Blood Is Thicker Than Water: Good Read/Link

If you recall, in the last posts I did about 2/1 in Guadalcanal, I told you about a journal written by:

PFC Jim Donahue
2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division
USMC

This was really exciting to me since PFC Donahue had belonged to the same unit as Aaron.

Guadalcanal Journal is a great read. I've been working on it a little at a time.

If you don't have time to read it now, I keep it in our links.

Help Iraqi Families

US Army Captain William Perrich, a civilian called back to active duty, and soldiers of the 413th Civil Affairs Battalion, are making a difference in Southern Baghdad.

Here is an uncomplicated way to help, and now that Christmas has passed, I'm sure there are many toys or clothes you may need out of your way for the "new." Please consider this project. It's always good to see this kind of thing.

Their call to aid is copied below. They are the 413th Civil Affairs Battalion, US Army, from Dayton, Ohio, and are currently in Iraq.

"Iraqi families are very grateful to receive help from American citizens. It shows we care. The goodwill this creates is priceless."

We are soldiers of the 413th Civil Affairs Battalion, US Army, stationed in southern Baghdad. Our mission is to rebuild the Iraqi infrastructure - hospitals, clinics, schools, water treatment plants and much more. The people here are friendly and appreciate our help in many ways. They live in total poverty, and our hearts go out to them, especially the children.

We are collecting donations to do what we can to make their lives better. The smiles of gratitude make it all worthwhile.Would you help us? Everything you donate will be put to good use - such as clothing, shoes, medical supplies, toys, and much more.

Get more info at their site by clicking Help Iraq Families.org

Glorious Work

December 27

I HAVE stripped you of much, that it should be truly a life of well-being. Build up stone by stone upon a firm foundation, and that Rock is your Master--that Rock is Christ.

A life of discipline and of joyous fulfilment is to be yours....Never lose sight of the glorious work to which you have been called.

Let no riches, no ease entice you from the path of miracle-working with Me upon which your feet are set. Love and Laugh. Trust and pray. Ride on now in a loving humilty to victory.

Russell, A.J., God Calling, Barnes & Noble, 2002.

Photo of The Day

This unidentified little girl attended the first annual Time of Remembrance on May 21, 2006. The memorial is for families of The Fallen from Iraq and Afghanistan to gather on the mall annually in Washington, DC and be honored for their loved ones sacrifice.

Since only family members could attend, this little angel is a survivor. She didn't seem too upset, but instead, charmed all of us who sat in the very back to get photos.

snapped by hubby Greg.

Virgie Bell's View

I don't know why Christmas was so much harder for me this year. Perhaps it was naive of me to think that as we faced our third Christmas without Aaron, since we had already made it through the first and second and somehow been able to pull into a new year each time, that the pain would be less, but as so many times in my life, I was caught completely unaware.

I have become used to the fact that as Thanksgiving rolls around, thoughts of my brother Mickey hit me like a head on collision. I should be used to it after so many years, but it seems that is never to be. Perhaps it’s just as well that I am blind-sided each time or I would dread the season all year long.

Oh I have so much to be thankful for. Never a day goes by that I don't realize I should count my blessings. I remember a song from my childhood. Count your blessings, name them one by one.... we sang them often in the small little country church I attended after we moved to Fieldton, Texas.

I honestly try to be upbeat. I get very busy getting ready for the big meals and family get-togethers. Maybe we’re not supposed to adore another person to the point that it is almost a form of worship, but what do you do? You cannot un-love someone who’s always loved you. If you’ve been betrayed or deeply hurt, then it’s possible I suppose. But if the loved one has never been anything but a source of joy and happiness, then all the sudden they’re gone from the radar of your life, I suppose the happiness we felt with them just becomes a form of longing. But they have passed onto a great and wonderful life where God shall wipe away all tears. I try to remind myself of this. I don't know how people cope without the hope of the resurrection.

Today I want to pass on a couple of things that have taught me that it is a viable and reasonable thing to look forward to futures with those that have gone before. No, this is not some great sermon by some illustrious pastor or messenger; it’s something so much more profound for the simplicity of its honesty.

When my grandmother, Mama Curry, passed away I was with her. In fact, I was the one who closed her eyes after she had drawn her last breath. The thing that transpired before she stepped over to the other side was one of the greatest testimonies I’ve ever witnessed. My grandmother had been in a coma for days, the days seemed to become weeks. It was a living nightmare for me. I remember Uncle Doug, her youngest son, coming early mornings and we’d set outside her room while I gave him the report of what the night before had been like for his mother. It had been something that would have made a nightmare seem charming, for she had suffered so very much. Uncle Doug looked at me and asked, “Virgie Bell, what are we going to do?” He was in so much pain that I hurt to see it.

“Why don't we let her decide?”

“She doesn't even know she’s dying,” was his reply.

I mentally filed this away as ridiculous. When I was a young girl, I had spent two weeks at MaMa Curry’s every summer. I knew this woman possessed a knowledge and understanding beyond anyone's ken. This little overweight, beautiful, wonderful grandmother pooh-poohed every one of us that thought we were so much more educated and worldly than she was. Her education came from within, almost as if by osmosis, a deep and comfortable fit. She had us all beat, hands down.

Right before she passed, she looked up and said "Jesus take my hand ...oh look at heaven, isn't it beautiful?” and then she said my grandfather’s name, “MARK, "and she was gone. I can’t go to Lubbock today that I don't think of her. She and I rode that bus all over Lubbock and we did things together that I will never forget in this lifetime and I miss her to this day.

The other thing I consider as one of my greatest glimpses into the great beyond was when one day as I was in my bathroom where I have a crystal hung in the window. Kayla was in the next room. I called out, “Come here!” She toddled into the bathroom and I pointed to the rainbow that had just begun its wonderful ballet of color upon the stage of my bathroom floor.

Not quite three yet, Kayla squatted down and tried to pick up this mystical dancer; she tried again the second time, then looked up at me with complete assurance and said in that sweet innocence found only in the wonder and belief in a child’s voice “It’s God.”

