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Email from a Marine
Subject: Mail From a Respected Friend in Iraq
All Hands:
Master Sergeant JR sends this "letter to home" by a Marine who remains
anonymous Guess he is a battalion commander, and some on the All Hands
will recognize him.
This is a very good account of what life is like, in Iraq, for our
Marines. If you start to read this, you will probably finish it.
Thanks Top, say hello to the family, and Semper Fi,
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
All: I haven’t written very much from Iraq.
There’s really not much to
write about.
More exactly, there’s not much I can write about because
practically everything I do, read or hear is classified military
information or is depressing to the point that I’d rather just forget about it,
never mind write about it.
The
gaps in between all of that are filled with the pure tedium of daily life in an armed camp.
So it’s a bit of a struggle
to think of anything to put into a letter that’s worth reading.
Worse, this place just consumes you.
I work
18-20-hour days, every day.
The quest to draw a clear picture of what the insurgents are up to never ends. Problems
and frictions crop up faster than solutions.
Every challenge demands a response.
It’s like this every day
.
Before I know it, I can’t see straight,
because it’s 0400 and I’ve been at work for twenty hours straight, somehow
missing dinner again in the process.
And once again I haven’t written to anyone.
It starts all over again four
hours later.
It’s not really like Ground Hog Day,
it’s more like a level from Dante’s Inferno.
Rather than attempting to sum up the last seven months,
I figured I’d
Just hit the record setting highlights of 2006 in Iraq.
These are among the events and experiences I’ll remember best.
Worst Case of Déjà Vu -
I thought I was familiar with the
feeling of
déjà vu until I arrived back here in Fallujah in February. The moment I stepped off of the helicopter,
just as dawn
broke, and saw the camp just as I had left it ten months before - that was déjà vu. Kind of unnerving.
It was as if I
had never left.
Same work area, same busted desk, same chair, same computer, same room, same creaky rack, same . . .
everything.
Same everything for the next year.
It was like entering a parallel universe
. Home wasn’t 10,000
miles away, it was a different lifetime.
Most Surreal Moment -
Watching Marines arrive at my detention facility
And unload a truck load of flex-cuffed midgets. 26 to be exact.
I had put the word out earlier in the day to the
Marines in Fallujah that we were looking for Bad Guy X, who was described as a midget.
Little did I know that Fallujah
was home to a small community of midgets,
who banded together for support since they were considered as social outcasts.
The Marines were anxious to get back to the midget colony to bring in the rest of the midget suspects, but I called off
the search,
figuring Bad Guy X was long gone on his short legs after seeing his companions rounded up by the giant
infidels.
Most Profound Man in Iraq -
an unidentified farmer in a fairly remote
area who, after being asked by Reconnaissance Marines
(searching for
Syrians) if he had seen any foreign fighters in the area replied “Yes, you.”
Worst City in al-Anbar Province -
Ramadi, hands down. The provincial
capital of 400,000 people.
Killed over 1,000 insurgents in there since
we arrived in February.
Every day is a nasty gun battle.
They blast us with giant bombs in the road, snipers,
mortars and small arms.
We blast them with tanks, attack helicopters, artillery, our snipers (much better than theirs),
and every weapon that an infantryman can carry.
Every day. Incredibly, I rarely see Ramadi in the news.
We have
as many attacks out here in the west as Baghdad. Yet, Baghdad has 7 million people, we have just 1.2 million. Per capita,
al-Anbar province is the most violent place in Iraq by several orders of magnitude.
I suppose it was no accident that
the Marines were assigned this area in 2003
.
Bravest Guy in al-Anbar Province -
Any Explosive Ordnance Disposal
Technician (EOD Tech).
How’d you like a job that required you to
defuse bombs in a hole in the middle of the road that very likely are
booby-trapped or connected by wire to a bad guy who’s just waiting for you to get close to the bomb
before he clicks the
detonator?
Every day. Sanitation workers in New York City get paid more than these guys. Talk about courage and
commitment.
Second Bravest Guy in al-Anbar Province -
It’s a 20,000 way tie among
all the Marines and Soldiers who venture out on the highways and through the towns
of al-Anbar every day, not knowing if
it will be their last - and for a couple of them, it will be.
Best Piece of U.S. Gear -
new, bullet-proof flak jackets.
O.K., they
Weigh 40 lbs and aren’t exactly comfortable in 120 degree heat,
but they’ve saved countless lives out here.
Best Piece of Bad Guy Gear -
Armor Piercing ammunition that goes right
through the new flak jackets and the Marines inside them.
Worst E-Mail Message -
“The Walking Blood Bank is Activated.
We need
Blood type A+ stat.”
I always head down to the surgical unit as soon as I get these messages,
but I never give
blood - there’s always about 80 Marines in line, night or day.
Biggest Surprise -
Iraqi Police.
All local guys. I never figured that
we’d get a police force established in the cities in al-Anbar.
I estimated that insurgents would kill the first few,
scaring off the rest. Well, insurgents did kill the first few, but the cops kept on coming.
The insurgents continue
to target the police, killing them in their homes and on the streets, but the cops won’t give up.
Absolutely incredible
tenacity. The insurgents know that the police are far better at finding them than we are. -
and they are finding them.
Now, if we could just get them out of the habit of beating prisoners to a pulp . . .
Greatest Vindication -
Stocking up on outrageous quantities of Diet
Coke from the chow hall
in spite of the derision from my men on such
hoarding, then having a 122mm rocket blast apart the giant shipping container
that held all of the soda for the chow
hall.
Yep, you can’t buy experience.
Biggest Mystery -
How some people can gain weight out here.
I’m down
to 165 lbs. Who has time to eat?
Second Biggest Mystery -
if there’s no atheists in foxholes, then why
aren’t there more people at Mass every Sunday?
