Sunday, July 29, 2007

Soldiers Angels Web Surfing

OK, this "Friday Feature" seems to have become a "Roving Feature",ha ha. What can I say? I guess my only excuse is that it's summer:)

There's lots of great Soldiers Angels and Soldiers Angels news out in the blogosphere, so without further ado:

A Texan Abroad passes on the word about another way to support British/Coalition troops

 
Kat in Missouri has an update on those 3,000 Marines who wanted to be adopted
 
 
Butterfly Wife wins my vote for 'Queen of Cards' :) She's still working hard at sending cards to our wounded troops in Germany
 
and she doesn't limit herself to just sending cards. She has this touching story about what happened with some stuffed animals she sent to Mary Ann at Soldiers Angels Germany.(you'll need a tissue)
 
 
Soldiers Angels Texas has a great slideshow up! :)
 
 
CONGRATULATIONS! are in order for Laurie at Soldiers Angels New York
 
 
and she also has a review of THE book that I need to get (now that I just finished the last Harry Potter book!)
 
 
And for two 'new to me' Angels? First we have a 'crafty' Angel :)
 
and next another Texas Angel
 
 
I hope you enjoy checking out all these links as much as I enjoy finding them:)
Hope everyone has a great week!
 
 

The Coalition Of Troop Support in Oregon and Washington

An Oregon Angel asked me to pass this along

Sept. 22

12-3 At the National Guard Armory - McMinnville
This is the 5th year for the "TROOP APPRECIATION DAY" in McMinnville. This EVENT is put together by Jan & Mike Mulany and the community. I'd like to state here that it has been an honor to work with them the past four years. Each year this event has grown and has been one of our favorites. The goodness and the outpouring from the community is amazing. Truly a time of saying Thank You, listening to Great Guest Speakers, and one of the best displays of Patriotism around. Old Glory receives the Center Stage and those who protect her. If you want to feel good about living in the Greatest Nation on Earth this is the place to be. This event lifts the American Spirit high and holds it proudly.

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

You can find the Coalition of Troop Support Website Here

 
And the above Troop and Veteran Appreciation Day, plus many Other Upcoming Events, are listed here
---------------
I don't know if I have any Oregon readers:) but, if you are in Oregon, or know someone who lives in Washington and Oregon, please help spread the word for these folks.
Looks like some great stuff going on there to support our troops!
Thanks!:)
 

Friday, July 27, 2007

A Hero Becomes a Veteran

On this Saturday, July 28, an Army Hero is being medically retired, and officially becoming an Army Veteran.

Sgt. Eric Edmundson, a soldier of the 4/14th Cavalry out of Ft. Wainwright, Alaska, was seriously injured on Oct. 2,2005 when the vehicle he was driving in Iraq hit an IED (improvised explosive device.)

Eric’s journey since that day, and his courageous fight to overcome his injuries,with the help and support of his family, has been documented on his CaringBridge website  HERE

 And many of you may have seen Eric and his father, Ed, featured as ABC’s Persons of the Week on June 29.

Click here: ABC News: Amazing Recovery

The story of Eric and his family has been an inspiration to many. I really can find no words, to express how much I admire the courage,strength, faith, and determination of Eric and his family.

As Sgt. Eric Edmundson medically retires and becomes a Veteran, I wish to send all my best wishes for the future to he and his family.

(and if you wish to send your own message to Sgt. Eric Edmundson? again, you can go to his CaringBridge website  Here

If you'd perhaps like to contribute to Eric's future? Work is being done on a home for he and his wife and daughter by Homes for Our Troops. You can find his page on their website  Here )

 

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

WEDNESDAY HERO

Welcome to this week's installment where all the member bloggers of Wednesday Hero collectively honor many of the real hero's found in this country who's names and bio's have been provided to us for these humble tributes by blogroll creator Indian Chris @ Right Wing and Right Minded.


Many of them are those that have paid the ultimate price for our country protecting it both here and abroad from the many threats we face from our enemies wishing us and them harm, some are not. In either case they are the real American heroes of today and we now both salute and offer our prayers. To join us if you wish to please start by reading the post below.(Introduction courtesy of  Chicago Ray )
 

This Weeks Solider Was Suggested By Robert

 

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

Lieutenant General Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller was a colorful veteran of the Korean War, four World War II campaigns, and expeditionary service in China, Nicaragua, and Haiti.  

 

 He is the only Marine to win the Navy Cross five times for heroism and gallantry in combat earing him the distinction of being the most decorated Marine in the history of the USMC.  

 

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

 

 A list of his awards can be found here.  

 

Born 26 June 1898, at West Point, Virginia, the general attended Virginia Military Institute until enlisting in the Marine Corps in August 1918.  

 

 He was appointed a Marine Reserve second lieutenant 16 June 1919, but due to force reductions after World War I, was placed on inactive duty ten days later. He rejoined the Marines as an enlisted man to serve with the Gendarmerie d'Haiti, a military force in that country under a treaty with the United States. Most of its officers were U. S. Marines, while its enlisted personnel were Haitians.  

