Archive for the ‘Support The Troops’ Category

This is from Salinas, CA where the students were doing an art project to send to US Soldiers. The teacher told the middle school student the US Flag drawing was offensive while praising another student for their drawing of Barack Obama.

The Weekly Vice – Teacher Declares Student’s Drawing Of American Flag As “Offensive”

According to District Superintendent Mike Brusa, the child’s parents are seeking an apology after their child’s seventh grade art teacher, Peggy Saunders, declared their daughter’s drawing of an American flag was offensive.

The drawing featured a simple picture of an American Flag with lettering that stated “God Bless America” and “In God We Trust.”

When asked why she felt the American flag was offensive, Saunders walked away with no reply.

The same teacher reportedly went on to praise another student’s artwork, which depicted President Barack Obama.

Nothing surprises me any longer regarding teacher assaults on traditional American culture. I’m guessing if the student had replaced “God” with Allah nothing would have been said.

US flag drawing, Salinas CA, Peggy Saunders, Gavilan View Middle School, US flag offensive

Here are the facts prepared by the Victory Institute:

SEAL 3 Special Courts-Martial
Last Updated: Jan. 11, 2010

3 SEALs from SEAL Team 10 are charged with allegedly abusing an al Qaeda detainee Ahmed Hashim Abed
• Most-wanted al Qaeda terrorist, captured by SEALs in Sept. 1 nighttime raid
• Suspected mastermind of 2004 ambush on Blackwater security contractors
◦ All 4 were former commandos, including a former SEAL
◦ Men were shot, burned, desecrated, and hung from a bridge

Extent of Injuries, Lack of Evidence
• Military charge sheets(1) state his wound amounted to a punch in the stomach
• Al Qaeda training manual(2) tells members to claim they have been tortured and mistreated
◦ Documented that detainees abuse themselves and each other to accuse their captors
• Medical personnel determined that the injuries were not from the operation
◦ Source says3 that Abed was armed during his capture (no shots were fired)
▪ SEALs could have hit him then, but didn’t
◦ Abed was initially turned over to the Iraqi police
▪ If Abed’s alleged abuse took place, how do they know the SEALs did it?
• No corroborating evidence(4)
• Military has been withholding evidence like photographs, medical reports5

The SEAL 3:
• SO2 Class Matthew V. McCabe, 24, of Perrysburg, Ohio
◦ Only SEAL charged with striking Abed
• SO 1 Julio A. Huertas, Jr., 28, of Blue Island, Ill.
◦ Charged with impeding an investigation
• SO 2 Jonathan E. Keefe, 25, of Yorktown, Va.
• All SEALs charged with dereliction of duty and making a false statement

Judicial Process
• SEALs were initially faced with “Captain’s Mast” (Article 15)
◦ Non-judicial punishment – Commanding officer determines their guilt
▪ Viewed as an admission of guilt
▪ Permanent mark on their career
▪ Could have ended their career as SEALs
◦ SEALs opted for trial by courts-martial
▪ Could face up to a year in military confinement, discharge for bad conduct, and forfeiture of two-thirds of their pay for a year
▪ Could also be exonerated
• Military and political leadership’s handling has already had a negative effect6 on our national security
• Instead of being treated as heroes, they are being tried as criminals
• Where is the line between being awarded a medal and being court-martialed?

Now, the military judge has moved the trial of 2 of these SEALs to Iraq so the Iraqi terrorist will be able to testify lie about the alleged abuse.

SEALs should face accuser during trials, military judge rules

If the government won’t bring a suspected Iraqi terrorist to the United States to testify about alleged abuse at the hands of a Navy SEAL, the trials of two commandos accused of not safeguarding him will be held in Iraq, a military judge ruled Monday.

In back-to-back hearings at Norfolk Naval Station, Cmdr. Tierney Carlos said Petty Officer 2nd Class Jonathan Keefe and Petty Officer 1st Class Julio Huertas each deserve to face their accuser – alleged terrorist Ahmed Hashim Abed.

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Support The SEALs

Free the SEALs, SEAL Team 10, Ahmed Hashim Abed, SO2 Class Matthew V McCabe, SO1 Julio A Huertas Jr, SO2 Jonathan E Keefe

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Olga Elliott

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Olga Elliott, a Multi-National Corps-Iraq human resources technician, poses with MNC-I Command Sgt. Maj. Frank Grippe after finishing the Bobby Crim 10-Miler Aug. 22, at Camp Victory in Baghdad. Elliott, a San Diego native, finished the race in 1 hour, 9 minutes, 57 seconds, earning her top female honors.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday.

For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero, CWO2 Olga Elliott

I heard this last night on the You Served radio program. Please pass it on, this will truly touch your heart.

From James Hooker’s blog:

It´s the words withdraw,allegiance and renounce, banish and exile that bother me. I still have my country and my flag and I still have good men like CJ and good women too, putting all their asses on the line.

I´ve heard there are no republicans or democrats in a fire-fight. The only left or right that matters is your brother or sister beside you. CJ, this is for you and Troy and Marcus and quite a few millions of men and women over the past couple hundred years or so who hang it out there.

