Arlington: "Sacred ground"

"This is what it costs to keep us free..."

They are the chosen ones, may they rest in peace.

Some Gave All: Cpl. Brian Pinksen

Corporal Brian Pinksen

Mon, 30/08/2010 - 3:08pm

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - A Canadian soldier who sustained serious injuries in an IED blast last week while on patrol in Afghanistan died Monday at a hospital in Germany with family members at his bedside, military officials say.

Cpl. Brian Pinksen, a reservist with 2nd Battalion of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, was wounded on a patrol in the Panjwaii district of Kandahar on Aug. 22.

Pinksen was wounded along with another soldier, whose name was not released, while patrolling near the village of Nakhonay, about 15 kilometres west of Kandahar city.

That soldier, who was serving with 1st Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment battle group, was on foot just a few hundred metres from the gate of a nearby operating post on a route traversed daily by Canadian and Afghan soldiers.

A Department of National Defence statement said Pinksen was treated by medics at the scene, and then evacuated to the military hospital at Kandahar Airfield, then later to a military hospital at Ramstein military base in Landstuhl, Germany, where he died from his wounds.

No other details were released. A Defence Department source said Pinksen's family members were at his bedside when he died.

Military officials offered condolences to Pinksen's family.

"We will not forget Cpl. Pinksen's sacrifice as we continue to bring security and hope to the people of Kandahar province," the military said in a statement.

Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean also added her voice to the chorus of those expressing grief.

"This tragedy is a painful reminder of the risks and dangers that soldiers deployed to this turbulent region face on a daily basis," she said. "Cpl. Brian Pinksen's comrades-in-arms will continue and complete this difficult mission with the same conviction and generous spirit we have always known them to have.".. .

[...]

Heartfelt expressions of condolence quickly began to appear Monday on a Facebook dedicated to Picksen's memory, as well as on the soldier's own personal page.

"You will always be in our hearts ... a true soldier," one well-wisher wrote.

"Can't believe that another great person is gone out of our lives," wrote another. "Brian, you were an amazing guy and you will be missed. This war needs to end now!"

Pinksen did an interview in February 2009 with the Corner Brook Western Star newspaper, expressing his desire to go overseas to Afghanistan and to become a member of the army's regular force — perhaps as an infantryman.

"Infantry's the backbone of the army," he said. "Without the infantry, you're nothing. I like the ground-pounding aspect, no matter where you go. No matter what the environment or the weather's like, we go." .(here)

Prime Minister Stephen Harper:

Canadians are grateful for Pinksen's service.

“Corporal Pinksen served Canada valiantly, and deserves the gratitude and respect of his nation,” ...

From someone who knows Cpl Pinksen very well:

Soldier 'always strong,' says childhood friend

By Laura Payton, QMI Agency

Cpl. Brian Pinksen died of battle wounds he received from an
IED explosion during a foot patrol in Afghanistan on Aug. 22.
(FACEBOOK/HO)

OTTAWA – Cpl. Brian Pinksen was always strong, though he sometimes confided he was scared about going into the dangerous Panjwaii district in Afghanistan, says a childhood friend.

Pinksen, 21, was hurt in a bomb attack while on foot patrol in Afghanistan Aug. 22.

He died in hospital in Germany Monday. His mother Debbie and girlfriend Natasha were with him.

Ryan King, 19, who grew up in the same Corner Brook, N.L., neighbourhood as Pinksen, said it would be hard to go to Afghanistan without being scared, but Pinksen knew he had to keep his cool.

“He was always strong. No matter what Brian did, he was strong about it,” said King, describing his friend as a “machine” - strong and athletic.

King's father, Dave, said even though Pinksen was muscular, he was never arrogant. Dave King describes his son as a good kid trying to help people who don't seem to want peace.

“He was down to earth and he treated everybody the way people deserve to be treated,” he said. He loved what he did. There's no question about that.”(more here)

Among the members of the Second Battalion of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment heading to Afghanistan in the next rotation of troops are, from left, Cpl. Justin Eddison, Cpl. Brian Pinksen, Cpl. Adam Paul and Master Cpl. Chris Mahoney. Submitted photo (From an article last April here)

Online condolence book

Cpl. Pinksen's family:

He was flown to the U.S. military's Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany for treatment but died at a hospital there Monday after his heart failed.

