Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Post Was Suggested by Michael


Col. Robert L. Howard
70 years old from Waco, Texas
Army Special Forces MACV-SOG Special Operations Command Korea
July 11, 1939 – December 23, 2009


You learn very quickly that Col. Robert Howard was an amazing man. Wounded 14 times in 54 months of combat. 8 Purple Hearts, 4 Bronze Stars, 2 Distinguished Service Crosses. And the awards go on from there. But it's the three Medal Of Honor nominations for three separate actions within a thirteen month period that stand out.


1st Lt. Robert Howard Receives The Medal Of Honor

You can read more about Col. Robert L. Howard here and here and a tribute page dedicated to him 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.

2011 Milbloggies

I Voted !  Have you? lots of great blogs nominated this year, don't forget to Vote Now :)

(if you want to review the finalists one last time before voting? they are listed  Here  )

Congratulations! to all those whose blogs were selected as finalists, and Best of Luck!

Advice for Veterans

Via Veteran's Advantage , a post to help Veterans avoid scams

6 Ways to Prevent Veterans from Being Taken Advantage of by Scams

Check it out, good advice for all of us, actually.

Surfing the Web..

Time for another 'surf' around the blogosphere, to highlight blog posts and articles that I hope you find interesting:

this was a short, but powerful blog post from Canadian veteran Paul Franklin The value of time

One person making a positive difference..a nice story from ExploreBaltimoreCounty.com

For wounded soldiers, Lutherville woman brings Trouble ... and a smile

Today(April 25) is the start of the Warrior 100k ..a 3 day bike ride in Texas where 14 wounded servicemen and women who served in Irag and Afghanistan join former President George W. Bush in a 100 kilometer mountain bike ride.

An excellent blog I've recently come across My Yellow Ribbon  is also nominated for a Milbloggie  in the US Military Parent category..(and don't forget,voting for the Milbloggies is also due to start today!)

and the 'theme' for the remainder of this post seems to have evolved into 'remembering'..

the tragic losses of Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros generated many blog posts, here are two of them

from The Kitchen Dispatch The Gratitude Post: Tim Hetherington's Final Passage

and from Gazing at the Flag Chris Hondros~A Remarkable Life

Today(April 25) is also ANZAC day, as one of my favorite Aussie bloggers points out

Marion's Meepings Lest We Forget

That's the 'surf''!

Woot! Can't Wait for Saturday!

and the Milblog conference  !! looking forward to seeing old friends, making new friends, and just generally having an interesting, informative, and fantastic time :)

Wednesday Hero

Capt. Lawrence Rollo


Capt. Lawrence Rollo cradles a Nigerian baby while visiting with locals during a community relations project at the Light of Dawn Government Junior Secondary School Tomarow as part of Africa Partnership Station (APS) West. APS is an international security cooperation initiative designed to strengthen global maritime partnerships through training and collaborative activities to improve maritime safety and security in Africa.

Information And Photo Courtesy U.S. Navy. Taken by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Darryl Wood


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.

Our weekend volunteering at the Face of America Bike ride 2011

Our weekend volunteering with the Face of America Bike Ride got off to a soggy start on Sat. the 16th. Due to calls for severe weather, the start of the ride was changed to inside the Hyatt where the riders were staying, so the 'Banner Hanging Team' went on to set up banners at the first rest stop.

Here's the set on Flickr of some of our photos from the weekend
Flickr set Face of America Bike ride 2011

and here's a link to a short video of the riders coming into the first rest stop

and then the riders leaving the first rest stop

once again, the seniors at Brighton Gardens at Tuckerman Lane in N. Bethesda, MD made a great banner to cheer the riders on..
as did all those who sent in banners from all over the country, from Nevada and Indiana to Connecticut and New Jersey! Our heartfelt Thanks! to all the groups who donated banners! It is so wonderful to have folks from all across the country expressing their support of the riders :)

Day One ended early, due to the weather..it was cold, rainy, windy and miserable..the riders were awesome! but the ride got cut short for most of them at the lunch stop (although a few hardy souls did finish the ride) volunteers and riders alike were all sopping wet !!

at the lunch stop, we met Irvine

a service dog from the Paws for Purple Hearts program  Irvine came out both days to especially cheer on the riders from the Walter Reed contingent! :)

here's a link also to my Facebook album of Day one 

Day Two started out cold and windy, but Yay! no rain!!
here's a link to my Facebook album of Day Two

we took some video of the start of the ride on Day Two, you can see them Here and Here

and then, sadly, we had to leave before the riders came in at the end of the ride this year (had commitments to get back to at home ) but we were able to help hang banners at the end of the ride before we left

