The Groundtruth from a combat veteran, backed up by independent research and historical study. Information beneficial to the Troops. And a touch of objective politics, as it relates to the subjects at hand.
This site is unabashedly Pro-American and Pro-Military however none of the views expressed here are to be considered as endorsed, proposed, or supported by the Department of Defense or any other Agency, government, public, or private. http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/
SSgt Workman is featured in the Hall of Heroes and a book review on this from Marine Till Death that read it as it was written: http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2008/12/shadow-of-the-sword-by-jeremiah-workman-w-john-bruning.html
http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2008/12/ssgt-jeremiah-workman-navy-cross-usmc-iraq-marion-oh.html and links to prior articles.
"All right all here is the story. I road to the Dicks Sporting good in San Diego off of Sports Arena Blvd. I put two locks on my bike both to a bike stand. I went in the store. In roughly three to five minutes I went to check on my bike (I had a bad feeling) and it was gone."
Matthew walked back out of Dick's Sporting Goods Store with the clothes on his back and his cellphone. He not only lost his bike, but all his equipment and clothing that he had carried on his cross-country journey!
To recap.....Matthew is an Iraq Veteran who decided (while serving in Iraq) to ride across the United States to raise awareness about veteran suicides. He was in San Diego, California and had stopped at Dick's Sporting Goods Store, the one off Sports Arena Blvd. He needed some gear.
After double-locking his bike to the bike stand he went inside. After being in the store less than 5 minutes, he had a bad feeling, so he went outside to check on his bike only to find it was gone!!
Store personnel were less than helpful and the police department ambivalent.....they took the report and that was about it.
The idea for his biking adventure came back in 2003 when he was active duty in Iraq with the U.S. Army. He never done any long-distance biking prior to this trip.
Boston Marathon bombing victim J.P. Norden (seated) was greeted at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., June 14, 2013, by Walter Reed patient Staff Sgt. Travis Mills, one of only five quadruple amputees from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to survive his injuries.
BETHESDA, Md. (Army News Service, Jun 19, 2013) -- Sgt. Ryan Long met with Boston Marathon bombing victim J.P. Norden at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., June 12, 2013, to encourage him on his road to recovery.
While on patrol in Afghanistan last year, Long was injured when the vehicle he was traveling in encountered a roadside bomb. He lost his right leg as a result of the explosion.
Norden also lost his right leg, April 15, 2013, when the second bomb went off at the Boston Marathon. Long told him the road to recovery has it challenges, but there are also rewards along the way.
Long shared an anecdote with Norden about how his 3-year-old daughter had accepted the changes to her father.
Before he got his prosthetic, she observed "you got one foot." And then just recently, after he received his artificial limb, another matter-of-fact observation from his girl: "you have two feet."
Long said it's "the little things" that are rewarding.
"It gets better," Long told Norden and other victims of the Boston Marathon bombings. He told them their recoveries will depend a lot on their attitudes and how they approach their rehabilitation.
"Right now, it may seem [difficult]," Long said. "I know I had days when I was down. I thought, 'I can't do this anymore.'"
Long said he found inspiration and motivation to push forward by being around his fellow wounded warriors and seeing how hard they worked to get better.
"That's what makes it easier when you're in this situation," he said.
During his day at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, or WRNMMC, Norden visited the medical center's Gait Lab, which uses a large open space for patients to walk, run and do various forms of physical activity, including range-of-motion exercises that help evaluate, measure and improve their gait, balance, and walking.
He also visited the CAREN Lab, a computer assisted rehabilitation environment, and the Military Advanced Training Center, where he saw numerous wounded warriors and other patients go through the rigors of rehabilitation so that they could either resume duty or succeed in the civilian community.
Norden described what he saw at the Nation's Medical Center as amazing.
"I was shocked seeing all those people there with the same type of injuries [as mine], or worse, doing stuff I didn't know I would be able to do," he said. "I really just want to walk again, more than anything."
Staff Sgt. Travis Mills, 26, is one of only five quadruple amputees from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to survive his injuries. He also greeted Norden.
This wasn't the first time they Mills had met with Norden, however. Mills and other wounded warriors visited Boston Marathon bombing victims in Boston not long after the incident. At that time, they had been able to visit J.P.'s brother, Paul, 29, who also lost one of his legs. The brothers had been injured near the finish of the marathon while shielding other spectators during the second blast.
At WRNMMC, Norden used his cell phone to call his brother. He then handed the phone to Mills, who urged the younger Norden to visit WRNMMC to see firsthand the recovery of the nation's heroes.
"There's life after amputation," Mills told him.
Marine Corps Sgt. Luis Remache, who lost both his legs and suffered other injuries during a 2011 grenade attack in Afghanistan, also met Norden.
"It's all on you," Remache said. "It takes a little time, but you still will make it."
