By CHELSEA J. CARTER, AP Military Affairs Writer Thu Sep 18, 5:52 AM ET
SAN DIEGO - A Marine sergeant singled out by President Bush for throwing his body on a grenade to save his comrades in Iraq will receive the prestigious Navy Cross rather than the nation's highest military award, military officials said.
The family of Sgt. Rafael Peralta, who was posthumously nominated for the nation's highest military honor, told the North County Times of Escondido, Calif., they were disappointed he was not receiving the Medal of Honor.
"I don't understand why if the president has been talking about him," his mother, Rosa Peralta, told the newspaper, which was the first to report the bestowing of the Navy Cross.
Rosa Peralta said she was informed during a meeting with Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Richard Natonski that a committee could not agree on awarding the Medal of Honor to her son, who Marine Corps officials say was first wounded by friendly fire. She said the general mentioned the friendly fire aspect as part of her son's death during the discussion.
Marine Corps spokesman Mike Alvarez confirmed the meeting, saying only that it was a personal briefing between Natonski and Rosa Peralta to inform her that the secretary of the Navy would award the Navy Cross posthumously for extraordinary heroism.
The Navy Cross is the second highest honor for combat heroism a Marine can receive.
The secretary of the Navy's public affairs office in Washington, D.C., did not immediately return an after-hours telephone call Wednesday seeking comment.
Headquarters Marine Corps spokesman Maj. David Nevers told The Associated Press that the Navy Cross for Peralta "is not bestowed lightly."
Nevers said only 23 sailors and Marines out of the thousands who have served in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan have received the Navy Cross.
"The awarding of a medals of valor is a methodical process and carefully conducted to ensure the sacrifice and service of our Marines and sailors is appropriately honored," he said.
Peralta was shot several times in the face and body during a house-to-house search in Fallujah on Nov. 15, 2004, during some of the fiercest fighting of the war.
According to a report by a Marine combat photographer who witnessed the act, Peralta lay wounded on the floor of a house and grabbed a grenade that had been lobbed by an insurgent. He absorbed the blast with his body, dying instantly.
In 2005, Natonski, then-commanding general of the 1st Marine Division, ordered an investigation to determine the source of a bullet fragment recovered from Peralta's body.
"Following multiple and exhaustive reviews, the evidence supports the finding that Peralta was likely hit by 'friendly fire,'" the Marine Corps said Wednesday in a press release. "This finding had no bearing on the decision to award the Navy Cross medal."
Bush cited Peralta's heroism in a Memorial Day speech in 2005, saying the Marine "understood that America faces dangerous enemies, and he knew the sacrifices required to defeat them."
Peralta, who was assigned to Hawaii's 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, moved to San Diego from Tijuana as a teenager. He was 25.
Freedom Isn't Free
I watched the flag pass by one day,
It fluttered in the breeze.
A young Marine saluted it,
And then he stood at ease..
I looked at him in uniform
So young, so tall, so proud,
With hair cut square and eyes alert
He'd stand out in any crowd.
I thought how many men like him
Had fallen through the years.
How many died on foreign soil
How many mothers' tears?
How many pilots' planes shot down?
How many died at sea
How many foxholes were soldiers' graves?
No, freedom isn't free
I heard the sound of Taps one night,
When everything was still,
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill.
I wondered just how many times
That Taps had meant 'Amen,'
When a flag had draped a coffin
Of a brother or a friend.
I thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives.
I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea
Of unmarked graves in Arlington.
No, freedom isn't free.
~ Author Unknown
There were 118.82 million U.S. military billets during 1950-2000 (with "billet" defined as one ... Date posted: June 16, 2008
Global U.S. Troop Deployment, 1950-2005
Tim Kane
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
Military Losses
The source for the data is a report prepared for Congress,
Military Losses, 1980 thru 2007
Whatever your politics, however you lean, and however you feel about the current administration, this report should open some eyes.
Military losses,1980 through 2007.
As tragic as the loss of any member of the US Armed Forces is, consider the following statistics:
The annual fatalities of military members while actively serving in the armed forces from 1980 through 2006 - by any cause.
1980 .......... 2,392 ( Carter Year )
1981 .......... 2,380 ( Reagan Year)
1984 .......... 1,999 ( Reagan Year)
1988 .......... 1,819 ( Reagan Year)
1989 .......... 1,636 ( George H W Year )
1990 .......... 1,508 ( George H W Year )
1991 .......... 1,787 ( George H W Year )
1992 .......... 1,293 ( George H W Year )
1993 .......... 1,213 ( Clinton Year)
1994 ........... 1,075 ( Clinton Year)
1995 .......... 2,465 ( Clinton Year)
1996 .......... 2,318 ( Clinton Year)
1997 ............ 817 ( Clinton Year)
1998 .......... 2,252 ( Clinton Year)
1999 .......... 1,984 ( Clinton Year)
2000 ...........1,983 ( Clinton Year)
2001 ............ 890 ( George W Year )
2002 .......... 1,007 ( George W Year )
2003 ........... 1,410 ( George W Year )
2004 .......... 1,887 ( George W Year )
2005 ............ 919 ( George W Year )
2006............. 920 ( George W Year )
2007............. 899 ( George W Year )
Clinton years (1993-2000): 14,107 deaths
George W years (2001-2007): 7,932 deaths
If you are surprised when you look at these figures, so was I. These figures mean that the loss from the two latest confl icts in the Middle East are LESS than the loss of military personnel during Bill Clinton 's presidency; when America wasn't even involved in a war! (Unless you include Bosnia or the disgrace of Mogadishu , Somalia when Clinton failed to respond to terrorists; Remember "Blackhawk Down"?)