I wanted to share these two most inspiring stories of my own with the readers of Gunz Up, and to wish everyone a blessed and assuring New Year

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS ... PLEASE DEAR GOD, SUPPORT YOUR TROOPS.

Sgt. Rett

Another pic of Sgt. Rettenberger who was with Aaron the day he was killed in Fallujah.

The Real Heroes

The mortar shell lobs its way in;

It lands with its usual thud.

The crack of a sniper’s rifle,

Makes you wish you were buried in mud.

The exploding shell does it damage;

The Marine in the sniper’s sights lies shot.

Suddenly, frantically, the call goes out,

"Corpsman! Corpsman! DOC!"

He knows he must enter the target area,

Where his chances of survival are thin;

But he never hesitates to answer the call,

Knowing a Marine’s life depends on him.

An FMF Corpsman is a Navy man,

Trained to help the wounded and sick;

He may be called to treat a private or colonel,

For am amputation or just a nick.

Many times he is completely unarmed,

With only medicine and bandages in his kit;

His "secret weapon" is his courage,

Which brings him to wherever a Marine is hit.

Fourteen corpsmen have received the Medal of Honor,

Seven of them, their lives they did give;

They lingered where no one else would go,

So that other Marines might live.

But for the capture of Iwo Jima,

Airman fatalities would have continued to mount;

Thus, the number of lives saved by corpsmen’s dedication,

Perhaps, are too numerous to count.

I know a corpsman,who after the heat of the Pacific,

The bitter cold Chosin Reservoir became his "beat";

He continued to attend the wounded and suffering,

Until, he too, was hospitalized with frozen hands and feet.

Hollywood has portrayed as heroes,

Pilots, submariners and commanders of tanks;

But to combat Marines, the real heroes are the corpsmen,

And it’s about time we all said thanks!

We thank you for patching us up;

Some of us might not be here today without you.

We thank you also for our buddies you tried to save;

We know, with each one who died, so did a part of you...

PFC John Murphy

3rd MarDiv, WWII

Docs Duty: Did You Know?

cool title, huh? We'll begin to introduce Doc Duty with a little history of these military greats.

The Corpsmen have a great deal to be proud of.

The Hospital Corps was founded with the approval of President William McKinley **17 June 1898**. This is referred to as the birthday of the US Navy’s Hospital Corps.

From this point on all members of the hospital corps could be referred to as Corpsmen.

The Hospital Corps consisted of:

Hospital apprentice (Seaman), Hospital apprentice first class (Petty Officer), Hospital Steward (Chief Petty Officer), Pharmacists (Warrant Officer).
***
Hospital Corpsmen (HMs) are members of the United States Navy Hospital Corps. They serve as enlisted medical personnel. Corpsmen serve in a wide variety of capacities and locations, including shore establishments such as naval hospitals and clinics, aboard ships as the primary medical caregiver for sailors while underway, or with Marine Corps units as battlefield corpsmen, the Marines' equivalent to Army medics.

The Hospital Corps is the only all enlisted Corps in the United States military.

Be they assigned to hospital ships, reservist installations, recruiter offices, Marine Corps combat units or functioning as Navy SEALs the rating of Hospital Corpsman is the most decorated in the United States Navy with:

22 Medals of Honor

174 Navy Crosses

31 Distinguished Service Medals * Do you know what this is concerning the Navy Distinguished Service Medal? Who can it be awarded to? Click here

943 Silver Stars

1553 Bronze Stars.

There have been 14 naval vessels that have been named after Hospital Corpsmen.

Assignment to Navy facilities and ships is referred to going "Blueside" and serving with Marines is considered going "Greenside."

Wikipedia

Corpsman

In August of 1942, the first major USMC assault landings against the Japanese Empire occurred in the Solomon Islands, Pacific. The island chosen for the invasion was Guadalcanal.

As they moved inland, four Marines were walking point into the jungle. Advancing into an open area without cover, they came under heavy fire from the entrenched Japanese. All four Marines were wounded but managed to crawl into a shell crater, about fifty yards from where they had emerged from the jungle.

A Hospital Corpsman ran from cover into the crater with the wounded Marines, and ran back to cover, under fire. Having dressed the wounds of the Marine, he sprinted back for another, only this time he was hit. Not stopping to dress his own wounds, he carried the second Marine to cover receiving a second wound. After giving aid to the Marine, the Corpsman was hit for a third time going into the crater. Staggering toward the treeline with the third Marine, he was again struck by enemy fire.

When the third Marine's wounds were dressed, the Corpsman started after the last Marine in the crater. The Corpsman still had not stopped to care for his own wounds. In a final valiant effort, he stumbled toward the crater, where he was brought down by concentrated enemy machine gun fire. He lunged forward into the crater falling across the fourth Marine, finally giving up his life.

Reaching up to his own bleeding wounds, the Marine wrote on the back of the Corpsman's bullet riddled shirt,

"WHERE ANGELS AND MARINES FEAR TO TREAD, THERE YOU'LL FIND A CORPSMAN DEAD."

This was that dying Marine's final tribute to his shipmate's supreme sacrifice in fulfilling his oath,

"TO AID THE WOUNDED, IN THEIR MOMENT OF NEED."

The Fallen of December 2006

Gunz Up honors those who've given their lives in
December 2006
for us ,
for each other.

This photo was taken of Sgt. "Rett" and "Doc" Duty at my son's grave shortly after the Silver Star Medal was posthumously awarded to Aaron in July 2005.

Both heroes as well as Aaron's First Sergeant, now Sergeant Major Skiles (behind the other two), were with Aaron in Fallujah when he was KIA.

A special tribute today for Hospitalman Kyle A. Nolen from Ennis, TX and the three Marines whose lives we can be certain the Corpsman fought with everything in him to save on December 21, 2006 in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.

Thank you.

And to the survivors of the current 88 fallen this month, Gunz Up shares your pain and prays for your comfort.