Norden's surgeon, Dr. E.J. Caterson, serves as the chief of plastic and reconstructive surgery at Harvard Medical School's Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. He arranged for Norden's trip to WRNMMC. The surgeon had worked briefly with other surgeons at WRNMMC a few years ago, and remembered the wounded warriors he saw recovering there.
"This is an incredible place. I know about [WRNMMC], and I remember seeing J.P. have a down day," Caterson explained. "I knew I had to get him some place where he could see people recovering. [Walter Reed Bethesda] was kind enough to allow us to tour the facility and interact with wounded warriors."
"Walter Reed has the most experience with amputees," Caterson said. "[The doctors] shared with us their expertise because there are some difficult decisions we're making in fitting patients with prosthetics and providing rehabilitation programs."
Wounded warriors at the medical center are eager and work hard to get better, said Air Force Lt. Col. Eric Holt, a doctor at WRNMMC.
"They push the limits," Holt said. "For us to be able to show [the Boston Marathon bombing victims and their doctors] what we do here is motivational for us and for them, hopefully."
Story and photo by Sgt. April Campbell ISAF Public Affairs
Marim Zamani, who runs an orphanage in Kabul, received a bit of help from International Security Assistance Force volunteers who donated nearly 1,400 pounds of food as well as much-needed clothes, school supplies and toys, March 30.
KABUL, Afghanistan — For the International Security Assistance Force service members whose day-to-day mission focuses on the more long-term effort of coordinating and partnering with Afghan leaders, finding an opportunity to have a direct and immediate impact with the Afghan people can offer much-needed energy.
A group of American service members from ISAF Headquarters here found just such an opportunity when they traveled to a nearby orphanage, March 30, to donate nearly 1,400 pounds of food as well as clothes, school supplies and toys.
By Staff Sgt. Angela Ruiz, 376th Air Expeditionary Wing
Staff Sgt. Elise Pavlak, a humanitarian assistance representative with the Theater Security Cooperation division at the Transit Center at Manas, helps two boys get fitted for new winter coats at an Operation Warm and Dry distribution in Balykchy City, Kyrgyzstan, Jan. 15, 2012. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Angela Ruiz)
TRANSIT CENTER AT MANAS, Kyrgyzstan (March 24, 2012) — Over the course of three months, 311 service members here volunteered to support Operation Warm and Dry by distributing 11,789 coats and blankets to people in need across Kyrgyzstan.
When Operation Warm and Dry started in 2009, it was a small volunteer project where Airmen at the Transit Center donated from their own pockets. Today it has grown into much more.
Many organizations came together this year to support Operation Warm and Dry. The U.S. Embassy and Kyrgyz Republic government gave the Transit Center approval to execute the project. U.S. Central Command approved the Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster and Civic Aid request to fund the project with $300,000. U.S. Peace Corps volunteers and the Kyrgyz Ministry of Social Protection Workers advised and guided the Transit Center's Theater Security Cooperation division to where needs were the greatest.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 23, 2011 - This weekend, when Army Spc. Dustin Morrison gathers with his family to celebrate the holidays, he said he knows he'll be experiencing a Christmas miracle.
Iowa Army National Guard Spc. Dustin Morrison, right, pictured here with longtime friend and hunting buddy Ethan Hess, has set his sights on establishing a nonprofit hunting organization for wounded warriors. Morrison continues his own recovery from life-threatening combat injuries he'd received in Afghanistan. Courtesy photo
The 21-year-old Iowa Army National Guard soldier discovered a new appreciation for what matters most in life after an improvised explosive device nearly took his life in Afghanistan.
Morrison, a member of the 168th Infantry Regiment, was severely wounded in April when his mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle struck the roadside bomb in eastern Afghanistan's Paktia province. Army Spc. Brent Maher, the vehicle's gunner, was killed, and two other members of the unit were injured in the attack.
Morrison's prognosis was touch-and-go as the military medical system rallied, quickly moving him out of Afghanistan to progressively advanced levels of care.
When his mother, Kelli Pederson, arrived to see her wounded son at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, the staff explained the facts.
"They told me how very close we came to losing him," she said.
Here we go again. A long season of juggling family, deployments, and training for the biggest event of the year, the Marine Corps Marathon (a.k.a. The People's Marathon). I know it's not easy to understand that someone considers punishing his body with 26.2 miles of running while weaving in and out of a crowd of 30,000 runners as being the biggest event of my year. My fellow Marines know it takes a "different" type of person to be willing to deploy into harms way without being told to. I live by a different set of rules I guess. My mantra is "If not me, then who?". My comrades think it's plum crazy for me to spend the couple hours of free time I have "paying the man" a.k.a. pounding the pavement. Every morning I get the questions; any races coming up? how far you going today? was that you I saw last night at 2300 running around the camp?
