mexicomaria
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Minnesota
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Message Posted: May 19, 2013 10:30:48 PM
Tim McGraw Gave 25 Homes To Wounded Military Members during his 2012 tour.
Way to go Country...thank you.
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mexicomaria
Champion Author
Minnesota
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Message Posted: May 19, 2013 10:19:31 PM
John,,,when I said, "This is for those who actually served..." I meant exactly that... I believe many went and it was not exactly what they would have chosen to do. My brother was going to be drafted, so he and his best friend signed up together, my brother's best friend died in Viet Nam. Whether some were dragged to go, they still went, and they still may have died for the USA. Respect is due here, for all who served. Their life is worth respect...
I myself am apposed to conscientious objection... that is a whole different story.
[Edited by: mexicomaria at 5/19/2013 10:22:24 PM EST]
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mexicomaria
Champion Author
Minnesota
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Message Posted: May 18, 2013 8:41:20 PM
Today is Armed Forces Day....a time to remember all the branches of the services for their service to their country.
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xrdc
Champion Author
St. Louis
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Message Posted: May 2, 2013 9:27:56 AM
Special ops bravado hurts national security
Some good points regarding the unintended consequences of glorifying our Special Forces...
"Officials vigorously protect information before a mission; they must remain equally disciplined in their communications afterwards. Our nation's battles are far from over."
"Officials then must hold themselves and each other to these standards. If not, they undermine their credibility and erode the trust that is essential in civil-military relations. Those who risk their lives serving the nation must be confident that the people sending them into harm's way will not make personal or political gain a bigger priority than the protection of the mission's integrity."
"...honoring the collective team that got bin Laden is warranted; glorifying the shooters is not."
Read it all...
=-
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jdhelm
Champion Author
Iowa
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Message Posted: Apr 22, 2013 10:37:23 AM
amen to that
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Panama19
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Louisville
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Message Posted: Apr 21, 2013 10:45:50 PM
"Them Pilots had big piles of bravery IMHO"
Roger that!
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flyboyUT
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Utah
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Message Posted: Apr 21, 2013 10:21:54 PM
Pan the ship I was on in early spring 66 was unrepping a bird farm group - I don't remember which one - and one of them Skyraiders came limping home. He flew between us and the sun and we could see light through the plane. We turned into the wind and cranked up flank speed and didn't break the lines. The Spad landed (crashed on deck) and the pilot literally jumped out and kissed the deck. The plane was leaking fluids all over and they were foaming it like mad to prevent a fire.
Them Pilots had big piles of bravery IMHO.
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Panama19
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Louisville
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Message Posted: Apr 21, 2013 10:09:13 PM
As I recall, Sandy was the call sign of the A1E Skyraiders, which were used in Search and Rescue of downed pilots. They could stay on station for hours at a time (much longer than the fast movers) and carry a lot of ordnance to keep the bad guys at bay.
And they could absorb a lot of battle damage and keep on flying. I heard some hair-raising stories of A1E's coming back shot up badly and still making it back home.
I believe the jet pilots did refer to them as "Spads".
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flyboyUT
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Utah
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Message Posted: Apr 21, 2013 9:34:43 PM
Bet he was called 'Snoopy' - you know from flying all those Spads.
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Panama19
Champion Author
Louisville
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Message Posted: Apr 21, 2013 9:19:59 PM
BlkynB, was your call sign "Sandy"?
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BlkynB
Champion Author
San Diego
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Message Posted: Apr 21, 2013 8:39:04 PM
Went ahead and clicked on the URL for veterans.
This week I was able to locate, and link up (by phone) with an old squadron buddy to whom I've haven't heard from in just over 52 years.
I had no idea where he was but got a lead on him from another former squadron member, and we had a great time catching up.
.
Here is an example of the planes we flew.
.
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jdhelm
Champion Author
Iowa
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Message Posted: Apr 21, 2013 8:46:20 AM
bump
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jdhelm
Champion Author
Iowa
Posts:11,848
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Message Posted: Mar 4, 2013 6:11:46 AM
so easy to do, yet no one gives a _____
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ropegun11
Veteran Author
Illinois
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Message Posted: Feb 28, 2013 11:52:38 PM
...I clicked on it too & will continue to do so (if it will let me) each day. The words "homeless" and "veteran" should never be in the same sentence, nor should the words "homeless" and "child" or "homeless" and "person." :/ God bless you for sharing rozeelee's post & link jdhelm.
