Emails received from the Troops

Here are some emails I have received from Troops who have received Cards we have sent overseas.....if you have been debating over whether to participate in this project I hope this will give you that push you need.

______________________________

Hey,
I just wanted to say thank you very much for the cards. It is my favorite thing to get out here because I send a lot of stuff back home. Thank you a million times for your support. I attached a picture for you to know who I am and if you guys ever need someone to send these cards to, send them our way. Everyone in my shop says thank you as well!!

V/r
SPC Jessica M. Cxxxx

Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.
- Will Rogers

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Dear Debbi Dresser,
Thank you so much for your wonderful card to me. You encouraged me a lot
with your warm and loving care.
Especially your handmade cards you enclosed were so beautiful. I wish to
have more. You enclosed 4 cards. I was so selfish to use them by myself.
Would you forgive me not to share it with other soldiers?
I really appreciate you and your support.
Please pray for us. We need your prayer support so badly.
I pray and bless you and your beloved ones.
May God bless you.

CH (CPT) Abrahamyoung ki Xxx

"A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a
broken spirit dries up the bones." (Proverbs 17:22)
_____________________________________________________

Hi
I wanted to pass along a big thank you for the homemade cards
and all the goodies. I sent the cards out to my family. I attached a
letter I typed up to answer some questions from the folks that sent
things over here and just to let you know who you sent your items to. I
shared with my whole office and everyone passed along their thanks.

v/r
Michael A. Mxxxxx, Capt, USAF
________________________________________________________________________

Dear Debbi Dresser,
I wanted to thank you for the cards, they are very creative and tastefully done. We all appreciate having your loyal support and are honored to serve our country.
Our family and friends appreciate them too!

I attached our command photo.

Thank you once again!
V/R,

LSCS(SW) Don F. Xxxx
______________________________________________________________________

Ma'am,

I received a box on behalf of my company here in Baghdad. Inside were a few greeting cards that came with a slip of paper with your email address. I have meant to contact you sooner and I apologize for the lateness in my gratitude. The box was full of great things such as DVDs and food items. My Soldiers attacked it with fervor from a taste of America! I happened on the cards because they were perfect for sending my wife for the upcoming holidays and her birthday. She received one of them for Valentines Day.

My Soldiers are so grateful for support packages. We know our mission here is now being overshadowed in the press by our brothers and sisters on the offensive in Afghanistan, your support of our mission is incredibly motivating. Many of my troops I are on their 2nd, 3rd and even 4th deployment here. We have seen chaos and lawlessness blossom into a young democracy. Streets that once rang with gunfire and explosions are now full of trucks and cars, people and children moving freely with almost no fear of the cowards who tried so hard to destroy the will and progress of the country. We are so close to achieving victory here, we can see it, we feel it and we cannot wait for the elections on March 7th. We know they will be successful because the Iraqi Security Forces are taking the protection of voters seriously. Side by side, we are planning with them and supporting them, but the brave Iraqis are taking the lead in every aspect of our mission. It is incredible. So much good news each day!

Once again, I want to thank you for keeping us in your thoughts and urge you to let others know that our Soldiers are working tirelessly here to get home. We must always remember the sacrifice of our fallen heroes, many of whom stood next to us during the times when the outlook was bleak.

Very respectfully,

1LT Erik Axxxxx

--
"The line between disorder and order lies in logistics…"
- Sun Tzu
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I WAS ABLE TO USE THE CARDS AND THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL. WE WERE WONDERING IF YOU HAD A WEB SITE THAT WE MAY PURCHASE SOME ON.

THANKS AGAIN.
Rose T

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Debbi,

I wanted to send you this email just to say thanks for the cards included in some of the care packages we recieved here. I have personally used some of them and so have my soldiers. The cards make it very convenient to send notes home to our loved ones. The variety of the cards helps to cater the note to certain events or holidays. Please continue to do what you do for our support. Thank you and know that your cards are being put to good use.

SGT Allen D. Xxx

"Lead By Example"
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Dear Debbi,

I just wanted to say thank you for all of the wonderful cards you and your friends made for us. They are very handy for sending thank-you notes back to all of the awesome people back home who send carepackages and letters out here.

We all really appreciate the support from folks like you back home.

Semper Fi,

Maj Tammie Xxxxx

----------------------------------------------------------------

Ma'am,

I want to thank you for the cards you made. They were very wonderful
and I sent one to my wife and two daughters. I know they will enjoy
them very much. Again Thank you for your support to the troops.

SFC Jason A. Mxxxxxx

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good afternonn miss debbi dresser my name is spc jose m gxxxx im a reserve soldier who is right now in iraq and i went to heavens ground thats where most of the stuff that is to give away to soldiers is and i was looking at the post carrds and i started looking at some of them there and got the ones you send and i must say that they are precious i would like to thank you for the supports you give and the work you put into them i took around 20 post cards most of them the ones that could be for any ocasion and im going to send them to all my family, they arer in a nice and detailed way of making them that i know there is a lot of work and love put into them i saw one that was more than beautifull and i send it to my girfriend on her birthday and she cried because the postcard pplus what i wrote made her feel special, once again i would like to say thank you for your suport and have a good day.

