Happy New Year!

To all my readers...wishing you the best in the coming year of 2012.

I like to post a New Year's poem the past few years, the one I found this year seems to be from
 'Author Unknown', presented here for your enjoyment.

At the sound of the tolling midnight bell
a brand new year will begin.
Let’s raise our hopes in a confidant toast,
to the promise it ushers in.

May your battles be few, your pleasure many,
your wishes and dreams fulfilled.
May your confidence stand in the face of loss
and give you the strength to rebuild.

May peace of heart fill all your days
may serenity grace your soul.
May tranquil moments bless your life
and keep your spirit whole.

~ Author Unknown ~

Comments by ZingerBug.com

Surfing the Web..

Time for the last 'web surf' of 2011, wherein I pass on links I hope others might find of interest.

It's a short list to post here at year's end, but as we head out of a year that saw the ending of our presence in Iraq while our troops continue to fight on in Afghanistan...these seemed like important posts/stories to make you aware of, and for us all to reflect upon.

First, Rajiv Srinivason posts  For Anne

Paul Franklin passes on  The eyes that reveal the trauma of war

from MassLive.com  comes
War photographer Anja Niedringhaus' journey to locate injured Marine she comforted in Afghanistan

and lastly, from the Army/Live blog  'He was just a baby'

That's the surf!

Looking forward to passing on more in the coming year. Thank you, for reading these links I pass along.

God bless our Troops!
and may His Comfort and Peace surround the loved ones of those whom we have lost,and those who continue to recover from injuries received in service to our country.

Find the Data

I was recently made aware of these two websites, part of findthedata.org

the first is LocateGrave.org  you can search for graves of veterans across the U.S.

and the second is a database of Medal of Honor recipients   http://medal-of-honor.findthedata.org/

the feature I like most is the 'comparison' feature, that seemed really interesting.

Passing these on for you to check out further!

To All My Readers..

Wishing you all a

Comments by ZingerBug.com

Christian Glitter by www.christianglitter.com

Send a Holiday Message to Wounded Warriors~by Dec. 18

Off the Base passes on that the Wounded Warrior Project is asking that you send an email message to be used on a special WWP message board that is shared with America's wounded heroes...and the deadline is Dec. 18th to send your message...go Here for the story and link...and then spread the word, will you please?

Wednesday Hero

Marguerite Gene Arenesen (left) a member of the Coast Guard in World War II, George Warren (standing), a Canadian-born immigrant who became a naturalized American citizen at age 17 and joined the Army Air Corps shortly after the Dec. 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor and Thomas M. Sugg, a Navy veteran, share a moment in front of a Christmas tree at the Veterans Home in Barstow, California.  Photo Courtesy United States Marine Corps Taken By Keith Hayes

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives just so others may get to enjoy freedom. For that I am proud to call them Hero.

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.

Arlington Wreath Laying 2011

kasee102's photostream on Flickr.


We went to  Arlington National Cemetery  yesterday , to participate in the
Wreaths Across America  20th annual wreath laying .

Unfortunately, after a change in the schedule that we hadn't seen, we arrived after most of the wreaths had been laid. We managed to find just a few of the last wreaths, and place them, and then we proceeded to take some pictures ...which I still don't think do justice to how breathtaking it is to look out across the cemetery and see the wreaths laid in row upon row of headstones, as far as the eye can see. 

And then I went to Section 60 and found a grave that I've been meaning to visit for a long time, to pay my respects...ever since I sent the widow of this fallen soldier a condolence card, she has always sent me a beautiful Christmas card every year, with a  moving remembrance of her husband, and so I wished to take time to pause at his gravesite and say a small prayer.

While our participation this year didn't go quite as we had planned? it was still a privilege to be a part of this once again at Arlington..
.and Thank You, to Morrill Worcester and the Worcester Wreath Company  for beginning this tradition!