Okay for all of you that haven't been following my mission. It's simple really. There are men and women that stick their neck out on the line every minute of every day. Unfortunately, they get hurt more times then not. The U.S. military does an AWESOME job taking care of us. We get hurt and we get the best medical attention available. That's not what this is about. I would like to give you a couple of examples how my mission and your donations are contributing. Then I need you to do your most generous part and help me help them.
One of my Marine Corporals was injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) attack when he dismounted. He was married to a young 19 year old. His Mother was a waitress in Chicago and was making ends meet with his help. He was stabilized in a medical facility in Germany. At the time we were unsure he would make it. Mom and Wife could not afford to fly to Germany and get a hotel, food, etc... the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund (IMSFF) stepped in and footed the bill lock, stock, and barrel. No questions asked and no repayment accepted. My Corporal is now recovered and is a Father. Mom is doing well also. How did IMSFF do this? Donations, Donations, Donations!
Sgt B was one of my most humble and sacrificing Marines. He was medevac'd the first time (yes the first time) from a vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED). He spent 18 months in a burn center in TX. IMSFF payed for his Mother to visit for a week or so at a time. The second time Sgt B was medevac'd he had been shot twice. Multiple surgeries and months later in 2 countries and 3 states, IMSFF reached out to Mom and moved her with him. Again no money repayment asked.
Sgt R was shot by a sniper in his forehead. The bullet penetrated his helmet and was lodged in his brain. He was given zero chance of survival. I was speaking to the doctor before they conducted emergency surgery. He is an amazing surgeon. He said to me "Jon, your man is in bad shape", I told him "Doc do what you were put here to do and save his life!". He did and last year Sgt R raced in the Marine Corps Marathon on a hand bike. Yep, a hand bike. A hand bike is a wheel chair racing bike. After surgery the Sgt needed a therapist to help him learn to use his arms again. A nurse 24 hours a day to live at his house with him to care for his needs. Home remodeling for his future wheel chair. I could go on and on. Tens of thousands of dollars he and his family did not have. You guessed it, the IMSFF was there.
I have the easy part. I run for team "FOR THOSE WHO CAN'T". I represent thousands of men and women heroes from our U.S. military that need your help. I don't care if it is a dollar or a thousand dollars. I will earn every penny on 30 October when I toe the line in Washington D.C. Please go to the below link and donate. If not you, then who?
Ms Marti has pledged to match all donations made between October 12th 2011 and the completion of the Marathon, up to $1000.00, so your donations are worth twice what you contribute.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (NNS) -- USS Constitution Sailors gave Navy ballcaps to children during a Caps for Kids visit at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Mass. Sept. 27.
Interior Communications Electrician 1st Class (SW) John Campbell, Aviation Electrician's Mate 2nd Class (AW) Anthony Barnardo and Seaman Deidre Foster participated in the event as part of New England Navy Week, Sept. 25-Oct. 2.
"We all need support from time to time, and it was touching to support kids battling various illnesses," said Foster. "The kids really appreciated us visiting, and in return we appreciated their strength."
July 24, 2011 By Spc. Nathan Booth, 4th Public Affairs Detachment
FORT HOOD, Texas -- When Staff Sgt. Benjamin Westrich won third place in the lightweight division at the 2011 U.S. Army Combatives Championship here July 23, it meant more to him than a plaque and a handshake. It meant much more for many people.
Westrich, an Individual Readiness Training instructor at Fort Carson, Colo., competed for Command Sgt. Maj. Frank Socha, the senior enlisted leader of the 10th Special Forces Group who has been battling late-stage lung cancer for more than a year.
Staff Sgt. Benjamin Westrich, Fort Carson, Colo., has his hand raised in victory following his bout with 2nd Lt. Nathan Gelinas, Maneuver Center of Excellence, Fort Benning, Ga., in a consolation bout July 23 at Fort Hood, Texas. Westrich took third...
“You're the one who goes out and fights, but it's your teammates who get you there,” Westrich said. “He's dedicating his entire life to the Army. I feel it’s the least I can do as a Soldier in his Army.”
Westrich first learned about Socha's plight when the 10th SFG combatives team combined with the Fort Carson team in preparation for the tournament.
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Eric C. Tretter, Continuing Promise 2011 Public Affairs
PUERTO QUETZAL, Guatemala (NNS) -- Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) and Continuing Promise 2011 (CP11) departed Guatemala, July 11, after 10 days of medical, dental and veterinary care, engineering support and subject matter expert exchanges.
Comfort's crew manned three medical and two engineering sites spread around the Puerto San Jose area, with biomedical engineers and doctors visiting Centro Médico Militar hospital in Guatemala City.
by Kristen Wong HONOLULU, Hawaii - More than 20 Marines volunteered for Special Olympics Hawaii’s sixth annual Fueling Dreams fundraiser July 1.
