Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Post Was Actually Written By Sgt. McGowen A Year Before He Passed Away. He Was Suggested By His Granddaughter, Leigh, To Honor Him.


Sgt. Charlie McGowen
August 22, 1921 - December 5, 2009

1940-1945

In 1942 he was drafted into the Army Air Corps. He was sent to England. His trip there took him through Warrior, Alabama, Ft. McClellan, Ft. McPherson, Gulf Port, Mississippi, Chanute, Salt Lake City, El Paso, Alamorgoro, and New York City. Then he took the Queen Mary to the Fifth of Clyde in Scotland. Upon arriving he was sent to the Wending base in England. In his military service he was part of the World War II: 32 Bomb Group 578 and 579 Bomb Squadron Second Air Division, 8th Air Force, ETON 117 Wending, Norfolk, England. While stationed in Wending, he went to Piccadilly Circus in London. While he was there he visited the American Red Cross Center with friends. The center was Rainbow Corner. While there he was introduced to a lovely English lady named Margaret (Peggy) Johnston. It was love at first sight. They were married on January 13, 1945. They moved back to Alabama after the war and raised six children. They have ten grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.


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.

Marcus Luttrell to Speak at VMI on March 5,2010

From Virginia Military Institute's webpage
Former Navy Seal to Share Story of Courage

the presentation is free, and open to the public.

I've read Lone Survivor .....we will definitely be going to hear him speak.

Face of America Bike Ride 2010-Banners Needed and Friends Riding:)

Once again, World T.E.A.M. Sports is holding the Face of America Bike Ride April 24th & 25th, this year beginning at the nation's capitol and riding to Gettysburg,PA.



Although it looks like I sadly won't be able to volunteer this year through Soldier's Angels to help out at the bike ride(due to work conflicts), what I Can do is at least pass the word along about needed items for the ride.



Banners Needed



From this page on Soldiers Angels website

Homemade Banners for Wounded Heroes comes the info about whom to contact to send along your banners.



Having been on the 'Banner Hanging Team" the past several years when I've volunteered? I've got several slide shows featuring or showing the banners, if you need ideas:) we've seen some great banners over the years, please consider sending some in this year!



Here's the links to slideshows 2009 Banners FOA and

Day One~2008 FOA Bike Ride and 2007 Face of America Bike Ride



Friends Riding



Got two friends riding this year on Chuck's Team Soldiers Angels (and Chuck would be Major Ziegunfuss of From My Position...On the Way! )



Greta, Angel Friend Extraordinaire:) and milblogger, has a donation page Here

(she rode with me in the car last year when I volunteered, and I'm not sure....did riding with me cause her to feel like riding in the bike ride would be Safer?LOL:)



and Blake , of Laughing Wolf and Cooking with the Wounded fame, has a donation page Here

Please help them out if you can, and please help spread the word about the Bike Ride!

Lastly, my daughter took a video last year at the end of the FOA 2009 Bike Ride, just wanted to share it again....this bike ride is an amazing event to be a part of!




(and if the embed doesn't work, the link to the video is Here )

A Community Helps to Rebuild

In searching for something else on my previous version of this blog, I came across this post
from July 2006 Deployed Soldier's Family Found Murdered and remembered the horror of reading that Leonid Milkin had lost his family to murder while he was deployed, and praying for him during that time.

Wondering how Leonid Milkin was faring these days, I did a search and found this
Volunteers pour in to help rebuild Milkin house; funds still needed
(from the Kirklandreporter.com)

The article mentions a Facebook page set up for this volunteer project.

It warmed my heart to read that his community was still supporting him. Please spread the word about this, won't you?

Remembering February 26,1993

From the National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center website





Remember February 26,1993





February 26,1993 is the date of the First attack on the WTC.



I can never think of this day without thinking of a man I consider one of the true heroes of our time, Rick Rescorla



and without thinking of the first attack as a foreshadowing of what was to come in 2001, which Mr. Rescorla predicted.



Six people lost their lives in the first attack. To their families and friends.....we have not forgotten their loss, and we hold you in our hearts and prayers just as we hold the families and friends of all those who were lost in 2001.



We will not forget.

Wednesday Hero

Lance Cpl. Andrew Koenig


It is hard to know whether Monday was a very bad day or a very good day for Lance Cpl. Andrew Koenig.

On the one hand, he was shot in the head. On the other, the bullet bounced off him.