It was another great year of volunteering, and another great bunch of riders to cheer on again this year!
----------------------------

for an idea of the kinds of riders we had the opportunity to cheer on? you can check out this video from Fox news HERE

and I also found a photo gallery in Phillyburbs.com  HERE

(I'll add any more links to stories, blog posts or photos as I find them)

Year Five of Volunteering at the Face of America Bike Ride..Here we come:)

My daughter and I began volunteering in 2007  at World T.E.A.M. Sports Face of America Bike Ride

and volunteered again in 2008 , 2009 and last year

This coming weekend is the 2011 Face of America ride, and we'll be volunteering again! along with some of the other great volunteers we've gotten to know over these last years...looking forward to seeing old friends, meeting new friends, and most of all.....Cheering on the Awesome Riders!

Got a last few banners that arrived in the mail today, from some wonderful folks in Connecticut,Thank You!!...once again, folks from around the country did a fantastic job making banners for the volunteer 'Banner Hanging Team' to use to cheer the riders along.

The blog will be silent while we're gone, possibly might post a few pics onto my Facebook while we're volunteering this weekend, otherwise...I'll tell you all about it when we get back! :)

Enjoy your weekend, Support our Troops and our Wounded Warriors and our Veterans!

Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Post Was Suggested By Steve


Lt. Col. Charles L. Brown
86 years old from Miami, Florida
October 24, 1922 - November 24, 2008


For extraordinary heroism in military operations in WWII he was awarded the Air Force Cross our nations award for valor second only to the Medal of Honor. He flew 29 combat missions as a B-17 pilot. His many other military decorations included the Purple Heart for wounds received in combat. Upon being offered a position with the United States Department of State he took early retirement from the Air Force and continued to serve his nation as a senior Foreign Service Officer spending six years in Southeast Asia as Inspector-In- Charge, Agency for International Development, U.S. Dept. of State

Sadly couldn't find too much information on Lt. Col. Brown. The best source was his obituary. 
 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.   

One of the most powerful pieces of writing I've seen lately..

via The Sandbox
This Space is Iraq,This Space is My Memories

"The Christmas They Never Had"

It's Friday, time for a reminder post about Wreaths Across America's mission in 2011 to cover all 330,000+ graves at Arlington National Cemetery with wreaths for
The Christmas They Never Had

                              (picture from 2008 Wreath Laying at Arlington National Cemetery)

Surfing the Web..

Here's a couple of my fave blogs to follow lately ..

Off The Base always has great posts,IMHO

and Surfing Surgeon Stuck in the Sand  (took over at the same base where The Sand Docs were serving)  is doing a cool series of posts introducing the 'team members' serving with him


moving on, this is interesting, in searching for blog posts about April 6th being the anniversary of the entry into WW I of the US, I came across this blog
The Land of Good Neighbors(C)-Benner Family, World War One, Canada

I've posted previously about this blog
WW I: Experiences of an English Soldier

and this is another WW I blog new to me
World War I: American Soldier's Letters Home

some random blog posts I thought worth mentioning were

Hachinohe Farm Clean Up from I'm Big in Japan

and this Olmsted scholar, Traveler of Morocco, posted Running Inspired in Rabat
which led me to check out Team Red, White and Blue

lastly, Levi Aho at Living My Dreams posted an update on his bicycle ride
Socorro,NM to the Valley of Fire and inbetween

That's the surf! have fun checking all the posts out!

Woot! Banners! :)

Got several more banners in the mail today to use to cheer the riders on at the
2011 Face of America Bike ride

A huge Thank You! to those who've sent banners so far, y'all are Awesome!! :)

there's still time to get some banners to me, but only just...the absolute last day I could receive any in the mail would be the 14th...so, if you're wanting to send any banners in? please shoot me an email at kasee60 (at) gmail (dot) com right away!

Supporting the Troops-'Cooling ties'

So, the husband has been busy today

sewing on 64 'cooling ties'

to send to some troops!

(see why I love that man? :)

Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Post Was Suggested By Cindy



Marvin Hume
89 years old
Cape May, New Jersey


89-year-old Marvin Hume loves his country and the Man and Woman who fight for it. Every evening, between Memorial Day and mid-October, for the last 38 years Mr. Hume, a Navy vet himself, has held a ceremony in New Jersey where he raises a flag that has been draped over a the casket of a veteran.