Each day, from June 27 to July 1, Special Olympics Hawaii chose two undisclosed gas stations statewide, offering all grades of gasoline at the same price.
At the Palama Street Tesoro station, Special Olympics staff, members of local law enforcement, community volunteers and the Marines washed windows, pumped gas, and collected money from passersby and drivers on the streets nearby.
Pictured: Sgt. Darryl Webb, Marine Corps Base Hawaii volunteer, receives donations from drivers during the sixth annual Special Olympics Hawaii fundraiser, "Fueling Dreams." More than 20 Marines from MCB Hawaii volunteered for the event. Special Olympics Hawaii provides opportunities for athletes with special needs to compete in sports.
Tech. Sgt. Daniel Cain (left) and Master Sgt. Frank Espinoza (right), 455th Expeditionary Maintenance Group Quality Assurance, do pushups in front of Senior Master Sgt. Kelly Norris, 455th EMXG QA, for the Wounded Warrior Project here, July 6, 2011. If you would like more information on the Wounded Warrior Project, visit www.woundedwarriorproject.org. If you would like to contribute to the program contact Sgt. Cain at [email protected]. Photo by Capt. Korry Leverett
07.06.2011 Story by Capt. Korry Leverett BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan - Airmen here are spending extra time on physical fitness, not for their own personal well-being, but for service members who have sacrificed so much in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Approximately eight airmen from the 455th Expeditionary Maintenance Group Quality Assurance section are taking pledges and doing pushups in order to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project.
By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Pat Migliaccio, Navy Office of Community Outreach Public Affairs
CHICAGO (NNS) -- SEALs from the Naval Special Warfare Advanced Training Command (NSWATC) Detachment Little Creek spent the morning June 27 teaching and entertaining a highly-motivated group of young kids at the General Wood Boys and Girls Club of Chicago.
The Navy visit to the club began with a brief introduction by the SEALs followed by a couple of film shorts. Shortly thereafter, Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator Joseph Jones assigned to NSWATC Det Little Creek gave a modified SEAL "Mental Toughness" presentation to the group of 75 children, ages six to 12 and then asked them if they were ready to take the SEAL challenge.
7/1/2011 By Pfc. Erik S. Brooks Jr. , Marine Corps Bases Japan
HAMAHIGA ISLAND, OKINAWA, Japan — Personnel from the Camp Services Office on Camp Courtney joined members of the Okinawa community in a cleanup of Col. Kermit Shelly’s memorial site on Hamahiga Island June 22.
HAMAHIGA ISLAND, OKINAWA, Japan-Staff Sgt. Randal R. Robinson, a camp services facility chief on Camp Courtney and Ichiro Umehara, a liaison Officer for the Camp Services Office on Camp Courtney, joined community members in cleaning around Col. Kermit Shelly’s memorial site on Hamahiga Island June 22. Col. Shelly was influential in building the infrastructure on Hamahiga Island in 1968. , Pfc. Erik S. Brooks Jr., 6/22/2011 5:58 AM
Shelly served as the commanding officer of 3rd Force Service Support Regiment, which today is called 3rd Marine Logistics Group, from March 1967 through June 1968. During his time in command, Shelly was influential in building some of the infrastructure on Hamahiga island.
ST. LOUIS - Throughout Marine Week 2011, Marines with 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force Marine Week, volunteered around the greater St. Louis area cleaning up parks, visiting veterans, and assisting in blood and food drives.
Taking on a different challenge, Marines teamed with 60 volunteers from the Multiple Sclerosis Society in the society’s largest project to date; making Kim Dauwalter’s house and farm wheelchair accessible.
Pictured: Cpl. Matthew J. Light, a granadier with Company I, 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force Marine Week, holds an 8-foot cedar log, while a civilian volunteer cuts a notch in the log so it can be used for a fence. Marines volunteered with the Multiple Sclerosis Society to make Dauwalter's farm more accessible from her wheelchair. Marine Week provides an opportunity to increase public awareness of the Marine Corps' value to our nation's defense and to preserve and mature the Corps' relationship with the American people.
All of the more than 200 Iraqi Children that attended Iraqi Kids Day May 28 received a new pair of flip flops from Operation Flip Flop, on Joint Base Balad, Iraq. Photo by Spc. Matthew Keeler
Story By: Spc. Matthew Keeler JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq – With a smile, Spc. John Romansky, the creator of Operation Flip-Flop, handed out perhaps his last pair of flip-flops to Iraqi children in the crowded Morale, Welfare, and Recreation building. More than 200 Iraqi children took part in Iraqi Kids Day, a day where local children are invited onto Joint Base Balad, Iraq, to plays games and interact with service members.
