except for the satisfaction they feel at the end of a shift, having done what they were expected to do.

Dispatchers come in all shapes and sizes, all races, both sexes, and all ages. They are blondes, brunettes and redheads. They are quiet or outgoing, single or married, plain, beautiful or handsome. No two are alike, yet they are all the same.

They are people who were selected in a difficult hiring process to do an impossible job. They are as different as snowflakes, but they have one thing in common. The care about people and they enjoy being the lifeline of society - that steady voice in a storm - the one who knows how to handle every emergency and does it with style and grace and uncompromised competence.

Dispatchers play many roles: therapist, answer man, doctor, lawyer, teacher, weatherman, guidance counselor, psychologist, priest, secretary, supervisor, politician and reporter. And few people must jump through the emotional hoops on the trip through the joy of one caller’s birthday party, to the fear of another caller’s burglary in progress, to the
anger of a neighbor blocked in their drive, and back to the birthday caller’s, all in a two minute time frame. The emotional roller-coaster rolls to a stop after an 8 or 10 hour shift, and they are expected to walk down to their car with steady feet and no queasiness in their stomach - because they are dispatchers.

If they hold it in, they are to closed. If they talk about it, they’re a whiner. If it bothers them, it adds more stress. If it doesn’t, they question themselves, wondering why.

Dispatchers are expected to have the compassion of Mother Teresa; the wisdom of Solomon; the interviewing skills of Oprah Winfrey; the gentleness of Florence Nightingale; the patience of Job; the voice of Barbara Streistand; the knowledge of Einstein; the answers of Ann Landers; the people skills of Sheriff Andy Taylor; the humor of David Letterman; the investigative skills of Sgt. Joe Friday; the looks of Melanie Griffith or Don Johnson; the faith of Billy Graham; the energy of Charro; and the endurance of the EverReady Bunny.

Is it any wonder that many drop out during training?

It is a unique and talented person who can do this job and do it well.

And it is fitting and proper that we take a few minutes or hours this week to honor you for the job that each of you do. That recognition is overdue, and it is insufficient......But it is sincere.

posted by 911

Wednesday's Hero

2007-01-17T23:19:00.000-05:00

This week I have three people to talk about. Roy Velez and his two sons, Jose and Andrew.

One who was lost in Iraq and another who lost his life in Afghanistan.

It happens almost daily. A stranger reaches out to comfort Roy Velez, unintended
symbol of unspeakable loss and grief.

Today it's a woman who approaches as he's halfway through breakfast at Montelongo's
Mexican restaurant.

"My brother told me about you and your sons," she says, extending her hand.

He takes her small hand between his - this sturdy man who has buried two boys who went off to war - and listens gently as her own story of sorrow spills forth. Her 8year-old daughter, a traffic accident, her son at the wheel.

As waiters bustle about with trays of huevos rancheros and barbacoa plates, Mr. Velez does what he does best: offers up a soft prayer to help this mother endure her emptiness.

Strangers learn about Mr. Velez from newspapers and TV. They come to him to share their gratitude or their grief. They come to thank him and console him, tearfully, for his family's sacrifice.

This is how Mr. Velez chooses to live after losing two sons in two years, not riven with anger or paralyzed with sadness. But as someone ready for those who might slip into the darkness of despair.

For his strength for others, compassion and grace - and for serving as inspiration for anyone who knows his story - Mr. Velez is the 2006 Dallas Morning News Texan of the Year.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Have Every Right To Dream Heroic Dreams.
Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. If you would like to
participate in honoring the brave men and women who serve this great country, you can find out how by Googling Wednesday's Hero.

To read further about Ray "http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/
dws/dn/opinion/points/stories/123106dneditoy1.5a61cb88.html">

Peripheral Vision

2007-01-14T00:49:00.000-05:00

A blog I have listed in my links column titled Policing in the UK, made me think about something that police, fire, EMS and dispatchers have in common. Post traumatic stress, depression and stubborness. People who are not involved in these professions have stress, of course. However, very few CPA's or factory workers see or hear the death rattle of someone who died while you are in their presence or on the phone, or heard the screams of a fresh widow, or listened to an abuser describe calmly and without emotion how they scalded their child to death, or took a call from the mother or cut down an 11 year old child who just hung himself. Oh, that's just a small sampling of the parade of horror we're treated to every day. Management gives you no quarter. You're expected to report every day with a smile on your face and thank them vociferously for allowing you to answer their phones or go to their incidents all the while they are working no overtime, no 12 hour shifts and they never see or hear a thing you do unless they are investigating you. After a few years of this you get a sort of mental peripheral vision and can see the parade coming. It doesn't help, it just makes you more stressed, more depressed and more stubborn...and a little less human each day.

