Next weekend, we’ll collectively remember those who gave their lives for us, for our freedoms. This weekend I’ll ask that we remember those who are still out there, still on the line.
This post isn’t going to contain any of your typical Saturday morning jack assery – I’m going to ask you do something really hard. In fact, I’m quite sure that this will be the hardest thing I’m ever going to ask you to do, gentle reader. I’d like you to watch this video.
When you’re done, and have thought about it for a bit, I’ll ask you to something much easier at the jump.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ervaMPt4Ha0[/youtube]
Thanks for that. I know it was hard. But now we both know what to do and as I promised, this part will be much easier.
You probably know about Soldiers Angels:
Soldiers’ Angels currently supports thousands of American Service Members stationed wherever we raise our Country’s Flag and the number is growing daily. Soldiers’ Angels are dedicated in supporting our military during and after their deployment.
Valour-IT is a subsidiary domain within Soldiers Angels – we’ve spoken together about them before.
Project Valour-IT, in memory of SFC William V. Ziegenfuss, provides voice-controlled software and laptop computers to wounded Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines recovering from hand and arm injuries or amputations at major military medical centers. Operating laptops by speaking into a microphone, our wounded heroes are able to send and receive messages from friends and loved ones, surf the ‘Net, and communicate with buddies still in the field without having to press a key or move a mouse. The experience of CPT Charles “Chuck” Ziegenfuss, a partner in the project who suffered hand wounds while serving in Iraq, illustrates how important this voice-controlled software can be to a wounded servicemember’s recovery.
AnySoldier is also a good cause:
Any Soldier Inc. started in August 2003 as a simple family effort to help the soldiers in one Army unit, thus our name. Due to overwhelming requests, on 1 January 2004 the Any Soldier
I’m surprised that you didn’t mention Operation Gratitude.
http://www.opgratitude.com/
This organization had sent out over 250,000 care packages since 2003. Twice a year, holiday drive and Patriotic drive, they send out over 50,000 packages. Due to the huge increase in postal rates OpGrat will spend over one million dollars on postage alone for this upcoming Patriotic Drive which kicks off the assembly and mailing of packages over Memorial Day weekend.
Unlike other organizations, OpGrat does not release individual mailing addresses to the general public. They rely on military units sending their addresses to the org. This is to insure security of individual service members contact info.
Please visit the web site and if you are currently serving overseas please send your roster in so that OpGrat can respond with packages from those of us at home. Thanks
Thank you.
That’s a good call, Babs – the omission was my mistake, I’ll clean it up.
Wow, what a video. I’ve seen it around (even was emailed it), but hadn’t felt up to watching until now. I recently saw a comment by a deployed soldier who said he cried for two hours after viewing it. So amazing that a fifteen-year-old would give voice to warriors, and with such apparent bullseye accuracy…
I have to admit that I have not recently been up to “adopting” anybody new (my old adoptees long ago returned home), telling myself that work with Valour-IT and the milblogs is enough. There have been many reasons for that lapse, but perhaps it’s time again to put my pen to paper and send it on its way across the miles.
Thanks, Lex.
Fbl, 15? Wow, that truly gives me great hope for the future. Thanks for that bit of info.
I’d seen this already, and had it sent to me too. Very emotional and gripping. Good reminder of what next weekend is all about.
Amidst the hollering and bickering in DC that floods the media, we need these types of thoughtful reminders that all of us know someone who is over there who needs to hear us tell them we love them.
Thank you, Lex. It’s been a while since I watched that. God bless the families and their memories, of SGT Ryan Ostrom, PAARNG, and SGT Tony Knier, USArmy. And gratitude to the Army for the wonderful send-off they were given.
In my tiny hometown (pop. approx. 3000), a group of elderly, low-income people decided that they’d like to send goodie packages to any hometown boys who were deployed. GOODIES FOR OUR TROOPS has no website or public attention outside our little community, but faithfully do their best every month since their start, to send a box to each serviceman (or woman, of course) with ties to our community…a three-county range over 100 sq. miles. When our local NG unit was in Iraq, the most boxes were sent, over 140 one month. Currently, for over a year, we’ve been at 70 or more, per month. These seniors and disabled people collect donations of all kinds, work part-time jobs so they’ll have $ to donate, and spend one weekend every month baking, packaging, addressing and mailing these boxes, with the boxes and packaging material being scrounged as well! The USPS has free boxes for a flat rate, however, the sizes aren’t adequate for what is sent, so the ladies package in whatever they find. It purely amazes me, to see these 70 and 80 year old ladies, baking dozens of cookies, making pounds of fudge, buying little tubes of toothpaste and handcream at the dollar store with their careful money…sending them off with notes and handmade ornaments and whatever they can think of. They are truly the greatest generation, and the one I turn to, when I need to talk to someone who understands. I am awed, and privileged to know them, and help sometimes.
But I also worry about my own generation and the one after, the spoiled, me-first people who surround me. The sheep. When it is our turn, will we do as much for the grandchildren of our neighbors? I hope so.