Favorite Iraqi TV Show -
Oprah. I have no idea. They all have satellite TV.
Coolest Insurgent Act -
Stealing almost $7 million from the main bank
in Ramadi in broad daylight,
then, upon exiting, waving to the Marines in the combat outpost right next to the bank,
who had no clue of what was going on. The Marines waved back.
Too cool.
Most Memorable Scene -
In the middle of the night, on a dusty airfield,
watching the better part of a battalion of Marines packed up and ready
to go home after six months in al-Anbar
, the relief etched in their young faces even in the moonlight.
Then
watching these same Marines exchange glances with a similar number of grunts loaded down with gear file past –
their
replacements.
Nothing was said. Nothing needed to be said.
Highest Unit Re-enlistment Rate -
Any outfit that has been in Iraq
recently.
All the danger, all the hardship,
all the time away from home, all the horror,
all the frustrations
with the fight here -
all are outweighed by the desire for young men to be part of a 'Band of Brothers'
who will
die for one another.
They found what they were looking for when they enlisted out of high school.
Man for man,
they now have more combat experience than
any Marines in the history of our Corps.
Most Surprising Thing I Don’t Miss -
Beer.
Perhaps being half-stunned
by lack of sleep makes up for it.
Worst Smell
- Porta-johns in 120 degree heat -
and that’s 120 degrees
outside of the porta-john.
Highest Temperature -
I don’t know exactly, but it was in the
porta-johns.
Needed to re-hydrate after each trip to the loo.
Biggest Hassle -
High-ranking visitors
. More disruptive to work than a
rocket attack.
VIPs demand briefs and “battlefield” tours
(we take
them to quiet sections of Fallujah, which is plenty scarry for them),
Our briefs and commentary seem to have no affect
on their preconceived notions of what’s going on in Iraq.
Their trips allow them to say that they’ve been to Fallujah,
which gives them an unfortunate degree of credibility in perpetuating their fantasies about the insurgency here.
Biggest Outrage -
Practically anything said by tal
king heads on TV
about the war in Iraq, not that I get to watch much TV. Their thoughts are consistently both grossly simplistic and
politically slanted.
Biggest offender - Bill O’Reilly - what a buffoon.
Best Intel Work -
Finding Jill Carroll’s kidnappers - all of them.
I
was mighty proud of my guys that day.
I figured we’d all get the Christian Science Monitor for free after this,
but none have showed up yet
. Talk about ingratitude.
Saddest Moment
- Having the battalion commander from 1st Battalion, 1st
Marines hand me the dog tags of one of my Marines
who had just been killed while on a mission with his unit.
Hit
by a 60mm mortar.
Cpl Bachar was a great Marine
. I felt crushed for a long time afterward.
His picture now
hangs at the entrance to the Intelligence Section.
We’ll carry it home with us when we leave in February.
Biggest Ass-Chewing -
10 July immediately following a visit by the
Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister, Dr. Zobai.
The Deputy Prime Minister brought along an American security contractor
(read mercenary), who told my Commanding General that he was there to act as a mediator between us and the Bad Guys.
I
immediately told him what I thought of him and his asinine ideas in terms
that made clear my disgust and which,
unfortunately, are unrepeatable here.
I thought my boss was going to have a heart attack.
Fortunately, the
translator couldn’t figure out the best Arabic words to convey my meaning for the Deputy Prime Minister.
Later, the
boss had no difficulty in convening his meaning to me in English regarding my Irish temper,
even though he agreed with
me. At least the guy from the State Department
thought it was hilarious. We never saw the mercenary again.
Best Chuck Norris Moment -
13 May. Bad Guys arrived at the government
center in the small town of Kubaysah to kidnap the town mayor,
since
they have a problem with any form of government that does not include
regular beheadings and women wearing burqahs.
There were seven of them.
As they brought the mayor out to put him
in a pick-up truck to take him off to be beheaded (on video, as usual),
one of the bad Guys put down his machinegun so
that he could tie the mayor’s hands.
The mayor took the opportunity to pick up the machinegun and drill five of the Bad
Guys.
The other two ran away.
One of the dead Bad Guys was on our top twenty wanted list.
Like they say,
you can’t fight City Hall.
Worst Sound -
That crack-boom off in the distance that means an IED or
mine just went off.
You just wonder who got it, hoping that it was a near miss rather than a direct hit.
Hear it
every day.
Second Worst Sound -
Our artillery firing without warning.
The
Howitzers are pretty close to where I work.
Believe me, outgoing sounds a lot like incoming when our guns are firing
right over our heads.
They’d about knock the fillings out of your teeth.
Only Thing Better in Iraq Than in the U.S. -
Sunsets. Spectacular.
It’s from all the dust in the air.
Proudest Moment -
It’s a tie every day, watching my Marines produce
phenomenal intelligence products that go pretty far in teasing apart
Bad Guy operations in al-Anbar.
Every night Marines and Soldiers are kicking in doors and grabbing Bad Guys based on
intelligence developed by my guys.
We rarely lose a Marine during these raids, they are so well-informed
of the
objective.
A bunch of kids right out of high school shouldn’t be able to work so well, but they do.
Happiest Moment -
Well, it wasn’t in Iraq.
There are no truly happy
Moments here.
It was back in California when I was able to hold my family again while home on leave during July.
Most Common Thought -
Home.
Always thinking of home, of Kathleen and
the kids.
Wondering how everyone else is getting along.
Regretting that I don’t write more.
Yep, always
thinking of home.
I hope you all are doing well.
If you want to do something for me,
kiss a cop, flush a toilet, and drink a beer.
I’ll try to write again before too long - I promise.
Semper Fi,
David R Dalton
PO Box 1850
Roanoke, TX 76262-1850
This is a ribbon for soldiers fighting in Iraq.