Pinksen's mother and girlfriend flew to Germany to be with him while he received treatment.

"His family members and his brothers wrote a letter and we sent it with his mom and they read it to him when he was awake over there so we have some closure to know that he heard our feelings toward him," Pinksen's uncle, Kerry Pittman, said Monday.

Pittman said the family is devastated by the news that the young soldier didn't survive.

"I was very shocked because we felt like he may have had a chance to get home," said Pittman.

He said his nephew loved the military and was eager to go to Afghanistan.

"He had such a passion for what he was doing that this is what he wanted to do for himself and for his country. For me, he was a role model for my kids," said Pittman....(CBC here)

My prayers, with gratitude and respect, are with all who love Cpl Pinksen.

Rest in Peace, Corporal.

"In the arms of the angels, may you find some comfort there..."

ALWAYS remembered and honoured.

Some Gave All: SSgt James Ide V

The military K9 community is in mourning today, as word of a fallen hero becomes public.

News report: here

DeSoto, Mo (KSDK)-- A local soldier has died in Afghanistan. Staff Sgt. James Ide, V was one of the seven U.S. troops killed in weekend attacks.

His family got the news Sunday morning.

James Ide joined the Army immediately after graduating from DeSoto High School. And 13-years later, his family says he still loved what he did.

Ide served in Korea, and two tours in Iraq before his current posting in Afghanistan. He was a canine handler working with Daphne, a bomb sniffing dog, often in the most dangerous situations.

His family knows few details about what happened, only that he apparently died Saturday from a gunshot to the head and that there will be an investigation.

His wife Mandy and two small children are currently in Germany. Loved ones describe Jimmy Ide as an outgoing person, dedicated to his family and his faith.

Ide was 32-years old. His family says he would have headed home in October. Now, they're planning his funeral at Jefferson Barracks. (here)

"...Angels sing 'Amazing Grace'..."


Chuck is one of the K9 troops who is grieving this huge loss today. On his FaceBook page he has this:

Chuck Shuck This song reminds me of Jimmy..........Hearts are hurting throughout the K9 world tonight and I am not sure if this wound will heal

Another FB comment:

In the short time i knew Jimmy, SSG Ide his amazing smile and gentle spirit touched my heart,,, I feel truly blessed by god to have known Jimmy... He will be missed !! Jimmy was an amazing man, he loved his country, his family and God.

And another:

Please pray for the Ide family. I lost an old comrade today in Afghanistan and he left behind a very young and beautiful family. God bless you, SSG Jimmy Ide. The Army just lost one of it's finest leaders and dog handlers. I wish I was able to tell you what a great guy Jimmy was. Words don't describe it well enough. You won't be forgotten.

My heart, filled with sorrow and gratitude, is with all who love this hero.

Rest In Peace, SSgt Ide. Your work here is done now.

[Added: SSgt James Ide V was laid to final rest September 11. The Patriot Guard Riders were there, and they produced this video. Shared with permission:

JBHARLEYGUY | September 12, 2010

A video photo collage of the entire Patriot Guard mission for Sgt. Ide. Some pictures are mine and some are from other Patriot Guard members. (here)

Every Day Heroes

Meet the Leather brothers:

Soldier under fire in Afghanistan has SOS call answered by brother

August 20, 2010

Brothers Lance Corporal James Leather and Lance Corporal Michael Leather

As enemy fire rained down from the Taliban, Michael Leather made a frantic radio plea for help – and was amazed to hear his brother answer the call.

Brother Jimmy directed the Ridgeback armoured vehicle he was in straight to the firefight, on the border of the Sangin and Musa Qala areas of Helmand province in Afghanistan.

Jimmy, 28, said:

[...]

“We were meant to be driving straight to the patrol base and waiting there ahead of an operation, but when I heard that they were under contact I flagged it up, and the others went ‘right, let’s go’.

“As soon as we pulled up in the Ridgebacks the fighting died down and they were able to come back to base.”

Less than 24 hours later, the brothers, who had not seen each other for eight weeks, combined again to face the Taliban. ... (more here.)

And in another article from the MoD:

Brothers battle Taliban to uncover IED factory

A Military Operations news article

27 Aug 10

Two brothers who recently fought alongside each other in Afghanistan and helped uncover an IED factory during a fierce firefight are keen to go back to the front line.

