USAF Becky Home Safe...

Another of my "unofficials" home safe and sound. Thanks for your service, Hero... glad to have you back. I'll miss hearin' from ya (maybe da Bears will get it NEXT time!) ;) Wishin' you the best on your journey through life...

*hugs*
Miss B

Last Female WWI Vet Dies at 109

Rest in Peace, Charlotte... We thank you for your service and will not forget that for you, we rested easier.

*hugs*

Miss B

Associated Press March 29, 2007

BOONSBORO, Md. - The last known surviving American female World War I veteran, a refined Civil War buff who met face-to-face with the Secretary of the Navy to fight for women in the military, has died. She was 109.

Charlotte Winters died Tuesday at a nursing home near Boonsboro in northwest Maryland, the U.S. Naval District in Washington said in a statement. Her death leaves just five known surviving American World War I veterans.

In 1916, Winters met with Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels to persuade him to allow women in the service, said Kelly Auber, who grew up on South Mountain, where Winters and her husband, John Winters, settled.

When the Navy opened support roles to women, Winters and her sister, Sophie, joined immediately in 1917, Auber said. By December 1918, the Naval District said more than 11,000 women had enlisted and were serving in support positions.

Winters served as a secretary and retired in 1953 with the rank of yeoman in the U.S. Naval Reserve.

Friends said she was proud of her role but didn't like to be fussed over as she grew older and there were fewer and fewer WWI veterans alive.

"Why are they doing this for me? I don't deserve all this," Doug Bast of Boonsboro recalled her saying.

Auber said Winters was "an absolutely refined lady" who with her husband was fond of traveling the country looking for burial spots of fallen Civil War generals.

"She was very proud of her accomplishments, and when asked, she'd say it was the thing to do, to be patriotic. And, she was very patriotic," Auber told The Hagerstown Herald-Mail.

Marines Ban Sleeve Tats

Associated Press March 29, 2007

OCEANSIDE, Calif. - Five tattooed skulls stretch from Marine Cpl. Jeremy Slaton's right elbow to his wrist, spelling out the word "Death." He planned to add a tattoo spelling "Life" on his left arm, but that's on hold because of a Marine policy taking effect Sunday.

The Marines are banning any new, extra-large tattoos below the elbow or the knee, saying such body art is harmful to the Corps' spit-and-polish image.

Slaton and other grunts are not pleased. "I guess I'll get the other half later," grumbled the 24-year-old leatherneck from Eden Prairie, Minn. "It's kind of messed up."

For many Marines, getting a tattoo is a rite of passage. They commonly get their forearms inscribed to remember fallen comrades, combat tours or loved ones, and often ask for exotic designs that incorporate the Marine motto, Semper Fi, or "Always faithful."

Check out Military.com's Tattoo Gallery!

Dozens of Marines from Camp Pendleton, the West Coast's biggest Marine base, made last-minute trips to tattoo parlors in nearby Oceanside before the ban kicked in.

"This is something I love to do," said Cpl. David Nadrchal, 20, of Pomona, who made an appointment to get an Iraqi flag and his deployment dates etched onto his lower leg. "The fact I can't put something on my body that I want - it's a big thing to tell me I can't do that."

Nadrchal said he is unsure whether he will re-enlist: "There's all these little things. They are slowly chipping away at us."

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James T. Conway announced the policy change last week.
"Some Marines have taken the liberty of tattooing themselves to a point that is contrary to our professional demeanor and the high standards America has come to expect from us," he said. "I believe tattoos of an excessive nature do not represent our traditional values."

The ban is aimed primarily at "sleeve" tattoos, the large and often elaborate designs on the biceps and forearms of many Marines. Similar designs on the lower legs will be forbidden as well. So will very large tattoos on the upper arm, if they are visible when a Marine wears his workout T-shirt. Small, individual tattoos will still be allowed on the arms and legs. (The Marines already ban them on the hands.)

Marines already tattooed are exempt from the ban but cannot add to their designs; anyone caught with fresh ink in the wrong places could be barred from re-enlistment or face disciplinary action. Getting a prohibited tattoo could constitute a violation of a lawful order, punishable by up to two years in prison and a dishonorable discharge, Marine spokesman 1st Lt. Brian Donnolly said.

Unit commanders must photograph and document sleeve tattoos to ensure Marines do not add to their ink.

The Marines and the other branches of the military already ban tattoos that could be offensive or disruptive, such as images that are sexist, vulgar, gang-related or extremist.