And, I was even more shocked when I read that in 1980, during the reign of President (Nobel Peace Prize winner) Jimmy Carter, there were 2,392 US military fatalities! >From what? How?
I think that these figures indicate that many members of our Media and our politicians will pick and choose the information on which they report. Of course we all know that they present only those 'facts' which support their agenda-driven reporting. But why do so many of them march in lock-step to twist the truth? Where do so many of them get their agenda? Obviously there is one shared agenda. Could it be from the most powerful Democratic family of the decade?
Do you want further proof? Consider the latest census of Americans. It shows the following FACTS about the distribution of American citizens,by race:
European descent (White).................69.12%
Hispanic.................................................12.5%
Black .................... .................................12.3%
Asian................. ...................................... 3.7%
Native American....................................1.0%
Other.......................................................2.6%
Many media lead us to feel the military death ratio is off balanced compared to the distribution by race in America . Here are the fatalities by RACE over the past three years in Iraqi Freedom.
Do the comparison yourself.
European descent (white) ............74.31%
Hispanic..........................................10..74%
Black ............................................... 9.67%
Asian....................... ......................... 1.81%
Native American.............................. 1.09%
Other................................................ 0.33%
I was surprised again. Our mainstream media continues to spin these figures (for political gain). Nothing more. It's all about politics.
I hope that during the time between now and November, intelligent Americans can decipher: the facts from the spin, the spinners from the leaders, those who seek even more power from those that seek justice, and the dividers from the uniter's.
Over the next months let's be good listeners and see and hear who tries to divide our nation; and who wants to unite our nation. Who wants to control how our money is spent and who wants our money spent the way we would spend it. Who seeks power and who seeks justice? Who spins the facts and who is genuine.
(These statistics are published by Congressional Research Service, and they may be confirmed by anyone at: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL32492..pdf)
"History does not entrust the care of freedom to the weak or timid." - Dwight D. Eisenhower
Helen Bailey, CIC
Territory Sales Consultant
Allstate/Encompass/Deerbrook
725 Marlin Street
Bayou Vista, TX 77563
713-876-9512 Cell
877-278-0562 Fax
The soldiers that never came home
. The American Cemetery at Aisne-Marne , France . A total of 2289 of our military dead.
2. The American Cemetery at Ardennes , Belgium . A total of 5329 of our dead.
3. The American Cemetery at Brittany, France . A total of 4410 of our military dead.
4. Brookwood , England American Cemetery. A total of 468 of our dead.
5. Cambridge , England . 3812 of our military dead.
6. Epinal , France American Cemetery. A total of 5525 of our Military dead.
7. Flanders Field , Belgium . A total of 368 of our military.
8. Florence , Italy . A total of 4402 of our military dead.
9. Henri-Chapelle , Belgium . A total of 7992 of our military dead
10. Lorraine , France . A total of 10,489 of our military dead.
11. Luxembourg , Luxembourg . A total of 5076 of our military dead.
12. Meuse-Argonne. A total of 14246 of our military dead.
13. Netherlands , Netherlands . A total of 8301 of our military dead.
14. Normandy , France . A total of 9387 of our military dead.
15. Oise-Aisne , France . A total of 6012 of our military dead.
16. Rhone , France . A total of 861 of our military dead.
17. Sicily , Italy . A total of 7861 of our military dead.
18. Somme , France . A total of 1844 of our military dead.
19. St. Mihiel , France . A total of 4153 of our military dead.
20. Suresnes , France . a total of 1541 of our military dead.
THE COUNT IS 104,366
A POW story from John McCain
In addition to paying tribute to the nation's servicemen, he told a poignant story about a fellow POW who sewed the image of an American flag on the inside of his uniform, despite having already received beatings for such an offense. "He wasn't doing it for himself. He was doing it for his country and our ability to pledge our allegiance to our flag and country," he recalled
.
Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you; Jesus Christ and the American GI.
One died for your soul; the other for your freedom
Motorcycle caravan stops in Monroe
Riders participate in 'Run For The Wall'
By Johnny Gunter � jgunter@thenewsstar.com � May 19, 2009
More than 400 motorcyclist participating in the "Run For The Wall" roared off Interstate 20 and into the north parking lot of the Monroe Civic Center in impressive style Monday morning to recognize the country's POWs and MIAs, as well as those who made the ultimate sacrifice while service to their country.
The riders, many of them carrying a passenger, then walked across the Rev. Lea Joyner Boulevard for a short ceremony in front of the Korean and Vietnam war memorials at Monroe City Hall.