Soldiers from 2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment on patrol in Afghanistan (stock image) [Picture: SSgt Mark Jones, Crown Copyright/MOD 2010]

Lance Corporal Jimmy Leather, aged 28, and Lance Corporal Michael Leather, aged 22, both from 2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (2 LANCS), were recently serving together, along with Michael's brother-in-law Paul (married to Michael's twin sister Victoria), in Musa Qal'ah, on the border with Sangin.

The brothers, who hail from Stretford, Manchester, have previously served in Iraq together and know what it's like to fight side-by-side, as Jimmy explains:

"With fighting for your brother, and fighting with your brother, your family protective instincts kick in straight away and you want to be there. It was the same when we were in Iraq on TELIC 9 together. It just spurs you up even more."

These instincts were in evidence when Jimmy was making his way back to the patrol base in his Ridgback and he heard Michael's call sign over the radio saying they were under enemy fire:

"We had gone out on a little reassure patrol and got hammered," explained Michael.

For Jimmy, the response was immediate:

"We were meant to be driving straight to the patrol base but when I heard that they were under contact I flagged it up, and the others went, 'right, let's go'.

"As soon as we pulled up in the Ridgbacks the fighting died down and they were able to come back to base."

Despite the close call, the next day the brothers went out on a planned operation to move into a town being used to transport IEDs from Musa Qal'ah to Sangin. Michael said:

"I was in charge of one of the lead assault groups to go down to take the rogue town."

Jimmy was one of those providing support from the formidable Ridgback vehicle - a role he took on to enable him to stay in Afghanistan and continue serving alongside his brother and brother-in-law after a back injury he sustained in Iraq started to give him trouble again when he was out on foot patrol:

Lance Corporals Jimmy and Michael Leather from 2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment
[Picture: Crown Copyright/MOD 2010]

"After one or two hours my team came under constant RPG [rocket-propelled grenade] fire," continued Michael. "We knew we were going to get contacted, but we went around the rear of the village and found the insurgents' dug-in positions. They weren't expecting us.

"I moved my team onto the higher ground, but as soon as we got there we came under RPG and heavy machine gun fire. There were only four of us, so we moved down the hill with the RPGs firing on us to a ditch where we waited until we could get back up...

You just know there is more about these incredible brothers. Go here to read the rest.

Thank you both for your service, Lance Corporals Leather.

Music and Me

Restoring Honor Rally: The American dream still lives

Today in Washington DC, honour is much on display, and I believe that Martin Luther King Jr is looking on, proud of all the patriots.

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. ..

Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline....

You can find the full transcript of MLK Jr's speech here.

Today, there is an absolute urgency to the history of the United States of America. Today, citizens from across that great land gather together to reaffirm their belief in all that is GREAT about the United States of America. You can watch it live here.

And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,

From every mountainside, let freedom ring!

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. (here)

America IS at a crossroads.

Wake up America. Take your country back.


"I gladly stand up next to you......God bless the USA."

[Addendum:

Courtesy of Flag Gazer.lol Found this :



Beautiful.

Send the troops a letter today!

via BlackFive:

Here's your chance to send the troops a letter of thanks and encouragement and you can donate your Zac Brown Band CD to the troops as well. You can hit this link and post this widget on your blog, FB or Twitter:

http://www.call2action.com/widget/w251/index.html

Spread the word!

Wednesday Hero

Wednesday Hero has never issued a warning before but I felt it necessary for this one. This post contains graphic descriptions of torture and brutality that some may find it difficult to read.



This weeks Wednesday Hero is dedicated to thousands of men who lost their lives in April of 1942 in what has become known as the Bataan Death March.

On April 9, 1942 Major General Edward P. King, Jr. surrendered 75,000+ men (Filipinos, Chinese Filipinos, and Americans) who had been fighting the Japanese since January of that year when they launched a full scale invasion of The Philippines. They were starving and wracked with disease. Upon their surrender the men were robbed of their possessions and forced into a 61 mile, 5-12 day, march to Camp O'Donnell. Along the way men were brutally beaten, starved of food and water, some had their throats cut, some were beheaded, some died to disease or exposure or untreated wounds and others were simply executed. In all the death tally is unknown but it's estimated that between 6,000 to as many as 20,000 men didn't survive the march.