Pass it on to everyone and pray.
SLEEP LAST NIGHT?
Bed a little lumpy...
Toss and turn any...
Wish the heat was higher...
Maybe the a/c wasn't on...
Had to go to the john...
Need a drink of water...
Yes.. It is like that!
Count your blessings, pray for them,
Talk to your Creator
and the next time when...
the other car cuts you off and you must hit the brakes,
or you have to park a little further from Walmart
than you want to be,
or you're served slightly warm food at the restaurant,
or you're sitting and cursing the traffic in front of you! ,
or the shower runs out of hot water,
Think of them...
Protecting your freedom!
Message from Iraq
The proud warriors of Baker Company wanted to do something
to pay tribute To our fallen comrades.
So since we are part of the only Marine Infantry Battalion left in Iraq
the one way that we could think of doing that is By
taking a picture of Baker Company saying the way we feel.
It would be awesome if you could find !
a way t o share this with our fellow countrymen.
I was wondering if there was any way to get this into your
papers to let the world know that
"WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN"
and are proud to serve our
country."
Semper Fi
1stSgt Dave Jobe
The photo was forwarded in email
from one of the last U.S. Marine companies in Iraq.
They would like to have it
passed to as many people as possible,
to let the folks back home know that they remember why
they're there and that
they remember those who've been lost.
" Unhappy is the land who needs a hero"
You Can Be A Hero
Saving the world isn't easy, Saving a life is,
Give blood and be a hero.
Food for thought,
While Major League Sports Players are paid huge salaries,
our policemen,firemen,
and military
risk lives daily for small salaries.
We are willing to pay more for
entertainment and sports,
than we are for safety and true heros.
Quote
"For those who have had to fight for it,
Freedom has a flavor the protected shall never know."
United this world will stand ,overcome terrorism and find peace.
We will overcome terrorism,for instead of destroying the world with it's hatred,
it has bought the world together united to fight terrorism and to seek peace.
Bradleyy
They call this a BFV.
this vehicle does not have air condtioner,
as our soldiers ride for hours
in the hot desert.
Katrina seasoned squad for Iraq duties
By Keli Jacobi
kcjacobi@thenewsstar.com
George Lawrence Prince has clear blue eyes that instantly size you up, a Mack-truck frame built for fighting and a square jaw set just under a mouthful of straight talk.
But all he can think about is holding his newborn niece.
Soldiering, for Prince, comes as naturally as breathing. Leaving his wife — diagnosed with multiple sclerosis years ago — along with two young children and an adoring extended family won't come as easily.
"A plane could land out there tomorrow and I'd board it for a mission in a heartbeat. No regrets," he said.
Prince, 44, stared out of the window of his parent's Monroe home as he spoke, glancing toward the front lawn where an American flag flapped gently in the early evening breeze.
He drew a long breath before speaking again.
"On the other hand, I ask myself, 'What am I going to miss?' That's what is ripping me apart."
Even as a young child, he hunted down the opposition from make-believe, backyard fortresses. Back then, the valiant young Prince took to battle with willing troops behind him.
The older and wiser Prince is about to do the same thing again.
Staff Sgt. Prince leads a squad of soldiers in the 2228th Military Police Company, the first from Louisiana to be sent to Iraq.
Crowds of tearful families gathered Saturday in Pineville to bid a patriotic farewell to him and more than 150 members of the Louisiana Army National Guard, to which the 2228th belong.
The soldiers, many of them young enough to be Prince's children, departed for Camp Shelby, Miss., to train for eventual deployment to the Middle East.
Prince will serve more than a year training Iraqi police, providing extra security and performing other duties as assigned.
"The best way to put it is that the National Guard went to New Orleans to help the police down there get back on their feet. That's pretty much what we're doing for the Iraqi police," he said.
Delivering competent leadership weighs heavily on the staff sergeant's mind.
"My biggest fear is taking these kids over there and not coming back with
all of them. I'm not going to let that happen," he said.
"If my worst day is that we're all tired and sore, and just sitting around looking at each other, that'll be my best day."
He boasts like a proud father of his award-winning squad and its determination to do a job well.
"You're only as strong as the weakest link in the chain. My squad? We don't have any weak links."
What all the Louisiana companies have going for them is the experience of Katrina, according to Prince.
"They saw stuff even veteran police have never seen," he said. "The death, destruction, the flood waters, the panic. They got life experiences there they can use in Iraq."
Long before the Iraq War, Prince served a short enlistment in the Army's famed 82nd Airborne Division, where paratroopers are lauded for their willingness to jump into danger zones, pushing forward until the mission is accomplished.
Because of a pact with his father, Prince did not re-enlist and instead focused on a career as a civilian police officer.
His paramilitary career path provided job security and a paycheck, but Prince yearned for the camaraderie and discipline of a soldier's life.
"I missed it, I missed being back in the service. Heck, it's the largest fraternity in the world," he said.
And, there was another motivation.
"I love catching the bad guy ... somebody's gotta draw a line in the sand and say, 'You're not gonna cross it,'" said Prince.
Last June, after frank discussions with his wife, he finally enlisted active duty with the National Guard.
"I love training troops, taking a kid and molding him into something better," he said. "People have their niche. This is mine."
Prince, who is the second oldest soldier in his platoon, was asked if he ever felt his age.
"Oh yeah," he admitted. "But I'm not in as bad a shape as I thought."
Some have even jokingly labeled his squad "geriatrics" because peers a bit advanced in years for the military join Prince. But the squad has set the gold standard so far, according to Prince.
"We've got people fighting to get out of their squads and into mine," he laughed.
Prince's wife, Karen, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis shortly after marrying George, but is still able to walk on her own.
