I don’t know your name. I don’t know your family or the place you call home. I haven’t witnessed your special talents, nor enjoyed your sense of humor. I don’t know your aspirations, your dreams, your fears. I don’t know what life is like for you… far from your family, friends and your country. But I do know that you’re making a tremendous sacrifice.
I wonder what inspired you to serve our country. I wonder if you thought about it as a child. I wonder if you signed your name boldly or if you’ve ever felt regret. I wonder how you feel when you hear fellow American’s criticize the war and your role in it. Nobody likes war. Not even our President. And I’m quite sure you feel the same way.
I think about you often, and always do when I travel by air. I see you in the airport. I watch you go through extensive effort to untie your bootlaces before sending them through the security conveyer belt. I see you hauling your heavy backpack and sleeping in your coach seat. I wonder what your hair was like before you had to shave it off. I wonder if you’re coming home or going away. I feel an urge to talk to you, but the lump in my throat and an overwhelming sense of gratitude paralyzes me. What I want to say is…
Thank You
Thank you for being brave. Thank you for cherishing freedom. Thank you for volunteering to put our country before your personal needs and desires. Thank you for protecting me… and the people I love.
My wish for you and the people around you… peace.
Much JOY.
Mindy
Showing posts with label Military. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Military. Show all posts
Friday, March 14, 2008
An American Hero
Chief Master Sgt. John Gebhardt, was superintendent of the 22nd Wing Medical Group out of McConnell Air Force Base in Kansas.
Chief master Sgt. John Gebhardt's wife, Molly, said that this little girl's entire family was executed. The insurgents intended to execute the little girl also, and shot her in the head...but they failed to kill her. She was cared for in John's hospital and is healing up, but continues to cry and moan. The nurses said John is the only one who seems to calm her down, so John has spent the last four nights holding her while they both slept in that chair. The girl is coming along with her healing.
He is a real Star of the war, and represents what America is trying to do.
This, my friends, is worth sharing with the WORLD! Go for it!! You'll never see things like this in the news.
Please keep this going.
Nothing will happen if you don't, but the American public needs to see pictures like this and needs to realize that what we're doing over there is making a difference. Even if it is just one little girl at a time.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Operation Military Family
I was at Mark & Jodi’s (brother-sister in law) over the holidays. They had just come back from a fundraising event over in Seattle for a ‘book signing’ for Mike Schindler and his wife Keri. We had all gone to school together and graduated from Washougal High, and Mark & Jodi have remained close friends with them through the years. Since my brother is currently serving the country and my husband is retired we were discussing the book and what a great resource this is for Military Families.
After I have read this book, I now look for ANYONE who is serving in the military and /or knows of someone who is, to make sure they get a copy of Operation Military Family. Here is a brief overview of the book- ENJOY and My prayer is that you to will Pass This Book Onto A Military Family.
Title: Operation Military Family: How to Strengthen Your Military Marriage and Save Your
Family
Author: Michael Schindler
Publisher: Aviva
ISBN: 978-1-890427-86-3
Date: November, 2007
The military life has a certain appeal to those seeking adventure, excitement, new
Worlds to explore and that sense of belonging of esprit de corps. That is the idealistic
Goal of men and women who join to serve as soldiers, sailors, and airmen but the reality
Is quite different when you add a spouse and a family. Long periods of separation, brief
Homecomings and the uncertainties associated with being involved in armed conflicts
All take their toll on even the strongest marriages.
How does anyone’s marriage survive in today’s rapid deployment military life?
Communication, commitment, and hard work are the key to any relationship and
Especially important in the military. Today’s armed forces are not the same as when our
Parents and grandparents served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. The military’s attitude
Toward families once was, “if we wanted you to have a family, we would have issued
You one!” Those days are long gone and senior leadership recognizes today that Strong
Marriages + Strong Families = A Strong Military (Member). The Department of Defense
Have a system of support in place for service members and their families that provide
Counseling and support for the issues unique to the service lifestyle. Each branch has
Multiple avenues of support groups and counseling services to deal with a variety of
Issues facing deployed and reunited families. They do care and they do want their
Troops and families supported and they do it very well. What the military does not do
Well is market their support information and networks.