Ninety-year-old John Miles of Monroe, a World War II veteran, said the sight of the motorcycles coming off I-20 and "Amazing Grace" being played on the bagpipes, "sends a chill down my spine. This is just really impressive."
Holly Thomas of Phoenix, who has relatives in Metairie, has participated in the ride from California for the last five years.
She said Monroe is one of the group's favorite stops. "The food is great, and the hospitality phenomenal," she said of the meal they ate Sunday night at the Shriners Temple.
Monroe serves as the midway stop for the event, which is in its 21st year. The ride started May 13 on the West Coast and ends Sunday � the day before Memorial Day � in Washington, D.C. at the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Wall. More riders join along the route.
Led by an escort of state troopers and police, the group left Monroe after the ceremony to attend events in Mississippi.
"It means so much to us that you have chosen Monroe as one of your stops," Monroe Mayor James Mayo said. "We're not going to forget the POWs, the MIAs or the KIAs (killed in action)." The crowd applauded. Mayo also proclaimed Monday "Run For The Wall" Day in recognition of all soldiers.
The southern route coordinator for the Run For The Wall, Grey "Pied Piper" Smith, told riders "we've been gifted" and the group hollered their approval with more applause.
Veteran Carl Hinkle, 73, of North Carolina, travels each year to California on his cycle and then makes the return trip to Washington, D.C. "I'll continue to do this as long as I'm healthy and can do it," said the veteran of Korea and two tours of Vietnam.
Local National Guard Sgt. Matthew Spillers talked about the sacrifice made by soldiers in the name of freedom. Spillers said people should remind their government that soldiers remain unaccounted for and should not be forgotten. He said more than 88,000 U.S. soldiers have been recorded missing since World War II.
"There are a lot of families who carry a void in their hearts every day," Spillers said. "You are not forgotten.
Miracle for a Marine
Marine moves fingers after rare hand transplant
PITTSBURGH � Surgeons have transplanted a hand onto a Marine who was hurt in a training accident, and he has some movement in his fingers, according to the hospital where the operation occurred.
The surgery was performed at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center by a team headed by Dr. W.P. Andrew Lee on March 14-15. The man still must undergo bone marrow infusion to reduce the need for traditional anti-rejection drugs. The drugs have side effects that include diabetes and high blood pressure.
The hospital is not releasing the 24-year-old's identity or details of how he lost his right hand, but hopes to hold a news conference next week.
"For a hand, it takes quite some time to get full movement," said spokeswoman Amy Dugas Rose. "He has some movement, which is a good sign."
The Marine will undergo intense daily physical therapy for three months to gain movement, she said.
The surgery is the first of its kind at the Pittsburgh hospital network, and only the sixth in U.S. history. The other five have occurred at Jewish Hospital Heart and Lung Center of Louisville, Ky.
The first U.S. hand transplant was performed in January 1999 on Matthew David Scott, of New Jersey, who lost his hand in December 1985 in an M-80 blast.
The first hand transplant was done in Ecuador in 1964, but the patient's body rejected the hand after two weeks.
Worldwide, there have been about 32 other patients, and 40 hands transplanted.
UPMC has two people on its hand transplant waiting list, Rose said. One is a man waiting for a double hand transplant.
Finding donors � from cadavers � is challenging, Rose said. Besides matching tissue and blood type, the gender, size and skin tone also must match.
Surgery can last eight to 10 hours as doctors attach two major arteries, veins and repair multiple tendons and nerves.
Homeland secretary apologizes to veterans group
By EILEEN SULLIVAN, Associated Press Writer Eileen Sullivan, Associated Press Writer �
WASHINGTON � Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano met with the American Legion on Friday to apologize for a right-wing extremism report written by her agency, and the veterans group walked away from the meeting mollified.
Napolitano blamed one of her agency's analysts for prematurely sending out the intelligence assessment to law enforcement, according to Craig Roberts, an American Legion member who attended the meeting. The report says veterans returning from Iraq or Afghanistan could be susceptible to right-wing recruiters or commit lone acts of violence.
"She essentially admitted fault within her office," Roberts said.
Legion National Commander David Rehbein said, "I think the session in Secretary Napolitano's office will go a long way to help our returning veterans in the future."
After the meeting, Napolitano issued a statement saying the department "has fixed the internal process that allowed this document to be released before it was ready."
The report, one of Homeland Security's periodic assessments, warned that right-wing extremists could use the bad state of the U.S. economy and the election of the country's first black president to recruit members. The analysis said veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars could be targeted by the groups.
It drew angry reactions from Rehbein, conservative bloggers and Republican members of Congress who took to the House floor this week to criticize Napolitano, confirmed to her Cabinet position less than 100 days ago.
"Has this Homeland Security secretary gone absolutely stark raving mad?" Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn, said Wednesday.
"I think the appropriate thing for her to do would be to step down," Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, told Fox News on Thursday.
"Janet Napolitano should resign or be fired," Rep. John Carter, R-Texas, said on Wednesday.
Obama administration aides dismissed the criticism as a "typical Washington game" and "political theater."