Thanks for the reminder. Gotta go make a batch of jello-popcorn to take down for the boxes this weekend. d
Even if you can’t support one of these organizations, a hand-written letter can mean so much.. and I’d venture a guess and speak on behalf of the ground-pounders and staff pogues to say that with these new longer deployments.. a letter from even a stranger, can remind them what they’re there for.
Packages are great too.. but all to often they come without a kind word.
And words can mean a great deal more than anything money can buy.
“… but all too.. ”
Lex.. why can’t I edit my own comments?! : )
Every package that Operation Gratitude sends out includes a personal letter from a grateful American! In addition to fund raising for postage and solicitation of items for the packages, Operation Gratitude holds a huge ongoing letter writing drive.
If you would like to write some letters and know that they will go out in packages to the troops, please visit the web site for instructions. Your help would be appreciated.
Thank you, Lex, for not allowing us to forget our Warrior/Heroes and why they must NEVER be forgotten.
“doorkeeper”, your words are indeed an example of why ” THE GREATEST GENERATION ” is, indeed, so very great. God Bless you and your community, only please don’t say that you’re in any way “small”. You all are part of why America is the ” Land Of The Free, And The Home Of The Brave “.
Veritas et Fidelis Semper
P.S. What, please, is “jello popcorn”? It sounds yummy?
Those always get to me.
That one was a particularly difficult one to watch.
I miss my friend Army Major Douglas LaBouff.
He his just one of many that we owe a debt of gratitude.
For those of you that are still active, thank you.
Thank you for all you do.
It is appreciated.
For those of you that aren’t active anymore, I thank you as well. This nation couldn’t exist without you.
Thanks Lex.
AG ~ you’re dead on. The guys in MacGyver’s unit love getting letters from ‘strangers’ almost more (in a way) than they love getting letters from home. Maybe it’s the pure encouragement – sans the drama from home – that does it. But even one letter means the world.
If you’re not sure where or whom to send a letter, Soldiers Angels has their Letter Writing Team that is a wonderful blessing to our service members.
Lex ~ mind if I link to and quote this next week as part of my post on Memorial Day? No point in re-inventing the wheel.
Of course, HFS
Today would actually be a great day to do any of the above. It is Armed Forces Day.
Let them know how much you care.
Jello Popcorn, sounds intriguing.
Doorkeeper, How about posting the recipe on TFD.
You know, for us adventurous Gourmands, Like Deb and me!
OH! Friends of Lex, if you think this video was moving, you will appreciate the one I just watched over at Major Pain’s. It is absolutely the most beautiful reunion I have seen yet–
go look at One Marine’s View . You won’t be sorry. You might have to pause Maj Pain’s music on the side first.
Dang! Just now I went to get my challenge coin that Soldiers’ Angels sent me when I sent them some money, as this post reminded me of it.
It was not where I thought I had left it! Oh noes!
No, really, that’s my favorite stim toy, even better than Queeg balls, I betcha. (yep, Queeg was a classic Aspie; would have been good in Staff or Supply, not so good in command. We don’t do “leadership” very well.)
Time to get serious with the remedial housekeeping, I reckon.
I shall and will find that thing
P.s. Found it! Was in the bedside junk box for pocket change etc. Now I can put off the housekeeping for a while longer.
Hey, at least I filled a whole 30-gallon trash can looking for the thing! That’s progress! Ain’t it?
Sorry, in the fight for control of my mind, the Scots-Irish White-Trash Slacker side seems to be winning over the rational industrious earnest autistic side.
Maybe if I drank Guinness, instead of Bud Light, that would help?
Speaking of hope for the future – I went into my local town of Issaquah this morning, to join the Operation Support Our Troops (osot.org) folks and others (even our Congressman) to commemorate the day. There was a wreath laid at the Veteran’s memorial, the local high school ROTC provided color guard, rifle team (and 21-gun salute) and a live playing ot Taps. Small group – but big hearts!
The point is that I spent about 15 minutes before the events started talking with the young man named Randy who played Taps. He is a senior in high school, and has been in ROTC throughout. He is a well-spoken, cheerful, bright young man – and he is headed to UW in the fall. Where he intends to continue in the ROTC. I wish my camera batteries had not died, so I could share a face of the future. Randy, you give me hope, son. The world will be in good hands with many more like you growing up to take your place in society!
The Canadian varient of the link: “A Pittance of Time.
Cheers
Tough indeed but well worth it. Thanks for sharing it Lex.
Thanks for the requests, Jello Popcorn is now featured on TFD. It’s one of the MSG’s very favorite treats and will be part of the boxes I send when he goes over again.
d
MaryAnn Philips found this in the comments over at YouTube when she posted that video several months ago (I’d swiped it from her):
I am LTC Jack Eckles.
…the soldier labled “Wife” was a soldier lost to me and my Company. Her name was SGT Regina (Gina) C. Reali, KIA, Eastern Baghdad, 23 Dec. 2005 along with her fellow soldier, SGT Cheyenne C. Willey. I was their commanding officer and we miss them very much. Thank you for such a beautiful tribute.