Soldiers Angels Web Surfing

My weekly surf of the web for news by, and about Soldiers Angels

Pictures!
starting out with a wonderful picture posted at Soldiers Angels Germany that was included with a blanket sent to a wounded hero
"Thank you for all you do to protect our freedom."



Soldiers Angels Texas has a pic from the recent
Dallas Area Angels Meet & Greet


and Tennessee Soldiers Angels has some great photos from the
VETERAN'S HONOR BRUNCH AT EAST TN NURSING HOME


Coolness!

Soldiers Angels Louisiana blogged 1,000 Cool Scarves sent to LA Guard


E.T.Phone Home!

Over at MS Soldiers' Angels/MS Soldiers' Angels VA Team ,they blogged about a "free call day" for soldiers stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan on Aug.17, sponsored by the VFW. You can read about it HERE



Supporting Our Wounded

View From the 8th Floor has a great post up Supporting Our Wounded Warriors

Remembering the Fallen

Life in the Northeast posted for us to Remember... last Sunday.

That's all for the 'surf' from this past week,

but there's lots more postings being written by Soldiers Angels, and you can always check out blognetnews.com/Soldiers Angels for the latest.

Or, if you want to 'surf' some more? You can check out the

Angel Toolbox

on the Soldiers Angels website....lots of great info and links there.

Wednesday Hero

1st. Lt. Thomas M. Marti
27 years old from Ward, Arkansas
C Troop, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division
October 14, 2007


An Eagle Scout, Thomas M. Martin took on cleaning up an old red train caboose as a service project. "He remodeled it to make it where people could go inside. If you saw it before and looked in it after he was through - it was daylight and dark", said his former principal, Robert Martin, who is no relation. "Tom was involved in Key Club, German Club and band, making All-Region Band his sophomore year", said Robert Martin. "He was a wonderful young man. Those that knew him knew he was funny and outgoing."

Lt. Martin died in Al Busayifi, Iraq of wounds sustained from small-arms fire when insurgents attacked his unit during combat operations. He enlisted in the Army in 1998 after graduating high school and served in Korea before accepting an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, graduating in 2005.

"He was very polite and respectful. I can't think of him ever overreacting; he had a wonderful, good-natured personality", said Pat Hagge, a family friend. "It's a terrible tragedy; he was a great young man."

Lt. Thomas Martin is survived by his parents, Edmund and Candis.

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.

A Local Silver Star Recipient

Our local newspaper had this story this morning

Kite Receives Silver Star for Actions in Iraq by Jeff Mellott


Sgt. 1st Class Chad Kite, who hails from Elkton,VA and is a 1998 graduate of Spotswood High School in our area, was awarded the Silver Star on July 16 at Ft. Lewis Washington.


You can read more about the award ceremony and see a picture of SFC. Kite HERE

Around the Web

Various places I've been surfing this morning (instead of organizing my storage room in the basement)

Two pleas for help.......

Boston Maggie had this posted the other day, and updates follow

Supporting a Friend I Haven't Met Yet

and Aunty Brat sends out this Soldiers Angels Alert

URGENT help needed!

Please spread the word about both of those needs,if you would!

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Did you know there's now "Milblogs TV"? Check out the first episode at The Mudville Gazette http://www.mudvillegazette.com/archives/030575.html and then check the sidebar for links to other postings.

Continuing over at Mudville, the husband and I have been watching the HBO miniseries

Generation Kill

and the second review that The Mudville Gazette links to is worth the read http://www.mudvillegazette.com/archives/030583.html

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I made Milblogging.com :) JP has the write-up about our meet-up here

Milblogger Meets up with Friends

(and links back to me, so you may get dizzy,lol,going in a circle. Once again, what a Great time we had, meeting up with he and his family! :)

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Lastly, Michelle Malkin is just one of the many who blogged about the death yesterday of Randy Pausch
Randy Pausch, R.I.P.

and if you've not yet taken the time to view "The Last Lecture", it's posted (along with other videos) on Prof. Pausch's homepage HERE

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.

Soldiers Angels Web Surfing

My weekly 'surf' of the web, for news by and about Soldiers Angels

Last week was light surfing, LOTS of great links to pass on This week!


First up, two 'new-to-me' Angels, yay! always happy to come across new Angel sites :)

Over here at What's Up with the Marsh Fam , 'Momma' Marsh blogs about joining Soldiers Angels


and then coming across this post on Steph's Crop-Life Documented led me to this website Scrapping for Soldiers



Two! 'Meet and Greets'!


Penny Sandford blogged about the Mississippi one in A Mississippi Hero with two and four legs

and then Stacy at Keep My Soldier Safe, a/k/a G.R.I.T.S. blogged more on the same event at WOUNDED WARRIORS ARRIVED IN MISSISSIPPI

and in Texas, Texas Soldiers Angels posted about the Austin Area Angels have Meet and Greet


and there's also been some Houston VA Hospital Bingo going on in Texas :)


Soldiers Angels of Alabama told about a Local family welcomes one of their own Welcome Home! to Will and all the 'Waterdawgs'!