Muscle weakness, abnormal muscle spasms and difficulty moving are symptomatic of the progressive disease, with a prognosis that varies from individual to individual.
Prince's 10-year-old son and namesake has seen a few battles of his own.
When he was only five months old, Lawrence, as he is called, underwent the first in a long series of surgeries to treat symptoms of Crouzon's Syndrome — a rare deformity that causes the skull to fuse together prematurely.
The physical hardship has toughened him, but in a good way, said his dad.
"He'll impart a lot of strength on somebody someday," he said.
Prince's daughter, Brandy, recently expressed concern for her dad's safety, but she is also holding up relatively well.
While Prince admits it bothered him to frighten his family, he realized long ago he no longer belongs to them — he belongs to Uncle Sam.
Perhaps he always has.
"It has been the hardest, most fearful thing I have ever faced, but I have never been so proud," said his mother, Bobbette.
"He bleeds red, white and blue," she said. "That's George Lawrence's destiny."
"The military is a natural for me," he agreed, adding, "I get that from my dad, and his drive. The biggest thing I've gotten from him is his integrity."
"He believes in what he's doing and so do we," said Prince's father, George.
George Lawrence put his mission in clear perspective just before returning to Pineville for the departure ceremony.
"The better a job we do, the faster they'll learn and the faster we can get out of there and go about our normal lives," he said.
"And our kids can quit dying."
CPL. PaulC.Puckett
321 BOMB 448TH SQD.
Army Air Force
A Tribute to my dad
A ww2 soldier
He was one of the soldiers,
That was sent to Normany Beach,
I just got his silver star.
A salute to Veterans
I couldn't do the graph correct with the html
'A special code that some websites including this website uses for transfering data'.
This is a general idea of the number of Veterans .
Estimated Numbers of U.S. Veterans in Civil Life
Wartime veterans
Demographic group
Total Veterans
Total1
Persian Gulf War
Vietnam era
Korean conflict
World War II
Peacetime veterans
Under 35 years old
2,213,000 2,050,000 2,050,000 - - - 163,000
35-39 years old
1,457,000 568,000 568,000 - - - 889,000
40-44 years old
1,833,000 369,000 368,000 - - - 1,465,000
45-49 years old
2,029,000 1,210,000 285,000 1,016,000 - - 819,000
50-54 years old
2,637,000 2,517,000 198,000 2,474,000 - - 120,000
55-59 years old
3,321,000 3,105,000 80,000 3,096,000 - - 217,000
60-64 years old
2,344,000 1,094,000 21,000 1,072,000 22,000 - 1,249,000
65 years old and over
9,784,000 8,245,000 5,000 636,000 3,710,000 4,762,000 1,539,000
Female, total
1,655,000 1,084,000 556,000 266,000 87,000 210,000 571,000
Total
25,618,000 19,157,000 3,573,000 8,293,000 3,733,000 4,762,000 6,461,000
Veterans who served in more than one wartime period are counted only once.
A way to say thank you to Veterans Make donations
for paralyzed veterans to
Paralyzed Veterans of America 7 Mill Brook Road
Wilton,NH 03086-0921
or send a care package to any soldier,
by clicking into the link.
Send a care package to any soldier
Quote from my Uncle a Marine of 5 wars
A war doesn't end when the last gun is fired.
Young soldiers come home with their lives forever changed.
The government needs to be careful about going to war,
and make sure it is really unavoidable.
If they can afford a war,they should be able to afford,
to take care of the veterans who served.
Is the war every truly over?
The last bullet was fired,the gun laid down,
But the war is not over.
Now soldiers come home to find their live has changed.
And some soldiers families have to face life without their loved ones.
A father that will no longer be the emotional and
financial provider for his family,leaving a family fatherless,or a family who's mother won't return to nurture her children
and help provide their financial and emotional security ,leaving a family motherless.
One war may be over,
But a new one begins.
Rebuilding lives.
Soldiers are short changed.
They don't receive enough benefits,
and some receive no benefits.
There are soldiers who lose limbs in the line of duty,
That will go home to fight the war of poverty,
and disability.
Soldiers who come home with emotional illness,
Sometime come back from overseas to face a war
of homelessness.
We spend every available resource to start wars,
and the minimum to clean it up,
and care for our soldiers and our veterans that fought them.
Once a marine always a marine"
William C Henley'Uncle Sam'
pttSgt .
Squard Leader Dog2-7
Marines
2 PURPLE HEARTS
William C Henley'Uncle Sam'
pttSgt .
To all soldiers
quote
It's not the fact that we are living in America
But, America is living in us-
Edwin Robinette
Subject: News from the Front
Here's a post from Afghanistan that you'll want to read:
Hi, everyone:
I'm still alive but freezing my tail off. We got 8 inches of snow last week and it reached 5 degrees below zero that night. That's not why I'm e-mailing though. You may have heard about a suicide car bomb attack in Kabul last Thursday. It was at one of our FOB's (Forward Observation Bases) about 27 miles from here. But the real story is why no one was killed.
We employ several thousand Afghans on our various bases. Not to mention the economy that is fed by the money these locals are making. Some are laborers and builders, but some are skilled workers. We even have one Afghan that just became OSHA qualified, the first ever. Some are skilled HVAC workers.
Anyway, there is this one Afghan that we call Rambo. We have actually given him a couple of sets of the new ACU uniforms (the new Army digital camouflage) with the name tag RAMBO on it. His entire family was killed by the Taliban, and his home was where our base currently resides. So this guy really had nowhere else to go. He has reached such a level of trust with US Forces that his job is to stand at the front gate and basically be the first security screening. Since he can't have a weapon, he found a big red pipe. So he stands there at the front gate in his US Army ACU uniform with his red pipe. If a vehicle approaches the gate too fast or fails to stop he slams his pipe down on their hood. Then once the gate is lifted the vehicle moves on the 2nd gate where the US Army MP's are. So he's like the first line of defense.