Schindler’s book, Operation Military Family: How to Strengthen Your Military Marriage
And Save Your Family provides a guide that puts resources at your finger tips. It is an insightful book listing services and support that are available to all branches of the
military. More than a handbook, Operation Military Family: How to Strengthen Your
Military Marriage and Save Your Family presents the emotional and physical struggles of
several military couples as they prepare for deployment, are separated by deployment,
and the reunification process of the couples and families upon return. Schindler’s work
presents vignettes of the raw emotions and the internal struggles each marriage dealt
with through the process as these couples strengthened their marriages despite the
odds.
As an editor and literary coach, it is not often that I get the opportunity to work with an
author whose message is positive and potentially life changing. Schindler’s work
engages the reader in the subject from the start and keeps them hooked, reading for
information and insight presented in a relaxed, non-confrontational, supportive format.
Operation Military Family: How to Strengthen Your Military Marriage and Save Your
Family is a “must read” as well as an invaluable “at your fingertips” resource for
chaplains, counselors, commanders and others who provide support to military
members and their families. Poignantly written with excellent insight into the real world
of service marriages, this book will appeal to military members and their spouses with its
true military life stories and practical lists of available community resources.
Shannon Evans, Senior Editor
After I have read this book, I now look for ANYONE who is serving in the military and /or knows of someone who is, to make sure they get a copy of Operation Military Family. Here is a brief overview of the book- ENJOY and My prayer is that you to will Pass This Book Onto A Military Family.
Title: Operation Military Family: How to Strengthen Your Military Marriage and Save Your
Family
Author: Michael Schindler
Publisher: Aviva
ISBN: 978-1-890427-86-3
Date: November, 2007
The military life has a certain appeal to those seeking adventure, excitement, new
Worlds to explore and that sense of belonging of esprit de corps. That is the idealistic
Goal of men and women who join to serve as soldiers, sailors, and airmen but the reality
Is quite different when you add a spouse and a family. Long periods of separation, brief
Homecomings and the uncertainties associated with being involved in armed conflicts
All take their toll on even the strongest marriages.
How does anyone’s marriage survive in today’s rapid deployment military life?
Communication, commitment, and hard work are the key to any relationship and
Especially important in the military. Today’s armed forces are not the same as when our
Parents and grandparents served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. The military’s attitude
Toward families once was, “if we wanted you to have a family, we would have issued
You one!” Those days are long gone and senior leadership recognizes today that Strong
Marriages + Strong Families = A Strong Military (Member). The Department of Defense
Have a system of support in place for service members and their families that provide
Counseling and support for the issues unique to the service lifestyle. Each branch has
Multiple avenues of support groups and counseling services to deal with a variety of
Issues facing deployed and reunited families. They do care and they do want their
Troops and families supported and they do it very well. What the military does not do
Well is market their support information and networks.
Schindler’s book, Operation Military Family: How to Strengthen Your Military Marriage
And Save Your Family provides a guide that puts resources at your finger tips. It is an insightful book listing services and support that are available to all branches of the
military. More than a handbook, Operation Military Family: How to Strengthen Your
Military Marriage and Save Your Family presents the emotional and physical struggles of
several military couples as they prepare for deployment, are separated by deployment,
and the reunification process of the couples and families upon return. Schindler’s work
presents vignettes of the raw emotions and the internal struggles each marriage dealt
with through the process as these couples strengthened their marriages despite the
odds.
As an editor and literary coach, it is not often that I get the opportunity to work with an
author whose message is positive and potentially life changing. Schindler’s work
engages the reader in the subject from the start and keeps them hooked, reading for
information and insight presented in a relaxed, non-confrontational, supportive format.
Operation Military Family: How to Strengthen Your Military Marriage and Save Your
Family is a “must read” as well as an invaluable “at your fingertips” resource for
chaplains, counselors, commanders and others who provide support to military
members and their families. Poignantly written with excellent insight into the real world
of service marriages, this book will appeal to military members and their spouses with its
true military life stories and practical lists of available community resources.
