Monthly Archives: February 2011

Letter in Support of Lieutenant General William B. Caldwell IV

Posted on February 28, 2011 by CJ| 7 Comments

I received this email from a well-placed source and have permission to share it here. I would add my name to the list if it would do any good. As it stands, I support General Caldwell and would follow him anywhere. He’s a Soldier’s General and one of the most competent guys I know, fully deserving of all four of those stars.

Letter in Support of Lieutenant General William B. Caldwell IV

The recent article in Rolling Stone about the conduct of LTG William Caldwell is totally contrary to our experience with him, and his conduct as an officer and leader.

We have jointly dealt with, spoken with and listened to LTG Caldwell more than a hundred times and collectively spent thousands of hours working together. We have seen him interact with the leaders of our nation, its military, the media and the public at large. He is, and has always been, honest and professional.

He has been beyond reproach, humble to a fault, unfailingly supportive of civilian leadership and the military chain of command, and a skeptic of anyone who suggests an officer in the United States is anything less. The accusations of a disgruntled officer do not reflect the person or leader we know and are totally disconnected with the reality we have experienced.

The accusations, as reported in this article, misrepresent the operational and command environment in Afghanistan. First, LTG Caldwell’s command does not have a psychological or information operations unit assigned within its structure, because it does not have the authority or the need to have such an entity.

If LTC Michael Holmes had a concern about illegal behavior, why didn’t he exercise his obligation to confront LTG Caldwell directly? It is not just the right of any officer in the United States Army to refuse an illegal order, it is his obligation.

Additionally, the suggestion that any effort was designed to win a “fourth” star for LTG Caldwell rings hollow from its core. LTG Caldwell is not a star shopper, nor a reward seeker. He has led men in combat and peace, and every time those around and above him have recognized his natural command and leadership abilities. The man we know would never endorse or condone any such efforts to promote himself above anyone else. He wouldn’t need to.

By all means the Army should investigate these charges, and should misconduct be found, punish people accordingly.

Senate Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI) recently said he did not need convincing that we must increase the size and capabilities of the Afghan Security Forces: “I have never needed any convincing on this point. Quite the opposite, my efforts have been aimed at convincing others of the need for larger, more capable Afghan security forces.”

We have all seen or been presenters to Senator Levin and his colleagues. They are not rubbers stamps, and certainly not pushovers of our military’s policies. Senator Levin is a steadfast advocate for doing what he believes is right. Trying to influence Senator Levin’s perceptions would backfire miserably.

The truly unfortunate aspect of this episode of is that an exceptional military leader and person has become ensnared in an unfortunate drama.

Our military and our nation must focus on succeeding in Afghanistan. Our nation and military needs more William Caldwells.

Signed,

Glenn Ayers, COL, USA Retired
Claude Chafin, former Director of the White House Iraq Fusion Cell
James Davis, former Special Assistant, OSD Public Affairs
Erin Healy, former Director of Communications Outreach, Office of Secretary of Defense, Public Affairs
Pete Hegseth, Chairman of Vets for Freedom, CPT, USA
Robert Holmes, BG, USA Retired
Tom Jones, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, CAPT, USN Retired
Rebekah Lovorn
Paul McKellips
Caryn Nesmith
Mark Pfeifle, former Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications
Kris Purcell
John C. Roberts, Foreign Service Officer, Acting Public Affairs Officer Baghdad, 2005 – 2007
Dorrance Smith, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs
Howard Snow, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy, LtCol, USMC Retired
Dan Stanley, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs
Steve Susens
Jonathan Thompson, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs

→ 7 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , ,

Tussing Elementary 3rd Graders

Posted on February 28, 2011 by Troy| Leave a comment

My wife sent me this great video and I just had to share it. This 3rd grade class from Tussing Elementary serves as an example for many Americans out there.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Patriotism, Video, Why We Serve

4-H Clubs Sponsor Summit for Military Families in Washington State

Posted on February 28, 2011 by Claire| Leave a comment

This sounds like a great event for our military families in Washington State this Friday. Please get the word out. There will be a panel of military teens who will field questions. Who better to take your questions about deployment and reintegration to than the voice of experience?

EXCERPT
SOURCE LINK

Washington 4-H members are helping sponsor a special summit for military families under the organization’s Operation Military Kids effort dealing mainly with rural service families.

The fourth annual Washington State Military Kids and Families Summit will focus on providing needed resources to military children and people who support them.

