| Monthly Archives | [−] |
| [−] |
| [−] |
| [−] |
Comments and e-mails are welcome, but all such communication is to be assumed to be 1) the original work of any who initiate said communication and 2) in the public domain, with free use granted for publication in electronic or written form. If you do NOT wish to have your message posted, write "CONFIDENTIAL" in the subject line of your email.
Original content copyright © 2006 - 2008 by the respective authors. Fair, not-for-profit use of said material by others is encouraged, as long as acknowledgement and credit is given, to include the url of the original source post. Other arrangements can be made as needed.
Site contact: greyhawk at mudvillegazette dot com
JD Johannes of Outside the Wire will be a guest on the Dennis Miller radio program today.
"America's Favorite Moms" from several categories will be crowned tonight. NBC, 7PM eastern/6 central. We'll be watching at haus Greyhawk, and ready to cheer for Patti.
Update: Golf ran late, so NBC bumped the show in our area (if they ran it at all) but...
SOLDIERS' ANGELS FOUNDER WINS!Patti Patton-Bader Named "America's Favorite Mom"
May 11, 2008, PASADENA, CA -Soldiers' Angels founder Patti Patton-Bader was named "America's Favorite Mom" in a primetime television show Sunday night on NBC. Sponsored by Teleflora and hosted by Donnie and Marie Osmond, the show highlighted fifteen outstanding mothers who had distinguished themselves in categories ranging from Working Moms to Military Moms and "Non-Mom" Moms.
Humbled by the honor, Patton-Bader is thrilled to be able to use it to continue the Soldiers' Angels mission of "May No Soldier Go Unloved." As the grand prize winner, she will receive $250,000, a set of household appliances, and other valuable items. Patton-Bader hopes to apply the winnings to her plans for a small ranch that will allow newly returned soldiers to relax with their families after deployments.
"I really am lucky to know so many heroes in my life," said Patton-Bader, who herself has two sons in the Army, one currently deployed to Iraq. "Whether they are the troops who serve our country or the amazing mothers here on this America's Favorite Mom program, I am honored to be in the presence of such inspirational people and also am humbled to know that America thinks the same of me."
Patton-Bader is also excited about the opportunities this platform gives her to help people learn more about America's military heroes and options for supporting them and their families. The attention she has received through the America's Favorite Mom events has already drawn a number of new volunteers who want to use their talents and connections to help support the troops.
In a nationwide online poll last March, Patton-Bader was voted "America's Most Inspirational Mom" after having been nominated by her eldest son for founding and leading Soldiers' Angels. On May 5, 2008 she appeared on the Today show as one of three selected finalists in the "Favorite Military Mom" category. A nationwide online poll was again conducted, and the results were announced on May 11, 2008 with Patton-Bader being named winner in both the "Favorite Military Mom" and "America's Favorite Mom" categories. More information is available at www.americasfavoritemom.com.
Soldiers' Angels is a grassroots 501(c)(3) non-profit comprised of around 200,000 volunteers in over twenty different teams and programs with unique and effective ways to support members of the U.S. military. Soldiers' Angels operates internationally to provide letters, care packages, and comfort items to the deployed, and support for their families at home. They also provide assistance to the wounded, continuing support for veterans, remembrances and comfort for families of the fallen, and immediate response to unique difficulties. For more information, see www.soldiersangels.org or call (615) 676-0239.
America's Favorite Mom was presented by NBC Television and Teleflora, America's leading source of hand-arranged floral bouquets, plants, and gift baskets. For more information, see www.americasfavoritemom.com.
"May no soldier go unloved, may no soldier walk alone, may no soldier be forgotten, until they all come home." ~ Patti Patton-Bader.
A comparison of competing GI Bills.
In addition to the many reasons they give for Webb's bill being the more desirable for the troops (and veterans) I'd add one they neglected - the last minute Republican alternative doesn't stand a snowball's chance in Baghdad.