 

 After almost five years in Haiti, where he saw frequent action against the Caco rebels, Puller returned in March 1924 to the United States. He was commissioned a Marine second lieutenant that same month, and during the next two years, served at the Marine Barracks, Norfolk, Virginia, completed the Basic School at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and served with the 10th Marine Regiment at Quantico, Virginia.   In July of 1926, Puller embarked for a two-year tour of duty at the Marine Barracks, Pearl Harbor. Returning in June 1928, he served in San Diego, California, until he joined the Nicaraguan National Guard Detachment that December.  

 

After winning his first Navy Cross in Nicaragua, he returned to the United States in July 1931 to enter the Company Officers Course at the Army Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia. He completed the course in June 1932 and returned to Nicaragua the following month to begin the tour of duty that brought him a second Navy Cross. In January 1933, Puller left Nicaragua for the United States.   A month later he sailed from San Francisco to join the Marine Detachment of the American Legation at Peiping, China. There, in addition to other duties, he commanded the famed "Horse Marines."

 

Without coming back to the United States, he began a tour of sea duty in USS AUGUSTA of the Asiatic Fleet. In June 1936 he returned to the United States to become an instructor in the Basic School at Philadelphia. He left there in May 1939 to serve another year as commander of the AUGUSTA's Marine Detachment, and from that cruiser, joined the 4th Marine Regiment at Shanghai, China, in May 1940.    After serving as a battalion executive and commanding officer with the 4th Marines, Puller sailed for the United States in August 1941. In September, he took command of the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, at Camp Lejeune.    

 

That Regiment was detached from the 1st Division in March 1942 and the following month, as part of the 3rd Marine Brigade, sailed for the Pacific theater. The 7th Regiment rejoined the 1st Marine Division in September 1942, and Puller, still commanding its 1st Battalion, went on to win his third Navy Cross at Guadalcanal.  

 

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

 

After Guadalcanal, Puller became executive officer of the 7th Marines. He was fighting in that capacity when he won his fourth Navy Cross at Cape Gloucester in January 1944. There, when the commanders of the two battalions were wounded, he took over their units and moved through heavy machine-gun and mortar fire to reorganize them for attack, then led them in taking a strongly fortified enemy position.   In February 1944, Puller took command of the 1st Marines at Cape Gloucester. After leading that regiment for the remainder of the campaign, he sailed with it for the Russell Islands in April 1944. He went on to command it at Peleliu in September and October 1944. He returned to the United States in November 1944, named executive officer of the Infantry Training Regiment at Camp Lejeune in January 1945, and took command of that regiment the next month.  

 

 In August 1946, Puller became Director of the 8th Marine Corps Reserve District, with headquarters at New Orleans, Louisiana. After that assignment, he commanded the Marine Barracks at Pearl Harbor until August 1950, when he arrived at Camp Pendleton, California, to re-establish and take command of the 1st Marines, the same regiment he had led at Cape Gloucester and Peleliu.   Landing with the 1st Marines at Inchon, Korea, in September 1950, he continued to head that regiment until January 1951, when he was promoted to brigadier general and named Assistant Commander of the 1st Marine Division. That May he returned to Camp Pendleton to command the newly reactivated 3rd Marine Division in January 1952.

 

 After that, he was assistant at division commander until he took over the Troop Training Unit, Pacific, at Coronado, California, that June. He was promoted to major general in September 1953, and in July 1954, assumed command of the 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune.  

 

Despite his illness, he retained that command until February 1955, when he was appointed Deputy Camp Commander. He served in that capacity until August, when he entered the U. S. Naval Hospital at Camp Lejeune prior to retirement. In 1966, General Puller requested to return to active duty to serve in Vietnam, but was turned down because of his age. He died 11 October 1971 in Hampton, Virginia, after a long illness. He was 73.    

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

 

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

 

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

 

 

This Post is a Hodgepodge :)

I have oodles of links that I have been meaning to pass on, so I'm going to throw them all into a post here.

In the 'blog maintenance' category....I have moved the

 link to the bottom of my list of 'Favorite Sites'....not because I don't like those guys,lol, but so that I could also list the links for the 3 most prolific bloggers from the platoon underneath. Y'all should check these guys out! (and you can, of course, find JP blogging at Milblogging.com about His deployment,among other posts he has up.)
 
And,I've added a 'Featured Blog of the Week' section under "All About Me" on the left sidebar. This week's featured blog is  View from the 8th Floor ,the blog of a fellow Soldiers Angel. I think Lisa is doing a great job, and just wanted to do my part to maybe send her a little more traffic:)
 
Via a link on Milblogging.com, I came across this blog post over at the VA Mortgage Center blog...what Troy has to say about the folks sending care packages is one of the nicest things I've ever seen.
 
Also at the same blog, are two wonderful tribute posts by CJ (the founder of
A Soldiers Perspective ) about the war service of his grandfather, who recently passed away. (and my condolences to the family.)
 
 
There's a contest coming up in August over at VAJoe's
 
(My thanks to Flag Gazer for passing the word on about that, and to VAJoe's for adding Independence Fund to the list of charities.)
 
Speaking of Independence Fund? I'm still blogging over there at their new blog.
 
I received an update from the World Trade Center Memorial foundation that included this listing of recent aquisitions for the museum
(and I think the Flag of Remembrance is awesome.)
 