Despite the furor among some Republicans, party leaders did not bring it up in a meeting with President Barack Obama and on Thursday. House Republican leader John Boehner had indicated it likely would be discussed Thursday. But his spokesman, Kevin Smith, said the topic was not broached.
White House spokesman Nick Shapiro said the right-wing extremist report originated in the Bush administration and Napolitano was working to keep the nation safe from terrorists.
"She doesn't have time for these games � and neither does the president," Shapiro said.
The veterans issue wasn't the only flap. Earlier this week, Napolitano drew criticism for flubbing an explanation of federal law prohibiting people without proper documents from crossing U.S. borders into the country.
In an interview with CNN, Napolitano, whose career has included stints as a U.S. attorney and attorney general and governor of Arizona, said: "Crossing the border is not a crime per se. It is civil."
While crossing the border illegally is a crime, most illegal immigrants caught in the United States face only civil penalties and deportation.
Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., characterized Napolitano's statements as one of the most "baffling" he has ever heard from a senior government official.
"It is breathtaking that a Cabinet secretary, bestowed by the public with the responsibility to protect our nation's borders, could be ignorant of the indisputable fact that it is a violation of the criminal code to enter our country illegally," Sessions said.
Napolitano spokesman Sean Smith said: "She may be new to Washington, but she has been around politics for a long time, and she knows political theater when she sees it."
Smith said Napolitano spent 16 years enforcing the law on the Southwest border. "Americans can rest assured that she understands what the law is along the border," he said.
She also has drawn criticism for claiming in an interview that the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists entered the U.S. across the Canadian border. The Sept. 11 commission found that none came through Canada. But others have, such as the would-be millennium bomber Ahmed Ressam.
Discussing security along the U.S. border on Canada's CBC News on Monday, Napolitano said, "To the extent that terrorists have come into our country or suspected or known terrorists have entered our country across a border, it's been across the Canadian border. There are real issues there."
When asked whether she was talking about the 9/11 terrorists, Napolitano said: "Not just those, but others as well."
Smith on Thursday said Napolitano acknowledged she misspoke and had been thinking of the millennium bomber.
Vets want answers to why Jane Fonda is honored
She really is a traitor
A TRAITOR IS ABOUT TO BE HONORED
KEEP THIS MOVING ACROSS AMERICA
This is for all the kids born in the 70's who do
not remember, and didn't have to bear the
burden that our fathers, mothers and older
brothers and sisters had to bear.
Jane Fonda is being honored as one of the
'100 Women of the Century.'
BY BARBRA WALTERS
Unfortunately, many have forgotten and still
countless others have never known how Ms.
Fonda betrayed not only the idea of our country,
but specific men who served and sacrificed
during Vietnam
The first part of this is from an F-4E pilot.
The pilot's name is Jerry Driscoll, a River Rat.
In 1968, the former Commandant of the USAF
Survival School was a POW in Ho Lo Prison
the 'Hanoi Hilton.'
Dragged from a stinking cesspit of a cell,
cleaned, fed, and dressed in clean PJ's, he was
ordered to describe for a visiting American
'Peace Activist' the 'lenient and humane
treatment' he'd received.
He spat at Ms. Fonda, was clubbed, and was
dragged away.
During the subsequent beating, he fell forward
on to the camp Commandant's feet, which
sent that officer berserk.
In 1978, the Air Force Colonel still suffered from
double vision (which permanently ended his
flying career) from the Commandant's frenzied
application of a wooden baton.
From 1963-65, Col. Larry Carrigan was in the
47FW/DO (F-4E's). He spent 6 years in the
'Hanoi Hilton',,, the first three of which his
family only knew he was 'missing in action'.
His wife lived on faith that he was still alive.
His group, too, got the cleaned-up, fed and
clothed routine in preparation for a
'peace delegation' visit.
They, however, had time and devised a plan to
get word to the world that they were alive
an d still survived. Each man secreted a tiny
piece of paper, with his Social Security Number
on it , in the palm of his hand.
When paraded before Ms. Fonda and a
cameraman, she walked the line, shaking each
man's hand and asking little encouraging
snippets like: 'Aren't you sorry you bombed
babies?' and 'Are you grateful for the humane
treatment from your benevolent captors?'
Believing this HAD to be an act, they each
palmed her their sliver of paper.
She took them all without missing a beat. At the
end of the line and once the camera stopped
rolling, to the shocked disbelief of the POWs,
she turned to the officer in charge and handed
him all the little pieces of paper.
Three men died from the subsequent beatings.
Colonel Carrigan was almost number four
but he survived, which is the only reason we
know of her actions that day.
I was a civilian economic development advisor
in Vietnam, and was captured by the North
Vietnamese communists in South Vietnam in
1968, and held prisoner for over 5 years..
I spent 27 months in solitary confinement; one
year in a cage in Cambodia; and one year
in a 'black box' in Hanoi
My North Vietnamese captors deliberately
poisoned and murdered a female missionary, a
nurse in a leprosarium in Ban me Thuot, South
Vietnam, whom I buried in the jungle near the
Cambodian border.
At one time, I weighed only about 90 lbs.
(My normal weight is 170 lbs.)
We were Jane Fonda's 'war criminals.'