ATT:

SPC Jose M. Gxxxxx
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Dear Debbi,

I am a service member currently deployed to Kosovo and just received some of
your homemade cards. Just wanted to let you know that I think they are
wonderful, and also wanted to thank you for supporting America's troops, we
are truly appreciative of all that you do for us. God Bless and take care.

Very Respectfully,

SPC Juliet R. Fxxxx
---------------------------------------------------

Dear Debbi,

We just recently received your latest Op Care and Comfort boxes with the enclosed Valentines Day cards. They were very well received, and trust me the cards will be used. I took one out myself and already sent it home to my wife to celebrate Valentienes Day. We thank you so much for your support and the joy you bring to our lives while away. We have just completed our first quarter of the year over here, things are starting to happen very fast. That is a good thing because time goes by fast, but bad because it has become normal for us to be over here, away from home. Packages like the ones you sent us with all the goodies, magazines, books, etc are a small reminder of home, and it causes us to pause for a second and remember home. It is a very good think to remind ourselves, plus who can deny candy, chocolates, and the rest of the goodies right!

I am sure the cards you sent will be received well at home. I am pretty sure they have been taken up by Soldiers and will be used. I get nothing but thank yous and smiles when I show our Soldiers what is in the boxes, I just can't say it enough, it means a lot to us.

We thank all of you so much for you support. I hope this new year has been good so far to all of you. I wish you the best, God Bless all of you, and look forward to the next time we hear from you.

Respectfully,

Ruddie Xxxxxx

5 YEARS AGO TODAY....IN MEMORY

The following fallen Heroes died on April 6th 2004 in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. All were assigned to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. Please remember them & their families.....today & always.

Semper Fi!

• Pfc.Benjamin Carman, 20, Jefferson, Iowa

• Lance Cpl. Marcus Cherry, 18, Imperial, Calif.

• Pfc.Christopher Cobb, 19, Bradenton, Fla

• Lance Cpl. Kyle Crowley, 18, San Ramon, Calif.

• Pfc.Deryk Hallal, 24, Indianapolis

• Pfc.Ryan Jerabek, 18, Oneida, Wis

• Lance Cpl. Travis Layfield, 19, Fremont, Calif.

• Lance Cpl. Anthony Roberts, 18, Bear, Del.

• Staff Sgt. Allan Walker, 28, Lancaster, Calif.

• 2nd Lt. John Wroblewski, 25, Oak Ridge, N.J.

• Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Fernando Mendez Aceves, 27, Ponce, Puerto Rico

By Samantha L. Quigley

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 23, 2009 - A recent increase in mail addressed to "Any Servicemember" has prompted the Military Postal Service Agency to remind the general public not to send mail or care packages addressed in such a manner. "Mail to 'Any Servicemember/Any Wounded-Recovering Warrior,' deposited into a collection box and erroneously accepted at a United States Postal Service post office will not be delivered," MPSA officials said in a news release. "This restriction applies to all classes and types of mail."

The Defense Department suspended the "Any Servicemember" and "Operation Dear Abby" programs in 2001 following the terrorist attacks. The policy was adopted as a way to bolster force protection.

"Even though these programs may provide an excellent means of support to deployed personnel and wounded-recovering warriors, they also provide an avenue to introduce hate mail and hazardous substances or materials into the mail system," MPSA officials said in the release.

The Dear Abby program, founded by the newspaper advice columnist, delivered mail to U.S. servicemembers overseas during the holiday season for 25 years. "Any Servicemember" mail grew out of operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

Since shortly after the start of recent operations in the Middle East, many grassroots organizations have made sure servicemembers know they're remembered. Those interested in writing to servicemembers can visit the Defense Department's Community Relations Web site and click the "Citizen Support" link on the right side of the page to find groups that support troops with letters.

Sesame Workshop Reaches Out to Military Families

By Samantha L. Quigley

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 18, 2009 - Sesame Workshop continues to find unique and creative ways to reach out to the very youngest in military families, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said here today during a sneak preview of a new primetime Sesame program.

"There are few characters more beloved than the Sesame Street friends, and through Elmo and Rosita, military kids can better grasp how to reconnect with their loved ones after redeployment," Lynn said. "They will see that they are not alone in feeling confused or anxious, and that they and their families can learn new ways of ... supporting one another."

"Coming Home: Military Families Cope with Change," is scheduled to air April 1 on PBS at 8 p.m., in conjunction with the start of the Month of the Military Child. The show, which features Queen Latifah, musician John Mayer, and of course, Elmo, allows viewers to step inside a few military families' lives and learn how they've coped with life-altering changes.

With some help from Elmo's friend Rosita, the trio talks with real military families who have faced changes because of a loved one's injuries, which can be either external and visible or internal and invisible.

And Rosita can relate to the military children. Her father's legs "don't work any more," and he uses a wheelchair. he finds that just like her father and her, the military families are adapting to changes in the same way: together.

The relationship between Sesame Workshop and the military, which produced "Talk, Listen, Connect," an initiative providing support and resources for military families facing deployments or changes due to combat, began several years ago, Lynn said.

"The program we are celebrating today is a terrific effort to help those families," he said. "Many of our servicemembers will tell you they fight for our country, but they also fight for our kids and they fight for their kids.

"I know they appreciate groups like Sesame Workshop that are looking out for their interests at home," Lynn added.

The initiative offers some of what Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki said men and women in uniform deserve for their service.

"Those who serve our country in uniform deserve the very best nurturing we can provide, and that includes helping their precious children learn to live with a mom or dad who may not be quite the same person they watched go off to war," Shinseki said. "We are grateful to Sesame Street for bringing the sensitive subject to the wider American audience through this TV special and its accompanying educational materials.

" Since the inception of Talk, Listen, Connect two years ago, the initiative has grown and evolved, Sesame Workshop's president and chief executive officer said today.

"[It] has struck a chord, we've noticed, with a military community in a way that we never could have expected," Gary Knell said. "Through this project, we're helping kids and families unite and find reassurance that they are not alone in their journey.

"Who would have thought Elmo and Rosita could help these families find ways to grasp and to cope with their changing circumstances?" he added.

That's exactly what is happening, however. Sammy Cila, 9, who participated in the new special with his family, said the one thing he'd like other military kids to know is there are other kids going through this, too.

"There's no need to be worried about it," he said. "It's actually great [to know] that there's other families that are going through the same thing.

" Sammy's father, Army Sgt. Sebastian Cila, who was serving in Iraq when his left arm was severely injured, sang the primetime program's praises, too.

"I believe it will help families tremendously. I was thrilled with the project, [and] I think they did a great job," Cila said. "It just kind of gives some insight and some behind-the-scenes of what families go through with injuries and disappointments.

" Cila's wife, Anna, agreed. "They did a really nice job portraying the situations that the families are going through," she said. "It's true to my heart that what we saw today is something good; something really good is going to come out of it.

" About 800,000 Talk, Listen, Connect kits have been distributed in the two years of the initiative's existence. Each contains DVDs and print materials to help military families cope with different aspects of deployment, change and even loss.

More than 1.3 million kits have been produced and are being distributed at no cost to families, schools, family support programs, hospitals and rehabilitation centers. The kits, produced in both English and Spanish, also are available for download from the Sesame Street Web site.

Obama mulls making vets foot bill for service injuries

This is just wrong!!!

By David Goldstein
McCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS
WASHINGTON—The Obama administration is considering making veterans use private insurance to pay for treatment of combat and service-related injuries. The plan would be an about-face on what veterans believe is a long-standing pledge to pay for health care costs that result from their military service.
But in a White House meeting Monday, veterans groups apparently failed to persuade President Obama to take the plan off the table.
“Veterans of all generations agree that this proposal is bad for the country and bad for veterans,” said Paul Rieckhoff, executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. “If the president and the OMB [Office of Management and Budget] want to cut costs, they can start at AIG, not the VA.”
Under current policy, veterans are responsible for health care costs that are unrelated to their military service. Exceptions in some cases can be made for veterans who do not have private insurance or are 100 percent disabled.
The president spoke Monday at the Department of Veterans Affairs to commemorate its 20th anniversary and said he hopes to increase funding by $25 billion over the next five years. But he said nothing about the plan to bill private insurers for service-related medical care.
Few details about the plan have been available, and a VA spokesman did not provide additional information. But the reaction on Capitol Hill to the idea has been swift and harsh.
“Dead on arrival” is how Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington described the idea.
“ . . . when our troops are injured while serving our country, we should take care of those injuries completely,” Murray, a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, told a hearing last week.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki said at the same hearing that the plan was “a consideration.” He also acknowledged that the VA’s proposed budget for next year included it as a way to increase revenue. But he told the committee that “a final decision hasn’t been made yet.”
For veterans, that was little comfort. (Read More)

Actor Defends Troops; Hits Filmmakers

March 10, 2009Chicago Tribune

-->
Gary Sinise fumes.

As we talk and tour the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum in the South Loop, Sinise's gravel-and-coffee-grounds growl picks up momentum and passion. At one point, he's hard to interrupt to ask a question as his voice succumbs to infuriated frustration. Especially when talking about director Brian De Palma.

Listen: "He was out to get the troops, to depict them as child rapists. That's the truth he wanted to tell. That's one particular, horrible episode that happened by, clearly, some criminals who happen to be in the American military."

But we're jumping ahead of the conversation.

On this day Sinise is in Chicago promoting "Brothers at War," which opens Friday. He served as executive producer on the documentary, in which director Jake Rademacher follows two of his younger brothers, both soldiers, to their theaters of war in Iraq.

"This movie is not going to be your typical blood-and-guts, negative, depressing thing about Iraq," Sinise says. "What's great about this film is there's a personal investment, because the filmmaker is making it about his family."

Sinise has picked the venue for our conversation. "We've got a little history here," he tells me.
In 2003 it was here, on the third floor, that Sinise and his Lt. Dan Band first entertained troops. The band, a musical side project for the actor, is named for his most famous role, Lt. Dan Taylor in "Forrest Gump." Sinise has been doing USO tours in Iraq and fundraising events ever since, playing bass at 30-some dates a year, in addition to his gig as Mac Taylor in "CSI: New York."
"I have a profound respect for people who serve," Sinise says as we walk through an exhibit of Iraq photographs by female soldiers.

Sinise is polite, but forceful -- he's a vehement defender of the military, he says, with a point of view that often goes ignored.

"Brothers at War" represents a natural evolution in Sinise's crusade to bring attention to the men and women in the armed forces.

The film also reflects a national trend, with more Iraq movies ("In the Valley of Elah," "The Lucky Ones") and documentaries ("The War Tapes," "Gunner Palace") being produced than during any other war.

"It's unusual that there would be so many films about a current conflict," Sinise says. "Quite often it's in retrospect." (READ MORE)

On the Ground: Troops in Iraq Focus on Schools

WASHINGTON, March 9, 2009 - U.S. forces in Iraq increasingly are putting down weapons to build schools in their changing role there.

Some of Diwaniya's brightest female students between 13 and 15 years old participated in their new school's opening Feb. 26.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers worked with the local government and contractors to open the Irshad Secondary School for Girls.

"With my partners the Iraqi engineers, and with diligent effort, we were able to provide for you this beautiful school," Army Lt. Col. Dwight Davies of USACE said. "It is a great joy and privilege to provide an opportunity for such gifted young ladies to learn and evolve and support the future of Iraq."

The Irshad students are among the top 20 percent of young female students from within and around the city.

"We are happy for this school. It is very nice," a student said in English at the ceremony, before repeating it in French, then Arabic.

"Our old school was too small and not ours. We borrowed it, shared it with others," she said, recalling the overcrowding that sometimes prevented students from having a full day of school.

The school's size provides a better environment for teaching these girls, an English-speaking teacher at the school said.

"I have girls of my own," she said, explaining why she wanted to teach young girls. She said she enjoys teaching and is happy for the new school. "I can participate in helping small girls in building their personalities and to be good people and good members of society to build the future of Iraq," she said.

During the ceremony, students waved Iraqi flags and flowers, chanting, "Long live Iraq!" They also chanted in Arabic of a brighter future, a safe country where its people prosper and flourish.

"I have three kids, so for me it's pretty inspiring and pleasant to see [students] with so much energy and enthusiasm. I was so impressed," said Mike Klecheski, leader of the U.S.-led provincial reconstruction team in Diwaniya province.

"This country is making a lot of progress, and the extent that we can be partners in this progress is wonderful," Klecheski said.

He stressed the importance of the partnership with the Iraqi government. "We work very closely with them," he said. "Construction of a school like this is really a partnership, in every sense of the word."

Soldiers with the 2nd Infantry Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade, and the 403rd Civil Affairs Battalion also are part of a partnership to improve schools.

Members of Abu Lakah's village council requested to meet with the soldiers at the village high school south of Baghdad to discuss how U.S. forces could help them improve the school and others. They also discussed how to help with village building projects and plans for the "Sons of Iraq" civilian security group members, said Army 1st Lt. Kirk Tooley, 3rd platoon leader for Company B, 1st Battalion, 172nd Infantry Brigade.

The village council and town members recently joined to raise money for a fence and an extra classroom, Tooley said. Even with the extra classroom, desks made for two students have four students sitting at them.

"The school not only needs at least four additional classrooms, some minor repairs are needed in the previously built classrooms," Army Capt. James Reed, a civil affairs officer, said.

Reed and Tooley offered to help the leaders send proposals to the Iskandariyah council, asking them to invest money into programs to help employ the people of Abu Lukah Sol, build up infrastructure, and build, repair and enlarge schools in the village.

Many council members told the soldiers how safe they feel in their village now. The elders said they have complete faith in the local Iraqi forces to control security situations and are thankful to the Americans for helping to secure the area and train the Iraqis.

"We live on Patrol Base Hamiya around the outskirts of Abu Lukah and other villages," Army Sgt. Brandon Waugh, squad leader, said. "As noncommissioned officers, we are used to training soldiers, so training the Iraqi army is second nature to us, and training Iraqi police to conduct presence control is also in our lane."

Waugh's younger soldiers, many just out of basic training, are now instructors, which sets them up for future success as NCOs. Waugh said he is glad to see the progress made in Iraq and shares his experience from previous combat tours with his younger soldiers.

"Every now and then you'll hear someone say something about this not being our job," Waugh said of the civil affairs work. "We leaders are quick to interrupt and let them know that this is also part of being a soldier.

"After my last tour," he continued, "I never would have thought I would go this long without being involved in a firefight or an explosion. I am here now and can honestly say Iraq is well on its way to being stable."

(Compiled from Multinational Division Center news releases. Army Sgt. Rodney Foliente of the 4th Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team and Army Spc. Tiffany Evans of the 172nd Infantry Brigade contributed to this article.)