I posted on my 'family blog' about some card showers
(and there's an update on there about the Virtual Baby Shower.)
 
 
And,lastly,my friend at Random Threads posted this link to a great video not too long ago, not your average Irish dancing video,lol.
 
Hope you enjoy all the links!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Friday, July 20, 2007

3,000 Marines....Can You Help?

(The above picture is of a poster made by a SC Soldiers Angel )

A call went out for help this past week from Soldiers Angels

 

3,000 Marines  from the Fighting 13th MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit) have been submitted to Soldiers' Angels for support.

The Marines may be looking for a few good men, but we are looking for a lot of great citizens who are willing to help support these men and women. Some of these marines are on the fifth deployment in defense of our nation.

We need Angels to adopt as many marines as possible. We need many more patriotic citizens to sign up to become Angels to adopt some fine marines. Please help us support these men and women.

To read more about these Marines, please click here: Fighting 13th MEU

Sign up to be a Soldiers' Angels and adopt a marine by clicking here: Adopt a Marine.

Or donate money or supplies by clicking here: Donate

If you have any questions about how to adopt a marine or make a donation, please email Soldiers' Angels

Or call, (615) 676-0239.

 

Attention,Bloggers! Project 2,996 for 2007

Notice has been posted on the 2,996 Blog that a scaled-down version of Project 2,996- in remembrance of the victims of Sept.11- will take place this year.

 
To repeat the pertinent details, D. Challenger Roe has  
 
posted a list of all 2,996 Victims. This year there is no signing up.
 

1a. Just go to the page and pick a name.

…or…

1b. Take a look at the top of the sidebar on the 2,996 blog and take the name in the “One of the Fallen” box as your assigned name. This box will show a new name each time the page is loaded.

…or…

1c. Choose the same name you had last year. Just remember, you should look for new information and write a new post. These people deserve at least that much from us.

2. Then research that name and post a tribute to your blog on 9/11/2007.

3. A few days before 9/11/2007 D. Challenger Roe will put a page up that will allow everyone to leave links to their tributes.

4. In the meantime you can join the Project 2,996 Forum, for research help, or just to talk with others about Project 2,996.

------------------
You may remember the 2,996 project from last year? And here is the page listing the tributes from then.
 
The list for THIS year is, again, located here
 
for you to pick out a name, and it's broken down by the place where the victim perished, and then alphabetically by the victim's full name.
----------------
I plan on participating in the 2,996 project again this year, and I hope you will consider doing the same.
 
I have kept the names I wrote tributes to last year on the sidebar here in the blog, and I still receive notifications from the Legacy.com pages for some of those names.  They are three people I will always think of when I think of 9/11. 
 
 The sheer number of victims seems so overwhelming, but I found when doing my research last year, that when you focus on just one name to learn about, and try to honor and remember, it seems to remain in your heart and mind.
 
(In my own case, I ended up doing two extra tributes last year at the last minute, to try and help many others who were doing the same to ensure that every victim was remembered.Those links remain on the sidebar of this blog.)
 
 Sadly, last year there were still about 359 people who never received a tribute written to remember and honor them.UPDATE And if you'd like to know who they were? they are listed in Blue on this year's list.
 
In choosing someone to honor this coming year from this year's list?
 
It just so happened that, when I checked last year's list, I had chosen someone who did not have a tribute written to them last year.
 
D Challenger Roe has plans to keep the 2,996 Project ongoing, as you'll see on the blog post announcing this year's Project 
 
So I wanted to pass this on, for all of you who may want to participate.
 
 
 
 

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Introducing--The Independence Fund Blog

After my post the other day about 

It's a Small World..Independence Fund and "A Chair for Josh"

I was asked if I would be the 'Official Blogger" for the Independence Fund

(which I consider a great honor, and am very excited about :)

I'll be doing the blogging for them on their brand new blog that was just set up, and so without further ado? Here is the link

 
Please stop by and check it out! :)
 
(and don't worry....I'll still be continuing the 'regularly boring blogging' right here,too:)
 
 

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

WEDNESDAY HERO

Welcome to this week's installment where all the member bloggers of Wednesday Hero collectively honor many of the real hero's found in this country who's names and bio's have been provided to us for these humble tributes by blogroll creator Indian Chris @ Right Wing and Right Minded.


Many of them are those that have paid the ultimate price for our country protecting it both here and abroad from the many threats we face from our enemies wishing us and them harm, some are not. In either case they are the real American heroes of today and we now both salute and offer our prayers. To join us if you wish to please start by reading the post below.(Introduction courtesy of  Chicago Ray )
 
 

Cpl. Clinton Warrick

 

Cpl. Clinton Warrick (Soldier On The Left) Medic with the 2nd Platoon, 300th Military Police Company
 
 
 
Even after having been thrown several meters, knocked unconscious, set aflame and buried under rubble all as a result of a suicide-vehicle-borne IED, a Fort Riley medic braved small-arms fire to save the lives of fellow Soldiers and Iraqi policemen last year.
 
 
 Cpl. Clinton Warrick received the Army's third highest award for valor during a June 18, 2007 ceremony at Riverside Park for his actions during a Sept. 18, 2006, insurgent attack at the Al Huryia Iraqi Police Station.
 
