For Veteran's Day

 

Yesterday, as my friend at Random Threads mentions  here (in a very good post), we Were going to go to DC for the 25th anniversary of the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Wall, but for several reasons, we ended up not going.

However, I wanted to take a moment to remember all our Veteran's,

and also to particularly remember the Veteran's in my own family.

 

Grandad, who served in WW II in the Navy

(and I've written before about his service here)

Click here: Some of My Family History,Grandad in WW II (Updated)

 

My aunt Lynn, who served as an Army Nurse in Vietnam

(and I've also written about her service to our country)

Click here: For My Aunt...A Thank You to an Army Nurse Corps Vietnam Veteran

 

My Dad, Mark,who was a pilot in the Army from 1961-64.

 

And my fiancee,Tony, who served in the Army from 1984-88.

 

Tony's brother,Chris, also served in the Army (not sure of the dates) and here he is pictured with Tony and Dustin(who is now continuing the tradition of service to our country.)

Tony and Chris's brother, Mark, served in the Navy.

I was talking to Mom and Dad earlier, and was reminded of how Many Veterans we have in our family.  Dad's brother Ray served in the Navy in WW II,  his brother Bob served in the Marines in WW II, and his brother Tommy served in the Army in Korea.

And his brother Bill died in the Battle of the Bulge in WW II, serving in the Army.

Dad also has 3 nephews who are veterans...Michael served in the Air Force, Steve served in the Army, and Rick served in the Gulf War.

All in all, I think my family has a very rich history of service to our country, of which I'm very proud, and on this Veteran's Day, to them

and to all those who are Veterans

I just wanted to say   THANK YOU

 

More on "Band of Bloggers"

Sean at Doc in the Box has a roundup with links to some of the blogs (see my previous post) Thanks! Sean:)

Click here: Doc in the Box: Just finished Band of Bloggers

and I,like Sean, tried Googling, and also  Milblogging.com , to see if I could hunt down any more links. (I actually watched the show again last night at midnight, just to write down all the names they flashed during the show,LOL :)

I,of course, recognized Michael Fumento's name,that link was easy to find:

Click here: Michael Fumento.com - Weblog

 

and it looks like 'Charlie Maib" is a SPC who's in the Public Affairs Office?

Click here: Cav Country

Click here: The United States Army News | A Different Story in Baghdad

 

 

JD Johannes name seemed to ring a bell, I found a link from Blackfive

 

Click here: BLACKFIVE: Very Cool Movies from JD Johannes ("Outside the Wire")

 

egg on my face for not recognizing that one right away,LOL, and I found a direct link

 

Click here: Blog: Outside the Wire

 

 

Bobby Statum seems to be a photographer who is SGT Bobby Statum?

 

Click here: THE TENSION: Combat Camera Video: Stryker Upgrade

 

 

and between what Sean and I found, it seems the only links we couldn't hunt down or people we couldn't get a lead on were Matt Russo and Jeff Tanner. (If you have links,please email me:)

 

I recognized Spott Hover's name, I think I've featured before the link to "IED Hunter",hilarious:)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBE0vEnMMrc

 

 

Because I'm somewhat 'anal-retentive',LOL, I'm going to list all the names I wrote down from the show, with appropriate links, to make it easy for you.

 

Sean Dustman

 

Colby Buzzell

 

Paul Rieckhoff

 

Chris Missick

 

Edouard H.R. Gluck

 

Rusten Currie

 

Kate Hoit

 

Bobby Statum

 

Spott Hover (see "IED Hunter" link above)

 

JD Johannes

 

Michael Fumento

 

Charlie Maib (see links above)

 

Jeff Tanner

 

Matt Russo

 

 

 

 

 

Update: And Sean tracked down what others are saying here

 

Click here: Doc in the Box: What some other people are saying about Band of Bloggers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tags: television, milblogs, milblogging, military, blogging

"Band of Bloggers"

Just finished watching   Band of Bloggers on the History Channel

 and it's worth watching!! 

( HAD to watch it, LOL, as my good friend Sean from  Doc in the Box  is in it!)  No, seriously, I Wanted to see it, and totally forgot to pimp it out ahead of time.

It's on all weekend,though, so there's still time for you to watch it!!  Here's the schedule:

Friday, November 09
08:00 PM
Saturday, November 10
12:00 AM
Monday, November 12
12:00 PM
Monday, November 12
06:00 PM

I thought the show was very well done, and dang, it sure 'took me back' to 'the early days' of milblogs.....which wasn't all that long ago, was it?