The event, open to military families, educators, community leaders and the public, is scheduled for this Friday, March 4 in the Tacoma Elks Lodge, 2114 Tacoma Avenue South, Tacoma, Wash.

Workshops include how children cope with deployment, transitions and reunions.

The event is open to all. Online registration is $10 per military family or community member, and $20 per professional. On site registration increases by $5 on the day of the event, which runs from 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

SNIP

A youth panel made up of teenagers that have a military parent will share how their lives have been impacted by the military. Conference participants will have an opportunity to ask the teens questions about their experiences.

To register and obtain additional information about the conference, visit http://4h.wsu.edu/omk/.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Spouse and Family

The end of an era

Posted on February 28, 2011 by Troy| 2 Comments

Mr. Frank Buckles has left us and went to the great Jumpmaster in the sky. With Frank’s passing comes the end of an Era that we can physically connect to. Frank was the last World War I veteran left alive that we know of.

He was repeatedly rejected by military recruiters and got into uniform at 16 after lying about his age. But Frank Buckles would later become the last surviving U.S. veteran of World War I.
Buckles, who also survived being a civilian POW in the Philippines in World War II, died of natural causes Sunday at his home in Charles Town, biographer and family spokesman David DeJonge said in a statement. He was 110.
Buckles had been advocating for a national memorial honoring veterans of the Great War in the nation’s capital.

I have seen the memorial he is talking to. One time when I was in D.C. we were walking along the reflecting pool and as we walked along the left side of the water near the tree-line heading towards to the Lincoln Memorial we came across the memorial. It was obviously forgotten, kind of run down looking and ignored. As I walked around it and looked to see what it was, I was amazed that it was a WWI memorial. I was equally amazed to see that it was a memorial dedicated to the citizens of the D.C. area that served in WWI and not all veterans.

He was back in Washington a year later to endorse a proposal to rededicate the existing World War I memorial on the National Mall as the official National World War I Memorial. He told a Senate panel it was “an excellent idea.” The memorial was originally built to honor the District of Columbia’s war dead.

I then started to realize that there was not a WWI memorial anywhere in the Mall. I actually found a map of the mall and looked for one, thinking that somehow I must have forgotten about it or had just never seen it. But sure enough there was not one.

So to know that Frank was lobbying for that memorial to be the official memorial up until his dying days is truly amazing. He was a guy that never forgot where he came from or his brothers in arms.

It would not take a lot to make it the official memorial. I mean it is already built, so it would only have to be cleaned up, fixed a little but and then re-dedicated. It is somewhat of a shame that Frank Buckles could not have seen that dedication happen while he was here on this planet.

Details for services and arrangements will be announced later this week. The family asks that donations be made to the National World War One Legacy Project. The project is managed by the nonprofit Survivor Quest and will educate students about Buckles and WWI through a documentary and traveling educational exhibition.
More than 4.7 million people joined the U.S. military from 1917-18. As of spring 2007, only three were still alive, according to a tally by the Department of Veterans Affairs: Buckles, J. Russell Coffey of Ohio and Harry Richard Landis of Florida.
The dwindling roster prompted a flurry of public interest, and Buckles went to Washington in May 2007 to serve as grand marshal of the national Memorial Day parade.

Read more at http://www.military.com/news/article/frank-buckles-last-us-wwi-vet-dies-at-110.html

→ 2 Comments

Posted in Wall of Honor, Why We Serve

Smash Mouth Visits Troops in Iraq

Posted on February 27, 2011 by CJ| Leave a comment

As a fan of the rock band Smash Mouth, I was pleased to see the band entertaining troops in Iraq. As you know, the mission in Iraq right now is that of drawing down. By the end of the year, fewer than 1,000 are expected to remain in the country. The monotony of life can get tedious and these visits help to boost morale. This story and photo was sent to me by Sgt. Glen Baker from the 224th Sustainment Brigade.


Steve Harwell, lead singer of the rock group Smash Mouth, and a Santa Clara, Calif., native, and Sean Hurwitz, lead guitarist, and a Los Angeles native, entertain more than 300 service members and civilians at a concert in Memorial Hall Feb.13 at Contingency Operating Base Adder, Iraq.

The rock group Smash Mouth performed for more than 300 service members and civilians at Memorial Hall Feb. 13 at Contingency Operating Base Adder, Iraq.

The concert gave the attendees an opportunity to relax and have fun. Capt. Ajyman Johnson, safety officer with the 224th Sustainment Brigade, 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), and a Sacramento, Calif., native, explained how the concert benefitted the Soldiers.