 
Maj. Gen. Carter Ham (soldier on the right), commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley, present Cpl. Warrick the Silver Star and other awards before his family and friends, and his former 300th MP Co. platoon leader, company commander and first sergeant.
 
 
"This is one of Fort Riley's great Soldiers - one of our real, no-kidding heroes," Maj. Gen. Ham said at the ceremony. "It is right and proper that we come here to present you this award for valor. It is heroes like this who make our Army the best in the world and our nation so strong."
 
 
 You can read the rest of Cpl. Warrick's story here.
 
 

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

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

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

 

Sunday, July 15, 2007

It's a Small World..Independence Fund and "A Chair for Josh"

You may recall that back on April 29, my daughter and I traveled to MD to volunteer with Soldiers Angels at the 2007 Face of America Bike Ride.

Click here: Woo Hoo! Yesterday at the 2007 Face of America Bike Ride was a blast!!

At the bike ride, we met a  disabled veteran named Josh (pictured below)who had ridden a hand-cranked bike from PA to MD in the bike ride, as he is paralyzed from the waist down. He was an extremely personable and likeable young man, with a wonderful sense of humor, and my daughter and I were both honored and delighted to have met him, and his girlfriend.

Well today, I opened an email that said "Help a Wounded WPB(West Palm Beach) Vet" , and read this:

Joshua is a 22yr. old former Army sniper who was wounded in the Global War on Terrorism. He was hit by shrapnel that pierced his stomach, bladder, intestines and left lung.  Joshua had spent two years in Army and was deployed on January 2005. As a result of injuries sustained he cannot do anything physical that he did before. Joshua dresses himself but has no easy way of getting around his apartment complex, as he can no longer walk. Josh suffered what is called traumatic thoracic spinal cord myelopathy and was told he will be permanently paralyzed from waist down.  The road back from recovery, as you can imagine, has been long and hard. But Joshua has pulled himself up by the bootstraps and is now looking into going to school.  

Yep, you guessed it....this is the same Josh that my daughter and I had met. It is indeed a very small world sometimes, isn't it?

The emailwas from a newnot-for-profit organization called  Independence Fund  and their mission is

Mission
It is the purpose of the Independence Fund to serve wounded and disabled Veterans of the U.S. Armed Services. Our mission is to promote and expand the independence, self-respect, self-esteem, and improve the quality of life, of these brave men and women. It is our goal to provide adaptive equipment, and grant funding for proven medical therapies and leisure activities.

 
The purpose of the email I received was to spread the word about the Independence Fund trying to raise money for Josh to get something called an iBot wheelchair.
 
To quote the email further:

The iBot wheelchair Josh is riding in the picture below is a state of the art wheelchair that retails for $30,000.  It was invented by "Segway" inventor Dean Kaman and takes that technology to a new level.  It's six gyroscopes allow the user to climb stairs, drive on all terrain, and perhaps most importantly, allows the user to raise them self to eye level of a six-foot tall individual.  For someone like Josh who has been relegated to the eyelevel of a six year old after being wounded in combat, this is huge from a psychological standpoint.  This is by far the best piece of equipment I have come across for integrating someone like Josh, from the disabled community into the able bodied community.

Unfortunately, because Josh has full upper mobility, he does not meet the current VA criteria for a power-chair.  It's a shame because many of the iBots features, (the ability to climb stairs for example) require upper mobility.  The Independence Fund had lined up an anonymous donor to fund the purchase of Joshua's chair, and based on that information we arranged for an assessment/fitting for Joshua on 5 June. This was accomplished at the Orlando Medical Center, and a Marine comrade of mine, LtCol Tom Morgan, accompanied Josh that day. Tom’s words were, "You should have seen the smile on that kids face when he was raised up to eye level." 

Sadly, the promised funding for Josh's chair never materialized. It's something that these kids have come to accept, but it is frustrating none-the-less. For this reason I am requesting your assistance.  Is there anything that you can do to get behind funding the chair for this brave young hero?  Our non-profit also offers a means through which interested donors can make a tax-deductible donation.  If enough people get behind this effort, I imagine that we may be able to not only fund Josh's chair, but others as well.

(Here's the pic the email referred to:)

I checked out the Independence Fund and they are apparently affiliated with The Aleethia Foundation ,which, as you may recall, was started by Hal Koster and Tom Maier to provide a method of tax-deductible contributions to fund the (now defunct,thanks to the Hilton Corp) Friday night dinners for wounded veterans at Fran O'Brien's steakhouse in DC.

I also checked out Independence Fund's Board of Directors, and they are listed as:

Steve Danyluk: Founder/Director

Ed Edmundson: Director

Cheryl Lynch: Director

Ed Edmundson is the father of  Eric Edmundson , whom I have frequently mentioned before, and whose CaringBridge page is listed in the sidebar.(The world gets smaller and smaller. And yikes, I have been remiss in not mentioning sooner that Eric and his Dad were featured not too long ago as the ABC Persons of the Week! Please check out his CaringBridge page for all the links about that.)