On the Ground: Troops in Iraq Focus on Schools

FAMILY OF OIF VETERAN IN NEED

NOT ALL WAR WOUNDS ARE VISIBLE

Pvt. Joseph Aaron McMath
April 11, 1984 - January 13, 2009

Dear Valued Supporters,

Pvt. Joseph McMath was a veteran of the U.S. Army where he served two tours in Iraq with the Striker Brigade Unit and received the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Bar (second award), the Combat Infantryman Badge.

Pvt. Joseph McMath came into our lives at Operation First Response in the summer of 2008. During that time Joseph was struggling financially and we were honored to serve this brave warrior.

We received very sad news that Pvt. Joseph McMath passed away on January 13, 2009. Joseph struggled with PTSD for a long time and his family did all they could to try to get him the help he needed but he could not continue the personal war he experienced in his heart and mind each day. His family is struggling as I am sure you would expect, they had already reached a point of financial hardship and now they have a $9,000 funeral expense. The family is in hopes of receiving a VA Death Benefit of $2500 - leaving a cost of $6500 remaining. A trust fund has been set up in Pvt. Joseph McMath's name to help pay for his burial. If you would like to reach out and help this Heroes family, the information is as follows:

ELECTRONICALLY -

LINDA C MCMATH
FOR JOSEPH A. MCMATH FUND
COMMERCIAL BANK
ROUTING NUMBER 061209332
ACCOUNT NUMBER 1001089489
CHECKS OR MONEY ORDER -

LINDA C. MCMATH
FOR JOSEPH A. MCMATH FUND
543 CARRINGTON CIRCLE
THOMASVILLE, GA. 31757
If you would like verification or have any questions please contact Heidi Hunter at Commercial Bank at 229-226-3535.

As always, we thank our donors for their patriotism and continued quick response to the needs of our wounded Heroes and their families. We could not serve them without you!


*PTSD stands for: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.


*Suicide Prevention Hotline:
1-800-273-TALK
Press 1 if you are a Veteran


To all of our Veterans: You are loved, honored, remembered, and we are forever grateful for your service.

Sincerely,

The Staff at Operation First Response

From A Gold Star Mother

As the clock winds down towards the end of President Bush's time in office I asked my dear friend Diane if she would write something for my blog about the effect meeting him had on her....here is what she wrote.

I am a Gold Star Mother, not by choice, but by God's will.

Travis joined the Marine Corps 10 days after High School Graduation, in 2003. Nothing or no one could’ve stopped him and definitely no one forced him to sign on the dotted line. Travis wanted to serve his Country, and hopefully make a difference, in anyway he could to our great Nation. Travis was born to serve. Unfortunately, devastatingly enough, My Precious Travis was KIA in Ramadi ,Iraq on April 6, 2004 in a hostile ambush with 9 other Marine Brothers and 1 Navy Corpsman. Travis was just 19 years old and had only had been in Iraq 3 short weeks. Travis, at his young age, lived and loved life to it‘s fullest. A young man who was very comfortable in his own skin. He did more in his short life than most do in a lifetime.
Travis loved History. He watched it on TV every chance he could. Travis was born on Memorial Day weekend in Red, White, and Blue and 19 yrs. later was brought home to me, draped in Red, White, and Blue. He is now also a part of History. I'm so very Proud of his Courage, Honor, Commitment and Ultimate Sacrifice for family, friends, strangers, you and me.
The day I received the news from 3 Marines in my carport, as I stood limp, I vowed to my Son, “There’s a reason God took you from me and it's a calling for me to help other Gold Star Parents, as from my knowledge, and never let you, My Son, be Forgotten”. Never in my wildest imagination could I have anticipated the Journey I was to embark on.
Unfortunately, I have met way too many Gold Star Parents and Families as I never wanted any more to walk in my shoes. I have been to as many Fallen Services as I possibly could attend to extend my Love and Support and to share my personal information so to provide an ear to listen or a shoulder to cry on anytime they may want to reach out. I'll be there.
Through this journey Travis has placed me on almost everyday there’s something unreal, or amazing he has brought to me. I tell him he sure comes up with some doozies which is fact. I have been to many places I never thought I'd fly to (I hate flying) and met so many incredible people, throughout this great Country. All in my Sons Honor. Travis knew in my heart, my Mission in his Honor was not going to be complete, till I had the Honor of meeting Our President George W. Bush. Travis, I tell him “Son, you just keep working miracles everyday“. In June 2008 I wrote a letter to President Bush telling him my daughter, grandson and I where going to be in Washington, D.C. for an event put on by the White House Commissions affairs in September, “A Time of Remembrance” and would love to be able to meet with him, as I am a Gold Star Mother. I got a regretful reply that he would not be there in town at that time, his apologizes. Well I figured that was my last chance as I knew I would not be going to D.C. till at least May of 2009 for Memorial Weekend. And President Bush would be leaving Office in Jan. 2009.
Travis once again was taking care of his Mother. I received a phone call on Jan. 3, 2009 from a White House representative addressing the letter I had written the President in June . He was inviting me and my family to a Gold Star Family Reception at the White House on Wed., Jan. 14th with President Bush. I was speechless to say the least. The next day by email I had received a personal invitation to a Reception at the White House with President Bush. We only had a weeks notice but it immensely worth it all.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009, the Gold Star Families were invited into the White House at 2:00 PM and allowed to take as many pictures as we liked . Normally you’re not allowed cameras at all in the White House. So that was outstanding as it was. Then at 2:45 PM we were shown into a room set up with chairs. At 3 PM President and Mrs. George W. Bush, Vice-President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates came into the room. Wow, my heart about stopped. It was beyond what words can capture and way more than I expected.
President Bush addressed us all and with a very heartfelt and emotional short speech he welcomed us. We listened briefly. Then he said he would join and greet every family individually in the next room over. Throughout the afternoon we were catered too and treated like royalty with genuine support, honor and respect of our Lost Loved Ones. While the Families waited our turns we were taken into a huge reception room where a gorgeous table was set elegantly with hors d'oeuvres, pastries and drinks.
My daughter, grandson, Sgt. Major escort and myself waited patiently for our turn as we were not in a hurry. Finally they got us and escorted us to the room where President Bush graciously met us at the doorway, greeted us in. I was so nervous but he gently kissed me, put his arm around me and guided us into the center of the room. He then greeted my daughter, grandson, and Sgt. Major with the same respect. The nervousness disappeared and an amazing calmness fell over the room instantly. His humbleness and sincerity was something I will never forget.
A man of his stature, power looked into my eyes and never wavered. My eyes filled with tears as I spoke of my son, Travis, so did his. He assured me Travis' life was not in vain, and he will never be forgotten. We laughed ,we joked, we were at ease. President Bush signed a few things I had brought with me, and then he coined us all, with his Presidential coin. Wow! He had his arm around me and held my hand the whole visit. You could feel the Love he was generating for us in our heartache and pain. He again kissed me as we said our goodbyes. What a memorable day in our lives.