You can read the rest of the 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.   

Congratulations! to Milblogging.com!

Milblogging.com Hits 3,000 Milblog Milestone, Nearly 15,000 Members

Woot!

Supporting the Supporters

My Mom sent me this story from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune
Car repairs offered to troops as a thank you

about Shon Kingrey, general manager of Duluth Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Duluth,MN, and a former Marine who had served two tours in Operation Desert Storm, offering free car repairs to the families of deployed National Guardsmen from 2 Duluth-based units, the 148th Fighter Wing and 1/94th Cavalry

Here's the letter Mr.Kingrey placed in his ad:

Dear Honored Heroes,

There are few moments in the span of a lifetime that equal the emotional impact of a military deployment. It is truly an event whose memory will reverberate through the archives of your family history. For it is not just you who are being deployed; but your spouse and your children as well.


I can speak from experience... because I, and in turn my family, have gone through this ourselves...


My name is Shon Kingrey, General Manager of Duluth Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, and I want you to know that we will do our part to support your loved ones while you are away protecting our freedom. In the event that your family car (regardless of make or model) has any problems or issues, our service center will take care of it for you, at no cost. Just tell your spouse to bring the vehicle in, and to ask for me personally. I will do everything in my power to make it right again. Additionally, we would like to extend to them a one thousand dollar discount across the board on any new vehicle, should they be in the market. We feel whatever costs we may incur in doing this pales in comparison to the cost you are paying for your country... that you are paying for all of us. Frankly, we feel it is the least we can do to show our appreciation. Godspeed, brave heroes; and come home safe. But until you do, know that those you hold dearest are being looked after.

According to the Star-Trib article , Mr. Kingrey had a surprising response to his ad, being called 'warmonger' and even 'baby-killer' by some, and the sincerity of his effort was questioned, to which his response was "What do I stand to gain? It's not like this is a money-maker."

Mr.Kingrey has an employee who will be deploying this month, and also has a son currently serving in the Army in Afghanistan.

There's more on this story in the Duluth News-Tribune  and it was also mentioned on their local
Fox21News and on the Minnesota National Guard website  Thus far, according to the stories, Mr.Kingrey and Duluth Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram have had two cars brought into the dealership.

I just wanted to give Kudos, to Mr. Kingrey and pass the word along about this. Thank you, sir, for assisting these deployed families..and thank you, also, for your service, and your son's service, to our country.

Surfing the Web..

Since I continually run across blog posts and stories that I wish to pass on, going to try out a new feature on the blog..'Surfing the Web'..to highlight stories I think (all 10:) of my readers might like to check out. (isn't it fortuitous,lol, that I just happened to have a 'surfing' picture to use from one of our trips to Hawaii? rhetorical question, I just wanted to slip in a gratuitous use of the word fortuitous :)

via Mare Contrare at Write Softly you can check out this Veteran's Farm

Loved this story on the DOD website  Disabled Vets Discover Miracle on Mountain

From the Defense Centers of Excellence blog, good information to pass on
Care Coordinator Links Service Members with TBI Support

The wife of a wounded warrior blogs over at Southern Girl Stand


 moving overseas, I'm Big in Japan reports he is back to Normal Shifts
(but volunteering in his off time to help)

and recently JP over at Milblogging.com had a post about Army Strong stories
and here's two posts over there that caught my eye this past week

Evaluating Your Leadership? Don't Look in the Mirror

and

Lessons on Training the ANA  (which reminded me a lot of things our soldier had said while he was doing the same job in Iraq a few years ago)

Well, that's the 'surf'! 

Giving 'The Christmas They Never Had'

From the  Wreaths Across America website comes  an update on the 2011 mission to cover all 330,000+  graves at Arlington National cemetery  Giving the Christmas They Never Had

Welcome Home Vietnam Veteran's Day

The U.S. Senate declared March 30th “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day.” On March 30, 1973, U.S. troops withdrew from Vietnam under the terms of the Treaty of Paris.



Senator Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, introduced the legislation saying, "Our soldiers served honorably and bravely in Vietnam. Unfortunately, they arrived home to a country in political turmoil, and never received the recognition they deserve. By setting March 30th aside as a day to focus on our Vietnam veterans, we can show our unified gratitude for their service and the sacrifices that these veterans made on our behalf."