[Edited by: ropegun11 at 2/28/2013 11:56:51 PM EST]
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jdhelm
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Iowa
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Message Posted: Feb 28, 2013 7:03:07 AM
bump'n this because it'd sure be nice if 1/10th of the gb's on here would help out homeless vets by clicking this link - hooah
[Edited by: jdhelm at 2/28/2013 7:03:26 AM EST]
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jdhelm
Champion Author
Iowa
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Message Posted: Feb 28, 2013 1:06:58 AM
vets need this
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jdhelm
Champion Author
Iowa
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Message Posted: Feb 26, 2013 11:09:28 AM
I drove to our county seat town this morning to visit the Fallen Heroes of Operation Enduring Freedom exhibit at our local high school.
I lost a cousin in nam, and a much younger cousin (my daughter's age) in raq. Paul was heading back to base camp where he was to leave the next day to come back stateside. His vehicle hit an ied - he was killed. He left a young wife and 3 very young daughters.
It was emotional to view all those Iowa soldiers who have given the ultimate, since 911.
Stand donw soldier. Your job is done. You can go home now.
hooah
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flyboyUT
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Utah
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Message Posted: Feb 15, 2013 10:59:18 PM
Lets not forget Major General James M. Stewart. He started as a private and ended as a General and flew more than 20 missions in WWII.
then he picked up on his career as a movie star and went on and did that well also.
And my friend Jim Malloy - posthumous Bronze Star in Vietman.
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mexicomaria
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Minnesota
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Message Posted: Feb 15, 2013 10:31:52 PM
I knew he was a Rhodes Scholar, but never knew about his service to this country...thank you
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jdhelm
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Iowa
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Message Posted: Feb 15, 2013 7:32:39 PM
It may surprise you to learn about this man's military accomplishments and his Rhodes Scholarship.
Watch the video on the below link to find out....Army Ranger Surprise
You could have knocked me over with a feather when I saw who they were talking about... I had no idea....wait till you see who it is. What a simple but most sincere and moving acceptance speech. Loved his recommendation for all our politicos.
Many people may have forgotten about his time in the U.S. Army. He is the son of an Air Force General, and an accomplished Golden Gloves boxer, and he graduated from Pomona College with a B.S. degree, and then became a Rhodes Scholar from Oxford University .
He joined the U.S. Army at the prompting of his father. After graduating from Officer Candidate School he attended and graduated from both Army Airborne and Ranger training in the very top of each class. He was selected for U. S. Army Special Forces Training, but refused so that he could attend pilot training where he earned his wings, and became an accomplished U.S. Army helicopter (gunship) pilot, and achieved the rank of Captain.
He was about to be promoted to the rank of Major, and appointed to teach at West Point when he resigned his commission from the Army to go into music and acting. You can tell in this video that his time in the military means a lot to him. I won't give away who it is. You should just watch.
I bet you will be surprised!
click the link to see who it is
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mexicomaria
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Minnesota
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Message Posted: Feb 15, 2013 11:19:01 AM
Thanks jd for the video.
I cried recently when I watched Staff Sergeant Clinton L. Romesha, UNITED STATES ARMY, receive the Medal of Honor.
Official Narrative.
He is now working in the North Dakota oil fields and drives 300 miles a day to work so he can be with his family.
Thank you, Staff Sergeant Clinton L. Romesha.
BTW, his men said they would march behind him into hell.... I believe they did on that day. 300 to 50...brave men who served the USA. Thank you to all.
[Edited by: mexicomaria at 2/15/2013 11:21:49 AM EST]
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AFSNCO
Champion Author
Montgomery
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Message Posted: Feb 15, 2013 10:01:29 AM
jdhelm, one of my friends shared that on their FB page yesterday...great video!