When Jane Fonda was in Hanoi, I was asked by
the camp communist political officer if I would
be willing to meet with her.
I said yes, for I wanted to tell her about the real
treatment we POWs received... and how
different it was from the treatment purported by
the North Vietnamese, and parroted by her as
'humane and lenient.'
Because of this, I spent three days on a rocky
floor on my knees, with my arms outstretched
with a large steel weights placed on my hands,
and beaten with a bamboo cane.
I had the opportunity to meet with Jane Fonda
soon after I was released. I asked her
if she would be willing to debate me on TV.
She never did answer me.
These first-hand experiences do not exemplify
someone who should be honored as part
of '100 Years of Great Women.'
Lest we forget...' 100 Years of Great Women'
should never include a traitor whose hands are
covered with the blood of so many patriots.
There are few things I have strong visceral
reactions to, but Hanoi Jane's participation in
blatant treason, is one of them.
Please take the time to forward to as many
people as you possibly can.
It will eventually end up on her computer and
she needs to know that we will never forget.
RONALD D. SAMPSON, CMSgt, USAF
716 Maintenance Squadron,
Chief of
Maintenance
DSN: 875-6431
COMM: 883-6343
A poem I wrote for the pows
Remembering Jane
They handed her a note,
She was a glimpse of hope,
In the dark,
War has left it's mark,
A pow asks why,
He wanted to look her in the eye
And understand her heart,
As they fought in Viet Naim
For Uncle Sam.
They never made the war start,
Their friends have died,
Why didn't she stand by their side,
And hold the flag high,
when their note reached
inside the Palm of her hand?
They felt the pain.
Remembering Jane,
Tears in their eyes,
For her rights,
They would fight,
Some of their friends died,
They were caught,
The war was not their fault,
Young men
some had never had a chance to vote,
They once saw her as a glimpse of hope
To tell their family they had not died,
To ease a broke heart,
War left a mark,
The note was in vain.
They felt pain
Remembering Jane
Why is she honored?
What did she do?
When did she carry,
The red white and blue?
When did she stand,
By a soldier's side?
A note handed to her in vain.
Tears fall from the eyes,
In pain,
Remembering Jane.
Hero in pink boxers
U.S. defense chief lauds soldier in pink boxers
Reuters
Soldiers from the U.S. Army First Battalion, 26th Infantry take defensive AP � Soldiers from the U.S. Army First Battalion, 26th Infantry take defensive positions at firebase Restrepo �
WASHINGTON � U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Thursday praised an Army soldier in eastern Afghanistan who drew media attention this month after rushing to defend his post from attack while wearing pink boxer shorts and flip-flops.
In fact, Gates said he wants to meet the soldier and shake his hand the next time he visits Afghanistan.
"Any soldier who goes into battle against the Taliban in pink boxers and flip-flops has a special kind of courage," Gates said in remarks prepared for a speech in New York.
"I can only wonder about the impact on the Taliban. Just imagine seeing that: a guy in pink boxers and flip-flops has you in his cross-hairs. What an incredible innovation in psychological warfare," he said.
Army Specialist Zachary Boyd, 19, of Fort Worth, Texas, rushed from his sleeping quarters on May 11 to join fellow platoon members at a base in Afghanistan's Kunar Province after the unit came under fire from Taliban positions.
A news photographer was on hand to record the image of Boyd standing at a makeshift rampart in helmet, body armor, red T-shirt and boxers emblazoned with the message: "I love NY."
When the image wound up on the front page of the New York Times, Boyd told his parents he might lose his job if President Barack Obama saw him out of uniform.
"I can assure you that Specialist Boyd's job is very safe indeed," Gates said in the speech.
The U.S. defense chief was scheduled to deliver the speech at New York's annual Salute to Freedom dinner in Manhattan.
(Reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Will Dunham)
note;
Gotta love this guy! redneck maybe,definitely Mash material,haha
he bought the boxers in New York to fight the Taliban.
they were red New York words that faded on the white,
nothing slowed him down from being by the side
of his soldier brothers,
Not even pink Boxers,
A true hero!
Lest we forget
Your cell phone is in your pocket.
He clutches the cross hanging on his chain next to his dog tags.
You talk trash about your 'buddies' that aren't with you.
He knows he may not see some of his buddies again.
You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls.
He patrols the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists.
You complain about how hot it is
He wears his heavy gear, not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow..
You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong.
He doesn't get to eat today.
Your maid makes your bed and washes your clothes.
He wears the same things for weeks, but makes sure his weapons are clean.
You go to the mall and get your hair redone.
He doesn't have time to brush his teeth today.
You're angry because your class ran 5 minutes over.
He's told he will be held over an extra 2 months.
You call your girlfriend and set a date for tonight.
He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home.
You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday.
He holds his letter close and smells his love's perfume.
You roll your eyes as a baby cries.
He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if they'll ever meet.
You criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything.
He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own people and remembers why he is fighting.
You hear the jokes about the war, and make fun of men like him.
He hears the gunfire, bombs and screams of the wounded.
You see only what the media wants you to see.
He sees the broken bodies lying around him.
