The Offical Armed Services Support Thread.

Frank Z

Okay Polkies, It's high time we got our collective asses in gear and had a dedicated thread to show our support for those doing the job of protecting us and fighting the war against terrorism.

Now I don't care what your political beliefs are, who you vote for, or whether or not you agree with the current administration. Please keep it out of this thread!

What's it all about? Simple...a thread for sharing links that you may have that pay tribute to our men and women in the armed services. No skantily clad men or women, no cars, no bullsh*t.

To often we go about our daily routine and forget what is happening half a world away and only pay attention for 60 seconds or so when the news carries a story about the war.

Afganistan and Iraq home to thousands of Americans and we at home can and should keep them and their families in our thoughts and prayers each and everyday.


Feel free to post patriotic links, videos, pics, or even solemn reminders that these are your brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, friends and neighbors. Some of them have made the ultimate sacrifice and we should never forget them or take them for granted.


I'd like to start off two that I recently found.
A slide show of pics is first up...
http://www.sevenstripes.com/images/4thofJulyTribute.swf

The next one requires a little warning. Tears will fall and your heart will break, but your soul will soar. Thank God for people like this fine young Marine ....
http://www.popasmoke.com/video/Bobby.wmv

Frank Z

This a cut and paste from a local 4x4 forum that I frequent. The authors husband is a regular there as well. Their son is a U.S. Marine.

The Daughter of a Soldier

Last week I was in Atlanta, Georgia attending a conference. While I was in the airport, returning home, I heard several people behind me beginning to clap and cheer. I immediately turned around and witnessed one of the greatest act's of patriotism I have ever seen.
Moving thru the terminal was a group of soldiers in their camo's, as they began heading to their gate everyone (well almost everyone was abruptly to their feet with their hands waving and cheering.
When I saw the soldiers, probably 30-40 of them, being applauded and
cheered for it hit me. I'm not alone. I'm not the only red blooded American
who still loves this country and supports our troops and their families. Of course I immediately stopped and began clapping for these
young unsung heroes who are putting their lives on the line everyday
for us so we can go to school, work and home without fear or reprisal.
Just when I thought I could not be more proud of my country or of our
service men and women a young girl, not more than 6 or 7 years old, ran up
to one of the male soldiers. He kneeled down and said "hi," the little
girl then she asked him if he would give something to her daddy for her.
The young soldier, he didn't look any older than maybe 22 himself, said he
would try and what did she want to give to her daddy. Then suddenly
the little girl grabbed the neck of this soldier, gave him the biggest hug
she could muster and then kissed him on the cheek.

The mother of the little girl, who said her daughters name was Courtney, told the young soldier that her husband was a Marine and had been in Iraq for 11 months now. As the mom was explaining how much her daughter, Courtney, missed her father, the young soldier began to tear up.
When this temporarily single mom was done explaining her situation, all of the soldiers huddled together for a brief second. Then one of other servicemen pulled out a military looking walkie-talkie. They started playing with the device and talking back and forth on it.

After about 10-15 seconds of this, the young soldier walked back over to Courtney, bent down and said this to her, "I spoke to your daddy and he told me to give this to you." He then hugged this little girl that he had just met and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He finished by saying "your daddy told me to tell you that he loves you more than anything and he is coming home very soon."
The mom at this point was crying almost uncontrollably and as the young soldier stood to his feet he saluted Courtney and her mom. I was standing no more than 6 feet away from this entire event unfolded.
As the soldiers began to leave, heading towards their gate, people resumed their applause. As I stood there applauding and looked around, their were very few dry eyes, including my own. That young soldier in one last act of selflessness, turned around and blew a kiss to Courtney with a tear rolling down his cheek.
We need to remember everyday all of our soldiers and their families
and thank God for them and their sacrifices. At the end of the day, it's good to be an American.

steveinaz

The soldier stood and faced God
Which must always come to pass
He hoped his shoes were shining
Just as brightly as his brass

Step forward now, you soldier
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To my church have you been true?