Maj. Richard Gordon: "I didn't come down with a surrender group. They caught me actually two days after the surrender took place. First thing I did was receive a good beating. And everything I had in my wallet, in my pockets was taken from me. And as I was marched down that road, where they captured me, I passed my battalion commander, Major James Ivy, and he had been tied to a tree and he was stripped to the waist and he was just covered with bayonet holes. He was dead obviously. And he had bled profusely. He had been bayonetted by many, many bayonets. And that's when I knew we had some troubles on our hands. We were in for deep trouble. And they brought us down into a staging area and put me in with the rest of the thousands that were assembled on the side of the road, and that's where I spent my first night."

Here's a great link with more information and interviews with survivors.

The sacrifice and Hell that these men went through will not be forgotten. I don't know about anyone else, but I never learned about this while in school. If your children aren't being taught this piece of history make sure that you do it for them. These men must be remembered and honored.



These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Sergeant Michael Stokely: Duty. Honor. Country.

BlackFive has up a MUST READ post about a special hero and his family of heroes.:

Duty. Honor. Country. - In an air cargo hanger five years ago....

Posted By Blackfive • [August 24, 2010]

The hour of 1700 24 Aug eastern daylight time has now come and gone, and all afternoon I watched the clock as I worked. It has now been five years since I stood in an open doorway at an air cargo hanger for US Airways at Atlanta Hartsfield Airport and watched as an Escort Sergeant and the Casualty Assistance Officer uncrated Mike's Casket and drape the American Flag over him, neatly cornering it out and not accepting anything less than perfection. I stood there, large tears dripping down my cheeks onto my coat, tie and dress shirt, trying to give a proper salute to Mike, an untrained civilian whose hand trembled against my forehead, my chest aching pain of a grieving heart. An office full of workers whose day was like any other suddenly realized what was happening and froze and stared. They were to say the least, aghast having been caught by surprise at the moment. As the Escort Sergeant and CAO satisfied themselves Mike's Flag was properly draped, they turned and looked at me, nodding with approval and I released my salute as they slid his Flag Draped Casket into the waiting hearse. I walked outside needing fresh air, but more importantly to call my wife Retta, as I had come alone. As she answered the phone I simply said "Our Boy is Home"...

Go over to B5 here, and read the rest of this column written by Robert Stokely, Mike's dad.

ALWAYS remember and honour.

Northern Ireland part deux?

No comment.

Islam is NO religion of peace!

Yes, I have written on this before. Today, though, a video came to me that lays out facts - in very simple terms - which explain why Islam can NEVER be considered a 'religion of peace. .' No matter how many times I hear the slurs of racist, Islamophobe, etc etc ad nauseum, the ugly, violent truth about Islam is too obvious, too well documented, to be ignored by any of us 'infidels.' Take a look:

A group calling themselves "White Roses" created this video to inform non-Muslims about Islam. The name of this video is Three Things About Islam.White Roses is headquartered in Sweden. This first version is in English.

The name "White Roses" is based on a student resistance group ( die Weiße Rose) in Nazi Germany. The group became known for an anonymous leaflet campaign, from June 1942 until February 1943, which called for active opposition to Adolf Hitler's regime.

(Wiki has a good synopsis - here - of this group, which is well worth reading. You can also check out the links, including an online Qu'ran, on the YouTube posting of this video here. )

[H/T my pal Mike for sending me that video.]

My long time readers may remember a column I wrote over on Tanker Bros a couple of years ago. Obviously, that was post-9/11, the most heinous atrocity on this continent by Islamic terrorists thus far. However, the litany of murder and mayhem proudly claimed by these practitioners of the 'religion of peace' leaves no doubt - for me, at least - that Islam is an ideology of global terrorism. Plain and simple.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Jihad 101

WARNING: Some of the images on the videos presented here will cause your children (or YOU!) to have nightmares!


Let's talk about Muslims and Jihad today, shall we? This last week I have come across all sorts of information on what exactly will happen to all of us if we do not stay the course and WIN this Global War on Terror. Yes! TERROR! Candid confession: there are many days when I would love to pull the covers over my head and wait for this all to be over. Really, as the extent of the intentions of those who wage war on us all becomes clear, I really almost go into brain freeze at the enormity of the threat. But, the consequences of any of us doing that are so dire, that I know none of us can afford to ignore what is right in front of our noses. Suuuuuuuure, the Pelosi and Reid camps would have all us believe that if we have little "chats" with our muslim neighbours, the world will be at peace. Uhuh... Whateverrrrrrrrrrrr...