Click here for a musical salute of your choice. The music is beautiful.

Photo of The Day

personal photo of Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C. May 2006
snapped by Greg

A Prayer For The Ford Family

May our Father console you during this time of loss and give you peace. Father, receive our former president whose courageous acts helped our country to heal during a difficult time, and send your angels to minister to his family. May they know we are a nation that is grateful for his dedication and service to our great land. He was a warrior who fought for his country, and we honor him. Spread your peace over the Ford family and grant them healing. Bless our nation, Father. Bless President Ford.

I've been staring at this computer screen for a good while. The discarded beginnings of several posts are just a few lines down from this one, and I'll delete them in a bit. I want to look at them a little longer, though.

I was preparing to comment on current events, but each time I began, I would complete only a few sentences before I realized I was venturing into a minefield. I would begin anew, but my wheels would again spin down the road that I was certain would lead me to a point of impact with dear friends whose opinions don't always mirror mine. I'm going to try and make that impact less severe.

People talk about our country being divided today as it never has been. Baloney. The United States was divided politically and socially from colonial times up to the Civil War with a hatred that makes today's squabbles look petty. The Civil War didn't form in a vacuum. It was decades in the making as the differences between the North and South brewed and then finally erupted in a war whose casualties horrified even the Europeans, a continent accustomed to war. About 620,000 Americans died at the hands of other Americans. Don't tell me this country has never been divided.

Although I've always loved history, I don't profess to be a scholar. What knowledge I do have, though, gives me hope when I consider current events. My beloved country has been in the wringer before, and it has survived. But there are those who act as if our history has been one without political corruption or that we've never had politicians who haven't gone for their opponent's throats. What we're seeing today isn't new -- it's just the names have changed.

I love my country to the point that I'd give my life for it. But I love my country with all of its warts and blemishes. Is it a perfect place? Hardly. Our treatment of the Native Americans, our centuries of slavery and the internment of the Japanese Americans during World War II are examples of our country's mistakes. But do you discard a son, daughter, brother or friend because they are flawed? Does God throw us away when we make mistakes? We love inspite of the errors.

I love my country because we've worked through those mistakes. There is a profound sense of goodness that courses through America, and even though it may take us a while to confront our problems and correct them, we do it. The Civil War is the greatest example of that. As a Southerner, I smart from the defeat the North handed us, but we had it coming. The country could not continue to be divided as it was. If it took a beating to make us realize it, then so be it.

Americans, as a whole, are good and kind. If I didn't believe that, I'd pack up and move. But I believe so strongly in the ideals that elevated us to the position we hold today. America isn't perfect, but its principles are honorable. There are times when evil people have hijacked those principles, but they are eventually exposed and thrown out. McCarthy comes to mind, and we learned in the 1970s that not even a president was exempt from the laws that govern our blessed land.

I'm weary of those who can't bear to hear another word about today's happenings, as if nothing like this has never occured before. Oh, please. I remember, as a high school student, being stunned when Vice President Agnew resigned. That was nothing, however, to the shock of watching a president leave office in disgrace. When had that happened before? Never. Did our country survive it? Absolutely.

I grew up watching Vietnam everyday on the news. My earliest political memory is that of President Kennedy's assassination when the nuns in our Catholic school wheeled in a television set so that we could see the news coverage. Later, we watched the funerals of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King. I remember My Lai and the campus riots. It was a confusing time for a kid.

So when I hear people complain about today's news, I roll my eyes. Only a newborn with no life experiences would believe that our country has never faced adversity before. I don't like what's happening, but I'm ready to face it head on and do my part to look for solutions. I'm ready to cross party lines and work with other Americans so that our country will be safe from enemies. I've never voted a straight party ticket. It doesn't make sense. I'm a Democrat, but there have been people of my party I wouldn't trust to run a snow cone stand. I've voted for Republicans who were qualified to govern, and I'll do it again. And as a Democrat, I'll be one of the first to kick one of my own out of office if he performs poorly. I want strong leaders, and I don't care if they bleed red or blue. I only care that they'll bleed for this great nation.

Perhaps I shouldn't be writing at this late hour. I've been at it all day, and I'm tired. But you know what I'm tired of the most? People who refuse to think. People whose agendas and ideologies blind them. People who refuse to see another American as a brother or sister whose hand is to be taken to form a barrier that no enemy can breech.

Join hands, my American brothers and sisters. We have a war to win.

Thanks, Tiff, for passing it on ...

Subject: Red Friday

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 family 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 homecoming 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.

Sincerely,
Ron Smalley, Associate Broker
Century 21 Looking Glass
office: 517-887-0807 ext. # 401
cell: 517-881-6351

Forged By Love

I wrote this story about an East Texas woman several years ago. East Texas is beautiful, with its pine forests and spanish moss dangling off the branches of centuries-old live oak trees. I love it there because of the scenery, but it's also a region marred by racism. It's frightening, actually. I interviewed this brave woman who was the first black woman to work as a principal in Kilgore, Texas. I loved her story of determination. I'm posting it as a reminder that it's possible to turn your dreams into reality if you want. It's not easy, but it's possible, as this story demonstrates. Kayla, I'm posting this story for you. Keep dreaming, ballerina.

The well that nourishes Tracie Robinson’s confidence was filled early in her life by two strong women: her mother, Mary Malrey, and her mentor, Nerlene Faber.

Each word of encouragement from the women was a drop that slowly filled a reservoir of strength in a girl they were preparing for the opportunities denied them in the segregated South of their own youth. By the time Robinson was a student at Sabine High School, that well was the foundation of an emotional ecosystem where dreams took root and flourished.

At 28, Robinson is the first black woman to fill an assistant principal’s position in the Kilgore school district. Anyone watching her handle the demands of her job at Kilgore Heights Elementary School can see that her poise was forged by love. During a period of five minutes, she’s handed messages, takes calls and listens to a teacher’s account of a student’s misconduct. The school’s halls and the office outside hers rocks with activity. There are times when waves from that sea of movement spill into her office, but they are powerless against her composure.

