Proud Marine "Mom" moment #3

My little Marine man is down in NC doing some training... he called tonight to let us know how it's going. Says he's doing well, loving it and wanted us to know that he appreciates everything we've done and knows if we hadn't taken him in, he'd still be out on the streets. (He was a stray, just staying anywhere, doing the party scene, kinda blowin' off life.) How many 18 year olds do you ever hear say something like that??? He'll be back to visit for a short while in a couple months before heading to the Sandbox... I can't wait to sign him up for some Angel lovin'! I know he'll need it coz he's Infantry. Just wanted to share...

Joel honey, when you read this, just know how very proud I am of you, kiddo. And you're welcome in my home anytime.

Good News from the Iraqi front...

IraqiMuscle has done it again... Not only are they buffin' up while they're deployed (as always - lookin' good Heroes! And I want first order on the Calendar!!!) but they now have the IraqiGear good to go. Check it out... awesome knit caps - 3 styles (flames/pink/grey) and the T-Shirts... booya! I haven't shown my kids yet, I know they'll each want one of both! :)

SSG Simon, Sgt Skoczen and all the Heroes at IraqiMuscle... great job! Stay strong -- be safe!!! Your Angels are watching over you!

SGT Hook Rocks!!!

SGT Hook is once again a Hero... He tells the tale of Soldiers' Angels and encourages others to join the teams to support our Heroes deployed in the fight against terrorism on his site www.sgthook.com .

Without these Heroes we would not be a free nation. With our support they find more strength and will to defend this great country. Come visit us at www.soldiersangels.org and see what you can do to help support our Heroes. They have many teams (Letter writing/Wounded TLC/Living Legends to name a few) and many support projects for the CSH's (Backpacks/Blankets of Hope). If you can't adopt a Hero, you can make a donation (Non-profit Org) to help us help Heroes.

Check out his fictional works as well... the man can write!!! Others dream it, he has achieved it.

Sgt Hook... words cannot express. Thank you Hero is simply insufficient. (As it is for all Heroes.) I sleep in peace at night, and fear little because of great men such as yourself. Your family has every right to be proud. The Angels are humbled to have you and we WILL be supporting you and yours in the Sandbox, rest assured!

For those now active, those who are veterans and those who have fallen, thank you for my freedom.

Quest for Knowledge: Rules of Engagement - Then and Now

All the fluff floating around about Viet Nam being relived in the Sandbox and of course, my dislike of the person in LA who gave me cause to light my keyboard up last night have me thinking about this...

I've got the Rules of Endangerment (Courtesy of Blackfive via Just the Average Savage - very insightful look). I also have a sample ROE from several operations condensed into one area. This I've been reading; studying, trying to understand and make sense from a civilian significant other view. I grasp the basic concept of trying to keep collateral damage to a minimum. I understand and appreciate the "courtesy" of the American Soldier (Soldier used as a generic term for Sailors, Marines, Airmen and Soldiers - but certainly not meant to imply casuality or offend any Service member from any branch) but I'm not sure I comprehend. How can we be a power Military if we do not use that power to our advantage? We have technology, intelligence, more extensively educated recruits than we did back when it was mostly hand-to-hand, close range skirmishes of young guys yanked right out of high school with no desire to further educate themselves at the time. Do we really want to be known as the "nice guys"? If our hands are so tied that we can't go in and kick some insurgency ass, are they going to know we mean business? Don't get me wrong - I support the Heroes deployed, redeployed, held over and I do it proudly. I do it with the knowledge that I have known some Heroes who've passed on and I'm sadly aware that there may be more. I want to know why we can't prevent a few more Heroes from being killed by creating a little more turmoil from reducing requirements of the ROE?

I want to know what the Rules of Engagement were back when Viet Nam and WWII were going on. I'm not old enough to remember, nor was I a part of it, but I'm pretty sure there is a difference. I know there are certainly discrepancies in the stories I hear from back then to the reports I read and watch today. Has our military changed this much? Is there really that much more red tape holding our Heroes back from doing what they need to win this objective?

I've been searching, (and searching and searching!) and I'm thinking the best place to go for the information is the people who were in during those times.

Do the ROE change with each war? Did WWII have different ones from Viet Nam different from Bosnia different from OIF/OEF? Who decides the ROE? People behind a desk, or the ones on the front lines who KNOW what's out there?

Give me reason to believe why we have this weaponry, technology and these skilled servicemembers. Help me understand the difference between then and now.

L. A. Times Apocalypse again -- call up the Vietnam vets...

L A Times Apocalypse again -- call up the Vietnam vets Where else can Bush get 21,500 trained soldiers for his 'surge'? By Paul Whitefield, PAUL WHITEFIELD supervises the editorial pages' copy desk.

January 21, 2007

LISTENING TO President Bush's speech on Iraq earlier this month, my first thought was: "Where the heck are we going to get 21,500 more soldiers to send to Iraq?" Our Reserves are depleted, our National Guard is worn out, our Army and Marine Corps are stretched to the limit.

Then it hit me: Re-up our Vietnam War veterans and send them.

They're trained. They're battle-hardened. Many already have post-traumatic stress disorder. Also, some have their own vehicles — Harleys mostly, which are cheap to run, make small targets and are highly mobile. I'll even bet that lots of these guys still have guns (you know, just in case).

OK, some vets are a bit long in the tooth (or don't have teeth — because of Agent Orange?). Or their eyesight isn't what it was. Or their reflexes have slowed. But with today's modern weaponry, how well do you have to see?

Too out of shape, you say? Listen, if Rocky Balboa can step back into the ring at age 60, all these Vietnam War vets need is a little boot-camp magic and they'll be good to go. I mean, who doesn't want to drop a few pounds?

Don't want geezers fighting for us? Well, let's face it, our young people have greater value right here. Most of us want to retire and collect our hard-earned Social Security, and we need those youngsters here, working and paying taxes — lots of taxes.

Finally, these Vietnam War guys are hungry for revenge. After all, they fought in the only war the U.S. ever lost. And they didn't even get a parade. So this is their chance. We can throw them that big parade when they come marching home.

