Fresh from my inbox.

We're hearing a lot today about big splashy memorial services.

I want a nationwide memorial service for Darrell "Shifty" Powers.

Shifty volunteered for the airborne in WWII and served with Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Infantry. If you've seen Band of Brothers on HBO or the History Channel, you know Shifty. His character appears in all 10 episodes, and Shifty himself is interviewed in several of them.

I met Shifty in Philadelphia airport several years ago. I didn't know who he was at the time. I just saw an elderly gentleman having trouble reading his ticket. I offered to help, assured him he was at the right gate, and noticed the "Screaming Eagle", the symbol of the 101st Airborne, on his hat.

Making conversation, I asked him if he'd been in the 101st Airborne or if his son was serving. He said quietly that he had been in the 101st. I thanked him for his service, then asked him when he served, and how many jumps he made.

Quietly and humbly, he said "Well, I guess I signed up in 1941 or so, and was in until sometime in 1945..." at which point my heart skipped.

At that point, again, very humbly, he said "I made 5 training jumps at Toccoa, and then jumped into Normandy... do you know where Normandy is?" At this point my heart stopped.

I told him yes, I know exactly where Normandy was and I know what D-Day was. At that point he said "I also made a second jump into Holland, into Arnhem." I was standing with a genuine war hero.... and then I realized that it was June, just after the anniversary of D-Day.

I asked Shifty if he was on his way back from France, and he said "Yes. And it's real sad because these days so few guys are left, and those that are, lots of them can't make the trip." My heart was in my throat and I didn't know what to say.

I helped Shifty get onto the plane and then realized he was back in Coach, while I was in First Class. I sent the flight attendant back to get him and said that I wanted to switch seats. When Shifty came forward, I got up out of the seat and told him I wanted him to have it, that I'd take his in coach.

He said "No, son, you enjoy that seat. Just knowing that there are still some who remember what we did and still care is enough to make and old man very happy." His eyes were filling up as he said it. And mine are brimmin up now as I write this.

Shifty died on June 17, 2009 after fighting cancer.

There was no parade

No big event in Staples Center

No wall to wall back to back 24x7 news coverage

No weeping fans on television

And that's not right

Let's give Shifty his own Memorial Service, online, in our own quiet way. Please forward this email to everyone you know. Especially to the veterans.

Rest in peace, Shifty.

"A nation without heroes is nothing."

Roberto Clemente

Thursday Email

The people I work with know that these are my favorite kinds of emails so they keep them coming.

Look at the black patch under the U.S. Flag

The patch says 'Doing the work of '

The flags are France, Germany and Russia

This should be on the cover of Time, Newsweek etc

Why is it we never see pictures like these in the news?

Isn't it a shame that you never seem to see the good things our Service Members are doing? Well this might not be a major media outlet but I am happy to post pictures like these all day long.

Have a great Thursday

God Bless;

aam

Fresh from my inbox

A Veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to The United States of America for an amount of "up to and including my life."

That is Honor and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it!!

AWESOME!!! Read below pic before making judgment on 'The Finger' gesture and you'll understand...

Leading the fight is Gunnery Sgt Michael Burghardt, known as 'Iron Mike' or just 'Gunny'. He is on his third tour in Iraq . He had become a legend in the bomb disposal world after winning the Bronze Star for disabling 64 IEDs and destroying 1,548 pieces of ordnance during his second tour.

Then, on September 19, he got blown up.

He had arrived at a chaotic scene after a bomb had killed four US soldiers.

He chose not to wear the bulky bomb protection suit.

'You can't react to any sniper fire and you get tunnel-vision,' he explains.

So, protected by just a helmet and standard-issue flak jacket, he began what bomb disposal officers term 'the longest walk', stepping gingerly into a 5 foot deep and 8 foot wide crater. The earth shifted slightly and he saw a Senao base station with a wire leading from it. He cut the wire and used his 7 inch knife to probe the ground. 'I found a piece of red detonating cord between my legs,' he says. 'That's when I knew I was screwed.' Realizing he had been sucked into a trap, Sgt Burghardt, 35, yelled at everyone to stay back.

At that moment, an insurgent, probably watching through binoculars, pressed a button on his mobile phone to detonate the secondary device below the sergeant's feet 'A chill went up the back of my neck and then the bomb exploded,' he recalls.

'As I was in the air I remember thinking, 'I don't believe they got me.' I was just ticked off they were able to do it. Then I was lying on the road, not able to feel anything from the waist down' His colleagues cut off his trousers to see how badly he was hurt. None could believe his legs were still there

'My dad's a Vietnam vet who's paralyzed from the waist down,' says Sgt Burghardt. 'I was lying there thinking I didn't want to be in a wheelchair next to my dad and for him to see me like that. They started to cut away my pants and I felt a real sharp pain and blood trickling down. Then I wiggled my toes and I thought, 'Good, I'm in business.'

