Monthly Archives: April 2010

2010 ThanksUSA Scholarship Program

Posted on April 19, 2010 by Claire| Leave a comment

**Deadline is 5/15/2010**

2010 ThanksUSA Scholarship Program

New in 2010
Spouses may use the award now for non-degree licensure/certification programs, and this is regardless of whether an undergraduate degree has already been completed.

Important NEW APPLICATION METHOD

We are accepting *only* on-line applications. You may click on this link -https://www.scholarshipamerica.org/thanksusa — to take you to the landing page at scholarship America, administrators of the program, where you may apply on-line. On-line applicants will receive an electronic acknowledgement when their application has been successfully submitted on-line.

Before doing the final submit, required documents must be scanned in to your computer and then uploaded to the application site. Uploaded documents and photos must be in PDF, PNG or JPG file format.

SPECIAL NOTE

The Northern Virginia Community College Educational Foundation and NVCC’s Student Financial Aid Office are joining ThanksUSA once again this year to offer the Linda J. Romeo/ThanksUSA scholarship. This $4000 scholarship will be awarded to a female military spouse residing in the National Capital Region attending Northern Virginia Community College. Interested applicants must first submit a completed ThanksUSA scholarship application. If approved for ThanksUSA scholarship funds, applicants will be asked to complete a supplemental NVCC scholarship application.

Who is eligible for the scholarships?

Applicants to the ThanksUSA Scholarship Program must:

  • Be dependent children1, age 24 and under (as of the 5/15/2010 application deadline), of U.S. military service personnel2,
  • or be spouses of U.S. military service personnel2
  • and be current high school seniors or graduates who plan to enroll or students who are already enrolled in a fulltime3undergraduate course of study at an accredited two-or four-year college or university or vocational-technical school for the 2010-11 academic year
  • and have at least a 2.00 cumulative grade point average (GPA) on a 4.00 scale or its equivalent on their relevant academic record (e.g., high school record for incoming freshmen or postsecondary school record for those already enrolled in a college, university or vocational/technical school).

1Dependent children are defined as natural and legally adopted children or stepchildren living in the service member’s household and/or primarily supported by the service member.
2U.S. military personnel are defined as those who have served full-time for at least 180 days since 9/11/01 and all those who have been either killed or wounded in action since 9/11/01. U.S. military personnel are defined as members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines or Coast Guard. Members of the military reserves who have been activated to full-time duty and members of the National Guard who have been federalized and who otherwise meet the requirements are both eligible. Retired or discharged service personnel are eligible to apply but must have served 180 days after 9/11/01.
3Full-time study is defined as full-time enrollment (usually considered to be 12 credits per term) for the entire 2010-11 academic year.

What will be awarded?

If selected as a recipient, the student will receive an award of $3,000 or up to the program costs, whichever is the lesser amount. Awards are not renewable. Students may reapply in subsequent years if ThanksUSA is offering the same scholarship program.

Awards granted to dependent children are for first-time undergraduate study at an accredited two- or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical school and are NOT for non-degree licensure/certificate programs or graduate study. Spouses may use the award for a first-time undergraduate degree at an accredited two- or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical school. Spouses may also use the award for non-degree licensure/certification programs regardless of whether an undergraduate degree has already been completed. Both dependent children and spouses who have completed a vocational program or associate’s degree may use the award for study toward a firsttime bachelor’s degree. Master’s programs or graduate-level study are not eligible.

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Month of the Military Child: Military children learn about deployment

Posted on April 19, 2010 by Claire| Leave a comment

Sometimes the biggest fear we face is the fear of the unknown. We can talk about deployment with our kids, but children are concrete thinkers. They learn best through hands-on play-work. I believe it was Dr. Maria Montessori who once said “A child’s play is his work.” This experience allows military children an experience that helps them understand what their deployed/deploying parent may be going through.

HILL AIR FORCE BASE — Deployments to far off places are one of the hardest things military families go through.

Usually, children watch with tears in their eyes as parents board military planes and leave their family for months at a time.

But at Hill Air Force Base on Thursday, those roles were completely reversed.

Hill held its annual “Kids Deployment Day,” where more than 600 military children planned to go through the riggers of a deployment processing line.

Children from Hill Field Elementary received a field trip to the base in the morning and early afternoon, while school children from other schools across the Top of Utah were to participate Thursday night.

“It’s kind of an all day thing,” said Sgt. Terri Davis, the event’s organizer. “We’ve got so many military families in this area and we want all the kids to see a deployment from their parents’ perspective.”