“I believe that it [the concert] boosted morale,” Johnson said. ”It gave them [Soldiers] a chance to unwind after working hard all week. I believe that a lot of them looked forward to it. Smash Mouth was around when I was younger. I really enjoyed it.”

Smash Mouth was formed in San Jose, Calif., in 1994. Band members include Steve Harwell, lead vocals, and a Santa Clara, Calif., native; Sean Hurwitz, lead guitar, and a Los Angeles native; Michael Klooster, keyboards, and a San Jose, Calif., native; Paul De Lisle, bass guitar, and a Los Angeles native; and Randy Cooke, drums, and a Seattle native. Major hits include “Walkin’ on the Sun,” “All Star,” “Then the Morning Comes,” and “I’m a Believer.”

Capt. Steven Maughan, supply officer with the 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 163rd Infantry Regiment, 224th Sus. Bde., and a Lincoln, Mont., native, said that his favorite song was “All Star,” the last song Smash Mouth performed.

“It was awesome,” Maughan said about the concert. “Smash Mouth and me go way back – ’97, ’98. I thought it was great to have the guys come out here and boost the morale of our Soldiers. It gave them a chance to relax, let their hair down and just have a good time.”

Spc. Denise Bennett, a heating, ventilation and air conditioning specialist with the 632nd Maintenance Company, 749th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 224th Sus. Bde., and a Montreal, Canada, native, had a special experience at the concert.

“When the lead singer took my video camera around, it was totally cool,” Bennett said. “I was so honored that he did that, and I can’t wait to see the footage later. I got two guitar picks.” I really appreciate the band coming out. It raises people’s morale and it gives a change of pace out here.”

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Life in the Military

Tagged ,

Silver Star Medal to be Awarded To Marine Sergeant

Posted on February 26, 2011 by CJ| 1 Comment

It’s always good to see our troops getting recognized for heroism on the battlefield:

Lt. Gen. John Paxton Jr., who commands II Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune, N.C., will present Joseph M. Perez with the Silver Star, the nation’s third-highest combat award for “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy,” the 22nd MEU said in a news release. Perez had served as a squad leader with 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines, during the battalion’s 2009-2010 deployment to Afghanistan

Paxton will also award Bronze Star medals, each with the combat “V” distinguishing device for bravery in combat, to three Marines assigned to Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines: Lance Cpl. Lance J. Carney, a fire team leader with Fox Company; Capt. Brandon J. Gorman, Echo Company commander; and Sgt. Maj. William Heyob, 2/2’s battalion sergeant major.

The Marines are being recognized for actions in combat during 2/2’s deployment to Afghanistan, where the battalion operated as part of Regimental Combat Team 7, 1st Marine Division (Forward) from October 2009 to May 2010. The “Warlords” battalion is assigned as the ground combat element with the 22nd MEU, which is preparing for an upcoming overseas deployment.

Read the rest of the story at the Marine Corps Times.

→ 1 Comment

Posted in Military News

Tagged ,

“Faith Deployed… Again!” featuring entries from You Served’s Spouse and Family blogger

Posted on February 25, 2011 by Claire| Leave a comment

I am excited to announce Moody Publishers will release a sequel to the very popular and timely daily devotional “Faith Deployed,” written by award winning author and You Served‘s Spouse and Family Highlights guest Jocelyn Green.  I was blessed to be a part of this second book. I contributed two of the devotional entries. I’ll post more information when the book is available and I plan to giveaway a few copies to our You Served followers.

Please read the press release below for more information:

CHICAGO—A new devotional book written by and for military wives will be released by Moody Publishers in August 2011: Faith Deployed . . . Again: More Daily Encouragement for Military Wives is written by Wives in Bloom editor Jocelyn Green and twenty-eight contributing authors from every branch of the U.S. military, including Christian Military Wives leaders Patti Katter and Claire Shackelford. Wives in Bloom is the online magazine of Christian Military Wives.

Faith Deployed . . . Again is the sequel to the award-winning Faith Deployed, which was published by Moody in 2008. The new book features more devotions, covers more topics, and spans a broader range of military wife experiences. Recognizing that many military wives also have a son or daughter in the military, there is also a bonus section of devotions at the end written by and for Blue Star Moms.

“Faith Deployed . . . Again will be released in time to honor the tenth anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, marking a decade of deployments for many military families,” says Green. “And while the book is for every military wife, whether or not her husband is deployed, we hope the words on these pages will breathe fresh life into those women who feel run down by the toll these last ten years have taken.”

To see the complete list of contributing authors, visit http://www.faithdeployed.com/coming-soon/ .

