We are honored to have our Ohio and Michigan National Guardsman here training to go overseas as the Global War on Terrorism continues.
OHIO and MICHIGAN Soldiers working hard:

Thank you.

I had the opportunity to meet with one of our amputees this last week.  What can I say about him?  He made me laugh.  His attitude and outlook is positive.  He asked me if I needed a hand with something and he handed me his….

To some, you might find this gruesome.  To us, we find this healing.  He has been treated well with his rehabilitation.  But I have to tell you how we met.

This soldier has been recuperating and rehabilitating for quite some time.  He is a Purple Heart recipient and lost two of his friends in the humvee with him when they were blown up.  He was in a coma for a couple of months, but has come so far.  His wife and young daughter left their home and traveled to his medical facility to assist with his recuperation and rehabilitation where they spent many months.

When the soldier first returned from overseas, there were many, many groups that offered them financial assistance and many other types of assistance.  The family being overwhelmed with what faced them and having all the care they needed at the time didn’t even think that later they would need some help. 

Well the time finally came that he is doing so well with his prosthetic and his wife and daughter can return to East Texas to their home and the soldier will wait for his last surgery.  Where was all that help?

He apparently started calling some of those that had offered that help but received no responses.  Then he hit the online websites and found us.

Since we can be a clearinghouse of information to some, it took a couple of phone calls.  Some were helpful, others were not.  We did manage to get this soldier some financial assistance.  Hopefully, more will come in the next week of so for him and his family. 

We DO NOT want our heroes going home feeling like they cannot provide, or pay for their homes and have some money to tide them over until their other benefits start.  If that happens then shame on us!

Of course, I have to say that we could not have helped him or continue to help others without some assistance.  I am still wondering what it is going to take for those out there that could make tremendous change for these and others don’t or won’t come forward. 

This is our tomorrow.  These heroes of today.  If we don’t take care of them now, they aren’t going to take care of us later.

Meanwhile, we are proud of all those soldiers we have the opportunity to meet.  Thank God for everyone of them.

And thats all I have to say about that.

Doing the right thing may mean different things to different people.  For me, it means that I should continue to provide for those many young men and women that come through our “home away from  home”.  Now that may mean to others that I cause a problem.  We provide services to soldiers at no cost to them, so I would supposed from a business aspect that would get in the way of any money making venture that the soldiers encounter on a military instillation.   It would seem that this one person wouldnt cause such a ruckus.  It would seem that this 50something year old woman in a wheelchair would be left alone to continue to provide assistance to soldiers that are fighting our global war on terrorism.   It would seem that “the politics” on post would reel itself in and sometimes just do the right thing. 

To continue to harrass me will only make my resolve stronger.  Soldiers have battle buddies, I have watched your back when you needed it; who is watching mine?

thats all i have to say about that today.

Normal families go shopping for Thanksgiving the day or two before the holiday meal for immediate family members to share.  Well, we did the same but for 55 families.  Imagine to my surprise that three cities surrounding the post ran out of Turkeys!  I actually sat at a store for 4 hours waiting for an emergency delivery of 500 turkeys.  I felt like a turkey.  But oh what fun we had delivering turkeys once we had them to the different soldiers that were on our list.  It was just as fun as opening presents at Christmas. 

I think it is wonderful that we have some support that we can help provide to the soldiers that are in need and would have otherwise not been able to have that all American Turkey dinner.  Thanks goes to those out there that have continued to support the effort that makes these things possible.

TodayI have had the wonderful opportuntiy to travel to Houston with some of America’s finest young men and women and attend the Rotary Club Celebration of Veterans in Sugarland, Texas.  The Keynote speaker:  Retired General Tommy Franks.  I believe as far as soldiers traveling to hear him speak we traveled the farthest from Fort Hood.  We had front row seats.

I had often heard the comments about General Franks being a “soldiers general”. These are few and far between.  After his talk this evening, I believe everything I have been talk about him.  He directed much of his talk to the Veterans around the room from World War II to today’s Global War on Terrorism.  Comments such as Freedom isn’t Free, and it is going to cost, and winners never quit, quitters never win were spoken of.  Encouragement for  those going to deply in the near future was talked about.  Stories were told.  He was one of the most dynamic speakers I have ever heard.  I shall remember it always.  Afterwards, he visited with our active duty soldiers, spent time talking to them, taking pictures and he autographed whatever they had.  I remembered I had purchased his book a couple of years ago and brought it with me for his to autograph.  I was able to give him a brochure and asked him to come and visit us.  The entertainment that was provided as part of the program from Sugar Creek Baptist Church and the Rotary Club was outstanding.  A man with nine children wrote one of the most beautiful songs i had ever heard about our American Veterans.  If you ever have the chance to listen to or go and see Dennis Jernigan he will bring tears to your eyes and put that American Patriotic Spirit right through to your very soul.  Julio Arriola sang his version of America the Beautiful and it was uplifting.  For the soldiers that we were able to take to attend, it helped them see there are “sleeper communities” that have continued to support their efforts as the Global War on Terrorism continues.  It was well worth the trip!  It renewed my strength to carry on and continue to provide support and to continue to struggle to find support for these soldiers that have given so much.  We sure do need it.

