Texas Soldiers' Angels

Bridging the Divide

2012-01-26T23:20:00.000-06:00

From Nick Palmisciano, member, Soldiers' Angels Board of Trustees:

To most people, the benefit of our troops’ contact with Soldiers’ Angels is obvious – our Angels provide comfort to those deployed, to those injured, and to those who have returned and need someone to hear their voice. If these three functions alone showcased the full extent of what Soldiers’ Angels brought to the table, the organization would be absolutely invaluable to our servicemen and women.

In the last few years, however, I have noticed another incredible service that our Angels bring to the table – they bridge the military/civilian divide.

To the average citizen, this divide is most likely not apparent, and that makes sense, as most people have absolutely no interaction with our Armed Forces. This is a marked change from the experience of previous generations. During World War II, a full 11.5% of all Americans served in the war, which essentially equated to almost every able-bodied man available. Everyone had multiple family members involved in the conflict and the war was very personal. People were willing to sacrifice because they had skin in the game. Limit fuel consumption? Absolutely. It might help dad. Buy war bonds? Of course. My brother needs the money for ammunition. Regardless of service status, nearly every man, woman or child had to sacrifice something, whether it was the loss of a loved one, years of separation, financial loss, or a lack of comfort items. Every American’s life was changed markedly, and when the war ended, it was truly a victory for all.

Over time, however, service numbers have dropped, our economy has become more robust, and our politicians have created a system where the average American feels no change in lifestyle due to a wartime stance.

Only 0.45% of all Americans have been involved in the Global War on Terror, and the majority of those 0.45% are the children of veterans, thus we’re seeing the possible beginning of a small “warrior caste” emerge that is even further separated from the population at large. Our taxes have not gone up to compensate for the increased spending necessary to fund the war. We have not been asked to curb our use of fuel, rubber, or steel. We have not been limited in the type of goods we can purchase. In short, while war has raged on for ten years, most of us have had to contribute well…nothing.

At the same time, we’ve seen Congress whittle away troop benefits while discussing a large reduction in force, a possible reduction in retirement benefits, and a general disregard for troop quality of life and safety (multiple deployments without rest, lack of proper equipment, insufficient training time and ammunition, challenging ROE, etc.). As there has been no outrage coming from the civilian world (because so few are directly affected), it’s easy for many troops to fall into an “us against them” thought process. This gets exacerbated when the only time any troop issue does get attention and pressure is when there is a lapse in judgment (e.g. urination on the enemy dead), leaving troops feeling that no one cares if they are killed or wounded or live in rough conditions, but God forbid something unpalatable happens in the din of battle that might be distasteful for someone sitting on their couch watching the war on CNN.

The last piece of this disconnect comes when troops return home, finally, and rejoin the civilian world. They enter a world that cannot fathom what they have gone through, that worries about insignificant challenges rather than life or death ones, and that views them as “broken” thanks to the media and Hollywood’s constant love affair with post-traumatic stress. This anger and frustration often results in an inability to connect with potential employers and has resulted in the largest veteran unemployment rate in history.

And this is where you, as a Soldiers’ Angel, make all the difference. Those letters and care packages sent to our deployed troops remind them that there are people who care for them – that appreciate their sacrifices. Those Angels visiting the wounded in the hospitals and helping to solve their problems and provide them comfort proves to our heroes that there are some Americans willing to still give their time, effort, and money for our men and women in uniform. And those Angels working to rehabilitate troops through our Heroes & Horses program, music programs, and homeless programs are helping provide that bridge back to normal life.

You see, what you may not realize is that receiving a care package isn’t a big deal because of what is in the care package, even though all the items are appreciated and needed. These packages move the troops because they show that someone out there cares. And when you’re sitting out there in a dusty post in the middle of a place you’d rather not be, having lost a friend or two and sacrificed a lot of time away from those you love, you need to know it matters every now and then.

Angels, for many people, you’re the only person letting them know it matters.

Please never forget that.

Thank you for all you do.

May no Soldier walk alone,

Nick Palmisciano

President

RangerUp.com

Nick is a former Army Ranger with post-9/11 service, and is the newest member of the Soldiers' Angels Board of Trustees.

Time to Restock!

2012-01-17T21:46:00.000-06:00

From the Soldiers' Angels Warehouse facebook page:

Angels it is time to RESTOCK THE SA WAREHOUSE:

BEEF JERKY
TUNA POUCHES
PEANUTS
PEANUT BUTTER AND CRACKER SNACKS
RAMEN NOODLES
TOOTHBRUSHES
TOOTH PASTE
RAZOR
SHAVE CREAM
TRIAL SIZE SHAMPOO
TRIAL SIZE CONDITIONER
TRIAL SIZE DEODORANT
TRAIL SIZE BODY WASH

WE CAN DO THIS ANGELS!!

Project Valour-IT Auction LIVE!

2011-11-10T22:27:00.000-06:00

The eBay auction with items donated to Soldiers' Angels in support of Project Valour-IT is now LIVE! There are 23 items up for bid, with auctions ending anywhere between early Sunday morning and mid-day Monday. Auction items handcrafted jewelry, a handmade camo-print purse and consumer electronics. Go check it out!

How to Turn Your Gift into a Laptop

2011-11-05T20:47:00.001-05:00

11/01/11

To honor America’s veterans and support Project Valour-IT, Soldiers’ Angels is holding an eBay auction on Veterans Day Weekend and your donations are needed to make it happen!

From patriotic to practical and beyond, your gift will help a severely-wounded hero receive an adaptive laptop from Soldiers' Angels. We need to move quickly, but Angels have an amazing way of coming through under pressure!

To submit your item for auction or ask any questions, emailbeths@soldiersangels.org with subject line “Auction.” Be sure to include ALL of the following in your email:

Quality photos of the item you are donating for auction
Full description of the item, appropriate for posting on eBay
The minimum amount for which you want your item to sell

Items must be mailed to Soldiers’ Angels as soon as possible (in most cases, before the auction is complete—shipping details will be provided when you email).

Billy D's BBQ Plate Fundraiser

2011-11-05T01:41:00.002-05:00

If you are in the San Antonio area, there will be a barbecue plate fundraiser at Billy D's (1805 Pat Booker Road, Universal City) on Saturday, November 19 from noon until 9pm. From the flyer I picked up from the Soldiers' Angels table at the Randolph AFB Air Show October 29th:

Ribs
Chicken
Raffle
Silent Auction
Bouncy House (Noon to 6pm)
Stand-up Comedy featuring Anthony Tormo (7-9pm)

Crafts for Christmas event in San Antonio

2011-11-03T23:47:00.000-05:00

On October 15th, the San Antonio Soldiers' Angels support center was taken over by kids! We had a fabulous day making Christmas cards for our troops.

We had over 30 children there. Unfortunately, there are no pictures of the children crafting away! An area children's shelter comes in once a month to volunteer, this month, they got a surprise and got to have a little fun! This meant that I could not take pictures of the kids. But I promise, we had way too much fun!

We made cards, sang Christmas carols, and talked about our deployed men and women. For young kids, they all seemed to understand what they were doing and why. It was such a blessing to spend a day with these children. I can not wait to do something like this again.

I want to thank the people that made this all happen. With out our sponsors this event could not have happened. From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU! Kym's Kids, Logical Security and City Year. THANK YOU!!!!!

Soldiers' Angels mention at Big Hollywood

2011-11-01T22:08:00.003-05:00

Our Florida Soldiers' Angel blogger sent a link to a story at Big Hollywood about a singer using his talents to support Soldiers' Angels:

Whenever we meet folks who take the time to show their appreciation to our brothers and sisters in uniform for all the sacrifices they have made and continue to make for freedom’s sake, we take an instant liking to them… especially when they turn out to be extraordinarily talented and are using that talent to support our troops.

That is exactly what singer-songwriter-musician and owner of Guilty Dog Studios Joe Merrick is doing.

Go read the whole thing.

Dine to Donate

2011-10-31T00:00:00.002-05:00

Print this flyer, take it to one of the five San Antonio Applebee's restaurants and 15% of your bill will be donated to Soldiers' Angels:

11605 W. 1604 North

1305 N. Loop 1604 West

1511 S.W. Military Drive

7880 I-35 North (This location is close to the Soldiers' Angels Warehouse.)

97 Loop 410 N.E.

Military Post Offices in Iraq to Close Nov. 17

2011-10-29T00:35:00.001-05:00

By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 26, 2011 – Because U.S. forces are coming home from Iraq by the end of the year, the U.S. Postal Service will stop accepting mail addressed to military post offices in Iraq starting Nov. 17, Defense Department officials said today.

Military post offices in Iraq also will stop processing mail Nov. 17, and service members there should begin now to advise those who send them mail about the Nov. 17 deadline.

Mail still in the postal system through Nov. 17 will be processed and delivered to service members in Iraq, officials said.

In November, U.S. military postal service responsibilities in Iraq will transition to State Department embassy or consulate post offices for service members assigned to Office of Security Cooperation or the Chief of Mission in Iraq.

These sites will provide letter and parcel mail services to service members assigned to the Office of Security Cooperation or the Chief of Mission in Iraq.

The transition will be closely coordinated with the U.S. Postal Service Agency, which will delete ZIP codes for Iraq military post offices from the USPS database to prevent undeliverable mail from entering the postal system after Nov. 17, according to defense officials.

If APO mail arrives in Iraq after a service member departs, mail will be redirected to the new mailing address provided or, if no mailing address was provided, returned to sender.

Any mail mistakenly accepted by a USPS post office after Nov. 17 will be returned to sender once it reaches the International Gateway in New Jersey.

Service members in Iraq or returning from Iraq who do not receive a requested absentee ballot from their state can complete a back-up federal write-In absentee ballot at the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s Web portal. The form wizard will provide a PDF document for printing, including the completed ballot and instructions for returning it to their local election official. Contact installation and unit level voting assistance officers for additional assistance.

Service members who are remaining in Iraq after Nov. 17 and who are there on behalf of or are assigned to the Office of Security Cooperation or the Chief of Mission in Iraq should coordinate with their chain of command and the servicing State Department mail location to receive a new mailing address.

According to defense officials, conditions and situations in the Iraq transition change often. Officials recommend that service members check the Military Postal Service Agency website and USPS Postal Bulletins frequently for updates.

Texas Stars Military Appreciation Weekend

2011-10-28T22:05:00.001-05:00

Austin Angel Melissa posted a link to this on facebook:

Texas Stars Military Appreciation Weekend
From: Amber Cooney [acooney@texasstarshockey.com]
Subject: FREE Military Tickets for Texas Stars Military Appreciation Game

Good evening military families,
I am proud to announce the first Texas Stars Military Appreciation Weekend of the season.
I have complimentary tickets to the November 12th (6PM) game for veterans, active service members, military serving organizations, and military families. We would love to recognize your service and treat you and your friends/family to a Texas Stars hockey game.
Please respond to this email with the information below to reserve your FREE tickets:
- Name
- Branch
- Qty. of Tickets
- ADA (if necessary)
Thank you for your service and I hope to see you at the game!
Amber Cooney, Texas Stars Foundation Director
Texas Stars Hockey Club
D: 512.600.5186 | M: 512.919.6172 | F: 512.600.5020
email: acooney@texasstarshockey.com; web:www.TexasStarsHockey.com

Cedar Park Center is located at 2100 Avenue of the Stars, Cedar Park TX, 78613.

Soldiers Angels' Hug A Hero Day - Update

2011-10-27T23:50:00.002-05:00

Austin Angel Becky Bourtzos has been doing a fabulous job organizing the "Hug a Hero Day" on Saturday, November 12th There has been a change in time: it is now scheduled from 10am to 1pm.

Please join us as we celebrate America's Heroes, past and present for the sacrifices they have made in the service of our country.

"Hug a Hero Day" is being held at the Frank Fickett Center (12500 North I-35 in Austin). The Boy Scouts Capitol Area Council, along with the Fairfield Inn and Suites, are generously providing the use of their property for the day as well as sponsoring this event! This event is completely free to the public: no admission and free parking!

We will have active duty troops as well as veterans in attendance from all branches of the military to hug, shake hands with and thank for their service to our country! Military vehicles and GI Johnny (ARMY mascot) will be there and other kid friendly vendors too.

There will be letter and card signing tables. We will be accepting donations of items for care packages, We'll have fun activities for the kids, too! Music, food and fun! And, Heroes to hug! Who could ask for more?

We could still use additional volunteers. We also still need donations of bottled water for the volunteers and paper for the kids' crafts.

So, if you have help get some of the items she's still looking for, or you can donate your services, please contact Austin CNC Lisa Luhrman at cnctx06(at)gmail(dot)com. She will be able to connect you with Becky.

Day of the Deployed Passes Senate

2011-10-24T23:58:00.001-05:00

10/18/11

Soldiers' Angels is proud to announce... Day of the Deployed, October 26, 2011was passed with 100% yes votes by the US Senate to become a NATIONAL DAY OF HONOR!

"Day of the Deployed is a day to honor the many selfless actions demanded of military members and their loved ones across the globe serves as a tangible reminder of the sacrifice being made in homes across America every day. Every deployment reflects the deep commitment of not only the deploying member, but of the many friends and loved ones who are left behind to aid in answering our nations call. Selfless men, women and children who are called upon to set aside their personal comfort and convenience to support the heroes they call mom, dad, father, mother, brother, sister or friend." --Patti Patton Bader, Soldiers' Angels Founder

HOEVEN’S NATIONAL DAY OF THE DEPLOYED RESOLUTION PASSES IN THE SENATE

WASHINGTON, October 18, 2011 – Senator John Hoeven announced today that a resolution he introduced to continue honoring the nation’s deployed service men and women with a Day of the Deployed has unanimously passed in the Senate. Hoeven launched the first Day of the Deployed in 2006 while serving as Governor of North Dakota and spearheaded the effort to bring the initiative to the national level this year. The resolution, passed last night, calls on all Americans to reflect on the service of the nation’s deployed service members and to offer support to their loved ones.

“Our U.S. service men and women currently deployed, along with their loved ones, make untold sacrifices as they serve our nation,” said Hoeven. “A national Day of the Deployed pays tribute to their commitment to our country and their work to protect our freedoms. We want to ensure that our military members and their loved ones know of our appreciation and support before, during and after their service.”

On Oct. 26, 2006, then-Governor Hoeven launched the first Day of the Deployed in support of Soldiers’ Angels, a nonprofit organization that aids deployed American military personnel and their families. The effort spread, and in 2010, 40 states had proclaimed a Day of the Deployed.

“Working with John Hoeven on Day of the Deployed since 2006 in North Dakota has been an honorable way to extend appreciation to the deployed service members and their families. Day of the Deployed is recognition for their hard work, dedication and commitment to the United States of America. This day is all about them,” said Shelle Michaels, Soldiers’ Angels Deputy Director of Development.

“More than 2 million Americans currently serve in the Unites States Armed Forces. These men and women are making great scarifies to ensure the safety and security of our great nation.

Next Wednesday, October 26, is the Day of the Deployed. I encourage people in North Dakota and across our nation to take a moment to recognize and celebrate America’s heroes — our men and women in uniform. They deserve our support and the thanks of a grateful nation,” said Senator Kent Conrad, a cosponsor of the resolution.

Currently, more than 2.27 million people serve as members of the U.S. Armed Forces, including those in the active guard and reserve components, with thousands of members deployed each year to 150 countries around the world. The resolution calls on Americans to reflect on the service of the nation’s soldiers and encourages ceremonies and activities on Oct. 26 to mark the Day of the Deployed.