Thank you.

You can also hit Mr. Hooker’s tip jar while visiting.

The Pledge James Hooker, A Christmas Card of Thanks, James Hooker, Support the Troops

This is a powerful video in support of the Navy SEALs who captured the Islamic terrorist who murdered 4 American contractors in Fallujah in 2004. This terrorist grotesquely burnt their bodies, dragged the bodies through the streets and then hung the charred bodies from a bridge. These SEALs have been brought up on charges of giving this animal a ‘fat lip’ based on no evidence other than the animals testimonial.

You can help stop this outrage. GO HERE.

Link

Support the SEALs, Fallujah terrorist

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

Cpl. Reynold Armand
21 years old from Rochester, New York
2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force
August 7, 2007

Reynold Armand didn’t want to wait until he turned 18 to join the Marines. He persuaded his adoptive mother to sign papers allowing him to sign up a year early.

“I’m very proud of him,” said his father, Carl Armand. “When he was home, he gave no sign of being afraid.” Armand didn’t speak much about his experiences in Iraq, according to family members, saying only that most Iraqi civilians he encountered were very nice.

“We used to send him a lot of candy,” said his mother, Alma Armand. “He would pass it out.”

Manny Rodriguez, 21, of Rochester met Armand five years ago at New Day Church in Rochester, where both young men were members of the youth group. “He was such an amazing all-around person. He was so easy and comfortable to be around. He liked people for who they are.”

No definitive report could be found on how Cpl. Armand died. Some report that he was killed when shot and others report that he was killed by an IED that exploded near his vehicle in Balad, Iraq.

All Information Was Found On And Copied From MilitaryCity.com with help from Kathi

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday.

For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero, CPL Reynold Armand

Pvt. William Long
23 years old from Conway, Arkansas
D Company, 2nd Battalion, 58th Infantry
June 1, 2009

“My brother taught me valuable lessons and made me the man I am today,” said Pfc. Triston Long, brother of Pvt. William Long. “My commander said, ‘Make your brother one of us.’ I will miss my brother with all that I am, and I serve in honor of him.”

Pvt. William Long had just completed basic training and was set to ship out on June 8 to his first duty station in Korea when he and Private Second Class Quinton Ezeagwula were shot outside a Little Rock, Arkansas Army-Navy Recruiting Center by Abdul Hakim Mujahid Muhammad. They were in Little Rock to speak to with potential recruits about their experiences.

Pvt. Long’s father, Daris Long, a former Marine, wrote a letter to give to him when he shipped out for South Korea. In that letter he wrote, “Your day only ends when you�ve done your duty. You and your brother � are both heroes for having the moral courage to stand up when your country needs you most. You are in my hopes and my thoughts and my prayers. You are my son, you are my hero. I love you. Semper fidelis.”

Along with his father and brother, Pvt. William Long is survived by his mother, Janet, who had served in the Navy herself.

All Information Was Found On And Copied From RedState, Sipsey Street Irregulars & Army Times with help from Kathi

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday.

For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero, Pvt William Long

Aviation Ordnanceman 2nd Class (SEAL) Marc A. Lee
28 years old from Hood River, Oregon
Navy SEAL
August 2, 2006

“Marc was amazing. He was my best friend, my love,” his widow, Maya, said.

Petty Officer Marc A. Lee joined the Navy in 2001 and became an AO after completing Naval Air Technical Training. Later that year he attempted to complete the grueling BUD/S program but caught pneumonia and had to drop out. He tried again in 2004 and completed the course.

On August 2, 2006, Marc A. Lee became the first SEAL to be killed in combat in Iraq when he was fatally wounded in a firefight in Ramadi, Iraq. The following is from the award citation:

“During the operation, one element member was wounded by enemy fire. The element completed the casualty evacuation, regrouped and returned onto the battlefield to continue the fight. Petty Officer Lee and his SEAL element maneuvered to assault an unidentified enemy position. He, his teammates, Bradley Fighting Vehicles and Abrams tanks engaged enemy positions with suppressive fire from an adjacent building to the north.

“To protect the lives of his teammates, he fearlessly exposed himself to direct enemy fire by engaging the enemy with his machine gun and was mortally wounded in the engagement. His brave actions in the line of fire saved the lives of many of his teammates”

“It was so like Marc to give up his life to save his friends,” his mother, Debbie Lee, told the Hood River News. “I am so proud of him. He is my hero.”

Petty Officer Lee was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star with combat “V” for his actions in Iraq during his team’s combat tour and the Purple Heart medal.

All Information Was Found On And Copied From MilitaryCity.com

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday.

For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero, Aviation Ordnanceman 2nd Class (SEAL) Marc A Lee,

PLEASE VOTE for the ONLY military couple-Van Ngo & Eric Oberly

US Weekly/WeddingChannel.com Dream Wedding Contest

Voting is unlimited and will continue through June 19th at this website: http://www.usmagazine.com/dream-wedding-2009-couple-5

You can read their story at the link to vote.

Wedding Channel, Dream Wedding Contest 2009, Van Ngo, Eric Oberly