I've been following this story...
What do these women have to do with Navy ships?
Answer here.
Happy Mothers Day to all military moms!
Over 750 billion soldiers per day are suffering brain injuries in Iraq. Twice that number try to kill themselves after returning to the states - EVERY HOUR!! You can't walk down a major city street in America today without having one of them hit you up for spare change at a red light (offering to clean your windshield with drool), while another lands on your car hood after jumping from the top of the nearest skyscraper.
However, they do have one remaining hope - Barack Obama can heal them (yes, even the dead ones) simply by the laying on of hands.
More here (including a test to see if you are brain damaged.)
...this disgusting story in two words:
The U.S. military has, since 2001, cremated some of the remains of American service members killed in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere at a Delaware facility that also cremates pets, a practice that ended yesterday when the Pentagon banned the arrangement."Lowest bidder".The facility, located in an industrial park near Dover Air Force Base, has cremated about 200 service members, manager David A. Bose estimated last night. It uses separate crematories a few feet apart to cremate humans and animals, he added, insisting that there had "not been any people gone through the pet crematory."
Pentagon officials said they do not think that human remains and animal remains were ever commingled at the facility. "We have absolutely no evidence whatsoever at this point that any human remains were at all ever mistreated," Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said at a news conference hastily convened last night.
Regardless, the Pentagon will no longer permit crematories not located with funeral homes to handle the remains of U.S. troops, defense officials said.
Officials said they do not know the number of service members cremated at the Kent County facility, which is identified on a billboard as Friends Forever Pet Cremation Service.
Does anyone know if an American journalist has reported from Sadr City before?
If not, blogger Bill Ardolino is first.
Before I was a Soldier's Mom
I never tripped over a rucksack or knew the words to the Army song.
I didn't worry whether or not my child could shoot or had "zeroed up".
I never imagined saying, "Good job!" when my child told me he had jumped out of a perfectly good airplane... or when he qualified with a grenade launcher.
I could not have told you the difference between division, brigade, regiment, battalion, company, platoon or squad.
I cheered for Navy.
Before I was a Soldier's Mom
I never looked into a soldier's eyes and cried.
I didn't understand "HOOAH".
I never imagined I could be so gloriously happy over a simple "Hey, Ma."
Before I was a Soldier's Mom
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
I slept all night.
I never sat up late staring at a computer screen or woke in the middle of the night just to check if the computer and cell phone were working.
Before I was a Soldier's Mom
I never knew that so few words could affect my life so deeply: Deployment. Bradley. Wounded. and I never knew the alphabet could rob me of breath: OIF. IED. RPG. WIA. KIA.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop my child's hurt.
I didn't weep at the sound of "Taps", the National Anthem or "American Soldier".
I never held back a scream or had my knees go weak at an unexpected knock at the door.
Before I was a Soldier's Mom
I never had so many sisters! (and brothers) nor so many sons and daughters!
I never felt fear so completely.... and
I never felt such pride.
x-posted at Some Soldier's Mom
Meanwhile, another deployment begins. (bonus: a trip to the White House.)
Read this, too:
Yesterday someone called to say goodbye to my husband before he left, not knowing that he'd been bumped forward. And in the conversation, this person asked if my husband thinks that being in Iraq is worth it, if his job means anything, and if he thinks we should've gone there in the first place. How do you answer that question 1) politely and 2) succinctly? And then what do you do when that person says, "Well, I don't think it was the right idea in the first place"?Sarah was one of the first spouse milbloggers - she's been there and done that before.
There are two sets of paperwork sitting on my desk just now. One is a packet of documents formalizing an offer of post-naval employment. The other is a packet of documents that will end my active service. I can’t seem to make a start on either of them.I know the feeling.
The job of "highest ranking active duty milblogger" - with all the associated perks, will pass on. (Except for the reserved parking space near the front at all official functions.)