You are asked to go to the store by your parents. You don't.
He does exactly what he is told even if it puts his life in danger.
You stay at home and watch TV.
He takes whatever time he is given to call, write home, sleep, and eat.
You crawl into your soft bed, with down pillows, and get comfortable.
He tries to sleep but gets woken by mortars and helicopters all night long
A very touching story from a Marine Mom blogged on the News Star World website;
A Walk in my Boots
being a Marine Mom
Onward and ......upward?....life after bootcamp
Posted 5/11/2009 2:25 PM CDT on thenewsstar.com
I thought after boot camp it would all be easy. Boy doesn't the Marine Corp like to surprise you? Well, it was far from an easy breezy time. Shane went on to all kinds of training. One of his most memorable I'm sure was the winter training up in West Virginia mountains in January. They were put through laying in the snow for hours....remaining still and undetected from anyone trying to find them. Minimal food....some MRE's. I'll never forget the one time he got to call, he was so cold his voice couldn't stop shaking, he was absolutely freezing. When I got off the phone I cried and cried, thinking of what my son was going through and knowing he was doing what he had to do to learn to survive in any kind of condition. I remember when he was in the desert out in 29 Palms preparing to deploy to Afghanistan and he ran out of socks and had blisters all over his feet from the boots rubbing his feet, I asked him what happened to the socks I sent him and he said, "Oh, I gave those to my guys because they didn't have any.". That's just the kind of Marine Shane is, always putting his guys first and thinking of them first. He is a squad leader now and has been in Afghanistan since November. They left November 5th. I cried and cried that day, couldn't eat for days. My stomach was in knots, thinking of the danger he was about to be put in, not knowing if my son would make it home alive. It did get easier, and then, worse. Afghanistan is very mountanious, a trecherous terrain. If you have never read the book "Lone Survivor", read it. It's the story of our Navy Seal heroes, the worse loss of Navy Seal lives in their history.
My son was in some hair raising battles in Nov and December but no one was killed. Amazingly, they fought the Taliban in circumstances that would be worthy of a great movie.
One such instance took place on November 18, 2008. My son's platoon of 30 Marines was attacked and ambushed by 250 Taliban fighters. One of their humvees was struck by a rocket propelled grenade, all the Marines made it out alive, one being knocked unconscious. The Taliban had these Marines pinned down behind enemy fire and a battle which lasted 8 hours ensued. The Marines fought and battled until they were able to get their fellow Marines to safety, then fought house to house and trench to trench. Cobra helicopters were called in for air support. Finally the Marines broke through and the Taliban retreated. Over 50 Taliban were killed and there was no loss of any Marines. My son said when they finally got back to the base everyone had heard about the battle and was so thankful they all made it back all the guys were running out there and carrying their packs for them, they had their cots all laid out and ready for them with their mail laying on them. My son said he received 5 packages that day. (I had the compulsive care package disorder..lol) He said it was just like Christmas! I cried when he told me this story. Knowing how bravely they fought...how proud their Marine brothers were of them, and how they fought and did whatever it took to bring their stranded Marine brothers back safely with them.
Everything changed in January. They lost their first Marine brother on January 1st. A few days later, one of Shane's guys, Lcpl Jesse Cassada, 19 from NC was killed during an intense battle. They were going house to house searching for bomb making materials when they were attacked. Surrounded by the Taliban from rooftops and all around. Jesse and two others were on the roof. They were calling fire upon targets to those on the ground. As Jesse was getting down off the roof a random aka 47 spray got him and he was killed. Shane said Jesse fought with such honor, with no regard for his own life or safety, doing whatever he had to do to make sure he directed the fire on target. There have been 9 Marines from the 3/8 Marines killed in Afghanistan since Jan 1. Also, 2 of Shane's Sgts. who taught him everything about bombs and demolition were killed. They were with the Combat Engineer Batallion.