The Army, which has been doing most of the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan and is struggling to fill its ranks, actually relaxed its tattoo restrictions last year. Soldiers can now get ink on the back of their hands and the lower back of the neck.

The Navy last year decreed that tattoos visible while in short-sleeve uniform cannot be larger than the wearer's hand. The Air Force says tattoos should be covered up if they are bigger than one-quarter the size of the exposed body part.

Tattoo artist Jerry Layton at the Body Temple Tattoo Studio in Oceanside said he was booked up with Marines rushing to beat the deadline.

"These are guys that are dying in the war," Layton said. "They can fight, but they can't get a tattoo? It's ridiculous."

Soldiers' Angels 2007 April Newsletter

Catch up on the latest news from Angel HQ...
(Adobe Acrobat Reader required to view)

http://soldiersangelsforum.com/newsletters/A07.pdf

If you do not have Acrobat Reader and/or would like a copy of this via email or snail mail, please contact me.

Miss B
jemcelina @ aol.com

ITT Fined for Night Vision Exports

I felt compelled to pass this on... I worked for ITT through a consulting firm years ago in Fort Wayne IN. The security measures we endured just to get IN the building, and sometimes back out, were pretty intense. Even more so that I worked back in their IT department as a programmer. I enjoyed my time there, and am sad to hear that this has happened. Anything that puts our Heroes in jeopardy should not just be fined. The word "Treason" comes to mind. Someone should be held accountable for letting this happen. Personal opinion, this is not enough. The contract should be pulled, a non-compete, non-disclosure should be enforced and someone should see prison over this.

Miss B

Associated Press March 28, 2007

ROANOKE, Virginia - ITT Corp. has agreed to pay a $100 million penalty for illegally sending classified night-vision technology used in military operations to China and other countries, U.S. Attorney John Brownlee announced.

ITT, the leading manufacturer of night-vision equipment for U.S. armed forces, will plead guilty in U.S. District Court on Wednesday to two felony charges, Brownlee said at a news conference. One count is export of defense articles without a license and the other is omission of statements of material facts in arms exports reports.

"The criminal actions of this corporation had threatened to turn on the lights on the modern battlefield for our enemies and expose American soldiers to great harm," Brownlee said on Tuesday.

ITT defense-related technical data was given to contractors in China, Singapore and the United Kingdom in order to cut costs, government investigators said.

"Placing profits ahead of the security of our nation is simply not acceptable for any corporation," Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Julie Myers said in a statement.

ITT, which Brownlee said is the U.S. military's 12th largest systems supplier, is the first major defense contractor convicted of a criminal violation under the Arms Export Control Act that a Brownlee spokesman said was passed in 1976.

ITT chief executive Steven Loranger noted that the case related to the actions of a few individuals in one of 15 business units, but said the company "regrets very much that these serious violations occurred."

"I want to reinforce, however, that the heart of our night vision goggles - the tube - is secure," he said. "No information regarding the tube was ever compromised."

According to the prosecutor, ITT agreed to pay a $2 million criminal fine, forfeit $28 million in illegal proceeds to the U.S. government and pay $20 million to the State Department.
"ITT will pay $50 million in restitution to the victims of their crimes - the American soldier," Brownlee said.

The fine will be suspended for five years and the White Plains, New York-based company can reduce it dollar-for-dollar by investing in the development and production of more advanced night-vision technology so the U.S. military maintains battlefield advantage.

The government will maintain the rights to any technologies ITT develops and can share them with rival defense firms bidding on future contracts, Brownlee said.

No individuals have been charged, but Brownlee said the investigation was continuing.

"The size of the penalty shows how severely the government regards any sale of sensitive military technology to a potential adversary," said Loren Thompson, a defense analyst at the Lexington Institute in Arlington, Virginia "Night-vision goggles greatly enhance the capability of military forces to operate around the clock, which differentiates our force from that of most adversaries."

A criminal investigation began in August 2001 when special agents from the Defense Department's Criminal Investigative Service found that ITT had illegally sent a classified U.S. military document about night-vision technology to foreign nationals in the United Kingdom.

Officials from DCIS, the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Department of Justice later uncovered numerous export law violations, such as ITT allowing a Singapore engineer to work with its engineers at the company's Night Vision manufacturing operation in Roanoke County, and two Chinese optical engineers working on the design of the enhanced night-vision goggle system in Singapore.

Government agents said managers viewed U.S. export laws "as obstacles to getting business done," Brownlee said.

Prosecutors also said that between April 2000 and October 2004, ITT omitted material facts in required arms exports reports that made them misleading.

As part of the agreement, the company is subject to independent monitoring and an extensive remedial action program, Brownlee said.