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jdhelm
Champion Author
Iowa
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Message Posted: Feb 15, 2013 9:52:44 AM
bet ya can't watch this video without get'n teary eyed
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calwdstk
All-Star Author
Atlanta
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Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 1:52:11 PM
I spent time in the US-Army during the Korean war, but did not see any action. Having been assigned to a Missile Battalion in the US. But do want to Thank all who have served in areas where action was present and in many cases brutal. God Bless all who Served in the Military.
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xrdc
Champion Author
St. Louis
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Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 9:11:11 AM
Hopefully this will be shown outside of D.C. as well...
Veteran Nation
"--“Veteran Nation” is a moving 30 minute-documentary on the experience of how America has treated our veterans and their families from Bunker Hill to Baghdad; the challenges facing this generation; and how the American people can best serve those who served. The goal of the film is to inspire all of us to give back to those who gave their all."
"The documentary includes:
--Riveting combat film from the frontlines of today’s wars
--Rare historical photographs and archival footage
--Jaw-dropping animation
--Gripping interviews with veterans and experts
[...]
The purpose of the film and the call to action is simple: Taking care of veterans is the responsibility of all Americans. The film was crafted to make three points:
1.Explain to Americans that assisting veterans and enabling them to pursue their dream of lifetime of service to the nation in all forms of public life is the responsibility of all of us— not just the government;
2.Educate Americans on the three critical tasks for addressing veteran needs—contact, comradeship, and community; and
3.Offer a template for how any group of any size can tackle these tasks.
More...
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greentre
All-Star Author
Pensacola
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Message Posted: Feb 7, 2013 8:55:00 AM
YD,
"I have consistently opposed Obama since the 2008 primaries
I support the right to keep and bear arms.
I support the right to work without joining a union.
I support the idea that people on welfare should do something for that money.
I am in favor of people being free to express thaemslve without government intervention.
I Oppose government spying on citizens for ANY reason
I also support the idea that gay people are AMERICAN human beings with the same rights to be married as I have.
I believe that a MINORITY of people against abortion should NOT have the right to tell the majority that they cannot have one"
You and I agree one hundred persent on each of these.
And from one veteran who knows why he joined to another. Thank you.
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regulate_now
Champion Author
Indiana
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Message Posted: Feb 7, 2013 6:03:04 AM
Thank you Mexicomaria... 25 years Air Force, retired pilot...
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jdhelm
Champion Author
Iowa
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Message Posted: Feb 7, 2013 5:04:17 AM
Angel flights
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Panama19
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Louisville
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Message Posted: Feb 7, 2013 12:52:24 AM
Letters from the war
This is a series of letters to and from a soldier in WWII from the time he entered the service, landing on Omaha Beach, fighting through the hedgerows, etc. It includes the letters he received from friends and family as well as recollections after the war.
The link will open at the end of the series; to start at the beginning click on the dog tag at the bottom that says Letter Archive.
Everyone who served will recognize the feelings.
Those that did not will gain some understanding of those that did.
And all will see the America of an earlier time.
[Edited by: Panama19 at 2/7/2013 12:54:36 AM EST]
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flyboyUT
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Utah
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Message Posted: Dec 24, 2012 6:01:00 PM
Saw this and liked it.
Brings meaning to Christmas.
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YDraigGoch
Champion Author
Illinois
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Message Posted: Dec 21, 2012 6:21:40 PM
Panama19;
I have consistently opposed Obama since the 2008 primaries
I support the right to keep and bear arms.
I support the right to work without joining a union.
I support the idea that people on welfare should do something for that money.
I am in favor of people being free to express thaemslve without government intervention.
I Oppose government spying on citizens for ANY reason
I also support the idea that gay people are AMERICAN human beings with the same rights to be married as I have.
I believe that a MINORITY of people against abortion should NOT have the right to tell the majority that they cannot have one
How the hell do you get off telling me I am a liberal? Unless you have absolutely no idea why you went off to fight.
What were you fighting for? The right to impose YOUR will on the majority? Is that REALLY why you went? Is that what you call "conservative values"?
Sorry, but that is NOT why I went.
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mexicomaria
Champion Author
Minnesota
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Message Posted: Dec 15, 2012 3:40:19 PM
Amen! We need men and women who know the cost of freedom. Who touched it...who actually had the meaning of freedom seared into their brain. Men and women who know the value of one life and have risked theirs for others.
