Today at 10 am EST there will be a hearing with the House Committee on Veterans Affairs:

The Truth about Veterans’ Suicides

You can watch it live at the link above.

You can also read the transcripts from previous hearings here. 

It’s important to know what the Congress critters are up to regarding our Veterans’ care and well-being.  It also gives you a good idea who to contact in case you have concerns in this area.

The Congress will just keep bumbling along with the same ol’, same ol’ unless you let them know what you need or want them to do.  After all, they believe  it’s all about them, so they need constant reminding who they really work for. 

And that would be YOU! 

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Well, we just got a call that the livingroom furniture is ready to be delivered.  Now that is a good thing.  Except for the part where we weren’t expecting it for another month and the livingroom has not been cleared out of the boxes of stuff we haven’t put away yet.   Which wouldn’t really be a problem because we could spend the weekend taking care of that.  Except for the part where I’m going to be  in the Apple Blossom Parade with my local chapter of Rolling Thunder, taking up most of Saturday and on Sunday, there’s the RT meeting and fundraiser ticket sale.  Sigh…

Looks like today is going to be very, very busy.  

So, I’m going to just point you to these articles at Townhall because they are terrific!  Banner day there:

Still the Land of Fruits and Nuts
By Burt Prelutsky

This makes Jon Voigt’s activities in support of our Military lately even more poignant.

Stop Apologizing for Being an American
By John Hawkins

I agree whole heartedly!!  Which is why if you start talking at me about the “evils” of America, I will shut you down so fast, your eyes will roll in the back of your head.

Obama’s Changing Moral Equivalence
By Charles Krauthammer

He’s one of my favorites!  He can deadpan his way to the most cutting truth and he does it  exquisitely in this piece.  If you buy the latest from the Obama Messiah, check in with the Doc, because something is really wrong with your wiring ~ or you’re just not paying attention.  

All the Wright Stuff
By Oliver North

Some good advice from North.  Of course, those who need to heed it the most, more than likely will not.  And that is a shame.

‘Willful Blindness’ to the Jihad
By David Limbaugh

So you think we can talk our way to peace with these people?  Hah! 

Tall Tales About Tuskegee
By Jonah Goldberg

Another American “Evil” bites the dust. 

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Military Motivator   ~  Contributed by ProudMarineDad

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10th ANNUAL NATIONAL MILITARY APPRECIATION MONTH

MAY 2008

About NMAM

The History of NMAM

PARTICIPATE!!! (Ideas for showing your appreciation for our Military)

		108th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 328 Recognizing and honoring the United States Armed Forces and supporting the designation of a National Military Appreciation Month. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 18, 2003 Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Government Reform

Whereas the vigilance of the members of the Armed Forces has been instrumental to the preservation of the freedom, security, and prosperity enjoyed by the people of the United States;

Whereas the success of the Armed Forces depends on the dedicated service of its members, their families, and the civilian employees of the Department of Defense and the Coast Guard;

Whereas the role of the United States as a world leader requires a military force that is well-trained, well-equipped, and appropriately sized;

Whereas to maintain such a force, the youth of the United States must possess a commitment to military service sufficient to achieve the levels of recruitment and retention necessary to sustain the strength, vitality, and character of the Armed Forces;

Whereas to foster and sustain such a commitment it is vital for the youth of the United States to understand that the service provided by members of the Armed Forces is an honorable legacy that protects the freedoms enjoyed by citizens of the United States as well as citizens of many other nations;

Whereas the Federal Government has a responsibility to raise awareness of and respect for this aspect of the heritage of the United States and to encourage the people of the United States to dedicate themselves to the values and principles for which Americans have served and sacrificed throughout the history of the Nation;

Whereas service in the Armed Forces entails special hazards and demands extraordinary sacrifices from service members and their families;

Whereas the support of the families of service members enhances the effectiveness and capabilities of the Armed Forces;

Whereas the observance of events recognizing the contributions of the Armed Forces is a tangible and highly effective way of sustaining morale and improving quality of life for service members and their families;

Whereas on April 30, 1999, the Senate passed S. Res. 33 (106th Congress), entitled `Designating May 1999 as `National Military Appreciation Month’, calling on the people of the United States, in a symbolic act of unity, to observe a National Military Appreciation Month in May 1999, to honor the current and former members of the Armed Forces, including those who have died in the pursuit of freedom and peace; and

Whereas it is important to emphasize to the people of the United States the relevance of the history and activities of the Armed Forces through an annual National Military Appreciation Month that includes associated local and national observances and activities: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That Congress–

• (1) supports the designation of a National Military Appreciation Month;

• (2) urges the President to issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States, all Federal departments and agencies, States, localities, organizations and media to annually observe a National Military Appreciation Month with appropriate ceremonies and activities; and

• (3) urges the White House Commission on Remembrance, established by Congress to honor those who died in service to the United States and those who continue to serve the Nation, to work to support the goals and objectives of a National Military Appreciation Month.

