Hello Heroes

[Sunshine]

My name is Marnie Mowles and I live in Montana with my husband who is 100% T&P Disabled Combat USMC Vietnam Veteran. We have one German Shepherd and a parrot. I was born in North Carolina. My husband was born and raised in Virginia. We moved to Montana about 10 years ago. I have a very strong love for Veterans . If it wasn't for y'all we would not have our freedom. I thank y'all from the bottom of my heart for all of y'alls sacrifices and for my freedom. :salute:

[Sunshine]

http://www.theveteransvoice.com/MtKIAMIA.html

[Chuck]

Welcome aboard Marnie..

I'm sure you will enjoy your stay here. Please feel free to make yourself at home. This is your home while you are here.

We look forward to many many posts.:dog:

[Sunshine]

www.veteransresources.org
Interesting website and very helpful. Y'all might want to check it out.

[Sunshine]

http://www.theveteransvoice.com/warstories.html

[Martin]

Sunshine, there may be some information for a story of a Marine..we have to get permission from his son first.. Will get back to ya next week if all is OK.
Martin

[Sunshine]

Sunshine, there may be some information for a story of a Marine..we have to get permission from his son first.. Will get back to ya next week if all is OK.
Martin

That is fine Sir. Thank you !!! :salute:

[Sunshine]

Here are some excellent music websites y'all will like.

http://www.bobforrest.com/JukeBox.htm
http://www.geckocountry.com/wallsongs.htm ( my husband used to listen to this alot to help him get alot of hidden emotions out. When I listened to the songs on this website I would cry. God Bless our Veterans )
http://tropicalglen.com/
http://chu65nang67.us/nam/vietnam.html ( Songs of the Vietnam Era )

[Sunshine]

Forgetting Our Soldiers:
American's Skewed Priorities


The New Media Journal

Culture War
Warner Todd Huston, Senior Writer

October 8, 2007


Recently I saw a story
that seems, at first, to be a heartwarming tale of a selfless American
sacrificing, if only in a small way, for one of our soldiers in uniform. But,
upon reflection, the story does more than tell the tale of one American doing
something nice for a soldier. It tells the tale of American priorities that are
warped, if not turned entirely on their head.



As writer Roddy Stinson of the San Antonio
Express-News relates the tale, the story is a disarmingly simple one. A woman on
an airliner gives up her seat in first class to a U.S. soldier in uniform. The
other passengers are impressed and give the nice woman a round of
applause.


Last Wednesday, while flying from Phoenix to the
Alamo City on U.S. Airways Flight 207, a San Antonio man, Gil Anderson,
witnessed something memorable.


Shortly before takeoff, he overheard a flight
attendant tell a young uniformed soldier sitting in front of him:


"A lady in first-class wants to switch seats
with you."


The soldier accepted the offer and walked up to
the first-class section.


"When the lady came back to our area, I had a
tear in my eye," Anderson said when he phoned this column soon after his plane
landed. "I gave her a little round of applause.



"Then, by golly, everybody in that area started
applauding," he said in a voice tinged with emotion. "It was a very moving
moment."


Acknowledging the applause of Anderson and the
other passengers, the first-class lady said simply:


"I did it because he deserves it."


The story almost raises a tear until you catch
yourself with a curious cock of the head, realizing that something is wrong
here.


This is the key part that reveals that things
are out of whack.


"When the lady came back to our area, I had a
tear in my eye," Anderson said when he phoned this column soon after his plane
landed. "I gave her a little round of applause.


"Then, by golly, everybody in that area started
applauding," he said in a voice tinged with emotion. "It was a very moving
moment."


These people applauded the lady and not the
soldier!


Yes, sir. I got a tear in my eye, too. I got a
tear when I realized that the passengers saw this woman as the special,
praiseworthy one and quickly forgot about the soldier. Ridiculously, this
woman was the one lauded by the other passengers.


What for? Why applaud her?


It was for doing what each and every one of them
should have done, that's why. They applauded her for doing what they all knew
was right. They applauded her because an American finally took the time to think
of someone else instead of their own selfish needs. They applauded out of guilt
that they didn't do it first.


And what of the soldier? He was the one that put
himself out for others. He is the one that is put in harm's way for their
benefit! Where was the applause for him? Yet he was the last thing on the other
passenger's minds. Even as they applauded the selfless, patriotic woman who gave
up her seat, these chuckleheads still forgot about the soldier.