---------------------
Soldiers Angels Germany has a nice post up also about Wreath-laying at Arlington

Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Post Was Suggested By Mrs Xoke
Sgt. 1st Class Bryan E. Hall 32 years old from Elk Grove, California 1st Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division April 10, 2009 Bryan Hall received three Army commendation medals, as well as good Army achievement, good conduct and war on terrorism medals. But his family didn't learn about them until after his death. "He was such a humble man," said his mother, Betty. "He was a special person, he never boasted about his accomplishments or was arrogant and pompous, he did his job," his sister, Kristi, said. "When he was done with his job, he came home and he was a father, a husband, a son and a brother. He embodied what I think every soldier would want to be." Sgt. 1st Class Hall was a junior in High School when he signed up for an Army early entry program. After he graduated he attended one year of college before enlisting. Bryan Hall, and five other soldiers, was killed on April 10, 2009 when a suicide bomber detonated a truck packed with explosives at a police station in Mosul, Iraq. Betty Hall said an Army commander told her that by ordering his soldiers to fire on the suicide bomber's truck, her son probably saved many lives by preventing the attacker from entering the police compound.  You can read more about Sgt. 1st Class Bryan Hall  here.


These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives just so others may get to enjoy freedom. For that I am proud to call them Hero.

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.

December 7, 1941

(This Post Was Written By Cindy  Thank you, Cindy, for sharing this with others to post!)

Pearl Harbor was originally a shallow embankment called Wai Momi (Pearl Water) or Pu'rloa (long Hill). It was considered the home of the shark goddess, Ka'ahupahua, and her brother, Kahiuka. Tradition says that Keaunui, the legendary chief of the Ewa chiefs is the one w ho created a navigable channel near the present day Pu'uloa saltworks. The estuary known as "Pearl River" was then accessible to shipping. It was never used for large shipping because of the shallow entrance. As whaling and trading began to use the islands as a half-way point in the Pacific, by 1820 the US was looking for a major harbor. It was not until the turn of the century that Pearl Harbor began to be refitted for larger naval vessels.The naval base we know today was formally opened when the dry dock was open to flooding on August 21, 1919.

As early as February 1, 1933, the Navy staged a mock attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. The exercise was a disaster. Even in 1933 it was known that Pearl Harbor's defenses were considered, after the mock attack by Japan, a failure. It makes the events of December 7, 1941 even more heart-wrenching. The War Department knew the attack was coming. They did not know when. They did not realize that Pearl Harbor, which was basically a sitting duck, was to be the location of the attack. It was assumed the attack would come in the Philippines.


Photo taken by a Japanese plane shows Battleship Row at the beginning of the attack, along with the strike on the USS Oklahoma

Under the command of Admiral Chuichi Nagumo, the attack was devastating in loss of life and damage to the U.S. fleet. At 06:05 on December 7, the six Japanese carriers launched a first wave of 183 aircraft composed mainly of dive bombers, horizontal bombers and fighters. The Japanese hit American ships and military installations at 07:51. The first wave attacked military airfields of Ford Island. At 08:30, a second wave of 170 Japanese aircraft, mostly torpedo bombers, attacked the fleet anchored in Pearl Harbor. The battleship Arizona was hit with an armor-piercing bomb which penetrated the forward ammunition compartment, blowing the ship apart and sinking it within seconds. Overall, nine ships of the U.S. fleet were sunk and 21 ships were severely damaged. Three of the 21 would be irreparable. The overall death toll reached 2,403, including 68 civilians, and 1,178 injured. Of the military personnel lost at Pearl Harbor, 1,177 were from the Arizona. The first shots fired were from the destroyer Ward on a midget submarine that surfaced outside of Pearl Harbor; Ward sank the midget sub at approximately 06:55, about an hour before the attack on Pearl Harbor. Japan would lose 29 out of the 350 aircraft they attacked with...."