S.RES.295 -- Designating October 26, 2011, as `Day of the Deployed'. (Agreed to Senate - ATS)

SRES 295 ATS
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 295

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
October 17, 2011

Mr. HOEVEN (for himself, Mr. CONRAD, Mr. ROBERTS, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. ISAKSON, Mr. BLUNT, and Mr. BOOZMAN) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

________________________________________
RESOLUTION

Designating October 26, 2011, as `Day of the Deployed'.

Whereas more than 2,270,000 people serve as members of the United States Armed Forces;

Whereas several hundred thousand members of the Armed Forces rotate each year through deployments to 150 countries in every region of the world;

Whereas more than 2,300,000 members of the Armed Forces have deployed to the area of operations of the United States Central Command since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks;

Whereas the United States is kept strong and free by the loyal military personnel who protect our precious heritage through their positive declaration and actions;

Whereas members of the Armed Forces serving at home and abroad have courageously answered the call to duty to defend the ideals of the United States and to preserve peace and freedom around the world;

Whereas members of the Armed Forces personify the virtues of patriotism, service, duty, courage, and sacrifice;

Whereas the families of members of the Armed Forces make important and significant sacrifices for the United States;

Whereas North Dakota began honoring the members of the Armed Forces and their families by designating October 26 as `Day of the Deployed' in 2006 ; and

Whereas 40 States designated October 26, 2010, as `Day of the Deployed': Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate--

(1) honors the members of the United States Armed Forces who are deployed;
(2) calls on the people of the United States to reflect on the service of those members of the United States Armed Forces, wherever they serve, past, present, and future;
(3) designates October 26, 2011, as `Day of the Deployed'; and
(4) encourages the people of the United States to observe `Day of the Deployed' with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

Soldier Turns Angel

2011-10-21T22:59:00.000-05:00

10/11/11

Veteran Kelli Harmon knows what the support of Soldiers’ Angels means to troops and their families, so she jumped at the chance to join the team in September. Kelli is the Soldiers’ Angels Social Media Coordinator, a position in which she will focus on spreading the message of Soldiers’ Angels through mediums like Facebook, Twitter and other online avenues.

Soldiers’ Angels and Kelli have been partners for several years already. She initially encountered the organization in 2008 when Toby Nunn stopped in at the Fort Hood BOSS (Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers) office while she was the BOSS President for Ft Hood. As a previous Fort Hood BOSS President himself, Toby was interested in supporting Kelli’s efforts in the position. Toby and Kelli worked together on a number of large-scale events that Soldiers’ Angels supported. “During my two years as BOSS President, Soldiers’ Angels was the most supportive organization and they truly showed that they do care about Soldiers,” Kelli recalls.

In April 2010, Kelli was deployed to Camp Marmal, in Regional Command-North, Afghanistan with the 4th Infantry Division, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade and soon became the Brigade’s BOSS Representative. The Camp had no morale facilities when she arrived, so she set to work gathering resources to change that, including Soldiers’ Angels. Her efforts brought about MWR opportunities that included a gym, USO facility, basketball and volleyball courts, a movie theatre and a number of special events. Kelli’s tremendous work during her deployment garnered her two Army Commendation Medals and a Bronze Star.

Giving back to those around her has always been a part of Kelli’s life. Before spending 6.5 years in the military, she chose a career as a firefighter before discovering that she felt as though she still was not contributing enough to her country. “I loved it and will go back at some point,” she says, “but I wasn’t giving back enough as a firefighter.”

With her background and experience, working with Soldiers’ Angels after her military service was a natural fit. “The dedication of Soldiers’ Angels to the average Soldier and Veteran led me to choose Soldiers’ Angels as my next place of employment,” Kelli says. “I’m really excited to be working with Soldiers’ Angels.”

Soldiers’ Angels is excited to have Kelli on the team! Thank you to Kelli for her service—past, present and certainly future!

Soldiers Angels Hug A Hero Day

2011-10-18T22:50:00.000-05:00

Austin Angel Becky Bourtzos is organizing "Hug a Hero Day" for Saturday, November 12th from 10am to 3pm. While it is still a work in progress, here is what is planned so far:

Please join us as we celebrate Americas Heroes, past and present for their service and sacrifice to our country.

The event is being held at the Boy Scouts of America Fickett Center and they along with the Fairfield Inn and Suites are generously allowing us to use their property for the day as well as sponsoring this event! We will have soldiers and veterans in attendance from all branches of the military to hug, shake hands with and thank for their service to our country! Military vehicles and GI Johnny (ARMY mascot) will be there and other kid friendly vendors too.

We will have letter and card signing tables, a donation station for hygiene and food products to go to the Warehouse in San Antonio for care packages, a small craft table for the kids, bands playing through the day and quite possibly some motivational speakers who are current and former military! I will keep you updated!

Opening ceremony's will include the Boy Scouts of America leading us in the Pledge of Allegiance and Hernandez School performing our National Anthem!

She still need help and donations:

I need water, ice, craft items for the kids table, a bouncy house or two, face painter, photographer and video person. Decorations for our tables, donation jars and still working on trying to get the items for crafts for the kids.

So, if you have help get some of the items she's still looking for, or you can donate your services, please contact Austin CNC Lisa Luhrman at cnctx06(at)gmail(dot)com. She will be able to connect you with Becky.

Texas Students Sock it to Soldiers

2011-10-08T20:28:00.002-05:00

North of Dallas is a small town of only about 9,000 people, but when their local elementary school goes to work supporting the troops, there’s nothing small about it!

During the first month of school, the 715 students of Baker Elementary (Pre-K to 4th grade) collected 2137 pairs of socks for the troops, an average of three pairs of socks per student. They also gathered over 100 letters written independently at home.

The “Socks for Soldiers” drive culminated in a third “patriotic assembly” for Baker Elementary, an annual tradition that began two years ago when registrar Leigh Moore reconnected with a friend serving in the Army as a chaplain. When Leigh discovered he was collecting freezer pops for troops in Iraq, she and the school leadership helped the kids collect 9,000 freezer pops. Last year they collected 3,000 rolls of Life Saver candies, which were given to deploying troops at the Dallas airport USO.

This year Leigh and her team wanted to collect something more need-based instead of merely fun. Looking at various troop support websites, her team was moved by what they saw at Soldiers’ Angels and decided to collect an item from the needed supplies list. Leigh says they chose socks because “It’s something the children could relate to and was affordable.”

For the patriotic assembly announcing the collection totals, the middle school drummers visited and joined the elementary Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts in leading a parade to the assembly hall, picking up each classroom of students as they passed through the halls. Attendance at the assembly included about 175 visitors such as military guests, veterans, parents and the school district’s supervisor.

The assembly began with a brief mention of the 9-11 Memorial, then focused on how the socks would “make life easier for the soldiers and let them know we are thinking about them,” Leigh reports. Children with military connections were invited to contribute a picture of family members who are active duty military or veterans, which was displayed during the assembly. The highlight of the event was the announcement of the total number of socks collected, which was accomplished by the gradual uncovering of each digit in the number 2,137.

Reactions to the assembly were powerful. Leigh reports that the children “roared” when the total of 2,137 socks was revealed. and Soldiers’ Angels Events Coordinator Twyla Choate, who was in attendance, was moved to tears at the size of the gift. Parents mentioned that they were very grateful to have experienced “that kind of assembly.”

Twyla presented the school with a Golden Wing Award for their amazing efforts, but the appreciation is mutual. Leigh has nothing but good things to say about her experience of working with Soldiers’ Angels. “It was so easy,” she says. She and her team were very moved by the many ways the organization supports the troops, and feel that it’s the perfect group to partner with for future troop support activities. “We’ve found our home,” she says.

Huge thanks to the parents, students and staff of Baker Elementary. What an amazing group of Angels and Angels-in-Training!

2nd graders and their teacher lined up excitedly to join the patriotic assembly parade and discover how many Socks for Soldiers had been collected. (scroll down for more)

Socks for Soldiers Click on a thumbnail to view a larger image. Click on the close button to close it.

Dolphin Tale

2011-09-21T00:50:00.000-05:00

This past Sunday, I had the opportunity to attend a special screening of the new movie Dolphin Tale. I had recently seen a trailer for the movie and thought I'd like to see it: a story about a wounded warrior, a boy and a dolphin...

Then, last Wednesday, Soldiers' Angels Executive Director Toby Nunn posted to his facebook about the Soldiers' Angels premiere in San Antonio. I checked the date: Sunday evening at 6pm - I could go! So, I signed up - seating was limited...

Since I had to drive from Austin, I tried to give myself a little extra time. I arrived at the theater about 20 minutes before the scheduled start time. I stood in line at the box office window, email confirmation in hand, only to be told to go inside to the red carpet. My name was on the list, so I got my ticket and my voucher for a complimentary drink and bag of popcorn. I went in, attempting to avoid the photographers (I think they got me at the table :-P). I discovered I would see the movie in 3D. Bonus! Once inside, I looked around to see where I might want to see. I knew that I would see Angels I knew, in addition to the wounded warriors and their families (including members of the Military Order of the Purple Heart). Was only able to say hello to Toby in passing - he was pretty busy with the business of the night. Ended up sitting with Angel & SA Events Coordinator Twyla. Now that I had a seat, it was time to go grab my concessions!

It was set up Hollywood-style: outside the auditorium was a big movie poster. While returning with my concessions, I saw two people being interviewed on camera, but I didn't know who they were at the time. I assumed they had some connection with the actual movie, and weren't just random people in attendance. Before the movie started, Toby spoke and let us know the director and the actor playing the role of the wounded warrior would do a Q&A session after the movie was over.

I cannot say enough good things about the movie. It is a wonderful family film. The main story, of course, is about the dolphin, Winter. From the trailer, you learn that Winter is rescued after being injured and she eventually loses her tail. How can a dolphin survive if it can't swim? What happened to Winter is true. Winter plays herself in the movie (so you already know she doesn't die...). The rest of the story in the movie - the story involving the human characters - isn't based on actual people or events. In the movie, a young boy, Sawyer helps rescue the dolphin when she is washed up on a beach, tangled in the line from a crab trap: he cuts her free of the line using the multi-tool given to him by his soldier cousin, Kyle. He is there long enough to know where the animal is taken. Later, he shows up at the marine rescue hospital to find out what happened and is eventually invited to help - he's made a connection with Winter...

You might be curious as to how a story about a dolphin has anything to do with Soldiers' Angels. Well, there is the character of Kyle, high school swim champ with Olympic dreams, but he's decided to serve his country and get help with paying for college. He leaves for a deployment, leaving Sawyer with the message "Family is forever". Well, as you can see in the trailer above, Kyle gets wounded and comes back home to heal...

I thought they did a wonderful job in handling Kyle's story line. It shows the sacrifice and horror of war without being graphic: Sawyer and his mother go to visit Kyle at the VA hospital. Real wounded warriors are extras in the movie. Sawyer, having been around a dolphin with an amputated tail takes note of the wounded warriors with prosthetics. They are being active, doing things they probably did before they got hurt.

I won't spoil any more of the story. All I can say is this: go see it. Take you kids. Take your sweetie. Go with friends. But see this movie. It is heartwarming and inspirational. As Toby said, if you see this movie and it doesn't touch you in some way.... It will make you laugh. It may make you cry. I dare you to see this movie and leave the theater unmoved by what you saw.

I wasn't going to miss the Q&A after the movie with director Charles Martin Smith and actor Austin Stowell who portrays Kyle. Mr. Smith wrote the screenplay as well. The character of Kyle is meant to represent the wounded veterans who have come to see Winter and have been inspired by her. When it was Austin's turn to answer questions, one of the things he was asked was how he researched for this role. He said he has friends that are in the service and spoke with them. He also visited a VA facility in Los Angeles. One of the most touching moments of the evening came when a wounded warrior asked him about wearing the leg brace. Austin said it was very uncomfortable: it sometimes pinched his leg, giving him blue blisters and bruises, it would also rub and irritate his leg; he looked forward to being able to take it off at the end of the day, and this gives him a greater appreciation for the real wounded warriors who don't get to take that brace off when filming is done for the day. Toby presented both Mr. Smith and Austin with Crystal Wing Awards.

There is more than just the movie premiere for Soldiers' Angels. Toby announced the My Wounded Hero promotion. If you are - or know of - a wounded veteran who would like a chance to meet Winter, tell Soldiers' Angels why in 250 to 500 words. But, you'll have to do it quickly! The deadline for submissions is midnight on September 22nd!

Cards For Christmas

2011-09-19T23:34:00.002-05:00

Cards for Christmas is an event for the kids! At the Soldiers' Angels Warehouse (4408 N PanAm Expressway, San Antonio) on Saturday, October 15th from 11am until 2pm, we will be making Christmas cards and other crafts to be included in the holiday care packages being sent out by Soldiers' Angels. We will have plenty of craft items for the children and lunch will be provided. We will have plenty of volunteers there to help the children have fun! We would love if the parents can stick around to help Mary sort and price items for the Sale-A-Bration the following weekend. You can RSVP on facebook, or email csegner@soldiersangels.org

Guardian Angel for Soldier's Pet: Volunteer Position available

2011-09-15T22:55:00.002-05:00

Soldiers' Angels' partner organization Guardian Angels for Soldier's Pet is looking for a long term volunteer here in Texas to fill their Foster Home Coordinator position. The person can be located anywhere in the state. The role's primary responsibility is assisting a Military Service Member (MSM) in recommending a potential foster home which closely emulates the pet(s) current living environment. Must be a self-starter, have excellent organizational, interpersonal and management skills, plus able to work independently and as a "team" player. They request the volunteer be able to commit at least 1 year in this position which requires approximately 15-25 hours per month.

If you are interested, please visit their website (www.guardianangelsforsoldierspet.org) and click on "Volunteer" to complete the initial application.

San Antonio soldier's homecoming

2011-09-14T00:00:00.000-05:00

Via WOAI radio:

When Specialist David Ibarra burst through the doors of his son's elementary school classroom, two year old Andrew jumped up and threw his arms around his father, fighting back tears of joy.

"I'm excited," the second grader gave a toothy grin. "I just want to spend time with my dad."

Go read the rest.

DFW area events

2011-09-13T00:00:00.001-05:00

If you're in the DFW area, you can go here to see what they did in August and what's coming up in September.

Austin-area Meet & Greet

2011-09-12T00:00:00.001-05:00

Come on out to Chuy's in Arbor Trails (4301 W. William Cannon) for our next Meet & Greet on Saturday, October 8th at 2pm. Bring your ideas and your appetites for Chuy's tasty Tex-Mex! Please RSVP to Lisa at cnctx06 -at- gmail -dot- com: if we have a large enough group, we will need to give Chuy's a little warning! Look forward to seeing everyone and hearing about your ideas!

6th Annual SuddenLink Bluegrass Festival, Leander

2011-09-11T00:20:00.001-05:00

Come join us at the 6th Annual SuddenLink Bluegrass Festival at Robin Bledsoe Park in Leander, Texas on Saturday, September 24th. The event officially starts at 11am with jam sessions followed by live music beginning at 12:30pm. Soldiers' Angels will have a table, but we'll be there early to set up. If you are interested in helping, since the event runs until 10pm and we'll be there the entire time, please email Lisa Luhrman at cnctx06 -at- gmail -dot- com. Admission is free, so spread the word!

Help Veterans Affected by Texas Fires

2011-09-07T23:32:00.000-05:00

I'm sure you are all aware of the rash of destructive wildfires in Texas. Our very own Patti Patton-Bader and Toby Nunn have been displaced from their homes because of them. I am happy to report that a Texas Department of Public Safety officer surveyed their neighborhood, and both their homes are reported to be still standing.

However, hundreds of other families have not been so lucky. While Patti and Toby can't go home yet, there are veterans here in Texas affected by the fires, some of whom will have no homes to go back to. At least two of those veterans are just returned from Afghanistan...