The Soldiers Angels Ladies of Liberty had the 62nd QM CO Commander- DeShaunda Reports in


This was a 'cool' story on the GoDanRiver.com website Church helps soldiers stay cool


Soldiers Angels-Medical Support blogged Chaplain Bell Puts in "The Fix" at Bagram E/R


And Willie at A German-American Friendship Bracelet had

19.07.2008 news and stories around Soldiers` Angels

and

19.07.2008 wounded heroes news and stories


Life in the Northeast posted last Sunday for us to Remember...


and lastly, the Fayetteville, NC Observer posted about what was done by the widow of a fallen soldier, Sgt. Adam D. Quinn , with the tree that she was given by the Soldiers Angels Living Legends Team in this story

Tree honors husband, father By Meghan Cooke


That's the conclusion of the Soldiers Angels Web Surfing for this past week.

July 23rd- 3 Family Birthdays!

Happy Birthday to....Sue!






Happy birthday to...Ben!






Happy Birthday to...Dustin!



Hope you each have a wonderful day!

Wednesday Hero

(posting this early, Wednesday will be reserved for another post this week.)



This Weeks Hero Was Suggested By Toni


1st LT. Frank B. Walkup, IV
23 years old from Woodbury, Tennessee
2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division
June 16, 2007


Toni already has a great post up on her site, so I'll just link to 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.

More about the Afghanistan Outpost Attack on 7/13/08

For more about the battle that killed 9 soldiers in Afghanistan.......I came across this link, those losses hit home in a personal way for a Soldier's Angel

Click here: Fuzzilicious Thinking: CPL Jonathan R. Ayers

FBL went on to post an update

Click here: Fuzzilicious Thinking: "Normal Humans Wouldn't Do That"

which linked to a Stars and Stripes article with an interview with some of the wounded from that battle

Soldiers recount deadly attack on Afghanistan outpost

For more on the battle, another Soldiers Angel friend has a very good post up, and it got featured on Milblogging.com

In the Blogs: Not for Nothing, And Knowing It: A Special Thanks to Milbloggers (Again)


Those left behind continue to be held in our thoughts and prayers.

Soldiers Angels Web Surfing



My weekly surf of the web for news by, and about

Soldiers Angels


This past week, Soldiers Angels Louisiana told us
Reason #gazillion why I’m an angel

Soldiers Angels Texas asked us to
Give a Veteran Some Tank Support

Stacy at Keep My Soldier Safe, a/k/a G.R.I.T.S.

Got the Mississippi Soldiers Angels VA Website up and running,hurray!


And then Willie at A German-American Friendship Bracelet keeps us updated on

News and stories around "Landstuhl regional Medical Center"

and

News and stories around "Brooke Army Medical Center"


That's all for the 'surf' this week!



America's Freedom Broadcast Radio

Gotta give a shout-out to the wonderful folks at

America's Freedom Broadcast Radio

America’s Freedom Broadcast Radio is dedicated to the men and women who carry on the fight for our freedom and liberties and to those that precede them in defense of Freedom and Democracy World Wide. Our goal is to give our Military, their families, Veterans and first responders a place to listen in from any where in the world so they can connect to their loved ones through music and messages of support. Our Staff is dedicated to letting everyone serving this country know we here at home are supporting them and their families, no matter where they are deployed to in the world.


They found out through a mutual friend that Dustin's 21rst birthday is coming up on July 23
and go click on their page, to see what they did!

America's Freedom Broadcast Radio


Thanks a million,AFB radio!!! You guys are awesome!!

A Chilling Prescience by Michael Yon

When the sad news first came out about the deaths of 9 U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan on July 13 U.S. troops died in Taliban attempt to storm base

I recalled that Michael Yon had predicted something like this attack on this outpost would happen.

I went back and found the two quotes of his that I recalled.....and, though he was off by a year in his original estimate, his words seem chillingly prescient now.

From an October 30,2006 article in The Weekly Standard, in his article Censoring Iraq
the pertinent quote by Yon is: (emphasis mine)

"Early this spring, when I reported from Afghan farms about this year’s bumper opium crop, people thought I was using that opium. Now it is common knowledge that the opium trade is fueling a Taliban comeback. Mark this on your calendar: Spring of 2007 will be a bloodbath in Afghanistan for NATO forces. Our British, Canadian, Australian, Dutch, and other allies will be slaughtered in Afghanistan if they dare step off base in the southern provinces, and nobody is screaming at the tops of their media-lungs about the impending disaster. I would not be surprised to see a NATO base overrun in Afghanistan in 2007 with all the soldiers killed or captured. And when it happens, how many will claim they had no idea it was so bad and blame the media for failing to raise the alarm? Here it is: WARNING! Troops in Afghanistan are facing slaughter in 2007!"