If you would like to make a comment about a specific news article, editorial or commentary and have it considered for publication in the newspaper as a Letter to the Editor, please send it to letters@latimes.com -- send well-written individual letters only; no group e-mails. Do not send attachments. (Letters regarding Orange County issues specifically should be sent to ocletters@latimes.com.) Letters should be brief, and may be edited. They become the property of The Times and may be republished in any format. Please include your full name, mailing address and daytime phone number (your number will not be published). For complete guidelines, call (800) LATIMES, Ext. 74511.

In response to the 21 Jan 2007 editorial piece in the LA Times by Paul Whitefield, all I can say is "Oh HEEELLLLLL No!!!"

First the Pakistani national "man" (I use that term loosely) in WI from Discount-Mats.com, and now this. Unbelievable. And one of our own, even.

I know nothing of Mr Whitefield except that he is affiliated with the LA Times on the editorial page. I've read only one article with his name on it. I shall be hard-pressed to read anything else written by him.

I have no way of knowing whether Mr Whitefield wrote that column in jest. It does not matter. It was inappropriate and condescending, at best. And yes, I'm well aware that he is protected under the First Amendment to write whatever he wishes. (Hey, Whitefield -- guess who protects {protected} that Amendment for you? Yep, those Viet Nam vets, others before/after them and today's Military.)

Here's a thought -- how about exercising the Fifth Amendment? You know, the one that gives us the right to shut the hell up? He may have thought he was being humorous; to the ignorant masses, he probably was. Did the Viet Nam Vets not get enough ignorance and heartbreak the first time around? Must they be knocked down again for doing what they were commissioned? They fought for this country, regardless of their personal feelings, and upheld their commitment to the USA. All gave some, Some gave all. Many were drafted, didn't even WANT to go and STILL performed their duties as required when others ran, hid and dodged.

"'Well, let's face it, our young people have greater value right here. Most of us want to retire and collect our hard-earned Social Security, and we need those youngsters here, working and paying taxes — lots of taxes.'"

Really? Why not just slap every Soldier, Marine, Sailor, Airman, Coastie, Reservist and National Guardsman currently serving or who has ever served right across the face after spitting on them? I'm sure everyone in our Service would love to retire and collect their hard-earned Social Security. So would their families. It's sad that not all of them were or will be able. I could be wrong, but I'd wager that one day in Viet Nam (or the Sandbox, or Normandy or [insert war/incident/operation here]) might be just a tad more difficult than one day behind a keyboard at a newspaper office. Paper cuts can be quite painful; sniper fire, IED's or fallout from Agent Orange-deadly. Just because they are Veterans does NOT mean they are useless. Far from it. Because of previous Vets, I grew up:

-in a country free from fear of happenings such as 9/11
-free to choose a faith different from my neighbor's
-free to say what I want about the government I voted for without fear of tyranny
-free to vote
-free to talk, dress, live as I please
(catchin' a theme here?) Freedom... It's a beautiful thing, brought to us courtesy of:

DA DA DAAAAA --- Veterans. All of them. From every war/incident/operation. Upholding the freedoms the Constitution of this great nation affords us. Including Viet Nam.

Did Mr Whitefield serve in the Military? Did he do his duty beside those Brothers in any branch of the Military? Did he even sign up as a Reservist? Was he a Viet Nam Vet? Only a yes to the final question would earn him the right to even speak of them, much less joke about them. A yes to any of the prior three would surprise me greatly. Even Kerry had being a Veteran to fall back on after insulting our Heroes; that didn't excuse him. I may be reaching here, but without a Military, our country would cease to exist freely. Without a newspaper editorial employee -- ehh, not so much. Man, I LOVE that First Amendment!!! (You know, the one those DA DA DAAAA--- Vets and current Heroes work so hard to protect?)

This country used to take more pride in it's Military. Now, many are laissez faire about it. That's alright. This granddaughter and daughter of Veterans has enough to go around. And there are quite a few more out there just like me. I suspect you'll be hearing from them as well.

We must learn from the Heroes of the past and support the Heroes of the present to remain a free nation in the future. Mr Whitefield, to you I say at least I hope you are grateful to have the freedom (which, by the way-NOT free) to write what you wish, no matter how offensive. To all our Heroes past and present (absolutely including those Viet Nam Veterans), THANK YOU.

Message to the Troops from Ben Stein

forwarded from a post on Soldiers' Angels... what a great guy!

Open Letter to Our Armed Forces and Their Families From Ben Stein

Greetings From Rancho Mirage By Ben Stein Tuesday, January 23rd

Dear Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, National Guard, Reservists, in Iraq, in the Middle East theater, in Afghanistan, in the area near Afghanistan, in any base anywhere in the world, and your families:

Let me tell you about why you guys own about 90 percent of the backbone in the whole world right now and should be happy with yourselves and proud of whom you are. It was a dazzlingly hot day here in Rancho Mirage today. I did small errands like going to the bank to pay my mortgage, finding a new bed at a price I can afford, practicing driving with my new 5 wood, paying bills for about two hours. I spoke for a long time to a woman who is going through a nasty child custody fight. I got e-mails from a woman who was fired today from her job for not paying attention. I read about multi-billion-dollar mergers in Europe, Asia, and the Mideast I noticed how overweight I am, for the millionth time. In other words, I did a lot of nothing.

Like every other American who is not in the armed forces family, I basically just rearranged the deck chairs on the Titanic in my trivial, self-important, meaningless way. Above all, I talked to a friend of more than forty-three years who told me he thought his life had no meaning because all he did was count his money.

And, friends in the armed forces, this is the story of all of America today. We are doing nothing but treading water while you guys carry on the life or death struggle against worldwide militant Islamic terrorism. Our lives are about nothing: paying bills, going to humdrum jobs, waiting until we can go to sleep and then do it all again. Our most vivid issues are trivia compared with what you do every day, every minute, every second. Oprah Winfrey talks a lot about "meaning" in life. For her, "meaning" is dieting and then having her photo on the cover of her magazine every single month (surely a new world record for egomania ). This is not "meaning."

- Meaning is doing for others.
- Meaning is risking your life for hers.
- Meaning is putting your bodies and families' peace of mind on the line to defeat some of the most evil, sick killers the world has ever known.
- Meaning is leaving the comfort of home to fight to make sure that there still will be a home for your family and for your nation and for free men and women everywhere.