British Optimism

2007-01-11T23:44:00.000-05:00

One would think by the media coverage that every Brit , including the military, is opposed to what we're doing in Iraq. At the link above you'll find a very interesting story by a British general who's done 4 tours in Iraq. He knows of what he speaks. Thanks to John at "Welcome To My World" for the link.

The New Iraq Plan

2007-01-10T22:30:00.000-05:00

I was surfing blogs tonight after watching President Bush's address tonight on TV, and ran across Cpl M's post on "A Soldier's Perspective" where he was writing about a pre-address confrence call to bloggers with Tony Snow, White House Press Secretary and Brett McGurk, with the National Security Council:

http://www.soldiersperspective.us/2007/01/10/the-way-forward-in-iraq-a-bloggers-conference-call/#comments

I felt compelled to post the following on ASP's comments section:

KUDOS Cpl M on your invitation and ASP's acknowledgement by the White House. I watched the President's address tonight and I must say I was very impressed. One of the most impressive things he said was that the failures and mistakes in Iraq are his responsibility. When was the last time you heard a politician take responsibility for anything?

Second, the plan itself sounds close to several others I've heard on MilBlogs over the last year or so. I'm glad if the White House has come to the conclusions that were reached by men who had boots on the ground.

Third, the plan could be effective if he and all the politicians keep their noses out of it as he promised tonight.

My loyalty can never be to any temporary occupant of the White House. My loyalty lies with the men and women who are there, and all around the world making it possible for me to be typing these comments and posting on a blog. They are the ones who are getting the job done in Iraq, Afghanistan or anywhere they're needed.

If this plan succeeds, everyone will be taking credit for it all over the front pages of every paper and on every TV and radio news and talk show. I hope America can finally realize who deserves the credit. The American soldier.

My prayers tonight and all nights are with the men and women in Iraq who must make this work.

I Was Only Nineteen

2007-01-10T04:40:00.000-05:00

There's so much excellent work on the internet. It seems sometimes I can't get enough.

If you're a Viet Nam era vet this will make you cry.

If you're any kind of vet this will make you cry.

If you have a heart this will make you cry.

It's wonderful.

Tanker Brothers - Two Soldiers In The War On Terror

The Last Honest Journalist

2007-01-10T01:59:00.000-05:00

Jules Crittenden may indeed be the last honest American journalist. Just read his stuff and you'll agree. He is linked on my side bar.

Along the lines of my post on "Blog Of War & More Boots" please read this by Jules.

http://julescrittenden.blogspot.com/2007/01/on-reflection.html

Pigs Are Us

2007-01-10T00:17:00.000-05:00

Brittany now has been added to the worst dressed list. Real sex symbol, huh? I can't wait for her or her gal pal Paris Hilton to start spouting off about Iraq. And you know they will...oink, oink!!

Blog Of War and More Boots

2007-01-08T00:54:00.000-05:00

Matthew Currier's "Blog Of War", may be the best book in 2006. You've read my comments about it before. My wife just finished it and of course spent all night on it and cried most of the time as she read it. She asked me an interesting question when she finished. What were our troops doing over there? Why weren't they being allowed to be soldiers?

Tough question. My answer was that the politicians wouldn't let them be soldiers. They're forced into policeman roles instead of doing what they were trained for. Now, many politicians want us to send more boots to the ground. They're going to have to convince me that our posture in Iraq is going to change to a more aggressive stance before I support that. If we are going to continue pussy-footing around getting kids bumped off by sneak attacks (IED's etc.) my answer would be no more troops. Send a lot of SWAT teams. They're trained for urban mop-up campaigns. However, if our military is finally going to be allowed to WIN in Iraq, go ahead, send as many as you want.

What do you think?