President George W. Bush has my full admiration and respect for a very difficult job well done. Mission complete to the best of his ability, in the time allotted, for this great Nation.
Travis and my journey shall continue, as needed.
We Pray for World Peace

Diane Layfield
Proud Mother of Lcpl Travis J. Layfield, USMC

Corps Deploys Cows for Iraq's Economy

January 12, 2009
Los Angeles Times

AL-ANBAR PROVINCE, Iraq -- As U.S. forces work to revive Iraq's tattered farming economy, they seem to have found an effective new weapon.

Cows.

At the suggestion of an Iraqi women's group, the Marine Corps recently bought 50 cows for 50 Iraqi widows in the farm belt around Fallujah, once the insurgent capital of war-torn al-Anbar province.

The cow purchase is seen as a small step toward re-establishing Iraq's once-thriving dairy industry, as well as a way to help women and children hurt by the frequent failure of the Iraqi government to provide the pensions that Iraqi law promises to widows.

The early sign is that the program is working. Widows, many with no other income, have a marketable item to sell, as well as milk for their children. Although Iraqis, particularly women, are often reluctant to participate in an American effort, the cows were immediately popular.

"It was an easy sell," said Maj. Meredith Brown, assigned to the Marines' outreach program for Iraqi women.

The idea, proposed by members of the Women's Cultural Center in Fallujah, at first met with resistance from U.S. military officers and civilian officials involved in aid programs for al-Anbar. Nothing in their training provided guidance in haggling for livestock.

Those objections evaporated when Maj. Gen. John Kelly, the top Marine in Iraq, signaled his support, Brown said. The Iraqis now refer to their animals as Kelly's Cows.

Although Kelly's support might have been based on gut instinct, the need to beef up Iraq's dairy industry was argued in a Nov. 25 report by Land O'Lakes Inc.

The Minnesota cheese-and-butter company was hired by the Marine Corps to examine the Iraqi dairy industry. Its 38-page report, based on field research in the fall by two Land O'Lakes dairy specialists, concluded that there was enormous growth potential for the industry in a milk-drinking, cheese-eating nation that can locally produce enough milk to satisfy only 5 percent of the demand.

The study also pointed out that, even in Iraqi farm families with able-bodied adult males, much of the work is left to women: "Women milk (READ MORE)

Community turns out to support soldier

Rick Lemyre
Published 01/08/2009 - 2:34 p.m. PDT

When locals discovered over the New Year holiday that an Iraq veteran and his family needed some help, it touched off a response full of shock and awe, East County style.

Cpl. Billy Hyder returned last May from a 10-month deployment to Iraq, where he moved supplies and built troop housing with the 1-143 National Guard. Hyder, an Oakley resident who had previously served with the Navy and the Marines, said that as “a reward for working hard,” he was given the opportunity he wanted: to get out from “behind the wire” and escort convoys in Baghdad.

Manning a 50-cal. gunner position in an armored Humvee on one of his 10 missions, his vehicle triggered a pair of IEDs. “It rung my bell, but I wasn’t bleeding or anything,” he said, adding that he was able to complete that, and subsequent missions.