"It’s not easy being a smart black woman in East Texas," she said frankly as she answered the phone and pasted cut-out animals to squares of construction paper. "It’s not easy to succeed in a society built on oil money, where power is inherited."

Robinson’s confidence is harnessed to reality. She knows that problems can’t be solved unless they are identified, and doing anything less is unacceptable to her.

"Of course racism exists," she said. "Who would deny that? But there’s nothing wrong with saying that blacks, whites and Hispanics are each different. We’ve fallen into this pattern where we’re afraid that if we celebrate our cultures and our diversity, we might have to admit we’re different. Well, you can just look at us and tell we’re different, and that’s not a bad thing."

Robinson is the third of four daughters, all of them college graduates. She and her sister, Yolanda, have master’s degrees.

"My parents always told us they wanted us to live better than they did," she said. "It was just understood that we would all go to college. It’s a compliment to my parents that all of their children graduated, but I think the fact that four daughters graduated really says a lot about them."

Robinson’s mother and Miss Nerlene knew early on that it takes a village to raise a child. Miss Nerlene looked upon the Malrey girls as her own, nudging them gently toward college. She and her husband, George, believe it’s impossible to succeed without an education, either formal or informal. Their children grew up hearing the mantra, and the Malrey girls heard it in a hundred different ways.

"I told Tracie that a high school education was better than no education," said Miss Nerlene, who taught at Kilgore Middle School for 25 years. "But I told them that a college education would open all doors."

The instruction Robinson and her sisters received was never invaded by talk of limitations. They weren’t told they could expect to reach a certain level and hope for no more, giving Robinson more reason to disregard gender and race in her pursuits.

"My mother didn’t have the opportunities I did," she said. "She’s my hero. I don’t know how she was able to be a mother, wife, friend, church member and work all at once. She struggled to keep her marriage together. Everyone who knows my family will tell you we aren’t perfect, but my dad always made sure we had what we needed," she said.

Otis Robinson worked for East Texas Water Disposal for 25 years, and he told his daughters about a time when black children attended schools where the books were hand-me-downs from the white schools. His stories were told without anger; they were simply articulated as fact. Mr. Otis’ daughter grew up believing the world could be theirs, but it wasn’t going to be handed to them.

"We were taught how to work for our money and to be responsible," Robinson said. "Because of what I’ve been able to do, I think I can be a role model."

Robinson and her husband, Harold, have three children. She taught English in Houston before taking a job as assistant principal at Maude Laird Middle School in Kilgore in 2001, and Harold is still adjusting to the move.

"He tells me I’m more image-conscious here," she said. "I know people are watching me, so I’m not likely to hold his hand in Wal-Mart. He’s still not used to life in East Texas."

Throughout February, Robinson has filled the curriculum at Kilgore Heights with black-history projects. Each week, the students complete work that exposes them to black men and women whose contributions changed American culture. The students will present a program at 9 a.m. Feb. 27 celebrating black history, with Kilgore Independent School district trustee George Faber as the master of ceremonies.

"Children need to know their history," she said. "Without history there is no forward motion, no future. Black History Month gives us the chance to celebrate diversity."

As she patiently handles the responsibilities of her position, she explains that she wants to be known as a fair administrator. She became an educator, she said, to give all children the opportunities she was given.

"When I look at some of the girls at school, I think, ‘Baby, I need to get ahold of you like Mrs. Faber got ahold of me.’"

While I was a newspaper editor in Fort Worth, I had the honor of working with Thomas Peipert, an extraordinary photographer. This picture was taken in Boston on March 29, 2003, during a rally where tens of thousands gathered in Boston Common to express their feelings about the war in Iraq. The gathering was one of the largest in the city's history.

Many Hurricane Katrina victims fled to Dallas/Fort Worth where the communities rushed to help them. I covered the story and Thomas took this picture to go along with it. These two girls walked up to Thomas, and the one on the right put her hands on her hips and said, "Take our picture!" So he did. We loved it.

The Eyes Of Texas

Aaron loved the University of Texas Longhorns, which is my alma mater. De'on graduated from Texas Tech. (Bless her heart!! hehe!) Thomas took this picture near Fort Worth of a longhorn resting in a field of flowers. Texas in the spring is an incredible sight, especially in the Hill Country.

Texas Our Texas

Thomas took this picture for the newspaper at a spelling bee. It screams "Texas." Aaron would have liked it. Although he was claimed by New Mexico and Texas, Aaron was a Texan through and through, and he's buried in Amarillo, Texas.

Merry Christmas, Weston

Hi Sweetie,
Someone's Christmas present came today!

Love,
Nomi

I didn't have the right lens with me when I took this picture the other day, so you can't see the scene as it really is. This is one of my favorite spots between Dumas and Amarillo. Just south of the Canadian River, a railroad bridge spans the river's red waters that you can't see too well in this picture. The Texas Panhandle isn't my favorite place because I like lots of trees, but there are some spots that have a rugged beauty. This is one of them. The next time I go to Amarillo, I'll take the other lenses and get a better shot.

My NEA Interview

I did this interview back in October. They posted it in November, but I just now found out about it. I looked for a photo of me signing, but I must have inadvertently deleted it. No problem, I gave some copies to some of my family members, so I'll scan one to send to other family members.

Who all wants a signed copy? LOL. Just kidding.

Anyway, if you're interested in the interview I did with National Endowment for the Arts in regard to the work I submitted for Operation Homecoming, then CLICK HERE

Catching Up

I know that I haven't been on here in a long time but I have been so busy. Christmas is my favorite holiday and it kept me busy. So Christmas Day, which was yesterday, was fun with some of my family over. I got good gifts and know that I will enjoy every one of them. I got lots of eyeshadows and the funnest clothes. They are different and not what I am used to, but I am in love with them. My boots are awesome too. Amber Romance is probably the best stuff from Victoria's Secret that you can get.