In a related action, ITT said the State Department had placed restrictions on certain exports of night vision equipment and technical data, and ITT Night Vision will face shipping restrictions for at least a year.

ITT and its corporate attorneys fought the government's investigation for three years, attempting to "run out the clock on the statute of limitations" after law enforcement officials executed a search warrant in October 2002 at the Roanoke operation, Brownlee said.

But when the government informed ITT it would seek an indictment in the fall of 2005, Loranger, then new in his post, hired new attorneys and fully cooperated with the investigation.

The global economy has made compliance with U.S. export laws more difficult for companies, said Jim Wilson, a JPMorgan Chase Vastera vice president.

"They have to understand their entire supply chain," he said. "That's a lot of training and ongoing education because the rules aren't stable."

Shares of ITT, which makes products ranging from wastewater handling systems to electronic warfare technologies for military aircraft, ended Tuesday down 31 cents to $60.89 on the New York Stock Exchange.

Home and Safe...

Congratulations to USMC Marci... home safe and sound as of Friday night! Thanks so much for your service and dedication. May God bless you in your journey through life. I'm grateful I got to know you for the short time I had.

Spring Fling For Fisher Houses

We are currently having a Spring Fling for the Fisher Houses. A Fisher House serves as a “home away from home” for the families of military personnel and veterans seeking medical care at major military and VA medical centers. They are designed to accommodate 16 to 42 family members at any time and feature common kitchens, large communal dining rooms and living areas stocked with books and toys for the children. Families can stay free of charge.

The average stay in hospital for a combat-wounded serviceman or woman is 45-60 days, and in many cases can go well into a year or more. Providing the means for families to be with their loved ones is critical in their recovery process. All of the houses are built by the Fisher House Foundation, and Soldiers' Angels works with the House staff to meet their ongoing needs. As the number of combat casualties continues to climb, these facilities will be called upon to serve more and more families. We at Soldiers' Angels are proud of our support to the Fisher Houses across the country.

If you donate a gift card for $20.00 or more to any Fisher House by May 1st, you will receive a $20.00 gift certificate for the Soldiers' Angels Store.

Cards should be to common stores: Sears, JC Penney, Wal-Mart etc., or prepaid Visa or Mastercards. The cards should be sent directly to the Fisher House of your choice - be sure to note that you are with Soldiers' Angels.

Here is a link to the Fisher Houses to choose one for your donation. http://www.fisherhouse.org/aboutUs/3_FHlocations.pdf

After you have made your donation, please email me for the address. Send me your name, address, email, copy of the receipt for the gift card purchased and to which Fisher House it was sent. Please include your email so that I can send you your gift certificate for the Soldiers' Angels Store.

You may just print out this page, fill out the info and send to me, along with the receipt of purchase.

I just know you all are going to be a wonderful help for the Fisher Houses!!! It takes the support from all of us to help those who support all of us.

*hugs*

Miss B

jemcelina@aol.com

*********************************************

Name: __________________

Address: ___________________

City St Zip: __________________

Email: ______________________

Fisher House location: _________________

*Remember the copy of receipt for gift card*

"Soldier" - A Memorial Day Education

Dear Angels,

My name is John Graham and I manage Shawn Hlookoff. We are working together with all of you to present the song and video "Soldier" to every soldier, school and student in the country for use for Memorial Day (www.soldiersangels.org) To date the work that Shelle and Patti have done along with my group has resulted in e-mails to over 200,000 teachers and on average 30000 downloads of the free DVD a day (and growing).

The purpose is to help students understand the meaning of Memorial Day through contemporary images and song.

We could not imagine being any luckier than we are to have been able to join together with the nations premier soldier support group.....I can't imagine a better group of people to work with. I applaud you.

We also want to thank you for the work you do (outside of our joint effort) it is truly needed in this day and age. If you have not seen the video please take a moment to view it. If you like what you see, feel free to use it or pass it along via e-mail to any local school, overseas and home-based soldier or any friend (we need as much help as there is). We have done this for you and your cause.

If there is anything I can do for you please do not hesitate to ask; you can reach me through Shelle Michaels (shellemichaels@msn.com)

.......I thank you all.

John Graham

Donations Needed at Minnesota Red Cross

Hello Everyone,

We are VERY short this month, if you have a chance to get out and donate, PLEASE do! You can always email me kundej@usa.redcross.org and I will find you a place and time. Or you can check out our website: www.givebloodgivelife.org and set up a time.

Please try and get out and donate. And encourage your friends and family as well!