and here, in his 3 part series on a visit to Afghanistan in 2006

The Perfect Evil, Part I of III

Perfect Evil Part Two of Three

The Perfect Evil, Part III of III

is this quote:(again,emphasis my own)

"There is a widespread notion that Afghanistan is safer for our troops than Iraq, yet Coalition and NATO combat deaths in Afghanistan are per capita nearly identical to those in Iraq. In 2007, per capita combat deaths will–-in my opinion–-likely be significantly higher in Afghanistan than Iraq. Why? There are many reasons, but one of the most important is that after years of neglect and dawdling, our European allies are awakening to the reality that a monster really is under the bed. But this awareness is not keeping pace with the threat. Our European friends are still not providing their people with proper equipment, all while the Taliban is getting stronger from the billion-dollar narcotics backwash that floods enemy coffers. As in Iraq, troop numbers are also dangerously low in Afghanistan, where the handfuls of friendly forces additionally lack sufficient air power to stretch their security resources."


In searching for the quotes, I came across this post on The Captain's Journal:

Nine U.S. Soldiers Killed in Kunar, Afghanistan: What Can We Learn?

which seemed a well-reasoned summary of the possible lessons to be learned from this tragedy, to prevent a recurrence.


And then, I was appalled to come across this article in the Military Times

U.S. pulls out of attacked Afghan base


Barely have the families of the 9 fallen soldiers begun to mourn, when they find that the outpost their loved ones died fighting in has already been abandoned.


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I close this post by remembering those 9 fallen heroes.

I have included a link with each soldier's name, for you to learn just a little bit about them individually.

From the DOD website:

The Department of Defense announced the death of nine soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died of wounds suffered when their outpost was attacked by small arms fire and rocket propelled grenades from enemy forces in Wanat, Afghanistan, on July 13. They were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 503d Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Vicenza, Italy.

Killed were:

1st Lt. Jonathan P. Brostrom, 24, of Hawaii.

Sgt. Israel Garcia, 24, of Long Beach, Calif.

Cpl. Jonathan R. Ayers, 24, of Snellville, Ga.

Cpl. Jason M. Bogar, 25, of Seattle, Wash.

Cpl. Jason D. Hovater, 24, of Clinton, Tenn.

Cpl. Matthew B. Phillips, 27, of Jasper, Ga.

Cpl. Pruitt A. Rainey, 22, of Haw River, N.C.

Cpl. Gunnar W. Zwilling, 20, of Florissant, Mo.

Pfc. Sergio S. Abad, 21, of Morganfield, Ky.

Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and friends and their fellow soldiers.

Visit to Arlington National Cemetary

This past weekend, we visited Arlington National Cemetary for the first time. I've put together a slideshow of the pictures that Tony took.

What I don't think our pictures, or any pictures I've ever seen, convey....is the Vastness of Arlington. It's just immense.

We walked to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and JFK's memorial, and could see the Pentagon in the distance in one section we were in.

It was a quiet and reverant place to visit.

It's also the place where the Run for the Fallen will finish up the cross-country run to honor our fallen heroes from OIF on Final Day Event: Sunday August 24

We hope to make it up to Arlington again, for that final day of the run, but I also noticed last evening on the Run for the Fallen website that on Day 63,August 16, the Run will be quite close to us here

RFTF.Day63.Aug16.Waynesboro, VA to Shannon Hill, VA (49.81 mi.)

and there is a link on Flickr to the fallen heroes that the Run will be honoring that day HERE

If you haven't checked out the Run for the Fallen Website? take some time to look over it HERE

Wednesday Hero

Spc. Kisha Makerney
23 years old from Fort Towson, Oklahoma
120th Engineers, Oklahoma Army National Guard


Spc. Kisha Mackerney isn't being profiled today because of something she did on the battlefield. She's being profiled because her spirit and determination. In 2002, Makerney joined the Oklahoma Army National Guard out of a sense of patriotism, because, as she put it, "I love our country and our people." Between 2004 and 2005, she served in Iraq as a gunner and helped provide battalion security. She returned home in early 2005 and was in a terrible motorcycle accident on June 25, 2005. The front wheel of her brand new bike had blown out and sent her flying into a highway sign. She looked up at her now mangled bike and was angry. That's when she noticed that her left leg below the knee was missing. The first thing she thought of when she saw her leg was that her military career was over.

Makerney pulled herself out of the ditch that she had landed in and was able to flag down a passing motorist. She was taken a hospital in Hugo, Oklahoma before being flown to Dallas, Texas.

As soon as word spread about her accident, her fellow soldiers, her second family, rallied and rushed to her bedside. "Even before I was out of surgery they were waiting in the halls," she said.

Continue reading Spc. Kisha Makerney's story here. (There are some despicable comments by a few readers on the story. Just ignore them.)

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.