(Update:  Yikes..."senior moment". Turns out that I also met Cheryl at the FOA bike ride....I THOUGHT her name sounded awfully familiar. Sorry,Cheryl!)

Steve Danyluk, the founder of  Independence Fund  according to the email,  "had served in 4th ANGLICO, a Marine Reserve Unit based in West Palm and deployed to Iraq with a thirty-three Marine detachment a couple years ago"....and then," worked wounded issues out of a Pentagon agency for a year and became well versed in the things that were being done well to support our wounded, and the things that were being done "not so well."

"Now returned to civilian life"......"recently established a non-profit organization ( www.independencefund.org ) to address some of the things that are being done "not so well."

I decided to call Steve Danyluk, and spoke briefly with him( a very nice gentleman) to ask his permission to try and promote this further on the blog. In the email I had received from him, he also included a link to a news article about a recent Independence Fund fundraiser.

 

I also spoke with Josh, who admitted that yes, he Was "deeply disappointed" when the funding fell throughfor the iBot wheelchair, but said "I'm maintaining" and spoke of his plans to attend school.

You can read Josh's story on the Independence Fund website by clicking on "Support" and then "Sponsor a Vet" and on that page click on "Heroes' Stories" and he's listed under "Josh Lindsey".

On the "Sponsor a Vet" page, you can also see video footage of another wounded veteran using an iBot wheelchair. At the end of the video, it says that that veteran wants to donate his iBot to Josh? but apparently that is not happening now.

I found out more about the iBot wheelchair here

Click here: iBOT: FDA Approves Souped-Up Wheelchair that Climbs Stairs LAURAN NEERGAARD / AP 13aug03

here Click here: iBOT® Mobility System: About The iBOT® Mobility System

and here  Click here: iBOT - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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

I'm posting all this because I'd like to do whatever I can to help  Josh,

 and to promote the Independence Fund .

If you would like to donate to the Independence Fund specifically FOR Josh? (and I will be donating what I can this coming payday!)

There is a donation button on the website, just click "Support" and then click "Donate" and it says:

Donate On Line to the General Independence Fund or designate your donation to a specific wounded hero that is currently trying to meet specific goals. Any funds that exceed the goals of an individual's needs, will be utilized by the Independence Fund to assist another wounded veteran.

Or you can mail donations to:

Independence Fund / Aleethia Foundation
4960 Hwy 90 Suite 167
Pace, Florida 32571

(and please mark it "Josh Lindsey" if you want it specifically to go towards   A CHAIR FOR JOSH )

However much, or little, that you can give, I am sure will be greatly appreciated! Once again, as Steve said in his email?

If enough people get behind this effort, I imagine that we may be able to not only fund Josh's chair, but others as well.  

If nothing else, please feel free to copy,paste, repost, email a link to this post, and could you please help

SPREAD THE WORD

Thank you, for whatever you can do to help this young veteran.

And Thank You,also, for whatever you can do to help pass the word on  about  Independence Fund .

 

 

 

 

Soldiers Angels Web Surfing

Welcome to this week's edition (which I really should have posted LAST week,LOL) of  Soldiers Angels Web Surfing, where I 'surf' the web for various mentions of and by   Soldiers Angels

I'll start out with this post, from Angel friend  Lisa-in-DC

 
 
And here is a 'new' (to me) post from someone who has been an Angel for awhile,but I've somehow missed her blog up till now
 
 
 
Another 'new to me' blogging Angel
 
 
 
"Christmas in July". Soldiers Angels Network blog puts out the call here
 
 
 
Laurie passes on news about a "Ride to Remember"
 
 
and Kat-in-Missouri continues her series on "Why I Became an Angel"
 
 
This is by no means a definitive listing of everything  Soldiers Angels  that is out there, I just try to feature posts and blogs that I hope might be of interest to people (mostly results culled from web searches with Google and Technorati, in case you were wondering,...or even if you weren't wondering,lol, about the inner workings of my blogging:)
 
For more  Soldiers Angels  news and blogs?  you can always check out my work-in-progress listing of  " Blogs By Members of Soldiers Angels ", or go by the
 
Soldiers Angels website
 
or the Soldiers Angels forums
 
 (you have to be a registered member of Soldiers Angels to sign up for the forums, but the news postings are readable by the public.)
 
Lastly, because I'm always excited to see people mentioning Soldiers Angels :)  I want to give a belated shout-out and Thank You to friend Robin of   Random Threads , who was recently chosen as a top 5 "Rockin Girl Blogger" (Congrats! Robin, you Do 'rock':) and went on in her own post about 'Rockin Girls' to pick This blog as one of the ones She recommends.
Because of her post, I've had several new readers stop by....Welcome! to them, and again, a big Thank You to Robin!!
 
That's all for today, hope you enjoy the 'surf' :)
 
 

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Just Finished Reading "A World Undone:The Story of the Great War,1914 to 1918" by G.J. Meyer

I haven't been around the blogosphere too much lately. That's partly because my work schedule has been crazy-busy, and also it was Dustin's last bit of time here at home. (plus, it seems everytime I Did find a moment to sit down at the computer, someone in my family would come up and say 'I just need to get on the computer for a minute".....and I'd never have a chance to get back on the computer again,lol.)