Exhibit 1:





That is from Rob and Darby over at Patriotic Thunder. Pretty graphic huh? Well, it is not pretty, and it is not nearly as graphic as some of the stuff I have just seen. Patriotic Thunder has been spreading the word for quite some time now, and no matter what, they will go down fighting. Go over there and start reading. Here is a great place to start!


[In the original Tanker Bros post, I then posted a video that I call a 'Jihad primer.' Apparently YouTube decided to censor a very informative video on the basics of Islam, and it has been removed. Never mind. Read on]:


Exhibit 2:

"It is the individual duty for every Muslim to kill Americans and their allies - civilian and military." Osama Bin Laden - 1998

"Allah will destroy Israel". Protest placard.

"The goal of Jihad is world domination."

"Europe is the cancer. Islam is the answer."

Did I make those up? No, if you are at all awake, you KNOW I did not. These are actual quotes in a media presentation from the Terrorism Awareness Project. Yes, this presentation IS graphic, but if you even have a scintilla of doubt as to the intentions of the muslim extremists, you have to go here.

At that link, you will see every quote I just gave - and many more - plus documented, pictorial evidence of some of the places that jihad has already been waged with devastating effect.

Some of the terrorist acts, not in chronological order:
Beirut
Kuwait
Frankfurt
Achille Lauro
Malta
Riyadh
USS Cole
Phillipines
Tanzania
London
TWA 840
Buenos Aires

In all, twenty eight incidents are highlighted on a map. In this media presentation called "What Every American needs to know about Jihad" - all of 4 minutes long btw - is undeniable evidence that this war IS global. You doubt that? Again:

"The goal of jihad is world domination."

By now, we all know that for a large percentage of the American population (the ignoramuses), there is nothing global about this war, because THEY are still going to the mall, as our troops wage war in a sandbox far, far away. A lot of Americans do not feel the direct impact of 9/11; a lot of Brits do not feel the impact of what happened in the London tubes that terrible day. A new slant on the NIMBY phenomenon. BUT, as this video clearly shows, jihad IS in all our back yards. Seventeen terrorist suspects arrested in Toronto a while back, and let's not forget the terrorist activities in Glasgow. Just this week, New Zealand police got in on the act:

I do have much more on Jihad 101, and you can find my column here at Tanker Bros.

Pat Condell has a few thoughts on the political correctness about Islam that will get us all killed.




"...Resisting Islam is not irrational. Pandering to it, IS irrational..."

Well said! WAKE UP!

Vicar of Baghdad

(British Forces News)

More here, and here on this interesting man.

Canon White is the so-called Vicar of Baghdad. Though nominally he resides in rural Hampshire, his church, St George's, is situated 3,000 miles away, amid the razor wire and bombed-out buildings of Iraq's capital. He spends an average three days a month with his wife and two young sons in the UK; the rest of the time, he is at his home away from home, a Portakabin inside Baghdad's heavily fortified green zone - the six square miles that houses all foreign, military and diplomatic staff in what remains the world's most dangerous city. (here)

Thank you for your work, Vicar.

Music and Me

I would dance with David Bowie any time, anywhere. Just sayin'....In the meantime: Let's Dance! Yes, I mean YOU!

NASA: Super volcano in M87

Massive Attack

This image shows the eruption of a galactic “super-volcano” in the massive galaxy M87, as witnessed by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and NSF's Very Large Array (VLA). At a distance of about 50 million light years, M87 is relatively close to Earth and lies at the center of the Virgo cluster, which contains thousands of galaxies.

The cluster surrounding M87 is filled with hot gas glowing in X-ray light (and shown in blue) that is detected by Chandra. As this gas cools, it can fall toward the galaxy's center where it should continue to cool even faster and form new stars.

However, radio observations with the VLA (red) suggest that in M87 jets of very energetic particles produced by the black hole interrupt this process. These jets lift up the relatively cool gas near the center of the galaxy and produce shock waves in the galaxy's atmosphere because of their supersonic speed. The interaction of this cosmic “eruption” with the galaxy's environment is very similar to that of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland that occurred in 2010. With Eyjafjallajokull, pockets of hot gas blasted through the surface of the lava, generating shock waves that can be seen passing through the grey smoke of the volcano. This hot gas then rises up in the atmosphere, dragging the dark ash with it. This process can be seen in a movie of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano where the shock waves propagating in the smoke are followed by the rise of dark ash clouds into the atmosphere.