In one of those rare battlefield miracles, an insurgent sniper hit Lance Cpl. Koenig dead on in the front of his helmet, and he walked away from it with a smile on his face.

"I don't think I could be any luckier than this," Lance Cpl. Koenig said two hours after the shooting.

You can read the rest of Lance Cpl. Koenig'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. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

A Poem for a Vietnam Veteran Nurse, written by my daughter

In October of 2006, I posted on my original version of this blog

For My Aunt, A Thank You to an Army Nurse Corps Vietnam Veteran


Several weeks ago, my daughter told us she needed to write a 'commissioned' work of poetry as an assignment for her English class.
The 'commission' I gave her was to write a poem for my aunt Lynn about her service in Vietnam.

Here is the poem April wrote for her great-aunt Lynn:

Vietnam

From August 1967
To August 1968
My nursing skills brought me
To the war of Vietnam

Located on the coast
Near the village of Phu Hiep
I worked to mend
The wounded that came in

It was the 91st Evac
With concrete slabs and tin
Constructing our little houses
For us to live this war in

To be silly, and give some cheer
I acquired some paint
To make my room walls
An ugly shade of pink

Choppers come overhead
Bring with it many injured
Some won't survive
and some reach us already dead

The Napalm wounds hurt more
Than just those hit
Because then those burned
Come to our burn unit

A nurse can't be on that ward
For more than one day
Because our emotional toll
Would be one so great

To our burn tank, they'd be soaped up
Doped up on medication
To help with the pain of their skin
Being peeled off

But there were little things
that were rewarding to us
One of those rewards
Was a child named Bao

He looked six months
But was really two
Someone from a village
Brought him, because he was ill

He was malnourished,he wouldn't eat
An infection in his mouth
Hydrogen peroxide
was the simple cure

He stayed with us for months
And started being able to eat
His infection was gone
And he was growing strong

Then one day we stood him up
And he began to move his feet
He was walking on his own
That moment was rewarding for me

One emotional, tiring year
And then I got to come home
I prayed as the plane took off
To get back safe

It took three extra days
To get back into the States
But my frustration left me
When I saw my husband at the plane gate

I don't speak of it much
Except the stories that get a laugh
Because not many people
Understand the stories that are bad

They ask "How'd you like it?"
A ridiculous question
With all the things I saw
Who could like things like that?

Most people don't understand
What it was like being over there
Burn tanks, working on the wounded
And all the emotional parts of war

However, if I had to
I'd do it all again
For that one year of my life
That I was in the War in Vietnam

Remembering those who served on the USS Pamanset in WW II

In June of 2006, I posted (on the first incarnation of this blog)

Some of My Family History, Grandad in WW II

about my grandfather, Donald McNulty's, service aboard the USS Pamanset in WW II.

Today, I received in the mail an article about one of his shipmates

Carbon Hill Veteran Honors Lost Shipmates

Thank you, Mr. Johnson, for remembering all those who served aboard the USS Pamanset.
------------------

Mr. Johnson sent me a picture he had of my Grandad aboard the Pamanset, after I had posted about my Grandad's service, and my mother also sent me the picture of the ship that she had inherited from Grandad, I posted those pictures Here in 2008.

Wednesday Hero

Capt. Ferris W. Butler


Capt. Ferris W. Butler, former platoon leader with D Company, 214th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain, 2nd Brigade Combat Team out of Fort Drum, N.Y., talks to the Soldiers at Morale, Welfare and Recreation east Feb. 5 at Joint Base Balad, Iraq. Butler, a Port Tobacco, Mass., native, participated in Operation Proper Exit, which brings Veterans who were injured in Iraq back to the country to revisit the area and share their stories.

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.

Exercise Maple Guardian

From the U.S. Army's Stand-To ( a daily compendium of news, information, and context for Army Leaders) on Stand To for Feb 16,2010

Exercise Maple Guardian, which began in January, is in preparation for the Canadian Forces deployment to Afghanistan this spring.

More on the story here from Army.mil
National Training Center hosts Canadian Task Force rotations before deployment

A Facebook Remembrance Project

Via Milblogging.com Live and Remember: Project aims to create separate Facebook pages for 27,594 Allied Soldiers killed in Belgium during WWII

No,I didn't disappear into a snow drift,lol......