...from this story of Sadr's surrender:
"It is not the government who pressured the Sadrists into entering this agreement," said Ali al Adeeb, a leading member of the Dawa party. "It is the pressure from the people inside Sadr City and from their own people that will make them act more responsibly."The competition was tough, that was hard to nail down, so read the whole thing.
Previous 'money quote' post here.
Update: You really have to read that whole link - it's amazing good news, especially coming from McClatchy, the most virulent "anti-war" news group in America. But because it is McClatchy, there's at least a feeble attempt to downplay the significance of this story, which means that in addition to a "money quote" its got some "funny quotes":
It also would be a startling turnaround in fortunes for Maliki, who'd been widely criticized for picking a fight with Sadr's forces, first in the southern port city of Basra and then in Sadr City.An odd description, since the Iraqi Army actually won a hard fought battle in Basra. But according to McClatchy, they didn't - the Sadrists simply "ceded their areas":
But after initially resisting Maliki's offensive, the Sadrists ceded their areas, and the change in atmosphere has been palpable.Much in the same way the Japanese "ceded" Iwo Jima.
Inexplicably, this factual paragraph comes from the same story:
The Mahdi Army, and the Sadr movement in general, has been losing support in the past two months in the face of a government offensive intended to force the militia from its controlling positions in Basra and Sadr City.So maybe the "startling turnaround in fortunes for Maliki" bit is a fabrication inserted for journalistic "balance."
One of our co authors, Badger 6, is finally home from Iraq after a very long deployment.
What are ya'll still doing here?, Get over there and buy that man a drink.
WELCOME HOME SIR, AND THANK YOU FOR A JOB WELL DONE.
Since the Army was kind enough to send me an invitation to go back to Operation Iraqi Freedom, I decided to R.S.V.P. to it by writing a little Op-Ed piece about it for the San Francisco Chronicle.I guess meeting recruiting and retention goals isn't enough.
Another attempt on my part to get the early facts straight - before the spin machine hits overdrive. I find it amazing that Democrats could destroy any chance for a new GI Bill, then get 80-90 percent of the military/veteran vote (Note veterans - that's a BIG number) this fall for doing so - but it's a likely outcome.
The nation's Colleges, Universities, and trade schools stand to gain from this too. Can you imagine an influx of veterans into so many institutes of higher learning?
Or not.
...From the Pentagon and a veteran who should be familiar to folks here. It's a video, sew know reeding rekwired.
'Cause I loves providing links to full videos available free online, here's Carrier. Thrill to the true life adventures of real kids who never learned to read good and now are forced to operate a Nuculer Aircraft Carrier as it travels the world. (It's a Tee Vee show - minimal reading required.)
Sometimes when you call, your partner just doesn't have the hand they were signaling.
The idea of giving the U.S. military more authority in areas of Afghanistan now under NATO command is "worth taking a look at," Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday.
...
"I think that this is a matter that is going to get looked at over probably some period of time," he said. "It will require consultation with our allies, particularly our partners in regional command south," referring to an area of southern Afghanistan that is currently under the command of a Canadian general and is due to switch to a Dutch commander before the end of this year.
...
Changing the command structure to give a U.S. general more control in the south would, in effect, mark a partial "re-Americanization" of the combat mission. That could be politically controversial, given U.S. interests in maintaining close ties with NATO in fighting terrorism.
VA Mortgage Center interviews our beloved "MilBlogs" contributor Carla from Some Soldier’s Mom
Profiling a MilBlogger returns this week as our staff sat down with a fantastic female milblogger - Carla from Some Soldier’s Mom. Let’s see what she had to say shall we:You Served: What led you to be a Military Blogger?
Some Soldier’s Mom: When my son was getting ready to deploy to Iraq in late 2004, I was surfing the web to find information on what he might experience and what parents’ go through and any useful information that I could use.
