How many words is this picture worth?

This amazing picture has drawn a lot of comments from readers of the Nashville paper, The Tennessean.

Dear Tennessean:

The Tennessean's April 5 photograph of young Christian Golczynski accepting the American flag from Marine Lt. Col. Ric Thompson is one of the most moving and emotion provoking images I have ever seen.

My wife and I attended funeral services for Christian's father, Staff Sergeant Marcus Golczynski, on April 4, along with our six year-old son, dozens of Marines, and several hundred others who came to pay tribute to this fallen hero.

As one would expect, many of your readers were touched by this incredible
picture. Staff Sergeant Golczynski had previously served one full tour in Iraq.
Shortly before his death on March 27 he wrote to his family that he had
volunteered to do this a second time due to our deep desire to finish the job we
started. In his letter he said, "We fight and sometimes die so that our families don't have to." Tragically, Staff Sergeant Golczynski had only two weeks remaining on his second tour. We look at the photograph of Christian every day. It is displayed prominently in our home. Our hearts ache for Christian and for all those who have lost loved ones in this controversial conflict.

When looking at the face of Christian Golczynski I am reminded that doing
what is right is not always easy and doing what is easy is not always right.
Christian's dad knew that too.

James Drescher Franklin, TN

"Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more; you should never wish to do less!"

~General Robert E. Lee

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.

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

Things that made me sad today...

In addition to getting the devastating news about my cousin's 5-year-old Ashley (diagnosis confirmed yesterday- Cystic Fibrosis) I've read and felt compelled to comment on the situation at WRMC as well as one of many (and certainly not the only) missions that have brought the end to our Heroes' lives. Maybe I'm overly sensitive these days, or as one of the guys at work says "hmmm 28 days already?" (butthead) but these just broke my heart and left me so terribly sad today. *sigh* As much as I love my Heroes and what I do for SA, some days it's just damn difficult. As a Medic once shared with me... "Conserve the Fighting Strength". So Buckle up, Miss Behavin'... you have a mission.

http://sgthook.com/2007/02/22/my-organization/ A moving blog entry about the state of affairs at the WRMC... courtesy of Sgt Hook... thanks Hero...

I truly hope this is resolved. These Heroes have scars and injuries, both physical and psychological, because they were upholding their duties and protecting us, including all the caregivers at WRMC. To whom are we most thankful? The “healthy” Heroes currently fighting, who come home to PTSD? The wounded, who come home bearing battle injuries as a physical reminder that they can no longer expect a “normal” life? The Heroes who gave all? Are there varying degrees of gratefulness? Should there be? Lay to rest with all the respect the ones who so richly deserve, and give the absolute best care to all those left to carry on in their wake. It is not a courtesy; it is our duty as American citizens to love and care for those who protect us.

http://badgersforward.blogspot.com/2007/02/badgers-down-8-february-2007.html A heart-rendering recollection of a moment in time that changes a man forever.

In all the work with Soldiers’ Angels, the attachments we form talking, writing and emailing with our Heroes, we sometimes push to the back of our minds the absolute reality of what’s happening over there. It’s easy to do, because we are fortunate enough to not have this happening on our home soil. It’s also sometimes a self-preservation, because if we make it fun for the Heroes for just a moment, maybe it won’t seem so bad; it won’t be real. Yet, every time I see a new Hero reported, every time I see footage that just stops me cold, every report or blog I read I remember why I love this country so much, and all the Heroes who are doing what they do. I’m in tears as I write this; I cannot pretend to understand how those men feel. I did not know any of the men from this team, yet I feel my heart ripped out at the news. I pray the families will find peace through this. And I gear up to write extra letters, send more care packages and try to do something that gives our Heroes something concrete to grasp as they move out on their next mission. It just doesn’t seem “enough”.

And My Hero is Stateside...

Phew! :) For full story... see my personal blog... suffice it to say, it's been a long journey.

And while I'm thrilled beyond words that he's home safe and sound, along with the rest of his group, we're both dealing with some of the after effects.

Happiness - He's out of harm's way.
Relief - He made it home safe, in one piece.
Guilt - He got to come home after a year.
Worry - For all the comrades with whom he parted ways.
Anxiety - So much to do in such little time before the day-to-day regularity can begin.
Adjustment - No air sirens, listening for the sound of choppers, waiting for the next wounded.

My heart goes out to all returning Heroes who are going through the same roller-coaster. I wish I had words of wisdom for ALL of us; I'm learning with him.

For those wounded, thank you so much for your service and may God see you through your difficult recovery.

For those who gave all, words will never be enough. My eternal gratitude is all I offer.

My prayers go out to all those still in harm's way. Stay Strong -- Be Brave!!! I'll still be doing the Angel thing, and Jeffery is looking forward to helping support the other Heroes with me. If you'd like to help, see www.soldiersangels.org and sign up... adopt a Hero, send letters, make Blankets of Hope, donate Backpacks for the Wounded... there's something for everyone to help with!

And Jeff, hon, I thank God you made it back safely and look very forward to being with you soon! Always your Angel...

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.

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

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...

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?