It seems that after I posted last week's Wednesday Hero, I just haven't found the time to blog......between snow, and working extra hours, and snow, and a gazillion other things going on around the house here with the family.....and, of course, snow (and snow clean-up,lol, snow removal, Driving in the snow on my crappy road that they still haven't cleaned off yet, more snow.....s-n-o-w the new four-letter word:).....anyway, just a lot going on and I couldn't seem to find the time to sit down and post here on my blog. I'll try and rectify that this evening:)

Wednesday Hero

(Editorial note: Since it's highly possible I'll be staying at work through the Next snowstorm heading our way on Tues., so I can work Weds, I decided to post Wednesday Hero early. and, in case Mother Nature is interested? Enough Winter,already! just sayin'....Kathi )


This Week's Post Was Written By Mark In Honor Of His Wife's Grandfather


Marvin Glenn & His Wife, Christina


Marvin Glenn was born in Oklahoma, joined the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1939, and married his wife of over 60 years. Marvin enlisted in the Navy in 1944, becoming a member of the Greatest Generation. He chose to serve, despite being exempt due to a heart murmur. He went on to serve on the Escort Carrier USS Copahee. After his discharge Marvin became a brick layer, a job he continued to perform until he was 82 despite only having one eye. Along with being a brick layer, Marvin maintained a garden which he and his wife used to provide for themselves, and those in need. The life Marvin lived, in service to others, inspired his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and anyone who came to know him. Marvin was laid to rest in Henryetta, Oklahoma on January 16, 2010, at the age of 92, with full military honors.

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.

Army Civilian Employee Missing

From the DOD website

The Department of Defense today announced the identity of a civilian employee listed as Excused Absence Whereabouts Unknown (EAWUN) while supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Issa T. Salomi, 60, of El Cajon, Calif., has been unaccounted for since Jan. 23. He was last seen in Baghdad, Iraq, where he is assigned to U.S. Forces – Iraq. Search and recovery efforts are ongoing.

OK, this Ticks me off.....

I'm sure milbloggers must've written about this, but I don't seem to have as much time to go 'blog trolling' as I used to.......

via the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune (and my Mom:)comes this story

Red Bulls still awaiting $10M in OT pay by Kevin Diaz

I can't express how completely angry I am, that these National Guardsmen and Women, are still waiting for this money. I remember when the Red Bulls were deployed, we at Soldiers Angels supported a number of Red Bulls during the deployment, and the extension of their deployment, and there were some very good bloggers in the Red Bulls at the time that I also followed..........Get These Folks Paid For Their Service, already!!!!!!

No excuses. Get It Done.

Wednesday Hero

Airmen from the Kentucky National Guard's 123rd Contingency Response Group help to offload wounded Haitian refugees and medics from Puerto Rico National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters at the air hub Jan. 25, 2010, in Barahona, Dominican Republic.

Photo Courtesy U.S Air Force Taken By Tech. Sgt. Dennis Flora

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.

Feb. 3: Four Chaplains Day

From the Wikipedia entry:

The Four Chaplains were four U. S. Army chaplains who were killed in action when the USAT Dorchester was hit by a torpedo and sank on February 3, 1943.

They helped other soldiers board lifeboats and gave up their life jackets when the supply ran out.

230 of the 904 men aboard the ship were rescued.

On 19 December 1944, all four chaplains were posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Service Cross.[2]

The Chaplain's Medal for Heroism was authorized in 1961 and posthumously presented by the President of the United States to the families of the chaplains.

The chaplains were also honored with a stamp,issued in 1948 and by an act of the United States Congress, designating 3 February as "Four Chaplains Day."

The chaplains were Lieutenants

Rev. George L. Fox (Methodist);

Rabbi Alexander D. Goode (Jewish);

Fr. John P. Washington (Roman Catholic); and

Rev. Clark V. Poling (Dutch Reformed).

The Four Chaplains Memorial Foundation website can be found HERE

John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

Stars & Stripes Online Valentine's Day Messages

Stars & Stripes is accepting online-only Valentine's Day messages until Feb.13th, the link is
HERE

Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Post Was Suggested By Pet


Specialist Brandon K. Steffy
23 years old from Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan
178th Military Police Detachment, 89th Military Police Brigade, III Corps
October 29, 2009


He came into to this world a rather large baby, so big the doctor thought that he’d just walk home with his mother. Brandon was well mannered, polite, and tough with a contagious laugh that lit up those around him. In 2005 he graduated from Brimley High School and in 2006 enlisted in the United States Army, following a tradition of family military service.

He served in Iraq as a gunner from May 2007 until July 2008 and was deployed to Afghanistan in June 2009 where he was a canine tracker handler for Forward operating Base Fenty Kennel in the Laghman Province. He and his K-9 dog Maci were inseparable, working on tracking terrorists; Maci specialized in tracking the scents of IED making materials.

Spc. Brandon Steffy was killed when the vehicle he was riding in was attacked. His decorations and awards include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal-Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Service, the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.

Spc. Steffy is survived by his wife, daughter, parents and his sister.

Brandon made people laugh and he made them cry. There was not one dry eye at his funeral, from every day townsfolk, to big construction workers to police officers; they all recalled Brandon, this "Gentle Giant." They want everyone to know that if you never knew Brandon, then you really missed out.

All Information Was Found On And Copied From MilitaryCity.com & Freedom Remembered


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.

Help Haiti via International Medical Corps

International Medical Corps is a global, humanitarian, nonprofit organization, founded by volunteer doctors and nurses and dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering through relief and development programs.

I checked them out and they are
an A+ rated charity by the American Institute of Philanthropy
and a BBB accredited charity

Ninety-two cents of every dollar goes directly to its field programs – one of the highest fundraising efficiencies in the industry.

Their emergency response team is in Haiti in force, as you can see here http://www.imcworldwide.org/haiti


Helping them out with their mission is as simple as texting "HAITI" to 85944
(A one‐time donation of $10 will be added to your mobile phone bill or deducted from your prepaid balance.)

or you can go to this page HERE on the IMC website to donate.

Slideshow:U.S. troops provide Medical Aid in Haiti

From the Army.mil website

U.S. Troops Provide Medical Aid in Haiti

Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Post Was Suggested By Toni


Stephen Cochran
2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force


Stephen Cochran had it all in front of him. Collage, a fiancée and an offer for a professional recording contract. But life had other plans for him. The day was September 11, 2001. "It was just so horrific," Cochran said. "It's like I'd been called. I'd never been pulled so hard to do something."

It may have been the audacity of the attacks, but more likely it was his family's long history of military service that drew him to enlist, he said. Both grandfathers served, as did an uncle and several other relatives.

So he dropped out of college, walked away from the record deal and joined the United States Marine Corps. "I've always been raised very, very patriotic. It's just what I had to do."

After serving in Iraq, he and his entire battalion volunteered to go to Afghanistan with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit where Cochran was injured in an ambush. 20 yards inside Kandahar, the vehicle he was riding in hit an anti-tank mine and he was thrown from the vehicle and broke the five vertebrae in his lower back.

Read The Rest Of The Story

stephencochranmusic.com
@stephen_cochran
facebook.com/stephen.cochran1


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

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

While there are currently 1,676 soldiers waiting for 'adoption' on the Soldiers Angels website,
there Are 'adoptions' occurring..........
here's a great story about one group that adopted a soldier and got to meet him in person, from TheUnion.com in California.
Angels get chance to meet ‘adopted' soldier by Liz Kellar


From the Cleveland,TN Cleveland Daily Banner comes this story about an Assisted Living facility (Morningside) that 'adopted' a soldier
Morningside of Cleveland adopts a soldier at war by Jean Huddleston


Other things being done for the troops.......

up in Bay City,MI for the second year the Bay County library system hosted card making workshops for children to create Valentine's cards for our troops
Bay City children create Valentine's cards for troops at Wirt Library
which will be sent to the troops via Soldiers Angels.

and this story via Soldiers Angels Medical Support
Another Eagle scout steps forward to help the wounded

Cooking With the Wounded is now raising funds for a cooking event at Landstuhl, you can read more about that on the Soldiers Angels website HERE

and, speaking of Landstuhl?(ah, those clever segues,huh?lol)
A German-American Friendship Bracelet has
Looking back at 2009 – Soldiers’ Angels at Fisher House Landstuhl


That's the surf!

Interesting opinion piece..."The Calm Before the Storm in Haiti"

From Information Dissemination
The Calm Before the Storm in Haiti

Wednesday Hero

Culinary Specialist 1st Class Tremayne Brown


Culinary Specialist 1st Class Tremayne Brown, from Tulsa, Okla., receives stores for the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56). John S. McCain is one of seven ships assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15 and is permanently forward-deployed to Yokosuka, Japan.

Photo By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Mike Mulcare Courtesy of Navy.mil

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.

"Paws for Effect"

Cool....from the Military Health System website comes the profile
Paws for Effect

profiling resident therapy dogs at Walter Reed Army Medical Center who offer comfort, exercise and motivational support to rehabilitation patients.

Check it out.