I found a number of military blogs (milblogs) by soldiers but nothing from a parent, so I started Some Soldier’s Mom (www.somesoldiersmom.blogspot.com) as a way to share what I thought was a unique and important experience — to let people know what it was like to have a child at war.YS: Do you feel that being a female Military Bloggers adds a unique perspective to your blog? If yes, how so?
SSM: Definitely yes. While I can be strident in my views about the war on terror and the necessity of our Country’s mission in Iraq, I am a mother first. It is a unique role — we experience emotions and have a perspective different from the soldiers (who can’t understand why we worry or cry so much) and wives (who willingly took on the role of military wife and has a daily relationship with their soldier).I have written that a parent sending their son or daughter to war is one of the most counter-intuitive experiences a person can ever have: you spend 18 (or 19, 20… ) years protecting them and making sure that they are never too hot or too cold, that they are protected from biting bugs and making sure they are not anywhere that people might be shooting at them. Then you are called upon to be brave and [somewhat] cheerful as you send your child off to a place where it is always too hot or too cold, there are bugs the size of small dogs and people are shooting at them and trying to blow them up.
I also feel that female milbloggers bring a view not driven by the battlefield experience but by the support role expected of families back home. I have never been to war, but I have sent a child to war.
Read the rest of the interview here
I don't want to sound like an ad, a public service ad on TV, but the fact is if you can read, you can walk into a job later on. If you don't, then you've got, the Army, Iraq, I don't know, something like that. It's, it's not as bright. So, that's my little commercial for that.Does reading Stephen King count as "reading"?
More writing here:
...on Monday, NewsBusters reported King's disgraceful comments -- made in front of a group of high school students at the Library of Congress in April -- about people who can't read having few options other than to enlist in the Army.A couple observations from the video:This surprisingly prompted King to post a blurb at his website encouraging readers to send a message to me stating, "Hi, Noel—Stephen King says to shut up and I agree."
Now, the AP has expressed its view of this squabble...
1. Stephen King looks a lot like Janet Reno.
2. The kids who were "listening" to him looked bored as hell.
Footnote for younger readers: Stephen King used to be a famous writer and had many top selling books in the pre-internet era. Janet Reno was Attorney General under Bill Clinton.
Update - and apologies to Stephen King fans, I should have also explained this originally: "In the Federal Government of the United States, the Attorney General is a member of the Cabinet and as head of the Department of Justice is the top law enforcement officer and lawyer for the government." It is not a military rank.
Please stop sending me "wut iz terny genrul, u fashist pig?" emails.
The 28 Percenters
A March survey from the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press discovered that just 28 percent of Americans knew the approximate number of U.S. deaths in the war....as it probably will again and again. I'm not even sure "reappears" is the proper term. Did it ever go away? It's one of the many urban legends of the Iraq war, most of which fit on bumper stickers and few of which ever tend to go away. This one has an added element that might enhance its longevity - it indicates Americans are ignorant, and few reporters can pass on an opportunity to present a story that indicates Americans are ignorant.
But they aren't - or at least aren't as ignorant as some reporters would like you to believe. The Pew research was poorly presented - if not poorly done. The most accurate statement that can be made regarding the results of the poll is that at the time, no more than 63% of Americans knew the approximate number of U.S. deaths in the war:
The number 4,000 is the correct answer. There's no arguing that point. Nor would I contend that Americans are really paying attention to the Iraq war - most who could tell you the exact body count probably couldn't tell you anything else, even the name of one of the fallen. (Office watercooler experiment: next time you hear someone cite the death toll in Iraq, ask them to name one of the 4,000 and the circumstances of their death. Be polite. If they fail, provide a couple [here's one for a start - here's another] - see how long they're willing to listen.)And, in fact (and in exact opposite of what Pew claimed) twice as many Americans over-estimated the number than under-estimated.It's likely that most who got the wrong answers - and even some who got the right one - did so as a result of a wild guess. But it's also likely that many who answered the question were aware that the number was "three thousand and something" and answered accordingly ("3,000"). While not sure of the exact number they know a bit more about the situation than Pew (and others) would like to give them credit for - given that "3,000" was the most common response I find this a very likely hypothesis.