“Operation Flip-Flop was started back in September when my company was out at a bridge site and we noticed a lot of children walking around with no shoes on,” said Romansky, a combat engineer with the 299th Multi-Role Bridge Company, 20th Engineer Brigade, and a Rochester, N.Y., native. “So, after the mission, I got back home and Skyped my mother who is a teacher at Northwood Elementary and told her about children that we had seen."
Tuesday, May 17, 2011 CAMP VICTORY, Iraq – Troops on Victory Base Complex participated in Operation Shear Love, in which they donated their hair to Locks of Love, May 8.
Locks of Love is a not-for-profit organization that provides hair pieces to children with medical hair loss.
This is the first Locks of Love donation drive that has occurred in Iraq, said Tech. Sgt. Amber Hotzfeld, an intelligence analyst, Joint Interrogation and Debriefing Detachment – Iraq, and one of the organizers of the event who donated 11 inches of hair.
All of the troops, who each donated a minimum of 10 inches of hair for a total of almost eight feet, did so with their hearts going out to the children who need the hair more than they do.
Deployed soldier gives back to supporters in US by: Staff Sgt. Joshua Quick, USD-N
CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE WARRIOR, Iraq – Smiles crossed the faces of students at Kingman Academy in Kingman, Ariz., as their anticipation and excitement finally ended and they put a face to the name. As the door to the auditorium opened, the students watched as a man in an Army uniform entered—a man they did not know by name, but who they thought of as an American Hero.
Pfc. Kenneth Johnson, a native of Las Vegas, spent an afternoon with students of Kingman Academy earlier this year discussing the U.S. Army’s mission in Iraq during Operation New Dawn.
(c) DoDWritten by U.S. Army 1st Lt. Nicholas Rasmussen Task Force Lethal Public Affairs Monday, 25 April 2011
Children from Charwazi Village try on donated coats April 19. (Photo by 2nd Lt. Joel Sage)
PAKTYA PROVINCE, Afghanistan – U.S. and Afghan forces handed out hundreds of coats to people living in the rural village of Charwazi, Afghanistan, April 19. All told, Afghan National Army and 1st Platoon, C Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 34th Infantry Division, Task Force Lethal distributed roughly 6,000 coats to remote Aghan villages since the drive began last year“The coats help because many of the homes only have small wood stoves,” said an ANA soldier who helped pass out the coats.
Missions Ramp Up in Valley City as Baldhill Dam Increases Releases
NDNG: VALLEY CITY, N.D. — With releases from the Baldhill Dam expected to hit record levels this afternoon, folks throughout Valley City scrambled to reinforce levees that were initially high enough to withstand this week’s crest. Now, they’re facing a second crest that will become the city’s historic record, topping the 2009 mark of 20.69 feet. By mid-afternoon today, the level reached 20.5 feet — and the Baldhill Dam upped its flow to at least 7,000 cubic feet per second, exceeding its previous record level of 6,800 cfs.
Pictured: Staff Sgt. Adam Gehlhar, of the North Dakota National Guard’s 817th Engineer (Sapper) Company, walks along a levee protecting Valley City from the rapidly rising Sheyenne River April 16. He was leading Soldiers from sandbagging at one area of a sandbag dike to another along the Sheyenne River near Main Avenue. Additional Soldiers from the North Dakota National Guard arrived in Valley City to help with sandbag operations. The city is raising its levees to 24 feet to protect it from the rising Sheyenne River. Valley City expects the river to reach a record crest of 21.2 to 21.5 feet by Tuesday, exceeding the previous record of 20.69 feet set in 2009. (Army photo/Capt. Penny Ripperger)
Volunteers, contractors, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the North Dakota National Guard all stepped up efforts today in response.
4/15/2011 By Pfc. Daniel E. Valle , Marine Corps Bases Japan
NAGO, Okinawa, Japan — The Nago City Board of Education recognized five Marines March 28 at the Nago Civic Center for volunteering to teach kindergarteners to speak English.
Cpl. Daniel L. Burns, Lance Cpls. Zachary J. Frappier, Marcus E. Denell and Iris B. Brewer and Pfc. Antonio Diaz were recognized for their participation in the Play with English Program. They were nominated for their contributions to the program by Fumio Iha, the liaison and community relations specialist for Camp Schwab tasked with instructing local school teachers how to speak English.
Video shows soldiers, airmen, and civilians participating in a remote "Relay For Life" 5K run to support the American Cancer Society in the fight for a cure. The actual race takes place in Niceville, Fla. on April 16th.
03.24.2011 By Rachel Parks FORT HOOD, Texas—Three months ago Hailey Dunn vanished from Colorado City, seemingly without a trace. Initially, volunteers poured into the town to help search for the 13-year-old cheerleader, but as days turned to weeks and then months, the number of volunteers dwindled.