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Panama19
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Louisville
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Message Posted: Dec 15, 2012 3:13:26 PM
Cliffisher, the declining number of veterans explains a lot of the foolishness going on there now.
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Cliffisher
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Wisconsin
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Message Posted: Dec 14, 2012 11:53:15 AM
One of the first women to fly combat missions in Iraq, Duckworth’s Black Hawk was hit by enemy fire in November 2004 as the aircraft skimmed tree tops at about 135 miles per hour. The explosion vaporized her right leg, smashed her left leg into the instrument panel, sheering it off, and tore away most of her right arm. Before losing consciousness, she used her remaining arm to try to land the sputtering chopper. On Nov. 6, she won election to the U.S. House.
In 1977, the 435-seat U.S. House of Representatives contained 347 veterans (almost 80 percent of that body) while 65 former service members filled the 100-seat U.S. Senate.
In 2013, 84 fellow veterans will join Duckworth in the House (19 percent) while the Senate’s cadre of ex-military personnel has dwindled to 18, according the American Legion.
[Edited by: Cliffisher at 12/14/2012 11:55:26 AM EST]
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Panama19
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Louisville
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Message Posted: Dec 14, 2012 10:11:18 AM
YDraigGoch, "Sometimes, there is a real reason to go to war. There is a reason to fight"
The slaughter of children was the most difficult thing to see. There was an orphanage in DaNang that we supported where the NVA regulars came in at night, lined the children up and splattered them with machine guns, and then strung the old priest up the flagpole as a warning to the locals - "We can do this while the Marines are still here; next month they will be gone - you had better come our way"
It was years before I could even think about that without breaking down.
My question is why you became a liberal after seeing things like that? The liberals are the ones that want us to give in to the communists and terrorists.
Seeing them in action only filled me with resolve to defeat them.
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YDraigGoch
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Illinois
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Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 5:10:15 PM
After my last operation in Laos, we were all pretty banged up due to an ambush. My partner was shot. I won't go into all that, but later something happened that affected me even more.
I went to the hospital to visit my partner, who had been severely wounded. He was still critical, so I stopped to see the Marines who had been shot getting us out. The sargent was a second time veteran, so I asked him why he came back.
His group was a LRRP team. One of their tasks was to follow up after the Green Berets had pacified a town. The Green Berets would set up schools, hospitals and a real local government. When people saw they could manage their own affairs, it discouraged tribal members from joining the Viet Cong.
On his first tour, they went out one day on such a mission. As they approached the village, the sargent told everyone to get down. Something was not right. They came into the village, and not a soul was outside. Fearing a trap, they kicked down a door.
The people inside were frightened. Terrified. Hooch by hooch, they went through the village. A lot of people were there, but no children.
On the far side of the village, there were four people hanging in a tree. One of the locals said they were the mayor, the teacher, the nurse and one other. The Viet Cong had hung them because of the American influence.
Then they asked about the children. The elder took them to a makeshift clinic. There, they found the children. The V.C. had taken the sharpened pencils from the teacher, and had pounded them into the ears of the children.
This big hardened Marine then broke down in tears, sobbing. This man that had faithfully stood up to a V.C. ambush without a spark of fear was now crying his heart out and shaking with grief.
I will never forget that moment. It is seared into my memory forever.
Sometimes, there is a real reason to go to war. There is a reason to fight.
[Edited by: YDraigGoch at 12/13/2012 5:12:15 PM EST]
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Panama19
Champion Author
Louisville
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Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 11:44:39 AM
xrdc, I had heard of the incident before, but not with such detail. Wow.
Thanks!
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flyboyUT
Champion Author
Utah
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Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 10:59:02 AM
xrdc - fantastic ---- the good question - how does one retaing their humanity in a inhuman setting. Superlative story Thanks......
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mexicomaria
Champion Author
Minnesota
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Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 10:36:46 AM
Amazing videos fly and xrdc... Men of honor.
My father was a flight instructor in Army Air Corps. He used to tell me that he lost more pilots in the air than in a war. I believe he was talking about early flight training when would be pilots got sick. I actually felt queasy watching the videos...
Hey, fly, Happy Birthday today. You soar.