USS Arizona   The attack on Pearl Harbor, called Hawaii Operation or Operation Al by the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters was designed to prevent the US Pacific Fleet from interfering with their military actions in Southeast Asia, against overseas territories of the United Kingdom, Netherlands, and the US. The Japanese attack was so thorough that only 29 aircraft and five midget submarines were lost. The US death toll was 2,403. Only 65 Japanese servicemen were killed or wounded. One Japanese sailor was captured.  Arizona Memorial  Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam WWII In The Pacific

Wednesday Hero

Spc. Joseph A. Graves 21 years old from Discovery Bay, California 110th Military Police Company, 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade July 26, 2006    Spc. Joseph Graves's dream was to work for the FBI and he saw that joining the Military was a way to help me do that. Joseph Graves enlisted in the Army at 17 and surprised his family when he went to jump school soon afterwards. "This was a kid I could hardly get to ski down a ski slope, because it was too intimidating," said his father, Kevin. "And now he's jumping out of airplanes." Spc. Graves was the lone casualty when his convoy was attacked by insurgents near Baghdad on July 26, 2006.  You can read more about Spc. Graves here

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives just so others may get to enjoy freedom. For that I am proud to call them Hero.

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.
  

Happy Thanksgiving!

Comments by ZingerBug.com

Happy Thanksgiving! and God bless our Troops!

Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Post Was Suggested By Kathi







Wreaths Across America has been profiled before and it will probably be profiled again because they are a great organization. For 20 years they have have laid Christmas wreaths on the headstones of our fallen heroes at Arlington National Cemetery. And this year, for their 20th year, their goal is to lay a wreath on every headstone, all 220,000, and they need our help. Head over to Help Wreaths Across America Cover Arlington and there you can find information on how you can do that. Whether it's via a donation or just getting the word out, anything we can do helps.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives just so others may get to enjoy freedom. For that I am proud to call them Hero.
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.

Sending Holiday Mail to Wounded Warriors

It's that time of year again, when caring folks wish to send Holiday mail to our Wounded Warriors.

Unfortunately, a number of years ago an email began virally circulating that claimed you could send Holiday cards to 'any wounded servicemember' at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

So, to be clear....NO, YOU CANNOT SEND HOLIDAY CARDS TO 'ANY WOUNDED SERVICEMEMBER' at Walter Reed.

For one thing, Walter Reed Army Medical Center CLOSED in August, and merged with Bethesda Naval Medical Center to become the  Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

For another, it's been quite a few years since  any of the military hospitals acceptedmail addressed to 'any wounded servicemember' .

But, fear not!......thanks to the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes

YOU CAN SEND HOLIDAY MAIL TO WOUNDED WARRIORS THROUGH THE

HOLIDAY MAIL FOR HEROES  program

Send cards to the address below:


Holiday Mail For Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

All cards must be postmarked no later than Friday, December 9th. Cards postmarked after this date will unfortunately be returned to the sender. This deadline ensures enough time to sort and distribute cards before the holidays..

Ensure that all cards are signed.


Use generic salutations such as “Dear Service Member.” Cards addressed to specific individuals can not be delivered through this program.

Only cards are being accepted. Do not send letters.

Do not include email or home addresses on the cards, as the program is not meant to foster pen pal relationships.

Do not include inserts of any kind, including photos, as these items will be removed during the reviewing process.

Please refrain from sending holiday cards with glitter. Many of these cards will be delivered to military and veterans medical facilities and the glitter could interfere with a patient’s recovery.

We encourage participants to mail as many cards as they are comfortable sending. If you are mailing a large quantity, please bundle the cards and place them in large mailing envelopes or use a flat rate box from the post office. Each card does not need its own envelope, as cards will be removed from all envelopes before distribution




Hope this helps you get your Holiday Mail on the way!! and Bless you, for wishing to send Holiday Wishes to our Wounded Warriors.

Thank you!! again this year, to Red Cross and Pitney Bowes.

Wednesday Hero

Sgt. Kevin Stewart(Left) & Spc. David Duque(Right)


Sgt. Kevin Stewart, left, congratulates Spc. David Duque on his becoming a U.S. citizen in a ceremony at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, Nov. 9. Duque is a native of Cuba. Both soldiers are members of Company E, Forward Support Element, 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Photo Courtesy U.S. Army Taken By Capt. Christopher Larsen


These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives just so others may get to enjoy freedom. For that I am proud to call them Hero.