In the analogy with Eyjafjallajokull, the energetic particles produced in the vicinity of the black hole rise through the X-ray emitting atmosphere of the cluster, lifting up the coolest gas near the center of M87 in their wake. This is similar to the hot volcanic gases drag up the clouds of dark ash. And just like the volcano here on Earth, shockwaves can be seen when the black hole pumps energetic particles into the cluster gas.

Image Credits: X-ray: NASA/CXC/KIPAC/N. Werner et al Radio: NSF/NRAO/AUI/W. Cotton (NASA)

"Never was so much owed by so many to so few..."

Battle of Britain: Churchill's 'few' remembered

By Channel 4 News

Updated on 20 August 2010

As a ceremony marks 70 years since Winston Churchill famously spoke of the "few" fighting for the Battle of Britain, historian Richard Overy tells Channel 4 News the words captured the spirit of the nation.

The 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain will be marked today by a reading of the speech and a flypast outside the Churchill War Rooms in central London.

Churchill's stirring "so much owed by so many to so few" address will be read at 3.52pm - exactly 70 years after the wartime prime minister delivered it in parliament.

[...]

More than 2,900 British, Commonwealth and Allied aircrew took part and successfully fought off the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain which began on July 10 1940 and ended on October 31 that year. The triumph helped wreck Hitler's plans to invade Britain and is believed to have laid the foundations for Allied victory five years later.

In a speech on 20 August 1940, Churchill told MPs: "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."

Author and historian Prof Richard Overy told Channel 4 News that the Churchill's phrase encapsulated the "myth of the battle" which still resonates today.

"At the time Churchill didn’t expect the impact [of the words] at all," he said.

"The phrase caught the imagination and immediately people took it up as a way of describing a David v Goliath view of RAF fighter command.

"I think really people were looking for language to describe how they saw the battle and these few lines somehow captured that spirit."..

(More very interesting info on Channel4 here)

More background: here and here.

Dame Vera Lynn, whose songs did so much to lift the morale of Britons during the war, was also at the event.

She said of Churchill's speech: "He was talking about a collection of very brave chaps and we are all grateful and thankful that we had them at the time.

"It's right and proper that we should always remember them. They were a few but they did a fantastic, big job." (here)[emphasis mine]

And speaking of Vera Lynn?

ALWAYS remembered and honoured.....

US troops coming HOME!

08/17/2010 - U.S. Army Stryker armored vehicles from the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division prepare to take on fuel in Iraq Aug. 17, 2010, prior to heading out on a two-day mission to exit Iraq through Kuwait. It is the same way American troops entered the country nearly seven years ago. (DoD photo by Pfc. Kimberly Hackbarth, U.S. Army/Released)

HOOOAH!

Update:

Courtesy of Tribute to our Soldiers on FaceBook:

Video interview with Spc. Luis Salazar, a Gainesville, Florida resident who was in high school in 2003 when the Brigade went to Iraq, and since joining is now part of the Brigade when it is the last Combat Unit to leave Iraq. Spc. Salazar talks about his deployment and feelings on leaving Iraq.

Thank you ALL for your service in this Global War on Terror..

Support our troops

What do YOU do to support our troops?

Go Rudy! NO mosque at Ground Zero

Courtesy msnbc.

"...Are you really what you pretend to be...?

NEVER forget

"A commercial Budweiser produced to commemorate 9/11. It was only aired once so as not to benefit financially from it."

This is dedicated to all the men and women who have fought and continue to fight for our freedoms. Thank you!!!

Dedicated to the 4th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division~~COMING HOME~~THANK YOU!!! ♥

(h/T My twin.....lol)




ALWAYS remembered and honoured.

Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Post Was Suggested By Mike Golch

Sgt. David "Mad Dog" Dolby
May 14, 1946 – August 6, 2010


Mike has posted a piece on his blog about the Medal Of Honor awarded Sgt. Dolby which is a big help to me.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Music and Me

When you're weary
Feeling small
When tears are in your eyes
I will dry them all...