And that is all I have to say about that!

Today was a surprise for me.  All day I told our veterans as they arrived for one reason or another, “Happy Veterans Day!” and all day long they repeated the sentiment to me.

I finally asked a ssgt why they kept doing that?  He said, “Mom you have served your country just as much as most of us and you are our veteran”.  

I met a Colonel’s wife today.  She asked if she could come and volunteer,  and what were the qualifications that were needed to help.  I said how many kids do you have?  She replied, I said you are well qualified.  These are someones children and as long as we take care of them and are here for them, either by making barracks bags, going to the various spots we provide snacks or just sitting and listening to them then your welcome to come and help anyday.  She is from Montana and here while her husband is mobilized so she is not around her own grown children right now.  I welcomed the extra hands and listening heart.

This evening I received a call from a soldier.  We had deploying soldiers waiting all day for their flight that had again been delayed and could we provide some assistance with snacks and water.  The families had been sitting with their soldiers all day waiting for them to leave.  I said, “sir, how long will it take you to drive here?”

We loaded up his truck with snacks and bottled water only to receive a call two hours later.  The plane had again been delayed until sometime in the wee hours of the morning.  We ordered pizza, loaded him up again with bottled water, chips, decks of cards and puzzle books.  Thats what we do, fill the gaps of taking care of soldiers.  It was a good day.

Tomorrow, I will be traveling to Houston to meet with Retired General Tommy Franks.  The soldiers that are going with me are very excited to be able to meet and talk with General Franks.  I do hope he will sign my book.  I wish I could finance a whole bus load of soldiers to go to this event.  I just know it will be inspiring to those that are going to deploy the next few months.  Maybe we can ask him to come and visit us.

Then we will be off to find donations to help provide for the Thanksgiving Day Baskets that are needed now and the Christmas Baskets that will be needed next month.  It still amazes me that our young military families are on food stamps and wic programs.  I sure hope we can find enough donations to fill all the names that have been given.

And thats all I have to say today. 

I just returned from a quick visit up to Glen Rose School District where we were welcomed by children that had pictures drawn for our soldiers that are deploying and the choir singing.

It was a wonderful vist.  The questions asked of our Veteran’s were very special.  We were able to have representation from the Korean War, Vietnam War, Desert Storm as well as our current soldiers in the Middle East.

 Of course the High School girls loved seeing our young soldiers (22 y/o)  Men in uniform are just handsome.  But we actually had well thought out questions from these young people about the war.  They are smart enough to figure out that what they see on the media may not be quite how is it for the soldiers overseas.  This question seem to come up a lot as did, “what do they do in their spare time”.  It was difficult for the kids to grasp that the 22 year olds are still just kids themselves.  They enjoy movies, hanging out at the mall, myspace, and video games just as much as the kids asking them questions.

Our Korean War veteran known as “Grandpa” around Fort Hood talked about the price of freedom.  It was he that was a POW for 33 months and MIA for 18.  It was he that put words to the poem “The 1800″ that were buried for their sacrifice.  It is because of these veteran’s in the past that we have the freedom that we enjoy now.

This Veteran’s Day, thank a soldier.  It is not a difficult thing to do, most wear some kind of hat identifying the fact that they are a Veteran.  Shake their hands, give them a hug, but thank them.  They earned it and I am sure it is long overdue.

And thats all i have to say about that.

It never ceases to amaze me how much people just don’t get it.  Soldiers that utilize our facility and benefit from our services and come back years later to say thank you and then you have one or two that just don’t want to understand it and try to pick you to death because you are doing something good. 

I once had an IG from another state come through, visit with his soldiers and come back late in the day.  He said, “lady, there are a lot of people on this post that love you, there are a few that don’t understand what you do and there are one or two that hate you for what you do”  Then he handed me $60 and said, “Keep doing what you are doing!”

Well we have.  Serving soldiers everyday, 24/7 for years now.  We struggle to get the things we need or the donations to buy what we need.  We maintain a facility that is open 24 hours a day for soldiers to come at no cost to them.  A “haven” for them.  A legacy for those that have helped support it. 

But still you have those one or two that can just make your life miserable and thats how I feel today.  Why can’t just let us do what we do best.   We need help, volunteers, donations and support.  Anyone out there listening?

That is all I have to say about that!

[update: Voting is now open…and free-PLEASE VOTE for Jeff now, and once each day until November 8, 2007?]

I am proud and honored to say I have met, and work frequently in the ’sphere with, Jeff Emanuel. I consider him a friend, and I am humbled by his service and sacrifice for America.

