Archive for the ‘Honoring Our Military’ Category

I got this in an email from a friend who also added his comment:

“Makes a man proud to know that not all of Washington DC has been infected with “Progressive Liberalism”. As long as our soldiers raise to their duty as these young men did, there is hope for our country inspite of our politicians.”

Not All of D.C. Was Shut Down Last Week.

These guys were given the time off during the bad weather but every one of them refused and manned their posts. This is Arlington at the Tomb of the Unknowns.

Arlington National Cemetery, Tomb of the Unknown, US Military

It’s Veteran’s Day, a day to honor, thank and remember our Veterans.

Now is the time to order your Wreaths from Wreaths Across America. You could order wreaths for Arlington National Cemetery or you can order wreaths for your local national military cemetery. If you live in Middle Tennessee the Middle Tennessee Veteran’s Cemetery at McCrory Lane in Nashville could really use your help.

This year WAA has a mission of delivering a truck load of wreaths (5,000 wreaths) to each of the 50 states. If you can sponsor a wreath please go to http://wreathsacrossamerica.org/sponsor-a-wreath.htm. You can select the participating location that will receive your donated wreath from their list of over 350+ participating locations. Individual wreath – $15, Family (4) wreaths – $60, Small Bus (10) – $150 and Corporate (100) – $1,500. Wreath sponsorships must be received no later than November 25th, 2009.

Location ID TNMTVN Location Leader Annette Robeck

Please join us in honoring our Fallen Heroes on Saturday Dec. 12th at 11:00 am at the Middle Tennessee Veteran’s Cemetery

“Wreaths Across America is about the spirit of Appreciation for what we have, and a determination to give something back.”

The Wreaths Across America story began 15 yrs ago when Worcester Wreath Company began a tradition of placing wreaths on the headstones of our Nations fallen heroes at Arlington National Cemetery during the holidays.
In 2006 this ceremony of wreath laying was expanded to Veteran Cemeteries across the country to run concurrently with Arlington Cemetery at 12 noon EST. The ceremony runs around 30 minutes, we will be in the enclosed gazebo on the hill with the large windows to view the cemetery, seating is also provided. After the ceremony we will be laying the wreaths at the graves, you are welcome to join us.

Please bring your children, we will be having all the children stand up to say the Pledge of Allegiance. We have Janna and Keith Landry (back up singers for Lee Greenwood) to sing the National Anthem and bagpiper Todd Boswell to play TAPS and play while we lay the wreaths at the graves.

Middle Tennessee Veteran’s Cemetery
7931 McCrory Lane
Nashville, TN 37221
Tel: (615) 532-2238

Veteran’s Day 2009, Wreaths Across America

VFW Commander-in-Chief Thomas J. Tradewell, Sr., plans to carry the signed pledge with him throughout the year as he visits with America’s defenders. Veterans and service members around the world will see your signature and know our nation still cares.

Thank you for pledging to honor the true meaning of Veterans Day.

VFW Veterans Day Pledge, VFW, Veterans Day

Marine Sgt. Michael Ferschke of Maryville, TN married the love of his life, Hota by a proxy marriage. The couple had plans on marrying upon his return from his tour of duty in Iraq. But life had different plans for them, Hota found out she was pregnant after Sgt. Ferschke deployed. When Hota announced to him that a pregnancy test came back positive, he was thrilled and they married by paper proxy.

Unfortunately, Sgt. Michael Ferschke, Alph Co.,3rd Recon Bn.,3rd Marine Division was killed in action August 10th, 2008 in Salah ad Din province in Iraq. Michael H. Ferschke III was born in a military hospital so he is a US Citizen. Things have not worked out for Michael’s mother Hota.

Hota has run into immigration bureaucracy because the marriage was by proxy.
However, she says the family is facing a new challenge when it comes to permanent residency.

She says a 1952 law is the problem. According to her, the law does not permit citizenship for Hota, because she did not consummate the marriage, given that the two married by proxy, and Sgt. Ferschke was killed before they reunited.

snip..There is a law that should cover Hotaru Ferschke. It is called the Armed Forces Naturalization Act of 2003. It reads in part-

(4) SURVIVING ALIEN SPOUSES, CHILDREN, AND PARENTS OF CITIZENS WHO DIE WHILE ON ACTIVE-DUTY SERVICE IN ARMED FORCES-

`(A) BENEFITS FOR SURVIVORS-

`(i) IN GENERAL- The benefits under this paragraph shall apply only to a surviving spouse, child, or parent of a person who, while a citizen of the United States, died during a period of honorable service in the Armed Forces of the United States as a result of injury or disease incurred in or aggravated by such service.

`(ii) DETERMINATIONS- The executive department under which the citizen so served shall determine whether the citizen satisfied the requirements of clause (i).

`(B) SPOUSES- Notwithstanding the second sentence of subsection (b)(2)(A)(i), a person who is a surviving spouse described in subparagraph (A), and who was living in marital union with the citizen described in such subparagraph at the time of death, shall be considered, for purposes of subsection (b), to remain an immediate relative after the date of the citizen’s death, but only until the date on which the surviving spouse remarries.

Consulate officials are sticking to the letter of the 1952 law and reading the 2003 in the strictest possible way. Was it Congress intent to penalize people like Hotaru Ferschke just because her husband died in action before their marriage was consummated?