When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you

I'll take your part
When darkness comes
And pain is all around
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down ...

Unanswered Prayers

"Just because he may not answer doesn't mean He don't care.....

I guess the good Lord knows what He's doing after all..."

YES! I so know this...:)

9/11 Families Respond to BHO support for Ground Zero Mosque

BHO last night came out strongly in support of a mosque at Ground Zero, and made a statement from the White House, the people's house. This despite Robert Gibbs previously sticking to the line that the administration does not get involved in 'local issues.'

I am speechless at the gall, but the 9/11 families are not. Their press release this morning:

August 14, 2010

Debra Burlingame: 9/11 Families Stunned by President’s Support of Mosque at Ground Zero

by Tim Sumner @ 8:29 am. Filed under 9/11, Barack Obama, Debra Burlingame, Ground Zero, Shariah, mosque

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
9/11 Families for a Safe & Strong America
Statement of Debra Burlingame, Co-founder of 9/11 Families for a Safe & Strong America, in Response to President Obama’s Remarks about the Ground Zero Mosque

911 Families Stunned Presidents Support of Mosque at Ground Zero

New York, NY, Aug. 14 — Barack Obama has abandoned America at the place where America’s heart was broken nine years ago, and where her true values were on display for all to see. Since that dark day, Americans have been asked to bear the burden of defending those values, again and again and again. Now this president declares that the victims of 9/11 and their families must bear another burden. We must stand silent at the last place in America where 9/11 is still remembered with reverence or risk being called religious bigots.

Muslims have worshipped in New York without incident both before and after the attacks of 9/11. This controversy is not about religious freedom. 9/11 was more than a “deeply traumatic event,” it was an act of war. Building a 15-story mosque at Ground Zero is a deliberately provocative act that will precipitate more bloodshed in the name of Allah. Those who continue to target and kill American civilians and U.S. troops will see it as a symbol of their historic progress at the site of their most bloody victory. Demolishing a building that was damaged by wreckage from one of the hijacked planes in order to build a mosque and Islamic Center will further energize those who regard it as a ratification of their violent and divinely ordered mission: the spread of shariah law and its subjugation of all free people, including secular Muslims who come to this country fleeing that medieval ideology, which destroys lives and crushes the human spirit.

We are stunned by the president’s willingness to disregard what Americans should be proud of: our enduring generosity to others on 9/11–a day when human decency triumphed over human depravity. On that day, when 3,000 of our fellow human beings were killed in barbaric act of raw religious intolerance unlike this country had ever seen, Americans did not turn outward with hatred or violence, we turned to each other, armed with nothing more than American flags and countless acts of kindness. In a breathtakingly inappropriate setting, the president has chosen to declare our memories of 9/11 obsolete and the sanctity of Ground Zero finished. No one who has lived this history and felt the sting of our country’s loss that day can truly believe that putting our families through more wrenching heartache can be an act of peace.

We will honor the memory of our loved ones. We will protect our children, whose lives will never be the same. We will not stand silent.

There is really nothing I can add to this which you can find here.

Like many, I am stunned by this latest pronouncement of BHO, and yes, I WILL have more to say on this - later. I also will not stand silent.

BRB...soon!.

Honest...:)

Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Post Was Suggested By Greta

This weeks post is a little different from the norm. It's honoring the 13 Men and Women who were awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal. People like George J. Weiss Jr. A World War II veteran who has made it his mission to provide military honors to deceased veterans at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis. And Susan Retik who, after she lost her husband on September 11, 2001, started an organization called Beyond the 11th to help women in Afghanistan. And the person Greta wanted to honor. MaryAnn Phillips of Soldiers' Angels Germany who has made it her mission to help wounded service Men and Woman medevaced to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. You can read about MaryAnn Phillips's nomination here.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

John McNamara: 9/11 Firefighter

Today marks the one year anniversary of John McNamara, 9/11 Firefighter HERO, succumbing to the cancer he got as a direct result of his service to his country on 9/11. I found the following video - made last year - on FB, and have to share it here.



This video is shared with permission of Anthony Emanuele, who created a page on FaceBook that says:

The purpose of this page is to show support for 9/11 Responders by gathering voices in passing Bill HR-847. We ask that concerned citizens and even those from other nations join us in lobbying to gain the attention of politicians who are in a position to recognize our plight. We need voices to speak out for the ones we lost and those that will be gone....