But many of those who answered "3,000" might have been even more aware of Iraq casualties than the Pew researchers themselves. While 4,000 US troops have died in Iraq, the actual number who have been killed in combat is 3,261. But if they answered based on this figure they didn't read the question in the same way the pollsters wrote it - so shame on them. (I'm not arguing that this is a potentially large percentage - obviously if only 28% can identify the number of American troops who've died in Iraq, few could tell how many died from combat in Iraq.)
Combine the percentage of Americans who chose "3,000" (some of whom were "right") and the percentage who chose "4,000" (some of whom guessed) in Pew's survey and you have 63% - a number that probably at best serves as an "upper bound" to the percentage of Americans who know anything at all about the Iraq war.
Which leaves us with the numbers of folks who were completely out to lunch: "11% said there have been 2,000 deaths. Just under a quarter (23%) said the number of fatalities is closer to 5,000. "But none of that will fit on a bumper sticker, and few reporters will ever bother to fact check (or even offer brief critical examination of) the 28% claim. I find that particularly ironic in that they are usually blamed for the pitiably low numbers - in spite of the fact that death tolls are the only thing many news organizations ever report from Iraq.I would expect to see 10% on either fringe of the bell curve, so I find that final figure the most curious of all. What could possibly explain why twice as many Americans significantly over estimate the numbers than under estimate?
But again, that's not going to stop them from claiming that Americans are ignorant. I suppose if you believe them then they might be right.
You have a son in Afghanistan. You come home from work. The light is blinking on the answering machine. You press the button and THIS is what you hear.
The story HERE
I would need some serious medication after that one!
Via SSGT Brandon H. Varn email:
Hi Everyone,NZ Bear says
My mom Patti Patton Bader founder of Soldiers Angels is up for consideration for NBC's America's Favorite Military Mom on Monday (May 5th). You can help her, Soldiers Angels, and me, by voting for her at http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Favorite_Mom/ - You can only vote Monday May 5th from 9 AM to 9 PM Eastern ST but you can vote up to 10 times (on the 5th) for each valid email address you have. If she wins Soldiers Angels will get more exposure on a National T.V. show on May 11. This exposure helps us show our troops in a real way that they are strongly supported by us at home, and also helps to provide awareness and needed donations so that we can continue to meet the needs of our heroes.Also, if you get a chance, my mom will be on NBC's The Today Show during the 9 A.M. hour today. As you all know Soldiers Angels is a wonderful organization of volunteers that does a lot of great support for all the men and women of the military, aids our troops wherever we raise the Stars and Stripes, helps wounded heroes here and abroad, and assists military families in times of need. Please help us by voting for my mom Monday and maybe passing on this email to a few of your friends. It's for a good cause and only takes a moment. Here's the link again. http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Favorite_Mom/
Thank you and God Bless everyone who helps our troops,
SSGT Brandon H. Varn
Patti Patton-Bader, founder of Soldiers’ Angels , is one of the fifteen semi-finalists in NBC’s “America’s Favorite Mom” contest. There are five categories, and she is nominated with two other mom's in the "military mom's" category. The winner receives a $250,000 cash prize, and Patti has said she’d like to use the money to build a ranch for soldiers and their families to vacation at with assistance from Angel families.Patti will be featured the morning of Monday May 5th on NBC’s Today Show, and all day Monday (but ONLY Monday) folks will have the opportunity to vote at http://www.nbc.com/Americas_Favorite_Mom/ in her category. All the mom's are deserving, so whether you choose to vote for Patti or not, check it out!
Forts, fire rafts, cannon left and right. And a great prize at the end.
Fortes Fortuna adiuvat. Fortune favors the brave.
Proved 146 years ago, as set out here.
I've been trying to ignore this topic...
Words matter, and in the global war on terror we are losing the battle of words, in a self-inflicted defeat. The consequences could not be more profound....as it seemed mostly pointless to me.Recent government policy memoranda, circulating through the national counter-terrorism and diplomatic community, establishes a new "speech code" for the lexicon in the war on terror, as reported by the Associated Press and now available in the public domain .
Then while working another project I stumbled across this poignant reminder of why I was wrong.
More here, if you don't recognize the name. And here. And here...
In a world (yes - read in that movie voiceover guy voice) where every other movie released is an American military bashing propaganda piece (Stop Loss, Valley of Elah, Lions for Lambs, Rendition, ad nauseum...) it's a pleasure to find one like Iron Man that offers exactly what folks who've avoided those other films in droves have been waiting for. And it's a shame to see a review that implies it's not. In short, the reviewer couldn't be more wrong - and I hope he'll actually go see the film and write another one based on that.
I went to the theater (on Friday night) expecting to see a bit of anti-American moralizing - per a few reviews I’d read previously. I was hoping it would be minimal. I was surprised (as the author of the linked review might be if he ever actually sees it) to find it was non-existent.
Enthusiastic thumbs up from me, the wife, two daughters (17 and 20) one boyfriend (20) and one son (22). Go see Iron Man.
...from Bill Ardolino's report from Baghdad:
“We have now taken over an area, and because the first of the Surge units left, it’s twice the size it was before, and I have less than half the people, and it’s still working, so far,” said Collier. “And that is in good measure because of the quality of Iraqi Security Forces. I was here two years ago and I’ve seen a noticeable improvement, and it’s really the hope that this country has, that they’re able to do things on their own. And they are -- they’re doing quite a bit on their own.”Since September that's been the valid question re: the surge - can it's effects outlive it? This one example doesn't offer the definitive answer, but it is a positive sign. (One of many, for that matter.)
The new GI Bill currently floating around congress could be the most significant bit of legislation for veterans in decades. It really is that good. (How good? Sec Gates is worried it will hurt retention - that's all the endorsement I need.)
Or it could be a political ploy that will never see the light of day.
It's also one of those stories that will probably get complicated. (But this is one of those brief moments before it does.)
From the DoD today:
Questionnaire for Security Clearances Revised
The Department of Defense, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) have approved revisions to question 21 on the Questionnaire for National Security Positions, Standard Form (SF) 86, regarding mental and emotional health counseling."Our people deserve the best mental health care we can provide without the fear of hurting their career in the long run," said Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Michael Mullen. "It's time we made everyone in uniform aware that the act of reaching out for help is one of the most courageous acts -- and one of the first steps -- to reclaiming your career and future. All leaders must set an example by seeking help themselves and encouraging others to do so. Getting this question changed is a terrific first step."Per direction of the secretary of defense, DoD components will immediately distribute the revised question 21 language for awareness and use by all DoD personnel completing the security clearance form.Until a new SF86 is published by the OPM later this summer, the OMB has agreed to allow DoD members to use the revised version of question 21 with the current SF86.
Soldiers' Angels Founder to Appear On NBC Today Show
Soldiers' Angels founder Patti Patton Bader will appear on NBC's Today show on May 5, during the nine o'clock hour. She has been selected as a semi-finalist in NBC/Teleflora's America's Favorite Mom contest. Votes based on her appearance on the show with two other military moms will determine whether she moves on to the final round.On Mother's Day (May 11), NBC will broadcast a prime-time special featuring the crowning of "America's Favorite Mom," the results of which will be determined by how many votes are received from May 5 to May 9. Each mother can only receive votes during the exact day she appears on the Today show, and the mothers with the five highest vote totals will move on to the prime-time special.