When Misty Moody, who grew up in Colorado City and still has contacts in the West Texas town, heard of the stalled search efforts, she knew she and her husband, Sgt. Brian Moody, could help. The Moodys shared their proposal to join in the search effort with Soldiers and spouses in the 4th Battalion, 5th Air Missile Defense Artillery Regiment, 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, who responded with full support.
“My husband mentioned it to the guys here, and within two days, we had 28 people,” Misty said. The volunteers included Soldiers and spouses who traveled to West Texas the first weekend in March to take part in a search for the missing teen.
March 18 and 19, the group rejoined the search effort.
Misty said the terrain the group covered in both searches was difficult. “It’s West Texas so it’s nothing but bushes and cactus,” she said. “There are some old ravines, some dry ravines that we’re searching.”
By Sgt. Rebecca Linder Task Force Rushmore Public Affairs
CAMP PHOENIX, Afghanistan (3/25/11 )- Being in a combat zone is a sacrifice, and leaving friends, family and other necessities at home while serving here continues to be an act of selfless service donated by thousands of servicemembers year after year.
Army Capt. Regan Norgaard, 196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, South Dakota National Guard, listens to Asma's heart on Jan. 2, 2011, at Camp Phoenix in Kabul, Afghanistan as Mr. Jim O'Neil looks on. Norgaard was able to assess her condition before being able to fly to America to receive a life-saving heart surgery. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Rebecca Linder) (Released)
Acting by impulse to help others is a gift that military members bring to the table all around the world, and here in Afghanistan one noble act contributed by many Americans helped to save a local infant’s life.
Air Force Lt. Col. John Newman, NATO Training Mission – Afghanistan / Combined Security Transition – Afghanistan, was introduced to an Afghan soldier, Faqir, who said his granddaughter, Asma, was in need of a life-saving heart surgery because of blue baby syndrome, a medical disorder where babies are born with heart conditions that decrease the oxygenation capacity.
Pulling a Chinook helicopter along the ground in a race against time is not something that would normally happen in Afghanistan, but for this year's Red Nose Day RAF personnel flexed their muscles to support the cause.
Three teams of personnel from 1310 Flight challenged each other to pull a Chinook transport helicopter along a 70-metre-long taxiway in the quickest time possible to raise money for Comic Relief.
The airmen and airwomen of 1310 Flight pull a 16-tonne Chinook helicopter to raise money for Comic Relief at Camp Bastion in Helmand, southern Afghanistan [Picture: Sergeant Alison Baskerville, Crown Copyright/MOD 2011]
Two teams of engineers and one of aircrew battled against the searing heat and dust, not to mention the 16-tonne beast itself, in a bid to gain the fastest time and support the charity.
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jim Verton, USS Ronald Reagan Public Affairs
PACIFIC OCEAN - Sailors and Marines aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) collected donations on March 19 to supply displaced Japanese citizens with essential goods for survival.
Ronald Reagan is currently off the northeast coast of Japan's Honshu island to provide assistance to people affected by the 9.0 magnitude earthquake which resulted in a devastating tsunami, while playing a supporting role in Operation Tomodachi.
PACIFIC OCEAN (March 18, 2011) Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) organize clothing donated by the crew of Ronald Reagan for displaced Japanese citizens. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Josh Cassatt/Released)
“Along with donations coming from USS Chancellorsville (CG 62), USS Preble (DDG 88) and the ships from Destroyer Squadron 15, these goods will very likely help keep people alive through winter,” said Theater Security Cooperation Officer Lt. Cmdr. Justin Harts.
A team of RAF Police and their military working dogs from RAF Lyneham will carry out a sponsored march in aide of Help for Heroes and Children’s Hospice South West charities on 19 March 2011.
Starting at 0030, the team will leave the new Help 4 Heroes Personal Recovery Centre, Tedworth House in Tidworth, and follow a designated route, reaching Wootton Bassett at approximately 0830, before finally completing the march at RAF Lyneham’s Dog Section. Both the dogs and the RAF Police will need to be physically fit to undertake this arduous task to complete the 37 mile march, with the policemen carrying a 20kg rucksack and a replica L85 rifle each.
03.11.2011 Story by Lance Cpl. Fenton Reese Every spring, sheep farmers harvest the white, fluffy protective coats of their sheep. These coats that protect the animals from the elements is then processed, shipped and eventually used for our clothes, boots, blankets, car seats and even military gear.
On March 4, a different wooly-headed creature sacrificed his own white, and just as fluffy, hair in a special ceremony during a New Orleans City Council meeting at City Hall here. Just like the sheep in the field, retired Lt. Gen. Jack W. Bergman’s snowy, white locks were bound to be put to use for another cause. This symbolic shearing, or haircut, was in support of a non-profit organization that collects donated hair and weaves wigs for children who suffer from hair loss.