Last time I was in an airport, I went up to each
soldier I saw, thanked them for their service and offered to buy them a cold
drink. I didn't get applause, but I would have been furious if I had. I did get
the warm appreciation of the soldiers I met there and that was plenty enough
reward, believe me.


But that everyone thought more of this
woman than they did the soldier shows that our priorities are out of whack, that
we are so selfish that when we see someone doing what is right, it is shocking
enough to cause special attention.


One should not get special treatment for
doing what one is supposed to do. It's like calling a good father a "hero." He
is not one. He is a father doing his rightful job. It is good and right that he
be a good father, but doing what is right is not supposed to be special. It is
supposed to be common.


So sure, that unknown woman was nice.
Absolutely she did what was good and right. But it's the soldier that deserved
the applause. He's the hero, not her.

Let's get our priorities straight,
America.

[Sunshine]

My close friend Dusty sent this to me :


A Veterans Rule For Dating His Daughter Or Grand Daughter


*Rule One: *

If you pull into my driveway and honk you'd better be delivering a package, because you're sure not picking anything up.


*Rule Two: *

*You do not touch my daughter in front of me. You may glance at her, so long as you do not peer at anything below her neck.
If you cannot keep your eyes or hands off of my daughter's body, I will remove them.

*Rule Three: *

I am aware that it is considered fashionable for boys of your age to wear their trousers so loosely that they appear to be falling off their hips.
Please don't take this as an insult, but you and all of your friends are complete idiots. Still, I want to be fair and open minded about this
issue, so I propose his compromise: You may come to the door with your underwear showing and your pants ten sizes too big, and I will not object.
However, in order to ensure that your clothes do not, in fact, come off during the course of your date with my daughter, I will take my electric
nail gun and fasten your trousers securely in place to your waist.

*Rule Four: *

I'm sure you've been told that in today's world, sex without utilizing a "barrier method" of some kind can kill you. Let me elaborate, when it
comes to sex, I am the barrier, and I will kill you.

*Rule Five: *

It is usually understood that in order for us to get to know each other, we should talk about sports, politics, and other issues of the day.
Please do not do this. The only information I require from you is an indication of when you expect to have my daughter safely back at my house, and the
only word I need from you on this subject is "early."

*Rule Six: *

I have no doubt you are a popular fellow, with many opportunities to date other girls. This is fine with me as long as it is okay with my daughter.
Otherwise, once you have gone out with my little girl, you will continue to date no one but her until she is finished with you. If you make her
cry, I will make you cry.

*Rule Seven: *

As you stand in my front hallway, waiting for my daughter to appear, and more than an hour goes by, do not sigh and fidget. If you want to be on
time for the movie, you should not be dating. My daughter is putting on her makeup, a process that can take longer than painting the Golden Gate
Bridge. Instead of just standing there, why don't you do something useful, like changing the oil in my car?

*Rule Eight: *

The following places are not appropriate for a date with my daughter:
Places where there are beds, sofas, or anything softer than a wooden stool. Places where there are no parents, policemen, or nuns within eyesight.
Places where there is darkness. Places where there is dancing, holding hands, or happiness. Places where the ambient temperature is warm
enough to induce my daughter to wear shorts, tank tops, midriff T-shirts, or anything other than overalls, a sweater, and a goose down parka -
zipped up to her throat. Movies with a strong romantic or sexual theme are to be avoided; movies which features chain saws are okay.
Hockey games are okay. Old folks homes are better.

*Rule Nine: *

Do not lie to me. On issues relating to my daughter, I am the all-knowing, merciless god of your universe. If I ask you where you are going and with
whom, you have one chance to tell me the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I have a shotgun, a shovel, and five acres behind the house.
Do not trifle with me.

*Rule Ten: *

Be afraid. Be very afraid. It takes very little for me to mistake the sound of your car in the driveway for a chopper coming in over a rice paddy near Hanoi.
When my Agent Orange starts acting up, the voices in my head frequently tell me to clean the guns as I wait for you to bring my daughter home.
As soon as you pull into the driveway you should exit your car with both hands in plain sight. Speak the perimeter password, announce in a clear voice that you have brought my daughter home safely and early, then return to your car - there is no need for you to come inside.
The camouflaged face at the window is mine.