COSPONSORS

~ THANK YOU!!! ~

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So much is going on that is infuriating, mind-boggling, frustrating, amazing, inspiring and just plain awesome, that I don’t even know where to start with it all. It’s all just buzzing around in my head and coming at me faster than I can process it. This tells me I just need to do some watching for now. It appears we’re in a holding pattern on a lot of things anyway, so it’s a ‘wait and see’ time.

Plus, there are a lot of home-based things that need tending to and my local Rolling Thunder Chapter events are gearing up and there’s that hateful filing still needing to be done. Not enough hours in the day for everything I want to tackle!

You all probably know the nonsense going on in the political arena - if you don’t, start now! It’s important - we are in a watershed moment in our history and there’s a lot problems in this country right now. Many of them are sitting in Congress right now and others want to become The President. Nevermind that the PC contingent are trying ever so hard to turn our freedoms against us.

Just go to my News and Political Reads page and get started.

Your blood will boil, you may want to throw things, and get mad as hell, but that’s good! Take that energy and make phone calls or send letters to those elected employees of ours and tell them what you think. Make them earn their pay. Better yet, go visit them. Remind them that they can be fired. We put them into office, we can take them out. They tend to forget that part.

This is our country. Are we going to let a bunch of career politicians and idiots run it into the ground without a fight?! There are men and women spilling blood and giving the ultimate sacrifice to keep this country safe. Shouldn’t we, too, be paying attention to what they’re guarding?

And this is where the amazing and inspiring parts come in:

America Supports You: Radio Program Gives Troops a Voice

Bagram Provincial Reconstruction Team Hosts Women’s Affairs Meeting

7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) Soldier to receive Distinguished Service Cross (go here for more about Master Sergeant O’Connor)

Wounded Vets Race Cars While Recovering

Throwing Flies to Heal the Wounds of War

And bless their hearts ~

Berkeley College Republicans apply for same protest privileges as Code Pink

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See, it’s not all doom and gloom.  And the world will continue to spin.  But how the day comes to a close is up to us.  So, I’m going to continue to pay attention and do what I can to keep to the good. 

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This Weeks Hero Was Suggested By Mary Ann

Wednesday Hero was started to put a face to the men and women of the American Armed Forces and what they do for us. Vary rarely has there been a member of a foreign military profiled. In fact, in the two years Wednesday Hero’s been going on it’s only been done once before. Here’s the second.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died,

We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

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

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My Baby Girl turned 21 years old yesterday. 21!
I swear it was just a couple of years ago I was helping her learn to roller skate and ride a bike.

She’s taller than me ~ has been for a while now. She’s smart and sassy and very independently-minded. She’s also a healer, not just of animals but of people too. She would gather the lost kids from her school and bring them home so they wouldn’t be sleeping out on the streets. Seems she was always on the phone listening to someone having a hard time. And the critters! Always new broken, lost or sick critters to tend at our house with this one. She would be sitting there, at age six, holding the cotton balls and antibiotic ointment while I took care of abscesses or cuts on our cats. Never got queasy. She helped the Mama cats give birth and stood right there when the Vet had to put one to sleep who was too sick to make it. She would take feeding shifts during the night when we had kittens who’d lost their Mama and had to be bottle fed. She’d check on the incisions when one of the critters had to have surgery to make sure they weren’t getting infected. She walked up the Army recruiter at her high school and said, “tell me about the Veterinary Corps.” He had to look it up and he did. He got her all the information she needed and started her on her way to enlisting in the Army. She was the first female to enlist from her high school in five years. She reenlisted 2 years sooner than she had to earlier this year and just received the Army Achievement Medal before leaving Ft Stewart earlier this month. She’s now aiming at making Sergeant before this year is over. She’s put her name on the list for deployment to the Middle East.

Now you know why the title of this blog is what it is.

Damn straight, I’m proud!

Because we had it pretty darn rough for many years of her childhood. She didn’t have a lot of the things other kids her age had. And she had a mother who had to work too much just to make ends meet.

I look at her today and am in awe of her self-confidence, her poise and her strength.

She’s my beautiful one.

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We had a cookout for her on Sunday. We invited the neighbors and she invited a couple of friends over, one being Sgt M from the 173rd. We met him when we took some of his guys who are at Walter Reed out to lunch a few weeks ago. Devon told him to bring some of the guys with him. So he did.

Unfortunately, the weather was not exactly the best for a cookout but at least it didn’t rain!

Everyone just kicked back and munched and talked or took walks around the property or fished.

The dogs thought they had died and gone to heaven! So many people with food!!

Let the begging begin!!

We all sang Happy Birthday Loudly even though Devon pleaded with us not to. Hah! (She’s heard us before, doncha know.)

The dogs were even more ecstactic - they know what that song means. CAKE!!

Next weekend, Devon is being taken out to ‘legally’ bar hop. Soldier style.

I don’t want to know the details….

Just remember ~ “designated driver”.

Love Ya, My Baby Girl Soldier!

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I was cruising my blog list last night, reading posts written by those with boots on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan, then stopping by some political blogs and on to the media watchdog blogs.

I’ve got to tell you ~ I just kept shaking my head at all the spin, untruths, manipulations and out and out lies that are coming from the media and politicians. The disparity between what’s being reported and what’s actually happening in Iraq and Afghanistan is mind-boggling.

And unfortunately, too many folks still don’t know about the milblogs. They continue to believe whatever comes out of a talking head’s mouth.

Between the presidential campaign with the mud-slinging getting thicker every day, the democratic party’s sorry handling of the campaigns, San Fran Nan holding up important security legislation to kowtow to her uber-liberal base, Harry Reid getting his knickers all in a knot at something the Republicans are doing - every five minutes it seems, the stupidity in Congress regarding our border and the now worthless legislation to build a fence, the continuing division in Congress to score political points only, most of Washington DC still not acknowledging the real threat against our country, too many elected officials still blaming the US for all the world’s woes, the bashing of the military by the press and too many elected officials, the UN still having any kind of say in anything and is still on U.S. soil, that Sec Gates has to even ask for the funding to keep our troops safe past June, that President Bush seems to have lost his mind regarding Mexico, political correctness has run amuck, so-called “progressives” seem to believe that free speech belongs only to them, people who were elected to serve this country are selling it down the river, that there are too many in this country who just don’t seem to give a damn…oh shoot, I could go on for another hour.

But I won’t. I’ll just get more cranky. I don’t like the idea of the Pelosis, Obamas, Murthas, and Reids of this country ruining my day.

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So, instead, here are a few photos of Spring at our place:

Hank and Gladys and family ~

Li’l Fluffbutts ~

Dogwood blooming

And the start of our barn:

Well, I feel better now.

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Warning: bad words

But Dang! This kid hits it all!

Black & White on the Grey Matters 2 (War)

It’s long but worth it just to see a young person (who is not in the Military) who gets it. 

Be sure to check out his other videos - we need to get him out there! 

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Contrasted with this from Carrie and Jason of Gathering of Eagles:

On April 22nd several members of the Northwest Pa. Gathering of Eagles gathered in Edinboro, Pa to counter-protest an anti-war demonstration staged by some students from Edinboro University, their professors and a few unidentified and hygienically challenged others. Initially the operation was quite innocuous with a few spirited verbal exchanges between the two sides. We were positioned across the street receiving many honks and thumbs up from passersby.

Andrew, our 14-year-old son, crossed the street to videotape the “toy-soldier” displays setup by the peace crowd. These displays consisted of many small plastic soldiers glued to a child’s sled, can’t explain that one, and a footlocker with toy soldiers, middle finger pictures and a map of Iraq. Two females began harassing Andrew as they shoved signs in his face and threatened to sue him for videotaping. Carrie and I (Jason) crossed the street to ensure Andrew wasn’t hurt and to explain to the “students” that his videotaping was well within the law. The professors standing with the students goaded the entire thing on failing to explain to the students that they were wrong and out of line. It wasn’t long before one of the peace protesters grabbed the sign out of my hand and threw it into the street. As I attempted to retrieve it she got up into my face. Carrie stepped between us so that I would not have to defend myself to a female. The girl and her sister then stepped into Carrie’s face and swung at her. I subdued one of the girls as the other girl beat Carrie down in the middle of the street, pulled her to the ground by her hair and kicked her in the head…it should be noted the aggressor was wearing boots. Carrie is still wearing her inflatable cast which makes it easy for her to lose her balance. Andrew pulled the girl off of Carrie and she was able to get up. I was on the ground holding onto the other girl until several men attacked me, holding me while one of them hit me in the head from behind. I was telling them I was only holding her so that she wouldn’t attack my wife again. I let go of her due to the punches and was eventually able to get up. During this exchange, my glasses were knocked to the ground and smashed in the street. At this time, Andrew was just videotaping when one of the two girls attacked him unprovoked landing a hard right on the side of his face. I was able to pull her back preventing any further attacks. I had to keep the two girls from attacking Carrie again as they we trying to.

