From the Defense.gov website, a reminder about the meaning of Memorial Day:
By Deborah Mullen
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, May 25, 2011 – Deborah Mullen, a Navy wife and mom and a military family advocate, has been married to Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, for 40 years.
“Please don’t ever forget my son.”
That’s what a Mom -- a Gold Star mother -- said to my husband recently.
“He was my only son,” she continued, “and he died doing what he loved. But please don’t ever forget him.”
Michael promised her that he wouldn’t. He and I hear that same entreaty and make that same promise each and every time we have the privilege of being in the company of Gold Star families. These proud Americans have lost so much, have endured such pain. And yet they ask nothing for themselves. All they want is for someone, anyone, to remember the life and the service of a loved one.
And so we carry with us the photos and memory cards of their sons, daughters, moms, dads, brothers and sisters. We wear bracelets engraved with their names. We visit their graves when we can, and attend their funerals. We remember.
Monday is Memorial Day. In Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery, the families of our recently fallen will spend another holiday weekend at the grave of a loved one. They will not be alone. They will be surrounded by other Gold Star families from these and other wars who share with them the same sacrifice and loss, the same pride and even some of the same stories. They will comfort one another, even as they grieve for themselves.
There isn’t much the rest of us can do to assuage that grief. The pain of such loss is incalculable. But we can, and we should, promise them that we will remember those who lived and loved and fought for this country -- a young man or woman who, when duty called, performed that duty nobly and with passion. We can -- and we should -- take pains to remember also the special needs of surviving family members, especially the children. Theirs will be an extraordinary life.
If it’s true that a nation defines itself by those it honors, let us also define ourselves by those we support.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
2011 Military Appreciation Night with the Round Rock Express
Soldiers' Angels will be taking part in the Round Rock Express' 2011 Military Appreciation Night at the Dell Diamond on Monday, June 27th. We will be one of many exhibitors that evening. If you are interested in volunteering for this event, please contact Lisa at cnctx06 -at- gmail -dot- com. We will be given tickets for our volunteers to get into the game, but I will need to give them a headcount beforehand.As you can see from the flyer, there will be lots going on that night. The Express will be wearing special camo jerseys. Double amputee Dana Bowman will skydive into the ballpark. There will be a color guard and military vehicles. A veteran will through out the ceremonial first pitch. And, as is normal at a Monday baseball game at The Diamond, it's dollar hot dog and soda night, so you can bring the whole family and eat cheap!
Gates open at 5:30. I'm not sure yet if the exhibitors will be allowed in before that to set up, but when I find out, I'll pass that information along to the volunteers. This will be a great opportunity to share with people outside the usual military-related circles about all the incredible things Soldiers' Angels does for our service men and women, veterans and their families. Come on out and join us!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Toby Nunn & Jeff Bader on Fox News Channel
Back on May 13th, Soldiers' Angels Executive Director Toby Nunn and Co-founder Jeff Bader made an appearance on Fox News Channel. Can't figure out how to embed the video, but you can go here to watch it.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Education is Key in Fight Against PTSD
By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, May 20, 2011 – Stemming the incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, requires awareness, education and recognizing its symptoms, a senior military psychiatrist said.
Navy Capt. Paul S. Hammer, director of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, spoke during a May 16 media roundtable event held here as part of Mental Health Month.
“[It’s important] to make sure people are aware, educated, and that they look for it in themselves, their friends and fellow service members. They must act on it so something is done,” Hammer said.
Taking action doesn’t necessarily call for a major intervention, he said. “Sometimes reaching out and talking to someone can put that person on the right path to get the help he needs,” he suggested.
Recognizing signs of the stress disorder early can be the key to successfully diagnose and treat affected individuals, he said.
“PTSD can be a really complicated entity,” he said. “People think it’s one thing, but it can manifest itself in a lot of different ways and contexts.”