Upon his return to California, however, he was found to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and in early November he checked in to The Pathway Home, a nonprofit transition center for combat veterans in Yountville.

Back home on Dutch Slough Road, his wife, Cheryl, and daughter, Jolene, 13, were just getting by. Scrimping on groceries so they could afford gas for twice-weekly visits to Yountville, Cheryl said the home’s cupboards got pretty bare. Not wanting to add to her husband’s stress, she kept the problem to herself.

“I’m not a complainer,” she said. “I was keeping my mouth shut and visiting Mom for dinner.” But when Hyder got a pass and came home for Christmas, he learned the truth.
“It was pretty depressing for him,” Cheryl said.

Hyder said he asked the staff at Pathway if they could provide some food for his family. “They gave me $30 cash right then,” he said, “and then all hell broke loose.”
Hyder said Pathway staff contacted Army Lt. John Adams and Warrant Officer Spiro Mitsanos of the State Military Reserve, who immediately brought food for the family from their office in the South Bay. Word spread to Mark Harris, a ride captain with the Patriot Guard Riders, who e-blasted whomever he could think of on New Year’s Eve.

On New Year’s Day, support began arriving in volume. Throughout the day, visitors brought so much food that it was difficult to store it all in the Hyders’ tiny home. The supporters filled propane tanks, dropped off gift cards, fuel cards and Christmas presents – and the deluge was only beginning.

Oakley City Councilman Bruce Connelley arranged for a donation of hundreds of dollars through the Oakley-Delta Lions, and began contacting local veterinarians who could use the funds to cover fees for looking after a family dog, which is ill. Connelley contacted City Manager Brian Montgomery about city housing assistance programs that might help relocate the family to more comfortable quarters. Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher checked in by phone, and reservists continued to bring aid.

Then came Saturday. Dozens of motorcyclists from the PGR, the Legion Riders, the Dirty Dogs and other veteran biker organizations from around the Bay Area and beyond, rallied nearby, then descended en masse on the Hyder home bearing cash, presents, debit cards and, most of all, emotional support.

“It was incredible,” said Hyder, who could only stand misty-eyed and speechless outside his house as the leather-clad convoy rolled up. “To see all those motorcycles, people who didn’t even know me coming long distances just for me, made everything I’ve ever done in the military worthwhile. I don’t even feel I rate; I didn’t save anybody’s life. I’m just lucky the Army let me back in, and let me go on patrol. There are a lot of people who deserve it more than I do.”
Harris said that in addition to escorting members of the military to and from home (including one earlier in the day on Saturday) and participating in funeral processions for “fallen heroes,” Help on the Homefront missions are what the groups are all about. This one, he said, was especially gratifying.

“All I can say about this mission is ‘Outstanding,’” said Harris. “The response and life-changing support occurred within 24 hours, on a holiday. The power of personal relationships, coupled with the unconditional determination that any veteran will never be abandoned, is overwhelming.”

Hyder said that knowing that local support is so strong will make it less difficult for him as he goes through the recovery program at Pathway. “It’ll be a thousand times easier,” he said. “I was afraid I would have to drop out.”

As he stood on the side of the road on Saturday, with veterans first saluting, then hugging him and his family, he also discovered something he wants to do once his recovery is complete.
“I’ve been a biker all my life, and I want to do this,” he said of the support mission. “I want to pay it forward, and this is how I’m going to do it.”Hyder asked that anyone wishing to provide additional support consider a donation to The Pathway Home, P.O. Box 3930, Yountville, CA 94599.

To learn more, log on to www.thepathwayhome.org.

Merry Christmas from Iraq & Afghanistan

Don't keep it to yourself, pass it along. Pray for our warriors who are in harms way so that we may celebrate the joy of Christmas in safety and with our own families and friends while they do not. Remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice and give thanks for them. Reach out to the families of our military and let them know they are not alone, that there are those that care.

VICTORY IN IRAQ DAY

VI Day

Virginia disrespecting Military again

This state didn't want to count their ballets & now won't put this Marine's name on their War Memorial. Please read this...

State denies Marine recognition because of how he died

Marine Lance Cpl. Darrell Schumann, a 25-year-old
from Hampton, fought bloody door-to-door battles for three months in Fallujah in late 2004. A few weeks later, he boarded a helicopter for the first leg of his trip home.

The helicopter, carrying Schumann and 30 comrades, flew into
a sandstorm and crashed in the Iraqi desert, killing everyone on board. It remains the greatest single loss of U.S. troops in the Iraq war.

President Bush praised Schumann by name for his valor. But his name will not be found on the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond.

State officials have deemed that only the names of service members killed in hostile combat in the Middle East will be added to the stone-and-glass walls, which bear the names
of 11,600 Virginians killed since World War II.

Recent veterans who died under other circumstances, such as aircraft accidents, are excluded.

The policy has changed since the memorial was erected, and the names of many service members who were killed in accidents are found on the wall.

Rick Schumann, Darrell's father, wants the policy changed again.