So I am reading a new book that my granny bought me along with a gorgeous charm bracelet that I hope to fill up. But the book is a great read. It is about a recently abused horse and a woman taking care of it. I have a love for animals and this book is perfect. Now that it is Christmas break I can read more.

I am so nervous to be going to Tatum for school. Since I am so very shy that will probably make me tear apart but I know that it will all work out. No matter how nervous I get I know that I definitely want to go there. Three girls that I know go there and explain to me that it is WONDERFUL.

So since I haven't been writing for a while this is a catch up. More is coming.

Merry Christmas, Aaron

Guess I'm Into Headlines Today

OK, Steve, so we need to start saving up for ME to go to Iraq. This article made me jealous because I didn't get to go, but I'm glad they did and that others will get to.

Where am I when these things get organized?

***
Slain soldiers' parents make pilgrimage to Iraq
Grieving families find a cause worth fighting for on visit to Kurdish area


LYERLY, Ga. - After her son Justin was killed serving in Iraq, a grieving Jan Johnson resolved to see the place where he died and to better understand why it happened.

Johnson and her husband, Joe, who also served in Iraq, were among a group of seven parents who lost children in the war who were picked to travel to northern Iraq in November as a scout team for a bigger trip next year.... Click here for full story.

Coming Soon: Doc Duty

Posts on Jason "Doc" Duty, the Corpsman formerly attached with Aaron's unit will be added to our venue soon. I've enjoyed a few emails from him in the last couple of days, so I'm going to start putting some of his information together. Doc is currently serving in Afghanistan and is impressed with what he sees there.

Doc is personable and dedicated. I don't think he'll be shy at all in answering any questions you might have. He's answered mine more than once and assures me he'll continue to do so. (That mind again you know.) As I've mentioned before, he's the Corpsman who was with Aaron. As the following article will illustrate, Doc is a true example of the dedication of our men and women serving in other countries. And he is a warrior. He says that's what he likes about the country he serves in now, "they like to fight."

I think we can feel free to ask anything we might want to know about that day nearly three years ago (wow.), and I certainly encourage that. I've always wanted to know every detail about Aaron that I could, to include his death as well as this terrible day so many suffered through, still suffer through, so please don't be afraid to ask on my account.

Primarily though, I want to concentrate on what Doc is doing to serve now as well as what a Corpsman does in general. His role in our feature, much like "To Be" and "Blood Is Thicker Than Water" should prove not only the skill and loyalty with which our troops serve, but also serve to inform and encourage us as to the caliber of generations we Americans produce.

We do have much to be proud of. Let's talk about that.

***
These are snippets taken from the full article which is linked below. The article is a pretty good description of April 26, 2004's heroes. There are a few details about Aaron and what he did that day (in the full article), but it isn't super graphic.

"Uncommon Valor was a Common Virtue" - Admiral Nimitz, March 16, 1945, referring to the Marines victory on Iwo Jima.

"Everyone said Doc Duty was faster than bullets that day" - Marine Lance Corporal John Flores, July 31, 2004, referring to the heroics of the Corpsman for Echo 2/1....

After braving enemy fire four times to evacuate wounded Marines, Petty Officer 3rd Class Jason "Doc" Duty received a medal nomination that reads, "As bullets impacted within inches of his head, Duty remained resolute in his mission."

The corpsman, Duty, and Sgt. Skiles were recognized for evacuating wounded Marines while exposed to unrelenting fire.

Duty braved enemy fire four times to load Marines into a Humvee driven by Skiles, who coordinated the rescue.

"I do remember thinking I was in trouble about the third trip because that's when the volume of fire increased a lot," Duty said.

"When we were loading the last guy, they chucked a hand grenade at our Humvee and it hit the hood. It rolled off and didn't explode. I think they were trying to throw it in the back where the wounded were being loaded."

for full article : Blackfive: Showdown

Any thoughts on this?

Military Draft System to be Tested

Associated Press December 22, 2006

WASHINGTON - The Selective Service System is planning a comprehensive test of the military draft machinery, which hasn't been run since 1998.

The agency is not gearing up for a draft, an agency official said Thursday. The test itself would not likely occur until 2009.

Meanwhile, the secretary for Veterans Affairs said that "society would benefit" if the U.S. were to bring back the draft and that it shouldn't have any loopholes for anyone who is called to serve. VA Secretary Jim Nicholson later issued a statement saying he does not support reinstituting a draft.

The Selective Service "readiness exercise" would test the system that randomly chooses draftees by birth date and the network of appeals boards that decide how to deal with conscientious objectors and others who want to delay reporting for duty, said Scott Campbell, Selective Service director for operations and chief information officer.

"We're kind of like a fire extinguisher. We sit on a shelf" until needed, Campbell said. "Everyone fears our machine for some reason. Our machine, unless the president and Congress get together and say, 'Turn the machine on' ... we're still on the shelf." ...Read more on Military.com

A Soldier from Lubbock is Interviewed in Iraq

GIs Continue Missions on Christmas

Associated Press December 25, 2006

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Pfc. John Alonzo knew Christmas would be his toughest time in Iraq. "Ever since I volunteered, I haven't been looking forward to it," said the 27-year-old, from Lubbock, Texas. "My son wants to know why I can't be home for the holidays. He doesn't understand that I can't just quit."

Before dawn on Sunday, Alonzo and the rest of the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment rolled through muddy, unpaved streets in a volatile corner of east Baghdad, hunting house-to-house for Shiite militia leaders and bomb-making materials.

Although they did not know it, a roadside bomb in the same neighborhood had killed three U.S. Soldiers the day before; a fourth died in an explosion in Diyala province east of the Iraqi capital.

As the sun came up over the city, a Soldier sang "Silver Bells" while others smashed windows in a tall residential apartment building to get a better look at the street below. "It's Christmastime in the city," he crooned. ... Read more on Military.com

Building Christmas

This is where LT Richard Windham, USNR

spent Christmas

in Iraq

2005.