Last Thursday at 0930 hrs a Toyota Corolla packed with explosives and some Jack Ass that thinks he has 72 Virgins waiting for him approached the gate. When he saw Rambo he must have recognized him and knew the gig was up. But he needed to get to that 2nd gate to detonate and take American lives. So he slams his foot on the gas which almost causes the metal gate to go up but mostly catches on the now broken windshield. Rambo fearlessly ran to the vehicle, reached thru the window and jerked the suicide bomber out of the vehicle before he could detonate and commenced to putting some red pipe to his heathen ass. He detained the guy until the MP got there.
The vehicle only exploded when they tried to push it off base with a robot but no one was hurt.
I'm still waiting for someone to give this guy a medal or something. Nothing less than instant US citizenship or something. A hat was passed around and a lot of money was given to him in thanks by both soldiers and civilians that are working over here.
I guess I just wanted to share this because I want people to know that it's working over here. They have tasted freedom. This makes it worth it to me.
JOHN W. HUNT, CPT. US ARMY john.w.hunt@baf.afgn.army.mil
JOHN W. HUNT, CPT.
US ARMY
Operations Officer Bagram Afghanistan
Pet Therapy For Veterans
I'm glad I can be there for Megan. I'm also glad that Kong is helping people. He finished his training and he's officially a pet therapy dog now. He was really eager to get into action. I walked into the hospital and introduced myself and Kong at the front desk. Kong was an instant hit, wagging his tail and smiling at the nurses who cooed at him. One of them scooted around the desk, kneeled down and hugged him with a great big smile. She shook my hand, introduced herself as Laura and told me she'd take me to the ward. As we were riding up in the elevator, Laura cautioned me about what I was going to see. I began to feel a bit concerned--what had I gotten us into?
The doors opened up onto a ward of beds, each one with a disabled soldier in varying stages of recovery. It was kind of quiet, just the sound of medical machines and a TV tucked in the corner. What struck me first was just how young they all were. I introduced Kong to the guys and they greeted us warmly. The guy to my left motioned for us to come on over. He patted the bed to get Kong to jump up. Now, Kong's a big dog, but he popped his two front feet up, then quickly hopped up, straddling the guy's body. Kong turned to face him, as he brought his two arm stumps over to rub Kong's head. His arms had been amputated just below the elbows. He was so happy to be petting a dog. The smile on his face matched Kong's wagging tail. He was chatting away to Kong and started talking to me about how much he missed his dog back home, the whole time petting Kong who had settled down alongside the soldier in the bed. We chatted on about what made him enlist, what happened to him in Iraq and what his plans were for the future. I asked him if he felt this was worth it.
"Lawd, yes, sir," he said. "I saw a lot of things I wish I never seen over there, but I don't regret doing what I did for my country. It ain't perfect, Lawd knows, but we got so much more than most, it's the least we could do. I didn't make the supreme sacrifice--two people in that humvee did, so I consider myself lucky." The whole time Kong lay there trying to get his tummy rubbed.
We walked around visiting each soldier, listening to their stories, asking them questions--some were easier to talk to than others, but every one of them wanted to spend time with Kong. I think that having Kong there to focus on really helped them talk about things more easily. The nurses said that petting dogs is a little like physical therapy, too.
I started to reflect on all the raw emotion in the room and what these guys had done, and how I don't think I have it in me to what they did. It was a little overwhelming. I realized that these kids had made life-changing decisions, putting others ahead of themselves to do a job no one wanted to do. I have a great life and that wonderful life came by the price paid by people like these in this room. I took stock of my life and promised myself that I had to start making a difference by helping others in any way I can, even if it makes me uncomfortable. I never felt less important than I did in that ward at that moment. I think if the female GI saw us she'd be really proud of us. But she was transferred out to California. Hey maybe I'll go visit her when I go back to visit my folks.
Laura came over and said it was time to go. I couldn't believe that two hours had passed by so quickly. I was sorry to be leaving. On the way down in the elevator, Laura told me about another pet therapy dog that comes in regularly who is also disabled. She was found on the street with a broken leg that had to be amputated and was later adopted. I want to be there next time to meet that three-legged dog!
Mom donates laptops to wounded soldiers
By MARY CLARE JALONICK, Associated Press Writer 2 hours, 16 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - Laura Brown, a mother with a son who fought in the Iraq war, is trying to improve conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center — one laptop computer at a time.
The 50-year-old from Cody, Wyo., was chatting on the Internet with the mother of a wounded soldier two years ago when the mother mentioned she had to print out her son's e-mails and take them to him at Walter Reed because there weren't enough laptop computers to go around.
Brown, whose own son had recently returned safely from the war, thought the solution to that problem seemed incredibly easy.
"It just kind of hit me," she said. "If one person needed one, then there's others. ... I mean, my son had e-mail in Iraq. I was really stunned."
So Brown formed a group, Laptops for the Wounded, to raise money for the cause.
Since its fundraising effort began in November 2005, Brown's organization has donated 27 computers to military hospitals around the country — 24 of them to Walter Reed.
On Friday, Brown flew to Washington to deliver 10 donated laptops to the hospital in person.
Those computers, which were upgraded and refitted with new equipment, included Web cameras so soldiers could lay eyes on their families from afar.
"She basically just made it her mission," said Lisa Ramdass, a case manager at the hospital who has been working with Brown to coordinate the donations.
Ramdass said the laptops are used for more than e-mail. One soldier who worked with a donated laptop couldn't speak, and was able to communicate with his family and his doctors by typing on the computer. Others who have eye injuries use the laptops to watch movies or television up close.