I Met the Webmaster:)

The 'webmaster' of Milblogging.com ,that is. (And, you know what? he looks more like a Boohbah than I thought he would :)




This past weekend, my husband and I had the pleasure of meeting JP and his family, and also seeing his mother again,( whom I'd met at the 2007 Milblog conference.)

(yes, JP temporarily lifted the restraining order, lol......however, he Did make sure that we met in a public place :)

Back in 2005 when I sent my first email to a blogging National Guard soldier stationed in Afghanistan, I had no clue that I'd become one of those legions of ladies who are JP's fans.....affectionately referred to as 'Crackheads', or 'Crackhead Hausfraus'.

And I could never have imagined that we'd stay in touch online over the years after his first deployment,while JP went on to found Milblogging.com and become a megastar in the Milblog world.

(I was not paid to write that....heck, JP's such a wheeler-dealer that I had to Pay, to get a Milblogging.com T-shirt :)

Seriously, when you spend several years online chatting with someone, and following the adventures of he, and his family, and his Platoon on his second deployment......and praying for him, and worrying about he and his family and platoon......I don't think I can quite describe what it feels like, to finally meet your online friend in person and give him a big ole Hug.

My husband and I had a wonderful time at the meeting, and it was a meeting filled with laughter, and talking, and More talking,lol. My husband and JP both share a snarky sense of humor, so they got along as well as I always thought they probably would.

JP and his family are just plain 'good folks'. His wife is every bit as beautiful in spirit as well as person, his sons are adorable (and yes, his youngest child Is a 'Care Bear':) and his mother has been just as supportive of Me over the past months of my stepson's deployment, as I had tried to keep her spirits up, also, while Her son was deployed.

I always say I love the Internet......but this past weekend was the real reason why I do. It's all about the People that the Internet gives you an opportunity to become close to.

It was Great, meeting the 'Webmaster of Milblogging.com" and his family:)

Thanks,JP!..... as always...dude, you rock!

Soldiers Angels Web Surfing

My weekly surf of the web for news by, and about, Soldiers Angels

I start out with very sad news today, via Soldiers Angels Germany
Recovered
The news that the bodies of Sergeant Alex Jimenez and Private Byron W. Fouty(who were kidnapped along with PFC Joseph Anzack during an ambush in May 2007),have been recovered.
Anzack's body was recovered earlier this year.

Our thoughts and prayers are with their families.
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Life in the Northeast posts the names of other recent Fallen Heroes in her July 5th Remember...

Keeping the families and friends and fellow soldiers of all our Fallen Heroes in our prayers,also.

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Before continuing with the 'surf', I wanted to remind you that you can always find the latest major blog posts by members of Soldiers Angels anytime at blognetnews.com/soldiersangels


and so I have lately been altering my Soldiers Angel Web Surf to try and highlight the posts I come across by lesser known Angel bloggers.

For instance, an Angel whose blog I've mentioned before has heard from her Adopted Soldier :)

Penny Sanford blogs Yippee! We heard from our Adopted Soldier!


A 'new-to-me' Angel blogs about becoming a member of Soldiers Angels in this post New Button on her blog All About Kimberly

and she has a brother who is currently serving in Iraq. It turns out that July 12 is his Birthday! as she posts here on His blog http://tommienotes.com/?p=44

So why not stop by and wish her brother a Happy Birthday!


Quilts and a quilting Angel were the subject of this news article from an online TN news outlet:
Woman seeks volunteers to make quilts for wounded soldiers

and then a quilting Soldiers Angel who is retired from the Air Force and a current military wife blogs on Sew Bee It Quilts for the Troops

Lastly, 'Brat', posting at Soldiers Angels New York introduces us to a 109 year old Every Day Hero


That's the 'surf' for this past week, thank you, as always, for taking the time to stop by and check out the links.

Wednesday Hero

Sgt. Kenneth J. Schall
22 years old from Peoria, Arizona
2nd Battalion, 70th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division
May 22, 2005


"It was very tough not to be touched by him in some way," said Terri Schall, Sgt. Kenneth Schall's mother.

Kenneth Schall was enrolled at Glendale Community College and was studying to become a history teacher when the country was attacked on September 11, 2001. The event spurred him to join the Army. He served a four and a half month tour in Iraq in 2004 and returned in February of 2005.

Terri Schall last spoke to her son on Mother's Day in 2005. "He sounded great — tired — but he said he was doing OK", she said. Sgt. Kenneth Schall died when the Humvee he was riding in was involved in an accident in Yusafiyah, Iraq.

Along with his mother, Sgt. Schall is survived by his father and two younger siblings.

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.

More on MOMENT OF THANKS

Via the Soldiers Angels website :


Moment of Thanks is a special website where anybody can personally thank America's Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines for their service and sacrifice. Soldiers’ Angels has teamed up with Shezoom.com to support their goal of sending 100,000 support messages via the Moment of Thanks website. To ensure the troops themselves see the encouraging messages, Soldiers' Angels has been given postcards about the site from SheZoom, which will be included in the care packages sent to deployed service members.