I can still remember the first time I came across Sean's blog, and how he encouraged me to become a member of  Soldiers Angels. (and who had a clue,then, that someday I'd meet him in person? certainly not me:)

And I can still remember crying as I read  Rusten Currie's posts about losing

COLWilliam W. Wood
CPT Michael MacKinnon
CPT Raymond Hill
SPC Shakere Guy

Click here: Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum: SOLDIERS HAVE FALLEN, WE HOLD THE LINE

 

------

By the way, seeing as how it's a show about Bloggers, wouldn't ya think somewhere on the History Channel they'd have links to the blogs that were featured in the show?  Just a thought. Although I applaud the 'old media' featuring the 'new media', I'm just thinking it could've been a little more 'wired'?

 

Anyway.....Try and check the show out!

 

Soldiers Angels Web Surfing

My weekly 'meme' with a list of postings by and about  Soldiers Angels  in the blogosphere.

Not a definitive list, because there's tons of stuff out there, but what I thought was worth passing on.

Valour IT

The list is endless, of bloggers posting about the fundraising competition that continues through Nov.11, this was cute :)

Click here: Soldiers Angels New York: Not The Kittens!

 

The 'Head Angel' speaks on Powerline

 Click here: Power Line: A word from Patti Patton-Bader

 

and is featured on The Radio Patriot

Click here: The Radio Patriot: MEET PATTI PATTON BADER
THE GENERAL'S GRAND NIECE

 

And Congratulations! are in order for Patti

Click here: Random Thoughts: Congratulations Patti!

(and although she's not a Soldiers Angel, another online friend who is a true 'Angel' is ALSO a winner...Congratulations! too, to Paulette :)

Click here: Yahoo! 360° - My Rambling Mind - It's Official

 

More Christmas Stuff!

Soldiers Angels Louisiana (which by the way is also the ' Featured Blog of the Week ' this upcoming week here on my blog)  posts about the upcoming Holiday

Click here: Soldiers’ Angels Louisiana » Thinking Holidays & About our Heroes?

 

Great update on a Soldiers Angels project here!

Click here: View from the 8th Floor: Could you?

 

and someone who lost her fiancee in Iraq, is thinking of others

Click here: Cool, Calm & Collected...: Christmas Card List:

 

A Mention of Soldiers Angels

by a very  good ('new- to -me') deployed blogger

Click here: 6 Months in Kabul: Soldiers' Angels

 

I Have No Words

The Johnson family, mentioned before here , sadly lost their last surviving child.  Soldiers Angels VA Team has a posting up (scroll down)

Click here: Soldiers' Angels VA Team: Johnson Family needs our Prayers

 if you pray? please  keep them in your prayers. It's simply unimaginable.

 

 

 

 

 

Tags: Soldiers Angels

Reason Number 300 I Love the Internet :)

I was contacted out of the blue several days ago by a proud Air Force Mom(and Air Force Mom-in Law:)  who came across my AOL blog while searching for the Christmas mailing deadlines for this year.

After reading some of my blog, she sent me an email titled 'Some Angels to Share", with a poem that she wrote for her son while he was away at school...not knowing that later that same year he'd be deployed to Iraq. 

 She said that her own words in the poem brought her much comfort during that year, and she was passing it on to me in case it might give me hope and comfort in the time ahead.

(plus she also said that I could freely use it however I wished. And so, I am sharing this Mom's poem with all of you.)

A Message in the *Twinkle* by Debra Estep  2-28-03

Child of mine

Out of the reach of this mama's hugs.

Look up to the stars at night.

I've beamed a message of

love there.

 

 

On the nights when the stars

are hidden behind clouds

I'm still reminded of you.

You are hidden from my view,

yet I trust in the beating of your heart.

We shared heartbeats for nine months

and became forever bonded.

 

 

The twinkle of the stars

are a comfort to me from

God above.

Child, see the stars and feel my hugs.

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

 

Debra also sent a picture of an 'Angel of Protection' drawing that she had offered to a rubber stamp designer, Pamela, who then created a rubber stamp design from it.

 

 

You can find the designer's site and the rubber stamp design here

 

Angel Stamp Set - Pamela's site
http://tinyurl.com/28kubq

 

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

Pretty cool,huh? :)  And This is reason number 300 that I love the Internet..it brings 'angels' into your life unexpectedly!

 

Thank you, Debra!