[Edited by: mexicomaria at 12/13/2012 10:38:56 AM EST]
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xrdc
Champion Author
St. Louis
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Message Posted: Dec 13, 2012 8:46:45 AM
Speaking of pilots, this is a pretty amazing story of an encounter from WWII:
A Higher Call
“If I ever see or hear of you shooting at a man in a parachute,” Roedel said, “I will shoot you down myself. You follow the rules of war for you — not for your enemy. You fight by rules to keep your humanity.”
"Roedel was not alone in this philosophy, and not just among the Germans. Most of these young men now at war — American, British, German — had grown up on the stories of the great World War I fighter pilots: the American Eddie Rickenbacker and Manfred von Richthofen, the German Red Baron."
"These were men who fought by a code, who would look each other in the eye mid-air, who would never strafe an enemy plane that was already going down. They had been taught that they very well might survive the war and, if they did, they needed to know that they had fought with honor and as much humanity as possible. It would be the only way they would ever be able to live with themselves."
Read it all...
=-=-
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Panama19
Champion Author
Louisville
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Message Posted: Dec 10, 2012 12:27:47 AM
flyboyUT, great videos. Makes me thankful for having such a cushy life.
And it also explains why those carrier pilots I worked with in Viet Nam were so crisp and professional - there is no room in their lives for fluff.
[Edited by: Panama19 at 12/10/2012 12:31:04 AM EST]
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flyboyUT
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Utah
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Message Posted: Dec 9, 2012 7:54:41 PM
Video #1 --- this is why Navy pilots are a cut above average Dont cheat and watch #2 first now.
Video #2 - dont cheat and watch them out of order now
[Edited by: flyboyUT at 12/9/2012 7:55:42 PM EST]
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reb4
Champion Author
Chicago
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Message Posted: Dec 8, 2012 10:30:27 PM
flyboyut, thanks for that posting. appreciate the story. It is so true.
Kansasgunman, thanks for bringing the subject up on the date many of us still remember. Well, I don't my parents told me. My father enlisted the week after the attack. He "got in" after being turned down when one of the armed forces properly diagnosed his heart defect. Un-deterred, he went down the street and "passed the physical". After basic training and prior to being deployed over seas he was properly diagnosed and deployed in a non combat role.
We definitely should be thankful for the freedoms we enjoy as a nation and individually...
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flyboyUT
Champion Author
Utah
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Message Posted: Dec 8, 2012 11:24:47 AM
This is a subscription site so it may not come out for others. So I will post the entire thing as I think it really has something to say.
.
>>>Now that we’re deep into celebrations, parties and all the excitement of this time of year, I want to share an email that has been passed along to me several times over the years. It should be true even if it isn’t. As always, if you know who originated or wrote the text, please email me at heavenhelpusbeourbest@gmail.com.
Back in September 2005, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren, a social studies teacher at Robinson High School in Little Rock, Ark., did something not to be forgotten. On the first day of school, with the permission of the school superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, she removed all of the desks from her classroom. When the first period entered the room, the kids discovered they had no desks.
Looking around, confused, they asked, "Ms. Cothren, where are our desks?" She replied, "You can't have a desk until you tell me what you have done to earn the right to sit at a desk."
They thought, "Well, maybe it's our grades."
"No," she said.
"Maybe it's our behavior."
She told them, "No, it's not even your behavior."
And so, they came and went, the first period, second period, third period. Still no desks in the classroom.
By early afternoon, television news crews had started gathering in Ms. Cothren's classroom to report about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of her room. The final period of the day came and the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the deskless classroom.
"Throughout the day no one has been able to tell me just what he/she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks ordinarily found in this classroom. Now I’m going to tell you," Cothren said.
Then she opened the classroom door. Twenty-seven U.S. veterans, all in uniform, walked in, each carrying a school desk. The vets began placing the desks in rows, then walked to stand alongside the wall. By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in place, the students seemed to understand, perhaps for the first time in their lives, just how the right to sit at those desks had been earned.
Their teacher said, "You didn't earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you. They placed the desks here for you. Now, it's up to you to sit in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education. Don't ever forget it."