Tuesday Jan.12 at 1:15 Eastern Time......

Live Video Q & A with Brothers at War director Jake Rademacher.....the link is here for more info.

Brothers at War is being released on DVD on Tuesday.....this is a movie I definitely Want to get!

A Chance to Thank some 'Forgotten Angels' of WW II

Via Florida Elder Law and Estate Planning blog, comes this story
Now, Our Angels in Uniform Need Our Help

As a nurse, I should've been aware of this part of nursing history, and sadly, until today I wasn't.

From this page on Army Nurse Corps History comes a mention of the Cadet Nurse Corps program....
Public health administrators as well as the American public believed that the increasing demands of the U.S. armed forces for nurses were responsible for a shortage of civilian nurses. Responding to these concerns in June 1943, Congress passed the Bolton Act, which set up the Cadet Nurse Corps program. The U.S. government subsidized the education of nursing students who promised that following graduation they would engage in essential military or civilian nursing for the duration of the war. The government also subsidized nursing schools willing to accelerate their program of study and provide student nurses with their primary training within two and a half years. Cadet nurses spent the last six months of their training assigned to civilian or military hospitals, which helped to alleviate the critical nursing shortage. Possible assignments included hospitals run by the Army, Navy, Veterans Administration, Public Health Service, and Bureau of Indian Affairs. The Cadet Nurse Corps training program was extremely successful and enjoyed enthusiastic public support. By 1948 when the program was discontinued, more than 150,000 nurse graduates testified to its value.

According to this page about Frances Payne Bolton, the sponsor of the 'Bolton Act' :

This act created the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps, which graduated a total of 125,000 nurses for the nation's war effort. In 1945, 85 percent of all nursing students in the United States were part of the Cadet Corps. Being a Cadet provided the nurse with military status and compensation equal to that of a full commissioned officer.

In The Advertiser News I found a recent story about one of those nurses who served in the Cadet Nurse Corps
‘Forgotten Angel’ not giving up hope

To do as the Florida Elder Law and Estate Planning blog suggests and"Contact your congressional representatives and urge them to support the proposed United States Cadet Nurse Corps Equity Act ( H.R.1522 )" ......click the links listed in their post to find out the direct emails of your representatives.

Let's say a long overdue Thank You, to some Forgotten Angels.

A friend begins her journey as a Military Aunt

The original form of this blog began on AOL. The community of bloggers on AOL back then were tight-knit and there were many folks blogging there who went out of their way to help other new bloggers. Friendships were forged that have continued long after the blogs on AOL have disappeared, and one of those long time online blogger friends of mine from 'back in the day' is now going through the experience of being a military 'auntie'.

Friend Leslie from Quiet Consecration on Jan.4th attended the swearing-in ceremony for her nephew Ryan A New Year Begins

Just as I had no idea back when I posted my first blog post that I would eventually become a military stepmother, and our family would go through my stepson being deployed for 15 months to a very sandy place? Leslie had no idea as she blogged about her faith, life and sobriety that she would become a military Aunt, and begin the same journey my family and I have gone through these past few years....proud of a family member choosing to serve, and fearful at the same time because our country is at war.

Leslie was wonderfully supportive of me and mine, during my stepson's deployment. Please stop over at her blog , and offer a word of encouragement and welcome, to this new military Auntie.

Keeping Ryan, and you and your family, in our prayers, Leslie!

Wednesday Hero

Cpl. Carlos E. Gil Orozco
23 years old from San Jose, California
2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force
September 10, 2007


Carlos Gil Orozco wasn’t a great student, but one goal pushed him to hit the books: becoming a Marine.

"He was kind of a troublemaker, you know, he got bad grades and wouldn't do his homework," said his sister, Myriam Johanna Gil Orozco. "But he wanted to be a Marine. So he studied real hard, especially algebra. He'd stay up all night studying.

Cpl. Orozco's parents moved the family from Colombia to the U.S. when he was 8 years old, hoping to give their children a better education. They became frustrated when their son didn't do well in school and thought the Marines would be good for him.

"My dad was actually happy," Myriam said. "He'd rather have him be a Marine than out on the streets being in gangs or doing drugs."

Cpl. Carlos Orozco was killed while conducting combat operations in Ashraf, Iraq when the tank he was riding in encountered an IED. Also killed in the blast was Lance Cpl. Jon T. Hicks Jr. of Atco, New Jersey.

Cpl. Orozco leaves behind his sister, his parents, his wife and two sons.