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.

Surfing the Web..

Another post where I provide links from my own 'surfing' of the World Wide Web, for you to check out.

Because I've recently been watching 50 Documentaries to see before you die
I was pleased to see that Charlie Sherpa at Red Bull Rising posted
Film Fest: 8 Docs about War in Afghanistan

 Milblogging.com recently posted how to
Search for first hand accounts from Veterans

Airman Mom introduces her daughter-in-law's blog  MamaWifeAirman

I missed a recent sad anniversary, but Operation Ward 57 remembered
Two Years Later Remembering Those Fallen at Fort Hood   

and Consul at Arms II  directs us to  this post at the Foreign Policy Research Institute
Hasan and the Fort Hood Tragedy: For the U.S. Armed Forces

  Paul Franklin weighs in with Islam in the United States and in the US Military

Off the Base sends us to the links for the NPR Story on Marines of the 3/5 "Darkhorse"

Over at the Sandbox , Garrett Phillip Anderson shares his thoughts about pulling out of Iraq
One for Ten

while With a Bible in my Ruck posts about preparing to deploy to Afghanistan
The Jury's Still Out


Lastly, via Blackfive,  a Gold Star Father (and one of the finest gentleman I've had the privilege to meet) shares the story of his attempt to visit the spot where his son fell in Iraq
108 Hours: A Thank You and Mission Complete

Well, that's the 'surf'! Until next time!

"Angel Walk: Nurses in Iraq and Afghanistan"

Just came across another book to add to my list!

Angel Walk:Nurses in Iraq and Afghanistan

from the Amazon.com description:

 Book Description


Publication Date: April 1, 2010

Angel Walk reveals the untold stories of the men and women who have fought for the lives of those wounded on the battlefield, Army Nurse Corps (ANC) officers. It provides a unique perspective into the hearts and minds of these caretakers; sheds light on their experiences, trials, and tribulations; and describes the lifestyle and living accommodations of these nurses and their patients. A retired ANC colonel, Dr. Sharon Richie-Melvan delicately retells the horrific stories of mass casualties, amputations, and death experienced by those deployed to a combat zone; voices compassion and empathy for those who are still caring for the wounded, and reminds us of the pride and camaraderie of being a military nurse. Throughout this book the authors reveal the joys, fears, reactions, and coping mechanisms used by nurses in the line of duty. As a nursing professor, Dr. Diane Vines identifies key resources, critical references, and explores how family members, friends, colleagues, and concerned citizens can better understand and help warriors and nurses in their reintegration back home. She also presents the full spectrum of coping responses from mild stress reactions to severe depression and explores the varied education and treatment programs now available to all returning troops.

Time for STRIPES Holdiay Messages again!

http://messages.stripes.osd.mil/

Once again, Stars and Stripes is here to help you send free Holiday Messages to your family and friends. Messages will appear online (and overseas in our print newspaper if you choose), so your loved ones will be able to see your message no matter where they’re deployed or stationed. (Messages sent to recipients located in the U.S. will only appear online and not in print.)


Sending a message is easy!

Messages received by November 28 will appear in the newspaper edition of your choice (Europe, Mideast or Pacific) on December 17th. Any message submitted after November 28 will appear online only and not in print.

Submit a holiday message for your family and friends stationed or deployed overseas to find in the pages of Stars and Stripes !

Help Wreaths Across America Cover Arlington

DSCN0958, a photo by kasee102 on Flickr.(from Wreaths Across America at Arlington in 2008)

Help Wreaths Across America Cover Arlington

2011 marks the 20th anniversary of Morrill Worcesters first trip to Arlington National Cemetery with donated wreaths for the headstones of our Nation’s veterans. And for the 20th year observance, Wreaths Across America has made it a goal to cover all of Arlington – over 220,000 wreaths in all sections of its hallowed grounds.



"It is a big task, and with just weeks to go we still need a lot of help or we are going to come up short,” said WAA Executive Director Karen Worcester – whose team is hard at work planning not only for the events at Arlington, but at over 650 other locations nationwide.