Jocelyn Green, the wife of a former Coast Guard officer, is an award-winning freelance writer, author and editor. Her Web site for military wives, www.faithdeployed.com, won third place in a national contest held by the Evangelical Press Association in 2010. Jocelyn also co-authored Battlefields & Blessings: Stories of Faith and Courage from the War in Iraq & Afghanistan (AMG Publishers 2009), which won the 2010 Gold Medal from the Military Writers Society of America. Visit her atwww.jocelyngreen.com .

Christian Military Wives (CMW) is a multi-denominational, Bible-based ministry of Christian Military Fellowship established to assist military wives and their families through encouragement, aid and education. CMW is a branch of Christian Military Fellowship.

CMW is a group of Bible-believing military wives committed to wholeheartedly serving Christ through the strengthening of one another. We strive to live a life of honor to our husbands stationed around the globe and of duty to our country. We proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom for the oppressed, while providing a place of encouragement, growth, acceptance, fellowship, support, prayer, and the like for our fellow military sisters in Christ. For more information, visit: www.christianmilitarywives.com.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized

The Foolish Tears Down His Own House…

Posted on February 25, 2011 by Claire| Leave a comment

I loved this one when I saw it this morning. The man gets out of bed before dawn to draw the ‘toons before going into work. I knew I needed to share it here.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Spouse and Family

Vet Groups Speak Out Against Columbia Heckling

Posted on February 23, 2011 by CJ| 1 Comment

By now, I’m sure you’re all aware of the heckling given to a former Army Staff Sergeant, Anthony Maschek, who was wounded numerous times in combat as he stood to speak for allowing ROTC on the campus of Columbia University. You can hear Maschek’s speech and the heckling in this video, about halfway through:

Now, prominent veterans groups are speaking out against Maschek’s treatment at the hands of students in Columbia.

Yesterday, Veterans of Foreign Wars National Commander Richard Eubank issued an angry statement condemning the response, calling those involved “banal and juvenile” and questioning the school’s leadership.

“The faculty and the parents of the students who participated in the harassment of Mr. Maschek need to be reminded that all the freedoms we enjoy as Americans have been earned by generations of patriots such as Anthony who were willing to fight to protect the liberties we, as Americans, enjoy,” he wrote. “This is particularly true when considering the current war on terrorism is a direct result of the devastating attacks that occurred ten years ago in Columbia’s neighborhood.”

Jimmie Foster, national commander of The American Legion, said in a statement that while his group supports the rights of students to protest the return of ROTC “we cannot condone the lack of civility and ad hominem attacks directed at one of our nation’s heroes. Students’ time would be better spent honoring this brave soldier for the wounds he sustained in honorable service, and acquiring an appreciation for the price others paid for the freedom they now enjoy.”

Read the rest here.

My question is this: why aren’t our elected officials speaking out against what is going on in our college campuses these days? It’s appalling.

→ 1 Comment

Posted in Military News, Patriotism

Tagged , ,

Attention: Military Spouses and Parents

Posted on February 22, 2011 by CJ| Leave a comment

The Oprah Winfrey Network and Part2 Pictures is looking for you! They are currently producing a documentary series, and one of the episodes they are making is centered around how military troops reintegrate after their tours of duty. They are in the process of searching for women or men whose loved one is about to return home from Iraq/Afghanistan for the first time.

The documentary series is called “Our America with Lisa Ling,” a new show by the Oprah Winfrey Network which explores Americans in unique circumstances through their own personal journeys.

They are very interested in following the first few days of a returning soldier’s homecoming after a first time deployment. Their film is about the effects of combat on soldiers and the challenges they can face with reintegration after their tours of duty, and how this can affect not only them, but their families as well.

They understand there is a growing awareness that men and women who may not have been physically wounded may still require psychological healing from their experiences in combat. In this portion of our film, they hope to meet a spouse who is awaiting the return of her husband, to come to understand what her experience has been like while he has been away, and what her hopes and concerns are about his arrival home. Then they would like to film that long awaited reunion, and perhaps the first day or two home. Quite possibly, we might wish to do a follow up one-day shoot several weeks later. They know this a deeply personal time and want to assure you that their team is extraordinarily respectful to the people who participate in their films.

If you have any questions or would like to participate, contact Liz at Part2 Pictures and check out their website.

I would be happy to answer any questions you may have about our series, “Our America”, or our company, Part2 Pictures (you can see more about us on by linking to our website www.part2pictures.com).

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized