Below is a notice to all Veterans that is on a VSO website. This is the Number to VA's Suicide Prevention HotLine.
Please feel free to pass this along or even place on your own website. It's just a thought. Thanks Rick.
Special Notice: If you are a veteran in emotional crisis and need help RIGHT NOW, call this toll-free number 1-800-273-8255,
available 24/7, and tell them you are a veteran. All calls are confidential
Kevin Secor Veterans Service Organizations Liaison Office of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs Washington, DC 202-273-4836
New Chapters of Blue Star Mothers coming to your area soon.
Calling all mothers of servicemen and women, the Blue Star Mothers Organization Wants You! The West Coast of
Florida is looking for moms who are willing to support our men and women who are serving in the United States military
or who have served in our military. Who are we? We are mothers who now have, or have had, children honorably serving
in the military. We are a non-profit (501[c]3) service organization supporting each other and our children while promoting
patriotism. The Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc. is authorized by the U.S. Code: Title 36; Section 943, as of January
26, 1998. The Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc. is a non-partisan, non-political organization. We do not support
any political candidate, nor do we endorse any religious organization. The military represents all aspects of America
as does our organization.
What do we do? We serve helpings of love to our troops, wherever they are. We are there as sisters to hold each other
as our children leave our homes to serve their country. We are there to help families adjust to the military way of
life. We are there to support our troops at all times. We are there to wave our families goodbye and to celebrate
when they return. We ship packages to our troops. We send letters, we network with all military and support organizations
to benefit our servicemen and women. We are there for our Gold Star Families as needed. We are family, part of the military
family and we would love to have you join us. We also welcome associate members. Our associate members are our Blue Star
dads, the aunties and uncles, sisters and brothers, and our grandparents.
We will be holding meetings around the Greater Tampa Bay area, beginning July 10th (approximately), once we find
out where everyone lives. We plan to make this as centrally located as possible, to allow all who want to be a part
to join. We will also develop car pooling for those who may need or desire it. Think you might be interested? Then
please call our Blue Star Mother in Pasco Lauren Frazier at 727 849 2732 after 6.p.m. Lauren will be collecting demographic
information so that we can begin coordinating areas and meeting places. Who is Lauren? Lauren is the proud mother
of three young men who have and are still serving in our military. Lauren is also Petty Officer Second Class, proudly
serving in the U.S. Navy after her own deployment "down range". Helping coordinate the West Coast with Lauren will
be Jan Zabel, Blue to Gold Liaison for the State of Florida – Hernando, Susan Naill of Sarasota, Past National President
and JoAnn Ross, Blue to Gold Liaison for the State of Florida – Plant City. We know you are out there; we
are looking forward to meeting you, working together to support all our service folks and provide you with any support
you may need. Together, we can make a difference for our men and women home and abroad. South & Central Florida
we are coming to you soon, possibly in September.
Members of America's armed forces are serving around the world in places like Iraq,
Afghanistan, Kuwait, and Korea. Far from family and friends, these dedicated men and women have limited access to the everyday
comforts of being “back home.” Here’s your chance to make a difference! Show America’s Soldiers, Sailors,
Airmen and Marines how much you personally appreciate their service and sacrifice. The Subscriptions for Soldiers program
allows you to show your support for our troops by donating a magazine subscription to our deserving overseas active duty servicemen
and women. We have gathered thousands of requests for magazine subscriptions from our soldiers and now we need your help!
To honor our brave troops this September 11th, VFW has created a video - Our Heroes Next Door. The video is meant to remind us that we can never lose sight that our troops are...
... our brothers and sisters ... our
sons and daughters ... our friends and neighbors.
They sacrifice so much every day to keep us safe and sound:
... Fathers unable to be there for the birth of a child
... ... Children who don't understand why mommy has to suddenly
“go away” … ... Families torn apart by extended deployments
...
If you have watched the video, please forward Our Heroes Next Door Video to your family, friends and co-workers to remind them no matter what they think of the war, we
need to support and honor the brave men and women that are fighting to keep us safe. And ask them to help spread this
important message by forwarding the video...
Thank you for supporting
America’s troops and veterans!
We at Move America Forward are proud to release to you this brand-new ad that takes on the Berkeley City Council's campaign against the military.
We're fighting back and want you to see this ad and then pass it on to others. Please email it to
others, post to blogs - let's get the word out!! The ad will begin airing nationwide starting this upcoming Monday.
Until then Move America Forward will be raising money to buy as much airtime as possible!
LAS VEGAS(AP) President Bush said Thursday he will not jeopardize
security gains in Iraq by withdrawing U.S. forces too fast, another signal that troop reductions could slow or stop altogether
this summer.
The president said he would resist any temptation to bring troops
home to score political points with a war-weary public or compromise with Democrats in Congress seeking to wind down the war.
The U.S. troop commitment is expected to be down to roughly
130,000 to 135,000 by July, the same number as before Bush sent in reinforcements a year ago.
"You know, a lot of folks say, 'What's next, Mr. President?'"