All Information Was Found On And Copied From MilitaryCity.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. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Happy Birthday Wednesday to my Husband:)

Happy Birthday January 6th, to my wonderful husband Tony:)

Soldiers Angels Web Surfing

The first 2010 'surf' of the web for news by, and about,
Soldiers Angels

First of all, Happy New Year! and next, Hurray! that the number of troops waiting to be adopted on the Soldiers Angels website has finally fallen under 2,000.

Since many of them were adopted by new 'Angels', I thought I'd feature some links to blogs by new members of Soldiers Angels. (and Welcome! to both of them!)

Apropo of Nothing (cool blog name:) posted Soldiers Angels and NCIS Agents


Finding Family with Empty Arms also writes about Soldiers Angels


and the following are not 'new' Angels, but 'new-to-me' blogs by members of Soldiers Angels that I wished to share with you, because one of the joys I've found as an Angel is not only the soldiers I've gotten to know over the past 5 years? but also the many and varied Angels that you are privileged to meet along the way,too.

Grace Notes

Hidden Forest Stamping


and Flour and Water writes about Goals


Short 'surf', but that's it for this week.....looking forward to sharing many more web surfs with you throughout 2010:)

Happy New Year!

Christian Glitter by www.christianglitter.com


In searching for a New Year's poem to go with this post, I decided I liked this Tennyson poem the best........



In Memoriam, [Ring out, wild bells]

by Lord Alfred Tennyson

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light:
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind
For those that here we see no more;
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes
But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease;
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.

----------------
Wishing all of my readers all the best in 2010! Thank you, for stopping by here to read :)

Wednesday Hero

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Olga Elliott


Chief Warrant Officer 2 Olga Elliott, a Multi-National Corps-Iraq human resources technician, poses with MNC-I Command Sgt. Maj. Frank Grippe after finishing the Bobby Crim 10-Miler Aug. 22, at Camp Victory in Baghdad. Elliott, a San Diego native, finished the race in 1 hour, 9 minutes, 57 seconds, earning her top female honors.

Photo Courtesy United States Army

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.

"We Will Remember Them"

A "must see' video, beautiful song....
and pass this on.........

(the URL for the video is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ektQbe-dOU )

On Sunday 1st November the recording of 'We Will Remember Them' took place at Abbey Road Studios with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Pipes & Drums from the Scottish Regiments. The website is http://www.wewillrememberthem.net/

Artists on the track include Michael Bolton, Robin Gibb, Paul Rodgers, Paul Carrack, Hayley Westenra, Mica Paris, Lee Mead, Liz McClarnon, Natasha Hamilton, Kenney Jones, Mark Read, Carol Decker, Sam Brown, Nell Bryden and The Carmel Thomas Youth Choir.

Jim Cregan produced, and Cliff Masterson conducted the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, in what was a remarkable full day session at Abbey Road Studios.

'We Will Remember Them' is an entirely Non Political benefit to say "Thank You" to all of our brave service men and women around the World who have served their Country for freedom and protection.

All proceeds from the Downloads / CD sales in the UK, will be paid directly to Help for Heroes and The Royal British Legion

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

Update: The US link to order from Amazon.com is Here

Soldiers Angels Web Surfing

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

At the time that I'm posting this 'web surf',
there are 2,064 troops waiting for ' adoption '

After being a volunteer with Soldiers Angels since 2005, I know that after the holidays, there's usually a downturn in adoptions and the waiting list starts to climb....but unfortunately, this is the first year I've seen that trend start well Before the holiday season.

Times are tight, with the downturn in the economy, and while in my own house we've also had to cut back on the amount of support we can give to the troops ?
What I Do know is that we Won't stop supporting the troops, no matter how small our contribution may seem to be.

For myself and my family? volunteering with Soldiers Angels has changed our lives in ways we never could have foreseen or imagined, when I first joined . It has enriched and enhanced our lives immeasurably, through the Soldiers And Angels we've come to know along this journey.

And so, I decided that this week's 'surf' theme would be about the Angels out there that you may not have heard from.....the ordinary 'Adopters, and Bakers, and Blanket-Makers'....and maybe their stories will inspire You to consider becoming a part of Soldiers Angels.