My heartfelt Thanks, now and always, to all those who served our country in the Vietnam War.

And because of my aunt's service in Vietnam, I also wished to say another Thank You to those women, many of them nurses, who served.

As I wrote  Here in  2006:
My aunt served in the Army Nurse Corps, and was sent to Vietnam at the age of 22. She served from August of 1967 to August of 1968,turning 23 while she was in Vietnam. She was a Captain.



She served with the 91rst Evac., at a little place called Phu Hiep, right outside of Tuy Hoa .

My daughter, who later interviewed my aunt in depth about her wartime service for a class project,
wrote a poem in 2010 for her great-aunt:

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

Not only today, but every day..Welcome Home! to those who served in Vietnam..and Thank You, for your service!

Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Post Was Suggested By Michael


Cpl. Lloyd Oliver
88 years old from Glendale, Arizona
April 23, 1923 - March 16, 2011


"Am I a hero? I don't know. Yeah. I'll be a hero. I'll go for that. Yeah."

Wednesday Hero profiled the Code Talkers way back in 2005. But this week it is honoring Cpl. Lloyd Oliver. Cpl. Oliver was one of the original 29 Navajo Code Talkers. He joined the Marines in 1942 at the age of 19 because he wanted to serve his country. Which he did, proudly, for three years. In 2001 he received the Congressional Gold Medal for being one of the original 29 Navajo Code Talkers. He passed away on March 16 of pancreatitis. Cpl. Oliver was only one of two remaining original Navajo Code Talkers.

Not only have we lost a great man, a brave man, but a piece of history is another step closer to being gone forever. We must keep them, and their place in it, alive for future generations.

You can read more about Cpl. Lloyd Oliver here and 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. 

Go check out Hooah Wife & Friends

Greta put out the call recently for New Contributors Wanted  and one of those who responded to the call has her first post up 

(I cross-post over there sometimes, great blog! and great group of folks to be associated with! :)

also, Congrats! to Hooah Wife for being Honored with The Patriot Award ( in no small part due to
Chris' Wednesday Hero series )

Prudential Honoring Youth Volunteer community service

Got an email with information about the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program

which seemed a very worthy program to pass on!

From the website:
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program is the United States' largest youth recognition program based exclusively on volunteer community service. The program was created in 1995 by Prudential in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) to honor middle level and high school students for outstanding service to others at the local, state, and national level.


The program's goals are to applaud young people who already are making a positive difference in their towns and neighborhoods, and to inspire others to think about how they might contribute to their communities. Over the past 15 years, more than 280,000 young Americans have participated in the program, and more than 90,000 of them have been officially recognized for their volunteer work.

the program Also operates in Japan, South Korea,Taiwan, Ireland and India

This year, 6 students were named State Honorees for their work aiding the military:

1. Dylan Bass, 18, is his community’s coordinator for a program that provides overseas military families with manufacturer’s coupons to help stretch their budgets. At last count, he had sent coupons worth $96,000 overseas to help ease the strain on military budgets.



2. Glennita Williams, 14, has collected snacks and personal care items worth more than $14,000 for shipment to American troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past four years. She has started an organization called “America’s Guardian Angels” to do even more in the future.


3. John-Henry Lambin, 18, organized a volunteer effort that assembles treats and personal items into care packages that are sent to American troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. A two-page personal letter also is included in each kit, expressing gratitude for the soldier’s sacrifice.


4. Mariah Faith Reynolds, 12, has sent Valentine cards to nearly 5,000 U.S. soldiers over the past several years; collected 3,000 books for libraries, schools, and shelters; and volunteered for a wide variety of charitable organizations.


5. Kaitlyn Fox, 11, sent a box of hygiene items, snacks, books and games every month to a local military unit while it was deployed to Afghanistan.


6. Justin Peterson, 10, raised money to send 15 World War II veterans from his area to Washington, D.C., to see the memorial built in their honor. Although Justin’s goal was to send just one veteran to see the memorial, he raised more than $5,300, enough to send 15.
 
And you can search for honorees from your specific state Here
 
Kudos to Prudential's Spirit of Community Awards program for recognizing and celebrating volunteerism in our young people, both nationally and world-wide,
and also to all the Honorees and Finalists from Middle and High School who are displaying such community spirit with their volunteerism!!

 
 

Need a Laugh?

Go check out  this post  by Laughing Wolf over on Blackfive,

Banners needed to support the FOA bicycle riders!