As a stretcher was brought over, adrenaline and anger kicked in. 'I decided to walk to the helicopter. I wasn't going to let my team-mates see me being carried away on a stretcher.'

He stood and gave the insurgents who had blown him up a one-fingered salute.

'I flipped them one. It was like, 'OK, I lost that round but I'll be back next week.'

Copies of a photograph depicting his defiance, taken by Jeff Bundy for the Omaha World-Herald, adorn the walls of homes across America and that of Col John Gronski, the brigade commander in Ramadi, who has hailed the image as an exemplar of the warrior spirit.

Sgt Burghardt's injuries - burns and wounds to his legs and buttocks - kept him off duty for nearly a month and could have earned him a ticket home.

But, like his father - who was awarded a Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts for being wounded in action in Vietnam - he stayed in Ramadi to engage in the battle against insurgents who are forever coming up with more ingenious ways of killing Americans..

Gotta Love Maxine

Maxine on Minorities:

We need to show more sympathy for these people.

* They travel miles in the heat.

* They risk their lives crossing a border.

* They don't get paid enough wages.

* They do jobs that others won't do or are afraid to do.

* They live in crowded conditions among a people who speak a different language.

* They rarely see their families, and they face adversity all day ~ every day.

I'm not talking about illegal Mexicans ~ I'm talking about our TROOPS

Doesn't it seem strange that many Democrats and Republicans are willing to lavish all kinds of social benefits on illegals, but don't support our troops, and are even threatening to defund them?

Please pass this on; this is worth the short time it takes to read it.

The thought of a Blue Star Mother

I recently found this in my email inbox (Thanks Joni)



As I awaken, I thank God for allowing me a few hours of sleep and the prayers for all my military family members begin. "For Sue's son injured last week, for Donna's son who weeps because he carries the horrors of the war; for the wife of my son's friend who now must raise their sons alone; for all those who have asked for prayers, and most especially for my own sons, that God be with them. AMEN".

The coffee pot is on and as I reach for the remote, I again , ask "God, please no casualties today". Alas, my sorrow, another Soldier has died today. I wonder, does he have a wife, brother's, sisters, I know he had a mom. I weep for his mother's empty arms, and silently and selfishly thank God, it could have been me!

Hubby is awake now, as he passes our military wall of pride, he stops, silent and calm, and lowers his head, no doubt saying his own special prayer. The flags go up, the dog is let out, and we share a hug. Breakfast is simple, and before I know it, he's off to work.

While the second cup of coffee sets in, I read the emails from Navy moms, Marine moms, and all my other Blue Star family members. Wow, others slept fairly well last night, only 378 emails this morning.

My phone rings and as I carefully look at the caller ID, it's only the veterinarian calling to reschedule the annual check up for the family dog. My heart begins to calm. I return to the emails, reading each one carefully, responding to those I can, and holding each and every one of my military family close to my heart!

Another call, it's okay, it's my daughter in law, how wonderful. An update on the granddaughter, and of course, my Marine. All is well! Now I hear from the Sailor's wife, what lovely daughters my sons have given me. They always seem to know when 'mom' needs a hug.

So the day has now officially begun. House cleaning, laundry, and a trip to the bank, oh yes, the post office too! Several care packages and letters to our young heros. One special package goes out today, a Comfort Book and quilt to a Gold Star Mom. Her son was killed last month, and she was not up for visitors, but she will receive respect and honor from us all. Wow, this book is heavier than most, over 250 messages in this one; poems, and words of comfort from families all over the country. The quilt is lovely, made by a few moms and sent with love. The Eagle, Globe and anchor that sits in the center, crisply sewn, I weep as my hand passes over this symbol of courage and pride.

Okay, the packages are sent, the letters written, all deposits made, now it's back home to start dinner. As I approach the entrance to my subdivision, I carefully scan the area for cars that appear "not to fit in". No strange vehicles, no black sedans, I continue towards my street. Again, my eyes strain to the end of the cul de sac to check for a vehicle in my drive way , it's empty, another good sign.

As I exit my car, I gaze up at the flags, waving ever so slowly in the wind. Old Glory is a wonderful flag, I am so proud, I am a American. I enter the house , the dog greeting me as if I'd been away for months, and now dash to answer the phone. It's a friend from back home, the solider that died today, was someone we both know. I weep, and immediately begin to prepare for what will be one of the most difficult days, the funeral for one of our American Heroes.

l locate the CAO information, make the initial call, and ask if my friend and her family are accepting calls. I make that call, and together we weep for our loss. "He'll be here in two days, and they say I can't see him. How can I let them bury him, and I not see his sweet face one more time?" We pray together, and I let her know that I will be at the service and funeral and I am always here as they need me.