Take care,
Jenny

Jenny Kunde
Donor Recruitment Representative
Donor Resources Development Department
American Red Cross
North Central Blood Services
100 South Robert Street
St. Paul, MN 55107
Ph: 651-291-3898 or 1-800-426-2164 X3898
Cell: 651-247-3207
Fax: 651-291-6733

“The American Red Cross North Central Blood Services is committed to making sure no patient goes without the blood he or she needs. North Central Blood Services consistently meets the blood needs of all the hospitals it serves. Blood donated through the Red Cross can also be sent for patients being treated at medical centers across the region and, in times of disaster, can be made available anywhere in the country. Blood donated through the American Red Cross is "blood without borders". "It is the ultimate way to think globally and act locally."

It takes communities to bring soldiers all the way home

Posted on Sun, Mar. 18, 2007 http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/editorial/16920728.htm

I am watching the growing furor over the shortcomings in the Veterans Administration system and the fallout from Walter Reed Army Hospital with growing alarm. I am concerned that we are going to fix the crisis and forget the problem.

The problem is how to help warriors, and their families, successfully reintegrate back into our communities, and their homes, after combat. A portion of that problem is health care related. For a majority of combat vets, however, only a small part of their reintegration challenge has to do with health care for physical injuries. Behavioral and mental health are bigger issues. And for most, the biggest challenge is relational: rebuilding marriages, reconnecting with children, rejoining friends, rejoining the global economy, getting back to the communities of faith we left, etc.

The problem with focusing on the VA is we may well fix the VA only to convince ourselves that the reintegration of our combat veterans is a government program, not a community process. If we expect the government to take care of everything, we will have failed our combat veterans and their families as well as ourselves.

We have sent our precious men and women to war. The VA can't bring them home. Only we can. We have a moral obligation to insure that all of our combat veterans come all the way home to their families, their jobs, their schools and their communities.

A government program can't do that. A community can.

That means each of us needs to roll up our sleeves and do more than castigate the VA. It means the following:

If you are a health care provider, do the right thing: Become a Tricare provider. Tricare is the insurance the government issues to mobilized reservists and guardsmen. Two-thirds of health care providers are not Tricare providers. The result: We do not have an in-patient chemical dependency treatment center in Minnesota that is a Tricare provider. We have a dire shortage of behavioral mental health providers who are Tricare providers. The VA can't fix this we can.

If you are an educator, sign up for an Operation Military Kids workshop and learn about the daunting challenges our 7,000 Minnesota military kids face when their parent marches off to war, and when they return. Help our children while we are at war. Parent educators, we need you to offer classes in every school district in Minnesota, for military families. We need your help in learning how to parent our children again.

If you are a member of the clergy, learn all you can about the toll combat takes on marriages, families, mothers and fathers of military personnel. You don't have to support the foreign policy to pray for us while we are in harm's way and to visit our parents, our spouses and our children while we are gone. When we come home, we need your help in putting our marriages, families and lives back together.

If you are an employer, please give my spouse some grace. She or he is juggling a job, a family, a home and a huge heartache. There are no laws to protect them while we are at war, as there are to protect my job when I come back. They struggle mightily and may need some special attention and some extra time off. Do the right thing - help them.

If you are a social service provider, learn all you can about combat operational stress, the challenges of reintegration for combat veterans and the impact of war on the family system. You are our "first call for help;" don't fail us because you choose not to invest in your professional development.

If you are a politician, don't politicize the shortfalls in the VA or the military medical system. We aren't pawns in an election cycle; we are your constituents, and we are counting on you to fix the problems. Energize the community on our behalf to do right by us. We're not asking for showy programs. We are asking for tangible signs of support in terms of services offered.

If you are our neighbors, and you are, don't "victimize" us. Most combat veterans come home without PTSD, mental disorders, physical wounds or destroyed lives. We generally readjust well and go on to live productive lives. Expect great contributions to society from us. We won't disappoint you. Challenge us to greatness; we know how to serve. Watch over our families while we are gone. Extend a warm welcome home when we return. Walk with us through the months of readjustment, and make a place for us in the community. If we are among the tragic few who come home physically or mentally wounded, help us by connecting us to local, county, state and federal resources.

Certainly, address the problems with the VA, the military medical system and other systemic issues that face us.

But, above all, bring us all the way home. A program can't do that. You can.

Major John Morris is a chaplain in the Minnesota Army National Guard. For more information about his and others' ground-breaking work on reintegrating returning soldiers, go to www.minnesotanationalguard.org and look for the "Beyond the Yellow Ribbon" link.