The children, all under the age of 12, received dog tag issues, gas mask fittings, aircraft tours, military working dog demos, entomology exhibits, all of which helped the children see exactly what their loved ones would likely encounter while deployed.

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Come Back from the Edge, Michael

Posted on April 19, 2010 by Marcus the Redshirt| 5 Comments

I’m one that never really trusts a reporter until I’ve had some personal interaction with them, but I consider Michael Yon a pretty decent guy having not interacted with him. That is why I haven’t completely written him off as yet another guy with a pen or a blog that has gone over the edge with too much time in country and not enough time decompressing.

You can see a man that is teetering on the edge by just looking at his Facebook page from the last several days. He is all over the place claiming Gen McCrystal can’t be trusted.

Life was good before I went to Iraq. But after three friends were killed during the GWOT, and my growing mistrust for the media and for the US Government/Military, I quit traveling the world and went to war. The United States was in peril. I am American. Today, I do not trust McChrystal anymore than some people trust the New York Times, Obama or Bush. If McChrystal could be trusted, I would go back to my better life. McChrystal is a great killer but this war is above his head. He must be watched.

What has prompted Michael to lose it in such a public fashion? It may just have something to due with being kicked off his fourth embed.

McChrystal’s crew has spoken: Embed is ended. This comes from McChrystal’s own spokesman (through one CPT Jane Campbell USN cc RADM Greg Smith and COL Wayne Shanks USA). This lends confirmation to ideas that the disembed came from McChrystal’s crew. (If not before, 100% now.) McChrystal cannot be trusted to tell the truth about this war. Packing my bags.

And more.

The disembed from McChrytal’s top staff (meaning from McChrystal himself) is a very bad sign. Sends chills that McChrystal himself thinks we are losing the war. McChrystal has a history of covering up. This causes concern that McChrystal might be misleading SecDef and President. Are they getting the facts?

There are more examples like him going completely nuts over a Canadian general accidently discharging his weapon while on base. Yeah, it’s a pretty dumb thing to do especially as a general, but Michael’s conclusions of the general’s ability to lead are highly flawed. Not to mention there are many better things he could be writing about instead of focusing time and energy on a man who made a mistake. Oh, and that mistake is currently being investigated and probably won’t end well for the general.

Now, the point of this isn’t to just fire away at Michael in hopes of destroying him. Instead, the goal is to encourage Michael to take a couple of steps back and examine what is going on around him. He needs to acknowledge his mistakes that lead him to be removed from this embed and the previous three. Michael has done great work in the past and I won’t begin to hide that. However, there comes a time that you have to ask him when will it become clear that it’s you, not them?

I’m not the only one that has noticed Michael on the edge of self destruct. This list will likely grow over the course of the day and you may find more up to date lists on some of these other blogs. I highly suggest you also read what they have wrote for additional and different perspective.

From My Position
Blackfive
Kanani Fong

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Posted in Military News

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Good View

Posted on April 18, 2010 by LL| Leave a comment

I have not read the other pieces by Christopher Torchia. Only this one. And what impresses me the most about this article is that he makes no good or bad judgments on the war, the guys beside him, or on the mission. He just states his own decision-making process in whether to carry an ammo belt or not. For journalists, that is a tough decision. Impartiality, outside observer, distance or acceptance of being part of the team, however briefly.

I’m glad he took the burden that a soldier would have had to bear in addition to his other gear. Sometimes, it is that tiny gesture that will define a person as a mensch in my mind. Good on you, Mr. Torchia.

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Open Letter to “Liberty Candidates”

Posted on April 17, 2010 by CJ| Leave a comment

The website “Liberty Candidates” maintains a list of candidates dedicated to the principles of liberty. According to their mission statement they’re goal is get a “Dr. No” candidate. “Dr. No” is their codeword for Ron Paul since he votes “no” on every bill outside the scope of the Constitution. However, at the top of their list is none other than IVAW member Adam Kokesh.

A bunch of patriot groups have published an open letter to the group in opposition to their support of Adam Kokesh as a “liberty candidate.”

We are writing to you to express our grave concerns about one of your fellow Liberty candidates, Adam Kokesh. More importantly, in view of these concerns and to the point of this letter, we are asking that you disavow Mr. Kokesh and distance yourself from him politically.