From The Moore American in Oklahoma
Angel Asks for Volunteers to Support Soldiers


Leslie Chisholm from 'over the mountain' in my own neck of the woods, asks
Want to be an Angel?


from the Lexington Herald-Leader in KY
Georgetown girl makes troops' holidays brighter

from loudini.com here in Virginia
All Around Ashburn: Hillside Elementary Helps and Hears from Overseas Heroes


From A Little Glimpse up in MN, comes the post Cookies Galore


Penny Sanford Designs talks about The Joys of Broken Cookies

and from this link at The World News in Oregon (may have to scroll down)
Baker sweetens holidays for GIs

From TribToday.com in Ohio Women make blankets for soldiers

and lastly, from Dare to bee creative in FL
Simple flowers for Soldiers Angels


Check out their stories, then check out the Soldiers Angels website and see the many ways you can start your own journey as a volunteer and troop supporter


That's the surf.....Happy New Year!

Well.........darn......

One of the hallmarks of being a nurse,lol, is that you always know your weekends off about a year in advance (because quite often, one of the hallmarks of being a nurse is that you Work every other weekend:)

so today, I decided to check to see what my weekend schedule was for the month of April 2010.....because that's the month of the Milblog Conference (April 9th and 10th)
and also the month of the Face of America Bike Ride which my daughter and I have volunteered at for the past several years (April 23rd thru 25th)

you guessed it.......both of those are scheduled on my weekends to work.......darn!

Merry Christmas!

Wednesday Hero

With only two days until Christmas, I want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and to remind you to keep our men and women that are not able to be with their friends and families this time of year in your thoughts a prayers. They do so much without ever asking for anything in return.

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~Holiday Round-Up

So, what did members of Soldiers Angels do for the troops to make their holiday season a little brighter?
A 'surf' around the web brings all kinds of holiday news......

From McAlester,OK Cards,gifts sent to troops

Broomfield,CO Broomfield woman,father aim to spread holiday cheer to troops

Albany,NY Students enlist in holiday salute to soldiers

San Antonio,TX Students complete blankets for wounded soldiers

From Princeton, MN Minnesota soldier has an angel in Princeton girl

Via Soldiers Angels Germany blog
Nevada Angels prepare over 2000 Christmas stockings for deployed troops


and lastly, while I'm sure there's much more out there on the web about packages and cards sent by Soldiers Angels, or sent by school or church groups via Soldiers Angels?

The mailing date has come and gone, and hopefully all that good will is wending it's way to our troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

So, we'll end this web surf with this story from KSAT in San Antonio,TX
Soldiers’ Angels Shipping Care Packages Volunteers Rush To Meet Dec. 11 Christmas Deadline

That's the holiday 'surf'!

Finally got a copy of Doonesbury.com's The Sandbox:)

Woot! yesterday on the way home we stopped at the Green Valley Book Fair on the way home, and although we had stopped because we were "just looking" , I Did get myself a copy of
Doonesbury.com's The Sandbox: Dispatches from Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan


(and then, of course, when I started perusing the military aisle and said to my husband "Oh, look, there's like 5 books here that have been on my Amazon wishlist for the past few years"......That was when he said "Got to go now!" before I spent the Christmas budget on myself,LOL)

Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Post Was Suggested & Written By Greta



This week's Wednesday Hero is both an individual, and a group. The group we honor are the milblogs: the military blogs, spouse blogs, and support blogs who bring you the news and information you can get nowhere else. The information and news that matter to you. The individual we honor today is C. J. Grisham.

Army Master Sgt. C. J. Grisham has always led from the front, from combat that earned him the Bronze Star with V device, to doing right by the men he led. His honesty won him readership and respect, from the White House on down. Yet, when he stood up for his children in school, his command did not stand by him. You can read more at Military Times to get the full story.

Please donate via PayPal; or you can log into PayPal on your own, go to the send money page, and put in his email: dj_chcknhawk AT yahoo DOT com; or, you can send donations directly to:

Grisham Legal Fund
c/o Redstone Federal Credit Union
220 Wynn Drive
Huntsville, AL 35893
Please write "Grisham Legal Fund" in the memo line if you use this option.

Milblogs have been a vital link in getting accurate news and information about the military, and military operations, to you. Today, many milblogs are gone and others are under attack from within and without. Today, you have the chance to imagine a world without milblogs, and to do something about it. Make your voice heard by writing your congressional representatives and others, and by making donations as you see fit.

The battle for freedom of speech and the marketplace of ideas is fought on many fronts and in many ways. Without your help, the battle may well be lost.

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.