Gunz Up wishes all those deployed today a safe Christmas

and their families peace

as they wait

for

all the future Christmases

with

HOPE

God bless you all

and thank you

for being a part of our family on this

CHRISTMAS 2006

Say Thanks and Merry Christmas to the Troops!

Christi Costello and Dorothy sent me this link. Click here for a creative way to say thanks to our troops through a free and colorfully designed postcard.

It just takes a few minutes to support the troops this way, much thanks to Xerox.

Merry Christmas, Everybody!

The Key to the 1st Seabee Test

• The test photos are now lined up below. The "L"s that I gave you to use (see above) can be used anywhere. As you can see below, Rich has placed them in the same place each time, but he set them up as a slide show for his superiors. We, on the other hand, have been building a cyber scrapbook of this Seabee mission. Ours shouldn't be as "strict." Still, however you decided to place them will not take away points from your grade. But an eye pleasing book will get you noticed.

• Karen, you are right as far as the original designer, but as far as this bee goes, it's got Disney's name all over it. My question in Webding was Who drew the bee? or Who drew the bee? So, this one could be interpreted either way, I suppose. Here is a clip of part of an article I found while ago.

An insignia whose creation is often attributed to the Disney Studio, was in fact not designed by Disney artists. The Seabee logo represents the Navy’s Construction Battalions. According to an article on the Los Angeles Examiner, the idea for the Seabee’s bee logo came from a member of the first “C.B.” unit while he was training at Quonset Point, Rhode Island. While his Studio may not have designed the original emblem, Disney received insignia requests from Seabees at Camp Hueneme, California, and Seabee Battalions 60 and 78..

Click here for Tunes at War to read a more in depth study on Disney's contribution to the war effort if you're so inclined.

kkk

Karen, you were correct in your answers as far as Marvin Shields, the first and only Seabee to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor, our nation's highest award is concerned. Quite the citation, was it not?

And as far as the extra credit which was not Seabee related, that was a hard one. I will link the site I found it on, which by the way, I've added to my favorites b/c it has everything gov't on it. Check it out and see what you think.

Main page for CCNY Library: Click here

For the cuneiform you were looking at (yes, that's what it was, not a happy meal ...I didn't see a toy with it, Missy. You'll need to keep that attitude in check during tests.)

Click here for the link to The Ur III Collection of the CMAA. This article is written by Robert K. Englund, who just happens to be from Steve's old alma mater! This cuneiform is part of the mentioned collection at
the California Museum of Ancient Art in Los Angeles.

Well, how'd everyone do?

You're free for Christmas Exodous.

This bridge was hit by a car bomb in September 2005. Hit is 85 miles west of Baghdad, and "Hit bridge is one of three in the area from Ramadi all the way up through Haditha that offer an opportunity to cross the Euphrates River," Windham quoted to the Navy Newstand. Windham, or Rich, as his sister Karen calls him, was the OIC in charge of this project.
Made You Look.

After conducting the on-site-survey, the NMCB team prefabricated the decking as shown here, also the railing and part of the steel beam framing. The Navy Newstand reported that after id-ing problems and solutions, the practice runs paid off. On the final day, the bridge was repaired in four hours. Wish we had a crew like that in Lovington!
Made You Look.

After this deck falls, does it just stay in the river? What size pieces dropped when it was cut? These are Rich questions.
Made You Look.

Doesn't this look wild? Look how far down the river is. How far is it Rich? Does anybody know what river it is? I do. The title, above tells you what the Seabees are doing here.
Made You Look.

If anyone has any questions for Rich, please feel free to ask. I thought it might be a good thing to work up sort of an interview on paper with him. I want to do that with the others too, so if you think of something you'd like to ask, write it in the comments section or email it to me.
Made You Look.

Rich writes in his email to Karen dated 10/14/2005: "As we were convoying out, the bridge was already being used to get election poll workers out. It was a good day."
Made You Look.

Here's the cropped piece of Double Team Welding.
Made You Look.

A piece of this one is missing and will be above this. That's how it was on the test, too. Did you pay attention?
Made You Look.

It's taking me longer to build the bridge than it did NMCB 22.
Made You Look.

Once these are all posted, they will be in descending order. At ease. Wait until they're all posted before you ask questions.
Made You Look.

Final Product is the final page of the scrapbook test.
Made You Look.

Merry Christmas and Welcome to Our Home

Christmas Eve was very windy here in Lovington, NM. My flags are wrapped and nearly flapped out. It's kind of hard to see, but there are two wind chimes at the top. The one to the left is the one that makes me think Aaron is trying to get my attention in some way. It was going a little crazy today, so I don't count those times, unless I'm in a fierce windstorm myself, which can happen.

On a night long ago, a young virgin gave birth to a son. Her husband, Joseph, who did not yet know her as a wife, loved Mary and the Father more than he loved himself. He humbled himself and raised the baby Jesus as his own.

When Jesus was around twelve, He began to go off on His own to meditate and seek Father God's will and instruction. He is the living Son of God .

Because He was obedient unto death and shed his blood for the sin of the world, I live in hope rather than despair over the son I gave birth to so many years ago who also willingly gave his life, but he did not take on our sin.

Each of us have someone in our lives who gives to all of us whether we realize it or not. That is the Father.

And the troops fight to hold on to what the Father has blessed us with. Thank you US troops.

And thank you, Father God for all that you give me. It defies explanation.But because of it I listen to the birds and watch as God cares for them. I smile as they tend each other one minute and argue the next. Who can set them in formation in the heavens?

Who can create such a thing?! The Same as the One Who gave me Aaron, and took Aaron, and miraculously feeds me with hope that I will one day live with my son; fearless of ever losing him again. It is a faith that cannot be artificially produced in turbulent times such as these.

We search for it all our earthly lives, yet it goes against our very nature to believe the best is yet to be. We've suffered too much to be so silly as that. So, no, I can't manipulate the Holy Spirit into my life, but He very much asks to be invited in, and when I invite Him in, He comes.