Sponsored by Kodak and led by SheZoom.com, Moment of Thanks offers several ways for people to share their heartfelt wishes with the troops, including uploading videos and photos, and sending written messages. It also includes messages of gratitude for the troops from stars of the entertainment, sports and politcal world.

It's so important for our troops to know they are loved and appreciated for their service, so please check out the Moment of Thanks website and leave your message of thanks for all our service members do for us. If you're a service member yourself, please visit and take at look at all the grateful Americans who value your service!

For more about the idea behind Moment of Thanks, you can listen to founder Stacey Artandi on a SpouseBUZZ podcast.

Project Healing Waters

Because of a story in our local paper

Wounded Find Healing Waters by Jenny Jones, Daily News-Record

I found out about This very worthy project

Project Healing Waters

Please go read more about them, they are doing great work!

(and there's also another good article from the Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Streams of Solace for Injured Vets by Rex Springston

Soldiers Angels Web Surfing

My apologies, the SA Web Surf didn't appear last week, because I was quite busy with the Soldiers Angels Living Legends Team

There were 56 US casualty announcements sent out by the DOD for the month of June, 29 soldiers fallen in Iraq and 27 soldiers fallen in Afghanistan, and the Angels on the Living Legends Team worked diligently to support the families of each of them.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to each of those families.

On June 22, Life in the Northeast posted some of the names of those fallen soldiers in her Remember... post, and you can find out more about those soldier's lives at the Living Legends Team Fallen Heroes blog.

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I am also in the process of making some changes in the Soldiers Angels Web Surfing.

While I have been posting 'news by and about' Soldiers Angels on a (mostly) weekly basis for over a year now,
with the advent of the BlogNetNews.com-Soldiers Angels link, it is now possible for you to check out the major blog posts by members of Soldiers Angels anytime you wish.....( and you Are doing that,right? :)

So, I think my SA Web Surfing post is going to be evolving into something a little different....... now that you have that link to use as a source for Soldier's Angels news, I think I'll be featuring posts from that link Less on this Web Surf, and concentrate More on posting links that you might Not see featured at that link.

For instance, I often come across blog posts by members of Soldiers Angels like this Angel over at Bag Blog Another 4H Story , who starts out by posting about a T-shirt that her daughter received from her adopted soldier....go check it out, cool T-shirt :)

While she goes on to write about a 4H story? it is just always nice, I think, to run across other Angels, and what they are talking about, and see what kind of folks belong to Soldiers Angels......we 'Angels' come in all shapes and sizes, and are all over the world!

Another link I want to pass on, is the link to the blog of the most excellent 'Aunty Brat'......a tireless member of Soldiers Angels who hails from Canada,and has heretofore been blogging over at TankerBrothers while those fine soldiers were deployed.

They are home now,yay! and while 'Brat' will still continue to guest blog there, and also on Soldiers Angels New York ( and you can Also find her at NewsBlaze......hmmm,Greta? I think you might have some competition,lol, for someone else trying to 'take over the 'net') :)

'Brat' has, as I mentioned once before, started her own personal blog Assoluta Tranquillita ......go check it out, particularly a recent post about a comic strip that she wished to spread the word about.


Another interesting Soldiers Angels member that I've only recently come across is 'KJ', over here at Musings...while I stumbled across her blog because of that particular post, her whole blog is a great read, here's the main link for you to check out more.


In case you missed them at the BlogNetNews link? Willie at A German-American Friendship Bracelet has posted
Walter Reed Medical Center news and stories

and

Brooke Army Medical Center news and stories

Speaking of BAMC? I came across this link because of Soldiers Angels, in the NewsofDelawareCounty.com, with an address to send cards to a recovering wounded soldier at BAMC, who is also being supported by SA
Wounded soldier recovering in TX

And check out this very interesting post at the many facets of donna, a member of the Soldiers Angels Wounded TLC team

Sadako Sasaki and 1,000 paper cranes


For more about sending mail to the troops? (in this case....emails) Soldiers Angels Louisiana reminds us that we have until July 10th to Send a Marine an email of Support

and View From the 8th Floor reposts her own email she sent
Don't know what to say to a Marine?

and then tells us *Still* need emails for those Sailors,too!

Lastly, the word is spreading about the Moment of Thanks website (sponsored in part by Soldiers Angels)

and you can see a video from our very own Laurie Martin,VP of SA, right HERE

I know I passed on a lot of links, but hope you can take the time to 'surf' and check them all out!

Wednesday Hero

Click Image For Full Size Lance Cpl. Julie Martinez


Lance Cpl. Julie Martinez, a radio operator with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, checks the communication capabilities during a backload of Marines from Combat Logistics Regiment 3 to the USS Essex June 9.

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.

Book Review: I Will Not Be Broken by Jerry White

Just finished reading I Will Not Be Broken by Jerry White and this is an amazingly uplifting and hope-filled book.