*A veteran* - whether active duty, retired, or national guard or reserve - is someone who, at one point in their life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America," for an amount of "up to and including my life."

It is an honor to be a Veteran!

Welcome Home

It's DEJA VU all over again!!!

DUSTY

[Sunshine]

Dear American Veteran. ( I was asked by the author to post this and he wishes to remain anonymous)


Dear American Veteran:

We would like to take this opportunity to say "Thank you" for your
service to the United States of America and to our way of life.

It is because of Americans like you that other Americans have
the "right" to enjoy freedoms that are found nowhere else on earth.

It is because of your service to this great country of ours, that we
can have free elections to choose the leaders of our country and to
do so without bloodshed. Because of your service, we are able to
voice our opinions to those that govern without fear of reprisal.
Because of your service we can have a clear voice in the future
direction of our nation, our lives and those of our children and
grandchildren.

It is because you gave of your self in time of war and peace that we
can enjoy "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" as our
forefathers bequeathed to us over 230 years ago.

There are many monuments for our fallen veterans, but the best
monument to all veterans, is our country and our way of life.

May the God, of your choice, Bless You as he has Blessed America with you.

Thank you very much for your service and your example to the future
generations.

Sincerely yours.

Grateful American Citizens :salute:

[Sunshine]

I look up Captain Richard Lund on the internet and e-mailed him my thank you letter I wrote to all Veterans. :salute:

Commentary: An Open Letter to Code Pink
By Richard Lund (10-02-07)


While the protest that you staged in front of my office on Wednesday, Sept. 26th, was an exercise of your constitutional rights, the messages that you left behind were insulting, untrue, and ultimately misdirected. Additionally, from the comments quoted in the Berkeley Daily Planet article, it is clear that you have no idea what it is that I do here. Given that I was unaware of your planned protest, I was unable to contest your claims in person, so I will therefore address them here.

First, a little bit about who I am: I am a Marine captain with over eight years of service as a commissioned officer. I flew transport helicopters for most of my time in the Marine Corps before requesting orders to come here. Currently, I am the officer selection officer for the northern Bay Area. My job is to recruit, interview, screen, and evaluate college students and college graduates that show an interest in becoming officers in the Marine Corps. Once they’ve committed to pursuing this program, I help them apply, and if selected, I help them prepare for the rigors of Officer Candidate School and for the challenges of life as a Marine officer. To be eligible for my programs, you have to be either a full-time college student or a college graduate. I don’t pull anyone out of school, and high school students are not eligible.

I moved my office to Berkeley in December of last year. Previously, it was located in an old federal building in Alameda. That building was due to be torn down and I had to find a new location. I choose our new site because of its proximity to UC Berkeley and to the BART station. Most of the candidates in my program either go to Cal or to one of the schools in San Francisco, the East Bay, or the North Bay. Logistically, the Shattuck Square location was the most convenient for them.

Next, you claim that I lie. I have never, and will never, lie to any individual that shows an interest in my programs. I am upfront with everything that is involved at every step of the way and I go out of my way to ensure that they know what to expect when they apply. I tell them that this is not an easy path. I tell them that leading Marines requires a great deal of self-sacrifice. I tell them that, should they succeed in their quest to become a Marine officer, they will almost certainly go to Iraq. In the future, if you plan to attack my integrity, please have the courtesy to explain to me specifically the instances in which you think that I lied.

Next, scrawled across the doorway to my office, you wrote, “Recruiters are Traitors.” Please explain this one. How exactly am I a traitor? Was I a traitor when I joined the Marine Corps all those years ago? Is every Marine, therefore, a traitor? Was I a traitor during my two stints in Iraq? Was I a traitor when I was delivering humanitarian aid to the victims of the tsunami in Sumatra? Or do you only consider me a traitor while I am on this job? The fact is, recruitment is and always has been a part of maintaining any military organization. In fact, recruitment is a necessity of any large organization. Large corporations have employees that recruit full-time. Even you, I’m sure, must expend some effort to recruit for Code Pink. So what, exactly, is it that makes me a traitor?

The fact is this: any independent nation must maintain a military (or be allied with those who do) to ensure the safety and security of its citizens. Regardless of what your opinions are of the current administration or the current conflict in Iraq, the U.S. military will be needed again in the future. If your counter-recruitment efforts are ultimately successful, who will defend us if we are directly attacked again as we were at Pearl Harbor? Who would respond if a future terrorist attack targets the Golden Gate Bridge, the BART system, or the UC Berkeley clock tower? And, to address the most hypocritical stance that your organization takes on its website, where would the peace keeping force come from that you advocate sending to Darfur?