Progress is being made on these fires, but many are still burning and are only partially contained. Even for those who haven't lost their homes, they may not be allowed to return home for several days.

In an effort to support these heroes back here on the homefront, Soldiers' Angels is accepting donations to help these veterans and their families through this difficult time:

Wal-Mart gift cards
Target gift cards
diapers
formula
new clothing in all sizes

These items should be sent to the address below. Please mark the box "Texas Fire Victims".

Soldiers' Angels Warehouse
4408 N Pan Am Expressway
San Antonio, TX 78218

And, of course, financial donations can be made, as well.

Mama Mia! It's Jerky for the Troops

2011-09-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

Entrepreneur Mia Styles is helping Soldiers’ Angels stuff care packages with her one-of-a-kind, delicious beef jerky. Starting today, Styles is offering Mama Mia jerky for $4.50 per bag (reg. $6.99) when customers donate that purchase to Soldiers’ Angels. Her goal is to send 5,000 bags to deployed troops through the Soldiers’ Angels warehouse in nearby Pasadena, CA.

Though Styles has been in business only since January, she already has an extensive history of charitable activities. She has conducted fundraisers for cystic fibrosis and breast cancer, and even turned down a potential major investor who wanted her to spend less time and money on her fundraisers.

Created with her father’s personal recipe that marinates the meat for three days before smoking it, Mia’s jerky is a big hit with everyone who tries it, including her Marine Corps friends in Afghanistan who inspired her to start this donation drive for Soldiers’ Angels. Since jerky is small and lightweight while offering concentrated nutrition, it's the perfect care package stuffer and easy for troops to carry when on patrols.

Click to donate jerky for the troops (only this link will send jerky to the troops).

To get some yummy Mama Mia’s jerky for yourself or a friend, visit MamaMiasBeefJerky.com (do NOT use this link to donate for the troops).

Texas Quilters Support the Troops

2011-08-29T22:25:00.002-05:00

From the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal:

If you think Lubbock’s summer and its string of triple-digit temperatures is hot, try Afghanistan. Temperatures in some areas can reach 120 degrees, but the heat can feel much hotter for soldiers wearing uniforms and carrying heavy equipment.

The South Plains Quilter’s Guild wanted to make life a little more comfortable for those in harm’s way, especially those in blistering heat, said Dawn Berry, the guild’s program chairperson.

Since 2010, the guild has made more than 2,000 Kool-ties for soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Kool-ties or sand scarves are made of 100 percent cotton or cotton knit fabric and filled with nontoxic,water-absorbing crystals, according to the website Soldiers’ Angels at http://soldiersangels.org/scarves.html.

.Good on these ladies! Keep up the good work!

Ranger Moves Up to Angels

2011-08-27T11:00:00.003-05:00

Nick Palmisciano, founder and CEO of Ranger Up, a longtime and strong supporter of Soldiers' Angels, is stepping up to even greater involvement as a member of the Soldiers' Angels Board of Trustees. Welcome and congratulations to Nick!

Veteran & Entrepreneur Palmisciano Appointed to Soldiers’ Angels
New Trustee Brings Marketing Skills to Military Support Nonprofit

PASADENA, CA August 22, 2011 Soldiers’ Angels announces the appointment of veteran and entrepreneur Nick Palmisciano to its volunteer Board of Trustees. Palmisciano will apply his proven skills in branding and marketing to improve fundraising and help the organization better tell the story of the powerful impact its hundreds of thousands of volunteers have on military personnel, veterans and their families.

A graduate of West Point, Palmisciano is a former U.S. Army officer, Fortune 100 employee and successful entrepreneur. He is the Founder-CEO of online-based Ranger Up Military and MMA Apparel, associated military content site The Rhino Den, and social media/guerilla marketing management company Wombat Vengeance, LLC. He also founded nonprofit Train the Troops MMA, which brings world-class Mixed Martial Arts athletes to deploying military personnel for extra hand-to-hand combat training.

Soldiers’ Angels appreciates Palmisciano’s years of active support and welcomes his increased involvement as a new Trustee. “We are excited and thrilled to have Nick on board, and look forward to the new dimension he brings to Soldiers’ Angels,” says Founder and CEO Patti Patton-Bader. “His strong record of entrepreneurial and online development will help us continue to meet the needs of military personnel, wounded heroes, veterans and their families.”

Palmisciano was impressed with Soldiers’ Angels from the moment he heard about the organization while visiting wounded warriors at Walter Reed. In the three years since, his admiration and association have grown and he is excited to be directly helping an organization he believes is unique in the military support field. “This is an organization asking individuals to help these troops personally: by writing a letter, visiting a hospital, making a quilt, or donating to very specific causes,” he says. “This is an organization telling Americans that one person can make a difference and asking them very clearly to be that person.”

After serving in the U.S. Army from 1998-2003 and leaving as a Ranger-qualified infantry captain, Palmisciano completed his MBA and spent five years in development/acquisitions, sales and branding for John Deere before entering the entrepreneurial world fulltime. He holds an MBA from Duke University Fuqua School of Business and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Another Homefront Hero

2011-08-24T00:25:00.009-05:00

Fort Bliss soldier Chief Warrant Officer 2 Don Schmidt was in Arizona last month. He calls Tuscon home. During a heavy rain storm, he risked his life to save a child:

"I asked my dad, 'Please don't let me die like this. I have a kid in my arms,'" said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Don Schmidt, a Patriot missile system technician here for B Battery, 3rd Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery.

Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Don Schmidt stands outside the B Battery, 3rd Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery headquarters building at Fort Bliss, Texas. Schmidt jumped into a raging, flood-swollen river on the outskirts of Tucson, Ariz., to save a drowning child July 23, 2011. U.S. Army photo
(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.
These were Schmidt's thoughts before a piece of debris struck him on the head and he lost his grip on 11-year-old Angel Sandoval, resulting in the boy being swept away by raging flash flood waters.
A fierce July 23 rainstorm that’d pummeled the area surrounding Tucson, Ariz., caused Schmidt to risk his life in an attempt to save the boy, named Angel, from drowning.
Many low-lying areas in the southwestern United States flood easily, Schmidt said, because of a combination of intense rain and poor drainage.
Schmidt, who hails from Tucson, said he is well aware of the areas that become dangerous and impassable when severe weather strikes. He had returned home and was visiting his family when dark, thick rain clouds filled the sky.

Read the whole thing.

Warehouse Wish List

2011-08-15T23:25:00.000-05:00

The Soldiers' Angels Warehouse in San Antonio is in need of the following items:

toothbrushes
deodorant
baby wipes
non-perishable food items (especially tuna and jerky)
individual drink packets
nuts
raisins
microwaveable meals

If you can get these, wonderful, and thank you SO much! If you are close enough, you can deliver the items, otherwise, you can ship them to:

Soldiers' Angels
4408 N PanAm Expressway
San Antonio, TX 78218

NASCAR & Soldiers' Angels

2011-08-09T21:05:00.000-05:00

At this weekend’s Watkins Glen NASCAR Race (Sunday, 1p.m. ET on ESPN), keep your eyes peeled for the Green Smoke Chevy, driven by T.J. Bell. Right behind each door will be the Soldiers’ Angels logo, and a decal on the bumper will read “Text Soldier to 20222,” encouraging viewers to donate. There’s a lot more to the story, including a very special American hero who has been made an honorary pit crew member with full NASCAR qualifications, so check it out!

The press release from The Hero Organization spills the beans about that honorary crew member:

In addition to representing Miami-based Green Smoke®, Bell will race for a special cause. He recently formed an alliance with the Helping Early Responders Organization (H.E.R.O.). H.E.R.O.'s primary mission is to support and assist the non-profit organizations that help the men and women who are firefighters, police officers, E.M.T.s, members of our armed services and their families in their time of greatest need. Bell and Green Smoke will host these heroes as their trackside guests. The Watkins Glen H.E.R.O. will be Captain Dennis H. Knowles and the non-profit organization that H.E.R.O. will feature is Soldiers' Angels.

"Captain Dennis Knowles will be with our Green Smoke® Chevy team this week at Watkins Glen," Bell said, of his guest that is a graduate of Buffalo State College and Canisius College. "Captain Knowles has served our country for twelve years and he’s now able to be on inactive reserve. It gives him the opportunity to be an asset and inspiration to the Addison Central School District where he teaches sixth grade. Hopefully the honors he’s earned for his years of service at the World Trade Center site, in Kuwait and Afghanistan make as much of an impression on his students as they have on me.”

Since Captain Knowles is a military veteran, the No. 50 Green Smoke® Chevy will feature a special Soldiers’ Angels “Text Soldier to 20222” decal as part of the team’s alliance with H.E.R.O. Soldiers’ Angels volunteers provide aid and comfort to the men and women of the United States Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, veterans and their families. By texting “Soldier” to 20222, racing fans will be able to immediately donate $5 to the Soldier’s Angels non-profit organization.

Check out the Green Smoke car (without the Soldiers' Angels logo, which won't be revealed until later this week), so you know what to keep an eye out for Sunday!

Run For Rememberance 9/11 Relay and Ultra

2011-08-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

Are you a runner? You might want to make plans to be in San Antonio: there will be a memorial run benefiting Soldiers' Angels the weekend of September 11th:

This event is in honor of those who lost their lives on 9/11 and those who have died fighting and those who continue to fight for our freedom. All proceeds go to Soldiers Angels. The event will take place at Olmos Park on Devine Drive starting at 10PM on 9-10-11. Teams will run 1 person at a time for one mile loops on well lit, paved bike path. After the loop the next runner will take off and this will continue through the night for 9 hrs and 11 minutes. Solo Ultra runners will run as many miles as possible for the 9hrs 11 minutes. At 7:11 the running stops and runners can cool down. At 7:46 there will be a moment of silence for Flight 11 and the North Tower victims followed by our National Anthem with color guard. Awards will begin to be distributed after that. At 8:03 A moment of silence will be observed for Flight 175 and the victims of the South Tower followed by our Pledge of Allegiance. More awards will be handed out until 8:37 AM where we will observe a moment of silence for Flight 77 and the victims of the Pentagon. America the Beautiful will follow along with final awards and a great breakfast San Antonio style.

You can sign up as a solo entrant, or you can get a relay team of nine people together.

9 Person Relay- $450 per team through 8-27-11. $500 after that. Solo Ultra- $100 through 8-27-11. $110 after that.

If you're interested, you can get more information here, which includes the link to register.

Our soldiers don't have to be on a battlefield to save lives

2011-07-26T23:03:00.000-05:00

Face of Defense: Recruiter Saves Life on Dallas Freeway

DENTON, Texas, July 22, 2011 – When Army Staff Sgt. Marcus A. Stone saw cars suddenly braking and swerving ahead of him on Interstate 35 East in Dallas, he knew something bad had just happened on the freeway he was driving on. In the minutes that followed, Stone pulled a victim from a burning vehicle.

Those actions that December day prompted Stone’s commanding officer to nominate him for the Noncommissioned Officers Association of the United States of America Military Vanguard Award, presented annually to recognize acts of heroism.

...

Officer Susan Sharp, who was the investigating officer that day for the Farmers Branch Police Department, said Stone gave responders his recruiter business card and left the scene. Only after she compiled the statements from witnesses and drivers involved in the accident, who referred to Stone as “that Army guy,” did she realize how crucial a role Stone played, she said.

“Had Sergeant Stone not extricated [the victim], he would have burned to death within a minute or two,” Sharp said. “Stone didn't just save a life. He was the difference between a group of bystanders seeing a man rescued by one of America's heroic soldiers, versus seeing the man die a horrific death, burning right before their eyes.”

Stone, an Iraq combat veteran, said his Army training played a crucial role in his actions in saving the man that day. The Iraq experience, he explained, helped in that he was much calmer because he had already had enough pressure-packed situations in Iraq.

“It just comes down to being at the right place at the right time,” he said. “I’m just glad that somebody was able to continue their life, and I’m thankful that I was able to help someone in that capacity.”

Bus crash victims and hero soldier tell of rescue from fire, explosions:

Syracuse, NY -- William and Sandy Blair worried as they sat in row 8 of the Farr’s Coach Lines Ltd. tour bus on the side of the New York State Thruway early Friday in Junius Ponds.

....

At about 1:20 a.m., the bus pulled back onto the highway. It had just crossed the rough surface of the road’s shoulder when a Matrix Expedited Services truck carrying 14,000 pounds of ball bearing crashed into it.

...

At about the same time, Army Sgt. Jacob Perkins, 28, was driving his truck westbound. Perkins was stationed at Fort Drum in the First Squadron 89th Calvary Regiment and had served in Iraq. He was beginning a couple of weeks leave with a long drive to his home in Mountain Grove, Mo.

“It was just a big fireball of a crash. There were two vehicles burning on the side of the road and people were outside, but there weren’t any first responders there,” he said.

Perkins pulled his truck over.

“All of a sudden this guy came running. He ran right onto the bus that was fully engulfed in flames,” Michelle said.

Perkins said he didn’t hesitate. “They kept saying there were still people on the bus, so I didn’t really think about it. I ran in there.”

He helped a couple of people off the bus. “I pushed back farther into the bus to start checking the seats to make sure there was nobody in there. It was on fire. It wasn’t burning me or nothing. There was fire and smoke. When it got overwhelming, I just got off the bus,” Perkins said.

...

Michelle approached three state troopers on the side of the road. “My dad’s gone. We don’t know if he’s going to live. We need to get to where he’s going. How can we get there,” she asked.

The troopers said they didn’t know.

“Jacob (Perkins) was standing about 10 feet away. He said ‘I’ll take you anywhere you want to go. Get in my truck’.”

Perkins drove the Blairs to the hospital in Rochester. He gave them his cell phone to call family in Canada.

“I went into the hospital covered in blood, one sock, limping and a sports bra. They had no idea what was going on,” Michelle said.

The Blairs told the hospital what had happened, and said they were looking for William. The hospital told them he wasn’t there. He’d been re-routed to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse.

“We were in tears. We didn’t know what to do,” Michelle said.

Perkins told them “Get in my truck. We’re going to the other hospital. I’ll get you there.”

The sergeant drove 90 minutes back to Syracuse.

“Jacob stayed with us. He refused to leave until we had family here,” Michelle said.

Perkins stayed with the women until Sandy and William’s son arrived from Canada. Then he left.

The Blairs offered him cash in thanks. Perkins refused. Gas money? Nope. Cup of coffee. No thanks.

"He wanted nothing. He said, 'That's what people do for other people'," Michelle said.

...

Perkins, reached by cell phone at 10 this morning, was on the side of the road in Ohio where he had stopped to eat. He was still 8 hours from his Missouri home and 5-year-old daughter.

Sounding exhausted, he spoke humbly about his role in Friday’s crash.

“I just think it’s what anybody would have done in that situation. I just happened to be there.”

Major kudos to SSG Stone and SGT Perkins for taking action when they weren't required to do so, and saving lives in the process!

Wounded Vet Fights for Brothers

2011-07-12T22:31:00.000-05:00

Mel "Buddy Lee" Dobberteen is paying it forward:

“My life was saved by Soldiers' Angels and Voices of a Grateful Nation.” So begins the story of musician and wounded warrior Mel "Buddy Lee" Dobberteen, who is now giving back to Soldiers’ Angels some of what he has received. “They helped me find a better way,” he says, “they turned me on to songwriting.”

From a benefit concert next week, to a brand new Soldiers’ Angels project for musical wounded warriors beginning today, Buddy is now passionate about helping his fellow veterans.