In 1984, Jerry White lost his leg in a landmine accident while on vacation in Israel. He later became a co-founder of the Landmine Survivors Network, which has recently changed it's name and broadened it's mission to become Survivor Corps

The book is a compilation of Jerry's own experiences and the lessons learned in surviving by many other people he's met, and it's subtitled "5 Steps to Overcoming a Life Crisis".

The book breaks down the keys to surviving and Thriving during that survival, into the 5 steps,which you can find listed on the website for the book, and for me, that was part of why I felt the book would be such an invaluable tool for anyone recovering from a cataclysmic loss in their life. Because of my volunteer work with Soldiers Angels , I was particularly thinking of wounded soldiers while I was reading this book.

Many wounded soldiers refer to the day they almost lost their life in combat as their "Alive Day", and although Jerry doesn't use that term in his book, I found this sentence on page 7 that seems to epitomize what "Alive Day" means...." I want to encourage all of us to honor our toughest dates - the tragedies that bind us - in an effort to transform victimhood into survivorship."

The book does a wonderful job, in my opinion, of giving practical advice for How to "transform victimhood into survivorship",and is also filled with the stories of How so many Other survivors of tragedies have done exactly that.

It's an easy read, and I would recommend it highly to anyone who is currently facing a life-altering tragedy in their life, or the life of someone close to them.

MoveAmericaForward Telethon today!

The MoveAmericaForward Telethon is happening right now, from 4 pm to midnight EST (1 pm to 9 pm Pacific time)

You can check out the livestream of the telethon "From the Frontlines" here http://www.ustream.tv/channel/from-the-frontlines

and on the MoveAmericaForward website they have a widget with a running total of donations Here

Wednesday Hero

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.

Huskers, The 2008 Milblog Conference, and Letters from Home Needed

Here's an event you might want to check out, if you're a military Husker fan

Husker Fans Salute to the Troops
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JP at Milblogging.com has UPDATES on the 2008 Milblog Conference

( which I won't be able to attend this year, sigh....but if you have a chance, consider going!!)
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Lastly, Major Pain at One Marine's View is asking for Emails of support for his Marines

LETTERS FROM HOME-WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?

Can you send these Marine's a good word?

(and pass the word on about this,please)

Remembering the Fallen

Two sites I wanted to pass on, about Remembering the Fallen.
The first is a site that a friend is working on
Click here: Remembering The Fallen

where she is in the process of going back to the very beginning of the war and listing the names of those fallen and a link to their Legacy.com guestbooks........she's doing this to encourage people to continue to go by and sign the Guestbooks, so the families and friends will know their fallen soldier has not been forgotten.

She's currently up to 2003.
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The second site to pass on is a link that a PGR friend sent me
a Run For the Fallen that started on Flag Day and will go on for ten weeks.

Soldiers Angels Web Surfing



My weekly 'surf' of the web for news by, and about,
Soldiers Angels

Willie at A German-American Friendship Bracelet covers some
Soldiers Angels News and Stories

and also, in case you can't get enough of a 'fix' of Soldiers Angels links from her post and my web surf? has a link to BlogNetNews.com, for more stories by blogging members of Soldiers Angels http://www.blognetnews.com/soldiersangels/

I won't link to all of the posts on that link, but you'll see quite a number of posts from the Ladies of Liberty blog and that's a blog I want to urge you to check out Ladies of Liberty partly because they are featuring a lot of Angels on there....it's always nice, to see the folks who are member Angels :) and they're also featuring the LOL servicemembers who are being supported by the Ladies of Liberty

For more news about Soldiers Angels? How about this story?
Wounded Soldiers And Veterans Get Assist From WWE®

Way to go, Oklahoma City Soldiers Angels! and WWE !



This....is just way cool, I think. The author of this blog and her family have adopted a soldier through Soldiers Angels, and getting the care packages together prompted some memories of his WW II deployment in Occupied Japan from an Uncle.

She blogs it here The Connecting Threads of War


Two things I wanted to highlight, from Soldiers Angels Texas....the first is a video Welcoming Troops at DFW Airport



and secondly, National Guard Troops in Iowa Need Angel Help


Lastly, I wanted to share a post from Soldiers Angels Germany

From the Soldiers' Angels mailbox

because it's a Thank You from the parent of a Fallen Hero to the Team at Soldiers Angels that I'm honored to be a part of The Living Legends Team


That's the 'surf' for this past week!

Wednesday Hero

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.

As Milblogging.com Nears a Milestone...

As Milblogging.com nears a Milestone Milblogging.com Approaches 2,000 Military Blog Milestone I decided to take a look back through the archives over there.

After all, over the years JP has gone from calling me a 'Milblogging.com fan' to referring to me as a 'Milblogging.com FANATIC' (and there was that paper served that said 'restraining order'....LOL, just kidding:)

Anyway, the idea for looking through the archives originated because I was wondering why, in his Milestone post, JP hadn't linked back to his very first entry on Milblogging.com?