The Hardest Part of Being an Angel

It's not the letter writing. It's not the packaging (unless you've ever seen me trying to tape up a box single-handed that has about 1.5 times the "legal" square inch limit of stuff in it). It's not the nights up emailing, chatting and losing sleep, the money spent on morale, support "stuff" to send over and the postage.

It's not even the losses that accompany being involved in war.

I'm a Team Leader for Soldiers' Angels Letter Writing Team. I have a group (or a platoon, as I like to say) of 40+ Angels that I coordinate daily with the Heroes for letter/card support. I see a lot of names. I send out a lot of names. Some are unique enough you remember them. Some send a message in that initial sign-up that touches you in just the right way and they are remembered as well. I'm also a member of the Wounded TLC Team for SA. We send cards of hope, thanks and encouragement to those healing from the wounds of battle. That's a difficult card to send.

In the days that pass, I see the names of our Heroes who have made the greatest sacrifice. In my time with SA, I have seen the number of names I recognize grow. What stops me cold is the name of the Hero that I have physically sent to one of my team, or to whom I personally have written. These folks become like extended family. They laugh, joke, cry, talk, vent and love us. And we love them. Having them come home and lose contact with us through the everyday ebb and flow of life is disheartening, but at least we know they're alright; it's one less worry. Having them lost to the cruelty of war is heartbreaking. And it hurts our hearts when this happens. When an Angel loses her "official" adoptee, it is brutal. We wonder if we'll be able to continue supporting them. It's like making new friends, or finding new love, or having mixed family. You learn about them, you get to know them, you have "relationships" of sorts with them, as a brother, sister, father would. Then they're gone. You grieve for them, their families and loved ones, and yourself.

You've lost a part of yourself. The one that thrived on talking to them (whether online or in letters) and hearing their perspective, their thoughts and feelings; learning as we can't from books. You wonder if you have the internal strength to commit to taking another Hero under your wing. Are you able to make them feel as appreciated and loved as the one who was lost? Can you open up and talk of the same things as you did with your departed Hero, without bringing to the front the death of a comrade? Can you overcome your fears of another loss and move on with the mission at hand?

You'd better, because there are many more out there who need that kind word of encouragement to get them through one more day. More to whom getting that little box of goodies that lets them know they are being thought of when they think they have no one else in the world. More to whom it means the world when they "chat" online and have some sort of contact to the familiar world of American life.

So, step up, gear up and get it together, Angel. Cry for the ones lost - not that they've died, but that they lived to protect us*.

The hardest part is loving them.

Miss B

*paraphrase of the famous quote "It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived."

- General George S. Patton, Jr

Soldiers' Angels Place in Local Parade...

Soldiers' Angels presented themselves to the public in the Snake Saturday Parade in NKC, MO. They were accompanied by some very special Heroes, riding on the float.

Peggy Harris, Team Leader for the Letter Writing Team division of SA, says,

I am floating with excitement and am happy to say our float won 10th place and $1000.00 for Soldiers' Angels. The parade was awesome as everyone cheered for our soldiers and the response was so cool. We handed out cards and when the annouced us they anounced our website twice! We got the word out about SA, I got to work with a great bunch and winning was the icing on the cake! Thanks for the support!

For more information, visit Soldiers' Angels...

Fabulous work getting the word out Angels! And to our local Heroes who helped us out to make this happen... you rock!

*hugs*
Miss B

Gathering Of Eagles

There are two petitions now up online. One for people to sign only if they WILL be at the Gathering of Eagles on March 17th:

To: All Interested Parties

We, the undersigned, pledge to attend the March 17th Gathering of Eagles in Washington, D.C. We intend to stand guard at our nation's sacred memorials to honor the memory of our troops who died in service of our great country. We promise to recognize and reflect on the sacrifice of our fallen heroes. Please sign here only IF you WILL be in attendance at the Vietnam War Memorial on March 17th. We are trying to obtain an accurate total so we know how many to expect. http://www.PetitionOnline.com/GOE31707/petition.html

Our troops, current and prior, are true heroes and we will honor each and every one of them by standing side by side, heads held high, defending the sanctity of our nation's monuments to veterans. Our sacred pledge is that our actions will honor those heroes and that we will respect their service and their sacrifice. I WILL be at the Gathering of Eagles on March 17th in Washington, DC.