Lt. Gen. Jack W. Bergman holds his freshly cut hair in a braid to be donated to an organization that will turn it onto a wig for a child with hair loss, March 4, in the council chambers of City Hall. Photo by Lance Cpl. Fenton Reese.
The former Marine Forces Reserve commander retired in October 2009. Since then, he has been growing his hair for the purpose of getting it cut once it reached the length of eight inches or more. Eight inches is the minimum requirement for a donation to the organization.
If you could do something to help an Afghan girl learn to read, would you? If you understood that Afghan literacy is a key to long term peace and prosperity, would that make a difference in whether you gave a little girl a pencil? While American children want the latest X-Box or the games that go with it, in many parts of the world, children are ecstatic to get a common #2 lead pencil. They're happy with a piece of hard candy, but as convoys pass or Troops approach, one of the most common signs is an index finger to the palm of the hand, asking for a pencil.
This was the matter of discussion between myself and a teammate more than once. As the least educated on the team, I was interested on teammates thoughts on the rocks (one guy was a specialist in the things and he hated when I called crushed stone, "gravel," so I did it often), or in this case a PhD candidate's observations on Afghan kids' desire for self-expression.
He noted that kids everywhere just want to be able to express themselves. It was certainly better than my niece's use of the walls of the house as her personal canvas to her permanent markers at a young age. I had a ready source for pencils and would get 500 pack boxes of the prize of Afghan kids, every few mail runs. The phenomenon is discussed in a "Time Machine" article from 2009.
The fact is that something as simple as school supplies can change the future of Afghanistan, as well as improve relations between Afghans and American Troops. Those old unused school supplies you have, the old backpacks in your closets, can make a positive difference in the lives of kids that have toys no more expensive than the rocks they find in the desert. And a Senior Master Sergeant in the Air Force teamed up with his Professor wife to start not just a program to help you help Afghan kids, but got Florida College Kids involved in the effort. I can't even imagine a downside to this program.
Face of Defense: Army Wife Helps Vets With 'Open Arms'
Office of the SecDef: WASHINGTON - Dedie Davis knows what it's like to be homeless.
Davis and her two children slept in their car for a short time in 1998 until family and friends helped them get back on their feet.
So passing out food and hugs, often venturing into homeless encampments in the Seattle area, doesn't faze her.
Davis, founder and president of Operation Open Arms, a nonprofit organization that provides food and supplies to homeless veterans and veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, explained her passion for charitable work is fueled by her personal experiences.
Hiking for Heroes veteran Troy Yocum visits Fort Bliss, presents Christmas donations by Spc. Valerie Lopez
Christmas arrived early for two 1st Armored Division families at Fort Bliss.
After nearly 15 million steps, Troy Yocum, Soldiers’ advocate and Iraq War veteran, was met by Fort Bliss Commanding General, Maj. Gen. Dana J.H. Pittard and El Paso Mayor John Cook.
Yocum, his wife Mareike, the general, the mayor and mayor’s grandson Jaydon walked a mile from Fort Bliss’ Cassidy Gate to the newly-opened Freedom Crossing shopping center and post exchange (PX).
Written by USAF SSgt. Barry Loo Paktya Provincial Reconstruction Team
PAKTYA PROVINCE, Afghanistan – U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Marchal Magee, Paktya Provincial Reconstruction Team commander from Issaquah, Wash., shakes hands with Abdul Rahman Mangal, Paktya’s deputy governor Dec. 22. The two leaders celebrated the holiday season together during a party at Forward Operating Base Gardez. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Barry Loo, Paktya Provincial Reconstruction Team Public Affairs)
Paying it forward: ‘Kings of Battle’ Marines clean up homeless veterans shelter
Cpl. Antonio Garcia and Sgt. Juan Gutierrez, wiremen with Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, remove weeds from a chain-link fence while volunteering at the Waianae Civic Center in Waianae, Hawaii, Dec. 17, 2010. Photo by Lance Cpl. Reece Lodder
12.21.2010 Story by Lance Cpl. Reece Lodder WAIANAE, Hawaii -- Marines are imbued with a willingness to serve — from the time they swear an oath to defend their country to the time they join the fight overseas.
They make sacrifices to protect their families and friends, the men and women to their left and right, and honor those who served before them. Twenty Marines recently volunteered to help those who served the country and lost so much, to try to make a difference in their lives.
Firefighters to hike upcoming Honolulu Marathon to benefit wounded warriors by Lance Cpl. Reece Lodder MCB-Hawaii
At last December’s Honolulu Marathon, a group of five Marines stood out among the throng of T-shirt and running shorts-clad competitors. Wearing boots, woodland utility trousers, and weighed down by flak jackets and 60 pound packs, these five Marines from Aircraft Rescue Firefighting, Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, were not there to simply complete the 26.3-mile course.