Shannon Evans, Senior Editor
Friday, October 26, 2007
"Let's Wear Red"
Written by: Julia Treppens
If the Red shirt thing is new to you, read below... Last week, while traveling to Chicago on business, I noticed a Marine sergeant traveling with a folded flag, but did not put two and two together. After we boarded our flight, I turned to the sergeant, who'd been invited to sit in First Class (across from me), and inquired if he was heading home. ; No, he responded.
Heading out I asked?
No. I'm escorting a soldier home.
Going to pick him up?
No. He is with me right now. He was killed in Iraq , I'm taking him home to his family.
The realization of what he had been asked to do hit me like a punch to the gut. It was an honor for him. He told me that, although he didn't know the soldier, he had delivered the news of his passing to the soldier's fami ly and felt as if he knew them after many conversations in so few days.
I turned back to him, extended my hand, and said, Thank you. Thank you for doing what you do so my family and I can do what we do.
Upon landing in Chicago the pilot stopped short of the gate and made the following announcement over the intercom.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to note that we have had the honor of having Sergeant Steeley of the United States Marine Corps join us on this flight. He is escorting a fallen comrade back home to his family. I ask that you please remain in your seats when we open the forward door to allow Sergeant Steeley to deplane and receive his fellow soldier. We will then turn off the seat belt sign."
Without a sound, all went as requested. I noticed the sergeant saluting the casket as it was brought off the plane, and his action made me realize that I am proud to be an American.
So here's a public Thank You to our military Men and Women for what you do so we can live the way we do.
Red Fridays.
Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing Red every Friday. The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called the "silent majority." We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for God, country and home in record breaking numbers. We are not organized, boisterous or overbearing.
Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends, simply want to recognize that the vast majority of America supports our troops. Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday -- and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that .. every red-blooded American who supports our men and women afar, will wear something red.
By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make the United States on every Friday a sea of red much like a hom e coming football game in the bleachers.
If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, coworkers, friends, and family, it will not be long before the USA is covered in RED and it will let our troops know the once "silent" majority is on their side more than ever, certainly more than the media lets on.
The first thing a soldier says when asked "What can we do to make things better for you?" is.
"We need your support and your prayers." Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example, and wear something red every Friday.
If the Red shirt thing is new to you, read below... Last week, while traveling to Chicago on business, I noticed a Marine sergeant traveling with a folded flag, but did not put two and two together. After we boarded our flight, I turned to the sergeant, who'd been invited to sit in First Class (across from me), and inquired if he was heading home. ; No, he responded.
Heading out I asked?
No. I'm escorting a soldier home.
Going to pick him up?
No. He is with me right now. He was killed in Iraq , I'm taking him home to his family.
The realization of what he had been asked to do hit me like a punch to the gut. It was an honor for him. He told me that, although he didn't know the soldier, he had delivered the news of his passing to the soldier's fami ly and felt as if he knew them after many conversations in so few days.
I turned back to him, extended my hand, and said, Thank you. Thank you for doing what you do so my family and I can do what we do.
Upon landing in Chicago the pilot stopped short of the gate and made the following announcement over the intercom.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to note that we have had the honor of having Sergeant Steeley of the United States Marine Corps join us on this flight. He is escorting a fallen comrade back home to his family. I ask that you please remain in your seats when we open the forward door to allow Sergeant Steeley to deplane and receive his fellow soldier. We will then turn off the seat belt sign."
Without a sound, all went as requested. I noticed the sergeant saluting the casket as it was brought off the plane, and his action made me realize that I am proud to be an American.
So here's a public Thank You to our military Men and Women for what you do so we can live the way we do.
Red Fridays.
Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing Red every Friday. The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called the "silent majority." We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for God, country and home in record breaking numbers. We are not organized, boisterous or overbearing.
Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends, simply want to recognize that the vast majority of America supports our troops. Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday -- and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that .. every red-blooded American who supports our men and women afar, will wear something red.
By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make the United States on every Friday a sea of red much like a hom e coming football game in the bleachers.
If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, coworkers, friends, and family, it will not be long before the USA is covered in RED and it will let our troops know the once "silent" majority is on their side more than ever, certainly more than the media lets on.
The first thing a soldier says when asked "What can we do to make things better for you?" is.
"We need your support and your prayers." Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example, and wear something red every Friday.
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