Wednesday Hero

Spc. Robert Hamilton



Spc. Robert Hamilton, from Corpus Christi, Texas,
Company C, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment,
prepares to bandage the thumb of an Iraqi boy in Ula Market in Sadr City, April 19.
The boy cut his thumb while preparing meat at a local butcher shop.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.


We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived.

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

GOVERNMENT WITHHOLDS EVIDENCE

ARMY RANGER GOES TO PRISON FOR 25 YEARS FOR SHOOTING AL QAEDA OPERATIVE

Army Ranger

1st LT Michael Behenna

Please take a few minutes and follow the link below. Michael needs our help

http://defendmichael.wordpress.com/

Thank you to Chris Brocksmith for bringing this to my attention.

God Bless;
aam

Sgt. Patch Update.

First let me say thank you to everyone that has been calling and sending me emails concerning Sky and his family.
I have been informed this morning that the State of Illinois will be cutting the family a check this month.
I have not talked with Julie this morning but as soon as I do, I will be able to give a more complete update.


Thank you,
aam

Please help correct this injustice.

On Monday I read this post on GAP and was immediately sick to my stomach and heartbroken
that this could be happening. I contacted Julie and she gave me permission to post this here:

As many of you know Schuyler Patch who was KIA on 02/24/09 was from my family. When Sky's mom called the VA to inquire about his death benefits from the state (he was National Guard, Illinois) she was told the State of Illinois does not have the money to pay right now, maybe next fiscal year!! This is totally unacceptable and I am asking everyone to write the Governor to see that this is taken care of. Following is the link to the Governors page where you can email him or send a letter. There is also a link to the White House and Our President.
I have also attached the letter I wrote, so feel free to copy and paste, or write your own. I know Sky's family is not the only family going through this horrible loss, then compounded by Government disrespect and errors. I am asking anyone who reads this to send a letter and pass it on to family and friends. We need to make sure that no Soldiers family be put through this after their child gave their life!!

Thanks

Governor Site

White House

Office of the Governor
207 State House
Springfield, IL 62706
phone: 217-782-0244

Dear Governor Quinn,

On March 7th of this year you attended the funeral of Sergeant Schuyler Patch, in Kewanee, Illinois. In your speech you spoke of him being a hero and his honorable service to The United States and the Illinois National Guard. Schuyler died in Afghanistan while serving in the National Guard from Kewanee, Illinois, and now his parents are being told by the VA that due to the budget crisis in Illinois that the death benefits for the parents of the Solider Killed in Action are not being paid now, but they will be issued an IOU!
This is a complete disregard to not only Schuylers' memory, but to any Soldier who has Volunteered to serve their country in a time of war. How dare the State of Illinois tell grieving parents, "Sorry you Soldier was killed in action, but we can't pay for the sacrifice of your Son/Daughter."

On behalf of the family of Sgt. Schuyler Patch and any other Soldier who has or will givetheir life for their country we insist that this insult and complete lack of respect to all Soldiers be rectified immediately, In addition an apology to the families who have been denied death benefits should be issued without delay.

I certainly hope to hear that this is given a priority status and that the State of Illinois is remorseful for causing heartbroken parents more agony in addition to the loss of their Soldier.

"He heard freedom's call," Army Chaplain (Capt.) Jon Prain told more than 1,000 mourners who filled a school gym for Patch's funeral in Kewanee, Ill. "He paid freedom's price. Sgt. Patch could have stayed home. Instead, once again, he volunteered to go."

This having been said it is a small price for the State of Illinois to give parents death benefits when their child paid the ultimate price of their life. This is not about money which will never bring Schuyler home again, but about doing the right thing!!

Sincerely,

Julie Nelson
Proud Mom of a U.S. Army Soldier

Wednesday Hero

This weeks post was suggested and written by Mary Ann

Sgt. Kenneth G. Ross

24 years old from Tucson, Arizona

7th Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment

September 25, 2005

" He believed in serving his country," said Ross' father, David C. Ross. Gary Anderson, Ross' best friend and an Army infantry veteran who served nine months in Afghanistan and 11 months in Iraq during his active duty stint, was a classmate of Ross at Marana's Mountain View High School. "You know, I heard this news of Ken and I broke down and cried hysterically," said Anderson, now a firefighter for the Ak-Chin Indian community in Maricopa. " He loved everyone; everyone who came in contact with him loved him. He'd always help everyone out that he could.

A 1999 graduate of Mountain View, Ross played drums in the marching band and orchestra, his father said. Ross enlisted in the Army right after graduation. "He just wanted to take part in history," Anderson said.

At the time of his death, he was a helicopter mechanic - acting as a door gunner on his last mission, his father said. SSgt. Ross was killed when his helicopter went down southwest of Deh Chopan, Afghanistan. Also killed in the crash were Sgt. Shawn A. Graham, Warrent Officer Adrian B. Stump, Sgt. Tane T. Baum, Chief Warrent Officer 2 John M. Flynn and Sgt. Patrick D. Stewart.

Along with his father, SSgt. Ross is survived by his mother, Mary Ross, 57 and his sister Stephanie Ross, 30. "I know his last thoughts were for everybody else and not for himself," Anderson said. "I know he wanted to make sure everybody was safe and would go home."

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everday. Fot that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived.

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

Operations Specialist 3rd Class Leonel Yanez

Operations Specialist 3rd Class Leonel Yanez (Right), from Huntington Park, Calif.,
monitors a radar screen in the Combat Direction Center aboard the aircraft carrier
USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74).
John C. Stennis is on a scheduled six -month deployment
to the western Pacific Ocean.

These Brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died,
We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived.

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here

Cavalry Soldier patrols Baghdad

(Photo Courtesy of Fort Drum Public Affairs)

Forward Operating Base Loyalty, Iraq-

Spc. Shawn Alms, from Rockford, Ill., conducts a dismounted patrol along the streets of cnetral Baghdad. Alms serves with Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3 Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Multi - National Division- Baghdad.

Chris recently informed me that I was falling behind in my updates. I advised him that he was falling behind in giving me things to update. LOL

Since getting him to send pictures is like pulling teeth, I set out to find my own photos and since I am proud to be Cav Mom, I am happy to give all Troopers there props. So here is to Spc. Alms, God Bless you Scout, Come home safe.

Love,

aam

Cav mom