Sincerely,
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/GOE31707/petition.html



The second petition is for those who will be with us in spirit:


To: The Gathering of Eagles Participants
We, the undersigned, will (IN SPIRIT) be in Washington, DC on March 17th. We can not attend but we want everyone at the "Gathering Of Eagles" to know that we are united with them as they ring the memorials to protect these hallowed monuments from defacement and dishonor. We believe that our troops, current and prior, are true heroes and we will be honoring them all that day with our thoughts, our prayers and our actions. On that day, we intend to recognize and reflect on the sacrifice of our fallen heroes. We also pledge to pray for the safety of those who are able to attend. We thank them for representing all of us who love and respect our great country. May God richly bless America and all those who truly appreciate her. http://www.petitiononline.com/GOE317/petition.html


This will be very helpful in giving us some idea of how many Eagles will be in attendance on the 17th and how many will be supporting us from home. If you plan to be there, sign in. Those who just can’t attend but stand with us in spirit are asked to sign the second petition.

Gathering of Eagles is an act of love by thousands of veterans who choose to honor the sacrifice of the fallen by guarding the memorials from those who would desecrate them on March 17th in a “peaceful” anti-war rally in Washington D.C.

It is also an act of war, a call to action for every American who chooses to stand and say “No more!” to those who would spit on our veterans and ridicule their service to our nation.

We invite you to join us March 17th, as we stand together as one to ensure that the sacrifices of our fallen and the memorials that remember them are not tarnished by the ungrateful.

By C.J. Raven U.S. Veteran DispatchFebruary 07, 2007
Leftist activists who march to the Pentagon next month will discover that their path won’t be as clear as it has been in the past.

The group, led by Cindy Sheehan, Jane Fonda, Ed Asner and their ilk, plan to gather March 17 at the Vietnam Memorial Wall to begin a march to protest America’s involvement in the Iraq war. The date marks the fourth anniversary of the war’s beginning.

This time, however, protestors will see objectors if they spit on Iraqi veterans again, or throw paint on a war memorial. This time, they will encounter a buzz saw of Vietnam veterans and supporters who will gather to protect the Wall, and show their support for U.S. troops. The counter-protestors are calling themselves the Gathering of Eagles.

“… An eagle knows when a storm is approaching long before it breaks. The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above it.”

An unknown author wrote that description, but it describes how the veterans see their mission. They are angry that the Wall is being used as a jumping off point for a political protest and they are gathering to protect it from another storm of anti-war activists.

“The anti-war/anti-America group cannot be allowed to use the Vietnam Memorial Wall as a back-drop to their anti-America venom and stain the hallowed ground that virtually cries out with blood at the thought of this proposed desecration … it must not happen,” said veteran Bud Gross. “… All Americans are invited to support our effort, which is intended as a defender of hallowed ground and intended as a non-violent competition between those that would sell out America and those of us who support freedom and keeping the fight with the enemy on distant shores.”

The group defending the Wall will be wearing armbands to identify themselves. Those who are unable to stand with the defenders are being asked to wear armbands with small U.S. flags to show their own communities that they abhor the Fonda-Sheehan tactics.

“We’ll be there to act as a countervailing force against the Cindy Sheehan-Jane Fonda march from the Vietnam Memorial to the Pentagon,” retired Navy Capt. Larry Bailey said. “We will protect the Vietnam Memorial. If they try to deface it, there will be some violence, I guarantee you.”

Bailey and thousands of his fellow Vietnam vets are worried that the anti-war protesters will damage the wall, just as they spray-painted the steps of the Capitol at their last march.

The wall is sacred to the men and women who fought in that war.

“It is our contact with our dead brothers — those who lost their lives in the cause of their country,” Bailey said.

And so it is that Washington will see a Gathering of Eagles - Americans determined to stand up against leftist propagandists who denigrate U.S. troops and the mission for which they sometimes sacrifice their lives.

Retired Col. Harry Riley organized the Gathering of Eagles. Organizers hope thousands will show up in Washington from as far away as Hawaii, and they won’t only be Vietnam veterans. Families, friends and veterans of other wars, including Iraq, and soldiers still on active duty, will be there to defend the Wall.

“When we say a gathering of eagles, that signifies people who support the American way,” Bailey said.

The leftist Web site MarchonPentagon.org describes the anti-war demonstrators this way: “The March on the Pentagon has already attracted more than 1,500 endorsers, including prominent individuals and national and grassroots organizations. Students on college campuses and in high schools will be attending in large numbers. There will be a large turnout from the Muslim and Arab American community, which is organizing throughout the country.”