White House policy: No letter to families of military suicides

This DOD news release Army Releases November Suicide Data reminded me that I have yet to post about this recent news story on CNN
White House policy: No letter to families of military suicides

As I have been part of the Soldiers Angels Living Legends Team for the past several years, this story appalled me. The Living Legends Team sends condolence cards on behalf of Soldiers Angels to the family of Every fallen Hero, regardless of the manner of their death.

Until this CNN report, I was not aware that the Commander in Chief did NOT do the same on behalf of our nation.


The CNN story links to the letter written by Mr.Keesling to President Obama.....please make sure you take the time to click the link in that story and read the letter. Mr.Keesling respectfully requests that the administration review the policy of not sending letters of condolence to the families of those servicemembers who die by suicide.......and I wish to add my voice to his, in requesting the same.

As you can see by the 405 comments on the CNN story, suicide raises quite a lot emotions and judgemental thoughts about those who take their own lives.

But as for me? I simply feel it is Not for Me to Judge, whether or not the family of a servicemember who takes their own life should receive a condolence card from me .

I only feel it is incumbent upon me to acknowledge their loss, and express my sympathy and support to that family.

Wreaths Across America 2009 at Staunton National Cemetery,Staunton,VA

Once again, my husband and I were privileged to attend the wreath laying ceremony for Wreaths Across America at Staunton National Cemetery in Staunton, VA which is about a half hour south of us.

My husband Tony took the pictures, I have them posted on Flickr ( but since my Photostream changes) I also have a link to the photo album of the pics on Facebook

The ceremony as always was moving, and the Civil Air Patrol again did a good job of being in charge of the ceremony.

The good folks from area VFW's donated 850 wreaths! so this was the first year since Wreaths Across America went local that the entire cemetery was blanketed with wreaths after the initial ceremony laying wreaths for each of the service branches, and in honor of the POW/MIA's.

(quite a difference from the very first year the wreath laying went local, when there were only 6 wreaths on the graves.)

A lot of folks showed up......everyone from veterans to active duty service members, to the Boy Scouts and the ladies of the VFW's.

After the ceremony, everyone pitched in to start placing the wreaths.......quietly, and reverently.

This ceremony is always a beautiful way to honor and remember those who have served our country and given their lives while doing so.

Wednesday Hero

Petty Officer 2nd Class Daniel Elsey


Abdul Rashid, a 5-year-old resident of the Nawa district of Afghanistan, receives a dressing for a wound on his face from Petty Officer 2nd Class Daniel Elsey, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, while a linguist translates at a medical aid station at Patrol Base Jaker Dec. 3. Rashid was injured by a motorcycle earlier that day. Navy hospital corpsmen like Elsey routinely see local residents and children here to treat their wounds.

Photo Courtesy United States Marine Corps


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.

New Civilian Aides to the Secretary of the Army Invested

On the DOD website

New Civilian Aides to the Secretary of the Army Invested

Cool:) it's a small world.....T.Carter Melton was the administrator of our local hospital for years.

Congratulations! to Mr. Melton, and all the others who were invested.

Dec.7.....Remembering.....

I've been to visit the USS Arizona memorial twice in my life now, and each time I was struck by the solemnity and reverence that comes over those in the boat taking us out to the memorial as you get closer to it.......back on land at the gift shop, etc. there is lots of talking and noise.......but as you near the memorial and as you step onto it, the enormity of the loss that long ago day humbles and quiets you.

68 years later......whether we are there in Hawaii or far away, the nation still remembers......

Wednesday Hero

Spc. Michael P. Garton & Spc. Rolando R. Flores


Spc. Michael P. Garton, a gunner with the Personal Security Detachment, with the 36th Sustainment Brigade out of Temple, Texas, and a Texarkana, Texas, native, relaxes on a Humvee and shares a laugh with Spc. Rolando R. Flores, a gunner with the PSD and a San Antonio native, during a break in preparations for a mission Nov. 23 in the maintenance yard at Contingency Operating Location Adder, Iraq.

Photo Courtesy U.S. Army

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.

Rest in Peace,Sgt. Brandon T. Islip

Sad news this morning:

DoD Announces Change-In-Status of Army Soldier

The Department of Defense today announced the death of a soldier supporting Operation Enduring Freedom who was previously listed as Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown.

Sgt. Brandon T. Islip, 23, of Richmond, Va., had been listed as Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown. His status was changed Nov. 29 to having died in a non-combat related incident.


From the Richmond Times-Dispatch
Chesterfield soldier’s body found in Afghanistan

Godspeed,Sgt. Islip, and we are holding his family and friends in our prayers.