It's as simple as that.

Thank you Father God for giving us Your Son, Jesus, and thank you, Jesus, for sending us the Comforter, The Holy Spirit.

And bless you, Mary. I know how you must've hurt. Thank you for being obedient unto God and blessing us with The First Christmas.

Gunz up wishes, really, really wishes all of you a very safe and joyful Christmas.

Maybe Aaron says hi, I don't know. My wind chimes just hollered at me for a quick minute.

The wind has finally settled down. As it does.

The Boys and Sarah

Hennessy is on the couch and covered. He had a rough night. Note that one of his beds is down there on the floor next to him.

Hen was Aaron's dog. Aaron bought him when he was 8 wks. old. Aaron was a junior in high school, so Hen is getting a bit aged. He and I work at about the same speed and are pretty big buds.

Next is Isaac. He'd be the perfect dog if he wasn't so skiddish and jealous. He is the most loving and loyal animal I've ever been around. He's hard to explain, you'd just have to get to know him, but he'd probably nip at your heels before you got the chance. He's great with us, but nips at Hen's feet all the time. Hen's not crazy about the herding act and finally ends up going off on Isaac. We have a full house sometimes.

Aaahh, isn't she precious? She's been my precious darling angel kitty since 1993. I rescued her when she was two weeks old. She's paid me back well for it. I love her. Yes, she's the biggest witch in the world, but it suits her, you know?

Yes, we are that. Home of the Brave. Kayla gave this poster to me. It hangs in the entryway to Aaron's room.
Made You Look.

The bathroom mirror Aaron designed when he was 14 is just the same today. A well rounded individual, wouldn't you say? My bathroom mirror now in the girl's bathroom.
Made You Look.

Political wall map in Aaron's room. Greg made the frame. The poster on the other side is from a Marine by the name of Greg Maxie. The Marine detachment he's in named their post after Aaron. His machine gunner's certificate is above that. You can see a tiny bit of the arm of the cammies he gave me when he returned from OIF 1.
Made You Look.

My Marine Comfort Quilt I received a short time after Aaron was killed. Isn't it beautiful? It's warm too. I've used it since they sent it to me. I'm not into displaying things like this, but in wrapping up in something that was stitched out of pure love by people who don't even know me.
Made You Look.

Ornaments

Cool, huh? Aaron's Aunt Robbie sent me the USMC ornament last year. It has Aaron's name on the other side. The ornament up and to the right a little is the Christmas in Heaven ornament I discussed earlier, which is somewhere on the end now. Isn't it strange how blogs run? It's so backwards. Sometimes I remember--other times, not so much. Then there's the Texas ornament (a story in itself on that one), and of course, candy canes, which if Aaron were here would be diminished in number considerably.

Our tree is real. It doesn't look real, does it? Greg and Steve did a good job picking it out. But, yes, Greg and I always get a real tree. I love the smell of them.

Another shot of the tree. Here you can see the flag cases and photo which I discuss in another post, another thing of first being last, so closer to the bottom. Don't know why I brought it up there instead of here. I'm an idiot with too many pictures, that's what. One end of the fireplace. 536th Engineer Bn. (C) (H) stocking, Kayla's, mine that Mom made me when I was a wee one, Weston's elf stocking slash cap, and Greg and Steve's stockings are underneath. I guess nobody's been good this year. Christmas is here and they still are as flat as the day they were hung. I'm pathetic. Oh, well. That's okay too. I might put something in them before the day is out. Probably not. But I'm not upset about it. As I've said, I just haven't had the energy or drive for it this year. The last 2 years I did the same things we always did, but it's just not the same.

The last two years I was also able to have my wine, which I love. And as it turned out, loved too much. I haven't had any alcohol since July 8, 2006. I hope that doesn't upset anyone with me saying that right here. I've wanted to before, but never quite knew how, so here, let's just throw it in here with our pictures of our empty stockings!

But I have wanted to say something, because there may be others who are worried about a new occurence or habit in their life during times of grief. Hold on, it'll be okay, and probably is rather common in bereaved parents or widows.

When we first started Gunz Up, I posted a photo of Cpl. Aldesperger, USMC. He was killed in Al Anbar and has been nominated for the Medal of Honor. He was from Albuquerque and Greg and I had met his dad at one event. He was the nicest kindest man. The newspaper told of him having trouble with alcohol abuse and holding a job. I had asked for prayer for him; the newspaper said he was doing better. I remember how impressed I was with that man. And when I learned of his problem, I was all the more impressed. I thought it was admirable for him to openly discuss that he was having a great many problems. He supports the troops, does volunteer work for many of the military functions there in Albuquerque, and of course, was extremely proud of his son.

It doesn't matter if you're patriotic, a model Christian, the most together person in this world ... this kind of pain is going to reach out and touch you in places you've never been touched before.

I can only imagine the hurt within our troops. I don't think we should ever become complacent about what a combat veteran suffers. I'm not saying it's not to be expected. Of course it is! That's just it. It is expected. That is part of their forever sacrifice and these people need to be respected and honored for that the rest of their natural lives because nobody can ever possibly give back to them what they've lost out on the battlefield. They drive on. They are rugged. But honey, they are human.

When they come home, love that human warrior as much as possible. Give something to him or her. They've given everything for you.

Treasures

Below is a photo of the center of my bedroom dresser. The trunk holds the precious letters my son mailed me as a Recruit as well as in OIF 1 and OIF 2. The little ceramic angel (the tall one) was once a bell that Aaron gave me, but Weston pulled the little ribboned bell out, which is fine.

There is also Aaron's soapstone turtle that he'd had since Panama. It's very chipped. I wrote a piece called Cosas that this turtle prompted. I'm waiting to see if I can get it published, so the story is out right now.