But I also haven't been around because for the last week or so, I have been reading this book

Click here: Amazon.com: A World Undone: The Story of the Great War, 1914 to 1918: Books: G.J. Meyer

which has just kept me riveted.

It's an extremely good overview of the First World War, and it caught my eye because of our visit to the War Memorials in DC last February, when you may recall that we came upon the DC WW I memorial

which, as I blogged at the time, A Visit to the Wall, and Other Memorials upset me very much, because of the dilapidated condition of the Memorial.

I have a habit of cruising the non-fiction section of the library, because, well, that's just how us geeks 'roll',lol. (oh, if my 15 year old ever read my blog, she would be cringing right now, and saying, "Mom, OLD people CANNOT talk like that!! It's just NOT allowed!")

And my discovery of the "Great War" Memorial had made me realize that I actually knew very little About WW I , except for the standard "World War I started when Archduke Franz Ferdninand and his wife were assasinated" that we all learned way back in grade school.

This book opened my eyesto an understanding of all the reasons why World War I changed the face of warfare so radically, to the unbelievable carnage that occurred during that war, and to why the world truly Was never the same afterwards.

The author also did a wonderful job of explaining the politics that led to the war, and (most importantly to me,) explored not only the personalities of the key military and political leaders during that time, but excerpted quotes from letters from ordinary soldiers who fought in it, to show the average man's mindset.

So, if you're looking for a good read and want to know more about the history of World War I ? I highly recommend this book.

Friday, July 13, 2007

Goodbye, and Good Luck!

Well, Tony's son is gone, off to start the next phase of his life.

We're a little blue today, naturally. But, wishing Dustin the best of luck!

We love and will miss you!

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

WEDNESDAY HERO

Welcome to this week's installment where all the member bloggers of Wednesday Hero collectively honor many of the real hero's found in this country who's names and bio's have been provided to us for these humble tributes by blogroll creator Indian Chris @ Right Wing and Right Minded.


Many of them are those that have paid the ultimate price for our country protecting it both here and abroad from the many threats we face from our enemies wishing us and them harm, some are not. In either case they are the real American heroes of today and we now both salute and offer our prayers. To join us if you wish to please start by reading the post below.(Introduction courtesy of  Chicago Ray )

 

This Weeks Hero Was Suggested By Sunni Kay

Ryan Rahe has been active in the Special Olympics since he was in Middle School. The now 25-year-old has won quite a few medals over the years, but not all of his medals are at his Tennessee home.
 
 Some of them have been sent, by Ryan, to soldiers fighting the War On Terror for "good luck".
 
Jayne Rahe, Ryan's mother, said the idea of sending support to the soldiers in harm's way came about when she and Ryan were talking about news coverage of the war in Iraq. Jayne visited www.anysoldier.com and discovered how she and Ryan could let the men and women in Iraq know their efforts are appreciated.
 
Ryan, named 2006 Special Olympics Athlete of the Year for the Blount County Sports Hall of Fame, said he felt good when he received the box from the soldiers. He said if he could talk with them face to face, he would say, "Thank you."
 
The Rahes plan to continue sending care packages to soldiers, including the medals. "Ryan is a pretty generous fellow," Jayne said. "He doesn't mind giving things to people."
 
In a letter that Ryan received, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Anthony W. Grillett wrote: "I and the Battalion can never thank you enough for sending us your medals. They have brought us luck and good fortune, and now as we prepare to deploy home we send them back to you with our eternal gratitude. That you would send us something so precious is a reflection of your character. As you called us heroes; to me you are the hero. For I believe it is not who you are, or what you are that makes you a hero, it is the ability to give all especially when it is never asked. Your courage to face the challenges required earning those medals and then so freely send them to us here in Iraq will forever make you a hero to me. I will never be able to truly express in words how honored I was when I read the letter from your Mother. It truly humbles me and shows me that what I fight for in our country will always be worth the small sacrifices asked of me. Thank you again."
 
 

Sometimes a hero is one who sacrifices everything in their life to help others. And sometimes a hero is one who sacrifices nothing more than their time.

 

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

 

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

 

 

Sunday, July 8, 2007

Good News about Hunts for Heroes

Some good news from Billy Hodges over at   Hunts for Heroes

He says:

Some really cool things are happening with HUNTS FOR HEROES. I suppose about the best thing is we have become an official 501c3.

With that came some major funding and pending grants that will allow us to do some great things for our wounded troops

(Hurray! for them!! :)

Billy also says:

One of our biggest events ever, is coming up on the 27th, 28th and 29th of July.   We will be fishing with 20 wounded from  Brooke Army Medical Center  at Matagorda Bay at the end of July.

If you would like to send some cards or letters addressed "To Any Hero", for Billy to pass out for this event? You can mail them to:

HUNTS FOR HEROES
P.O. DRAWER 1663
EL CAMPO, TX 77437

And don't forget, Hunts for Heroes has a forum you can check out here 

 
and you can click here    Click here: Hunts For Heroes - Past Hunts   to see pictures from last year's big fishing tournament.
 
Best Wishes! to Billy and all the Hunts for Heroes gang, and the wounded heroes that they will be taking fishing!!
 