Just wanted to send a call out asking if anyone would like to make and donate some banners of support for the riders-disabled,veterans and active duty military- in the annual
World T.E.A.M Sports Face of America bicycle ride

here's a pic of some of last year's banners

The banners are hung at the beginning and ending of the ride, and at each rest stop, to cheer the riders on and show them that folks are supporting them.

Time is short to get the banners in before the ride on April 15,16th and 17th!
(We volunteers would need the banners mailed by April 8th, at the latest, in order to be collected in time before the ride)

If you, or a group you know, is interested in sending some banners and would like more details?
Please email me at kasee60 (at) gmail (dot) com for more information.

And Thank You! for supporting our Heroes-whether disabled, veteran, or active duty military (and civilians ride in this bicycle ride,too)..this bike ride has shown me for the past five years that
"We All Ride the Same Road"

-------------------------------------------------
Update: March 26  Woot!Just got the first two banners from someone in the mail today! THANK YOU!

Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Post Was Inspired By Sgt. Epler


Sgt. Ed Eaton
From Tillamook, Oregon


While many view snipers as the hidden (safe) threats in war based on their forays in First Person Shooter video games and movies like Saving Private Ryan and Enemy at The Gates, the fact of the matter is that snipers like any other soldiers in war are very successible to danger – especially in the case of Sergeant Ed Eaton’s brave protection and rescue of comrade in arms Major Mike Perkins when he had fallen injured in a night assault during the Vietnam war 1969

You can read more about Sgt. Eaton here. A quick caveat though. In doing research for this post this is the best site I could find for information on Sgt. Eaton. It's not a site that I would normally link to for Wednesday Hero, but, like I said, it has the best information. There's nothing really bad on it, but it may have some posts that some may not like.  
 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. 

Honoring the memory of US service in WW I

                            (picture taken of the District of Columbia World War I memorial in 2007)

The recent passing of the last World War I U.S. veteran , Frank Buckles ,  reminded me of our 2007 discovery of the D.C. WW I memorial , where I wrote at the time:

While walking from the Korean War memorial to the World War II Memorial, we passed a small memorial that you could barely see from the walkway. When we decided to check it out, we walked on a dilapidated pathway towards a white structure that was covered with black,sooty dirt.



I had tears in my eyes before we even got to the structure, because I could read across the top something about "World War"...with no number after it....and I said "This is so sad, they built this Memorial thinking there would be no more wars like that one, this Must be a World War I memorial"....by this time, I was openly crying, saying"This is so Wrong, this memorial should not be this dilapidated!" and also, "I never knew this was here before, how could I have visited here so many times and missed this?"
 
and I also wrote "What still upsets me enormously is, if we allow the memorials to those who have fallen in a war to become dilapidated and in need of repairs, are we not dishonoring the memory of those who served and gave their all? "

Others have asked similar questions, I came across a blog post on DC Like a Local from 2009, in which the author while writing about the DC WW I memorial asked .."Are Memorials transitory, and only for the recent wars, or are they there to remind future generations of the cost and sacrifice of those that passed before us?"

and on this page from DC Watch  (which is where I found a great deal of my information originally when researching the DC WW I memorial in 2007 after our discovery of it) from a 2002 Memorial Day post, I was greatly saddened by reading this from an editorial published two days before the memorial's dedication in 1931: 
"It is a pleasing thought to believe that when many, many years have rolled over the hill and the children of our children pause a moment over the names carved on this memorial they can look about them at the things that men have sought to do and say, "They built well." " 

because although the memorial was indeed "built well" ? it had been allowed to fall into disrepair.

As you can see here on The World War I Memorial website  , in the latter years of his life Mr. Buckles called for the 'restoration and re-dedication of the DC memorial as a National and District of Columbia World War I Memorial'.

While you can sign the petition on the website to rededicate the Memorial, you can also contact your state's US Senators to express your support of Senate Bill S.253 A bill to establish a commission to ensure a suitable observance of the centennial of World War I, and to designate memorials to the service of men and women of the United States in World War I.

Here is a link for  How to..contact US Senators  and also the page to search for and contact them by email

Please consider doing this, not only in honor of Mr.Buckles, but also in remembrance of the many who served, and those who gave their lives, in the 'War to End All Wars', as the First World War was once called.

The Washington Post, in writing about Frank Buckles being laid to rest, had a great deal of information about the veterans of WW I whom Mr. Buckles came to represent, in this article
Frank Buckles, last U.S. veteran of World War I, laid to rest at Arlington

which is well worth the read.