Buddy will be appearing at Sam's Burger Joint in San Antonio at 8:00 on Wednesday, July 20. Entry is $5 and funds raised will support Soldiers’ Angel Operation Harmony, musical projects for veterans in conjunction with Voices of a Grateful Nation (VoGN) and Yamaha Music and Wellness Institute. “I want you to hear my story, how Soldiers' Angels has affected me,” Buddy says, “so that you can go out and affect others.” In addition, 50% of the profits through the month of August from sales of his new CD, Second Chances will be donated to Soldiers’ Angels.

Even bigger, today kicks off the new songwriting program Buddy has created with Soldiers’ Angels to help wounded veterans. Working with songwriter Dustin Welch (Texas Country/Americana) and Yamaha, Buddy will be providing songwriting and recording opportunities to wounded veterans as both music therapy and career development. Yamaha is also building a recording studio in his house that will be used by program participants to record their newly-written songs.

Read the whole thing.

Investments in the Future

2011-07-07T00:00:00.001-05:00

Hell in a Basket, from Team Marine, looks at Project Valour-IT not as a cost, but as an investment:

It’s not charity – It’s an investment in the future.

When a Service member is wounded in combat, in today’s conflict, the survival rate is many times higher than in previous wars, due mainly to much better and more timely medical care. However, the wounded can be left with the prospect of a long road of surgeries and rehabilitation.The cost to our military system in dollars is huge, and the cost to the individuals and their families is also gigantic.

I submit that, rather than a “cost” , a donation to Valour-IT is an investment. An investment in the future of our country and it’s people. Most of the injured are young, in the 19 – 25 year old bracket and otherwise healthy. With the technology available today, many of the injuries that would have relegated a person to a life as a dependent, shut-in, the wounded are looking at a far different future.

Read the whole thing.

You can make an investment, too.

AAR: Independence Day Weekend in Luckenbach

2011-07-06T20:57:00.000-05:00

A guest post from San Antonio Angel Crystal Segner; photos by Lisa Luhrman

On Saturday, July 2nd, Soldiers' Angels took over the famous Luckenbach, Texas for the weekend! We set up a table next to the dancehall and had cards and stationary for everyone to write thank yous for our soldiers.

It was so wonderful getting to meet people and read the sweet things that they wrote. We had the opportunity to meet some soldiers that actually received packages from SA, and had an angel when they were deployed. One man told me, “I always looked forward to getting my packages and letters from my angel. It's great to receive stuff from family but to get stuff from a complete stranger makes your day. Lets you know you're not forgotten and reminds you what you're fighting for." Gotta tell you, I almost cried. So many of us have "silent soldiers" and to get reassurance from a one of "our" former guys reminded me why we do what we do. I must have met 10 guys that said they had Angels while they were deployed. I wanted to hug them all (but, I was pretty sweaty and didn’t want to torture them.)

People kept thanking us for what we were doing, the first few times it caught me off guard. I just didn’t understand why they were thanking ME. I mean, I’m just doing something I feel strongly about, something I feel is my duty as an American. I mean, it is the least we could do. The way I look at it is, they are fighting for my children, so that they can continue to grow up in our amazing country. I can take my holiday weekend and do something for them; they give so much for US.

On the first day, we handed out about 200 business cards, told everyone about the organization that would listen, and even met a new Angel (Hi Carmen!). We got over 50 cards signed, and probably about 30 letters. (I’m guessing at this number, it could be more.)

On Sunday, it was PACKED. Thank goodness for the women who helped me out! Ginger kept the people flowing in to our tent, Lisa, Jenna and I made sure everyone got a card and told them that they could adopt a soldier, too. People were amazed that they could adopt, when I told them how easy it is, I would see the look and they would get a little light in their eyes. I’m going to start referring to that as the "angel light." Good name?!

We had a lot of people come in and tell us they knew someone that was currently deployed. I made sure to give them a few extra minutes and tell them exactly how they could sign up their loved one to be adopted. That’s when I met the family of our soldier "Tera." Someone had told the mother we were set up at Luckenbach, at that we could help her sign her daughter up. I had brought my laptop just in case, and the Wi-Fi was being tricky. Tera's mom had brought her two younger daughters and her parents. Now you need to know, that as I am typing this, I am fighting back the tears. The same way I was that day. While we were trying to get the internet to connect, I learned that Tera and her husband are both deployed, and their young son is staying with family. Tera's grandpa came up to us, and started saying how hard it is. I couldn't say much, as I was fighting back tears, and I didn’t want to cry in front of them. As he walked away, Jenna told me it looked like the Grandma was crying; she was, so was the Grandpa at this point. Talk about heart-breaking. I have never seen people more proud, but so upset at the same time. After we got Tera and her husband submitted, I asked the mom for permission to keep her daughter’s address. Her birthday is July 26th, and I want to make sure she gets shown a lot of Angel love. This family will stay in my heart forever. I pray that the mom calls me and lets me know how her daughter is.

By the end of the day, I was exhausted, physically and mentally. We handed out over 300 cards, had a ton of letters and cards, not to mention the fundraising! WOW. I am completely blown away by it all.

Monday, was a slower day. It was fine, because it gave me more time to slow down and have actual conversations with the people that made it in to the tent. And, they had more time to sit down and think about what they wanted to write, they didn’t have a line waiting behind them so they didn’t have to rush through. So many people would ask, "How do you find the words to thank them? There is so much that I want to say." Those are the letters that I would quietly fold up and put in the box. I know that whoever receives them will be very lucky.

The Wilkins family hosted the Celebration, and they raffled off some items and donated that money to Soldiers' Angels. Have to say, that even though I didn't get to enjoy a huge fireworks show this year, Luckenbach made up for it: Amazing music all day, a Lawnmower parade that ended with the Pledge of Allegiance right there on the Luckenbach town loop. As the sun set on Luckenbach, I realized I had just had the greatest 4th of July weekend of my life.

Thank you Lisa, Becky, Jenna, and Ginger. I couldn't have done it without you ladies this weekend!!

How do you eat an elephant?

2011-07-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

From Major Chuck Ziegenfuss:

It's been a long six years, looking back on things. 40 surgeries. Learning to walk. Learning to open and close my hands. Learning to write. Learning to check, and recheck, the temperature of everything before I grab it. Learning how to work a door knob. Learning my physical limitations, and learning the penalties for ignoring them. Many, many painful months of rehab. Narcotics addiction. Becoming a cyborg.

It's been a long journey, to be sure. From my position, now, it seems like it wasn't that bad--just something I had do do. From my position, then, it looked like I was going to have to scale the Himalayas with nothing but a bobbin of thread, a highlighter, and a half-empty bottle of hot sauce. It seemed, at times, like the odds were insurmountable--and worse, not worth attempting. I simply didn't have the tools to try.

Read the whole thing. If you can, please donate to Project Valour-IT.

On Fourth of July, Valour-IT Fights for Wounded Heroes’ Independence

2011-07-04T19:53:00.003-05:00

Soldiers’ Angels Project Valour-IT announces donors gifts for online fundraising competition

(PRWEB) July 04, 2011

On this day commemorating America’s independence, Soldiers’ Angels Project Valour-IT is fighting to help wounded warriors regain some independence of their own. Three days into its online fundraising competition, the project has raised over 10% of its goal of $100,000 to supply severely-wounded troops with voice-controlled laptops and other technology that aids their recovery, reintegration and independence.

“Using a voice-controlled laptop was first time I felt whole since I’d woken up after being wounded,” said Chuck Ziegenfuss, co-founder of Valour-IT and a Wounded Warrior himself. “It allowed me to do one thing that I had been able to do before I was wounded—use a computer. It allowed me to connect to my soldiers, friends, and family. That one thing began a long road to recovery. It gave me hope… hope that I could learn to do other things like I did before.”

To help enable Valour-IT to provide that hope to other wounded warriors and to thank the donors who make it possible, Soldiers’ Angels is offering special email gift certificates to all who donate at least $100 online, throughout the fundraiser.

$100+ donation: Certificate for a Soldiers’ Angels bracelet
$500+ donation: Certificate for limited-edition Valour-IT t-shirt
$1000+ donation: Certificate for a Valour-IT military challenge coin
$25,000+ donation: Dinner with Chuck Ziegenfuss in your hometown

For more information about the fundraising competition, email campaign(at)soldiersangels(dot)org or visit http://www.soldiersangels.org to donate. All funds raised go directly to wounded troops with no overhead costs removed, and requests for support are vetted through case managers.

About Soldiers’ Angels
Established in 2003, Soldiers' Angels is a volunteer-based, award-winning 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing aid and comfort to members of the United States Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard, as well as veterans and military families. For more information, see http://www.soldiersangels.org. Tax ID# 20-0583415 CFC #25131

Wounded Hero Receives Laptop from Project Valour-IT

That one thing began a long road to recovery. It gave me hope… hope that I could learn to do other things like I did before.”

AAR: 2011 Military Appreciation Night with the Round Rock Express

2011-07-03T22:28:00.017-05:00

This year's Military Appreciation Night at the Dell Diamond with the Round Rock Express was different than what we'd done last year. This year, Soldiers' Angels was one of many veteran service organizations invited to participate in the activities organized by TexVet.

There were nine of us able to come out to represent Soldiers' Angels. All the exhibitors were given tables inside the Heritage Center, which was nice, since it was beastly hot outside, and there was A/C in there! We got there before the gates opened so we would be ready when the fans arrived.

Some of these Angels are ones who have helped me out before, a few I met back in April - at the Dell Diamond for Letters for Lyrics at the Zac Brown Band concert - and some I met for the first time. Everyone did a wonderful job of sharing about Soldiers' Angels to everyone who came by.

As part of the festivities, Dana Bowman, former Golden Knight and double-amputee, skydived into the ballpark and threw out the ceremonial first pitch:

Dana is the first double-amputee to re-enlist in the U.S. Army, and he did that more than 15 years ago... Angel Maggie reports he recently joined the Texas ~~Army National~~ State Guard (thanks, Maggie, for the clarification...)! If you are on facebook, you can see a photo of Dana's follow-through on that first pitch.

As part of Military Appreciation Night, the Express wore special camo jerseys. These were to be auctioned off to benefit Heroes Night Out and our friends, Veteran Outdoors. Here's first baseman Chad Tracy:

We had many people stop by our table to talk to us. As always, we truly appreciate when those who have received support from Soldiers' Angels want to tell *US* thank you. Here is SPC Williams and the Angel volunteers having a conversation:

I also got to shake the hand of - and say "thank you" to - Mike Thornton, Medal of Honor recipient. Mike was introduced to the entire stadium later in the ballgame and got a standing ovation from the fans. That's Mike in the yellow shirt down near the third base line:

Before leaving the ballpark, I did want to speak to Dana Bowman. While waiting for my turn, a soldier noticed I was wearing a Soldiers' Angels polo and wanted to show me his tatoo:

It's a little hard to see in the photo, but below the Soldiers' Angels logo, it says "SPC Dore RIP". He also wears a bracelet in honor of Jason Dore:

I gave him my card, but I didn't get his name, which I could kick myself for now. I hope I'm able to track him down!

Overall, I am very pleased with how things went for us: the Angels did a fabulous job spreading the word and making contacts, and we were able to do some brainstorming after all the exhibitors closed down their tables and there were no more fans coming through. I look forward to being back out at the ballpark representing Soldiers' Angels again next season, but until then, I'm sure we'll be able to do lots of other things in the Austin area to support Soldiers' Angels mission. If you want to help, please email me at cnctx06 -at- gmail -dot- com.

Valour-IT Fundraising Competition

2011-06-30T19:55:00.000-05:00

As the number of American Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines suffering battlefield wounds continues to grow, today’s economic challenges continue to squeeze military support nonprofits. Project Valour-IT—which has supplied over 6,000 severely wounded Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines with adaptive laptops and other devices to aid their recovery and reintegration—is addressing that squeeze with a fundraising technique it pioneered: online competition.

Held July 1-14, the Valour-IT fundraising competition will draw on blogging, Facebook, Twitter and other social media to raise money and awareness for the needs of wounded troops. Divided among four “virtual teams” named in honor of U.S. military service branches, participants will also use flyers, word-of-mouth and traditional media outlets to spread the word. The goal is to raise at least $100,000, which will meet increased demand for Valour-IT services through October 2011.

“Project Valour-IT changes lives,” says Soldiers’ Angels founder Patti Patton-Bader. “Wounded heroes report that being able to use a laptop helps them feel whole again. Physical therapists are actually designing therapy sessions around Wii Sports! And something as normal as a handheld GPS reduces stress and helps a hero cope. It’s just amazing what this project does!”

Each of the devices Valour-IT supplies helps restore confidence and independence for a wounded hero. Voice-activated laptops reconnect the wounded with the world and develop self-confidence by showing soldiers they can continue to be engaged and productive despite their injuries. Servicemembers also use the laptops to research their medical care or prepare for a post-military career. Physical therapists report Wii Sports is extremely motivational and beneficial when used in physical therapy settings, and wounded personnel with short-term memory loss due to TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) and severe PTSD use GPS systems to keep from getting lost or disoriented when they move on to more independent living.

For more information about the fundraising competition, email campaign@soldiersangels.org or click here. All funds raised go directly to wounded troops with no overhead costs removed, and requests for support are vetted through case managers.

To join a fundraising team as a blogger or webmaster, email one of the team leaders below or click here on July 1st:

Air Force: greyhawk@mudvillegazette.com
Army: spear_sniper at yahoo.com
Marines: howlsatmoon@gmail.com
Navy: cdrsalamander at hotmail.com

Independence Day Weekend in Luckenbach

2011-06-29T00:24:00.001-05:00

Angel Crystal will be there. Her email:

Hello! Here are the details. I will be there July 2-4th starting at noon till I decide to go home. I will have a table and will be accepting letters, cards and care package items to take to the San Antonio warehouse. Here is the link to their website.

I would love any people that would like to come hang out and help me! Feel free to include my email so that they can contact me with any questions. Thank you!

You can reach Crystal at (210)291-7275 or by email at crystal.segner -at- gmail -dot- com.

Crystal will also be back in Luckenbach on Saturday, July 16th for the Thomas Michael Riley's 4th Annual Music festival from noon to whenever as well.

36th ID in the News

2011-06-28T00:00:00.000-05:00

From the Austin American-Statesman:

Their days are filled with the hard work and minutiae of bringing an end to the United States' military presence in Iraq after nearly a decade of war. The 700 men and women of the Austin-based 36th Infantry Division, one of three National Guard headquarters to oversee active duty troops during the war in Iraq, have been deployed to the port city of Basra since January.

Read the whole thing.

Independence Day Kick Off

2011-06-25T23:48:00.001-05:00

You're invited!

Feel free to RSVP on facebook!

Face of Defense: Airman Aids Afghans With Carpentry Skills

2011-06-21T22:03:00.003-05:00

Our troops often make use of non-military skills when they are deployed. One Airman utilizes his carpentry knowledge for a somber, but important, project:

CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan, June 14, 2011 – Some of the heat has burned off as the summer moon rises overhead. An airman labors over scrap wood in a makeshift workshop under a canopy of camouflage. Fitting pieces of wood together, the shape of a tiny coffin emerges.

Air Force Master Sgt. Jason Reininger builds a child-size coffin to be turned over to the hospital at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan. Reininger is an aerospace medical technician assigned to the 451st Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron. U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Adrian Cadiz
(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.
When the contract providing coffins for deceased Afghans expired, members at the hospital here immediately began making alternative plans. Americans stepped in to continue the role after their British counterparts brought the deficiency to their attention.
"[British army Maj. Martin Smith] came asking to see if our airmen would help out," said Air Force Lt. Col. Barbara Persons, commander of the 451st Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron Detatchment 1 Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility. "I didn't even hesitate. I knew my airmen would feel the same way as I did -- anything to preserve the dignity of an innocent child."

Read the whole thing.