The hardest thing ever was April 8th when Shane's best friend, who he has spent the last 3 years side by side with was killed. I have an alert set on my phone to get any news of Afghanistan and the Marines. I opened the message and saw the name, LCpl Blaise Oleski, and I went numb. I hoped and prayed it wasn't true and ran to the computer to look up any thing I could find. There it was, LCpl Blaise Oleski was killed. Shane has been devestated. To be so young and to have seen such tragedy and to have suffered such loss, I can't even imagine. These Marines are closer than blood. They would lay down their lives in a second for each other. I know my son suffers needless guilt because he feels like there is something he should have been able to do to save Blaise, but I know there wasn't. He said, "I never had a shot, I never saw it coming." My heart was so broken for my son, knowing the pain he was suffering and there was nothing I could do. I could not be there to comfort him or put my arms around him. My heart was broken for Blaise's family. I could not even begin to know the pain his mom and dad were going through, thinking if any thing happened to Shane there is no way I could function, go on with life. I cried every day for the next week. Constantly thinking of Blaise, his family, my son, and knowing what danger my son was in. He said a few days later they were going back out to hit the place where Blaise was killed. I was so worried Shane would want revenge and might do something to put himself in danger. The only contact I have with Shane is through email so I said what I could to give him encouragement and comfort through words. The day they leave Afghanistan I will have such a burden of relief lifted off my heart. I can not wait for the day when I will see my son again. I can't wait to grab him and give him the biggest hug. I will shed tears of joy to have my son safe again. The only way I have survived this 7 month deployment is through the support and encouragement of fellow Marine moms. No one can understand what it's like to be a Marine, unless you are one, and no one can understand what it's like to be a Marine mom....unless you are one. We have this instant bond and tie that can't be put in words. I can find a Marine mom online and start talking to her and I feel as if she is one of my closest dearest friends instantly. I have met many moms through the Marineparents web site and I can't wait to finally meet them in person at the big homecoming. My son emailed today and their departure from that most dangerous place in Afghanistan is immenent....I can't wait. He has been in the most remote, dangerous place in Southern Afghanistan. As he said in his letter in boot camp, "I was born to be a grunt, I wouldn't change it for the world." I know he has been doing what he loves, I know he wouldn't have wanted to be sitting around at some base. He has gone for weeks without even a bath or change of clothes...he has been through the most hellish conditions...trudging through knee deep mud, freezing up in the mountains and snow of Afghanistan, being stranded in a blown up humvee, being caught on foot patrol in blinding sand storms, but I know he is a Marine, it's what he's trained for, it's what he was meant to do. I am so proud, my son has grown up to be my hero.
Semper Fi
Wrote by the mother of
LCpl Shane Wilder, Afghanistan
Photo images
Shane on top of Mt Olympus, Afghanistan
LCpl Shane Wilder, Afghanistan
LCpl Shane Wilder, Afghanistan
LCpl Shane Wilder and LCpl Blaise Oleski
....R.I.P Blaise...gone but not forgotten.
LCpl Shane Wilder and LCpl Blaise Oleski
....R.I.P Blaise...gone but not forgotten.
There were 118.82 million U.S. military billets during 1950-2000 (with "billet" defined as one ... Date posted: June 16, 2008
Global U.S. Troop Deployment, 1950-2005
Tim Kane
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
May 24, 2006
Abstract:
This report provides and analyzes the first comprehensive time series data on U.S. troop deployments by year and country, from 1950 to 2005, including the full dataset. On average, 23 percent of all U.S. servicemen were stationed on foreign soil during 1950-2005. Roughly 386,000 troops were stationed overseas in 2005 compared to an average of 535,540 during 1950-2000. Deployments have ranged from a high of 1,082,777 troops in 1968 to a low of 206,002 in 1999. There were 118.82 million U.S. military billets during 1950-2000 (with "billet" defined as one serviceman for one year). Of that total, 27.3 million billets were overseas assignments. Since 1950, 54 countries have hosted at least 1,000 American troops.
The soldiers that fight for us
If you are a surviving family member of an American soldier killed in action,
the first check you get is a $6,000 direct death benefit, half of which is taxable.
Next, you get $1,750 for burial costs. If you are the surviving spouse, you get
$833 a month until you remarry. And there's a payment of $211 per month for each child under 18. When the child hits 18, those payments come to a
screeching halt.
Soldiers put themselves in harms way FOR ALL OF US, and they and their families know the dangers. (Actually, soldiers are put in harms way by politicians and commanding
officers.)
. Every time a pay raise comes up for the military, they usually receive next to
nothing of a raise... Now the green machine is in combat in the Middle East while their families have to survive on food stamps and live in lo w-rent housing.?Make sense?
However, our own US Congress voted themselves a raise. Many of you don't know that they only have to be in Congress one time to receive a pension that is more than $15,000 per month. And most are now equal to being millionaires plus. They do not receive Social Security on retirement because they didn't have to pay into the system. If some of the military people stay in for 20 years and get out as an
E-7, they may receive a pension of $1,000 per month, and the very people who
placed them in harm's way receives a pension of $15,000 per month.
I would like to see our elected officials pick up a weapon and join ranks before they start cutting out benefits and lowering pay for our sons and daughters who are now fighting.
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.
The Sands of Christmas
I had no Christmas spirit when I breathed a weary sigh,
and looked across the table where the bills were piled too high.
The laundry wasn't finished and the car I had to fix,
My stocks were down another point, the Dolphins lost by six.
And so with only minutes till my son got home from school
I gave up on the drudgery and grabbed a wooden stool.
The burdens that I carried were about all I could take,
and so I flipped the TV on to catch a little break.
I came upon a desert scene in shades of tan and rust,
No snowflakes hung upon the wind, just clouds of swirling dust.
And where the reindeer should have stood before a laden sleigh,
eight hummers ran a column right behind an M1A.
A group of boys walked past the tank, not one was past his teens,
Their eyes were hard as polished flint, their faces drawn and lean.
They walked the street in armor with their rifles shouldered tight,
their dearest wish for Christmas, just to have a silent night.
Other soldiers gathered, hunkered down against the wind,
To share a scrap of mail and dreams of going home again.
There wasn't much at all to put their lonely hearts at ease,
They had no Christmas turkey, just a pack of MREs.
They didn't have a garland or a stocking I could see,
They didn't need an ornament-- they lacked a Christmas Tree.