Beside it is an angel jewel box. You see I have the angel lid off of it. Aaron gave me this as a gift also. Lisa has joked that Aaron always gave me religious gifts. Everything always had a Jesus, angel, crosses, something like that. It was cute. My house looks sort of like a Catholic church because of it though. :)

But inside this little jewel box is some of the sand from Fallujah that Steve brought me from the place that Aaron fought (and Steve ran, you big chicken! Couldn't you stay and do some karate kicks or something?)

Just joking. Steve was shot in Fallujah about the same place Aaron was. Steve's vest saved his life, but the impact busted a few ribs and then he was also shot in the hip or butt or leg ...geez, I know you all think I'm crazy on what I can't remember. And sometimes I wonder too.

Beside those items are gifts from Kayla. Inside the little round jeweled tray is a penny from Heaven and a rock from the rubble of the house Aaron was shot on the roof at in that horrible Fallujah. Man, I hate that place!

The cloth and ribbon are wrapped with a poem that is called the Prayer Rock that Joanne gave me (another good friend of mine that loves me!)It's supposed to lay on my pillow. It says I can even throw it if I want to, but so far, so good.

And amazingly I still have Aaron's recruiter's card. See it? It's right under the 'a' in the word card. It's supposed to be in the trunk beside it. I haven't been too tidy lately.

And then there's the ever present chapstick. Like my Kleenex and cigarettes, there's always one within reach.

Which all this leads me to the next missing photo that must have turned into another floor shot (I have a few). I take terrible pictures of everything I take. But anyway, the missing one is of the larger container of sand and rubble I have which sits on top of my bookcase. So I'll get another one sometime and maybe run it with one of Steve's posts about Iraq.

The Crossing

Right before you get to Aaron's room. My buffet, photos of Aaron and Jamie; Uncle Lonnie, Aaron and Uncle Bennie. The little brass angel and candle set was Aaron's favorite Christmas decoration. It only cost a dollar so many years ago and the angels twirl around when the candles are lit and hit the little chimes with a small staff. The sound is beautiful. But alas, we're on our last candles. You can't find them anymore!

The small nativity set was given to me one Christmas by Aaron. They look like young children. Aaron couldn't believe how small and young they looked. He was sick. He'd ordered them from school. My nativity set cost $40. and Kayla's bear made him even sicker. It was about that much too and only about 7 or 8 inches.

Kayla has done several ballet dances with that bear (she'd named him A.J.--Aaron, Jerrod). She danced for Aaron's Homecoming Party with it and at his memorial in Lovington.

More Nooks and Crannies

This is a corner of my den. There's a photograph of a painting from Faces of the Fallen of Aaron, my appreciation for the memory of Aaron from the Commander in Chief, below that is a beautiful bevelled glass portrait of Aaron, DOB, DOD. It says, Home of the Free Because of the Brave. Aunt Linda Gay gave this to me at Aaron's Silver Star Presentation. Next to it is a crystal cross that Kathy Jewell gave me for Christmas last year.


This below is the bookcase Greg made me several years ago. You can see the photos some of you have seen before. The one hard to see is Aaron and Uncle Bennie when my Uncle presented Aaron with his Marine NCO sword.

When Uncle Bennie gave Aaron the sword on Dec. 23, 2003, Aaron asked me later if I'd make him a room where he could display his Marine and USA stuff. That's how the refinishing of Aaron's room came about.

Aaron was KIA April 26, 2004.

I presented the sword back to my Uncle that Christmas. Greg built a beautiful cabinet for it.

To the left of the bookcase are the framed citations and medals of Aaron's Purple Heart and Silver Star. On the very top of the bookcase are my USA and NM flag in their walnut cases and a framed photograph of LCpl Zach Fincannon and Aaron. Rick Loomis from LA Times who was embedded with 2/1 took this photograph of Aaron reading mail one day before he was killed. He called me and asked me if I'd like it. I don't have to tell you what I said. He emailed it to me from Iraq.

Roy worked on the photo for me and framed it, then gave it to me b/c Roy loves me.

You see if I took pictures of every little nook and cranny of this Christmas Parade of My Home, we'd never get through til next Christmas. I have Aaron's stuff everywhere. The other side of my bookcase is filled with photos.

For some people, this is hard, I've heard. I can't imagine being without it.
The little ceramic Christmas pony was a gift from Aaron one Christmas in Panama.

Christmas Morning

Well, I guess Santa is on his way. It's Christmas morning now. I'm on MST.

I'm freezing to death. It's too windy to have a fire, so Hen lucks out. Which he loves the fire and heat, but the popping scares him.

He's such a pansy for a pit. I always tell him he's an embarassment to his breed.

Merry Christmas Troops, Families and Readers!

Roses and Sumlin

This is in my girl's bathroom, which at one time was Aaron's bathroom because I gave him, yes, gave him our room, the master bedroom!

Anyway, these are the two white roses that each came from 2 different dozen I've written about in other stories. The rose in waxed paper to the left is the one Aaron gave me when I graduated in December 2003.

The other rose is one that LT McCoy and his wife sent me when Aaron was killed. The LT was Aaron's platoon leader in OIF 2.

Within the window is also a drawing of Kayla's young interpretation of the Easter bunny, and then there's a photo of me on a forklift and Spc. Sumlin ground guiding me.

Sumlin, then 21, drowned in the Atlantic Ocean in Panama. We were very close and Aaron, then a fourth grader, loved him. Aaron was crushed when Sumlin passed. He wrote Sumlin's mother a letter. I remember it said, and he was my very best friend ... Sumlin was from Alabama.

Sumlin was deployed and only back at the rear for a couple of weeks. He and my NCOIC, SFC Cooley, had just been to eat lunch with us in our home on a Sunday before he went swimming with his girlfriend a few hours later.

The strange thing was, Sumlin could not swim and was afraid of the water. I guess he was just so infatuated with this girl, Panamanian, that he didn't want to tell her.

A current took them under. A boat passing by was able to save her, but not Sumlin.

I went with my E-7 to identify his body at the morgue. It was not pleasant and I haven't had to do anything like that before or since.