The soldier squared his shoulders and said
No, Lord I guess I ain't
Because those of us who carry guns
Can't always be a saint

I've had to work most Sundays
And at times my talk was tough
And sometimes I've been violent
because the world is awfully rough

But, I never took a penny
That wasn't mine to keep
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep

And I never passed a cry for help
Though at times I shook with fear
And sometimes, God forgive me
I've wept unmanly tears.

I know I don't deserve a place
Amongst the people here
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fears

If you've a place for me here Lord
It needn't be so grand
I never expected or had too much
But if you don't, I'll understand

There was a silence all around
the throne Where the saints had often trod
As the soldier waited quietly
For the judgement of his God

Step forward now, you soldier
You've borne your burdens well
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets
You've done your time in Hell

thehaens@cox.net

Here is a pic of the Staff and Officers sometime mid 03' arrow is pointing at me. I think I was the only one happy that I was about to be coming home. Apparently no one else had Polk gear to come home to:D

PolkThug

Frank Z wrote:

The next one requires a little warning. Tears will fall and your heart will break, but your soul will soar. Thank God for people like this fine young Marine ....
http://www.popasmoke.com/video/Bobby.wmv

damn, I couldn't get through that one.

seo

thehaens@cox.ne wrote:

Here is a pic of the Staff and Officers sometime mid 03' arrow is pointing at me. I think I was the only one happy that I was about to be coming home. Apparently no one else had Polk gear to come home to:D

Thank you for your service. Sincerely.

jeremie

Here is a link to my brothers website, he is going to the desert in December for a month. He does refueling of fighter jets in mid air.

www.kcboomer.com

steveinaz

thehaens@cox.ne wrote:

Here is a pic of the Staff and Officers sometime mid 03' arrow is pointing at me. I think I was the only one happy that I was about to be coming home. Apparently no one else had Polk gear to come home to:D

Appreciate your service brother, if you're ever thru this way--you have a place to stay, anytime.

steveinaz

jeremie wrote:

Here is a link to my brothers website, he is going to the desert in December for a month. He does refueling of fighter jets in mid air.

www.kcboomer.com

As a fellow Saint Louisan, give your brother my best.

Mike682

God Bless those serving and those who served

Ballad Of the Green Berets
by Sgt. Barry Sadler 1965

Fighting soldiers from the sky
Fearless men who jump and die
Men who mean just what they say
The brave men of the Green Beret

Chorus:
Silver wings upon their chest
These are men, America's best
One hundred men will test today
But only three win the Green Beret


Trained to live off natures land
Trained in combat, hand-to-hand
Men who fight by night and day
Courage peak from the Green Berets


(Chorus) Silver wings upon their chest
These are men, America's best
One hundred men will test today
But only three win the Green Beret


Back at home a young wife waits
Her Green Beret has met his fate
He has died for those oppressed
Leaving her his last request
"Put silver wings on my son's chest
Make him one of America's best
He'll be a man they'll test one day
Have him win the Green Beret"


(Chorus) Silver wings upon their chest
These are men, America's best
One hundred men will test today
But only three win the Green Beret

http://history.sandiego.edu/gen/snd/balladofgreenberets.html

MacLeod

Here is a great website. Lots of great ways to show support!

http://americasupportsyou.mil/americasupportsyou/index.aspx

Frank Z

MacLeod,
Great Site! I hope everyone can pay a visit and find something or someway to contribute.

Thanks for the link!

Mike682

Also, head to the local post office and buy a phone card for the troops

Frank Z

Amen, every little bit helps.

Next time your out buying a few CD's or movies...put one back on the shelf and buy a Serviceman or Woman a phone card.

Frank Z

At Walter Reed's Mologne House (outpatient residence)

---

Staring Down Unease at Walter Reed

Tuesday, July 4, 2006; B03

Very much of this place we live in -- despite all the hype and hyperbole about
being a hub of the universe -- is pretty much the same as a lot of other places.
But there are some things about it -- sometimes a job, sometimes a place,
sometimes a view of life -- that are close to unique. Almost . . . extreme.