The memorial will soon undergo an $8 million expansion, funded mostly by taxpayers.

"We want them to do it right," Schumann said.

The state relies on the Defense Department's classification of deaths: killed in action, hostile casualty or nonhostile casualty. To be included on the Virginia memorial, a service member must fall into one of the first two categories.

According to a Virginian-Pilot review of Department of Defense records, at least two dozen service members with Virginia roots died in accidents (Read more...)

4th Force Recon CO Homecoming

I'm still working on photo's I took last nite but I thought I would share some of the excitement! Here is a clip from one of the news stations report & below is newpaper coverage. IT WAS ABSOLUTELY THE BEST!!

Marines return to Alameda safe, sound, welcomed

Welcome Home 4th Force Recon Co.

Getting ready to head out to to a big homecoming for 110 Marines returning home from Iraq. Some members of the Patriot Guard Riders headed down to Camp Pendleton yesterday morning & will be escorting the buses all the way back to the Bay Area with bikers & other vehicles joining along the way. They are estimating that about 500 bikes will be involved in this escort tho maybe not all at the same time. We have been trying to get people on overpasses along the route with signs & flags too. I am so excited to be a part of this. We welcomed the advance group 2 weeks ago when they go in at 3:00 am. Will let you know all about it when we get home!

Troops in Iraq Become U.S. Citizens on Election Day

American Forces Press Service
BAGHDAD, Nov. 4, 2008 - On a day when Americans exercised their right to vote, 186 servicemembers deployed across Iraq became U.S. citizens today at Al Faw Palace on Camp Victory here.

Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, presided over the ceremony. He expressed his appreciation for each new citizen and expounded on the significance of the step they had taken.

"Diverse as your backgrounds may be, you all now have one thing in common: you are all Americans," Odierno said. "You represent the very best of all that our nation stands for: freedom, opportunity, equality and service."

The ceremony was the 12th of its kind to be held in Iraq, but for many troops, it took on special meaning, as it occurred on Election Day for U.S. citizens. The newly naturalized servicemembers - from 60 different countries - had earned the right to vote for their new leaders.

"I'm excited to be able to vote," said Army Spc. Ruth McKoy, a supply specialist with 62nd Quartermaster Company, 553 Sustainment Brigade. "If something good comes out of a future election, I can say I had something to do with that. It's like my voice is being heard now."

McKoy, born in Jamaica, joined the Army in December 2002 and has since aspired to become an American citizen. After one unsuccessful application in Germany, she said, she decided to apply for citizenship a second time from Fort Hood, Texas, and finally achieved her goal.

Spc. Rasha Hennessy, a linguist with 1st Higher Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 206th Field Artillery, 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, was born in Baghdad, just miles from where she took her oath of U.S. citizenship.

"Honestly, I can't even think of how blessed I am to have this privilege," Hennessy said. "It's a great thing." She said she is ecstatic to attain her citizenship on such an important day for the United States, and she compared the freedoms she will have as a U. S. citizen to those under Saddam Hussein's regime years ago in Iraq.

"It's a really good opportunity to be able to vote freely and not live in fear," Hennessy said.

Though the 186 servicemembers are new U.S. citizens, many said they've always felt the unity all Americans feel when serving in the military, and realize every servicemember is fighting for a common goal.

"We all play a big part in what's going on over here," McKoy said. "We're doing everything we can to help Iraq gain its democracy."

"Dear Mr. Obama"

This is an ad that should have run on TV...please watch it

‘I Just Gave John McCain My Purple Heart’

At John McCain’s rallies these days, the talk is of taxes and Joe the Plumber and the financial crisis and mortgage relief and an end to wasteful federal spending. Those are all perfectly fine things for a campaign to emphasize; polls show voters of all stripes are overwhelmingly concerned about the economy. But at McCain’s events, you’ll also find people who’ve come for another reason, one that is slipping in the polls of voters’ concerns but is deeply personal to them: the war in Iraq.

“I just gave John McCain my Purple Heart,” Marine Sgt. Jack Eubanks told me a few minutes after McCain finished a speech at a campaign rally in Woodbridge, Virginia Saturday. “I said, ‘I want to give this to you, sir, as a reminder that we want you to keep your promise to bring us home in victory and honor, so it (Read more...)

Holiday Mailing Deadlines

The 2008 Christmas holiday mailing deadlines have just been announced. If you want your cards, letters, and packages to arrive to a military member overseas, or deployed on a Navy ship by Christmas, be sure to mail them by the following dates:

For military mail addressed to APO/FPO AE zips090-098 (except 093); AA zips 340; and AP zips 962-966:
* Express Mail: Dec. 18
* First-Class Mail (letters/cards and priority mail): Dec. 11
* Parcel Airlift Mail: Dec. 4
* Parcel Post: Nov. 13

For military mail addressed to APO/FPO AE ZIP 093:
* Express mail Military Service: N/A
* First-Class Letters/Cards/Priority Mail: Dec. 4
* Parcel Airlift Mail: Dec. 1
* Space Available Mail: Nov. 21
* Parcel Post: Nov. 13