Finally, I believe that your efforts in protesting my office are misdirected. I agree that your stated goals of peace and social justice are worthy ones. War is a terrible thing that should only be undertaken in the most dire, extreme, and necessary of circumstances. However, war is made by politicians. The conflict in Iraq was ordered by the president and authorized by Congress. They are the ones who have the power to change the policy in Iraq, not members of the military. We execute policy to the best of our ability and to the best of our human capacity. Protesting in front of my office may be an easy way to get your organization in the headlines of local papers, but it doesn’t further any of your stated goals.

To conclude, I don’t consider myself a “recruiter.” I am a Marine who happens to be on recruiting duty. As such, I conduct myself in accordance with our core values of honor, courage, and commitment. I will never sacrifice my honor by lying to anyone that walks into my office. I will never forsake the courage that it takes to restrain myself in the face of insulting and libelous labels like liar and traitor. And, most importantly, I will never waver from my commitment to helping individuals who desire to serve their country as officers in the Marine Corps.



Captain Richard Lund is the United States Marine Corps’ officer selection officer for the northern Bay Area.

[Sunshine]

Vietnam Wives: Facing the Challenges of Life With Veterans Suffering Post-Traumatic Stress by Aphrodite Matsakis

Down Range: To Iraq and Back (Paperback)
by Bridget C., Ph.D. Cantrell & Chuck Dean

I have both.

[Sunshine]

http://www.hadit.com/hadit_com_Veteran_to_Vete ran_home.html

MY FRIEND SENT THIS TO ME.

[Sunshine]

Moonbats To Rally At 11 US Cities 27 October 2007‏





Some time ago the word was put out regarding the anti-America groups plans to do their anti-America thing again.........

If you live in or around one of the cities listed at this site, try to get involved and support or start a counter effort against the anti-America, anti-everything good in America..... see this link http://www.oct27.org/sites/oct27.org/files/oct27/October_27.html

I haven't seen anything going on with regard to the 11 city rally the "surrender"crowd is talking about except in Florida?? Am I missing a lot of activity? If there are plans in some of the cities to oppose the moonbats, send the information to contact@eaglesup.us so it can be listed for all to be aware of.

Is Florida the only Eagle action that will confront the moonbats??

For information on the Eagles challenge to the moonbats in Orlando, take a look at http://scottbushnell.com/GOEFL/

We can't make a statement if we don't show up...........anybody from the Florida Panhandle want to car-pool??


Harry Riley, COL, USA, Ret
hmriley@cox.net


http://www.eaglesup.us - Where there is no offense, there is no effect.

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

http://www.polliwogscholar.com/

[Sunshine]

I did not write this. I received it from my dad.

Subject: "TAPS" An interesting History -

If any of you have ever been to a military funeral in which taps
were played; this brings out a new meaning of it.

Here is something Every American should know. Until I read this, I
didn't know, but I checked it out and it's true:

We in the United States have all heard the haunting song, "Taps."
It's the song that gives us that lump in our throats and usually
tears in our eyes.

But, do you know the story behind the song? If not, I think you
will be interested to find out about its humble beginnings.

Reportedly, it all began in 1862 during the Civil War, when Union
Army Captain Robert Ellicombe was with his men near Harrison's
Landing in Virginia . The Confederate Army was on the other side
of the narrow strip of land.

During the night, Captain Ellicombe heard the moans of a soldier
who lay severely wounded on the field. Not knowing if it was a
Union or Confederate soldier, the Captain decided to risk his life
and bring the stricken man back for medical attention Crawling on
his stomach through the gunfire, the Captain reached the stricken
soldier and began pulling him toward his encampment.

When the Captain finally reached his own lines, he discovered it
was actually a Confederate soldier, but the soldier was dead.

The Captain lit a lantern and suddenly caught his breath and went
numb with shock. In the dim light, he saw the face of the soldier.

It was his own son. The boy had been studying music in the South
when the war broke out. Without telling his father, the boy
enlisted in the Confederate Army.

The following morning, heartbroken, the father asked permission of
his superiors to give his son a full military burial, despite his
enemy status. His request was only partially granted.