Ellicia Stanley

2007-01-07T21:09:00.000-05:00

Funeral and obituary information is available now for Ellicia Stanley, blogger Reid Stanley's late wife. Please go here http://www.kafstorm.blogspot.com/ for more, and to leave anything you'd like to say to Reid and his kids. Thanks.

They Are Among Us

2007-01-04T06:32:00.000-05:00

The steady and mesmerizing song of defeatism and deprecation coming from the left in this country has made inroads into all parts of our society. They are among us.

Their hatred of anything American or connected to Bush is so overwhelming that they can't think or see straight.

They lockstep into every issue and celebrate the hive-mind concept while condemning it in others. They are the real fascists and that scares the hell out of me.

Nothing is sacred, nothing has honor and nothing is immune from their vicious attacks. They are extremely dangerous, since they have made headway in America thanks to their cohorts in the main stream media. Their corruption has seeped into the government, the media, the people and even into some of the military.

The poison they and their kind spread is lasting and deadly to our nation. Their vocal, shrill representatives in the media and the government are constantly harping in the background and it errodes everything we are supposed to stand for. There can be a very real and appropriate comparison between them and the terror cells in the middle east and around the world. Their political tactics are the same, although they are not now violent, and their goals have the same ends as the radical muslims, the destruction of America as a concept and as a country.

I wish I could feel secure in my patriotism and have faith that the good in this country will win in the end, but everything that has happened here since the 1960's has shaken my confidence. We must never underestimate them or marginalize them. They make Al-Qaeda look like a kindergarten class. They know who they are, they know their direction and they are keeping their eye on their goal. We are not.

May God eventually grant us the wisdom to see our enemies, for they are among us.

For further commentary on this topic, see the following link at Andi's World.

http://www.tiny.cc/uJoqI

Two Ends Of The Spectrum

2007-01-01T13:16:00.000-05:00

Above are two photographs. The top one is of Ellicia Stanley, the wife of a MilBlogger named Reid Stanley who for the last several months has shared the touching story of his wife's battle with cancer. Ellicia passed quietly on the 31st after a long and tenacious fight with her disease.

The second photo is of of the daughter of another MilBlogger called Cpl M. Bella was born to Marcus and Anna on the 30th. A healthy 7+ pound girl. All who follwed the past few days of her delivery are joyous.

Two ends of a spectrum of life. Great joy and great sorrow. We love you all and our prayers are with you

Both bloggers are linked below. Please go to both sites and express your feelings.

http://www.kafstorm.blogspot.com/

http://soldiersperspective.us/

President Ford and the Weasels

2006-12-31T12:00:00.000-05:00

I spent a couple of hours watching the placing of President Ford's coffin in the capitol last night. Few can argue with the statement that Gerald Ford was one of, if not the most squeaky clean politician ever. He did indeed heal the wounds left by Watergate, as no one else could have done, simply because no one could have done it but Gerald Ford. However, now the vultures and scum that howl for Bush's head 24/7 have sunk to a new low in using and twisting the words uttered by Ford, at the age of 93, to Bob Woodward (now there's an unbiased source) in an interview and allegedly repeated to an aid to the late president. For a clear understanding of what the late president actually said and how he said it, I suggest you follow the link supplied below. This blogger's got it right. The blog is called "The Sundries Shack", and I think you'll enjoy it and the others he links to.

http://sundriesshack.com/?p=2866

American Soldier

2006-12-31T06:49:00.001-05:00

Found this on YouTube this morning by XsweetdreamsX87. It's what I thought was a fitting thing for all of us to remember on this New Year's Eve. Raise a glass to the American Soldier tonight, and pray for their safety and ours that they are protecting. God bless you all.

Another Viewpoint On the Death Of The Tyrant

2006-12-30T16:56:00.000-05:00

An eloquent description by an Iraqi on the death of Saddam:

http://iraqthemodel.blogspot.com/2006/12/celebrating-justice.html

Death Of A Tyrant

2006-12-30T08:33:00.000-05:00

I like most Americans, cannot work up any sympathy or understanding for Saddam after his death. I really don't care about what kind of unhappy childhood he had, where he went wrong or why. He murdered perhaps millions of people. Was there any question that Adolph Hitler should die? The MSM is running profiles of the life of Saddam, which in many ways seem sympathic to this murderous scum. I honestly don't understand the media in this country and have no respect for them. Below is a post from an Iraqi student and her feelings about Saddam. I thought it was interesting and revealing in comparison to what we are fed by the media here. Her blog is "No Pain No Gain", a rather appropriate title for her country's struggles.