When visiting Mologne House, you try not to stare.

You look away from the young guy wheeling himself in the front door with two
stumps where his legs once were.

You walk a few steps behind the fellow toting plastic shopping bags with the hooks
of prosthetic arms.

You avert your gaze from the man with the scarred face and blank eye and the chap
who's missing half an ear.

While visiting the outpatient residence at Walter Reed Army Medical Center,
packed with war wounded, you strive for nonchalance, as if to say, oh, this is all
quite normal.

Yet there is an unmistakable pang of relief when an intact human being is
encountered.

One wishes not to offend at Mologne House. Do the wounded mind being looked
at? If we are too cavalier, do we diminish their sacrifice? Do you say hi?

They seem so silent.

The carpeted lobby, with the Little Tike toys lined up beside the staircase, is mostly
quiet except for the occasional squeals of the children of the wounded, who live
there along with the tired-looking spouses and parents of the wounded. A row of
black wheelchairs is parked out of sight behind the stairs.

The war's injured come and go at Mologne House. Having achieved "optimum
hospital improvement," they check out of their cluttered rooms to make way for the
next victim of a land mine or makeshift bomb, pushing boxes of belongings past the
tulips and pansies out front.

They leave little behind: a mug filled with fast-food condiments, an empty medicine
bottle, a rumpled bedsheet with a faded pink stain.

They return to the world as if wise children -- tottering on metal legs, grasping with
steel fingers -- through a strange and challenging landscape, with stories some of
them don't remember and others can't forget.

From the cocoon of the hospital residence, they pack up their wheelchairs and spare
limbs and journey to distant homes, changed, enlightened, aged.

Now, he is old , the British soldier-poet Wilfred Owen wrote during World
War I about a recovering triple amputee. He's lost his color very far from
here/Poured it down shell-holes till the veins ran dry.

As they leave Mologne House, bound for the TDRL (temporary disability retired
list) or maybe the PDRL (permanent disabled retired list) you pray that these old
young men and women might be embraced when they get where they are going and
honored for what they have given.

And perhaps, for a moment or two, one really ought to stare.

-- Michael E. Ruane



© 2006 The Washington Post Company

Frank Z

There are some other very sad but true things that happen there as well.


Quote:
At 6pm on Friday night, January 6, 2006, the proud parents of a US Marine hung a sign on the fence at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The sign read, "No Protest Zone - Soldiers Healing."
Shortly after 7pm anti-war protesters arrived at their "protest corner" and discovered the sign.

A discussion amonst the lefties ensued.

Apparently their decision was that they were the only people who had a "right" to attach signs or banners onto US Government property. And the conspiracy to deny the First Amendment rights of the Marine's parents began...

A little guy we nicknamed "Weasel" handed Kevin "Maimed For A Lie" McCarron a knife.

McCarron (of Veterans for Peace) then proceeded to cut down the sign with Weasel's knife, handing it back to him and then folding up the sign and walking off with it.

Bruce Wolf's wife, a professional storyteller (I'm not making this up) then handed her hubby their car keys, and Bruce (of OPEIU Local 2) opened the car so McCarron could finalize the theft of the sign.

McCarron placed the sign in the vehicle and Bruce Wolf shut the car door and dutifully locked the car up. They apparently know that theft is a problem in that neighborhood in DC.

Now here's where it gets interesting.

We had a video camera rolling. (Video links here.)

The DC Police were called, and at first, the leftists denied to the police officer any knowledge of the sign, who took it down or its whereabouts. But when the police officer watched the video in the presence of the culprits, and demanded that they produce the stolen property, they did so very grudgingly. You can read the full report HERE, on Free Republic.

Code Pink and their leftist comrades have a permit from the DC Police Department for this corner of the street, but that permit only covers DC property. DC jurisdiction ends at the edge of the sidewalk. The fence is on WRAMC property, and that is US Government property - not covered by the PinkOs' DC government permit.

Moral of the story for Code Pink, Veterans for Peace, Gael Murphy, Kevin McCarron, "Weasel," Bruce, Candace, Matthew, "Princess," Large Marge and the rest of the crew:

Don't lie, to anyone; but especially don't lie to the police.

And don't lie to the police about breaking a law; especially when you've broken the law on a public street with so many witnesses who have cameras and video equipment trained on you.

And don't take stuff that doesn't belong to you.

And don't try to deny the civil rights of Americans; especially those Americans who have sons, daughters, wives, husbands, mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers in the military. It's those brave men and women of our military who keep your sorry, America-hating butts free.

Lastly, take your anti-war protest to Capitol Hill, and leave our wounded warriors to heal in the peace they have fought for and so richly deserve.


http://madmikey.mu.nu/archives/prote...aught_red_.php

http://tgsltakoma.blogspot.com/2006/...on-caught.html

http://www.clipshack.com/Clip.aspx?key=E7BFA1AA9B393266



At left (with back to camera), I'm showing the video to the MPDC officer. Facing the camera with unhappy looks on their faces are "Large Marge" of Code PinkO and Kevin McCarron. At right is the proud Marine dad who placed the sign on the WRAMC fence.

steveinaz

http://www.clermontyellow.accountsupport.com/flash/UntilThen.swf

Allow it to load, worth the wait.

Frank Z

I never get tired of seeing that one.

steveinaz

Can you guess what this Marine is saluting? It's called "INTEGRITY."

thehaens@cox.net

Steve

The pic of the Marine made me think of this fine man standing to show his respect for our Flag..

Despite the disabilities that our men in uniform have, they will Always show respect for the Flag and Country that they served..

Scott

PS: For those that don't understand, it is customary as the Colors pass, to stand as the Colors pass you. In the event it is a man in uniform. They will salute the colors...

steveinaz

Scott--note the Marine above; his left arm is at his side, as if he were standing at attention, hand closed. Now THATS a Marine. His parents must be proud beyond comprehension.

"Duty, honor, country" Either you get it, or you don't. I sincerely pity those that don't---they have know idea what they're missing.

thehaens@cox.net

steveinaz wrote:

Scott--note the Marine above; his left arm is at his side, as if he were standing at attention, hand closed. Now THATS a Marine. His parents must be proud beyond comprehension.

"Duty, honor, country" Either you get it, or you don't. I sincerely pity those that don't---they have know idea what they're missing.

Some of the little things that are "burned-in" to the Marine psychie since standing on them yellow footprints.

We get it....

Thanks again Steve for your patriotism. Thank you Frank for this thread. It is people like you that keeps me re-enlisting as a Marine..

Scott

edited for clarification...

George Grand

"I had other priorities."

steveinaz

I'd like to be able to take credit for the thread, but this is Frank's baby.

Great idea Frank.

thehaens@cox.net

steveinaz wrote:

I'd like to be able to take credit for the thread, but this is Frank's baby.

Great idea Frank.

Edited my post to clearly reflect my thoughts....;)

Frank Z

No thanks needed here brother.

All thanks go to those that are serving.

I did my 4 years and was lucky enough to have served during peace time.

Uncle Sam thinks my sorry **** is to old...so I do what I can to support those that are serving now.

Semper Fi Marine!!

Frank Z

This is great video....

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2487638612433437293&q=Vet

steveinaz

Dang! Can't see it from work, I'll check it out at home...

thehaens@cox.net

Frank Z wrote:

This is great video....

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2487638612433437293&q=Vet

Excellent video, that one put a lump in the throat.......well done..

MacLeod

Yeah, that got me choked up too. Something about Old Glory that brings tears to the toughest guys eyes.

Frank Z

http://www.alighthouse.com/flag.htm