The Captain had asked if he could have a group of Army band members
play a funeral dirge for his son at the funeral.

The request was turned down since the soldier was a Confederate.

But, out of respect for the father, they did say they could give
him only one musician.

The Captain chose a bugler. He asked the bugler to play a series
of musical notes he had found on a piece of paper in the pocket of
the dead youth's uniform.

This wish was granted.

The haunting melody, we now know as "Taps" used at military
funerals was born.

The words are:
Day is done.
Gone the sun.
From the lakes
From the hills.
From the sky.
All is well.
Safely rest.
God is nigh.

Fading light.
Dims the sight.
And a star.
Gems the sky.
Gleaming bright.
From afar.
Drawing nigh.
Falls the night.

Thanks and praise.
For our days.
Neath the sun
Neath the stars.
Neath the sky.
As we go.
This we know.
God is nigh

I too have felt the chills while listening to "Taps" but I have
never seen all the words to the song until now. I didn't even know
there was more than one verse . I also never knew the story behind
the song and I didn't know if you had either so I thought I'd pass
it along.

I now have an even deeper respect for the song than I did before.

Remember Those Lost and Harmed While Serving Their Country.

Also Remember Those Who Have Served And Returned; and for those
presently serving in the Armed Forces.

Please send this on after a short prayer.

Make this a Prayer wheel for our soldiers...please don't break it

[Sunshine]

VETERANS DAY UPDATE 02: In their annual salute to all veterans McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants will again provide free meals in honor of Veterans Day. All veterans can receive a free lunch or dinner entrée at McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants nationwide on Sunday, 5 NOV 06. Vets should show proper identification (VA card, VFW card, veterans ID, discharge papers, etc.) Reservations Are Strongly Encouraged! In a show of thanks to our nation's veterans, Bill McCormick and Doug Schmick offer to serve those who've served at their McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants. Last year the company served nearly 15,000 vets nationwide. This year's event is taking place on the Sunday before Veterans Day so that families can participate. McCormick & Schmick's annual veterans program began as a small effort in just one restaurant in 1999. Due to its overwhelming popularity and positive response received from veterans the program has expanded nationwide. A complete list of participating restaurants may be found at www.McCormickandSchmicks. com .

Also thanking active duty and veterans, the Golden Corral restaurants will be having their annual salute to the military on Monday November 13, from 5-9pm. Military Appreciation Monday (First Monday after Veteran's Day) is set aside for Golden Corral to honor all active duty and retired military personnel with a free "thank you" dinner and beverage at any Golden Corral restaurant. No identification is required. Since 2001, Golden Corral has served 1,230,960 free meals to active duty and retired military personnel. For more information go to their website http://www.goldencorral.net/.

[Sunshine]

Father of Marine Killed in Iraq Sues Church for Cheering Death
Thursday, October 25, 2007



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BALTIMORE — The father of a Marine killed in Iraq took the stand in his invasion of privacy suit against a fundamentalist church that pickets soldiers' funerals, saying protesters carrying signs at his son's burial made him sick to his stomach.

Albert Snyder said Wednesday he had hoped for a private funeral for his son, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder.

"They turned this funeral into a media circus and they wanted to hurt my family," Snyder testified. "They wanted their message heard and they didn't care who they stepped over. My son should have been buried with dignity, not with a bunch of clowns outside."

Snyder is suing the Westboro Baptist church, whose members have picketed the funerals of military personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, claiming the deaths are punishment for the country's tolerance of homosexuality. The York resident is seeking unspecified monetary damages in the case for invasion of privacy and intent to inflect emotional distress as a result of the Topeka, Kan., church's protest at his son's funeral in Westminster in March 2006.

The church's protests have inspired several state laws and a federal law about funeral protests, but the Maryland suit is believed to be the first filed by the family of a fallen serviceman.

/**/
Asked Wednesday about a sign that read "Thank God for dead soldiers," Snyder said he thinks about it daily.

"I see that sign when I lay in bed," Snyder said.

Asked about statements issued by the group that his son was raised to support the "Roman Catholic monstrosity" and then sent to fight for the "United States of Sodomy," Snyder said "they have no right to do this to people they didn't know."

During cross-examination, defense attorney Jonathan Katz focused on obituaries and death notices and questioned Snyder on whether they said the funeral services were private. Snyder replied that the notices said friends and family were welcome, but admitted that he did not know all of the 500 or so people who attended.