Supplies Needed

2011-06-20T11:49:00.001-05:00

Soldiers' Angels, San Antonio Support Center is in great need for healthy snacks, such as beef jerky, nuts, peanut butter, fruit snacks, granola bars, protein bars, individual drink powder and tuna in a pouch.

Please send to: 4408 N Pan Am Expressway, San Antonio, TX 78218.

Thank you all for your support.

Face of Defense: Wounded Warrior Flourishes as Senior NCO

2011-06-17T10:10:00.000-05:00

From the Armed Forces Press Service:

By Vince Little
The Bayonet

FORT BENNING, Ga., May 19, 2011 – Army Sgt. 1st Class Ray Castillo is again flourishing as a senior noncommissioned officer at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., but that almost didn't seem possible two years ago after he was wounded on the battlefield.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Ray Castillo, who re-enlisted after he lost both legs after an ambush in Iraq two years ago while on his 10th combat deployment is set to graduate next week from the seven-week Maneuver Senior Leaders Course on Fort Benning, Ga. U.S. Army photo by Vince Little
(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Castillo was on his 10th combat deployment with the 75th Ranger Regiment in northern Iraq when he was severely injured by an improvised explosive device, injuries so serious that both his legs had to be amputated above the knee. Today, he's still a dedicated soldier and is set to graduate next week from the seven-week Maneuver Senior Leaders Course offered here.

"Just because I lost my limbs doesn't mean I can't give my experience and my knowledge to other guys, (but) I understood eventually I was going to be behind a desk," said Castillo, now an operations sergeant with 2nd Battalion. "There's nothing I could've done about that. I still wanted to be in the military, I still wanted to contribute."

The incident occurred Feb. 9, 2009, near Mosul. Castillo was a platoon sergeant with the regiment's 2nd Battalion with the unit in pursuit of a high-value target. The soldiers had dismounted and were approaching the objective on foot when they got ambushed.

A command-detonated improvised explosive device hit Castillo.

"It was real quick," he recalled. "(The enemy) hid it really well in the ground. I got to that location, and it just went off. I blacked out for a short period of time, but I remember the explosion going off and flying through the air."

Covered in blood, Castillo went into shock. A platoon medic treated him at the scene and he got evacuated within 30 minutes. On the ride to the hospital, he slipped in and out of consciousness.

"I was in so much pain," he said. "I told my medic, 'Hey, you need to give me something. I don't care if you punch me in the face or whatever, but I'm in so much pain.'"

Castillo had multiple lacerations, including to his liver, spleen, intestines and right kidney. A lung was punctured in three different areas.

After the blast, when he was dragged to a stretcher, Castillo said he remembers looking down and seeing his right leg severed at the ankle. He figured he might lose part of one leg, but woke up from an induced coma about a month later at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., to find both gone. The infections had spread too quickly, doctors told him.

"I wasn't expecting to see 70 percent of my legs gone," he said. "Because of the infection, they had to keep cutting off more and more and more, because of all that bad stuff they have in the dirt over in Iraq."

He's undergone dozens of procedures, and not just to the legs. Doctors also removed shrapnel from his abdomen area.

"I lost count (of the surgeries). I had so many, I was sick of surgery," he said. "I still have a lot of shrapnel in me. Every once in a while, I'll get a scratch here or there 'cause it's trying to come out. It's all over the place."

There's a little ball of metal floating around a finger in his left hand. Castillo said X-rays at the dentist reveal more pieces in his head.

Castillo spent almost two months at Walter Reed and actually re-enlisted there in March 2009 from a hospital bed, surrounded by most of his family. He'd planned to re-enlist in Iraq before getting wounded.

"I would say it's more frustrating than difficult," he said of his lengthy recovery. "There's a lot of frustration that goes with having some type of new life. Everyone has a goal in life, and then when something happens, it can change."

"You can still stay on certain career paths and other paths you want to do in your life," he explained. "It can be difficult doing those things, but it's more frustrating. There are simple things that you have to try to overcome and adapt to."

After being transferred to Fort Sam Houston, Texas, for rehabilitation, Castillo said he encountered other soldiers in worse predicaments.

"Looking at them being able to do certain things, it gives you strength," he said. "I remember seeing a woman in San Antonio - she had both arms gone. She was an (explosive ordnance disposal) soldier missing both arms up high. The wounds were so high up her shoulders that she couldn't have a prosthetic arm."

"Seeing someone like that reminds you, 'Hey, you shouldn't be complaining about certain things.' You don't want to have someone always helping you out, because they're not always gonna (sic) be there," he said. "In Texas, they taught (me) how to do stuff on (my) own. I had to figure a lot of things out and learn how to overcome those little obstacles and hurdles."

Castillo was fitted with prosthetics in May 2009. That November, his formal therapy ended and he left Fort Sam Houston the following January. He returned to Joint Base Lewis-McChord but had to clear a medical evaluation board just to stay in the Army - his paperwork was approved four months later.

"My focus was just to get back to my unit," he said. "I worked really hard every day as much as I could because that was my main focus - recovery and getting better so I could get back to my unit and continue working."

Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Benning Command Sgt. Maj. Chris Hardy was the 75th Ranger Regiment's command sergeant major when Castillo got wounded in Iraq.

"His personal courage and commitment is truly an inspiration to us all," Hardy said. "He epitomizes the warrior ethos - I will never quit, I will never accept defeat. He symbolizes the strength of the American soldier and I feel privileged to know him."

Castillo said he's driven to stay in the Army and wants to reach the 20-year mark in his Army career. He said he would like to become an instructor after his time with the Ranger Regiment ends.

He did a tandem jump at the Ranger Rendezvous in August 2009, only months after the ambush, and plans to return again this year. Calling the regiment a "brotherhood," Castillo said he knows some of the other Rangers better than his own family, and vice versa, after all they've experienced together in war.

The learning process also hasn't ended in his own recovery. Just walking downstairs, along a sidewalk or grass, and downhill can be challenging.

"Even when it snowed in Washington state, just going through the snow and it being slippery, I don't feel where I step until I put my weight on it," he said. "I drive, too, and that's a learning curve. My endurance and balance are getting much better. Being able to do random chores around the house or just doing stuff at work is getting better. It's gotten easier, with time."

Can you help?

2011-06-15T18:44:00.003-05:00

From the Soldiers' Angels (Official) facebook page:

A deployed Army staff sergeant has reached out for help for his entire company. Due to their isolated location in Iraq and the base PX closing as the military draws down, they cannot purchase their own supplies. They are in a terrible situation and desperately need hygiene items ASAP. The few things they have left are being stretched for the entire company.

They need:

Soap
Shampoo
Razors
Shaving cream
Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Deodorant
Lotion
Baby wipes
Foot powder
Body powder
Nail clipper kits
Aloe
Breath mints
Floss
…other basic hygiene items
Sheets (twin size)
Pillow & Pillow cases

If you are a VERIFIED Angel, you can email amyqrf -at- soldiersangels -dot- org with subject line "SSG W" for the shipping address to send things directly to this struggling unit. Please help!

Cellar Angels supports Soldiers' Angels

2011-06-15T00:00:00.000-05:00

Do you like fine wine, or do you know someone who does? This might be just the thing: get fabulous wines at a great price, and support Soldiers' Angels in the process:

What happens when two “angel” organizations team up? Discounts on fine American wines, support for the troops… and Angels everywhere!

Soldiers’ Angels is proud to announce its new partnership with Cellar Angels, an online wine buying club that offers great wines at discounted prices while donating 10 percent of net proceeds to a carefully-selected list of charities (now including Soldiers’ Angels).

Each week, Cellar Angels features an exclusive wine offer via email with detailed tasting notes and food pairings. The weekly offer also features exclusive videos and behind-the-scenes info, and interviews the owner or wine maker so buyers can get to know the vintner. Customers then select their favorite charity from a short list as they complete each online purchase.

Most wines offered by Cellar Angels are from small, family run, boutique vineyards in the Napa and Sonoma areas of California, so quantities are limited. Discounts on the featured wine can be as high as 55% and only members can order (membership is free and is open to people who are over 21 years of age and live in states that allow for wine to be shipped).

To join Cellar Angels and start supporting the troops through the wine you choose, visit www.cellarangels.com.

Information Table at Flamefest Soccer Tournament

2011-06-14T11:13:00.002-05:00

Angel Kim Hoppens has gotten us a great opportunity to get the word out about Soldiers' Angels.

June 18th & 19th, the Flamefest Soccer Tournament will be held in McKinney (Craig Ranch). Nancy Kimbrell will have an information booth there to get the word out regarding Soldiers' Angels and will have Thank You cards for folks to sign.

If you are able to come out and assist with this, please contact Nancy and she will be able to give you specific times. Nancy's number is: 972-345-8269. If you call during work hours, please leave a message and Nancy will return your call.

Big Deals Mean Big Donations

2011-06-13T20:19:00.003-05:00

Thanks to a partnership with Sale.com, Soldiers’ Angels has an amazing new way you can support the troops simply by saving money.

Modeled on the highly-successful social sales site Groupon, Sale.com has created a special page for Soldiers’ Angels with steep discounts on products and services, and 25% of net revenue donated to Soldiers’ Angels. Sale.com was founded by the same person who created GI Bracelet, which raised $140,000 for various military charities (including $70,000 for Soldiers’ Angels).

To get access to amazing deals while helping Soldiers’ Angels support America’s heroes, click the graphic above and sign up for the daily deal email—when you use this link to sign up, an additional 5% of revenue from your purchases will automatically go to Soldiers’ Angels. Be sure that you continue go to soldiersangels.sale.com when making future purchases.

Please spread the word about this exciting opportunity by email, blog, forum, Facebook, etc. It’s a great way to support the troops and save a bunch of money at the same time!

36th ID HQ Deployment

2011-06-11T00:20:00.001-05:00

I've got the 36th ID of the Texas Army National Guard on my facebook news feed. This was just posted. Take a minute to watch!

Austin-area Meet & Greet

2011-06-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

Get to know other local Angels! Come on out to The Salt Lick in Round Rock (in the parking lot of The Dell Diamond). Enjoy some great barbecue and great company. We'll share ideas about what we can do locally to both raise awareness about Soldiers' Angels and it's mission, as well as ways to raise funds and collect donations, both of which are in constant demand as we continue to have troops deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Afterward, anyone who is interested can head on over to the ballpark to watch the Express take on the Memphis Redbirds.

If you plan on attending, please RSVP to Lisa at cnctx06 -at- gmail -dot- com.

Family Forum: A Pledge to Remember

2011-05-28T16:08:00.001-05:00

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.

2011 Military Appreciation Night with the Round Rock Express

2011-05-28T00:04:00.006-05:00

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!

Toby Nunn & Jeff Bader on Fox News Channel

2011-05-26T00:00:00.000-05:00

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.

Education is Key in Fight Against PTSD

2011-05-25T00:00:00.001-05:00

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.”

Banking Together for the Troops

2011-05-24T00:00:00.000-05:00

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."

A Salute to Veterans

2011-05-23T14:16:00.001-05:00

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

2011-05-23T08:04:00.000-05:00

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.”

Chaplain Ed Calls on Angels Again

2011-05-21T09:00:00.000-05:00

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.

Moose for the Troops

2011-05-19T23:17:00.000-05:00

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.

TapOut Magazine for Soldiers' Angels Support

2011-05-18T21:10:00.001-05:00

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

San Antonio Open House

2011-05-17T22:35:00.000-05:00

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

T-shirts for the Troops

2011-05-16T01:37:00.000-05:00

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.

Take Action on Memorial Day

2011-05-14T01:20:00.000-05:00

Soldiers’ Angels calls on all Americans to actively observe Memorial Day this May 30 by participating in an official Moment of Remembrance or undertaking other acts in honor of the over 1.3 million service members who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

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.

New Angel PSA!

2011-04-29T00:00:00.000-05:00

Soldiers’ Angels announces production of a beautiful new Public Service Announcement (PSA), a gift from Georgia businessman Jerry Hall.

Professionally produced by Terry Tucker of Freestyle Productions in Tallahassee, FL, the 30-second spot features the story of Brian Hall (not related to Jerry), a medic who served in the Iraq war and suffered Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) from an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). The PSA highlights Angel projects for the wounded, as well as the personal attention and individual care that Angel volunteers provide to each wounded hero they encounter. “They treat you like a person,” Hall says.

Jerry Hall, owner of Assured Comfort Heating & Air in Winston, GA has been a longtime supporter of Angel Diane Moore’s annual Christmas project, which sends up to 20,000 Christmas stockings to deployed troops. This spring, Hall decided to donate a portion of his company’s annual TV advertising budget by having a new Soldiers’ Angels PSA produced.

Background music for the PSA is Darkest Hour, a song written and performed by Georgia musician Brian Collins as a tribute to fallen American military heroes. He provided it at no cost, and has produced a music video of the song on YouTube that directs viewers to Soldiers’ Angels. Collins has also coordinated with Moore to have Soldiers’ Angels volunteers at his concerts collect signed cards for deployed troops.

Distribution is in the early stages, but thanks to the efforts of Tucker, Comcast is already including it in their PSA feeds and it is airing in Florida.

Our National Guard at Work

2011-04-27T00:00:00.000-05:00

On April 17th, after we had taken the Soldiers' Angels booth down (high winds and no crowds), I was able to walk around to the static displays of the National Guard helicopters. In talking to one of the crew for the UH-60 Black Hawk belonging to the Texas Army National Guard, I learned it was currently configured for fighting fires. It was equipped with a hoist and a very large, soft-sided "bucket" that would hold either 600 or 6000 (don't recall which he said) gallon of water. He also said you'd be surprised at where they can find the water: rivers, lakes, stock ponds...

Then, I saw this story at the defense.gov website:

National Guard Responds to Texas Wildfires

National Guard Bureau

ARLINGTON, Va., April 18, 2011 – National Guard members from four states today are supporting civil authorities in Texas as they battle more than 30 wildfires threatening lives and property.
Drought conditions have caused a reported 32 wildfires in Texas, National Guard officials reported.
Under the direction of the Joint Forces Air Component Commander for Air Forces Northern based at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., four C-130 Hercules aircraft equipped with firefighting capabilities are responding to the Texas wildfires.
Texas National Guard members are supporting civilian authorities with personnel and four UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters using buckets to drop water in multiple counties, officials reported.

The C-130s are basing operations at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas.
Two of the four aircraft are from the California Air National Guard's 146th Airlift Wing, a third is from the Wyoming National Guard’s 153rd AW and a fourth is from North Carolina’s 145th AW.
California and North Carolina are providing additional support aircraft, officials reported.
All are expected to arrive today to begin firefighting operations.

The Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System, or MAFFS, is a self-contained, reusable aerial firefighting system loaded into the cargo bay of a C-130 aircraft, which effectively turns the airplanes into aerial firefighting tankers.
Officials said the system can discharge 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant in less than five seconds, covering an area one-quarter of a mile long by 60 feet wide. Once the load is discharged, it can be refilled in less than 12 minutes.
Typically, the aircraft will spray along the leading edge of a fire in order to check its advance. The fire retardant has fertilizer mixed in to promote re-growth in a burned area.
If needed, MAFFS aircraft can spray water directly onto a fire.
Four Air National Guard and U.S. Air Force Reserve units operate MAFFS.

To help prevent the spread of fires, two additional MAFFS currently flying missions from Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio, Texas, to Coahuila, Mexico, also are releasing fire retardant in Texas until the four relief C-130s arrive.