Jeff’s Bio tells us he:

served in the US Air Force from 1999-2004 as a Tactical Air Controller (TACP), working with conventional and Joint Special Operations units as a communications expert and precision airstrike controller. [His] assignments included a year in Korea and combat duty in Iraq, where he was a member of the task force that rescued PFC Jessica Lynch, among other missions.

While many would consider that sufficient service to our country, Jeff had not left Iraq for the last time back in 2004:

He later returned to Iraq as an embedded reporter, working on the front lines in Baghdad, Salman Pak, Samarra, Tal Afar, Balad, Kirkuk, and elsewhere, with units from the 1st and 3rd Infantry Divisions, the 82nd Airborne Division, 10th Special Forces Group, and many others. His reporting from the front, which has been published in several prestigious newspapers and magazines, earned him the distinct honor of being compared to legendary World War II reporter Ernie Pyle by talk radio icon Paul Harvey.

Jeff returned to Iraq and reported during the period April & May 2007 and after a brief hiatus here at home, he went back AGAIN in the period Aug - Oct 2007. His work was and is OUTSTANDING. In fact, a major piece is now featured in the American Spectator November issue “The Longest Morning”: A Tale of Heroism, Courage, and Loss in the Face of Impossible Odds.

The man is tireless and highly talented in his craft.

And, as his bio further points out, “[he] is a Director of RedState.com, the online community recognized for being the “right-leaning weblog most-read on Capitol Hill.” [He] is a regular contributor to the Weekly Standard (online), the American Spectator, and Human Events, and his columns have appeared in such publications as the Washington Times, the American Thinker, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Wall Street Journal’s Opinion Journal, the Jerusalem Post, and National Review Online, as well as several others. ”

I met Jeff through Redstate where he continues to tolerate my amateurish fumbling attempts at writing semi-intelligent commentary with patience and kindness, and for that I am ‘personally’ eternally grateful…and with all that said, I have news about Jeff I want to share here.

Via my good friend Steve Foley, over at The Minority Report Blog, we learn that Jeff’s Blog is on the Finalist’s list for “Best Military Blog” in the 2007 WebLog Awards. No site deserves this award more this year than Jeff’s…I am a regular reader at EACH of the others on that Mil Blog list-trust me-they are all good, but this year it’s all Jeff.. Jeff has been back to Iraq and reported live amongst the ‘boots on the ground’ for 5 of the past 8 months…that says all I need to hear. His efforts and sacrifice have never been more deserving of recognition than right now.

[PLEASE VOTE for Jeff now, and once each day until November 8, 2007?]

I met with a soldier and his wife today.  They were experiencing some financial difficulties.  This soldier was deployed two years ago and was wounded in Iraq.  He has had a spinal fusion due to his back injury and has had much trouble with the after effects of this as well as a severe case of PTSD. His wife had to quit her job to take care of her husband while he has been recuperating from his injuries.  She stated that she still puts his shoes on everyday and helps him dress.

For the most part their bills were orderly and kept up and I asked why they were worried.  It turns out that they have been managing but have not had much to eat or little gas money, family helped when they could.  As we were going through their bills, I asked why they had ADT service.  His wife said, “it provided her with a panic button” for emergency services.

Her husband asked what was to become of them when he was med-boarded until his 40% VA benefits started.  I hated to tell this young man, he was going to have to collect unemployment benefits to help as soon as he was released from the army and his wife was going to have to go back to work if she could.

I could not believe once again, the discussion I had with a soldier about collecting unemployment.  Here is a young man that has served his country, was injured, going to suffer a great deal I might add from his injuries and he has to find the unemployment line until the VA benefits kick in which won’t be much since he is only an E3.

Then I wished I had a panic button in my office.  Not really but I thought about it for a minute.  This young man is really in need of some major PTSD therapy.  I cannot imagine why he is being released this way.  Why he hasn’t been sent to one of the few intensive therapy PTSD clinics that have been established I just don’t know.  I hear they have been quite successful with helping soldiers and their family members deal with the affects of PTSD.

Two things.  Why in this day and time with computers linking up to computers do med-boarded soldiers have to “wait” for the VA paycheck and live off unemployment, family members or on friends and even in their cars and second; why do we continue to push these soldiers out without the proper treatment.

Would someone please tell me why this is still happening?  I have had this similar conversation with literally hundreds of soldiers over the last 4 years.  How long does it take to fix this broken system?  Why should these soldiers leave after serving their country and have to face this?

I think I shall continue to ask this question until someone gives me a reasonable answer or the problem gets fixed.  Why do those really investigating settle for the dog and pony shows and not really dig into the meat of these problems.  I know I will not solve this problem, it is much larger than just  talking about it here, and I wll continue to take care of the soldiers that I have the priviledge of having the conversation with and I know that I will not sleep tonight knowing that that soldier has not received the care he truly needs.  And God help us all the day he loses control.  Who will be to blame?  The soldier or the system that failed him?

I guess thats all I have to say about that today.