Lastly, again from the World War I Memorial website:

In 2014 the world will mark the centennial of World War I. Nearly 5 million Americans served during the war, and 116,516 Americans died in defense of democracy overseas. America’s support of its allies in World War I marked the first time in this nation’s history that American soldiers went abroad to defend foreign soil against aggression -- and it marked the true beginning of “the American century.”


------------------
Let us hopefully honor their memory by seeing that their service is memorialized not with a dilapidated memorial in disrepair, but once again with a memorial that is "built well."
 
 
 

The 'Virtual Wall"

Don't know how I've missed this website before, but via an email forward from my Mom,

here is  The Virtual Wall(TM)

"The Christmas They Never Had"

This year, the 20th anniversary of wreath-laying at Arlington, Wreaths Across America and the Worcester Wreath company has permission to lay wreaths on the over 330,000 graves at Arlington National Cemetery.
To read more about this, go to "The Christmas They Never Had"



                                       (picture from the 2008 Wreath laying)

Japan disaster related links to pass along..praying for Japan

My brother Kirby  on the 15th on CNN about the Japanese stock plunge 

 JP over at Milblogging.com  has recommendations of
Military blogging from Japan - blogs written by military and spouses

via Off the Base  here's a website focused on US Air Force relief efforts in Japan

 Guidstar has a list of Nonprofits helping in Japan

and, if you've seen the viral video on YouTube of the Japanese dog who wouldn't leave his injured friend  ?

then perhaps you might be interested in this post on The Kitchen Dispatch about how to also give to help the pets in Japan affected by this tragedy.

Praying for all those affected by this disaster in Japan.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Post Was Suggested By Michael


Cpl. Frank Woodruff Buckles
110 years old from Charles Town, West Virginia
1st Fort Riley Casual Detachment
February 1, 1901 – February 27, 2011


On February 27, Frank Woodruff Buckles, America's last surviving WWI veteran, passed away at the age of 110. During The Great War he served as an ambulance driver. In 1920 he was discharged from the Army. In 1942, while working for the White Star and W.R. Grace shipping companies, he was captured by the Japanese and spent three years in the Los Baños prison camp. He became malnourished and dropped down to to below 100 pounds.

You can read the rest of Cpl. Buckles story here and 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.

Farewell and Godspeed, to Frank Buckles

Frank Buckles was laid to rest today 
Last American World War I veteran receives a hero's burial with full military honours

Rest in Peace, Sir.

Happy Birthday,Greta, on the 16th:)

Here's to friend Greta ! Enjoy your day tomoroow:)

A picture slideshow by Smilebox

Fundraising for the Face of America Bike Ride

                                           (Beginning of Face of America bike ride 2010)

For the 5th year in a row, our family will be volunteering at the Face of America Bike Ride put on by
World TEAM sports. This ride honors and assists our military:injured,veterans, and active duty.Disabled and able-bodied riders participate in this two day ride from Washington,DC to Gettysburg,PA using both bicycles and hand-cycles.

                                          (photo from 2010 Face of America bike ride)
This has been a most inspiring event year after year for our family to participate in as volunteers,

                                      (Banners from the 2010 Face of America bike ride, we volunteer
                                        on the 'Banner Hanging Team'!:)


 and this year World TEAM sports has provided the volunteers with donation pages to help raise funds towards this event. There is NO charge for injured servicemen and women to participate in this event.. World T.E.A.M. Sports pays costs for travel, lodging and participation of injured servicemen and women.

If you would like to make a donation towards this ride pairing disabled veterans and able bodied riders to demonstrate what is 'possible when we all work together'?('We All Ride the Same Road')
 
Here are the links to the donation pages for myself , my husband , and our daughter ,
 and please feel free to use one of these links to make a donation towards this worthy cause.
(It's not necessary for us to raise funds as volunteers, but we're providing the links because we believe in the mission of World TEAM sports)
 
And Thank You! if you are able to make a donation!
 

 

Happy (Belated) Blogiversary to my little blog :)

Ironically, I missed my own anniversary ('blogiversary') of when I first began blogging..which was
 March 5, 2006

The  original incarnation  of my current blog started out on AOL Journals, which AOL shut down in Oct. 2008. It's hard to describe how very lucky I was to have had the experience to begin blogging on the Journals, as the blogging community there was a tightly-knit and friendly community,calling themselves
"J-Land" .  It was a wonderful place to be introduced to blogging, as everyone was so supportive of each other, and I began numerous online friendships there in 'J-Land' that continue to this day.