Saddam's Era

Saddam was executed by hanging on 30th December 2006. Several friends connected to the Green Zone and the Iraqi government have stated different times of 30th December when and where Saddam was actually executed. The celebrations for this new chapter after Saddam's era have not occured yet in NZ but I suppose that will be postponed to the Iraqi New year parties held on 31st December for all the Iraqi citizens. I spent the day and night watching several Arab media like Aljazeera which spent their reports interviewing people who supported Saddam. Western medias seemed more useful in interviewing witnesses of Saddam's execution and fellow politicians who are aware of the court verdict. For the Muslim world in the northern Hemisphere, it is the Eid al adha which signifies the biggest celebrations in the religion of Islam.

Many Iraqis question the reason of executing Saddam on this special occassion. Why would they leave it at such a time? I guess Bush made his odd speeches about the year ending only when Saddam is executed and Saddam was acting so religious and tacky about wanting his execution day to be near the time of Eid. Many of us can only question what this Iraqi government benefiting the Iraqis in Iraq? What good are they doing to extend the execution date for an extra 2 weeks after the official verdict by the Iraqi judge? What good is the government when it decides to issue segments of Saddam's hanging on public television. What does politician Laith Kuba indicate when he chose to go back to USA losing his goals in Iraq after stating that each person his own valley of opinions which other Iraqi politicians refuse to listen to? All these things indicate that the Iraqi government is there to play with our emotions, particularly Iraqi emotions. I say that because the Iraqi government at the time of the famous abdul kareem qasim was not shown his execution completely to the public; to this day it is still rare to find a video that shows his death. Or how about the time when Saddam's sons were caught by American troops....their 'dead' faces were shown in photos, not videos or photographers. I watched with disgust as the media showed segments of this hanging, not because I love him but because it is inhumane to see a man you hate get killed infront of you. We humans are prone to hate somebody, a man who ruined our lives but are unable to commit a crime ourselves or even observe it live, many of us do not have this capability by nature; that is how Faisal sabbardi interviewed by several current medias said it "Saddam killed my family and friends and I left Iraq because of Saddam but there is no reason or benefit for me to witness his entire execution on video, all I need is a photo of his dead body to prove to me that he is dead". However because Iraqis are gullible, like the time the death of Saddam's sons were denied for the first few days, this event needed extensive footages for Iraqis to believe that, yes, Saddam did actually get executed. That's how barbaric Iraqis have become; by tolerating the death and to provide the way of execution to the entire national public and world-wide.

Each Middle Eastern country had its own style of benefit and view of Saddam. However at the end of the day when Saddam has left this Earth, several people like the Palestinians who benefited from Saddam's aid, Jordanians, Syrians and Libyans still have their respect to this man. The Libyan leader recently showed sympathy towards this very day. Why? I must ask myself.......Is it maybe he is scared that this day of execution will reach to his doorstep too because the whole public witnessed it and he needed to be seen as something better than saddam by sympathizing over his death? Why is it they see him so obedient and respectful when Iraqis, Kuwaitis and Iranians see him as a murderer? True, Saddam was seen as a respectful man towards certain countrymen but he was certainly not the same with local citizens and those he made war against. Only Iraqi citizens are aware of how bad Saddam and his regime really was, they faced it first hand directly, there should be no major reason for other people to deny what Iraqis say about Saddam.

I must say there is a difference for an Iraqi being sad about viewing this execution, people like me...and an Iraqi who had been sad from the moment they caught Saddam. Saddam is a weak man who refused to use his weapon he had in the hole while hiding but because alot of people listened to him, he became certainly powerful. There is much to say about this moment, the good and bad, but I can only say that this execution is not everything. It is simply a step closer to the ultimate goals of the average Iraq, which is to attain peace, security and equality. It is part of the solution. Whether Saddam's era will continue to be used as revenge or retaliation, that is one questionable possibility in regards to how much people are willing to fight for such a cause. Time as always, will tell.

Happy Eid and New year!
posted by Baghdad @ Sunday, December 31, 2006 0 comments