I noticed on the Milblogging.com website that there was a handy link listed at the bottom of the home page that said BLOG ARCHIVES and thought to myself "oh, this will be easy."

Imagine my surprise when I clicked on the link and came to a page that said UNDER CONSTRUCTION (not sure 'surprise' is the word I want to use there.....'chagrin'? 'cursing'?'frustration'?)

So, it seemed my only solution was to scroll backwards in time, all the way back to October 31,2005,which is where I found the first entry

Hmmmm...not very auspicious, was it? Fortunately for all of us, Milblogging.com evolved....as did JP.....

From then:




To Now:



Actually, scrolling through the Milblogging.com archives all the way back to the beginning was like scrolling through the evolution of Milblogs themselves. I came across references to so many of the first milblogs which have now faded into the mists, as their writers returned to 'real life' from deployment, and ceased blogging.....and I recalled the excitement of discovering them for the first time, and avidly reading them as often as I could.

I also came across the numbers JP posted as he added milblogs to the Milblogging.com database, like Saturday,November 5,2005: A listing of 505 milblogs going on to Sunday,February 12,2006: 1,209 Milblogs in the database and Friday,September 8,2006: Tada! Here's the #1,500 military blog!

So, as you can see, it's taken awhile for Milblogging.com to get near this Milestone of 2,000 Milblogs. Currently, the site lists " 1,998 military blogs in 37 countries with 5,261 registered members " Yes,JP and Milblogging.com have come a long way, from that first posting of 505 milblogs spread over 15 countries .

JP started out with a dream of creating a database of military blogs for everyone to access......and I personally think he's done a Great job, at making that dream a reality!

So, here's to you, JP! Congratulations! on nearing this important milestone!
and Thanks! for letting all of us share in the journey, as you made that dream come true!

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Three years later,there are still many great milbogs being added to the database. If you haven't yet checked out Milblogging.com ......what are you waiting for? Go HERE


(crossposted from my ' real blog ', which I started with JP's encouragement back in March 2006)

Soldiers Angels Web Surfing



Due to a high school graduation for a cousin on Saturday, and Father's Day on Sunday, this is a Belated installment of my weekly 'surf' of the web for news by, and about, Soldiers Angels

Speaking of Father's Day? Soldiers Angels Germany has a post you won't want to miss Best Father's Day Ever

Sadly....Soldiers Angels Germany also posts about 9/11 "Truthers" harassing deployed Soldiers and Marines

but, on a happier note.....the Kodak moment of the month winner for June 2008, The Return

On that same theme.....Soldiers Angels of Alabama posts a Welcome Home

Moving on with the 'surf'....I've got 'cookie news'.....and more......

Happy Fathers Day!

To all the Dads in my family......and to all Fathers!

History in the Making...Effort to Send Care Packages to the Troops!

MoveAmericaForward has launched an effort to send the largest shipment of care packages Ever to our Troops!



** THE GOAL: **
To send the largest single shipment of care packages to U.S. troops in history. The shipment is scheduled to go out days before the 4th of July, as a gift from the American people to our military men and women - to thank them for ensuring that our nation remains safe and free. The entire effort is being organized by Move America Forward - the nation's largest grassroots pro-troop organization. Individuals can sponsor care packages via the MAF website: http://www.moveamericaforward.org/


Between now and June 26th they're asking Americans to sponsor personalized care packages that they will then ship over as part of a mass shipment to our troops - just in time for the 4th of July holiday!

Check out their Campaign Store HERE

and read more about the effort HERE

The grand finale for the push will take place on June 26th when a Jerry Lewis style 8-hour Internet Telethon ("From the Frontlines") will take place. This cutting edge production “From The Frontlines” will be broadcast live online by UStream.tv and hosted by Melanie Morgan &Michelle Malkin. Live and taped reports will be broadcast from our troops serving in Iraq & Afghanistan during the historic 8-hour event.



A few other postings about this drive:

Soldiers Angels

Soldiers Angels Louisiana

Gathering of Eagles

Michelle Malkin

Melanie Morgan

The Radio Patriot

SWAC Girl

Please spread the word!

Wednesday Hero

Army Spc. Jeffrey A. Williams
20 years old from Warrenville, Illinois
Support Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment
September 5, 2005


SPC. Jeffery A. Williams was killed in action when an IED was detonated near his combat patrol in Tal Afar, Iraq.

"Your time with us was far too short
Dealing with your loss will be hard,
When I think about what this world has lost
I want to just shut out the world and cry,
But I will not do that.
Because you gave your life for something much greater than you or I
So, I will remember you as the Hero that you are
And never let what you did in your life cut short be forgotten
And that is the best way I know to honor you"

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.