Mr. Kokesh has an extensive and well-documented history of affiliations with radical leftist groups. In concert with these groups, he has engaged in numerous anti-America and anti-military demonstrations and protests. Further, Mr. Kokesh does not appear to have any personal qualifications that would recommend him for serious consideration as a candidate for Congress, and he has a significant history suggestive of poor character and judgment.

Of primary concern to us is that Mr. Kokesh’s anti-military actions were designed to undermine our military during a time of war, and, more egregiously, were designed to undermine and impugn the honor of our soldiers who were fighting and dying on the battlefield. Most people would see these actions as having been dishonorable; many of us see them as being traitorous.

For those of you that are not familiar with Mr. Kokesh’s extensive history of affiliations with radical lefist groups, we have appended this letter with a brief review of those affiliations (see below, Appendix I). Additionally, there are a numbers of internet resources that you can utilize for your own research on Mr. Kokesh. We have also appended this letter with links to some websites that contain relevant information (see below, Appendix II).

Most of us are well aware of the devastating effect that the anti-military actions of the left during the Vietnam War had on both our country at large and on our veterans in particular. Many of us lived through that. We are well aware of the suffering of those veterans as they returned to a country that had been incited to impugn their honor and condemn them.

Be assured that there are countless numbers of patriotic Americans who vowed that never again would our soldiers be subjected to the traitorous assault of the radical leftist groups within our own country. We, the undersigned, are among those numbers. It is for this reason that we stand in solid opposition to Mr. Kokesh. We stand in total solidarity with our soldiers and veterans. We ask you to take the same principled stand. We ask that you disavow Mr. Kokesh and, by extension disavow the entire radical anti-America forces that are within our country, and that are seeking to destroy us from within. We ask that you stand in solidarity with our troops.

It is with great interest that we look forward to a response from you.

Please send replies to:
americanpatriotsagainstkokesh@gmail.com

Signatories:

The Band of Mothers

http://thebandofmothers.com/

Move America Forward Freedom PAC

http://www.mafpac.org

9/11 Families for a Safe & Strong America

http://www.911familiesforamerica.org/

Gathering of Eagles

http://www.gatheringofeagles.org

Warriors For Congress

http://warriorsforcongress.com/

Illinois Tea Party

http://illinoistea.org/

American Patriots Against Kokesh
http://americanpatriotsagainstkokesh.wordpress.com/

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Vision Strike Wear Honors our Heroes

Posted on April 17, 2010 by Troy| Leave a comment

My very good friends and friends of both Bouhammer.com and YouServed.com, the guys at Vision Strike Wear, are doing an awesome thing on their site at www.vision-strike-wear.com. They have created a Heroes of Freedom page on their website to honor some of those that have served our country to protect and ensure our freedoms and way of life.

They are starting this now in preparation of Memorial Day this year to help highlight a few of the many that have served. I suggest you head over to http://vision-strike-wear.com/heroes-of-freedom.html and check out some of the wonderful Americans they have on the site.

Of course they are always looking for more individuals to add to the page and would very much like to hear from you if you have a loved one, friend, family member that has served or is serving this great country of ours. If you have someone you would like them to highlight, send Todd an email at Todd@vision-strike-wear.com and let him know the details.

Both Todd and Derek from Vision Strike Wear have been guests on You Served Radio, are partnered with Soldiers’ Angels on several promotional deals and are a partner of Bouhammer.com


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Posted in Patriotism, Wall of Honor, Why We Serve

Hemorrhage greatest risk to troops

Posted on April 17, 2010 by Troy| Leave a comment

13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) Public Affairs

Every week, the 2nd Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) hosts a combat lifesaver course at its headquarters building. The unit’s goal is to have every one of its members CLS qualified, to ensure they are all combat ready and prepared to react to any situation.

Staff Sgt. Lennis O. Gray, the senior medic with D troop, 1st Squadron, 278th ACR and the senior instructor for the CLS course, said he believes the course is vital to his units’ mission readiness.
Gray, a Savannah, Tenn., native, said the CLS course teaches essential lifesaving skills such as hemorrhage control, and how to use a nasopharyngeal airway, apply an occlusive dressing and perform a needle chest decompression.

All aspects of the training are important, said Gray, but he put one skill above all others. “The biggest thing I emphasize is hemorrhage control,” he said. “(Left unattended), that has shown to be the biggest percentage of people that died needlessly on the battlefield.” First Lt. Shannon A. O’Reilly, the platoon leader with H Troop, 2nd Squadron, 278th ACR and a Radford, Va., native, completed the CLS course April 12.

O’Reilly said he is confident that every member of his team now knows how to respond in an emergency situation. “It is important because it helps maintain combat power … and it prevents loss of life,” he said. “I recommend that every Soldier have this course, so that they can help their fellow Soldier out.” Pfc. Bruce Hill, a combat medic with G Troop and an instructor with the CLS course, said his main goal is to ensure that Soldiers are able to apply the skills they learn in the classroom practically.

“My goal … is that they meet the standard and can apply the techniques that we show them in a real life situation,” he said. Hill, a Sparta, Tenn., native, said he agreed with Gray, that blood loss is the biggest threat to an injured person on the battlefield. “The most important skill that they learn is hemorrhage control, putting a tourniquet on,” he said. Hill said he has confidence in his students and tries to prepare them for anything. “I feel that they are prepared,” he said. “I believe you cannot ever be completely prepared, but (they) will be ready.”


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Posted in Life in the Military, Military News

Fundraiser to Benefit LCpl Nicholas S. Perez Elementary’s Library

Posted on April 17, 2010 by CJ| Leave a comment

We’re way late on this, but wanted to get the word out anyway. Perez was killed in Iraq in September 2004 and the citizens of Austin, Texas, worked hard to get a new Elementary School named after him to honor his sacrifice. Because it is a new school, they are in DESPERATE need of book to fill their libraries.

To help raise money for the school to purchase book, a good friend of the You Served folks, Miss Ladybug, is trying to get the word out. She is offering an awesome personal piece to a lucky person who purchases a tax-deductible raffle ticket – OR SIX – from American Legion Auxiliary Travis Unit 76. You can find all the details HERE.

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You are invited to witness online the national launch of Military to Medicine

Posted on April 16, 2010 by Claire| Leave a comment

You are cordially invited  to witness online Military to Medicine’s national launch event on Tuesday, April 20, at 11 am ET.

Military to Medicine is Inova Health System’s program that provides healthcare training and career opportunities to military spouses, wounded warriors and their caregivers, Veterans, National Guard, Reserve and their spouses as well as transitioning service members.

What began as a recruitment initiative for Inova in partnership with the Army Reserve Employer Partnership Office and the Department of Defense in 2008, is now a national service organization supporting the extended military family and healthcare employers nationwide.

Military to Medicine combines healthcare training and career opportunities to enhance the lives of military families. As a supporter of military families and healthcare careers, please join us.

Please register for the Webcast and pass along this invitation to your contacts:  http://www.militarytomedicine.org

With kind regards,

Kristina Saul-Military Spouse

Outreach Specialist

Military to Medicine

Kristina.Saul@militarytomedicine.org

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Posted in Charities/Contests, Spouse and Family

Operation We Are Here Releases ‘Brat Town Bugle’ – A Free Resource for Military Children

Posted on April 16, 2010 by Claire| Leave a comment

Operation We Are Here Releases ‘Brat Town Bugle’ -
A Free Resource for Military Children

Press Release:

FORT LEWIS– In conjunction with the Month of the Military Child, Operation We Are Here announced it’s release of a free, downloadable newspaper for children. Brat Town Bugle: A Publication of Non-Recruits in Big Boots was developed by Benita Koeman, the founder of Operation We Are Here to bridge the gap between her children and their deployed father.

Following her husband’s recent R&R (rest and recuperation), she was blatantly aware of the memories continuing to take place at home that her hus-band was missing out on and that the kids weren’t verbalizing over the phone. With her husband’s impending birthday, the home school mom had the idea of creating a newspaper, a concept that allowed their children to have fun writing and drawing for their dad in portions that weren’t overwhelming to them.

What’s up with “NON-RECRUITS IN BIG BOOTS?” Military children are not recruited to be military brats; they just are. They have “big boots” to fill, and this Month of the Military Child, we celebrate and pay tribute to all military children who serve along with their parents! Operation We Are Here has a reputation of having a clearinghouse of resources for the military family and for military supporters. Also check out their exhaustive list of resources for military children and teens! For more information on Operation We Are Here or Brat Town Bugle, visit http://www.operationwearehere.com/BratTownBugle.html.

About Operation We Are Here:
Our mission is to create an awareness of the challenges of families/loved ones of de-ployed military personnel, to offer practical suggestions to churches, communities and individuals on how to support and encourage the military home front, and to provide a comprehensive list of resources for families/loved ones of deployed military personnel.

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