Bush said. "And my answer is, we have come too far in this important theater in this war on terror not to make sure that we
succeed. And therefore, any further troops reductions will be based on commanders and conditions.
"The temptation of course is for people to, you know, say 'Make
sure you do the politically right thing,'" Bush told members of the Nevada Policy Research Institute. "That's not my nature.
That's not exactly what we're going to do."
In Washington, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said any halt to reducing
the troops that were part of military buildup demonstrates the president's "insistence on a war without end." She said it
would further undermine U.S. military readiness.
Pelosi and other Democrats in Congress have pressed unsuccessfully
to reduce U.S. military involvement in Iraq. If Bush expresses reluctance to continue withdrawing troops beyond July, it could
prompt a new round of conflict between the White House and Capitol Hill as the November presidential elections approach.
"The president's Iraq policy will result in the same number
of troops committed to an endless war in Iraq at the end of this year as were there at the end of 2006," said Pelosi, who
expressed concern over deteriorating conditions in Afghanistan.
Bush spoke about Iraq, Afghanistan and a need to extend the
domestic wiretapping law during a three-day swing through California, Nevada, Colorado and Missouri to highlight themes of
his State of the Union address and raise an estimated $4.7 million for Republicans at the four stops combined.
In Las Vegas, Bush attended a $550,000 Republican Party fundraiser
at the home of Sheldon G. Adelson, chairman of the board of the Las Vegas Sands Hotel and a guest at the White House dinner
Bush hosted in November for French President Nicolas Sarkozy. In Cherry Hills Village, Colo., just south of Denver, Bush helped
raise more than $700,000 for Colorado Republicans and GOP Senate candidate Bob Schaffer. The event was held at the home of
Bill Pauls, owner of the Pauls Corp., a commercial and residential real estate company based in Aurora, Colo.
Some U.S. commanders worry that security improvements in Iraq
since June are fragile and could be reversed if the extra five brigades Bush dispatched there are removed too soon. One Army
brigade and two Marine battalions have already returned home and will not be replaced. Four other Army brigades are to come
out by July. That would leave 15 brigades, or roughly 130,000 to 135,000 troops in Iraq _ the same number as before Bush sent
the reinforcements. It's unclear what will happen after that.
The first sign Bush might endorse a pause in troop reductions
came earlier this month when he recounted for reporters his meeting with Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq,
in Kuwait on Jan. 12.
"My attitude is, if he (Petraeus) didn't want to continue
the drawdown, that's fine with me, in order to make sure we succeed," Bush said. "I said to the general, if you want to slow
her down, fine; it's up to you."
At the Pentagon on Thursday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates
told reporters he has not discussed with Petraeus the possibility of him recommending to Bush a pause in the troop drawdown
after July. Gates stressed that regardless of what Petraeus recommends, his will not be the only opinion.
"The president will also have available to him the views of
the commander at Central Command (Adm. William J. Fallon) and the Joint Chiefs, and I will have my own view," Gates said.
"The president will have the benefit of all of that come March and April, in terms of making a decision."
Some in Congress have urged Bush to shift troops from Iraq
to Afghanistan, where violence has escalated.
Last year was Afghanistan's most deadly since the ouster of
the Taliban in a U.S.-led invasion in 2001. More than 6,500 people _ mostly insurgents _ died in the violence, according to
an Associated Press count of figures provided by local and international officials. Bush acknowledged the turmoil in Afghanistan,
but ticked off signs of progress in getting girls to school, building highways and health clinics.
"Afghanistan is working on their _ on democracy, and it's
hard work. It's not easy," Bush said. "It doesn't happen overnight, but it's in our interest to help them. It's in our interest
to help them because we believe that liberty is transformative."
Earlier this week, however, a study, co-chaired by retired
Marine Corps Gen. James Jones and former U.N. Ambassador Thomas Pickering, that said Afghanistan risks sliding into a failed
state _ becoming the "forgotten war" because of a rising violent insurgency and declining international support. Prime Minister
Stephen Harper told Bush on Wednesday that Canada will end its military mission in Afghanistan if another NATO country does
not put more soldiers in the dangerous south.
From: Gary Lillie [mailto:gary.lillie@gmail.com] Sent: Friday, March 07, 2008 9:03 Subject: Re: Radio interview
for military dog adoption
Thank you for your instantaneous response. I can see the passion you have and can (figuratively) hear it in your voice.
I'm copying not just the other members of Veterans Radio, but also some former dog handlers so they can spread the
word about the interview among their community. Actually,I first heard about this from "42nd Mom," (there's a story
to that name, who heard about it from Perry Money and passed it on to me. I'm also blind copying a bunch of compassionate people
who will most likely spread the word themselves.
Tomorrow morning I will have Bob Gould phone you about 8:50 AM Eastern to make sure you are available at your home
phone. Then he will phone you back just after 9:00 AM and we will do about five minutes of air time. During that time
you can tell the story of the dogs and give the web site address and any other contact info you have. We're way behind on
this, but will try to put a link on our web site so people can go to yours and learn how to save these animals.