The MAFFS is owned by the U.S. Forest Service, one of several federal and state government agencies and organizations with roles and responsibilities in fire-suppression operations that comprise the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho.
The Defense Department is flying at the request of the fire center, officials said. The center requests MAFFS assistance only after committing all other aerial firefighting resources to a fire emergency.
Texas has been under a state emergency declaration since Dec. 21, 2010, because of extremely dry weather and wildfires, officials reported. The declaration makes all state resources available to the Texas Emergency Management Agency.
The Texas wildfire support is one of numerous current National Guard domestic and overseas operations, officials reported. Currently, Guard members are providing flood support in Minnesota and North Dakota, protecting critical infrastructure in New York, supporting the Deepwater Horizon oil spill recovery in Louisiana and fulfilling other domestic missions.
In addition to local responses, the Guard is involved in counterdrug operations and ongoing Southwest border operations in support of the U.S. Border Patrol.
Meanwhile, more than 45,000 Guard members are currently serving in Afghanistan, the Balkans, Guantanamo Bay, Iraq, the Sinai Desert and elsewhere.

Save Money - Support Angels

2011-04-25T21:02:00.000-05:00

Thanks to TexasGivesBack.com, patriotic, savvy shoppers in the San Antonio area and across the country can get huge deals for local and national products/services while supporting Soldiers' Angels at the same time.

Texas Gives Back sells Groupon-style deals and donates 7% of sales to the San Antonio charity of the customer's choice. Since San Antonio is the home of the Soldiers' Angels Support Center and warehouse, it's the perfect opportunity to Support Soldiers' Angels while saving money!

Though focused on San Antonio, Texas Gives Back often includes regional and national chains in their Daily Deals. For more information, see TexasGivesBack.com and be sure to select Soldiers' Angels as your designated charity to support with TGB's donation!

Clay Hunt, USMC, RIP

2011-04-04T02:00:00.004-05:00

I know this is short notice, but if anyone in the Houston area would like to attend a memorial service for Marine veteran Clay Hunt, member of Team Rubicon, the service is at 11am today, Aprili 4th,at the United Methodist Church, 12955 Memorial Drive, Houston. If you are unfamiliar with Clay, you can read more at the links below: Blackfive: Godspeed Clay Hunt Team Rubicon: Clay Hunt Remembered From Ballet to Bullets and Back: His death will not be in vain Team Rubicon has aet up the Clay Hunt Memorial Fund. They family has asked that in lieu of traditional remembrances, donations be made in Clay's name to either Team Rubicon or Ride2Recovery. If you are able to attend and you would like to share your experience, please let us know.

Update 4/8/11 Matt Burden (Soldiers' Angels trustee) over at Blackfive linked to a guest post he did over at the U.S. Naval Institute blog that included the following video tribute to Clay:

Save a Military Family with a Book?

2011-04-03T00:00:00.001-05:00

This unit is facing an unusually-challenging reintegration period at the end of their current
deployment, but their chaplain has a plan... and he needs some help (click pic to enlarge).

Did you know that you can have a direct role in supporting the marriages and family life of returning heroes under great strain? You can, with a simple book…

“Chaplain H” explains via email to the Chaplain Support Team (CST),

“I am starting to work on some family reintegration programming and need some help acquiring a significant amount of books in order to facilitate a quality program that would provide the greatest opportunity for families to reconnect in a healthy manner. I know this is a large request below, but I am not expecting all of it. I am though merely setting my long range goal in this department.

Our unit is in a tough spot on this issue, with the stressors of redeployment and instant reassignment. The story will go something like this. The unit gets home mid-summer at Fort _________ and is expected to PCS to Fort _________ by September 1, 2011. Moreover, the School District will start classes around 15 August, which will increase the rush to get to the new duty assignment.

The list of stressors on our families are redeployment, family reintegration, immediate moving and getting settled. The level of stress that our families will have to endure has the potential to scar and even bring about the destruction of families if the situation is not readily addressed. My solution is as follows:

An extremely large marriage retreat (which is paid for with grant money already procured), family social events, reading materials and books, and some follow up.

Chaplain Harris went on to list eight different books, with copies of 25 to 150 needed for each title. Under the guidance of the CST, over 150 books have been procured so far—including the entire set of 25 for two particular titles—but more help is needed.

CST Leader Dina explains, “If you can buy just one book on this list, it will make a gigantic difference. If you can contact your communities, churches, therapy offices, send email to bookstores requesting even a single book, we can do this to help him. It matters, Angels—every single copy matters. Scour your used bookstores, Goodwill, Salvation Army…blog the need, Facebook the need. ANYTHING will help.”

Anger: Handling a Powerful Emotion in a Healthy Way by Dr. Gary Chapman - 49 Copies still needed

Insiders' Guide to El Paso (Insiders' Guide Series) by Megan Eaves - 113 Copies still needed

Why Marriages Succeed or Fail: And How You Can Make Yours Last by John Gottman - 18 Copies still needed

The Military Marriage Manual: Tactics for Successful Relationships by Janelle Hill - 23 Copies still needed

The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work: A Practical Guide from the Country's Foremost Relationship Expert by John Gottman - 122 Copies still needed
The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts by Gary Chapman - 45 Copies still needed

Please help spread the word—just one single book can have a profound effect on a family and all who know them as they face an unusually challenging post-deployment adjustment period. Wingtip-to-wingtip, Angels can make it happen!

For more info (including shipping instructions and updates on how many copies are needed), email Dina at cst@soldiersangels.org. Project ends in May 2011.

Operation Tenshi Report

2011-04-02T00:00:00.000-05:00

From a Soldiers' Angel in Japan...

I just wanted to let you know I received all the boxes for Operation Tenshi. I got the phone call to come pick them up NOW, so off I went.

Our post office is also ran by local Japanese postal workers. When they took me in the back to get the boxes, seven of them escorted me and waited for my response when I saw them. I just smiled, then they asked me, "What are you doing with so many boxes?" I told them that Soldiers' Angels sent these to me to help the victims of the earthquake and tsunami on mainland. They just could not believe it and one of the ladies started to cry. She went to the back and workers told me she just couldn't believe the kindness of Soldiers' Angels and all the Americans that support us. She came back out and hugged me and told me to tell you that she thanks you from the bottom of her heart and will forever be grateful. It was a moment I will never forget. Thank you and the warehouse who worked long and hard. I miss you all and I am singing your praises over here!

Can you hear me....

I just wanted you to know.

Marisa

And here are some of the supplies in action!

"Here are two pics I took as we began to create pallets to load up a flight headed out to Yokota Japan. We received 20 boxes of supplies from Soldiers' Angels. I was able to ship some out directly from the base post office to the MPO in mainland. The other half went to another location where our military are camped."

And from another area that Operation Tenshi is helping...

"I just wanted to send you a few pictures of the Stork's Nest Pantry. This is the island's version of a Fisher House but for the high risk pregnant military mothers and their familes. There are about 5 or so cottages that support these families and we also have moved more that came in into our temporary housing lodging. As you can see, the pantry is small and bare. We are working to get them the supplies, but buying here in bulk is difficult due to stock availability and transportation [because of the earthquake and tsunami]."

Thank yous from the troops

2011-04-01T20:50:00.004-05:00

As many of you know, Soldiers' Angels receives various notes, cards and letters from the troops, saying "Thank You" for the things Soldiers' Angels has been able to do for them. Some of those offers of thanks are shared on the Soldiers' Angels website. That page has recently been updated. Here are a few samples:

I work in the operations center and the coffee pot, 15 travel mugs and 30 bags of coffee are a wonderful complement to our 24-hour operation. You should have seen the attention the coffee pot got!...Thanks again for the wonderful, selfless support from the Soldiers' Angels organization! - MAJ Mahoney in Afghanistan, March 2011

...I am actually a Navy member who is deployed for the 4th time out here in the "Sand Box" and find comfort in knowing that people still care--not just for the mission but for us as people--and my thank go out to you. - HM2 Cook, March 2011

Thanks so much for the package and cards from across the U.S. Your support of the troops means so much. - CPT Lindsay, Mortuary Affairs Office, Khandahar, March 2011

Take the time to read them all.

108 Hours

2011-03-31T20:54:00.004-05:00

Matt Burden, Soldiers' Angels Board of Trustees member, is putting out the word for help in sending a Gold Star Father to see where his son was lost:

Last Christmas, I received this email from a Gold Star Dad. He lost his son a few years ago in one of the war zones. He reached out to us for help getting to stand on the very ground where his son was killed in action. As a Dad, I can understand it. As a vet, I want to help this great American father find some peace - what little of it he will find, he deserves...
...I can not die in peace one day if I do not go. I will be 58 in January and... I think I can't wait any longer. But more importantly I have a gut feeling it is time.
<...>
The only gift in life I dream of for myself, strictly only for me, is to kneel and touch the ground where [he] died. To smell the air. To see what he saw his final days, final moments. I can see it at a distance of several hundred feet through out of date Google Earth Photos but that simply is not good enough for me. Even if it were to cost me my very life, I have to go there. I need your help to figure out how to make this happen. I would appreciate anything you could do to help me formulate an entry plan in country to make this happen.

My best to you in this Holiday Season as [we] celebrate Christmas, continuing to Remember [him] With Honor. Happy New Year. Thank you for your friendship, for saving my life by giving me an outlet to share my feelings and come to grips with my grief.
This mission will take a lot of financial and physical resources. You can email suggestions to blackfive - AT - Gmail - DOT - com. But be advised that we have worked this through the various government agencies at some very high levels. Soldiers' Angels has agreed to support this mission.

If you think you know who this Gold Star Father is, please do not speculate in the comments. Just as with our troops, there are very serious OPSEC considerations with this mission:

Due to security concerns, I cannot tell you who this is about. Many of you will guess. I've turned off the comments because I don't want any information out there (true or false) to compromise this mission. I cannot tell you when this will happen. We are planning on completing the mission in the late summer or early fall, but I am not going to pin down the dates, months or seasons.

Matt says they'll need $30,000 to make this mission happen. Donations can be made to Soldiers' Angels to support it. Matt's post has those details, and may have additional updates, so please read his entire post.

Iwon Angel Team Wins!

2011-03-30T19:28:00.001-05:00

Soldiers' Angels has a team you might not have heard of:

Thanks to a group of dedicated Angels and friends led by Lesa Wheaton, Soldiers’ Angels has received a $2000 check from Iwon.com! Lesa’s team won 2nd place in the Iwon challenge for February 2011.

Iwon.com is a free online community supporting nonprofits. The site issues a new challenge each month for participants to earn points as a team by playing games and other activities. Teams with the top six points totals win money for their favorite charities.

Lesa started the Soldiers’ Angels team two years ago and this is the first time they have won, relying on help from other teams on Iwon who all banded together to help Soldiers’ Angels win!

The Iwon Soldiers’ Angels team is looking for new members to continue its winning streak! It’s free and there’s a new challenge every month—more chances to win donations for Soldiers’ Angels!

Congratulations to Lesa and her team for great Angeling!!

Did you know...

2011-03-27T22:08:00.005-05:00

...that we have a facebook page just for Texas Soldiers' Angels? Unfortunately, we don't have a spiffy, easy to remember URL for it, but if you're on facebook, follow the link, and it will be another way to keep up with what is going on with Soldiers' Angels here in the Great State of Texas!

Of course, Soldiers' Angels has an official facebook page, too!

Update 6/2/11:

Our facebook page is moving, and we now *DO* have a spiffy, easy to remember URL for it: https://www.facebook.com/soldiersangelstexas!

AAR: Military Appreciation Day, 3/26/2011

2011-03-26T23:59:00.007-05:00

Soldiers' Angels was represented at the Military Appreciation Day for the Austin Toros basketball team at their today at the Cedar Park Center.

Brenda and Shaundra manning the Soldiers' Angels table,
waiting for the fans to arrive.

We missed out on much of what was happening inside the arena with the pre-game and in-game recognition of our service members, since our table was on the concourse. We were able to observe the playing of the National Anthem, since they showed that on the flat screen TVs around the concession areas. Sadly, there were some fans who appeared to be oblivious to the fact, not stopping to render honor and respect to the flag.

The day called for Camo to replace the standard uniforms. The dancers had camo tops with their black shorts (sorry, guys, no pics of that...), and "Da Bull" was decked out in a camo basketball uniform like the players wore today.

We were able to talk to people who came by to share with them about Soldiers' Angels: how it starts, what we do for our troops and how they can get involved.

We were visited by a lady who told of wearing a bracelet with the name of a Vietnam MIA until the day she learned he had come home - alive. He had been a POW and was rescued. She said how worn the bracelet had become, and she mailed it (certified and insured) to the soldier. His wife was amazed that anyone else cared about her husband. To this day, the lady still exchanges Christmas cards with that soldier. I gave her my card and asked if she wouldn't mind sharing her story - in a little better detail than I've just done. I hope she does...

One older gentleman sporting a mustache and dressed in jeans, a kind-of plaid shirt, and a cowboy hat came up. I asked him if he had served. He seemed somewhat apologetic in saying, no, he had not. He explained he was an artist. At first, I assumed he was a painter - that is what came to mind when he said "artist". No, he is the sculptor commissioned to create the Vietnam Memorial that will be placed on the Capitol grounds here in Austin. Duke Sundt explained how he ended up in art school and how he came to be a sculptor. He was a military brat and when his father got out of the Army, they ended up in New Mexico. He got into the whole cowboy and rodeo thing. He had a brother and a cousin who served in Vietnam. I think he said it was his cousin who advised him to stay in school. His lottery number was high enough - three hundred-something - that so long as he was in school, he likely wouldn't be drafted. Somewhere along the line, he got paid for a sculpture, to where he'd only given away this paintings from art school. Since he by this time had a family to support, he decided sculpture was the thing to do. Duke was in Texas and told the Texas Association of Vietnam Veterans - the sponsors of the memorial - he would be available to make appearances with the model - or more properly, according to the website, maquette - of the sculpture. He pointed to where the maquette was on display and invited us to come take a look. I'm glad I did.

I asked if I could take a picture of Duke with his sculpture. He said he would, but only if I would take it with him...

Duke explained each of the five figures depicted: an African American Navy corpsman, a South Vietnamese soldier, a Native American radioman, a Hispanic Marine sniper and a Caucasian Marine.

He pointed out details of the figures after I commented that the standing Marine appeared to have a spoon tucked into the band around his helmet. Yes, that *IS* a spoon. Duke then explained the Native American radioman had a beaded feather attached to his helmet - many Native American warriors were given eagle feathers from their tribal shaman before they went off to battle in Vietnam. I was told that tradition continues today for Native American warriors going to Iraq and Afghanistan. Duke talked about his sculpture to anyone who came up to have a closer look.

Overall, I think it was a good day for Soldiers' Angels. A big THANK YOU to the Austin Toros for the recognition of our troops and the organizations - like Soldiers' Angels - that support them. Soldiers' Angels DID get a shout-out during the half-time announcements which (I think) included being listed on the video board (I saw us listed on the TV monitor by the concession stand). I look forward to being able to work with the Toros again next season!

Heroes Waiting

2011-03-25T19:11:00.007-05:00

As of this writing, there are 1310 service members awaiting adoption through Soldiers' Angels. If you are able, please consider adopting one of these Heroes. Remember, you can have up to three adoptees at one time. Our troops continue to be stretched thin with operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and now Libya, as well as other places around the globe. Please do what you can to help.

If you think you can't afford the commitment of a minimum of one letter each week and one care package each month, there are adoption options:

I cannot reinforce to you how much your support means
to every one of us. Please know that you are
truly making a difference. - LT "J"

Regardless of the challenge, there is no doubt that when patriotic Americans pull together, we can make miracles happen. Would you like to adopt a deployed hero but don't think you can take on the financial responsibility in these challenging times? The need for adopting Angels is huge, and there are options no matter your situation. In some cases, all you need is a single care package item, or even just your packing skills!

Team Up with a Friend -- Whether it's your office mate, best friend, the family next door or a retiree from church, tell someone about Soldiers' Angels and adopting a hero. Together you can split the costs of sending just one care package a month and take turns writing that one letter a week.

Bring a Group Onboard -- Talk to your company about supporting an individual or a unit. Participants can donate a single item for a care package or a couple dollars of postage each month. All you have to do is pack it up! This is a great option for community organizations like sports teams/clubs, churches, youth groups (scouts), schools and Chambers of Commerce. By working through a group, everyone helps as they can and another soldier knows he or she is not forgotten. When you've assembled a group that would like to support an individual hero or a whole unit, email groups@soldiersangels.org for tips and assistance.

Be a Substitute Angel -- Do you know someone who says they're just too busy to adopt a soldier? Offer to do it for them! You can take on the responsibility of writing a weekly letter to your adopted hero while your co-adopter takes just five minutes per month to order pre-made care packages for your hero from the Angels Store.

Short-term Adoption -- Sometimes service members sign up for support just a couple of months before they are scheduled to return. By the time they get to the top of the waiting list, they only need an Angel for about two months before mailstop begins. To adopt one of these heroes for three months or less when available, email special@soldiersangels.org to be placed on the short-timers alert list.

One-time Care Package -- This is a great option if you can't take on the responsibility of long-term support right now. You can have the fun and satisfaction of assembling a great care package whenever you have the opportunity, and all the cooperative suggestions above can apply. To get a hero's address for a one-time care package, email sacorporate@soldiersangels.org.

With each person doing what they can, we will all ensure that "No Soldier Go Unloved." Let's pull together and get these 1300 waiting heroes adopted!

You have no idea what effect you have on a soldier
who receives something in the mail from a complete stranger
who is willing to give. - SPC James

Austin-area Meet & Greet

2011-03-24T21:20:00.001-05:00

I hope to make this a quarterly event. We will get together on Saturday, April 9th at 4pm at the Cracker Barrell restaurant at 2350 N I-35, Round Rock (southbound frontage road, the exit north of Highway 79). As with the previous Meet & Greet, this is "Dutch". I know what I'm havin' to eat! The plan is to be able to get to know one another without having a "thing", and to also talk about what we might do to help raise both awareness about what Soldiers' Angels does and the funds to continue those good works for our troops and their families. If you think you'll be able to make it, please email me at cnctx06 -at- gmail -dot- com to RSVP by Friday, April 8th. If we have enough people, we'll need to let the restaurant know we're expecting a large group, even though we are hoping to miss any dinner crowd.

We do have the Operation Top Knot Baby Shower coming up at the end of April at Fort Hood, and they are collecting donations through April 15. If you are able, please feel free to bring a donation.

After we are finished at Cracker Barrel, anyone who is interested can go to see the Round Rock Express take on the Iowa Cubs. First pitch is 7:05 and the gates open one hour before the game. I am already in contact with the Express to (hopefully) have a Soldiers' Angels event in conjunction with a game this season. Last season, we were able to collect donations from fans at the Home Plate gate and in return, the Express generously donated general admission (berm seating) tickets for the fans who made a donation. Saturday game tickets range in price from $7 to $16 when purchased at the ballpark, day of game. Be prepared to sit in on the berm (I've got a blanket in my car!) if we decide to go for "the cheap seats". Oh, and parking at the Dell Diamond is $5 per car.

Well, I hope we at least get to see you at Cracker Barrel! I look forward to developing an active group of Angels here in Central Texas!

Wedding Dress Essay Contest

2011-03-22T23:20:00.003-05:00

Due to a donation from a lovely bridal boutique, Soldiers’ Angels has on hand sixteen gorgeous wedding dresses that will be awarded to sixteen lucky military brides! Dresses will be awarded by contest, with the brides who write the best essay about their own love story receiving their choice of dress.

Dress sizes range from 6 to 14, with a size 24 and a size 42 as well. Some are brand new, others have been rented, but all are clean and in superb condition. Most are very detailed, with additions of lace, cutouts or sequins, and styles vary greatly.

Originally offered to a high school drama department who refused them for lack of room, the dresses came to Soldiers' Angels thanks to Patreece, whose husband heard about them through his civilian job on a military base and alerted her. She took home all 16 dresses, cataloged and photographed them, and shipped them to San Antonio for dry cleaning and distribution.

For contest eligibility, procedures and more information, click here. Contest ends April 21, 2011.

Austin Toros Recognize our Troops

2011-03-17T20:46:00.006-05:00

Soldiers' Angels will be represented at the Austin Toros Basketball Military Appreciation Day. Three Angels will share with fans about the many good things Soldiers' Angels does for our troops.
Service members in uniform or with military ID will receive a free ticket to the game. Just remember, parking at the Cedar Park Center is $10, cash only. If you make it to the game, please stop by our table to say "hi"!

A big Texas THANK YOU to the Austin Toros for this gesture of appreciation to our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen for what they do for the rest of us every day, both past, present and future!

Operation Tenshi

2011-03-14T22:17:00.000-05:00

For the next 10 days, Soldiers’ Angels is focusing its operations on supporting our troops and their families, along with our close allies/friends in Japan through “Operation Tenshi/Operation Angel.”

Soldiers' Angels is collecting financial donations and the following products for our troops, families and friends in Japan:

• Blankets
• Small/ NEW (not used) toys for the children
• International calling cards

All types of hygiene, easy-to-ship care products- NEW/UNOPENED ONLY
• Shampoo/conditioner
• Soap
• Deodorant
• Chapstick
• Lotions
• Female Personal Hygiene
• Facial cleansing pads
• Wet Wipes
• Eye drops
• Toothpaste/Toothbrushes

Ship these items to the Soldiers' Angels Warehouse:

Soldiers' Angels
4408 N PanAm Exprwy
San Antonio, TX 78218

Giftcards: Walmart, Visa or Mastercard (etc) giftcards so we can use them to fulfill requests.

Ship gift cards to our Soldiers' Angels Warehouse:

Soldiers' Angels
4408 N PanAm Exprwy
San Antonio, TX 78218

We also need financial donations to fulfill requests coming in.

You can also text SOLDIERS to 20222 to donate $5.
Other donation options are listed here.

Click here for companies supporting the Angel effort.

U.S. Military in Japan:

Roughly 35,000 U.S. military personnel stationed in Japan, and another 5,500 American civilians employed there by the Department of Defense. ALONG WITH THEIR FAMILIES. The United States Seventh Fleet is based in Yokosuka. The 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) is based in Okinawa. 130 USAF fighters are stationed in the Misawa Air Base and Kadena Air Base. The USFJ headquarters is at Yokota Air Base, about 30 km west of central Tokyo.

The U.S. military installations in Japan and their managing branches are...

Air Force:

• Camp Chitose, Chitose, Hokkaido
• Kadena Air Base, Okinawa Prefecture
• Kadena Ammunition Storage Area, Okinawa Prefecture
• Okuma Recreational Facility, Okinawa Prefecture
• Yaedake Communication Site, Okinawa Prefecture
• Misawa Air Base, Aomori Prefecture
• Yokota Air Base, Fussa, Tokyo
• Fuchu Communications Station, Fuchu, Tokyo
• Tama Service Annex, Inagi, Tokyo
• Yugi Communication Site, Hachioji, Tokyo
• Camp Asaka AFN Transmitter Site, Saitama Prefecture
• Tokorozawa Transmitter Site, Saitama Prefecture
• Owada Communication Site, Saitama Prefecture

Army:

• Fort Buckner, Okinawa Prefecture
• Army POL Depots, Okinawa Prefecture
• White Beach Area, Okinawa Prefecture
• Naha Port Facility, Okinawa Prefecture (return after relocation to the Urasoe Pier area)
• Torii Station, Okinawa Prefecture
• Tengan Pier, Okinawa Prefecture
• Camp Zama, Zama, Kanagawa
• Yokohama North Dock, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
• Sagami General Depot, Sagamihara, Kanagawa
• Sagamihara Housing Area, Sagamihara, Kanagawa
• Akizuki Ammunition Depot, Hiroshima Prefecture
• Hiro Ammunition Depot, Hiroshima Prefecture
• Kawakami Ammunition Depot, Hiroshima Prefecture
• Hardy Barracks, Minato, Tokyo

Marine Corps:

• Camp Smedley D. Butler, Okinawa Prefecture, Yamaguchi Prefectures. (Although these camps are dispersed throughout Okinawa and the rest of Japan they are all under the heading of Camp Smedley D. Butler):
• Camp McTureous, Okinawa Prefecture
• Camp Courtney, Okinawa Prefecture
• Camp Foster, Okinawa Prefecture
• Camp Kinser, Okinawa Prefecture
• Camp Hansen, Okinawa Prefecture
• Camp Schwab, Okinawa Prefecture
• Camp Gonsalves (Jungle Warfare Training Center), Okinawa Prefecture
• Kin Blue Beach Training Area, Okinawa Prefecture
• Kin Red Beach Training Area, Okinawa Prefecture
• NSGA Hanza
• Higashionna Ammunition Storage Point II
• Henoko Ordnance Ammunition Depot
• Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa Prefecture (return after the MCAS Futenma relocates to Camp Schwab)
• Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni
• Camp Fuji, Shizuoka Prefecture
• Numazu Training Area, Shizuoka Prefecture
• Ie Jima Auxiliary Airfield, Okinawa Prefecture
• Tsuken Jima Training Area, Okinawa Prefecture

Navy:

• Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Ayase, Kanagawa
• United States Fleet Activities Sasebo, Sasebo, Nagasaki
• United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Yokosuka, Kanagawa
• Urago Ammunition Depot, Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture
• Tsurumi POL Depot, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
• Naval Housing Annex Negishi, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
• Naval Transmitter Station Totsuka, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
• Naval Support Facility Kamiseya, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
• Tomioka Storage Area, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
• Naval Housing Annex Ikego, Zushi, Kanagawa
• White Beach Area, Okinawa Prefecture
• Camp Shields, Okinawa Prefecture
• Camp Lester, Okinawa Prefecture (return after the Naval Hospital relocates to Camp Foster)
• Awase Communication Station, Okinawa Prefecture
• New Sanno Hotel, Tokyo

JSDF–USFJ Areas:

• Tori Shima Range, Okinawa Prefecture
• Kume Jima Range, Okinawa Prefecture
• Kisarazu Auxiliary Landing Field, Kisarazu, Chiba Prefecture
• Camp Hansen (small portion in central area of Camp Hansen), Okinawa Prefecture
• Ukibaru Jima Range, Okinawa Prefecture
• Kadena Air Base (small areas outside of the base that are supported by Kadena—these areas are located on the southern portion of Okinawa), Okinawa Prefecture
• Jungle Warfare Training Center (formerly known as Northern Training Area—four thin elongated areas embedded and distributed evenly within JWTC), Okinawa Prefecture

In Okinawa, U.S. military installations occupy about 10.4 percent of the total land usage. Approximately 74.7 percent of all the U.S. military facilities in Japan are located on the island of Okinawa.

Help needed: American Heroes Celebration (Updated)

2011-03-11T22:07:00.001-06:00

Soldiers' Angels is making arrangements to have a table at the American Heroes Celebration at Camp Mabry the weekend of April 16-17. The event runs from 8am until 5pm each day. Saturday will have a little something extra: the American Heroes Air Show. We will need help manning the table, and we'll need to bring our own setup materials for our outdoor space (table, chairs, shade/canopy). The event is FREE and it should be lots of fun. Since there are so many hours to cover, we will need to schedule coverage throughout the weekend. If you are interested in volunteering or might be able to help out with the "stuff", please contact Lisa at cnctx06 -at- gmail -dot- com.

Update:
We have a table and a canopy (thanks Mark!). We should have at least 3 chairs (for at least part of the time). A "BYOC" might be in order, if you can manage.

Need to shop?

2011-03-10T21:14:00.000-06:00

Before you make your purchases (whether it be for something personal, or for filling those care packages to your adopted Hero), you might check out this list of vendors that support the troops and Soldiers' Angels through your purchases (either because you follow the link, or you tell them you are part of Soldiers' Angels) by donating a portion of the sales to Soldiers' Angels, or offering discounts to Soldiers' Angels shoppers. There's all kinds of things to choose from: cooling gear (the weather's changing over there!), coffees (multiple vendors), flowers, jewelry, books, clothes, food, the list goes on! So, if you're shopping anyway, maybe help Soldiers' Angels out while you're at it!

Author Supports Military Families

2011-03-09T18:22:00.002-06:00

From the Soldiers' Angels website:

Elementary school principal and author Megan Egerton-Graham is donating 5% of her individual book sales to Soldiers’ Angels!

Egerton-Graham is fast becoming widely-known among military families in both Canada and the United States as a great resource for tips, insight and information that helps children and parents cope. Her "While You Were Away" series of books and journals are designed to support families experiencing periods of prolonged absence or deployment, moving, re-integration or just life as a military family

All of the proceeds from Egerton-Graham's books are donated to military support organizations such as Family Readiness Groups. She approached Soldiers’ Angels after she was tapped as a keynote speaker at this summer's Blue Star Mothers (BSM) conference and the president of BSM suggested she reach out to support Soldiers’ Angels and assist military families that way as well.

Besides school principal, Egerton-Graham has been a teacher and guidance counsellor for 15 years, teaching every grade from Kindergarten to 12. In addition, she brings to the table her experience teaching on military base schools and life as a Canadian military wife and mother of two.

For more information, see the While You Were Away webpage or purchase her books on Amazon.

Humvee Gift for Soldiers' Angels

2011-02-16T20:59:00.002-06:00

Quite a donation to Soldiers' Angels that was announced today:

Soldiers’ Angels proudly announces receipt of the unique and historic Iraq Confidential Humvee from Jesse James, host of Monster Garage and owner of West Coast Choppers, Austin Speed Shop and Cisco Burgers. James recently donated the restored, combat-damaged Humvee, which was rebuilt in Iraq as part of James’ special visit with the 181st Transportation Battalion in 2006. The Humvee’s rebuild, conducted by James and the soldiers as a morale-builder, was documented on a video titled Iraq Confidential and later broadcast on the Military Channel.

When West Coast Choppers closed its California facility, James mentioned to a friend and Soldiers’ Angels staff member that he was looking for a way to use the Iraq Confidential Humvee to help the troops. Presented with the idea of donating it to Soldiers’ Angels, he welcomed the opportunity.

“Going to Iraq to do that build with the troops, being able to shake their hands and to tell them ‘thank you,’ was one of the most rewarding and humbling experiences in my life,” James says. “With all of their different programs providing support to the troops, veterans and their families, donating the Humvee to Soldiers' Angels brings it full circle, allowing it to continue to benefit those guys and gals and let them know how much I appreciate their service. "

In addition to the Humvee, James donated a semi-truck full of new copies of Garage magazine and sets of West Coast Choppers window stickers, which will be included in care packages for deployed troops. Donors to Soldiers’ Angels can also receive one copy of the magazine and sticker set as a gift with each online $10 donation when they enter “JJ” in the comments line.

Interested parties and potential buyers of the Humvee may contact the Executive Director of Soldiers’ Angels at tobynunn@soldiersangels.org.

Love the Troops with Free E-cards!

2011-02-13T22:07:00.002-06:00

From the main Soldiers' Angels website:

Thanks to PhotoCardsDirect.com, patriotic Americans can send a free Valentine's Day e-card to anyone and make money for Soldiers' Angels care packages at the same time! Keep reading for more info...

America appreciates and remembers our troops on Valentine's Day, and now Americans across the country can send a free e-card making sure those troops hear that message loud and clear. PhotoCardsDirect.com and Soldiers’ Angels are expanding their partnership in support of America’s Armed Forces with free Valentine’s Day photo e-cards for the troops that also generate donations for care packages.

Anyone can thank and support the troops with a free Valentine’s Day e-card from PhotoCardsDirect.com. For every 10 cards created, Soldiers’ Angels will receive $1 towards care packages for deployed military personnel.

Soldiers’ Angels Founder Patti Patton-Bader explains, “There’s nothing like being able to put a face to the name of a supportive American back home. With these photo e-cards, we can ensure our motto ‘May No Soldier Go Unloved’ becomes a reality this Valentine’s Day.”

Combat veteran and Soldiers’ Angels Executive Director Toby Nunn adds, “If half your heart is in Iraq or Afghanistan this Valentine’s Day, you can bridge that gap and make it whole for a moment with an e-card. With just a couple of mouse clicks, every patriotic American can let the troops know how much they are loved and appreciated, that they are not forgotten.”

The free Valentine’s Day e-cards can be sent to any email address. Americans who do not have the email address of a service member can send their cards to Valentines2011@soldiersangels.org and Soldiers’ Angels will pass the Valentine to a Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine who needs a boost.

For full details, click here.

Elroy Herbert Boysen

2011-02-09T20:07:00.003-06:00

Today, the 36th Infantry Division still serves the state and the nation. Many Texas soldiers are currently activated and deployed with the 36th ID in Iraq and Afghanistan. In World War II, soldiers from The Fighting 36th, served with distinction in Europe. Last Thursday, we lost one of those soldiers:

Elroy Herbert Boysen
April 7, 1920 - February 3, 2011
Elroy Herbert Boysen received the gift of life on April 7, 1920 in Shiner, TX.
...
On November 25, 1940, Elroy age 20 left his home in Gonzales, TX and activated at Camp Bowie, Brownwood, TX with the Texas National Guard 36th Infantry Division. The Fighting 36th, who's record is outstanding in the annals of America's military history, were the first to invade Hitler's Europe at Salerno, Italy on September 9, 1943. Elroy fought the following; Naples-Foggia, Rome-Arno, Anzio, Southern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe Campaigns and made amphibious assault
landings at Salerno and Southern France. The 36th suffered over 27,000 casualties, the third highest of any World War II division. Elroy received the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, American Defense Service Medal, Distinguished Unit Badge, Good Conduct Medal, and Combat Infantryman's Badge. Elroy served his country as First Sergeant and returned home from the front line for a 30 day furlough. While on leave Elroy married Anna Marie nee Tieken in the Lutheran Church in Gonzales, TX on December 8, 1944. After leave he returned to his unit in France. In 1945 Elroy was discharged after the end of World War II and he and Ann made their home in Houston, TX. Elroy is a Life Member of the Houston Chapter and National Chapter of the 36th Division. Elroy is also recognized in the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, New Windsor, NY, www.thepurpleheart.com.

If you feel moved to do so, go read all of First Sergeant Elroy Herbert Boysen's obituary and leave a note of condolence for his family and friends.

Your support makes a difference

2011-02-08T22:06:00.003-06:00

Help us continue to support our troops. We appreciate the donations of time, talent and treasure that allows us to let them know we honor their service.

Thanks from Afghanistan

2011-02-04T00:05:00.002-06:00

Soldiers' Angels recently received this note from a Staff Sergeant on a PRT (Provincial Reconstruction Team) in Afghanistan.

Dear Soldiers' Angels,

Thank you all very much for the package, especially the movies and MOOSE MUNCH (which was gone in less than a minute).

There are some times we get sad over here and think that people in the States don't really care about us, so when we get something like this it really boosts our morale. So this package, it really means a lot. On behalf of PRT Panjshir, we'd like to say thank you and God bless.

Attached is a picture of us for the greatest organization ever--Soldiers' Angels. You guys are the BEST! Thank you.

--SSgt R., US Air Force

PRTs are military teams that work with local government officials, U.S. government civilians and local military/police personnel to assist people in rebuilding or improving their neighborhoods. They spend a great deal of time away from the main bases and out in the countryside among the locals. This PRT, which is very isolated, received a large package from Soldiers' Angels while waiting to be adopted by individual Angel volunteers.

As of this writing, there are 1106 Heroes waiting to be adopted. You can help.

Operation Top Knot Baby Shower

2011-01-28T22:30:00.009-06:00

We have a special program dedicated to expectant military families called Operation Top Knot. Top Knot is a nationwide network of service clubs and individuals who sew, knit and shop to create gift baskets for infants and expectant mothers in military families. Deployments are difficult on the entire family unit, but even more so when that family is expecting or has an infant child. Our mission is to commend the women and children at home for their strength, to let them know we are proud of their sacrifices as well as their husbands' and fathers', and most importantly, to do what we can to support them during the emotionally challenging times of deployment. OTK is excited to announce we will be throwing our first ever baby shower at Fort Hood on Saturday, April 30, 2011!

OTK would like to enlist the help of all you wonderful people in the community in getting the necessary items for this shower.

We are looking for any and all donations but some examples include:

Diapers
Baby Wipes
Baby clothes
Diaper Bags
Bottles
Baby blankets
Hypo-allergenic lotions/shampoo/babywash
Gift cards (Target, Babies R Us, Walmart)

Anything else you think a new mother could use.

All donations are needed by ~~March 1~~ April 15, 2011 to ensure time to wrap and distribute for the shower.

Please contact Amber Eller, OTK Battle Buddies Team Leader for more information or ways to drop off donations.
Amber Eller
512-629-1728
battlebuddies -at- soldiersangels -dot- org

Drum Hike Update

2011-01-28T21:11:00.002-06:00

Mission Complete!

UPDATE 1/28/2011 -- It is with sincere concern for the health and continued well being of Troy Yokum, that Soldiers’ Angels must withdraw its current sponsorship and support of Hike for our Heroes.

While on his journey Troy has suffered from kidney stones as well as injuries to his feet which have demonstrated potential medical danger and that without a full medical clearance from a Medical Professional its in his best interests to not continue his mission at this time.

Soldiers’ Angels will continue the previous and ongoing mission of supporting our nation's returning heroes and veterans that Troy Yokum’s efforts contributed to in support of veterans and their families.

We at Soldiers’ Angels applaud his efforts to date, as it is truly a remarkable feat, and pledge that we will assist him as he transitions into the next phase or chapter of his life with his wife.

Any donations received by SA in support of this project will be applied directly to veterans support activities.

Blogger Shares Secrets for Creating Exceptional Care Packages

2011-01-23T23:59:00.000-06:00

Over on the Family Matters blog at Defense.gov, guest blogger Megan Just shares her care package experiences - both from the sending and receiving sides:

One of my most vivid memories of my deployment to Iraq is the adrenaline rush of receiving care packages. The arrival of a care package could instantly turn a bad day into a euphoric one. Receiving care packages was so important to me that I often wrote about them in my diary.

At the beginning of the deployment I wrote, "I received Eric's (my boyfriend) package today and I've been waiting all night to open it. I've been so looking forward to it that I don't want the anticipation to be over."

The next day, after opening his package, I wrote, "Eric's box was great. He sent my favorite fig sugarless cookies (which I am finishing as I write), a bunch of Cliff Bars and a variety of dried fruit. He also sent two issues of ‘National Geographic’ and ‘Climbing.’"

In that care package, Eric had also enclosed a small book he made that contained his favorite quotes, photos of us together and a long letter. My reaction to the book tugged at my heartstrings enough to nauseate you, so I'll pass on sharing that section of my diary here, but I can assure you, the book meant a lot more than the fig cookies and it is still a treasured item today.

Toward the end of deployment, even as the recipient of an estimated 50 care packages, I was still raving about them. "I love getting care packages," I wrote. "It is hands-on proof that somebody loves me. Opening them is like being a kid on Christmas morning. Each package contains a surprise and what is inside is additionally valuable because the contents are things that I can't procure myself."

While all care packages are great to receive, I did notice a difference in the emotional impact of a run-of-the-mill care package versus one where the sender put a lot of thought into selecting the contents and packaging them in a creative manner.

A run-of-the-mill care package contains generic items and things servicemembers can easily buy themselves at the Exchange on base or order online. A run-of-the-mill care package is one that might as well have been packed by one of the many web-based care package companies. See, the preparation of an exceptional care package cannot be outsourced. The preparation and thought that goes into a care package is half of its value and the servicemember can perceive this extra effort.

Read the whole thing. Some of her suggestions are better for when you know the recipient personally, but she also shares ideas you can use if you have adopted a service member who may not be able to share with you the things they would be interested in getting. It's always a good idea to be on the look-out for care package suggestions!

Austin-area Meet & Greet

2011-01-19T00:22:00.000-06:00

In an effort for Angels in the Austin area to get to know one another, we are having a Meet & Greet this coming Saturday, January 22nd, at 2pm at Mandola's Italian Market, 4700 W Guadalupe, Suite 12, Austin (the area known as "The Triangle", between 46th and 51st). If you think you'll be able to make it, please email Lisa at cailin7591 -at- netzero -dot- net, so we know about how many people to expect. We'd love to meet you! Come join us for a late lunch of tasty Italian while we talk about what we can do to support our troops from right here in Austin!

What it means

2011-01-17T22:44:00.005-06:00

An Army Lieutenant Colonel wrote to Soldiers' Angels last week, asking for help boosting the morale of his Soldiers in Afghanistan. He also shared why it matters so much...

What you, your staff and donors do is remarkable. It makes a huge difference. I know that you will say that it is small, but it is these small things that make the huge difference and that the Soldiers remember.

Read the whole thing.

You can help. There are currently 1031 Heroes waiting to be adopted.

2nd Annual: Support the Red, White and Blue; Give Love, Give Blood

2011-01-16T23:35:00.002-06:00

During the week surrounding February 11th, 2011 Soldiers' Angels encourages Angels and friends across the entire country to honor those that have shed their BLOOD for us by heading to your local blood bank and donating a pint. You can check the eligibility requirements for donating here.

In coordination with WEAR RED Friday and Valentines' Day weekend, please take time out of your busy schedule to give a pint. If you can't give RED you can always give GREEN and donate $$ online www.soldiersangels.org.

Send your photos of your giving experience to ShelleMichaels@SoldiersAngels.org or pixt them to 218-779-7271 for automatic posting to our Facebook fan page.

New Soldiers' Angels Sewing Project!

2011-01-07T23:20:00.001-06:00

I enjoy sewing. I started sewing as a child. My parents got me this kid's sewing machine and I was able to make very simple items. I eventually graduated to using Mom's sewing machine and making more involved pieces. Over the years, I've made all kinds of things: skirts, tops, dresses, stuffed toys, purses and I can't remember what else! Last Christmas I made each of my sisters purses in fun prints that matched their personalities. This past Christmas, I made a different purse for my two year old niece. I've got projects planned to help support the next Project Valour IT fundraiser. I just need the time!

Today, I received an email about a new project the Sewing Team has:

The Soldiers' Angels Sewing Team is extending its powerful tradition of handmade support for the troops with an exciting new project: Patriot Pillowcases, designed to bring cheer and color to what can be a very drab hospital environment in Combat Support Hospitals (CSH) overseas.

Patriot Pillow Cases began with 16-year-old Angel seamstress Katie, who discovered that cherry, happy pillow cases were often requested for the wounded at Combat Support Hospitals overseas. Katie has been an Angel for over a year, sewing blankets and participating in the Letter Writing Team. She also recently organized a school project to collect magazines and holiday cards for Soldiers’ Angels care packages.

“I think this could be a very valuable project,” says Katie, “Because it brings the same sense of love and support from home to soldiers as a blanket might. However, the simplicity of a pillowcase allows us to reach more soldiers.”

Roger Godskesen, head of Soldiers' Angels Medical Support - Deployed, agrees. “The CSH's can be rather drab, so some bright, homemade pillowcases would mean the world to the patients. We currently have over 60 medical units we're working with, so there is plenty of need!”

To get started on your Patriot Pillowcase, click for guidelines (instructions may also be found on the Sewing Team page under “Teams and Projects” on this website.

You don't really need to buy a pattern. For the simplest pillow, you need one yard of 45" wide fabric (cotton or flannel, new fabric only, please) in fun, patriotic or bright colors and/or prints per standard size (21" x 32") pillowcase. There is a request that a minimum of five pillowcases be shipped at a time. Got to your fabric store, check out what's in the remnants bin, or see what's on sale. I'm sure you can find some real bargains out there!

Instructions for a basic, one color/print pillowcase can be found here. If you are feeling a little more ambitious, you can find instructions for a pillowcase with a contrasting band at the opening here. I think I might be hitting the fabric stores this weekend!

Operation Patriot Care Package II

2010-12-29T19:38:00.004-06:00

In case you missed it, Soldiers' Angels was featured on Hannity on Tuesday, December 28th:

A little background here.

Troops in Touch

2010-12-22T22:39:00.000-06:00

Do you know any children who have either a deployed family member, or are involved with supporting other deployed troops? There is a great website you can use as a resource. Troops In Touch offers some activity packs for sale, but also has some free Flat Brat™ pictures and coloring pages for download.

Texas Army National Guard in Iraq

2010-12-21T20:29:00.001-06:00

Most of the Yellow Ribbon events Soldiers' Angels has been represented at here in the Austin area have been for units within the 36th ID of the Texas Army National Guard. The 36th ID Headquarters are in Basra on a very historic mission "acting as a headquarters for nine provinces, and will oversee the drawdown of U.S. forces and while training Iraqi troops". Read the full story here.

Operation It's Me

2010-12-18T13:39:00.002-06:00

One of the best gifts I have ever received was a one-of-a-kind painting. My best friend secretly took my favorite photo of my beloved cat, Sophia, and had another friend of hers recreate that image with brush and paint.

Now, imagine the joy the parent of a deployed service member at receiving a one-of-a-kind pencil or charcoal drawing of their Hero. Artist Susie Allen of Colorado is working with Soldiers' Angels to help make it happen:

Spurred to action when she realized that instead of just sympathizing with the burdens of military families, she could do something to hopefully lift the spirits of parents worried about their deployed child, Susie conceived Operation It's Me. “If I were waiting for the phone to ring and I ran to pick it up,” Susie explains. “I would want to hear, ‘Hi, Momma/Honey, it's me!’ When the package with the deployed hero's portrait comes to the recipient and they open it, that portrait should say, ‘Hi, it's ME!’”

Susie's artwork is provided at no cost to the parents. The art materials are provided by Blick Art Supplies and Soldiers' Angels helps with shipping. If you would like to see Susie's portfolio, visit her website.

To have a portrait of a deployed service member made for a parent, send clear, medium-sized pictures (no taller/wider than 1200 pixels) of the service member to itsme@soldiersangels.org, along with any stories or descriptions of the service member that you think will help Susie get a sense of who he/she is in relationship to the parent(s).

T'was a Night in December

2010-12-15T21:33:00.002-06:00

Georgia Soldiers' Angels needs your help!

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All you have to do it click and vote!

Here's another great opportunity to support the troops with just the click of a mouse!

Soldiers' Angels Georgia is in the running for $1000 to help with their massive annual Christmas Stocking project for National Guardsmen deployed from their state, but they need your help! You can help SA Georgia win the DollarDays.com Community Pride photo contest, simply by voting for them with a click of your mouse. Currently, SA Georgia is in 4th place, but the 1st place project has twice as many votes!

The Dollar Days contest challenges nonprofit customers to use a photo to show how they use Dollar Days purchases in their charity work. SA Georgia's photo shows a happy soldier who has received a care package from Georgia Angels, one of the average of 5,000 they send every year.

Supporters can vote once per email address, per day, and the deadline is December 31, 2010. Please share this link with your friends and families, add to your Facebook page or any forums in which you participate.

Put your mouse to work and help Georgia Angels support the troops! (And don't forget to use the buttons here to spread the word!)

Click to Vote, Share and Comment!

Photo Title : Christmas For The Troops!