They didn't have a present even though it was tradition,
the only boxes I could see were labeled "ammunition."
I felt a little tug and found my son now by my side,
He asked me what it was I feared, and why it was I cried.
I swept him up into my arms and held him oh so near
and kissed him on the forehead as I whispered in his ear.
There is nothing wrong my little son, for safe we sleep tonight,
our heroes stand on foreign land to give us all the right,
to worry on the things in life that mean nothing at all,
instead of wondering if we will be the next to fall.
He looked at me as children do and said its always right,
to thank the ones who help us and perhaps that we should write.
And so we pushed aside the bills and sat to draft a note,
to thank the many far from home, and this is what we wrote:
God Bless You all and keep you safe, and speed your way back home.
Remember that we love you so, and that you�re not alone.
The gift you give you share with all, a present every day,
You give the gift of liberty and that we can�t repay.
� Dec. 2003 - Michael Marks
"...this is an open and grateful tribute to the men and women
who serve every day to keep our nation safe."
Captain Kangaroo passed away on January 23, 2004 as age 76, which is odd, because he always looked to be 76. (DOB: 6/27/27) His death reminds us of the following story:
Some people have been a bit offended that the actor, Lee Marvin, is buried in a grave alongside 3- and 4-star generals at Arlington National Cemetery . His marker gives his name, rank (PVT) and service (USMC). Nothing else. Here's a guy who was only a famous movie star who served his time, why the heck does he rate burial with these guys? Well, following is the amazing answer:
I always liked Lee Marvin, but didn't know the extent of his Corps experiences.
In a time when many Hollywood stars served their country in the armed forces often in rear echelon posts where they were carefully protected, only to be trotted out to perform for the cameras in war bond promotions, Lee Marvin was a genuine hero. He won the Navy Cross at Iwo Jima . There is only one higher Naval award... the Medal Of Honor!
To show the humility of the man, he credits his sergeant with an even greater show of bravery.
If that is a surprising comment on his true character, here is dialog from "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson": His guest was Lee Marvin. Johnny said, "Lee, I'll bet a lot of people are unaware that you were a Marine in the initial landing at Iwo Jima ...and that during the course of that action you earned the Navy Cross and were severely wounded."
"Yeah, yeah... I got shot square in the bottom and they gave me the Cross for securing a hot spot about halfway up Suribachi. Bad thing about getting shot up on a mountain is guys getting' shot hauling you down. But, Johnny, at Iwo I served under the bravest man I ever knew... We both got the Cross the same day, but what he did for his Cross made mine look cheap in comparison. That dumb guy actually stood up on Red beach and directed his troops to move forward and get the hell off the beach. Bullets flying by, with mortar rounds landing everywhere and he stood there as the main target of gunfire so that he could get his men to safety. He did this on more than one occasion because his men's safety was more important than his own life.
That Sergeant and I have been lifelong friends. When they brought me off Suribachi we passed the Sergeant and he lit a smoke and passed it to me, lying on my belly on the litter and said, "Where'd they get you Lee?" "Well Bob... if you make it home before me, tell Mom to sell the outhouse!"
Johnny, I'm not lying, Sergeant Keeshan was the bravest man I ever knew. The Sergeant's name is Bob Keeshan. You and the world know him as Captain Kangaroo."
On another note, there was this wimpy little man (who just passed away) on PBS, gentle and quiet. Mr. Rogers is another of those you would least suspect of being anything but what he now portrays to our youth. But Mr. Rogers was a U.S. Navy Seal, combat-proven in Vietnam with over twenty-five confirmed kills to his name. He wore a long-sleeved sweater on TV, to cover the many tattoos on his forearm and biceps. He was a master in small arms and hand-to-hand combat, able to disarm or kill in a heartbeat
After the war Mr. Rogers became an ordained Presbyterian minister and therefore a pacifist. Vowing to never harm another human and also dedicating the rest of his life to trying to help lead children on the right path in life. He hid away the tattoos and his past life and won our hearts with his quiet wit and charm.
America's real heroes don't flaunt what they did; they quietly go about their day-to-day lives, doing what they do best they earned our respect and the freedoms that we all enjoy.
Look around and see if you can find one of those heroes in your midst.
Often, they are the ones you'd least suspect, but would most like to have on your side if anything ever happened
Take the time to thank anyone that has fought for our freedom. With encouragement they could be the next Captain Kangaroo or Mr. Rogers
DEFINITION OF A VETERAN
A Veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard or reserve is
someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to
"The United States of America", for an amount of "up to and
Including my life."
That is honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no
longer understand it.
It is the
VETERAN,
not the preacher,
who has given us freedom of religion.
It is
the VETERAN,
not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.
It is
the VETERAN,
not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.
It is
the VETERAN,
not the campus organizer,
who has given us freedom to assemble.
It is
the VETERAN,
not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is
the VETERAN,
not the politician,
Who has given us the right to vote.
It is the
VETERAN who
salutes the Flag,
It is
the
VETERAN
who serves
under the Flag,
Prayers for our fallen heroes
and veterans who have passed away
ETERNAL
REST GRANT THEM O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON
THEM.
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