I'm looking forward to talking to you.
Gary Lillie Delta Company, MCB 3 (Seabee) Chu Lai '66 ==============================================
I would be DELIGHTED to be interviewed on your radio show! I have an absolute
passion for getting the message out regarding the Adoption Process for retiring MWDs!
MWDs and their handlers are UNSUNG HEROES and have always been so in the scheme of our nation's defense. The major difference
is that the handlers get a retirement...and many MWDs are not as fortunate.
The messages I wish to impart are 1) There are dogs available for adoption
and 2) To successfully LOCATE and ADOPT these available animals before their time is up...the place to BEGIN the
process is NOT LACKLAND...it is the LOCAL MWD Facility. As I chronicle in "Benny's
Story" (Interesting Links), my MWD was available for adoption, but he wasn't listed in the Lackland data
base even though he had been declared excess in Oct 2007! The 29 Nov 2007 in his medical record read "Schedule for euthansia
and necropsy in Dec 2007 or Jan 2008" ! My Benny B163 would have been euthanized had I not called over 20 facilities
trying to locate retiring MWDs to adopt. The only reason I knew how to go about locating and calling all the MWD Facilities
is because my husband, Mike, is Security Forces (USAFR).
I began thinking if the process was so tricky for a dependent who had inside
military familiarity...it must be IMPOSSIBLE for those who have NO FAMILIARITY with the military system or adoption process! Thus,
the Website: Military Working Dog Adoptions was born! I cannot serve in Iraq...even though my husband did..but I deeply
wanted TO GIVE BACK and TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE in the lives of the special dogs! We owe them a debt of gratitude! "Support
Our Troops" includes K-9's, too!
My direct email is debbiekandoll@yahoo.com and our home phone is 919-429-3480. Please let me know if the interview is a confirmed thing...and maybe you could
give me an idea of what INFO you would like!
On behalf of all the retiring MWDs, present and future,I humbly THANK YOU for
helping to GET THE WORD OUT!
God Bless You!
SEMPER FI MWD, Debbie Kandoll and MWD(ret.)Benny
B163
----- Original Message ----- From: "Gary
Lillie" <gary.lillie@gmail.com> Sent: Thursday, March 6, 2008 9:54:45 PM (GMT-0500) America/New_York
Subject: Radio interview for military dog adoption
To the people at the Adoption program for retired military dogs:
WELCOME TO U.S. MILITARY BRANCHES WEBSITE! I've seen, since 1999, when I first encountered the internet,
masses and masses of groups and websites alike, dealing with ONE branch of our Military, and/or one clique of our military
personnel or family. ie...marine moms, navy moms, etc. I've tried, in my many years, to deal with "military moms"
or 'Veterans' or "military families", trying to hit the needs of everyone. Let's face it, let the military high-ups
fight the fights for which service is 'the best of the best', it holds no meaning to us when we have sons, daughters, husbands,
wives, family members and friends, neighbors and loved ones fighting, facing death every day either in OIF or OEF. We
only want them to return home safe and sound and WHOLE in body and mind. We don't really care which BRANCH they are
serving in, nor which war. We'd rather there were NO WAR threatening America and our Military.
In that end, we search for information, for sharing our concerns, our experiences, our happy times as well
as our hugest pains and sorrows.
Here, if nothing more, we'll help you hold on.
For the LATEST in news coming out of Iraq, click this link...
Beholding Beyond Words To Our Servicemen And Women Stationed Around The World In Far Away
Places There's Not Much We Can Say To Thank Them Enough For What They Go Through Each Day In The Rough
But: Give Them Our Thanks Give Them Our Love Give Them Our Regards For a Safe Return
We Praise and Raise Our Hands To You That Earned the Honor That We Now Bestow We Salute
You For A Job Bravely Done And Applaud Your Courage In The Face Of The Unknown
Defending Freedom Defending Liberty Defending Peace At Home And Abroad
For The Past, Present, And Future Generations Duty Will Always Be An Honorable Citation
To Stand The Ground That Freedom Upholds To Endure Engagements Where Ever They Unfold
Defending Freedom Defending Liberty Defending Peace At Home And Abroad
For Those MIAıS, POWıS, Fallen Soldiers, Who Gave All They Could We Will Search For
As Long As It Takes You Are Not Forgotten And Will Always Be
In Our Hearts In Our Prayers In Our Minds For All Time
These Immortalized Soldiers Whose Bravery Abounds They Are Sisters, Brothers Heroes Profound
They Enlisted For The Duty At Hand To Serve The Cause Of Country And Land
They Serve With Honor They Serve With Valor They Serve With A Pride That Will Change
Them Forever
To Our Forces Standing Tall And Proud They Be Our Country's Behind Them In A Solemn Sea So
Let The Flags Of Freedom Fly Unfurled In Their Majesty High
In The Sun In The Rain In The Wind Across This Land
These Are The Things Our Countryıs Made of These Are The Things We Cherish And Love So
Let The Flags Of Freedom Fly Unfurled In Their Majesty High
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