Hota’s temporary visa expires in January by order of our own government, the same government her husband lost his life for.  Hota and Michael and the Ferschke family needs your help.

Rep. J Duncan of Tn has sponsored a personal bill to remedy this wrong.

H.R.3182
Title: For the relief of Hotaru Nakama Ferschke.
Sponsor: Rep Duncan, John J., Jr. [TN-2] (introduced 7/10/2009)
Cosponsors (None)
Private bill
Latest Major Action: 7/20/2009 Referred to House subcommittee.
Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.

Where are the rest of the Tennessee legislators in sponsoring this bill? We need to get support for this bill from more than just Tennessee Congressman and Senators. I know Congress is pretty busy right now trying to spend the country into oblivion but I think they could take some time out from their spendthrift ways to support a fallen hero and his family. Time is quickly running out. Please call your Representatives and Senators to sponsor this bill for this fallen Marine’s family.

VolunteerTV.com out of Maryville, Tn has also been following this story.

Sgt. Michael Ferschke, Hota Ferschke, HR 3182, Tennessee Marine

This little girl knows sacrifice. Her Daddy deployed to Iraq for a year. Through Patriot Guard we do many mission to send off troops and welcome home troops. The send offs are always sad and bittersweet for the families. The welcome homes are great joy and celebration.

Little Girl Can’t Let go as Sergeant Daddy Leaves For Iraq
Some things are just not allowed when soldiers are standing in formation. One of them is 4-year-old girls.

However, there was no soldier stern enough to pry Paige Bennethum of Laureldale, Pa. from her father as he prepared to leave last July for a year-long deployment in Iraq.

Abby Bennethum captured her daughter’s emotions in a photograph that she passed along to the Reading Eagle, the newspaper in Berks County, Pa. The image immediately captured many other people’s emotions.

Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Brett Bennethum was preparing to depart from Fort Dix, N.J., for Iraq, leaving behind his pregnant wife and two little girls. His family was there to see him off. His commanding officer didn’t have the heart to tell Paige she had to let go of her daddy.

Tomorrow the Patriot Guard of Tennessee will be welcoming home Tennessee National Guard, 168th Military Police Battalion.

Time for Great Joy and Celebration!

Thank you to Mailloux at Redstate for the heads up on this story.

Staff Sgt Brett Bennethum, Paige Bennethum, Luareldale PA, Patriot Guard Tennessee, TNG 168th MP BTN

Freedom isn’t Free!

July 4th, President Ronald Reagan, freedom is never more than one generation

There’s a number of videos showing John Rich speaking with war veterans but this one happens to be with a WWII Veteran who is close to the hearts of the Tennessee Patriot Guard. You can read about John’s visit to Washington D.C. through the Honor Flight program.

John Hall, WWII Veterans, Tn Patriot Guard, John Rich, Honor Flights

Back in 2006 an amateur historian old maps at a fair and these maps uncovered German bunkers used by the Nazi’s which caused horrific losses to Allies on D-Day.

German Bunker Discovered Overlooking Normandy Beach

Over 60 years later – D-Day Maisy Battery found

However, over the years it was lost as nature took hold, and it remained buried in French soil for more than 60 years. Experts were divided about the battery’s location until Mr Sterne’s find.

The Germans had built a decoy gun emplacement overlooking the area and the location of the real guns which blasted the beach remained unclear.

The 43-year-old father of two from Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire, has bought a house close to the battery and subsequently spent thousands buying 40 acres covering the site from 32 different landowners.

He then took two years excavating the site. He said he received no animosity from the French towards his plan.

Mr Sterne has also contacted veterans of the US 5th Ranger Battalion, who confirmed taking Maisy Battery from the Germans.

They also revealed that they found $4.2million worth of French francs, which was shared among the men.

Now Mr Sterne plans to open a museum on the site.

D-Day, June 6 1944, Maisy Battery, Omaha Beach, WWII,

Memorial Day, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington National Cemetery, Trace Adkins Arlington

Come join WLF(Warrior Legacy Foundation). A group of Veterans want to change the perception of Veterans in today’s culture.

If America only respected her warriors the way other nations who have fought us have, there would be no reason to exist at The Warrior Legacy Foundation. We spend billions of dollars on the way young children from other nations look at American servicemen and woman, but not a dime on the way young children in our own country view military service. Our purpose is simple and our goal is audacious. We will change American culture’s perception of the American veteran. Children will announce they want to serve in our nation’s military and teachers will applaud their aspirations, rather than regard them as lowering their standards. Parents need to see veterans for what they are: the best that every generation had to offer. Serving your country will be considered to be a career worthy of distinction, not a last resort for misguided youth.

Wounded Warriors are not to be pitied. We see people on the street look away from wounded heroes every day. Strangers hand them money rather than address how special these Americans are. WLF will remind Americans that when they see an Injured Warrior they should thank God that our nation still produces such selflessness.

There will never be a group that wants to generalize all veterans by those who need compassion and assistance. We will not allow our injured comrades or those who gave their lives to have that sacrifice mocked by the hidden agendas of partisans. The very same people who scream about the homelessness of veterans call Post Traumatic Stress a “disorder.� There is no veteran who has ever served that didn’t experience stress. And no one in combat has ever avoided trauma.

From David Bellavia, Executive Director

WLF, Warrior Legacy Foundation, David Bellavia, Mathew Burden