The movement is well-financed. Its sponsor list is lengthy and contains highly recognizable names, as well as those of Fonda and Sheehan:

· Former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark (who offered his services to defend Saddam Hussein)
· Ultra-liberal Congresswoman Maxine Waters
· Former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney
· Ron Kovic, Vietnam veteran and author of “Born on the 4th of July”
· Mahdi Bray, executive director, Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation
· Waleed Bader, vice chair of the National Council of Arab Americans and former president of Arab Muslim American Federation
· Medea Benjamin, co-founder, CODEPINK and Global Exchange
· Free Palestine Alliance
· Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation
· Islamic Political Party of America
· FMLN (Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front)
· Islamic-National Congress
· Gay Liberation Network
· Muslim Student Association
· Jibril Hough, chairman, Islamic Political Party of America

Top 25 War Movies...

As listed by Moviefone... I never had much interest in these when they came out. I was either not yet born :) or too "busy" with the kids and life in general. Now I'm soaking up everything I can. So, my mission is to watch all of these movies by the end of this year. A few I have seen, and they are what initially sparked my interest. I'm sad my favorite didn't make the list. (The Dirty Dozen) Ok, I admit, I liked that one at first only because of Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson *swoon*. But after about the 30th time, I actually LIKED the movie. I think it was more about recognizing the good in wayward people, having them come together and kick some enemy ass. And really, Telly Savalas made a hell of a crazy man.

Moviefone Top 25 War Movies (ranked 25 – 1)
25. 2002 The Pianist
24. 1941 SGT York
23. 1953 Stalag 17
22. 1998 The Thin Red Line
*21. 1951 The African Queen
20. 1970 M*A*S*H
19. 2005 Downfall
18. 1970 Patton
17. 1930 All Quiet on the Western Front
16. 2006 Letters from Iwo Jima
15. 1999 Deer Hunters
14. 1962 The Longest Day
13. 1989 Glory
12. 1957 The Bridge on the River Kwai
11. 1978 The Deer Hunter
10. 1995 Braveheart
9. 1962 Lawrence of Arabia
8. 1963 The Great Escape
7. 1957 Paths of Glory
6. 1981 Das Boot
5. 1987 Full Metal Jacket
4. 1993 Schindler’s List
*3. 1999 Saving Private Ryan
2. 1986 Platoon
1. 1979 Apocolypse Now

* Movies I've actually watched. (yes it's true, I have NOT watched Braveheart or Platoon-I am not worthy.)

Other Military/History/War/Battle related Movies that have caught my attention:

The Last Castle - I like the story line... the reviews weren't great, but it kept my interest. And that's not an easy thing to do.

Men of Honor - Anything with De Niro and Cuba Gooding Jr is good, both is bonus!

Pearl Harbor - Kinda sappy love stuff in it for the gals, but it winds together well. I can only imagine living in that era.

A Few Good Men - Not a huge Cruise fan, but Nicholas ALWAYS plays the wayward villain well.

If you know of any others... tell me tell me tellllll me... Leave a comment, or shoot me an email... jemcelina at aol dot com. I'd love to hear from you...

Injured Vets take to the PA Slopes...

Sitting on a mono-ski as an instructor straps him on, Spc. Reddi Parker wondered if the designer of the device went a little overboard.

"How many straps do you need to strap over your waist?" asked Parker, 26, of Jonesboro, Ark.

The apparent answer is three.
Parker and seven other injured soldiers and Marines from Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington hit the slopes at Liberty Mountain Resort in Adams County this weekend as part of a program sponsored by the Wounded Warrior Project of Jacksonville, Fla., and Disabled Sports USA of Rockville, Md.

"I just wanted to get out of the hospital and have some fun," Parker said. "I wanted to repay my sister for staying with me while I was injured. Plus, I like to ski."

The Arkansas National Guardsman lost part of his right foot Jan. 2 while serving as the gunner on a RG-31, a heavily armored vehicle that looks like a sport utility vehicle on steroids. His unit was driving through a marketplace about 10 miles north of Baghdad.

"Some children came out, threw some anti-tank grenades at us, and one of them managed to make it down through the gun turret, landed on my foot and took about half of it off," he said.

Parker hopes to hit the slopes next year on regular skis. Doctors at Water Reed Medical Center, Washington, D.C., have told him he should regain full use of his leg and ankle.

Volunteer instructors from Blue Ridge Adaptive Snow Sports, a chapter of Disabled Sports USA, and Marines assigned to Camp David, Md., hit the slopes with the injured veterans. The outing was paid for by donations to the two sponsor organizations.

Parker made his first run down the slope connected by a tether to an instructor behind him. By his third run he was handling the mono-ski on his own, and was ready to move on to a more difficult slope.