[...]

We need voices to speak out for the ones we lost and those that will be gone.

As a Responder myself, many of my friends died on 9/11 and more are sick or have died since. Many have suffered due to medical expenses, inadequate insurance or denials of medical coverage. As well, many First Responders’ families have suffered due to not only illness and deaths related to 9/11, but the added financial stress caused by lack of adequate coverage during their most difficult times. Some have even lost their homes due to medical costs and inadequate benefits.

The passing of Bill HR-847 will allow these Responders, their spouses and children, to focus on their medical needs without added fear and stress for their financial survival.

I myself was outraged when President Obama did a 180 on the 9/11 health bill.

PLEASE – WE MUST BE HEARD ON THIS ISSUE. Call and be nice - like the decent people we are - but be strong and let DC know... we were here when all HELL BROKE OUT - NOW PLEASE BE HERE FOR US!!!

Let’s get Bill HR-847 is passed before someone else dies thinking his or her country let them down.

Go and read more about this group and their mission on FB, here. The title of that group on FB is:

Tell Obama to help sick and dying 9-11 responders, by Anthony Emanuele

Their mission, simply put, is to ensure that every first responder who served on 9/11, has the health care services WE OWE every single one of those heroes who selflessly ran to help their fellow Americans on that terrible day.

From the little research I have done on this, it appears that the politicians, as always, are dragging their heels, playing politics. As they do that, we lose more of our 9/11 heroes to illnesses that they would never have been exposed to if they had turned away on 9/11.

Please join this group, and also read Bill HR 847 here.

What follows is a CBS interview that John did. Take a look:



This video is part of an article which has lots more vital information on this important issue. Go - now - and read that here.

It is a national disgrace that nine years after the worst terrorist attack on US soil, politicians are still refusing to properly - and permanently - take care of those heroes who took care of Americans on 9/11.

John's widow Jennifer in an interview last January:

Wife of late 9/11 firefighter John McNamara 'heartbroken' over Obama's lack of support for plan

DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU Sunday, January 31st 2010, 4:00 AM

Gabel for News

Jennifer McNamara, here with her son Jack, lost her husband, 9/11 firefighter John McNamara, last August of cancer. She's no longer sure if she should give President Obama her husband's badge.

Sabo/News

FDNY firefighter John McNamara died at the age of 44 and was an 'ardent supporter' of Obama, his wife says.

Gabel for News

As noted in his final wishes, John asked for his ashes to be scattered in special places and for his wife to build a community center for kids in his hometown.

WASHINGTON - Jennifer McNamara wants to honor her late husband's dying wish and give the city firefighter's badge to President Obama.

Only, she's no longer sure she should.

Or that John McNamara, who spent 500 hours at Ground Zero and died last August of cancer at the age of 44, would think Obama still deserves it.

Her problem: She and her husband believed in the President, voted for him, and believed he would ensure the feds passed a law to permanently care for others who answered the call after 9/11.

She began having doubts in December, when key politicians backed away from promises to pass the funding. She went to the Daily News for help reaching the White House to explain her agonizing dilemma.

"I wish he would just support this," McNamara said of the President. "Then I could give him the badge in good conscience. I'd like to know that it's meaningful to him."

[...]

Jennifer learned Thursday the White House plans to spend $150 million on 9/11-related illness next year - a good thing, she said.

But the Obama administration doesn't support mandatory funding of an $11 billion, 30-year plan stalled in Congress that would guarantee care to all of the 60,000 people being monitored for potential illness.

"I'm really so disgusted. I'm so disappointed," she said. "I'm heartbroken because I think of how John would have reacted to this."

John wanted that bill passed not so much for firefighters, who have medical care, but for the volunteers, construction workers and other workers who do not.

"This is his biggest issue," McNamara said. "When he was at Sloan[-Kettering], he walked the halls looking for other 9/11 responders so he could talk to them, looking for ways to help," she remembered. "That's just who he was. He cared passionately about people."

While he was dying, he drew up a list of last wishes, even as he believed he could beat the disease and see his son, Jack, now 3, grow to be a good man.

"His last wish was he never wanted me to use the list," his wife, 42, said. "He wanted to live."

(Read the rest of Jennifer's interview here.)

Please, make your voices heard. Do it for John McNamara and all the other 9/11 heroes.