Patton Bader was selected as a semi-finalist after being voted "America's Most Inspirational Mom" in March. Her son, Staff Sergeant Brandon Varn, nominated her for starting a non-profit organization to support soldiers and their families. "My mom is one of the most amazing women in the world," he wrote. "She started an organization called Soldiers' Angels when I was deployed to Iraq. The organization is there to ensure, 'May no soldier go unloved.' It is the largest non-profit independent military support organization that has started since the onset of the 'War on Terrorism.' She puts her whole self into helping Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors, and Marines every day," says Varn. Patton Bader's other son, Specialist Bretton Varn, is currently deployed to Iraq and will appear with her via satellite on Today.
Prizes for the five winning mothers include $25,000 to $250,000 in cash, and a number of free services and products. But in keeping with her efforts to support the troops, Patton Bader wants America's soldiers to be the big winners. "I plan on using everything to help heroes. Everything," she says, referring to the wide variety of prizes she could receive if she is lucky enough to win . "It is a true honor to stand with these fourteen outstanding moms," she adds.
Soldiers' Angels encourages all Americans to visit www.nbc.com/Americas_Favorite_Mom to vote for their favorite mom, and to watch the Today show the week of May 5-9 and the America's Favorite Mom show on Mother's Day, May 11, to celebrate these remarkable mothers
ANGEL ALERT:
Soldiers' Angels has 570 service members waiting to be adopted. One service member waiting for adoption is too many. Let's give Patti the best Mothers Day gift and get these soldiers adopted!
Pasadena, CA., May 1, 2008- As more American service members deploy, or redeploy with the Global War on Terror, Soldiers' Angels mission becomes even more critical. Soldiers' Angels has sent over 200,000 packages and countless letters to our troops since it began in 2003. Patti Patton-Bader was inspired to found Soldier's Angels when her son wrote home from Iraq, expressing his concern that some soldiers did not receive any mail or support from home. Within a few short months Soldiers' Angels had grown from a mother writing a few extra letters, to an Internet Community with two hundred thousand angels worldwide."It is only through the collective effort of people who believe and stand for freedom that we can continue to help these young heroes who valiantly stand for us", says Bader.
Soldiers' Angels has grown and expanded to include several programs that support American service members and their families The programs include: letters, care packages, and support to troops overseas; first responder packs; laptop computers to wounded troops hospitalized or receiving treatment at military hospitals; armored blankets for military ambulances; items shipped to overseas soldiers to give to children in war zones; memorial trees for the families of heroes who have been killed while serving; and emergency airfare for service members and their families who would otherwise not qualify or cannot afford the cost of a flight.
Soldiers' Angels has never let our troops down, but now, more than ever, we need help from Americans like you. To support our troops, we need your help. Will you adopt a soldier? Will you write letters? Soldiers' Angels has many teams in many areas to fulfill our mission statement. If you don't have the time to adopt or join a specialized team, how about making a much needed donation? Every cent raised goes straight into filling the service members needs. We need you. American heroes need you. Please help, visit www.soldiersangels.org to sign up or make a donation.
Soldiers' Angels is an all volunteer non-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to support the brave men and women deployed away from family and friends in support of the War on Terror in Iraq, Afghanistan and wherever they raise the flag of the United States of America.
Thanks for the updates Shelle
Via Gina's email:
Dear PinUps For Vets supporters,
Just wanted to give you a quick update! A few weeks ago I participated in the 3rd annual Salute to Veterans parade in Riverside, CA. I had a great time riding on a WWII military vehicle and doing some fundraising for the project. I thought it would be fun for you to see how I do the fundraising, so I created a short video. This is grass-roots fundraising at its finest!!!!
Check it out:
I posted some more shots from the parade on "In the Field" link of the website.
Last week I shot an interview about the project for local Fox news, which is slated to air closer to Memorial Day. I will send out an email to let everyone know when to tune in and will try to post the clip on youtube!
Hope everyone is doing well! I will keep you posted! ;)
Gina
www.PinUpsForVets.com
Site design and management: Mrs Greyhawk
Original content copyright © 2006 - 2008 by the respective authors