 

 

 

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 )

 

Army Spc. Eric S. McKinley 24 years old from Corvallis, Oregon Company B, 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment, Army National Guard June 13, 2004

      An avid outdoorsman, Spc. McKinley worked as a baker at Alpine Bakery in Corvallis, Ore.   Upon his return from Iraq, he hoped to open a juice bar in the college town to provide a drug and alcohol-free environment for young people. Friends and co-workers remember Spc. McKinley as a quiet, caring young man who dyed his hair, sported several tattoos and loved ska and rock music. His senior yearbook picture showed a grinning young man with spiked hair dyed red and green. In other 1998 yearbook pictures, he has purple and blue hair in a mohawk.    Spc. Eric McKinley was killed when a roadside bomb north of Baghdad detonated destroying two vehicles and wounded four other Oregon soldiers. They were identified as Staff Sgt. Phillip Davis, 23, of Albany; Sgt. Matthew Zedwick, 23, of Bend; Cpl. Shane Ward, 23, of Corvallis and Pvt. Richard Olsen, 23, of Independence.    Almost 500 people attended the memorial service for Spc. McKinley at Starker Arts Park in Corvallis. There was a mix of people dressed in either military or punk attire — including McKinley’s six-year-old cousin, who, in tribute, wore his hair in a bright green mohawk.    Coventry Pacheco, McKinley’s fiancee, sat in the first row at his celebration-of-life service. They hadn’t set a wedding date, but were planning to get married.    He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service, a Purple Heart and the Oregon Distinguished Service Award. U.S. and Oregon flags were presented to his parents, Tom McKinley of Salem and Karen Hilsendager of Philomath.      

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 blog, you can go here.

 

Tags: Wednesday Hero, US Army, Military, War on Terror

A "Round-Up" (more like a "Catch Up" :)

My inboxes in various email accounts have been piling up to the point where I was like 'Auggghh! I'll Never catch up!" but I think I may have finally pared it down to where I can point out some interesting things for you to check out.

(It doesn't help that I also email links to myself,LOL, because I'm already writing a future blog post in my head when I see them....I know, I could bookmark them, but I already have so many bookmarks.... once in awhile I go through them and think 'now Why did I save this again?' and it's just another Blank in my head by then...I get those Blanks, but let's not talk about That any longer:)

I think I do better with these types of posts if I get a 'theme' idea before I start it...but this Isn't one of those times... so here's just a jumble of both serious and frivolous stuff.

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

Another Soldiers Angel sent me two links that I thought were worth passing on,Thank You, CT Soldiers Angel :)

(This one you may have seen, but worth another look, or a first look, if you haven't)

Proud Young American

And this one is from a young man who was on the HBO 'Alive Day' special

Michael Jernigan - Home Fires - Veterans - Iraq - Opinion - New York Times Blog

 

This is a longtime Canadian Soldiers Angel friend that I've been urging to start a blog, or a webpage, or Something! for awhile, she's finally getting started,Yay!

Click here: AGGIEJOS HIDEAWAY

 

Hat Tip goes to Steve at  The D-Ring  for this link

Click here: theshortestblogintheworld

 

and H/T to same for...wait for it....The CIA's 'Terrorist Buster' Logo

 

(and he credits  Danger Room  , who credits  Wonkette ,who credits...well, just keep clicking  the links ,LOL I'm starting to get dizzy trying to follow this back to the original source:)

 

 

This is a gentleman in Australia that I've been following for the last 3 years, I've mentioned him before, but he's Such a cool 93 year old!!

 

Click here: Walk Sydney Streets Photos

 

 

Here's a news release on the SA website about 

 

Talking With Heroes

 

and if you've never checked that out, you should :) Good stuff!

 

 

A good friend of mine sent a link to this, off the wall, but I liked it :)

 

Click here: Animator vs. Animation by *alanbecker on deviantART

 

 

This is going around as an email forward, but I managed through Google to find someone who had found the original blog post, just darn funny!

 

Click here: 15 Minute Lunch: Strap in, shut up and hold on. We're going back.

 

 

Here's a link to a video from the Patriot Fest held in Lakeway,TX back in October, I mentioned the Patriot Fest when I was mentioning the auction on eBay to win a round a golf with Rory Sabbatini (which apparently no one wanted to play him,sigh, no one bid, but hey! looks like the Patriot Fest turned out great anyway!)

 

Click here: Video of Patriot Fest Lakeway - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

 

 

Lastly, although I posted about the  American Freedom Festival   show coming up this Saturday, I won't be able to attend that because I'm working that evening.

 

However, we Will be able to attend This in the morning

Click here: The Wall: 25th Anniversary Parade

 

(and hopefully someone Else will be operating the camera besides  me , LOL.  Plus, Yay! it looks like we'll be hooking up with at least one of my online buddies there, it's always so great to see 'the imaginary people in the computer' in Person,isn't it? :)

 

Well, whether you want to call this a 'round up', a 'catch up', or a 'jumble'....this is it!