Soldiers Angels Web Surfing

Another weekly ‘web surf’ for news by, and about, Soldiers Angels

The June edition of the Soldiers Angels newsletter is out, go check out Calling All Angels


Now that summer is here…..folks are out on the road. Mary Ann of Soldiers Angels Germany tells us about a cool ROAD TRIP!!! that a vet is taking. (and the link to his blogging about it is Daniel’s Big Trip )

For more ‘on the road’……

I came across this story at the timesleader.com in Wilkes-Barre,PA A winning hand helps disabled vets

and figured it was time for a reminder that there is a Soldiers Angels Riding Club SARC of PA


While I really can’t see any good way to segue from ‘on the road’ to ’tissue packets’? ( maybe you Need ’tissue packets’ when you’re ‘on the road’? I know…Lame:) that’s where the next link is headed.


An unexpected mention of the Soldiers Angels Traveling Museum in a story in The Earth Times titled Creative Jones Takes Top Honors in National Tissue Pack Contest

(that’s what’s cool about doing this ‘web surf’….you just never know Where you’ll end up, when you’re looking for news about Soldiers Angels!)

Kudos to the top prize winner, but I want to mention the second place winner, here’s what the article said:

“The second place winner is Street Dogs Event Marketing recognized for their heartfelt entry for the Soldiers’ Angels Museum, a traveling museum that shows images and memorabilia from U.S. troops.
Soldiers’ Angels is the largest non-profit group of its kind that supplies U.S. soldiers with necessary items while they are stationed away from home.

The winning tissue packs display the message “You will need these” with the objective of inviting communities to visit the organization’s museum.The tissue packs, emblazoned with the Soldiers’ Angels logo, would be distributed in a direct mail piece to targeted groups of potential donors. Street Dogs Event Marketing will be donating their $2,500 prize money to the Soldiers’ Angels Museum.”


Soldiers Angels Texas tells about another news article Texas Angel In Bay City, TX Makes Newspaper


Wendy’s Wonderings tells us a little more about the Soldiers’ Angels Cookie Cook Book

and KY Woman at Little Drops…..Into the Pool of Life not only urges folks to “do something for those defending us”, such as “visit Soldiers Angels “,but she also has a Great blog round-up of “what has been going on with our ‘Guys’ in other countries and here at home.” ( I So love a good blog round-up!:) Check out her post Time Slipping Away…

Lastly, as she does every Sunday, this past Sunday Life in the Northeast
asked us to Remember…

Short ’surf’….but chock-full of news, enjoy reading the links!

Wednesday Hero

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.

Bad News for a Bad Voodoo Soldier

Was very distressed yesterday to come across this post on Milblogging.com

Army punishes Soldier for participation in Bad Voodoo’s War


(FRONTLINE) Sfc. Nunn reports to FRONTLINE that the Army punished him for his participation in the film "with a letter of reprimand in my permanent record so that I cannot be promoted or reenlist." He says that "nothing illegal happened and proper protocol was followed" and that he is appealing the Army's decision to ensure that "I leave with an honorable discharge instead of a general discharge and I am trying to clear my name and record as well."Read the entire story here on FRONTLINE PBS, including a letter to PBS from SFC Nunn.Stay updated on SFC Nunn’s blog over at TobyNunn.net

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If you haven't watched PBS Frontline Bad Voodoo's War ? I urge you to take the time now to do so, you can find the link to watch the entire story online HERE


I haven't seen too much discussion yet online of the repurcussions for SFC Nunn (of course, I could be using the wrong search terms?) but I did come across this thoughtful post here (even though the writer sometimes refers to SFC Nunn as "SFC Dunn")

The Costs of War


and the most excellent Troy Bouhammer weighs in here Why the Army ticks me off sometimes


With my husband's son currently deployed? it meant a great deal to both he and I, to be able to watch the PBS Frontline Bad Voodoo's War to try and gain some insight into what his son may be going through.


My husband (an Army veteran himself) made the comment as we watched the show that "the Army is Not going to like" some of what SFC Nunn was saying, and in the event, he seems to be proved right with that comment.


I tend to agree with the blogger at Only Wonder Understands , in his comment that "While the military is not commenting publicly on this, it is much more likely that Sfc. Nunn’s punishment is due to his honesty in the program......being honest about the good and bad of his job" (paraphrase mine)


and I can only hope, for SFC Nunn's sake, that as Troy Bouhammer says "I really hope the military leadership who’s deplorable actions imposed this punishment thinks twice or reverses their decision."


For whatever my humble opinion is worth? Discussion of this story, and the repurcussions it has wrought for Toby Nunn, should be going viral.....particularly on milblogs.



And also, to SFC Nunn (as I sit here wearing my "Bad Voodoo" t-shirt while I type this post :).......I'd like to say.......you have the utmost support and admiration of folks like my husband and I, and we wish you well, in your attempt to clear your name and record. You spoke the truth as you saw it, and we thank you for doing so and regret what that has cost you.

(crossposted from ' my real blog ' )