Look, Soldiers and Marines and Sailors and Airmen and Coast Guardsmen, there are eight billion people in this world. The whole fate of this world turns on what you people, 1.4 million, more or less, do every day. The fate of mankind depends on what about 2/100 of one percent of the people in this world do every day and you are those people. And joining you is every policeman, fireman, and Emergency Medical Technician in the country, also holding back the tide of chaos. Do you know how important you are? Do you know how indispensable you are? Do you know how humbly grateful any of us who has a head on his shoulders is to you? Do you know that if you never do another thing in your lives, you will always still be heroes? That we could live without Hollywood or Wall Street or the NFL, but we cannot live for a week without you? We are on our knees to you and we bless and pray for you every moment. And Oprah Winfrey, if she were a size two, would not have one millionth of your importance, and all of the Wall Street billionaires will never mean what the least of you do, and if Barry Bonds hits hundreds of home runs it would not mean as much as you going on one patrol or driving one truck to the Baghdad airport. You are everything to us, as we go through our little days, and you are in the prayers of the nation and of every decent man and woman on the planet. That's who you are and what you mean. I hope you know that.

Love,
Ben Stein

Veeeerrrrryyyy Inta-res-ting

1. The Garden of Eden was in Iraq.
2. Mesopotamia, which is now Iraq, was the cradle of civilization!
3. Noah built the ark in Iraq.
4. The Tower of Babel was in Iraq
5. Abraham was from Ur, which is in Southern Iraq!
6. Isaac's wife Rebekah is from Nahor, which is in Iraq!
7. Jacob met Rachel in Iraq.
8. Jonah preached in Nineveh - which is in Iraq.
9. Assyria, which is in Iraq, conquered the ten tribes of Israel.
10. Amos cried out in Iraq!
11. Babylon, which is in Iraq, destroyed Jerusalem.
12. Daniel was in the lion's den in Iraq!
13. The three Hebrew children were in the fire in Iraq (Jesus had been in Iraq also as the fourth person in the Fiery Furnace!)
14. Belshazzar, the King of Babylon saw the "writing on the wall" in Iraq.
15. Nebu chadnezzar, King of Babylon, carried the Jews captive into Iraq.
16. Ezekiel preached in Iraq.
17. The wise men were from Iraq.
18. Peter preached in Iraq.
19. The "Empire of Man" described in Revelation is called Babylon, which was a city in Iraq!

And you have probably seen this one: Israel is the nation most often mentioned in the Bible. But do you know which nation is second? It is Iraq! However, that is not the name that is used in the Bible. The names used in the Bible are Babylon, Land of Shinar, and Mesopotamia . The word Mesopotamia means between the two rivers, more exactly between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The name Iraq, means country with deep roots. Indeed Iraq is a country with deep roots and is a very significant country in the Bible. No other nation, except Israel, has more history and prophecy associated with it than Iraq.

This is something to think about: Since America is typically represented by an eagle. Saddam should have read up on his Muslim passages... The following verse is from the Koran, (the Islamic Bible)

Koran (9:11 ) - For it is written that a son of Arabia would awaken a fearsome Eagle. The wrath of the Eagle would be felt throughout the lands of Allah and lo, while some of the people trembled in despair still more rejoiced; for the wrath of the Eagle cleansed the lands of Allah; and there was peace.

(Note the verse number!) Hmmmmmmm?!

All he wanted was some mats for his men to sleep on...

What he received was the following response to which, of course, I had to reply... Turns out this "person" is a Middle Eastern national in country on a green card. Well, revoke his f*(&#! green card and send him back if he feels that strongly about his country. He's welcome there.

"SGT Hess, We do not ship to APO addresses, even if we did, we would NEVER ship to Iraq. If you were sensible, you and your troops would pull out of Iraq. Bargain Suppliers Discount-Mats.com"


Dear Bargain Suppliers/Discount-Mats.com~

Unbelievable is the first word that comes to mind. The second is unprintable, but not unthought. Obviously professionalism is neither expected nor practiced at your business.

Not shipping to APO's is not bad in itself; we understand that sometimes it is a difficult process to go through. And quite frankly, you WOULDN'T be shipping to IRAQ, you would be shipping to a Military Post Office and THEY would take care of the actual shipping. Your involvement would end at the packaging and filling out of customs forms.

How dare you tell this Soldier to "pull out of Iraq". That is not his decision to make. He is following orders from someone much higher up than YOU. He was requesting your product, and that would have been a lot of free advertising and quite possibly much more business. Now, however, the response above has been added to many blogs, some news sites and emailed out to everyone we at Soldiers' Angels can think of. A polite "Our apologies, but we do not ship to APO's" would have sufficed.

"'The name of our business is Bargain Suppliers, registered in the State of Wisconsin under our parent company, Capital Renovations LLC. We are an internet based retailer and authorized factory-direct distributor for many manufacturers. Our business model is built on providing the highest value and achieving excellence in customer service.'"

Yep, excellent customer service. Such excellent customer service that if there's any justice, it will soon be the "Out of Business Mats" company. We're all entitled to our opinions on the war; that's what those guys like Sgt Hess choose to protect for ignorant people such as yourselves - your freedom to express those opinions. What is lacking is the tact to express them to the people who actually make those decisions. Sgt Hess may be one of those who is not a supporter of the war, we don't know. He is obviously very much a supporter of our country and the people who live here. Big difference.

As an "authorized factory-direct distributor", I'm quite curious to find out the opinions of and reactions to your response to Sgt Hess of those companies for which you distribute. Maybe they have sons/ daughters/ fathers/ mothers/ brothers/ sisters/ husbands/ wives/ other family members who are in Iraq as we speak, and would not appreciate having their loved ones spoken to in this manner by anyone, much less a company that is working FOR them.

An apology to Sgt Hess would be the least your "business" could do to rectify this. Serious discipline for the author of that email should be considered; THEY should be the one to apologize on behalf of the company and made to sign their name. And know without a doubt Discount Mats, Bargain Suppliers and Capital Renovations LLC will not be used by myself, family or friends who are business owners in the future.