 
 
 

Saturday, July 7, 2007

Soldiers Angels Web Surfing

Yikes, I'm late on this, I usually try to get it posted on Friday. Life has just been hectic, and my work schedule has been the same.

Here are three new blogging Soldiers Angels members....well, one of them is an 'old hand' at both blogging And 'Angeling', but she has started another blog. The inestimable Greta Perry, of   Hooah Wife and Friends  fame has started this blog

 
and, in case you missed it? A post from yet Another place she blogs (golly, Greta, how many places Are you on the web?! lol:) was recently featured on Milblogging.com
 
 
 
The second new 'blogging Angel' seems to be getting off to a fine start! :)
 
 
And this member of Soldiers Angels is also a volunteer guide dog puppy raiser!
 
 
(All these blogs have been added to my ongoing listing of )
 
 
if you think you should be on this list? Just send me an email at  kasee267@aol.com
-----------------------------
 
Over on  MySpace , at the same time I started this Soldiers Angels Web Surfing feature, I started what they call a 'Blog Group' called  'Soldiers Angels Blogs'. Basically this was because there were so many  Soldiers Angels  members on MySpace, and it seemed that a lot of them blogged, and I was trying to find a way to list them in one place.
 
I've had some problems with that,lol, in that MySpace gets all quirky sometimes, and won't let people join when I try to add them, or else people can't access their blogs,etc....the usual stuff that makes people love And hate MySpace. 
 
 And while I'm the group 'administrator' (always so helpful to have an administrator who has no clue, don't ya think?) there seems to be no other way for me to check what is going on among the  'Blogging MySpace Angels'  than for me to peruse the whole list of blogs for new posts...in that spare time that I don't really seem to have, ha ha.
 
So, this is belated, and my apologies to the Angel, but one of the MySpace Angels recently had a great post
 
 
--------------------------------------
 
 
Angel Blog Posts that I wanted to highlight.......
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(and yes, I have links to multiple posts from Soldier's Angels Kansas City...that's because A. She does a great job of blogging and B. SHE can get her Friday posts up ON Friday,LOL, unlike myself :)
 
------------
Well, that's it for the Soldiers Angels Web Surfing post. Hope you all have a great weekend!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Friday, July 6, 2007

Want to Help Send a Care Package?

Someone I know is collecting items to send to a group of deployed soldiers, and I'm trying to help spread the word.

This is going to be  a 'joke box', so here is a list of some of the items being requested.

1. Beef Jerky

2. 'Word Find' paperbacks

3.  Really OLD magazines (circa 1980 would be awesome, if not possible? any magazine that you think a soldier would find completely Useless,lol. I'll be including the 'American Girl' Summer Fun issue in the items I'm sending, if that helps you out with ideas.)

4. More Beef Jerky (the number one item being asked for)

I can't say too much more, as the person sending this is attempting to keep it a surprise...but trust me, LOL, this will bring some smiles to a lot of soldier's faces.

The box is going to be sent out in August, and if you want the mailing address of Where To Send, just send me an email at   kasee267@aol.com  (with 'Joke Care Package' in the subject line) and I'll pass along the address of the person who is collecting these items.

 

Thursday, July 5, 2007

Excuse the pun,but....

Our cat is a basket case :)

(sorry...couldn't resist! :)

 

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

Hurray! Videos from Graduation:)

I finally figured out how to upload the two short videos we took at Dustin's graduation from Basic.

The Graduates Marching In

Platoon Marching Onstage

 

Fourth of July Parade

If you couldn't enjoy a parade today? thought I'd share ours with you.

Happy 4th of July! from mid-size town America :)

 

and for how we spent the rest of our day? Besides grilling out, we enjoyed the new pool

 
 

WEDNESDAY HERO-4th of July

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

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

 

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

 

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

 

 

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Attention! All Coffee Lovers,Coffee Drinkers, Troop Supporters!

Now THIS is a contest I can get behind,LOL, as a die-hard caffeine-addict.

My fellow troop supporter,friend, and fellow member of the 'Crackhead Hausfrau Network" of JP-supporters, SK, alerted me to this posting on the Anysoldier forums

Click here: Forum.AnySoldier.com - PROUD SOLDIER in COFFEE contest and WANTS to win for UNIT help

and this is where you go to vote

Here's some more about the contest

Weekly Contests
Each week, we’ll feature stories written by you, and let people vote for their favorite. The story that receives the most votes wins a coffee travel system and a stainless steel coffee press! Because now that you’ve found Simply Smooth, we want to make sure you can enjoy it wherever you go.

Multiple Chances to Win
Grand Prize: Two-year supply of Folgers Simply Smooth (awarded in 24 product coupons) and $2,000 cash. Nine Weekly Prizes: Coffee travel system and stainless steel coffee press

We’ll have nine weekly entry periods. Once you submit a story, you’re in. There's no need to resubmit each week. Limit one weekly prize per family/household.

One Ultimate Grand Prize
In week 10, we’ll post the nine weekly winners, and let the public vote for their all-time favorite Lost & Found story. The story that gets the most votes wins a two-year supply of Folgers Simply Smooth (awarded in 24 product coupons) and $2,000, so the winner can enjoy a second cup for years to come.