I think it’s worth adding that uniformed heroes, past and present, also gave us the gift of celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza or nothing in particular this season. We can call each other names, we can even denigrate heroes and we won’t find ourselves jailed or executed for doing so. May your holidays be filled with the love that entered our world on Christmas Day – and may each of us express gratitude for the sacrifices of those who volunteered to guard our freedoms.<<<
I would wish all folks to have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year -- that too was paid for by vets willing to make sure you were free to enjoy it.
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flyboyUT
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Utah
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Message Posted: Dec 7, 2012 9:49:17 PM
I was at the Arizona Memorial in 1966 when I was passing through Hawaii. I was in the Navy then and it did have a strong impact.
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SAVMOR
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Colorado
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Message Posted: Dec 7, 2012 9:17:53 PM
Growing up in Phoenix, Arizona in the late 50's and early 60's all we school children had bake sales and rummage sales and other fund raising events to help raise the $500,000 that had to be privately financed to help build the USS Arizona Memorial and to actually be there as an adult was so emotional for me. I was in high school when it was dedicated in 1962 and did not get to visit the memorial until 1982. We stayed on Oahu and took a catamaran out to the memorial on a beautiful, calm day. It is so eerie to see oil from the Arizona still coming up after all these years. For those of us who grew up in Arizona our battleship is a special place for us all to honor those 1,102 men who still rest there and who served and gave their all on that Sunday morning 71 years ago.
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KansasGunman
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Kansas City
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Message Posted: Dec 7, 2012 6:52:40 PM
Comforting to hear, sadly a generational thing with so many of today's "youts" being oblivious to such an important historical event in America's guarantee of freedom for all...very much reminds me that "Freedom is not free", it comes with a heavy price.
I'm 2nd generation American with my Grandfather immigrating from Denmark in 1897 and yet My father served in WWII flying bombardier in the B-25 Mitchell, an Uncle in the infantry in the European theater during WWII, an Uncle who died aboard the USS Arizona, and an Uncle distinguished in combat carrying the BAR in Korea.
In my generational timeline my brother served 12 years in the USAF and flew command pilot in the 130 Hercules launching recon drones over Cambodia and Laos, I flew in the USAF for nearly 10 years both in the regular Air Force and finishing in the ANG.
Our Son Chip was a Major in the USAF as an aeronautical engineer working with the F-22 Raptor development Teams and now a civilian, still works with the USAF as a Senior Manager in the Aeronautical/Space Engineering Division of McDonnell Douglas in St Louis.
While our Daughter Lisa has served served as a US Army Physician and is still in the active reserves while practicing medicine at a major hospital in Denver.
We just heard from our Son Chip over the TG weekend while visiting that it looks eminent that our Grandson Brian is in line for an appointment to the Air Force Academy this next Spring following graduation from High school so the military and serving our country is an important and intricate part of our family heritage and history.
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ber5
All-Star Author
Chicago
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Message Posted: Dec 7, 2012 6:22:19 PM
Kansas gunman. Many people I spoke to still remember the date.
Thanks for bringing this up. And I have been to uss Arizona as well.
a sobering experience.
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Guitar_Man
Champion Author
Colorado Springs
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Message Posted: Dec 7, 2012 6:00:53 PM
Kansas: A whole bunch of us think it matters!
A few years ago, me and my beautiful wife went to Oahu for our 25th wedding anniversary and spent an entire day at Pearl Harbor and was overwhelmed at the amazing memorial they have there.
When we were on the memorial over the USS Arizona, a few elderly veterans dropped some flower petals in the water and a few minutes later a few drops of oil from the ship came to the surface...everyone with us was in awe. (Our guide told us she still leaks oil after all these years.)
We also loved seeing the "Mighty Mo" (USS Missouri) parked close to the USS Arizona...a testimony that America may lose a battle, but we win EVERY war!!
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greentre
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Pensacola
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Message Posted: Dec 7, 2012 5:27:36 PM
KansasGunman, it matters to me also.
My Father, U.S. Navy Pearl Harbor Survivor
My Father-in-Law, U.S. Marine Pearl Harbor Survivor
Myself, U.S. Navy - Honorable Discharge and Disabled Veteran
My Wife, U.S. Navy Reserves - Honorable Discharge
My family remembers.
To all who have served and to those who will serve, THANK YOU!!
To those who haven't and won't...
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