Jackie Mason

Soldiers' Angels-LWT Team Leader/Wounded TLC Member

Proud Marine Mom to Joel

Angel to Hero Sgt Doug/Allen(extended)

Epal to many Heroes

*homebound-Jeffery

www.miss-behavin--behavinasusual.blogspot.com www.americanheroworship.blogspot.com

Quest for Knowledge... the Journey Begins

I am always in search of knowledge and understanding. This is especially true as it ("it" being the happenings that mold, form and affect our everyday lives) is now somehow more important to me to understand the whats, whys and wherefores of history as it relates to where I am now, and how it will and/or does affect my future.

I admit, I was not one for History in school; it bored me. (I know, how stupid was I?) Now, I sit enthralled by everything on the History channel, wishing I had more hours in the day to soak it all up. I read, I "google", I am so ignorant.

I've heard the saying, "'You must understand the past or you are doomed to repeat it'" or some such similar saying. Only now am I beginning to grasp what truths lie behind this. Unfortunately (and I mean that), I was born in that in-between time where these truths were not relayed to us. Obviously, I was not born in the WWI, WWII, Korean, or Viet Nam eras. I started life out about 1 year before Viet Nam ended. By the time I was old enough to grasp what it was, it was more the subject of sad jokes and whispers. We barely ever made it through WWI in the entire school career of History classes I took. We occasionally touched on WWII, just enough to get you interested, and then the year would be over. I don't remember ever studying anything beyond that. Doesn't say much for our education back then, and I graduated 8th in my class.

So now I'm 29 (laugh if you will) -ish and find myself painfully ignorant of past recent history and seemingly nowhere to learn. In school, Viet Nam was not spoken of, and I was barely into my teens during Beirut and Grenada. Sadly, it was not until just a few days ago that i even had an inkling of what those were even about. And I am just sick to find out about the loss of all those Marines in October of 1983. What I remember of that time was cheering for our Junior High football team, school dances and silly shit that is so meaningless now that I am actually embarrassed. I vaguely remember Desert Storm (i was into my second child and the world was a blur.) I do remember watching the news and seeing the Patriot Missiles take down the SCUD Missiles EVERY TIME and cheering wildly. I still am not entirely sure of the entire story behind that. Now with Saddam executed, I'm gaining a clearer picture.

I am not proud of the fact that I know so little of our Military history. I am less proud that I did not get more involved with supporting our Heroes before this last year. 9/11 rocked my world. I remember vividly where I was, who I was speaking with and being nearly catatonic from shock for roughly 2 days. I was a fortunate one in that I did not lose a loved one, know anyone or even know a friend of a friend in the tragedy. I was sad for all those as I watched in complete disbelief. And then I was REAAAALLLLYYY pissed off.

I grew up in a little 3 light town, hangin' out drinking beer with the gang when the police would just take you home instead of busting you. Cruisin' Main Street, hangin' out at the Dairy Whip or down by the slaw factory when the pool was closed, we'd be out til 2-3am and never think anything of walking around the block at midnight. We could sleep with our doors unlocked and windows open. Mine are now bolted shut soon as I step inside. I live in a small city, normal crime, drugs being the high of the day. But never, ever, once was I ever led to believe that something such as the Twin Towers/Plane/Pentagon would ever take place in America. Other countries, yep, heard about terrorists all the time. This place, hell no. This was the greatest country in the world!!! You can do what you want, go where you want, say as you please, be educated, have all your dreams in this country. I couldn't imagine why anyone WOULDN'T want to be here. It still befuddles me. Thanks mom and dad for giving me such a happy childhood and the thought that the world is a good and kind place. I mean that sincerely. I know now it is not. But I have instilled that in my children along with the knowledge that evil lurks and to be prepared.

I have always known my dad was in the US Navy before I was born. I recently found out my Grandfather was as well. I am fortunate to still have my Dad to be able to ask questions, my Grandfather I am not. I lost him many years ago. I am sad today that I was too young when he was around and able-minded to answer the questions I now have. I guess this is where I initially obtained my sense of country and pride. That and my mother was fanatically patriotic. She was of the hippie era, and such a strange mix of free love, live and let live jive and the Red, White and Blue USA. So here I am. I am not a political whiz. I vote because I am able, and because a lot of people sacrificed so I could. I am not thrilled with the war; however. I know that as an independent nation, it is a necessary evil to remain an independent nation. I will gladly support that. And you can damn sure bet that I will support each and every Hero who defends my rights and freedoms. Always. Each and every one.

So now my quest begins... and I'm enlisting the help of you folks out there. I will post questions, articles I've found, and other items that lead me to questions. I have an inquiring mind. I will have questions, form opinions and ask for clarity. Your mission is to comment on my musings, point out my misunderstandings and bring clarity to all who are interested in any of the past wars, "incidents" and Operations. I look to the older generations for guidance in this. We are fast losing our Veterans of past wars. It is not a political forum, although I'm sure that will play a part in the reasonings. There is no "war protesting". This is just a path to clear understanding.

A Military Wife

A military wife is mostly girl. But there are times, such as when her husband is away and she is mowing the lawn or fixing a youngster's bike, that she begins to suspect she is also boy. She usually comes in three sizes: petite, plump and pregnant. During the early years of her marriage it is often hard to determine which size is her normal one. She has babies all over the world and measures time in terms of places as other women do in years. "It was in England that the children had the chicken pox...In was in Texas, Paul was promoted..." At least one of her babies was born or a transfer was accomplished while she was alone. This causes her to suspect a secret pact between her husband and the military providing for a man to be overseas or on temporary duty at times such as these. A military wife is international. She may be a Kansas farm girl, a French mademoiselle, a Japanese doll, or a German Fraulein. When discussing service
problems, they all speak the same language. She can be a great actress. To heartbroken children at transfer time, she gives an Academy Award performance: "New Mexico is going to be such fun! I hear they have Indian reservations...and tarantulas...and rattlesnakes." But her heart is breaking with theirs. She wonders if this is worth the sacrifice. An ideal military wife has the patience of an angel, the flexibility of putty, the wisdom of a scholar and the stamina of a horse. If she dislikes money, it helps. She is sentimental, carrying her memories with her in an old footlocker. One might say she is a bigamist, sharing her husband with a demanding entity called "duty." When duty calls, she becomes No. 2 wife. Until she accepts this fact, her life can be miserable. She is above all a woman who married a man who offered her the permanency of a gypsy, the miseries of loneliness, the frustration of conformity and the security of love. Sitting among her packing boxes with squabbling children nearby, she is sometimes willing to chuck it all in until she hears the firm step and cheerful voice of the lug who gave her all this. Then she is happy to be...his military wife.

--Author Unknown

AMEN!

A United States Marine was attending some college courses between assignments. He had completed missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. One of the courses had a professor who was an avowed atheist and a member of the ACLU.

One day the professor shocked the class when he came in. He looked to the ceiling and flatly stated, "God, if you are real, then I want you to knock me off this platform. I'll give you exactly 15 minutes." The lecture room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop. Ten minutes went by and the professor proclaimed, "Here I am God. I'm still waiting."

It got down to the last couple of minutes when the Marine got out of his chair, went up to the professor, and cold-cocked him, knocking him off the platform. The professor was out cold. The Marine went back to his seat and sat there, silently. The other students were shocked and stunned and sat there looking on in silence. The professor eventually came to, noticeably shaken, looked at the Marine and asked, "What the hell is the matter with you? Why did you do that?"

The Marine calmly replied, "God was too busy today protecting America's soldiers who are protecting your right to say stupid shit and act like an asshole. .............So, He sent me."

SGT Hook - The Words behind the Man

Words cannot describe how I felt reading these... so I'm not even going to try... you must see it for yourself.

Sgt Hook, your way with words is beyond description. Thank you, for both the service, and the words.

No Tears In Heaven...
At the Station...
At the Canteen...

A Mother Asks Why?

A mother asked President Bush "Why did my son have to die?"

Another mother asked President Kennedy "Why did my son have to die in Vietnam?"

Another mother asked President Truman "Why did my son have to die in Korea?"

Another mother asked President F.D. Roosevelt "Why did my son have to die Iwo Jima?"

Another mother asked President W. Wilson "Why did my son have to die in France?"

Yet another mother asked President Lincoln "Why did my son have to die at Gettysburg?"

Another mother asked President Washington "Why did my son have to die near Valley Forge?"

Long, long ago a mother asked "Heavenly Father, why did my son have to die on a cross outside of Jerusalem?"

The answer to all of them is the same "So others may have life and dwell in peace, happiness and freedom."

Major MIke Mundell (Rest in Peace)

Today is another sad day in southern Indiana/North central Kentucky.

Our brave Hero Major Mike Mundell is laid to rest today, among family, friends and supporters. Unfortunately, he is also joined by the protesters of the Westboro Baptist Church. They intend to picket this funeral.

Protest what? The passing of a Hero who chose to serve our great country? The war that is showing us how much we stand to lose if our freedoms are not defended? The friends and family who have lost someone dear to them?

I realize that we have the First Amendment. I know we're allowed to say what we choose without fear of reprisal and torment. It's only one of a thousand reasons I love this country so much. With this comes an innate sense of responsibility. We are able to speak freely; this does not mean that we have to do this at the expense of others' feelings and the sacrifice of common decency.

If it weren't so absurdly horrifying, I would go to any Westboro Baptist Church member's family funeral and protest just to show them how awful they would feel; and how terrible the family of the fallen Heroes must feel to have these people disrupting and intruding on such a moment of personal trial and sadness. It's a good thing I was raised better than that. I am not a Saint; I wasn't raised right but I wasn't raised rude, either.

Along with the First Amendment, we also have the Patriot Guard Riders who will be there. They will stand between the family and the protesters, forming a wall of solidarity blocking out the heinous acts and inappropriate words of the WBC. They will bring the dignity of this fallen Hero to the forefront and God willing, leave the hateful, hurtful acts of this "Church" (I'm finding it difficult to call it that) in the dirt where they belong.

My heart goes out to Major Mundell's family and friends. My prayers go to God to take his soul to Heaven's gates where he can be whole and again live in peace.

Patriot Guard Rider
The silence of Death – broken by
Screams of protest.

Screams of Protest
Broken by the thunder of
Pride and Honor of the Guard

We stand side by side to honor
Those who can no longer fight

We stand side by side to comfort
Those whose hearts are broken

We stand side by side as Americans
Once as strangers, now as friends

But now and foremost we stand
Side by side as Patriot Guard Riders

Defenders of America's Patriotism

BY: Gus Pappaeliou NY Ride Captain

Soldiers' Angels Outreach Writer Nominated

Sent: Sat, 13 Jan 2007 8:26 PM
Subject: Soldiers' Angels "Iraq War News" blog nominated

Hi all,

Please share the following link to the writers on your teams. Doesn’t cost a cent and takes only a couple of minutes to do.

Pam Kasz’s Iraq War News (Iraq War Today [iraqwarnews.net] ) blog has the chance to become one if not the top one Military Blogger and following is message from Pam.

In addition to maintaining this blog, Pam is our SA Outreach Program and SOS Kids Team Leader/Manager.

From: Pam iraqwartoday@sbcglobal.net
To: iraqwartoday@sbcglobal.net
Subject: [Iraq War Today] IWT Nominated in VA Mortgage Center Contest!
Date: Sat, 13 Jan 2007 12:50:31 -0800 (PST)

Check it out:$5,000 Contest for Military BloggersJanuary 8th, 2007 (8:27 pm)Bloggers can win up to $2,500 in our "Best Military Blogâ" Contest.

We are awarding prize money for the top 10 military blogs according to our visitors. Total prize money for the contest is over $5,000.

The Contest: VA Mortgage Center.com is proud to announce our new blog. In our continued efforts of educating veterans and those currently on active duty, we have decided to keep our visitors better informed with updates to their benefits and changes in the industry via a blog.Since the mortgage industry is only so exciting and changes in your benefits only happen periodically we would like to feature guest bloggers from some of the most popular military blogs on the internet. This will allow us to provide a variety of other interesting posts related veterans. In order to find out what type of content our users like and to find the best bloggers, we are running a contest to find the best military blogs online. As a bonus to the bloggers, we are offering prizes as well as the opportunity to be a guest blogger on our site.

The Prizes:We are awarding $250 to the top 10 military related blogs, according to votes from our users. And the top military blog will receive a total of $3,000. All of the top 10 bloggers will be given the option to be a guest blogger (but this will not be required). If you want to Nominate a Blogger, leave a comment with the URL of the blog or check out the nomination and blogger information page. Void where prohibited.

Let the Voting Begin!!!

Now, when the likes of BlackFive, Sgt. Hook, OPFOR, Smash, Froggy, and others are my competition, I'm not suffering delusions of grandeur. But making the top five would be nice. Heck, even being on that list is pretty darned cool!

Matt at BlackFive says that if he wins, the winnings will be donated to Project Valour-IT.
If IWT manages to score in the Top 10, my winnings are also going to Soldiers' Angels.

Please head on over, and if you feel so moved, vote for me. There are a lot of other great blogs there, too, so vote for your favorite, or nominate another. Head there now.

Saddam's Cat is such a playful little thing...

Sent to me by a fellow American with a sense of humor nearly as warped as mine...

I love my Heroes...

Below is an email exchange from me to the Angels on my Team started by a reply from one of my Heroes... I love those folks... I was truly humbled. Thanks Dave! :)

Angels~
I thought I would share this with you... this is why SA is just so darn AWESOME!!! I sent a copy of the speech from last night to my epal Heroes because they don't always get to hear this stuff in real-time and I received the following response from one of my Heroes.

Keep up the good work Team, they really do appreciate it, even when you don't hear from them!

*hugs*Jackie MasonSoldiers' Angels-LWT Team Leader
Proud Marine Mom to Joel
Angel to Hero Trenton*
Princess to Hero Jeffery*
Epal to many Heroes
www.miss-behavin--behavinasusual.blogspot.com
www.americanheroworship.blogspot.com
*homeward bound-in transition
God Love our Soldiers... I am here because they were there
-----Original Message-----
To:
Sent: Thu, 11 Jan 2007 1:09 AM
Subject: Re: Transcript: President Bush's Speech on Iraq
Good Morning Jackie,
thanks for keeping us informed we cant tell you how much we appreciate what you do.this may sound strange but you are our night in shining armor. forgive the spelling i think old age is kickin in LOL. Have a wonderful day and give my best
to all those on the LWT.

Sincerly SFC Dave XXX

----- Original Message -----
From:
Date: Thursday, January 11, 2007 5:43 am
Subject: Transcript: President Bush's Speech on Iraq
In case you didn't get a chance to see or hear this...
Wednesday, January 10, 2007

WASHINGTON � Transcript of President Bush's speech to the nation
on a change of course in Iraq:

And Two are Coming Home...

What a day. Talking with my favorite A-stan Medic while fighting a raging migraine (I am POSITIVE he's the only reason I stopped heaving my insides up) I received word from my Adoption Coordinator through Soldier's Angels that my first "Official" (my Adopted Hero) was scheduled home, and not to send anymore letters or packages. Our mission is complete.

Mission complete??? My Marine is coming home? But who will I write? Who will I send silly little care packages to for holidays and for no reason? Weeellll, you COULD say I could send that stuff to my favorite A-stan Medic (who's an "unofficial" adoptee and has already been getting letters and little packages).

But NNNNOOOOO... he's coming home too at the end of the month. Wahhhh! Wait... I mean YYYAAAAYYY!!!

*sniff* I know it hasn't been easy for any of them. They've seen a lot of stuff I can only read about. Talking and emailing and getting "stuff" ready to send has brought an immense joy to my life and I'm not ready for the mission to be "complete."

Nope, I'm re-upping. Angel Mason reporting for duty. Sign me up for another deployment and hook me up with my next Hero!!! I've already started my next care package! :)

In all seriousness, Allen and Jeff, Congratulations and Welcome Home. Thank you for your brave selflessness and dedication to this great nation. America won't forget you, because I won't let them!!! I'm so very proud of you. You've touched a place in my heart that will always be. Feel free to stay in touch and visit the blog from time to time just to say "hey". Love you guys!

America, we have almost 6,000 Angels nationwide. Let's get the word out. Here's a thought.. 1:1 Angel:Hero ratio.

Adopt a Hero... visit www.soldiersangels.org today. Now! That's an order!

Awesome Heroes becoming even MORE Awesome!!!

Just got done visiting my favorite buff Heroes' site at IraqiMuscle.com to check out their progress... lookin' good folks!!!

And they've added their first female recruit to the list... way to go!!! With a group like them over there supporting and guiding, how can she go wrong? :)

They're still working on those T-shirts and hats (along with the 6 packs movin' to the 8's) and also still donating to Soldiers' Angels. (Quite an awesome organization in itself! Of course, I'm biased, being a Team Leader for the Letter Writing Team and having many Heroes I support myself!!!)

What a great combination... Heroes and Angels... join the fun, support the morale and well-being of some great people who just happen to have your back for all the freedoms you enjoy. All without asking, and without hesitation. *sniff* pardon me, proud American/Mom/Angel/Hero moment.

SSG Simon, Sgt Skoczen... you guys are the bomb! You've inspired me. I've started walking about 1.5 miles a day and doing 20 pushups. Ok, girlie pushups, but the last time I remember doing anything that resembles that was when I tripped, fell and had to get my sorry butt up off the ground! :) Perfection is not achieved overnight and I can attest to that!!! I'm rootin' for Colleen!

C'mon folks, check out the site, sign the guestbook and show our Heroes you support them in both their professional AND personal endeavors.

Love you guys... Be Safe!

Corporal Jason Dunham to be posthumously awarded MOH 1/11/07 (Thursday)

This Thursday, Cpl Jason Durham will be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. His brave, selfless action of covering a grenade, thus saving the lives of fellow Marines is to be commended.

Check out the Marine Corps Times for the full story...

And our life is difficult... how?

Your alarm goes off, you hit the snooze and sleep for another 10 minutes. He stays up for days on end.
_________________________
You take a warm shower to help you wake up. He goes days or weeks without running water.
__________________________
You complain of a "headache", and call in sick. He gets shot at as others are hit, and keeps moving forward.
__________________________
You put on your anti war/don't support the troops shirt, and go meet up with your friends. He still fights for your right to wear that shirt
__________________________
You make sure your cell phone is in your pocket. He clutches the cross hanging on his chain next to his dog tags.
__________________________
You talk trash about your "buddies" that aren't with you. He knows he may not see some of his buddies again.
__________________________
You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls. He walks the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists.
__________________________
You complain about how hot it is. He wears his heavy gear, not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow.
__________________________
You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong. He doesn't get to eat today.
__________________________
Your maid makes your bed and washes your clothes. He wears the same things for weeks, but makes sure his weapons are clean.
__________________________
You go to the mall and get your hair redone. He doesn't have time to brush his teeth today.
__________________________
You're angry because your class ran 5 minutes over. He's told he will be held over an extra 2 months.
__________________________
You call your girlfriend and set a date for tonight. He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home.
__________________________
You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday. He holds his letter close and smells his love's perfume.
__________________________
You roll your eyes as a baby cries. He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if they'll ever meet
__________________________
You criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything. He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own people and remembers why he is fighting.
__________________________
You hear the jokes about the war, and make fun of men like him. He hears the gunfire, bombs and screams of the wounded.
__________________________
You see only what the media wants you to see. He sees the broken bodies lying around him.
__________________________
You are asked to go to the store by your parents. You don't. He does exactly what he is told.
__________________________
You stay at home and watch TV. He takes whatever time he is given to call, write home, sleep, and eat.
__________________________
You crawl into your soft bed, with down pillows, and get comfortable. He crawls under a tank for shade and a 5 minute nap, only to be woken by gunfire.
__________________________
You sit there and judge him, saying the world is probably a worse place because of men like him. If only there were more men like him!
____________________________

IraqiMuscle.com - they're making better progress than I am!

In doing my Angeling tonight, I received word from my Leader about a couple Buckeye Boys (Woo Hoo!!!) who are on a road to self-improvement while deployed.

They have also donated to Soldiers' Angels by the making of hats and shirts for purchase. Now isn't that the coolest thing to take a year where you're not in the best circumstances and turn it into a positive reinforcement for your life???

Check out their site... sign the GuestBook... contact them about hats and shirts... it's all for a good cause!!! I can't wait to get mine!!! Will update you as I find out more... Great job Heroes!!! We can see a difference already... looking very buff! ;)

Very proud of all of you!!! Stay Strong -- Be Safe!!!
Miss B

Let's Hear it for Australia...

Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to get out of Australia, as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks. A day after a group of mainstream Muslim leaders pledged loyalty to Australia and her Queen at a special meeting with Prime Minister John Howard, he and his Ministers made it clear that extremists would face a crackdown. Treasurer Peter Costello, seen as heir apparent to Howard, hinted that some radical clerics could be asked to leave the country if they did not accept that Australia was a secular state, and its laws were made by parliament. "If those are not your values, if you want a country which has Sharia law or a theocratic state, then Australia is not for you", he said on national television.

"I'd be saying to clerics who are teaching that there are two laws governing people in Australia: one the Australian law and another the Islamic law, that is false. If you can't agree with parliamentary law, independent courts, democracy, and would prefer Sharia law and have the opportunity to go to another country, which practices it, perhaps, then, that's a better option", Costello said. Asked whether he meant radical clerics would be forced to leave, he said those with dual citizenship could possibly be asked to move to the other country. Education Minister Brendan Nelson later told reporters that Muslims who did not want to accept local values should "clear off. Basically people who don't want to be Australians, and who don't want to live by Australian values and understand them, well then, they can basically clear off", he said.

Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques Quote:

"IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali, we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Australians."

"However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled when the 'politically correct' crowd began complaining about the possibility that our patriotism was offending others. I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to Australia."

"However, there are a few things that those who have recently come to our country, and apparently some born here, need to understand."

"This idea of Australia being a multicultural community has served only to dilute our sovereignty and our national identity. As Australians, we have our own culture, our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle."

"This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom"

"We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society, Learn the language!"

"Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture."

"We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us."

"If the Southern Cross offends you, or you don't like " A Fair Go", then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet. We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change, and we really don't care how you did things where you came from. By all means, keep your culture, but do not force it on others. This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedom, 'THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'."

"If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted."

Maybe if we circulate this amongst ourselves, American citizens will find the backbone to start speaking and voting the same truths!!

SEND THIS TO EVERYBODY YOU KNOW, IF YOU AGREE !!!AMERICA,WHERE IS YOUR BACKBONE? THIS IS REAL

Hell Yea!!! Marine politely tells Kerry to Kiss His Ass...

I'm having a proud Hero moment here. How wonderful we have these brave men and women to stand up for us so we (being the idiots who do it) can say what we want under the First Amendment... I'm thinking it's time for Kerry to exercise the Fifth Amendment. As I told my favorite Medic Hero, we have both. One to exercise the right to say what we want and one to exercise the right to SHUT THE HELL UP.
******************************************************************************************* This is a letter written by a marine in response to Kerry's insult on them. Enjoy and repost if you feel the notion.

Yesterday John Kerry said, "You know education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well, and if you don't, you get stuck in Iraq."

So I wrote him a letter:

I am a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps. I am currently on my second tour in Iraq, a tour in which I volunteered for. I speak Arabic and Spanish and I plan to tackle Persian Farsi soon. I have a Bachelors and an Associates Degree and between deployments I am pursuing an M.B.A. In college. I was a member of several academic honor societies, including the Golden Key Honor Society. I am not unique among the enlisted troops. Many of my enlisted colleagues include lawyers, teachers, mechanics, engineers, musicians and artists just to name a few. You say that your comments were directed towards the President and not us. If we were stupid Senator Kerry, we might have believed you.

I am not a victim of President Bush. I proudly serve him because he is my Commander and Chief. If it was you who was President, I would serve you just as faithfully. I serve America, Senator Kerry, and I am also providing a service to the good people of Iraq. I have not terrorized them in the middle of the night, raped them or murdered them as you have accused me of before. I am doing my part to help them rebuild. My role is a simple one, but important. You see Senator Kerry, like it or not, we came here and removed a tyrant (who terrorized Iraqis in the middle of the night, and raped them and murdered them). And we have a responsibility to see to it that another one doesn't take his place. The people of Iraq are recovering from an abusive relationship with a terrible government and it's going to take some time to help them recover from that. We can't treat this conflict like a microwave dinner and throw a temper tantrum because we feel like it's taking too long.

Senator Kerry, you don't have to agree with this war. You don't have to say nice things about those of us who choose to make sacrifices for the rights of every American rather than sit back and simply feel entitled to it. But please Senator Kerry, if you're going to call me a stupid murdering rapist, stick by what you say. Don't tell me that I misunderstood or that you would never insult a veteran because you're one too. Having been there and done that does not give you a free pass to insult me.

My suggestion for you, Senator Kerry, is to remember that your speeches are recorded, and broadcast to us simpletons over here. You may want to write down what you want to say before you say it, maybe have somebody look at it before you say it and tell you what others might hear. Remember that we can't read your mind. If there are any misinterpretations in what you say, it's because you didn't communicate clearly.

Good luck to you Senator Kerry. If nothing else it's always entertaining to watch you try and climb out of the holes that you constantly dig for yourself.

Sincerely,

Somebody who is watching his daughter grow up in photographs so that you can have the right to say whatever you want about him.

Respect for Funerals of Fallen Heroes Act

Follow the link to find out the story... fantastic work by Shelle (one of the forum Admins and top PR person for Soldiers' Angels).

http://soldiersangelsforum.com/index.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=13130

Seriously folks, would you want a group of people (doesn't matter what the cause) protesting in any way, shape or form at the funeral of YOUR loved ones?

Armed Forces Tribute

http://home.insightbb.com/~armedforcestribute/

The Monsters and the Weak

The sun beat like a hammer,
not a cloud was in the sky.
The mid-day air ran thick with dust,
my throat was parched and dry.
With microphone clutched tight in hand
and cameraman in tow,
I ducked beneath a fallen roof,
surprised to hear "stay low."

My eyes blinked several times
before in shadow I could see,
the figure stretched across the rubble,
steps away from me.
He wore a cloak of burlap strips,
all shades of gray and brown,
that hung in tatters
till he seemed to melt into the ground.
He never turned his head
or took his eye from off the scope,
but pointed through the broken wall
and down the rocky slope.

"About eight hundred yards," he said,
his whispered words concise,
"beneath the baggy jacket
he is wearing a device."
A chill ran up my spine
despite the swelter of the heat,
"You think he's gonna set it off
along the crowded street?"
The sniper gave a weary sigh
and said "I wouldn't doubt it,"
"unless there's something
this old gun and I can do about it."

A thunderclap, a tongue of flame,
the still abruptly shattered;
while citizens that walked the street
were just as quickly scattered.
Till only one remained,
a body crumpled on the ground,
The threat to oh so many
ended by a single round.
And yet the sniper had no cheer,
no hint of any gloat,
instead he pulled a logbook out
and quietly he wrote.

"Hey, I could put you on TV,
that shot was quite a story!"
But he surprised me once again --
"I got no wish for glory."
"Are you for real?" I asked in awe,
"You don't want fame or credit?"
He looked at me with saddened eyes
and said "you just don't get it."
"You see that shot-up length of wall,
the one without a door?
Before a mortar hit,
it used to be a grocery store."
"But don't go thinking that
to bomb a store is all that cruel,
the rubble just across the street --
it used to be a school.
The little kids played soccer
in the field out by the road,"
His head hung low, "They never thought
a car would just explode."
"As bad as all this is though,
it could be a whole lot worse,"
He swallowed hard, the words came
from his mouth just like a curse.
"Today the fight's on foreign land,
on streets that aren't my own,"
"I'm here today 'cause if I fail,
the next fight's back at home."
"And I won't let my Safeway burn,
my neighbors dead inside,
don't wanna get a call from school
that says my daughter died;
I pray that not a one of them w
ill know the things I see,
nor have the work of terrorists
etched in their memory."
"So you can keep your trophies
and your fleeting bit of fame,
I don't care if I make the news,
or if they speak my name."

He glanced toward the camera
and his brow began to knot,
"If you're looking for a story,
why not give this one a shot."
"Just tell the truth of what you see,
without the slant or spin;
that most of us are OK
and we're coming home again.
And why not tell our folks back home
about the good we've done,
how when they see Americans,
the kids come at a run."
You tell 'em what it means to folks here
just to speak their mind,
without the fear that tyranny
is just a step behind;
Describe the desert miles they walk
in their first chance to vote,
or ask a soldier if he's proud,
I'm sure you'll get a quote."

He turned and slid the rifle
in a drag bag thickly padded,
then looked again with eyes of steel
as quietly he added;
"And maybe just remind the few,
if ill of us they speak,
that we are all that stands
between the monsters and the weak."

Michael Marks January 2006

The Final Inspection

The soldier stood and faced his God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining,
Just as brightly as his brass.

"Step forward now, you soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"
The soldier squared his shoulders and said,
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't.
Because those of us who carry guns,
Can't always be a saint.

I've had to work most Sundays,
And at times my talk was tough.
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny,
That wasn't mine to keep...
Though I worked a lot of overtime,
When the bills got just too steep.
And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God, forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place,
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around,
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here, Lord,
It needn't be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand."

There was a silence all around the throne,
Where the saints had often trod.
As the soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, you Soldier,
You've borne your burdens well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."

Author unknown.

Send a Thank You to the Troops

http://www.letssaythanks.com/Home1024.html

This takes literally about 1.5 minutes....and it's great! They send the card, with your name, to a soldier, thanking them for their service!

Wanna Make a Hero's Day?http://www.soldiersangels.org/Letter_Writing_Team.php

My fearless leader from Soldiers' Angels has just sent out an updated address for anyone interested in joining the Letter Writing Team at Soldiers' Angels.

You may sign up for 1 name a week, or 3 names a day or anything in between. Who knows? Maybe you'll end up on my team! ;) I now have a Platoon of writers (30 in all) that I coordinate. I can handle a few more!

Check out the link... get involved! Make a difference! Do it or I'll kick your ass. :)
Seriously folks, check it out... no obligation, no spam mail. Just a great organization of people who want to make sure the Heroes doing their job (whether we like it or not) know there are people who care.

If you can't get the link above to work, I've included one you can copy/paste into your browser... have a great day!!!

http://www.soldiersangels.org/Letter_Writing_Team.php