Their uniforms and a green donation box signified a mission greater than themselves — honoring and raising money for their brothers- and sisters-in-arms at Wounded Warrior Battalion West, Detachment Hawaii. It’s a mission they’ll take up again next month.
“We wanted to stand out among the other runners so everyone watching would know we were running for the wounded Marines and sailors,” said Sgt. Fernando Camacho, assistant section leader, ARFF. “Being that we’re here and they’re serving overseas, we’re doing our part to raise some money and make sure they’re taken care of.”
10/8/2010 By Lance Cpl. Damien Gutierrez, Marine Corps Doctrine Division
MCB CAMP PENDLETON, Calif — Though most children may fear and dread receiving a hair cut, Camp Pendleton’s San Onofre Elementary School students smiled and cheered for an opportunity to chop off inches of their existing locks.
San Onofre Elementary School held its second annual Locks of Love donation event in an effort to aid those who suffer from hair loss illnesses, including those receiving cancer treatments, Oct. 7.
More than 30 elementary school girls participated in this year’s event
Team Kunar pulls together to save Soldier’s life by Capt. Peter Shinn CJTF 101
Members of three units stationed at Forward Operating Base Wright here came together, Sept. 15, to donate 13 units of a specific blood type necessary to save a badly wounded soldier’s life.
While the 555th Field Surgical Team at FOB Wright had an abundance of synthetic blood products on hand, the soldier’s wounds required him to get transfusions of his type of whole blood immediately.
Combined Joint Task Force 101 Story by Sgt. Brent Powell
09.06.2010 KHOWST PROVINCE, Afghanistan – One team, one fight. It’s a phrase commonly heard throughout the ranks of soldiers across the Army. The phrase "one team, one fight" recently took on new meaning for a group of soldiers in Task Force Red Knight.
The Soldiers are members of 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment who found out that two of their Soldiers’ family members have been diagnosed with cancer.
To make matters even worse, both family members are children.
07.24.2010 Every service member volunteered to serve and protect the United States of America, but many Fightertown Marines and sailors can also volunteer to do a little more for the community that welcomes them.
Marines and sailors with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 31 aided United Way in their efforts to build a new home for those in need, July 12 to 14.
“It is great to let the community know that we appreciate the welcome most citizens give us, and I also like seeing good people who are less fortunate have something good happen to them,” said Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Arthur Randall II, a communication navigation technician for MALS-31. Randall was responsible for planning the event for this group to get out and volunteer.
Members of the Single Marine Program also volunteer with
06.09.2010 CHAPIN, S.C. – James, a 63-year-old Chapin resident, is getting some of his mobility and independence back. After having three strokes in less than a year, James can only get around with help from a wheel chair and family members, who must help him up the steps and through a narrow doorway to get in and out of his home. All this changed Wednesday, June 9.
Insurance doesn't pay for handicapped-accessible modifications to a home. But thanks to EmmanuWheel, a non-profit organization started by a S.C. National Guardsman and sponsored by Lexington Church of Christ, many are receiving these much needed modifications. EmmanuWheel provides
1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division
Story by Pfc. Jessica Luhrs
06.05.2010 KIRKUK, Afghanistan - When Airmen 1st Class Joey Granado, a native of Dallas, and firefighter with 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, Crash-Fire-Rescue, from Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., isn't working around Forward Operating Base Warrior, Kirkuk, Iraq, as a firefighter, he is in charge of the program Operation Soccer Ball, which collects soccer balls for the children of Kirkuk.
Soccer has always been a way for U.S. service members to connect with children in Iraq, Operation Soccer Ball, gives people in the states a chance to be involved in creating memories for these children, according to Airmen 1st Class Granado.
The program was started in Kirkuk last year by members of the Rising Four Club, a club for junior-enlisted service members at FOB Warrior. Since then the club has collected more than 2,000 soccer balls, according to Airmen 1st Class Granado.
For a few bucks more you can get a signed copy from the author himself! http://www.deltabravosierra.us/2011/02/10/a-word-about-the-new-book/comment-page-1/#comment-3383
Get your copy of this legendary cartoon now (or wait a few days for the signed copy!)
Go to War against the Nazis with SSG Smith of the 94th Infantry Division. Review: http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2010/04/everymans-war-vet.html.html
Ace Of Spades: Why Language Matters In this article, Ace of Spades demonstrates how the writing style of "journalists" and other writers is purposely used to influence the electorate. He explains this far better than I have been able to do, but this is the foundation of why I could no longer be silent.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011 CAMP VICTORY, Iraq – Troops on Victory Base Complex participated in Operation Shear Love, in which they donated their hair to Locks of Love, May 8.
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