As I make the necessary arrangements to travel, I order the Gold Star Banner, as her Blue Star has now turned Gold, I wonder how I can make it through another funeral, another loss, and this one so close. I can, I'm a military mother, and we're strong! We moms are made of tough stuff, but losing a child is not the way life should be for us.

Hubby is now home, and I must tell him. We cry together, and as we each look into the faces of our sons pictures, we both selfishly pray, "Thank you God, it wasn't me today." Dinner is light, neither of us can eat much, but life does go on. I'm off to my Blue Star Mothers meeting; I must tell my sisters they lost a son.

The day is done, and as I lay my head upon my pillow, prayers filling my heart, my final prayer is, "Lord, thank you for allowing me one more day as a Blue Star Mother. I pray that my stars never turn to Gold. Amen"

Andria M. Mocek
Two Star Blue Star Mother
HM2 Jonathan, US Navy
Cpl Gabriel, USMC

Another Heartwarming email

Found this waiting in my inbox today. Wanted to share it:

> The Old Man
As I came out of the supermarket that sunny day, pushing my cart of groceries towards my car, I saw an old man with the hood of his car up and a lady sitting inside the car, with the door open. The old man was looking at the engine.
I put my groceries away in my car and continued to watch the old gentleman from about twenty five feet away.
I saw a young man in his early twenties with a grocery bag in his arm, walking towards the old man. The old gentleman saw him coming too and took a few steps towards him. I saw the old gentleman point to his open hood and say something. The young man put his grocery bag into what looked like a brand new Cadillac Escalade and then turn back to the old man and I heard him yell at the old gentleman saying, 'You shouldn't even be allowed to drive a car at your age. And then with a wave of his hand, he got in his car and peeled rubber out of the parking lot.
I saw the old gentleman pull out his handkerchief and mop his brow as he went back to his car and again looked at the engine. He then went to his wife and spoke with her and appeared to tell her it would be okay.
I had seen enough and I approached the old man. He saw me coming and stood straight and as I got near him I said, 'Looks like you're having a problem.' He smiled sheepishly and quietly nodded his head. Looked under the hood myself and knew that whatever the problem was, it was beyond me.
Looking around I saw a gas station up the road and told the old man that I would be right back. I drove to the station and went inside and saw three attendants working on cars. I approached one of them and related the problem the old man had with his car and offered to pay them if they could follow me back down and help him.
The old man had pushed the heavy car under the shade of a tree and appeared to be comforting his wife. When he saw us he straightened up and thanked me for my help. As the mechanics diagnosed the problem (overheated engine) I spoke with the old gentleman.
When I shook hands with him earlier he had noticed my Marine Corps ring and had commented about it, telling me that he had been a Marine too. I nodded and asked the usual question, 'What outfit did you serve with? He had mentioned that he served with the first Marine Division at Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima and Guadalcanal . He had hit all the big ones and retired from the Corps after the war was over.
As we talked we heard the car engine come on and saw the mechanics lower the hood. They came over to us as the old man reached for his wallet, but was stopped by me and I told him I would just put the bill on my AAA card. He still reached for the wallet and handed me a card that I assumed had his name and address on it and I stuck it in my pocket.
We all shook hands all around again and I said my goodbye's to his wife. I then told the two mechanics that I would follow them back up to the station.
Once at the station I told them that they had interrupted their own jobs to come along with me and help the old man. I said I wanted to pay for the help, but they refused to charge me. One of them pulled out a card from his pocket looking exactly like the card the old man had given to me. Both of the men told me then, that they were Marine Corps Reserves. Once again we shook hands all around and as I was leaving, one of them told me I should look at the card the old man had given to me. I said I would and drove off.
For some reason I had gone about two blocks when I pulled over and took the card out of my pocket and looked at it for a long, long time.
The name of the old gentleman was on the card in golden leaf and under his name....... Congressional Medal of Honor Society.
I sat there motionless looking at the card and reading it over and over. I looked up from the card and smiled to no one but myself and marveled that on this day, four Marines had all come together, because one of us needed help. He was an old man all right, but it felt good to have stood next to greatness and courage and an honor to have been in his presence.
Remember, old men like him gave you FREEDOM for America

America is not at war
The U.S. Military is at war***
America is at the Mall

If you don't stand behind our troops,
PLEASE feel free to stand in front of them!

"America will never be destroyed from outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves. Abraham Lincoln


God Bless,
aam