PTSD is not gender-specific, and tell-tale signs vary from one person to the next, but Hammer said some factors might add up to the stress diagnosis. He said it’s important to recognize such symptoms as combat stress, substance abuse, talks of suicide and depression. Getting help begins with awareness and education at all levels of the military, he said.
Hammer said post-traumatic stress was once a condition discovered only after troops returned home following deployments. Now, however, the services include post-traumatic stress awareness instruction for new recruits in basic training, and warfighters are monitored for symptoms during their military careers.
“We’ve got to take care of ourselves and take care of each other,” Hammer said. “The idea of awareness is to take appropriate action and have the courage to reach out and take help.”
“The Army [incorporates awareness] in resilience training and comprehensive soldier fitness, and by training master resilience trainers,” he added. “So there’s a huge effort among the services to really develop a level of resilience.”
Combating the stigma attached to mental health counseling also is taught to service members as part of the military’s awareness campaign, Hammer said. For many people, the longtime stigma is an overwhelming barrier to diagnosis and treatment.
Denial of post-traumatic stress also can develop, which he described as a “tougher nut to crack.” Denial is a person’s perception that people are doing fine, Hammer added. “They don’t want to see themselves or be seen as weak, damaged or ill,” he said.
“I think huge headway has been made on stigma,” he said. “You see senior officers and senior enlisted members who are much more willing to speak out and talk about it. I can’t imagine a time, when I first came in, that I would hear a sergeant major talk about PTSD, and now it’s routine.”
“No doubt the stigma is still out there, but we’ve still made an enormous amount of progress,” Hammer said. “But there’s more to do. We’re not resting on our laurels. We’re still working on it.”
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, May 20, 2011 – Stemming the incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, requires awareness, education and recognizing its symptoms, a senior military psychiatrist said.
Navy Capt. Paul S. Hammer, director of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, spoke during a May 16 media roundtable event held here as part of Mental Health Month.
“[It’s important] to make sure people are aware, educated, and that they look for it in themselves, their friends and fellow service members. They must act on it so something is done,” Hammer said.
Taking action doesn’t necessarily call for a major intervention, he said. “Sometimes reaching out and talking to someone can put that person on the right path to get the help he needs,” he suggested.
Recognizing signs of the stress disorder early can be the key to successfully diagnose and treat affected individuals, he said.
“PTSD can be a really complicated entity,” he said. “People think it’s one thing, but it can manifest itself in a lot of different ways and contexts.”
PTSD is not gender-specific, and tell-tale signs vary from one person to the next, but Hammer said some factors might add up to the stress diagnosis. He said it’s important to recognize such symptoms as combat stress, substance abuse, talks of suicide and depression. Getting help begins with awareness and education at all levels of the military, he said.
Hammer said post-traumatic stress was once a condition discovered only after troops returned home following deployments. Now, however, the services include post-traumatic stress awareness instruction for new recruits in basic training, and warfighters are monitored for symptoms during their military careers.
“We’ve got to take care of ourselves and take care of each other,” Hammer said. “The idea of awareness is to take appropriate action and have the courage to reach out and take help.”
“The Army [incorporates awareness] in resilience training and comprehensive soldier fitness, and by training master resilience trainers,” he added. “So there’s a huge effort among the services to really develop a level of resilience.”
Combating the stigma attached to mental health counseling also is taught to service members as part of the military’s awareness campaign, Hammer said. For many people, the longtime stigma is an overwhelming barrier to diagnosis and treatment.
Denial of post-traumatic stress also can develop, which he described as a “tougher nut to crack.” Denial is a person’s perception that people are doing fine, Hammer added. “They don’t want to see themselves or be seen as weak, damaged or ill,” he said.
“I think huge headway has been made on stigma,” he said. “You see senior officers and senior enlisted members who are much more willing to speak out and talk about it. I can’t imagine a time, when I first came in, that I would hear a sergeant major talk about PTSD, and now it’s routine.”
“No doubt the stigma is still out there, but we’ve still made an enormous amount of progress,” Hammer said. “But there’s more to do. We’re not resting on our laurels. We’re still working on it.”