While I also found the wider community of  'milbloggers'  to be Just as supportive and friendly, I think being lucky enough to have that initial positive start to blogging in J-Land is one of the reasons that I'm still around  blogging today, 5 years later  :)  The bloggers there were always respectful of each other, and taught me all the 'good manners' of blogging etiquette by example. Thank You,J-Landers!

An anniversary (when you remember it,lol) is not only a time to celebrate, but is usually also a good time to look back on the original event that you are celebrating. I wanted to start blogging initially to spread the word about supporting the troops in general, and about  Soldiers Angels  in particular.  As with so many things in life, I had no idea of the gifts blogging would bring to my life when I started out on this journey.

Blogging has brought me some other pieces of my family history, for when I blogged about my
 Grandfather's service in WW II  I was contacted by the son of a shipmate of my Grandfather McNulty's, and when I blogged about my Uncle's Service in WW II I was contacted by the Regimental Historian for my Uncle's unit, and in both cases my family and I learned more about their service to our country during that time..which is priceless.

 I've been blessed to be able to meet a number of the people I first came to know online, in person, by attending several Milblogging conferences over the years, and also by volunteering at different events in support of our troops..and also been blessed to meet other folks at those events whom I've continued to stay in touch with,too.

Surprisingly, I was asked a few times to blog on other people's blogs, or for other organizations (I say 'surprisingly' because I always operate under the assumption that there's only about 10 people who ever read my blog, lol, and they probably came across me by accident in the first place :) and while some of them never came to anything, I've stayed on for awhile now with the crew over at Hooah Wife & Friends

And, mostly, blogging is just something I've come to love..I get to share what I wish to with the worldwide web via my own little forum here, and while I'll never be an 'A-List Rockstar' blogger, I'm very happy with my little blog and all it has brought to my life:)

So, Happy Belated Blogiversary! to my blog, and here's looking forward to many more anniversaries...which hopefully, I'll actually remember on the Date ! :)

And Thanks, to all those who stop by to read here!!!

Wednesday Hero

Senior Airman Nicholas J. Alden and Airman 1st Class Zachary R. Cuddeback
March 2, 2011


On March 2, a gunman walked into a Frankfurt, Germany airport and shot four people, killing two of them. They were:


Senior Airman Nicholas J. Alden who was 25-years-old from Williamston, S.C. He was assigned to the 48th Security Forces Squadron at RAF Lakenheath in England.


Airman 1st Class Zachary R. Cuddeback of Stanardsville, Va. He was assigned to the 86th Vehicle Readiness Squadron at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

Both Men were being deployed to Afghanistan. I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say our thoughts and prayers go out to the friends and families these Men left behind.

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.

Thoughts and Prayers

Thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Zachary Ryan Cuddeback
as they gather today in Charlottesville,VA for a Memorial Service

A1C Cuddeback was one of the two US Airmen killed in Frankfort, Germany on March 2.

A 'Clarion Call' from The Kitchen Dispatch

If you read nothing else today, please stop by The Kitchen Dispatch and read
The Clarion Call: Snyder vs. Phelps (Westboro Church)

Kanani Fong most eloquently puts into words the feelings I also have about the recent Supreme Court ruling in this case. And please also take time to view the video she has posted, it is well worth the 12 minutes it takes to watch it.

As a member of the Patriot Guard Riders , one thing I'd like to stress is that the Patriot Guard Riders attend funerals Only as the Invited Guests of the family, as you can see by the statement on the
Patriot Guard Riders website

Our main mission is to attend the funeral services of fallen American heroes as invited guests of the family. Each mission we undertake has two basic objectives:


1. Show our sincere respect for our fallen heroes, their families, and their communities.
2. Shield the mourning family and their friends from interruptions created by any protestor or group of protestors.
We accomplish the latter through strictly legal and non-violent means.

There is also a statement on the website regarding the recent Supreme Court Ruling in Snyder vs. Phelps.
----------------
And, while I dislike spending any time whatsoever discussing the Westboro Baptist "church' group....please do not get sidetracked by their use of the word 'church' to describe themselves, or by their status as a tax exempt 'religious' group....educate yourself about who they are and what they stand for.
Wikipedia's page about the group is a good place to start.

And then, think about joining the Patriot Guard Riders, not only to shield the families of our fallen Heroes in the event that the 'hate group' shows up....but to first and foremost,  show respect, and honor for the fallen Hero, their family and community.

Guest Post: "Raise Awareness of Invisible Wounds"

(I was contacted by a gentleman named Tim Elliot, who describes himself as " a lifelong supporter of our troops and a dedicated advocate of veterans' benefits". and he requested a chance to do a guest post on here. I share below with you what he sent me to post for him. If you would like to contact Mr. Elliot, his email address is  creative4lyfe@gmail.com  )

Support Our Troops- Raise Awareness of Invisible Wounds


Everyone knows that our soldiers and veterans deserve our support! Not only while on their tours of active duty serving our country all around the world, but also when they come home. Even while they are not on the front lines serious problems like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) can occur, and soldiers and veterans can need our support even long after they’ve finished their active duty as well.

PTSD has been a serious problem confronting soldiers since the very beginning of military combat, and is a deadly serious anxiety disorder that can occur after a traumatic event. Because PTSD is an anxiety disorder it can be very difficult to diagnose, but the symptoms include emotional numbness, flashbacks to the trauma, and hyperarousal. PTSD is more prevalent in soldiers than civilians because it commonly occurs after events where the victim believes that their life or the lives of others are in serious danger. PTSD is a remarkably serious medical condition, and last year the VA estimated that nearly 18 veterans a day committed suicide each day from untreated PTSD. While treatment for PTSD, usually cognitive behavioral therapy which works to change the way a victim think of their trauma, can be a lengthy and difficult process it has had proven success and with support from the community veterans and soldiers with PTSD can recover.

TBI, which is often called the signature wound of the war on terror, is a bit more of a modern problem that soldiers commonly face. A TBI most commonly occurs when the brain is bruised from a violent collision and is particularly dangerous if soldiers don’t realize that they have had a TBI. Some of the symptoms of TBI include headaches, confusion, lightheadedness, dizziness, blurred vision, a ringing in the ears, changes in sleep patterns, mood changes, and troubles with memory, attention, or thinking and more serious TBIs also characterized by a splitting headache. Unfortunately there is little that can be done to fix the original trauma to the brain, but it’s extremely important for soldiers who have suffered a TBI to see a doctor as soon as possible to make sure that there is proper oxygen flow to the brain and prevent further injury. Most TBI’s are mild enough that with therapy veterans who receive medical attention recover nearly all of their functions.

While PTSD and TBI get the lion’s share of the attention, there’s also another medical problem that many veterans need to be careful of as well. Because up until the 1970’s (when it was discovered asbestos was dangerous) the military commonly used asbestos, many veterans are developing mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the lungs, stomach, and heart that comes from being exposed to asbestos. Because mesothelioma often lies dormant for 20-50 years and mesothelioma symptoms, particularly a shortness of breath or a fluid build-up in the lungs, are so similar to several other less serious diseases mesothelioma often goes undiagnosed and untreated until the tumor has spread through-out the body. However with regular screenings for mesothelioma, veterans can find it early enough that the surgical removal of the tumor is an option.

What PTSD, TBI, and mesothelioma all share in common is that they are can be very difficult to diagnosis. Because these injuries often have little to no physical markings they are often grouped together as “invisible wounds”. Furthermore, because early recognition and diagnosis of these injuries can prove to make the difference between life and death, one of the most important ways we can support our troops is to continue raising awareness and turn the spotlight on these “invisible wounds”
-----------------------

(Thank you, Tim, for your informative and thought-provoking post-Kathi )

Random Gems from Around the Web

Worth Checking Out:

from Paul FranklinTell Their Stories..Of the Other War

on One Day at A Time -  I Am a Blue Star Parent by Frederick J Seitz III

from Boreal Collective Blog , a different type of 'soldier's angels' than I normally blog about,
see the moving photography post  by  Philip Cheung- Soldier's Angels

and lastly, from the New York Times 'At War' blog
Snail Mail Hasn’t Lost Its Power to Boost Troop Morale

Official Armed Forces Blogs

Have you checked out the 'official' blogs for the US Armed Forces?

ArmyLive  The Official Blog of the United States Army

NavyLive  The Official Blog of the United States Navy

US Air Force Live  The Official Blog of the United States Air Force

Marines  The Official Blog of the US Marines

Coast Guard Compass  The Official Blog of the US Coast Guard