The case tests the limits of the First Amendment right to free speech.

U.S. District Richard Bennett instructed jurors at the start of testimony Tuesday that the First Amendment protection of free speech has limits, including vulgar, offensive and shocking statements. Bennett said the jurors must decide "whether the defendant's actions would be highly offensive to a reasonable person, whether they were extreme and outrageous, and whether these actions were so offensive and shocking as to not be entitled to First Amendment protection."

Church members said they are motivated by the fear of God and their need to warn America about its moral decay, rather than a desire to hurt anyone.

Katz told jurors Tuesday the protests took place 1,000 feet away from St. John Catholic Church, where the funeral was held, down a hill and out of sight and hearing from participants.

Snyder said American military personnel are in Iraq fighting for freedom of speech "they're not fighting for hate speech." One photo showing a child holding a sign at the funeral protest was particularly disturbing, the father said.

"I pray for their children. Their children need help. To be brought up with that kind of hatred," Snyder said.

"My God is loving God," Snyder said, adding later "I don't look for hatred in the Bible."

The church's founder and pastor, Fred Phelps, took the stand after Snyder and prompted a strong admonition from Bennett when the pastor said he had not considered whether children would see a sign carried by protesters with the words "Semper Fi Fags" and two stick figures that appear to be engaged in sodomy.

"No, it's an irrelevancy," Phelps said.

Bennett then interjected sharply.

"Just answer the question, sir. Don't determine what's relevant or not relevant. You just answer the question," Bennett said.

Phelps said he chose to use the term "fag" in the group's signs because it comes from scripture but could also have used Sodomite or dog. When asked by Katz why the group made a "Semper Fi Fags" sign, Phelps said it was in response to the need for a warning to the country "that your wicked ways are going to be your doom shortly."

[Sunshine]

Flag-folding recitation banned at veterans cemeteries nationwide
Riverside Press Enterprise ^ | October 24, 2007 | Joe Vargo

Posted on 10/25/2007 6:57:48 AM PDT by Watershed


Through thousands of military burials, Memorial Honor Detail volunteers at Riverside National Cemetery have folded the American flag 13 times and recited the significance of every fold to survivors of those being laid to rest.

The first fold, a narrator tells relatives, represents life, the second a belief in eternal life.

The 11th fold celebrates Jewish war veterans and "glorifies the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob."

A single complaint lodged against the words for the 11th fold recently prompted the National Cemetery Administration to ban the entire recital at all 125 national cemeteries.

A spokesman in Washington said the complaint originated from someone who witnessed the ceremony at Riverside National but would provide no other details and declined to release the directive banning the flag-folding recital, saying it was "an internal working document not meant for public distribution."

Veterans are furious. Story continues below Joe Vargo / The Press-Enterprise The recitation of the 13 folds of the U.S. flag can no longer be made at national cemeteries. Veterans and honor detail volunteers, such as Bobby Castillo, 85, left, and Rees Lloyd, 59, are furious.

"That the actions of one disgruntled, whining, narcissistic and intolerant individual is preventing veterans from getting the honors they deserve is truly an outrage," said Rees Lloyd, 59, a Vietnam-era veteran and Memorial Honor Detail volunteer. "This is another attempt by secularist fanatics to cleanse any reference to God."

World War II Navy sailor Bobby Castillo, 85, another member of Memorial Honor Detail 12, called the federal decision "a slap in the face to every veteran."

"When we got back from the war, we didn't ask for a whole lot," said Castillo, who was wounded in 1944 as he supported the Allied landings in France. "We just want to give our veterans the respect they deserve. No one has ever complained to us about it. I just don't understand."

The pair, part of a team that has performed military honors at more than 1,400 services, said they were preparing to read the flag-folding remarks when workers in a staff car came up to them and stopped them.

Charlie Waters, parliamentarian for the American Legion of California, said he's advising memorial honor details to ignore the edict, even if it means being kicked out of cemeteries.

"This is nuts," Waters, a Korean War veteran, said in a telephone interview from Fresno. "There are 26 million veterans in this country and they're not going to take us all to prison."

Washington's Explanation

Mike Nacincik, the spokesman for the National Cemetery Administration, said the new policy, which was outlined in a Sept. 27 memo, is aimed at creating uniform services throughout the military graveyard system.

He said the 13-fold recital is not part of the U.S. Flag Code and is not government approved. After the complaint made its way through government channels, Steve Muro, director of field operations, wrote the new policy.

Nacincik said that while the flag-folding narrative includes references to God that the government does not endorse, the main reason for the new rules is uniformity.

"We are looking at consistency," Nacincik said. "We think that's important."

As for comments that the edict is an attack on religious beliefs, Nacincik said, "People are going to have their own views on that."

He said the flag-folding narrative can be read but only if families make arrangements on their own and do not use cemetery workers, which include volunteers. The U.S. government owns Riverside National, the most active national cemetery in the country with more than 8,000 burials of veterans and immediate family members each year.

A Jewish Perspective

Rabbi Yitzhak Miller, of Riverside's Temple Beth El, said he understands the government's decision to ban the recitation but believes it is a quick solution to a complex issue.

"It is a perfect example of government choosing to ignore religion in order to avoid offending some religions," Miller said. "To me, ignoring religion in general is just as problematic as endorsing any one religion."

Miller said the 11th fold, and the 12th fold, which refers to the Christian Trinity -- "God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost -- amounts to an endorsement of Judaism and Christianity. He said he would like to see a reference to "God as we understand God" mentioned in the ritual but without endorsing any specific tradition.

"To acknowledge those two without acknowledging others denigrates the patriotic men and women of other faiths who serve our country," he said.

Family Wishes

Lloyd and Castillo said they always speak to families before providing military honors to their loved ones. Honors include a rifle salute, the playing of taps and the folding of the flag. Some families don't want any honors; others decline specific parts of the ceremony. Those wishes are paramount and are always respected.

Lloyd said the 16 members of the Memorial Honor Detail he serves on have distributed hundreds of copies of the script they recite while folding the flag. They've received dozens of letters thanking them, and several mention in particular the flag-folding recitation. But now presenting families that memento isn't allowed under the directive.

Lloyd, a member of the state American Legion, said he knows Riverside National Cemetery workers are just obeying orders. The real battle is with Washington.

"We're going to fight this tooth and nail, hammer and boot," he said




!

[Sunshine]

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http://www.operationmom.org/ToOurParents.html

[O'BOOT]

:salute:Hero performed by Michael Israel in New York ( This is awesome)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZFkZiwMLZ4


From: Marnie Mowles (vietnamveteranswife@yaho o.com)aka sunshine

[Sunshine]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,306186,00.html

[Sunshine]

Yes it is a con game. They can not guarantee you benefits nor can anyone adjudicate a claim when it is in the hands of the VA. So therefore, they can not have processing speeds faster than the VA. There are several major deceptions in this email. I will also turn over a copy of this to the state's AG Office.

I think it is a scam to obtain personal information for identity theft and steal money.

Put this on the web site , the paper, and broad cast it.

Thom





<<http://www.veteranprograms.com>>

If you haven't started a claim for your GUARANTEED service-connected compensation you are missing out on compensation benefits you have earned. By virtue of serving your country YOU ARE ELIGIBLE for at least one claim, if not many more. For instance, tinnitus (Tinnitus is not itself a disease but a symptom resulting from a range of underlying causes, including ear infections, foreign objects or wax in the ear, and injury from loud noises. Tinnitus is also a side-effect of some oral medications, such as aspirin, and may also result from an abnormally low level of serotonin activity). is certainly a service-connected claim ALL SERVICE MEMBERS can receive as compensation.

What are you waiting for? No more waiting for long periods of time at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office or DAV organization, with U.S. Compensation Programs your compensation benefits are just a click away.

As a client, you and all other U.S. veterans can apply online for service-connected compensation benefits. U.S. Veterans Compensation contracts with Independent Compensation Processors (ICP) throughout the United States to expediently garner compensation benefits for U.S. veterans. We work faster and smarter than government employees for the benefit of U.S. veterans.

With processing speeds faster than VA VSOs, DAV representatives, and other benefits counselors, our ICPs proudly and efficiently get veterans the benefits they have earned and deserve.

Also, whether a veteran is currently working on a claim or not, we can still get the job done faster. Our ICPs do not sit on claims to increase their bottom line, they work extremely hard for U.S. veterans to get what they have earned in the quickest time possible.

As you know, we are a company of veterans from all branches of the Armed Forces who work hard for ALL veterans. We help veterans get benefits they have earned and deserve and benefits they didn't know they were eligible for or existed. EVERY U.S. Veteran should apply for benefits, the results could surprise them.

Lastly, make sure and send this message to ALL members of your unit/organization or veterans you know. As a client, you are getting this e-mail as a heads-up on this exciting program. As stated in previous correspondence, November 2007 we will begin our national promotion campaign. If you have any questions regarding your claim please contact us today.



APPLY ONLINE TODAY


Capt. Rance Jurevwicz (RET USA)
Internet Manager
U.S. Veteran Compensation
http://www.veteranprograms.com

[Sunshine]

VA Clarifies Policy on Flag-Folding Recitations> "13-Fold"Ceremony, Other Scripts Approved> WASHINGTON (October 30, 2007) -- To ensure burial services at the 125> national cemeteries operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)> reflect the wishes of veterans and their families, VA officials have> clarified the Department's policy about recitations made while the U.S.> flag is folded at the gravesite of a veteran.> > "Honoring the burial wishes of veterans is one of the highest> commitments for the men and women of VA," said William F. Tuerk, VA's> Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs. "A family may request the> recitation of words to accompany the meaningful presentation of the> American flag as we honor the dedication and sacrifice of their loved> ones."> Traditional gravesite military funeral honors include the silent folding> and presentation of an American flag, a 21-gun rifle salute, and the> playing of "Taps."> > The clarification includes the following:> * Volunteer honor guards are authorized to read the so-called> "13-fold" flag recitation or any comparable script;> * Survivors of the deceased need to provide material and request> it be read by the volunteer honor guards; and > * Volunteer honor guards will accept requests for recitations that> reflect any or no religious traditions, on an equal basis.> > Veterans with a discharge other than dishonorable, their spouses and> eligible dependent children can be buried in a national cemetery. Other> burial benefits available for all eligible veterans, regardless of> whether they are buried in a national cemetery or a private cemetery,> include a burial flag, a Presidential Memorial Certificate and a> government headstone or marker. > >

[Sunshine]

IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 1265-07
October 31, 2007


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DoD, VA Announce "Recovery Coordinators" for Wounded Warriors and Their Families


The Department of Defense (DoD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) today signed an agreement to provide "federal recovery coordinators" who will ensure life-long medical and rehabilitative care services and other federal benefits are provided to seriously wounded, injured and ill active duty service members, veterans and their families.

The agreement puts into place one of the top recommendations of the President's Commission on Care for America's Returning Wounded Warriors, co-chaired by former Sen. Robert Dole and former Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala.

"This agreement will help ensure our nation's wounded warriors and their families receive the care they need and deserve at the right time, right place, and by the right person across the continuum from recovery through to their reintegration into their communities," said Michael L. Dominguez, principal deputy under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness.

Under this agreement the first group of federal recovery coordinators will be provided by VA in coordination with DoD and will be assigned to select military treatment facilities throughout the nation. They will support existing military service and veteran programs and care providers by coordinating needed services between DoD and VA and state and private and voluntary organizations, while serving as the ultimate life-long resource for wounded, ill and injured and their families who may have concerns about federal services or benefits.

Job announcements for the new positions have been posted, with the first 10 federal recovery coordinators scheduled to be hired by Dec. 1. Plans call for the new employees to be trained and in place at the military's major health care facilities during January 2008.

The first 10 coordinators will work at military health care facilities and at any other locations where patients are later assigned. They will be located at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.; the Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.; the Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas; and the Naval Medical Center Balboa in San Diego. Additional recovery coordinators will be added in the future as needs are determined.

The coordinators will have a background in social services or nursing and will work closely with the clinical and non-clinical case management teams to develop and execute federal individual recovery plans. Those plans, developed for the severely wounded, injured or ill, specify what services are needed across the continuum of care, from recovery through rehabilitation to reintegration to civilian life. The coordinators also will work closely with family members to take care of their services and needs.

The coordinators will have access to and support from the DoD's under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness and VA's under secretary for health, as well as the commanders of facilities where service members and veterans receive treatment.

These federal recovery coordinators are in addition to other programs that have been established by the military services.







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U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)

On the Web: http://www.defenselink.mil/Releases/

Media Contact: +1 (703) 697-5131/697-5132
Public Contact: http://www.defenselink.mil/faq/comment.html or +1 (703) 428-0711 +1