Kyleen Davis of Disabled Sports USA organized the trip. The Wounded Warrior Disabled Sports Project helps injured veterans adapt to their disabilities and participate in sports.

"Most of the men and women in the service are predisposed to be athletic. They led very active lifestyles prior to their injury, so we want to kind of give them that piece of their lifestyle," Davis said.

The program also helps them take part in sports they had never tried. Marine Cpl. Kenny Lyon, 21, of Crisfield, Md., was a big fan of sledding, but he never skied before his injury, so trying out the bi-ski -- a seat with two skis attached -- was a new experience.

"I love the snow. I can't think of anything better to be doing right now," he said.
An armored vehicle mechanic, Lyon was working inside a small, temporary base when his unit was hit by a rocket or mortar attack.

"We were taking a break from doing missions all morning long and were sitting down to rest. I was working on the vehicles and just 'boom,'" he said.

The blast destroyed the knee and lower part of his left leg, the teeth on the lower right side of his jaw and took a piece of his skull about the size of a silver dollar above his right eye. Lyon also suffered nerve damage to his left hand. A titanium bar holds his jaw together.

While skiing in a chair may seem more like sledding, the bi-ski was a challenge that required a lot of finesse, he said.

"You tilt just a hair too much and you're going over. There's no saving you," Lyon said.

When his instructor was strapping him into the chair, Lyon had joked about how he would probably end up "eating snow." That happened several times, particularly as he got more confident.

"The next thing you know, I get cocky and get that one degree off of the tolerance, and I'm in the snow," he said with a laugh.

Liberty Mountain was the second skiing trip for Cpl. Sam Floberg, 29, of Fargo, N.D. A member of the North Dakota Army National Guard, Floberg lost his lower right leg during an ambush in Afghanistan on Nov. 23.

An insurgent fired four rocket-propelled grenades at his crew's Humvee. The fourth one penetrated the armor, destroyed Floberg's lower leg and killed the vehicle's driver, Cpl. Nathan Goodiron, 25, of Mandaree, N.D.

Floberg volunteered to deploy to Afghanistan because he joined just as his unit was returning from a deployment. He didn't want to go another five to six years before seeing combat service. He said he has no regrets.

"Stuff happens, and you just have to step up to the plate and deal with it," he said. A journeyman electrician, Floberg hopes to become proficient enough to just throw a mono-ski in the back of his truck and go skiing whenever he wants.
"Instead of just saying, 'Aw, I'm disabled' and just sit on the sidelines, you can actually get out and play again," he said.

Brian Bowling can be reached at bbowling@tribweb.com or (412) 320-7910


Sam Floberg, 29, of Fargo, N.D., who lost his leg while serving with the North Dakota Army National Guard in Afghanistan, zips down the slope Saturday at Liberty Mountain Resort on a mono-ski. Floberg was at the Adams County resort as part of the Wounded Warrior Project, which teaches soldiers who have been disabled how to participate in athletic activities. Andrew Russell/Tribune-Review


http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_496171.html

way to go, Hero! *hugs*
Miss B...

THINK YOU CAN FLY A HELICOPTER ?

Read directions first before you start....must hold left clicker down to go up...release to go down...MOST DIFFICULT~ Some people have worn their finger out on this. If you are working for a living, do not forward to your co-workers.. The rest of the day will be useless to the company..Think you can fly a helicopter? Click on the link below and give it a whirl!

http://www.hurtwood.demon.co.uk/Fun/copter.swf

Have fun :)
Miss B.

Soldiers' Angels Relief Effort for Ft Rucker

Soldiers' Angels is currently coordinating EFFORTS WITH FORT RUCKER FOR FAMILY RELIEF. THEY HAVE LOST FAMILY MEMBERS AND many of them have lost THEIR HOMES . We are getting angels on the ground to help.

FT RUCKER FAMILY RELIEF FUND

www.paypal.com

SA-FT. RUCKER FAMILY RELIEFItem #20-0583415

Pass this along to any others.

ENTERPRISE, Ala. - A violent storm system ripped apart an Alabama high school as students hunkered inside and later tore through Georgia, hitting a hospital and raising the death toll to at least 20 across the Midwest and Southeast.

Eight students died when a tornado struck Enterprise High School, Mayor Kenneth Boswell said Friday. The teenage victims were all in a wing of the school that took a direct hit as the tornado blew out the walls and roof.

In parts of Enterprise, "it looks like ground zero, where there's just nothing left," Boswell told NBC's TODAY show. Another person was killed elsewhere in the city.

Read the rest of the story here-
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17397486/