Monthly Archives: October 2011

Tonight on Episode #163 of You Served Radio

First up tonight is Mr. Jay Platt. Jay is the executive director of the “No Matter What!” Foundation. In 1998, he was retired from the Marine Corps, as a Gunnery Sergeant, after a rare disease attacked his eyes, brain, spine, and kidneys.

Refusing to quit, he rebuilt himself and became an adventure athlete; raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for charities, doing things that will make your head spin.

He was one of fewer than 300 people ever to southbound thru-hike the more than 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail. He is one of only three people in the world to swim from Alcatraz Island to San Francisco, with both his hands and feet bound.

And, on November 11, 2011, he’ll attempt to become the only person in history to swim across the Mississippi river while handcuffed, shackled, and blindfolded!

In the second hour we will have friends and past guests of the show, Lorrell Manning and Michael Cuomo back on to give us the latest developments on their film Happy New Year (www.hnyfilm.com). The film recently picked up several more awards and is gaining popularity across the country.

‘Homes for Our Troops’ Founder Receives Humanitarian Award

A former construction supervisor and home-improvement contractor was recognized at the Pentagon for generously assisting seriously-injured veterans.  Homes for Our Troops founder John Gonsalves was awarded the 2010 Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher Distinguished Civilian Humanitarian Award for his commitment to build specially-adapted homes for wounded warriors at no cost to them.  Secretary of the Army John M. McHugh draped a red, white and blue ribbon and brass medallion around Gonsalves’ neck and presented him with a framed citation signed by all the service secretaries.  Homes for Our Troops has been recognized as one of the best charities in the nation receiving top honors from the American Institute of Philanthropy among other recognitions.  Following McHugh at the podium, Gonsalves said he was humbled by the award, but credited his staff for their work and dedication.  To read this article in full, please go to: http://www.army.mil/article/66232/

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Photo of the Day – Returning to Sanity


U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Patrick Reynolds, Security Forces squad leader attached to Provincial Reconstruction Team Zabul, chats with an Afghan boy during a mission to a village in Shinkai, Afghanistan, Oct. 8. Reynolds is deployed from Charlie Company, 182nd Infantry Division, Massachusetts National Guard.

SEAL widow seeks lost wedding

The out pouring of support is amazing, but I wanted to post this here too. The more people who see this increases the chance of it being returned. If you are anywhere in the area where the ring was lost, please keep your eyes opened. Stop in local pawn shops too. You never know when and where it might show up.

SEAL widow seeks lost wedding ring via Facebook

EXCERPT

From Army Times (source LINK) 
By Karen Jowers - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Oct 6, 2011 15:06:02 EDT

In the age of instant digital communications, thousands can be quickly rallied to just about any cause.

Kimberly Vaughn, the widow of a Navy SEAL, knows all about it — untold thousands are helping her search for her late husband’s silver wedding band that she lost Oct. 1.

Her husband, Navy Special Warfare Operator 1st Class (SEAL) Aaron Vaughn, died Aug. 6 in Afghanistan, one of 30 U.S. personnel who died when insurgents shot down a Chinook helicopter. Continue reading

Photo of the Day – Soldier and Boy

There is just something about this photos that says so many things. For one, it’s obvious that the Soldier here is exhausted. Yet, the site of a child to converse with brings a smile to his face. Kids have a way of bringing us back to reality. They remind us of why we must succeed in bringing peace here and defeating those that kill innocents indiscriminately. We cannot allow these kids to live their entire lives in fear.


U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Jamyz Touchstone, civil affairs attached to Provincial Reconstruction Team Zabul, plays with an afghan child during a mission to a local village in Shinkai, Afghanistan. Touchstone is a reservist deployed from the 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion in Wisconsin. Photo by Senior Airman Grovert Fuentes-Contreras.

Photo of the Day – Dude, Where’s My Congressman

Gonna have to ask my congressman why he hasn’t been over here… Maybe too many ignorant people with ignorant complaints.