The hospital, flooded with wounded from the wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan, has attracted media and congressional scrutiny in the last month, due to reports of shoddy living conditions for soldiers housed there.
Brown said she can relate with the loneliness and isolation of the wounded because she is also disabled, having suffered knee and back injuries in recent years. She is also inspired by her son, who lost his young wife to illness just weeks after they were married several years ago.
Wyoming Rep. Barbara Cubin (news, bio, voting record) said Brown's efforts show the difference one person can make.
"Out of the goodness of her heart, she's turned a few small donations into a national campaign," she said.
Laptops for wounded soldiers
Army SGT Eddie Jeffers wrote the following before he was killed, in Iraq,
on 19 Sept 07. A Soldier's Last Words: Listen Up CBS, CNN, Cindy Sheehan, Al
Franken.
SGT. Edmund John Jeffer's last few words were some of the most touching,
inspiring and most truthful words spoken since the tragedy of 9/11 - and
since our nation went to war.
SGT. Jeffers was a strong soldier and talented writer. He died in Iraq on
September 19, 2007. He was a loving husband, brother and son. His service
was more than this country could ever grasp - but the least you can do for
the man who sacrificed his life for you ... is listen to what he had to
say.
Listen up and pay attention all who call themselves Americans...Hope Rides
Alone.
Hope Rides Alone
By Eddie Jeffers
&n bsp;I stare out into the darkness from my post, and I watch the city burn to
the ground. I smell the familiar smells, I walk through the familiar
rubble, and I look at the frightened faces that watch me pass down the
streets of their neighborhoods. My nerves hardly rest; my hands are steady
on a device that has been given to me from my government for the purpose
of taking the lives of others.
I sweat, and I am tired. My back aches from the loads I carry.
Young American boys look to me to direct them in a manner that will
someday allow them to see their families again...and yet, I too, am just a
boy....my age not but a few years more than that of the ones I lead. I am
stressed, I am scared, and I am paranoid...because death is everywhere. It
waits for me, it calls to me from around street corners and windows, and
it is always there.
There are the demons that follow me , and tempt me into thoughts and
actions that are not my own...but that are necessary for survival. I've
made compromises with my humanity. And I am not alone in this. Miles from
me are my brethren in this world, who walk in the same streets...who feel
the same things, whether they admit to it or not. And to think, I
volunteered for this...
And I am ignorant to the rest of the world...or so I thought.
But even thousands of miles away, in Ramadi , Iraq , the cries and screams
and complaints of the ungrateful reach me. In a year, I will be thrust
back into society from a life and mentality that doesn't fit your average
man. And then, I will be alone. And then, I will walk down the streets of
America, and see the yellow ribbon stickers on the cars of the same people
who compare our President to Hitler.
I will watch the television and watch the Cindy Sheehans, and the Al
Frankens, and the rest of the ignorant sheep of America spout off their
mouths about a subject they know nothing about. It is their right,
however, and it is a right that is defended by hundreds of thousands of
boys and girls scattered across the world, far from home. I use the word
boys and girls, because that's what they are. In the Army, the average age
of the infantryman is nineteen years old. The average rank of soldiers
killed in action is Private First Class.
People like Cindy Sheehan are ignorant. Not just to this war, but to the
results of their idiotic ramblings, or at least I hope they are. They
don't realize its effects on this war. In this war, there are no Geneva
Conventions, no cease fires. Medics and Chaplains are not spared from the
enemy's brutality because it's against the rules. I can only imagine the
horrors a military Chaplain would experience at the hands of the enemy.
The enemy slinks in the shadows and fights a coward's war against us It
is effective though, as many men and women have died since the start of
this war. And the memory of their service to America is tainted by the
inconsiderate remarks on our nation's news outlets. And every day, the
enemy changes..only now, the enemy is becoming something new. The enemy
is transitioning from the Muslim extremists to Americans. The enemy is
becoming the very people whom we defend with our lives. And they do not
realize it. But in denouncing our actions, denouncing our leaders,
denouncing the war we live and fight, they are isolating the military from
society...and they are becoming our enemy.
Democrats and peace activists like to toss the word "quagmire" around and
compare this war to Vietnam . In a way they are right, this war is
becoming like Vietnam . Not the actua l war, but in the isolation of
country and military. America is not a nation at war; they are a nation
with its military at war. Like it or not, we are here, some of us for our
second, or third times; some even for their fourth and so on. Americans
are so concerned now with politics, that it is interfering with our war.
Terrorists cut the heads off of American citizens on the Internet...and
there is no outrage, but an American soldier kills an Iraqi in the midst
of battle, and there are investigations, and sometimes soldiers are even
jailed...for doing their job.. It is absolutely sickening to me to think
our country has come to this.
Why are we so obsessed with the bad news? Why will people stop at nothing
to be against this war, no matter how much evidence of the good we've done
is thrown in their face? When is the last time CNN or MSNBC or CBS
reported the opening o f schools and hospitals in Iraq ? Or the leaders of
terror cells being detained or killed? It's all happening, but people will
not let up their hatred of Bush. They will ignore the good news, because
it just might show people that Bush was right.
America has lost its will to fight. It has lost its will to defend what is
right and just in the world. The crazy thing of it all is that the
American people have not even been asked to sacrifice a single thing It's
not like World War Two, where people rationed food, and turned in cars to
be made into metal for tanks. The American people have not been asked to
sacrifice anything. Unless you are in the military or the family member of
a service member, its life as usual...the war doesn't affect you.
But it affects us. And when it is over, and the troops come home, and they
try to piece together what's left of them after their service..whe re will
the detractors be then? Where will the Cindy Sheehans be to comfort and
talk to soldiers and help them sort out the last couple years of their
lives, most of which have been spent dodging death and wading through the
deaths of their friends? They will be where they always are, somewhere far
away, where the horrors of the world can't touch them. Somewhere where
they can complain about things they will never experience in their
lifetime; things that the young men and women of America have willingly
taken upon their shoulders.
We are the hope of the Iraqi people. They want what everyone else wants in
life: safety, security, somewhere to call home. They want a country that
is safe to raise their children in. Not a place where their children will
be abducted, raped, and murdered if they do not comply with the terrorists
demands. They want to live on, rebuild and pro sper. And America has given
them the opportunity, but only if we stay true to the cause, and see it to
its end. But the country must unite in this endeavor...we cannot place the
burden on our military alone. We must all stand up and fight, whether in
uniform or not. And supporting us is more than sticking yellow ribbon
stickers on your cars. It's supporting our President, our troops and our
cause.
Right now, the burden is all on the American soldiers. Right now, hope
rides alone. But it can change, it must change. Because there is only
failure and darkness ahead for us as a country, as a people, if it
doesn't.
Let's stop all the political nonsense, let's stop all the bickering, let's
stop all the bad news, and let's stand and fight!
Eddie's father, David Jeffers, writes:
I'm not sure how many letters or articles you've ever read from the genre
of "News from the Front," but this is one of the best I've ever read,
including all of America's wars. As I was reading this, I forgot that it
was my son who had written it. My emotions range from great pride to great
sorrow, knowing that my little boy (22 years old) has become this man. He
is my hero.
Thank all of you for your prayers for him; he needs them now more than
ever. God bless.
Though Eddie is no longer with us, you can help to let his voice be heard.
WE ARE AT WAR
GOD BLESS AMERICA
Our Soldiers
>
I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life’
A quote from a soldier in Iraq
The Charters of Freedom give you the right to voice your opinion....
I swore to uphold and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, but for me, that means the
Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and all the other amendments....
Question:
How do you guys do it?find courage and live with the hardships?
Answer:
When something bad happens, we always know that our fallen would want us to continue the fight and not give up....?
SSG Cory "Shane "Guidry
Army National Guard
IRAQ held elections due to the freedom giving to them by our military,
When in doubt of the war in Iraq refer to the freedom others now know because of our military.
"They grow weary of the calm, who have known the storm."
Purple Heart Hall of Fame
Information to add soldiers who received a purple heart
into the Purple heart Hall of Fame.
For more information or to share the story of a Purple Heart recipient,
contact the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor,
New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site,
P.O. Box 207 (374 Temple Hill Road),
Vails Gate, New York 12584-0207,
telephone 845-561-1765, or fax 845-561-6577.
Be a Part of History Again... At the Opening of the
National Purple Heart Hall of Honor
Friday, November 10, 2006
Purple Heart Hall of Fame
Thank you
Dedicated to soldiers and their loved ones
For those who have laid in fox holes, carried guns,marched for hours,
For those who have had cold sleepless nights,endless days of discomfort,
For those who have endured the agony of war for my sake.
Thank you.
For those who have gently kissed a loved one goodbye,
and with a tear looked back for a last time,
For those who have found courage to carry the sword of liberty,
For those who have flown with the eagle,
For those who have landed on foreign soil,
to take freedom to other countries while keeping
freedom in ours,
Thank you.
For those who have lost limbs,lifes and loved ones,
For those who have lost friends,sisters ,brothers,mothers and fathers,
For those who have sacrificed and gave their all for freedom's sake.
Thank you.
For those who have found the courage to stand,
For those who have reached out a hand for their fallen friend.
For those who give freedom to strangers ,and a hope for peace.
For those who sacrifice all they love, and pay the price for freedom.
Thank you.
©Judy Arline Puckett
A email I received from a soldier.
I just wanted to say…”thank you”
I was online reading poetry which is something I rarely do,
but I came across your poem that is titled “thank you”
about the soldiers fighting over here in this “war”.
I am currently a deployed army soldier deployed to iraq,
and I must say that its definitely appreciated
to know that some people in this world care about soldiers deployed.
To many people hate on us for what the media shows,
but no one really knows what really happens here,
until you put your shoes where we go everyday.
Its hard to be sain and undercontrol given the circumstances we are put in,
so I once again thank you
SGT Wisdom, Michael
I received this story in a email
WE LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE, ONLY BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE!!
Subject: Red Friday
Last week, while traveling to Chicago on business,
I noticed a Marine sergeant traveling with a folded flag,
but did not put two and two together.
After we boarded our flight,
I turned to the sergeant,
who'd been invited to sit in First Class (across from me),
and inquired if he was heading home.
No, he responded.
Heading out I asked?
No. I'm escorting a soldier home.
Going to pick him up?
No. He is with me right now.
He was killed in Iraq .
I'm taking him home to his family.
The realization of what he had been asked to do hit me like a punch to the
gut.
It was an honor for him.
He told me that, although he didn't know the soldier,
he had delivered the news of his passing to the soldier's family
and felt as if he knew them after many conversations in so few days.
I
turned back to him, extended my hand, and said,
Thank you.
Thank you for
doing what you do so my family and I can do what we do.
Upon landing in Chicago the pilot stopped short of the gate and made the
following announcement over the intercom.
"Ladies and gentlemen,
I would like to note that we have had the honor of
having Sergeant Steeley of the United States Marine Corps join us on this
flight.
He is escorting a fallen comrade back home to his family.
I ask that you please remain in your seats when we open the forward door
to allow Sergeant Steeley to deplane and receive his fellow soldier.
We will then turn off the seat belt sign."
Without a sound, all went as requested.
I noticed the sergeant saluting the
casket as it was brought off the plane,
and his action made me realize
that I am proud to be an American.
So here's a public Thank You to our military Men and Women for what you do
so we can live the way we do.
Red Fridays.
Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing
Red every Friday.
The reason?
Americans who support
our troops used to be called the "silent majority."
We are no longer silent,
and are voicing our love for
God, country and home in record breaking numbers.
We
are not organized, boisterous or overbearing.
Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends,
simply want to recognize that the vast majority of
America supports our troops. Our ide a of showing
solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and
respect starts this Friday --
and continues each and every Friday
until the troops all come home,
sending a deafening message that ...
every red-blooded American who supports our men and women afar
,
will wear something red.
By word of mouth, press, TV --
let's make the United
States on every Friday a sea of red much like a
homecoming football game in the bleachers.
If every
one of us who loves this country will share this with
acquaintances, coworkers, friends, and family,
it will
not be long before the USA is covered in RED and it
will let our troops know the once "silent" majority is
on their side more than ever,
certainly more than the
media lets on.
The first thing a soldier says when asked
"What can
we do to make things better for you?"
is ..."We need
your support and your prayers."
Let's get the word out
and lead with class and dignity,
by example, and wear
something red every Friday.
If you don't think our military pilots earn their pay ...
you need to take a look at this picture ...
and then look again and realize what you're seeing .
The Soldier: It's the soldier, not the reporter, who gives you the freedom of the press. It's the soldier, not the poet, who gives you the freedom of speech. It's the soldier, not the campus organizer, who allows you to demonstrate. It's the soldier who salutes the flag, serves the flag, and whose coffin is draped with the flag that allows the protester to burn the flag! Father Dennis Edward O’Brien, USMC
.
This photo was taken by a soldier in Afghanistan of a helo rescue mission.
The pilot is a PA Guard guy who flies EMS choppers in civilian life.
Now how many people on the planet you reckon could set the ass end
of a chopper down on the roof top of a shack on a steep mountain cliff
and hold it there while soldiers load wounded men in the rear???
If this does not impress you ...
nothing ever will.
Gives me the chills and a serious case of the vertigo ...
I can't even imagine having the nerve ...
much less the talent and ability ...
God Bless our military!!!!!
Helpful military links:
Purple Heart Hall of Fame
America supports troops
Military information and purple heart information for pow's
Miltary
Air Force
Army
Navy
Marines
Goverment
Military travel
store toll free 888-558-2512
GI BILL Guide
Military starts online stress screening
Concerned by rising stress levels in the ranks, the Defense Department has quietly started an online self-screening program
in hopes that anonymity will help some service members and their spouses overcome reluctance to confront possible
mental-health problems.
"It's an excellent tool — available 24/7 so you can do it at night when nobody's watching," said Deborah Manning, who
coordinates Army substance-abuse programs at Fort Benning, Ga. "The anonymity can make a big difference to a soldier who's
been trained to think, ' I can handle this.'"
The new online program is aimed at members of all military branches, whether or not they have been in war zones, and also at
their families
The online program, developed by a nonprofit group called Screening for Mental Health, is divided into subsections addressing
depression, post-traumatic stress, anxiety, bipolar disorder and alcohol abuse. It is free and confidential; participants are
asked about deployment records and military status but not for any details that would identify them.
Click on link below if interested .
Online mental health
I recieved this email which was first sent by a soldier's mother,
and than forwarded to me.
Subject: Fw: Fw: Pray for our Military
My son, is at the same base that the helicopter that went down in Afghanistan
flew out of.
He said he saw them load and leave,
never to return again.
Our troops need our prayers....Respectfully asking...
Nancy Tirello
Hear my heart and join with me in prayer,
I believe you will be blessed and our troops
will have a wall of God's protection around them.
Phil 4:6
I really feel like we need to keep this going more then ever.
It seems like the war in Iraq is getting more intense again.
We need to continue to pray this prayer of agreement
and keep it going out to everyone as long as our troops
are giving their time and a lot of them, their lives for our benefit.
Hold these precious!
Troops from our country up daily in our prayers.
God bless our Troops.
Prayer wheel for our soldiers, sailors,
And airmen...please don't break it.
"Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands.
Protect them as they protect us.
Bless them and their families for the selfless acts
they perform for us in our time of need.
I ask this in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.
Amen."
Please stop for a Moment and say a prayer for our troops
(land, air, and sea) in Afghanistan, Kuwait, Iraq,
and around the world.
This can be very powerful...
Of all the gifts you could give the US Military,
Prayer is the very best one...
A friend is someone who reaches for your hand
and touches your heart
"Live Simply, Love Generously,
Care Deeply, Speak Kindly,
Leave The Rest To God"
Fallen Soldiers
Marines fight for what they believe in
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 heck 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 stuff
and act like an idiot. So, He sent me."
Listen to this song...Please send this along.....
A Song Written in Iraq...
IF THIS ISN'T A HUGE HIT, SOMETHING'S DEFINITELY WRONG!!
This soldier video is new and different. It is moving and heartwarming. Enjoy and pass it on! The singer needs a recording contract when he comes home! American Idol should contact him and he shouldn't have to wait in line.
Please click into link below
If I shall die before you wake a soldiers song
If I die before you wake...
Back home now I know you're probably sleepin'
Over here it's the middle of the day
I finally found the time to write a letter
Sittin' here a half a world away
I heard about all them folks protestin'
As if I really want this war
But that don't stop me from believin'
There's just some things worth fightin' for
CHORUS
And if I die before you wake,
I pray the world will take
A good look at what God's given us
That we could only understand,
everything is in his hands
All we need is a little faith and trust
I want you to know it ain't too high a price to pay
If I die before you wake
Tell everybody that I miss them
And I can't wait to get back home
But until then I'll serve my country
And be proud to wear this uniform
CHORUS
No it ain't too high a price to pay
If I die before you wake
Get a
scroller sign at http://www.myglitterromance.com!
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