 

So, what are you waiting for?  Take another gulp of your coffee, and then click on over to vote! :)

And please spread the word!

 

 

Monday, July 2, 2007

Don't Worry....You can Still Write Letters!

Awhile back, I included a link in a Soldiers Angels Web Surfing post about the new Eligibility Requirements for the Letter Writing Team, without editorial comment.

Here's a link once again to the new requirements

Click here: Soldiers Angels Network: New Eligibility Requirements Effective Today For Joining the Soldiers' Angels "Letter Wri

and,after doing some checking, I just wanted to reassure everyone...Don't Worry, You can STILL write letters....and letters are actually needed!

Via Patti, she says she can always use letters to be included in the backpacks for the Wounded

Click here: Soldiers' Angels - Backpacks for the Wounded

and she says send those letters to:

Dear Wounded Hero

c/o Soldiers Angels
914 Tourmaline Dr
Newbury Park, Ca 91320
 
Patti says letters can also be used to be sent out in the Vet packs 
 
or in the  Cool Packs
 
or in the  Welcome Packs.
 
As you know, I became a member of  Soldiers Angels by joining the Letter Writing Team about 2 years ago.   While these new requirements mean it is no longer possible to join the Letter Writing Team when you are a new member?  You can STILL join one of the many other Teams at Soldiers Angels to send cards or notes.
 
 
If you're interested in writing to the troops?  Two of the Teams that offer possible ways to do that are:
 
 
 
It is possible to join Any of the Teams besides the Letter Writing Team at Soldiers Angels, without signing up to adopt a soldier (if that is not an option)  All you need to do is pick the Team you'd like to join, and submit your application for approval.  Once you are approved, you're a member of that Team.
 
My understanding of the new regulations as regards the Letter Writing Team, is that for a myriad of reasons, it was decided to open that Team only to Angels who had already been committed to an 'adopted' soldier, or committed to another Team, for 6 months....to ensure that those who want to be on the Letter Writing Team will be committed to writing those extra letters.
 
This has no effect on those Angels who are already ON the Letter Writing Team (like myself)....this is only for new people joining Soldiers Angels. 
 
Speaking of Angels already on the LWT?  I wanted to point out that these folks come from all over the World.  Like my new Angel friend in Australia
 
 
who writes letters to US troops because it's not possible for her to write to the Australian troops, due to their rules and regulations. 
 
The Canadian Angels also had the same problem, with it not being possible for them to do a one to one pairing of Angels with Canadian soldiers, but they have found a way to still support the many troops fighting the War on Terror
 
 
So, I just wanted to reassure anyone who is considering joining Soldiers Angels, that the new Letter Writing Team requirements are NOT meant to be restrictive.  And that there are still many ways, as a member of Soldiers Angels, that you can write to the troops.
 
If you are interested solely in writing letters to the troops? and Not interested in joining Soldiers Angels in order to do so?
 
There is   Anysoldier.com  ,another fine troop support site.
 
So, there are still Plenty of ways to support the Troops:)  And whether it's through Soldiers Angels or another troop support site?
 
I hope you'll please consider doing what you can, to support them!
 
 
 
 
 

Sunday, July 1, 2007

Please Vote for SSG. Christian Bagge

From  Gazing at the Flag comes this story

Click here: Gazing at the Flag: A Face of Freedom ~ Army SSG Christian Bagge

and the news that SSG. Bagge is a finalist in the Energizer "Keep Going" Hall of Fame voting.

Click here: Gazing at the Flag: Vote For SSG Christian Bagge!!!

Finalist in the
Energizer "Keep Going" Hall of Fame


Click the link, click on 'Vote Today',
chose Christian's picture and follow the directions.

Vote through August 1, 2007.
You can vote once EACH DAY!

(For every vote cast, Energizer will donate $1 to the  Cal Ripken,Sr. Foundation , up to $10,000. The foundation provides opportunities for underprivileged children to learn the sport of baseball.)

 

The Bad Voodoo Platoon T-Shirts are Here! :)

Hopefully, you've been by   Milblogging.com  lately ? and seen that JP is blogging about his deployment.

Like  Introducing Me and My Milblog

and  A Story by One of My Supporters

He's also promoting the blogs of other members of   Bad Voodoo Platoon

Click Here  Bad Voodoo Military Bloggers

I was by the milblog of the most excellent Toby  yesterday  

 Click here: Northern Disclosure

and I noticed that......the T-Shirts are Here! :) Yay!

Click here: Bad Voodoo Platoon : CafePress.com

I also went by Spc. Jones blog  Click here: West Coast Notorious

and found out he's also in a band called   Counterstep 

I checked them out, and most particularly liked the song "One Below Zero"...so much, that I added it as my profile song on  my MySpace page

(and I also saw on the Counterstep blog on MySpace that they have some of their songs featured via video over at GX Online  Click here: GX Online - Gear Up   )

Another Bad Voodoo milblogger worth checking out is

Ranger Sid

I'm sure I'll be mentioning these guys more in the next year :) Because of JP, they all hold a special place in my heart.

And now......I'm off to order my shirt!! :)

(The money goes into a platoon fund, to help out with special needs within the platoon.)