Maj. Gen. James L. Huggins, 82nd Airborne Division and Regional Command South commander, and congressmen Tim Walz (D-MN), Scott DesJarlais (R-TN), Dan Benishek (R-MI), Jeff Denham (R-CA), and Phil Roe (R-TN) pose with Soldiers and Sailors before a constituents dinner at Kandahar Airfield Oct. 9. The congressmen came to RC-South as part of a congressional delegation, focusing on the developments being made regarding ele ctronic health records, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) protocols and behavioral health initiatives. (Photo/U.S. Army Spc. Amanda M. Hils)

Photo of the Day – Fleet Week

If you are ever anywhere near the Navy’s Fleet Week, it’s a must see. Naval ships are among the coolest pieces of equipment in the world. Yes, the WORLD! Let’s face it, aircraft carriers are the coolest inventions since Chiapets!

In this photo, the Nimitz-class aircraft Carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) passes under the Golden Gate bridge during the San Francisco Fleet Week 2011 Parade of Ships. San Francisco Fleet Week is a five-day event which highlights the equipment, technology and operational capabilities of the military’s sea services and their history in the San Francisco area.

U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Nicolas C. Lopez.

Defense Cuts Could Lead To Military Draft

Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Representative Buck McKeon claimed that if the bipartisan debt supercommittee is unable to reach a deal by Thanksgiving, cuts across the board in defense spending could lead to the reinstatement of a military draft.  An estimated 1.2 trillion needs to be cut across the board, and about half of those cuts would come from defense spending.  John Noonan, spokesman for House Armed Services Committee Republicans, emphasizes how an all volunteer military is quite expensive, however McKeon said that attempting to resolve the recession on the backs of the military leaves us with the question of who’s going to have our back the next time we’re attacked.  Additionally, cuts would also have an impact on military pensions and other benefits.  To read more about McKeon’s thoughts on the impact of budget cuts, please go to: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/2chambers/post/defense-cuts-could-lead-to-military-draft-house-armed-services-chairman-says/2011/09/20/gIQAQAjyhK_blog.html
Without a doubt this would be a terrible thing and not something our country needs. We never want to go back to the draft. The last thing we need is people that don’t want to be there being responsible for the lives of those that do.

This super-committee betting get their stuff together and get a budget worked out, otherwise they will start the destruction of this country.
 

 

Ft. Rucker Spouses Earn Wings During Aviation Spouse Day

I found the following on DoD Live. I have to admit that I was intrigued by what my husband was doing when we were at Ft. Benning, but somehow participating alluded me. I guess the thought of running into a mad boar in the middle of a land navigation exercise just seemed unappealing to me! I fought the crowds at the PX during sales. That’s how I roll. More power to these awesome spouses though! They rock!

By Erin Murray, Army Flier Staff Writer
From www.army.mil

FORT RUCKER, Ala. – Sixty Fort Rucker spouses flew, shot and swam their way through a day of hands-on exercises, hoping to better understand their Soldiers’ experiences and even earn their own set of Aviator’s wings.

Aviation Spouse Day returned for the second time this year with doubled participation and changes that allow more focus on the Aviator’s experience, said Deborrah Cisneros, United States Army Aviation Center of Excellence, or USAACE, Family Readiness Support Assistant and director of Aviation Spouse Day. Continue reading

There is only one standard, The Army Standard

When I saw the headline

“General Calls Poor Post-War Discipline ‘Cancerous’”

I really thought the General they were talking about was my friend MG “Abe” Abrams. MG Abrams is the Commanding General of the mighty 3rd Infantry Division. A little over a month ago I was able to be at Ft. Stewart, GA where his headquarters resides. MG Abrams and I linked up for the first time in years and had a great couple hour dinner together. In true Abrams form we ate in a mess tent after walking through a Army mobile field kitchen to get our dinner.

Anyway, we talked about a variety of topics to include the one mentioned in this story..

The top commander of US Army forces in Europe sees a growing problem with discipline in Army ranks, saying the lack of accountability for Soldiers with infractions like multiple drunken driving incidents is harmful to a down-sizing Army.
Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, who recently took charge of U.S. Army Europe, told reporters at an Oct. 5 breakfast meeting in Washington that part of the problem comes from post-deployment indiscretions. But the lack of discipline is also a byproduct of constant pre-deployment training and back-to-back tours in the combat zone.

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