We are so very proud of Andrew. He maintained a very mature and level-head throughout the entire event. He told us he had wanted to “do” more but due to his Tae Kwon Do training, he knows to do the least amount possible to defuse the situation and thus chose only to pull the girl off of his mom. Andrew is learning a lot from these people and understands what is at stake.

The Edinboro Police were called, two officers responded. One of the officers spoke with Carrie and me first, noting our side of things. The other officer was quite agitated and was very aggressive toward us. He said nothing to the members of the peace crowd as they shouted at me but when I said something back the officer bowed up on me, got in my face and threatened to arrest me. I sat down on the curb with Carrie until the questioning process was through. As I was there the one girl came back across the street as she had been directed by the police and spit directly at me, some hitting my leg. The officer ignored it and actually was angry with us for letting it bother us. He made the girl go back across the street with no threat of arrest!!! Andrew played the videotape for the officer and he made the decision that no one should be arrested. We pointed out that it was clearly visible we had not thrown the first blows and that we were clearly antagonized to do so. Also, we asked why, when it was clear a minor was blatantly assaulted, the girl who punched Andrew was not arrested. He really did not explain that one.

Jeff Kays, a fellow member of GOE who was present, went to the police station with me so that I could inquire about the assault on Andrew. The aggressive officer who had threatened to arrest me was the only one there. He was very agitated that I came there and told me that I should be arrested for hitting a girl, which I clearly did not do. After asking why the girl wasn’t arrested he busted out of the door, got into my face and said that I was pushing it and that I had better stop or he was cuffing me. I asked the officer if I could leave, so as not to disrespect him, and he said yes. I left the station. Jeff stayed behind and spoke with the officer. Jeff said that he sat down in a chair so as to demonstrate compliance and asked the officer a few questions. The officer then relaxed a little and told Jeff that the video will have to be reviewed and the DA consulted before a decision would be made how to proceed. Now, wasn’t that easy?

While we are all a little sore, we are in pretty good spirits. We are seeking legal representation and will report back soon as to the progress of the case. Carrie has retrieved the video from the police station and is working on getting it posted. The police told her today that this is “simple assault” which does not warrant anyone being arrested. He explained a weapon would have had to been present to warrant aggravated assault or the intent to seriously harm or kill…even on a minor. He explained that they could have crossed the street, punched my 7-year-old and not have been arrested! Carrie then asked, “isn’t a kick to the head an attempt to seriously harm”, he replied that he did not see that so it doesn’t matter. Carrie told him that our daughter Anna saw the kick but he said that was not admissible evidence. Our video clearly depicts the kick. You can see the girls boot fly up into the screen over where Carrie was lying. It should be noted there was an individual on their side that was videotaping. The police did not confiscate her video, which is somewhat curious. She did tell the police that she had videotaped the entire event. I wonder if she will come forward with her video due to the fact that it clearly will not make things any better for them.

Thanks to all for the emails and phone calls of support. We love you guys and hope no one has to ever again endure the ABUSE of the “peace” protesters! Please keep in mind the Vietnam Memorial Moving Wall will be in this same city, Edinboro Pa, from May 1st-5th! The opening ceremony for this event is May 1st on the Edinboro University Campus at 12 P.M.
( http://cms.edinboro.edu/promotions/vietnam_wall.dot)

May be a good time for a “gathering”!

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And CJ’s video from last year. Remember?

CJ has contacted his local radio station who aired it and Fox news which apparently is on it too. He also emailed Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Mark Levin and sent emails to ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox News, and CNN.

This will not stand.

“Peace” people, my pahtootey!

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Now take it one step further and help out Flag Gazer with letting the Navy know we support them too:

Need Letters from Home

Go on now!

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I know this has been around the web, but it’s too good not to put up again. I love how it came about.

Please read to the end and then click on the website — this is fabulous!

Before You Go

There’s also now a version for our Vietnam Vets.   You can find it at the Website here. 

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Click To Enlarge

Cpl. Markbradley Vincze gives students from al-Raqhaa School backpacks in the Monsouri area of Iraq. Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1-76th FA, 4th BCT, 3rd Inf. Div., delivered backpacks, soccer balls and notebooks.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died,

We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

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