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Banking Together for the Troops
Posted at Soldiersangels.org:
In these difficult economic times, pulling together to support the troops is more important than ever—as demonstrated by the employees of Share Plus Federal Bank in Plano, TX who pooled their resources to raise over 200 pounds of care package items for deployed troops!
When the bank’s Volunteer Committee chose “care packages for the troops” as their quarterly cause, Co-chair Teresa Bernstein of the mortgage department consulted her computer to find an organization that would accept the donated items. She was excited to discover the Soldiers’ Angels website, and her choice was cemented when her brother (a civilian contractor with the military in Abu Dabi) confirmed that the troops he works with love Soldiers’ Angels.
The project began with an email to Share Plus’ 75 employees, announcing that they had two weeks to bring in supplies for a Soldiers' Angels care package drive. “Everybody really got into it,” Bernstein reports, adding that the total given was bigger than had been expected. Each day people arrived with snacks and hygiene items, some giving more than once. Others provided financial donations for the Volunteer Committee members to go shopping, or to cover shipping costs. Even the local UPS got in on the action, donating boxes for shipping.
The Committee created an area to receive the donations, complete with camouflage-colored boxes. They also set out notes for people to write messages to the troops, emphasizing that words were just as important as snacks and treats. Bernstein noticed the pictures of soldiers opening care packages on the Soldiers’ Angels website and put them to use. “The photos were very inspiring,” she says, “So we printed them out and hung them around so that people can see how happy care packages make the troops.”
From the 200 pounds of supplies raised, to the joy of the participants, the project was by all accounts a great success. “Everybody loved it,” said Bernstein. “It made everybody feel really good.” In fact, the employees enjoyed it so much that there’s talk of making Sand Scarves or Cool Scarves the focus of a Volunteer Committee quarterly project in the future!
Thank you to the employees of Share Plus for your active patriotism and your enthusiastic generosity. Your gifts will likely make the soldiers who receive them feel even better than you did in giving them!
When sending the pictures used in this article, Bernstein wrote, "Sometimes as we go about our daily routines we forget that there are men and women fighting a war for our freedom. It's good to be reminded in this small way, and help in whatever way we can."
Monday, May 23, 2011
A Salute to Veterans
Clayton Homes and Soldiers' Angels invite all Veterans and their families to attend our Salute to Veterans on May 28, 2011. This event will be held at:
Clayton Homes
5020 Texoma Pkwy
Denison, TX.
Date: May 28, 2011
Time: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Come out and enjoy a free lunch, music, static display of military vehicles and memorabilia, bounce house, face painting, and balloon animals for the kiddos.
We will be collecting items to ship to our deployed troops and for everyone that brings a donation, we will give them a ticket for the drawing of many nice prizes.
Shirley J Means More Flavor for Troops
Soldiers’ Angels announces a new partnership with Shirley J, a “just-add-water” cooking company with 30 years of commercial history and chef loyalty working to “rain sweets and salts” on our troops. Through their “Treat Our Troops” campaign, Shirley J is encouraging customers to purchase select gourmet foods to be shipped to Soldiers’ Angels for inclusion in care packages for the deployed.
All four “Treat Our Troops” products are shipped in powder form and then reconstituted with water to create a delicious sauce or topping for a variety of savory and sweet foods. They’re a great fit for soldiers in very remote areas who make use of care package contents to come up with new and interesting food combinations to supplement their MREs.
“We’re very happy to add Shirley J to the family of companies who make it possible for us to send thousands of delicious care packages to America’s deployed servicemen and women every month,” says Soldiers’ Angels Executive Director Toby Nunn. “Troops in remote locations often rely on military MREs for meals, so the change of pace these soups and sauces will provide can be a real morale boost.”
Shirley J products are available online at ShirleyJ.com (Shirley J Sendables) or at their store in Orem, Utah. In addition to the special choices recommended for the “Treats Our Troops” campaign, Shirley J offers a number of their other products—such as just-add-water cookie, muffin and cake mixes—that are suggested for customers who can ship directly to soldiers with access to cooking facilities.
Soldiers’ Angels welcomes Shirley J to the team of Angels helping to ensure “No Soldier Go Unloved.”
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Chaplain Ed Calls on Angels Again
Chaplain Ed’s first request for assistance through the Soldiers’ Angels Chaplain Support Team (CST) was a smashing success! Now he has stepped forward with a smaller-but-still-vital need. The chaplain wrote to the CST:
"As I am working through the reintegration programming, I am working on developing a program much like a 2-Day Vacation Bible School. On the Academic side these are the books I am looking to obtain. Do you think Soldiers’ Angels could do one last operation for Task Force Gambler?"
CST Leader Dina has the details…
I of course told him we would be honored to help! I know we can work together on this one, so the kiddos will be blessed, just like you all blessed the families from his group with our previous book project. Here are the books he is looking for:
- No Excuses by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer - 50 copies
- How Full is your Bucket?: For Kids by Tom Rath & Mary Reckmeyer- 50 copies
- Chicken Soup for the Preteen Soul - by Jack Canfield - 50 copies
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey - 35 copies
Just as before, gently used is absolutely fine and just as appreciated as before.
Please scour used bookstores, online pricing (I found some of them on Amazon.com for 57 cents + shipping), friends and neighbors. Chaplain Ed, and all of the families and I will be forever grateful for your generosity and help.
Please email me at cst@soldiersangels.org if you are able to purchase/send any of these requested books.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Moose for the Troops
Gourmet treats retailer Harry & David is once again teaming up with Soldiers’ Angels to supply delicious Moose Munch® Bars to deployed troops. The 3rd Annual “Support Our Troops with Moose Munch®” allows families, friends and supporters of the U.S. military to purchase the popular Harry & David Moose Munch® treats and ship them to war zones for sweet enjoyment by our men and women in service.
From now through July 4, Harry & David stores nationwide are offering customers the opportunity to purchase Moose Munch® Bars and gift them to soldiers with a personalized greeting. Each bar and note is packaged with a plastic spoon and boxed for pickup via Soldiers’ Angels to be included in care packages for deployed troops.
Last year over 38,000 Moose Munch® bars were shipped to soldiers in Afghanistan and other regions through the “Support Our Troops with Moose Munch®” Bars event. Soldiers’ particularly enjoy the Bars because they find this portable treat to be a delicious energy source that’s easy to carry on patrols.
Moose Munch® Bars retail for $2.50 each or $4.00 for two, a discount that encourages customers to purchase a bar for themselves while donating the other for the troops.
As part of the event, Harry & David is also donating a Moose Munch® Bar for each new “Like” on Facebook, up to 1,000 additional Bars.
For Harry & David store locations nationwide and for more information, visit harryanddavid.com, friend them on Facebook, or follow them Twitter.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
TapOut Magazine for Soldiers' Angels Support
From Mixed Martial Arts fighter Chad Robineaux-- For each person who signs up for a Tapout Magazine subscription and uses the promo code below, $9 goes to Soldiers’ Angels.
Chad is sponsored by SA supporter Ranger Up. He’s flying the SA flag high wherever he goes and he is 100% responsible for this fundraiser. Please encourage people to share this with anyone they know who might be interested in MMA.
*************
Wanted to share with you great news about support from Tapout Magazine and Editor-In-Chief, Chris Staab.
TapouT is doing a Special Tribute to the Military with several fighters from the military featured to include myself in an upcoming issue. I spoke with him about Soldiers Angels and not only is he going to support and promote it, but is creating a promo code for $9 donations!
Outstanding to see everyone so willing to work hand and hand for such a great effort!
The Promotion code is "ROBO" Link: http://mmaworldwide.com/subscribe-options.html?ref=ROBO
The military issue will hit stands around June 1st. That will be the first issue people who subscribe now will receive (well, the first PRINT issue... they will have access to the digital right away).
Thanks all,
Robo
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
San Antonio Open House
Everyone's invited!
Soldiers’ Angels Support Center in San Antonio, location of the Soldiers’ Angels warehouse and home to a number of support activities for the many service members stationed or recuperating in the San Antonio area, is holding a special Open House for the community.
You can join civilians, military heroes and community leaders on Thursday, June 2 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to celebrate Soldiers' Angels and see how your donations help our heroes!
The centerpiece of the event will be a ceremonial re-opening with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Other activities include tours of the newly-expanded facility and a blood drive. A $5 donation covers the BBQ lunch and one raffle ticket for prizes such as dinner for two, a wine tasting for 10, and a spa package, with additional tickets sold separately. Click here for more information, or email csiwarga@soldiersangels.org (please RSVP by May 19, though walk-ins are welcome).
Special thanks to the following companies for their support in putting this exciting event!
Event Support:
- Allegra Printing for signage
- South Texas Blood & Tissue Center for coordinating the blood drive
- Clara Moreno for the food donation
- David Dunne for the BBQ Grill / Smoker
Prize Donations:
- Dry Comal Creek – Wine Tasting and Tour for 10
- San Antonio Foodie Tours – Hill Country and Winery Tour for 4
- Mediterranean Day Spa – Spa Package
Monday, May 16, 2011
T-shirts for the Troops
Orphan, a lifestyle brand for those who ride, is partnering with Soldiers’ Angels to raise money to send care packages to deployed men and women in honor of the upcoming Memorial Day.
To raise this money, Orphan has designed a special memorial t-shirt honoring those who have paid the ultimate price. Throughout the month of May, 50% of proceeds from sale of the shirt will go to Soldiers’ Angels for postage and supplies to send much-needed items to our heroes overseas. "Orphan is excited to raise funds for this important organization, and to give back to the troops," says Robyn Byrd, Social Media Manager for Orphan. "Many of our customers are military or retired military (as are many riders), so we are thrilled to be able to honor them in this way!"
The special memorial t-shirt for sale is themed for the rider and features Orphan's motorcycle frame shop "The Wrench" over original artwork of an eagle in red, white and blue. The eagle bears a ribbon reading, “NEVER FORGET those who have fallen in the name of Freedom.” The shirt is available in men’s and women’s styles.
As a Thank You to those who purchase the Memorial t-shirt, Orphan will give customers $10 off their order if they add any additional items to the T-shirt purchase. In addition, all shirts at this link result in donations to Soldiers' Angels.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Take Action on Memorial Day
Established by Congress, National Moment of Remembrance asks Americans to pause in an act of remembrance for one minute on Memorial Day at 3 p.m. local time. The Moment can be as informal as ringing a bell, a moment of silence, a prayer or singing at a concert, etc.
Additional acts of Memorial Day remembrance can include the following:
- Visit a local VA hospital to learn the stories of patients’ fellow soldiers who never came home
- Use blogs, Facebook or other online resources tell the stories of family members who died in service to the country
- Read the names of fallen heroes on websites such as Honor the Fallen.
- Throw a care package party or write letters of encouragement for a hard-hit unit or the Mortuary Affairs units that care for America’s fallen heroes (for info, email events@soldiersangels.org)
- Visit a local military cemetery or memorial to stand in quiet solidarity with those who have lost their brothers and sisters in arms on the battlefield
- With conscious awareness of those who have made our safety possible, enjoy a weekend vacation or celebration in “the land of the free because of the brave”
- Attend a local parade
- Fly the American flag (at half-staff until noon and then full height until dusk, if possible)
- Use Angels Mail to tell your story of a fallen hero (send it to angels@soldiersangels.org and we will post it for you)
Please make a commitment to promote the National Moment of Remembrance and other Memorial Day activities to local leaders and businesses. This is a time to come together in honor of those who have given their lives so that we may continue to live free. In this shared remembrance and shared activities, we connect in gratitude as one America.
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