To All Our Brothers and Sisters
We are very proud of and extremely grateful to all our Veterans.
Thank you...for serving your country with little or no gratitude.
Thank you... for sacrificing time with your families.
Thank you... for spending countless hours, days, months, away from
home and loved ones, often in dangerous and extreme conditions.
Thank you ..for Fighting for OUR FREEDOM.
The average
age of the military man is 19 years. He is a short haired, tight-muscled
kid who,
under normal
circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry
behind
the ears, not
old enough to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country. He never
really
cared much for
work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his father's; but he
has
never collected
unemployment either.
He's a recent
High School graduate; he was probably an average student,
pursued some
form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy, and has
a steady girlfriend
that either broke up with him when he left, or swears to
be waiting when
he returns from half a world away. He listens to rock and
roll or hip-hop
or rap or jazz or swing and 155mm howitzer. He is 10 or
15 pounds lighter
now than when he was at home because he is working
or fighting
from before dawn to well after dusk.
He has trouble
spelling, thus letter writing is a pain for him, but he can field
strip a rifle
in 30 seconds and reassemble it in less time in the dark. He can
recite to you
the nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade launcher and
use either one
effectively if he must. He digs foxholes and latrines and can
apply first
aid like a professional. He can march until he is told to stop or
stop until he
is told to march.
He obeys orders
instantly and without hesitation, but he is not without
spirit or individual
dignity. He is self-sufficient. He has two sets of
fatigues: he
washes one and wears the other. He keeps his canteens
full and his
feet dry. He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but
never to clean
his rifle. He can cook his own meals, mend his own
clothes, and
fix his own hurts. If you're thirsty, he'll share his water
with you; if
you are hungry, his food. He'll even split his ammunition
with you in
the midst of battle when you run low.
He has learned
to use his hands like weapons and weapons like
they were his
hands. He can save your life - or take it, because that
is his job.
He will often do twice the work of a civilian, draw half the
pay and still
find ironic humor in it all. He has seen more suffering
and death then
he should have in his short lifetime.
He has stood
atop mountains of dead bodies, and helped to create them.
He has wept
in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in combat
and is unashamed.
He feels every note of the National Anthem vibrate
through his
body while at rigid attention, while tempering the burning
desire to 'square-away'
those around him who haven't bothered to stand,
remove their
hat, or even stop talking. In an odd twist, day in and day out,
far from home,
he defends their right to be disrespectful.
Just as did his
Father, Grandfather, and Great-grandfather, he is paying
the price for
our freedom. Beardless or not, he is not a boy. He is the
American Fighting
Man that has kept this country free for over 200 years.
He has asked
nothing in return, except our friendship and understanding.
Remember him,
always, for he has earned our respect and admiration
with his blood. And now we even have woman over there in danger,
doing their
part in this tradition of going to War when our nation calls
us to do
so. As you go to bed tonight, remember this shot.. A short lull,
a little
shade and a picture of loved ones in their helmets.
Prayer Wheel for Our Troops
"Lord, hold our
troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us.
Bless them and
their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of
need. Amen."
National Prayer
Lord, we come
to You on bended knee,
heads bowed
and our hearts filled to overflowing
with so much
grief for the many people who have
been injured
and killed in our National crisis.
We ask you Lord,
to give courage
and strength
to those who so bravely
go to their
aid. And though their hearts will
be heavy and
filled with sorrow we ask Lord
that You give
them the endurance needed
to help them
through this difficult task.
Please give us
the strength Lord,
to get through
each difficult and devastating
day that faces
each of us and our country.
Protect and
guide our Military that
are now being
called to duty.
We ask Lord,
that You guide the leaders
of our great
country in their hour of decision.
The burden that
has been placed on their
shoulders during
this crisis is overwhelming.
We ask that
with Your infinite wisdom You
guide them gently
to the right decisions.
And lastly Lord,
we ask that You
allow us all
to come together as a Nation,
to stand tall
and united, so that we might
help each other
in our hour of need.
Amen
When you read
this, please stop for a moment and just say a prayer for our ground
troops
http://www.stardustradio.com/
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OF OURS BOYS AND GIRLS
in Iraq and Afghanistan, sailors on ships, and airmen in the air, and for all
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This can be very powerful....... Of all the
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Sailor, Coastguardsman, Marine or Airman,
prayer is the very best one.
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"Please Visit These Wonderful Sites and Show Your Support for Our Troops"
At this time there are over 350,000 of our men and women deployed overseas.
These days are a
very lonely
time for our country's soldiers who are far away from home.
Help put a smile on a soldiers face by sending him/her a package or a message of
Love & Support.
Operation Military Pride - 101st Care Packages
http://paws-and-claws.org/omp/101stcarepackages.html
SOS - Support Our Soldiers
!
http://www.opsos.org/
Friends of Our
Troops / Military Mail Call
http://www.militarymail.org/
AOL
News: Write the Troops
aol://4344:3167.writtrop.21073708.724721680
Operation USO
Care Package
http://www.usocares.org/home.htm#
Operation Dear Abby.net - Messages from Home
http://anyservicemember.navy.mil/About.html
Anyservicemember.org
http://anyservicemember.org/main.html
DefendAmerica News - Support our Troops
http://www.defendamerica.mil/support_troops.html
Military
Support Packages
http://www.vvnw.org/militarysupport.htm
Kitchen Table Gang - Send A Package to a Warrior
http://www.kitchentablegang.org/packages/
VFW Foundation
:: Operation Uplink
http://www.operationuplink.org/
America Reaches Out
http://www.americasupportsyou.mil/americasupportsyou/MessageList.aspx?SectionID=5
America Supports You !
http://www.americasupportsyou.mil/americasupportsyou/index.aspx
Thank A
Soldier Week
http://www.thankasoldierweek.com/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Let every nation know....whether it wishes us well or ill....
that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship,
support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and
the success of LIBERTY"
~John F. Kennedy ~
January 20, 1961
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*****
United
We
Stand
God
Bless
America
*****
IN HARMS WAY PROTECTING OUR FREEDOM CLICK HERE
